Fair warning, I don't know shit about trials and stuff like this so I had to do a lot of research for this chapter, this might be really bad
TRIGGER WARNINGs : court setting, talks about abuse in detail, talks about mental hospital and lots of disorders, talks about blood and drugs
Virgil POV
Breathe. Breathe. Breathe in and out. Focus on Roman holding me. Breathe. Breathe. I can do this.
I can't do this.
"I can't, Roman I can't, I don't...I don't want to see him again," I chocked out, my hands somehow digging farther into Roman's skirt.
"It's going to be okay," Roman told me, gently running a hand through my hair. "I'll be there the entire time. Once this is over, you'll never have to see your father again."
"I can't do this," I cried.
"Virgil," Roman pushing me off him gently. "We're already here. The case starts in ten minutes."
"Don't remind me," I chocked out.
Roman pulled me back in for a hug and gently brushed my tears away. I tried to calm myself down, taking deep breaths.
I tried to focus on something other then the overwhelming fear. We were hiding in the bathroom. I walked into the court house, Roman signed us in, then I had a panic attack.
Roman fixes my tie and ran a few hands through my hair to try and comb it. His attempts were futile.
"Just take deep breaths," He told me. "If anything starts to go wrong, just count backwards and breath."
"I don't want to do this," I mumbled, finally regaining my composure.
"I know you don't baby, I wish I could make it so you didn't have to deal with this," He told me gently. "But you'll be okay. He won't be able to touch you in there. You're just a witness so that your dad can go away from a while."
"What if I have another panic attack? What if I can't calm down? What if he does try to hurt me. What if I make a fool out of myself in front of everyone?" I asked. My brain was rapid fire coming up with a million ways this could go wrong.
"If you can't handle the pressure, tell the lawyer. My parents found the best prosecutor out there and they found a good lawyer for you that has dealt with people with anxiety disorders," Roman told me. "And you want to know what your dad has? A crappy court appointed lawyer. You're going to win this case no matter what."
"And than what do I do?" I asked.
"You get your house. You get to be free. Quinn will move in with you and things will start getting better." He said. "And you'll never have to see that douche bag again."
I nodded a bit. Taking deep breaths, I allowed Roman to lead me back out of the bathroom. Everyone was standing there, giving me worried looks.
I could tell that Quinn was terrified to be here. He hasn't let got of Evan and Damien since we arrived. I told him he didn't have to come and risk an episode but he said he wanted to be here for me.
"Are you okay?" Damien asked, quickly walking over to me. He was followed by Evan and Quinn.
"I'll be fine," I whispered, my voice incredibly shaky.
"Hey, it's okay," Damien told me. "I was in this same position a few years ago. Trust me, you're going to be fine. They aren't going to do anything to you except ask you a few questions and they might have you testify against him. But you literally just have to sit their and let the lawyers handle it."
"I second that, also with personal experience," Quinn mumbled.
"I'm still scared," I admitted.
"It's gonna be okay," Patton said, walking over and pulling me into a hug. Emile and Evan followed in suit. I hugged them all back gratefully.
"There's no way logically possible that you can loose this case," Logan added while walking over.
"And then you'll be free," Remy told me. "And you won't have to see that dick again."
"Thank you guys," I mumbled, smiling weakly at them.
"C'mon, the trial is about to start," Damien said, motioning to the clock.
We all headed down the hallway towards the court room assigned to my dad's case. Roman's parents were standing outside the door. They looked worried.
I had to take multiple deep breaths before walking into the room. I had to pause, overwhelmed by the sheer size of this place.
"It'll be okay," Roman whispered to me, squeezing me hand a bit.
I nodded and walked forward. I was directed up into the front and sat at a small table. My lawyer was already there. She started asking me all sorts of questions.
We talked for a bit but then an officer walked out of a door up by the judges chair. My breath caught in my throat.
"All rise for the Judge," He called out before standing next to the chair.
A mean looking woman walked out in a black judges cloak. Her black hair was pulled back in a strict bun. Her face remained completely blank. She sat down at her chair and opened a binder.
"Will the accused come in," She asked.
The small door in the corner of the room opened. Dad stepped through, followed by an officer. He was in a long sleeved white shirt with tan pants and a baggy tan shirt. His hands were cuffed in front of him.
I about had a panic attack. I has to close my eyes and dig my nails into the palm of my hand to keep myself from having a breakdown.
"Henry Pierce has been charged with child abuse, child neglect, and reckless endangerment of a child." The judge read out.
"The prosecution may step forward and make their opening statement," She said while sitting back a bit in her chair.
My lawyer stood up. She walked out into the middle of the courtroom and faced the judge.
"Your Honor and esteemed ladies and gentlemen of the jury," She started. "Mr. Pierce had been abusing his son, Virgil. These abuses range from hitting, starvation, and reckless endangerment."
"Thank you," The Judge said while my lawyer walked back over to sit down. "The defense may make their opening statement."
"Your honor, ladies and gentle of the jury," Said Dad's lawyer. "My client here has been charged with crimes that we have no proof of. He was struggling with the grief over his daughters death and that grief drove him into a bad mindset."
I wanted to screamed 'bullshit' at all of them. This has been going on a lot longer then just when Evangeline died. I don't want to listen to people defend a monster like Dad with terrible sob stories.
"Thank you," The Judge said. "Now we'll begin with bringing forth the evidence. The prosecution may advance."
My lawyer stood up and carried a bad of objects with her. She then pulled out a plastic bag with old bloodied knives.
"Your honor, upon the court warranted search and seizure of the Pierce residence after Mr. Pierce's arrest, many objects of evidence were discovered," She said, placing the bad of knives next to the judge. "These knives were found strewn throughout the house, all covered in Virgil Pierce's blood."
The judge nodded a bit. My lawyer smiled which I assume is a good thing. Hopefully. Then she pulled a smashed bottle of alcohol out in a plastic bag.
"Along with the knives, countless broken bottles of alcoholic substances were found throughout the house." She continued. "Based upon how this bottle and countless others are also covered in Virgil's blood."
Lots of terrible memories were resurfacing as the lawyer brought forth more and more evidence. I could see dad's lawyer visibly sweating.
"There was also a large assortment of drugs in the master bedroom. None of which were found in Virgil's system. But they were found within Mr. Pierce's system. These drugs are laced and extremely powerful," She explained.
Then she pulled out lots of photos. They made my anxiety raise even more. So many bad memories.
"Here are photos that show the horrible living conditions of the house," She laid the photos in front of the judge. "An empty kitchen. A falling apart house. And of course, the basement."
She held the photo up for all the court to see. I wanted to start crying. It was a photo of the basement, lots of blood at the bottom of the stairs from the countless times I fell down those stairs. More photos showing where I hid when I was locked down there.
"I also have Virgil's medical records. Virgil spent time in the New Dawn Mental Hospital after an attempted suicide. From the hospital, I have video evidence of Mr. Pierce attacking his son." She said. I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. "The records from the hospital show large amounts of trauma and bruising to Virgil's sides, back, arms and legs. The records from early this January also confirm bruising and muscle trauma evidence that's common of an abuse victim."
The judge seemed to be lost deep in thought. My lawyer set the medical records up in front of the judge.
"I'd like to show the video if I may," She continued. The judge nodded in agreement and a projector and a board were lowered from the ceiling.
My lawyer hit a button and then the video started. It showed me back in the judgment room at New Dawn. Mom and Dad were across the table from me. Dad was very obviously angry with me. When I tried to leave, he grabbed me and forced me back down. A guard got involved but Dad responded by slapping me. He started screaming horrible things at me and then hit me roughly on the side of my head. He was forcibly removed from the room while Damien rushed out to comfort me and Nurse Ash helped my mother. Then the video ended.
"I'd like to call a witness," She said. The judge nodded in approval. "I'd like to call Virgil Pierce to the stand."
She might as well just slapped me with a brick. I stared at the seat in utter fear. But I forced myself to get up and sit in the chair. I refused to look up at Dad.
"Do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?" She asked me.
"Yes," I answered.
"Would you say your father abused you?" She asked. I nodded 'yes', not trusting my voice right now. "Can you tell me about the basement."
I must had physically reacted to that word because Roman made a breath gesture from the viewing area of the court house.
"Dad locked me in the basement when he wasn't happy with me," I chocked out.
"Can you remember the longest amount of time you were locked in the basement?" She continued to question.
"No, I don't remember much about those days," I mumbled. "They all blended together."
"For the record, you are a homosexual and you have a boyfriend?" She asked. I nodded 'yes' again. "Is he here with us right now?"
"Yes," I said, my gaze flicking up to Roman. I held his gaze, trying to gather some of his courage.
"One of the reasons your father hurt you was because of this, correct?" She asked.
"Yes," I answered shamefully.
"If I'm correct, he once found you in the basement and helped get you out?" She asked. I nodded 'yes'.
"That's all, you may sit back down." She told me gently. She gave me a comforting smile.
I thankfully got out of the witness chair and headed back to my table. She turned around and looked around the viewing area.
"If the boyfriend of Virgil Pierce can rise," She said. Roman stood up. "Name?"
"Roman King," He answered. He didn't seem scared at all.
"I call Roman King to the stand," She said. Roman nodded a bit and walked up. He flashed me a smile while walking past that made me feel a little better.
"Do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?" She asked.
"I do," Roman answered.
"You're the boyfriend of Virgil Pierce," She said, Roman nodded along. "How long have you two been together."
"Almost six months now," He said after having to think for a second.
"You found Virgil in the basement one time, correct?" She asked.
"Yes," Roman admitted, his face taking on a grim look.
"Would you please explain in detail what happened?" She asked.
"This was before we had started dating," Roman clarified. "Virgil and I had made plans to meet before school but he never showed. And then he never showed up to school the day. I tried to get in touch with him by calling and texting him but he never responded. I went to his house after school and was greeted by his mom. She told me to help Virgil. To protect him from his father and then get him far away once he graduated. Then she told me Virgil was in the basement and gave me the key. I quickly rushed down there and found Virgil. He was barely conscious and starving. His head was bleeding badly. I helped him out of the house."
Roman finished and just looked at me with sorrowful eyes. My lawyer nodded solemnly and dismissed him.
"I have one last witness to call," She said without skipping a beat. "Ash Darlington."
I looked up in shock as a familiar lady stood up in the viewing area. Nurse Ash. She had glasses now but otherwise she still looked the same.
She barely looked at me when walking up to the witness stand. My lawyer repeated the same process as she did with Roman and I.
"You were the nurse in charge of the room Virgil stayed in during his time at New Dawn, correct?" She asked.
"Yes, I was," She answered with a little nod.
"Can you explain to me anything that might've led you to believe that Virgil had been abused in some way?" She questioned.
"Well, he was covered in bruises when I first met him. He was very wary of people and always expected to be hit or smacked after getting in trouble. He even asked me if I was going to hit him when he was new to the hospital. Anytime someone got angry, he'd shy away from them. But the biggest clue would probably be when Virgil's parents came to visits," Ash paused and took a deep breath. "Virgil absolutely refused to see his parents. Expressing multiple times with explicit words how scared he was to see them. He refused to see them until I allowed his roommate to join us in the visiting room. From there, Virgil developed mild PTSD, severe depression disorder, severe anxiety disorder, separation anxiety and many other mental scars due what happened to him. The doctors speculated that he suffered severe physical, mental, emotional, and verbal abuse from his father."
"Thank you, you're dismissed," My lawyer said. Ash stood up and walked back into the viewing area. I tried to catch her eye but she refused to look at me.
"That is all your honor," She said with a smirk.
Hell, even I was impressed. She was good at her job. There's no way dad's crappy court appointed lawyer is going to be able to deny all that evidence.
"Does the defense have anything to say?" The Judge asked.
"Uh..." The lawyer stuttered while flipping through papers. Then he sighed and sat them down. "No. I have nothing."
"Then I believe that the jury and I can agree on the finale decision," The Judge said.
She looked over at the jury. They conversed for a few seconds until the one closest to the judge stood up and said 'guilty'.
"How do you plead Mr. Pierce?" The Judge asked.
"Not guilty," He spat. Defiance and anger in his eyes. My blood boiled in anger.
"I hereby sentence Henry Pierce to four years with no probation and termination of all parental rights over Virgil Pierce." The Judge declared with a quick bang of her gavel.
I let out a sigh of relief. But that brief moment of relief was quickly shattered as Dad bolted up and over to me.
He threw his hand cuffs around my neck and started to chock me. Chaos erupted around us.
"You fucking faggot!" He screamed. "You ruined my fucking life! I hate you! I should've killed you when I had the chance!"
He continued to scream horribly things at me along with many explicits. The officers quickly came over and pulled him off me.
They dragged him out of the court room kicking and screaming. I looked over at Roman in shock in fear. I could barely breath.
But then the floor came rushing up towards me and the blissful darkness of unconsciousness swept over me.