A/N: I am so sorry but this is longest chapter and I would like to apologize first hand for any mistakes I made during the court scene. I am not a lawyer, I have zero knowledge on the law or how it was is to act in the courtroom. Don't come at me and tell me I was wrong. I did warn. 

"Ava Peterson." Oscar told Alex the moment he entered his office the next day. It was the first time he was here and Oscar personally had him sent to talk about Ava but Ellen assumed they are discussing about the case. "She was a junior when she met him. They were the elite couple and then she just dropped everything in Stanford and live her lives hidden from people." Oscar handed Alex her case file and he can see her photo over the printed paper. "She's pretty." He said and Oscar nods.

"Same blonde hair." Alex mutters with his fingers traced over her printed face and Oscar eyes turned to her photo in Alex's hand. "You're right. Like Henry." He says and Alex handed back the file to Oscar over the table. "Guess the guy had a particular taste then." Oscar flipped the file closed before clasping his hand together over the table and stare at Alex in front of him.

"Are you ready to do this? We can back out and think of some other way to win this case." He asks and Alex took a sharp breath before he exhaled and nods. "For Henry."

So here he was, sitting on the park bench right outside the library surprisingly still in Stanford waiting for her. Oscar told him that she would be here since she spend most of her day working at the public library.

Alex saw few minutes later she comes out from the library wearing the peach dress that flow right below her knees and a soft pink suede cardigan over her shoulder. Her blonde hair flowed freely with a pearl hairband over the top. She looks nice for someone whom had a dark pasts and her hand carried few books stepping down from the stairs when she slipped the books and it fell on the ground.

Alex took that as a cue to help her and also introduced himself to her and when he bend down to grab one of her book, she looked up to meet Alex's brown eyes with her blue one. "Hai." Alex greeted and she was startled by the sudden appearance of Alex in front of her. Alex handed her the book and she flinched clutching the rest of the book closer to her chest but eventually she grabbed it from his hand.

"I'm Alex. You must be Ava." He starts and Ava didn't respond except staring at him with her furrowed eyebrow and her wild expression of a complete stranger suddenly took an interest in her made Alex wonder if this is a good idea. Her eyes then travelled from Alex extended hand to the crutches under his one arm down to his braced leg.

When Alex realized she had some touch issue exactly like Henry does after it happens, he pulled his hand back and smiled his usual charming smile.

"Oscar Diaz is dating my mum." He starts and the moment he mentioned Oscar's name, her face dropped and she swallowed her throat dryly. "I already told him I made a mistake. I am not testifying." She walked passed Alex but he stops her from running since he barely could catch up on her.

"I know. He told me but I just need to know you're not changing your mind because someone is harassing you or trying to hurt you." He said and Ava stopped from trying to escape him still had her books clutched closer to her chest. "I don't know what you mean." She still had her gaze down on the ground feeling terrified if she looked up she would see Alex's gaze burning hole in hers.

"I'm sorry for what they did to you Ava. But I really need your help right now." Alex continued and it took her a while before she raised her gaze at him. "I can't. I'm sorry." She tried to walk pasts Alex again but Alex won't let her go easily.

"His name is Henry. He's the love of my life and he is fighting for his life right now as we speak due to what they did to him." Ava stops from walking away and turned to face Alex. "I know, Oscar told me." She said and her eyes are apologetic. "But I can't- " she begs and Alex stepped closer to her. "Then you know I am not gonna stop. Can you spare the evening for me? I like you to meet him." He starts and Ava contemplated at first before she'd finally gave in and followed Alex limping with his one crutched under his arm.

.

The moment they stepped into Henry's room, Alex can see Phillip by his side doing his work on his laptop with Shan the same over the couch. Henry beating heart beeping steadily over the monitor and Alex smiles each time he sees him. Phillip looked up to see them standing by the door before he stood and Ava hides behind Alex feeling terrified of meeting them.

She never met Henry or Phillip and she usually deals with Oscar and mostly over the phone or email. That is how she reached out for him in the first place.

"Ava, this is Phillip, Henry's big brother and that is Shan, a family friend." He introduced them and Ava nods and they both didn't make any attempt to reach their hand seeing how she hides away and fear stricken all over her eyes.

"It's okay Ava, you're safe here." Phillip told her and she slowly stepping out from behind Alex and nods. Alex handed out his palm for her and she accepted it before he walked closer to Henry's bed.

"Hey babe." Alex whispered before he leaned over to Henry's head and kissed him letting Ava stood by the end of the bed staring at him. "I have someone for you to meet. This is Ava." He turned his gaze towards her with a smile over his face. "This sleeping prince right here is Henry." She silently stares at Henry still unconscious on the bed with tube coming out of him like a puppet on a string.

"What happened to him?" She asks softly and Phillip stepped to Henry side adjusting the blanket over his chest, Oscar didn't exactly spare her all the details regarding Henry only that she would helped a lot in his case. "He was attacked by them. They pushed him from the steps twice and he had bleeding in his brain." Phillip explained and Ava's eyebrow crooked into confusion.

"I don't understand. I thought he was raped? Just like I did." She told them and Alex exhaled. "That was months ago. He came back here because of me. I got hurt because I knew what they did to him and they threatened me not to say anything. I recorded everything they'd said. But apparently it wasn't strong enough." Alex took a seat on the chair next to Henry stretching his braced leg feeling it painful from all the walks he did today.

"I was just a junior. Henry must be a freshman." She starts and Alex nodded, "We both are." He adds and saw Ava placed her bag over the floor and Phillip grabbed her books from her hand and she thanked him with a soft smile. "I can see the resemblance." Phillip says after he placed the book down and read the title.

"You and Henry shared the love of books, literature, a hopeless romantic." He starts and Ava stares at her books by the table before her gaze went back to Henry. "Hopeless romantic." She repeats.

"Danny said that to me before. When we first met." She starts earning Alex a glance at her. "He said that to Henry too." Ava turned her glanced at Alex and they both locked eyes. "I'm sorry." She starts and Alex turned his gaze towards Phillip next to her and Shan signing them to give them some privacy.

"I'll get us something to drink, tea?" Phillip asks and Ava declined thanking him while he took Shan with him and left the room. After the door close, her gaze went back to Henry and her eyes witnessed how Alex hand tangled with Henry's pale skin and noticed the bandage over his wrist.

"What's that?" She asks and Alex saw how her eyed fixed on the bandage and he let his thumb stroked the bandage feeling the materials brushed against his skin. "He tried to hurt himself after what happened. Luckily Phillip was there." Alex's voice sound stagnant, emotionless probably due to exhaustion, she thought.

"Alex, I know what you expect me to do but I -"

"I know." Alex interrupts her. His eyes still stares deeply into Henry before he turned to her and Ava took a sharp breath. "I didn't expect you too. I was the reason they found out about you." Alex can see her eyes widen after he told her. Her hand gripped over the edge of the bed and her knuckles turned white.

"It was an accident. I never thought someone would hear our conversation. Foolish of me to think otherwise." Ava silence is killing him but he knew she has more to say. "I was the reason he got raped in the first place." Ava turned her gaze sharply at him before she slides forward and sat on Henry bed next to Alex. "How?" She asks curious.

"We had a fight. I was telling him not to trust Danny but Henry is stubborn. He is his own person and he hates people telling him what to do." Ava stares at Alex still holding on to Henry's hand while his gaze sets straight into Henry's pale handsome face. "He called me later to pick him up. Scared, frantic. I couldn't get his voice out of my head. If only I picked up his call instead and all of these won't happened." Ava saw the tears fell on his cheek as he gripped Henry's hand tighter.

"I never told him that I had nightmare of his voice for weeks before I could get a grip on myself."

"It's your right not to say anything but if those bastards threatened you, please tell me. All of this would never end if you didn't say anything. They will keep harassing you, they will never leave you alone Ava. Believe me." Alex gripped her hand over her lap and her eyes glistened with tears. Alex glad that she didn't pulled her hand away from him.

"I'm scared." She whispered confirming Alex thought on her.

"I know. Me too. But I have to be brave for Henry as he does for himself. If I give up now, how would I face him when he wake up." He can see Ava's eyes lowered before she pulled her hand away from Alex.

Alex sighs feeling defeated before his gaze went back to Henry and he leaned himself against the chair with his fingers under his chin. "Phillip was right. He and you shared the same thing. Your love for books." Ava eyes raised back to him but Alex didn't returned her gaze.

"He loves books so much he always lost in his own world. He was kinder to the books rather than to me." He chuckled slightly and Ava had a soft smile on her face. "But Henry is the kindest person I've known, sweet and innocent. A hopeless romantic indeed."

"He didn't deserved this. He didn't deserved to be treated this way. He wasn't supposed to lay down on that bed like this. He should be enjoying his life as he should. Fell in love or be in love with someone that he chose. Even if it wasn't with me." Alex lowered his gaze down and tears fell down on his cheek.

Ava remained silence watching how Alex won't stop holding on to Henry's hand and somehow she could see his fingers twitched and she raised her eyebrow. "Did he?" She asks and Alex hummed, "He's fighting his way out of it but the doctor said it's too soon. I know he is a fighter, he never give up, and neither should we." Ava took a deep breath before she exhaled and stood from the bed.

Alex saw she grabbed her bag and her books from the table before she turned to face Alex again. "It's late. I have to go." She says and Alex nodded weakly leaning back against the chair. He didn't asks her further to see if she changed her mind. The moment she stepped out from Henry's room, she had that choice in her and whatever happens on Monday morning in that courtroom would depend on her decision whether or not she would speak the truth.

.

Monday morning came like a flash and Alex head to the hospital first thing in the morning before he headed to the courtroom. The rest of them will meet him there except for Shan and he will keep Henry company here in the hospital room.

Alex stood by Henry side staring at his face with a soft smile curved on his lips. "Morning handsome." He whispered before he took Henry's hand in his and he pressed his lips over his pale knuckles. 

"Today is the day, whatever happens after, just know that we tried our best. I love you so much Henry. I hope you could hear me." Alex eyed Henry's hand waiting for him to return his grip but Henry didn't. He's probably asleep, Alex thought. He sighs before he leaned forward and kiss Henry on his temple pressing his forehead against his.

"Don't wander off in your dreams Hen. Come back to me, come home to us." He whispered with his forehead pressed against each other and he couldn't stop his tear falling right on Henry's cheek. He gave him another kiss over his cheek before he left him to head to the courtroom.

.

"All rise." The bailiff voice raised as they all stood and Alex saw Judge Stevens walked right up his stand and sat down before everyone else can sit.

"All right, let's try to finish this today shall we?" Judge Steven says and Alex took a sharp breath holding on to that hope. His eyes wanders around the courtroom hoping to find Ava anywhere but he couldn't see her anywhere. A pang of hopelessness and defeat hits him right in his chest and Oscar saw how his eyes glistened searching for her. He took Alex hand in his and his eyes turned to him.

"She might show up, hold on to that hope." He says and Alex nodded before he turned his gaze towards Phillip sitting next to his mum and Nora beside her. He smiled at them before he turned his gaze back to the front and the Warren's lawyer starts his opening statement.

.

Alex was called to the stand as a witness and a victim. He walked to the stand limping in his braced leg, he refused to use his crutches not letting those bastards sees him weak and vulnerable. But the moment he reached the stand and the bailiff told him to raise his hand to take the oath, he could see them snickering a smile at him.

"Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and you will keep secret all of the proceedings of the grand jury conducted in your presence? So help you God?" The bailiff asks and Alex returned the oath as what Oscar taught him before he was allowed to sit.

He can see the Warren's lawyer approached his stand and he was holding himself from not punching this guy. "Mr Claremont, do you know my client personally?" He asks and Alex turned his gaze to the brothers before he nodded. "Used your words Mr Claremont. They typist can't write a nod for an answer over her sheets." He says triggering Alex's temper.

"Objection your honor, he's harassing my client." Max says and Alex gaze turned to him. "Sustained." Judge Stevens called and Alex inhaled sharply. "Yes and I wish I didn't." He answered, "Just a simple yes or no would suffice, no need to show your anger towards my client." Alex is really having a hard time holding on to his temper as he gripped the wooden rails surrounded him with his eyes stares deeply at his family.

Oscar nods palming his hand over his chest telling Alex to breathe which he did and slowly his raging temper slows down and he can see there is no point in arguing with this guy, he would just let the justice did it for himself.

"So who is Henry Fox to you then?" He asks,

"My roommate." Alex replied.

"Where were you the night your roommate 'claimed' he was rape?" He air quoted the word stating his disbelief.

"In they gym." Alex replied.

"So what proves does it that my client was with him that night?"

It took all of his strength not to answered it sarcastically and Alex held his words to himself.

"Because I was there when Henry told me he invited him to a party." Alex replied and the lawyer snickered a smile. "Still doesn't answered my question. On what evidence do you think my client was the one who raped him?" He asks and Alex gripped the rails harder.

"He went to the party with him." He says.

"Yes but so does hundreds of other kids too. Why blame it on my client?"

"Objection your honor, he's pressing on the witness." Max interrupts and once again Judge Steven sustained his request.

"So your roommate, Henry. Did he tell you that they actually raped him?" He asks again and Alex looked up to meet his gaze.

"N-No but he told his brother right before-"

"Just a simple yes or no is enough Mr Claremont." He cuts Alex off and he is fuming at this point.

"NO." Alex raised his voice and he can clearly see the jury's face from the side of the court staring at him like he had a knife stuck in his head.

"So when you found him the next day, what happens after?" The lawyer asks and Alex sat up straight in his seat clearing his throat before he spoke again.

"He was bleeding all over the bed. My mum took him to the hospital and-"

"No, no, no I wasn't talking about that, I was talking about the part where you went over to their apartment and beat them before you left." Alex eyes widen and his gaze immediately turned to the jury by the stand.

"It's ironic isn't it that you are suing my client for assault but you yourself assaulted them first and they didn't even press charges." Alex could feel his heart racing as he stares at both Danny and James smiling devilish at him.

"It's two against one, not even a fair fight." Alex replied and the lawyer laughs in disbelief. He could hear Max kept repeating the words objections and Judge Stevens kept repeating overruled and sustained next to him but everything that happened to him right now drown him in his own reality.

"Do you ever hear a phrase saying don't poke a sleeping beast?" He asks and again Max objected his questions.

"Well, you just woken the beast son." He continued although Judge Stevens already had enough of his cockiness.

"Counselor! Need I remind you that you are not teaching anyone a lesson and your job is to protect your client and not harassing others!" Judge Stevens raised his voice and Alex couldn't hold his emotion feeling his tears flooded his eyes as he stares at his mother raging over her seats.

He could hear murmur, whispers around the courtroom with both Max, Oscar are at each other's throat with the Warren's lawyer. But he couldn't get the words out. He felt like he is burning in fire and breathing underwater at the same time.

"I love you."

It was repeated over and over in his ears, or perhaps his mind. Henry's voice kept repeating the words calming his pulsating heart that beats in his ear.

"Mr Claremont?"

"Mr Claremont?"

"Alex!"

He shot his gaze back into the courtroom surprised at Oscar standing right before him holding on to his hand over the rails and tears fell on his cheek. "I can't do this." He whispered and Oscar nods softly allowing him to follow his breathing. "Deep breaths." He says and Alex did few times before Oscar turned his gaze towards Judge Stevens next to Alex.

"Do you need a minute Mr Claremont?" He asks and Alex shook his head at him, "No sir." He replied and Judge nods at Oscar before he continued.

"Alex, bare with me." Oscar starts and he nods taking his deep breath again.

"The night you were attacked at your dorm room. Would you tell the jury why do you think they attacked you in the first place?" He asks in his calm tone and Alex exhaled a long breath before he answered.

"Because I pissed them off by punching them and left." He starts.

"Why do you punched them in the first place?" Oscar asks and Alex swallowed his throat dryly.

"Because I just found out what they did to Henry and I can't control my anger." He says and Oscar nods again,

"What did they do to him?" He asks.

"They raped him that causes tear in his -" Alex looked up to meet Oscar's gaze and he headed back to his table before he grabbed the folder and handed it to Judge Steven. 

"Your honor, here is the medical report and the police report on the night they brought Mr Fox to the Stanford Medical Centre and I personally was there that night as a companion to my fiancé. The doctor signed off as a sexual assaults with third degree tear in his anal area. Unfortunately they couldn't get the DNA sampling due to being washed off but the second report when he was assaulted in the same hospital itself had the fingerprint of the Warren's all over his neck."

Judge Steven flipped through the pages of Henry medical report and Oscar continued. "And here is the video footage of that night with Mr Fox being delivered back to the dorm by Mr Daniel Warren himself. The plate and the car matches to his ID."

The murmur starts again and this time, the Warren's lawyer is back on his feet objecting their new evidence. Alex can see Oscar stern face and probably why did he hides this new evidence from him.

"ORDER!" Judge Stevens banged the gavel and the whole courtroom went silent. "We are not aware of this new evidence your honor and they should have provided it with approval to present as an evidence in court." Their lawyer defends and both were called forward to face Judge Steven.

"This isn't a UN meeting arguing with each other counselor, this is a courtroom, MY courtroom and you better behave or I will have all of you in contempt. You got me?" Judge Steven told them and they all nodded. "Now do you have any other new evidence that you would like to declare now Mr Diaz?" Judge Stevens asks again and Oscar raised both palms with his his head shook. "No your honor, just this."

Judge Steven played the video and the whole courtroom could see the black and white footage of Danny dropping Henry by their dorm. They barely could see both of them in the car but clearly when Henry got out, Danny is inside the car with that stupid smirk on his face.

Henry on the other hand swayed the moment he got out and Alex can see how much he is in pain. The way he walked, the way he was holding on to the wall and when he couldn't barely straightened his upper body made tears starts flooding in his eyes again.

"Your honor that evidence doesn't prove that my client actually did what they did. Maybe they'd just found him by the side of the road and gave him a ride home." Their lawyer defends again and Oscar back at it. "Why straight to the dorm room, why not the hospital? You can clearly see he is in pain and he is not well. Any normal human being would had that instinct to actually send him to hospital, not back to his dorm." Oscar asks and the lawyer started to defend again when Judge Steven bangs the gavel again.

"Mr Diaz! The witness is here, not there." Oscar apologized again and starts walking back towards Alex.

"Now Alex, would you tell me what happened after, especially the event at the hospital." Oscar asks and Alex nods knowing he wanted to speak about Henry being beaten by them.

"I got hurt, they broke my leg and I have to get surgery. Phillip, Henry's brother felt obligated to bring Henry to visit me and he did. Then things goes south after." Alex starts and Oscar crossed his arms over his chest, "Elaborate." He said.

"They chased him down, he ran through the fire exit and that's when they hurt him and threw him from the steps." Alex continued and Oscar paced in front of Judge Steven before he continued.

"He sustained injury to his brain and had to get surgery the day after. He's still intubated at the hospital as we speak your honor. Here is another evidence of the CCTV at the hospital where they'd chase him and came out few minutes later without Henry's present." Oscar put up another video for the jury to see and they all saw how both Danny and James ran to chase Henry by the corner and comes out like nothing happened.

"Your honor still doesn't prove they did anything. He could have been running the steps and slipped." Their lawyer defends and Oscar stares at him annoyingly. "Sure. Because you just chase people out of nowhere." Oscar said before clicking another button and the screen appears with Henry smiling face in it. Alex recognized that photo, he took that picture with him and Nora sitting by the cafe when Nora cracked a joke and he laughs showing his pearly white teeth.

"This is Henry before he was raped." Oscar mentioned before he pressed another button and revealed Henry's photo back in London wearing an apron looking skinny and disarray. An apron tied around his leaned waist and his eyes are sunken like he hadn't slept in weeks. "This is after." He mentioned and pressed another button.

"This is him now. At the hospital." He showed another photo with Henry in bed and tubes coming out of it. They all gasped at the photo and even few of them turned their glances away unable to watch the photo on the screen.

"You're right. Your client is not at fault for anything. I might not be able to prove them did what they did but just know that his life meant something to us. That happiest smile fades and replaced with this and he didn't deserved any of it. Just imagined if this was your son, your brother, your nephew, how would you react?" Oscar faced the Warren side of the table before he turned his gaze towards the jury.

"Nothing further your honor." Oscar says before returning to his seat and Alex saw how his mum extended her hand for him and he kissed her knuckles with a smile on her face.

"Your dismissed Mr Claremont, you can go back to your seat." Judge Steven said and Alex turned his head sharply at him. "You honor can I - say something?" He asks and Judge Steven glance at him from behind his low hanging glasses. He nods letting Alex continued.

"I have known Henry for almost a year now and truthfully the first time I met him, all I thought he was nothing but pretentious snob and a filthy rich international student that thinks highly of himself." He saw his side of his family smiles and so does Phillip.

"But then I get to know him. I love how he cares about his books, he didn't want me to ruin the pages of his dad's book because it was the only edition. I love how he talks about stars, constellations. How he would never let anyone knows he has a beautiful voice. Or the fact that he loves me silently without my knowing." Alex smiles lowering his gaze before he turned it back to the jury.

"He was hurt for his kindness, his innocence and his charm looks. I didn't expect that being kind and innocent has a price to pay. But he didn't deserved to be treated such way. He deserved to be loved by anyone that won't hurt him. The one that will always brings smile on his face when he pouted over the empty pizza box. The one that could protect him when he had nightmares middle of the night. He deserves someone that would hug him when he cried remembering his father. But not this, not this life."

Tears stricken everyone's face including Alex and he wiped it hurriedly with the heel of his palm.

"I know I can't prove what they did but I know I have truth. God knows I have truth on my side. I was told to fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you." Alex can see the proud flickering in Judge Steven's eyes as he stares at Alex by his side.

"Even if we lose this case, Henry won't blame anyone but himself so I intend to let people know how beautiful and kind his soul is. That he didn't deserve any of this happened to him." The whole courtroom went silent and Alex could see the look on Danny face that if he isn't sure he had any heart left for remorse, there's a little guilt strike on his face and he leaned back on his seat with his arm crossed. James on the other hand fuming next to him.

Alex stepped down from the bench and limped his way back to his seat and his family looked at him with nothing but a proud face. Oscar taps him on his shoulder and he could see the glistened tears over his eyes.

"Next witness please." Judge Steven asks and the lawyer called out Danny to the stand. They all stares at him striding alone the cocky walk over the stand and done the same oath that Alex did. He sat with his body straight puffing his chest forward.

The lawyer starts asking questions that made the jury believes he had nothing to do with Henry except that he was simply dropping him off that night and the fact that he chased him down in the hospital was because he wanted to clear out something with Henry but he ran off in fear of him and slipped down the stairs before hitting his head twice.

Alex sighed knowing that none of its true, none of it is believable but the jury seems to think other way. "We need to find Ava. I can't watch this any further." Alex whispers and Oscar taps him nodding in understanding. "Patience." He whispered back and it's their turn to question him.

"Mr Warren, you claimed that you didn't know Mr Fox?" Oscar firstly to ask and Danny sighed in annoyance. "Nope." He answered. Oscar hummed placing his hand in his pants pocket. "How do you explained the everyone in the party sees you came with him? Surely you must have known him to pick him up and drop him off?" Oscar tempts and he just shrug.

"Everyone met everyone at the party. Maybe I did maybe I didn't. How am I supposed to remember?" He answered cockily.

"So you didn't know about the kid who died few years back whom also you brought to the party?" Oscar asks and Alex felt proud he bringing that information. "Your honor objection, hearsay!" Their lawyer defends and Oscar could see he rattled up the rest of the Warren including their father's assistant whom sat behind them.

"Overruled." Judge Steven replied and his gaze turned to Danny and Oscar. "Answer the questions Mr Warren." He told him and Danny starts to shift in his seat. "Don't know what you're talking about. I don't know anything about a dead freshman." He replied.

"I didn't say anything about him being a freshman." Oscar told him and his eyebrow raised. The whole courtroom start murmuring again  and Oscar had that satisfied look all over his face. "Look I know nothing about that dead kid nor I have anything to do with his death." He starts with fear and anxious clearly noticeable on his face.

"Yet I didn't say anything about the kid being a guy didn't I?" Oscar is totally raising more questions and the crowd start muttering again. "Rumor spread fast at the uni. I heard about him but I didn't know him." He defends and Oscar hummed.

"No further question your honor." He ended the conversation before he stepped back to his seat. Danny was excuse back to his seat and as he walked out from his stand, the courtroom door opened and the loud creaked made them turned their head towards the sound.

Alex turned to see it was none other than Ava herself standing with her hand clasped in each other. She looks nervous but the moment they saw her, Danny had that horror stricken on his face.

"Your honor I have my next witness ready." Oscar says and Judge Steven nods. Ava walked through the crowd escorted by Oscar towards the stand and she took the oath before she sat. Her eyes lurks around and finally set at Oscar and she nods breathing in and out through her pursed lips. "You got this."

"Miss Peterson can you please introduce yourself to the jury?" Oscar starts and Ava nods. "My name is Ava Peterson, I was a student in Stanford university couple years ago before I met and dated Mr Daniel Warren for few months." She starts and the crowd was again silent listening to her.

"What happened Ava? Why did you stop going to school or dated Mr Warren?" He asks and Ava took a deep breath unable to hide her nervousness from Danny's burning gaze.

"On the night of September third, he invited me to a party. We had couple of drinks and then he brought me to a place." She stops before she continued.

"Which place is it?" Oscar asks.

"His childhood home. It was abandoned for years but somehow they kept the house unused." Alex could feel his heart raced in his chest knowing how Danny treated her. He never knew the story from Henry side on how the night happened but he could feel it must be related to hers.

"I thought it would be just the two of us, but I was wrong. He had his brother and his friends there waiting for me." They were gasps coming out from the crowd before she continued. "That night changed my life forever. I thought I fell in love with a guy, but he turns out to be a devil hurting me in every way I couldn't imagined."

Tears fell on her cheek and Oscar handed Judge Steven a brown folder contained her medical report the night it happened. It was proven she was gang raped by more than two men but none of it is identifiable due to no match in the system.

"It doesn't end there." She starts and the crowd focus on her.

"Two months later I found out I was pregnant. I confronted him and his father called me to their house." They can see that it triggered the anger in the Warren side of the family and their lawyer stood abruptly.

"Your honor, whatever conversation she has over with the Warren it was signed under NDA and she should honor the contract." The lawyer protest and Judge Steven stares at Ava next to him. He was handed the contract by the lawyer and Judge Steven didn't even batted an eyes at him. He took the contract in his hand and did a cursory reading and it was clear that she had to honor the contract of silence or she has to pay back the Warren all the money they gave her.

"Miss Peterson, you would be breaking the contract and have to accept the consequences?" Judge Steven asks and she had her gaze stares at both of the brothers, "Yes. I didn't take the money they'd offer so the contract is invalid."

She could see that it angered the Warren and both Danny and James stood. "Don't you fucking say a word Ava!" Danny screamed from his seat and Judge Steven order for them to behave.

"I was paid to keep my silence and abort my unborn child before disconnecting whatever relationship I had with them. I was expelled from the university and my life was never the same right after. The moment I stepped out, I tore the cheque away just like they torn my heart to pieces." She continued.

"Where were you for the last year?" Oscar asks and Ava turned her gaze back at Alex in front of her. "A mental facility. I was diagnosed with PTSD with suicidal attempts." Alex gasped at her similarities with Henry and he turned to see Phillip had his fingers over his lips hiding his trembling lips from tearing up.

"Miss Peterson, what happened after you were released?" Oscar asks and Ava turned to see him standing few feet away from her. "I was disown from my own family. They were ashamed of me. I couldn't find any money to continue my studies and I refused to take blood money from them so I took a job here in Stanford. It's the only place I knew and I still had few friends here that could help me." Her eyes set sharply at the Warren and she can see the eyes are burning with anger and fear.

"Thank you Miss Peterson." Oscar said before returning to his seat and so does Ava. She stepped out from the stand and was about to walk passed them when she saw Alex stood up as she stepped closer to him.

Alex wrapped his arms around her small petite body and she returned his hug by wrapping her arms around Alex's waist. "Thank you." Alex whispered in her ears and she smiled pulling away from his hug. She could see the glistening eyes over Alex's and his family especially Phillip over the end of the seat. He mouthed thank you to her and she can see the redness over his eyes as tears flooded right on his cheek.

.

The day was dragging too long for all of them and given the chances, Alex would rather go back to the hospital and be with Henry.

They waited for Judge Steven to come back and the moment he did, they were filled with anticipation and anxiety filled their hearts. "Whatever happens, it ends today, for Henry." Oscar said as he turned to face them and Alex can see Phillip stares at Oscar before he gripped him on his shoulder. "I can't thank you enough." He whispered and Ellen smiled gripping his hand over his lap.

Phillip then pulled out his phone probably to let Shan knows that they are coming back soon and saw the hundreds missed call on the screen and he panicked. Alex can see the horror in his face when he saw Shan's been calling him for the last few hours and he didn't realized it since it was on silent.

Phillip answered softly in whispers and it took him only few seconds before he ended the call and Alex saw the horror look on his face. "What is it?" He asks and Phillip already stood from his seat. "It's Henry. I have to go."

Phillip was about to leave when Alex stopped him and stood. "What? Tell me!" He demanded and Phillip looked at Alex that had desperate look over his face.

"He crashed, I didn't asks further. I have to go see my brother Alex. I need to make sure he is alright." He said and both Ellen and Nora stood, "We're coming with you." Alex told him before his eyes stopped at Oscar. "It's okay, I will let you know what's the results are. Go!" He told them and the moment after they'd left, Judge Steven finally entered the courtroom from behind the stand.

"Mr Diaz where is Mr Claremont?" He asks as he sat down. "Henry is in critical condition and the hospital just called. They all went to see him. I would very much like to join my family your honor, if we can just finished this before I am too late." He said and Judge Steven sighs longly. He could see from the corner of his eyes that both James and Danny had a smirk crept up on his lips.

"Has the jury come to their final verdict?" He asks and one of the jury stood up holding on to a paper envelope in his hand. "Yes your honor." He replied and Judge Steven nods, "Let's get this over with then." 

A/N: This took a lot of energy from me and I am so freaking exhausted. Sorry for a lot of error in this chapter.