Remy's POV: 

I sat against a tree in the courtyard, my head slumping back on rough bark, but my hands tracing the bumps and edges of the concrete yard. 

The court had ended, but we were waiting for Roman and Emile to finish up so that we could go. Patton had already shown us around, but the two had still not come back from the hallway. 

Fuck, this is nerve-wracking. Can't I just go climb a fence and escape now?

No, I should stay here, to help. I have to.  

Focusing on my surroundings, I glanced around the courtyard. 

Trees and bushes popped up in the concrete, small holes had been allowed for wildlife to flourish. Nature had gratefully accepted, as I could see small trees intertwining and bending around each other for room. Bushes were scrunched against tall poppies, violets and dandelions bending gracefully in the evening breeze. 

The rest was paved rock, grey and tan stretching up against the walls surrounding the yard. Brick surrounded this small expanse, brick walls, as well as the granite building that I was so desperate to run from. 

I yawned, stretching, and arched my back like a cat. I blinked, leaning back and looking around. Around me, people talked. Virgil, Remus, and Patton were sitting on a white marble bench, chatting. 

When Virgil had come back from the podium, his face was even whiter than when he had left. It was pale as porcelain and just as fragile. I had wanted to help, maybe hold his hand, but Roman had taken over and I hadn't wanted to intrude. 

And now we were all sitting out here, looking up at the periwinkle blue sky, with almost no clouds. The few that were there were whispy, a faint puff of white mixing with the fluid color of the sky. 

Logan was sitting closer to me, steeped in thoughtful silence. He had his book, the green letters spelling out 'The Journey To Nowhere'. 

Sighing, I felt myself rooted to the concrete floor, my body unwilling to move. This was a break and I needed it, needed it as badly as food or drink, I could feel it. So did everyone else, I thought, my head flopping to the side. 

A small pebble came out of nowhere and hit me lightly on the head, making me yelp a little. When I turned around to see who it was, I saw another witness staring at me with the slightest trace of pity on her face. 

It was Daryn, her scarf coming loose and unwinding around her thick black curls. She came over and sat next to me, grinning. "Hey. You look like you just saw a ghost or something," she observed, her voice kind and amused, teasing but gentle. 

I nodded, my mouth pasty and dry. I wasn't sure if I could talk. 

She raised an eyebrow. "You okay? Do you actually know Andy? It seemed like you knew him, a little bit."

"Do I know him?" I laughed a little, but the sound was brittle and dry. "I'm his ex, Daryn."

Daryn let out a long breath. "Oh. Hm."

Looking down, I pulled a little at my brown-sugar hair, trying to distract myself. "Do you?"

She looked at me, confused amusement written in her eyes. "You've forgotten already? Don't you remember what I said, at the witness stand?"

I thought back to what she had said. 

"This man has hurt another. Nearly snuffed out someone's life. And we are treating him as an annoyance? Don't fool around with me. I know the only reason you're bringing him to court. It's because he brought a bad name to the police department, isn't it?"

She stared up at the judge and continued. 

"If he were a 'good' member of society-- someone who took donuts to a school, or sat in the back of a float in a parade-- he would not be here. We would not be here, trying to bring him to justice. I can tell you what I saw through that cafe window. Would you like to know?"

Her eyes sharpened, her smile becoming something mysterious. "I saw a monster. I saw someone so overridden by emotion and the thirst to hurt they tried to kill another being. He emotionally and physically injured someone else, and there is no excuse in the world for that." 

She placed her hands on the stand, firm and unmoving. "As... as his..."

Shaking her head, she laughed a little. "Just gotta get it over with, huh? As his... adopted sister, I can clearly tell you this is not the first time it has happened." 

Bowing her head, Daryn took a deep breath. "That is all. Thank you for listening."

I sat there quietly. "O-oh," I stuttered, looking over. "I..."

She chuckled. "Doesn't seem like it, huh? Well. Yeah, here I am." Shrugging, she flipped a curl over her shoulder. "And that albino girl-- Hazel Woods-- she knows him, too. Just barely, though. He's her girlfriend's ex."

I bit my lip, wanting to say something. "Really?"

God, I sound so pathetic. I should say something comforting. 

I shoved the thoughts away like I was wind and they were storm clouds, here to rain on whatever piece of hope I had to cling on to. 

Daryn cracked her knuckles. "I don't know Hazel well, though I know her girlfriend. I go to LGBTea sometimes, and they're always flirting with each other across the counter." She made a face. "Relationships... ick."

"You... are you ace/aro?" I asked. "I don't mean to probe, but..."

She nodded. "Yup. No romance for me, thanks. Anyone who doesn't like it can go shove a piece of respect up their ass, it'd do them good."

Laughing a bit now, I looked at her. "Do you think we have a good chance of winning?" 

"I... maybe." She paused, looking thoughtful. "He's been trouble, and that's the only reason we're at court. So maybe that will carry over. At the very least, he's getting his job taken away. The police don't want him anymore."

I tilted my head. "He's a police officer."

"Was," she corrected. "Was. Hopefully." Laughing softly, she stretched her arms out.

"Hopefully," I echoed, blinking at the bright sunlight. Overhead, a bird called out, loud and sweet. I smiled, feeling happier than I had in a while. 

Daryn looked at me. "Hope's about all we have now, yeah?" 

Yeah.