Not Alone – Chapter 35

By MyNameIsCAL

-Max's POV-

There was a crowd gathered outside of the courthouse. Reporters and spectators, waiting for us to arrive. Finch was sitting in his car, eyes calculating. He spotted us and got out.

Nudge, Iggy, Gazzy, and Angel emerged from another car with another with Nudge's mom. I got out and unfolded Fang's wheelchair. He got in, already loosening his tie.

"Shall we go?" Mr. Finch asked. "They're not here to heckle you. They're here for North."

I nodded.

It worked to our benefit that Fang was in a wheelchair. The crowd cleared a path and we made our way up the ramp. Finch kept himself between us and the reporters, telling them there would be time for questions later.

The courthouse hadn't changed since I last saw it. We took our seats in the courtroom, awaiting North's arrival. The inside was already filled.

I looked at the others. The last time I had seen them all dressed up like this was during Thanksgiving. Iggy looked like he was going to pass out. He was sweating already, shaking. Nudge was trying to calm him down.

"He's not going to last through today. Let alone another how every many days or weeks this takes," Fang muttered.

"Mr. Finch?" I cleared my throat. "Would it be alright if I ran out to get some water?"

He nodded. "There's a vending machine near the restrooms. I don't think the cafeteria is opened yet."

Fang's eyes met mine for a brief moment and then I left.

The water seemed to occupy Iggy as the trial began. North sat, but I didn't dare look at him. Fang kept his eyes on the floor, hand planted on his leg, his water untouched. North was up there rambling, representing himself. His opening statement was a load of crap. He claimed he himself was a victim and that he didn't act on his own accord.

When we stopped for lunch, Iggy wouldn't even sit or wait in line with us. Nudge grabbed some food for him and pulled him into a booth with her.

"He's having a nervous breakdown." Fang balanced his tray on his lap. "He shouldn't be here. He can't handle it."

"Maybe we ought to talk to Mr. Finch."

Fang let out a sigh, handing money to the cashier. "Iggy's going to refuse."

"You just said he shouldn't be here."

"Yeah, I know."

But it was later the next day Iggy was called to the stand. He was first out of all of us. Nudge had to help him up there. It was painful to watch. Iggy was sweating. Mr. Finch asked him a few questions, ones I knew they had rehearsed. Iggy gave his answers with a wavering voice.

Fang kept his eyes glued on North when it was his turn to question Iggy. North stood only feet away from Iggy, asking irrelevant questions about Iggy. Mr. Finch made a bunch of objections.

"Alright," North sighed. "Mr. Griffiths, can you describe to me what I did to you?"

"Objection!" Finch rose out of his chair.

Fang closed his eyes.

But there was no reason the question couldn't be asked.

"He's getting off on torturing us, on making us retell him what he did to us," Fang said under his breath. "Son of a bitch."

Iggy did just that though, giving him every painstaking detail. The jury was holding back tears. I couldn't look up at Iggy. Fang had taken my hand, shaking his head. When Iggy had finished, North turned his back away, suppressing a smile.

"No more questions, your honor."

Iggy up out of the seat at the podium and started to walk down on his own. But on the last step, he suddenly collapsed to the ground, almost in a heap.

Nudge leapt out of her seat. The security guards were already securing North. Someone was calling 911.

The rest of us could only watch in shock. Fang closed his eyes and shook his head. The judge called recess and North was hauled out of the room.

We headed home after spending a few hours at the hospital. Iggy was going to be okay, but we wouldn't be able to see him until the doctor cleared nonfamily visitors. Nudge was a stretch because he wasn't really part of her family. I offered to take Gazzy and Angel home, but Nudge's mom insisted it was okay.

We were exhausted though. Fang and I forced ourselves to eat and shower before getting into bed. Yet we found ourselves wide awake, staring at the ceiling in the darkness.

"Tomorrow's gonna be another long day," Fang murmured. "But I don't think I can last another hour."

The next few days pressed on. North kept his questions mild. The points he was trying to prove were almost laughable. Not to mention all the evidence and our accounts clearly pointed to him being guilty.

Perhaps the worst to hear were Gazzy and Angel's testimonies. North had done things to them I cringed at hearing. It was just as bad as listening to Iggy's account of what North did to him, except Angel and Gazzy lived with them because he was their father. I felt sick after hearing the two of them up there. Fang even looked a little pale.

"We never told you," Angel told us later, "because we thought there'd be a better time for it. I never thought you'd have to find that out all here."

Fang had eyes fixed outside of the window so I spoke instead. "I'm really sorry, Angel."

She shrugged. "It's not your fault."

"Hey, Fang? Are you okay?" Gazzy tugged at Fang's sleeve.

Fang grunted in response. That wasn't like him to not respond these days.

"Fang…" I rested my hand on his shoulder.

He shook me off. "Sorry, I was just thinking about something. I'm fine, Gaz, thanks."

Gazzy exchanged looks with me and I let out a sigh.