Of The Highest Degree

By Meganes Ultimate Fangirl

Chapter 13 – Trial

– June 5th– 12:00 PM –

Haruhi watched her partner sleep peacefully with small smile. He'd finally been able to sleep, though he still wouldn't leave her bedside. She fingered a lock of his hair absently, noting that it was still smooth albeit a bit oily from lack of wash. His hand twitched over hers in his sleep. She closed her eyes, at peace with herself and drifted off into her own sleep.

– June 5th– 6:21 PM –

Kyoya jerked awake to the sound of a steady beep, though it was more like a shriek than anything. Panic welled in his chest for a moment as he recalled the dream (read as: Nightmare) he'd had just seconds before before he realized that the heart giving out was not Haruhi's but that of the old woman who was lying in the room adjacent to hers.

He allowed himself to breathe a bit and calm his heart as he glanced at his partner's face. She was just sleeping. And the steady beeping coming from her heart monitor ensured that thought.

He didn't think he'd be able to stand it if that stupid nightmare had been reality when he awoke though. And try as he might, he couldn't seem to push it to the back of his mind either. It nagged at him until the very point that Haruhi gasped awake to a nightmare of her own.

The male didn't miss the fear that seemed to pulse through her as she clutched his hand tightly, not daring to let go. Once she had assured herself that he was indeed sitting there with her, she sighed and leaned back into her pillows.

"Y'know... I saw my mom," she mumbled after awhile, lolling her head to look at him with a small sad smile and slighter duller-than-normal eyes. He threw her a questioning glance as both their hearts slowed back into their regular steady pace. "I think it was one of those times that I flat-lined you were talking about. I saw mom and she... She sent me back." Tears pricked at her eyes but she quickly blinked them away. "She said that she loved me and was proud of me. But that everyone needed me here. Especially you."

The 'especially you' struck a chord in him that caused him to glance up at the ceiling like he could see Kotoko Fujioka clearly in the smooth white tiles. "Why would she say that, I wonder?" he grunted under his breath, looking anywhere but at the woman lying in the bed in front of him.

She shrugged, trying to keep her emotions under wraps. He noticed the pained look on her face and shifted from the chair next to her bed to the edge of it, his hand still clasped in hers. He swallowed gently then murmured, "Are you sad that she turned you away?"

Haruhi's head shook quickly. "No. I'd rather be here than even up there with her. Besides... You need me apparently."

Her soft laughter reverberated through her and caused him to even chuckle a bit as he gazed at her fondly. This woman was one that he definitely would give his life for. Just as she would for him.

– June 5th– 8:14 PM –

"When do I get to go home?" she groaned loudly. The twins were seated next to her as was Tamaki while Kyoya still held his special spot directly on the edge of her bed. Her partner merely smirked at her question while the twins snickered.

"When Yuiichi deems it so," the raven-haired male replied softly. She glared at him, sick and tired of being stuck in this bed. "We must insure first that you're stable enough to be away from life support, Haruhi."

"I know that," she growled unhappily, sulking by crossing her arms over her chest. "But haven't they seen that enough already?"

"We have," a fourth voice spoke from the door. Kyoya didn't even need to turn to look at who it was, it was so familiar to him. He kept his eyes on Haruhi as she looked past him to his eldest brother. "You'll be free to go within the hour."

She heaved a huge sigh of relief and turned her gaze to her friends once more. The twins were celebrating while Tamaki just grinned like an idiot. Her partner seemed to be the only one that didn't look happy with this new development. She rose a single eyebrow at him. "Why is it that you look disappointed that I'm going home?" she asked him with narrowed eyes.

He pulled himself out of his stupor quickly and shook his head. "I'm not disappointed," he disagreed softly, "It's great that you can get out of this place."

She frowned but left him alone as the twins started whining. "Haruhi! You should stay with us tonight!"

Kyoya's eyes shot to the faces of the two mischievous red-heads across from him in a mild glare. "No," Haruhi deadpanned quickly, much to his relief.

The two started to object outrageously while Tamaki went off on a spout about how perverted the twins were for the things that they were probably wanting to do to Haruhi. "We've known her longer than you, idiot!" they exclaimed.

The bespectacled man rolled his eyes, to which she suppressed a giggle and smiled at him as he leaned over so he could whisper in her ear, "You don't really think that any of us are going to allow you to stay at that little apartment of yours alone do you?"

She gave him an unamused look but shook her head while pouting. She should have known that it wouldn't happen so easily. He glanced over at the three idiots who still hadn't seemed to realize that they were conspiring. "Might I suggest," he murmured, "my apartment as the alternative?" She snorted humorously.

"Shut up you three!" she called over to the blonde and two red-heads. They quieted almost immediately at the tone of voice. "Stop arguing about who I'm staying with. You all know who wins."

Kyoya had to hold back to smug smirk that was trying to fight its way onto his lips when their faces all turned to him accusingly.

– June 5th– 9:23 PM –

When they opened the door of his apartment, they both sighed at the slightly messy appearance. "Jesus... Who the hell searched this place?" he grumbled under his breath, "They aren't supposed to disrupt things this badly!"

Haruhi covered her mouth with her hand, trying to stifle her slight giggles since it made her still recovering wound ache. He glared at her when she was unable to keep a soft snort from leaving her person. He took her hand and led her to the spare bedroom silently with pursed lips. "Sorry," she mumbled, a hint of a smile still on her lips. "I didn't mean to laugh."

He shook his head and stopped in front of the bedroom that she had been the only person to stay in on a semi-regular basis. He opened his mouth but due to his hesitation nothing came out. "Tomorrow is the court date for Warami and White since the former is still trying to insist that he didn't do anything," he bit out at last with an angry edge. "Seeing as you were taken hostage, you'll be a lawyer and a witness."

She cast her eyes downward to the floor. And here she had thought that this nightmare was over with. "Alright," she muttered, squeezing the hand that had rarely even left her own since she had woken up. "Thanks, Kyoya. For everything."

"Not a problem," he replied, feeling the need to do something more to console her. Instead a lame, "Goodnight, Haruhi," tumbled from his lips. She nodded and murmured a quick goodnight before she slipped through the door and closed it behind her.

– June 6th– 2:32 AM –

That night there was a storm. One that reflected the nightmares that brought Haruhi screaming out of her dreamland. And brought Kyoya running into her room with worry clearly etched on her face. He sighed when he found her curled up with her hands over her ears.

"There's always something that seems to put us in the same bed isn't there?" he murmured bemusedly as he gently coaxed her shaking form toward his bare chest after sliding under the covers.

She whimpered as a clap of thunder just made her shudder more, images from her nightmare of Kyoya's bloody body illuminated in a flash of lightening. Of Yukito standing over her holding a gun to her head as she knelt by her partner. She wrapped her arms around his waist tightly as if to insure that he was still there.

Kyoya just laid there and stroked her hair while he held her. Soon, she fell asleep again and the exhaustion from his previous four mostly sleepless nights caused him to drift off as well.

– June 6th– 9:00 AM –

The blaring alarm coming from Kyoya's room woke them. The owner of which groaned softly and pulled the, also quite tired, female closer to him, who gladly pushed her face into the warmth radiating from his torso. When the alarm finally stopped she sighed and mumbled, "Hikaru and Kaoru will probably be here soon to wake us if we don't get up now."

He growled something inaudible in response as he pushed his nose into her hair and the arms clasped behind her back pulled her even closer – if that was possible. She sighed and submitted to letting herself be clutched to his chest, too tired to object and knowing that he wouldn't let her free anyway.

When his alarm went off again 10 minutes later however, she pushed against him slightly, trying to free herself. "Kyoya. Honestly. You know what the twins will do when they find us."

He sighed heavily and grumbled something about being denied early morning pleasures inside his own home as he released her and swung his legs out of the bed. He stumbled off in the direction of his bedroom while she reluctantly pulled herself from the warmth of the covers as well. Kyoya returned while she was stretching with a small bag with some clothes in it for her.

She stared at it. "You didn't go out and buy these did you?"

"No. I went back to your apartment and shuffled around until I found something," he retorted sarcastically, his normal morning mood coming into play. She snorted and snatched the bag from his hands, letting him leave to get ready himself.

She sighed as she heard the shower start running. Maybe he'd be in a better mood after he ate a good meal that she made. Still in her pajamas, she wandered in the direction of the kitchen, noting the severely neglected kitchen.

For someone so organized you'd think that he'd be better at keeping his apartment orderly. She sighed and pulled some eggs from the fridge, cracking them in a pan and putting it on the burner.

When he emerged from the hall, he was still grouchy. She hummed softly to herself and placed a plate of scrambled eggs in front of him once he sat down. Haruhi took off toward the bathroom, taking a spare towel from the linen closet and the bag of clothes he'd gotten for her.

It felt like any other morning when she'd spent the night at his place.

– June 6th– 9:55 AM –

This little revelation that she'd had while she was showering was bothering her. And it was bothering Kyoya that he didn't know what it was. He was driving toward the courthouse with her looking out the passenger window and her hands neatly folded in her lap. "Haruhi. What's bugging you?"

She shook her head and mumbled, "It's my fault."

His eyes narrowed at her for a moment before returning to the road. "What's your fault?"

"Riyuki and Arashi's deaths."

He blinked a few times, struggling to keep his eyes on the stretch of pavement in front of his car. "And how the hell do you figure that?"

She sighed softly under her breath, eyes turning to him that were shadowed in guilt. "If I'd reported Yukito then he would never have been able to hurt those girls, Karin and Riyuki wouldn't have caught him, he wouldn't have killed them, and then Yora wouldn't have had to cover his tracks for him by killing Arashi. This entire damn thing is my fault."

Despite the fact that it was 3 minutes until they were supposed to be in court, Kyoya jerked the steering wheel the the right and stopped them abruptly off the side of the road. "No," he growled, turning to her with an angry fire in his eyes, "No it isn't. No one blames you and you couldn't have known what would happen. This isn't your fault. It's his for being an arrogant bastard and continuing even though he knew it was wrong."

She stared at him. "You... You still had feelings for her, didn't you?" He blinked, not expecting that retort but something along the lines of defending how guilty she really was. She took his lack of response as a yes. "Then how can you not blame me?"

He snorted, glancing at his watch. "Unbelievable," he muttered under his breath as he pulled away from the curb. "Yes, I still had feelings for her. But I don't blame you because that would just be stupid. You weren't the one that chose to put arsenic in her donuts. You aren't the psycho that thought you could get away with murder. Besides, whether I had feelings for her or not is not an issue anymore."

She missed the underlying meaning of his words as she let out a short breath and closed her eyes, leaning her head against the headrest. "Suppose you're right," she said finally as the car came to a halt in front of the courthouse.

"Damn right, I am," he grunted softly, turning off the ignition and sliding out of the car. "Ready?" he added, taking her hand in his as she walked around the front of the car. She nodded and let him lead her inside.

– June 6th– 10:01 AM –

"All rise for Judge Kawari!"

Haruhi and Kyoya both stood with the rest of those present in the court, the woman wincing slightly as her stitches pulled at her skin a bit. "This is ridiculous," she mumbled under her breath to her partner, "The evidence is so against him that there shouldn't even be a need for trial."

"Patience, Haruhi," he replied softly as the judge motioned for them to sit.

"How does the accused plead?"

"Not guilty," Yukito's lawyer said strongly, glancing over at her, her partner, and the second lawyer that was representing the department. Judge Kawari, having already been over the evidence just sighed and looked over at the jury. She knew this was useless too.

"Very well. Continue with witnesses."

The two detectives sighed under their breath as the defense lawyer brought his client to the stand to share his side of the 'story' with the jury. Which included taking Haruhi hostage as self-defense. "Objection, Your Honor!" she exclaimed, "Several witnesses have already confirmed that neither my weapon nor my partner's was pointed in his direction at all! And that he threatened my life once he had me disarmed!"

The Judge shot her down and prompted Yukito to continue. Who was smirking as he finished his pathetic sob story. Kyoya suddenly remembered why he had wanted to go and beat that bastard to death while he was still in the hospital. Haruhi stared ahead hard as the defense lawyer passed the witness off to her.

She glowered at her ex as she walked toward the stand, holding a few printed pictures in her hands. "Do you recognize this person as yourself in any of these pictures, Warami?" She held them up to his face. The tear-streaked faces of girls while he stood over them stared back at him. Haruhi's eyes were cold as he was silent. "Facial recognition software, does." She showed the photos to the jury. "These pictures were found on Riyuki Sachiru's private desktop after she was murdered. She caught you, Warami, so you killed her before she could report you."

His eye twitched slightly as her incriminating questionnaire continued.

Finally she murmured, "No further questions," and returned to her seat next to Kyoya.

"Next witness," Kawari grunted.

Haruhi called Yora to the stand, who Yukito shot a look at as he took his seat up front. Yora told the jury the same things that he'd told Kyoya and Haruhi before, even as he was admitting his own part of the guilt in the crimes committed.

When the time finally came for Haruhi to come up on the stand she glared at Yukito. "Fujioka-san, did you enter the airport with the intent of capturing Warami-san forcefully?" the defense lawyer asked her calmly.

"Yes," she answered, "But-"

"And," he interrupted quickly, "Did you ever think that he might have been alarmed by the sight of guns?"

"Yes! That's why we were hiding them at first! As to not alarm him and others there!"

"But, you didn't think that he might have merely been on his way to a vacation did you?"

"I didn't think that at all. But-"

"Why didn't you-?"

The defense lawyer was interrupted by the second offense one for the department who exclaimed, "Is he going to let her finish a thought?" Haruhi shot a quick look a gratitude at her colleague. Yukito's lawyer sighed and waved for the offense to question. "Fujioka-san, can you explain what exactly happened?"

"His credit card records showed that he had bought a ticket to Beijing only a few minutes after we finished questioning White-san. We could only assume that he was fleeing the country. At the time we were on our way to his apartment to pick him up."

"We being you and Ohtori-san?"

"Correct," she murmured, "We entered the airport disguised as a married couple so we wouldn't alert anyone there and cause Warami to try and run. I thought I saw him not far from where we passed through security, so I advanced only to find that it wasn't him. That was the time that Warami snuck up on me and wrapped his arm around my neck, pulling the gun from my grasp. The fact that he snuck up on me makes it precognitive. Not instinctual self-defense."

"Did he threaten you?"

"Yes. In fact at one point, after he made his demands to my partner, he said, and I quote, 'I'll tell you a secret. You aren't leaving this airport alive. As soon as I'm home free, I'm shooting you through the head. I told you I'd kill you, Haruhi.'"

"Thank you, Fujioka-san," her colleague said, smiling with just a taint of smugness. Haruhi stepped down to trade places with Kyoya since he was the next one to come onto the stand.

As always, the defense got first pickings on him. The very first question out of the defense's mouth was, "You were the one to shoot your partner weren't you?"

That struck a nerve in Kyoya, who immediately looked at Haruhi who glowered at the defense that she was beginning to hate with an open mouth. "Objection!" she called, "Ohtori-san is not on trial nor is Warami being charged with my injury!"

The defense attorney ignored her and continued. "Why did you shoot Fujioka-san?"

"She consented to it. To get to Warami since he was obviously not letting her free alive," Kyoya answered coolly.

"Objection!" Haruhi said again loudly when the defense attorney tried to continue on with the same subject.

Finally Judge Kawari muttered, "Jora, please refrain from accusing the witnesses that aren't charged or on trial."

The brunette was pleased with herself as she sat again. Jora sighed and let Kyoya free. "The offense calls Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin to the stand, Your Honor." The twins both hopped out of their seats and awaited to do what they did best – present the evidence that would throw the bad guys in jail.

– June 6th– 12:11 PM –

It was past noon by the time that the Judge dismissed court for the jury to speculate and eat lunch. The team walked out together. "Sushi sound good?" Haruhi asked them all with a yawn. Kyoya and the twins bobbed their heads in approval while Hunny cheered from next to Mori. Renge had a back-up of work back at the department and decided to take lunch there.

"I will shoot someone if the jury says he's innocent," Kyoya muttered under his breath, his hand subconsciously slipping into his partner's as they walked out of the courthouse. The brunette smiled and squeezed his hand, sensing something tender moving within her.

"Ah crap," Kaoru grumbled, "I left my wallet at home."

Hikaru sighed and glanced at the other four. "Meet at that Sushi place on 8th in 10?" They agreed and slid into their various vehicles. Kyoya and Haruhi in theirs, Mori and Hunny in another, and the twins in a third.

It was then that Haruhi realized that Kyoya had not yet let go of her hand. She glanced up at him. "Something bothering you?" she asked softly.

He shook his head and turned to start the car. "Warami's lawyer just seems to know how to get under my skin," he muttered, a frown working its way onto his face.

She sighed and replied, "How many times do I need to tell you that it isn't your fault?"

"Doesn't change the fact that it was my choice. And that choice still almost killed you." A small kind of pained look crossed his face. "I've already told you that I wouldn't be able to live with myself if that happened."

This time she did catch the underlying meaning of his words and she leaned over the seat to embrace him. "I don't think I got to thank you for staying with me," she explained as he hesitantly hugged her back.

"You're welcome," he murmured into her hair.

She caught herself thinking about what it would be like if they could be more then friends right there. And she shot down the idea immediately by swearing and muttering, "Rule 12."

He scowled at her. "Why bring that up?" He seemed unhappy that she'd remembered that particular rule of Ken's. Then it dawned on him what she had been thinking. He snorted and pulled away from her, putting the car in gear and driving away. "Unbelievable," he growled for the second time that day.

Oh great. It seemed that he was mad at her now. He refused to talk the rest of the way to the restaurant.

"Kyoya," she said, yanking on his sleeve to bring him to a halt outside the doors. "Why are you so mad all of a sudden?"

He shook his head and chuckled harshly. "Because," he grunted, "I was thinking that maybe I'd actually ask you to dinner. But since that's breaking a rule I suppose I can't, can I?" He pulled his arm out of her grasp and left her standing there to blink until she caught on to the meaning of his words.

"Kyoya! Wait!" she exclaimed, pushing through the doors and catching him by the arm again as he followed a waitress to a table for 6. "I'm sorry. I was just... I'm stupid. I didn't mean that. I was just... thinking things that I shouldn't have. And... I'm sorry ok?"

He smirked and rolled his eyes at her apology. "Sorry enough to go out to dinner with me?" he asked sarcastically. It took her a moment to bite her lip and nod. A small smile found a place on his lips. "And I hope you know that those rules are really just guidelines not actual law," he added in a whisper as his lips closed in over hers.

Her eyes popped open a little as a couple of identical whistles sounded. Haruhi pulled herself away to glare at the twins, who had just magically appeared in the restaurant at that very moment. "About time!" they chimed, sliding into two seats at the table next to them.

"You didn't really leave your wallet at home did you, Kaoru?" Haruhi accused dryly, pulling Kyoya by the hand down to sit next to her.

"Not at all!" he confirmed with a grin.

"Honestly," the older muttered, "What took you guys-"

"-so long?"

The two detectives shook their heads and smiled, refusing to tell them. Even after Hunny and Mori arrived, their lips stayed sealed.

– June 6th– 1:08 PM –

Once everyone had returned, the jury made their proclamation. "To the charges of murder in the first degree, aggravated assault, sexual assault, and conspiracy to murder, we find the defendant, Yukito Warami, guilty of all charges."

Haruhi couldn't stop the smug smile from working its way onto her lips as she looked at Yukito.

Judge Kawari nodded and called out, "Sentenced to life in jail. Case dismissed."

For the second time that day, Kyoya and Haruhi walked out of the courthouse, hand-in-hand. They were about to get in their car when Ken stopped them. "Body found on 58th and 131st. Think you two can handle it?"

They glanced at each other briefly and nodded.

"Oh and I heard from the twins," he added, looking between the two of them questioningly, "What took you so long?"

Kyoya snorted and resisted the urge to smack his former mentor over the head. "I think you know the answer to that, Ken."

"Rules," Haruhi murmured, sliding into the passenger's seat with Kyoya in the driver's seat several seconds later.

Crime never seemed to stop in Tokyo, but together the two of them worked to put the wrong-doers behind bars.

THE END

–

A/N: WHOOOOOOOOO. IT'S FIIIIIINIIIIISHED. And this is probably a good time to mention that I'm changing my pen name to E.M. Megs on here now that I've finished this one. :D

Working on LD.

Look out for the story of their first case! Coming soon!

Thanks for the continued support of everyone who read this and reviewed/alerted it! Kudos for last chapter to: BlackestNight BrightestDay, JollyElfDance554, Enigmaticrose4, idontseepenguins, and Koharu Veddette!

By the way. Rule 12: Never date a co-worker.