* * *

This was it...

I stared at myself in the full length mirror making sure I looked presentable thanks to Ashley, she helped me buy a few outfits fit for court. It's been five days since that dreadful fight between Jaxon and Noah, a lot has happened since then. I got a call the next day saying they got the court date and it's been made a priority by the judge, but they wouldn't tell me why. My hands smoothed the front of my pencil skirt, then making sure my top was tucked in and lastly pulling my jacket forward to make sure it sat in the right place.

"Stop stressing." Isaac called out from my doorway.

My head whipped towards his voice and I shook my head repeatedly, "I'm freaking out, Isaac. I don't want to do this."

"No. You do, don't let the nerves get to you! We've practiced with your dad and Oliver so many times on what we need to say." Isaac said

I let out a sigh as I lowered my head in shame, "I'm sorry I dragged you into this."

"You didn't. I dragged myself into it. He needs to pay for the pain he's put you through."

I swallowed the lump in my throat as I exhaled loudly, "I'm ready."

"Let's go get this bastard."

When I made my way downstairs I smiled when I saw Jaxon and Drew sitting in the living room. I thought they were going to meet us there, I was more than happy when I saw them here. Ashley had taken Michael and Alena to stay with her, my dad didn't want them there at all, and I couldn't agree more.

"You look beautiful babe." Jaxon whispered as he leaned down to kiss me on my lips.

"Ew." Drew said, boredom evident in his tone.

"Get used to it." Jaxon responded back.

"I am used to it, doesn't mean I can't comment on it." Drew said as he playfully pushed Jaxon away from me. I let out a laugh as I rolled my eyes.

"Lets get going before they both start." Isaac said as he grabbed Drew's keys.

"Do you mind?" Drew asked as he raised an eyebrow in question.

"Nope. Not at all." Isaac responded calmly as he walked out the front door.

"I hate when he drives my car." Drew groaned out before following suit.

Shaking my head I walked out with Jaxon before locking up. I tried not to over think this, I wasn't going to try and over think it, my answers were going to be as brutally honest as I could get them. I was nervous but I was ready for this.

It's definitely been a trying few months, Oliver knew about every aspect of my relationship with Noah. He knew everything, the good, the bad and the ugly. According to him it was important I was transparent with him to help prepare me for what to expect.

The last time I was in a court room I was sitting as a bystander with Jaxon, today I was front row attention but luckily I had Oliver to my right and my dad to my left.

"We bring Mr Isaac Adams to the stand."

My heart skipped a beat when I heard his name, it felt weird hearing it and I just hoped he wouldn't get in trouble. I would never forgive myself if Isaac got in major shit because of me.

"Mr Adams. A reminder that you are under oath." The judge said sternly.

"Yes sir." Isaac responded as he placed his hand on the bible that was in front of him by the Bailiff.

"Please raise your right hand. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" The Bailiff asked Isaac.

"I do." He responded.

"Mr Adams, please confirm who my client is to you." He asked.

Isaac looked over to Noah before looking back at Mr Maysberry, "He was my best friend."

"How long have you been best friends?" He asked.

"Objection, relevance?" Oliver interfered.

"Your honour, it is linked to this." He responded.

"I'll allow it." Judge said.

"I met Noah when I was ten. We were best friends for seven to eight years."

"Until?" He asked.

Isaac looked over at me and shook his head ever so slightly, "Until he and Avery broke up."

"Would you say that you were pretty close? Close enough to lie about the accident you were involved in?"

"I wasn't involved in the accident." Isaac defended.

"The only reason why Noah had alcohol in his car is because you purchased them."

"Objection. Where is this proof and why weren't we shown." Oliver bursted out.

Noah's lawyer returned to his desk before picking up two items, handing one to Oliver and the other to the judge.

"This is Isaacs receipt two nights before the accident, purchasing the items which were validated through CCTV."

"They were purchased for a party we were holding. I never encouraged drinking and driving." Isaac said. I could tell by the way he was clenching his jaws that he was getting angry.

"Why didn't you stay with the man? The only reason my client "fled" the scene is because you drove him away. He had no intention of running, you forced him to leave against his will."

"Bullshit." Isaac yelled out.

"Language." The judge interrupted.

"Sorry, your honour." Isaac quickly and quietly apologised

"I wanted to stay with him but Noah begged for us to flee. It wasn't my idea to leave. I wanted to stay but when I saw the ambulance I panicked and we left." Isaac said.

"Why did you panic? Is it because you've been in an accident before where you fled?" He asked.

My eyes widened as realisation sunk in in regards to where this lawyer was taking his argument. I watched Isaac, helpless as his face was white looking like he just saw a ghost.

"I don't know what you're referring to." Isaac whispered.

"Allow me to refresh your memory. Isaac you were in a car collision where you were drag racing before losing control of your car, killing your passenger instantly. Does Annie Kellar ring a bell? Who was Annie to you Isaac?"

Isaac was silent for a minute as he clenched his jaw repeatedly, "Annie was my girlfriend." He whispered, remorse evident in his tone.

"Did you or did you not tell the police that you were just speeding and not drag racing?"

"Objection! Isaac was cleared of all charges and they overruled it as a freak accident. There is no relevance." Oliver burst out, anger evident in his tone.

"My apologies your honour, I'll rephrase my question." He said.

"Isaac, you have a history of lying so who is to say that you have also been lying about this accident?"

Isaac shook his head but didn't say anything, I could see that he was still recovering from the mention of Annie's name.

"No further questions, your honour." Mr Maysberry said before sitting down on his seat, giving a smug look to Oliver.

* * *

Isaac spent most of his time in his room after our first day in court, what concerned me was that that was three days ago. Oliver managed to get Isaac to say his side of the story but whether it was enough to cross us over the line, only time would tell. It angered me when Noah's lawyer tried to bring charges against Isaac so that the charges against Noah could drop. He claimed Isaac was an accomplice to the hit and run but we were a little dumb founded when Oliver claimed Watson had given Isaac immunity for his cooperation regarding that night. Luckily for us, Isaac wasn't about to face any charges. 

F L A S H B A C K

"Did you know you got immumity?" I whispered as we waited quietly in Oliver's office.

Isaac shook his head, "I had no fucking idea, Avery." he whispered.

Oliver and Watson both walked in together, alongside my dad. I looked between the three, waiting on one of them to give us an explanation.

"Someone wanna feel free to explain this immunity thing? Why would you lie like that? Not that I'm complaining." Isaac asked.

"I hate Vince." Oliver responded as he grabbed a few papers from his briefcase.

"Who?" Isaac and me asked simultaneously.

"Mr Maysberry, honey." Dad responded.

"I hate entitled kids like Noah who think they can get away with anything because they've hired the most expensive, dirtiest lawyer. Plus, Isaac did the right thing and I wasn't going to let him take the fall for Noah's mistakes." Watson responded coolly.

I couldn't help but jump up and hug Watson and Oliver for saving Isaac just then. I quickly back tracked before smiling sheepishly at them, "Sorry, about that."

"Lets finalise your immunity, shall we?" Oliver asked Isaac.

E N D  F L A S H B A C K

My heart thumped in my ears when I heard Vince call my name to take the stand, there was a part of me who wanted to cry and beg that I don't sit up on that pedestal in front of everyone, especially in front of Noah. I can only imagine how he was going to pick me apart, if the first day fiasco was anything to go by. I felt Jaxon squeeze my hand in reassurance just as I was about to stand up, knowing I had him there supporting me meant everything to me. I definitely felt safe physically, being in the presence of my father, my brother, Jaxon and Isaac, but it didn't protect me emotionally or mentally.

"Miss Winters, a reminder that you are under oath." The judge said sternly.

"Yes sir." I agreed, quietly.

"Please raise your right hand. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" The Bailiff calmly stated.

"I do." I responded.

I took a deep inhale as he got up from his seat, buckling his suit jacket up. I exhaled as he began to walk towards me.

"Please state to the Jury who Mr Daniels is to you." he said

"Noah is my ex-boyfriend." I responded, refusing to look at Noah.

"Is it true you kidnapped your sister and fled your home?" He asked

"No-" I began to state.

"So you didn't leave your old town?" He asked

"Yes, but I didn't k-" I began to state again, only to be interrupted by him. My jaws began to clench when he raised his hand to stop me talking as he moved onto the next question.

"Were you or were you not in hospital last year for a drug overdose?" he asked.

My eyes flickered towards Noah for a millisecond, no doubt he was the one who told him, "Yes but-"

"And is it true that you race, illegally?" He asked.

"Objections, relevance?" Oliver shouted out. Thankful for Oliver, all of this had happened so fast that my head was spinning.

"Your honour we need to understand what Avery was thinking mentally. We need to make sure she's stable in her decision making.

"These questions have nothing to do with what Mr Daniels is being charged for. Your honour, its completely unrelated." Oliver stated, anger evident in his tone.

"I have to agree with Mr Maysberry. The jury is to disregard the last question, only."

"But, your honour!" Oliver yelled out.

"My decision is final. The last question only is to be disregarded." The judge responded. Oliver shook his head in disbelief before sitting back down. I swallowed the lump in my throat as my eyed flickered towards Oliver, he gave me a tiny thumbs up in encouragement.

"Ms Winters, you claim my client is extremely dangerous to you and society but you never went to the police about any of your altercations. Why is that?" Vince asked

"I-I don't know. I was always scared to go to the police."

"Why were you scared? Prior to these alleged attacks, did he give you any reason to fear for your life?" He asked

I clenched my jaw as I stared at Vince for a second, "No but-." I responded, annoyed at the way he had asked that question. It left me no room for explanations.

"No more questions, your honour." Vince said calmly before sitting down.

I gaped at him and the fact that he had the nerve to end the conversation there. I took a deep breath as Oliver stood up to walk towards me. This was it, I practiced this so many times with Oliver. We both knew I was about to get real candid about what happened that night. This was my only chance of taking out Noah, one wrong word and it could mean the difference between guilty and not guilty.

"Ms Winters-"

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A/N: I'm sorry I'm delayed! Currently in Fiji, burnt like a crisp so hopefully I can smash out more chapters. Don't forget to give this chapter a vote if you enjoyed it!  Xx

Next Chapter: Avery takes the stand to tell her story and we find out the verdict on Noah.