Angel We Have Heard On High 1x03 -:- The Trial

Author:	Philip Wester, Email #1, Email #2
Story Title:	Angel We Have Heard On High
Category:	High School
Date Of Posting:	2002-05-07
Author's Other Stories:	Angel The New Slayer (temporarily discontinued)

DISCLAIMER: I own all of the rights to this story. Characters, plot, background story, made up names of strip clubs, etc., are all trademarks owned by me. Use any of these or anything else in the story without my conscent and you will pay. Ok, so you won't, but I will glare at the screen of my computer if I ever find out about it! However, if you contact me and give me the url of the homepage that you're gonna post my story on, I will say "yes" right away.

Also, don't you dare complain about my English! I'm only 17 (since April) and English isn't even my primary language. Besides, I type fast and when you do that, you tend to mispell.

NOTE: I didn't notice how changing the colors of the stripes on the top of the documents affected the link colors before posting chapter 2. Therefore, I have now changed the colors of the links. Try them out. :) Also, I noticed that I've mispelt Robin's last name. Since this is a spin-off of a fantasy/science-fiction story that I'm writing on, I've already decided what the characters are called. Robin's last name is Masters and not Marsters.

IMPORTANT NOTE: To be sure for your email to reach me, please email both addresses. And it might take some time for me to reply right now. I've got a lot of stuff going on. Thank you for reading.

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We Have Heard On High

Angel We Have Heard On High 1x03
--{: The Trial - Part II :}--

Patricia: David?! If you don't get your skinny butt in here right now, your father is going to give you a long spanking!

Angel: Previously on "Angel We Have Heard On High"...
      *Angel running away*
      *Angel sobbing against Derek's shoulder*
Angel: He touched me. He made me jack him off and then forced my head downwards, towards it...
      *Derek and Robin on Robin's bed*
Derek: Could we please stay here for a while?
      *Robin smiling*
Robin: Of course.
      *Derek and Angel talking to officer Bradbury*
Bradbury: So, you want to press charges?
Angel: Yes.
      *Angel receiving Bradbury's phone call*
      *Angel and Derek walking down the corridors of the city court*
Mel: Angel!
      *Mel firing off a shot*
      *Derek jumping in front of Angel*
      *Derek dying*
Angel: Derek!!!!

DATE: 28th of June 2001
TIME: 2:06 PM

      "Derek!" Angel sobbed and shook Derek's limp body. "Wake up! Wake up!!"
      "Angel..." Julia said and put a hand on Angel's shoulder.
      Angel shook it off and looked straight into Julia's eyes. "Shut up!"
      "Sir?" a police officer asked Angel. "Please, you have to let the ambulance people do their job now."
      It wasn't until then that Angel looked up and saw two police officers and three ambulance workers standing in front of him.
      "Of... of course." he stammered and let go of Derek.
      As Angel stood up, the ambulance workers rushed forward and took Derek's body and put it onto a strechter, which they then took to the ambulance waiting outside.
      "And I'll need a statement." the officer said.
      "S-s-sure." Angel stuttered while looking at the floor.
      Sudden, everything went quiet for Angel. He looked around. People were still moving around and he could see lips moving everywhere, but there was no sound. Then he heard one single sentence pierce through the silence.
      "We're losing him!"

(Opening Theme plays)

Madonna - Like A Prayer

"Life is a mystery, everyone must stand alone,
I hear you call my name and it feels like home,"

"When you call my name, it's like a little prayer,
I'm down on my knees, I wanna take you there,
In the midnight hour, I can feel your power,
Just like a prayer, you know I'll take you there,"

"I hear your voice, it's like an Angel sighing,
I have no choice, I hear your voice,"
Chorus:"Feels like flying,"
"I close my eyes, oh God, I think I'm falling,
Out of the sky, I close my eyes,"
Chorus:"Heaven help me,"

"When you call my name, it's like a little prayer,
I'm down on my knees, I wanna take you there,
In the midnight hour, I can feel your power,
Just like a prayer, you know I'll take you there,"

REGULARS
David Andromeda
Derek Andromeda
Philip Wester
Robin Marters
Julia Hurl

CREATED BY
Philip Wester

(End of theme)

SPECIAL GUEST STARS
Melinda Whipper
Daniel Danerman
and Harvey Potter as the DA

Written and directed by Philip Wester.

      "We're losing him!"
      Suddenly, everything started emitting sounds again. Angel's head darted back and forth as he could suddenly hear what everyone was saying. He heard countless taps as shoeclad feet made contact with the marble floor below them all and countless echoes that flew across the vast halls.
      "Sir?" the officer asked Angel.
      "I... I have to go to him!" Angel sobbed, tears streaking his handsome young face. "Please, I have to... he... he's dying. I could feel it!"
      He looked down at his hands. They were soaked with blood; Derek's blood.
      The officer looked at Angel for a moment and then shook his head.
      "Alright," he said. "You can go to him. I'll take your statement later."
      With that said, Angel rushed off, towards the ambulance outside. But before he even reached the exit, it had left. All he could do was watch it as it disappeared behind a corner, its siren ringing for all it was worth.
      "Derek..." Angel uttered.
      Suddenly, he felt a drop of water hit his shoulder. He looked up and saw that the sky had suddenly turned dark and that it had started to rain. Then, as if in a flash, the rain stopped. Angel just stood still, quiet, and threw a glance over at the clock hanging on top of the city court. It read 2:54.
      "Angel?" a voice asked and Angel turned around.
      There stood Robin, Philip and Julia.
      "Are you okay?" Julia asked, genuine concern in her voice.
      "What do you mean?" Angel wondered.
      "The ambulance left a long time ago," Robin explained. "You ran after it and then just stopped. We've finished giving our statements now. We were thinking of going to the hospital when we ran into you."
      "I..." Angel said quietly and looked down at himself.
      He found that he was drenched in rainwater, from top to toe. "I don't even know which hospital they took him to."
      "Hereditary General Hospital is the closest one." Julia suggested.
      "Let's go." Robin said.

      "Yes, how may I help you?" the receptionist asked.
      The four friends had trottled all the way to Hereditary General Hospital and were now talking to a receptionist in the Emergency Room's lobby.
      "A friend of us was shot," Robin explained to the lobbyist. "He might have been brought here. He's got blue-dyed hair and he was shot in the chest. He's about our age."
      "Did he wear a necklace?" the lobbyist wondered.
      "With a golden apple hanging on it." Angel filled in.
      "Yes, that's him," the lobbyist said and nodded. "He was taken to operating room number 4."
      "Is he okay?" Philip wondered.
      "They're still working on him." the lobbyist said.
      Angel flinched upon hearing the words "working on". He slowly walked over to a nearby bench and sat down, his head falling into his hands.
      "Angel?" he heard Philip's voice ask.
      "He sacrificed himself for me..." Angel said quietly.
      He was too exhausted to cry. He felt as if it were three in the morning.

      "Hey, David?" Derek asked.
      "Yeah?" Angel responded.
      The two were still children, Derek ten and Angel nine.
      "No matter what, we'll always be there for each other, right?" Derek asked.
      The two were sitting at the brink of a pond, both with their pants hunched up to their knees and with their feet in the water.
      "Yeah." Angel said cheerfully and kicked at the water, enjoying the ripples his actions created.
      "I want you to know that I'll never let anyone hurt you," Derek said and pulled Angel's head to his chest. "I'd rather die."
      "I love you." Angel said timidly.
      Derek smiled. "I love you, too."

      "They've finished operating on Derek now." Robin told Philip.
                  "It doesn't matter what I want/It doesn't matter what I need."
      "Great." Philip said.
      Angel was lying with his head in Philip's lap, fast asleep. His breathing was a heavy and he looked very troubled.
      "Angel?" Philip asked.
      No response.
      "Hey, yo, wo!" Philip called out.
      Still nothing.
      "Wake up!" Philip yelled and Angel's eyes slowly fluttered open.
                  "It doesn't matter if I cry/Don't matter if I plead,"
      "Where am I?" Angel wondered.
      "At the hospital." Philip said and smiled warmly at Angel.
      Angel, his eyes slowly adjusting to the lamp right above him, saw Philip's smiling face as if through a haze and slowly let Philip's words sink in.
      "I'm in a hospital." Angel thought. "Oh my God!"
                  "You bet on the wrong/Don't know where it goes or where it leads,"
      "Oh my God!" he then exclaimed. "Then it wasn't a dream!"
      "They're done operating, though." Julia said encouragingly.
      "Can I go see him?" Angel wondered.
      "Yes." the lobbyist said.
      The four friends walked off together, Robin leading the way. They came to a halt outside of a closed hospital door reading "Recovery #5". Angel put his hand on the handle and opened the door. They all stepped inside and Angel just stared at Derek, lying in his hospital bed.
      Though Derek's hospital gown was as white as snow, in Angel's eyes, they were covered in blood. Although no machines were attached to Derek's body, in Angel's eyes, there were countless of machines attached to his arms.
      "A... Angel." Derek spoke quietly, almost inaudible.
                  "I doesn't matter what I want/It doesn't matter what I need,"
      "I'm here!" Angel exclaimed and hurriedly ran over by Derek's side.
      Derek laid still, his eyes too heavy to open, although he could move his lips and make sounds.
      "Bro, you there?" Derek asked.
                  "If you've made up your mind to go/I won't beg you to stay,"
      "'Course I am." Angel sid meekly and took Derek's hand into his. "How do you feel?"
      "Like I've gone through Keanu Reeves' big bullett dodging sequence in 'The Matrix' and failed to dodge countless bullets." Derek said raspedly.
      "Stop joking!" Angel exclaimed, half-mad. "This is serious! For once, just be serious, alright?"
                  "You bet in the game/Throw you to the wind, you fly away,"
      "Grandmama?" Derek asked. "How did you get here and why do you sound like Angel?"
      "Oh, stop it!" Angel groaned and ruffled Derek's hair.
      He immediately realized what he had just done and quickly rearranged Derek's hair. "Did it hurt? Oh, God! What have I done! Look at that paine expression on your face!"
      "Stop it," Derek groaned. "Yes, I am in pain. But it's not because of you."
      "But, it is." Angel sobbed, tears now falling down his face and hitting Angel's. "You only got hit because you were trying to save me."
      "Naah," Derek chuckled and then coughed a few times. "I just tripped."
      "Stop it!" Angel chuckled through the tears and shoved Derek playfully.
      "Ok, that hurt." Derek moaned.
      "Oops! Sorry!" Angel exclaimed.
      "Oh, this is so touching!" Philip whispered to Julia.
      "Yeah," Julia said and nodded. "Those two goofballs are showing their love to each other in the only way they way: the goofy way."
      "Julia!" Robin snarled at her. "Not the goofy way. The weird way."
      "Stop it, you ignorami!" Philip groaned.
      "Ignorami?!" Julia exclaimed. "Wait... what is an ignorami?"
      "It's the plural for 'ignoramus'." Philip chuckled.
      "Oh," Julia said and then opened her eyes wide in realization. "Hey!"
      "Would you be quiet?!" Angel snarled at the three of them. "I'm trying to talk to my just-shot brother here."
      "Sorry," Robin apologized with Philip and Julia hanging their heads down on shame. "Please carry on your goof... er wei... er loving conversation."
      "Thank you," Angel said. "I think."

      "How are you feeling?" Angel asked Derek as the two sat on Derek's bed in his and Robin's dorm room.
      "Fine, considering that I was recently shot." Derek chuckled.
      "Does it still hurt?" Angel wondered.
      "Not as much as at first," Derek said and then got a painful expression. "But, oh yeah!"
      "The judge postphoned the hearing 'til tomorrow at noon," Angel told Derek. "Do you want to come with me?"
      "I'd love to watch the DA nail that bastard!" Derek chuckled.
      "Yeah," Angel sighed. "He's now also charged with attempted murder, of me, and assault and battery, of you. That makes four accounts."
      "Rape of minor and abuse of minor as the other two?" Derek wondered.
      Angel frowned at that and his nodded slowly. Derek quickly realized his mistake.
      "I'm sorry." he aplogized.
      "Don't be," Angel said quietly and hugged Derek closely. "I love you."
      "I love you, too." Derek sighed and then frowned. "And now please let go of me. My wound hurts!"
      "Sorry." Angel chuckled and let go of Derek.

      "I admire you for your courage for being here today," the DA told Derek and Angel.
      "Thank you." Derek chuckled.
      The three were standing outside of the court room in which they were about to hold a trial against Mel.
      "The trial starts in 12 minutes," the DA instructed the brothers. "Angel will be my first witness."
      "You already told me this yesterday." Angel said.
      "I just wanted to remind y..." the DA started and then trailed off. "You will have to talk about the abuse and rapes that your father..."
      "I know," Angel said quietly. "I know."
      "Are we late?" Philip's voice could suddenly be heard and he arrived followed by Robin and Julia.
      "Not at all," the DA said and smiled at then. "The trial is just about to start."
      "Angel?" Robin asked Angel. "You can still choose not to testify."
      "But I want to," Angel said. "I want to nail that bastard!"

      "The court is now in session," the bayleaf announced. "Judge Whipper preciding. All rise."
      Everyone stood up as a middle aged female blonde judge entered the room and sat down in the judge's seat and banged her club on the small plate on the desk.
      "Court is now in session," she announced and everyone sat down. "Case number #453266, the people versus Andromeda and Andromeda. On the counts of abuse, sexual abuse of minor, neglect, attempted murder and assault and battery, how do the defendants plead?"
      "Not guilty, ma'am." Patricia's and Mel's lawyer, Mr. Danerman, replied.
      "The DA can now call his first witness." judge Whipper said.
      "Thank you, your honor," the DA said. "I call to the stand Mr. David Andromeda."
      Angel got out of his seat, receiving a pat on his back by Robin and a pinch on his left buttcheek on the way. He looked around the court room, which was empty except for him, Derek, his friends, his parents, his parents' lawyer, the DA, the bayleaf, the stenographer, a security guard, the jury and the judge.
      "Be strong." Julia whispered to Angel.
      Angel slowly made his way to the witness stand and raised his right hand.
      "Do you swear to tell the truth, nothing but the truth, so help you God?" the bayleaf asked Angel.
      "I do." Angel said and sat down.
      "Mr. Andromeda, please tell us when your father started beating you." the DA asked Angel.
      "He's been beating me for as long as I remember," Angel started. "But I think that it started when I was three. I remember one specific day when he came home from work after getting a pay cut. He had been drinking and just walked over to me and slapped me across the face, just like that. After that, it just escalated. He started beating me at least once every week, more if something bad happened to him."
      "Did he ever use other objects, such as baseball bats on you?" the DA asked Angel.
      "Objection!" Mr. Danerman exclaimed and stood up. "Leading."
      "Objection sustained," judge Whipper said. "Mr. Potter, please rephrase the question."
      "Did your father ever use anything besides his hands when beating you, Mr. Andromeda?" the DA asked Angel.
      "Yes," Angel said quietly and then took a pause in speaking. "He used all kinds of things. Once, when I lost an important baseball game in kiddy league, he beat me with my own baseball bat. I stopped playing after that. From then on, he beat me with it once every month. He wrapped it in a sweater each time so that it wouldn't leave marks. Then, once when he couldn't find his ashtray, he put his cigarette out by mashing it into my left arm."
      Angel paused for a moment after that and then pulled the sleeve of his left arm back, exposing the small scar that sat right above his elbow to the jury. He rotated it so that everyone in the room could see it.
      "Objection!" Mr. Danerman exclaimed and once more jumped to his feet. "That scar could've been caused by anything. A bike accident, maybe."
      "At this time, I'd like to submit this hospital journal as the people's exhibit A." the DA announced and held up a small brown file.
      He walked over to the judge and put it on her desk. She opened it and read its contents. Angel glanced over at it and saw a photograph of his scarred arm.
      "It was written the day after Derek Andromeda, the witness' brother, took David to the hospital," the DA proceeded to tell everyone in the room while facing the jury. "Could the witness please read the underlined next?"
      Judge Whipper handed Angel the file.
      "'The scar have most probably been caused by a cigarette burn'." Angel read off the journal. "'We also found multiple bruises and scars from, evidently, prior beatings. Unfortunately, as the patient is registered as a John Doe, I cannot do anything to punish the parents.'"
      "Tell me, David, why were you registered as John Doe?" the DA asked Angel.
      "Derek asked my mother..." Angel started.
      "The second defendant, correct?" the DA interrupted him.
      "Yes," Angel said and nodded. "He asked her if she would take me to the hospital. But she sat no, just like that, and then proceeded to cook dinner. So, he had to take me. Our dad yelled after us that he would kill us if we told anyone how that burn had gotten there."
      There was a brief silence as the DA consulted his papers.
      "Tell me, Mr. Andromeda, did your mother ever abuse you physicaly?" he then asked Angel.
      "No, sir," Angel answered the question. "However, whenever my dad hit me, she turned the other way or just walked out of the room. I would often see her on the top of the stairs, just standing there, waiting for it to be over, as my dad was beating me in the living room. Sometimes, there was blood."
      Angel noticed how some jury members, especially the younger ones, flinched at the word "blood".
      "Sometimes there was blood," Angel repeated, once again noticing some jury members flinching. "And she would mop it up afterwards and then pretend as if nothing had ever happened."
      "You said that she never abused you physically," the DA said. "Did she ever abuse you in any other way?"
      "Psychologicaly, yes," Angel said. "She would often tell me how useless I was since I'm short for my age and that I'd never grow up to be anything but white trash unless I bulked up. And whenever I did anything good, like get a good report card or win a neighbourhood game, she'd ignore me when I'd come to show her."
      "Let us return to your father," the DA continued and then paused for a moment.
      Angel knew very well what kind of a question the DA was going to pose now and he was right.
      "When did the sexual abuse start?" the DA asked.
      For a split-second, everything went quiet for Angel again. He then, suddenly, heard every single sound in the room roaring him in the ear. The sound of sweat drops falling from his father's brow, the sound of the jury members' pens scribbling notes onto their papers and even the sound of the DA's breathing.
      "It began when I was eight," Angel said quietly and lowered his head slowly.
      "Please tell us more about it." the DA said, trying to sound as least eager as possible.
      "One night, he came into my room," Angel started and then had to take a pause. "He... he crawled into my bed and put his arms around me from behind. It felt weird as he had never hugged me before. Then, he suddenly touched my crotch and felt around. He then slipped my underwear off and started masturbating me. Then, I felt movement from behind me and I knew that he was masturbating, too. He masturbated until he shot his sperm on my back and then whispered in my ear that he would kill me if I ever told anyone."
      "How long did this kind of abuse last?" the DA asked Angel.
      "For about one year," Angel continued, his voice now trembling. "After that first time, he started coming into my room at least twice a month. Then, after about a year, he made me touch his penis. He then forced me to masturbate him until he ejaculated."
      "And how long did this last?" the DA wondered.
      "Up until the 2nd of June this year." Angel continued. "I would be finishing elementary school in a couple of days. He came into my room when I was changing after school. He told me that I was a man now and that since I was a man, I should lose my virginity. So he made me masturbate him for a while and then started forcing my head down, towards his penis."
      That's when he started crying. Derek jumped to his feet, concern in his eyes, and the jury members started talking amongst themselves. The judge banged her club against the plate twice and everyone quited up.
      "The people would like to have a short recess at this time, your honor," the DA requested. "For the witness to calm down."
      "Any objections from the defence?" judge Whipper asked Mr. Danerman.
      "None, your honor." he replied.
      "Fine then," the judge said and banged her club against the plate once. "The court is now in recess. We will resume preceedings into 10 minutes."
      Angel got up and ran over to his friends, throwing himself into Derek's arms, weaping openly.
      "Angel!" Derek whispered. "Why didn't you tell me? You never told me that he went that far!"
      "I was so ashamed." Angel sobbed. "I didn't want you to look down on me. I..."
      "I could never do that!" Derek said. "I love you!"
      Angel remained silent, his sobs now dying.

      "Preceedings will now be resumed." judge Whipper announced and banged her club against the plate twice.
      "Could you please continue from where you left off, Mr. Andromeda?"
      "He grabbed my head and forced it towards 'it'..." Angel started again. "That's when I said 'no' for the first time since he first started sexually abusing me. He hit me and threatened to kill me if I didn't, as he put it, 'Give him the blowjob of his life'. So I pushed him and pulled some clothes on and ran out of the house and just ran and ran and ran until I was out of breath."
      "Thank you, Mr. Andromeda," the DA said and turned to Mr. Danerman. "You witness."
      "Mr. Andromeda," Mr. Danerman started as he got out of his seat. "Isn't it true that your academical acheivements have dropped lately?"
      "Yes." Angel replied.
      "In fact, isn't it true you were recently thrown off your school's chess team because of problems with working with others." Mr. Danerman continued.
      "Yes." Angel replied.
      "Isn't it true that you have also been sent home several times for getting involved in fights?" Mr. Danerman continued.
      "I didn't start those fights!" Angel protested. "They came to me looking to fight. I was just defending myse..."
      "Just answer the question." Mr. Danerman said and Angel hung his head in defeat.
      "Yes." he answered the question.
      "Isn't it true that your father never beat you or abused you sexually?" Mr. Danerman asked, his tone rising in harshness.
      "But he did!" Angel protested.
      "Isn't it true that you were the one making sexual passes on your father, although he rejected you?" Mr. Danerman continued, his voice now even harsher.
      "No!" Angel protested.
      "Isn't it true that all he did that day was get mad at you for coming home that day with lower grades than last year and you got mad and punched him and then ran out of the house?" Mr. Danerman then asked while making wild gestures with his hands.
      "Objection!" the DA exclaimed and shot up in his seat while Derek stood up as well.
      "You bastard!" Derek exclaimed. "Isn't it enough with what that sleezeball has put my brother through? We don't..."
      "No!" Angel sobbed, tears now running down his face. "No! No! No! No! No!"
      Robin, Philip and Julia all got up at the same time, all as fuming mad as Derek.
      "Your honor, he's clearly badgering the witness!" Philip and the DA exclaimed almost in unison, something that made the DA turn around and look at Philip, who just smiled sheepishly.
      The jury members had now started speaking to each other again and the almost empty court room was soon filled with sound.
      "Order!" judge Whipper demanded. "Order or I will hold anyone who speaks in contempt!"
      She banged her hammer agains the plate repeatedly and the commotion slowly settled down.
      "I was merely cross examing the witness." Mr. Danerman said and shrugged his shoulders innocent.
      "Objection overruled." judge Whipper said.
      "But your honor!" the DA protested.
      "Please continue, Mr. Danerman." judge Whipper said.
      "Thank you," Mr. Danerman said and then turned to Angel. "Did you ever show the scars that you allegedly got from your father beating you to anyone?"
      "No," Angel said quietly, his head down.
      "Why not?" Mr. Danerman wondered.
      "As I mentioned before, he wrapped the objects in sweaters to prevent marks," Angel said, fury still boiling in his voice. "All I ever had to show were small bruises."
      At that moment, Mr. Danerman turned to face judge Whipper.
      "I'm done with this witness, your honor," Mr. Danerman said and then turned back to Angel. "I compliment you on your acting skills."
      "Your honor!" the DA protested.
      "That last remark from Mr. Danerman will be stricken from the record and we ask the jury to please disregard it." judge Whipper said. "The witness may step down."
      Angel stepped off he witness stand and ran over to his friends.
      "Please call your next witness, Mr. Potter." judge Whipper said.
      "The people call Mr. Derek Andromeda." the DA said and Derek walked over to the witness stand and raised his right hand.
      "Do you swear to tell the truth, nothing but the truth, so help you God?" the bayleaf asked Derek.
      "I do." Derek said and nodded and then sat down.
      "Mr. Andromeda," the DA started. "Over the years, have you ever seen your father beating your brother?"
      "Yes," Derek said. "Many times. He always promised us that he would stop, he never did. I saw him beat Angel up so hard once that he lost consciousness and didn't even remember it the next day."
      "So why didn't you tell anyone?" the DA asked. "If couldn't have been for the same reason as your mother, because you didn't care enough."
      "Objection!" Mr. Danerman exclaimed.
      "Withdrawn." the DA quickly interjected.
      "I didn't say anything because I was afraid," Derek answered the question calmly while glaring daggers at his parents. "He constantly told us that he would kill us if we were told anyone and I couldn't stand the thought of losing Angel. And also, we had no proof. But when Angel told me about getting raped by him, I realized that w had to do something."
      "Objection!" Mr. Danerman exclaimed. "Hearsaying."
      "I will allow it for the moment," judge Whipper said. "Considering Mr. David Andromeda told us this just a while ago."
      "During this time, did you also happen to notice how much your mother cared about your brother and tried to protect him?" the DA asked Derek.
      "Yes." Derek said.
      "How much?" the DA wondered.
      "Jack squat." Derek said bitterly. "She'd just close her eyes and let him slowly bleed enogh blood for waxing the floor."
      "While growing up, did your mother show any other signs of neglect?" the DA wondered.
      "Yes," Derek said. "When we were kids, she would often leave us when our diapers were full of excrements. She'd just let us cry our hearts out while she watched her favorite soaps on TV."
      "I'm done with this witness," the DA said and turned to Mr. Danerman. "Your witness."
      "Mr. Andromeda, isn't it true that you used to beat your brother?" Mr. Danerman asked Derek.
      Angel immediately flew up in his seat, but was pulled down by Philip before the judge started slamming her hammer onto its plate.
      "No." Derek said loudly, bitterness and anger burning inside of him.
      "Isn't it true that you beat your brother and then told him at night that your father was the one who beat him?" Mr. Danerman continued.
      "No!" Derek cried. "That's a lie!"
      "Isn't it true that you've been involved in many school fights?" Mr. Danerman continued his line of questioning.
      "Yes, but it was just because I..." Derek answered, but was cut short by Mr. Danerman.
      "Thank you," he said. "That will be all."
      "But he only got into those fights to protect me!" Angel whispered to Robin.
      "We know," Robin sighed. "But this is how the system works. They milk you for the answers that they want and then leave you hurting inside."
      "Unh!" Derek suddenly exclaimed and lumped forward in his seat.
      A small burst of blood burst from out of his mouth and splattered onto the floor before him and his head then hit the bench, spit rolling out of the corners of his mouth.
      "Oh my God!" Angel exclaimed. "Somebody help him! Somebody help him!"

To be continued...

(Ending Theme plays)

Madonna - Like A Prayer
"When you call my name, it's like a little prayer,
I'm down on my knees, I wanna take you there,
In the midnight hour, I can feel your power,
Just like a prayer, you know I'll take you there,"

"Like a child, you whisper softly to me,
You're in control, just like a child,"
Chorus:"Now I'm dancing,"
"It's like a dream, no end and no beginning,
You're here with me, it's like a dream,"
Chorus:"Let the choir sing,"

"When you call my name, it's like a little prayer,
I'm down on my knees, I wanna take you there,
In the midnight hour, I can feel your power,
Just like a prayer, you know I'll take you there,"

"Life is a mystery, everyone must stand alone,
I hear you call my name and it feels like home,"

Executive Producer
Philip Wester

Co-Starring

Police officer		MICHALIS RAKINTZIS
Ambulance worker with one line		AMBER BENSON
Receptionist		ELIZA DUSHKU
Bayleaf		ANDREAS LUPIN
Derek and Angel's father		MEL ANDROMEDA
Derek and Angel's mother		PATRICIA ANDROMEDA
Jury member #1		JANE ESPENSON
Jury member #2		JIM CUMMINGS
Jury member #3		KRISHNA RAO
Jury member #4		REBECCA RAND KIRSHNER
Jury member #5		ELIZABETH ANNE ALLEN
Jury member #6		CHARLIE WEBER
Jury member #7		ARMIN SHIMERMAN
Jury member #8		DANNY STRONG
Jury member #9		STEPHANIE ROMANOV
Jury member #10		ELIZABETH ROHM
Jury member #11		CHRISTIAN CANE
Jury member #12		NICK BAKAY
Security guard		VALERIE DETORRIELLO
Stenographer		SANDY PRIESTLY

Edited By
Philip Wester

Main Theme By
Madonna

Performed By
Philip Wester

Casting By
Philip Wester

Script Supervisor
Philip Wester

Script Coordinator
Philip Wester

Featured Music
Alison Krauss - "It Doesn't Matter"

Special Thanks To
Jer�me Gagnon
Are you happy now? Now show me your 'talent'!

(End of theme)

SPONSORS:
Philip Wester Incorporated
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