We'd spent the entire day inside the office above the courtroom. 10 long hours, waiting. The skin surrounding my fingernails was raw and stinging, my anxiety uncontrollable. Isaia and Dawson switched between staying with me, never leaving me alone in fear I'd have a panic attack and collapse into some kind of meltdown or something.

It was nearing sunset when a knock sounded at the door, Bryce popping his head in. Isaia and I looked directly to him, the moment we had been waiting for ready and set. This was it.

"Verdict is in.."

Returning to the courtroom, chatter was imminent. Loretta gave me a comforting smile as we returned to our seats, standing as the judge entered his seat top shelf. We sat again for what felt like forever, the judge babbling as we held onto our hope that this would be the outcome we had been patiently awaiting.

Wyatt was directed to stand, his lawyer right beside him, his expression unreadable.

One juror closest to the bench also stood, a piece of paper in hand

"Have you agreed upon a verdict?" He asked the woman, her blue eyes between her paper and the judge

"We have your honour" She replied

Judge Garison read over his first charge, one count of aggravated armed robbery.

"We the jury, find the defendant, Wyatt Johnson.."

I held my breathe, Dawson's hand holding onto mine

"Guilty"

Judge Garison read over the second charge, aggravated assault occassioning bodily harm. My assault.

"How does the jury find?"

The woman peered down briefly to her paper, her blue eyes lifting again as her lips spoke the word "Guilty"

I was shaking, my justice had been served, this was my own personal closure. They had believed me, they had believed in what I had said, there was no way they could believe that I had been assaulted, yet find Wyatt hadn't killed Tony.

Count after count, the word replayed over and over, and then, finally, Tony.

"On the count, second degree murder, how do you find?"

I was leaned forward, my eyes focused on the woman's lips as she hesitated

"On one count of second degree murder, we the jury find Wyatt Johnson, guilty"

The courtroom was no longer quiet. Wyatt's family began to shout and cry. In a sense, I felt sorry for them, this was their family, this was a son, a brother, another life lost because of a stupid thoughtless decision made.

Loretta behind me was sobbing, comforted by her sister beside her. This was her closure. I released a lengthy sigh, overwhelmed, overjoyed.

Judge Garison thanked and dismissed the jurors, who row by row exited. It now all came down to him, a sentence in his hands for the crimes Wyatt had committed and been found guilty of. Undoubtedly, it would be long enough that he would never be capable of doing what he did to Tony and I, to another person. I felt a wash of relief rush through me.

"It's over, you did it" Dawson whispered into my hair, his arm around me.

I had been pre-warned early on once court was dismissed that the verdict had already reached outside the walls of the room. It had taken half an hour and the media were aware of the ending, which meant the moment we would step outside the courtroom, reporters would swarm. My identity needed to remain hidden to the cameras, to the mouths of those who had surrounded the building. Fear for my life, had no yet ended.

"So, how long is this supposed to last then?" I shot, agitated as we stood inside the familiar room in the court building, hiding out, waiting for the vultures outside to disperse

Looking down to the crowds from the window, I could see them by the dozens, surrounding Wyatt's lawyer and Bryce with snapping questions loud enough that they echoed through the street.

"It'll die down eventually" Dawson sighed, sitting at the table with his phone pressed against his ear, on hold with his captain

I turned "I understand why I'm here, trust me, I get it, but I'm starting to think that I'll never be able to go back to my life.. school, my job.."

"You will" Isaia moved toward me "Like James said, when this all dies down.. right now everyone will be on edge with the verdict, Wyatt will be angry, he knows he's going to prison for a very long time, now more than before, we need to ensure you are kept safe.."

I began to chew my nail, the skin already red and raw

"Don't do that" Isaia pushed my hand down "Just relax Jasmine, school will always be there, I'm sure your job will always be there if they truly value you, everything can wait, and if it can't under these circumstances, then it isn't worth having"

I released a deep sigh and allowed my shoulders to fall a little, attempting to relax. He was right.

"Okay" I gave him a reassuring smile, thankful for Isaia.

"..yes I understand.." Dawson mumbled as he stood and exited the room, his posture fallen

"He's going to be in a lot of trouble isn't he, for what came out in court?" I sat at the table, Isaia opposite me

Isaia sighed, leaning back "You can always count on me to keep it real with you Jasmine, you deserve that, so yes, he'll get a good serving of discipline from our captain, but it's the same as how it was for June.. it's temporary.. he's a good cop.."

I began tapping my fingertips on the tabletop, chewing on my bottom lip as I thought

"I'm happy you know.." I looked to Isaia "Despite everything, I'm happy that Tony has justice, his family, the despair, the actions of these brothers, it won't go unpunished.."

"And for you too, you have justice for what they did to you, you survived and you were a big part of what put them away.. you should be proud of yourself for everything you have overcome these last few weeks Jas" He told me proudly, his hand patting mine on the table

"I am" I smiled, our eyes turning as Dawson reentered the room rather roughly

"All good James?" Isaia stood again, looking to his partner for reassurance after his conversation with their unhappy captain

Dawson nodded, briefly looking to me "Bryce called, said the stairwell exit has been cleared, so we're right to go"

I quickly became aware that he was not going to be discussing the punishment he had undeniably been served with Isaia, not with me around anyways.

I nodded and stood, following Dawson and his partner from the room, through the halls, towards the quiet exit

"Are we going back to Hartley?" I asked Dawson as we walked down the concrete stairs, Isaia ahead of us, on the phone

"Yes, we should be able to come back a few days after conviction though, once everything settles"

When we reached the bottom of the stairs, Isaia turned towards us holding his fingers briefly over his phone call "I'll call you later" He told Dawson, moving to a car further down the street from ours

Walking toward our parked car, we crossed the street. It was quiet, dark clouds above us rolling forward, threatening rain, lightning flashing menacingly. I was somewhat looking forward to getting back to Dawson's vacation home, I needed a few days to absorb what had happened, the hardest part was over, it was all downhill now.

"Dawson.." I spoke his name, hesitating as he held the passenger door open for me

He stood closely beside me, nodding, his eyes narrow on mine

"Your offer.. Rochester Avenue, second floor of the Tempe apartment complex" I smiled, my eyes roaming over his features as they changed "Sounds good"

His lips lifted, pleased with my decision. He slowly leaned his face forward, the car door open between us

I closed my eyes, our lips barely touching when my name was abruptly called, deep and assertive

Both Dawson and I turned to the sound and in an instant, chaos ensued. It was like one of my nightmares, only this was real life, this was happening.

An aggressive white man with a dark hood over his hair stood meters from us, his hand raising as quick as the lightening flashed. My eyes widened as I stared down the street, his weapon pointing directly at me, firing.

The sound rung out, my scream equally as loud when I was shoved down by a firm hand, my body protected by the car door, the window above me shattering as bullets continued to fire.

My ears were ringing, my body shaking as I went into shock. The shots had probably only lasted a half minute, but as I sat on the ground, panicked, my eyes lifted to see Dawson standing outside of the door frame, unprotected, open. In those few seconds, he had reached for his own gun, pulling it from its place. But he had been too slow, and I watched on as a bullet collided with his chest, his legs stumbling backwards.

Sirens wailed in the background, my eyes entirely focused on Dawson when he fell to his knees, his hands clutching his chest, blood spilling from the wound.

Without thought, without care for my own safety, I moved from behind the door, rushing to his side

"Dawson!" I screamed, his body falling sidewards onto the concrete "Dawson! No, no, no, no!"

Blood was pooling around his hands, the pressure lessening as he grew weak. Kicking into action, I tore my cardigan off, replaced his grip, pushing with as much force as I could to stop the bleeding

"Dawson! Stay with me Dawson, please, please!" I begged, looking in between his face and his chest

Suddenly another pair of hands were on top of mine, attempting to do what I had been. My eyes darted up, meeting Isaia's dark gaze, frantic like mine were.

"Dawson!" Isaia called "Dawson, help is coming okay, stay with us okay!" He was attempting to be calm, but I could hear the panic, I could hear the defeat

I moved beside Dawson's head, lifting his face to place it on my thighs. I gripped the sides of his pale face, my eyes roaming over his upside down features "Dawson, please, it's going to be okay, you're going to be okay"

Tears escaped my eyes, dropping into his hair as I pleaded with him to stay awake

He was looking at me, his eyes glassy, his body twitching when he lifted a bloody hand, reaching up to my face

"Jasmine.." He managed out, croaky and dry

I was sobbing uncontrollably when police cars and an ambulance swarmed into the street, sirens flashing as the lightening did, rain beginning to fall

"It's okay.." Dawson ran his thumb over my jaw, leaning his palm against my cheek "It's okay.." He repeated as he searched my face

I nodded "It is okay, you'll be okay.."

This time, he shook his head slightly, swallowing hard "You're okay, Jasmine.."

"Save your breath Dawson, c'mon, just save your breath, the ambulance is here" I told him, my thumbs rowing circles into his cheeks

"No" He shook his head again "I want you to know.. before I go.."

"Don't say that, don't say that!" I yelled at him, my eyes stinging, my head pounding

"Jasmine" He took a hold of my face more firmly this time "You're so brave, you're so beautiful.. I've never loved anyone as much as I do.." He began to cough, his lips dry, remnants of blood escaping his throat "You were right, being afraid.. of losing someone, it's been better than having no fear at all.. way better.." He smiled, he actually managed a smile as two paramedics entered our space

I was aware Isaia had moved aside, the paramedics urging me to also move, but I couldn't, I couldn't because as I kept my eyes down on Dawson, watching his lips lift for a moment before they fell, a scream escaped my lips, a scream that erupted through the rain, through the street. Dawson stared back at me, his eyes glazed over, empty, unfocused. His hand had fallen to his side, his neck limp, his face lifeless, gone.