Chapter Four-Hundred-Eighty-Six
Once Kevin walked into the courtroom with Ellie rested on his hip and Jerald, Kristin, Detective Stabler, and Q behind him Kevin began walking to the seats just behind Nick and Ashley when Ellie spotted Sean and Trevor sitting across the way. Ellie tugged on Kevin’s shirt gently causing him to look down at her curiously and she motioned toward Sean.
“Daddy, please?” she begged, looking up at him with such pleading eyes that Kevin knew he would lose if he said no. There was no way he was going to allow her to throw a raging fit in the middle of the courtroom, that’s for sure. He looked at Detective Stabler questioningly then and Detective Stabler looked down at his watch before glancing back up at Kevin and nodding.
“She only has five minutes though.” Kevin looked at Q then.
“Will you take her over there please? I can’t stand to be in his presence right now after yesterday.”
“Mhm,” Q answered and he gently took Ellie into his arms and began carrying her over to Sean who had his eyes on his little girl since the very second he sensed her coming into the room. When he approached him Ellie reached for Sean instantly and Q reluctantly handed her over. As soon as Sean had her she wound her arms around his neck and hugged him, latching onto him with that Velcro-like hug that you can only get from a child. Sean feeling overwhelmed by the hug fought back unwanted emotions and after a moment when he succeeded he spoke to her.
“I thought you weren’t speaking to me.” When she didn’t respond right away, he continued. “You haven’t been to see me since the day you got mad at me.”
“I may be mad at’s you daddy an’ nowhere near close to forgiving you yet but it would be dumb of me to not make sure you know I loves you anyway today.” Sean said nothing as he went through yet another battle with his emotions and this time he felt Trevor slide his hand into his in attempt to help him.
“What’s that in your hand?” Sean asked her after a long moment when it passed. Ellie pulled back from her Velcro hug only a tiny bit and held up her painting so that he could see and as she did he saw a very colorful but obvious picture of herself swinging on the swing and him standing behind her pushing her. In colored pencil she had written – with help from someone else: To Daddy, Love Ellie.
“I made this for you,” She explained softly. “An’ I want you to haves it so you will always think about’s me. Cause I want you to think about’s me lots…okay? Promise me you will think about’s me lot’s daddy,” She pleaded while fighting back her tears with great difficulty. Sean was silent for a long moment as he mustered up the strength to allow him to have this emotion. When he succeeded he gently tilted her chin up so that she is looking at him.
“That is one promise that you can count on me to keep,” He told her gently and that did it, her tears overflowed and ran down her cheeks like little raindrops. “You are my little girl Ellie…and whether I like it or not…you have a hold on me like no other human being in the world. I may not be fit to raise you like a normal father but you need to know that I tried my very best okay? I tried Elenore, I really did for you.”
“I know,” She sniffled.
“I’m sorry…for everything.” Ellie slid her arms around him in her Velcro-like hug again and Sean slid his arms around her in return giving her a hug and much to both Q’s and Trevor’s surprise if the apology wasn’t enough already, he kissed her forehead affectionately. Q stood there close by giving Sean and Ellie their time alone but when five minutes were up he had no choice but to speak up.
“Ellie…honey…it’s time to go sit down okay?”
“No, I don’t want to.”
“I know sweetie, but you can’t stay over here.” Ellie opened her mouth to protest and Sean quickly intervened.
“It’s okay Ellie…let Q take you okay? Maybe you can see me afterward for a little bit.”
“Yeah, I’m sure if you asked Elliot he would let you” Q agreed and after a moment she finally unlatched herself from Sean and allowed her favorite security guard to take her and he brought her back to Kevin, handed her over and Kevin gently hugged her close to him instantly getting the Velcro-hug as she clung to him. Kevin needing no explanation of this seeing as how he heard the whole thing just kissed her forehead and hugged her back.
“I love you Ellie,” He whispered.
“I loves you too daddy.” Kevin rested his cheek against the top of her head lightly and glanced over at their surprise guest wondering what he might have thought about the whole thing. He’d seen him watching the father/daughter moment from where he sat. He also can’t wait for Ellie to take notice of him.
"All rise for the honorable judge," the bailiff spoke suddenly. Everyone rose as the judge entered the room.
"Court is now in session," Judge Reinhold spoke, once he'd taken a seat and banged his gavel down. "We are here today, because I've been told someone wants to have their say on the defendants' behalf," Judge Reinhold continued. Casey Novak nodded her head.
"Yes, there is, your Honour," she stated.
"Whose side are you on here, Miss Novak?" Judge Reinhold demanded.
"The prosecution's, Sir," Casey replied. "But one of my detectives made a promise to a little girl that she would get to have her say on the defendants' behalf. And having had met her myself, I'm afraid I can't deny her request, unless I want to be as heartless as the Bastards on trial." Ellie frowned upon hearing Casey call Sean and Trevor such a name, but she wisely held her tongue. Elliot said she had to be on her best behavior, or he wouldn't let her have her say - and it was what she wanted more than anything right then.
"Any objections from the defense?" Judge Reinhold asked.
"None, your Honour," Scott Meyer, the defense attorney, replied.
"Very well then," Judge Reinhold nodded. "You may call your witness to the stand, Miss Novak."
"The prosecution would like to call Elenore Richardson to the stand," Casey stated, turning to eye the little girl currently sitting between Kevin and Detective Stabler. Ellie stood up importantly, her chin held high, as Detective Stabler led her to the little gateway she was to go through. Once she was on the other side of it, she paused and looked at her most favourite detective a little scared.
"Aren'ts you gonna walks me up there?" She asked softly. Elliot crouched down to her height for a moment. "I'm afraid I can't, Sweetie."
"But I don'ts know these people," Ellie protested. "And they're all scary lookin'." Elliot stood then, looking at the Judge. "Permission to escort the witness to the stand, your Honour?" Judge Reinhold eyed the little girl waiting on the Detective, for a moment, and nodded his head.
"Permission granted." Elliot took hold of Ellie's hand, and led her up to the stand, helping her up into the little booth.
"Now, they're going to ask you for your name, Sweetheart," he reminded her softly, though he made sure the Judge could hear - so no one would think he was trying to corrupt the trial or anything like that. "Can you remember it all?"
"I'll tries," Ellie whispered back softly. Elliot nodded, kissed her head swiftly, then stood and returned to his seat. The Bailiff came over then and had Ellie place her right hand over her heart, and her left hand in the air.
"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, any nothing but the truth?"
"Yes...Sir," Ellie squeaked a little bit. The Bailiff nodded, and then returned to his spot. Ellie climbed up onto the seat and sat upon her knees, though it wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world to do - but it wasn't her fault she was so small and everything so high.
"Can you tell the court your full name, please?" Casey asked, hoping Kevin had coached the little girl on this one quite a bit - she did have an awful lot of names to recite. Ellie puckered her face up for a moment in thought.
"Elenore Edna Reena Irene Elaina Richardson," she spoke up, so everyone could hear. "Is that right, Daddy?" Everyone chuckled some, as they saw both Kevin and Sean nod in response to her question.
"Now, what is it you would like for everyone to know about the defendant in question?" Casey continued. Ellie frowned, cocking her head to the side. "What's a defendants?"
"Those men sitting right over there," Casey replied, pointing to Sean and Trevor.
"Oh! You means Daddy Sean and Trevor!" Ellie exclaimed. "I gots lots to say 'bout them!"
"Well, please do tell us," Casey said, urging the little one to continue on.
"I loves them," Ellie spoke softly, though loud enough for everyone to hear. "Even ifs my Daddy Sean wasn't always that’s nice to me, he's still my Daddy an' I loves him. And Trevor, I love’s him too. He's why I gots another puppy - his name's Diego. He likes to play withs my other puppy, Lil' Rok."
"Other than the puppy, what else makes you love these men so much?" Casey probed.
"Daddy Sean gaves me to my Daddy Kevy," Ellie went on. "He gaves me to him, because he didn'ts know how to love me likes Daddy Kevy does. He wanted me to haves what he never did - he didn'ts want to hurts me anymore. Though, he wasn't the one who hurts me the most..."
"And who hurt you the most?" Casey questioned, though she knew this was an extremely touchy subject. Ellie's eyes narrowed angrily.
"My Mommy," she spat out. "I'd call her names, but I'd probably makes both my daddies mad then, so I won'ts." Kevin silently thanked the Lord his little girl decided not to use profanity for once.
"And what was it she used to do to you?" Casey queried, wanting the jury to see just how much the little one had suffered while in Sean's hands - despite her promise to let the little girl have her say.
"I'm nots answerin' that’s," Ellie declared firmly, her arms moving to cross over her chest.
"By not telling the court, it could get you in a whole lot of trouble, Elenore," Casey prompted.
"No," Ellie replied stubbornly. "Anthony saids I don'ts hafta talks about anything that makes me upset unless I wants too, an' I don'ts want too!"
"Elenore...." Casey began, only to be cut off.
"Objection!" Scott exclaimed. "She's badgering the witness! And what does the mother have to do with my defendants or this case?"
"Objection sustained," Judge Reinhold stated firmly. "Move on, Miss Novak." Casey frowned, not happy her line of questioning was being stopped. Scott stood up then, deciding to take a turn, since Casey had taken her seat once more for the moment.
"Now, Elenore, why don't you continue to tell the court why you believe these two men shouldn't be sentenced to death?"
"Because they're nots bad people," Ellie replied honestly. "Their choices were bad, buts they're nots all that bad. Yes, my Daddy Sean hurted me lots when I was withs him, likes I said...buts he still looked outs for me, an' mades sure I was okay an' he kepts me safe. He makes sure nobody else will hurts me - an' if anybody tries, wells, they better run faster than him!"
"An' Trevor, yes he hurted Ashley, but he's better now. He's nots on them things that makes him mean no more," Ellie stated, referring to the drugs they used to be on. "An' my Daddy Sean's off them too, and I'm happy 'bouts that. He's been lots nicer since then, an' he lets me snuggle withs him when he's not too angry an' afraid he might’s hurt me. He's gots a nice side, he does. It's just hards to find, that's all."
"And how do you know all this nice stuff is genuine and that he's not just using you?" Casey cut in.
"Because he's likes me," Ellie answered. "When somebody loves us, we gets angry an' wanna hits something...buts sometimes, and only sometimes, we act on our good feelings instead. We gets angry 'cause we're nots used to being loved. Buts now that we're seein' just how much we really loves one 'nother, we're nots so angry alls the time. Well, I knows I'm nots. An' if I'm nots, then I don'ts thinks my Daddy Sean's all that’s angry either. It's just harder for him 'cause he wents withouts it longer, an' was tryin' to keeps it away 'cause it hurts too much to lets somebody gets close to him."
"And how did you come upon this theory?"
"My Daddy Kevy taught me that's nobody is bad, really, but they're actions can be bad," Ellie replied. "Ifs people makes bad choices, then they do bad things, buts they're nots necessarily bad."
"And you honestly believe that bunch of...you believe that?" Casey amended, remembering she's talking to a five-year-old.
“Yes, I do," Ellie nodded indignantly. "Because my Daddy Kevy is never wrongs 'bout stuffs likes that." Kevin wore a proud smile on his face at that; glad his little girl was sticking up for herself. It seems they might've not prepared her enough for how harsh Casey just might be. But, she was still doing well nonetheless and that made him prouder than he'd ever been.
"And you believe my client, Sean, can become good if he truly tries?" Scott queried, watching the little girl and marveling at how bright she appears.
"Yes, Daddy Sean can becomes good ifs he tries hard 'noughs," Ellie answered. "Ifs I can do its, then he can too. Ifs he can'ts... then neither can I. I refuse to let's anybody calls him a lost cause, 'cause ifs he is, then so am I. Buts we're a team an' we can both makes it - I knows it."
"And you still believe this, even though he refused to heed your warnings?" Casey demanded. "It is true you were writing him letters behind everyone's backs to get him to stop hurting people, correct?"
"Yes, I was," Ellie admitted sheepishly. "Buts only 'cause I don'ts wants for him to die! I wants him to be here to keeps his promise to me."
"If he makes you do things behind people's backs, then he isn't a very good influence, is he?" Casey countered.
"Daddy Sean didn'ts know that I was sending them withouts people knowing!" Ellie snapped slightly.
"And just what promise did he make you exactly, that you still believe he will keep?" Casey demanded, really not giving the defense much of a chance to question the little girl currently on the stand. "He's broken all the others he made you, hasn't he?"
"He promised to always keeps me safe," Ellie stated firmly. "And no he has nots broken them all. He never hurts my friends, an' he lets me stay withs Daddy Kevy."
"Is it true, my client used to protect you from your mother?" Scott Meyer probed. "While you were still in his care." Ellie looked highly uncomfortable then, hating having to talk about her mother. "Yes, he dids. Ifs he was there, he'd stops her an' makes me go elsewhere, or he'd sticks me backs in my closet where I was safest."
"So you were forced to live in a closet?" Casey jumped in. "How is that loving you and caring for your well-being?" Ellie glared at the woman.
"He mades sure I wasn't always in his way when he gots angry. An' I wasn't always in the closet - he lets me out to play sometimes, so long as I stayed quiets."
"And if you weren't?" Casey prompted.
"Then I'd gets punished," Ellie answered simply. "He's nots a perfect Daddy, but he's still mine an' I'm gonna loves him no matter what’s any of you peoples say!"
"What else did you do to try and protect him?" Scott cut in. "I heard you did something else that was extraordinary in itself." Ellie sighed heavily.
"I wrotes the President a letter, withs Sarah's help, begging him to helps me save my Daddy. Buts...he never wrotes back, so I guess he don'ts care none..." She stared at her hands, a downcast look upon her little face. "Buts I still tried."
"If that's true, then who is that man sitting right there?" Scott asked her, pointing to a man in a suit whom was heavily guarded by security. Ellie looked up, her eyes going wide upon recognition - she'd seen pictures, she knew who that man was! "MR. PRESIDENT!!!!!!!! YOU CAMES!!!!!!!!!!" She shrieked excitedly, forgetting all about using her indoor voice. She jumped up on the seat, now standing there and pointing to him, while looking at Kevin occasionally. "Daddy! Daddy! It's the President!!!!!!!"
"Order in the court!" Judge Reinhold declared, banging his gavel upon his desk. "You will sit down and calm yourself child." The Backstreet clan all stifled their laughter, at her excitement.
"Buts Mr. Judge!" Ellie exclaimed. "It's the President!!!!! He musta gots my letter!"
"You will calm yourself, or I'm going to force you to leave the stand whether you're done having your say or not," Judge Reinhold stated firmly. Ellie looked at the judge then.
"Mr. Judge, you have gots to understand that's I've been waitin' for hims to respond since forevers. I'm lil', I'm 'lloweds to gets excited!" Judge Reinhold smiled a little then, unable to help himself.
"Yes, that you are - but please, don't cause any riots in my courtroom."
“I won'ts," Ellie promised.
"Are you done having your say little one?" Judge Reinhold asked, much nicer now. He'd known the President was there all along, but he really didn't want for anyone to come barging in and causing any trouble upon hearing the little girl’s cries of excitement. It wasn't the safest thing in the world having the President in his courtroom.
"I thinks so," Ellie nodded. "Buts...can I comes backs up here later, ifs I thinks of anything else?"
"If you think of anything else, yes, you may," Judge Reinhold nodded in return. "You may go take your seat."
"Kay," Ellie replied, hopping down off the seat and coming around to the front of it. She paused a moment, eyeing everyone warily, then ran over to where Sean and Trevor sat, diving under the table in order to avoid court security. She popped up between Sean's legs, and latched onto him tightly. "I saids I was going to saves you Daddy, no matter what it takes!" She told him quietly, though Trevor and Scott Meyer both heard her. "An' I'ma saves Trevor too! I wants you to be happy."
"Order in the court!" Judge Reinhold ordered, as everyone was abuzz by Ellie's actions. "Child, please return to your proper seat and try not to cause anymore disturbances, okay?" He was being stern, though you could see the corners of his mouth twitching in amusement.
"Yes, Sir!" Ellie chirped. She kissed Sean's cheek, then hurried over to where Detective Stabler stood, awaiting her arrival. Elliot took her back to her seat, chuckling softly as he did so.
"You're just full of surprises today, aren't you pal?"
"Uh-huhs, I am," Ellie agreed, smiling up at him slyly.
"I'd like to ask for a recess your Honour," Casey piped up then.
"Court is in recess for half an hour," Judge Reinhold stated, banging his gavel once more. He then stood and abruptly left the courtroom.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter
Enjoy =)
Enjoy =)
