Press Play [LawLu]

Chapter Fifty-Two: Facing Your Demons

In all the nonsense with Luffy, the retrial date completely snuck up on Law. He had to go to the retrial and he was terrified of it. Right after that talk with Lami, Law had told Smoker he'd testify. Law was dressed all proper for court and he couldn't sit still. Law tugged on the collar of his shirt. The room felt small and the trial hadn't even started yet. He couldn't sit still. 

He and Lami had gotten a ride from Shachi to the courthouse. He and Peng both wanted to be there but it was a closed trial. The only ones in the room, aside from those involved, were Trebol, Vergo, Fai, and Lami. And that was only because they had been at the first trial, and they were family. 

Law, Lami, and Fai were standing outside the courtroom. The trial was due to start any minute now and Law was shaking. He hadn't even spoken to Doflamingo since a few days after his sentence and Trebol and Vergo, not since the last trial. 

Lami grabbed his hand and squeezed it. 

"Don't worry Law, there's no way they can't charge Doffy," Lami said quietly so no one could hear them. "They confirmed you were the only two with Cora that time." 

"Exactly, that bastard's going to spend the next 25 years in prison," Fai said. Law squeezed Lami's hand back in a silent thanks. 

"I just don't want to see him again," Law muttered. Law's whole life had been derailed because of Doflamingo and Law let that vengeful wrath take control. He wasn't going to let Doflamingo see how scared he was. Law was going to be the spiteful little shit he had been his entire childhood. That was all. 

"Let's go," Law said. He let go of Lami's hand and went into the courtroom. The jury was already seated when they walked in, Doflamingo was there too, sitting before the Judges stand, across from where Law would be. Smoker and Hina were there too, and lawyer Fai hired. And whatever specialists needed to be there for the presentation of evidence. Law didn't care who they were. None of them Law recognized, which means they had nothing to do with the first trial. Law wasn't sure whether or not that would work in his favor. He could only hope for now. Law took a deep breath and didn't even glance at Doflamingo, Vergo, or Trebol as he walked in. 

"I was beginning to think you got cold feet," the lawyer said. She looked over at Law, setting down her papers. Law had only met with her once to discuss what was going to happen today. And it had been brief. But it wasn't anything Law hadn't been through already. 

"Not a chance," Law muttered. "I just want to get this over with." 

"Law," Lami muttered, leaning over the bar that separated the public gallery from the rest of the courtroom. "Doffy is watching you." 

Law didn't even bother glancing in his direction to confirm her statement. 

"Let him," Law muttered, looking at the empty judge's seat. Law wanted to be sure that Doflamingo knew he meant nothing to Law. That's how this entire encounter was going to go. Law decided that before he had even gotten out of bed that morning though. 

"He looks pissed," Fai added. Law ignored her. He didn't care about him. A door on the side of the judge's seat opened with a loud, drawn-out squeal that brought the room to a silence so vacuous Law could hear the sound of his blood moving through his veins. The judge took his sweet time making his way to his seat with all eyes on him. 

That must be the most uncomfortable mundane experience a person can go through Law thought to himself. When the judge started talking, his words fell on deaf ears, or at least that was the case as far as Law was concerned. It didn't matter anyway. It was going to be the same thing Law had to sit through four years ago. When the judge was done talking, the opening statements started. Law listened to Viola and Doflamingo's lawyer during both of them. It dragged on endlessly and Law just wanted all of this to be over.