picture perfect family

the results are...

Everybody went quite. You barely could hear people breathing, literally that quite was it. It was the moment we - the family - have been waiting for. I slightly turned my head in Andy's direction, who was sitting right next to me.

Seconds later he looked back at me, and apparently he noticed my worry and took my hand. I let out a little smile and was happy that someone was next to me, I literally was about to pass out

„Erik Galen Menendez and Joseph Lyle Menendez", the judge began. Oh god, here's the moment we all have been waiting for, „With this, Your act is proven as self defense, from now on you are officially seen as free men"

You could hear people breathing again, Andy and I jumped up and I hugged him, it was a really long hug, we all were just so happy, I can't imagine how the boys felt

Two guards walked up to Erik and Lyle and took their chains down.

Lyle pov

I couldn't believe what I've just heard. Finally, after so many years. Oh my god. I am finally able to see Ellie. I turned around to see my brother, who was crying happy tears, "Here we go, brother"

I began laughing and we both hugged. I felt so good. So free, even though I still was standing in the court room.

My eyes went over to Lauren and Andy. We made eye contact with Lauren and she ran over to me. She hugged me and it felt so good. I missed her so much, even though I saw her a week ago

"You haven't changed a little huh", I said while looking at Andy, "You either", he said laughing as we hugged too.

Erik pov

"You made it, I'm so proud of you!", Lauren said and fell into my arms. I love her so much. She did so much for me, for us. I began smiling and looked over to Lyle. He was just laughing for no reason, and so did I

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I was so nervous. I was about to see my sister after- 8 years. I only saw a picture of her and she's so pretty. She always was, she just got older, you know.

"Ellie! Can you please come downstairs?", Andy shouted upstairs, (she got a new room upstairs), he nodded at me and Lyle and and left us alone. Here we were

About to see her any second.

"What's up?", I heard her voice and I'm not gonna lie, I already tear up. I heard her footsteps coming closer and closer and also a heart attack for me also coming closer and closer.

She reached the end of the stairs, as she looked up and...

"Oh my god", she put her hands over her mouth as she run up first to Lyle then to me, "Hey beautiful, damn u grew tall as hell, almost as tall as me", I said to her as she just smiled and laughed

"I missed you so much", she whispered under tears. God, I missed her more than my freedom. We all turned around to see Andy and lau entering the room, with a smile on their face.

We laughed and cried the whole day, Ellie told us important events in her past years, even though the most of them Lyle and I already knew about, of course lau was updating us every time

This day.

It was the most beautiful one in my entire life. I was so happy to be here, in freedom, in our new house, which was by the way very beautiful. I already loved it here and I think I also can speak for my brother.

1 year later | Lauren pov

Well, here we were. Our family, with a quite, well, interesting background story, all the bad stuff happening years ago. I was happy to be here with everyone, no jails, no wheelchairs, just we. I smiled as I looked out of the kitchen window, seeing Erik and Lyle being distracted with Ellie, I was so happy to see all three of them happy.

Even after our problems, the whole shit we went through, I'm happy to say that we made it!

With more or less luck, we're here.

This is us.