After the Fall

Court Hearing (Suspense)

Lucas heart beats a million miles a minute, he feels himself a little in a cold sweat it feels like a little. His palms are a little sweaty, they shake a little even as he fixes his tie. He goes to put on his suit jacket, knowing he will have to wear it to look more professional. He looks at himself in the mirror, seeing the anxious look on his face.

Today is the day of the court hearing, today is the day that Lucas will find out if he has to face time in jail or not, today is the day that they find out if all of the plans they set in place worked. Today is the day that if they know if things are about to change drastically or if it will go back to the way it was.

Truth be told Lucas is nervous beyond compare, this isn't his first strike. He feels the only thing helping him out a little as well as most of the fights he has gotten into was when he was still a minor under his parents supervision, but even then during adulthood this was not his first strike. His mind starts assuming the worse, thoughts on him only being able to see Max, his family through a small glass window, talking to them with a phone on his ear, not being able to hug them or hang out with him. Him being alone in a cell, only getting visitation only once a week with his family and that only being one person that can visit a week.

Lucas looks down a little, he puts his hands on the counter, taking a deep but shaky breath. He is afraid but he wants to be strong, he truly wants to be. He thinks about what Hopper was telling him the night before, that certain emotions cannot be given at times because the jury will be looking at reactions. They will be looking at everything Lucas does, they will be listening to every answer that Lucas gives so Hopper told Lucas that he will have to be careful with some of his answers when he is being questioned by the lawyers. Hopper even helped by going over some questions that are destined to ask him, and helping him on the answer he could give.

Lucas honestly was not able to sleep the night before, both him and Max weren't able to. Their minds were racing over the same thoughts. Both Lucas and Max knew what the other was thinking but they didn't want to harp on it, they didn't want to admit what they were thinking nor did they want to talk about it.

Lucas feels Max's hands slowly rub his shoulders, her leaning her forehead on his back. She too is nervous, she is nervous beyond compare. She has a hole like feeling in her stomach, that feeling whenever it almost seems like someone is free falling, getting closer and closer to the ground but the parachute will not deploy. She wraps her arms around his waist, trying to do her best to comfort him. Right now words are not needed, it is just them needing to be close, them needing to comfort each other by their actions.

A knock is heard on their door, Max makes her way to the door to answer it to reveal Steve and Nancy, them both dressed up. "Ready?" Steve questions.

"Yeah." Max answers, turning her head towards Lucas. He makes his way to her, both of them leaving out of the hotel room. Nancy goes to hug Lucas. Mike, Eleven, Dustin, Suzie, Robin and Vicki and Joyce as well hugging him tightly, finally being able to see him after some long weeks.

"Okay Lucas you'll have to ride with me and Steve, we can't have you along with anyone else. We have to make it seem like you came with authorities." Hopper mentions.

"Okay." Lucas answers. He goes to get in the backseat of Hopper's police vehicle while Steve and Hopper are in the front. Max Suzie and El all get in Joyce's car while Robin and Vicki goes in Nancy's car. The drive is silent in all cars, it is a long drive since the court hearing is in another city. Since Lucas was in 'Pre-trial detention' in Ohio the court hearing takes place in Ohio, so everyone decided to get a early start to drive up to Ohio that way they can arrive early.

When they finally get there Lucas already sees his parents, Erica and Murray waiting in front of the court house. When Lucas and Steve get out of the car while the car is covering them from everyone Steve goes to put handcuffs on Lucas wrists with his hands behind him. "Just for show alright." Steve says.