Man Up (A Brendon Urie/Brallon Fanfiction)

Chapter 9

So close I can taste it.

Dallon's PoV

"Earlier, Mr Stump and Mr Weekes made a claim that Miss Greenwood is a both emotional and physical abuser. What evidence do you have to present to the court?"

I look across the room to Patrick, who looks away from me in embarrassment.

"It's a lie!" Audrey shouts, standing up. I watch Brendon jump in fear as her lawyer tries to pull her back down.

"Miss Greenwood, be quiet." The judge orders.

I should probably get you up to date.

Audrey went to the cops, claiming that Patrick, Brendon and I sexually abused her in the alley. However, she didn't account for the fact that there was a CCTV camera at the fire escape, which recorded the entire interaction, including her messing up her own appearance and making herself cry. Patrick and I are now free, but Brendon wasn't going to bring up the abuse out of fear, so we had to for him. Now she's on trial for it, and we're winning.

I sit, pulling on my suit collar as I watch Brendon's lawyer pass a series of photos up to the judge, and then some copies along to the jury.

"These are photographs we took earlier of Brendon's arms, stomach, and back. There are cigarette burns on his arms, as well as the slashes from a belt and a variety of other injuries that couldn't have been self inflicted. Since last month, Brendon's medical records prove he has lost dangerous amounts of weight, which he says was her doing. This provides the evidence that Brendon has been both mentally and physically abused."

Brendon looks down, silently crying. He's so ashamed. He won't talk to any of us. I haven't seen the photos myself. I couldn't bring myself to.

Fuck, I just want him to be happy. If he now hates me for it then so be it, but he can't throw his life away being afraid of her.

They call me up to the stand and I make my witness statement. I explain what I heard the other night through the changing room door. I watch Brendon sink further and further down in his seat. I try and meet his gaze, try to explain that I'm only doing this for his own good through my eyes, but he won't look at me.

By the time I've finished talking, I'm forcing the words through tears. There's muffles talking through the courtroom, and the expression on Audrey's face twists into desperation.

"He's lying!" Audrey screams. "I love Brendon, I'd never hurt him!"

"Miss Greenwood, that is not a valid statement in your defence." The judge nods to the jury, who disappear to make a decision.

***

"Has the jury reached a verdict?"

I feel a bead of sweat run down from my forehead, which I scrub away in embarrassment. Brendon cries quietly in front of me.

What are we doing wrong? Isn't this what he wants?

"We have, your honour." A larger man at the front stands, shuffling papers. "We find the accused guilty, of all charges."

"NO!" Audrey screams, leaping to her feet and attempting to run away. Two large guards grab hold of her, turning her harshly back round.

I smile slightly. Brendon's free. She can't hurt him anymore. It all worked out fine. Anything Audrey does from this point is only going to make her seem worse.

"Miss Greenwood! You have been sentenced ten years in prison, don't prolong it." The judge snaps wearily.

"I'll get you one day, you fucking creep." Audrey hisses at Brendon.

"Take her away, for God's sake! Court dismissed."

I stand beside Brendon defensively as we watch his girlfriend dragged, kicking and screaming from the room. He turns to me, lip wobbling. I pull him into a firm hug, but not one that could hurt him.

"You're safe. Brendon, you're free. She's never going to hurt you again. I promise. You're safe now." I reassure him over and over again. He breaks and cries onto my shoulder.

"I'm going to keep you safe, I promise. You're free, you're safe, you're going to be okay."

We stand, swaying slightly, me whispering comforting phrases in his ear over and over, until the room is basically empty.

The rest of his band mates walk over to us, along with a few of his family members. I let go of him eventually, allowing him to fall into his mother's arms. His dad stares at him, and then me, open mouthed for a long time, before staring at me.

"W-We thought they were s-so happy. I-I didn't know..."

"None of us did. She hid it well." Pete mutters, rubbing my shoulder. I blink through the tears and nod at him, before looking back to Brendon's mother, as she pulls away from him and looks deeply into his eyes.

"Show me." She whispers.