After - The Society Fanfic.

27.

9:14am. Day of The Trial.

As Helena stands to begin her statement, she catches Campbell turning back around, grinning like the Cheshire cat having spoken to Luke. She falters, dropping the pen she'd been holding. It rolls across the floor and she scrambles to pick it up. Once standing straight again, she faces the jury. Their unimpressed faces and grimaces greet her. She bites her lip, staring down at her feet for a moment.

"The prosecution wants you to believe that Allie and Will have fallen from their pedestals, that they've betrayed your trust and hurt you." She can feel everyone start nodding their heads. At least she knows where everyone's thoughts are at. The jury manages to keep their cool. Poker faces on them all. They had been much more responsive for Campbell. She folds her hands together, smiling at them all, "I am here to tell you they're wrong. We all know Allie and Will. We've watched them create this society from virtually nothing. When her sister was murdered, she stepped up and made this place safe, made this society stable." She watches as they retreat slightly into themselves at the mention of Cassandra's name. Harry stares down at his hands, shame painted all over him. Allie too has to look away from the jury. She wishes this topic would stop being brought up. Helena continues, "We've eaten with them, shared stories with them and worked with them. They've put their heart and soul into everything, into us. And how have you all repaid them?" She pauses, making sure to make eye contact with a few of the jury members. She watches as they all shrink again, the guilt building up within themselves. There's one who doesn't, she walks towards where they sit. She still addresses the whole jury but makes more frequent eye contact with this person. Their jaw tight, their eyes narrow, there's a stubbornness here she has to break. Otherwise, they'll convince the whole jury to vote the way they are. "Campbell is hardly a trustworthy source of information. He acts like he's doing this even though it pains his heart." She places a hand to her heart, the other on her forehead and leans back, playing up the dramatics, "How could I betray family? How could I do this if it weren't unequivocally true? How could I be this evil of a man to condemn my own family?" A few people smirk, even Gwen can't help but smile. Campbell's face stiffens. He glares up through his brows towards Helena. First, she kidnaps Elle, second, she spits on him and now mocking. He's sure God won't appreciate any of these sins. "Well, if you all remember, he pointed a gun at Cassandra, right here. Allie even stood in front of the gun to protect her sister. He would have happily shot them." She stops. There are no murmurs in the room now. It's silent. "Now, you must be thinking, what does this have to do with the trial Helena? I know, I know. I'm just trying to get you to realise that whatever Campbell says, needs to be taken with a grain of salt." She turns to Campbell, pointing at him waving her finger slightly as if she's getting an idea. "I will give Campbell one thing, he is correct in saying today we will right a wrong," She turns back to the jury, a knowing smile upon her face, "but it's not convicting Allie and Will. It's setting them free." Helena straightens, glancing at Lexie as she addresses the whole room as well as the jury. Steam could be coming out of Lexie's ears. She's glancing at Campbell, his face trained on Helena. She sits back a little, angry at how captivated the town is being with Helena. Helena gestures as she paces around the church floor, "Today, we will prove to you how this has been a constructed situation to turn you against the people who have cared about you for months. We will prove how you have all been lied to, manipulated, not by Allie and Will but the very people who you look to now." There's a break as she lets that sit in everyone's minds, "By the end of today, you will finally know the truth. By the end of today, you will do the right thing."

She takes her seat next to Grizz and the room starts buzzing again. She glances at Campbell. A smile flashes across his face, once that ordinarily show confidence, but his eyes have narrowed, nostrils flared. She's proven she's a worthy fighter. She's not just some church girl. Campbell would do wrong to underestimate her. People have made that mistake before. Helena doesn't go down without a fight.