"Hold on..." said Nate before he cracked his nose back into place "Oww" he said "Kevin is harder to get info out of then Justin... Oh hey Pete"

Peter smiled, glad they were still friends. "Are you okay?" He got a warm paper towel. and handed it to Nate. "Here, put this on your nose." He sat down on the kitchen table. "I had to risk being thrown to the next street. Luckily, that didn't happen." He took of the blanket, handing it to Nate. Here, you can have this."

"Well I heard what happened... You shouldn't blame Kevin, Pete... He's just doing his job" he said as he took the towl but shooed away the blanket.

Peter shook his head. "I don't know. I mean, I don't know if he didn't serve enough time for a crime, or ended up not going to jail for a crime. I mean, if that's the case, I understand and by all means reopen them. If not, then I don't really think it's legal to reopen cases he's already done time for." He looked away. "I just don't want to lose my cousin. I mean, he has changed and he's suffered a lot for his past and I'm not just talking prison." He bit his lip. "But if he has to go back..."

Ian looked at Justin, and a few more tears ran down his damp cheeks. In his right hand he still clutched a small piece of his black hair. "They cut it......they cut it all" He bit his lip in attempted to not cry again in front of the officers and guards. He knew he had to be locked up for his crime, he expected not to be treated well....but why his hair!?? "Why did they cut it Justin!?" he asked pinching his eyes shut, imagining himself moments ago with long dark hair to his shoulders. With his hands still cuffed together he couldn't crying into his hands, but he held the piece of hair still. "Why'd they do this!? i'm not going to court am I?" He pleaded with Justin to answer his questions, his blue eyes full of pain.

Ian didn't want to go to jail....what if they dug up others things on him then they'd stick him in PRISON. For maybe years. He hadn't done much wrong, stealing the necklace was all. But what if some one testified falsely against him. Said he did something he didn't. He was wrong, and he knew it. He was going to confess, if they only had given him the chance. "I was going to turn it in Justin, I was going to give myself up, but no one gave me the chance. Now this!!" He shook his head, missing the feeling of his hair flopping about his shoulders. "They didn't have to do this....why is the law so un-fair?" With a breath he added. "Please tell me...am I going to have a trial?" He looked down wishing his hair could conceal the wet salty drops of water running down his cheeks in a steady flow

*****

After Peter rushed away Brian was left standing in the rain. He sighed, not knowing what was happening. Turning around he made his way home wondering when this day was to end.

Justin ran a hand through hsi neck-lenght hair. "The law has been pretty unfair, digging up his past crimes and reopening the cases, without explaining why. And what was this about last time in court? He was in court SAVING Kevin so why dose Kevin need to keep watch on him? Why didn't Kevin get in any trouble? He killed a man too! "Peter gave you the chance when he introduced you to Kevin and Nate. That was the chance to show them the necklace and say you wanted to return it. Though, I didn't think it was the best way to do it. So, I pulled him back after he introduced you all." He frowned. "I don't know if I was doing right or not. SHoulda told Kevin to shove it."

"You don't understand, Kevin is just supposed to watch Justin..." said Nate.

Peter asked, "How is he supposed to watch him? And does he really wanna watch him cry? Maralyn had to call me just because Justin wouldn't stop crying. That's not fair to Maralyn."
~~~~~~~~~
Justin shook his head. Then, he put his hands on the shorn off strands of hair in Ian's hands. He wondered how long it would be before the hair he was holding was his own. "Wow, if they had cut it to mid neck that would have been great. But this is ridiculous that they shaved most of it off!" He shook his head. "I remember being in jail before and juvie and they did this to my hair also." He said, "Maybe we can find you a really good lawyer."

"No..." Ian said swallowing. "I-I...I did steal the necklace, so it wouldn't be right if I go free with no punishment. But I don't want to go to jail!!" this was his first ever time in this situation...ever going to jail. He would be alone for five months, no family or friends. Who would come to visit him!? He felt the over wheleming feeling of hopelessness, like no one was there to help him out of the hole he was stuck in. 'God....God...I know I've never prayed before....but if I ever needed you before I need you now. Please help me Lord...please' Ian thought urgently in his mind. Then turned back to Justin. "Justin...I know I seems like a baby and all crying over my hair. It's been that way since I could ever remember and I didn't know they were going to. " he rubbed his temples whimerping a litttle "I've never been to jail before!" he said in desperation "No one's going to come visit me...." He wanted to cry again

Justin assured him. "You are no baby. Peter is fourteen and he cries everytime his hair is shaved above the ears and cried when his hair was pulled out. I will try to visit you."

Ian tried to take deep breaths. "I'm sorry justin, I didn't mean to get you in trouble with that Kevin guy. I didn't want this!" he cried gritting his teeth. He went to run his hands through his hair forgetting he had almost none, but when he touched only the short strands it almost made him cry again. "I'm going to have to go to trial....but who's going to defend me? No one! I have no money" he sunk to the ground leaning against the wall. He let his head fall back until it hit the wall. "Five months....sitting in a cell like some convicted super criminal, I wasn't even the only one who did it" he tugged against the cuffs on his hands. "won't some one take these off me!??"

Justin turned to find an officer nearby. "Sir, My friend, Ian can't afford a laywer. May he speak with the DA?" He didn't care at this point if the person recognized him from the past. The officer went to look for the DA who stepped closer to Ian. "I hear you need representation?"

Ian had his jaw set tight. "Yes sir I do. I can't afford one myself" he said, glancing nervously at Justin. "But, respectifully, why do I even have to have a trial? What's the point of one?" he looked at his tied hands. "Don't you already know i'm guilty?"

Justin said, "He can help defend against false charges and help catch the other guy who did it." WIth that , he considered getting one to help against the reopened cases.

"Oh" Ian nodded "Alright. But no I can't afford any lawyer serveses." he said and pulled on the cuffs again.

The DA glared and sighed. "I'll see what I can do" he said with a cold stare then left glancing back at Justin for a minute. "Have I seen you before?" he asked then waved him away and left the room.

Ian looked at Justin. "You better go I don't want you in trouble becuase of me...." the younger boy dropped the lock he had been clutching of his black hair, on the floor. "It will grow back....some day"