Finally, Jen heard the doorbell ring and greeted Kayla with a warm hug. Her mom dropped her off at Peter's soccer tryouts and they were taking a break. She gave Peter a hug. "Oh, I hope you make it!"

Peter was happy to see Jen and Kayla at tryouts. "I hope I make it too! I know Zach will. He's good."

"No, I'm not," retorted Zach as he poked Peter in the small of the back. "Besides, I'm busy. I have no idea how I'll fit soccer in..."

Peter chuckled. "Aw Zach. You should have seen how easily you scored that goal!" He moved his arms around in animated motion. "You slid right past that other guy, kicked the ball and it landed straight inot the goal in a straight line. "

Kayla giggled and glanced at Jen. She was smiling, but Kayla could see just a hint of sadness in her eyes. She knew that Jen's mind was still on her father.

After tryouts, Peter recieved a letter in the mail from Nate. He sat at a wooden table and opened it. It read:
Hey Pete,
I’ve been deployed; our unit is going to be part of a huge amphibious invasion, can’t tell you where though. Soccer season is coming around; I bet you can’t wait for it. Sorry I haven’t written sooner, things have been a blur. Levi’s been promoted to Chaplin cause our old one’s hummer was hit by a roadside bomb, the weather over here is horrendous, if its not snowing its pouring and if its not pouring it’s a drought! You go five clicks east of me and it’s a dry land… Oh sorry five miles. I’ve been brainwashed, JK.

I got to go, tell everyone back home I miss them!
Nate.
Peter's eyes opened wide. What if he were to die out there? He wrote Nate a letter back, telling him about soccer tryouts and about how nervous he was for Justin's court date.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next day was Justin's court date. Miley rushed over to Chrissa's house and rang the doorbell.
~~~~~~~~~
Justin slowly woke up, having one of those days where he wished he had never been born at all. His stomach was filled with knots, as he remebered the nightmare he had last night about the guy he killed coming after him. He didn't even bother spiking his hair today or gelling it forward. Instead, he let the sides sit around his cheeks. He decided to cut his own bangs into a side swept position above his eye brows. Then, he put on a flannel shirt from The Eagle and put on a black vest over it and some dress pants. He looked different, and his hair was starting to grow a little in the back and curl at his ears. He asked God for guidance, and help. Then, he walked over to his wife, who was brushing her gorgoues, long brown hair and gave her a hug, which she returned and lasted a long time. "I want to stay like this forever and not let time move."
Maralyn glanced up at her husband, not wanting the moment to end either. She rubbed her stomach. It would not be good for Rachel Grace to grow up wihtout her dad. She noticed how her husband has been chaning his clothing style lately and that he's changed his hair. His hair was still short, but it wasn't super short anymore. She brushed his side swept bangs with her hand. "Hey if we're lucky, they might not recognize you and we will get to go home early," she joked. She ran her hand over his slight curl.

Justin could feel his heart beat, as he thought about what it would be like for Maralyn to be without her husband and sweet little Rachel to be wihthout her dad. He put his hand on Maralyn's stomach and figured might as well talk to his little girl before he gets locked up, if he does get locked up. He knelt down next to Maralyn's stomach and rubbed it. "Hey Rachel. It's your daddy. I really do love you, I hope you always remember that no matter what." He could hear the own fear in his voice. What if she hated him after he told her about his part in her unborn sister's death? A darkness came over his eyes, then he felt a little kick. A smile came to his face for a momnet, as she looked up at his wife. "She's moving!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter combed his hair to the side, glad most of it has grown back from being pulled. The front was at his cheek and the back was still mid-neck and wavy. He put on a nice shirt, from The Eagle and a pair of khaki pants. He tried not to think abou tthe worst that could happen to his cousin. Still, it did not stop him from rushing to Justin's house. He wanted what could possibly be Justin's last moments in this world to be with him. He prayed that Justin would not die or go to jail, then took a ride with Jen and her parents. As soon as he and Jen got in Justin's house, he rushed to Justin's side and gave him a hug. "Oh Justin!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miley rang Chrissa's doorbell again, freezing.

Chrissa heard the doorbell ring. "I'll get it, Ryan!" she yelled. She was in her room, brushing her hair. The doorbell rang again. Chrissa sighed, threw down her hairbrush, and pounded down the stairs. She flung the door open to see poor Miley standing out there in the freezing cold, rubbing her arms and shivering. "Oh. Sorry I took so long to come to the door, Miley. Come on in. It's freezing out there."

Miley was grateful for teh warmth of teh house, when Chrissa finally let her in. "Oh, it's okay." SHe hugged her friend. Freezing to death sounded good compared to the possiblity of her dearest brother going to jail or dying. "You know what day it is?"

Chrissa's face became serious. "Yes, of course," she replied, closing the front door and turning back to Miley. She sighed and stared at her friend awkwardly, unsure of what to say to comfort her.

When they got to therial, Miley nervously took her seat betwen Peter and Chrissa. She looked at her cousin, who was looking at Justin with a scared expression on his face.
The first witness was someone who claimed to see Justin intentionally stab the guy with a knife and said that the victim was really the innocent one. She looked at Chrissa in Horror.

Peter's face truend sheet white. "Objection YOU HONOR!"

Chrissa's face was pale as well. She turned to Miley, stricken with horror. Ryan touched Peter's arm, uncertain of what to do.

Peter drew in a couple deep breaths, as people stared at him and sat when Ryan touched his arm. The judge said, "Another out burst like that, young man and you will be held for contempt of court." Peter felt his heart rate go up. He was telling the truth, why didn't he believe him? That witness was lying.

Miley stroked the back of Justin's hair and hugged her brother around the arms. If they were going to take him, they should take her as well.

Then, 19 year Kyle Anderson showed up and said that Justin heard a gunshot, then went out and saw Nate was injured but not dead. So, he held on to the thug so that he would not hurt Nate more than he already had. Then, when Nate and Kevin got up, he held the bad guy back to protect him and held a knife to the bad guy, telling him not to move. The thug wouldn't obey, and ran into the kinife by himself.

Relief came across Miley's face, and she looked at Peter and hoped things would turn around. Peter seemed to cheer up a little, but he still looked exahusted.

"Er, your Highship," began the third witness.

"Your honor," corrected the judge.

"Yes, your Parsnip," he stammered.

"The evidence is enough!" snorted a man next to Peter. "The least they can do now is lessen Thomas's sentence!"

"Well, see, Your Worship, Justin had the victim in the headlock thing," he began again. "And then he got out this pocket knife. It was like my picket knife. My pocket knife is named Stanley. He's really bright. Wanna see him?"

GTG.

The Judge rolled his eyes. "Guards, take the witness away, until he can reclaim his sanity." At that moment, two policement carried the witness away. Peter whispered to Miley, "What? He named his pocketknife?"

Miley's eyes were opened wide at what just happened and did not know what to think. She whispered to Peter, "Don't ask me."

"I can return to the Witless Box now?" the witness asked, his eyes widening.

The policeman shot him with a taser gun and locked him in a padded cell. Then, he went out to the WItness box and said to another witness, "Your turn."
(Whoever posts for this witness, has to be in favor of Justin now and can go ahead tell the sentencce. Has to eb realistic.)