I'm SO sorry it took me a month to update! I've been suffering horribly from writes block lately! But now that I'm back I hope it was well worth the wait.

I also want to let everyone know that this fic will be the final installment of the series. I foresee approximately 12 chapters for this fic. Then it's finished!

"Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen." Ralph Waldo Emerson

"All rise," shouted the stout bailiff from in front of the judge's pedestal. "The Honorable Judge Ethyl Hasket presiding."

"Wipe that smug look off your face," Defense attorney Paul Marquis spoke low through clenched teeth to his client Ethan Betchan.

The courtroom went silent save for the footsteps of Judge Hasket ascending her pedestal. She was a short elderly woman with perfectly curled white-blonde hair and bottle cap glasses. A pair of gaudy purple earrings and bracelets to match personalized the look of the traditional robe.

"She always throws he book at rapists," Prosecutor Sandra Del Amo murmured barely audibly to Spencer Reid, who hoped he did not appear as nervous as he felt. "Hates jazz, too."

This statement brought a tug that was almost a smile to Derek Morgan's face, though he still kept a close eye on Reid. By the time everyone had taken their seats again and the court called into order, Reid was practically trembling with anticipation and dread. Every so often he would squeeze Morgan's hand under the table for reassurance.

As Reid took in the surroundings of the courtroom, he couldn't help but notice Ethan, who appeared to be sitting through a boring lecture rather than his own rape trial. He drew his focus away from Ethan and observed the jury. Eight men and four woman; seven Caucasians, three African-Americans, one Hispanic and one Asian; made up the panel that would decide how and if justice would be done. One of the women, juror number ten, reminded him of JJ. Her easy posture and friendly eyes made him feel at ease to look at her.

Reid had been so caught up in observing the individual jurors that he barely noticed that it was now time for the prosecution and defense respectively to deliver their opening statements.

Sandra's glossy-black high heals clacked across the hardwood floor as she approached the center of the room. Reid remembered for a moment what Hotch had said about her reputation.

"They call her the chiropractor because she can bend any witness to her will. There's a running joke that says she has an uncanny ability to make defendants put their foot in their mouth and their head up their ass."

The prosecutor smoothed her form-fitting maroon dress and began her speech to the jury of twelve.

"Men and women of the jury, you have all been called away from your daily lives to perform your civic duty in determining weather or not the defendant Ethan Betchan is guilty of the horrendous crime of rape against Dr. Spencer Reid, a man who was supposed to be a friend. Ladies and gentlemen, imagine for a moment, betrayal." She paused shortly allowing the jury to absorb her words. "We have all experienced it. Dr. Spencer Reid experienced it in the worst way on the night in question when the man he trusted enough to allow into his home, the defendant Ethan Betchan, brutally raped him in his own living room. You will see physical evidence that paints the picture of fighting and injury. You will hear testimony that tells the story of struggle and pain. By the time I have rested my case, you will have no doubt that Ethan Betchan is a rapist of the worst bread, and should go to prison for as long as the law allows."

Sandra had not even made it back to her chair before Paul was standing and miking his own way to the courtroom floor.

At the prosecutions table, Morgan sensed that Reid was becoming even more tense and his breathing a bit shallow. "Whatever that man says up there, remember that it's all a lie. Anything he says it just to get his client off the hook. It's business to him, understand?"

Reid simple nodded in response.

"Members of the jury," Paul began, "I'm not going to stand up here and tug on your heartstrings. Instead I'm going to show you evidence that my client and Dr. Reid were, once upon a time, in a relationship, and that they met for drinks on the night in question and things got sexual. I'm going to let you hear testimony that tells how a sexual game, not unlike those that my client and Dr. Reid were accustomed to in their past relationship, evolved. This game may have gone awry, but the evidence and testimony I will offer to you will show that the sexual encounter between my client and Dr. Reid was a consensual one, and that Ethan Betchan is not a rapist."

Silence fell on the court again as Paul returned to the defense's table. Reid know that Morgan was right, that Paul had only said those things in the interest of getting his client the verdict they wanted, but he still couldn't help but wonder if the fact that he used to have consensual sex with Ethan lessened what Ethan did to him. He wondered if what Ethan had done was really so horrendous and he was just overreacting either out of weakness or for the sake of appeasing his own conscience. He knew in his mind that none of this was true, but in his heart he was more confused that he had even been in his life.

The voice of Judge Hasket pulled Reid out of his dangerous train of thought.

"The prosecution may now call their first witness."

Sandra rose from her chair. "Thank you your honor. For my first witness, the prosecution calls the defendant Ethan Betchan to the stand."

"'Tis best to weigh the enemy more mighty than he seems." William Shakespeare

Woo! Time to ramp things up! We must wonder what kind of ass Ethan will make of himself on the stand. Until next time!

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