Aquata Cove Ch. 79

Ooook, soooo, I want you readers to know that I have little to no understanding with how law and order works in court. This chapter was written to make things more emotional-inducing, while preparing for a more gratifying installment sometime in the future.

So as I said, I have no clue what I'm doing with the court usage here, I just know that ridiculous rulings have happened in the past. I know what I've illustrated here is very likely unethical and inaccurate, but hey, that's the beauty of fiction.

Please bear with me, ye few but loyal. And I can only guess this chapter is probably going to get lower ratings than usual.

Have patience, and thank you so much.

*****

Chapter 79: Poetic Injustice

"Right, there we go..." Yuri says as she finishes attaching an I.V. bag next to Adam's bed, "You're really suckin these down, Adam..." She says, responded by the pump of the respirator, "Well, at least your lungs seem to be ok..."

She sighs as she picks up Adam's iPhone, and scrolls through the LGBT Advocate site on it. "You're famous, you know..." She mumbles, "'Gay Man Ambushed At Oz'... You're a small-town popstar, they hardly mention you being a fisherman too..." Yuri scrolls down, skimming a few words here and there, "Dammit, if you were going to get your name on the internet, I wished it would've been for your singing or catching a huge manta ray or something..."

Yuri looks at those closed eyes, with a light fog coming from his mouth from within the oxygen mask, "Your eyes are looking better... No bruises left..."

She shakes her head as she looks down, "Jamal, hah... Believe it not, hasn't gotten laid since this all happened; I can tell because he's been home a lot more often when he's not at work, and Nick's even vouched for him... Hahaha, God, their balls must be bluer than the sky. It's been what, 9 days now?..." She sniffed as her voice broke a little, "The house has definitely gotten a lot more quieter without you... It's almost unnerving..."

"Your parents, well... They're heartbroken, I can tell you that..." She continues, "They decided to relocate here until you get better... They've subleased their apartment in Washington, and they've rented a small apartment nearby. Good thing your Dad and your boss know each other, Luther was able to get a job at the Tin-Top Garage. Your Mom also has a substitute taking her place at her work there too, and she's found a good position here at out psychiatric ward... They said they'll only leave when you're as good as new, so it may take a few years, or at least time travel, if you want to go literal with that." She chuckled weakly.

"Your Mom and Dad also told your grandparents what happened... Heh, they, they can't afford the money or time for a ticket to Hawaii, but they're just as upset as the rest of us... Your creepy grandpa is in shock, and your grandma is terrified... Well, she's almost hysterical... She's distraught that no one really taught you to fight off a few people. Heh, she even made a jest at me for not teaching your karate. Eheheheheheh" She laughs a little, "Even your grandpa said I should have at least let you barrow one of my katanas."

"They really miss you at the Dream Waltz... Jessica keeps crying to me every day, asking how you're recovering." She huffed as she shook her head, "I swear, you should've gotten a restraining order on her since day one, I don't know how you can stand it... And Chloe," She smirked, "She keeps saying that you're faking it just to get out of work. She's still a bitch, but I think I know how she feels. It's just not the same without you - who else can bite her back besides Rajani? You at least made it fun for her, that's all you... And Jerry's not thrilled about losing one of his front-line performers." She smiled weakly, "In a good way though. He says you're one of the best he's got."

"The boys from the Fish House might be coming over... Captain says he's pissed, it was your turn on Canning Duty, and it's way behind. Belinda gave me this weird plant paste that's supposed to help your injuries." She looks at the half empty container, "It's actually proven to be a good ointment... She even tried to heal you, but she couldn't decided how to go about mending anything internal, and it's not like we can have your surface injuries magically disappear. She and Harold are staying too, for moral support when you wake up..."

"You and I still need to finish watching the Kingdom Hearts X scenes in 2.8 Final Mix. Don't worry, I won't watch them without you, we promised. I um... I haven't been home a lot... Partly because I need to stay here and take care of you. And there's this guy around the hospital, I told you guys about him, right? He's a journalist, but he volunteers at the hospital all the time." She smiles, "I think he really likes me - oh, if he was gay, he'd so be a bottom." She chuckles at that, "I took him out to the docks, and he's so shy and timid, he barely realized it was a date. I still think I'm the single type, but he's a good guy, I'm giving him a shot, at least."

"The other reason for me not going home is Merrick... Yeah, I know how that sounds." Yuri nods to herself, "And I do feel like I'm avoiding him, but he'd rather have me here - he doesn't trust the other doctors. And also... I can't tell you how broken he is, Adam." She sighed, "He hasn't been in here for a few days... Every time he does, he just falls apart... I think it'd be better for him not to come back until you've healed a little more, look a little better... But even that's the problem. His Dad pounded in some... I don't know, 'Be-A-Man, Men-Shouldn't-Cry' thing into him, so he hates himself the more he stays away, and the more he cries. 'Tritons must always be strong', he says... Your Mom says he's tearing himself apart that way, but you know what Merrick's like when it comes to psychologists."

Yuri sighed as she looked at Adam, still motionless and breathing shallow breaths. "Dammit, Adam, please wake up and answer me..." She pleaded softly, "The only times I talk to myself is in Japanese, otherwise I look crazy... And how long do you intend to just lie there? You're going to get married in about half a year." She wipes her eyes, "I'm supposed to be the Maid of Honor, remember, and damned if I'm gonna let a few idiots ruin that for me, you know?" Her voice shook, "A-And you already told Jamal he's going to be your Best Man, so y-you have to come out of this... Ok...?"

She puts her hand to her eyes, before her beeper rings up from her belt. She checks it, and sighs, "I need to head out... Tomorrow's the day your attackers are dragged into court. I'll make sure they're put away for awhile..." Her insides churn as she gets up, and pats Adam's shoulder, before exiting.

Just as she leaves, she jerks and nearly bumps into someone else. "Oh! I'm sorry-"

"Excuse me, please," Said Jessica, shuffling past Yuri, almost pushing her aside. She comes in with a very large bouquet into Adam's room. Yuri leers at her as while hesitating. She checks her watch, before walking back in.

"I'm sorry, Miss Jessica? Visiting hours are almost over. You will need to make this a short visit, if you please."

"I will, I will." Jessica nods, starting to sob. Yuri leaves, secretly rolling her eyes. "Hohh, Adam..." She whimpers as she sits down to look at her comatose crush.

"This... This is why you are not meant to be..." She huffs as she takes in a deep breath, "I wish you would just listen to me... I wanted to protect you..." She mumbled, "I wanted to stop this from hurting you... Why, why didn't you LISTEN to mee???" She sobbed.

"From the first moment I saw you... You are special..." Jessica sniffed as she wipes her tears, "You have always been special..."

--A Few Years Ago--

The stage picks into a gentle rhythm, a touch of guitar here, a few purple and dank orange colors here and there, while Adam sits at position on one side, his leg propped up with a wrist resting on his knee, and his other leg laying down. The music and the background of a dusk sky lights up as Adam starts his performance.

"~Iiii ~Am a question to the world ~Not an answer to be heard~" He sings to the microphone in his hand, "~Or a moment ~That's heeeld in your aaarrms~" He sits up and gestures to the audience, "~And what~Do you think you'd ever say?~" He gets up and casually walks, "~I won't listen anyway ~You don't know me ~And I'll never be what you waaannt me to be~"

Adam walks to a mast and holds onto it with one arm, "~And what do you think you'd understand? ~I'm a boy, no, I'm a man~" He walks around the mast and leans his back on it, "~You can't take me and throooow me awaaaay" He waved his free hand casually,

"~And how can you learn what's never shown? ~Yeah, you stand here on your own~" He cocks his head and points out for a second, "~They don't know me ~Cause I'm not heeeeEEeerrrrre!~" He raises his voice.

"~And IIIIII want a moment to be real! ~Wanna touch things I don't feel~" He walks as he sings out, "~Wanna hold on ~And feeeeeeeel I beloooonnng~"

"~And how ~Can the world want me to change?~" He points outward with his finger, "~They're the ones that stay the same ~They don't know me ~'Cause I'm not heeerrre~"

"~And you see the things they never see~" The music calms down as the lights reilluminate to different colors to make the background more brighter, "~All you wanted, I could be~" Adam calms his voice down again, "~Now you know me, and I'm not afraid~" He puts his hand to his chest, "~And I wanna tell you who I am ~Can you help me be a man? ~They can't break me ~As long as I know who I am~"

The music and Adam escalates again, "~And IIIII want a moment to be real~! ~Wanna touch things I don't feel~! ~Wanna hold on and feEEEEel I belong ~And how can the world want me to change? ~They're the ones that stay the same~! ~They can't see me,

But I'm still heeerrre~"

"~They can't tell me who to beeee~" Adam portrays feelings of hurt as he comes to this point, "~'Cause I'm not what they see-heee ~Yeah, the world is still sleepin' while I keep on dreamin' for meeee~" The lights of the dusk sky behind him flush between blue and purple as the music gets faster, "~And their words are just whispers and lies that I'll never beliEEEEEEEve~!"

The lights stay on bright orange and yellow, "~And IIIII want a moment to be real~! ~Wanna touch things I don't feel~! ~Wanna hold on and feeeeeel I beloonnng~!" Adam walks to here and there, gesturing his hand to his chest, "~And how can they say I never change~? ~They're the ones that stay the same~! ~I'm the one now ~'Cause I'm still here~"

The clashing of the drums bring the end of the song closer and closer as the lights settle down, "~I'm the one ~'Cause I'm still here, I'm still heeere ~I'm still here ~I'm still heeeerrre~"

The audience claps as Adam takes a bow before waves out to them. His insides are still going berserk in his gut as his body is also still shaking. Hours of rehearsal, and still a new performer at the Waltz, Adam still can't get over the jitters. Oh, if only Merrick didn't have to go to the Kenovani so he ease Adam down with a good-luck blowjob.

Adam climbs down the steps at the side of the stage, when several people come to him.

"OOHHHH My GOOOOOSSSHH!!" Squeals a young woman. Adam steps back a little as she comes to him.

"A-Ah, hi, sorry, I"

"Oh my gosh, you were AMAAAZIIINNG!"

"Th-Thank you, please, I can barely breathe." Adam said.

"Oh my gosh, it's, it's Adam, isn't it??" She asked.

"Yes, I-I am." Adam nodded, "Um, was there something you wanted? I kinda need to head back to my dressing room."

"Oh! Oh, oh!" The lady then takes out a notepad and a pen, as she beams at him, "I know this is weird, but I can I PLEASE get your autograph???"

"Wha- I, what?" Adam blinked awkwardly as his face feels a weird flush, "But wait, I'm not famous or anything, I just work here-"

"Oh you should be, Adam~" She said with a sigh and shaking her head, "You're the most wonderful singer in the world~"

"Ah, aheheh, ok..." Adam chuckled awkwardly, seeing she's pushing her book to him, "Ahaha, ok, ok..." He smiles as he takes the pen, and opens the book, "What's your name?"

"Jessica~" She answered, breathless "Jessica Foster~"

~~~

"I know you are still lost, Adam..." Jessica sobbed, "The darkness has taken you, and it has dealt you your punishment..." She sniffed as she wiped her eyes, "But I will not give up on you... You are my love, Adam..."

Jessica delicately takes Adam's hand inter hers, "I promise you... When you are on your feet, I will deliver you... I will help you heal, and-"

"Excuse me, miss." Comes a monotone, stern voice. She turns to see a tall, bald doctor at the door, "Visiting hours have expired 10 minutes ago. I am afraid you will have to leave now."

"A-Alright, I understand," Jessica nodded, "I will be out shortly, Doctor."

"Nooo." Dr Heffner stated. "Nooow."

"Please, I need to tell him." Jessica said as more tears welled in her eyes, "I need to tell him everything he-"

"Madam, he is not able to hear a building full of dynamite right now. Your thoughts and prayers are going to be as helpful to him as slap in the face."

"Excuse me," She said defensively as she gets up, "He needs every ounce of-"

"Visiting hours are over, miss." He repeated.

"T-Then may I spend the night in here with him?" She asked, "I-I don't need a bed, I can sleep in a chair here, please..."

"We only allow that for relatives and spouses." He said dully.

"Th-That's perfect!" She said, "I know for a fact that-"

"I know you are not a relative, and Mr Bryant is engaged, but not married. Visiting hours are over at this time."

"P-Please! Just listen to me!" She persisted, "I need to be by his side right n-"

"Ma'am, I will not hesitate to call security if you refuse to leave. I don't have all night." Heffner said impatiently, as if he is exhausted from 2 days straight worth of paperwork. "You now have 11 minutes since visiting hours have ended."

"F-Fine..." Jessica whimpered with a brave face as she goes to leave. After Jessica was exiting into a door down the hall, Yuri walks along, before she sees the morgue doctor. Holding back her disdain, she peers into Adam's room for another unpleasant person to talk to.

"... Hm?" She observed, the room empty except for Adam, "Dr Heffner? Was there a woman in there with Mr Bryant? I came to tell her she has 5 minutes left before visitors have to leave."

"She was here. She left." Dr Heffner said.

"Good. In my opinion, the last thing Adam needs is his fangirl balling her eyes out when he needs to recover." With that, Yuri walks off, leaving Dr Heffner to close Adam's door.

~~~

The next morning, Merrick stars listlessly at the strange clothing Donna gave to him. This is apparently what humans are supposed to wear when they go to a place where law and order takes place. Humans really are so tedious, aren't they? They can't even directly convict ones who have clearly done wrong. No, they need to set up complex systems and overelaborated operations for who knows how long...

Yuri glances into the bedroom. Merrick is still sitting on the bed in his boxershorts and socks... She adjusts her own navy tweed suit, her hair sleek and styled into a bun with a pair of jeweled chopsticks tucked into them. She walks to the living room where Jamal is waiting, wearing a formal suit of his own.

"He doing aight?" Jamal asked lowly.

"You really need to ask?" Yuri replied in a mutter. "He's just sitting there, looking at the cloths... Haghh, I still think this isn't a good idea."

"He wants Adam to get justice, that all."

"I know, but you know his temper. If this goes wrong, Merrick will probably go berserk."

"I still think he gotta right, ya know?"

"Either way, it's almost time to go. I'm just not entirely sure about the judge."

"What d'ya mean?"

"I've been following up with everything, and well... The judge handling this case old-fashioned, to say the least."

"Ah, fuck dat," Jamal dismissed, "It's a hate crime, anybody can see that."

"You never know. You'd think we could afford a lawyer."

"We don't need a lawyer, gurl, we cool."

"I hope so." She inhales, and huffs before turning around to the hallway, and taking a few steps, "Mer-"

"I'm ready. Let's go." Merrick said, fully dressed in the stiff, button-up shirt with an office coat, the cyan tie perfectly set, along with the proper slacks and shoes. Yuri can't help but feel impressed at how well he has put himself together in those kind of clothes... All by himself.

"Merrick, look... I understand if you'd rather stay home." Yuri said, "I think it might even be-"

"I'm not staying here." Merrick said, before leering at her, "I want to look into the eyes of the ones who attacked my partner."

"A-Alright, just... Take it easy." Yuri said as they exited the house, "We're going to a place of utmost formality - I know you might want to confront the attackers, but you need to let the judge handle it." She notice's a strain in Merrick's skin, also hearing a very subtle rattle from Merrick's throat.

"Fine. I will contain what sanity I have left." Merrick angrily said as they made for one of the cars. 'This should be interesting.' Merrick thought as he climbed into the backseat, 'Human laws in practice... Lets see how it compares.'

~~~

Donna and Luther walk into the courthouse, occupied by several people, a little more than anyone was expecting, followed by Jamal, Yuri, and Merrick. Nick and Sasha joins them, as well as Captain, Harold, and Belinda, holding baby Theodore as they file in.

Merrick walks forward, about to pass a police officer. A moment froze between him and the bailiff. Merrick's blood quivered as his eyes widened to see a face sharing mutual shock, as Daniel walked past him. Daniel gasped inwardly as the blonde merman looked at him, having not seen him since the cruise.

Several thoughts and images surfaced in Merrick's head, including that of the Agency's cruelty, along with the traumatic thrashes he had on the cruise.

Just as soon as the moment paused, Merrick passed Daniel by, not a single word. Daniel sighed quietly, thankful he didn't see violence flash in those sapphire eyes as they did before...

Soon, they reached a bench near the front, and sat down. Jamal nudged Merrick a little, and pointed to two men at the upper side of the courtroom, "That's them, right there." He whispered. Merrick looked, and observed a tan man with a black buzz-cut and thin mustache, and another man with a red tone in his complexion. Merrick's blood turns into turbulent fire as he takes them in.

"They both attacked Adam?" Merrick's thickened voice asked, his rage scraping in his chest.

"Only two of them. There was two more that got away..."

Merrick breathes harshly through his nose as he glares at them, his hand gripping his pants very tightly. He has no idea if he will be able to contain himself. Soon, everyone who came has found a place to settle in the courtroom, and awaited the judge to arrive.

"There shouldn't even be a court." Donna whispered to them, "Adam is still in a coma, this is wrong."

"Wouldn't be the first time they screwed things like this over..." Luther commented.

"All rise!" Said Daniel. Everyone immediately stands up. Merrick looks both sides, before quickly standing himself up like everyone else. "The honorable Judge Harris presiding." Just then, a man with thinning hair, half glasses, and wearing a long, black robe enters the room from a door, before stepping up the tallest-most podium.

"Who is that?" Merrick asked Yuri.

"That is the judge. He is the one who ultimately decides the sentence for each case at court."

"... I really don't like him..." Merrick says.

"... We'll have to see."

"No... I can just tell, even without the eyes of a Noita, I really do not like him..." He sensed.