Hard Time (Part Six)

For the rest of that day, both Scott and Elisabeth were in a daze. Elisabeth couldn't believe she had actually said that she loved Scott, and even more so couldn't believe that Scott had said that he loved her back! Scott however had been waiting forever for her to say it, because he knew the day Rembolt had hurt her that he loved her. The other inmates on J block noticed Scott's happy attitude that day.1

"Yo man, you be trippin today. What's got you so krunk?" Fly Jones asked during free time in the common area.2

"It's just a great day." Scott answered, a mystery obviously visible in his eyes.3

"Come on, Scott. You gotta tell us man." This came from Swede. "Is it about the thing you got goin with Lyons?"4

Scott nearly choked on his Sierra Mist. "Uhm, what are you talking about?"5

"Come on man, I wasn't born yesterday. And sometimes I can't sleep at night." Swede was laughing now.6

Scott looked around at the guards. They seemed to only be paying attention to the card game that was going on the other side of the room. "Ok guys, yes it's about Lyons. She and I have been seeing each other since shortly after she was injured by that ass clown Rembolt. Last night she finally admitted that she loved me!" Scott was smiling now.7

"Damn boy!" Fly laughed as he pounded Scott's fist. "I ain't never seen no CO get wit no bad ass prisoner."8

Swede and Scott laughed. "I'm just lucky I guess." said Scott.9

"Hey, how exactly are you gonna keep this from the Warden? I mean, what's the policy on inmate relationships?" Swede pointed out.10

"I honestly don't know. Inmates have had relationships and stuff before..." Scott began.11

"Yeah, not to officers, at least not that I have ever seen." Swede again pointed out. "What are you going to do?"12

"I have no idea."13

..............14

Elisabeth had been talking to Keenyah Smithson about the situation between her and Scott the whole time it had been happening. Elisabeth knew that inmates got married occasionally, but what about her situation? "Woah, who said anything about marriage?" she asked herself as she inspected the cells while the inmates were eating. Marriage was a word that hadn't crossed her mind since Callum had passed.15

"How goes things between you and Scott?" Keenyah asked, finished with her side of the block.16

"Really great actually. He even said he loved me last night!" Elisabeth beamed. "Actually I told him I loved him first."17

"Really now girl!" Keenyah smiled. "That's great."18

"The only thing I'm worried about is the warden...I really don't know what to do about that. What if he finds out?"19

"You'll meet him head on." Keenyah said as the inmates came through the doors into the block. "Looks like your shift is over."20

"Yeah, thanks a lot Keenyah, for listening I mean." Elisabeth said as she started toward the door.21

"Anytime," Keenyah said as Elisabeth left.22

..........23

Nightwatch 2 began as normal. Most of the inmates were asleep, so it was relatively quiet. Elisabeth started down the hall looking into each cell as she passed. When she got to Scott's cell, he was still asleep. She smiled. He looked so peacful as he slept. Scott slept with on his side with his back toward the wall, his head toward the front of the cell, his right hand close to his face. Suddenly his eyelids fluttered open and he smiled.24

"Good morning." Elisabeth whispered.25

"Good morning yourself, love." Scott smiled as he got up.26

Elisabeth blushed as Scott walked towards the front of the cell and took her hand. "Since when did you start calling me love?"27

"Since you said love yesterday!" Scott laughed and kissed her. When he stopped he smiled down at her. Man was she beautiful. He couldn't keep from kissing her again.28

When Scott stopped this time, Elisabeth spoke. "Scott, what are we going to do if the warden finds out?"29

"I don't know, and to be honest I don't care. Nothing he does is going to stop what we feel, love." Scott smiled.30

"He could fire me." 31

"And your point is? You'd be free to visit me then, and there is nothing banning relationships and marriages as far as that is concerned."32

"What kind of job would I get then Scott? And who said anything about marriage?" Elisabeth questioned him.33

"Well I'm just saying..." Scott trailed off. "It's possible. We love each other. I'm not saying "Hey go get fired, because I wanna marry you!" or anything. I'm just saying it's in the realm of possibilities."34

"Let's leave it there for now." Elisabeth said. She wasn't ready to be married yet. She needed more time. She loved Scott dearly, but she just wasn't ready to think about marriage again. Even so, she didn't fight it when Scott pulled her close to kiss her again.35

...........36

Elisabeth, Scott, and Sanger sat in the courtroom two weeks later. It was now time for closing arguments and a jury decision for Rembolt's case. Scott wore red this time, deep red. Elisabeth smiled at him again. This time she was in uniform because she had just come off of Daywatch 1. Sanger was also in uniform, so it looked as if Scott had four escorts in court that day. Judge Powers motioned for the DA to give his closing arguments. DA Simoneau stood and began to speak.37

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you have your proof. Officer David Rembolt did, in fact, assault and attempt to rape Officer Elisabeth Lyons. We have three eyewitnesses to the occasion. As you know Miss Lyons is the most obvious witness having endured the attack. You saw the pictures of what she endured, should this deed go unpunished? Let's not forget Officer Sanger. He has an impeccable record, would he lie? And then there is inmate Scott Kendrick. Yes he is a murderer, but he witnessed a crime nonetheless. You cannot let David Rembolt go unpunished." DA Simoneau finished and sat down.38

Rembolt's lawyer stood then to speak. "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, what we have here is a misunderstanding. David Rembolt was acting on feelings that he felt were reciporcated by Miss Lyons. She even said herself that it was Rembolt who asked her to go to Delaney's Pub and she agreed. Miss Lyons could have easily slipped and fallen against the shower head herself. Please don't send an innocent man to jail." He finished and sat down.39

"Innocent my ass." Elisabeth heard Scott murmur two seats down.40

"We will recess until the Jury finds a verdict." Judge Powers said with authority as he banged his gavel. Everyone filed out of the courtroom. The DA caught up to Elisabeth and company.41

"Might as well stay here for maybe an hour. We are anticipating a quick verdict on this case." Scotts escorts agreed and sat him down on a bench.42

"You wanna stay, Lyons?" Sanger asked. "I know you've had a long day seeing as you did Nightwatch 2." 43

"Hey I wanna see him get convicted." Elisabeth said with steel in her voice. "I have forgiven him, but justice needs to be served."44

With that, both Sanger and Lyons sat down next to one of Scott's guards on the left. They chit-chatted until they saw the jury coming down the hall. Sanger looked at his watch. "Only 50 minutes. That's a quick decision."45

They all filed back into the courtroom and the Judge called for order. Then the foreman stood to read the verdict. "We the jury find the defendant Guilty on all charges." Rembolt stared in disbelief. Elisabeth wanted to cheer. Scott just smiled. Sanger turned to hug Elisabeth. Reporters stood on the steps of the courthouse to ask all kinds of questions.46

"Miss Lyons, how do you feel?"47

"I'm just glad justice was served." That's all Elisabeth said as she made her way down the steps to her car. Later that night on Nightwatch 2 Elisabeth and Scott celebrated as quietly as they could.48

"Did you see the look on his face? He really thought he was innocent!" Scott laughed.49

"Well, at least he SHOWED emotion!" Elisabeth teased back.50

"Hey, I knew I was guilty. He is a whole different genre of criminal." Scott defended himself.51

"You're going to have to explain to me exactly what kind of genre's a prisoner can fall into," Elisabeth said, "but for now, I'm going to do something I really probably shouldn't do." Elisabeth opened the cell door and stepped inside. Immediately they were in each other's arms just holding on. "You don't know how long I have wanted to do this."52

"I think I have an idea," Scott said and then kissed her. They were both stopped by a bright light in their faces.53

"What the heck is this?" Officer Rodgers asked as he stood at the cell door.