jinglehells | Trial 2

WHO KILLED CHRISTMAS?

Four hours pass yet again. Thug Dangerzone and Brasco move all the tables together (with no help from Starshine), and once again the dining room becomes a makeshift trial center. Poor Diana's body is carefully laid out on one of the tables. She's covered by a sheet, because frankly her corpse looks a little nauseating, but she's there if anyone needs to look at her.

On each spot at the table is a some cookies and apple cider, and that basket sits remains cheery and present at the center of the tavle. Next to the food is a pen and a small notebook, like the kind they use on police procedural.

After everyone is seated, or at least standing awkwardly around, Brasco stands up on a chair. "I gotta say, I'm pretty disappointed in you all," he says, and you get the sense he honestly means it. "This is way, way more murders than we wanted here! By a significant margin! But at least justice can be served a little. Me and Princess and Thug were looking around some after you guys finished, and we narrowed it down to five different suspects. So figure it out! You've got all day. Go vote when you're sure, and remember: this isn't a joke. Make sure you get it right. When we've got a majority vote, or when it gets too late, we'll decide.

Ready? Start!"

19 GUESTS REMAIN

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At least we had a few nights together.

[And they were good nights, frankly. Not, perhaps, as wild as she and Jack have led the others to believe, but she'd enjoyed passing the time with him. He's frank and honest and morally neutral, just like her, and she appreciates spending time with someone who doesn't seem too caught up in emotions or petty details.

She likes him, she's startled to find. She'd been banking on him to cover for her, but she'd still been shocked when he'd done it on his own.]

Promise me something, hm? If for nothing else, then for whatever affection you have for me.

[She glances up at him.]

Elizabeth is . . . important. More important than I can say-- as important as your daughter is to you, and I believe just as fragile. She's vital to me, and I can't protect her now. If it's within your power . . . keep her safe.

They were damn good nights. Uh...sorry for all the embellishment, but magician tricks, ya know? Keep'em distracted with a lot of patter.

[It's not like he was describing anything he was expecting out of her, after all. He'd just been having fun keeping up with everything and offering explanations for shit he didn't actually have explanations for.]

....yeah. Yeah, I can do that. And...look, I'm not an idiot. So thanks for not going after my kid, since I know she woulda been easy to take out. And I know you knew that. So I'll look after Elizabeth like she was my own, I can promise ya that.

[She nods. Truth be told, she had considered Angel, but Jack's relation to her stayed her hand. The one time her father did her a favor, however indirectly.

But that promise is worth a lot, and Rosalind nods again, something in her . . . not relaxing, exactly. But pleased to hear it.]

She's brilliant, and she's capable of handling herself, but she's still sheltered in any number of ways. She trusts easily, because she's not yet had a reason not to trust someone.

[Though at least she knows the truth of her birth and origins. Perhaps that will instill some cynicism in her. Rosalind can only hope.]

I get it. My own, she's....yeah, sheltered. Smart and everything, but...real sheltered life. So don't worry, I can take care of Elizabeth for ya.

Think we'll get any chance for a proper goodbye before...you know?

[She gets locked up wherever they're locking people up now and whatever happens happens.]

Just 'cause I hate leaving stuff unsaid or missing chances to say everything I wanna say. That...that wasn't an implication I expect a last fling. I mean, wouldn't say no to one, but...not what I'm getting at.

I doubt we'll be given any proper privacy, but . . . if you want to say something, I suspect we'll at least be given some space if we head to the other side of the room.

[After all, it's not like she can run anywhere.]

Yeah, I got some stuff to say. Nothing too mushy or anything, don't worry. Hey, worst comes to worst we can start making out and I bet they'd give us plenty of space.

[He winks and slings an arm around her shoulders, to lead her a bit away from the main crowd.]

[She goes willingly enough, and he'll feel how she curls beneath his arm a bit. Selfish, maybe, for wanting to take comfort from him even now, but she can't help it.

It's a large dining hall. Soon enough they're far enough that the only way people will be able to hear is if they start shouting.]

Going to tell me you love me?

[It's a weak joke.]

Oh yeah, you stole my heart in the...week or whatever we've known each other.

[Jack snorts but he doesn't take his arm away. He's not exactly torn up, but...it sucks, facing what she's facing.]

Nah, I just wanted to say that I do get it. And I think you made the right call. And that I really have appreciated hanging out with you. I'm gonna miss you. And if I thought there was anything I could do... I'd way rather have you around then not. I know we're just friends who fool around, but I want you to know that I do think of you as a friend. I could talk to you and you get me. That's not something I find too much.

And yeah, the sex was great. And I'll be right here till they don't let me be. I'm already in this pretty deep, may as well see it through, huh?

I appreciate it.

[She really does. She knows in her heart that she made the right call, even if it wasn't the right thing to do, because Robert is far and away more important than anything or anyone (save perhaps Elizabeth, and even then, Robert edges her out through sheer obsessive affection). But it's nice to hear.

It's nice, too, to hear him say he'd miss her. Rosalind hasn't ever had many friends. It's nice to know that there'll be someone to remember her fondly when she's gone.

She rises up to her toes, kissing his cheek. In a murmur, then:]

Do your best not to die. Or, if you must kill, not to get caught.

The bleeding hearts get too caught up in general morality, they don't understand what it's like to be in that position. But I bet they're gonna find out real soon now.

[Jack, being Jack, turns his head to brush his mouth over hers when she pulls away from his cheek. It's probably their last chance, he's not parting ways with a chaste little familial peck on the cheek.]

Don't worry about me, sweetheart, I'm really good at planting evidence. And also good at fending off assassinations. Pretty sure I've got a target on my back now, but I'm not gonna make it easy for anybody.

And uh...since we both live in reality and know what comes next, if you want any tips on taking care of it yourself, quick and easy....

[It's the most he can do for her.]

[She hardly minds the stolen kiss, though what he says next rather wipes the smile off her face. Rosalind glances back out towards the others.]

. . . yes. But not just yet. In a moment, but . . . come kiss me once more.

[Because if she's going to die, it'd be nice to sneak a few last kisses in.]

I'd do a lot more than a kiss, if they'd give us half an hour of privacy.

[But he does, a proper kiss, arms around her and mouth open. Because he doesn't care who sees. He's never cared. And figures she's beyond caring, too. Like anyone's paying attention anyway, she's the murderer and he's the asshole who tried to help her get away with it. Who's gonna tell them to knock it off? Anybody who does is getting a punch.]

Trial 2

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