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erijonarexhepis-blog · 2 years ago

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SEASON SIX, EPISODE FIFTEEN

Masterlist

THEY WERE IN THE COURTROOM again, and this time it was Jorge who had taken the stand. "Mr. Castillo, during the times that you were speaking with your daughter, Laurel, how would you categorize your relationship with her?" Lennox asked.

"Troubled."

"Why?"

"Did you ever catch your daughter lying to you?"

"Of course," Jorge answered. "When she was 14, she lied about using cocaine—"

"Behavior while a minor is improper character evidence, judge," Annalise interrupted him.

"Sustained," the judge said.

"Let's, um, move on to governor Birkhead," Lennox continued. "Mr. Castillo, have you ever met or spoken with the governor?"

"No."

"Have you ever contacted the governor or anyone associated with her to enact ill will against Ms. Keating?"

"Absolutely not."

"And do you believe any of the allegations that say the governor was involved in your son Xavier's death?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I've made a lot of money in my life— enemies too— so I can think of a long list of people who would have wanted to see my son dead."

Lennox kept glancing over at Annalise. "Mr. Castillo, one of the theories Ms. Keating has put forth is that the FBI is part of this conspiracy against her. Have you been in contact with the FBI about this?"

"No. The FBI's who put me in jail." So, he was still mad about that. "Based on misinformation from an informant. That's her sitting right behind Ms. Keating." Jorge pointed.

Annalise stood. "Objection!"

Jorge turned to the jury. "Those two women are conspiring against me."

"Mr. Castillo, don't address the gallery," the judge told him sternly. "I'm censuring the witness. Jury, disregard the last part of this testimony. Mr. Lennox, meet me in my chambers. Adjourned."

FLASH FORWARD

Shots were fired outside the courthouse. People, who were standing on the steps outside the building, started running and screaming in fear and panic. Some fell and stayed, hoping they wouldn't be hit. They were terrified.

The officers inside the building took action. They grabbed their weapons and ran down the hall to catch whoever was shooting before they killed someone. They ran past Annalise's mother, who was in distress. She hadn't seen Annalise and was worried. Her other daughter was holding her back.

"Is my baby hurt?!" She cried out. "Please tell me! Is she hurt?!"

Someone had been shot. Tegan looked down at this person in terror. How could this happen?

꧁ ꧂

"THANK YOU FOR BEING here, governor," Lennox said.

The governor had taken the stand. "You say that like I have a choice."

"Well, let's not keep you too long, then. Did you order the death of Nathaniel Lahey Sr.?"

"No."

"Do you know if Xavier Castillo ordered the death?"

"Yes, because that guard named him during the civil suit."

"Did you know Xavier Castillo?"

"No, nor have I ever met or spoken to him."

"Do you know his father, Jorge?"

"No."

"Governor, did you ever coordinate with any member of the Castillo family or the FBI to exact revenge on Ms. Keating for defeating you in a Supreme Court case?"

"No." She couldn't even look at Annalise.

"You weren't protecting your re-election?"

"No, because I plan to win my election by convincing the public I'm the best person for the job. The way not to do that is to commit a series of violent murders. That's more Ms. Keating's fallback."

Annalise stood. "Objection. Censure the witness."

"Governor," the judge scolded her.

"My apologies."

"No further questions," Lennox stated.

"Governor, when I beat you at the Supreme Court with my class action, were you upset?"

"More disappointed," the governor answered.

"Because of the damage to your political career?"

"To the taxpayer. Your victory cost the state millions."

"Money well spent if it saved thousands of poor people from unjust convictions."

"Argumentative," Lennox stated. He seemed calm.

"This speaks to the defense's theory of motive," Annalise protested.

"Sustained."

"Do you know Xavier Castillo?"

"As I stated earlier, no."

"What about Hannah Keating?"

The governor paused for a brief second. "I don't know who that is."

"She's my deceased husband's sister, Hannah. You don't know her?"

"I do not."

Annalise went over to her table. "And yet, Hannah Keating recorded herself on a phone call to Xavier Castillo saying this."

She played the recording. "I just saw the governor on tv saying Nate Lahey Sr. died."

"He did die."

"Because the governor killed him?"

Lennox stood up, not wanting to listen to more of it. "Objection. We can't authenticate this recording."

"I wish Hannah Keating were here to speak to its authenticity, but she just died." Annalise looked at the governor. "Gunshot to the head."

"Your honor."

The judge made a decision. "Falls under the death exception. I'll allow it."

Annalise hit record again. "I just saw the governor on tv saying Nate Lahey Sr. died," they heard Hannah's voice once again.

"He did die."

"Because the governor killed him?"

"Calm down."

"I wanted Annalise to go down for my brother, not hurt all these other people."

"I'm hanging up." The recording stopped.

"If you didn't know Hannah Keating or Xavier Castillo, why are they speaking so intimately about you?" Annalise approached the governor again.

The governor shook her head. "I have no idea."

"What about Nate Lahey Sr.? Did you do what Hannah said and kill him?"

"Absolutely not."

"So, if Xavier and Hannah were alive to testify, they would say the same thing?"

"Objection," Lennox spoke up but was ignored.

"Did you have them killed to cover up your lies?"

"No! My god."

The judge cut in and stopped the questioning. "I'm ending this cross!"

"Good," Annalise stated. "I'm done with this witness."

꧁ ꧂

NATE TOOK THE STAND THE next day, and he would be the last to do so. "Mr. Lahey, were you involved in any way at all with the death of Sam Keating?"

"No."

"You were arrested and almost charged for his murder, though. Why?"

"I was the boyfriend. That's always the first suspect."

Lennox nodded. "Any other reason?"

Nate looked over at Annalise. "I was framed."

"Who do you believe framed you, Mr. Lahey?"

"At the time, I thought Annalise."

"Did you ever get confirmation of this?"

"No. 'Cause she wasn't the one who framed me."

Lennox glanced over at Annalise for a brief moment. He took a step closer to Nate. "You mean she had an associate do it for her?"

"I mean, she didn't do it. That was Hannah Keating. She wanted to connect Annalise to Sam's murder, and now it's very clear to me how Hannah did it— by using the Castillos and the governor."

"Let me stop you, Mr. Lahey. Did Ms. Keating coerce you to change your testimony today?"

"No. That was you and special agent Lanford when you offered me twenty million dollars to say what you want. I'm just guessing that's so I don't tell the jury that an FBI agent working for the Castillo's murdered Asher Millstone."

꧁ ꧂

THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIAL started the following morning. It was time for the closing arguments. Lennox went first. "Forget everyone else. The Castillos, the governor, the supposed conspiracy. That is all noise to distract you from the person who brought us here— Annalise Keating. She wants to play the victim, and she is good at it too. But you know the real victims."

Lennox showed the pictures of the people as mentioned them. "Asher Millstone. DA Ronald Miller. ADA Emily Sinclair. Rebecca Sutter. Sam Keating. It all started with this man. That is the original sin. You start there. Then there's no doubt that Annalise Keating is not a victim. She's a murderer."

"I'm no victim," Annalise started. "USA Lennox was right about that. But that's the only true thing that he said today. So, here's the truth about me. I've worn a mask every day of my life. In high school, it was a smile that I faked to get boys to like me. In law school, I changed my name to sound more New England. At the law firm, I wore heels, makeup, and a wig. And when I got married, I... threw myself into becoming a Keating, and it was all to create a version of myself that the world could accept. But I'm done."

"Instead, I stand before you, mask off, to tell you the god's honest. I have done many a bad thing. I've coerced witnesses, got clients to lie on the stand, bullied students to tears, manipulated jurors like you. But those are not the crimes I'm being tried for. It's murder. And I am no murderer."

"What I am is a survivor. I survived getting taunted by the n-word when I was in grade school. I survived the sexual abuse by my uncle when I was 11. I survived losing my first love, Eve, because I was scared to be gay. Then the death of my son in a car accident, the murder of my husband, then alcoholism, depression, grief, and every death leading up to this trial."

"But today, you decide. Am I a bad person? Well, the mask is off, so I'm going to say yes. But am I the mastermind criminal who pulled off a series of violent murders? Hell no."

"Who I am is a 53-year-old woman from Memphis, Tennessee, named Anna Mae Harkness. I'm ambitious, black, bisexual, angry, sad, strong, sensitive, scared, fierce, talented, exhausted."

Annalise let out a shaky breath. She glanced from one juror to the other. She said everything she needed to say and moved almost every person in the room.

"And I am at your mercy."

April was sitting between Laurel and Connor— with Michaela on his side. The jurors had made a decision, and they were anxiously waiting to hear what they had decided for Annalise.

"Ms. Foreperson, I've been told you've reached a verdict."

"Yes, your honor," the juror responded. Some papers got passed on to the judge. The tension in the room was thick. Laurel was gripping April's hand. They had no idea how this was going to end.

The judge looked through the stack of papers as the people in the room waited anxiously. "Please stand."

Annalise and Lennox both stood. "For the charge of conspiracy to murder Sam Keating in count one of the indictment, the jury finds the defendant Annalise Keating..." she paused for a while before revealing it. "Not guilty."

When those words left her mouth, April breathed relief, as did the people sitting behind Annalise. But it was not over yet. "For murder in the first degree of Rebecca Sutter, the jury finds the defendant not guilty. For the murder in the first degree of Asher Millstone, the jury finds the defendant not guilty."

Laurel leaned back in relief, tears threatening to escape. Connor and Oliver had a somewhat similar reaction. April couldn't help but smile, her eyes watering. It was over.

Michaela, on the other hand, was not as happy.

"For murder in the first degree of Emily Sinclair, the jury finds the defendant not guilty. For the murder in the first degree of Ronald Miller, the jury finds the defendant not guilty. For murder in the first degree of Caleb Hapstall, the jury finds the defendant not guilty."

April looked over at her professor, who was hugging her family members. They were happy. Annalise wasn't going down for something she didn't do. And that was when April knew she had done the right thing.

The judge read the rest of the charges; not guilty. Those were the words that kept repeating themselves. Annalise was free. It was over. And she was enjoying the moment with the people closest to her.

Her students stood in the hall sometime later. Connor and Oliver didn't know how to feel, but they didn't have to wonder much longer.

April turned to her friends— her family. She just looked at them and took in the moment. It was over. It was finally over.

They could go back to when they worried about silly things, not murder. Their lives could go back to normal— somewhat normal.

But not for April.

She was ready. She knew it was the right thing, but she hadn't told anyone.

Her friends watched the two police officers approach them, and they were confused. Especially when they cuffed April. There was a lot she hid from them.

They questioned the officers— asked them why they were taking their friend away. What did April do? She told them she got probation.

April looked at her friends as the officers put the cuffs on. "I lied," she shrugged. "I'm the one who takes care of you. So that's what I'm doing."

They looked back at her with tears in their eyes. They were also confused and panicked. "I'm going to be fine. Fifteen years is not that much. Take care of yourselves."

"No, you can't do this!" Connor yelled at the police officer when they dragged her away. He was the most affected by this.

"Connor," Oliver pulled him back. He was crying too. Michaela reached out in an attempt to comfort him, but Oliver pushed her hand away. "You don't get to do that after everything."

"Oliver—"

"You betrayed everyone," Oliver cut her off harshly. Michaela was taken aback. She didn't have anything to say. She knew what she had done. She decided to walk away, no matter how much it hurt.

"Let's leave," Laurel spoke. She turned her stroller. And the three made their way to the exit. For a moment, they had enjoyed that feeling of happiness and relief. They hadn't felt that in a long time.

April gave up information and her freedom for her friends. She considered them family. She had lost her father, and her mother was being rearrested; that was a part of the deal she made.

As she was taken away, she thought about her friends and where they would end up. Annalise was free, and her friends were leaving. They were all going to start fresh.

April was unaware of the shooting outside the courthouse as it happened. As fast as that happiness appeared, it was gone. They were gone. It was over.

It was finally over.

She would be alone in prison, but that was how it had always been. Alone. But she took comfort in knowing her family would be okay.

No more worrying about people going after them or who killed who. It was over. It was finally over.

#femoc #femlead #michaelapratt #murdermystery #familydrama #femalelead #murder #annalisekeating #frankdelfino #laurelcastillo #connor walsh #coliver #bonniewinterbottom

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