Verdict
When Monday rolled around the Saltzman family was up getting ready to head out to court. Josie, stayed in her room locked up away from her parents and sister, getting ready. She wasn't ready to face everyone outside of the four walls of the room she was staying in. Josie glanced at her phone, Landon had not texted her yet which meant the twins were probably still asleep.
Freya had told her that after the statements, hopefully, today they would have a verdict. Which would be great for Josie considering the twins' birthday was a few days away. Josie still needed to decide what to get them for their birthday it was the first time she has money to get them something. Something nice, not something simple so she wouldn't feel bad. Of course, this would only be their second birthday and in the future, they won't remember when she couldn't afford expensive and nice things for them.
"Hello?" Josie answered when her phone rang.
"Hello, Josie." Josie knew that voice, she had been thinking of that voice every day since she found out she was Josette.
"Why are you calling?"
"I need to see you. I need to explain, so you understand."
"Hey Josie," Came Lizzie's voice from outside the room.
"Fine, I gotta go," Josie told the man on the other end of the call. She opened the room door. Greeted by her blonde twin. "I need a favor," Josie told her sister.
"What's up?"
"I'll explain on the way."
The girl left the house with the excuse that they wanted to do some sister bonding before heading to the courthouse later that morning.
Josie listen to her sister vent after she explain where they were going she understood her sister's point of view. She knew Lizzie was only trying to protect her and Josie was grateful for her sister and the way she cared for her.
Josie walked through the door. Lizzie was waiting for her outside. This was something she had to do without her parent knowing. She would explain it to them later, she would tell them everything she remembered once the trial was over. She would tell Hope how much she appreciated her and her parents how much she needed them. She would tell everyone the truth about her past or at least answer all the questions they had.
"Hello, Josie." the man said
"Hello, Finn."
"Thank you for coming." They both remained silent. Admiring one another. Each one of them has their own story, their own pain, and one man was responsible for it all. "I need a favor from you, Josie." Finn knew better than to call her Josette.
"What could I possibly do?" Josie crossed her arms over her chest.
"It was me," Finn told the girl firmly. "I took you, I held you captive, I changed your life. I altered your destiny. I ruined your life just me."
Josie's gaze didn't leave the man in front of her. He was desperate, she could hear it in his voice. See it in his brown eyes. They were begging her to listen to him, pleading that she agreed with the information he told her.
"Why?"
"Josie you know why." Finn gave her a warm smile. "Even if you don't remember, you know I had my reason."
"How is it fair?" Josie had remembered more of her time in captivity. She hadn't told anyone, she hadn't allowed herself to analyze what she has been through. She would soon after the trial was over. She just needed to take it one day at a time. One feeling at a time because if she didn't she was afraid it would consume her. "You'd be paying for the crimes of someone else. You'd be paying the price for someone else."
"You have too," Finn told the girl.
"What do you mean?" Josie had never heard Finn so genuine. Last time she saw the man he was apologizing. He was dropping her off somewhere where he knew she would be safe. He was ging her a chance to survive.
"Josie we have to go!" Lizzie rushed through the door. "We need to get to the courthouse." Josie left Finn without telling him anything else. She followed her sister out and into the car.
"Josie, why were you seeing him?" Lizzie asked.
"You're going to have to trust me," Josie told her sister. Josie smiled when the blonde gave her a nod. Josie was glad to see that despite everything they still had a connection. They still trusted each other, maybe there was still a twin connection between the two despite all the years of distance.
~~~~
At the courthouse, Josie didn't say a word. She rushed over to the twins. Damon had thought it was a good strategy to have the kids there. It would appeal to the jury. Josie wasn't sure at first but she knew this needed to play out smoothly for her parents, for Hope's parents, for her twin, and for her girlfriend to avoid any extra stress.
Josie went up to Landon and Hope.
"I need you to get them out of here," Josie told them. "I don't want them here, they are kids. They listen to everything and in there they will hear things they shouldn't. Please, Landon, take them."
"Take them where Josie?" Landon asked.
"Anywhere but here."
''Okay. I'll be at your place waiting for you to get home."
Josie turned her attention to Hope. Both girls had been walking on eggshells since this trial began. Josie decided she wanted to awkwardness between her and her girlfriend to end. She leaned into Hope and resting her head on her shoulder. Josie smiled when Hope's arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer. Josie could stay in Hope's arms forever. Being in Hope's arms had not changed she felt the same when she was a kid, when Hope would hold her she would stay in Hope's grasp until Lizzie began to complain about being left out. Hope was safe.
When the trail remained Josie took her seat next to her lawyers. She glanced room and spotted Finn, he no longer hunched in shame. He was standing tall Josie knew the oldest Mikaleson had made his peace.
Josie listened to everything, she watched as her parents spoke. She listened to her father speak about how he would comfort his wife. She could see the pain in his voice and the strength it was taking him not to cry. Josie wiped the tears that tried to spill from her eyes.
Caroline was up next. She looked composed, Josie sighed. This would be easier, her father had made her want to sob but Caroline she looked good, strong, and with better control of her emotions.
After being sworn in, Caroline took a seat. She met eyes with Josie and Caroline offered her daughter a warm smile. She wanted nothing more than to wrap Josie in her arms and keep her safe. Protect her from hearing everything she has just heard. She knew the jurors needed to know the emotional damage they went through but she knew this was causing harm on some level to Josie.
"Caroline, why did you trust Keelin to take your kids without you?" Aurora was quick to ask questions. Always asking the opposite of what Damon and Freya expected. Both lawyers were certain that there was no way to make Caroline look bad. How does one make the parent of a missing child look bad?
"Freya had been on our family for a while now. She is a trusted friend."
"Family." Aurora walked away from Caroline and towards the desk where she had her notes. "It says here Keelin is a Mikaelson. Are you in any way related to the Mikaelsons?"
"No, but-"
"So you entrusted your daughter with someone who wasn't your family."
"Objection!" Damon shouted. He wasn't sure where he was headed with his objection but he needed to get his wife's bestfriend off the stand before she dug herself into a hole he or Freya couldn't dig her out of.
"Statement, withdrawn." Aurora smirked.
"No!" Caroline shouted as she shot up. "You don't get to question my choice of who I consider family. Keelin is my family, she has been with us since the twins were kids. She spent numerous hours with Josie because Hope and Josie were inseparable. Josie loved Keelin because Keelin always dropped her off at our place after she would spend the day with Hope and Freya when Keelin would take them out. Keelin is not at fault for this. She is not the one that took my child. She is not the one that deprived me of my right to watch her grow up. She is not the one who took my daughter-"
"Mrs. Saltzman." Aurora tried getting Caroline to stop speaking.
"He is. He is the reason I lost my little girl, and he is the reason that my daughter can't even call me mom." Caroline wiped her tears. She looked over to check on both her girls. She could see Lizzie visibly in teas.
Josie looked away, Caroline had brought her to the verge of breaking down. Anger was the one emotion she had not seen on Caroline. The woman was usually bright and cheery. Always telling everyone that everything was okay, but Josie knew there was more to her. Josie knew that Caroline had rage she kept inside locked in the deepest parts of her would. Josie feared that at the end of the day the wrong person would pay for it, but in this case, Josie knew Caroline was justified in letting her anger out on Aurora. Everyone knew better than to place blame on the mother who lost her child, even if she did get her child back.
Josie didn't bother looking up again not until the jury returned from reaching a verdict. Josie wanted to run, she wanted to be anywhere else. She did not want to be in the courtroom. She wished to be with her kids, hell she even wished to be Josie Caroline Forbes again and have no knowledge of her past.
Everything was white noise. Josie couldn't hear anyone. All she could see was the reactions of everyone around her. Her parents hugging each other. Damon and Freya congratulating each other, Finn smiling but with his head down and Lizzie and Hope holding on to each other tears running down their faces.