Celeste

Celeste didn’t know what was happening, but she figured her trial was about to be immediate. The second she was back in the country, she was taken to the Capitol building. She could feel her panic inside her. Her heart was thumping hard, she could hear it in her ears.

She was handcuffed to her seat. She hasn’t been let go since she had the metal on her wrist. Her head was down, her hair covering her face. She heard people entering the large room. She didn’t want to look at any of them.

The Department of Justice and Human Resources were here. Officials were walking inside and taking their seats. She figured her hearing would be quick because of what she was involved in.

Her crimes were severe. The department heads were here as well, and they were sitting in front of her in the raised seats. She didn’t know who was who, she couldn’t tell by their badges.

They weren’t the only important people here.

The new Adviser was here as well. Treason and rebellion cases severe enough were settled here, so no one found it to be a surprise.

Celeste couldn’t face Aurora, but she didn’t have a choice. She watched as they took their seats in front of her.

The Head of Justice remained standing and everyone around began to get quiet.

“Celeste, you’re present before us because of your heinous crimes.” he said to her.

She wasn’t sure if “heinous” would be the word to describe what she did.

But she’s being charged with more than just rebellion.

“You’ve been charged with two counts of treason, rebellion, illegal experimentation sub-section C: neuro-experimenting, tampering with Defense machinery, and attempt to aid a fugitive.” he listed for her.

Now everyone knows what she’s being punished for. She knew it, too. Her heart was still pounding as she looked up at the man that was about to put her in jail. He didn’t have any sympathy for her. His gaze was cold as he looked in her direction.

“Should we continue with your hearing, do you understand the charges being brought against you?” he asked her.

“I do.” she didn’t argue.

“Each charge carries a maximum life sentence without negotiation of a lesser charge. Do you understand the consequences should we move forward?” he asked her.

She was going to be in prison for the rest of her life.

She knew that would happen, but now she was going to have to accept it. She swallowed the lump in her throat. She didn’t want to sound like she was scared, but she was absolutely terrified. “I do.” The words burned her tongue.

The man turned to look at Aurora. His intentions were to make this as quick as possible. “Aurora, the Department of Justice motions to have this case moved up immediately to trial.” He said. “Due to the severity of the crimes being brought against Celeste, we ask that we keep this out of the courts, and have a verdict decided with Human Resources present.”

“You may continue.” Aurora told him.

Celeste’s felt her heart sink. Not even Aurora was going to help her in this situation. She couldn’t look at him. She could feel the stinging in her eyes, like if she catches his disapproved look she’ll fall apart.

She knows he’s disappointed in her.

But that wasn’t going to stop the Head of Justice from prosecuting her to the fullest extent of the law. “Because of your crimes, your right to an attorney or any legal representation is waved due to the no tolerance law. Do you understand, Celeste?”

“I do.” She was alone in this.

“How do you plead?”

That dreadful question. She didn’t know what to say. Should she say she wasn’t guilty and try to make her case? She felt like she would break down in front of Aurora. She didn’t know how she could explain herself to all these people.

There was a ton of evidence against her. She did everything they’re charging her with.

All of this was her fault and she knew it.

“Guilty.” she answered.

“You will be carrying six life sentences, do you understand that?”

Six lives in prison. There was a ringing noise in her ears. Her life was over. She was trying to fix her mistake but in the end, it didn’t work. “I do.” She understood that she was never going to be able to leave again.

“Aurora, we move to have Celeste processed immediately. She has plead guilty to her charges, and we have enough evidence to present right now to do so.”

Aurora was quiet for a moment.

He was deciding what to do.

“Can we have the room for a moment?” Aurora asked everyone. “We can continue afterwards.” he said.

Others stood up to leave the room. The Head of Justice was not happy. He tried to argue with Aurora while the others were leaving, but Aurora had other things to take care of. It wasn’t clear what was going to happen, but he did say they were going to resume afterwards. What did he have to say to her? She didn’t have much to say to him. She did everything that was being brought against her. She couldn’t exactly ask for mercy when she was completely guilty.

Everyone knows it.

When it was quiet, Celeste looked up towards Aurora, her hair covering most of her face from him. He was standing in front of his seat, and he was watching her. She noticed that he looked tired, almost like he hadn’t slept in a while.

She has no idea what happened while she was off in Britain. Dri could only explain so much, but she got multiple surprises in the past few days.

Was she going to get yelled at?

Scolded?

Why would Aurora want the room cleared?

“Sirus thinks that the Department of Justice should take you.” he said to her. “You did what you did, and you should face the consequences.” It almost sounded like Aurora agreed with him.

Sirus was sitting in the back, and he was not happy. His arms were crossed, his jaw clenched, and he was holding in his outburst, but he was not in a good mood to be here. He said what he said about Celeste facing punishment. Celeste knew he would say that, too.

Aurora took a breath though, slightly relieved. He wasn’t angry, not as angry as Sirus was. “I had to remind him that he didn’t treat me like that when I destroyed the system.” he said.

So it was true.

“I wasn’t surprised to find out you continued that terrible project.” he admitted truthfully, but he was almost sad about it. “I can’t say I was disappointed either.”

Aurora saw too much of him in her. He was hoping that it didn’t happen like this.

She was reckless. As much as she thought things through, she let her heart blind her. She wanted to help, she wanted to make things right, she didn’t want to see Zinnia get hurt. In the end, she couldn’t do it.

“I know you were trying to fix your mistake.” he was the only one to empathize with her.

He always wanted to help. He always wanted to keep people out of harm’s way. He abides by that rule. He never means to hurt anyone. She was like that, too.

She never meant to hurt anyone.

She never meant for a war to happen.

She didn’t mean to have people come after her.

“I’m so sorry.” her eyes were filling with tears. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.” she cried. She just wanted Zinnia to be safe. She wanted to beg everyone to keep her safe, but now she knew there was no point to it now.

He felt her pain. He couldn’t stand to see her cry.

It happened every time.

He couldn’t let anything happen to her. “For now, the charges against you are pending until further notice.” he said. “You’re free to leave, Celeste. Your hearing will be rescheduled.” he told her.

Her cuffs opened and she was let go.

She was scared to leave. After this, it will be Aurora and Sirus fighting about what they were going to do. She was lucky. And she was so grateful, because for now, her charges were pending until further notice. Until then, she was free. She got up and walked out of the room quietly, seeing the groups of people around the door, waiting to know what happened.

They weren’t done with the situation, so they had to return without Celeste. The Head of Justice was standing in front of her, and he looked her in the eyes. He didn’t say anything, but he knew what happened. He just shook his head when he realized before walking by her.

She wasn’t the only person being sentenced this morning and he had to do his job. People followed behind him to enter the room. In the midst of the crowd, she saw two armed officials holding on to a woman with pitch black hair.

Her hands were cuffed behind her back, and they held her by her arms. She glanced at Celeste, but she looked away quickly, ashamed that things were like this. Celeste was about to say something, but she bit her tongue instead because she knew something stupid and desperate was going to come out of her mouth. She was lucky to keep her mouth shut.

She wanted to stay to know what’s going to happen to Zinnia, but she couldn’t go in with them. If they give her a harsher sentence, Celeste’s heart will break. She knows it.

She was standing outside the room by herself until someone came over to her.

Dri put his hand on her shoulder just as she began to cry. He doesn’t know what happened, but she was released, she wasn’t in handcuffs, so it must be good.

“How are you?” Dri asked as she wiped her tears.

“I...” She didn’t know. She kept her eyes down as she continued to cry.

He moved his hands to her face, his thumbs brushing against her wet cheeks. “Hey, what did they tell you?” he wanted to know why she was still crying like she was about to be taken away.

“He did this to protect me.” she cried. “Aurora’s the only person that can keep my charges pending.”

He learned that from someone.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen to him now that he’s not in his position anymore.” she was overwhelmed. Was she going to be the reason that Aurora ends up in prison for his crimes almost three decades ago.

“Celeste, it’s okay.” Dri said. “Come on, let me take you home.” he took her hand so they could leave.

She didn’t want to be alone, and it was a good idea that she wasn’t. Dri stayed with her because she needed someone there with her.

She sat on the couch quietly, bundled up in her blankets. She was finally out of that uniform and into her own clothes again. She was gripping the thick fabric of her blanket. Her anxiety was keeping her tense. She’s gone through a terrible week, and being in a calm environment made her paranoid.

Dri was making something for her to eat, though she said she wasn’t hungry. She had to eat, and Dri was going to make her.

He put the plate of food on the table in front of her but she didn’t touch it.

“Did you get in trouble?” She asked him.

“Me?” he didn’t want to worry her. “I’m on probation for a month.” he said it casually, but she looked surprised. “I mean, it’s the vacation I’ve always been asking for.” he shrugged.

“I’m sorry.” Celeste apologized. She didn’t mean for anything to happen.

“For wanting to do the right thing and trying to bring Zinnia back safely?” he wanted to understand why she did this. “You can’t apologize for wanting to fix your mistakes.” he just wished she went about it differently. “But you single-handedly crippled Britain’s first line of defense, so there’s that.”

He didn’t want to make Celeste upset. So he gave good news. He didn’t want to think about what happened. He was so worried, and now that Celeste was safe again, that tension was resolved.

He couldn’t be upset that she ran off like that.

He couldn’t be upset that she was trying to fix a mistake.

Maybe her actions might help Zinnia.

“I can’t be mad at you, Celeste.” Dri wanted to be. He hated every second of this past week. “You scared the shit out of me, but I can’t be mad.”

She went through enough for the day, and she had this feeling that she didn’t entirely escape punishment.

She looked at her tablet again, checking her profile.

Her pending charges were there, and anyone would be able to see it.

“I’m going to lose my job.” She sighed.

“Celeste-”

“When I realized how shitty things were about to get, I was almost tempted to give her a way out.” Celeste explained. “I literally wanted to help her go somewhere else so no one could find her.” She felt stupid for thinking that.

Dri knew if Celeste was forced to, she might’ve done it.

He doesn’t know how Celeste got arrested or who did it. After their last call, that was the last time he saw her till this morning.

“I’m so tired.” She said miserably. “I’m supposed to be a fucking scientist. I should be thinking rationally.”

She couldn’t believe she went out of her way to do what she did. But she was so hurt, because all she could remember was Zinnia pointing the gun at her. It wasn’t fair.

“I’d be more concerned if you didn’t care.” Dri said.

Was it wrong to be ruled by emotions. Knowing how Celeste was, it would be odd if she wasn’t freaking out or showing how upset she was. It was easy to know how she was feeling. She was the type to express everything.

She couldn’t help it.

She hated that part of herself.

Dri could see the frustration and anger that Celeste was feeling. She was going through so much and she couldn’t contain it. But that’s how she was, she went through a lot of things at once.

Dri took her hand, more to get her to focus since she was stuck in her mind again. “You’re insane.” He said to her. “You are absolutely crazy.” He didn’t feel like he was exaggerating.

The way he looked at her, it was like he enjoyed that part of her, minus how anxious she makes him.

Celeste began to blush though. She knew what he said wasn’t a compliment but she couldn’t help it.

“I like when you care about other people.” Dri said. “I’m not going to say you did the right thing, cause you clearly didn’t, but I think you made a difference.” He said.

Hopefully, they’ll be lenient with Zinnia. Celeste was hoping hard.

“I can’t wait to find out why she did this.” Celeste said quietly, still upset. “She better have a damn good reason.”

Dri wasn’t so sure she’d find out why.

But he was also curious, too.

If Zinnia was lucky, she was going to be in prison for a long while instead of executed. And she had Celeste to thank for that.

Celeste was up in the evening. Her stress kept her from sleeping. She was exhausted again but she doesn’t get the luxury of sleeping. She was trying to focus on cleaning up her wounds. She had a few bruises she didn’t notice. They weren’t painful but when she touched them, she felt them.

There was a lot on her mind.

She was staring at the low lights in her room. She stopped wrapping her arm and just stared blankly, her mind elsewhere.

There was a lot she had to think about.

Dri was in her bed, sleeping. She didn’t want to wake him up, but she wanted someone to talk to. She didn’t like the silence.

She tried to keep herself busy, ripping off another piece of tape to wrap the back of her leg, but again she stopped.

There was a lot of work to do. Her mind was reeling with ways to shut off the implant. What she came up with before was not permanent. She figured that Britain was making more and spreading her blue prints around. She just didn’t know how to make a signal work on a large scale than what she did before. How could she get them to permanently stop?

She sighed to herself.

She knew she couldn’t do it alone. She’d need help, a lot of it, but she wasn’t exactly able to ask for it or get it from somewhere.

She tried not to worry. She continued wrapping the bandage on her leg until there was no more. Her fingers ran over the white fabric. She had to move on, there was one on her arm she had to take care of as well.

Dri started to shift in bed, waking up. When his eyes opened, he could see the low blue lights along the floor. When he turned over, he saw Celeste sitting in bed and the first aid kit she had. He didn’t know she had bruises. The entire day, she was walking around her place with a blanket on her. She was bandaging herself.

“Hey...” he said softly, sitting up and moving the blanket.

His hands took hold of the tape she had in her hands gently. He was more concerned that she go to sleep instead of try to fix herself up. She couldn’t sleep though. She tried.

He decided to help her instead.

“I have to find a way to permanently stop the implant.” Celeste said quietly.

“That’s not your job.”

“I started this.” her voice was still quiet. She looked at him slowly as he bandaged her arm.

“You didn’t do anything.” he said.

All she did was make something she shouldn’t have. What happened after wasn’t her fault. Dri saw it that way, other people won’t, but right now that won’t matter.

“You have to sleep.”

She wanted to but she couldn’t do it. He finished wrapping up her arm, and got her to lay down in bed, but even then Celeste could only think of ways to help shut everything down. She didn’t know how she was going to do it alone. She would need help.

That was her issue at the moment.

She tried to sleep, but she laid awake instead, more concerned with fixing her mistake. She had to do something. Pretending like she wasn't involved wasn't going to work for her.

She had to keep busy or her anxiety would keep her alive.

So she got out of bed slowly, not to wake Dri who was already asleep again. She had work to do. It won't get done if she's sleeping.