Abyss (R) (Smash) Part 16
Title: Abyss
Author: blackpoetcat
Rating: R
Character: Derek Wills
Disclaimer: NBC owns all, just playing drama with
Summary: Everyone knows he doesn't give a shit about anything but the show. So when Derek's life capsizes, will anyone give a shit about him?
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10,
Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15
The testimony of Dr. Stanton explaining the results of the lie detector test was a short and clinical matter, not even questioned or commented upon by Nichols, unless one would consider a snort a remark. But Derek was certain that Tom, who was called next, would have to face violent attacks on anything positive he might say about him and he hoped that his friend was braced for it.
"Mr. Levitt. You heard how your colleagues described Mr. Wills’ behaviour towards other people, especially women. Do you object to any of their testimonies?”
“Certainly not.” Tom answered with an honest smile. “I've know him for twelve years and that's how he acts most of the time.”
“I see,” said the attorney, and nodded. “But despite that fact, and contrary to the others, you reported to testify for him instead against. Why?”
“Because I am absolutely sure that he didn’t cause Ms. Peterson’s death,” the composer declared in a strong, determined voice. “Of course Derek is a prowling wolf. I've never seen or heard of him treating his lady companions with respect, let alone expressing any kind of sincere feeling. Quite the contrary -- just recently, during the work on the show, he used and badly hurt someone very close to my heart. But that is exactly the reason why I believe in his innocence, at least in this case. He is so arrogant, so egotistical, and so used to his whole macho act, I can’t fathom that he'd be able to deviate from his course at all!”
“Not even in the drunken condition he apparently was in?” Bellamy inquired.
“No. Whatever made him drink so much he blacked out -- using and dropping girls right after he got laid became second nature to him long ago, whatever the circumstances. I can’t see any reason why he should have acted so contrary to habit.”
“So you never witnessed or heard of any kind of physical violence towards women on the part of my client?” was the lawyer’s next question.
“Never,” Levitt assured.
“Thank you, Mr. Levitt. Your witness.”
Though Tom’s testimony was meant to exonerate him, everything he said also affirmed Derek’s notorious reputation and made him feel uneasy with his previous lifestyle. The murmurs of the attendants ceased fast when the judge raised her gavel; therefore she didn’t need to slam it down or demand silence this time. But the quick ceasing was also the reason Derek could hear a short, seemingly suppressed bristling sound from somewhere behind Karen’s direction and he couldn’t help but risk a swift glance.
He frowned when he recognized the familiar face. What the hell was Ellis doing here? After what he did to Rebecca, he should be hiding as far away from the show’s cast as possible, especially from Eileen, who had told him about Boyd’s role in the smoothie incident late after the preview premier.
But before Derek could think more about it, his focus was distracted when Tom was approached by Nichols who didn’t bother with formalities but directly aimed for his target.
“Is it correct that the accused tried to destroy your career eleven years ago, after a joint show project of yours flopped?”
Looking slightly appalled but still calm and concentrated, Tom nodded.
“Yes. But I don’t see the correlation to this poor girl.”
“Well, I’m just wondering why you of all people believe him to be not guilty. I mean, despite your faith in the stability of his predator’s habit you both fought practically every day during the whole project, you constantly repeated how angry you were that he had been hired to direct your show at all...”
Tom's shrug was accompanied by raised eyebrows and a small smile.
“That’s true; but just because I loathed him doesn’t mean I would convict him for something I don’t believe he has committed.”
“Did I hear ‘loathed’, meaning past tense?” Nichols inquired with a sudden frown.
Though Derek could clearly tell by his changed expression that Tom was less than excited about being caught in front of Eileen with their renewed friendship, he neither flinched nor avoided the deputy’s gaze.
“That’s correct,” he affirmed, even raised his chin defiantly.
“Mr. Levitt... You are not telling us that you, a gay man of all people, have started to actually like or even trust the well-known homophobic macho man who first almost destroyed your career, second, hurt a close friend, and third, jeopardized your project?”
“Objection! Neither Mr. Levitt’s sexual orientation nor my client’s opinion about any kind of sexual orientation is relevant!” Bellamy cut in, his suddenly very dark eyes shooting daggers at his opponent.
“Your Honour, I just want to show...”
“Stop it. I already advised you to abstain from personal remarks on the defendant; I won’t do it again! Objection granted,” Judge Salamon declared, visibly annoyed by Nichols’ persistence.
“I beg your pardon. So, Mr. Levitt. Same question, but without the orientation parts,” the deputy repeated and Derek got the impression by the sudden silence that everyone in the courtroom held their breaths.
His eyes never left Tom’s and he felt an unfamiliar warmth deep inside, for he knew from the bottom of his heart that his friend wouldn’t deny their rekindled relationship. Not only because he was under oath, but because through their letters they had found a mutual level they had not even reached eleven years back.
“If you must know -- yes, Derek and I have renewed our former friendship.” Levitt leaned back into his seat with his arms crossed. “Do you mind?”
Amidst the raising mumbling of the spectators, an aghast “How dare you!” could be heard, and Derek and Tom both had to suppress a chuckle. It had unmistakably been Eileen’s voice.
“Silence! Order in the court” the judge demanded, but this time she needed to slam her gavel a few times until the noise finally ended. “Mr. Levitt, you’re a witness. Your only duty is to answer questions, not ask them.”
“I’m sorry, Your Honour. It was not meant as one,” Tom explained and looked at her with an apologetic smile.
“As if I wouldn’t know that.” She rolled her eyes with a short disapproval and then gestured to the visibly angry Nichols. “Go on.”
“So you ‘renewed’ your friendship. May I ask when and how?" Nichols inquired. "As far as I know, you visited him only once in jail; in fact, the very day the show members departed from Boston, two and a half months ago.”
“Oh, there’s a very old and very useful invention, permitted even during confinement. It’s called ‘mail’.”
Seeing Tom’s innocent smile partly amused Derek and partly made him worry if Levitt might get punished for contempt of court. But aside from a sharp glance from the judge, nothing happened other than some suppressed sounds of laughter from the audience which made Nichols even more furious.
“So you think it’s funny to befriend a man who in all likelihood is responsible for the excruciating death of a young woman? Who badly hurt a close friend of yours? Did you forget that, because of him, she overdosed and despite ten weeks of rehab is still not capable of testifying?”
“I neither said that any of this is funny nor that I would ever forget what he did to Ivy.” Tom fought back, suddenly sitting bolt upright and with a serious expression. “Quite the contrary. I’d rather not experience the least of it. Except one thing,” he instantly limited his statement before Nichols got the chance to twist his words.
With a somewhat sad smile he looked at Derek, who bit his lip and swallowed given the melancholy on his friend’s face.
“Derek has changed quite a lot since his arrest, and I don’t want to give up our friendship ever again. Nevertheless, I honestly wish he would have been able to develop the sincere and caring character, which was sleeping beneath the wolf’s fur, before all these terrible things happened.”
Despite the judge’s warning, Nichols snorted derisively when he dismissed Levitt.
“Well, perhaps he can use his so-called 'care' to better the lives of his fellow inmates while he serves out his sentence at Concord. I’m through.”
Continued in Part 17
Author: blackpoetcat
Rating: R
Character: Derek Wills
Disclaimer: NBC owns all, just playing drama with
Summary: Everyone knows he doesn't give a shit about anything but the show. So when Derek's life capsizes, will anyone give a shit about him?
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10,
Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15
The testimony of Dr. Stanton explaining the results of the lie detector test was a short and clinical matter, not even questioned or commented upon by Nichols, unless one would consider a snort a remark. But Derek was certain that Tom, who was called next, would have to face violent attacks on anything positive he might say about him and he hoped that his friend was braced for it.
"Mr. Levitt. You heard how your colleagues described Mr. Wills’ behaviour towards other people, especially women. Do you object to any of their testimonies?”
“Certainly not.” Tom answered with an honest smile. “I've know him for twelve years and that's how he acts most of the time.”
“I see,” said the attorney, and nodded. “But despite that fact, and contrary to the others, you reported to testify for him instead against. Why?”
“Because I am absolutely sure that he didn’t cause Ms. Peterson’s death,” the composer declared in a strong, determined voice. “Of course Derek is a prowling wolf. I've never seen or heard of him treating his lady companions with respect, let alone expressing any kind of sincere feeling. Quite the contrary -- just recently, during the work on the show, he used and badly hurt someone very close to my heart. But that is exactly the reason why I believe in his innocence, at least in this case. He is so arrogant, so egotistical, and so used to his whole macho act, I can’t fathom that he'd be able to deviate from his course at all!”
“Not even in the drunken condition he apparently was in?” Bellamy inquired.
“No. Whatever made him drink so much he blacked out -- using and dropping girls right after he got laid became second nature to him long ago, whatever the circumstances. I can’t see any reason why he should have acted so contrary to habit.”
“So you never witnessed or heard of any kind of physical violence towards women on the part of my client?” was the lawyer’s next question.
“Never,” Levitt assured.
“Thank you, Mr. Levitt. Your witness.”
Though Tom’s testimony was meant to exonerate him, everything he said also affirmed Derek’s notorious reputation and made him feel uneasy with his previous lifestyle. The murmurs of the attendants ceased fast when the judge raised her gavel; therefore she didn’t need to slam it down or demand silence this time. But the quick ceasing was also the reason Derek could hear a short, seemingly suppressed bristling sound from somewhere behind Karen’s direction and he couldn’t help but risk a swift glance.
He frowned when he recognized the familiar face. What the hell was Ellis doing here? After what he did to Rebecca, he should be hiding as far away from the show’s cast as possible, especially from Eileen, who had told him about Boyd’s role in the smoothie incident late after the preview premier.
But before Derek could think more about it, his focus was distracted when Tom was approached by Nichols who didn’t bother with formalities but directly aimed for his target.
“Is it correct that the accused tried to destroy your career eleven years ago, after a joint show project of yours flopped?”
Looking slightly appalled but still calm and concentrated, Tom nodded.
“Yes. But I don’t see the correlation to this poor girl.”
“Well, I’m just wondering why you of all people believe him to be not guilty. I mean, despite your faith in the stability of his predator’s habit you both fought practically every day during the whole project, you constantly repeated how angry you were that he had been hired to direct your show at all...”
Tom's shrug was accompanied by raised eyebrows and a small smile.
“That’s true; but just because I loathed him doesn’t mean I would convict him for something I don’t believe he has committed.”
“Did I hear ‘loathed’, meaning past tense?” Nichols inquired with a sudden frown.
Though Derek could clearly tell by his changed expression that Tom was less than excited about being caught in front of Eileen with their renewed friendship, he neither flinched nor avoided the deputy’s gaze.
“That’s correct,” he affirmed, even raised his chin defiantly.
“Mr. Levitt... You are not telling us that you, a gay man of all people, have started to actually like or even trust the well-known homophobic macho man who first almost destroyed your career, second, hurt a close friend, and third, jeopardized your project?”
“Objection! Neither Mr. Levitt’s sexual orientation nor my client’s opinion about any kind of sexual orientation is relevant!” Bellamy cut in, his suddenly very dark eyes shooting daggers at his opponent.
“Your Honour, I just want to show...”
“Stop it. I already advised you to abstain from personal remarks on the defendant; I won’t do it again! Objection granted,” Judge Salamon declared, visibly annoyed by Nichols’ persistence.
“I beg your pardon. So, Mr. Levitt. Same question, but without the orientation parts,” the deputy repeated and Derek got the impression by the sudden silence that everyone in the courtroom held their breaths.
His eyes never left Tom’s and he felt an unfamiliar warmth deep inside, for he knew from the bottom of his heart that his friend wouldn’t deny their rekindled relationship. Not only because he was under oath, but because through their letters they had found a mutual level they had not even reached eleven years back.
“If you must know -- yes, Derek and I have renewed our former friendship.” Levitt leaned back into his seat with his arms crossed. “Do you mind?”
Amidst the raising mumbling of the spectators, an aghast “How dare you!” could be heard, and Derek and Tom both had to suppress a chuckle. It had unmistakably been Eileen’s voice.
“Silence! Order in the court” the judge demanded, but this time she needed to slam her gavel a few times until the noise finally ended. “Mr. Levitt, you’re a witness. Your only duty is to answer questions, not ask them.”
“I’m sorry, Your Honour. It was not meant as one,” Tom explained and looked at her with an apologetic smile.
“As if I wouldn’t know that.” She rolled her eyes with a short disapproval and then gestured to the visibly angry Nichols. “Go on.”
“So you ‘renewed’ your friendship. May I ask when and how?" Nichols inquired. "As far as I know, you visited him only once in jail; in fact, the very day the show members departed from Boston, two and a half months ago.”
“Oh, there’s a very old and very useful invention, permitted even during confinement. It’s called ‘mail’.”
Seeing Tom’s innocent smile partly amused Derek and partly made him worry if Levitt might get punished for contempt of court. But aside from a sharp glance from the judge, nothing happened other than some suppressed sounds of laughter from the audience which made Nichols even more furious.
“So you think it’s funny to befriend a man who in all likelihood is responsible for the excruciating death of a young woman? Who badly hurt a close friend of yours? Did you forget that, because of him, she overdosed and despite ten weeks of rehab is still not capable of testifying?”
“I neither said that any of this is funny nor that I would ever forget what he did to Ivy.” Tom fought back, suddenly sitting bolt upright and with a serious expression. “Quite the contrary. I’d rather not experience the least of it. Except one thing,” he instantly limited his statement before Nichols got the chance to twist his words.
With a somewhat sad smile he looked at Derek, who bit his lip and swallowed given the melancholy on his friend’s face.
“Derek has changed quite a lot since his arrest, and I don’t want to give up our friendship ever again. Nevertheless, I honestly wish he would have been able to develop the sincere and caring character, which was sleeping beneath the wolf’s fur, before all these terrible things happened.”
Despite the judge’s warning, Nichols snorted derisively when he dismissed Levitt.
“Well, perhaps he can use his so-called 'care' to better the lives of his fellow inmates while he serves out his sentence at Concord. I’m through.”
Continued in Part 17