Union

Christmas had passed in a flash, and the new year rolled around. There were things to look forward to this year, and things to be dreaded.

One of the things Tre was impatiently and excitedly waiting on, was the birth of his third child. Third, if you exclude Michael who had died three years prior.

Rose was less thrilled about having another baby. Her belief still was that any baby she had would die, and Tre and her would be torn apart by it once again.

Setting aside baby issues for a moment. What had been plaguing the couple's minds more than anything these past months, was the ever closer approaching date of Tre's trial.

Neither Tre, nor Rose had seen Sarah since her return to Oakland, and they both wished it to stay that way. They knew the day was coming though. The day they would be sitting in a court room only mere feet from 'the wicked one'.

That day was arriving...and it did arrive.

Dressing up for court, and after trying to talk Rose out of going, the couple were on there way. Rose wasn't about to let them tri her Frank, and not be there to give her support.

Pulling up outside the courthouse, Mike was waiting outside. Thankfully, the parking lot was blessedly free of the media. The media would have lots of time to find out Tre Cool was on trial for attempted murder charges.

For some reason, Billie Joe was a no show. Why was that? Maybe just the fear that an expression on his face would reveal the daunting plot Green Day had had against Sarah.

Billie Joe was scared shitless this trial would resurface what no one but Green Day and Rose knew of Sarah's disappearance.

"Hey man," Mike said as a terrified glum looking Tre Cool and his wife got out of their vehicle and started walking towards him.

"Hi..." Tre answered.

Mike placed his hand on Tre's shoulder. "It will be all good...you'll see," he assured Tre.

"Yeah..." Tre said, looking down at the ground.

Slowly all approaching the doors to the courthouse, Rose and Tre walked hand and hand with each other. Rose stopped just outside of the doors and turned to her husband.

Mike took this as a sign that she wanted to talk to him alone. "I'll just go wait inside," he insisted.

Rose nodded and gave a small smile. Her eyes turned to look into her husbands. "Don't you be afraid Frank..." she whispered.

"I'm not..." he lied.

"If anything should happen.." she started.

"It won't..." he said.

"I said...if it should... I'll always be here for you. I love you so much Frank. Never forget that you're the sun behind my cloudy sky," she said renewing a line from her wedding vows, and a tear streaming down her face.

"I love you..." he said and he gently embraced her. As they parted he looked her over. "Man...the way you look right now. You're beautiful..."

Rose smiled as more tears came to her eyes. She brought her hands to the tie tucked under his dress shirt collar, and began to adjust it perfectly. "I believe in us..." she whispered.

With that, Tre grabbed up her hand once again and lead her into the courthouse. Mike was waiting just inside the doors, he had been watching the couples saddened profess of their love for each other.

"You ready man?" Mike asked.

"Yeah," Tre nodded as he sniffled back his tears, watching jury people and alike crowd into the courtroom.

Rose gripped his hand tight and began to walk him into the courtroom. Needless to say, now that he saw the courtroom, he was feeling more frightened than ever. His feet were pulling him back, but Rose helped him to be brave.

Walking down between the rows of spectators, Rose walked Tre to the defendant's table and sat him down. She went to take the seat next to him but the courtroom officer told her that only his lawyer could sit with him.

Rose protested, "He's my husband! He needs me here!"

"Ma'am! You'll have to sit back there!" he said, pointed back at the rows of benches behind the plantiff and defendant tables.

"Fuck!" she shrieked.

"Watch your mouth ma'am, or we'll have you thrown out of here!"

She went quiet for a moment, and she now realized Tre was crying. She leant down beside the table and placed her hand on his face. "I'll just be right back there... If you're feeling insecure, look at me and know I'm supporting you," she said.

Tre nodded, and his lawyer took a seat down beside him. Rose stood upright again and left to find a seat. Walking down the mid-aisle she was met by someone entering the courtroom.

At first glance, she thought it to be the judge. This person was wearing a strange long black robe, but had a familar presence. Meeting eyes with this person, Rose realized she was looking into the eyes of her sister, Sarah.

She gasped and looked away. Sarah saw a pregnant, matured Rose, but made no address towards her. She just found her seat at the plantiff's table.

Things went silent as soon as the courtroom officer approached the bench with a piece of paper in his hand. "Case number 23345, Morannis vs. Cool, all rise, the honourable, Judge Munroe is presiding."

Everyone in the courtroom stood up, and Tre turned towards Sarah. What the hell had Sarah done to herself?

She looked like....like an angel.