Abyss (R) (Smash) Part 13
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)
It was no surprise to Derek that Eileen described him as a determined perfectionist who never cared about anyone or anything but his current project; they'd known each other way too long. Therefore she had no problem confirming Nichols' knowledge about the famous hunter not only bedding 'his' leading ladies, but almost every female who crossed his path, no matter the consequences.
"Given all those years of experience with Mr. Wills' insensitive way of interacting with women, Ms. Rand, do you think him capable of the violent act he's charged with?" the deputy inquired in such a hopeful tone that Derek couldn't help but swallow hard.
"Objection! The prosecutor calls for a conclusion."
At this point, Bellamy's sharp voice betrayed for the first time that he was as angry about Nichols' openly expressed disdain as Derek.
"Your Honour, this is a very special case. How will the jury be able to decide whether or not the accused has committed this crime, if involuntarily?" The deputy defended his course. "Sure, there is evidence, and to the police, Ms. Peterson's family and me, there is proof enough that he did, but the jury has to be absolutely certain and therefore needs to learn as much about Mr. Wills' character as possible."
Judge Salamon pursed her lips for a few seconds, and then made up her mind and nodded.
"Objection overruled. Go ahead, Mr. Nichols."
"Thank you, Your Honour. So, Ms. Rand... what do you think?"
Though he desperately wished to, Derek couldn't bring himself to look away from Eileen's face. She wasn't the friend of a decade anymore, her whole cold and businesslike appearance made him feel as if he was seeing a complete stranger.
"As long as we were connected, Derek Wills was brilliant, but unpredictable," Eileen started and Derek felt himself wincing at her firm voice when she phrased 'were connected'.
"The only thing one could definitely count on him for was guaranteed success. But it is well-known, and not only by me, that hiring him inevitably left shattered dreams and tears on the track, because he doesn't care about other people's feelings at all. This man is choleric, rude, and absolutely unable to cede control to anybody else. So the pure fact that he drank enough that night to black out made him not only even more unpredictable -- he must have lost control! And I dare say that, in such condition, he is probably capable of anything."
With a deep sigh Derek closed his eyes for a moment and tried to ignore the murmur from the spectators. He felt his attorney's hand on his shoulder and gazed at him, thankful for this short gesture of consolation and support.
"Thank you, Ms. Rand. Your witness."
From the corner of his eye Derek caught the quick, smug glance Nichols threw at him on his way back to his seat and pressed his lips together. This was just the beginning of him being pulled to pieces. He was certain about that because Karen and that bloody asshole called Dev were still waiting for their turns to testify, and he was getting a very bad feeling that Nichols would call Sundaram first and nail Karen on his testimony after.
***
"Ms. Rand..." Bellamy had risen and slowly stepped up to the stand, viewing her with an unreadable expression. "Who hired Mr. Wills to direct and choreograph 'Bombshell'?"
She frowned, but answered without hesitation. "Me."
"So you hired someone unpredictable and capable of anything, knowing full well that on the show's way to success there would inevitably be -- how did you just phrase it? -- shattered dreams and tears on its track," Bellamy stated, but gestured Eileen to stay quiet when she opened her mouth.
"Well, you are the producer, therefore the one who risked the most and could have lost everything if the show flopped. Seems natural to be tough and calculating in that position."
"Of course; why do you think I fired him as soon as I learned of his arrest? It could have destroyed everything we worked for all those months!" Eileen said firmly, and slightly lifted her chin.
"Understandable. But, Ms. Rand... you called Mr. Wills a friend for... how long? Ten years? Did you ask him about his feelings before or after you fired him, Ms. Rand? Showed some interest in his fate, in the case at all? Did you ever contact my client during his confinement?"
"Why... no! He jeopardized the whole project the very moment he decided to drown himself in Scotch, without a care about what might happen. So why should I care anymore?"
Visible rage built up in Eileen's face; her eyes went small.
"Indeed, why?" Bellamy snorted. "For you are exactly the kind of character you just described my client to be! You hired him because you needed his determination and devotion to the project and didn't care about how he achieved your goal. And when he needed help, or at least someone to talk to, you not only dropped him right away, you came here today and pronounced to the world that the man you called your friend not three months ago is probably capable of a horrible act of violence! Tell me, Ms. Rand -- did you ever see Mr. Wills getting violent? Did he threaten violence, or even physically harm anyone in those ten years?"
Bellamy's voice grew louder during his speech, and in the end even Derek shivered over the cantankerous sting in his attorney's tone.
"No. But he was never as drunk as that night!" Eileen hissed back.
"At least not as far as you know," said Bellamy. "Did you ever witness Mr. Wills freaking out? And I'm not talking about one of his legendary choleric outbursts in rehearsals, I mean really freaking out?" he inquired further, never letting Eileen's eyes leave his own.
"Er... No. But..."
"Then you have neither the right nor the competence to judge how my client would act or react in such heavy drunken condition, least of all to assume of what he might be capable of. Last but not least let me tell you that I am deeply disappointed that a professional like you is not able to separate business from personal matters. That will be all."
Not giving her any chance to revolt, Bellamy turned his back to Eileen and sat down without looking at her again. Though Derek didn't dare to lock eyes with his former friend he nevertheless caught a glimpse of her furious expression when she, too, returned to her place on the bench.
Of course what Bellamy just did to her had been humiliating, and Derek knew this was the only way to raise doubts in the jury's minds. But before Eileen labelled him as a kind of brute, capable of anything, part of him had still assumed she would come around eventually. Now Derek realized that he had been dreaming; that the big bad wolf had actually hoped for a happy end of the fairy tale.
Well, at least in some kind of it. But the way Eileen just expressed her frustration and anger about his misdemeanour had been clear. Not only would she never forgive him but would probably do anything to keep him as far away from her own life as possible. Maybe that was the reason she testified for the prosecution -- to help get him sentenced, so she would not have to see him again.
"Prosecution calls Devan Sundaram to the stand."
A bitter smile crossed Derek's lips when he heard Nichols' next move. The deputy knew quite well how to destroy a person's reputation, he had to admit. No sense in fooling himself, for Derek was too realistic to deny the most likely reaction of anyone as soon as they learned of the private casting session. No matter what Tom and Julia would say about him, how much they would try to assure the world of their trust in his innocence -- he was certain that he was going to be doomed.
Continued in Part 14
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)
It was no surprise to Derek that Eileen described him as a determined perfectionist who never cared about anyone or anything but his current project; they'd known each other way too long. Therefore she had no problem confirming Nichols' knowledge about the famous hunter not only bedding 'his' leading ladies, but almost every female who crossed his path, no matter the consequences.
"Given all those years of experience with Mr. Wills' insensitive way of interacting with women, Ms. Rand, do you think him capable of the violent act he's charged with?" the deputy inquired in such a hopeful tone that Derek couldn't help but swallow hard.
"Objection! The prosecutor calls for a conclusion."
At this point, Bellamy's sharp voice betrayed for the first time that he was as angry about Nichols' openly expressed disdain as Derek.
"Your Honour, this is a very special case. How will the jury be able to decide whether or not the accused has committed this crime, if involuntarily?" The deputy defended his course. "Sure, there is evidence, and to the police, Ms. Peterson's family and me, there is proof enough that he did, but the jury has to be absolutely certain and therefore needs to learn as much about Mr. Wills' character as possible."
Judge Salamon pursed her lips for a few seconds, and then made up her mind and nodded.
"Objection overruled. Go ahead, Mr. Nichols."
"Thank you, Your Honour. So, Ms. Rand... what do you think?"
Though he desperately wished to, Derek couldn't bring himself to look away from Eileen's face. She wasn't the friend of a decade anymore, her whole cold and businesslike appearance made him feel as if he was seeing a complete stranger.
"As long as we were connected, Derek Wills was brilliant, but unpredictable," Eileen started and Derek felt himself wincing at her firm voice when she phrased 'were connected'.
"The only thing one could definitely count on him for was guaranteed success. But it is well-known, and not only by me, that hiring him inevitably left shattered dreams and tears on the track, because he doesn't care about other people's feelings at all. This man is choleric, rude, and absolutely unable to cede control to anybody else. So the pure fact that he drank enough that night to black out made him not only even more unpredictable -- he must have lost control! And I dare say that, in such condition, he is probably capable of anything."
With a deep sigh Derek closed his eyes for a moment and tried to ignore the murmur from the spectators. He felt his attorney's hand on his shoulder and gazed at him, thankful for this short gesture of consolation and support.
"Thank you, Ms. Rand. Your witness."
From the corner of his eye Derek caught the quick, smug glance Nichols threw at him on his way back to his seat and pressed his lips together. This was just the beginning of him being pulled to pieces. He was certain about that because Karen and that bloody asshole called Dev were still waiting for their turns to testify, and he was getting a very bad feeling that Nichols would call Sundaram first and nail Karen on his testimony after.
***
"Ms. Rand..." Bellamy had risen and slowly stepped up to the stand, viewing her with an unreadable expression. "Who hired Mr. Wills to direct and choreograph 'Bombshell'?"
She frowned, but answered without hesitation. "Me."
"So you hired someone unpredictable and capable of anything, knowing full well that on the show's way to success there would inevitably be -- how did you just phrase it? -- shattered dreams and tears on its track," Bellamy stated, but gestured Eileen to stay quiet when she opened her mouth.
"Well, you are the producer, therefore the one who risked the most and could have lost everything if the show flopped. Seems natural to be tough and calculating in that position."
"Of course; why do you think I fired him as soon as I learned of his arrest? It could have destroyed everything we worked for all those months!" Eileen said firmly, and slightly lifted her chin.
"Understandable. But, Ms. Rand... you called Mr. Wills a friend for... how long? Ten years? Did you ask him about his feelings before or after you fired him, Ms. Rand? Showed some interest in his fate, in the case at all? Did you ever contact my client during his confinement?"
"Why... no! He jeopardized the whole project the very moment he decided to drown himself in Scotch, without a care about what might happen. So why should I care anymore?"
Visible rage built up in Eileen's face; her eyes went small.
"Indeed, why?" Bellamy snorted. "For you are exactly the kind of character you just described my client to be! You hired him because you needed his determination and devotion to the project and didn't care about how he achieved your goal. And when he needed help, or at least someone to talk to, you not only dropped him right away, you came here today and pronounced to the world that the man you called your friend not three months ago is probably capable of a horrible act of violence! Tell me, Ms. Rand -- did you ever see Mr. Wills getting violent? Did he threaten violence, or even physically harm anyone in those ten years?"
Bellamy's voice grew louder during his speech, and in the end even Derek shivered over the cantankerous sting in his attorney's tone.
"No. But he was never as drunk as that night!" Eileen hissed back.
"At least not as far as you know," said Bellamy. "Did you ever witness Mr. Wills freaking out? And I'm not talking about one of his legendary choleric outbursts in rehearsals, I mean really freaking out?" he inquired further, never letting Eileen's eyes leave his own.
"Er... No. But..."
"Then you have neither the right nor the competence to judge how my client would act or react in such heavy drunken condition, least of all to assume of what he might be capable of. Last but not least let me tell you that I am deeply disappointed that a professional like you is not able to separate business from personal matters. That will be all."
Not giving her any chance to revolt, Bellamy turned his back to Eileen and sat down without looking at her again. Though Derek didn't dare to lock eyes with his former friend he nevertheless caught a glimpse of her furious expression when she, too, returned to her place on the bench.
Of course what Bellamy just did to her had been humiliating, and Derek knew this was the only way to raise doubts in the jury's minds. But before Eileen labelled him as a kind of brute, capable of anything, part of him had still assumed she would come around eventually. Now Derek realized that he had been dreaming; that the big bad wolf had actually hoped for a happy end of the fairy tale.
Well, at least in some kind of it. But the way Eileen just expressed her frustration and anger about his misdemeanour had been clear. Not only would she never forgive him but would probably do anything to keep him as far away from her own life as possible. Maybe that was the reason she testified for the prosecution -- to help get him sentenced, so she would not have to see him again.
"Prosecution calls Devan Sundaram to the stand."
A bitter smile crossed Derek's lips when he heard Nichols' next move. The deputy knew quite well how to destroy a person's reputation, he had to admit. No sense in fooling himself, for Derek was too realistic to deny the most likely reaction of anyone as soon as they learned of the private casting session. No matter what Tom and Julia would say about him, how much they would try to assure the world of their trust in his innocence -- he was certain that he was going to be doomed.
Continued in Part 14