Capri looked even fiercer than anyone could've imagined, and she trembled with rage. "You cannot compare Sarah ta that bastard what killed yer parents! Don't you *ever* do that again! Cause believe you me, if she was anythin like 'im, she wouldn't be in the same room as me an' in one piece fer very long!" The murderous expression never left her face, but she was fighting hard to keep the tears from coming as well.

Nathan shook his head. "I am quite aware of your animosity towards the undead, Tracy. But there is so much more to be gained with them than against them. In any case, you had a specific purpose--and one in which you failed me. This releases me from any obligations I may have had to you."

Titania sneered. "Man, is he hopeless."

Jesse snorted.

"You!" Capri stood up and whirled to confront Nathan. "Shut up!" Then turning to the spectators, she said "Court is--" But she never got a chance to finish.

Tracy shrieked and threw herself at Nathan. "I *loved* you for Godsakes!! I did everything you asked and..."

Capri didn't intervene, but only took her seat again.

"Miranda. Shawn. That girl at the Halden show. Even helped you get those two." Tracy cried, waving a hand at NT and Ariel.

Nathan didn't even raise an eyebrow.

"It was all for you and...damn it you said you loved me, I heard you!" wailed Tracy. "You said you'd get me free of this!" she jabbed a finger at the mark on her shoulder.

Madonna almost looked apologetic.

"Give it to him!" Tani cried.

Ameh was smirking.

Tracy didn't even notice them. "And now I find out you wanted to be just like that...that monster...!" Her shriek died away into a pitiful sob as she slumped over like a child yielding to a fit.

Christine snorted. "Oh, grow up already."

"Take your own f***in advice, Benson!" Ameh shouted angrily.

"You goddamn *bitch*!" Tracy suddenly leaped up, and a moment later, Christine fell backward as Tracy leapt on her, knocking her to the floor.

Ameh guffawed.

Nathan stepped back a bit to avoid the tangle of flying limbs, but showed no other reaction, except to mutter something about "children." under his breath.

NT joined the fray to do something. As the two fought each other, she took Christine's magic away without her even noticing.

Ariel called her back, not knowing what she was going to do, but once she figured it out, she didn't interfere.

Tracy continued to kick and claw at Christine, who did her best to fight back, then realized something was wrong.

NT returned to her seat.

"Hannah!" Christine growled. "I'll tear you to pieces for that...you give it back right now!"

Tracy then sensed the lack of magic in Christine, but didn't know why. "I didn't take it!" she hissed. "But I wouldn't help you, even if I had!"

"Right on Tracy!" Tani cried.

Christine and Tracy struggled and fought, and neither seemed to be winning.

Capri turned to Nathan. "Now, as for you, Tompkins, I will deal with you while these ladies are sortin things out."

Donna watched as Tracy and Capri argued. Then, just as Capri was about to interrupt, the Crow approached Capri.

There was some sort of whispered conversation between them, then Capri nodded, and the Crow gestured to Nathan, who seemed to freeze where he was.

Meanwhile, the fighting between Tracy and Christine continued.

"You little--you're worse than that crybaby over there!" Christine shouted, waving in NT's direction. "I should've made Nathan get rid of you a long time ago. He never wanted you, *never*." Christine hissed to Tracy. "He told me so many times. He just wanted someone who could get to Miranda, who was closer to her age. That's all you were. That's all you ever were."

"Oh shove it Benson! you'll never change! you're the same bloody f***ing piece of crap you ever were!" shouted Ameh. On her face was a positively venomous expression.

Tracy howled, and just then Ameh ran forward much to Pippi's objections. Ameh then drew a gun nobody knew she had. "Now you're gonna die, Benson!" she snarled, the bloodlust showing clearly in her normally lovely blue eyes.

"Ameh Chase!" Pippi called and went after her. But Ameh didn't seem to have heard her.

"No I'll do it!" Tracy cried, grabbing Christine by the hair and pounding her head against the floor.

"Way to go!" shouted NT.

"No I want to!" Donna cried, pulling herself loose from Kendra's attempt to hold her back and running forward.

"Donna!!" Kendra wailed.

Ameh approached and hit the gun against Christine's knees. "You like this, I know you do, *my* *little* *princess*!" she sneered, emphasizing the last three words.

"What're *you* babbling about?" Tracy snapped. "I'm going to break this cow's neck."

"Ask that bitch, she knows all about it." Ameh growled, then hit Christine again. "How does it feel, gettin your head bashed in, huh?"

Donna kicked at Christine a few times.

Christine only moaned.

Pippi came forward and physically removed Ameh from the area, though Ameh did put up a fight. "Dammit let me go!"

"Ameh, now that's enough!" Pippi admonished, dragging Ameh away as if she were an unruly child.

Tracy continued to hit Christine while Pippi and Ameh struggled.

Crow then released Nathan, as Capri, together with Madonna and Lisa, managed to restrain Tracy and Christine. Donna, seeing this, drew back on her own, though she still glared daggers at Christine.

Nathan was visibly shaken, but doing his best to cover it. "What...did you do...damn you..." he managed to get out, staring at The Crow.

Capri only gave him a blank stare as if to say "Don't ask me what he did." Then, she turned to the people, the crowd had erupted into chaos by now. Hitting the gavel on the desk repeatedly and very forcefully, Capri demanded, "All right, everybody, quiet! Order in the court!" And again, there were several blinding flashes of light to get everyone's attention.

Nathan glared at her.

Capri ignored his glare and addressed the court. "I now call into evidence this letter Nathan Tompkins wrote to Donna Shelley when the trial was still in its early stage...A letter I made sure she never received. Now, though, it is my unfortunate duty ta bring it into evidence, along with 'is attempts at bullyin Donna earlier today, by claimin she would become him."

"Damn you bastard!" Miranda cried.

Donna blinked back tears and nodded to Miranda. "He said that! Right here in t-this room. Didn't he?" she looked at Lisa Halden.

Lisa bit her lip and nodded to Capri. "That's right!"

Brett jumped up. "Lisa--why didn't you say something?"

"She asked me not to!" Lisa cried, indicating Donna.

"You both shoulda come ta me with this. I wasn't too busy fer ya, even when Judge Chalmers an' I were goin over the trial transcripts. I suppose you were threatened with somethin if ya'd dare ta tell.?" Capri looked at Donna.

Donna shook her head. "I j-just didn't want...Mom finding out. Or anyone else..." she sniffled. "I w-wouldn't threaten anybody!" she wailed. "All I did was ask her to--to keep quiet about this!"

Lisa nodded. "That *was* all she said!" she cried.

Capri rolled her eyes.~God, gimme strength.~ "I ain't sayin you threatened Lisa, Donna, I said Nate threatened *you* if ya dare tell. Good grief!" She sighed, and tried again. "So, I'll ask again. Did Nathan threaten ya with anythin if ya were gonna tell anybody what 'e said?"

Lisa sniffled. "No!" she cried. "I..." she glanced at Nathan's icy expression, then to Brett, then back to Capri. "D-donna didn't hear this, it was...it was after she'd left, I was p-putting him," indicating Nathan, "back in his cell..." she took a deep breath, "He...he said he'd hurt Brett!" she wailed.

"'e won't get the chance!" Capri snapped.

Nathan didn't say a word, he only nodded to Christine. And before anyone could do anything, there was a flare of magic. Christine had managed to draw on Tracy's magic during the fight, and Ariel had taken NT away before she could disable Christine from doing this.

Lisa screamed, though it wasn't directed at her.

When the light faded, Brett Halden was in every way just as he'd been--from the neck down. Above that, however, was the head of a donkey.

"Let us see how your fans will react to *that*." Christine sneered. "And that's only a mild spell. I could've done *far* more than that."

Lisa lunged at Christine, but MacTaggart grabbed her.

Brett tried to say something, but could only bray loudly.

"Yer really pushin it, Christine." Capri concentrated a moment, and Brett was back to normal. And Capri tallied two more offenses to add to Nathan's and Christine's very long list of crimes. "Threatenin an' magical assault. Lisa, Brett, thanks fer bringin it ta my attention. Now, movin along...Not only 'as 'e bullied Donna, 'e an' Christine attempted ta stop the trial an' possibly escape, by makin a lot of us sick, usin both magic an' a biological agent."

The spectators' outcry at this was so great that Capri had to emit another flash of light and hit the gavel again to calm them.

When the roar died away, Capri took the letter and read.

==============================================================

Donna,

I will say again, I know what you are and what you're capable of, far more than any of those fools you are now with. I need hardly remind you, I know more about you than anyone except Christine, more than even your own mother does.

Surely you've started to realize by now that there's more to your gifts than you suspected. That is why you still need us. Or would you rather take the chance of another...explosion...such as you suffered tonight, and risk harming your poor mother? or anyone else you may have come to care about?

Christine can help you learn so much more about the magic you carry than any of those you are now with. And even though I now lack magic of my own--another effrontery they will pay for, make no mistake--I can still help you in other ways. I had begun to teach you of other things, even before I lost my magic, and that can continue if you return to us.

Surely you haven't forgotten all those times we spent together, my dear? I came to know you in those nights and I know you remember them as fondly as I do.

You need us, my dear. You need us, and it is time you realized that, and returned to us.

Nathan