JC stuck his head into the bedroom and smiled at the nervous woman that sat on the bed, trying to get her pantyhose on. "You almost ready, sweetheart?"

She looked up and blew her hair out of her face with a frown. "I'm so nervous I can't even get dressed. I want to see him so bad, Josh."

He smiled and walked across the room, kneeling down before her. He reached out and took the rolled up hose in his hand and slid them slowly onto her legs. "I figure if I can get 'em off, it should be just as easy to get 'em on."

Abby blushed and stood up, pulling them under her skirt. "You're bad."

Her husband shrugged and looked at his hair in the mirror. "What? It's the truth." He turned and looked at her again and smiled softly. "You look beautiful."

She crossed the floor to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face into the crook of his neck. "Tell me that everything is going to work out today. Tell me that whatever Michael's been hiding from us these last two weeks isn't anything bad and I'm not going to try to kill Ben."

JC held her close and they rocked slightly in the morning's rays coming through the window. "I can't tell you any of that. But I will tell you this: we are leaving that courtroom today with Braeden in our arms."

Abby smiled and looked up into her husband's eyes. "I know I've been pretty unbearable this last month. I'm sorry for that."

"I have too," he replied, brushing her hair out of her face. "It's all over now."

A knock on the door broke them from their cocoon of solitude and they turned to see their intruder. A smile crossed JC’s face as he saw his mother’s kind eyes peering back at them. “You kids about ready to go? It’s about that time.”

They nodded and followed the shorter woman into the hallway and down the stairs to the living room where JC’s entire family waited with Abby’s parents, the rest of the guys, and Chance. JC squeezed Abby’s hand and helped her into her coat, his hand rubbing over her stomach lovingly.

“Thanks, all of you guys for coming with us today,” he said with a choked voice. “This has been a really hard month. Today we’re just focusing on getting Brady back where he belongs.” He grabbed the keys to their rented vehicle and soon a caravan of sorts was pulling out and making its way toward the courthouse.

~*~

“All rise…the honorable Judge MaryAnn Adams.” The bailiff introduced the kind-looking woman and moved back to his position at the side of her desk. She sat down and looked out over her courtroom, giving permission to be seated.

Smiling to JC and Abby, she leaned forward on her desk. “How are you two doing? I’m sure it’s been a rough month, but it’s over.”

They both just nodded and thanked the woman for her kindness with their expressions. She smiled again and looked at Ben for a moment before looking down at her papers. “Where is Braeden, Mr. Ricklin?”

Ben cleared his throat and pointed to the back doors of the courtroom. “He’s with my sister outside. I didn’t want to bring him in and his mother cause a scene.”

Judge Adams gave him a hard look at his response and rolled her eyes. “Someone get that kid in here.”

Abby squeezed JC’s hand as one of the court officers left the room to find her son. She didn’t know what the judge was going to do as far as where he would sit, but she just wanted to hold him in her arms so badly.

The woman behind the desk shuffled her papers and adjusted her glasses. “In light of the recent information supplied to me by Mr. Forte, this case is going to have to be approached at a different angle. With permission from the child’s mother, I would like to have Braeden questioned.”

Abby’s face twisted in confusion and the judge knew that she had no inkling as to what was going on with her own child. “Um…if it’s necessary, sure,” Abby replied, looking at their lawyer for some sense of understanding.

Michael nodded in assurance and looked back as he heard little feet pounding down the hard wood floors. He didn’t see anything before the excited six-year-old threw himself into his mother’s arms. “Mommy! Mommy!”

Abby was shocked at first, but quickly realized it was her son in the flesh, and wrapped her arms around him, holding him so close. “Oh, my baby,” she whispered, kissing him over and over again.

JC watched the display with mixed emotions. He was so happy to see his son again, and thrilled that he had run to them instead of to Ben, but he was also pissed to the highest degree that the child had been forced to miss them so much.

He was lost in his thoughts when the boy roughly climbed onto his lap. JC took a moment to come back to his senses, but wrapped his arms so tightly around him. “Hey, buddy,” he said into his hair as the child squeezed him around the neck.

Braeden pulled back and looked up into JC’s eyes. “I missed you, Daddy.”

Everyone in the courtroom heard the irritated sigh coming from the other table, and Michael took that moment to stand up. “If I may,” he said, motioning for the child. He took Braeden’s hand and led him to the witness stand. Placing a couple thick law books on the seat, he lifted the boy onto it and smiled to him. “We’re going to ask you a few questions about your stay with your father…okay, Braeden?”

Braeden nodded his head slightly and looked up at the woman beside him. “Hi,” he said with a toothy grin, waving to the judge.

She smiled and rolled her chair over to sit closer to him.” Hi there, Braeden. How are you today?”

“Good now that I’m with my mommy and daddy again,” he replied honestly.

Michael stepped close to the wooden railing and leaned against it comfortably. “Braeden, you know who I am, don’t you?”

Braeden nodded. “Yeah. You’re Fort.”

The lawyer laughed and nodded. “Close enough. Well buddy, uh…you wanna tell us about your stay with Ben this last month?”

The boy shook his head and frowned. “No.”

“C’mon, pal…just let us know. Did you have fun with your father?”

“Don’t wanna,” the boy replied.

Michael looked up at the judge helplessly. What did one do with an uncooperative witness that was merely six? The judge noticed his problem and reached under her desk for one of several teddy bears that she kept there in case of situations like this. “Want to see what I’ve got, Braeden?” she asked.

Braeden looked up at her in interest, but didn’t move or reply. Judge Adams produced the bear. “You want to play with this, Braeden?” Braeden nodded and reached for it, but she wouldn’t let him have it. “If I give it to you, will you talk to us?” He shook his head and crossed his arms across his chest.

Justin had to laugh at the motion, whispering something to Tyler about how the kid looked just like JC when he did that. Heather, sitting on the other side of Tyler, elbowed her brother roughly in the ribs and shushed the both of them.

Judge Adams looked out to JC and Abby. “Would one of you care to try? We have a disagreeable witness on our hands today,” she said with a laugh.

JC looked at Abby before standing up with a sigh. He shot a glare to Ben as he passed and walked up to stand beside Michael at the witness stand. “Hey buddy,” he said with a smile. “Why won’t you talk to these nice people?” he asked.

“Don’t wanna, Daddy,” Braeden replied, as if that justified the entire situation.

“Will you please answer their questions, pal? I promise it’s okay,” JC assured, rubbing the boy’s hair.

Braeden pouted for a second before turning to look at the woman beside him. “Can I still have the bear?”

The woman handed him the bear. “Well sure, as long as you talk to us.”

Braeden nodded happily and took the bear, hugging it close. “Deal, yo.”

JC laughed and turned to look over his shoulder at Justin, Tyler and Chris who waved back and shot the boy thumbs up. “Now answer her questions, Brady,” JC reminded, turning back to the boy.

The woman leaned close, her chin resting on her arms as she looked over the railing at her small witness. “Braeden, did you have fun when you were staying with Ben?” she asked in a kind voice.

Braeden pouted again for a moment, looking over JC’s shoulder to Ben who stared back with a hard look. “No,” he finally replied.

“Want to tell us what happened while you were there?” Michael asked.

The child took a moment to reply but eventually did in a low, soft voice. “He yelled at me. A lot.”

JC closed his eyes in frustration. He wanted to ask some questions of his own, but knew that it wasn’t his place. Instead, he simply reached out and rubbed the boy’s shoulder comfortingly.

“Did you do anything to deserve to be yelled at?” Judge Adams asked.

Braeden shrugged. “I dunno.”

Michael smiled to JC and mentally prepared himself for his next question. “Braeden, you have to answer this completely truthfully, okay?” Braeden nodded after a quick look at JC. “Did you get hit any while you were there?” He noticed out of the corner of his eyes as JC stiffened and his jaw clenched.

Braeden panicked visibly on the stand and looked toward Ben. Ben was shaking his head at the boy with a look of pure threat. Michael noticed the trail of his eyes and snapped his fingers, getting the boy’s attention again. “Don’t look at him, pal. Look at me or your daddy…or MaryAnn…or your bear. Just answer my question. Did Ben ever hit you?”

Braeden looked down at the bear in his arms and nodded his little head. “Yeah. Lots.”

JC noticed the shame that crossed his son's face and felt his back stiffen in pure anger. He was just about to turn around and face Ben when he felt Michael's hand on his shoulder. Glancing at his lawyer as he shook his head, JC sighed a shaky sigh and looked at Braeden again.

"Braeden, how many times did your father hit you?" Michael asked slowly.

"My daddy never hits me!" Braeden replied, looking at JC with teary eyes.

Michael shook his head again and leaned against the railing to become eye-level with the young witness. "Braeden, I'm not talking about this guy right here," he said softly with a nod in JC's direction. "I'm talking about Ben. How many times did he hit you?"

Braeden shrugged his shoulders and toyed with the teddy bear in his arms. "I dunno. Every day."

JC closed his eyes and took several shaky breaths. Opening them to look at the boy, JC ran a hand down his face. "Hey pal, can I go sit down?" He didn't know how much longer his legs were going to be able to support his weight.

Braeden shook his head and held his hand out to the man. "No, Daddy. Stay!"

Looking up at the judge, JC questioned if he could join his son on the witness stand. With a nod, she gave him permission and watched sadly as JC moved around the wooden railing to pick the boy up. He pushed the books off the chair and sat down with Braeden in his arms. He wrapped them so tightly around him and held him close to his chest. He didn't want to ever let go.

He took that moment to look at Abby. She sat in complete and utter shock at the table at which he had left her. Her hands were visibly shaking and he could see the tears in her eyes as she stared at her son. Joey had jumped over the wooden railing that separated the family and public from the people directly involved in the case. He held her hand and spoke soothing words as they waited for any more unsettling news. JC had to tear his eyes away from her before he insisted that she join them.

But he didn't really want his eyes to fall upon the person they did. Ben's angry face filled his vision and he saw red. The man had been so sure of his future position in this boy's life, but JC was sure that at this point, that man would never see this child again.

Cuddling the him closer, he leaned his chin on Braeden's shoulder, jumping slightly as he heard a soft cry come from the boy's lips. JC furrowed his brow and pushed the shoulder of Braeden's shirt aside enough to see the dark bruise that marred his young skin. Turning his eyes up to the judge, he met her own and made the silent request to finish the case up as quickly as possible.

Judge Adams nodded her head silently and moved back to her desk. Leaning against it, she sighed. "Mr. Tanner, would you care to dispel the blank look on your client's face?" she asked, nodding toward Ben and his lawyer.

Ben's lawyer stood up and straightened his tie before buttoning his suit jacket. "Of course, your Honor." He walked toward the witness stand and smiled at the young boy and JC. "Hey there, Braeden," he said with a warm smile.

Braeden smiled slightly and snuggled closer into JC's arms. "Hi Bruce."

Bruce Tanner smiled again and turned around to face the large group of people in the courtroom. "I am the one who brought this situation to the court's attention." He noticed his client rise to his feet his declaration, but ignored the man's questions.

"While conducting a meeting with my client, upon several different occasions, I witnessed Ben Ricklin yelling at Braeden for what appeared to be no reason at all. There were also several moments that Mr. Ricklin would leave the room and would only return several minutes later while the child screamed in the other room. I had every reason to believe that my client was hitting his son, and soon witnessed Braeden flinching away when Ben would come close or not come into the room at all."

Bruce smiled to Braeden again. "If that child did not change his own clothes, he didn't change clothes at all. If he didn't pull something out of the refrigerator himself, there were many times that he wouldn't eat normal meals. That child was practically taking care of himself while he was under the custody of his father."

Bruce made eye contact with Abby with a soft smile before turning to look up at the judge. "Court officers were supspicious of these same situations, but my client was fairly successful in hiding all evidence of any abuse from their eyes. With what I have seen, though it is throwing my case out the door, I highly suggested that Mr. and Mrs. Chasez be granted full physical and legal custody of this child."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "My client is in no position to raise a child. I wouldn't even let him watch my dog for a weekend." With those final words, he sat back down beside Ben and closed his briefcase, knowing the case was as good as over.

Ben just stared at his lawyer in disbelief. Choosing to hold his comments until later, he turned again to face the judge as she prepared to make a decision.

Judge Adams looked over her glasses at the man under fire and shook her head. "I am saddened by what I have learned today. And in light of the fact presented to me, I have no choice but to grant full phsical and legal custody to Mr. and Mrs. Chasez. No child would be safe in that type of environment. Mr. Ricklin, you will be called back into court for child abuse and endangerment charges, so look forward to seeing us again. She beat her gavel on her desk and stood up. "Have a nice day."

Smiling to Braeden as he and JC stepped down off the witness stand, she shook her head as he offered her the bear back. "You keep that, sweetheart."

JC set Braeden on the floor and watched as he made his way across the floor to his mother who held her arms open to him. He watched as she and Joey hugged him tightly before letting the others have a chance, and JC took that moment to turn and look at Ben.

Ben was glaring back at him, and the fact that the man hit that child and was angry at him pissed JC off to no end. Crossing the floor quickly as Ben turned to look at his lawyer, JC grabbed the man's shirt and turned him around. Pushing him onto his back on the table, he held Ben down by the neck and hissed at him. "Who the hell do you think you are? I should kill you for what you've done." His hand tightened around Ben's throat and he watched in satisfaction as the man gasped for air.

Michael rushed to JC's side and tried to pry his client off the man's body. "Jace, let it go. You're going to get yourself in trouble if you don't calm down."

JC's grip tightened again and he drew his fist back. Michael's grip tightned around his arm, trying to pull him back. He succeeded in getting him away, but not before JC's hard fist came in contact with Ben's face. The singer smiled in satisfaction as Ben slid across the table and gripped his face with a wail.

Shaking his lawyer off his arm, JC crossed the room to where his family had gathered. Wrapping his arms around Abby, he held she and Braeden close as officers and family members flocked around Ben. He looked up as Ben yelled at the judge before she could retreat to her chambers.

"Did you see that?" Ben screamed. "The bastard hit me! That's abuse too, ya know! I want to press charges and I'll win. You all saw it! Police saw it! I have witnesses."

Judge Adams turned in her door and smiled to JC. "I didn't see a thing, Mr. Ricklin." Eyeing the officers in her courtroom, she shrugged. "And I don't think you're going to be able to convince any of these fine men that they saw anything that will help you either. Seems that Mr. Chasez has pulled the wool over our eyes just in time to get a punch or two in. See you soon," she added with a wink to the happy family before she left the courtroom.

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