When JC woke up, he found that his face was wet from the tears that he'd shed in his sleep. He'd been in the middle of a terrible nightmare about the judgment in court, and things hadn't gone his way at all. Gabe was allowed to retain custody of Alice, and he'd given JC a smug, gloating look as he dragged Alice out of the courtroom. All the while she cried out for JC. It was an outcome he was terrified would come true, and one that could be just hours away.

He glanced at the alarm clock on his nightstand and saw that it was nearly four in the morning. The court hearing wasn't until nine so he still had a few hours to sleep, but he knew he couldn't. At least not right then, not when the nightmare was still so fresh in his mind.

JC slowly sat up before carefully getting out of bed, doing his best not to shift or shake the mattress much since Justin was asleep on the other side. When they'd returned from the hospital and talking to Phil, who they'd met up with once they'd gotten back to Orlando, the guys had insisted on not leaving him alone. They were all a bit nervous about Gabe's threat, and they'd even called their bodyguards over again to help keep an eye out for anything suspicious in case he was stupid enough to try something else. Though, Phil had assured them that Gabe had done himself no favors by attacking JC, and that the police report would definitely help his case.

But even in spite of that, the guys were worried and wanted to keep an eye on him. Justin had volunteered, and the guys hadn't objected which JC suspected was because they recognized that he needed to take care of himself and rest too. And he wasn't going to disagree. Even if there wasn't a concern about Justin potentially overworking his eyes and going blind again, he wouldn't want any of them overtaxing themselves just because they were worried about him.

Justin, for his part, seemed to be in a deep sleep as he didn't even move as JC left the bed. Releasing a quiet sigh of relief, he quietly crossed the room and opened the door that led out to the small balcony that was situated outside his bedroom. There wasn't much of a view - he could see into the neighbor's yard a little and some nearby trees, but it often allowed him some quiet solitude. Something he needed right then as he tried to pull himself together, knowing he needed to be prepared for anything to happen because there was no telling what would happen when he walked into that courtroom later.

No matter what happened one thing JC knew for sure was that things would be different. Either he'd become the guardian of a five year old girl, or he would begin what would surely be a long process of appealing the court's ruling should they decide Gabe would retain custody of Alice. He was in too far and cared too much about Alice to just walk away should the ruling not go his way. He was determined to do whatever it took to ensure her safety, and he was positive getting her away from her father was part of it.

JC was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he nearly jumped out of his skin when something touched his shoulder. He turned quickly and immediately relaxed when he saw Justin standing behind him with a blanket held open, and JC realized that must've been what had brushed his shoulders. Feeling much more at ease knowing there was no threat, he turned back to looking off the balcony.

He looked out into the darkness trying to find that peace he normally felt and latch onto it. As each second passed he seemed to grow more and more anxious, and it made him feel sick as his stomach seemed to churn almost as fast as his thoughts. He felt Justin place the blanket around his shoulders, and he grabbed onto it, thankful for something to cling to. And he was happy for the warmth it provided as it was pretty cold out there, especially with him just being in a thin t-shirt.

"You okay?" Justin asked, standing next to him.

JC wasn't entirely sure what to say. He didn't exactly feel okay, but he didn't want to make Justin worry even more than he already was either. So he settled for changing the subject. "I'm sorry I woke you."

"Then maybe you shouldn't leave the door open in the middle of winter," Justin said, a light teasing tone to his voice. But after a moment he grew serious. "Talk to me, C. What's going on in that head of yours?"

JC shook his head, trying to shake loose all the thoughts running through his head. They were dizzying with how many and how fast they came and went. And with each thought, all of the fears he'd been doing his best to bury came closer and closer to the surface. It was almost suffocating, and his chest seized a bit in panic.

"What the hell am I doing?" he asked quietly. He was more talking to himself, but Justin heard him.

"What?"

JC turned to look at him. "What the hell am I doing?" he repeated. "I shouldn't be trying to adopt a five year old girl. I know nothing about raising a kid."

"I don't know. You looked after us for the last few years," Justin said, laughing lightly at his joke.

JC sighed and turned away from him, moving closer to the edge of the balcony. "I'm serious," he said. His hands gripped the thin wrought iron railing, doing his best to fight the anxiety he was feeling. "She needs to get away from Gabe. No doubt about that. But who says I'm the right person to look after her?"

"JC..."

"Everything the social worker said was true," JC said, ignoring Justin. "I'm not at a place in my life to give Alice the stability she needs. I'm sure there's someone that could take care of her better than I ever could."

Justin reached out and grabbed onto his arm, forcing him to turn and look at him. "Hey, you know that's not true. No one can love her the way you obviously do."

"But that's not enough. I have no idea what I'm doing."

Justin grabbed ahold of JC's other arm as he moved his head so he was looking him in the eye. The expression on his face was concerned. "No one knows what they're doing at first. All parents figure it out as they go."

"I just don't want to do the wrong thing and screw her up," JC said, giving him with a look that pleaded for him to understand where he was coming from.

"All kids are at least a little screwed up by their parents," Justin replied, smiling a little. JC just stared at him, not appreciating his attempt at humor even knowing he was trying to get him to lighten up. Justin's face fell and he sighed. "C'mon, C. You know you can do this. You just gotta stop doubting yourself."

JC just shrugged a little, shaking Justin's grip off his shoulders and stepping away again. "It's what I do."

"No," Justin said, and JC glanced back at him to see he was shaking his head. "You don't. Not with things you're a natural at. And taking care of people is one of those things. Alice is no exception to that."

JC frowned to himself, knowing that it was different. Yes he was the one often took care of the guys, like he'd taken care of his siblings while growing up. But taking care of a five year old was a lot different than making sure his friends in their twenties didn't get into too much trouble and taking care of them when they were hung-over. He was about to say as much, but Justin spoke before he could.

"And even if you don't believe that, we'll be here the entire time. Anything you need, you know we'll help you," Justin said. "That is something you know you can believe in."

JC looked for any sign that Justin was just saying what he thought he needed to hear, but he couldn't find anything. Justin seemed to truly believe he was the best person to take care of Alice, and JC was sure deep down he knew that was true as well. It was just hard not to let all of the doubts rise to the surface and overshadow that.

He was still terrified though. He was afraid of what would happen inside that courtroom later and facing Gabe after his threat. Not that he thought Gabe was stupid enough to try something in front of a judge, but he worried that he might find a way to get to him in some underhanded way. Or perhaps take some of his frustration out on Alice. JC knew he shouldn't think that way, but he couldn't seem to stop himself from worrying about it.

"C'mon, let's get you back inside," Justin said, wrapping an arm around JC's shoulders an steering him back towards the bedroom. "You can catch a few more hours of sleep before we leave."

"I'm not going back to sleep," JC protested as they stepped into his bedroom. Justin closed the door behind them.

"JC," Justin started, and JC braced himself for the impending argument. But it never came. Instead, Justin sighed and said, "How about some tea then?"

JC knew Justin was using it as a ploy to get him to relax and hopefully feel sleepy enough to go back to bed. It was annoying knowing he was trying to manipulate him, but JC had to admit it was better than being forced to lay down. And just because Justin was hoping that it would result in him getting what he wanted, that didn't mean it was going to happen. JC certainly had no plans on climbing back into bed for a couple short hours before they had to leave. Though, he actually thought the tea sounded good right then. Maybe it would help calm his nerves and quell the nausea he'd felt the second he woke up.

So he allowed Justin to lead him downstairs to the kitchen. He took a seat at the table, not even bothering to try to make the tea himself. He wouldn't be allowed to intrude on Justin's attempt to take care of him. Besides, with his arm freshly stitched, bandaged, and in a sling once more it would be difficult for him to do it himself. Not only that, but he was much too reluctant to unravel the blanket he'd cocooned himself in.

JC watched as Justin moved around his kitchen, first filling the kettle full of water and placing it on the stove as he lit the burner. Then, going into his cabinets seeming to know exactly where everything was even though JC couldn't remember the last time he'd even been in his place. But he moved as effortlessly through the space as if he was at his own house, and it was a reminder that it'd only been days ago when he hadn't had that natural ease to his movements. It'd also made him feel like a terrible friend for not having checked on him at all the last couple of days. He'd been so wrapped up in this whole situation with Beth and Alice that he hadn't been as diligent as he normally would have about making sure Justin wasn't suffering from any symptoms that had led to his blindness in the first place.

"Are you okay?" JC asked.

Justin glanced up from the tea bag he was opening and gave him a look that said he thought that was a ridiculous question. He retorted, "Are you okay?" He didn't give JC a chance to answer before he fired off another questions. "Is your arm hurting?"

"Justin..." JC started to protest.

"Answer my question first and then we can talk all about me," Justin replied. "Okay?"

JC wanted to point out that he'd been the one to ask a question first, but he sighed and nodded. He then thought about what Justin had asked. For a second he thought about lying, but he knew Justin would see right through that. He hadn't seemed to be able to hide things very well from any of the guys throughout this whole ordeal, and it didn't seem likely that it was going to start working now.

"It hurts," JC admitted. "But it's manageable."

Justin raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "Liar," he said, though it wasn't said accusingly or with anger. It was more matter-of-face, like he knew JC was trying to downplay it. "You should take some of the pain meds with your tea."

JC shook his head. "I can't. They make me all sleepy and my head all fuzzy. I don't want to be out of it when I'm standing in front of the judge."

He also didn't want to be seen like that in front of Gabe. Even though he hadn't been able to hold his own very well against the man and his goons yesterday, he wanted to show that he wasn't as weak as he thought he was. That he had the guts to stand up to him and do what was right. And he couldn't do that if he was doped up on his pain medication.

Justin sighed, not looking happy but not seeming surprised by his answer either. "Will you take them when we get back then?"

"If I need them."

Justin stared at JC, his eyes narrowed slightly. The weight of it was beginning to make him uncomfortable, but just as Justin opened his mouth to say something the kettle began to whistle. He turned quickly and turn it off before it could wake everyone in the house. And even though JC sensed the subject was dropped, he knew that he would end up taking the medication when they returned from the courthouse whether he wanted to or not. Because he'd admitted his arm was already hurting, it wasn't going to get any better from now until then. JC had said it so he wouldn't necessarily be accused of lying when he refused to take them later, but it'd seemed Justin was well aware of his intentions and would do whatever was needed to get him to take them.

After Justin poured the hot water into the mug that he'd already had prepared with a tea bag of JC's favorite tea inside, he walked across the room and set it in front of him. JC grabbed the string attached to the tea bag and gently swirled it around in the hot water as he allowed it to steep.

He looked up at Justin and said, "Will you answer my question now?"

Justin sat down at the table across from him. "I'm fine."

"You haven't experienced anything weird with your eyes?" JC pressed.

"Nope," Justin said, shaking his head. "They actually barely hurt now, so it seems like whatever caused it in the first place is behind me."

JC couldn't help the bit of relief that washed over him. He hadn't thought it'd gotten worse, but he also couldn't rely on the guys to tell him if it had. They seemed determined not to overwhelm him with too much, believing he had enough on his plate with dealing with Beth's death and trying to gain custody of Alice. All that may be true, but that didn't mean he didn't deserve to know when something was going on with one of his friends. He was just glad his negligence in looking after Justin hadn't meant he'd missed signs that his vision was worsening again.

"I never did thank you for that."

JC blinked, looking at Justin in surprise as he lowered his mug and swallowed the mouthful of tea. "For what?"

"For helping me through it. Even though I was unfairly lashing out at you, you kept forcing me to see that I wasn't as helpless as I thought I was."

JC gave him a look, thinking how odd and completely unnecessary this was. They were friends and that was what friends do for each other. Besides, it wasn't like it'd been one sided the last week. Justin had been on his side, lending all kinds of support ever since this whole situation with Beth and Alice had started.

When JC pointed this out to Justin, he just shrugged and said, "Well yeah. I was such a prick. I felt like I had to make it up to you."

JC sighed. "I never held a grudge for what you said. I knew that I was wrong and that I'd stepped over a line. I'm looking forward to seeing who you collaborate with in the studio."

"It's funny you say that," Justin started, "because the person I want to collaborate with is you. And Chris. And Joey. And Lance." He leaned forward, looking him in the eye. "What you said about it just being the five of us. I want that."

"Justin..." JC didn't want him to feel like he'd guilted him into recording the album just the five of them.

But Justin seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. "You didn't force me into this. What you said makes a lot of sense, and I realized it's probably a good idea to really know ourselves and our style before we bring other people in to collaborate."

JC shook his head. "No, Justin."

"Why not? It's what I want to do, and I think it'd be fun." He looked at him. "Don't you?"

"Yeah, of course," JC replied automatically. He glanced down at his tea, unable to look Justin in the eye as he continued. "I just don't want you to let what I said out of insecurity affect your decision. You wanted to work with Wade so you should bring him in."

"Why don't we just start off with the five of us and see how it goes?" Justin suggested. "Then we can bring someone in later if we feel like it. Okay?"

JC raised his eyes to meet Justin's. He felt a small smile tug at his lips - probably the first one he'd had in days. "Okay."

*************

In and out.

That was the rhythm of JC's breathing, but it wasn't a combination of a nice, slow inhale and an equally slow exhale. Instead, it was fairly rapid, and Lance grew more concerned as each second passed that he was going to hyperventilate and pass out. Justin was sitting on the other side of JC, looking just as worried. He was rubbing JC's back, but it didn't seem to be helping.

Lance reached out and gently squeezed JC's thigh, not wanting to touch his arm since it was delicately wrapped and confined in the sling. As soon as he touched him, he could practically feel JC's body vibrating with nervous energy. It wasn't surprising given how scared he'd been of things not working out in his favor, but they had to at least try to calm him down. At this rate, there would be no way he'd make it through the hearing.

But what happened next assured that would be practically impossible.

"Did you boys tell anyone about this?" Lonnie asked from the passenger seat up front. Mike was driving.

Lance frowned, but it was Chris who answered from the row of seats in front of them. "No. Why?"

"Because there are a bunch of reporters out front."

Lance leaned forward so he could see out better. They were pulling up to the front of the courthouse and sure enough there was a large number of reporters waiting on the steps.

"Maybe they're not for us," Joey said hopefully.

That went out the window as the vehicle came to a stop and immediately the press turned as one towards it. Even from inside, Lance could hear the buzzing as the reporters already began speaking and firing off their questions. He couldn't make out the questions, but he was able to pick out JC's name being said.

"Oh God," JC groaned, his head falling forward so his forehead rested against the back of the bench seating in front of them. Lance glanced first at Justin then Chris and Joey, all of them sharing equal looks of concern.

JC's breathing was even more erratic than it was before, if that was possible. He seemed to be on his way to full fledge panic mode, and they knew they had to get him inside immediately so they could try to calm him down before he had to go in front of the judge. The hardest part would be getting through the mob of people that were waiting outside the car, all seeming to have at least an inkling of what was going on.

As if reading his mind, Mike spoke then saying, "Lonnie will lead you guys inside. I'm gonna call for backup so we'll at least be able to get you out of here easier. In the meantime, stick close to Lonnie and don't stop until you're inside. Okay?"

There were no objections and they waited as Lonnie got out of the car first. Because of his large size he was able to push some people back and clear some space for the rest of them to get out. Without even saying a word, they all seemed to know just what was the best way to do this.

Justin led the way out of the second backseat, and Lance gently nudged JC to go out next. JC blinked, looking kind of out of it, but he seemed to come to his senses pretty quickly and followed Justin. Lance crawled out next, which left Joey and Chris to bring up the rear. As they followed Lonnie towards the courthouse entrance, the four of them positioned themselves so they were surrounding JC and doing their best to protect him from the pushy press. Though, they couldn't do anything about the questions they fired off one after another.

"How do you know this girl?"

"What made you want to adopt her?"

"Why are you trying to take away the father's rights to see his daughter?"

"What happened to your arm?"

They came from all sides, and Lance could only imagine how overwhelmed JC must be feeling. He quickened his pace, and the guys did the same. All of them wanted to just get inside and have a moment to collect themselves before they had to step into that courtroom.

When they finally stepped through the front doors, they let out a sigh of relief. They had to quickly go through a metal detector before they were permitted to go beyond the lobby. Phil was waiting for them on the other side and pulled them into a small hallway with a bench to allow for some semblance of privacy. And finally JC seemed unable to hold in what he was feeling.

He seemed to stumble and almost fall onto the bench, practically gasping for air. It was like he was trying to hold back sobs, and it was a battle he wasn't have much success with. He moaned and said, "I think I'm gonna be sick."

Justin and Joey immediately stepped forward. Joey took a seat next to him and put a hand on his back, pushing down until his head was between his knees. "Just breathe. You're going to be fine."

JC shook his head, his breath hitching. Lance didn't have to see his face to know that he was crying, the stress and anxiety had brought him to his breaking point. Justin was crouched down in front of JC, speaking quietly and no doubt doing his best to be reassuring in an effort to calm him down.

"Do you know how the press found out about this?" Phil asked.

Lance shook his head. "We were just as surprised. We haven't said anything to anyone."

"An even better question is why the hell weren't we given a head's up?" Chris said, anger smoldering in his eyes. It just seemed to grow darker the more he watched Justin and Joey try to console JC.

Lance sighed. "I'll call Johnny," he said, already pulling out his phone. He wasn't able to do more than press the speed dial for him before Chris yanked it out of his hand.

Lance gave him an annoyed look, but let him keep it. He understood that Chris was angry and wanted to take it out on someone, but Johnny didn't really deserve that. Still, it was better than the alternative.

"What the hell, Johnny?" were the first words out of Chris's mouth, and Lance then tuned him out as he turned his attention back to JC.

He was still crouched over, folded in on himself, but he was no longer leaning so far forward that his head was between his knees. Tears were streaming down his face, and he clutched his injured shoulder with a grimace. It made Lance wonder if it'd gotten jostled as they'd tried to push their way inside the courthouse through the crowd of reporters. If so, he had to be in much more pain, especially given he'd already been in and pain and had refused to take his pain killers before they left. But right now, that was really the least of their worries.

"I can't go in there," JC cried in-between sobs. "I can't listen to them let him keep her."

Justin frowned, still crouched in front of him. He put a hand on his knee. "C'mon, C. You don't know that's going to happen."

JC sniffed, his head bowed. He still refused to look any of them in the eye, even managing to dodge Justin's gaze despite his best efforts to get him to look at him. "The press-"

"Nothing's been decided yet, JC," Phil said, stepping in. Lance hoped he had better luck at getting through to him than they seemed to be having. "Once we give the judge all of the evidence we've collected, there's no way she'll let him have custody. The press being here won't make a difference."

Phil sounded confident, and Lance sensed he wasn't just saying what JC needed to hear - that he really did believe it. Still, Lance had to admit he wasn't convinced the presence of the numerous reporters outside wouldn't have at least some impact on the case. Though he certainly hoped it would be outweighed by all of the negative things Gabe had against him, like Phil suggested.

"But what if it does?" JC asked, his voice quiet and small. He finally glanced up, briefly looking at them before lowering his gaze to the floor once more.

"Then we'll appeal," Phil replied.

Joey wrapped an arm around JC, going lower than his shoulders so he wouldn't further aggravate the injury. "If you don't go in there, you're forfeiting any chance you have. And you can't give up like that. You know Alice deserves to be in a home where she's loved and not some psychic experiment."

JC nodded. He was no longer sobbing, but tears were still falling from his eyes. Though, they weren't coming in a steady stream like they'd been just minutes ago. "I know." He sighed heavily, looking like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. And he did - a little girl's world. He looked at them, and another tear fell as he said, "I just don't know if I'm strong enough."

Justin squeezed his knee to get his attention. "That's what we're here for." He locked eyes with him. "You're not in this alone."

JC nodded, and Lance watched as he swiped at his eyes, rubbing the wetness from the tears he'd shed onto the slacks he was wearing. He took a deep breath as he closed his eyes, then releasing it in a soft whoosh a few seconds later. When his eyes opened, he looked more composed. There was no doubt he was still afraid, but Lance knew he wasn't going to let it ruin everything. Not when he was so close. Every time it'd seemed like he'd finally reached his absolute limit and couldn't handle another single thing thrown at him, somehow he managed to push it aside and keep moving forward. It was admirable to witness, and Lance was proud of him.

When JC stood up, he swayed on his feet. Joey quickly reached out an arm to steady him, and Justin quickly straightened, like he preparing to catching him if needed. Lance took a couple steps forward himself even though he wasn't close enough to really be of much help. But JC managed to stay upright on his own and he stepped forward, forcing Justin to step back so he could move away from the bench.

"Are you up to this? Maybe we should see if we can reschedule," Chris said. Lance started at his voice, not having noticed he'd gotten off the phone with Johnny. His gaze was fixed on JC.

"It'd be a waste not to do it after all this," JC said. "I'll be okay."

Chris didn't look reassured, and Lance couldn't blame him. JC was a couple shades paler than he'd been, which just accentuated the dark circles under his eyes. But the look in his eyes was determined and he knew JC wasn't going to turn his back on it now. Chris must have recognized it too because he didn't say anything.

Phil took that as a sign that they were ready and began to lead them back out into the main hall, directing them to where the hearing would take place. As they walked, Chris silently handed Lance his cell phone.

"What'd Johnny say?" Lance asked, turning the phone off before putting it in his pocket. He didn't want to risk it going off while they were in court.

Chris sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "He had no idea anyone had found out about it. He's working with Melinda to see how it should be handled. He should be down here by the time we're done."

Lance just nodded, not surprised by that. Johnny wouldn't want them leaving and further encountering the press without some kind of guidance. He knew there would be a lot of questions from the media regardless of what was decided.

They came to a stop, and Lance realized two things. First, that they were outside of two large mahogany doors that must lead to the courtroom. Second, that there were two people already standing there, obviously waiting to be let in. Even though he'd never seen either person in his life, he had a suspicion it was Gabe and his lawyer.

"Is it always a media circus everywhere you go?" the younger man of the two asked, sneering at all of them though his eyes were fixed on JC. That was all Lance needed to know that was Gabe. But if he'd had any doubts, JC's sharp intake of breath and the way he unconsciously gripped his injured shoulder was all the confirmation that he needed.

Beside him, Chris clenched his fists, looking like he was ready to launch himself at the man and pummel him. Lance put a hand on his arm and shook his head. They couldn't afford for him to go after the man, no matter how much he may deserve it. It surely would only hurt JC's case and the last thing any of them wanted to do was cause any more problems for him. There was already enough to deal with without making things worse.

The door opened, and they were told that the judge was ready for them. Gabe and his lawyer stepped forward, and Phil let them get ahead as he paused to look at JC. "Just follow what I told you yesterday, and you'll be fine."

JC nodded, and Lance could see him trying to swallow back his nerves so he looked more confident. Everything that happened in the last week came down to this. Either JC would be walking out with Alice or he wouldn't, and regardless things were about to change in a big way. So he couldn't blame JC for being nervous. Lance just hoped this went quick so he wouldn't have to try to contain his emotions for too long. That and he wasn't entirely sure how long JC would last before he passed out given the strain his intense emotions had put on his already battered and exhausted body.

Phil led the way inside, and they all followed. JC took a seat next to him at the table, while the rest of them sat in the row immediately behind them. It felt weird being back in a courtroom again, and Lance just hoped they had a good outcome like the last time.

"Hunter versus Chasez your honor," the bailiff announced.

"Chasez," the judge repeated as she looked up from the papers she was reading in front of her. "You're the reason the courthouse has a flurry of activity outside?"

Lance saw JC tense, but Phil quickly jumped to his defense. He stood up, looking directly at the judge. "Your honor, that was not his doing. Someone leaked the situation in an attempt to try to discredit Mr. Chasez as an attention seeker instead of a concerned friend."

The other lawyer got to his feet as well. "But I think we can agree that the press is something that's common in Mr. Chasez's life and something the child would be exposed to should she end up in his custody."

The judge looked over at JC before turning her attention back to Gabe's lawyer. "From the looks of Mr. Chasez he's as about as happy they're here as I am." She fixed him with a stern look. "Move along."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied with a nod. "It's really quite simple. My client feels Mr. Chasez has no case because he's not a relative and therefore has no legal right to make a claim for the child."

"Your honor, we have the mother's will along with a letter where she clearly states she would like Mr. Chasez to have custody upon her death. This allows him to legally petition for custody to be transferred over to him."

"May I see these documents?" the judge asked.

Phil grabbed the copies he made of Beth's will and the letter she'd written to JC, walking them over to the judge and handing them to her. Lance turned his attention on JC, who folded his hands in his lap, but he could tell from the stiff posture he was holding that he was trying to keep a tight rein on his nerves.

As Phil returned to his seat, the judge seemed to skim the papers he'd handed over. After a moment, she looked over at JC. "Mr. Chasez, I understand you also submitted a police report yesterday stating that Mr. Hunter attacked you. Is this correct?"

JC nervously glanced at Phil, who gave him a slight nod that it was okay to speak. He'd told JC yesterday that he should only speak when he was asked a direct question, but Lance didn't blame him for wanting to double check with the lawyer first. He could only imagine how terrified he was of making some mistake that could cost them.

JC cleared his throat and shakily got to his feet. "Yes, ma'am," he said. "He confronted me on a secluded part of the beach, and he got two men to hold me down while he hurt me."

"And you identified these two men as the same ones who shot you?"

JC nodded. "Yes. They shot me when they broke into my house to kidnap Alice." He paused, swiping at his eyes quickly. "They were also the ones who shot and killed Beth on Gabe's order."

"Objection!" Gabe's lawyer said, getting to his feet once more. "He has no way of knowing what my client may or may not have told someone to do."

The judge leveled him with a serious gaze. "But the mother of Mr. Hunter's child is dead, and that's fact. Then add in the attack yesterday and Mr. Chasez who was a witness for all events, and I'd say the evidence is pretty damning for your client. Your objection is overruled."

Phil gestured for JC to take his seat again, which he seemed to do gratefully. Chris leaned forward in his chair and rubbed his uninjured shoulder for a second, trying to both offer him some comfort and support. In the front of the room, the judge was flipping through more paperwork.

"I have the reports of both inspections social services did," the judge said. "However, on Mr. Chasez's it was noted there was no opportunity to view him interacting with the child. I would like to rectify that now by bringing her in so I can have something to compare to."

JC sat straighter, and Lance knew his heart was likely pounding with anticipation. He hadn't seen Alice at all since those men had taken her and with the exception of the social worker assuring him she was okay, he hadn't had any clue how she was doing. But Lance also knew that if by some chance JC didn't win this, the fact of seeing her would just be all the more heartbreaking for him.

"Mr. Chasez, please come and stand in front of my bench," the judge instructed.

JC swallowed nervously, but he quickly got to his feet and walked around the table so he was standing directly in front of where the judge sat. She then motioned for the police officer on the far side of the courtroom to open the small side door. He did as she asked, and it was only a second before Alice emerged.

Her eyes lit up as soon as she saw JC, and Lance couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips. The relief on JC's face as soon as he spotted her was clear, and a quick glance at the others showed they were just as relieved. Even though none of them had none her long, they all hated the idea that she was being hurt by her father.

Alice seemed to notice then that her father was there as well as she eyed him cautiously out of the corner of her eyes. She slowly walked past the table where he was sitting with the lawyer, but as soon as she made it past him, her speed kicked up a notch.

She ran towards JC, and he crouched down, opening his right arm wide for her. "JC!" she cried happily as she flung herself into his arms. He stumbled a little bit against her weight, and Lance was afraid he was going to fall over. But he managed to steady himself and wrapped his right arm tightly around her.

"I'm so happy you're here. I was so scared," she said quietly, but in the still courtroom it wasn't hard for any of them to hear.

JC ran his hand over her hair. "Shh, it's okay. There's nothing to be scared of."

She pulled back enough to look him in the eye. "I was scared for you."

Lance exchange a look with Joey who was sitting next to him, and he could tell he was thinking the same thing he was. Could it be that Alice had some kind of awareness of what JC had been going through thanks to the psychic ability Gabe had forced on her? They weren't sure, but it certainly seemed like a possibility.

"Oh, honey. You don't have to worry about me. I'm fine," JC assured her, pulling her in for another hug. It was one she happily returned.

The judge cleared her throat, and Lance could tell it was with great reluctance that JC pulled away. Then a voice spoke from the far side of the room. "C'mon, Alice. Let's go back to coloring while the adults continue with the boring stuff."

That was when Lance noticed that the social worker that had visited JC's house was standing in the doorway Alice had come through just a minute earlier. She seemed hesitant to leave JC, but he gave her a smile and told her it was fine. Even with that, she seemed about as happy to leave as JC was. But she quickly crossed the room and just like that, she disappeared through the door. JC also returned to his seat, looking a little less stressed but obviously still worried about the outcome.

The judge went back to rifling through some papers, and that was the only sound in the courtroom for a minute. Then finally, she looked up and said, "Based on the evidence I was presented with, I have decided to grant sole legal custody to Mr. Chasez."

Lance's eyes immediately went to JC and he almost had to laugh at the way JC's jaw dropped for a moment before a smile broke out on his face. It had to be the first one in days. But the good news didn't stop there.

The judged turned her attention to Gabe. "And I'm demanding a restraining order be put on Mr. Hunter to protect the child as well as Mr. Chasez." She locked eyes with Gabe. "If you come within a hundred feet of either of them, you will be arrested and I will see you back in this courtroom."

She then swung the gavel down, calling this session of court adjourned. The bailiff called for them to all rise as the judge stepped off the bench and out of the room, but they all would've been on their feet regardless. They were congratulating JC and thanking Phil, a victorious feeling shared among them.

Then there was a shout on the other side of the room, and Lance looked up just in time to see Gabe knock the officer that had been stationed next to the door on the side of the room and take his gun. At once he felt panic blossom across his chest, knowing exactly who he intended to use that gun on. But before he could even shout out a warning, before any of them could even move, two shots were heard.

Lance was pulled to the ground by Joey, and he saw that Joey had tightly fisted the back of Justin's suit jacket and had pulled him down as well. He quickly sought out Chris and JC and found they were both on the floor next to the table with Chris lying on top of JC. They were both still, and Lance searched frantically for any sign of injury, while bracing himself in case the shooting wasn't over yet. Though, he didn't hear any more bullets.

"It's okay, guys," Phil said, shakily getting up himself from where he'd ducked down on the other side of the table.

Joey released his hold on Justin and Lance, allowing both of them to get to their feet on their own. As they did, Lance felt a bit of horror but also a bit of relief at seeing Gabe's body lying lifeless on the floor with a large, expanding red spot on his chest. The glassy eyes staring blankly up at the ceiling, not blinking, told Lance that he was dead. It looked like the bailiff in the back of the room had been the one to take the shot.

Lance turned to look back at JC and Chris and saw that Joey was helping Chris to stand, while Justin was talking to JC. He moved closer to see for himself that JC was truly okay, and he found that he couldn't see anything wrong with him besides the shoulder wound. If anything, he just looked a little dazed.

"Can you get up?" Justin was asking him.

"Maybe he should stay there until we can get someone to check him out," Joey said.

JC shook his head marginally, wincing like that small act caused him pain. "I'm okay," he said. "Just help me up."

Justin watched him with concerned eyes, but he grabbed onto JC's offered hand and helped pull him to his feet. JC groaned, stumbling slightly once he was upright. No doubt he had some new bruises and likely had bumped his head as he'd been knocked down, but he truly seemed no worse for the wear. And he certainly wasn't letting it slow him down.

He moved like a man on a mission, quickly crossing the room to the side door. The four of them followed, all of them feeling kind of jumpy about letting him go off on his own even though the threat was gone. JC opened the door and quickly moved into the room, meeting Alice halfway who was already running for him. As he gathered her in his arms, he let out a shaky breath and Lance could tell without having to see his face that he was holding back tears.

There was a lot of things that needed addressed and taken care of, but it all could wait. At least for a little while. For now, they were content to let them have their moment newly connected as father and daughter.