(no subject)

It isn't ideal to bring a baby to court, so Bonnie ends up leaving Billie with Lucy and Terry as they head down to the court. Stuart and Ted insist on coming along, mostly out of curiosity, but also as a rehearsal for the adoption hearing later in the week.

Going to court twice in one week is a new one even for Bonnie, but she's not expecting to lose either of these cases.

As they go into the courthouse, the defendant strides up to Turtle on her high heels.

"Wes, honey, you got to call this off."

"It's too late fer that, Cassandra." Turtle frowns. "You caused twelve thousand dollars damage to that chapel at our wedding, and we ain't paying. We don't got the money."

"I don't got the money!" Cassandra snaps.

"You got everything in the divorce." Turtle says. "You must have twelve grand, and if you don't, you shouldn't go around breakin' church windows."

"Hey." Bonnie intervenes. "Defendant ain't supposed to hassle the plaintiff. Come on, Turtle."

Stuart grins in amusement at Cassandra, who gives him a sour look in return.

"Hey, Aunt Bonnie, is my adoption case goin' to be like this?" he asks, as they head inside.

"Depends if yer mom shows up." Bonnie says. "But the judge'll take a dim view of it if she behaves like that. Yours will be much easier anyhow, you just tell them what you want." She looks over at the boys. "Now, you two have to be on yer best behaviour today and later in the week. This is a court. If you are disrespectful, you can be fined or locked up. You are to sit quietly and not speak unless you are spoken to. Got it?"

The boys nod seriously. Bonnie gets them seated in the gallery, then goes to sit with Turtle at the front.

"You think we should have got a lawyer?" Turtle asks.

"We cain't afford one." Bonnie points out. "Besides, we've been in court heaps of times between us."

The judge comes in, and Bonnie presents her evidence, including the wedding photographer's picture of Cassandra in the process of hurling a statue at the stained glass window. It takes just half an hour for the judge to rule in their favour and present Cassandra with a big bill to pay the chapel.

"Was that helpful fer Thursday?" Turtle asks Stuart when they get outside.

Stuart grins. "Thursday? I was thinking I might want to go to law school."

"You'd be good at that." Bonnie grins at him.

As they get back to the car, her grin fades. Two young Japanese-looking men are standing next to the car.

"Oh dear." she says quietly.

"Who are they?" Ted asks

"Turtle's sons." Bonnie says. "And they don't look happy."

The two young men round on Turtle, arguing with him about how he could sue their Mom. Bonnie is a little afraid that they're going to come to blows, but Turtle's cop instincts are keeping the situation under control.

"Why are they Japane..." Stuart starts.

"Not now." Bonnie chides gently. "And besides, pretty sure you can figure that out. They're good lads, usually, they're just upset right now."

***

At night, Bonnie lies awake, thinking she heard a noise.
She gets up to check. Nothing. Not even Lucy wandering around, as she does at times. Billie's fast asleep in her cot.
She checks the doors are locked, just in case.
Then she goes back to bed, tutting to herself slightly for being silly.

***

Stuart looks rather more nervous on the day of his adoption hearing. This time, the four of them travel in Turtle's cop car. Turtle has managed to get a late shift, but he's going to have to go to work straight after the hearing.

"Just be polite." Bonnie says, straightening his tie. "And state clearly what you want to do. Remember to address the judge as 'Your honour'. If your mom screams and shouts or makes nasty comments, don't take the bait, just stay calm. That said." she smiles slightly. "I will be proud as can be to adopt you, but if she says anything that makes you decide you aren't ready, it's okay to say that too."

"Aunt Bonnie? I'll be fine." Stuart says. "I don't want her to recommence custody ever again."

Bonnie smiles at him. If he's taking refuge in being a walking dictionary, he definitely is nervous.

"Stuart?" Ted nudges his brother as they go in. "You're not really going to change your last name are you? It'll feel like we're less brothers."

"No, I'm going to have two last names like Billie." Stuart says. "Stuart Murdock Evans."

"Huh. Maybe I'll do that too one day." Ted says. "Good luck."

It turns out to be, again, quite straightforward. The judge asks Stuart who he wants to live with and how, and Stuart says he wants to be adopted by Bonnie. His mother starts weeping and wailing and complaining that Bonnie ruined her family.

"Mrs Fenton, if you don't settle down, I will have you removed from this court." the judge says.

Mr Fenton stands up.

"Your honour, my wife couldn't cope with Stuart and Ted, with their hardened criminal tendencies, but she has grave concerns about them living with this chaotic woman. And with her husband, given he has guns in the house. The boys are mentally unstable, they shouldn't be housed around weapons."

The judge turns to Turtle. "Mr Tuttle, what provisions have you made for the weapons?"

Turtle stands. "It's true that as a cop I do have a gun, your Honour, but it's either on my person or locked away at all times. Bonnie has a replica gun which makes a loud noise to frighten intruders, but it isn't capable of firing bullets."

"They have involvement with gangs!" Mrs Fenton says, pointing at Turtle. "He's a gang leader, they're both recovering alcoholics."

Bonnie raises her eyebrows. She has to admit, the woman has done her research. But the judge shakes his head.

"Mrs Murdock has been fostering challenging young boys for over twenty years and I have dealt with one of her cases before. Her life experiences only add to her qualifications. I have reports from school saying that Stuart is a straight A student, takes an active part in the debate team, and is getting into trouble far less. Neither of the boys have been involved in any criminal activity in the year they have been living with Mrs Murdock. You don't want custody back, you merely want to block the adoption - but you abandoned your children, and your granddaughter Terry too. You have made no efforts to take parental responsibility again - you don't even want to today - so I have no hesitation in declaring Stuart and Ted Evans legally abandoned, and if Stuart wishes to be adopted that's more than appropriate."

Mrs Fenton starts to howl hysterically. Bonnie takes Stuart with the judge to sort out some paperwork. Ted stays with Turtle, staring awkwardly at his mum and her new husband. Turtle gently puts his hand on Ted's shoulder.

"Come on, let's get some air." he says. "You don't have to watch this."

"You!" Mrs Fenton follows Turtle out of the courtroom. "You get your hands off my boy! You're not his father, his father was a war hero!"

"Don't talk about my father!" Ted yells, turning around and rounding on his mother. "He would hate you for what you did to us! I hate you! I never want to see you again!"

Mr Fenton charges forward to defend his wife, and the next second he and Ted are brawling on the floor. Turtle moves quickly to separate them, as Ted gets a good couple of right hooks in.

"He hit me first!" Ted protests.

"You both need to stop." Turtle says. "Before I have to arrest you. Come on."

He hurriedly escorts Ted from the building. Ted is still fuming.

"You're not my dad." he says. "But she doesn't get to talk about him. She was horrible to him."

"I would never want to take the place of your dad." Turtle says quietly. "But it would not have gone down well if the judge had seen you do that after just reading how well you've been doing."

He casts a worried eye over Ted as the boy paces around. How long before he learns to control that temper? And will there come a time when there's nobody there to step in before then?

Across the parking lot, he sees Mr Fenton shoot them both a dark look, as the sobbing Mrs Fenton gets in their car. Maybe Bonnie is right about getting another bolt on their front door.