Note: After re-watching the pilot, I started wondering what would have happened if Lux had been granted emancipation at her hearing. She'd already met Baze and Cate because she needed their signatures and they both seemed interested in getting to know her better. Lux obviously always wanted to know them. I still think a relationship would have developed, but it would be very different. There wouldn't be any home visit or evaluation because Cate and Baze wouldn't actually be Lux's guardians. Some of the fights they'd had in the show wouldn't happen anymore. Let me know if you guys like this idea and I should ocntinue with it. Also feel free to let me know if you have any ideas about what should happen or things you'd like to see =)

Lux shifted uncomfortably. This was the single most important day of her life. Today a judge would determine whether Lux would be granted emancipation or stuck in foster care for another two years.

Lux honestly didn't know if she could stand two more years in the foster care system. The hearing had to go well. It just had to.

"I see you turn sixteen tomorrow," the judge said, glancing down at Lux Cassidy's file.

"Yes, and I'll be able to be emancipated. I can get my GED. Get a job," Lux said hopefully.

"Is this your case worker here?" The judge nodded toward Lux's social worker, Jan.

"Yes," Jan replied. "I haven't been with Lux long. She tends to change hands a lot."

The judge flipped through Lux's file, frowning. "Yes, I see that. You've been in seven different foster homes." She fixed Lux with a harsh stare.

"That's not really my fault," Lux said defensively.

"Whose fault is it?" The judge asked curiously.

"I wanted a good home. The State of Oregon just hasn't provided me with one," Lux said.

The judge's frown deepened.

"I've been placed in homes with foster parents had drug problems, alcoholics and worse," Lux added desperately, sensing the judge was unconvinced.

Lux saw a flicker of sympathy on the judge's face. "You have no permanent place of residence as of today?"

"As soon as I'm emancipated, there's a studio not far from my school," Lux said quickly.

"How will you be able to afford an apartment?" The judge asked skeptically.

"I have three thousand dollars in the bank," Lux said, smiling confidently.

The judge sighed. "Who is going to co-sign your rental agreement?"

Lux made a face. "I won't need anyone to co-sign. That's the point of getting emancipated."

"No landlord is going to rent to a minor." The judge shook her head sadly.

"I'll co-sign, your honor!" Cate interrupted loudly.

Baze offered as well.

Lux turned around, surprised they had shown up for her hearing. She was touched they were willing to help her.

Baze and Cate began bickering about who would co-sign. The argument escalated and soon the entire courtroom was watching them argue.

Lux looked on helplessly. On second thought, maybe it would have been better if they hadn't come. She wondered if this scene would effect the judge's decision.

"Who are these people?" The judge demanded.

Lux's smile faded. "They're…my birth parents."

The judge looked up, interested. "And you're both willing to help Lux?"

"Yes," Cate and Baze said in unison.

The judge turned to Jan. "What are Lux's other options?"

"There really are no other options," Jan admitted. "If you don't grant Lux emancipation, she will return to Sunnyvale Home for Girls."

The judge thought for a moment. There really weren't any good options in a case like this. Although she doubted if Lux was ready to be on her own at sixteen, she knew the harsh reality of the foster care system.

Lux wouldn't be adopted at her age and group homes were not ideal. At least Lux's birth parents were willing to help her. That was unusual.

"I'm granting you emancipation," the judge announced.

Lux almost couldn't believe her ears. It took her a moment to digest what the judge had said. As it sunk in, Lux smiled slowly. She exhaled, releasing the breath she'd been holding. "Thank you."

The judge continued speaking, but Lux tuned her out. She didn't need to hear any more.

Lux realized that the crowded courtroom was slowly emptying as people dispersed. She moved toward the door.

"Lux!" Cate called out to her.

Lux stopped in her tracks and looked at Cate curiously.

Cate smiled nervously. "Congratulations."

Lux returned the smile. "Thanks. And, uh, thanks for coming."

"Of course." Cate shifted uncomfortably. "Do you, uh, have anywhere to stay tonight?"

Lux's eyes widened in shock.

"Because you can stay at my house," Cate said quickly. "You know, if you need somewhere to stay until you move into your apartment."

"Or mine," Baze offered eagerly.

Cate glared at Baze.

"What? You got to give her a ride yesterday," Baze said.

Lux was supposed to move into Bug's apartment that night, but she was tempted to take Cate up on her offer. She wanted to get to know Cate better. She'd wanted to know Cate her whole life, Lux thought ruefully.

Cate and Baze watched Lux anxiously.

Lux looked at Cate. "Well, if you're sure…"

Cate nodded. "I am."

Lux turned to Baze. "Do you mind if I stay at Cate's? It's just, I've already seen your apartment."

Baze's face fell, but he said, "Of course not. Why would I mind?"

Lux fell into step beside Cate, walking toward the parking lot.

"You can stop by any time!" Baze called out a reminder hastily.

Lux looked over her shoulder and smiled slightly.

"If you want to hang out. Watch YouTube videos," Baze said hopefully.

Lux's smile widened and she inclined her head, indicating that she'd stop by sometime.

Baze returned the smile.

Cate kept darting nervous glances at Lux as she drove her silver Toyota Prius toward her house.

"Are you sure about this?" Cate asked.

"About staying at your house?" Lux asked. "I can stay at Baze's if you changed your mind."

"No," Cate said quickly. "About getting emancipated."

"Haven't we done this already?" Lux rolled her eyes.

Cate nodded sadly, remembering their conversation the previous morning when she'd dropped Lux off at the Social Services office.

Cate parked her car in front of her house.

She turned her key in the lock and the held front door open for Lux. "This is it. It's not much. It's a one bedroom."

Lux looked around interestedly.

"You can sleep on the couch," Cate said.

Lux's stomach growled audibly. Cate glanced at the clock and realized it was 8:00 pm. Lux must be starving. "Are you hungry?"

Lux blushed slightly. "Yeah."

Cate showed Lux the kitchen and rummaged through her refrigerator while Lux sat down at the kitchen table.

Cate frowned when she saw that all she had was beer and leftovers. She couldn't cook. At least not well.

"I need to go to the grocery store. We'll go out to eat," Cate decided.

Lux followed Cate back to the car.

"Where do you want to go?" Cate asked as she turned the key in the ignition.

"I don't care," Lux replied.

"What kind of food do you like?" Cate wondered.

"I like everything," Lux lied, not wanting to be any trouble.

Cate frowned. She finally decided on a bar and grill that had some of every kind of food.

"How many?" The hostess asked when they entered the restaurant.

"Two," Cate replied.

The hostess showed them to a booth and gave them both menus.

Cate didn't bother to look at her menu. She watched Lux skim the menu. She couldn't believe her daughter was sitting in front of her.

Lux noticed Cate was staring at her and shifted uncomfortably.

Cate tore her gaze from Lux and pretended to be interested in her menu. "What are you getting?"

"The Veggie burger," Lux replied. "You?"

"Are you a vegetarian?" Cate asked curiously.

"Yeah," Lux replied.

Lux looked at Cate expectantly.

When Cate didn't say anything, Lux repeated her question. "What are you getting?"

"Uh." Cate had barely looked at the menu. She glanced down and said the first thing she saw, "The chop salad."

The waitress took their orders.

They sat in awkward silence for a few minutes while they waited for their food. Neither really knew what to say.

"How was school?" Cate asked, trying to break the silence.

"I didn't go," Lux replied.

Cate stared at Lux.

"I had the hearing," Lux reminded Cate. "How was work?"

"Good," Cate replied.

"I listened to the show," Lux said. She smiled. "I still can't believe you're with Ryan. I love you guys! You're so perfect together!"

"If he doesn't ask for the ring back," Cate said, glancing at the beautiful diamond engagement ring on her finger.

Lux frowned. "Because of me?"

"No!" Cate said quickly. "It's just, he didn't even know I had a daughter."

Lux's frown deepened.

"Which is my fault, not yours," Cate added, trying to meet Lux's gaze.

The waitress appeared with a tray. "The chop salad?"

"That's mine," Cate said.

The waitress set the plate down in front of Cate and then served Lux's Veggie burger. "Can I get you anything else?"

"No, thanks," Cate replied.

Cate picked at her salad. She wasn't really hungry. She was more interested in Lux.

Lux devoured her burger hungrily. She hadn't eaten lunch. She'd been too nervous about the hearing to eat.

She wiped her mouth with her napkin and noticed Cate staring at her again. Her face reddened. She was embarrassed that she'd eaten so much.

Cate looked away quickly when Lux gave her an odd look.

"Was your burger good?" Cate asked conversationally.

"Yeah," Lux replied. "Was your salad good?"

Cate nodded.

Their waitress appeared. "Do you guys want to see a dessert menu?"

"No," Case said without thinking. Then she remembered Lux was there. Kids liked dessert, right? "Unless…do you want dessert?"

"I'm good," Lux said.

"Are you sure?" Cate asked anxiously. "Because you can have dessert if you want."

"It's OK, Cate. I'm good," Lux said.

"OK. I'll be right back with the check," the waitress said.

When the waitress brought the check, Cate reached for it immediately. Cate pulled her wallet out and put her credit card inside.

Lux fidgeted with her napkin. She didn't know if she should offer to pay or not. She wasn't used to people buying her things. "Uh, how much do I owe you?" She finally asked awkwardly.

Cate looked up, surprised. "I'm buying."

"Thanks," Lux mumbled.

They drove back to Cate's house. Cate made the couch up with a blanket and pillow.

"I'm gonna go to bed," Lux said as she stifled a yawn. She hadn't slept well the night before. She'd been too nervous about her hearing.

Cate frowned when Lux lay down in her street clothes. "Do you have anything else?"

Lux gave Cate an odd look.

"You know, like pajamas?" Cate asked.

"Oh," Lux said. "No. All my stuff is at my foster parents' house."

"We can go get it," Cate offered.

"That's OK. It's all the way across town," Lux said.

"We'll go get your stuff," Cate said firmly.

Lux gave Cate directions to her foster parents' house.

"It's this one," Lux said, nodding at a run-down house in a bad part of town. "You don't have to come in."

Lux hopped out of the car. She used her key to open the front door.

Cate hesitated. She turned off her car, making sure to lock it and set the alarm, before following in Lux's footsteps.

"I knew you'd be back." Mrs. Foster, Lux's foster mom, smirked.

"I'm not back," Lux said emphatically. "I'm just-"

"What happened? You didn't get emancipated? Well, too bad. The State's not paying me enough to deal with you," Mrs. Foster said. She was slurring slightly, which wasn't unusual. She stumbled over the word emancipated.

"Funny. The State's not paying me at all and I still have to deal with you and your pervert son!" Lux retorted.

Mrs. Foster glared at Lux. "Get your stuff and get the hell out."

"That's what I'm trying to do!" Lux said. She moved toward the stairs to retrieve her stuff from the upstairs bedroom, but Mrs. Foster blocked her. Lux could smell the alcohol on her breath.

Mrs. Foster shoved Lux backward. "Where do you think you're going?"

Lux made a face. "To get my stuff! Don't touch me!"

Mrs. Foster laughed drunkenly.

"What?" Lux asked.

Mrs. Foster nodded toward Lux's stuff, which was already packed, sitting by the door. She noticed Cate standing in the doorway.

"Who the hell are you?" Mrs. Foster demanded, advancing toward Cate.

"Cate!" Lux said, surprised to see Cate standing there. She'd thought Cate was in the car. She replayed the scene in her head and her cheeks burned in embarrassment. She hadn't wanted Cate to see any of that.

Mrs. Foster paused in between Lux and Cate, leaning against the wall for support. "You know her?"

"Yeah, she's my birth mom," Lux said.

She grabbed her stuff and headed toward the door, wanting to get out of there as fast as she possibly could.

"Not so fast," Mrs. Foster slurred, grabbing Lux's arm hard enough to leave a bruise.

"Hey! Get your hands off her!" Cate cried out.

"Cate! It's OK. Just go wait in the car," Lux said.

Cate shook her head. "No."

Lux sighed. She turned to Mrs. Foster. "What? I thought you wanted me to leave."

"You think I'm pretty stupid, don't you?" Mrs. Foster demanded.

Lux smirked. "Do you really want me to answer that?"

Mrs. Foster fixed Lux with an icy glare. "You think I'm gonna let you leave with a key so you can come back and rob me blind?"

Lux rolled her eyes. "Like I'd really want any of your cheap crap." She handed Mrs. Foster her house key.

Lux grabbed Cate's arm and pulled her out the door hastily.

They got in the car, but Cate didn't start driving. She just sat there in shock.

"Cate?" Lux said, staring at Cate.

Cate turned to face Lux, but she still looked completely shell-shocked.

"Are you gonna drive?" Lux said gently.

Cate bit her lip. "That was your foster mom?"

Lux nodded.

"She was horrible," Cate said quietly.

Lux smiled slightly. "No argument here."

"She shoved you," Cate said, appalled.

"She's not the first," Lux said.

Cate stared at Lux, her eyes widening in a mixture of shock and horror.

"Why do you think I wanted to get emancipated?" Lux said. "Foster care blows."

Tears stung Cate's eyes. She swallowed. "I'm sorry. I should have…I don't know…checked on you or something."

Lux met Cate's gaze. "You couldn't have known."

"I should have been there for you," Cate muttered.

"You were there for me.

Cate looked doubtful.

"On the radio. It was the one thing I could always count on," Lux said. She broke into a smile.

Cate returned the smile. She took a deep breath before she started driving.

Lux fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. She was exhausted.