The lawyer stared across his desk at the teenager sitting there, sighing. "Young man, you realize that any case I am given must be taken to a court of law, correct? I am not entitled to take any case without your knowledge of this, especially considering that you're a minor."

"I'll be seventeen in May, sir. I am fully aware of the possibilities that this case will go to court. I'm prepared to face any consequences that come with it."

"Do your parents know about this?"

"In part, sir, my parents are the reason I'm here, so… no."

The lawyer raised an eyebrow, incredulous. "Your case would be filed as a minor's, obviously, and you would have to testify."

"I know, sir. And I know it isn't quite enough to cover the payment, but-" the teen cut off for a moment, pulling a wad of bills from his pocket and held them out. "I have a little over eight hundred dollars here, and I can come up with more if need be."

"Are there any details within this case that you would like recorded, but remain unspoken of?"

"Yes, sir. At least until completely necessary."

"Alright young man, tell me what you've come here for."

The teen took a deep breath, folding his hands across his lap. "I want my brother taken away from my parents. At least until he's eighteen and can live on his own."

A stunned silence followed the request. After a moment, the lawer adjusted his glasses, pulling himself together. "Exactly how old is your brother?"

"Fourteen, sir."

"Is he aware of your request?"

"Yes, sir."

"And your parents?"

"No, sir."

The lawyer sighed, writing down the teen's words on a small notepad. "Now, this is a very serious case, young man. If you were to win this case, your brother would be required to stay in a rehabilitation center or a place of the likes, unless there's a family member willing to house him."

"Yes, sir. I've spoken with my aunt and uncle. They are not aware of the case, but they've agreed that my brother can stay with them for an indefinite amount of time. He's already been living there for six months. My uncle has multiple sclerosis."

"Well, seeing as he's a minor, he may or may not have to be adopted. It depends on the circumstances and what the judge thinks."

"I could stand for that, sir. Aunt Gilda treats Emil well."

The lawyer studies the teen's anxious expression for a moment, contemplating what he'd said, then sighed. "Alright. I'm going to take the case into consideration, son."

The blonde teen sat up straighter. "Really? Thank you, sir!"

Holding up a hand, the lawyer motioned for him to relax. "Calm down. We still have much to discuss. I personally cannot take this case, judging by what I can read into the circumstances. However, I know others who can. I'm going to warn you not to tell your friends anything about this. High schoolers will make a fuss of it. I'm going to talk to a friend of mine who has a son who's about your age. He could very well decide to take the case, and if that happens, I will be doing all I can to help."

The teen nodded fervently, standing up and grabbing his school bag. "Yes, sir. Thank you very much. My cell number is on the sheet of paper I gave you."

The lawyer stood, shaking the teen's hand and opening the door for him. "Enjoy the rest of your Friday night, son. By the way, what did you say your last name was?"

"Bondevik, sir. Lukas Bondevik."