Haha, this is what happens when I've had no sleep...lol.

Disclaimer: I'm not going over this again…

Feedback: Is a must! (Also see warning in chappie 1)

Author's Note:

Wanted-

Position: Muse

Must be: Reliable, hard working, easily handle extreme pressure, able to deal with excessive re-writes, and must always remember that the first is usually the best.

Seriously, my muse must be some sort of flake for leaving me like this. I haven't been hit with an idea all week! So this is my pathetic attempt at writing a chapter without her… (Cringes as she remembers the Charmed epi where their muses left them…brightens when she suddenly remembers ending…) maybe it won't be too bad after all…

Chapter 7: Proceedings pt. 1

It didn't take long for Booth to track down a respectable custody lawyer, recommended by none other than Caroline Julian. After she finished up at the lab Brennan and Cassie headed over to the diner to meet with Booth and meet their new attorney.

When they first arrived at the diner they both looked around for Booth and the lawyer, finally finding them at a table near the window. Spotting them Booth waved them over and paused the conversation he had been having with the lawyer.

"Michael Warren, I'd like you to meet Dr. Temperance Brennan and her sister Cassandra Brennan," he introduced, "Bones, Cassie, this is Michael Warren he's the best custody attorney around."

"Thank you Agent Booth, but I don't know if I would say I was the best," Michael joked turning to the sisters. "It's a pleasure to meet you Dr. Brennan and you to Cassandra. I've heard a lot about you."

"It's very nice to meet you to Mr. Warren," Brennan said shaking his outstretched hand.

"You shouldn't listen to Booth; he's biased," Cassie remarked sitting down opposite the agent.

"Hey… well, alright. Maybe I am a little biased," Booth conceded nodding at the younger girl. Cassie gave him a small grin.

"May I see the summons?" Michael asked. Brennan nodded and reaching into her bag and pulling out the documents. Michael read them thoroughly as the waitress took Cassie and Tempe's orders. When she had left he looked back up, his face grim but determined.

"Well, it won't be easy. We'll definitely have to put up a good fight, but I think we stand a chance of winning," he announced to them. Brennan and Booth immediately brightened, but Cassie looked at the lawyer doubtfully.

"You think so?" Booth asked as the waitress set the food down in front of Cassie and Brennan.

"Yes. Because while they have a good argument we have the key factor in this case on our side," Michael told them confidently. Brennan looked at him suspiciously.

"What would that be?"

"Your sister," he stated calmly. "Cassie is old enough to decide for herself who she wants to live with and the judge will most likely consider her opinion more important than most of the stuff that either lawyer brings up. One phrase you will here many more times through out this trial is 'what's best for the child'; in this case the 'child' is more than capable of deciding who she wants to live with." Both Brennan and Booth thought that this made sense only Cassie seemed to pick up on something else.

"But this isn't just a custody case. It's to decide whether or not the CPS worker's took me away unlawfully."

"Can you think of any time when you were still with your mother that she hurt you in some way? Some reason that the CPS workers would have taken you away for?"

"Plenty," Cassie answered quietly. Brennan reached out and put her hand over her sister's.

"Well then, we'll use those memories to back up our case. Right now we need to focus on tomorrow's hearing. It's fairly simple…"

"All rise, court is now in session. The honorable judge Richard Wilkinson presiding," the baliff announced to the small court room. Everyone stood and waited for the judge to make his way to the bench before sitting back down.

"What's first," he asked his court clerk.

"The Brennan custody case, sir."

"Ok, is the child here today?" he asked looking out into the court room. Cassie stood slowly.

"Yes your honor," she said quietly sitting back down beside Booth quickly as she felt her mother's gaze upon her.

"Well your not exactly a child anymore are you?" he commented kindly. Cassie shook her head, the end of her ponytail hitting Booth shoulder as she clung tightly to his hand. He placed his arm around her shoulder and gave her a gentle squezze.

"And who might you be sir?" the judge asked Booth. Booth stood quickly.

"I'm FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth your honor. Dr. Brennan is my partner," he explained.

"Normally these proceeding are closed Agent Booth, but since you seem to be so important to Miss Brennan and Dr. Brennan is your partner I'll allow it," Judge Wilkinson told him. Booth nodded and sat back down beside Cassie.

"Now, today we're here to determine whether or not Miss Brennan should be placed with her mother or stay with her sister for the remainder of the trial are we not?"

"Yes your honor," both attorneys intoned.

"Alright well from the records provided it seems the Cassandra is doing very well with her sister. Why should she be removed?"

"Your honor," the opposing attorney Benjamin Lawrence began. "Mrs. Rayne has been separated from her daughter for 11 years. We believe that if she was to be placed with her for the remainder of the trial then if the outcome favors us it isn't such a big adjustment.

"Cocky," Booth heard Cassie mutter under her breath. He squeezed her shoulders once more and continued to watch the lawyers.

"That may be so, but Cassie is already living with her sister. She has friends and school and close ties already formed. Would it not be better to let her stay with her sister?" Michael argued.

"Alright, I agree with Mr. Warren. Cassandra is already with her sister and there is no evidence which suggests that she needs to be taken away from her. I rule that for the remainder of these proceedings Cassandra Brennan shall stay with her sister Temperance Brennan."

"Then your honor," Lawrence said jumping up again. "We would like to request visitation. Mrs. Rayne hasn't seen her daughter in 11 years. She wants to spend time with her and get to know her again."

"Very well, we'll address the custody issue on Friday morning of next week. Between now and then I order that Mrs. Rayne be able to visit her daughter Tuesday from three to six. Is that all?" Both lawyers began to nod when Michael was stopped by a tap on his shoulder. Turning to look at a suddenly paler Cassie she whispered something quickly in his ear.

"Your honor, Cassandra would like to request that either Agent Booth or Dr. Brennan be allowed to accompany her to the visitation. She hasn't seen her mother in 11 years as Mr. Lawrence pointed out and the last time she was beaten so severally she was in intensive care and only vaguely remembers her mother telling her she had to go with the CPS worker. She would be more comfortable if one of them could be there," Michael told him. The judge smiled sympathetically at Cassie. He hated custody cases.

"That's fine Mr. Warren. Agent Booth would you accompany Cassandra to her visitation?"

"Yes sir," Booth replied seriously.

"That's settled then. We will reconvene Friday morning at ten," he slammed his gavel and they began to get up. Cassie dared to look up at her mom for the first time. Her hair was shorter than Cassie remembered. The brunette locks were trimmed down to just below her ears. Her eyes, those piercing green, locked with Cassie's for a moment before Cassie hurried over to her sister. Temperance saw her sister watching her mother from across the room and put an arm around her. This was going to be a long week….

How was that? Not to bad I hope. It was shorter than originally planned, but then again I'm adding the Visitation chapter next, followed shortly by the actually custody hearing so I think it balances out…originally I wasn't even going to give Sara the visitation. If you also noticed her name changed from Sara Rider to Sara Rayne. No, that's not a typo, she got married. So not only is Cassie facing returning to her mother, but also to a step father and a step brother. OOO!! As always please review, the faster you do the faster you'll find out how visitation with Mommy dearest went….

-Phoenix

p.s.- when I finish this story I have an idea for a new one...this won't involve Cassie, but it does involve Brennan, Angela, and I at summer camp at the age of like 10 or 11. I had a dream about it last night and it was so good I didn't want to wake up! I was in the middle of a very emotional good bye with a younger Angela and Tempe!