Sorry I'm posting this so late. I realize it's been 3 years, but I really wanted to finish this story. Of the stories I've written, this is definitely my favorite. Hope you enjoy this chapter. There will be one more after this.


Callie awaits outside the court house, holding Faith's hand so tightly that no one would be able to pry them apart. Callie hasn't actually filed for custody or made any sort of statement. She is standing in front of the courthouse, waiting for a sign, an indication that she is making a mistake. Once she walks into the building, her future depends on another person's judgement. Callie is terrified that her previous actions and their consequences may cost her the most important thing in her life. So she stands, planted to the same spot for what seems to be an eternity.

Time passes, people walk by, but Callie is frozen in fear. She hears her name resonate from the right and she turns her head to notice Brandon walking in her direction. Then Callie hears her name from the left, Wyatt is there as well.

"Hi sweetie." Wyatt smiles at Faith, who reaches out her arm to touch Wyatt's face. "Hey, Cal. Are you okay?" Wyatt inquires, stroking Callie's arm.

"Give her space. She looks nervous." Brandon shoots Wyatt an annoyed look, stepping in between Wyatt and Callie.

"Was I talking to you? I'm here to support Callie." Wyatt tries to push Brandon aside, but Brandon doesn't budge.

"So am I. She needs someone to keep her calm. Your drama won't help."

Wyatt shoves Brandon with all the force that's gathered since Brandon first walked up to Callie. Brandon reciprocates the action, and Wyatt stumbles back a few feet.

"Stop! It's not a competition!" Callie is furious, trying to convince Brandon and Wyatt to calm down. "I am here to make the biggest decision of my life and you're making it about you!" Callie sets Faith down.

Brandon and Wyatt ignore Callie and the reality of the situation as they enter the beginning stages of a fight that has been brewing for years. In Callie's absence, Brandon and Wyatt shot each other angry glances. They exchanged a few unkind words, but they put off the complete confrontation until this inconvenient moment.

"Mommy!" Faith yells, tears streaming down her face.

Callie kneels beside Faith and wraps an arm around her, comforting her. With the other hand, Callie obstructs the fight from Faith's plane of view. "Don't cry. Mommy won't let anyone hurt you." When Callie notices that Faith remains upset, more tears forming in her eyes, she gathers Faith in her arms. Faith places her head on Callie's shoulder, whimpering. Callie heads in the opposite direction from where Brandon and Wyatt are still throwing punches and shoving each other. She enters the court house.

Three Months Later

Callie walks out of the court house for the last time, her daughter in her arms. A smile is permanently plastered on her face because nothing and no one would rip her daughter way from her. There is one detail that bothers Callie - Wyatt's absence. She couldn't help but think that Wyatt gave up on their relationship - gave up on her. Callie couldn't blame him and at the same time she can't accept it. Wyatt and Brandon are the only two friends that she has in this world and as selfish as it may be, she can't let either of them go.

In the court room, as Callie waited for the judge to decide her and her daughter's fate, Callie had her own decision to make. She reminisced about the moments that she spent with Brandon and the barriers that she crossed with Wyatt. Callie imagined a future with both of them in it. And as the judge spoke her final words, Callie came to the realization that life is fair where it counts the most. Everything that led up to this moment had some sort of purpose.

Walking down the steps in front of the courthouse, Callie searched for the boy - the man - who was her destiny all along. She smiles down at Faith, realizing that her decision was never difficult. It was simply never the right time to make it, until the moment when Callie's past was officially resolved. And Callie places one foot in front of the other, more quickly and more confidently with each motion, embracing her future.