Hey my loves! I should be studying physics but, I'm really bad at it and no matter how hard I study I'm never going to get it. So I am here presenting you with chapter 10. There's probably one or two chapters left in our little story. So say your good-byes. Also if you want to follow me on tumblr my url is .com. You can review in my ask box. I'd love to hear from you guys!
Ch10
Derek stood outside the courthouse with his suite on. He was sweating; so nervous he could barley catch his breath. "Hey, Derek." Audrey said, placing her hands on Derek's shoulder. "Ready?" She asked. "As ready as I'll ever be." Derek sighed. "Don't stress it, I promise it's all going to be okay." Audrey consoled. "I hope so." Derek breathed.
Derek and Audrey saw a group of people heading towards them. "Look what the cat dragged in." Audrey whispered to Derek. Derek let out a small laugh before turning to Kate and her Father. "Derek." Kate and Gerard said in unison. Derek snorted and turned the other way. "This your girl friend?" Kate asked obnoxiously. Derek opened his mouth to speak but Audrey interrupted him. "Actually I'm his lawyer. Being his girl friend is just one of the perks." Audrey said snidely. Kate just stared in awe. "Come on Kate, our lawyer is inside." Gerard insisted.
"Good one." Derek smiled. "No problem. I can't stand her." Audrey stated. "So, girl friend, huh?" Derek grinned. Audrey smiled, rolled her eyes, and began to walk away. "Hey, wait up!" Derek called. Derek felt an unfamiliar hand on his shoulder. "I think you can wait." The voice informed him. Derek closed his eyes tight. He didn't want to get his hopes up only to turn around and be let down. "Derek, turn around." The voice demanded. Derek did as he was told and came face to face with his father. "Dad.", Derek breathed, "You came." Derek felt relief wash over him. There's something comforting about having your parents there. You're not a little kid anymore but sometimes you just need them.
"You're my son, Derek. How could I not? If this kid, I mean your son, means this much to you. I'm here to fight along side you." Mr. Hale stepped forward and gave Derek a hug. Derek collapsed in his father's embrace. This is the first time he's hugged his father in years. He missed the comforting embrace. The reassurance. His father. "I really missed you, dad." Derek sighed. "I missed you too, kid." Mr. Hale stated.
They started walking to the courtroom. It hit Derek; he's going to get to see Stiles for the first time in days. Derek's stomach twisted in knots and began to sweat again. He wasn't ready to face everybody. Why should I have to prove to a bunch of nobodies that I deserve to be his father? I shouldn't. Derek thought. Derek was met by two large officers who were there to escort him to his seat.
The doors opened and there was a room full of people, the judge, Kate, Gerard, their lawyers, and everyone who was there to listen. Derek looked around searching for Audrey. He found her at the desk on the right. He wasn't all that sure what that side of the room was called. It's not important anyway. Derek finally took his seat next to Audrey and took a deep breath. The judge opened his mouth to start the trial.
"We are here because you, Mr. Hale, want custody over Genim Hale. Genim. That must be his actual name. Derek thought. "Mr. Argent and Ms. Argent, you wish to have custody of your son, Genim; correct?" He asked. "Correct." The three said in together. "Kate, will you please take the stand." The judge demanded. Kate stood up and walked over to the chair that lay behind a wooden wall attached to the judge's desk.
"Kate, Genim is your son. You've kept him from his father Derek Hale for the five years he's been alive. Now that you have introduced them and they had some time to spend together you wish to have custody over him." The judge stated. "That's correct, sir." Kate responded. "Why did you keep Genim from his father for such a long time?" The judge asked. "Well, I thought Derek wouldn't make a good father for Genim. He has no job; how could he possibly pay bills and take care of a small child?" Kate asked. "Good point. Ms. Argent, you believe that you and your boyfriend, Carlos Ramirez, would make better care takers for your son?" The judge questioned. "Yes." Kate responded. "Why is that?" The judge challenged. "For one, I have a home, I have money, I have a stable life, I can afford whatever it is my son needs, and I'm his mother. I know what's best for him." She stated. "If I may?" Audrey interrupted. "Go ahead." The judge smiled at Audrey. "If you have all of those wonderful things, why did you send Genim to Derek's apartment with a note that clearly states, 'he's your problem now.'? Audrey asked. Kate looked blankly at Audrey. "Answer the question Ms. Argent." The judge demanded. "I was going away with my boy friend for the weekend." Kate replied. "So, that's why when Derek called you, you said and I quote 'My boyfriend and I took a trip. We don't know when we'll be back.' Is that what you mean by going away for the weekend?" Audrey asked putting air quotes around the weekend. "We-uh- we were looking for houses." Kate answered. "I bet." Audrey nodded her head. Judge O'Donnell, Kate Argent is not fit for taking care of this young boy. She is impulsive and only does what's best for her." Audrey stated.
"I see." Judge O'Donnell said. "Kate, you may take your seat. Derek, your turn." Derek made his way up to the stand and took his seat. "Mr. Hale, you wish to have custody over Genim Hale, is that correct?" The judge asked. "That is correct, sir." Derek answered. Derek began to stress out a little bit. The judge wasn't nice to Kate and Audrey went pretty hard on her. What about her lawyers? "Mr. Hale, how did you feel when Kate had left you with this small child unexpectedly?" O'Donnell asked. "Well, I was surprised to say the least. I had no idea why this strange kid was in my living room." Derek replied. "Now, you claim you'd make a better parent than Kate?" The judge challenged. "Oh, most definitely. Stiles, I mean, Genim had spoke to me about his mother. She is hardly ever there for him. Genim calls me his best friend and that he likes staying with me better." Derek answered. "That's not what I asked you, Mr. Hale." The judge sighed. "Sorry, yes; I would make a better parent. I do have money, I am searching for a job, I already enrolled him in school-which he's doing great in-, I can take care of him, and I can feed him and bathe him and give him anything he needs." Derek blurted. "Mhm." The judge mumbled. Kate's lawyer stood up. "May I ask Mr. Hale a few questions?" the man asked. "Of course." The judge said making a shooing hand movement. "Mr. Hale. You've only had Genim in your presence for a week, two at most; how can you be so sure that you can take care of him. How could you have created a bond so quickly?" He asked. "It's hard to believe but I honestly love this kid so much. He's my son, it just clicked. The way my father and I use to be. He was hardly around and all but he's my father and I still love him, even if I was with him for all of five minutes, I felt closer to him and I loved him even more. That's how it is with Stiles, I mean Genim. It's just a bond that can't be explained. I love him so much and I would do anything for him. Please, can I just have him back?" Derek begged. "I don't know, why don't we ask the boy himself." The lawyer stated. Derek hopped down from the stand and let Stiles take his place.
Derek couldn't bring himself to look at Stiles without feeling so guilty. "Hello, Genim." O'Donnell smiled. "Hi!" Stiles chirped. "Do you know why you're here, buddy?" He asked. "Well, mommy said we're here so you can tell us who gets to keep me." Stiles stated. "That's right. I'm going to ask you some questions if you don't mind." The judge said. "No, go ahead." Stiles grinned. "Do you know who that man over there is?" O'Donnell pointed at Derek. "Yeah, that's my best friend Derek. He's great. I miss him, though. Can I go say hello?" Stiles asked. "Just a few more questions and then you can say hello. Why do you call Derek your 'best friend'?" The judge asked. "Well, because he is." Stiles said matter-of-factly. "Do you know who your father is, Genim?" "Can you call me Stiles? I don't like that name. And no I don't know who my dad is." Stiles said.
Judge O'Donnell glanced at Derek. He gave him the you-didn't-tell-him-did-you? look. "Very well. Do you like living with Derek, Stiles?" The judge asked. "Yeah! Derek is so cool. He plays dinosaurs with me and takes me to school and he lets me sleep in his bed and he takes me to see real dinosaurs and he even buys me them! We play together all the time. I love him." Stiles bounced. Everyone looks at Derek; hopefully they are thinking about giving him back. "Stiles, you love Derek?" O'Donnell asked. "Yes very very much. I miss him can I go give him a hug now?" Stiles pleased. Stiles was fidgeting in his seat. "Alright, but you have to come right back we're not done." The judge stated.
"I will." Stiles promised.
Stiles jumped down from his chair and ran to Derek. Derek opened his arms and Stiles slammed his whole body into Derek. "Hey, buddy." Derek smiled, tearing up a bit. "Hi Derek." Stiles whispered into Derek's chest. Stiles remained in Derek's arms, face buried in his chest for a while not saying anything. Stiles just stood there in silence, taking in Derek's warmth. Derek rubbed circles his back the way he did when Stiles would have a panic attack. Stiles tried to climb up into Derek's lap. "What are you doing?" Derek laughed. "I want to sit with you Derek. Can I please stay here? Please?" Stiles begged. "You have to go back to your seat just for a bit longer and then you can come back, okay Stiles?" Derek encouraged. "We can get ice cream after all this if you want." Stiles wiped his eyes and ran off to his seat next to Judge O'Donnell. "Stiles, do you want to live with you mother?" He asked "No." Stiles said sternly. "Why is that?" O'Donnell asked. "Because mommy always leaves me. Derek is always there. Mommy always goes out with her boyfriends. She has a new one almost every month. They are never nice to me and they never play dinosaurs; I'm not even sure if they like dinosaurs. But, Derek; he's cooler than dinosaurs." Derek nearly fell out of his seat. "He finally said I was cooler than dinosaurs, they've gotta let him stay with me." He whispered to Audrey. Audrey giggled quietly and continued listening.
"Nobody is cooler than dinosaurs. Except Derek. Mommy spends all her time with those men and she never spends time with me. Do I have to live with her?" Stiles asked. The judge let Stiles said sink in. "I think I've heard enough." O'Donnell said. "Stiles, this is your choice. Who do you want to live with?" Stiles stood up and pointed at the man he calls his best friend. "Jury what do you think?" Judge asked. The jury turned to each other and began whispering. Finally, a man stood up and said, "It is unanimous we think that Stiles should remain where he is now. With Derek." Derek, Audrey, Mr. Hale, and Stiles all stood up and began cheering. "Does that mean I get to come home now?" Stiles asked. "Yeah buddy, you can come home!" Derek shouted. Stiles ran all the way back over to Derek and jumped in his arms. Derek picked Stiles up and held him close. "I'm so glad you're back Stiles." Derek cried. "Don't cry anymore Derek, I'm here." Stiles said wiping the tears from Derek's face.
"This is an outrage! How can you go by what a small, five year old child says?!" Gerard yelled. "It's what he wants. Kids know who's right for them. It looks like Derek needs Stiles more than Stiles really needs him." The judge said. "I want Kate to send all of Stiles' belongings to Derek's apartment by the end of next week.
"How's that ice cream buddy?" Derek asked. "It's really good." Stiles said with a mouthful. "Hey Stiles, do you remember when the judge asked you who your dad was and you told him you didn't know?" "Yeah, I remember." Stiles mumbled through a glob of ice cream. "Well, what if I told you that I-uh-I-I'm your dad?" Derek stuttered. "I think that'd be cool. Not only are you my best friend but you get to be my dad too!" Stiles clapped. "So you're cool with that. I'm your dad, you're not going to ask me any questions?" Derek asked. "Can I call you dad instead of Derek?" Stiles asked. "Of course you can." Derek laughed. "Good, you look like a dad anyways." Stiles stated. "Dad?" Stiles asked. "Yeah?" Derek replied. "Nothing, I just wanted to call you dad." Stiles smiled.