Anything Could Happen
Sorry for the long wait! I had ECA, finals, and awards! Every year, I compete with my asshole of an ex for awards. (We only dated because we were the two best students in everything—excluding gym.) Every year, he beats me by one freaking award. This year, I thought we would be tied. NOPE! I got seven, and he got eight.
Bastard.
Okay, back to the chapter!
I don't know how custody battles go, but I took a wild guess. I tried to make it look like it was a fair trial, but you can be the judge of that.
WARNING: The courtroom scene might contain triggers for the former abused. Read at your own discretion. Plus, the scene with Hayden and Fabian is a bit…bloody?
Disclaimer: I don't own Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson or I Just Can't Wait to be King from the Lion King.
Chapter 11—House of Battles
A knock sounded at the door. "Come in," Patricia called as she adjusted her necklace.
Francis and Juliana poked their heads through the door. "Trixie?" Francis quietly called.
Patricia smiled. She knew it would take a long time before Francis and Juliana would call her 'mom'. So, she suggested her nickname, and it stuck.
"What's up?" She asked as the children entered the room. Francis sat at her feet, and Juliana crawled onto her lap.
"Why is Daddy mad at Mommy?" Juliana whispered.
Patricia sighed. She knew this confrontation was coming. Since Nina had been through this with Will, Patricia asked for some pointers. Nina told her to tell them the watered down version of what was going on.
"Your mommy has some issues, and your father knows you'll be safer with us," Patricia replied.
"Will we ever see her again?" Francis asked.
Patricia hesitated. "Only if you want to, but not anytime soon. You'll be okay, Francis," She quickly added after Francis's lip started to wobble.
She gathered them in her arms as tears streamed down their faces. To calm them down, Patricia did something she hadn't done in years—she sang to them.
"I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
I'll do what it takes 'Til' I touch the sky
And I'll make a wish
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget all the ones that I love
I'll take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway"
And to cheer them up, Patricia sang one of their favorite songs from their favorite movie—the Lion King.
I'm gonna be a mighty king, so enemies beware!
I've never seen a king of beasts
With quite so little hair
I'm gonna be the mane event
Like no king was before
I'm brushing up on looking down
I'm working on my roar
Patricia poked Francis's stomach when she sang the last lyric, making him laugh. She began to chase the twins around the room, singing/shouting the lyrics as they roared like little lions.
Francis, Juliana, and Patricia didn't see Eddie at the doorway. He was smiling at his wife and kids, tears forming in his eyes.
He finally had a happy family.
After leaving Francis and Juliana in Nina's care, Patricia and Eddie started their drive to Manhattan.
But they had to stop five times because Patricia had to vomit. She lied, saying she was nervous. It wasn't a complete lie; she was nervous, but she was also pregnant.
They met Leonard and Amy outside the courthouse. Her mother had an all-knowing grin on her face.
"Coffee?" Leonard offered them.
While Eddie accepted his cup greedily, Patricia glanced at Amy, scared. Pregnant women weren't supposed to drink coffee! But she couldn't very well tell them she was pregnant.
Amy thought fast, smacking Patricia's cup out of Leonard's hands. "Oops! Sorry, darling, but you're going to have to go without your caffeine fix," She said.
Patricia gratefully smiled at her mother, but it was interrupted when a red convertible roared into the parking lot.
Chloe, McMillian, and Gemma hopped out of the car, glaring at the small party. As usual, Chloe was striking. She wore a form-fitting, but traditional black dress. She walked flawlessly in her four-inch heels. Her glowing, peach skin was make-up and blemish free. Her long, brown hair was straightened and fell at her elbow.
Gemma wasn't nearly as stunning as her sister, but she was a close second. She wore a skirt, blouse, and flats (she was 6'2 and didn't need the heels, unlike her 5'10 sister did). Her wavy blonde hair was braided and flowed down her back.
"McMillian looks like a douche," Leonard observed quietly, making his wife giggle.
"Francis and Juliana?" Chloe coolly asked, walking up to them.
"As if you give a fuck," Eddie snapped back.
Chloe gasped. She put her manicured hand on his chest, pushing him back slightly. "Don't you think that kind of language is unsuitable for our children, Edison?" She taunted. "I'm going to ask again: where are Francis and Juliana?"
Eddie harshly laughed. "Did you really think I would bring them here?" He asked.
"Yeah, because Chloe's going to win!" Gemma interrupted, coming to her sister's defense. "Where are they?"
"I'm not telling you exactly where, but they're with a trusted friend," Eddie pointedly added.
Gemma rolled her eyes before she spotted Patricia. She grinned, resembling the Cheshire Cat. "Looking a little fat, Tubby! Someone needs to cut down on your rations!" She taunted, twirling a lock of blonde hair.
Patricia froze. Normal Patricia would have retaliated with a witty comeback. But now, this was pregnant and hormone crazed Patricia. She suddenly felt like crying and eating at the same time.
Eddie gritted his teeth. "Take that back, Gemma," He maintained to say without attacking the tall blonde.
Gemma was about to reply when Chloe decided to step in. "Why should she? It's true, after all! I can practically see her stomach from Pittsburgh!" Chloe tittered, throwing her head back. Her sister joined her. "I don't know how you have sex with her!" Chloe added.
Eddie smirked. "You know that isn't true. If I remember clearly, you were a mediocre lover…at the best."
Chloe and Gemma gasped in union, but Eddie wasn't done.
"And Patricia and I have amazing sex almost every night and—"
"Okay, I don't need to hear about you…deflowering my daughter!" Leonard butted in. He didn't know whether to glare at Eddie or applaud him for his good comeback. "We should really get started. The judge is inside, waiting for us."
One by one, they filed into the courthouse. Patricia grasped Eddie's hand, pulling him back.
"Eddie, there's something I have to tell you," She nervously announced.
"What is it?" Eddie asked, gently stroking her tear-streaked face.
Patricia took a deep breath. "Eddie, I'm—"
"Guys, we really have to go!" Leonard called from the doorway, gesturing them into the courtroom.
Eddie turned to Patricia, whom responded with a wobbly smile. "I'll tell you later," She whispered, pecking him quickly. "Let's go and get our children."
His father always said that a good run cleared the mind. That got Fabian onto the varsity track team in high school. He didn't consider himself a jock or an athlete, but a runner.
After he and Nina received the mind-boggling note, they went straight to the library. They searched high and low about the Guardians of Anubis, but without avail. Time was running out; soon enough, the people in the mysterious tanks would decompose into nothing but bones.
He considered going to the police, but something told him this wasn't a coincidence. He and Nina were supposed to solve this—not the NYPD or FBI.
But they had no goddamn clue! What were they supposed to guard? Jewels? Money? The Frobisher-Smythes?
Instead of locking himself into the library, Fabian decided to go on a long run. He wrote a note, explaining his whereabouts, before he took off with his iPhone and water bottle.
He was on his fifth mile when he heard someone call his name. Taking off his headphones, he glanced around. Was he going crazy? Maybe it was a figment of his imagination…
"A runner, I see!" Someone cackled behind him.
Fabian turned around just in time to see Hayden Finch emerge from his hiding spot.
"Hayden," He curtly greeted, backing up. He mentally berated himself for not bringing some type of weapon—like a bat or something.
"I got your message, Rutter. It was clever!" He admitted, chuckling. "Spending the day with my Nina? Trying to make me jealous? Cute, but cut it out."
"I wasn't trying to make you jealous or mad—I was trying to get you away from her!" Fabian exploded with anger.
"You just want her all to yourself," Hayden hissed angrily, stepping forward.
"What is this, elementary school? She isn't an object! She's an actual person."
Hayden slammed his hands against the trunk of a tree. "GODDAMNIT!" He roared. His face was red with fury. He was sweating profusely, and he wiped it away with his handkerchief. But that wasn't the weirdest thing. His light eyes were now red and glowed with power. He stumbled towards Fabian, grinning like a madman.
Fabian frantically searched for a weapon. He couldn't engage Hayden in hand-to-hand combat. But he didn't have anything to keep Hayden away. Finally, Fabian spotted a sizeable log. He picked it up and hurled it at Hayden.
Hayden neatly dodged it, chuckling darkly.
"Fuck," Fabian cursed. He continued to throw logs, even throwing his water bottle. But Hayden kept on dodging the objects, getting closer.
Suddenly, Fabian flew backwards. He was airborne for a few moments before he landed at the foot of a tree with a loud crack.
The pain was excruciating; white-hot pain seared through his entire body. Fabian groaned, touching the back of his head. When he pulled his hand back, blood was on his hand. His leg was twisted in a grotesque manner, and he could feel bruises forming on his back. He rolled over onto his stomach, wincing because that also throbbed with pain. Fabian briefly vomited before Hayden pulled him up by his hair. Black dots danced in front of his eyes.
"Still want to fight for her?" Hayden teased as he bashed Fabian's face into the tree trunk. He stopped and punched Fabian in his stomach. "Worthless!" He declared, laughing like a maniac.
Fabian doubled over in pain, but Hayden didn't stop there. Hayden continued to punch and kick him anywhere and everywhere. Soon enough, Fabian dipped in and out of consciousness as he struggled to breathe.
Suddenly, Hayden stopped.
Fabian faintly heard a rough accent, commanding Hayden to cease fighting.
Hayden obeyed, slipping away and leaving a broken and bruised Fabian in the forest.
Fabian formed one last thought before he succumbed to his injuries.
Who saved him?
The judge surveyed the evidence. "Well, Ms. Hastings," She drawled. "Unless your children are involved in an underground fight club, it's evident Mr. Sweet didn't cause their injuries."
"Eddie's lying!" Chloe whined. "Tell her, McMillian."
"Oh, okay," McMillian stood. "Eddie is lying." Then, he sat back down. "There? Better?"
Chloe rolled her eyes before standing up. "When you want something done, you've got to do it yourself," She mumbled. "Your Honor," She flashed a brilliant smile. "I love my children. I don't know why you're not grilling Eddie over there. He pays child support and has a Goth for a wife."
Patricia gasped, standing. "You little bitc—"
The gavel hit the podium twice. "Mrs. Sweet, please control yourself," The judge sternly said. "Ms. Hastings, stop making ill accusations," The judge pleaded. "Please get to a point."
Chloe sighed. "Your Honor, do you have a husband—"
"Wife," The judge interjected.
Eddie watched humorous as Chloe's coy smile disappeared. He knew she was anti-gay rights while he was pro-gay rights. They argued a lot in high school because Chloe was being a little bitch about it. She was from a conservative, hypocritical family. The apple really didn't fall far from the tree, huh?
"Well, let's say your…wife," Chloe spat, shuddering. "Your wife was pregnant. But say your sister died, and you gained custody of her twins. So, you have twins and a baby on the way. Wouldn't you feel overwhelmed?"
The judge considered this. "Continue."
"Well, I think Eddie shouldn't get the kids because his wife already has a bun in the oven—and how can he take care of twins, a needy and depressed wife with problems, and a newborn?"
"Bun in the oven? Patricia isn't pregnant…" Eddie trailed off, glancing at Patricia.
She nervously bit his lip. "Eddie, she isn't lying…"
Eddie's eyes widened. "You're really pregnant?" He asked. "There's a baby in there?" He asked, pointing to her stomach.
Patricia nodded. "I went to the doctor yesterday."
The judge pounded her gavel. She smiled slightly. "How far along are you?" She asked.
"A month and a half," Patricia mumbled.
"How does Ms. Hastings know?" The judge inquired.
"Does it really matter?" Chloe shouted, crossing her arms. "Can we please get on with the trial?"
"Of course, Ms. Hastings," Leonard smirked. "May I, Your Honor?"
The judge nodded in approval.
Leonard got up, cornering Chloe. "Ms. Hastings, you are aware that Mr. Sweet bought your daughter a teddy bear for her 10th birthday just a few months ago."
Chloe nodded. "Juliana has it in her room…I think."
"She has it in the playroom," Leonard corrected, rolling his eyes. "Did you know there's a camera?"
"A camera?" Chloe exploded.
"That's illegal!" Gemma added.
"Mr. Sweet wanted to make a video for Juliana and Francis, so they can watch themselves age when they get older. Like in those Google Chrome commercials," Leonard added. "You signed an agreement, saying it was okay. See?"
Chloe snatched the document, scanning it. Sure enough, her swirly signature was at the bottom.
"What does this have to do with the case?" The judge questioned.
"Your Honor," Leonard snapped his fingers. A TV cart was rolled in. "When he was editing the video, he discovered something…frightening. Take a look."
The video clearly showed Juliana and Francis playing in the playroom. Suddenly, a drunk Chloe stumbled into the room. She picked Francis up by his arm and pushed him into the wall.
"You look too much like your father!" Onscreen Chloe screamed, slapping Francis. Francis fell to his knees, sobbing.
"Francis!" Juliana screamed but was pushed back by Chloe.
"And you! You're a disappointment!" Chloe taunted, pushing Juliana into a table.
Juliana cried out in pain, and Francis began to cry.
Chloe threw her bottle at the wall, glass shattering everywhere. "That's all you do! WHINE AND CRY!" She began to imitate the crying children.
Leonard turned off the video after seeing some of the expressions from around the room. Even McMillian seemed disturbed.
The judge cleared her throat. She was close to crying. "Any more evidence?" She questioned as her voice cracked.
Everyone shook their heads.
Chloe bowed her head in shame. It was over.
The judge banged her gavel. "I withdraw the custody of Juliana Louise Hastings-Sweet and Francis James Hastings-Sweet from Chloe Hastings. I bestow full custody of the twins to Eddie Sweet and Patricia Williamson-Sweet. I'm reporting Ms. Hastings for child abuse charges; it's in the DA's hands now. Case closed." The judge forced a smile before slipping out the back door.
The silence was deafening. It was broken by Chloe's wail. Gemma stepped forward to comfort her sister, but Chloe pushed her away. She stomped over to Eddie and Patricia.
Eddie was thanking Leonard and Amy, but Chloe rudely interrupted with one, last dramatic speech.
"Why?" She asked Eddie. "Remember what we used to have? We can still have that, Eddie!" She pleaded, tears streaming down her face. She attempted to hug Eddie, but he pushed her away. "Please?"
"Chloe, I never want to see you again. Leave me and my family alone," Eddie coldly said. He wrapped an arm around Patricia's waist, kissing her forehead. "Goodbye, Chloe." And he was gone.
"That could've been me," Chloe stated, sniffling. "I have to get him back."
"Chloe, you just lost Francis and Juliana. They were your only liaison to Eddie. Give it a rest, sis?" Gemma rolled her eyes.
Chloe ignored her sister. She marched up to McMillian. "You were supposed to win this for me!" She hissed.
"I didn't know you were abusing them! You lied and said Eddie was abusing your children." McMillian argued. "I was abused by my father, and I think you're the most disgusting thing on the planet." And he stormed out. "I hope you rot in hell!" He shouted over his shoulder.
Chloe trembled with anger. But she maintained her cool as she grabbed her cell phone and dialed a number.
"What the hell are you doing?" Gemma asked but was silenced by Chloe's voice.
"Hi, do you have any two-bedroom apartments available in Manhattan?" Chloe asked. "Perfect. Will it be ready in time? Good. I'll be there in a month to take ownership. Bye." She ended the call and turned to face her sister, a sinister grin on her face. "Sis, what do you think about the Big Apple?"
"C, what did you do?" Gemma asked, stepping away.
"G, we're moving to Manhattan," Chloe smiled.
"But Chloe, Eddie and Patricia live there," Gemma pointed out.
"I know—I'm not giving up without a fight. I don't care if it takes the rest of my life."
The next time Fabian gained consciousness, he felt something wrapped around his head. He also heard loud voices, and they wouldn't shut up.
"Mom, is he okay?"
"I hope so. Fabian, please wake up. Mara, is he okay?"
"He took a bad beating. But he should wake up in a few. I'll go and check with another doctor."
His eyes flew open. Bright lights nearly blinded him, and he almost closed them again. But someone blocked the bright light.
"Fabian?"
"God?" He weakly replied.
The figure laughed, and Fabian finally recognized the figure.
"Nina?" He croaked.
"I'm here, Fabian," She said, reaching forward to grasp his hand. "How do you feel?"
"Like shit," He chuckled.
"Quarter for the swear jar!" Will laughed, appearing at Nina's side. Juliana and Francis also appeared on the other side, shyly smiling.
"Hey, Will!" Fabian smiled, ruffling his unruly curls. "Hey, guys," He greeted Juliana and Francis, knowing this was a hard time for them.
A serious expression overtook his young features. "Fabian, are you okay?" Will asked.
And that was when Fabian realized he was in the hospital. He groaned. "Oh, I hate hospitals. What's the damage?"
Nina frowned. "Your leg and ribs are broken. You also have a concussion and minor internal bleeding. You're bruised everywhere. Also, you have a gash on your forehead; you have twelve stitches. Who did this to you?"
Fabian glanced at Will, not wanting him to hear. Will nodded, walking out of the room. Juliana and Francis followed.
"It was Hayden," Fabian whispered. "He surrounded me on the trails."
"Hayden did all of this?" Nina asked, astonished. She stroked a dark bruise. "He must take steroids. Why did he do it?"
Fabian blushed, but it was hard to tell because of the red and purple bruises on his face. "He said some…stuff about you. Then, he snapped when I told him you weren't his property. And here we are," He weakly laughed.
"Fabian, he could have killed you!" Nina protested. "That's it; I'm calling the police and getting that asshole locked up!"
"Nina," He whispered, grabbing her hand again. He gently pulled her back, wincing when pain shot up his arm. He patted the side of his hospital bed, gesturing for her to sit down.
She paused before climbing in, making sure she wasn't hurting him. She snuggled into his side.
"Nina, I think he was possessed. His eyes were red. He wasn't acting like his civilized, dapper self," Fabian argued.
"Do you think it has to do with the Guardians of Anubis?" Nina asked.
"I don't know," Fabian truthfully asked. "But something is definitely wrong."
"No more sleuthing for you, mister," Nina playfully pushed him back. "You need to rest. I'll take care of everything."
Fabian chuckled. "Did you call my mom?"
"Yes, and she's on her way here. I'm picking her up in an hour," Nina responded.
"Thanks; you're the best," He yawned. He felt his eyelids slowly close.
"Go to sleep, Fabian. I'll still be there," She whispered. She hesitated before she leaned over to kiss his cheek. She knew she should probably move, but she was too comfortable. Plus, Fabian had absentmindedly wrapped his arm around her, trapping her.
She leaned back. Maybe a few more minutes wouldn't hurt…
"Noel!" Amber exclaimed, spotting the familiar man. He frowned and started to walk faster. Amber took longer strides and finally caught up to him. "I thought you quit!" She asked.
"I did; I just collected my last paycheck," Noel coldly responded.
Amber was confused. "Are you mad at me?"
"Mad at Jenny? No. Mad at Amber? Hell yes." Noel whirled around, throwing the newspaper at Amber. "How long were you going to string me along? Lie to me? Take another person's identity?"
"Noel, I-I wanted you to like me for me, not my money or looks. And I wanted a fresh start; I'm already an outcast. For Pete's sake, my reputation is ruined because of a stupid mistake," Amber whispered.
"I wouldn't have judged you. I don't judge anyone based on stupid reports," Noel said. He turned. "Goodbye, J—I mean, Amber."
"Eddie Jr."
"Let me think about that—no."
"Come on, it's a good name!" Eddie argued as they drove back to the Hamptons. They were discussing baby names, even though they don't know the gender.
"What if our baby is a girl?" Patricia raised an eyebrow.
"…There are a lot of girls named Eddie," Eddie argued. "Or we could make it Addie?"
Patricia was silent, biting her lip. "How about Leslie?" She suggested.
Eddie tensed when she brought up his deceased mother's name. "Maybe…" He said, tightening his grip on the steering wheel.
Patricia opened her mouth to reply when her phone beeped. She picked it up. "Oh my god…Fabian's in the hospital. Juliana and Francis are with them," She said, reading the text.
"Which hospital?" Eddie asked without hesitation.
Patricia told him the hospital, and Eddie quickly changed course.
It was silent before Patricia brought it back up. "Eddie, are you okay?"
"Leslie," He repeated. "It's perfect, but I think that should be her middle name," He smiled. "Madison Leslie Sweet."
"Or Logan Niklaus Sweet," Patricia blurted. "It's a nice boy name, right?"
Eddie smiled, kissing her hand. "It's perfect...just like you."
Peddie's baby will be a central plot in the sequel. But should the baby be a girl or a boy? Or both? GASP! I want you to vote. Should the baby be a girl or boy? Or should Patricia have twins? I'm opening a poll, so please vote! I'll probably keep the poll open until the sequel comes out.
We haven't seen the end of Chloe, but we've seen the worst of her. We're the survivors of Hurricane Chloe!
Who was sobbing when the video was playing in the courtroom? I know I was!
Okay, so something is definitely up with Hayden. Who saved Fabian? Did the person really save Fabian or sign his death certificate?
This is totally off-subject, but I was writing this in the living room. I was thinking about the judge. There are too many male judges, so I had her female. I originally had the court scene different, but I added a bit comical relief when I added in that the judge was a lesbian. I seriously asked my dad, "Have you seen a lesbian judge before?" But this also helped to show how much of a bitch Chloe is.
I had fun writing the Patricia/Juliana/Francis scene in the beginning. I don't know if Patricia (Jade) can really sing, but I thought it would be a nice touch.
Summary for the next chapter: After eavesdropping on Victor, Vera, Alan, and an unknown voice, they learn what they are after. Sibuna has to find the objects before Victor and his gang.
I would like to hear your thoughts about the chapter (and the next chapter) in your reviews.
By the way, the sequel's title is Only You. Like Cosmic Love and You've Got the Love, most of the titles are primarily from one artist. This story's artist will be Ellie Goulding.