Disclaimer: see chapter one

Bianca could barely keep the grin off her face as opening statements started. 'This ends today' she thought to herself. She looked over at David, who wagged his eyebrows and her and returned her smile.

Ryan's attorney questioned his witnesses first. Di was on the stand, talking about how she was living at Wildwind with Maria and Ryan. Kendall wanted to choke her as she talked about how loving and good Maria and Ryan where to the baby and that she couldn't imagine a better set of parents for the boy. As she talked about the blackout and Zach's roll in it, Zach squeezed Kendall's hand. 'If looks could kill, Di would drop dead right now' he thought, looking at his wife, shooting daggers at Di Henry.

Maria's photographer was next. Ryan's attorney threw softball questions at him, not really asking anything. "Mr. Montgomery, any questions for this witness?"

"Just a few." Jackson got out of his chair and walked over to the photographer.

"Sir, who told you to be at the Seasons East Casino yesterday?"

"Mrs. Lavery."

"Why?"

"She said she needed pictures of her and a guy kissing."

"And did you get that picture?"

"Yes, I did."

"And how much did you get paid for that picture?"

"25 grand."

"No further questions." Zach could barely contain his laughter at how the photographer had just sold Maria down the river without giving it much of a thought.

"You son of a bitch" she shouted at him as he walked by. The photographer smiled at her. "I got my cash, doll. Don't care about the rest of it." He left the court room whistling and Bianca laughed out loud.

Ryan's attorney sat down. "We have no more witness." The judge looked at Jackson. "Mr. Montgomery?"

"Your honor, I call Dr. David Hayward to the stand."

"OBJECTION" Ryan's attorney screamed. "He's not on the witness list."

"And neither was your paid photographer until this morning. Your honor, I just received some very pertinent information right before these proceedings started."

"Approach" the judge said, waving them over. Zach and Kendall looked at each other and over at Maria and Ryan. None of them seemed to know what was going on. Kendall looked over her shoulder at her sister, who was grinning like a mad man. "Binks?"

"Don't worry, Kendall. Your little sister has your back."

Kendall turned back around. She watched as Jackson handed paperwork to the judge and Ryan's attorney. Kendall's eyes went wide as the color seemed to drain from Ryan's attorney's face. "I'll allow the witness" the judge said, dismissing them from the bench. David sat down in the witness stand as Ryan's attorney dropped into his chair, shaking his head.

"What's going on?" Maria whispered to him.

"We're done. This is over now" he said, looking at David.

Jackson nodded at David and handed him the paperwork he had brought in earlier. "Dr. Hayward, would you care to explain to the court what that is?"

"It would be my pleasure, Jackson. On a hunch from Kendall Slater's sister, Bianca Montgomery, I performed an independent DNA test on the baby. I compared DNA from the baby, Mrs. Slater and Mr. Lavery."

"And what did you find?"

"That the baby is 100 percent Kendall's and zero percent Ryan's. Ryan is not the father of Kendall's baby." Zach could have kissed David in this moment. His eyes went wide and his mouth dropped open. Kendall whipped around and looked at Bianca.

"You took my brush!" Bianca just nodded and Kendall turned back to David.

"Dr. Hayward, are you sure about the results?"

"Yes, Jackson, absolutely. I ran the test twice myself and had a friend at another hospital run the results once, just to make sure. Everything has been documented and verified in that file. There is no way that Ryan Lavery is the father of Kendall's child."

"Do you know who the father is?"

David just shook his head. "I'm afraid I don't. The father's DNA is unknown, but I would imagine that Greg Madden would know a little something about that."

"I'm going to kill him" Kendall said, looking at Zach.

"Your honor" Jackson said, approaching the bench, "I ask that this lawsuit be dropped since Ryan Lavery has no stake in this child."

The judge looked over at Ryan's attorney. "Any objections?" Ryan's attorney shook his head. "Motion granted, Mr. Montgomery. Case dismissed." The judged banged his gavel and left, but no one really noticed. Kendall was crying as Zach held her. Zach reached out for Bianca and pulled her into the hug. Jackson was shaking David's hand and thanking him for all his help. Ryan and Maria were screaming at each other.

Zach looked over his shoulder as Maria stormed out of the courtroom, cursing Ryan as she left. He just laughed slightly and kissed Kendall's head. "What do you say we take Spike home?"

"That sounds perfect" she said. Bianca handed Zach the carrier and they all left the courtroom as one happy family.

TBC…