"Thank you Alice" Holloway grinned smugly and went back to the table where Rick and Heather were also grinning widely. "No further questions."
"Order, order." The judge banged her gavel as Roz's half of the courtroom was in chaos. In a few moments everyone had calmed down somewhat, though it was obvious by the tears on her face and the devastated look that Roz was shattered.
Frasier took her in his arms for support, looking at Alice in surprise, wondering what could have possessed the child to answer that way. Suddenly an idea struck and he turned to whisper something in Laura's ear.
"It's worth a try," Laura murmured in agreement as she stood and went up to the stand to question a confused Alice, who wasn't quite sure what was going on.
"Hi Alice, my name's Laura. Is it ok if I ask you a couple questions now?" Laura squatted so she was at eye level with the child.
"Ok, but I don't want to make my mommy cry this time." Alice's lower lip was trembling. Seeing her daughter like that enabled Roz to sit up and wipe her eyes, trying to look strong even though she felt like her world had just ended.
"Don't worry, you just answer the questions honestly and everyone will be fine" Laura reassured the child.
"You talked with your father over there this morning before court didn't you?"
"Objection!" Holloway leapt to his feet.
"Overruled" the judge said strongly leaving no room for argument.
"Yeah, a little bit." Alice nodded in agreement.
"What did you talk about?" Laura asked again.
The judge silenced Holloway with a stern look before he could even object, Rick put his head between his hands as he prepared for the response.
"Oh lots of things." Alice got excited, "he said he was gonna buy me a new pony, a new barbie dreamhouse, my favorite candy everyday, and anything I ever wanted if I'd come stay with him for a little while."
"A little while?" Laura repeated.
"Yeah, that if I said to everyone I wanted to stay wif him he would buy me all these things and then let me go back to mommy's whenever I wanted to."
"You tried to bribe your own daughter, how could you?" Roz leapt up and charged over to the table to confront Rick.
Surprisingly the judge did not bang her gavel and Roz continued.
"Look, I wasn't trying to bribe her." Rick gulped as Heather took his arm in support.
"What would you call it then." Roz snarled, by this time Daphne had picked up Alice and quietly carried her from the room while Frasier had come over to stand beside Roz in case he needed to prevent her from killing Rick.
"I had to do something, I knew you would win and I don't want to have to start over with a new baby."
"What did you say?" Roz's tone was icy.
"Look, Heather and I just don't want to have another kid and deal with that whole messy diaper and bottle thing." Rick began to explain as Heather bobbed her head in agreement.
"And that whole icky pregnancy thing too, how gross." Heather chimed in while chewing her bubble gum.
"That's it! That's why you wanted to take my child from me, of all the low, inexcusable motives. I at least thought you loved her." Roz was practically glowering by this point. Everyone else, including the judge was merely a spectator now. "I went through the pregnancy, the stretch marks, the diaper changes, and the 3am feedings." Roz was shouting in his face.
"Yeah, but we figured you would be glad to get rid of her and get back to sleeping with half of Seattle." Rick started getting angry and rose also.
"You figured wrong," Roz snarled again, "If you want a baby without the complications then you adopt, as simple as that."
"Adopt, why adopt when we can get my own child away from it's Mother." Rick smirked.
"Not as easy as you thought is it?" Roz grinned victoriously.
"OK, so this time I may lose, but I won't stop. It won't take me long to prove to everyone that you are no more than a cheap slut who has no right raising a child because it cramps your lifestyle of having cheap one night stands with any guy who crosses your path. Admit it, you're no more than a cheap whore...." Rick would have continued his tirade but found his oxygen supply suddenly being restricted by a strong hand on his collar that drug him across the table and face to face with a very angry Frasier Crane.
"I think you need to watch your mouth." Frasier said menacingly as he was practically nose to nose with the slightly perspiring Rick. The judge had still not banged the gavel, it was becoming fairly obvious that this case was about to settle itself.
"Let me go you pompous arrogant snob. You're all bark and no bite. And just because she lets you share her bed you think it's love. Hah she's just using you to keep her kid. Once this is over she'll go back to being the town doorknob. You know everyone gets a turn." Rick laughed, not believing Frasier would do anything to him.
He was soon proved wrong as before he knew what hit him he was flying through the air and ended up lying on the floor at the foot of the judges bench with blood streaming down his face.
"You broke my nose." Rick stammered in disbelief while covering his face with his hands trying to stop the flow.
Frasier calmly approached Rick, obviously working hard to control his temper. "Now apologize to the lady."
Roz along with the rest of the courtroom were in absolute shock. No one could believe that Frasier was capable of such action, to get angry yes, but no one was prepared for him to punch. Gil had fainted again, and Niles looked a little woozy also at the sight of blood on Rick's face. Martin was grinning widely, pleased that his son was showing some action for a change. And Roz couldn't help feeling a strong pang of appreciation that he was standing up for her. If she had any doubts of his love they were now erased as she watched him defend her honor.
"You'll pay for that." An enraged Rick leapt up and charged at Frasier, a bailiff began to approach but the judge discreetly motioned for him to stay back.
Frasier easily stepped to the side and caught Rick in midrush, flipping him over onto the floor on his back with a loud thud.
"I asked you to apologize." Frasier said again, standing over the groaning Rick.
"Ok, ok.. sorry." Rick said weakly as he rose to his feet.
"That's better than nothing." Frasier turned away the gasping man and went back towards Roz. "Why are you crying?"
"I just never had anyone stand up for me like that." Roz said gratefully as she hugged him.
"Hey, what about me?" Rick said painfully looking at those around him. "Richard Louis Garrett, I can't believe you'd talk to her like that." His mother stood from her seat scolding him. "Son, you told us you wanted Alice because you loved her, I'm not sure whether I'm more disappointed with your laziness or your lying to us." His father agreed as he took his wife's hand and they began to leave the courtroom. "But... But..." Rick turned looking for support, finding none as everyone seemed to find the floor very fascinating at the moment.
"Any further motions." The judge finally said with a hint of dryness to her voice.
"Yes your honor, I'd like to move that this case be dismissed." Holloway sighed.
"I agree your honor." Laura smiled.
"Case dismissed and court is adjourned." The judge smiled slightly and banged her gavel.
"Wait.. wait I want to charge this man with assault." Rick pointed at Frasier.
"Assault? It looked like self-defense to me." The judge smiled. "Mr. Garrett, I advise that you let things go now before I hold you in contempt of court. You tried to bribe a child, you lied to her and to those around you. I think it is obvious who the unfit parent is here." She said sternly as she rose to exit the courtroom. And I hope you two continue to be very happy together she smiled at Frasier and Roz as she exited. The courtroom erupted into warm congratulations as soon as she had left while Rick and Heather slipped out a side door in defeat and embarrassment.
"Celebration party at our place!" Frasier yelled over the din
before escorting Roz out the door as they went to find Alice and Daphne
so everyone could head home.