~@~@ Finally Ch. 15

I disclaim

~~

KNOCK KNOCK

" Coming." Chloe yelled as she raced toward the loft door, shifting through the papers in her hand. " Hold on." Tolling her eyes in annoyance, she drops the paper by on the bookshelf by the door and yanks it open, not even looking at the person on the other side." What?"

" Hello to you too." Belle gave her sister-in-law; her best smile, hoping that all her concerns were well hidden from her eyes. " Are you always this welcoming, or is this just reserved for family?"

" Sorry Belle." She stepped back and allowed the other women into the room. " It's just that today Gabriela is with my mother, and with Brady at work, I was trying to work on some news songs before I left for court, but my daughter found the music first and decided to draw a picture."

Belle's hand flew to her mouth to stop the laughter. Her niece had sure enough used a bright green crayon to color all over her mother's sheet music. " Well she's doing a great job." " What's with the black smiley face in the corner of the paper?"

The brief smile fell from Chloe's face." That's Mac, we told her the Mac was always with her and so I think she was trying to draw me a picture to let me know the same thing."  " At least that better be it, because it's the only reason she not grounded." " So what brings you by, shouldn't you be working?"

" Yeah, I was but I took some personal time." Belle dropped down onto the couch and hesitated, not sure how she much she should tell or what exactly she should say. After all it was just feeling, she didn't really know anything. " I saw Sami a few days ago." She caught Chloe's eyes, and saw the anger mingled with hatred." Okay, and that look was about what?"

" Nothing, I just…" She hopped onto the coffee table, and shook her head. " I can't figure out how Sami is related to any of you, I mean I know how genetically, but I just don't see it, she's nothing like you or Marlena, and I don't remember Eric being an evil vindictive little twerp, so every time I see her I wonder what happened to make her such a bitch."

" Yeah, I when I see her I wonder how I could ignore it for so long, I mean Geez, she tried to sell me on the black market, when I was baby." " Well, she called me after Mac's accident, she had been thinking about thing, and had a few regrets."

" A few?"

" She wanted to make up, and when I meet her I saw my nephew."

" Yeah, I've meet little Victor, he's adorable, looks just like Philip."

" Really I didn't see him for that long, Philip was picking him up, just outside the Java Café…" Belle watched her friends face tense, then frown in confusions." It was really eerie, he was standing n the same place as that kid that disappeared, and for a moment I thought I was back there before the accident happened."

Chloe meet Belle's eyes, and saw the implication. She closed her eyes, and brought Victor Kirakis Jr. imagine up in here mind, he was the right size, and had the same color hair." That was quite a coincidence wasn't it?"

" No it wasn't, I'm told that where he's always picked up." " You're thinking the same thing, I'm thinking aren't you?" "  I didn't want to think it, because of you know…what it means, but let's not keep it to ourselves, to protect feelings." Chloe nodded.

" Philip."

" Sami"

Both women eyes widened at the others response, but Chloe was the first to recover. " What do you think it was Philip?"

" Philip according to Sami Philip picks him up there everyday, after his play date, plus he used to own a black BMW, he got rid of it when the new Mercedes came out." " What about Sami?"

" Well, Sam's pretty evil, and would have had access to Austin's car."

The blonde nodded, but didn't say anything, until another thought, came to her. " You know, when you first came back to town, Sami and Philip were at each throats, the divorce paper were being filed, Sami was looking at wedding dresses, I guess she thought she and Austin could make it work, but then suddenly Philip was back and Austin was forgotten."

" What are you suggesting?"

" Well you think its Sami, and think its Philip, but what if it's both."

Chloe started to speak, but the phone cut her off, she gave a weak smile, before she grabbed the cordless nearby." Hello?" " Yeah thanks for reminding me Mom, I was just about to get ready." "No, we'll play it by ear." " Okay give her my love, love you to." She hung up the phone, and turned back to Belle." I need to get ready for court, but I'm going to look into what we were talking about."

" Okay." Belle hugged her friend, and headed for the door, turning back to give her a reproachful glance." Chloe I don't want you doing something dangerous, just tell Brady what I said, okay?"

" Of course."  

~~~

" Philip we're glad you come attend on such short notice, we know how busy you."

Philip nodded to the William Hancock; the old man hated him, but knew that he had no other choice but to be nice. " It was no problem, I am honored that you felt you could talk to me."

" Yes, well." " This accusation about your father, and the charges against your brother are causing us here on the board a lot of concern."  " Titan Stock is down, and constantly falling, companies that were once our allies are refusing our calls, we are in serious trouble." " We've asked Victor to step down temporarily, and he's agreed, he values his company too much to risk it, but we are now looking for someone to take the reigns."  William hesitated unable to believe what he was about to ask." Philip, the board feels that you would be the only one capable of handling this situation, we would like you to accept the position of CEO." " We understand that you, are also currently to keep your family together, and realize this is an imposition…"

" Nonsense, this company was started by my father, and I can't in good conscience let it fall, even if he himself is the cause." " It's my duty, and I gladly accepted it."

" Thank You, Philip, once again we know this is asking a lot of you…." William moved from around the wide oak table in the center, and reached for the younger man hands.

" Think nothing of it William, I'm just glad I could help." Philip shook the man's hand, being careful to keep the extreme joy from showing on his face. While the in his head, he carefully checked off the position of CEO, from his list, and focused on his next goal, Chloe Lane.

~~~

" ALL RISE, THE HONORABLE MICHEL HORTON PRESIDING."

" Be seated." Mickey sat down at his bench and looked out into his courtroom. He wanted to step down from this case, but his mother had talked him out of him, but he was quickly regretting that decision. Hs niece Chloe was seated at the defenses table, her face a stoic mask, while across the room Kristen sat grinning as if she already won. " We are here today, to hear testimony from one Kristen Blake DiMera, your client claims that the women lying comatose in the Salem University Hospital is legally Machiavelli Ann DiMera, and seeks her rights as next of kin, is that right?"

" Yes your honor."  The aging lawyer rose, from his seat, and cast an angry look toward the defense." We contend sir that, the defendant along with other with others is merely continuing what Henry Red Wolf started to do the day she was born, and that is to keep Machiavelli from her real family."

" Your Honor." Susan Peters stood, and granted the judge a small smile. " The plaintiff, seems to be forgetting that MACKEZIE REDWOLF, lived the first years of her life as a Red Wolf, and was doing so when she was injured, and that Mrs. Black has the victims power of attorney, as well as being her sole heir." " She had no interest in her birth father or his family."

" Of course she didn't, she was told at a young age, that her father was a psychotic madman." " Henry Red Wolf and his entire family, spent years slandering her birth father, the poor child had no choice but to hide her desire to be with her real father."

" Sir." Susan opened her briefcase, and removed a thick file folder, and handed t to the bailiff." These documents are adoptions papers, baptism records, and Mackenzie's will." " As well, as testimony form countless people, that witnessed her dislike of the family, I believe together they state quite firmly that she had no wished to be tied to this family."

" Your honor." Kristen leaned over to her attorney, and handed him a piece of paper, from under her coat." We are currently presenting the victims birth certificate, where her mother names Henry Red Wolf as her father, and DNA test that confirm her paternity." He pulls out a similar but mush smaller file folder and hands it to the bailiff." We also have a picture of an emblem that was embedded on the her days after she was born."

" Your honor we're not here to discuss, an emblem?"

" Your honor, the emblem is an important to this case." " It's an emblem given to members of the Red Wolf family, to identify their position in the as Chiefs in the Seminoles tribe, it consider and great honor, bestowed upon them by the Gods, it's considering an insult to give it to someone who isn't blood relation, and MACHAVELLI was given this emblem." "  I believe that this all proves our case, Henry Red Wolf stole Anthony DiMera child from him, and tried to raise her as his own, and accomplished it through lies, and manipulation." We're asking that Kristen be allowed take her rightful place as Machiavelli next of kin, and give her all that she's entitled to which includes half of the DiMera estate."

" Your Honor…"

"Enough." Mickey slammed down his gavel, and set his jaws." I have heard enough, we'll take an hour for lunch, so that I can to review the documents, and we'll meet again at three o'clock, for my decision." He quickly stood, and left the courtroom, leaving the occupants to their thoughts.

ONE HOUR LATER

 " ALL RISE, THE HONORABLE MICHEL HORTON PRESIDING."

" Be seated." Mickey expelled a long breath." I have read all the documents, testimony, and I have searched my law books for answers." " I know Mackenzie Red Wolf, and I've met Machiavelli Dimera, and I must say that I prefer Mackenzie, but the facts speak for themselves, and I can not allow my feelings to override the law." " 1978 Mesa vs. State, says that when a document such as a birth certificate is falsified that the it's up to the courts to restore the rights stolen from the denied parent." " Unfortunately, by falsifying her birth records Henry Red Wolf, and his wife did indeed conspire to deny Anthony DiMera his parental rights, and as his widow Mrs. DiMera has those rights bequeathed to her." " It is my judgment, that the women lying in Salem University Hospital, is legally Machiavelli Ann DiMera, the power of attorney, and will signed by Mackenzie Ann Red Wolf, is now null and void, power of attorney is here by granted to next of kin Kristen Blake DiMera." With the final sound of his gavel Mickey stood, and made his way back to his chambers, unable to see the tears of that his witnessed beginning to fall from Chloe's eyes.