Chapter 8:

"His honor is ready." The guard said coming into the hall.

Nick took a deep breath and ran a hand down the buttons on his jacket. Katie took his hand as they walked back into the court room. He looked at Katie and returned her small smile, with one of his own. Katie took her seat in the row behind Nick and watched as the judge entered.

Judge Reiner took his seat as Nick and Todd remained standing. "I've taken time to review the case." He had worked with Nick on other cases and knew he was a nice guy. As soon as Katie saw the look he gave Nick, it was all over. "When it comes to the custody of Katie Austin, I hereby award Nick Stokes." Nick let out a light sigh as half the weight was lifted. "In regards to the custody of April Coby, I hereby award Todd Coby."

"How can you do that? It's not right. She won't survive." Katie said standing up and yelling.

Nick knew that her yelling was only going to get her in trouble. "Katie stop. It's not helping any." He said, throwing his arms around her.

"How can you let him take her? You know he's just going to hurt her." She cried.

Nick knew there was nothing he could do as he watched Todd walk out of the court, smiling. "Come on." He said.

"No." She said. "I told you from the beginning, I go where she goes."

"I'm not letting you go back to him." He said sternly.

"I don't care what you want. I'm going to protect her." She said storming out of the court.

Nick drove home and parked his car. In the past two weeks he had changed, and anyone could tell you. He went from a ladies man and not having a care in the world, to becoming an outstanding father. He was told he was a father without any notice or preparation. Just bam, you're a father. In the past two weeks his whole life and priorities had been turned upside down. Those two girls needed him as much as he needed them. He looked in at April's room. Her bed all made up, her toys neatly put away. He looked down and saw Aura, her favorite doll. He picked it up gently and walked to Katie's room. The place she called her own, the only place she ever had that belonged to only her. He collapsed on the bed and began to cry. He had just lost his entire life.

Katie and April had been back for a week and nothing had changed. Katie was still being hit and April was still being neglected. "I miss daddy." April said as she sat at the kitchen table. She refused to color or play since she left Nick. She would just sit there and stare out the window or find an interesting spot on the floor to concentrate on.

"I do too." Katie said. April wasn't the only one who lost interest in things. Katie had been so involved with April and trying to make her happy that she stopped eating. She would make food for April but then she would remember how she and Nick would cook or do the dishes together and she would loose her appetite.

"Why can't we go see him?" She asked.

"We're not allowed to. He'll get in trouble." She answered. Todd had gotten a restraining order against Nick preventing him from seeing the girls. April sunk in her seat. "I'll fix us some dinner ok? Why don't you go upstairs and play?" She knew she probably wouldn't but it was worth a try anyway. Todd was once again passed out on the couch and so she didn't have to watch April constantly, making sure he didn't touch her.

"Ok." She said going slowly to her room. As soon as she heard the door close upstairs Katie ran into the bathroom. She slid along the wall to the floor, her body shaking in sobs. She wanted to live with Nick, but there was no way she could leave April behind.

Twenty minutes later Katie stepped out of the bathroom to find Todd still unconscious. She went back to the kitchen and began to make dinner.

Nick walked down the police station hallway. He had wrapped up another case, but to him it didn't matter. He found himself spending more and more time at the lab working on cases or trying to get a new case started. "Daddy." Nick stopped in his tracks, turning to the all too familiar sound.

April ran to him hugging onto his leg. He saw the officer approaching him, seeming to be with her. He prayed to God that Todd hadn't caused anymore trouble. "What are you doing here sweetie?" He said squatting down to her level.

"Mr. Stokes, she has to come with me." The officer said.

"I came to see you daddy." She said with a smile on her face.

"Where's Katie?"

"She's at home. She doesn't know I came." She said lowering her head.

One question popped into his head, how did she get here? "Sir I have to take her." The officer said again.

"No. I want to stay with my daddy." She said taking Nicks hand.

"I think you should go with him." Nick said.

"You don't want me?" April said her eyes as big as her whole face, beginning to drip tears.

Nick picked her up, "It's not that sweetie. I'll come with you ok?" He said trying to prevent the tears. April nodded her head as she rubbed her eye. "You tired?" He asked, following the officer receiving another nod.

By the time they reached Brass's office Nick had been filled in with what the officer knew. He sat April down in a chair. His phone began to ring. "I'll just be out there ok?" He said to April. She was to exhausted by now and simply nodded, rubbing her eye again. He walked out the door and picked up the phone. "Stokes."

"Dad, I can't find April, she's missing."

"It's ok, she's here at the station." He said part of him feeling happy to hear her voice again.

"The station? I'll be right there." She said hanging up and speeding off.

When she reached the station she was directed to Det. Brass's office. She walked in and saw Nick, April, and Brass sitting and talking. "April you know you're not allowed to leave without me knowing."

"You said I couldn't go." She yelled back.

"Katie, I need to talk to you." Nick said leading her outside.

"I don't know what happened. I'm usually so careful with her. I was cooking dinner and I went up to her rom to get her and she wasn't there. I didn't even hear the door close." She said running a hand through her hair.

"It's not your fault."

"Yes it is, I'm the only parent she has." She said.

It stung Nick to hear this but he knew what she meant. "She was found wandering by Park Blvd." He said. Park Blvd. was one of the busiest streets in Vegas. "Some guy saw her about to cross into the street and held her back. When no one came looking for her he called the cops. I was here on a case and we ran into each other. She said she was coming to see me."

"She knows she's not allowed, but I can see why she wanted to come to you. Everything's going down hill." She said starting to cry. "She's become this vegetable. She won't play or color, nothing seems to make her happy these days."

Nick pulled her in for a hug and let her cry it out, not knowing what to say. Katie's stomach growled and she hoped it wasn't to loud. "Hungry?" Nick said joking about it.

"No, just upset." She half lied.

Nick knew what he had to do. "Why don't you take April home." He said.

She nodded and was sad not knowing when she would see Nick again.

Nick pulled up to Mimi's Diner just off the strip. He walked in and spotted Stephanie serving tables. She put the plates down in front of the customers before looking to the door, seeing Nick. She smiled at the table and as she turned to leave one of the guys gave her a tap on the butt. She held her breath but kept walking. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"We need to talk."

"Is she in trouble again."

"Not in the sense your talking about." Nick followed her to the counter and took a seat. "April almost walked across Park Blvd. today." He said. No matter how much she tried she couldn't mask the fright in her eyes. "Some stranger found her and stopped her. He called the cops after waiting half an hour for a parent to show up looking for her."

"And where was Katie?" She said bitterly.

"Making dinner and watching out for Todd." He said. "She's seventeen Steph, she doesn't need to be a mom right now."

"She needs to help out." Nick looked at her, even she knew he was right. "What do you want me to do? You want Katie you can take her, but the court gave custody of April to Todd."

"You and I both know that April needs a better home. Todd can't even take care of himself and you're working all the time, so who would look after her if I took Katie."

"I have to work. Without work we have no money." She said.

"You choose your life, they didn't."

"My parents choose my life. You think I wanted to leave you behind? They made me leave."

"Then be better than them. Let April have a better life if it's out there for her."

"You already tried to gain custody and lost."

"If you let me adopt her they'll have no problem. And you can visit anytime you want, I wouldn't stop you." He said, his eyes pleading with hers. "She almost died today Steph. One more step and she would have been run over."

Steph looked away knowing he was right. April had been conceived one night when Todd was on a drunken rampage, and in all honesty she didn't know how much longer she would even last. "Ok." She said. "She can live with you."

Nick was beaming. "Are you sure?"

"You and I both know that you can provide better for her. And truthfully they seemed to be happier with you anyway." She said sadly, even though she knew she was doing the right thing.

"Can I ask you one thing?" She nodded. "Why did you treat Katie different?"

"Because she reminded me of leaving you." She said a tear shedding.

Nick looked into her eyes and placed a hand on top of hers. "Thank you." He said quietly giving her a hug. "And I meant what I said, you can visit anytime."

"Just go." She said. He didn't say another word, just gave one look back at her and left to his car.