AN: Hey everyone! NO, I DID NOT FORGET OR TAKE MY SWEET TIME! Our internet was way messed up for a while, and hell, I was really angry about that, but now it's back, but I can't really complain. Anyway, this chapter's not very long, but it does deal with the custody proceedings, and the kiss with Ross, some, and, what that secret was Bret told Phoebe at the picnic. If you don't get it, everything will be reiterated. Anyway, I hope you guys can forgive me for taking so long, I just couldn't control it. Here ya go!

Leo sighed deeply and straightened his tie as he gazed at himself in the mirror. He never would have thought in a million years that his daughter's well-being would be placed in the hands of judge. It was a blow to the head, honestly. It was so hard for him to wrap his head around that one. It was a weird totally foreign concept, like being a woman. This was his daughter, for heaven's sake. Nobody understood what it took to be a parent. Nobody understood the sacrifices, and the providing and the sheltering. And then, one day to have to let go. He wasn't sure what to call it. Like, the Circle of Life or something. Lion King was a damn good movie. Emma liked it.

"Honey?"

He turned to see Piper standing in the doorway. She wore a black pinstriped skirt and blazer, a white blouse showing underneath. She wore black pumps and her hair was pulled up in a pretty updo, allowing a few strands to frame her face. Elegant, sophisticated and professional. She looked solemn, a reflection of his mood. "Yeah?" he answered meekly.

"Emma and I were going to head out to the car." She was gnawing on her lip, betraying the calm demeanor she tried to put on. "If you need a few more minutes…"

Leo shook his head. "Nah. I'm coming." He ran a quick hand down his torso, swiping it over the black suit he wore. "What do you think?"

Piper smiled, but only a little. "You look like a man ready for a challenge."

"Really?" his voice was one of fake surprise. "Because I sure as hell don't feel like one."

Her smile faded. "Okay." She turned away and left the room.

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It was tiny courthouse, in the next town over, Versailles. It was made up of brown brick with old looking windows. Leo knew it was a fairly old building, as far as buildings went, a decade though, he couldn't place. Probably the early nineteen hundreds though. Leo sighed and both Emma and Piper gave him curious looks. Leo sighed and pulled his friend's car into a parking space. He sighed again, but neither of his passengers bothered to look at him. Oh God, this was something he couldn't forgive Amy for. He could for give her for cheating on him—actually, he already had—he could even have forgiven her for walking out on them, if she had come and said that she'd left because she was scared, or because she wasn't ready for the responsibility. But this, trying to take Emma away from him, he couldn't forgive her for this. He was so far beyond mad or angry. He was positively numb. Numb was a good way to describe it. Like, all his feeling had been revoked. Just worse.

Wordlessly, the three of them climbed out of the car and walked up to the courthouse.

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Piper sighed heavily as they entered the courtroom. This was the saddest thing she'd ever been though. She couldn't imagine what it was like for Leo. This was putting a strain on so many things. Their relationships, finances, emotions, everything. She couldn't imagine it getting any worse. Seriously. This was… There were no words to describe this. It hurt. Like hell. It hurt worse than that time she and Leo had been playing fort and she'd slammed both her knee and her head. And that had been pretty friggin' painful. But this hurt a billion times worse, like her heart was going to shatter in a thousand little bits. Maybe it would. She watched Leo let the warden take the child into the judge's chamber to draw. The warden looked friendly enough, with dark chocolate skin and friendly brown eyes. He smiled down at Emma and tweaked her cheek, causing the little girl to giggle.

Leo smiled weakly and took his place at the defendant's table. Or at least that was what he figured. He wasn't sure that was what it was called in a custody battle. Plaintiffs and defendants? Maybe. Whatever. It didn't matter. All that mattered was when or if he would get Emma back. Piper took a seat beside him and patted his leg comfortingly. She offered him a funny, fake smile and turned away, as if facing him meant facing her pain. Maybe it did. Frankly, at the moment, he didn't care.

Piper sighed as the door swung open and in walked The Bitch. She wore a forest green pantsuit that complemented her hair. She also wore a cream colored blazer with a matching Marc Jacobs bag. Well, The Bitch knew her colors. Green complemented her. Great, so she would look good while legally whooping them. Nice. She wore large dark sunglasses, all Hamptons-woman-returning-from-rehab chic. Her husband-to-be, Harland, was the All-American guy she bashed into running away from the hospital. He had excellently highlighted blonde hair and blue eyes, with a football player build. He followed behind her holding a briefcase. Obviously he was not only playing new hubby, but Mr. Lawyer as well. Piper's eyes widened. Oh God, they were Holly Homemaker and Big Corporate Hubby. Except she doubted that Amy could make a meal.

Piper's eyes got even wider as she watched people start to flood into the room, and take a seat behind them. There were all kinds of people from town. Phoebe, Bret, Kerry, Baby Joey…And oh God, Mrs. Shultz. What on earth were all those people doing? Leo glanced behind him and his eyes widened as well. "What the hell…" And then he trailed off as they waved to him. Oh goodness, they were here to support them. All of a sudden, a very pregnant woman walked in trailing one, two, three… Oh God, seven kids behind her and one in her arm. She had curly blond hair and pretty green eyes. It was Haley Baton. When she spoke she had a caring southern accent, like a Texas native.

"We just heard." She said bouncing the youngest on her arm. "You know, we came to support you. We'd hate to see your baby go to that horrid little she-devil." She smiled gently. "Oh, meet the kids." She bounced the on her arm again. "This is Robert Jr., Bobby for short, Katie, Madeline, Cynthia, Greg, Morgan, Hank, and Markus." She smiled. "Well, we'll be here for you." Haley smiled sweetly and she and her eight kids made to the row of seats behind them. Grudgingly, Leo felt his sprits lift. He was keeping Emma, damn it and nothing, nothing, nothing, would stop him. Piper and Leo looked up as the judge entered the room and read through the case description. She was severe-looking, but with an honest, kind looking mouth and soft blonde hair pulled back in a bun.

"Hello, I'm Judge Dean. I'll be handling the case today." She gave a perfunctory smile and shifted in her seat. "Let's get started shall we? Mrs. Wyatt, could we hear from you first?"

Amy rose. "It's Ms. Quinn, your honor, until I marry my fiancée, Mr. Freeman." The judge didn't respond, just fixed her with a look, so Amy barreled on. "Well, your honor, I've been finding myself. Childbirth was an excruciating experience, and it left me feeling emotionally hollow." She took a deep—fake—shuddering breath and Piper quirked an eyebrow. Bitch much? "I left, seeking to repair myself before returning to my beautiful child and husband. But as I continued on my quest to be whole, I found that I was falling in love with someone else. And I would like to get full custody of my child, seeing as though, Mr. Wyatt is a horridly unfit parent."

Piper was pissed. She thought of all the horrible ways to do Amy in, but then felt her cheeks flush and knew she had to calm down. "Ms. Quinn," Judge Dean said, "What makes yo think—considering the child has been in his care for six years—that Mr. Wyatt is an unfit parent?"

Amy took a deep breath. "Mr. Wyatt has lost both his house and his job—"

"Your Honor." Leo interrupted. "She's right, but I've also gotten a new, higher paying job and a new place of residency."

Amy stared at him, her mouth agape. "What?" Apparently, she didn't know this. "You've gotta be shitting me!" Well, goodbye Ms. Eloquence.

Leo smiled kindly. "No, Amy, I believe in rectifying a situation that could be potentially damaging to my daughter or me."

Amy just kept staring, then quickly scooped up her jaw. "Well, your honor—"

Just then, two or three different banging noises and Ross burst into the room. "Stop!" he shouted, panting heavily, "Stop! I can be a character witness!" Instead of stopping the charade, the judge watched on in thinly veiled interest. "This woman," he said, pointing at Amy, "is a ho bag!" Dramatic gasps rose from the crowd of people on Leo's side. "She cheated with me, on Leo, which is why they split up! Which should tell you what kind of person, and role model she is! I kissed Piper over there, but being the good person and good role model she is, she pushed me away!" Tension was boiling at an all-time high. Leo was all-around angry, at Ross for bringing up the past, which he tried to bury and forget, at himself for not telling Piper the reason he and Amy split up, angry at Piper for not telling him about the kiss and angry with Amy for starting the whole mess in the first place. Piper was surprised at everything. Talk about your dirty laundry.

Ross stood, hunched over, knees bent, still panting from his screaming. The judge finally snapped to attention. "Mr.… You, please, sit down. I have to ask about the current situations of the mother and father. What you've said as been duly noted, and will be taken into consideration." And so the hearing continued, without much corruption except when Piper went a little nuts, but that was quietly, and she calmed down quickly. Much later, the judge sighed. "All right. We'll take a ten minute recess, in which I will deliberate." She stood and went to her chambers.

AN: Okay, I think my next story—considering this story only has three chapters left (can you believe it?)—will be around the Burning of Troy. I'm so totally obsessed with the movie Troy—and Brad Pitt—I've decided to write a story in that time. I've been way obsessed with it since we studied it in school, anyway, so this ought to make me feel pretty gosh darn good. I don't know if you guys care or not, but I've just finished my first whole book! Oh my God, I cannot believe it! I'm working on the second draft now, so I'm gonna try to get it published. Another thing—don't hate me—is that I've been thinking about writing a PiperCole. Hear me out. Like, I cant describe this weird, annoyed feeling I get thinking about Phoebe—admit it, sometimes she annoys ya'll too—but I absolutely LOVED Cole, and I dunno, it seems like Piper would be a good match for him. Uh, her second-best. I've been trying to think of a natural way for their relationship to happen—affair, nope, been done—and I've got some ideas. It also seems like there's hardly any quality PiperCole out there, and I want to see if I can write it just to do it. I understand I good deal of you read my fics because they're PiperLeo, so I would never stop writing PL to write PC, the two would go on simultaneously, so you PL lovers out there can keep reading. So my question is this, if I did write the PiperCole, would you read it? I mean, I totally understand if you wouldn't, but maybe, you would? I know, it's asking a lot of you PL addicts, but please, if I do write it, gimmie a chance! I'm begging you! I would never have Piper or Leo cheating on each other, or anything like that, because that's way unrealistic, but I do have an idea. Anyway, please let me know if you would read it because I need to know.

Let me know about the new Burning of Troy fic, and the prospect of the PiperCole. Oh, as always, please review.

Gemini