A/N: Yay, I got a lot of reviews! Reviews make me happy. And I am so glad you were all glad that Lucky had a chance to redeem himself. I think I have a tentative title for the first sequel to this story: Keeping it Together While Falling Apart. My only concern is that it may be too long. Let me know what you all think.
middiegurl08- I hate Allen. He is a big big jerk. I agree, he would testify against Jason on the show. That man is out of control!
luvthemorgans- I don't even know what to say to you sometimes, lol. So, I am going to kindly thank you for the review, tell you to watch those water bottles, and give you a big smile.
kaleymc- AJ does need to die. He's a poo-head. Glad you agree!
jenny- I am so glad you like it! Keep reading and reviewing!
emmalee05- I love Dr. Winters. I dunno why, but she has become, like, my favorite character. So don't be suprised if you see a Justus/Lanie story from me sometime soon, lol.
SuzieQ8487- It wasn't too much work to "stick out" the chapters as you put it. I loved the story, you know that. I meant what I said, it was great from start to finish.
anon14- I love being evil! I feel so powerful whenever I am. Mwah-haha!
journeyfan01- I love the cliffhangers, that I do!
LoLogirl28- Everyone liked the gossip meter thing. I'm glad. I like when people think I'm funny, and so does my ego.
Jennifer- That is so sweet of you to say. I personally judge a story by how many times I can reread it, and for you to say that you think mine is rereadable is a huge compliment.
mg- I know, I know. I'm such a mean person to leave it at that. But cliffhangers tend to generate more reviews, and I am a shallow, reviewing loving writer, lol.
ImJustKidding89- I'm glad you liked it. But wow, everyone was really pissed off about that cliff hanger, lol.
britchic- I love court-based cliffhangers, lol. And I am definitely not sick of the football. I actually went to a football game today, but American football. It was just a highschool game, but one of my best friends is on the team, even though he didn't get to play. And we were actually winning, but then me and my other friend showed up, and we're jinxed, so we lost. Oops, lol. And you're right about that time zone thing. It's weird. I was thinking of going to an out of state college, but I would be in a different time zone and even though it was just one zone over, it was really weird. Wow, that was a long thanks, but I had a lot to say, lol.
sexyt- Glad you were able to catch up on the chapters, and thank you so much for taking the time to review them all instead of just skipping to the last. I'm glad you're still in to it!
Pureevil230- Jason is an awesome father. They really need to give him a kid on the show already, because he is just so damn sexy with a baby in his arms.
Starlet- I love him too, and I hate when Lucky's the jackass in the story too. But I needed to write him that way, as much as I hated it. I was writing that part when during the suragacy storyline when he was still being a controlling ass though, so that affected it. But he's all sweet and perfect again, so I redeemed him!
DaniBabez- I love answering questions, don't worry, and don't ever feel hesitant about asking any, even ones you think are stupid. I only know about this stuff from asking other people. To answer your question, an OC is an original character. So Paula is an OC because she's not actually on the show, I formed her in my own little head. I hope that answers your question! And as for your other question, there are 21 chapters in the story. Plus, there's the sequel.
Chapter 15- The Verdict
"…The State of New York hereby grants full custody to Paula Richards, the biological mother of the child in question. This court is dismissed" said the judge as he banged his gavel and walked away.
"No! No, this isn't happening!" cried Courtney as she looked back and forth between Jason and her lawyers. "Someone please tell me that this isn't happening!"
Jason just sat there stoically, staring straight ahead and not saying anything. Carly and Sonny looked nervously at their friends, watching Courtney freak out and Jason just sit there.
"DAMMIT!" he finally yelled, banging his fist down on the table with such force that the whole thing shook and almost buckled.
"Looks like you proved us all right today anger boy" goaded Taggert as he walked by, motioning to Jason's fist which remained on the table.
Courtney put one hand on Jason's arm as a reminder that Taggert was a cop and he couldn't attack him.
"Look, we can file an appeal, but I doubt that the verdict is going to be any different" said Justus with a forlorn sigh.
"How can this be happening?" asked Courtney with a lost puppy look in her eyes. "We are the best parents for Meg. Paula probably doesn't know anything about her own daughter!"
"I know that this is hard, but there's nothing we can do" said Carly sadly, the tears creeping to her eyes.
Since Meg had come into their lives, Carly had been on cloud nine. She loved having a little niece to spoil, go shopping with, and be girly with. It didn't even matter that Meg was still just a baby. Carly loved that little girl, and Meg loved her aunt.
"So what are we supposed to do?" asked Courtney as Jason remained standing there, his jaw set and saying nothing.
"You are supposed to say goodbye" said Sonny softly as he looked at his feet.
"He's right" said Jason, breaking his silence again.
"So what, we are just supposed to give up on our daughter?" snapped Courtney.
"We aren't giving up. But we're saying goodbye for now. We need to see her one more time. We need to make sure she's ok, and that Paula knows what she's doing" said Jason.
"I don't think I can say goodbye" said Courtney as she began to cry.
Jason hugged her close, burying his face in his hair. He looked over her shoulder to see Paula finishing up the legal documents and thanking her lawyer. Releasing Courtney, he ran over to her.
"Please, just give us a chance to say goodbye to our daughter. Let us just say goodbye" Jason begged her, the emotion apparent in his eyes.
"The court didn't rule that you two had visitation rights. And she's not your daughter" said Paula snidely.
"We're asking you out of the kindness of your heart. Do it for Meg. She needs to see us. She needs a chance for us to explain" said Courtney as she joined Jason.
"She's just a baby. She doesn't understand anything that's going on anyway, let alone an explanation" scoffed Paula.
"She understands a hell of a lot more than you think. She understands that she is being separated from the only true parents she has ever had. The two people who love her, and will always care for her. The two people who she loves and misses too" growled Jason.
"Well than I'm not going to confuse her by bringing you two around. I'll just explain to her that she's back with her real mommy" sneered Paula as she looked at Courtney with disgust.
"She deserves a chance to say goodbye to us" said Jason, his eyes cold and angry as he stared at her.
"Fine, meet me in the park at 4:00 today. I'll give you two fifteen minutes of supervised visitation, but after this, that's it" said Paula.
"We have fifteen minutes with our daughter and then we are just expected to never see her again. This isn't fair Jason" cried Courtney as the two sat in the park, waiting for Paula.
"I know" he said, taking her in his arms and wishing that he could comfort her in some way.
"Alright, we're here, make it quick" said Paula indifferently as she handed a squirming Meg to Jason.
"Hey Meg" said Jason as he tried to blink back the happy tears that invaded his eyes when he was holding her in his arms again.
"We missed you so much" said Courtney as she kissed the little baby on the head.
"Ma, Da!" screeched the little girl, her happiness apparent in the big grin she wore.
Still in Jason's arms, she reached out one hand for Courtney who eagerly took her little hand in hers. Meg grabbed onto Courtney's finger tightly and tried to hold on to them both at the same time. For the next ten minutes, the happy family just played like old times again. One helped Meg down the slide while the other sat at the bottom 'catching her' and watching as she giggled with delight. Courtney sat on the swing with Meg in her lap and Jason pushed them, Jason made her 'fly' like Supergirl, and everything else. It was all perfect until Paula looked up from the magazine she was reading and said "five minutes".
It was time for goodbye, something that Courtney and Jason weren't sure if they were prepared to handle.
"Meg, mommy and I need to talk to you" said Jason somberly as he and Courtney sat down on the bench with Meg on both of their laps facing them.
Meg was immediately able to sense the change in mood and her happy smiles and giggle immediately died away.
"Da?" she questioned.
"Meg, you're going to go live with a new mommy, and daddy and I aren't going to be there" said Courtney as she attempted to smile through her tears for Meg's sake.
"Ma?" she questioned, looking back and forth between the two.
"That woman, she's your real mommy, and she's going to take care of you" continued Courtney.
"So we need to say goodbye Meggie. We love you so much, but we can't take care of you anymore" said Jason.
Paula looked over from her magazine and rolled her eyes. As if her daughter knew what goodbye even meant. She watched them for a few moments, the guilt almost entering her, but she quickly brushed it off. That little girl had made her life miserable, what did she care about her happiness? As long as she got the money that the Quatermaine brat was paying her, than she was perfectly content. When she had enough, Paula got up and walked over to Courtney and Jason.
"Time's up" she snapped.
"Please, just a few more minutes" Courtney begged.
"Sorry Blondie, but some of us have places to be" she sneered.
"Don't you dare talk to my wife that way" Jason growled.
"Oh stuff it mob boy. Or what was it that the officer called you? Right, angerboy. See, you don't deserve to have a baby in your custody and care"
"And you do?" scoffed Courtney. "You dumped your baby in a diner. She could have died if no one found her"
"Temporary lapse of judgment" jeered Paula. "Now, we need to go now" she said as she roughly grabbed Meg from their arms.
Meg immediately began to cry. Her face was scrunched up and was bright red as she screamed bloody murder, begging for Courtney and Jason. It was like she knew that it was goodbye for good. Jason and Courtney's hearts were breaking with each yelp she let out, and they were certain that she was going to make herself sick. But there was nothing that they could do now, and it killed the both of them.
"You sleeping?" asked Jason.
"Nope" said Courtney with a sigh as the two lied in bed that night.
"I just can't fall asleep when I don't know where Meg is" started Jason "I don't know if she was fed, and bathed, and put in a clean diaper and…"
"…if she has a warm place to sleep, and her favorite blanket, and a goodnight kiss. Yeah, I know the feeling" said Courtney as she finished Jason's sentence. "How could this have happened? How could that terrible woman be awarded custody over us?"
"Because, she doesn't have a criminal husband" said Jason in a small voice.
"Jason…" said Courtney, her voice comforting as she turned on her side so that she could put one hand on his face, cupping his cheek.
"I think I know how to get Meg back" said Jason.
"How!" asked Courtney excitedly.
"You divorce me" said Jason meagerly.
"WHAT? No way in hell!" cried Courtney.
"Come on, it may be the only way. If we're divorced by the time of the appeal then you won't be linked to a criminal husband anymore. You heard all of the testimonies in court today. All the good was for you and all the bad was for me. The courts don't see me fit as a parent, but you're the ideal one" he told her, even though it hurt to say the words.
"There is no way that I would ever divorce you" she said in a strong voice. "You are my husband, and I love you. I wouldn't be able to bear it if I couldn't call myself your wife anymore. I couldn't last a minute away from you. When I was kidnapped, and I was away from you, all I could think about was how much I missed you. How much I hoped you were ok. I won't divorce you, and I can't. Not even for Meg"
"It's our best option right now. We could both take care of her. And you would both be safer. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have been kidnapped" said Jason bitterly.
"Are you kidding me" she said as she tilted his head upward so that he was looking into her eyes. "I am Sonny's sister. I'm a target no matter what. Besides, we've been through this before. In the way beginning, remember? I vaguely recall my idiot brother trying to keep us apart for that same illegitimate reason that you just spouted. So if you wanna get rid of me, you are going to have to come up with some new material"
"Courtney, maybe Sonny was right. Maybe I've done nothing but ruin your life. You've been shot at, kidnapped, attacked, held at gunpoint…"
But he was silenced by Courtney putting two fingers over his lips.
"I don't need a list of the reasons why you're bad for me. Because no matter what, the list of reasons why you're perfect for me will always be longer, and it will always be more meaningful. I don't care about the bad. I didn't lose Meg because of you. If we did it your way, I'd still be a single mother fighting a single mother with a genetic claim. I wouldn't win. So stop blaming yourself for everything bad that has happened in my life. Everything happens for a reason. And as much as it sucks sometimes, we need to believe that there is a good cause for it. We need to believe that it will all work out in the end. Maybe we weren't meant to be Meg's parents, as hard as it is to accept. Maybe we need to just hold on to what's important that we still have in our lives. Like each other" she said as she finally removed her fingers from his lips and gently kissed him.
"I love you so much" he mumbled into her hair as he rested his chin on her shoulder.
"I love you so much too" she responded. "But please stop doubting yourself and beating yourself up. Because that's my husband you're talking about. And he's the greatest guy a girl will ever meet, and I don't appreciate you badmouthing him that way" she teased.
"I'll try my hardest ma'am" said Jason with a tip of his head towards her.
Courtney laughed a little as Jason bent his heads towards her and kissed her, savoring the feel of her lips.
"We should get some sleep" said Jason when they finally broke away.
"Yeah" Courtney said in a voice hardly above a whisper.
They both lied down again. Jason was on his back while Courtney snuggled up next to him, her head on his chest. Both were silent as the two thought of Meg.
"Jason, I miss her" whispered Courtney as she began to cry.
"I know, I miss her too" whispered back Jason as their tears mingled.
A/N: Alright, everyone get all of your death threats and 'I hate yous' out of the way right now. Is it out? Good, now leave a review. Yes, I know, it was mean. But I torture the two of them, you all know that! Just keep reading, I've still got stuff up my sleeves.