Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, I just wish I did!

A/N: This is in response to the Forum's Story Starters.

The Stand In

by Kariesue

He tried to remember who had talked him into this. How he ended up sitting here, in a chair ten sizes too small, with his elbow resting in melted ice cream and a silly hat on his head. It was still a bit fuzzy.

He had planned on spending the day watching a John Wayne marathon on TV. He had walked next door to McCormick's, to see if he wanted to play a little game of one on one, before it started. He knew Julie had been called into work; too many nurses out with the flu, and too many people sick with it. McCormick had the kids, but they always loved watching Daddy and Grandpa make fools of themselves while they played basketball.

Going there had been a mistake. Matt and Sarah had practically jumped him, before he even got on the front porch. They were hopping up and down yelling, "Grandpa, Grandpa, maybe you can take us, huh, huh?" They had dragged him inside and pulled him down the hall.

He entered the kitchen and found Mark slumped in a kitchen chair with his head on the table. He was dressed in a pair of boxer shorts and a navy blue t-shirt that had seen better days. Kelly and Danielle were sitting in their high chairs, trying their best to throw their lunch into every square inch of the kitchen.

At the sound of Sarah and Matt's pleas, Mark dragged his head off the table and looked in Hardcastle's direction. To say McCormick didn't look well, was an understatement. His face was pasty white, his eyes red-rimmed and his nose almost glowing. At the sight of the judge, he gave a half-hearted smile and attempted to corral his two oldest hooligans.

"You two, stop jumping on your grandfather," he scolded weakly.

"No, it's fine," Hardcastle insisted. "But you're not fine. You look like hell?"

Sarah looked shocked, but Matt just giggled at his grandfather's language.

Hardcastle had the grace to look embarrassed. Mark didn't even notice.

"I was gonna ask if you wanted to play a little one-on-one," Hardcastle said. "But I don't really think you're up for it right now."

Mark gave him a wry look and replied, "Ya think?"

Matt and Sarah took this opportunity to make their play. Sarah looked up at the judge with her big blue eyes, using that innocent look, so like her father's, and begged, "Grandpa, you've got to take us. I've just got to go. Please!"

"Yeah, and they said I could go, too," added Matt. "It's gonna be so cool. They've got a clown and a pony and a bouncy house and a cotton candy machine and there's gonna be cake and ice cream. You like cake and ice cream, Grandpa, don't you? I know I've seen you eat it a lot and I'll bet if you ask real nice, they'll let you have a piece too."

Hardcastle didn't know how Matt said all this, without taking a single breath. But these two definitely took after their father. Matt could talk the ears off an elephant. And Sarah could finagle her way into anyone's heart with just a look. He glanced at McCormick for some clarification.

"Someone in Sarah's class is having a huge birthday party this afternoon," Mark explained. "Matt was invited, too. Julie was supposed to take them, but then she got called into work. I would have done it, but I spent the last hour kissing the toilet. There's no way anyone would want me within ten feet of his kid. I've already told them to forget it. But…" Mark shrugged his shoulders wearily.

"Grandpa, I just have to go," Sarah pleaded dramatically, putting on her saddest puppy dog eyes. "If I don't go to Madison's party, she'll never be my friend again. I got her the bestest present ever, and if I don't give it to her, then she'll be best friends with Jenna, instead of me. She can't be best friends with Jenna, Grandpa," Sarah pouted, with tears starting to form, "cause she's my best friend."

"Now that is a dilemma, isn't it?" Hardcastle sympathized. He looked over at McCormick and said, "I could take them, couldn't I?"

"Judge," Mark warned, "do you know what you're getting yourself into? These aren't thieves and killers; they're five-year-olds, Judge. They'll eat you alive."

Hardcastle had just laughed and helped McCormick get the younger girls down for a nap. After ordering Mark to get some rest, too, he had taken Sarah and Matt and headed to the party.

And here he was. Surrounded by an army of children, all jazzed up on chocolate cake and cotton candy. He looked around and quickly got to his feet. The redheaded kid was heading his way again. This particular miscreant had already kicked him three times, and if the kid did it again, Hardcastle was going to have to file some sort of restraining order against him.

At the last minute, a swinging piñata, and the kids all taking turns whacking it with a bat, distracted the kid. There you go, that's a good outlet for all that pent up energy. He walked through the crowd trying to locate Matt and Sarah. Last time he had seen them they were in the bouncy house. Not the best idea, after eating all that cake and ice cream. But who could refuse those two?

While he scanned the area for the two curly-haired urchins who had bamboozled him into coming here, he noticed a small, bespectacled boy standing in front of him, just staring. Hardcastle moved a little to his right, but the boy just kept staring. Finally, the boy shook his head and said, "You don't look like the Lone Ranger. You don't even got a cowboy hat or nothin'."

The judge just smiled and got down on the boy's level. "Now, who told you I was the Lone Ranger?"

The boy turned around and pointed, "That kid right there." His finger was pointed right at Matt, who was working on his fourth piece of cotton candy. "He said that you were the Lone Ranger and that his dad was Tonto. And that you guys round up the bad guys and send 'em to the hoosegow." He shook his head again. "Only you don't look like the Lone Ranger."

Hardcastle chuckled. He looked around like he didn't want anyone to hear, and leaned in close to the kid. "Well, I used to be the Lone Ranger, but I've kinda retired. His dad," he indicated Matt, "he kinda took over for me. His job, now, is to round up the bad guys and send 'em to the hoosegow. And I guess, sometimes, I help him."

The kid seemed to think about this for a minute and then his eyes got wide in understanding. "So, now, you're Tonto?"

I guess I am the one helping McCormick, now that he's the big time lawyer. Hardcastle laughed out loud,"Yeah, I guess I am."

The kid seemed satisfied, turned and ran off. Now if the judge could just find his two mischief-makers and get out of here. He looked at the pony droppings still clinging to his new boots, the chocolate cake stain on his pants and the juice stain complimenting the ice cream on his sleeve. He sighed as he tried to remember again who had talked him into this.

The next thing he knew, Sarah and Matt were both standing in front of him with eyes sparkling. He knelt down, ready to tell them it was time to leave, when Sarah spoke up, "Grandpa, you are the absolute bestest guy ever, in the whole wide world. I'm having so much fun here, and I almost didn't get to come on account of Dad puking all morning."

Not to be outdone, Matt piped in, "Yeah, I told Sarah you would take us, cause you love us so much, and you like spoiling us. But you know what?" he whispered conspiratorially, "We love you even bigger!"

Sarah seconded that motion by throwing her arms around the judge's neck and giving him a huge hug and a chocolate flavored kiss. "I love you, too, Grandpa!"

As he looked at his two precious gems, he remembered, Oh, yeah, I volunteered for this didn't I? What a good decision!