A/N: Thanks for continuing to read, review, and follow! I appreciate it. This chapter picks up where the last one left off. Hope you enjoy this update!

/

Marissa pulled up to the main entrance of Llanfair and put the car in park before she turned to her wife. "Okay, I will be back as soon as the hearing is over. Tell Vikki that I can't wait to see her. I would drop in now for a couple of minutes, but Greenlee and Ryan are anxious and just want to get to the courthouse."

"I'll let her know, and you know as well as I do that she'll understand." Bianca could tell her wife was a little apprehensive. "Are you okay?"

"For the most, yes. I'll just feel a helluva lot better once the adoption papers are signed and filed."

"Do you think something could still happen today to stop it?"

"I don't know. I sure hope not. Until everything is final though, anything could happen."

"Well, I think that you need to take some of your own advice, Counselor. Have some faith."

"I just don't want to let them down, B."

"You won't. I believe in you." Bianca leaned in for a quick kiss.

Marissa smiled. "Thank you. I needed that."

"You're welcome."

"Okay. I better go. You know that they're chomping at the bit."

"Yeah, I do. I can't blame them though."

"Neither can I."

"Good luck."

"Thanks. Hopefully, I'll see you soon. I love you."

"I love you too."

The couple shared another quick kiss before Bianca exited the car. She waved to Greenlee and Ryan who were in the car behind Marissa's and then walked a few short feet to the mansion's front door. Marissa waited until her wife was safely inside before she pulled back out and led the small contingent to the courthouse.

/

Bianca was escorted into the living room by the Buchanans' butler and was instantly greeted by Vikki Buchanan with a hug.

"Good morning, Bianca. It's wonderful to see you again. It has been way too long."

"Good morning, Vikki. It's good to see you again too, and you're right, it has been too long. How are you?"

"I'm very well. How are you and Marissa?"

"We're good. Rissa wanted me to tell me to you that she's looking forward to seeing you later. She would've stopped in, but she had to get to the courthouse."

"I understand. Hopefully, things will go well for your friends. I am sure they are anxious."

"They are, but they have an excellent lawyer."

Vikki laughed. "Yes, they do. How are the children?"

"Good. Although, they were a little grumpy this morning about having to go back to school."

"I'm quite familiar with that."

"How is everyone here?"

"They are doing very well. Is Erica behaving herself?"

Bianca laughed. "For the most part, I would say that she is. Has Dorian caused any problems for you lately?"

"Oh, that woman truly is the bane of my existence." Vikki sighed.

"What did she do now?"

"Let's get something to drink, and then, I will tell you all about it. I also have something I want to run by you and get your opinion on. Would you like coffee or tea or something else?"

"I'm intrigued, and I would love some tea."

/

"Mrs. Buchanan!"

Nora stopped and turned. She smiled when she saw a young African-American woman approach. Nora was surprised to see her today and wondered what brought her there. She hoped that Alicia didn't change her mind. If that was the case, Nora knew that it would absolutely crush Greenlee and Ryan. "Alicia, hello. How are you?"

"I'm okay. How are you?"

"I'm well. So, what brings you here today?"

"I was wondering if you have that list of attorneys for me."

"I do. Let's go to my office and talk." Nora continued down the hallway with Alicia following her. "I actually have a couple more names to add to it. I received them from the attorney representing the couple adopting your baby."

"Really? So, they know?" Alicia asked as she sat down.

"They do. I know the attorney very well, and she called me with some questions. The information I gave her was all public record. I didn't give her any personal information."

Alicia wasn't very surprised to hear that they knew. "I can't imagine what she thinks of me. She has to think I'm a horrible person. I'm sure she told her clients."

"I can assure you that she doesn't think that. In fact, she's probably one of the least judgmental people I know. Well, that is next to her wife."

"She's gay?"

"Well, she doesn't really like labels, but if push came to shove, she would say she is bisexual. Truthfully, she had never had a relationship with a woman until her wife. Gender didn't matter to her. She saw past it and fell in love with the person. I have to tell you that they are perfect together. Does the fact that the attorney is married to a woman bother you?" Nora hoped she hadn't said too much.

Alicia thought for a moment and then shook her head. She liked the fact that the attorney saw past gender. Alicia thought that it boded well that the couple who was adopting her daughter chose such a person to represent them. "No, it doesn't. So, they're not judging me?"

"No. They know that you have been through hell, and that this decision was extremely difficult for you. You are giving them a precious gift, and they grateful for it. The adoptive mother can't have children."

That answered Alicia's question as to why they wanted to adopt. "I'm sorry to hear that. So, she'll be an only child?"

Nora shook her head. "Actually, no. The father has a daughter and a son from previous relationships. The daughter lives with them while he shares custody of the son."

Alicia nodded as she took this information in. She was hoping her daughter wouldn't be alone. Alicia had siblings, and they had definitely been there for her during this entire ordeal. She wasn't sure what she would do without them. "What about other family?" Alicia had a fairly large extended family and was curious if that would be the same for her daughter.

Without giving away too much, Nora answered the question. "There are grandparents, aunts, uncles, and lots of cousins. Two cousins are actually right around her age."

"That's good. She'll have someone to play with." Alicia paused for a moment and then asked the other question that had been on her mind for quite some time. "Do they know that she's biracial?"

Nora nodded. "They do."

"And?"

"And it doesn't make any difference to them. They still want her. Their extended family is familiar with adoptions. There are several that have taken place within it, and all for various reasons. The one thing I can tell you is that none of them make any distinction between biological and adoptive children." Nora could see Alicia mulling over what she had told her. "I have to ask. Are you having second thoughts?"

Alicia sighed. She was even more grateful now that this couple saw past the color of person's skin. "No, I'm not, at least not now. I'll admit that I was a little last week with it being Christmas and being around my family, but then, I thought everything through again and realized I'm making the right choice for my daughter. I don't want her to ever feel unwanted, unloved, like she's something less. At this point, I don't know that I'm strong enough to give her everything that she needs, that she deserves, and she deserves everything."

"How are you really doing? You're still in therapy?"

The younger woman shrugged. "I am. Somedays are better than others. The doctor says that's to be expected. I like her, and I think she's helping. It's just hard sometimes. She's been encouraging me to try and think about my future, but I can't really, not just yet. It's just hard. I need to finish this. I need the university's administration to be held accountable for their inaction. It wasn't right, and I can't let them do what they did to me to someone else."

"That is admirable and something to be proud of."

"That's what my Mom and my doctor both say."

"Well, if you ask me, they're both right." Nora grabbed the list of attorneys that she had compiled along with the names that Marissa had given her and handed it to Alicia. "I think any one of these attorneys will be able to help you with that. They are all excellent and will fight for you."

"Thank you. I really appreciate everything that you've done for me. You believed me when no one at the university did, and you fought for me. You didn't back down from his family when a lot of other people would have. I can't tell you how much that means to me."

"You're welcome. I hope you know that I'll still be here for you, and the same goes for Bo. If you need anything, all you have to do is call either one of us, and we'll be there."

/

Ryan and Greenlee froze when they heard a knock on the door. Marissa reached out and patted Greenlee on the arm before she rose and walked to the door and opened it. The redhead released a small breath of relief when she saw Jackie holding a beautiful baby girl.

"Hi." Marissa opened the door wider and stepped aside so that Jackie could enter.

"Hi. I'm sorry it took so long. They ran into some traffic."

Greenlee gasped when she saw the baby. The picture that had been sent to Marissa did not do her justice. She was absolutely the most beautiful baby Greenlee had ever seen.

Jackie looked up and smiled at the couple. "Would you like to hold your daughter?"

"Yes … yes, I would." Greenlee carefully took the baby and cradled her in her arms as she sat down. Tears started to run down her face, and she struggled to talk. "She's … she's beautiful."

Ryan grinned from ear to ear as he knelt next to them. "Yes, she is."

Marissa discreetly wiped a tear away and then thought to pull out her cellphone to capture the moment. "Why don't we give them a couple minutes alone?"

Jackie nodded. "Yes, that's a good idea. We have some paperwork to go over."

"We'll be back." The redhead said before she followed Jackie out of the room.

Greenlee nodded, but her eyes never left her daughter's. "My daughter. Our daughter. This is real, right?"

"Yeah, it is."

The baby yawned and snuggled closer to Greenlee.

"She knows you. She knows that she's safe with you, that you will give her the world, and that you love her." Ryan kissed Greenlee's cheek.

"She's right and obviously very smart." Greenlee chuckled.

"Obviously."

"Hi, I'm your Mommy, and this is your Daddy. You've got a big sister named Emma and a big brother named Spike. They can't wait to meet you. There's a whole lot of other people that want to meet you too. You have the world's best aunts and the best uncle. Aunt Kendall and Uncle Zach, Aunt Bianca and Aunt Marissa. They will always be there for you. In fact, your Aunt Marissa was the one who helped us find you. Your Aunt Bianca is probably the strongest and bravest person I know. Your Aunt Kendall is the best friend I could ever have asked for, and I have no doubt that she'll be that for you as well. Grandpa Jack can't wait to meet you and spoil you rotten. And then, there is Erica. She is a force of nature if ever there was one. You definitely don't want her as an enemy, not that I think you'll ever have to worry about that. She's going to love you. Just don't call her grandma. She doesn't like that title, at least not yet. I think it's growing on her though thanks to your cousin Danny. Now, your Daddy and me love you so much and are so lucky to have you in our lives." Greenlee kissed her daughter's forehead.

"You are a natural at this. I knew you would be." Ryan said as he gazed at his wife and new daughter.

"Ryan's right. You really are a natural." Marissa smiled as she rejoined her friends. "Not that I'm surprised. I've seen you with Danny and Lexie, and you're great with them."

"Thank you."

"It's time. The judge is ready and waiting."

Greenlee and Ryan glanced at each other before he stood and took their daughter while she got out of the chair.

"Let's do this, Rocky."

Marissa chuckled. "Follow me, Spielberg."

/

Once they were in the courtroom, Marissa directed Ryan and Greenlee where to sit.

The bailiff called the court to order. "All rise. The court will come to order. The Honorable Jonathan Cobb presiding."

With a rap of his gavel, the judge continued. "Be seated. I see we have an adoption to finalize today."

Marissa rose. "Good morning, your honor. Marissa Tasker for Ryan and Greenlee Lavery."

"Ms. Tasker, I've not seen you here before. I would've remembered you. We redheads need to stick together." Judge Cobb smiled as his bright red hair matched Marissa's.

The lawyer smiled. "That we do, your honor. I practice in Pine Valley."

"Pine Valley. Hmmm, do you know Judge Sonya Kagan?"

"I do. In addition to being an excellent judge, she also happens to be one of my neighbors."

"It's a small world. Next time you see her, please tell her that Johnny Cobb said 'hi'."

"I will be more than happy to do so."

"Thank you. Now, let's proceed. Mrs. Henderson, are there any issues that I should know about that are not in your report?"

"No, your honor. Our investigation has shown that Ryan and Greenlee Lavery will make excellent parents for the minor child."

"Very well. Mrs. Lavery."

Greenlee, who was now holding the baby, stood. "Your honor."

"Is it your intention to adopt this child and become her mother?"

"Yes, your honor, it is. I didn't know that it was possible to love someone who you've just met so much, but I do."

Judge Cobb smiled. Adoptions were the bright spots in family court. "Mr. Lavery."

Ryan stood. "Your honor."

"Same question for you. Is it your intention to adopt this child and become her father?"

"Yes, your honor. It's a role I am more than happy to take."

"Very good. I see that we have the child's name added now to the paperwork. By the power granted to me by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I approve this adoption." The judge rapped his gavel. "Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Lavery, and congratulations to you, Briana Abigail Lavery. Please see the clerk to sign your final papers."

"Thank you, your honor!" Greenlee beamed.

The couple happily followed Marissa to where the clerk was.

"Congratulations. She is beautiful." The clerk said.

"Thank you, and I couldn't agree more." Greenlee found she couldn't stop smiling.

"I just need you and Mr. Lavery to sign where indicated."

Greenlee glanced over to Marissa. "Would you mind holding her?"

"Like you have to even ask!" Marissa happily took the baby and began to sway gently back and forth. "Welcome to the family, Briana. I'm your Aunt Marissa. You are one very lucky little girl because you have an awesome Mommy and Daddy. Oh, I can't wait to tell your Aunt Kendall that I got to hold you before she did!"

Greenlee laughed as she signed the papers. She felt as if a huge weight had been lifted now that everything was final. "Great. I'll have to deal with a pouting Kendall when we get home. I suppose I can give you that though since you kept her name a secret from everyone."

The couple had told Marissa the baby's name once they had chosen it. She needed to know it for the paperwork. Marissa had been the only one they had told however because they wanted to keep it secret until the adoption was finalized. They didn't want to risk jinxing anything. "That was tough. Those people back home really wanted to know and tried everything to get me to crack, especially Kendall."

With the papers signed, Marissa handed Briana back to Greenlee. "Okay, let's get a family picture." The redhead snapped several pictures. "I'll text these to you."

"Would you mind sending one to Kendall and Jack?" Greenlee asked.

"It would be my pleasure."

"Alright. What do you say we go home?" Ryan asked.

"I think that is a great idea. Let's get this little one home."

After Briana was dressed in her new snowsuit that Emma had picked out, they headed out to their cars. Ryan started their car to warm it up while Greenlee secured Briana in her car seat. The couple hugged and thanked Marissa again. Greenlee then climbed in the backseat next to their daughter while Ryan got back behind the wheel. Marissa waved as her friends pulled away. Today was the best example of why she had become a lawyer. With a happy sigh, the redhead walked to her car.

/

Bianca smiled as her wife entered the room and walked directly over to her. The two shared a quick kiss before the redhead turned to the older woman in the room and hugged her.

"Hi, Vikki. It's good to see you."

"Hello, Marissa. It's good to see you as well. Would you like some tea?"

"That would be lovely. Thank you."

Bianca waited until her wife had a chance to catch her breath and have some tea before she asked the question she was burning to ask. "How did everything go?"

"It went as well as I had hoped it would. Which reminds me I need to do something. I apologize in advance for texting right now, but I didn't get the chance to do this earlier." Marissa pulled out her cellphone and sent a group text to Greenlee, Ryan, Kendall, Jack, Bianca, Zach, and Erica. The text announced the adoption was final and had the picture she had taken at the courthouse marking the event attached to it.

The brunette raised an eyebrow when her cellphone alerted her that she had received a text. Seeing the grin on her wife's face, Bianca pulled up the text and laughed. She quickly showed the picture to Vikki.

"Sorry about that. I hate when people pay more attention to their cellphones than to the people they are with. Greenlee asked me to text everyone though, and like I said, this was the first chance I got to do it."

"She's beautiful, and they look so happy, especially Greenlee. You just had to tell Kendall that you got to hold her already, didn't you?" Bianca shook her head, clearly amused by her wife's text.

"Yes, I did!" Marissa grinned.

Vikki chuckled at the couple's exchange. "Bianca is right. She is absolutely adorable."

"Who is adorable?" Nora asked as she joined the women.

"Nora, you're early." Vikki said.

"I am. I finished a meeting early and decided that I didn't want to start work on something else since I wouldn't be able to finish it before lunch anyway. So, I decided to join you all here. Bianca, Marissa, it's so good to see the two of you."

After the three exchanged hugs, Nora looked at her sister-in-law. "I ask again, who is adorable?"

Bianca handed over her cellphone to the lawyer. "Greenlee and Ryan's new baby."

"You're right. She is. No problems then?"

Marissa shook her head. "Thankfully, no. The three of them are on their way home."

"I'm very happy to hear that. I had a visitor today. Alicia."

"Huh. Did she give you the impression that she was changing her mind?" Marissa asked.

"I actually asked her that very same question straight up. She said she wasn't, but she did ask a few questions. I gave a high-level description of the family, and assured her that the baby would be loved and well taken care of. That seemed to do the trick for her."

"How is she doing?" Bianca asked.

"Better. She admitted that she has good days and bad days, but she is getting help. She's in therapy, and she thinks that it does seem to be helping. She was actually stopping by to get the list of attorneys to help her take on the university."

"She's pursuing that case then? Good. That takes a lot of guts to do that. You've got to be a very strong person to take on the university." Marissa said.

"Yes, it does, and that's pretty much what I told her. She said that she doesn't want them to get away with it. She doesn't want them to do to someone else what they did to her."

"That's very brave and admirable." Bianca added.

"It is. Like Marissa said, she's very strong." Nora paused and turned to the other lawyer. "So, Marissa, what's the baby's name?"

"Yes, Rissa, what's the baby's name?" Bianca asked.

"You mean that you don't know?"

"No, I don't, Vikki. No one does besides Greenlee, Ryan, and Marissa. My wife is very good at keeping secrets."

"Lawyer/client confidentially, B. My clients asked me to keep it secret."

Bianca rolled her eyes. "Whatever. So, are you allowed to tell me yet?"

Marissa grinned. "Since we are out of town, I am, on one condition. You have to keep it to yourself until we're home. By that time, they will have told Emma, Jack, Erica, Kendall, Zach, and Spike. Vikki, Nora, I can tell you as well as long as you keep it to yourselves until later tonight."

"My lips are sealed." Nora added.

Vikki nodded. "As are mine."

Bianca looked at her wife. "You have my word."

"It's interesting. Given the conversation we just had about her birth mother and that she's going to hold the university accountable, I think this name really fits. The meaning behind the names, that is. Her first name is Briana which means 'strong, virtuous, and honorable'. Her middle is Abigail which means 'source of joy'. When she found out the meaning of the name Briana, Greenlee loved it because she felt that, in some small way, it honored her birth mother and what she's gone through and is continuing to go through. As for the meaning of her middle name, 'source of joy' pretty much sums up what Briana means to Greenlee, Ryan, and Emma."

"Briana Abigail. I like it. It is a nice tribute." Bianca smiled.

"I agree. They didn't have to do that. The fact that they did tells me that they are the perfect parents for her." Nora said.

"I believe you are right, Nora." Vikki nodded and then checked the time. "We should probably go. It's almost time for our reservations."

"On the way over, Vikki, you can tell Rissa about your idea. Personally, I love it, but I am biased. Rissa will give you her honest opinion."

"Well, you definitely have my attention. What have you got up your sleeve, Vikki?" Marissa asked as the women headed out.

/

A/N: So, what do you think of the baby's name? I'm curious to find out what you think Vikki has on her mind too. It's something that popped into my head the other night along with another idea for this story. I was in bed when that happened. Luckily, I had a pen and some paper in my nightstand so I could write it down so I didn't forget either one. See you soon!