The day of the hearing has arrived. David and Dorian are seated in the font of the court room with Evangeline. Spencer is seated across from them with , John Gullnas, his lawyer. Blair, Kelly, and Adriana are sitting on David and Dorian's side of the court room and Ginger is seated on Spencer's side. They are waiting for the judge.
Dorian: (To herself) I can't believe I left Dylan with Kevin and Todd.
David: What did you say Gorgeous?
Dorian: Nothing. Where is the judge?
Evangeline: Relax, she'll be here any minute.
David: (taking Dorian's hands) I know your nervous, so am I. We just have to say calm, stay focused, and be here be for each other. (He gives her a kiss)
Dorian: (She gets up and sits on his lap, resting her head on his shoulder) I know darling. I just wish we could have seen her when we went to the hospital the other day.
David: Judge's orders. None of us are aloud to see her until the hearing is over. (he glares over at Spencer who is staring at him with that cocky smile)
Spencer: (To himself) Oh little brother, I always get what I want.
The bailiff enters.
Bailiff: All rise, this court is now in session, the honorable Judge Hathaway presiding.
Everyone rises as the judge enters.
Judge Hathaway: Be seated.
Bailiff: This is the case of Spencer Truman vs. Dorian Lord and David Vickers.
Judge Hathaway: Mr. Vickers, Ms. Lord and Dr. Truman are the child's biological parents so why are you involved?
Evangeline: (standing) Mr. Vickers is listed as on Desiree's birth certificate as her father, therefore he is legally her father.
Judge Hathaway: Ah, thank you Miss Williamson. There are quite obviously some unusual circumstances involved in today's hearing. All of the parties involved have equal rights and after listening to all of he facts I will decide what I think is in the best interest of the child. Miss Williamson proceed.
Evangeline: Thank you your honor. I call Kelly Cramer to the stand as a character witness.
Kelly Takes the stand.
Evangeline: Ms. Cramer, Dorian Lord is your aunt, correct?
Kelly: Yes.
Evangeline: Is it true that for most of your life your mother was unable to care for you?
Kelly: Yes.
Evangeline: Would you say that your aunt was someone who took care of you, helped you with your problems?
Kelly: She looked after me, yes.
Evangeline: From your own experiences will please you tell us what kind of parental figure your aunt is?
Kelly: Dorian, she is very passionate about protecting her girls. She always has our best interests at heart, even if we don't realize it. (Dorian and Kelly start to get teary) She would do anything to protect us. Any child would be lucky to have her for a mom.
Evangeline: Ms. Cramer, you have known Mr. Vickers for about a decade now?
Kelly: Roughly.
Evangeline: Would you say that he is someone that is there for you when you need him, someone who cares and wants to help.
Kelly: David has matured so much in the time that I have know him. He has been there for my whole family. (David Smiles) I honestly don't what we would do without him.
Evangeline: You and your fiancé are, obviously, expecting a child soon.
Kelly: (Rubbing her belly) About a week.
Evangeline: Am I correct in saying that you have a medical condition that makes it nearly impossible for you to carry a child to term?
Kelly: Yes, it's called Thrombofillia.
Evangeline: Uh-huh, so then how are you pregnant right now?
Kelly: I had procedure done to allow me to safely carry a child.
Evangeline: Who performed this procedure?
Kelly: Spencer did. Very eagerly I might add.
Evangeline: Thank you Miss Cramer. (Evangeline takes her seat)
John: (Gets up to question Kelly) Ms. Cramer isn't it true that at one point in time Mr. Vickers made some unwanted advances on you.
Kelly: (confused) Yes, I suppose.
John: What did you do when he made these advances?
Kelly: (embarrassed) I hit him over the head with a lamp. (quickly) But it wasn't his fault. I asked him to be my first, (David squirms uneasily in his chair as all eyes are on him) but by the time he agreed to the idea I had changed my mind. It wasn't his fault.
John: Did you trust Dr. Truman to perform the procedure?
Kelly: Yes.
John: No further questions.
Judge Hathaway: You may step down.
Kelly goes back to her seat.
Evangeline: I call Adriana Cramer to the stand as a character witness.
Adriana takes the stand.
Evangeline: Ms. Cramer, what is your relation to Dorian Lord?
Adriana: She is my mother.
Evangeline: In your opinion would you say that Ms. Lord is a good mother?
Adriana: (Looks at Dorian) Yes.
Evangeline: Why?
Adriana: She cares fiercely about me, about our whole family. She's like a mother cub protecting her young. She loves us and we love her.
Evangeline: Mr. Vickers has lived with you and your mother for several years now, correct?
Adriana: Yes.
Evangeline: Has Mr. Vickers been a father figure to you?
Adriana: Very much so.
Evangeline: He has helped you with your problems, guided you, done things that a good father would do?
Adriana: Yes
Evangeline: (looking at John) No further questions.
John: (Rising) Ms. Cramer, isn't it true that you didn't learn that Dorian Lord was your mother until a few years ago?
Adriana: I've only known my mother for a few years, yes.
John: uh-huh, so are you saying that your mother gave you up as a child?
Adriana: (Dorian and Adriana lock eyes and then she looks back to John) She did what she had to do to keep me safe, and that just happened to be giving me up for adoption.
John: (upset that his plan backfired) No further questions your honor. (he returns to his seat)
Judge Hathaway: Ms. Cramer you may step down.
Adriana returns to her seat.
Evangeline: I call Dr. Paige Miller to the stand as a character witness.
Paige enters the courtroom and takes the stand.
Evangeline: Dr. Miller you were married to Dr. Truman, correct?
Paige: Yes, years ago.
Evangeline: Would you say that he was a good husband?
Paige: (exchanging glances with Spencer) No.
Evangeline: Why?
Paige: (hesitantly while looking at Spencer) Uh…he…uh
Evangeline: (stepping in front of Paige to block her view of Spencer) (Worried) Dr. Miller why was Dr. Truman a bad husband?
Paige: (regaining her composure) He liked to play mind games with me. He would mess with me so much that my only escape was to drink until I could forget. He would verbally abuse me. He mad me feel inferior, like I had no rights, like I was his puppet. He… (she starts to cry)
Evangeline: Thank you Dr. Miller. So would you say that he would make a good father?
Paige: Never.
Evangeline: (smiling at John as she walks back to he seat) Your witness.
John (standing) No further questions. (he sits back down)
Judge Hathaway: You may step down.
Paige exits the court room.
Evangeline: I call David Vickers to the stand.
David gives Dorian an it's okay look and she nods in agreement, then he takes the stand.
Evangeline: Mr. Vickers am I correct in saying that you love Ms. Lord and you care about her family.
David: (smiling) More than words can say.
Evangeline: Am I also correct in saying that you are the father of Desiree's twin brother Dylan?
David: Yes.
Evangeline: Do you love your son?
David: More than life itself.
Evangeline: Would you love Desiree as if she were your own?
David: Yes, of course.
Evangeline: Mr. Vickers you work for Craze magazine, as well as own 15 of the magazine, correct?
David: Yes, I really enjoy working there.
Evangeline: One final question. What kind of person do think your brother is?
John: Objection!
Evangeline: Withdrawn. Thank you Mister Vickers. (she sits down)
John: (walking over to David) Mr. Vickers isn't true that you spent several years in a Moroccan prison?
David: Yes.
John: Isn't also true that you helped Todd Manning sell Blair Cramer's (points to Blair) baby boy on the black market?
David: (staring at the floor) Yes.
John: And finally Mister Vickers when you first came to town did you not lie in court I order to save Ms. Lord from death row.
David: (getting teary and glancing over at Dorian who is also teary eyed) Yes, and I would do it again in a heartbeat because I cannot image my life without her. (Evangeline puts her head down in frustration and Dorian stares with mixed emotions)
John: (happily) No further questions. (he takes his seat)
Judge Hathaway: Mr. Vickers you may step down.
Evangeline: (Rising to her feet) For my last witness I call Dorian Lord to the stand.
Dorian takes the stand.
Evangeline: Do you love your children?
Dorian: Yes, with all my heart and soul.
Evangeline: Do you love Mr. Vickers?
Dorian: Yes, so very much. In fact we are getting married next month.
Evangeline: So, you and Mr. Vickers want to provide a stable family home for Dylan and possibly Desiree?
Dorian: Yes, we love the twins so much.
Evangeline: You are a doctor as well Ms. Lord?
Dorian: Yes, but at he moment I don't practice.
Evangeline: Seeing as Mr. Vickers has a stable job, do plan on being a stay at home mother?
Dorian: I'm not particularly fond of that term, but yes I will.
Evangeline: Now Ms. Lord did you sleep with Dr. Truman?
Dorian: No! I would never cheat on David.
Evangeline: Well, then how is it possible that Desire is his daughter?
Dorian: I was in the hospital for kind of an embarrassing reason. I'd gotten bit by one of my niece Starr's snakes and one of it's teeth got stuck in my arm. I had to have it surgically removed. After I was put under Spencer mistook me for my niece Kelly and preformed her procedure on me. He wanted Kelly to have his child, and thinking that I was Kelly injected me with his sperm.
Evangeline: Did Dr. Truman express his feelings about wanting to be a parent to the twins if they were his?
Dorian: He said he didn't want anything to do with the baby if it was his. At the time we didn't know I was having twins
Evangeline: (returning to her seat) Your witness.
John: (Getting up and walking toward her) Ms. Lord, if you were put under for the surgery how do you know what Dr. Truman did?
Dorian: He told me.
John: Isn't it true that you were on death row twice?
Dorian: Yes, that has already been established.
John: Isn't also true that you didn't raise your first two children, Cassie and Adriana?
Dorian: Yes. But…
John: Ms. Lord…
Dorian: (starting to get angry) Don't you want to know why I couldn't raise them?
Judge Hathaway: Continue Ms. Lord.
Dorian: Thank you. I had to give Adriana up for adoption to protect her from her father, Manuel Santi. I'm sure you know the kind of person he was. A drug lord, a killer, well I wasn't about to subject her to him. He was dangerous. I didn't know what he would do. And Cassie, well, her father and I split up when she was just a baby. He took her with him. I loved her, but I thought that was the best thing for her. (crying) I was just doing the best I could.
John: (a little nervous) No further questions.
Judge Hathaway: You may step down.
Dorian returns to her seat and John walks back to his.
Judge Hathaway: Mr. Gullnas call you first witness.
John glances behind him and sees that Michael isn't there yet.
John: I'd like to request a brief recess.
Judge: This court will take a 10 minute recess. (bangs gavel)
Bailiff: All rise.
Everyone stands as the judge and bailiff exit.
Evangeline: We're doing good.
Dorian: Really?
Evangeline: Yeah, although David's testimony was a bit shaky. Let's just hope I can nail Spencer when he gets on the stand.
Dorian and David look over a Spencer who is looking at them with that smirk on his face.
Spencer: What do you think our chance is of winning?
John: Pretty good. Just don't let Evangeline get to you up there.
Spencer: I won't, I won't.
Michael enters the courtroom and takes a seat next to Ginger. A few minutes later the bailiff returns.
Bailiff: All rise. This court is now in session. The honorable Judge Hathaway presiding.
Everyone stands as the judge enters and takes her seat.
Judge Hathaway: Be seated. Mr. Gullnas call your first witness.
John: I call Dr. Michael McBain to the stand as a character witness.
Michael takes the stand.
John: (Crossing to the witness stand) Dr. McBain, do you work with Dr. Truman at Llanview Hospital?
Michael: Yes.
John: Would you say he is a good doctor?
Michael: Yes. He's a world famous surgeon.
John: In your own words tell us about Dr. Truman.
Michael: He is a great doctor, and from what I know about him a great man. (Dorian rolls her eyes in disgust) I have looked up to him for years. I feel truly honored to be able to work with him.
John: (passing Evangeline on the way to his seat) Your witness.
Evangeline: (standing) Dr. McBain, you worked with Ms. Lord for a brief period of time, didn't you.
Michael: Yes.
Evangeline: What did you think of her?
Michael: She was very nice to me when I broke my leg. I've always thought that her being fired was a mistake. (Dorian smiles at him) I don't understand why she would cheat on her fiancéé. (Spencer laughs quietly and Dorian sits stunned)
Evangeline: (confused) She didn't.
Michael: She didn't? Then, if you don't mind me asking, how is Desiree Dr. Truman's?
Evangeline: Let's see if we can clarify that. Do you remember the day that Ms. Lord came to the hospital for minor surgery?
Michael: For the snakes tooth, yes.
Evangeline: Did you know that Dr. Truman was working that day?
Michael: If I remember correctly Dr. Truman wasn't scheduled to be working that day.
Evangeline: (looking of at John) Really?
Michael: Although surgeons sometimes do schedule procedures for days when they are not scheduled for a shift. Dr. Miller keeps all of the schedules in her office. She would know if he had a procedure scheduled.
Evangeline: Did you know that Dr. Truman performed his new procedure on Kelly Cramer that day?
Michael: No, I didn't.
Evangeline: Huh. Were you informed that he mixed up Ms. Lord and Ms. Cramer which resulted in him performing the procedure on the wrong woman first and injected her with his sperm.
Michael: That's how… No I wasn't informed.
Judge Hathaway: Dr. McBain are you saying that Mr. Gullnas didn't inform you of facts you should have been informed of before asking you testify today.
Michael: Yes.
Judge Hathaway: (giving John a warning look) Uh-huh. Dr. McBain you may step down.
Michael and Evangeline go back to their seats.
Judge Hathaway: Mr. Gullnas I will not tolerate any more antics. Is that clear.
John: Yes your honor.
Judge Hathaway: Alright then, call your next witness.
John: I call Blair Manning to the stand as a character witness.
Blair takes the stand.
John: (Rising) Mrs. Manning would you say that you and Dr. Truman are friends?
Blair: We used to be before he did this to my aunt.
John: Isn't true that Dr. Truman saved not only your son's life, but your husbands as well?
Blair: Yes.
John: (walking in front of her) So you admit that Dr. Truman isn't all bad?
Blair: I suppose not, (looking at Spencer with that smirk on his face) but he's still a sick man. (Spencer chuckles quietly)
John: (realizing he's losing) No further questions.
He takes a seat as Evangeline takes the floor.
Evangeline: Mrs. Manning I only have one question for you. Do you think that Dr. Truman would be a better parent than your aunt and Mr. Vickers.
Blair: I think that Dorian and David would be the better parents. God knows they're not perfect, but I feel that they are the lesser of two evil. So to speak.
Evangeline: Thank you. (returns to her seat)
Judge Hathaway: You may step down.
Blair returns to her seat.
John: I call Ginger Folley to the stand as a character witness.
Ginger takes the stand.
John: (walking toward Ginger) Miss Folley what is your relationship with Dr. Truman?
Ginger: He is my mentor, and in some ways he is like a father to me.
John: Do you think that Dr. Truman is capable of taking care of a child.
Ginger: Yes, definitely.
John: Thank you Ms. Folley. (looking at Evangeline with a cocky smile) Your witness.
He returns to his seat and Evangeline approaches the witness stand.
Evangeline: Ms. Folley how long have you know Dr. Truman?
Ginger: Almost two years.
Evangeline: In that time did you ever question his reasons for mentoring you?
Ginger: He's a good man who saw a girl that needed help and he is helping me. (Adriana rolls her eyes in disbelief)
Evangeline: No further questions your honor. (she goes back to her seat)
Judge Hathaway: You may step down.
Ginger goes back to her seat.
John: I call my final witness, Dr. Spencer Truman, to the stand.
Spencer takes the stand.
John: (Getting up) Do you love your daughter?
Spencer: Of course, otherwise I wouldn't be here right now.
John: Would you be the best father you could be?
Spencer: Every single day of my life. I would do anything for her.
John: Compared to your brother and Ms. Lord you do not have a criminal record, correct?
Spencer: No.
John: Your witness counselor. (He goes back to his seat)
Evangeline: (Walking toward him) Dr. Truman, it's safe to say that you preformed an unauthorized procedure on Ms. Lord as well as injected both Ms. Lord and Ms. Cramer with your sperm without their knowing. So why didn't you inform anyone of you mix up?
Spencer: I didn't think it was necessary. I didn't think it would affect Ms. Lord at all. After all if my little brother and I weren't so fertile we wouldn't be here. (David sees that Dorian is getting angry and gently places his hand on hers and taking the hint she settles back into her chair)
Evangeline: You didn't think it was necessary? You had no idea what kind of side effects Ms. Lord would have, did you?
Spencer: No
Evangeline: If you were to be sued for malpractice couldn't you lose your liscence?
Spencer: Yes I could.
Evangeline: No further questions your honor.
Judge Hathaway: You may step down.
Spencer and Evangeline return to their seats.
Judge Hathaway: This court will recess for one hour upon which time I will make my decision. (bangs gavel) This court is adjourned.
Bailiff: All rise.
Everyone stands and the judge and bailiff exit.
David: Evangeline, I thought you said that the malpractice suit wouldn't help?
Evangeline: I don't think it will, but I threw it out there just in case.
Dorian: What do you think our chances are?
Evangeline: It could go either way.
Adriana: (Coming up behind Dorian) It'll be okay mom.
Dorian: (turning around) Thank you darling. (she gives her a hug)
Spencer is watching the Cramer's while he and his lawyer sit there smugly.
John: We did great.
Spencer: You're going down little brother.
The hour passes and the bailiff enters.
Bailiff: All rise. This court is now in session. The honorable judge Hathaway presiding.
Everyone stands and the judge takes her seat.
Judge Hathaway: Be seated. I said at the start of these proceedings that there are some unusual circumstances in this case. And after careful though and much deliberation I have come to a decision. In the case of Dorian Lord and David Vickers versus Dr. Spencer Truman custody of Desiree Vickers goes to Dr…
All of the Cramer's, David, and Evangeline sink at the word because they know what comes next. Spencer lights up with joy. Just then Paige bursts into the court room follow by Bo.
Paige: Wait!