Heeeey, please don't kill me! I know it's been a good three months. A lot of personal things have come up and I had to take leave for reasons I'd rather not share. I'm hoping everything is okay now and I'm able to get back on track.

Chapter Twenty-One

The car ride to my dad's house was... awkward. Paul reufsed to look me in the eyes the entire time. I just felt so shitty. He didn't ask for this, I know that. He didn't ask to imprint with me, he didn't ask to be a dad so young. None of this was fair to him. First, he gets dragged into the drama with the stupid vampires and now he's gotten dragged into my custody bullshit. I never should have came to Forks. I should have stayed in Georgia where everything was perfectly fine.

When we pulled up to my dad's house, Paul stayed in the car facing forward while I brought Penny inside. I said a quick hello and goodbye and soon found myself back into the car, the silence grating on my every nerve.

"Paul, I-I'm sorry. I didn't realize how attached Penny was getting to you. I swear I never wanted to make you feel uncomfortable or obligate-" My sentance was soon cut off as he pulled over to the side of the road and put a finger to my lips. I took a deep breath before looking in his eyes. His eyes were hard, not allowing me to see any emotion that he had hidden behind his irises.

"Hazle, I love you. And I love Penny. I'm not mad that she called me daddy, I actually kind of liked it. I was just surprised. You're probably blaming yourself for everything that's happened so far, and I want you to stop it. Nothing is your fault, you have done nothing wrong. I love you." His lips gently pressed to my own and he quickly pulled away before I could respond. He gave me his smart ass smirk and continued to drive me to work.

~~~TOS~~~

The weeks that followed after the 'daddy' incident, were busy. I was able to find a really good laywer willing to work with my budget to help me have full custody of my daughter with no visitations to Anthony. He told me that since there was already a sexual assault case against him that him having any rights to Penny were very unlikely. I had told Bella and my dad a week ago about what was going on. Neither were happy about it, obviously. Bella comforted me while Charlie said he was going to shoot him and then throw his body off the cliffs in La Push to hide the evidance. My family was loyal and they loved me and each other. With their strength and the strength of the pack I knew I would be able to do this and protect my daughter.

It was now the morning of the court hearing and I was a nervous wreck. I was pacing in front of the door that lead to my court room when I was greeted by a group of friendly faces.

"I thought that it wouldn't hurt to have a couple more witnesses." Paul grinned at me as he swaggered over to me, looking handsome as well in a suit. I felt tears well up in my eyes as he kissed my forehead and grabbed my hand. "You're not alone anymore, babe. You got all of us. We're pack, and pack sticks together." I gazed at all the friends that I've made since coming to Forks.

They all gave me warm smiles and quick hugs before walking into the room to take their seats. Bella and Charlie were already inside with Penny, Paul and I were the only ones standin outside. I turned in his arms to wrap mine around me and peered up a him with my chin on his chest.

"Thank you," I whispered. He just smiled at me and gave me a quick peck on the lips before pulling toward the door.

"Let's go get custody of our daughter."

~~~TOS~~~

The trial was long and grueling. Anothony kept glaring at Paul and I and when he was on the stand, he had lied. About everything.

"Hazel is an unfit mother. Always drinking in front of Penny and smoking and constantly having men over at her place. It's not okay to have so many strangers come in and out of Penny's life. How is she ever going to learn stability if her mother doesn't provide her with that? I love my daughter, very much. I just want her to be safe."

At his words I was literally shaking from anger. Every argument we had when it came to Penny was fresh in my mind. From when he told me to get an abortion to now. Every single time I told him he needed to be a better father and he shrugged me off, every time I had asked him for help. I felt every ounce of rage I've ever had toward him come to life. It was when his laywer was about to ask him another question did a little voice speak up.

"That's not true." Every head in the room turned to look at Penny, where she was perched on Bella's lap. "He's lying to get my mommy in trouble." Her arms were crossed and her face was in a scowl.

"Would you like to come to the stand and speak, sweetie?" My laywer, Mr. Taylor, asked. Penny didn't even hesitate as she scrambled out of her aunt's lap and up to the stand. Anthony was already seated back at his table, and I could tell by the look on his face that he was pissed. "Okay, Penny. Why don't you tell me how your daddy was lying?"

"My mommy is the nicest person I have ever known. She takes care of me, and the only thing I ever seen her drink was water or milk when we would have our milk and cookie time. The only boy that ever came to our house was my great grandpa. And when we moved here, the only boy at our house is mommy's boyfriend. Daddy lied about my mommy, I don't wanna go with him. I wanna stay with my mommy and Paul." Her voice was shaking and the tears were falling freely from her eyes. I felt my own tears run down my face.

"Thank you, sweetie. You may go sit with your aunt now." Mr. Taylor helped her down from the stand and instead of going to Bella, she ran right toward me and crawled up on my lap. Her tears were soaking threw my shirt, but I couldn't find it in me to care.

"Alright, I believe the jury has everything they need to make a final decision. We'll be right back."

It wasn't until an hour later did the jury finally reach a verdict.

"We grant full and sole custody of Penelope Elaine Swan to her mother, Hazel Elaine Thompson Swan."

~~~TOS~~~

Okay ya'll that wraps up this chapter. As sad as I am to say this, the next chapter will be the epilogue where we wrap up loose ends and take a look into the future.