Chapter 9: The Judge's Decision
Emma stood beside Grillby, smoothing the skirt part of her purple dress nervously. The fire elemental gently caught her hands in his and pulled her into a hug. "Shh," he soothed her, knowing what she was thinking at the moment.
"Grillby...I'm so scared," she admitted, clinging to him. "I just want to be free of them forever."
"I know, my lovely flame," he said. "I won't let them take you or Lilly away."
That promise helped her as she looked up at him, his eyes full of both love and determination. She nodded, smiling at him. "I know you won't," she said. "And I won't let them take Lilly away."
"None of us will," Undyne said, coming up to them, Lilly in her arms.
Asgore came up as well, looking serious, but a gentle smile was on his face. "Emma, if you would like, Toriel can take Lilly back to our home so that she doesn't have to witness this," he offered.
The young woman was about to speak with Lilly spoke up. "No, Uncle," she said, looking at the goat monster. "Mommy's facing them, so I'm going to face them too. I'm not letting them hurt Mommy again."
Asgore chuckled. "You're very brave, Lilly," he said. "But are you sure?"
She nodded before looking at her parents. "Daddy promised they won't take me away and Mommy promised that too," she said. "I'll tell the judge everything."
Undyne smiled. "You're very brave, kid," she said.
Emma smiled at her daughter. "Sweetie, you don't have to do this just to make Mommy and Daddy proud. We're proud of you no matter what," she said.
"I know, Mommy. But I want to tell the judge everything. You taught me to never lie," Lilly said before looking around and then turning back to them. "My grandparents and birth daddy lie, but I'm going to tell the truth."
"That's my girl," Grillby said with a smile, accepting his daughter from the fish woman when the child reached for him.
A policewoman came out and she nodded. "You can go in now," she said before casting a concerned look at the child. "Are you certain you want her in there too? The plantiffs are...shall we say, irate?"
Lilly turned to the lady. "I have to go in there, Mrs. Policewoman," she said seriously. "I'm not going to let those mean people hurt Mommy ever again."
The lady had to smile at the child's serious answer. "Alright, but the moment it becomes dangerous, I suggest one of you take her out of the room," she said gently.
"I can do that," Sans said seriously, coming up to beside Emma, who nodded in agreement and looked at her daughter.
"Sweetie, if the situation becomes too much, Uncle Sans will take you to get ice cream, okay?" She asked.
The little girl nodded. "Okay, Mommy," she said as she reached for the skeleton, who accepted her with a nod.
They entered the room and the others took their seats while Grillby and Emma walked to the table where they were supposed to sit. They passed by Emma's ex-husband and parents, who smirked at her nastily. She narrowed her eyes at them before turning away and holding her chin high. Grillby smiled as he saw this and gently squeezed her hand as they took their seats. Emma looked at him and he nodded, his thumb rubbing the back of her hand gently.
Judge Clark entered and they all rose, sitting down again when he told them that they could be seated. The judge looked at the papers before looking up and looking straight at Emma. "Emma, correct?" He asked.
"Yes, Your Honor," she said respectfully.
"According to the paperwork I see before me, you have a history of mental instability and have been treated for such. Is that correct?"
Grillby felt his fire flare up at hearing that and Undyne looked ready to jump up and punch something. Emma placed a hand on her husband-to-be's arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. He calmed down and she looked at the judge. "No, Your Honor. That is not true," she said.
"She lies, Your Honor," said her mother. "She doesn't remember her treatments. A side effect of her mental illness."
The judge held up a hand. "Ma'am, please let me finish speaking with Emma before you jump in," he said before looking back at Emma. "Who can attest to you never having been in a mental ward or have never had a mental illness?"
Sans raised his hand. "I can, Your Honor," he said.
Judge Clark nodded. "Proceed," he said.
The skeleton stood up. "We monsters can do something we call 'checking someone's stats'. This means we can see right into the very core of them. Any lies they tell or any illness they've had, we can see it."
The judge nodded. "Does Miss Emma have any such...marks, shall we say?...when you check her stats?"
"No, Your Honor," Sans said. "She has no history of mental illness or being in an institution."
Judge Clark nodded again. "Thank you," he said.
"Excuse me, Your Honor?" Emma's father said.
"Yes, sir?"
"Our daughter is mentally unstable, but a good actress," he said. "She is unfit to be in public or to be a mother."
Lilly lifted her head up from Sans' shoulder and looked at him, indicating she wanted down. He put her down and she went to the edge of the seats, raising her hand. The judge, seeing this, looked up. "Yes, young one?" He asked.
The child took a deep breath. "Your Honor, may I speak?" She asked.
"What is your name, child?"
"Lilly, sir."
Judge Clark nodded. "You may speak," he said.
"Your Honor, my grandparents and birth daddy are not good people," she said. "They always hurt Mommy and my birth daddy often made me watch when he was hitting Mommy, promising me that I'd get the same if I wasn't a good girl."
She took another deep breath. "They once locked me in the closet because they said I was in the way. A brat."
Emma, who had not heard this before, looked horrified, as did Grillby. The judge looked equally disgusted. "What else did they do?" He asked her.
Lilly hung her head for a moment before looking back up at the judge. "They told me they didn't love me and that I was unwanted," she said. "They even said Mommy would give me away if they told her to."
The judge turned to Emma, noting her horrified face. "Is this true?" He asked.
"Absolutely not, Your Honor," Emma said immediately. "I would never give Lilly away. My folks no doubt said that to her because they wanted a grandson, not a granddaughter. And they've told me that many times after Lilly was born."
"They're mean people, Your Honor," Lilly said, tears coming to her eyes. "Please, Your Honor. Don't let them take me away from my mommy and daddy."
Her birth father stood up, glaring at her. "I'm your father, you little brat!" He yelled.
The child turned to face him. "No, you're not," she said, her voice clear and filled with certainty. "My daddy is standing beside Mommy and he's a better Daddy than you can ever be."
Her grandparents glared at her. "You ungrateful brat!" Her grandmother growled out. "Be quiet!"
"No," Lilly said before pulling up her shirt sleeve, showing a long scar on the underside of her upper arm. "You can't hurt me anymore."
When the three stood up, Undyne quickly used her magic to pin them into place. "Don't even think about it," she growled out warningly.
The judge nodded. "Guards, take these three away," he said. "The FBI wants a word with them."
"For what?" Emma's ex-husband said with a sneer.
A man in a business suit came in and he strode to the front. "Charges of neglect, abuse, grand theft auto, money laundering, and possession of illegal firearms to start with," he said. "We'll take it from here, Your Honor."
"They're all yours," the judge said with a nod.
As the three were taken away, Emma looked at them with a glare. "It's over," she said firmly, handing something to the agent that had walked in. It was a flash drive. "You should find more than enough for what you need on here," she told him.
"How did you acquire this information, miss?" He asked.
She smiled. "A good friend of mine is good with hacking computers," she said. "And uses such knowledge for the better good. They prefer to remain anonymous as you do, sir."
He nodded and walked away, following the agents that were taking Emma's parents and ex-husband away. The judge then smiled at them. "If you all agree, let's give this day a happier ending," he said.
They looked at him and he smiled. "I have the signed papers to grant a marriage here and now, if you all are in agreement."
Emma looked at Grillby, surprise in her face. He was surprised too, but nodded. "If you'd be willing to, Your Honor, that would be wonderful," he said.
"Then come and stand before me."
As the monsters gathered closer, the judge cleared his throat. "It is truly an honor to oversee the marriage of this young woman and the fire elemental who has stolen her heart," he said with a smile. "At this time, the vows will be spoken." He looked at Grillby. "You first, sir."
Grillby turned to Emma, taking her hands in his. "Emma, my lovely flame, you stole my heart the moment I first laid eyes on you," he said. "These past few months have been filled with a joy I had been seeking for so long. With you beside me, I never feel lonely. I love you for who you are and no other woman makes my heart race as you do." He paused before taking a deep breath. "I have chosen you as my mate for all time. A love that will never fade and will be as sure as the rising of the sun."
The young woman had tears in her eyes and she sniffled, gently squeezing his hands as the judge smiled and looked at you. "Your turn, my dear," he said.
Emma smiled up at the fire elemental. "Grillby, you have shown me what true love is during these past few months," she said. "You've not only helped me see that I can trust you, but you have proven worthy of my love. Even our daughter has come out of her shell because of your kindness and patience." Her smile got bigger. "I look forward to every day with you and our daughter." She took a deep breath. "I choose you as my mate for all time, our love stronger than anything else."
He smiled at her and the judge also smiled. "Grillby, do you take Emma to be your wife?" He asked.
"I do," the fire elemental said.
"Emma, do you take Grillby to be your husband?"
"I do," she replied.
The judge signed the papers before him. "I'm pleased to announce you both as man and wife," he said, smiling and looking at Grillby. "You may kiss your bride."
Grillby pulled Emma close and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss happily as the monsters all cheered. Lilly ran up to her father, who picked her up as she hugged him. "We're a family?" She asked hopefully. "For real?"
"For real, my little candle," the fire elemental said with a smile.
Emma smiled. "We're free, Lilly," she said, leaning her head against her new husband's shoulder.
The child grinned. "Can we go for ice cream?" She asked.
Grillby laughed. "I think that is an excellent idea," he said.
"I agree," Asgore said with a smile. "Come."
The group left the courthouse, smiling while Emma felt a huge weight lift of her shoulders, able to breathe easy for the first time in a long while.
Lilly and Emma are finally free. :)
Next chapter is the epilogue. :)
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GoldGuardian2418