Edward sat at the table tapping his fingers on the hardwood top when Brittany and her boyfriend finally came into the room as if she owned the place.
"Sorry I'm late." She said, her purse hooked on her arm. It was clear she had been out shopping recently. Edward knew the signs. Like she didn't have anywhere more important to be.
Kristen shook her head slightly, but didn't comment on it. At least this couldn't possibly make Brittany look good to the judge. She doubted that alone would be enough to sway him, though.
"Now that you have arrived, we can begin proceedings," the judge said, looking somehow mildly bored. "According to the files, both of you have expressed dissatisfaction with the current custody arrangement, and are now pursuing full custody, and seeking to revoke the custody and visitation rights of the other parent. Is this still correct?"
Edward and Brittany both agreed, though Brittany seemed just as bored as the judge did. "Yes sir." Edward said, taking Kristen's hand below the table, his hands sweating with nerves.
"Ms. Free," the judge said, inclining his head to Brittany. "Since you currently have primary custody, I will ask you to share your testimony first. Do you have any valid reason to deny Mr. Nygma his current partial custody rights?"
"Yeah," Brittany said, crossing her arms. "He doesn't even take Rubix for half the weekends he's supposed to, and when he does, he never gives him back on time. He just lost his job with the GCPD, and last I saw him, he tried to attack my boyfriend."
Kristen's hand tightened around Edward's as Brittany spoke, holding herself back from a variety of sharp responses.
"I see," the judge said, his voice a tired sigh, as if he had seen this same scene play out a million times. "Mr. Nygma, can you respond to Ms. Free's complaints, and provide any valid reasons you have to revoke her custody rights?"
"I don't know where she lives to pick him up, she never drops him off either despite the fact that she knows it's my weekend. I try calling her and she never answers." He said pulling out a slip of paper. "This is the records of my multiple phone calls on each weekend I was supposed to have him." He said handing it to someone who came up and took it up to the judge for him. "The last time she did drop him off she threw him at me and he got hurt. She said she didn't want him anymore. Complained he did nothing but whine and cry all the time. I also have photo evidence of physical abuse either done by her or her boyfriend." He said handing the man the photos as well. "She has a history of drug abuse which she was arrested for last month. It's not a positive environment to raise a child." He said.
The judge looked sternly over the calls record and the photographs as they were handed to him, though a certain detachment remained in his eyes. Kristen wanted to yell at him to wake up and take this seriously, but then she supposed that seeing cases like this every day would take a toll on someone who allowed himself to care.
"The call log does appear to back up Mr. Nygma's claim … These photographs could be a serious issue as well, if you can prove that the injuries were sustained while Rubix was in Ms. Free's care … Ms. Free's arrest record is also on file, which does bear some concern…" The judge looked down at Edward. "There is, however, still the matter of your employment. Have you found another position since you were terminated from the GCPD?"
"The photos are dated at the time they were taken by the developer. I don't know if that will hold up, but you will find that the dates match the dates I received him. The bruises are a few days old, while he was in her care. And yes I have found employment. I work full time, over time every second week, plus commission. I bring home approximately $900 a week on a good week, $600-$700 on a bad week. More than enough to care for him. I also have someone to look after him while my girlfriend and I are at work."
"The photos are … enough to raise a few questions," the judge acknowledged. "Do you have proof of your current employment? Two recent pay stubs, or a contract perhaps?"
"I do." He said pulling out his pay stubs. I also have a witness to her accusation that I 'assaulted' her boyfriend." He said handing the stubs to the man who brought them to the judge. "I confronted him about hitting my son, he punched me twice." He said even though it was a little off topic.
"That's bull shit." Brittany said. "We dropped Rubix off at your apartment as you requested, and then when we left you came flying out of your apartment and punched him in the back of the head!"
"There's a GCPD detective who saw something else," Kristen snapped back, glaring at Brittany. She'd be damned if she was going to let this irresponsible, abusive, neglectful excuse for a mother turn Edward's protective anger against him.
"I would thank you all to refrain from bickering in my courtroom," the judge said sternly. He shook his head. "As much as I dislike to consider separating a child from his mother, the environment Ms. Free is providing seems unstable at best … But I have yet to hear anything conclusive to confirm that yours is any better, Mr. Nygma."
"And you have yet to hear anything from her at all." Edward said but nevertheless made his case. "I have a stable home, a steady job, more than enough help to take care of him, I've done nothing but love and care for him while he has been in my home on the rare occasions I get him. He will have everything he needs and requires in my care. He always has, and he always will. I am more than fit to be a parent to my son."
"You most likely are," the judge acknowledged, in a tone that seemed to indicate that was of relatively little concern to him. "At this point, an extension of your custody beyond the original agreement seems appropriate … But because you have so rarely had the opportunity to care for him, you may not be aware of how difficult an undertaking raising a child can be, particularly on your own. Exactly what kind of support system do you have in place to help?"
"What do you mean by support system?" He asked. He already told him that he had someone to watch him while he was at work, he rarely went out other than that … What else would be needed?
"You said you have someone to watch him," the judge said. "Who? How do you know them? How do you know they will continue to be available, and what will you do if they aren't? You have also mentioned your girlfriend, but how do you know she will remain committed to taking care of a child that isn't hers? You have to admit, that's a lot to expect from someone."
"I've filed to adopt him," Kristen said steadily. "So I won't be backing out on him, if that's what you mean."
"What!?" Brittany shrieked. "You think you can just let your little whore replace the boy's actual mother!?"
"As far as I'm concerned Miss. Free, Rubix does not have a mother until Kristen signs that paper." Edward said flatly. "I also have a neighbor who is willing to watch him if need be." He said turning his attention back to the judge. "They are the closest thing I have to parents. They love Rubix like their own grandchild. Ben works during the day, but his wife retired a long time ago. She was a stay at home mother until they lost their own child due to illness through no fault of their own. She sees Rubix as her grandchild and wouldn't have it any other way. She's very reliable."
"You may receive a few visits from social workers to confirm that…" the judge said. "However … Given Ms. Free's arrest record, and these questionable photographs, and given that Mr. Nygma at least appears to have put a responsible amount of planning into the child's well-being … I am awarding primary custody of Rubix Edgar Free to Edward Nygma. And, for the time being, I am revoking custody and visitation rights from Ms. Free, pending an abuse investigation."
"THIS IS BULL SHIT!" Brittany said. "You didn't even say anything to me! Where's my opportunity to make my case? All of that was a lie! I'd never hurt my own child!" She said angrily.
"Ms. Free, You abandoned him over a week ago … You didn't want him, you never wanted him, he was just tool for you to hurt me with!" Edward said starting to lose his cool.
Kristen rested a hand on Edward's arm. "Edward," she said quietly. "It's over." She didn't know whether the judge could still change his mind at this point, but she didn't want to risk that now.
"You spoke first, I seem to recall," the judge said, sounding bored again and slightly irritated. "I have said there will be an investigation. If no further evidence of abuse or of continued drug use is found in Ms. Free's residence, then we can hold another hearing to reevaluate visitation or secondary hearing rights. But primary custody goes to Mr. Nygma." He let a gavel fall unenthusiastically on the podium. "Case dismissed."
Edward hated the cliche but, he felt like a weight had been lifted. Like there had been a tight band around his chest that had suddenly been cut. He turned to Kristen, a smile on his face. "We won." He said as Brittany got up so quickly her chair fell back. She approached Ed and before any of the guards could stop her she slapped him as hard as she could and shoved him back so hard he fell straight into Kristen making them both land hard on the floor.
Kristen winced as she hit the floor, Edward landing hard on top of her. Connecting the fear in Rubix's eyes every time Brittany was near him, the almost identical fear in Edward's the first time she'd come by to pick the kid up, and this, Kristen got the feeling this wasn't the first time Brittany had knocked him around. "What's your problem!?" Kristen yelled, adjusting her glasses back into place where they'd been knocked askew. "You said yourself you didn't want Rubix, you don't want Edward either, so congratulations! Get on with your life and leave us alone."
"Guards," the judge said, tiredly rubbing at his temples, as if there wasn't a completely unseemly display of temper playing out right in front of him. "Will you get these people out of my courtroom?"
"That's not necessary. We're leaving." Edward said getting up and helping Kristen up as well. "In the meantime Ms. Free, I will be getting a restraining order until the court says otherwise." He said as the guards escorted Brittany and her otherwise silent boyfriend out of the room. He took Kristen's hand in his and led her out of the room before the judge had them removed as well. "I'm sorry about that." He said once they were out. "Were you hurt?" He asked.
Kristen shook her head. "I'm fine," she assured him. "You?"
"We won." Edward said in response. "I couldn't be better." He said pulling her into a hug.
Smiling up at him with sudden joyous realization, Kristen wrapped her arms tight around Edward, and leaned up to kiss him. They did it. They won. Rubix would never have to go back to his uncaring mother, would never be dragged away from them with a look of fear in his eyes, would never have to wonder if he was safe or loved ever again. And Edward seemed happier and more alive right now than he had in some time.