A/N: Hey guys! Sorry I left this story un-updated for a while. I'm in a very busy and semi-stressful time of my life right now. But I hope you enjoy this next story! It's Harley-centric and is going to bring quite a bit of drama!
Thirteen – Part One
The sound of the reveille rang out over the town of Radiator Springs, soon followed by the sound of Star Spangled Banner being played on an electric guitar.
"Will you turn that disrespectful junk off?!"
"Respect the classics, man! It's Hendrix!"
Harley giggled as she opened her eyes, yawning and stretching. She grabbed her glasses and slid them on as she jumped off her bed, changing into her usual denim shorts, T-shirt, and skates. Giving her hair and teeth a quick brushing, she skated off to the kitchen. Her father already waited there, reading a newspaper over a cup of coffee.
"Morning, Daddy!" Harley greeted warmly, pulling out a loaf of bread for toast.
"Good morning. Sleep well?" Doc asked with a warm grin.
"Yep!" Harley nodded happily. She seemed to be in an especially cheery mood today. "What about you?"
"Quite well, thank you." Doc nodded, watching with almost fascination as Harley smeared peanut butter on her toast, poured herself some milk, and plopped down at the table to eat. "Any special plans for the day?"
"I promised Red I would help him organize the fire house." Harley announced, her mouth muffled from the toast and peanut butter. "Then I'm goin' to hang out with Mater and Speed Racer."
"Don't talk with your mouth full." Doc scolded softly, smirking. Harley grinned sheepishly and took a few swigs of milk. "I myself am planning a rather relaxing day, should nobody get injured."
"That's always nice." Harley bobbed her head in agreement. She quickly finished her breakfast, gave her father a hug, and skated off to find Red. Doc chuckled softly as he watched her go, folding his newspaper and driving out to the clinic area of the house.
It had been over a year since Lightning McQueen's first arrival to Radiator Springs. Since then, the town had seen a boom in business. It was rather exciting at first, but the residents soon melted into the new scenario like second nature. After years of feeling like they were part of a ghost town, it felt rather nice to have customers coming in regularly. They owed it to Lightning, who long since felt like part of the family. Lightning and Mack, who moved into Radiator Springs soon after the Piston Cup tiebreaker race, found they liked living in the Arizona town. Mack and Harley got to know each other better, and Mack became putty in the girl's hands. Everything seemed perfect, especially for the human girl.
But it seemed that, at least eight out of ten times, something bad happens right when things are best. This happened to be one of those times.
Sometime after lunch, Doc journeyed out to Flo's café to get some fresh air. He ordered some oil and soon found Sheriff rolling up beside him. The elder Hornet gave a nod in greeting. "Sheriff."
"Afternoon, Doc." Sheriff returned the gesture. He glanced out to the road and narrowed his eyes a bit, his lips falling into a small frown. "Hey, you see those two out there?"
Doc was about to ask (in a snarky tone) what Sheriff meant, but when he looked he realized Sheriff didn't need to specify. A forklift and a human entered the town, walking alongside the road. The forklift was sky blue in color, with soft brown eyes and black lines over her top eyelids to indicate a female. She carried a briefcase in one of her tines. The human beside her wore a crisp, navy blue business skirt and jacket with a white polo underneath, her bottle blonde hair pulled into a neat ballet bun and her piercing hazel eyes scanned the area around her. In fact, both women looked all around as though they searched for something.
"Is it just me or do those two seem like they're here for more than just souvenirs?" Sheriff noted.
"Indeed." Doc nodded. He and Sheriff exchanged looks before driving towards the pair, trying to look pleasant. The forklift and human woman paused as the two cars approached them. Doc put on a smile. "Hello there. Welcome to Radiator Springs. Can we help you find something?"
"I certainly hope so." The forklift replied kindly. "My name is Sarah Carter and this is Jennifer Johnson. We're looking for a young human girl named Harley."
Sheriff and Doc tensed. "And to what does Harley owe the pleasure?" Sheriff asked, trying and half-failing to keep a civil tone.
"We are social workers with the State of Arizona." Jennifer replied, looking rather bored with the conversation. "My assistant and I are here to evaluate the case of Harley Jacobs-Davidson. But that's really none of your business, so if you could just take us to the girl—"
"It is our business on account of that's my daughter you're talkin' about." Doc interrupted with a small glare.
Sarah and Jennifer blinked in surprise, and the latter sighed and rolled her eyes. "Oh I see. You're Paul Hudson."
"Indeed." Doc confirmed. "Now what do you want with my daughter?"
"It has come to our attention that Ms. Jacobs is now thirteen years old." Jennifer said, crossing her arms and glaring a bit at the cars before her. "This puts her at a critical stage in a child's development. What concerns me is that the girl was raised by vehicles after her parents' deaths."
"What's so concernin' about it?" Sheriff half-demanded.
"Orphan children need to be raised by their own kind to prevent any improper development of their mentality." Jennifer spoke as though what she said were obvious. Her assistant had gone silent, looking everywhere except towards Doc and Sheriff. "We are here to evaluate Ms. Jacobs' behavior to determine if a relocation is necessary."
"Relocation?" Sheriff repeated in disbelief.
"Relocation of what?" Sally asked, driving by the quartet but pausing to come over to them.
"Ms. Johnson here thinks Harley believes she's a car." Sheriff said, glaring at Jennifer.
"That's ridiculous!" Sally scoffed. "She still acts like any normal 13-year-old girl."
"The issue is whether or not she acts like a human 13-year-old girl, which will be resolved through my personal evaluation." Jennifer said.
"Harley will pass any test you have for her." Doc said confidently. "But at the moment she is out with her friends. Why don't you check in at the motel and we'll contact you when she returns."
Jennifer looked like she wanted to argue, but decided against it. She only huffed as she and her forklift assistant followed Sally towards the Cozy Cone. Sheriff and Doc watched them go before the police cruiser looked to the doctor. "You sure about this, Doc? Folks like her are just trouble."
"Harley will be fine." Doc assured. "Besides, we may not have a choice anyway. No doubt she has a court-sanctioned warrant giving her the right to issue the evaluation."
Sheriff sighed. "I don' like this, Doc. Not one bit."
Doc sighed too. "Me either."
Harley returned from her drive with Mater and Lightning a couple hours later, talking with the vehicle duo happily. Sheriff surprised them when he approached, announcing to Harley she had visitors. Harley just shrugged, bid Mater and Lightning farewell, and followed Sheriff to the Cozy Cone. She was rather confused when Jennifer and Sarah introduced themselves as social workers, not exactly sure what that meant until Sarah kindly explained they were there for Harley's wellbeing. It still didn't clear much up, but she smiled and agreed to talk to the women. Sheriff left, but not before warning Sally to come get him should she feel it necessary.
"I don't like this, man." Fillmore sighed.
"For once, I can actually agree with you." Sarge nodded. "This entire situation is ridiculous."
"It is ridiculous, but there's nothing we can do." Doc reminded the residents as they talked at Flo's café. Business was rather slow as the day came to an end. "We can only wait until Harley is done talking with them."
"She's not going to be sent away, right?" Lightning asked worriedly.
"Of course not!" Mater said firmly. "Right?"
"Harley is staying in Radiator Springs, where she belongs." Sheriff assured. "There's nothing that social worker can say or do to change that." The other residents agreed. With how Harley acted, there wasn't any way the social worker could twist her words around to make it seem like she didn't act like a normal human child. Still, Doc felt a twinge of nervousness, wondering what tricks this social worker might have up her sleeve.
In the Cozy Cone, Jennifer sat in a desk chair while Sarah parked beside her, Harley sitting on the bed across from them. Jennifer and Sarah each had a notebook and pen ready.
"We're just going to ask some simple questions, and you have to answer honestly, all right?" Sarah told Harley, smiling. Harley decided she liked the forklift better, seeing how the human woman kept staring at her as though she were a lab rat.
"Yes, ma'am." Harley nodded, remembering her manners.
The two social workers were already scribbling away on their notepads. "At what age did you become an orphan?" Sarah asked.
"Four." Harley replied.
"Circumstances of your situation? I mean, what happened?" Sarah asked.
"Um….my parents…..were killed in a fire." Harley shifted a bit, hoping this talk didn't cause another nightmare.
"Oh. I'm so sorry." Sarah said with a soft smile.
"When were you admitted to Paul Hudson's custody?" Jennifer asked, looking unfazed by Harley's revelation about her parents.
Harley's face scrunched up a bit in confusion. "Uh….Dad took me in soon after the fire."
Jennifer wrote more on her notepad. "Those skates you're wearing, why do you have them on?"
"I wear them almost every day." Harley shrugged, looking to her skates. "Luigi and Guido made them for me."
"Do you have normal shoes?" Jennifer asked.
"Well yeah." Harley nodded. "But it's kinda hard to keep up with everyone in normal shoes, so I wear my skates to go as fast as everyone."
"That's a pretty legitimate reason to wear them." Sarah noted, mostly to Jennifer.
The blonde woman either didn't hear her assistant or ignored her. "Have you ever tried to mimic the behavior of your surrogate father?"
"Uh, not really." Harley shrugged, wishing Jennifer would stop staring at her with those hard hazel eyes.
"You've never tried to make car sounds?" Jennifer clarified.
"Well, I do carry an air horn." Harley showed the social workers said horn. "I can't honk on my own, so sometimes I use this. I've scared Mater a couple times with it." She giggled furiously, but it died down when Jennifer narrowed her eyes a bit and wrote something down on her notepad. The constant scribbling was beginning to unnerve Harley.
"Have you had much contact with other humans?" Sarah asked.
"Yeah." Harley nodded. "We get human customers coming through town quite a lot nowadays."
"How is your diet? What are you normally consuming?" Jennifer asked.
"Food." Harley shrugged. "You know, stuff from the basic food groups. And candy when Daddy lets me."
"Have you ever consumed gasoline, oil, or any other vehicular fuel?" Jennifer asked.
Harley laughed a little. "Actually, there was this one time I tried Fillmore's organic fuel. I wanted to know what was so great about it. I spit it out, of course, so I can only hope everyone else likes it." She stopped laughing when Jennifer started scribbling furiously across her notepad. "Uh, but you know, I was only three at the time. And I didn't swallow any, honest."
"Of course." Jennifer said dismissively. The scratching sound of the pen on paper made Harley's skin crawl. "Have you ever gone to a doctor requesting a tire change?"
"Say what now?" Harley raised an eyebrow.
"Jennifer!" Sarah looked to her boss. "What kind of question is that?"
"A legitimate one." Jennifer assured. "Ms. Jacobs, have you ever considered yourself a car?"
"What?!" Harley snapped, the specificity of Jennifer's questions surprising her. It was starting to feel more and more like the social worker was trying to lead her on.
Knock knock knock
"Harley!" Sally's voice called from outside. "Your dad's calling for you. It's time for dinner!"
Saved by the Porsche. Harley held back a relieved sigh. "Coming!"
"Um, we actually have a few more questions for you." Sarah piped up.
"Actually, we're done here." Jennifer said, smiling at Harley. "Thank you for your time, Ms. Jacobs-Davidson."
Harley stared at Jennifer, the woman's faux sweet smile unsettling the girl. But she nodded and hurried to the door, slipping outside and shutting the door behind her. "Thanks for the save." She told Sally as the Porsche escorted her to Flo's.
"No problem." Sally assured. "I didn't like how she was talking to you."
"Harley!" Mater called as the pair arrived at the café. The other Radiator Springs residents were there, all of them asking a hundred questions at once until Doc could order them all to be quiet.
"I'm fine, really." Harley assured as she sat beside Doc, Flo bringing her some soup for her dinner. "But what was that all about? Who are those two?"
"Social workers." Sheriff explained. "They look out for the wellbeing of orphaned children."
"But I'm already adopted." Harley protested. "Can't they go bother someone else?"
"It's nothing you need to worry about." Doc assured. "Those two just think that you need to be living with humans otherwise you'll think you're a car."
Harley barked a laugh. "Are you serious? That's so ridiculous! I know I'm a human. We don't even look alike. How could I think I'm a car?"
"There are some cases of a child believing they're something they're not because of who they were raised by." Doc explained. "But I adopted you when you were plenty old enough to know the difference between human and vehicle."
"Exactly." Harley nodded. "So there's no need to take me away."
"That's right." Doc nodded. "Now finish your dinner before it gets cold." Harley giggled, spooning more of her soup into her mouth. The rest of the residents relaxed, happy everything seemed resolved.
The next day, Doc saw Harley off to her next adventure (today it was Job Shadow Sheriff at His Post Day), and went about his usual business in the clinic, making sure everything was organized should a patient come in. The town was rather quiet today, with few customers coming through, but it never hurt to be prepared. He did this most every day, but was surprised when the doors to the clinic suddenly burst open and Sally appeared in the doorway, panting.
"Sally?" Doc blinked in surprise. "What's wrong?"
Sally finally managed to catch her breath. "It's the social worker. She's going to take Harley."
Doc's eyes widened. "What?!" His tires screamed as he shot forward, Sally barely having enough time to get out of the way. Doc raced towards the Cozy Cone, only to halt mere feet from Jennifer.
"Ah, Dr. Hudson, I was just on my way to find you." Jennifer's tone held a hint of smug confidence. "Please inform Ms. Jacobs-Davidson she will need to have her things packed by tomorrow."
"And why is such action necessary?" Doc growled.
Jennifer smirked. "Because I am filing a warrant to reclaim the girl and put her up for adoption. So she can adopted by a human family."
"You can't do that!" Doc snapped.
"I certainly can." Jennifer assured. "After interviewing Ms. Jacobs yesterday, I have determined she will need to be relocated for the sake of her mental stability."
"Her mental stability is fine!" Lightning's voice snapped, and Doc reversed to see the rest of the town had come up behind him, intent on joining the fight.
"Yeah, she's fine!" Mater agreed.
"Not from what I witnessed." Jennifer argued.
"You didn't witness anything!" Sarge snapped. "All you did was ask a bunch of questions that probably confused the poor girl!"
"Yeah, man." Ramone huffed. "Not cool."
"Your interview cannot be the sole basis of your warrant." Sally said. "You're going to have to bring up a lot more proof than that to show that Harley's mental stability is in jeopardy."
"I can bring up plenty more." Jennifer assured.
"You better hope so." Doc said. "You'll need it in the courtroom."
Jennifer scoffed in disbelief. "Excuse me?"
"I will fight to keep Harley with me and in this town." Doc declared. "She belongs in Radiator Springs, and if a court battle keeps her here, so be it."
"Really?" Jennifer chided. "You want what's best for her, yet you'd be willing to drag the poor girl through a trial? Which, by the way, will still require her to leave Radiator Springs until the end of said trial."
"She ain't as weak or stupid as you think." Doc growled. "She knows what she wants and what's best for her. She's told me time and time again that she doesn't want to leave Radiator Springs, and I know she's brave enough to face a court battle if it means she can stay."
Jennifer sneered, looking rather irritated by the determination of the vehicles before her. "Fine. If that's the way you want it, so be it." She turned on her heel and marched back towards the Cozy Cone. "See you all in court."
"You better believe it!" Mater shouted, a shout of agreement rising from the Radiator Springs residents.
In the following week, there was much tension. Harley was still required to leave her home with Doc to avoid any conflicts, but Doc was able to work out a deal with Jennifer to allow Harley to stay in Radiator Springs. So it was decided that the girl would stay in Sarah's room at the Cozy Cone for the duration of the trial. The brunette didn't like it, not one bit. But she couldn't argue for the sake of keeping Doc out of trouble. So she packed some clothes, toiletries, books, and a few toys into a duffel bag and moved into her temporary home at the Cozy Cone. Sarah was kind and gentle with Harley, but all the girl wanted to think about was when she could finally return to her home with Doc. The case was technically against the entire town of Radiator Springs, but since that included and mainly focused on Doc, he couldn't preside over the case as judge. So an Arizona State judge was invited out to oversee the court proceedings. Jennifer also invited an old friend of hers to serve as her attorney. Sally offered to be the attorney for Doc and the entire town of Radiator Springs. While Doc considered being his own attorney, he couldn't deny he would rather have Sally there for legal and moral support. The entire town was shut down for the trial, but several reporters arrived to witness the event. Lightning spoke to the press about what was happening, not revealing too many details but making it clear he was going to hold off on any racing until the trial was over.
Then came the day of the trial. Doc and Sally made their way to the courthouse, ready for what was about to happen. At least they hoped so. Doc had never been in court unless he was the judge presiding the case, so this was rather new to him. But he had to stay focused; if Sally could turn opinions in her favor so easily, what would this social worker do?
Doc and Sally entered the courthouse and noticed two familiar figures at the end of the hallway. Harley stood with Sarah, the forklift talking to the girl about what would happen in the courtroom. For once, Harley didn't dress in her shorts, T-shirt, and roller skates. Instead, she wore the only pieces of formal attire she owned: a long black skirt, white ballet flats, a frilly white blouse, and a black vest. It greatly contrasted with her cobalt-streaked brunette hair, currently pulled back in a teeny tiny ponytail.
Harley turned when the doors swung shut, and she smiled broadly. "Daddy!" She moved to run towards him, but Sarah held her back. She whispered something to the girl, and Harley's face fell. She stared at Doc, even when Sarah gently led her away to a nearby conference room. Harley craned her neck a bit to look at Doc until she disappeared into the room, as though afraid it was the last time she would ever see her adoptive father. Doc stared after her. Every bit of his father side screamed at him to rush over to her, but his doctor/judge side reminded him to stay back so to not breach the agreement with Jennifer. Harley hadn't seen Doc for a week, and no doubt the stress weighed heavily on the girl. No matter how strong Harley was, being forced away from her family hit her hard.
"Doc, it'll be okay." Sally assured with a smile.
Doc looked to the baby blue Porsche and smiled. "Right. Let's get in there and get my daughter back."
Though most everyone expected it, there was some surprise when Sally and Doc entered the courtroom and found it completely packed. The entire town of Radiator Springs was there, but what really filled up the space was the reporters and several other spectators there to watch the proceedings. Sheriff stood near the judge's podium, serving as the court bailiff considering he was the only police officer in a hundred miles and nobody else had the time to commit to the trial. Jennifer stood at the prosecution bench, a dark purple Cadillac beside her. Jennifer cast a look to Doc and Sally as they drove to the defense bench, and the blonde woman smirked before returning to her talk with her attorney. Sally and Doc glared, but said nothing. The audience in the courtroom were all abuzz, wondering what would happen. Most of all, the Radiator Springs residents just hoped to get this over with quickly so things could go back to normal and, more importantly, Harley could go home.
"Attention!" Sheriff called, quieting the chatter in the room. "All rise. The Honorable Judge Victor Taran presiding." Everyone stood up straighter as a dark brown Grand Vitara entered the courtroom and rolled to the judge's podium. His warm cocoa eyes gave the room a once-over before he spoke.
"You may all be seated. This is the case of State vs. Radiator Springs, in the matter of Dr. Paul Hudson." Judge Taran's voice had a slight edge to it, hinting his age to be closer to Doc's or Sheriff's. "This trial is to determine whether or not Dr. Hudson can be permitted further custody of Harley Jacobs-Davidson, an orphan who has resided in the town of Radiator Springs, Arizona, for the past thirteen years. The prosecution may give her opening statement."
"Thank you, Your Honor." The purple Cadillac beside Jennifer said. "If it pleases the court, my name is Laura Cadel and I am the attorney representing Jennifer Johnson, a social worker for the State of Arizona or, more specifically, Child Protective Services. Ms. Johnson has expressed her concerns that Harley's psychological state of being is in jeopardy due to her adoptive parent being of a species different from her own. I am sure Dr. Hudson has made a significant attempt to be the father Harley needs, but we must ask ourselves if Harley is truly happy and safe living in a town full of people not like herself. The prosecution will prove that Harley's proper development depends on her relocation and placement with her own kind."
"Thank you, Ms. Cadel." Judge Taran nodded. "The defense may give their opening statement."
"Thank you, Your Honor." Sally said, rolling forward. "My name is Sally Carrera, and I am the attorney for the town of Radiator Springs, here to represent Dr. Paul Hudson, Harley's current legal guardian. While the prosecution's concerns are understandable, they are not applicable to Harley's situation. Due to the nature of her case and her general personality, it is clear she has the proper mentality of any thirteen-year-old human and she is well taken care of in the town of Radiator Springs. The defense will prove that Ms. Johnson has rushed into the situation and Harley's relocation will not be necessary. Thank you."
"You may call your first witness, Ms. Cadel." Judge Taran said.
"Before we begin, Your Honor, may I suggest we view this case in the context of a trans-racial adoption?" Sally piped up.
"Objection, Your Honor." Laura countered. "This case revolves around Harley's psychological health, not her initial adoption."
"Sustained. I apologize, Ms. Carrera, but perhaps that argument would've been better suited for Harley's first custody battle." Judge Taran said.
"I understand, Your Honor." Sally said, mentally cursing. Trans-racial would've taken care of the whole "different species issue," but Sally couldn't argue with the prosecution's point. It didn't make their case any less winnable, but it did make things harder.
"For my first witness, I would like to call the defendant Paul Hudson to the stand." Laura began. Doc drove up to the witness' podium, once again feeling a little nervous to be the one on trial instead of overseeing it. Doc was sworn in, and Laura began. "Dr. Hudson, why did you choose to adopt Harley?"
"She became an orphan and needed a safe place to call 'home.'" Doc replied simply. "I was willing to give the role of 'parent' to any of the Radiator Springs residents, but they and Harley agreed it had to be me. So I took her in."
"Why in Radiator Springs?" Laura asked. "Why not anywhere else?"
"She was terrified." Doc said. "And the thought of leaving her hometown scared her even more. For the sake of sparing her more trauma, it was decided she should stay where she felt comfortable and safe."
"Decided by whom?" Laura half-demanded.
"By me. And everyone else in town." Doc said.
"And what gave you the authorization to make that decision?" Laura asked.
"My role as a judge." Doc countered, keeping a calm demeanor despite Laura's attitude giving him a migraine.
Laura paused; clearly she didn't know Doc's roles in the town. But she shook it off. "Dr. Hudson, when have you ever found Harley acting in ways humans wouldn't?"
"Objection! Leading the witness." Sally snapped.
"Sustained." Judge Taran nodded.
"Very well." Laura sighed. "Dr. Hudson, in your professional opinion, can you recall a time when Harley believed she was actually a vehicle?"
"Not once." Doc said without hesitation. "I raised her as a human, just like she knew she was."
Laura smirked. "Yes. Because I'm sure you know everything about being human. No further questions, Your Honor." The Cadillac returned to her spot next to Jennifer.
Sally drove forward. "Dr. Hudson," She began, careful to address Doc formally. "At what age was Harley when you adopted her?"
"Four." Doc replied.
"And who was she raised by from birth until the day you adopted her?"
"Her parents, Paula and John Jacobs-Davidson."
"So, in your professional opinion, would that not give her enough time to learn the difference between human and vehicle?"
"Objection!" Laura snapped. "Leading the witness."
"Overruled." Judge Taran said. "I'll allow the question."
"Given her age, I do believe Harley was psychologically able to determine the difference between her parents and her neighbors." Doc said. "Ergo, she knew she wasn't a car even after I adopted her."
"No further questions, Your Honor." Sally reversed to her spot again, and Doc was allowed to step down and join her. So far, so good. If they kept this up, they would have this trial in the bag.
"For my next witness, I would like to call Sheriff Samuel Carson to the stand." Laura said. Sheriff sighed a bit, not fully used to hearing his full name, and drove up to the stand. "Sheriff Carson, it is our understanding that you were there the night Harley became an orphan. Please describe the event."
In hindsight, Sheriff should've expected this. But he took a breath and let it out slowly. "All right. Tow Mater, one of the townsfolk, came rushin' ta me about something happening at the Jacobs-Davidson residence. I ordered him to git help while I rushed inside to see what happened. While inside, the house caught fire. Paula and John had been killed, but I found Harley still alive. So I grabbed 'er and got outta there as fast as I could." He tried to push the haunting images from his mind, not wanting to think about Paula coughing up blood or John's blood on the walls.
"Was the cause of the fire ever determined?" Laura asked.
"No." Sheriff said, still looking haunted from the memory.
"And what happened to Harley after she was saved?" Laura asked.
"She was taken ta Doc's place to rest and recover." Sheriff replied. "The next day, the town gathered to determine where Harley would stay. Doc—er, Paul was the first choice, especially when he was the first one ta git ta her and help 'er out. I approved of the placement myself."
"I see." Laura nodded. "Without consultation of Paula's or John's parents?"
Sheriff glared. "They were dead. John didn't have a family and Paula's parents died soon after Harley's birth."
Laura stared at Sheriff. "No further questions."
"No questions, Your Honor." Sally said. Sheriff came down from the stand. Doc and Sally expected Laura to call Harley up, but instead she called Mater to testify. In fact, she called up every single Radiator Springs resident except for Harley. Sally kept her questions simple, but the entire time she began wondering what was going on. Harley was the main focus of the case; why the heck was she not brought up sooner? Laura finished with all the Radiator Springs residents, and then she called up Jennifer. This turned out to be the most interesting part of the trial, as Sally tried to break down every argument Jennifer had.
"There have been several reports of both vehicular and human children psychologically unfit due to who they were raised by." Jennifer said. "Humans who believe they are cars, cars who believe they are humans, even instances where both believe they are actually animals."
"Objection, Your Honor!" Sally snapped. "It is clear Paul Hudson's mental capabilities are far more advanced than a wild animal's. I think it's safe to say Harley did not grow up wild."
"But is she acting like a normal teenage human girl?" Laura demanded.
"This has nothing to do with her age." Sally countered. "It has everything to do with Harley's mentality lining up with her species, which I'm sure it does."
"Well how can you be so sure?" Laura scoffed.
"Because I spend time with her!" Sally snapped. "I can tell when she's acting like a car and when she's acting like a human and you know what? Not once has she ever acted like a car!"
"Order!" Judge Taran slammed his gavel down a few times. The two attorneys were almost touching headlights now. "That's enough out of both of you. Are you done, Ms. Carrera?"
"Yes, Your Honor." Sally said. "And for the sake of moving this trial along, I suggest we bring up the ward in question."
"I agree." Laura said, surprising Sally.
"Very well." Judge Taran nodded. "The court will convene for a thirty-minute recess—"
"Your Honor, with all due respect, would it not be more reasonable to get the ward's testimony now?" Laura interrupted. "It will determine if the court needs to convene again tomorrow."
Judge Taran sighed, weighing the options. "I suppose for the sake of moving this trial along, the ward's testimony should be heard now. Please bring her up."
Harley finally made her way to the witness podium, silent the entire time. Doc finally caught a look at his adoptive daughter for the first time since the trial started, and he fought to hide his surprise. The brunette teen was tense and a little jittery, fidgeting in her seat at the podium. She stared at the ground, constantly readjusting her glasses. It finally clicked in Doc's head: this was Laura's plan all along. To unnerve Harley, she prolonged the trial and waited to call Harley to the stand until the last second, forcing the girl to sit through the near-torturous trial to break her calm and collected demeanor. Doc wasn't sure what made him angrier: that Laura used such a low tactic, or that it seemed to be working.
"Ms. Jacobs-Davidson—" Laura started.
"Hudson." Harley interrupted. "My name is Harley Hudson."
Laura raised an eye frame. "Very well, Ms. Hudson. Tell us: was Paul Hudson your first choice in a parent after your mother and father were killed?"
"I would've been happy with anybody." Harley shrugged. "But I guess I was closer to him than anyone else, so yeah he was my first choice."
"Are you sure?" Laura asked. "Wouldn't you have been happier with humans?"
"Objection, leading the witness." Sally snapped.
"Sustained." Judge Taran said, casting a warning look to Laura. Sally kept a close eye on Harley, listening carefully. If she was going to protect the teen's current mental stability, she'd have to cut Laura when she could.
"Where do you go to school, Ms. Hudson?" Laura asked.
"I'm homeschooled." Harley said. "There aren't exactly any schools around here, so I asked Daddy to homeschool me."
"And do you feel you can adequately answer questions on standardized test for a child your age?"
"I think so. I take these online tests when I finish all my schoolwork for the year, and I've been getting good grades."
"Are you sure you could apply the same knowledge to an actual standardized test?"
"Objection!" Sally called. "Your Honor, I have personally reviewed the online homeschooling Dr. Hudson issues to Harley and I can confirm its legitimacy. Children have the provisional right to proper education and services, and I can confirm she is receiving such."
"But does homeschooling actually prepare her the way public or private schools can?" Laura demanded.
"Sustained to the defense." Judge Taran said.
Laura huffed a bit. "Ms. Hudson, have you ever acted in a way that would infer that you are actually a vehicle?"
"Objection!" Sally barked. "Such a vague question will only confuse the witness."
"It is a legitimate question, as it relates directly to Ms. Hudson's psychological development." Laura argued.
"But you must be specific in your questions, Ms. Cadel, in order to get to the truth of the matter." Judge Taran said.
"Very well." Laura nodded. "Ms. Hudson, have you ever tried to imitate the sounds a car would make, such as honking or the sound of an engine revving?"
Harley fidgeted in her seat. She was slowly unraveling, and Laura and Sally could see it. "Well, I have this air horn I like to carry around. I mean, it's just something funny I like to do."
"I see." Laura mused, smirking. "And have you ever consumed any kind of fuel?"
"I…..I tried some of Fillmore's organic fuel." Harley admitted. "But I was only three and I spit it out again! I promise!"
"Please just answer the question, Ms. Hudson." Laura requested.
Harley glared, finally looking to the purple Cadillac. "I'm being honest. When I came up here, you said I had to tell the whole truth, so I am."
Laura cast Harley an irritated glare, but Sally and Doc smiled in pride. Harley was picking up on Laura's and Jennifer's tricks, and she was doing what she could to fight back against them. Laura turned to fully face Harley. "Let me ask you something. You're an orphan human child, living in a town full of vehicles. You're homeschooled. You've lived most of your life without human contact. You're living your life without knowing your full potential, especially given your abilities as a psyche human."
"Objection, Your Honor." Sally piped up, her eyes on Harley. "I find a surprising lack of a question."
"Ms. Cadel?" Judge Taran asked. Sally still stared at Harley, and she noticed the girls' shoulders began to tremble. Harley glared at the ground, her nose flaring in anger. It looked like she was getting closer and closer to a meltdown, and Sally knew if it got to that point things would get much more difficult.
"My question is this: do you really think you're living a good life?" Laura demanded of Harley.
"Objection, Your Honor!" Sally snapped.
"Do you really think you're living the life you deserve?" Laura snapped, ignoring Sally's calls. "Your life could be so much better, yet you decide to live in a forgotten dump."
"Objection!" Sally shouted, some of the Radiator Springs residents beginning to shout. Harley still glared at the ground, her shaking much more visible now.
"You're living a life that's stuck in a rut!" Laura told Harley. "You think you're actually happy? It's all a lie!"
"Ms. Cadel!" Judge Taran snapped.
"This 'family' you think you have is nothing more than a group of simpletons who don't know what's best for you!" Laura shouted. "You don't know what's best for you because of their brainwashing!"
"That's enough!" Judge Taran shouted.
Harley suddenly raised her fists and slammed them down onto the wood of the podium, her crystal blue eyes ablaze with fury. "Well I didn't ask to be an orphan!" She screamed. "I didn't ask for my parents to be killed! I DIDN'T ASK DOC TO ADOPT ME!" She panted heavily, her eyes wild. "But Ford damn you, I'm happy he did!" Harley's breathing became labored, and she allowed the weight of her actions to set it. She slowly sat back in her chair, her breathing slowly becoming calm until she was just staring off into space.
"You may step down, Ms. Hudson. Ms. Cadel, Ms. Carrera." Judge Taran said. "To the stand."
Harley shakily stood from the podium, making her way down to Sheriff to gently escort her out of the courtroom. Harley cast a look to Doc, wanting nothing more than to rush to him and hug him tightly. But Sheriff softly encouraged her on, knowing it would only make things worse. Jennifer and Laura would find a way to use it against Doc.
Judge Taran stared at Sally and Laura below him. "This trial is to determine where Harley's psychological health would benefit. Putting her through such an experience is a little counterproductive, don't you think?"
"My apologies, Your Honor." Laura said, looking only half-remorseful.
"Your Honor, I would like to suggest the trial be postponed until tomorrow." Sally offered. "This will give Harley time to recover and allow for a better investigation into the matter."
"I agree, Ms. Carrera." Judge Taran nodded. "For all our mental health."
"I would like to make one final request." Laura said. "I suggest Harley be given the standardized test for a sixth grade and a seventh grade level to see if her homeschooling really is paying off."
"You, my friend, are treading on thin ice." Judge Taran reminded Laura. "However, I will tentatively allow this test for the sake of upholding Harley's rights as a child." He spoke up to address the courtroom. "This court will convene tomorrow at 3 p.m." He slammed his gavel down, dismissing the crowd. Sally and Laura returned to their clients, Jennifer and her attorney leaving briskly.
Doc growled. "That little….."
"Take it easy, Doc." Sally said soothingly.
"You saw what she did!" Doc snapped. "What she put Harley through!"
"And that was her plan the entire time." Sally said. "But we start tomorrow, and I think I have a plan for giving us the edge we need. We know Harley will pass those tests; she's a smart kid. In the meantime, we're going to go through some legal paperwork. I think I know a way to show that you're still a good guardian for Harley."
"How?" Doc asked.
"By showing everyone that you've thought of everything in regards to Harley's wellbeing and happiness." Sally said confidently. "Just trust me."
The next day, everyone gathered at the courtroom yet again. Harley dressed in her usual outfit, including her skates, and she stood tall and proud as she entered the courtroom. She seemed much better than she looked yesterday, especially when she smiled and waved to Sally and Doc. The two cast her warm smiles, thankful to see that happy grin back on the teenager's face. Jennifer and Laura finally arrived, followed by Judge Taran.
"This court will come to order." Judge Taran called, silencing the clamor from the audience. "Ms. Carrera, you have the stand."
"Thank you, Your Honor." Sally nodded. "It has come to my attention that we have not fully addressed Harley's rights and needs as a child and whether or not those were met by her legal guardian. I would like to take this time to address each children's right for the court, calling Harley Hudson to the stand to testify to each right."
"You may proceed." Judge Taran said. "Please continue."
Harley skated up to the stand, much more at ease. Sally turned to the audience of the court, confidence practically radiating off of her. "As we in the legal world know, children's rights are the rights of children with particular attention to the rights of minors, as in those under the age of eighteen. This includes but is not limited to association with both parents, basic needs, and criminal laws appropriate for the age and development of the child. Given Harley's situation, I would like to point out the ways her rights have been fulfilled by Dr. Paul Hudson. In regards to a child's provisional rights, Harley has the right to an adequate standard of living, health care, education and services, and to play and recreation. This includes a balanced diet, a warm bed to sleep in, and access to schooling. We have previously established her homeschooling. Ms. Cadel, what were Harley's results when you tested her?"
Laura frowned. "We discovered that not only was Ms. Hudson able to pass the sixth grade level test, she was able to exceed in the seventh grade level. Her intelligence is actually a grade above the average seventh grade student."
"Interesting." Sally mused, smirking. "As for the health care, I would like to point out Dr. Hudson's position as a medical professional for both vehicles and humans. This gives Harley very direct access to health care should she need it. Her immunization records show she is up-to-date with her shots, which I submit now for the court to see as evidence." A small overhead projector was brought into the room, and Sally placed a document onto the projector to show Harley's immunization records. "An investigation of Dr. Hudson's home shows it to be more than adequate, and we have confirmed in a previous interview that Harley is well-fed with a balanced diet that does not include fuel. Harley, do you feel you have time to play every day?"
"Yep." Harley nodded. "There's lots of fun stuff to do around here. Sometimes I play soccer with the neighbors."
Sally nodded in satisfaction. "Moving on to a child's protection rights, I think it is more than obvious Harley is protected from abuse, neglect, exploitation, and discrimination."
"Objection!" Laura called. "Is this really a safe place for her? What about coyotes or other dangerous animals coming into the town?"
"Objection!" Sally countered. "Such occurrences is rather rare, and the argument is invalid given its possibility of occurrence in any town, in any state."
"Sustained for the defense." Judge Taran decided.
Yes. We're doing it. Sally smiled warmly. "Harley, can you describe some of the activities you participate in around town?"
"Well, I like to help out with the other residents in their businesses." Harley shrugged. "Sometimes I'm a waitress at Flo's café, sometimes I help Guido and Luigi in their shop, you know I never really stay in one spot."
"Thank you." Sally nodded. "I, too, can confirm Harley's frequent visits to the Cozy Cone Motel, volunteering her services. This also meets her economic, social, and cultural rights in that her volunteer work allows her to gain experience she can put on a résumé for when she applies for a job. Harley is also a volunteer with Lightning McQueen's racing team, giving her exceptional credentials and references. Adding this and her heightened intelligence, we can be confident she will be ready for college when the time comes. That is all, Your Honor."
"Thank you, Ms. Carrera. Any questions, Ms. Cadel?" Judge Taran asked.
"No, Your Honor." Laura said.
"Then you may step down, Ms. Hudson." Judge Taran said. Harley thanked the judge and skated back to her seat. Sally took a minute to gather her composure. They just tilted the scale in their favor. If they could keep this up, Laura and Jennifer wouldn't have another argument to throw out.
"Your Honor, I wish to call Paul Hudson back to the stand." Laura said.
Judge Taran raised an eye frame. "You best have new information for the court, Ms. Cadel."
"I do, sir." Laura nodded. Doc drove back up to the witness podium, and Laura approached him. "Dr. Hudson, how old are you?"
"I plead the fifth. I don't feel comfortable answering that question." Doc replied simply. Harley slapped her hand over her mouth to hide her giggles.
Laura rolled her eyes. "Very well. But you can answer this: who is your next of kin, who will care for Harley should you perish for any reason?"
"That would be Sheriff." Doc said, nodding to said police Mercury.
"Really?" Laura scoffed. "As Ms. Johnson and I discussed last night, such a situation should not be accepted. Dr. Hudson's age aside, should something happen to him before Ms. Hudson turns eighteen, she will need a secure 'next of kin' to care for her. Ergo, the security of her future rests in having a next of kin who is…" She cast a look at Sheriff, who sent her a pointed glare. "We'll say younger than forty."
"Objection!" Sally rolled her eyes. "Is such action truly necessary?"
"It is for the sake of Ms. Hudson's secure future." Laura argued. "What's supposed to happen if both Dr. Hudson and Sheriff Carson die before she turns eighteen? She'll still be thrown into the foster system if she's under eighteen years old."
"I'll do it!" Mater suddenly piped up.
"Oh, no!" Jennifer snapped. "Ms. Hudson's future rests in her having a responsible, well-brought up person as her next of kin. Such an investigation would require more time ergo—"
"I'll do it then!" Lightning suddenly called, driving forward to rest between the defense and the prosecution. "I can be Harley's next of kin. If anything happens to Doc or Sheriff, I can be there for her. I think you'll find I'm more than qualified to be a good provider for her."
Jennifer laughed. "That's the most ridiculous—"
"Be still, Ms. Johnson." Judge Taran said. "I actually agree. Given your position, Mr. McQueen, economically and financially, along with your clear care for the girl, I can see you would be an excellent guardian for Ms. Hudson. Sheriff, please see to it that Mr. McQueen's name be added to the next of kin list."
"Yessir." Sheriff nodded. Lightning nodded in thanks and returned to his spot. Sally turned to him and mouthed a "Thank you."
"Anything further, Ms. Cadel?" Judge Taran asked.
Laura looked to Jennifer, who seemed rather irate. Then, the doors to the courtroom opened and Sarah entered the room, apparently having slipped out when no one was looking. Sarah approached Jennifer, whispering to her. Laura joined in the huddle, and when they pulled away the Cadillac was smirking. "I do have a few more questions, Your Honor."
"Very well." Judge Taran nodded. "Proceed."
Laura approached Doc. "Dr. Hudson, after Harley's parents were killed, was any attempt made to seek out Harley's still-living family?"
"Objection! Asked and answered." Sally pointed out.
"Objection! This is relevant to the case, Your Honor." Laura countered.
"Sustained for the prosecution. Proceed with caution, Ms. Cadel." Judge Taran said.
Laura nodded. "Dr. Hudson?"
"We already established that both Paula's and John's parents were dead." Doc reminded her.
"What about other family members?" Laura asked. "Aunts. Uncles. Cousins, even distant relatives. Were those even considered when trying to place Ms. Hudson in a new home?"
Doc realized where this was going, but he wouldn't be deterred. "Paula was an only child, ergo she had no one else who could take Harley in. Moreover, Paula's parents were already dead when Harley became an orphan. As for John…." Doc sighed. "John had a rather questionable past, and I wasn't sure if he even had a family. For the sake of Harley's safety, I thought against seeking out John's side of the family, if there was one to begin with."
Laura smirked again. "Well perhaps you should've looked. Ladies and gentlemen, Your Honor, during these proceedings we have managed to track down Jessica Dows, the sister of John Jacobs-Davidson!"
There was an uproar. Most of the audience started talking and shouting. Sally stared in shock, sharing surprised stares with Doc. Judge Taran slammed his gavel down multiple times, but it did nothing to quiet the chatter. Sheriff looked to Harley, who stared off into space in shock. She actually had an aunt? Someone related to her by blood was still alive? How did that make sense? And why did she have to find out now?
It took several minutes for the courtroom to come to order, and Judge Taran ordered Doc to step down from the stand. He looked to Laura. "Ms. Cadel, before I fine you for withholding evidence, perhaps you'd like to defend yourself."
"This was in no way withholding evidence." Laura assured. "Ms. Johnson and I began our search just yesterday, but did not hear back from Mrs. Dows until just a few minutes ago. In fact, she and her husband are on their way to Radiator Springs now to testify."
"Your Honor, this cannot be allowed!" Sally protested. "Such an investigation should've been made known to the court!"
"We did not want to raise hopes should our investigation come up short." Laura reasoned.
"Why that is such a load of—" Sally looked ready to tear Laura in half.
"Enough!" Judge Taran snapped. He stared back and forth between the defense and the prosecution. "This trial will be postponed until we can get to the bottom of this. Once Mr. and Mrs. Dows arrive, you will tell me immediately. Then I, the prosecution, and the defense will interview the couple to determine their legitimacy; I will personally decide if they seem fit to raise Ms. Hudson. Once all the proper evidence has been gathered, I will give my verdict. Court dismissed!" He slammed his gavel down.
A/N: Cliffhanger! Muahahaha! Don't worry, I won't leave you hanging for long. But you gotta let me know what you think! I know, this is a very cliché storyline and most of you can guess the ending, but I wanted to give it a try.
Read and review please!