Disclaimer: Same as always, don't own guardian, no money from this

Author's Note: Thank you so very much to hgriss and christyzachman for reviewing, you guys are the best, it's nice to know some people are enjoying it. So here's chapter 12, focuses more on Burton's case but I will get back to Nick next chapter. Enjoy!

"I'm gonna go talk to this girl's father," Burton announced as he stood up, he'd just finished reading the file and was eager to do a good job on his first case, even if it meant leaving Nick.

"Good for you," Laurie said also standing, "I should get back to my room, my son said he'd be here at 5 and its quarter to now," she smiled, "Tommy likes to be early. I'll see you soon Nick," she said as she left.

"Bye Laurie, bye Dad," he added as Burton retrieved his coat and went to the door.

"See you soon son,"

Before long Burton was standing outside the address in the file, feeling quite nervous he was forced to admit. He studied the house, it was a typical house save the windows were filthy, the grass overgrown and the pathway littered with empty bottles and cans of cheap beer.

He wondered if he'd be able to keep his word, this didn't look good. But according to the file he'd only hit her a few times and their was no history of prior abuse. Neglect yeah, she mainly got her food from school meals and this place was filthy. It didn't look like the man had taken his wife's death well but he didn't seem like a monster either.

Carefully avoiding the cans and bottles Burton stood before the brown door and pressed the door bell, it chimed a simple ding dong, the door was then opened violently by a man, Burton assumed he was Christine's father. He had wild brown hair and blood shot eyes, his clothes were filthy and he reeked of rum.

"What d'ya want?" he slurred drunkenly at Burton.

"I'm a lawyer, I'm here to talk to you about your daughter," Burton said calmly, not entirely sure what to say as he wasn't use to dealing with people like this.

"Christy? Have ye come to give 'er back?" he looked hopeful.

"Sort of, I need to talk to you about it. Preferably when your sober," Fulton ran his hands through his hair and opened the door wider, stepping aside to allow Burton room to enter.

"I's'll get some coffee or sommat," he slurred and went off into the kitchen. The corridor didn't look much nicer than the yard except instead of grass there was dust and junk.

"Take a seat in the err... front room, on the left," Fulton called from the kitchen. Burton did so, he could see why social services thought it was inappropriate, the place was a dump. Burton suddenly had a new found appreciation for his housekeeper. He sat down carefully on the beat up couch, trying to ignore the overpowering stench offending his nostrils. Fulton returned a few minutes later with two coffee cups he handed one to Burton and kept the other, the mugs were chipped but it seemed like the guy was trying. He took a sip cautiously, half expecting it to be poisoned and was relieved it wasn't.

"We haven't formally met Mr...?"

"Fallin, Burton Fallin,"

"I'm Harrison Fulton, you can call me Harry. So about my daughter, can I get her back? I missed the court thing didn't I?"

"Yeah you did miss the court thing, it's actually called a shelter hearing though-"

"Hang on a second..." Harry said as he put down his coffee and looked through a pile of junk pulling out a notepad and pencil, he began writing.

"Shelter hearing, right? Carry on,"

"I represented your daughter. Custody went to your brother-in-law William Gunther but I made it temporary so you can get your daughter back if you clean up your act,"

"What would I need to do exactly?"

"Well you need to get this place cleaned up, it's pretty errr...." Burton tried to think of a polite way to say filthy.

"Yeah it's a pig sty I know, so clean it up. What else?"

"You'd need to take parenting classes, get a job and most importantly deal with your drinking problem," Harry, who had been writing all this down as he spoke stopped at the last point.

"Deal with my drinking problem, like how?"

"Go to rehab or AA meetings or something. I can get you some brochures if you like," Burton felt uncomfortable mentioning rehab, it made him think of Nick going to rehab. He felt the familar twinge of guilt, and anger at Lulu.

"That'd be good," Harry said putting down the notepad, "I really screwed up huh? I didn't realize how fucked up everything was til they took her away," he picked up his coffee again.

"If you do those things you do have a good chance of getting her back,"

"I know, if she'll ever forgive me,"

"I think she already has," Harry smiled slightly at this.

"I bet you think I'm a loser who doesn't deserve my kid back, like all those others. You all think alcohol, there's no way in hell he could ever be a good father, especially after hitting her-"

"I don't think that. I think that we all try our best but, but sometimes we make mistakes and just don't realize it until it's almost too late," Burton told him honestly, desperately missing Nick all of a sudden, "what's important is that you do realize and you have a chance to make things right. And you should do it, because if not, it really will be too late,"

Harry nodded and they were quiet for a time as they finished their coffee. Harry took him to the door.

"Thank you Mr. Fallin, I will try my best," he offered his hand and Burton shook it.

"I'll bring you those things soon, okay? And your welcome, I wish you luck," with that Burton returned to his car feeling oddly happy. He hoped the guy would take his advice, he hoped he would be able take his own advice...