A/N-Sorry I missed last week's update, but I was kind of busy with other things. I told myself that I had to absolutely update this story today so here it is. Hope you enjoy! I took some lines from Life Unexpected as well.
Chapter Six: Second Chance
Peyton wakes up to noises in the kitchen. She gets out of bed and notices Lucas in the kitchen messing with different things. The toaster was broken.
When Peyton had come home from seeing Grace, Lucas didn't talk to her. He even went so far as to sleep in the spare bedroom.
"Lucas, can you please talk to me?"
Lucas puts the toaster down and walks over to Peyton.
"I just don't understand. You should've told me Peyton. I would've been there for you."
Peyton can see the tears brimming in her boyfriend's eyes and she starts to get them as well.
"Tell me what to do to fix this. I'll do anything."
"I just want a chance," Lucas whispers before he walks away.
Judge Julia Thomas had a lot of trouble in her life. She went through a lot as a kid and nobody was there for her except her family. When she was 15 she got adopted which was rare in all senses. Most parents want babies and not teens, but her adoptive parents were different. George and Helen Thomas had lost their son when he was 15. A car accident cost him his life. George and Helen didn't want to replace their son, but they knew that they wanted someone to take care of and after a lot of discussions they went with adoption, but with a 15 year old girl instead. Julia, of course was told all of this right away, but she had finally got her wish and hoped to someday make a difference in someone's life. Now she was Judge Thomas and today she had a case that was hard to make, but she knew what she had to do after listening to everything that was going on.
"I see that you turn 16, tomorrow."
Grace nods her head.
"Yes and with me being emancipated then I can get a job and my GED."
In the back of the courtroom, Lucas and Peyton walked in holding hands and took a seat.
"And this is your case worker here," Judge Thomas says as she points to the man across the room.
The man stands up and addresses the Judge.
"I am your honor. I've only been with Gracyn a few months. She tends to change hands often."
"Yes, I see the seven different foster homes," Thomas says as she looks at the papers on the bench.
Grace looks at the judge in worry.
"That's not really all my fault."
Judge Thomas looks over at Grace with a sad expression.
"And whose is it? Surely you aren't saying it isn't the seven different families that have tried to take you in."
"No I want a good home. The state of North Carolina hasn't provided me with one."
"You have no permanent residence as of today."
"Well, as soon as my petition is granted there is a small apartment not too far from my school."
"You are going to afford an apartment, on what income?"
"I have over 4,000 dollars in the bank."
"Who is going to sign your rental agreement?"
"The whole point of getting emancipated it so that I won't need a cosigner."
"No landlord is going to rent an-"
Lucas stands up from his seat and starts talking.
"I'll sign your honor."
Peyton stands up next to him as Grace turns around and sees them.
"I'm sorry, who are you people?"
Grace turns around and faces the judge.
"Those are my birth parents."
Judge Thomas raises her eyebrow.
"Can I see the file?"
"Sir, you are an author is that correct and you work at the local high school as a basketball coach?"
"Yes your honor."
Thomas looks at Peyton.
"And you own your own business…no criminal records and you both own your own vehicles and you two are currently living together."
"We're getting married," Peyton says to the judge.
"I'm sorry what is going on?"
The judge turns her attention to Grace.
"Okay, I am going to be really straight with you. I am not granting you emancipation. You have no income, you have no permanent residence. You filed a fee waiver in order to cover your court cost. Peyton Sawyer and Lucas Scott are still legally your parents."
"Um actually they're not. I had those papers signed."
"Those signatures weren't witnessed or notarized. Gracyn you are getting a chance here. Most kids in your situation never got to meet their birth parents. I never did so unless there are any objections I'm releasing you to their temporary custody. This case is dismissed."
Gracyn, Lucas and Peyton walked out of the courthouse and down the steps. Grace turned to her birth parents.
"You knew it wasn't going to happen didn't you?" Grace asked.
Lucas stepped forward.
"I had a feeling, but Grace this is a chance just the like the judge said. It's a chance."
Peyton stepped forward and next to Lucas. Grace looked at both of them.
"Why now? Why not when I was little? Why now?"
"I don't think I could ever answer that question Grace, but what I can tell you are that from here on out I am going to try and be the mother that always needed."
"And I'm going to be the father that you always needed."
Grace closed her eyes and sighed.
"I really have nowhere else to go."
Peyton smiled slightly.
"Then let's go home."