"Hey, Matthew...?" Gilbert began. It was a few days after when Francis had divulged what Gilbert was doing to Matthew.

"What is it, eh?" Matthew asked, looking up from his cereal.

"Well... that thing I've been up to that I won't tell you about...? It involves you to the point that I kinda have to tell you because you need to be there when this goes down."

"It's okay. I already know," Matthew said, turning his gaze back to his cereal and spooning it into his mouth. He needed to keep eating it so that it wouldn't get too soggy. He didn't really like his cereal super soggy.

"Wh-what? How?" Gilbert spluttered, genuinely surprised.

"I kinda... got really upset... thinking that you didn't actually want to be with me, so... rather than see me cry, Francis told me," Matthew admitted sheepishly, chasing some of the cereal around the bowl to get it onto his spoon.

"I should have known," Gilbert grumbled.

"Can you really blame him, though, Gil? C'mon now. Don't tell me that you would just sit by and let me cry when you knew that you could say something to stop it."

Gilbert just grumbled and Matthew knew he was spot on with that one.

"Anyway, what about it?" Matthew asked, trying to hide his smile.

"The court date is a few days from now, and they want you to show up."

Matthew figured that was it. "Alright." That was all the answer that he needed to give.

~~~
The days between that conversation and the court date passed quickly.

"Matthew, wake up," Gilbert said, prodding said boy in the ribs.

"Ow... just five more minutes," Matthew mumbled, turning over.

"Nope. You told me yesterday not to let you get to me with that," Gilbert said simply. "Now get your lazy ass up, or I'm flipping you out of bed."

"You wouldn't dare," Matthew retorted, lazily glaring up at him.

"Oh really?" Gilbert made as if he was about to fulfill that promise, and Matthew jumped up immediately, only to trip on the blankets, which had been kicked to the floor. As Matthew fell, he grabbed onto the nearest thing, bringing it down with him and landing on top of it. That thing just happened to be Gilbert.

"I'm so sorry!" he exclaimed immediately, really flustered. He tried to get up, only to be restrained by a pair of arms that were much stronger than his frail body.

"Gott, Matthew. You're still really boney," Gilbert commented sadly, touching his ribs.

Blushing at the intimate contact, Matthew reminded him, "I need to get ready." He was let go and went to put on some of Gilbert's nice clothes, which hung off of him worse than all of the others.

"Sorry," Gilbert said, chuckling. Matthew was positively drowning in those clothes. "The last time that I had need of those, I was kinda chubby."

"You? Chubby?" Matthew was incredulous. "I don't believe that for a second!"

The two continued their banter all the way to the courthouse. However, any form of chatter ceased as they pulled into a parking space, and both fidgeted a bit nervously.

"Don't worry. This'll go my way. I got the best lawyers money can buy. Family friends, at that, who have been such for as long as I can remember and then some."

"W-well, that's good, eh," Matthew said, nervously sticking to Gilbert's side like glue as they made their way inside.

Gilbert gave the receptionist their case number. "That's being taken care of in Courtroom Three," she informed him and directed them to the room.

They didn't have long to wait before Gilbert's lawyer friends caught up with them and filled them in on how things would go.

It was when the family arrived that Matthew got even more nervous. But he didn't have long to dwell on that as the court session began shortly after.

Gilbert's lawyers had done a really good job on this case. They had doctors to testify on Matthew's condition with both times in the hospital as a factor, along with how much he had improved since moving in with his friend, school personnel to comment on the amount of blood in the bathroom the first time, Francis and Antonio were called to testify on Matthew's mentality since they had become friends, Gilbert talked about how horrified he was to find Matthew's nearly-corpse body both times, and then it was Matthew's turn. He was asked about a number of things, from how he felt at home to how his parents treated him, to how his relationship with his parents differed from that which they had with Alfred, to how he felt with Gilbert and his friends, to how much he was eating. He answered each question honestly, as he had promised to do when he had made his way up to the stand. And then they had to break while the jury made their decision.

"Gilbert, I'm nervous. I think I'm going to be sick," Matthew confessed, pacing the room with tears in his eyes. "What if they make me go back to them? I don't want to."

"I won't let them have you back. They don't deserve you." There was a hint of possessiveness in his voice.

"Thank you," Matthew said, hugging him tightly. Francis and Antonio joined the hug shortly after.

"If it comes down to it," Francis informed him, "we'll just break into your house and steal all of your stuff."

Matthew giggled halfheartedly and clung to Gilbert's hand, listening to his friends' reassurances while they awaited the decision.

After everyone had settled back into the room, Matthew still squeezing the life out of Gilbert's hand, the verdict was given.

"The court hereby grants Matthew Williams-Jones freedom from his parents, who are not fit to raise a child. As punishment for this behavior, Alfred Williams-Jones is to be relocated to a home, where his parents will only be able to visit him during supervised visits. The parents will not allowed to see Matthew. Both boys will be escorted home today, where they will pack up their belongings. Matthew will be taken back to his current caretaker's house, and Alfred will be taken to the home of this court's choosing," the judge informed the crowd.

Matthew could have cried of happiness. He was enveloped in another hug from all of his friends, but that had to end so that he could be taken to get his things.

"I'll see you at home," Gilbert said with a grin.

Matthew nodded. He followed the official looking man from the courthouse, where he was put into a car with Alfred. This wasn't going to be pleasant.

Once they were moving, Alfred scowled at him. "You're an ungrateful brat. I ought to teach you a lesson." He cracked his knuckles for emphasis.

"C-calm down, eh. It's not like that's what I was going for! B-besides! Mom and dad are the ones who wouldn't just give my stuff up!"

"That's because, like was said in the courtroom, they don't remember you. Do you know why they don't? Because they block your pathetic existence from their minds. They wish they had never birthed you. I wish it too. You're lucky that you weren't just thrown into the streets. I wish you would have died."

The rest of the car ride was spent with the driver scolding Alfred while Matthew huddled into his seat and cried.

Once they got out of the car, Alfred pushed Matthew, nearly making him fall to the ground. The two packed up their things, Alfred getting a few more snide remarks and hits in, and Matthew just taking it like his passive nature caused him to do. They were taken to their separate new homes in different cars after the incident and when Matthew got to Gilbert's house, he dropped his stuff in the entry way and went straight for Gilbert's bathroom, locking the door behind him and grabbing a razor for the cabinet. Why was he such a loathsome creature? Maybe the world really would be better off without him. He took the blades from the safety and contemplated them, remembering the feel of the mirror's glass in his arm and wondering if it would feel the same with this blade... He held the metal up to his arm.

A sharp knock sounded on the door. "Matthew, I was just told what happened. Unlock the door," Gilbert said, trying to be soothing and not sound worried.

"I just... need a moment."

"I don't trust you in there alone after that."

"I-I'll be fine."

"No, you won't. Now open the door."

Matthew dropped the blades on the counter and unlocked the door. Gilbert pushed it open immediately and pulled Matthew into his arms. "It's all going to get better now," he said softly.

Matthew gripped onto his shirt and cried his eyes out.

A/N: I'm not sure how a real court appearance would have gone, so that's why it's not terribly detailed. Who wants me to make an extra chapter at the end to show how Alfred's life is in his new home~?