It felt weird, being on this side of the court room. To be wearing the brown suit he bought two years ago, to have his feathers combed back in a boring fashion, to have a lawyer.

Of course, Drake didn't need one. He knew enough of the law to represent himself, but, Drake Mallard knows nothing of the law. He does not know the whole Constitution by heart, he does not own fifty-five law books…he is the average everyday guy.

"Don't worry Mr. Mallard," His lawyer, Reynolds told him. "You've done nothing wrong and I'll prove that today."

Drake frowned. His lawyer had a thick Southern drawl that made it difficult to understand him. Worse, Reynolds was wearing a brown suit that looked like something out of an seventies movie.

Launchpad spoke for him. "What did you just say?"

Was the courtroom always this big? Drake had to use his handkerchief to wipe the sweat off his palms and his forehead. He had never felt so nervous in his life. "I'm scared Launchpad," Drake told his friend. "What if I lose Gosalyn?"

Launchpad was in dressed in a nice blue suit but kept his signature goggles on his head. He smiled confidently. "Don't worry D," He said to him. "You've done nothing wrong and you'll be proven that."

"I just said that," Lawyer Reynolds growled at him.

"Uh? You say something?"

The doors to the court room flew open so violently that they slammed into the walls with a loud bang. Three people entered. The first, Ms. Griffin, the fierce looking child welfare officer. Besides her, a tall dark man Drake didn't know. And clutched in his hand, he held Gosalyn's small wrist.

"Gosalyn!" Drake cried out, stepping forward.

Gosalyn looked like she had been forced to eat liver and onions for she had a sour look upon her face. Probably because the dress Ms. Griffin made her wear was pink and purple. When she caught sight of her father, her whole face lit up. "Dad!"

She too strode forward towards him, but stopped when the man holding her kept his hard grip. Drake was stopped when Ms. Griffin stepped between them.

"Take another step and I'll be forced to have you arrested," Ms. Griffin growled at him. "You're not allowed to have any contact with the child."

Drake narrowed his eyes at her. "You're not very popular, are you?"

"Not with second-hand parents," She retorted, pushing herself around him. The man and Gosalyn followed suit, the man forcing Gosalyn to take the farthest way around Drake.

The next twenty minutes were antagonizing. Each time Drake leaned from his spot on the defense table to catch Gosalyn's eye, his eyes caught Ms. Griffin's instead. His lawyer whispered encouraging words in his ears, but he didn't understand a damn thing he said. He could have easily gotten a higher priced lawyer, but Drake Mallard didn't make that much money to afford one.

Why was he sacrificing his child for his identity? That thought alone almost made him cry.

"All rise for the honorable Judge Pepper."

Drake stood up, carefully watching the Judge walk in. Pepper was middle age, tall and very muscular. He looked like he could eat and spit metal if he wanted. Drake knew most of the Judges of precinct, but this Pepper was new. He is supposedly a specialist for child related cases.

"All sit," Judge Pepper said in a deep voice, placing on his nose gold rimmed glasses. "This court will now acknowledge Drake Mallard vs. CWS. Mr. Mallard, on the charges of neglect and endangerment, how do you plea?"

Drake stood. "Not guilty."

"All right," Pepper said, putting down the papers he held in his hand. "Ms. Griffin, your opening statement."

Drake had heard it all before. After all, he had sat as witness in many cases. As Drakwing of course. He silently went through the motions, playing out the scene. Ms. Griffin was putting up a hard fight, showing she had done this many times. But despite that, Reynolds and his hard hearing voice was holding his own. He was showing to be a competent lawyer. Each side had its' own strong points and weak points, but Drake could see the case was becoming near a stalemate conclusion. The judge would have no other choice but to make the fire a mis-coincidental event and that it was unavoidable.

"As my next witness," Griffin said in a tired tone. "I like to call Mr. Drake's friend, Launchpad."

Drake watch Launchpad get up and walked to the seat beside the judge. Drake felt nervous. Of course, he and Reynolds had gone over the possible questions Launchpad could be asked and possible answers he could respond with. Drake knew he could trust his friend…but…Launchpad wasn't exactly smart.

Still. What kind of questions could Griffin ask him he had already thought of?

"How long have you known Mr. Mallard?" Griffin asked Launchpad.

"Oh, many years," Launchpad said in a proud voice. "We're very close friends."

Drake began to feel very uncomfortable. Something about Griffin's tone of questioning arose a suspicion emotion Drake could not identify.

"And you live with Mr. Drake?" Griffin continued.

"Sometimes I sleep over. Gosalyn likes it when we have a huge pizza party."

And as if Reynolds sensed Drake's fear, he stoop up quickly and asked the Judge, "Your honor…what's the point Ms.Griffin is trying to prove?"

"Ms. Griffin," The Judge ordered, "Your point."

"Are you just friends with Mr. Mallard," Griffin asked Launchpad, acting like she didn't hear the Judge. "Or much more?"

Then Drake realized what she was trying to say. He turned to Reynolds to have him do something, but it was too late. The damage was done.

"Oh, much more!" Launchpad said with a big smile, thinking he was helping. "We're very close, D' and I. We're like this!" He emphasized, holding up two fingers intertwined.

"NO WE'RE NOT!" Drake yelled out, unable to help himself. His world was crumbling apart and he could see the future. "Your honor, sir, please. It's not like that-"

"Hold your tongue, Mr. Mallard," The Judge snapped at him, banging his gavel. "In light of these new circumstances, I'm afraid I have no choice."

"No!"

"In the case of Drake Mallard vs CWS, I am forced to have Gosalyn placed with the Welfare Services and the adoption contract between her and Mr. Mallard is void. This case is adjourned."

Drake felt his world crumbling away. He had to hold onto the desk in front of him or else he feared he might faint.

"DAD!"

Gosalyn broke through the social worker's grip, running up to her father to grab him at the legs. Drake quickly scooped up his daughter and held her tightly.

The moment was short lived. Drake felt Gosalyn being torn away from his grip, watching as her soft young face was hidden behind the large shoulders of the social. "Dad!" Gosalyn cried out. "Don't let them take me away! Dad!"

Drake stepped forward, an instinct to help when he was stopped by Griffin. "You come within twenty meters of Gosalyn and I'll have you arrested."

Gosalyn's cries were still heard even after she left the courtroom, crying out for her father's help.

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Although the fire had took much of the house, several rooms were still left standing with burnt remains. The supporting beams were unscathed by the hot flames, leaving Drake with the option of rebuilding the outer inner walls or selling.

Gosalyn's room was one of the few that was half destroyed. All the posters she had on her wall were now reduced to dust, and all the items that were left on her floor (and there were a lot) are now nothing but piles of ash.

Drake leaned against the frame of the door only to have it crumble and collapse under his weight. Inside the room, he tried desperately to not step on the charred items which proved impossible. On the singed bed, Drake picked up Gosalyn's cracking burnt teddy bear, pieces of it falling off at a moment's touch.

"D," Launchpad said quietly from the incarcerated doorway. "I'm sorry…If I was more responsible- if I was keeping more of an eye on Gos-"

"Launchpad," Drake said in a sad whisper. "Go away."

Launchpad fell silent. For a moment, his hulking silhouette didn't move, then he said, "Alright, D. I'll…I'll see you at the tower."

Drake wasn't satisfied. "No Launchpad. I don't want to see you at the tower. I don't want to see you ever again."

"D…" Launchpad begged, reaching out to touch him. "Don't do this."

"I lost my daughter," Drake told him, turning to face him for the very first time. "All because you couldn't keep an eye on the oven.

"Go away Launchpad. I never want to see you again."

Without another word or look, Launchpad left. And in a ruined room, in a ruined house, Drake sat on the mangled bed and held the teddy bear close to his heart.

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A/N: Happy New Year guys! (This is not the end! More to come!)

Anyhoo, R/R!