PART 5
At exactly two p.m., Alex and Phil entered the courtroom under the scrutiny of Dunn and his lawyer. Neither party spoke but rose as the judge entered the court and called everyone to order. As Alex expected Gordon spoke first.
"Your honor, we demand to know why Leopold Fitz has not returned to the courtroom." He glared at Alex as he waited for the judge's response.
"Ms. Miles?" The judge asked for an explanation using only her name.
"Your honor, the boy was hysterical for the better part of the recess. His mother chose to contact his pediatrician who administered a mild sedative. As Leopold has fallen asleep in the west hall lounge we felt it was not beneficial to wake him at this time. Melinda Coulson is with the boy along with an officer of the court. A second officer is standing outside the door."
"I object your honor and demand counsel be charged with attempting to circumvent your decision by having the boy drugged and thereby unable to be present in the court." Gordon growled as he placed a hand on Dunn's shoulder, hoping to keep him from adding to the chaos.
"We could not have tried to keep the boy from following any order, as your honor has not yet given his decision." Alex spoke calmly, directly to the judge ignoring her opponent's ire.
The judge removed his glasses, closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He let out a short breath and replaced the glasses. "I see no reason to wake the boy or to drag him into a situation that will only exaggerate his already fragile emotional state." He looked at Dunn over the top of those glasses, "a state that your tantrum did nothing to alleviate." The judge sat back and pushed his glasses up with one finger on the nose piece. "If that rant is any indication of your attempt at parenting, I assure you it will be a major consideration in this decision. Counselor, I would suggest you insist your client control his temper for the rest of this proceeding." The judge warned, then waited for both lawyers to be seated. "I am more than tempted to adjourn for the day giving everyone the opportunity to gain control of their emotions. My own emotional state is more than aggravated by this argument with the well being of a child at stake and I assure you one more outburst will result in just that, so tread lightly."
"If it please the court, your honor," Gordon began hesitantly. "Is there a decision on our previous motion."
"I have not yet come to a decision." The judge barked. "I will see young Master Fitz in my chambers first thing in the morning. You will have my decision after I speak with him. Until then…Ms. Miles," he turned to Alex. "Call your next witness."
With a bang of the gavel, the hearing proceeded.
Alex looked at her witness list. It would not be wise to ask to change it at this point. She had no choice. "We call Melinda May Coulson, to the stand."
The judge glanced up at the lawyer then spoke to the bailiff. He let out a frustrated breath. "Ms. Miles, did you or did you not just tell this court that Mrs. Coulson was with her son in the west lounge? And are you now telling the same court that this witness is unavailable? I assure you Ms. Miles I have no patience for this nonsense." He glared at her over the bench as Gordon anxiously awaited her attempt to explain.
"Your honor, as previously stated, this is an unexpected situation. Mrs. Coulson is available and can be summoned to the court, however I do not believe it would be wise to leave the child without at least one parent should he awaken."
The judge removed his spectacles and drummed his fingers on the bench for a moment before ordering. "Please have a court officer escort Mr. Coulson to the lawyer's lounge and then do the same to escort Mrs. Coulson to the stand."
The bailiff gave a curt nod and walked to the courtroom doors, opened them and stepped outside for a moment before returning to his seat in the front of the court. An officer appeared in seconds and led Phil from the room, returning with Melinda a few minutes later. The courtroom remained silent in the interim.
Melinda took the stand and swore to tell the truth. Alex questioned her about meeting Fitz for the first time and again had the story of the Coulsons bringing the boy to the States and adopting him as their own. She gave complete disclosure on her occupation and what led to the death of James Grant. By the time Alex told the judge she had no more questions for her witness she was sure there was nothing left for Gordon to discover.
The opposing counsel approached the stand and smiled at Melinda. She did not return the smile. He walked back to the table where Dunn sat and picked up a piece of paper glanced at it and set it down. Melinda let out a frustrated breath. If the guy was trying to put her on guard with this ridiculous act he was doing a piss poor job.
"Mrs. Coulson," he spoke in a loud tone, breaking the silence. Melinda remained at ease. "Do you know a young man called Martin La Carre?"
"No, I do not." Melinda replied without emotion.
Gordon presented her with a large photo. She recognized the school uniform. He took the photo from her and handed to the judge who scanned and then passed it to the bailiff.
"Mr. La Carre is a student at the school Leopold attends." He turned then spun back, sarcastically adding, "I'm sorry, Fitz…Fitz attends."
"I have never met the boy and to the best of my knowledge Fitz has never mentioned him." Melinda responded without taking the lawyer's bait.
Gordon pursed his lips and nodded then turned and took a few steps away from the stand before turning back. "Do you recall a few weeks ago when you denied Fitz the opportunity to accompany a group on a science field trip?" Again he stressed the boy's name. The lawyer hoped she would jump on the fact that he accused her of denying the boy something he enjoyed. He fully intended to pursue her reasoning.
"I do." She answered simply and waited for him to continue. Melinda smiled at the look on the man's face as his attempt to irk her had failed.
Gordon walked to his table and slid the forms there back and forth with one finger, then turned and walked slowly back to the stand. "Are you aware Fitz spent the day in the technology lab with Mr. La Carre and a teacher's aid?" He smirked as he asked.
"Yes," she answered remaining just as calm as she had been. "The school informed me where Fitz would be and who would be with him."
"Do you know what went on that day?" Gordon went on, still attempting to accuse her with his questions. "And you agree the boy was unsupervised for a whole day?"
"I don't believe it was a whole day." Melinda replied. "More like a few hours." She leaned forward and continued. "My son was not unsupervised, Mr. Gordon. I believe you just said he was with a teacher's aid."
Gordon glared at the woman. "Do you know what your son did during those few hours?"
"Fitz told us he spent the time working on projects in the tech lab, including a robot he'd been helping with. He told us he had some success with it and later told us he had it perform some rather rude hand gestures, which he deleted by day's end." Melinda smiled remembering how the boy's guilt had gotten to him, forcing an unsolicited confession.
"Can you tell the court how a young boy would know such gestures?" Gordon raised his brows as he asked.
Melinda let out a small laugh. "He's a boy, Mr. Gordon. He's ten years old and extremely intelligent. He goes to school every day, granted he spends the day with other genius level children but I am sure they know just as many gestures and words as every other ten year old these days."
"So, you are saying that Fitz never hears or sees these same gestures at home." Gordon glared at the woman.
"My husband and I are not angels, Mr. Gordon. We've both been know to use more then our share of 'off color' language but certainly not in front of our children." Melinda sighed as if she were tired of the man's pestering.
"I see." The lawyer nodded, standing directly in front of Melinda and tapping one finger on the rail of the stand. "Would it surprise you to know that Mr. La Carre is prepared to testify that Fitz told him he would be severely punished for doing just that." Gordon stated quickly.
"Objections, here say, your honor." Alex rose to her feet.
"Is there a question, Mr. Gordon?" The judge inquired.
"Your honor, I intend to show the Coulson's own parenting choices can be what some may consider to be harsh and demanding."
The judge thought for a moment. "I'll allow it. Over ruled."
Gordon turned back to Melinda moving very close to the railing that bordered the stand. "Was Fitz severely punished for his experimentation with the tech lab robot?"
Melinda shook her head but maintained her composure. "Absolutely not."
"Are you saying you did not punish him for something he'd been warned about on several occasions?" Gordon prodded.
"That is exactly what I am saying." Melinda replied.
"Nothing, you did nothing?" The lawyer continued to ask.
"Your honor, witness has answered the question," Alex objected.
"Move on, Mr. Gordon." The judge warned.
For a few moments Gordon tapped his finger on the rail then let out a fluttery breath. "Do you punish your children, Mrs. Coulson?" He asked without picking up his head.
"If the situation warrants it," she replied.
"And what does that punishment entail?" He grinned as he looked into her eyes.
"It depends on the situation." She answered in the same tone staring right back at him until he was forced to look away.
"Grounding them?" He asked turning his back to her.
"Occasionally," she replied.
He nodded as he looked to the floor and took a few steps away from the stand. "Lectures?"
"When it helps," Melinda sighed as she crossed her legs at the knee and folded her hands on top.
"Take away privileges?" He breathed, still facing away from her.
"Of course," she breathed as well.
"Do you beat your children occasionally?" He turned to her and continued before she could answer. "When it helps?" He stepped toward her with each word stopping directly in front of her. "As par for the course?" He asked the last question quietly with a sly smile.
"Objection! Your honor!" Alex sprang to her feet. "Counsel is implying Mrs. Coulson abuses her children."
"I am merely looking for answers, trying to show that perhaps the Coulsons are not such perfect parents." Gordon spoke at the same time making it difficult for the judge to hear either lawyer clearly.
"Your honor?" Melinda interrupted. "I would like to answer Mr. Gordon if I may."
The judge looked to Alex, giving her speak space. "I withdraw my objection and reserve the right to redirect."
"So noted," he agreed then turned back to Melinda. "Mrs. Coulson you may continue."
Melinda nodded then narrowed her eyes at Gordon. "I have never, ever beaten any of my children. However, I have spanked them when the situation warranted. I assure you and the court that it is not something I do without a lot of soul searching and discussion with their father before hand. It breaks my heart but there are times when a few swats on the backside keep them from doing something that may put them in serious jeopardy. I would rather see any of my children cry because their bottom smarts than cry myself because they are hurt or worse. And I always make sure they know exactly why they are being punished and that I love them no matter what. I never leave them to cry alone or to wallow in guilt or resentment over what they've done. I assure you Mr. Gordon that my children are not afraid of me or their father."
Gordon stood for a moment gathering his thoughts, then turned to the judge. "No more questions your honor."
The judge dismissed Melinda as Phil and a bleary eyed Fitz entered the room. Phil was called to the stand while the little boy dozed off and on against his mother's side. Phil's testimony was similar to Melinda's with the only exceptions being the things he experienced with Fitz in London while she was in Sheffield with Jemma.
Gordon questioned his methods for trying to contact any of Fitz's blood relatives and received all documentation of Coulson's agency's attempts to find anyone related to Fitz. There were several signed affidavits from the social agency in Glasgow, a copy of the boy's birth certificate and a letter from the Intercountry Adoption - Bureau of Consular Affairs - Department of State noting that all regulations and standards had been met in the adoption process and were verified and acknowledged by the U.S. State Department as well as it's reciprocal agency in Great Britain. Each agency also noted their individual attempt to contact family of the boy that included a search for his biological father which proved almost impossible as no one had the man's name.
The lawyer could not shake any of the evidence and moved on to trying again to incite anger in the witness.
"Mr. Coulson am I right in saying you kidnapped this young boy off the streets of London?" Gordon glared.
Phil sat back in the chair and stared at the man for a beat. "Fitz was alone and as far as I knew homeless when we first met. He tried to swipe my wallet and I caught him. I suppose I could have turned him over to the first policeman that crossed our path but when I saw how terrified he was I had second thoughts. My first inclination was to return him to his parents, but he wasn't very forthcoming with information."
"So you just assumed the boy had no one and whisked him away." Gordon almost laughed.
"I've been working with people for a long time, Mr. Gordon. I don't make assumptions. Fitz and I spent some time together. I bought him lunch and he accompanied me to a property I was interested in purchasing. I offered to take him home and he broke down. Someone was hurting him, forcing him to pick pockets and who knew what else. I found out later it was James Grant."
"And you know this James Grant was not the boy's father?" Gordon prodded.
Phil smiled as he smoothed his hand over the leg of his trousers. "I didn't at the time, but I did know he was hurting Fitz and I wasn't about to take him back to that environment. It was late. I couldn't leave him alone and he wouldn't give any information so I took him with me with the intention of contacting the local Children Services in the morning."
"And did you?"
Phil shook his head. "I did not. I decided to try to find his family with the help of my agency. It may not have been my best idea but the kid was scared and I couldn't put him into danger."
"The danger Children's Services would put him in?" Gordon asked, feigning confusion.
"He was just as terrified of that plan as he was of going back to Grant." Phil explained. "It took a few weeks to gain his trust and get the information about his mother, unfortunately she was already deceased. Once that was established there was no question that my wife and I would try to become his guardians. That and having a run in with Grant, who tried to harm not only Fitz but our daughter, Jemma as well."
Gordon continued pressing Phil for details regarding his taking Fitz from Sheffield but every 't' was crossed and every 'i' was dotted. There was no way to shake the story. The Coulson's had done everything they should have done and did it correctly. With no further questions Gordon ended his cross examination and dropped into his seat next to Dunn.
The judge adjourned for the day by four thirty and reminded the Coulsons to have Fitz in his chambers at ten o clock the next morning. The older man smiled saying he would give them an extra hour for the boy to sleep off the remnants of the doctor's sedative.
Melinda sighed as Phil carried a drowsy Fitz to the car. The judge had no idea what kind of night they would have. Once that sedative wore off the last thing any of them would do was sleep.
XX
"And you are sure of this," Phil asked over the form he held in one hand while sipping coffee with the other.
"Positively," Mack nodded
"Absolutely," Hunter said at the same time.
"Every item has been verified, sir." Bobbi added. "Elena is bringing the woman herself."
"Turns out she was not what any of us imagined," Hunter smiled. "Got to get our minds out of the gutter then don't we?" Bobbi lightly backhanded him across the shoulder.
"How did you find her?" Phil asked as he poured a second cup of coffee and stirred sugar and cream into it.
"When Emilie found out she was pregnant she tried to get clean. Michaela Clark was her mentor. Stayed with her for years after, trying to keep her that way. The medicine Fitz talked about was methadone. I guess she fell off the wagon quite a few times and found her way back to Micki, as the girl was known. We found her accidentally actually," Bobbi admitted with a crooked smile.
"Our agents went to inquire at rehabs in the Edinburgh area thinking she was an addict and hoping someone recognized the name. A tip sent them to the local hospital where they were pretty sure they'd be speaking to a coroner. Turned out she was still in the area. She took a job at a hospital in Edinburgh. They tracked her down and she was more than willing to tell them everything she knew about Emilie Fitz and Alistair Dunn. Apparently, she was Emilie's confidant for all those years." Mack filled him in with more details.
"And, she stills keeps her cats…although she has managed to kick the nicotine habit." Hunter jested as he leaned back on the chair he had plopped into a few minutes earlier.
Phil looked at the clock. It was seven a.m. Melinda was still asleep with Fitz snuggled close to her. Skye had also joined them at some point during the night, more than likely missing her parents' attention in the last few days. The little girl was cuddled up to her brother probably giving him more support than he realized he needed. He'd been restless until his little sister joined the slumber party in their parents' bed. Phil wondered how he would wake Skye without disturbing Melinda or Fitz.
Despite the ongoing chaos of this asinine trial, the Coulson did their best to keep a normal routine with their other children and that meant waking everyone by seven thirty to start the mad morning preparation for the school day. The judge's granting of extra time on this morning meant he and Melinda could drop off Skye at preschool thereby avoiding the bellowing protests she would put up when Bobbi and Hunter attempted to do so. Jemma and Trip would board their respective buses by eight thirty.
Phil let out a sigh and opened the refrigerator. He stood staring into its depths debating on what the breakfast menu would be that morning.
"Hey, I got this," Mack smiled as he reached past the man and snagged a carton of eggs. "You take care of the rousting and I'll make sure they're fed." He was already pulling out utensils and pans as Bobbi pulled the toaster from its spot on the counter and a loaf of bread from the cabinet.
Hunter raised his hands. "I'm not much of a cook, but I'm a master at clean up." He smiled as Coulson let out a less than amused laugh and headed for the stairs.
xx
Picking up Skye and carrying her from the room was easier than Phil thought. Fitz stirred a little feeling the loss of the warm body next to him which Phil quickly replaced with a pillow and blanket. He whisked Skye from the room before she had a chance to make a sound and hurried into Jemma's room where he gently shook her shoulder and smiled when she blinked up at him a still snoozing Skye. As usual the little girl slipped out of bed and hurried to use the bathroom. He knew she would take care of her own needs and be dressed and at the table before he could wrestle Skye out of her PJ's.
Trip woke with his own alarm. He'd already showered and met his father in the hall with a quick good morning before he lightly bounced down the stairs. Phil stepped into his youngest daughter's room, took a deep breath and shook Skye awake.
She pushed back the hair from her eyes and smiled. "Hi, daddy."
"G'morning, angel eyes," Phil smiled as he pressed his forehead to hers.
Skye let out a long yawn and stretched as Phil set her on the floor. "Where momma?" She looked in all directions and started for the door before Phil grabbed her hand and put a finger over her lips.
"Momma is very sleepy this morning," he whispered. "We're going to let her stay in bed a little longer." He waited, expecting and preparing for the wail that would come as Skye's bottom lip turned out for a moment as she looked toward the door.
"Fizt be noan happy. Him bees frade, daddy. I hoed him tight." She turned back to Phil nodding in agreement with herself.
He let out the breath he was holding. For as much as this little one had experienced she still showed so much concern for her brothers and sister, almost knowing when they were hurt or sick and needed comfort.
"Yes, angel, Fitz is not happy and you were such a big helper but he needs momma right now. He needs to feel safe." Phil assured her as he pulled her closer.
"Momma noan happy, daddy?" Skye asked with wide eyes.
Phil lifted the little girl into his arms. "Momma is trying very hard to be happy for all of us, angel. I think that might be why she needs to sleep a little longer."
"I non't make no noises, daddy. I be too quite." She wriggled from his grip and slid to the floor once again heading for the door, this time on tiptoe.
Once again, Phil grabbed her hand. She turned back to her father and frowned. "I gotsa pee-pee, daddy." The man dropped his head and smiled then scooped her up and hurried to the bathroom.
XX
Melinda made her way down the stairs in time to kiss her elder children and bid them a good day before they were out the door to school. Jemma hugged her a little tighter and a lot longer than usual then looked over her shoulder twice before boarding the school van. Melinda braced herself as her youngest plowed into her bouncing to be picked up.
"You take-a me a skoo aday!" She smiled as she wrapped her arms around Melinda's neck and planted a sloppy kiss on her cheek. She leaned back and studied her mother's face for a moment. "You feole moer to happy now you sleeped moer, momma?" She looked around her mother on the left and then the right. "Where Fizt? Him sleep a-moer?"
Melinda held her close and kissed her cheek. "He's coming bao bei." She turned with the little girl in her arms and watched as her little boy made his way slowly down the stairs. She wrapped an arm around him as he joined her then walked her younger children to the kitchen.
Phil was on the phone speaking softly to, she presumed, their lawyer from what she could hear of the conversation. Hunter stood at the sink washing dishes and whistling some soft tune that probably had words children should not hear. Bobbi was nowhere to be seen and she caught a glimpse of Mack's car as he backed out of the driveway.
"He's picking her up at two…directly to the courthouse…there won't be time for that…yes, I've got the disposition from my team…ten, yes we will be there…." Phil finished the conversation and turned to his family.
"Hey, you," he smiley glared at Skye. "I thought we were going to let momma and Fitz sleep."
"I no wake-a momma." Skye giggled as she shook her head.
Melinda bent around her baby to kiss her husband. Fitz still held tightly to her waist. "She's innocent, Phil. We woke on our own, right Fitz?" She looked down at him. The boy yawned and nodded slowly.
Phil took Skye from his wife and pulled out a chair for Melinda to sit. Hunter turned and smiled. "Got your tea, luv." He pulled a china cup and saucer from the cabinet and carried it and the tea pot to the table setting it next to her. "Bobbi's in the shower downstairs, but she made extra. I can pop it in the nuker for you." He offered.
Phil placed Skye on the floor and helped Fitz into a chair of his own, giving Melinda the chance to take a breath. She poured the tea into her cup and let it set for a second before taking a sip and shaking her head at Hunter's offer. He shrugged and turned to Fitz.
"How 'bout you mate? Breakfast?" He smiled at the boy.
"You should probably have something, Fitz." Phil told him.
"You wan own jews?" Skye asked as she wriggled between her brother's chair and her father's legs. "I git it." She wriggled away just as quickly.
Fitz smiled as his little sister disappeared behind their parents then shook his head. "I don't care for any, Skye." He looked to his father. "May I have tea with dry toast?" Phil nodded and Hunter clapped his hands together then rubbed them quickly.
"Now that's a breakfast I can handle." He smiled as he wriggled his eyebrows and pulled the loaf of bread from where Bobbi had put it.
"You take-a me a skool aday, Fizt." Skye informed her brother. He looked to his parents for verification.
Phil nodded. "We don't have to be at court until ten this morning."
Fitz put a hand to his head and rested his elbow on the table. "I don't want to go." He mumbled
"I know, bao bao but we have to go. The judge wants to talk to you, just you." Melinda rubbed her hand on his back as she spoke.
"Why?" The boy was alarmed and sat upright quickly. "Did I do something wrong?"
"Fizt get a go my skoo agin?" Skye chirped as she stood on a chair and poured orange juice…everywhere
xx
Melinda sat on a wooden bench in the wide courthouse hallway. Fitz sat next to her as Phil spoke with Alex a few feet away. She glanced up at the large clock on the opposite wall…nine forty five. Smiling down at her little boy, she squeezed his cold hand. He did not smile back. Alex approached slowly, holding her briefcase in front of her with two hands.
"It's almost time, Fitz. Are you ready?" She asked quietly.
The little boy shook his head and scooted closer to his mother. "Why can't mom and da take me? Why can they just walk with me to the door?" He asked without looking up at the lawyer.
"We'll be right here, Fitz. You just have to walk down the hall with Alex. You'll be able to see us all the while." Phil assured him.
Melinda wrapped an arm around the little boy, pulling him closer. "We talked about this Fitz. All the judge wants to do is talk to you. You aren't in any trouble. It will just be him and you for a little while."
"I don't like to talk." Fitz mumbled into his mother's side. He looked up at her. "What if I say the wrong thing or make all of this worse. I always make things worse. I just want to go home." He ended in little more than a whisper meant only for Melinda's ears.
Melinda pulled the child to his feet and stood her in front of him. "Fitz, you are the bravest little boy I know. You are my hero over and over again. You might get yourself in trouble more often than not, but you do say the right thing and you make things better for me and daddy and your brother and sisters more times than you know." She put a finger under the boy's chin and raised his head to look her in the eye. "You go in there and you tell the truth and you answer the questions. We'll be here when you come out and it will be all over."
Fitz let out a defeated sigh and tilted his head to one side. "Like the dentist…" he breathed.
Melinda laughed as she pulled him into a hug. "Yes, bao boa, like the dentist." It was their little bit of encouragement. Fitz hated the dentist. Melinda would tell him to just think about how he would feel when he was finished and they were on their way home. She realized she'd just said exactly the same thing she did every time he dragged himself into the dentist's chair. She squeezed him again looking over his head at Alex who gave a quick 'it's time' nod. With a swift kiss she stood him up and Phil pulled him into another tight hug before Alex reached out a hand. Fitz looked at it for a second before taking it in his own and following her down the hall.
He didn't look back. He knew his parents were there…watching him. He knew if he turned around he would race back and never let go. Alex smiled down at him before she turned the large black door knob and opened the oversized door