"Welcome back," Caleb said later that day as Sam walked into work. "You have a mountain of paper work waiting for you on your desk."

"Fantastic," Sam said dryly.

"How was the doctor?"

"Good," Sam said, sitting down at her desk. "Freddie got all emotional."

"He saw his kid for the first time, how do you expect the guy to act?" Caleb pointed out.

"I should've seen it coming, he was always overly mushy, even in high school," Sam said.

"You're marrying the guy, you obviously don't mind it too much," Caleb said.

"Eh, guess it could be worse," Sam grinned.

"Anyway," Caleb said, sitting down on the edge of her desk. He lowered his voice. "I got you the number of the best lawyer I know. His name is Theodore Breslin. He's dealt with all sorts of custody cases, and he's had an amazing success rate."

"Thanks," Sam said, taking the number from him.

"He has a busy schedule, so call as soon as you can," Caleb advised her.

"I will," Sam told him. "I just hope this guy can match Marshall's lawyer, because it looks like that guy really knows what he's doing."

…..

"I can't believe my mom," Kira fumed as she threw her gym bag into Freddie car after basketball practice that day. "All my friends get to go out and get dinner together, and I can't because she's suddenly gone all crazy."

"Come on," Freddie sighed. "Your mom just wants to make sure you stay safe."

"But she's being totally unfair, I should be allowed to go out when all the other kids are," Kira mumbled darkly.

Freddie chose to ignore this comment. "So where's your sister? Your practices always finish up at the same time."

"She's still talking with her friends in the gym," Kira said. "Hey…Freddie? Um, the pizza place is just around the corner from here. Do you think you could maybe drop me off there and just tell my mom my coach had to work with me after practice and I'll have one of my friends' moms drive me back home?"

Freddie bit the corner of his mouth. Sam would absolutely lose it if he allowed either of the twins to go off on their own right now. But he also didn't want to fight with Kira, especially so close to the wedding and after he had brought up the adoption to her.

"Well, Kira," Freddie started. "Your-Your mom was pretty serious when she said-"

"She's just being overprotective and crazy," Kira said.

Freddie chuckled. "Hey, you've met my mom, remember? Trust me, you haven't even seen crazy and overprotective."

Just then the car door opened again, and Leah slid in.

"I can't believe mom picked tonight to go all wacko on us," Leah groaned. "Two cute soccer players invited me and my friend out for pizza, and I had to say I couldn't go. This is so unfair!"

Freddie sighed, looking back at the two girls, both looking out the window miserably.

"Okay," he said. "Leah? Are your friends getting pizza at the same place Kira's friends are?"

"Yeah," Leah nodded slowly.

"Alright," Freddie said. "Here's what we can do. I will take you guys to the pizza place-"

"No way!" Kira exclaimed, perking up.

"You're the best!" Leah beamed.

"But," Freddie continued. "I'm going in with you, and I'm staying until you both finish, and then I'll take you home. I'll sit in a corner so you won't have to be seen with an adult, but I can't let you be there by yourself. Deal?"

"Deal," the twins grinned.

…

Freddie brought the girls home later that night, both of them much happier than they had been when they had gotten into his car.

When they entered the apartment, Sam was pacing back and forth in the living room, talking on her phone. She looked over as the three walked in.

"Hey, sorry we're late," Freddie said. "I just-"

Sam held up a finger to tell him to hold on as she retreated into their bedroom.

"You guys should get started on your homework," Freddie said to Kira and Leah.

"Alright," Leah nodded, setting down her backpack at the kitchen table with Kira.

Freddie started towards the bedroom, but Sam was already out.

"Where'd you guys go?" Sam asked, sliding her phone back into her pocket as she came into the living room.

"Um, well," Freddie started. "I-I let the girls go out to pizza with their friends, but-"

"You what?" Sam hissed. "I told you they weren't allowed out by themselves anymore!"

"I went with them," Freddie said quickly. "They went to that pizza place buy the school, and I sat at my own table while they ate with their friends. I could see them the entire time."
Sam rolled her eyes. "They guilt you into that?"

"No…"

"Dude, I thought you were going to work on saying no to them," Sam smirked.

"I know," Freddie sighed. "But I just-"

"You know they're not gonna hate you if you don't give them whatever they want," Sam said. She gave him a quick kiss. "Anyway, I was just on the phone with Theodore Breslin."

"Who?"

"He's a lawyer Caleb knows," Sam explained, lowering her voice. "He's going to work with me on this whole custody thing. He's one of the best lawyers in the city."

"Good," Freddie said. "He'll get everything worked out then."

"Hopefully," Sam shrugged. "When I was talking to him, he said there should be no problems, considering what Marshall was in jail for, but he also said that these sort of cases always get thrown through the wringer, so to be prepared for that."

"Thrown through the wringer how?" Freddie frowned.

"Who knows," Sam said heavily. "I have a meeting with the guy on Friday, so I'll ask him then."

"You want me to come with you?"
Sam shook her head. "Nah, it's fine. I'll just go on my own."

"You sure?" Freddie asked. "It might be good for you to have someone with you."

"I'm just talking with the guy for twenty minutes, tops," Sam assured him, heading into the kitchen, where the girls were starting their homework. "It's no big deal."

Freddie knew better than to bring the issue up further in front of the girls, so he swallowed his comment as Sam began rifling through the drawers of the counter.

"What are you looking for?" Leah asked.

"That deliver number for the fried chicken place," Sam said. "Since you two coerced Freddie into getting you pizza tonight, I'm getting my own dinner."

"We should've brought you back pizza, shouldn't we?" Freddie smiled.

"You've known me since the fifth grade, nub," Sam grinned. "You should know if you leave a place that sells anything edible, you better be bringing me back some. Besides, after next week, I won't be able to have any normal food in the house without being lectured."

"How come?" Freddie asked.

"Melanie's staying with us until the wedding, remember?" Sam said. "You're the one who volunteered that during the last video chat we had with her! She was already to stay in a hotel, but nooo, you had to invite her here."

"Well she's your sister, Sam," Freddie pointed out.

"Yes, and I invited her to the wedding did I not?" Sam said.

"Awesome, Aunt Melanie's coming?" Leah exclaimed.

"Yeah, next week the place is gonna be real crazy," Sam said. "Aunt Melanie and Uncle Ben are gonna sleep on the pull out bed in the living room, your cousin Bradley is gonna share your room-"

"We have to share our room with an eight-year old boy?" Kira cringed.

"-And Carly's sleeping on an air mattress somewhere in here," Sam continued. She turned to Freddie. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. While I was putting off doing all my paperwork at work today, I made you a hotel reservation for the night before the wedding."

"Um, did I get kicked out or something?" Freddie asked, raising an eyebrow. "You could've at least told me."

"Come on, we can't spend the night before our wedding together," Sam grinned. "It will make the first night we have after more special."

"We are still in the room," Leah said, as Kira gagged.

"Besides," Sam said, ignoring her daughter's comment. "I'm going to be getting ready here. You can't risk seeing me in my dress."

"Oh, so now you're buying into all these wedding superstitions?" Freddie asked playfully.

"Carly may have gotten through to me a little," Sam admitted. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a bucket of chicken to order."