Hondo: It's Darryl mom
Street: What does she want?
Hondo: She's suing for custody for Darryl
Street: Since when the hell does she care? She kicked him out when she's was living with her man.
Hondo: Apparently she wants him back, she wants to be in his life
Street: She can't do that!
Hondo: Actually legally she can, since it is his biological mother, she still has rights to him.
Street: But we adopted him, so there isn't protection there?
Hondo: There is, but she can legal right to sue for him if she has reason to believe if her son isn't safe with us.
Street: But he is though, there hasn't been any report about an issue with Darryl's wellbeing.
Hondo: We still got that investigation opened on us in regards to our marriage, if they find something wrong with it, they can use that in court.
Street: It's a spereate case isn't it?
Hondo: Nope, it's one case, so from the looks of it we'll have to discuss it with our lawyer
Street: Are you going today?
Hondo: Yeah
Street: I'm coming with you because this is bullshit, it makes no sense to just to kick your son to the curb because your man living with you, then to suddenly want you kid, what's the catch?
Hondo: That's what your were about to find out
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The lawyer: Now, I understand your frustration Mr. Harrelson, but you do understand considering your circumstance it might hard this.
Hondo: We concerned because Darryl and his mother had a history of not having a relationship much growing up
The lawyer: I can see that from the records, however the law is still going to be on Tonia's side, she is his biological mother.
Street: Doesn't that only apply if you haven't adopted the child or in the process of adopting? We legally have adopted him
The lawyer: You don't have custody of him, which means he could be free for the taking
Street and Hondo looked at each other, of course how could that fly over their heads, it makes sense why they are more vulnerable easily when it comes to Darryl's adoption, they don't even have custody of him ethier. They have been dealing with all the investgation against their marriage and the comotions at work, anything about custody completely have been forgotten.
Street: How we could not think of this! We been so busy with dealing with all this other shit! We didn't even have time
Hondo: Do we still have a chance to get that custody if we need it, will it help us in court?
The lawyer: It could, but if I were you I would get it while I have the chance, otherwise the court is going to hit you like no tomorrow
Hondo: Alright, we can file it now
The Lawyer: Not so fast Mr. Harrelson, if you are going through this, you'll need first make a court appointment, and meet in front of the judge about your claims for child custody of Darryl
Hondo: How long with that take?
The Lawyer: It could take months, possibly a year
Hondo: A year? I don't got a year! Darryl's mother is filing custody right now, she grabbing him, by the time we get him, Darryl would already be in her custody.
The Lawyer: If you chose to, you could go to court, however you'll have bring forth edivence to prove that she is unfit.
Hondo was at lost, not only does he not have custody but he also doesn't even have a chance against a biological mother. In most cases, adoptive or foster child cases, they always favour the biological parent. He also doesn't want to take Darryl from his mother, he also doesn't want to Darryl to be abandon the second time, knowing the history between them, there isn't much communication between them.
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Back at HQ Hondo contemplated his next steps with Street, whether they are going to court or they are going get through the custody, ethier one is it's complicated.
Hondo: Ethier way we are screwed aren't we?
Street: How do you mean?
Hondo: Any decision that we make, we are going end up losing Darryl, we ethier don't have the evidence or if we proceed, it's going to take months.
Street: We'll we have to pick one quick and work with what we have because Darryl is about to be throw for a loop and we can;t afford that.
Hondo rubbed his face, this whole thing is just stressing him out, courts are pulling on his arm, and private investigator is pulling on his other, he feels himself being torn apart slowly.
Hondo: I guess we'll have go through the court, we'll just have to start are research quick, otherwise we have nothing to prove.
The officer: Sergeant?
Hondo: (turns around) What is it?
The officer: You have a visitor
Hondo: Who?
The officer: She calls herself Tonia Henderson
Hondo stopped at his tracks, he looked over to Street who was giving a irritated look
Hondo: I'll check it out
Street: I'm coming with you
Hondo: No, stay here, I'll see what she wants
Street: We if she wants to make some kind of deal, you should have talk to the lawyer because that's just straight messed up what she's doing to the kid.
Hondo walked through the headquarters, at the entrance he saw a woman with straight hair with a vinyl coat, with red small heels with a small handbag close to her torso. Hondo approached her
Hondo: Can I help you with something?
The woman: Are you Hondo?
Hondo: I am, you are?
The woman: I'm Tonia Henderson, I'm Darryl mother.
Hondo: I'm Daniel Harrelson
Tonia: I know, you were my child's father friend, Leroy. I knew you from the back in the day
Hondo: So you here about Darryl then?
Tonia: Yes, I;m here about my son.
Hondo: Let's not discuss here, we'll need to find somewhere else to speak about this.
Hondo lead Tonia to the lunchroom, before she went further about the case, Hondo cut right to the intentions.
Hondo: Why are you here
Tonia: I'm here about my son, I want to be able to see him?
Hondo: No, what's the angle here? Because you hadn't spoken to him since you second husband kept him from staying with you guys
Tonia: It wasn't a good time, I couldn't have him there, his stepdad was the one handle all the bills, so I couldn't bring him my son
Hondo: You're child still needed you Tonia, and not to mention it was your house, you were receiving help, you didn't need Darryl's stepdad to pay the bills.
Tonia: Hondo, you know out of all people as a black person in america how hard it is to make something of your self, just because I'm on assistance, it doesn't guarantee me help
Hondo: I don't think it's what it is, and you know it. You hadn't had a relationship with Darryl for years, he was bouncing around between relatives that you left him at.
Tonia: So what? You did one measly thing for him and sudden your a better parent then me?
Hondo: It's not about who's the better parent, its' about keeping Darryl from the system and the streets.
Tonia: That's what I'm here for!
Hondo: Why now though?
Tonia stared at Hondo examining the man, her began to darken, she stood up from her chair and turned to Hondo with a retorting attitude
Tonia: Alright, you want to know the truth?
Hondo: I want nothing more
Tonia: I love my son! I wasn't at my best at the time, I was headspace where I couldn't properly take care my child but now I can take care of myself, I gotten help, my life is more sustained.
Hondo: That's cannot be decided by ethier one of us, that should be a decision decided by Darryl. What he feel is best for him, we we should be looking at that
Tonia: You're forgetting Daniel, I'm his mother, I will see what's fit for him.
Meanwhile, at the other side of headquarters
Darryl: Hey James!
James: (looks up from his computer) Darryl? What are you doing here?
Darryl: I came to see Hondo, I want to get some Chinese and he said to meet him here, is he here?
Street: Uhhh, how about you come check out the monitor room with me kid
Darryl: Something up?
Street: No! No! I just thought you would like to explore the job with me, SWAT is a real cool place, also you can box with Luca right after, I promise you it;s easy to win against him.
Tonia: I will see you in court about this Daniel
Hondo: Tonia, you have to think about Darryl here-
Tonia: I am thinking about my son, and right now my son needs his mother
Darryl: Mom?
Tonia: Darryl!
Darryl: What are you doing here?
Tonia went over to hug her son, confusion about the situation, Darryl looked ot Hondo for an explanation
Darryl: What's going on here
Tonia: You're coming home with me Darryl
Darryl: What are you talking about? I live with Hondo and Street, they adopted me
Tonia looked over to Hondo and Street, the two were standing there in silence
Tonia: Well honey, things have changed, you'll be with me soon
Hondo: Darryl, I think that we need to sit down and talking about this
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Darryl: This isn't make sense! You just told me that I was adopted and now all of the sudden this day comes around and tell me that I'm going to tell me that suddenly I'm living with her.
Hondo: She isn't just any lady, she's your mother
Darryl: You know what she did, she left me behind with relatives all the time! She wasn't even there with me
Tonia: Darryl
Darryl: No!
Tonia: Darryl, I have changed-
Darryl: Why don't you go back to Rodney!? Since that who you always chose anyways!
Tonia: I left Rodney!
Darryl was silenced
Tonia: I left Rodney, I didn't want that life anymore Darryl, I wanted to get better and I want to be a better mother for you, I know I wasn't great to you but I want to change that. Let me have that chance.
Darryl had tears streaming down eyes, Tonia rushed over to hug her son, Hondo and Street were at a lost. They were now completely, are they going to conitune with the court case or let the boy have his mother? If they pursue, they would just ruining a chance at a good relationship, or they give them a chance and Darryl get's hurt. Such heavy decision making weighting on Hondo.