Thank you to Harliquinn for beta editing!
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It was the night before the court case, and Skye was sitting cross-legged on Lila's bed. Lila was sitting across from her in the same position. They both had different colored string that they were braiding into friendship bracelets. Skye was trying to focus on anything but the next day.
"Are you okay?" Lila asked.
Skye shook her head. "I'm just trying to focus on anything but tomorrow."
"You have court tomorrow. Right?" Lila asked.
"Yes, and it will determine if Steve gets custody of me, or if I'm stuck in the foster care system," Skye said.
"If you stay in foster care where are you going to go?" Lila asked.
"A new group home, I'm guessing; likely out of New York," Skye said.
"Well, what do you think will happen? Steve or foster care?" Lila asked.
"I don't know," Skye said. "I know what I want. But I also know I often don't get what I want."
"Why wouldn't they give your actual father custody of you?" Lila asked.
"What he does puts him at risk and, therefore, puts me at risk, too," Skye said.
"Well, then isn't it better for you to be with the people who can protect you? Especially since it is known who you are now," Lila said.
"Yes, That is what makes sense. But the court system doesn't always do what makes sense. Especially when it comes to kids in the system, and especially ones who have been in legal troubleā¦.more than once," Skye said.
"Yeah, I have been wondering. And you can tell me to fuck off. But what is on that criminal record that you claim is as long as the Great Wall?" Lila asked.
"Been caught with drugs, sneaking out, out past curfew, broke into a community center to swim at night, been in fights," Skye said.
Lila nodded.
"When I told you I was bad news, it was true," Skye said.
"When was the last time you were in legal trouble?" Lila asked.
"It's been a while, not long after I started training with Steve and Wanda. I got busted for the last time for sneaking out and smoking pot," Skye said. "I guess Steve had let local law enforcement know if I got picked up again to let him know because he was mentoring me. So he was the one to come pick me up. Part of the agreement of the mentorship was to stay away from drugs and stay out of legal trouble. So I was in big trouble."
"Yikes. What did Steve do?" Lila asked.
Skye looked up at her. "Guess."
"I don't think I need to," Lila said.
"Yeah, that was an eye-opening experience. I knew at that moment that I was not going to be getting in any more trouble without him knowing," Skye said.
"Yeah, I have never been directly in trouble with Steve, but I don't think he is much different from my dad in sense of staying out of trouble," Lila said.
"Probably not much different. I came pretty close to finding out with your dad," Skye said.
Lila looked at her. "What did you do?"
"Lied," Skye said.
"Yeah, that's the number one thing you don't do with my parents," Lila said.
"Yeah, Steve, too," Skye said.
"How did you manage not to be in trouble?" Lila asked.
"I'm not sure. He talked to me and told me next time I lied to him or your mom I would be in trouble. But not much more than that," Skye said.
"So you got a warning. Yeah, I guess I have gotten warnings before," Lila said.
Skye nodded.
"Probably a lot stricter than Thor was," Lila said.
"Yes, but I still managed to find a way to end up in trouble with him," Skye said. "I have a way, apparently."
Lila chuckled. "Damn, he is a big man-child, and you still managed to be in trouble with him."
Skye chuckled. "I think he would be insulted if he heard you say that."
"Good to know," Lila said.
Both girls finished their friendship bracelets and tied them to each other's wrists.
"If you stay in the foster care system will you still be mentored?" Lila asked.
"Probably not. I probably will be placed outside of New York," Skye said.
"So, we probably won't see each other again," Lila said.
"I will turn eighteen eventually, and I will come back. Hopefully, I will still be wanted around the compound at that point," Skye said.
"I think that if Steve doesn't get custody of you tomorrow, he will fight until you are back in the compound," Clint said from the door.
The girls both looked up at him.
"Lila, go help your mom with the dishes," Clint said.
Lila did as she was told.
"And, no matter what, you will always have a place here," Clint said.
Skye smiled a bit. "Thanks."
"Steve texted me. He wants you to call to talk to him and your social worker," Clint said handing her his phone.
Skye took it and called Steve's number.
"Hello," Steve said.
"Hi, Steve," Skye said.
"Oh, good. Your social worker is here and needs to talk to you to go over a few things for tomorrow," Steve said.
"Okay," Skye said.
Ruth and Skye talked for a few minutes about what she should expect tomorrow and what she should say and such.
"You have any questions?" Ruth asked her.
"No, not really," Skye said.
"How are you feeling?" Skye was asked.
"I don't know," Skye said.
"Worried at all?" Ruth asked.
"Yes," Skye said.
"I know it's hard, but try not to be. I'm quite sure it will turn out the way you want. I don't see any reason why the court would not let you be with your father. The foster care system pushes for reunification with family, if at all possible," Ruth said. "Steve has a very good reputation and a lot of people for support."
"Okay," Skye said.
"I know it's hard to have hope with your history, but try not to think about it and just get some sleep," Skye was told.
"Okay," Skye said.
"So my understanding is Thor will be picking you up and bringing you to the courthouse?" Ruth asked.
"Yes, that is the arrangement," Skye said.
"And you have a dress to wear right?" Ruth asked.
"Yes, it is a navy blue long-sleeve dress, knee length. It belonged to Lila. But she has outgrown it, and said I can borrow it," Skye said.
"Perfect," Skye was told.
"Anything else I should know?" Skye asked.
"Just try not to worry," Ruth said.
"Okay," Skye said.
"Want to talk to Steve again?" Ruth asked.
"Sure," Skye said.
Steve took the phone back when it was handed back to him.
"Hey, Skye. You okay?" he asked.
"Yes," Skye said.
"I promise you that, no matter what happens tomorrow, I will not stop fighting for you okay?" Steve said.
"Okay," Skye said.
"So, don't worry about it. Just get a good night's sleep, and I will see you tomorrow okay?" Steve said.
"Okay, see you tomorrow," Skye said.
"Do I need to talk to Clint about anything? You have been staying out of trouble?" Steve asked.
"Um. Yes," Skye said.
"Um?" Steve asked. "Skyler put the phone on speaker."
Skye sighed and did so. "You're on speaker."
"Has she been causing any problems I should know about, Clint?" Steve asked.
"No problems, no. Only the small issue we had that I have already told you about," Clint said.
"Okay," Steve said.
Skye looked at Clint.
"Yes. I had already told him," Clint said.
"Oh," Skye said.
"Let's just put that behind us and start fresh, Skye. Get some sleep and don't worry about tomorrow until tomorrow," Steve said.
"Okay," Skye said.
They all said goodnight, and the phone call ended.
Lila came back up.
"Okay, bedtime for both of you," Clint said.
"Dad, come on, I'm sixteen," Lila said.
"Right, and you have school tomorrow, so time to get ready for bed," Clint said. He left the room, closing the door.
Lila sighed.
Skye got up and got changed for bed before crawling in.
Lila got changed as well and climbed into bed, but started scrolling her phone. "Think you will have a new phone tomorrow?"
"I don't know," Skye said.
"Do you miss it?" Lila asked.
"Not really. I'm not allowed on social media, so I didn't have any of that. I used it mostly for texts and calls. And pictures," Skye said. "I'm mostly upset I lost all my pictures."
"Why aren't you allowed social media?" Lila asked
"Well, thirteen is the legal age, but it's up to whoever is responsible for me to decide if I can use it. The people in charge of the group home I was in when I turned thirteen don't allow it before sixteen," Skye told her.
"So, if you end up with Steve, will you get social media?" Lila asked.
"I want to. But I guess that is up to him if I'm allowed," Skye said.
Lila nodded.
"What social media do you use?" Skye asked.
"Instagram and TikTok," Lila said. "I have a Twitter, too, but I don't use it."
"I've watched some TikTok on other people's accounts when they have been watching," Skye said.
The girls continued to talk till Laura came to say good night and tell them to go to sleep.
Lila plugged her phone in, and the two of them went to sleep.
