Fanfic: B&S episode 704: part 3/4
Season 7 - Episode 04 - Baby come back
By Marea67
About: Brothers & Sisters
Rate: G
Disclaimer: I don’t own Brothers & Sisters - written with love, not for money.
Summary: Ingredients: Take a couple of Walkers, add a few Wandells, a pinch of Holden and a Caplan formerly known as Harper, a dash of Altamirano and Whitley, a teaspoon of Byrolt, Paresa and Salazar and (for added flavor only) a Barry&McCallister. Mix and shake…and… watch it explode.
Warning: It is my very own season 7, you guys! Go with it! ;) Don’t complain! If YOU can do better, post your own story! (I dare you!)
*****
Tommy recognizes the coat that Julia is wearing before he can see her face, because she’s with her back to him. He can see Elizabeth however. She looks afraid, but in control. Before Tommy can say something, someone beats him to it.
“Elizabeth!” At the mention of her name Elizabeth looks up.
“Kevin!” She sighs gratefully. “Dad! You’re both here!” Before they can come closer to her however, Julia turns around. She raises her gun again.
“Stay away.”
“No, mom, please…” Elizabeth begs.
“I’m taking her with me and no one is going to stop me!” Julia screams, realizing that all her plans are quickly going nowhere. She reaches out and grabs Elizabeth in a firm hold.
“Julia, do you remember me? I’m Max Carter…” Max keeps his hands at shoulder-level to no worry her.
“I remember you.”
“Then you must know, that I mean no one any harm, and then I want no problems with you, but …. Taking Elizabeth away like that, it is against the law…”
“She’s my daughter!”
“And Kevin is her legal guardian.” Max calmly explains to her again. Tommy notices how Elizabeth’s eyes are fixed on Kevin however. Looking over his shoulder at his brother, he can see that Kevin has caught Elizabeth’s stare as well and Kevin smiles encouragingly.
“I don’t care! She’s my daughter.” Julia takes Tommy’s attention again.
“True, but you and Tommy weren’t there… You left her with Kevin and Scotty… You disappeared… Someone had to take care of her and a judge decided it should be Kevin. And a judge will have to decide whether you’ll get Elizabeth back…”
“She’s my daughter.” Julia whispers, holding on to Elizabeth.
“No one is denying that. But you’ll have to go through the prope legal channels to get her back. Kidnapping is not the way to go…”
“I’m not kidnapping her. I’m her mother and she belongs with me.”
“Yo are idnapping her, according to the law, Julia… She’s not under your care.”
“Julia, even if you would take her to Arizona, you’d complicate matters, but ... you’d still be in the wrong…. Plus, if you take to Arizona, I can’t help you anymore..” Kevin says calmly.
“See, I told you that Kevin would understand and help you.” Elizabeth looks up at her mother.
“Come on, Julia, let her go and come home with us…” Kevin tries to persuade her. She shakes her head.
“Tommy has been trying to stop me from getting her back….” Julia states it as a fact. “Isn’t he?” She looks straight at Kevin. Kevin winces.
“Jules, he’s just worried about you. We all are. You seemed hardly able to look after Billy, let alone be able to take up taking care of Elizabeth on top of that…”
“I would have…”
“Where’s Billy, Julia?” Kevin suddenly asks. It takes Julia by surprise.
“I… I don’t know…” She answers.
“Julia, he’s your child. Is he in the car?” He already knows the answer. Julia looks at her car, confused at not knowing the answer, and Kevin takes the little opportunity to give Elizabeth a quick wink and a smile to let her know everything is alright.
Julia slowly shakes her head.
“I… I don’t think so..”
“He’s not.” Elizabeth answers, trying to stay as calm as she can. She feels strengthened by the presence of Tommy and Kevin.
“Did you leave him at the house, Jules?” Tommy asks. Julia frowns. Her memory is too fogged up to remember.
“When did you see him the last time, Julia? What was going on?” Max now asks, seeing that her grip on Elizabeth becomes less firm.
“He was crying… Crying…. He always cries…” She replies, her mind far away.
“Why was he crying?” Tommy asks.
“He was hungry. He’ always hungry..” Her face distorts with revulsion and Tommy and Kevin are both glad that Elizabeth can’t see the look on her mother’s face.
“What did you do?”
“I wanted him to shut up…” She answers Max’s question.
“Did you give him something to eat?”
“No, Tommy. He doesn’t deserve eat…. I just … I wanted him to shut up.”
Tommy, Kevin and Max, even Elizabeth, feel weird about her use of the word ‘deserve’, but Kevin quickly talks over it.
“So, what did you do with him?”
“I… I don’t know.”
“Where is your son, Julia?”
“My son is dead.” The words are flat and her words surprise Max, Kevin and Tommy.
“Is that what you think, Julia? That you killed your son?” Max asks.
“No! My son died because he was born too soon and his death was Tommy’s fault.”
Max looks at Tommy and Kevin.
“We’re not talking about Elizabeth’s brother. He died several years ago… We’re talking about Billy.”
“He’s not my child… He’s … someone else’s.”
The three men are stunned by her words and the fact they are being taken aback, worries Elizabeth. She bites her lip and the feeling of fear is back. Her eyes meet Kevin’s. She can’t hide her sudden panic from him. Julia’s grip on Elizabeth has loosened even further. Elizabeth gives Kevin one more anguished look and then she ducks away.
Julia is stunned, but before she can react, Elizabeth literally throws herself in Kevin’s arms. Kevin catches her and turns his back to Julia to protect Elizabeth’s body from whatever may come. Max seizes the opportunity and makes use of Julia’s distraction to grab a firm hold on her wrist. She creams in pain and drops the gun, that gets kicked away by Tommy.
“Julia Walker, you’re under arrest for the attempted kidnapping of Elizabeth Walker,…” Julia hears nothing more. All she sees is how Tommy rushes over to Kevin and Elizabeth. Elizabeth lets go of Kevin and buries her face in Tommy’s neck as Tommy takes her over from Kevin.
She starts to see the wider picture again. There are police-cars on the parking-lot. She hadn’t even noticed them coming. She can see how some truck-drivers are talking to police-officers. She’s under arrest. And now nothing can be fixed anymore. Not even by Kevin.
As Max gently pushes her in the police-car, she has one more look at her daughter in Tommy’s arms and at the crowd that gather around them. Then she sees Kevin, standing alone, a little to the side as if it doesn’t concern him. There’s sadness in his eyes, as if he too just came to realize that he can no longer help Julia.
*****
Somehow Scotty isn’t even surprised to see and hear Nora, Sarah, Kitty and Justin come in through the back-door. He actually wonders what took them so long to get here.
“Will you guys please be quiet!” He orders sharply, much to the surprise of his self-invited guests.
A cry can be heard from the other room.
“Too late….” Lena sighs.
“Did it ever occur to you that Billy might be asleep?!” Scotty asks angrily of the Walkers, who at least have the courtesy to look a little guilty.
“We’re sorry.” Justin apologizes.
“I had t see him.” Nora explains. “I had been so worried and I just … had to see him.”
“And you’re all here for moral support?” Scotty asks sarcastically. He shakes his head, not sure if he should be mad at them or just be happy that they care so much.
“Justin, get yourself and the others some coffee, while I get Billy… And be nice to Lena, she helped me find Billy!” Only now do they notice Lena, who’s sitting at the kitchen-table, trying to make herself as little as possible.
“Oh. Hi, Lena. It’s … been a while since we saw you…” Justin says.
“Hello, Justin…” Lena nods. She had been worried about her feelings if she would meet either Justin or Tommy again, but she realizes that she had been worried for no reason. Both men leave no impact on her whatsoever.
“Thank you for helping Scotty to find my grandson.” Nora says.
“You’re welcome.” Lena smiles graciously, hoping that the Walkers will have put the past behind them as much as she has. “Maybe I should go…” She gets up, but Sarah and Kitty stop her.
“Don’t leave on our account, please.” Kitty says.
Lena is spared from replying by Scotty, who enters the kitchen with a sleepy Billy on his arm, still wrapped up in a warm, but little blanket.
“Awww, look at him…” Sarah reaches out to him, but Billy immediately turns his head and presses his face to Scotty’s chest. He likes where he is just fine.
Scotty’s large hand covers Billy’s head as much as it can.
“I think he’s still very confused, but he doesn’t seem scared of Scotty.” Lena says. “At Tommy’s apartment he started to cry when Scotty left and he didn’t stop until he came back..”
“Scotty, the baby-whisperer.” Nora grins. “You would be the only one who could get Evan to sleep in under 10 minutes.” Scotty smiles at the memory.
“Too bad it never really worked on Daniel, whenever he was crying. No matter what I tried, the only one who could then get him to quiet down was Kevin. Or Jordan.”
“Every kid is different.” Sarah reacts philosophically. “I could use one trick on Paige, but get the exact opposite effect on Coop, if I tried it out on him.”
“Kids are mystery.” Nora smiles, finally able to take over Billy from Scotty, now that Billy is more awake and his curiosity has awoken with him.
“Coffee, tea, and a cappuccino.” Justin distributes the warm drinks with ease. “And now tell us what happened. Where did you find Billy exactly? Mom had some weird memory that you said that you found him in the basement, but she must have misunderstood?"
“She didn’t. We did find him, stashed in a box, with other boxes on top of it.”
Lena watches the faces fill with horror.
“Julia has lost it.” Nora shakes her head.
“How can she do that?” Sarah wonders.
“I’m sure that we’ll learn more once the police finds her..” Scotty says.
“If they find her.”
“Kitty…!” Lena is amused by how simultaneously the others react.
“We have to believe that they will.” She says carefully.
“I agree with Lena. Kevin and Tommy will do everything they can.”
A phone starts to buzz and everyone becomes quiet while Scotty takes his phone out of his pocket. He looks at the screen.
“It’s Kevin.” He whispers, suddenly worried. “Hi, Kev…, the whole family is here… Yeah, just a moment…”
He places the phone on the table and lets Kevin know that everyone can now hear him.
“Hi, everyone…. Good news. We have Elizabeth!” Kevin waits for the cheer to subside and then continues: “We’re on our way back home. Julia has been arrested. I’ll see what I can do there…
Scotty, I know I’m putting a lot on you and that you have to get back to work, but can you please put the large air-mattress in Elizabeth’s room? I’ve asked Tommy to stay with us tonight. Tommy agrees that Elizabeth should be in her own bed tonight and considering that Billy is already with you…?”
“No problem.” Scotty says. “ have to work tonight. Angie is with her family and it’s too far away, for her to come back here tonight.”
“It’s no problem.” Justin interferes. “I’ll help Scotty where I can.”
“We all will.” Nora promises.
“Tommy and I will drop off Elizabeth at Café 429 and we’ll go to the police-station from there. We have to speak with Julia…”
“We’ll be waiting for you. I love you.” Scotty says.
“Love you too.” Kevin replies before hanging up.
“I’ll get the kids from school and bring them here. Can Grace stay here?” Kitty asks.
“I have to start my preparations…” Scotty starts.
“I can look after Billy and your daughter.” Lena suggests.
“I’ll help you, Scotty.” Nora says, happy to help.
“Alright, stop everyone! Let’s keep a calm head here…” Scotty says. “Daniel is with Jordan. Jordan will bring him here. So, he’s no problem. Olivia ….”
“I’ll pick her up, while I get Evan.” Kitty says.
“Mateo had a soccer-something… someplace… The leaflet is over there…”
“I’ll get him. He has the key to your house and he can help me get the airbed ready for Tommy.” Justin suggests. Everyone nods that it’s a good idea.
“We’ll all meet again here.” Kitty makes sure that everyone understands that too and then Scotty is left behind with Nora and Lena…
*****
“Chad! I have news from Kitty. Elizabeth and Billy are both safe….” Jason announces as he enters the bedroom.
“Good news!” He can hear Chad speak from the bathroom. Jason opens the door of the bathroom and he looks with admiration at the naked body before him.
“Okay, this is distracting, but … yes, they are both fine… And Kevin is on his way back with his brother and everyone has sort of congregated at Café 429…”
“Why am I not surprised? Really, once we’re back we’ll have to take those kids away for a long weekend and give Kevin and Scotty some time to be together.”
“I’ll look forward to that. Maybe it’s the relaxed times we had in New Zealand, but coming back and being at that party, I noticed how much it bothers me that everyone is always expecting Kevin to be ready to solve everyone’s problem… And now that stretches out to Scotty as well.”
“So you agree with ‘Chad & Jason to the rescue’ then…?” Chad suggests.
“Absolutely.” Jason smiles, wrapping his arms around his husband’s waist from behind.
“Right now, I’m the one who needs help… I can’t reach that little spot on my back….?” Chad smiles teasingly and Jason grins and pushes him towards the shower.
*****
“Elizabeth!! Tommy! Kevin! It is so good to see you again…” The three let Nora’s greetings wash over them. Scotty is very glad to hold Kevin in his arms again and Kevin indulges in it for a moment, by kissing Scotty much longer than usual.
“Are you okay?” Scotty quickly asks Kevin. Kevin nods.
“I need to talk to you…” Kevin says as quietly as possible.
“I’ve spoken to Angie, she’ll drive back tomorrow-morning and she’ll be here tomorrow night. I’ll be all yours then. We can talk. I’ve asked Jordan to come and look after the kids and we’ll go to a nice quiet place where we can talk… Alright?” Scotty asks.
“Great! I now have to focus on finding out what will happen to Julia.”
“Yeah, of course, go! The whole clan is here and everyone is willing to help. As usual.” Scotty kisses Kevin thoroughly, not caring about anyone else’s reaction around him. Kevin smiles at him a bit awkwardly, but he’s clearly glad with his husband’s tenderness.
“Come on, we have to leave again….” He tells his brother. Tommy nods and both men cast one last look at Elizabeth standing over her little brother’s make-shift bed, before saying goodbye again. Scotty gives them a few cookies that he had made for the kids, because he guessed right that they hadn’t eaten yet, but then they are really on their way.
*****
“Thank you for allowing Tommy to talk to Julia.” Kevin thanks Max.
“Kev, I can pull some strings, but … Julia is in deep trouble.” Max deeply regrets that he has no better news for his friend.
“I know…” Kevin sighs.
“I could have tried to link the kidnapping to a confused state of mind, make the offense a lesser one. But she was waving a gun around and pointing it at people. 911 was called in panic, by people who had a justified reason to be scared…. I can’t wipe that under the rug.”
“I know. I’m not asking you to. I will plead my case with a judge and explain her situation and try to make a judge understand that Julia wouldn’t have shot anyone and that, in hindsight, we found out that there wasn’t even a bullet in it, that she was only using to scare people away and not to hurt anyone.”
“Kevin, Julia stole a gun that is registered to her husband. The only reason why the gun wasn’t loaded, is because Tommy doesn’t like to keep a loaded gun in his drawer and not because Julia had the presence of mind not to load it. She actually thought that there were bullets in it…”
Kevin looks up at Max, a miserable look on his face, and Max becomes less harsh.
“Try if you can get away it… I hope you can…” Max says in all sincerity.
“I hope so too. It’s complicated enough without Julia in prison… or whatever…” They both know that prison will be unlikely, and that it’s the ‘whatever’ they should be concerned about.
*****
End of part 3/4
**** COMMERCIAL BREAK****
By Marea67
About: Brothers & Sisters
Rate: G
Disclaimer: I don’t own Brothers & Sisters - written with love, not for money.
Summary: Ingredients: Take a couple of Walkers, add a few Wandells, a pinch of Holden and a Caplan formerly known as Harper, a dash of Altamirano and Whitley, a teaspoon of Byrolt, Paresa and Salazar and (for added flavor only) a Barry&McCallister. Mix and shake…and… watch it explode.
Warning: It is my very own season 7, you guys! Go with it! ;) Don’t complain! If YOU can do better, post your own story! (I dare you!)
*****
Tommy recognizes the coat that Julia is wearing before he can see her face, because she’s with her back to him. He can see Elizabeth however. She looks afraid, but in control. Before Tommy can say something, someone beats him to it.
“Elizabeth!” At the mention of her name Elizabeth looks up.
“Kevin!” She sighs gratefully. “Dad! You’re both here!” Before they can come closer to her however, Julia turns around. She raises her gun again.
“Stay away.”
“No, mom, please…” Elizabeth begs.
“I’m taking her with me and no one is going to stop me!” Julia screams, realizing that all her plans are quickly going nowhere. She reaches out and grabs Elizabeth in a firm hold.
“Julia, do you remember me? I’m Max Carter…” Max keeps his hands at shoulder-level to no worry her.
“I remember you.”
“Then you must know, that I mean no one any harm, and then I want no problems with you, but …. Taking Elizabeth away like that, it is against the law…”
“She’s my daughter!”
“And Kevin is her legal guardian.” Max calmly explains to her again. Tommy notices how Elizabeth’s eyes are fixed on Kevin however. Looking over his shoulder at his brother, he can see that Kevin has caught Elizabeth’s stare as well and Kevin smiles encouragingly.
“I don’t care! She’s my daughter.” Julia takes Tommy’s attention again.
“True, but you and Tommy weren’t there… You left her with Kevin and Scotty… You disappeared… Someone had to take care of her and a judge decided it should be Kevin. And a judge will have to decide whether you’ll get Elizabeth back…”
“She’s my daughter.” Julia whispers, holding on to Elizabeth.
“No one is denying that. But you’ll have to go through the prope legal channels to get her back. Kidnapping is not the way to go…”
“I’m not kidnapping her. I’m her mother and she belongs with me.”
“Yo are idnapping her, according to the law, Julia… She’s not under your care.”
“Julia, even if you would take her to Arizona, you’d complicate matters, but ... you’d still be in the wrong…. Plus, if you take to Arizona, I can’t help you anymore..” Kevin says calmly.
“See, I told you that Kevin would understand and help you.” Elizabeth looks up at her mother.
“Come on, Julia, let her go and come home with us…” Kevin tries to persuade her. She shakes her head.
“Tommy has been trying to stop me from getting her back….” Julia states it as a fact. “Isn’t he?” She looks straight at Kevin. Kevin winces.
“Jules, he’s just worried about you. We all are. You seemed hardly able to look after Billy, let alone be able to take up taking care of Elizabeth on top of that…”
“I would have…”
“Where’s Billy, Julia?” Kevin suddenly asks. It takes Julia by surprise.
“I… I don’t know…” She answers.
“Julia, he’s your child. Is he in the car?” He already knows the answer. Julia looks at her car, confused at not knowing the answer, and Kevin takes the little opportunity to give Elizabeth a quick wink and a smile to let her know everything is alright.
Julia slowly shakes her head.
“I… I don’t think so..”
“He’s not.” Elizabeth answers, trying to stay as calm as she can. She feels strengthened by the presence of Tommy and Kevin.
“Did you leave him at the house, Jules?” Tommy asks. Julia frowns. Her memory is too fogged up to remember.
“When did you see him the last time, Julia? What was going on?” Max now asks, seeing that her grip on Elizabeth becomes less firm.
“He was crying… Crying…. He always cries…” She replies, her mind far away.
“Why was he crying?” Tommy asks.
“He was hungry. He’ always hungry..” Her face distorts with revulsion and Tommy and Kevin are both glad that Elizabeth can’t see the look on her mother’s face.
“What did you do?”
“I wanted him to shut up…” She answers Max’s question.
“Did you give him something to eat?”
“No, Tommy. He doesn’t deserve eat…. I just … I wanted him to shut up.”
Tommy, Kevin and Max, even Elizabeth, feel weird about her use of the word ‘deserve’, but Kevin quickly talks over it.
“So, what did you do with him?”
“I… I don’t know.”
“Where is your son, Julia?”
“My son is dead.” The words are flat and her words surprise Max, Kevin and Tommy.
“Is that what you think, Julia? That you killed your son?” Max asks.
“No! My son died because he was born too soon and his death was Tommy’s fault.”
Max looks at Tommy and Kevin.
“We’re not talking about Elizabeth’s brother. He died several years ago… We’re talking about Billy.”
“He’s not my child… He’s … someone else’s.”
The three men are stunned by her words and the fact they are being taken aback, worries Elizabeth. She bites her lip and the feeling of fear is back. Her eyes meet Kevin’s. She can’t hide her sudden panic from him. Julia’s grip on Elizabeth has loosened even further. Elizabeth gives Kevin one more anguished look and then she ducks away.
Julia is stunned, but before she can react, Elizabeth literally throws herself in Kevin’s arms. Kevin catches her and turns his back to Julia to protect Elizabeth’s body from whatever may come. Max seizes the opportunity and makes use of Julia’s distraction to grab a firm hold on her wrist. She creams in pain and drops the gun, that gets kicked away by Tommy.
“Julia Walker, you’re under arrest for the attempted kidnapping of Elizabeth Walker,…” Julia hears nothing more. All she sees is how Tommy rushes over to Kevin and Elizabeth. Elizabeth lets go of Kevin and buries her face in Tommy’s neck as Tommy takes her over from Kevin.
She starts to see the wider picture again. There are police-cars on the parking-lot. She hadn’t even noticed them coming. She can see how some truck-drivers are talking to police-officers. She’s under arrest. And now nothing can be fixed anymore. Not even by Kevin.
As Max gently pushes her in the police-car, she has one more look at her daughter in Tommy’s arms and at the crowd that gather around them. Then she sees Kevin, standing alone, a little to the side as if it doesn’t concern him. There’s sadness in his eyes, as if he too just came to realize that he can no longer help Julia.
*****
Somehow Scotty isn’t even surprised to see and hear Nora, Sarah, Kitty and Justin come in through the back-door. He actually wonders what took them so long to get here.
“Will you guys please be quiet!” He orders sharply, much to the surprise of his self-invited guests.
A cry can be heard from the other room.
“Too late….” Lena sighs.
“Did it ever occur to you that Billy might be asleep?!” Scotty asks angrily of the Walkers, who at least have the courtesy to look a little guilty.
“We’re sorry.” Justin apologizes.
“I had t see him.” Nora explains. “I had been so worried and I just … had to see him.”
“And you’re all here for moral support?” Scotty asks sarcastically. He shakes his head, not sure if he should be mad at them or just be happy that they care so much.
“Justin, get yourself and the others some coffee, while I get Billy… And be nice to Lena, she helped me find Billy!” Only now do they notice Lena, who’s sitting at the kitchen-table, trying to make herself as little as possible.
“Oh. Hi, Lena. It’s … been a while since we saw you…” Justin says.
“Hello, Justin…” Lena nods. She had been worried about her feelings if she would meet either Justin or Tommy again, but she realizes that she had been worried for no reason. Both men leave no impact on her whatsoever.
“Thank you for helping Scotty to find my grandson.” Nora says.
“You’re welcome.” Lena smiles graciously, hoping that the Walkers will have put the past behind them as much as she has. “Maybe I should go…” She gets up, but Sarah and Kitty stop her.
“Don’t leave on our account, please.” Kitty says.
Lena is spared from replying by Scotty, who enters the kitchen with a sleepy Billy on his arm, still wrapped up in a warm, but little blanket.
“Awww, look at him…” Sarah reaches out to him, but Billy immediately turns his head and presses his face to Scotty’s chest. He likes where he is just fine.
Scotty’s large hand covers Billy’s head as much as it can.
“I think he’s still very confused, but he doesn’t seem scared of Scotty.” Lena says. “At Tommy’s apartment he started to cry when Scotty left and he didn’t stop until he came back..”
“Scotty, the baby-whisperer.” Nora grins. “You would be the only one who could get Evan to sleep in under 10 minutes.” Scotty smiles at the memory.
“Too bad it never really worked on Daniel, whenever he was crying. No matter what I tried, the only one who could then get him to quiet down was Kevin. Or Jordan.”
“Every kid is different.” Sarah reacts philosophically. “I could use one trick on Paige, but get the exact opposite effect on Coop, if I tried it out on him.”
“Kids are mystery.” Nora smiles, finally able to take over Billy from Scotty, now that Billy is more awake and his curiosity has awoken with him.
“Coffee, tea, and a cappuccino.” Justin distributes the warm drinks with ease. “And now tell us what happened. Where did you find Billy exactly? Mom had some weird memory that you said that you found him in the basement, but she must have misunderstood?"
“She didn’t. We did find him, stashed in a box, with other boxes on top of it.”
Lena watches the faces fill with horror.
“Julia has lost it.” Nora shakes her head.
“How can she do that?” Sarah wonders.
“I’m sure that we’ll learn more once the police finds her..” Scotty says.
“If they find her.”
“Kitty…!” Lena is amused by how simultaneously the others react.
“We have to believe that they will.” She says carefully.
“I agree with Lena. Kevin and Tommy will do everything they can.”
A phone starts to buzz and everyone becomes quiet while Scotty takes his phone out of his pocket. He looks at the screen.
“It’s Kevin.” He whispers, suddenly worried. “Hi, Kev…, the whole family is here… Yeah, just a moment…”
He places the phone on the table and lets Kevin know that everyone can now hear him.
“Hi, everyone…. Good news. We have Elizabeth!” Kevin waits for the cheer to subside and then continues: “We’re on our way back home. Julia has been arrested. I’ll see what I can do there…
Scotty, I know I’m putting a lot on you and that you have to get back to work, but can you please put the large air-mattress in Elizabeth’s room? I’ve asked Tommy to stay with us tonight. Tommy agrees that Elizabeth should be in her own bed tonight and considering that Billy is already with you…?”
“No problem.” Scotty says. “ have to work tonight. Angie is with her family and it’s too far away, for her to come back here tonight.”
“It’s no problem.” Justin interferes. “I’ll help Scotty where I can.”
“We all will.” Nora promises.
“Tommy and I will drop off Elizabeth at Café 429 and we’ll go to the police-station from there. We have to speak with Julia…”
“We’ll be waiting for you. I love you.” Scotty says.
“Love you too.” Kevin replies before hanging up.
“I’ll get the kids from school and bring them here. Can Grace stay here?” Kitty asks.
“I have to start my preparations…” Scotty starts.
“I can look after Billy and your daughter.” Lena suggests.
“I’ll help you, Scotty.” Nora says, happy to help.
“Alright, stop everyone! Let’s keep a calm head here…” Scotty says. “Daniel is with Jordan. Jordan will bring him here. So, he’s no problem. Olivia ….”
“I’ll pick her up, while I get Evan.” Kitty says.
“Mateo had a soccer-something… someplace… The leaflet is over there…”
“I’ll get him. He has the key to your house and he can help me get the airbed ready for Tommy.” Justin suggests. Everyone nods that it’s a good idea.
“We’ll all meet again here.” Kitty makes sure that everyone understands that too and then Scotty is left behind with Nora and Lena…
*****
“Chad! I have news from Kitty. Elizabeth and Billy are both safe….” Jason announces as he enters the bedroom.
“Good news!” He can hear Chad speak from the bathroom. Jason opens the door of the bathroom and he looks with admiration at the naked body before him.
“Okay, this is distracting, but … yes, they are both fine… And Kevin is on his way back with his brother and everyone has sort of congregated at Café 429…”
“Why am I not surprised? Really, once we’re back we’ll have to take those kids away for a long weekend and give Kevin and Scotty some time to be together.”
“I’ll look forward to that. Maybe it’s the relaxed times we had in New Zealand, but coming back and being at that party, I noticed how much it bothers me that everyone is always expecting Kevin to be ready to solve everyone’s problem… And now that stretches out to Scotty as well.”
“So you agree with ‘Chad & Jason to the rescue’ then…?” Chad suggests.
“Absolutely.” Jason smiles, wrapping his arms around his husband’s waist from behind.
“Right now, I’m the one who needs help… I can’t reach that little spot on my back….?” Chad smiles teasingly and Jason grins and pushes him towards the shower.
*****
“Elizabeth!! Tommy! Kevin! It is so good to see you again…” The three let Nora’s greetings wash over them. Scotty is very glad to hold Kevin in his arms again and Kevin indulges in it for a moment, by kissing Scotty much longer than usual.
“Are you okay?” Scotty quickly asks Kevin. Kevin nods.
“I need to talk to you…” Kevin says as quietly as possible.
“I’ve spoken to Angie, she’ll drive back tomorrow-morning and she’ll be here tomorrow night. I’ll be all yours then. We can talk. I’ve asked Jordan to come and look after the kids and we’ll go to a nice quiet place where we can talk… Alright?” Scotty asks.
“Great! I now have to focus on finding out what will happen to Julia.”
“Yeah, of course, go! The whole clan is here and everyone is willing to help. As usual.” Scotty kisses Kevin thoroughly, not caring about anyone else’s reaction around him. Kevin smiles at him a bit awkwardly, but he’s clearly glad with his husband’s tenderness.
“Come on, we have to leave again….” He tells his brother. Tommy nods and both men cast one last look at Elizabeth standing over her little brother’s make-shift bed, before saying goodbye again. Scotty gives them a few cookies that he had made for the kids, because he guessed right that they hadn’t eaten yet, but then they are really on their way.
*****
“Thank you for allowing Tommy to talk to Julia.” Kevin thanks Max.
“Kev, I can pull some strings, but … Julia is in deep trouble.” Max deeply regrets that he has no better news for his friend.
“I know…” Kevin sighs.
“I could have tried to link the kidnapping to a confused state of mind, make the offense a lesser one. But she was waving a gun around and pointing it at people. 911 was called in panic, by people who had a justified reason to be scared…. I can’t wipe that under the rug.”
“I know. I’m not asking you to. I will plead my case with a judge and explain her situation and try to make a judge understand that Julia wouldn’t have shot anyone and that, in hindsight, we found out that there wasn’t even a bullet in it, that she was only using to scare people away and not to hurt anyone.”
“Kevin, Julia stole a gun that is registered to her husband. The only reason why the gun wasn’t loaded, is because Tommy doesn’t like to keep a loaded gun in his drawer and not because Julia had the presence of mind not to load it. She actually thought that there were bullets in it…”
Kevin looks up at Max, a miserable look on his face, and Max becomes less harsh.
“Try if you can get away it… I hope you can…” Max says in all sincerity.
“I hope so too. It’s complicated enough without Julia in prison… or whatever…” They both know that prison will be unlikely, and that it’s the ‘whatever’ they should be concerned about.
*****
End of part 3/4
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