Never Letting Go (Axl Rose)

Eight

"Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" Asked the judge. "I do," Axl replied. "You may take the stand!" The judge said.

Axl breathed out and sat on the seat beside the judge that overlook the crowd. Stuart and Amy stared him down with tears in their eyes. Amy held onto Stuart's arm.

Axl was fighting for them back. The band was there too fighting alongside them.

"Axl Rose," the judge said. "Did you know about the drugs in the house?"

He could lie and say no. But he had promised to tell the truth and if they find out he was lying they'd never give the children back.

Axl sighed and nodded averting his eyes away from his brother and sister who relied on him.

Stuart's fists clenched as he looked at his brother with tears falling from his eyes.

"Do you know how dangerous it is to have drugs around your two teen siblings!" The judge asked.

"Th- Them coming was s- so unexpected!" Axl argued as tears threatened to fall from his eyes. "I- I don't do drugs! I swear!"

Amy was sobbing by this time because she figured she wouldn't be going back to her brother and would be forced to stay with someone else.

Stuart didn't make any move to comfort his sister. He just stared ahead of him, much like the time he had been taken away from his parents to live with Axl. 

"Two weeks to prove you're clean or you aren't getting the kids back," the judge said. "But-" "Case dismissed!" The judge said slamming her hammer on the table.
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"I hate you, y'know," Stuart said just before Axl was taken away. "Yeah, I'd hate me too," Axl said. "You better get us back!" Stuart said. "I'm trying, okay! It isn't easy!" Axl replied. "I know, I just.... I love you, Axl. You're my brother and you're getting us back!" Stuart said before leaving the room