The Love We Found. [A.H]

23. the court date

Aaron gives us the next day off because of what happened and he ends up coming over. He engulfs me as soon as he walks in, to say he was worried I think is an understatement. “I was so worried I was going to lose you” he mumbled. I run my hands through his hair. “I'm alright, I'm here” I say softly and he pulls back cupping my face. “if I had known about any of that I would have never let you or Reid go” he says. “Aaron, I'm here, I'm safe, everything is okay” I say and he nods. We sit down on my couch and he pulls me into him so that my head is on his lap. “You promise you're okay?” He asks and I nod. “I promise”

Not two weeks go by but close to it, I'm sitting with my lawyer while my father is on the other side with his lawyer. an hour goes by and I give all the evidence to show he's not fit to have a child. Another hour goes by and my father is trying to defend himself. And the last hour goes by and the judge is ready to give us the verdict. I know the team behind me is just as anxious as me. “I hereby give full custody of Astrid Drâgos to her sister, Isabella drâgos” the judge says and I almost break out crying out of happiness. The Judge calls the court out of order. I turn around with watery eyes and I smile on my face. “I'm going to go get her” I say and they nod.

When I get to the room that they have her in and she sees me she bursts into tears. “Momma” she says with tears falling down her face. “Hi baby,” I say softly. “Am I coming back with you?” She asks and I nod. She hugs me tighter. “Momma I turned 10, I need big girl stuff” she says and I chuckle. “We can go to the store,” I say. “Are Aaron and Jack still around?” She asks. “Mhm, they've missed you” I say and she nods, wiping the tears off her face. “I wanna go see him” she says and I smile. “The whole team is here baby” I say and she gets excited. “Papa, aunties and uncles?” She asks and I nod. She asked Rossi before she left if she could call him papa because she doesn't really have a grandfather and he agreed. “Let's go let's go” she says, jumping down and grabbing my hand. “I wanna see them!” She says as she pulls me out of the room, and surprisingly in the right direction of where they are at. “I missed them, all of you guys” she says as we get closer. “I see them momma!” She yells and the team looks over at us. She lets go of my hand and runs right to Aaron, he bends down so they can hug and I smile. Then she rushes to hug Rossi, then Emily, then everyone else. Then she goes back to Aaron. He picks her up. “She really missed you guys” I say, as she has Aaron in conversation. “We missed her too,” David says. “I know Jack is going to be more than excited when he sees her” I say and Emily laughs a little bit. “Everyone is here again, all the kids and partners, we are finally back together” JJ says and I smile. “I wanna go see Jack!” She says and I laugh a little bit. “We can go see Jack,” Aaron says. “dinner at my house, everyone is welcome?” Rossi suggested and we all agreed.

Me and Aaron drove together and so Astrid is in the backseat and I'm in the passenger seat while Aaron drives. He holds his hand out for me to take and I intertwine my fingers with his. “She's back, everything is good now” he says quietly. “I know. I'm so thankful for you, and everything you have done to help” I say in the same quiet tone. He squeezed my hand and I sigh in content. When we get to Aaron's house because Jack is there, Astrid gets super excited. She rushes out of the SUV to get to the door. Aaron and I get out and walk over to the door, Aaron opens the door and Astrid rushes over to Jack. “Astrid, your back!” He says excitedly and she nods. “I'm back, I'm back” she says, they rush off to his room to play, and Jessica leaves. Me and Aaron settle down on his couch and watch TV. And in a couple hours Jack and Astrid come out, looking nervous.

“Aaron,” Astrid says. “Izzi,” Jack says. And me and Aaron look at them confused. “What's up?” I ask. “Well we have a question for both of you” Astrid says and we nod. “I wanted to know if I could call you momma” Jack says and he looks down at the ground, my eyes widened and I look over at Aaron. “jack come here” I say and he comes over. I take his small hands in mine. “I would love for you to call me momma but we also have to honor your other momma too, okay?” I ask and he nods. I look over at Aaron and he agrees with me. Jack goes back to stand with Astrid, Jack gives her a look of encouragement. “and I wanted to know if I could call you dad” she says and I see Aaron smile. “If you really want to you can” he says and I nod in agreement. “So we can both call you momma and dad?” Jack asks and we nod. I see them physically relax. “I told you they'd say yes” Astrid says, turning to face Jack. “I never said they didn't. I just thought maybe it would be different because of what happened to my mom” he says and she nods. “True but you should trust me more” she says and Aaron laughs softly. “Come here both of you” Aaron says and he has them sit on the coffee table so they are looking at us. “You are old enough to make the choice who to call mom and if you really want Isabella to be that person, then I'll agree, but also want you to still ask and question about Hailey” Aaron says and I completely agree, I'm not trying to replace her at all, but simply help. “Astrid, you talked to me about wanting to call Aaron dad before, and to me that's completely fine, because I know our dad hasn't been the greatest” I say and she nods. “come here” I say and I open my arms, they both embrace me. “You too Aaron” I say and he laughs a little bit, and joins the hug. After a few moments we pulled away. I glance at the clock. “It's time for us to head to David's” I say looking over at Aaron and he nods.

When we get to David's he hugs us all, then Jack and Astrid run off to play in the backyard, as they brought their snow stuff. “You remember the conversation with Astrid when she asked to call you papa?” I ask David as I sit down at the island. He nods. “Both Jack and Astrid had the same conversation with me and Arron about calling one of us mom and other dad” I say and David turns around. “they really love you both” he says and I nod. Eventually the whole team shows up with Maeve, Savannah and Luke included. “Where are my favorite niece and nephew?” Morgan says as he walks into the kitchen. “Currently outside” I say and he gets a mischievous look on his face and goes outside. A few minutes later I hear some very happy screaming by the kids as I see Morgan chasing them with a snowball. I burst out laughing as he fell on his face. “Savannah, Derek just fell on his face” I say and she laughs and looks out the window to find him standing up. I see Astrid and Jack laughing at him and he manages to grab them both and make them fall in the snow. I laugh harder. They get up and rush inside. “Uncle Derek tried to kill us!” Jack says as he sits to take his boots off and I shake my head. Derek comes in and is still laughing a little bit. “Don't go trying to kill my kids Derek” I say jokingly and he laughs. “Uncle Spencer!” Astrid says and she finishes taking her snow stuff off. “Do you have a new science trick to show us?” She asks and he nods excited to show them. “Bella, can you help me with the food?” David asks and I nod. I end up helping him make a full Italian dish. “perché hai scelto il piatto più fottutamente difficile?” I ask and he laughs
(why did you choose the hardest fucking dish?)
“perché oggi è speciale, vuol dire preparare un piatto speciale.” He says and I sigh
(Because today is special, that means making a special dish)
“Entrambi i vostri piatti sono fantastici, quindi dovrebbe essere delizioso.” Emily says walking into the kitchen.
(Both of your dishes are fantastic, so it should be delicious)
“questo è quello che succede quando ti integri negli Stati Uniti, ho la cultura rumena e americana, oltre a qualunque altra cosa abbia imparato.” I say and she nods.
(that's what happens when you integrate to the U.S, i've got Romanian culture, and American, Plus whatever else i've learned.)

After about 30 minutes the food is ready. “Food is done” I say walking out to the living room with the hand towel in my hands. Everyone takes their place at the table and David stands to make a toast. “I just wanna say I'm proud of all of you, and that we get to continue to come together like this” he says and we all smile and toast. After dinner I help David with dishes. “You know, you are like my daughter, and Astrid is like my granddaughter,” he says. And I stop what I'm doing and look over at him. “sei stato più un padre per me nei sei anni che sono stato qui di quanto lo sia stato mio padre, e Astrid è grata che tu tenga così tanto a lei.” I say.
(you have been more of a father to me in the six years that I have been here than my own father has, and Astrid is grateful that you care so much about her.)
“And I'm grateful for you both” he says and I nod. We finish with dishes and head out to the living room. I find Astrid and Jack watching a movie while the adults are talking about different things. “Actually, Emily the second oldest bones found outside of Africa were in Romania. As the neolithic peoples moved all over and didn't start settling until the ice age” I say sitting down next to Aaron. “Of course you'd know that,” she says. “I have like 4 bachelor's degrees, Emily, in very different topics, one of which being anthropology” I say and she shakes her head. “How am I not surprised?” she says and I shrug. “Actually Bella, how many degrees do you have?” Morgan asks. “Umm. 4 bachelor's degrees, one in anthropology, one in law, one in forensics, and the other in engineering. 3 masters degrees, one in law, one in forensics and the other in psychology, and my two PhDs in psychology and forensics, so 9?” I question myself. The team looks kinda shocked. “And not to mention my photographic memory which makes it so I take mental pictures of almost everything, so if you compared me and reid, he's more science and math smart and I'm more people and law smart” I say. “Okay wait, you never told us about the photographic memory” Penelope says and I shrug. “I guess it never came up” I say and she shakes her head. “So that's why Reid always lets you do the law and people part of things” Emily says and I nod. “We are both considered geniuses in academic senses, and that's why we divided things up” I say and they nod. “mama sunt obosita.” Astrid says, interrupting the conversation.
(Mama I'm tired)
“te poți întinde în camera de oaspeți a lui papa, putem pleca puțin.” I say and she nods
(you can go lay down in papa's guest room, we can leave in a little bit.)

After about an hour or so we decided to go. We and the kids say our goodbyes and leave. Aaron drops me and Astrid off at my apartment and we say goodbye. Today was a very good day.

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So a lot happened all for the better also i don't know if I've said this or not but Maeve will stay alive and everything with cat won't happen, so boy wonder gets to be happy.