Just Like Daddy *Sequel to Daddy Did It*

Chapter 2: What Happened

So most of you must be wondering what happened to my brother Michael. Well after the FBI had left and the press got wind of everything that happened. I'm not sure how they found out all the things they did, but I suppose a lot of people will do anything for money. Even if that means making someone elses life a living hell.

They found out that Michael wasn't my full blood brother, that his father was the guy that Mother had an affair with. I will be honest Carl Stevens is a great man, but he didn't come off as that when he showed up wanting to take Michael from me. He came off as a real prick. My entire life had been about protecting Michael and raising him right. Now here came this stranger wanting to take him.

I honestly think it was for publicity, or maybe I just see all people as monsters now. My life was based on Michael. I knew I could not live with myself if I didn't have him, so I got my stuff together. Carl's main point of strength was that he had money to provide for Michael. So, I spent a week applying for every possible job, but the economy had been bad and job searching was hard. No one wanted to hire a girl who had never worked before. I'm sure it had something to do with what Father had done as well, but they all denied that factor.

I finally got a job at Starbucks. It didn't pay much, nor was it a permanent career. It still gave me an income and I spent months saving up. I saved up to get Michael and I away from our past. I bought an apartment and got myself legally emancipated so that I could live on my own. We even sold the old house and all of my father's things.

I was struggling financially at first, so we had to put off our parents' funerals. Though later on I got everything stable and enrolled Michael into one of the best schools around. I was doing everything I could think of to keep Michael. All the stress and double shifts wore me out, but I was willing to destroy myself to protect Michael. I was not going to let a stranger come in and swoop him away.

Carl got another thing ahead of me, he had a support system, so that if something happened to him then someone could take care of Michael in the future. I had no one back then. Our whole family was dead, well all those that were blood related to us. I found support in an unlikely place. When we moved into the apartment we got to know our neighbor, a sweet little woman. She loved us like a grandmother. Michael and I would help her clean her home and we even had dinners together on the weekends. She watched Michael for me when I worked and helped him with his homework. I was talking with her one day and we got onto the topic of my fight for Michael. She understood my pain, she had almost lost her daughter the same way. That little old lady was more then understanding, she offered to be Michael's godmother.

Slowly but surly I was managing to get everything together. I could pay the bills on time, and even started a college fund for Michael. I also got a saving account opened in case of a rainy day.  I was getting our life planned out. But I counted my chickens before they hatched.

Carl struck again, this time he took the low blow. He stated that I was unfit to take care of a child, that I would be just like my father and hurt Michael. This made the judge truly question my standing. That was the day my family was torn apart. I lost Michael and he was sent to live with Carl. My life had ended that day. Without Michael I had nothing to live for.

I went into a state of depression without having Michael around. I would wake up to an empty home and come back from work to find the apartment just as empty as I left it. My sweet little lady neighbor, Mary Weaver, knew what happened and if it wasn't for her I wouldn't have Michael now. Mary kept me on the path of improvement. I continued to work my double shifts and picked up a weekend job at Walmart as well. I was working endless hours, bettering myself and the future I hoped to give Michael.

When we went back to court to see how Michael was doing at Carl's house I almost cried. Michael no longer looked like himself. His once shaggy, spiked blond hair was cropped into a simple style. Michael wore tan cargo pants and a red button up, not his usual blue jeans and t shirts. I couldn't bare to think about whether or not Carl was a better parent then me. I almost forgot what I was fighting for.

The judge looked over Michael's grades and what the counselor at his new, new school had to say. Apparently Michael was having a hard time adjusting to the new school. He wasn't understanding what was being taught and didn't seem to be making friends. I remember Carl sitting in his freshly pressed suit and I was only in my work uniform. The only time I had free was spent in the court house, fighting for everything I cared about.

It seemed to take forever for the judge to get to my improving financial records. He seemed impressed with my hard work and dedication to keep Michael. One thing Carl never understood was that, unlike him, I was fighting for my family. Carl already had four kids with his current wife and Michael didn't seem to be getting along with their kids. The judge asked us why we wanted custody of Michael and I remember feeling my blood boil. I didn't understand how he could ask such a question. Michael was my everything. There was no life without Michael.

Carl stated that he just wanted what was right for Michael. He wanted him to get the proper education and care he needed. He said that he was Michael's father and should have parental rights on his child.

My mind wandered to all the stuff I did for Michael. All the beatings I took, all the nights I worked, all the days I held him while he cried. Carl had none of that with Michael. He didn't understand who Michael really was and would never truly see past Michael's act. Michael was hardly open, it was not surprising with what we grew up with. All he wanted to do was be what others wanted him be, he wanted to make them happy and not himself. I never let him do that with me. He got to be himself and he was happy with me.

I told the judge about what we grew up with. I told him about all the hard times and about all that I had done for my brother. I had been spending every waking moment proving I was fit to continue raising my brother like I had done since he was an infant. I told him that I would never stop fighting for my brother and I never did.

I ended up getting Michael back and it was the best day of my life. Our life was starting to look up as we moved away from our haunting past and towards what could be a bright future.

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Hi again my lovelies. What do you think so far? Let me ask you this: Would you fight as hard as Alex did to get her brother back? Comment and Vote my darlings. Follow me and I will follow you back :)