lost little one

chapter 15

** time skip to the day of the court hearing **

lizzie's pov:
today was the day of the hearing, and i noticed lia's apprehension; she hadn't been eating much all week and had withdrawn from her usual interactions.

after rising from bed, i tended to my appearance, opting for a simple black dress and a subtle makeup look.

as i prepared for the day, i found lia in her room, wide awake and lost in thought. "lia, are you ready to get ready?"

she met my gaze with a nod, and i reciprocated with a gentle smile. as she rose from bed, she approached me, wrapping me in a comforting hug, which i welcomed wholeheartedly. after a brief moment, she withdrew.

"would you like me to help you get ready, lia?" i asked softly, earning a nod of approval.

after helping lia prepare, i descended the stairs with her in my arms. i popped some toast into the toaster for both of us, uncertain of how much she would consume, but knowing it was better than nothing.

** time skip to at court **

i parked the car and switched off the ignition, unbuckling my seatbelt. glancing over, i noticed lia hadn't made any attempt to move.

"lia, honey, everything alright?" i asked, immediately regretting the banality of my question.

she nodded silently before stepping out of the car, and i followed suit. as we made our way inside, i felt lia's hand touch mine.

instead of merely holding hands, i lifted her into my arms, carrying her inside. among the familiar faces of hemsworth, scarlett, mary-kate, and ashley, i approached them.

"hey, lizzie," ashley greeted with a smile.

"hey," i replied.

"so, this is the famous eliana you can't stop talking about?" mary-kate teased, eliciting a curious glance from lia.

"why do they look alike?" lia inquired.

"they're twins, hun," i explained gently.

"oh. which one is ashley?" lia inquired.

"that's me, love," ashley responded, stepping closer as lia reached out her arms.

i handed lia over to ashley's care. lia playfully booped ashley's nose, eliciting a giggle from her. it was a moment of pure joy, the brightest i'd seen lia all week.

scarlett and hemsworth joined me while mary-kate and ashley played with lia.

"how's lia been lately?" scarlett inquired.

"she's been struggling. she hasn't been very talkative all week and her appetite's been low. today, though, she seems happier," i explained.

"it's tough for a 3-year-old to handle this. it's tough for anyone, let alone a child," hemsworth remarked solemnly, and i nodded in agreement.

"thank you both for being here today. it means a lot to me," i said gratefully, offering them a smile.

"we'll always support you, liz. and some of the other actors wanted to be here too, though they couldn't make it. they're rooting for you," scarlett assured me.

"what time does this thing start?" hemsworth asked, breaking the silence after a few moments.

"about another 10 minutes, chris," scarlett replied, prompting a playful groan from him.

"lizzie, he's just kidding. don't worry," she reassured me, giving my arm a comforting rub.

after the 10 minutes passed, we were instructed to enter the courtroom. as we walked in, i spotted my lawyer, the social worker, evans, rbj, renner, ruffalo, and my parents.