Growing Up

Chapter 11

It wasn't even a week after Chris threatened to get full custody of Sophia when the custody papers were served to Mariska on set of SVU. She read the papers before sinking down onto one of the chairs and let the papers fall to the floor.

"Rish?" Kelli asked as she walked over to where her friend sat.

"Chris got a court date. He is filing for full custody of Sophia." She whimpered.

"He can't do that, can he?" Kelli asked as the rest of the cast surrounded the lead.

"He can. He is her father... but he wants her to move to LA with him. I don't want her to get taken from me." She whispered, before leaning down and picking the paper back up. She folded it back up before sitting it on the table in front of her. She stood and wiped the tears from her cheeks before grabbing the paper again.

"I can't shoot more today. I'm sorry. I have to go get Sophia."

===

Sophia was called down to the front office a little after 10 in the morning. She had barely made it half way through her second block before she was getting picked up.

"Mom?" Sophia asked, as she walked into the front off.

"Hey, baby. Are you ready to go?" Mariska asked. Sophia noticed the redness of her mother's face and started to worry right away.

"What's wrong, Mom? Tell me." Sophia ordered, but even before her mother tried to answer, she pulled her out of the office and towards the front doors.

"Mom!" Sophia exclaimed, as she pulled her arm from her mother's grip.

"Honey, don't worry about what I'm going to say, okay?" She breathed, and Sophia couldn't not worry. Her mother was kinda scaring her.

"Mom, please just tell me."

"Chris filed for full custody today... I got served while I was at work." She whispered.

"No." Sophia spoke, as her eyes started to burn from the tears that started to well there.

"Baby, I'm fighting for you. I promise you that. He won't get you." Mariska spoke, as tears started to run down her cheeks again. She grabbed her daughter and pulled her close as Sophia's body start to shake from the intensity of her sobs.

"I don't want to live with him, Mom."

"I don't want you to live with him either. Just calm down and we will figure this out."

===

Mariska took Sophia home and they sat on the couch together. Sophia laid with her head on her mother's lap, while Mariska caressed her hair gently.

"If he got me, would I ever be able to see you again? To even talk to you again?" Sophia sniffled.

"They won't deny you that, Soph. They won't make you shove me completely out of your life just because. I'm your mother, and most of the time kids stay with their mothers."

"But what if they take me? We need to plan for the worst. We could go to Hungary."

"Baby, we aren't running." Mariska spoke, laughing softly. But she realized that Sophia was so fucking scared that she was thinking about breaking the law to get away.

"Do you think they'll let me pick? I'm almost 16, I'm mature enough to make that choice. And I'm going to pick you. I'd never pick Dad over you."

"I know. Soph, lets do something to get our minds off of this."

"When is the court date, Mom?"

"Friday at 10." Mariska whispered. Sophia stood up and started to pace the living room. Mariska grew dizzy when she watched her daughter pace as fastly as she did.

"Okay, so I'll go."

"You have to go."

"Okay, well then I'll go and if they ask me questions I'll tell them the truth."

"That's what you are supposed to do."

"And if they ask me who I want to live with, I'll pick you."

"Okay. Sophia, go upstairs and nap. You need some time to think."

"I can't think straight when I'm worrying about being pulled away from you."

===

Friday morning at 10, Mariska and Sophia sat in a room at Family Court. Chris and Carly sat to the other side. Mariska had gotten her lawyer involved, and he sitting beside her and Sophia.

"Mom, when is this going to start?" Sophia whispered, just as they were told to stand. They all stood and then the judge came in. Sophia was wishing that this was SVU. All just a show and then in the end everything was okay. 

"Mr. Meloni. Ms. Hargitay." Judge Camden spoke, as she sat down.

"Thank you for overseeing this case, your honor." Mariska's lawyer, Dennis spoke.

"Yes, of course. This is over the custody of Sophia Magdolna Hargitay, am I correct?"

"Yes, your honor." Dennis replied.

"Now, I will try to make this as quick and pain free as possible. Sophia, we will question you first. Please come forward and sit down." She spoke. Sophia stood and smoothed the bottom of her dress as she walked forward. She sat down and after a few moments, Chris' lawyer started the questioning.

===

Sophia was questioned about her relationship with her mother. How much time she spends with her mother. What happened when she was beat up at school. There were so many questions about Mariska, but Chris didn't expect the questions that Dennis was planning on asking about him.

"Sophia, how long have you known your father?"

"I met him a little over six months ago."

"And how did the meeting go?" Dennis asked.

"Not well. He came into town because I was getting beat up, and my mother called him. She was hoping that having him around would help, but it just made things worse."

"How so?"

"He makes my mother uncomfortable. He left us because he didn't want to be a father, and he told me that."

"And how long have you known his fiance, Carly Golden?"

"I haven't met her yet. I've seen her, but no words have been exchanged."

"Thank you." Dennis spoke, before he walked over and sat down again. Mariska smiled gently as Sophia before the judge cleared her voice.

"Sophia, may I ask you a question?" She asked, and Sophia nodded.

"Yeah."

"If you had to pick between your mother and father, who would you choose to live with?"

"My mother. My father left us, and I don't think that he deserves to just decide when he's ready. He told me that he didn't want me and that I was only here because a condom broke."

"Thank you, Sophia. You are dismissed and you may wait outside. After a small break, we will pick back up and Mr. Meloni and Ms. Hargitay will be questioned."