The court room is nothing like I expected it to be.
I was expecting to feel confined and nervous in a poorly lit room but instead everything is surprisingly open. A window on the wall to my left making the room seem brighter and bigger. It's weird to be separated from my friends, who are seated in chairs on other sides of the barrier but there's no other place I'd rather be than with my family.
Sage is seated to my left with the twins next to him while Saffron clings to my right hand, using an ungodly amount of force. For the first time ever, Silver sits completely still, too focused on the judge to fidget.
The judge reads my statement, pausing to push her glasses up on her nose every few seconds. It feels like forever before she finally sets the paper down and clears her throat. "Miss Rhodes, do you genuinely believe you are the best choice for your family?"
Saffron's hold on my hand tightens, something I didn't even think was possible, and Sage reaches for the other. Dave offers me a nod of support like the entire room isn't staring at me.
"Yes, your honor. I believe no one else is able to love and care for them the way I could." I tell her, ignoring the fact that my entire body is shaking.
It's safe to say public speaking still isn't my thing.
"Well then, I'm happy to announce you as the official guardian of the Rhodes children." She offers after what feels like an eternity, hitting her gavel with a wide smile on her face.
I'm tackled into a hug, the five of us clinging to each other for dear life. No more fear or worry. No more going through people or cutting corners.
They're mine.
We sit there for a while, finally allowing ourselves to breathe. Sage pulls away to wipe his face, "Thank you."
An odd mixture of a laugh and sob escapes my mouth as I move his hair out of his face. "I love you."
Turning to Sterling, who's pressed against my side, I brush his cheek. "I love you."
Silver tries to hide the fact he's crying but I catch his hand, drying the tears for him. "I love you."
Bending over, I pick Saffron up, not caring how difficult it is to carry her in heels. "I love you, Squirt."
She clings to my neck, getting snot in my hair. "I love you more."
I don't think that's possible but I smile, keeping her in my arms as we walk out of the courthouse.
Once we're outside everyone goes crazy, Ella demands a million pictures through her tears. I don't protest, stepping back to watch the scene around me.
Kim and Liz are talking while their husbands try to hide the fact that they were crying. Ricardo and John stand off to the side, watching the twins chase Ronnie and Saffron around with fond smiles on their faces. Carmen and Emmanuel talk with Gabe and RJ, who flew home from college just for this moment. Stella and James help Ella wrangle the twins in for pictures, Sage and Sam standing off to the side waiting patiently.
Everyone that's important in my life is here, except for one person.
Almost on cue arms warp around me, pulling me into a solid surface. "I'm so proud of you."
I smile, too happy with my life to even roll my eyes, looking back I flick his nose. "Mister McClain, you're now technically dating a teen mom. What do you have to say about that?"
Amusement dances in his eyes, "I think it's wonderful. She's pretty hot for a mom."
Rolling my eyes, I kiss him, interrupted by the sound of a camera.
"Perfect shot." Ella calls, glancing down at her camera before putting it up.
"No more pictures?" I ask her, mildly surprised. I figured we'd be here another thirty minutes before she even considered letting us leave.
"I can always get more later." She offers, grabbing Sage's hand.
"Finally, we can go to the party, I'm starving!" Gabe cries.
Instantly, he's slapped by Emmy and RJ.
"That was supposed to be a surprise." Carmen says, dragging him by the ear to the parking lot. Her fiancé follows behind, laughing at the sight of his cousin being punished.
*****
Our house has been completely transformed. All of our favorite foods set up in the backyard, pictures of our family spread throughout. Uncle John definitely outdid himself. The twins play an altered version of the video they gave me. Taking out their messages and adding even more footage of us from these past two years. There's a lot of tears and laughter but a warm feeling settles in my stomach. I feel happy.
Everything I've ever wanted has come true. I'm so loved by so many different people. My family is safe and happy, no longer living in constant fear of being torn apart.
We're complete. Plus, due to a sudden amount of evidence, Patricia Wainwright has been placed on unpaid leave until further notice. Something tells me she won't ever be going back to work for child services.
I walk over to Uncle John and Ms. Miller, who has asked me to call her Melissa. It's an awkward thing to do but I'm getting used to it. He's showing her a bunch of old picture albums of his teenage years, a genuine smile on his face that I haven't seen in years. We're all finally happy.
"How do you feel, Bean?" He asks, giving me what has to be my thousandth hug today.
Taking a deep breath, I shrug, "Blessed, it's almost like I had a guardian angel watching my back."
He offers me a knowing look just as Emmy walks over.
"Letty, are you ready to go do that thing?" He asks, munching on a chicken finger.
Uncle Johns grip on me tightens before he let's go, giving me an affirmative nod as he leads Melissa away to get more food.
"I'm more than ready." I assure him, motioning for Sage to head our way.
*****
Thirty minutes later we're on the West Side of town, the last little bit of sunlight vanishing behind the buildings.
Emmy stops the car in front of a bar called the Twisted Pigeon, double checking our surroundings before unlocking the car.
"You two listen to me. Don't lay a hand on anyone without being touched first. Don't make any stupid decisions." He orders us, a serious look on his face.
We nod our heads, my hands reach for the seatbelt and after a few seconds of shaking I'm able to undue it.
"And please, for the love of God, try not to get killed." He adds as he opens his door.
Sage and I share a look before getting out of the car. I'll never be ashamed of admitting I'm from the West Side but walking across the street tonight is definitely a terrifying experience. This isn't a street anyone would feel safe walking down. Even Emmy is on edge as he walks, keeping a hand on both of our shoulders.
The second he opens the door the smell of alcohol and body odor attacks my nostrils, making me feel sick. Bennett tried taking me here one time, I'm thankful he didn't.
The walls are covered in gum and ripped band posters. Crushed peanut shells and forgotten utensils littered across the ground, the clear patches of floor sticky from spilt beer.
It's practically abandoned. A bar tender behind the counter, eyeing us as he slides a drink down the bar.
The sole occupant, sitting at the far edge of the bar, reaches for the glass.
"I wondered how long it would take you to find me." Bennett says, hoping down from his seat.
Emmy bounces from foot to foot, undoubtedly fighting the urge to knock his lights out. That makes two of us.
"It's over, Bennett, I'm just here to return what's yours." I state, reaching into my pocket before tossing the spider charm to him.
He snags it midair, evaluating it with bored eyes before tucking it in his pocket. With a few steps Bennett is standing in front of me, a smile on his face. "But you see, Cutie, you're mine."
Sage laughs but I pretend not to hear him, too focused on the piece of trash in front of me. "I'm my own person, Bennett, and you are nothing to me."
Rage flashes through his face as he raises a fist. Emmy clears his throat, stepping up next to me.
"Scarlett and Sage Rhodes are official members of the Angels, and therefore their siblings Sterling, Silver and Saffron Rhodes are protected underneath the Angels territory."
Bennett begins to laugh but Emmy doesn't stop, knowing he probably won't be given another opportunity to speak civilly.
"Any and all acts of crime or aggression committed towards them will be a direct violation of our agreement."
His words sound like music to my ears, no more games.
He eyes Emmy over before looking at Sage. "Bullshit."
Sighing, I pull my leather jacket off, a gift from Carmen for becoming an official badass. I turn around, pulling my hair back to revel the set of angel wings tattooed in between my shoulder blades.
My brother lifts his shirt up, a tattoo on his left pectoral that he got hours after I got my own. I'll never forget the confused look on his face when I snuck into his bedroom around midnight, demanding he get dressed and hurry out to the car. He tried to act so calm, taking everything in with a neutral expression, refusing to ask a single question. Ricardo gave him his terms and he agreed without blinking an eye, not one thought about it.
The bravado faded pretty quickly when he sat down in the chair, unlike me, he cried getting his tattoo.
Bennett stops laughing to chug the contents of his drink. "It's fake."
Sage licks his finger before over dramatically wiping his tattoo. He checks his finger before showing it to Bennett. "I don't know, it looks pretty real to me."
Bennett snarls but I step forward. "Fuck off. You can't touch us. You can't mess with us. Technically you aren't supposed to even breathe in our direction so consider this conversation to be your last. We're done."
And with that I turn on my heel, throwing the jacket back over my shoulders as I walk out the door. It's not until we're back in the car that I scream. We just did that. He's no longer a threat.
He's one more person I'm forever free from but I feel twenty times lighter.
"Holy shit, that was amazing!" Sage cries as Emmy starts the car.
He waits till we're on the main road before saying anything to us. "Good job, kiddos, your first and only job as a member of the Angels has been completed."
I watch the houses as we pass by, a smile stuck on my face at the realization that we can now walk down these side walks. The same ones I walked with dad, saying hello to people on their porches while we pushed the twins.
We can come home.
RJ's mom has already called dibs on having us over for dinner, claiming she needs to feed more people. And Saffron's new idol is Manny, the whole badass vibe completely mesmerizing her.
If I'm not careful she'll become a whole new form of a wild child. But I'd be completely okay with that.
*****
Ashton, RJ, Gabe, Carman, Drew, the twins, John, and Ricardo are waiting on us when we get home. Melissa upstairs getting Saffron ready for bed. I'm not really sure how much Uncle John has told her yet but I don't want Saffron knowing anything until she's older. While I'll always protect the twins, they're old enough to know more of what's going on.
"It's done." Emmy offers, closing the door behind him.
RJ and Gabe tackle us in a hug, "Hells yeah."
"Little Letty's officially part of the crew." RJ adds, ruffling my hair.
Manny kisses Sage's cheek, "My babies are all grown up, I think I might cry."
Emmy rolls his eyes, "No, you're going to cry tomorrow when you do her prom make up."
She flips him off, "Never mind that, it's been such an emotional day. You cried at the court house."
He blushes, "I most certainly did not."
"Yes, you did." RJ interjects, locking Emmy in a head lock.
Gabe punches their arms, "Who cares, all three of you cried during the video."
That earns him three slaps across his back, "Drew?" He calls, trying to get someone on his side.
Manny's fiancé shakes his head, wrapping his arms around her. "All I can say is that at least my lady is a pretty crier."
We all roll our eyes, Sage even chucks a napkin at him. That's no fun.
"Enough." Ricardo sighs and instantly all the chaos ends. "We all cried like a bunch of babies and there's no shame in that. More importantly, Scarlett and Sage are able to start this new phase of life with no worries."
Everyone looks at me expectantly, "Thank you. Not only for helping us but for never giving up on us even when we gave up on you."
Manny smiles, taking hold of my hand. Emmy throws an arm around Sage, smiling proudly at me.
"To family." Ricardo offers.
"To family!" We all call out.
There's a moment of silence before the twins clear their throats, "So, umm, when can we get the tattoo."
"Never." We all say in unison. I may be worried about Saffron now but no person is truly prepared for double trouble. High school will be an interesting experience for the twins to say the least but they'll have Sage to guid them through freshman year.
I still haven't decided if that's a good or bad thing yet.
"But Ricardo." Silver pouts, acting like he's a two year old.
He laughs, leaning back in his chair, "I believe that's officially up to Scarlett, kiddo."
The twins give me hopeful eyes, "We'll see."
After all, I have that authority now. We all fall back into conversation, sharing stories right and left, each one more embarrassing and dramatic than the last.
What a strange little family I have indeed but I wouldn't change it for the world.
*****
Once everyone leaves, Ashton follows me up to my room, his hand in mine.
I don't know what to say to him, he's been silent ever since I got home. Simply watching me with a smile on his face. Tossing my jacket on my bed he wraps his hands around my waist. I stop, goosebumps forming on my skin as he kisses my spine. Exactly where my tattoo is.
He works his way up to my neck and down a portion on my jawline.
"You know, Mister McClain, you're now officially dating a gang member. What do you think about that?" I tease, trying my best to remain calm as his hands run across my stomach.
"I think it's pretty sexy." He whispers, turning me around.
I kiss him, not even waiting for whatever else he's going to say. He lowers me onto the bed as his lips move down my neck.
I giggle as he kisses my collarbone, getting impatient as he takes his time. He kisses me again before pulling away, resting his forehead against mine. "I think you're pretty badass if you want my honest opinion."
I flick his nose, it's not like I did anything crazy.
"Are the rules on hickeys completely gone?"
I roll my eyes, it's a little too late for that. I stopped him from creating any this past week, afraid for something to happen and it accidentally get revealed.
Not a mandatory step but I wasn't talking any risks.
"What even are your obsessions with them to begin with?" I question, genuinely curious.
I know most people get them, he's just very fond of showcasing them.
Ashton shrugs, "You're mine and I want the whole world to see it."
My heart stops at those words, a completely different reaction from when I heard them earlier. He doesn't view me as a piece of property, I'm his everything.
"And I'm yours and everyone deserves to know that I'm taken by the most beautiful, badass, scariest woman in the world."
I smile, kissing him quickly. "Well then, who am I to stop you?"
He smirks, pulling himself back up. "Plus, I tend to get jealous."
"You?" I ask in mock shock. "I would've never guessed it."
"It's kind of annoying but that's okay, I've got something worth protecting." He says, wrapping his arms around me.
I lay there is his arms as I think about my whirlwind of a day. I'm so lucky. Ashton watches me, rubbing circles into my back to soothe me into sleep.
"I love you." I tell him, kissing his cheek.
"I love you." He whispers, moving his arms from around me.
I gasp as he goes to get up, tugging on his arm in attempt to force him back onto the bed.
He laughs, pulling his sweatshirt over his head. "You'll see me tomorrow."
"But-" I protest, getting cut off as he kisses me.
"But nothing, it's been a long day and I'm sure Saffron is waiting to crawl into bed with you." He hands me his sweatshirt, kissing me again to keep me from complaining. "Goodnight, Sweetheart."
I kiss him before sitting back down on my bed, slightly disappointed that he's leaving. "Good night, Charming."
Ashton laughs, checking his phone. "Look, it's already midnight. I'll see you in a few hours."
And with that he runs from my room without one last goodnight kiss. How rude. I get up and start getting ready for bed, almost taking my eyes out when shouts sound off outside. Running to my window, I throw my head outside. RJ, Emmy, and Manny are dying with laughter as Drew pulls Ashton off the ground.
"I told you he wasn't spending the night. You all owe me twenty bucks." Gabe calls as he jumps up and down.
"Hey!" I shout, everyone stops not even fighting Gabe as he plucks the money from their hands.
"Oh, shit." RJ mutters as they all look up at me.
"Did you guys actually bet on me?"
No one says a word as they all share a look, "I told you it was a bad idea."
They're supposed to be the responsible ones.
"And to think I thought better of you." I chastise, tossing a wad of bills down to Gabe.
"No way." Manny protests is disbelief.
Ashton laughs, pushing past Emmy to snag the money from Gabe's hands. "Thank you all for contributing to my bank account, try to be less predictable next time."
Everyone stares at him, RJ's eyes darting between him and Gabe and the money. "You little shit."
Manny throws her arm around Ashton's shoulders, reaching up to ruffle his hair. "I think you're gonna fit right in with us, Punk."
I watch them as they all walk to their cars, listening to their banter with a smile on my face.
No sooner than I'm able to close my window there's a knock on my door. I'm expecting it to just be Saffron but all four of my siblings are standing on the other side of the door.
"We know it's late." Silver starts.
"But can we sleep with you tonight?" Sterling finishes, pushing his glasses back up on his nose.
"Of course." I tell them, surprised they even have to ask.
We all pile onto my bed like we've done a million times before, but something feels different. When we wake up tomorrow there will be no question of if we can do something or not. No constant fear of getting in trouble or giving off the wrong image.
We can be ourselves I realize, a faint smile stuck on my face as I doze off.
*****
This is it, only three more chapters to go! I'm so emotional but kinda happy this story will officially end over my spring break, which is next week. March 15 2018 was the first day I created the google doc for this story so technically LIC is about to celebrate its first birthday!!! I don't know when I officially published it on Wattpad but I may have some exciting news in the near future.
Also, What do you think Sage's terms were?
XO-Mo