Chapter 24
Erik hung up the phone with an excited Ororo. He'd told her everything and had put in an immediate request that the transcript of the trial be sent to her office at the earliest opportunity. She was thinking the same thing he was.
With Jessica's testimony and everything their investigative team had found about the Eisenhardt's there was no way they'd ever be granted visitation.
He felt light and free; the crippling fear of losing Nina to his former in laws was gone. They had no legal standing after the stunt they'd pulled.
He chuckled to himself as he pulled on his coat and scarf and jogged out the door, heading to the small park next to the courthouse.
He got there and glanced around, not surprised to find it empty as far as he could see. Snow flurries had begun to fall once more and he was sure Charles had hustled Nina out of the cold as soon as her nose turned red.
He took a moment to check his phone again and saw another text guiding him to a small café where he found Charles and Nina splitting a small hot chocolate with multicolored marshmallows.
He watched them through the window for a brief moment, committing the sight to memory before stepping inside, setting the small bell on the door jingling.
"Papa!" Nina wiggled of her chair and skipped to his side like she hadn't seen him in weeks.
"Darling!" he caught her by the hand and let her lead him to the table where Charles was waiting for them with worried eyes.
"Charles! Papa is back!" Nina told him happily.
"That's great news!" he smiled, standing to pull another chair over to their small table.
Erik took off his coat and sat down, waiting for Nina to scramble back into her seat before asking, "How was the park?"
"It was good, but Charles said we didn't have time to build a snowman," she said with a small frown.
Charles and Erik shared an amused glance and surreptitiously held hands under the table.
"How did you like going to court?" Erik asked with a smile.
"I don't know how you do it all the time, I was a nervous wreck!" Charles chuckled.
"I liked it! I want to be a judge and wear a black dress everyday!" Nina announced proudly.
Erik snorted a laugh at that, wondering how Howlett would feel hearing that.
"It's a robe, and if you want to be a judge you can be."
"And if you want to wear a black dress everyday you can," Charles chimed in with a smile.
Nina grinned at them both and sucked down the sweetest dreg of the cocoa, she was hyper active which Charles had learned meant she was about to crash.
"Alright, time to head home?" he asked softly. Nina pouted.
"Sure is, let's get a move on," Erik said tiredly. It was a little late for a nap and Nina was sure to be belligerent about taking one at all.
"Let's take N. Elm," Charles suggested as they pulled on their coats before helping Nina bundle up again.
Erik shot him a confused glance that Charles returned with a meaningful look before he got it. The scenic route. It would add 20 minutes to their trip and knock her out cold.
He hid a smile at his devious boyfriend and co-parent. He was learning to ropes of fatherhood very quickly.
"Good call," he said, linking arms with Charles and grasping Nina by the hand to traipse through the snow-now falling more heavily- back to the parking garage at the courthouse. His little family.
~~
Their plan had worked and Nina was taking a short nap on the couch while Erik gave Charles a quick rundown of what went on in the courtroom after they left.
He was pale and shaken by the end of Erik's retelling. "Oh my god. If I hadn't forgotten lemons..."
"I know, I can't stop thinking about what might have been. If their plan had worked and they'd proven me negligent in her care I could have lost her," he said softly, voice shaking with nerves he was just now allowing himself to feel.
"Oh, Erik. I hate that this happened, but at the same time I'm glad it did. I'm happy that their cruel obsession destroyed any hope they had of ever having a relationship with Nina," he said firmly, griping Erik's hand tightly in one of his.
"Me too. I talked to Ororo and we're still bringing them up on stalking charges and now attempted kidnapping. They're sure to see significant jail time over this with their priors."
"What's significant?"
"At least 18 months, probably longer."
Charles smiled, "So...we're free then? No more worries about losing Nina?"
Erik bit his lower lip and gave a small nod, "I mean when they're out they can still try to grab her but that was always a risk."
"We'll be vigilant and teach her to take care of herself."
"I know. We will."
"So what happens now?"
"With any luck the cops are picking them up now. Apparently Jessica knew the address they've been renting. It matches what our investigator found so we gave it to the cops. They should have worked out a warrant by now. I have contacts on the force that will keep me posted about what's happening when."
"Good," Charles said softly, rubbing a soothing hand up and down Erik's back while the events of the day played in his mind over and over again. "Would you like me to stay tonight?"
Stay every night, stay forever, we should have gotten a marriage license at the courthouse today, he didn't say. "Yes, please. You're always welcome." He said softly, turning to pull Charles into his arms, happy to just hold each other for a moment and take in the magnitude of what they'd learned.
Charles sighed and closed his eyes, enjoying the few minutes of quiet reflection before Nina woke up ready to play.
He was so grateful he'd been there that fateful day. It had led him to this wonderful man, this beautiful family. He tried not to think of what might have been, but it was a struggle. I'll always be here when you need me he promised silently, holding Erik tight and only pulling away when Nina called for them from the next room.
~~
"Is Jessica still in trouble?" Nina asked later that night as Erik was tucking her into bed.
"She has to face her punishment-lots of extra chores- and when she's finished with them, she won't be in trouble anymore." Erik explained gently.
Nina grimaced at hearing 'extra chores' but nodded her understanding. "Charles said I did good and that's not why we had to leave," she looked at him out of the corner of her eye and picking at the edge of her blanket nervously.
"He's right. There were things the judge and I needed to work out with Jessica. You did your part and did it well. You'll make a great judge someday," he promised.
"You mean it?" she asked around a wide yawn.
"You bet, now get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow," he reminded her gently.
"Sticky buns!" Nina smiled.
He returned it with tears in his eyes and sat with her until she fell silent and drifted off to sleep. So relieved that her biggest concerns were snow men and sticky buns and show and tell.
"Good night, little bit," he said softly before checking her night light and leaving the room. He headed back downstairs where Charles was waiting for him with a glass of wine and love in his eyes. This was a better ending to this day than he could have imagined and he wouldn't have traded it for the world.