*Zacky*

“Okay great. We’ll be right over.” I said to my attorney.

I hung up and went to tell Kyle what he said. I looked at her on the couch, she looked absolutely miserable. She was sitting on the edge of the couch and her hands were wrapped around herself. Her face was pale and I watched as the occasional tear slid down her cheek. I sighed and walked over to her.

“I talked to my lawyer and he’s willing to help us.” I said softly.

Kyle’s head snapped in my reaction and I could see a light in her eyes.

“Really?” She asked.

I nodded and held my hand out.

“Come on, we’ve gotta hurry.” I said.

She put her hand in mine and I pulled her up gently. I could feel her whole body shaking. I pulled her into me and kissed her softly. I put my hands on her cheeks and looked her in the eyes.

“Everything is going to work out. I promise.” I said softly.

She nodded and we rushed to the car and I drove us to my lawyers’ office. When we got there, we practically ran into the building and into the elevator. Kyle’s hand never left mine the whole time we were riding up to the 10th floor.

“Zacky, what if he can’t help me?” She asked softly.

I gave her hand a squeeze.

“He will. If anyone can, it’s him.” I said.

She just sighed and then the elevator dinged and we got out. The secretary was waiting for us at her desk.

“Go right in Mr. Baker. He’s expecting you.” She said.

I nodded at her and we half ran back to his office.

Barry Cabot was my lawyer’s name. He was relatively young for a lawyer and that’s why I liked him.

“Zack, glad you could make it so soon.” He said as he outstretched his hand.

I shook his hand and I gently pulled Kyle into his view.

“Barry, this is Kyle.” I said.

Barry shook her hand and gave her a sympathetic look.

“Nice to meet you Kyle.” He said.

She nodded and we sat down.

“Alright so Zack tells me that your mother is a terrible alcoholic who is raising a 9 year old boy, is that right?” He asked her.

Kyle nodded and starting picking at her thumb. I reached over and took her hand in mine.

“Yeah that’s right.” She said.

Barry nodded and tapped his pen on a notebook.

“And now his father just picked him up and drove off with him, threatening to take your mother to court?” He asked.

Kyle nodded again.

“Mhm, I haven’t seen him since before Troy was born and he just showed up at Zacky’s.” She said.

Barry nodded slowly and scribbled something on his paper.

“Okay so let me ask you what you want to happen, Kyle?” He asked.

She chewed on her bottom lip and shrugged.

“I don’t know. I just want Troy to be taken care of. I don’t think my mother is a good parent and his father definitely isn’t either.” She said.

“Would you be willing to take custody of him?” He asked her slowly.

“Of course.” She said without hesitation.

She didn’t even blink when he asked. I looked over to her and smiled. She really was a wonderful person. She was willing to raise her brother like a son even though her own childhood was complete shit.

“Okay then. I’ve already had the paperwork drawn up so I’ll file it immediately. I’ll also call the police and have an APB sent out for Troy’s father so we can get Troy back.” Barry said.

Kyle sighed in relief and sat back in the chair.

“Thank you so much.” She said. Barry smiled and nodded slightly.

“Don’t thank me just yet, Kyle.” He said.

I cleared my throat and changed the subject.

“So what exactly will happen now?” I asked. Barry sat back and put his hands behind his head.

“Well, you’ll go home and wait for the police to pick up Troy. Then he’ll most likely be put in child protective custody until there’s a preliminary hearing to see if he should be placed with you, which there should be no problem in that, and then we start the hearing to award Kyle with full custody.” He said.

I nodded and looked over at Kyle.

“See, it’s going to be okay.” I said.

She nodded and swallowed hard.

“Kyle, if there’s anything I should know about you, now is the time to tell me.” Barry said seriously.

“What do you mean?” Kyle asked nervously.

Her body started trembling and I could see tears filling up in her eyes.

“I need to know about anything that Troy’s father could use against you.” He said.

Kyle’s eyes closed and she squeezed my hand. I sighed and looked at Barry.

“She worked as a stripper for about 7 years. Her mother forced her to work there so that she could pay child support to Troy’s father.” I said softly.

Barry sat up straight and wrote that down in his notebook.

“Okay if that’s the worst of it, I think I can work around it. Especially if your mother forced you to do it.” He said.

Kyle nodded slightly and she squeezed my hand again.

“It’s going to be okay.” I whispered. Kyle just nodded.

I cleared my throat and stood up.

“Thank you Barry, for helping us out.” I said as I shook his hand.

He nodded and shook Kyle’s.

“Don’t worry. I’ll do everything I can. And I’ll let you know when they pick up Troy.” He said.

Kyle and I nodded and we left his office. She didn’t say a word the whole way to the car. Once we got in, she pulled her legs up under her and started to cry.

“This is never going to work Zacky. Once the judge hears that I was a stripper, he’ll never let Troy live with me.” She said.

I turned to face her and picked up her hands.

“Kyle, you’re not a stripper anymore though and you live with me. You wouldn’t even be a single parent. You have me plus all of the guys. You’d be a better parent than both of them combined and the judge will see that.” I told her.

She shook her head.

“I don’t even have a job Zacky.” She whispered.

I smiled wide.

“Sure you do. You are the bands’ fashion coordinator.” I said.

Kyle raised her eyebrow and sniffled.

“What is that?” She asked.

I shrugged.

“I don’t know, but we’ll figure it out.” I said with a chuckle.

Kyle just shook her head and I drove us home. It was getting late and we still hadn’t heard from Barry. Kyle was a nervous wreck. She was pacing up and down the house and around the pool. I swear sometimes it looked like she was gonna just jump in and drown herself. I tried to make her dinner but she wouldn’t eat it. At around midnight, she gave up pacing and stopped on the steps outside. I grabbed a blanket and went to join her.

“You looked cold.” I said as I wrapped it around her.

She didn’t even move. My heart was breaking for her.

“If there was anything I could do Kyle, you know I would do it. If I knew where Alec was you know I would drive there and get Troy myself and beat the hell out of him while I was at it.” I told her.

She sniffled and nodded.

“I know. Thanks Zacky.” She said. Her voice was hoarse from crying all day.

I wrapped my arms around her and kissed the side of her head gently.

“I don’t know what I would do without you right now Zacky.” She whispered.

I smiled and kissed her again.

“And I’ll always be here Kyle. No matter what.” I whispered softly.

Then I saw it. Something I haven’t seen all day. A smile. It was a small one, but a smile nonetheless. I couldn’t help but smile back. I gently touched her cheek and turned her head so it was facing me and I pressed my lips to hers softly. To my surprise, she pressed back and put her arms around me. I reached up and cupped her face and started kissing back with a little more pressure and then I was interrupted by the buzzing of my cell phone.

It was Barry.