The
last day of the custody hearing had arrived. Sonny and Carly were
sitting at a table next to their lawyer; Ric Lansing, while Jax
and Alexis were sitting at another table next to their lawyer; Grace
Robertson. Jason and Courtney were sitting behind Sonny and Carly,
while Ned, Skye, John and Lady Jane were sitting behind Jax and
Alexis. Alexis had been nervous ever since she and Jax had returned
from their wedding in Alaska. Jax was holding Alexis’ hand
tight making her feel his love and concern for her.
Bailiff: “All rise for the honorable Rosa Farmer!” He
exclaimed, as Judge Farmer entered the courtroom, and took a seat.
Judge Farmer: “Please be seated…I’ve been informed
of Mr. and Mrs. Jacks marriage this morning, and I must say that
I was somewhat surprised, but seeing you sitting here today I can
see why you did it! I wish both of you all the luck in the world…”
Jax: “Thank you your honor!” He exclaimed.
Judge Farmer: “Mr. Lansing? I’m ready to hear your closing
speech, as to why I should award Mr. and Mrs. Corinthos custody
over Kristina Adela Davis-Corinthos.”
Ric: “Yes your honor!” He exclaimed getting up from his
chair to walk in front of the table Sonny and Carly were sitting
behind.
Grace: “This is going to be good…” She thought to
herself knowing how Ric liked to take short cuts but this time he
wouldn’t find any.
Ric: “Sonny’s and my mother was called Adela, and that
name has been passed on to my brother’s daughter. Kristina
is everything that my brother always hoped to have. She’s someone,
who he can protect, and it’s true that my brother has a somewhat
tarnished reputation, but nothing that we’ve heard here in
this courtroom has pointed him out as a bad father. Even Ms. Davis…Sorry
Mrs. Jacks went on record saying that he was an excellent dad, but
still she won’t let him anywhere near Kristina! Why is that
your honor? The only reason for Mrs. Jacks’ resentment towards
my client is the mere fact that he chose another woman over her:
his wife! If you award Mr. and Mrs. Jacks sole custody over Kristina
you’ll not only be separating a father from his daughter, but
you’ll be separating a daughter from her father! Kristina didn’t
ask to be born, but she was because Mr. Corinthos and Mrs. Jacks
one night gave into their feelings. My client later on regretted
it, and out of spite, and out of evilness Mrs. Jacks wants to take
away the only person, who matters greatly to my client: his daughter.
Your honor…If you don’t award my client sole custody of
Kristina then you’re no better than Mrs. Jacks: vindictive
and powerful! Thank you…” He replied sitting back down
on his chair next to Sonny and Carly.
Judge Farmer: “Ms. Robertson? Your closing speech?”
Grace: “Thank you your honor!” She exclaimed walking in
front of the table where Jax and Alexis were sitting.
Alexis: “Ric gave a convincing speech…”
Jax: “Have faith, OK?” He replied squeezing her hand extra
tight.
Grace: “What Mr. Lansing calls vindictive, and having power
I call ‘protecting your offspring’. Since the beginning
of time it’s been a divine animal right to protect your offspring.
And I’ll admit that Mrs. Jacks has gone about this in a way
most people wouldn’t. But then again most people haven’t
been through what Mrs. Jacks has. Alexis Davis-Jacks is a very strong
woman, but she’s also a woman, who’s had her limits tried.
How Mr. Lansing so delicately described Sonny and Alexis’ break-up
as was only half-true. You see your honor…Alexis Davis-Jacks
knew from the get-go that she and Mr. Corinthos were as diverse
as oil and water. When Mr. Corinthos came back from visiting Mrs.
Corinthos in the hospital after she’d ‘miraculous’
survived a car crash, he and my client discussed what their next
move should be. And out of total unselfishness Mrs. Jacks told him
to go back to his wife. She made the decision for him, and even
though this was before she’d discovered that she was pregnant
with Kristina then I doubt that she’d undo what she did that
day. Mr. Lansing also describes my client as someone, who’d
purposely set out to hurt Mr. Corinthos – this is also untrue.
Mrs. Jacks had every intention to tell Mr. Corinthos about her pregnancy,
but after having heard Mr. Corinthos order his right-hand-man; Jason
Morgan to ‘take care of’ Zander Smith – a boy my
client had come to love as a son’ – my client didn’t
see any way for this ‘so-called’ sensitive man to have
a role in her baby’s life. If you don’t award Mr. and
Mrs. Jacks sole custody of Kristina Adela Davis-Corinthos then your
honor you might as well put a nametag on the little girl’s
forehead with the text: TARGET, because that’s what she’ll
be in the world of the notorious mob-boss; Sonny Corinthos! Thank
you…” She replied taking her seat once again next to Jax
and Alexis.
Judge Farmer: “Those were some true and heartfelt closing arguments
Mr. Lansing and Ms. Robertson. I now see what I didn’t see
before. I actually thought that maybe a compromise could be reached
between the two parties. I considered shared custody over Kristina,
but it’s now evident that I have to award sole custody of Kristina
to either Mr. Corinthos or Mrs. Jacks. Now…I don’t need
to go into my chambers to come to a ruling because it’s fairly
clear what my ruling should be.”
Alexis: “That can’t be good…Grace?” She asked
having trouble breathing.
Grace: “Alexis…You’ve got to calm down…”
She assured her friend, as they turned their attention to Judge
Farmer once again.
Judge Farmer: “My ruling is based on what I’ve seen be
carried out in the course of Kristina’s life…It’s
very clear that Mr. Corinthos doesn’t have a clue as to who
his daughter is. It’s just as clear to me that everything I’ve
seen Mrs. Jacks go through has been due to the love she has for
her child. This is no easy decision, and it cannot be changed because
this is as far as the court is prepared to go in the question as
to who should be awarded sole custody of Kristina Adela Davis-Corinthos.
I know that no matter my ruling someone will exit this courtroom
hurt, and angry. That is inevitable in cases like these…My
ruling is as follows: I find that both Mr. Corinthos and Mrs. Jacks
are mature and competent adults, but I cannot send a child into
your world Mr. Corinthos when I’m well aware of the dangers
you live in day out and day in. Mr. Corinthos…You’ve got
two sons, and I know that it’s not easy giving up a child,
but if I were Mrs. Jacks I wouldn’t let you anywhere near Kristina.
Mrs. Jacks…I apologize on behalf of this court that we’ve
taken away so much precious time from you and your daughter…I
wish you all the best, and I encourage you to greet this day with
anticipation of the joy you’ll see on your daughters face in
a few minutes. I wish you all the very best, and please…Don’t
waste any more time…This court’s adjourned!” She
exclaimed pounding the gavel before retreating into her chambers.
Alexis: “What just happened here…?” She asked bewildered.
Grace: “You just got awarded sole custody of your little girl…Come
here…” She replied, as the two friends hugged each other
tightly amazed that this ordeal was over.
Alexis: “Thank you so much – all of you…” She
replied looking at Jax, Ned, Skye, John and Lady Jane from Grace’s
shoulder.
Jax: “I told you that you had nothing to worry about didn’t
I?” He asked grinning, as Alexis got up from her chair and
threw her arms around Jax’s neck.
Alexis: “You sure did! Thank you so very much ‘husband’!”
She exclaimed kissing Jax on the cheek blessed to have him in her
life.
Carly: “Sonny…? I’m so very sorry baby…”
She replied trying to touch Sonny’s shoulder but he jerked
away.
Sonny: “What happened Ric? What the hell happened?”
Ric: “We knew what we were facing Sonny! Grace is a formidable
lawyer, and she did good…The bottom line is that your lifestyle
worked against you!”
Carly: “How about Jax and Alexis’ marriage?”
Ric: “I believe that it did have some importance in Judge Farmer’s
ruling but no more than 20 % - tops! Sonny…I’m advising
you to talk to Alexis, and come up with some type of compromise…If
you get along with Alexis then that’s the window of chance
to you seeing your little girl…”
Sonny: “I don’t want to ‘see’ my little girl
– I want to be in her life!”
Ric: “That can only be possible if Alexis was willing to give
you unsupervised visitations, and that’s not the case right
now…”
Courtney: “Sonny…I’m so sorry – I know how badly
you wanted to be able to take Kristina home with you today…”
Jason: “That goes for me too Sonny – but don’t worry
– Kristina is in good hands with Jax and Alexis…”
Sonny: “How can I not worry about Jasper Jacks raising my little
girl?” He replied teary-eyed leaving the courtroom in a hurry.
Grace: “You guys go ahead and go outside to meet Alice and
Kristina – I need to pack up my files…”
Alexis: “OK! I’ll see you soon…?”
Grace: “You bet! We’ve got to get that law firm up and
running!” She grinned, as the two friends hugged before Jax,
Alexis, Ned, Skye, John and Lady Jane left the courtroom.
Ric: “Congratulations counselor…” He replied walked
to the table where Grace was gathering her last things.
Grace: “Why thank you Mr. Lansing…You can’t be that
surprised by the outcome?”
Ric: “Well…I suppose that Judge Farmer did make the right
decision considering the amount of energy you put into embellishing
the fact that my brother is a dangerous man…”
Grace: “Judge Farmer needed to know what she’d be putting
that little girl through. I believe Alexis when she tells me that
Sonny is a great father, but just because the man is a great father
doesn’t mean that he can protect her!”
Carly: “What would you know about my husband?” She asked
joining Ric and Grace at the table together with Jason and Courtney.
Grace: “Excuse me?”
Carly: “You know just as little about Sonny as Alexis does…Sonny
will have Kristina with him in due time…Alexis will screw this
up…”
Grace: “Don’t you have somewhere to be Carly? Like with
your sons? You do know who they are, right?”
Carly: “Why you little…”
Jason: “Let’s go Carly!” He exclaimed dragging Carly
out of the courtroom followed closely by Courtney.
Grace: “Nice family you found there Mr. Lansing.”
Ric: “Ric, please…” He replied extending his hand
to Grace.
Grace: “Grace…” She replied placing her hand in Ric’s
right before they shook hands.
Ric: “So…What’s your relationship with Alexis?”
Grace: “We studied law together, and became very close friends.
Why?” She asked closing her briefcase, as they walked to the
exit of the courtroom.
Ric: “You mentioned something about you and Alexis starting
a law firm together – could someone get in on that?”
Grace: “Is that your way of saying that you’re interested
Ric?”
Ric: “Very much so…After having kidnapped my brother’s
wife I don’t exactly have the best reputation in this town…”
Grace: “Alexis and I have talked about starting a law firm
together, and we do need a third partner with some cash…Why
don’t you drop by Jax and Alexis’ place tomorrow afternoon?
Alexis and I are getting together to discuss our plans!”
Ric: “I’ll do that – thanks!”
Grace: “No problem…” She replied, as they walked
together out of the building.
Jax and Alexis were waiting in the park for Alice and Kristina to
arrive. They’d arranged for mother and daughter to meet there
so that the reporters wouldn’t be swarming them.
Kristina: “Mommy!!” She yelled once she saw her mother.
Alexis simply looked at her little girl with teary eyes before scooting
down in Kristina’s height and wrapped her arms around her miracle
once the girl arrived in her mother’s arms.
Alexis: “I’ve missed you so much baby…Let me look
at you…” She replied looking at how beautiful Kristina
looked today wearing a pink dress with matching shoes and a matching
sunhat.
Kristina: “Alice helped me get dressed – isn’t it
pretty mommy?”
Alexis: “It sure is!”
Jax: “Hey Squirt!” He exclaimed noticing how Kristina’s
eyes lit up at the sight of her favorite uncle.
Kristina: “Uncle Jax! I’ve missed you so much – have
you missed me too?” She asked, as Jax picked her up.
Jax: “You know it!” He exclaimed happily, as Jax, Alexis,
Kristina and Alice went home to Jax’s newly renovated penthouse.
