Returning to a Friend
by Cowgirl

Part 19

Alexis, Cameron and Dara made their way down the hallway to the appointed courtroom and stopped outside of the door. Alexis turned to Cameron. "Please tell me that everything is going to be okay."

Cameron grasped her hand. "Everything will be okay. You're going to walk in there and get your daughter back today."

Alexis sucked in a breath and blew it out slowly. "I can't believe it," she said, her voice cracking.

"It's true Alexis," Dara chimed in. "There's no reason in the world that the judge will prevent you from getting custody now."

Alexis nodded her head. "All right, let's go in there," she said as she squeezed on Cameron's hand even harder.

The courtroom was packed with people and it took Alexis by surprise. She cautiously let her eyes wander around the room before heading up to the front. It looked like most of Port Charles was there. Jax was seated right behind the defendant's table, Zander and Gia sat a few rows behind him. Nickolas sat by himself in the same row as Jax, but on the opposite end.

Alexis forced herself to look over to the other side of the room. Ned, Edward and Skye sat at the plaintiff's table, their heads close together, Ned and Skye whispering to one another. Monica and Alan sat behind them. AJ Quartermaine sat away from the family at the back of the room with a smug sneer planted firmly on his face.

Alexis breathed and walked the aisle to the front of the room where she took her seat at the table. She could feel all eyes on her back as she waited for Dara and Cameron to settle in next to her. She felt a hand gently clamp down on her shoulder. She turned and looked into the bright blue eyes of her ex-husband. She reached over and put her hand on his. "Thanks for being here."

He squeezed her shoulder. "I'm done letting my best friend down," he said earnestly.

Alexis smiled.

Jax tilted his head and gave her a devilish grin. "There may be one or two nice surprises here today," he said, his Aussie accent thick.

Alexis raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

Jax wagged a finger to the front of the courtroom. Alexis turned to see the court bailiff taking position. "All rise. This court is now in session. Case number 23118-4B. Alexis Davis is petitioning the court for full custody of her daughter Kristina Davis Ashton."

Alexis cringed at the thought of Ned's name attached to her little girl.

The bailiff carried on. "The honorable Judge Griffin will preside."

Alexis turned back to Jax, her eyes wide with disbelief. She looked back to the front of the courtroom and sure enough her friend and the judge who had gotten her out of many a jam entered into the courtroom and took the bench.

Alexis returned her gaze to Jax who smiled and mouthed 'love you' to her.

She shook her head and faced forward once again, stealing a glance at Ned who was just as shocked as she was.

Judge Griffin banged her gavel. "Be seated."

Alexis looked at Cameron who shrugged.

"Ladies and gentleman, it has come to the attention of the court that Judge Farmer has been found guilty of malfeasance. She has been removed from this case and I will hear it from this point forward." The judge turned her eyes to Scott Baldwin. "It has also come to my attention that the District Attorney has been taking bribes from the plaintiffs in this case as well."

Alexis watched as Scott's usually annoyingly smug grin faded clear away.

"Mr. Baldwin, your license to practice law has been temporarily revoked pending an investigation by the law board." She shuffled some papers and looked around the now stunned courtroom. "In light of these circumstances, I have no choice but to throw out all previous charges against Miss Davis. Her record will be cleared of this incident and her license to practice law will be restored immediately."

The courtroom erupted with noise. Some cheering the verdict, some voicing their disapproval. Only two people sat in complete stunned silence. Alexis and Ned both sat silently frozen in disbelief, but for two completely separate reasons.

Alexis felt numb, her ears suddenly seemed to have clogged and she felt tingly all over, like she was about to faint. She slowly turned to Cameron who poured her a glass of water.

The judge called for order in the court and proceeded with her decision. "In the matter of the custody of Kristina Davis-Ashton, my verdict as is follows. The child in question will be returned to the full custody of her mother, Alexis Davis, immediately following the closure of these proceedings. A date will be set for a hearing to determine a visitation schedule for Ned Ashton, the father of the child in question." She picked up her gavel. "These proceedings are now closed."

Dara looked to Alexis. "Alexis?" she questioned.

Alexis looked to Dara and nodded her head.

"You're sure."

"Do it," Alexis encouraged.

Dara stood up. "Your Honor, if I may."

Judge Griffin set her gavel down. "Go ahead counselor."

Dara looked at Alexis once more and then addressed the court. "Your Honor, I have in my possession an original document with the results of a paternity test ordered by one Edward Quartermaine, a test I might add that was done without the permission of the child's mother. The results of these tests show that Ned Ashton is without a doubt not the biological father of Kristina Davis and we wish to have any and all rights of Ned Ashton concerning Kristina Davis terminated."

A hushed murmur went through the courtroom. Ned looked like he was going to pass out and Skye looked like she wanted to vomit.

"Counselor, may I see those documents please."

Dara held out the documents to the bailiff who relayed them to the judge. The courtroom was eerily quiet as the judge read through the documents. After several agonizing minutes she looked up at Alexis. "Is this true Miss Davis? Ned Ashton is not the father of your daughter?"

Alexis stood. "That is correct your honor."

"Mr. Ashton, were you aware of these results?"

Ned stood slowly and gripped the edge of the table. "Yes Your Honor."

The judge set the papers down. "In light of these new findings, the court will honor the defendant's request and Ned Ashton's rights to Kristina Davis will henceforth be terminated." She looked over the courtroom and then over to Alexis. "Miss Davis. You are an officer of the court and a very good one ... one of the best I have come across in my years on the bench. Please accept my apologies for the inconvenience and any embarrassment you have been caused."

"Thank you your Honor."

Judge Griffin nodded her head and banged her gavel once more. "These proceedings are now closed."

The bailiff called for everyone to rise and Judge Griffin took her leave.

A crowd gathered around Alexis and she attempted to stand up, but her legs were weak and she started to slump back into the chair. Cameron caught her. She looked up at him. "I can't believe it's over."

Cameron smiled. "Believe it."

She turned to Jax and pointed over her shoulder at the bench. "You did that didn't you."

Jax smiled. "Guilty as charged."

Alexis leaned over the railing and hugged him. "Thank you," she said. She stood up and turned to Dara. "When do I get my daughter?"

Dara smiled and waved her arm over in the direction of the door leading to the judge's chamber where Monica stood with Kristina in her arms. Alexis practically ran to her and took her from Monica. "Oh my girl ... my sweet, sweet girl," she said, nuzzling the infant's cheek. "You and I will never be separated again. I promise you that."

Monica cleared her throat. "Alexis," she said timidly.

Alexis leveled a gaze at her.

"Alexis, I'm truly sorry for what my family has put you through."

"Yet you let it continue for how many months," she said icily. "I'll be needing her things."

Monica nodded. "Alice is outside with them."

Alexis walked away and stopped when she saw Ned approaching. "It didn't have to be like this," Alexis said.

Ned breathed deep. "I didn't want to lose her from my life."

"You weren't going to ... now you have. I'm filing a restraining order against you and also on your new girlfriend over there. You won't be able to be within five hundred feet of Kristina."

Ned's eyes welled with tears. "I'm sorry."

Alexis closed her eyes. "I don't know why you just couldn't let me handle things," she said quietly and moved back to her circle of friends.

"Here, let me hold my little niece here," Jax said as he lifted Kristina out of her mother's arms.

"Not too long Jax, I don't plan on having her out of my arms for too long," Alexis smiled, not taking her eyes off of her daughter. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Nickolas smiling at her. "Congratulations Aunt."

"Thank you Nickolas."

Nickolas shuffled his feet nervously and looked at her. "I'm ... I want to apologize to you. I wasn't there for you enough during this whole ordeal."

Alexis bit her lip. She loved her nephew, but she couldn't just let him gloss over the fact that he had basically turned his back on her. "Nickolas, you weren't there for me at all."

The boy looked at her with regret in his eyes. "I'm sorry."

Alexis smiled and placed her hand on his shoulder. "You and I need to have a very long chat soon."

Nickolas nodded. "Can I give you a lift home?"

Alexis shook her head. "Jax has already got that taken care of, thanks."

Nickolas nodded and started to leave. Alexis pulled him into a hug. "I love you Nickolas."

He hugged his aunt back. "I love you too."

She moved to Jax. "Take me home sailor?"

He handed Kristina back to her and saluted. "Aye, aye captain."

She linked her arm with his and turned toward the door in time to see Jason scurry out of the courtroom; she didn't remember seeing him there before.

"What was he doing here?" Jax asked coldly.

Alexis sighed and bit her lip. "I suspect he was here to get information for his boss."