If we don't stand up for children, then we don't stand for much."

~Marian Wright Edelman

"Mrs. Wells, I see you have made a case of child endangerment against Tyler Wells and Alyssa Morrsion. Please explain in further detail why this accusation has come up."

I clenched my shaking hand into a fist as my eyes drifted toward the stiff woman across the room, her lips curled into a grimace.

"My son has no home of his own. He has been living on the streets for the last four years. Ms. Morrison has just recently helped him out, but she isn't fit either. She is currently in a grieving state of her younger sister, Stephanie, who died of cancer only a month ago." I was about to snap at the older woman, to go off, but Ty pinched my arm a little to stop me.

"Ms. Morrison. May I ask you a few questions?" Judge Henry turned his attention to Ty and me.

"Yes, sir. Of course." I replied, trying to sound as formal and professional as possible.

"The child, will she be living in a child safe home? Meaning, food, clothes, and other necessities for her living environment." I nodded, outstretching my hand to the guard so he could give the pictures of my house to the judge.

"She will be provided with everything, sir. I have a room already situated for a child, it did once belong to my late sister, Stephanie. It will be changed into Tessie's room as soon as possible." He nodded, setting the pictures down.

"As one of her legal guardians, would you know all of her allergies? Her likes and dislikes?" I swallowed, seeing Ty tense out of the corner of my eye.

"She's allergic to penicillin. As well as Peanuts and a plant that is only native to Phoenix. As for her likes and dislikes, she is growing up, sir. I can't say when her likes and dislikes are going to change."

He nodded again, his eyes moving from me to Tessie sitting on the bench behind us.

"All right. Please exit the room. I'd like to talk to the child, only the child." I grabbed my purse from the ground and touched Tessie's cheek.

"We'll be right outside the door. It's going to be okay." She nodded, her green eyes glistening with tears.

"I don't want you to go outside." She whimpered.

"It'll only be for a little bit of time, I promise." I kissed the top of her head, grabbing Ty's hand after he did the same, and dragging him out of the room.

Once we were outside, I laid my head back against the wall and shut my eyes, taking deep breaths.

"You better be worried. You aren't going to get her." Mrs. Wells snapped, appearing in the hall beside us. I saw Ty's expression twist into something unreadable as his mom glared back and forth between us.

"We'll see now, won't we?" I replied, calm. She only seemed to get angry at my response and stalked down the hall. I sat on the bench beside the water fountain with Ty, staring at the doors.

"What do you think they're asking her?"

"Probably indirect questions. Trying to see who she speaks highly about, who she wants to live with." I nodded in agreement.

"You may come back in." The guard called out into the hall after what seemed like hours. I sucked in a deep breath and made my way toward Tessie.

"And Ally gave me this tablet so I do learning games." Tessie lifted the tablet and showed it to the judge, earning a small smile out of his stone faced expression.

"From the way Ms. Tessie here speaks, it seems like she would like to permanently be in there care of her father and Alyssa Morrison." I felt my hand grip Ty's, barely thinking about the fact that I might cut off his circulation.

"I hereby grant Alyssa Morrison and Tyler Wells custody of Theresa Wells. Visitation by relatives will remain entirely up to the child's guardians. Thank you." I sat frozen for a second, my mouth hanging open.

"We did it! Ty, we did it!" I threw my arms around Ty, laughing hysterically as we both stood up. I could feel his chest vibrating with laughter against me as Tessie tried to squeeze in between us.

"Did I do good, Daddy?" Tessie whispered, staring up at him. He picked her up, kissing her forehead and cheeks repeatedly.

"You did great, sweetie." He replied. Tessie turned to me with a grin as big as her eyes.

"Did you hear that, Mommy? I did a good job!" I recoiled, the happiness in my body replaced with shock. Tessie didn't seem to understand what she had said, but Ty's face had twisted in surprise.

"I. . ." I couldn't say anything. So many words wanted to leave my mouth, yet nothing would come out.

"Daddy? Did I say bad?" Ty was shaking his head, his eyes darting from me to his daughter.

"No, baby girl." I backed away from them and did the only thing possible.

I walked out of the court room.

*

Once Tyler and Tessie met me outside, I had perched myself on the wall and was staring down at Steph's list.

"Come on, we better get home before it gets too cold." Ty laid one of his hands on my shoulder, the other propping Tessie against his shoulder.

"The next thing on the list is to volunteer at the hospital." I said, ignoring his words.

"Alyssa." Ty's voice was stern, "Let's go." I hopped off the wall and followed him to the car. The car ride was horrible, despite the greatness that had just happened.

There was a tense silence in the car that hung thick in the air until Tessie fell asleep in the back seat and Ty glanced over at me.

"What's going on with you? It was a slur, she didn't even know she said it." I shook my head, laughing quietly.

"That's the problem. I didn't. . . when I prepared myself to help you guys, I promised myself I wouldn't get attached. Because I knew I'd have to let you go eventually, that you'd leave. Now she's calling me that and. . . and I'm not ready for it. I can't leave her now, Ty. I don't want to-"

"Then don't." He snapped, "Nobody is forcing you to leave us, Alyssa. You could. . . we don't have to be in a relationship, that's just a load of bullshit. You have so much shit going on in your life right now that it would just be. . . wrong. But. . . but you've still been the best thing that's ever happened to my daughter and me." I reached over and took his hand, lacing my fingers through his.

"I promised I'd help you complete that list, and that's what we're going to do. Now with Tessie helping." I smiled a little.

"What if I'm not ready, Ty?" I mumbled.

"Ready for what?"

"To be a mother." He was quiet for a while, shaking his head as he stopped the car at a red light.

"No one's ever really ready to become a parent, but once you are, it's a feeling you wouldn't trade for the world."

*

I woke up screaming, throwing my hand over my mouth halfway through it. I couldn't wake Tessie up, she's already trying to adjust sleeping in thi-

"Alyssa? Are you okay?" Ty squinted at me from the doorway, confused.

"I. . . it was just a nightmare." I whispered, but it came out as more of a whimper then anything.

"Oh." He stepped further into the room, peaking out the door to make sure I hadn't woke Tessie up, "Do you. . . do you want me to stay?" I was a little taken back by the offer, but looked down at the baby blue comforter around me as I responded.

"If you don't mind, I mean, if it's not weird or-"

"It's fine." He crawled into the bed beside me, making sure to keep enough distance in between us to not make it weird.

"I used to have them all the time, about Steph dying. So I'd drive to the hospital and lay in bed with her." I laughed through the tears stinging my eyes, "And hold her, I'd hold her and cry myself back to sleep." I laid back down and stared at Ty, his own eyes were softening as he listened to me.

"Is it. . . is it bad that I feel. . . I feel relieved knowing that she's gone now? That she's in a better place and not suffering?" He shook his head at my question, touching my cheek.

"No, Ally. It's normal." He whispered, "You wouldn't be human if you didn't feel that." I shut my eyes, sighing loudly.

"Tomorrow we're going to the hospital, right?"

"Yep. I'll be ready to go when you wake up." I could hear the teasing tone in his voice and peeked through my eyelids to see his expression.

He was staring at me, a smile playing on his lips. After a second of looking at him, I laced my fingers through his and squeezed his hand.

"Thank you for being here for me, Ty." I whispered.

"It's the least I could do, Aly. . . Ally. After all you've done."

That night, I slept the best I had in years. I didn't toss and turn, to have nightmares. I felt safe, felt as if someone were there to protect me.

In the first time in my life I had allowed someone in, and they. . . they weren't going to leave.

***AN***

Hope you guys enjoyed! 

Let me know what you thought!

~ChasingMadness24