Lost And Found Part 5 - Finale free porn video

Chapter 25 Paul was just leaving the bathroom when he heard the slurs and ran out to confront his brother-in-law. In what felt like slow motion as he was descending the staircase he saw Lucius grab at Deborah and toss her against the wall, causing her head to bang a shelf. Deborah touched her head, saw the blood starting to come out, then collapsed. Paul saw red. He saw his brother-in-law try to strike Deborah again causing Paul to jump on him, knocking him down and landing with the full weight of both men on his forearm causing it to snap under their combined weight in a loud crunch. Lucius screamed out in pain but Paul pulled him up and sat him hard on the couch while Alexandra called the police and an ambulance. The girls came down and told Paul that they had it all recorded, pointing at the baby monitor. Paul wasted little time in proclaiming to his brother- in-law, "You screwed up badly. You just ensured that your ass is going to prison. You verbally assaulted an innocent woman because she was here knowing full well that she was allowed to be here!" Lucius claimed, "I can tell her to leave anytime I want, this is my house! That freak doesn't have a right to be here and I am taking my daughter with me!" Paul just shook his head mumbling, "idiot" as he tried to get his thoughts together. Paul took a deep breath and finally went at Lucius verbally, yelling, "You are so full of yourself that you didn't actually read the contract with Sheila and Deborah, did you? You DO NOT have the right to take Avery away on a whim, in fact you were specifically BANNED from doing that by your own signature. And what's more they are here with the full permission of Avery and your wife, of which AVERY is the actual owner of the house and has the right to allow them to be here. YOU DO NOT have the right to kick them out, and you especially DO NOT have the right to hurt someone for no reason whatsoever." Lucius tried to claim he had every right to take her away because he is her father but Paul shouted to him, "Save the theatrics, you signed your rights away. It was explained to you thoroughly by Ruth and Valerie Finn and you still signed. You have no rights to Avery until Ruth gives the OK for the contract to be terminated. She is in control of things, not you." Looking at Alexandra and the girls Paul decided to stop fooling around and just drop the bombshell. He grinned and told him, "You think that we didn't know you were embezzling from your company or that you were screwing your secretary? Did you think we wouldn't notice you stealing from your wife's bank account? We did, we also know you were planning to keep Avery as your unwilling hostage until dad made the charges go away. Well you were wrong, your wife chose those girls to care for Avery for a reason and that reason nailed your ass with an ironclad contract that you just invoked the poison pill clause on. Again, your pompous ass didn't read the contract before signing!" The girls started laughing now. Paul was grinning as he proclaimed, "To quote the contract 'in the event of Lucius Long trying to abduct Avery Long or physically harming either Sheila Patterson or Deborah Thomas all assets owned by one Lucius Long are forfeited to the aggrieved party or parties'. In other words, through assaulting Deborah and trying to get Avery you just lost your company and your bank accounts to Deborah. You are flat broke and are about to lose your marriage and any chance at custody of Avery. Congratulations, big man: you just hit the jackpot of screwing yourself over!" Lucius swore loudly as his wife entered and handed him a packet of papers, proclaiming, "Valerie was going to do this but since all this happened before she could get here she forwarded them to me. To quote so many great lawyers, you have been served." She then grinned and added, "You should also know that as of this morning I have legally adopted Sheila Patterson as my daughter. That so-called 'dyke' is a full member of my family of which you are no longer a part of. And you can thank your own mother for that, she told me to adopt her. She's a good woman, I don't know what happened to make you such a horrid person but she is a great person." The girls added, "She's not a lesbian either, she doesn't have a boyfriend yet but we are working on it. I think she took a liking to Officer Bailey." Paul grinned at what they meant, Ruth chuckled and told him proudly, "Girls your hunch paid off, she has a date with the handsome police officer according to Lilly. She didn't want to tell anyone yet because her cousins are a little bit rambunctious when it comes to setting up dates. Officer Bailey is a nice officer who I am sure will just love knowing that you assaulted her best friend and insulted her sexuality." Paul was laughing now as Lucius' face blanched at the realization that he had gotten himself into a big mess. Sirens drew closer and Lucius tried to run off but Alexandra yanked him back by the collar, putting him back on the couch with a big thud. Unfortunately for him he landed on his arm again and caused further pain to him; the tough man was now in tears over the pain, none of them had any sympathy for him though. The first officers to enter saw him in pain and assumed he was the one who was assaulted until Paul pointed to the unconscious Deborah on the floor with a worried Sela trying to help her. Paul pointed out that they had the assault on camera and that the injury to his brother-in-law was from him attempting to stop Lucius from further harming Deborah. Ruth and the girls backed up everything Alexandra claimed as they watched it happen on the video feed. The officers reviewed the footage while EMTs looked over Deborah and Lucius. A few seconds into the video the senior officer nodded to another who started to read Lucius his Miranda Rights. The officer had to keep starting and stopping as Lucius tried to complain about them hurting him. The looks they were giving him confirmed to the others that they weren't the least bit happy with his actions. As he was hauled off to the hospital under guard they were more than happy to tell him, "You are lucky her fianc? and future brother-in-law weren't there. They have less self- restraint and would have made sure that you were going to the morgue, not the hospital." Lucius threw off a string of slurs and complaints but the officers ignored them, not letting him get the satisfaction. Instead of reacting and hurting him or saying something to get his case thrown out in court they reminded him that his Miranda rights had already been read to him and what he had just said to them would be used against him in court. He immediately shut up when he realized his big mouth just caused him to get a guaranteed prison sentence instead of a slap on the wrist. Deborah started to come around as she was being loaded into the ambulance. She asked for Patrick and was told that he would meet her at the hospital. Sheila was told by Ruth and Lilly to go with her, she needed her to be there for her until Patrick arrived. She reluctantly got in, holding Deborah's hand until Patrick arrived later then keeping her calm during the MRI and CT scans of her head. Patrick had spent the morning working with David to get their house cleaned up and prepared for Deborah to move in. David was supposed to go to the Long home but had been delayed by Patrick's late awakening that morning. The two knew that Deborah was going to change her mind and let the family host a wedding so it was easier to just prepare for whenever the wedding would occur and spent much of the night cleaning causing them to wake up late. David suspected that Patrick was nervous over the situation at the Long home and that was the real reason for cleaning up but he didn't let Patrick know that he knew. The cleaning took two hours but was constantly interrupted by their mother and aunts calling to talk about the wedding. It was getting on Patrick's nerves until the last call caused him to cheer loudly and hug his brother, much to his shock and annoyance. Patrick happily proclaimed, "She changed her mind! We are getting married tomorrow evening!" David had to sit down. His brother was bouncing around happily but it was a lot to take in. Patrick was grinning from ear to ear and nearly fell over the couch in his frenzy leading David to tell him to sit down or he'd duct tape him to the couch. Patrick kept bouncing around until David grabbed a roll of tape and showed he wasn't joking, leading him to rush to the couch and sit. Sighing, David told him, "You are going to be fine. She loves you and you love her and all she needed was assurance that she wasn't going to be on the front page of the Free Press." Patrick sighed and asked, "Are you alright with this or should I ask Bryan to stand in for you?" David glared at him and told him harshly, "if you even think about asking Bryan or Pete or Michael or Miles to be your best man I'll put hot sauce and itching powder on every piece of clothing that you own. Then I'm sending Daisy after you after giving her a six-pack of energy drinks!" Patrick grinned and added, "So that's a no then?" prompting David to toss a pillow at him. Their fun ended quickly as David's phone rang with his mother frantically telling him to get Patrick to the hospital. David listened to what happened and screamed, "Where is the bastard! I'll make sure he never leaves alive!" Lilly loudly yet authoritatively told him, "if you even think about harming that man I'll take you over my knee and paddled your bottom so hard you won't sit for a year. Get your brother to the hospital and step on it." Patrick knew the news wasn't good. David grabbed their coats and his car keys then knelt in front of Patrick and gave him the bad news, "Deborah was hurt by Avery's father. He got pissed off at her and started yelling at her hoping she'd retaliate but when she didn't he went after her before Avery's uncle could stop him. She was knocked out and has a cut on the back of her head but thankfully Avery's uncle tackled him before he could hurt her more. He's on the way to the same hospital with an arm that's broken in three places. He is under heavy guard so he can't escape." Patrick was too shocked to say a word. He put on his coat and walked out to the car then sat in silence as they drove to Boston in a hurry. David was frantically calling his mother for an update while trying to focus on the road but thankfully they didn't hit another car or get pulled over for speeding, erratic driving, or worse. The duo was greeted at the hospital by a scared Sheila who informed them that the doctors thought that Deborah might have a fractured skull and severe concussion. She lost consciousness again and started to get worse as they examined her as there was severe swelling and pressure on her skull. They had a hope that the swelling and pressure was just due to the concussion and not something worse. Patrick asked to see her. Inside she was out cold with her eyes taped over and had IVs up and down her arms with machines beeping every few seconds. Patrick was starting to lose it but held together for her sake as he walked over, kissed her cheek, then sat down in a chair to cry over her motionless body. Dorothy arrived just after Patrick sat down and had the same reaction as Patrick. She held Deborah's hand and kissed her cheek then sat with Patrick. The tough fa?ade she normally wore finally became too unbearable so she broke down, fearing she might lose her only child again after finally finding her. Valerie was the next to arrive and had Ruth in tow. The two asked to speak with Dorothy in private so Patrick and David took it as their cue to leave. Patrick kissed Deborah again then promptly hugged Dorothy, telling her to call him the moment that she wakes up. Outside in the car Patrick growled, "I want his balls. I want him beaten senseless. I don't care if it lands me in prison he nearly killed the woman I love!" David just sighed and told him, "I just got a text from one of the officers guarding him. It's been taken care of. They didn't say what happened, just that he got something he deserved. You can't have his balls: he doesn't have them anymore." Not wanting to know what David had planned he didn't ask and David wasn't going to tell him. The two drove home while David made some additional phone calls. He came into the living room with a big grin on his face and told Patrick to sit down, he'd want to hear this. Patrick knew this was going to either gruesome or cruel, either way he had to know. Drawing a cleansing breath David stated, "As he was waiting to be examined by doctors Mr. Long's mouth was running on overdrive. Unfortunately for him, a man was there with his kid trying to visit his wife. Mr. Long then made some horrid remark about transgender people then yelled at the man for allowing his son to wear a dress causing the little girl no older than Virgil to burst into tears prompting the man to punch Mr. Long in the face breaking his jaw and causing Mr. Long to flee in fear. As he was being chased by officers he ran down a corridor right into a gurney, tumbling over it onto an IV rack and landing on the spokes at the top crushing his testicles. His leg was broken by the initial impact with the gurney so he was now unable to go anywhere except the operating room. Fortunately for him he only needed minor surgery to remove his crushed testicles, to wire his jaw shut, and set his broken leg but he is now stuck in a wheelchair for the next few months and facing additional charges of assault on a minor and fleeing police custody. He is going to be arraigned tomorrow morning in the hospital room and won't be seeing the light of day for years." Patrick smirked at hearing the news. Lucius got off easy, the man would have killed him for harming his daughter. David forced him to eat some dinner before their mother came by to check on them. Lilly wasn't going to let them go without while worrying and David didn't want to hear her complaints over allowing his brother to wallow in pity and grief. Lilly did come by to check on them, bringing a pan of food from Jorge and Victoria with her. Daisy and Claire were with her and hugged Patrick tight. The five Petersons sat crying until Lilly's phone rang. Getting up to answer her face brightened and turning to Patrick she proclaimed, "The fractures were hairline cracks and the swelling has gone down. The pressure was just from the initial concussion and subsided just after you left. She has awoken and has demanded you. You better get over there, she is refusing to see anyone else until you get there." Patrick rushed to grab his jacket and car keys. David grabbed the keys from his hand and commanded him to sit in the back or he was walking there. Patrick buckled in without any complaint and let David drive them on. As they got to Deborah's room Dorothy and Sheila were outside. The two were happy to see him and complained, "She kicked us out until you got here. She didn't want to see anyone except you. We didn't have the heart to fight her on it." Patrick knocked and entered, getting a happy, "I missed you" from Deborah. He leaned down and hugged her, kissing her full on the lips and telling her warmly, "I don't know what I would have done without you but I am happy to not have to think about it." The two embraced but the pain caused Deborah to ease up. Patrick asked how long she was going to be in the hospital getting a meek, "Depends on the scans tomorrow. They say it could be two or three days or I could go home tomorrow" from her. He smirked and added, "Guess you will be getting married in the chapel instead of in the big reception hall then." Her smile warmed him. Patrick got Sheila and Dorothy and informed them, "Tomorrow we are holding the wedding in the chapel and I don't care what anyone else says. Let Aunt Valerie cancel the reception, we don't need one." Deborah nodded in agreement so both smiled and went to get the chapel booked for the 11 that were supposed to be at the impromptu wedding in the first place. Sheila the Valerie about the cancellation and what Deborah was going to do. Valerie just agreed with her and added that she would handle the teens' complaints. Dorothy booked the chapel for the following afternoon and had the number set at 12, thankfully it was too small to handle any more people. The word spread and there was nobody who would dare disagree with the two getting married with just their immediate family by their side. Dorothy had to convince Alice to go, she didn't feel comfortable going. Deborah insisted that Alice go as a personal request from the bride-to-be. Al was tougher to convince. She had a legitimate reason for not going and felt terrible that she was the newest family member yet she was the one who was lucky enough to get included. Deborah's kind words of, "You represent the others" sent her over the edge and got her to agree. Despite knowing she would be asked to be included Avery refused to go. Her father put Deborah in the hospital and she couldn't see Deborah so hurt. She was adamant about it, anyone who asked would get shouted at to not bother. Her mother managed to trick her later that evening by saying she was going to visit Deborah and she needed her to go with her. Avery was reluctant and told her she would wait for her in the car but was ushered out by Patrick and David who then grabbed Ruth to force her to go with them. Avery wasn't happy at being tricked but seeing Deborah's pleading eyes she had to agree to be at the wedding. Deborah had one more request. She asked Ruth to be there as well. She had done so much for them so far and trusted her with her daughter that Deborah felt that she couldn't deny Ruth a chance to be there for her. Ruth tearfully accepted the request and agreed to help ensure the girls were there. A nurse came in to shoo the group away but allowed Patrick one last kiss before they left. On the way out Patrick talked with the doctor and was given the latest news on Deborah's situation. The fractures were hairline fractures that hadn't spread no problem and the concussion was mild. She was lucky in that only she hit it at the right speed and angle to spread out the force causing less damage. Deborah would go home the next day after she had a second set of tests done confirming that the swelling was gone and the fractures were small. The group all looked at one another and grinned. It was perfect. Dorothy asked if he could hold off the testing until the early afternoon. The doctor wanted a reason so Patrick grinned and told him, "We were supposed to get married tomorrow evening but due her being in the hospital we had planned to marry in the chapel. Since she is getting out we wanted to spring the surprise on her." The doctor agreed, wishing him the best of luck with the surprise. On the way out the group encountered the man who had punched out Lucius. David had been given the description of him by his friend and had hoped to thank him for what he did if he didn't know what he had actually don. His young daughter was with him and looked worried about something. Seeing that he could use some comfort the group approached him and thanked him for being such a gentleman in defending his daughter. The man looked like he was unsure what to say so Dorothy informed him, "We have several girls like your daughter in our family so we know a lot about it. My own daughter is like yours, although she's much older than her. One member of the group started to be a girl full-time around your daughter's age. You acted as a person should act when their daughter is verbally assaulted so we had to thank you for what you did. I can't say I like her hairstyle but girls these days have odd tastes in styles." The little girl's eyes lit up and she giggled at the joke. The man could only say a soft, "Thank you" then said, "it's not easy but some folks in our city have tried to make things easier for her." Patrick asked, "What city are you from?" The man mumbled an embarrassed, "Winnisimmet". The others smirked to which Patrick added, "Believe it or not you are the first person outside of our family who seems to have been helped directly by the changes in the city." As they started to walk out the man asked, "What you mean your family?" Patrick grinned again and added, "The Finns. Our Uncle John and Aunt Valerie are the ones who made the changes. You have no idea how much you have made their day, all they wanted was to make one child's life better and you confirmed that they have." The man's face dropped as his daughter looked up in surprise. David remembered seeing the girl before when he picked up Daisy and Faith from school and added, "She is in Virgil's class! If she is having any problems with people for being herself, he won't hesitate to complain and bring in our mother and aunt. There is nobody the school or city hates more than seeing is our aunt upset about someone being like your daughter being mistreated." Seeing his face turn to relief as she realized Virgil was a friend to her prompted the group to say their goodbyes and leave on that high note. It really was the first time someone had been helped by their family in that way. Chapter 26 Patrick slept heavily as the adrenaline of the day wore off. David didn't bother making him eat dinner, he let him go right to sleep. David himself didn't eat much, his appetite wasn't there as his own nerves had been frayed much of the day. In the morning Patrick woke up refreshed and ready to face the day. David complained about his perkiness and added a harsh, "You are making Daisy seem tame." Patrick handed him his coffee and joked, "I'd love to see how you are on your wedding day." David mumbled something incoherent to which Patrick added, "Now, now. There's no need to swear, it's not my fault you can't get date in this country! Hey, maybe next weekend over in England you might be able to convince some unsuspecting Brit that you are worth taking out to the pub for some fun." The two were arguing back and forth over breakfast as their mother came in with their sisters. Daisy loudly told them, "Are you going to play around all day or are you going to get ready for the wedding?" There was a joint, "He started it" which set the girls off laughing. The girls helped their brothers find suitable outfits to wear without tipping off Deborah. Dorothy had already called to inform them that the dress was all set and ready for pickup by Valerie. David and Patrick finally emerged from their rooms in suits but Lilly had David go back inside and get his dress uniform for the actual reception later. Pete and Bryan were wearing theirs and Christian was going to be there as well so it called for a formal look for him. He openly complained but was joking, he knew he couldn't wear it without Deborah knowing the truth and protocol called for him to wear it for the actual ceremony. Avery and Ruth stopped in as David got his uniform sorted out. Avery wasn't used to David wearing one, he was normally working or already changed whenever she had seen him. It was a surprise to her to see it hanging on the door. Ruth just grinned at him fussing over the uniform and added, "Don't let dad talk you into being part of his detail, it may look interesting but it's boring work." David laughed then added, "it wouldn't be that much different than standing around for hours doing nothing but directing grumpy passengers to the proper terminals, plus I am hoping for a spot with the detectives next fall once my 1-year posting is over with. As much as I'd love to be beside your father, I want to do something to directly help the state." Ruth grinned at hearing that. David was a legitimate trooper at heart and not one of the political troopers who only wanted to advance to better jobs and postings and would take the easy assignment close to the big boss in a heartbeat. He was on the fast track for a detective position already, even if it meant going out west to Northampton or Springfield for it. Christian knew David's credentials were impeccable and he had already had several DAs asking for someone of David's caliber to work beside. Avery looked at her mother oddly. She whispered to her daughter, "Your grandfather wanted me to see if he was one of the guys who needed to be kept an eye on for future jobs and if he could be fully trusted to do the job right instead of doing the job to make himself look good in hopes of advancing. David can be trusted and he should be getting a better job soon. He could be the colonel someday but he'd rather earn it than take a handout." Avery smiled at her, it wasn't often that her mother did something like that for her father but when she did it was for the greater good like ensuring David got the job he deserved. Al, Stephanie, Alice, and Raul showed up next. All were dressed up and looked like they were ready for church. Patrick and David both nearly fainted at seeing Al looking so beautiful in her flowing dress especially now that she was starting to look more feminine with nearly a month and a half of hormones in her system making her look more and more like a young woman and her hair just now growing down to the top of her neck. Claire whispered to Stephanie, "I think seeing Al looking so beautiful just broke my brothers" getting a snicker from her. Raul was careful to stay clear of Avery but Ruth grabbed him into a hug and kissed his forehead. He blushed deeply and was left speechless by the affection while his mother smirked at his reaction. Alice whispered something into Ruth's ear which caused both Avery and Raul to shudder in fear at what they were planning. Ruth sat Raul next to Avery and told the two, "You have been together for a month and a half so it's about time we gave you the opportunity to go out like other couples." The two looked up in surprised to which Alice added, "You will go with Thomas and Rebecca to start and if you show you are mature enough to be trusted together alone you can be dropped off and go by yourself. As much as I'd love to do what Rebecca's father does I don't think you need the warnings. Just already knowing that she has an uncle and grandfather who have folks ready, willing, and able to make you disappear is enough to keep you in line." The two looked at their mothers in shock. Claire laughed at their reaction, asking Alice, "Did you two borrow the bat and map bit or did you make that up on your own?" Ruth started laughing and asked for an explanation getting a simple, "Uncle John gave the same speech to Aunt Valerie when she let him babysit Michael for the first time. He gave her a bat, a shovel, and a map as well as the number for a good lawyer to show he would accept whatever punishment she gave him if he hurt Michael. Uncle Ben did the same with Donald but added a part about borrowing a boat." This set the mothers off laughing as both started talking about good places to bury a body leading to dirty looks from Raul and Avery as well as giggles from Al and Stephanie. The whole time they were talking Lilly was sitting back watching with a big smile on her face. It was tough to keep a straight face but seeing Ruth and Alice acting that way was pure entertainment. Al and Stephanie giggling at the teasing warmed her heart as well. Eventually she added, "The poor boy is going to be traumatized before he even sets foot in the theater with her, but at least he knows the rules now and won't break them. Just wait, it'll probably be less than a year before Stephanie and Al get their first dates." That prompted the two giggling girls to stop cold and look at each other in fear as Raul and Avery started to smile as the thought of them going through the same humiliation. The group had their fun with the teens and set off to the hospital. Dorothy met them at the entrance, grinning as she told them, "Valerie has the dress and everything is set. We just have to wait for guest of honor." David complained about having to get dressed as well causing the others to snicker as Dorothy mockingly told him, "oh you poor baby, we will gladly wait for you to get dressed before starting the ceremony. Can't have your big brother man up without his little brother whining by his side." Up in her room, Deborah was just finishing her last examination when the group arrived. She seemed upset which prompted the doctor to admit, "Seems she missed her window down in the chapel." The group tried to play as if they were disappointed but then the doctor added, "Since your results showed that your head isn't as damaged as first thought and there is no longer any swelling and there is no hematoma under the impact location so you are free to go. Just don't overdo anything for the next few weeks, you may seem back to normal but you could still suffer dizziness spells." Dorothy gathered Deborah's personal items as the group helped her dress. The trip down to the cars was quick and Deborah tried to apologize for missing out on the wedding appointment. The group assured her it was alright and drove on. They didn't go home though. Deborah noticed they were going beyond the street that her apartment was on and heading towards Kensington. Patrick finally stopped outside a building and grinned as Deborah realized what was happening. Patrick smartly told her, "We were invited to a party, Jessica Nelson is turning 17 and the family insisted that you go to take your mind off missing the slot at the chapel. It'll be fun." Reluctantly, Deborah agreed. As soon as they entered there was a big, "Surprise!" Deborah looked around and adorning the walls were, "Congratulations" and, "Just married". Deborah looked at Patrick who shied away and quickly told her, "Sorry, can't see the bride before the wedding." Deborah was quickly whisked away by Lilly and Dorothy. David was handed his uniform and told, "Go put it on fast" getting more grumbles as the others teased him over his complaining. As Deborah was getting dressed a debate was going on among the guys about who would be walking Deborah down the aisle. John, Paul, Jorge, Bryan, and Pete refused. David couldn't walk her down the aisle due to being Patrick's best man. All eyes then turned to Christian who then realized he had been drafted to do the deed for Deborah. He tried to think up an excuse to not do it but realized that he didn't have one, he would do it for Deborah. Ruth and Alexandra snickered and told him warmly, "Well you are sort of like her grandpa while she had Avery, and it'll mean a lot to her." He was being backed into a corner he couldn't get out of, he had to do it for her. In the side room Deborah saw a white dress with pearl and lace inlays along the neckline and light lace sleeves. It was beautiful. Dorothy handed the dress to her, smiling brightly as she told her, "This was my wedding dress and I was hoping that you would wear it." Deborah silently nodded, tears running down her cheeks as she held the dress to her chest. After several long minutes of frantic changing she had the dress on and it fit almost perfect. It wasn't quite as long on her as it was on her mom but it fit around her curves perfectly. Dorothy hugged her and kissed her cheek, telling her how beautiful she looked and how she had hoped to be there for her son but was even happier being there for her daughter. Music started playing so Deborah was led out to the foyer. She was joined by Christian, leading her down the aisle with a bright smile that matched Deborah's. He whispered, "I hope you don't mind me walking you down the aisle, but Paul, John, Jorge, Bryan, and Pete all insisted that I do it." Deborah tearfully said, "You did a lot for me these past two weeks so there is no better person to walk me down the aisle than you." She kissed his cheek as they finally started moving forward. Patrick was at the makeshift altar with David, Paul, Bryan, and Pete. Sheila, Avery, Al, and Stephanie were on the other side and grinning widely as Deborah reached the end. Deborah was given a ring as was Patrick. Dorothy told the two of them, "These were mine and Jaimie's wedding rings. I thought that I'd never see them put to use but the two of you are perfect fits for them. It means a lot to pass these down to you and I hope that you never have to take them off." The reception that followed the ceremony was just as happy and rambunctious as you can get with the Finn Family. Deborah was the center of attention among the girls while Patrick took his ribbing from the men. The two were happy and enjoying their evening, it was more than Deborah had dreamed of. Towards the end of the evening things got interesting. Leslie Sylvester started to have contractions and had to be rushed to the hospital. In the fracas Sarah Jones started to feel sharp abdominal pains and had to go in as well. The 13 younger kids were kept in the dark about the situation with the mothers-to-be but the teens knew that something bad was happening, Leslie was a month early and Sarah was over two months early, neither woman should have been in labor yet. Deborah went into full mother mode and kept the mood happy. The teens caught on and made it so the youngsters were dancing and playing around until it was time for them to go home. They didn't talk about what was going on with the adults and didn't let on that they themselves were concerned. In a rare moment of youthfulness not even the ever observant Daisy saw anything amiss. Deborah asked about the two mothers and was told the bad news. Leslie was going to have her baby normally but Sarah had to have an emergency C- section to save both her and little Brent. Leslie's delivery was quick, little Marcus Quentin Sylvester was born at 11:30 PM. Sarah's was almost exactly at the same time with Brent Louis Jones being born at 11:31 PM. She shared her anniversary with the boys' birthday ensuring nobody would forget the special day. Sarah's heart rate started to improve but being over two months premature Brent had to go directly into the NICU and was on a ventilator, heart monitor, and had multiple IVs into him. He was lucky, he had developed enough to survive outside of the womb but would need several weeks if not months in the hospital before he could come home. Deborah was relieved to hear that, but sad that Sarah had tried everything to prevent it but still had complications. Eventually, Sheila bid them goodbye and drove to the Long home while Patrick and Deborah drove to Deborah's apartment for their first night as a couple and her last night there. She was too tired to do anything and Patrick knew best to leave her be. They talked for a while and Patrick got to hear just how much she loved him while he was able to tell her just how much he loved her. In the morning they acted as if nothing had changed and packed up all of Deborah's remaining clothes and personal items. They did the same for Sheila's and Avery's things with the intent of dropping them off at the Long home. Deborah let out a big sigh and finally admitted, "I liked it here but I am happy to have a home with you. Just don't expect me to be your maid, you can pull your weight around too." This got Patrick laughing as he said warmly, "Yes, dear." The couple drove home, greeting a tired David as he got up to prepare lunch before going to work. David told them sharply, "Keep your door closed, I don't want to see something going on between the two of you that you wouldn't want the world to see." Patrick grinned and added, "So it's OK to do it everywhere else then?" The look of shock on David's face was priceless, as was Deborah's laugh. Deborah and Patrick visited Valerie after dropping off Sheila's and Avery's baggage. Valerie was very pleased to have the happy couple there and even prouder to have the twins off her back over being left in the dark over the wedding. Benny and Beth were there as well with Benny clamoring for Deborah's attention again. Beth just grinned at them to which Patrick immediately told them, "Don't even think about it, some things are just too embarrassing to have you joke about. We are waiting until she is out of school and has a job before we adopt." Deborah asked if she heard anything further about Leslie or Sarah. Valerie sighed and informed her, "Leslie is fine as is Marcus. He was a little underweight but he is taking to the formula quickly and should be released in a few days once the doctors are confident his immune system isn't compromised or he doesn't have any hidden issues. But Sarah is a wreck and Neil and Faith are feeling horrible." Deborah volunteered to watch the two so Mick could work and Sarah could recover in peace with Valerie smiling and adding, "I knew you would do that so I told them to expect you this afternoon." The topic turned to the teens and their reactions. Valerie sighed and freely admitted, "Jessica, Scott, and Michael are nervous wrecks, even more so than Neil and Faith. They are their cousins, Michael through Mick and Scott and Jessica through Sarah. They are normally the ones to comfort the others but this time it's just simply too close to home for them. We would help them out but our hands are full with the twins and helping Mark and Leslie with Marcus." Deborah asked if there was any way to help them. Beth chimed in with, "Short of sending them away for the week of vacation while Brent improves in the hospital there isn't." Valerie looked at her as if she was a genius. She called Karen and asked her quickly, "is there any way to get Michael, Scott, Jessica, Neil, and Faith to go with you to England?" Karen had to think and asked her to give her a few minutes, she had to do some pleading. It was a tough request to make but she hoped that her in-laws would understand. Deborah asked what that was about. Valerie grinned and told her, "Karen is taking her kids as well as your in-laws to England next week. David is there on business for half the week but the others are there as thank you for helping Ethan get acclimated to the city. Patrick was supposed to go too but his TA job and now the two of you getting married canceled that idea. Don't worry, it'll be a pseudo honeymoon for you during the week." Karen called back and proclaimed, "Mom and dad have given their blessing and are glad to host them. John will have to make the arrangements on your end." Valerie smiled, turned to Beth, and told her, "it's a go, the five are now going to England with Karen." Turning to Deborah Valerie grew serious and told her, "it's time you scheduled your surgery. There's nothing standing in your way and we have the best doctors ready to do it for you." Deborah looked at Patrick who nodded in approval to which she informed Valerie, "ok, I'll get it done." Valerie nodded then made a phone call, getting a list of days then writing them down. Deborah picked on then showed it to Patrick who nodded. Valerie told the person the choice then hung up. Smiling, Valerie told Deborah, "it's all set. Next month you go for surgery then will recover at Miguel's house. You are set to spend the next month there recovering as much as possible with his indoor pool and exercise room being put to use. Patrick will be with you the whole time, and I am having Jo and Phyllis Kaplan check in on you from time to time to ensure that you aren't hassled by anyone while there. I am also going to get restraining orders against your family to ensure that they stay far away from you heaven forbid they find out that you are back in California." Deborah shed a tear as Valerie told her all of this. She gripped Patrick's hand and looked him into the eyes. She tearfully told him, "I'm finally getting my second lifelong dream." Patrick was puzzled and asked, "What was the first?" Deborah kissed him and told him, "I got married." Epilogue It took three months but eventually Brent Jones was released from the hospital. His reception at home was large, all of the kids wanted to be there to see him for the first time and help Sarah change him and feed him. He was on the small side and underweight but his breathing was normal and he was healthy. He immediately chose Deborah as his favorite person among the crowd of family members bringing out jokes about Deborah's maternal instincts and abilities. Sarah quietly whispered, "He must know how much she wanted to help him from how much we talked about her before he was born" to Olivia who grinned in agreement. Marcus Sylvester had no ill-effects from being slightly premature either. He gained weight fast and had a healthy set of lungs that let the neighborhood know he was awake- conveniently just before it was time for the teens to get up for school. Thankfully for his parents he realized who his favorites were and insisted on Iris, Rachel, and Sam giving him constant attention whenever they were home allowing his Leslie a chance to relax and catch up on sleep. He also carried on the family tradition of ignoring John whenever possible getting Karen and Leslie to snicker every time any of the three girls were seen with him by John. Deborah got a workout as the two babies kept her on her toes as she babysat so the new parents could enjoy some nights off. She was a natural at being a mother to them, the jokes about her were true as her instincts were dead- on regarding when diaper changes would be needed and when they would want food so much that Sarah was honestly jealous of her abilities. Even though Deborah could never give Patrick a child she could at least share her love with others. In a few years when she had graduated and had a stable job she would happily adopt a child so some deserving kid could have a loving mother and father. Their primary hope was to find a child who was like Deborah and help him or her become the boy or girl they needed to be. It might not happen and the two might have to settle for adopting a regular kid, but their families knew where they hearts lay. Neil and Faith enjoyed their time with Deborah before they left for England and after they returned. She became a fixture at the school up until she left for her trip to California for her surgery a few weeks later. When she returned after her six-week trip it was as if she had never left. Deborah eventually added watching Junior Kelly to her babysitting duties. His father had to help cover some events in neighboring cities that spring which often required him to be unable to pick his son up. Junior was always on his best behavior and would be a great influence on Neil as the latter took his cues from Junior just as Faith took hers from Daisy. William was impressed with Deborah's ability to make Junior focus on homework. Thanks to her involvement Junior's grades improved prompting Mr. King, his and Neil's teacher, to promise to give her a good word with whatever school district she chose to apply to when she finished her degree. While Deborah had established her new life with Patrick and things were looking great for her, life wasn't good for her relatives. Deborah's uncles each chose to accept plea bargains to avoid long prison sentences. This was contingent upon testifying against their parents and the doctor out in California for criminal conspiracy charges leveled against the trio, done so through CCTV feed from their jail. The two stopped by Neil, Faith, and Avery would spend the next 25 years in prison for assault, attempted kidnapping, and criminal conspiracy, as well possession of a dangerous weapon. Her uncle that actually kidnapped her received 50 years in prison for his crimes but thankfully for him the federal government chose not to try him for multiple federal crimes and let the state get at him for the tougher, convictable crimes instead. Given his age, it was essentially a life sentence. Soon after Deborah had confirmed her surgical appointment, Deborah's other family members received their restraining orders and didn't bother testing them. Word reached them through their incarcerated relatives that Deborah was untouchable thanks to knowing the right people and having friends in high places. The family imploded over the constant bickering with several of Deborah's cousins finally moving elsewhere with two, the ones who never harmed nor harassed Deborah and were friendly towards Reyna, moving to Massachusetts to reestablish their lives after graduating from high school a few months early due to pressure from the Kaplans to stop hindering their education. Dorothy helped them get started by giving them a home to stay in and kept an eye on them to keep them out of trouble. She showed them love and affection that their parents never showed them, winning them over as they quickly let the past go and realized that all of the tales told about Dorothy were utter garbage. Dorothy was the exact opposite of everyone else in their family and they quickly saw that she was what a mother should be. They were serious about changing their lives and worked hard at finding jobs with Dorothy getting them to go to college for degrees. They were introduced to Deborah and Patrick officially after her return form surgery and neither could believe their eyes. They could not believe that she had become such a beauty and warmly accepted her for who she was. Deborah, in turn, introduced them to Reyna who received the same reception and put to rest the past. Deborah's grandparents were tried and convicted for their roles in Deborah's kidnapping and the other crimes that could be proven. Justice was swift and harsh towards them. Given that they were already out on bail they were immediately put into isolation and unable to communicate to coordinate among the family members so they couldn't threaten their remaining children to get them to do something. Both were tried for multiple conspiracy charges as well as witness intimidation and extortion charges as alongside the abuse charges for what they did to Deborah prior to her turning 18. Their constant ranting about Deborah and outbursts in court led them to being forced to watch their own trial from a separate room and upon hearing the full history of Deborah the jury wasted little time in convicting both of them for their crimes. They were sentenced to a total of 30 years in prison which, for the elderly couple, all but meant the rest of their lives. As if going to prison for the rest of their natural lives wasn't bad enough, none of their children were allowed to visit as they too were arrested for their roles in abusing Deborah as well as charges of witness intimidation when the truth about what they did to keep the abuse against Deborah from being reported by her schools was revealed. Several of her uncles went so far as to visit her old teachers and threaten them in front of witnesses to keep their mouths shut prompting separate assault charges to be filed leading to more convictions. They got off easy with suspended sentences for the crimes against Deborah and served short jail terms for the assault charges but the criminal convictions still stung them deeply and cost several their jobs. The Vegas who remained in the LA area were in serious trouble with the law over taxes and fees that the family neglected to pay on their homes. The main family house was lost to the bank and the family members who stayed there were forced to split up and fend for themselves. The house didn't remain vacant, the new owner opened it up to families in need that had nowhere else to go and named the home, "Jaimie's Place." The identity of the new owner was a tightly held secret with only a small number of people knowing the truth about it. The home was owned by a group: Deborah, Jaimie, Kylie Pena, Al, and Reyna. They hired someone to maintain the home and oversee the operations, insisting that it be run by someone like them but only after a thorough screening. It thrived and served multiple families the first summer, helping them in a rough situation and turning around their lives. Lucius Long recovered from his broken arm, leg, and jaw and orchiectomy surgeries but was utterly humiliated in prison for his eunuch state. The man whose daughter he verbally assaulted had friends who were prison guards and they made his life a living hell every chance they got. He endured constant taunting and learned quickly that he was an absolute nobody and his connections to important people was just a load of hot air now that he was divorced from Ruth. He was tried and convicted of fraud, embezzlement, and several counts of assault and battery. To the shock of his lawyers his marriage was terminated immediately after the official paperwork was filed before the probate court by the judge once the news about the assault on Deborah, his longstanding proven infidelity that dated back to before he married Ruth, and the amount of money that he stole from his wife was presented to him. The judge practically laughed when Lucius' lawyer tried to demand that Ruth pay for his services and complained about breaking their prenuptial agreement. In reality Lucius had broken the agreement himself with his continued infidelity. He didn't get a penny from his wife thanks to carefully worded parts that Paul insisted be added to the agreement just in case he tried something similar to what he had done to Ruth. His fling cost him everything, like the custody agreement with Sheila and Deborah he never bothered to read the agreement before he signed it. The humiliation was added on top of the, "Poison pill" provision in the custody agreement with Sheila and Deborah that Valerie strictly and ruthlessly enforced leaving him penniless from that end. The final and most humiliating thing was his daughter and ex-wife changing their last names from Long to James to reflect his excising from the family permanently. With Christian and Paul's blessing and without a fight from their lawyers Deborah handed over control of the company to some close friends of Quentin Nelson who had been in the industry and needed a job and had a strong resume to support their hiring. Under their leadership the company quickly invested in new equipment and software which in turn turned the company around and started to thrive as their work was miles ahead of what Lucius was producing and equal to or better than competitors and at a price that was lower than what was being offered giving them a strong start. Ruth saw a diamond in the rough and decided to invest in the company after she had been repaid by the company what her husband had stolen from her. She stayed on as a third silent partner and member of the board of directors alongside her brother and father. It would now sink or swim with them, she got what she needed out of it so anything else was just money in the bank. Sheila moved in with Avery and Ruth immediately after the wedding. Avery loved having her as a sister and the two were inseparable whenever Sheila wasn't working. Ruth grew to love having Sheila in the house and spent a lot of time talking with her as well as the invigorated Avery. She could appreciate the two becoming close and having one another to go to with their problems. She enjoyed playing the role of mother to her new daughter after having missed so much of Avery's young life portraying the loving and devoted wife at so many functions at the behest of Lucius. Sheila, in turn, was happy to be loved by someone again and burst into tears the first time she realized that she had called Ruth mom unprompted. Sheila and Ian Bailey grew close and dated throughout the Spring. The two didn't get too serious too soon, letting friendship bloom before taking things beyond simple hugging and occasional make-out sessions in the movie theater. Ian and Avery played off one another at times with Ian enjoying the role in Avery's antics, letting her know that he cared about her deeply and appreciated the sibling fun. Avery and Raul's relationship bloomed as well as Thomas and Rebecca were great mentors for the younger couple. Thomas had been treating Raul as one of the guys since December but Rebecca started to treat Avery the same way with the girls. The couple eventually joined Jessie and Reed, Iris and Sam, and Francesca and Donald in their dates and after two months were allowed to go out on their own. Sheila was given a couple of days off the weekend of the start of April Vacation. Avery, Sheila, and Ruth used that opportunity to travel to Florida to visit the elderly Mrs. Long. Sadly, Deborah was unable to go as she was still recovering from her surgery but insisted that it wouldn't be right for her to be there after what happened to Mrs. Long's son. Mrs. Long happily told Ruth that she was right in not wanting to disturb the moment and did not blame Deborah at all for any of what happened to Lucius. Avery knew this trip was a dying request and cold see that the woman wasn't going to last long after they left. It was her last chance to see her paternal grandmother before she died. Mrs. Long took one look at Avery and cried, telling Ruth, "She is the spitting image of you and the more she fills out the more she becomes a mirror image of you. Lucius couldn't accept that she favored you genetically and in reality it's his own fault for not having someone who looks like him. He could have had another child but his own greed and vanity put off that chance. Given how he was with women, he probably has a son somewhere but won't find out due to his actions. I am just glad that you were able to have Avery, you have a piece of you that will live on for years to come." Turning to Sheila she smiled as she told her, "You have done wonders for my granddaughter and I am forever grateful that she finally has the sibling she deserved. I am saddened that I won't be around for very long but I know she will be in good hands. I hope that you keep a close eye on her and ensure she studies hard and makes her mark on the world." Ruth shed a tear as she realized what she meant, it was worse than anyone thought. That night the trio received the news that Mrs. Long had passed away in her sleep. Arrangements had been made for her to be transferred to Boston for burial close to her daughter-in-law and granddaughter so the trio simply ensured that they were followed. Tearfully the 10 members of the James family said their goodbye to Mrs. Long in a small ceremony five days later, with Avery tearfully tossing flowers at the casket as it was lowered. Her last words to her grandmother was, "I'll do what you said." Paul and Alexandra were frequent visitors to Winnisimmet now that they didn't have to deal with the constant annoyances and bickering that often came when dealing with Lucius. Paul saw the little girl he always considered his niece come out in Sheila and saw the brightness in Avery making him grow a bit misty-eyed over missing all that time with Sheila. Alexandra enjoyed having someone to spoil who appreciated the affection she was giving. She too grew close to Sheila and saw her as the niece that she was supposed to have been. Isobel, Sela, and Zoe would try to spend as many weekends in the city as possible at their aunt's house. They befriended Paige and Hannah as well as the Finn girls during their frequent visits. The trio were going to go to Salem State alongside Hannah and Paige making things extremely interesting that Spring as the governor would join them on their visits to the campus. Their relationship to him was kept secret until all three were accepted so his visit was completely out of the blue and a shock to the school and their acceptances not seen as favoritism towards relatives of the governor. Interestingly enough, it was the attempt to keep the relationship of Christian to the girls a secret that uncovered shocking truths about some of the students. Many prominent politicians had their children in state schools with several, including the girls responsible for harassing and tormenting Deborah, being given slots in the school despite not meeting the most basic of criteria for admission. Christian's own reaction reaction to the news was swift as he had those who were still in the school suspended by the school until further notice and told that they had to show that they were qualified to attend before being allowed to return. There were several who did pass the requirements but multiple students failed their requirements completely after the revelation and subsequent testing. Salem State saw a major change once the lieutenant governor and his friends and allies were removed from power. The old regime was completely excised, the new one chosen from among qualified personnel who were intentionally kept out of the job in favor of cronyism and nepotism. Several of those in power who were innocent were given promotions at other schools as part of the state's big crackdown on cronyism and nepotism. Initially it was seen as an insult to them and guilt by association until private meetings with members of Christian's staff showed that they were, in fact, on the fast track to higher positions including running some of the colleges and universities. The outrage turned quickly to relief and thanks with Christian taking no offense in their justified reactions. It was reasonable, anyone else would do the same. Dean Zane was among those who had been offended by the supposed guilt by association. He actually got promoted to the job of chancellor of the school, taking over running the whole university after improving his department then his college more than any other during his tenure as dean. He was the one that the previous chancellor wanted to take over but was held down thanks to the powers that be, now among the excised personnel. Dean Zane was quick to thank John and the students for the job and stated that he would stand in their corner and protect their rights immediately winning over the students and alumni. Multiple professors saw their contracts terminated for their outspoken remarks in class about Deborah and transgender students as a whole. Their positions were quickly filled by associate professors who had resumes that were equally as good if not better than their predecessors so it was a net improvement for the university. These were also some of the most popular professors on campus so news of their promotions caused students to celebrate. These professors themselves added people they knew and trusted to teach courses in their departments alongside them helping to bring up the overall quality of the education well above other universities in the region. Those involved in the revealing of Deborah's personal information received hefty fines and short jail terms after a deep investigation into the school's records department. There were three employed at the university that were directly involved and two who passed along the information knowing it was illegal to divulge. They all pleaded that they did no wrong but it was revealed that Deborah wasn't the only victim of them with several other students coming forward to show that they had been blackmailed by other students regarding leaked personal information so their punishments were stiff. The three girls who caused Deborah so much grief was completely expelled from the university with no chance of reapplying to any state or private school. Their criminal actions led to several weeks in jail and criminal records and humiliation for their families to the point that one family up and moved to another state to avoid the backlash. The one that was caught in Deborah's room partying received four years in prison for assaulting a police officer and fined several thousand dollars. She was adamant that she was innocent but when the video of her trying to go after David was played she tried to claim that she was under the influence which was proven to be false. The judge took little pity as he sentenced her. He ignored the veiled threats by her father who was told, "Your threats are on record and any action taken against me will be a matter of public record and will be used against you in a court of law. Be glad that I am not placing you under arrest for said threats but what I do is nothing compare with what your colleagues will do to you." The man quickly resigned from office and disowned his daughter but the damage was done. He had to flee the state to Florida to escape the media scrutiny regarding his threats and left his daughter to fend for herself. He found little support down south and was humiliated by neighbors when his past was shown for all to see. The lieutenant governor was tried and convicted of threatening a public official, attempted extortion, and disseminating private information obtained illegally. He was quickly sentenced to four years in state prison for all three of his crimes. He vowed revenge but it only made him look worse in the eyes of the public as his threats were aired nationally, further damaging him. After the conviction was announced, the long awaited articles of impeachment were brought forth by the General Court with both houses in session in their respective chambers. He was impeached in an overwhelming majority by the House of Representatives then removed from office by the Senate. At his defense before the full Senate he was defiant until the end but the evidence was overwhelming and irrefutable, especially as he was in shackles and had several state troopers around him as he made his case before them. Not one of the present Senators voted to acquit him of the charges. The media were vicious in attacking him and anyone who supported him. The few politicians brave enough to defend him were found to have been paid by him to do so through campaign donations and bribes. They didn't last long in the legislature and quickly resigned when it was revealed that they had pending indictments in federal courts. The feds were quick to go after them and within a year roughly 20 legislators had been forced to resign or state that they would not seek another term in office. Jo and Phyllis worked hard for Deborah and got her the full amounts they sought in their lawsuits. Deborah's rights were found to be violated by the state from the get-go and her case reviewed by an independent panel with the full report showing that her family influenced people to get her removed from Jaimie and Dorothy's care without justification or any chance to fight back. The judge who ordered the actual removal of custody was called before the California Assembly to answer the charges of what amounted to abusing his power to enable a kidnapping. The investigations into Deborah's care uncovered dozens of instances of him blocking investigations and threatening people who tried to investigate other similar cases of abuse against a transgender child or that involved a child of a transgender parent. He was adamant that he had done no wrong and that James should not have been raised by a deviant freak. His harsh words about her and Jaimie brought shouts of outrage from the assembly and led to an overwhelming majority in favor of his removal. He was also stripped of his license to practice law and fined thousands of dollars- all of which were paid in restitution to Deborah. Social services were publicly humiliated when the media caught wind that they had allowed a child to be removed from the home of a couple because one parent was transgender and did nothing to follow up on checking up on the child. They then went after them again when news that they never followed up on allegations of physical abuse and neglect against a transgender child who subsequently was mutilated by her family. The firestorm that surrounded the case led to the dismissal of several administrators who were found to have blocked similar investigations and who were critical of LGBT children and parents. The doctor who, "Treated" Deborah was found to have been lacking in psychological and psychiatric credentials and the medical actions taken against Deborah were akin to mutilation and medical abuse. The doctor forged his credentials and. in fact, lied to both the hospital that he worked out of and the DEA who controlled the prescriptions that he was using to, "Treat" his patients. In essence: he was drugging patients without the right to do so. An investigation into his work history showed that he had forcibly drugged and assaulted dozens of children and adults who were supposed to be in his care over the years. At least four patients were revealed to have undergone similar kidnapping and forced hospitalizations by the doctor. All four of the patients were like Deborah with one finally killing herself when the doctor told her she was never going to get out until she stopped trying to be a female. The DEA were swift to go after him after Deborah's kidnapping made them aware of his actions and the investigation showed that his actions resulted in the death of someone supposedly under his care. The agents raided his office and found correspondence with several drug companies helping him get around the DEA regulations and helping to fudge his background to prevent anyone from looking into his past too deeply. They hit pay dirt with the doctor, but finding the correspondence was a bigger boon that they had ever hoped for. They had found a way of finally going after a company that they knew to be dirty and agency would shut them down heavy and hard. With the DEA essentially making his life a living hell his practice was shut down pending legal action against him by the state medical board as well as by the criminal justice system. His insurance covered the full amount that was being sought, but Jo and Phyllis sought restitution from the doctor leading to him becoming financially bankrupt to go along with being morally and ethically. The insurance company would then go after him for fraud as they tried to seek restitution for his lies and leaving them open to future lawsuits. The doctor ended up proclaiming his innocence and refusing to take any sort of plea bargain. He stood trial and lost badly. Dozens of patients come forward with allegations of abuse, most of whom had the supporting evidence showing that he was physically abusive. The part with him castrating Deborah because she refused to stop being transgender caused several members of the jury to becoming visibly sickened and ensured that he wouldn't leave the courtroom a free man. In mid-March Deborah had her surgery and spent the next six weeks recovering. She followed the doctors' orders and did some light walking then swimming while there. Patrick was by her side 24/7 and wouldn't let her out of his sight until she was strong enough to be able to swim on her own. Miguel paid her a visit and like so many others nearly fainted at the sight of the beautiful woman that he saw before him. He hugged her tight, telling her how he could never repay her for all of the love and support that she gave Reyna when she was her neighbor. The two became close to Miguel, with Patrick acting more like a younger brother to Miguel to Deborah's little sister. Reyna and Lupe visited during April vacation and acted as nurses, allowing Patrick to get out for some much needed rest. Reyna enjoyed playing the role and would work with Deborah through the rough spots and bits of depression that came with the final surgery. Lupe was the ever present mother to them and let the two enjoy their time together, often spending her time teasing Patrick over Deborah's motherly behavior and dropping hints that maybe he should look into becoming a dad in the future. He took it in stride, knowing that she was working off her own nervous energy as she saw the little girl blossom into the woman she saw before her with Reyna blooming into the same young woman alongside her. While Lupe and Reyna were there Deborah heard from the university, with them begging her to return as a student. They would give her free tuition and fees up to and including earning her PhD. She agreed to do it but only if they ensured that no woman or man in her position had their rights violated in such a way again. After days of careful deliberation with Reyna and Lupe Deborah eventually felt that she had to return, if only to show that she would not let abuse keep her down. She had a solid reason to return: she had five people who wanted her there and they would not let anyone harm Deborah again. Deborah released the scholarship to another deserving student, this time being part of the group who chose the person to receive it. She chose a young woman who was like her in that she had a horrible family but who wasn't transgender. She needed to escape her pitiful existence of abuse and neglect and to Deborah's delight Joseph and Evelyn agreed with her. Deborah was asked to go with them to meet the young woman. Going to the home was a bit of an eye opener and meeting with her parents was worse. The three laid out the scholarship terms, which the young woman accepted without even reading. Her justification was simple: it was to accept whatever as given to her and escape or remain there. She agreed to anything so long as it got her away. The two hit it off and Deborah found herself mentoring the young woman immediately. When she introduced her to the three James girls things turned better than she could have hoped. Isobel, Sela, and Zoe took her under their wing and the four became inseparable as they ensured the young woman was settled in nicely and had friends to help her out. Deborah's hard won riches but that didn't change her. Neither did finally becoming whole. What did change her was having Patrick by her side and a loving family behind her. She had her mother to guide her and she had a lifelong friend who she proudly calls her sister. She could never be happier finding a life after being lost for so long. The End.