the only thing madison could clearly focus on was the blinding quality of the overhanging lights. she squinted under their glare, clutching steven's hand in hers as tight as ever. her father was currently on the stand pleading his case.

lida wanted custody.

"now," lida's attorney began, "it appears that you were not in your biological daughter's life until the close of 2011. is this correct?"

"yes," andrew spoke with clarity, "however, madison's biological mother, whom has since deceased, banished me from her life and ceased all contact and thus, i had no notion that i could possibly have fathered her child."

madison knew her father was doing all that he could to present himself adequately and truthfully in front of the courtroom, but she deeply wished that her childhood trauma did not have to be messily displayed, as well. within a fraction of a second, anything could slip out of a mouth that she wanted locked away with a key.

"that does not condone the fact that you did not fight to get back into ruza moravec's life!" the plaintiff's words seemed to have enthralled the courtroom.

sitting inside were people that she has grown up with in the european country. most madison had outgrown. people with little interest in her life beforehand, but once she gained fame and was thrown amidst her family's problems publicly, became all too invested.

"she was a finicky woman, your honor," andrew cleared his throat, "and i did. i left numerous voicemails and even visited her house on multiple occasions. i was confused as to why she would not answer me but now i know why," he closed, resting his hands clasped together on the table as he looked back and smiled at his daughter.

"very well," the judge acknowledged, sending the defendant's character witness to the stand, who happened to be steven yeun.

the korean detached himself from madison's hand's tight hold, kissing her head and straightening her hair afterwards as he stood up. the distinguishable scrape of his chair upon the hard floor caused madison to scrunch her eyes up in pain. every noise attacked her system as the worry threatened to utterly consume her.

"i have had the pleasure to work with and know andrew clutterbuck for the past eight years," steven began, trying to appear visibly relaxed for his madison's case, "he is a man who i have shared several deep, meaningful conversations with that i will always hold dear in my heart due to the wisdom and care he exudes. andrew is a compassionate and hardworking person, a fierce friend, and most importantly, a devoted father. never have i needed witness to a time in madison clutterbuck's life where she has been neglected, mistreated, or simply left content in the custody of this man."

madison knew that steven must have rehearsed or ran over in his head what he was going to say, but as he spoke eloquently on the stand, it never seemed as his words came from a script. he was patient, yet his words flowed. steven's words rang such authenticity that no man nor woman in the courtroom could refute them with conscience.

"well, that was certainly very kind," lida's attorney chuckled sardonically at steven's expense, "how about when he first was able to have visitation with the girl. when she was in america again. i am sure you had contact with the two then and often times interacted with them. what was that like?"

madison felt like a doll trapped inside a glass case. one two expensive for a child to pass by and deem her worthy of all the love and care in the world. she was destined to sit and wait ornately until somebody came by and collected her, only to value her in the same way. sitting atop a shelf, watched by all, without an escape to find love.

"madison is undoubtedly one of the most lovely and endearing people i have ever met in my life," steven dictated articulately, sending a small smile and a wink her way, "i could tell she was nervous when she first arrived here. she had watched the show, i remember, and asked andrew to bring her to set. she clung to him. i could only get her away when her father was shooting a scene and we would sneak off together and get ice cream. she was happy. that doesn't mean i couldn't see the pain hiding behind her eyes, but i watched andrew bring joy to the front of them time and time again, despite the suffering."

"that will be all," the judge claimed, banging her gavel loudly against her desk as the plaintiff's bench went up in unceremonious and certainly inappropriate uproar. "as i have been informed, ms. clutterbuck has inquired to take the stand. as she is sixteen, i will permit it."

madison stood up, smoothing down the edges of her dress as an officer escorted her to the stand. she muttered a quick thank you as he curtly left her side. her hands were shaking relentlessly and her mind invaded by horrendous thoughts. time seemed to have slowed to a crawl with each step. the jelly comprising her legs was finally given rest as she sat on the stand following being sworn in.

"hello, sweetheart," the judge began, noticing the girl's apprehension and drifting attention, "how are you today, dear?"

"hello, your honor," madison responded nervously, "i'm not quite sure how to answer your question, but i appreciate you asking, ma'am."

"you're very welcome," the judge replied with a detectable air of sadness and pity swirling within the blue hues of her tone.

"i am going to make this simple. i have disallowed further questioning by the prosecution for this part. i would like you to speak on your own behalf, if that is alright?" upon the teenager's rapid nod, the judge continued, "i want you to tell me about your life now. could you do that for me?"

"yes ma'am," madison cleared her throat, twisting the ring on her finger that had been andrew's grandmother's passed down eventually to her, "i am sixteen years old and live in atlanta, georgia. i am an actress and because of this i get to work with the best and most loving people i have ever known. i never face a dull day. even though my life tends to be stressful, i have learned to embrace it. i have a strong support system and i am forever grateful for it. i don't not truly know if i've achieved utter happiness, ma'am, to be frank, but i do know i am closer than ever to achieving it today with my father and my family each and every day than i ever was here."

the judge smiled, easily noticing the wistful look in madison's eyes as she spoke of home, "what about your life here? how does it compare and contrast."

"for one," madison answered with more confidence than before, "both places i have people that tie to me by blood. the difference is the love the comes with it. i was a naive girl living a naive childhood. i thought my grandmother was doing all that she could," madison paused, feeling her throat tighten, "she wasn't. my matka was a drug addict and didn't want to get help. i counted my lucky stars when i was out of her custody, even if it meant i had to move to an entirely different country. i miss her and not a day goes by that i don't think of her, but it's not for the good reasons. lida took me on walks through the orchard when matka was especially bad, but she never let me leave home. she would go back to her estate and leave a defenseless child all alone!"

madison let her parched tongue run over her lips faster than the words that tirelessly spewed from them. the tip of her tongue soon became familiar with the taste of salt. the tears running down her face were uncontainable and this time, nobody was there to wipe them from her face. she let them hang there as a visible testament to the feeling of her raw throat and tired spirit that anyone could have denied.

"where is home to you madison?" the judge's words quietly filled the electrified room.

"where my father is," madison replied, "wherever steven is. a boy named chandler, a girl named katelyn, a woman named lauren, a man named norman, a woman named christian — your honor, i could go on endlessly, but one thing i can tell you bluntly is that my home has never been with lida moravec."

madison had become cognizant of her final statement only the second it had left her lips. no longer would excuses be ardently crafted to save lida's withering skin. madison's mind had been made up, and as many had come to learn, it was not an easy task to change it.

the courtroom sat in stunned silence. madison's sharp words were daggers to lida's argument. it was torn apart and could never be repaired, much like the false facade of love that had once protected the brittle old woman.

lida sprung from her seat, the first to break the tension set by madison's death stare into lida's unforgiving lies. whose mouth had once whispered reassuring falsities into her ears as a child now sat nasty and vile things towards andrew, steven, and even her own granddaughter as the judge furiously brought her gavel down upon her desk.

"order!"

her shouts were drowned out by the filthy language offered in czech as andrew stood up to face the woman, letting himself take her words rather than her daughter.

madison fled the stand, hysterically sobbing as her mind worked at lightning speed to process and translate the czech words in her brain. they were horrendous and would never be able to be taken back. her heels clicked into the ground as the gate the the witness stand swung wildly off its hinges, much like madison had spiraled.

steven stumbled as he caught the nearly inconsolable girl in his arms. she choked out incoherent words into his chest as he pulled her into him, shielding her innocence from the cruel world that had already killed it more than once. he guided her out of the door as the judge's decision rang with finality over the chaos and screams drowned out.

"i want to go home!" madison screamed as the courtroom doors closed with a bang, steven leaning down on one knee to become eye level with the girl.

"we will, maddie," he sighed, feeling tears sting at his eyes," we will, love, i promise."

a/n;
UNEDITED FOR REASONS STATED BELOW DON'T @ ME PLEASE AND THANK YOU FSKDNSJ

sorry this took so long i literally broke my nose in a regionals basketball tournament this past weekend, so we ran into some issues 🤠 i had surgery bright and early this morning and i was very out of it and didn't want to write lmao!!

also glenn and saskia parallels and hm wonder what the verdict was 🤔