*Robert's POV*

After reading that letter, Stevie has been inconsolable. She sobbing in my arms and I try to calm her down. Nothing is working.

"He can't do this!" She says in a raised voice. "He hasn't been in their lives for the past five years and now he was to....oh god! What if he takes them away from me?! What if the judge sides with him!? My heart couldn't take that!"

"Shhhh, Steph." I say gently. "Calm down, okay. You're going to make yourself sick."

Stevie tries to stop crying and she does a little.

"Come on, love. Let's get you to your room." I say. "It'll be okay, Stevie."

I guide her to her room and get her settled. She lays down and asks me to lay down with her. I do so and hold her as tightly as I can.

*Sara's POV*

I had convinced Victoria to watch a movie with me to take her mind off of what's going on.

Halfway through the movie, I get a bit hungry for a snack. I tell Victoria about us getting some snacks and she shrugs.

She stands up and waits for me to do the same. I stand up and we walk out of the entertainment room.

As we approach the kitchen, we hear crying. We can tell it's mom.

Victoria and I look at each other then we walk towards the front door where the crying is coming from.

We stay hidden and see Robert holding our mother. We then hear my mom say "What if the judge sides with him? My heart couldn't take that."

Robert manages to calm my mom a little then he guides her upstairs to her room.

Once they disappear upstairs, I walk closer to pick up a paper that was on the floor. It's a letter and it looks really serious.

Victoria and I both read the letter and we are both shocked as we read.

"He can't do this!" Victoria says angrily. She wants to say more but is too angry to say anything else.

I don't say anything. I'm too shocked and hurt. I used to think the world of my dad but now...with his actions, I can see that he isn't how I thought he was.

I put down the letter and we both return to the entertainment room but the movie is forgotten.

Victoria starts to cry and I do too. We hold each other and I send up a prayer that my father would change his mind.

*1 Week Later*
*Stevie's POV*

I quickly contacted my lawyer. He set up a plan for when we are due in court. I feel confident in my lawyer but I'm still worried.

I told Sara and Victoria about their father taking me to court to fight for custody. They confessed to me that they already knew. They read the letter that I had dropped. Which I didn't realize that I did so.

They voiced their anger and frustration at the situation. They don't want to live with their father if the judge grants him custody.

We talked about it and with my lawyers guidance, we feel a little at ease. He told us, considering that Sara and Victoria are almost seventeen, the judge will give them a moment to voice their opinions and where they want to stay.

Today has been a lazy day for us. Sara, Victoria and I are sitting around the living room, each lost in our own activities.

Sara is reading a book, Victoria is drawing in her sketchbook and I am writing in my journal.

Victoria has been doing a bit better. Although, she confessed that she found a new place to cut. She showed me and it was on her stomach.

I cried because it hurts to see my child going through so much pain.

Since she told me, I put some trust in her and stopped checking her each night. She tells me when she has the urge to cut and I do my best to comfort her from doing so.

Also, we've seen Dr. Warner a few times and she's been helping us get through this.

I continue to write in my journal until I hear the gate buzz. I close my journal and stand up. I go the intercom and push the button to talk to whoever is at the gate.

"Hello."
"Stevie, it's Lindsey." His voice says.

Dread spreads through me.

"What can I do for you, Lindsey?" I ask.
"I came to see my children, Stevie." Lindsey says with a bit of attitude.

I release the button and sigh heavily. I do not need this today but, against my better judgement I let him.

I tell Victoria and Sara that their father has come to see them and they groan and I know they are angry.

They put down their things and wait for Lindsey to come inside.

Before letting Lindsey in, I take a deep breath then I let it out.

I open the door and Lindsey walks through without me inviting him in.

I don't say anything. I don't want to start a confrontation right now.

"Sara! Ethan!" Lindsey tells out. "I came to take you out to lunch."

I follow him to the living room and close my eyes. I forgot Victoria is wearing a dress and that makes Lindsey stop in his tracks. I see his face grow red and I know what's coming.

I quickly walk over to stop Lindsey if I had to.

"What the fuck?!" Lindsey yells. "Why are you wearing a dress, Ethan!!? Go take that shit off and change! You're a boy dammit!"

Victoria stands up and says. "I am not taking it off. Nor I am changing. How many times do I have to tell you, I'm a girl! I'm not a boy."

Lindsey turns to me and says. "This is why I am suing you for custody of our children! What Ethan is doing is absolutely disgusting and you're a horrible mother for allowing this in your home!"

Before I can reply, Victoria speaks up for me. "She isn't a horrible mother! She's the best. You however are a horrible father. You hit mom, you cheated on her and you abandoned us for five years! You had your new family and you threw us away like trash!" She says with a raised voice.

"I know I messed up, Ethan. But I have changed and I want you and your sister in my life." Lindsey says. "Maybe this is my fault." He sighs then continues. "Maybe if I hadn't been away for so long you wouldn't be this way."

"Dad, can't you understand that whether or not you are in my life, that this is me? I would still be this way." Victoria says with tears in her eyes. "I'm a girl stuck in a boy's body and I just want to be me."

Lindsey shakes his head and says. "Once the judge gives me custody, I am sending you to a facility where they can help you get through this. They will help you be normal again."

"A facility?" I finally speak up.

"Yes. A facility where they do intense therapy to convert them back to normal." Lindsey says. "I saw their brochures and it says that they have a high rate of success stories. So that's where I will be sending Ethan to get the help he needs."
"Lindsey, you can't be serious!" I say. "Those types of facilities do horrible things to the people who go there! I will not allow that to happen!"

"It won't be your choice, Stevie." Lindsey says. "I will do anything and everything to help Ethan."

"I don't need your help!" Victoria screams. "You're a shit father and I hate you!"

Before I can stop him, Lindsey's hand flies to Victoria's face. I gasp and push Lindsey away from her.

He has never hit our children before and my anger rises to an all time high.

Victoria is sobbing, holding her cheek.

"How dare you hit her!?" I yell. "Hit me all you want if you must, but not our children, you will never do that again!"

Victoria runs upstairs to her room and see that Sara wants to follow but when Lindsey hits me, she stays.

"How dare I!? You allowed our son to become a faggot!" Lindsey yells.

He hits me again and Sara stands in the way.

"Stop! Dad!" She yells, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Enough! Don't hit her! God! I used to think you were the best dad ever. But now...now you have broken my heart. I thought you changed and...I was so happy that you made an effort to come back into our lives. I used to be a daddy's girl before things went to hell. Before you left us for your new family. But, now I see you haven't changed at all. I am no longer a daddy's girl. I don't have a father as far as I'm concerned."

Sara is sobbing by now and she falls into my arms. Tears roll down my cheeks and hold her tightly.

Lindsey stands back and I see he is calming down. Sara had never spoke to him that way before and I can see that he actually listened.

A few moments later, I can hear Sara sniffling. She is finally calming down but suddenly, she gasps and grabs her chest.

"Sara? What's wrong?" I ask worriedly.
"I...I don't know." She says. "I...oh god. It feels as if I can't breath."

Fear spreads throughout my body. I can see it in her eyes that something is horribly wrong.

"We need to check Victoria." Sara cries. "Somethings wrong, mom!"

I run up the stairs as fast as I can. Probably faster than I ever have before.

I run into Victoria's room but I don't see her. Then I rush over to her bathroom.

I open the door, and what I see makes me drop to me knees.