Date: Tue, 6 May 2003 19:42:39 -0700
From: dkstories@cox.net
Subject: Phone Call - It's Never Easy 5

Legal Stuff: I don't know NSYNC or any other celebrity mentioned.  While
real people are the basis of characters, they are characters here and do
not represent the real lives, thoughts, or feelings of the real people.
Again, these are characters based on them, not the real people themselves.
If you are too young, or live in a location where it is illegal to read
stories that include love between men, read no further!  Like that would
have ever stopped me...

AUTHOR'S NOTE: WARNING! WARNING!  This is a warning to those readers who
are looking forward to a light-hearted warming chapter.  This is not it.
There's a lot that happens here, and it's not fully resolved by the end.
If you want to wait until the end of the issues raised in this chapter,
wait until chapter 6 posts later this week.

Also, it may be a few days because I'm in the middle of finals right now.
I'll see y'all later!

DK


It's Never Easy -- Chapter 5


Have you ever woken up totally refreshed after a day that was exhausting
both physically and mentally?  That was how I woke up the next day.  It
helped that James had his arms wrapped around me, and I could feel one of
my favorite parts of him poking me from behind.  That woke me up fully and
what I did next woke him up as well.

It was about an hour later that we climbed into the shower, and another
half-hour before we got dressed.  We left our bedroom and entered the main
room of the suite to find William sitting on a couch, munching some
breakfast while watching the tele.

"I don't know who is louder." He snorted as we greeted him.  "You two or
those two"

"You're just jealous." James said with a smile.

"Not really." William responded with a smile.  "Wrong body parts all
around.  There's no way you're getting me to go over to the dark side."

"LUKE!" James said in his best Darth Vader voice.  "Join me and together we
will rule the galaxy!"

"No thanks." Wills said, laughing.  "You already have a partner to rule the
universe with."

We broke up laughing.  James and I got some food from the buffet cart and
were eating when Harry and Nathan made their appearance.  Both were
sleepy-eyed and had bed hair, but were at least awake.  A knock at the door
announced the presence of the NSYNC tour manager (I'm sorry, I keep
forgetting his name).  He didn't have a happy expression on his face and we
found out why when he threw down a copy of `The Sun' tabloid.

There, on the front page, was a picture of two guys engaged in a passionate
kiss.  I couldn't help but groan out loud.  James started giggling, and
Nathan leaped on the paper, a look of horror on his face.  Raised voices in
the corridor announced two more people who came into the room.  Both Josh
and Manuel were red-faced and yelling.  I had to shout to shut them up.
Manuel had a copy of the paper and threw it down on the table.

"My life is over!" He moaned melodramatically, pointing at the picture of
him and Josh kissing outside the venue.

What? You thought it was Nathan and Harry?  Sorry, my boy knows better than
to break the rule I'd set out.  Harry knows better as well.

"Jesus, Manuel!" Josh snorted angrily.  "It's just one damn picture in an
English paper.  You're not even named in it, just some `unknown' man!"

"I don't want anyone to know about me!" Manuel said angrily.  "We agreed,
no coming out until I was ready and I am NOT ready."

"Then you should have remembered that before kissing me outside!" Josh
roared back.

"Calm down!" I shouted.  You see, Manuel hated the idea of people knowing
he was bi.  Hated it with a passion.  Josh had kind of wanted to be open
about their relationship, but Manuel had adamantly refused all this time.
This picture, according to Manuel's view, ended his anonymity and would now
result in him being pre-judged by everyone he met for the rest of his life.

Okay, he was overdoing it a bit, in my opinion, but it is his life.

We were late getting to the soundstage as we tried to calm Manuel down, and
the two NSYNCers missed the first half of a radio interview.  By the time
we got to the soundstage, Scott and the studio execs were going crazy.  It
was the beginning of a long day.

Poor Josh had to deal with press questions about the mystery man.  He ended
up admitting he was bi, and then announced that his friend wished to remain
anonymous, so Josh had been quiet about their relationship.  That seemed to
only get them more riled up, and someone did some research on the internet.
By the evening, poor Manuel's name, connection to me, and his job were
known and printed in papers around the world.

Backstage that night at the NSYNC concert was a little tense.  Joey was
teasing Manuel, who was reacting by throwing a fit.  Chris was laughing the
entire time, and staring over his shoulder at William (I think he was
worried about `revenge').  Josh sulked in the corner, upset that Manuel
wasn't talking.

Of course as soon as they were on stage, everything changed.  Right as they
were getting ready to leave the dressing room, a stylist came in and
touched up all their hair.  Poor Chris, she must have used a whole can of
hairspray on him.  They were almost late getting into positions, rushing
out and trusting the stylist to get their hair right.

That's why they didn't see what I saw. William handing her a 50 pound note
(that's money, dear, about $75 US) as we went to watch from backstage.
Harry was excited at just being there, even though their security would not
let them sit in the crowd, even in a VIP section.  As they began their
first song, I had to hold back a fit of laughter.  Out of the corner of my
eye, I saw William sniggering.

Chris' hair was filled with glitter that reflected the stage lighting in
hues of orange, blue, yellow, red, and the other colors of the rainbow
flag. The rest of the guys kept on staring at his hair as they performed,
and I could tell several were doing all they could not to break up
laughing.

They told Chris as they were changing their costumes for the next number.
He looked over at William and just glared.  Joey wouldn't let anyone touch
him or help him with anything for the rest of the night.

It didn't help him.

The poor guy's pants ripped after his last costume change.  It was a rip
right up the back of the pants he was wearing.  Fortunately, the only thing
showing was his rainbow underwear, or at least that's what it looked like.
This time William broke up laughing.

The papers commented on how much support of JC and Lance those two were and
wondered why Justin hadn't shown his support in some way.

All in all, the show was a success.  Where was Nathan?  In the control
booth, learning how the show was directed and how it differed from things
he already knew.  The kid was fast becoming well-experienced in many areas.

It also kept him and Harry from making any mistakes.

That night, both James and I were worked up from a post-concert high.  Josh
and Manuel were making up, while the rest of NSYNC all went out for some
fun, joined by Prince William.  Harry was getting to know Nathan better.

Once again, I woke up the next morning feeling great.  This time there were
no unexpected pictures in the papers, no fighting, no yelling.  We still
were late getting to the sound stage for filming.  It was James fault.  He
wouldn't let me out of the shower until he was done.

No, I didn't ask him to let me go. It's still his fault though.  He started
it.

We finished shooting with the Royals around 3:00, and that was when their
father reminded them they had obligations the following day.  Both of them
reacted negatively, but kept that stiff upper lip and set about planning
the rest of the day.  We picked James up from his last interview and headed
back to the hotel.  Nathan and Harry got out while the rest of us went
shopping.

Yes, we were very, very nice, don't ya think?

We returned in time for dinner, which was a private affair.  Just NSYNC,
significant others, Scott, and Chad were there.  We had gone out to a very
nice restaurant, and all ended up being photographed as a group by the
press.  Just all a part of being a celebrity's significant other and
friends of royalty.  Nathan seemed to be getting used to it and actually
hammed it up for the cameras a couple of times.

He's just maturing way too fast. I blame Chris.

After dinner we returned to the suite and I declared a `family' night.  It
was just James, Nathan, the two princes and I.  We all watched a movie
together before heading to our bedrooms around 11. All of us actually
talked more than we watched the movie, really bonding together as friends.

The next morning, a limo pulled up to the hotel for William and Harry right
after breakfast.  Nathan said goodbye to Harry in his room, then we all
said farewell as their security detachment prepared to escort them out to
the limo.  I was surprised that Nathan was smiling after they had left.

"Sad to see him leave?" James asked our teenager after the door had closed.

"Not really." Nathan said, smiling at us.  "We're both agreed that we make
good friends.  We enjoyed...um...messing around but, well, we're not in
love or anything."

"Still, there's not that many people back at your school that can say
they're friends with royalty." I quipped.

"Nope," Nathan said with a grin.  "I've got bragging rights now. I don't
think anyone can top this one."

"Oh, god!" Jams groaned loudly.  "We're spoiling him!"

"So?" I asked laughingly.  "I don't hear you suggesting we keep him locked
in his room."

"Shut up." James said as both Nathan and I laughed.  James soon left to do
some choreography practice with the guys, while Nathan and I headed down to
Channel 4 studios.  We were renting some equipment from them to run through
the footage we'd shot.

My eyes were blurry by the end of the day, and Nathan was bored out of his
mind.  All the scenes with the Royals were ready for postproduction, but we
would be shooting some other footage the next day.  Our night was relaxing,
with James and I cuddled up on the couch and Nathan off with Justin
somewhere.  The next night would be our last night together for a while,
since we wouldn't be able to keep our two-week meetings while he was in
Europe.  I could feel the pain of the looming separation already growing,
but tried not to show it too much.

Mine and Nathan's last day in London passed quickly.  We shot the scenes
within two hours and the crew started packing up the equipment that would
be returning with us.  By the early evening, everything was ready to go.
Nathan and I returned to the suite early, only to find that James was stuck
in some interview.  That night we went out to dinner with Elton and David,
who ended up talking about adopting a kid for themselves.  I offered them
Nathan, but James stomped on my foot and Nathan hit me in the arm.

I get no respect.  I was just trying to be polite!

The next morning, it was an exhausted James who waived goodbye from the
front of the hotel as our limo took us to the airport.  He had tears in his
eyes, as did both Nathan and I.  Last night we'd learned that a schedule
change for NSYNC would make it impossible for him to come back for the
adoption hearing, and I'd be making arrangements to reschedule it for after
they returned to the states.

The flight home was long, and I slept through most of it (Nathan did too,
thank you Tylenol PM!).  Naturally, life resumed its hectic pace as soon as
I walked into the condo.  There were tons of requests for interviews about
the royal involvement in the episode shoot.  The internet was rife with
rumors, speculation, bitching, and screams of delight.

Have you ever tried to keep a morning and night phone call routine with
someone who is 8 or 9 time zones away?  It's next to impossible.  Over the
next few weeks, we both woke each other up in the middle of our night time,
called before bed to get an answering service because the other was in a
meeting or performing, etc.  We still managed to talk at least once a day.

By the third week, I was ready to forget all about my show and just fly out
to see him.  Manuel was even worse.  He was being hounded for interviews,
turning them down right and left.  The more he refused, the more newsworthy
he became.  Jive finally convinced him to do one interview for Out
Magazine.

He stormed out after the fifth question.  Yes, I talked him into going back
inside, but by this time the reporter was not a happy man.  The article was
less than flattering and he began to get hate mail from enraged NSYNC fans.

The interview with Teen People went much, much better.  I sat there next to
him and kicked him every time he started to get pissy.

I paid for it later, but at least his image was improved.

The show with the royals aired four weeks after we'd filmed it in London.
We had been consistently pulling in a 7-9 share with each episode (a very
high share for any show, much less a sci-fi show).  With this one episode
in the states we outperformed the Superbowl and every Award show ever
shown.

In England, we pulled in 71% of the market.  I made about three million in
residuals on that show.  Of course I gave fifteen percent of it to various
charities suggested by William.  The Queen even called me saying how much
she enjoyed that show.  Later in the week, we received a personal
invitation to vacation with Prince Charles and his sons in Scotland.  I
called James, we verified we were both free that week, and confirmed.

A poll three days after the show of English citizens revealed that Prince
Charles' popularity had broken the 50% point for the first time in years.
Why?  People viewed him as more human, and compassionate after seeing him
act.  Remember that scene he was so dead on at first?  That scene changed
the minds of people by the millions.

Nathan walked around like a stuffed peacock for a week.  He was getting so
bad I was forced to burst his bubble by reminding him to change his `crusty
sheets before I get home' as I dropped him off at school.  Poor kid.  He
blushed 10 shades of red as his friends burst out laughing.

Sometimes being a parent is so deliciously fun.

By the end of April, we were done filming, and most of the episodes for May
sweeps were done.  The ending of the first season was a two-hour finale,
written exclusively by me, and guarded as securely as any Star Wars script,
which meant it didn't leak until after we'd finished shooting.

Remember that in the storyline, a ship was sent back to the friendly alien
Empire to announce Earth's decision to join and a request for help?  Well,
the ship arrived in the first hour of the finale...only to find an Empire
in ruin.  The second hour dealt with the hunt for, and capture of an enemy
scout ship by the Ganymede crew.  Yes, it ended with everything looking
grim and foreboding.

I'm a bastard sometimes.  Just ask Nathan.

NSYNC returned to the states on May 1st.  Was I happy?  HELL YES.  They
were coming back to Orlando, and since we'd finished postproduction on the
last of the episodes for the season, I was on hiatus for two months.  I
took Nathan out of school for the week (ignoring the Principal's protests.
Nathan was ready for his finals and didn't need the last few weeks of
bullshit before taking them.) and we flew out to Orlando the day before
they arrived.

Guess what?  Nathan turned sixteen in the past month.  Yes, he's now old
enough to drive, and he even had his license.  He didn't have a car yet (I
let him borrow James') because I refused to buy him one without James
there.  We knew what he wanted, but I still refused to even consider
getting it without my partner there.

That's why I was driving my red Florida mustang (not the red California
Mustang) to the airport and Nathan was following me in James RAV4.  The
poor kid was having trouble keeping up with me, but that was his problem,
not mine.  He was still excited about driving and had even insisted on
taking his friends riding at his birthday party.  That was the only time
I've let him drive my car before or since.

No he didn't wreck it, but it's MY car.  Only James or Manuel can drive it
besides me.

James let's everyone drive his car so it didn't really matter.


Okay, showing up two hours early for their flight home was not a good idea.
The fans all knew they were coming, and spotted Nathan and I very easily.
I had no idea so many teenage girls would want my autograph.

Or Nathan's.

I think at least ten of them proposed marriage to him, and at least another
twenty said they were sure they could make him straight.  That was when I
waived at a security guard and had them escort us to a VIP lounge.  Teenage
girls are not safe!  They actually caught ten of them trying to sneak into
the lounge.  I almost stuck my head out to yell that we WEREN'T NSYNC, but
Nathan didn't think it would do any good.  About a half-hour before the
flight was to land, Kelly showed up with Briana.  The little girl was
getting so big!  Lynn showed up after that with Paul and joined us in
waiting for the plane to land.

Chris and Danni had broken up...again!

Manuel's plane landed about the same time that Kelly arrived.  Instead of
staying in the gate area, he came looking for us and was seen by the mob of
fans...who of course recognized JC's guy.  I don't know who screamed
louder...them or him.  Luckily for him, security grabbed him and threw him
in with us.  He gave me a dirty look.

Why did he blame me because he fell in love with Josh and had to go through
this now?  All I did was introduce them.

Their plane was a half-hour late.  The only effect that had was that more
fans showed up, and the local press as well. Luckily, the lounge was
shielded from all that, so our reunion was relatively private.

As usual, Justin was leading the guys through the doorway.  They all looked
tired, but that drained from their faces as they saw us there.  James and I
crossed the distance between us in a heartbeat, our arms wrapping around
each other while our mouths met.  Our tongues were demanding to get to know
each other and I instantly regretted having worn tight jeans.  Nathan had
wisely decided to give Chris a welcome home hug and was chatting with him
while James and I stood there.  You know, Josh and Manuel gave each other a
hug and quick peck on the lips, Joey kissed Kelly nicely, then picked up a
squealing Briana, but it was James and I that everyone stared at.  I think
they thought we were going to strip each other right there and do it in
front of them.

I wanted to, but James stopped me as I was trying to get his pants open.

We made it out of the airport, with the help of security.  James even let
Nathan drive the RAV4 home.  Of course he had Chris in the car with him and
had to drop him off first.  Naturally, he stayed talking to Chris for a
while and eventually made his home the long way.

Too bad for him.  We still weren't done. At least we'd managed to finish in
the living room (although we did leave a used rubber on the coffee table
-- something Nathan reminds us of as much as he can) and made our way to
the bedroom.

I'd been teaching Nathan how to cook, and that night he got to test his
skill.  We emerged from the shower to smells of a pot roast cooking, and I
hurried downstairs as soon as I was dressed in comfortable shorts and a
t-shirt.  I needn't have worried.  Nathan was going to make somebody a good
cook.

It was as we were finishing dinner, both congratulating Nathan extensively,
and him reminding us of the rule regarding dishes, that the doorbell rang.
James went to answer it, and came back with a frown on his face and an
envelope in his hands.  It was addressed to me, and he told me a process
server had delivered it.  I opened it with shaking hands and discovered
something so bizarre that I had to laugh.

It was a paternity suit!  A woman who claimed I had fathered her baby was
suing me for back child support.  Talk about hilarious!  Nathan and James
were even laughing.  That was when a memory floated up that stopped my
laughing.

I'd had sex with this woman in the right time frame.

Yes, James figured out why I had stopped laughing and was patiently waiting
for details.  I gave them to him.  It had been at a frat party about a year
before I met him.  There was a really cute frat boy whose girlfriend wanted
a three-way with another guy.  I was drunk enough, and he was cute enough,
that I went ahead and did it with them.  Did I use a rubber?  I was pretty
sure I had, but sometimes they can break.

That kind of soured a good mood pretty quick.  We all jumped when there was
another knock on the door.  This time I got up and answered the door.
Guess?  It was another process server with another legal notice for me.  I
signed and opened this one, feeling James come up behind me.

As I read it, I began to feel anger bubbling up inside of me.  I wanted
nothing more than to tear it up, but James grabbed it out of my hands
before I could.  He let out a frustrated growl as Nathan asked us what was
happening. I calmed myself with a few breaths.

"It appears your father's brother has moved to Florida sometime in the past
year." I said slowly.  This Uncle of Nathan's was one that had refused to
take him in, and had threatened to try to get custody from Utah last year.
"Yesterday he filed suit here in Florida to get custody of you.  They must
have been waiting for us to all be here at the same time."

"Can they do this?" James asked quietly, his voice very controlled.
"California and Arizona have both ruled giving you custody.  Can they sue
in Florida?"

"I'm not sure." I admitted.  "There's the good faith and credit clause in
the constitution, but Florida law specifically forbids adoption by same-sex
couples.  California law is permissive, which is why we filed there."

"So, what happens to me?" Nathan asked, his voice weak and his eyes wide.

"Well, according to this, I can't take you out of state, which would
normally end the debate right there." I answered.  "We'll have to get a
Florida attorney fast.  The hearing is in 3 days."

"I'll start calling." James said, turning and hugging Nathan before picking
up the living room phone.  Apparently he was calling people from Jive at
home.  Nathan came over and hugged me, and I cradled him in my arms as he
started to cry.  We both jumped when the doorbell rang again.  I reached
over and pulled it open.  I immediately wanted to slam it shut, but I
didn't.

It was another process server.

James and I were being sued for $10 million by Nathan's Aunt Killmer. You
know, the one who tried to send Nathan off to be vegetablized at an
institution.  She was suing us for defamation of character.  It seemed she
didn't like the way we referred to her in several interviews over the past
year.

One of these was bad.  Two was very suspicious.  Three made me damn sure
there was something nasty afoot.  I walked with Nathan into the kitchen and
got my cell phone where I had left it before dinner.  A few minutes later I
had a three-way call going with Marketing Mark and Liz Jameson (She was the
new head of PR.  She replaced the coke head who got caught snorting while
at work).  Ten minutes after I started the call, they were off and running,
pumping their sources in various media outlets to find out if anything was
going on there.

James came into the kitchen and gave us both another hug.  Nathan was not
letting go of me, even to hug James at that moment.  James expression was
dour, but he tried a gentle smile as he pulled back from the hug.

"I've got us a lawyer." He said softly.  "He's won three of four cases that
went to the Florida Supreme court, and one out of one cases before the US
Supreme Court.  He's probably one of the best in the state.  He wants a
$60,000 retainer and his billing will work out to about $2,000 per hour.
That will cover the paternity and the custody case."

"As long as he's worth every penny." I said.

"We'll use a Jive or a Korvan lawyer for the libel case because it's a
civil suit and those interviews can all be construed as job related." He
continued.  His steadiness gave me courage, and Nathan as well.  He went
over what the lawyer wanted us to bring tomorrow morning, and then decided
it was bedtime.  Neither of us argued with him as he shooed us upstairs.
There was no discussion about it, but Nathan came into our room with us,
undressed and climbed into the middle of the bed.  James and I followed,
immediately wrapping our arms around him.  He cried softly, then drifted
into sleep.  I followed him soon after, my last sight before sleep was
James' eyes just above Nathan's red hair.

We both were awakened by Nathan's nightmares several times that night.  He
would jerk, kick, or scream out, waking us both up.  I would run my fingers
through his hair while James lightly scratched his back (he'd told us that
was how his mother use to calm him) and we would both whisper quiet
reassurances to him.  He didn't wake up, and calmed down each time while I
swore revenge on whoever was behind this.

The next morning was overcast and muggy.  We all woke up around the same
time, and Nathan disappeared into his room to shower.  James and I
showered, but the water did not produce our usual friskiness.  Instead, we
took comfort in washing each other gently.  We'd been separated for a long
time while he finished the Europe tour, and now to face this so soon after
his return was sending us both on wild emotional roller coasters.

While I fixed breakfast, and Nathan watched MTV, James called the rest of
NSYNC.  That's when he told me to fix enough for an army.  Luckily I'd been
shopping the day before and had the fridge well stocked.  By the time I
finished with most of the food, the doorbell started ringing, and the
sounds of our friends arriving drove away the unnatural quiet we'd been
experiencing.

Chris, Joey, Kelly (with Briana), Josh, Manuel, and Justin joined us for
breakfast and all expressed their outrage at what we were going
through. They all read through the three legal documents and had nothing
nice to say.  Nathan seemed to cheer up at hearing their comments and was
actually in a decent mood when it was time to go to our new lawyer.

The rest of the group decided to stay at James' and have lunch ready for
when we returned.  It looked like the NSYNC tradition of a barbeque after a
tour was going to take place a little early as they all started calling
family and friends.  We left in my red Mustang and headed downtown to this
lawyer's office.

The three of us were immediately shown into a fancy office and introduced
to Steven Darlin Meyers, the third. He was a man in his mid-forties, tall
and distinguished looking. He shook our hands and we all set down to
business.  He read over the documents we'd been served with (the two he was
going to represent us on) and then sat there for a moment.

"I've received the files from your California and Arizona attorneys
regarding your previous cases." He began speaking in measured tones.  "The
custody orders from both states affirm the guardianship positions of both
of you and should be covered under the full faith and credit clause, unless
you have moved your permanent address to Florida."

"I'm registered in California." I answered the unspoken question.

"I've changed my license and all my legal stuff to California as well."
James supplied.

"Then they are on shaky ground." Steven said slowly.  "They may try to
argue that your domicile here represents at least part time citizenship in
Florida, your legal documents, voting records, and drivers licenses clearly
show you are no more than a part-time resident.  They'll have to prove
Florida has jurisdiction since the first motion I'll make is to change the
venue to California based on your residency."

"How likely is it that your motion would not pass?" I asked.

"It depends on who the judge is.  Unless we get old Gunderson, we'll be
fine.  Gunderson is so homophobic he'd ignore any law to take Nathan out of
your custody.  If we do get him, I don't give us much chance.  We'll have
to wait for appeal."

"Which means that they could take me?" Nathan asked, his voice weak.

"Only for a little while.  If we get Gunderson, I'll have the appeal
written and ready to file within an hour of his publishing his findings.
My appeal will also include an injunction that you not be removed from the
state." Steve said directly to Nathan.

"As long as they can't send me to one of those crazy places, I'll be okay
for a few days." Nathan said, but his voice was trembling.  He calmed as I
put my hand on his shoulder.

"I don't want to see that happen..." I began saying, but was interrupted by
Steven's secretary.

"Sir, gentlemen," she said in a calm, but assertive voice as she entered
the room and revealed a television behind a wooden cabinet.  She
immediately turned it on and tuned to a local station.  "I'm sorry to
interrupt, but you really need to see this."

"...when we were approached by our clients to represent them in this
matter." A male attorney was saying.  He was dressed impeccably and had an
American flag on his lapel.  "The American Center for Law and Justice
naturally was inclined to take this case.  It is an important part of our
mission to uphold the American way of life, and two see these two
homosexuals flout everything that is American is abhorrent.  We sympathize
with Nathan Killmer, who has been through great tragedy and has had that
compounded by brainwashing from his supposed guardians through their
globe-hopping, decadent and hedonistic lifestyle.  Nathan belongs with his
family who loves him and we are going to see that happen!"

"Why is this being pursued now?" a reporter shouted out.

"Well, it has taken us a while to prepare the evidence we need to prove
this case," the lawyer on screen said, "and we had to wait until James
Lance Bass returned to the country. We were afraid that if they learned of
our intentions before they were served, they would take the minor out of
state or even out of the country and try to use their connections to
prevent us from forcing the return of the minor.  The court recognizes that
they are a flight risk and have ordered that they must stay within the
state.  We've even taken the measure of advising Customs of this order so
they can't try to run out of the country."

"They are really throwing the mud around." Steven muttered, shaking his
head.

"We've also asked the Florida Department of Child Welfare to look into the
home situation and make sure Nathan is being adequately cared for while
this case continues." The on-screen lawyer continued talking.  "We hope
that they might take custody of him immediately so as to prevent any
further abuse from taking place."

"Are you saying their sexuality makes them unfit guardians?" another
reporter shouted out.

"That is only part of our complaint." The attorney said promptly.  "We're
not even sure if Mr. Young is as homosexual as he claims.  He's being sued
right now for back child-support he fathered with a woman!  But more than
their sexuality, their lack of morals, their jet-setting life style, and
their constant inattention to Nathan have presented a situation where he is
not being cared for properly.  We will prove all of these things in court
in such a way as their chosen lifestyle will not be the only reason why we
win.  Now, I thank you for your time, but my clients and I have work to
do."

Commentators from the local station came on screen, promising to forward
new developments in this `startling' case as they became available.  Nathan
was white as a sheet and both James and I kneeled at his side to hug him
close.  He was crying softly.

"It's obvious that this is a coordinated effort." Steven said softly after
a few moments.  "He even commented on the paternity lawsuit, making it
sound a foregone conclusion that you were the father, something not yet
proven. Speaking of which, let's deal with that one first.  Is there any
likelihood you are the father?"

"There's a possibility." I admitted, getting sharp looks from Nathan and
James.  I explained about what had happened at that party and I could tell
Steven was not pleased.

"Well, I was going to suggest a blood test or a DNA test, but if they come
back confirming you are the father, we've made their case for them.  In
these documents, they don't even request one be performed."

"That's because they're not sure." I said firmly.

"My opinion is the same." Steven said calmly.

"Let's take the gamble and have the tests done." I said, with James nodding
agreement.

"What if the kid is yours?" Steven asked.

"Then we pay back child support for what, one or two years?" I half-asked,
not sure of the timing.  He nodded.  "Then we sue for custody.  If the kid
is mine, I want to raise him.  Last I heard, the girl dropped out of school
and was marrying some guy in a motorcycle gang."

"Sounds like a plan, and a might good one.  I'll respond to their paternity
claim with a demand for DNA testing since that is the surest, and a custody
claim if the tests support their claim of you as father.  How much child
support are you willing to pay if the tests come back positive?"

"Whatever the state percentages are for single parents with one child, plus
5 percent." I said firmly, with James nodding.  "I don't want anyone to
think I am not willing to spend money on any of my children."

"I'll also try to get a copy of the birth certificate." Steven said after a
moment of re-scanning the documents.  "I don't see where they entered the
birth certificate naming you as the father."

"That's good." James said softly.  We both knew not naming me on the birth
certificate was a good thing for our side.  Steven handed me a paper with
the name and address of a lab to take the DNA and blood samples.  Then we
returned to Nathan's case.

"I'm worried that they held a press conference so soon." He told us.  "I
have a feeling that there's more to this case than just the normal
animosity and religious bigotry."

"I have the same feeling." I confirmed for him, and James nodded.

"Okay, I want you three to lay low for the next two days.  Tomorrow you are
to come down here around 1 and we'll go over questions and answers that may
come up at the hearing.  I also want you to give me contacts for your
company's media handlers.  You're going to have to respond to this, and I
think it'll be best if you do it in person."

"Our friends will probably want to be there." James said firmly.

"Good." Steven said just as firmly.  "The more people around you two, the
better.  Any family you can get to stand with you, get them out here today.
Any friends you have, get them to stand with you when we do a news
conference, and since you're both acquainted with Hollywood, get as many of
your friends there to issue press releases in support that you can.  This
is going to be fought in two courts, the one downtown and the court of
public opinion.  Get your experts in that field involved, and I'll handle
the one downtown."

"That's a good idea, Steven." I said, smiling a little.  Let's get some
strategies worked out."

"Marge?" Steven said into the intercom.  "Cancel all my appointments this
morning."

The morning passed in agonizing slowness as Steven asked all of us tons of
questions.  They ranged from everything about my past to James' past, and
included a lot of detailed questions of Nathan.  I was absolutely honest
with him, and he didn't like what he was hearing.  That was the first time
I realized that my mixed past could be used against me in court.

I was not looking forward to the experience if our opponents had done their
homework.  That's why I was in a bad mood and let James drive the Mustang
home.  That mood changed when we walked into the house and saw a room full
of people.  We'd been gone for over 6 hours and were later than we had
originally planned.

Apparently our friends used that time very well.  NSYNC was there, with all
of their families (except for James' mother -- they still weren't
talking).  Grandma and Nanny were sitting on either side of Robin, telling
him some story (probably about me) while Whoopi sipped a drink and listened
in from one of the armchairs.  Chad was there with half of the regular cast
of "Ganymede", and there even more people outside.

It was a full blown party.  Hell, Johnny Wright had even taken time off and
brought half his staff with him!  Everyone got up and surrounded us as soon
as we walked in the door.  All three of us were teary eyed at their
support.  The remainder of the afternoon was filled with fun and laughter.
It was early evening and people were still lounging around the pool when
the doorbell rang.  One of the myriad NSYNC friends or family members
answered it, and directed the person at the door back to the pool area.
James and I were chatting with my Nanny while watching Nathan play in the
pool with some of the younger kids there.  I glanced up at the shadow that
fell over me and was immediately shivering with a sudden chill.

This woman looked like nothing but trouble.  She was dressed impeccably in
a red suit with a long skirt, and had her gray/black hair done up in a
tight bun.  Her face looked like it had never smiled.  I'd long since
changed into my speedo and tank top, as had James.  I suddenly felt like
trailer trash, no matter how much money I had in the bank, and that was how
this woman was looking at me as I stood up and greeted her.

"Hello, I'm David Young, may I help you?" I asked her politely.

"My name is Janice Koplin." She said sternly, looking at my proffered hand
and sniffing before shaking it.  "I'm with Florida Department of Children
and Family.  I'm here to check on the welfare of the minor, Nathan
Killmer."

"Well, ma'am." I said slowly.  "I'm not quite sure Florida Child Welfare
has jurisdiction in this situation, but you're more than welcome to look
around and talk to him."

"If he's in this state, I have the authority I need." The woman said and I
knew I should have kept my mouth shut.  "I would think for someone facing
the legal troubles you are that you would not be having a party."

"Our friends and family are trying to cheer us up." James said coldly.  "It
was working until a few minutes ago."

That was when my Nanny and Grandmother came over.  The entire area had gone
quiet as we talked to her, and everyone was hanging on every word.  Nanny
and Grandma came right up and introduced themselves to her, making it very
clear who they were.  She looked at them with scorn, and I knew we were in
trouble.

"Do both you and Mr. Bass live at this residence?" She asked me after her
staring match with my grandmothers.

"Yes, we do." I said slowly.

"And how many people are staying here as well?" she asked.

"Right now, just my grandmothers will be staying here with Nathan and us."
I answered.

"I see.  Does Nathan have his own room?"

"Of course." James answered.

"How many bedrooms are there?" She asked.

"Five" James answered again.

"So you and Mister Young have separate bedrooms?" She asked James.

"No, we share the master bedroom." James said, and her eyes flashed while a
smile flickered across her face for a moment.  Nathan had gotten out of the
pool and was standing between James and I at this point.

"Nathan?" she asked him and smiled evilly when he nodded his head.  "Go dry
yourself off and put on some clothes.  You can pack a bag while you are
about it, we'll be leaving immediately."

"What?" was shouted from about forty throats at the same time.  She jumped
a bit at the volume and stared around at everyone.  She immediately grabbed
her cell phone and held it out like a weapon.

"Don't make me call the police!" She snarled.  "No minor child should be
subjected to living in a home with open homosexuals sharing the same room!
That's all the grounds I need to remove him from this home and place him
into satisfactory foster care until his legal status is determined!"

At this point Nathan had buried himself into my side and was crying openly.
I tried to comfort him while James was handed a phone by Grandma.  He
immediately called our lawyer. From the look on his face, I knew what the
lawyer was saying, and it was not good for us.  When James nodded she
smiled again and grabbed Nathan's arm, yanking him out of my grasp.  He
yelled in pain, and she slapped him, causing all of us to draw our breath
in.  I personally had to stop myself from killing her right there.  The
only thing that stopped me was the sight of Justin with a camcorder
catching everything.

I'd forgotten that Nathan had it out earlier, recording this party.  I
looked at my crying son, and felt torn.  I didn't know how true my next
words really were, I just knew I'd do anything to make them true.

"Nathan." I croaked out through a tight throat.  "Nathan, son, I'm sorry,
but you are going to have to do what the woman says.  Remember what
happened last time?  I want you to remember that, and I want you to promise
me that you will do what you are told, okay?  When this is all over, we'll
get to laugh about it, but for now, you must do what you are told."

"Okay, dad." Nathan said, then wrenched his arm out of her grasp and hugged
both James and I.  When she went to grab him again, he pointed to bruises
forming from her fingertips earlier and told her he didn't want any more
marks from her, and that he'd cooperate.

Ten minutes later, Nathan was being pulled away while James and I hugged
each other, surrounded by people who tried to comfort us in some way.  I
vowed softly to James (and to an absent Nathan) that I'd find out exactly
what was going on, find out who was responsible and make them PAY for what
they were doing to us.

If I could, I'd kill them.

I mean every word of it, I'm not illustrating, I'm not venting.  I was past
angry, past furious.  I wanted the people who were doing this to die, and
I'd be happy to put them six feet under.  James must have known what I was
thinking because he gave me a look that said he wouldn't allow me to go to
prison.  Damn him.

Everyone started leaving at that point, leaving Nanny and Grandma with
sheets of paper listing everyone's phone numbers and locations.  Justin
left with the camcorder in his hands, and told us he would take it to our
lawyer immediately.  We thanked him as he left.  Soon, it was just the four
of us.  I got Nanny's shoulder, James got Grandmas and we both cried in
their arms for hours.  They finally ended up walking us to the bedroom and
putting us to bed with cups of warm vanilla milk to sip before falling
asleep.

We soon fell asleep, crying in each other's arms, praying that Nathan was
safe wherever bitch woman took him.

Too bad our prayers weren't answered.

***

The next morning as James and I woke, we both felt listless. It was Grandma
who got us up and moving, Nanny who cooked us breakfast.  They even
insisted on driving us to our lawyer's office.

If we'd known what was going on with Nathan at that time, we'd have driven
to where he was and killed everyone there.  When we did find out, James was
the one who said that, not me.

As it was, we entered Steven's office like two men who'd lost their meaning
in life.  What he told us made us feel even worse.  The State of Florida
had given Nathan into the temporary custody of his Uncle's family.  We
reacted with rage at that point, but he calmed us down.  That's when we got
down to business and began working on our case.  He showed the video that
Justin had shot, and it included a good hour's worth of the party before
the bitch social worker had arrived.

We definitely had a case against the State for her actions.  Unfortunately,
that was the only good news.  We were exhausted when we returned home for
lunch, and not really looking forward to the next day's court case.  If
this were the old west, we'd have gotten our posse together and taken
Nathan back by force. But wishing wasn't going to solve any of our
problems.

What was worse was that the events of the last few days were all over the
news.  Did you know that this was an election year?  The tube was filled
with politicians speaking out on both sides of the event.  Somehow the
story had skyrocketed to the top news story of the day, and was being
debated on every news talk show on that afternoon.

Some of the things people said fed our anger, others were calming and
supportive.  Surprisingly, they were evenly mixed.  I was expecting more to
be negative.  Maybe there was hope yet.  During the afternoon, our closest
friends (NSYNC, Chad, Manuel, and a few others) showed up and tried to
cheer us up.  It didn't work too well.

That was when we tuned into Larry King Live and I lost whatever calm I had
remaining.  Nathan's bitch of an Aunt who had filed the false charges
against me was there with the Uncle who currently had Nathan as well as the
woman who claimed have borne a child by me.

I picked up the phone and called.  It took a while to convince the screener
I was who I said I was.  Everyone tried to get me to put the phone down,
but I wasn't listening.  James was the only one supporting me, and his
support was all I cared about.

"We have a surprise caller." Larry King said on T.V. "Please welcome the
subject of our conversation tonight, Dave Young."

"Hello Larry." I said calmly.  "I wish I was talking to you under better
circumstances."

"So do I, Dave." Larry said in a friendly tone.  "What do you have to say
to these people who have been making these claims against you?"

"First, to Sarah, I would like to hear her be honest about the
circumstances in which we engaged in sexual intercourse.  She's been
leaving a part of the story out." I said, watching the bitch blush on
television.  She stammered for a bit, before whispering that her boyfriend
had been there participating.

"She's still leaving something out." I said.  "She's forgetting that I was
wearing a condom and he wasn't."

"That's not true!" she shouted on screen.

"If it isn't true, then why are you refusing a paternity test?  Why wasn't
I named on the birth certificate?"  We'd learned that today at Steven's
office.  She refused to have DNA and blood samples of the baby boy taken,
and she had not named anyone on the birth certificate.

"I don't believe in those tests!" She stammered out.  "And I didn't name
you because I thought you were just a nobody and I wasn't going to subject
my son to having you for a father!"

"So, you waited until I had money, eh?  Too bad you also failed to mention
at least six other guys you had sex with during the week before and after.
Are you claiming any of them are the father or am I just the richest?"

"Dave, this isn't Jerry Springer." Larry said sternly and I immediately
apologized.  That's when the Aunt muttered something about how I was always
lying on television.

"Let's move onto dear Auntie, Larry." I said quickly.  "This is the lady
who has been convicted of lying to the police in an attempt to get back at
me for putting her child molesting husband into prison.  She served 600
hours of community service and I have a notarized apology from her
admitting her lies.  Now she sues me for defamation of character at the
same time as these two other lawsuits.  I'm wondering how much conspiring
went on among these three in an attempt to assassinate my character in the
court of public opinion.  I just hope people remember one thing about this
woman. She's a convicted liar who got caught big time.  I am not worried
about her lawsuit because I haven't lied about her. How can you defame
someone when you are telling the truth?"

"So you're not afraid of the truth?" Nathan's Uncle, the brother of the
woman I had just attacked verbally, asked.

"Of course not." I said with a snort.

"I'm glad to hear that, sinner." He said, very self-righteously.  "We've
done some looking into your background and found some very interesting
things."

"Like what?" I asked rhetorically, not letting him interrupt.  "Drug use?
That's hard to find out about. I mean I've only talked about it on national
television five or six times.  I've also talked about how it was wrong of
me to have used drugs and how it almost ruined my life.  I've advocated and
given money to drug prevention programs.  What else?  Oh, that I've had a
large number of sexual partners in my life?  I've talked about that as
well, and the ramifications of those actions.  I've talked about that and
how safe sex was the only thing that kept me free of AIDS or other sexually
transmitted disease.  What else?  That I drank as a kid.  Been there,
talked about it.  Hell, you can have the police come and search all of our
homes and you won't find any alcohol in our house unless we are having a
party AT THAT TIME.  We throw it all out after a party.  What else is there
that you are going to try to shock us with?  How much will your own life
stand up to public scrutiny?  Are you living in a glass house and casting
stones?"

"Wow." Larry said, interrupting my diatribe.  "I take it you feel strongly
about recent events?"

"You might say that, Larry." I said, taking a deep, calming breath.  "James
and I cried ourselves to sleep last night after social services took Nathan
away without any valid reason.  We've spent all day preparing with a lawyer
for a court case we should not be having to go through, and instead of
celebrating James' return from Europe, we're preparing for a fight to keep
our family together."

"He's not your family." Nathan's Uncle growled.  "He's our blood."

"He may be your blood, sir." I said politely.  "But I dare you to bring him
on national television and ask him who his family is.  I have no doubt what
his answer will be."

"We don't want to subject him to undue public scrutiny." The Uncle said
self-righteously.

"But you're willing to drag him into court, and show up on national
television to promote your own viewpoints and actions, all in the name of
helping him?  How is that preventing him from undue public scrutiny?"

"It's a different matter discussing the matter on t.v. than it is to put
him on camera." Was the asshole's reply.

"Well, I think I'll let the people decide that." I said, closing this call
now that I'd vented.  "As it is, Larry thanks for taking my call.  I'll be
seeing your guests in court and look forward to winning all three frivolous
cases."

I hung up, and got cheered by everyone in the room.  The phone rang and it
was Steven, our lawyer.  After he chewed me out for not warning him first,
he told me that I'd done okay.  I hadn't revealed too much about how we
were approaching this case, and I'd actually made most of them look foolish
before a national audience.  Hopefully, it'd swing people's opinion our
way.

Why was I so worried about public opinion?  Greed.  I wanted to continue
making money, as did James.  In order to do that, I had to get people to
watch my show, and he had to get people to buy records and concert tickets.
Without our fans, and their support, we'd eventually run out of money.

And I did care what people thought of me.

Soon, James and I stumbled up the stairs and crawled into bed.  Both of us
slept fitfully that night, waking each other up with our tossing.  We
finally drifted off to sleep sometime in the wee hours of the morning.

Nanny woke us up the next morning while Grandma cooked.  Both of them
looked like they hadn't slept well either.  For the first time in years, I
found myself leaning on them for support and comfort.  I knew that the
amount of time they had left was not much, but I prayed right then that
they'd be around for at least the next twenty years.

We got dressed and drove down to the lawyer's office an hour before court
started.  He was ready and dressed in a suit as nice as the Armani suits we
were wearing.  We followed him to the courthouse and pushed our way through
the press that had gathered.  It looked like the OJ trials out there and I
shuddered at the thought of how much attention this was gathering.  None of
us wanted, or needed this.

We were sitting in the courtroom, James and I at the table with our lawyer
Steve.  Our friends and family filled the first three rows behind us.
Across from us sat Nathan's Uncle, his wife, three attorneys, and the
social services worker.  Behind them were about two rows of people who all
wore buttons that said "GOD'S LAW".  Guess who they were there to support?
The rest of the courtroom was filled with reporters, and I groaned at the
cameras with the "Court TV" logo.

"Where's Nathan?" I asked Steven.  He shrugged, but wrote a quick note
saying that he would be raising that issue.  The judge finally entered the
room, and I breathed a sigh of relief that it wasn't the homophobic judge
he'd warned us about.  Instead it was a man in his late fifties with silver
hair and a gaunt expression.  He did not look happy to have this case.  I
recognized the name Alister Montegomery as being one of the judge's Steven
had identified as being `unreadable' on the issues we were having to deal
with.  As the bailiff read the case, I fidgeted in my seat, praying this
would soon be over.  The judge recognized our lawyer first since he had a
motion to file.

"Your Honor," Steven began, speaking in a melodic tone that conveyed
professionalism and respect.  "The defense would like to submit a motion
for dismissal based on the fact that the State of Florida does not have
jurisdiction in this case.  My clients were granted permanent custody of
the minor Nathan Killmer by the State of California.  Any custody hearing
or challenge should take place in the state of residence both of the minor
and of his guardians.  We have documents here proving that Mr. Young and
Mr. Bass are residents of the State of California, owning a home which they
use only on occasion in Florida."

"What does the Plaintiff have to say regarding this motion?" the Judge
asked, looking over at the bench.

"Your Honor," one of the lawyers said, rising to speak.  "I am Dale Stiles
of the State District Attorney's office.  The minor Nathan Killmer was
removed from the home of Mr. Young and Mr. Bass last night by Child Welfare
and placed in the custody of his Uncle, Mr. Killmer.  Since the
intervention of the Florida Department of Children and Families, the State
of Florida does have jurisdiction.  Further, since a custody hearing was
already in progress, the State wishes to join this case on behalf of the
Plaintiff."

"This is highly irregular." The Judge said, and then recognized Steven who
had indicated he wished to speak.

"Your honor, since the basis of the Plaintiff's claim to jurisdiction, is
the removal of the minor from my clients home, I would request that the
court review the circumstances of that removal before ruling on my motion.
I see the FDCW employee who removed the minor from the home is present and
I'm sure can testify as to why the removal was made."

"Counselor?" The Judge asked, looking at the other table.  The three
lawyers conferred for a bit, then indicated their agreement.  The bitch of
a social worker was sworn in and then sat down.  The State attorney
immediately began questioning her.

"Ma'am, will you please state your name and employer for the record?" he
said in a friendly tone.

"Yes, I am Janice Koplin and am a supervisor with the Florida Department of
Children and Families.  I have worked there for fifteen years as a social
worker and currently supervise operations in the Orlando area."

"What happened two nights ago when you visited the Young/Bass household?"

"Well, we had received a report of possible abuse of a minor in that home
and I went to investigate.  I was aware from the news of the recent suit
for custody and was surprised when I entered the home to find a party in
progress.  There were dozens of half-naked people in and around the pool
area dancing, drinking and splashing in the pool.  I found Mr. Young and
Mr. Bass scantily clad near the pool area.  They were engaged in an
unseemly public display of affection in front of their guests, including
several minor children.

"I introduced myself to them and they were both immediately hostile,
initially resisting my efforts to interview the minor alone.  They answered
several questions which caused me some immediate concerns about
the...lifestyle...that Nathan was being subjected to in that home.  I did
manage to get Nathan alone and he reacted fearfully, a classic sign of
abuse.  Further questioning revealed that in my opinion, he was the victim
of possible physical or sexual abuse and I removed him from the home
immediately.  For his own safety and well-being, he was placed with his
closest living relatives who are residents of the area and upstanding
members of the community."

"Thank you, Mrs. Koplin.  No further questions." The State attorney said
with a smile.  Steven remained sitting and stared at her dramatically for a
few moments.

"Mrs. Koplin, how were you notified of the suspected abuse?" He asked her.

"I received a phone call." She replied indignant at having to repeat
herself.

"Where were you when you received this call and what time was the call
received?" Steve asked.

"Objection as to relevancy." The State attorney interrupted.

"Relevancy is establishing the situation surrounding the removal of the
minor from the home and the report of abuse." Steven said, and the judge
overruled the objection.

"I was at home, it was around 5:30 p.m.." She answered.  It's a good thing
she told the truth.  Steve had the log of people who left the building and
she had not been there when the call was made.

"Who was the caller?"

"He did not identify himself." She answered rudely.

"Did you recognize his voice?" Steven asked, another objection was made,
but overruled.

"You do realize that phone records will verify the numbers that called you
on this day?" Steven continued.  The State attorney objected, claiming
Steven was badgering the witness, and Steven asked her to be declared a
hostile witness.  Steven's request was granted.  The judge turned to the
social worker and asked her to answer the question.

"It was the Director of the FDCF." She said reluctantly.

"Your ultimate boss within your department?" Steve asked for clarification
and she whispered an affirmative.

"Very well, Mrs. Koplin." Steven said, leaning back in his chair.  "I would
like you to think back over your testimony on what you found at the home
and why you removed Nathan from the home.  Is there anything about that
testimony that you would like to amend?"

"No." She said immediately and firmly.

"I'm sorry to hear that, because we have thirty-two adults who are willing
to testify that events did not transpire as you state.  Further, we have a
DVD recording of the events at that party that we will wish to present in
evidence at this time."

"Your Honor!" the State attorney said immediately, jumping to his feet.
"The defendant and most of the people he associates with our involved in
the entertainment industry.  He is a Producer and creator of the top
television series on television and works with the creation of computerized
special effects on a daily basis.  There's no way we can trust the veracity
of this recording!  For all we know, they scanned the image of Mrs. Koplin
into a computer and recreated the scene inside a computer."

"He does have a point," the Judge said, turning towards our table.
Mrs. Koplin was deathly white on the stand.

"Your honor, the point is a good one.  This is why I have a sworn affidavit
from Mr. Justin Randall Timberlake which states that following the events
described by Mrs. Koplin, he left the premises and turned the camcorder
over to me without doing anything other than turning it off.  Furthermore,
I have sworn statements from the City Attorney of Orlando with whom I was
eating at the time Mr. Timberlake appeared with the camcorder.  By my
request, the video disc was removed by the City of Orlando Police Forensics
Unit.  The only prints that were found on the disk were those belonging to
the minor Nathan Killmer.  I have the documents here including statements
from the Forensic Units identifying prints on the camcorder as belonging
only to Mr. Timberlake, Mr. Killmer, myself, and the Orlando City Attorney.
I request that the DVD be played from time index 1:06:36 forward."  Steven
said, then handed his documents and a disc to the bailiff, who passed them
to the judge.  The judge looked at the papers thoroughly, then nodded and
instructed the bailiff to bring a television monitor with a DVD player.

It took ten, long excruciating moments.  I took great pleasure in staring
at Mrs. Koplin.  The judge frowned at me, but I couldn't help the small
smile on my face as she broke out into a sweat.  So what? I was enjoying
her discomfort.

Finally, the bailiff returned with a television monitor and DVD player.  It
was plugged in and the disc inserted.  The video actually started before
the doorbell rang and was focused on the swimming pool where Nathan was
dunking Chris Kirkpatrick then swimming away madly.  He looked so happy
that tears started to run down my face.

I looked over at James and he was crying too.  The judge looked over at us
at that point and noticed our emotional state before returning his gaze to
the screen.

The camera swiveled when Mrs. Koplin entered in her red power suit.  It
zoomed in on us as we talked to her.  I had to admit, James looked gorgeous
on camera.  I looked okay.  The conversation was clearly audible, and you
could hear the audience gasp as Koplin yanked Nathan away from me, then
slapped him.  The camera zoomed in, clearly showing the bruises forming on
Nathan's pale arm.  It followed us throughout our movement inside, and
clearly showed that she had never talked to him alone. Her testimony was
clearly discredited.

Remind me not to complain the next time someone gives Nathan expensive,
high quality equipment.

Silence reigned as the screen went blank, the last image of James and I
hugging each other for comfort as the bitch took away our son.  The judge
nodded towards the bailiff who turned off the television.  Steven rose to
his feet and the judge nodded towards him.

"Your Honor," Steven began, speaking slowly, his voice full of
compassion. "From this video tape, it is clear that the testimony of
Mrs. Koplin is suspect at least, downright criminal at worst.  The only
reason she gave for the removal of the minor from this home was the sexual
orientation of my clients and her personal beliefs in opposition to their
lifestyle.  This party shows people around a pool dressed appropriately for
swimming and sunbathing.  We see children, parents, grandparents, and
great-grandparents gathered to support and encourage a family going through
a difficult time.  What better example is there of a loving household?

"We also see a certified social worker, a state employee, grab a minor so
forcefully that she left bruises, and slapped him when he protested.  We
see a family torn apart for no valid reason."

"Your HONOR!" one of the other attorneys across the aisle protested.
"Florida law specifically forbids a same-sex couple from adopting.  She was
within her rights..."

"Florida law may forbid adoption, but it does not forbid custody." Steven
said loudly, but without malice.  "In fact children are placed with gay
couples for custody purposes on a regular basis in parts of this state.
Further, Florida did not grant custody of Nathan Killmer to Mr. Young,
California and Arizona did.  My clients, and their charge are not permanent
residents of Florida, they are visitors or part-time residents, and that
varies from year to year based on the number of days they stay each year.
They have clearly proven they do not intend to declare Florida their
permanent residence.  The reasons for removal given by Mrs. Koplin are not
consistent with written policy of the FDCF.

"Further, it is clear she made no attempt to speak privately with Nathan
Killmer in order to determine if sexual or physical abuse was a problem.
Finally, we have no doctors reports to indicate that such abuse took place,
and no claims that Nathan was seen by a doctor as required by law where
abuse is suspected by a State worker.  I believe the evidence is clear that
this court is not the proper jurisdiction for this hearing, and I also
believe it is clear that Mrs. Koplin acted wrongly in removing Nathan
Killmer from the home of Mr. Young and Mr. Bass.  Therefore I am requesting
in addition to the dismissal of this case the immediate return of Nathan
Killmer to the custody of his legal guardians."

"The attorney for the defendants is absolutely correct in his motions.
Does the State have anything it wishes to add at this time?" The Judge
said, looking sternly at the State attorney who mumbled a negative.

"Very well then, I rule in favor of the defendant's motion for dismissal
and do hereby order the immediate return of Nathan Killmer to Mr. Young.
Defense council shall accompany two sheriff deputies to the home of
Mr. Mark Killmer to execute this order.  I will also be forwarding this
matter to the State Attorney General and the Justice Department for
investigation.  Mr. Young, I am aware that this is the third time you have
been dragged into court by the family of your charge on frivolous charges.
Please accept my apologies for the troubles you have been through and enjoy
your stay in Florida."

"Thank you your honor." I said, rising to my feet.  The courtroom erupted
in noise when he banged his gavel, and our family and friends immediately
surrounded us.  Steven said he'd go with two deputies and get Nathan.  He'd
meet us at the house with our son in about an hour.  We made our way out of
the courthouse, totally ignoring the press.  I had no desire to speak to
them at the moment.  The only thing I did say was "We're going home and
waiting for our son to be returned to us."  James said pretty much the same
thing.

I cried when we entered the front door and saw a huge banner saying
"WELCOME HOME NATHAN!"  There was even a large cake waiting for him.
People surrounded us, talking laughing and we were all in high spirits.  As
the hour expired, we started growing anxious.  By an hour and a half, we
were worried.  At two hours, I started to panic when there was a knock at
the front door.  I opened it amid cheering from everyone.  The cheering
died when the only one to step through the door was Steven.  His face was
grim as he turned towards me and James.

"I'm sorry." He said softly.  "Nathan wasn't at their home.  They claim he
volunteered to go on a religious retreat.  I've spoken with the judge and
the county sheriff.  They are treating this as a kidnapping and have issued
an Amber Alert statewide. With any luck we should find him soon."

"NOOOOOO!" I screamed as blackness welled up inside of me and I passed out,
falling against James.

***

Hate me, love me, but tell me what you think...

To be continued.