Life Unexpected (2010) s02e11 Episode Script
Stand Taken
Previously on life unexpected you don't have to be alone you have plenty guys would date you for real you seem to forget I'm your boss.
You break up with Emma or you're fired.
If you are making me choose, between you and Emma, then I choose her.
I'm pregnant.
You've met Mr.
Daniels.
You're a teacher.
I just can't believe this.
I mean, this is all from when Lux lived here? I went to Valerie's.
What did Valerie tell you? That you were violent with them, that you hit her husband Lux I'm the violent one? Get the hell off my property! Hey, hey! Get out of here! We have a warrant for Natasha Siviac for assault.
Tasha's statement said you two left the homecoming dance, stole your mom's car and confronted Valerie Gilbert at her home.
Lux didn't steal the car.
His girlfriend's son did.
Okay, I'm sorry.
Um is Tasha okay? Actually, I-I did.
I stole your car; I'm the one who drove it and crashed it.
Sam covered for me a neighbor heard you and Mr.
Gilbert arguing and said he tried to remove you from his property.
She said it looked like you were resisting.
What? I wasn't resisting.
He grabbed me to try and throw me out, and he was hurting me.
That's why Tasha stopped him.
By hitting him on the head with a shovel? Wait, what? What about a shovel? What is going on? That's why Tasha was arrested.
She hit Valerie's husband Lux! You know what? We barely know what's happening.
We should not be doing this without a lawyer present.
You know what? Ryan is right.
Wh why do we need a lawyer? Just to be safe.
Tasha was arrested.
But Lux wasn't.
She's not in any trouble, right? No, but if the state chooses to press charges, against Tasha, Lux may have to testify.
But no, she's not in any trouble, not yet.
I should've known that you were gonna go to Valerie's.
I mean, of course, you went to Valerie's.
Yes, I went tat trey says she told you a billion lies about me, and I wanted her to stop.
I don't get it.
If you went there to talk to Valerie, how did you end up fighting with this trey dude? Here, there's Tasha.
Tash! You okay? Yeah, once fern got those Nazis to let me go.
There's no bail for juveniles, but you'll be responsible for Tasha until her hearing.
When will we know if the state's pressing charges? Depends on what trey says.
The police are trying to get a statement from him.
Uh-huh.
And if they do? Let's cross that bridge when we come to it.
Well, they're in bed finally.
Can you believe it's still Thanksgiving? Dinner at Baze's seems like a week ago.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Well, let's just be thankful everyone's okay.
Is Lux okay? She was so mad about what Valerie said that she stole my car, crashed it, lied to me about it Not to mention she was an accomplice to an assault Come here.
You don't have to do this.
Do what? You don't have to nice to me because I'm pregnant.
Cate what, we got back together, like, two seconds before all of this hit the fan? You don't have to be St.
Ryan.
You can still back out.
I am not a Saint.
I'm your husband.
And Lux's stepdad, Tasha's guardian, the father of your baby.
Our baby.
I'm in as deep as you are.
We'll figure this out.
What did you tell the cops? Everything.
About when I lived there? Did you say trey hit me? Almost everything.
Why can't we tell them? If they know he's a jerk-wad who beats on little girls, then they'll believe us.
That I had to stop him.
They don't need to know what happened four years ago to believe us now.
Dude, have you seen my rap sheet? They'll never take my word over trey's.
I'll lose everything, independent living, being at Westmonte, being with you That's not gonna happen.
And if it does Then will you say something? Minnesota.
Again.
You can't avoid him forever.
He was there when I got arrested.
Sooner or later, you're gonna have to tell him what's going on.
Lux.
Thank God.
Hey, you got all my messages, right? Yeah.
Yeah.
It's just been kind of crazy.
Yeah.
No kidding.
And when the police showed up, I thought they were gonna arrest me, not Tasha.
What happened? Is she okay? It's it's a long story.
I I don't even know all the details.
So you don't know why she got arrested? Not really.
She just said that she got into a fight with one of her old foster dads.
The night of the homecoming dance.
That's all I really know.
Weren't you with her that night? She took off without me.
I got stuck with Sam, remember? Speaking of Sam Don't worry about him.
Lux, he knows about us.
I mean, what if he says something? I will handle Sam.
Okay? I will.
I just I'm really happy to see you.
Can we not talk about Sam and Tasha? What do you want to talk about? I don't want to talk anymore.
Finally.
I have been trying to call you.
What is the point of having a cell phone if you *** lawyer.
Wait, what's going on? What happened? Trey made a statement to the police.
The DA is charging Tasha with assault.
What does that mean? Worse.
Lux, second degree assault is a measure 11 crime, which means that Tasha could be tried as an adult.
If she's found guilty, it's a minimum of six years.
I will set up an appointment with Tasha and a state-appointed lawyer.
No, an underpaid, overworked public defender? No way.
We will get Tasha a real lawyer.
I think that's best.
Tasha's going to need all the help she can get.
Lux I-I know something that might help Tasha.
So this-this trey guy, he hit you? And he shoved you, he shoved you down a flight of stairs? Saying it over and over again doesn't change it.
That's why she had that stroke that caused all that learning stuff.
Tasha, stop.
No, sweetie.
All of this connects.
So it's important you tell us exactly what happened.
You know what, fern is right.
We need you to tell us the truth.
We need you to tell us everything.
That way, we can get you help and get you support.
I don't need support.
We could do something.
We have to do something.
I don't want you to do anything.
Nothing you do can change what happened.
All I want you to do is figure out a way to help Tasha.
Thank you for coming on such short notice.
Getting someone to return my phone call the day after Thanksgiving is about as much fun as going to a mall the day after Thanksgiving.
Well, I'd do anything for Emma And Sam.
Yeah.
Nick specializes in defending juveniles.
Sam actually made a statement on Tasha yeah.
He was the other witness besides Lux.
Okay.
I'll get it.
Emma.
What do you want? You come by to threaten to take away my job again thought we should talk about what happened at Thanksgiving.
I don't have any time to talk.
I'm right in the middle of something.
What's going on? None of your business.
Come on, Nate, we're family.
If something's happening, I want to help.
You want to help? Yeah.
Well, Emma's helping me.
Now, you're the one who made me choose, remember? So, she's my family now.
Okay.
So, what now? Where do we go from here? Well, first things first.
Tasha's jurisdictional hearing has been scheduled, correct? Yeah, for Monday, in juvenile court.
But we're not even sure what the hearing entails.
It's essentially a trial.
Now, if Tasha's found guilty, the judge will determine if she should be sentenced as a minor or an adult.
And how does the judge decide that? It depends on the seriousness of the crime.
That's why it's important to show that Tasha's actions were justified.
Well, they were.
She was defending me.
That's not what trey says here, in his report to the police.
According to him, the two of you refused to leave his property, and when he tried to make you, Tasha attacked him.
Yeah, but that's not true.
Be that as it may, he took a shovel to the head.
Now, trey, on the witness stand, testifying, with his injuries, it's going to be compelling.
That's why it's very important what you say on the stand.
And the prosecution, they're gonna try to cast doubt on your testimony, so you need to be prepared to give every detail of your time in their house.
Exactly.
Get it on the record.
It'll help when we sue the hell out of trey later, right? What? Who's talking about suing him? I am.
This guy is going to pay for what he did to you.
Now, don't worry, kiddo.
One way or another, the truth about this guy is coming out.
Stay out of that bar, Leonard.
What the hell are you doing here? I came here to talk to you.
Where's your friend? At home.
Cleaning her shovel.
Yeah? Well, we'll see how tough she is when she's in jail.
About that.
Tasha's hearing is on Monday, and I don't think that you want to testify, because I don't think that you want what happened in the past to come out.
So, if you don't testify, I'll make sure that it doesn't.
You don't forget tomorrow.
No, no.
They couldn't fit us in till Monday.
Ah, but you're looking at a local celebrity.
I got pull.
Cate? I need to talk to you.
I lied About trey hitting me.
It never happened.
What? I made it up because I thought that it would help Tasha's case.
And I didn't want you to know the real truth.
What Valerie said was true.
I was the violent one.
Lux, I I don't believe you.
I know you.
No, you don't.
Valerie was right, okay, Cate? I'm-I'm, I'm a liar.
I told you a while back that I'm more messed up th if you really knew me You'd know that.
You think we're gonna be able to see the baby? I wonder what it's gonna look like.
It's gonna look like a blob of cells in a gestational sac.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Just with everything that's going on with Lux, I don't really feel like prime mother material.
It isn't your fault.
With Lux and trey isn't your fault.
Yes, it is.
And we don't even know what happened.
It's like every ten minutes, she changes her story.
Maybe it's the one blessing in him testifying; we finally get to hear the truth.
But he isn't.
He isn't testifying.
What?! Yeah, Nick e-mailed me this morning.
What? What's wrong? I don't know; I mean, it's a little weird.
Last night the lawyer said how bad it was that trey was testifying.
Uh-huh.
And now, all of a sudden, he isn't.
And Lux, she made it a big deal to tell you how he hit her, and then she's taking it all back? Are you saying the two things could be related? That Lux and trey talked or something? You know what? We should go.
We should just go.
What about the appointment? Our baby will still be here tomorrow.
I just want to make sure that Lux still is.
Baze, hey, it's me.
Ryan has a theory.
Hey, Nate, I heard about what's going on.
I know you don't want my help, but I've got a friend who's a circuit judge.
Leave me alone.
Nate, listen to me.
He might have useful insight into Tasha's case.
This isn't just about Tasha.
The guy that Tasha assaulted, okay? Turns out that he used to be Lux's foster dad who hit her, okay? And there is nothing I can do about about it now because she is denying that it happened.
And the only reason I can think is that he got to her or something, but she's still afraid of him.
Let's go back inside.
Let's talk about this.
I don't want to talk about this, especially to you.
I want to find this guy and beat his head in.
Going to talk to a state witness before a trial is not a good idea! I already told you I don't need your advice.
Nate, whatever you're going through, this isn't gonna fix it.
More violence is not gonna help Lux or Tasha.
Hey.
Hey.
I'm figuring out what to wear to court tomorrow.
Which one makes me look less like a violent felon? The dress.
Although it may not matter.
Apparently, trey isn't testifying.
What?! No way.
What's the matter? That's great news.
It is.
Although Lux is now saying that he never hit her.
That she just made it up to protect you.
What? That's not, that's not true.
I know, but if she doesn't tell the truth, it's gonna be your word against the DA's.
Look, I don't know what's going on, but if there is one person that Lux would want to protect, it would be you.
Why are we watching this? 'Cause you seemed stressed.
I thought a scary movie might help.
This monster's about as scary as grimace and the hamburglar.
And it's making me crave fries.
Tasha? Now you're not gonna say what really happened at the hearing tomorrow? Um can we talk about this later? Later when, Lux? When I'm in juvie later? Or worse? I talked to Cate.
Now you're saying trey never hit you? Tasha, shut up! Who's trey? No one.
Seriously, what is your problem? You.
You are my problem, Lux.
Tasha and I, we really need to talk.
What's going on? It, it's fine, okay? I promise.
Can you just go? Okay.
Sure, if that's what you want.
I'll call you later, I promise.
I can't believe you.
You're supposed to be my best friend.
Everything that I did, that was to protect you.
And now you could give a crap about protecting me.
I am protecting you, okay? Your lawyer said you would have a good chance of getting off if trey didn't testify, so I made it happen! I'm facing jail, Lux! A good chance is not good enough! I still need you to tell your side of the story.
The whole story.
But you can't do that.
It's Mr.
Daniels.
That's what you're protecting.
Your stupid relationship with him? You don't want him to know the truth? 'Cause why? Why, Lux? What, are you ashamed? What is it?! After all we've been through After everything I really can't believe you'd choose him over me.
State your name.
Lux Cassidy.
And your relationship to the defendant Natasha Siviac? She's my best friend.
Were you aware that Natasha was recently fostered by Valerie and trey Gilbert? Yes.
Well, according to state records, you were, too.
How long did you live with them? Almost two years.
According to Natasha, it was your idea to go to the Gilberts that night.
Why? Why did you go? I wanted to talk to Valerie.
She told Cate a bunch of stuff.
Stuff that wasn't true.
Well, can you, can you give us an example? Um She said I was a liar, that Cate couldn't trust me, that I was violent.
Well, were you? Objection, your honor.
Relevance.
Goes to the character of the witness.
I'll allow it.
Miss Cassidy? Miss Cassidy? Oh, um, I'm sorry.
What was the question? Did you lie or were you violent? Whatever I did or didn't do in the past has nothing to do with what happened two weeks ago.
Well, then let's go back to two weeks ago.
Is it true that when Mr.
Gilbert asked you to leave his property, you refused? Yes, but I so you admit that you were trespassing.
Mr.
Gilbert was within his rights to remove you from his home.
Within his rights? He grabbed me by my hair and wrists and wouldn't let go.
Was he carrying a weapon? No.
Did he hit you? Not that night.
Exactly.
So you're admitting to this court that Natasha had no reason to react with brutal force.
She did! She was protecting me! Oh.
Tasha was just protecting me because she knew that he had hit me before when I lived with him.
She was afraid he was gonna hit me again.
But isn't it true that you made these accusations against Mr.
Gilbert before, but then you ***.
Yes.
So, first, you said Mr.
Gilbert physically abused you, and then you said, "no, he didn't.
" But now we're back to saying that he did.
At least one of those statements is a lie.
Which one is it? I guess Ms.
Gilbert's assessment to your mother was accurate.
No more questions, your honor.
Very well.
The court is adjourned for a 20 minute recess.
Lux Lux, will you wait? You okay? She won't even talk to me.
You mind if I try? Hi.
What, what are you doing here? You never called.
And I was just worried about you.
I looked into Tasha's arrest and found out what was really going on.
It was intense in there.
Mm.
And what, your other girlfriends didn't get hit by their creep foster dads? Lux, you could have told me.
I mean, the fact that you've been going through all this I mean, you should have told me.
And what, give you another excuse to say that we can't do this again? Look, if you knew that this was happening, what had happened before What? You'd bail.
I'm here.
All right? I'm not bailing.
Nothing you say on that stand is going to change how anyone in that room feels about you.
Or how I feel.
I mean, everyone's here 'cause they love you.
Including me.
What? I love you, Lux.
I'm not going anywhere.
I'm here.
So you don't have to be scared of anything.
Go back in there and tell them the truth.
For Tasha and for you.
The defense calls Lux Cassidy back to the stand.
There seems to be a lot of confusion about what happened between you and trey Gilbert during the time you lived in his house.
Did trey Gilbert hit you? Yes.
Uh, according to Mr.
Gilbert's statement, he claims you hit him.
Is this claim true? It's true.
And why would you hit him? Because I was afraid he was going to force me to have sex with him.
That's a lie! Mr.
Gilbert, sit down! Objection, your honor.
This is clearly a fabrication.
We know based on what's already happened that miss Cassidy changes her story to whatever is most convenient.
Overruled.
Another word, and I'll hold you in contempt of court.
Miss Cassidy, continue.
Most girls in junior high, they have their first kiss playing "spin the bottle.
" Mine was with him.
So was my second.
And my third.
He He forced me.
He intimidated me.
He said if I said anything, that my mom Valerie would send me back to Sunnyvale.
And I wanted to be with her.
More than anything.
With Valerie.
So, to be with her, I had to be with him.
Until that night.
I didn't want to do what he wanted me to do, so I I took the lamp from the nightstand and I smashed it over his head.
I ran out screaming for Valerie, but He got me before I made it, and he hit me.
Threw me down the stairs.
I got knocked unconscious.
That's when I had the stroke that messed me up.
I told Valerie What he had done and what he had been doing.
But she didn't believe me.
She knew what I knew.
You lied then, just like you're lying now.
Mr.
Gilbert, be quiet! Because you don't want these people to know what kind of girl you really are.
What? What? It's the truth.
Bailiff! Bailiff! What? It's the truth.
Take your seats! Bailiff! Everyone, take your seats! H you know, you're lucky the judge let you off with how you could b I thought more violence wasn't the answer.
Yeah, sometimes it's the only answer.
I was going to ask if you were okay, but I don't know how you could be.
I just you know, I want to fix it.
I'm her dad.
That's what dads do they fix things.
Parents can't always fix things, Nate.
Sometimes all you can do is show up and be there.
Whatever kind of support I can give, I want to give it.
Even if I'm dating Emma? Because I love her, dad, and that isn't changing.
Either way, I'm here.
The worst isn't what trey did.
What hurt the most was Valerie.
She just believed whatever she wanted to believe, and it wasn't me.
Lux, I had no idea.
She said that she was going to be my mom forever.
That I was her daughter.
And she just threw me away.
I think that's what really wrecked me.
She chose him over me.
Why didn't you tell me? I mean, no, no, no.
I know why you didn't tell me.
But you know you could have, right? I just I I didn't want to risk it again.
Risk what? Telling the truth and having another mom not believe me.
I just I don't think I could take losing another mom.
I can't take losing you.
Oh, my God.
Kid Listen to me.
I am here, and I am not going anywhere.
Okay? You have to really know that, you have to hear it.
You couldn't lose me if you tried.
We need to talk.
Cate, we can't.
Look, Valerie, you and I, we are the same.
When I gave up Lux, I told myself that it was for her own good.
I-I convinced myself that that was the truth, that she would have this better life without me, because that was a story that I could live with.
And I think that you've told yourself a story, too.
You've told yourself that the problem is Lux.
And I get why you don't want to believe her.
You know it meant believing that your husband is a sick, sick man.
Right? It pulls a thread that pulls your entire life apart.
But you know Lux And you know the truth.
Look, being a parent, it means putting your kid first.
And you were her mom once.
Be her mom again.
Where's Valerie? What happened? Did she leave? Uh, I'm not sure.
The judge called the prosecutor and the defense lawyers into chambers a while ago.
All rise.
There has been a new development.
As I have just informed counsel Valerie Gilbert has come forward privately and corroborated the testimony of Lux Cassidy.
Now, in light of that, I find that Natasha Siviac held reasonable belief that trey Gilbert was an imminent physical threat, and that Natasha Siviac's use of force against him, in defense of her friend, is justified.
I see no reason to prolong this hearing.
Does the state have any objections? We do not, your honor.
Then the state's petition against the minor, Natasha Siviac, on the count of assault in the second degree is hereby dismissed.
However The court is sustaining the lesser counts.
Violating the terms of your independent living, missing curfew, and trespassing on private property.
I am recommending the minimum punishment two months in a juvenile offender facility, which will require that you stay in a secured school and attend counseling.
After that, you are free to return to independent living.
This court is adjourned.
Hey.
So, what's going on there? The DA's pressing charges against trey.
With Valerie's testimony, he's facing jail time.
Yeah.
Thank you, fern.
Lux I am so sorry.
It's okay.
No.
It's not.
But I'm glad that you are.
Oh, thanks for being here.
It has meant so much to all of us.
Yeah.
Thanks for everything.
Nothing's changed, right? With us? No, no.
Nothing's changed.
Go ahead.
Valerie? Lux, hi.
I, uh I wanted to say Thank you.
Thank you for what you did in there.
And for what you didn't do four years ago.
Thank you for not believing me.
Because if you had, I never would have left your house.
I never would have decided to get emancipated.
I never would have found Cate and Baze.
So thank you For not acting like anything close to a mom.
'Cause that's what lead me back to mine.
Don't worry.
At this early stage, it sometimes takes a while to find the fetus.
Oh, see that? Oh, my God.
It's so tiny.
It's about the size of a blueberry.
That's your baby.
Wow.
Hey, I think it has your nose.
It may not be a nose.
We can't tell the sex quite yet.
You keep doing what you're doing taking good care of your baby.
I will.
Hey! So, what did the doctor say? We are having a blueberry! That's awesome Baze went all out, huh? My last night of freedom for two months.
I can't believe I have to leave first thing in the morning.
Tash, I'm sorry.
And I'm sorry for ever letting you think that I would choose anyone over you.
You know, it wasn't Look, it wasn't about Eric.
It was just me being ashamed of my screwed-up past.
I get it.
I do.
And I knew it was bad.
But not that bad.
And the only thing I'm sorry for is that I only hit that bastard once.
I don't know how I'll ever repay you.
Well You can grab me, like, a wad of singles, um, some cigarettes, a case of soda.
It's like hard currency in juvie.
Well, I think there might be a case of soda downstairs with your name on it.
Yes! If you don't mind that the cans are charred.
No.
Here you go.
Just one glass.
Nate, you got any more? Uh, downstairs on the bar.
I'll grab it.
Hold on a second.
We're toasting.
Okay.
Um, okay.
A little agua for the baby mama.
Ooh.
What are we toasting? What aren't we toasting? We got everybody? We got everybody.
Um, to Tasha, who thank God is not going to a federal penitentiary.
Although you would've rocked the orange jumpsuit.
Thank you.
To Cate and Ryan.
And the blueberry.
And to Lux, who is entirely to blame for all of this.
I mean, if you hadn't shown up on my doorstep in that little "don't bug me" shirt and straight-jacketed me with fatherly responsibility, I wouldn't have had to get my act together.
I would have never had a real career, a real relationship No, I would be here, trying to smoke out of a bong-lamp, eating turkey jerky in my boxers.
Mm.
So, let's all raise a glass to the reason that we are all here together.
To the best thing that could have happened to all of us.
We're crazy.
We're unconventional.
We're often inappropriate.
But no matter what, we're your family.
To Lux.
To Lux.
Love you, kiddo.
Cheers.
Bottoms up.
Hey, long-distance clinking.
Clink.
Clink.
Hey.
Hey.
Uh, if you could hurry up with the champagne.
Since Cate's not drinking, she's force feeding Cate get along.
Wow.
You're as controlling here as you are at work.
It's nice you and Cate get along.
I'm surprised there's not some jealousy.
Well, you know, most people who are jealous rarely admit it.
Jealous? No, no.
I'm not jealous of you and Nate.
Questioning your motives for dating my son? Yes.
Questioning your integrity You know, I wouldn't question my integrity.
No? No.
I'm the one who told you what was going on with Lux and Tasha.
I'm the reason you were at that courthouse today, that you and Nate are back in a good place.
And last I checked, I'm not the one who cheated on my wife with my employee, and made promises he had no intention of keeping.
Well What happened in the past is the past.
You break up with Emma or you're fired.
If you are making me choose, between you and Emma, then I choose her.
I'm pregnant.
You've met Mr.
Daniels.
You're a teacher.
I just can't believe this.
I mean, this is all from when Lux lived here? I went to Valerie's.
What did Valerie tell you? That you were violent with them, that you hit her husband Lux I'm the violent one? Get the hell off my property! Hey, hey! Get out of here! We have a warrant for Natasha Siviac for assault.
Tasha's statement said you two left the homecoming dance, stole your mom's car and confronted Valerie Gilbert at her home.
Lux didn't steal the car.
His girlfriend's son did.
Okay, I'm sorry.
Um is Tasha okay? Actually, I-I did.
I stole your car; I'm the one who drove it and crashed it.
Sam covered for me a neighbor heard you and Mr.
Gilbert arguing and said he tried to remove you from his property.
She said it looked like you were resisting.
What? I wasn't resisting.
He grabbed me to try and throw me out, and he was hurting me.
That's why Tasha stopped him.
By hitting him on the head with a shovel? Wait, what? What about a shovel? What is going on? That's why Tasha was arrested.
She hit Valerie's husband Lux! You know what? We barely know what's happening.
We should not be doing this without a lawyer present.
You know what? Ryan is right.
Wh why do we need a lawyer? Just to be safe.
Tasha was arrested.
But Lux wasn't.
She's not in any trouble, right? No, but if the state chooses to press charges, against Tasha, Lux may have to testify.
But no, she's not in any trouble, not yet.
I should've known that you were gonna go to Valerie's.
I mean, of course, you went to Valerie's.
Yes, I went tat trey says she told you a billion lies about me, and I wanted her to stop.
I don't get it.
If you went there to talk to Valerie, how did you end up fighting with this trey dude? Here, there's Tasha.
Tash! You okay? Yeah, once fern got those Nazis to let me go.
There's no bail for juveniles, but you'll be responsible for Tasha until her hearing.
When will we know if the state's pressing charges? Depends on what trey says.
The police are trying to get a statement from him.
Uh-huh.
And if they do? Let's cross that bridge when we come to it.
Well, they're in bed finally.
Can you believe it's still Thanksgiving? Dinner at Baze's seems like a week ago.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Well, let's just be thankful everyone's okay.
Is Lux okay? She was so mad about what Valerie said that she stole my car, crashed it, lied to me about it Not to mention she was an accomplice to an assault Come here.
You don't have to do this.
Do what? You don't have to nice to me because I'm pregnant.
Cate what, we got back together, like, two seconds before all of this hit the fan? You don't have to be St.
Ryan.
You can still back out.
I am not a Saint.
I'm your husband.
And Lux's stepdad, Tasha's guardian, the father of your baby.
Our baby.
I'm in as deep as you are.
We'll figure this out.
What did you tell the cops? Everything.
About when I lived there? Did you say trey hit me? Almost everything.
Why can't we tell them? If they know he's a jerk-wad who beats on little girls, then they'll believe us.
That I had to stop him.
They don't need to know what happened four years ago to believe us now.
Dude, have you seen my rap sheet? They'll never take my word over trey's.
I'll lose everything, independent living, being at Westmonte, being with you That's not gonna happen.
And if it does Then will you say something? Minnesota.
Again.
You can't avoid him forever.
He was there when I got arrested.
Sooner or later, you're gonna have to tell him what's going on.
Lux.
Thank God.
Hey, you got all my messages, right? Yeah.
Yeah.
It's just been kind of crazy.
Yeah.
No kidding.
And when the police showed up, I thought they were gonna arrest me, not Tasha.
What happened? Is she okay? It's it's a long story.
I I don't even know all the details.
So you don't know why she got arrested? Not really.
She just said that she got into a fight with one of her old foster dads.
The night of the homecoming dance.
That's all I really know.
Weren't you with her that night? She took off without me.
I got stuck with Sam, remember? Speaking of Sam Don't worry about him.
Lux, he knows about us.
I mean, what if he says something? I will handle Sam.
Okay? I will.
I just I'm really happy to see you.
Can we not talk about Sam and Tasha? What do you want to talk about? I don't want to talk anymore.
Finally.
I have been trying to call you.
What is the point of having a cell phone if you *** lawyer.
Wait, what's going on? What happened? Trey made a statement to the police.
The DA is charging Tasha with assault.
What does that mean? Worse.
Lux, second degree assault is a measure 11 crime, which means that Tasha could be tried as an adult.
If she's found guilty, it's a minimum of six years.
I will set up an appointment with Tasha and a state-appointed lawyer.
No, an underpaid, overworked public defender? No way.
We will get Tasha a real lawyer.
I think that's best.
Tasha's going to need all the help she can get.
Lux I-I know something that might help Tasha.
So this-this trey guy, he hit you? And he shoved you, he shoved you down a flight of stairs? Saying it over and over again doesn't change it.
That's why she had that stroke that caused all that learning stuff.
Tasha, stop.
No, sweetie.
All of this connects.
So it's important you tell us exactly what happened.
You know what, fern is right.
We need you to tell us the truth.
We need you to tell us everything.
That way, we can get you help and get you support.
I don't need support.
We could do something.
We have to do something.
I don't want you to do anything.
Nothing you do can change what happened.
All I want you to do is figure out a way to help Tasha.
Thank you for coming on such short notice.
Getting someone to return my phone call the day after Thanksgiving is about as much fun as going to a mall the day after Thanksgiving.
Well, I'd do anything for Emma And Sam.
Yeah.
Nick specializes in defending juveniles.
Sam actually made a statement on Tasha yeah.
He was the other witness besides Lux.
Okay.
I'll get it.
Emma.
What do you want? You come by to threaten to take away my job again thought we should talk about what happened at Thanksgiving.
I don't have any time to talk.
I'm right in the middle of something.
What's going on? None of your business.
Come on, Nate, we're family.
If something's happening, I want to help.
You want to help? Yeah.
Well, Emma's helping me.
Now, you're the one who made me choose, remember? So, she's my family now.
Okay.
So, what now? Where do we go from here? Well, first things first.
Tasha's jurisdictional hearing has been scheduled, correct? Yeah, for Monday, in juvenile court.
But we're not even sure what the hearing entails.
It's essentially a trial.
Now, if Tasha's found guilty, the judge will determine if she should be sentenced as a minor or an adult.
And how does the judge decide that? It depends on the seriousness of the crime.
That's why it's important to show that Tasha's actions were justified.
Well, they were.
She was defending me.
That's not what trey says here, in his report to the police.
According to him, the two of you refused to leave his property, and when he tried to make you, Tasha attacked him.
Yeah, but that's not true.
Be that as it may, he took a shovel to the head.
Now, trey, on the witness stand, testifying, with his injuries, it's going to be compelling.
That's why it's very important what you say on the stand.
And the prosecution, they're gonna try to cast doubt on your testimony, so you need to be prepared to give every detail of your time in their house.
Exactly.
Get it on the record.
It'll help when we sue the hell out of trey later, right? What? Who's talking about suing him? I am.
This guy is going to pay for what he did to you.
Now, don't worry, kiddo.
One way or another, the truth about this guy is coming out.
Stay out of that bar, Leonard.
What the hell are you doing here? I came here to talk to you.
Where's your friend? At home.
Cleaning her shovel.
Yeah? Well, we'll see how tough she is when she's in jail.
About that.
Tasha's hearing is on Monday, and I don't think that you want to testify, because I don't think that you want what happened in the past to come out.
So, if you don't testify, I'll make sure that it doesn't.
You don't forget tomorrow.
No, no.
They couldn't fit us in till Monday.
Ah, but you're looking at a local celebrity.
I got pull.
Cate? I need to talk to you.
I lied About trey hitting me.
It never happened.
What? I made it up because I thought that it would help Tasha's case.
And I didn't want you to know the real truth.
What Valerie said was true.
I was the violent one.
Lux, I I don't believe you.
I know you.
No, you don't.
Valerie was right, okay, Cate? I'm-I'm, I'm a liar.
I told you a while back that I'm more messed up th if you really knew me You'd know that.
You think we're gonna be able to see the baby? I wonder what it's gonna look like.
It's gonna look like a blob of cells in a gestational sac.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Just with everything that's going on with Lux, I don't really feel like prime mother material.
It isn't your fault.
With Lux and trey isn't your fault.
Yes, it is.
And we don't even know what happened.
It's like every ten minutes, she changes her story.
Maybe it's the one blessing in him testifying; we finally get to hear the truth.
But he isn't.
He isn't testifying.
What?! Yeah, Nick e-mailed me this morning.
What? What's wrong? I don't know; I mean, it's a little weird.
Last night the lawyer said how bad it was that trey was testifying.
Uh-huh.
And now, all of a sudden, he isn't.
And Lux, she made it a big deal to tell you how he hit her, and then she's taking it all back? Are you saying the two things could be related? That Lux and trey talked or something? You know what? We should go.
We should just go.
What about the appointment? Our baby will still be here tomorrow.
I just want to make sure that Lux still is.
Baze, hey, it's me.
Ryan has a theory.
Hey, Nate, I heard about what's going on.
I know you don't want my help, but I've got a friend who's a circuit judge.
Leave me alone.
Nate, listen to me.
He might have useful insight into Tasha's case.
This isn't just about Tasha.
The guy that Tasha assaulted, okay? Turns out that he used to be Lux's foster dad who hit her, okay? And there is nothing I can do about about it now because she is denying that it happened.
And the only reason I can think is that he got to her or something, but she's still afraid of him.
Let's go back inside.
Let's talk about this.
I don't want to talk about this, especially to you.
I want to find this guy and beat his head in.
Going to talk to a state witness before a trial is not a good idea! I already told you I don't need your advice.
Nate, whatever you're going through, this isn't gonna fix it.
More violence is not gonna help Lux or Tasha.
Hey.
Hey.
I'm figuring out what to wear to court tomorrow.
Which one makes me look less like a violent felon? The dress.
Although it may not matter.
Apparently, trey isn't testifying.
What?! No way.
What's the matter? That's great news.
It is.
Although Lux is now saying that he never hit her.
That she just made it up to protect you.
What? That's not, that's not true.
I know, but if she doesn't tell the truth, it's gonna be your word against the DA's.
Look, I don't know what's going on, but if there is one person that Lux would want to protect, it would be you.
Why are we watching this? 'Cause you seemed stressed.
I thought a scary movie might help.
This monster's about as scary as grimace and the hamburglar.
And it's making me crave fries.
Tasha? Now you're not gonna say what really happened at the hearing tomorrow? Um can we talk about this later? Later when, Lux? When I'm in juvie later? Or worse? I talked to Cate.
Now you're saying trey never hit you? Tasha, shut up! Who's trey? No one.
Seriously, what is your problem? You.
You are my problem, Lux.
Tasha and I, we really need to talk.
What's going on? It, it's fine, okay? I promise.
Can you just go? Okay.
Sure, if that's what you want.
I'll call you later, I promise.
I can't believe you.
You're supposed to be my best friend.
Everything that I did, that was to protect you.
And now you could give a crap about protecting me.
I am protecting you, okay? Your lawyer said you would have a good chance of getting off if trey didn't testify, so I made it happen! I'm facing jail, Lux! A good chance is not good enough! I still need you to tell your side of the story.
The whole story.
But you can't do that.
It's Mr.
Daniels.
That's what you're protecting.
Your stupid relationship with him? You don't want him to know the truth? 'Cause why? Why, Lux? What, are you ashamed? What is it?! After all we've been through After everything I really can't believe you'd choose him over me.
State your name.
Lux Cassidy.
And your relationship to the defendant Natasha Siviac? She's my best friend.
Were you aware that Natasha was recently fostered by Valerie and trey Gilbert? Yes.
Well, according to state records, you were, too.
How long did you live with them? Almost two years.
According to Natasha, it was your idea to go to the Gilberts that night.
Why? Why did you go? I wanted to talk to Valerie.
She told Cate a bunch of stuff.
Stuff that wasn't true.
Well, can you, can you give us an example? Um She said I was a liar, that Cate couldn't trust me, that I was violent.
Well, were you? Objection, your honor.
Relevance.
Goes to the character of the witness.
I'll allow it.
Miss Cassidy? Miss Cassidy? Oh, um, I'm sorry.
What was the question? Did you lie or were you violent? Whatever I did or didn't do in the past has nothing to do with what happened two weeks ago.
Well, then let's go back to two weeks ago.
Is it true that when Mr.
Gilbert asked you to leave his property, you refused? Yes, but I so you admit that you were trespassing.
Mr.
Gilbert was within his rights to remove you from his home.
Within his rights? He grabbed me by my hair and wrists and wouldn't let go.
Was he carrying a weapon? No.
Did he hit you? Not that night.
Exactly.
So you're admitting to this court that Natasha had no reason to react with brutal force.
She did! She was protecting me! Oh.
Tasha was just protecting me because she knew that he had hit me before when I lived with him.
She was afraid he was gonna hit me again.
But isn't it true that you made these accusations against Mr.
Gilbert before, but then you ***.
Yes.
So, first, you said Mr.
Gilbert physically abused you, and then you said, "no, he didn't.
" But now we're back to saying that he did.
At least one of those statements is a lie.
Which one is it? I guess Ms.
Gilbert's assessment to your mother was accurate.
No more questions, your honor.
Very well.
The court is adjourned for a 20 minute recess.
Lux Lux, will you wait? You okay? She won't even talk to me.
You mind if I try? Hi.
What, what are you doing here? You never called.
And I was just worried about you.
I looked into Tasha's arrest and found out what was really going on.
It was intense in there.
Mm.
And what, your other girlfriends didn't get hit by their creep foster dads? Lux, you could have told me.
I mean, the fact that you've been going through all this I mean, you should have told me.
And what, give you another excuse to say that we can't do this again? Look, if you knew that this was happening, what had happened before What? You'd bail.
I'm here.
All right? I'm not bailing.
Nothing you say on that stand is going to change how anyone in that room feels about you.
Or how I feel.
I mean, everyone's here 'cause they love you.
Including me.
What? I love you, Lux.
I'm not going anywhere.
I'm here.
So you don't have to be scared of anything.
Go back in there and tell them the truth.
For Tasha and for you.
The defense calls Lux Cassidy back to the stand.
There seems to be a lot of confusion about what happened between you and trey Gilbert during the time you lived in his house.
Did trey Gilbert hit you? Yes.
Uh, according to Mr.
Gilbert's statement, he claims you hit him.
Is this claim true? It's true.
And why would you hit him? Because I was afraid he was going to force me to have sex with him.
That's a lie! Mr.
Gilbert, sit down! Objection, your honor.
This is clearly a fabrication.
We know based on what's already happened that miss Cassidy changes her story to whatever is most convenient.
Overruled.
Another word, and I'll hold you in contempt of court.
Miss Cassidy, continue.
Most girls in junior high, they have their first kiss playing "spin the bottle.
" Mine was with him.
So was my second.
And my third.
He He forced me.
He intimidated me.
He said if I said anything, that my mom Valerie would send me back to Sunnyvale.
And I wanted to be with her.
More than anything.
With Valerie.
So, to be with her, I had to be with him.
Until that night.
I didn't want to do what he wanted me to do, so I I took the lamp from the nightstand and I smashed it over his head.
I ran out screaming for Valerie, but He got me before I made it, and he hit me.
Threw me down the stairs.
I got knocked unconscious.
That's when I had the stroke that messed me up.
I told Valerie What he had done and what he had been doing.
But she didn't believe me.
She knew what I knew.
You lied then, just like you're lying now.
Mr.
Gilbert, be quiet! Because you don't want these people to know what kind of girl you really are.
What? What? It's the truth.
Bailiff! Bailiff! What? It's the truth.
Take your seats! Bailiff! Everyone, take your seats! H you know, you're lucky the judge let you off with how you could b I thought more violence wasn't the answer.
Yeah, sometimes it's the only answer.
I was going to ask if you were okay, but I don't know how you could be.
I just you know, I want to fix it.
I'm her dad.
That's what dads do they fix things.
Parents can't always fix things, Nate.
Sometimes all you can do is show up and be there.
Whatever kind of support I can give, I want to give it.
Even if I'm dating Emma? Because I love her, dad, and that isn't changing.
Either way, I'm here.
The worst isn't what trey did.
What hurt the most was Valerie.
She just believed whatever she wanted to believe, and it wasn't me.
Lux, I had no idea.
She said that she was going to be my mom forever.
That I was her daughter.
And she just threw me away.
I think that's what really wrecked me.
She chose him over me.
Why didn't you tell me? I mean, no, no, no.
I know why you didn't tell me.
But you know you could have, right? I just I I didn't want to risk it again.
Risk what? Telling the truth and having another mom not believe me.
I just I don't think I could take losing another mom.
I can't take losing you.
Oh, my God.
Kid Listen to me.
I am here, and I am not going anywhere.
Okay? You have to really know that, you have to hear it.
You couldn't lose me if you tried.
We need to talk.
Cate, we can't.
Look, Valerie, you and I, we are the same.
When I gave up Lux, I told myself that it was for her own good.
I-I convinced myself that that was the truth, that she would have this better life without me, because that was a story that I could live with.
And I think that you've told yourself a story, too.
You've told yourself that the problem is Lux.
And I get why you don't want to believe her.
You know it meant believing that your husband is a sick, sick man.
Right? It pulls a thread that pulls your entire life apart.
But you know Lux And you know the truth.
Look, being a parent, it means putting your kid first.
And you were her mom once.
Be her mom again.
Where's Valerie? What happened? Did she leave? Uh, I'm not sure.
The judge called the prosecutor and the defense lawyers into chambers a while ago.
All rise.
There has been a new development.
As I have just informed counsel Valerie Gilbert has come forward privately and corroborated the testimony of Lux Cassidy.
Now, in light of that, I find that Natasha Siviac held reasonable belief that trey Gilbert was an imminent physical threat, and that Natasha Siviac's use of force against him, in defense of her friend, is justified.
I see no reason to prolong this hearing.
Does the state have any objections? We do not, your honor.
Then the state's petition against the minor, Natasha Siviac, on the count of assault in the second degree is hereby dismissed.
However The court is sustaining the lesser counts.
Violating the terms of your independent living, missing curfew, and trespassing on private property.
I am recommending the minimum punishment two months in a juvenile offender facility, which will require that you stay in a secured school and attend counseling.
After that, you are free to return to independent living.
This court is adjourned.
Hey.
So, what's going on there? The DA's pressing charges against trey.
With Valerie's testimony, he's facing jail time.
Yeah.
Thank you, fern.
Lux I am so sorry.
It's okay.
No.
It's not.
But I'm glad that you are.
Oh, thanks for being here.
It has meant so much to all of us.
Yeah.
Thanks for everything.
Nothing's changed, right? With us? No, no.
Nothing's changed.
Go ahead.
Valerie? Lux, hi.
I, uh I wanted to say Thank you.
Thank you for what you did in there.
And for what you didn't do four years ago.
Thank you for not believing me.
Because if you had, I never would have left your house.
I never would have decided to get emancipated.
I never would have found Cate and Baze.
So thank you For not acting like anything close to a mom.
'Cause that's what lead me back to mine.
Don't worry.
At this early stage, it sometimes takes a while to find the fetus.
Oh, see that? Oh, my God.
It's so tiny.
It's about the size of a blueberry.
That's your baby.
Wow.
Hey, I think it has your nose.
It may not be a nose.
We can't tell the sex quite yet.
You keep doing what you're doing taking good care of your baby.
I will.
Hey! So, what did the doctor say? We are having a blueberry! That's awesome Baze went all out, huh? My last night of freedom for two months.
I can't believe I have to leave first thing in the morning.
Tash, I'm sorry.
And I'm sorry for ever letting you think that I would choose anyone over you.
You know, it wasn't Look, it wasn't about Eric.
It was just me being ashamed of my screwed-up past.
I get it.
I do.
And I knew it was bad.
But not that bad.
And the only thing I'm sorry for is that I only hit that bastard once.
I don't know how I'll ever repay you.
Well You can grab me, like, a wad of singles, um, some cigarettes, a case of soda.
It's like hard currency in juvie.
Well, I think there might be a case of soda downstairs with your name on it.
Yes! If you don't mind that the cans are charred.
No.
Here you go.
Just one glass.
Nate, you got any more? Uh, downstairs on the bar.
I'll grab it.
Hold on a second.
We're toasting.
Okay.
Um, okay.
A little agua for the baby mama.
Ooh.
What are we toasting? What aren't we toasting? We got everybody? We got everybody.
Um, to Tasha, who thank God is not going to a federal penitentiary.
Although you would've rocked the orange jumpsuit.
Thank you.
To Cate and Ryan.
And the blueberry.
And to Lux, who is entirely to blame for all of this.
I mean, if you hadn't shown up on my doorstep in that little "don't bug me" shirt and straight-jacketed me with fatherly responsibility, I wouldn't have had to get my act together.
I would have never had a real career, a real relationship No, I would be here, trying to smoke out of a bong-lamp, eating turkey jerky in my boxers.
Mm.
So, let's all raise a glass to the reason that we are all here together.
To the best thing that could have happened to all of us.
We're crazy.
We're unconventional.
We're often inappropriate.
But no matter what, we're your family.
To Lux.
To Lux.
Love you, kiddo.
Cheers.
Bottoms up.
Hey, long-distance clinking.
Clink.
Clink.
Hey.
Hey.
Uh, if you could hurry up with the champagne.
Since Cate's not drinking, she's force feeding Cate get along.
Wow.
You're as controlling here as you are at work.
It's nice you and Cate get along.
I'm surprised there's not some jealousy.
Well, you know, most people who are jealous rarely admit it.
Jealous? No, no.
I'm not jealous of you and Nate.
Questioning your motives for dating my son? Yes.
Questioning your integrity You know, I wouldn't question my integrity.
No? No.
I'm the one who told you what was going on with Lux and Tasha.
I'm the reason you were at that courthouse today, that you and Nate are back in a good place.
And last I checked, I'm not the one who cheated on my wife with my employee, and made promises he had no intention of keeping.
Well What happened in the past is the past.