"Adalric Bieschmeldt," the judge paused. "You have been cleared of all charges and you have been ruled fit to keep both Gilbert and Ludwig Bieschmeldt." The judge immediately stood up and left the court room. Adalric let out a sigh of relief. Ducarius cheered for his cousin and tackled him. He jumped up, blushed, then helped his cousin up.

"Sorry, Addie," Ducarius muttered in English. Adalric brushed the dirt and dust off his suit. But before he could reply something hit him in the back of the knees and he almost fell again. He looked down and saw Gilbert and Ludwig.

Each were crying so Adalric kneeled down and pulled their faces up to look them in the eye. "It's alright, kleinen. I'm here now and they are not taking you back," He stated firmly. Gilbert nodded and wiped his eyes. Ludwig hugged his fathers neck and Adalric couldn't get him to let go so he picked him up. The group, which also included Ducarius' four sons, left the courthouse and went to pick up a friend.

Adalric drove the van because Ducarius had trouble driving and parking a car so what would happen with this? They stopped in front of where their was currently staying and saw him waiting on the bottom step. His bags sat beside him and he had his hood up because of the cold weather. He smiled when he saw us. "Do you have room in there for me?" He joked.

"Of course," Gilbert yelled from the very back row. Old Fritz put his bags in the back of the van and sat beside Ducarius' sons Liam and Arthur who were nine and four respectively. Old Fritz won because the man from the plane had turned out to be he defense lawyer and he saw how Gilbert and Ludwig wanted to save him. Highly unlikely unless both of them had Stockholm Syndrome.

"You guys ready to see America?" Adalric asked as he drove to the airport. Ducarius nodded excitedly and so did Gwydion, another of Ducarius' sons. Adalric rolled his eyes but smiled at his cousins excitement.

The flight passed by quickly with minimal interference. Adalric's house was very crowded for the next two weeks. He was gone for most of the first few days because the school were getting ready for Christmas break and he was trying to get a job for Old Fritz at the school.

Adalric brought home different types off treats everyday because of the home-room mothers insisting on giving him the leftovers. The boys ate what they were given plus the fridge was full of different sweets. All the toys and treats made the kids at the house a hyper and every night Ducarius, Old Fritz, and Adalric stayed up late cleaning all the messes the boys had made.

One day when Adalric was sleeping in late there were loud crashes coming from downstairs. He quickly made his way down to the noise because he couldn't rely on Ducarius to deal with any injuries if there was any. Instead of a huge mess he found a Christmas in his living room. It was already decorated. All the presents he and Ducarius had bought were under the tree along with some from the boys and Old fritz.

"Hey, Addie! Ya like the tree?" Ducarius asked. Everyone had snow covering them and sticking in their hair.

"Where did you get this?" Adalric was stunned. A hush fell over the small crowd in his living room.

"Do ya really want to know, Uncle?" Iain, Ducarius' oldest son, asked.

"Cause you might be angry about it!" Gilbert said happily. Adalric stared at his son. Old Fritz laughed.

"We got from the farm on the outskirts of town," He stated. "Did you think we stole it?"

"Yes," Adalric said without skipping a beat. Everyone else started laughing.

Later that night when their sons were asleep, Ducarius, Adalric, and Old Fritz sat down in the living room to talk. Old Fritz was the only one sitting on the floor because he was finishing wrapping the presents. The only light in the room was from the Christmas tree which the boys had covered in lights. "When do you have to go back to London?" Adalric asked.

"We aren't," Ducarius smiled. "Well, for a short while I will but I wanted to know if you could enroll my sons in school here? They like it here more than in the Isles. Each boy already has more friends here than back in London so I am buying a house here."

Adalric almost dropped the cigarette, a horrible he had started recently, he was smoking. "Do you already have a house picked out? I can't keep all six boys here on my and Fritz's salaries," He started ranting. Ducarius smiled.

"I already have a house paid for!" He said happily. "My friend had started to send the clothes and smaller things to it already. I just need to go back to finalize selling the house to him and decide what to sell or send over!"

"That's nice, Ducarius," Old Fritz smiled as he wrapped another present. The pile under the tree was probably twice the size it had been the first day. "Ludwig and Gilbert really like your sons."

"I know!" Ducarius exclaimed. "They remind me of Adalric and me when we were wrong minus all the yelling and treats."

Adalric rolled his eyes as Old Fritz and his cousin went off on a conversation about how it was when they was younger. No matter what he said or did, these moments with his cousin, their sons, and his brother-in-law, Old Fritz, were the best times of his life.

"Hey, Adalric! You want to come get the tree with us?" Old Fritz called out.

"Yes, hold on!" Adalric yelled back. He looked at the pictures on his desk.

One of his sons.

One of him and Ducarius when they were younger.

One of Elfriede, Old Fritz, and Gilbert and Ludwig.

One picture of his family, Ducarius' family and Romulus'.

One of Elfriede and him from Oktoberfest.

Finally, one group picture that wasn't a picture. It was a drawing done by Romulus as a early Christmas present. It showed Gilbert and Ludwig as they are now with Adalric and Elfriede. That one was probably his favorite.

Years go by and everyone ages but their personalities stay the same. Adalric was still the principal at the elementary school. Romulus was still a teacher and bugs Adalric to death. Old Fritz was still the custodian and handy man at the school and around town. Ducarius opened a restaurant. Iain went to college and became a librarian which surprised everyone. Gilbert, Liam, Lovino, Gwydion, Arthur, Feliciano, and Ludwig are in high school and have three years left at the most.

Everyone lives in that small town. Everyday is a gift to them because they know anything can happen: good or bad.

The End

Crappy ending is crappy. Well, thanks to everyone who read, commented, faved. or even viewed this. It means a lot to me.