Author Note: Merry Christmas

I do not own The Proud family.

Enjoy!

If somebody said Trudy and Oscar proud would be hauled before a judge nobody would have believed it.

But this was exactly what was happening.

Oscar was arrested at his factory while Trudy was arrested at home, the cops told the grandmother of the household to take care of the kids, she may become their guardian soon.

As the whole town was starting to realise the Prouds were falling apart, the Proud parents spent a night in jail so the police could secure a judge, the first thing the next morning.

They were both bathed and put in new clothes before they appeared before a judge who just read their case file.

"The time is 7:05." Said the judge. "Let's get this over with. I have just eaten breakfast" before he said. "Mr and Mrs Proud are you aware of why you are here?"

"There must be some kind mistake your honour" said Oscar. "I and my wife are proud and hard working people who try to abide by the law"

"Than does the name, Penny Proud mean anything to you?" Said the judge.

"What has our daughter who has run away got to do with this?" Said Trudy, before her eyes widen and said. "Do you think we abuse her? We will never lay a hand on either of our children"

"Mr and Mrs Proud, abuse isn't just phyiscal but psychological as well" said the Judge. "Now from what I can see here, you have two other children who you actually treat really well. Given them mall money every weekend, buying new and expensive things for them when you can, getting them luxurious rooms. It's says here that you Oscar proud picked out a car for your son, Bebe. Wow"

"Thank you" said Oscar Proud, with her wife looking proud.

"Now what have you done for your child Penny?" Said the judge.

Suddenly both of them were silent.

"I have information that your daughter is actually doing pretty good" said the judge. "She is seen in expensive clothes. She is constantly going places. Boys at church call her the 'smoking hot peice of ass', yes Ive heard the local teenage boys talking about her, even if I don't want to."

Both of them continued to be silent.

"However, it's been confirmed by numerous sources that she got none of this from you" said the judge. "Instead her friends who have been more of a family to her than you both have been, has done all this for her. I have several statements from them, here. Let me read them"

People talk immediately when their contacted by the court.

"When we found Penny she had been ditched by her friends and her siblings who were supposed to be taking care of her" said the judge. "She was dressed like she was going to church and she had no money, even though she told us, both her siblings recieved 40 dollars each from her parents. We helped her out by having fun with her and grew to like her as one of our own. Every time we saw Penny, she was always running away from her family. We were appalled when she told us what was happening at home and her parents quit her job that we got her because her parents would give her almost no allowance and they cashed in her last check"

Silence.

Dead silence.

"Mr and Mrs Proud are you aware that it's illegal to cash in somebody else check? As we speak, the bank is reversing the transaction and putting the money where it should belong" said the judge peering over the rims of his glasses. "They were lenient because she was your underaged daughter and you were good people but somebody threatened legal action if they don't reverse it. Weither the person is 8 or 16, if your name is not on the check, you don't cash it. Period. Do I make myseld clear?"

Both of them nodded.

"Now let's get onto why your really here" said the judge. "Why did you feel the need to move your own child from a perfectly good bed to a bean bag?"

Silence.

"Your honour" said Judy. "Our daughter CeCe needed space"

"Than get a bunk bed" said the judge shocking both of them. "A bed isn't a choice, Mrs Proud, it's a right. Both of you are fairly well off, you have no excuse for moving a human being onto something a dog would sleep on. Why would you subject your own daughter to back pains every night for who knows how long, and not think about the long terms effects that it could have to her spine?"

Both of them were silent.

"Maybe, you were oblivious but surely a girl that age has got to speak up" said the judge. "Did she come to you and tell you, it wasn't fair she was reduce to sleeping on a bean bag? Did you smile and ignore it?"

Both of their faces changed.

"Your daughter is a human being not an animal. She has way more rights even if she's not 18" said the judge. "Your willful ignorance of your oldest is strike two against you."

Silence.

"Now let's talk about money" said the judge. "Penny Proud is 15, girls that age, aren't just happy with toys. They went to shop just like adults. I understand they want the latest clothes, they max our credit cards, your reluctant to give them money" before he said. "But never in all my years as judge, have I seen an uppermiddle class family give two of their children 40 dollars each and yet, Penny will be lucky to get 5 dollars" before he peered at them. "5 dollars in this day and age? This isnt the early 90's where everything is cents or pennies. Today, the best thing you can get for 5 dollars is a t-shirt from the charity shop. Hell, would either of you be able to survive on 5 dollars a week? I'm sure you can both pay your bills with five dollars right? Keep your house nice and heated, make sure you and your whole family are fed. Send your kids to school and pay gas money."

Both of them were speechless.

"Penny Proud has two parents who are well off and yet she is lucky to get a dime from them. And you never wondered why she needs a job?" Said the judge before flicking the page. "Now let's talk about the ratio. If you both received your paychecks and you had a boss, and on it was 5 dollars while you found out your coworkers who did the exact same as you got 40 dollars how would that make you feel?"

Silence

"You'll be enraged right?" Said the judge. "You would demand more money or raise hell in the ears of whoever you could. That figure symbolises how little your vauled in the eyes of the work place. Now apply this to your 15 year old daughter. Girls that age are practically an adult in mind. What does that say to her? You'll never say it out loud but the message is clear. 'We don't care about you'"

"But we do care about her" said both of them.

"Really?" Said the judge. "You both have a hella of a way of showing it. I must have missed the memo that it was now okay to make your child sleep like a dog, steal their money and show how little you care." Before he said. "Quick question. Penny is the older one right? Why did you ask her younger siblings to look after her, when she has no disability and from her impressive grades she has sound mentally as well?"

Both of them opened and closed their mouths but no sound came out.

"The law is meant to protect everyone. You beat down, a poor girl who was trying to make her life better and your suprised when she runs away from home?" said the judge before slamming his hammer and saying. "You are both sentenced to a week in jail. When you get out, you will have to do 40 hours of community service alongside mendatory Parenting classes until your deemed fit. In the mean time, guardianship over your other two children will be given to the grandmother. However if she is unable to care for them, they will go to their Uncle Bobby. When you both have realised you are responsible for all your children, you may appeal to get your children back"

And with that they were dragged out kicking and shouting.

# 3 years later#

"Uh, ooh, yeah" sang Penne on live-tv, now 18 and looking fine.

She grew taller, her body was more slender and delicate and she was totally rocking that crop top.

The crowd cheered.

The announcer came up to her on stage and said into a microphone.

"That was incredible Penne" said the man. "We, the world thought we will never see you again, after you announced retirement"

"Well, I did a lot of growing up in the last three years and I've realised, I've always been a singer" said Penny now with a French accent.

"Indeed you have" said the announcer. "Your voice is so beautiful and refined now, you clearly had trainning and we are delighted to have you back. That song you just sung was just wow"

"We'll, it was dear to my heart and I wanted to share it with the world" said Penny. "I met many amazing people and seen amazing sights over the years. I honestly didn't think so many people will turn up to see a star who hadn't been on top in three years. I'm so greatful everybody"

The crowd cheered.

"We'll, welcome back and we can not wait to hear what you have in store for us next. Ladies and Gentlemen, our idol Penne is back with her new Single 'Changed Lives'" said the announcer.

And Penny turned the TV in her limousine off.

She had done a lot of maturing over the years, had lots of fun times, got to know the world and had made incredible friends.

But now it was time to see her family she left behind as a full grown adult.

"Penne, we are here" said the driver.

She got out and saw the house she had been running from for three years.

She took a deep breath and walked up to the door and knocked on it.

However, she did not hear the yap of the dog or the sound of her father large feet marching towards it.

She was surprised to see an elderly white couple answer, instead.

"Yes?" Said the man.

"Hi, I'm Penny Proud" she said, in disguise. "I used to live here"

"Live here?" Said the woman. "We moved in here three years ago because the previous owners got evicted"

She was shocked and said. "We'll, do you have any idea where they are?"

"We actually know where they live" said the man. "The man of the family is always coming down here, in hopes that somebody will buy his 'Proud snacks'. Here, we'll right it down for you"

The man left and a few second later gave her a peice of paper with the address.

"Thank you" she said before walking away and shocking the couple when she got into the limousine before their very eyes.

"Please go to this address" she said, handing the paper to the driver.

The driver began to drive down, she wondered if it was true that her family got evicted and that the couple wasn't just crashing for a few days.

If they did, than maybe they moved to another suberben home.

But than she looked outside and saw pollution gas and dirty streets.

Perhaps they were taking a detour?

She laid there for a few minutes before hearing.

"Were here" said the driver.

She looked out and saw a single house on its own in a not nice neighbourhood.

"This can't be right" she said.

"This is what the TomTom is saying" said the driver and than none other than her father came our of the house, dragging with him the garbage.

The man looked like he had seriously aged, you wouldn't think it had been three years.

She found herself getting out.

"And make sure you wash your hands when you come in" yelled her mother.

"Yeah, I know. Woman" he said.

However, than he heard

"Dad?"

He froze and turned around to see a gorgeous young woman that he had never seen before.

He thought he heard wrong and carried on, only to hear again.

"Dad. It's Penny" she said.

He turned around and stared.

"Penny?" He said, not wanting to believe his eyes.

"Yes, it's me. Dad." She said. "It been three years hasn't it?"

She was than shocked to see him burst into tears.

"Penny!" He said, running to her, only for her to keep a distance and say.

"After you wash your hands" she said.

"You sound just like your mother" he said, frowned but he let her into the house.

The moment she came inside, the words 'small but clean' popped into her mind.

She told her driver to do whatever for the next hour by text and she heard it drive away.

And than she heard BeBe and CeCe.

"So what college are you applying for?" Said CeCe.

"Don't know" said BeBe who's voice was significantly lower than before.

They came in and she was shocked.

She still expected them both to be wearing expensive nice clothes, but one look at the quality told her, it was Maces.

Both of them were surprised to see the young women in front of them.

"Dad, who is this?" Said BeBe.

"Have you really forgotten your older, sister, BeBe?" Said Penny sounding amused.

Both their expressions changed.

"Penny?" Both of them said.

"In the flesh" she said. "Now are you both going to gap or are you going to hug your big sister?"

Both of them looked at each other before rushing to hug her.

BeBe and CeCe we're babies who were thrust into teenagehood, they didn't know they weren't supposed to treat another person like thin air, when everybody else was doing it.

There was no way she could stay mad at them.

Meanwhile Oscar went to wash his hands and tell his grandmother and wife the news.

Judy peered from a safe distance before Penny noticed her.

Penny gave her mother an invite to hug her and the woman took it with tears in her eyes.

"Penny is back?" Yelled Sugar Mama getting up.

Soon the whole family encased her in a full hug.

"I've missed you guys so much" said Penny as they released her.

"We've missed you" said Trudy.

Sugar Mama made her turn so they could admire her now.

"Look at you, don't you look fine" said Sugar Mama.

"Thank you" she said, before she said. "What's going on? I went to the house and they said you moved here"

And it was like the joy had been ripped from the air.

She waited.

"Penny...when you left...we got into some legal trouble" said Trudy.

"We ended up arrested and nobody wants to hire a black person who was arrested" said Oscar. "Judy lost her doctors license and my factory closed down"

And to say Penny was shocked was an understatement of a lifetime.

"However Uncle Bobby has been helping us" said CeCe. "He helped us get this house and he's paying some of our bills"

What?

It never occurred to Penny what a complete failure her family could be without that Doctors lincense and reputation.

Nobody brought Proud snacks, it took a certain type of person to actual enjoy them.

"Hella no" she said, surprising all of them. "You guys aren't living in this terrible neighbourhood, for another night. I got people I can call to give you guys a decent house"

All of them were shocked.

"I can also give you guys several thousand to get you by until my next paycheck" she said, continue to shock. "I'll also cover any college related things BeBe and CeCe need so both of you choose any college you want."

Both of them were shocked.

Penny got out her phone, and called someone before she started speaking in rapid french to them.

Everybody was stunned before she said.

"There is a house, that isn't housing anyone, that you can move into tonight" she said, "I haven't forgotten what happened three years ago but what kind of person would I be to let my family suffer before my eyes?"

She wrote down the address on the new piece of paper and gave it to them.

Her parents could have never been more happy.

"I'll give you all my managers phone number if you run into any problems" said Penny.

And just like that the happiness was snuffed out.

"Wait, why your managers phone number and not yours?" Said CeCe.

"It's because my personal phone number is reserved for family, only" she said, stunning them. "The family that was there for me, when I was at my lowest point and helped me get back up. They showed me that a family doesn't have to be blood related and that somebody can genuinely care about me without the looks or the money. Where as people who were supposed to my family abandoned me and kicked me when I was down. BeBe and CeCe may one day get my personal phone number but everybody else know better and I'm not rewarding your behaviour with a direct pipe line to me now that I'm well off. I'm not going to buy anything other than the necessity, I have no interest in anything further than that"

And than she walked out leaving them all stunned.

Her decision didn't just come from one incident but multiple time when her family did not act like a family, there had been many times somebody was wrapped up in their own selfishness or ego.

But the incident was the time, where she was geniuinely helped and show their were good people out there to raise her self esteem and give her the power to stand on her own.

She went into her limousine and the door closed behind her.

To think none of this would have happened if nobody talked to her on that day.

She thanked God for sending the best people she could ever met after her.

Friends really did make all the difference.

End.