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Luck Ch. 11

THE TRIAL

Devlin Sinclair owned the courtroom, this was his show and everyone inside of that room knew it, including the district attorney and the judge; who just happened to be a close personal college buddy of his father. Sinclair walked with the authority and confidence of a God. Only he could make his opponent shake and stutter, and unable to perform his own job.

Aries sat at the defense table. He wasn't the least bit worried; he had all the confidence in Sinclair, and the fact that all the evidence against him was circumstantial. He also knew about a particular witness who was going to clear things up about Lana's role in this entire situation.

Nomi Larue on the other hand was a mess, she could barley keep from crying; at several times she had to bite her tongue to prevent herself from yelling out and cursing anyone who said anything wrong about her man. She had a box of fresh tissues for each new day of court, unable to prevent the tears that continually leaked from her eyes. She wanted to hold Aries desperately; she needed to feel him close to her, and she longed to reassure him and put his mind at ease. Regardless of the fact that her old superstitious paranoia was telling her that something had to go wrong, she was trying to be strong for him. Her superstitions were kicking in times three, and she began to dwell on her disastrous and deadly streak of bad luck. She just prayed it had not rubbed off on him.

Merritt Jacobi testified for the defense. When the soft spoken veterinarian had finished, he stepped off the stand and left the court, hand in hand with his new girlfriend, the lovely Miss Ida VonHolmes. Things had ended perfectly for him with a new woman who just adored his daughters, who happened to be a wealthy widow. He was already starting to rebuild their new life; he just had to get Lana Lutz and all of her lies out of his system and out of his life, and doing his duty at court to help free an innocent man had inevitably cleansed him.

Next came Leslie Malone. Her testimony had the courtroom in tears; everyone listened as her love for this man still cried out though her words, her despair and pain obvious to every sobbing jury member. Then she finally lost it, and broke down in deep anguished sobs when she listened to the message Brad had left on her broken cell phone. hearing his voice echoing through the large courtroom had been her complete undoing. She knew now, beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was the last time she would ever hear his voice again.

But it was Raul Fitz that had the courtroom locked in a dead silence, the only noise was that of the man's nasally lisp as he spoke of the events from the night Brad Lowell was murdered.

"Lana had been seeing Brad off and on for months." He sat there, fidgeting with his expensive tailored jacket, making everyone in the courtroom and most of the members of the jury wonder how a man on a chauffer's salary could afford a suit like that. He was nervous to be there, but he was more nervous of the repercussions if he had not shown up.

"While she was dating Mr. Aries Stark?" Devlin Sinclair asked.

"Yes."

"How would you describe Miss Lutz and Mr. Lowell's relationship?"

"She seemed to be having a good time with him for a while, but I watched Brad make the same mistake I've seen many different men make over the years,"

"And what is that?"

"They fall in love." He looked down then, finally showing a glimpse of what people would assume was his own troubled love over Lana. "Love is definitely not in Lana's nature."

"I object your honor, it's purely speculation." Kenneth Blioki stood up.

"Your honor, we've already established that Miss Lutz had been having relations with the chauffer for over five years. Since he spent the majority of his time with Miss. Lutz, as we have well documented, it is safe to say he is the only one with any knowledge of the true relationship between Brad and Lana. He may be able to shed some light on Lana's state of mind at the time of the murder and the days leading up to it."

"Over ruled," the judge said, and Sinclair grinned smugly at Kenneth who promptly lowered his head.

"Thank you your honor," he bowed his head a bit.

"Please continue." Judge Mackey was beyond impressed with Devlin, if he had a son, he would have wanted him to be exactly like him. He was smart, observant, calculated and undefeated. Once the trial was over, he had all intentions of contacting his old college buddy and expressing his approval, followed with congratulations and cognac.

"Their relationship had become rocky at best, but it was the night he learned of her true plan that things went straight down hill." Raul shook his head thinking of that night.

THAT NIGHT...

Brad Lowell took one last pull from his cigarette before walking into Lana's apartment. Brad was changing, for the first time in his life he felt like he was thinking for someone other then himself. He had never wanted children or a family, he always wanted a career, but after such a tumultuous relationship with a superficial bitch with slivers of stone imbedded in her dead heart, and the news that she was pregnant, he was ready for a change. For the first time in his life, his career was the last thing on his mind.

His father had been a bastard on his best days, and gone the rest of the time. Brad had learned early in life that he had only himself to count on, and he had always liked it that way; until he foolishly fell in love with Lana. Now he had bigger dreams, he wanted to satisfy something other than his bank account and his desperate need for acceptance and adulation; he craved that family love he had been denied in his childhood.

But Lana had other ideas.

He knew exactly what she was about; she was going to pass that baby off as Aries Starks'. Brad knew how much he looked like Aries, and knew it would be easy. There was just one minor detail she had forgotten in her plans; there was no way in hell Brad would let any man raise his son as long as he lived. As much as he loved Lana, he saw her for what she was and knew she would use that child as leverage at every opportunity she could get. She knew this baby meant a lot to her career, her financial state, and was detrimental in her plan to keep Aries all to herself.

Brad would not allow that to happen; he would do everything in his power to prevent it. He would change Lana's mind, even if he had to keep threatening to tell Aries about her affairs. He wanted to make it work with Lana, and he would use tonight for his last attempt. But after tonight, if she was still singing the same tune, he would go back to the place he knew he was wanted, with the woman he knew would be more than happy to help him raise his child.

"I can not let it happen," Brad said, sitting at her dining room table, a plate of oysters before him.

"You don't have a choice Bradley," she said taking a sip of her red wine.

"I do have a choice and there is no way in hell I will let you pass my child off as Aries baby." He shook his head, "I love you with all my heart Lana, but I will do anything in my power to stop you."

"But you can't stop me darling, it's already done."

"Well what ever you've done will be undone in the morning after I talk to Aries."

Lana was furious, she knew Brad was going to pull this, he was in love with her, she knew that for a fact, and it was one of the reasons he refused to let her go through with her plan. In his simple, little mind he honestly believed that baby would bring them back together. Well, she didn't want his family, and she no longer wanted anything to do with the threat-throwing, clingy man.

"I wouldn't advise it," she said, taking another sip of her red wine.

"Lana, sweetie, don't do this to me, please, let's just try this family thing for a little while, we'll make great parents, I'm ready to be a father, let me take care of you."

"On what income? You can't even land an acting job anymore, your Aries look-a-like factor is over-played, and no one wants anything to do with you," she laughed. "Did you honestly think I would chose you over Aries? Your stupider than I thought." She shook her head.

"Fine, then I guess our discussion is over." Brad had pride, and as much as he loved her, he could only take so much. He rose from his chair; this was a dead issue and now he was starting to get a strange feeling.

"You're sure I can't change your mind?" she asked.

"There is no way in hell I will ever change my mind, this is my baby and I want to raise it with or without you," he said briskly. It was the first time that he had ever really appreciated Leslie Malone; he missed her, her loyalty and her compassion. He knew now that she would be there for him. She would help him raise his child. She alone had been the only one he could ever rely on, and he had taken her for granted—well no more. He was getting the hell out of this mansion and away from Lana and her infectious doom, and he was going to beg Leslie for her forgiveness after he told her the whole sordid story.

"Fine, then I am sorry Bradley, but I cannot allow you to destroy my future." As she spoke, the chauffer walked in, "or the future of my child," she grinned smugly, "Aries' child."

Brad was smart enough to know what was going on, without another word, he ran as fast as he could through the opposite dining room door and into the main lobby, he had just yanked open the door, took a breath of the air outside, thinking he was free, when suddenly he was overpowered. No matter how hard he fought, the hulking man had him trapped, dragging him back into the house. Lana quickly locked the front door and grabbed the poisonous gas with the attached mask. Raul held him still, his knees on Brad's arms, and the rest of his huge muscular body on Brad's torso and chest, immobilizing him

"You did this to yourself, Bradley," Lana said as she bent down next to Brad's head.

"Wait," he pleaded.

"It's too late for that now." She shook her head in disgust before looking at Raul, "Hold him tight," she said trying to slip the mask over his face.

"NO! LANA, PLEASE NO!" he shook his head back and forth.

"Hold his head still!" she snapped at Raul, who promptly held the man's head in one large hand.

"Please!" he cried right before she slipped the mask over his face, stifling all sound...

Raul abruptly snapped back to the presant day; sitting there on that stand looking out on a sea of horrified faces.

"It was horrible, she watched him until the last second, just smiling as he died." Raul shook his head, hating to think back to that demented day when everything spun out of control. "After that she had me dispose of his body, and to make sure no one ever found him but in case they did, she requested I made him unidentifiable."

"Is that why his teeth were smashed and his fingers and toes removed? " Sinclair asked, noticing the horrified look on the face of every juror.

"Yes," he sobbed hard, the tears openly and unabashedly falling from his eyes. "I warned him, I told him Lana loved no one and no way would she ever fall for him, but he wouldn't listen. He was convinced he could change her mind," he said taking a large drink of water, then setting the glass back down. "If only he had listened to me, he would be alive today."

***

Sinclair moved for all the charges to be dropped, and Aries Starks' named cleared. There was no hesitation on behalf of the judge or the district attorney. The man was clearly innocent, even the circumstantial evidence against him spoke of some one else's guilt. The judge and the district attorney both knew who the real murderer was, and they now had the task of finding the missing Lana Lutz.

***

They had been in disguise, Aries was Jack once again, but this time Mimi was 'Jill'. They found out quickly that Aries star was so bright that he had ignited her, and she was now a celebrity in her own right. She wasn't the least bit impressed. and she could honestly care less. The only thing she cared about was Aries.

Jack and Jill were the perfect couple; Jill, with her deep red mullet wig, hot pink cat glasses, large sun hat with the wide brim that covered the top half of her face, and Jack, with his thick beard and Yankees baseball cap.

Now, due to clever reporters and photographers, Jack and Jill had been exposed. The disguised couple had been walking down the isle of the local department store when the story broke of the disguise.

"Oh, shit," Aries said, looking around at the news. They just happened to be in the electronics department and all of the display televisions were running the same news channel.

"What's wro—" she stopped dead in her tracks, seeing them in their disguises on television, a picture of them out of disguise next to it.

"Busted." He was looking around, already noticing the people around them noticing them. He grabbed her hand and started to walk, "don't even look at them." She immediately put her head down and started the fast paced walk.

"It's him!" they heard a woman shout.

Next thing they knew, they were being chased through the store by a growing crowd. The stores security had managed to slow the crowd down a little, giving the two of them just enough time to try and slip away.

"Come here," he said seeing all of the people by the exit. He ran her back down by the sporting goods, he ran halfway down the isle when he stopped, looking at rows of display tents set up on either side of them; he unzipped the big navy blue one and pulled her in behind them, then zipped it back up, just as a few people ran by the tent. He put his finger to her lips until they passed.

"How are we going to get out of here?" she asked.

"I have no idea," he grinned, and she smiled ear to ear.

"I guess I don't need this any more," she said, and began pulling off the wig and the hat, and then, taking off the glasses.

"No more Jill?" He pulled her closer to him.

"No more Jill," She grinned as he pulled her onto his lap, facing him, "and no more Jack."

"Just us." He kissed her lips lightly running his hands over her hips, "and a department store mob."

"Kinky," she joked. And he kissed her.

He lifted her shirt and let his hands slip into her bra, cupping her large breasts. She was kissing him wildly, undoing his jeans, and sliding his large thick member from his pants. He broke the kiss, pulling the cups of her bra below her breasts; he bent his head and took a tip into his warm mouth, she moaned, arching slightly, pushing her breast closer to his skilled mouth as he latched down harder. He slid her skirt up, sliding his hand into her panties, and his finger inside of her—she arched deeply this time, throwing her head back, and he pushed it up to his knuckle. He worked her until he knew she was going to cum, and then kissed her, taking her cry into his mouth.

Aries did not have the patience or the ability to think hard enough to figure out how to remove her thong in a tent they could barely even stand up in, so he grabbed the crotch and yanked it hard until it ripped than he lifted her by her hips and slid her down on top of him, making sure he kept kissing her, so no one would be able to hear cry out. He pulled her all the way down on top of him, then raised her up slowly, then back down on him. Some where during it he lost a little control, putting her on her back and than driving in and out of her. He always lost all of his senses the minute he entered her body. He kissed her deeply as her orgasm started, and he felt him self Cumming. Just as he had spilled at least a gallon of his seed inside of her, he heard an unfamiliar voice.

"Mr. Stark, it's security, we've made a way for you to leave unnoticed out of the back door," the man said on the other side of the tent.

They both looked at each other; there was no way in hell he was done with her right now. He unzipped the tent just enough for him to poke his head out, careful not to let him see inside,

"Just give me like five more minutes."

'Ten," Mimi said to him. He looked at her, half dressed and dying for him to be back inside of her.

"Fifteen minutes," he smiled.

"Absolutely, sir." The man nodded before walking down to the end of the isle, as Aries re-zipped the tent and went back to his beautiful fiancee.

THE AFTERMATH

Aries was more famous than he had ever been, but he didn't care anymore. The same paparazzi that had actually inspired bouts of intense rage from their invasion, now invoked no emotion from him now. Mimi was perfect with her ability to ignore them or even crack jokes to put him at ease. It didn't seem to bother her, even when she was photographed and swarmed by paparazzi just for going to the store. She was an amazing woman, and he was more amazed with her by the day.

There was one day in particular that the press had finally gotten to him.

They had searched long and hard for the most secluded little island they could find. This was the most special and precious day of their life thus far, their wedding day, and Aries would be damned if he let the press invade it. He had finally found the perfect spot, so far from civilization and the rest of the word, they had to fly to get there; even their experienced pilot had trouble finding it.

"Just be prepared, you know how much the paparazzi loves you," Rip said to him once they were on the ground. Marz and Rip were his best men, standing beside him.

"I'll never be prepared for the press," he said.

"Don't worry homie, we are." Marz smiled, and just when Aries would turn to question Marz, he saw his breath-taking, gorgeous wife coming out of the bungalow and the comment was instantly forgotten.

Aries would learn exactly what Marz meant during the tail end of their ceremony. Just as the minister pronounced them man and wife, the first helicopter appeared, landing a half a mile from where they stood. Aries felt his blood boil and his face turned red as he watched two other helicopters land in the same area.

"I can't fuckin' believe it." He was furious as he watched them start to come toward them.

"Hey, I have an idea." Mimi turned his head to face her, "a little wager." She smiled widely, "if you can get me out of here before they attack, I'll show you that new trick I learned with my tongue," she pulled his head closer to her so she could whisper in his ear, "and I'll show you until you beg me to stop." Aries completely forgot his anger and the press running towards them.

Marz, Luci, Lyndsy and Rip had other ideas; they had planned ahead, just by some chance if the paparazzi had discovered that the wedding was taking place, and where it would be held. They ran to the small cabana and grabbed the huge suitcases, opening them, and grabbing dozens upon dozens of cartons filled with eggs.

Instead of throwing rice as the bride and groom left, they made targets out of the photographers and reporters, covering them with rotten and fresh eggs. Aries and Mimi jumped in the helicopter, laughing hysterically as they watched their friends make minced meat out of the unlucky members of the press.

"BYE!" Luci yelled, waving to them as the helicopter started going up.

"We love you!" Lyndsy screamed.

"Have a good time!" Rip yelled.

"We'll see you when you get back!" Marz finished, and then all four of them went back to chucking eggs at the now retreating press.

Mimi and Aries waved goodbye, still laughing wildly as they watched their friends plaster the press as they ran away from the oncoming onslaught.

As the helicopter went into the air, Aries grabbed her face between his hands and kissed her.

"Did I tell you how beautiful you look Mrs. Stark?" he asked, kissing her lips again lightly.

"Only 300 times Mr. Stark," she kissed him back smiling.

"How about how much I love you."

"333 times."

"Did I tell you how much I want to rip that dress off and—" she cut him off with a quick kiss.
"Don't tell me," she smiled and kissed her husbands lips lightly, "Show me."

***

Once the press was gone from the scene, Luci, Lyndsy, Marz, and Rip, all looked up into the clear blue sky watching their friends fly away for their wedding night.

"I say we stay here for the weekend," Luci said to Marz.

"I agree!" Lyndsy looked at Rip, "It's so beautiful here."

Lyndsy and Rip stood along the edge of the water—kissing.

"Looks like love," Luci said with a smile as she watched Lyndsy and her new official boyfriend. Marz picked her up and swung her around before bending to kiss her.

"It is," she laughed, "Everything turned out perfectly."

"We're lucky."

"Yes we are." he kissed her.

***

The woman stumbled through the emergency room entrance, holding her large belly, and crying. The woman was a sight to behold, and a far cry from the beauty queen that had once inhabited her body. Her feet were bare, her clothes were as filthy as her body, her hair was greasy and her face contorted with pain.

"I need a doctor!" she hissed; the receptionist did not understand English, and Lana was in too much pain to be able to speak any language other than her native tongue.

A nurse rushed out hearing the commotion, she spoke some English but it was not that good, and she was no where near fluent enough to understand what the screaming woman was saying. Instead, she used her basic common sense to assess the situation. She ran over to the pregnant woman after telling the receptionist to call the doctor down.

"Come with me," she said while trying to take her hand and the woman with the short black hair and bright blonde roots snatched her hand back in disgust. The nurse didn't need to speak fluent English to understand that rude gesture. The nurse held her tongue as she said, "I will take you to a room for the doctor to check you," in broken English. Once in the room, Lana had become even more angry and spewing more verbal abuse at everyone trying to help her.

"I am not lying on this filthy fucking bed!" Lana yelled, holding her belly as another pain wracked through her. "You—" she pointed to the doctor as she entered the room, "You need to change these sheets. NOW!" she yelled and then bent over as another contraction ripped through her.

The doctor, a much respected doctor in there area did speak fluent English, and she was none to impressed with the rude woman belittling her staff. "What kind of a hospital is this? Are you even a licensed doctor?" she spat out looking at the young Mexican woman, "you don't look old enough to be out of college," she hissed.

The doctor had been through a lot in her young life, she had dealt with stereo types, sexist demeanors, and fought poverty to become what she was today. Even though she had graduated first of her class with top honors, and she could basically have had her pick of top jobs, she chose to say close to home and her family. Her tiny little desolate town, where medical help was as elusive as wealth, meant the world to her; she had been raised within this community, and she loved each of them. She wanted to help, and had always been more concerned with people and their feelings and health, than becoming rich. She was needed here, so, it was here that she set up practice. When another nurse entered, the first nurse turned to her.

"I know her," she said in her native tongue.

"Who?" The other questioned.

"Her." She nodded to the woman who was finally laying down on what she had deemed a repulsive bed, still screaming in pain. The second nurse took a closer look and gasped.

The woman on the bed was a mess, her eyes were red and puffy; having left her black contacts in too long, Lana had gotten a nasty eye infection. She was hoping it would clear up enough to put the contacts back in before she went into labor, but just her luck, the infection had gotten worse. So her natural pale eyes, that unusual shade of aqua, were a dead give away, than added with the bright blonde roots that had grown in, her American accent, and Caucasian features, told them immediately who she was.

Once the doctor had given her the epidural, and Lana had managed to calm down a bit, Dr. Ramirez took the nurses outside of the room.

"This woman was on the morning news."

"She is Lana Lutz, she played in my favorite TV series," the head nurse interjected. It was true, the series had a small cult following in Mexico, since the syndicated show ran re-runs five days a week on basic television, anyone with a TV set was familiar with her face.

"And now she is on the run," the doctor said to them, "she is being accused of murder."

"What will we do?" the first nurse put her hands to her face.

"We have no choice; we have to call the authorities, they say she is armed and dangerous and if she realizes we are on to her, there is no telling what she will do."

***

Rip had been offered an excellent position at 'Celebrity Skinz' as their lead journalist. How could he resist? He had someone else in his life now besides himself to look after. Although, he highly doubted his well organized new fiancée needed anyone to take care of her, he relished the thought of doing so. It hadn't taken long before they both realized they had definitely found their soul mate. Rip never knew that life could be so bright and sunny and clear of all negativity.

Rip felt like a new man, and had decided on a little island getaway with the love of his life. They had just laid down by the beach, and Rip was eager to massage the suntan oil into her flawless skin. He had just begun re-confessing his love for her when his cell phone went off.

"I thought you said no cell phones," she looked at him.

"This is the emergency cell," he said, his eyes going wide as he grabbed the tiny little phone out of the small satchel he had brought along.

"Hello?" he said.

"How are you enjoying your vacation?" Detective Angus asked his friend.

"I am having the time of my life," he smiled, kissing Lyndsy's shoulder. "How are you enjoying retirement?"

"I appreciate it much more after going out with such a bang," he said whilst thinking of the last case of his long career. He missed his job something awful, investigation was in his blood, and then he turned to his backyard and his large family, and remembered why he had retired. It was time to spend the rest of his days just enjoying the family he had helped create and loved so dearly. "I have some incredible news."

"What's that?"

"They found her." The side of his mouth curled up in a satisfied grin as he reported the news. "They found Lana Lutz."

"You're kidding me." Rip jumped up, getting Lyndsy's attention, "Where?"

"Still in Mexico. She was in the middle of giving birth; she even tried to escape the hospital while in labor." Angus shook his head still not able to picture that.

"Finally!" he jumped up and down triumphantly and Lyndsy, seeing his joy, stood up beside him, looking at him questioningly. "Have you told Aries?"

"Not yet, I thought maybe you'd be the best man for that job," he smiled, "but I have a thick, juicy sirloin waiting for me on the grill so I have to go, but I will be in touch."

"I'm counting on it," Rip said, looking over to his own juicy delight.

"What's going on?" Lyndsy asked.

"They found Lana," he said, and Lyndsy's eyes grew as wide as saucers as she grabbed the phone. "Wait, I have to tell Aries," he chuckled, knowing exactly what she was about.

"Not until after I tell Mimi."

***

Deep in the middle of the garden was a small maze, not too complex so one could not escape, but definitely complex enough so one could not be found.

In the middle of the maze was a clearing where a thick stone dining table with several tiny stone benches around it was built. They of course sat on top of the table, enjoying a bottle of champagne, and a spread of food around them that would make even kings envious. Mimi wore a small thin white cotton summer dress, and Aries found certain areas hardening more each time the wind blew, exposing a little more of her skin.

"Where is Lana now?" Mimi asked him, the thin strap of her dress slipping over her shoulder

"In Mexico," Aries said, as he helped the strap of her gown down her shoulder more. "Once she's been tried for Julio's murder, they will expedite her back to the states for the murder of Brad Lowell."

"Is it wrong to celebrate?" she wasn't sure how she felt. She had never met the woman who had brought so much pain and destruction to everyone in her path; she was a stone cold murderess, but Mimi could not bring herself to hate the mother of the baby she had been caring for. She knew at one point or another, Taurus would ask her about his mother, and Mimi would be honest; but she'd be careful not to speak horribly about her. Taurus would have enough to deal with at that point, and Mimi would protect him until it was over, or at least sorted. Taurus was an innocent victim of his mother's greed, and Mimi had already seen what the murderesses' violent tendencies had done to her son's reputation.

Once the paparazzi realized that Mimi and Aries had Lana's baby they went ballistic, trying desperately to get pictures of the boy. The press was certain that it meant the baby must be Aries' so that was the headline of every magazine for months, regardless of the truth. Mimi figured it was best to let them think that, it was none of their business anyway whose Taurus real father was. Mimi took all precautions when it came to the baby; she was super smart, careful and quick thinking enough, to never let them get close to Taurus. That's why there was such an obscene amount of money offered for any available pictures.

Aries on the other hand sat back and let her take control of the situation, since he was only able to react with violence when it came to the press. Mimi on the other hand dealt with the oncoming paparazzi like an old pro. He was also beyond impressed with Mimi's parenting skills, and couldn't wait for her to have his child. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that his children would be well taken care of, deeply loved and well-protected. His wife was a survivor who knew how to take care of her family.

"We're not celebrating her incarceration, we're celebrating our freedom," he smiled, pulling her closer to him so he could kiss her luscious lips. "To us."

"To us," she raised her glass, "and Taurus."

"And Taurus." They sipped their champagne, "and I want to kiss my wife." he pulled her closer to him and she puckered up, "no, not there." he grinned lifting up her dress to her waist, sliding his finger down to her white cotton panties, "here." She looked at his eyes, loving the fact that he couldn't keep his hands off her even long enough to finish their toast.

Aries laid her down on the table, and then slowly stripped the cotton dress from her body, kissing every inch he exposed before making love to her for the rest of the afternoon. Right there. In the middle of the massive stone table. In the center of their secluded little garden.

***

It was strange how karma worked, Lana had gotten what she had asked for, she was more famous than any other celebrity on the face of the planet, and her double murder trial was the trial of the century.

Lana stood there, tears pouring down her face, but this time she didn't need a vial of fake tears, as she wasn't acting. She had just been convicted of first degree murder, and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

***

Mimi sat across from Lana at a decaying wooden table at the women's maximum security prison.

"I want to legally adopt Taurus." Mimi refused to beat around the bush.

"Who?" she asked, a billow of cigarette smoke coming out of her semi pursed lips.

"Taurus, your son."

"Oh," she said, and then shrugged, "pay me and you can have him."

"Selling children is illegal," she said in disgust.

"What do I care, I'm in here for the rest of my life," she glared at Mimi.

"Exactly, so sign these papers," she slid them over to her, "and I guarantee that your son will be taken care of for the rest of his life," she said.

"I want my commissary filled each month until I die," she said smashing the cigarette in the ash tray, then immediately lighting another one.

"Is that all he is to you? Money?"

"Yes," she said coldly. "What else could he be?" she said flatly, as if she were discussing her laundry.

"You cold-hearted, selfish bitch, he's your son!"

"Well, I don't have time to think about that, do I. right now all I have time to think about is survival, I can't think about a son I will never see, never be able to hold." Mimi swore she saw a flash of sorrow cross Lana's face, but she masked it so quickly it was hard to tell. "Why do you care anyway? He's not even Aries' son, he's the son of the man I murdered," she spat.

"Because I was there the day that tiny baby cried alone in a nursery, shivering and under-nourished with low body temperature; and I stayed there everyday until he finally got out, and then I took him home. And as you know he's been with us ever since." A smile graced her lips as she thought of Taurus.

"Well, that's your dumb-ass for taking in a baby that you weren't even sure was your husbands," she shrugged.

"You honestly wanted me to just leave him there in the custody of child protection until we found out if he was Aries?" she asked; unable to even stand the thought of Taurus in that cold unloving, uncaring environment. He was an innocent victim in the middle of all this mess and Mimi swore that she would protect him from the cruel world his mother had created for him.

The paternity tests came back quickly and it was determined that there was no way Aries was the father, but Mimi didn't care who his parents were at that point; she was in love with the baby and she refused to give him up, regardless whose blood he shared. Under the circumstances, Aries agreed that it was probably best to legally adopt him.

She had been convinced that he was Aries son, he even looked exactly like him, and so most people automatically assumed he was. In all reality Taurus looked just like Brad, who just happened to have been born with a face that resembled Aries so much that people mistook them even in death. It was that face that had made Aries a megastar, and had made Brad famous for looking like Aries. It was also that face that had made Lana Lutz choose him in the first place; a submissive Aries was a dream come true for her. It might have even lasted, if Brad hadn't grown attached, foolishly fallen in love, and then decided to grow a backbone.

"And even if he was, who in their right mind would take her husband's and his ex-fiancée's child in as their own?"

"Lana please, let me give him the life he deserves, the life I am sure you would have given him if you could." She tried to reason with her regardless of the fact that she wanted to shake the shit out of her until she signed over full-custody.

"Fine." Lana held her hand out for the pen, the guard came behind her and dropped it in he hand, standing close while she signed the paper work. "Here." She handed the pen back to the guard. Mimi took the signed paper looking at her signature a smile spreading wide across her mouth. "Happy now?"

"Thank you," she smiled with a nod, "I'll fill your commissary before I leave."

"Thanks."

"I can also bring Taurus by when ever you like so you can see him."

"No, I don't want to see him and I don't want him to ever see me like this." She looked into Mimi's eyes, this time the pain was evident and she wasn't trying to hide it, yet.

"If you change your mind—"

"I wont," she said seriously.

"You have a lot to be proud of; he's so smart, and loving. He is the cutest little baby I have ever seen," her smile was wide with pride. She had an unexplainable desperation to make Lana realize what a wonderful little boy Taurus was.

"What does It look like?" she asked.

"Wait," Mimi grabbed her purse and took pictures out of her wallet. She laid them down in front of Lana and she hesitantly picked one up.

"He looks like Brad," she said as she thought of the man for the first time in a long time, "And Aries."

"I know. That's the strange part, he looks exactly like Aries." She smiled before taking the picture Lana handed back.

"Time up," the guard said.

"Well, he's your son now," she said. "I know he'll have a good life." Lana stood as the guard came towards her. "Thanks." She did a little side smile that barley reached her eyes.

"Take care, Lana." Mimi said, and Lana nodded as the guard led her out of the room.

***

The adorable, little girl with the long jet black waves, and honey colored eyes, stood outside. Her tiny five year old frame looked miniscule in front of the massive mansion. Below the surface of the angelic face were a spirit that could not be broken, and a sense of self that was unusual for a child her age. She was wearing her prettiest pink dress and her new silky pink bows in her pigtails. She held an Easter basket as she skipped and sung. She knew what was happening today. Today they were going to a special Easter picnic at her godmother Lyndsy's house, and her godfather Rip had gone out of his way to make sure that Star had the pink mini bike she had wanted—despite the strong disapproval of her mother.

Only one thing stood in her way, and that was the cars that were now pulling up in front of her house. Even though her father had retired from acting, he had found his real passion in architecture and directing. Unfortunately his star had been so big and bright, even years after his retirement he was still being stalked. Only now they limited it to holidays and any chance sightings of the children.

For years their main focus had been Taurus, Mimi had actually taken him out of school because of the recent scandal of his mother stabbing her cell mate and facing yet another trial. Taurus had been through hell and back, as the only child of convicted murderess and former child star Lana Lutz and Brad Lowell who had been murdered by his mother, and then add the fact that he was now being raised by the equally famous Aries Stark; the child didn't really have a chance of not being a major headliner. The poor boy was a smorgasbord for the starving press, and his whole life was flipped upside down and inside out each time Lana did something else newsworthy in prison.

Mimi was the protective mother lioness, and she did not play around when it came to her children. Taurus, even at his young age knew what it was all about; he had been through so much with the paparazzi no matter how much they tried to protect him. There were still a few times when they had leaked through. Aries was a victim of the press and had hoped he would be able to help Taurus understand what was going on. Luckily the boy took it well and did not let him bother him too much, although occasionally he would get frustrated, angry, and lash out.

Now they had switched their focus onto the other Stark child; the beautiful little girl who looked so much like her mother, but with her father's exact shade of eyes. She was in private school, but even a posh, elusive boarding school for kinder gardeners could not keep away the press. At her Christmas concert, Star had sung jingle bells and dazzled the crowd with the voice of an angel, shocking everyone that watched that such a big voice was coming from such a little thing. Star had become a star in her own rite that day.

Aries had not wanted either of his children to be in the spotlight, and he wasn't happy about the recent craze over the soon to be six year old's talent. He was proud, there was no mistaking it; he couldn't help but crack a smile at just the thought of his little girl. He was amazed by her and he wanted to keep her safe and secure. But alas, her talent was too amazing to keep hidden or grounded. There was nothing he could do about it, his daughter was born to be a star; it was written in the heavens, and if she chose to pursue her singing, which he knew she would, he would have no choice but to let her soar.
"Are you ready?" she heard her eight year old stepbrother's, Taurus's, voice in the mini-walkie-talkie she had in her large Easter basket.

"I am," she said, skipping and singing. She knew it would be the perfect trap, they could not resist her. Just as the press started to charge the gate, Star stopped singing then with her sweetest smile she could muster, she dazzled them making them all collectively "ohh and ahhh' over her. That's when that angelic smile twisted up to the side in a devious smirk

"Go!" she yelled and without warning, the press was suddenly under attack with buckets of honey, followed by a liberal amount of feathers and all the while Star soaked them with her extra-large super-soaker water gun, which she had mixed a large amount of red food dye with the water.

Taurus had orchestrated it; he remembered his parents' wedding day stories and how his godparents had managed to chase the press away with eggs. So, he had used his powers of manipulation, coupled with Star's charismatic and endearing personality, to talk every member of the staff into helping. Although it didn't take much to convince them, they had been there with the Stark family since the day they decided to settle at the big house, they too saw what the family and especially the children went through because of the press. They were more than happy to help.

It had worked, and everyone laughed as they watched the frazzled press run away covered in honey and feathers.

"Run rabbits, run!" Taurus teased them, squirting them with his own blue dye and water concoction.

"Happy Easter, you stalker bunnies!" Star yelled to them draining the last of her water gun on the fleeing press. Both children held onto the gate, laughing wildly, watching the press run around like chickens with their heads cut off, and scrambling to get into their vehicles and away from the attackers.

"We won!" Taurus yelled raising his arms in the air triumphantly. There pranks and torturous plots against the paparazzi was all they had against the vultures.

"That was fun," Star smiled.

"I promised you a bunch of Easter bunnies," he chuckled.

"Human sized bunnies are perfect for Easter," she clapped her hands.

"You did a good job, Starry." He smiled, and then picked her up in a bear hug, swinging her as the staff circled around them all happy with their own glee over their win. Every one of them proud of themselves and the children, and more than happy to help the disastrous, albeit amazing, duo in any way they could.

"If we do it every time they show up—"

"Maybe they'll stop showing up," Star finished with a grin. then suddenly the staff dispersed, all going back into the house as Aries Stark walked out of the front door and over to his children.

"I saw that," he said, picking Star up. Taurus eyes grew wide as he stepped back, hoping Star would give her daddy one of those breath taking smiles to smooth it over.

"But you said if the parra—papazi— porpar—"

"The press." Taurus helped her along.

"Yeah, them, you said if the press was here we had to wait until they left to go to auntie Lyndsy's and uncle Rip's."

"Yea, and Marz promised to finish teaching me to box, and Rip got Starry her bike," Taurus said hoping to sooth the situation. Aries just grinned. These two little things were undercover masterminds, and the two of them together spelt trouble. He really appreciated the way Taurus looked out for and protected Star, it was very reassuring.

"I really want my bike daddy," she smiled that infamous smile.

"Well you've earned it," he smiled and kissed her cheek, "and if your mother sees this honey on your new dress your going to need that bike to get away from her." He carried her to the house chuckling.

***

Mimi sat in one of the lawn chairs, her hand on her large belly. She watched in awe as her tiny little baby girl sang for the kids and ended up with all the kids and the adults at the barbeque in utter silence, still amazed by her impressive set of pipes. Mimi knew it was just the beginning of their lives, and she felt a little bad that Aries would inevitably be back in the lime light. Star was already talking about a music career, and being signed by a major record company and she wasn't even six yet. Of course Taurus had a lot to do with it, he loved her voice and made her sing to him all of the time; he even had convinced her that she would be more famous than either of their parents.

Mimi looked to her right to see Luci picking up Star, and dancing with her, as Star continued to sing; and then to her far right she watched as Marz gave Taurus his recent boxing lesson. The little boy was exceptionally strong, and already had the skills of an old pro, and Mimi wasn't sure who was prouder, Taurus, Aries, or Marz.

To her left she watched as Lyndsy and Rip kissed a little before she fed him a piece of cherry pie, and he sat there as happy as a pig in mud. Then, she looked in front of her and watched as her handsome husband walked over to her, sitting on the edge of the chair facing her. He handed her a tall glass of lemonade.

"Thank you," she said.

"Twins," he grinned and rubbed his hand over his wife's large belly. "I still can't believe it."

"And I thought we were gong to stop with three."

"No, I told you I want five."

"No way in hell Aries Stark, this is it, no more babies," she said and he grinned leaning into her.

"The minute you give birth, I'm getting you pregnant again," he chuckled as he leaned his head down and kissed her belly.

"Maybe," she grinned "if you're lucky."

"I don't need luck, Nomi Stark," he said as he reached for her hand. "I have you."

THE END...
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