The guard held up his hands. He didn't care one bit about dirty children rolling in their own shit, but he did not want trouble with the constable. "There's a desk over there with people who can help you out," he pointed.

As they passed, James stuck out his tongue at the guard.

Elijah led the way to the desk the man suggested with a small thank you, completely out of politeness but then glanced down at James. He shook his head though tried to speak softly and not too harshly. "Remember? We must behave. Act as polite as you ever have in your life." He stepped up and spoke to the man to explain their business there.

"Oh... right...." The boy remembered.

The man at the desk looked down at the child with a frown. "Well, the court would need proof of neglect or abuse. The parents and possible other children would have to be questioned. Have you removed the child from the home as a matter of emergency? That would also have to be reported, and then the current foster home would probably have to make a statement. We could probably plan you in for....." he looked at a big book and went through page after page. "June."

Elijah smiled politely, trying to hide his nervousness as he hadn't gotten himself fully prepared. "He has not been taken from the home for emergency. The boy is rarely home and his parents' do not notice. I have files against the parents for criminal charges that have been taken care of in the past to show their character. Though I haven't treated it as an emergency situation, it doesn't make it less true that he needs to be taken and put in a foster care. I am here to get the permission from the court to pull him from their home and to allow the beginning steps towards making him eligible for adoption. If you like, I will have reports of abuse but I need permission to keep him from the house first. I do not want there to be an emergency if I can help it."

"Right..." said the man, slowly and clearly irritated that he had to deal with all this. "Well if you could just drop by and hand over all the documentation, the court will look at it on the sixth of June."

James looked up at Elijah. "Do I get to live with you and your boyfriend now?"

The man at the desk suddenly sat up straight.

Elijah's eyes widened and he laughed lightly. "I-I told you not to say that. People might get the wrong ..idea.." They'd get the exactly right idea was the problem.

He immediately turned to the man and chuckled softly,"I have a friend staying with me.. the boy doesn't know what sort of ideas calling him that brings. It's horribly embarrassing to correct..." He tried to turn Noah away to walk with him.

"I suppose you can stay with me, since now you're a matter for the court. But please behave and stop saying that or I won't let you. And a good foster home is very hard to find."

The man nodded, and went back to being disinterested.

James beamed up at Elijah. "Alright, I won't say it again. Do I get to call you dad now?"

Elijah smiled weakly and walked with him, "Well I advent adopted you. No one can until after the case is seen in June. But you may call me ..." He frowned in thought as he couldn't come up with a good term.

"Ah, just Elijah perhaps will be fine. Treat me like a caring older brother who is looking over you. But I must stress how important it is that you behave. I am a busy man and it won't help your case if you cause too much trouble. I promise to give you a place to sleep and food to eat and warm clothes if you can do this..."

"I always behave," James lied.

Elijah laughed softly. "I think I recall things differently."

He suddenly seemed to think of something and knelt down. "While you stay with me, you can not let your family inside. Don't even open the door. Let me deal with them. Alright?"