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Chapter Twenty Seven

-- Liv --

I've had many long nights in my life, but never was there a longer one than this. The thought of Nick and Noah behind bars made my stomach twist and turn. I paced the house and stared out into the backyard. Night creatures sang a mournful song as the minutes slowly faded to hours.

Brooke and Kay had vowed that they wouldn't be able to get to sleep, but they finally drifted off on the floor of Brooke's room around three in the morning. My poor little baby girl suddenly seemed much smaller than the woman she was becoming.

I hated that a night that was supposed to have been so special for my daughter had turned out so horribly wrong. The thought of her bruises brought fresh tears to my eyes. I almost wished for those days when she was a baby, screaming her lungs out. I had never thought those days would end.

But they had. Time had gone so fast. So many happy years with Nick...

Nick.

"Liv, get some sleep," mom said. I glanced at the clock. It was five a.m. Nick and Noah had spent an entire night in jail.

"I'm going to head back to the station," I said.

"Do you want something to eat or--"

I shook my head. "Just watch the kids. I'll be back as soon as possible."

"Mike's already down there," mom said.

"He left?"

Mom smiled. "He snuck out when you weren't looking."

I felt a rush of affection for my step-dad. Even though he was in his late seventies, he moved like a man half his age.

I grabbed my keys and headed out to my car. Noah teased me endlessly about driving a 'soccer mom' car, but with four kids it was the only thing practical.

The radio kept me company on the way to the station. The parking lot was much emptier than it had been last night.

I guess criminals aren't morning people.

I walked in and checked in at the front desk. Minutes ticked by. I was about ready to go up and bother the clerk again when Mike came out of a side door. Nick and Noah were right behind him.

The sight of their tired faces made my heart ache. I ran over and threw my arms around Noah. He hugged me tightly.

"What were you thinking?" I chastised.

"It was nothing," Noah said lightly. I pulled back. He was dirty and sweaty. I glanced over at Nick.

Identical trouble makers. He gave me a crooked smile. I wanted to punch him. Then I wanted to hug him.

"So how much trouble are you in for all this 'nothing'?" I asked.

All four of us headed outside. Noah took a deep breath as if he hadn't smelled real air for years.

"Let's just say that I better start recording and touring with the guys soon. We had to post a pretty hefty bail," Nick said.

"We have a hearing in a few weeks," Noah added.

I groaned.

"How's Brooke?" Nick asked.

"She's tired, scared, emotional...as good as can be expected."

"They brought Garrett in just as we were being released," Noah said. His voice was chilly.

"They did?"

"Yeah. Dad beat the shit out of him. I think he's talking a little bit higher too."

Noah started to squeak like Mickey Mouse. He glanced over at Nick; they grinned. I stared at them.

"You are not seriously proud of yourselves."

Nick looked at me in surprise. His eyes drifted past my shoulder. I turned.

Mike was standing behind me vigorously shaking his head.

"Don't help them," I said.

He held up his hands.

"Where's my car?" Nick asked.

"I had a buddy of mine take it back to your place," Mike said. "You were about ten seconds away from being towed."

"Thanks," Nick said gratefully.

Mike followed us in his car back to the house. On the way there, I glanced over at Nick. I reached out and took his hand. He squeezed it.

"Don't worry," he assured me. "I'll have to pay for the damages and some medical bills. I'll probably have to do some community service, but I won't be doing hard time."

"And I'm still a minor," Noah said. He paused. "Maybe I'll have to go to juvie."

He made it sound like a reward. I regretted the day my son's testosterone ever kicked in.

The house was filled with smells of cinnamon rolls. Peyton, Brooke, Kay, and Landon were grouped around our large dining room table. Brooke scrambled out of her seat and ran right to Nick.

"Are you okay?" she asked. Nick kissed the top of her head.

"I'm fine. We're both fine."

Brooke turned to hug Noah.

"NoNo, you're the best brother in the whole world."

Noah turned bright red.

"Well, y'know..."

"Kay's mom and dad called," my mom said from the kitchen. "They're flying down here today."

In the whole mess of things last night, I had completely forgotten about Brian and Leigh. I saw Kay slump down in her chair.

"Alright, I'll give them a call and see if they need picked up," I said. I headed towards the kitchen for some orange juice. As I poured a glass, I glanced out at my offspring.

Noah walked over to the table and grabbed a cinnamon roll. He stuffed it in his mouth.

"How was jail?" Kay asked. Noah chewed vigorously and swallowed.

"It wasn't so bad," he said. He puffed out his chest.

"Did you get the bad guys?" Landon asked Nick. Nick ruffled his hair.

"Sure did."

"COOL!"

Peyton was hunched over the table picking at her cinnamon roll. She stabbed a finger in the middle.

"Pey?"

She turned around.

"Yeah?"

"Why don't your bring your breakfast upstairs? I want to talk to you."

She glanced around and then picked up her plate. She followed me upstairs.

I had never seen two girls more different than Peyton and Brooke. Brooke had started off life as a little tomboy. I thought back to all the dirty stuffed animals and that poor little baby doll...

But she had grown up to become the girly girl.

Peyton was the exact opposite. She had started life as a girly girl. She had begged me for bows and ribbons and barrettes. Then about two years ago, she had become a tomboy. She swapped her dresses for jeans and t-shirts. She would rather be out on the boat than painting her nails.

And I loved it.

"I bet you're wondering what's going on," I asked as we walked into the master bedroom.

"Well, I'm not three years old," she pointed out. "I know something bad happened."

"It did."

We sat down and I told her the truth. In just a few years she was going to be sixteen. Nick and I had decided a long time ago that we were going to be open and honest with our kids.

So far it was working for us.

"So did they arrest Garrett too?" Peyton asked when I got to the point in the story about Nick and Noah spending the night in jail.

"Not yet," I said. Her eyes narrowed.

"That's not fair. They should lock him up and throw away the key."

"I agree."

Pey licked the last of the icing off of her fingers.

"That won't happen to me," she finally said.

"It could."

She shook her head.

"No. I'm not as pretty as Brooke."

I looked at her in amazement.

"What are you talking about? Peyton, sweetheart, you're beautiful."

She stared down at the floor. Finally she looked up and gave me a crooked little grin.

"I'm also a black belt."

I laughed. "Yes you are."

I hugged her close and we headed downstairs. I had a feeling the next few weeks were going to be very stressful.

But, at the end of the day, the most important thing was that we were all together. Sure we were loud, crazy, and irrational...

But we also had a whole lotta love.

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Random Author Comment: I just checked Nick's Twitter and he posted a video -- Backstreet Olympics! (see BatB to realize why I'm enjoying that so much). It's a Jib-Jab video and I'm sitting here at working trying not to snort and cause attention to myself. That is all. :)