Chapter One-Hundred
The moment Josh was placed in the seat next to Elenore, Elenore who had unbuckled herself from her seatbelt earlier so that she could see what's going on, immediately tackled him with hugs.
"Ugh…Ellie!" he whined. "Get off of meee! You're squishing me." Elenore didn't reply, nor did she move from being on top of him, all she did was smile at him widely and hug him even tighter. Josh groaned and shoved her off of him and not meaning to, he made her fall onto the floor between the seats.
"Ouuuch!' she whined.
"I warned you to move!" Josh snapped somewhat, though his tone wasn't threatening in the least bit. Elenore stuck her tongue out at him and swatted him with the nearest coloring book.
"Sees if I ever hugs you ever again! Meanie head." Josh rolled his eyes.
"Is that a promise?" He asked even though he always enjoys her hugs. He can't let her know that though.
"Joshy you be nice or Ellie wont's be the only one hitting you withs coloring books!" Dakota threatened.
"There will be no hitting each other with coloring books at all am I making myself clear?" Kevin asked, peeking his head in the van. "And Ellie, get back in your booster seat."
"No!" Elenore immediately argued. Kevin gave her a look that meant he is not playing games at all right now.
"Lets re-phrase this. Get in your car seat now young lady. It's not too late to make you get in the other van." Elenore scowled and she felt Josh grab her hand and pull her up from the floor.
"Do it Ellie."
"Oh so now you care about me?" Elenore huffed.
"No, I just don't want everybody to have to deal with your crying — I would like to get to Kentucky sometime you know!" Josh insisted, even though really he doesn't want her to go into the other van. He can't let her know that either though. Elenore glared at him again and she raised the coloring book in her hand to swat him again, and he leaned back in attempt to get away from her. Kevin cleared his throat making Elenore look at him — coloring book still in the air.
"Do. Not. Test. Me." Elenore gulped and she felt someone take her hand again — it was Dakota this time. She looked at her best friend, and Dakota pulled her down into her booster seat.
"Ellie please…" Elenore scowled and buckled herself back up. Kevin gave her a satisfied look, and then he climbed into the seat in front of her next to Spencer. He offered to sit next to him with a paper bag incase he should get sick so that Kori could sit in the front with Wiley. Elenore threw the coloring book down on the floor as she is fuming at the moment. If it weren't for Dakota, she would totally test Kevin. She is in the mood to test Kevin now. Why is he being such a grump anyway?
"What is your problem today Kev? Why are you so grumpy?" Kori asked when they were soon back on the road again.
"I'm not. I'm just sick of dealing with her tantrums that's all. I have to act like that otherwise she'll walk all over me."
"Ah, I see," Kori, replied. Elenore crossed her arms over her chest and she stared at the back of Kevin's head with a glare fixed on her face — she's practically burning a hole right through his head. Josh was beginning to sense that if Elenore doesn't calm down soon there is going to be a huge outburst on her behalf. That's the one thing the two of them have in common. Once the two of them get going, it's hard for them to stop. He understands better then anybody else. Josh reached over and grabbed her hand and Elenore pulled it away and turned to look at him with a very dark look.
"Ellie, calm down."
"make me."
"Please? Kevin seems in a bad mood. Something tells me making it worse isn't a good idea."
"I thought you said that you didn't care," Elenore replied angrily, as that was the one thing that set her off the most is the way he had treated her earlier. Plus Kevin being in a cranky mood was bugging her as well — especially when its directed toward her. Sure she was giving him a hard time, but that's not the problem and she knows it. He's been that way all day and it's starting to affect her. Elenore looked down at her coloring book on the floor and she began to wish she hadn't thrown it. Cause now she very much wants to have it back. She looked back at Kevin and saw that he was busy tending to Spencer. He's way too busy to pay any attention to her. Seeing this, she looked down at her seatbelt with a contemplative look on her face. Josh who knows exactly what the battle running through her head right now is about knew that nothing good could come from what she is thinking about doing.
"Don't even think about it."
"If you care so much about me you will lets me get my coloring book," Elenore insisted grumpily.
"If I really cared about you I would smack you upside the head to knock you out of this mood you are in." Josh threatened through gritted teeth, as he was slowly starting to get tired of being patient with her.
"Try it buddy and I will be out of this booster seat in two seconds flat wrestling you to the ground! And you know I can do it too." Josh rolled his eyes and then leaned over and grabbed up her coloring book and he roughly handed it to her.
"Happy?" Elenore didn't reply, she only opened up her book not caring which page she opened it up to. It didn't matter. She grabbed one of her crayons and she began to scribble as hard as she could. It was all she could do to take out her anger. As Josh watched he noticed tears forming in her eyes. He is not surprised in the least bit by her actions. He understands her. He's been there. From experience he knows its best just to let her get it all out. By the time she had colored the entire page, again, she threw her notebook but this time much harder, and it landed in front of Ryan on the floor. Kevin looked back at her and he raised his eyebrow.
"Throwing things is not going to make things better Ellie." Elenore didn't reply, she only crossed her arms over her chest once again, but this time she stared out the window as the tears fell from her eyes. She is now at the point where she is not talking to him. If she can't mouth back at him, fine. She won't talk to him at all then. See how he likes that. It may sound spoiled and bratty, but at this point she doesn't care. She's venting the only way she knows how. In the deadly silence. Kevin sighed and then faced forward again deciding that this is just another way for her to throw a tantrum and he knows paying attention to her is only making it worse. The sooner she learns that you can't always get what you want just because you scream and cry about it, the better. After awhile, Josh got out his Go Fish cards, and Ryan turned sideways in his seat and the two of them began to play it.
"Do you have a sword fish?" Josh questioned after an hour into the game.
"Go fish," Ryan answered. Josh groaned and then reached out to the pile of cards that they have sitting on the top of the seat between them and he pulled one off of the pile.
"Your turn," Josh answered, after noticing that Ryan was staring at Elenore who had suddenly drawn her legs up and wrapped her arms around them as she holds Lil Rok in her arms and she's pretending not to be watching the game. Ryan snapped out of it and looked down at his cards.
"Do you have a rainbow fish?"
"Go fish," Josh answered, even though it was a lie. He has 2 rainbow fish, but his protective side was beginning to nag at him. Why was he staring at her? he wondered to himself. What could he be thinking about? He's never paid attention to Ellie before, so why now? Is she suddenly so interesting just because she's in the middle of throwing a tantrum? he knows it's not a crush or anything crazy like that. Ryan is much older then her. But then again…that doesn't stop me from liking Dakota… he thought. But that's different…Ryan is WAY older then her
"Do you have a shark?" Josh asked when he realized that it's his turn.
"Man…" Ryan groaned, and he handed over all three of his sharks. Josh smirked and placed Ryan's three sharks, and his one shark down on the seat next to him since he has four.
The two of them continued to play the game and after awhile, Josh begin to notice that Ryan was staring at Elenore again, and it was really starting to bug him. Elenore doesn't even notice, and if she does she isn't showing it because she's got her head rested against her knees, Lil Rok rested in her arms and she is staring out the window the opposite way of them.
"What's up?" Josh asked, deciding he would just come right out and ask him. He did that with Brian earlier, and everything was just fine, so why shouldn't he be straightforward with Ryan?
"Nothing," Ryan answered, once again snapping out of his thoughts, and he looked at Josh. "Do you have any Dolphins?"
"It doesn't look like nothing," Josh replied, as he does not want to let this go. Not until he gets an answer. "Why were you staring at her? What's so interesting about her? She's just sitting there." Elenore, who was well aware of Ryan staring at her but was making a huge effort to ignore him because she knew it wasn't a good thing, was now listening intently — though she did not move from her position, nor did she turn to look at them. Is Josh actually sticking up for her? After she had just treated him like crap? And what happened to not caring?
"I was just wondering…does she always throw tantrums like these?"
"Not that it is any of your business…" Josh began in a protective tone. "But yes, she tends to do that sometimes. Do you have a problem with that?" Unknown to Josh and Ryan, there was now more then just Elenore listening now. Dakota had looked up from quietly coloring in her book, Nick and Ashley stopped kissing in the very back seat, and Kevin who was sitting in the same seat as Ryan was aware that trouble was brewing too.
"Well I just kind of find it a very babyish thing to do, that's all." Josh set his cards down as he stared at Ryan with a glare now fixed on his face. It's taking everything in him not to jump the kid.
"You take that back right now!" Ryan shrugged.
"I am just speaking the truth. Only babies throw tantrums."
"Says the kid who threw a fit the day he arrived at the Orphanage the other day," Dakota spoke up, folding her arms over her chest as she stared at Ryan with a very unfriendly glare. She liked him up until now.
"I didn't throw a fit. You didn't see me crying and throwing stuff around. That's something Laila does when she's upset."
"No, you just sat and pouted the whole time, didn'ts you?" Dakota replied. "And yelled at my uncles and detective Stabler when they were only trying to help you."
"You have no right to call Ellie a baby, you don't even know her!" Josh spoke up again, as he was fuming by now. "You take it back right now before I make you do it!"
"I thought you didn't even care about her! You were annoyed with her earlier!"
"That's the kind of relationship that Ellie and I have! Arguing is what we've done since the day we met! But she knows deep down inside that I do care about her. You're a new here so I wouldn't expect you to understand. But that also means you have no right to call her names cause you don't even know her or what she's been through!"
"Oh so you just have a crush on her then?"
"What? No!'
"Well that's usually what it means when a girl and a boy argue. Especially when they are as defensive as you are."
"She is my future cousin dummy!"
"Oh well whatever. I'm not going to take anything back when I was only being honest." Josh who now had enough jumped up from his seat and lunged toward Ryan, only to be shoved back down by Kevin.
"That is enough!" he demanded. "Joshua put your seatbelt back on, now."
"But he —"
"–I know, but you will still do as your told. Why don't we try and get through an entire vacation without you wrestling someone to the ground, shall we? We already know your good at it." Josh scowled and then sat back in his seat and put his seatbelt back on as he was told. Kevin turned and looked at Ryan.
"You too. If you two can't get a long then turn around and put your seatbelt on and find something quiet to do." Ryan rolled his eyes, and then did as he was told. Josh looked up at Elenore who was still sitting in the same position as earlier, and was staring out the window. She didn't need to turn and look. She knows Josh well enough to already know what was happening. Josh took her hand into his and gently squeezed it, and Elenore turned in her seat and leaned over and rested her head against his shoulder, as tears still clouded her eyes. She doesn't like Kevin in this grumpy state. He really needs a nap. Dakota slid her hand into Elenore's other hand and she leaned over and rested her head against Elenore's shoulder, as she held Lily in her lap also. After an hour of sitting there in silence, they all eventually fell asleep — even Ryan, who had laid his head against the window, and Spencer unbuckled his seat belt and went and crawled into Kori's lap despite her orders not to, and he fell asleep as well. Everybody was asleep except for Nick, Ashley, Kori, Wiley, and the one person who really needed it the most.
"How late did you stay up last night Kev? And then how early did you wake up?" Nick spoke up cautiously.
"I didn't go to bed at all," Kevin answered bitterly.
"Why the hell not?" Nick asked, shock written all over his face. "You knew we were going to be on the road all day — even I was smart enough to get some sleep."
"I was up all night packing and then Ellie woke up screaming from a nightmare and it took me a long time to get her to sleep. When I finally did, it was already 4:30 in the morning, I saw no point in going to bed when I would just need to get up again in an hour or so."
"So your punishing Ellie for something that wasn't even her fault?"
"No, of course not! I'm just telling you the reason I was up all night. I know it wasn't her fault."
"Then why are you taking it all out on her? You've been yelling at her all day and if you haven't noticed it's really starting to get to her. She wasn't throwing that tantrum just to be stubborn with you. She was throwing the tantrum because she's really had it with you. She's not used to you being so grumpy"
"And it's starting to get to everybody else too. Maybe you should be taking a nap too, Kev." Kori added. Kevin rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, then he looked out the window grumpily and no one said another word to him. After awhile, he eventually laid his head on his window and was out also. Everybody slept for two hours, and when Kevin finally opened his eyes again, it was because he felt the van being pulled into a parking lot. He sat up and looked around and realized they were at another rest stop. He looked back at Nick curiously.
"Howie has to use the bathroom — and so do I. That okay with you?"
"Why wouldn't it be okay with me?" Kevin asked groggily, as he tried to wake up all the way.
"Well we never know with you today…" Kevin sighed heavily.
"Alright…I admit I was an asshole…and I'm sorry. I've napped…I'm fine now. Okay?" Nick raised his eyebrow.
"Not much of an apology…you still sound like a jerk to me."
What do you want me to do, go back there and kiss and make up with you?"
"No, but you can at least mean it when you apologize."
"I do mean it…give a man a chance to wake up okay?" Kevin asked. "I'm sorry. I really truly am sorry." He added more sincerely.
"Fine…but you really should be apologizing to Ellie." Nick replied, as Wiley parked the van. Nick opened up the door and jumped out and he headed for the bathroom. Kevin looked back at Elenore, Josh, and Dakota to find them all leaning together like they were earlier but Dakota and Josh are awake, and Elenore was starting to wake up also. Kevin watched her and when she did, he got up on his knees, leaned over the seat and he brushed her messy hair out of her face.
"Hey sleepy head…" he greeted her gently. Elenore who hadn't forgotten about Kevin's mood earlier pulled away from him and squeezed Josh's hand.
"Come here," Kevin, told her gently, and he unbuckled her seatbelt and brought her over the seat, before sitting down and setting her in his lap. He hugged her close to him and kissed her forehead softly.
"You didn't do anything wrong earlier baby…I know you were just trying to make a statement. I was being a jerk and I'm very sorry," he told her sincerely. Elenore got up on her knees in his lap and she slid her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder and he rubbed his hand over her back. She's not sure if he really is done being a grump, but she really does need a hug and since he's willing to give one, she's willing to accept. Especially since he's the one she needs the hug from the most.
"I love you," he told her softly in her ear, as he hugged her close to him tightly. "Kevy just really needed a nap. I got one though, and now I'm all better. I promise."
"I love you too Kevy," she told him softly, as she snuggled into him and allowed him to rock her in his arms. She snuggled with him until she was all the way awake, and when he knew she was he set her down in the seat next to him and he got up on his knees again and looked back at Josh who was sitting there watching Elenore protectively. Kevin leaned over and hugged Josh affectionately. It took Josh by surprise at first, but then he wrapped his arms around him and hugged him back.
"Thank-you for looking out for my Ellie earlier. I really do appreciate it. You are really good to her." When he pulled away from Josh he looked at Dakota.
"Hey munchkin…is everything between me and you okay? I didn't upset you did I?"
"No…but do I still gets a hug?" Dakota asked hopefully. Kevin chuckled a little bit and reached over and unbuckled her, before pulling her out of her seat and he pulled her into his lap, before scooping Elenore into his lap also and he hugged them both close to him.
"How long till we gets to Kentucky, Kevy?" Elenore asked softly. Kevin looked at Wiley then who was standing outside of the van.
"Where are we Wi?"
"Howie says we only have thirty minutes until we get there." Kevin looked back down at Elenore then.
"A half n hour baby. Then maybe Aunt Jackie will have a good dinner waiting for us. Aunt Jackie makes the best food in the world…especially when Brian comes home. She is going to just love you."
"You thinks so?" Elenore asked, and she couldn't help but smile a little bit.
"What kind of question is that? Of course she is. Everybody loves Ellie…they'd have to be crazy not to."
"Ryan doesn't likes me much though," she reminded, and Kevin saw Josh's face darken in the corner of his eye.
"Don't let Ryan get to you honey…he didn't mean it. Like me he was grumpy and taking it out on an innocent person who didn't do anything wrong. Plus he doesn't know you very well…that'll change the more you two hang out together."
"I don'ts want to go anywhere near that kid. What was he so grumpy about anyway? He got sleep last night."
"His mommy is very sick right now…and he's worried about her. He's still trying to get used to the fact that he has to stay in an Orphanage for a while. Just like you Ryan has a few problems of his own…give him a break okay?"
"I'll try…" Elenore replied softly, and Kevin looked back at Josh.
"And that goes for you too buddy…Ryan isn't perfect. Don't be so quick to push him out of your circle okay? He may not show it…but he needs all of the friends he can get."
"Until he apologizes to Ellie him and I are not friends," Josh insisted while shaking his head and he crossed his arms over his chest to show that he is clearly still angry about the situation that happened earlier. Kevin couldn't help but smile a little bit. He loves how protective Josh is of Elenore.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
Enjoy =)
