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Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
Chapter One-Hundred-Twenty-Nine



Meanwhile, back in Kentucky, the moment Josh had called for Marcus, Marcus had jumped up and ran over to tend to the kids. He ended up having to carry a sobbing Elenore into the house so she could be with 'her' Kevy, as she was crying for him and he grabbed Ryan firmly by the arm and pulled him into the house with him. Josh, Spencer, Sarah, and Dakota followed him in there, as they know they aren't supposed to be outside by themselves. When they got in there he brought him into the living room and all of the adults — and the Carter kids, looked their way concerned. When Kevin heard his little girl crying for him he immediately got up and so did Howie whom noticed Marcus was dragging Ryan into the room and he looked none too pleased about the situation.


"What's going on? Ellie what's the matter?" Kevin immediately asked, and he went over and took her from Marcus. Elenore threw her arms around him and held onto him tight and she cried into his shoulder. He looked over at Marcus for answers as he rubbed his hand over her back.



"Ryan stepped on her hand — I checked it out, it doesn't seem broken or sprained but she says it hurts." Marcus explained. Howie looked over at Ryan seriously, and he hid behind Marcus' leg.



"Is this true young man?" Ryan looked down at the ground then and suddenly became very interested in his shoes. "Come out from behind Marcus so I can see you. Now." When Ryan didn't listen Marcus placed his hand on his shoulder and gently brought him around in front of him.


"Come on, do as you're told."



"Look at me Ryan." Ryan did as he's told and looked at Howie.



"Is what Marcus is saying true? Did you step on Ellie's hand?"



"Yes I did," Ryan admitted defiantly.



"You better start explaining why you did it mister because as of now you are in big trouble."



"She and Kota were talking about me behind my back!"



"Kota? Is that true?" Brian asked, turning and looking at Dakota, as he knows Elenore is way too upset to answer right now.



"Well…yes…" Dakota admitted, though in a careful way and she glanced at Elenore a little nervous. She doesn't want to give away her best friend's crush — but now that Ryan has squealed on them, Brian is going to ask questions — how is she supposed to answer honestly and remain loyal to her best friend?



"Why were you talking about him then?"



"It wasn't anything bad…" Dakota insisted worriedly, and it was the honest to god truth. She could feel the tears starting to form in her eyes. She does not want to betray her best friend. Ellie is going to hate her!



"Okay…well if it wasn't anything bad honey then why don't you tell me what you said?" Brian asked gently as he noticed how scared she is and he went over and knelt down in front of her and looked her in the eyes gently. "You know how fair I am Kota…I'm not going to get you in trouble if you don't deserve it. You know you can tell me anything."



"I can'ts tell you this," Dakota insisted, shaking her head as one lone tear rolled down her cheek.



"Why not?"



"Because it's Ellie's secret. She won't likes me anymore if I tells."



"How about if we go in another room and you tell me in private then?" Dakota looked over at Elenore who Kevin had finally gotten to calm down and he was sitting on the couch with her in his lap and he is holding an ice pack against her hand. Elenore nodded her permission and gave Dakota a reassuring look to let her know she still loves her. She knows she doesn't have much of a choice and she can trust Brian. She loves Brian. Dakota looked at Brian then.



"Kay…" She sniffled, and Brian stood up with her and looked at Howie and Kevin.



"I will be right back." They nodded and Brian carried his very upset niece out of the room. Howie looked over at Ryan then.



"Go sit over there on that couch Ryan — now." Ryan walked over to the couch and sat down on it and he looked away from everybody as he silently began to sulk. When Brian and Dakota got into the kitchen, Brian sat her down on the counter and wrapped his arms around her as he looked into her eyes with a sincere look in his own.



"Alright…now why don't you tell me what's going on?"




"We were talking abouts Ryan…but only because I wanted to know why Ellie was staring at's him all the time..." She began, and Brian gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear as he remained quiet and listened carefully. "An' she told me that it was because she thinks she likes him…"



"Ohh…I see…" Brian replied, understanding completely now.



"An' I wanted to knows why because he is so mean to her all the time…an' grumpy, an' never wants to play withs any of us. That is all…we didn'ts say anything bad Uncle Brian, I promise."



"I believe you honey. I know you would never lie to me."



"You cant's tell Ryan or any of the others! Ellie will kills me."



"I won't I promise. You just let me take care of everything, okay?"



"Kay…" Dakota sniffled and Brian wiped away her tears with his finger before gathering her back up in his arms and he brought her back into the living room. Everybody looked at him expectantly — Kevin and Howie especially.



"She's telling the truth you guys," Brian announced. "They weren't talking bad about him."



"Then what were they saying?" Kevin asked, and Dakota looked up at her uncle a little scared.



"They were just expressing how curious they were on why Ryan distances himself from everybody and why he is so mean to Ellie all the time. They didn't say anything mean about him though." Kevin can tell that Brian is definitely twisting the truth around. For one, he knows his cousin well enough to know when he's not being entirely honest, and two, Dakota wouldn't have been practically in tears over something like that. Howie can tell too, but he also knows Brian has to have a very good reason for it, because he wouldn't be doing it if he didn't. He turned and looked at Ryan.



"Come a long Ryan, lets go to our room and have a talk about your behavior." He told him, and he took his hand and pulled him up off the couch and he began to steer him up to his room. Brian looked down at Dakota and winked at her. She slid her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek before resting her head against his shoulder and snuggling into him. Brian makes everything better. As much as she loves the rest of her uncles with all of her heart, Brian will always be special to her.



~*~*~*~*~*~



Meanwhile out in the town of Kentucky, Ashley and Nick walked around hand in hand, Ashley holding Abbie's leash. Everytime they wanted to look in shops Nick would pick Abbie up and carry her knowing full well that he would be noticed right away and no one would care. He just hopes the wrong people don't notice him — fans for instance. The last thing they need is another mob — his brother took care of that already. Plus he doesn't want them getting the wrong idea about him and Ashley either. As they were walking a long the sidewalk hand in hand, Ashley enjoying the last of her ice cream cone she noticed a tattoo shop and suddenly grinned a little. She gently pushed Nick into one of the alleys and she wrapped her arms around his waist as she leaned her back up against the wall and smiled up at him. He looked down at her curiously, though he wrapped his arms around her nonetheless.



"Nicky I want a tattoo." Nick raised his eyebrow.



"You are kidding me right?"



"Nope. I'm dead serious."



"No way baby girl, there is no way you are getting a tattoo." Ashley stuck her lower lip out in a pout, getting better at it everytime she tries it on him.



"Pleeeease?"



"No. You are seventeen years old! You are not of age yet."



"So? As long as I have an adult — that would be you by the way," She began, pointing at Nick. "I will be able to."



"You always seem to forget that I am your caregiver too…not just your boyfriend. Even if I did take you into that shop and let you get a tattoo — which I'm not going to, I don't even know if I'm allowed."



"You are already breaking one rule…" Ashley replied, leaning up and brushing her lips softly against his as she places her hands on his shoulders. "Why not one more?" She added when she pulled away and she looked up into his eyes ever so innocently.



"Because I am already taking a huge risk with the first rule," Nick replied, rubbing his nose lightly over hers. "The next rule I break might just cost me my job and then what?"



"I can get it where nobody would see it."



"No." Nick replied firmly.



"Why not?" Ashley whined. "Please Nicky I really want it."



"Then you can wait until you are eighteen. I am not going to put you through that pain — tattoos hurt really bad."



"You aren't putting me through the pain…I am. And if they hurt so bad then why do you have so many?" She questioned, as she traced the tribal band that he has around his arm.



"Because I can handle the pain."



"And I can't?"



"No, because you have been in way too much pain already from Sean. We don't need to add anymore."



"Exactly…I have been in so much pain that a tattoo is not going to make any difference."



"You are not getting one…end of story. When you turn eighteen I will be more then happy to take you to get your first tattoo."



"By then I will be able to take myself," Ashley scowled.



"Well so what? At least I don't have to take you at seventeen and get into trouble by not only Brooke, but Kori too!"



"Nicky pleeeease," Ashley whined some more, beginning to sound a lot like Dakota. "I already have to wait for something else that I really want, please don't make me wait for this too." Nick laughed amusedly.



"And you don't think I'm not having a hard time waiting for that too?" Ashley rested her forehead against his and he smiled at her and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "But every moment I spend with you, the more I'm convinced it's worth the wait — I'm sorry honey, but I can't take you to get that tattoo. Brooke will murder me if Kori doesn't beat her to it — and to be honest, I don't think I can handle watching you go through with it. Please wait…for me?" Ashley gazed into his blue eyes and she placed her hand to his cheek.



"If you can wait for me…I guess I can wait for you…" She told him softly, meaning that in both ways and he hugged her close to him. He smiled in satisfaction and she leaned up on her tiptoes and brushed her lips softly against his.



"I love you…" He mumbled softly, before kissing her back. When he pulled away a few moments later he took her hand into his and they walked out from the alley that they were hidden in, Ashley still holding on tight to Abbie's leash. Nick glanced over at the tattoo shop that Ashley had noticed earlier and he looked down at her for a couple of moments just thinking. After a few moments he led her across the street to the tattoo store and she looked up at him curiously as he did.



"I'll compromise with you…"



"Oh?" Ashley asked curiously, and she looked up at him titling her head to the side as she did.



"You can't have a tattoo yet…but I'll let you get a piercing anywhere you want."




"Really Nicky? Won’t you get in trouble for that too though?"




"Brooke is not to see it." She smiled up at him and he wrapped his arm around her waist and scooped up Abbie before leading her into the tattoo and piercings shop.



~*~*~*~*~



Meanwhile, in Florida at the Orphanage, Doctor Johnson was sitting in Brooke's office in the middle of taking care of her stuff and Brandon was sitting in a chair across from him. As they were sitting there quietly, Jennifer suddenly walked in, causing the Doctor to tear his eyes away from the files and look at her.



"I'm sorry to bother you Doctor J…"



"Oh it's no problem at all. What can I do for you Jenn?" He asked questioned, smiling at her sweetly and Brandon grinned to himself, as he looked down at his feet.



"Hannah was playing tag with some of her friends out on the playground and ended up falling down and scraping her knee. She won't let me or any of the other caregivers patch her up, she insists that she only wants you."



"Oh dear…" Doctor Johnson replied sympathetically and he put his pen down and got up. Brandon did also and he followed his older brother and Jennifer out of Brooke's office. As they were headed out onto the playground, Brandon lingered behind to walk a long side Jennifer.



"It's quite coincidental that the little girl should only want my brother isn't it, Jenn?" he asked, looking at her with a knowing smile.



"Well she does…Doctor Johnson is a favorite to quite a lot of people in this building." Jennifer replied defiantly. Brandon laughed amusedly.



"So I've noticed." Jennifer narrowed her eyes at him and he just smirked, as he followed her out onto the playground. As soon as they got out there Doctor Johnson hurried on over to the injured seven year old, pushing himself through all of the concerned children and caregivers. When he got to her he knelt down in front of her.



"Alright, alright, Hannah…I'm here." He told the crying child soothingly, and it caused her to calm down some, but only a little bit. He gently took hold of her knee and took a look at it.


"It's just a scrape sweetie…nothing Doctor J can't handle." He reassured, and he stood up again before scooping her up into his arms. "Lets get you over to the hospital wing so I can get this fixed up…and then how about a lollipop hmm?" He suggested and he gave her a reassuring smile. Hannah smiled back weakly and slid her arms around him before resting her head against his shoulder and he brought her into the building. Brandon remained behind with Jennifer and when his brother closed the door to the orphanage, he turned and looked at her.



"You know…he likes you too…so why don't you just ask him out already?"



"He does not," Jennifer replied, looking around at her fellow caregivers embarrassed, as they were smiling at her and giving her looks like they were wondering the same thing and they walked away and began tending to other kids again.



"He does too. He may not show it…but I'm his brother, I know these things. It would be better then using the kids to get him in the same room with you wouldn't it?"



"I'll have you know that I was not using Hannah! She tripped all on her own and scraped her knee, and she was the one who wanted Doctor J, I was just following orders and fetching him for her." Jennifer replied rather defensively and Brandon laughed.




"Okay, Okay…I believe you."




"Liar."




"But if you like him so much…really why don't you just ask him out?"




"Because I would make a fool of myself — and he is my co-worker, I can't mix work with pleasure." She insisted, and she walked away from him before he could interrogate her anymore. Brandon raised his eyebrow as he watched her go.




"Fine…if that's the way it's going to be…" he muttered, and he turned and headed back into the building. The wheels in his head were already turning on what he's going to do to get Doctor Of The year together with the hot and single caregiver who is crazy for him.