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



The next day Ashley woke up around ten thirty and sat up in bed to find Nick still asleep but Dakota and Sarah are of course awake and already gone and so is Angel. Ashley smirked and crawled up onto Nick so she is straddling his waist as he lay on his back asleep – or so he appears to be asleep and she bent down and kissed his nose as she sat there gazing down at him and admiring him. She almost doesn’t want to wake him up – he is just too adorable lying there. He almost looks angel-like…but she knows otherwise. Nick is anything but perfect and that is only one of the reasons she loves him so much. She could sit there all day and watch him sleep – and she would if she didn’t have an entire agenda for the day. She shifted herself suddenly so she lay ontop of him and she rest her head against his chest. Nick slid his arms around her waist sleepily and kissed her forehead softly.


“What are you doing awake? You didn’t sleep for very long?” he asked, his voice groggy with sleep.


“And neither did you, apparently.” Ashley replied, giggling slightly. Nick chuckled and gently moved her so she lay next to him as he rolled over onto his side to face her and he pulled their blankets up on them as he rubbed his nose over hers affectionately.


“Whose fault is that again?”


“Aaron, Angel, and Stacy’s?” Ashley asked innocently.


“And a certain seventeen year old who has suddenly decided to go and rebel against everything I say.” Ashley raised her eyebrow.


“How dare she…” Nick laughed and tightened his arms around her waist as he pulled her nearer. “Should I go and tell her off for you Nicky?”


“You’re such a smart ass you know that, right?” he asked while rolling his eyes some.


“Hmm…” Ashley replied in a thoughtful tone and she made a face like she is thinking deeply about his question as if he asked her about her opinion on some painting in a museum. “Ye-ah I pretty much am.” Nick smirked.


“You know what I do to people who are smart asses right?”


“Kiss them so intensely that when you pull away you’ve left them completely breathless?”

“Not quite,” Nick replied, as he placed a finger to her cheek and gently caressed it. Ashley raised her eyebrow in curiosity and he slowly traced his finger over her lips in a seductive way, before letting his hands slip down to her stomach as she is only wearing a t-shirt and underwear and suddenly he began to playfully tickle her. Ashley shrieked with laughter.


“NICKY! STOP! NOW! TICKLES!” She pleaded, each word being said between every laugh.


“Say please,” Nick taunted as he held onto her when she began trying to wriggle herself free of him.


“NICKYYYYYYYY STOOOOOOOOP!”


“I still haven’t heard the magic word.”


PLEASE!” Nick chuckled and stopped and Ashley darted away from him and wrapped her arms around her stomach to protect herself from anymore tickling.


“Why does everybody insist on tickling me?” she pouted.


“Because it’s easy – and fun,” Nick smirked.


“Nuh-uh,” Ashley insisted and he scooted over to her. Ashley started to move away but he quickly slid his arms around her waist so she couldn’t.


“I’m not gonna tickle you again, I promise.” Ashley scowled at him and he bent down and brushed his lips lightly over hers, causing her to reluctantly wrap her arms around his neck and pull him ontop of her.


“Meanie head,” She told him between kisses.


“Well, now you know what happens to people who are smart asses in my presence,” Nick smirked as he rested his forehead against hers and gazed into her eyes.


“So you seduce them and make them think you’re being all romantic, and then tickle them?”


“Only to you baby,” Nick told her and he hugged her close to him. Ashley narrowed her eyes at him.


“I had better be the only smart ass who has been in your presence then Nickolas.”


“You’re the only smart ass who’s ever been worth loving that’s been in my presence,” Nick reassured causing Ashley’s look to soften. “The only one that I have ever considered spending the rest of my life with, and the only one that’s ever been able to make me feel this happy.” Ashley smiled up at him and he kissed her on the nose.


“Does that reassure you baby?”


“More then you know.”


“Good…because I was more then willing to go on if I had to.” Ashley placed her hand to his cheek and he bent down and placed a kiss to her lips.


“You have a long day ahead of you…and I’m not going to see you for most of it…so we’ve gotta spend as much time together as we legally can or it’s going to make me crazy.”


“Oh yeah?” Ashley asked amusedly. “What do you have in mind?”


“Well why don’t you let me show you?” he asked her, and he got up cradling her and he carried her to the bathroom. Ashley smirked.


“You’re a smart man Nicky…don’t ever let anyone make fun of you for being a blonde again,” she told him as he entered the bathroom and he shut the door.


~*~*~*~*~


“Ashley and Nick are awake,” AJ announced to the people in the kitchen downstairs, stating the obvious as everybody had heard her shrieks and giggles from there.


“Thank-you Captain obvious,” Howie laughed and AJ narrowed his eyes at Howie and gave him the middle finger causing Denise to smack him upside the head. Howie just smirked in amusement.


“OW! Momma that hurt!” He pouted.


“Oh honestly Alex, the things you do and say in front of that child!” Denise lectured exasperatedly as she indicated toward Laila who AJ just happened to be holding.


“And you don’t think hitting your son upside the head is a bad example? I mean seriously mom, we’re trying to teach these kids not to hit other people and what do you go and do?”


“That’s different,” Denise replied indignantly and she looked at all of the kids. “It is never okay to hit your friends but when you’re a mother and your son doesn’t ever listen to you he deserves a good swat upside the head to get him to shape up. That’s an entirely different reason then just hitting your friends to be mean.” AJ scowled and Jackie just laughed in amusement as she was in the middle of getting ready to make breakfast. She had waited until Nick and Ashley was awake before starting so that they wouldn’t miss it.


“Really mom somebody should warn Ashley about your tendency to hit. I mean it’s only fair that she knows what she’s gotten herself into,” AJ continued to whine as he rubbed at his head.


“Oh quit your whining and give that baby some chocolate milk,” Denise replied while rolling her eyes some. “She’s been eyeing Ellie’s milk for some time now.”


“Yeah really Aje, it’s almost as if Nick is in the room,” Kevin agreed as he set Ellie in a chair and kissed her cheek. “Stop feeding that puppy cereal honey, he’s a dog, he should be eating dog food.”


“But Lil Rok likes captain crunch Kevy.”


“Well then I think somebody should remind Lil Rok that he isn’t human.”


“Shhh! You will hurts his feelings!” Elenore insisted, as she covered Lil’ Rok’s ears as if that will stop the pug from hearing anything at all. Brian, Howie, and AJ all laughed at this and Kevin just shook his head in amusement.


“Well I’m sorry but he’ll need to face the cold hard truth sometime, or all the other doggies will make fun of him.”


“Uncle Brian feeds Tyke people food,” Dakota spoke up, as she is sitting in the chair next to her best friend with Abbie and Lily in her lap.


“Yes, well that’s Uncle Brian for you.” Kevin turned to go help out his aunt with breakfast and when he did Elenore stuck her tongue out at him and then held her hand full of dry Captain crunch (that her and Dakota were eating straight from the box) open and Lil’ Rok licked it from her hands. Dakota giggled and Brian, Howie, AJ, and Denise all suddenly pretended to look the other way as she did it. Elenore beamed down at her puppy with pride and she kissed him on the head. She loves her puppy almost more then anything in the whole world. If she lost her canine companion her whole world would come crashing down. She knows that for sure. Suddenly Kevin turned around to ask Elenore a question when he discovered what she’d been doing behind his back.


“Elenore Ellerbee!” Kevin lectured, and Elenore looked up at him with an innocent smile.


“Yes Kevy?”


“That is disgusting! You didn’t put that hand back in the box after doing that did you?”


“Nooo I used my other hand Kevy – promise.” Kevin rolled his eyes and then went over and scooped her up under his one arm and he brought her over to the sink. He turned it on and he placed her hands underneath the warm water and helped her wash them as she continued to hold onto her puppy. When he finished he brought her back to the table and set her down in the chair and he gently took Lil’ Rok from her.


“Heeey!” she whined in protest.


“He’s had enough captain crunch for one day sweetie and so you won’t be tempted anymore I will just hold him.” Elenore scowled in protest and sat back in her chair.


“I don’t want to eat anymore cereal,” she insisted stubbornly.


“Good then you will have a nice big appetite for Jackie’s breakfast,” Kevin insisted, choosing to be blind to her stubbornness.


“Can we go outside and play?” Dakota spoke up suddenly. “Lily and Abbie haven’t been out yet – they probably hafta go potty.”


“If you can talk Marcus into going out there with you. You know those puppies are not allowed out there without adults anymore,” Kevin answered.


“Someone say my name?” Marcus questioned, suddenly walking into the kitchen. Elenore suddenly smiled at him with the sweetest eyes anyone has ever seen and Marcus raised his eyebrow.


“Marcus…will you come play with us outside? Please?” Marcus grinned.


“Sure!” he replied readily. “What are we going to play?”


“Turtles!” Elenore replied, with a ‘duh’ sort of expression on her face. AJ laughed.


“Yeah Marcus, get with the program here.”


“But not all of the little turtles are even awake yet,” Marcus pointed out.


“So we’re gonna pretend you are Shredder and have taken them and we have to fight you.” Marcus chuckled.


“Ohhh okay.” Elenore grinned big and then slid down from her chair and she grabbed Dakota’s hand causing Dakota to get up too. She set Lily and Abbie down and together she and Elenore ran to the door. Abbie barked and immediately ran after them and so did Lily, Chance, Lil Rok, and Tyke. When they had the door open they ran outside with a trail of puppies behind them. Marcus shook his head in amusement and then went outside to play his role as Shredder.


~*~*~*~*~


Meanwhile, upstairs, when Nick and Ashley had finished their shower they got out and began getting dressed. Nick had just finished pulling some jeans on and Ashley had some jeans and a bra on when they noticed a little girl suddenly appear in the doorway – the door that they didn’t even bother to close because they knew everybody was downstairs. Ashley turned and looked at the little girl and she smiled at her lovingly.


“Hi sweetie…what’s up?” she asked gently, and she went over and crouched down in front of her and pulled her into a hug. Sarah wrapped her arms around her and hugged her back and Nick went and shut the door realizing their mistake. When Ashley pulled away Sarah gave her, her notepad and she read it out loud so Nick could hear.


“Scared…and lonely.”


“What are you scared and lonely for sweetie? This house is full of people – and security, you’re completely safe.” Nick reassured gently. Sarah didn’t answer and when Nick realized why not he handed back her notepad and pen. She scribbled her answer down and handed it back. Wanted you she had written.


“Aww…well we’re right here baby, we wouldn’t go anywhere without telling you,” Ashley reassured and Sarah slid her arms around her for another hug. Ashley hugged her back and kissed her cheek.


“What’s everyone doing down there? Didn’t they realize there was a scared six year old with them who needs to be paid attention to also?” Nick asked feeling somewhat irritated.


“Calm down Nick…she doesn’t talk…it’s an easy mistake.”


“All the more reason for them to pay attention.” Nick shook his head. “I’m going to give Sarah a bath…if she’s going with you and Denise she needs to get dressed. Are you going to wait up here?”


“No I’m going to go downstairs and see what everybody is up to…okay?”


“Mhm,” Nick nodded and he kissed her cheek before lifting Sarah up in his arms and carrying her into the bathroom and Ashley put her tanktop on before grabbing up her brush and going downstairs. When she got down there and walked into the kitchen everybody looked up at her.


“Good morning sweetie,” Brian was the first to greet her. Ashley smiled back at him.


“Morning,” She replied and she accepted and returned each hug received from four fifths of the Backstreet Boys.


“Where is Nick?” AJ asked curiously.


“Upstairs giving Sarah a bath,” Ashley answered. “And just a warning for all of you before he gets down here…he’s kind of annoyed with all of you at the moment.”


“Why? What did we do?” Howie asked while raising his eyebrow.


“Did any of you have any idea that Sarah was in here with you earlier?”


“Yeah…she was sitting here at the table eating cereal with Dakota and Ellie.”


“Did you know she was upset and feeling scared? And lonely?”


“No…she looked fine.”


“Well Nick thinks you weren’t paying enough attention to her because she came upstairs close to tears and told us she was scared because we weren’t down here.”


“Well I was watching her, but she seemed fine. She’s quiet, you know? And she doesn’t tell us what’s going on unless we ask her and half the time we can’t tell so we assume she’s fine.”


“You can’t assume with her though Brian, that’s the thing…Sarah tends to keep all of her feelings inside because she’s afraid to share them…and she knows how to mask her feelings very well. She may look fine, but sometimes she’s not so you should always ask to make sure. It’s important because she doesn’t talk and something could be terribly wrong.” Brian couldn’t help but smile a little bit despite the fact that he had been so blind and now his best friend is annoyed with him.


“Look who’s lecturing who here…see? We all told you, that you deserve to work at the orphanage. You know your stuff.” Ashley blushed and shook her head in denial.


“I just know Sarah…she’s me…but six years old, you know? And I pay a lot of attention to her because she scares me sometimes. Something could be terribly wrong with her some day and nobody would know it until it’s too late because she won’t tell anyone and always appears to be fine.”


“She told us that Ellie was beating up Kota though…literally.” Denise pointed out.


“Yeah…that’s because she felt pressured to do it. She didn’t want Dakota to get seriously hurt. When it comes to herself though she shuts down completely…”


“We’ll pay more attention to her from now on honey, I promise. Sarah will be fine…” Brian reassured and he slid his arms around her waist and pulled her into a hug before kissing the top of her head. “And you are going to make a great caregiver no matter how many times you try and deny it.”


“I love the Orphanage and all and I definitely want a job there, but I think later on when I get a little older and possibly have gone through all of the schooling, I want to work toward having a career to work with all abused children. You know like children who have been taken from their abusive parents and placed in one of those special centers that help them cope and heal…I really think I could help them.”


“I think you could too. You’ve been through it yourself and you are very good at reading people…especially children. You would be great at it. But yeah, that does take schooling.” Denise replied. “And you’ve never graduated from High School.”


“She should definitely start soon if she wants to do it,” AJ added.


“I want to wait until Sean and everybody who is a danger to me is captured first…I don’t want him in the way. Plus I’m still healing with my own emotions…and when I finally do I want to go to school.”


“Well you are well on your way…this is the most we’ve ever heard you talk about what you want and how you feel – especially without Nick by your side encouraging you.”


“Yeah honey you’ve been doing really well lately…is there a reason or is it just magically happening?” Nick asked as he suddenly entered the kitchen with Sarah rested on his hip. She’s been bathed and dressed in black corduroy overalls and a blue t-shirt. Her wet red hair has been brushed but left undone because Sarah insisted upon having Ashley do it. Nick even put cute little matching blue converse shoes on her feet also that Ashley had insisted that she just had to have. Brian, Howie, AJ, Kevin, and everybody looked at Nick warily thinking he’s going to bitch at them any moment, but when he showed no sign of doing so they relaxed. Ashley smiled and blushed before shrugging her shoulders and she took Sarah from him and the pack of rubber bands that he is holding and she took her over to a chair and sat down with her before going right to braiding her hair. She knows that’s what Sarah likes best.


“Where is my sister?” she asked after a few moments when she had finally stopped blushing.


“Still asleep – she, Spencer, Wiley, Josh, and Riley all decided they were going to sleep in today because none of them are awake yet. Aaron and Stacy took off way early this morning with Q trailing them and Angel is upstairs in her room insisting she doesn’t want to talk to anybody. BJ and Leslie have both tried, but she won’t budge. They went with Laney to run some errands for Aunt Jackie – they’ll be back by breakfast.” Kevin explained, deciding he’d tell her where everybody was at before she asked.


“And my other little girl?” Nick asked, as that was the one person he forgot to mention aside from Ellie, but everybody knows wherever Dakota is, Ellie is bound to be there too.


“Outside playing Ninja Turtles with Marcus.” Nick nodded and then went over and kissed Ashley’s cheek.


“I’ll be right back baby; I’m going to go see if I can lure Angel down here for breakfast.”


“Kay,” Ashley replied, and Nick turned and left the kitchen.