Chapter Seventeen:
The next day Nick woke up bright and early from the movement of someone crawling from his embrace. He opened his eyes to find his little early bird trying to sneak away like she always does. Eyes half opened he grinned and delicately pulled her back so she lay enveloped in his strong loving arms. He doesn’t want her to wander off too far. The last time she woke up and went downstairs without him he almost lost her. He’s not letting that happen again. Ever. She looked up at him and smiled.
“Morning daddy!” she chirped happily and she turned in his arms so she lay on her stomach and she kissed his cheek before lying her head on top of his chest comfortably. He wrapped his arms around her protectively.
“Where do you think you’re going baby…hmm? Stay here with daddy a little while longer...”
“Buts Daddy I wanna go see if Elenore is awake.”
“You will have the entire day to play with Elenore baby girl I promise. Can you really blame your daddy for wanting you all to himself this morning? Hmm?” He asked her, and he tickled her in the sides making her squirm about in his arms and giggle. When her giggles were getting too loud he stopped before they woke Ashley who still lay asleep beside him. It had taken him forever to finally get her to go back to sleep last night. She was so terrified. He wants her to sleep for as long as she can this morning. He does not want a grumpy 17-year-old on his hands. That would be awful. He knows exactly how she is when she’s pissed off. If he can go through the rest of his life without having to experience that again he’d be one happy man.
~*~*~*~*~
“So…Chase is coming home today?” Brian questioned Riley as they sat in the lobby drinking coffee from starbucks. She had stopped there on her way into work and got him some as well.
“He already is home,” Riley answered happily. “He came in and crawled in bed with me this morning and we laid together and talked until it was time for me to get up and get ready for work.”
“How nice,” Brian replied. “How’s his boss doing? Did his trip go well?”
“He said that it went really great. His boss was very pleased with what they accomplished.” Brian snorted.
“Yeah I bet she was.” Riley raised her eyebrow at him.
“They went there for a meeting to get approval about the hotel he designed. It turned out to be a great success.”
“Cool,” Brian replied indifferently. Suddenly Kevin came out of the elevator carrying Elenore in his arms - both of them bathed and dressed. Brian was relieved.
“Hey look! Kevin and little Ellie are awake!” He announced, and he took hold of Riley’s hand and pulled her over to them. Riley looked at Brian slightly confused as to why he'd purposely changed the subject so fast, but she shrugged it off and followed him over to Kevin and Elenore.
"I'm guessing you two are okay now?" Riley commented, as she noticed Elenore's damp pigtails. Kevin smiled.
"We're doing much better - took a bit of coaxing and assuring, but we're clean and dressed and ready for the day to begin."
"Well, way to go!" Brian said, talking like Donald Duck, smiling brightly. Elenore smiled as she rested her head back down on Kevin's shoulder, snuggling into him - her brand new Grumpy Care Bear clutched tightly in one hand.
"Breakfast ready?" Kevin asked, not used to spending the night and waking up there. Riley nodded.
"Yeah, breakfast is ready - there's some kids in there eating already."
"Well, let's go then," Kevin smiled down at Elenore. "We need some good sugary food." Brian watched as his cousin passed them with the little girl for a moment - shocked.
"Kevin? Sugary food? Wow - where's a camera when you need one?" Riley laughed and slapped his arm playfully, as they both followed Kevin - deciding they'd best check on the kids in there - and find a camera to capture Kevin eating a sugary breakfast.
~*~*~*~*~
“Daddy what are we doing today?” Dakota asked curiously as they still lay in bed together - Dakota lying on top of his chest and snuggling close to him and Ashley remained asleep lying next to him.
“I don’t know baby. Most likely just hanging around here. Daddy has to work.” Nick answered, thinking about the Doctor Adams incident. He knows that is going to be his top priority today. The minute Ashley wakes up and he can go downstairs and start the day he will be having a talk with Riley.
“Can you, me, and Ashee go outside today?” Dakota asked eagerly. “Can we have a picnic outside? Please daddy?”
“Maybe honey… it depends on how the day goes okay? Maybe if you’re a good girl all morning we will play outside and eat lunch out there.” Dakota smiled happily.
“I be good girl daddy. Promise.” Nick grinned proudly at his pride n’ joy in his arms, than he suddenly felt Ashley’s arm slide around his waist and her snuggle closer. He looked down at her to find her eyes open and she’s looking up at him.
“Morning beautiful…how are you?”
“Okay…”
“Just okay?”
“I’m a little sore…”
“What hurts sweetie?” He asked seriously and he gazed down at her, highly concerned.
“Everything…and areas that shouldn’t. I’ve been aching on and off since yesterday morning after the incident…” Nick sighed heavily.
“You really should’ve just told me what happened honey…”
“I’m sorry…” Ashley replied softly. “I-I was scared…”
“Come on… why don’t we get up and go downstairs. I’ll get you some breakfast and then I need to inform Riley about your confession. Okay?”
“Kay…” she replied softly. He got up out of bed still holding Dakota. He shifted her so that she was rested on his hip and he held his hand out to Ashley. She took it and allowed him to help her up from the bed and he intertwined his fingers with hers as he began to bring her down to the lobby. Once they were down there they went into the cafeteria where they found Riley, Brian, Kevin, and Elenore all sitting at their usual table eating breakfast. Ashley also noticed Doctor Adams sitting a few tables down from them eating his own breakfast and he seems to be talking on his cell phone. Ashley immediately moved closer to Nick and she rested her head upon his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her waist and held her close to him protectively as he noticed what she was looking at. He brought her and Dakota over to their table and he sat them each into two empty chairs before going off to make their plates. Ashley immediately jumped up though not wanting him to leave her there and she followed after him. He saw her coming and allowed her to take his hand and he brought her over to the island with him. Kevin looked concerned.
“Okay… I’m getting major Daddy Backstreet vibes here… something’s troubling Nick.” As Nick stood at the island making two plates of breakfast and Ashley stood next to him he glanced over at Doctor Adams who still talked on his cell phone. He noticed he was cautiously looking around him every few minutes making sure no one was listening in on his conversation. He also notices that he just happened to pick the table in the corner of the cafeteria. Who is he talking to… and what is he talking about? Nick wondered to himself. He looked at Ashley and saw her looking over at him too with a terrified look upon her face. He took her hand and brought her in front of him so she is facing him and he slid his arms around her waist.
“Don’t even look at him. He’s not there. That table is completely empty as far as your concerned and there is no reason for you to look over there. Just block him completely out of your mind. Think of something happy… can you do that?” Ashley thought for a moment and then nodded.
“Good. Think about that happy thought and don’t let go of it.” She didn’t reply she only rested her head against his shoulder and held on tightly to him doing exactly as he had said. She doesn’t intend on letting go of her happy thought. Ever. He rested his forehead against hers as he grabbed the third plate as he still had to make Dakota’s as well and he began to put some breakfast on the plate for her knowing exactly what she likes and how she likes it. When he finished he pulled back from Ashley and handed her a plate.
“Carry that for me sweetie,” he told her gently and he took the other two plates in his hands and began to carry them back to the table and Ashley walked closely behind him. When they got to the table she sat down in her chair again and he went and sat in the other chair next to Riley as Brian sat on the other side of her. He handed Dakota her plate and then placed his own in front of him.
“What’s going on Nick?” Riley asked, highly concerned and he began to explain to her what Ashley had told him last night. He spoke very quietly so he wouldn’t be over heard and Kevin and Brian leaned in to listen as well. Little did they know… Doctor Adams had noticed them huddling together from his own table and he looked over at them suspiciously. What were they whispering about? He turned his gaze over on Ashley who sat on the right side of Dakota while Nick sat on the left. He notices that she’s watching Nick, Brian, Riley, and Kevin with so much fear in her eyes - that same look of fear in her eyes that she had when he was raping her yesterday morning. He can see how tense she is from where he is at and he can see her looking at him in the corner of her eye. She can feel his gaze on her. His presence in the room, him watching her the way he is puts a very heavy weight on her. Almost making it unbearable for her to breathe.
“What did the little bitch tell them now…” Doctor Adams wondered out loud, forgetting he was on the phone.
“Huh? What are you talking about Trevor?” the voice on the other end of the phone questioned.
“I think the little bitch has revealed more information… or something. It looks pretty suspicious right now. Riley, Brian, Nick, and Kevin are all huddled together and whispering about something and Ashley looks terrified.” Doctor Adams explained quietly, after making sure no one around him is listening. Thankfully no one had chosen to sit around him and he is completely alone in his little corner.
“Oh that’s just fucking great. I had better not have any cops tracking me down and arresting me, Trevor!”
“I don’t think she revealed who you are… she knows better then to do that. Nick probably finally talked her into telling him what I had done to her though…”
“Well that’s still not good! If they arrest you then who is going to keep an eye on her? Who is going to sneak me into that Orphanage if I should need to make another attack?”
“I don’t know…” Doctor Adams replied nervously. “I’ll think of something… but anyway, have you gotten to work on your plan with Kori yet?”
~*~*~*~*~*~
When Nick finished talking to Riley about Ashley’s nightmare and her confession Riley promised that it would be taken care of right away. As soon as the proof comes in Doctor Adams will be locked up and unable to hurt Ashley anymore. Ashley didn’t hear this promise though as she was in the middle of trying her very hardest not to have a panic attack. Nick looked at her as did Riley, Brian, and Kevin and he noticed that her face was turning very pale, she’s trembling, and she’s looking over at Doctor Adams in the corner of her eye.
“Honey I told you not to look over there,” Nick told her and he lifted Dakota up, got up from his chair and sat her down in it instead and he switched their plates before sitting in her previous chair. Now he was blocking Ashley’s view from Doctor Adams. She looked up at Nick and he turned so that he is facing her. He cupped her cheek in his hand and looked her in the eyes lovingly.
“You’re fine. Relax… remember that happy thought of yours that I asked you to hold onto? What happened?”
“He was looking over here Nicky… he knows I told you. I never should’ve told you what he did…I-I said way too much… he’s going to kill me now.”
“I’m not going to let him. Baby as soon as the proof comes in he’s going straight to jail.”
“But how long is that going to be? While we’re sitting here waiting around for the proof he is over there plotting his next move. I could be dead before those results come in!”
“I am not going to let you out of my sight long enough for that to happen, honey. Wherever I go you’re going too. He is not going to come anywhere near you. I promise.”
“Don’t make promises that you can’t keep…” Ashley replied bitterly, and she turned her attention on her food and began to eat it. Nick looked at her with a pained look in his eyes. What does he have to do to get her to see that he is not going to leave her like everyone else had done? He wants nothing more then for her to trust him in that. But then again… he really can’t blame her. She does have a point. He makes all these promises to her that she is safe and that he isn’t going to let anything happen to her… yet yesterday morning she was raped behind his back because he was off doing something else that was important. What if he can’t keep her safe? What if something goes wrong and he can’t stop it? He would never be able to forgive himself if he failed to keep her safe. He can’t and he won’t let that happen. He sighed heavily and then began to eat his breakfast as well but he continued to sit in the position that he is in facing her so that she can’t see the monster over in the corner of the room.
~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile in a small suburb somewhere in New Jersey Kori Mortenson was sitting at a booth in a cozy restaurant called Blue Moon Diner. The restaurant that she’s lived and worked in for the past five years and is now the owner of. The minute Kori ran away from home she fled to New Jersey and was in desperate need of a home and job. There wasn’t very many jobs to choose from in the small town that she was in but the Blue Moon Diner looked pretty decent so she tried that out. The owner of the Diner was a kind old man named Eddie. He was such a sweet old man that Kori could definitely see him being a Grandfather to a ton of kids. She told Eddie that she had no place to stay and was in desperate need of a job and she begged him to let her stay.
He made her tell him why such a young girl such as herself was homeless and begging for a job of course, so she just explained to him that she ran away from home and begged him not to ask about the details because it was too painful to talk about. Eddie being as kind and understanding as he was didn’t force her to tell him anymore and he immediately took her in. A couple of months later when it was getting harder for her to hide it he learned the reason why she was so desperate for a job. He learned that she was just five months pregnant and that she was trying her very hardest to make enough money to be able to raise her child. She lived and worked with him for three months and then suddenly he had a heart attack and died leaving the restaurant completely in Kori’s hands. She was so sure one of his family members would take over or something but they insisted that she have it. They told her Eddie would’ve wanted her to run it. He was very fond of Kori and talked about her to them all the time as if she were one of his granddaughters. One month later it became the permanente home of her and her newborn son Spencer…who looks exactly like his father Scott Jackson. His so-called father who refused to run away with Kori when learning that he was going to be a father. He was 14 years old and nowhere near ready to be a father. He suggested to Kori that she should get an abortion. This pissed Kori off beyond belief and she broke up with him and fled all alone.
So there Kori was sitting in the booth of her Diner drinking a cup of coffee and enjoying the bit of peace that she has while Spencer - now five years old, was upstairs in his room asleep. It’s only an hour until her best friend she met just a little bit after moving into the diner named Isabel comes in and they could open the restaurant together. As Kori sat there she thought about her past. About her parents and her younger sister by one year… she sat and wondered how they were all doing and if they still thought about her. If they were still looking for her. She misses them terribly. She would give anything to see all three of them again but she knows she can’t go back there. The minute she did she would be met by some very angry people and they would murder her so fast she wouldn’t even have time to blink. She is just thankful her parents and sister didn’t have to go through with it. She never told them about the wrong choices she had made. They were safe and that’s all that mattered. She sat there in deep thought for an entire hour, until suddenly Spencer came padding down the stairs half asleep.
“Momma I’m hungry….” he announced, forcing Kori out of her thoughts. She looked over at him and smiled.
“Morning Spence!“ she greeted him with a smile and she set her coffee down and stood up.
“Captain Crunch sound good?“ She asked him.
“Uh-huh.“
“Okay, crawl into the booth here and I will get you some.“ She told him. He did as she said and crawled into the booth, opposite side from where she was sitting and she went to make him a bowl of cereal. As she was in the middle of doing that she heard the door open and then Isabel’s voice.
“Kori I am here! Are you?”
“Yeah I’m in here making Spence some cereal. I will be right out!” she called after her and then she turned her attention back on the bowl she was pouring the cereal into. When she finished she poured the milk in it, got out a spoon and walked out just on time to see Spencer climbing down from the booth and running over to Isabel. He flung himself into her arms and hugged her tight.
“Hey little dude, how’s my favorite five year old doing today?” she asked him.
“Great!” he answered cheerfully.
“That’s good.”
“Nice to see you too, Libby.” Kori told her friend, calling her by her nickname. Isabel looked at Kori raising her eyebrow.
“And who are you?” She teased.
“Hey!” Kori whined and she looked at Isabel pretending to pout. Isabel just laughed and walked over to her and hugged her.
“I’m just messing with you honey.”
“You better just be messing with me or you know I can always fire your ass,” Kori threatened playfully as she hugged her back. When she pulled away she walked away and began to go about her daily routine in opening up the Diner. Isabel went and put Spencer back in his place in the booth and she went to help Kori out.
“But Kor, if you fired me who would you get to help you open up and run the Diner. Hmm?”
“Wiley or Chris would be willing to help. They’ve only told me about a billion times since Eddie passed away.” Kori answered, smiling sweetly at her friend and Isabel rolled her eyes but smiled back.
~*~*~*~*~
Later on that morning Nick took Ashley and Dakota upstairs to their bedroom so that they could take turns showering and getting dressed. Ashley insisted that she needed one because she felt dirty and uncomfortable. So after Nick took his shower and after giving Dakota a quick bath he helped Ashley set up her own warm bubble bath and then left her in there to bathe in peace. He left the door open just a crack and told her to call for him if she should need him.
“Daddy…where is my charm bracelet?” Dakota asked worriedly and Nick had just finished helping her get dressed. She’s wearing blue jeans, a My Chemical Romance camouflage t-shirt, and green converse shoes and she is now sitting in the middle of their bed going through her jewelry box. Nick looked over at his daughter as he was in the middle of putting all of her clothes and belongings back where they belong. He still never unpacked her things from when she was almost adopted by someone else. He can see that she is getting very upset and worried. “I didn’ts mean to lose it daddy, I swears I didn’ts!” she insisted and she looked up at him for the first time as a tear rolled down her cheek. She doesn’t want her daddy to be disappointed in her. He had spent so much money on that bracelet and it was very rare too. She promised him she would take very good care of it. It a bout broke Nick’s heart just looking at her. He knows the bracelet is very special to her. More special then any other piece of jewelry she owns.
“I have it baby don’t worry it’s safe,” He reassured her and he went to the nightstand and opened up the top drawer. He looked inside it and pulled out the special charm bracelet that he bought for her in Paris and he went and sat on the bed next to her. He took her hand gently into his and he put the bracelet back on her. She looked at it feeling so relieved for a moment, than she crawled into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck and she buried her face in his neck as she hugged him tight. He wrapped his arms around her in return and hugged her back and he kissed her forehead.
“I’s sorry daddy… I didn’ts mean it. I don’ts hate you and I’s sorry I threw the bracelet ats you.”
“It’s okay angel I know…you were angry with me and had every right to be. Daddy was being stupid.” Dakota looked up at him, tear tracks staining her cheeks. He smiled at her and wiped them away and he rested his forehead against hers.
“I love you daddy…”
“I love you too angel. You’re my pride n’ joy and I’m never going to let you go.” She rested her head against his shoulder and snuggled against him comfortably and he rocked her gently in his arms. When Ashley had finished scrubbing herself so hard that her skin couldn’t possibly take it anymore she got out of the tub after draining it and she got dressed into a black t-fer Hawthorne Heights t-shirt. It’s long sleeved and the sleeves are green and match the green letters on her shirt. She also put on some blue jeans and her black converse shoes. She brushed her hair but decided to leave it down. Nick who had heard the water to the tub draining went and stood outside the door.
“Ashley? Is it okay for me to come in?”
“Yeah…” Ashley answered softly and she continued to stare hopelessly into the mirror. Nick pushed the door open and he walked in to see her standing there looking depressed. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms gently around her waist. She stiffened up a little bit at his touch but eventually relaxed herself in his gentle arms. He rested his chin against his shoulder and looked at her through the mirror.
“Forget it sweetie. No matter how many times you look at yourself in the mirror you’re always going to be beautiful.”
“You must be seeing a different girl in that mirror then…because I’m not beautiful. I’m worthless, ugly, and dirty and I killed my parents.”
“The only people I see in that mirror honey is you and me and you’re VERY beautiful. I can’t take my eyes off of you.” He told her and he turned her around gently to face him.
“That’s because it’s your job not to take your eyes off of me.”
“Even if this wasn’t my job and we met under different circumstances I still would think you’re beautiful and I would still be completely in love with you.” He told her, looking her in the eyes seriously and Ashley suddenly looked taken aback. She wasn’t expecting to hear that last part. He then placed his finger to her cheek and gently rubbed it.
“And you’re the cleanest girl in this Orphanage right now. You smell so good…did you use that Ocean Breeze body spray that I bought you yesterday? Hmm?” He asked her as buried his face in her neck and sniffed it.
“Yeah…” Ashley answered softly. He looked into her eyes again and he could still see the pain in them even though it’s obvious he made her feel somewhat better.
“There isn’t anyway possible that you could’ve killed your parents honey. So just get that right out of your head you hear me?” He asked her.
“Yes I did…” she insisted and he noticed the tears threatening to fall but she was doing everything she could to hold them back.
“No you didn’t. How could you have possibly killed your parents Ashley? They were murdered by a couple of thugs. Not you, you had nothing to do with it.”
“Yes I did I -”
“-No you didn’t! You were twelve years old Ashley and you were hiding upstairs in your room. I don’t know HOW you could believe you did it but you didn’t! It’s all in your head and he put it there!”
“THEY wouldn’t have even been home if it wasn’t for me!” Ashley shouted at him suddenly and she couldn’t take it anymore. She began to cry.
“What are you talking about?”
“IF I WASN’T SICK THAT DAY AND NEEDED TO STAY HOME FROM SCHOOL THEY WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN KILLED! THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN AWAY FROM THE HOUSE, THEY WOULD’VE BEEN DRIVING ME TO SCHOOL WHEN THOSE THUGS BROKE IN AND THEY…THEY WOULDN’T BE GONE!” Ashley continued to shout at him, needing so badly to be heard. She’s been keeping all of that bottled up inside for so long and not telling a single soul - just her notebooks. If someone picked up her notebooks from the past five years and just read them they would be shocked. They would be shocked. VERY shocked at what they’d find.
“It’s ALL my fault! If I wasn’t sick that day I would still have my mom and dad!” She added, and she dropped to her knees sobbing uncontrollably. Nick sat down in front of her and he gently pulled her into a hug where he rocked her gently in his arms. She wrapped her arms tightly around him. After a long while he pulled back a bit and gently grabbed her arms and he looked her seriously in the eyes.
“Your parents death was NOT your fault honey. It was just a very bad coincidence that’s all. There is no way you could’ve known what was going to happen. There is no way you could’ve controlled being sick. That happens baby, every body gets sick and you can’t control when. It just happens. It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t kill your parents. A few thugs broke in and murdered them. NOT you.”
“Sometimes I wish they shot me instead…sometimes I wish it were me in their place instead so that they could live and I wouldn’t have to suffer all these years… It isn’t fair…”
“I know it’s not fair, I know. If I could turn it all around so that your parents lived and the three of you lived happily ever after you know I would in a heartbeat. But I can’t do that. What I can do though is give you a happy ending. I’m going to try my very hardest at least… but you don’t have to suffer it alone anymore. I’m right here…and I want to end your suffering but I need your help. I need you to open up and let me in.” Nick explained, and he once again pulled her into a hug. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and buried her face in his shoulder and he pulled her carefully into his lap so he is cradling her.
“I know life is hard now, but it’s going to get better. I promise.” He told her softly in her ear. And he meant it… he is going to make it better even if he dies trying.
Author's Chapter Notes:
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