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Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
It was co-written with Lenni.
Enjoy =)
Chapter One-Hundred-Ninety



“WHAT? Mom’s been attacked?” Brian nearly shouted over the phone when Detective Benson had told him everything that she knows. Everybody looked at him then and they saw his eyes welling up with tears. “Okay we will be right there!” He informed and he turned his phone off and looked at everybody else’s bewildered faces.


“Everybody who is an adult, or will be one in about three months get in a van, NOW!”


“Brian what’s happened?” Harold demanded to know as Brian turned and looked at him and his Aunt Ann, both of them wearing worried looks on their faces.


“I have no time to explain right now dad, we HAVE to get to mom! I will explain on the way. Aunt Ann I need you to stay here with the kids will you please do that? We will leave Q to help you.”


“Yeah of course I will…” Ann answered though her eyes are full of worry. He pulled her in for a short hug and then pulled away and began following everybody outside.


“Nick get on your phone and call Harry for me now! Please!” he ordered as he got into a van with Riley, Nick, Ashley, Denise, AJ, Kori, and Kevin while the rest got in the other. Nick called up Harold just as Brian told him to and Brian explained what’s going on during the ride to the Littrell House. When they got there, they drove into the yard as the gate was already open and they all got out of the van just on time for Jackie to come running out of the house.


“Brian! Harold!”


“Mom!” Brian exclaimed and he wasted no time in running over to her, his arms wide open and she flung herself into them and hugged him tight. Brian enveloped her in a hug and kissed her forehead softly just as Harold joined them in the hug.


“Are you okay Jackie? What happened?” Harold demanded to know but his wife who was still overly hysterical was in no mood to explain. Harold looked to Laney instead who had come out of the house behind her.


“She went upstairs against my better judgement to get into her pajamas and get some cookie cutters and the bastard was hiding in your bedroom…he left a message on your mirror with red lipstick. She screamed bloody murder and I had followed her up there and was standing in the hallway when it happened so I barged in and caught him going out the window. I chased him down but he hopped the fence before I got out here and Detective’s Stabler, Benson, and Tutuola arrived. Detectives Stabler and Tutuola ran after them and have been gone for quite awhile..."


“Oh god mom…are you okay?” Brian questioned as tears rolled down his cheeks and he pulled back a bit so he could look her over. “Did he hurt you?”


“He didn’t touch her…I checked just a few moments ago. I think this was just another one of their ways of scaring us…”


“But she is in shock,” Detective Benson spoke up from beside Laney. “She won’t talk to us and when she does all that comes out is stuttering and demanding that you two and Harry come home.”


“What did the message on the mirror say?”


“Take the Diamonds back Littrell, or else.” Laney answered and Brian sighed heavily.


“What does he mean by that Brian?” Detective Benson questioned.


“I bought two diamond necklaces for Josh to give to Ellie and Kota…because we were helping Nick look at promise rings for Ashley and Josh wanted to get something nice for the girls…he must’ve found out about Ellie’s…”


“Well, we might be able to get this guy’s finger prints off of the lipstick that he left lying on the counter. I’ve put on gloves and put it in a bag and as soon as my partners get back we will take all of the evidence to be looked at. If they don’t catch him, we may have his finger prints and will still be able to identify him.”


“The window too. He touched the window, you should check that out as well.” Laney replied. Detective Benson nodded.


“We will. In the mean time why don’t you get Mrs. Littrell in the house and set her down? And maybe a glass of water will calm her nerves.” Brian nodded.


“Come on mom…lets get you in the house,” he spoke gently and he wrapped his arm around her and led her toward the door.


“Harry…where’s Harry?” Jackie whimpered. Brian looked at Nick who was following him into the house.


“He’s coming Jackie, I called him. He should be here any minute,” Nick reassured gently. Brian took his mother over to the couch and sat her down and Ashley rushed into the kitchen to get a glass of water. When she returned with one she handed it to Jackie.


“Here Jackie…drink this, it’ll help,” she told her and Jackie did as told and took a sip of it. Just then Detective’s Stabler and Tutuola came into the house with disgruntled faces and Howie, AJ, Kevin, Riley, Harold, and Harry were right behind them.


“You didn’t get him?” Detective Benson questioned disappointedly.


“Do you see us holding a struggling criminal in handcuffs, Liv?” Detective Stabler asked in a somewhat snappy tone. Detective Benson rolled her eyes.


“There is no need for your attitude, we have enough problems on our hands as it is.”


“I’m sorry but we were SO close to getting him Olivia, SO close.”


“What happened? Why didn’t you?”


“Yeah, that’s what Id like to know,” Detective Tutuola added. “You had him Elliot, why’d you suddenly let go?”


“What happened to you?” Ashley asked before Detective Stabler could answer and everybody looked at her and followed her eyes to his waist where she saw a red stain.


“He had a knife on him…” Detective Stabler answered. “He stabbed me and I reacted to the pain and the bastard got away.”


“Harold go get the first aid kit,” Jackie suddenly spoke up for the first time as she received a hug from Harry.


“I’ll be fine…it’s not that bad. I want to get upstairs and check the message on the mirror out. AJ told me there was a message.”


“You will not go up those stairs until you get checked out. Harold go get the first aid kit please,” Riley insisted and she gently steered Detective Stabler over to the other couch and sat him down as he scowled. Harold did as requested and set off in search of the first aid kit. When he returned he had the bag with the rock that has the message on it and the bullet inside as well and he set it down on the coffee table before handing the first aid kit to Riley. Detective Stabler pulled his shirt up far enough for her to see the wound though he eyed the bag of evidence with excitement.


~*~*~*~*~


Meanwhile, back at the Richardson household, the kids had all gone back upstairs to the attic to retrieve what they'd left up there, so they had missed out on all the chaos. The only one who'd seen the chaos was Ryan, as he'd been sitting there reading the whole time. Ann was sitting in the living room with him and Q., who knew for a fact the Richardson household was still safe for the moment, so the kids were fine on their own for a short time. About ten minutes after practically everyone had jumped up and left, the kids came back downstairs, each holding a toy in their hands.


"Where's Kevy?" Elenore asked immediately, her one hand grasping the Raphael doll she'd thrown a tantrum for tightly.


"Where's Brian?" Josh wanted to know, after not being able to spot him either. He was holding onto his stuffed Donald Duck who he'd brought along with him in case they had to go to bed there or something like that.


"Where's Daddy?" Dakota demanded, holding onto the teddy bear Ellie had won for her at the arcade in the bowling alley.


"J?" Laila piped up, her lower lip trembling when she didn't recognize anyone other than the kids and Q. The puppies were all at their heels, as they were playing follow the leader - puppy style! Ann sighed heavily.


"They had to go back to the Littrell's house." She paused a moment, trying to figure out how to tell them gently. "Jackie was attacked, but she's just fine. Everyone ran over there because she asked for them."


"WHAT!?!?!" Elenore and Dakota exclaimed. "Why'd they go to hurts her?" Elenore questioned. "She's too nice to gets hurt."


"I'm afraid they're after every one of us, Sweetie," Ann replied calmly, scooping Laila up into her lap and smoothing her curls back. Laila looked ready to cry at first, but soon snuggled into the nice older lady whose lap she was sitting upon. Elenore scowled.


"Daddy betters NOTS go afters Kota! I'll kicks his ass!"


"Ellie!" Ann exclaimed in surprise.


"Well, I wills!" Elenore insisted.
"Say that again, and you'll find yourself in trouble, Little Miss," Q. told her firmly. "You know Kevin doesn't want you saying those naughty words." Elenore frowned and crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly.


"Kevy's nots here rights now."


"No, but I am," Q. responded. "And I'm not afraid to put naughty little girls into time-out."


"Ellie, don'ts," Kota spoke up. "I don'ts want you in trouble."


"He can'ts punish me Kota," Elenore insisted. "He's nots Kevy."


"Neither's Uncle Brian, an' he puts you in time-out," Dakota reminded her friend. Elenore went quiet at that, remembering how her hero had punished her for harming her best friend and breaking the light saber rules.


"Are you sure Gramma's okay?" Josh inquired, worry etched on his face and in his eyes. He looked exactly like Brian had upon hearing the news.


"She's just fine, Dear," Ann assured him. "I promise you. When you go back later, she'll be there."


"Then how come if she wanted everyone, she didn't want me?" Josh snapped slightly. He was concerned, but also hurt that apparently she'd wanted everybody but him. "I'm her family too, yanno!" Ann glanced at Q., not quite sure what to say to that. Apparently she'd made the mistake of stating Jackie had asked for everyone to be there - everyone but her grandson.


"Because she was still a little scared and didn't want you to be there, in case the man should come back," Q. answered. "She was looking out for you. She wants to keep you safe, just like Brian does." Josh eyed them both warily a moment, before letting his shoulders sag.


"Okay...But I could've made her feel better...I'm good at that."


"I'm sure you are, Sweetheart," Ann smiled, reaching out to rub his small face affectionately. "After seeing you with your little fan club here, I've no doubt you could've made her feel better. But I'm sure Brian will take great care of her - he loves his mother very much, you know."


"Promise?" Josh replied, instinctively hugging his stuffed Donald Duck closer to him.

"I promise, Honey," Ann assured. "Brian just knows how to make things better."


"Yeah, he is good at that," Josh smiled somewhat. "He always knows how to make me feel better."


"Well, see? Brian's just exactly who she needs," Ann said. Elenore could feel Josh's distress, so she moved over to hug him tight from behind.


"Brian can makes anybody laugh, Joshy. An' he don'ts stay mads long either. If he can fix Kota an' I, then he can fix anything."


"Yeah," Dakota agreed, going over and hugging Josh from the other side. "Don'ts worry. Uncle Brian's smart."


"Though he could've lefts Kevy," Elenore pouted. "I don't likes when he goes so far...It's scary." Spencer and Ryan both rolled their eyes briefly then.


"Kevin's NOT gonna leave ya Ellie, so just gives it a rest, will ya?" Spencer piped up. "People are gonna gets sick of hearin' ya cry for him." Elenore looked at Spencer a bit hurt, as she felt Josh snake his arm around her a little tighter for protection.


"It's nots my fault," she protested softly.


"It never is," Ryan stated from where he was sitting on the floor with his book. He gave her an annoyed look. "You cry, and cry, and throw a gazillion tantrums, and yet, you still manage to get what you want," he continued, pointing towards her new stuffed Raphael. "And that's not fair to the rest of us. You can be bad and still get what you want, punished or not - and if we do wrong, we get in trouble and punished and don't get what we want. What makes YOU so much more special than the rest of us, huh? Kota was their baby first, Josh has been adopted, Laila an' I got a Mom to go back too, Sarah's practically Nick's kid and has known them all longer than you. So why are YOU so special? What, just 'cause your father beats you and is after you and stuff? Why don't you just go back to him, and maybe we'll all have a little less grief." Spencer, Josh, Dakota, and even Sarah all glared at Ryan as Elenore's eyes brimmed with tears.


"Ryan, enough," Q warned.


"You leave her alone!" Spencer snapped. "It's not her fault!"


"Would you pick whose side your on already? Your Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde act is even more annoying than Ellie's whining!" Ryan snapped, then turned his gaze back to Elenore. "And like I said, everyone says it's not your fault, when it is! I bet Sean don't even want Kori or Ashley as bad as he wants you back! No wonder he beats you all the time! You deserve it for being such a little brat! Crying and whining and screaming all the time - not even Laila acts like that! And she's just a baby! I mean, he did get you once - you and Josh, didn't he? You should've just stayed there Ellie, and let Josh come back on his own. Then maybe nobody would be suffering so much." Spencer gave a low growl then, before charging Ryan and tackling him to the floor with all his might. Just as he tackled Ryan, Elenore shot off upstairs like a rocket, tears streaming down her small face, and her stuffed Raphael dropping to the floor in her haste to escape. Dakota and Sarah also sprung into action, both of them diving after Spencer and tackling Ryan - their little fists flying at him angrily. Josh cast a glance Ryan's way, but saw his friends had it handled, so he turned and ran off upstairs after Elenore. He made sure to snatch up her stuffed Raphael on his way up too, knowing she'd need something soft to cling too.


"Children! Stop it!" Ann exclaimed, standing up abruptly with Laila. She gave Q an exasperated look, as Laila began to cry from all the noise and shouting. Q stood up, after the immediate shock of what had just happened wore off.


"ENOUGH!" He roared loudly, reaching down to pluck two little girls off of Ryan. He carried them both over to a corner, and managed to hold them in one hand while he grabbed two chairs. He placed each little girl in a chair and gave her a stern Look. "Stay," he ordered, as he went back and grabbed up Spencer, found another chair and stuck him in another corner. He then went back and grabbed Ryan up, after insuring he wasn't too badly hurt, and stuck him in a corner all of his own - taking his beloved book from him. "The four of you can sit there until told otherwise! Any of you move, and you'll be in even more trouble. We'll discuss everyone's actions, once I'm a bit calmer." Upstairs, Elenore had run into Kevin's old room and buried herself into the very back of his closet, sobs wracking her small frame. She curled up into a tighter ball, when she heard someone calling her name.


"Ellie? Ellie, where are you?" Josh called out, as he searched for his future cousin. He sighed as he heard quiet sobs coming from the one room. He entered and looked around curiously. "Ellie?" He called out again, frowning when the noise suddenly stopped. "Where are you?" Elenore remained silent, though her sobs still racked her body - but silently as she was holding them in as best she could. Maybe if she stayed quiet long enough, Josh would leave. "Ellie, I know you're in here," Josh stated, entering the room a bit more. "An' I'm not goin' away, so you might as well just let yourself cry." He heard a whimper then, and headed for the closet, frowning when he found her curled up way in the back. "Oh, Ellie..."


"Goes away Joshy!" Elenore ordered. "You comes nears me, and you’re just gonna gets hurt again!"


"You’re starting to sound like Ashley," Josh pointed out. "An' nobody's gonna get hurt if they go near you unless you've lost your temper - and even then, it's not all your fault."


"Yes they are!" Elenore insisted. "You were near me an' you gots hurt!"


“Because your father's a jerk!" Josh replied. "It was NOT your fault I got hurt. I just don't know when to keep my mouth shut."


"You were tryin' to protects me!" Elenore wailed. "What ifs Daddy kills you next times? Huh? Then what’s Joshy? Everybody will hates me!"


"The only one who hates you is your parents, and maybe Ryan," Josh answered, sitting down next to her.


"Here," Elenore said a moment later, after Josh had sat down next to her. "I don'ts deserves this. I never haves. Brian's Momma probably gots hurt 'cause of this...I'm nots allowed to haves nice stuff, Joshy." Josh frowned and shoved the necklace she'd placed in his hand back at her.


"No. You keep it Ellie. I bought it for you, and promised to protect you, and you're going to keep it and I'm going to keep my promise."


"Joshy, no," Elenore protested, shoving it back at him. "You’re gonna gets hurt 'cause of its. I just knows it!"


"Ellie, you either keeps the necklace or I'm gonna be forced to hit you for bein' dumb." Elenore eyed him a moment, then reluctantly took the necklace back. "Fine. But ifs you gets hurt, you BETTER takes it back."


"Don't worry, I won't gets hurt," Josh assured her, taking it from her and smiling when he saw her frown at him in confusion. "I'm gonna put it back on ya, Silly."


"Oh..." Elenore trailed off, as Josh fumbled in the dark to put her necklace back where it belonged - on her neck. Once he'd finally gotten the necklace back on Ellie, he kissed her cheek and hugged her close, after sticking both her Raphael and his Donald Duck in her lap.


"You've got nothin' to worry about Ellie," he told her. "I'm not gonna let Ryan pick on ya an' neither is anybody downstairs."


"Spencer will," Elenore pouted.


"No he won't," Josh laughed. "He jumped Ryan right when you ran out. Kota an' Sarah jumped him too."


"How come you didn'ts?" Elenore asked. "An' why would Spencer bother? I'm annoying, remembers?"


"'Cause I knew you needed me up here, more than you needed me down there to kick his butt," Josh answered. "Besides, the others had it under control. An' Spencer bothers, 'cause he likes you. Duh." Elenore's eyes lit up in surprise and hope then.


"Really? He likes me?"


"Uh-huh," Josh nodded. "But don't tell him I told you. I could get in trouble for revealing secrets."


"I can keep secrets Joshy," Elenore promised, kissing his cheek softly. "I'm glad you came up here instead of goin' after Ryan...you do always knows how to makes me feels better." Josh smiled softly.


"Well, it's my job. You’re my little cousin."


"Nots yet," Elenore pointed out, sighing some.


"But you will be," Josh stated firmly. "Even if I hafta get Brian to adopt you."


"Then I'd be yer sister, Silly," Elenore laughed a little.


"Well, you might as well be already," Josh pointed out. "No matter who adopts you." Elenore snuggled into him a little bit more.


"You makes a great Leo, Joshy."


"Thanks," Josh grinned. "An' you make a great Raph - even ifs you're too good at it sometimes." Elenore giggled quietly, wrapping her arms around him and the two stuffed animals in her lap.


"I loves you, Joshy."


"I love you too, Ellie," Josh whispered, kissing her cheek again. "But don't you dare tells nobody."


"I think the necklace gaves it away already," Elenore giggled more. Josh blushed, though she didn't see as they were still sitting in the dark.


"Yeah, well, I couldn't not get you one. You deserve one too - no matter what Ryan or your parents say. What do they know, huh?"


"Can we stays here for now, Joshy?" Elenore asked hopefully. "I don'ts wanna goes back down there 'till Kevy's back."


"Sure, we can stay here," Josh nodded. "But if Q calls for us, I'm gonna answer."


"Kay," Elenore nodded slightly in return. "But don'ts leaves me, Kay?"


"I won't. Promise," Josh replied, hugging her just a little bit tighter in re-assurance.


~*~*~*~*~


Meanwhile at the Littrell House when Riley had finished patching up Detective Stabler’s wound so he wouldn’t end up bleeding to death in the middle of Jackie’s living room, he and Detective Tutuola went upstairs to Jackie and Harold’s room and they checked out the message on the mirror.


“What do they mean, take the diamonds back Littrell, or else?” Detective Stabler asked while looking over at Brian.


“Well,” Brian began and he cast a glance over at Nick. “We were at the mall checking out promise rings for Nick to give to Ashley…” Detective Stabler looked over at Nick with narrowed eyes for a short moment, and then back at Brian. “And Josh wanted to give Kota and Ellie diamond necklaces…so I bought some for him to give to them. I guess Sean had his people spying on us…because he found out and got pissed that Ellie was given diamonds.” Detective Stabler nodded and he looked back over at Nick, clearly still pissed off at him as he spoke.


“Fin, call the CSU team here in Kentucky. We’re good friends with them, they won’t mind coming down here and checking out the prints on the window and the stuff in the bag.”


“Right. I’m on it,” Detective Tutuola replied and he pulled his cell phone from his pocket and walked over to the window to make his phone call while checking out the window. He could see hand smudges on it and strongly hoped they were from Cole and not anyone else.


“Speaking of Ellie and Kota…where are they? It always puts a smile on my face to see them,” Detective Stabler asked shifting his eyes to Brian who had wrapped an arm around Nick. He can sense he is upset about something and Detective Stabler’s glares aren’t helping him any.


“We left them at my aunt’s house. We were over there for dinner and to hang out when we got Olivia’s call and we thought it would be best to leave the kids there while we took care of this.”


“I wish we could have arrived under better circumstances. I pictured Ellie’s excited greeting the moment I stepped out of my car, and instead I got Laney shouting at me to chase down an intruder.”


“I’m sure you will still get that excited greeting,” Brian replied while smiling some. “You have no idea as to how much the kid admires you.”


“How much?” Detective Stabler asked while raising his eyebrow.


“I think you should hear it from her.”


“Does anyone want to come with me to pick up the kids?” Kevin suddenly asked as he walked into the room. “Jackie’s calmed down again. Harry has her in the kitchen making pies and cookies and she is slowly coming out of the shock.


“I’ll go,” Nick replied, eager to get away from Detective Stabler’s deadly glares.


“No you will not,” Brian insisted. “I sense you and I need to talk.” Nick’s eyes watered up with tears then.


“I didn’t mean for her to get attacked Brian, I swear I didn’t!” he insisted through tears. “I had Laney stay with her I tried with all my might to keep her safe, I thought she was safe!” Brian looked shocked at Nick’s outburst.


“Nicky I wasn’t blaming you…”


“Why the hell not? You should be! I was the last to see her and everything! I left her here all alone.”


“We all left her here buddy,” Brian insisted gently and he wrapped his arm around him and steered him out of the room so they could settle this. “I know you made sure Laney stayed here, Marcus told me everything. I wasn’t blaming you in the least bit.” He reassured as they stepped out into the hall for some privacy.


“All I could think about is you never forgiving me if anything happened to her so I tried with all my might to keep her safe..."Nick sniffled.


“I know you did and I love you for that. It wasn’t your fault she got attacked,” Brian reassured, and he pulled Nick into a hug. “You’re my best friend and I know you did your best to take care of her. I know you love her like she was your own mother and would protect her with your life. I know.” Nick didn’t reply he only buried his face in Brian’s shoulder as he hugged him back.


“I’ll go with you…” Howie told Kevin softly after they all had stood in Jackie and Harold’s room listening to Nick and Brian out in the hall. Kevin nodded and the two of them walked out into the hall, went past Brian and Nick and headed downstairs to go get the kids from Ann.