Chapter Two-Hundred-Twenty-Two
After awhile of hanging out in the tunnel on the playground, Nick and Ashley both crawled out to see that Marcus had gone back to the house. Nick gathered Ashley up in his arms then so he is cradling her and she slid her arms around his neck and rested her head against his shoulder as he carried her back. When they arrived back to the house he took her inside where he left the tree ornaments and he set her down and kissed her cheek.
“Want to help me?” Ashley nodded.
“Just let me go get Kota and Sarah, okay? Decorating the Christmas tree is a family job.” Nick nodded, liking the sound of her calling them a family and she went to the front door and poked her head outside to see Dakota, Sarah, Elenore, and Josh playing together like usual.
“Kota, Sarah, do you want to help your daddy and I decorate the tree?”
“Yeah!” Dakota cheered happily, and she took Sarah’s hand and together they ran toward Ashley. Ashley smiled some and held the door open for the two girls to come running in and the four of them began decorating the tree together. Unknown to any of them that Howie was hiding upstairs between the two computers with his video camera and was filming the little family together.
“I can’ts wait to put our tree in our room later,” Dakota announced happily as she was handed an ornament that was already stuck on a hook for her and she went and put it on the tree. “It’s gonna be so pretty.” Nick grinned.
“I bet it will baby,” he agreed. Everybody spent the whole day decorating the house. By the time dinner came around and they were done, they had it set up outside so that there were red, green, and blue lights going a long the roof of the house, lights in the trees, and a plastic snowman sitting in the grass that lights up at night. They also put red bows on the light covers hung on the garage, and a wreath on the door. Inside the house they had the tree decorated, the lights that Brandon and Ashley put in the kitchen, and a Santa Claus doll sitting in a wooden sleigh with wooden reindeer was also placed up ontop of the cabinets. Kori had gotten out their mom’s old Nativity set and displayed it in the living room on the floor in a corner, and a snow globe with all of the Disney Characters inside it that she placed in the middle of the coffee table. It’s got Santa’s workshop inside it, and if you shake it, it snows. For dinner, since Kori and AJ both came home kind of irritated, but not with each other all of the people who were involved in the bet pitched in and bought pizza. Then later they went and got ice cream from cold stone and brought it back and everybody sat around talking, listening to Christmas music, and just enjoying each other’s company until ten o’ clock when they all decided they would go home. Nick, Ashley, Howie, AJ, Laila, and Brooke all going to the Orphanage, while Kevin and Brian took their kids to Brian’s house where their families were staying. Kevin had managed to talk Brooke into letting him take Ellie for the night for a sleepover at Brian’s house with Josh. Wanting to avoid conflict, she agreed. When they arrived there they found Jerald lounging on the couch next to Tim and Harry. Elenore let go of Kevin’s hand and darted for her favorite uncle, crawling into his lap and immediately giving him hugs and kisses on the cheek and of course he returned them both.
“Hey pumpkin, long time no see” he grinned.
“How come you lefts Jerry?” She asked, pouting somewhat.
“Because I had some important things to take care of here.”
“Likes what?” Elenore asked, tilting her head to the side and looking up at him.
“Nothing you need to be concerned about – yet,” Jerald replied mysteriously. Kevin raised his eyebrow.
“Does this by chance have anything to do with the thing Tim was doing that you wouldn’t tell me about this morning? And why Tim never showed up at Kori and Ashley’s house like he said he would?” Jerald nodded.
“Mhm, the very thing.”
“What are you two up to?” Kevin interrogated, narrowing his eyes.
“Nothing that you need to be concerned about – yet,” Jerald repeated with a smirk on his face. Kevin scowled.
“When will I be able to be concerned about it? Hmm?”
“When the time is right.”
“And when will that be?”
“You tell me,” Tim challenged.
“Is the surprise in this house?” Kevin asked curiously, looking around.
“Nope. So don’t even try looking for it.”
“Is it at my house?” Kevin pressed. Tim and Jerald both fell silent and Kevin smirked.
“It is, isn’t it?” he asked again, reaching for his keys in his pocket but Harry spoke up.
“Don’t even try it. It’s in a room and we’ve changed the locks so that you would need a key to get in – and we have the key hidden well.”
“I’m sure if I looked for it Id find it. It has to be here somewhere.”
“Trust me…you won’t find it.”
“The window then.”
“We’ve thought about that too, little brother. I’ve temporarily boarded them up and put bars on them. We’ve thought of everything.” Kevin scowled.
“This isn’t right.”
“You’ll thank us later, trust me.” Brian smirked, as he had caught onto the surprise a long time ago.
“How do you three know that he –“
“-We know our brother.” Kevin looked back and fourth from Brian, to Harry, to Jerald, and to Tim for a few moments and then he sighed in exasperation and headed for Brian’s kitchen to get a soda.
“You know something we don’t,” Jerald accused, pointing a finger at his cousin. Brian held his hands up innocently, in a ‘don’t shoot’ kind of way.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh don’t give me that. I saw the way you acted earlier when I hinted things to Kevin.”
“I felt pity for the man because everybody is bugging him. That’s all.”
“Liar.”
“It says in the bible you aren’t supposed to lie. Everybody knows I’m choir boy…so therefore, would I lie to you like that?” Tim narrowed his eyes at him.
“You would if it were just an innocent one in order to keep a family member’s secret. We all also know how close you and Kevin are.” Just then, Jackie walked in the door with Harold following close behind her.
“MOMMA!” He cheered, embracing the escape and he whirled around and went to greet her.
“Hey baby duck,” she replied while hugging him and kissing his cheek. Tim and Jerald immediately rounded on Riley.
“What is your boyfriend hiding from us?”
“Hey, don’t look at me, I don’t know a thing” Riley insisted honestly. Jerald looked her in the eyes for a few moments, and when he saw she was telling the truth he sighed.
“GRAMMA! GRAMPA!” Josh exclaimed happily, as he came bounding down the stairs, and he went straight for his grandmother first and plowed into her giving her a hug while Brian greeted his father. When he pulled away, Harold snuck upstairs to hide the Christmas gifts in his hand before Josh could see them. Although they’re in a bag, he would still know that they’re toys because they’re in a Toys R Us bag and everything.
“How was Christmas shopping? Get anything for me?” Brian questioned, not wanting to leave any openings for Jerald and Tim to continue their interrogation.
“It was fun – but very busy. No, nothing for you yet, but we will be going back tomorrow with Riley and Josh.”
“Anything for me?” Josh asked eagerly, just as Harold came back down the stairs, and he walked up behind Josh, playfully gathered him in his arms and smirked as Josh laughed and he kissed his cheek.
“Oh yes. Lots for you – you got a whole bag of coal,” he teased.
“Grampaaa” Josh lectured, while rolling his eyes and Harold chuckled. “What? Coal is fun. You can play hockey with it…you can use it on the sidewalk as chalk…you can throw it around like a baseball. You’ve got it made kid.”
“You’re just joking with me. What’d you really get me?”
“Like Id tell you – you’re funny. I can see your father’s sense of humor is rubbing off on you.” Josh grinned and slid his arms around Harold and he hugged him tightly. Harold grinned and rubbed his hand over his back.
“I see you two have been Christmas tree shopping,” He commented as his eyes fell on the tree that Brian had placed in the corner of the living room. Brian nodded.
“We went ahead and bought one when we went tree shopping for Ashley and Kori’s house. I was thinking that we all could decorate tonight as a family. Kevin has talked Brooke into letting him bring Ellie home for the occasion and everything.”
“That sounds fun, but where is Ann?”
“Running an errand. She’ll be back,” Tim answered, avoiding Kevin’s curious gaze.
“Is everyone in on this secret I’m not supposed to concern myself with, besides Brian and I?” Kevin asked annoyed.
“You two will have your secrets and we’ll have ours,” Jerald replied smartly. Kevin rolled his eyes.
“ANY way,” Brian replied, not willing to let the interrogation start all over again when he worked so hard to create the distraction.
“Jerry, Tim, why don’t you two go up to the attic and get the Christmas decorations out? They’ll be in the white cardboard boxes with the red Christmas lids on top. Riley and mom will go make hot chocolate, and dad, Harry, and I can choose the music and such.”
“What do you mean choose the music? Just turn on some Christmas music,” Jerald replied.
“Yeah, well, I have a lot of Christmas CDs.”
“You’re just trying to get us out of the room,” Tim accused, though he grabbed his brother by the arm and pulled him toward the stairs. Brian shook his head.
“I swear, those two act like they’re five sometimes.”
“As opposed to you and Nick?” Kevin questioned, raising his eyebrow.
“Hush you, I’m on your side.”
“Shush, they could be listening,” Kevin whispered.
“They aren’t,” Brian replied.
“How do you know?” Brian pointed to the TV then. Kevin turned to see that on the screen was four different camera views and one of them is upstairs in the attic. They could see Jerald and Tim up there rummaging through things. Kevin looked around them cautiously then, to see that Harold had gone into the kitchen with everybody else. Not even Elenore is in the room, as she had gone upstairs with Jerald.
“They’re onto you. They know you know something. You don’t think the surprise is ruined do you?” Kevin whispered worriedly and Brian shook his head.
“They’re suspicious, that’s all. But that’s what makes the secret all the more fun. And
anyway, even if they do have it figured out, they don’t know what day.” Brian and Kevin then went and got out Brian’s Christmas CD collection and the two of them went through them.
~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile at the Orphanage, Nick, Ashley, Dakota, and Sarah were up in their room. Nick had brought his decorations from his house, and Ashley brought some extra decorations from her house and the four of them were now decorating their own little tree, setting it on a little table that Nick had also brought from his house.
“Are we going to puts presents under it an’ everything?” Dakota asked hopefully, as this is the first year out of all her four years that she’s had her very own Christmas Tree. She does have to share with Sarah, but she is slowly beginning to accept that Sarah is part of the family whether she wants her to be or not.
“Mhm. we’re going to put presents under the tree and exchange them on Christmas Morning.”
“I thought we were spending Christmas in Kentucky?”
“We’re going to spend another week there, and then have our Christmas gift exchange with the families on Christmas Eve, a long with dinner and all that jazz, and then we will be coming home and having Christmas morning here.”
“Will the Richardson’s and the Littrells be coming back with us?” Ashley asked curiously.
“I don’t think so. I know Jackie is going to want to be home, and so will Ann so I think Detective Stabler is going to arrange something to make sure they’re safe.”
“Ah.” When they had their tree decorated, Ashley grabbed up her backpack and went and sat in the middle of the bed and she opened it up and pulled out two red Christmas Stockings that are blank, and some art materials that she got from Brandon. Dakota and Sarah hopped up onto the bed and looked at them curiously.
“What are those for, Ashee?” Dakota asked curiously, voicing the question for her and Sarah both.
“Stockings for you and Sarah that I am going to make. I’m going to buy tons more tomorrow for every kid in the orphanage. Everybody deserves their own stocking to hang on the fireplace.” Nick chuckled.
“Well, in the case of these kids, on the wall…or maybe we could put them all under the tree or something. I don’t think we’d be able to fit every stocking on the fireplace.”
“How will we know which is which?” Dakota asked curiously.
“I’ll put your names on it, silly” Ashley replied while leaning forward and rubbing her nose over hers affectionately. Dakota giggled.
“An’ just what’s exactly are stockings for?” Dakota asked, as she had never in her life heard of such a thing until now.
“Santa Claus puts toys and goodies in them while you’re sleeping.” Dakota gaped at her in surprise.
“Really?”
“Mhm.”
“Sweet!”
“Yeah, it’s very sweet,” Ashley replied while giggling. Nick smiled some and he raked his fingers through Dakota’s hair, before gently bringing her head closer to him so he could lean forward and kiss her forehead. He is very happy that Dakota gets to experience everything that a child should experience on Christmas. He has a feeling this year is going to be one of the best Christmas’s ever, just watching his little girl experience the ‘magic’ of the holiday. And to top it all off, it’ll be his first Christmas with Ashley. He definitely can’t wait. Just then, his cell phone rang. Nick reached over to the nightstand, picked it up and he looked at the caller ID to see that it reads ‘Elliot’ on it.
“I’ll be right back ladies,” he announced, and he got up, turned on the phone and walked out into the hall before shutting the door behind him. Ashley narrowed her eyes after him, but she stayed behind and contemplated on what designs she was going to do on Dakota and Sarah’s stockings. But if he thinks he’s getting away with her questions later, he’s got another thing coming.
“Hey El, what’s going on?” Nick questioned right when he answered the phone. Marcus, who had heard Nick from inside the security room across the hall, came out and looked at him curiously.
“We’ve just hit a gold mind just from interrogating Scott and Spencer’s attackers Nick,” Detective Stabler answered excitedly. “They’ve confirmed what Scott told us. Sean and Trevor did murder someone the other day and start a huge fire.”
“Really? How do you know it was them?”
“We went and confirmed it. The house of course was completely in ashes, so there wasn’t any evidence there. But we went to the closest residence to it to ask questions and found the place completely vacant of everything but most of their belongings. They left enough stuff behind for us to figure out that it was Sean and Trevor – we found one of Sean and Trevor’s hide outs Nick.”
“How’d you know to go in and look? What if they were innocent people who just weren’t home at the time? I mean I believe you and all, but…”
“The door was wide open. We thought it was weird, so we went in to investigate. They were obviously in a real hurry to leave.”
“Wow…”
“Yeah. We have people investigating the place inside and out. We found blood stains on the couch so it confirms both Scott’s and his attacker’s story. Sean was shot and Trevor fixed him up. They also told us that they have some guy named Max working for him – that he is very loyal to Sean and Trevor – he is one of the few that hasn’t turned on them yet. They also told us, that he was one of the guys spying on you guys all this time and still is. They won’t tell us anything other then that. We don’t have much else yet, because we just found the place. But I just wanted to let you know of our success. We’re on their trail.”
“That’s great Elliot,” Nick beamed.
“Yeah, I’ve gotta go now though. Will you please tell Scott that I could really use those list of names now?”
“Yeah, I’ll tell him.”
“Thanks.”
“No problem,” Nick replied and Detective Stabler hung up. Nick did also, and he went into the bedroom to fill his girlfriend in on the information, as he knows she is going to ask anyway so it would be a waste of time to try and keep it from her.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
Enjoy =)
