Chapter Two-Hundred-Forty-Nine
When Nick and Dakota walked out into the auditorium where the rest of his bandmates were busy getting ready for the big event that is taking place later on that evening, Nick glanced around the place checking up on Ashley and Sarah. He found Ashley questioning AJ on whether Pete Wentz is really going to be performing in the Jingle Ball or not and Sarah was standing at her side with Bella inside the baby sling that he had taught her how to wear earlier. Nick chuckled and shook his head in amazement at how his girlfriend could still be star struck when she’s around celebrities every single day – and is dating one for that matter. After making sure his three girls were okay, Nick carried Dakota to the very back of the arena and he sat down in a chair with her in his lap.
“Okay baby…we’re alone. You wanted to tell me something?” he asked, looking down at her curiously.
“Yes,” Dakota answered softly, and she looked down at her hands that were folded neatly in her lap.
“What’s on your mind princess?” Dakota sat quietly for a few moments, just mulling over the thoughts in her head, sorting it all out. After a few moments she looked up at him and he gave her an encouraging smile.
“Ifs Sarah became my sister…an’ Ashee adopts Bella laters an’ then marries you…that would makes Bella yours also, right?”
“Mhm…”
“An’ that would mean I’m nots your baby anymore…right?” She asked softly, looking up at him with sad blue eyes that nearly broke Nick’s heart.
“Dakota Ann…we’ve been through this. You are always going to be my baby – you’ll just be my baby…and the middle child.”
“Buts I heard it’s nots easy bein’ the middle child…”
“Well I don’t know who you heard that from,” Nick began, and he shifted her so she was straddling his waist as he lifted his feet up and rested them on the back of the chair in front of him. “But I think being the middle child should be the easiest. Ashley and I have enough love to go around for all three of you…but you’ll be right in the middle of it. I think that would be the best place to be if you ask me.”
“Buts then it won’t be daddy an’ Dakota anymores…it would be daddy, Dakota, Sarah, an’ Bella…” Dakota informed with a small pout on her face.
“Baby if I adopt Sarah and Bella nothing is going to change between the two of us, I promise” Nick reassured, placing his hand to her cheeks and he gently made her look up at him. “You and I go way back baby girl…I have known you since the day you were born and have raised you ever since like you were my very own – and you are my very own. You and I will always have something special that neither of the other two will ever be apart of. But it won’t change the way I love them either. If I adopt them I’m not going to love you any less then I do now. You will always be my little princess.”
“You promise?” Dakota asked softly.
“I promise,” Nick reassured, resting his forehead against hers and he rubbed his nose lightly over hers for an Eskimo’s kiss and she smiled at him some, as she always goes for her daddy’s Eskimo and butterfly kisses. They win her over every time and he is very much aware of that. He smiled back and wrapped his arms around her waist before pulling her closer.
“An’ we’ll always have daddy an’ Dakota time?”
“Yes ma’am. You know I treasure those football outings that we have. We’ll keep that tradition up for as long as you will let me.” Dakota leaned forward resting her head against his chest and he bent down and planted a kiss on her forehead before rubbing his hand over her back. He stared down at her in wonder for a few moments, and when she didn’t say anything, he decided he would be brave and prompt her.
“Does this mean I’m allowed to adopt Sarah?” Dakota looked up at him again, her head still rested comfortably against his chest and she placed her hand to his cheek and she gazed up into his blue eyes that are almost identical to her own, remaining silent for a few moments before answering.
“Yes…” she answered quietly after awhile and he smiled at her causing her to slightly smile too.
“What made you change your mind about her?” he asked curiously, hoping to be clued in on at least one of the many mysteries between his two girls.
“She’s a good sister,” Dakota answered simply.
“Why? Because she sticks up for you?” Nick asked slyly, and he looked down at her with a knowing smile. Dakota narrowed her eyes at him.
“For the lasts time Sarah did nots do it, daddy.” Nick chuckled.
“Okay baby, whatever you say. But I know you are covering up for her.” Dakota scowled and stuck her tongue out at him and he smirked before hugging her tightly as she rolled over so she lay on her back with her head rested against his shoulder and he leaned forward and began to do butterfly kisses on various parts of her face. Dakota closed her eyes comfortably. After a few seconds though, they heard the song Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle come on the radio. Nick sat up slightly and looked down at the sound booth curiously to see Brian playing with the sound and he had turned the song on and was now looking up at Nick and Dakota with a smirk. Everybody else in the arena that knows Nick knew to look that way too when they heard the song. Nick laughed and rolled his eyes before sitting back in his chair and making himself comfortable again and he began to sing along to the song very softly in Dakota’s ear, Dakota smiling at the familiar song. Her daddy has only been singing it to her since she was just Bella’s age.
“That doesn’t sound like our music, Bri” Kevin scolded playfully.
“Yes well, I happened to look up there at them and I just couldn’t resist.”
“What is he doing up there anyway? We’ve gotta get going on this sound check. Other celebrities are going to be here soon and are gonna want the stage.” Brian shrugged.
“Kota wanted to talk to him alone, so he took her up there. You can’t stand between a little girl and her father.”
“Especially if it’s Nick that is the father. He wouldn’t stand for it,” AJ agreed.
“Oh I know. I’ve come between one too many fights between him and Lou in the past. I just hope he doesn’t decide to come check on us and see him not working.” Brian shrugged.
“It sounded important that she talk to him now. And you all know Kota is his top priority.”
“Mhm,” Kevin replied, and he looked back up where Nick is just as Butterfly Kisses ended and Nick was getting with Dakota cradled in is arms and he carried her down the many steps until she was standing with his bandmates.
“What’s up Nick?” Brian asked curiously, his eyes shifting from Nick, to his niece, and then back at Nick again. Nick shrugged.
“Kota just had some concerns that she wanted me to go over with her. Everything is good,” he replied, and he looked over at Ashley who was sitting Indian style on the stage next to AJ with Bella cradled in her lap. He locked eyes with her as she was giving him a questioning look and he sort of made a small eye movement toward Sarah and gave her a look causing her to smile happily.
“Okay, your telepathy isn’t very cute when y’all are keeping secrets from me. What are you two talking about?” AJ demanded. Ashley giggled.
“If we wanted you to know, we would talk about it out loud. And besides…I’m not the only one who is keeping secrets from their siblings,” she replied, narrowing her eyes at AJ. Nick chuckled and he went over to her, leaned forward placing his hands on the stage on either side of her and she looked up at him causing him to brush his lips lightly over hers.
“Yes baby, Pete Wentz along with the entire Fall Out Boy crew will be here. I will be sure to introduce you,” he promised and she smiled up at him.
“That is, if you promise me you won’t run off with him.” Ashley slid her arm around him and leaned up and kissed his nose.
“You know I won’t baby. I have my musician right here…I’m good.”
“Yeah well, I’m just a little confused” he replied. “I don’t see how you can still be so star struck when you’re around celebrities every day.”
“It’s Pete Wentz, Daddy!” Dakota replied incredulously, as if that explained everything. Brian laughed.
“Yeah Nick, what are you thinking? Get with the picture!” Nick chuckled and then looked at Ashley, wanting an answer.
“Because I was a fan of Fall Out Boy before I was a Backstreet Boy’s girlfriend. You know that. You also know my love for the pop/punk rock genre very well too. Now, if I met Pete before I started dating you and hanging out with celebrities on a daily basis, my reaction to the sight of him might’ve been a LOT different – like Teenybopper different. But, hanging out with Backstreet Boy’s every day and even getting some experience with the fans of my own, that wont be the case this time. But it would really make my day if I did get to meet him.”
“Then I will be sure to introduce you. It makes my day to make yours,” he told her sincerely, making her heart flutter inside her chest and he brushed his lips lightly over hers.
“Well, if we don’t get to work he may very well be here taking over our stage,” Kevin spoke up. “Bri, go wake D up and tell him to get his butt out here.”
“Make sure there is security back there before he leaves Laila,” AJ reminded.
“Sure thing,” Brian replied before disappearing backstage. Kevin looked over at the seats checking up on Elenore as he hasn’t heard her in awhile, and he saw her, Josh, and Sarah ducked under a bunch of chairs. Narrowing his eyes some, he decided he would go investigate before getting to work.
"What are you three doing?" He asked in a 'I'm onto you rugrats' kind of way when he approached them and had leaned over a chair to see them. Sarah covered her notepad at the sight of the nosey adult.
“Nothing Kevy, nothing ats all” Elenore answered innocently. “We’re just playin’”
“Playing what?”
“Ninjas. What else?” Josh spoke up. Kevin laughed.
“Oh yeah, how silly of me” He replied and Josh and Elenore nodded in agreement.
“The rest of the boys and I are about to get to work. I don’t want you leaving this room without an adult. I don’t care what game it is that you are playing. Understood?” he asked, looking at Elenore especially.
“Yes Kevy,” Elenore replied obediently. He smiled at her a little before leaning over and kissing her forehead softly, and then he stood up and he went and rejoined his bandmates. He quietly whispered to Marcus to have every member of the security team guarding every single exit to the arena and Marcus got right to it, understanding his reasons behind it completely. By the time the boys were all together and ready to practice, they got onstage doing so with their sound crew in the sound booth making sure everything is going smoothly. Riley, Jerald, Tim, Kori, Wiley, and Scott all had run off somewhere with Spencer and Ryan was sitting a few seats back reading like he always is. Ashley remained sitting in her spot on the stage with Bella and Dakota, as she was well enough out of the way and was quite comfortable where she was.
~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile in Florida, Brandon and Peyton spent all morning at Disney World, Brandon being sure to spoil Peyton with anything and everything he could think of, despite her protests. They went on every single ride there, met and took pictures with every single character, and he even bought her a stuffed Winnie the Pooh and a cute little porcelain one when she had confessed that he is her favorite character. They got a bag of blue cotton candy to share and by the time lunch time came around, Peyton was exhausted and was practically leaning on Brandon to walk. So he lifted her up in his arms cradling her and he carried her out of the place and back to his car. When they got there he opened up the door to the passenger’s seat, sat her inside it and shut it again and he went back around to his own side, opened the door and got in too.
“Where should we go now? It’s up to you,” he questioned, looking at her.
“Well…It’s lunch time and I’m kind of hungry.”
“My house it is then,” he replied, and he started up the car, drove out of the Disney World parking lot and headed in that direction. Peyton smiled at him some.
“You gonna cook for me again?”
“That’s the plan…is that okay?”
“Mhm,” she replied, and she rested her head against the window.
“How do you feel about Macaroni and Cheese with hot dogs cut up and put in it? I know It’s pretty simple, but I figure the less time I spend in the kitchen, the more time I will get to spend with you,” he replied looking at her and he noticed her blushing slightly, which only made him grin. He thinks it’s the cutest thing when she blushes and he tries to make her do it every chance he gets.
“Mac & Cheese is fine,” she replied. “I’ll eat anything you make me.” He chuckled and continued driving. Peyton sat there in silence for a few moments, and then looked over at him and just watched him as he drove; the only thing running through her mind is how gorgeous he is. She wonders how she managed to get so lucky. When they arrived back at Doctor Johnson’s house, Brandon parked his car in the garage and the two of them got out. She met him on the other side of the car and he took her hand and brought her into the house.
“Make yourself at home,” he told her, and he headed for the kitchen to make their lunch. Peyton looked around the house for a couple of seconds, before deciding she would go somewhere that she saw yesterday during her tour. Something Brandon didn’t bother to show her, but she has a feeling just from a glimpse of it that he goes there all the time. When she was upstairs on the second floor, she went to a bedroom and pushed open a door, before crossing the room to the window. She opened it up and peeked outside and sure enough, there on the flat surface of the roof was a telescope sitting there, and a blanket. She crawled out the window then and took a look around, suddenly gasping at the view. Straight-ahead in front of her is nothing but the ocean and blue sky. She went over to the microscope and peeked through the lenses. She stood there quietly admiring it for awhile, until a voice from behind her interrupted her – startling her.
“I knew you would be drawn to this eventually.” Peyton turned and looked for the source of the voice, even though she knows who it is and she found Brandon standing behind her, leaning up against the window with his arms crossed and an amused look on his face.
“Jesus Bran…you shouldn’t sneak up on a woman like that.” Brandon chuckled.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you,” he apologized sincerely.
“How come you didn’t show me this yesterday during the tour?”
“Because, it’s one of those things that you just have to discover on your own – and like I said, I knew you’d be drawn to it.”
“You just knew huh?” she asked, suddenly amused, and he nodded.
“Mhm.”
“How?”
“You are a photographer. A fellow artist. It’s inevitable to discover stuff like this.” Peyton laughed.
“I would hardly call myself an artist…”
“Oh come on…don’t sell yourself short,” Brandon insisted and he went over to her, gently turned her to face the ocean and he slid his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. “If you aren’t an artist, what made you come up here?”
“I was curious.”
“Why? I didn’t so much as look at this window during our tour yesterday – didn’t bring the view up in the tiniest bit. Yet you found it. Why?”
“I…don’t know.”
“Because you have an artist’s eye, Peyton. Why don’t you just admit you have the talent?”
“Oh come on…this house has the best view ever, anyone would know that,” Peyton insisted stubbornly.
“Pffft. Did you know that Steve has been living in this house for six years and it took him four years to notice this spot?”
“Nuh uh…”
“I’m not even kidding you.” Peyton looked back at him with a raised eyebrow.
“And the only reason he discovered it, is because he was looking for me. He searched the whole house for me until I finally heard him yelling for me and told him I was out here. He was shocked. I was the only one who knew about this spot since the very day he moved in.”
“That’s crazy.”
“But it’s true. Brooke has been in this house at least a dozen times too, and she has not once been out here because she hasn’t found it yet.” Peyton gazed out at the ocean, silently refusing to believe the best of her and he hugged her gently from behind.
“I’ll be right back. I need to go check on the Macaroni and Cheese.”
“Kay,” she replied softly, and he crawled back into the house through the window and went to go check on food. Peyton sat on the blanket that was spread out on the rooftop and hugged her legs to her chest as she gazed out at the ocean with thoughts going through her mind a hundred miles per minute. Briefly wondering if this is what Brandon does when he is up here – think. When he returned ten minutes later he had two bowls, two Dr peppers, and Peyton’s cameras in his hands. He sat down next to her and handed her bowl over before putting everything else down.
~*~*~*~*~*~
As the boys were doing their sound check, they heard a door to the arena open and looked back there. As they did, they noticed Lou Pearlman entering the room. AJ let out a low menacing growl at the man who’s pissed him off one too many times in the past week and he went over to Ashley and gently helped her up.
“Honey why don’t you go sit in a chair, okay?” he asked softly, as he can just see Lou complaining about her being in the way. He wants to keep her out of his line of fire as much as possible, though he has a feeling that’s not going to be easy a lot of the time.
“Kay,” Ashley replied, knowing full well that this is not the time to argue and he took Bella from her before helping her off the stage and to a chair. Dakota looked to see what the problem is, and she scowled. Just let the man upset her Ashee...she’ll kick him in the kneecaps. Kevin glanced over at the kids then to see them still sitting under the chairs, though Elenore was glancing back and fourth from Lou to Kevin while snuggling into Josh. She doesn’t know the man, but she is already getting vibes that he isn’t very nice. He gave her a warning look to behave and she nodded quietly understanding him completely.
“Whose baby is that?” Lou demanded, when he noticed AJ handing Bella over to Ashley.
“Ashley’s,” AJ answered honestly and Lou narrowed his eyes and looked at Nick with accusations.
“From the Orphanage Lou, come on. I haven’t even known her for nine friggen months.” Lou glared at him.
“Fine then. What are you all standing around for?”
“Well, it’s natural that when someone walks in the room, you stop to say hello. I’m really sorry that we made that mistake. We won’t be polite to you again,” AJ replied sarcastically, and he hopped back onto the stage.
“AJ…don’t,” Kevin warned, giving him a dark look. AJ scowled and Kevin cast a look toward the band and when they started playing again, the boys continued to do sound check, all four of them joining Kevin in his all work, no play mode now that Lou is there with his critical eyes. Nick glanced over at Ashley in mid dance moves checking up on her, and he noticed her sitting there with her feet up in her chair and Bella lying against her chest sleeping peacefully. She is gazing down at Bella and he can tell she is trying her very hardest to tune Lou’s presence out. He notices her distancing herself the way she did back when there was a man called Doctor Adams haunting her every move. God help Lou if he starts bullying her. God help him.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
Enjoy =)
