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Here's the next chapter.
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Chapter Three-Hundred-Sixteen


“Where is Ashley?” Scott wanted to know when everybody entered the room and his second favorite person in the group wasn’t among them.


“Sitting in the waiting room refusing to come in and see you” Nick answered. Scott raised his eyebrow.


“Why?”


“You pissed her off, she’s not talking to you.”


“It’s pretty bad when you piss the one person who is always on your side off Scott” Kori replied while crossing her arms over her chest.


“I know…and believe me I feel like shit. But maybe if she came in here I could apologize to her.”


“No you don’t know,” AJ insisted, feeling a little protective right now. Kori couldn’t help but smile a little as she looked at AJ waiting for him to completely bitch Scott out like he would do to her. “You have no idea how worried sick she was about you all day today and when you weren’t answering your phone and we knew something was wrong you didn’t have to see how terrified she was. Then when you called her barely conscious and told her you were in a dark ally but didn’t specify which one and then grew quiet and unresponsive she was inconsolable, she cried down to the very moment Doctor Johnson came into the waiting room and told us you are fine. You didn’t have to put up with that Scott but we did because you were stupid enough to go out and get yourself beat up!”


Fine lesson learned!” Scott snapped somewhat. “I’m all bruised up and hurt I wont be making that mistake ever again. Okay? Give me a break.”


“I’m just trying to make you see how torn up about the whole thing she is. Don’t tell me you know when you weren’t here.”


“I can imagine how torn up she is, I’ve known Ashley since she was a little girl I know how sensitive and emotional she is. Which is why I would like to make it all better so will someone please go and get her and ask her to please give me a chance?” AJ crossed his arms over his chest and looked away from Scott, still feeling protective of his little sister.


“I’ll go get her” Nick sighed. “Or at least I’ll try to. When she makes up her mind about something it’s hard to reason with her.”


“Thank-you,” Scott replied softly and Nick turned and left the room.


“How long does daddy have to stay in the hospital?” Spencer wanted to know as he lay on the bed next to Scott with his arms wrapped around him and his head rested against his shoulder. He looked at Doctor Johnson who had just walked in for the answer.


“Well if I have it my way, for at least three weeks” Doctor Johnson answered. “Really he should stay four but I’ll bargain for three.”


“What about the trip to New York though?” Spencer demanded while frowning some.


“What trip to New York?” Scott asked curiously.


“The Backstreet Boys have been invited to Time Square for New Years Eve, we’re leaving in three days” Kevin answered.


“I’m going to stay here” Scott insisted as he can just see it in Kevin’s eyes that he is thinking how time consuming it’s going to be to lug a man in a wheel chair around. But he also really doesn’t want to watch Kori bring in the New Year with Wiley either. He could try to steal the midnight kiss out from under him but he is already hurt enough as it is, he knows Wiley isn't going to remain understanding for very long.


“But daddy you can’t – I wanted you to come” Spencer protested. Scott looked into the eyes of his son and suddenly realized exactly why it is so important he comes. He was thinking about the midnight kiss too and he was going to try and get his parents together for it. If it weren’t for the pain in his chest Scott would’ve laughed at the fact that he would’ve done the same thing if he were his age. It’s so amazing to him how much this kid is like him – kind of scary too.


“I think I will get better faster if I stay here buddy” Scott insisted while gently cupping Spencer’s cheeks in his hand and making him look at him. “The constant moving around won’t be good for me. I need to stay in bed.” Spencer scowled.


“But…”


“We will have plenty of time to do everything we planned because guess what buddy, I’m not going anywhere and I promise you I’m going to make every second with you count.”


“I’m staying here with you,” Spencer insisted and he gently lay his head on Scott’s chest and wrapped his arms around him.


“Spencer honey please be careful” Kori spoke up, very much worried about Spencer crushing Scott’s ribs but Scott leaned forward and kissed the top of his head softly and wrapped his one good arm around him.


“He’s fine he isn’t hurting me.”


“Did you hear me momma? I said I’m staying here with daddy for New Years” Spencer said again looking at his mother with a I dare you to tell me no gaze.


“Okay that’s fine” Kori replied easily, earning herself a lot of shocked glances, especially from Scott himself who seriously thought she would rather go to hell then trust Scott alone with their son for a couple of days.


“Your father will need the company” Kori shrugged and she slid her arms around Wiley and rested her head against his shoulder. Wiley grinned a little, as he suddenly understood her reason behind letting Spencer stay. New York without a child to worry about for two days will be bliss. Especially on New Years Eve. Though he can’t help but be more excited about the fact that Scott is staying behind. That’s his own bliss right there. He gently placed his forefinger and thumb to Kori’s chin, tilted it back so she is looking up at him, and he brushed his lips lightly over hers causing Scott to squirm a little and look at Doctor Johnson.


“Do I have a DVD player in here? Would Spencer and I be able to watch movies and such?”


“I can have one brought in here. I can even have your video games hooked up in here too if you want.”


“We want” Spencer insisted.



~*~*~*~*~



“Come on Ash he really wants you in there” Nick insisted when he walked into the waiting room and found his girlfriend sitting on the couch still in her same you can’t touch me position. Her legs are drawn close to her chest and her chin is rested against her knee.


“No. I’m mad at him.”


“I know that baby but what are you trying to accomplish by not talking to him?” he questioned while going over and sitting next to her.


“Maybe I just really want to be mad right now.”


“So be an adult about it and voice your anger.”


“I don’t want to be an adult. I want to be a stubborn seventeen year old child.” Nick chuckled a little and enveloped her in his arms as he pulled her near.


“I love you so much baby you know that but I’m sorry I have to be honest with you. You’re acting like a stubborn four year old Dakota.”


“So what?”


“So you can’t try to teach Kota to be a big girl when you turn around and repeat exactly what she does.” Ashley scowled. “And you treat me this way everytime you are angry with me and does that ever solve anything?”


“Maybe I’m not in the solving mood. Again, maybe I just want to be angry for awhile.”


“You can be angry all you want but at least hear the man out. He feels really awful that he frightened you.”


“He should” Ashley insisted stubbornly.


“And in all honesty, I think this is one of those times where you need to just be thankful he is alive. The worst could’ve happened baby, you know that.”


“And whose fault would that have been?”


“He made a mistake – one I’m pretty sure he learned from and isn’t going to make ever again. You know all about making mistakes sweetheart don’t you?”


“What is that supposed to mean?” Ashley asked slightly offended and she pulled back and looked at him.


“You’ve done things that weren’t exactly the right choices and you’ve ended up hurt in the end because of it and you needed and wanted all the support you could get didn’t you?”


“That’s not the same, I didn’t realize Sean’s real motives until too late but Scott knew the consequences of going out alone yet he still did it.”


“Yes but the point is you made a mistake like any other human and so did he. He isn’t perfect and neither are you. You wanted all of us to be here for you and to love you and we were – are. Don’t you think Scott needs the same?” Ashley crossed her arms over her chest and looked away.


“Why cant you just let me be angry for awhile and come to him on my own terms?”


“Because I would like to see you express your feelings out loud for once instead of bottling them all up inside.”


“I do express my feelings out loud.”


“Yes I know and everytime you do it makes you feel ten times better even if you are too stubborn to admit it.” Ashley didn’t reply she only continued to look away. Nick gently placed his finger to her chin and turned her to face him. “It makes you stronger too you may not see it but we all do. Everytime you confront your feelings you gain confidence and I love it. It makes me so happy to watch you get better right before my eyes.”


“I like making you happy,” Ashley admitted softly as she rested her forehead against his and he smiled at her some.


“Then how about you make me happy and go confront Scott?” Ashley turned to face him then and she slid her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder.


“Kay.” Nick grinned a little and kissed the top of her head.


“I may not be your caregiver anymore but that doesn’t mean I don’t still have goals for you to get stronger and healthier. I want you to be able to look Sean in the eye some day and tell him ‘you don’t scare me anymore’ and mean it. I want him to see that he can’t control you anymore.” Ashley looked up at him quietly and he gently cradled her face in his hands. “I want you to be able to look anyone in the eye and not be afraid to tell them exactly how you feel when you feel it and feel great about it in the end. Because you deserve it.”


“I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you,” She told him softly. “How is it that everything that could go wrong in my life was…and then suddenly out of nowhere you walk into it…and scare the heebie-jeebies out of me I must add.” Nick chuckled softly at the memory of the day they first met.


“Maybe someone from above decided you needed a break.”


“Well if that’s the case I can never thank them enough,” Ashley insisted while tightening her arms around him and once again burying her face in his shoulder.



“And by the way…you scared the heebie-jeebies out of me that day too.” Ashley giggled.


“But it was still love at first sight right?”


“You know it baby.”


“Good, me too…” She whispered in his ear.


“Come on lets go see Scott,” he told her after a few moments of silence and he stood up with her causing her to wrap her legs around his waist and he carried her out of the waiting room and down the hall to Scott’s room. She kept her arms wrapped around his neck and her head rested comfortably against his shoulder and she smiled some. She likes it when he carries her, she always feels so small and safe in his arms. When they got into Scott’s room everybody looked at them as they entered.


“How about we all go get a soda or something?” Kevin suggested to everyone, sensing that they should leave Scott and Ashley alone.


“Good idea” Howie agreed and everybody all got up and left the room.


“Coming Nick?” AJ questioned.


“Nope. I’m staying here to play referee.”


“All right see ya later then” they all replied and then left the room shutting the door behind them, Kori making sure she brought Spencer with her. Nick sat Ashley down so her feet were on the ground and she turned and looked at Scott.


“Hello Scott...how are you feeling?”


“Okay…”


“Okay huh?” She asked, and he nodded slowly as it is clearly obvious that she is pissed. She went over and bounced onto the bed so she is sitting next to him causing the bed and him to shake.


“AHH that hurts! Ash stop it!”


“Good it should! Maybe next time you will think twice about going off by yourself when you have a child and people here at the Orphanage who love you and would worry about you the whole time. Who would be torn apart completely if you were to never come back!” she told him suddenly breaking into sobs all over again. “You are a stupid inconsiderate jerk and my heart shattered into pieces when I thought you weren’t coming back! I hope you learned your lesson today Scott I really do!” she shouted at him as the tears fell down her cheeks fast. Scott reached his one good arm out and wrapped it around her gently pulling her to him so her head is rested against his chest and he held her tight as she cried and got it all out. “What were you thinking? How could you be so stupid?”


“That’s the problem sweetheart I wasn’t thinking” Scott spoke up after a couple of moments when he was sure she was past the angry point and was just upset. Upset he could handle. He gently cupped her cheek in his hand and made her look at him. “I was being a guy who isn’t used to admitting that he needs help. Like all guys are…it’s a pride thing. You were right I was being stupid and I’m sorry, you have to know how incredibly sorry I am and I wont do anything like that again.”


“You have a son Scott you need to let go of your pride and take care of yourself because Spencer needs you!”


“I know that, believe me I know. This incident has taught me a lot – all I could think about was him and Kori the whole time they were beating me. How I wasn’t going to get home to them and there was so much that I didn’t get to do. But I did and I’m going to make every second count. You have to understand that I am new at this father thing, you have to give me a chance to get the hang of it.”


“Well you aren’t new at being my friend…so think about how devastated I would be the next time you go to do something stupid like this again will you? You mean a lot to me Scott Matthews! Don’t you know that?”


“I do, and I’m sorry. I won’t frighten you like that again” he told her gently and he wiped away her tears with his finger.


“You promise?” she sniffled.


“I promise. Believe me I don’t want anymore bruised ribs or broken body parts. I want to be alive and healthy for Spencer. I want to be here for him, I do. I have so much to make up for.” She looked into his eyes for a couple of moments and when she was sure he meant it she wrapped her arms around him and gently rested her head against his chest.


“I’m sorry for hurting you…” she whispered softly after a long while. “I was a little mad.” Scott managed a small chuckle.


“A little?”


“Okay a lot…”


“Its okay,” he reassured and he kissed her forehead softly. “I hurt you too so we’re even.” He held her in silence for a long while until suddenly she spoke up again.


“Scott?” she spoke quietly – but not quiet enough that Nick couldn’t hear her.


“Hmm?”


“I’m rooting for you.” Scott looked down at her with a raised eyebrow, not understanding what she means. “Don’t let her go.”