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Chapter Three-Hundred-Twenty-Nine



“See? You didn’t even have to risk our lives by going up there, she managed to make her way back down here,” Trevor told Sean when they realized Elenore and Dakota were suddenly present. They didn’t even notice until the waiter had dropped Elenore’s letter off.


“I’m glad someone else is playing the part of the Princess’s delivery boy for once,” Max replied, causing Sean to narrow his eyes at him.


“No disrespect or anything,” Max quickly told him. “I meant Princess as a compliment. She likes being called a Princess.” Trevor rolled his eyes.


“Max stop before you get ahead of yourself. What does the note say Sean?” Sean glared at Max for a moment longer before looking down at the napkin and unfolding it.


“At least she’s not trying to sneak over here for once,” Trevor pointed out. “I must admit she is getting pretty creative.”


“That’s because she’s not allowed to anymore apparently,” Sean replied and Trevor raised his eyebrow. “Dakota and Sarah will tell on her if she does.”


“That’s a good thing,” Trevor replied. “You keep telling her not to sneak away from Kevin anyway, and one of these days she’s going to blow our cover by sneaking over here.”


“Yeah but still. Little Dakota and Sarah better keep their mouths shut,” Sean informed, feeling kind of bothered by the little girls’ threat.


“You promised you wouldn’t hurt them.”


“And I’m going to keep that promise. But still they best keep their mouths shut.” Trevor rolled his eyes.


“What else did she write?” He asked, and Sean began to tell them.



~*~*~*~*~*~


“Did Q go back to Sarah?” Ashley asked Nick when she returned to the table and still had Dakota clinging to her tight as ever, showing no sign of letting up anytime soon.


“Yes and I told him that if she wants to he can bring her back down here to spend the rest of the night with us since it doesn’t look like Dakota will be returning to her party. He contacted Marcus though and informed him that she and the rest of the kids want to stay so that’s what they’re doing.” Nick explained and he gently reached out and combed his fingers through Dakota’s hair gently while looking at Ashley concerned. Ashley returned his look of concern with a shrug and he kissed the back of Dakota’s head.


“I’m gonna go hang out with some more fans. Don’t leave Marcus’s side.”


“Don’t worry you don’t need to tell me twice” Ashley replied while silently growing even more concerned when she felt Dakota tighten her grip protectively at her daddy’s words. Nick leaned forward and brushed his lips lightly over hers and then he was off to please his fans. Ashley smiled after him dreamily for a couple of moments, and then she remembered Dakota, became serious once more, and looked down at her. She delicately placed her forefinger and thumb to the four-year-old’s chin and lifted it up so she is looking at her face to face.


“Are you sure there isn’t anything you want to talk to me about?” Dakota shook her head and looked away avoiding eye contact. “Are you sure there isn’t anything you and Ellie want to talk to me about?” Ashley rephrased. Dakota continued to remain silent and Ashley caught a fallen tear. She is feeling completely helpless. Dakota usually knows that she can tell her anything. She looked at her for a couple of moments, and then at Elenore who Kevin was just bringing back to the table after having had danced to a fast song with her. He caught sight of Summer who was looking at him from across the room. He had warned her that Elenore might not be accustomed to seeing him with another girl other then herself so she said she’d give him some space, completely understanding.


“Is it okay if I go dance with Summer Ellie? Why don’t you hang here with Kota and when I get back you and Summer can officially meet?”


“Why can’ts we meet now?”


“Cause maybe I want to brag about you first, is that okay with you?” Elenore giggled as he touched his nose to hers playfully.


“Brag away,” she told him and he chuckled before getting up and walking off to see the woman he has grown quite fond of and he hasn’t even known her for very long.


“Heeey Ellie,” Ashley spoke up casually, causing the five-year-old to turn around and look at her curiously. “How about we go see if we can get some ice cream? Huh? You, me, Kota, and Marcus.”


“Laila eats ouce cweam too,” Laila informed as she was sitting in AJ’s lap as he sat on the floor Indian style and she over heard Ashley’s request. Ashley looked at her and smiled.


“You do-oo?” she asked while leaning forward and tickling her causing the two year old to giggle.


“Yeeeah!”


“Well come on then Miss Laila, and we’ll go get some.”


“Yaaay,” Laila cheered happily and she clapped her hands. AJ chuckled amusedly as he looked down at the little girl in his lap with pure joy and she allowed Ashley to scoop her up onto her left hip as Dakota still occupied her other and she offered Elenore her hand. Elenore took it as she has never been able to turn down an offer for ice cream before and she allowed Ashley to take her and the other two to the bar with Marcus close to her side. Soon enough all of them had bowls of ice cream sundaes. Not just any ice cream sundae mind you, the bartender made a huge deal out of it. He gave each of them three big scoops with chocolate syrup, sprinkles, whipped cream, and a cherry on top. Marcus offered to share with Laila because they all know for a fact that she isn’t going to be able to finish it all by herself otherwise. Ashley managed to find them a good empty table to sit at and Marcus looked at her curiously when they were all seated.


“How come we didn’t just go back to our table Ash?”


“What and have to share our ice cream? Are you kidding me?” Ashley asked playfully.


“No way hosee, they hafta gets their own,” Elenore informed while pulling her ice cream close to her protectively. Ashley looked down at Dakota in her lap then who sat there quietly eating hers.


“You don’t want to have to share your ice cream either Kota do you?” she asked trying to get the four year old to join in on their joke. Dakota shook her head quietly and offered Ashley a weak smile. “And anyway…I thought maybe we could talk,” She added.


“Abouts what?” Elenore asked casually.


“How is the kiddie party going?” Ashley asked casually right back.


“It was fun. Kota an’ me did Karaoke!”


“Ohh that sounds fun. What’d you sing?” Ashley asked while looking down at Dakota wanting her to answer.


“Friend like me,” Dakota answered and she couldn’t help but smile some at the memory.


“What a coincidence that you two managed to get that song when the two of you are very best friends. Did they let you pick or something?” Marcus spoke up again.


“No, we had to spin a wheel,” Elenore explained.


“Ohhh I see.”


“What else did you do?” Ashley wanted to know.


“We watched Joshy an’ Chris play air hockey an’ Chris won,” Dakota answered.


“Only cause Joshy gots jealous cause you were on his side,” Elenore replied somewhat bitterly. “Joshy woulda won otherwise.”


“You don’ts know that,” Dakota argued back playfully.


“Uh-huhs,” Elenore insisted and Dakota shook her head.


“Did you two get to play air hockey too?” Marcus questioned.


“Yeah…” Dakota answered softly and then looked down at her ice cream and began shoveling some in her mouth.


“Well who won?” When neither girl answered, Ashley pressed lightly.


“Kota?”


“We didnts finish…”


“Why not?”


“Because…” Dakota replied while looking at Elenore.


“Because we lost interest. They started a really fun game an’ we wanted to join them.”


“Oh yeah? That’s cool…what game was it?” Ashley asked as Marcus sat there quietly watching her finally comprehending that she is on some kind of mission that he isn’t aware of.


“Charades -”


“-Limbo!” both girls blurted their answers out at once and Ashley and Marcus raised their eyebrows at them.


“We played both” Elenore explained managing to sound casual.


“Well, it sounds like you two had a lot of fun,” Ashley replied, and both girls nodded.


“Yes we did.”


“So…I don’t understand something here…how come you two came down here all upset?” both girls grew quiet all of the sudden and Dakota looked down at her ice cream and started eating it as if that is going to some how help her avoid the answer. Ashley and Marcus could both feel the tension weighing heavily in the air between both girls.


“I missed Kevy” Elenore insisted.


“Okay…I can believe that a big part of you missed him, but something else had to have happened because I’ve only seen Kota that upset once since I’ve known her and she has never not been able to tell me what’s going on” Ashley told her gently. “So you see, it worries me…”


“I don’ts wanna talk about it,” Elenore blurted out and she looked away from Ashley stubbornly.


“This isn’t Detective Stabler’s interrogation room, it’s me you are talking to Ellie…you can talk to me about anything you know I just want to help.”


“I don’ts need help,” Elenore insisted sticking to her stubborn ways.


“Don’t be stupid Ellie, you needs lots of it” Dakota insisted rather bluntly.


“Nots with this.”


“Why not? We’re four an’ five years old, not genius’s.”


“Your point?”


“If you don’ts tell her yourself, I wills.”


“Some best friend you are.”


“Ellie you know I’ll stick by your side through everything forevers but I’m getting scared – I’m four gives me a break will you? You know I loves you but best friends are supposeds to be honest an’ that means I have to tell you that you are so selfish. You think of nobody buts yourself a lot of the time an’ it isn’t fair.”


“I do nots!”


“You do so! Sarah an’ I have tried to tells you how we feels an you don’ts care!”


“How about you tell me what’s going on here and maybe I can help you sort this out,” Ashley spoke up before the two friends got into what she has a feeling must be their second argument of the evening. That this is the real reason both girls ended up back down here clinging to her and Kevin. Elenore crossed her arms over her chest and looked away.


“Ellie please,” Dakota pleaded softly. “You are not the only one here who is scared an’ hurting.” Elenore was silent for a couple of moments, and then, still not looking at Ashley she spoke up.


“Will you keeps it secret? Between us?”


“I’m not making any promises. If it’s endangering your life in any way I have to tell Kevin.”


“You can’ts tell Kevy because he’ll kills me.”


“If you haven’t figured it out sweetie Kevin is one of the guys trying to keep you from being killed,” Ashley reminded lightly.


“An’ so is my daddy,” Elenore replied pointedly.


“How does that have anything to do with you telling us what’s bothering you?”


“I haves a duty to protects him in return.”


“Your father is very much capable of taking care of himself,” Ashley informed her, trying real hard to remind herself not to ruin the trust that Ellie is slowly handing over to her. She can’t let her own feelings about Sean get to the better of her. Not right now.


“Nots from this…” Elenore replied softly and she looked down at her now empty ice cream bowl.


“From what Ellie?” Ashley asked gently, going back to being the genuine person that she is when she saw how frightened she is. She reached out and gently took her hands into hers and rubbed her fingers over the backs of them. “What are you protecting him from?”


“You wouldn’ts understand…”


“Yes she wills,” Dakota encouraged eagerly. “Ashee understands lots of things.”


“Well I don’t claim to be a genius or anything but I do try to understand and help the best I can when someone I love needs it,” Ashley replied. “So try me Ellie…”


“Nobody else will understand an’ they’ll tells me I’m wrong an nots to worry about it cause I’m just a kid.”


“I won’t let them,” Ashley promised. Elenore studied her skeptically for a couple of moments and then finally confiding in someone other then her good ol’ uncle Jerry, she began to tell Ashley the whole story of how she has been desperately trying to protect her father from himself. Much to Elenore’s surprise and relief, Ashley listened carefully the whole way through without interrupting or judging her.


“You really should’ve told us what was bothering you sweetie…” Ashley told her when she finished.


“No one would understands me.”


“I do,” Ashley reassured.


“You do?”


“Yeah of course I do,” Ashley promised. “What girl wouldn’t want to protect her father? Abusive or not?” she asked, causing Elenore to smile some and look at Ashley in a whole new light.


“He does bad things though Ashee,” Dakota insisted, looking up at her future mommy with surprise. She thought that she of all people would get that.


“Yes, I know that honey. Nothing he’s done is excusable in anyway and I want him punished for it more then anything but I can see how Ellie feels the need to protect him. You have to look at it both ways Kota.”


“But I don’ts want him to kills you an’ he wills if Ellie keeps protecting him!” Dakota insisted as tears rolled down her damp cheeks and she buried her face in Ashley’s chest and tightened her hold on her.


“Buts if I don’t protects him they are gonna kills my daddy!” Elenore argued.


“Who cares abouts your stupid daddy? He’s a mean ol’ monster an’ my Ashee is sweet an’ kind’ an’ loving an’ deserves to live much more!”


“You takes that back Dakota Ann, rights now or we aren’t friends anymore!”


“No I won’ts take it back! Ashee is my mommy an’ I don’ts want her to go anywheres!” Dakota practically shouted through sobs and Ashley felt very much grateful that the current song that is playing is loud enough that people outside their table can’t hear them.


“Kota baby I’m not going anywhere,” Ashley reassured and she tightened her arms around her and rocked her slowly in her arms. Dakota buried her face in her chest and cried into it as if someone shot Lily, her tears dampening her shirt. Ashley rubbed her hand over her back in a slow circular motion, as she looked at Marcus with her heart shattering.


“You two are four and five years old first of all, you need to calm down” Marcus spoke up as he sat there with Laila lying across his lap with her head rested against his chest. She doesn’t know or understand what’s going on but she knows things aren’t good right now and is wearing a frown on her face.


“See, I knew I was going to gets told that if I tolds you what was bothering me” Elenore told Ashley angrily.


“It’s a good thing that you did tell us because you two are just kids and shouldn’t be holding something like this in” Marcus replied.


“Well he’s my daddy an’ no matter what’s you grownups say I’ma worry until I knows for sure no one’s gonna kills him! Five years old or nots!”


“That’s not up to us and it’s certainly not up to you either.”


“Well I’m making it up to me,” Elenore argued firmly. “I will fights for him withs or withouts your help. Sarah sent the president a letter for me an’ she promised to send him another one.”


“You might’s as well dig up Ashee’s grave for him” Dakota whimpered and sniffled and Ashley hugged her tighter.


“I’m not going anywhere Kota,” Ashley repeated and she cupped her cheeks in her hands and carefully lifted her head so she was looking up at her. She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. “You don’t need to worry about that. Your daddy, the rest of the boys, and security are doing everything they can to keep me safe. And I have faith in them that they can do it.”


“Buts Ellie don’ts want him arrested an’ as long as he’s free he won’ts leave you alone.”


“You let us grownups deal with Sean okay? It’s going to be all right,” Ashley reassured gently and she hugged Dakota close to her. “I love you Dakota, I’m not going anywhere.”


“But what’s about Ellie?”


“I don’t want you kids worrying about that either,” Marcus insisted. “Ellie it’s not your job to protect him.”


“I won’ts stop you can’ts make me.”


“Why don’t you let us worry about catching him first and then afterwards we will fight for his life. Okay? One problem at a time here.”


“We?” Elenore asked softly. “You’ll helps me?” she gave Ashley and Marcus a hopeful look and Marcus looked at Ashley feeling that if it’s up to anyone to decide on what happens to Sean, it’s her. Ashley looked at Elenore in deep thought for a few moments just thinking about what she is asking here. She wants her to protect Sean. The man who wants her dead, the man who has done so many things to torture her. The man who intentionally turned her world completely upside down. But then setting her own feelings aside she does understand where Ellie is coming from. If it were her father she would be doing the exact same thing. Sean had to have done something right when in possession of Ellie to make her want to protect him like this. There must be some small amount of good in him somewhere to make her still love him enough to protect him.


“I just have a couple of questions Ellie…” she spoke up softly. “Why? Why do you want to protect him so bad? Besides the fact that he is your father. What has he done to deserve it?”


“He gaves me up to Kevy,” Elenore answered quietly as a single tear rolled down her face. Not just a crocodile tear, a real tear that one gets when they’re really hurting. “He wasn’t always mean an’ scary to me, he had his nice moments. He bought me a BSB CD an’ candy when I asked him for it, an’ in his own way he loved me I knows he did. He just didnts know how to show it like Kevy does. An’ he would do anything to keeps the bad guys away from me. He didnts have a daddy to love me the way Kevy does that’s why he is the way he is. There’s good in him somewheres Ashee. He may do bad things, but why can’ts he just be locked up in prison? Why do they haves to kill my daddy?” Ashley thought Elenore’s words over for a few moments in silence. After analyzing everything she just told her she nodded quietly. She understands perfectly what it’s like to lose a daddy. And though the man they’re talking about here is the one who murdered her daddy it doesn’t mean his five year old has to pay for his mistakes. She’ll go through the rest of her life with a big hole in her heart and she doesn’t want that for Ellie because Ellie is a good kid and she loves her.


“Okay,” She told her softly. “If you let the grownups concentrate on arresting him and getting him off the street so he can’t hurt anybody else…I will go to whoever I am supposed to go to and see to it that he gets prison instead of death. Do we have a deal here Ellie?”


“Really?” Elenore sniffled. “You’ll do that’s?”


“If you hold up on your end of the deal. It’s important that we get him off of the street honey because like Kota says he isn’t going to stop so long as he is free. Do you understand?”


“I understand,” Elenore nodded quietly.


“You are really going to do this Ash?” Marcus asked, surprised at her compassion. He knows she’s always been sweet and understanding but this is something he never thought she would do. Not for the man who took pretty much everything important to her away. Ashley looked at him and nodded.


“I’m not doing it for him,” She told him when she understood exactly what he is thinking. “I’m doing it for his little girl. She doesn’t deserve to suffer because of him.”