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



“How are you doing Ash? Besides the whole Kori thing…” AJ asked gently.


“I’m doing okay…it’s a lot better now that Doctor Adams is gone…I finally feel like I can breathe.”


“Me too,” Nick replied as he hugged Ashley close. “I don’t have to constantly worry about him doing something incredibly horrible to you every time I turn around. I still don’t like it when you go where I can’t see you though.”


“Don’t worry Nicky I won’t - I don’t feel that safe.”


“You will soon though I promise. Because I’m going to put Sean in his place,” Nick insisted.


“We all are going to put him in his place,” AJ added as he reached over and rubbed his hand over Ashley’s back. She pushed herself more into Nick at his touch. She knows AJ would never hurt her but it’s still new to her when anyone other than Nick touches her. Nick slid his arms around her waist and hugged her tight, silently reassuring her that its okay and he kissed her forehead. Suddenly Kevin and Howie walked over to the group and sat down.


“Hey Brooke, Howie and I have come up with an idea for all of the kids in the Orphanage and we want to ask you if we can do it.”


“If it’s buying out an entire pet store just for them the answer is no,” Brooke teased, making everyone laugh.


“No, no its not that. We were talking about the money we made for them in our concert and what we should do with it. The money was made to go toward fieldtrips so Howie suggested we take them to Disney World. I think they’d have a lot of fun. How many of these kids have never seen Disney World before?”


“Well you prove a good point honey, but how would we get them all there? That’s an hour away and there are about a hundred children here so we would need a lot of transportation.”


“Well I was thinking we could use all five of the BSB tour buses. We could fit about 20 kids in each of them.”


“Brooke that would be so much fun,” Riley spoke up as she sat there back to back with Brian as he seems to be writing something secret in his notebook. “Of course we would need a ton of Caregivers to come and help that day. We would divide the children all up into groups and assign a caregiver or two to each of them and they would have to stick with their group the entire time. After Disney World we could stop at the park for lunch. It would be so much fun for them to be able to get out of this building for a day don’t you think?”


“How many kids in a group? We would have to think about the whole adult to child ratio thing.”


“Well we could divide them all into groups of five with one adult each, or we could divide them into ten and make it two adults each.”


“I would go with the two adults idea. That way the adults won’t go crazy and they’ll have someone other than kids to talk to,” AJ suggested.


“So basically we would need every caregiver to show up that day. If you all can help me talk them into it we’ll go on this fieldtrip,” Brooke replied.


“So maybe we need to have a staff meeting?” Nick suggested.


“I will schedule one for tomorrow. I will make it clear that it’s mandatory. That way they will all show up.”


“Well you will have all five of us there, no problem. I’m personally excited about taking Ellie to Disney World for the first time ever.” Kevin replied.


“If for whatever reason a caregiver absolutely cannot go then I can always talk my mom into coming. She may not have experience with working in a child care setting, but she’s been a mother for 22 years so that should be enough right?” AJ offered.


“Of course! If any of you can sucker your parents into coming that’d be great. Parent Chaperones work wonders when it comes to fieldtrips. They may not be parents to the kids but they’re still parents.”


“Well my mom lives all the way in Kentucky so I don’t see how that would happen - same with Kevin’s. Nick’s mom lives here though, and so does Howie’s.”


“My mom is not coming,” Nick replied grudgingly. “No way.”


“Kori might want to come…she’s a mom. Spencer would love Disney World,” Ashley spoke up softly. “She may not have the best past, but she’s a great mom I can tell you that.”


“That she is,” Nick replied, smiling down at Ashley proudly.


“Kori and Spencer are more than welcome to come,” Brooke replied, giving Ashley a warm smile. “And I heard from Riley that you’re excellent with children yourself, Ashley. Maybe you can go with Nick’s group and help him out.”


“Oh she’s going with me whether she helps out or not. As much as I trust each and every adult here I still wouldn’t feel safe unless I had her.” Nick replied as he hugged Ashley closer to him. “Not in a public place like that. No, she’s staying with me.”


“But can you handle that Nick?” Kevin spoke up. “It’s a public place - probably crawling with fans from left to right. Remember no one can find out the two of you’re dating so you can’t be all lovey dovey while we’re there. You could barely handle it yesterday with Detective Stabler and Dr. Huang here how are you going to manage it in Disney World?”


“We’ll figure it out Kev…you aren’t separating us. I will just worry about her the whole time and you know it.”


“I’m not saying we should. That would be complete torture to whoever ends up being your partner that day - which will probably be me since Kota and Ellie are inseparable. I’m just asking if you can handle it. I know how in love you two are.”


“We survived yesterday…it was hard but we still got through it. We knew we were going to have to go through this the moment we started dating, so we will have to learn to deal. We can’t do that if you separate us.” Nick explained. “And besides…the longer we’re restricted from being all lovey dovey, the more rewarding it is later when we’re finally alone,” he added, smirking a little and Kevin rolled his eyes.


“Eeeew Nick! Spare us the details.” Brian whined.


“Yeah, I don’t even wanna know how far you two have gone. The less we know the better. I just hope you’re being responsible.”


“Don’t worry Kev, she’s still a virgin if that’s what you’re worried about.” Nick replied, grinning and Brian groaned and threw his pen at Nick. Nick quickly dodged it and Ashley giggled. Everybody sat around in silence for a couple of minutes, than Kevin suddenly felt something jump onto his back. Knowing exactly who it is, he smirked.


“I feel a child on my back. Who on earth could that be?” The child who had tackled Kevin from behind giggled and she leaned over his shoulder and looked at him grinning big. He smiled up at her and raked his fingers through her hair as she hung over him.


“Hey there little monkey, what’cha up to?”


“Nothing! Just playin’” She answered, and he playfully pulled her over his shoulder and into his lap cradling her making her squeak in surprise and then giggle some more. Suddenly Dakota came over to Nick and Ashley and she crawled so she is sitting in between them comfortably. Nick chuckled a bit but wrapped his arms around them both nonetheless.


“Kevy can I gets a puppy too?” Elenore suddenly asked, and all eyes were now on Kevin waiting on his answer. He looked at Brooke for this answer. He couldn’t very well say no to Elenore since Dakota and Josh now both have puppies, but Brian had to beg and plead for that to happen. Brooke nodded quietly, smiling at him in approval and Kevin looked down at the little girl who is waiting patiently for an answer.


“Yes you may. What dog do you want?”


“A Golden Retriever! Like Joshy’s.”


“Joshy?” Nick asked, laughing a little.


“Uh-huhs, Joshy!” Dakota added, giggling a little. She is highly amused.


“Since when did you start calling him Joshy?”


“Ellie did. We found out that he doesn’t likes it.”


“You two weren’t over there harassing him were you?” Nick asked suspiciously.


“Course nots daddy,” Dakota answered innocently. “We were on the swings harassing him from afars.”


“Oh that just makes things so much better,” Nick replied after chuckling a bit.

“I think no matter what you two do, those three are going to battle it out and there’s no stopping it. So you might as well let them do it - just so long as no one’s getting hurt.” Brian replied, as he is now back to working on whatever he was working on in his notebook.


“Where did Spencer go, Ellie?” Kevin asked curiously.


“His mommy tooks him withs her inside. She said Wiley was almost back with her stuffs.”


“Kota…where is your puppy? Does Spencer have her or something?” Brian asked curiously, as he suddenly noticed the dog wasn’t in sight.


“In my pocket,” Kota answered, pointing to the pocket to her hoodie that Nick had made her put on earlier. It’s a bit windy out. Nick chuckled as he could now see the Chihuahua’s little tail poking out.


“Uncle like Niece.”


“Have you thought of any names yet?” Brian asked while beaming proudly at that comment.


“A couple of em’ so fars, but not final decisions yet. Ellie suggests Roxy, I thought of Lily, and Spencer suggested candy.”


“I suggested Roxy cause it could be like ‘Rok’ in B-Rok but withs EEE at the end of it,” Elenore explained proudly.


“Really?” Brian asked, suddenly feeling very special.


“Uh-huhs,” Elenore answered happily.


“You should name your puppy that, Ellie,” Dakota encouraged. “Gets a girl and name her Roxy”


“Or you could get a boy and really name him Roky,” Kevin replied, laughing a little.


“Or just plain Rok,” Elenore added.


“That would work,” Brian replied beaming.


“So then what are you naming your puppy Kota?” Ashley asked, smiling a little.


“I thinks Lily. I likes Lily a lot.” Nick gently scooped the Chihuahua from Dakota’s pocket and held her so she is face to face with him and he studied her. Dakota looked up at him smiling.


“Yeah she looks like a Lily to me,” he agreed. “Is your name Lily?” He asked her in baby talk and the dog barked in response, happy that someone is paying attention to her again. Dakota giggled. Brian grinned.


“Glad to see your warming up to her, Nick.”


“Lillian Angel Carter,” Dakota announced after a few seconds of watching her daddy give the puppy affectionate kisses. Nick chuckled.


“I wonder what your Aunt Angel would think of that.”


“Hehe… I loves Aunt Angel daddy. Can we goes to see her? Please?”


“I wonder if she even knows she’s an Aunt yet in the first place,” Howie replied.


“She doesn’t. No one knows I’ve adopted Kota yet…I kind of forgot to tell them.”


“Well that will be a very nice surprise on Thanksgiving day,” AJ replied, laughing a little.


“I don’t know if I’m even spending thanksgiving with them yet or not…we’ve kind of been out of touch for awhile…ya know?”


“Well you’re more than welcome to spend thanksgiving with my mom and me. You did last time and you know my mom loves having you, Nick.” AJ offered.


“Or even me,” Brian added.


“You’re our family. You’re welcome anywhere.” Kevin added.


“Is Ashley welcome? Because you know whatever I’m doing she’s coming with. Maybe even Kori…depends on how well they‘re getting a long by then.”


“Of course - I welcomed her to the family didn’t I? That automatically means she’s welcome to spend holidays with us too.” Nick smiled down at Ashley and he kissed her forehead.


“Well I’ll let you know what we’re doing by then…I’ve gotta get in touch with my family and see what’s going on and stuff. I better think about doing that sometime soon…that‘s only three weeks away.” Kevin looked down at Elenore.


“How would you like to spend Thanksgiving with me in Kentucky sweetie?”


“Really?” Elenore asked, looking up at Kevin skeptically. “I gets to have a thanksgiving?”


“Of course sweetie. A Christmas too! With lots of presents.” Elenore looked up at Kevin in shock. Just having a Thanksgiving and Christmas was shocking enough, but she actually gets presents too? “That is if Brooke is okay with me taking you,” he added, and he looked at Brooke again. “I will bring her right back I promise. I just thought maybe she’d like to spend holidays with a family, you know? And I kind of want to see what my family thinks of her too…”


“But of course. With Dakota being away for the holidays I couldn’t very well make Ellie stay here all alone.”


“Do you all think that I should bring Josh with me?” Brian asked suddenly. “We can’t very well leave him here can we?”


“Sure Bri, I’ll bet our family will love to have him. Provided if you explain to them how he is first…you know, warn them.” Elenore scowled, and she exchanged looks with Dakota. Dakota looked at her sympathetically.


"I'ma go play," Elenore stated then, not wanting to hear about how she'd have to spend the holidays with Josh of all people. She stood up, wobbling a bit, but regaining her balance, by grabbing hold of Kevin's shoulder. "C'mon Kota." Dakota nodded, and stood up carefully, after making sure Nick had her puppy. Lily had fallen asleep, so she kissed the puppy's head, then her Daddy, and quickly hurried after Elenore who'd gotten up and ran off rather fast.


"Well, that seemed to have light a fire in someone's pants," A.J. commented. "I don't think I've ever seen someone scowl and move so fast after hearing their holiday plans." Brian shrugged.


"Well, she's going to have to get used to Josh being around, because I am going to care for him. I'm going to prove to him that not everybody has completely given up on him."


"Good for you, Bri," Howie smiled. "If anyone can do it, you definitely can." Once Elenore and Dakota were far enough away from the adults, Elenore voiced her complaints.


"Nots fairs I hafta spends times withs him an' nots you! Nicky better comes withs us, or I’ma nots likes him no more." Dakota frowned.


"Buts Daddy gots family of his own too," she reminded her friend. "An' I miss them an' I wanna see them." Elenore huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.


"I still don't wanna be away froms you an' stucks with Joshy." Dakota smiled.


"Just calls him Joshy an' maybe he'll leave you alone."


"Maybe," Elenore agreed, sighing over dramatically. She sat down on the grass then, only to be tackled by a golden retriever puppy moments later. She giggled and hugged the little dog. "Yer gonna haves a friend just like you soon."


"Hey! Get yer mitts offa my dog!" Josh exclaimed, hurrying over after his puppy. "He's mine and I don't want you touching him!"


"He touched me first!" Elenore retorted, still hugging the dog as he poked its nose in her face and sniffed, as it tried to climb all over her.


"Chance! C'mere chance!" Josh called, having had named the dog that, as Brian had given him another chance. "Chance! C'mon!" Chance just continued to tackle Elenore, as Dakota giggled.


"I thinks he likes Ellie," Dakota snickered. "I bet he likes her more 'en you, too."


"He does not!" Josh snapped, coming over to grab up his puppy. "He's mine and you can't play with him!"


"Why not? He wants to play with me!" Elenore argued. "'Sides, Kevy's gettin' me a puppy just likes him!"


"Copy cat!" Josh snapped. "And because I said so!"

"I am nots a copy cat!" Elenore exclaimed, jumping up, her hands now on her hips. "Yer just a big ole meanie who don'ts deserve that’s puppy! I dunno why Brian gaves him to you, an' nots me! Yer justs gonna hurts him!"


"I am not!" Josh declared. "I'm NOT gonna hurt my puppy!"


"You are too!" Elenore riposted. "You hurts everybody else! 'Specially Kota!"


"I'm NOT gonna hurt Chance! I love my puppy!" Josh stated firmly.


"You do nots!" Elenore told him. "You don'ts even knows what love is 'cause nobody here loves you! NOBODY!"


"Someone does too," Josh argued, frowning some.


"Ellie.....stops," Dakota warned her friend, knowing this wasn't going to go well, and that her Uncle did love Josh.


"No he does NOTS!" Elenore declared haughtily. "He coulds NEVER loves you 'cause you're NOTS loveable an' yer just a big ole meanie-head! He only gots you the puppy 'cause he felts sorry fer you!" Josh grew angry then.


"Kevin don't love you either! He's only with you, 'cause nobody else will go with you!"


"He does so loves me! He even tolds me so!" Elenore said, sticking her tongue out at the older boy. "Nuh! I gots somebody to loves me an' you don'ts! Nuh! Nuh!" Josh set his Chance down then, not wanting to hurt his puppy any.


"You take that back!" He growled. Dakota watched, feeling and looking mighty worried. True, she didn't like Josh - but she knew what Elenore was saying wasn't true. She'd talked to Uncle Brian and he'd told her why he was getting Josh a puppy.


"Ellie....leaves him alone....Uncle Brian....."


"Stay outta this, Kota!" Elenore snapped, her eyes narrowing into a cold glare which was directed straight at Josh. "Joshy hasta knows the truths sometime." Josh's jaw set tight, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.


"You take it back, right now Elenore!" He ordered, though he was starting to believe her lies. Somehow, someway, their roles had been reversed. He'd said these things to her once before, and now she was saying them to him and it hurt - hurt so bad he wanted to cry, but he couldn't, so he had to be angry instead.


"No. Makes me!" Elenore said, her arms crossed over her chest. "You knows it's true, so just gives me the puppy, an' leaves Brian alone!"


"He bugs me!" Josh shouted. "You should tell him to leave ME alone!"


"Brian wouldn'ts bugs you!" Elenore growled, her fists now clenched at her sides. "You bugs him! An' 'sides, Brian loves me more than you, any day! He's only nice to you, so you'll leaves Kota 'lone an' nots beats her up!" Elenore stated quite firmly, her angry gaze still on him. "He'll never loves you! Ever! Yer nots nice 'nough! An' yer nots lil' 'nough!" Josh had, had enough then and finally charged her.


"TAKE THAT BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!"


"NO!!!!" Elenore shouted, charging him also. Dakota's eyes went wide, and she quickly turned and ran back to the adults.


"DADDY!!!!!! UNCLE KEVY!!!!!! UNCLE BRIAN!!!!!! COMES QUICK!!!!!!!!" The adults abruptly stopped the conversation they were in, and looked Dakota's way when they heard her urgent cries. "COMES QUICK!!!!!! ELLIE AN' JOSH ARE GONNA KILLS ONE 'NOTHERS!!!!!" A.J.'s eyebrows shot up in surprise - Elenore, the quiet little girl was actually fighting Josh, the big bad bully? This was news to his ears. Nick, Kevin, and Brian all quickly jumped up, as did everyone else, and went running over to where Dakota was.


"Where are they, Kota?" Brian demanded, grabbing his niece up as he'd reached her first.


"They're by the bike racks!" Dakota answered quickly, midst trying to catch her breath. Brian shoved Dakota into Nick's arms, and quickly high-tailed it in the bike-rack direction with Kevin. When they got there the two children were on the ground rolling about, screaming at one another and beating each other up. Both were covered in dirt, mud, and grass - but neither caring nor noticing right then. Brian and Kevin both grabbed a kid - Brian grabbed Josh, and Kevin Elenore and they pulled them back from one another.


“Just exactly WHAT is going on here??” Brian asked, raising his voice over the two children who were still screaming insults at one another.


“JOSH IS A MEAN OLE’ BULLY AND HE DOES NOTS DESERVE THAT’S PUPPY!” Elenore shouted, as she charged toward the angry six year old and Josh growled and started toward her but Kevin and Brian pulled them back once again.


“Well, ELENORE IS A SPOILED LITTLE BRAT AND SHE STARTED IT!”


“I DID NOTS, HE DID! HE GOTS MAD AT ME ALL BECAUSE HIS PUPPY WANTED TO PLAYS WTH ME AN NOTS HIM!”


“WELL HE’S MINE AND I DON’T WANT HER TOUCHING HIM! AND SHE TOLD ME THAT NO ONE LOVES ME AND BRIAN ONLY GAVE ME THE PUPPY CAUSE HE FELT SORRY FOR ME!”


“I DID NOTS HE IS LYING! HE IS JUST A MEAN OLE’ BULLY WHO ALWAYS WANTS TO GETS ME IN TROUBLE!”


“ELENORE ELLERBEE!” Kevin shouted over the little girl’s screams, as she struggled to break free and go after the boy she loathed more than ever. Elenore paused. She knows she’s in trouble once she hears more than one of her names. She looked up at Kevin suddenly, her eyes beginning to water. Was this it? Was Kevin going to finally punish her the way her mommy and daddy had done? She was wondering why he was taking forever. But she was bad, she was really bad this time and there was no getting out of it.


“I think you need to go to your room and cool down.”


“BUT-”


Now Elenore! I will be up to talk to you shortly.”


“BUTS KEVY!”


“I SAID now. Go up to your room or I will NOT get you a puppy tomorrow!” Elenore’s jaw dropped and she looked up at Kevin like he had just slapped her across the face. He wouldn’t dare not give her a puppy tomorrow, would he? He can’t really mean it. This is not HER Kevy. HER Kevy would never yell at her.


“1...2...” He began counting and fear suddenly took over Elenore. She did not want to test him right now and risk losing her puppy. She suddenly turned around and she high-tailed it into the Orphanage. Kevin sighed in frustration and he raked his fingers through his hair before looking at Brian. Brian waited a few moments until he knew for sure Elenore was already half way up to the second floor by now.


“Josh you need to go to your room too,” He ordered quietly, but firmly. “Now.”

“BUT!”


“NOW, Josh. Or I can always take Chance away from you.”


“FINE! TAKE HIM FROM ME! I DON’T WANT THE STUPID DOG ANYWAY!” Josh yelled, and with that he turned and he ran into the Orphanage as well. Brian groaned and he looked at Kevin.


“What do we do now?”


“Ask the only one who is willing to talk to us what really happened,” Kevin answered and he turned and walked over to Dakota who Nick was still holding. He is sitting in the grass Indian style with Dakota cradled in his lap.


“Dakota? What exactly happened?” Kevin asked his niece gently, and him and Brian crouched down in front of her. Dakota began to tell them the whole story exactly how it went. When she finished talking, Brian and Kevin discussed things with Brooke and Riley, than Brian scooped up Chance and followed his cousin into the Orphanage to go and talk to two very upset children. When they were up on the second floor Kevin went to Elenore’s room and Brian went to Josh’s. When Kevin walked in he didn’t see Elenore anywhere.


“Ellie?” He asked. “Where are you?” Silence. He looked around the room confused for a few moments, than he went and bent down to look under the bed. He didn’t find her there. He got up and went to the next place she would hide in - the closet. He opened up the door and sure enough, there was Elenore huddled up into the very far corner of the closet underneath some hanging clothes and she is crying.