Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
Enjoy =)
Q & Ellie get a moment, because Q & I had a moment back in 2008 on Aug. 4th. I'd a meltdown & he tickled me with a feather until I was laughing. After that, he kept making sure I wasn't crying or anything. He was sweet. :) Marcus just stood & watched Q tickle me - which is why Marcus is in this moment too in the fic - lol. Blast them Boys for not coming out to sign autographs after we'd been waiting there for 10hrs!
Anyways.....
~Lenni~
Chapter Three-Hundred-Fifty-Nine
“Hey Nick, what are you two doing here? I thought you were going to be out all day,” Brooke asked curiously when Nick made it through the security system, met up with Ashley on the other side, and they discovered Brooke standing there.
“Ash wanted to take a shower and get ready before the concert and stuff and since I wont let her back in the house I thought she could take one here.”
“Well your room isn’t exactly finished yet you know.”
“I know, but I figured she could use Kori’s room.”
“Ah, okay. Where is Alex?”
“Outside talking to his mom. He’ll be making an appearance soon I’m sure.” Brooke raised her eyebrow curiously at the annoyed tone in Nick’s voice.
“Getting on your nerves is he?”
“Just a little bit.” Brooke laughed some.
“Be patient with him Nick, today is just scary for him is all and I don’t think I need to tell you why either.”
“I’m trying he’s just not making it easy.”
“Is Kori upstairs Brooke?” Ashley spoke up suddenly.
“I’m not sure I haven’t seen her since this morning at your house.”
“Well, I’m gonna go and ask permission to use her bathroom and all that jazz,” Ashley replied before leaning up on her tiptoes and kissing Nick’s cheek softly.
“Do you want me up there?” He asked. “You know…incase you get scared?”
“No, I think I’m going to try this on my own…”
“But baby…”
“I’ll call you if I need you okay? I suppose you can’t give me a sponge bath forever…”
“I’m pretty sure I could live with it if I had to though,” Nick told her with a smirk.
“No stay down here. AJ being over protective isn’t all that is bothering you,” Ashley insisted before pulling away from him and heading upstairs. As soon as she got up there, she walked down the hall to Kori’s room.
“Kori can I use your…” she trailed off as she stopped short in the doorway and saw Wiley still lounging on the bed reading but he pulled the book down when he saw her come in. “Oh. Hi. I was just wondering if I…um, nevermind. I was just looking for Kori…I’ll go look somewhere else,” She told him before turning around.
“Wait Ash, she’s out with Scott. Is it something I could maybe help you with?”
“Out…with Scott?” Ashley asked double-checking she heard right and she turned to look at Wiley with a raised eyebrow.
“Yeah…” Wiley sighed. “They took Spencer to see Monsters Inc, they left about an hour ago so it’s just me here but if it’s something I can maybe help you with I’ll be more then happy to.” Ashley feeling slightly taken aback at his kindness toward her tilted her head to the side in a way Abbie would do when one is talking to her and she doesn’t understand. She knows Wiley is a good guy and trusts him completely – with her sister, but she’s never spoken more than a couple of words to him since the day she met him and she isn’t exactly sure how to act around him. Especially since when Sean is captured he is the one Kori wants to leave her for.
“I thought you and Nick were going to a concert tonight,” Wiley spoke up again conversationally.
“We are…” Ashley trailed off.
“AC/DC and Slash right? Kor says you idolize Slash. That’s really cool that you’ll get to meet him. Are you excited?”
“Mhm,” Ashley nodded and managing to muster the courage she looked up from her hands and at Wiley. “I need to get ready though…and Nick won’t let me in my house to do so. So…can I maybe use your bathroom?”
“Yeah of course love,” Wiley answered, immediately putting his book down and getting to his feet. “I was thinking of going for a walk anyway. Do you need me to get you anything before I go?” he asked and Ashley shook her head.
“No, I’m okay. I have everything,” she told him while pulling on the straps to her backpack to prove her statement.
“Okay then, I will just get out of your way” He told her while walking toward her as she still stood in the doorway. Ashley moved to the side so he could walk out and just before he did he made eye contact with her one last time, the kindness in his own eyes very clear and despite her negative feelings toward him she couldn’t help but take some comfort from it. Even if he is taking her sister away from her. How can such an evil man be so sweet? How does that work?
~*~*~*~*~
Later that day at Brian’s house, him and Jerald were trying to herd all of the kids together, with slight difficulty.
“Are you sure you don’t mind Ellie and I staying here for the day?” Jerald asked Brian for the second time, as he followed his cousin around the house, attempting to straighten up.
“I’m positive Jer. I would rather Ellie be here than at home with that woman, so long as the cameras aren’t up and running.”
“You can put me to work if you want; Ellie too. I don’t want for either of us to be in your way.”
“Well, duh,” Brian laughed. “I’m going to put everyone to work, wanna make a chore list for the kiddies?”
“Will do,” Jerald instantly agreed and Brian handed him the notepad before turning around only to find Elenore, Chris, and Sarah standing there.
“Hey kids, where’d Josh go?” He questioned, looking directly at Elenore and Chris.
“I don’t know,” both cousins answered with a shrug of their shoulders; Chris standing surprisingly close to Ellie, almost looking a bit protective.
“He and Kota ran upstairs soon as we got here,” Elenore finally said, looking rather smug, despite the condition she’s in.
Brian shook his head, as he grabbed up a grumpy Bella from her car seat, taking her into the kitchen to prepare a bottle for her. He was secretly grateful Dakota was only four and Josh only six, otherwise he’d have objections about them being upstairs alone together. He’s sure even Nick will be protesting come their teen years, and they’ll definitely have the cameras in the house on at all times then, so the two would still have eyes on them. Soon, he settled Bella into Sarah’s lap, as Sarah sat on the couch waiting to feed her littlest sister.
Jerald finished up the chore list at that time, and handed it to his cousin, who gave it a once over as he headed for the bottom of the stairs.
“Joshua, Kota! You two know I expect you to help out as well!” He called up to them.
“Be down in a second Uncle Brian!” Dakota called back, causing Brian to raise his eyebrow suspiciously.
“Bring down my black laundry basket, Joshua, please!” He replied.
He stood there waiting patiently, and then a moment later they could hear Josh’s Batman music turn on full blast. The six-year-old came flying around the corner then, laundry basket in hand, and his Batman costume on with the cape billowing out behind him.
Brian, suddenly realizing what his son was about to do, widened his eyes in disbelief.
“Joshua Lee! Don’t you da-” He began, just as Josh placed the basket on the floor at the top step, jumped in, and began to slide down the stairs in it.
“DANANANA! BATMAN!” Josh sung out, his arms stretched out while he stood in a surfer-like pose, as he came flying down in the basket. “WOO-HOO!!!”
Brian caught Josh just as he hit the last two steps. “Joshua Lee Littrell! Do you know just how dangerous that was?!?!” He exclaimed. “Don’t you ever let me catch you doing that again!”
“But it’s fun!” Josh argued.
“Well, the time-out you’re getting because of it won’t be,” Brian replied. “Now march your behind over to the chair still in the kitchen corner and stay there!”
“But Da-Brian!” Josh protested, quickly correcting himself in his near slip of the tongue. “Didn’t you ever do that when you were my age?”
“Yes,” Brian answered honestly. “And just like you, my naughty little butt got put in time-out. Now, march Batman!”
Josh scowled as he stomped his way into the kitchen and over to the time-out corner. He plopped down on the chair and crossed his arms over his chest angrily.
Brian glanced back up the stairs, and found Dakota watching him from the top step. “Come on down here please, Kota.”
Dakota frowned. “Batsman was only trying to be rid of evil Two-Face Sarah for me!” She told him, her little hands on her hips.
“Yes, well, little Miss Bat Girl had best be nice to her sister or end up with the same fate as her Batman,” Brian said sternly. “This fight of yours has gone on long enough as it is.”
“Oh, no it has not!” Kota shouted. “She hasn’t learned that her friends are evil yet!”
“Dakota Ann,” Brian spoke warily. “Just come down here and help us out.”
“No,” Dakota answered stubbornly, looking and sounding just like her father when he was in pout mode.
“Then you can go into the spare room and stay there until you’ve decided to be nice,” Brian told her firmly. “Only nice little girls get to play with their friends.”
“Then Sarah can’t play either!” Dakota snapped viciously. “She’s the meanest of them all!”
Sarah, who’d handed Bella over to Jerald a few moments before, looked immensely hurt by her sister’s harsh words. Without a single comment from her, she turned and ran from the hallway they all were currently standing in, as quickly as she possibly could.
Brian narrowed his eyes up at his youngest niece. “Dakota Ann Carter! I think you and I need to have a talk!”
“No we do nots!” Dakota yelled. “You need to go talk to Sarah, the spoiled little Brat!”
Brian watched her turn and run as he began to ascent the stairs, heading on up to have a serious talk with the small one. Jerald watched Brian head on up, baby Bella in his arms, only turning to look away from the scene when Chris’ voice caught his attention.
“Ellie, what’s wrong?” Chris demanded, though still trying to sound nonchalant where she was concerned.
“Nuttin’,” Ellie replied tearfully.
“Then why are you cryin’?” Chris asked. “You never cry for nothing.”
“Nuttin’!” Ellie exclaimed, turning and running out the front door in tears.
“Ellie!” Jerald called out, as he started after her, while still holding onto Bella. He stopped his trek though, when he spotted Q. and Marcus coming up the front walk. He knew they’d catch her, so he’d nothing to worry about right then.
“Hey, why you cryin’?” Q queried as he scooped the escaping five-year-old up into his arms.
“Brian made Kota goes to the spare room!” Ellie wailed, tears streaming down her small face.
“So? That’s no funeral,” Q. replied, as Marcus stood watching the two. “Now, c’mon! Smile!” Ellie said nothing as she buried her face into Q’s shoulder, her arms wrapped tightly about his neck.
“Don’t make me tickle you,” Q threatened playfully, shifting her carefully, so as not to drop her.
“Nooo!” Ellie protested through her tears. “Tickles hurt!” Q sighed, gently snuggling her a tad close.
“Ellie, what’s so wrong with spare rooms?” Marcus wanted to know. “Is that where Summer takes you, when she hurts you?” Ellie’s lower lip trembled as she looked at him, sniffling some.
“I don’ts like spare rooms,” she told him very seriously. “They ain’ts nuttin’ buts trouble.”
“Any other rooms giving you any trouble?” Marcus questioned carefully.
“Daddy’s nots ‘llowed to haves baths withs me no more,” Ellie pouted, as those were always the highlight of her day. “An’ him an’ Uncle Jerry aren’t to gives me baths ‘cause Summer said it’s not right. Buts they gives nice baths, nots scary ones.” Both security guards sighed heavily, as they eyed one another. The sooner they were able to get those cameras up and running, the better.
Meanwhile upstairs, when Brian found his way to the spare room, he poked his head in only to find it empty. Dakota was nowhere to be seen. Raising his eyebrows, he turned and crossed the hall to Josh’s room, only to find Dakota leaning back against the Batmobile bed, her face buried in her lap, though she scowled upon spotting him.
“Does this look like the spare room to you, Dakota Ann?” Dakota narrowed her eyes at her favorite Uncle and looked away angrily.
“We really need to talk about this fight of yours and Sarah’s, Honey. It’s gone on long enough.”
“No.”
“I know you’re jealous of her friends for getting most of your sister’s attention these days, but hasn’t Uncle Brian taught you anything?” Brian asked gently, as he entered the room. He walked over and sat next to her on the floor, his back also up against the Batmobile bed. Dakota hugged her legs to her chest a bit more and rested her chin on her knees, before purposely looking away from him.
“Pouting and causing fights doesn’t fix the problem, now does it?” Brian sat there quietly awaiting a response, glancing down at the little girl whom sat next to him. When he couldn’t take the silence any longer, he gently gathered her into his lap, so that she was straddling his stomach and he gently grabbed hold of her arms, so she’d have no choice but to look at him. When she finally did so, her eyes were full of tears.
“Talk to me Sweetie,” he encouraged. “This is Uncle Brian. You’re usually able to talk to me about anything, and I feel sad when you don’t.”
“Sarah doesn’t loves me,” Dakota sniffled, as a single tear escaped her eye and rolled down her cheek.
“Now, you know that’s not true.”
“Yes it is! All she ever does is yells at me and everything I do isn’t goods ‘nough for her and all she cares ‘bout is her stupid friends! She never wants to plays withs me anymore because I’m just a baby!”
“You’re not a baby,” Brian insisted, while reaching up and wiping her tears away with his fingers. “You’re a big girl…you grow up too fast for your own good.”
“I’m a baby in Sarah’s eyes.”
“Well, I hate to break it to you Kiddo, but there is a slight age difference between the two of you.”
“So what? She’s my sister! It don’ts count!”
“I’m afraid it does a little bit. Sarah loves you very much and I know she loves to play with you, but like all big sisters…sometimes they just need their space. She has her friends and you have yours. She doesn’t have to play with you all the time. I know you’ve been having a rough time once she started playing with her old friends again, haven’t you?”
“They’re not really her friends,” Dakota argued softly. “They bailed outs on her when she wouldn’t talks and now all of a sudden they lets her back in their group? Daddy’s fan club is using her! And they’re mean, and they talks about her behinds her back, and she doesn’t sees it! And I hates the way she is when she’s withs them! Mean, and bratty, and stuck-up! Just likes the way she was before…before…before it happened!”
“Yeah…I have noticed a personality change,” Brian agreed, while gently tucking a blonde strand behind Dakota’s ear. “And that’s really too bad. But, Baby, sometimes you just have to let people figure things out by themselves.”
“Or lets Daddy grounds them,” Dakota added. “Then she’d be safe from them for awhile.”
Brian chuckled softly. “Honey, it’s sweet you want to protect her, but she’ll see through them soon enough. I promise.”
“An’ she’ll plays withs me again, an’ loves me?”
“Kota, you have to know by now that she loves you. She slapped that girl at McDonald’s for you that one time, did she not?”
“Yeah…” Dakota trailed off, letting that sisterly secret slip without realizing it. “Buts that was a’fore her friends lets her back in their group.”
“Have faith, okay Baby?” Brian told her, hugging her close to him and kissing her forehead softly. “And trust your Uncle Brian.
“Kay….” Kota whimpered softly, snuggling into his comforting embrace.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Back at the Orphanage, Ashley finally emerged from the bathroom in Kori’s room, her hair still a bit damp.
“Hey, you okay?” Nick asked, upon spotting her. He’d been waiting for her anxiously.
“Yeah,” Ashley said softly. “It took me awhile to get in, but I finally did it.”
“I’m proud of you, baby,” Nick smiled, getting up to embrace her. “You’re working bravely at getting over your fears.”
“Slowly, but surely,” Ashley nodded.
“That’s the only way to do it,” Nick stated, kissing her nose affectionately, causing her to giggle. “You ready for the concert?”
“Yes, Nicky, I’m ready,” Ashley smiled, her eyes shining with excitement for the second time in a long time. Who knew he’d be able to bring that light back into her eyes on her eighteenth birthday? He just truly hoped he’d be able to keep it there for the rest of their lives, at all costs. He slid his arms around her waist and pulled her as close to him as he could get her and planted a soft kiss on her forehead, before brushing his soft lips against her own briefly.
“What do you want to do now? We have a few hours before we need to start thinking about heading to the concert,” he asked softly. Ashley gazed up at him in silence for a few moments.
“We need to figure out a way to ditch AJ first of all…” she told him while looking up at him with a sly smile and Nick smirked.
“I couldn’t agree with you more,” he told her while tightening his arms around her. “But once we ditch him where are we gonna go? Hmm?”
“Well, the concert is going to be at Universal Studios…so why not hang out there for a few hours? We don’t have the kids so we could go on all of the fun rides.” she asked him while gently hooking his chin with her finger and bringing his face down closer to hers.
“Your wish is my command,” he told her before lifting her up and placing her over his shoulder. Ashley let out a small squeal as he carried her out of the room.
“Shhh…you wanna lose your brother don’t you?” he asked after chuckling.
“Not my fault, you know that makes me squeal.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Nick chuckled. “Quiet down while I get us out of here, eh?”
“Ay yi cap’n.”
