Chapter Three-Hundred-Seventy-Three
“Hello?” Elenore asked when she made it to the phone, quickly picked it up, and placed it to her ear and Ann was right beside her prepared to take the phone from her if she has to.
“Hey you spoiled little brat,” came Summer’s evil voice on the phone. “I know you’ve managed to get Kevin all to yourself for these past two days, but why don’t you be a good girl and put him on the phone for me? Or else. ”
“Daddy is sleeping…” Elenore answered and Ann became aware of her sudden change of moods.
“I don’t care. Wake him up.”
“Is that Summer?” Ann whispered quietly so only Elenore would hear and she nodded. Ann sighed and held out her hand. “Let me handle it sweetie.”
“No I will nots wake him up. Yer nots allowed to talk to my daddy until tomorrow,” Elenore told her, and then slammed the phone down.
“Ellie I asked you to let me handle it,” Ann told her but she couldn’t hide her amusement. This child just has a way of cracking her up today.
“I handled it just fine Gramma,” Elenore insisted.
“Yeah well now I’m definitely going have to make sure you don’t get left alone with her at all tomorrow.”
“I didnts think about that,” Elenore admitted quietly when she realized what she had just done.
“It’s okay honey,” Ann told her gently. “Let’s go finish our cookies okay? And then afterward we’ll wake your daddy and uncle Jerald up and do something special. I don’t know what yet, but we’ll do something.”
“Kay,” Elenore replied and Ann scooped her up into her arms, hugged her close to her affectionately and she carried her off to the kitchen where they could finish baking their cookies.
~*~*~*~*~
“So, is Dakota going to be okay?” Brian wanted to know a little later that day when Nick had forced him to go upstairs with him to check up on his new apartment in progress.
“Doctor Johnson says he’s no expert on nightmares or night terrors, but he can see that she is definitely under a lot of stress and not getting very much sleep. He suggested I should take her to a therapist who could examine her a lot better then he could. I was kind of wondering about that therapist Ellie and Josh go to.”
“Anthony is a really great guy,” Brian answered enthusiastically. “If any therapist were to examine my niece I would highly recommend him. I’ve seen him do wonders with not only Josh, but Ellie too.”
“Yeah?” Nick asked.
“Mhm. During our last visit he allowed Josh and Ellie to go dressed in costume – Josh in his Batman costume and Ellie went as Cat Woman. He dressed as the Joker and they had a really good time. He’s like a big kid himself, but at the same time he really knows his stuff.”
“Would he know anything about nightmares and night terrors?”
“I have no idea but I can ask him for you. If you want me to I could even ask him if he’ll see Dakota.”
“I might have him see her anyway even if he doesn’t specialize in it,” Nick replied softly.
“You should,” Brian insisted sincerely. “It would be really good for her just to have someone to talk to about…whatever.” Just then they finally approached Nick’s unfinished apartment and they ducked underneath the yellow tape that was placed on the door in order to remind the children to keep out. Not that they were allowed anywhere near the area anyway. Since Nick and Ashley have the end of the hallway, they used both their room and Sarah’s, plus the two rooms across from them on the other side of the hallway and conjoined them all together creating one big apartment. The plan is that their room would remain their room, Sarah’s room would become Bella’s (so that she can be closer to Ashley), and Dakota and Sarah would take one of the two extra rooms to share. Whichever room they don’t take, will be either a spare room, or a playroom. That is still being decided. The center of the apartment – which used to be part of the hallway, is now where the living room, a small kitchen, and a dining room will go. Nick and Ashley both agreed that they didn’t want a fancy kitchen or anything like that because they have the Orphanage cafeteria that they enjoy eating in. But if they ever decided they wanted to cook their own meal and keep to themselves, it would be there. Brian and Nick looked around at the progress being made and saw that it was all pretty much done, but the workers that Brooke had hired to build the apartment just has to make a few finishing touches. Like adding carpet for most of the apartment for starters…and lying down the tile for the kitchen and bathrooms.
“Wow Nick, this looks really amazing” Brian replied. “Brooke must really love you to go through such lengths to keep you here.”
“Oh I’m sure if she could get away with it she would try to make you an apartment too.”
“Maybe, but she hasn’t even tried to offer” Brian chuckled. “And she was just supposed to put a door between you and Sarah, not build you an entire apartment. This is favoritism dude.”
“Why Rok, would you be jealous much?” Nick teased.
“Nah,” Brian insisted amusedly. “I love this place but not enough to live here. I think I’ll stick to my house with the security gate and beach.”
“I think I might as well sell mine, since I haven’t been there since the incident where Sean tried to take my girlfriend.”
“Yeah and quite frankly you have way too many homes, Frack. Your house, Ashley’s house, this apartment…pick one already and stick to it.”
“This Orphanage and Ashley’s house,” Nick insisted without having to think twice. “This Orphanage has been my main home for years and I can’t see myself ever leaving it. Too many good things have happened here. Dakota, Sarah, Bella, our friendship with Riley and Brooke, Ashley…this is where I belong. And as much as Ashley feels the exact same way she’ll never ever be able to let the house she lived in with her parents go, and I could never make her.”
“But if she’s living here with you, how will her house still be taken care of?” Brian wanted to know.
“Well, there are two options for it…option one would be Kori and Wiley moving into it and calling it there home…but we aren’t even sure if that will happen yet, so that’s where option two comes in. After Sean and Trevor are in jail…if we all survive them and the world is safe for her again, Ashley will move in there officially. She’ll be welcome to spend the night here with me anytime she wants. That could be good for us anyway…living like a normal couple would until we’re married.” Brian laughed amusedly at this.
“Ah Nick, I don’t think so buddy. You two are so used to living together I don’t think you could handle it if you didn’t anymore. She would be spending the night over here almost every night.”
“Well Id be willing to try it if she wanted to,” Nick shrugged.
“Anyway, when do you think you’ll get to move in here?” Brian wanted to know as he wrapped his arm around Nick’s shoulders.
“As soon as they finish the floors. So like, in two weeks.”
“Awesome,” Brian replied, and then began walking around exploring the new addition to the building that he calls a second home.
“So Brian, I didn’t pull you up here just to check on my apartment with me” Nick began after a couple of moments.
“Oh?” Brian asked, raising his eyebrow curiously.
“Yeah.”
“So then, what else did you pull me up here for?”
“To ask you a question…”
“So why don’t you ask me it already?”
“You got everything that you wanted when Riley finally chose you over her ex husband, right?” Nick questioned while crossing his arms over his chest. “Everything you dreamt of? Everything you hoped for?”
“Of course I did…you know this.”
“And you are happy? Completely one hundred percent happy now that you got that dream come true?” Nick pressed on.
“More then ever, Nick. I am at my happiest right now and it’s all because of that beautiful woman downstairs. Why would you even question it?”
“Because it just makes me wonder why you aren’t in as much of a hurry to marry her as you were to be engaged to her is all.” Brian turned and looked at his best friend with a raised eyebrow.
“What are you getting at Nick?”
“You have this amazing, beautiful, and wonderful woman downstairs who loves you more then anything else in this world. She’s carrying your child, she’s anxious to become the mother to your other two children, and she wants to spend the rest of her life with you. Us Backstreet Boys don’t find that too often…so it makes me wonder why you aren’t rushing off to marry her like there is no goddamn tomorrow, Brian.”
~*~*~*~*~
“Hey Ashley,” Brooke greeted with a friendly smile when she walked into the playroom and found her sitting on the floor with a blanket spread out in front of her and Bella lying on it with her toys and such. Dakota is seated in her lap and has not left it since they left the hospital wing.
“Hey Brookie,” Ashley replied before shifting Dakota so that she is seated between her opened legs and she reached around her and grabbed Bella’s rattle. The currently fussy baby had thrown it just a little too far out of reach before realizing that she would not be able to reach it if she did so.
“What are you doing in here all by yourself, hmm?” Brooke questioned while going over and sitting next to her. “Marcus saw you on the camera and sent me in here to give you a good lecture about it.”
“Technically I’m not by myself,” Ashley insisted smartly, and she indicated toward all of the children around them who were content in playing with their toys.
“You know what I mean, smart aleck.” Ashley shrugged her shoulders.
“This just seemed like a good place to sit down. I was kind of hoping that being around all of the children would cheer Bella up.”
“Where is Nickolas? He knows better then to leave you by yourself.”
“In all fairness, he didn’t. He left me with Kori but I was getting grossed out watching her and Wi kiss on each other so I left. He took Brian upstairs with him to check on the progress of our apartment. He needed to talk to him about some stuff.”
“What stuff?” Brooke asked curiously as she watched Ashley gather a relentless Bella into her arms. She pulled back from sitting behind Dakota, got to her feet and she began to pace back and forth gently bouncing Bella in her arms trying to sooth her and Dakota watched her like a hawk.
“Ri told us that she is waiting on Brian to set a date but he is taking too long in the decision. So Nick is up there giving him a hard time about it.”
“Good, I think Brian needs to be given a hard time. If he doesn’t hurry up and marry my best friend already, I think I might start giving out tough love.”
“Yeah, or at least set a date already. Nick and I think we should all get together and throw them a bridal shower but we kind of need a date to do that.” Brooke’s irritation with Brian suddenly turned into excitement.
“That’s a great idea! I was actually secretly thinking about a baby shower though…like a little after we find out if it’s a girl or a boy. Do you want to help me with that?”
“Well duh,” Ashley laughed. “But I think Jackie would be happy if we involved her in it too. Her and Riley already have a very close relationship.”
“Good idea,” Brooke agreed. Ashley who was standing there slowly swaying from side to side looked down at Bella who has her head rested against her shoulder and now instead of crying, she was making soft moaning sounds, her eyes are droopy, and she is clearly on the verge of falling asleep. Ashley sighed softly in relief.
“Finally she stops fighting it,” She spoke quietly and she looked at Dakota.
“Sweetie will you hand me her blanket please?” Dakota grabbed up her blanket being careful not to make any of her noisy toys clatter onto the floor, start singing, or anything crazy like that and she stood and brought it to Ashley. Ashley took it and lightly placed it over Bella.
“Trouble in paradise?” Brooke teased light heartedly. She knows everybody likes to brag about how perfect Bella is.
“She isn’t normally this stubborn,” Ashley insisted. “Ever since I got her back from Riley she’s been very cranky – especially when I try to hand her over to someone else for even just a moment.”
“She can join the club,” Dakota announced as she slid her arms around Ashley’s leg and hugged it while resting her head against it. Brooke couldn’t help but laugh slightly at the pout on Dakota’s face before replying.
“Princess Pout might be onto something over there. Maybe Bella is reacting to the change in her own little way.” Dakota scowled at Brooke grumpily and tightened her arms around Ashley before sticking her thumb in her mouth. Ashley shook her head smiling before gently prying Dakota away from her with one hand and then sitting down on the floor and after lying Bella carefully against her legs, she wrapped her arm around Dakota, pulled her near and kissed her forehead softly. “I think two of my children need some serious napping time.”
“I will nots take a nap, cause then you’ll leaves me.”
“No I won’t sweetheart.”
“Will too…or worse I’ll dreams about you leavin’ me. No.”
“Baby you can’t avoid sleep forever.”
“Watches me.”
“Really Kota, you can’t.”
“Yes I can, an’ I will. You avoided taken showers when you were scared.”
“Yeah…well…I wasn’t being a very good example at the time, and anyway I didn’t avoid them for long. Your daddy and aunt Kori would not let me and guess what…I love you enough not to let you. Its nap time Miss Dakota Ann.”
“Oh no its nots,” Dakota insisted stubbornly, and then pulled herself away from Ashley and stormed out of the room grumpily. Ashley sighed and looked at Brooke and Brooke laughed quietly in amusement.
“I have to say I’ve never seen her talk back to you before.”
“Yeah well, she’s clearly not herself at the moment. She is sleep deprived and highly grumpy.” Meanwhile, Dakota who had run out onto the playground looked around for a place to hide when she suddenly spotted Sarah and her friends. She glowered at her ‘friends’ for a couple of moments, and then deciding that her need for Sarah is worth the annoyance, she went on over there. When she was standing at Sarah’s side she discovered that they were talking about highly ‘important’ Nick Carter Fan Club information and Sarah was standing there just listening and looking bored. They stopped abruptly however at the arrival of Dakota and they stared at her with narrowed eyes. Dakota narrowed her eyes back challengingly. She dares them to cross her today. It might be fun. Especially since they really have no idea what she is going through. They’ll see a side of her they’ve never seen before. Sweet little Dakota would never pull an Ellie and harm anybody right? HA! Piss me off ladies…lets see what happens she thought inwardly to herself. Sarah noticing that her friends had stopped talking looked to her side curiously and nearly jumped two feet in the air at the sight of Dakota. She had been so bored, and so lost in her own little world she had not seen her come up.
“Kota what are you doing here?”
“Yeah Dakota what are you doing here?”
“Chill Meagan,” Sarah warned before looking at Dakota and noticing that she is not a happy camper. “Why aren’t you with Ashley?”
“Because I don’ts want to be,” Dakota answered simply. “What are you up to?” Sarah noticed Meagan opening her mouth to reply and quickly intervened.
“Nothing you will be interested in…really. Trust me sis…you won’t. Why don’t you go find Josh?”
“Cause I don’ts want Josh.”
“Then what exactly do you want?” Sarah asked patiently. “Why are you being so stubborn?”
“Cause that’s just how I rolls. Okay?” Dakota snapped somewhat. Sarah stared at her sister in disbelief at her attitude for a couple of moments before replying.
“Okay…I don’t know what your problem is, but if you are just going to be grumpy like that then why don’t you go do it someplace else? I am being completely nice to you there is no need to be a brat.”
“I am NOTS a brat!” Dakota yelled suddenly as tears sprung to her eyes. Sarah sighed.
“What is your problem?”
“I don’ts HAVE a problem!”
“Sarah lets just go,” Meagan insisted irritably.
“Okay, you know what Kota? Come on. Let’s go find daddy,” Sarah demanded ignoring Meagan completely. She grabbed her arm and started to pull her toward the orphanage but Dakota’s feet remained rooted to the ground and she did not budge.
“Dakota, now.”
“NO! I will NOTS go find daddy, I WANTS to stay here!” Sarah growled in frustration and let go of her arm.
“Fine then you can stay here alone,” She told her and then looked at her friends. “Let’s go you guys,” She added and then started to walk off. Glad that they were ditching the four-year-old, all four girls began to follow Sarah. Dakota glared after them for a couple of seconds as anger boiled up inside of her. Her eyes focused mainly on Meagan’s back. Who does she think she is anyway, taking her sister away from her? After a few moments, not being able to take the anger mixed with sleepiness much longer, she screamed in frustration, and charged after her. Before any of them had the time to react, Dakota was on Meagan’s back and shoving her face first into the ground.
“I HATES you, you stupid little brat! How DARES you takes my sister from me how DARES you!” she shouted, pulling at her hair and throwing punches.
“Kota! Kota what are you doing?” Sarah shrieked while standing there horrorstruck. “STOP it!” Just then Meagan flipped them over so Dakota was the one lying on the ground with her on top and she punched and pulled back. Alicia jumped in and began to help, Hillary, and suddenly a full-blown fight broke out.
“You GUYS STOP IT!!!” Sarah shrieked as tears sprung to her eyes. “She’s just four-years-old!” she pleaded and then dove to pull her friends off of her when suddenly Monica grabbed her arms and pulled her back. “Monica let me go! They’re hurting my sister, I have to stop them!”
“And get blamed for fighting too? Come on now Sarah, think about it.”
“But she’s my sister! And they’re hurting her!”
“She started hurting them first!”
“But she’s just four years old! She is so much littler then them. Its one thing for her to fight with them, but for them to fight back?”
“She brought it on herself!”
“I can’t believe what I am hearing!” Sarah replied, appalled at her friend – at all of them.
“Sarah, listen to me…”
“NO! I can’t believe you Monica…how can you be so immature? And you think my sister is childish?”
“Well she is. She is such a spoiled little brat. You would think that after Meagan handled her the last time she would back off. She is always ruining everything. She is such a pain. I can’t believe you are defending her.” Sarah glared at her for a couple of moments, and as if realizing what she had said for the first time, Monica stood frozen in her spot.
“Sarah…I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that…” She insisted while starting to back up and Sarah followed.
“Oh yes you did, don’t lie to me.”
“No. Sarah, please…I didn’t.”
“Save it!” Sarah snapped. “Save your lies for some other fool!” and with that she raised her hand in the air and brought it down hard against Monica’s face with such a force that the sound of it was loud and her head whipped to the side. “Say more mean things about my sister Monica, I dare you!” Tears sprung to Monica’s eyes and she turned and ran away. Sarah turned her attention back on the fight behind her and discovered that her sister was now just lying there underneath them all, screaming and crying out in pain as she took each blow that would not stop. Sarah started to pull her so-called friends off of her when suddenly a black hooded figure flew down off of the monkey bars right in front of her and began to beat her to it.
Author's Chapter Notes:
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