Chapter Four-Hundred-Six
“Daddy! Daddy! I wanna ride the Ferris Wheel. Can I daddy please?” Dakota asked anxiously as she suddenly averted her attention to the big colorful ride in front of them. She hadn’t paid much attention to it before, but now that it was dark out she suddenly took interest. Nick eyed the ride warily in silence for a long moment as his daughter danced impatiently in front of him as she toted Lily in her arms.
“I don’t know about that honey…”
“Please?” she pleaded while looking up at him with pout. Nick looked back over at the Ferris wheel and he watched all of the other people ride on it as he contemplated in silence. He can just imagine all of the things that could possibly go wrong. The ride could tip, she could lean forward and fall right out, or maybe it might stop while she is at the very top and get stuck there. He looked back down at his little girl then who still stood there with that irresistible pout of hers. He would go up there with her, except he is currently incharge of Bella at the moment while Ashley had been whisked away by Kori to go on another ride. Sighing, he turned and looked at his brother.
“Aaron why don’t you take your niece to ride on the Ferris Wheel?” Dakota whirled around then and looked at her Uncle excitedly.
“Are you sure about that Nick? You are looking a little nervous there.”
“I trust you to take care of her.”
“Leave Lily with Detective Stabler honey,” Aaron insisted after taking Dakota’s hand. Dakota put the puppy down and handed the leash to the detective and then allowed her Uncle to lead her off toward the ride with an overly excited smile on her face. Nick and Detective Stabler followed them until they reached the gate that surrounded the ride and they stood there watching as Aaron and Dakota took their places in the line.
“So…what’s going on with Conner these days anyway?” he asked now that they were finally out of both the twins’ hearing range. He didn’t want to upset Angel in anyway and he also didn’t want to set Aaron off either so he waited patiently.
“Nothing at the moment, it’s kind of freaking me out” Detective Stabler confided since Ashley for once isn’t around either.
“Why?”
“Because Sean hasn’t contacted him at all since Max was arrested.”
“What could that mean?”
“I don’t know but it can’t be anything good. He’s being very quiet. Too quiet.”
“Would it be foolish to hope that maybe he just got caught up in his…really weird romance with Trevor that he just forgot about us and is going to leave us alone?” Detective Stabler chuckled.
“I’ll be nice and just call it wishful thinking on your part.”
“So what do you think then?” Nick wanted to know. “What is your opinion on his silence?”
“I think he is waiting in that nice safe haven he’s created for himself – wherever that is… for the perfect moment to pounce.” Nick hugged Bella close to him protectively. “And I hate to break it to you Nick but lately I’ve had a really bad feeling in the pit of my stomach,” Detective Stabler added seriously. “I don’t know if it’s just the weather in Florida that’s doing it or how loud his silence is…but I have a really bad feeling that he might choose to pounce anytime now.” Nick glanced around the Barbeque then until he caught sight of his girlfriend on the other side of it playing games with Spencer and Kori. He noticed Marcus standing at her side and took comfort in that.
“Why wouldn’t he contact Conner though?” he spoke up after a long moment, as he never took his eyes off of her. “Isn’t Conner supposed to be ‘his boy’?”
“We have no idea,” Detective Stabler shrugged. “Liv is worried he might be suspicious of him.”
“If he was he would’ve made it be known wouldn’t he?”
“I don’t think he’s willing to risk blowing his cover. Like I said, I think he’s hiding out until the right moment.”
“I just thought that maybe since they no longer have Max to do their dirty work and since all of the other baddies are against him he would try to get Conner to meet up with him and take Max’s place.”
“He thinks he has taken Max’s place,” Detective Stabler reminded. “Remember he sent Conner into the Orphanage for him. He probably thinks he is his ticket inside.”
“Inside?” Nick questioned, suddenly tearing his gaze from Ashley and looking at Detective Stabler seriously.
“It’s just a theory that I think we all should consider.”
“You think he might try and break into the Orphanage?”
“Why else do you think he planted Conner inside it?”
“No,” Nick shook his head stubbornly. “He isn’t getting inside the Orphanage because that is Ashley’s only sanctuary!”
“I’m only telling you this because I want it to be something you think about.”
“Well gee, thanks Elliot. Mission accomplished. I’m going to be thinking about it day and night.”
“Well maybe now you will use that to your advantage and take extra measures to make sure it doesn’t happen.”
“How many more extra measures do you expect us to take? We have that place crawling with all of the security we could get our hands on. We’ve done everything except put her in a bubble – and I’ll have you know, if I could do that I would!”
“I’m just saying that every gut instinct inside of me is screaming at me right now Nick. He’s going to attack – could be any day now and god only knows what the sick bastard has planned. So if I were you I would prepare yourself for anything.” Nick shook his head.
“Watch Kota and Aaron please,” was all he said and then he turned and headed in the direction of Ashley as he hugged Bella closer to him and kissed the top of her head. When he got to her, he gently slid his arms around her from behind as he was careful not to squish Bella in the process and he kissed the nape of her neck. She looked up at him then and noticed the worry lines on his forehead and she reached back and gently cupped his chin in her hand as she gazed into his eyes with concern in her own.
“Whats the matter baby?” she asked gently.
“Nothing I’m fine,” he insisted while forcing a small smile that she instantly saw right through. “I just really missed you and needed to be near you.” Ashley stared up at him in silence for a few moments, and then turned around and slid her arms around his neck, hugging him and Bella close, and she buried her face in his shoulder comfortably. He wrapped his arms around her in return and she didn’t miss the protective way that held onto her. He held her close to him in that way she knows he gets when he’s afraid of losing her.
“I love you Nicky,” She told him softly, not allowing him to see how much he is worrying her.
“I love you too,” he whispered, tightening his hold. “You know that right?” he asked.
“Of course I do,” Ashley answered and she gazed up at him confused.
“Don’t ever forget that,” was all he said. “Promise me you will always know that.”
“Nick what’s wrong?”
“I just need to make sure you will always know that. Life is too short for anything to be left unsaid.”
“You tell me you love me every day baby and I hold onto it each and everytime.”
“Good,” was all Nick said and Ashley heard the relief in his voice.
“Nick…you are scaring me. You know you can’t tell me something isn’t wrong when obviously there is. The powerful connection that you and I share is sending all kinds of alarms off inside of me.”
“Enough talking,” Nick insisted while forcing another smile to his face. “Come dance with me” he added before handing Bella over to AJ whom stood near by listening and then he pulled Ashley into the direction of the dance floor where people were currently dancing to country music. AJ arched his eyebrow as he stood there staring after them, and then he turned and went on over to see Detective Stabler, who he knows Nick was talking to.
“Wiley will you take me on the go-carts?” Spencer suddenly asked and Wiley looked at the young boy curiously. Spencer hasn’t spoken to him once since he overpowered Scott’s parental rights yesterday when he wanted to take him across the street for ice cream.
“You want me to take you?” he asked wanting to make sure he heard him right. Spencer nodded and he looked at Chris too.
“Chris too – and Oliver. It wouldn’t be a race without all of you” Spencer insisted. Wiley looked at Scott then, as if he were asking him for permission. Scott shrugged his shoulders and Chris gently patted Wiley’s.
“Come on man, you heard the kid lets go so I can beat you” he insisted and then grabbed Oliver by the arm and the two men headed off toward the racecars. Wiley scoffed and gathered Spencer up onto his shoulders before following them.
“I don’t think so,” he insisted. Scott arched his eyebrow as he watched them leave for a few seconds, and then he turned his attention on Kori who was smiling after them.
“Just exactly how bad was that fight of yours last night? He never asks me for permission to take Spencer anywhere.”
“We had a very much needed discussion earlier while getting ready for tonight. I reminded him that you are his father and therefore have equal amount of authority over Spencer now. I told him that I would be understanding about yours and Wiley’s need to fight over me if it must happen but it would mean a lot to me if he understood Spencer is yours too and didn’t mess with that.”
“And what did he have to say about that?” Scott wanted to know after turning and asking the man behind the game booth they were currently standing in front of for some more darts and he began to play another round, throwing them at balloons on the wall.
“He wanted to know why he should be required to be understanding about that when you refuse to understand that I am his girlfriend. And honestly…he sort of has a point there. Why should he Scott?”
“Because Spencer is just a child and the last thing he needs is to be caught up in our fight,” Scott insisted while angrily throwing a dart at a balloon and making it pop.
“So if you seriously believe that, then why did you recently use him to get me to spend the evening with you? That was putting him smack dab in the middle, wasn’t it?”
“All I did was ask him to go upstairs and ask you if you wanted to come. I didn’t bully Wiley in front of him the way he did to me the other day. It was an entirely different situation.”
“Be that as it may, you still used him as ‘innocent’ as it was. And if you are going to ask me to make sure Wiley respects your rights as Spencer’s father and doesn’t use him to bully you then I am going to ask you not to use our son for anymore malicious purposes. He is your son, not a weapon. Stop using him like one.”
“Fine,” Scott replied while throwing another dart at the balloon and Kori couldn’t help but notice how violently he is throwing them.
“Do I even want to know who you are pretending those balloons are?”
“I’m pretending that they’re Sean.”
“Uh-huh,” Kori replied, and then turned and walked off.
~*~*~*~*~
“Ellie, pizza is here! Come eat princess” Kevin called up the stairs as he watched Jerald carry the box of pizza into the kitchen and his mother and Ryan who had arrived just moments before the delivery guy followed.
“Coming daddy!” Ellie called back. Kevin grinned slightly and then walked into the kitchen.
“So, how did ice skating with Kristen go?” Ann asked curiously as she watched Kevin get the paper plates down.
“It went pretty good,” Kevin answered with a shrug of his shoulders as he handed Ryan a plate and then proceeded to get Ellie some pizza.
“So good that he is taking her and Ellie both on a picnic tomorrow,” Jerald announced.
“Ellie invited her, not me” Kevin immediately informed. “She simply cornered me and made it impossible for me to find a polite way out.” Ann smiled amusedly.
“Well, that’s my grandbaby for you. She knows a good woman when she sees one, you should listen to her.”
“Yeah well, I think a nice chat with that grandbaby of yours is in order right now. I need her to know that it’s not okay for her to randomly hand out invitations like that without consulting her daddy first.” Just then, Ellie strolled into the room, her Sunday shoes clickity-clacking with each step she took on the tile floor.
“Sit down princess, I got your plate already,” Kevin informed while pulling out her chair for her and allowing her to crawl into it. She did just that and quietly glanced Ryan’s way when she noticed him gazing not at her, but at her bruised arms instead.
“Daddy,” she spoke while never taking her eyes off of Ryan.
“Baby?”
“Can I wears your coat, please?” she asked and Kevin looked at her with concern and suddenly understood. Without saying another word, he slipped off his leather jacket and gently draped it over Ellie’s shoulders. Ellie slid her arms into the sleeves managing not to make any faces while she does. She wants to be brave and tough in front of Ryan. She doesn’t want him to know it hurts. But he knows better then that. He looked up at Kevin then; who was watching him and silently daring him to be mean to his little girl in a time like this.
“You had that horrible woman arrested right?” Ryan wanted to know. “You aren’t dating her anymore right?” Nobody missed the protective edge to his question – not even Ellie and she tilted her head to the side as she watched him curiously. She expected him to be mean, not protective. Ryan could careless if she is okay…so why is he so concerned?
“I’ve pressed charges, yes. Detective Stabler is dealing with it.”
“Good,” Ryan replied softly and he looked down at his pizza and quietly began to eat. Ellie threw a sidelong glance at Kevin and Jerald then and Jerald smiled some and winked at her. He ruffled her hair, kissed the top of her head, and then he grabbed a paper plate, got himself some pizza and sat down. Kevin sat down as well where he continued to eat his own pizza and he sat there silently watching Ryan who sat and played the look away game with Ellie for a few moments. He grinned in amusement as he enjoyed the little moment, and then finally spoke up.
“So how did Howie react to your surprise?”
“He was very confused, it was hilarious. You should’ve seen Brian grab me up and just walk right on out of there leaving him standing there with his mouth gaping open and not believing it had happened.” Kevin chuckled.
“I would have loved to see that. Too bad we didn’t get Q or someone to capture it on tape.”
“You should’ve seen how surprised he was to catch Brooke in his kitchen after Ryan left,” Ann spoke up. “We were in his kitchen all day long and he never once knew it. Ryan did a very good job at keeping him out. Then when he left, he went to see what the big secret was – as we knew he would, and as soon as he opened the door he found himself face to face with Brooke and jumped nearly six feet back in surprise. It was classic.” Kevin smirked.
“I’ll bet it was. I just really hope he takes advantage of this time with Lindsey. He wants her so bad it’s ridiculous.”
“I don’t know, we’ll see” Ann shrugged. “He put up a pretty big fuss once he finally figured out what we were up to. He was worried about this being too much for her.”
“Not if he does it right,” Kevin insisted. “He doesn’t have to get all serious with her…just be the sweet romantic guy that we all know he is.”
“That’s what Brooke and Riley told him. They told him to act like he just wanted to do something nice for her after she spent such a long day at work. Hopefully he took their advice.”
~*~*~*~*~
“Aww…cute teddy bear. Didn’t know you were into those kinds of things, Scott” Ashley teased when she saw him walking up to her, Nick, Dakota, Sarah, and Kori.
“Haha, very funny” Scott told her while rolling his eyes playfully and she just smirked and looked up at him batting her eyelashes innocently.
“Just out of curiosity, why are you toting around a big teddy bear Scott?” Nick spoke up. Scott sat down on the bench leaving a decent amount of space between himself and Kori and looked at her who was eyeing him warily.
“I won it for Kori,” he answered and he looked her in the eyes. “That is…if she’ll accept it.” Kori stared at him in silence for a long moment – it was all she could do. Why is it that everytime this man does something sweet for her she suddenly can’t breathe? She wants the teddy bear. Oh god does she ever want that teddy bear. Her entire body is just screaming at her to take the teddy bear but then in a far away distance she can hear something else screaming Wiley. Don’t forget Wiley. You love him, remember? So why is it so damn hard to say no then? Come on Kori. You can do it. Just open your mouth and say no. No. no. no. no. no. It’s that simple. She looked into his eyes then and saw that sweet caring gaze that she fell in love with so many years ago and instantly found herself lost and suddenly that far away voice inside her head died out. Wiley who?
“Kori?” Scott asked softly after a long moment.
“I…” Kori began and then paused, unable to find her voice to speak.
“I’m sorry…” Scott apologized after another moment when he saw just how paralyzed he made her. “I shouldn’t have even thought of it. I don’t know what I was thinking…it was just…it just felt like something I had to do. I wasn’t thinking at all. I’ll just give the teddy bear to—“
“--Scott,” Kori interrupted, reaching out and cupping his face with her hand and he stared at her with such a tortured gaze that it broke her heart just to see it. “I want the teddy bear,” She told him quietly.
“Are you sure? I shouldn’t have even – I –“
“-Please?” Kori pleaded. “Please Scott. Give me the teddy bear. I want it...”
“No,” Scott answered while shaking his head. “I won’t. It will only stir up more trouble with Wiley. I just…I’ll give it to Laila instead,” he insisted and he got up and headed in the direction of AJ who has both Bella and Laila and he is currently waiting in line with her to ride the carousel. Kori gazed after him incredulously for a long moment and then started to get up and go after him only to have a pair of arms slide around her from behind. Knowing that they’re Wiley’s right away, she looked up at him forcing a smile and he leaned forward and brushed his lips lightly over hers.
“Who won the race?” she asked softly, trying to get her mind off of Scott and that teddy bear and focus entirely on Wiley instead. She won’t be able to handle it if he finds out what just happened and throws a fit.
“Spencer and I of course,” Wiley bragged indignantly. He cupped her chin in his hand, delicately tipped it back and kissed her once more. Kori closed her eyes and kissed him back trying her very hardest to be normal and act like nothing is wrong.
“Come dance with me love?” he asked softly as the song Everything I do, I do it for you by Bryan Adams came on.
“Kay,” Kori answered and he helped her up and led her out onto the dance floor as Isabel sat down in her place. Once out there with several other couples, Wiley slid his arms around her waist allowing her to lean into him. She rested her chin on his shoulder and glanced over in AJ and Laila’s direction. She watched as Scott gave the teddy bear to Laila, and Laila become excited over it. After a few moments of watching Scott interact with Laila, AJ glanced over at Kori knowing full well just by the look in Scott’s eyes that the teddy bear was meant for her. Her eyes met with his and she tightened her arms around Wiley and looked away. Its better off this way anyway. Wiley would have been pissed if she accepted the teddy bear and they would’ve gotten into an even bigger fight then last night. And then she would’ve had a breakdown. Laila looked like she was very happy to get the bear. She’ll have no problem loving it for her. She’s glad he put a smile on that sweet little girl’s face. Really, she is. So why does she feel like she wants nothing more then to cry?
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
I don't think I had this many temporarily Untitled's the first time around, but they will have to wait until I have time to sit here and actually read through it and figure it out since I have work in an hour lol
Enjoy =)
I don't think I had this many temporarily Untitled's the first time around, but they will have to wait until I have time to sit here and actually read through it and figure it out since I have work in an hour lol
Enjoy =)
