Chapter Four-Hundred-Twenty-Nine
“Daddy are we there yet?” Dakota pouted as she still sat buckled into her carseat in the van that AJ was still driving. She is still very upset over the fact that Josh isn’t going to be there waiting for her because she got him in trouble when it was supposed to be her. She’s been grumpy and very unbearable ever since and Nick was silently cursing Brian and hoping that he listened to him and has Josh at the Orphanage when he gets there.
“Almost baby, we’ll be there in ten minutes” Nick reassured while staring out the window at the dark cloudy sky and the windy trees. Normally at this time of night there would be a beautiful sunset to look at but not now – not in weeks and he knows it’s making AJ and Kori feel just as eerie as he is about it. Ashley would probably be feeling eerie about it too, except that she was currently lying in his lap half-asleep. He gazed down at her upon thinking about her and he leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “Ashley sweetie, you might want to start thinking about waking up okay? You’re going to want to be awake for the welcome home crew that we’re surely going to have.” Ashley sat up slightly at his request though she rested her head against his shoulder and slid her arms around his waist and he wrapped his arms around her protectively in return and kissed her forehead softly.
“Except Joshy,” Dakota whimpered tearfully. “There won’t be a Joshy in that welcome home crew.”
“Come on sweetheart cheer up,” AJ pleaded suddenly, as her whining and crying and surliness was breaking his heart. He can’t bear to listen to it anymore. “I’ll figure out some way for you to see Josh okay?” he added after a moment. “I’ll take you to see him a little bit after we get there – but you have to let me get settled in and everything first…okay?”
“Kay…” Dakota replied softly, and AJ can tell that improved her mood somewhat. He sighed heavily and continued to drive in silence and Nick gently titled Ashley’s chin up so that brown eyes met with blue and he gave her a small loving smile causing her to smile back sleepily and he kissed her forehead softly. Her nose, her cheeks, her lips, her chin, and eventually his lips found his favorite part of her neck that he knows gets a reaction out of her everytime. She buried her face in his shoulder to suppress a moan at the pleasure of feeling his lips on her skin.
“What are you trying to do Nicky, make me crazy?” she whispered in his ear and he smirked.
“Maybe,” he whispered back ever so softly in her ear as he slid his hand up the back of her shirt and rested it comfortably against the small of her back. “I’ve been cooped up in a car next to you all day what do you expect?”
“I expect you are just getting started.” Nick rested his forehead against hers and smirked in response and as they have a blanket covering them, he slid his hand inside her pants and inside her panties and his fingers searched for what they wanted making her squirm slightly when they found it. He rubbed his thumb over her, all the while gazing into her eyes and watching her. He tucked a strand of her brown hair behind her ear with his other hand before cradling her face and grazing his lips lightly over hers before whispering into her ear some more.
“When the welcome crew dies down…” He began softly and she squirmed some more as she felt him insert a finger into her and she fought back a moan with great difficulty. “Maybe you can find someone to hand the baby to and meet me upstairs in our now very much finished apartment. There isn’t any furniture in there yet, but I think we can make do without it…” Ashley grabbed his face and pulled his lips down on hers in a fiery kiss in response. It was all she could do to suppress the moans that wanted so badly to escape from her lips. She concentrated fully on kissing him and was relieved – only a little bit – and not in the way she wanted to be when he pulled his fingers out of her and slid his hand around and rested it on her bottom.
When he noticed – just barely, from the corner of his eye that they were coming up the street that the Orphanage is on, he pulled back from their kisses and rested his forehead against hers and her eyes, wild with want and need bore into his. When they pulled into the parking lot of the Orphanage, she pulled back and tried desperately to compose herself and act normal as to not make anyone suspicious – that is if her brother isn’t already. She didn’t dare look at him to see if he’d been watching in he rear view mirror. She didn’t dare make eye contact with him in fear of what he might see in hers. When AJ parked the van in his usual parking spot Nick kissed her forehead softly and then took her hand and together they crawled out of the van. He let her pass him so that she could get completely out and then went ahead and unbuckled Dakota before proceeding to get her out too.
Ashley went around to the other side, grateful that Kori was already out with Spencer. She crawled in from that door and got Bella out of her carseat deciding she’d leave it in there for now. She hugged Bella close, kissed her forehead affectionately and got out her diaper bag before heading toward the door creating as much distance between her and Nick as possible. She could give him a swift kick in the butt for doing this to her. Making her want him when she can’t have him right away. She has to smile and be normal and spend time with friends and family for who knows how long, when really she would rather drag his arse up the stairs and jump him. She strongly hopes that hard on that she felt is giving him hell right about now. That would certainly justify the situation here greatly.
“You were such a perfect little baby the whole way home Bella Rose. Mommy was so proud of you,” she praised and smiled at the sounds of her gurgles. As she walked toward the building she noticed Marcus at her side protectively. Now that they’re back in Florida she can expect that he’s not going to let her out of his sight again if he can help it.
“How was riding with the twins and Scott the whole way home?” she asked conversationally, ignoring the fact that Nick is now right behind her with Dakota clinging to him unsmiling and Sarah holding his hand. Kori, Wiley, and everybody else was right behind him.
“Pretty mellow actually,” Marcus shrugged and then opened the door for her, allowing her in first. Laney and Q greeted her with hugs and kisses on the cheek before letting her through and she stood there watching as everybody else were stuck going through security, though receiving hugs as well as they went by. When they were all through AJ looked at Q curiously as he stood there holding a sleepy Laila. She had slept most of the drive home, only waking up at rest stops and mealtimes.
“Where is everybody?”
“In the cafeteria. Its nearly dinner time, they’re all in there setting up.” With that being said, everyone turned around and headed for the cafeteria and the moment Nick walked in and Dakota took in the room and everyone in it she squealed excitedly as she caught sight of the only one who matters at the moment. There Josh stood across the room in his Batman suit holding a bouquet of red roses and grinning and she slid from Nick’s arms.
“JOSHY! JOSHY! JOSHY!!!!” She exclaimed, and darted toward him.
“KOTA!!!!” Josh replied, matching his enthusiasm with hers and he met her halfway, arms outstretched though he held the flowers in one hand and she crashed into him nearly knocking the six-year-old over in her excitement but he managed to keep his balance. He enveloped her in his arms and they stood there hugging for a long moment not needing words to describe how much they missed each other. After a long moment though, she spoke up.
“Are those roses for me?”
“Who else would they be for other then my lovely Belle? I picked them out myself do you like them?”
“They’re perfect Joshy. You know exactly what I likes” She told him and he beamed with pride. She snaked her arms around his neck and clung tight to him while resting her head against his shoulder and she doesn’t plan on letting him go all night if she can help it. Nick went to Brian then as all of the adults stood around watching the young love happening right before their eyes and he pulled him into a hug.
“Thank-you, it means a lot to me that you had him here. And I know it means everything to your niece.”
“Yeah well…who could ever in their right mind ignore one of your guilt trips Nick?” Brian asked, though he returned his hug. Nick didn’t respond, he only continued to hug his best friend while looking a little smug and eventually he moved on to hug other people. Meanwhile, Ellie gazed up at Kevin who was standing beside her with Kristin and she gave him an anxious look. He told her to stay back for the first few moments to give Dakota a chance to fully enjoy her surprise.
“Now daddy? Please?” She pleaded while practically dancing at his side from the excitement. Kevin glanced over at Dakota and Josh and regarded the situation for a moment, and when he decided that it would be okay he looked down at Ellie and nodded. She beamed and made a run for it toward her best friend and her cousin and she tackled Dakota from behind making her yelp in surprise.
“Ellie!!!”
“Kota!!!” Dakota turned around and tackled her friend in return then, jumping into her arms so her legs were wrapped around her waist and all, though she still held on firmly to Josh’s hand. Ellie shrieked in surprise, wobbled slightly under her weight, and then tumbled backward with her taking Josh with them and the two girls erupted into laughter. Josh sat there staring at the girls incredulously for a moment, and then couldn’t help but join in on their laughter and he reached over and laid the flowers on the floor at a safe distance and they all three just sat there laughing together for no apparent reason. Kevin shook his head in amusement as he stood there watching the whole thing, feeling happy that his daughter has her friends’ back and won’t be lonely anymore. He stood there watching until Ashley approached him and he turned his utmost attention on her, smiling even bigger.
“Hey sweetie, how was your trip?” he asked while pulling her into a warm hug and she returned it, sliding her arms around him and latching on as if she hasn’t seen him in years.
“Interesting…educational. I had a nice time but I’m happy to be home.”
“Well I am most certainly happy to have you home. We are not allowed to get into a fight and then have you go over a thousand miles away where I can’t apologize to you and make everything better, okay?”
“Sounds like a pretty good rule to me,” Ashley agreed while nestling herself in his arms and he kissed the top of her head and rubbed his hand over her back in a slow circular motion. He stood there hugging her for a couple of moments in silence, and then he glanced at Kristin who was standing there quietly waiting and pulled back slightly.
“Anyway Ash, there is someone Id like you to meet,” He began. Ashley looked up at him curiously and then at Kristin, suddenly noticing her there for the first time. She’d been so excited to see Kevin she didn’t think about much else. “Ash this is Kristin, Kristin this is my baby sister Ashley,” He introduced and Ashley looked taken aback by being addressed as his sister. He’s never done that before.
“Hi Ashley, I’ve heard so much about you” Kristin smiled and Ashley picked up right away on her shyness. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you too,” Ashley replied feeling just as shy and she even leaned against Kevin slightly.
“Kevin talks about you like you are one of the most important people in his life. I’m looking forward to getting to know you – maybe we could spend some time together wouldn’t that be cool?” Kristin asked, and Kevin couldn’t hide his surprise. He didn’t even suggest that to her when he was going over how Ashley is and what would be the best way to approach her. But it’s good…very good.
“Id like that,” Ashley replied, not bothering to hide her surprise either. “Do you like to get your nails done?” She asked.
“I love to,” Kristin answered and she held her hands up and looked at them. “It’s been awhile since I’ve bothered to keep them nice though.”
“Maybe we could go tomorrow then? I’ve been dying to get my nails done for awhile now.”
“How does the afternoon sound? Like around two or something because I work until one.”
“That sounds good. Where do you work?” Ashley asked conversationally.
“Denny’s – my sister and I are both a waitress there.”
“Oh yeah that’s right,” Ashley replied, recalling the conversation she had with Kevin over the phone. “Kev said that’s how you two met.”
“Yeah there and then did he tell you about the time where he crashed into me in Wal-Mart and knocked me right off my feet and everything?”
“Psh, no are you kidding me? I know better then to share that story” Kevin replied and Ashley watched as his face grew bright red and suddenly smirked.
“Well now I’m going to have to hear that story,” Ashley insisted and she looked at Kristin anxiously and Kristin laughed and began to tell it to her. The two of them talked as if Kevin wasn’t even there, and Kevin just grinned and stood there listening, evidently pleased with how well this was going. Neither of the three of them realized that they had an audience just a couple of feet away.
“Well Jer, it’s official. She’s been welcomed into the circle,” Brian announced while throwing an arm around his cousin.
“She hasn’t even been introduced to the rest of you yet,” Jerald insisted.
“Doesn’t matter,” Nick laughed. “She has Ashley’s approval she can’t be that bad.” Jerald scoffed.
“I just love how you all parade around acting like she’s perfect. She’s not you know.”
“No she’s not, you’re right” Brian replied while shrugging his shoulders. “But she’s perfect for your brother and that’s all that matters.” Nick turned to Marcus then.
“You’ll be accompanying them on this trip to the nail salon, right?”
“Duh,” Marcus replied while rolling his eyes playfully. They all stood around talking for a few more minutes until it was time to let everybody in for dinner and then Nick looked over at Ashley who was suddenly looking at him – and had been off and on, no thanks to him. He made brief eye contact with her and then turned his attention on Dakota and Sarah. He helped them make their plates and got them both situated at the kids table – Dakota insisting upon sitting next to Josh in his chair as she held her roses in one arm and ate with the other. When they were situated, he looked at Brian.
“Keep an eye on my kids for me will you? I’m going to go check out my apartment. If AJ asks, I’ve gone home to get something – I am no where at all in this building and he shouldn’t even bother looking for me. Got it?” Brian arched his eyebrow.
“Why would AJ care where you are at? And why lie to him?”
“Just go with it,” Nick insisted and before Brian could say anything more, he turned and walked out of the cafeteria. Brian stared after him confused for a couple of seconds, and then turned to ask Ashley what in the world is up with her boyfriend when he saw her across the cafeteria talking to Scott. He watched her exchange a few words with him, him take Bella, and then he watched as she crossed the cafeteria and left it just as Nick had – but not before she checked to see where AJ was at and what he was doing first. Brian caught on instantly then, and threw his head back and laughed causing Riley and everybody to look at him curiously.
“What’s so funny?” Kevin asked curiously while pulling out a chair for Kristin and Brian shook his head.
“Nothing, nothing…nothing at all.” When Ashley got upstairs to the finished apartment that she and Nick were soon going to be sharing, she twisted the door open and went inside where she found Nick standing in the kitchen waiting for her. She shut the door behind her and locked it and she turned to face him. He motioned her to him with his finger and she obeyed and walked toward him while grabbing the hem to her shirt and pulling it up over her head. She tossed it then, not caring where it went before ridding herself of her jeans next. When she reached him in nothing but her black bra and black panties he gently grabbed her by the arms and whirled her around before pressing her back up against the counter. He brought his lips down onto hers kissing her deeply and grabbed hold of the straps to her bra before sliding it down her shoulders seductively. She jumped up into his arms so that her legs are wrapped around his waist and he placed her on the counter. She wound her legs around him once more as he was already standing between them and she grabbed the hem to his shirt before lifting it up and over his head. He grabbed it from her, tossed it somewhere, and then brought his lips down to the front of her neck where he kissed her hungrily and she threw her head back, let a soft moan escape her lips, and tangled her fingers in his hair.
~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile in Oklahoma, Doctor Johnson did as Brandon suggested and took Annabelle out to dinner even though he doesn’t have the ring. They went, had a great time, and then Doctor like planned, he brought her back and they went straight out back to their now very special cornfield. They lay in the very spot that they made love in not too long ago and they gazed up at the stars together. Annabelle smiled some, as she lay on her side with her head rested against his chest, her arm wrapped around him and she stared up at the sky.
“I love how easily we can see the stars here. If I didn’t love my job in Florida, and you didn’t love yours…I would seriously consider moving here just for the stars.” Doctor Johnson chuckled softly and rubbed his hand lightly over her back in a gentle caress.
“But baby there is nothing to do here.”
“I’m sure I won’t have too hard of a time finding ways to entertain myself,” Annabelle insisted and she looked up at him, placed her hand to his chin and pulled his lips own onto hers in a soft kiss. Doctor Johnson chuckled once more and hugged her tighter.
“And Julie?” he asked curiously. “I know what its like to be a kid and grow up in this town sweetie. I love this town very much…its where I came from…but it took me a lot of growing up before I finally gained that respect for it.”
“Julie has been an only child for seven years. Finding ways to entertain herself comes very easy for her…you’ve seen her running around this place, she has the time of her life just playing by herself.” Doctor Johnson didn’t respond he only kissed the top of her head softly and snuggled her close to him and she rolled ontop of him all the way so that she is lying on her back. She rested the back of her head against his shoulder and she looked up at the sky once more.
“Anyway, it’s not like it’s going to happen or anything. Like I said, I love my job and I know you love yours. I couldn’t part from you to save my life.”
“I couldn’t part from you either,” he told her softly. “Nor would I let you go even if you wanted to,” he told her with a small smirk playing across his lips. The two of them were silent for a couple of moments, and then he reached into his pocket, pulled out Brandon’s mood ring and he closed it in his hand. “While we’re on that subject…” He began so quietly that it was almost a whisper in her ear. She looked up at him curiously as her head still nestled comfortably against his shoulder and he tucked a strand of her hair that she’d straightened earlier that day behind her ear and gazed into her eyes. “Remember when you told me back home in Florida while we were at your day care that you wanted to be with me forever?” he asked softly.
“Mhm,” Annabelle answered, recalling that particular conversation in her mind and smiling happily.
“Well…what if I told you that I want to be with you forever too? What if I told you that I wanted to spend the rest of my life loving you and making you happy?” he asked softly, and she felt him take her hand into his. She looked down at it curiously and he went on. “You are my whole world Annabelle, and I love you and don’t ever want to part from you. Will you spend forever with me and be my wife Annabelle?” She gasped softly and looked up at him in tears and he sat up with her sitting between his legs. “I know this ring isn’t much…I had the most beautiful ring picked out for you…but I gave it to Brandon to keep safe and it got lost. Somehow mysteriously disappeared on its own I guess…we looked all over for it and couldn’t find it anywhere. So this will have to do until tomorrow morning…if you’ll accept it.” Annabelle thought about his words for a moment, and then spoke up.
“Some how mysteriously disappeared on it’s own huh?”
“I guess…Brandon had it in his safe in his art room one day and the next it was gone. I’m sorry…like I said, I’ll get you something so much better then this later.”
“No, no Steve that’s not where I am getting at. Think about it – how could a ring that was locked away in a safe disappear on its own?” Doctor Johnson stared at her confused.
“You’ve got me…” he shrugged. She sat there thinking for a couple of moments, thinking about Julie, about Kayline, and about talking to Kayline in her coma and after a couple of moments of mulling it over everything suddenly clicked.
“OH!” She exclaimed, causing him to flinch slightly.
“What? What is it?”
“It’s under the floorboard!”
“Its what? Huh?”
“Under the floorboard Steve…something is under the floorboard. Kayline told me to tell you when I was in my coma to tell you that something was under the floorboard. I didn’t know what it was but she said I would when the time comes.” Doctor Johnson stared at her dubiously for a moment not grasping what she is trying to say.
“The ring I bought you?”
“I don’t know what it is,” Annabelle shrugged and she suddenly got to her feet and pulled him up with her. “That’s why we’ve gotta go look. She wants you to go look,” She told him and then pulled him toward the house and he followed her still looking confused. When they got inside Brandon, Peyton, and Julie were all sitting on the couch but they looked at them curiously as they came in.
“Hey you two…what’s up?” Peyton asked curiously. She knows it’s too soon for them to be coming in and delivering good news…and they look like they’re on a big mission of some sort.
“It’s under the floorboard!” Annabelle answered, and Brandon and Peyton regarded her warily, not understanding the meaning behind her words.
“Huh? What is?”
“Annabelle says that Kayline told her to tell me when the time is right that ‘its under the floorboard’”
“…What’s under the floorboard?” Brandon asked skeptically.
“I don’t know, we’ve gotta go and see for ourselves,” Annabelle insisted and then hurried up the stairs with Doctor Johnson at her heels. Peyton and Brandon exchanged wary glances, and then he grabbed up Julie and the two of them followed.
“What floorboard honey?” Doctor Johnson questioned.
“In your parent’s room.” As soon as they were up there Annabelle went straight to the floorboard by the nightstand – not really knowing why she did, just that it felt right. She knelt down in front of it and Brandon joined her side with a hammer. He turned it over and pulled it open with the back of the hammer and she reached inside, pulled the only object underneath it out, and Doctor Johnson and Brandon both gasped and stared at it not believing their eyes.
“Mom’s ring…” Brandon whispered softly, and tears immediately came to his eyes at the realization that his brother has been right all along.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
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