Chapter Four-Hundred-Forty-Four
When Laney had Wiley on his way to the Hospital wing and things were somewhat calm again in the lobby Q released Scott though he was ready to grab him again if he should bolt toward the hospital for more.
“Of all the stupid things to do…and here I thought Aaron was going to be the worst of our troubles.”
“I was just defending myself,” Scott insisted irritably. “He started it, I simply just finished it. You don’t go and pick fights with someone who has fought bigger fish in the sea and won and expect them to not fight back!”
“But you still egged him on earlier knowing full well that he was barely holding on as it is!”
“I was simply stating the truth. I did not want to be the one who had to see Kori worry and shit when he left! It was Chris who was instigating it all.”
“And you let him,” Brooke spoke up. “Steve and I saw the whole thing while standing outside my office door. I let you stay in this building Scott because I care about you and want to keep you safe but I won’t tolerate fighting in my Orphanage where there are young and impressionable children around.”
“Then maybe you should go and give this lecture to the one who started it,” Scott insisted while indicating toward the Hospital wing.
“I’m giving this lecture to the both of you because you both had part in it and I want it to be known. Another fight like this and I am afraid I can’t let you stay here anymore. I have children to protect.”
“Fine…duly noted. But if he attacks me like that again I will defend myself Brooke and I don’t deserve to be punished just for defending myself.”
“If you are completely innocent in the situation then that’s a different story. He may have thrown the first punch but you were both arguing and acting like children before hand therefore you are both being held responsible.”
“Fine, I’ve been fully warned” Scott replied grumpily. “May I go comfort Kori now?”
“In a minute,” Doctor Johnson replied. “You should let me do something about that bloody nose.”
“I appreciate it but I can handle a bloody nose doc,” Scott replied softening his mood slightly for Doctor Johnson. No matter how angry and annoyed he is right now there is no way he would ever be rude to Doctor Johnson. He has utmost respect for him. “I will go upstairs and clean it up before I see Kori.”
“Humor me will you? I need something to do.”
“There is no way I am going over to that hospital so long as Wiley is over there.”
“There will be no need,” Doctor Johnson insisted and he gently grabbed Scott’s arm and tugged him toward the cafeteria where he can get a washcloth and make an ice pack for his bruised jaw. As soon as Doctor Johnson finished taking care of him and was satisfied he released Scott who immediately went upstairs to Kori’s room. When he got up there he found her lying on her bed hugging her teddy bear that he had made for her in Jersey. Her eyes are wet with tears along with her damp cheeks. He quietly went into her bathroom and grabbed the box of Kleenex that he just happened to know was there and went on over to the side she is facing and he lay down in front of her, examined her with caring blue eyes and he delicately brushed her hair out of her face tucking it behind her ear.
“Go away,” she sniffled but with one look into her eyes he knows she doesn’t mean it. “I really hate you right now.”
“Kori you know the fight wasn’t my fault…he came after me and I was only defending myself. You know better than anybody that I don’t just lie there and let people walk all over me, I take care of myself.”
“But you still pushed him to do it.”
“I wasn’t trying to…I was trying very hard to behave myself. The comment I made about him worrying you was not intended to offend him, it was just the downright truth – I was trying to be the voice of reason and then he had to go and say what he said and Chris started antagonizing me. You saw it, you were there. You know I was trying very hard to be good.”
“He means a lot to me Scott,” Kori insisted tearfully.
“I know he does baby, I know. Him and I fight a lot but I never wanted to get in a physical fight with him because I know you love him and he’s special to you. I would never do anything to hurt what is special to you.”
“Do you promise?” she asked softly as his fingers cascaded gingerly through her soft brown hair.
“With all of my heart…I love you and while I don’t like him I respect that he is important to you. I only want you to be happy.”
“Correction: You only want me to be happy, so long as I am happy with you,” Kori insisted while lightly poking him in the nose.
“You make me a very selfish man what can I say? I want you all to myself.” Kori lay there staring at him in silence and he grabbed up a couple of tissues and dried her tears and when he finished she wound her arms around his neck and brought him closer so their foreheads touch and his lips danced lightly over her closed eyes, her cheeks, and he rubbed his nose lightly over hers. “You’re mine Kori Mortenson,” he told her quietly and he tightened his arm around her waist and lightly caressed her cheek with his forefinger and thumb. “All mine.”
“All yours,” she repeated in a quiet whisper when his lips were just inches from hers and he brought them down on hers kissing them softly. “I want to be yours,” she told him between kisses and she knows in her heart that is the downright truth. She just doesn’t know if her heart knows what it’s doing, if it should be trusted to make this decision. She won’t fully let it go that’s for damn sure…not yet. He pulled back slightly and rested his forehead against hers once more and he looked into her eyes questioningly. “Is that a decision being made?” Kori stared back at him in silence for a few short moments and then nodded quietly before cupping his face in her hand and placing tender kisses on his bruised jaw. “Did you put ice on this baby?” she murmured softly between kisses. “We should go ask Steve for an ice pack…”
“It’s already been done,” Scott reassured as he wore a small loving grin on his face upon being chosen. He knows he isn’t going to get her full trust yet but at least he has something to hold onto now. “He insisted on taking care of me before I came up here.”
“We should go check on Spencer,” she told him after a few moments. “We haven’t seen him all day.”
“Not only that,” Scott told her softly. “But we should spend some time with him too – as a family.”
“What do you have in mind? I think Laney and Q would have Kittens if we tried to leave the Orphanage with this storm brewing…”
“We don’t have to leave to spend time with him,” Scott insisted. “We can do so right here in the Orphanage.”
“Kay,” She replied softly and he rolled out of bed. She followed him and when she was standing in front of him he slid his arms around her waist, pulled her close, and leaned forward before grazing his lips over hers in the lightest touch.
“I love you,” he reminded her.
“I love you too,” she told him quietly and he hugged her close to him, burying his face in the crook of her neck just taking in the smell of her body spray. After a few seconds he pulled back and took her hand lacing their fingers together and they went downstairs again into the lobby where Brooke, Doctor Johnson, Laney, and Q were standing around discussing safety precautions and rounding up all of the caregivers. Kori over heard them talking and lightly tugged him toward them as the four of them looked at them curiously.
“Where is my sister?” she asked worriedly. “Didn’t she go out with Ryan and Marcus?”
“I just got off the phone with them,” Q answered in a reassuring tone. “They’re eating dinner at Applebee’s. Marcus is aware of the weather but this time alone with Ashley is really important to Ryan so he doesn’t want to rush it. They’re going to finish up dinner and pick up some ice cream on the way back and he’s going to try and get them back here as soon as possible without ruining anything for Ryan.”
“Where were you two headed?” Doctor Johnson wanted to know as he watched Scott wrap his arms around Kori and hug her close to him in attempt to comfort her.
“To spend some much needed time with Spencer,” Kori answered softly.
“He’s in the playroom,” Brooke spoke up. “Can you do me a favor and tell Brian, AJ, Howie, and Kevin and any other caregiver in there that they’re needed out here?”
“Sure thing,” Scott nodded.
“And we’ll need you two to stay in there and keep an eye on the kids since no other adult will be in there.”
“Will do,” Kori replied and she looked at Q. “Can you please let me know when my sister gets back? Just so I won’t have to worry about her anymore?”
“Mhm I will send her in to see you as soon as she walks in the door,” Q promised. Kori gave him a grateful look and then allowed Scott to lead her toward the playroom. Q slid open his cell phone then and turned around and walked off toward the security booth as he called up the rest of security and told them they’re needed at the Orphanage.
“I think someone should keep track of where Aaron and Angel are at all times tonight,” Brooke told Laney.
“Well Q has been assigned Twin duty by Nick so that’s pretty much taken care of and we can see them on the cameras too unless they decide to go into our annoying blind spots…”
“The blind spots may be annoying but they’re necessary,” Nick replied while joining them and he happened to still be carrying Angel around.
“The bathrooms I can understand,” Laney told him. “But it would be useful if we could see inside the air vents.”
“And it would have its downfalls too” Nick argued.
“How can there be a downfall to knowing where Dakota and Josh are at all times huh?”
“That is their safe place Laney,” was all Nick said. “It’s going to stay that way.” Nick looked down at Angel then. “And Angel and Conner no longer have any business going up there so there is no reason you shouldn’t be seeing them.”
“Where is Aaron?” Brooke cut into the calm disagreement between security guard and Backstreet Boy.
“In the playroom playing with Rosalie,” Nick and Q answered in unison. “You called me on the intercom and told me that you needed me down here Brooke, what’s going on?” Nick wanted to know. Brooke had installed an intercom on the wall of every room in Nick’s apartment and in her office so that she could speak to him when needed with just one push of a button. Brooke noticed AJ, Howie, Brian, Kevin, and gang finally coming and she waited until they were all in front of her before answering Nick’s question. Upon spotting Nick when AJ was standing in front of him, Bella who looks like she’s been putting up a fuss very recently – most likely over Ashley’s absence, leaned toward him arms outstretched and Nick put Angel down and took Bella from an amused AJ and he kissed her forehead affectionately and rocked her in his arms. Bella cooed happily now that she was in her “Daddy’s” arms and Nick listened quietly to Brooke’s instructions and somewhere in the middle of it Bella began to babble and blow bubbles as she is clearly content right where she is.
“Dadadada…” Everyone paused upon hearing this and looked at the baby in surprise, Nick looking very much like it was Christmas day and he just opened up a really great gift.
“You hear that you guys?” he asked proudly. “She’s saying dada.” Bella beamed up at him triumphantly, pleased that she had earned his utmost attention.
“Dadadada…” She repeated louder this time and Nick grinned and kissed her nose affectionately.
“I hate to burst your bubble Nick, but dada is very common when it comes to the babble vocabulary” AJ told him amusedly.
“So?” Nick asked dismissively. “The fact that she reached for me and the first word to ever come out of her mouth is dada is an exciting thing. She knows I am her daddy.” AJ grinned and shook his head but reached out and squeezed his little brother’s shoulder gently.
“Ashley is going to be disappointed she missed out on it,” Kristin pointed out. Nick looked down at the baby in his arms and rested his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes.
“You have to do that again when mommy gets home okay?”
“If she doesn’t then I suppose we can always replay the tape in the lobby security camera for her,” Q reminded.
“She’ll do it again – won’t you baby?” Nick asked Bella in a playful tone and he bent his head down and blew raspberries on her cheek making Bella smile huge.
“Anyway Nick,” Brooke replied trying to bring everyone back to business even though she is smiling at the father daughter Kodak moment going on in front of her. “You’ll be the one to run to the store and buy us some batteries for a portable radio?”
“Yes ma’am,” Nick confirmed. “And flashlights and anything else we will need – just make a list and Angel, Dakota, Sarah, Bella Q, and I will all go.” Brooke nodded and then began giving assignments to everybody else standing around her and Nick turned his attention back on the baby in his arms.
“Drew and Raul will be here shortly Nick can we wait until then so Drew can come? I’m going to need help if all of those people you just listed are coming.”
“So long as they hurry,” Nick shrugged and he turned and walked off with Bella in his arms after grabbing hold of Angel’s arm and pulling her along. He’s planning on rounding up his other two girls and informing Aaron that Laney will be keeping watch on him while Q is gone.
Author's Chapter Notes:
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