- Text Size +
Author's Chapter Notes:

Disclaimer: We own all fictional characters. BSB & most the security own themselves. Thank-you!

 

When Ashley and Marcus arrived at the beach that was only just fifteen minutes away the two of them got out of the car and Ashley grabbed Bella’s baby sling and put it on before gently getting Bella out and getting her settled inside it. When she had her situated, she grabbed her diaper bag and Marcus gently took it offering to carry it for her. She slipped off her flip flops then and put them on the floor in the front passengers’ side before taking off with her daughter, walking purposely through the warm sand and letting it sink through her toes with great pleasure.

It feels like it’s been so long since she’s been on a beach and she never thought she would miss the sun so much. As soon as the monstrous storm had ended the sun came back for the first time in a month but she’d been so busy worrying about Nick that she hasn’t really been out doors much to enjoy it. She still has a small nagging feeling inside of her that she should be back at the hospital with Nick. That she shouldn’t be allowed to enjoy this if he can’t but she needed to or she might have completely lost it. In fact, she knows that she would have and it probably would’ve been at AJ’s expense and she didn’t want that to happen just because they were having some differences lately. It’s not his fault…not really. It’s not his fault that Sean is a monster, no…and it’s not really his fault that they aren’t agreeing much lately either.

But is it wrong for her to wish that her brother could for once not argue with her when she wants to believe that hers and Nick’s love has the ability to move mountains if given the chance? Sighing softly, Ashley snuggled Bella close to her and kissed her cheek affectionately as she looked around the great big beach with curious little brown eyes. Marcus who heard the sigh didn’t say anything knowing that she was here to think and if she wants to talk to him she’ll speak up. He lingered back a little as he watched her go down a little ways from the water and spread Bella’s blanket out before lying her down on it and sitting with her.

“Marcus you can come sit down if you want…or do whatever…you don’t have to guard me anymore,” Ashley called out to him when she noticed.


“Sean may no longer be a threat honey but don’t forget what your boyfriend does for a living.” Ashley shrugged her shoulders.


“I think I pretty much have a handle on the fans for the most part. Nobody is here…relax a little.”


“Yes, but news about Nick’s coma has been leaked out to the press though Denise tried desperately not to let it happen. You know how protective they are of him from personal experience.”


“I know, but like I said nobody is here but us…so you don’t have to stand over me looking like those British guards that wear the red suit and tall black hats,” Ashley teased and Marcus chuckled softly. “And honestly, the first thing they’ll notice is you if you do that so relax.”


“Okay, Okay,” Marcus chuckled and he went over and settled himself on the blanket near Bella. “Better?”


“Yes thank-you,” Ashley replied in a satisfied tone and he shook his head smiling. Ashley got out the sun block then and gathered Bella into her arms and she began to put it on her.


“I guess you aren’t the only one who is still trying to adjust to all of this freedom. I spent so many months worrying about you, it’s hard to let go even just a little bit.”


“Yeah…I don’t know if I will fully adjust until Sean’s trial…and if Nick doesn’t wake up…”


“He will honey, I know it” Marcus insisted gently. “You two fought too hard for far too long to be together. I don’t think life could be that cruel…especially since you deserve to be together.”


“Well you never know really…” Ashley replied softly while looking down at Bella and avoiding eye contact with Marcus so he will not see her emotions. “So many things have gone wrong in my life, what’s one more thing?”


“Those were all just tests honey…to make you stronger and a better person so that you can handle whatever life throws at you. This is just one more test that you have to go through before you can fully appreciate the good things…the final battle the two of you have to face in order to make your relationship stronger.” Ashley was now finished putting sun block on Bella and she gently sat her down on the blanket so that she was sitting up and she brought her toys closer to her before hugging her legs closer to her chest and resting her chin on her knee. She sat there quietly watching Bella play and Marcus reached out and gently squeezed her shoulder.


“He’ll come back to you…I know it. Just have some faith in him.”


“Oh trust me…it’s all I am holding onto. It’s this decision about Sean that I am having difficulty with right now...”


~*~*~*~*~*~


Meanwhile back at the police station, Detective Tutuola walked in with Trevor and he eyed Ellie curiously, obviously very confused on why she would want to talk to him of all people. He figured she would want to spend the whole time with her father. Detective Stabler sat her back down in her chair and stood there and watched as Detective Tutuola handcuffed him to the table, though he didn’t watch too carefully. Trevor is a lot easier to handle then Sean any day, though it wasn’t always that way. When he was situated and they were sure that Ed was there and ready for anything, the two detectives walked out of the room and closed the door behind them before resuming their position at the one way window.


“So…Ellie…what’s up?” Trevor asked curiously.


“I wanted to thanks you,” Ellie began softly and Trevor arched his eyebrow.


“For what?”


“For taking care of my daddy.”


“Oh…” Trevor replied, feeling completely taken aback. “Well, you’re welcome…”


“He wouldn’ts be as good as he is now if it weren’t for you’s. He still needs lots of work…but he’s doing okay…”


“Hey now…that wasn’t all me kiddo,” Trevor insisted sincerely. “I had lots of help…he may try and deny it but you certainly got to him more than I ever could in the past couple of months.”


“But I was never enough for him to keeps me an’ loves me, huh?” Ellie asked softly while looking down at the table.


“Hey your father may not have been the best father in the world…he may have done a terrible job in that department but one thing I am sure of is that he loves you more than anything.”


“But not enough.”


“Some people just aren’t meant to be parents…he loved you enough to give you to someone who is. Don’t hate him for that – he tried his best in the end.” Ellie continued to look down at the table, still feeling upset.


“I’m glad you asked me in here though…I want to ask you a huge favor,” he continued, wanting to get them on a happier subject.


“What?” Ellie asked curiously.


“You remember my buddy Diego…right?”


“Uh-huhs…Daddy Kevy wasn’t very happy when he found out who delivered my pictures right under his nose. I wouldn’ts be surprised if he gots suspicious of every strange dog that comes in sight from now on.” Trevor chuckled slightly.


“Well that’s good…he should. Not all dogs do well with children like Diego.”


“Why’d you ask?” Ellie wanted to know.


“Well because now that I am in here…he doesn’t have someone to take care of him. I was wondering…if it was okay with your uncle Jerald and Kevin you might be interested in taking care of him for me? He really liked you.”


“I would really likes that a lot” Ellie insisted, her eyes glowing with excitement.


“Okay…well, why don’t you let me talk to Jerald about it and maybe we will see.” Ellie turned her head toward the one way window then.


“Jerry! Gets your butt in here, we’re getting’ a new puppy!” She paused for a moment. “Please!” The door opened then and her uncle walked in with narrowed eyes and she gazed at him innocently.


“You won’t be getting anything by talking like that.”


“I said please.”


“That’s Uncle Jerry to you young lady, and why don’t you go on out there while Trevor and I have a talk – huh?” Ellie frowned upon hearing his request.


“It is nots like I won’t hear the conversation from out there.”


“I’m pretty positive that you won’t. Just go out there…you won’t regret it, promise.” Ellie eyed him curiously for a moment and searched his face carefully for clues. She saw a certain happiness in his eyes that wasn’t there before but it’s very unfamiliar to her. She’s seen it before…she just doesn’t see it enough and she can’t quite put her finger on it.


“Okay…” She replied, her curiosity getting too strong for her to ignore and she got to her feet and walked toward the door. Jerald stood there watching with a small grin on his face and as soon as she rounded the corner her eyes went very wide in surprise.


“UNCLE TIM!!!!!!!!!!!”


“ELLIE!!” Tim replied in the same amount of enthusiasm and as Jerald watched his niece run for her second favorite Uncle, Detective Stabler appeared in the door and waited on Tim to walk away with his niece and when he did, he nodded at Jerald and shut the door again. Jerald rounded on Trevor then looking none too pleased with him.


“Couldn’t you have at least had the decency to talk to me or Kevin about this first before you brought it up to her?!”


“If I did that Diego would never have a home would he?” Trevor asked calmly.


“We don’t know anything about this dog except that he was raised by you and Sean! That doesn’t make a very good first impression if you ask me.”


“First of all, he was raised by me, and me alone…Sean wanted nothing to do with him therefore he was in no way at all influenced by him.”


“How long was he raised by you for?” Jerald interrogated.


“After I put myself back together again,” Trevor answered knowing exactly where he was getting at with that question. “I found him not very long ago abandoned and abused in the woods not too far off from where Sean and I were hiding. He’d been thrown out of a car, beaten, shot and left to die. I brought him home and rescued him…he’s the sweetest dog you will ever meet I swear it. He wouldn’t hurt a fly.” When Jerald didn’t respond Trevor went on. “Look…I’m begging you. I love that dog…there is nothing I loved more in this world then Sean, but I can definitely say that Diego came in second. He’s like the only child I will ever have. I can live with whatever sentence that I get whether it be death or jail time for the rest of my life but I can’t live knowing that he will end up in the pound all alone without someone to love him.”


“Well since you already have Ellie’s hopes up…” Jerald began hesitantly. “Has he been to a vet and had all of his shots and everything?”


“I was a criminal in hiding I couldn’t exactly walk him into the nearest vet and ask them to look him over could I? The only doctor he’s seen is me. I’m no vet, but I think I did a pretty good job nonetheless.” When Jerald narrowed his eyes at him Trevor hurried on. “I know that I’m the last person you will ever trust…but if it will make you feel better, go ahead and take him to a vet. It will be good for him to have a check up anyway; I’ve been out of his life for three weeks…” Jerald saw the stress in Trevor’s eyes as he said the last part and he thought about this long and hard before finally caving in.


“All right…fine. But from now on if you want to give Ellie presents you ask Kevin and me first…got it?”


“I understand, but I was desperate. I knew I had to have reinforcement on my side for this one.”


“I need you to do me a favor in return,” Jerald insisted after a long moment.


“Anything as long as Diego is being taken care of.”


“I need you to talk to Sean and work with him a little more…Ellie has been heartbroken for the past three weeks. She deserves the apology that she asked for.”


“Is that why his time with her ended so early?”


“Mhm. She is currently not speaking to him.”


“I will see what I can do but you’ve seen firsthand how hard it is to get Sean to see any form of reason.” He paused for a moment. “In the mean time, I really need to get back to him because he isn’t the only one in this damned place that needs a harsh wake up call to see reason.”


“You know what, I’m not even going to ask” Jerald decided.


“Good call,” Trevor replied amusedly. Jerald shook his head and started to turn around when Trevor spoke up. “If Ellie has anything else to say to me before I go now would be the time.”


“I will go get her,” Jerald said before getting up and disappearing out of the room.


~*~*~*~*~

Meanwhile, on the beach, somewhere in her deep thoughts Ashley had gathered Bella up in her arms and got to her feet before going down toward the water and walking along the shore. Bella babbled on not needing much encouragement other than her mommy’s embrace and Marcus lay on his back pretending to be looking up at the sky and doing some cloud watching, though he was really keeping a close eye on her. Though he looks mighty comfortable lying there on the blanket, he could be up in a matter of seconds if he needs to be – he really hopes he doesn’t need to be. He watched as Ashley came across the rocks nearby and took a seat on one great big one and she gently laid Bella back against her legs after resting her arms under her head as a cushion and she rested her forehead against hers. Bella in return brought her little hands up and gently latched onto her hair. Marcus smiled at the typical mommy and daughter moment that he is used to seeing. He knows when they cuddle like that nothing can come between them.

“What do I do Bells?” Ashley asked the baby softly as if she were to come up with an intelligent response in return. Bella babbled incessantly and Ashley couldn’t help but smile at her slightly. "oh, you think so huh?...Well, let's weigh our options here kid...I fight for Sean, no matter what happens to Nicky and Ellie is one happy kid, for the most part...or I don't fight for Sean, and he dies and Ellie falls apart completely, so bad that Kevin and Jerald can't fix it....and either way, I feel wronged.” Ashley sighed heavily and looked up at the sky wishing more than ever that she had her mother to turn to. What would she tell her to do in this situation? How would she and her father handle it?

She thought about that carefully, trying to remember that far back when they were still around to give her advice. Knowing her father and the caring and understanding man that he was, he would probably find it somewhere in his big heart to forgive Sean no questions asked. Would he forget though? No, never. He would never hate him for what he did per say…because he just didn’t have it in him to hate other people. But he certainly would never forget what he did either and he would still want him to pay for it and take responsibility for the cruelty he has caused on this family. But the death penalty? …She can’t even imagine her father believing in such a thing. He always told her that two wrongs don’t make a right…but what about Nick? Ashley’s thoughts jumped in interrupting her and reminding her how badly she wants justice for the man she loves. What if he does die – not that he is going to, she knows that in her heart and refuses to believe any different. But playing the what-if game, what if he did?

It would completely destroy her, she knows that much. It would be like losing her parents all over again…except it quite possibly could be worse. What kind of state would she be in? How could she ever go on? How could she be strong enough to take care of the kids and help them get through the whole thing on top of everything else? She doesn’t believe she can do it. Nick however, would have an entirely different opinion she knows that for sure. Ashley rolled her eyes and couldn’t help but smile slightly upon imagining exactly what Nick’s side of the argument would be if he were there. He would tell her how much he believes in her – how he believes in her more than anything else. He would tell her that she is strong and is capable of doing anything she wants to do and she doesn’t need him to help her do it. Though she was always quick to argue with him about it she loved hearing him tell her those things nonetheless.

She loved that he believed in her even when she refused to believe in herself. What she loved the most is that he believed in her even when everyone else didn’t. He heard her, he saw her, and he made everybody else hear and see her too even when she wasn’t saying anything at all because she was too terrified to do so. He made everything in her world okay again and now he is in a coma and everything in her world is turned upside down. It’s not fair. It’s cruel, and it’s wrong and she hates Sean right now. Her father wouldn’t, and people often told her that she was much like her father, but she doesn’t know if she wants to be like him now. She wants justice, she wants revenge, and she wants the son of a bitch to pay.

Two wrongs don’t make a right, sweetheart… he would say, and she can hear it in her mind as if it were just yesterday when he was telling her those words. Ashley fought back the urge to cry with great difficulty.


Maybe not daddy…but maybe I’m tired of doing the right thing.