Chapter Ninety-Five
The next day Nick awoke to the incessant beeping sounds of his alarm clock. Opening one eye, he glanced at it to see that it reads five thirty and he groaned and inwardly cursed Kevin for wanting to leave so early. Reaching over to the clock he shut it off and looked down to see all three girls snuggled up against him and he couldn't help but laugh a little. Dakota is lying on top of him on her stomach and she has her arms wrapped tightly around him as if she were trying to make a statement, Ashley is lying next to him with her head rested against his shoulder, and Sarah is sprawled out on her back between them with one arm stretched out over Dakota, and the other on top of Ashley's stomach. If Nick didn't know any better he would say that she looks way too comfortable. Neither of them even stirred at the sound of the alarm clock. Suddenly AJ appeared in the doorway with Laila awake and in his arms and one look at the "happy little family" before him he laughed in amusement.
"Help…" Nick pleaded, which only made AJ laugh even more. "They're all so comfortable. If I move them they'll wake up."
"Gosh Nick…when did you become such a pimp? You got all these girls snuggling up with you, and the only girl that I want is terrified of me." Kevin, who had heard AJ ask this, went and peeked in the room also and he laughed too.
"Well maybe he is finally out beating you AJ."
"Damn straight I am. It only took me eight years."
"Oh please…if I wasn't saving myself for one woman I would totally have you beat."
"Yeah right, McLean. You know that no one can resist my baby's baby face. Every young girl in this world who is a true BSB fan knows that no matter what, Nick Carter — the baby of the group is the irresistible one." Ashley spoke up, her voice slightly groggily. AJ's laugh ended up waking her up and she heard the entire light-hearted argument. Nick smirked at that comment.
"Thank-you baby," he told her, and he leaned down and brushed his lips lightly over hers. AJ snorted.
"You only say that because you are his girlfriend and have to think that."
"I was a fan before I was his girlfriend. Trust me honey, I know how they think." AJ rolled his eyes and playfully stuck his tongue out at her. Ashley giggled and did it right back.
"He may be the cute one…I'll give you that. But everybody knows I'm the sexiest one."
"Well thank-you Aje, I never knew you thought I was cute." Nick replied, and he smirked as AJ scrunched up his nose in disgust.
"As much as this little argument between the two of you is entertaining me right now, I'm afraid I'm going to have to interrupt. You know we're leaving here at seven, right Nick? I suggest you start moving." Kevin spoke up again suddenly.
"And how do you suggest I do that, Mister-I'm-in-charge-of-everything? Hmm? I kind of have a bunch of kids on top of me if you didn't notice that before." Kevin rolled his eyes.
"Figure it out," he replied, and he turned and walked back into Elenore's room to tend to her.
"Figure it out," Nick replied in a mocking tone and AJ laughed.
"I heard that Carter! Keep it up and your driving the first half of the trip!" Kevin called from in the other room. Nick rolled his eyes.
"Why don't you save your parenting for Ellie, Old man? And who says I'm riding with you anyway?"
"Your kids maybe?" AJ asked, laughing a little.
"Are you going to help me or not?"
"Nope, I'm having fun just standing here laughing at you. I think I'll do it all morning." AJ replied, and he looked down at Laila suddenly, whom he has rested on his right hip. "Isn't that right sweetie? It's entertaining listening to little Nicky get yelled at by Kevin huh?" he asked her in that tone that people usually get when talking to babies. Laila smiled up at him and rested her head against his shoulder. AJ smirked and looked at Nick. "See? She thinks it's funny too." Nick rolled his eyes once again.
"Go away, don't you have something better to do?"
"Nope."
"If you don't go away I will tell everybody that you said I was cute — everybody as in the fans" Nick threatened.
"Do it Nicky and we'll see what happens."
"Oh I'm so scared," Nick replied sarcastically, and he looked down at Ashley who had closed her eyes by now, though she was lying there still listening to the two of them bicker like they were Josh and Elenore.
"You should be," AJ replied back.
"You both are going to be scared of me in a minute if you don't stop it!" they heard Kevin warn from in the other room, and a second later he stepped in the doorway to his and Elenore's room and he gave AJ a stern look. Nick can't see him from where he is, but from the look on AJ's face, he can pretty much guess that he is giving him one of his 'looks'.
"He started it," AJ immediately accused, pointing a finger at Nick.
"And how old are you again?" Kevin questioned, raising an eyebrow at AJ. AJ made a look like he were thinking real hard about the answer.
"Five?" Kevin narrowed his eyes.
"You just wait Alex. You just wait until I see your mother later on today…"
"Are you going to grounds him to his room, Kevy?" a small sleepy voice suddenly asked, and both Kevin and AJ looked down to see that Elenore was now standing at Kevin's side, one hand clutching his pantleg. She was lying in bed refusing to wake up and take a bath and pretending to be asleep, though really she was listening to the three men bicker for the past twenty minutes. She is amused that for once Kevin is getting someone else in trouble and not her, so she decided she would give in and get up and go stand next to Kevin where she could see what's going on. Kevin laughed and AJ flashed Elenore a 'traitor' kind of look.
"No sweetie, not today. However, if the two of them don't stop behaving like children I will be forced to start treating them like they are." AJ rolled his eyes and was about to open his mouth to reply, when suddenly Howie's voice from down the hall interrupted him.
"Yo Alex! If your riding with me you better wrap that argument the three of you are having up and get your bags in the car cause I'm not waiting on you come Seven O' Clock!"
"You better go, Aje, your boyfriend is calling you." Nick spoke up once again, and AJ narrowed his eyes at him.
"I'll take care of you later," he threatened, and then he looked at Kevin and flashed him a cheesy grin. "Well I always love these chats with you Kev, but I've gotta go!" he told him, and then hurried off down the hall. Kevin shook his head, then he went and peeked in Nick's room with Elenore still holding onto his pantleg and he gave him one last warning look, before scooping the five year old up into his arms and taking her back into her room with him. Nick gulped and then looked back down at Ashley who now has her eyes opened again, and she's lying there looking up at him amused.
"What?"
"Nothing, nothing…" Ashley insisted, and she giggled a little. Nick shook his head.
"Anyway…a little help here? If we're ever going to be ready to leave on time I'm gonna have to get up sometime." Ashley laughed a little, and then scooped Sarah into her arms being careful not to wake her up, and she sat up cradling her. Nick sat up with Dakota and he carefully lay her down on the bed before rolling himself out of it and he began to gather up all of their stuff.
~*~*~*~
"Thanks for calling me in here D…you saved me from a boring lecture from dad out there."
"I didn't call you in here to save you from him, I called you in here to get the three of you to shut up. Ryan and I could hear you from all the away down the hall." Howie insisted, though he really did call him in there just to save him from a lecture — but he won't admit that. AJ laughed and then set Laila down on the bed and he began to pick up the pillows and blankets from the floor where he and Howie slept at last night.
"If we are going to be staying with Ryan and Laila like this we need to figure out a better sleeping arrangement," he announced to Howie. "Nick would tease us non stop if we share a bed but we can't always sleep on the floor either."
"Since when do you care about what Nick thinks?"
"Since now," AJ replied irritably. "Him and I have just launched into a full on battle-mode if you haven't noticed. It's on." Howie shook his head and muttered 'great' under his breath. He knows when AJ and Nick get into 'battle-mode' the whole group has to listen to them. It makes him very thankful that they aren't on tour at the moment.
"Well the only reason I slept here tonight is because I wanted to make things easier for today. But once Ryan is asleep he is fine because he stays that way. So he won't miss me until in the morning when he wakes up. But Laila on the other hand…she needs you here. Especially if waking up in the middle of the night crying like that is routine for her. You're the only one who can calm her down when she has her fits." Howie explained. "So you can stay here every night and I will go home and sleep and come back in the morning before Ryan even wakes up."
"Okay, sounds good." AJ turned to look at Laila to find her sitting on the floor with his cigarette pack that he left lying on the nightstand. She just about had them open by now when he saw her. "Oh Laila honey no, no" he told her, as he rushed over and grabbed them from her. "These aren't a toy, sweetie. Little girls shouldn't have them." Howie rolled his eyes.
"That stuff is icky Laila, AJ shouldn't have them either." He told her, and he snatched them from the younger man who looked at him as if he'd been slapped. Laila looked from Howie to AJ.
"J, Icky" she repeated.
"That's right honey you tell him," Howie praised. "Maybe he'll listen to you since he doesn't seem to want to listen to his best friend." He added, as he looked at AJ with a serious look.
"D, give them back. Please." Howie rolled his eyes and handed them back. He knows he might as well, the younger man will just go out and buy more if he doesn't.
"If you think your smoking in my van you are sadly mistaken," he informed him, then he went and scooped the curious two year old into his arms and he took her into the bathroom with him. Once in there he set her down on the counter and grabbed a brush and he began to brush her curly blonde hair. When he finished he walked out of the bathroom with her and he looked at AJ who was sitting on the bed next to Ryan and playing video games.
"I'm taking Laila with me down to Nicky's room. I want to talk to Ashley."
"Fine," was all AJ said, as he was suddenly absorbed in the video games. "Do me a favor and smack Nick upside the head for me will you?" Howie shook his head, and then he walked out of the room with Laila rested on his right hip. He brought her down the hall to Nick's room and went inside to see Nick just pulling on a shirt, as he had just gotten out of the shower. Ashley already had one earlier and is now sitting on the bed holding Dakota in her lap and she is brushing her wet blonde hair. Sarah is sitting next to her with her arm linked with Ashley's and a thumb in her mouth and she is watching Foster Home For Imaginary Friends. Ashley had turned it on and insisted that they watch it because it's the coolest cartoon ever. Dakota who idolizes her like no other immediately agreed.
"Hey D, what's up?" Nick asked curiously.
"Not much, Laila and I just came to have a talk with the Orphanage's hair stylist." Howie answered, as he looked over at Ashley grinning. Ashley laughed.
"About what?"
"About you doing Laila's hair because I know nothing about that stuff and neither does AJ."
"She'll have to wait in line, I already have two other customers waiting," Ashley replied, indicating toward the kid in her lap and the kid next to her.
"Fine by us," Howie replied, and he set Laila down.
"Kota, do you mind if she plays with your toys? She doesn't have any of her own right now and she's pretty bored."
"No I don'ts mind," Dakota answered.
"Thanks sweetie." Howie went over and shut the door so that Laila can't venture out into the hall on her own. As soon as Laila was set down on the ground Abbie the playful puppy immediately bounded toward her, jumping up on her to greet her, her front paws rested on Laila, and she is standing on her hind legs and she sniffed at her frantically. Laila giggled.
"Hi Puppy!!" She exclaimed, and she dropped onto her diaper-padded bottom and began to pet her. Howie laughed.
"That puppy is about as big as she is."
"Yeah, but she sure does love her," Nick replied. Howie knelt down beside Laila and began to pet Abbie also, who immediately turned to him.
"The puppy's name is Abbie, Laila." He informed her.
"Abbie," Laila repeated.
"Where is Lily?" Howie asked curiously.
"Kota has her," Nick answered, and Howie looked over at Dakota who sure enough, had a Chihuahua resting in her lap.
"Are you guys taking them with you on the trip?"
"Of course, there's no way Id be able to talk them into leaving them here with Doctor J," Nick replied, laughing a little.
"Abbie likes car rides Nicky," Ashley informed him, as if she were still trying to talk him into letting her go.
"An' Lily cant's be alone all week, daddy!" Dakota added.
"I know, I know baby girls, they're coming." Nick reassured, and Dakota looked down at her puppy and began petting her. Ashley continued to do Dakota's hair. Howie chuckled.
"They've clearly got you wrapped around their finger, don't they Nick?"
"They do not…" Nick protested. "I could say no if I wanted to, but I don't. I want those puppies to come just as much as they do."
"Okay," Howie replied while laughing. Ashley did all three of the girls hair and when she finished, she got up, placed Dakota up on her shoulders, and walked out of the room with her. Nick raised his eyebrow and peeked out in the hall and he relaxed when he saw that she was just going into Kori's room.
"Hey Kor…we're leaving in five minutes. Are the three of you ready?" Ashley asked, looking around the room. She saw Wiley was lying on the bed reading a book by Anne Rice called The Vampire Lestat and Kori is lying next to him with her head rested on his stomach. Spencer is lying on the bed also but he is playing with his game boy.
"Yeah we're ready," she answered, looking at her sister and she laughed a little as she saw Dakota up on her shoulders.
"Are you having fun up there Kota?"
"Uh-huh's, cause I'M THE QUEEN OF THE WOOOOOORLD!" Dakota exclaimed, mocking Jack Dawson in Titanic, her arms stretched out like his. Wiley, Ashley, and Kori all burst out laughing and Spencer grinned in amusement. Dakota just smiled, happy that she had made everybody laugh.
"Your daddy let you watch Titanic?" Kori asked, when she had finally calmed down. Dakota opened her mouth to respond when Nick, who had suddenly come up beside Ashley beat her to it.
"She was only allowed to watch it if I watched it with her. She had to close her eyes during the grownup parts." He explained. "My little Queen Of The World has quite a crush on Leonardo DiCaprio."
"She's got good taste," Ashley replied, smiling up at Dakota. Nick narrowed his eyes at her and Ashley laughed.
"Don't you start being jealous, he's an actor. It's not like I'm ever going to meet him and run off with him or anything."
"That's what she said about Nick Carter, and now look." Kori pointed out with a smirk on her face and Ashley gave her a 'not helping' kind of look. Kori just laughed. Ashley lifted Dakota up off her shoulders and put her down, then she turned to Nick and wrapped her arms around his waist and she pulled him near and looked up into his blue eyes.
"I prefer my sexy Backstreet Boy over a movie star any day."
"So you prefer AJ then?" Nick asked, referring back to their conversation earlier that morning. Ashley rolled her eyes. Kori sat there listening to them amused. She too had heard AJ, Nick, and Kevin's argument earlier — there probably isn't anyone who hadn't.
"Would I be standing here with you if I did?" Nick shrugged.
"You never know…"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Ashley asked, as she can sense this isn't a joke anymore, and she is starting to feel a little hurt. Nick shrugged.
"Nick you aren't suggesting that I would cheat on you, are you? With your best friend? Come on…"
"We should really get our bags down to the car. It's time to go." Was all Nick said, and he walked out of the room. Ashley stood there looking after him with a look on her face like she could cry. Kori noticed this look right away.
"Don't worry about it Ash, he'll get over it. He's just being sensitive because him and AJ are going at it right now. Don't take it personal." Ashley didn't reply, she only took hold of Dakota's hand and steered her out of the room. She went across the hall to hers and walked in to see Nick gathering up there bags. She looked at him and he darted his eyes away from her but not before Ashley could see the pained look in them. Ashley sighed and then went and got Abbie's leash. She crouched down on the floor and Abbie came running as she spotted her pink leash. When she got to her, Ashley put it on her and stood up. She wrapped the leash around her wrist and then scooped Dakota (who has Lily) back up into her arms and she walked out of the room with Abbie. Sarah trailed close behind her. Nick peeked out in the hall to see that Kevin and Elenore are following them, so he doesn't have to worry about her at the moment. He went back into the room again and just as he picked up a couple of bags, Kori came in and grabbed the rest of them. Nick looked at her curiously.
"I know your just being sensitive because of yours and AJ's little argument, but I just thought Id remind you that my sister is completely in love with you and you are hurting her by accusing her of something that she would never ever do to you." She informed him, and then she walked out of the room with the bags she had grabbed up. Nick looked after her for a couple of moments, and then he grabbed up his set of bags and followed her. When he got out into the hall he came across AJ who has Laila in his arms and a few bags. Nick glared at him with a very dangerous look that kind of alarmed AJ. He knows they were arguing earlier, and he knows he threatened that he would take care of him later but it was all just fun and games to him. What is it to Nick though? He didn't really take it personal did he?
"Nick what's your prob–"
"–Stay the hell away from Ashley, you hear me?" Nick demanded angrily.
"Nick I was never even near her this morning. What is your problem?"
"Just stay the fuck away from her or I'll beat the shit out of you." Nick demanded, and with that he headed for the stairs. Kori had already gone in the elevator and he doesn't want to wait for it to come back up for him. Howie came to the door with more bags in his hand suddenly, and Ryan at his side. Howie and AJ both exchanged confused looks — Howie had heard Nick's threat from in the room.
"What the hell is his problem?" AJ asked Howie and it's obvious to Howie that he is terrified. "I never even went near Ashley this morning!"
"I don't know Aje…I'll find out for you though if you want."
"Please do…"
"Okay, well come on lets just get this stuff in the van first." Howie replied, and he headed toward the elevator with AJ and Ryan following. When they got downstairs they found everybody loading stuff into separate vans.
"Who all is riding in my van?" Howie questioned.
"AJ, Brian, Riley, Ryan, and Laila." Kevin answered. "The rest are coming with Nick and me."
"Okay," Howie replied, and he set his bags in the trunk of the van, then he noticed Ashley near by. He took her hand and pulled her away from everybody's hearing point — including Nick's and she looked up at him curiously. He noticed that it's taking everything in her not to cry.
"What's going on honey?" He asked gently. "Why is Nick ordering AJ to stay away from you?
"He's ordering AJ to stay away from me? What?"
"You didn't know?"
"No…"
"Well he just passed our room earlier and before he did he ordered AJ to stay away from you or he'd beat the shit out of him. It really terrified AJ…what's going on?" Ashley sighed, as he looked over at Nick who was standing near his van watching her protectively. Tears rolled down her cheek and she looked back at Howie.
"He's being over-sensitive about this whole competition the two of them are in… we were talking about Leonardo DiCaprio and how Kota has a crush on him…I told her that she has good taste and he got all jealous. I told him I prefer my sexy Backstreet Boy over a movie star any day…completely forgetting about the comment AJ made earlier…and he got all upset and now thinks that I prefer AJ over him."
"Oh jeez…"
"Yeah…" Ashley replied, trying her hardest not to cry. "I feel really hurt that he would think Id do such a thing…" Howie pulled her into a hug and kissed her cheek.
"Don't worry about it…he'll get over it. Him and AJ have been competing since he was thirteen…he's always been a little jealous of him. Don't take it personal okay?"
"I'll try not to…"
"D, come on we have to get going," Kevin suddenly spoke up.
"Okay," Howie replied. He hugged Ashley one last time, and then the two of them went to their separate vans. When everybody was in — Howie in the driver's seat of his van, and Kevin in the driver's seat of the other, they all drove out of the orphanage headed for Kentucky. Brian who was seated in Howie's van, glanced over where he had seen the blue Kia spectra the night before, and he noticed that it was gone.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
Enjoy =)
