Chapter 6

Later that day there had been so much craziness that the kids along with Leigh and Leighanne went back to the hotel during the guys sound check party. The kids had been told to stay in their rooms leaving Arie alone and left out again.

In the boys room Jesse sat on the computer again while Scott was smoking and Gabe was looking for a TV show to watch.

"So what do you guys think of AJ's daughter?" Gabe asked.

"Ellie? She seems nice." Jesse replied.

"No, like would you do here?" Gabe explained himself with a cocky smile.

"Definitely." Scott nodded a little as he leaned on his elbow coolly.

"We aren't allowed to date each other." Jesse said simply.

"Who said anything about dating?" Gabe laughed.

"You know you'd do her." Scott grinned.

"I dunno, there's something off about her that I can't quite put my finger on." Jess replied still messing around on his laptop.

Gabe shook his head and tossed a basketball casually in the air above him.

"I think you're spending too much time behind that laptop." Scott said putting out his cigarette.

"Yeah Jess what are doing on there anyway?" Gabe wanted to know.

Jesse had been spending a lot more time then what was normal for him behind that monitor.

"Just uh... messing around on facebook." He smiled casually at Gabe then looked back down.

Over in the girl’s room Ellie sat on the phone talking to her mother as Lanie finished painting her nails bright green.

"Papa et moi avons beaucoup si s'amuser ensemble." She spoke in French fluently.

Lanie looked up at her. She loved listening to her speak French. It sounded so beautiful.

"Oh oui, Nick's fille et i sont devenir meilleures freinds." Ellie smiled.

Lanie heard her father's name. She couldn't help but wonder what she had said. Of course she couldn't ask because she didn't want Ellie to think she had been eves dropping. Not that she could have of course.

"Je vais lui dire." She said then paused. "Eh bien. Je vais vous parler plus tard alors." She stood.

Lanie quickly looked away from her in case she looked her way.

"Je vous promets. Je t'aime Maman." She smiled and turned toward Lanie. "Au revoir." She then hung up. "My Mom said to tell you hi." She said. Her accent was a little bit stronger.

"Oh, that was nice of her." Lanie casually smiled.

"Yeah my Mom is awesome." She smiled and sat in the bed near where Lanie sat blowing on her nails.

"Do you always speak French with her?" Lanie asked.

"Not always but a lot." She replied giving Lanie a smile.

"It sounds so beautiful. “She smiled back.

"Yeah, I think that's why I enjoy speaking it. My last girlfriend didn't speak French and loved hearing me speak it."

"Last girlfriend?" Lanie gave her a puzzled look.

"Yeah." Ellie nodded casually.

"So you're gay?" Lanie asked feeling confident in her question.

"No, I'm into guys also." Ellie replied looking up at her. She smiled a little.

"So...you're Bi?" Lanie felt less sure of her question.

Ellie nodded, "Yeah. Does it bother you?" she asked a little bit worried.

"Oh, no, not at all." Lanie quickly told her. "Uh, what do your parents think? Uncle Jay never mentioned it."

"Actually, my Dad doesn't know. My Mom is beyond cool about it but..." She Momentarily trailed off. "I'm just not ready to tell my Dad. Things he's casual commented about before makes me thing he wouldn't be so supportive."

"Well I promise I won't tell." Lanie looked into her eyes so she would know she meant it.

"Thanks Lanie. You're pretty cool."

Lanie didn't know why but she felt bubbly inside when Ellie told her she was pretty cool.

Ellie sighed, "I'm so bored, it'd be just my luck that Scott said something and Arie got upset and ran off and ruined the sound check for the rest of us...."

Lanie looked at her, "It happens sometimes. Arie is the youngest and the most sensitive at times. But Scott's just a jerk."

Ellie nodded, "I noticed. So what if he's a jerk...he's a hot one at least."

Lanie fought to roll her eyes, she never understood what girls saw in Scott, but it was probably just because he was a like another brother to her.

"Really though...What's Arie's deal?" Ellie asked.

"What you do you mean?" Lanie asked confused.

"Like what’s up with her acting the way she does?" Ellie asked

"She just turned thirteen not that long ago...she's still a kid, so she still acts like one. I know she's uber annoying but you get used to her. She's really sweet and she means well." Lanie explained.

Ellie nodded, "Sure. Say...let's get the boys and get outta here for a while." She said standing up and heading towards the door.

"But we're supposed to stay here..." Lanie said.

"Do you always do as you’re told?" Ellie asked.

Lanie stood, "No, but if I’m on tour then yeah I do, normally."

"Break the rules, come on!" Ellie said walking out.

They went to the boys’ room and knocked on the door.

Gabe opened the door, then turned around and said, "It's just Lanie and Ellie. No one important."

Lanie laughed, "Hey, I'm important." She argued.

Gabe smirked looking back her, "Sure ya are."

Ellie sighed, "Come on boys, grab your phones and your key cards and let's move."

"What's she talking about?" Scott asked

"Basically...we're sneaking out." Ellie said.

"To?" Jesse asked from his laptop.

"Roof. Come on." Ellie said walking away.

"I'm game." Scott said following quickly.

"Same...you coming, Jess?" Gabe asked.

"Yep, just shutting down my laptop." He said standing and pressing the shutdown button.

Once Jesse shut down his laptop they all left the room.

"Lanie, was any of this your idea?" Jesse asked.

"Shh!" Scott hushed him as they moved more toward the elevator. Once they were on it and the doors closed they all let out a sigh of relief.

"Damn this is awesome." Gabe smiled giving Ellie a flirty look.

Ellie looked and Lanie who saw Gabe's look. Both girls couldn't help but laugh a bit.

Scott couldn't help but look at Ellie from a crossed the elevator. Of course Ellie had noticed. She gave him a wink just as the doors slid open.

"This isn't the roof." Jesse said looking around yet another hall of doors.

"You're such a boy." Ellie laughed and took off down the hall. Jesse followed warily close behind everyone till they stopped at a door that had the word 'Janitor' written on it instead of a number.

Gabe tried the door handle to find it was locked, "Now what?" He asked.

Ellie shook her head, "Scott, please tell me that you at least know what to do." She seemed to beg with her eyes.

"Ellie, what are you talking about?" Lanie asked.

Scott flashed a mischievous yet flirty smile, pulled his room key card out of his pocket, and stepped forward toward the door. He slid his key into the crack between the door and the frame and wiggled the handle a bit.

"Don't break it Scott. We're supposed to be having fun not getting in trouble." Jesse warned.

"Jess, break loose would ya?" Lanie said lightly pushing at his shoulder.

He rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, Dude, chill. I know what I'm doing." Scott said as the door popped open.

"Where'd you learn that?" Jesse asked a little taken back by just exactly how bad he noticed Scott had gotten.

"Shut up, Jesse, you're ruining the fun." Ellie said pushing past them and into the room.

The others followed and saw that she was going up the ladder as Lanie locked the door behind them all.

"Where's that lead to?" Gabe asked as she reached the top and fiddled with something.

"Where do you think?" She asked pushing a ceiling door open and climbing through.

Scott followed with Gabe and Lanie behind him.

"I don’t' know..." Jesse said.

"Jesse Brent Carter, get your ass up here!" Lanie called from the roof.

"Alaina!" Jesse almost whined.

"What’s his deal?" Ellie asked thinking he was acting like a baby.

Lanie couldn't help but laugh a bit, "He's afraid of heights like our Dad."

"Oh come on, Jesse!" Gabe encouraged.

"I can't help it you guys." He almost argued.

"Just get your ass up here." Ellie demanded and with that Jesse began slowly climbing.

"Scott? Aren't you freaked out too? Your Dad is worse than mine." Jesse's voice was shaky.

"Nah, I take after my Mom." He said.

As the group moved away from the hole in the roof they rounded a cement wall.

Suddenly the sound of a young girl screaming followed by the rest of the group screaming hit Jesse's ears.

"Oh my God! Who fell off?" Jesse yelled.

"No one, some chick is up here." Scott yelled to him as he slowly climbed up.

"I'm sorry; I was up here hiding from my stupid group of friends. I didn't mean to scare you guys." The blonde girl who had first screamed said.

"It's alright, I'll help you hide." Gabe said quickly moving next to her.

As Jesse reached the roof and climbed out on top of it, he stayed lying on the ground.

"Dude, what's the fuck’s wrong with you?" Ellie asked annoyed as the group looked to him.

"Oh, he's just paralyzed by his own fear. Just leave him, he'll live." Scott smirked.

"Fuck you." Jesse whispered.

Ellie nodded, "I agree, just leave him. It'll be more fun without him anyways." She walked further out with Scott following her.

Lanie knelt down beside him, "Jess, you gonna be okay?" She whispered,

"No, but I'll be fine, go have fun." He said staring at the sky

Lanie nodded.

About a minute later Gabe walked by him with the blond on his arm.

"Yo, Jess, you gonna live?" He asked

"I think so." Jesse said trying to stand.

"Good, so I won't have explain your dead body on the roof to Uncle Nick. I'll see you later."

"Where you going?" Jesse asked fully standing but his legs felt weak.

"To our room, don't come back too soon." He said climbing down as the blonde in a skirt climbed down after him.

"God, it's so exciting being up here." Lanie commented to Ellie as they began walking out onto the roof with Scott.

"It's the fear of being caught. Gives you a high." Scott butted in. He walked close to Ellie. She was hot and had a wild side. He liked it.

"Guys..." Jesse called out now slowly crawling toward them.

Scott laughed turned to look at Jesse, "Dude, you sure you gonna be okay? I wouldn't wanna explain to your Dad why you had a heart attack up here."

"I thought I saw you standing?" Ellie said looking down at him.

"Tried that. Didn't work." Jesse said as he reached them.

"Jesse, just stand up. You're not gonna fall." Ellie said shaking her head.

"Unless I push him." Scott grinned.

"Wha...what?" Jesse asked suddenly nervous.

"He's kidding, aren't you?" Ellie placed her arm around Scott's neck.

Scott gave her a sexy grin and nodded, "Yeah, I promise. I can't kill my lighter hook up."

"Oh, so that's the only thing I'm good for..." Jesse shook his head.

"Jess, man you know I wouldn't push you. Well I would...just not off of something you could get killed from. Now stand the fuck up." He said sternly.

Jesse laid there.

"Don't make me, make you!" Scott said very demanding.

"Scott, leave him alone.  He's scared. We're all scared of something." Lanie defended Jesse.

"Lanie...shut the fuck up! Jesse...stand up." Scott said.

"Don't talk to my sister that way." Jesse said standing up strong and quick.

"So that's how to make you stand up." Ellie laughed.

"Not funny." Jesse said.

"Ya know Scott I wish you wouldn't talk to me like that. I never did anything to you for you to hate me all of a sudden." Lanie decided to try being a little more confident like Ellie.

She held her breath and waited for Scott's reply.

"I don't hate YOU Lanie. It's just who I am. You can't take it personally." He said surprisingly soft.

"Well, you never use to be this way." Jesse butted it.

Ellie just watched.

"Things change ok? Don't worry about it. I'll try to be nicer." Scott turned away and quietly looked out at the world.

Ellie gave him a sweet smile.

Lanie walked towards Scott, "So you don't hate me..."

"No..." He mumbled shaking his head.

"Then that means..." she gasped. “ You might actually love me..." Lanie teased.

Scott rolled his eyes and looked at her, "I wouldn't go that far." Of course, he loved her, as a sister. All of them have and still are growing up together, but it wouldn't go as far as admitting it, out loud that is.

"But you like me?" She kept teasing following him as he kept walked away from her.

"I wouldn't say that either." He said rolling his eyes again. He fought a smile.

"So you…" Lanie started again. She placed her arms around his neck gently from behind. She loved to tease Scott when he was in a good mood; they used to do it a lot before he changed.

Scott cut her off, "Lanie, stop it." He laughed shaking his head and moving away from her.

Jesse gasped, "Did...Did you just laugh?" He teased.

Ellie laughed, "Aww, you guys really are like brother and sister." She was an only child but a lot of her friends had siblings and would sometimes see them play fight or tease each other but it was unusual to her for a group of kids that weren't related by DNA to act siblings.

Jesse grinned, "Damned straight. DNA doesn’t matter...you know that right, Scott?" He turned to face Scott.

Scott shrugged, "Sure." He said staring back at the sight of the city.

"What are you looking at?" Ellie asked walking over to him.

Scott shrugged, "Nothing, just...nothing. Hey Jess?" He turned to him.

"Yeah?" Jesse asked.

"You're still standing." Scott smirked.

Jesse looked down at himself, "I guess so."

"I dare you to walk over here." Ellie smiled.

Jesse swallowed.

"Oh come on! You can do it, you stood up didn't you?" Lanie encouraged

"Yeah, cause Scott was being a jerk to you."  Jesse said.

"Don't make me be an ass to her again just to make you move. You need to get past the fear." Scott said.

Jesse sighed, he wanted to move but his legs wouldn't move.

Scott shook his head and walked toward Lanie.

Jesse moved in front of her.

"There you moved. Now move again." Scott said moving around Jesse to Lanie and grabbing her arm.

Jesse moved forward and pushed him away from her, "its not fuckin funny, cut it out! First, Arie. Now Lanie? Why don't you try being nice sooner?" He said in between pushes.

Scott just smirked, while Ellie and Lanie laughed.

"What?!" Jesse asked turning around normally but getting pissed

"You moved...more than once." Ellie pointed out.

Lanie nodded, "You did!"

Jesse thought back and realized he had.

He grinned and walked across the roof.

"This is awesome. I can walk!" He grinned.

"Awe, our little Jesse is growing up." Ellie teased.

"Seems like only Moments ago he could only crawl." Lanie added.

Jesse blushed a bit as Scott smiled.

"As much as I hate to say it, we should probably go back." Scott kicked his foot a little.

“Yeah, with our luck Arie will wanna come visit us in our room soon.” Ellie rolled her eyes.

Jesse began to agree but before he could speak his cell phone rang. "Shh..." He told them all and picked it up. "Hello?

"Hey Jess, Sound check's over and we're on our way back. Actually we're almost at the hotel so make sure you guys are ready for dinner." Nick said

"Sure, Dad." Jesse said trying not to sound nervous. He then hung up. “They’re almost back.”

“That sucks.” Scott dropped his head back a little

“Yeah, this is actually kinda fun.” Jesse nodded.

Just then, Scott noticed a van coming into the hotel and heard screams of young woman and that's when he noticed it was the Backstreet van.

Scott ran over to Lanie and Ellie, "Hey, we gotta move...Dad's are back."

"Shit!" Ellie swore as Scott touched her arm to guide her back toward the roof door.

They all ran back and crawled down the ladder.

They split up once they got back onto the main floor and went off towards their room.

Jesse pulled out the room card and swiped it quickly.

"Remember we gotta make it look like we never left..." Scott's voice trailed off as they entered the room and saw Gabe and the blonde from earlier on the bed, both naked and making the bed rock. For a very brief second the two paused and stared at the girl’s body.

“Scott!” Gabe groaned wanting him to leave.

"Dude! Stop fucking the blond and get her out of here! They're back!" Scott said picking up the girls clothes and throwing them at her even though she hadn't moved off Gabe yet.

"Dude, did you not hear me? Our Dad's are fuckin' back and probably coming to check on us! Get her the fuck out of here!" Scott said now pulling the girl off Gabe.

Normally, he wouldn't care so much but he wasn't gonna get anymore shit that day, especially when it was going to be Gabe's fault.

The girl mumbled something as she put her clothes back on. She looked angry. Once she had enough on, Jesse and Scott threw her and the rest of the clothes out of the room, they turned back to see Gabe just grinning like crazy as he laid on the bed... still naked.

"EW DUDE! Get some fucking clothes on!" Jesse said as he and Scott looked away.

"Alright, Alright..." Gabe muttered putting his clothes back on.

Jesse quickly grabbed his laptop and sat down on his bed. He opened it and pulled it onto his lap.