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Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
One-Hundred-Nineteen




When the police arrived at the dealership, they questioned everybody that's there and then took Thadius in handcuffs out to their car. When they had him inside it, they got in the car too and drove off toward the station and Jeff drove AJ and Jaime home. When they got there, they walked in the house to find Brooke sitting on the couch between Peyton and Ellen who have their arms wrapped protectively around her and she has Laila sitting in her lap still. Brooke took one look at Jaime, and she got up and handed Laila over to Peyton before going over and throwing her arms around her brother, who wrapped his own around her waist and pulled her close for a tight hug. She buried her face in his chest and he kissed the top of her head.



"You didn't do anything stupid did you?" she sniffled.



"No, but I wanted to. I would have if AJ wasn't there to stop me."



"I love you…" Brooke spoke softly into his chest, and he pulled back a little and placed his hand to her cheek making her look up at him.



"I love you too Brookie and you should have known that you could come to me for anything and I would believe you over anybody else any day. You are my sister…you are more important to me then anybody."



"I was scared…I'm sorry…please don't hate me. I was ashamed…and I was scared if I told you, you would be mad at me for keeping it from you after all these years…all of you, I was just so scared…that's why AJ is here. I couldn't do it alone…"



"Are you kidding me?!" Jaime asked incredulously. "I just went and threatened my now ex best friend with a bat for you…I don't hate you. I'm a little disappointed…and hurt…but I could never hate you."



"I'm sorry…" Brooke replied softly.



"Will you stop apologizing? You have no reason to," Jaime scolded gently, and he wiped away her tears, before bringing her over to the couch and sitting down with her next to him. Peyton crawled over and laid her head in her lap and her parents went and sat on the other couch. AJ sat down on the other end of the couch that Peyton, Jaime, and Brooke are on with Laila in his lap.



"You are our family Brookie, the last thing we could ever do is hate you…especially for something like this…it wasn't your fault."



"And you can stop trying to go through with it alone too," Jeff added. "Because we are all going to be here with you every step of the way…and from the look of things, I'm sure AJ will be too."




"Exactly…and there is no way I am letting you go back to Florida alone. As soon as Thanksgiving is over, I'm going with you." Jaime added. Brooke couldn't help but laugh a little bit, though a tear still rolled down her cheek.



"That is very sweet of you Jai, but you have school remember? And work."



"I can do my classes over the Internet," Jaime replied, shrugging his shoulders. "And I'm getting sick of that job anyway. How about you hire me to work in your orphanage?"



"You? Working with children? Are you kidding me?" Brooke teased, smiling up at him slightly. Jaime rolled his eyes.



"Ha HA, very funny," he replied and he tickled her sides making Brooke shriek in laughter and squirm about in his arms and Peyton sat up.



"Heeey watch it Jai, I'm still right here!" Brooke crawled out of his embrace and over to AJ for safety and she stuck her tongue out at her brother, as she took AJ's arms and made him wrap them around her.



"Brookie," Laila spoke up and Brooke smiled down at her and kissed her cheek.



"Hi sweetie." She smiled up at Brooke and Brooke gently combed her fingers through her blonde curls.



"What do you say Laila, do you want a guy like Jaime taking care of kids like you? Hmm?"



"Yes she does," Jaime nodded.


"Fine, if you insist," Brooke smiled, and she rested her head against AJ's shoulder as she snuggled close to him.




~*~*~*~*~



Meanwhile in Kentucky, everybody had finished eating dinner and were all just hanging around the house relaxing when Dakota came walking into the room and straight over to Nick, who was sitting on the couch cuddling with Ashley. She crawled into his lap and stared up at him expectantly and he looked down at her curiously.



"What'cha want, squirt?" He asked, raising his eyebrow.



"To goes to the mall," Dakota answered, placing her hands to his cheeks and bringing his face down to hers so she could place her nose to his and stare into his blue eyes. Nick chuckled.



"That's right, I did promise you that didn't I?"



"Uh-huhs." He grinned a little and gave her a peck on the lips, than he looked at Ashley and tucked a strand of her hair back behind her ear as he smiled into her eyes lovingly.



"Will it be okay if I go spend sometime with the munchkin here? Will you be okay if I leave you here with Laney?"



"Mhm, as long as Brian is here too." Nick looked over at Brian and Brian nodded.



"I'm not going anywhere, Riley, Josh, and I will be here all night."




"Thanks…"



"I'll do anything for my Frack," Brian reminded. Nick didn't reply, he only looked down at Dakota who was sitting there getting excited by the minute. She loves shopping!



"Go get your shoes and socks baby and come down here and daddy will help you tie them. Be sure to get your hoodie too okay? It's probably chilly outside." Dakota nodded, and slid down from his lap and she ran on up the stairs excitedly. Nick shook his head.



"I've a feeling the minute we get to the mall, that sugar rush that I've been waiting for all day is going to show it's big ugly face." He commented, as he turned and looked at Ashley again, and he rested his forehead against hers and rubbed his hand over her arm. Ashley giggled a little.



"Have fun daddy."



"As soon as AJ gets home I'm gonna kill him." Ashley smirked and placed her hand to his cheek and she pulled his face closer, so she could brush her lips softly against his.



"I love you," She announced softly.



"Love you too," He replied, as he slid his arms around her waist and kissed her back.



"Hey — Hey! None of that!" Kori teased, reminding the two lovebirds that there are still other people in the room and she threw a pillow at her sister's head. Ashley pulled back slightly and looked at her sister with a raised eyebrow and Kori just smirked.



"That's not very nice," She informed her.



"Oh yeah? Now you know how it feels," Kori laughed. Ashley stuck her tongue out at Kori and then tightened her arms around Nick as he buried his face in her shoulder. After a few moments he heard footsteps coming down the stairs and he sat up and turned his head to look at them. As soon as he did he saw Dakota running down them in just her socks but she has her hot pink converse shoes in her hands and she has one arm inside her pink hoodie and the other one out. Nick rolled his eyes grinning.



"You couldn't even calm down long enough to get all the way dressed?" He asked, looking his daughter over in amusement.



"Need helps daddy, I cant's find the place where I puts my other arm in!" Dakota insisted, as she arrived in front of him and Ashley. Ashley giggled, and Nick shook his head and sat up and he gently pulled her into his lap so she is straddling him.



"Well if you calmed down little lady it wouldn't be so hard," he informed her, and he noticed that the other sleeve to her hoodie is inside out. He chuckled a little and began putting it right side in and when he did, he helped her slip her arm into it and he zipped it up. As soon as he did, he sat back on the couch and he gently made her lay back against his legs before taking her foot and putting her shoes on for her and tying them. She smiled up at him as she lay there.



"There," he told her when he finished. "All set," he added and he stood up with her so she is rested on his hip.



"Where is Sarah?"



"Who cares?" Dakota asked indifferently.




"Kota…" Nick scolded gently and Dakota scowled.




"Upstairs playing withs Joshy," She answered grudgingly. "Withs my Joshy." Nick looked at Ashley then.



"Keep an eye on her for me okay?" Ashley nodded and he leaned down and kissed her one last time, before looking at everybody else.




"Bye everybody."




"Bye Nicky, be safe…" Brian was the first to reply. Nick waved everybody off and then carried Dakota out of the house after grabbing car keys.



"Watch Lily for me Ashee!" Dakota quickly instructed before Nick could close the door.



"I will honey, don't worry she's safe." Dakota beamed happily and rested her head against Nick's shoulder and she popped her thumb into her mouth as he carried her out to the van with her car seat in it. When he got to it, he opened the door and proceeded to place her in her seat and buckle her up.




~*~*~*~*~



"I still say we should of snuck into the back of the van, Joshy," Elenore announced as she and Spencer stood at the window up in the bedroom and watched as Nick and Dakota left. Josh rolled his eyes.



"Oh yeah brilliant Ellie. An' risk getting in trouble?"




"Getting into trouble is fun," Elenore insisted. "I swear Joshy, you've turned into such a baby ever since you've become nice," she teased.




"You didn't always think that way," Josh reminded her, as he continued to sit there and concentrate on the puzzle that he and Sarah are doing together. "It's only fun to you now because you're starting to feel safe around everybody."




"All I'm sayin' is that it would've been a fun prank. Nicky's face would've been priceless." Josh shrugged.



"Maybe some other time." Elenore turned and looked at Josh and Sarah for the first time and she went over and sat next to him.



"Come here Spency let's play Mouse Trap!" She suggested.



"Okay," Spencer replied, and he went over and sat on the floor in front of her as she pulled the box of Mouse Trap in front of them. As they were setting it all up, Q suddenly peeked into the room causing all of them to stop what they were doing and look at him. Q smiled a little bit.



"I've been sent to check up on you. What are you kiddies up to?"



"Playin' games," Elenore answered, smiling at him sweetly. "You wants to play?"



"No thanks sweetheart," He replied. "I'll be across the hall if any of you need anything alright?" They all nodded and Q walked out of the room again.




~*~*~*~*~



Meanwhile, back in New York, when Brooke finished talking to her family, Jeff and Ellen turned on the TV and started watching the show Friends, in attempt to calm down some. Peyton went upstairs to her room, and Jaime remained in his spot on the couch watching his sister as she sat quietly talking to AJ. AJ was sitting there cradling Laila in his lap and he has a hold of Brooke's hand and is rubbing the back of it with his finger. He likes AJ a lot, he really does. He's passed his test already but is his judgment really all that great? He trusted Thadius after all…didn't he? Sure he seems like he really does care about his sister, but how is he to know that it's not all an act? How is he supposed to know if he's going to hurt her or not? Thadius did. Jaime knows one thing for sure though…he is going to watch Brooke a lot more carefully now.



"Did you an Laila eat dinner at all?" Brooke asked softly, as she combed her fingers through Laila's blonde curls gently.



"Yeah we had Mc Donald's when we got off the plane at the airport. We ate it on our way here."



"Why don't we go out for some ice cream?" She suggested, as she looks up at him and he smiled a little.



"Really?"



'Yeah, just the three of us. We can put her in a stroller and go for a little walk around the city."



"I don't know about that Brooke…I mean Thadius is in jail now and all…but considering all you've been through are you sure you want to go walking around New York at night?"



"I feel safe with you," Brooke reassured, as she laced his fingers with hers and she smiled up at him as he looked down at her confused.




"But…"



"As long as we don't get in any cars honey…I'm fine."



"Hmm…okay, but I have a feeling it's going to be a challenge trying to talk your brother into letting you go." Brooke shrugged her shoulders carelessly.



"Go upstairs and get her stroller and I will put a jacket on her." AJ nodded and handed her over to her, and AJ got up and went on upstairs. Brooke looked at Jaime who just like she expected, is watching her every move.



"Where'd he go?"



"Upstairs to get the baby's stroller," Brooke answered, as she got up and went over to the closet. She opened it up and got out Laila's hoodie and she brought her back to the couch, sat down with her straddling her lap and she began to put the hoodie on her.



"Where is he going? He's not leaving already is he?"



"No, he's not leaving until tomorrow night. The three of us are going out for ice cream," Brooke answered, just as AJ came down with a stroller in his hands.



"Now? At night? Are you crazy?"



"It's not that late," Brooke shrugged.




"Yeah, but still…"




"I'll be fine Jai." Jaime watched as AJ took Laila from Brooke and set her in her stroller. Laila began to whimper some as she reached for AJ.



"Shhh it's okay baby, we are going for a walk," he reassured her, and he kissed her nose and handed her, her favorite doll causing her to calm down some.




"I want to go with you."




"But Jai, I…"


"Brooke please give me a break here…you can't just tell me that you were raped and then expect me to be okay with you running all around New York at this time a night with a guy that I don't know all that well yet. I mean I know he seems like a good guy and all but put yourself in my shoes…"



"He's right Brooke, I think your brother should go with you. No offence AJ…but this was just really big news and it's going to take us awhile to deal…" Jeff spoke up, putting a stop to this argument before it gets out of hand. The only time Brooke and Jaime ever fight is if Brooke feels Jaime is being over protective. He's seen those fights happen before, and he does not want them happening now — not now when things are already bad enough as is.



"Oh no I understand Mr. Morgan, really." AJ replied, noticing the tears that Jeff is trying his very hardest to suppress. He's noticed that he's been trying to stay strong for his family ever since Brooke told him the bad news and AJ is wondering how long it's going to take for him to explode.



"Please, call me Jeff."



"Jeff," AJ corrected himself, and he looked over at Brooke who he can tell is trying to be understanding about this, but he knows how she doesn't like to be fussed over but she knows how hard this is for her family and is biting her tongue.



"It's okay if Jaime comes sweetie…even Peyton can too. It's not a problem really. And besides…you are supposed to be spending time with your family anyway, I don't want to intrude. I will feel much better if they come a long."



"PEYTON, COME DOWN HERE! WE ARE GOING TO GO OUT FOR ICE CREAM!" Jaime suddenly shouted up the stairs and a few seconds later Peyton came running down them with her hoodie already on.



"Ice cream?"



"Yeah, Brooke, AJ, the baby and I are going out for ice cream and a little walk around the city. Want to come?"



"Of course!"



"Sweet! lets go," AJ replied, grinning some and he led the way out the door, pushing the stroller a long as he does, and Brooke reluctantly walked a long side him.