- Text Size +
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
It was co-written with Lenni.
Enjoy =)
Chapter Twelve:



By the time Brian and Riley finished talking to Brooke they walked into the lobby to find everybody but Howie and AJ waiting for them.


“Where are Howie and Aje?” Brian asked curiously when they had approached the group.


“Outside waiting and arguing over who’s going to win their competition.” Kevin answered. Brian chuckled.


“Oye… and I thought Howie was supposed to be the peacemaker.” Brian commented and the seven of them walked out of the orphanage as Kevin got on his phone and called up security to tell them to meet them all at the mall. After doing that they got into their cars and headed to the nearest mall. Nick, Ashley, Dakota, and AJ in Nick’s car and the rest in Kevin’s. They decided to narrow it down to just two cars and Kevin also decided it’d be best if they separated Howie and AJ as it was beginning to get pretty bad between the two of them. Soon as they were at the mall, everyone climbed out of the vehicles they were in, only to be joined by the Backstreet security team moments later. They were standing around, trying to decide who was going where and what time they would all meet up again.


"Well, we have to buy clothes," Nick stated, hugging Ashley close to him.


"And toys, Daddy!" Dakota insisted. Nick smiled down at his little girl.


"Yes, and toys. We can never forget those." Dakota shook her head in agreement, smiling wide. Kevin shifted Elenore slightly, who was back in his arms once more and resting on his left hip.


"Well, this little one needs some clothes and toys," he told the group. "So we may be a little while."


"So, why don't you go with Nick, Ashley, and Kota?" Brian suggested. "Since your both technically going to the same places. Also, this way, Kota can help Elenore pick out some cool toys." Brian flashed Elenore a grin, which made her turn and shyly bury her face into Kevin.


"We're going to go check out hats and jewelry," A.J. said, pointing to himself and Howie. "Right, D.?"


"And clothes, Alex," Howie laughed. "Some of us like more than just those. Also, shoes would be good."


"Clothes basically," A.J. smirked, grabbing Howie's arms. "C'mon D.!"


"Well, call me on my cell later, and let me know when and where we're meeting!" Howie called back, as he stumbled along as A.J. basically dragged him towards the mall entrance. "Alex! I can walk on my own, you know!"


"Fine! Then walk!" A.J. exclaimed, letting go and laughing when Howie lost his balance and almost fell flat on his face. Marcus and the other security guard with them laughed, as the four entered the mall then.


"Okay, Frick, Ry, where are you going?" Nick asked.


"Sporting goods store, then wherever this lovely lady decides," Brian smiled, grabbing hold of Riley's hand. Riley smiled softly. "Brian, I'm happy as long as I'm with you. I don't care where we go."


"Well, then let's go!" Brian said, then turned to Nick and Kevin. "Meet back at this entrance at four or so? I mean, we gotta be back in time for dinner, don't we?"


"So, I guess we're shopping together?" Nick replicated, raising his eyebrows at Kevin. "I mean, we are the ones with the kids." Kevin chuckled.


"Actually, I think the kids all just left." Nick smiled.


"Yeah, well, the little kids are still here." Kevin nodded.


"Yeah. And I'm glad they are," he said, smiling down at Elenore. He didn't know why, but he felt such a strong connection to her, though he'd just met her for the first time earlier.


"C'mon Daddy!" Dakota insisted, grabbing hold of Nick's hand. "Let's get shoppin'! Ashee needs clothes! An' Elenore needs toys!" Nick laughed.


"We're coming, we're coming." He kept hold of Ashley's hand, after releasing her from his arms and reached down to take hold of Dakota's as well.


"And - we're off!" Dakota giggled happily, glad to finally be shopping once more. She loved to shop!


"You're gonna have lots of fun, Elenore!" Dakota told her new found friend. "Daddy an' Uncle Kevy always know how to makes it fun!" Elenore smiled some, still a little unsure about all of this. What was to say he wasn't just going to set her down somewhere and walk off on her, never to return again? Her mother had, after all - and she hadn't even bothered to look back either. Not that she really wanted to go home, as her parents were mean - but they were her parents, she was only five, and she did still love them. The five of them entered the mall, with security trailing close behind, but not close enough to attract attention. After a short discussion, they decided it'd be best to get the clothes first and the toys later. They walked until they came across Mervyn’s and they went in there. When they found the kids section that had Dakota and Elenore’s sizes Dakota excitedly let go of Nick’s hand and ran off to look at all the clothes.


“Kota honey, don’t run off too far,” Nick called after her.


“I won’t daddy, I’s promise.” She replied before continuing to look for clothes.


“See anything you like Elenore?” Kevin asked as he carried her a long the racks of clothing and looked at things. Elenore shrugged her shoulders nervously. She sees a lot of clothes that she thinks are cool but she’s never been allowed to choose her own clothes before and she’s afraid of being put down for her decisions. Kevin thought for a couple of minutes and then suddenly pulled out a pink long sleeved top with elastic-cinched sides which have little flowers and jewels on them.


“This would look cute on you,” He told her. “What do you think?” Elenore nodded quietly. Kevin then looked over at Dakota.


“Dakota what do you think?” Dakota looked up from the shirts she was looking at and at Kevin. “Would this look good on Elle?”


“Uh-huhs! Elenore that would look cute on you!” Dakota insisted. Dakota thought for a moment and then looked back at the rack of clothes that she was looking through and she pulled out a pair of dark blue jeans that have pink stitching a long the pockets and there is a little pink flower at the left pantleg.


“Uncle Kevy this would look cute withs it!” Kevin grinned and he looked down at Elenore who was smiling slightly.


“What do you think Elenore? Do you want to try this shirt and those pants on?”


“Okay,” Elenore replied softly.


“Okay well then I will just hold onto these for a while and we will see if there is anything else you like. That way you can try them all on at once.” He explained after taking the pants from Dakota. Dakota continued to go through the shirts she was looking at and suddenly she came across a strawberry shortcake 2fer t-shirt. The shirt underneath is pink while the one on top is black and it has a heart in the middle of it with strawberry shortcake’s face in it. There are also little hearts around it and it says in pink and yellow glittery letters: Sweet. She gasped.


“Daddy I wants this shirt so bad!” She announced, and she looked at Nick who was standing there holding Ashley’s hand but looking through the clothes and pulling out clothes that he thought would look cute on his angel. Nick smiled and turned his attention on her.


“What shirt baby?” he asked her.


“This!” she answered and she held it up to her so he could see.


“That would look very adorable on you baby,” He told her.


“I can gets it?”


“Is it your size?”


“Uh-huhs,” she answered after looking at the tag. Nick has taken her shopping so much in the past that she knows her own size by now and does a lot of the picking for herself.


“Then yeah you may have it.” Dakota beamed happily and she looked back at the clothing rack and found another strawberry shortcake shirt. It’s black as well but reads: ‘Princess’ and instead of a heart it has Strawberry shortcake in a circle. She pulled that down too and looked at Kevin.


“Elenore how bouts this one? Then we could match!” Kevin turned and looked at the shirt and Dakota’s hand and Elenore looked too.


“Aww that would look cute,” Kevin grinned. He looked down at Elenore.


“What do you think Elle? Do you like strawberry shortcake too?”


“Uh-huh…loves it,” Elenore answered and she smiled a little bit.


“Let me see that Dakota,” Kevin replied and Dakota handed it over and Kevin placed the shirt over his arm like he has the other outfit that was picked out. Suddenly Elenore spotted a short sleeved rose colored dress with a velvet top over a scalloped sheer skirt. Decorated around the waist is a slash and flower and it zips up in the back. She reached out and grabbed hold of it and she pulled it up from the rack and looked up at Kevin for approval. He grinned and was happy that she was finally starting to warm up to picking out her own stuff a little bit.


“You want that dress, sweetie?” Elenore nodded, the look in her eyes almost pleading.


“Can I’s? Please?” She asked softly.


“Of course you can. You will look very pretty in this dress.” Elenore and Kevin picked out a few more cute outfits - mostly Kevin, but every now and then Elenore would spot something she just had to have and pull it down from the racks. They ended up getting a little white dress with pink trimmings all a long it and it has a little tea pot on it, a white dress with pink flowers all over it and a green slash that goes around the waist. It has pants with flowers a long the pantleg to match it. The straps on the dress are green with pink trimming. A blue denim jumper with a light pink Oshkosh shirt to go underneath it, A Green and pink double layer shirt with pink cherries on it and it says ‘little sweet cherries’ on it. They picked out a few skirts and such as well. When they had enough, Kevin looked down at the little girl in his arms.


“Shall we go try these on you now?” He asked her.


“Okay,” She replied. He looked at Nick suddenly.


“We’ll be in the dressing room if you need us.”


“Kay,” Nick replied and Kevin walked off to the near by dressing room and he disappeared inside it. Nick looked at Dakota.


“Find anything else baby?” He asked her.


“Yeah daddy lots,” Dakota answered and she began to show Nick all of the cute outfits that she had picked out and she asked Ashley for her opinion on all of them too.


~*~*~*~*~*~


Brian and Riley were checking out basketballs in the Sporting Goods store that Brian had insisted on going into. He knew the kids at the Orphanage were lacking on sporting goods again and needed some new ones, and wanted to surprise them all with some.

"Brian, why are we looking at everything in here?" Riley asked. "I mean, I know you love sports - but you've looked at practically every kid thing in here. What're you gonna do? Buy Dakota and Elenore a bunch of sporting equipment?" Brian just smiled.


"Something like that," he replied, not giving any more information away. Riley groaned.


"They're little girls Brian - are you sure they're gonna be die-hard sports fans?" Brian chuckled.


"Relax, Ry. I'll buy you something too, if you'd like." Riley rolled her eyes.


"Just you wait until we go to the next store - my choice."


"That was the plan, wasn't it?" Brian smirked, causing Riley to growl slightly out of frustration. He usually doesn't take an hour in a sports store - but today he'd reason too - though, she obviously didn't know it and wouldn't know it until the surprise arrived.


"Just let me buy a few things and then we can go."


"Fine," Riley sighed. "I'm going to look at the baseball mitts - see if maybe I can pick up a couple for the kids. They need new ones." Brian nodded, then made his way over to the store clerk once she was out of sight. He talked to the man, who happened to be the manager, for a few minutes, then went off to find Riley again after buying a basketball and net for Dakota and Elenore. Riley smiled when she saw that he was finished.


"Finally finished torturing me, are we?" Brian nodded.


"Yes, I believe I am." Riley allowed him to take hold of her hand once more, as they exited the store.


"I'd like to go check out some clothes and things, if you don't mind," she told him. "I mean, a girl has to buy at least one outfit when shopping or else the trip wouldn't be worth it." Brian laughed.


"If you say so. I'm not a girl, so I'm afraid I don't know nor quite understand that theory - though, I'm sure AJ might." Riley laughed.


"I think AJ’s more in touch with his feminine side is all."


"Him and Howie - maybe that's why they're best friends," Brian replied, raising his eyebrows some. Riley just shook her head at him. "


“Crazy boy."


"Why, thank-you!" Brian grinned, bowing slightly, though never letting go of her hand. "I try." As they were walking through the store looking for a clothes store that Riley would be interested in they suddenly spotted cold stone and Brian eyed it longingly.


“We should stop and have some ice cream real quick. Riley please? Pleeease?” Riley laughed.


“Your starting to sound like Dakota honey.” Brian paused for a short moment and then realized that she’s right.


“Oh. Right. I am… well what can I say? I love the kid to death.” Riley smiled and shook her head, than she brought him over to the cold stone and they stood and waited in line. When they got up there Riley ordered cookies and cream ice cream in a cup and Brian got the same except vanilla with sprinkles. When they had their ice cream they went and sat down at a table and began to eat it.


"Mm....this is good. I love ice cream," Brian said, eagerly digging his spoon into his.


"I don't know how or why you call what you got ice cream," Riley replied. "I call it boring. I mean, c'mon? Vanilla? Nobody likes vanilla!"


"I do!" Brian grinned, taking great care to capture sprinkles onto his spoon, with minimal ice cream. "Sprinkles make it even better!" Riley laughed. "You look like a little kid digging into the most wonderful treat in the world."


"Well, ice cream is the most wonderful treat in the world!" Brian exclaimed. Riley just shook her head, laughing at him, as she went back to eating hers. She loves the man sitting in front of her so much. Everything about him. Even his childish-like quirks. That just makes him an even greater man then he already is. He’s so great with the children. Brian just sat there watching her as he ate his ice cream. As he did, he suddenly noticed some ice cream at the corner of her mouth. He chuckled a bit and she looked up at him.


“What?” she asked him curiously.


“You have a bit of ice cream at the corner of your mouth,” he pointed out.

“Oops,” Riley laughed a little and she reached for a napkin only to have him gently grab her hand into his. She looked at him curiously as he intertwined his fingers with hers. He gazed into her eyes for a few moments, than he cupped her chin in his hand, tilted her head back gently and he leaned in and captured her lips with his in a gentle kiss. Riley was a little surprised at first by his actions but then welcomed the kiss. She slid her arms around his neck kissing him back. Just when the kiss was getting intense, Riley’s phone rang making them both jump and pull back from each other. Brian groaned and thought whoever it is that’s calling has very bad timing. Riley reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone and she looked at the caller Id to see that it read “Chase”.


“Shit…” Riley cursed under her breath as she was suddenly thrusted out of the daze Brian’s kiss had left her in and she realized what the two of them had just done. She turned on her phone and placed it to her ear.


“Hello? Hi Chase…how’s your business going?” She asked, and she got up and walked away to talk to her husband in private. Brian sighed in frustration.


“Chase… right.” He said irritably as he too was thrown out of this little dream he’s been having for half a week now that Riley was all his. He had gotten so used to Chase being away and him having her all to himself. She was just finally starting to be happy again too… for the first time in a very long time. Just a couple of more days and all of that will end. Brian picked up his ice cream and started eating it again in hopes that it will crush this bitter mood that was suddenly trying to take over.