Chapter One-Hundred-Ninety-Two
When Kevin had finished calming Elenore down, he stood up with her after grabbing up Dakota too so that both girls were rested on each of his hips and he patted Josh on the head gently.
“Come a long kiddies…lets go downstairs. We have to get back to The Littrell house now. Ellie I have a surprise for you once we get there.” Elenore gaped at her Kevy in surprise and he chuckled. “Not that you haven’t been surprised plenty today,” he added and she rested her head against his shoulder like Dakota was doing. When they got downstairs they found Q and Ann still sitting there on the couch.
“Everything okay again?” Ann asked curiously and Kevin nodded.
“Everything’s fine. Infact we’ve just agreed that we should go back to Aunt Jackie’s now. Momma go get packing you’re coming too.” Ann raised her eyebrow at her son.
“Say what?”
“You’re coming with us and staying the night at Aunt Jackie’s.”
“Why?”
“Because…I said so?” Kevin asked while eyeing the kids warily. He doesn’t want to scare them.
“You better listens to him…Kevy can gets pretty mean when you don’t. He might puts you in time out.” Elenore warned. Ann laughed a little.
“He’ll be lucky I don’t put him in time out for telling his momma what to do.”
“You’ll have to stick Jerry and Tim in time out as well then. Because we’ve all decided you’re staying with us at Aunt Jackie’s.”
“But –“
“Mom please. You aren’t safe here by yourself anymore.” Ann scowled.
“I’ve never not been safe here. This is the home your father and I built for you.”
“And Aunt Jackie has never not been safe in her home, but look what happened to her. Please mom…I’m not asking you to move out, I know this house means a lot to you and believe me I understand but at least until we get Sean…cooperate with us.” Ann sighed heavily and then nodded.
“Will someone go pack the cookies I made into bags? They’re for tomorrow.”
“I will go do that Ann,” Howie volunteered and he carried Laila who had not let him put her down since he arrived with him into the kitchen.
“Well it’s good to know you’d cling to someone other then AJ if needed,” He told her on the way into the kitchen.
“J?” Laila asked and he suddenly noticed the hurt look in her eyes that he had seen earlier when she talked with her mother. She feels like she is being abandoned all over again. Howie kissed her forehead softly and hugged her tight.
“We’ll see him in a little bit honey, I promise.” Meanwhile in the living room Kevin set Elenore down while he went upstairs to help his mom out and Q stayed behind with the kids. Elenore glanced at Spencer whom she noticed was getting up from his spot on the floor and he went over to her and Dakota.
“Hi Kota, hey Ellie,” he greeted.
“Hey Spencer,” Dakota replied while smiling some, but Elenore however acted as if she hadn’t heard him.
“Come on Ellie, Josh, let’s play with the puppies.” She said and then walked over to Lil’ Rok and scooped him up into her arms. If Spencer is going to be mean to her as a flirting technique she’ll do it right back. Josh, Dakota, and Sarah followed and Elenore looked at Ryan suddenly having an idea.
“Ryan…wanna join us?” Ryan who had caught on right away to Elenore’s plan rolled his eyes.
“I feel used…” he announced more to himself and he went over to join the kids for the first time since he walked into their life. Spencer remained in his spot staring after them with a glare fixed on his face toward Ryan and it took everything in Josh not to laugh. He too had caught onto Elenore’s plan…and while he can understand why Elenore is doing this, he feels kind of bad for Spencer. He thinks he is a cool kid for a five-year-old and he would hate it if Dakota did this to him.
“What about Spencer?” Dakota suddenly spoke up, realizing he was missing. She turned and looked at him and so did Elenore, and she suddenly looked as if she just noticed him.
“Oh Spencer! I didn’t see you there.” She insisted. “Why don’t you come play too?” She asked and Dakota eyed her confused but she played a long nonetheless.
“Forget it,” Spencer grumbled, and he stormed into the kitchen to see if maybe Howie would let him help.
“CAREFUL SPENCE. PEOPLE MIGHT GETS TIRED OF YOU CRYIN’!” Elenore called after him. Ryan shook his head.
“What do I get out of being used to make him jealous, eh? Now he’s gonna give me attitude for it.” Elenore shrugged her shoulders and sat down on the floor and she began to pet Lil Rok who immediately tackled her playfully.
“You know, he beat me up for you.”
“If he is going to be mean to me, I’m going to be mean right back. This is twice now that he’s done it.”
“But he always turns around and does something nice for you in return,” Ryan added. “It’s quite annoying really…”
“Only you would thinks so.” Ryan shook his head and walked away. The kids played with the puppies until Kevin and Ann came down with Ann’s stuff and Howie, Spencer, and Laila came out of the kitchen with a container of cookies.
“Ellie, Kota, Sarah, Josh, and Ryan lets go” Kevin called over to them. Elenore and Dakota stood up then holding their puppies – Dakota with Abbie and Lily and Josh held Chance and they all followed the adults outside to the van. As soon as Howie had opened the door for the kids, Elenore jumped in and she sat down in a seat and placed her feet in the seat next to her before Ryan could sit there, as he was the last person besides Spencer to sit down. Ryan narrowed his eyes at her.
“This seat is saved for Spencer. So keep movin’ mister!” Ryan rolled his eyes and he moved into the back and Spencer crawled into the van and Elenore gave him a smile as if she were never mean to him at all.
“I saved you the window seat Mikey! I know you likes that seat best.” The glare on Spencer’s face turned into a small smile as he had seen her tell Ryan to move to the back because the seat was for him. Though he was also highly confused. What is going on? Spencer moved to the spot Elenore had saved him and sat down and he put his seatbelt on.
“Thanks Raph,” he told her and he looked at Josh on the other side of her confused. Josh shrugged pretending to not have a clue. Just then Kevin crawled into the only seat left in the very back next to Howie and Ann and Q sat in the two front seats.
“It’s very important that you keep your seatbelts on kids. I forgot all of your car seats in the other van.”
“Kay,” All of the kids replied back in unison and Howie who had finished buckling Laila up spoke.
“Good thing Laila’s was already in this one. It would be really bad if we didn’t have hers.”
“Agreed,” Kevin replied as Q set off to the Littrell House. The ride lasted ten minutes and by the time they got there, Elenore waited for Spencer to open their door and climb out and when he did he held his hand out to her and helped her out causing her to melt some.
“Thanks Mikey.”
“You’re welcome Raphy,” Spencer replied and Elenore took off in a mad dash toward the house anxious to see her surprise. Spencer turned and looked at Josh who had climbed out next smirking.
“Good move Spence.”
“What is going on with her? Mean one minute and nice the next?”
“Doesn’t feel so great, does it?”
“Is that what she’s doing? Trying to get back at me?” Josh shrugged his shoulders.
“All I know is you hurt her pretty bad earlier. You’re lucky I like you or Id have to hurt you.”
“Yeah Spence, stop trying to be me. You were doing just fine being yourself,” Ryan added as he jumped out of the van, lightly punched Spencer in the arm and then grabbed hold of his sister’s hand and he took her into the house.
“For the first time ever…listen to him,” Josh added after rolling his eyes and he and Spencer followed the rest of them inside as they noticed Kevin had stopped to wait for them. When Elenore had got into the house she had one foot on the steps when she was suddenly stopped.
“Hold it right there my little turtle in red,” Jerald’s voice spoke gently from behind her. Elenore spun around and looked at him.
“I must go upstairs my sensei,” she insisted while taking a bow. Jerald raised a brow and in his best Master Splinter voice he replied.
“Why must you go upstairs?”
“To see what’s Kevy has for me. He said he had a surprise.”
“Your surprise will come downstairs to you. Why don’t you go sit down on the couch and wait?”
“But I wants to go upstairs to see,” Elenore insisted eagerly. Jerald shook his head.
“No can do. No little turtles can go up there at this time. Go sit down on the couch and wait.” Elenore looked up at him and feeling a little testy she took a step up.
“Ellie.” Elenore stepped back and sighed.
“Hai Sensei,” she surrendered and she turned and headed to the couch where she sat down. Jerald chuckled and turned to see his youngest brother standing there watching him with his little girl in amusement.
“What’s going on upstairs?” Kevin whispered so the kids wouldn’t hear.
“All three detectives, your bandmates, and the CSU team are up there checking out the evidence and stuff. Tim, Harry, and Harold are in the kitchen with Jackie and have gotten her to go back to cooking for tomorrow because it calms her nerves to do so. My job was to stay down here and keep a watch for you guys because some how they all knew the first thing Ellie would try to do is run upstairs.”
“Have they found anything good out?”
“The guy who broke in left his prints on the window, and from the looks of it he didn’t even bother to wear gloves earlier when he shot Abbie. They know it’s the same guy.”
“Good…we’ll have someone else to investigate other then Sean. We’re getting somewhere…” Jerald nodded his head in agreement and he looked over at Ellie who was sitting there talking with Dakota, Josh, and Spencer. Kevin looked over there too.
“When is the surprise going to come downstairs?” he asked a little louder now.
“I’m supposed to text Brian and let him know you’re here,” Jerald replied and he flipped open his phone, opened up the text messaging and he began to send Brian a message. Five minutes later Detective Stabler came downstairs wearing a big grin on his face and Elenore who had been looking at the stairs every now and then watchfully noticed him right away and gasped, her eyes going wide.
“ELLIOT!!!” She exclaimed and she jumped off of the couch and made a mad dash for her favorite detective. Detective Stabler chuckled and he didn’t even make it to the bottom step before she tackled his legs. He scooped her up into his arms then and she threw her arms around him and hugged him and gave him slobbery kisses on his cheek.
“Here’s one of my favorite little girls in the whole world!” he spoke up as he hugged her back and she giggled. He carried her down the stairs and then knelt down on the floor before setting her down on her feet in front of her. “How are you?”
“Good,” Elenore smiled.
“Yeah? Are you having a fun vacation?” Elenore nodded and he grinned and looked at Dakota and Sarah who were standing there watching.
“Well where are my hugs? Get on over here you silly gooses!”
“Yeah, you silly gooses! Elliot needs hugs” Elenore insisted. Dakota and Sarah giggled and they too ran on over to them as Detective Stabler held out another outstretched arm and the two of them tackled him with hugs as well.
“This is better.” Detective Stabler sat there and talked with the kids eventually getting hugs from the boys too until Jerald told him that the CSU team needed him up there. Jerald offered all of the kids some cookies and milk and led them into the kitchen so that Detective Stabler could easily slip up the stairs without a fight. He was up there for thirty minutes more and then not just him, but everybody including the CSU team came down. They left with the evidence and the three detectives, Brian, Riley, Kori, Wiley, Howie, Kevin, AJ, and Nick came into the kitchen. AJ noticed Laila sitting in a chair munching on a cookie and he smiled at her some and went on over to her and knelt down before her. Howie had warned him that she seemed a little upset when he went and got her.
“Hello there my little angel…”
“J…” Laila spoke quietly and her lower lip stuck out in a pout as she looked back at him resentfully. AJ wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned forward and kissed her cheek as she continued to sit on the chair.
“Is that a yummy cookie?”
“Yesth.”
“May I have a bite?” Laila held her cookie out to him and he took a bite.
“Mmm…delicious,” he told her and she smiled slightly. “But I bet it’s not as yummy as a baby’s tummy,” he told her and then bent down and placed his lips to her stomach before blowing raspberries and Laila shrieked with laughter. AJ scooped her up into his arms as he sat down on the floor with her lying back against his legs as he sat Indian style with his hands rested gently under her head for a pillow. He continued to blow on her stomach loving the sound of her incessant giggling. When he finally stopped after a few seconds she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him.
“Misses J.”
“I missed you too pal…I’m sorry I left you behind,” he told her softly as he hugged her back and rested his forehead against hers. She smiled up at him some, cookie crumbs covering her face and all and he chuckled.
“Cookie face and all.” Laila continued to eat her cookie while feeling quite content right there in AJ’s lap and he sat there quietly watching her. He doesn’t care what his mother says. He loves the little girl more then anything and there is no way that he’s going to be careful. No one’s taking her away from him even if he has to befriend the woman who gave birth to such a precious little girl in order to keep her in his life.
“So what did the kids do at Ann’s house while we were away?” Riley suddenly asked after standing there watching the Kodak moment in front of her.
“Get into a fist fight,” Q answered simply, as if it wasn’t such a big deal at all.
“What were Josh, Ellie, and Ryan fighting about now?” Nick asked, assuming the same thing that everybody else was.
“Well, the fight was about Ellie…but the funny thing is, it wasn’t Ellie or Josh throwing the punches in the end…”
“What? No way!” Brian spoke up as he was standing next to his mom and was hugging her.
“Yes way,” Kevin answered. “It’s the truth. Ellie ran upstairs all upset and instead of joining in on the fight Josh ran up there after her to comfort her. I found them hiding in the closet of my old bedroom when I came back.”
“Then who was it that was involved in the fight?” Nick asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Dakota, Sarah, Spencer, and Ryan. And they all got time outs for it.” Q answered. Everybody went quiet as to take in the shocking news.
“Kota?” Nick asked looking over at his daughter confused, as she sat on the floor quietly petting Abbie who had fallen asleep in her lap.
“He was bein’ mean to Ellie daddy. I’m nots sorry.”
“You know better then to be fighting young lady…at least I thought you did.” Dakota remained silent as she looked back down at Abbie again.
“I’m very disappointed in you.”
“You would’ve done it.”
“I would not ha—“
“Yes you would! If someone was bein’ mean to Uncle Brian.”
“Dakota Ann…”
“You would have daddy! You would fights for your bestest friend.”
“I am not a very good example baby, I would have thought all four of your uncles had plugged that into your brain by now.”
“Yes you’re. You’re the bestest hero I’ve gots.” Nick grew very quiet as he was very incapable of finding an argument to that, and it took everything in him not to get emotional at his daughter’s moving words. She picked such a good time to flatter him. He really had taught her well. Ashley who knew of the battle running through his mind just by one look at him smiled some and rubbed her hand over his arm in comfort.
“As heroic as your actions were…” Kori spoke up finally. “Spencer you’re grounded.”
“But Momma!”
“I mean it Spencer. I’m packing all of your toys up and you don’t get them back until we get back to the Orphanage and you’re not allowed to play with any of the other kid’s toys either. You can help Ryan do his chores tomorrow and everything Jackie wants done for Thanksgiving.” Spencer crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly as he sat there on the floor next to Elenore leaning up against the wall.
“And I believe its bedtime for you anyway. March yourself on up to our room and I will be up there shortly to tuck you in.”
“But I’m not tired! And none of the other kids are going to bed!”
“Sure they’re,” Kevin replied. “Ellie, Josh, upstairs too.”
“I want Elliot to tuck me in!” Elenore protested.
“Elliot and I will be up shortly. Go on.”
“An’ you hafta sing to me too Kevy.”
“I always sing to you Ellie, I know,” Kevin replied while smiling softly at her, glad he wasn’t forgotten in the excitement of the arrival of Detective Stabler. Elenore smiled some and she got up pulling Josh with her and the two of them left the kitchen with a sulky Spencer right behind them. Nick who had been standing there silently watching his daughter with a mixture of disappointment and flattery finally spoke up.
“You can help with Thanksgiving tomorrow too Kota – and you too Sarah.” Dakota looked horrified.
“You’re nots takin’ my toys daddy!”
“I am the daddy, you’re the daughter. You do not get to tell me what I will or will not do little miss.”
“But daddy!”
“It wouldn’t be fair to Spencer if I didn’t. As good as you’re at flattery I’m afraid you’re being punished my dear.” Dakota scowled at him.
“Now go on upstairs. It’s bedtime for you too. Ashley and I will be up there shortly.” Dakota got up and she stomped out of the room noisily. Sarah got up and followed though more quietly. Nick looked around at everybody else who looked quite proud of him.
“You’re getting better at it, Nicky,” Brian insisted and he patted his best friend on the back. “Though I have to say she is right. You would jump at the first opportunity to fight for me, even I know that.” Nick rolled his eyes.
“Yeah well, I would feel bad if Kori punished Spencer and I didn’t punish Kota and Sarah.” Brian chuckled.
“Well come on…let’s go say good night to our kids. Mom, I bet Josh would want you up there with him. Why don’t you come with me?”
“Okay,” Jackie replied and she allowed Brian to wrap an arm around her as the two of them left the kitchen together. When Nick and Ashley got upstairs to their room Nick packed up every single toy of Dakota’s except the new teddy bear that Elenore had given her and her favorite doll that she sleeps with every night. He handed them to her after Ashley had set her in bed after helping her into her pajamas.
“To sleep with,” he told her as she looked at him questioningly. “But you’re not to take them downstairs tomorrow and it is just our little secret. Got it?” Dakota smiled at him gratefully.
“Thanks daddy…I love you.”
“Yeah, yeah…” Nick replied while shaking his head and he looked at Sarah who had already been sitting there in her pajamas hugging her new teddy bear from Josh.
“Same rule goes for you little miss, got it?” Sarah nodded her head in agreement and he looked at Ashley who was sitting on the edge of the bed watching him in amusement.
“I’m a softy, leave me alone.” Ashley giggled.
“And that’s why I love you.” Nick shook his head and the two of them tucked the kids in together.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
Enjoy =)
