Chapter Two-Hundred-Seventy-One
When Pete, Ashley, Andy, Joseph, and Patrick got backstage, everybody looked at them as they saw the door open and AJ narrowed his eyes as they landed upon his little sister, who he was currently panicking over.
“WHERE have you been!?” He demanded, going over to her and gently taking her hand and pulling her away from Pete so he could talk to her. “We’ve been worried sick about you! I was just about to call Marcus and ask him to search the building for you!”
“I had to go to the bathroom,” Ashley answered simply.
“And you couldn’t use the one in here?” Nick spoke up.
“No, it was taken.”
“So you couldn’t wait?”
“No. Not unless you expected me to wet my pants, because that is what was going to happen.”
“I heard you trying to get into the bathroom ten minutes ago when I was in there. Why did it take you ten minutes to get back?” Drew questioned. Ashley opened her mouth to reply, when suddenly Pete cut her off.
“I saw her talking to Lou Pearlman out in the hall when I came in…if that means anything.”
“Ashley? Is that true?” AJ asked, alarm suddenly showing on his face.
“Yeah, so what?” Ashley asked, shrugging her shoulders and she went over and gently took Bella from Sarah before sitting on the couch with her. Nick and AJ immediately turned to Pete then.
“It definitely looked like I walked in on something,” Pete informed. Nick sighed heavily, and he went over and sat down on the couch next to his girlfriend and he turned sideways so he is facing her before hugging his legs to his chest.
“Baby…talk to me,” he told her gently. Ashley looked up at him and blinked.
“Okay…what do you want to talk about?”
“You know very well what I want to talk about. What were you and Lou talking about?” Nick told her patiently. He doesn’t like the look of things. She is being distant with him, barely making eye contact with him, and she is being VERY motherly to Bella. Not that she isn’t usually motherly to all three of their girls, but she is being that way more so then usual. And he knows this only happens when she is thinking about her mom. It makes him wonder if Lou has been pouring salt on her wounds again.
“Nothing much really. Just his usual bullshit.”
“You’re lying to me. What did he say to upset you now?”
“Nick, I really wish you would just drop this. It’s not a big deal” She insisted, looking back down at Bella again, and she kissed her forehead softly, before beginning to wrap her up in her blanket with the one hand that she has.
“It’s more of a big deal then you realize, Ashley Elaine.” He informed, still staying calm but she can hear the irritation in his voice that she so often hears when she is keeping something from him.
“Oh yeah? Why?” Ashley challenged, finally looking at her boyfriend in the eyes with so much seriousness in her own. Nick fell silent then, and he looked down at his knees as he still continued to sit there hugging them to his chest. Ashley rolled her eyes.
“Must not be too serious if you won’t tell me what the big deal is,” She informed. “Because the boyfriend that I know and love tells me when there is a problem. He doesn’t keep things from me.”
“No, only you do,” Nick snapped somewhat. “Right? Keeping secrets is more your thing Ashley, isn’t it?”
“Well, I guess that makes you a hypocrite then. You’re always urging me to tell you what’s wrong with me…when you can’t even tell me what’s wrong with you. Do you think I haven’t noticed since we met up with Lou the way you’ve been acting? The way AJ has been acting? Did you really think I wouldn’t figure out why Momma Denise suddenly decided to join us? It’s obviously something that is really bothering you since you cling to AJ or Brian whenever he is in the room. How can I even begin to open up and talk to you about my problem, if you can’t even tell me about yours?” Nick opened his mouth to reply when AJ beat him to it.
“Ashley, just back off” he told her gently.
“No, I am not going to back off Alex. He is always telling me to be open and honest with him about my rape, when he can’t even be honest with me about his own molestation back in the day” Ashley replied, looking Nick in the eyes and seeing shock written all over his face.
“How did you…” AJ began.
“Know? I’ve been there. I recognize the fear in his eyes. The question is…why couldn’t he tell me? Don’t you think me of all people, would understand?” She asked.
“He was just trying to protect you,” Kevin spoke up. “He thought it would make you fear Lou even more.”
“Well gee. Thanks,” Ashley replied angrily, and she gently handed Bella over to Nick before getting up and crossing the room to the bathroom and slamming the door shut behind her. They heard the lock click and Nick sighed heavily and looked at AJ.
“I love you and all Nick, and the last thing I want to do is take sides. Hell I don’t even want to be in the middle either but I told you that it hurts her when you aren’t honest with her.”
“How long do we have until the show?”
“It starts in five minutes, but we’re third to go on” Kevin answered.
“So I have some time?”
“Yes. But please be aware of the time. We go on at eight.” Nick nodded and looked back over at AJ.
“Will you please take the baby for me?”
“Give her to Brian. I’m going Lou hunting.” Kevin opened his mouth but shut it again, biting his tongue. AJ didn’t fail to notice it and he looked over at him then.
“I won’t do anything stupid,” he promised. “Trust me.” Kevin nodded and said nothing as he remained sitting on the couch holding Elenore and AJ turned and left the room. Nick stood up then and carried Bella over to Bran who gladly accepted her and he went over and knocked on the bathroom door.
“GO away,” Ashley snapped, and he heard the vulnerability in her voice and can tell that she’s been crying.
“Baby please open the door. Wasn’t it you who was telling your brother the other day that you should just talk things over instead of being stubborn?”
“I was just trying to get him to stop fighting with Kevin,” Ashley insisted stubbornly, though she did mean what she said to AJ. But she’s seventeen years old, misses her mom, and really doesn’t want to talk to anybody at the moment. All she wants is to be left alone so she can cry and miss her mom in peace. Nick reached into his pocket then and he pulled out his wallet. Once he had it out, he opened it up and took out his blockbuster card and he stuck in between the doorknob and door until he heard a click. He put his card back inside his wallet, stuffed his wallet back in his pocket and he turned the knob and pushed he door open. When he did he found his girlfriend sitting on the floor between the toilet and the counter hugging her legs to her chest with her face hidden in her lap.
“I have little sisters you know. It’s not that hard to get into a locked room,” he reminded her, as he went in and gathered her up in his arms cradling her. She wrapped her arm around his neck and buried her face in his chest and he kissed her forehead softly before carrying her out of the bathroom.
“I’ll be on the tour bus. Someone be sure to keep an eye on Kota and Sarah for me okay? Thanks.” Was all he said, before carrying her straight out of the room and heading for the bus outside.
“I hope Lou didn’t upset her so much that it’s made her go a step backwards. She’s been doing so well,” Howie commented when the door closed.
“I think she is just in one of her ‘I miss my mom and just want to be a vulnerable seventeen year old for awhile’ moods” Kori spoke up, as she remained snuggling with Wiley. “She had that look. The bastard probably said something about her to upset her. He better hope he doesn’t show his face when I’m around, that’s all I’m saying.”
“You’re already in enough trouble as it is, hence the fact that you’re stuck with us” Howie reminded her in slight amusement. “So I don’t think getting involved with Lou is the best idea for you.”
“I am just sick of him harassing my little sister,” Kori insisted. “And I am not ‘stuck’ with you. I like being with you. So there.” Brian raised his eyebrow then and Kori didn’t fail to notice.
“Doesn’t mean I’m not going back to New Jersey the minute I am allowed,” she told him, before he got any crazy ideas.
“You know none of us believe you right?” Kevin questioned. Kori shrugged.
“Well you better start, because it’s only going to be much harder for you if you don’t.”
“You’ll realize what’s more important soon enough,” Brian replied confidently.
“So why don’t you guys just step back and let her learn that on her own?” Wiley spoke up, when he noticed his girlfriend was getting irritated, and he doesn’t want to deal with that right now. Kori looked over at her son and saw him curled up in Scott’s lap asleep. She silently dreaded how close Spencer has become to his father because she knows the time when she has to tell him the truth is approaching and that’s going to make things so much harder on the three of them when they leave. Wiley looked down at her and recognized the contemplative look on her face and he whispered softly in her ear.
“When are you planning on telling him?”
“Do I have to?” Kori pouted.
“I think it’s getting to the point where you don’t have a choice. Spencer was asking me questions today.”
“What?” Kori asked in surprise, and she twisted around to look her boyfriend in the face, as this is news to her ears. “What kind of questions? And why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you were too busy with Ashley and I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“What kind of questions Wi?”
“Like stuff about him when he was a baby for one,” Wiley began. “We started talking about Bella for some reason…I don’t even remember how the conversation started, but when it did he eventually asked me if he was that little when he was a baby. He asked me if I was there when he was born, and I told him the truth – that I was and I was one of the first people to hold him. Then he asked me what he was like as a baby and I told him. He was quite happy to hear stories about him.”
“Did he ask you anything else?”
“Yes…” Wiley hesitated. Kori looked at him expectantly.
“He asked me why him and Scott are so much alike.”
“And what did you tell him?”
“I told him that it was just because the two of them are such good friends and sometimes your friend’s personalities tend to rub off on you when you spend so much time with them. It was hard enough to come up with that answer Kor.”
“Did he ask you anything else?”
“He said that his and Scott’s personalities aren’t the only things that are alike but he didn’t elaborate on it. I think his suspicions grow everytime he hangs out with him but he doesn’t know if it’s true or not and is trying to gather the information. He also asked me where his father was at.” Kori groaned and covered her face with her hands.
“And your answer?”
“I successfully blew it off by suggesting that we go for some ice cream and to the park. And I kept him busy the rest of the day so he wouldn’t remember to bring the subject up again.” Kori sighed heavily, and Wiley gently massaged her shoulders.
“But he won’t let me distract him for too long, and you know it” he added gently.
“I know…”
“I’m sorry love, but you have to tell him. If you don’t he is just going to dig further until he finds the answers on his own.” Kori nodded, and she looked back over at Scott who was silently sitting on the floor leaning against the wall with his little boy curled up in his lap asleep and looking as if he knows that’s where he belongs. Scott was just sitting there gently playing with his hair as he watched the few groups that were performing in the Kissmas Bash run around and get ready for their performance. 98 Degrees is currently onstage, BBMak was getting ready to go on next, and then it would be the boys. After the boys it would be Mandy Moore, Britney Spears, Fall Out Boy, and then the show would be over. Jerald and Ellie are sitting on the floor building a block tower while Josh and Sarah were lying on the floor side by side coloring. Chris and Ryan have hooked their game boys together and are playing with each other, and Laila is snuggling with Howie and watching the door that she had seen her AJ walk out of earlier, awaiting his reappearance with a slight worried look upon her face. Riley was still talking with Harry, and Brian had once again taken Dakota into the back room to teach her, her dance moves and such while Kevin ran around and prepared the five of them for their performance. All the while, Denise had run off after her son earlier to make sure he didn’t do anything to jeopardize himself, or the band. Kori sat there watching her ex-boyfriend for a few moments, and then she looked up at Wiley, gave him a small kiss on the cheek, and then stood up and crossed the room to Scott who immediately looked at her as he saw her coming. Looking at her like a man who is still head over heals in love. When she approached, she knelt down beside him and spoke quietly.
“Why don’t you give him to Wi and you come for a walk with me?” Scott narrowed his eyes and tightened his firm hold on his son, not willing to give him up to the man who because of him, got the pleasure of playing father to his little boy all these years. Kori rolled her eyes.
“Fine. Don’t put him down and go walking with me. I just wanted to talk to you about our son and of maybe telling him the truth later, but you clearly don’t want to be his father so nevermind.” Scott scowled, and he got up from his spot on the floor and carried Spencer over to Wiley and he reluctantly held him out toward him. Wiley took him from him and Scott turned around and looked at Kori who was headed out of the room and he followed her. When she got in the hall she leaned up against the wall and he leaned against the other one across from her, keeping his distance.
“First of all,” She began. “If I let you be the father of my son you have to get over the fact that I am with Wiley.” Scott crossed his arms over his chest.
“For now,” he insisted.
“No forever. I love him Scott. I really think that he is the one.”
“Yeah well, you used to think I was the one too.”
“I was fourteen years old and you were my first love. At the time, yes. I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with you…especially when I found out about Spencer. I was young and naive…what girl doesn’t want the father of their baby with them?” She asked. “But obviously you weren’t the one because if you were you wouldn’t have broken my heart. You wouldn’t have run out on Spencer and me no matter how scared you were. You would’ve toughed it out and gotten through it with us. But you didn’t…and Scott, it was a long time ago…I’ve moved on, it’s time for you to do so too.”
“I was young and naïve too, Kor…but I’m not anymore. I’m much older and if you just gave me a chance I could prove that. We could be such great parents…” Kori shook her head.
“I can’t do it Scott. I can’t go down that road again…you’ve hurt me too much.”
“But you still love me,” Scott insisted. “I can see it everytime you look at me.”
“A girl’s first love never dies,” Kori replied softly. “Yes, I will always love you Scott…” She added, as a single tear rolled down her cheek. “And everytime I look at you I will always remember what it was like back then when we were together. I will always remember how I felt when it was you and I. But that’s all it can be is a memory…both a beautiful, and a painful one…because I love Wiley and I would really like to give it a try with him. And if you love me…if you really love me, you’ll let me go.” Scott shook his head.
“I don’t know if I can do that Kor…I spent so many years loving you…I never stopped. Not even when you were gone. I don’t know how to move on. Everything about me…has always been about you,” He admitted, his eyes watering up himself. He walked across the hall to her then, and he gently cupped her chin in his hand, before brushing away her tears and gazing into her watery eyes. “I’ve grown up Kor. I’m not the same kid who hurt you four years ago…and I could prove it to you if you just gave me the chance.”
“I can’t…” Kori insisted, not letting herself be vulnerable to him. “I love Wiley, Scott. I’m committed to him. I couldn’t hurt him like that…ever. Please accept that. If you want to prove to me that you aren’t that kid anymore…accept it…please.”
“I don’t want to lose you…”
“You won’t lose me. You’ll always have me…in our son,” Kori insisted, bringing her hands up to his cheeks and forcing him to look her in the eyes. “He is what matters now. We have to do what’s best for him…”
“He deserves a mother and a father.”
“And he has them. Unfortunately, they’re just not together anymore…but he’ll still have them. Plus one loving stepfather if I have it my way. That just means he’ll receive that much more love…” Scott scowled bitterly.
“Please Scott…I know you feel threatened by him but –“
“--Of course I feel threatened by him. He’s been there for my son since the very beginning!”
“Yeah well, that isn’t his fault, now is it?” Kori snapped somewhat. “You should be grateful that Spencer had someone there for him at least! It’s not fair that you punish Wiley when it’s YOUR fault to begin with. You abandoned us, and now you have to suffer the consequences and learn to share!” Scott pulled away from her and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Are you going to accept that one rule, or should we just tell Spencer the next time he asks Wi where his father is, that he walked out on him before he was even born?”
“He asked about me?” Scott asked curiously, and Kori nodded.
“Just today…he’s getting highly suspicious of you.” Scott grinned at this new information.
“So? What’s it going to be Scott? You accept Wiley and in exchange we’ll tell Spencer the truth tonight on the tour bus.”
“Fine…if it means I get parental rights again.” Kori narrowed her eyes at him.
“One step at a time.”
“What about when the three of you go back to New Jersey? Once you tell him, that’s going to jeopardize it and you know it.”
“Wiley and I already worked that out…” Kori explained. “Once we go back to Jersey, I’ll send him back on a plane every weekend to see you. We’ll just get someone on the airplane to look out for him.”
“You’ll trust me enough to have him without you?” Scott asked incredulous.
“Hell no,” Kori replied. “Supervised visits by my sister and Nick until I feel comfortable with it.” Scott rolled his eyes.
“When are you going to trust me? If I wanted to hurt you or Spencer, I would have done it already.”
“Just give the supervised visits a couple of weekends please? At least I’m making it be Ashley and not Detective Stabler. I thought about it, but changed my mind and decided to be nice.”
“Gee, thanks.” Scott replied sarcastically. “Does Ashley know she is baby-sitting me?”
“Yup. I ran it by her right after Wi and I came up with it. She seems to think that in the end it won’t be necessary because she’s being stubborn, but otherwise agreed to do it. She enjoys hanging out with you, so she was more then thrilled.” The look on Scott’s face lightened some, and he couldn’t help but smile a little. If he has to have any baby-sitter at all, he’s glad that it’s Ashley. The little sister that he’s never had. He and Kori discussed plans on how to go about telling Spencer for awhile, and then by the time they finished Ashley, Nick, and a peeved AJ and Denise were headed backstage again, because it was time for the Backstreet Boys to grace the fans with their presence.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
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