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Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
It was co-written w/ both Lenni & my friend Nikki.
Enjoy =)
Chapter Twenty Seven



“Here Bri, take Elenore into the cafeteria for me too. She doesn’t need to be out here for this. They’re not taking her.” Kevin said, turning to his cousin. He went to hand Elenore over.


Noooo!” Elenore begged, and she clung tighter to Kevin, wrapping her arms around his neck as she cried.


“Honey please let Brian take you to the cafeteria. I will be in there in a little bit. Okay? Maybe you can sit with Ashley. You like Ashley don’t you?” Elenore paused.


“I sit’s with Ashee?” She asked softly, double checking that she had heard him right.


“Mm hmm… maybe she will get you some breakfast.”


“Kay…” Elenore sniffled and she allowed Kevin to hand her over to Brian. Brian hugged her close protectively and he carried her off toward the cafeteria. As he was headed in there Nick was just coming back out.


“Where are you going? Doesn’t Kev need help?”


“He asked me to take Ellie into the cafeteria. Who’d you leave Ashley and Kota with?”


“Doctor Johnson, Riley, and Kori.”


“Okay, I’ll be right back. Go help Kev.” Nick nodded dutifully and he walked back out to the lobby and went and stood next to Kevin who was becoming mighty angry.


"What the Hell makes you think you've got the right to come in here and try to take her back, after dropping her off and stating you didn't want her anymore!?!" Kevin growled.


"I gave her up, without my husband's consent," Mrs. Ellerbee replied. "She's our daughter and I looked into these things - unless she's been here a week, we're allowed to take her back. And it hasn't been a week!"


"You are not taking Elenore from here!" Kevin snapped.


"And just who the Hell are you?" Mr. Ellerbee demanded, "You've no right to try and keep our daughter from us!"


"I have so! You beat her and left her! She's not yours to take home!" Kevin shouted.


"A friend of ours beat her, and is in jail now for doing so!" Mr. Ellerbee riposted. "Now, let us have our child and we shall be gone."


"That's the most fuckin' crock of shit I've ever heard!" Kevin spat, moving towards Elenore's father dangerously. "Over my dead body are you taking her!"


"That can be arranged," Mr. Ellerbee stated, moving closer to stand toe-to-toe with Kevin. It was silent for a few moments, as the two men stared one another down, until Nick finally stepped between them and gently shoved Kevin back.


"No killing him," he whispered to the older man. "You do, and then Ellie really will have to go."


"I can take him, Nick," Kevin muttered. Nick kept his smirk hidden - usually it was the older man calming him down, not the other way around.


"Yes, you can. But that won't do anybody any good - especially not Ellie. She sees you get violent, and she may become even more traumatized."


“If your friend was the one who beat her then how do you explain the fact that she is completely terrified of you? How do you explain the nightmares she has every night? She wakes up screaming bloody murder and your names are the ones we hear. We hear her begging mommy and daddy not to punish her. Why is that? I think you need to show me the police report of when your friend was arrested.” Brooke spoke up. Mr. and Mrs. Ellerbee hesitated slightly, looking at each other quickly, hoping for everyone else not to notice.

"Is that really necessary, why won't you just give us our daughter back? She's OURS!" Mrs. Ellerbee yelled, her eyes guarded.

"Why would we endanger, Ellie more? We aren't horrible people, like you." Nick scoffed.

"Ellie?! Her name is ELENORE. I am not a horrible person; I would like to have my daughter back." Mr. Ellerbee's voice shook with rage. Brooke crossed her arms and fixed a glare on the couple.


"If you two do not calm down I will be forced to call the authorities. They will handle this dispute, and deem if you are allowed to take Ellie back home. They will be speaking to Ellie and asking her if she feels like going home with you two." She told them just as Brian had reappeared at her side.


~*~*~*~*~*~


Meanwhile in the Cafeteria, Kori, Riley, Ashley, Doctor Johnson, Dakota, and Elenore were all eating breakfast - Elenore picking at hers more so then eating it. She couldn’t stop thinking about her parents in the lobby. She sat there feeling mixed emotions. Why had they come back for her? If she remembers correctly, her mother wanted to get rid of her so bad because she was a bad girl. She’s afraid to go back with them. Her mommy and daddy had treated her so horribly. But at the same time she loves her parents despite all the things they had done and part of her does want to go home with them. They are after all her parents and if they tell her it’s time to go she would very well have to go with them wouldn’t she? She wouldn’t want to be bad and end up being punished for it. But she does NOT want to leave Kevin, the rest of the Backstreet Boys, and her new friend Dakota behind.


"Ashee....they're nots gonna gets Ellie, are they?" Dakota asked worriedly. She was scared those angry people were going to take Elenore away from her. And she didn't want that, nor for her best friend to be hurt or scared.


"I don't know," Ashley sighed. "But I do know Kevin, Nicky, Brian, and Brooke will do everything they can to make sure she stays here with us."


"Kay," Dakota said softly. "Uncle Kevy gonna makes better." Ashley smiled as she nodded to the little one, hoping that Kevin was able to make it all better. And she didn't know why, but Elenore's father gave her the willies - it was almost like it was - nah, there was no way that was possible....Was there? She shuddered slightly, just thinking about it, ignoring the fact that Kori was sitting there staring at her. Elenore squirmed as she poked at her food. She liked Ashley well enough, and she loved Kota, but she really wanted Kevin. She was scared and wanted her protector as close as possible right then. She was confused and scared all at once. She cocked her head sideways, watching everyone else silently for a few minutes. When she was sure no one was paying her any mind, she slid off her seat and padded her way quietly out into the hallway. Once there, she spotted Kevin and everyone still standing there, arguing with her Mommy and Daddy.


"Kevy...." She called softly. "Kevy....." Hearing Elenore’s voice, Mr. Ellerbee looked her way. He raised his eyebrow and looked at the others. Brian, Brooke, Nick, and Kevin were all busy arguing with his wife they hadn’t noticed the little one come out of the cafeteria. He smirked suddenly and made his way toward her. Elenore saw him coming and cowered back against the closed door to the cafeteria as she suddenly wondered if coming to look for Kevin was a big mistake. When he got to her he snatched her up in his arms and she tensed up at the touch of his hands. The hands that she fears the most next to her mommy’s. She suddenly lost that feeling of wanting to go home with him. Now all she wanted was to stay with Kevin. She wanted Kevin to rescue her and protect her from the horrible monster that was supposed to be her daddy. But Kevin didn’t even notice what was going on. Why didn’t he notice her? She must get his attention! She did the only thing she could do. She began to scream.


“HELP! KEVY HELPS ME!!! DON’TS LET HIM TAKES ME!” Suddenly all five of the adults that were still very much engaged in their argument whipped their heads around at Elenore’s desperate cries for help and they saw Mr. Ellerbee suddenly headed toward the door.


“I’ve got her Shelly! Come on!” Shelly grinned at her husband’s accomplishment, and she turned and hurried after him. But Elenore was not going to let them take her. She was not going to let them take her from her Kevy. Elenore kicked and squirmed and screamed and bit, only to be smacked quite a few times as her father ran off with her - her mother close behind. Kevin stood, staring as if in a daze as he heard Elenore's frantic screams. She was screaming for him, and him alone. It was gut-wrenching and heart-warming all at once - even if he did feel as though somebody had just punched him in the stomach and was playing with his insides. With each scream she got further and further away, and the further away she got, the more his heart broke. Finally, he snapped out of his daze and went high-tailing it after the couple who'd stolen his Ellie! Ellie! Whether they were her biological parents or not, they'd no right to take her from him!


“Oh hell no…” Brian who finally realized just what was going on said, and he took off running after his cousin to help - Nick right behind him. Brooke on the other hand ran straight to the phone, picked it up, and dialed Detective Stabler’s number. When Kevin finally reached The Ellerbee’s in the parking lot he had run up from behind Mr. Ellerbee and he grabbed him and whirled him around to face him. He snatched Elenore from him before punching him hard in the face and Mr. Ellerbee staggered back as he cried out in pain. Nick gently took Elenore from Kevin’s arms to get her away from the violence while Brian grabbed Mrs. Ellerbee and pulled her back to keep her from attacking Kevin from behind in attempt to rescue her husband. Kevin shoved Mr. Ellerbee hard up against a brick wall and held him there.


“If you come near her ever again I’ll fucking kill you. Understood?!” He threatened him through gritted teeth and he punched him once more causing blood to spill from his nose.


“She is my DAUGHTER! I have EVERY right to have her back!” Mr. Ellerbee replied, and suddenly he kneed Kevin hard, right where it counts. It was then Kevin’s turn to cry out in pain and he lost his grasp on Mr. Ellerbee. Mr. Ellerbee then punched Kevin in the stomach and grabbed him by the arms before swinging him around and slamming him into the brick wall instead. Elenore heard Kevin’s cries and looked up from Nick’s shoulder despite the fact that his hand was rested gently at the back of her head to keep her from looking and when she saw what was happening her eyes widened in fear.


“KEVY!!!!” She shrieked.


“NICK Get her out of here! NOW!” Brian barked at the younger man, as he tried desperately to keep Mrs. Ellerbee back as she struggled against him with all her might. Nick turned and hurried back to the Orphanage, Elenore crying and struggling against him.


“KEVY!!! WANTS KEVY!!!!” Brian turned his attention on his cousin to see if he was okay. By now Kevin had managed to shove Mr. Ellerbee to the ground - but Mr. Ellerbee pulled him with him and they were now rolling around and struggling with each other on the ground while throwing punches at each other every chance they got. Suddenly Mrs. Ellerbee broke free of Brian’s grasp just on time to pull a gun out of her pocket. She grabbed Brian, wrapping an arm around his neck and she placed the gun to the side of his head. Brian froze, fear suddenly paralyzing his body.


“Let my husband go or I will shoot him in the head!” she threatened Kevin who still struggled with Mr. Ellerbee on the ground. Kevin paused as did Mr. Ellerbee and the two of them looked up at Mrs. Ellerbee. Seeing her holding a gun to Brian’s head Kevin’s heart leapt in fear. He immediately obeyed and let go of Mr. Ellerbee. He will NOT let that horrible woman take his cousin’s life. Ellie was safe that was all that mattered.


“Come on honey just forget about him. We’ve gotta go!”


“But--”


“NOW honey before the cops come!” at the word cops, Mr. Ellerbee immediately obeyed his wife. He jumped up and ran to the driver’s side of their car. Mrs. Ellerbee kept a hold of Brian with the gun pointed to his head as she walked backward to the passenger’s side. As Brian stood there fearing for his life, he suddenly felt movement inside his pocket. Oh shit Tyke…don’t do anything stupid! He thought, now suddenly fearing for his dog. Why oh why did I have to bring you in today? Tyke suddenly poked his head out of Brian’s pocket and he latched onto Mrs. Ellerbee’s arm with his teeth while growling viciously. Mrs. Ellerbee cried out in shrill pain as she looked down to see what had bit her. When she saw it was a Chihuahua she began to violently swing her arm around in hopes of throwing Tyke away but he was latched onto her tight. No one threatens his daddy like that and gets away with it. No one. Suddenly they heard distant sirens that sounded like police cars approaching.


“SHIT! SHELLY GET INTO THE CAR!” Mr. Ellerbee demanded, suddenly becoming panicky.


“I CAN’T I have a fucking dog latched onto me!” She shouted back.



“THROW IT away it is just a fucking Chihuahua!” Mr. Ellerbee demanded as he heard the sirens coming closer, and closer. He impatiently leaned over and grabbed onto his wife pulling her into the car causing Brian to fly backward hitting the ground.


“TYKE!” Brian shrieked and Mr. Ellerbee grabbed Tyke by the caller, yanked him off of his wife’s arm hard and he violently threw him out of the car - Tyke yelping in pain as Brian managed to catch him before he had flown past him. Mr. Ellerbee pulled his wife’s door shut, turned on the car and sped out of the parking lot as fast as he could just as a couple of police cars drove into the Orphanage. Brian clutched his dog close to him as he began to sob, the fear of almost losing his life, and his dog taking over him. Kevin who still laid on the ground in throbbing pain and covered in blood crawled over to Brian. He got behind him and wrapped his arms around him from behind and he held him close as he let him sob and get it all out. Meanwhile, Detective’s Stabler, Benson, and Fin all got out of their cars and rushed over to them to see just what was going on. Brooke who was standing at the closed door to the Orphanage watching the whole thing in a panic ran out to them too now that it was safe.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


While the police were helping Kevin and Brian and getting their statements, as well as Brooke's, Nick was dealing with a hysterical child - the child being Elenore. She'd seen her Kevy get hurt and that terrified her. She had to know if he was okay! She just had too!


"Shh....Ellie, calm down....Please....." Nick pleaded, trying to comfort her as best he could. "Kevin will be fine, I'm sure of it."


"KEVY!!!!!!!!" Elenore shrieked hysterically, tears streaming down her little face as she struggled to be set free. "KEVY!!!!!!! LEMME GOES TO MY KEVY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


"I can't," Nick said. "Kevin would be mad if I let you go back out there. It's not safe for you."


"YOU'S LEMME GOES SEES MY KEVY NOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Elenore screamed, kicking and punching Nick with all her might - even going so far as to bite him - hard. Nick yelped and pulled her far enough away from him that she couldn't bite him anymore, unless she was a contortionist. Just then Kevin walked in a long with Brian who still held Tyke close to him protectively.


“What’s going on in here?” Kevin asked, causing the temperamental little girl in Nick’s arms to stop fighting with him.


“KEVY!!!” She exclaimed gratefully, and Nick finally set her down on the ground. She shot off like a rocket toward her Kevy, crying hysterically. Kevin crouched down on the floor opening his arms for her just on time for her to go flying into them. He enveloped her in his strong and safe arms and he hugged her close. She immediately began to sob into his shoulder. He rubbed his hand over her back and kissed the top of her head before looking at Nick highly concerned.


“She saw you get hurt and was hysterical from the time I carried her in here up until now. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t get her to calm down.” Kevin looked down at Elenore in his arms and he again kissed the top of her head.


“I’m okay sweetie…don’t you worry about a thing. I just have a few cuts and bruises that I need to have taken care of but other than that I will be just fine.”


“Promise?” Elenore sniffled, as she looked up at him.


“I promise sweetheart.” Elenore looked up at him, tears flooding her eyes and rolling down her cheeks as she began to calm down some - but not much. He took his shirt and dried her face and he again hugged her close. She rested her head against his shoulder as he sat on the ground so he could be closer to her.


“I Loves you Kevy…” she told him softly, still sniffling some and Kevin’s heart melted as he tried his very hardest to hold the tears back - no such luck.


“I love you too Ellie…so much.” He told her. And he meant it. He loves Elenore with every ounce of his aching heart. Brian patted his cousin on the shoulder affectionately before heading toward the hospital wing - he needed to have Tyke checked over. He would feel better if he did. This may not be a vet but he doesn’t care. Doctor Johnson will be willing to look him over for him. He HAS to make sure Tyke is going to be okay.