Chapter Two-Hundred-Ninety-Five
When the boys and Ashley arrived at the playground Elenore, Josh, Dakota, Sarah, and even little Laila all took off running toward the play structure, all of them holding hands. Nick chuckled a little at the sight of the chain of children running across the playground together and he watched as AJ grabbed Ryan’s book from him. Ryan looked at him with a raised eyebrow, a protest just at the tip of his tongue but wanting very badly to go to ZooLights he didn’t risk opening his mouth and making him mad.
“Come on Kiddo, we’re at a playground. Run around…play.”
“I don’t want to,” Ryan insisted, looking over at the other kids whom he doesn’t fit in with at all. And he doesn’t really want to fit in either. Stuck up is what Ellie may like to think he is, but he really isn’t. A brat? Yes, he’ll admit that he was in the beginning. But suddenly, all of that just doesn’t seem important to him anymore. Why? He doesn’t know. Maybe he got sick of being mean. Maybe he just grew up. Or maybe…just maybe Howie had something to do with it. All he knows is, he is perfectly content in his own little world of books, writing, Howie, and Laila. He doesn’t want to bother with anything else. Okay, he’ll admit that does sound very stuck up. But he’s not…really. He’s just not one for hanging out with other kids. He doesn’t have a problem with any of them anymore. He just likes to be alone. Is that so terrible?
“Chris and I were just getting ready to kick a soccer ball around Ryan…how about you and AJ join us? We’ll make a little game out of it” Brian encouraged as he stands there with Chris whom has a soccer ball in his hand.
“I really want to finish my book,” Ryan insisted.
“You’ll have plenty of time for that later. Come on buddy…come play with us,” AJ insisted, draping an arm over Ryan’s shoulders and he steered him toward the big field with the goal posts and Brian and Chris followed. Kevin went over to play with the other kids and Nick turned his attention on Ashley. He watched her as she laid out a blanket in the shade and she laid Bella down and spread her toys out just as Abbie bounded over after playing with the noisy kids and she settled herself beside the baby as if she were her puppy. Ashley raised her eyebrow.
“Abbie…be careful.” She warned, and Abbie titled her head to the side in response.
“I mean it young lady. She is not your puppy, she’s human.” Abbie lightly rested her chin on Bella’s stomach and looked as if she could close her eyes and take a nap right there.
“Aww…” Nick chuckled. “You have to admit that’s extremely cute.” Ashley nodded and she pulled out her camera that she takes everywhere and began taking pictures.
“Bella and her puppy,” Nick continued. “At least she is starting to get some protective instincts. She looks like she could bite anybody who dare comes near her and isn’t supposed to.”
“Yeah, I think she’s starting to see that everytime Tyke does something good he instantly gets a treat and thinks that maybe if she does what he does, she’ll get one too.”
“Where is Tyke? Brian usually brings him along everywhere these days…” Nick wondered out loud as he looked over at his best friend who is playing soccer with AJ and the kids.
“He probably didn’t know we were bringing the rest of the puppies.”
“Probably,” Nick replied. He stared at her for a couple of moments in silence, causing Ashley to feel self conscious again as she wondered if maybe she was doing something to provoke him somehow. Nick read the unsure look on her face and he went over and slid his arms around her waist and pulled her near before kissing her forehead softly.
“I’m sorry about last night Nicky.”
“Don’t be. I already told you it’s not your fault.”
“Isn’t it?”
“Of course not. You can’t help it if I’m crazy about you,” he told her, while twirling a strand of her hair around his finger and looking into her eyes sincerely.
“No, but I could remember to be more helpful next time…”
“Don’t worry about it baby. I’m fine okay? And I don’t regret a single moment waiting for you so just get that out of your head right now.” She gazed up at him for a few moments in silence, before suddenly cupping his cheek in her hand and leaning up and placing an innocent kiss on his lips.
“I’ll behave from now on I promise.” Nick raised his eyebrow.
“Well that’s a complete waste of time,” he informed her. “Because I won’t,” he added before playfully falling backward onto the blanket – but nowhere near Bella where he could hurt her, and Ashley shrieked in surprise as he had pulled her down with him making her land on top of him. He rolled them over so she was underneath and she giggled as he cradled her face in his hands and brought his lips down onto hers and returning her mind boggling kisses – giving her a taste of her own medicine. Kevin who had turned to see what was going on the moment Ashley screamed shook his head amusedly at the inseparable couple. He is definitely glad things are getting back to normal between the two of them. Except for Nick’s occasional need for reassurance everytime she gets close to Brandon, it is like the two of them had never broken up in the first place. Infact, he can see that the whole situation has made them even closer then they were before…and he didn’t think that was possible up until now.
~*~*~*~*~
When Sean had managed to stop crying after a long while, he continued to lay in Trevor’s lap at the side of the lake weakly. The two of them had been sitting there for so long that they were both nearly dry since they had gotten out of the lake back at their house.
“Do you want to tell me what this is all about?” Trevor asked when he decided it was safe to and he brushed Sean’s damp hair to the side of his forehead so he could lean down and place a kiss on it.
“It’s not important.”
“Bullshit.” Sean raised his eyebrow up at Trevor, and Trevor sighed heavily.
“You can’t tell me it’s not important when you just threw a ginormous fit Sean. What happened at this lake that has you so upset? What are you remembering?” Sean looked back at the lake and Trevor watched his face as he turned his attention back to one particular spot. A spot he’d been staring at when he joined his side to comfort him earlier.
“What was in that spot Sean?” he asked, leaning forward and murmuring in his ear as he rubbed his and over his arm affectionately. “What happened in that lake?”
“I’ve had enough of walking down memory lane for one day Trev, please just drop it.” Trevor shut up then, staring down at his lover incredulous. The word ‘please’ throwing him off completely. Sean doesn’t ask people anything…he orders them around. He doesn’t think he’s ever heard the word please come out of his mouth in all the years he’s known him. Trevor’s fingers danced across Sean’s face in a slow comforting way as he just sat there watching him for a long while. After a long while Sean spoke up again.
“Take me home Trevor…I don’t like it here.” Trevor got to his feet then and helped Sean up and he took his hand into his, laced their fingers together, and led him back into the woods toward their home. As they were walking through the woods slowly and quietly though, just enjoying the peace that it brought Sean suddenly heard children’s laughter in the distance. Thinking nothing of it, he slid both his arms around Trevor’s neck loosely and nestled his head in his neck comfortably as they walked. They took a few more steps until suddenly he heard a familiar laugh. A laugh that he rarely ever heard, unless he allowed it to happen. He stopped abruptly, lifted his head from the comfy perch on Trevor and glanced around.
“Do you hear that?”
“Hear what?” Trevor asked confused, and he looked around as well but all he could hear was birds chirping.
“Children laughing. There are children laughing in the distance…don’t you hear it?”
“Baby…children laugh…that’s what they do. Whats the big deal?” he asked, though as he strained his ears to hear it, he suddenly did.
“I could’ve sworn…”
“What?” Trevor asked with sincere curiosity and he squeezed Sean’s hand gently.
“I could’ve sworn that I heard my daughter laughing.” Trevor raised his eyebrow.
“From all the way over here? Sean…from the sounds of it, they’re at the park. That’s a mile away. There’s no way…”
“I’m serious Trevor,” Sean insisted firmly, and when he turned to look at Trevor he saw the serious gaze in his eyes. “I know my daughter’s laugh anywhere. I may have spent a lot of time making sure she didn’t laugh…but there were times when she did. I know its her.”
“I think you are hearing things,” Trevor insisted. “It’s not Ellie baby…its just a bunch of kids. Come on…lets go home.” Sean glanced back toward the direction of the park again and just stared for a few moments, listening for Ellie to laugh one more time. After a long moment when she didn’t, he sighed and nodded, before allowing Trevor to continue taking him home. He rested his head against Trevor’s shoulder again as they walked and Trevor squeezed his hand gently as it draped over his shoulder and kissed his forehead. Sean walked a long side him completely content with Dr. Jeykll right now and he is not about to let Mr. Hyde take over. He didn’t realize how much he missed Trevor when he was ignoring him. When they got back to the house Trevor went up to the porch and leaned against the pole as he watched Sean go over and pick up Elenore’s letter and he glanced down at it and began to read it over again. Remembering that he still hasn’t gotten the chance to read it, Trevor walked back over to Sean and he slid his arms around his waist from behind, rested his chin on his shoulder and he began to read it with him.
I don’t hate you daddy…and I don’t love you either. But I do know you aren’t a bad man deep down inside…you just made a lot of bad choices. That is why I write to you…to beg you to stop being so FOOLISH. You are not taking great care to not die on me, you are doing the opposite! And though I don'ts love you, I still don'ts want you to die. Nobody shoulds hafta worry 'bouts seein' or hearin' their Daddy die. And anybody who wishes their Daddy would die, well, they better have a very good reason. I never wanted you to die though - not even when you hads me an' were mean all the time. You still bought me my BSB CD an' poster an' you gaves me candy once. I knew you coulds be nice, ifs you knew how’s to be. Kevy made me sees that, more than I had before. Kevy's taughts me lots of things, an' so's Uncle Jerry. I thinks I scares him sometimes withs my thoughts though - Hehe. Buts please Daddy takes cares of yerself an' quits killin' peoples off! I know you had that evil Pearlman man killed! I just knows its! I knows you too well sometimes...sometimes I wishes I didn'ts...buts yer my Daddy, an' I guess I'm s'pose to have connections withs you an' stuffs...I dunno...Buts, I better goes before security gets suspicious again…can'ts have that. I look forwards to yer letters! An' in the words of my Kevy, "Be goods!" ~Ellie~
The letter had said. And Sarah had even tried to write it in Ellie’s lingo so that it would sound like her. Even though her grammar is a lot better since she is older. But the letter isn’t supposed to be from her and surely her father would pick up on that detail when he read it. Trevor tightened his arms around Sean’s waist and kissed the side of his neck softly.
“I know it was Ellie I heard Trev…”
“You couldn’t possibly have…”
“Why not? I gave up my daughter, not my fatherly instincts Trevor.”
“So what if it was her? Like you just said, you gave her up. Let her play…” Sean looked up at Trevor who gazed into his eyes curiously and when he saw that this is a huge deal to him he sighed before reaching into his pocket and pulling out his cell phone. He opened it up, dialed Max’s number and placed it to his ear waiting on him to pick up.
“Hello?”
“Hey Max, it’s me.”
“What’s up?”
“Is Elenore at the park?”
“…Yeah, how could you know that?” Max asked incredulous, and Trevor can just tell that he is looking around. Trevor didn’t reply he only looked at Sean with a raised eyebrow. Sean didn’t need to know what Max had said to know the answer. He can read it for himself on his lover’s face. He pulled away from Trevor then and started off in a sprint toward the woods in the direction of the park. Trevor shut his phone off and hurried after him.
“Sean! This is suicidal! We’re heading directly toward danger. Have you not learned anything from that hole in your side?”
“I won’t let them see me. I just want to watch her!” was all Sean said. Trevor grumbled.
“If I knew I was going to be doing a lot of running today I would’ve put shoes on.”
“Oh quit being such a drama queen and hurry up!” when they arrived at the park, Sean came to a stop just inside the woods, far beyond eye sight from anybody in the park. Trevor stopped behind him, this time not running into him as he did. At least Sean thought he was beyond anyone’s eyesight. Suddenly his too smart of a daughter for her own good, turned and looked directly at him.
~*~*~*~*~
Elenore was happily playing with her friends, laughing and having a grand old time, when she felt eyes on her. She glanced around, and immediately knew it wasn't Kevin whom was watching her at that moment. She'd a gut feeling then, and darted her eyes directly towards the woods that were there. Her Daddy was here, she just knew it. She could feel it. He was here, and no one but her knew. Why he was here, she'd no idea, but she just had to see him. Had to tell him to listen to those letters she was sending him. It was important! She glanced around cautiously once more, to ensure nobody was watching her at that very moment. Upon seeing that everyone else was distracted, she cautiously started to head towards the wooded area. Little did she know that someone other than her father was indeed watching her right then.
"Ellie! Where're you going?" Josh demanded, suddenly appearing at her side.
"Nowheres," Elenore replied evasively.
"Yer gonna gets yourself in trouble by goin' nowhere," Josh told her, knowing her well enough to know she was in the process of taking off.
"No I'm nots, 'cause nobody's gonna knows," Elenore told him, casting him a glare. "I'm going nowheres, an' you can'ts stops me!"
"I'll tell Kevin," Josh threatened, not wanting for her to get in trouble - especially not if they were going to ZooLights later on that day.
"No you will nots!" Elenore snapped, turning on him quickly, as she'd begun to walk away again. "Or I'ma beats you to a bloody pulps, Joshy!"
"Then stay where yer s'pose to Ellie," Josh insisted. "And Kevin told you not to threaten yer friends like that, or he'd be very angry."
"Then let's him be angry," Elenore shrugged. "'Sides, he's too busy chasin' Kota, Sarah, Spencer, an' Laila around. He's nots gonna hears me."
Josh rolled his eyes. "C'mon. We can go play turtles."
"No," Elenore stated firmly. "I'm goin' nowheres to sees my Daddy." Josh's eyes went wide then.
"Sean's here!?!?"
"SHH!!!!" Elenore hissed. "Don'ts announce it’s to the worlds, Joshy!" Josh frowned.
"Ellie, yer nots s'pose to goes anywhere nears him. He's a bad man."
"He is nots!" Elenore snapped. "His choices are bad, nots him! An' I'ma goes to sees him, whether you likes its or nots!"
"But why?" Josh wanted to know. "Aren't those letters you're sending him enough?"
"'Cause it's important to me that I sees him!" Elenore said firmly. "An' if yer gonna tattles, least gives me a five minutes heads start!"
"I'm going with you," Josh said finally, knowing there was no way he was going to be able to talk her out of this. "I'm not letting you go alone, Ellie."
"Then let's go before somebody sees us, already!" Elenore exclaimed somewhat. "We're wastin' time here!" Josh sighed heavily, but allowed for her to take his hand and lead him off into the woods nonetheless.
"Are you sure he's here?" Josh asked, once they were in the woods and out of sight of the Backstreet Boys and security whom had been nice enough to bring them to the park in the first place.
"Very sure," Elenore replied. "I can feels it."
"You mean, you didn't even see him?!?!" Josh exclaimed. "Ellie! For all we know, we just walked into a trap!"
"We're ninjas, Joshy," Elenore reminded him, as if pretending to be a ninja solved everything. "We can gets outta anything."
"Oh, really?" A voice spoke from behind them then, causing the two children to whirl around and come face-to-face with a man they had not seen in quite a while.
"Daddy!" Elenore exclaimed. "I was rights! You are here!" Sean narrowed his eyes at her some.
"And so are you, despite everyone's orders for you to stay in sight." Elenore shrugged some, her one hand still clinging tightly to Josh.
"I hads to sees you."
"Whether you had to see me or not, you know better than to wander off!" Sean snapped.
"What's it to you, huh?" Elenore asked, narrowing her eyes at him in return.
"I am not going to kill the whole world off just to keep you safe, Elenore!" Sean growled. "It's just not plausible!"
"Then don'ts," Elenore replied. "You don'ts gots to kills anybody off fer me. Detective Stabler can just puts them in jail."
Sean rolled his eyes. "That blasted Detective isn't always going to be there to save your behind, Elenore. If you keep taking off like this, not even Kevin can save you, and there's no way in Hell Josh here can save you from the men I have pissed off."
"Why do you even cares ifs they gets me, hmm?" Elenore pressed.
"We have already discussed this!" Sean reminded her, glaring. "I am not going to stand here and explain shit to you again!" Elenore shrugged.
"Fine then. I'ma goes back an' plays with my friends an' puppy."
"Elenore Ellerbee, don't you walk away from me, Young Lady!" Sean roared, though not too loud, even though they were pretty deep into the woods. "Do you not remember what Max told you the last time you wandered off alone?" Elenore froze a moment and turned to look at her father.
"You can'ts touches me," she replied calmly. "Kevy will knows then."
"I'd rather him know, than have you keep wandering off on him like this!" Sean riposted, moving quickly and grabbing hold on her. Once he'd a hold of her, he swiftly flipped her little pink skirt up and roughly yanked her panties down, and began to spank her good. Josh watched wide-eyed, not sure what to do, as he listened to Elenore shriek and cry as she desperately squirmed to try and get away from the evil hand that was spanking her. A few minutes later, Sean let Elenore go, then grabbed Josh and proceeded to do the same thing to him. "You two are going to stay in sight of them blasted Backstreet Boys, because if I have to do this again, instead of not being able to sit for a couple days, you will not be sitting for a month!" He quickly finished spanking Josh, and stood him back next to Elenore once more. "Now, neither of you are to breathe a word of this to anyone until you are back at that Orphanage, got it?" Both children nodded midst their sobs. "And Elenore, if you do this again, I will make sure Santa never brings you those blasted sai you want!" Sean threatened, watching as his daughter's eyes went wide. "Now, scat!" Elenore and Josh both yelped once more, as Sean's hand connected with each of their backsides before they'd a chance to turn and run off. The two of them ran fast as they could, unaware that Sean had moved back into hiding with Trevor, and was watching to ensure they did get back to the park safely. When they arrived back at the park they found all of the grownups and their friends panicking – they had only been gone five minutes and already they’re freaking out.
“ELLIE! GODDAMNIT ELLIE, WHERE ARE YOU?? ANSWER ME!” Kevin shouted for the umpteenth time.
“We’re right here,” Elenore spoke up, managing to stop herself from crying and all four men whirled around and looked at her. Brian narrowed his eyes.
“Where have you two been?!”
“We…accidentally threw our ball too far…it went into the woods and so we went to find it, but we couldn’t.” Josh lied. Kevin scowled. He is getting very sick of them not getting a grownup first before wandering off – they know better.
“I’ve about HAD it with this running off young lady!” he informed her. “I don’t care if Lil’ Rok runs into those woods you get me first before you go off looking for him! You get me before you run off after a ball! Do you hear me?” Elenore nodded quietly as a tear slid down her cheek. Kevin knelt down in front of her and gently took her arms into his hands making her look at him. “Because you are far more important to me then any goddamn ball! You are irreplaceable Elenore!”
“Lil’ Rok is irreplaceable too…” she managed to choke out.
“That is why you get me or another grownup to go looking for him with you so neither of you get hurt!” Kevin demanded. “You know better!”
“I’m sorry,” Elenore sobbed. And boy was she sorry. If she knew she was going to get a spanking by running off to see her daddy, she never would have done it.
“Well sorry or not you are going to march your little behind over to that bench and sit down the rest of the time we are here!”
“BUTS KEVY!”
“NOW. Or you wont go to ZooLights tonight either! I am this close to taking that privilege away anyway so you better not press me Elenore!” Elenore stomped off toward the bench then while sobbing, Kevin thinking that its just because he yelled at her, but really he has no idea.
“Josh, you can go sit on that other bench right over there,” Brian added, deciding Kevin had said all that needs to be said to Elenore and Josh heard it just fine. Josh scowled over at Elenore then; feeling very annoyed with his future cousin at the moment. Why does she always have to get them in trouble? Sure he didn’t have to go with her, but who was going to ensure that she came back alive if he didn’t?
“I don’t see you moving, Josh!” Brian informed after a couple of moments. Josh hastily made his way over to the bench and he eyed it warily. His bottom is way too sore to be sitting on that. After a couple of moments of deciding what to do, he just lay sideways on his stomach and rested his head on his arms. He looked over at the other bench where is annoying cousin was at, and saw her doing the same thing. When Kevin and Brian saw that they were safely on the bench, they turned and looked at everybody else.
“Where do I get one of these leashes, AJ?” Kevin asked softly.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
It was co-written with Lenni.
Enjoy =)
It was co-written with Lenni.
Enjoy =)
