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Chapter Three-Hundred-Nine



“Where is Ashley Nick?” Brooke asked after a long while, as they were all still sitting in the playroom talking. It’s not that she hasn’t noticed Nick’s Siamese twin was missing up until that moment, but she just now thought to ask about it.


“Yeah Nick, where is my sister” AJ added as he on the other hand did suddenly just notice she wasn’t there. She can be so quiet sometimes that it didn’t even occur to him that she might not be there. He just assumed she was, because she always is.


“Up in the hospital wing with Doctor Johnson. She went up there to be with him as he sat with Annabelle and her parents.”


“Tonight is the night they pull the plug isn’t it?” Howie asked softly, and Brooke nodded glumly.


“Steve is beside himself with grief over this. If she doesn’t make it through this I’m telling you it’s not going to be a good thing. I’m worried about him.”


“What are we all sitting down here for then? We should be following Ashley’s lead” Kori asked while getting up.


“I really want to be up there with him but I’ve been away from my orphanage for too long. I need to be here with the children.”


“Isn’t her family up there with her? Won’t they think we’re intruding?” Riley added.


“They don’t seem to mind that Ashley and Brandon are up there” Nick replied while shrugging his shoulders. “They might be grateful to know that all of these people care about what happens to their daughter.”


“Why is Doctor Johnson sad? What plug are they gonna pull daddy?” Dakota wanted to know and she looked up at her father with genuine concern. Nick looked to Kevin for this answer, as he isn’t sure on exactly how to explain such a thing to a four-year-old. How do you explain to a child that a family is about to take away the only thing keeping their child alive because they just can’t hold on any longer?


“It’s nothing you need to worry about sweetheart,” Kevin said after a couple of moments when he couldn’t come up with a good enough answer. Dakota looked around at all of the grownups and noticed how sad they’re and she knows they’re keeping something from her. If it’s nothing to worry about then why is everybody sad? Nick slid his arms around Dakota’s waist and shifted her so she is lying across his lap sideways and she nestled her head into his chest as he hugged her close to him affectionately and she recognizes this hug as his I’m lucky it isn’t you hug. She hugged him back and looked up at him with great concern but otherwise said nothing. Kori took Wiley’s hand and she looked at Scott who was sitting on the floor leaning up against a wall comfortably.


“Keep an eye on our son” was all she said and she and Wiley left the room to go see Doctor Johnson, the man who befriended her the moment she stepped foot inside this building. He was there for her when she was facing Ashley’s wrath and that was a very difficult time for her – it’s only right that she be there for him. Scott watched them leave the room not missing the fact that Kori was trying to avoid eye contact with him at all cost. Ever since their little private conversation in the backyard of her childhood home she’s been doing everything in her power not to be in the same room as him and when she is, she tries her hardest not to look at him. He would be lying if he said it doesn’t make his heart ache. God does he want her and he knows she wants him to and he is about to take their little fight they had a couple of weeks ago as a hint. Why would she be giving him such a hard time if she didn’t want him to fight for her? She was practically begging him to and when he called her on it she tried to pass it off as a whole different meaning. But he knows her. He knows better. If she wants him to sweep her off her feet…then so be it. He’s done it before; he can do it again. No more Mr. Responsible he thought to himself as he looked over at his son who was still playing with Chris. He wants his family back, and he wants it back now. He tried to be grown up about this, he tried to let her go, but he can’t. That saying if you love someone let them go may be true for some things, but other times, you just have to fight hard for the one you want. He didn’t before and he will never forgive himself for that. He is not about to let them get away again. He looked at everybody else who was now back in their deep conversations and he got up and went over to Spencer and Chris who were still playing with their action figures.


“Hey daddy, join us!” Spencer pleaded. “Please?”


“Sure Kiddo,” Scott smiled and he sat down beside him. “Come here bud, give me a hug I want to tell you a secret.” Spencer stood up and went to his father curiously and Scott enveloped him in his arms for a firm hug before whispering softly in his ear.


“I’m never making the mistake of letting you and your mom go again. I promise.” Spencer smiled at him upon hearing this secret, but then he couldn’t help but frown a little.


“What about Wiley?” he asked concerned. As much as he wants his mom and dad back together, he loves Wiley very much. He’s been there for him his whole life and the last thing he wants his for him to get hurt. Scott sighed as he could just see the battle going on in his son’s head.


“Wi is a great man and I don’t want to see him hurt either. As jealous of him that I am for being here for you your whole life, he did do a good job at taking care of you and for that I am thankful. But you are my family Spencer…it’s high time I claim you. I love you way too much to let you go.”

“What if its too late though?” Spencer asked softly. “What if momma loves Wi now?”


“She may love him son but she doesn’t love him the way she loves me. And she never will” Scott informed. He didn’t want to take advantage of her vulnerability towards him, but all is fair in love and war. Spencer smiled up at Scott some.


“You are going to fight for us then? Really?”


“Yes I am.” Spencer slid his arms around Scott and nestled his head against his shoulder.


“It took you long enough…” Scott chuckled and kissed the top of Spencer’s head and rubbed his hand over his back and Spencer silently thanked Santa. He was ready to give up on him when he didn’t get the one gift he’d asked for. His mom and dad aren’t exactly together…but hey it’s close enough. Maybe Santa just can’t control whether or not people fall in love. After a few moments Spencer pulled away and he sat down in his spot on the floor again and he continued to play action figures with Chris and just as Spencer requested, Scott joined in. As he was doing that, Detective Benson suddenly walked in.


“OLIVIA!!!” Elenore exclaimed excitedly and she slid down from Kevin’s lap and ran over to the Detective she loves almost as much as Detective Stabler.


“Hi!” Olivia replied and she kneeled down and held her arms open just on time for the five-year-old to go flying into them. She hugged her tightly and Olivia returned it. “How has your Christmas been so far? Did you have fun? Did Santa treat you well?”


“Uh-huhs we had lots of fun an’ Santa brought us lots of stuff!”


“That’s great to hear” Olivia smiled. “But if you got lots of gifts then I guess you don’t have any room for more…” she teased and Elenore’s eyes widened.


“Yes we dooo! We have lots of room!” Olivia laughed.


“Well…I don’t know…”


“Pleeeease Olivia, pleeeease?” Elenore pleaded, as by the look on the detective’s face she can tell that she is hiding more presents from her. She gave her the most innocent look she could muster and Olivia caved.


“Oh all right” she laughed. “Go on out in the lobby and see. Elliot is waiting.” Elenore shrieked with excitement and she made a mad dash from the playroom out to the lobby without even bothering to wait on Kevin. Kevin laughed and shook his head and he stood up and headed on out after her and so did Nick, Brian, AJ, and Howie who all gathered up their children as well and Scott brought Spencer along. When they were all out in the lobby they made it just on time to see Elenore greet Detective Stabler with a hug and lots of kisses on the cheek as he’d been standing there waiting with a big red bag in his hands and a Santa Claus hat on.


“Hi there squirt Merry Christmas” he told her while hugging her close to him affectionately.


“Merry Christmas Elliot – what’d you gets me?”


“Ellie!” Kevin lectured, but he couldn’t help but chuckle slightly. Detective Stabler just laughed.


“What makes you think I got you anything? Huh?” he teased while tickling her in the sides and she giggled and squirmed.


“Cause Olivia makes it obvious.”


“Ohh, I see. Well she’s fired then” Detective Stabler teased and he tickled her some more clearly enjoying her giggles.


“Ellioooot!” she squeaked and he chuckled and stopped finally before sitting down on the floor with her in his lap and he looked at the other children.


“Well I got something for all of you kids, so come take a look” he told them with a grin and he opened up the bag for them. Dakota, Josh, Chris, Ryan – with Laila’s hand in his, Sarah, and Spencer all went on over to look and Detective Stabler pulled out six boxes and handed them out to the older kids, and then handed Laila her very own Tickle Me Elmo.


“Elmo!” Laila exclaimed happily and she turned and looked at AJ whose jaw dropped and eyes widened in mock surprise.


“Elmo, no way!” he exclaimed and he sat down next to her and began to take it out of the box for her and show her how to use it. Meanwhile the rest of the kids were all tearing open the wrapping paper to their presents and as soon as they all got them open, Josh, Chris, and Sarah all discovered an Active Detective kit inside. It includes an Eavesdropping device that allows you to hear whispers and secrets from a distance, a secret pen that has an ultra-violet flashlight that allows you to read what was written with the invisible ink, a fingerprint kit, Binoculars, and an Investigator’s file. The investigators file contains 6 fingerprint pages, 4 monitor pages, 3 pages to open investigations, and 3 pages to close investigations. He gave those to the three who could read and write with every intention of them sharing with the younger kids. Elenore, Dakota, and Spencer all received a box with Detective’s clothing – a hat, coat, and an actual badge that came from his police department and they were each given their own set of binoculars, magnifying glass, and Eavesdropping device. Ryan was given a Sleuth Detective Game board game where you have to try and find the missing gems. He actually showed lots of excitement in getting that which surprised Howie because he didn’t know he was interested in Detective stuff. But then what little boy isn’t interested in sleuthing? No matter how mature they are for their age.


“Elliot this is so cool!” Dakota exclaimed, thinking about how much more fun it will be to crawl through the air vents with her new Detective stuff. She lunged forward and threw her arms about him for a hug and he chuckled and hugged her back.


“I’m glad you like it. Do great things with this stuff Kota” he told her while moving back a little and looking her in the eyes as he knows about her sleuthing techniques. She has a habit of helping them out when they need it the most – Doctor Adams for example.


“You can count on me” she told him dutifully and he smirked and wrapped his arm around Elenore who hugged him too.


“When do I gets to come see your work Elliot?” she wanted to know.


“Very soon sweetheart, very soon. Id like you to come with me some day when I actually have to arrest someone, but I need to make sure it’s absolutely safe for you first.”


“Really??” she asked excitedly.


“Of course. I want you to see first hand exactly what it’s like to be a detective. And that means seeing us in action. Is that okay with you?” Elenore nodded eagerly and Detective Stabler smiled at her and kissed her cheek. “But I have to make sure it’s safe for you first.”




~*~*~*~*~*~



Meanwhile in Washington DC the President of the United States, George W. Bush was in the sitting room in the White House enjoying Christmas with his wife and daughters when Joyce – his secretary walked in with an envelope in her hand.


“Hey George I’m sorry to bother you, but…” she began and he looked up from his family and at her and noticed the troubled look on her face.


“What’s wrong Joyce? What is it?” he asked concerned.


“You have a letter…and I think you should read it” she told him and she placed it in his outstretched hand. “It’s from a little girl in Florida who lives in an orphanage. She wrote a very powerful letter and has a very serious request.” He pulled the letter out of the envelope and unfolded it and he began to read


Dear Mr. President,


My name is Sarah Lynn Carter and I am six years old. I live in Ramsey Orphanage in Florida and I am writing to you in favor of a really good friend of mine whose name is Elenore Ellerbee – soon to be Richardson if Uncle Kevin ever gets his butt in gear and adopts her already! Cause we all know he wants to, but he is just a very big stubborn slow poke. Anyway, the reason I am writing to you is because she could really use your help. Her daddy is in terrible danger.


He’s made a lot of very bad decisions in the past such as hurting people very badly or even going as far as killing them. One of those people he liked to hurt very badly was his daughter Elenore. He abused her all the time, an’ locked her in closets, an’ made her cry, an’ did really mean things to her. All Ellie ever does is hurt all the time. An’ she is very afraid that one bad mistake she makes might make Kevin hurt her like her daddy had done. And like her daddy she does tend to make bad decisions. She is a very impulsive girl. Kevin loves her with all of his heart though an’ would never do such a thing. An’ she’s learning that…slowly. The more he loves her, the more she sees.


As impulsive an’ broken as she may be though, Ellie has a very big heart Mr. President. You see, even though Sean Ellerbee has hurt her very badly she still worries about him every single day. She knows that whenever he finally gets himself caught he is going to be given the death penalty. An’ the thought really tears her apart because even though he hurt her, he is still her daddy an’ he always will be an’ she doesn’t want him to die. But does anybody ever want their daddy to die?


Sean Ellerbee may have made a lot of very bad decisions, but that does not mean he is a bad man. Even though he hurt Ellie very badly, he still loved her in his own little way. He bought her a Backstreet Boys CD an’ posters when she asked for them, an’ had given her candy…an’ he even did the best thing he could ever do for her. He gave her up to the Orphanage so that she could have a better life an’ he still looks out for her an’ makes sure she stays safe even though his way of looking out for her may be wrong.


So Mr. President…we ask that you please have a heart. Ellie cries herself to sleep every night an’ wakes up crying some more because sleeping wasn’t any better. An’ she hardly ever smiles anymore, an’ the only thing on her mind these days is saving her daddy’s life. Please give Ellie a reason to smile again.


Sincerely yours,
Sarah Lynn.



He read the letter a few times over again and just by the look on his face his wife knows whatever was written in it has really gotten to him.


“George what’s wrong? What does it say?”



~*~*~*~*~




Meanwhile back at the Orphanage, it is now eleven thirty at night and still there is no sign of Annabelle recovering. Nick had gone up to be with Ashley as soon as he put the children to bed and made sure AJ was babysitting Bella and Kori and Wiley are still in there as well. There is only a half n hour left until they pull the plug and Annabelle’s entire family is distraught. Doctor Johnson is trying his hardest to hold it together for them but those who are closest to him know better. They’ve been talking to her, pleading her to pull through, holding her hand, and stuff but nothing seemed to be working. Suddenly Doctor Smith walked in as he is the one who is going to be there to pull the plug since Doctor Johnson is too emotionally attached and won’t be able to.


“We still have a half n hour” he informed, giving Doctor Smith a hard look.


“I know, I know” Doctor Smith replied while holding his hands up in the air in a ‘don’t shoot’ position. He went over and wrapped his arms around Doctor Johnson’s shoulders and gave him a look that clearly said I just came to check on my co-worker and see how he is holding up. Doctor Johnson scowled as Doctor Smith isn’t exactly his friend at the moment and he pulled away from him. He felt Ashley’s hand touch his shoulder and looked at her. She gave him a comforting look before sliding her arms around him and resting her chin on his shoulder as he looked over at Annabelle’s mother. She was sitting on the edge of Annabelle’s bed holding her hand in one of her hands and brushing her hair back with her other as she just sat there silently watching her with tears rolling down her cheek. He looked over at Annabelle’s daughter Rebecca, who is sitting in Annabelle’s best friend Lauren’s lap. Her face is buried in her chest and she is soaking the older woman’s shirt with her tears. Ashley followed Doctor Johnson’s gaze and her heart was aching for the family who was kind enough to let her be apart of this and not make her feel like she is intruding. She looked back over at Annabelle next. She is going to pull through. She just has to. She’s so young…she has so much to live for. She has a little girl…a family who loves her…how could it be her time? It just can’t be. She looks so peaceful lying there. Almost as if she were dreaming…



~*~*~*~*~


It was a bright sunny day as Annabelle stood in the middle of a beautiful garden with roses, daisies, and flowers of blue, pink, and orange and she is standing in front of a house. Not her own house though, its a stranger’s house. It’s a two story red brick house and just from looking around she can see that she is in the backyard. There’s a fence all around it and there is a Tree House with a ladder that leads you up to the entrance of it. Her eyes lingered on that Tree House as she suddenly felt a sudden desire to venture into it. She doesn’t know why she has that desire, she just does. Deciding to see why, she walked across the yard to the ladder and she climbed on up and poked her head through the hole where she found a little girl sitting at a table having a make believe tea party with her stuffed animals and dolls.


“Hi Annabelle! I’ve been waiting for you. Come join me!” the little girl spoke cheerfully.


“…Who are you? How do you know my name?”


“I’m Kayline Johnson.”


“…I…I don’t know what I am doing here” Annabelle informed while looking around. “Or…even where I am at in the first place.”


“You are asleep – an’ your mommy is really sad” Kayline told her with a small frown on her face.


“What??” Annabelle asked confused, and the little girl pointed to the right side of the Tree House. Annabelle looked over there and instead of seeing a wall there she saw her lying in a bed and her mother sitting next to her holding her hand and brushing her hair back as tears clouded her eyes.


“…How long have I been ‘sleeping’?” she asked while managing to hide the panic out of her voice with ease. She has a daughter herself and has trained herself quite well on how to handle stressful situations in front of children. Annabelle sat down at the table and picked up the make believe cup and pretended to join in on this little girl’s tea party.


“For a long time” Kayline answered sadly.


“Where is your family? Will they get mad at me for being up here with you?”


“They’re my brothers” Kayline answered while once again pointing to the wall on the other side of the room that shows her Annabelle’s best friend Rachel and her family grieving for her. For the first time then she noticed six strangers there – two of them wearing a doctor’s uniform and the others she just plain doesn’t know.


“The brown haired doctor is Steve – Doctor Johnson to you an’ he’s your doctor. The man standing next to him – the one who looks just like him…is my other brother Brandon. My mommy an’ daddy are dead like me.”


“Your dead?” Annabelle asked, not being able to hide the alarm. She figured as much seeing as how she is sitting there looking at herself in a coma, but its still a shock to her.


“Yeah…” Kayline told her quietly while looking down at her dolls. “I died a long time ago…mommy says Id be eighteen right now if I were still alive.” Annabelle gaped at her for a few moments.


“You wanna know how I died?” Kayline questioned as if she were asking Annabelle if she wanted to hear a bedtime story.


“We don’t…have to if…”


“It’s okay, I want to tell you” Kayline insisted. “I died in my big brother Steve’s arms” She informed while looking at her brother fondly. Still to this day she admires him. “He tried to save my life…but…he couldn’t. An’ now he is very sad an’ thinks I hate him but I don’t. I love him even more for tryin’.”


“Is that the reason he became a Doctor?” Annabelle questioned and Kayline nodded and continued on with her story. “We had a tornado here…an’ I was playing in this tree house just minutes before it came. Stevie came out to get me an’ on our way in a car part hit me in the side. Stevie didn’t know it till the tornado was long over with – he thought I was just screaming cause I was scared.”


“So…” Annabelle began softly while looking around the place. “Are you a…ghost or something? Haunting this tree house?”


“No silly” Kayline giggled. “I’m an’ angel an’ I’ve been sent here to wait for you – I was told you’d come into the tree house.”


“How come? Are you going to take me to Heaven?” She asked, a flicker of fear showing in her eyes as she looked over at the vision on the wall of her daughter.


“Only if the time is right.”


“It’s not,” Annabelle insisted. “See that little girl over there? She’s my daughter. I have to get back, I have to be there for her.” Annabelle shook her head as a single tear rolled down her cheek. “I…I have so much stuff I still need to do.”


“I understand” Kayline replied softly. If there is anyone who understands what it’s like to die so young, she does. “But what are you waiting for then?”


“I don’t know,” Annabelle told her while rubbing at her eyes. “I don’t know…how to wake up. I can feel my mother’s touch, I can hear them talking to me…I just don’t know how to wake up.”


“Oh” Kayline replied.


“How come you died so young Kayline? You were only seven years old. How is that fair?” Kayline smiled a little.


“God has his reasons,” she told her while looking at Annabelle as if she knows something she doesn’t know, but is going to find out very soon. “He has a plan for everybody. My brother loved me very much and God knows he’s having a hard time even to this day but he needed me. And Stevie will be okay soon, he’s going to get through it.”


“How?” Annabelle wanted to know, as she noticed the look she was giving her. Like there is something she has to figure out.


“You’ll see. Things always have a way of working themselves out” she told her while smiling and winking at her and she lifted her teacup and took a drink of make believe tea.


“Okay…”


“I need you to do me a favor though.”


“What is it? Anything, I’ll do anything.”


“Tell Stevie and Brandon that I love them. Make Stevie understand that me dying wasn’t his fault and that he will always be my hero.” Annabelle nodded.


“An’ tell Brandon that even though I spent more time with Stevie I didn’t love him any less. Tell him to remember all of the good times him and I had too. We had lots.”


“I will.”


“And…when the time is right, tell Stevie it’s under the floor board in Mommy an’ Daddy’s room.”


“What’s under the floor board? When will be the right time?”


“You’ll see…an’ you will just know. I promise.”


“But Kay—“ Annabelle began, but was suddenly interrupted with sobbing and shrieking.


“NO!!! YOU CAN’TS DO IT! YOU CAN’TS KILL MY MOMMY!!!!” She looked to the vision on the wall again, suddenly panicked.


“Kill me? What? What are they doing?”


“You have to go Annabelle!”


“But wait Kayline you didn’t answer my question about the floor board! How am I supposed to just know?”


“You just will! Now go!”


“I don’t know how!”


“Climb down from the Tree House!” Annabelle scrambled to the exit to the Tree House and she shifted so her feet were on the ladder and she was still half way in the tree house.


“Kayline how do I—“


“Just go! HURRY! Or you’ll never find out!” Annabelle obeyed and climbed down from the ladder.



~*~*~*~*~



“Kayline…I don’t understand…” Annabelle mumbled and Doctor Johnson whipped his head around at the patient he was currently preparing himself to sob over and his eyes widened.


“GREG DON’T! DON’T PULL THAT PLUG!” He looked over at his co-worker and saw he had one hand on the plug and Julie – Annabelle’s daughter clinging to his leg sobbing.


“Steve I know you are attached to this one but –“


“DAMNIT GREG BACK AWAY FROM THE PLUG! SHE JUST SPOKE!” Doctor Johnson roared desperately.


“Listen to him Doctor Smith he’s telling the truth!” Brandon spoke up, wanting to believe that he just heard Annabelle say his sister’s name. Greg pulled his hand back from the plug and he lifted little Julie up into his arms, as he looked at Annabelle confused. Doctor Johnson feeling relieved rushed over to her bedside.


“Anna?” he asked softly and he took hold of her hand and intertwined their fingers together and Annabelle squeezed it.


“She’s alive! She just squeezed my hand!”


“Anna?? Baby??” her mother asked desperately and Rachel rushed over to see as well. Just as soon as Rachel got on her knees beside Annabelle’s bedside Annabelle’s eyes were suddenly open and she made an attempt to pull at one of her tubes but Doctor Johnson was quick to stop her.


“Hold it sweetie…hold it…you need those” he told her gently and he immediately got right to work on checking on her, tears of happiness rolling down his cheek.