Chapter Three-Hundred-Ten
The next day Brian woke up lying in his own bed for the first time in a very long time and he rolled over and slid his arms around Riley to find her lying there with her eyes open.
“Morning baby” he greeted her before placing a kiss on her forehead.
“Morning,” Riley replied softly and with a far away look in her eyes.
“What’s the matter?” He questioned with his tired eyes full of concern.
“I’m scared Brian…” she confessed and a lone tear rolled down her cheek.
“Baby it’s going to be okay I promise,” Brian reassured her and he cradled her face in his hands.
“What if the judge sides with Chase though? What if I never escape him?”
“He has no reason to side with Chase sweetheart…none at all. He is being a jackass and the judge is going to see that. You will be free in no time and you and I will be able to plan the most amazing wedding of your dreams. I promise.”
“The most amazing wedding of our dreams” Riley corrected and she couldn’t help but smile some as she gazed up into his blue eyes even though she just woke up five minutes before Brian did with morning sickness and is an emotional wreck over her ex-husband. “I want you to have a say in every single wedding plan I make Brian Thomas Littrell, do you hear me? It’s your wedding too.” Brian chuckled at her and he gently ran his fingers through her messy blonde hair.
“I love you” he reminded.
“I love you more,” Riley insisted and she rolled over so she was lying on top of him. He smirked and pulled the blankets up over their heads as he cupped her cheek in his hands.
“I’ll let you pretend you do because I want to make you happy but we both know it’s not true” he informed her playfully. Before she could protest he brought her lips down on his in a soft kiss.
“What are the plans for the day?” she asked between kisses a couple of moments later. “Besides the thing I don’t want to think about?”
“Well first you are going to take a shower while I go make you the most delicious breakfast you’ve ever had besides my mom’s” Brian began. “And then I’m going to take one, get the kids ready, and take them to the four baby-sitters.” Riley rested her forehead against his and quietly waited for Brian to continue. “And then after the thing you don’t want to think about…we’re going to go to lunch with everybody to celebrate. Denise says she has some Backstreet Business she has to discuss with us. After that I’m taking Josh to the Zoo and I think you should take Chris for the day. It would be good for the both of you.”
“What would me and Chris do?” Riley wanted to know.
“I don’t know why don’t you let him decide? Take him out and see where you end up. I think you’ll be fine with him he seems more ready to accept things then Josh these days which kind of surprises me because Chris is normally Josh’s shadow.”
“I’ve noticed that too. It’s good that he seems to be forming a mind of his own though he needs to be a little more independent – I think he is just a little shy without him.”
“Yeah” Brian agreed. “We’ll definitely be working on that. I just think he’s afraid his opinion doesn’t matter unless Josh agrees.”
“Mhm.” The two of them lay in bed together for a few minutes more and then Riley got up and went on into the bathroom to take a shower and Brian went downstairs to discover his two boys sitting in the living room watching television. He grinned slightly at the normalcy of the scene before him and spoke up.
“Hey boys why don’t you come into the kitchen and we’ll talk and decide what’s for breakfast.” Josh and Chris jumped up and followed Brian into the kitchen as he requested, Chris carrying Tyke and Chance is trailing Josh’s feet.
“Brian why wasn’t Ellie in bed with me when I woke up this morning? She was there when I fell asleep…” Josh wanted to know. He already knows the answer, he just wants to call him on it.
“Kevin took her home when we were sure the two of you were asleep,” Brian admitted as he poured some dog food into the two dog bowls and gave them fresh water. Josh scowled.
“Ellie will not be happy.”
“I know but you two really need to get used to sleeping alone Josh.” Josh crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly.
“And what if she woke up with a nightmare and needed me?”
“We waited until she did and she saw that you were there to comfort her and then when you two were back to sleeping – very deeply I might add, he took her home.”
“You are not going to be able to get away with that everytime,” Josh informed.
“I know,” Brian shrugged. “She’s spending the night tonight. It was just an experiment.” Josh narrowed his eyes at him.
“Liar.”
“I’m not lying Kiddo. She’s spending the night and in the morning we’re taking you to meet a new friend of ours.”
“What friend?” Josh wanted to know but he still gave Brian his how dare you trick us you evil man looks.
“Just someone Detective Stabler wanted you two to meet.”
“What’s his name?” Josh demanded, not liking the fact that Brian is being evasive.
“Jim Gordon.”
“And why does Detective Stabler want us to meet him?”
“He just thought you and Ellie would really like him.” Before Josh could come up with anymore questions Brian looked to Chris who was sitting on the floor quietly playing with Lil Tyke.
“So…Chris…what should we have for breakfast?” Chris regarded him for a moment, feeling completely caught off guard being asked for his opinion. He tilted his head to the side and glanced at Josh as if expecting him to answer for him.
“Can we have chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast Brian?” Josh questioned.
“Maybe some other day,” Brian promised. “But today we are having whatever Chris decides.” He knelt down in front of his youngest son and looked at him with a friendly smile.
“What’s your favorite breakfast Chris? If you could have anything you wanted what would it be?”
“Um…French Toast and bacon,” Chris answered softly.
“That sounds perfect – good choice” Brian told him and Chris smiled. Brian stood and began to get stuff out to make Chris’s request and Josh spoke up again.
“Are we still going to the Zoo today Brian?” he wanted to know, and Brian couldn’t help but notice how territorial he sounds.
“Yes we are,” Brian replied. “Just the two of us – Riley is going to take Chris wherever he wants to go while we’re gone.” Josh went over and slid his arm around Brian’s leg and latched onto him in a hug. Brian reached down and ruffled his hair.
“Want to help me make breakfast?” he asked while looking down at him. Josh looked up at him slightly taken back.
“I’ve never cooked anything before…”
“That’s okay I will teach you” Brian told him and he gathered the six year old into his arms and placed him up on the counter. Chris disappeared from the kitchen while Brian and Josh got right to work but soon reappeared with his coloring book and crayons. He crawled up into a chair at the table and got right to work in coloring.
~*~*~*~*~
Brandon and Doctor Johnson walked into Annabelle’s room the both of them just arriving at Ramsey for the first time that day. After staying late as Doctor Johnson ran medical procedures on Annabelle the two brothers actually went home and got a good nights rest. And the thing that surprised Brandon the most was, he didn’t have to practically carry his older brother home. He went willingly. When they walked into the room they discovered Annabelle propped up in her bed and she smiled at the brothers as they walked in. Doctor Johnson looked taken aback at this scene. Just last night the only word they got out of her coherently was the words she said right when she had come out of her coma state. Her eyes were open, she could squeeze his hand in response to simple questions but other then that, he didn’t think it would take her this short of a time to recover.
“Hi Anna…you look much better…how are you feeling?”
“Like I could get up and dance.” Brandon chuckled.
“I can see that, you are practically glowing.”
“My baby was just here. She looks so beautiful! I can’t believe how much she’s grown in just one month.” Doctor Johnson grinned.
“She’s a precious little thing. She always had a way of brightening up the hospital even when everyone else was feeling down. I just adore her.”
“She speaks fondly of you too.”
“All children seem to take a liking to my brother” Brandon informed, as he watched the two curiously.
“I like to think that as my reward for putting up with my little brother who seems to have the rest of the place under his charm.” Doctor Johnson retaliated as he did a check up on Annabelle before sitting down in a chair beside her bed.
“So…Anna…I was hoping you would be able to answer a question for me…” he began.
“Why I said your sister’s name right when I came out of my coma?” Annabelle asked knowingly and Brandon raised his eyebrow. “My mom asked me the same question.”
“Well…yeah…”
“This is going to sound really crazy…but, I saw her. I was talking to her.”
“I don’t think you are crazy. I believe you. Why else would you have said her name?” Brandon asked as Doctor Johnson sat there quietly, looking down at his hands in his lap as he was suddenly overcome with emotions.
“What did she look like?” Doctor Johnson asked after a few moments of silence.
“Brown hair blue eyes…still seven years old like she was when she died.” Doctor Johnson looked up at her and a single tear rolled down his cheek. “She was in a Tree House having a make believe tea party with her stuffed animals and dolls.”
“Just like she was doing the day she died…” Doctor Johnson whispered. It was all he could do without revealing the falter in his voice.
“What did you two talk about?” Brandon wanted to know.
“A lot about the two of you,” Annabelle answered and she looked at Doctor Johnson. “She told me to tell you that she loves you. She knows you are hurting and she wants you to know that it’s not your fault. That you will always be her hero.”
“How could I be her hero when I failed her? Why isn’t she still here haunting me? Making my life miserable for letting her die?” Doctor Johnson demanded, as a pool of tears fell from his eyes.
“You should’ve seen the way she looked at you Doctor Johns—“
“Steve,” Doctor Johnson interrupted lightly. “Call me Steve please…”
“Steve…you should’ve seen the way she looked at you. She had stars in her eyes. You are her big brother, you are everything to her. She is just happy that you tried. That’s all that matters to her and she told the story of her dying in your arms as if it were some great fairytale. It looked to me like to her there was no better place for her to die.”
“But…” Doctor Johnson began and Annabelle reached out and gently took both of his hands into hers and pulled him closer.
“She loves you. You are her hero and she asks that you please let it go. For her.”
“I loved her so much…” Doctor Johnson sobbed and he rested is head in Annabelle’s lap. Annabelle gently raked her fingers through his hair.
“I know I can tell. And there is no doubt in my mind that she loves you too.”
“Did she say anything about me?” Brandon asked softly, and Annabelle can hear the faint jealousy in his voice, which explains why Kayline had given the message that she did for Brandon.
“She said that she loves you too,” Annabelle answered. “That even though she spent a lot of time with Steve she didn’t love you any less. She said that she wants you to remember all of the good times you had with her too – because you had lots.”
“She loved you so much Brandon” Doctor Johnson spoke up as he sat up again and looked at his brother. “You always made her the best ice cream sundaes do you remember that? She wouldn’t let anybody else do it except you.” Brandon couldn’t help but smile some even though tears are rolling down his cheek.
“Yeah I do. I always wrote I love you in her ice cream with the nuts.”
“And put lots of sprinkles and chocolate syrup on it – mom used to scold you for it because of all that sugar but you did it anyway. It was your special thing.”
“I did a lot of things with Kayline that mom didn’t approve of but Kayline of course loved me for it,” Brandon replied while laughing a little at the memories.
“Yeah, like the time you were both supposed to be on house arrest for the day but you taught her how to sneak out your window – after telling her that she was to never do it unless you were with her and you took her to the movies.” Annabelle laughed amusedly.
“I bet your mom loved you for that.”
“She yelled at me for an hour when I got back” Brandon smirked.
“Brandon was definitely the problem child” Doctor Johnson replied. “He would make Ellie seem like an angel.”
“Ellie?” Annabelle asked curiously.
“A child who used to live in this Orphanage but was just recently adopted on Christmas Eve. She’ll still be around a lot though because her new father practically works here now, so I will definitely be introducing you to her as soon as possible.”
“I’m sure as soon as Anna recovers she is going to want to get home Bro, not hang around here” Brandon informed while looking at his brother with a raised eyebrow.
“Oh I wouldn’t mind meeting the kids in the Orphanage” Annabelle insisted. “I’m sure Julie wouldn’t either. She has a hard time making friends.”
“I know just the group of children who would welcome her with open arms like she were part of the family” Doctor Johnson insisted with a sudden grin on his face.
“Could you introduce her to them while I’m staying here? That would mean a lot to me.”
“I would love to” Doctor Johnson insisted.
“So anyway Steve you promised me you would go to breakfast with me after we checked on Anna. Can we go now? I’m starving.”
“Yeah I guess,” Doctor Johnson replied reluctantly as he doesn’t want to leave his patient. “Do you want me to bring something back for you Anna? Id offer you Orphanage food but breakfast is over by now.”
“I would love that” Anna smiled. “Thanks.”
“No problem” Doctor Johnson told her sincerely. “I’ll be back in a couple of hours or so” he promised and he got up and followed his brother out of the room before he got impatient and dragged him out.
“Okay, who are you and where were you a few weeks ago when Jennifer was trying to get your attention?” Brandon questioned when they were out of Annabelle’s hearing point.
“I was just being a good doctor” Doctor Johnson insisted while rolling his eyes.
“Oh please, you are long past the doctor phase” Brandon laughed. “This is personal. You even have her calling you Steve. You’ve fallen for coma girl haven’t you?”
“Of course not…I’m dating Jennifer.”
“Bro you haven’t done anything with Jennifer since the day I made you go on a double date with me and Peyton” Brandon reminded. “I think it’s safe to say that relationship isn’t going anywhere. I had to practically force you to go out with her and when I sat here and just watched you with Anna you had such a connection with her.”
“I was just preoccupied…now that she is okay I can start paying more attention to Jennifer.”
“Do you really think Jennifer will give you another chance? I love you and all Steve but I have to be honest with you. You hurt her pretty bad by ignoring her and you’ve apologized one too many times. She hasn’t even attempted to get your attention in a very long time…I think it’s safe to say you screwed up with her.” Doctor Johnson shrugged.
“Anna and I are just friends Brandon.”
“If you say so Steve. But don’t worry I’m not going to force this one on you. I have a feeling I don’t have to.”
“I hardly know her. She was just my patient who was in a coma.”
“And I don’t think I have to remind you how emotionally attached you got to her” Brandon replied while rolling his eyes. “Emotional situations like that tend to bring people together.”
“You are crazy.”
“Be that as it may, I know you like a book” Brandon insisted while wrapping his arms around his shoulders and Doctor Johnson shook his head as he allowed his younger brother to lead him out to his car. Brandon smiled to himself, as he knows he is right. If only Steve had seen the connection between the two of them and felt the vibe that he felt while watching them. And it’s not just about Kayline either. Steve and Annabelle have chemistry. He was so wrong about Jennifer. His brother is meant to be with Annabelle. He isn’t going to push him though this time because he knows it’s going to happen on its own. And he is going to be there to tell him I told you so.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
Enjoy =)
