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Chapter Three-Hundred-Twenty-Five



“So what’s on the agenda for tonight?” Ashley wanted to know later on that day as they sat in their suite. Dakota and Sarah had crawled into a lazy boy chair in front of the big screen TV and fell asleep while snuggling with each other and watching Scooby Doo. Ashley is sitting in the middle of the bed in hers and Nick’s room with Bella lying against her legs as she sits Indian style and Abbie lying next to her protectively.


“Well the boys and I have to get right to work pretty quick here,” Nick answered as he got out some things for the girls. “We have an interview before the party tonight – you ladies on the other hand…are going to be doing lady things. I think Denise is taking you to buy an outfit for tonight and we’re all hoping you will take the kids so we won’t have to worry about them and can get things done. Besides, I never got around to buying Dakota and Sarah any cute outfits – this whole thing is sort of last minute you know.”


“Well as much as I don’t mind having all of the kids with me, are you sure Josh and Chris would enjoy shopping with like…seven women, plus the four girls?”


“Okay all of the kids except them” Nick replied amusedly. “Brian says he’s keeping Josh and Chris with him and I think Howie is doing the same with Ryan. They won’t put up a fight if they have to sit backstage.”


“And Ellie?”


“We keep telling Kev it won’t happen but he is dead set on the fact that she is going with you.”


“I might be able to help him out with that as long as he doesn’t mind a little bribery.” Nick chuckled.


“Baby I think when it comes to reasoning with Ellie Kev will do whatever it takes.”


“Kay, well do I have time to take a shower before we go out and do all of this girl stuff? I feel like a girl who just spent all day on a plane.” Nick chuckled.


“Yes you have time. Do you need me to watch the squirt for you?” he questioned, indicating toward Bella and Ashley looked down at her as well.


“Nah, Bella could use some washing up too, she has dried up baby formula in her hair and we all know how she feels about baths so our best bet would be to have her shower with me.”

“Okay well holler if you need me, I’m gonna go check on our girls they’re awful quiet.”


“Okay,” Ashley replied while getting up and grabbing Bella’s little vibrating bouncer to put her in when she is done washing her up and she took her into the bathroom and shut the door just a crack. Nick walked out of the room then and went to go check on his two girls like he said he would do.


~*~*~*~*~


“Buts Kevy I don’ts WANNA leave you!” Elenore protested two hours later when the boys were ready to leave and so were Denise, Ashley, Kori, Brooke, Peyton, Jennifer, and Riley.


“I know angel but sometimes there are things you just have to do – even when you don’t want to,” Kevin explained before making his third attempt to hand her over to Ashley only to have her tighten her arms around his neck and latch on. Kevin sighed.


“Ellie please.”


“No.”


“Come on Ellie, it will be fun” Ashley spoke up. “Don’t you want to go buy a pretty dress? And how about getting your nails done pretty? We’re going to a nail salon and everything. Remember how nice Sarah’s nails looked when I took her?”


“Buts why cant Kevy takes me to do those things?” Elenore wanted to know as she clung ever so tightly to Kevin and Kevin sighed.


“You know why I can’t do those things princess, I have an interview I need to be at.”


“After the interview then.”


“There won’t be anytime. There will only be enough time to come back here and get ready for the New Years Eve Party tonight,” Kevin explained and Elenore stuck out her lower lip in a pout. Kevin gave Ashley a help me please sort of look and Ashley gently pried the insistent five year old from the eldest Backstreet Boy and she crouched down. She gently placed the little girl so she is straddling her lap and gently slid her arms around her waist and she rested her forehead against hers.


“And anyway sweetheart it would be much more fun with us girls wouldn’t it?”


“I would miss my Kevy too much.”


“Yeah, I know you will but it’s okay to miss him. I know he’ll miss you just as much but it won’t be very long until you’re together again I promise.” Elenore looked at Kevin again suddenly on the verge of shedding tears. Wanting to avoid this as much as possible, Ashley rubbed her hand over her back in a slow circular motion. “What’s your favorite color Ellie?”


“Blue an’ red…an’ purple.”


“I think your nails would look wonderful red or maybe blue…and what if we found you a dress to match? I know you would look beautiful all dressed up for New Years.”


“I like shopping for dresses…” Elenore admitted softly.


“I do too,” Ashley smiled. “Dress shopping is my favorite and when Kota lets me we tend to have a lot of fun. What do you say Ellie, can we be dress shopping partners? I promise to take very good care of you.”


“Yeah Ellie, please?” Dakota spoke up suddenly as she stands next to Nick holding his hand. “It won’t be fun withouts you.”


“If Joshy comes with,” Elenore insisted after a few moments of thinking about it.


“I don’t think Josh would like shopping with all of you girls honey,” Brian spoke up.


“Then I’m nots going,” Elenore told him simply.


“Yes you are,” Josh demanded not bothering to hide his irritation.


“No I’m nots, not unless you are going too.”


“Well then I am because you aren’t missing out on dressing up tonight and looking like a princess because I am not going to put up with your whining when you suddenly regret not going.” Elenore smiled some and he rolled his eyes. Ashley giggled some and looked at Brian.


“That okay with you Brian?”


“Of course,” Brian replied while smiling some.


“Did you get him an outfit to wear to the masquerade ball, or shall we?”


“Nope I haven’t yet.”


“I want to go as Batman,” Josh insisted. Kevin laughed at this.


“It’s not a Halloween Masquerade buddy.”


“So?”


“Hey if the kid wants to go as Batman who are we to stop him?” AJ spoke up. “Even Batman likes to party on New Years Eve. I bet he even has a date or two every year too,” he added while winking at Josh. Dakota blushed and looked away as she noticed Josh slip her a look.


“Can I go as Zorro??” Chris asked eagerly and he looked to Brian. Brian chuckled.


“Certainly.”


“COOL! I want to go shopping with them too so I can pick out my costume.”


“Who are you going as Ellie?” Riley asked amusedly and Brian, AJ, Howie, and Kevin used this time to slip out of the room with everyone on the security team except Marcus who is of course staying with Ashley.


“Myself – in a pretty dress,” Elenore answered while smiling brightly. She is just happy about being able to wear a dress, she doesn’t care about any costume.


“An’ I wanna be a Princess – in a pretty dress,” Dakota added while attempting to sneak a look at Josh – he caught her though, and she quickly looked away.


“Well come on my beautiful princess, we best get going if we want to have time for dress shopping and the nail salon,” Ashley told her while standing up with Elenore rested on one hip. She placed her hands on Bella’s stroller as Dakota latched onto her pantleg and Sarah’s hand and soon enough all of the women – with children and Marcus intact were headed for the mall. Soon enough, everyone but Elenore had managed to pick out a dress for the New Year's Eve Masquerade. They'd gone and done their nails earlier, and were now just trying to find one last dress for their little party of girls.


"How about this one, Ellie?" Dakota asked, holding up a white dress with a blue pattern on it.


"Ooh, I likes it. Adds it to the pile!" Elenore exclaimed, pointing to the chair where they had all the dresses she wanted to try on. They all looked so pretty! She had such a huge choice to make, too!


"How about you try these on now, before we end up with the whole store on the chair?" Denise piped up, after checking the time on her watch. "We have to be back at the Hotel soon."


"Kay," Elenore nodded, heading for the change room. It was finally her turn to model! Dakota, Sarah, Josh, and Chris had done it - and now, at last, she got to too. She entered the change room and came out every time she'd a new one on, or when she needed help with something. After a while, she came out in the white dress with the blue pattern on it.


"Do I looks pretty, Joshy?" Ellie asked, as she had done each time, once everyone else was done fawning over her.


"No," Josh replied, as he had every single time. "That dress is too white Ellie. You're gonna look like a snowball with ice patches on it." Ellie frowned, as she looked down feeling hurt. She wanted to look pretty for the big party, but so far her cousin had turned down everything with a scowl. If he didn't think she was pretty enough, then why should she believe anyone else when they told her she was? They were all probably saying she was pretty, just to be nice and save her from having hurt feelings. But, still - that didn't mean Josh had to turn his nose up at everything she tried on, did it? Josh frowned as well, when he saw the look on his cousin's face. He didn't want to make her cry, but he was just being honest. Brian always said honesty was best - but how was it best when it made people he loved cry? He saw a tear drop to the floor then, and knew what he had to do. He grabbed hold of her hand, and dragged her back into the change room, locking the door behind them so no one could interrupt them. "Ellie, I'm not trying to be mean," he told her softly, so no one else could head but her. "I'm just being honest with you, 'cause I know how badly you want to look like a Princess - even if you are going as yourself."


"Buts nothing is goods 'nough yets, an' we hafta goes soon," Ellie whimpered. "I knows we haves too 'cause Denise keeps checkin' her watch. I'm gonna ends up bein' the only one withouts a new dress!" Josh sighed, as he wiped her tears away with his thumbs gently.


"Don't cry, Ellie. You've still more to try on; I'm sure we'll find something for you to wear."


"You're just gonna hates them all," Ellie argued softly. "So why shoulds I tries them on?" Josh frowned once more, shaking his head at her pessimistic attitude. He then eyed the remaining dresses lying in her change room.


"Here, try this one on," he insisted, holding up a baby blue sleeveless dress that had a small blue bow on the bodice, amongst the embroidery. There was also embroidery on the bottom of the fanned out bottom half of the dress, making it look like a real Princess dress. Ellie sighed heavily, but did as he instructed. Josh smiled as he watched her obey his small command, and helped her zip it up in back once she had it on. His smile grew when he glanced in the mirror and saw just how nice she looked.


"Well? Am I pretty now, Joshy?"


"No," Josh replied, as he wrapped his arms about Ellie's waist and rested his head on her
shoulder, as he looked into the mirror with her. "Your beautiful." Ellie's sad frown went to a broad smile at his words.


"Really? You thinks so?"


"Why else would I say it?" Josh asked, making his eyes go wide causing her to giggle. "I only tell the truth, you know that."


"Say it’s again, please?" Ellie pleaded, feeling the strong need to just hear him say it once more.


"You're beautiful Ellie, and don't you let anyone tell you otherwise," Josh told her, kissing her cheek affectionately. "'Cause I know better than anyone, since you're my cousin and I love you." Ellie blushed slightly.


"I loves you too, Joshy," she smiled, kissing his cheek in return. "Let's tells everybody I founds my dress!" Seconds later, the dressing room door opened and Ellie came out with the dress in her hands - she'd taken it off, with Josh's help. "I founds my dress," she beamed.


"We don't get to see it on you?" Ashley queried, raising her eyebrows.


"Nopes," Ellie grinned slyly. "You hafta waits."


"Then how do you knows it's the rights one?" Dakota asked.


"'Cause Joshy approved," Ellie replied happily, keeping their cousinly conversation to herself. "Now, let's goes, so I can surprise my Kevy and my Jerry!" With that, they paid for the dresses they had decided to purchase and climbed into their rented van to go back to the Hotel, where the Boys would be at by now.



~*~*~*~*~



Later on that evening just before the Masquerade, Nick sat in the living room of the suite that he shares with Ashley and his kids. Dakota and Sarah are both dressed and ready to go with their dresses and masks on to boot and they’re sitting on the floor watching The Flintstones. Nick smiled some, as he admired his girls from his perch on the couch with Bella. He never thought they could look anymore beautiful then they already were to begin with. Dakota chose a red dress insisting upon matching Ashley. It adorns a silver sparkle embroidery on the bodice, the bottom of the dress looks just like Belle's yellow dress - ruffles and sashes and all, except this dress also has little sparkle embroidered flowers on the sashes. Sarah on the other hand chose to wear a green one with multi-colored sparkles on the bodice, mostly outlining it, and on the straps. The bottom fans out like any fancy dress should. As for their masks, Dakota’s is black and is shaped exactly like a bat clearly symbolizing who her date is for the evening. Nick wonders amusedly just exactly how she managed to be so lucky as to find such a mask. Sarah’s is a mixture of blue, green, and gold. It looks like a regular party mask except she chose the Mardi Gras style. Nick looked down at Bella then who lay comfortably against his legs as he sits with one leg crossed over the other in his black suit. Ashley had dressed her in a Victorian silk gown with an embroidered mesh overlay and she has on a matching white bonnet. Yup, his girls are truly beautiful. All three of them, and he still has yet to see the most beautiful of them all. After getting the kids ready she went in the bathroom with her dress and make up, and stuff and she locked the door and told him he wasn’t allowed to see her until she is completely ready. After waiting on her for ten minutes in silence, AJ suddenly walked in the room raising his eyebrow when he saw Nick and the kids just lounging around like they have all the time in the world.


“Nick its time to go, where is Ashley?”


“In the bathroom refusing to let me see her until she is completely ready.” AJ rolled his eyes.


“Well she needs to be ready now. ASHLEY HURRY UP, IT’S TIME TO GO!” AJ shouted toward the bedroom.


“I’m coming, I’m coming hold your horses big brother” Ashley said as she suddenly came walking out of the bedroom dressed and ready to go. She is wearing a red whine colored dress with spaghetti straps to keep it up. The bodice has a decorative stitching that blends in well, and a sash-like design that wraps around the waist. She has on a red Victorian gloves to match and she managed to turn her hair into a 19th century, southern belle type look with the ringlet curls and all. To complete her outfit she has on red strappy sandals with an asymmetrical silhouette. AJ, Nick, and the girls all turned to look at her. Nick and AJ both gaped in surprise and Dakota gasped.


“Ashee you looks sooo pretty!”


“Thank you sweetheart,” Ashley smiled, her face turning just about as bright as her dress as she saw the way Nick was looking at her. Like he hasn’t seen such beauty in all his life.


“Wow sis…” AJ breathed. “You took the 19th century look quite seriously.”


“Do you like it?”


“Of course I do, you look amazing.”


“You look beautiful,” Nick corrected and he got up and gently handed Bella over to AJ before crossing the room to his girlfriend. He slid his arms around her waist and pulled her to him and he planted a kiss on her forehead. “I’m going to be the luckiest man at this ball.”


“Yeah?”


“Absolutely. You wait and see, I’m going to be fighting other men off of you all night long.” Ashley giggled some.


“So long as you don’t get jealous. There is only one man this southern belle is kissing at midnight and he is standing right here.”


“Good,” Nick smirked, holding closer to him. AJ cleared his throat suddenly, causing Nick and Ashley to look at him with raised eyebrows.


“At the rate you two are going it’s going to be midnight by the time we get to the ball.”


“Yeah, yeah, we’re coming” Ashley and Nick spoke in unison. They ignored AJ’s amusement, hurried up and gathered their children and soon they were off to the party that consists of other celebrities and plenty of fans.