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Chapter Three-Hundred-Forty-Eight



“Its about time you get back, Ashley is going to be bringing Nick back here in thirty minutes!” Kori informed when the man that she was slowly beginning to accept as her brother came stumbling into the house with groceries in hand.


“A little less lecture and more going out to the car and getting some groceries, sis,” AJ demanded. “Or else take some from me.” Kori stepped to the side.


“Take them in the kitchen and Riley will help you get the food set up,” she told him and as AJ scowled he made his way to the kitchen while Kori went to the car to gather more groceries.


“JAAAAAAAAY!” Laila exclaimed happily upon seeing her favorite foster parent and running into the house in nothing but a diaper as she is soaked from head to toe from the slip n’ slide. AJ looked at her just on time to see her little feet go out from under her on the tile floor in front of the door and her little eyes go wide as she realized what was about to happen. AJ’s eyes widened too at the realization and he shoved the groceries that were in his hands at Brian who had just barely caught them before running toward the two-year-old. Sliding on the floor in the process he landed on his knees in front of her just on time for her to stumble into his arms safely.


“LAILAAAAA!” He exclaimed, mocking her cheerful greeting as if a dreadful accident wasn’t just about to occur. He lifted her up in his arms and gave her playful kisses on various parts of her face and neck as he tickled her causing her to squirm and giggle in delight and forget all about her fear. “I see you are having a blast with Josh and Chris’s new slip n’ slide! And you are getting your Jay all wet! I bet that was your master plan all a long huh?” Laila giggled some more and he smirked and planted a kiss on her nose before standing up with her.


“Come on you silly goose, lets get you back outside so Jay doesn’t have to constantly be on his toes okay?”


“Kay,” Laila replied amidst giggles as she nestled into him and allowed him to take her back outside.


“That is the quickest I’ve ever seen my son move,” Denise commented after staring after them in awe and Brooke laughed.


“I guess it kind of comes with the two year old package. Become a father or foster parent or whatever and you learn how to move.”


“Yeah I can’t even begin to tell you how fast Alex had me moving,” Denise replied as she brought a towel over to clean up Laila’s water mess. Just then Kevin walked into the kitchen with the rest of the groceries as he had been volunteered by Kori to go shopping earlier. He set all of the bags in his hand but one down and he looked at Riley who was eyeing him and the bag curiously.


“Where is Ellie?”


“Outside with Howie,” Brian was the one who answered. “She hasn’t really been in much of a mood to play. I wonder why that is.” Ignoring his cousin’s comment, Kevin went outside with the one bag behind his back. When he got out there he spotted Howie sitting in the chair with Elenore snuggled in his arms and he is watching all of the kids’ play. He crossed the yard to get to them and Howie looked up at him curiously as he sat there gently rubbing his hand over Elenore’s back.


“Let me have my daughter, D” Kevin demanded lightly. Howie reluctantly handed Elenore over and Kevin hugged her close to him and kissed her forehead softly as Elenore quietly wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his shoulder and he brought her inside the house. He brought her through the kitchen, into the dining room, and over to the front sitting room before sitting down on the couch with her in his lap. He then settled her so she was straddling his lap and he slid his arms around her.


“Hi princess,” he greeted gently.


“Hi stranger…” Elenore whispered softy. Kevin leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers.


“I’m sorry I’ve been a real butthead lately.” Elenore looked up at him quietly as a lone tear slipped down her cheek and he brushed it away with his finger. “There’s no excuse at all…and I’m not even going to try and come up with one. I just hope you’ll give me a chance to make it up to you.”


“Depends on how good of a job you do at makin’ it up to me,” Elenore insisted softly, trying desperately to stay mad at him but she is just happy that he is actually talking to her. Kevin chuckled softly.


“I guess I deserve that,” he told her while tucking a strand of her hair back behind her ear. “How about we go around the corner to the playground and play for a bit? Just you and me?”


“Really daddy?”


“Really baby,” Kevin replied with a small smile, as he never gets tired of hearing her call him daddy.


“But what about the party? Nicky will be backs soon and don’t you gots to help decorate?”


“I think the decorating is pretty much done, and it looks fantastic,” Kevin insisted while looking around the room. “And we have thirty minutes before Nick gets here, we have time.” Elenore beamed at him and he bent down and kissed her forehead softly before getting up with her, bag still in hand and he began to carry her outside deciding he wont give her what’s inside the bag until a little bit after they’ve played. He doesn’t want to make it seem like he is trying to buy back her love.


“Kev where are you going? Nick gets here in thirty minutes” Q questioned as he was standing out front messing with the new alarm system.


“Just around the corner with Ellie for a bit. Tell someone to call for us five minutes ahead of time and we’ll just hop the wall to the backyard.”


“Okay,” Q replied interestedly and he watched Kevin carry Elenore along the sidewalk until they reached the corner where he turned and disappeared from sight. Q shook his head while smiling some and he went back to what he was doing. Meanwhile in the house, Brooke went to the back door and peered outside where the kids plus one very big kid named AJ McLean were busy slipping and sliding away.


“Alexander James, I hope you have extra clothes to change into!” Brooke told him, though she couldn’t help but laugh. There is nothing more classic then seeing a grown man doing slip n’ slide with the children. Especially when that grown man is AJ McLean.


“No worries Brookie, I came prepared” AJ reassured with a big goofy grin upon his face and Brooke shook her head smiling.


“Well I hope so because now would be a good time to change into them. Start rounding the children up please, its getting very close to time.”


“Aye aye cap’n!” AJ saluted her and Brooke laughed, shook her head, and went inside.


“Shouldn’t we all move our cars around the corner or something? They’re going to tip Nick off, don’t you think?” Howie wanted to know as he carried Dakota sideways on his hip into the house with her giggling in delight. She had been crawling all over Howie ever since his lap became free.


“It’s all ready been done, I sent Wiley and Scott to do it” Kori answered before passing him as she went to the backyard.


“Spencer come here please. I need to dry you off and get you into warm clothes quick.”


“Can daddy do it momma?” Spencer pleaded.


“He’s busy buddy.”


“Doing what? He didn’t leave did he?” Spencer asked with slight worry behind his eyes. Him and his daddy do everything together, he wouldn’t dare leave him would he?


“He’s just helping Wi move all of the cars around the corner so it doesn’t ruin our surprise for Nick. He’ll be back baby I promise.”


“Okay,” Spencer sighed and Kori knelt down with a towel and began drying her son off.


“I’m afraid you’re stuck with me for a bit kiddo, can you handle that?” Kori asked and she stuck her lower lip out in a playful pout.


“Yeah okay,” Spencer replied.


“Yeah, okay” Kori mocked his disappointed tone and she kissed his cheek causing Spencer to scowl.


“Yuck momma, don’t do that!” he demanded while rubbing at his cheek and Kori laughed.


“What? Do you think you are too old to receive kisses from your mom?”


“Maybe.”


“I don’t think so,” Kori told him while wrapping her arms around him and pulling him to her. She held onto him tight enough so he couldn’t get away before bending down and putting various playful kisses all over Spencer’s face causing him to yell out in agony and squirm. When she finally stopped and she pulled back and laughed at the priceless scowl on his face.


“Momma that was so uncalled for.” Kori shook her head smiling.


“Come on you little smart aleck lets get you inside now that you are dry,” she told him while standing up and taking his hand and she brought him inside the house. “I placed your clothes in the bathroom – go change okay?”


“But why can’t I stay in my bathing suit? Aren’t we going to play with the slip n’ slide some more?”


“It’s getting dark babe, its going to get chilly out. I think us grownups have all agreed that the slip n’ slide was just for the daytime while we took care of party stuff.” Spencer heaved a sigh as he turned and headed for the bathroom and AJ who was busy diapering and dressing Laila chuckled. Soon enough Wiley, Scott, Doctor Johnson, and Anna walked in the house.


“Look who we ran in into on our way back. We spotted them coming this way when we were driving the last car down to the Wal-Mart parking lot and directed them in that direction,” Scott explained with a small smile.


“Hey J-man, hey Anna” Brooke greeted cheerily. “Your just on time – Nick should be here in ten minutes.”


“Where is Spencer?” Scott wanted to know.


“And Kevin and Ellie?” Wiley added when he noticed they were missing.


“Spencer the moody child that he is, is in the bathroom changing” Kori began. “And Kev and Ellie are on the playground – we’re supposed to get them in here five minutes before the big surprise.”


“Spencer is being moody?” Scott asked curiously. “What for? He was just fine a little bit ago.”


“Oh no big deal, he is just being a boy is all” Kori shrugged. “You should really talk to him about this new ‘I’m too tough to get kisses from my momma’ stage he is going through though.” Scott chuckled amusedly but otherwise made no comment as he can tell that the ‘I’m too tough to get kisses from my momma’ stage isn’t what’s really annoying her. He doesn’t know what it is, but he senses something.


“I’ll get on that as soon as possible,” Scott promised as they heard the bathroom door open.


“DADDY are you back yet? I thought I heard you!” Spencer called out.


“Yeah son I’m back,” Scott informed as he watched Kori’s face expressions carefully. When he saw a slight flicker of annoyance, he suddenly understood.


“I’m gonna go call for Kevin,” Kori announced when she noticed Scott watching her and she turned and headed for the backyard not wanting him to read her, because she knows he can with no problem at all.


“I’ll come help you,” Wiley added while casting Scott a ‘back off’ glare and he followed after her.


“Yes cause its so tough yelling out for Kevin, who is just right on the other side of the wall to come back,” Scott muttered in an undertone but Wiley still heard him and ignored it. Meanwhile outside, Kori grabbed hold of Wiley’s hand and squeezed it gently before calling out to Kevin.


“YO KEV, IT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO COME BACK NOW!” A couple of moments later, Elenore suddenly appeared sitting on top of the wall and Wiley chuckled.


“Well hello there, did you get up on that wall all by yourself?” Elenore giggled.


“Uh-huhs, I flew.”


“Ah, the flying Ninja,” Wiley replied amusedly making her giggle some more. He went on over and reached up for her. “C’mere love let me get you down.” Elenore leaned forward allowing him to take her into his arms.


“Look at the pretty locket my daddy gaves me, do you likes it? It says With love, Daddy on it! An, there’s a picture of me an’ him inside!” she bragged, holding her little heart locket out for Wiley to see. Wiley opened it up and sure enough, inside was a picture of Kevin and Elenore smiling brightly for the camera and the locket plays ‘you’re my sunshine’.


“Aww, that’s really lovely Ellie” Wiley insisted and Elenore beamed happily. Just then Kevin jumped up onto the wall, and he hopped down.


“How many minutes do we have?”


“Just enough time to get inside and hide” Kori answered before pulling Wiley who still held Elenore into the house and Kevin followed. As they got inside Bella started fussing and Kori rushed over to her instantly.

“Aww…come on sweetie your gonna blow our secret,” she told her gently while gathering her in her arms. “Auntie Kori is here, shhh…” she soothed while bouncing around on the balls of her feet with her and lightly patting her back as she held her close.


“Where is her plug?” she asked while looking over at Denise who was already retrieving it and handing it over. Kori took the pacifier and placed it in Bella’s mouth and a second later she quieted down.


“There we go…” Kori soothed. “Life good in Bella’s world again?” She asked and she placed a kiss on her forehead.


“You might wanna keep holding her just incase,” AJ insisted as his phone vibrated. He pulled it out of his pocket, looked at it, and then hit the light switch to turn the lights off. “They’re pulling into the neighborhood,” He announced and everybody scrambled to find a hiding spot, Kori taking the baby with her just incase her crying means she is in a hold me and pay attention to me, damnit! kind of mood.


~*~*~*~*~*~


“Did you have fun Nicky?” Ashley asked conversationally, as she sat beside him in the passenger’s seat fumbling with his phone in her hands idly.


“Of course I did baby,” Nick smiled. “I’m glad you suggested we spend the day alone together. Its what we really needed after your kidnapping, just a whole day of not worrying.” Ashley reached over and gently took his hand into hers and she squeezed it gently.


“Exactly,” She agreed softly. “That’s all I’ve wanted to do since then is have fun. You know what we should do tomorrow?”


“What?” Nick asked as a small smile formed on his face.


“We should go skydiving.” Nick looked at her then, his jaw dropping and Ashley laughed.


“Don’t look at me baby, pay attention to your driving.” Nick looked back on the road then, still shocked.


“That’s not a suggestion you just throw out to someone so randomly while they’re driving.”


“Sorry,” Ashley laughed. “But can we Nicky, can we go skydiving?” Nick raised his eyebrow, looked at her momentarily, and then back on the road.
“You’re really serious aren’t you?”


“Very.”


“Are you crazy?”


“As crazy as a person can get.”


“What if we land in water? I’m still giving you sponge baths every night and you wont even so much as drink water anymore.”


“We just won’t go skydiving near the water – we’ll land in…a nice field somewhere” Ashley insisted and Nick chuckled.


“We would have to spend time going through the training.”


“So lets do it,” Ashley insisted eagerly. “Life is short Nicky – I have to go skydiving. I just do.”


“Brian will kill me at even the slightest mention of taking you skydiving.”


“Why?”


“Because the man is terrified of heights like you’re terrified of water.”


“Well, He doesn’t have to join us.”


“No, but he’ll worry about us the whole time.”


“He’ll be okay,” Ashley insisted. “Nicky I really want to do this. If you don’t take me I’ll just ask Alex.” Nick looked back and forth from her and the road. “But I would prefer it if you took me.” After a few seconds when he saw that this really is important he caved.


“We’ll train for it…and then maybe for your birthday I will take you skydiving – provided if Brian doesn’t kill me first.” Ashley smiled at him some and he brought her hand up to his lips and placed a soft kiss on the back of it just as he was pulling in the driveway of the house. When he parked the car he turned it off and the couple got out of the car and met each other in front of it. He gently took hold of her hand and pulled her near and he slid his arms around her waist before brushing his lips lightly over hers.
“Well what should we do now that we don’t have the kids for the entire night?” he wanted to know. Ashley stifled a giggle.


“We should go inside for starters,” She told him and he chuckled.


“Smart ass.”


“Ah hush, you like my smart ass,” Ashley insisted playfully. Nick smirked and placed his hand to her bottom as he sat on the car pulling her near.


Very much so” he told her as she placed her finger to his chin and brought his face down closer to hers so their lips were just inches apart.


“We’ll do whatever you want to baby, its your birthday” She insisted playing a long.


“I say we go find a beach to make out on,” Nick insisted.


“We could make out just fine in the house you know,” Ashley told him while tugging him toward it. “By the fireplace with pillows and blankets. Much more romantic then the beach if you ask me. We spend so much time there.”


“Yeah you’re right,” Nick told her deciding he would prefer the privacy anyway and he allowed himself to be taken to the house. When they arrived at the door Ashley pulled out her key and unlocked it and she turned the knob, opened the door, and stepped inside the find the place completely dark.


“Didn’t they even bother to turn lights on before they left?” Nick complained.


“Maybe they were so busy with the kids they forgot,” Ashley insisted.


“What if someone got in while we were gone? We should’ve taken security with us so they could do their quick run through of the house.” Ashley shrugged her shoulders and reached for the light. She flipped it on and everybody jumped out of their hiding places.


“SURPRISE!” they yelled cheerily, causing Nick to jump back in shock.


“What the…” Nick trailed off as he took in the room before him and saw all four of his bandmates, the entire gang from the Orphanage plus their new comer Anna, the kids, and his brother and sisters. There is a big mural that was obviously created by the children hanging from the upstairs railing that reads Happy Birthday Nick/Daddy and each of them got to put their handprints with their names in it, or do a little drawing. There are balloons and party streamers everywhere and the dining room table is covered with food and soda.


“Happy Birthday Nick!” Riley greeted while walking up and hugging him, and soon everybody else was doing the same thing as he hugged each of them back.


“You guys did all of this for me?”


“Well duh,” AJ replied while grinning. “Did you honestly think we weren’t going to do anything for your birthday?” Instead of answering Nick just stood there grinning like a Cheshire Cat.


“You all are great, thank-you” He told them before going through another round of hugs.


“Come check out your cake daddy! I went withs Uncle Brian to have it made” Dakota insisted when he picked her up last but not least and hugged her close to him affectionately.


“Oh you did, did you?” Nick asked amusedly and he lifted Sarah up with his other arm and brought them over to the cake just to humor his daughter.


“Uh-huhs,” Dakota nodded excitedly and when they reached the dining room table he peered in at it and saw that it had white frosting with blue icing that reads Happy Birthday Nick/Daddy and there are balloons designed on it with sprinkles. “Aint it pretty daddy?” Sarah wanted to know.


“Ohh yeah it’s very neat. It looks delicious – I cant wait to have me a piece of that.” Both girls beamed and he kissed each of their foreheads before setting them down and soon enough Brian had Nick’s favorite music playing and they all dove right into party mode.