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Chapter Four-Hundred-Sixteen



“So you are taking me to hang out at the Orphanage later, huh?” Kristen asked curiously as the two of them sat there together watching the kids play.


“I was thinking about it…is that okay with you?” he asked casually, managing to hide the challenge in his voice. As soon as his eyes were finally opened to Summer and her bitchy ways he began to realize the way she was around his friends and family, and he remembers the way she acted at the very thought of being at Nick’s birthday party. The way she and Ashley interacted with one another – things he didn’t notice before. He won’t ever be that blind again. “I figured since you’ve met Howie, you might as well meet the whole crew,” he added while flashing her a small smile.


“Yeah it’s fine,” Kristen smiled back. “Just don’t be surprised if I’m a little nervous…” Kevin chuckled.


“Yeah about that. What was that all about, huh? You’ve never been shy before around me and suddenly I introduce you to D and you become a puddle?” he asked in a lighthearted teasing tone. Kristen shrugged and smiled.


“I’m usually shy right when I first meet new people, but I open up to them gradually when I get to know them better. But with you…I just don’t know. I feel…comfortable,” she admitted, and she gazed up at him sheepishly.


“Well…I’m glad I make you feel comfortable,” he told her softly as he felt taken aback by how sincere she was when she told him her confession. Her true words had caused his heart to flutter inside his chest and his stomach to do flip-flops…What the hell? Shoving that question to the back of his mind deciding its nothing he met Kristen’s quiet gaze and suddenly wondered to himself why he is wasting his time being careful? This woman is not like Summer at all…she is sweet and caring and from the looks Howie was secretly giving him earlier he knows he likes her. And if Howie likes her, then why wouldn’t everybody else? Still, he’s going to take her to meet Brooke, Brian, and Riley and when Nick, AJ, and Ashley get back they’ll meet her too. But he has no doubt in his mind that they’ll approve. He is confident that even Ashley will be fond of her. She might be like Jerald and be wary at first, because that’s just her nature and she is very protective of him – probably more so then usual now too. But he knows there isn’t anything that she will be able to say that is bad about Kristen and she’ll warm up to her very quickly. He took her hand into his and gently squeezed it. The two of them sat there in a long silence for a couple of moments and then Kristen spoke up again.


“So…talk to me. What was going on in your mind earlier?” she asked gently. “Are you okay? You seemed a little troubled when we first got here.”


“Yeah…I’m fine,” Kevin reassured and he gave her a small smile to prove it. “I was just reminded of some unpleasant memories…but it’s hard to linger on the bad things when I have you for company.” It was Kristen’s heart and stomach’s turn to do crazy things inside her at Kevin’s words then. She waited for the feeling to pass before looking up and meeting his green eyes.


“If you ever want to talk about it you know I’m here to listen,” She reminded him softly and she rubbed the back of his hand with her finger. He sat there in silence contemplating her offer for a couple of moments, and then spoke up.


“You’ve heard of Lou Pearlman, right? My Ex Manager?”


“Mhm,” Kristen answered as she sat there quietly gazing at him with caring blue eyes.


“Did you know he died recently?”


“I’ve heard something about that on the news, yes…” Kevin nodded and then began to tell her exactly what had him so bothered earlier. As he got into the story, he decided he might as well explain Ashley’s too since it was related. Plus, if she’s going to get involved with him, his family and friends, it’s only fair that she knows exactly what she is getting herself into. He fully expected her to freak out upon hearing the story, to insist that this slowly growing relationship couldn’t go any further because she doesn’t want to be involved with this. But the whole time he was telling her about it she sat and listened intently, the whole time she kept hold of his hand as she did and showed no sign what so ever of being frightened.


“Check it out,” Nathan muttered to his cousin and Ellie, as they all sat squatting on the play structure.


“What?” Both girls asked curiously, and he nudged toward Kevin and Kristin. The two of them looked, and Elenore’s whole face lit up upon seeing them holding hands and looking intently in each other’s eyes as Kevin spoke quietly so he wouldn’t be over heard.


“All right Auntie Kristen!” Jesse cheered quietly. “You go for that handsome Backstreet Boy.”


“You like the Backstreet Boys?” Ellie asked curiously and Jesse nodded.


“Can’t help it. My mommy is a huge fan and she kind of taught me to be one too. Not that I am complaining – Nick Carter has the most cutest blue eyes ever.” Ellie shook her head smiling.


“Don’t go on about Nicky in front of my friend Kota if you ever meet, kay? Not that I could blame you or anything.”


“Why not?”


“Because Kota doesn’t likes it when girls make a fuss over her daddy around her. You can be a fan of course, and like his music, just don’t go on and on and on about how cute he is an’ stuff.”


“I can understand that,” Jesse replied. “I wouldn’t like it much if all my friends ever wanted to do is talk about my daddy.”


“You an’ Kota haves to be friends so the three of us – an’ Sarah when she feels like playing with us can form a girls club.”


“From the looks of things,” Jesse began, while looking back over at her Aunt and Kevin. “That just might be possible. I think we’ll be seeing lots of each other after today.”


“Ha…are you kidding me? You very well might just become our cousin with the way Aunt Kristen is looking at him – she is making googly eyes and everything. Yuck!”


“It is not yuck, its romantic” Jesse insisted after rolling her eyes at her cousin’s typical boy comment. “An’ besides…it’d be fun to have Ellie as our cousin. She’s fun.”


“Don’t worry Jess, he’ll get along just fine with Chris,” Ellie insisted while shaking her head amusedly. She looked back over at her daddy and Kristen then, and she beamed at the sight of them. Holding hands…looking into each other’s eyes intently…its amazing how well the progress is going. Maybe by the end of the week she’ll have them kissing! Yup, things are going a long very nicely.



~*~*~*~*~*~



“SCOTT HAYDEN! I know your mother told you a hundred times when you were a kid not to throw sand!” Kori shouted in a very motherly tone causing Scott to just laugh at her. “And in front of Spencer of all people!” Kori added as she noticed her son snickering too, as he sat in the sand with a shovel in his hand. “He looks up to you, you know! Now thanks to you, he’s going to think its okay to throw sand at Kota and Ellie!”


“No he won’t,” Scott insisted confidently. “He knows better. You’ve done very well.” Kori rolled her eyes, picked up one of Spencer’s other shovels and put sand on it and before Scott even had the time to react, she dumped sand in the back of his shirt.


“Suck up,” she told him, and then took off running causing Scott to jump up and run after her and she shrieked playfully as she ran away. He was right behind her in an instant before she could get very far from him and almost close enough to reach out and grab the back of her shirt. He pushed himself a little further until she reached the top of the hill that had a big grassy area on the other side. Before she could run down it, he enveloped his arms around her waist, tripped over his own feet, stumbled into her, and the next thing they knew it they were both rolling down the hill laughing. Scott sheltered her so she doesn’t hit her head on the ground as they rolled together. When they reached the bottom Kori was lying on her back in the grass with Scott on top of her with his arm rested underneath her head as if he were still sheltering her and he smirked.


“KORI MORTENSON! I know your mother told you a hundred times when you were a kid not to dump sand in your friend’s shirt!” he mocked and Kori laughed and shook her head.


“Butthead…I’m sure Spencer is having a real laugh up there.” Scott smirked.


“Why do you even run from me? You know you can’t outrun me…remember? I’m the only person in the world who can keep up with you.”


“Doesn’t mean I don’t like to try – what can I say? I’m a stubborn woman.”


“Don’t I know it,” Scott agreed as she lightly caressed his cheek with her forefinger and thumb and he leaned down and kissed her forehead softly before beginning to place various feathery light kisses all over her face. She closed her eyes comfortably as he did and soon enough his lips found hers. He lightly grazed them with his own before pulling back and resting his forehead against hers. She opened her eyes and they met with his calm ones.


“We should probably get back up there. We left Spencer unattended,” she whispered. It was all she could do at the moment. If she tried to talk out loud she knows it won’t come out coherently.


“Yeah, we should” Scott agreed. “Doesn’t mean that it will be an easy task,” He told her as he lightly traced her lips with his finger and she sucked in a breath.


“Scott…we can’t…do this here. Spencer is near by and could decide to come check on us any moment and…and…” she trailed off as he suddenly pressed his lips to the skin of her neck, lightly kissing the front of it and she tilted her head back. “Damnit Scott…think.” His kisses trailed up her neck, over her jaw, and found her lips once more instantly quieting her. She slid her arms around his neck and kissed him back and he tightened his hold on her possessively. After a long moment, he pulled his lips back ending their kisses and with one swift movement he was standing with her cradled in his arms. He carried her back up the hill as she rested her head against his shoulder comfortably and she cupped his cheek in her hand wanting and needing to feel his lips against hers. Knowing exactly what she wants, he obliged. When they made it back up to the top of the hill and to the sand near the play structure he dropped so he was lying in it and rolled them over so they were lying underneath it with her lying on top of him. She nestled into his chest feeling very much at home there and soon enough, Spencer got up with his sand toys, Scott’s backpack which has Kori’s teddy bear safely inside it, and he went on over and sat next to them just wanting to be near them. Scott kissed the top of Kori’s forehead affectionately, and then grabbed up a shovel and he began to play with his son again. Kori lay there quietly as he did, idly tracing her finger over his chest and allowing herself to think about what she is doing.


She knows she can’t keep making Wiley hang there like a fish on a hook, he deserves so much better then that. But she also knows that she can’t live without Scott either – she loves him. Everything about him…the way her hand fits so perfectly in his, the way she feels completely at home in his arms even after all these years and the way his lips feel when he kisses her. She loves the sound of his laugh, the way his whole face lights up at the very sight of her, and the fact that not one single thing has changed about him at all in the past five years. Except the way he makes love of course, but that only got ten times better so she isn’t complaining. But then there’s Wiley who she knows she loves very much…she knows she does and she won’t let anybody tell her differently. But she will however, admit that its no where near the same. He was there for her when she needed somebody the most. He was there for her when Scott hurt her – and damnit he is a very good man! Sweet…kind…loving…she knows if she stays with him he will love her with every ounce of his heart and take very good care of her. And he would take very good care of Spencer too. She would be very lucky to have a boyfriend like him.


However, if she stays with him…she’ll feel like a bitch that is staying with him just because he is safe – and yes, she loves him, but she has to wonder to herself if maybe Isabel was right. Maybe she just loves him…but isn’t in love with him like she thought. She reached up and placed her hand to Scott’s cheek before kissing his jaw softly and then searching for his lips, suddenly having a huge desire for them. When she found them she grazed her own against them as her fingers danced lightly over his cheek in a gentle caress and he tightened his one arm around her as she nestled the top of her head in the crook of his neck. She definitely has a physical attraction to him that’s for sure…and emotional too. She could walk away from him…maybe…if she never had to see or hear from him again, but seeing as how he loves his son and vise versa…that’s a little impossible. She’ll be dealing with him all the time. And if she’s dealing with him, the love she’s always had for him will only continue to linger and Wiley will never fully have her all to himself…and that’s not fair.


She knows what she has to do…she does. But she’s just royally terrified of doing it. She’s terrified of leaving Wiley when she knows he will always love her. He will always take care of her, and he wouldn’t even think about hurting her. She has a few questions that Scott needs to answer before she can even begin to trust him with her heart again. Questions she’s wanted to know since the moment he entered her life again but she’s been too afraid to confront him about it. She looked up at him, her hand still rested against his cheek causing him to look down at her curiously and she opened her mouth to do so when suddenly her cell phone rang. Groaning in frustration, she crawled out of the comfort of Scott’s arms and pulled out her phone. She flipped it open, placed it to her ear, and then walked off.


“The Diner had better be burning down!”


“Worse,” Isabel answered.


“WORSE? What could possibly be worse then my diner burning down?” Scott sat up then and looked at her worriedly.


“Chris saw you and Scott at the park Kori…he saw you kissing and then he saw the three of you looking like one perfect little family being reunited.”


“SHIT.”


“Yeah…and he showed up here and went ballistic on me. He says he’s telling Wiley.”


“NO!” Kori shouted, the panic evident in her voice. “Izzy you CAN’T let him do that, you can’t!”


“I tried honey believe me I tried really hard but he already left!”


“FUCK…what do I do?” Kori asked stressfully as tears sprang to her eyes and she felt Scott’s arms slide around her protectively from behind.


“I suggest you get back here right away and Scott gets himself in a safe enough distance as possible because there is going to be one angry Brit to deal with.”


“Okay…okay…I’ll be there shortly. Please close the diner up for me – I don’t want any customers to be there.”


“I’ve already done it – the moment Chris left I handed out boxes, had them box their food, and told them they needed to go – they understood.”


“Kay…thanks bye,” Kori replied and then hung up before whirling around and looking at a concerned Scott.


“You need to go to your motel room get inside, lock the door, and stay there.”


“Why what’s going on?”


“Chris saw everything and he’s telling Wi. Take Spencer with you please, and it might be safer if you have Detective Stabler there to protect you – maybe Marcus too.”


“No way I’m not going to run and hide,” Scott insisted stubbornly.


“It would be in your best interest if you did,” Kori demanded and she walked over to their son and picked him up.


“Momma what’s going on?”


“Nothing baby, just go with your daddy he is taking you back to his motel room to play video games.”


“Are you kidding me? Do you really think he has a chance? What did I used to do when we were kids Kor?”


“I don’t care if you were the toughest gang member in Sean’s crew, you still don’t stand a chance between two very pissed off British men and maybe even Oliver!” Kori insisted while picking up Spencer’s toys and throwing them into the container and handing them to Scott.


“Kori---“


“DON’T argue with me on this Scott, please. You need to take our son to your motel room now.”


“But—“


“--NOW!” Kori demanded, and she grabbed his chin and lightly forced him to look at Spencer’s worried face, causing Scott to give in reluctantly. He grabbed up his backpack, turned around, and hurried off to the only motel in town taking the shortest route he knows. Kori sighed heavily, raked her fingers through her hair nervously, and she turned and ran the opposite way toward the diner needing very much to get there before Wiley does.