Chapter Forty Six
Four hours later, at 8:00 in the morning Nick opened his eyes to find Dakota and Elenore still snuggled up together and asleep beside him and Ashley lying on top of him her eyes half open. He rested his forehead against hers and hugged her close and she opened her eyes all the way and they met with his blue ones.
"Hey you…" he spoke softly and he brushed some of her hair out of her face so that he could see her better.
"Hi," Ashley replied softly.
"How are you feeling?"
"Better…"
"That's good…"
"Are we still going to Hot Topic today?"
"Mm hmm…Kevin is also coming. He's taking Ellie to get her puppy like he promised. Is that okay?"
"Yeah…"
"Kay. And also my bodyguard Laney is coming too because I want you to meet him and become comfortable with him."
"Why?" Ashley asked softly, and Nick felt her tighten her grip around his waist.
"Because he is going to be hanging around this Orphanage a lot in the next few months - and so are the rest of the bodyguards. So it'd be good if you got to know them and eventually felt comfortable around them." Ashley looked up at Nick and she saw that same worried look in his eyes that she saw when he had come in the room after talking to Riley and Brooke. Just like before, he is hiding something from her. And she doesn't like it one bit. He always makes her tell him the truth when she's hiding stuff. Why should it be any different the other way around?
"Why are they going to be hanging around here for a few months Nick? And why is it so important that I get comfortable with them? What are you not telling me? You make me tell you the truth when I'm hiding stuff, why should it be any different the other way around?"
"Because…it's their job to protect us Backstreet Boys. And since we're always here…they've gotta come here. And to answer your other question…you aren't exactly very friendly when it comes to members of the opposite sex. These guys are very big…so it'd be best if you got to know them."
"What if I don't want to?" Ashley asked softly, and she looked up at Nick with fear in her eyes.
"You don't have much of a choice honey. After today they're going to be here every single day."
"I don't want anything to do with them Nicky. You keep them away from me." Before Nick even had the chance to reply Brian walked in with Riley at his side.
"Hey you two…" Brian greeted.
"Hey…what's up?" Nick asked, and he noticed Riley looks like she's been crying.
"We went to Riley's house in attempt to gather up all of her stuff so that she could move in with me only to find Chase and his boss there having sex. She and Chase got into a huge fight and he threw her against the wall - she hit her head pretty hard and I rushed her here. Doctor Johnson gave her stitches." Brian explained, as he stood there holding Tyke in his arms.
"Oh man…I'm sorry Ri…are you okay?"
"I'll live…" Riley replied softly. "But all I want to do is sleep."
"No," Brian replied firmly. "Doctor Johnson said no. You may still have a concussion." Riley scowled and Brian carried Tyke over to Lily who was sitting in her doggy bed chewing on a squeaky toy. He crouched down in front of her and he scooped her up and held her in one arm as he held Tyke in the other.
"Why good morning precious Lily, I brought you a friend." He spoke to her in baby talk. He kissed Lily's head softly before setting the two dogs down on the floor and immediately Lily tackled Tyke. Tyke barked playfully and tackled her back and the two of them began to play with each other. Brian chuckled. Suddenly Dakota sat up and she looked over at her puppy to see Tyke over there with her and the two of them are rolling around on the floor tackling each other and playfully growling at one another. Dakota giggled.
"TYKE!!!!" She exclaimed excitedly, and she jumped up out of bed and ran over to the puppies only to have them both greet her excitedly. Dakota sat down to pet them and she fell back on the floor giggling uncontrollably as the two of them licked her face affectionately. Elenore sat up suddenly, rubbing her eyes sleepily. Nick became aware of Elenore waking up and he became worried that she might panic when finding herself in Dakota's room instead and without Kevin too. He reached over and rubbed his hand over her back smoothly.
"Morning Ellie," he greeted her gently and she looked up at him. "Your in mine and Dakota's bed this morning. Kevin came in here with you earlier so that he could talk to me and you snuggled right up to Dakota and looked so comfortable that he just didn't have the heart to move you. So he let you sleep in here…he's just right next door I promise." He explained to her.
"Kevy next door?" Elenore asked softly, cocking her head to the side as she looks at Nick.
"Mm hmm. You can go look and see if you'd like to."
"You comes with me?"
"I'll take you sweetie," Riley spoke up. "Come here," She said, holding her hand out to her. Elenore crawled out of the bed and walked over to Riley and she allowed Riley to take her hand. She led her out of the room and next door where she found Kevin sitting in the lazy boy chair that is still located in there and he's watching TV. Elenore smiled at the sight of the man she loved more then ever and she is very thankful to see that Nick was indeed telling her the truth.
"KEVY!!" She exclaimed happily, and she ran over to him and jumped into his arms. She threw her arms about his neck and hugged him tightly. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist returning her hug as he kissed her cheek softly.
"Good morning baby," He greeted, and he looked at Riley who was standing in the door smiling.
"She had to make sure Nick was telling the truth. That you really were in here and haven't left her." Kevin looked down at the little girl in his arms and he hugged her even tighter.
"Ellie knows her Kevy would never leave her." He reassured. "Never ever." He stood up with her in his arms and headed toward the door.
"Now, what is all the noise about in the other room hmm? I see Kota is awake. And do I hear not one, but two Chihuahua's in there?"
"Mm hmm," Riley answered, smiling a little. "It's a party in Nick's room today." Kevin rolled his eyes playfully.
"Figures. That man can create a party anywhere he goes." When the three of them got into Nick's room they discovered Dakota sitting on the floor watching the two puppies play with one another. Elenore slid down from Kevin's arms satisfied that he is now in the room with her and she ran over and tackled her best friend with a great big hug and Dakota wrapped her arms around her and returned it.
"Morning Ellie!!!" They hung out in Nick's room for awhile, than when Nick managed to get Ashley out of bed and to go in the bathroom and get dressed they all headed downstairs for breakfast. When they got down there he kissed Ashley's cheek and gave her hand to Brian.
"Bri, do you mind taking her to make her plate for me please? I've gotta call AJ and discuss something important with him. It needs to be discussed before he gets here."
"Sure Nick," Brian replied, though he eyed his best friend curiously before walking away. Nick pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and he hit speed dial number 2 and the phone began to ring. Kevin scooped up Dakota and took her with him and Elenore to go get their breakfast. Nick went and sat at their usual table as he waited for an answer.
"Yo Nick, what's up? Your calling me mighty early aren't you?"
"Yeah but I need to talk to you about something important. Are you bringing Marcus with you today?"
"That was what I was told that I was supposed to do. Why?"
"Cause I was talking to Ashley this morning and warning her that there were going to be very big bodyguards here today and every day afterward and that I wanted her to get to know them. Well, naturally, she's refusing. She's asked me to keep them all away from her. But I figured if anyone could win her heart Marcus can. Can you get here before breakfast ends? I want her to meet him first before the others."
"Sure Nick, we'll be there soon. We're actually on our way now."
"Thanks."
"Mm hmm, bye." AJ replied, and he hung up the phone. Nick put his phone in his pocket and got up and went over to the island. He wrapped his arms around Ashley from behind. She smiled a little and leaned back against him and he kissed the back of her neck.
"Are you making my plate for me sweetie?" he asked gently when he noticed that she has two plates in her hand.
"Mm hmm," Ashley answered. He smiled a little.
"Thanks honey, but I can take over now if you want me to." Ashley handed him his plate and he moved in next to her and continued to make his own plate while Ashley made hers. He also took Dakota's plate from Kevin and began to make his own daughter's plate too. When they finished He, Kevin, and Ashley headed to the table to discover Brian and Riley already there.
"Is the Disney World meeting today?" Nick asked, as he set Dakota's plate in front of her and he sat down next to her, pulling out the chair on the other side of him for Ashley.
"Yeah it's going to be during lunch. Brooke made it clear to everybody that they HAD to be at the meeting, so every staff member is here today. We're going to be moving three very big rectangular tables in here and pushing them together just so that we can all be at the table. Dakota, Elenore, and Spencer will have to have their own kid table - it can be near by where Elenore can see you Kev, but unless she's sitting on your lap the whole time there probably won't be any room for her."
"What about Ashley?" Nick asked, reaching over and rubbing his hand over Ashley's back as she sat there next to him eating her breakfast quietly.
"She can sit at any table she feels comfortable sitting at. We assumed she was going to be sitting with us though anyway and went ahead and included her into the plans. Ellie is welcome too Kev, but I'm just saying she will probably have to sit on your lap."
"Ellie you can sit at the kid table can't you? If Kota is with you?" Kevin asked gently, and Elenore looked up at him as she is sitting in his lap. "The table would be right next to us adults, so I will be right there the whole time if you should need me. You will be able to see me and everything. I won't leave the room without you I promise."
"Kay," Elenore replied softly and he kissed her forehead. Suddenly Brooke, AJ, Marcus, Kori, and Spencer walked into the cafeteria. They all went and got their breakfast and then went and joined everybody at the table, AJ pulling up a chair for Marcus to sit next to him.
"Hey everybody," Riley greeted.
"Hey," Kori, Brooke, AJ, and Marcus greeted in unison. Spencer was too busy talking with Elenore who had suddenly scooted from Kevin's lap and into her own chair so that she could sit next to him.
"Hey Marcus, what's up?" Nick greeted suddenly.
"Hey Nick, buddy, not much you?"
"Same here," Nick laughed. "I pretty much live here in the Orphanage now."
"So I've heard. Aje tells me you have a new girlfriend and that you two are inseparable." Nick rolled his eyes smiling.
"Yeah I do actually, and I want you to meet her too. Marcus this is Ashley," Nick introduced, indicating toward Ashley who is sitting next to him. "Ashley that's AJ's bodyguard Marcus." Ashley suddenly scooted closer to Nick and he wrapped his arm around her protectively.
"Hello Ashley, it's nice to finally meet you." Marcus greeted with a gentle smile. "AJ has told me so much about you."
"Like what?" Ashley asked softly, and she looked at AJ suddenly very nervous as she remembers that line being said before by Trevor when she first met him: Hello Ashley, it's nice to finally meet you. Sean has told me so much about you. Her anxiety suddenly taking over her, she crawled into Nick's lap and slid her arms around his neck resting her head against his shoulder. He gently rubbed his hand over her back.
"Just that you have the power to make Nick smile like no other woman has ever done before. And that you have managed to make him fall in love with you the very second he met you. And that you are very sweet and its very hard not to love you. I also told him that you have such a way with children and probably will never leave this place even when you're allowed to." AJ explained gently. Nick smiled down at her and he kissed her forehead softly.
"He's right you know. You're so good with kids Brooke has even noticed it."
"I have…and I am even almost considering on giving you an internship here - that is if your interested in working here when you get older."
"Really?" Ashley asked softly and couldn't help but smile a little bit causing everybody else to smile too.
"Mm hmm if you want to. That's how Nick started out here - his was a paid internship though. Maybe with Nick's assistance we can get you working with children here and maybe after a few months if Nick tells me your doing good I will promote you to a paid internship. Do you want to try?"
"Okay," Ashley replied, still smiling. Nick knows Brooke telling her this has really made her day.
"And who is that very cute little girl over there with you, Kev?" Marcus asked gently. Kevin looked down at Elenore who sat there quietly eating her breakfast as she eyed Marcus skeptically. He is awfully big…. She's never seen such a big guy before. Marcus noticed her watching him and sensed her uneasiness. Kevin smiled down at her.
"This is my buddy Elenore. Ever since she arrived she clung to me and I haven't been able to leave the Orphanage ever since." He explained. "Friends call her Ellie though."
"Well hello there Ellie, I'm Marcus. Its nice to meet you." Elenore looked up at Kevin for approval. Is this man okay to talk to? Kevin gave her a reassuring smile.
"Marcus is a nice man honey. He's AJ's bodyguard. He is probably one of the safest guys you will ever meet." Elenore looked over at Marcus then.
"You protects AJ?"
"Uh-huh I do. I'm the one who keeps all of the fans from getting too crazy around him."
"You should comes shopping withs me an' Kevy then next time." Elenore insisted. Kevin chuckled a little.
"Why's that honey?" Marcus asked, grinning a little.
"Cause fans gets too crazy around him an' keeps him from me." Marcus looked at Kevin raising his eyebrow.
"I took her shopping with me not too far back and a few fans came up to talk to me and had my undivided attention for awhile. Elenore wasn't too happy about that. She threw a tantrum in the middle of the store."
"Well I can't very well keep his fans away from him if they aren't doing anything to harm him Ellie, it's his job to talk to them." Marcus replied.
"Buts he's my Kevy!" Elenore insists. "Nobody else is allowed to haves him!" Kevin rolled his eyes while grinning.
"Your going to have to learn to share little miss. Especially if I decide to take you on tour with me one day."
"Daddy," Dakota spoke up suddenly as she was just finishing up on her breakfast.
"Yeah honey?"
"Are we going to the mall today?"
"We sure are."
"When?"
"When the rest of security gets here."
"Oh." As soon as everyone finished eating everybody but Brooke, AJ, Brian, and Riley headed toward the elevator to go upstairs.
"Marcus I'll be okay, why don't you go upstairs with Nick? The more Ashley sees you around the better…"
"Okay," Marcus replied, and he followed everybody else up to the second floor. Once up there Kevin went into Elenore's room to talk on the phone and Elenore went into Dakota's room with her. Nick took Dakota into the bathroom and helped her get dressed, than Dakota walked out and looked at Ashley who was sitting on the bed hugging her legs to her chest.
"Ashee?"
"Yeah honey?"
"Can you do my hair? Please?"
"Mm hmm," Ashley answered. "Already ahead of you," She told her, indicating toward her curling iron that she had plugged in. Dakota smiled happily and she went and crawled onto the bed so that she could do her hair. Elenore crawled up there to watch her and Nick went and talked to Marcus on the other side of the room who had a ton of questions.
"Ashee?" Elenore spoke up suddenly.
"Yeah sweetie?" Elenore didn't answer and she remained silent. Ashley became confused and looked at her and she saw that she seemed to be contemplating about something.
"What's on your mind Ellie?"
"Do you thinks Spencer likes me?" Ashley smiled a little bit and she looked back at Dakota's hair and continued to concentrate.
"Of course he does. Why wouldn't he like you? You're a great friend and he has a lot of fun when you two play together."
"He says he doesn't…"
"Would this by any chance be because Josh was teasing him about it?"
"Well…I don't know…yeah maybe…."
"He likes you honey, trust me. He is always very excited when he gets to play with you and Dakota. You and Dakota are his best friends. He was just saying that because Josh was making fun of him. He's a five year old boy, that's what happens. He'll grow out of it eventually, you'll see."
"Kay," Elenore replied, and she got up on her knees and moved over to Ashley. She wrapped her arms around her and hugged her and Ashley wrapped an arm around her in return before continuing to curl Dakota's hair.
"You're a sweet little girl Ellie, what's not to like? Seriously? I absolutely adore you no questions asked." Elenore smiled up at her and then rested her head against Ashley's shoulder. She likes having Ashley around to talk to. She can see why Dakota loves her so much and she knows some day she is going to be a great mommy to her. She just wishes she could have a mommy who was interested in talking to her and doing her hair too. Sure Kevin is great…and she loves him more then anything but she can't help but feel like she's missing out. She wishes her own mommy did all of this stuff with her but instead all she ever did was yell at her and hit her. Nothing she ever did seemed to be good enough.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
Enjoy =)
