Chapter Fifty
After a few moments of thinking Nick got up and headed downstairs but on his way through the hall he heard crying. He heard it in Kori's room. He peeked in there and saw Ashley lying on Kori's bed in the dark. He started to go in there, but sighed, and kept on walking feeling completely helpless. What is wrong with his baby? Why is she acting like this he doesn't understand it. He went downstairs and when he did he walked into the cafeteria to see everybody just finishing up on cleaning.
"Where is Ashley?" Howie questioned.
"Upstairs in Kori's room bawling. We just got into a huge ass fight…like you wouldn't believe how bad it was. She told me as a girlfriend talking to her boyfriend - not her caregiver, she wants me to leave her alone. I don't know what to do…so I just obeyed her wishes…"
"But what if something happens to her Nick? You know your not supposed to leave her alone."
"I know but if I don't I could really screw things up with us, Kev. And I really, really don't want that. I just wish I knew what was bothering her…she never pushes me away like this…not since the first day we met."
"She's on her period Nick…" Kori spoke up suddenly, hoping Ashley doesn't kill her later for revealing this information to four fifths of the Backstreet Boys and their bodyguards.
"She's acting like this because women get very emotional during that time…you know that I'm sure. It fucks with your emotions…big time. Plus, judging by the look in her eyes she's no doubt suffering cramps right now."
"Why couldn't she just tell me that? I would have understood…she knows I would have understood. I understand her better then anybody else here. Its not just my job, but as her best friend too."
"Well…she was probably embarrassed. That kind of stuff is very personal…" Nick was quiet for a few minutes, just thinking, then he looked at AJ.
"Aje, can you and Marcus go and sit outside Kori's bedroom? Don't go in there, don't let her know your watching her. Just sit outside the door incase something happens. I'm going to run to the store down the street real quick."
"For what?" Kevin asked curiously.
"Just some stuff," Nick answered secretively and he looked over at Dakota who was sitting on the floor playing with Lily, Abbie, and Elenore.
"Kota baby, come here please." Dakota looked up at Nick and then got up and went over to him and he crouched down in front of her.
"Daddy…" she said softly.
"Hmm?"
"Are you and Ashee gonna breaks up?" She asked, and she looked up at him worriedly as a single tear rolled down her cheek.
"No honey…of course not." Nick reassured, and he wiped away her tear. "Whatever gave you that idea?"
"Then how come you're fightin'?"
"Cause that's what happens to boyfriend and girlfriends sometimes…they can't always agree on everything. That doesn't mean they're breaking up baby."
"Do you loves Ashee, Daddy?"
"Mm hmm, very much and nothing can ever change that. Infact daddy wants to go to the store and get her a few things. Do you want to come and help me pick them out?"
"Okay," Dakota replied and Nick stood up with her and looked at Kevin.
"Can you watch the puppies?"
"Yeah sure," Kevin nodded.
"Thanks," Nick replied and he walked out of the cafeteria while placing soft kisses on Dakota's forehead. He carried her out of the Orphanage and to his car and he buckled her into her seat before crawling into the drivers seat and driving to Wal-Mart. While he was gone, AJ and Marcus did as he requested and went up to the second floor where Kori's room is at. AJ stood off to the side of the door and quietly peeked in to see that Ashley is no longer in there. He raised his eyebrow and motioned for Marcus to follow him. They went across the hall and peeked in Nick's room to find Ashley lying in bed facing the wall and she has the blankets covering her. He pulled back and sat down on the floor and Marcus did the same. When Nick and Dakota got to the store they went to the flowers section and he looked at the red roses.
"Which roses do you think Ashley will like sweetie?" He asked, and Dakota looked at all of them thoughtfully.
"Those one's daddy," She said, pointing to a dozen red roses that are wrapped up in pretty paper that has hearts all around it and says 'I love you' on it. Nick grinned and picked those up and he carried them over to the check out counter where the lady was standing and waiting on costumers. He paid for the roses, than he brought Dakota into the chocolates section. He grabbed a pack of butterfingers knowing that they're Ashley's favorite and a bag of Hershey's too. He knows from past girlfriends that when they're going through their girl week they crave a lot of chocolate. He looked around him and suddenly spotted teddy bears.
"Why don't you go pick out a nice teddy bear for her honey?" He asked, setting Dakota down on the ground. Dakota went over to the teddy bears and she looked at them all indecisively. She loves teddy bears! After thinking for a few moments, she picked up a small brown one that has a heart sewed onto his hands and it says 'I love you' on it.
"This one daddy," She said, holding the teddy bear up to him.
"Thanks honey," He replied. "You're a big help." He placed the stuff gently in the cart that he had grabbed and he picked up Dakota and placed her in there as well and he pushed the cart to one of the lines that you check out at. As soon as he paid for the stuff he pushed the cart out to his car, placed Dakota and the stuff in the back seat, than he got in his car and drove back to the Orphanage. When he got there, he got out of the car again and got Dakota out. He took the roses from her and held them in one hand, and he held the bag of chocolates and the teddy bear in the other. Dakota walked beside him as they went back into the Orphanage. When they got there they went into the playroom where they found Kevin, Howie, Kori, Spencer, and Elenore and security at. Nick dropped Dakota off in there and told her he'd be upstairs, than he took the elevator up to the second floor. When he got up there he found Marcus and AJ sitting outside his bedroom door. They saw him come out of the elevator and got up and met him half way.
"She's in your room laying in bed. She's finally stopped crying," AJ explained quietly. Nick nodded.
"Thanks," He told him.
"No problem," AJ replied, and he and Marcus headed to the elevator to go downstairs. Nick went into his room and just as AJ told him, he found Ashley lying in bed sniffling. He went over and set the stuff on the nightstand, than he crawled into bed behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist before resting his cheek against hers. She didn't move or say anything, she only continued to lay there staring at the wall.
"Am I allowed to be near you now?" He asked gently. Ashley still didn't reply, she only scooted back into his arms comfortably and grabbed his hand and wrapped his arm more around her wanting to cuddle. He wrapped his other arm around her too and hugged her tight and he kissed the back of her neck softly. "I'm sorry I yelled at you," He whispered softly in her ear. "I just love you and I would die if something happened to you baby."
"Can you rub my stomach Nicky? It hurts…"
"Mm hmm," he answered, and he pulled her shirt up a little and slid his hand under it before rubbing it over her stomach.
"I'm sorry too…" She told him softly. "I was being a bitch…"
"Its okay sweetie…don't apologize." He reached over to the nightstand then and grabbed the flowers and teddy bear. He brought them around in front of her, lying them in front of her on the bed. "I ran to the store real quick and bought these for you," Ashley couldn't help but smile a little bit.
"Oh Nicky, they're beautiful…"
"Not as beautiful as you," He told her and he leaned down and placed soft kisses on her neck as he hugged her closer. "I bought you some chocolate too. A bag of Hershey's and a bag of butterfingers." Ashley looked up at him and he rested his forehead against hers.
"Kori told you I'm on my period…didn't she."
"Yeah…but don't be mad at her…I was really worried about you and demanded her to tell me. It wasn't her fault." Nick answered, partly lying. Ashley rolled over so she's facing him, allowing him to wrap his arms around her waist and pull the blanket up on the two of them and he rested his forehead against hers.
"Thank-you Nicky," She told him softly and she placing her hand to his cheek and brushed her lips softly against his. "You're the best boyfriend in the whole world and I love you…and I didn't mean any of the things I said earlier."
"I know that baby," he replied softly and he placed soft kisses on her lips as he rubbed her stomach gently.
"Nicky"
"Hmm?"
"Will you please tell me why I'm not allowed to be alone?"
"Baby I don't want you to panic…"
"I'm not going to panic Nicky, I promise. I feel one hundred percent safe here…how could I not? You won't leave me alone for five minutes and when you do, you send AJ and Marcus to sit outside my door." Nick raised his eyebrow at her confused.
"How did you know AJ and Marcus were sitting outside the door?"
"I may be PMSing Nick, but I'm not stupid. My mirror is right there," Ashley answered, pointing to the mirror sitting on the nightstand.
"I could see their reflection and I could hear them whispering quietly to one another out in the hall." Nick didn't reply he only tucked a strand of her hair back behind her ear and kissed her forehead.
"Please tell me Nicky…I tell you when something is on my mind - most of the time, so why can't you tell me? I hate being in a relationship with secrets…it scares me because I've had that before with Sean…" Nick thought about it for a few moments, deciding on whether he should tell her or not. He figures that he might as well, if it will get her to cooperate with him.
"Sean helped Doctor Adams - Aka Trevor, out of jail the other night. Brooke, Riley, and I are scared of letting you wander this Orphanage alone because Trevor knows this place inside and out and could grab you at any given moment. They were going to have Detective Stabler and Olivia, and probably tons more people from their squad come and stand guard here at the Orphanage. They would have been everywhere and we wouldn't get any time alone. So I arranged for our bodyguards to stand guard instead. They're going to be here every day…that's why I want you to get to know them, and that's why they've been everywhere you are. I want you to eventually start feeling safe with them." Nick explained. "I want you to eventually start to rely on if not all of them, then at least one of them the way that you rely on me so that if something happens where I have to hand you over to one of them, I can without you freaking out on me." Ashley scooted closer to him and she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist as she rested her head against his shoulder.
"Do you think they'll break into my room like last time?" Ashley asked softly, an intimidated tone in her voice. "Last time it was just Sean who broke in, but he wouldn't have if it weren't for Trevor telling him exactly which window to climb into. Imagine what could happen now that they're both together and he doesn't have to pretend to be a good guy anymore…"
"I know baby, it's very dangerous. That's why I need your cooperation okay? No more wandering off on your own…if your not with me always make sure its another trust worthy adult okay?" He asked gently, lightly rubbing his finger over her cheek as she looks up at him into his eyes.
"Don't ever leave me alone, Nicky," Ashley replied softly and she wrapped her arms tighter around him. He rested his forehead against hers and gently rubbed his hand over her back.
"Don't worry…you don't have to tell me twice."
"Is our window locked?"
"Mm hmm and it always will be."
"What if they break into Ellie's room? What if they don't know I'm in this room now?"
"Trevor was here still when we made the switch so he should know which room you're in. But if he should break into her room Kevin is in there and will kick his ass the minute he steps one foot inside the room. Q will also be in there faster then you can say Backstreet. Ellie is being watched too just as much as you. This is her father we're talking about…and he wants her back very badly."
"He had better not get her back Nicky…Sean is a horrible, horrible man…"
"None of us are going to allow that to happen honey. You and Ellie are both being well protected - that is, if you let us protect you."
"Kay…" Ashley replied softly. "Nicky my tummy hurts," She pouted.
"I know honey…how about we go downstairs and see if maybe Riley has some ibuprofen for you? Hmm?"
"Kay," Ashley agreed and he got out of bed.
"Lay there for a moment. How about I put your flowers in a vase for you?"
"Kay…they really are pretty Nicky. You did a good job picking them out this time - I mean I love all the flowers you give me, but these ones really are beautiful."
"You'll have to thank Kota, really." Nick replied, grinning a little. "I took her a long with me to help me pick them out. She really has a talent for shopping - doesn't matter what it is you ask her for her opinion and she'll give it to you." Ashley smiled a little.
"She's a smart cookie," She commented.
"Mm hmm, very." Nick agreed, and he went and got a vase out of the closet and he brought it out.
"May I ask why you have a vase in the first place? I never met a guy who had vases before," Ashley commented, looking at her boyfriend highly amused.
"Kota got flowers from the guys and I once. We kept the vase."
"Ah, I see."
"Yup," Nick replied, and he grabbed the flowers and went into the bathroom. He carefully took the flowers out of the pretty paper and into the vase and he filled it up with water before bringing it back out and setting it on the nightstand.
"There. Now everybody can see them." Ashley smiled up at him and he grinned back and went over and scooped her up into his arms cradling her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked into his eyes.
"Now…lets go see about that Ibuprofen so we can stop my baby girl from hurting," He told her sympathetically and he brought her out of the room and she rested her head upon his shoulder, loving the fact that he is treating her very delicately - as if he'd break her if he didn't. When they got down into the lobby he brought her into the playroom where he found everybody at - including Doctor Johnson.
"Hey Nick…everything okay again?" Riley asked gently. She had heard what happened from Kevin when she got done talking to Brooke.
"Mm hmm," Nick answered and he kissed Ashley's forehead. "Except Ash needs some ibuprofen. Do you have some?"
"Not on me no…sorry."
"I can get her some," Doctor Johnson spoke up. "I'll be right back with it. Wait here."
"Kay," Nick replied, and Doctor Johnson left the room. Nick sat in a chair still cradling Ashley in his arms and he gently rubbed his hand over her stomach. Meanwhile, over at the blocks and leggo area of the playroom, Dakota, Elenore, Spencer, Josh, and Chris were all playing with their puppies - surprisingly, they were all playing rather nicely. Infact, Josh was being extra nice to Elenore and grinning widely every time Dakota acknowledged him. Elenore who was having a blast playing with her new pug threw a squeaky toy for Rok to go get - in the short time that she had him, she has managed to already teach him how to play fetch. But this time, she threw the toy a little too far - just as Doctor Johnson had opened the door and walked in, the squeaky toy flew out and Rok made a mad dash for it, squeezing out the door just before it closed.
"Oops…" Elenore muttered, and she jumped up and hurried toward the door. She opened it up and slipped out into the hall unnoticed. She noticed Rok a few feet away retrieving the toy. She went over and scooped him up into her arms, and she turned to go back into the playroom before anyone starts to miss her, only to find Thomas, the not very friendly man standing before her. His arms are crossed over his chest, and he's glaring down at her with so much anger. Elenore cowered back against the wall, holding Rok close to her.
"Scuse me," she spoke very politely. "But I need to gets past so I can goes back to play withs my friends…"
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter
Enjoy =)
Enjoy =)
