- Text Size +
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
It was co-written with Lenni.
Enjoy =)
Chapter Sixty Two



After the elephant ride had stopped Nick helped Hannah out of theirs and then climbed out himself and she ran out of the gate and over to Riley. Nick waited as Ashley, Dakota, and Sarah got out of their elephants and when they did Ashley lifted Sarah up into her arms again, as she has become very attached to the little girl that has been very clingy to her. Dakota looked up at Ashley curiously, a small pang of jealously forming in the pit of her stomach as she eyed Sarah in her arms. She looked over at Elenore who had finally managed to drag Josh over to her after arguing about it with him and Elenore seemed to have read the look on Dakota's face right away.


"Don'ts worry Kota…Ashee loves you. She's just bein' nice to her cause she was hurteds too," Elenore reassured. Dakota didn't reply, she only went over to Ashley and tugged lightly on her shirt. Ashley looked down at her curiously and smiled at her lovingly.


"Hi sweetheart, did you have fun on the ride?" Dakota nodded, than she reached up for her. Ashley shifted Sarah so she is rested on one side and she lifted Dakota up and placed her on the other before kissing her cheek. Dakota smiled now, wrapping her arms around her neck and resting her head against her shoulder, though she still eyed Sarah some. Sure, Sarah is a nice girl and she doesn't really have a problem with her. But she seems to be spending an awful lot of time with the woman who she had deemed her mommy months ago. She's not sure if she is willing to share and she can't help but feel that she is just doing it to be closer to Nick since she is part of his 'fan club' after all and she knows Sarah. Sarah will do anything to get near her daddy. It annoys her to no end the way Sarah and her friends are always drooling over her daddy, though she doesn't say anything because they're his fans and that's what fans do and she has to get used to it. But it just bugs her because to her, her daddy and her uncles aren't just Backstreet Boys they're her family. Ordinary people in her eyes. So what does Sarah see them as? She won't have some crazy little fan using her daddy like that. Nick suddenly took Ashley's hand and after making sure Josh and Elenore were following he led them all out of the gate and back to the adults and awaiting groups. Brian, who had taken Josh's hand into his looked at Dakota curiously who seemed to now have put a death grip upon Ashley and he noticed her staring at Sarah with daggers in her eyes - and jealousy? Uh-oh he thought. That's a disaster waiting to happen.


"Hey Kota, why don't you come with me to buy everyone Mickey mouse hats?" Brian asked, spotting a man near by selling hats.


"Ashee comes with?"


"She has to stay here with Nick honey."


"Then I stays too." Dakota answered, tightening her arms around Ashley.


"Come on sweetie Uncle Brian could sure use the help," Brian replied gently.


"But…"


"Go on honey…I'll be here when you get back. Promise." Ashley reassured.


"Kay…" Dakota replied softly, and she reached for Brian, allowing him to take her. He carried her off toward the man selling hats.


"Okay, what's the matter?" Brian demanded, soon as they were out of ear shot of everyone else.


"Nothing…" Dakota answered innocently, though she couldn't help but wonder how he knows.


"Dakota Ann, you and I both know that it isn't nothing. Come on now, this is Uncle Brian you're talking to. You can tell me anything…remember? I've got your back. Always." Dakota didn't reply, she only looked down and he noticed the same dangerous look she had when she was staring at Sarah.


"You wouldn't by any chance be jealous of Sarah, would you? Because if you're, that's just ridiculous honey. There is no reason at all," He asked gently and he placed his finger under her chin and carefully lifted it so she is looking him in the eyes. Dakota's eyes darkened some as Brian moved into the small line of people waiting to buy hats.


"I just don'ts see why she's gotta be near my Ashee so much!"


"Because she's hurting just as much as you're right now sweetie…you know that. Tom hurt her too and just like you, she needs all the love she can get and you know just as well as anyone else that Ashley is the most comforting person to go to. All of the kids love her…so you're just going to have to learn to share her honey. Especially when she starts getting more involved with her new internship." Dakota scowled.


"She is only getting close to Ashee so that's she can be closer to my daddy. There are plenty of other adults to gets comfort from!"


"Dakota Ann, you know that's not true." Brian stated firmly.


"Yes it is. She's part of daddy's little 'fan club' you knows all she thinks of him as is a 'cute Backstreet Boy'. She doesn't acts normal around him at all an' its annoying."

"I think maybe you need to get to know Sarah before you make those judgments, young lady."


"I already knows Sarah. She's the same girl that hangs out withs those other girls who sit around all day discussing how great an' wonderful, an' totally cute that my daddy the Backstreet Boy is!" Dakota replied, the last part in the best teeny-bopper tone she could muster.


"Things aren't always what they seem sweetheart, did you ever stop to think about that?"


"No…" Dakota replied softly. She knows he has her on that one.


"Like I said before…you really need to get to know her before you make those kind of judgments. To be honest, I don't think Sarah is anything like her friends at all."


"What do you mean? Course she is…"


"No she's not. I think she acts a certain way around them to impress them because they strike me as the kind of girls that if you don't act a certain way…you don't belong."


"Why would she wants to hang out withs girls like that? That just makes her fake."


"Because she doesn't see it as a bad thing…they're her friends. She's a sweet girl and she loves them…and she doesn't see that they're fake. She doesn't know what a real friend is like Dakota…so maybe you should show her. You and Ellie are amazing friends and I know you will see a whole different side to her if you gave her a chance."


"I don'ts wanna…what if she starts talkin' bouts my daddy?"


"Then you can remind her that he is your daddy and you already know that he is great and then change the subject. She's a smart girl…she'll catch on." Dakota looked up at her uncle skeptically.


"Come on honey…try it. Give her a chance…if not for her, then for me. Please?"


"Kay…" Dakota replied softly and he smiled down at her and kissed her cheek. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his shoulder.

"I loves you Uncle Brian…" She spoke softly.


"I love you too sweetheart, very much." He told her, hugging her tightly and just as he did, the people in front of them walked away with their hats causing Brian and Dakota to now be the ones in front. They picked out hats for everybody and when they were finished, Brian paid for them they brought them over to their awaiting group, Dakota already wearing hers. Brian passed them all out to everybody, then he handed Dakota over to Nick as she was suddenly reaching for him.


"Where to now?"


"I believe I promised Ellie she could choose which ride we go on next," Nick replied, looking down at the little girl who had secretly been arguing with Josh, but both of them looked up at him innocently the minute they heard him say her name.


"What ride are we going on now Ellie?" Elenore looked around the area until she suddenly spotted the Teacup Ride.


"Teacup!" She answered, pointing to them eagerly.


"The Teacup ride it is then," Kevin replied, grinning a little and he took Elenore's hand into his and Brian who had noticed the secret fighting going on, as he seems to notice everything reached over and grabbed Josh's hand as well. Now that both kids had their hands held, neither of them could do any yanking. They all then headed toward the Teacup ride, which is from the movie Alice In Wonderland. When they got there they suddenly spotted Kori, Wiley, Denise, and their group. Ashley groaned softly at the sight of her sister and her 'friend' Wiley, the only people hearing it were Nick and Laney who were both standing next to her protectively. Nick took her hand into his and squeezed it gently and he looked at her and kissed her cheek.


"Stop it," he warned and Ashley scowled.


"Hey Denise, Kori, Wiley….kids," Kevin greeted, a grin on his face at the sight of them.


"Hey everybody," Kori replied. Denise looked around and was confused when she only saw Nick, Brian, and Kevin there.


"Where are Alex and Howie?"


"They took their group and went their separate ways. You know D, and Alex…always doing their own thing." Brian answered.

"Of course," Denise replied, smiling a little.


"Are you all waiting to get on the ride, or are you just leaving?" Riley asked curiously.


"We're waiting to get on."


"Cool, so are we." The groups all moved so that they were all in line and as they were standing there waiting Elenore about had enough of Josh poking her and started doing it right back. Brian who was standing there keeping an eye on them rolled his eyes and decided not to say anything. They're gonna fight whether anyone likes it or not and there's no point in stopping them. Soon though, other people around them started noticing and were watching them curiously.


"How come those two are handcuffed together?" A man with two kids, a seven year old girl and a 10 year old boy asked Brian.


"They were playing cops and robbers and lost the key," Brian answered. "We can't find it anywhere." Brian waited until Elenore and Josh were out of hearing point, though Q stayed very close to them dutifully, and Brian spoke quietly.


"They didn't really lose the key. Nick has it in his pocket. Those two are constantly going at it so we decided to leave them handcuffed together in hopes that they finally learn to get a long," he explained, pointing to Nick when he had said his name. The man who Brian was talking to laughed.


"That's a good one…I should try that on my kids…they're always fighting too." When they reached the front of the line Brian looked behind him to see that Q had lifted Elenore and Josh up midst punching each other in the arms and carried them back to their group - both of them scowling. When he reached the group, he set them back down on the ground.


"Are you two done now? Cause it's time to get on the ride." Kevin questioned.


"Maybe…" both kids replied at the same time, then they turned and glared at each other.


"Copycat!" Josh immediately said.


"I didn't's copy you, you copied me!"


"Did not!"


"Did too!"


"Did NOT!" Elenore replied, stomping Josh's foot.


"OW!" Josh yelled, and grabbed her hair and yanked on it.


"OW!!" Elenore exclaimed, holding her tears back the best she could and she smacked him hard in the arm.


"Enough!" Brian and Kevin both exclaimed at the same time. "Stop fighting and go pick a teacup to go on, now or you can sit out with Q and watch everybody else have all the fun." Brian demanded. Both kids groaned and followed everybody else through the gates to go pick a teacup. Elenore, Dakota, Spencer, Josh, and Chris all chose to sit in a teacup together and Kevin sat in there with Elenore seated in his lap just so he can make sure there are no problems. Nick, Sarah, Ashley, Riley, Brooke, Brian, Kori and Wiley got in another teacup. As soon as all of their kids were in a teacup, and everybody else who could fit, the ride started. After the teacup ride, they went on all of the rest of the little kid rides, then when they were on their way to the stores, Elenore spotted Donald.


"ITS DONALD DUCK!!!!" Everyone turned to look and tried not to laugh, as Elenore was pretty much literally dragging Josh over to meet Donald Duck - though, the boy was trying to run by himself, as he too was excited.


"DONALDS!!!!!!!!!!!" Elenore shrieked, nearing him shortly. "HI!" Donald Duck turned and waved hello, then opened his arms for a hug - which, of course, Elenore dove right into making poor Josh do so also, though he didn't mind. Josh returned Donald's hug, as he was a fan, He just didn't like to admit too much when the girls were around. Brian chuckled and quickly pulled out his digital camera to snap a photo of the too.


"Kodak moment," he told the others, who nodded their agreement. Shortly, all the kids were over where Donald Duck was, all eager to meet him as well. while they were meeting him, Dakota spotted the one she'd been waiting for ALL day.


"MICKEY MOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Dakota screeched excitedly. "DADDY!!!! DADDY!!!!! IT MICKEY MOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!"


"Yes, it is," Nick smiled. "Go on and greet him, Baby. Daddy's right behind you." Dakota squealed, and upon grabbing Ellie - and Josh - ran straight for her most favorite mouse in the whole universe!


"MICKEY!!!!!!!!!!!" Dakota exclaimed, tackling him in a hug. Mickey hugged her back, as well as Elenore and Josh once they'd caught up. He crouched down and eagerly listened to Dakota ramble on endlessly about her day, and nodded to show he was listening. The next few minutes involved all the kids running about to meet the Disney characters that suddenly seemed to be popping up out of nowhere. Winnie The Pooh, Pluto, Tigger, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Max [Goofy's son], Piglet, etc. All the little girls shrieked though, when the Disney Princesses began to arrive. They all made a mad dash for Cinderella, Snow White, Belle, Sleeping Beauty, and Jasmine. Plus, to top it off, Prince Charming [all three of them], Beast, and Aladdin were there as well. Josh growled and yanked back, jerking Elenore backwards.


"I DON'T want to see no stinkin' Princesses!" He stated flatly.


"Buts we HAFTA sees 'em!" Elenore cried. "They even broughts da Beast an' Aladdin!"


"NO," Josh replied, standing his ground and crossing his arms over his chest as best as he could, considering they were still attached.


"Please Joshy!" Elenore pleaded. "Kota's over there! You can find out her favorite Princess this way!" Josh scowled, but finally relented and allowed her to drag him over to where the Princesses and Princes were - he had to admit, he did like Aladdin and the Beast. The kids all blabbed excitedly to the Princesses and Princes, Josh keeping a close eye on Dakota, who was talking to Cinderella, secretly. While they were talking with the Princes and Princesses, Roger Rabbit suddenly appeared out of no where, causing Elenore to scream and run off in the opposite direction. Josh ended up having to go with her, as she ran so fast he didn't have a chance to steady himself.


"Elenore!" Josh exclaimed. "Stop! I wanna go see Roger Rabbit!"


"NO!" Elenore shrieked, amidst the crowd of kids they were with.


"Yes!" Josh argued. "Now, c'mon!" He yanked on their handcuffed hands, trying to get her to go with him.


"NO! NO! NO! NO!" Elenore screeched, stomping her foot. "I'M NOTS GOIN' NEARS HIM!!!!!!!!!"


"That's NOT fair!" Josh declared. "I had to see everyone you wanted too!!!!!"


"You dids nots!" Elenore cried.


"I did so! I had to go see stinkin' Princesses!" Josh reminded her.

"You only went so you could see who Kota liked!" Elenore snapped back, desperately trying to yank him in the opposite direction as Roger Rabbit came closer and closer to where they stood.


"SHUT-UP!" Josh yelled, looking around to make sure no one had heard Elenore. Luckily, everyone was still pre-occupied.


"Now, c'mon! Roger Rabbit is Awesome!" Josh told her, tugging on their annoying handcuffs. "Let's go see him!"


"NO!!!!!" Elenore cried desperately, as Roger Rabbit was almost to where they stood arguing. "Please Joshy! Don'ts makes me goes see him! Please!" Josh looked at her oddly. Was she truly going to cry again? Is that all anyone had to do to get their way anymore?


"BRIAN!" Josh shouted. "ELENORE WON'T LET ME GO SEE ROGER RABBIT!!!!!!!!!" Brian groaned and came over to where the two stood. Could they not get along for more than five minutes?


"Now, what's the problem here?"


"She won't let me go see Roger Rabbit!" Josh informed him. "I want to go see him! He's my favorite!" Brian sighed and turned to look at Elenore.


"Ellie, c'mon. It's only fair." Elenore started to cry and shook her head frantically, as she plopped herself down on the ground cross-legged.


"Noooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don'ts wants too!!!!!!!!!! Please Brian!!!!! Please!!!!!!!!!" Brian looked confused.


"Ellie, what's wrong, Honey? Roger Rabbit won't hurt you."


"No! No! No! No!" Elenore declared, still crying.


"ROGER!!! OVER HERE!!!!!!!!" Josh yelled, waving the big scary white rabbit over.


"Joshua!" Brian snapped, giving Josh a stern Look.


"What?" Josh asked, looking a bit worried. He only wanted to meet his favorite Disney character.


"That was uncalled for," Brian told him sternly.


"But it's not fair that she can meet Donald Duck and I can't meet Roger Rabbit!" Josh argued, now looking ready to cry himself. "I just wanna meet my favorite!" Brian sighed heavily.


"Ellie, if I carry you both, will you let Josh go and see Roger?" Brian asked. "You can bury your face into me if you get scared, and I promise I won't let him touch you, okay?" Elenore still sobbed, but she reached for Brian anyway. Brian scooped both kids up and met Roger Rabbit half way.


"Hi Roger!" Josh exclaimed excitedly. "Brian! I want a picture! Please!" Brian sighed heavily, knowing he'd never be able to put Ellie down. He called Nick over, as he was closest.


"Hey Frack! C'mere a sec!"


"What's up?" Nick asked, coming over having had left Dakota and Ashley with Laney for a brief moment.


"I need you to take a picture of Josh with Roger Rabbit," Brian told him. "I'd do it, but there's no way I can put Ellie down right now."


"Why not?" Nick questioned curiously.


"She's scared, Frack," Brian replied, handing over his camera after having had crouched down and set the kids down in front of him - though Elenore refused to let go. Nick nodded his understanding and took the photo, soon as they'd figured out a way for Josh to hug Roger and Ellie not to let go of Brian anymore than she had to. Soon enough - but not soon enough for Ellie - Roger Rabbit was well on his way, and Brian was carrying both kids once more. One was ecstatic, and the other still tearful and demanding she get Kevin - immediately. When Brian reached Kevin, Kevin looked at his cousin confused.


"What's going on, Bri?"


"Ellie is terrified of Roger Rabbit…He's Josh's favorite….enough said."


"Ah…" Kevin replied, understanding immediately. Brian crouched down, setting the two kids on the ground and Kevin crouched down too allowing Elenore to throw her arms around him. She buried her face in his shoulder and continued to cry and he rubbed his hand over her back.


"Shhh…its okay sweetie. Your alright…" he soothed gently. After a long moment when he had finally calmed her down he pulled back a little and smiled gently.


"How about an ice cream cone? Hmm? For the both of you."


"Yeah!!" Josh exclaimed happily.


"Okay," Elenore replied, sniffling some. Kevin stood and lifted both children into his arms and he carried them off to buy them an ice cream cone in attempt to cheer Elenore up.