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Author's Chapter Notes:
I'm determined to finish this, so hopefully someone out there will enjoy this update. Drama is coming!
Chapter 23

Nick left his mother's place that morning feeling a bit strange, mostly due to the fact he was seeing her behind everyone's backs. He knew for a fact that if Amanda found out he was seeing Jane Carter....she'd never let him hear the end of things.

He wasn't looking forward to that.

So far, it had been going well. He and his mother were being civil. She was staying at a apartment in Orlando and Nick would drive up to see her once in a while. He felt very guilty for doing so, knowing everyone he cared for despised her.


Amanda hadn't really noticed a change in her husband or his behavior. She was back to working at the club and taking care of the babies when she was home. Having Lisa around certainly helped a great deal. Aaron was adjusting to his new school, which was a private school not far from the nightclub and AJ's tattoo shop. Everything seemed to be going well for everyone.

Especially Lisa and Brian. They still had not told anyone of their relationship but stole moments together when they could. Brian was a bit older but he and Lisa got along very well, having met online in a Star Wars forum when she was living in Texas. AJ was dating the drummer from Nick's band.....Skye. Nick still wasn't used to her being around the house, but AJ was happy. They'd met at Nick and Amanda's wedding and fell for each other soon afterwards.


"So how is everything, Nick?" Brian asked when he'd invited him to shoot some hoops at the park.

"What would you say if I told you my mom came back?" Nick asked, shooting the ball and missing.

"That's an H for you. Um, I'd say she's violating her restraining order." Brian laughed. Nick passed him the ball and rolled his eyes.

"You're just saying that because you're a cop. Do you think I should talk to her if she wants to be civil? Like what if she wanted to be a family again? What would you do?"

He looked at Brian, hoping he would make some statement of validation, a comment that would put him at ease and let him know visiting Jane was really all right.

"Nick, I would stay away from her. You know how your mom is, she's just trying to use you. For what, I don't know....but you're gonna end up being hurt. She's hurt you enough, don't you think?" Brian said seriously. Nick looked at his feet and sighed, he knew nobody would support his decision.

"I just wish my family could be together." he muttered.

"You have a great family now, Nick. A wife who loves you, a son and a daughter....Aaron...and your dad. I'd say it is perfect. I wish I had my family back too, but sometimes it is better to just move on."

"Okay well what if I told you I was seeing her?" Nick asked cautiously. Brian was about to take his shot but dropped the ball.

"Are you crazy? Jane Carter is not a good person. You need to stay away from her."

"She's not like that anymore." Nick protested without thinking.

"As your friend, I really don't want you seeing her. Does Amanda know about this?" Brian asked. Nick shook his head and put the ball down.

"I haven't told her, and I don't want you blabbing. Please let me figure this out, I need to know what will come out of it. I'm not letting her near my family or anything. It's just me." he told him. Brian promised not to say anything to Amanda, but he vowed to himself that he would keep a closer eye on Nick from now on.


Nick knew damn well he was probably making a mistake seeing his mother. She had been calm during their visits, but there was no reason he should doubt her, was there?




Lisa had just put the kids down for a nap when the doorbell rang. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she went to answer it. Brian was there with some KFC for the both of them.

"I thought maybe you were hungry so I picked up lunch. Where's the bosses?" he said as she let him in. They stole a quick kiss and went to eating their lunch in the living room.

"Nick is off doing errands and Amanda is at the club. I missed you." Lisa said. They ate their fried chicken and then cleaned up before watching a movie. The babies had not made any noise, so everything was calm as they settled in to watch Grease.

Brian started kissing her during the movie, his thumb stroking behind her earlobe as their tongues weaved in and out of each other's mouths. It was getting heavy until Lisa heard Bryan cry over the baby monitor.

"Time to work." she joked, putting it back on the coffee table. Brian looked up at her, smiling.

"Hold that kiss until I come back." she said. Brian sat there, tapping his foot to one of the songs and humming Greased Lightening when he heard a yelp come from up the stairs.

"Lisa? You okay?" he asked, but there was no answer.




"What's wrong, Bryan?" Lisa asked as she moved over his crib. Celine was sleeping in the next one, but Bryan seemed distressed. Lisa was about to pick him up when something hard struck her in the head, causing her to fall over in a heap.



"Lisa???" Brian called as he moved toward the stairs. He knew he had a gun hidden under his pants leg, but didn't need it right now. He walked slowly, listening for anything out of the ordinary. By the time he heard the footsteps it was too late. A hand clamped over his mouth, cloth covering him so he couldn't breathe. He struggled but the cloth was soaked in a chemical.....his eyes drooped and he fell down, laying motionless by the staircase.



When Nick got home, the first thought that occurred was the fact Brian's car was in the driveway. Secondly, the house was eerily quiet except for Bryan crying upstairs. Nick headed for the nursery but almost tripped over a body laying by the stairs.

"Brian?" he said, shaking him gently. Brian was not answering or moving at all and it worried him. He didn't look hurt so Nick began to call for Lisa.

"Where is everyone?" he asked as he entered the babies' room. Bryan was throwing a fit, Lisa laying on the floor in front of the crib. Horrorstruck, he ran to her and shook her as well.

It was then that he looked into the crib next to Bryan's.....and he felt sick.

Celine was gone.