'Because You Love Me' - Chapter 2
By: Kasey
Copyright: 2000

               " Emergency? You and Kevin left us with
no note, nothing, for an emergency?" Brian asked
incredulously. Nick sighed and watched Kevin as he
stood at the doorway to Ellas room and watched her
sleep. Nick smiled softly at the sight before turning
his attention back to Brian.
	" Brian, it was an emergency! We didn’t take off for
any other reason but an emergency."
	" OK, so what was this so-called emergency?"
	" Um...well...I don’t think..." Nick stammered and
Brian sighed.
	" Fine. Don’t tell me. But you better have a damn
good excuse for management, because they are so p’oed
at you right now. But of course, there is
one person grateful to you and Kevin for taking off so
suddenly," Brian said.
	" AJ?"
	" AJ. He spent most of the day shopping, came back
with a whole bunch of hats. And you know what? As
punishment to you and Kevin for taking off like this,
I’m gonna make you both sit and watch AJ model all
these new hats. Just for you two," Brian said smugly
and laughed when Nick groaned.
	" Brian!"
	" Brian!" Brian mimicked, " Don’t ‘Brian’ me boy.
We’ve got two weeks left of this tour, and you take
off just when we were going to start the new
dance routine. So this punishment, as far as I’m
concerned, is well deserved. Is Kevin there? I think
it’s time I spoke to him about..."
	" Uh Rok, I don’t think that speaking to Kevin right
now would be a goodidea," Nick hedged and he could
just hear Brians curiosity.
	" OK, why the hell not?" Oh-oh, swearing. Not a good
sign.
	" He’s kinda um, busy?" Nick was hoping that would
pacify Brian, but he should’ve known better.
	" Nikolas Gene Carter, put Kevin on the phone right
now! I want to know what is going on and I want to
know now!" Brian sounded mad. In fact, he
sounded downright pissed off. Nick sighed and put the
phone down, before calling out to Kevin.
	" Kev, I think your cousin wants to speak to you to
find out what the hell is going on," Nick said and
Kevin looked startled.
	" He said hell?"
	" Well yeah. He’s your cousin, you explain to him,"
Nick said, handing Kevin the receiver and leaving the
bedroom, giving Kevin the privacy he would need. Kevin
sighed and put the phone to his ear, hearing Brian on
the other end, talking to whoever else was in the
room.
	" Brian?" Kevin asked grudgingly.
	" Kevin? What’s going on? You took off, no note, no
phone call..."
	" That little bugger, I should have known not to
trust him to tell you!" Kevin muttered, all the while
promising himself to pay Nick back for his
forgetfulness - or deliberate forgetfulness.
                " Kevin? Are you even listening to
me?" Brians agitated vouch made Kevin jump with a
startled oath.
	" Damn, sorry Brian. What were you saying?"
	" Why did you and Nick take off so suddenly? You had
us all worried half to death. Well, maybe not all of
us, considering AJ spent the day spending his money on
more hats," Brian said and Kevin could hear AJ in the
background telling Brain exactly what he thought of
that last comment, causing Kevin to smile slightly. Oh
how simple their life was, his life was only
twenty-four hours ago. Now, all of a sudden, he was a
father, responsible for someone elses life apart from
his own.
	" Ah...well, I don’t know how to say this..."
	" Just spit it out."
	" Maybe I should start at the beginning. How’s your
heart?" Kevin asked, half joking.
	" After the scare you gave us today? I think I’ll
survive. Now what’s going on?" And, for the next ten
minutes, as Kevin explained the days events, Brian was
finally silent, until Kevin had finally completed his
part of the conversation. 
	" So?" Brian was too quiet, which scared Kevin.
	" So what? You’re a father. You had to go and get
your daughter out of foster care. That’s
understandable. Now why on God’s green earth did you
not tell us that before you left? Did you think we
would judge you? Try to talk to you out of going?"
Brian asked softly and Kevin sighed, thankful he was
getting no judgmental recriminations.
	" I’m sorry Brian, but Nick said he’d tell you all we
were going. I didn’t think that the knucklehead would
completely ignore you all. So, do you think I
did the right thing?"
	" In what? Taking custody of your daughter? Yes. It’s
not your fault that Janette didn’t tell you. OK, so
maybe you should have taken more care with
precautions, but what’s done is done. Cant change the
past now. At least you’re taking your responsibilities
on. So, when do I get to meet...Ella, did you say her
name was?"
	" Yeah, Ella Grace. We’re flying to Texas tomorrow.
Nick talked her into coming with us, bribing her with
ice-cream and cookies. So far she really hasn’t
clicked with me yet," Kevin said, sounding a little
despondent.
	" Don’t rush it Kev. She’s one scared, confused
little girl. Have you thought about taking her to a
child psychologist?" Brian asked.
	" No, I haven’t really given much thought beyond
tomorrow I guess. I do now that I need to go out and
buy her some clothes and whatever else seven year old
girls need and want. I also have to look into hiring a
nanny, as well as tutoring. God, I didn’t know that
being a father would be so confusing!" Kevin said and
Brian chuckled.
	" You’re just not used to being the father of a
little girl, you’re so used to having all of us to
look after. Maybe now we’ll all be able to..."
	" Don’t say it Rok, especially if you want to live
much longer," Kevin warned and Brian laughed.
	" Not that we don’t appreciate your fatherly advice
old man, but maybe now you have your own child to look
after..." Brian left the comment hanging,
but Kevin knew what he meant. 
	" As long as I don’t screw this father thing up. I
don’t want Ella to go through anymore than she already
has."

*****