Safe and Sound (Book 4 of "The Story of Us" series) [Completed]

Chapter 15 - Finally

[May 2015]

[Nick]

Almost a year has passed since we found out that Ella could still be alive and we found her. About nine months have passed since we decided to leave Nashville and just start over.

We decided to not even make an announcement about what we were doing. We sold the house to someone who had been interested in the property for over a year without the help of a real estate agent.

We found a beautiful house on the beach in Destin, Florida, where Harley and I flew to be married on the beach. It's actually only two miles from the spot we got married. It's a beautiful five bedroom house and sure, I miss the golf course, but there's plenty around here. Jon and Nadine got a smaller house about a half-mile away from us and Daisy stayed in Nashville to finish up college and just moved to New York City where she's going to try to become a Broadway singer.

I have to admit, it's a little weird living somewhere else, especially when our lives don't revolve around music anymore. I haven't seen the inside of a studio in over a year. I haven't worked on music in over a year and sometimes I keep itching to grab a guitar and sing or even dance.

I'm not sure if Harley feels the same or not. She has been keeping herself busy with the kids, especially with Ella who celebrates her ninth birthday today. She started school here in January after Harley home schooled her for a few months and has quickly started to fit in and get a normal life. Sadie has started going to a pre-school a few hours a day and both she and Ella take dance classes. Ella, like we promised her, takes music lessons once a week and has started playing the guitar and is getting good at it. Maybe that's why I've found myself itching to play again or do something.

"Daddy!" I heard Sadie yell as I stood out on the beach, looking out at the water. "Daddy it's almost time for party!" I looked back seeing Sadie run down the steps from the house and out onto the sand, running up to me. She looked more and more like Harley every day, especially as she got older.

"I know," I said, picking her up. She grabbed my face, giving me a big kiss on the cheek, causing me to laugh.

"It's Ella's first birthday!"

"No, it's her ninth birthday, baby, but her first birthday with us," I said as Ella nodded, her little girls bouncing.

"Let's go inside, Daddy!" Ella said as I started heading back up towards the house. "I want Ella to open my present."

"What did you get her?"

"I can't tell, only Grandpa knows," she said as I snorted, reaching the top of the steps. Harley had the area around the pool decorated with purple balloons and I put Sadie down as she ran into the house.

I headed into our living room where Ella had a few friends from school over and she was busy talking with them. She was finally starting to put everything that happened past her with the therapy she had been having since we got her back.

"Someone wants his Daddy," I heard Harley say as I turned around, seeing her walk up to me with Noah in his arms. "Where were you?"

"Out on the beach, what's the matter?" I asked, looking at Noah who shook his head.

"Water," he said, pointing outside the glass doors.

"We can go swimming in a bit," I said as Noah shook his head. "Yes, we can. We have to have Ella's party first." Sometimes it was like looking in a mirror. Where Sadie looked a lot like Harley, Noah and Ella looked a lot like me.

"No, water now," Noah said as I rolled my eyes.

"Later," I said as he started to pout. He started moving in my arms and I put him down to see Jon and Nadine walk in the door. Noah immediately ran up to Jon. He was such a grandpa's boy and Jon ate it up.

"Grandpa, you brought me presents?!" Ella asked as she left her friends and ran up to Jon and Nadine.

"I did, but you can't open them yet," he said as I looked at one of the boxes and could tell it had to be some type of guitar. "After your cake."

"Okay," she said, hugging him before running back over to her friends. I smiled, seeing the smile on Jon's face. She had gotten more comfortable with him, even spending the night with Jon and Nadine a few times.

Our lives were finally normal, for the first real time, everything was normal.

[/Nick]

[Harley]

I can't believe that nine years ago today, I gave birth to Ella and thought that I had lost her forever. This past year has been crazy, from finding out that she might be alive to the fact that she had been hurt and abused.

She's come so far, especially after we moved here to Florida. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, the media hounding us in Nashville got to her a little and she would have never been able to have a normal life growing up around the industry.

Honestly, I don't miss it that much. I sing along with the kinds sometimes and play with Ella once in a while. This, this life that we have now, is what I always wanted with Nick. I never really thought we could have it, but we both gave up everything for the kids and it was worth it.

Sure, people around here know who we are for the most part, but they don't care. We can go to the grocery store and there's no photographers outside waiting on us. I can take Ella to school and she's just another normal little girl.

After a long afternoon of cake, games, swimming and presents, Ella's friends left to go home and everybody else who came over went their separate ways. Noah had wore himself out swimming after pitching a fit all day to do so and was already tucked away in his bed.

"Night night Mama," Sadie said as I leaned over and kissed her goodnight. "Tomorrow we go out on Daddy's boat?"

"Yeah, we are," I smiled. "Sweet dreams." I watched her as she snuggled under her covers to her doll and I walked out of her room, shutting her door. I walked over to Ella's room and paused, hearing her and Nick.

Daddy, can I sing with you sometime?

With me?

You know how Mama and I play the guitar and sing sometimes? I want to do that with you.

Sure, we can tomorrow if you want. Did you have a good birthday?

I've never had a birthday party like that before. It was the best birthday ever.

Good, I'm glad. Sweet dreams.

I love you, Daddy.

I love you, too.

I smiled, standing there as Nick walked out, shutting the door behind him. He looked over at me and smiled as I walked up to him, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"I love you, too," I whispered, kissing his lips gently. He smiled against them and rested his forehead against mine. "I know you miss it. Sing with her sometime. We have the basement, you can build a studio..."

"Singing with Ella can cure it," he said as I smiled. "I miss it, but I don't miss it. I love what we have here. I'm more than just a Backstreet Boy now, Harley and I like that."

"You were always more than just a Backstreet Boy to me," I smiled, looking up at him. "You were just my Nick, the hero in my fairytale."

"How about your hero takes you to our room and make love to the princess?" he asked as I started to giggle. He pulled me close to him and lifted me up, carrying me towards our bedroom.

This was my life now. Ella was safe and sound, with us. I spent my days taking care of my kids and making love to my husband at night.

And I couldn't ask for anything more.

[/Harley]