Bonds of Love

By Dueler312

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of OLTL.

Chapter 2

Nicole and Patrick were dropped off at school, and Cole left with Markko so that they could get to work. On the way, Cole told Markko about someone buying the house.

"We're actually thinking about welcoming them to the neighborhood tonight, and we want you, Langston and Laura to come," said Cole.

"Hey that sounds cool," said Markko. "Besides, Laura loves playing with Nicole there."

"No doubt about that," said Cole, as he pulled up in the high school parking lot. "Time to get to work," he said, and they both got out.

Nicole was enjoying 5th grade. She had two best friends. One of them was a girl named Crystal, and they always liked to hang around and talk about girl stuff. Nicole's other best friend, and Crystal's was a boy named Jake. He became best friends with Nicole and Crystal by defending them against someone that was hurting them. Those three were always close, but Jake knew when to give the girls some time alone.

However today, when Nicole was walking in, Crystal and Jake noticed that there was something wrong.

"Hey Nikki," Crystal called. She was the only one who was allowed to call Nicole that.

"Oh, hey you two," Nicole said as her two best friends came up to them.

"Are you okay?" asked Jake. "You seemed a little out of it when you walked in."

"I don't know," said Nicole. "It just that I think someone was watching us from the house that is five houses away from ours, right across the street."

"Did you tell your parents?" asked Jake.

"No. I thought it was just nothing, but something tells me like that person may be trouble," said Nicole.

"Maybe you better tell someone this," said Crystal.

"Yeah, I better," said Nicole. The bell then ring. "Come on, you guys. We better not be late."

"You're right on that, Nikki," said Crystal.

"Come on, you two," Jake said, shaking his head at his friends, and the three of them went to class.

Starr was studying a poison from a snake when the alarm on her watch told her it was time for her lunch. She put the poison away and cleaned up, and then went to go to Rodi's to order something. When she was there however, she saw Langston there, along with her little girl, Laura, eating. Langston was writing of what was her latest play.

"Hey Langston," Starr called out to her.

"Starr, what are you doing here?" asked Langston. She pulled out a chair for Starr to sit.

"Oh I'm just grabbing something to eat, and then heading back," explained Starr. "Hey Laura."

"Hi, Starr," said Laura. Laura looked like she inherited Markko's eyes, but she had curly, long, black hair. "I'm coloring a picture here," she said, holding it up to show Starr.

"Oh, that's neat," said Starr. She then turned to Langston.

"Hey, we actually got a new neighbor on our street," said Starr.

"You mean someone finally bought that house," Langston said, sounding a little surprised.

"Yeah, and Cole and I, along with Nicole and Patrick are going to welcome them or him/her to the neighborhood tonight, and if you want to come along-"

"Sure, I don't have a problem with that," Langston interrupted. "I think Laura would like to, huh sweetie."

But Laura seemed to be too interested in coloring to be paying attention of what the two women were saying.

"I'll talk to her about it when we get home," said Langston. Starr just smiled.

"Rodi's burger for Thornhart!" someone called from the bar area.

"Well, I better get that and get back to work. I'll see you later, Langston," said Starr.

"Later, Starr," said Langston. The two best friends shared a hug, and then Starr said good-bye to Laura, who responded right away. When Starr left with her food, Langston asked her daughter, "Why didn't you respond when I asked you that question?"

"I was busy coloring and didn't want to mess it up," Laura explained to her mom. Langston just shook her head.

Later on during the day, when Nicole, Patrick, and Cole was at home, Cole was about to start deciding something good to fix for their new neighbors when there was a knock at the door. Nicole came down the same time it was knocked upon.

"Hey darling," Cole called out to his daughter. "Can you get that please?"

"Sure, Dad," said Nicole, and she went to see who was at the door.

"Hey, you three," she said when she opened the door. Langston, Markko, and Laura were there in the doorway.

"Can we come in, Nicole?" asked Langston.

"Oh, sorry," she apologized, and let the Rivera's walk in.

"Hey, you two," said Cole. "Hey Laura."

"Hey Cole," said Laura, turning a little red. Laura seemed to have a little crush on Cole.

"I was just about to start on dinner," said Cole.

"Do you want any help?" asked Markko.

"Sure," said Cole. He and Markko went in the kitchen to go to work. Langston went to follow, but was stop when Nicole called her.

"Langston, can I talk to you about something?" she asked.

"Sure, Nicole. What's up?" Langston asked her.

Nicole took a deep breath and said, "Something been really nagging at me since this morning, right before Dad took Patrick and I to school."

"I'm listening, go ahead," Langston said, as they both sat down.

"Well, I had a feeling that someone was watching us, and I don't mean ordinary watching like seeing a family getting along thing. I mean more like," Nicole said, but she was having trouble trying to find the right word for it.

"Stalking?" said Langston.

"Yeah, and I talked to my friends about it, and they felt that I needed to tell a grownup that could help," Nicole explained along.

"Well, your friends are right," said Langston. "When your Mom, Dad, me, and Markko were in school, although more than you are now, when we felt something was wrong, we would tell our parents, all though your grandpa wouldn't listen when it came to your dad."

"Well, do you think I'm overreacting?" asked Nicole.

"Well, where did you think you see this mysterious watcher?" Langston asked.

"In that house, that somebody bought," Nicole answered.

Langston then felt a little nervous. "Are you talking about the one that's five houses across the street?" she asked.

"Yeah," Nicole answered without hesitation.

Langston thought about it at first, and then said, "Well, I think you were right in telling someone, but I would wait in passing judgment until you see who this person is."

"Okay," said Nicole.

"Hey can you color with me, Nicole?" asked Laura, who came over to them.

"Sure thing, Laura," said Nicole, and they went over to the front room table to color. Langston went to leave them alone, but had a strange feeling after having that conversation with Starr's daughter. Unfortuantely both Langston and Nicole's strange feelings were about to be proven a little when all of hem went to welcome the neighbors.

"Now remember, behave," Starr said to the three young ones, mostly to her own two, as they messed with each other a lot.

Starr knocked and the door opened. They were in a shock as they saw who was living there.

"Well, I never thought I would see you four again," the owner said.

Find out who the owner is in the next chapter.