Red Hot ~Nikki Sixx

Part 7: Dr. Feelgood

Part 7:  In which we get to know our heroine a bit more....

Ashten's POV

"Ok, so where were we?" I was in the middle of quizzing Gunner for the English midterm he was having in a few days. He and Storm were hanging at my place while Nikki was in the studio with the rest of the band. The three of us camped out in my kitchen while I painted Storm's nails, made dinner, and went over study questions with Gunner.

I have to admit, things got a lot better after the night Nikki drove me home from the bar. I guess they got better, considering I hardly ever really saw him for the first month he moved into Tommy's house. Between my schedule with Tommy, Nikki's book signings, and other projects, our paths never really crossed much. But when we did come in contact things were a lot less tense and actually cordial. At least it got to the point where he would stop looking at me like he wanted me to drop dead. So, I took that as a good sign.

Anyway, with Nikki staying at the house, I got the opportunity to spend a lot of time with Gunner and Storm. I didn't really know all of the details but I was under the assumption that the younger kids were primarily staying with their respective mothers, and the two older ones were splitting their time between whichever parent they wanted. They seemed to stick with Nikki more than their mom. So, whenever they were around Tommy's place and we had some downtime we would hang out. I liked them a lot.

"Crusoe." Gunner replied.

"Right. So, what is his greatest fear?"

"Isolation," Gunner replied, "Even with his injuries, the physical pain doesn't even compare to the loneliness he is feeling."

"Excellent. Remember that. I'd bet my next pay check that will be an essay question" I replied, finishing Storm's left pinkie. "Hold that thought. I need to stir the pasta."

"You really don't have to cook for us, Ashten," Storm said, blowing her nails.

"Oh, I know that," I shrugged and smiled. "I just like to cook and it's no fun cooking for one person."

"True," she nodded, "what are you making, anyway?"

"Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo."

"Yum," Storm replied.

"You can make that?" came a male voice from behind me. We all turned around to see Nikki leaning in the kitchen doorway. I felt my shoulders tense up a little bit. Not from fear of an altercation, but because I was very aware of the tight black t-shirt he was wearing.

I turned back to the stove and nodded. "Yeah, nothing to it. Just cream, butter, and cheese."

"Thought you were in the studio tonight," Gunner turned the page in his notebook.

"I was," Nikki replied. "We wrapped up a little early and I thought I'd take you two out for dinner and a movie but looks like you already have plans."

"Yeah, Ashten is making an Italian feast," Storm replied. She presented her nails to Nikki and looked up at him, batting her eyes. "She also did my make-up. Am I beautiful?"

Nikki sighed and kind of grunted. He placed his hand on Storm's chin, tilting her head up towards him. "You are so beautiful that you don't need make-up. Why don't we go ahead and swear off this whole make-up thing until you are, I don't know, forty?"

"Whatever, Dad," Storm replied, rolling her eyes.

"We were just fooling around with some different colors," I spoke up. "I told her that it wasn't appropriate to wear heavy eye make-up like that to school."

"Or ever, as far as I'm concerned," he grumbled.

"Really, Dad? I've seen YOU wear more eye liner than that," Gunner spoke up with a shitty grin.