Riding the Waves by AJBrianFan
Story Notes:
This is my first AJ fic, so be nice. ;) All chapters are in AJ's point of view (sort of) unless otherwise noted.

AJ doesn't have any addiction problems in this fic (so far).

Chapter 1 by AJBrianFan
Author's Notes:
Added 9/19. Please read and review! :)

Tuesday, March 18, 2008
10:05 PM

He was getting impatient as their plane was sitting on the ramp at Los Angeles International Airport. The Backstreet Boys had just finished a show the previous day in Mexico City, Mexico for their Unbreakable Tour and while the show was great and the fans were amazing, AJ McLean just wanted to get home and relax for the fifteen-day break he and the fellas needed before going back on the road to Stuttgart, Germany on April 2nd.

He couldn't wait to see two of the most important things in his life—but he would have to wait until they would let him off this damn plane! What was the hold up?

"AJ! C'mon man, let's go!" Brian Littrell said as he started to get his bags from his overhead compartment.

'Finally.'

AJ grabbed his bag and exited the plane. The Boys walked out of Gate 18 and that's when he saw them.

"Daddy!" A little boy ran to him and he knelt down and scooped him up and into his arms, giving him a bear hug and a sloppy wet kiss. "I missed you so much!"

AJ laughed. "I missed you, too. Have you been a good boy for Mommy?"

"Yes, he has."

AJ put Jordan down and embraced his wife. "Hello, gorgeous."

Kim was a beautiful woman who stood a few inches shorter than AJ. She had long dark brown hair and brown eyes, which was one of the first things he noticed about her when they first met because they were so similar in color to his own. She had a slender frame with an oval-shaped face and a smile that was infectious. Her fun-loving personality and laid-back nature was exactly what AJ was looking for at the time and they immediately clicked. They dated for almost two years before they got married in August 2002.

"Hey, baby." They kissed a few times not caring who was around, just in their own little world for a brief moment.

"How was your flight?"

"Good, uneventful. How was J's appointment with the doctor?"

Kim and Jordan were supposed to fly out to Guadalajara to be with AJ during their shows in Mexico a few days before, but Jordan developed an ear infection and was advised not to fly until he was well again.

"It was fine, she said the infection's clearing up and just have him finish the meds so there's no recurrence."

AJ smiled. "Great. It's too bad you guys couldn't come out, I missed you so much." He hugged her tightly.

"Yeah, he was really upset about it. I missed you, too."

They walked to Baggage Claim to pick up AJ's luggage and went back to the gate.

"C'mon, let's go talk with everyone for a few minutes, then we'll go home." He took Jordan's hand and the three of them went to the group that was now gathering.

As Brian saw AJ holding his little boy's hand with his wife by his side, he couldn't help but be proud of the man that AJ had become. Sure, he was still his wild, dorky self, but when he married Kim and had Jordan, he definitely slowed down and prioritized his life. When he found out that Kim was pregnant, he quit smoking so their baby wouldn't be harmed. He was there for her every step of the way, and Brian knew that he would be an amazing husband and father. He then looked to his own family and smiled.
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"It was great seeing you again Leighanne," said Kim as the two hugged and said their goodbyes.

"You too, you guys should come to Marietta soon, I know that Baylee would love to see Jordan more often."

"That would be great, wouldn't it, J?"

"Yeah!" he said with great enthusiasm.

She chuckled. "C'mon, let's go see what Daddy's doing."

Kim walked up to AJ as he was talking to Brian. "Alex, are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, babe, hold on for one second. Hey guys: it's been fun as always. See you guys in a couple weeks." He made the rounds as he hugged everyone and said his goodbyes.

Slinging his bag over his shoulder and picking up Jordan, they exited the airport, not without a few flashbulbs going off, of course. As always, he was gracious with the reporters and paparazzi, answering a few questions even in his rush to get home.

One reporter asked, "How was Mexico?"

"Good, man, good. The shows were great, the fans were great, we couldn't ask for anything better."

Another asked, "Why wasn't your family with you?"

"Jordan got an ear infection and was not allowed to fly out for the shows. He's doing better now."

"That's great, thanks, AJ."

"No problem, man."

He answered a couple more as he put his things in the trunk and they got in their black Porsche Cayenne S and began the drive home. Kim drove since AJ was wiped from his flight.

Around a half-hour later, they arrived at the house and were greeted by their dog Bernie.

"Daddy's home! I missed you, yes, I did! Yes, I did!" He roughed him up a bit, then turned to Kim who was holding a sleeping Jordan.

"I'm gonna put him to bed."

"How about we both do it?"

"Alright."

AJ took his luggage upstairs to the bedroom and joined Kim in Jordan's room.

"Should we put him in PJs or just tuck him in?"

"Nah, let him sleep. He needs his rest."

AJ pulled the comforter out of the way and Kim laid Jordan down. He grabbed his teddy bear and put it next to him while she covered him. They both kissed him on the forehead.

"Goodnight, J, Mommy loves you."

"Goodnight, little man."

They turned off the light, shut the door, and walked out of the room. Both went into their bedroom and AJ began to unpack. Once he did, they sat on the bed holding hands, kissing.

"Alex?"

"Hm?"

"Will you sing to me?"

"Any requests?"

She shook her head. "No, you can sing the alphabet and I won't care."

"Okay, let's see..." He cleared his throat, looked deep into her eyes and began to sing softly.

Once there was a time love was just a myth
It just wasn't for real, it didn't exist
'Til the day you came into my life
You forced me to think twice
I didn't have too much, no I wasn't rich
You gave me belief someday I'd be more than this
That's why until this day I'm still your man
'Cause you made me understand that

Love is kisses in a bean bag chair
The two of us but no one there
Love is the moment that I climb the stairs
To hold you in my arms after we make love
Love is waking up to see your face
Or kissing in the morning rain
Love is
The only thing that keeps me sane
At the end of the day is that I've got you...


"I love you so much, baby." AJ kissed her deeply and just looked at her. "Hey Kim?"

"Yeah?" she breathed.

"You know what's better than make-up sex?"

She grinned mischievously. "I can think of a few things..."

"What about 'welcome home' sex?"

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that." She rolled her eyes.

"What do ya say?" AJ pushed her down on the bed and began kissing her neck. "God, you're beautiful..." He playfully nipped at her ear.

"Why, you little devil..." she giggled as he pulled her into his arms.

"God, you don't know how long I've been waiting to—"

They both stopped when there was a small knock at the door.

"Mommy? Daddy?" A small sniffle was also heard.

AJ got up from the bed and opened the door, finding Jordan with his blanket and teddy bear in tow. His face was flushed with tears streaming down his cheeks, and was tugging at his right ear.

AJ looked at him sadly. "Oh J...come here, buddy." He picked him up and brought him to Kim. "We've got a situation here, Mommy."

"What is it? Did he have a bad dream?" She then noticed his tears and bright red ear. "Sit him down here." He did so. "Does your ear hurt, Jordan?"

He whimpered, "Uh-huh. A lot."

"Come here, baby, Mommy and Daddy will make it all better." He snuggled up against her as she felt his cheeks and forehead. "Alex, he's burning up. Get the thermometer."

"You got it." He hurried out of the room and into the bathroom and grabbed the ear thermometer and came back.

He walked up to Jordan and tried to put it in his left ear, but he kept squirming. "J? C'mon, it's not gonna hurt. Daddy's just gonna take your temperature with this, remember? It doesn't hurt, see?" He put in his own ear and it beeped three seconds later and read 98.4 degrees. "Okay?" He cleaned the end with an alcohol wipe and Jordan relented, letting him use the device. It beeped and read 103.1 degrees. He showed it to Kim, who then asked AJ to make another trip to the bathroom to get some ear drops and Children's Motrin. He came back and set them on the bedside table. Now the real challenge came: to get Jordan to take some medicine and get him back to sleep.

AJ took some medicine and put it in the dosage cup and held onto it. "Jordan, will you please take some medicine for daddy? If you're a good boy, I'll have Mommy bring you some juice okay?"

"No! Medicine yucky!" He crossed his arms and shook his head.

"Please J? It'll make you feel much better. I promise."

"Uh-uh!"

"Please?"

"No!" He tried to push him away.

"Jordan Anthony, you are going to take this medicine right now!" he yelled.

Kim spoke up and said, "Alex! You don't need to use that tone with him!"

He sighed. "I'm sorry, buddy. Now...will you please take this for me? Please J?"

"Okay," he said quietly.

He handed him the medicine. "There you go, bottoms up."

Jordan drank it and swallowed, grimacing at the taste.

"That's my big boy!" chimed Kim.

"See? That wasn't so bad. Mommy can get you some juice now."

Kim got up from the bed, kissed AJ and Jordan on the cheek, and went down to the kitchen to get a juice box from the refrigerator. She came back to the bedroom, opened it, and gave it to him.

"Alex, do you think we need to call Alyssa?" she asked worriedly. Alyssa Boone was Jordan's pediatrician.

"No, he's got some medicine in him. Fevers always spike at night. If he doesn't improve by morning, we will. Okay?"

"Alright. I'm kinda worried. He seemed fine today, what if he gets worse?"

"I'm sure he won't, baby. If he does, we'll make another appointment and get him some stronger meds. Don't worry, babe." He gave her a squeeze and kissed her hair.

"Hey J?"

He looked up with fever-glazed eyes. "Yes, Daddy?"

"Put your juice down. Lay on your side for me." He did and AJ opened the bottle of ear drops. "I'm gonna put these drops in your ear so it won't hurt anymore okay?"

He sniffled a little and closed his eyes. "Okay, Daddy."

"This won't hurt a bit, I promise." He put three drops into his son's ear and closed the bottle and set it on the table. "I need you to lay still like this for five minutes, okay? I'll tell you when you can get up."

Jordan said, "'Kay."

Five minutes passed and Jordan was allowed to get up. AJ picked him up, blanket and all, and the two of them went to his room to put his pajamas on. They came back to the room and Kim took Jordan downstairs to the living room.

"I'll be down in a minute, I'm gonna change, too." he called after them. He grabbed a pair of plaid lounge pants and a white t-shirt and changed, then jogged down the stairs and into the living room. Jordan was on the couch watching cartoons and Kim was in the kitchen. He joined Jordan just as Kim came to say goodnight to them.

"Is it okay if I go to bed, Alex? I'm pretty beat."

"No problem, babe, I got this. I love you." They kissed each other and Kim kissed Jordan's forehead.

"Goodnight, J, behave for Daddy. I love you both."

"'Night Mommy, love you, too."

"'Night, Kim."

She started to walk to the stairs, then turned around to have one last look at the two of them: father and son. One thing she could not picture Alex becoming when they first met was a family man. They say to never judge a book by its cover, so, when Alex found out that she was pregnant, she was shocked to find out that he couldn't wait to be a dad. Alex knew to cherish these times with Jordan. After all, he wasn't going to be a four year-old forever. She smiled and went upstairs to bed.

AJ and Jordan lay down on the couch, AJ pulling a blanket over the two of them. About ten minutes later, he saw that Jordan fell asleep, still clutching his teddy bear. He turned off the TV, putting his arm protectively around him and went to sleep also.


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