Babies and the Band by evergreenwriter83
Summary:

Nick Carter has everything he ever wished for – a beautiful wife and daughter and a baby boy on the way. Through his eyes, experience two years in the life of a Backstreet Boy as he records a new album and embarks on the craziest tour of his life. How will he juggle being a husband, a father, and a pop star? What happens when a fight between two friends risks the entire future of the band? And, most importantly…will Nick really wear a kilt?
Categories: Fanfiction > Backstreet Boys Characters: Group, Nick
Genres: Drama, Dramedy, Humor, Romance
Warnings: Death, Sexual Content
Challenges:
Series: The Coaster Series
Chapters: 75 Completed: Yes Word count: 143613 Read: 251568 Published: 08/02/10 Updated: 08/16/10

1. Chapter 1 by evergreenwriter83

2. Chapter 2 by evergreenwriter83

3. Chapter 3 by evergreenwriter83

4. Chapter 4 by evergreenwriter83

5. Chapter 5 by evergreenwriter83

6. Chapter 6 by evergreenwriter83

7. Chapter 7 by evergreenwriter83

8. Chapter 8 by evergreenwriter83

9. Chapter 9 by evergreenwriter83

10. Chapter 10 by evergreenwriter83

11. Chapter 11 by evergreenwriter83

12. Chapter 12 by evergreenwriter83

13. Chapter 13 by evergreenwriter83

14. Chapter 14 by evergreenwriter83

15. Chapter 15 by evergreenwriter83

16. Chapter 16 by evergreenwriter83

17. Chapter 17 by evergreenwriter83

18. Chapter 18 by evergreenwriter83

19. Chapter 19 by evergreenwriter83

20. Chapter 20 by evergreenwriter83

21. Chapter 21 by evergreenwriter83

22. Chapter 22 by evergreenwriter83

23. Chapter 23 by evergreenwriter83

24. Chapter 24 by evergreenwriter83

25. Chapter 25 by evergreenwriter83

26. Chapter 26 by evergreenwriter83

27. Chapter 27 by evergreenwriter83

28. Chapter 28 by evergreenwriter83

29. Chapter 29 by evergreenwriter83

30. Chapter 30 by evergreenwriter83

31. Chapter 31 by evergreenwriter83

32. Chapter 32 by evergreenwriter83

33. Chapter 33 by evergreenwriter83

34. Chapter 34 by evergreenwriter83

35. Chapter 35 by evergreenwriter83

36. Chapter 36 by evergreenwriter83

37. Chapter 37 by evergreenwriter83

38. Chapter 38 by evergreenwriter83

39. Chapter 39 by evergreenwriter83

40. Chapter 40 by evergreenwriter83

41. Chapter 41 by evergreenwriter83

42. Chapter 42 by evergreenwriter83

43. Chapter 43 by evergreenwriter83

44. Chapter 44 by evergreenwriter83

45. Chapter 45 by evergreenwriter83

46. Chapter 46 by evergreenwriter83

47. Chapter 47 by evergreenwriter83

48. Chapter 48 by evergreenwriter83

49. Chapter 49 by evergreenwriter83

50. Chapter 50 by evergreenwriter83

51. Chapter 51 by evergreenwriter83

52. Chapter 52 by evergreenwriter83

53. Chapter 53 by evergreenwriter83

54. Chapter 54 by evergreenwriter83

55. Chapter 55 by evergreenwriter83

56. Chapter 56 by evergreenwriter83

57. Chapter 57 by evergreenwriter83

58. Chapter 58 by evergreenwriter83

59. Chapter 59 by evergreenwriter83

60. Chapter 60 by evergreenwriter83

61. Chapter 61 by evergreenwriter83

62. Chapter 62 by evergreenwriter83

63. Chapter 63 by evergreenwriter83

64. Chapter 64 by evergreenwriter83

65. Chapter 65 by evergreenwriter83

66. Chapter 66 by evergreenwriter83

67. Chapter 67 by evergreenwriter83

68. Chapter 68 by evergreenwriter83

69. Chapter 69 by evergreenwriter83

70. Chapter 70 by evergreenwriter83

71. Chapter 71 by evergreenwriter83

72. Chapter 72 by evergreenwriter83

73. Chapter 73 by evergreenwriter83

74. Chapter 74 by evergreenwriter83

75. Chapter 75 by evergreenwriter83

Chapter 1 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter One – October 1

It’s funny how much life can change in two years. On October 1, 2009, I was in Japan with the guys to promote This is Us and spent the night with a beautiful Japanese woman who decided to prove to me how well she could deep throat. Sure, I was dating Lauren, but at that particular moment I thought variety was the spice of life. In my mind, my life couldn’t get any better. Little did I know that I’d meet my soul mate eight months later.

If my life was a VHS tape and that VHS tape was a time machine, I would love to go back and visit my twenty nine year old self. I’m pretty sure that the Nick Carter of 2009 wouldn’t have believed for one minute that in two years he would be happily married to a wife that oozed sexuality and could blow (heh heh) the Japanese chick out of the water in the deep throat category. And Nicky 09 really wouldn’t believe that one of his favorite ways to spend an afternoon would include singing ‘Itsy Bitsy Spider’ to his daughter while anticipating the arrival of yet another child.

“It’s no use. I give up.”

I looked over at Liv, trying to clear my mind of the thought of her lips around my favorite appendage. It was eleven o’clock in the morning. I was due at the studio at ten o’clock. Even though I suck at math, it doesn’t take a genius to realize that I was late. At the moment I was lying on the bed with Brooklyn, steadying her bottle with my foot as she stubbornly held it all by herself. I was expecting a phone call from Kevin at any moment. We had been in the studio for the past three weeks and having Kevin back was like working with a bear that had stayed awake during the winter. Liv stood by the closet, a huge pile of clothes at her feet. I had a weird feeling of déjà vu.

“You could wear my Bucs jersey again,” I suggested.

Liv turned; I couldn’t help but smile at her protruding stomach. I used to roll my eyes when Brian talked about the ‘pride’ of planting the ‘seed.’ I used to want to shove a pair of gardening gloves up his ass. Now I kind of saw where he was coming from. If I was a bull, I would be worth a million bucks. My swimmers were golden. It took a real man to knock up your wife twice in one year.

“I wore that last week when I came by the studio,” Liv reminded me.

“Well, then I think the jig is up.”

Liv frowned. “But, I wanted to wait a little longer.”

“Unless we tell everyone you’re hiding a small turkey under your clothes, I think we just need to let the cat out of the bag.”

“It’s ‘cause I got so fat.”

“Liv, you’re four and a half months pregnant. You’re not fat.”

Before Liv could reply, the phone rang. She walked towards the phone.

“Don’t answer it!”

“Why not?”

“Because I already know it’s Kevin. I’m more than an hour late.”

Liv looked at the clock. “Aw, crap. I’m sorry.”

I smiled. “Hey, it’s not the first time I’m late. It’s not even the first time this week. Just find something comfy and wear it.”

I scooped Brooklyn up. She had sucked her bottle dry. I picked up a sparkly silver shirt from the floor.

“This is cute.”

“I look like a disco ball in that.”

I laughed and dropped the shirt. I picked up another and held it up against her for the sole purpose of brushing against her breasts. I kissed her softly.

“Ten minutes, Liv,” I said. “Brooklyn and I will be waiting in the car.”

I walked out of the bedroom, down the stairs and picked up my keys from the foyer table.

“You want to drive?” I asked Brooke. She grabbed the keys and shook them happily. I kissed her cheek.

“You can dream, but I’m not letting you drive for real until your forty.”

She gave me a look that oozed Carter attitude. Like father, like daughter.

We headed outside; it was a beautiful sunny fall day in Tampa. The grass glistened with dew drops and birds sang overhead as I got Brooklyn into her car seat. After I closed the door, I turned to look at our home.

For a long time, I had thought that I had to live in a mansion to be happy and to show people that I was successful. I had moved from house to house for awhile, constantly upgrading. However, after the whole Aaron fiasco and our temporary relocation, I realized that those mansions weren’t really homes. It took a family and love to make a real home.

I had gone out to fill up for gas one night when I let myself purposely get lost. That’s how I found our home. It was a beautiful cheery house with yellow siding and maroon shutters complete with a brick front yard and a grassy back yard. I remember hopping over the fence and walking around the backyard picturing a swing set and barbeques. The information sheet I had shown to Liv stated that the two story house had five bedrooms, three baths, and a finished basement that just begged to be turned into a studio.

Weeks later, we moved in. I had never been happier in my life. I was domesticated and loving it.

I bent down to pick a weed from our sidewalk when Liv finally stepped outside. She gave a hard tug to her t-shirt and locked the door. As she turned around, she tugged again.

“You look beautiful,” I assured her. I walked around the car and opened her door. She stopped right in front of me, a smile playing on her lips.

“Am I beautiful because we’re late and you want to hurry me up?”

I grinned. She had one piece of hair that always fell into her eyes. I brushed it away lovingly. “No, you’re beautiful because you are. Now giddy up.”

She got into the car and I went around to the driver’s side. With any luck we’d get to the studio before Kevin started foaming at the mouth.

------------------------------------------------------

“You’re an hour and a half late.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“That’s what you said three days ago when you stopped at Foot Locker and lost track of time,” Kevin reminded me.

I grinned. “But look at the cool shoes I got.” I stuck my right foot out.

Kevin wasn’t amused. He hadn’t been in a good mood since the wedding. Of course, I couldn’t really blame him. As Liv and I had flown the friendly skies to Australia for our honeymoon, Kevin had prepared an elaborate proposal for Addy only to be turned down.

“She just thought I was rushing into it,” he said sadly as he recounted the incident to us on the first day of recording.

“Well, your divorce was finalized not too long ago,” Howie pointed out.

“Yeah, but when it’s love it’s love,” Kevin said.

I knew exactly how he felt. Luckily for me Liv didn’t turn me down.

“Well, she didn’t say she’d never marry you,” Brian said helpfully.

“I’m not giving up,” Kevin had said. “I’ve never backed down from a challenge. Eventually she’ll say yes.”

Staring at his current tense face, I almost wished he would back down every now and then. I grinned in an attempt to calm the waters.

“Well, I’m here and ready to go.”

The studio was wall to wall people. It looked like every single wife had decided to come for the day. Liv had stopped in the bathroom to change Brooke’s diaper and pee for about the tenth time.

“Hey, catch!”

I turned around just as Brian hurled a headset through the air. I leapt up and caught it.

Leighanne and Baylee clapped. Kayleigh was asleep in a portable bassinet.

I followed Brian and Kevin into the recording booth. AJ and Howie were huddled over some sheet music. Howie was armed with a pen taking notes.

“It’s about time you showed up,” AJ said with a smirk. I smiled.

“Sorry. What did I miss?”

“I’m tweaking the parts a little bit,” Howie explained. “I think your falsetto would sound better here rather than mine.”

We settled down in a circle and went through our parts. My back was to the glass. I was singing quietly through my part when Brian hit my arm. Hard.

“Dude!”

I looked up. “What? Am I off key?”

Brian was looking past my shoulder at the window. He looked surprised. I turned around and followed his gaze. Liv was standing there with Brooklyn in her arms. She was turned to the side in profile. She seemed to be facing a firing squad of questions from Leigh and Leighanne.

“Is that Liv?” Kevin asked.

“Who else would it be?” AJ said.

Four pairs of eyes landed on me.

“I was wondering why Liv was wearing that crappy Bucs shirt last week,” Brian said with a smile.

“My jersey is not crap,” I said defensively. No one messed with my Buccaneers.

“How the hell did you knock her up again so fast?” AJ asked.

I explained my theory about having bull sperm. Kevin kept glancing at the emergency exit as if he wanted to be anywhere but here.

“When’s she due?” Howie asked.

“February.”

February?”

“Wasn’t Brooklyn born in March?” Brian asked.

“Yep.”

AJ glanced past me back at the girls. Without a word, he got up and headed out of the booth. I turned around just in time to see Rochelle walking quickly out into the hall. AJ was right on her heels. I looked over at Liv. She was staring at the door Rochelle had just walked out of looking concerned.

“Is that even safe?”

I turned back to look at Howie.

“What?”

“Two kids in one year. Is that even safe?”

“Well, there’s some risks. That’s why we waited to tell everyone.”

“If you waited any longer the baby would already be here,” Brian said. He leaned over the back of his chair. “So whatcha having?”

“I don’t know. We find out tomorrow.” I glanced over at Kevin.

“Oh yeah. I’m going to be late tomorrow.”

Kevin tried hard but he failed to hide a smile. “What else is new?”

“My vote’s on a boy,” Brian said.

Kevin started to laugh. “Man having two babies under the age of one is going to be a nightmare. What the hell were you thinking?”

“There wasn’t a lot of thinking going on at the time,” I explained.

“Obviously,” Howie said. “Geesh, I knew you couldn’t keep it in your pants, but c’mon.”

“Oh, leave him alone,” Brian said with a smile. “Congratulations. Babies are a blessing.”

As Howie and Kevin rolled their eyes, Bri and I did our Frick ‘n’ Frack handshake.

We went back to working on our individual parts. After about ten minutes, AJ’s absence was hard to ignore.

Just as Kevin was about ready to go track him down, he headed back into the room. His eyes were suspiciously red rimmed.

“Everything okay?” I asked. AJ nodded.

“Yeah. Where were we?”

Before we launched back into our parts, I glanced back out into the sitting area. Rochelle still hadn’t returned. Livvy was sitting next to Leighanne with Brooklyn perched on her lap.

“Where’s Addy?”

“She was going stir crazy just sitting around. She’s volunteering at Reins of Life today.”

“Is she getting tired of you being a diva?”

Kevin gave me one of his penetrating looks.

“I’m not the one that’s a diva. Now let’s get going before we get nothing accomplished today.”

I wasn’t going to push my luck. No play and all work made for a happy Kev.

You wouldn’t like him when he’s angry.
Chapter 2 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Two

“You wouldn’t understand. It’s a girl thing.”

If I had a dollar for every time a girl told me I wouldn’t understand something, I wouldn’t have to ever work again. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. You don’t get paid like a stripper for not comprehending how a woman’s mind works. Damn.

“So she didn’t talk to you at all?”

“She didn’t talk to anyone for the rest of the day. I really can’t blame her. They’ve been married almost a year. I went through the exact same thing when I was married to Hunter and the stress can play at your emotional stability. Of course, what they’re going through is ten thousand times worse because she keeps miscarrying. I couldn’t even get pregnant.”

We were on our way home from the studio. Leighanne, still high from whatever hormones get girls in baby mode, had spent the entire day planning the Littrell and Carter kids futures with Livvy.

“And if it’s a boy, we can get him together with Kayleigh,” Leighanne explained. The girls burst into giggles. Brian and I were leaning against the control booth stuffing our faces with roast beef sandwiches. Brian swallowed and pointed the rest of his sandwich at the girls.

“Kay is three months old. We are not talking about dating or marriage until she’s at least thirty five. And she’s definitely not dating a Carter.”

I looked over at him, my mouth full of lettuce and meat. “Wha’s wrong with a Carter? I’mma perfect gentleman.”

Brian gave me a look. “Nick, I’ve spent half my life with you. Think about the stupid stuff you did, well, still do.”

“Hey, just ‘cause I ooze passion out of every pore does not mean I’m not a gentleman.”

Brian snorted. “Well then if AJ and Rochelle ever have a boy I sure hope he dates Brooke.”

My eyes widened. I had a sudden vision of a boy covered in tattoos and piercings with purple hair pulling up to the house on a motorcycle and speaking in a horrible fake British accent. Brian grinned.

“Did I make my point?”

I kicked him in the shin and finished off my sandwich.

“Let’s just get back to work.”

Getting back to work was easier said than done. Leigh had left early with James who wasn’t feeling well. He was holding his ear and had the same grouchy face Howie got whenever I did something stupid…which was a lot. Even though Howie is a stickler for staying on task, I could tell that part of his mind was with family. AJ was even worse. He was completely distracted. Rochelle had finally returned to the room, but she was sitting in cold silence away from the other girls. AJ’s eyes kept darting over to her.

“What’s wrong with monkee?” I finally asked.

“Nothing,” AJ said. He slid on his sunglasses. “Just tired.”

I hadn’t believed AJ, but I let the subject drop. However, as soon as Liv and I had gotten in the car, she explained what she thought was wrong. It all came back to babies. It seemed to be the hot topic of conversation in Backstreet world lately. Everyone knew about Rochelle’s miscarriages and the sight of Livvy pregnant again obviously didn’t help.

“I’m glad you couldn’t get pregnant,” I said, feeling as if I should jump back into the conversation. “I can’t even watch The Simpsons anymore. Crusty the Clown reminds me of your jackass ex-husband every time.”

Liv laughed. “Well I guess it just took the right person to complete the job.”

I grinned. “And super sperm.”

“Would you give the super sperm thing a rest? I think I had a nightmare about little capped crusaders the other night.”

Even though I don’t remember much about my bachelor party, Liv had told me that when I returned home that night that I had a theory that my guys wore capes with lightning bolts. Obviously that description was hard to forget.

“Were they wearing red capes?” I teased. She punched me in the arm. It didn’t hurt but I still winced for dramatic effect.

“Ouch! You hit hard for a pregnant lady.”

“Don’t you forget it,” she retorted with a smile. Her eyes lit up.

“Hey, can we stop at McDonald’s?” she asked as the Golden Arches came into view. I swung into the lot.

“What do you want?”

She tilted her head thoughtfully which I thought was adorable. She always got the same thing every single time, yet she always seemed to consider my question as if she really was going to choose something different.

“Get me a Quarter Pounder with Cheese meal,” she finally said.

I pulled up to the speaker and ordered a #1 (Big Mac) for me and a #3 (Quarter Pounder) for her. I crept through the line and finally reached out for the greasy bag. I hadn’t lost all of my “sympathy” weight from when Liv was pregnant with Brooke; I had gained even more for baby #2. Choreography for the upcoming tour was going to kick my ass.

I pulled back into traffic and dug through the bag. At a red light I stopped and handed a fry to Brooklyn.

“What are you doing?” Liv asked as Brooke grabbed onto it and squished it between her fingers.

“I’m giving the kiddo a fry,” I said. I refrained from using the word ‘duh.’ I watched through the rearview mirror as Brooke’s face lit up as she smashed it into her mouth. She bounced in her seat. I had just introduced the next generation to McDonald’s. I swear I should replace Ronald as spokesperson.

“She’s never had a fry before,” Liv said. She watched Brooke like a hawk until the fry was completely gone.

“Well, there’s a first time for everything.”

Liv smiled. “I think she liked it.”

I saw Liv reach into the bag. She pulled out another fry. The moment Brooke saw the crispy yellow object she leaned forward in her car seat, grunting as she attempted to reach it. When Liv gave it to her, she didn’t waste any time trying to squish it. She nibbled on it ravenously, a little bit of drool escaping out of the corner of her mouth.

“She might not like jar baby food but she likes fries,” I said with a laugh as I pulled into our driveway.

For the last month and a half Liv and I had tried to introduce Brooke to the world of solid foods. She was putting up a hell of a fight. The only thing she would eat, and not happily, was mashed carrots. Everything else was spit out or even worse, thrown back at us. One day I had so many beets in my hair that by the time I rinsed them out I was sporting splotchy pink hair. It didn’t look as bad as the time that Liv’s hair was dyed blue, but still…it was pretty bad.

Liv got Brooklyn out of her carseat and we headed inside. Twenty minutes later Brooklyn was sucking on a bottle while Liv and I sat on the couch, our feet propped on the coffee table with empty burger boxes and fry sacks scattered around.

“I never used to be this messy,” Liv said. “Really.”

I picked a fry crumb off her stomach. “That’s why the world invented maid service,” I reminded her.

"I just feel like I'm shirking my wifely duties," Liv said with a sigh.

"Trust me, housekeeping is at the bottom of my list in the importance of wifely duties," I said with a grin. My hand slipped between her legs. "Everything else you do quite well."

Liv rolled her eyes and moved my hand. “It’s not happening tonight. Don’t forget I have a doctor’s visit tomorrow.”

"What time's your appointment?" I asked. I stood up and walked into the kitchen. Feeling too lazy to walk over to the trash can, I leaned over the kitchen island and with the natural athleticism of a basketball player, I tossed our fast food bags into the trashcan. Nothing but net, baby.

"Ten," Liv said with a yawn. "And I promised Leighanne I would go with you to the studio afterwards to give her a personal update."

"Well you have to come to the studio Wednesday, too."

"Why?"

I grinned. "'Cause it's Kev's birthday."

Liv's eyebrows arched. "Should I be worried?"

Why?"

"Because something tells me you guys are going to do something stupid. He's turning forty this year isn't he?"

"Oh is he?" I said innocently. Of course I knew he was turning forty.

“He’s going to kill you guys.”

I sat back down and wrapped my arm around her slender shoulders. “He needs to loosen
up. Our little surprise should do the trick.”

Before Liv could ask me what our surprise was, I pointed to Brooklyn. “Look at the little panther.”

Liv and I both smiled as we watched Brooklyn crawl around the room. She had been crawling for almost a month and was getting faster and faster. Our entire house was currently wall to wall baby gates.

I have to admit that I cried the first time she crawled. Liv and I were lounging in the backyard with Brooke. She was doing what I liked to call the ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ stance, bouncing as if she was a car that needed to gain momentum. As if something just finally clicked, she took off, her hands squishing the grass blades as she went. She headed right to me.

Now even though I would never tell Liv this, I have the feeling that if Brooke had to choose a favorite parent, she’d probably pick me. Part of me thought this was because I was such a sucker. As she grows up, she’s probably going to use her hold on me to her advantage. In fact, I probably should start a pony fund right now. Hmm

Brooklyn crawled over to the baby gate at the bottom of the step. I turned around, hanging over the edge of the couch. Her fingers slipped through the slots of the gate.

“No, Brooke.”

She turned around, her eyes widening innocently as if saying ‘What? Me?’ She sat down quickly and stuck her fingers in her mouth.

I pretended to turn around, but in fact I was just counting off the seconds in my head. When I turned around her hand had slid back into the slots.

“Brooklyn, no.”

She looked at me, but she didn’t stop. She seemed to be conducting a test. Her fingers wrapped around the gate and she tugged. The gate didn’t budge. I got up and scooped her up. Her face twisted in frustration. Tossing her head back she began to cry.

“I think she’s probably just tired. It’s after eleven,” Liv said yawning. She stood up and rubbed her eyes. Brooklyn cries grew louder. I undid the baby gate and headed up the stairs. I stopped and waited for Liv. When she got to the landing, she kissed Brooklyn’s cheek and smoothed out her hair, softly whispering sweet goodnights. By the time I got to the nursery, Brooke’s little lip was quivering but she couldn’t seem to produce enough alligator tears to continue to look pitiful.

“Are you tired?” I said calmly. She placed her hands on my face. I laughed; she gave me an adoring smile.

I went through my nightly routine of laying her in the crib, turning on the mobile and saying goodnight to each of her little stuffed animals. Her eyes followed me as I went from animal to animal; her thumb went into her mouth and she sucked happily. The last thing I did was lean down and kiss her forehead. Usually by that time she was either fast asleep or well on her way. Tonight she fell asleep quickly.

I spent a few moments studying her little chest rise and fall. I was becoming spoiled with all of the time at home; the thought of leaving Liv and two babies twisted my stomach into knots.

Feeling slightly depressed, I finally headed to bed. Liv was already under the covers, her head buried into a huge pillow. I stripped down to my underwear and crawled in beside her.

“Sweet dreams,” I whispered. Liv lifted her head; I leaned over and kissed her softly.

“Night Nick,” she whispered. “I love you.”

I smiled. “I love you too.”

I rolled over on my back and stared up at the ceiling. I was the type of person who either crashed fast or had to play the waiting game. I already knew tonight was going to be one of those waiting game nights. After about a half hour I heard the familiar sound of Liv’s deep sleep breathing. I scratched my stomach. I pretended to count sheep. I thought about boobs.

Nothing was working.

Now I’m pretty sure Liv doesn’t know it, but sometimes when I can’t sleep I sneak out of bed and rot my brain in front of the TV with video games. I felt like tonight was going to be one of those nights. I slowly peeled off the comforter and slipped out of bed. After clearing my head and my bladder, I snuck down to the living room and powered on my laptop.

Some men wear themselves out by whacking off to internet porn. That doesn’t really work for me anymore. I’m definitely more of a “hands on” person. Instead I opt to train some newbs, hit some b.g.’s, and explore Silvermoon City. For those people out of the loop, all of these activities sum up to a couple hours of playing World of Warcraft.

To quote the infamous Geoffrey, I don’t want to grow up.

I will always be a Toys ‘R Us kid.
Chapter 3 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Three – October 2

“I don’t know why you’re so tired. You went to bed the same time I did.”

I stifled a yawn into my palm. My followers were strong and valiant last night during an epic quest and I stayed up way later than I had intended.

“I’m a growing boy,” I said. Liv grinned.

“I noticed you went up a pant size.”

I scowled. My six pack abs were disappearing rapidly. I was feeling like the Pillsbury doughboy. Hell, I was even retaining water. I made a promise to myself that the next time I couldn’t sleep I was going to work out rather than sit on the couch with a bag of Funyons working on leveling up in WOW.

Who’s ready to see a baby?”

I looked up as Dr. Tresher peeked around the door. I would forever be in her gratitude for bringing Brooklyn into the world.

“I was born ready,” I said. Dr. Tresher smirked.

“We won’t talk about what you were born to do,” she said lightly. I laughed.

Liv lay back on the table. I scooted my chair closer to the exam table. I gently pressed her belly.

“Wake up, it’s time for your peep show,” I said.

“Don’t worry, he or she’s already been bouncing around for the past hour,” Liv said.

A nurse poked her head in.

“Dr. Tresher, your ten thirty is a little early.”

“Go ahead and prep her.”

“She wants to know how many you’re going with this time around.”

Dr. Tresher looked thoughtful. “We’re going to try three.”

The nurse disappeared. The doctor turned back to us.

“Alright. Without further ado…”

I reached for Liv’s hand. I was full of nervous energy; I brought her fingertips to my lips as the screen came to life.

To tell you the truth, even though I nodded and ‘ooh’ed’ and ‘aah’ed,’ I could never see shit on
those one-dimensional black and white ultrasounds. I knew my way around the outside of a woman’s hoo-ha, but the inside was a mystery to me.

The 3-D ultrasound was another story. It was at that moment during Liv’s first pregnancy that I had fallen in love with Brooke because she was just so…real. I held my breath. There was no denying it; there was definitely a baby in there.

“Alright, we’ve got a stubborn one,” Dr. Tresher said after a minute. “Liv, I’m going to have you get up and walk around.”

I helped Liv up and she walked around.

“Go ahead and do a couple little jumps.”

I stifled a laugh. Liv looked like a really off balanced kangaroo. At one point she tipped towards the left; my arms shot around her.

“I’m sorry, my balance sucks,” she apologized.

“It’s okay. If that didn’t do the trick then it’s just not meant to be today,” Dr. Tresher said kindly. Liv got back up on the table and settled back down. The baby lit up the screen again.

“Alright, that’s much better.”

I grinned. Whereas Brooklyn had been sucking her toes, I could clearly see two little hands covering the baby’s face. My eyes travelled down.

“I don’t remember seeing that on Brooklyn,” I said.

“Well girls don’t tend to have a penis,” Dr. Tresher said with a laugh. I must have looked surprised; Liv tugged on my hand excitedly.

“We’re having a boy!”

I glanced back at the screen. There wasn’t any denying it. My son was packing.

My son.

“Nick?”

I turned to Liv; I smiled so hard I felt like my face was going to crack.

“We’re got a perfect set now,” I said happily. Her eyes danced.

“Yes we do.”

After checking the heartbeat (which was incredibly strong) and setting up another appointment, Dr. Tresher patted us both on the back and headed down the hall to her next patient. Livvy tugged her shirt back on. I looked at our appointment card.

“Wait, this date isn’t going to work. We’re going to be in LA this week.”

“See if you can catch her while I get my shoes on,” Liv suggested.

I took off down the hall. I didn’t get very far. Coming down the hall from the opposite end was someone who looked identical to AJ. He was dressed in scrubs. I dove into a cleaning supply closet and crouched down until he passed. Then I followed him. He headed into an exam room and closed the door, but not all the way. With stealth maneuvers like the Caped Crusader I inched towards the door.

“We’re going to try implanting three this month Rochelle,” I heard Dr. Tresher say. “Combined with the injections I feel confident that we’re going to get at least one success this month.”

“What if this doesn’t work?” There was no doubt about it. I knew AJ’s voice anywhere.

“Since this is our third attempt, I’d suggest waiting a few months before we go another round. But we’re staying positive.”

“What are you doing?”

I practically jumped out of my skin. Liv had leaned down and whispered right into my ear.

“You scared me!” I said in a whisper.

“Well?”

I pointed towards the door. “AJ and Rochelle,” I said. I stood up. It was perfect timing. At that moment a nurse walked right in and closed the door the whole way.

“AJ and Rochelle?” Liv said.

“Yeah. AJ’s in scrubs. I think they’re doing that petri dish thing.”

“In vitro?”

“Sure. We’ll call it that.”

I took Liv’s arm and we headed out to the reception area.

“Did you get my appointment changed?”

“No. We’ll just call.”

“Are you sure it was AJ?” Liv asked again as we walked to the car.

“I don’t know any other dude with that many tattoos that would be walking around in scrubs.”

“Oh, I didn’t know they were at that point,” Liv said sadly. “I just hope it works.”

As we pulled out of the lot, I took her hand. There had been times in my life when I had been jealous of the other guys, especially AJ.

This time wasn’t one of them.

---------------------------------------------------------

After a quick stop for lunch we headed to the studio. It felt weird not having to load and unload a car seat; Brooke was with Liv’s mom for the afternoon. The moment we walked in I looked around. AJ wasn’t there.

“So?”

“Pink or blue?”

“Wait, you’re pregnant again?”

The last comment came from Sam. He had taken a couple weeks to head back to New York and had just come back. He was sitting on a drum chair looking absolutely surprised.

“How was your trip?”

“No, don’t you dare try to distract me Olivia.”

“Well what do you want me to say? It’s kind of obvious isn’t it?”

Sam opened his mouth to say something but seemed to think better of it.

“I was going to ask you how it happened but I know I’m going to get a response from the peanut gallery.” He pointed at me.

Sam had been around for the past few months and we had become fast friends. I didn’t take the ‘peanut gallery’ remark too seriously.

“Okay enough already. What are you having?”

I looked around. Leighanne was sitting on the very edge of the couch, looking like she was going to pass out from the suspense. Brian was blowing a gigantic gum bubble. Kevin and Addy were sitting at a little folding table with the remnants of what looked like a really healthy lunch spread out amongst them. Howie was ridin’ solo. James must have still been sick.

“We’re having a boy,” I finally said. I glanced back at Brian. I couldn’t resist; I leaned over and popped the bubble. He jumped in surprise as gum smashed into his face. He pulled at the offending strands, his nose wrinkled.

“That’s so Hubba Bubba,” he complained.

“A boy? That’s great!” Leighanne said happily.

“You should have seen it. It was like he had a third leg.”

Liv groaned. “Nick, stop exaggerating.”

“What? I can’t help that I have great genes and a massive—“

Nick!”

“This is the guy that whipped it out and measured it weekly during the Millennium tour,” Kevin said dryly. Liv looked at me in surprise.

“What? It’s common knowledge that it grows until your twenty,” I said. “I was just documenting my last full year of blossoming.”

The girls and Sam were looking at me like I was nuts.

“I enjoy a good penis just as much as the next guy,” Sam said. “But that’s just weird.”

I looked over at Liv. Her face was bright red.

“You married him,” Brian reminded her. Liv shook her head.

“It’s never boring,” she said lightly.

“So what else did I miss?” Sam said. “Did you guys already finish the album?”

“You were only gone two weeks!”

“Well, if Liv can look pregnant over night, one would think five guys could finish twelve songs in two weeks.”

“No, finishing an album is way harder than being pregnant,” Brian said.

I may not be the smartest guy in the world, but even I knew that was a dumb thing to say.

“Excuse me?” Leighanne said. Brian looked like he had just gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

“That’s not what I meant,” he said. “You see…” he trailed off. “I blame low blood sugar.”

“You don’t have low blood sugar,” Howie said. Brian gave him a look. He was passing around a lot of those lately.

“Well, moving on,” Sam said with a cough. He reached into his camera bag. “I’ve got something for you, Nick.”

“Really? What?”

He pulled out an envelope and handed it to me.

“Your daughter’s first modeling session.”

Liv came over and stood at my shoulder. I opened the white envelope; my face broke into a wide smile.

Before Sam had left for New York he had come over for an afternoon at the house. Brooklyn was playing in the backyard and Sam had taken out his camera and shot some pictures. The last picture in the batch was my absolute favorite. I had stripped her down to just her diaper. While I stood off to the side making faces, she looked up at me tugging at her ponytail.

“Oh, these are absolutely adorable,” Liv gushed. She started to pass them around.

“Thanks Sam,” I said. “I owe you one.”

“Hey, it’s not every day I get to work with models who can’t argue with me,” he said with a laugh.

“Plus, I got to beat your ass in Call of Duty, so it’s all good.”

We had just finished passing around the pictures when AJ walked in.

“Hey we’ve you been?” Howie asked. “Nick even beat you here.”

“I had something I needed to take care of,” he said vaguely.

“Well, once again we only have half the day left,” Kevin said. “Let’s try to lay down another track okay?”

Brian and I looked at each other. Simultaneously we dove to the ground, lying side-by-side with our arms locked to our bodies. Kevin stood up and stared down at us.

"What are you doing?”

“We’re lying down. The both of us make up a track. Get it?” I said. "Laying down tracks?"

Kevin didn’t answer. Instead he stepped first on my stomach and then on Brian’s on his way to the recording booth.

“You guys were never this ridiculous,” he muttered. I sat up and ran a hand through my hair.

“Sorry Kev! Not all of us can act our age!”

Brian coughed. “Forty.” He coughed again. Kevin whirled around.

“I am not forty!” he said. The recording door closed behind him.

“Someone’s in denial,” I muttered. Brian stood up first and held out a hand to help me up. I grabbed it and he yanked. Halfway up he let go. I dropped back down like a sack of potatoes. Brian body dropped on top of me and got me in a headlock. I struggled around with him on the floor.

Suddenly ice cold water rained down on both of us. I looked up to see Addy holding an empty water pitcher. Her lips curved into a smile.

“I think ya’all are wanted in the booth,” she said with a cute lilted southern drawl. She walked back to the table. Through the glass I could see Kevin watching her admiringly.

As I shook my head like a dog, I couldn’t help but think that they made a perfect pair.

They both didn’t appreciate a decent BWF (Backstreet Wrestling Federation) match.

Party poopers.
Chapter 4 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Four – October 3

“Do you have the wheelchair?”

“Yup.”

“Tombstones?”

“Yup.”

“Cupcakes?”

“Yup.”

“Bubble wrap?”

“Bubble wrap?”

“Never mind. That’s my surprise.”

It was seven o’clock in the morning. It was the earliest I had ever been to the studio in my life. Howie, Brian, AJ, and I were transforming the place into the best damn birthday cemetery anyone could ever hope to see. With Kevin’s birthday falling right at the beginning of Halloween season, he made our lives easier without even realizing it.

Howie was kneeling beside one of the tombstones.

“What should I write?”

Brian clapped his hands. “Write ‘Here Lies Kevin Richardson – He turned 40, now he’s moldy!’”

“Dude, that doesn’t rhyme,” I complained.

“It’s close enough.”

“I will never understand how you can write decent songs,” I quipped. Brian rolled his eyes.

“Here’s the cupcakes. The one on the right is Kevin’s,” AJ explained. He opened the lid of a white bakery box.

Howie stopped writing on the tombstone to come join our huddle. We stared down at the cupcake, four identical grins spread across our faces.

“Did you put the pill in the cupcake or the frosting?”

“I ground it down and mixed it into the frosting.”

“Where’d you get it?”

“The cupcakes or the Viagra?”

“The Viagra, dummy.”

“My stepdad.”

I made a face. “Doesn’t it gross you out that your stepdad takes Viagra to boing your mom?”

AJ grinned. “I have no problem with it. Everyone in this world deserves to get laid every now and then. Even my mom.”

“How long does it take to kick in?”

AJ shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t need Viagra.”

“Knock, knock!”

We all looked up at the same time. Leigh and Liv were standing in the doorway holding James and Brooke. James looked around at all of the Halloween decorations.

“BOO!” he yelled out. Howie laughed.

“He feeling better?”

“Yeah, I think the infection finally cleared. What is all this?”

“This is Kev’s 40th birthday, ‘over the hill’ party,” I explained.

Liv glanced at the tombstone. “Now he’s moldy? You guys do realize that you’re not much younger than him…right?”

“Well, I can’t speak for the rest of the guys but I am way younger,” I said.

“Did you do this when Leighanne turned 40?” Leigh asked Brian. His eyes widened.

“I’m dumb, but I’m not insane. Plus she doesn’t look forty.”

“Neither does Kevin,” Liv said.

“You guys are dampening our spirits,” AJ said. “Now, shoo.”

“Shoooo, shooooooo,” Howie sang, ala Bye Bye Love.

“You’re shooing the mothers of your children?” Leigh asked.

“Well unless you want to help.”

The girls looked at each other and then back at us.

“What do you need done?”

-----------------------------------------------------

Kevin arrived at the studio at ten. The moment he walked in, he scowled and turned around. I stopped him before he could make a run for it.

“Is this really necessary?” he asked.

“Of course it is. This is the first birthday we’ve gotten to celebrate with you in years,” Brian said.

“I was kind of hoping I could skip this birthday.”

I grinned. “Not going to happen. Where’s Addy?”

“Well unlike you doofuses, she’s letting me spend the day the way I want to spend it. And I’d prefer that it just be a normal day; therefore, I told her to go enjoy another day with Reins of Life.”

“What’s not normal about this?”

Kevin looked around the graveyard.

“Tombstones. Need I say more?”

“Aw c’mon Kev,” Leigh said. Her and Liv had gone all out in decorating the wheelchair.

“Yeah. Sit down in your throne.”

“What?”

I pointed to the wheelchair. He looked at it and groaned.

“The sooner you cooperate, the sooner this will be over,” Liv stage whispered to him. With a sigh Kevin sat down in the wheelchair. Brian and I burst into loud laughter as the whoopee cushion deflated.

“Dude!” Kevin said, bouncing back up. He picked up the cushion. Quick as lightning, he started smacking Brian and I with the thing.

“Ouch!” Brian said, covering his head. “C’mon…you’ve got to admit that was funny.”

Kevin tossed the cushion down but he did crack a small smile. He sat down again and folded his arms.

While Brian, AJ, and Howie made Kevin open our gag gifts (false teeth, a t-shirt, and a coffee mug to name a few), I slipped out of the room and into the bathroom. I had at my disposal some bubble wrap, a Hannah Montana wig, and Liv’s black bathing suit cover up. I stripped down and put on the cover up. I determined it looked close enough to a dress. I squished the bubble wrap up and shoved it down the front. After I situated the ‘girls,’ I swung the wig onto my head.

I pulled out a tube of red lipstick and stood at the mirror, carefully applying it. With a little smack and a pucker I was ready to go. I thought I made a pretty hot looking woman.

Minus the hairy legs.

I was almost back to the studio door when I heard an appreciative whistle. I turned and saw one of our sound guys oogling me. The moment he saw my face he turned three shades of white.

“What the fuck? Oh that’s just nasty,” he said. I had never seen someone run away as fast as he did.

I slipped into the studio door. AJ had left the bakery box of cupcakes right there. I grabbed the box and coughed.

Livvy, Leigh, Howie, Brian, AJ, and Kev turned in my direction. Leighanne was with Baylee at a home school testing seminar thing and Rochelle was at home (with a ‘cold,’ according to AJ). I grinned and did a little fingertip wave.

“Oh my dear Lord who art in heaven,” Brian said. AJ grinned and shoved his hands in his pockets. Howie started laughing so hard that I was pretty sure he was going to start to cry. Liv looked horrified; I saw her eyes dart to her wedding band and she shook her head.

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you,” I sang in my most sultry, Marilyn Monroe-esque voice. “Happy 40th Birthday, Mr. Richardson. Happy Birthday to youuuuu.”

I stopped right in front of Kevin with the cupcake box. I put my leg up on his lap and lifted my dress.

“That’s just wrong,” Kevin said with a laugh. He shielded his eyes.

I knew he couldn’t stand the sexiness. Putting my leg back down I picked up the cupcake and handed it to him.

“This is for you,” I said sweetly. I strutted around passing out cupcakes. I handed one to Liv last. Her fingers wrapped around my arm. She stood on her tiptoes, putting her lips to my ear.

“You make a cute girl,” she whispered.

I grinned.

“Want to have some girl on girl action?” I whispered. “We can scissor.”

She laughed and peeled back the cupcake wrapper. “I’ll take a rain check.”

I turned back to Kevin with my own cupcake in hand. I tried to suppress a grin as he peeled back the wrapper. Brian, AJ, and Howie were watching him eagerly. He brought the cupcake to his mouth, opened his lips…and stopped.

“I think your cupcake is bigger,” Kevin said, pointing at Brian’s. “I’m awfully hungry this morning. Plus it is my birthday. Let’s switch.”

“What? No, way,” Brian said shaking his head.

“Why not?” Kevin asked sweetly. “My cupcake isn’t special is it?”

AJ laughed and smacked Brian in the back. “Of course it’s not special. Brian switch with Kevin.”

Brian stood there, his mouth flapping like a fish. AJ switched Brian and Kevin's cupcakes himself and took a big bite of his own cupcake. “Mmm, love that frosting.”

Kevin took a bite of his new cupcake. “What’s wrong cuz? I know you love cupcakes. Eat up.”

Looking like he was eating nails, Brian took a teeny tiny bite of his cupcake. Howie, who looked like he was enjoying the whole thing immensely, came up behind Brian as he took the next teensy bite. He smacked Brian’s hand, sending half of the cupcake into his mouth.

“C’mon, eat like a man.”

Brian gasped, frosting caked the inside of his mouth. He looked at Howie; if looks could kill, Howie would be getting his own tombstone today.

Kevin finished his cupcake and wiped the crumbs off his jeans.

“Well, thanks guys. Besides having to see Nick’s hairy legs, this wasn’t that bad.”

Liv walked over and kissed Kev’s cheek.

“Happy Birthday.”

“Yeah, Happy Birthday man,” AJ said sincerely.

“What’s wrong with my legs?” I said defensively.

“If you’re going to rock a mini dress at least have the decency to shave,” Kevin teased. He went to stand up but Liv stopped him.

“Wait! I want to get pictures!”

I sat down and began to play with my bubble wrapper titties. Kevin was a good sport and knelt down by the tombstones and poised with some of his presents until Liv was satisfied that she had captured the moment the best she could.

I had completely popped one boob when the door to the studio opened. I looked up to see Addy. Holding tightly to her hand was Mason.

“Happy bird-day daddy!” Mason said. Kevin’s eyes widened in surprise. Mason let go of Addy’s hand and raced over to Kevin. Kevin knelt down and scooped him up tightly, burying his face in the blonde mop of hair.

“Oh that’s so cute,” Leigh said. I heard a sniffle from Livvy’s direction.

“How did you get here?” Kevin finally asked. He was grinning ear to ear.

“Addy picked me up from the arrow-port,” Mason explained. Addy smiled and slid her hands in her back jeans pockets.

“I couldn’t think of anything else to get you for your birthday,” she said softly.

If Kev looked at Addy like he worshipped her before, the way he was looking at her now completely surpassed anything else I’d seen so far.

“This,” he said, giving Mason a kiss on the cheek. “Is the best present I could ask for.”

Mason grinned. “I smell cupcakes!” he said happily.

----------------------------------------------

Sometime between the arrival of Mason and another round of cupcakes, Brian disappeared.

“You see Bri?” I asked Howie. He was lovingly wiping frosting off of James’ face.

“Nope.”

“Hey daddy?” Mason said. Kevin beamed down at him.

“What’s up, buddy?”

“Why’s uncle Nick dressed like a giwl?”

Kevin sighed.

“He’s being silly.” Kevin looked up at me. I had completely popped my boobs.

“Will you go change already?”

I laughed and yanked off the wig. I felt like a dog with fleas. I don’t know how anyone can wear a wig. My head was sweating and itching like crazy. I scratched vigorously behind my ear as I headed back to the bathroom.

I yanked the black cover up over my head and had just pulled on my jeans when I realized that Brian’s sneakered feet were in the stall next to mine.

“Hey, I wondered where you went,” I called out.

Bri didn’t answer. I slipped on my shirt and wiped off my red lipstick.

“Brian, you alive in there?”

I heard a noise that sounded like a cross between a puppy’s whine and a constipated man. I walked out of my stall and knocked on his.

“Bri?”

The door swung open. Brian sat on the toilet lid his face contorted in absolute discomfort. His hands were resting over his crouch.

“I’m going to kill AJ,” he said.

It took me a moment to remember that Brian had been cupcake punk’d. I grinned.

“Dude, how long you been sporting the stiffy?”

“It’s not funny. I can’t even walk, man. How long does this stuff last?”

“I don’t know. The commercials say that you should seek help if it lasts more than twenty four hours.”

Brian’s eyes widened. “I can’t sit on this crapper for twenty four hours!”

I was trying to be a good sympathetic friend, but the truth is, the whole thing was damn funny.

“Too bad Leighanne’s not here,” I said lightly.

“Hey what’s going on in here?”

I turned around as Kevin walked in. His head poked around the stall door. He looked surprised to see me and Brian camped out in one stall.

“What are you doing in here?” he asked Brian. His eyes traveled down to Brian’s cupped hands. He looked like he couldn’t decide whether to frown or laugh.

“How’s it hanging?” he finally said. He broke into a grin.

“This is your fault,” Brian said miserably. “Why couldn’t you have just eaten the cupcake?”

Kevin smiled. “Because I figured you guys spit in it or blended up worm guts.”

“Not quite,” I said lightly. Kevin looked at me.

“So you did put something in it,” he confirmed.

I didn’t do nuttin,” I corrected. “But AJ laced the frosting with Viagra.”

Kevin’s eyes widened in surprise. “Viagra? What the hell for?”

“We wanted you to have a nice birthday bang. We figured Addy would thank us.”

Kevin shook his head. “First of all, if I do want a birthday bang, I don’t need your help. And secondly, I don’t need any help in that department. Addy will attest to that.”

His attention went back to Brian. Bri shifted uncomfortably.

“Want to ice it?” Kevin asked. He looked sympathetic.

“Ice?” Brian asked. He thought about it for a minute. “Ice might be good.”

Kevin left to go make up an ice pack. I pulled out my phone and took a picture.

“What are you doing?” Brian asked. His face was bright red.

“I’m tweeting,” I said. Brian’s eyes widened.

“You’re tweeting?”

“Yeah. I’ve got the perfect caption,” I said.

“Recording is hard work.
Chapter 5 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Five – November 7

“Man, this should have been the day we made you eat a Viagra cupcake."

“Not funny, Nick. Not funny. That was the worst twelve hours of my life. You're just lucky Leighanne still lets me talk to you guys after that. She was not happy.”

Brian and I were sitting in the back of a convertible in sunny Palm Springs, CA for the Gay Pride Parade. Howie , AJ, and Kevin were squeezed in the car right behind us. Sam was walking between our cars, filming the whole thing. He was dressed as a Playboy bunny complete with tight Borat leotard and fluffy tail.

“I kind of feel like Wilbur from Charlotte’s Web,” I whispered to Brian. They had outfitted us with these humongous ribbons like the kind you would see at a fair for the fluffiest sheep or best hung horse.

“Oh c’mon. We made Sam’s day by agreeing to be grand marshals,” Brian said. He turned around and waved back at Howie and AJ.

I was really surprised that AJ had decided to join us for the parade. We had flown out of Tampa yesterday morning. Liv, Addy and Leigh had tagged along. Leighanne had gone back to Atlanta for another homeschool testing conference. Poor Baylee seemed to always be taking tests.

And then there was Rochelle. AJ was keeping pretty tight lipped, but he was stressed out. That made me worried. When AJ was stressed out he always did something stupid.

Anyhow, AJ wasn’t in a really good mood before we left this morning. Addy had found the whole gay pride parade thing interesting and was waiting at the end of the parade route. Liv and Leigh had announced they were going shopping; with James and Brooke in tow, they headed out to do some damage to Howie’s and my credit cards. Not that I minded. Liv was actually overly conscious of my money.

“Do Sam proud,” Liv had said before I had left. I laughed.

“I’ll show my pride, but I don’t know about the whole “Do Sam” thing though.”

Liv had kissed me hard and for a few minutes I had the sudden urge to just forget about the parade and show my very heterosexual lust by getting naked and sweaty and going all doggie style on her. That’s when Sam had walked by our open door in his bunny suit. It’s hard to keep a stiffy when you just saw a guy’s noodles spilling out of a banana hammock.

“So what do you guys think?” Sam said over the roar of the crowd. The people in the crowd were actually just as interesting as those on the parade floats.

“This rocks!” I yelled. Sam danced back to Howie and AJ. As Sam was talking to them, a woman dressed as a devil ran towards the car. Security was on her in a split second, but AJ stopped them. He leaned over and began talking to her as she jogged next to the car.

“Who’s that?” Brian asked.

The woman looked familiar. Long legs, long black hair…I snapped my fingers.

“Oh! That’s Andrea!”

“Who?”

“Andrea. One of our dancers from last year?”

Recognition came into Brian’s eyes. “Okay. I thought she looked familiar.”

I grinned. “Sorry. I forgot you only remember girls if they’re blonde with big boobs.”

Brian rolled his eyes. He turned away from me and smiled charmingly out at the crowd.

Towards the end of the parade route, someone with some wicked speakers began to blare out YMCA. I began to bounce on the back of the corvette.

They have everything that you need to enjoy, You can hang out with all the boys,” I sang. Brian seemed to forget my earlier comment and joined in with me on the ‘Y-M-C-A’ motions.

After the song ended, a crackling voice came over the speakers.

“Let’s hear it for our celebrity grand marshals. Nick Carter, Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, and Kevin Richardson – The Backstreet Boys!”

The crowd cheered. I stood up and blew kisses. Sometimes I just can’t help it.

I am a fame whore.

------------------------------------------------------

If I thought the parade was impressive, the party that Sam took us to afterwards was…well, something better than impressive. It was wall to wall bodies. I had never seen so much skin in my life. And that’s saying something.

“It’s really good to see you guys again,” Andrea said as she walked on my left.

“Yeah, I can’t believe we bumped into you,” I said. “What brings you here?”

She smiled and tossed her hair. “I’m bi. I come heere every year to rock out.”

AJ turned around. He was rocking his Lady Gay Gay shirt. “I didn’t know that.”

She grinned and walked ahead of us. “There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me.”

I raised an eyebrow. I didn’t like her tone. I could smell a flirt a mile away.

“Nick, look over there!”

Brian yanked my arm and pointed. A group of men and women were gathered around cheering on a guy in a tiara. He was riding a mechanical bull. Howie, Kevin, and Addy all stopped and watched. We all winced as he flew over the front and landed on the mat. The lack of clothing made the impact look way more painful than it probably was.

“I bet I could stay on longer than him,” I said out loud.

“Bet?” Kevin said with a grin. “I’ll bet.”

I looked over at him in surprise. Of course I didn’t argue. I’m not want to turn down a challenge, bet, or dare.

“You’re on,” I said. “Twenty bucks?”

“Deal.”

“I swear you’d do anything for twenty bucks.”

I grinned. “Not anything,” I said. “But this, yes.”

I weaved through the crowd. People patted me on the back and the level of chatter in the room grew even louder. I bet it was because I was still sporting the huge honking ribbon on my chest.

“Can I give it a whirl?” I asked the girl operating the bull. She grinned.

“This I got to see,” she said. “Hop on up.”

I have never been on a riding bull, but I didn’t think it could be that hard. I’ve ridden a lot of things in my life. Mostly women, but some of them bucked pretty damn hard. I swung my leg over and hoisted myself up.

It would be great if I could say that I wowed the crowd with my amazing abilities and that in my next life I’m going to come back as a rodeo cowboy. In reality, I landed so hard and fast on the mat that I really can’t remember the bull even starting. I got up and gave the finger to the bull much to the appreciation of the crowd. I walked back over to the guys; Kevin was fanning the twenty in front of his face.

“Too bad,” he said with a grin. I scowled.

“Well, I could use a twenty. Especially since Leigh went shopping today,” Howie said. We all watched him head over to the bull and climb on. He gave a serious salute in our direction; the next moment the bull was tossing him for dear life. I couldn’t help but laugh as Howie’s arms went around the bull’s neck in a desperate attempt to stay on. Unfortunately, that was the wrong thing to do. His ass fell off first followed by the rest of him.

Brian couldn’t just stand by and watch. He was hot on Howie’s heels. I could tell by the looks on most of the guys faces in the room that if Brian were gay he would be a hot commodity. There were a lot of grins on people’s faces as he hoisted himself up on the bull.

“I know what you’re thinking. You should have seen it when you climbed on up,” Sam whispered. I didn’t even realize he had snuck up on us. “You’re the talk of the town today. Fortunately for you I’ve told everyone you’re married to one of my oldest and dearest friends.”

I laughed. “Thanks.”

Sam turned on his camera and watched the downfall of Brian. He lasted longer than me but not longer than Howie. He came back to us holding his stomach.

“I think I have mat burn,” he complained. He lifted his t-shirt. Sure enough a raw red streak was already spreading.

“Well, I guess Howie’s the winner,” I said. Howie grinned. I didn’t really think he had that much to be proud of, but I didn’t want to crush the little man’s dreams.

“Actually, I’m pretty sure I can double Howie’s time.”

All heads turned to Addy. She was studying the bull strategically, already pulling her hair up in a ponytail. Kevin looked excited…in a sexual way.

“Do it,” Brian said.

With her head held high, Addy wove through the people. It was weird seeing the country girl in faded jeans and a cut-off flannel shirt walking around people painted in all different colors and dressed in every costume imaginable. They cheered Addy on as she expertly hopped onto the bull.

I have to admit that it was the most impressive display of athleticism that I’ve seen in awhile. She was stuck like glue onto the bull. Her body seemed to anticipate the direction in which the bull would buck each time. It was almost like a dance. Just when I thought she might break the world record (even though I have no clue what it is), she landed with a graceful flop onto the mat.

The crowd went wild. I’m pretty sure no one else had done near as well the entire day. She had a little bounce in her step as she made her way back to the group. Kevin wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her softly.

“That was great,” he said lovingly. Her arms went around his neck.

“Thanks. Now it’s your turn.”

“My turn? What happens if I win? I pay myself my own twenty bucks?”

Addy leaned even closer to Kev. Her voice lowered but I was close enough to hear.

“You beat my time and…I’ll accept that engagement ring you carry around in your pocket.”

Kev’s eyes darted from her to the bull and back again.

“Really?” he said. She smiled.

“Really.”

Well, let’s just say I’ve never seen Kev move faster. The crowd was having a heyday. It wasn’t everyday that four Backstreet Boys rode a mechanical bull.

“Where did AJ go?” Brian asked. I saw him turn around.

“Dude, don’t worry about that now,” I said. “Cheer on your cousin. His engagement depends on it.”

I don’t think Brian heard that part of the bet. His head swiveled back to the action. He put two fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly.

“Go Kev!”

I hadn’t noticed before, but the girl running the bull was also keeping track of times. If Addy wasn’t watching the whole thing like a hawk, I was tempted to go and bribe her to make sure Kevin’s time won out. The sooner he got what he wanted, the better all of our lives were going to be.

I’m pretty sure that after today, Kevin’s days of mechanical bull riding are over. He started off really impressive. I was practically waiting for him to say ‘Yee-haw!’ The longer he stayed on, the surer I was that he was going to win.

Then disaster struck.

The bull seemed to speed up. Kev’s body twisted at an unnatural angle and he slid down, getting caught up in the gears. The girl manning the bull stopped the ride as quick as possible, but the damage was done. Kevin’s face was contorted in pain. Addy was by his side in a second.

“What happened?”

“I think I pulled out my back.”

The next half hour was kind of a blur. An ambulance was called and Bri and Addy took the ride to the hospital with Kev. I stayed behind with Howie. Sam stood beside us looking concerned.

“I hope he’s going to be alright.”

“I’m sure he will be. He’s tough,” I assured Sam. I didn’t want the guy to cry. If he cried I was pretty sure I would start to cry. I’m a softie that way.

“We need to find AJ,” Howie said. “I think it’s time to drive back.”

“Alright, let’s split up and meet back here in ten minutes. The place isn’t that big. It should be no problem.”

I should have known that AJ disappearing was a big problem. I had canvassed one entire room without finding him. I thought I had found him a couple times, but the Lady Gay Gay shirt was popular. I knew Sam and Howie were checking the other two rooms. I stood by the coat closet at the entrance, waiting for the other two and hoping they had better luck.

I stifled a laugh when I heard the telltale sound of two people having fun in the closet. It sounded like hangers were being yanked off the rod. I couldn’t help but think it was probably not the only rod being yanked, if you know what I mean.

Usually I don’t regret my dirty mind, but this time I did. After a few minutes, the closet door opened and Andrea slid out, disappearing back into the party crowd. I couldn’t disguise my surprise and disappointment as AJ emerged a minute later. He was so oblivious that he ended up walking right into me. His eyes widened when he realized who his road block was.

“Nick…”

“What the hell were you doing?” I couldnt hide my anger. Sometimes I boil way too close to the surface for my own good.

“It’s not what you think.” He couldn’t look me in the eye.

I snorted. “Oh really?”

I forcefully wiped a line of pink glossy lipstick off of his cheek and held it up to his eyes.

“If it’s not what I think, then you better damn well start explaining.”
Chapter 6 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Six

AJ didn’t have a chance to explain. Sam and Howie came pushing through the crowd as I stood glaring at him.

“Hey, there you are. Where were you?” Howie asked.

“I had to take a piss,” AJ said cooly. He slid his sunglasses on, masking the lie.

“That must have been one long piss,” Sam said. “We’ve been looking for you for awhile.”

AJ waved carelessly. “Eh, I was around. Where’s Brian and Kev?”

“Kev pulled out his back bull riding,” Howie explained. AJ broke into a grin.

“Damn, must suck to be that old.”

We headed out to our cars. Initially AJ had driven down with Howie and Leigh. Brian had come down with Kevin and Addy. Liv and I had come together; Sam had driven himself. I had given Liv and Leigh my car to drive back after they were done shopping. I pointed to Sam’s rental.

“Hey Sam would you mind riding with Howie on the way back?” I asked. “AJ and I have some business to discuss.”

“No we don’t,” AJ said, iciness creping into his voice.

“Oh, I think we do,” I said lightly.

Sam looked between the two of us, frowning. He looked over at Howie. Howie shrugged.

“I don’t mind. Let’s go. I want to beat rush hour.”

Every hour’s rush hour here,” I pointed out. Howie gave me his Robert DeNiro look. Sam tossed me his keys. I rolled my eyes and opened the passenger door. I stared directly at AJ.

“After you.”

AJ looked like he was going to argue, but seemed to think better of it. He slid in and I slammed the door.

I didn’t say anything until we had gotten onto the Interstate.

“Alright,” I said. “Talk.”

“I have nothing to talk about,” AJ said coldly. He was slumped down in the seat, his face turned to the window.

“Well if you have nothing to talk about you won’t mind if I tell Rochelle the funny story of you stumbling out of a coat closet with another girl.”

AJ’s head whipped around. “You can’t do that. That’s against bro code.”

I glanced over at him. “Bro code goes out the window when you get married.”

“Wow. When the hell did you turn into Brian?”

I frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I glanced back at the road. I’m not the best driver; it’s probably not a good thing to take my eyes off the road for too long.

“Brian freakin’ tells Leighanne everything. It’s pretty sad that we couldn’t even announce we left Jive without her beating us to the punch.”

“Listen, I know Brian gives new meaning to the phrase TMI, but…wait…this isn’t even about Brian and Leighanne. What the fuck were you thinking?”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

“Well you sure as hell better try,” I said. “Because you know I have a big mouth and I’m about this close to punching you for being such a dumbass,” I said. I pinched my thumb and forefinger together and shoved them in his face. AJ sighed.

“I’m just sick of this baby stuff. It’s ruining what monkee and I used to share,” AJ said bitterly. “She’s obsessed. And there’s just so many rules. We used to do it anytime, anyplace. Now she gives me this monthly calendar like I have to have an appointment to sleep with her. And it’s not like I can just pop in a porno and whack off the rest of the month. Hell, I can’t even go in our hot tub because she freaks out that I’m killing off all my boys. I’m sexually frustrated man. I don’t even care about having a baby anymore. I just want my life back.”

“Well, it can’t be easy for Rochelle,” I said. It was hard to empathize; I had never been in his situation. I mean sometimes I thought if I just looked at Liv that I could knock her up. In fact, that was currently number three on my list of secret superhero powers.

“I know it’s not easy for her. You don’t have any idea how hard it is for me to watch her go through miscarriage and miscarriage. I just want to lay down and die.”

I would have felt sorry for him if I still didn’t have the pink lipstick on my finger.

“So you thought the best way to fix this was to go fuck another girl in a closet?”

“We didn’t fuck. She just gave me a blow job.”

I sighed. “J, don’t you think you and Rochelle need some counseling or something?”

“I’ve tried to talk her into going to talk to someone. She’s in denial,” AJ’s face lost some of its defensiveness. “Nick, I just needed to get this out of my system. It won’t happen again. This is just between the two of us, right?”

I bit the inside of my cheek. I felt like I was stuck in a hell of a situation. I was definitely not a saint; I had done my fair share of cheating back in the day. But, being married and cheating just seemed to be in a completely different category. Even thinking about cheating on Liv made my stomach turn.

But then again I had known AJ for a long time; he was like a brother to me. And if I was being really truthful, I didn’t want to be the one to tell Rochelle. Women kind of scare me sometimes.

“Nick?”

“It can never happen again AJ,” I finally said. “If I even hear---“

“It’s not going to happen again,” AJ said forcefully. “I love Ro. Just please, tell me you won’t say anything.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I won’t say anything,” I finally said.

“Thanks, Nick. I owe you one.”

He owed me a hell of a lot more than one.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

“I can’t believe you guys rode a bull for twenty bucks. Wait, I take that back. I can so believe you did that.”

I had dropped AJ off at his apartment and then drove back to my condo. Liv was already home. Brooke was in her high chair and Liv was trying to get her to eat some baby food. She wasn’t having much luck. I pulled up a chair and filled her in one the parade and the party. I left out the part about AJ in the closet.

“So is Kevin okay?”

“I don’t know. Brian promised me he’d call once he knew anything.”

I took the spoon and jar from Liv and turned to Brooke. She looked at me like she was seizing up an enemy. A baby food feeding enemy.

I gave her one of my hundred watt smiles. “Mmm, this looks yummy,” I said, holding up the jar. It was some type of vegetable medley that looked like dog diarrhea. I pulled out a spoonful.

“Watch the airplane Brookey,” I said. I made propeller noises as I whirled the spoon around in a circle. She never took her eyes off the spoon. I went in for a landing. She clamped her lips tightly together, shaking her head.

“Open up, it’s yummy,” I said. I backed up and then pressed the spoon against her lips again, but she wasn’t budging.

“Do we have any mashed carrots?” I finally asked. Liv shook her head.

“Nope. She ate the last jar before we left Tampa and I didn’t have time to go to the store.”

Brooke began to kick her legs, looking triumphant. I stared at her thoughtfully.

“Do you want to feed yourself?” I asked. I handed her the spoon. She stopped kicking and studied the spoon. Her fingers wrapped around the handle.

For one moment I actually thought she was going to feed herself. She brought the end of the spoon to her mouth. The mashed up food was still sitting there. Then as if thinking better about it she threw the spoon and started to laugh. The spoon hit me right in the forehead; brown gunk slid down onto my nose. A few drops landed on my lips.

I thought I was going to be sick. It was the worst tasting shit I had ever tasted in my life.

“Oh my god,” I gasped. I grabbed the spoon and ran into the kitchen. I flipped backwards and turned on the faucet. The gunk ran off my face. I opened my mouth and just started swallowing mouthfuls of water.

“It’s not that bad,” Liv said. I stood up, my hair and face soaking wet. I grabbed a dish towel.

“Oh really? Have you eaten that stuff?”

“Well, no…but…”

“Trust me. It’s bad.”

I wiped my face and hair with the towel and tossed it next to the sink. Then I went over to the refrigerator. I opened the door and rooted through our stuff. There wasn’t much, but anything had to be better than what was sitting in that jar. I stood back up with a jar of applesauce in my hand.

“Let’s try this again,” I said, sitting back down. Brooke watched me carefully as I unscrewed the lid and dunked a fresh spoon into the sauce. I pulled the spoon out and began another airplane ride. When I got to her mouth, she kept her lips together but I saw her sniff. Her lips parted and I stuck the spoon in.

It was probably the cutest thing I had ever seen in my life. For a second she looked really confused, then I saw her tongue working at rolling around the sauce. As the sweetness hit her tongue she broke into a huge smile and her whole body practically bounced with happiness. She swallowed and looked back at me with her big blue eyes. She opened her mouth wide.

“And we have success!” I said happily. I looked over at Liv. She laughed and shook her head.

“You’re like the Cesar Milan of babies,” she said. I had no idea who Cesar Milan was, but it sounded good. I leaned over and kissed her softly. She smelled like an orange. I suddenly have the strongest desire to suck the juice out of her.

“What are you wearing?” I whispered. I drew her lips in for another tropical scented kiss.

“Leigh and I hit the perfume counter at Macy’s,” Liv explained as I drew away for a breath. “It’s called Rendezvous.”

I set the jar of applesauce down on the tray of Brooke’s high chair. My hand snaked into Liv’s hair as my head dipped towards her neck. I inhaled greedily before taking the delicate skin between my teeth. All of the blood in my body seemed to rush south. I took my free hand and moved Liv’s palm onto my lap. Just the slightest pressure had me foaming at the mouth.

“Nick,” Liv said breathlessly. She pulled away. I stared at her in hazy confusion.

“What?” I said. My eyes fell to her breasts. Her hand cupped my chin and turned my head. I had forgotten about Brooke. She had used my distraction to her advantage.

The applesauce jar was lying on its side. Her hands swam through the sauce, scooping up watery mouthfuls. Applesauce was everywhere; in her hair, on her eyelashes, dripping down her chin. She was babbling to herself, no doubt congratulating herself on the good meal.

Liv stood up and scooped Brooke up out of the seat. Brooke let out a little diva-licious cry, her arms trying desperately to reach the sauce. Liv looked over at me with a smile playing on her lips. I loved her patience. It took a real woman to put up with a baby and me.

“I’m going to give princess a bath. If you clean up this then maybe after we can continue what we were doing.”

I knew that maybe. That maybe meant that I was going to get lucky.

“Sure thing,” I said. Liv headed to the downstairs bathroom with Brookey. I yanked open the cleaning supplies closet and armed myself with paper towels.

It was a small price to pay to get some booty.

-----------------------------------------------------

“He’s walking like Quasimodo but he’s going to be fine,” Brian told me. “We just got back to L.A. Kev had to lie down in the back like a mannequin the entire way.”

“Did you hit every single bump on the way back?” I asked as I headed to the bathroom.

“Well…not every one,” Brian said with a laugh.

“Is he going to be able to come to the studio tomorrow?” I lifted the toilet lid.

“He said he’ll be there. Wait. What’s that noise?”

I tilted my head so that I wouldn’t drop the phone. “I’m peeing.”

Dude I don’t want to hear you peeing. Why couldn’t you have put me on hold like a normal person?”

“That’s too much work,” I said. I flushed and headed to the sink.

“You’re a sad, sad man Carter. Be at the studio at ten tomorrow, okay?”

I washed my hands and reached for my tooth brush. “Kay.”

“Good night.”

“Pleasant dreams,” I said sweetly. I hung up and set the phone on the corner of the sink. I jogged in place while I brushed my teeth. Liv walked in and brushed up behind me as she reached around me for her hairbrush.

“Why is it that almost every time I see you brush your teeth you’re naked?” she said with a laugh. I spit out in the sink and wiggled my brush under the water.

“Well it makes sense if you think about it. This way if I spit toothpaste on myself, I don’t dirty a shirt.”

Liv rolled her eyes. “Only you would think about it that way.”

I grinned. She was dressed in a soft pink nightgown that floated flirtatiously around her ankles. I loved her ankles. They were the same ones that had been wrapped around my neck about an hour ago. I kissed her softly and took the hairbrush from her hands. She stepped in front of the mirror and I began to brush her hair out gently. Her eyes fluttered closed.

I took the opportunity while she wasn’t looking to stare at her reflection in the mirror. Her cheeks were tinged with pink in a perfect rosy glow. The rounded tops of her breasts peeked out of the deep rounded curve of the nightgown. The fabric pressed taunt against her growing belly. I took my free hand and rested it over the bump. She smiled.

I couldn’t help but think about AJ and Rochelle again. I tried to think about how life might be different if Liv and I were going through what they were. Would I cheat?

At any other time in my life, the answer would be yes. But I took it as a sign of rapidly developing maturity that I now couldn’t imagine being with anyone but Liv. My needs would always take a backburner if they got in the way of Liv’s happiness.

“Did you feel that?”

I paused in brushing. “Feel what?”

Liv didn’t have to explain. Underneath my palm I felt the telltale sign of a little foot kicking. I smiled.

It was hard to think dark thoughts when something so amazing was happening right beneath your fingertips.
Chapter 7 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Seven

The next morning, Howie and I were playing a rousing game of Hide and Go seek with James around the studio when Kevin finally showed up. Brian hadn’t been exaggerating. As Kevin shuffled into the studio, I wanted so badly to shove him up on a bell tower. All he needed was a gigantic googly eye to pull off the Quasimodo look. Addy followed behind him, her arms outstretched as if ready to catch him if he should tumble.

I was expecting him to be incredibly grouchy, but that didn’t stop me from feeling the need to razz him.

“Dude, we should have brought your wheelchair from the birthday party to L.A., old man,” I said. He stopped and rested a hand on his lower back. He looked up at me and I was surprised when he actually smiled.

“Nick,” he said lightly. “As much as I would like to kick you in the balls right now, you are not going to ruin my good mood.”

He shuffled by me and settled down awkwardly into a chair. Brian tossed him an ice pack.

“Good mood? How could you fall off a bull and be in a good mood?”

Kevin just continued to grin. He pointed at Addy. I looked over in confusion until she lifted her left hand and grinned. Kevin’s engagement ring was nestled on her finger.

“Hey, he didn’t win the bet!” Brian said. Addy laughed.

“I almost broke my spine,” Kevin said dramatically. Addy rolled her eyes.

“He was so pathetic I couldn’t help but say yes,” she said.

Liv, Leigh and Sam ran over to take a look at the ring and offer their congratulations. Brian stupidly went over and slapped Kevin on the back. I burst into laughter as Kev let out a yell and shoved Brian down to the ground.

“Geesh, I just wanted to say congratulations!”

“I think you got your point across,” Howie said with a grin. He scooped James up and went over to Addy. James leaned way over Howie’s arm, his eye almost touching the stone in the ring.

“Pitty!” he declared. I’m pretty sure he said pretty; even though “pity” was much funnier.

Addy smiled.

“He’s got great taste,” Howie added. “I’ve taught him well.”

“He’s the only two and a half year old I know that has an Armani suit,” Leigh added.

While Howie began to discuss the importance of a good suit, AJ snuck in the room. I wasn’t the only one who realized he was late.

“Where’ve you been?” Kevin asked.

“I overslept,” AJ said. “Sorry. What did I miss?”

“A lot actually,” I said. “Kevin and Addy are engaged. All of us will be happily married men. Cool huh?”

AJ looked disgruntled by my innuendo, but he forced a smile in Kevin’s direction. “Oh? Well, congratulations.”

“Thanks,” Kev said. He stared hard at AJ as if picking up on something, but he seemed to let it go. Instead he put on his business face.

“Before we start running through the west coast tracks, I want to go over our schedule.”

I groaned. I hated schedules; hell, besides Howie and Kevin we all hated schedules. I saw Sam pull out a notebook and a pen.

“If you post this online you better word it so that no one complains when we don’t meet our deadlines,” Brian suggested. “The fans get angry when we miss our deadlines.”

“We’re not going to miss our deadlines this time,” Kevin said confidently. Between Howie and me, we’ll keep us on track. Right, D?”

Howie cracked a smile. “Yup.”

Kevin shifted in the chair and winced.

“It’s November,” he began.

“No shit,” I muttered under my breath. Brian heard me and grinned.

“We’re aiming for a March 6 release date. We need to block out February for U.S. promotional dates.”

My arm shot up in the air.

“Nick?”

I glanced over at Liv. The little crease that appeared in her forehead when she was worried was visible.

“Liv’s due February 21,” I explained.

“If we hit the west coast at the end of January through the first week of February and then do New York the second week of February we’ll block out the last two weeks for no dates. Will that work?”

I glanced over at Liv. She nodded.

“Yeah, that’ll work,” I said. Even if she went into labor early, if I was on the East coast I would be able to hop on a plane and get to the hospital in time. No sweat.

“And so you can have a little time at home to help Liv out, why don’t we hit Asia mid-March and run through mid-April?

“That sounds good,” I said.

“Then we’ll spend two weeks in Australia and take a week off before doing the U.S. leg.”

“What about Europe?” Brian asked.

“We’ll have to hit Europe in the Fall.”

“What about South America?” Howie asked. “They’re begging us to come back. We promised them some stops on the This is Us tour that never materialized.

“South America would be a good way to start 2013. It would be nice to go back to do South Africa again too,” AJ said.

“Then we could add in a few more Europe and Asia dates and then one more summer tour back here. I’d like to end by August of 2013,” Kevin added. “Mason will start Kindergarten in September back home in Kentucky that year.”

I saw Addy and Kevin share a smile.

“James will be ready for preschool by then,” Howie said. He looked shocked.

“If he’s potty trained,” I teased. Howie made a face.

“He’s doing much better, thank you.”

I smiled over at James. “Did you beat up the potty monster?”

His eyes grew huge. “Pot moos?”

He began to cry.

Leigh scooped him up and headed out of the room. Howie gave me a death stare.

“Just wait until you start potty training your boy. Just wait.”

I grinned. “I’m not scurred.”

Anyhow,” Kevin said. “With this schedule that means that we’re going to have to finish up the album no later than December 15. We’re going to have to have our set list decided the first week of January as well as our first single. We’re going to need at least three weeks of rehearsal on choreography. Do we want backup dancers?”

“I think the fans thought it was nice to have the dancers back,” Brian said.

“Well we’re going to have to hire dancers this month.”

“So are we going to divvy up duties?” Brian asked. He knew as well as I did that if all five of us tried to work together on each decision that we never got anywhere.

“If you want,” Kev said. “What do you want to do?”

Brian looked at me and smiled. “Nick and I will work on set list.”

“It still has to meet everyone’s approval,” Howie said. I could tell that he didn’t trust us. He was probably worried that I was going to work in She’s a Dream again.

“Shawty ain’t got cable,” I sang. Kevin groaned.

“What were you guys thinking?” he asked. “Like Howie said, it’s got to meet everyone’s approval.”

Brian shrugged. “That’s cool.”

Kevin glanced at Howie. “Want to work on set design?”

Howie nodded. “That works for me.”

“I’ll work with Kev on getting the dancers,” AJ said. I glanced over at him, frowning.

“I can do that,” I offered.

“No, you’re working on the set list. It’s cool,” AJ said. He met my gaze. “Really.”

Kevin looked between us thoughtfully.

“Alright. I think that’s it. Sam can you type all that up and fax it over to the guys at Universal? I'm sure they'll feel better knowing that weve finished our homework."

Sam grinned. "No sweat.

Kevin smiled "Then let’s get to work.”

I think he momentarily forgot about his back; he got up way too fast. He screamed. I jumped up and hovered over him.

“Easy grandpa,” I soothed. Kevin’s hand came around and smacked me right in my gonads. I crumbled to the ground as the pain flared up.

“What did you do that for?” I cried. Howie grinned; I had a feeling he had probably wanted to do that for at least the past hour or since I made James cry about the potty monster. Kevin just beat him to it.

“Sorry, it was a pain reflex,” Kevin said with a snicker.

I closed my eyes and clutched my package. It really did hurt; my junk was sensitive. By the time I opened my eyes back up Brian was standing over me with his cell phone in hand.

“What are you doing?”

His eyes twinkled. “Payback. What do you think I should call it? Wait…I know!”

He slid open his phone and began typing on the keyboard.

“Recording is a pain in the gonads.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------

By the time I looked at the clock again, it was eleven o’clock at night. We had been in the studio for more than twelve hours. I sat at the drums with Brooklyn on my lap. Liv sat beside us, twirling gently back and forth on an extra swivel chair. I had my large hands wrapped over Brooke’s small hands and we were holding a pair of drum sticks. Her face lit up every time “we’ hit the crash symbal.

“You’re going to grow up and bring female rock back in style,” I said to her. She looked up at me and giggled.

“But you can’t let any boys on your tour bus. Because then daddy would have to kill them.”

Liv laughed. “We won’t tell her about what’s happened on your tour bus.”

I grinned. “Exactly.”

I brought Brooke’s hand over and we tapped the snare drum.

“Oooooo,” she babbled. She looked back up at me. Her two little bottom teeth made her smile just that much cuter.

“Dada.”

I had always secretly hoped that ‘dada’ would be Brooke’s first word. I just didn’t realize how emotional I would get when it really happened. I felt my eyes widen; her little hand felt so warm under mine. She stared at me with that happy smile as if she called me ‘dada’ every day.

“She just called you dada,” Liv said quietly. She looked just as shocked as I was.

I felt like if we just continued to gawk at her that we weren’t doing our jobs. Even though I had a tear in my eye I blinked quickly and grinned.

“That’s right Brooke,” I said happily, bouncing her on my knee. “Dada! Good job!”

She snuggled into me and I felt her little fingers give up the drum stick. I set it down on a tom and scooped her up, planting a kiss on her cheek. Liv leaned over and did the same thing. Brooklyn clapped.

“What’s with the love fest?” AJ said, wiping his mouth as he came back in the room. I beamed.

“Brooke just said dada,” I said happily. “That’s me!”

“What’s you?” Brian asked coming in behind AJ.

“Brooke just said dada,” I repeated.

AJ just smiled; Brian grinned like someone who knew just what I was feeling.

“It’s a great feeling isn’t it?” he said. He glanced at Liv.

“It’s only a matter of time before she says mama,” he added for her benefit. “Da is easier to pronounce.”

Liv smiled. “I know that. Trust me; it doesn’t bother me a bit. I just knew she was going to say dada first. Anyone who can stop three weeks of continuous crying in the first ten minutes he’s back home deserves to get the first word.”

I knew she was talking about Brooke’s bout of colic. I still remember putting her tiny little body on my chest and the sweet sigh of relief that escaped from Brooke’s tiny mouth when her cries subsided.

I looked back down at Brooke. That time seemed like so long ago. Now my little girl was crawling and talking. Livvy and I couldn’t help but announce the great achievement to everyone else as they filed back into the room. Kevin leaned down next to me and tickled Brooke’s stomach. He also started a round of applause in her honor. I was hoping for a repeat performance in front of the entire group, but she just clapped her hands and grinned as everyone smiled back at her. She seemed to eat up the attention.

Something told me being a fame whore was going to run in the family.
Chapter 8 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Eight – December 24

“I can’t believe it’s Christmas Eve and I’m on bed rest.”

Liv was lying on the couch; she was absolutely miserable. I felt helpless.

Liv had been fine when we were in L.A. In fact, we had both agreed that so far this pregnancy was actually easier than the first. Then about two weeks ago, right around the time the guys and I finished the album, the swelling had started. Though her feet and legs had swollen when she was pregnant with Brooke, this time even her face and hands were swelling. I tried to be the calm one, but even I couldn’t deny that something might be wrong.

Four days ago we had our latest doctor’s appointment. Liv was near tears by the time Dr. Tresher got into the room. She had ditched her contacts for her glasses, complaining of a massive headache and blurry vision. Dr. Tresher had launched into a battery of tests that all pointed to one conclusion: Liv had developed gestational hypertension with the possibility of it turning into preeclampsia. I didn’t really understand all the particulars; all I knew was that it wasn’t good.

Dr. Tresher had put Liv on bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy. By day two, Liv had hit her breaking point; her impatience and frustration were at an all-time high. Today was just a little bit better; the Christmas spirit was kind of sucked out of the both of us but we were doing our best.

Brooklyn was sitting by the couch. I watched her grab onto the cushion and push herself up. She peered up at Liv.

“Mama,” she said. It had taken Brooke about a month to transition from just saying ‘dada’ to adding ‘mama’ in the mix.

Liv smiled and picked her up. At the same time the doorbell rang.

“That’s got to be your mom and Mike,” I said. I headed out of the living room and down the hall. I opened the door and gawked. Somewhere behind a large pile of bags and boxes was my mother-in-law and her boyfriend. I was certain of it.

“Holy crap,” I managed to say. I grabbed a tall stack of boxes and stepped back. Liv’s mom and Mike walked in. Mom peered around the boxes and made her way to the living room. Mike shifted his packages to shake my hand.

“Merry Christmas,” he said warmly. I smiled.

“Merry Christmas.”

“How’s Liv?”

“She’s…as good as can be expected,” I said, my voice cracking a little bit. Mike put a hand on my shoulder.

“Carrie’s been worried sick about you two.”

“She doesn’t have to worry about me,” I said.

By the time Mike and I got into the living room and put down the rest of the presents, Liv was deep in conversation with her mom.

“It’s going to be fine mom. I really don’t want to think about it today.”

Usually I would make a joke and try to distract everyone. I don’t like to think about unpleasant things. But this time was different. The woman I loved most in the world and our son were in an extremely dangerous situation. I couldn’t help but feel guilty; to see Liv lying on the couch looking like a puffy, sweaty version of her usual self was killing me. I sank down on the edge of the couch and propped her feet onto my lap. She gave me a grateful smile.

Even with all of the stress of the current situation, it was hard not to be a little bit excited as we watched Brooke experience her very first Christmas. Liv set Brooke down and mom began to push present after present towards her. Her eyes grew wide and she slapped her pudgy legs in happiness. She reached out her hand and plucked a bow from the present nearest her. We all laughed as she stuck it in her hair. She looked up at me and smiled.

“That’s beautiful Brooke,” I said. She clapped her hands and reached for another bow.

Aside from the gift bows, her favorite presents ended up being a plastic telephone and a turtle sand pail that she insisted on wearing as a hat.

“I’m pretty sure I’m never going to get her off the phone when she grows up,” I said with a smile.

“If she’s anything like her grandmother then she’ll never shut up,” Liv’s mom said grinning. Mike nodded his head vigorously behind her back. She turned around and gave him a good natured slap.

“Eyes in the back of my head,” she reminded him.

“Nick, why don’t you go get mom and Mike’s present?” Liv said. I turned to look at her; she nodded towards the tree.

“Oh yeah!”

I stood up and walked to the tree. I rooted around in the branches.

“You didn’t have to get me anything,” Mike complained.

“It’s a joint present,” I explained. I pulled out an envelope and handed it to them.

“You haven’t even touched your presents,” Liv’s mom complained.

“Well show me yours and I’ll show you mine,” I said with a laugh.

Liv’s mom tore open the envelope. She pulled out two tickets and glanced at me and Liv in confusion.

“What are these?”

“Read them, mom,” Liv said with a smile.

Mike glanced over her shoulder.

“A trip to Hawaii? Really?” he looked over at me. I shrugged.

“A little Livvy bird told me that her mom’s always wanted to go there,” I said lightly.

“This is too much.”

“Mom, it’s not too much,” Liv argued. “Look at all you’ve done to help us out with Brooke.”

“Well I can’t leave you alone now,” she argued.

“Those tickets are good for a whole year,” I interrupted. “Next summer or fall when we’re traveling all over the country I expect you guys to go enjoy a well-deserved vacation.”

“Well…thank you. Now open your presents.”

I laughed. “You’re welcome.”

Liv and I tore into the presents. The first thing I unwrapped with a tiny little football onesie. I held it up to my chest.

“I don’t think this is going to fit me,” I said.

“It’s for the baby.”

I laughed. “I know. It’s cute.”

At that moment Brooke grabbed onto my leg and hoisted herself up. She made a grab for the onesie.

“Baby girl, this isn’t for you,” I said. She grunted as she reached for it again. I handed it to her. She plopped down on her bottom and began to chew it.

“Okay, have it your way,” I said with a smile.

“You’re a pushover,” Liv’s mom teased. I gave a little sigh of defeat.

“Tell me about it.”

--------------------------------------------------------------

That night I was in a deep sleep when I felt Liv pushing on my shoulder.

“What’s up?” I mumbled.

“I’m not feeling good,” she whispered.

I opened my eyes and stared into the darkness. My left arm was still asleep as I rolled over and turned on the lamp.

Beads of sweat fell across Liv’s forehead. Her face looked like rubber.

“I need a…a…”

She leaned over the side of the bed and heaved into a little trashcan.

I grabbed her hair and pressed the back of my hand against her neck. It was soaked with perspiration.

“Liv, I think we better take you to the hospital,” I said.

Because of Liv’s dislike of hospitals, she typically would put up a fight. But she shuddered and nodded.

“I need to go,” she said weakly.

I placed an emergency phone call to Liv’s mom and spent the time waiting for her to get to the house by helping Liv get dressed. She clung to my arm. I could feel her heart racing.

“Nick I don’t want to lose him,” she said in a small voice.

“We’re not going to lose him,” I said. “Everything will be okay. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

I helped Liv into the car and waited by the front door. Mike sped up our drive and jerked the car to a stop. Liv’s mom practically flew out of the passenger side.

“Nick…”

I didn’t want to waste any time; I cut her off.

“Brooke’s fast asleep. I’ll call you the minute I know anything,” I promised.

Before she could answer I slid into the car and cranked it to life.

I’m pretty sure I broke every speed limit from our house to the hospital. I careened into the sweeping emergency drive and laid on my horn. An attendant came out with a wheelchair.

“Is she in labor?” the guy asked as he opened the door.

“No but we’re having pregnancy complications,” I explained. I got up and walked around the car. Liv grabbed onto me and I helped the attendant get her into the wheelchair. “She needs to be seen right away.”

“Pull your car into one of the available spots. I’ll get her inside.”

My palms were clammy as I got back in and grabbed the steering wheel. I glanced at myself in the rearview mirror; I was as white as a ghost.

I’m not the type of person that prays a lot, but before I got out of the car, I folded my hands up against the steering wheel and closed my eyes as tight as I could.

I was pretty sure that I hadn’t earned a lot of brownie points with the man upstairs but just this once I needed a little help.

I just hoped He was willing to listen.
Chapter 9 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Nine – January 14

“I’m really sorry about this Kev,” I said.

“Don’t worry about it. What you’re doing is more important than set lists or choreography. How’s Liv?”

I was sitting in the hallway outside Liv’s hospital room, my knees drawn up and my head tilted back against the wall.

“The preeclampsia’s getting worse every day. We’re still waiting for today’s evaluation.”

“Nick, I’m so sorry.”

I sighed. “Just keep us in your prayers.”

“Absolutely. Love ya man.”

“Thanks Kev.”

I hung up and closed my eyes.

Liv and I had gone through three weeks of absolute hell. For the first few days, Liv’s vitals seemed to level out. Then things took a turn for the worse.

“How are you holding up?”

I looked up to see Dr. Tresher hovering above me. She gave me a little smile.

“I’ve been better,” I said as I staggered to my feet.

I followed her into the room. Liv was lying on her left side pretending to watch The Price is Right. I knew for a fact she didn’t give a rat’s ass about Plinko.

“Hi Liv. How are you doing?”

Liv sighed and rolled over onto her back. “I’ve been better.”

I stood there feeling like the most worthless human being in the world as Dr. Tresher checked Liv’s blood pressure. Even though she had tried to be as optimistic as possible during this entire time, there was no hiding the deep frown on her face today.

“Liv, we can’t wait any longer. Your blood pressure has been over 100mmHg for twenty four hours now. We need to prep you for a C-section.”

“Today?” I said. Liv’s eyes widened as much as they could considering her skin was so swollen.

“Today,” Dr. Tresher repeated. “The last ultrasound showed that the little guy should weigh about four and a half pounds. Once we get him delivered then we can get Liv stabilized and feeling better. If we keep going the way we are we’re going to put both of them at risk.”

Liv’s face crumpled up. I took her hand and squeezed it. Dr. Tresher handed me a consent form. I glanced down at Liv. Her eyes swam with tears but she nodded.

“Sign it.”

I quickly scrawled my signature across the line and handed the clipboard back to Dr. Tresher.

“We’re going to get you prepped and we’ll be in the OR within the next hour,” she said gently. “That’ll give you a chance to make any phone calls that you need to make.”

As she walked out I sank down in the chair next to Liv’s bedside.

“Call my mom for me, okay?” Liv whispered. I nodded and picked up the phone.

I called Liv’s mom and let her know that she was needed at the hospital. I called Angel to ask her to watch Brooklyn. I called Kev to give him an update and asked him to call the other guys. Then I called my dad.

“I’m coming down,” dad said as soon as I told him what was happening.

“Dad, that’s a long drive. You don’t need to,” I said warily.

“You’re my son and that’s my grandson,” dad said gently. “I’m coming.” He paused.

“Did you call your mom?”

I hadn’t spoken to mom since the night of my bachelor party. I sighed.

“No.”

“I think she needs to know.”

Coming from dad, this was a pretty big statement. I pursed my lips.

“I’ll call her.”

“Okay. I’ll see you in a few hours. I love you. And Nick?”

“Yeah?”

“Everything’s going to be okay.”

I felt tears prickle my eyes. “I love you, dad.”

“I love you too.”

I hung up and then picked the receiver up again. Liv looked over at me.

“Who’s left?”

I glanced over at her. “My mom.”

The phone rang several times. I was half-hoping that I’d roll over to the answering machine when I heard a click.

“Hello?”

I closed my eyes. “Hi, mom.”

“Nick?”

“Yeah. Listen…Liv’s in the hospital and she’s heading in for an emergency c-section.”

“It was so nice of you to call considering I had to find out she was pregnant from the tabloids. She didn't waste any time for round two did she?”

I didn’t need this…I really didn’t need this.

“Well, I just wanted to let you know.”

Mom sighed. “Do you want me to come to the hospital?”

“Dad’s coming.”

“Oh.”

There were several seconds of awkward silence.

“Maybe I’ll come up later. Afterwards…” she said, trailing off.

“Yeah. That would probably be okay.”

I paused, waiting for her next move.

“Okay. I’ll talk to you later today.”

“Okay.”

“Well…bye.”

“Bye.”

I hung up feeling worse than I did before I began the round of phone calls. As I had worked my way down the list, the anesthesiologist had come in and started Liv’s line.

“So much for doing this one naturally,” she said, trying to sound light-hearted. I smiled as much for her sake as mine.

“It figures my son would make a grand entrance into this world.”

Liv smiled.

“Definitely unforgettable.”

At that moment Liv’s mom ran through the door. She looked like she had been crying.

“Oh baby,” she said. Liv opened her arms and gladly welcomed a hug.

“Mom…I’m scared.”

I turned away. Liv was trying to be so damn brave for me. I knew that she was scared, but it killed me to hear her say it in that little girl voice reserved just for times when mom is needed the most.

“You’re going to be fine,” mom assured her. “I’m going to be in the waiting room ready to hold my grandson. Besides, Nick will take good care of you. Right?”

I turned back and nodded. “Nothing’s going to happen on my watch,” I said.

Dr. Tresher poked her head back in the room.

“Are we ready?”

Liv nodded; her mom squeezed her hand, hugged me, and walked out of the room.

Dr. Tresher stepped in and hugged Liv.

“Let’s go deliver another beautiful baby.”

---------------------------------------------------

I was surprised how well I had done when Brooklyn was born. I had been petrified that I would faint at the sight of the blood and…well, goo. To my surprise none of that mattered once I helped catch her and cut the umbilical cord. She was mine and all the goo in the world didn’t make a difference.

Now I was feeling that same trepidation. This was the unknown. Once we got to the operating room, nurses covered Liv with drapes. I stayed by her head. I knew the basic logistics of a c-section and the thought of them slicing her open like a cantaloupe seemed like the beginning of a bad horror movie.

“Alright, Liv,” Dr. Tresher said calmly. “I’m going to make the incision. From start to finish we should have a baby in about ten minutes.”

Liv was hooked up to tons of machines. I saw the nurses glance up periodically to check her vitals. I leaned down and kissed her forehead. She placed her hand on the side of my face.

“Making the incision,” I heard Dr. Tresher say. I looked down at Liv. She looked panicked, but not in any type of pain. A minute later I heard the sound of suctioning. I heard Liv suck in a breath.

“You okay?”

“Pressure,” she said.

Before I could ask her what she meant a rush of activity happened on the other side of the curtain.

“Head is out,” Dr. Tresher commented. I was really tempted to look, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I heard more suctioning.

And then there was a cry. Liv gasped at the sound. She grasped my hand and squeezed tightly.

Seconds later the nurse held up a tiny red wiggling gooey baby over the drape. My eyes hungrily tried to memorize every single feature.

“A beautiful boy,” the nurse said.

And just like that he was gone.

“Where’s he going?” Liv asked, her voice rising in panic.

“We’re taking him to a warmer and making sure we’ve suctioned all of the amniotic fluid,” Dr. Tresher explained from the other side of the curtain.

I craned my neck; sure enough two nurses had him over in the corner.

“So everything’s okay now?” I asked. I was in shock; there had been no contractions or pushing and everything had happened so fast. I was reminded of a jack-in-the-box where you cranked the handle for dear life and – BAM! – out comes the clown without any warning.

“Liv your blood pressure is already dropping,” Dr Tresher said. “We’re going to stitch you up and get you guys back to the room. Baby looks great.”

“Nick, can you see him?”

I looked back down at Liv and nodded. My face relaxed into a genuine smile for the first time in weeks.

“You’re amazing,” I said. “I love you, Livvy.”

She smiled up at me. “I love you, too. So much.”

One of the nurses came back over, the baby wrapped up tightly.

Liv held her arms out and the nurse handed him over.

We stared down at his small wrinkly face. His cries had faded and he squinted against the harsh lights of the operating room.

“He’s five pounds even. Seventeen and a half inches long. APGAR scores are great. He’s pinking up nicely,” the nurse said. She patted me on the back.

Liv ran her fingertips around the crowd of his head. A tear trickled down her cheek.

“He’s got blonde hair,” Liv said.

“He has your little pixie nose,” I said. She laughed.

"We said the same things about Brooklyn. But this time we can add in your third leg," she teased. I grinned.

“Yup. I’m claiming responsibility for that.”

We watched as he opened his mouth and yawned.

“Welcome to the world,” I whispered, leaning down to kiss his forehead. As I pulled away I lifted my eyes heavenward.

“Thank you,” I whispered. My heart felt like it would burst from happiness.

He had been listening.
Chapter 10 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Ten

That night after the last of our visitors had left and Liv lay sleeping peacefully (thank you, drugs), I headed down to the NICU.

Noah Gene Carter had arrived in this world almost exactly ten months after his sister. Even though his weight was decent and his APGAR test scores were good, he had developed a little bit of jaundice that had landed him in an incubator in the NICU. I tried to stay positive. The way I looked at it, he was just chilling in his own little crib under special lights with two other late pre-term babies.

“You’re not even a day old and you have your own place,” I teased him as I settled into a chair next to the incubator. He was wearing these little tiny eye shields to protect him from the light. They made him look like a fly. A cute fly, but still a fly.

I stuck my hand through the armhole in the side of the incubator and stroked his head.

Liv had gone to pieces when Dr. Tresher had told her that Noah was going to have to stay in the NICU until the jaundice was under control. We had both hoped that because of his decent weight that we might be able to take him home as quickly as we did with Brooklyn.

“There’s a lot more involved then weight,” Dr. Tresher had explained. “We need to monitor the jaundice and test organ function and monitor breathing. Then we need to make sure his sucking reflex is strong and that he’s able to hold down milk and be able to pass urine and stool.”

“Noah, you need to do a couple things for daddy, okay?” I whispered. His little miniscule fingers opened and closed. “I need you to drink a lot of mommy’s milk; since you’re my son, that shouldn’t be a problem. Carters are boob men, remember that. Then you need to take a nice big poop. Preferably when Uncle Brian comes to visit tomorrow, alright?”

He squinched up his face and I prepared myself for a cry. Instead he yawned.

I felt like I hadn’t slept in about a month. I pressed my forehead against the glass.

“I think your dad should get some sleep. What do you think Noah?”

I looked over at Dr. Tresher. She must have snuck up behind me when I wasn’t looking. She smiled and placed a hand on my shoulder.

“You’re going to have a long day tomorrow. Get some rest.”

I glanced at my watch. It was two o’clock in the morning.

“What are you still doing here?”

“I came to check on my favorite little patient,” she said. I sat there and watched as she checked him over with the gentle precise care that only someone who had years of experience could give.

“He’s a tired little guy,” she finally said. “His heart looks great. We’ll check him tomorrow. I have no doubt a little bit of light treatment will pink him up again.”

“Thank you,” I whispered. Dr. Tresher shook her head.

“It’s my job, Nick. Now please follow doctor’s orders and get some sleep. Liv’s going to need you just as much tomorrow as she has these past few weeks.”

I stuck my hands in my pockets. “I know. Good night.”

“Good night, Nick.”

---------------------------------------------------------------

“This is the longest walk of my life.”

“Just take your time, sweetie.”

“I feel like I’ve been sawed in half.”

During Dr. Tresher’s rounds, she had advised Liv that she needed to get up and start getting the blood circulating again. Of course, getting up right after getting your stomach split open was easier said than done. I was currently helping Liv to the bathroom with the assistance of a nurse. If I had my way I would have carried her. The pain written on her face was killing me.

“We’re at the door,” I said encouragingly. I opened the door and the nurse walked Liv in the rest of the way.

“That toilet seat’s a long way down,” she said wearily.

“I can get you a riser," the nurse offered.

“Great. You might as well get me a Metamucil and some prunes while I’m at it.”

The nurse looked at her blankly. Liv’s eyes swam with tears.

Old people need risers.”

Liv had been incredibly emotional the day after Brooklyn was born but this time the hormones were mixed with the pain from the surgery and the stress of Noah being in the NICU. She had cried the entire time she pumped breast milk this morning.

“Honey, just take a riser,” I said. She sniffled.

“Okay.”

Twenty minutes later I held onto her hands so she could lower herself back down into bed. She stopped and shook her head.

“I want to go to the NICU,” she said.

“We can go later. Go ahead and rest for a little bit,” I said.

“Nick, I need to see him.”

How could I argue with that? Using my foot, I scooted over the wheelchair. The nurse came over and helped Liv turn around and sit down into the seat. I kicked down the foot rests.

“Let’s roll,” I said.

As I wheeled her up to Noah’s incubator I saw Liv lean forward. She moaned, but it didn’t stop her from wanting, no needing, to go as close as possible.

“Hey Noah,” she said softly. She reached her hand through the armhole and touched the bottom of his foot.

“How’s my baby boy doing?”

I knelt down next to Liv’s wheelchair and put one of my arms through as well. I wanted to hold him again so badly it hurt.

“He’s already looking better,” one of the NICU nurses said, stopping by the incubator.

Liv smiled gratefully. “That’s because he’s tough like his daddy.”

“When was his last feeding?” I asked.

“About an hour ago. He took it right down. Bodily functions are working well too.”

So he didn’t wait for Uncle Brian, but that was okay. I would happily change all the poopy diapers in the world to get him out of the incubator sooner.

We spent about a half hour by Noah’s side, talking and stroking him softly. It was hard to tell if he was sleeping or awake with the little eye patches on, but it didn’t matter. He was here and we could touch him and see him and that was enough. Finally, I saw Liv lean against the back of the wheelchair; the pain too much to hide.

“Time to take you back to the room,” I said, standing up.

“Just five more minutes,” she begged.

“I promise we will come back later today,” I said. She sighed and closed her eyes.

By the time we made it back into the room, we had visitors. Brian bounced up out of his chair the moment we came through the door. Leighanne came over and leaned over Liv, hugging her gently.

“How are you doing?” Brian asked seriously. For all the insane joking around we did, there were times when we could actually act our age. This moment happened to be one of them.

“We just came from the NICU,’ I said in way of explanation. “He’s doing better today.”

“That’s good to hear. You’ve been in our thoughts and prayers constantly since Kevin called,” Leighanne said.

“Where’s Baylee and Kayleigh?” Liv asked.

“My sister’s watching them,” Leighanne said.

“Well, let me get Liv in bed and then stay and have some delicious hospital food with us,” I said. Livvy laughed; that simple action caused her to let out a cry of pain.

“I’m sorry,” I said. Liv’s hands wrapped around my arms and I hoisted her from the chair and helped her ease down into bed. She placed a soft pillow over her abdomen and situated herself on the hard hospital mattress.

”Who’s going to help you when you go home?” Leighanne asked worriedly.

“I am,” I said.

“No offense buddy, but she’s going to need more than you,” Brian said.

“My mom’s going to stay with me,” Liv said. “And Angel.”

“Do you know how long you’ll be in the hospital?” Leighanne asked.

“Well my vitals are almost completely back to normal. Dr. Tresher said if everything continues this way that I’ll be released in four days.”

“What about Noah?” Brian asked.

“It depends on how fast the jaundice disappears and also on weight gain. I know they want him at about five and a half pounds before releasing him. I can’t imagine him being here more than two weeks,” I explained. I looked at Brian.

“I’m not going to go on the publicity junket man, I’m sorry.”

Brian looked at me like I was crazy. “We already knew that. Don’t be sorry. We’re just going to sit on couches and hype the fabulousness of our amazing harmonies,” he said, breaking into a grin. “I’ve already suggested that we use a blow-up doll as your substitute. No one will probably know the difference.”

I stuck my tongue out. “Very funny.”

“Have you guys started choreography?”

Brian nodded. “Yeah, but we’re not going to do as much as we did last tour. Kevin’s back is still whacked up and AJ’s knee is going to hell. We figured that if we were really feeling energetic that we could put more dancing in the second leg of the tour. I know that you’ll be able to pick up on what we have done easily. Luckily, the dancers have the harder moves so they’ll make us look good.”

“Who do we have for dancers?”

“Let’s see,” Brian said thoughtfully. He held up his left hand and counted them off as he went along. “There’s Ashley…she’s a red-head. Then there’s Tanesha who looks like Tyra Banks. Kiki hails from China and Yasmine comes to us directly from the last Justin Timberlake video.”

“That’s only four,” I pointed out.

Brian wiggled his last finger. “Oh! Yeah, Kevin and AJ hired back one of the dancers from last year.”

I felt my stomach clench a little bit. “Oh? Which one?”

“Andrea.”

“Andrea?” Liv said with a smile. “Wonderful. I haven’t seen her since the wedding.”

“She was your roommate for the tour wasn’t she?” I asked.

Liv nodded. “Yup.”

“Until you became her roommate,” Brian teased.

“Well, I’m sure she’s excited to have been picked,” Liv said.

I nodded. I had a feeling it wasn’t her dancing skills that had gotten her a spot on the Backstreet dance squad.

“Nick?”

I looked up. I had the distinct feeling that I had just been told something.

“Huh?”

“Didn’t you hear me?”

I shook my head. “Sorry, just…tired.”

Brian smiled sympathetically. “You do look exhausted. I was just saying that we had to change our schedule around a little bit this summer.”

“Why?”

“Rochelle’s pregnant. She’s due in June. With twins.”

I looked at him in surprise. “Really?”

Brian nodded. “Yeah, AJ told us last week. They wanted to get through the first trimester first. After all the miscarriages…they just wanted to be sure.”

I smiled. “That’s terrific.”

With that good news in mind, I tried to be a little more optimistic. Andrea had been a good dancer. Maybe that was all there was to it. AJ had promised me that his lapse of sanity had been a one-time deal. Things had to be better now. Andrea wasn’t…no couldn’t be a tour plaything.

Right?
Chapter 11 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Eleven – January 19

“I can’t wait to see Brooke,” Liv said as she watched me zip up a duffel bag. Liv’s blood pressure was back to normal and she was slowly getting up and moving around more and more each day.

“She’s been an incredibly good girl, but I know she’s missed you,” I said with a smile. I turned my head as the door opened. Dr. Tresher poked her head in, smiling.

“Ready to go home?” she asked. Liv nodded.

“I am, but I’m torn. I can’t wait to see Brooklyn but I don’t want to leave Noah here by himself.” Liv’s voice cracked. I felt the same way she did.

“Well, I have a special treat for you before you go home,” Dr. Tresher said. She disappeared; when she came back she was wheeling in a bassinet. Liv gasped.

“Someone graduated from the incubator about a half hour ago,” Dr. Tresher announced. She placed the bassinet right beside Liv.

“I thought I’d give you guys a little time to visit. If he keeps this up he’s going to be going home in two days.”

“Really?” I said. Liv was already picking him up; the smile on her face was contagious.

“He’s about an ounce away from hitting five and a half pounds. Other than that I just want to make sure his bilirubin levels don’t go back up. But right now you couldn’t ask for a pinker baby.”

“That’s great news,” I said. Dr. Tresher nodded.

“You two visit. If you have any questions I’ll answer them when I come back in for him. In fact, we got a bottle of your milk ready. I bet he’d like mommy to feed him.”

Dr. Tresher headed out of the room and I sank down next to Liv. Noah was swaddled up in a light blue blanket; he wore a matching cap on his little head. He wasn’t wearing the little “fly guy” shades anymore; his eyes squinted against the light. I laughed as I watched his face; he was a little bundle of facial expressions.

“Can you hand me the bottle?” Liv asked. I picked it up and handed it to her. Liv took the bottle and eased it gently into Noah’s mouth. There was no doubt about his sucking reflex; he ate eagerly, even greedily.

“He looks perfect,” I said. “Just like his mommy.”

Liv looked over at me. I kissed her softly.

“Thank you,” she whispered. I laughed softly.

“For what? The kiss?”

Her eyes filled with tears. Oh crap.

“For loving me so much.”

I pressed my forehead to hers. “That’s a given.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Be careful. Your mom made up the guest room.”

“I want to sleep in my own room,” Liv complained.

“You can’t do stairs,” I reminded her. “It’s okay. I’ll be down here with you.”

Liv’s mom trailed right behind us all the way to the guest room. Liv settled herself on the bed.

“What can I get you pumpkin?” mom asked her. Liv looked around.

“Brooke.”

“I’ll get her,” I offered. I headed out of the bedroom and up to the nursery.

Angel was sitting cross-legged on the floor building a gigantic block tower. Brooke kept handing her blocks. I watched her eyes cross as they traveled up to the very top of the tower.

“Are you two behaving in here?” I asked from the doorway.

Angel looked up, her face broke into a huge grin. “Is she home?”

“Nope, we’re not really here. We’re testing out our virtual reality machine. How’s it working?”

Angel stuck out her tongue. “Nick…”

Brooke squealed and chucked the block she was holding onto the floor. “DADA!”

I unhooked the baby gate and walked in. Brooke met me half way, her little hands slapping the floor as hard and as fast as her little arms could propel her. I scooped her up and covered her face in kisses.

“Your mommy wants to see you,” I said. She clapped her hands and puckered her lips. I gave her another kiss and headed down the stairs, Angel at my heels.

“How’s Noah?”

I smiled. “He’s out of the incubator and is the pinkest little guy you could ever hope to see. If you want, you can come with me when I go see him tonight.”

“I’d love that,” Angel said. “Um…we might have another visitor too.”

“What? Who?”

“Mom.”

I stopped on the bottom step and looked behind me. I had called mom hours after Noah was born and I had to leave a message. She hadn’t called me back in all this time.

“Mom?”

“She wants to see Noah. She was going to come here but I told her he’s still not out of the hospital yet.”

I sighed. “What did you tell her?”

Angel smiled. “I told her you would call her.”

Much to the delight of Brooke, I hopped off the bottom step and hopped all the way down the hall. Her little pigtails bounced in the air. I was positive that Liv could hear that little laugh all the way down the hall. Sure enough, by the time I walked into the room, Liv already had her arms out.

“MAMA!” Brooke squealed.

“Oh, Brooke,” Liv said as I handed her over. Just like me, she covered her face in kisses. Instead of whining or pulling away, Brooke puckered up again.

We’re a very kissy family.

“You look good Liv,” Angel said. Liv looked up and smiled.

“Thank you for helping mom with Brooke.”

“That was no problem. I’m going to miss the little jumping bean. How are you feeling?”

Liv leaned back into the blankets and sat Brooke down beside her. Brooke smacked the fluffy pillow and leaned back too. I laughed.

“I’m tired and I feel worthless,” Liv said.

“You’re not worthless. Enjoy some bed rest while you can. Plus, you still have to pump,” I said. I made squeezing motions with my hands.

Liv made the ‘whoop-de-doo’ sign. “It’s pretty sad that my boobs don’t hurt as much as the rest of my body.”

Angel settled down on the end of the bed.

“Can I see your incision?”

Now, you might not know this but my sister is not only gorgeous but she’s also the weirdest person I know…besides me.

“Angel, that’s disgusting.”

“What? It’s not disgusting.”

“It’s fine, Nick.”

I turned away as Liv lowered her pajama pants to show the long incision that stretched from left to right across her abdomen. It’s not that I have a super weak stomach but the sight of such an incision on the woman I love made me a pansy.

“Wow. I always thought it went the other way. Like open heart surgery.”

“It’s my battle wound.”

“It looks like it hurts. A lot.”

I was intently staring at a painting on the wall. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Liv’s mom come in the room loaded down with a tray of food. She blanched.

“Oh my god. It’s bigger than I thought it would be.”

“Do you need help cleaning it?”

Only my sister would sound remotely excited about helping to clean an incision. I swear if she didn’t get paid so much money to smile at a camera than she should have been a doctor.

“No, they sent home a kit. It’s better if I do it. It’s…it’s painful.”

“Are you going to throw up bro?”

I turned around just as Liv pulled the pants back up over the incision. Mom was still standing there with the tray looking like she would never eat again. I felt the same way.

“I am not going to throw up,” I said.

“Well, I made food. Everyone dig in.”

Liv and Angel grabbed a grilled cheese sandwich and dug in. Brooke reached up for Liv’s sandwich, doing her little caveman grunt. I glanced at my watch.

“Lunchtime for you too Brookey,” I said. I scooped her up. Liv looked at me.

“I’ll bring her back afterwards.”

“Can you bring some of her board books?”

I nodded. “Absolutely.”

As I walked to the kitchen I tickled Brooke’s stomach.

“Lunch and story time. Do you realize what a lucky girl you are?”

Brooke nodded. I slid her into her high chair and began to sing softly as I prepared her lunch.

We had given up on the gross grocery store baby food. Besides apple sauce, Brooke devoured any fruit like it was going out of style. In the short amount of time I had actually been at home in the past few weeks, I noticed that she had also taken a liking to grains. I made some macaroni and cheese shells and sliced up some grapes. She went to the grapes first.

“Mmmmmmm,” she said happily. She picked up another grape and handed it to me. Leaning down I took it, nibbling her fingers. She shrieked and laughed.

By the time Brooke was done with lunch, she was wearing more of the cheese sauce around her face than what got into her stomach. She gave out an irritated cry of protest as I wet a washcloth and wiped her face and hands.

“All done baby girl,” I said, tossing the cloth back into the sink. I scooped Brooke out of her chair and grabbed a couple book from the living room. I walked back into the bedroom. The food had been devoured from the tray. Liv looked over at me as we walked back in.

“It’s story time, I said, setting Brooke back down on the bed. I handed Liv the books.

“Thanks babe,” she said. Liv’s mom sat down on the other side of Brooke as Liv decided which story to start off with.

Since everything was going well, I figured that it was time to go back to spend some time with Noah.

“Angel, do you want to go with me to the hospital?”

Liv looked up. She didn’t have to say anything; I already knew she was wishing she could just hop in the car and go with me.

“Sure. I’ll be back to paint those toenails Liv.”

Livvy smiled. “Thanks, I’ll entertain myself until then.”

I walked over to the bedside and kissed Liv softly. She touched my face, her eyes searching mine.

“Give him a kiss for me, okay?” she said. I nodded.

“Absolutely. Just a couple more days,” I reminded her. It seemed to help. Her hand fell from my face and she turned her attention back to Brooke.

As we headed to the car, Angel touched my arm.

“Nick, are you going to call mom?”

Deep down I was half-hoping she would forget. Instead I disarmed the car and pulled out my cell phone. She answered on the second ring.

“Hello?”

“Hi, mom. It’s Nick. Angel said you called.”

“I want to see my grandson.”

“Angel and I are headed over to the hospital right now. Why don’t you meet us there?"

“I can be there in a half hour.”

“We’ll wait for you.”

“Okay. See you then.”

“Okay. Bye.”

I hung up and tossed my phone on the little stick mat on my dash.

“She coming?”

I nodded. “She is. But Angel I swear if she starts anything…”

“Nick, you know mom doesn’t think before she speaks.”

I pursed my lips and shrugged.

Even though I knew that, it didn’t mean I had to like it.

---------------------------------------------------------

“Noah? Why did you choose Noah?”

“It means peaceful. And we liked it,” I said. The awesome nurses at the NICU had given us a room. I was currently sitting on the bed changing a very messy diaper.

“Well at least you didn’t use Robert.”

Angel gave me a look. I chewed the skin on the inside of my mouth. It was hard to do while trying not to breathe through my nose.

Mom touched Noah’s hand. He was screaming at the top of his lungs.

“Aren’t you going to have him circumcised?”

“Well if all goes according to plan, they’re going to do it the morning we take him home,” I said. I swaddled him back up and the crying stopped. Who knew I’d be able to expertly swaddle a baby?

Not me, that’s for sure.

“Well, I hope I’ll be allowed to come visit my grandchildren again.”

I looked up at mom. She was blinking rapidly. It was her technique to produce tears.

“I never forbid you to visit,” I said. My patience was waning.

“You kicked me out of your house,” mom reminded me.

“I don’t want to go into the reason why,” I said pointedly.

“Mom do you want to hold Noah?” Angel asked. Mom was a sucker for diversion tactics. This time was no exception.

“Of course I do,” she said. Angel gave me a look and I held Noah out even though the kid in me was secretly screaming ‘No he’s mine!’

Mom held him and went over to the rocker. I watched hawk-like as she settled down in the seat with him.

“You were this small Angel,” mom said. Angel smiled.

“Aaron was just a little bit bigger,” mom added. “Such perfect babies. Now Nick. Nick was my problem child.”

I threw my hands up in the air. Angel quickly yanked them down.

Luckily, we all managed to get through the visit without another Carter World War erupted. As I surrendered Noah into the arms of a NICU nurse, I headed down the elevator with Angel and mom.

“I’d like to see Brooklyn,” mom said. “Soon.”

“I know Liv’s not up to a lot of visitors right now,” I explained. “But I’ll call you within the next couple weeks.”

Mom’s eyes narrowed. “Well isn’t Angel staying at the house? And her mom?”

“We just needed some helping hands while we were both staying at the hospital. Plus, her mom lives closer.”

I didn’t want to add that Liv’s mom was also fairly sane and got along with me.

“Well, you need to remember that your children have two grandmothers. I raised five children without a problem. You could learn a little something from me.”

I opened my mouth but Angel jabbed me in the stomach.

“It was good to see you mom,” she said. “Nick will call you soon.”

Angel hugged mom and then mom and I shared an awkward little back slap. It was so hard to believe that she was the same woman who had kissed the scrapes on my knee. I gave her a perfunctorily kiss on the cheek.

And just like that she was gone. My whole body relaxed as her car drove out of sight.

“How’d I do?” I asked Angel as we got back in the car. She gave me a sideways glance.

“Truthfully? I’d give you a C+. Your mouth and temper get you into too much trouble, bro.”

I sighed. A C+?

Well, I never was a good student.
Chapter 12 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Twelve - January 22

"You're extremely stubborn; do you know that?"

"Did you really think I was going to just lie in bed waiting for you to bring our son home? I can sit in a car just as well as I can sit up in bed."

Liv and I were headed to the hospital. I think both of us hoped that it would be the last time we would see the place for a good long time. Noah was five pounds six ounces and ready to tackle the world.

Or at least life in the Carter house.

Dr. Tresher was waiting for us as we stepped out of the elevator.

"Are you here for your delivery?" she asked.

"I've been counting the minutes all morning," Liv said happily.

We followed Dr. Tresher into an empty room. I had a brand new blue and brown car seat in tow; Liv had an outfit specially picked out for the occasion.

Noah was lying in a bassinet by the window. His eyes were wide and his little mittened hands were fast at work.

"Now, before we let you take him and run, let's go over a couple maintenance things you'll have to tackle with him. Boys are a little needier than girls."

Liv smiled. "Tell me about it."

Dr. Tresher opened up a venerable Mary Poppins-like bag and pulled out ointments and cremes. I was glad everything was labeled. I just stood there and nodded like I was memorizing her every instruction; in reality I was thinking ahead about getting to watch my first football game with my son. I was pretty sure there was a game on tomorrow night...

"Nick?"

Damn. I seemed to be zoning out a little too well lately. "Huh?"

"Do you have any questions?"

I shook my head and gave my best lopsided grin. "Nope. All set."

"Alright. How's the incision Liv?"

"It's disgusting but it's not swollen and there's no puss."

Never in my life did I think that I would be in a relationship long enough to hear a girl say the word 'puss.' Now that's true love.

"Great. Well, I'm going to schedule you and Noah for an office visit next week. And while we're at it, I think it's time for Brooke to have another check-up."

"I feel so left out," I said with a smile.

"Well if you really want a shot..."

"No! No, that's cool. I'm good with being the driver."

Dr. Tresher laughed. After a round of good-byes and signatures of the discharge papers, she left us to get Noah ready.

"Oh what a big boy you are," Liv cooed as she hovered over the bassinet. "You're going home today."

I watched as she changed him out of a basic terry cloth onesie. She took a little shirt and tiny jeans out of her bag. I grinned when I saw the shirt.

"Hey, where'd you get that?"

Liv laughed. "Kevin dropped it by yesterday while you were at the store. He said that Brian, Howie, and AJ chipped in for it because when Kev showed it to them they all thought of you."

"Big spenders," I teased. Liv carefully slipped the shirt over Noah's head. It was a light blue screen printed newborn t-shirt that read 'Lock Up Your Daughters' with a lock dangling off the 'L.'

"I don't know whether I should laugh or be insulted," I said with a smile.

"I'm going to go with laugh," Liv said. She pulled out her camera and took a picture. Noah blinked rapidly and began to cry.

"Hey paparazzi, no pictures," I said. I picked him up and got him into the car seat. I figured since he was already crying, there was no reason to make him cry twice. After I buckled him in, I rocked the car seat gently until his cries subsided. I heard Liv take another picture. I looked up and she smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, but it's a big moment," she said softly.

"I stood up, picked up the car seat, and squeezed Liv's hand."

"Let's go home."

--------------------------------------

Angel had put her creativity to good use again. Between the time we left the house to the time we returned, she had draped a large "It's a Boy" banner across the front of the house. Liv's mom was tying blue balloons to the mailbox as we drove it.

"Hey, this is private property," I teased as I rolled down my window.

"Grandmother's rights trump property rules."

Liv laughed from the backseat. I was glad for the two extra sets of hands. As I helped Liv to the house, Angel grabbed the car seat.

"I want to see the nursery," Liv said. I shook my head.

"There's no need. He's camping out with us in the downstairs bedroom."

Liv glanced at the stairs but turned down the hallway.

"Is Brooke still napping?" I called behind my shoulder.

"She was about five minutes ago."

I had taken Brooke to the hospital right before Liv gave birth but this would be the first time that Brooke would meet her brother. I think I was just as excited for that moment as I was just to be bringing Noah home. I settled Liv on the bed, Angel placed the car seat beside her, and I turned towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm getting Brooke. I'll be right back."

I took the stairs two at a time. I rounded the corner into the nursery and laughed.

Brooklyn was standing up using the crib rail for support. I watched as she tossed a small gray bunny over the rail, her eyes following his downward pitfall. On the ground was a massive pile of stuffed animals that had already met a similar fate.

"So much for napping, huh sweet pea?"

I'm pretty sure I scared her. She turned towards me with eyes as big as saucers. Immediately she plopped on her bottom and proceeded to look 100% innocent.

I stepped over the pile of plushies and scooped her up.

"Dada...doooooooooo!"

I don't know what a 'doo' is, but I'm pretty sure it was something good. I tossed her gently then brought her to rest on my hip.

"I've got a surprise for you," I said happily. We headed back down the stairs. As we headed towards the bedroom, Brooke clapped her hands.

"Mama," she said knowingly.

"Right, mama," I said. I walked into the room. Liv had Noah in her arms; Liv's mom was hovering over her shoulder.

"And this is your baby brother, Noah."

I brought Brooke right up to the bed and leaned her down so she could see his little face. Already in my mind I could see the adorable image of her pouty little lips kissing his tiny forehead and his hand grasping one of her fingers. I was getting myself teary-eyed just thinking about it.

My happy tears didn't last long; in fact they were replaced by hearing loss. Brooklyn took one look at Noah and screamed so loud that it put the kid from Home Alone to shame. Noah's whole body became rigid from fear and then he began to wail at the top of his lungs. Brooklyn swung her body around, smashing her face into my side like she had just seen Freddy Krueger or one of those fugly aliens from Independence Day. I felt her little nails through the thin material of my Fraggle Rock t-shirt.

We were off to a great start.

------------------------------------------------

"Are you sure about this?"

I felt a little like Prince Charming sliding on Cinderella's glass slipper as I helped Liv into a pair of flats. Noah had been home twenty-four hours and oh, what a twenty-four hours it had been. Brooklyn was terrified of Noah. Anytime I would try to take her anywhere in his direction she began to scream. Then Noah began to cry. Then it took over an hour for Liv or I or both of us to get both of them calmed down. Then like a dog who barfs, eats the barf, then throws it up and does it all over again, I would get the brilliant idea to bring Brooke back into the room. And it would start all over again.

"I feel horrible that you're not going on the publicity junket. And this is the only day Sam has free before he goes out on the road with the guys."

Livvy, bless her heart, had asked Sam to tape a little video from me to the fans to be put on the website and for the guys to show during their interviews. Normally, I would be all up for it, but since we were both running on about two hours sleep, I wasn't feeling so enthusiastic.

"Do you think we should all match?" Liv asked.

"Honey," I said, barely suppressing a yawn. "I know Leighanne pulls it off, but Brian's a much better mannequin then I am. Plus, you've got to remember we're Carters. I know what would happen if we took the time to all match. Brooklyn would probably throw up her lunch; Noah would probably need a diaper change; I would get Dorito dust all down the front of me, and you would probably get puked on, pooped on, or you would get your shirt stuck in the door and rip it to shreds. I think it's better if we just stay normal."

Liv laughed. "You call that normal?"

I leaned back on the ground by her feet. "That's pretty much our normal, yup."

An hour later, Sam was in our living room fiddling with his video camera. Liv had put on a soft red cashmere sweater and long skirt, complete with little dangly earrings. Brooke was yanking at the long sleeves of her miniature sweater, her face registering dislike. She yanked up the bottom of her denim jumper and smashed it back down impatiently. I was wearing my Bucs jersey and jeans. Noah was dressed in a Bucs onesie. So, even though we didn't all match, we did pretty well.

"You look beautiful," I told Liv. She smiled.

"It hides my flubber well," she said.

I was holding Noah in my arms. Brooke's eyes zeroed in on the little wiggling bundle. She started to scream.

"Holy guacamole," Sam said, looking up from the camera. "You weren't kidding about that scream, Liv."

Liv sighed. She sat down on the couch and pulled Brooke into her lap. The baby banshee continued to freak out.

Now, I don't always have the best ideas, but I'd like to think of myself as a pretty good problem solver at times. I opened the toy box in the corner of the living room and rooted through it. When my fingers closed around a pair of bright white star sunglasses, I picked them up and nudged the lid closed.

I weaved around my recliner and slid the glasses onto Brooke's little face.

The screaming stopped. Liv and I both looked at her. She was like a chess piece; I was anticipating her next move.

She touched the glasses. Then she waved her hands in front of her face. She started to laugh.

I sat down beside Liv and positioned Noah in the crook of my arm.

"Sam, we better roll. There's no telling how long those are going to keep her distracted."

Sam grinned. "No problem. In three...two...one..."

The red light on the camera came to life. I smiled.

"Hi guys. Nick here. I'm so sorry that I can't be with the guys right now to promote our upcoming album Going Strong, but I have a pretty good excuse."

I lifted Noah up. "I'd like you meet the newest Carter, Noah Gene. He showed up a little earlier than expected, but after a little time in the NICU he's home and doing just fine. I'm taking a few weeks to help take care of him and our daughter Brooke while Liv recuperates."

Liv waved to the camera. I saw Brooke's hand wrap around the front of the glasses. It was time to wrap it up and fast.

"I want to thank everyone for their support and I will be seeing you out on the road VERY soon. Love ya!"

"DADA!" Brooklyn said happily. I saw Sam press stop; Brooke got the glasses off. She turned to look at me. Noah let out the biggest spit bubble I had ever seen in my life. Brooke's eyes widened.

And the screaming and crying began again.

Except this time, I think even I started to cry a little bit.
Chapter 13 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Thirteen - February 1

"Okay. Let's do it again. One more time."

Usually when a woman said that to me, I was more than happy to oblige. Not today.

I collapsed on the hard wood floor gasping for breath; my shirt was so drenched with sweat it clung to me like a second skin. I had been at the dance studio since five o'clock in the morning to learn the choreography for tour. It was now almost two o'clock in the afternoon and we hadn't stopped for more than five minutes.

I used to think that learning dance steps after a night of drinking and partying was hard. That was nothing compared to trying to remember when to turn left and when to dip down after getting up every two hours for feedings, changings, a cranky daughter, and four dogs that had suddenly come to the conclusion that all of their attention was now being given to two small human beings.

Angel and Liv's mom had been at the house almost around the clock since Liv had initially gone into the hospital on Christmas Eve. Two days ago, I had declared that they both needed a break and that Liv and I could handle things for at least the next three or four days.

I hate to say it, but I think I was wrong. Liv was up and moving around, but it had only been three weeks since Noah's birth so she was understandably taking it slow. To make matters worse Brooke was still throwing a fit anytime she saw Liv or me carrying Noah.

"I don't think I can move my legs," I gasped. Anya, our choreographer shook her head.

"Of course you can. Just one more time, I promise."

"That's what you said hours ago."

She smiled. "Are you the same guy that told me two years ago that you get a rush from physical activity?"

"That's before I gained fifteen pounds. And before I had two kids."

She nudged me with the toe of her sneaker. "Up and at 'em Carter. If Kevin can keep up without breaking a sweat you have no excuses."

"His son's four years old! Mine's three weeks old."

Anya just smirked and walked back over to the CD player.

"And a one...and a two...and a three..and a four."

------------------------------

It was four o'clock by the time I got home. I dropped my duffel bag on the floor and slid down on my stomach, my face touching the soft carpet. It was a nice feeling.

What wasn't a nice feeling was three sets of paws smashing into my back as Lila, Atari, and Iggy tap danced along my back, their rough tongues fighting amongst themselves to lick my bare arms. I lifted my head. Bitsy crouched down in front of me, her tailless rump in the air and her squished face centimeters from my own. She barked excitedly...then she threw up on me.

------------------------------

"I don't know what's worse; baby barf that smells like old warm milk or dog barf that smells like the inside of a trash can."

I had just taken a shower and was rubbing my hair with a towel. Liv sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing Noah's back.

"I bet you can't wait to go to Japan," Liv said with a smile. "Tens of thousands of crazy fans probably pale in comparison to a day at home."

I tossed the towel in our laundry hamper and sat down next to her. I leaned over and kissed the chubbiest part of Noah's arm.

"You're not getting rid of me until February 27," I said. "Hopefully by then we can convince Brooke that Noah is not the devil and we can figure out sleep and feeding schedules."

Noah gave a burp that made me proud. Liv stood up and smiled down at me. I fell back into the soft mattress. I never wanted to hear the words "old" and "Nick" in the same sentence, but tonight was the first time I could ever remember feeling...aged.

"You still need to have a birthday party before you go," Liv teased. I shook my head.

"Nope, I've decided I'm staying thirty one again this year."

"I don't think that's going to work, babe."

My actual birthday had been a blur. Somehow cake and presents didn't matter when I had a wife and two kids that needed my full attention.

"You already got me my birthday present," I said with a yawn. "Noah's my present."

Liv smiled. "He's a good present, but I'm still going to do something."

I yawned. I wasn't putting up a fight. I scooted back farther onto the bed, my head sunk into the pillow. For a guest bedroom, the bed was surprisingly comfortable. My eyes fluttered closed. I had never been so tired.

---------------------------------

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"

I was jarred awake by the sound of the baby monitor. Liv was asleep beside me. I had no idea of the time. I looked over Liv's sleeping form at Noah. He was sound asleep in the bassinet. I turned down the volume on the monitor and slid out of bed. As I headed up the stairs, I wiped the sleep out of my eyes.

Brooklyn was standing in her crib as I walked into the room, clinging to the ear of a poor bunny rabbit. Two big alligator tears dripped down her cheeks and her bottom lip was all aquiver.

"What's a matter, sweetheart?" I said gently. As soon as I picked her up, I knew what was wrong. Her diaper and PJs were absolutely soaked.

"You can't sleep like that, can you?" I said. I put her down on the changing table and went to work. She smiled adoringly at me. My heart melted a little bit. If I had to wake up in the middle of the night, at least I got rewarded for it.

"All better?" I asked as I zipped her into a new sleeper. She tossed her little arms in the air and said something to the effect of 'abba-jabba-flaggle.'

"I absolutely agree," I said with a laugh.. I picked her up; her head snuggled right up into my shoulder.

I felt bad just putting her back in her crib and walking away. Instead I headed to the rocking chair and sunk down. The padded cushion felt nice; the room was cool and smelled wonderfully like baby powder. I rocked gently and after a few minutes I heard the regular sounds of deep sleep breathing. I closed my eyes.

I was getting pretty good at this whole 'dad' thing.

----------------------------------------

"Look at those goobers."

"Hey, you're one of those goobers."

Liv and I were standing at the kitchen island eating breakfast and watching Live with Regis and Kelly. The guys had already done Leno, Ellen, and Wendy Williams and had finally made it back over to the East coast. Noah was fast asleep with a full stomach. Brooklyn was crawling around the living room chasing a light-up cat ball.

Bitsy was following at her heels; her eyes were practically bugging out of her head over the stupid toy. She kept nudging Brooke with her squished-in nose as if to say 'hey, go faster little human!'

I took a big bite of Sugar Smacks cereal. The camera panned out on all four of the guys and then switched to a ten second clip from the Figured You Out video. Liv squealed. I couldn't blame her for being excited; the concept for the video had been her idea."I think that's the first time that was ever shown on TV," she said with a smile.

"Yeah. We can thank Jive for that."

Jive had put up a bitch fit on doing a video for an unreleased song. After nearly a year, they had finally given us the rights to distribute the video. Of course now that Kev was back, we decided not to make it a single but offer it up as a gift to everyone in the fanclub. Even still, it was one of our most popular videos on our YouTube channel.

"We're back with the one, the only, Backstreet Boys," Regis said. "They've got a new album coming out that they're really excited about. Tell us a little bit about it."

"It's called Going Strong," Howie said.

"We've been at it for almost twenty years now, and I'd like to think we've still got it," Brian said with a slow drawl and a smile.

"He's wearing his hat backwards. That is so ten years ago," I said. Liv laughed.

"And Kevin's back!" Kelly said. "Kevin, what made you want to get back with the guys?"

"I left the group for a good reason and that was to concentrate on family. I've been blessed with a beautiful son, Mason, and I've wanted to be there for him every step of the way. But I can't deny that I missed making music. Now that he's a little older I want to go back out there and reconnect with the fans. Hopefully they still want me back."

The audience screamed. Regis covered his ears in mock surprise. He laughed at himself and then turned his attention back to the guys.

"And they tell me that the group has had a little baby explosion lately. Who here is a dad?"

Everyone but AJ raised his hand.

"Brian you just had a daughter right?"

Brian smiled. "My wife Leighanne and I have a daughter Kayleigh who's almost six months old and a son Baylee who's nine."

A picture flashed on the screen of Baylee holding Kayleigh on his lap dressed in one-of-a-kind Wylee outfits. It had been awhile since I had seen either of them.

"Wow, they've grown. Especially Kayleigh," I said, wagging my spoon at the TV.

"Look at all that curly hair. She's going to look like Taylor Swift when she grows up."

I laughed. "Well Brian has those squinty eyes."

"Nick..."

"My son James is three and a half," Howie said.

A picture flashed on the screen of James wearing flowered gardening gloves. I was mid-bite of Sugar Smacks and I about choked on them.

"Oh that's horrible," I said with a laugh.

"What?"

"He's wearing girly gloves!"

"What's wrong with gardening gloves?"

"Nothing, but those have flowers all over them!"

Liv rolled her eyes. The camera flashed over to Kevin. Kev mentioned Mason and they showed a picture of him on top of a horse. It had to have been taken back in Kentucky. He was smiling ear to ear and had on a pair of little cowboy boots.

"It's hard to believe Mason's Kevin's son," I said. "That boy's going to grow up to be a goofball."

Liv laughed. "He's just a people person. Plus, Kevin's not straight-laced all the time."

I smiled. "True."

While we discussed Kevin, Regis and Kelly had turned to AJ. A picture of Rochelle and him from shortly after their wedding was shown.

"I'm surprised he isn't saying anything about the twins," I said thoughtfully.

"I bet Rochelle just doesn't want it to get out. Just in case..." Liv trailed off. She groaned. They were showing the message I had pre-recorded.

"What?"

"I look like a corpse that's been floating in the river for a few weeks."

"What?"

"Look how puffy I am. Ugh what were we thinking having me sit there by you? I waved like a dork."

I grinned. Liv was never easy on herself. Truth be told I secretly ripped myself to pieces everytime I saw myself on TV too. It was just one more reason I loved her so much.

But I didn't agree with her assessment. I thought she had a new-mother glow and looked amazing considering all she had been through.

"I think you look lovely. Look, here's my favorite part."

It was the part where Brooke took off her glasses and said 'DADA!' The tape stopped right after that. I knew what had come next. Without having to hear the screaming, I thought that was actually a really cute ending.

"She is just a doll," Kelly gushed.

"She takes after her dad," Brian said. "She's a big ol' ham."

Brian glanced at the camera as if to address Nick personally. Nick stuck out his tongue.

"So tell us more about your album," Regis said.

"It hits stores March 6. We've got a traditional Backstreet Boys sound mixed in with some really cool collaborations with people such as Jay Z and even Rascal Flatts. So while we've stayed within our realm, we branched out in creative ways without straying too far from the sound everyone knows and loves," Howie said. He finished with a smile.

Always the businessman.

"We'll be touring Japan first and we'll have a slew of dates in the U.S. this summer," AJ added. His voice sounded raspier than usual.

"Well, thank you so much for visiting with us and best of luck to all of you and your families. Ladies and gentlemen the Backstreet Boys!"

The guys launched into an acapella version of Shape of My Heart. It felt weird to hear my part being sung by Howie.

"I know that look," Liv said. I looked at her in surprise.

"What look?"

"That's the look that hungers for the road," she said.

"I'm happy here," I argued. She touched my arm.

"I know you are, but I also know that you can't stand to just sit and watch the guys. You've got to be involved."

I smiled and kissed her softly.

"You're right. They'll have to deal with me soon. Until then you're stuck with me."

Liv tossed her hair back and grinned. "I'll gladly stick with you."
Chapter 14 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Fourteen - February 27

"I feel guilty leaving you."

"Nick you need to go. Plus, it's only for three days."

I was crouched down on the floor, zipping up two large duffel bags. I was going to meet the guys back in LA to see a mockup of the stage and to go over choreography.

"Plus, if you can't handle three days away from us, what are you going to do when you guys are over in Japan?"

Brian and Howie had always talked about how being away from their wives and kids was the hardest part of touring. I had gotten just a sampling of that when I did my short solo tour. This tour was going to last much longer and I was going to be much farther away. I sighed.

"I don't know. I just feel like I'm going to miss everything."

Brooke was standing up clinging to the couch cushion. She was looking between me and Liv, watching our conversation unfold. I smiled over at her.

"Are you going to miss daddy Brooke?"

"Dada!" Brooke said happily.

Then she let go of the couch. I braced myself for her to topple back down on her bottom, but she didn't. I heard Liv gasp behind me (and quickly grab the camera) as Brooke took one tentative step and then another. I was only about four steps away from her. I held out my arms, my heart pounding. She teetered on her next step, but seemed to gather her balance. Three more steps and she was in my arms. I was smiling so hard my face hurt.

"What a big girl!" I said. I held her up over my head. She was smiling happily.

"Good job Brookey!" Liv said. She leaned over and kissed Brooke's forehead.

"Her first steps," I whispered. Liv tapped the camera. "Got it just in time."

I leaned back, setting Brooke down on the floor. The stubborn girl was back on her feet in seconds, trying it again. As Liv sat down and we enjoyed those brand new, tentative steps, I couldn't help but think if I had left this morning that I would have completely missed this moment.

And I knew that no stage or choreography would have been worth missing Brooke's first steps.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

February 28

"The set looks awesome," I said.

"Kev and I were aiming for something different," Howie said.

I walked along the stage. It seemed like a mix of sets from the Millennium, Never Gone, and This is Us tours. Large sweeping ramps ran down both sides while a large staircase leading from an upper platform ran right down the middle. Trapdoors ran along the upper platform allowing for us to drop down for costume changes. The left and right sides of the stage were extended out into the audience. It would be the first time in a long time that we actually got into the crowd.

Brian ran past me to the very edge of the stage where he teetered and began to beat on his chest, yelling like Tarzan. AJ ran up behind him and pushed him. Brian dropped down onto the floor below, landing on his feet.

"NICK!"

I was sitting on the bottom stair. "What?"

Brian turned around. "Oh, I thought you pushed me."

I smiled. "Think again. Blame that one."

I pointed at AJ. He flipped me off and stuck out his tongue.

"Me? I didn't do anything."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Anya walk on stage with Kevin. She clapped her hands over her head.

"Alright guys. Let's run through this today. My goal is by Thursday we can actually do a full on dress rehearsal."

I scrambled to my feet. Our audience members consisted of Addy, Leigh, and James.

"Where's Leigh?" I asked Brian as he came over to take his position on my left.

"Kayleigh's got a cold. She's a human faucet right now. Leigh told Baylee he could come with me but his basketball team's got a game coming up and he's been going over to one of the other boy's houses every day for the last two weeks. I hate to say it, but I think he's growing up."

I laughed. "Yeah, I think you might be right." I tugged in the back of my sneaker. "Brooke started walking yesterday."

"Really?"

I grinned. "Yup. Right to me like she's been doing it all her life."

"A-hem."

Bri and I leaned forward and looked at the other end of the stage. Kev was sandwiched between Howie and AJ. He gave us a little smile that was all business.

"Are you ladies done talking so we can rehearse?" he asked.

Brian grinned and sat down at the end of the stage. He crossed his legs and flipped imaginary hair behind his shoulder.

"So Nickolas, do tell me about that new conditioner you're using."

I laughed. Brian scrambled back to his feet and smiled charmingly at Kevin.

"Okay, I'm ready now."

After doing two tours with only the four of us, it seemed weird to have Kevin running by me on stage. I kept looking over my shoulder in surprise when I caught him in my peripheral vision. It seemed like with the five of us we took up a lot more of the stage. Not in a bad way, but just...different.

We rehearsed for three hours straight. By the time Anya called for break, drops of sweat ran off my nose. Brian was doubled over; his hands on his knees. Kevin hadn't broken a sweat.

"You're not human," I gasped as he walked by me. He turned and geniunely grinned.

"If you hauled hay and mucked stalls you'd be in much better shape."

He flexed and his bicep practically took my eye out.

"I'm putting all of us on a fast food ban right at the start of tour," he continued. "By the time summer rolls around all of us will be lean mean dancing machines."

Howie wiped the back of his neck with his towel and muttered something in Spanish that I didn't understand. I walked backstage and grabbed a fresh water from the cooler. Brian was right behind me. He unscrewed the cap and dumped the whole thing over his head.

"You think we're done for the day?" I asked hopefully. I dropped my head back and took deep, greedy gulps of the water.

"Fat chance," Brian said. "Here come the girls."

I turned around as the dancers walked by. They smiled and headed out to the stage. I'm not too good at math but I was certain I only counted four.

And I knew which one was missing.

"Where's Andrea?" I said out loud. Brian wiped his face with the bottom of his tank.

"Dunno," he said. He grabbed another water.

I looked around. Howie was sitting in the seats of the venue with Leigh and James. Addy and Kev were talking quietly.

AJ was nowhere to be seen. I turned to head back to the dressing room.

"Where you going?" Brian called.

"I just need to pee," I said.

"Ah, it's all the water. That's why I wear some rather than drink it all."

I forced a laugh and took off down the dark hallway. The econo-size fans pushed an amazing amount of cool air down on me. I took my time checking out the restroom and our dressing rooms. All were empty. By the time I reached the end of the hallway my suspicions were growing by leaps and bounds. I stood by the emergency door, hands on hips, when I noticed the door was being kept slightly ajar with a rock.

I pushed on the door slightly, praying it wouldn't creak. It didn't. My temperature spiked about ten degrees when I saw who was behind the door.

AJ sat on the stoop, a lit cigarette held loosely between his fingers. A long, slender leg was draped over his lap and he was leaning towards the owner of the leg, laughing. Andrea reached over and playfully took AJ's sunglasses off his face. She put them on and leaned towards him.

I was doing my best to be quiet. I got out my cellphone and switched to camera mode. I shifted slightly to get a better look; I wanted to catch him in the act and take a picture for evidence before completely beating the shit out of him.

Unfortunately, just as their lips met and I snapped the picture, I lost my balance. I blame three hours of constant cardio on my weakness. I'm not a clumsy person. My wife? Yes. Me? No. I slammed into the door hard and rolled out onto the concrete stoop. As I came to a stop I heard the sound of a girl's surprised scream and a long string of curse words that could have only come from AJ.

There was a loud scuffling sound as my sneakers caught traction and I stood back up. Andrea was already at the door, half-in and half-out, looking at AJ from behind his own sunglasses.

"I think you better go inside," I said cooly. AJ stood up slowly from the stoop as she disappeared.

My moment of calm only lasted until the door closed behind her. I moved quickly, but AJ was ready for me. He ducked down as I dove for him. He swung around and backed up. He was doing this thing where he shuts off all emotions from his eyes; it only made me angrier.

"What are you doing?" I asked. We circled around each other like two panthers ready to strike.

"What I'm doing is my own business," he replied cooly.

"I'd agree with you except there's more than you involved," I said. I hocked a big spitball onto the ground.

"Nothing's going on. We were just talking."

I lunged; I got the corner of his shirt and dragged him down onto the ground. My elbow scraped along the rough concrete but I barely felt the sting. We scuffled for a few minutes until I got the upper hand. I pinned him down with my knee.

"You lied to me. Have you been with her the whole time I've been at home?"

At that moment a pretty scruffy guy walked by the alley. He turned to look at us.

"Weirdos," he said before hurrying on. I glared back down at AJ, digging my knee in a little deeper. He didn't say a word, but I saw a muscle tick in his jaw.

"We haven't even started this tour yet. What's it going to be like when we get to Japan? I'm not going to let you do this to Ro, AJ. She deserves better."

"Since when did you get so holier-than-thou? You didn't have this guilt complex while you were trying to get into Liv's panties while she was still married."

I didn't answer and he didn't say anything else. I figured he was just shutting down his walls like always. I got up and turned towards the door.

That was a big mistake on my part.

AJ came at me like a fast little ferret. I crashed down onto the ground and dodged the first fist that came at me. I wasn't so lucky the second time. His knuckles connected right with my lip.

"You promised me you wouldn't say anything," AJ said. "You better keep that promise."

"That was the first time," I said. I could taste blood. "I'm not feeling so forgiving right now."

I brought my leg up and connected with his groin. It was a low blow, but I wasn't feeling too friendly at the moment. His body locked up but he didn't roll over and play dead. We stared at each other for a beat and then the punches started flying.

I didn't hear the back door open, but while I was still trying to aim some pretty good face blows, I felt a pair of strong arms yank me back. I knew it was Kevin. Brian and Howie pulled AJ off.

All five of us stood there. AJ's eye was puffing up; I was spitting out blood.

"Care to explain what's going on?" Kevin asked. I spat on the ground again.

"Yeah AJ," I said with a sneer. "Why don't you tell everyone what's going on."

"You know what's going on?" AJ said. His chest heaved.

"I quit."
Chapter 15 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Fifteen

"What do you mean, you quit?" Kevin asked as AJ shrugged out of his hold.

"You know quit. Q-U-I-T. As in I'm not longer a Backstreet Boy. I'm tired of everyone sticking their nose in my business. Stick a fork in me. I'm done."

He began to walk down the alley. Brian and Howie dropped their hold on me; both of them looked stunned. Kevin started to follow him but I stepped in front of Kevin and crossed my arms.

"You know you're right," I yelled out. "Just go. We don't need to deal with your drama again this tour AJ. What is it, a ten year curse you go through? Or is it just in your genes to abandon people?"

I probably shouldn't have said the last bit, but damn I was mad. AJ stopped in his tracks. When he turned around, his face was contorted in murderous rage.

"How could you even say that?" he hissed.

"Gee, I dunno," I spat. "You have a pretty good record of running away from things when they get to be too much don't you?"

The alley suddenly erupted in mass chaos. For one second I heard AJ's feet hit the pavement and the next thing I knew we were back on the ground fighting as if we were dueling to the death. Other hands which I could only assume were Brian, Howie, and Kevin kept darting into the mix but no one was able to get a firm grip on AJ or me.

I vaguely heard the sound of a female voice before AJ punched me in the ear. I headbutted him directly in the mouth. After that was pretty much a blur. I heard something that sounded like a bug zapper and felt AJ drop. I was about ready to stand up and assess the damage when I suddenly felt like I had become part of an electric wire.

The world went black.

-----------------------------------------

I woke up in my dressing room completely disoriented. Brian's face swam into view.

"Are you going to calm down now or are we going to have to get you tested for rabies?" he said in only a half-teasing drawl.

"What happened?"

"Y'all were pretty much chewing each other's limbs off and we couldn't get in to stop you. So someone else took charge of the situation."

"Who?"

Brian couldn't hide an actual smile. "Addy tased both of your asses. I've never seen a stun gun so big."

My eyes widened. "I was tased?"

Brian nodded. "You both dropped like sacks of potatoes."

I looked around for AJ. Brian and I were the only ones in the room. Brian seemed to read my thoughts.

"Kevin's talking to J. I volunteered to talk to you. What in the world started this?"

As angry as I was at AJ, I just didn't want everyone to know, especially since Rochelle was at home freakin' clueless.

"I don't want to talk about it. It's between me and him."

Brian sighed. "No, right now it's between all of us."

"He's just doing something I don't approve of."

Brian looked surprised. "Nick, do you know how many times you've done something we don't approve of?"

I shook my head. "It's not some stupid little thing like leaving sticky popsicles lying on your bunk or replacing the whipped cream with shaving cream. This is much more serious."

"Does it effect the day-to-day operation of the group?" Howie asked. I hadn't even seen him camped out in the corner. Very sneaky.

"No, but..."

"Then I think you just need to let it drop," Howie said. "Do you know how many times I've wanted to quit since we got back in the studio? You just have to get over it."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why the hell would you want to quit?"

Howie gave a wry smile. "I don't know...I just don't think my services are needed as much as they used to."

I opened my mouth to respond but he waved me away. "Don't worry about it. I'm not going anywhere. I have a wife who tends to be even more rational than I am."

The door opened and Kevin walked into the room.

"J's not going anywhere. I've calmed him down. He wouldn't tell me what this was all about though," Kevin said. He looked at me. I just shook my head.

"Well I think we're done here for today. I sent AJ back to his apartment to cool off. Addy and I are going back to the hotel--"

"Yeah about her. She's crazy Kev. Who walks around tasing people? I mean, Liv did one time, but she had a good reason."

Kevin grinned. "I'd say Addy had a good reason. Plus, I need a little bit of crazy in my life."

I shook my head. Kevin gave me a pointed look.

"Listen, tomorrow we're going to start all over. Business as usual. Okay? Get a good night's sleep."

Kevin walked out of the room. Howie stood up.

"Leigh's waiting for me. So..."

"See ya tomorrow How," Brian said. I nodded.

Finally it was just Bri and me.

"You're not driving down to your condo are you?" he asked.

"I was planning on it."

Brian gave me a smile. "Oh c'mon. When was the last time that you and me both were ridin' solo?"

Even though I felt like I had just been a human punching bag, I laughed.

"What are you saying?"

Bri grinned and batted his eyes.

"Let's have a sleepover!"

------------------------------------------------

"You're lucky Kevin's not here," I said.

We were sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of Brian's coffee table. The TV was turned to the NFL channel and the coffee table was covered with pizza, beer, chips, salsa, and molten chocolate cake. Brian had a piece of pepperoni slapped to his forehead; I had a line of beer sloshed down the front of my shirt.

"After the day we had, I think we need to drown our sorrows," Bri rationalized. "And you know as well as I do that once we get on the road we're going to look like the Tin Man and Scarecrow from Wizard of Oz."

The first thing I did after I dropped my bags off in Brian's guest room was to survey my battle scars. I had a busted lip and a wicked bruise on my cheek bone. Other than that I didn't look too bad. AJ must be losing his touch. Except when it came to screwing behind his wife's back.

Dick-head.

"Leave some beer for me," Brian said as I took a sip from my mug. I set it down and pointed to it with the tip of my pizza slice.

"It's one mug. We're not going out and partying. I'm pretty sure I'll be fine. After the day I had, I needed it. The rest of the pitcher's yours. I've leaned moderation."

"I just don't want you to get all drunk, think I'm Liv, and try to molest me," Brian said with a grin. I laughed.

"Trust me. There's not enough alcohol in this world to make me think you're Liv."

Brian took a chip and scooped up some salsa. A red splotch landed on his shirt before he made it to his mouth.

"So how are things at Casa de Carter?"

I smiled. "Pretty good. I can't believe how big Noah's gotten since we've brought him home."

Brian scooped up the salsa on his shirt with his finger and sucked it off.

"Tell me about it. I can't believe Baylee's going to be ten in November. That freaks me out."

I grinned. "I saw Kayleigh on Regis and Kelly. She's getting big."

"I know. She started crawling right before I left."

I grinned. "Oh, it's going to be fun having her and Brooklyn on tour."

"You know how we did those turtle races that one time?" Brian asked. I nodded. "We need to do baby races."

I grinned. "My daughter's going to whoop your daughter's diapered butt."

"Not a chance. Kay's like the Danica Patrick of crawling."

I rolled my eyes and eyed the cake. I really wanted cake.

"Where's your forks?" I asked.

Brian pointed behind him with another chip. "Kitchen."

We both turned and looked at the kitchen. It seemed like an unnecessarily long walk.

"Hunh," I said.

Brian handed me a chip.

"Here, dig in."

I glanced at the chip. I looked back at the kitchen.

"Oh, what the hell."

I dug the chip into the cake and went to town. Surprisingly the little mix of salt that ended up on the sweet cake added a little something. Until the chip broke. I stared at it forlornly. Brian shrugged.

"Oh well. Plan B."

He dug his fingers into one side; I worked on the other. I knew for a fact Leighanne would have had a cow if she saw the both of us eating like barbarians.

But I have to admit that it was kinda nice. I licked the gooey chocolate off my fingertips. I was reminded of Brooklyn playing with her mac and cheese in her high chair. No wonder she always looked so happy; finger foods were fun.

We devoured the cake until there was nothing but crumbs left. Feeling incredibly bloated, I leaned back against the couch. Brian did the same.

"We probably should clean this up," he said.

I belched. "Yup."

I was hoping that while we lapsed into silence Rosie the Robot from The Jetsons would roll through the living room and make everything disappear.

We didn't get so lucky.

Slowly we both got to our feet. Brian retrieved a trash bag and I pitched in glasses, plates, and crumbs. After we were done, Brian walked the bag back to the trash. We hunkered back down on the floor and finished watching the game.

"Are you still not going to tell me what's going on between you and AJ?" Brian finally asked. I groaned.

"I can't Bri," I said. "Someone else deserve to know first."

Brian turned to me. "Is it Rochelle?"

I didn't meet his eyes. "Just let it drop, okay?"

Brian didn't press any farther and for that I was glad. After the game was over he handed me the remote.

"I hate to be a party pooper but I promised Leigh that I would get on the video cam in about a half hour. I better shower before then."

"You're going to shower to get on the computer?"

Brian grinned. "Lets just say that the kids are going to be asleep."

I wrinkled my nose. "I do not want to think about you in the next room showing off your Kentucky Wildcat on Skype."

Brian laughed. "I've upgraded to a private webcam connection, thank you very much. But, to tell you the truth, ever since Kayleigh was born Leighanne's insatiable."

I pointed a finger at him. "Watch it. That's how Liv was and the end result was Noah."

Brian snickered. "Unlike you, I'm not careless."

I pointed at a big blob of spaghetti sauce on his elbow. "Oh really?"

Brian looked at it for a second, then he licked it off.

"Problem solved." He gave me a little fingertip wave.

"Sweet dreams!"

"Fat chance!" I called after him. He disappeared into the master suite. I heard the shower turn on.

I headed to the guest bathroom and took my own shower. Just as I stepped out, my cellphone rang. I smiled when I saw the caller was Liv. Her's was a voice I needed to hear after the day I had.

"Hi, Livvy," I said as I brought the phone to my ear.

"Hi, babe," she said. "How'd your day go?"

I played through the events in my head. Where did I start?

"It went fine. How's everything?"

"Good. I had Noah lying on the playmat this afternoon and Brooke came up and actually touched him without screaming when she thought I wasn't looking."

I smiled. "Progress."

Liv laughed. I loved the lightness of her laugh. "Tell me about it."

I glanced at the clock. "You're not sleeping?"

"Noah woke me up for a feeding. I just put him back down but I was feeling restless. You were on my mind."

I smiled and headed out of the bathroom. I sat down on the edge of the bed, my towel slipping as I did.

"Oh? I hope it was good thoughts."

"Mmm-hmm."

"Did it have anything to do with me and you naked?" I asked hopefully.

It had been about seven weeks since Noah was born and I hadn't even dared to do anything more than kiss Liv. Between Liv's need to recuperate and the fear of another slip-up, those thoughts were like a cold shower to my libido.

But with 3,000 miles between us and a mug of beer in my stomach, my libido was feeling a little ornery. And her voice was sounding awfully sexy.

"Add in some whipped cream and chocolate sauce and I have lots of good thoughts of you naked in mind," Liv whispered. I could almost see the playful smile on her lips. "What are you wearing?"

It was so cute to hear her say it; I laughed softly. "Just a towel," I said teasingly. "What about you?"

I knew for a fact she was probably wearing one of my old shirts, a nursing bra, and some comfortable granny panties that wouldn't irritate her incision.

"Right now?" she said. "Absolutely nothing."

I had a feeling she was lying, but damn it was a good lie. I felt my temperature go up a few degrees. The palm of my hand that was holding the phone got sweaty. I let the towel completely fall as she mentioned something about oil.

This was going to be a long phone call.
Chapter 16 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Sixteen - February 29

I was fast asleep in bed lying on my stomach and clutching my pillow when the sound of a loud piercing baby's wail interrupted my dreams. I had never heard Noah's cries sound so panicked. Still feeling half-asleep and completely naked, I headed to the bassinet and picked up the bundle.

I stumbled under the weight of the bundle of blankets. I blinked in confusion. Then I realized I was at Brian's and there was no way Noah could be crying; plus the bassinet was pink. I pushed back the blankets to see that I was holding a gigantic rump of ham. A sound recorder was tucked into the corner of the bassinet, no doubt on a timer.

I set the ham back in the bassinet and headed towards the door. I was half-amused and half-angry. I was having a damn good dream and I was woken up for nothing but a ham. I reached for the doorjab and was ready to swing the door open when my hand just slid right off. The whole knob was covered with petroleum jelly.

Cussing loudly and hoping that Brian would hear, I headed to the adjoining guest bathroom for some toilet paper for my hand and the knob. As I unwound the roll and began to wrestle with the paper now sticking to my hand, I looked up at the mirror. Spelled out in shaving cream were the words 'You're the Butt of the Joke!'

I had a sinking feeling about those words. After rinsing off the jelly on my hand and wiping the shaving cream off the mirror I stood up on the tub ledge and turned around. I groaned.

Brian had played charades on my ass with what looked like permanent marker. My butt looked like a sideways version of Cartman's hand in that South Park episode with J-Lo. Bri had drawn eyes with large girly eyelashes and a little triangle nose. I assumed my ass was the smile. On my other cheek I had what looked like boobs.

I grabbed more toilet paper and a full can of shaving cream from my suitcase. After wiping off the petroleum jelly from the doorknob, I swung the door open. I marched naked down the hall.

It was like a scene out of Home Alone. The bottoms of my feet contacted with a bunch of hot wheel cars strategically placed on the floor. I wavered back and forth for just a second before crashing to the ground. The can of shaving cream rolled out of my hand. I watched it's path, only to have it stopped by a bunny-slippered foot.

The bunny-slippers were blue and pretty gay-looking, so I knew they belonged to Brian. He picked up the can and grinned.

"Retaliation, Nick? That ain't cool. I would have thought you would have at least put some clothes on. I don't need to see that flapping around."

I scrambled up to my feet. Brian held the can at the ready.

"Don't take another step closer."

"You're an asshole," I said with a half-smile.

"But mine's not quite as decorated as yours," Bri replied with a laugh. I brushed past him back into my bedroom.

"This better not be permanent marker!" I called out.

"You should know better than sleep naked when I'm around!" Brian replied.

"You're not allowed to touch my ass!"

I didn't wait for his response. I turned on the shower jets and dove under. I had a feeling I was either going to be stuck with Nick-olette until she faded from my cheeks or I was going to have to scrub them raw. I knew which option I was going to choose.

I just knew I was going to have a lot of explaining to do when I got home.

-------------------------------------------------

Even with all of the pranks Brian pulled, we still managed to get to the studio early. Bri began to do freakin' Swan Lake jumps across the stage as I bent down to tie my tennis shoe.

"What are you doing?" Howie asked. He was holding a cup of Starbucks and sipping it like it was gold.

"It's Leap Day. So I'm leaping. Get it?"

Howie laughed. "Yeah I get it. You're a seven year old stuck in a thirty-seven year old man's body."

"Like Tom Hanks in Big," I said. Brian's eyes lit up.

"We so need one of those big keyboards to dance on. Howie..."

"I think that's a little out of budget."

As Brian and Howie got into a discussion on the logistics of us having a floor keyboard, I went backstage to refill my water bottle. Andrea was at the drinking fountain when I walked up. She turned and tried to walk around me, but I grabbed her arm gently.

"Hey, we need to talk," I said.

"I just want to get to work today," she said. I dropped my hold on her arms and she crossed them in front of her.

"That's what I want to talk to you about. I don't think it would be in the best interest of the group if you continue with us."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "What? Why?"

I lowered my voice. "I think you know why."

"Is this your opinion, or everyone's opinion?"

"Listen, we will pay you for your time plus a bonus but I think it's better if you're not around to tempt AJ."

She smiled. I didn't like the smile. "Liv wouldn't like to know that you fired her friend."

"I don't think Liv would be happy if she knew that you were fooling around with a man who happens to be married to one of her other good friends."

Andrea laughed. "She's not one to talk, is she?"

"You're talking apples and oranges. There's two little unborn children involved here."

"She's damaged goods; those kids aren't going to make it. If I have it my way, J will get a nice, healthy baby soon. Unlike the ice queen, he can touch me all he wants. I'm already working on it."

For one split second I was reminded of Kevin and Howie telling me to keep today all business. That was kind of hard to do when I wanted to rip Andrea's twisted, ugly smile off her face and then go tear AJ's gonads off.

"Andrea, you're fired," I said coldly. "Pack up your stuff and get out."

"I think I need to talk to Kevin or Howie first."

"Fine, go ahead." I said. I was past the point of caring who knew about AJ's fucking stupidity. Obviously he didn't.

"Howie's out on stage. Follow the scent of Starbucks."

She turned and headed out on the stage. I sank down by the dripping water fountain and yanked out my phone. The picture I had managed to take before falling flat on my face yesterday was a little blurry but there was no doubt that it was AJ and a girl in a liplock.

I didn't want to be the bad guy, but damnit, I was done with this. I almost wished AJ had quit yesterday. I rolled through my directory looking for Ro's cell phone number.

"What are you doing?"

I looked up to see AJ hovering above me.

"I'm sending your wife a little message," I said coldly.

"Don't do that. I was out there with Howie and I told Andrea that she should leave," AJ said. "The problem's solved."

"Hardly," I said. I found Ro's number. Before I could press anything, I felt AJ's hands wrap around my wrist. I tugged him off, but he was hovering over me like a grizzly bear. My fingers clamped around my phone like metal vices. He began to kick me in the side, but I wasn't giving up without a fight. I tried scooting along the floor but he followed. In any other circumstance, the whole scene would have looked hilarious, but, trust me, I wasn't laughing.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Kevin bellowed. AJ was momentarily distracted. I took the opportunity to lean back hard into his shins, flipping him over me. Even still, his hands didn't let go. He scrambled like a tarantula and before I knew it he had me pinned to the ground.

"Give me that damn phone," he said.

"Should I get the taser again?" I heard Addy say from above us.

"Give me a minute," Kevin said. He yanked the phone from my hand. AJ was on his feet in a second. I sat up and looked up at Kev's face. He was looking at the screen; surprise written across his face.

AJ reached up for the phone. Kevin yanked it back.

"What the hell are you thinking?" Kevin said, his voice incredibly calm. Even so, I was waiting for him to turn green and his shirt to rip as he grew to three times his size.

Like I said before, you wouldn't like Kev when he's angry.

"It was a mistake," AJ said. His foot kept pawing the ground like a bull ready to strike; his eyes never strayed from the phone.

"This is more than a mistake," Kevin said. "Ro's never going to forgive you for this."

AJ didn't answer. His face was contorted in a way I had never seen before. With an anguished yell he rammed his head right into Kev's stomach. They both went down to the ground.

The yell brought Brian and Howie backstage.

"Here we go again," Howie said.

"No, that's not Nick," Brian pointed out.

They both looked over at me. I got to my feet. All three of us tried to get the two guys seperated. I kept my eye on my phone at all times.

The whole thing went down in seconds. Bri finally got Kevin seperated from AJ. Howie had AJ, but AJ lunged forward one more time. I saw the screen on my phone come to life. AJ had tapped the screen. I saw the blue bar slide across the screen and the message that the photo had been sent. He froze in horror.

It seemed like bittersweet irony that it had been by AJ's own hand that the proof of his infidility to his own wife had been sent.

Of course Ro wouldn't know that. She would see it was from my phone.

I just hoped she'd forgive me.

I had a feeling AJ never would.
Chapter 17 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Seventeen

There was a full minute of dead silence. I took the phone from Kevin and put it back in my pocket. That movement seemed to snap AJ out of his trance.

"Oh my god. Oh my fucking GOD."

I saw Brian wince, but he seemed to think twice of chastising AJ.

Truthfully, I was expecting his cell phone to ring in seconds. I was caught of guard when I felt my phone vibrating in my pocket. I pulled it out, surprised to see Liv's number.

I ducked into my dressing room and closed the door. I could hear AJ still freaking out in the hall. The sound of a heavy foot hitting the metal trashcan reverberated through the wall.

"Hello?"

"What in the world is going on?"

"What do you mean?"

Liv lowered her voice. "I'm over here visiting Rochelle and she got a picture message. From you."

"You're over there?"

"Yeah. Mom's watching Brooke and Noah. I haven't seen Ro in forever so I drove up to check on her. What the hell's going on, Nick? Was that Andrea?"

I sighed. "Yes."

"When was that picture taken?"

"Yesterday. How's Ro?"

"She's freaking out and told me she needed to be alone for a minute. I locked myself in the bathroom to call you."

I sighed. "I should never have let it go this long."

As soon as I said those words I knew I made a mistake. I heard Liv suck in a breath.

"What?"

"What?" I said innocently.

"You just said you should never have let it go on this long. How long have they been...doing whatever they've been doing?"

For some strange reason I couldn't help but remember my promise to God about being a better person if he would watch over Noah and Liv. I sighed.

"It's been going on since the Gay Pride parade. I saw them come out of a coat closet. AJ said she gave him a blow job."

"You've known that long?" Liv said. I heard her voice go up an octave.

"AJ promised me it wouldn't happen again."

"So, you're telling me," I heard Liv's voice shake. "That if you did something like that and asked one of the guys to keep it a secret that it would be okay?"

I didn't like the direction the conversation was heading.

"Liv I wouldn't do that," I explained.

"That's what Hunter always told me," Liv said. I knew by the tone of her voice that she was beginning to cry. "Bro's before ho's, right?"

"What? No! How could you think that? You're not a ho---"

I heard a click; I was left with a disconnected phone call.

I walked out of the dressing room. Howie, Bri, and Kevin were sitting out in the hallway. They looked up at me. I looked around for AJ.

"Where is he?"

"He's out on stage," Kevin said quietly.

That was an answer I wasn't expecting.

"What?"

"He said we should get back to work and he just marched out on stage," Brian explained.

"Has Rochelle called?"

Howie shook his head. "Not that we know of."

I bit my lip. Part of me thought I probably should fly home and try to fix things with Liv. We'd never had a fight and I wasn't sure what kind of fighter she was.

Kevin was the first to stand up. "Let's go out there, let Anya run us through the paces, and call it a trip. We'll skip dress rehearsal tomorrow and just double rehearsals in Japan."

I hoped the group would actually make it in one piece to Japan. It was going to be a long two and a half weeks.

Before heading on stage, I scheduled a late night flight back home. Everyone was eerily quiet. AJ wasn't making eye contact with anyone. Anya was trying to figure out what we were going to do until we replaced the fifth dancer.

After about an hour she told us to take a five minute break.

"What's going on today? I thought you'd actually be improving," she chastised.

"We've got all the steps down," Brian explained.

"You're doing them perfectly but you still look like shit," Anya said. "I don't see any heart."

I was pretty sure the heart was sucked out of us for the day, but I didn't say anything. It just seemed easier to be quiet. After a few minutes Anya clapped her hands and we did it all over again.

"Alright, I don't think miracles are going to happen today," she said two hours later. "I'll see you guys in Japan. And do me a favor. Practice between now and then. I don't know what's going on with you guys, but you're not looking cohesive."

Our four dancers filed off stage. AJ walked off without saying a word. As I passed his dressing room, I saw him throwing stuff into a duffel bag.

"Hey."

I turned around. Brian came up and put a hand on my shoulder.

"You did the right thing. AJ will thank you for this one day."

He didn't wait around for a response; he headed into his dressing room. I walked into my dressing room and closed the door behind me. I leaned back and ran a hand down my face.

I just wanted to go home. Hopefully I still had a home waiting for me.

--------------------------------------------

I'm happy to report that Liv hadn't changed the locks by the time I arrived home at three o'clock in the morning. The door creaked slightly as I opened it and slipped into the dark house.

Of course, my sneaky entrance was ruined by four crazy dogs jumping over each other trying to get at me first.

"Shhhh!" I said, putting a finger to my lips. Like that ever works.

The hallway lit flickered on. I glared down at Iggy who tilted his head. I swear he smiled at me.

"Nick? What are you doing here?"

Under the circumstances it was a better welcome than I thought I'd get.

"We decided to leave a day early and...take care of things."

Liv rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Let's just talk about it in the morning, okay? I just put Noah down."

I nodded and began to walk towards the hallway. "Okay."

She placed a hand on my chest, stopping me in my tracks.

"Where are you going?"

"To bed?"

Liv shook her head and pointed behind me. I turned. She was pointing at the couch.

I wanted to ask her if she was serious, but I was pretty sure she was. Dropping my duffel bag at the opening of the hall I went and sat down on the couch. I was hoping a pathetic face would work, but by the time I turned to look at her, Liv had already gone back to bed.

It was the most uncomfortable sleep I'd ever had in my life. I had fallen asleep on the couch before, but never on purpose. Knowing that I wasn't welcome in my own bedroom had me tossing and turning. I felt every spring in the couch. At one point all four dogs decided they wanted to sleep with me and I felt like one of those Egyptian dudes in their coffin.

Noah began to cry again around six o'clock in the morning. By that time I already had Brooklyn up and eating some cereal. Liv came in holding Noah. I handed her a bottle as a peace offering.

"Thanks," she said simply.

"Liv..."

She eased the bottle into Noah's mouth and looked at me. I loved the way her hair pointed in about every single direction in the morning. She reminded me of one of those creatures (porcupines?) from the Little Critter kids books.

"Nick, I have a low threshold of trust," Liv began, her voice shaking. I closed my eyes.

"I know. I just wasn't thinking about it the way you were. I was trying to help. I believed him when he promised me that it was a stupid slip-up."

"I'm going to be honest with you," Liv said. "If you ever have a stupid 'slip-up,' you don't get another chance with me."

My heart started to pound. I hadn't even done anything, but the thought of Liv walking out of my life scared the hell out of me.

"I wouldn't do this to you. I know in the past I've been a serial cheater, but I promise you that I'm not that guy anymore."

I felt a Cheerio bounce off the back of my head. I had both the girls in my life pelting me; Brooke with breakfast food and Liv with her stare.

Finally a tear slipped down Liv's cheek.

"Nick, I was with Ro when she got that picture and the look on her face killed me. There's nothing anyone can do to take this back. She's hurt and betrayed not only by him but by you. It hurt me when I caught Hunter cheating on me, but I know that would be nothing compared to what I would feel if you did that to me."

I walked towards her. I was praying she wouldn't turn away. She didn't. I brushed the tear from her cheek.

"I made a huge mistake," I said. "I can't take back what I've done. Sometimes my best intentions take a big swan dive into the sewer."

Liv cracked a small smile. I took it as a sign of progress.

"What did Ro do after we ended our phone call?" I asked. I was smart enough not to say 'after you hung up on me.'

"She was already upstairs pitching AJ's clothes out onto the lawn. For a pregnant lady she had a pretty wicked arm."

I winced. "How are things going with the babies?"

"Well they were going well, but stress isn't good." Liv sighed. "I don't know, Nick. If something happens to the babies on top of what AJ's done...I don't know anyone strong enough to make through all of that in one piece."

"Do you think she'll take him back?"

Liv shook her head. "I have no idea. But I'm pretty sure I mentioned in my anger that this wasn't AJ's first indiscretion. I think she said something to the tune of 'fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.' Then she took his guitar and smashed it against the wall."

"His guitar?" I asked in horror.

Liv smiled. It wasn't her usual pretty smile.

"Don't you think that's the least of his problems?" she asked.

"You're right," I said with a sigh. Liv set Noah's empty bottle on the counter and looked at it thoughtfully.

"Nick, you don't think AJ's using again, do you?"

I looked at her in surprise. Stupidly, the thought had never crossed my mind. But, with her question laid out in front of me, it kinda made sense. The raspy voice, the inability to think about consequences...I thought about Aaron and how far out of control he had gotten right under my nose. Maybe AJ was headed down in that same spiral.

"You know," I said quietly. "You might be right."

And if she was, the real question was what we could do to help him before he lost everything he had worked so hard to get.
Chapter 18 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Eighteen

"He stayed the night? How was he?"

Howie sighed. "Well he was on something. I'm going to say from the powder on his pants that he was hitting blow."

AJ and I tossed those words around like they were nothing, but hearing Howie say the word 'blow' was weird.

"Where is he now?"

"He had his sponsor pick him up."

"Did he say anything about Rochelle?"

"Just that he fucked up. That's all he kept saying."

I sighed. "Well he's taken the first step."

"But speaking of Ro, Leigh called her this morning."

"And?"

"I really don't think she's going to take him back. It would take a miracle."

I winced. Then I looked around for Liv. She wasn't anywhere around. I lowered my voice.

"Maybe it's just hormones."

"Yeah, I was thinking that too. I'm not dumb enough to say it out loud."

"Well, I know for a fact AJ won't call me. So if you hear from him let me know, okay?"

"I will. He told me he'd call and let me know about Japan. We leave in two weeks, but I don't think it would be beneficial if he's still fucked up."

"I agree. Alright I'll catch ya later."

"Bye, Nick."

"Bye."

I hung up and hopped up on the kitchen counter. My feet hit the cabinet below but I didn't care.

"Any news?" Liv asked as she walked into the kitchen with an empty bottle. She was wearing a pair of pink yoga pants and a dark grey tank top that was stretched across all the right places. From my counter viewpoint, I was at the perfect angle to tell she wasn't wearing a bra.

It took me a second to remember her question.

"Howie took him in last night and AJ called his sponsor this morning. We're waiting on word to see what his next move is."

Livvy put her hands on my bare knees.

"You did the right thing checking up on him this morning," Liv said quietly.

When her hands slid up the legs of my shorts, I had my first clue that she really forgave me.

"I like that tank top," I said, my eyes admiring the round creamy flesh of the tops of her boobs.

"Oh yeah?" she said, tilting her head. Her lips parted slightly.

I brought my fingers up under the strap on her left shoulder and tugged playfully.

"It would look better on the floor, though."

"So would these," she said. She was leaning into me as her hands trailed up and pressed into my pelvic bone, circling all around the area I really wanted her to grab. I leaned forward and drew in her bottom lip with my teeth. In response I got my wish. I felt her fingers wrap around me.

"What are the kids doing?" I whispered.

"Occupied," she managed to say. I didn't need any more detail than that. Cupping her face I probed my tongue into the depths of her mouth. She tasted like spearmint toothpaste. My hands tangled into her hair. I worked my way to her scalp, tugging gently.

Even though the thought of kitchen sex was tempting, I also knew that it probably wasn't the best idea. I slid off the counter, her hands fell from me in the process. With one swoop I had her in my arms.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Bedroom," I said.

"Noah's sleeping in the bassinet."

I did an about face towards the stairs.

"Master bedroom."

It had been awhile since both of us had been up to the master bedroom. Even though Liv was walking stairs just fine, we had made our own little new-parent nest downstairs. I set her down gently, enjoying the way she bounced slightly and the husky laugh that escaped from her throat. I slipped off my shorts and tugged at the legs of her yoga pants. First one leg, then the other and just like that the pink pants were heaped on the floor. She wasn't wearing anything underneath.

"Was this planned?" I asked. Liv smiled.

"Would I plan to take advantage of you?" she asked sweetly.

"Absolutely. But you can get away with it every time," I said with a grin.

"Good to know," she said.

Her hands slid down my back; I turned my attention to her tank top. My fingers ran over her taunt nipples through the thin fabric. She let out an appreciative moan. Remembering that her pleasure teasers were currently pulling double-duty as milking stations, I made sure not to squeeze too hard. I had already tasted breast milk once; I didn't want to do it again. After several minutes in which our breathing became loud even to my own ears, my fingers made their way to the bottom of the tank top and I lifted it up and over her head.

"Nick," Liv whispered as my hands pressed against her inner thighs. I saw a moment of hesitation in her eyes.

"We don't have to," I said quietly.

Her nails dug into my back.

"No, I want to."

I studied her face; it was a face I would never get tired of looking at. Gently I rolled over, bringing her up and over me. My fingers danced along the clammy skin at the base of her neck.

"You call the shots," I said. She smiled. Her boobs pressed into my face (yes!) as she leaned over. I heard the sound of the nightstand being opened. I let out a soft laugh as she tore into the condom wrapper. My laughter stopped as she rolled it on my. My hands wrapped around her waist as she took me inside.

I liked this whole 'fight and make-up' sex thing.

------------------------------------------------------

"Just one question," Liv said as I held her in my arms. The early afternoon sun was streaming in through the window and I was pretty sure that we were heading towards the last few moments of peace. I didn't know who would wake up from their nap first, Brooke or Noah, but I almost felt it coming.

"Anything," I said. I planted a kiss on her shoulder. She propped herself up on her elbow.

"What the hell is all over your ass?"

I went blank for just a moment; then I remembered that my ass had become Brian's pictionary board.

"I slept over at Bri's place and he decided to draw all over my ass."

"You two are way too comfortable with each other's bodies," Liv said, trying, but failing, to suppress a smile.

I was about ready to agree when I heard a loud squeal. Liv fell back into her pillow.

"I'll get her," I said, I rolled out of bed. I tried to get out without my artwork being on display again, but I failed. Liv started to laugh loudly.

"Did he use permanent marker?"

"Of course. I've washed my ass like three times a day and it's still not fading."

With Liv's happy, relaxed laughter floating through my ears, I slid my shorts back on and headed to the nursery. Brooke was trying to climb out of the crib.

"What are you doing baby girl?"

"Dada!" she said. She pointed down at the ground. I laughed and scooped her up. The moment I set her down she stood up and teetered around the room. I caught her eyeing the baby gate a couple times.

"You're going to keep mommy and daddy on our toes aren't you?" I asked. She picked up a block, looked at me, and laughed.

I took that as an absolute yes.

I was hard to believe that she was turning one. It was a big milestone...

A milestone that called for a party.

And if there was one thing I did well, it was party.
Chapter 19 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Nineteen - March 15 - Brooklyn's First Birthday, Part One (As Told, and Caught on Tape, by Olivia)

After living in Nick Carter's world for almost two years, one would think that he couldn't do anything that would really surprise me anymore.

Those people would be wrong.

I had just laughed a week ago when Nick proclaimed happily over breakfast that Brooklyn's first birthday was going to be a zoo. When I got my hands on one of the birthday invitations later that day, I realized that I had misunderstand.

Brooklyn's party was going to be at the zoo.

Nick had rented out the entire Lowry Park Zoo for the day.

"She's only turning one," my rational mind had pointed out. Nick just grinned.

"So? We'll do something even bigger next year."

That was what scared me.

So, at eleven o'clock on a beautiful Thursday morning, Nick and I put Brooke and Noah in the car and drove forty-five minutes to the Lowry Park Zoo. It was the first time I had taken Noah anywhere except the doctor's office. Now that he looked like that chubby Michelin tire guy, I was feeling a little better about exposing him to the world at large. He was decked out with some baby overalls, a giraffe t-shirt, and a little cloth hat that he hated with a passion.

I had picked out the perfect birthday dress for Brooke. It was a light blue sundress with a little white sweater. The blue matched her eyes perfectly. Much to her annoyance, I had tied up her pigtails with long curly blue and white ribbons. She kept tugging at them; her little face squished up and she sighed as they bounced through her fingertips. She kept looking over at Noah like it was all his fault that she had the stupid ribbons in her hair. At least she wasn't screaming. That was a plus.

After spending another fifteen minutes unloading kids, strollers, diaper bags, and presents,we were met at the zoo entrance by the event planner. I didn't even want to think how much renting out the whole zoo had cost, let alone how much the event planner charged for her time.

Nick carried Brooke proudly in his arms. A couple assistants came and got the presents. I walked beside Nick, pushing Noah in his stroller. We wove around the park until we came to the Wallaroo Station.

It immediately brought back pleasant thoughts of Australia. Nick turned to me and we smiled. Sometime's his ideas weren't completely crazy.

"We had seventy people RSVP," the planner was saying. "We've laid out enough space for eighty, just in case."

I fondly remember the birthday parties I had as a kid. Mom and dad set up card tables with paper tablecloths. Good china consisted of paper plates and plastic sporks. The ice cream melted in the heat before you even sat down. They were all great memories.

What I was currently looking at reminded me of a wedding reception; cloth table coverings, nice china, folded napkins...and juice boxes. Okay, so the juice boxes wouldn't be at a wedding reception, but still.

The party was scheduled to begin at 12:30. I pushed Noah's stroller into the shade and got him out. That produced a smile that made me melt into a puddle of goo every time. Of course Noah wasn't the only Carter smiling. Nick was grinning ear to ear; I daresay he was more excited than Brooke.

"There's a petting zoo and a koi pond," Nick said, pointing off into the distance. "Then there's the supial area..."

"The supial area?"

"Yeah with the koalas and stuff."

I smiled. "Marsupials?"

"All the cool kids say 'supials."

I rolled my eyes but let him continue to give me a run down of all the cool stuff at the zoo.

"We've got hot dog and pizzas for the grown-ups and the older kids. And of course the juice boxes."

"Can't forget the juice boxes," I said with a smile.

"Then we have the cake in the reptile house."

My eyes widened. "Reptile house?"

"It's just 'cause it's cool in there. They'll bring it out here when it's time."

That was good to know. There was no way I was going to witness my daughter blowing out her first birthday candle in front of a boa constrictor.

Fifteen minutes later our first guests headed through the gate.

"Are we tardy for the party?" Brian called out. Nick laughed.

"You're the first ones here."

At first I didn't realize that the tall lanky boy standing beside Brian was Baylee. I blinked in surprise. It hadn't been that long since I had last seen him. Right?

"Cool, juice boxes!" Baylee said.

"Geeeeee!"

Leighanne came up beside Brian. Kayleigh was strapped in the stroller, a huge pink floppy hat covering her curly blonde hair. Her arms were flapping a mile a minute as she hit the little playthings on her stroller tray.

I walked over to the stroller with Noah and knelt down. Leighanne crouched beside me.

"Hi Kayleigh," I said. She looked up at me and smiled. Her eyes crossed for a second and then focused on Noah. She leaned over the bar and touched his hand.

"Oooh."

"See," Leighanne said, nudging me. "They're perfect for each other."

I heard Nick and Brian groan.

"Not this again," Nick said.

"She hasn't even cut her first tooth and you're trying to get her a date," Brian complained. Leigh and I laughed.

About ten minutes after Brian and Leighanne arrived, everyone else poured in. By one o'clock the Wallaroo Station was packed with people. Older kids darted around everywhere. At one point I saw Mason sneak up behind Baylee and squirt him with the straw from his juice box. Baylee turned around and threw a piece of pepperoni from his pizza in retaliation.

There were so many people that hadn't seen Noah yet that I felt like we should have sold tickets for them to stand in line. My face hurt from smiling so much. I think I was more overwhelmed today than I was on my wedding day.

"It looks like you could use a break."

I looked to my right to see my mom standing there. I smiled gratefully and handed Noah over. I felt guilty as he started to cry.

"Give him five minutes and he'll be fine," mom assured me. I touched her arm and kissed Noah's soft fuzzy head.

"Thank you."

I went off in search of Nick. I had brought my video camera to capture the day, and hadn't even turned it on yet. Luckily I bumped into Sam on my search.

"Woah there. You look like you need a map," he said teasingly. I smiled.

"I'm looking for my husband and daughter."

"Ah, I believe your beloved is right over there."

I followed Sam's pointed finger. Sure enough Nick was standing by Brian. Brooke was standing on Nick's tennis shoes, clinging to his hands as she stood all by herself. She bounced a little bit and laughed.

"Thanks, Sam."

"No sweat. Great party."

I gave him a little wave and weaved around the guests. Nick smiled as I walked up.

"I was looking for you," he said. "I thought the Littrells and Carters could take a little trip around the zoo before presents and cake."

I smiled. "Sounds good to me."

"Where's the little dude?" Brian asked.

"My mom's giving my arms a break," I said. I held up my camera.

"Uh-oh. You still let her carry one of those?" Brian teased. Nick shrugged.

"She's armed and dangerous," he explained. He knelt down and in one swoop, picked Brooke back up.

"Let's go!"

------------------------------

It's funny the little things you learn when you're in a new place with small children. The first thing we noticed was that Brooklyn loves slimy creatures. Her little hands pressed against the windows in the reptile house and she kept pointing at the glass and looking at Nick. I zoomed in on her even as the little creature scurrying around in its cage was giving me goosebumps.

"That's a gecko," Nick told her. "They sell car insurance."

I heard Brian's laugh reverberate through the room. He was kneeling down with Kayleigh on his lap as Baylee read the sign next to a humongous komodo dragon. Leighanne was keeping a safe distance away from everything.

"Can we go see something a little fuzzier?" she finally asked.

"I agree," I said. Nick and Brian looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

"Okay," Nick said.

Five minutes later I was shoulder to shoulder with Leigh, my camera on zoom. I wasn't taking another step farther.

"This isn't what I meant," Leigh explained.

Brian and Nick were showing the kids a disgusting tarantula that was the size of my fist.

"Dada boo!" Brooke squealed. I was beginning to doubt she was my daughter; no girl should have that much love for such ugly creatures.

"There's a...spider on KayKay's leg, on her leg!" Brian sang. He ran his fingertips up and down her leg. Kayleigh and Brooklyn giggled. Baylee rolled his eyes; obviously he was getting to the age where dad's cool factor was dropping.

"There's a....spider of KayKay's stomach, on her stomach!" He tickled her. She leaned forward, her face crinkling up in delight.

"There's a...spider on Brookey's face, on her face!" Brian reached over and drummed his fingers on her cheek. She tried to slap him away, but she was delighted.

"There's a...spider on Nicky's forehead, on his forhead!" Brian slapped his palm hard against Nick's head. Brooklyn and Kayleigh's laughs rose to high pitched squeals. Nick smiled but I could already see the wheels turning. It was never a good sign. Brian just grinned.

"There's a...spider on daddy's head, on his head!" Brian brought his fingers to the top of his head. "Oh there's a spiddddderrr on my headddddd," Bri was giving the performance of his life. "I think mommy would fall over dead; there's a spider on my head, on my head!"

Brooke and Kayleigh clapped. Brian stood up and took a bow. As gross as the actual thing was in the case, he had managed to bring a smile to not only my face but Leigh's. She tossed her hair and clapped her hands.

"Can we move on now?" she asked sweetly. Baylee came over to join us; I think he was in agreement. Brian scooped Kayleigh up.

"Alright, moving on!"

------------------------------

After a quick visit to the monkeys, tigers, bears, and alligators, we stopped at the pens holding the kangaroos and the llamas.

Out of all of the animals in the zoo, I have always loved the giraffes. I remember going to the zoo with my class on a field trip in fourth grade and learning that you could actual adopt a giraffe. For weeks afterwards I had tried to mark off a spot in my backyard next to our tree. I didn't realize that your 'adoption' was only a donation to the zoo.

Leighanne and I sat on a bench with Kayleigh and Brooklyn on our laps. My camera was taking a well deserved rest. Baylee was reading off the information about the giraffes.

"Baylee's gotten so tall," I whispered to Leigh. She sighed sadly.

"He's growing up," she said. "This is the first time he's not looking forward to going on tour. He's complaining about missing his friends and sports. Bri and I are discussing the possibility of sending him to summer camp. He's been pouring over a brochure for weeks now."

"Really?"

"We've kept him in a bubble for as long as I think we can. I don't want him to grow up and regret not doing things other kids do."

I could understand that. Baylee finished reading and leaned against the railing. Nick and Brian were talking; I couldn't hear them well enough to figure out exactly what they were saying. Finally, I saw a giraffe walk up to the fence. Brooke was the first to spot him.

"AH! AH!" she cried out. She pointed.

Brian stood up on a rock and grinned. I saw something in his hand. I heard Nick start singing Unchained Melody, the song from the movie Ghost. I saw the giraffe's neck begin to bow. Juggling Brooklyn I turned back on my camera.

It played out like a really stupid video sent in to America's Funniest Home Videos. Brian held out what looked like a leaf. The giraffe leaned down; its black tongue flicked out. Bri placed the leaf on the giraffe's tongue and went in for a kiss. Instead, the giraffe grabbed onto his hand and yanked him into the pen. Brian screamed which in turned freaked Kayleigh out. She began to cry. Brooklyn followed suit. I set the camera aside, but I found out later it was still rolling.

After staring dumbfounded for a couple seconds at the spot Brian was standing, Nick decided to save the day (even though I think it was probably his dumb idea to begin with). He scrambled over the fence and grabbed a bunch of grass.

"Here Geoffrey. C'mere. Get the grass! Let go of the Backstreet Boy!"

I saw one large giraffe eye turn towards the grass. A moment later Brian was free as the giraffe lumbered off to the next dumbass human that wanted to bother it today. Bri held up his hand in disgust; it was covered in thick giraffe saliva.

Once Nick realized Brian was safe, he tossed the grass and took off at a run back to the fence. Bri was already halfway over. Nick grabbed his ass and pushed him the rest of the way. Nick was halfway over when the giraffe spotted him. I've never seen a giraffe run so fast. One minute Nick looked like he was safe; the next minute the back of his baggy jeans was being gnawed on by a horny giraffe.

"What the--HELP!"

Brian came to the rescue and began to tug on Nick and toss leaves up at the giraffe's head. If Brooke was freaking out before, it was nothing to when she thought the giraffe was eating her dad. Her little hands were balled into little fists and she was screaming her head off. I turned her around, but I think she's probably going to hate giraffes for the rest of her life.

Finally Nick's pants slipped to his knees and he went crashing to the ground with Brian. The giraffe tossed its head and took off with the pants.

Leighanne and I both walked over to the guys. Brian was wiping some of the giraffe spit off in Nick's hair. Nick was lying there in his tighty whities.

"I know it's a dumb question," I said. "But did you bring an extra pair of pants?"

Nick looked up at me like I was crazy. Brian raised his spit covered hand.

"I have basketball shorts in the car."

I glanced at my watch. We had been gone way longer than we should have.

"Are you okay?" I asked Brian. He grinned.

"Sure. It's not the first time a giraffe's tried to eat my hand."

I raised an eyebrow. He laughed.

"Just kidding. It was the first time."

Baylee walked up to Brian and touched his sticky hand. He held the stretchy spit between his fingers. An appreciative grin lit up his face.

"Cool."

Nick followed Brian to the bathroom. Leigh and I walked away from the giraffes in order to calm the girls down. Fifteen minutes later Brian and Nick came back. Nick was wearing a pair of basketball shorts. He kept tugging at the waistband.

"I thought you wore these loose," he complained. Brian laughed.

"I do. You're a fat guy in little shorts."

Nick gave Bri a push and the two acted like five year olds all the way back to the Wallaroo Station.

Unfortunately, the good mood didn't last long. Nick stopped and pointed at something. Brian followed his line of sight and frowned.

It was kind of like a boxing match. In one corner we had AJ and Rochelle. Both were wearing deep frowns and seemed to be having an intense discussion. In the other corner was my mom and Jane and I could almost see the steam billowing from their ears. Bob was holding Noah. Mike was standing beside him. Both men looked trapped.

Neither situation looked good. I glanced over at Nick.

Even if Brooke didn't remember her party, I was pretty sure it was going to turn out to be an event that Nick and I never forgot.
Chapter 20 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Twenty - March 15, Brooklyn's First Birthday Party, Part Two

-- Nick --

After losing my pants to Geoffrey, I no longer wanted to be a Toys 'R' Us kid. The whole incident had taken us away from the party for a lot longer than I had thought. I stood looking at the crowd. Brian's shorts were so tight on me that I was sure I was going to be talking an octave higher the rest of the day. The fabric was cutting into my gonads.

I pointed out AJ and Rochelle. Brian looked and groaned. I then turned to look at my mom and Liv's mom.

It was Brooke's party and I didn't want the day to go down like a WWE match. I had security nearby, but I didn't want to get them involved either.

"Bri, go make sure everything's okay between J and Ro," I said quietly. He nodded and disappeared into the crowd. I took off for the moms.

"I don't know where they are," Liv's mom was saying.

"Oh please. You're the favorite grandmother aren't you? I'm sure your daughter told you where they were going."

"Jane, just be patient. They'll be here. It's a zoo. They're probably walking around with Brooke. The cake will be out soon," Dad reasoned.

"Stay out of this, Robert."

"Hi, mom."

Mom turned to me in surprise. I saw Liv's mom exhale a breath and smile at me gratefully. Dad looked like he was going to strangle her. He nodded at me and then headed towards the punch. I had a feeling he was probably ready to spike a glass. Mike stuck by Liv's mom, his hand protectively on her shoulder.

"Oh, I was just asking where you were," mom said. She shot a dirty look at Liv's mom before looking back at me.

"We were walking around with Brooke."

"What's with the shorts?"

I glanced down and tugged at them. My noodles were getting crushed.

"I had a little accident and lost my pants. Brian loaned me a pair of his shorts."

"Is he really that much skinnier than you or are you just getting fat?"

I felt my jaw tense.

"I've put on a few pounds."

I took Noah from Liv's mom.

"Thanks for watching him."

She smiled. "You're welcome."

I never saw her move faster. Mike took her arm and they disappeared. I glanced over at mom.

"Did you want to hold Noah?"

Mom smirked. "That would be nice. I didn't even bother to ask before. I doubt she would have let me."

I sighed and passed Noah into her arms. She stood there and looked down at him.

"His head's a little lopsided."

"His head's fine."

"I bet your wife doesn't know that she needs to turn him."

"Of course she does. We both do."

"Well I hope you're not going to have any more...especially after what happened last time."

I puffed out my cheeks. Mom looked at me haughtily.

"What? I'm just saying. Obviously she can't handle it."

"She has a name," I said hotly. "It's not 'wife' or 'her' or 'that one.' It's Olivia."

As if on cue, Liv walked up beside me. Brooke was in her arms happily munching on some pizza crust.

"Dada!" Brooke said. I smiled and took her from Liv's arms.

"Look who's here, sweetheart," I said. "It's grandma."

Brooke looked confused and started looking around. Mom's face clouded over.

"She doesn't know me," she said.

"Of course she does," I said. I brought Brooke closer.

"Give grandma a kiss, Brooke," I said. She was a serial kisser.

Unfortunately, Brooke stared down at Noah before she stared up. Noah burped and Brooklyn lost it. Our streak of calm was over. She began to scream her head off. Noah shuddered, his arms flew out from his sides and he began to wail.

"You've brainwashed these kids," mom yelled loudly over Brooke's cries. I turned, placing a hand on the back of Brooke's head. Liv took Noah from mom's arms. His cries faded away much quicker than Brooke's cries once he was in his mommy's arms.

"It's a little bit of sibling adjustment!" I called back angrily. "Jesus, mom, give it a rest already!"

She said something else, but I only caught the first few words. Taking Liv's arm, I began to walk away.

"Nick, we can't just leave her hurt and mad," Liv said. I shook my head.

"Today's not the day," I explained. I motioned for security.

"I don't want us to look at pictures from Brooklyn's party and see her fuming in the background or me with a black eye after getting in a fight."

"How about too-tight shorts?"

I smiled. "That was unavoidable."

"Oh so you had to provoke the giraffe?"

I laughed. "Point taken."

"What can I do for you sir?" the security guard asked.

"I need you to escort a lady out of the party," I explained. I turned and pointed her out. She had found dad and was chewing him out.

The guard headed in her direction. Brooke had calmed down to the point of just dramatically tossing back her head and sniffling.

"Birthday girl, calm down," I said. I bounced her in my arms and tickled her stomach. I made a couple duck noises. Her face lit up in a smile.

"Much better," I said. I looked over at Liv. She kissed the top of Noah's head.

Even I had to admit we were a damn cute family.

I took a moment to look over to the place I had first spotted AJ and Rochelle. Ro was sitting down drinking some punch; AJ was nowhere in sight.

"I don't see AJ," Liv said. I shook my head.

"No. But Ro doesn't look extremely upset. Either everything was okay or Bri broke it up before it got bad."

I saw a little worry line appear in Liv's forehead. I leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"Don't worry, be happy," I said in my best Jamaican accent. She laughed.

After stopping and talking to a couple of guests that arrived while we were walking around, I cued the staff to bring out the cake. Brooke's hands clung to my shirt and her eyes widened as the huge cake was wheeled over.

"Oooh," she said.

She looked around at everybody as we sang Happy Birthday. She seemed to be practically bathing in the attention. When the song was over and we cheered, she blew kisses to everyone gathered around. One of the staff members lit a solitary candle towards the base of the cake.

"Blow out your candle," I said. I leaned forward, she mimicked my move. I made a blowing noise.

"Nick does that well," I heard Brian say.

"Dude you smell weird." That was Kevin.

"It's giraffe spit."

I was half-distracted, but I still had my focus on Brooklyn. She puffed out her cheeks and blew. I aimed a little helpful air in the same direction. The candle went out and she squealed. Another round of cheers erupted from the crowd.

I put her in the highchair of honor and presented her with her very own cupcake.

This was the moment I had been waiting for. We had never given her that much sugar in the entire 365 days she'd been on the Earth. She poked a test finger into the icing and studied the gooey glob on her finger. Then she stuck it in her mouth. Her eyes lit up. I saw her legs kick in happiness.

After that it was all over. She stuck a hand right into the center and squished the cake between her fingers before shoving her hand right up to her face. By the time she was all done, she was laughing hysterically from the sugar rush. Icing was in her hair, down her dress...up to her elbows.

More conscientious parents would have tackled cleaning her up right away. I stood there eating a slice of cake. Liv was filming and taking pictures Austin-powers style. Noah was sleeping in his stroller. Finally I tossed my plate and headed over with a wet wash cloth.

Brooklyn saw me coming.

"No!"

It was the fourth word she learned how to say after dada, mama, and memee (which was pretty much her word for Liv's mom). I started with her fingers and worked my way up.

"DADA! DADA! NO! NO! NO!"

I wiped her off as best as I could, then leaned down and kissed her forehead. She smelled like a big ball of sugar.

"Are you ready for presents?"

Brooke stuck a finger in her mouth. I pointed towards the table heaped with presents. She seemed to forget about the lost cake.

"OOOH!!"

Liv took over the duty of opening presents. Brooke sat on her lap trying to be helpful by yanking the bow off of each and every one. I took over the picture taking. After awhile I got bored and started taking random shots. I turned the camera upside down and did a crotch shot. I figured Livvy would appreciate that.

If I had thought Liv's baby shower was bad, Brooke's first birthday was even worse. We needed a whole bedroom just to house all of the toys she got. Our attic was filling up rapidly with baby clothes that she had outgrown and that Noah wouldn't wear (aka anything pastel pink).

Finally Liv pulled at a huge gift bag.

"This one's from your uncle AJ," I heard her say. I looked around. He was nowhere in sight. I turned back to see Brooke reaching for it. Even as little as she was, she knew good things came in big packages. I mean, she herself came from a big package, if you know what I mean.

Liv tore open the bag and reached in. I knew the moment the head was out that we were heading for disaster.

Brooke took one look at the giant stuffed giraffe and lost it. Her head tipped back again and she began to wail like someone was sticking her with knives. Liv quickly bagged him back up but the damage was done.

Brooke wasn't destined to be a Toys 'R' Us kid either.

------------------------------

"Thank you for coming."

"Thank you for coming."

Liv and I gave out smiles, hugs, and handshakes as people filed out of the zoo. After we distracted Brooke with a couple presents, the giraffe issue was put to rest and the party ended on a good note.

Mason walked past holding the huge gift bag with the giraffe.

"Thanks!" he said. Kevin gave me a hug.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning at the airport," he said. "Bright and early."

I made a face. "It will be early, but I certaintly won't be bright."

Brian nudged Kevin along.

"You've never been bright."

"Ha-ha."

We hugged and Brian kissed Brooke's cheek. She covered her face and giggled.

"Girls love me," Brian said. Leighanne coughed. Bri turned around sheepishly.

"But you're the most important girl! And Kayleigh..."

"Good party, man," Howie said.

"Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow."

Howie nodded. "Yup. We have a long flight ahead of us."

I groaned. "Goody."

Ro was the last person in line. She took a moment to kiss Brooke and Noah and then looked at Liv.

"Thanks for inviting me."

"Is everything okay?" Liv asked. Ro nodded.

"He just wanted to talk."

"And?" I asked.

Ro looked at me. Tears sprang to her eyes.

"I don't know, Nick. I don't know that I can trust him again."

I sighed. "I'm really sorry."

"It's not your fault. I want to thank you for letting me know."

"I probably should have done it sooner."

"That's in the past," Ro said. "I've got to figure out the future."

Liv and I gave her a hug and watched her walk out. She already looked nine months pregnant as she waddled along.

"So that's what having twins looks like," I said.

Liv nudged me as she brushed by.

"Don't even think about it."

I grinned. "What? Double your Carter, double your fun!"

Liv kissed Noah's head.

"I have double trouble right here," she said as she knelt down to put Noah in the stroller. She looked at me and grinned.

"Plus you."

I laughed.

"It's a full time job," I teased.

"Ain't that the truth," Liv said.

I bent down to kiss the top of head; I felt a rip and a rush of air on my ass. Livvy burst into laughter. I had ripped the shorts right down the seam.

"This is the best job in the world," she declared.

"I'm glad I can provide entertainment," I said.

"In more ways than one," she added.

I grinned. I might be driving home in my underwear, but it was good to be happy.
Chapter 21 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Twenty One

The alarm on my cell phone went off at two a.m. I turned it off and rolled over.

"Nick, you've got to get up," Liv murmured. I pulled her closer to me and buried my face in her hair.

"I'm up," I mumbled.

She wiggled against my erection as she rolled over to face me.

"I mean all of you needs to get up. Your flight..."

My hand pressed against her hip.

"I have time," I whispered. I kissed her softly. This time she didn't argue. Her hands wrapped around my neck and I worked on the clasp on her bra, never taking my lips from hers.

My phone began to ring loudly.

"Damnit!"

I rolled over and picked up my cell. It was Kevin.

"WHAT?" I said impatiently as I connected.

"This is your wake up call," Kev said calmly.

"I'm AWAKE!"

"If you were awake you wouldn't be this grouchy."

Liv wiggled under the covers. I felt her tongue slide down my stomach. I hung up on Kev and turned the phone completely off. Addy was coming with Kev; this was the last time I'd see Livvy for almost a month. There was no way I was going to let him ruin my moment.

I felt Liv's lips wrap around me and the phone fell from my fingers.

I was suddenly completely awake.

----------------------------------

I got to the airport at four thirty in the morning. I had hoped to give Brooke a kiss and sneak out of her nursery undetected, but the little stinker woke up. Somehow she seemed to sense I was going away. I don't know who cried harder, her or me.

Yes, I'm a little whipped. So what?

Our flight was scheduled to leave at five fifteen. I checked my bags and convinced the guys at the metal detector that I wasn't a terrorist. I had learned a long time ago not to make any jokes about metal hips or anything. The last thing I wanted to do was stand there in my underwear with the entire airport watching and Brian laughing his ass off. Once was enough.

Finally I was cleared and headed over to where our small group was assembling. Howie was slumped in one of the chairs sleeping. I think Howie has logged more sleep hours at the airport and on the plane than the rest of us combined. James was sitting in the chair to Howie's right holding a huge ass cup of coffee.

"That daddy's coffee?" I asked James. He looked up at nodded.

"Daddy sweeeeepin," James said.

Leigh looked over at me from Howie's left.

"Don't you dare do anything to his coffee," she whispered. I scowled.

"Did he put you on coffee patrol?"

Leigh smiled. "It was in our marriage vows."

As I was turning around a big round thing flew past me and flew right into Howie's mouth. He lurched forward coughing and sputtering. He looked right at me.

"Damnit, that's not funny! What was that?"

My eyes widened. "I didn't do anything I---"

I heard loud laughter and turned. Brian and Baylee were crouched behind two seats with a bag of carmel corn.

"I did it!" Baylee said.

"Nothing but net," Brian said encouragingly.

Howie rubbed his throat. "Grow up Brian." He took his coffee cup from James and took a sip.

"What? I'm ma-ture," Brian said with a slightly French accent. "I'm just passing my wisdom onto my son."

"What wisdom is that?" Leighanne asked. She came from the direction of the bathrooms, holding Kayleigh.

"Daddy was showing me ho---"

Brian wrapped a hand around Baylee's mouth.

"Nothing. A guy thing."

He grinned charmingly. Leighanne yawned.

"It's too early for me to handle whatever you've done to corrupt him," she said. Bri blew her a kiss and she caught it before yawning again.

I looked around.

"Where's Kevin? He made a big stink about waking me up and he's not here yet!"

"He's here," Howie said. "He beat me here by a few minutes. He went to the Starbucks to get better internet reception."

I sank down into a chair. I was kind of hoping he'd be late. I would have loved to rub it into his face.

"The only one not here yet is AJ," Brian said.

We all lapsed into tired silence. After about five minutes Kevin and Addy appeared. Kev had his laptop case slinged over his shoulder. He looked way too happy for the morning. AJ was right behind him.

"You hung up on me," Kevin said, zeroing in on me.

"I was busy," I said with a grin. Kev rolled his eyes. Looking past his shoulder, I saw Sam walking away from security.

"You'd think these guys have never seen film equipment," he complained. I smiled.

"I was wondering if our tour-ographer was going to make it," I said.

"I'm notoriously late," he said. I laughed.

"Then you're going to fit in perfectly with us."

After a few minutes of chit-chat, the boarding call for first class passengers came over the loud-speaker. I slung my carry-on over my shoulder and took off up the ramp.

It sucked not being able to bring Liv and the kids, but bringing Noah to Japan wasn't feasible. No matter how well he was doing, Dr. Tresher was still cautious. Flying an eight week old across the world wasn't being cautious.

Between our security, tour manager, dancers, Sam, wives, children, and the five of us, we took up the whole first class section of the plane.

"Mind if I sit next to you?" Sam asked. I shook my head.

"Nope, no problem. Why don't you take the window seat?"

Sam grinned. "Sweet."

I was thankful that Sam had brought up the seating issue. Usually I was stuck with AJ on long flights. From the look on J's face as he passed by my row, I could tell he was relieved. He slid into the pair of seats across from me, taking the window seat. Brian sat beside him. Leighanne, Kayleigh, and Baylee sat behind them.

Kevin and Addy sat in front of me and Sam. Howie and Leigh disappeared up towards the front like always. I think Howie does that purposely to get away from me. I don't know why; I'm a perfect angel.

I stood up to shove my carry-on above my head. The only thing I kept out was my Nintendo DS, my I-Pod, a magazine, and some pop-tarts.

A man can never have too many pop-tarts.

Sam was rooting through his bag. I had never seen so many electronics stuffed in a bag before.

"What is all that stuff?" I asked.

"Well, I've got the standard bad boy," Sam said. He hauled out the huge camera that could practically capture our nosehairs from three hundred yards away. "Then I have the video camera."

I leaned down and picked up a couple teeny tiny things.

"What are these?"

Sam grinned. "This is something new I want to try out with you guys. They're mini cams that we can pin on your clothes. The feed will download directly to my laptop and then if anything interesting happens I can splice your points of view to make a video even if I'm not around."

I took one and held it in my hands. It didn't weigh anything.

"Can I wear one now?" I asked. Sam laughed.

"If you want too, sure."

I clipped it onto my t-shirt.

I leaned down and stared at it.

"Dude, just do me a favor and don't pick your nose in front of it," Sam said. I looked over at him.

"I don't pick my nose."

"I disagree!" Brian piped up.

I rolled up my magazine and flung it at him. I overshot and it smacked AJ in the side of the face. I quickly slid down in my seat. AJ leaned over and gave me the death star glare. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him roll the magazine up.

"So, when he comes over and starts beating me, this camera is going to catch it all, right?" I whispered under my breath. "I might need evidence."

Sam laughed. "He won't come over and beat--"

Sure enough AJ leaned over Brian and started wacking me with it. Brian made a face as AJ's jean chain repeatedly swung at his nose.

"OW! OW! OW!"

After a full minute of full own magazine-smacking, AJ tossed the thing down on my lap with a smirk. I saw him sit back down and put on his headphones.

Kevin turned around.

"Will you please, behave. We're going to be stuck in here for twenty hours."

"Twenty two," I pointed out. Kev sighed.

"Just try not to do anything annoying."

He turned around. I peered through the seats. Addy had a magnetic chess set in a zippered case on her lap. I stifled a groan. I was going to have to sit behind those two for hours listening to them hem and haw over making a move. To me, chess was the most boring game on earth.

I sank back in my seat. Like I had a million times before, I listened to the pilot come over the speaker and say a good morning. One of the stewardesses explained emergency procedures and how to fasten your seat belt. I popped a piece of gum, closed my eyes, and relaxed as we took off into the clouds.

By the time the seat belt light flickered off and it was okay to move around the cabin, Howie was snoring and Kevin and Addy were hunkered over their game board. Brian broke open his bag of caramel corn.

"Can I have some?" I asked, holding out my hand across the aisle. Brian shook a good amount into my hand and then tossed a kernel in the air. He caught it between his teeth and then made rabid dinosaur sounds as he chewed it down. Baylee grabbed a piece and tried the same thing. His bounced off his nose and rolled under the seat.

I picked up a piece of carmel corn and studied it. It was light, but sticky. I glanced up towards the front. I could hear Howie but I couldn't see him. Luckily for me, Leigh stood up to take James to the bathroom. As soon as she passed, I stood up. I could see the top of Howie's head. I focused on the target, licked the piece, and took aim.

It stuck perfectly in Howie's hair. Grinning I repeated my shots like a fighter jet commando. Brian's eyes lit up, but he didn't stand up. I guess shooting sticky spit-ladened carmel corn at Howie set a worse example than projectiling a piece into his open mouth.

Of course, Bri wasn't completely useless. He gave a loud cough and I turned to see Leigh coming out of the bathroom. I sat down quickly and turned on my DS. My hands were sticky and I was trying not to laugh. I barely glanced up to watch her walk up the aisle and take her seat next to Howie. I counted off the seconds in my head.

One...two...three...

I heard commotion in the front. The snoring stopped. Then the voice got clear. Real clear. It was Howie.

"What do you mean caramel corn stuck in my---ARGH!"

Howie bounced out of his seat and walked down the aisle. He stopped and stared between me and Brian. I tried to look like I was concentrating on my game, but really my sticky fingers kept sticking to the buttons. Howie noticed this and leaned right down into my face. A piece of corn bobbed from the absolutely top of his head. I couldn't help it; I started to laugh.

"You just wait," he said, his voice deadly quiet. I was waiting for him to do his Robert DeNiro thing, but he didn't. He stood up and headed towards the bathroom.

As soon as the door closed everyone started to laugh; even AJ.

"Did you see the one stuck above his ear? Priceless," Kev said appreciatively.

I grinned. I was going to have to deal with Howie's wrath the whole flight, but I wasn't too worried.

As soon as he calmed down Mr. Sleepy Street would start snoring again and I could devise my next plan.
Chapter 22 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Twenty Two - Tokyo, Japan - March 17

"Okay so hypogenically...if the world ended and you could only save Leigh, James, and one of us, which one would you save?"

We were walking through Tokyo International Airport. What spurred my question was the way everyone was walking like zombies. I was wired from an endless supply of Mountain Dew from the stewardess and seven hours of video game playing.

"Nick it's six o'clock in the morning and we've been on a plane for over twenty-three hours," Howie said. "Plus it's hypothetically, NOT hypogenically."

"Well for your information it's seven o'clock at night Japan time," I reasoned. "Plus this is a very serious question."

Howie sighed. "Why do I have to save any of you?"

"Because, I set it up so you have to save one of us."

Howie did a palm slap to his face.

"I'll go away if you answer," I said.

That seemed to do the trick. He looked over at me and hoisted up his carry-on bag.

"Kevin."

"Why?"

"Because you told me you'd go away!"

"No, why Kevin?"

"Because he's resourceful...and he's not annoying," Howie said. He sped up. I stopped.

"I'm annoying?"

Brian walked past me. "Yup."

Kevin was next. "Absolutely."

Sam followed after Kevin. "After this plane ride, there is no doubt in my mind. YES."

AJ walked by last. "Without a fucking doubt."

He snapped something on his wrist that I couldn't see, winced, and kept moving. A little old Japanese couple walked by me.

"Ko-knee-chi-wa," I said, bowing. They looked at me like I was a freak and hurried on their way. I ran and caught up to Brian.

"Hey does my breath smell bad?" I asked. I air hoffed in his direction. He made a face and waved his hand in the air.

"Dude, you stopped being funny like twelve hours ago. Even I'm tired. There's no amount of carmel corn in the world that's going to get me in a good mood right now. And yes, your breath reeks."

We walked out of the airport. The sun was setting. My body was confused; in my mind the sun should be rising.

"Alright Addy and I will ride in the van with Howie and Leigh. Sam why don't you ride in the mid-size with Brian and crew. AJ and Nick you take the small car," Kevin instructed.

"Wait," I said.

"Hey--" AJ argued.

Everyone worked fast. Luggage and babies were being buckled in left and right. I looked at the small car. The backseat didn't even look big enough for two people. I sighed.

AJ didn't say anything to me. He just walked over, heaved his luggage and slid into the backseat. I shuffled over, handed my luggage over and opened the door.

Like I had guessed, it was a tight squeeze. I closed the door and pressed into AJ's side. He sighed, but didn't say anything.

The driver took off. Tokyo was coming alive for the evening. I pressed my face against the window for lack of anything better to do.

"I'd love to dress in a gorilla costume and walk through downtown," I remarked. AJ didn't respond.

We were moving at a pretty good pace to the hotel until we came to a mess of road construction. First we slowed down. Then we crawled. Then we stopped completely.

Being stopped wasn't so bad for oh, the first ten minutes. After that the temperature rose in the car and I started getting antsy. I felt like a sardine in a tiny little metal can.

AJ leaned forward.

"What's going on?" he asked the driver.

The driver responded with a mess of Japanese that I would never be able to comprehend in my life. He was waving his arms around and he beat on the steering wheel for emphasis. That action seemed to me to be the universal symbol for 'not good.'

"This is great. Just fucking great," AJ said. He pulled at the rubber band around his wrist and snapped it.

"What's that for?"

AJ looked at me.

"I'm trying to quit cussing."

"And that helps how?"

"Everytime I cuss I snap the rubber band. The stinging after-pain is a reminder for me to stop mouthing off."

"And why are you not cussing?"

"Maybe you forgot, but I have two kids coming," AJ said dryly.

"You can't tell me you're never going to cuss again," I said skeptically.

"If Rochelle will talk to me again, I'll do anything."

I smiled. "You love her a lot, don't you?" I asked quietly.

"With all my heart. I wish I could take back all the stupid stuff I did, but I can't. I'm just working on being a better person for the future."

"If you could say anything to her right now, what would it be?"

AJ looked at me. Unlike Howie, he actually treated my question with consideration. Of course I didn't ask him about zombies or anything, but still.

"I'd let her know that I miss my monkee and I just want to go back to the way things were. I want to laugh again. I think we got so wrapped up in 'babies, babies, babies' that it took us away from 'us.' Now that we've got two on the way I'm excited, but I'm just as excited to get to know the real Ro again."

While I was conducting the Dr. Nick therapy session, traffic started moving again. I smiled.

"If it's any help, I think it's going to be okay."

AJ smiled weakly. "You're always the optimist."

I snorted. "Hardly. I know for a fact that the Buc's aren't going to have a good season next year."

AJ rolled his eyes. The car picked up speed and we lapsed back into silence for the rest of the trip.

By the time we got out of the car I was a hot and sticky mess.

"I just want to take a shower," AJ said. He scratched his beard and shuddered.

I lifted my arm and did a sniff test. I probably needed one too; my deodorant left the building hours ago.

We filed inside and got our room keys. I had a great window view of downtown Tokyo. I smiled. Liv would have loved to see this. The little pang of homesickness had me calling home to let her know I had made it to Japan in one piece. I recounted the popcorn incident and absorbed the amazing sound of her laugh.

After we hung up, I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. I was just about ready to strip when someone knocked on the door. I peered through the little security hole. It was Sam. I opened the door and poked my head out.

"What's up?"

"I forgot you still have that camera attached," Sam said with a little smile. "I've just caught more than a day of Nick-isms."

I looked down to see the black little camera still attached to my shirt. I handed it over.

"Here you go."

"Thanks."

Sam started to turn but I suddenly had a thought.

"Hey, stop."

He turned. "What's up?"

"I need you to put some of the footage on a jump drive for me."

"Is this about the carmel corn?"

I shook my head.

"No. This is much more important than carmel corn."

-----------------------------------

My alarm clock went off at two a.m. Any other time I would have rolled over and gone back to sleep but I was on a mission. I rolled out of bed, grabbed the flash drive from the nightstand and headed out of my bedroom.

Three minutes later I was standing in the hall in my Scooby-Doo pajama pants. I took out my hotel keycard and a couple other super secret spy accessories. I stood outside AJ's room trying to look innocent while I confused the lock to accept my keycard. I grinned as the light turned from red to green.

I pushed open the door slowly. It was pretty dark. I closed the door behind me and stood for a minute letting my eyes adjust. After awhile I could make out the shadows of the furniture.

I've roomed with AJ enough to know that he's a creature of habit. Messy, yes, but still a creature of habit. I patted my way slowly around until I found a small desk in the entertaining lounge adjacent to his bedroom. My fingers curved around the object I had been looking for. I picked up his laptop and darted out to the hall. Using my ass, I kept the door open a crack and powered the computer on. I unfolded a piece of paper as the desktop loaded.

I was taking a big shot in the dark and I prayed it would pay off. My first sign that my plan was going to be a success was the fact that AJ had kept his e-mail permanently logged in. I wouldn't have known where to begin in trying to figure out the password.

I opened a blank e-mail and entered Rochelle's e-mail address. I plugged in my jump drive and attached the video of the conversation AJ and I had in the car. Then I started tying. I had found a poem online that I thought conveyed AJ's groveling to a tee.

The worst day of my life / Was when I made that choice.
I need to feel you hold me, / I need to hear your voice.

Can you hear me softly calling? / Can you taste my sour tears?
Do you know how much I love you? /Do you know my biggest fears?

I’m afraid you still don’t love me, / I’m afraid you won’t return.
I’m afraid to show my feelings, / I have this inner burn...

The inferno of my sadness, / They are the fires of death.
They burn here deep within me, / And pierce my every breath.

I wish you would stay with me, / Please, don’t go away.
I need to know you love me, / And I need for you to stay.

I’ll love you for eternity, / I’ll love you for all time.
Just stay forever in my arms, / Again... just, please, be mine.


I reread for any typos and then I hit send. I snuck back through the room, returned the laptop and headed back to my room. I fell back on the bed and flipped my pillow to the cool side. I smiled.

Mission complete.

I snuck my nose in where it didn't belong...again. But at least this time I hoped it would bring AJ and Ro back together, not further apart.

Only morning would tell.

It was time for kid Nicky to get some beauty sleep.
Chapter 23 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Twenty-Three - March 18

The next morning, after breakfast, AJ pulled me aside. I'm pleased to announce that my plan had worked perfectly. I had banked on Ro's pregnancy hormones to kick in with that sappy 'forgive me' poem. I had been with Liv long enough that I could play to my advantage. I was a World Series of Hormones champ.

Needless to say, Nizzle and Jizzle were back on the right path. We even sat next to each other in the van to the arena and carried on a conversation. Kevin looked impressed. I felt triumphant; daddy Kevin hadn't been needed. Mature, logical Nick had fixed the problem. I almost felt like sticking my tongue out and going 'na, na, na, na, na, na.'

An hour later we were in full costume going through our dance steps. After performing last tour in the middle of summer outside in a hundred degree heat, I had pushed for our costumes to be a little lighter this time around. Last time we wore up to four layers of clothing, including that gray fleece hoodie. We might have looked cool, but you could have wrung all of our hoodies into a huge paint bucket and overfilled it every night. Backsteet sweat wasn't worth that much these days.

The hardest thing about starting a tour is getting back in the swing of things. This time around, it seemed even worse than before. Kevin hadn't been on stage with us in so long that I felt like I had a lot more bodies to dance around rather than just one extra.

Anya was standing off to the side watching us like hawks.

"Howie, you missed a step. Again."

"Did you forget to take your ginko balogna today?" I teased.

"It's ginko biloba," Howie called back. He wiped his sweaty face with the towel around his neck and gulped down a whole bottle of water.

We began again. Again Anya stopped us. This time is was Howie and me that forgot a step. Howie smirked my way.

"Hey, I have an excuse. I'm just some white dude from Florida. You're Latino. I thought Latino's were supposed to be natural dancers."

Howie gave me the finger. I was really getting under his skin.

"I'm half-Hispanic...so shove it."

We began again. I knew I was going to wake up the next morning with every muscle screaming. I noticed AJ wince a couple times. Kevin was sweating profusely but I knew he refused to complain. And of course Howie was still missing every fourth step. Only Brian was still bouncing around with any energy left. Speaking of Brian...

One of the songs on our new album is called Poison. It has this great rap by Lil' Wayne in the middle. It was probably my favorite song we had; however, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to be able to make it through the concert without laughing. Brian goes all Christian-Eminem during the rap; he walks around like he should be hanging out on Eight Mile. I don't have the heart to tell him that he is the last person in the world that could pull off gangsta'. At one point, I even caught Leighanne hanging off to the left side of the stage. She was laughing so hard tears were running down her face.

"WORD!" Brian yelled at the end.

"To your brothah!" I said. I doubled over laughing.

"B to the izzle...S to the trizzle," AJ added. He cracked up.

"What?" Bri said.

"Dude you can't strut around stage thinking you're Jay-Z. You just need to keep doing your Michael W. Smith thing."

"Hey, I've got a bad side!"

Even Kevin looked at Brian like he was crazy. Bri shrugged.

"I was just trying to get in the flow, yo."

"Just don't flow so much," Kevin suggested.

"Or at all," I suggested.

Brian threw his sweat rag at me. I caught it and let it drip over the side of the stage.

"See, you don't even sweat like a gangsta," I teased.

Anya was pretty quiet during this whole conversaton. She finally ran up on stage and shook her head.

"It's a good thing the fans love you."

"And it's a good thing we can fake steps so well," AJ added.

"True. Hit the showers. We'll do the same thing before tomorrow's concert."

I groaned. Between today and tomorrow I was pretty sure I was going to need some alterations on my costumes. I was going to lose so much weight via sweating that I'd probably be able to find my six-pack again. Right now I was down to a three-pack.

"Want to hit the gym?" Kevin asked. I looked at him in surprise.

"What? When?"

"Now."

I shook my head. "No freakin' way."

Kev flexed. His bicep was the size of my head.

"You were doing well there for awhile," he said. "If you work out maybe you'll look as good as me when you're my age."

I snorted. "I look fine thank you."

Kevin just whistled and walked ahead of me. I bit my lip and ran a hand over my stomach. I was back to wearing my shirts out. I sighed.

"Kev, wait up!"

----------------------------------------

"I'm not doing this because you called me fat," I said. Kevin was spotting me on the weight machine. He smiled.

"I didn't call you fat."

My arms shook slightly. I forced myself to hold for a few seconds longer. Kev helped me ease the bar back into place and I sat up.

"You said I was doing well," I complained.

"Well having Pop-Tarts for breakfast doesn't help."

"I don't like raw eggs or custard with leaves floating in it," I explained.

"No, you like McDonald's and processed foods."

I rolled my eyes. "Okay then Mr. Perfect, why don't you mentor me."

Kev laughed. "We tried this before remember? I put you on a McDonald's ban and you ended up stuffing fries in your mouth like you had lived in a cave for a year. You only made it three days without fast food."

"I'm older. And wiser. I have more self-control now," I said. "I'll bet you that I can make it without fast food this entire month."

Kev's eyes lit up. "Bet? What kind of bet?"

"Whatever you want."

"If you can't do it then you have to burn your signed Bucs jersey and make a donation to the charity of my choice."

My eyes widened. The second part wasn't a problem...but burning my jersey was another story.

"And if I do it?"

"You tell me."

I smiled.

"If I can go the whole month, you have to make a video for the fanclub declaring that I am the best-looking, fittest member of the entire group and that you wish you could be me. Oh, and you have to grow out your hair and do your Snoop-Dogg look again."

Kev rolled his eyes. "That's stupid."

I folded my arms.

"That's what I want."

Kev thought a moment than held out his hand.

"Alright. Let's shake on it."

I shook his hand and grinned.

"This will be easy!"

-------------------------------------

Soundcheck was supposed to take place at five with the concert at eight. It was five thirty and we were running late. I will admit that we always run late, and usually not for a good reason. We are just a group of late people. Well, except Howie. And Kevin. But they don't really count. They were on stage a good ten minutes before Brian, AJ, and I got our act together. I was determined to finish a level in my latest DS game, Baylee was doing a magic trick for Leighanne and Bri, and I had no idea what AJ was doing.

Finally we all ended up on stage and took our seats. I clipped in my ear piece and stared at the VIP crowd. It was one of the biggest before-show crowds I had seen. Justin, our go-to VIP guru, had told us earlier in the day that they had actually sold out of VIP slots in two days.

Doing overseas VIPs is a little different than doing than back home. For one, we had an interpreter. That decreased the chance for little random moments because we often couldn't understand what everyone was shouting all at once.

We ran through a couple songs and then asked for a request. One girl way in the back wanted to hear Helpless When She Smiles. We had spent a good bit of time while recording our new album rearranging our last two albums to work Kevin back into vocals. Now was our first time doing it live.

Luckily, it worked. Howie kind of got the short end of the stick, but we sounded great. I realized I had missed hearing that extra voice.

After we were done, Justin announced that we would each take one question from the crowd and that it had to be an actual question, not a request for a hug, a kiss, or a baby. The interpreter translated and hands shot up in the air.

That was another cultural difference. In America and Canada (and sometimes England), fans just scream out and I usually pick the most interesting question. Japanese fans are much more polite.

The first question was for Brian. He had stopped sitting about twenty minutes ago and was bouncing around with his mic stand. I know everyone tells me I have ADHD, but he gave me a run for my money. The fan asked him what his favorite song was off the new album. Bri grinned, said something about every song being his favorite and they moved on.

My question was next. They chose a girl right in front. She stared at me and rambled off so fast that all I could do was smile and nod. She could have asked me if it was okay if she murdered me and I would just be sitting there and nodding.

"For Nick," the interpreter said. "How has marriage and fatherhood changed your life?"

Brian and Howie had been bombarded with this question for years. I guess it was only fitting that it was my turn to have to answer.

"Well," I said. I paused. I made a couple different faces. I was stalling. I couldn't help but think I was still pretty much the same old Nick, just with a wedding band and two more taxable deductions that I loved with all my heart. I finally decided to go with a 'cute' answer.

"I get my laundry done on a regular basis," I said with a grin. "And I have a good reason to watch cartoons now. Plus, I don't have to look too far to find someone to go out on dates with."

The interpreter translated and the audience laughed. I was out of the hot seat.

I don't remember what the fans asked Howie and AJ but I know Kevin was asked how it felt to be back with the group. I had a feeling that was going to be his signature question this tour. He answered in that gentle, thoughtful way that made all the girls go 'awww.' He was good...really good.

Once the Q&A was over, we did the standard photo-op. Brian gladly took the group on the backstage tour. I headed back to my dressing room. It was early in the morning back home, but I still gave Liv a call. She answered quickly.

"I was hoping to hear your voice," she said.

"I just got done with soundcheck," I explained. Liv sighed.

"It's killing me not being there. My fingers are itching for a camera."

"Well, Sam's doing a good job, but I've got to admit it was nice to look down and see you snapping away."

"I had great subjects to shoot."

I closed my eyes. I could almost picture here sitting in the kitchen getting Brooke's breakfast ready.

"How's the Brooke-ster?"

"She's convinced you're playing hide and seek and you're hiding really well. I've caught her under the couch three times going 'dada? dada?' She's also looked in the closet, under our bed and in the toilet. Right now she's pressed against the baby gate going downstairs to your studio doing the 'dada' chant."

Just imagining her doing that broke my heart.

"Can you put me on speaker?"

"Sure thing."

I heard a beep. There was some shuffling and then I heard Liv.

"Brooklyn daddy's on the phone. Say hi."

I heard the baby gate shake. I smiled.

"Hey Brookey."

"DADA? DADA?"

"Daddy misses you sweetie. I'll be home soon okay?"

I heard a sound like someone smacking the phone against the floor. There was a crackle and a pop and laughter.

"Now she thinks you're trapped in the phone," Liv explained. "Her eyes are as huge as saucers. She's trying to climb up me to grab the phone."

I laughed. "You have your hands full," I said guiltily.

"Oh, it's not that bad. Not like when you went on your solo tour. Noah is the quietest, sweetest little boy ever. Sometimes I wonder if he's really your son."

I laughed. "My hyperactivity went to our daughter. It's nice to know the next male Carter might actually be calm and sane."

"Something tells me he won't be sane. But I'll take the calm."

"DADA!"

I laughed. I heard Brooke start to fuss.

"I'm going to go distract her with food. Knock 'em dead at the concert."

I closed my eyes. "I'll be thinking of you during my solo."

My solo piece was an acoustic version of All My Heart. Just me, my voice, and my guitar.

I heard a soft little sigh.

"I love you Nick," Liv said gently.

"I love you too."

I hung up and tossed the phone between my hands.

It was a nice feeling knowing that I had something....er, three something wonderfuls waiting for me back home. This was the first tour where I could honestly say that.

Unfortunately, it also made me homesick for the first time in almost twenty years.

I sighed and stood up.

There was no time to dwell. We had a show to do.
Chapter 24 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Twenty Four - Nick's Tour Diary, Part One - Japan

There's nothing like completing the first concert of a tour to get you back in the swing of things. The amount of adrenaline coursing through my veins as we left the stage was incredible.

After we showered and headed back to the hotel, we were all too wired to sleep. Everyone piled into my hotel room.

"I had an idea," Sam announced. I glanced over at him. He was already going through the soundcheck and concert footage. I saw a really nice shot of me thrusting in mid-air. I had a damn good thrust if I do say so myself.

"What's your idea?" I asked. Sam grinned. I had a feeling it involved me.

"I want you to keep a tour diary. That way every night after the concert I can post the events of the day through your eyes."

"That's scary," Howie said.

"And I have a feeling it's probably not going to be rated PG," Kevin said.

"Damn straight," AJ said with a smile. Snap went the rubber band on his wrist.

"Hey! I tend to be a good observer," I said. I looked at Sam. "I'd love to do that."

"Great. You begin tomorrow." Sam looked at his watch. "Er, today."

---------------------------------

March 19 - Tokyo - Saitama Super Arena

It's now day two of my bet with Kevin. What bet you may ask? I've made a bet with Kev that I won't have any fast food for a month. I have no doubt that this is going to be a bet I could win with my eyes, and mouth, closed.

I was walking around the hotel lobby this morning and this douchebag ran into me that looked like a Japanese Danny DeVito. He started yelling at me and trying to stomp my foot...until his daughter came running up. Comes to find out that she's going to our concert tonight. Guess who wanted to be my friend then?

Howie asked me to lunch and I figured it was a pretty safe bet that we'd eat somewhere healthy. Howie rarely touched McDonald's. We went to this little shop and Howie ordered all this weird-ass sushi. I tried a little of everything. Unfortunately Howie punk'd me in retaliation for the carmel corn incident (see attached video). When I went to the bathroom he smeared the undersides of my sushi rolls with wasabi. I can honestly say that it was so hot it burned every single nose hair I ever had. Looking back, I guess I deserved it.

Soundcheck went well. A fan asked Brian what his favorite cartoon theme song was and he burst out into the soundtrack from 'Speed Racer.' For anyone that wants to know, my favorite cartoon theme song is from 'Tiny Toon Adventures.'

Concert was a blast. All sold-out for the second time in a row. Halfway through The Call, I belched so loud the entire place heard it. Go me!

My wife called me a few minutes ago. Even she doesn't have faith that I will win the bet with Kev.

Just you wait...I will be victorious. My Bucs jersey is on the line. There's no way I'm burning it.


March 20 - Tokyo - Saitama Super Arena

We visited an all-girls school today. We did that once before on our Black and Blue Tour, but now that I'm in my thirties I actually felt like a creep. I know that when my daughter Brooklyn's sixteen, I don't want no thirty and forty year old men doing any meet-and-greets. Wait...did I just call myself old?

After the school trip we visited a fish market. I don't think I need to describe how it smelled. You get the picture.

Brian took his wife and kids to McDonald's for lunch after the fish market (I told him to get a Filet o' Fish, haha). Kevin gave me a look, but I ignored him. Instead of feasting on delectable crisp fries made from mouth-watering potatoes, I went to the Meiji Shrine with AJ. I totally made the right choice. I feel like a much better person after visiting sacred land. I have inner peace. All Brian has to show for his afternoon is a Hello Kitty toy from Baylee's Happy Meal. Ha.

Tonight was the last show in Tokyo. I have to say that our Japanese fans are amazing. The love you guys show us is what keeps us coming back every time. Kisses to you all.

March 21 - Kobe - World Hall

Greetings from Kobe, Japan! The water here is beautiful. We saw the Kawasaki Shipbuilding Company on the way in. I was looking for some jet skiis to borrow but no such luck.

Went toy shopping with Brian today. Just a word of warning...never go toy shopping with Bri. I was locked in a small pink playhouse for an hour while he leaned against the door greeting everyone that walked by. The only good thing that came out of the trip were the two small stuffed panda bears I bought for my son and daughter.

Brian also decided to test me by going to the food court. There was a KFC and I had delusional visions of Colonel Sanders beckoning to me...but I resisted. I ended up with some white rice and lean chicken. Bri gnawed at his extra crispy legs and thighs like he had lived in a cave half his life.

Soundcheck was great. One of the fans couldn't wait to show me her new tattoo. She had my face inked onto her arm. Even my wife doesn't love me that much, haha. Just kidding, Livvy.

We had a technical issue during the concert. The trapdoor I used to go down for a costume change wouldn't open. I stood there staring down at my feet while the sold-out crowd screamed my name. I had a blonde moment and forgot that I could probably get down one of the other guy's doors. Finally Kevin had to poke his head out and grab my leg. Score one for Kev.

March 22 - Kobe - World Hall

Everyone went to Harborland today. It's a really neat place with awesome shopping and a gigantic Ferris wheel. I'm missing my wife and kids horribly. I think both AJ and I got the blues watching the other guys go on the Ferris wheel with their wives. It was a perfect make-out opportunity that I couldn't participate in. I couldn't help but scream 'Get a room! at the guys as each basket slid by.

I'm pretty sure I've lost about five pounds since I made the fast food bet. There's not a lot of calories in rice and I'm feeling pretty weak. Last night I had a dream about stuffed crust pizza. I woke up chewing my pillow. We dined at Nankinmachi, which is Kobe's Chinatown, before heading to the arena. I impressed everyone by ordering a large fruit plate and yakitori, which is basically grilled chicken kabobs. Howie tried to psych me out by telling me they even cook up the chicken balls for yakitori, but I was so hungry I plowed through the whole thing. If there really were balls on the stick, they were pretty tasty.

I think we had our most memorable soundcheck ever today. One of the fans was in the middle of asking Howie a question when her water broke. I hope she named her baby Nicky-san considering I was the one who whipped out my cellphone and called the ambulance.

Concert was great. It was awesome to see so many fans singing along to All My Heart. The album flopped in the U.S., but I could probably sing the phonebook backwards and people in Europe and Asia would happily wave lighters in the air and recite every word.

March 23 - Kobe - World Hall

I had a video chat with Liv and the kids this morning when I woke up. Brooke showed off her new found skill of using a sippy cup. We played an across-the-world game of peek-a-boo and I sang good-night to both her and Noah. Then Liv and I had a little chat. No need to go into details...

In the afternoon, AJ and I visited the Maritime Museum. AJ accidentally swallowed a fly the size of my knuckle and our trip ended early. AJ headed to Wendy's to get the taste of fly guts out of his mouth. I ended up in the gym with Kevin.

I think the fans were sad to see us leave Kobe. After the concert our van was almost tipped over by the fans trying to rush at us. Howie's son James flipped out and started rambling in Spanish like a two and a half year old Ricky Ricardo. Baylee was bouncing all over the seats even though Leigh kept telling him to sit down. I'm not sure he even realized that we weren't supposed to be leaning at a fifteen degree angle.

March 24 - Traveling and a Day Off

We arrived in Nagoya, Japan in the middle of the night. By the time we checked into our hotel and crashed it was almost morning. Good-night, good-morning...I'm going to sleep.

I'm awake now. The thermostat says thirty five degrees. Way too cold for me. I see a few snowflakes floating by the window. I think I'm going to catch a few more hours of sleep.

I don't think I've ever slept so long in my life. It took three phone calls from Kevin before I finally woke up. I regret waking up. My head feels like a balloon and my nose is dripping like a garden hose that was left on overnight.

I hate to say it, but it's going to be a long stay in Nagoya. I'm probably the worst person to be around when I'm sick.

March 27 - Traveling and a Day Off

I'm finally feeling better. I want to apologize to all of the fans that had to hear me sound like Kermit the Frog. My nose is nicely dry and crusty. Sorry for TMI. We're ready to head back to Tokyo and rock Budokan!

March 28 - Tokyo - Nippon Budokan

Did a photo shoot today. Let me just say that I hate having to wear makeup. Someone as naturally beautiful as me should not have to wear inches of foundation, right?

I kept teasing Brian about taking off his shirt but he wasn't having it. After all these years he's still extremely sensitive about his scar. I did manage to get him to show a little belly button. Ladies, fyi...Brian has a cute belly button.

I'm glad to announce that I think after two weeks of touring that we now have our dance steps down. Even Howie. As I grabbed Brian and Howie's hands for our stage bows I felt a good sense of accomplishment. All you guys that came out to Budokan send me some feedback, okay?

March 29 - Tokyo - Nippon Budokan

The guys and I had the opportunity to participate in a martial arts lesson today. Baylee tagged along and let me tell you, I think he could be the next karate kid. Once he's a little taller he's probably going to kick his Uncle Nick's ass.

One of the fans at soundcheck made me a huge painting of cherry blossoms. I plan on putting it up in my studio for some good zen. Or is it feng shui?

Kev and I did an official weigh in today before the show. I've lost seven pounds. Kevin had to admit that I've held onto the end of my bargain. I told him he should start growing his hair out. He told me 'not so fast.'

During As Long as You Love Me I gave my rose to a little girl that couldn't have been older than three. The smile on her face made my day.

March 30 - Tokyo - Nippon Budokan

Today was incredibly special for all of us. As we walked off stage after the concert, we all let out a sigh of relief. We just completed the last official part of our contract for Jive. We are now one hundred percent Universal artists.

Now to tackle the rest of the world. Backstreet's Back bitches!
Chapter 25 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Twenty Five - Nick's Tour Diary, Part Two - India, Korea, China

"We've finished the first leg guys," Kevin said. We all tiredly cheered.

We were in a plane headed to Bangalore, India for our next show. I was greedily sucking on airline peanuts. I was so sick of rice I could cry.

"And I have another piece of good news," Sam said. "The fanclub, loves, loves, LOVES your tour diary Nick."

"Really?" I was surprised. English may be my native language but I don't write well. Or speak well for that matter.

"Backstreet's Back bi-atches," AJ teased. Snap went the rubber band on his wrist. He'd already gone through half a pack of rubber bands from snapping so much. I didnt have the heart to tell him that cussing is as much a part of him as breathing. But, in other good news, I've noticed that he's been talking to Ro at least once a day. And yesterday I caught him actually laughing over the phone.

"Each of your posts has hundreds and hundreds of comments. If it's okay with you, I say keep it up," Sam continued.

I grinned. "Of course I will. Actually it's helped me with the bet I made with Kev."

Kev turned around in his seat. "How?"

"When I get hungry I write. I can chew on my pen while I think and that curbs the cravings."

Kev rolled his eyes. "You're not going to last."

I folded my arms. "Watch me."

"He has done pretty good," Brian chimed in. I smiled.

"See, I'm gaining a following. You better call that urban hairstylist that specializes in those white boy dreads."

I heard a sigh. Addy actually looked worried. I laughed.

"You only have to keep them in a couple weeks," I said. "After you grow out your hair, of course."

"I'm not going to lose," Kev said calmly. "I know you."

I clicked my tongue. "No, you knew the old me. I will win this bet."

We argued good-naturedly back and forth for awhile. Howie began to snore.

"Watch this," Brian whispered. I turned to see him crawling up the aisle. He had something in his hands...I couldn't see what. I stood up. Leigh had her head on Howie's shoulder. They were both fast asleep. Brian crouched down and slowly stuffed something in Howie's mouth. He ran back to his seat like his pants were on fire, stifling a laugh.

Howie snored again and whatever was put in his mouth was sucked in. He gagged and jumped.

"NICK!"

"What?"

Howie came into the aisle holding a wadded pair of socks in his hand. He threw them at me. They were soggy with Howie spittle.

"I didn't do this!" I said.

Howie looked like one of those bulls that was about to start pawing the ground. Kev coughed.

"For once, Nick's right."

"Well if he didn't do it..." Howie trailed off. He turned to Bri. His face was pressed up against the window and his shoulders were shaking. Howie grabbed the socks from me and lugged them right at the bald spot on the back of Brian's head.

"Bulls-eye," Howie said with a little smile. Then he walked back to the seat. Brian turned around and picked up the socks.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he said.

"Your bald spot," I explained.

Brian touched the sparse patch. He was giving Donald Trump a run for his money with trying to comb over his thinning hireline and his back landing pad. I smelled a Hair Club For Men fan coming a mile away.

"That was low, Howard!" Brian called up to the front.

Howie mumbled something I couldn't decipher. I yawned. I was two weeks away from seeing Liv and the kids. That was just another goal I was working towards.

---------------------------------

April 1 - Bangalore, India - Palace Grounds

Greetings from Bangalore! It's nickname is the Silicon Valley of India, but it's not because all the girls are walking around with giant titties. All of the Bill Gates of the Eastern Civilization call this place home. Needless to say, my IQ barely makes a blip on the radar here. Good thing I have a sexy voice, haha.

Just FYI - We honestly have no time to sightsee today. I'm copying the information about Bangalore's nickname (not the part about the titties) from a brochure in my hotel room.

Bangalore is in Southern India and guess what food is a staple here? You guessed it...rice! I already knew I wasn't going to be getting any beef here, but seeing more heapfuls of rice on our buffet line make me want to scream. Last night I dreamed a giant grain of rice with little white stick legs was running after me with a knife. The only thing that saved me today was the coconut chutney. Now that was tasty.

I'm bummed that we only get to stay one day in India. Howie got some really cool elephants to send back to his mom. After twenty years, she probably needs a house just for all the elephants he's gotten her.

VIP tonight was awesome. I have to say that I've dated a lot of girls in my life, but deep down I'm a sucker for brunettes. That's one of the reasons why I think my wife is the most beautiful woman in the world. At VIP tonight I met some of the other beautiful women in the world. On behalf of myself and the other guys I have to thank you for all of the amazing gifts we got today. You guys rock!

Concert is over and we're on the plane. I ripped my pants tonight on stage. I don't know if I'll be invited back to India anytime soon! What do you think girls?

April 2 - Seoul, Korea - Melon Art Hall

After arriving in Seoul and catching a few hours of sleep, AJ and I decided to go do some shopping. What we bought will change the course of history. Or at least make for an entertaining day. What did we buy, you may ask? Blow darts packed with paint.

When we got back to the hotel we passed out the blow darts. We bought enough for everyone, including Baylee. He was thrilled. The object of the game is to be the last one standing. This requires intelligence, sneakiness, and stealth. The game started before we left the hotel. The game will be over when we leave for the airport. I doubt customs is going to let us bring blow darts on board the plane.

Soundcheck was a nightmare. AJ and me are officially out of the blow dart game. Leighanne and Kevin's fiancee Addy thought it would be funny to help their husbands take out the competition. I just turned to pick up my water bottle when a bright orange dot smacked me right in the middle of my forehead. AJ was so mad he threw his blow dart down and smashed it in two.

I think the Littrells are working as a team. I have a feeling this plan might backfire. Baylee took out Kevin. I was in the hallway trying to Twitter when I saw Brian hoist Baylee up about the doorledge leading to Kev's dressing room. Brian knocked and then ran around the corner. Kev opened the door and Baylee swung down. Before Kev got get to his blow dart, Baylee sent a shot right to his cheek. Kev was out.

Right before the concert, Baylee managed to knock his own mom out of the competition. I have to give him props. He pretended that he had a bloody nose. When Leigh pushed back his hands he sent a paint dot straight into her hair by blowing the blow dart with his nostril. I knew Brian's freakishly large nose would come in genetically handy someday.

Howie and Brian both met their demise during the concert. Addy was waiting for Brian and Baylee was waiting for Howie when they slipped through their trap doors for one of our costume changes.

By the time the concert was over only Addy and Baylee were left standing. I figured Addy would just give the little kid a victory, but she wasnt going down without a fight.

The game finally ended when Addy threw her blow dart away outside the airport. Baylee pretended to throw his away, but he hid it behind his back. The moment Addy turned to walk through the airport doors, Baylee blew a big paint dot at her back. Addy's still complaining that he played dirty. I agree, but I'm still impressed.


April 3 - Traveling and a Day Off

After a quick flight from Seoul to Shanghai and a good night's sleep, everyone was ready to enjoy the day. I started off my morning with a video chat with Liv and Brooke. The moment I saw Brooke I knew she had a cold. She looked like a small girly version of me from a few days ago. She started to cry when she realized I couldn't hug her through the screen. You can imagine how I felt.

Our lunch this afternoon consisted of Shanghai hairy crab and...::drumroll please::...rice! I suck at using chopsticks so I carry a plastic spork around with me and use my fingers for any extra assistance. It was pretty bad when I looked down the table and saw Baylee using chopsticks like a pro. My only consolation is that sucking hairy crab juice off my fingers wasn't totally disgusting.

All of us decided to go see a movie today. We had to keep it rated G for Baylee so we watched a Disney movie they had playing. After awhile Brian and I got bored so we snuck into an actual Chinese film. It had English subtitles so we amused ourselves by translating out loud in horrible Chinese accents. I don't think the other two people in the theatre enjoyed it quite as much as we did, but it got pretty hot and heavy there for awhile. Frick -n- Frack should be in the movies.

Howie and Leigh decided to have a night out on the town but I was feeling pretty lazy. I offered to watch James. I knew I was weakening on this 'no fast food' thing as James enjoyed a platter of chicken nuggets. I almost stole the kids nuggets. Luckily for me AJ came in to play the Wii and helped distract me.

I fell asleep on the couch with James lying on me like I was his very own La-Z-Boy chair. It's probably the best night's sleep he's gotten in awhile considering his dad's a mobile snoring vibrator.

April 4 - Shanghai, China - International Gymnastic Center

Worked out with Kevin again today. We did a run on the treadmill and I hardly broke a sweat. The old man's legs gave out before mine did. I think he's getting really scared about this whole bet thing now even though he won't admit it.

One of the fans asked Kevin if he was ever going to get married again at soundcheck today. He got really sappy and started gushing about Addy. Even though he didn't give an exact date, it sounds like the Backstreet Boys are going to be chilling in Kentucky for the weekend very soon.

We had a small fire onstage at the concert tonight. A spark flew up and caught AJ's pants leg on fire. After he rolled around screaming like a girl and I poured my Aquafina bottled water all over him, the concert continued as if nothing happened. Now that's what I call professional.

April 5 - Beijing, China - Wukesong Indoor Stadium

If there is one word to describe Beijing it would be beautiful. We did a pagoda tour by bus today. Howie was in a pretty good mood (he must have gotten laid the night I watched James) and actually participated in the game I made up where I'd open the window, stick my head out, and see how people recognized me and freaked out. After awhile we were laughing so hard we lost count. Some people started to run behind the bus and follow us so our driver had to do some tricky moves to lose them. I don't think the bus driver likes me.

I pulled the first official tour prank tonight. During Straight Through My Heart, Brian is the first one on stage and he runs through a cloud of fog. Well...I replaced the fog with a bubble machine. Bri started laughing and popping bubbles. He's like a dog chasing a squirrel when he sees bubbles.

Kevin tried to trick me by having McDonald's and KFC catered in after the show. Even though I watched every bite that AJ took, I didn't cave in. I had something that tasted like a dry rice cake and a diet coke. I'm beginning to actually feel better even though my mind is still freaking out from fake chemical deprivation. I just keep thinking about how surprised Livvy will be when she sees me and my washboard abs. It's okay to start daydreaming now, girls.

April 6 - Traveling and a Day Off

We spent last night in Beijing and took a flight this morning to Taipei. We just missed a dust storm by a few hours. Kev tried to sneak a cold fry into my breakfast sandwich but I was too smart for him. Time to start singing California Gurls, Snoop!

--- BREAKING NEWS ---

Due to a family emergency, upcoming shows in Taipei, Taiwan, Quezon City, Phillipines, and Marina Centre, Singapore have been cancelled. All ticket holders may will receive a full refund. The Boys hope to reschedule these stops at a later date.
Chapter 26 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Twenty Six

I had just finished a quick little blog for Sam when AJ's phone rang. In a matter of minutes the whole cabin had gone from total relaxation to totally on edge. I had never seen AJ look so scared in his entire life.

"As soon as I land I'll get a plane out," he said in a strangled voice.

"What's wrong J?" I asked. He looked at me but he either ignored the question or didn't hear it at all. As soon as he hung up he dialed another number. He stared straight ahead until finally he closed the phone again. He looked like he was going to pass out or throw up.

I stood up and leaned over Bri.

"AJ? AJ, talk to me," I said.

He blinked. It was like he had mentally left the plane and was somewhere far, far away.

"What's going on?" Bri asked. His voice was muffled considering I was leaning completely into him. I think the armpit of my Hanes t-shirt was flapping by his mouth.

"I need to go home," AJ said brokenly. "Ro's been in an accident. It's...bad."

--------------------------------

Once we landed, AJ sprinted over to the counter to get the next flight home. Brian and Leighanne were having enough problems keeping track of Baylee and juggling Kay. Howie and Leigh weren't fairing much better with James. I knew AJ needed someone to go with him, and that someone looked to be me.

I headed up to the counter as the man behind the counter listed all of the flight connections and everything. AJ whipped out his credit card and just pushed it on the man.

"I don't care. Just book it."

I handed over my own card. "Make that two."

The guy at the counter looked at his computer. "Only two seats left," he mentioned. AJ looked at me.

"You don't have to do this."

"Bullshit. You're not flying back home alone."

"You should wait with the others."

I snorted. "Why? I don't have anyone but me, myself, and I. It's your lucky day that they have two seats left. One for you, one for me."

I've seen AJ depressed before. As we took off on our first plane towards home, his face conveyed more than depression. There was fear, sadness, guilt, and something else I couldn't put my finger on.

AJ's mom called him again on our path from Pakistan to France. I couldn't do much more than squeeze AJ's arm. I'm not even sure he felt it. I didn't really understand anything more on the status of Ro or the kids from AJ's one ended conversation. After he hung up I looked at him. It took him a minute, but slowly he looked at me. His eyes were like fishbowls of tears.

"I...I have babies," he croaked.

Then he completely lost it.

--------------------------------------

I don't even know how many hours it took us in total to get home. I just know that the moment we hit pavement in Tampa that AJ had his game face on.

I hailed a taxi and gave the driver the address for the hospital. We rode in tense silence. AJ didn't come to life until the taxi pulled up to the hospital entrance.

"Call me and give me an update when you can, okay?" I called out as he leaped out of the car. He didn't respond. I leaned back into the crappy seat and sighed. I had spent my fair share of time at the same hospital. I knew the only thing on AJ's mind was family.

"Where to?" the driver called out.

I gave him the address for home. I hadn't called Liv to let her know I was coming home. Somehow it didn't seem right to swap 'I love you's' and kisses when I was sitting next to a guy who's wife might be dying.

The taxi pulled up to the house about a half hour later.

"Hey buddy, do you have the time?" I asked as I handed over some cash.

"It's three a.m. Hope the missus is expecting you," the driver said with a grin.

"She likes surprises," I said. Liv hates surprises.

I got my carry-on bag (my other luggage was coming later) and headed up to the house. I tried to be as quiet as I could but that was pretty impossible with an alarm system that starts giving warning beeps even before you can enter in the passcode.

"Nick?"

Come to find out, I wouldn't have been able to sneak in undetected anyhow. Liv was in the kitchen with Brooke. I dropped my duffel, held out my arms and smiled.

"Surprise!"

"DADA!"

"What's wrong?"

Leave it to a woman to jump right to the point. I sighed.

"I came back with AJ. Ro was in a bad accident, bad enough they had to deliver the babies. That's all I know. I just dropped AJ off at the hospital."

"An accident?" Liv said. "Oh my god..."

"And I'm sorry I didn't call," I said. "But, I was just so focused on AJ and then I thought calling you might upset him and..."

Liv waved me off and picked up Brooke. "Don't worry about that."

I walked into the kitchen. Brooke's arms shot out towards me. I took her. She seemed thrilled that she could actually touch me. Her hands patted my face happily.

"She's still stuffy, but we're almost to the crusty stage. I was suctioning out some big snot balls."

"Do you have big snot balls?" I asked gently. Brooke touched her nose and nodded. Then her head hit my chest and she sighed. I kissed the top of her head and looked over at Liv.

"I've missed you guys," I said softly. Liv walked over and touched my arm. I kissed her softly.

I felt guilty. Here I was standing in my kitchen at three o'clock in the morning with my family while AJ...

While AJ was going through hell.

-----------------------------------------

I didn’t hear from AJ for about thirty six hours. During that time, I had gotten phone calls from Brian, Howie, and Kevin. I had no news to report except what I had overheard on the plane ride home.

“Hey Nick, it’s J.”

“How are things?” I asked. I was sitting on the living room floor. Noah was lying on the play mat and Brooklyn was batting the play rings above his head causing him to happily spit all over himself. They were both entertained and having a good time.

“Ro was in a head-on collision,” AJ said quietly. “She’s been in an induced coma but they’re taking her out of it today. She’s got some broken ribs and a punctured lung, but they’re being cautiously optimist.”

I wasn’t sure how anyone could be cautiously optimistic with those specs, but for AJ’s sake, I was glad that there was some hope going on.

“The twins are in the NICU. My little girl’s doing pretty well but…they don’t know if my son’s going to make it. His lungs just aren’t developed enough.”

AJ sounded like he might be crying. Given the circumstances, he was doing better than I would have. I knew I’d be sobbing like a baby. I did when I saw Noah in the NICU.

“Is there anything I can do?” I asked. “Anything you need that I can bring you or—“

“Just….just pray, okay?” AJ asked. He’d never asked any of us to pray before. I think we all left that up to Brian a lot of the time.

“Absolutely,” I said.

“Oh…one more thing.”

“Just name it.”

“Can you call the other guys? I just don’t feel up to repeating…”

I cut him off. “That’s no problem. Let me handle it.”

“Thanks, Nick. I—I really do owe you. For everything.”

I shook my head even though he couldn’t see me. “No you don’t. That’s what friends are for.”

We said a couple more quick exchanges and then we hung up. I had sent Liv upstairs to go take a bath. Being in charge of two small Carters was enough to frazzle anyone. She had done it solo for three weeks straight. I stretched out and called Brian, Howie, and Kevin in turn. Initially, we were going to put U.S. tickets for our July tour on sale at the end of the month. We all agreed that we weren’t going to release any more concert dates until we knew more about the situation. No matter what, we all believe that family comes first.

After I hung up with Kev, I felt stressed. I don’t handle stress or tension well. I set the phone down on the table and crawled over to the play mat.

“Boo!” I said. Brooke giggled and swung a giant plastic ring my way. It hit my forehead and I fell over dramatically. Brooke's giggles broke into full on laughter. I slid back over, rubbing my head.

Noah was looking at me like I was insane. I lifted up his shirt and blew a giant raspberry. He looked stunned for a minute.

Then he smiled.

Liv told me over the phone that she had witnessed his first smile a week ago. Now I was staring at the real thing. It was adorable; however it didn't last long. Brooke took a nearby plastic block and hit Noah on the head with it. He began to wail.

"Brooke, no!" I said. I scooped him up and then picked up the block. I held it up to her face. Her eyes crossed. "No!" I said firmly.

I don't think I've ever spoken to her like that before. Her face crumbled. One minute she was sitting there calm as can be, the next she threw herself down dramatically and wailed for the entire world to hear.

"WHAT'S WRONG?"

Liv's voice was muffled, but I could still hear her call from down the hall.

"NOTHING!" I yelled back.

"I'M GETTING OUT!"

I stood up, rocking Noah. Brooke was a mess on the floor. Her nose was dripping, tears were running down her cheeks and her lower lip was vibrating so much that I expected it to take off and run away. I sighed. I didn't think it could get any more insane.

"NICK!" Liv called out.

"YEAH?"

"HELP!"

I was wrong.
Chapter 27 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Twenty Seven

"HELP!" Liv yelled out again.

"HOLD ON!"

I'm horrible at making split second decisions and this was like a really hard math problem and I suck at math. I had three people that needed my attention. I couldn't leave Noah or Brooke on the floor and run off to Liv. I chewed my lip.

"Okay," I said quietly. "This can work. Dr. Spork says you can leave them cry it out. I can handle that."

Even though Noah was still crying, I put him in his bassinet. Next I scooped up Brooke, flailing arms and all, and plopped her in the playpen. Then I went to check on Liv. I pushed open the bathroom door; a rush of steam hit me smack in the face.

"What's going on?"

As soon as I saw her, it was like I had stepped back in time two years. Liv was lying in the tub covered in big puffs of white suds.

"What's stuck?" I blurted out.

Liv's eyes were as wide as saucers and her face was completely flushed. She moaned and slipped under water. I walked over and pulled her back up.

"Well, it's not your hair," I said. Liv sighed and pointed. My eyes skim the water down her body. Once I got to the end, I started laughing. Hard.

"That can't be stuck."

"Nick, it's stuck."

"Why did you put that there?"

"I was listening to music and tapping my feet to the beat and then I was popping my big toe in and out of the faucet and then all of a sudden it went in but wouldn't come back out."

She was totally adorable when she was flustered. This was one of those times.

"I thought this only happened in the movies," I said. I scooted down and put my hand on her foot. I wiggled gently and then pulled down.

"OW!"

"You're right, it's stuck."

"I know that. I wouldn't have screamed for you if I wasn't stuck!"

I grinned. "That's too bad. I would have taken a bubble bath with you."

Liv sighed and blew a giant wad of bubbles away from her chin.

I studied the situation. Then I studied the part of the water that weren't bubbly.

"Wipe that smile off your face, Nick. I haven't taken a damn bath since the last time I got stuck and look what happened."

I tried but I couldn't stop it; I laughed. "I'm not going to be a gentleman and turn around when you towel off," I warned.

"We don't have to worry about that if my toe doesn't come out!" Liv said. Her voice was about three octaves higher than normal. She was practically squeaking.

"Okay," I said. I ran my fingers along the toe. Then I snapped my fingers.

"We need lube. Where's your KY?"

Liv looked at me, her eyes widened even more. "What?"

"I need to get your toe all greasy. Then I can pop the sucker out."

Liv's mouth opened then closed. Finally she pointed towards the medicine cabinet. I hopped up. Vitamins, condoms, toothpaste, tweezers, Band-Aids, and a new tube of KY Jelly. I picked it up and studied the bottle. Then I knelt back down.

"This should work well. It's intense for your toe's pleasure," I teased. Liv's eyes narrowed.

"I hate you."

I grinned. "I love you, too."

I began to work; I smeared practically half a bottle around her toe and massaged it with my fingers. Finally I wiped my fingers on a towel and leaned back.

"Okay, try to wiggle," I said. Liv closed her eyes and yanked her foot. Her toe slid out, but not all the way. I sighed. Liv let out a little cry.

"Don't panic," I instructed. I looked at the toe. I looked at her boobs. I looked back at her toe.

"I'm going to turn on the cold water," I finally said.

"What?"

"I'm either going to flush that toe out or it'll get so cold it'll shrivel up and come out," I reasoned.

Liv groaned. I reached for the tap.

"One...two...three!"

I turned on the water. I heard a big gush. Only a few drops slid out from the sides of her toes. Liv let out a yelp.

"Just ten seconds!" I encouraged her. She was wiggling around; I glanced back at her boobs. Yup, it was definitely cold. I had to struggle to resist pinching, licking, nipping, or flicking. I turned back to the toe. It wasn't near as sexy. I put my hand on the top of her foot again and pressed down.

With a sudden gush of water her toe popped out. There were two angry red rings where it had gotten stuck. I massaged it with my fingers. Two soaking wet arms wrapped around my neck.

"You're my hero!"

I smiled. Deja vu was playing heavily through my mind. I tossed my head back and looked in her eyes.

"At your service," I said gently. Liv smiled.

"Towel?"

I was going to give her a hard time, but just then I heard a banging from the living room. I turned, grabbed a towel, handed it to Liv and tucked tail back to the living room. I skidded to a stop.

Somehow, Brooke had managed to tip over the playpen. All of my video games and controllers were scattered around her. She was standing up, holding onto the TV stand, banging on the screen with the Wii remote.

Our terrible twos had started early...almost a year early.

"Brooke!" I said loudly. She turned and looked at me with a smile. Obviously she had forgiven or forgotten me scolding her. She held out the remote.

I was trying to be a disciplinarian, I really was. But she just looked so completely oblivious to the fact that she had done anything wrong that all I could do was sigh and pick her up.

"Do you want to play a game?" I asked. She gnawed on the end of the controller and nodded. I smiled.

"Okay."

I sat her down and kneeled down to pick up all the games she had scattered. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her get into a crawling position. I turned and pointed.

"Stay."

She sat back down.

By the time Liv had gotten dressed and walked (er, hobbled) into the kitchen with Noah for a feeding, I was standing in front of the TV with Brooke in my arms. We were competing in an intense game of Wii bowling. Everytime the pins made the crashing noise she would shake from the top of her head to the bottoms of her toes, shake the remote, and laugh out loud. I was pressing all the buttons, but she was having three-fourths the fun.

"Hey Nick?" Liv called. I turned; she was studying Noah's forehead.

"Yeah?"

"Why's Noah got a red patch in the shape of a square on his noggin?"

Brooke tapped me with the remote.

"Brooke smashed a block at Noah's head for smiling at me," I explained.

Liv sighed. "I feared it was something like that."

Brooke tapped me with the remote again, but I continued to talk. "Then some freaked out lady was screaming my name from the bathroom and..."

Liv blushed. "I'm never taking another bath. I'm instating a shower rule."

I was getting ready to respond when Brooke threw the remote and began to wail. I saw Noah spit out his bottle and begin to cry. That was it.

No more Mr. Nice Dad.

"Okay," I said. Brooke started to twist in my arms. I walked over to the corner, kicked the toy box to the side and sat there facing the wall. As a kid I had spent a lot of time in the corner. I put her down on my lap and wrapped my arms around her.

The whole idea of dad sitting and staring at the wall confused the heck out of her so much that she forgot to keep wailing. She looked up at me.

"No throwing," I said firmly, but calmly. I rememembered that Dr. Spork recommended one minute of time-out for every year. I counted off sixty seconds in my head. By forty-five seconds, Brooke started to squirm, but she wasn't getting off my lap until I hit sixty. Once I did, she rolled onto the ground on all fours and took off towards the couch. She sat beside it and sucked her thumb, staring at me like she had just been through a war.

"I've got to say," Liv said with a smile. "I'm impressed."

I grinned. "What can I say? I'm a natural."

------------------------------

In the next two days, Liv and I saw more of the one corner of our living room than we saw of each other. Brooklyn had hit the terrible twos at one.

"It's a good thing we had Noah so soon," I said tiredly at the end of the second night. We had just gotten Brooke and Noah to sleep and we were stretched out on the couch, our feet propped up on the coffee table and a bowl of popcorn between us.

"Considering she doesn't let you out of her sight for a minute and screams whenever I kiss you, I'd say that it's a very good thing," Liv said. She leaned her head on my shoulder, kissing the bare skin.

I think we were half-asleep when the phone rang. I answered quickly, terrified of waking up either kid.

"Hey, Nick." It was AJ.

"Hi J. Good to hear from you. How are things going?"

Liv lifted her head. She scooted closer, pressing her ear against the phone.

"Ro's awake. She's in a lot of pain."

"And the babies?"

"It's been a rough few days but I think...I think we're going to be okay. They're just so small. Wait, I'll send you a picture."

The line went dead for a second and then I felt the vibration of a picture message. I opened it up and stared in disbelief.

Small wasn't the right word. I took in the mess of wires; it was more than Noah ever had.

"That's incredible," Liv said breathlessly. I held the phone back up.

"You weren't kidding," I said in astonishment.

"They're barely longer than a ruler," AJ said. "They're going to be in the NICU for a while man."

"Don't worry about how long," I said. "Just keep getting through each day."

"That's what I've been doing."

Liv tugged on my shirt. "Ask him if they've named them yet," she whispered.

"Liv wants to know if you've thought about names," I said.

"We did. Alexis Faith and Jonah Adolph. Ally and Joe for short."

"Those are incredibly normal," I said with a laugh. I could almost feel AJ's grin.

"Yeah, well, they've been through so much already I figured why have them deal with a weird name like Appalachia or Glurk."

"You seriously weren't considering the name Appalachia," I said.

"Apple for short," AJ said. Then he laughed. I could hear Ro in the background mumble something.

"Ro just said she would have divorced me if I would have suggested Glurk."

We talked for a few more minutes. After what had amounted to a week from hell, AJ actually sounded hopeful.

I prayed that by the end of summer we'd all be back on the road and things would be back to normal.

If a Backstreet Boys tour can ever be normal, that is.
Chapter 28 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Twenty Eight - April 18

"Thanks for watching them tonight," I said. I hugged Liv's mom and kissed her cheek. "Don't hesitate to use the time out corner."

"I won't," she assured me. "Brooke's going to get tired of staring at that corner eventually."

I laughed. "Either that or we're going to have to get her a bronze name plaque and dedicate that corner in her honor."

Liv rolled her eyes. "She really is getting better," she said.

Brooke was in the kitchen eating dinner. She looked over at us as we stood by the door. I reached for the door handle.

"NO! NO! NO!"

I sighed. We had already done this three times. Once I reached for the door handle she started to freak out. Either Liv or I would weaken and walk over for another good-bye and she was happy as a clam. She played us like a fiddle, I tell you.

"It's like a shot," Liv's mom warned. "If you just get it over with it'll hurt less."

It was good old Midwest wisdom.

"Be a good girl for grandmommy, Brooke!" Liv said. She walked out the door. I paused for just a moment and then I walked out too. For one split second I heard a loud wail, but I quickly locked the door behind us. We looked at each other.

"That went well," Liv said lightly. I grinned. "I'm not crying yet, so I'd call it a success."

We headed down the steps. I had a special ride delivered and I was just waiting for the moment when Ms. Oblivious was going to notice what was parked in our driveway. I counted off the seconds in my head - one, two, three...

"Holy crap, what is this?"

I laughed. "You like? It's been in storage in Cali for so long that I thought I'd have it brought here. It's a great date night car, right?"

"It's a convertible."

"Yup, a black shiny convertible," I agreed.

The look on her face was priceless. I opened the passenger side door.

"In you go."

Liv slid in and looked up at me as I closed the door.

"Why did you have your convertible sent all the way out here just to take me bowling?"

I laughed. "I didn't. But, this is a great night to break it out and take it for a drive."

Now, you may be wondering why it was a great night. Well, for one we were meeting Kevin and Addy at the bowling alley. But most importantly it was one month ago to the day that I made my bet with Kevin.

I know he probably assumed that once the tour ended so abruptly that we would forget it and move on. Well, Nick Carter never forgets. I've dutifully kept track of every boring thing I've eaten since I've seen him. Liv is my witness; I've eaten no fast food. The look on Kevin's face when I tell him he lost...

Ahh, priceless.

I buckled myself in and we took off. The feeling of so much horsepower coursing through my veins gave me a rush.

"Nick, you're going too fast," Liv warned. "Cops look for cocky guys in convertibles."

I laughed. "You worry too much."

"I only worry because I've seen your mugshot before. I don't want my mom to watch the evening news with Brooke and all of a sudden 'dada's' on the screen in prison."

"They won't put me in jail," I said. Even so, I slowed down.

Kevin and Addy were waiting for us outside the bowling alley. I made a big show of doing a wide arc into a parking space and playing with my hair in the rearview mirror. Then I jumped out over the door.

Am I cool or what?

I walked around and opened Liv's door. She was shaking her head at me.

"What?" I asked. She smiled.

"If I didn't know you put on a good act, I would be so annoyed with you right now," she teased. I grinned and kissed her softly.

"You guys need a room?" Kevin called. I looked over.

"You're just jealous," I said. I took Liv's hand and we walked over to them. Kevin had a bag at his feet.

"You have your own ball?" I asked. He nodded.

"I was in a league a couple years ago," he said. He unzipped the case and held it up with a grin. I had this sudden flashback to The Big Lebowski.

"Put your ball away and let's get a lane," I suggested. Kevin laughed.

It was nice that he was in a good mood. After my little announcement, the smile was going to slide right off his face.

-------------------------------------

I don't bowl often, but I like to think that I have a natural talent for all sports. My lovely wife on the other hand, does not. By the time we were almost done with the first game, I stared at the score screen in disbelief. Liv slid her hands in the back pockets of her jeans.

"You have a twelve," I said. "And the balls supposed to go that way, not back here towards my head."

"I know that. My fingers slipped. But at least I'm beating my worst ever score." she said optimistically. I looked up.

"What was your worst score?"

"A five."

I tried to imagine all the zeros on the board; it probably looked really similar to the game she had going on now. Even so, I didn't care if she was the worst bowler ever; she made horrible bowling look cute. I grabbed her arm and tugged her onto my lap.

Kevin and Addy were wiping the ground with us. I was at 150; Kevin was hovering around 220 and Addy wasn't far behind. Liv snuggled into me as we watched Kevin walk up the lane. It was highly amusing; he'd study the pins as if they were the enemy, walk up at a timed pace and then do a graceful ballerina leap after he threw the ball. I cracked up every time...until he got another strike. He turned around and blew on his fingers as if they were guns.

"Shooter McGavin," he declared. I rolled my eyes.

"That was golf," I said. Kev shrugged.

"I'm still beating you," he declared.

I twirled a piece of Liv's hair around my finger. I only half-watched Addy as she made her way up the lane.

"Hey Kev, who's your favorite Peanuts character?"

He looked at me like I was crazy.

"What?"

"Who's your favorite Peanuts character? Charlie Brown...Lucy..."

"Linus," Kev said slowly. "Why?"

I grinned. "Well...my favorite is SNOOP-y. You know WHY I like SNOOP-y Kev?"

"Because you're a horndog?"

Liv laughed. I pinched her bottom.

"No, it's because SNOOP-y reminds me of a certain bet we made one month ago."

Addy walked back over and looked between the two of us. Kev leaned back in his seat.

"We couldn't really finish the bet," he explained. I shook my head and reached into my back pocket, bringing out several crumpled sheets of paper. I tossed them at Kev.

"Read 'em and weep. My food log."

Kevin unfolded the papers and scanned them. Then he looked over at me and shook his head.

"How can I validate this?"

"I can validate it," Liv said. "Everytime he drives by a McDonald's he gets weepy, but he hasn't had fast food since he's been home."

"And I lost three more pounds," I said. I flexed. "I think it would have been five, but I think some of the fat globs transferred over to muscle."

"I can't believe this," Kevin muttered.

"You can't win them all," I said happily. "Now, how long do you think it's going to take to grow out your hair?"

"You're really going to make me do this?"

"Do you know how many bets I've lost to you?" I responded. "You made me pay up every time. You're paying up dawg."

Kev tapped the papers against his hand. "Well, here's the thing," he explained.

I folded my arms.

"Addy and I are getting married in September and I don't want to look like a hippie."

Liv let out a girlie squeal than only the word 'marriage' can bring about. Addy smiled brightly. I tapped my foot. Kev smiled sweetly.

"Fine. You have from now until two days before your wedding to grow your hair out. If it's not long enough for dreads we're still going to do something stupid to it," I declared. "Then you can get a fresh cut for your wedding."

Kev stopped smiling. I think he sometimes underestimates the way my mind works. It was my turn to smile sweetly. Kev sighed. There was a long pause during which 'I Wanna Rock and Roll All Night' blared through the alley. I wanted to get up and do a 'na na na na na' dance, but thought better of it.

Finally he stuck out his hand.

"Fine, I'm a man of my word."

I shook his hand firmly and stood up. "Let's finish our game."

"For the next game, want to make a bet on who'll win?" Kev asked, almost hopefully. I glanced back up at his 220 compared to my 150. I shook my head.

"No way in hell."

Even I know my limitations. Beating Kev in bowling was one of them.
Chapter 29 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Twenty Nine - May 13

"Happy Mother's Day!"

"MAAAMAAA!!!"

Liv looked around the kitchen in surprise.

"What's all this?"

I smiled and held up a spoon dripping in pancake batter. Brooke was sitting on the island eating a french toast stick I had microwaved to distract her from diving into the pancakes. Noah was in the baby sling slung around my chest, fast asleep.

"Brooke and Noah are helping me cook you breakfast."

"YUM!" Brooke said, waving her french toast in the air.

"That's incredibly sweet," Liv said with a smile. "And incredibly messy."

I'm not the neatest cook. As I moved over to the burner to check on the bacon, my bare feet crunched on the eggshells I had dropped on the floor.

"You just sit down. I'm cooking and cleaning today."

"Want me to take Noah?"

I shook my head and flipped the bacon. I went back and poured some batter onto the skiddle. A large plop of pancake batter landed on Noah's head. I quickly brushed it off with my thumb. He didn't wake up.

"Nope, I've got everything under control!"

Liv propped her chin in her hand and watched me. She looked amused.

As the pancakes started cooking I started some scrambled eggs. It was hard work timing everything. I'm not going to make it onto the Food Network anytime soon.

When everything was successfully cooking I scooped Brook up and put her in her highchair next to Liv. I scooped Noah up and handed him to Liv. Brooke banged her hands on the tray.

"JOO!!!" she yelled happily. Liv started to get up; I pushed her back down.

"I'm on it," I reminded her.

I was pouring glasses of juice for all of us when the fire alarm started going off. I turned to see some angry black smoke erupting from the bacon.

"SHIT!" I turned off the burner. In my rush to get the smoke to stop, I grabbed the pan with my bare hands and immediately flung it to the ground. As I did so, my elbow hit the skiddle and the pancakes went airborne. One stuck to my head; another stuck to the ceiling, and another landed on the floor. I stepped towards the sink, my foot landed on the pancake, and I was flat on my back. The smell of burnt eggs filled the room.

"Do you want help now?" Liv called out from the other side of the island. I closed my eyes. The dogs had smelled disaster looming and were currently eating the pancake off my head.

I had no choice. I had to admit defeat.

"Yes," I said with a sigh.

------------------------------------------

"So the fast food ban is officially over?" Liv asked.

I took a big bite of my Egg McMuffin and nodded. I had forgotten how good it tasted. After I had won the bet with Kev, I had decided to just keep going...now I just wanted to open my mouth and have McDonald's bring me continuous McMuffins on a conveyor belt.

"So, this wasn't the breakfast I intended," I said after I had swallowed. I held up my bandaged hand. My left hand had gotten the brunt of the pan burn. Liv tossed back her head and laughed.

"It's perfect," she assured me. "A true Carter holiday."

Brooke was squishing little bites of pancake in her fingers and stuffing them in her mouth. She grabbed a piece and dropped it on the ground.

"SHEE!! SHEEEEEE!!" she yelled loudly. Liv looked like she was trying not to laugh.

"Is she trying to say what I think?" I asked. Liv looked at me.

"You should have seen her face when you dropped that pan and yelled," Liv explained. I smacked my forehead.

Nothing like a dad teaching his daughter the word 'shit' on Mother's Day. Brooke was looking at me for a response. I pointed to the pancakes.

"Pancakes," I explained. She picked up another piece and dropped it. I put my hand over her mouth and shook my head. Her eyes widened. I dropped my hand.

"SHEEEEEE!!!!!"

-------------------------------------

After a quick visit to Liv's mom with some flowers for Mother's Day and a call to my mom (which I had to leave a message), we headed back home. Liv took Brooke out into the backyard to begin planting some flowers. Brooke entertained herself with a plastic shovel and a watering can. I brought Noah out in his stroller, shedded my shirt, and started to work on hooking up a hammock.

Ever since I was little, I had always wanted a hammock in the backyard. I pictured myself lounging on the hammock in the middle of summer with my sunglasses on and a light breeze blowing through my hair. Then I added Liv bringing me ice cold lemonade in some skimpy lingerie to the picture.

I worked a little faster.

"That's a caterpillar," I heard Liv explaining. I turned. Brooke was crouched down by Liv, her little face studying a leaf.

"It turns into a beautiful butterfly," Liv said. "The butterflies will come visit our flowers this summer."

I smiled. They made such a cute picture...mommy and daughter out in the yard. Liv turned and caught my eye. I blew her a kiss and she pretended to catch it in her mouth and roll it around with her tongue.

Holy crap.

With my mouth suddenly dry, I tossed down my hammer and headed inside for a glass of water. Liv laughed teasingly as I walked by her. She was laughing now, but I knew she wouldn't be laughing later tonight when it was just the two of us.

I was leaning against the sink downing some ice water when the phone rang. I answered assuming it was probably my mom returning my call.

It was Brian.

"Nick, it's Brian. Denise just called me."

"J's mom?"

"Yeah."

It wasn't like Brian to just rush into a conversation. I set down the glass and wiped my wet mouth with the back of my arm.

"What's going on?" I asked. I heard Brian take a deep breath. In the background I could hear the distinct sound of a woman crying...Leighanne.

"Ro died this morning."

"What?"

"It was a sudden cranial bleed. Delayed trauma from the first bleed. AJ had gone out to get her some flowers for Mother's Day and when he came home..."

My stomach clenched. I tried not to block it from my mind, but I couldn't help picture myself coming into the house with flowers and finding Liv. Dead. I shook my head quickly, placing my fingers hard to my temple.

"There wasn't anything the paramedics could do?" I asked.

"Denise said she was dead by the time they got there. It happened in a second."

I inhaled deeply through my nose.

"How's J?"

"Denise made the doctor sedate him."

I glanced out the window. Liv was holding Noah up in the air above her head; his face broke out in a smile. Brooke was walking around and around the tree; I couldn't hear her, but I knew she was laughing. Bitsy was following her, barking happily and nipping playfully at the bottom of her little jeans. It seemed almost obscene for me to have all of that while AJ was left with...

"What can we do?" I asked weakly.

Bri sighed. "I don't know. Denise is going to call me back whenever she knows details about the viewing and the funeral."

"Christ, Brian...how's he going to make it through this?"

"He'll find the strength. Plus, we won't let him go through this alone."

I thought again about me being in his position. I knew I wouldn't be able to find the strength. They'd have to bury me right alongside Liv. Except then Brooke and Noah wouldn't have anyone.

Just like Alexis and Jonah wouldn't have anyone without J.

"Okay," I finally said, exhaling loudly.

"Yeah," Bri said. There was a pause.

"I'll call once I know more."

"Thanks Bri."

I hung up and placed my hands on either side of the sink.

I don't know how long I stayed like that. The next thing I truly heard was the backdoor opening and Brooke whining.

"Noah's hungry, sweetie. Do you want some juice?"

"JOO!!!"

"Nick?"

I looked up. Liv stopped; I saw the concern on her face.

"What's going on?" she asked quietly.

"Brian just called," I said. There wasn't any particular reason why I was whispering, but it seemed wrong to talk in normal tones like it was a normal conversation. "Ro died this morning."

Liv sat down hard on one of the barstools by the island. Noah's hand was pressed against her boob and he was fussing quietly. Brooke was clinging to Liv's leg whining. I saw Liv's eyes fill with tears.

"She died almost instantly," I added. "Brain hemorrhage."

"Oh, God...AJ..." Liv said. I opened the refrigerator and got out a bottle and some juice. I didn't want to just stand there. It seemed...so unproductive.

"Brian's going to call back when he knows funeral details."

I filled a sippy cup with juice and put the bottle in the microwave. Brooke reached out greedily for the cup and plopped it in her mouth. I could barely look at Liv; the tears cascading down her face were getting to me and I did not want to cry.

When the microwave rang I took out the bottle and did the wrist test. It passed. I handed the bottle to Liv. She took it but her leg came out and pressed next to mine.

"Nick," she whispered. I looked at her. I swallowed hard.

She didn't have to say anything else.

Just feeling her warm leg against mine was all I needed.
Chapter 30 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Thirty - May 16

I didn't sleep well the night before Ro's funeral. Liv and I had gone to the viewing. It was hard to look at Ro in the casket and believe she was really dead. She looked like she was just lying there ready to jump up and pull off the biggest prank in the history of the world.

But it wasn't a prank. AJ sat in a chair by the casket the entire time, his hand over hers. He wouldn't take his eyes off her. I could tell that he was heavily sedated; it seemed to be a chore for him to nod. Even then I don't think he truly heard the words we were saying. He had the weight of the world on his shoulders and he seemed to be drowning from within.

For some strange reason, as I slept I had a dream about the Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely video. Don't ask me why. You can ask any of the guys; we never dream about ourselves or our videos. We leave that up to the fans. But I'll be damned, all I kept replaying in my head was AJ sitting on that bus looking at the picture. Except the girl was Rochelle. The closeup of the tear dropping out of his eye seemed stuck on close-up repeat. Then when my brain finally dislodged from that picture it was AJ turning and watching Ro disappear in thin air.

"Nick. Nick wake up."

I felt Liv shaking me for several seconds before I could actually wake up. I was face down in the pillow, my hand wrapped in a fistful of sheets. I was sweating.

"Nick, are you okay?"

I glanced up at her. She was looking down at me, her long hair spilling down over her shoulders and her face full of concern. I grabbed her hand and held it for the longest time.

"Just a bad dream," I murmured. "It's okay."

She leaned down and placed her lips on my forehead. My eyes fluttered closed. It was going to take a long time for my heart rate to slow down.

"I've had my fair of those bad dreams the last couple nights too," she admitted in a whisper. I felt her slide back down. Her body pressed against my side; her head came to rest on my chest. I held her for the longest time just staring up into the blackness.

I had never wanted to help someone so badly in all my life like I did with AJ. I had talked to the other guys at the viewing; we all wanted to help but we didn't know how. The ones were so raw and fresh and so much was going on that it just didn't seem like the right time to find the answer. The answer was there, it was just jumbled up in everything else.

Liv and I both faded in and out of sleep. Once the sun rose we were both up. I've never been the type of person to enjoy routine, but this morning I was grateful. I cut up bananas for Brooke while Liv fed Noah.

It's funny how kids pick a favorite parent. I've said it before, and I'll say it again; Brooke adores me. It's not that she doesn't love Liv or doesn't appreciate her, but there's definitely something about me that she gravitates to. I've noticed the opposite about Noah. He smiles for me and I have no trouble feeding him or putting him to sleep, but when Liv's holding him, he studies her face as if she's the most amazing person in the world. His hands are always trying to touch her hand or face or boob.

Of course that can be likened to the phrase 'like father, like son.' I also think Liv's the most amazing woman in the world, and I'm always trying to get some boob.

Liv's mom arrived while Brooke was finishing her breakfast. Liv and I left her to watch the kids while we went upstairs and got dressed.

For a long time I stood in the mirror, my tie around my neck, and my hands feeling useless. My thoughts drifted off to memories of AJ and Ro's wedding. I still remember how sore AJ was the morning of the wedding...how we had gone out the night before and got our tattoos. I also remembered looking over at AJ as Ro walked down the aisle and the look on his face. I had never seen him look that way before. Even though he tried to maintain such a tough outward appearance, he was the most emotional guy I knew. I was sure that his heart was going to burst from happiness that day.

And today I knew his heart was going to break from grief.

"Need help with your tie?" Liv asked. I saw her come up behind me in the reflection of the mirror. I didn't really need the help, but I wasn't going to turn it away.

"Sure," I said. I turned and she took the fabric in her hands. I lifted my chin as she brought up one side. With a little smile she brought it up to a little knot and patted it gently.

"There you go."

It was such a little gesture, but it triggered something in me. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her as my life depended on it. It wasn't the type of kiss that meant 'let's get naked and grind.'

It was the type of kiss that said 'grow old with me.'

"I love you," Liv said as I pulled away. I smiled down at her praying she wouldn't see the tears forming in my eyes.

"I love you too."

-------------------------------------

We had to park four blocks from the church. There were cars for what seemed like a good mile in either direction. I took Liv's hand in mine and we headed towards the church.

"Wait up."

I turned. Brian and Leigh hopped up on the sidewalk beside us.

"Howie wants to talk to you, me, and Kev after the funeral," Brian said.

"About what?"

"About the tour."

I closed my eyes for a second. It didn't seem like the time to be worried about getting back out on the road. "Really? Today?"

"He wants us to postpone things for the rest of the year."

I hadn't expected that.

"Well, he has my vote."

"Yeah, mine too."

We headed into the church. Only the back pew was empty. We slid in just as the service started.

I don't honestly remember that much about what sermon was spoken or what songs were sang. The four of us had decided at the viewing yesterday not to perform a song. There was no way AJ could do it and we just didn't feel right singing in front of him.

The entire church filed by Ro's coffin at the front of the room and then walked down the aisle back outside. Brian and I stopped and hugged AJ tightly. His hand was pressed so hard onto the mahogany lid that I was sure he was going to leave a permanent imprint of his fingertips on the wood.

"Thank you for being here," he said brokenly. He didn't look so out of it today. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing.

As we walked outside, I couldn't help but think that it was cruel irony that the day was so damn beautiful. The sun was out and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. During Aaron's 'funeral', there had been a heavy downpour. I didn't know how such a truly mournful day could look so cheery when such a gray day was able to mask such an awful lie.

It just didn't make sense.

"It was a beautiful service," Liv said quietly as we crept forward.

"Yes, it was."

"I want you to sing for my funeral," Liv added. I almost slammed on the brakes. My knuckles tightened around the wheel.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Why? I'd think you'd want to know."

I closed my eyes.

"We have years and years before we have to think about that."

"We don't know that."

My stomach clenched uneasily. I had done a lot of stupid stuff over the years that could have potentially killed me. I never batted an eye. But now...

Now I had a wife and kids and dying just wasn't in the plan. Y'know?

Finally, I sighed.

"Just not today, okay?"

Liv placed her hand above my elbow and gave me a little squeeze. I knew she understood.

"Okay."

The graveside service was short. A prayer was said and then we all bowed our heads for a moment of silence and prayer. All around me birds chirped happily, leaves were blooming in brilliant shades of green, and the scent of flowers hung heavily in the air.

Once again, it just wasn't fair.

As everyone returned to their car, I went over to AJ and clasped his hand again. His eyes didn't turn from the casket.

"J, I'm going to call you soon okay? You let me know if you need anything."

He nodded; once again, I don't think he heard me.

As I walked away, I looked back. He had fallen on his knees by the casket. His mom and another lady were hovering on either side of him. I lowered my head; Liv's hand touched my back.

It was all too much even for me. I couldn't comprehend what it was like for AJ.

In hindsight, I don't think even AJ could comprehend what it was like for himself.

--------------------------

Liv and I met the rest of the guys and the girls at an Applebees. We ordered a couple appetizers and some drinks. Today, even I needed a drink. I sipped on a rum and coke. Liv played with the straw in her long island iced tea.

"I want to discuss future tour plans. We need an update for all the fans," Howie explained. I looked over at him.

"Brian said you want us to take the rest of the year off," I said. Howie nodded.

"I think that's a good idea," Kev said. His hair was at an awkward length; I couldn't believe how fast it had grown since we had gone bowling.

"I'll let Sam know," I said.

Howie nodded and took a sip of his drink.

"Of course, that's if AJ's ready in a year," Howie said. We all nodded. "If he is then...what should we do?"

"Do?" Bri asked.

"Do we keep promoting this album or..."

We lapsed into silence. It was Liv that finally broke it.

"I have an idea."

Her ideas were always good. I glanced over at her. She took a sip of her tea and picked up a mozzarella stick.

"I think you should give all the fans a free year in the club," she began. "I'm sure some joined because of anticipated tickets."

"That's a good idea," Kev said.

"And in a couple months you could conduct a fanclub poll. Fans could vote on their top six or eight songs off this album. You could take the top choices and then record maybe four or five new songs in October and rerelease the album in December right before the tour. I mean, it works for Gaga and Taylor Swift."

I looked around at the other guys. As Liv's husband I always felt like I shouldn't be the first one to offer an opinion. Brian used to do that when Leighanne had an opinion and it always used to piss the shit out of all of us, especially if we disagreed.

"I think that sounds good," Brian said.

"It would be easier than trying to pump out a whole new album," Howie

"And we have quality songs on this album that I don't think should just be tossed and forgotten," Kevin added.

"Of course, that's if AJ's ready," Leighanne added.

We all nodded.

Only time was going to tell what the future held.

For AJ...and the band.
Chapter 31 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Thirty One - May 27

"Why is your shirt damp?"

"There was a little water incident at AJ's."

Liv folded her arms, waiting for an explanation.

"Kevin broke down AJ's front door. And his bedroom door. He wouldn't get out of bed so we carried him to the shower. I got mad at shot water up his nose. He got the sprayer away from me and I got soaked."

After one whole week of AJ not returning calls, Howie, Brian, Kevin, and myself had decided to take action into our own hands. An early morning housecall had done the trick.

"How is he?" Liv asked.

I sighed. "He's...doing the best he can, I think. We took him to see Ally and Jonah."

"You went into the hospital looking like that?"

I pulled my shirt away from my chest. It was a little damp in places; I'm pretty sure it looked a lot worse when we were walking through the halls of the NICU.

"I didn't take a change of clothes," I explained.

"This might be a good time to start," Liv said with a smile. "It's the second time you've needed a wardrobe change."

I had a sudden vision of a giant giraffe trying to eat my ass. I ran my hand through my hair.

"How are the babies?" Liv asked. She was keeping one eye on Brooke as we talked. Sweet little Brooke had a knack of getting in trouble fast; I have no idea where she gets it from.

"They're ready to be released. I think AJ said tomorrow."

"That's great!" Liv said with a full on smile. I had the sudden urge to nibble on her bottom lip and bring her full attention on me, but I stopped myself.

"Well, it's a good thing we took J there today. Ro's mom was going to take them."

There was no need for lip nibbling; that got her attention. She looked at me in surprise. "She was going to take them?"

"Yeah. I think that snapped AJ back to reality more than anything. He's got some fight in him now."

"That poor guy," Liv murmured. Her eyes trailed back past my shoulder and widened.

"BROOKE! YUCK!"

I turned. Brooke was sitting on a huge sheet of white paper with those gigantic toddler crayons. She was making the weirdest face I had ever seen in my life. I squinted. The very tip was missing. Liv groaned.

"Great, now she's going to have purple poop."

I tried not to smile, but I couldn't help it. Liv playfully slapped my chest.

"Since it's so funny, I'll make sure you're there for the diaper change."

"Poop doesn't scare me," I said.

"YUCK!"

We both turned our heads at the same time. A yellow crayon had just met a similar fate. I groaned.

If we didn't put the crayons away, by the time she was done she was going to have some Grateful Dead rainbow poop.

"I have an idea," I said. I walked over and begin to pick up the crayons. Brooke clung to the yellow one, but I plucked it out of her grasp. She began to wail and slap at the paper.

"Any idea that doesn't involve crayons and crying would be good," Liv said over the screams.

I glanced outside. It was another beautiful day. It had been a rough couple of weeks and I just needed some normality.

"Let's go sailing."

----------------------------------

"Nick, I can't take the kids on a speed boat."

We were standing on my dock and my eyes were set on my racing boat. It had been a pipe dream of mine that hadn't lasted long, but everytime I looked at the 43-foot boot with twin 750-horsepower engines got my testerone pumping.

"I know," I finally said with a sigh. "I really need to sell that thing."

The other boat I had docked used to be my floating bachelor pad. I had many a long nights on that boat with an endless stream of ladies. I looked over at Liv. She was wearing a humongous floppy hat, a long sleeve t-shirt and jeans. She had Noah strapped to her chest. I could see his arms waving towards her face in protest. I was holding Brooke who was wearing an equally ridiculous sized hat and staring intently up at the seagulls overhead. She chewed on the ear of the stuffed puppy she was clinging to. We had just been ready to leave when she yanked him out of the toy chest and held him up as if she couldn't bare to be parted with him for even a second.

As crazy as it sounds, I'd take a boat ride with two kids and a wife over a girl who's name I probably wouldn't remember in the morning in a second.

I was completely domesticated.

"All aboard," I declared. Brooke let out a little squeal as I climbed on deck. The boat swayed gently to and fro. I turned around and held out a hand for Liv. She wavered a bit before getting her balance.

"We haven't been on a boat together since LA," Liv said with a soft reminiscing smile. "Before these two were even a conscious thought."

I grinned. "Hey, don't forget the cruise."

Liv made a face. "That wasn't a boat. That was a ship. And those fans handcuffing you to the bed kind of ruined that for me."

I laughed.

"Those girls were nuts."

"And yet, you laugh about it."

"Well looking back...it's kind of funny. They were trying to save me from an eternal life as a married man."

It was Liv's turn to laugh.

"They failed."

"I'm glad they did."

Liv snapped Brooke into a brand new little life jacket and walked her around the deck while I made sure everything was still in tip-top shape. I saw Brooke jump as the engines roar to life and then a look of excitement cross her face.

"BOOM!" she screamed.

"We're taking off!" I called out. Liv gave me a salute and sat down. I put the boat into drive and in seconds we were churning water.

"WAIT!" Liv called out. I cut the motor. We had only managed to go fifty yards.

"What?"

"We forgot the picnic basket in the car," she said meekly.

Twenty minutes later we had the picnic basket and everyone was happy and content. A light spray was hitting my face and I felt a sense of peace.

My idea for a day out at sea had been a good one.

When we were far enough out, I cut the motor and just let us float for awhile. I walked over and sprawled out by Liv. Brooke got up and walked uncertaintly. She leaned first to one side and then the other.

"You've got to get your sea legs, kiddo," I said.

"Kind of hard to balance when she's dragging that dog," Liv remarked. She spread out a blanket and placed Noah down on it. He was getting to the age where he preferred to be out in the open rather than in the sling. He stretched out as much as his little limbs could go and yawned. Liv leaned over and tickled him and his face lit up in a smile.

I scooted closer to her, my arm wrapping around her waist. With a contented sigh she leaned back against me.

"You're the best mom in the world," I said softly.

"You're not so bad yourself," she added.

We watched Brooke carefully. Anytime she got to close to the railing for comfort I'd quack like a duck and she'd take a couple of steps back and giggle.

The third time I did my quack, she backed up and looked at me with the most mischievious smile I'd ever seen in my life. Her fingers tightened around her stuffed puppy's ear and with a little grunt, he was airborne.

I think Liv and I gasped at the same time. The poor dog did somersault after somersault until finally he flew right over the railing. I heard a loud plop and winced. Brooke clapped her hands.

"UP! UP!"

It was a game we played at home. She dropped something from her high chair or from her crib and I'd pick it up. Most of the time she'd just throw the thing right over again. I scrambled to my feet and leaned over the railing. Her arms wrapped around my leg.

"UP! UP!"

I saw one pathetic ear floating in the water. I closed my eyes.

The things a father did for his daughter...

"Nick, you're not going after it," Liv said. I stripped off my shirt.

"He's going after it," she mumbled to herself.

"Brooke run to mommy," I said. She detached herself from my leg and teetered over to Liv. I climbed up on the railing and focused in one the soggy ear.

Then I dived.

Now, a lot of strange things have happened to me in life...things some people wouldn't even believe. The rescue of the stuffed puppy will go down in infamy as one of them. I had just reached the soggy thing and had my arm outstretched when the biggest grouper I had ever seen in my life opened it's gigantic mouth.

Snap.

Puppy was fish food.

I bobbed in the water for several minutes contemplating my next move. I was going to have a angry fifteen month old on my hands when puppy didn't return and I didn't think I was going to be able to properly explain the eating habits of a grouper to her.

Finally I swam to the rope ladder and hoisted myself back up towards the deck. As I came over the side I heard Brooke squeal. I shook the water off of my head and prepared myself for when she saw my empty hands.

Come to find out, 'puppy' was forgotten almost as soon as I dived in the water. As I stood picking seaweed out of my ass, Liv filled me in on the milestone I had missed. Noah had rolled over for the first time and Liv got so excited that for the first time in her life, Brooke finally deemed Noah interesting. When he rolled back over, she had joined Liv in squealing. That's what I had heard when I was climbing up the ladder.

So, as I sat down with a towel wrapped around my shoulders to enjoy our picnic food, I concluded that the next time one of my kids threw anything I was not going to treat it as an emergency. Unless they threw each other overboard.

Then I was willing to get seaweed up my ass again.

Maybe.
Chapter 32 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Thirty Two - June 30

"Noah, NO!"

"Brooke, NO!"

Noah had gone from crawling position to full on crawl in the days following our boating excursion. After that, there was no looking back. Life had officially become a hundred times more hectic. The word 'No' was burned into the backs of my eyeballs.

This morning had started off nice and calm. Noah was sitting on the floor gnawing on his teething ring and Brooke was on the couch eating Cheerios. Both were watching Sesame Street. Liv and I were sitting around the kitchen island enjoying a cinnamon roll for two when Lila began to bark her head off in the yard. We had both looked out the window to see what the fuss was about (a squirrel), and by the time we turned around, there was mayhem. Noah had crawled into the fireplace and was covered with soot; Brooke had lost interest in the TV and was hoisting herself up the back of the couch trying to climb into the fish tank.

Such was life with a six month old and a sixteen month old. And such was the reason for another round of 'No's.'

As parents of a newborn, sometimes when you think of a name, you don't think ahead to how it's going to work when the little one gets older.

Take for example 'Noah.' Liv and I both call him 'No' from time to time and lately Brooke will call him 'NoNo.' Cute, right?

Right. Except that everytime we say 'no' as in 'not good' he just giggles and thinks we're egging him on. After Liv yelled out, he sat down, laughed and smashed a huge hunk of soot into his face. Liv was on it in a second. As I pulled Brooke away from the fish tank, she scooped Noah out of the fireplace.

"Noah, no. That's bad," Liv emphasized. In return, she got a tiny dirty hand on the side of her face and an equally ash-filled kiss.

"Fee! Fee!" Brooke cried right in my ear. I turned to look at the fish tank. Those fish didn't know it, but I had just saved their little fishy lives.

"Do you want to feed the fish?" I asked. I held up a can of food and she nodded. As I showed Brooke the proper feeding technique, I heard the water in the bathroom turn on.

It's funny, but as much as Brooke loves baths, Noah hates them. A loud scream echoed down the hall. Brooke turned her head, her eyes widened. Fun with fish food was quickly forgotten.

"NoNo," she said.

"He's just getting a bath," I explained.

I knew the moment I said the word that I had made a mistake. A look of excitement crossed her face and she began to wiggle in my arms.

Ten minutes later, we had one very grumpy little boy and one very happy little girl in the tub. Liv and I were side by side playing bathtub lifeguards. Brooke took a little plastic cup, filled it with water, and dumped it right over her head.

"Ah," she said happily.

"I'm going to drive over to J's today," I told Liv as she tried to sneak some baby shampoo onto Noah's head. As soon as the stuff hit his head, his hands went up and he began to whine.

"Just checking up?" Liv asked.

"He's interviewing nannies today," I explained. Liv looked over at me with a little smile playing on her lips.

"If anyone can interview a woman, it's you," she teased. I grinned.

"I want to make sure J picks someone for qualifications, not looks," I explained. Liv laughed.

"Here I was thinking it was the other way around."

I shook my head. "That's the last thing he needs right now," I said.

"What, a woman?"

I took a bar of soap out of Brooke's hands. It had been making its way slowly to her mouth.

"No, trouble."

----------------------------------

Two hours later, I stood on AJ's doorstep and rang the bell. I leaned against the doorframe and looked up. There was a giant spiderweb stretched out across my head. I was just squinting up to see if I could get a glimpse of a big fat spider when the door opened. AJ stared out in confusion.

"Well, don't say hi or anything," I teased.

"Hi. What are you doing here?"

I straightened up and breezed past him into the foyer.

"You told me when I talked to you earlier this week you were interviewing nannies today. So here I am."

"I see you are," he said. He closed the door and turned around. "Why?"

I looked at him like he was insane.

"I'm going to help you pick out a nanny."

"I don't need help."

We went back and forth for a few minutes and I explained that he had really bad judgement on women. We were still talking when the doorbell rang.

AJ groaned and motioned towards the living room.

"Sit on the couch and don't try to be helpful."

I grinned, pulled out a notebook and headed towards the living room. I figured I would help him out by taking notes. And if I got bored, I could always draw funny pictures of the interviewees.

The first woman was old. I don't mean old in a generic way. I mean old as in she should have been auditioning for a Depends commercial, not a nanny job. She looked like the female version of the crypt keeper.

The next three were almost as bad. The first one reminded me of the Mexican maid off of Family Guy. I was dying to ask her to say 'lemon pledge.' The next one smelled like she had just come from Oktoberfest. The third one looked like the kid from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; y'know, the one that had to be stretched out after shrinking himself and was no wider than a sheet of paper.

"I think the next one's going to be the one," I called from the living room as the doorbell rang for the fifth time. I heard AJ snort from the foyer.

On first appearance, the fifth woman didn't seem bad. In fact, she kind of reminded me of the nanny off that one show that takes crazy families and makes them proper. I couldn't help but think that I needed to get me a nanny like that.

"What do you do with a toddler that likes to eat crayons?" I asked. AJ looked over at me, but I ignored him.

"Oh, none of my charges ever did that," she said. "I firmly believe in teaching the right way to do things from the beginning."

The way she said it made it sound like a personal attack. I made a face.

"Yeah, but everyone makes mistakes," I argued.

"My daughter," AJ said hesitatingly. "She has some hearing problems."

I looked over at him in surprise. J hadn't told me anything was wrong the last time we talked on the phone.

"Do you have any experience dealing with things like that?" he continued.

The woman made a remark about 'slow' children and AJ practically flipped his lid. I had never seen someone ushered out of a house so fast in all my life.

Not that I could blame him.

"J?" I called.

"What?"

I got up off the couch, tossed the notebook down, and walked into the hall.

"Is Ally okay?"

AJ scratched at his beard. It was a nervous habit of his. I was surprised he hadn't scratched his skin off by now.

"No," he said quietly. "She's deaf. I have to take her to a specialist and see if there's anything we can do."

When God was handing out bad luck tokens, I think he must have slipped a few extra into AJ's back pocket. I stared at him in disbelief. I tried to keep the pity out of my voice.

"Jesus, J," I said. "I..."

Before I could finish, the doorbell rang for the sixth time. AJ opened the door and looked out in surprise.

"Hi, I'm Molly," a very feminine voice said. "This is Shelby. I'm here for the live-in nanny position."

AJ didn't answer but he took a few steps back. A redhead and her pirate/ballerina/princess mini-me clomped in. The woman looked to be in her late twenties.

I smelled trouble.

As we all sat down, I was ready to jump in and start aiming questions. This woman was too young, too pretty, and already had baggage. She was an automatic no in my book.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to sit in on their interview. AJ's baby monitor went off and he asked me to go upstairs. I was relegated to a double dose of dirty diapers and spit-up. By the time I made my way back downstairs, AJ was closing the front door.

"So, I really liked the third candidate," I said. AJ just looked at me.

"She smelled like sauerkraut," he said.

"Yeah, but once you got past that..."

"I think I'll sleep on it," he said lightly. I didn't like that tone. Something told me he had already made up his mind.

"J, don't do what I know you're going to do," I warned. He started to walk up the stairs. I followed behind him.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know exactly what I'm talking about."

He stopped on the next to last step before the landing and turned. His eyes were serious.

"Nick, Ally and Joe are way too important to me. Trust me on this."

He turned back around and I stifled an audible sigh.

AJ always had the best of intentions.

But sometimes his best intentions were wrong.
Chapter 33 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Thirty Three - July 2

"I picked the redhead."

"Of course you did."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You let the three T's rule your decision."

"Nick, I didn't even notice the three T's."

I sat on my suitcase and zipped it. I figured there wasn't much I could do about AJ. I had other important things on my mind.

"Well, I hope it works out," I finally said.

"I'm giving her a ninety day trial," AJ added. I had to give him kudo points on that decision.

"Good thinking," I said. "Well, I'll talk to you later."

"Alright. Later."

I hung up and tugged the last few inches of the suitcase closed.

"Nick?"

Liv's voice sounded like it right outside our bedroom door.

"Shit!" I whispered. I hopped off the suitcase and kicked it under the bed. Just as I was sitting back down on the bed, she poked her head in.

"What are you doing up here?"

"I was talking to AJ."

"Oh."

She took a look around; she was suspicious. I smiled.

"Why do I think you're hiding something?" she asked slowly.

"Me? Hide something? No way. Uh-uh," I said, shaking my head. Liv walked over and studied me intently. I fidgeted. Her hands went to my waist. She started to pat me down.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"You're hiding something," she said.

For the third year in a row I had presented Liv with her all-yellow birthday breakfast. Of course, today wasn't only her birthday. It was also our first wedding anniversary.

Her hands pressed into my ribs and I jumped.

"Jesus, Liv. Do you want to crack me open and look inside? I'm not hiding anything."

She stood back up, her hands on her hips. My eyes went to her little short shorts. For a mother of two, she pulled off the look well.

"Alright," she said, holding up her hands. "I believe you. I'm going to go back downstairs."

"Okay. I'll be down in a minute," I said.

The moment she walked out, I closed the door and went for the phone. Liv's mom answered on the first ring.

"I'm almost there," she said.

"How was Hawaii?"

"If I didn't already adore you before I went, I would love you now. I've never seen anything like it."

For Christmas, Liv and I had given her mom two tickets to Hawaii. For the past week, she had been laying on the beaches of Maui with her boyfriend, Mike. They had arrived back home late last night. Now they were on the way to the house.

"Does she suspect anything?" she asked. I laughed.

"No clue."

"She's going to kill you."

"She'll get over it."

"Anything I need to know?"

"Just keep an eye on both of them at the same time. They're trouble magnets."

"Got it. We're about a mile away. See you soon."

"Okay, love you."

I hung up and opened the window. I rigged the suitcase up to a sheet and lowered it to the ground. Then I headed downstairs.

"I'm going to let the dogs out!" I called.

"Alright!" Liv called back. From the sound of her voice, she was in the living room.

I let the dogs out and headed out in the backyard to retrieve the suitcase. I hauled it over the fence and climbed over. I walked around the long way to my convertible and tossed the suitcase in the trunk. I wiped my hands.

Mission one was accomplished. I climbed back over the fence and walked back in. I headed into the living room. Liv was on her laptop. Brooke and Noah were in the playpen. Brooke was walking around looking like she was trying to devise an escape route.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

Liv looked up. "I'm posting a poll to the fanclub so the fans can vote on their favorite songs off the new album."

"You don't have to do that," I said.

"With Sam gone, you need someone to keep the fanclub interesting," Liv said. She smiled. "I have a little experience."

When I had called Sam to tell him about the tour delay, he had regretfully resigned. I couldn't blame him. It wasn't fair to keep him from taking any other potential jobs. It just meant we were back to square one with finding a videographer.

"You have more than a little experience," I said. I had my ear trained on the front door. I thought I heard footsteps. Sure enough, thirty seconds later the doorbell rang.

"Hunh, wonder who that could be," I said. I headed out to the front door and swung it open.

Liv's mom looked tan, relaxed, and extremely happy. She hugged me tightly. She smelled like coconuts.

"Surprise!" she called out. I heard the sound of the laptop being set on the coffee table. Liv skidded into the hall.

"Mom!"

Mike came in at a leisurely pace. We shook hands while Liv and her mom hugged.

"How was your trip?" Liv asked.

"Amazing."

They began to chatter excitedly. Mike leaned into me.

"What time does your flight leave?"

I glanced at my watch. "Two hours."

"Do you want me to shoot a blank to shut them up?"

I laughed. "Let me think about it."

We all walked into the living room. Once Liv's mom zeroed in on Brooklyn dangling halfway out of the playpen, her attention was successfully diverted.

"Alright," I said. "Mom, their bedtime is at eight. Brooke's favorite sippy cup this week is the blue one with dolphins."

Liv's head spun so fast towards me I was pretty sure it was going to do a full circle.

"What?"

"We'll be back home late tomorrow night."

"Wait...what?"

"You two have fun," Liv's mom said. "I can't believe it's been a year already."

"Wait...you knew about this?" Liv asked her mom. "What is this?"

I wrapped an arm around her.

"If you keep your mouth open so wide, bugs are going to fly in," I whispered in her ear. "Just go with it, okay?"

I walked over to the playpen and gave Brooke and Noah a kiss. Liv did the same.

"You guys be good for grandma," I said. Liv looked at me.

"Where are we going?"

I pretended I didn't hear her. Instead I started to pull her towards the door.

"Wait! Do I need clothes?"

-------------------------------------

"I don't believe it. This is what you do for our first anniversary?"

After a three hour flight, we had arrived in beautiful St. Thomas. I hailed a taxi and we slid in.

"Ritz-Carlton," I told the driver. I sat back and wrapped my arm around Liv's shoulder.

"I thought we deserved a kids-free night," I said.

"I'm not arguing, but we could have gone to St. Petersburg. We're in the Virgin Islands."

I leaned towards her; my lips brushed her neck.

"I was aiming towards romantic," I whispered. I saw Liv's tongue run over her bottom lip.

"You aimed right."

We pulled up to the Ritz-Carlton around four o'clock. I grabbed our one large suitcase and took Liv's hand.

"What did you pack?" Liv asked suspiciously.

"Just some clothes and junk," I said. I leaned against the counter.

"Reservation?" the clerk asked.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Rection," I said.

The clerk hit a couple keys on the computer and then handed me a set of keys.

"Enjoy your stay, Mr. Rection," he said.

Liv was staring at me hard. She didn't say anything until we got to the elevator.

"Hugh Rection?" she asked.

"My middle initial is G." I said.

I saw Liv's mouth move - 'Hugh G. Rection.' She groaned.

"Nick..."

I couldn't help it. I laughed.

"What?"

Liv's arms went around my waist. I was glad we were the only two people in the elevator. She looked up at me, her eyes sparkling.

"I love you."

I was prepared to be lectured on using porn star names for hotel check-ins. I preferred an 'I love you' anyday.

"I love you, too."

We ended up in a long wet liplock until the elevator doors opened. Laughing and giggling like two teens, I grabbed Liv's hand and the suitcase and we tripped our way down the hall. Liv leaned against the wall, slightly breathless as I unlocked the door. I let it swing open and then I swung her over my shoulder.

"Nick!"

I loved the sound of my name coming out of her lips. I kicked the door closed and took her into the bedroom. I flipped her backwards on the mattress. She landed with a grin. I saw her eyes flutter over to the suitcase.

"So, what did you pack?" she asked huskily. I propped the suitcase on a large chair and unzipped it. I held up a tiny scrap of lace.

"The skimpiest underwear I could find," I said. I flicked the lacy panties at her. They came to a rest on her bare leg. I held up a box. "Trojans, ribbed for your pleasure." I tossed the box at her. She fumbled, but she actually caught it. "And, last but not least, some sensual massage oil."

Liv set the box of condoms on the nightstand and grabbed the panties.

"Why don't I go slip into something more comfortable while you call room service and see if they can send up two margaritas?"

My plan was unfolding perfectly.

"Are you going to get drunk and have wild monkey sex with me?"

Liv wiggled out of her short shorts. My mouth went dry.

"Would you settle for wild giraffe sex?"

My eyes narrowed; she giggled and shut the bathroom door.

"Not funny, Liv!" I called. "Not funny!"
Chapter 34 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Thirty Four - July 3

I woke up the next morning feeling amazing.

And sticky.

After downing her margarita and half of mine, I had one drunk, horny Liv on my hands. It was the perfect evening. I had been licked up and down like a lollipop and had managed to talk Liv into doing some things that she would never have agreed to sober. I'm pretty sure I even created a brand new sexual position. When we got home, I was so Googling it.

I was in no hurry to get up. I pressed Liv close to me and pressed my lips against her spine. She moaned.

"Good morning," I whispered. My hand slid between her legs. I felt her body buck against my fingers.

"Nick," she whispered. She drew in a breath like she was going to say something else, but my strokes took the words right out of her mouth.

I know it sounds cocky, but I give great wake up calls.

When she lay there completely and utterly satisfied, I hovered over her grinning down at her flushed face. She squinted up at me.

"I drank too much," she said.

"No, you didn't," I said. "Do you remember what we did?"

My head dipped down; I drew a nipple between my teeth. She moaned. Her legs wrapped around my waist.

"I remember that lamp pole," she said weakly, pointing past my shoulder. I laughed.

"You gave me a sexy dance," I said. Her hands slid from my ass around to my front. My eyes fluttered closed as she gripped me.

"I remember I was very agreeable," she murmured. I nodded. Her fingers were sending electric jolts up through my stomach. I reached out towards the nightstand.

"I remember making some balloon animals out of condoms," she added.

"Hate to tell you, but they all looked like dicks," I said. She laughed. I grabbed a wrapper and brought it towards me. I tore open the package with my teeth and spit out the sliver that stayed in my mouth. She was stroking faster and faster and I was sure I was going to lose it.

"Let's see if I can completely refresh your memory," I said. With a few quick motions I sank into her. I had never thought that I could have sex with the same person over and over again and be happy.

But Liv was a different story. She was like Christmas every day of the year.

And she was welcome to unwrap me any time.

-------------------------------------

"Nick, I don't know if I can do this."

"Why? You told me an hour ago that it seemed wrong to come to paradise and spend most of it in the hotel room," I said.

We were standing in the beautiful ocean waters and I was trying to convince Liv to snorkel. I had packed Liv's skimpiest bikini and she kept playing with the bottoms as if her ass was going to fall out at any moment. Which, if it had, I wouldn't have complained. I don't think anyone on the beach would have either.

"Every time we've had the chance to do this, you've been pregnant," I said. "I want to share this with you."

She glanced down at the beautiful clear water.

"We're not going completely under," I added.

Finally, she looked over at me and nodded.

"Alright, let's do this."

I showed her how to put her snorkel on and then slid mine over my face. I took her hand and together we walked like penguins out a little farther. I held up three fingers and began to count down. When I folded the last finger under, we both went face down.

For someone who doesn't have much luck with bathtubs, Liv is a natural in the ocean. It didn't take long for me to tell that she was really enjoying herself. I would tug at her arm or leg and point to some bright fish or interesting piece of coral.

After about an hour, I swam back to shore and slid my mask off. The sun was beating down on my back and it felt great. Liv stumbled a little as she took off her mask and landed right next to me in the sand. She laughed.

"Did you like it?"

"That was awesome."

She stretched her arms out over her head and closed her eyes.

"Can we stay here forever?"

I laughed. "I'd love to say yes, but I'd say Brooke would probably track us down in fifteen years and I don't think she'd be too happy."

Liv laughed and rolled over on her side to look at me. Her head rested lazily in the crook of her arm.

"I've been thinking," she said.

"Oh?"

"About tour."

I closed my eyes. Even I didn't want to think about tour. I felt her touch on my arm and opened my eyes.

"I want to be the videographer for tour," she said.

I studied her face. She looked eager; hopeful. Kind of like when she interviewed us for the first time. I smiled.

"I mean, the bulk of the job takes place at soundcheck and the concert. I'm already with you guys the rest of the time anyhow."

"So you're actually going to let me hire someone to help with the kids?"

Liv made a face. She hated the idea of non-family baby-sitters or nannies.

"Just for the soundcheck and concert," she said reluctantly.

"And when we want sexy time?" I asked hopefully. Liv laughed.

"We never seem to get sexy time on the road," she said. "Remember?"

"I think that was just a before-marriage curse," I explained. Liv snorted and rolled back onto the sand.

I don't know how long we laid there. All I know was that Liv was looking kind of lobstery as we headed back to the hotel to shower and change.

"What do you want for supper?" I called out towards the bathroom. I heard a lot of rummaging around. I had a feeling I knew what was taking her so long to change.

"I'm never letting you pack clothes for me again!" she yelled back. I grinned.

After a few more minutes of grumbling, she walked out. I had packed a scrap of white shimmery fabric that I had hoped was a top and then a skirt that I knew was going to be short. It was.

"I look like a hooker," she said. The top was only held up by two shimmery silver strings tied around her neck. It gathered at the bottom. A little strip of skin was exposed before the skirt started.

Me likey.

"Yes, but you're my hooker," I corrected. She rolled her eyes and walked up to me. She was wearing flip flops; I had the sudden urge to buy her thigh high boots.

"You're like Julia Roberts," I added. I broke into song.

"Ooh, ooh...Pretty Woman!"

Liv put her hand over my mouth.

"Just take your hooker to eat anywhere and I'll be happy," she said softly. She removed her hand and kissed me softly. I could taste cherry lipgloss.

"As you wish," I said. She turned and I stood up. I tried to grab at one of the shirt strands but she must have felt the movement. She turned around and slapped my hand.

"Want a margarita?" I asked hopefully. She smiled and shook her head.

"You're not getting that lucky again," she stressed. She turned around and opened the room door. I made a face.

I really liked getting that lucky.

--------------------------------------

After dinner, we had just enough time to go back to the hotel and pack. We arrived back in Tampa at eight o'clock at night. My surprise had been a huge success.

"Why do you look like a hooker?" Liv's mom asked as we walked through the door. Liv shot a look my way. I put down the suitcase and smiled.

"I don't pack well, I guess," I said sweetly.

"How were the kids?" Liv asked. Her mom laughed, but it was a tired laugh.

"I know now why I only had you," she said. I made a face.

"That bad?"

"I don't know how she did it, but Brooke got into your nailpolish," mom explained. "By the time I caught her, half of her leg and Atari's whole left ear was pink."

As if on cue, I looked out the window into the backyard and saw a black, white, and pink streak running around.

"The nail polish remover worked on Brooke. Not on Atari."

"Where are they?" I asked.

"Noah's sleeping. I don't think Brooke has slept more than an hour this whole time."

"Well, thanks for watching them," Liv said. "I love you." She hugged her mom tightly; I did the same.

"We owe you one," I said. Liv's mom shook her head.

"I love watching them," she said. "Just, do me one favor."

"What?"

"Don't have another one for at least, oh, five years. It might kill me."

I laughed until I realized Liv's mom wasn't joking. Liv spoke before I could.

"Trust me. We're not."

We talked for a few more minutes and then she left. I lugged our suitcase upstairs while Liv walked in to check on Brooke. I heard her talking softly.

I didn't feel like unpacking. Instead, I just kicked the whole thing under the bed. Liv had insisted on washing and drying our swimsuits at the hotel. Now I was glad. I wouldn't have to open that suitcase for months.

I tried to sneak by Brooke's door to check on Noah but her spidey sense must have been cranked up full blast. Before I could pass, her little hands were banging on the baby gate.

"DADA! DADA!"

Really, it's a good feeling to be loved so much. Even with all of the crazy stuff she did, or maybe because of it, there was this mushy gushy bond that I can't even begin to describe. I scooped her up and kissed both cheeks. She giggled.

"You miss me?" I asked. She nodded, her little arms wrapping tightly around my neck.

"I'll go check on Noah," Liv said. I heard her move the gate and brush past me. I watched the little skirt swing down the hall with a smile on my face. Brooke's head snuggled up against my chest. Before I even got back into her nursery, she was asleep.

As I put her down and she snuggled up under the soft blanket I put around her, I rested my chin on the crib rail.

Even though St. Thomas was a nice place to visit, there was no place like home.

Pink-eared dog and all.
Chapter 35 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Thirty Five - August 22

"Does Howie know about this?"

"Not exactly."

"Not exactly?"

Liv and I were stopped at a gas station in the convertible. I turned to her, stretching my arm over the backseat.

"Okay, I told him it was a business meeting. Which it kind of is. I mean, you said yourself the fan poll showed that there are clearly six songs the fans prefer off the album. We can discuss going in and recording six more for an extended edition."

"But, it's his birthday."

I grinned. It was taking her awhile, but she was catching on.

"Exactly."

"And you're going to do something stupid."

My eyes widened. "Me? No way."

"He's only turning 39," Liv said. I turned back around and started the car back up.

"I know. This is his last shot at youth before old-age sinks in."

Liv rolled her eyes. "I hope you're prepared for all the shit the guys are going to do to you when you turn forty."

I laughed. "I can take it."

A week ago, I had called Brian, Kevin, and AJ to formulate a birthday party for Howie. We nominated Kevin to call Howie and tell him about the business meeting. He would have suspected anyone else. In reality, we were going to have a fun, adults-only evening...with just a little business mixed in.

And Howie was the man of the hour.

"So AJ's coming?" Liv asked. Her hair was whipping around in front of her face.

"As far as I know," I said.

"How's the nanny working out?"

"Fine. Actually, he says she's doing so well that he's bored and ready to get back to work."

"Maybe that would be the best thing for him. Y'know, keep his mind busy."

"I'm ready. I feel like I haven't worked in years."

Liv smiled. "Brooke and Noah don't count?"

"That's a different kind of work."

We pulled up to La Hacienda. Brian and I had conducted an intense Skype conversation to pick the perfect restaurant for the bash. Judging by the bright lanterns hanging everywhere and the dancing mariachi girls out front, I'm going to go out on a limb and saying we picked a winner.

"I smell trouble," Liv said as I hopped out of the car and opened her door.

"Naw, I think you're smelling the burritos," I said.

Kevin, Howie, Leigh, and AJ were already at the table. Howie kept looking around and shaking his head. There were so many guys wearing fake moustaches and pictures of Charo on the wall that it crossed way over the amusing border and went straight for comical.

"Hey guys," I said. I pulled out a chair and sat down. I immediately went for the chips on the table.

"Why did you guys pick this place?" Howie asked. I shrugged.

"We felt like Mexican food," I said. The salsa was heavy on the jalapenos.

Brian and Leighanne arrived a couple minutes after Liv and I.

"Sorry, plane was late," Brian explained. He pulled out a chair for Leigh and then sat down.

"Welcome to La Hacienda!" our waitress said wih a cheery smile. She handed out menus. Brian and I shared a grin.

"The guy at the head of the table will have a tequila," I said. Howie looked up and shook his head.

"No."

"It's on me."

"No, really."

"Make that two tequilas for the guy at the head of the table," Brian said. The waitress winked and walked off. Howie set down his menu.

"Okay, what's up?"

"Nothing's up. I just feel bad that you have to work on your birthday so I'm buying you a tequila."

"Me too," Bri said.

Howie studied us both for another second and then raised the menu again. Liv's leg pressed against mine. I stifled a laugh.

"So Kev...nice hair."

Kevin scowled. His hair was looking pretty grungy.

"Yeah, I think Kurt Cobain has risen from the dead," Bri teased.

"It's coming off soon."

"Not until we do the hair and video thing," I said. "Plus, we haven't gotten a wedding invitation yet," I added. Kev smiled.

"Oh yeah."

He stood up and leaned over the table. He passed around a simple invitation with date, time, and address. The date was September 8.

"Let me know if you can make it," Kev said

"I can make it," I said. "I'll be flying in on the 6th to get my bet reward," I said. Kev groaned.

"How many people did you invite?" Liv asked.

Kev leaned back in his chair; I think he was still thinking about the dreads and his upcoming declaration of my ultimate supremeness. "Family and you guys. Addy doesn't want a big wedding and I've already been there, done that."

"I'll let you know after the next doctor's appointment," AJ said.

"How are the babies?" Leighanne asked. AJ smiled; it was good to see.

"They're growing."

The waitress brought Howie's tequilas and soda for the rest of us. Bri blew into his straw; bubbles erupted from the glass. He laughed; Leighanne just rolled her eyes.

"It's amazing how kids do that," I said.

"Yeah, they shouldn't grow," Bri agreed.

For the next ten minutes we all swapped baby war stories. Finally the waitress came bouncing back to our table.

"Ready to order?"

We went around the table and put in our orders. Howie downed one of his tequilas.

"So about the tour..." he said. AJ was the first to jump in.

"I'm going stir-crazy. I'd like to get back in the studio by October at the latest," he said.

"That sounds good to me," I said. Bri nodded.

"We can release the extended edition around Christmas."

"And start touring January 2."

"Let's hit South America, Africa and Australia," I said. In a rare move, Howie actually agreed.

"Yeah, it'll be warm."

"Then we can do Europe in April and May and hit the U.S. and Canada this summer," Kevin said.

It was almost too easy; for once we all actually agreed.

"What about a videographer?" AJ asked. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Liv raise her hand.

"I told Nick that I'd like to take the job," she said, almost shyly. It was adorable. She had been around us for three years and she still sounded nervous.

"That sounds fine," Bri said. "You did an awesome job last time."

"You showed the world just how fucked up Nick is," AJ added.

By the time our food arrived, everything was decided. Howie downed his second tequila before digging into his quesadilla.

Brian and I kept glancing at each other as we ate. We didn't know exactly when our plan was going to start, but the suspense was killing me.

Luckily, I didn't have to wait too much longer. Howie was pouring hot sauce over his last piece of quesadilla when our table was suddenly surrounded by Mexicans including one with maracas and one with a guitar. Our waitress plopped a giant sombrero on Howie's head.

His face was priceless. He looked up and groaned; then he glared at Brian and me.

The staff sang and played a peppy song in Spanish. The lead singer sounded a lot like Speedy Gonzalez. Howie sat there, his face turning red as the entire restaurant stared at him. Obviously the two tequilas we bought him hadn't been enough.

"And now!" our waitress said. I squirmed; this was the part I had been waiting for. "The birthday donkey!"

Howie's eyes widened. Leigh looked like she was trying hard not to laugh for his sake, but she was failing.

A teeny tiny stooped old Mexican lady came out from the back leading a donkey. On the donkey's back was a piece of birthday cake with a candle. This was better than what the website had said. Bri had his napkin up to his face; suppressed tears of joy were building in his eyes.

"Levantase!" our waitress cried. Two of the guys tugged Howie to his feet. He looked like he was about ready to go all Ricky Ricardo on our asses.

But he didn't get a chance.

The staff led him over to the donkey. After another jolly round of the birthday song the candle in the cake piece was lit. Howie leaned down to blow out the candle but a staff member snuck up behind him and smashed his face in the cake.

In seconds Howie was leaning over the donkey getting birthay spanks. Bri and I whipped out our cellphones. It wasn't every day someone got a picture of a Backstreet Boy being spanked on a donkey.

It was all over too soon. At least for me. Howie came back to the table, grabbed a fistful of napkins and wiped his face roughly. Leigh started to help.

"Happy Birthday!" I said.

"Fuck off, Nick," Howie said.

"I like that hat. I think we should work that into tour wardrobe," Bri said. Howie tossed it at his head. Bri caught it and put it on.

"If it makes you feel better, we have another birthday surprise," I said.

"I don't want any more of your surprises," Howie said.

"I think you'll like this one," I assured him.

--------------------------

An hour later all five of us were strapped into go karts. Leigh, Leighanne, and Liv hung over the fence.

"Men and their little cars," Liv said. Leighanne started to laugh.

"I don't have a small car!" I said.

"Hey, it doesn't matter how big a car you have," Bri said. "As long as it fits well into tight places."

"You just have to know how to maneuver the corners," Howie added.

"And when to shift gears," AJ said.

"I have a feeling this isn't about the go-karts," Kevin said. "Will you guys stop thinking with your dicks?"

"You're just jealous," I said. I tightened my helmet. Kevin grinned.

"Unlike you, I don't need to measure. There's not a ruler big enough."

"OOH!" Brian said. "BURN!"

Before we could continue, we took off. Howie has this whole 'Fast and Furious' fixation. You put that small Latino behind the wheel and he suddenl thought he was Vin Deisel. At one point we were racing side by side. Howie kept glancing my way. I saw him give a sharp yank to the wheel. My kart drifted off to the right; I swore I heard him cackling.

Needless to say, Howie won. He hopped out of the kart and climbed over the fence, scooping Leigh up in a hug. I got out of my kart slowly. He was happy now, but he wasn't going to be smiling when Brian and I snuck the donkey picture into our next CD liner.

"Want to play miniature golf?" I asked.

Kev checked his watch. "I've got to catch a flight back. Addy stayed back home with Mason. He's helping her make table decorations."

"I better get going too," AJ said.

"You both are party poopers," I declared.

After AJ and Kevin left the six of us played minature golf. It was like a triple date.

"This is one sport I'm good at," Liv said with a bright smile. I watched her ass wiggle back and forth as she lined up her shot. Even thought I reached out and grabbed a handful, she still managed to get a whole in one. She let out a squeal and whirled around. I took the opportunity to press her against me.

"Okay guys, it's my birthday. I don't want to see Carter porn," Howie said. Liv blushed; I just grinned. We stepped aside and let him putt.

"Hey Nick, you like my balls?" Brian asked. I looked over. He was holding both his golf ball and Leighanne's up to his crotch.

"Can I touch them?"

"Just be gentle."

By the time Brian and I stopped horsing around, Howie was three courses ahead of us and Liv and Leighanne were talking about some new type of bra or something.

"Aren't you enjoying your birthday?" I called out. Howie turned. He gave us a genuine smile.

"I am. But you guys still embarass the shit out of me."

Brian sniffled. "I'm touched."

I leaned down to pick up my ball, but instead I reached back and tapped his junk. He jumped.

"Nope. Now you're touched."

Before Bri could retaliate and we totally gayed up the place, my phone rang. My caller ID showed that it was from the local police station. Frowning, I connected.

"Hello?"

"Nick?"

"AJ?"

I heard a heavy sigh.

"I need you to come down to the police station. I was just fucking arrested."
Chapter 36 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Thirty Six

"You were what?"

"Could you just come down here? I don't know if I need a bond or a ride home or what the fuck's happening."

I closed my eyes. Bad luck was trailing after AJ like big ass piles of elephant crap.

"I'll be right there."

I disconnected. Everyone was looking at me.

"Who was that?" Liv asked.

I kicked my ball with the toe of my tennis shoe.

"AJ was just arrested. I got to go get him."

"He was what?" Howie said loudly. The vein in his forehead that always popped when he was angry was going haywire.

"I'm going down to see what's going on," I said. "I'll know more then."

I glanced at Bri.

"Could you give Liv a ride home?"

He nodded.

"Sure."

I grabbed the keys from my backpocket. I gave Liv a soft kiss. Her forehead was creased with little worried lines. I touched them gently.

"Don't worry. I'm sure it's just something stupid."

Bri slapped me on the back. I waved over at Howie. I headed out to the convertible and got it.

"I sure hope it's something stupid," I mumbled to myself.

-----------------------

"Solicitation of prostitution," the front desk clerk said after I asked about AJ's charges.

"Are you kidding?" I said. The clerk didn't look like he had ever smiled a day in his life.

"No, he was arrested by an undercover female officer."

I closed my eyes. Leave it to AJ to pick the only hooker on the street that was a cop.

"Can I see him?" I asked. The clerk stood.

"One minute."

I leaned against the desk and looked around. There was the usual group of weirdos, drunks, and thieves. A couple girls that looked like they were real prostitutes were staring at me. I gave them a little finger wave and quickly turned around.

For some strange reason while I waited, I couldn't help but think about that song It Wasn't Me by Shaggy. He had opened for us during the Black and Blue tour. AJ was practically living that song.

"Come with me."

I looked up and followed the clerk into the back. He led me to an interrogation room.

AJ was slumped over the table. He looked scared. I couldn't believe he had done something so stupid. Stupid was my department.

"AJ, what the hell were you thinking?" I asked as the officer closed the door behind me. AJ looked down at the table.

"I don't know," he said.

I pulled out one of the wooden chairs. It made a terrible scratching noise on the hard floor. I sat down heavily. I tried to put on my best disappointed and angry face. I had been studying Kevin's and I was pretty confident I had it down well. I was going to use it on Brooke and Noah when they got older.

"Dude, hookers are nasty," I finally said. "You could have taken off those fucking glasses, walked into a club, and got the goods for free if you wanted to get your rocks off."

AJ looked up at me.

"That's the thing," he said. "Those club girls would all know me. I just...I just wanted to fly under the radar for once."

I snorted. "Well you did a damn good job of that. Jesus, your face is going to be plastered all over TV and the web by morning."

I could see tears in his eyes. Shit. I sighed.

"Listen, if it helps, I called a lawyer just to see how much trouble you're in. You've never been arrested before for anything and this is your first offense."

"It'll be my last," he said.

"It better," I added firmly. "But, the lawyer said you should get a slap on the wrist and a fine anywhere from five hundred to a grand. Since you were probably shelling that out for the hookers, it's no big deal."

"I have a mugshot," he explained. I couldn't help it; I smiled.

"We can add it to mine. Now we just have to get the other three guys to do something completely stupid and asinine."

He shook his head. I leaned back in the chair and stretched out my legs. The chairs at the station were freakin' uncomfortable. I knew from experience. I glanced back at J.

"So, explain to me why you had to go looking for a piece of ass in the first place. Was your hand not enough?"

He closed his eyes.

"Nick..."

"What? I've done it before. A lot."

A couple Playboys and my hand were all I had when Liv was out of commission with Brooke and Noah. It hadn't been my top choice, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Actually, looking back, I'm surprised I don't have carpal tunnel by now.

"I just needed some company."

AJ started picking at the skin around his thumb; it started to bleed. I knew this was more than company. The signs all pointed back to my first suspicion.

"This doesn't have anything to do with your nanny, does it?" I asked. AJ looked up quickly. Busted.

"Of course not."

"You think she's going to quit now?"

"I don't know," he answered quietly. It looked like the idea hadn't occured to him. Now that I had mentioned it, he looked devastated.

At that point, the door opened and a banging blonde cop walked in.

"McLean, you're up."

He stood up. She handcuffed him again and led him past me. AJ turned his head and looked at me.

"Is she the hooker?" I mouthed. He nodded. I tilted my head. No wonder he pulled up. She had the three T's and more.

"Nice," I mouthed. I couldn't help it; even married guys can't help but look.

After they led AJ out, I returned to the outer room. It seemed to take forever. I was never so glad to see AJ in all my life as he walked out from the back. He looked over at me.

"I figured you needed a ride home," I said. He groaned. I had a feeling he was thinking about his own car. I was pretty sure they had impounded it. We walked out to my convertible.

"Your mom's going to kill you," I said. He didn't answer.

As we neared his house, I pulled to a stop at a redlight and looked at him.

"J, I really hate all this shit happening to you," I said seriously. He didn't look at me.

"Well, I guess it's just the way the cookie crumbles," he said bitterly.

"It's got to turn around sometime," I said hopefully.

A few minutes later I pulled up to the house. It was completely dark. J got out, closed the door, and then leaned back in.

"Thanks for doing this," he said. I decided I was going to pull a good cop / bad cop routine. I smiled.

"What are friends for?"

Then, I frowned.

"But if you do anything, I mean anything, like this again, I'm going to let you rot in jail."

"Point taken," he said lightly. He stepped back and I took off. I watched him walk up to the house from my rearview mirror.

--------------------------

By the time I got home, it was almost two in the morning. Liv was still up. She was wearing her black 'naughty teacher' glasses and a light pink spaghetti-strap nightgown that barely reached the top of her knees. The light by the couch was on and she was curled up with a book. She sat up when she heard the alarm.

"Is everything okay?" she whispered. I set my keys on the hall table and walked over. I leaned over the back of the couch.

"He was arrested for trying to buy a hooker. The hooker was a cop."

Liv's eyes widened. It was even cuter when it happened behind glasses. I had the sudden image of her smacking me with a ruler. My mouth watered.

"Did they throw him in jail?"

I shook my head and tried to work around my other, more pleasant thoughts.

"No, they fined him and put him on probation."

Liv groaned and sank back into the couch. "He has the worst judgement of anybody that I've ever met."

I plucked the book she was reading from her hands. Wuthering Heights.

"What's this about?" I asked. "Does it have naked cowboys in it?"

Liv laughed. "It's a classic."

"A classic with naked cowboys?"

"Nick, it was written in the 1800's."

"People still did it back then. Otherwise, we wouldn't be here," I reasoned.

Liv fell back against the couch. Her leg was bent at the knee; her nightgown hitched up her thigh.

"You really want to know what it's about?" she asked. At this point I cared more about the ample amount of flesh she was showing, but I didn't want to look as pathetic as AJ. I nodded.

"Sure."

She started describing this love quadrangle with these dudes named Heathcliffe and Edgar and these chicks named Catherine and Isabella. Catherine and Edgar sounded like nutcases. They were perfect for each other. Except they didn't end up together. And everyone dies. I frowned.

"If you know everyone dies why are you reading it?"

Liv's eyes crinkled into a smile. "Because it's a good story."

"Even though there's no naked cowboys?"

She lifted her leg. She pressed her heel into my bare arm.

"I don't need naked cowboys. I have you."

I grinned.

"Well, I am hung like a horse."

Liv rolled her eyes. "Nick, why do you ruin things with stupid comments like that?"

I laughed and moved to the arm of the couch. I crawled up and over her. Her arms went around my neck.

"It's just a bad habit," I admitted. She kissed me softly.

"You don't have to do anything to impress me anymore," she reminded me quietly. "I've seen it all and it gets my full approval."

My hands ran up her legs. She wrapped them around my waist. I pressed my lips against hers. Her mouth opened slightly; my tongue darted in to probe the wetness of her mouth. Her nails scratched through my hair. My throat constricted as a moan escaped. I pressed my weight down on her. Suddenly I felt like I was wearing way too many clothes.

Liv must have felt the same way. She pulled away from my kiss and lifted my shirt over my head. I felt my shoulders ripple and her hands played with the planes of muscle along my back.

I worked my hands between our two bodies and slipped off her panties. There was a lot of wiggling and kicking to get our clothes off without the both of us falling off the couch. I couldn't help but laugh as my jeans got caught around my ankles. My feet were already hanging over the end of the couch. They don't make furniture for normal size people. Couches are only the right length for people like Brian.

Finally I was naked and Liv was naked. It was my favorite combination. I pressed her back into the couch. She tried to find a place to put her foot for leverage. I thought for one second about just rolling her on the floor, but I think we were both too lazy to actually move. With one long feverish kiss I took the plunge. The light from the lamp cast an amazing light over Liv's face. Every time our eyes would meet, the blue in her eyes seemed to mesmorize me and the rush would intensify.

It was one of those nights where I wasn't tired and I was determined to beat a new world record. I took pride in not being a minute man.

Of course, I was so wrapped up in pushing Liv to the edge and then pulling her back and feeling her body coiling up like a slinky that I didn't hear the little 'thump, thump, thump' on the stairs of a little baby coming down the stairs on her bottom.

What I did hear was the sound of the baby gate shaking at the bottom and a little cry. I froze.

"DA-DDY?"

"NICK!"

Liv didn't have to scream my name; well, she probably did. It was at that second I released and I felt her shuddering underneath me even as she was going back into mom mode. Liv grabbed the throw blanket from the back of the couch and quickly threw it over me. I wrapped it around my waist and stood up. Brooke was hanging over the baby gate, her eyes wide even in the dark.

"DA-DDY?"

I'm pretty sure it's not a good idea for your eighteen month old to see her dad banging the shit out of her mom. Liv was doing a mad scramble for her nightgown behind me.

I stood there my mouth open. I didn't know what to say. I didn't know protocol. Did I pick her up? Was that nasty?

Liv solved the problem for me. She came brushing by me in her nightgown and scooped Brooke up.

"Hey stinker," she said. She was squeaking so bad she sounded like Minnie Mouse. "How'd you get down here? You need to sleep."

"DA-DDY?"

"Hey pumpkin. Time to sleep."

My voice sounded even worse than Liv's. I blew her a kiss.

As soon as they disappeared I went back to the couch and gathered up my clothes.

It looked like me and AJ weren't going to make 'Father of the Year' anytime soon.
Chapter 37 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Thirty Seven

Somehow, even though I went to sleep thinking about just how much therapy Brooke was going to need when she grew up, I slept in late. The clock just flipped over to eleven when I opened my eyes.

I took a quick shower and headed downstairs. The whole house was quiet. I peeked outside and smiled.

Liv had spread a blanket on the grass and filled the baby pool with a soapy mixture. Brooke was toddling around trying to catch the bubbles Liv was blowing through different types of wands. Noah sat by Liv, his hands up in the air trying desperately to do the same thing Brooke was attempting to do.

It all looked so...normal. We were normal. Right?

Before I headed outside, I turned on my cellphone. It was almost noon; Brian had to be awake. I was probably the only dad that got to sleep in until eleven. Sure enough, he answered on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"I'm normal, right?" I blurted out. There was a long pause.

"Nick, I don't know how to break this to you...but there's no way in you-know-where that you're normal."

I groaned.

"Why are you asking me this now?"

I hopped up on the kitchen counter and explained what happened the night before. Brian started to laugh.

"It's not funny!" I said. "I screwed up my kid."

"She's only a year and a half. She's not going to remember."

I sighed.

"Dude, if there's just one thing I've got to say, it's that you must have been genetically mutated with a rabbit."

I held the phone away from me and looked at the screen in confusion. I put it back up to my ear.

"What?"

Brian laughed again.

"What's not normal is having that much sex with two babies in the house. As hyper as I know I am out on the road and when we do the TV gigs, at home with Kayleigh and Baylee and the two dogs and the craziness there's some nights I fall asleep at dinner with my head in the mashed potatoes. I don't know how you do it."

"Well--"

"Don't answer that," Bri warned.

This conversation with Brian was supposed to have made me feel better. It was making me feel worse.

"I've got to tell you that if you guys do this on tour Kev's going to get really annoyed. You know he likes to keep things discreet."

"We won't. There's no way we could with two kids in the bus."

"We're talking about you, Nick."

He had a point. I glanced back outside.

"Well, that's all I called about," I said awkwardly.

"I still love you even though you're a freak," Bri said sweetly. I cracked a smile.

"Thanks."

I hung up and headed outside.

I had the fear that Brooke was going to start screaming whenever she saw me, kind of like she did with Noah when we brought him home. Luckily, I was wrong.

"DA-DDY!" she said. I crouched down and she did an unsteady running walk to me, bubbles be damned.

"Whatcha guys doing?" I asked as I scooped her up.

"BOOB!" Brooke said. I looked at Liv with wide eyes. Oh my god, we did screw her up.

"Overreacting," Liv said calmly. She held up a wand. "Bubbles."

"Oh," I said. I tossed Brooke up in the air. She held out her arms wide and burst into giggles. All was good.

After a few minutes I sat down and picked up a wand. Liv and I spent the next half hour sending bubbles up in the air. Noah jabbered happily, big lines of drool slipping down his chin in happiness.

"About last night..." I whispered to Liv. She shook her head.

"Just let it go, Nick," she said.

"No, I called Brian and he said I'm not normal."

Liv laughed. Her eyes followed a heart-shape bubble's path.

"Your point?"

Noah crawled over and plopped himself on my lap. I hugged him tightly; he grabbed one of my fingers and gnawed on it. A sign of another tooth coming in.

"Well, I've decided that maybe I should fast."

Liv's eyes flickered to me. "Why in the world are you going to stop eating?"

"No, not a food fast."

She stared at me; then a look of understanding crossed her face.

"Nick, why would you do that? So we like to have sex. Big whoop. It's not like we do it everyday. I mean, sure, we probably do it more than most people, but c'mon. I'd say if we can still enjoy it even after spending a whole day running after two babies than kudos to us."

I took my hands and covered Noah's ears. He began to whine; I had taken away his chew toy, aka, my finger.

"Shhh."

Liv laughed. "You're being ridiculous. Plus, when have you ever wanted to me like everyone else?"

I glanced over. Brooke was crouched down. She picked a dandelion. Her mouthh opened.

"Brooke, NO!"

She looked over at me. Then she looked back at the flower. She stood back up and toddled back over to me. She pushed the flower into Noah's face.

"NoNo! FLOOOOOOOO!!!!"

Noah's face crinkled up and he batted it away. Brooke let out a little gasp as the dandelion crumbled. Her bottom lip quivered. In seconds she was down on the blanket, hands and feet beating the ground.

A temper tantrum over a dandelion. And all Noah did was watch her like she was a freak.

Liv scooped her up, dodging the little flying fists until Brooke finally slumped down, exhausted.

"I think it's time for lunch and then a nap," Liv declared. She stood up. I held Noah tightly and followed her into the kitchen.

As Liv and I went into mommy and daddy routine, working as a team to assemble two little lunches, I had to admit she was probably right. We didn't neglect our job as parents. Actually, we were damn good parents. So, if we rewarded ourselves with monkey, kangaroo, or any other type of sex, well...so be it.

And, as long as we made sure to do it in a room with a door that could be locked, then it was all good.

Definitely good.

-------------------

August 27

"Hey, Nick."

"Hey, J. What's up?"

"I was wondering if you could suggest an attorney."

I set down my fork. AJ sounded weird.

"You weren't arrested, right?"

"No, it's Ro's mom. I just received a summons for a court hearing. She wants legal custody of Alexis and Jonah."

"What? Why?"

"She's claiming I'm an unfit parent."

"That's ridiculous."

"I hope so. I don't want this to drag out. Actually, I'd prefer not to even go to court."

"Well, the lawyer that did Liv's divorce is pretty good. Even if he doesn't have expertise in this area he can probably suggest someone that does."

I got up and rifled through a drawer full of business cards. I found the right one and rattled off the name and number.

"Thanks," AJ said.

"Is there anything else you need? A letter or...anything?"

"I'll let you know once I talk to the lawyer."

He sounded so tired.

"Just let me know, okay?"

"I will. Thanks Nick."

"Okay. Bye J."

I hung up and slowly picked up my fork. Liv looked at me.

"AJ?"

"How'd you guess?"

"It seems like any bad news lately involves AJ," Liv reasoned. She had a point.

"Ro's mom is trying to take custody of the twins," I explained. Liv's eyes widened.

"She doesn't stand a chance! No judge would take them away from AJ."

"I know. I mean there's the whole prostitute thing."

"People have done far worse than that and still keep their kids," Liv said.

"True," I said. I hoped for AJ's sake that Liv was right. If he lost the twins on top of everything else I had a bad, bad feeling that we would be attending another funeral soon.

"EEEETI!"

I glanced over at Brooke. She had been doing really well with the spaghetti, carefully eating a noodle at a time. But something, maybe the frown on my face, had triggered a need for attention. I watched her pick up the bowl.

"Brooke--" I started to say, but it was too late. She dumped the whole bowl upside down on her head. Noah, who was strapped in a his little high chair across from her smiled and banged his tray. Brooke clapped her hands and laughed hysterically. Then she flung a noodle across the table. It landed on Noah's forehead. He picked it up and stuffed it in his mouth. Liv just closed her eyes. I think she was probably silently counting to five in her head.

"Okay," she finally said. "Tub time."

Brooke pulled a noodle out of her hair and ate it. Liv stood up and picked her up. Brooke's eyes widened.

"NO! NO! NO!"

Noah looked up. He clapped his hands.

I heard a constant No! No! No! until the water turned on. Then the little mermaid was happy. I glanced over at Noah.

"Girls are weird," I said. He stuffed a Cheerio in his mouth and I swear he nodded. He held out a Cheerio to me. I took it. Sure, it didn't taste great with spaghetti, but it made him smile. Some whole grains Italian style were worth it for that.

As I put our dishes in the sink and scooped Noah up for a much-needed diaper change, I couldn't help but think how lucky I was that Liv's mom loved me. Sure, my mom was a piece of work, but even she wouldn't think of taking our kids away from us. Not that she would stand a chance. She was more unfit than I could ever be.

Of course, if Liv's mom ever knew that her granddaughter had witnessed me couch humping her daughter, I'm sure I'd probably go down a couple notches in her book.

That's why some things are best kept secret.
Chapter 38 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Thirty Eight - September 6

"This is amazing. I don't think we've ever flown with both kids before."

By the look on Liv's face, I was pretty sure she wouldn't have used the word 'amazing.'

"I just hope the other passengers don't kill us before we land," she said. I grinned. She had a point. Brooke was in gymnastic mode today. Currently I was sitting in the chair holding her arms while she did little flips and laughed her ass off.

"I figured all that noise was coming from over here."

I looked up. Then I laughed. You've heard of Iron Man? AJ looked like Iron Dad. He was loaded down with more baby stuff than I had never seen in my life. Oxygen tanks, first aid kits, diaper bags, little minature panic masks...even two giant triangular pillows.

"Dude, what is all that stuff?"

"I've been reading up. The change in cabin pressure can bother infants ears so I have pacifiers and bottles. There's also the change in oxygen level so I thought I'd bring the tank just in case. Then Jonah actually rolled over two days ago so I brought these pillows..."

"They're not going to let you bring an oxygen tank on the flight," I said. "Do you want us all to go boom?"

"BOOM!" Brooke squealed. Noah yelled out something that sounded like "BABABAGA!'

"Well, crap," AJ said. He started to unload everything.

"Hey J?" Liv said. He looked up. "What?"

"Where are Ally and Joe?"

AJ turned and frowned. "They were right behind me." Then he smiled. "There they are!"

Walking straight towards us was the redhead and her identical little girl. The woman was carrying both carseats. I couldn't see Ally or Joe's face; it looked like AJ had them wrapped up so tight that we could have gone to Antarctica and they wouldn't have frozen. All I could see were two pairs of little brown eyes peeking out.

Then there was Red's little girl. She was dancing around in an outfit that made her look like she was ready to audition for Flash Dance. AJ quickly unloaded the rest of the stuff and went over and picked up a car seat. He looked right at Red and they shared a smile.

And it wasn't just any type of smile; it was that type of smile. You know the type. It's the smile you have when there's an attraction, but you're not sleeping together. AJ might as well have just batted his eyelashes at her and giggled.

Which I would have loved to see, by the way.

"Guys, this is Molly and her daughter Shelby," AJ said. Liv stood up. Noah let out a little protest.

"Nice to meet you," Liv said. She shook Molly's hand and then bent down and held her hand out to Shelby. Shelby took Liv's hand and did an energetic pumping shake, up and down. Liv looked like she was trying really hard not to laugh.

I scooped Brooke up after she flipped over one last time.

"Good to see you again," I said to Molly. She shook my hand and smiled.

"Have we met?"

AJ grinned. I tried not to scowl. I used to tell AJ that a woman never forgot my face. That was just a giant burn to my ego right there.

"Er, briefly," I said.

I shook it off and leaned down towards Shelby. I held up my hand. At least the kid knew what to do. She gave me a hard high five.

Brooke, not to be outdone, held out her hand too. Shelby grinned and gave her a lighter tap. Brooke waved her hand right up into my face as if to say, 'See? I can do it too!' I took her fingers and nibbled on them.

"Why do your kids have yellow hair?" Shelby asked. I looked down at her in surprise.

"It's blonde hair," I said. "Just like mine."

She tilted her head. Out of the corner of my eye I saw AJ watching her; he looked amused.

"You look like Spongebob," she said.

I've been called a lot of things in my life, but never Spongebob. Before I could ask the kid what planet she came from, I heard our boarding call.

"Alright who's ready to go to Kentucky?" Liv said. Noah gurgled. Brooke swung herself around every which way, her head practically smashing into my chin a couple times.

"UCK!" she said. I knew it was probably short for Ken-tUCK-y, but I couldn't help but laugh.

AJ had to lag behind because he got stuck talking to an FAA agent who informed him what he could and could not take on board (which was basically half the stuff he brought). He cut it really close to the wire; running on board just as they were locking the doors.

"Alright," he said a little breathlessly, taking his seat. "Let's just sit back and relax."

-----------------------

I think AJ jinxed us. It wasn't even a long flight, but it was the flight from hell.

I should have listened to AJ's talk about the change in cabin pressure. Noah was fine, but as I felt my own ears pop, Brooke let out a scream like someone was stabbing her repeatedly with a knife. Her back rammed against my chest and she held her hands over her ears, large tears streaming down her face. I'm sure even the passenger in coach heard her.

Then there was Noah. Once I got Brooke calmed down and she sat sucking from her sippy cup, Noah began to whine. At first I thought it was because Liv wasn't letting him off her lap. Then I saw the look on his face.

"Liv, I'd take him to the bathroom," I warned. She turned Noah around.

"Why---"

It was disgusting. I don't know what kind of jar baby food Liv had fed him before we left, but it was green and brown and yellow and it smelled like used kitty litter. And it ended up all over Liv.

If that wasn't bad enough, Shelby was skipping up and down the aisle and had seen the whole thing.

"Ew, that looks like runny poop!" she squealed.

Liv looked like she was going to be sick. She took off down the aisle and I swear that everyone who had an aisle seat moved as far away from her as humanly possible.

With the help of the stewardess, I helped cleaned up any puke left on the seat. While I did that, Brooke got loose. Liv returned and sat down. Noah was freshly changed and looked like he was going to fall asleep. Liv had cleaned herself up the best she could but she still smelled.

Not that I would have ever told her that. Anyhow, I think she knew. She kept leaning down and sniffing herself. Finally, she looked at me. Her eyes grew wide.

"Nick, where's Brooke?"

I think my heart stopped. I stood up and looked down the aisles.

No Brooke.

I retraced my actions in my head. I remembered letting her go when I helped wipe up Liv's seat.

"Brooke!" I called out. No answer.

"AJ?" He turned around. He had one of the twins in his arms, I couldn't tell who.

"What's up?"

"I can't find Brooke!"

"Well, she's got to be here somewhere."

I had an irrational moment where I pictured her opening the emergency door and falling out; her little nineteen month old body twirling around in the air. I climbed over Liv.

"Brooke!" I called again.

No answer.

I flagged down a stewardess and gave a description. She told me to return to my seat.

Yeah, right.

The stewardess disappeared into coach. If I hadn't pissed off every other first class passenger yet, I did now. I practically crawled between people's legs looking for her.

"Shelby!"

I turned around. Now Molly was standing up with a baby in her arms looking concerned. She caught my gaze.

"Have you seen Shelby?"

"No, when did you lose her?"

"I don't know, she was skipping up and down the aisles five minutes ago."

"Brooke!"

"Shelby!"

It wasn't until I made my way to the bathroom that I heard the sound of little tiny giggles. The lock hadn't been flipped on the bathroom, but there was someone in there. Hoping that I wasn't going to walk in on a fat man taking a dump, I pushed open the door.

The faucet was running and water was everywhere. Brooke was sitting on the floor splashing away while Shelby scooped up big handfuls and tossed it in the air.

"What you doing?"

Brooke looked up. "DA-DDY!"

"We're playing mermaid!" Shelby said.

I scooped Brooke up. The water soaked right into my shirt.

"C'mon Ariel. Your mommy's looking for you," I said. Shelby hopped off of a little block of wood she had found and followed me. I left her to be scolded by Molly and headed back to Liv. Brooke was starting to whine, but there wasn't any place to change her. The bathroom was too wet to change Brooke in and we were almost there anyhow. I sat her on my lap and let the water soak into my jeans. Liv looked over at me.

"Is this flight amazing yet?" she asked. I leaned my head back against the headrest.

"Not quite."

-----------------------

I was never as glad to get off a plane as I was today. Brian and Leigh had flown up a couple days earlier to spend more time with the 'fam.' He had offered to pick us up. He started to laugh the minute he saw me.

"Did you pee your pants? I've warned you about that."

I gave him a look. Brooke's hair was plastered to her forehead and she was almost in as bad a mood as I was. Liv was still plucking her shirt away from her skin and making a face at the lingering smell of puke.

"Was it a good flight?" Bri asked. I glared at him. He grinned sheepishly and directed his attention to AJ. AJ introduced him to Molly and Shelby. We all shuffled through the airport.

"Howie and Leigh arrived a couple hours ago," Bri explained.

"How are we all going to fit in a van?" I asked. I look came over Brian's face that I didn't like.

"Oh, I didn't get a van," he said. "I got a bus."

He wasn't kidding. The thing was old and looked like David Cassidy should be hanging out the window singing.

"What are we?" AJ asked. "The friggin' Partridge Family?"

Great minds think alike.

"Well, the church doesn't have much parking and you guys are all staying at the same hotel anyhow. I thought this would get ya'all back and forth," Bri explained.

AJ got Ally and Joe buckled in. I returned to baggage claims to get our carseats and bags. It took over an hour to get everyone situated. I knew it would take another hour to get everyone out and into the hotel.

We were going to be lucky to make Kev's wedding and it was two days away.

"How are we going to do this on tour?" I asked allowed. Bri just smiled.

"We're just going to run on Backstreet time like we always do," he said.

"And if the fans get grouchy enough we can put a little Carter face up to the window and distract everyone with th aww's," AJ added. "We'll sacrifice Noah to the Backstreet fans."

"I don't think so!" Liv called. Her voice was muffled. She had crawled under the seat for something. She came up with Noah's pacifer. She slid it in her pocket since it was probably covered with dust that had been around since the 70's.

When we were all finally in and buckled, Bri scrambled up into the driver's seat. The bus shimmied and shook but finally roared to life.

"Welcome to Kentucky!" he called back to us.

He honked a horn and I swear it sounded like the theme song from The Dukes of Hazzard.

Brooke had been right all along. All I could think of was her little chirpy voice saying 'UCK.'

It was going to be a long couple of days.
Chapter 39 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Thirty Nine

After arriving at the hotel, we all checked into our rooms and took a couple hours to relax. Liv took a much needed shower and I changed Brooke and I out of our soggy clothes.

Liv was still in the bathroom and I was sprawled on the bed with Brooke and Noah when a loud rap sounded on the door. I hopped up and answered the door. Bri was standing there holding Kayleigh. She broke into a big smile and waved.

"Hey, what's up?"

"I just thought I'd come and show off," Bri said with a smile.

"She's getting big. I'm really sorry we missed her birthday party," I said.

"Well, our first wedding anniversary and a trip to St. Thomas were pretty good excuses," Bri said lightly. He set Kayleigh down. She stood up and began to toddle around. I laughed.

"She looks like Shirley Temple. She's a chubs-ter."

Bri slid his hands in his pockets. "It's baby fat. I happen to think it's adorable. Leighanne was a chubby kid."

I watched as Brooke leaned over the end of the bed and looked down at Kayleigh. She looked surprised and excited to see another little person around her size.

"GAH!"

Kayleigh looked up. She broke into a smile and pointed. "GAH!"

Noah crawled onto Brooke's back. "ACCC!"

Before both of my kids tumbled off the bed and split their heads open, I scooped them up and put them down on the floor. Bri and I sprawled out in the two easy chairs in the room and watched them roam around the room. Brooke found the suitcase packed with toys and started yanking things out. Kayleigh was only too happy to help.

"What's all the noise?"

Bri and I both looked over as the bathroom door opened. Liv was standing there wrapped in a towel. She saw Bri, let out a little yelp and slammed the door. I laughed.

"Maybe I should go."

"Naw, don't worry. Give her a few minutes."

Five minutes later Liv came out fully dressed and still blushing right up to the tips of her ears. Bri smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, I brought Kayleigh over."

"It's okay," Liv said. "My bad." She turned to look down at Kayleigh. "Oh she's adorable! Look at all that hair!"

Brooke and Kayleigh looked up at the exact same time. Brooke grinned and held up a plastic duck.

"MAMA!"

Liv knelt down and started to quack with the duck. Noah came over and plopped himself down at my feet. I think the estrogen was getting too much for him. I was about ready to say so out loud when Bri's cell rang.

"Hello? Hey Kev."

He listened for a few minutes, did a few 'uh huh's' and hung up.

"Kev said he's going to put on some burgers and hot dogs for all of us," Bri said. He stood up.

"I'm going to tell How."

With a few loud protests from Kayleigh, Bri scooped her up and headed out of the room. Brooke's bottom lip quivered. She stood up and tried to walk right out the door. Liv scooped her up.

"Nope. You'll see her later."

"I'm going to go tell J," I told Liv. She nodded. I walked out before Brooke started to cry. I hated when she cried.

I passed Howie's door. Bri was leaning in the doorway talking to him. I walked a little farther down. AJ's door was open a crack. I didn't bother to knock. I just stuck my head right in.

"Hey J, Kev just called and he's grilling burgers for all of us."

AJ and Molly were standing by a port-a-crib. They looked extremely close; I had a feeling I just interrupted something. AJ turned to look at me.

"Sorry...just...thought you'd want to know. About...the meat."

I ducked out of the doorway and headed back down the hall. The door to my room was closed; I had forgotten my keycard. I knocked and waited for Liv to let me in.

Something told me AJ was going to be grumpy tonight.

--------------------------

"Wow, this isn't something you see every day."

Kevin was standing at the grill, staring at the bus in surprise as we all unloaded. His hair was pulled back in a ponytail. I hadn't realized it had gotten that long.

"What's with the bus?"

I turned around and pointed to Brian. Noah clung to my arm and smiled.

"Ask your cousin."

"It was the only thing that would fit all of us," Brian argued.

"He's just a little guy that likes driving big things," AJ remarked. He hopped off the bus, ignoring the last step all together. Then he turned around and gently took a carseat.

Addy came out of the house carrying a large covered platter. My stomach growled. She set the tray down on the table and walked over to Kev. Her arms looped around his waist. He turned his head and they kissed.

"I'm so excited for you two!" Liv said happily. She was in a much better mood now that she didn't smell like strained beets and digested beef chunks. Now she smelled like oranges.

I love oranges.

Kev laughed. "Thank you."

"Need some help with the meat?" Bri asked. Kev and Bri stood shoulder to shoulder staring down at all of the hamburgers and hot dogs. They both nodded in appreciation.

"Where's Mason?" I asked. Addy turned around and cupped her hands around her mouth.

"MASON!"

I tried to remember the last time I had seen Mason. I wasn't sure, but I thought it might have been at my wedding. Therefore, I wasn't horribly surprised at how big he had gotten. His blonde hair had been cut and spiked out. He looked like was five going on fifteen. He jumped off the porch without touching even one of the stairs. He looked like he had spent most of his summer outdoors; his skin was a golden tan. He was wearing cowboy boots. It was hard to believe, what with being Kevin's son and all, but he looked like a big bundle of mischief.

"Wow! There's a lot of people here!" he said. He ran over to Addy. He watched her uncover the tray.

"Is grandpa coming?" he asked her. She smiled.

"He said he'd stop by after he sees Mrs. Walker."

"HEY!"

Everyone turned. Red's, er Molly's, daughter Shelby was standing on another picnic table. She had changed from her 80's look. Now she was sporting a cowgirl hat, rubber gardening boots, and a giant flannel shirt with humongous stickers of Big Bird all over it. She pointed at something, her eyes wide.

"THAT'S A HORSE!!!"

I don't know what it was, probably the high level of sugary excitement in her voce, but Brooke and Kayleigh started to squeal too even though I knew for a fact Brooke couldn't see the horse from where she was in Liv's arms.

"THAT'S FIONA!" Mason yelled. He ran over to the picnic table and scrambled on top.

Even Baylee couldn't help but get excited. He stood on the picnic table and towered above the two smaller kids.

"Hey Uncle Kevin, can I ride the horse?"

"Horse?"

James took off. I don't even know where he came from. All I knew was that he flew from behind Howie's leg and ran off towards the picnic table.

"Christ, how did there get to be so many kids?" AJ called out.

"We're a really affectionate group!" I called back.

"Who wants hot dogs?" Kevin called out.

"Do they make hot dogs out of real DOGS?" Shelby called out. Her and Mason seemed to be the leaders of the picnic table. After Baylee didn't get an answer about riding the horse, he had jumped off and headed for a tire swing off to the side of the house.

Shelby's comment started off a panic.

"I don't LIKE hot dogs!" Mason yelled.

"You LOVE hot dogs!" Kevin said. His big bushy eyebrows were knitted so close together he was centimeters away from a unibrow.

"Nu-uh!"

"Then have a hamburger."

"What are hamburgers made out of?" Mason yelled out. I think he was just enjoying being loud. Shelby nudged him.

"They're made out of HAM!" she screamed in his face.

I was suddenly glad that both of my kids were still under the age of two. Brooke just looked confused and Noah was happily sucking from a bottle on a big blanket in the yard. Molly got Shelby down and they walked off for a little 'quiet' talk. Mason swung his legs over the edge of the table and sat on the top.

"Howie, where's James?" I heard Leigh say. I glanced at the table. He had gotten down.

"Crap. James?" Howie called out.

"Maybe the potty monster got him," I said with a grin. Howie gave me a look.

"He's potty trained, thank you. He has been for almost a year now. JAMES?"

I looked around the yard. AJ was right. There were a lot of kids. Baylee was hanging upside down, his legs through the tire swing. I glanced at the side of the house. I started to laugh.

"Howie, I see him!"

I pointed to the side of the house. James was standing there bare assed pissing on the siding.

"Does he know how to use indoor plumbing?" I teased. Howie groaned and ran towards him.

"James, dude you can use the potty!"

"I think we should have a whole bunch of teen girls spend the day with the guys and the kids," Leigh said. I looked over at her. She was watching Howie yank up James' pants. "I think we alone could solve the teen pregnancy problem. Ten minutes and they'd think twice."

"Yeah, Addy, remember this," Liv said. Addy had just come out of the house with a big covered bowl. She just smiled.

"Don't listen to them Ad," Kev said. He set down two huge platters of hamburgers and hotdogs. They shared another kiss.

"How do you like Kev's hair, Addy?" I asked. She glanced at the ponytail and sighed.

"Are you finishing off this stupid bet tonight?" she asked. Kev looked at me. I crossed my arms, smirked, and nodded.

"Oh, yeah. This is the night that I've been waiting for all my life."

Liv leaned across from me and grabbed a potato chip from the bowl. She bite into it, looked at me, and smiled.

"That's nice to know."

I laughed. "Shut up. You know what I mean."

Miraculously everyone got the kids corraled and engrossed in food. I grabbed a plate of food and sat down at the picnic table next to Liv. I glanced back at Kev's house. It was an old farmhouse but somehow it suited him. I could imagine him living him when he was old and gray reminiscing about the days when he used to keep up with the amazing, fabulous Nick Carter. I smiled and took a big bite of hamburger.

In a few short hours I was going to have the taped confession of a lifetime. I had a stylist from Lexington on the way up here.

Everyone probably thought I had some other crazy ideas too.

I didn't...but it was nice to keep them on their toes. After all, I had a reputation to maintain.
Chapter 40 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Forty

After each of the kids got a chance to either ride on the horse or pet it (depending on age), enjoyed a big sugary cupcake, and ran in the yard until they all fell down exhausted, me and the guys got everyone buckled into the bus.

"Okay girls," I said as Brian slid up in the driver's seat. "Kev has a bet to pay up on. So, Brian's taking you back to the hotel where you can all watch a movie and talk about us."

Addy put her hands on her hips. "Excuse me, but I live here."

I turned to her. I wasn't scared of any of the girls...except Addy. I mean, she did use a taser on me. I smiled sweetly.

"Please? Consider this a really, really tame bachelor party."

"Consider it just a few hours until I can cut my hair," Kevin added. Addy looked at him and smiled.

"I am looking forward to that," she admitted. She glanced down at Mason.

"Want to go watch a movie with the other kids?"

"Yup!"

While Addy and Kev said goodbye, I leaned into the car and kissed Liv softly.

"You're only going to finish this bet right?" she asked. I laughed.

"Why do you ask?"

"Nick..."

Before she could say anything Mason scrambled into the van.

"It smells in here!" he said loudly. I sniffed. It smelled like old incense.

"Okay guys have fun!" I said. I stepped out to let Addy in. Brian turned around.

"I'll be back in a half hour. Don't do anything 'til I get back," he warned. I nodded.

"No prob."

Brian took off and I went back to the picnic table. I sat across from AJ. He was staring off into the sky. Slowly he looked at me.

"I want to slap the shit out of you."

My eyes widened. "Why?"

"You have the worst timing of anybody I've ever met."

"What did he do now?" Howie asked. He sat down next to AJ.

"I walked in on AJ and Red," I explained. "AJ was putting the moves on her." I puckered my lips and started to kiss the air. AJ's hand shot out and smacked me on the head. I laughed.

"What's going on with the nanny?" Kevin asked. He sat beside me. "I missed it."

AJ sighed. "Nothing's going on with the nanny."

"Oh c'mon," I said with a laugh. "You're telling me that you would pass up the chance to be the male lead in AJ and the Naughty Nanny?"

AJ scowled. "I can't even get a kiss without getting interrupted!"

"So thereis something going on with the nanny," Kevin said. AJ scratched his beard. He was driving me nuts doing that.

"She's cute," Howie said.

"Her kid's a nutcase," I added. AJ looked at me.

"Just wait unti your kids are that age. I don't think we've seen anything yet," AJ said.

"You're going to need leashes," Howie said.

"And barkless collars," AJ added. I looked at him.

"Barkless collars?" He just grinned.

"Back to Molly," Kevin said. "So is there feelings there or..."

"We just have a lot in common," AJ said. He started to pick at a loose piece of wood on the picnic table. "She lost her husband and Shelby's twin brother in a fire three years ago."

There was a heavy silence as we all processed that information. Finally AJ lifted his head and looked around us.

"What do you think Ro would want me to do? I mean...it's only been five months..."

Kevin crossed his arms and leaned into the table. "I don't think I can answer that. I mean, I met Addy right after Kristin and I split up."

"Well, I think she's better than you getting arrested with another prostitute," Howie said. AJ groaned.

"That won't happen again."

"It's not like you're running out and getting remarried," I reasoned. "If it doesn't work out you're not out anything but a nanny. It's probably better to do it now rather than when the kids are older."

"Nick actually has a good point," Howie said.

"Well what would you guys do if you were in my position?"

I thought about it. I didn't want to think about it, but the question was thrown out there. I tried to imagine life without Liv; I tried to picture taking care of Brooke and Noah by myself. It wasn't a good picture.

"I think," I said slowly. "That Liv would want me to move on. I mean, if I'm eighty and it happens, I don't think I'm going to go out and marry a twenty year old. But if it happened now...we're still so young..."

AJ nodded. Kev's head shot up. We all watched a Lexus crunch down the driveway. A pretty girl stepped out of the car. She leaned back in and grabbed a big bag.

"That's your hairdresser," I told Kev. I nudged his side. He looked at me.

"She's really a hairdresser right?" he whispered. I laughed.

"I didn't get you a stripper. Don't worry. Her name's Donna."

Donna headed our way. When she got up to the table I stood.

"Nick?" she asked. I nodded and shook her hand. Then I pointed at Kevin.

"Here he is!"

Donna walked over to Kev. She grabbed his hair and took it out of the ponytail.

"Can you do it?" I asked hopefully.

"Oh yeah, this will be great," she said.

As she was running her fingers through his hair, Brian pulled back up. He hopped out and jogged up to the table.

"I didn't miss anything, right?" he asked. I shook my head.

"Nope. Just in time."

"Can we go inside?" Donna asked.

"Yeah. It's going to get dark soon," Kevin said.

We all walked into the house. It was so...country. Pictures of Mason were everywhere.

Talk about a proud dad.

Donna set Kevin up in the kitchen. I ran back out to the bus and dug under the seats. I pulled out a video camera. I came back in and sat across from Kev. His eyes were closed and Donna was starting to partion his hair. I turned the camera on.

"Here we are in Kentucky in Kevin's kitchen. Kevin's getting his hair done. Kev, why don't you explain to the fans what Donna here is doing?"

Kev opened an eye and glared at me. "I'm getting dreads."

I stifled a laugh. "And why?"

"Nick..."

"No, tell the fans. They might have forgotten. It's been awhile."

Kev sighed. He was getting grouchy and fast. I turned to Bri. He grinned and leaned into the screen.

"Hey Bri, why don't you tell everyone why Kev's getting dreads."

"Well," Bri said. He straddled the back of a chair. "Nick and Kev made a bet that Nick couldn't stay away from fast food for a month. And Nick won. Kev's punishment is the dreadlocks and a personal statement about Nick's greatness. Now if you ask me, Nick is full of balog--"

I paused the camera. "I didn't ask your opinion, Littrell."

"How long is this going to take?" AJ asked.

"It's not really dreads," Donna explained. "The correct term is cornrows for this length and thickness. It's going to take about an hour and a half."

"What are we supposed to do while we wait?" AJ asked.

"I have a suggestion."

Bri and I looked over at Howie. He was laying on the couch in the living room. I swore he was going to say take a nap. He sat up and looked at AJ.

"I think we need to give AJ a makeover so he can get the nanny."

AJ's eyes widened. "I don't need a makeover. I've perfected my image."

"No offense," Brian said. "But you scratch that beard every five minutes. It's getting long; you look like Rip Van Winkle. We either need to get some lice shampoo on it or you need to shave."

"Hey Kev where's your computer?"

A quarter of his hair was corn-rowed. I was loving every minute of this night.

"In the living room on the desk," he said. "Why?"

I didn't answer him. It wasn't like he was going to get up and run after me. I headed into the living room, flicked on the light and powered the laptop on. As soon as the desktop loaded I went to Google.

"What are you doing?" AJ asked. Bri followed him into the living room.

"I'm bringing up all the pictures of you I can find," I said. "I think we need to vote on what was the best facial hair look for you."

Googling AJ was actually kind of funny. There were so many pictures from 1997 when he was in his 'Fly for a White Guy' stage. And then there were the pictures of all the rest of us tagged in along with AJ's name.

"Dude Howie, you and Kevin were battling it out for worst hair style for awhile," I commented. Howie came over and looked.

"I had beautiful hair," he argued. "I should have had my hair insured."

"No, you should have saved it so Brian and AJ could have gotten hair plugs," I said. I felt a hand on the back of my head; I was pretty sure it was Brian.

I flipped through a couple pages and then came to a couple shots from the 'I Still' video. I tapped the screen.

"See, you didn't look like a hobo here," I reasoned. Brian leaned over my shoulder.

"I looked good with fuzz," he said. "I should grow that back."

I was going to ask him if his hair was still growing anywhere, but I thought twice.

"What do you think Howie?"

Howie got off the couch and leaned over. "I agree."

I turned to look at AJ. His arms were folded across his chest.

"Kevin?" I called out.

"What?"

"Where's your razors?"

"In my bathroom upstairs. What are you guys doing?" I think Kev was feeling left out.

AJ snorted. "You're not doing anything. I remember when you shaved your chest and it was all splotchy and raw."

I made a face. "I've never shaved my chest."

"Bull-shit. I know for a fact that Paris liked a bare chest."

I felt my face flame up. I had made a lot of bad relationship choices in my life.

"Fine. Then Howie will do it. He's articulate."

"Meticulous," Howie corrected.

I shrugged. "Whatever."

Twenty minutes later we had both AJ and Kevin in the kitchen. Kevin's hair was half done. I flipped on the camera.

"It's an exciting night in Kentucky, folks. Kev's halfway done with the cornrows. My bad that I called them dreads earlier. How do you feel?"

Brian jumped in front of the camera. He put on his best 'Stewie' voice from Family Guy.

"I feel right, Bri. I feel right."

"I feel ridiculous."

"It's only taken you twelve years to admit how stupid this was the first time you did it," I said with a laugh. I panned the camera over to AJ.

"In this corner, Howie is giving AJ a metrosexual makeover. The flea factory that's been growing on his chin is getting tamed."

Howie turned around and waved with the razor. AJ's eyes watched the razor like a hawk.

"Dude, I swear if you cut me..."

"I won't cut you. Hold still."

I kept the camera panned between AJ and Kev for about five minutes. Than my arms got tired. I paused it and set it down on the table. I fidgeted for another five. Then I just got bored.

"Hey, Nick..."

I turned. Brian's head was in the refrigerator. He pulled out a huge watermelon.

"I bet I can spit a seed farther than you."

AJ groaned. I turned to make sure Howie hadn't slit his throat. AJ was looking over at us.

"Don't bet Nick," he said, barely moving his mouth. Bri just grinned.

"Nick?"

I turned back to him. "What's the bet?"

Brian looked thoughtful. Then he snapped his fingers. "Whoever loses has to put on girl's clothing and sing and dance to 'Milkshake.'"

The idea of Brian singing about how his milkshake was going to bring all the boys to the yard was too good to pass up. I stood up and held out my hand.

"Gimme a seed."

Ten minutes later all styling work was paused. Howie was armed with some masking tape. Brian and I were both behind a long masking tape line.

"Alright, Bri you spit first," Howie instructed.

I could see Brian working the seed around in his mouth. He pointed in the distance as in marking his spot. Then he tossed his head back and let it go. The seed bounced and rolled, finally landing just out of the kitchen in the living room. Howie marked it off.

"Okay, Nick."

I studied the seed. We each had two tries. But I wanted to take the lead on the first. I shuffled my feet. I rolled my neck along my shoulders. Then I took aim.

I had a pretty good trajectory of spit. The seed tumbled over and over. It landed just a little farther than Brian's.

"Round two," Howie said.

"Nick, you're first."

I wanted to make the second one really count. I followed the same procedure as before. Unfortunately I think I almost swallowed it on takeoff. The seed fell far short of even Brian's first attempt. I groaned.

"Brian, it comes down to this."

Bri cracked his knuckles. He pointed at my seed. He looked at me. He made the cut-throat sign. Then he grew serious and let it go.

I have to admit, that seed had game. I knew I was a goner. I heard the thing hit the window. I groaned.

Kevin let out an excited yell like he had just won the Superbowl.

"Addy has a box of stuff to go to Goodwill. Dig through it, Nicolette."

Needless to say I missed the last ten minutes of Kevin and AJ's transformations. I was upstairs picking out women's clothing to wear. Let me just say, I'm not cut out to wear women's clothing. I ended up in a blue skirt and a flannel shirt. I headed downstairs.

"That's hot," Brian said. Howie wolf whistled.

"You've got to tie your shirt up," AJ said. "We need to see some midriff."

"Oh fuck off," I said. AJ snapped his fingers and pointed. I rolled my eyes and tied the shirt up. Brian grabbed the camera.

"So, the fun continues ya'all. Nick just lost to me in a watermelon seed spitting contest. So he's gonna perform Milkshake by Kellis. In costume."

Bri zoomed in on me. I figured that with the wonderful powers of editing that this part of the video would never see the light of day.

So, I hammed it up.

My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard,
And their like
It's better than yours,
Damn right it's better than yours,
I can teach you,
But I have to charge


By the time I was done everyone was rolling with laughter. I gave a bow, showed my ass, and headed back up the stairs.

When I came back down, Donna was jst finishing up with Kev. Howie had completed the remodel of AJ's facial hair. I gave him a thumbs up.

"Much better. Now she'll want to kiss you."

"I think she did before. You interrupted us."

I waved him off. "Small detail."

I picked up the camera and sat across from Kev.

"For schizzle my nizzle," I said. Kev sighed and touched his hair.

"Let's just get this over with," he said.

I turned the camera on, turned it towards me, and held it out. I grinned.

"Kev's transformation back into Kev Doggy Dogg is complete. Now, he'd like to say a few words."

I turned the camera back on him. Kev leaned forward.

"Nick," he said, then paused. I made the 'go on' motion.

"Nick is the best-looking, fittest member of the entire group and I wish I could be him."

"Tell everyone how much you love me."

"You're pushing it."

I laughed. "Alright, well thank you for those kind, very true words."

I turned the camera back towards me. "I hope you enjoyed this episode of Backstreet Beauty Salon. Keep checking backstreetboys.com for a big announcement regarding new music and tour dates!"

I turned off the camera. Kev loked up at Donna. He picked up a pair of scissors.

"Let's cut it."

As Donna started to undo Kevin's hair and AJ checked out his trim, I had to admit that it hadn't been our craziest party, but it had been relaxing. I looked over at Bri. He was stretched out in the doorway leading to the living room.

"I kinda thought you had something else up your sleeve," he said with a yawn.

"Who me? No way," I said. "I think I used all my energy on the Howie donkey plan."

Howie scowled. "Nick, I swear if you ever mention that again..."

I laughed. I didn't need to mention it again.

The pictures were worth a thousand words.
Chapter 41 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Forty One - September 7

By the time that I got back to the hotel, Liv was fast asleep. Noah and Brooke had fallen asleep with her on the bed. You wouldn't think it would be so hard to move two toddlers, but they were stuck to Liv like glue. Brooke looked like she was making a snow angel in her sleep; her outstretched limbs were taking up a huge chunk of bed. I tried to slide in and scoot her over, but she wasn't budging.

I ended up sleeping in one of the chairs, a blanket thrown over me. It was a crummy night's sleep. I woke up feeling grouchy. Liv was still asleep. Noah woke up soon after me. I got him a bottle and we played 'roll the ball' until Brooke woke up. As soon as Brooke woke up, she made sure Liv didn't sleep any longer. She had been doing that since she was born.

"Morning, angel," Liv said with a yawn. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. Her gaze fell on me.

"What time did you get back?"

"After midnight," I said. Liv rolled her eyes.

"Did you behave?"

I grinned. "Always."

I stood up. "I'm going to take a shower."

I disappeared into the bathroom. After taking a nice long shower and spending some quality gargling time, I headed back into the room. Liv was on her laptop. She had that intense look she used to get when she worked on our concert footage.

I had a bad feeling.

"What are you doing?"

She looked up and smiled. "You guys had way too much fun last night."

My stomach did a flip flop. "Did you post Kev's thing?"

"Yup, it's posted."

I licked my lips. "Anything else?"

Liv looked at me in fake confusion. She wasn't able to pull it off. Her head fell back and she laughed.

"My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard...," she sang.

I felt my face turn beet red. "Tell me you didn't post that."

"I did. It's already gotten more hits than Kevin's cornrows."

I threw my hands up in the air.

Perfect.

-----------------------

I was in a grouchier mood by the time we went down to breakfast. I wasn't mad at Liv, but I was in the funk I always fell into when things weren't going my way; aka, I was pouting.

That mood only got worse. At breakfast Liv announced that the girls were abandoning us to enjoy some "girl" time. That left all of us alone with the kids. I could handle watching Brooke and Noah, but you put all of us together and...well...

I think Bri and Howie were siding with me, but AJ had to go and ruin it all. Just 'cause he wanted to get on Molly's good side for a kiss he had to go and tell all the girls to enjoy themselves.

"You guys can spend time at Kevin's," Liv suggested in the elevator as we headed back up to the room.

"Where are you guys going?" I asked. There was absolutely nothing to do in this place unless you went to church or the diner.

"We're going into Lexington," Liv announced. I raised an eyebrow. She just smiled.

I played hide-and-go seek in the hotel room with Brooke while Liv got ready. When she walked out, my eyes almost fell out of my head.

She had put on a little black dress.

I loved little black dresses.

I tried to think of a quick way to smuggle myself onto the bus after they dropped all the guys off at Kev's, but I knew there was no way. Brooke and Noah were officially attached to me.

It was 'Daddy Day.'

----------------------------

-- Liv --

As Leigh pulled the bus away from Kevin's house, I looked out the window. I had a feeling that the guys were going to be in deep trouble. It wasn't so much the babies I was worried about, but Mason, Baylee, James, Shelby, and Brooke were already running in five different directions. Well, Brooke was toddling, but she was getting faster every day.

"I'm a little worried," Leighanne said.

"Shelby's a lot to handle," Molly said.

"It's going to be fine," Leigh said. She looked so small behind the big wheel of the bus.

"Yeah, they didn't even ask us if we would watch the kids last night," I reasoned. "They just told us. It's a taste of their own medicine."

Addy was quiet. Just like the night before. I glanced at her. Before I had met Nick, I hadn't had a lot of friends. The ones I did have had turned out to be two-faced bitches. I loved the other 'Backstreet' wives. I hoped that we could show Addy a good time.

As we got closer to Lexington, I suddenly missed Ro. Somehow the idea of partying seemed incomplete without her. I remembered her bachelorette party. As dramatic as it had been, it sure had been a lot of fun. Then there was the night I got that tattoo...

Leigh and I had discussed possible things to do in Lexington. We had gone through the phonebook and found a male stripclub called Cocktails. There was also a nearby mall.

"Where are we going?" Addy asked. She looked nervous.

I caught Leigh's eye in the rearview mirror.

"Want to go to a strip club?"

Addy's eyes widened. She seemed to have such a tough exterior, but suddenly she looked...scared. Leighanne leaned over and put a hand on her arm.

"I don't do strip clubs either," she said. Leigh groaned.

"We had a Cocktails where I come from. They don't get completely naked. It's fun to guess which guys are gay. Plus, the drinks are cheap," Molly said. She turned around and smiled at Addy. "And, if you don't want their nuts in your face, you can send them my way."

Addy laughed. I felt hopeful.

"Well, I guess there's a first time for everything..."

"Right!" I said. "I mean, I haven't been to one before either." I glanced over at Leighanne. She crossed her arms. I smiled sweetly.

"Leigh, you heard Molly. They're not naked. I mean it's no different than Bri grinding up on a dancer onstage. It's all just show. Plus you sat through the one at Ro's..."

I trailed off. I watched Leighanne's face. There was sadness mixed with something else...

"I guess you're right," she finally said with a smile.

An hour later, all five of us were sitting around a table front and center of the stage. We had martinis with little umbrellas and we were waiting for the show to start. I was surprised to see so many women at the place. It was just a little after one o'clock on a Friday afternoon.

"I guess balls were on the menu for all these business lunches," Molly quipped. She took a big gulp of her drink. I glanced over at her; I was seeing how come AJ was attracted to her. She was feisty.

I could tell Addy was still nervous. She downed her drink and made a face.

"Want another?" I asked. She glanced down.

"I probably shouldn't. I don't usually..."

Music started blaring out of the speakers. I saw Addy turn a shade of gray. She glanced at her empty glass then at me and nodded. I signaled over a waiter.

"Just keep the drinks coming," I said. "For all of us."

Leigh turned around. "Except for me. I'm designated driver."

I gave Leigh a sympathetic look but she just laughed. "Hey, you and Leighanne deserve it. Neither of you are pregnant. I've had my wild nights already."

I remembered Ro's bachelorette party again. And the closet. With Howie. I smiled and leaned back in my seat.

"Hello, officer," Molly said. I turned my attention back to the stage. Leighanne went for her cellphone, but I pulled it away and slipped it down the front of my dress.

"Watch. It won't kill you."

If there's one thing that I would say has changed about me since I've been married to Nick, it would hands-down be my grip on sexuality. When I had been married to Hunter, intimate moments were few and far between. If I initiated anything I was turned down. Even when we did have sex, I could set my alarm clock for five minutes and we'd be done with three minutes to spare.

And then there was Nick...

I now had a newfound appreciation for the male body. As we watched Officer Nasty do his thing, I couldn't help but compare. I was pretty sure that if Nick had lived in the times of the great sculptors, people all over the world would be seeing his junk carved in ivory in museums all around the world today.

"He's a gay one," I heard Molly whisper. I looked over and laughed. She had three empty martini glasses in front of her. I was still babying my second.

"What?"

Molly pointed. "He's an ass man. We've seen way more of the back than the front. Not that it's not a nice back..."

I glanced over at Addy. She was keeping up with Molly in the martini department. She had a nice glazed smile over her face and her eyes weren't moving from the stage.

Officer Nasty finished up his set and we all ordered lunch. Drinking on an empty stomach was bad news.

"So Addy, where are you and Kev going on your honeymoon?"

Addy smiled. "He's taking me to Abaco Island in the Bahamas," she said with a smile.

"How'd he pick that?"

Addy started in on her next martini. "They have wild horses," she said. Her face was starting to get flushed; I couldn't tell whether it was the excitement or the alcohol.

"Going to start working on another Richardson baby to add to the mix?" Leighanne asked. Addy was mid-sip of her drink. She started to cough. Molly leaned over and slapped her on the back.

"Sorry!" Leigh said. Addy shook her head.

"No it's okay," she said. She looked over with a smile. "And yes. Kev would like more children."

"Just beware of the tour curse," Leigh said.

"Tour curse?" Molly asked.

I grinned. "No one gets pregnant during tour. No one."

"Why?"

I glanced over at Leighanne. She grinned and took a very proper, very Southern belle, sip of her drink. "The guys have a knack for interrupting each other's 'moments.'"

"On purpose?" Addy asked.

"Sometimes," I said.

"So you're telling me when they go on a two year tour that the busses never start rocking?" Molly said skeptically.

"Oh, no. They do. But it's like Backstreet bus birth control," Leigh said. "It just doesn't happen."

Molly snorted. "C'mon."

"It's going to be worse now," I added. "I mean, every single one of us is going to have a child on board the bus."

"Mason will be with Kristin for the summer," Addy said.

"Doesn't he start Kindergarten this year?" I asked. Addy nodded. "He already did. He got kicked out."

Leighanne snorted her drink. So much for lady-like. "What?"

Addy laughed. "He's smart; he's just rambunctious. The private school Kevin was having him go to didn't appreciate his humor. So I'm going to homeschool him on the road."

Leighanne and Addy jumped into a conversation about the benefits of homeschooling and tutors. Luckily our food arrived. Just as I was taking a bite of a cheeseburger that melted in my mouth, the music started again. Molly let out a loud finger whistle.

Through the course of the afternoon we saw a cowboy, a professor, a wizard (let me tell you, that was weird), and a rock star. Leigh actually stuck some bills into the Professor's little g-string. Molly was all over the rock star. I scooted back a clear distance while he did a little lap number for her.

"Gay?" I asked as he walked away. She shook her head.

"Totally straight."

Her face was almost as red as her hair. She had looked like she wanted to tear the guys undies off with her teeth. I must have looked amused because she drained her last martini and shrugged.

"I have a thing for musicians," she said.

"Oh really?" Leigh said.

"I happen to know an available musician..." Leighanne said.

Molly looked at all of us. We must have been cheesing it up really bad. I blame the alcohol.

"I don't mix business with pleasure," she said. "For Shelby's sake."

"You mean you haven't ever dated anyone?" Addy asked. Molly smirked.

"Just Mr. Wonderful."

"Who?"

Molly stood up and laughed. She teetered slightly in her heels. "Follow me girls."

Leigh had to help Addy out of her chair. The world suddenly seemed to spin for her. I smiled. I was holding my own with the liquor. Leighanne took my arm. Okay, so maybe I wasn't.

"Follow the leader," she whispered.

I laughed loudly.

---------------------------------

Molly had walked out of Cocktails and across the street. I hadn't noticed it when we had come in, but there was a porn store right across the street. We all walked in, trying to smother giggles, but failing miserably.

The guy behind the counter looked like the only naked women he had ever seen in his life had been on DVD or in comic books. His eyes about fell out of his head when we all walked in.

"What are we do-oing here?" Addy asked. Molly smiled and held up a finger. She wove around a whole display of blowup dolls and headed towards the back wall. She held out her arms.

"Mr. Wonderful."

It was wall to wall vibrators and dildos.

Now, I have a feeling that before the alcohol, Leighanne and Addy would have walked right out. Instead Addy walked right up to a big black dildo, her mouth agape. The thing looked like it weighed about twenty pounds.

"Team lift?" Leigh asked. We all laughed hysterically.

Molly started to give everyone an educational lesson about the best vibrators. Waterproof, rabbit...you name it. I found myself wandering off. Leighanne tagged behind me. We stopped at a display of edibles. I picked up a candle. Edible massage oil candle in cherry.

As I read the back (don't ask me why, all the words were blurring horribly), I saw Leigh run by with a flash of red.

"What are those?" I called. She stopped.

"Satin Wrist Cuffs in red," she said. "Howie loves red."

I rolled my eyes.

I was convinced that Leighanne wasn't going to find anything. I was pretty sure she was just going to tag along with me.

But then we got to the clothes racks. Addy caught up with us. She leaned against me. I could tell she was going to be down for the count before the sun set.

"These clothes are defective," she said.

"No, they're supposed to be topless and crotchless," I explained. "That's the point."

"You need something for your honeymoon," Leighanne said.

Even though she was drunk, Addy still skipped over anything crotchless or topless. She ended up with a silky one piece in dark blue.

"Guys, you've got to look at this!"

Leigh sounded like she was about ready to burst. Leighanne grabbed a skimpy number that I knew would require Brian to go to confession every day of his life and we followed the sound of Leigh's voice.

She was crouched down and she looked like Christmas had come early.

"Vibrating boxer briefs for men with wireless remotes."

I stared at her like she was crazy. Molly was standing behind Leigh grinning; obviously she had been privy to the plan.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"We each need to buy a pair and give them as a gift to the guys," she said. "Not now. Save them for the first concert of the tour."

Now I was really confused.

"Why?"

Addy started to laugh. I felt really dumb. Even sweet Addy got it.

"Because," Leigh said. We give them good luck undies to wear and while they're on stage we start jamming on the wireless remotes. I want to see the look on Howie's face while he's trying to hold a falsetto and Mr. Caliente gets stroked."

I think Leighanne and I 'got it' at the exact same time. I laughed. Then I laughed harder.

"Wait. Mr. Caliente?"

Leigh rolled her eyes. "It's what I have to live with. C'mon, let's each pick out a pair."

I knelt down next to her. I picked out Celtics green. Leighanne got the blue. Leigh got red. Addy got black. I turned at looked at Molly.

"Pick one out for AJ."

She laughed. "No way."

"C'mon."

"I'm not giving my boss underwear."

I was kind of hoping that by the time tour started, they would have moved on from the whole 'boss / nanny' thing. From what Nick had told me, that was AJ's plan at least. I picked out a pair of tiger stripes and tossed them to her.

"Trust me, he'll love those."

By the time we were done at the store, we each left with a bag full of stuff. I had a feeling the guys were going to forgive us for leaving them with the kids.

"You know," Leigh said as we got back in the bus. "It's still early. Addy, is there anyplace in your town where we can all go and down some more drinks? Someplace that doesn't require me driving the bus?"

Addy looked thoughtful...or maybe just on the verge of puking. Finally she smiled.

"There's a liquor store right outside town. And I know just the place to have some drinks..."

I don't know why, but I smelled trouble. But it wasn't a bad thing. I was married to Nick after all. And he was trouble.

In fact, I love trouble.
Chapter 42 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Forty Two

-- Nick --

As I watched Leigh maneuver the bus away from the house, I couldn't help but wonder what the girls were going to do. Knowing them, they'd probably watch a movie and go shopping.

Boring.

"James!"

I watched Howie take off at a run. James was laughing as he ran. He almost sounded like he had a wicked case of the hiccups. I caught Brooke just as she tried to dive under the picnic table.

"Okay, we can so do this," Brian said. It was like he was giving himself a pep talk. Kayleigh was squirming in his arms.

From around the house I heard a whirrling noise. I turned to see Mason driving one of those little PowerWheel Jeep things. Shelby was standing up in the passenger seat, clinging to the bars.

"GO FASTER!" she squealed. Kevin ran over.

"Mason, don't drive that around today. Too any kids," he said. Mason turned the wheel hard and drove around him. Shelby turned around and pointed at Kev.

"DRIVE! DRIVE! It's KING KONG!"

The girls had been gone less than ten minutes and there was already way too much going on.

Howie came back towards us. He was carrying James like a football.

"Maybe we should go in the house," AJ said. Kev shook his head.

"I want my house in one piece."

"Then we need something to distract these guys," I said. Brooke had her finger shoved up her nose. I pulled it out and she screamed.

"I can do my magic show!" Baylee said.

"Did you bring your whole kit?" Brian asked in surprise. Baylee ran over to the picnic table and picked up a huge black box.

We all looked at each other. We didn't have a better idea.

"Let the show begin," I said.

---------------------

The magic show idea worked pretty well for about an hour. Shelby and Mason were eager assistants. While they were distracted, Kevin locked the Big Wheel up in a storage shed. James, Brooke, and Kayleigh all stared wide eyed at the colored scarves that Baylee was pulling out of his sleeve. Noah was curled up in my lap, fast asleep with his bottle hanging out of his mouth. AJ was rocking Ally and Joe's carseats and they kept drifting off to sleep.

"We're awesome," Brian whispered in my ear. I laughed.

"And I think our women doubted us," I whispered back.

"Now for my next trip," Baylee said. "I will now attempt to saw someone in half. Do I have any volunteers?"

Brian's eyes widened. "That's not in the kit."

Baylee had obviously beat Kevin to the storage shed. He held up an old rusty saw that practically screamed 'I need a tetnus shot' all over it.

"SAW ME! SAW ME!" Shelby squealed. AJ looked up.

"I think the magic show's over!" he called out. Baylee lowered the saw in disappointed. Kevin swooped in and started in the direction of the shed with the saw safely pointed down.

"Now what we gonna do?" Shelby asked. She put her hands on her hips and looked around.

"Wait here!" Mason took off towards the house.

I scooped Noah into my arms and stood up.

"I'm going to put him in the house," I suggested.

"I think I'll put Ally and Joe--" AJ started to say. As if on cue, Joe began to cry. He picked up both carseats.

"Bri can you watch Brooke?" I asked. Brian nodded. Kayleigh and Brooke were pulling blades of grass and passing them to each other.

AJ followed me into the house. He sat down on the floor to change Joe while I shook out the collapsible playpen. I put Noah down and plopped a baby monitor down. If he woke up; I'd know.

"You need any help J?" I asked.

"Can you feed Ally?" he asked.

I had just plopped down on the couch with a bottle and a baby when Mason tore down the stairs. He was carrying a pillowcase filled with stuff.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Stuff!" he called out. With a bang of the screen door he was outside.

"I can't believe he's Kevin's," AJ quipped. "He reminds me of you." I laughed.

"I sure as hell didn't sleep with Kristin," I said.

The screen door flew open again. James ran in, saw us, and stopped.

"I GOTTA POO!" he said. Howie was right behind him.

"Don't make an announcement. The potty's upstairs."

James scrambled up the stairs. Howie finally picked him up and ran the rest of the way.

Ally was happily sucking on the bottle. I couldn't help but smile down at her. I didn't say it out loud, but it felt nice to hold a tiny baby. Of course, I'm a sucker for little girls.

"Don't be making googly eyes at my daughter," AJ said. I laughed. He got up and sat next to me, bottle in hand. Joe placed his hands on the sides of the bottle and began to drink.

Just as I was thinking about how relaxing it was sitting in the quiet living room, the door opened and Shelby and Mason ran back in. The pillowcase looked even heavier and dirtier than before. There was also a funny smell...

"Guys, what are you doing?" AJ called.

"NOTHING MR. J!" Shelby said. They bounced up the stairs.

Howie must have passed them going up the stairs. James was clinging to his hand. Howie opened his mouth to say something, but all of a sudden Brian poked his head in.

"Nick?"

I looked over; he looked panicked.

"What's going on?"

"Where's your diaper bag?"

I looked at him. "Isn't it out there?"

"No, and I think I forgot to take Kayleigh's off the bus."

"I'll take Ally," Howie offered. I handed her over and jumped up.

"We couldn't have both forgotten to get the bags," I said. We jogged down the porch steps. Baylee was standing guard; he had his shirt over his nose.

I looked around the yard. I knew the bag wasn't in the house.

"Crap, this means we don't have diapers, right?"

"Right."

I looked over at Kev. He was walking towards the house.

"Hey Kev?"

He turned around. "Yeah?"

"Can you run to the store? Bri and I forgot our diaper bags."

Kevin opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, I saw something bright pink flying through the sky. Kevin looked up.

That was the worst thing he could have done. The balloon exploded right in his face. Kevin screamed.

Dark brown liquid was sloshing all down his face. I think he swallowed some too. I looked up. Mason and Shelby were hanging out the window.

"MASON!!!" Kevin screamed. He wiped his eyes and went around the building. I strained my ears. I swore he was throwing up.

"I TOLD YOU HORSE POOP WAS A BAD IDEA!" Mason yelled. Shelby held up her hands and shrugged.

I felt a line of sweat breaking out along my forehead. At the same time my monitor went off. Noah was awake.

"Dad, can I call mom?" Baylee asked. Brian turned.

"No! We have this under control."

Baylee just pointed down at the girls. Brooke had managed to get out of her diaper and had taken off at a run. Her little dress flew up and all I saw was white Carter baby butt in desperate need of a cleaning. I ran after her and scooped her up.

"DAD-DY, NO!!!"

Kevin walked back around the house. He was holding what looked like a barn towel. He headed towards the house.

At that moment another balloon sailed out the window. Shelby looked down.

"UH-OH!"

At least when this one exploded all over Kev, it was filled with water. AJ appeared behind Shelby at the window.

"Shelby, TIME OUT," he said.

"What? NO! NO! Mr. J!" She disappeared out of the window. Mason's head poked out. Kevin looked up.

"Mason. Get down here. NOW," Kevin said.

"Do you think this is a good time to ask Kev for his keys?" Brian asked.

"I don't care. We need diapers," I said. I headed towards the house. Brian scooped up Kayleigh and walked with me. Bri stopped to talk to Kevin; I walked into the house.

Howie was just putting Ally back in her carseat.

"Can you go to the store for diapers?" I asked him. "I can watch James."

"Sure. What's with all the screaming?"

I shook my head. "Don't ask."

-----------------------------

It took two hours before things completely settled down. Shelby and Mason were seperated in two corners of the room for the sake of everyone and for punishment for the balloons. Kevin still smelled faintly of manure. Howie left and came back with diapers. Everyone was happy and clean.

And the five of us were practically comotose.

"We have to do something for dinner," Kev said.

"Don't you have any more hotdogs?" I asked.

"I don't LIKE hot dogs," Mason said from the corner. Kevin caught his eye and he turned back around. I heard a loud snot-filled sniffle.

"We need something that isn't messy," Howie said.

"I can go make some peanut butter sandwiches," Kevin said. Brian pointed at Baylee and then at the kitchen.

"Can you go help Uncle Kevin?"

Baylee gave him a look. I felt sorry for the guy. Almost ten and stuck with five clueless dads and seven little kids.

Brian seemed to realize the same thing. He got out his wallet and handed over a twenty dollar bill. Baylee grinned.

"Sure!"

Fifteen minutes later Kevin and Baylee brought out trays of PB&J. I was too tired to eat. I think the other guys felt the same.

"I'm going to remember this day for the rest of my life," Howie said. "I'm thinking James would make a good only child."

Brooklyn tore of a bite of her sandwich and held it up to me. I couldn't help it; I smiled and took the little bite. Somehow it made the whole day better.

"We had some problems, but it wasn't that bad," I said.

"Listen to Mary Sunshine," AJ said.

Before I could respond, I heard a knock at the door. Kevin stood up and opened the door. After a quiet exchange, Addy's dad walked in along with two older ladies.

We had all met Addy's dad the night before at the cookout. Kevin had told us for the longest time Mason had called him Santa. I saw the resemblance. He looked around at us with a jolly expression.

"The ladies and I are here to offer you guys a reprieve," he said. Kevin was frowning. I smelled something fishy.

"No offense," I said. "But this is more than a three person job."

One of the ladies laughed. "No offense, but we're professionals. I raised six kids."

"I raised four," the other lady said.

"And I'm a doctor," Addy's dad finished. He glanced at Kev.

"Our services are needed somewhere else," Kev said. We need to take a trip

It was a very superhero thing to say. He had peeked my curiosity.

Howie groaned. "I don't think I can walk."

AJ stood and yanked Howie to his feet. Brian helped me up. We walked outside and Kevin shut the door. Kevin turned to us.

"Addy's dad just got a call from the police chief about five women," he said.

My heart began to pound. All I could think of was the bus had overturned. We were all widowers. With kids. LOTS of kids.

Oh shit.

"Where are they?" Bri asked. Obviously his mind hadn't gone where mine had.

Kevin unlocked his SUV and we walked to the car. He yanked opened the driver's side door. After yelling and grumbling for the better part of the day he actually smiled.

"Five drunk and disorderly women were spotted on top of the water tower."

We looked at each other. Each and every one of us grinned.

Oh shit.

---------------------------------------

Kevin pulled up to the Sadieville water tower. It was dark but I could make out five shadows against the light blue tower with huge black letters. We all got out of the car and looked up.

Kevin didn't waste any time; he started to climb. AJ was right behind him.

"Guys, maybe we should just tell them to come down," Brian said quietly.

I was standing by Brian. Looking up at the tower from directly below it, the thing seemed a lot higher than I would have ever imagined.

"If they're drunk, they'll fall of the tower if we don't go up and help," AJ whispered back. Brian stuck his hands in his pockets. Kevin didn't even stop to listen to the conversation; he just kept climbing.

"Yeah but there shouldn't be ten of us on that walk," Brian said. He was sounding squeaky.

"Then you two stay down here," Howie said. AJ started to follow Kev and Howie climbed on.

About halfway up there was a loud creak.

"Kev!" Brian screamed like a girl.

If we had been trying to surprise the girls, that idea was completely ruined. We heard loud giggles.

"It's OUR boys!"

I squinted up into the darkness.

"Hi boys!"

I had no idea who was saying what.

"Watch out!"

Something pink came floating down. For one second I thought that they were pulling a Shelby and dropping water balloons. I stepped out of the way. Brian wasn't fast enough. The thing landed on his arm. He picked it up. Panties. He grinned.

"These are Leigh's," he said.

"Well if she's ever kidnapped, it's good to know you can identify your wife by her panties," I said. I looked up hopefully. I wouldn't run away from Liv's panties now that I knew I wasn't going to get hit with horse dung.

I think Kev reached the top before any other panties could come off. I heard loud boo's and Kevin talking. Soon there were eight shadowy figures on the walk above.

It took about five minutes before the first two people descending. It was Kevin leading Leighanne down. He reached the ground first. She practically toppled backwards. He staggered and then rolled her over to Brian.

"That's yours," he said. He climbed back up. AJ brought the next shadowy figure down.

Leighanne wrapped her arms around Brian's neck. I can honestly say I've never seen her that drunk before. She smelled like martinis and heavy scotch and something else...maybe Jack Daniels.

"Did you...did you get my gift?" she asked. Brian leaned his head back, probably so he wouldn't get knocked over from the smell.

"I did. Very nice."

She burst into giggles. My attention was diverted back to the ladder. The second girl was coming down and I knew the form well.

"And here's yours," AJ said.

Liv's dress was hiked up and she was barefoot. Before I could reach out for her she fell right onto the ground. She snorted and began to laugh hysterically.

"I didn't think you liked heights," I said. She looked at me and grinned. Her boobs were practically spilling out of the dress. She shook her head and got on all fours.

"It's notso bad when you're...when you're..."

"Drunk?" I guessed. She laughed and held a finger to her lips.

"Shhh...don't tell Nick."

I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. "I won't."

Howie came down the ladder next. Leigh was clinging to his neck.

"I can't...I can't drive the bus," she said. "I...I had a drink or forty drinks or...you want a drink?"

Her legs looked like they were made of rubber. Howie finally just picked her up.

Kevin came down the ladder next. Addy was slowly inching down with him. He was talking gently to her.

"It's okay. Really. I'm glad you had fun."

Obviously Addy was a weepy drunk. Or at least a weepy drunk when she was completely blasted. Which as each girl finally made it onto solid ground, the extent of their drinking was completely apparent. I knelt down next to Liv. She pressed her face up next to mine.

"I...I like Kentucky," she said. I cupped her face in my hands. Her head had been swaying and I was almost afraid she was going to snap her own neck.

"That's good to hear," I said.

The last person down off the ladder was AJ. Molly gave a little jump and landed on her feet. Of all the girl's she seemed to be the steadiest. She was also the one holding the remenants of the liquor bottle.

"We're not gonna litter," she explained to AJ. She took another step forward and stumbled.

So much for my theory about being the steadiest.

"What are we going to do with you?" I heard Howie ask Leigh. She was patting down his shirt as if she was playing a game of Whack-a-Mole.

"I bought leather handcuffs," she blurted out. "Red. And a whip."

I glanced back at Liv. She had rolled over onto her back. Modesty had flown out the window. She looked up at me and just started to giggle.

"What did you guys do today?" I asked. I was mesmorized by her eyes. They weren't really focused, but boy they were sparkling.

"Molly Molls got a lap dance," Liv said.

AJ was holding onto Molly's waist. She was practically falling onto the ground. Molly put a finger to her lips. "Shhhhhhh..."

"We went to a porn store," Leighanne said. She looked at Bri. "I've got to...I've got to go to confession."

Brian looked at her. Leigh's knees gave away and she fell to the ground. She wrapped her arms around his legs. All I could think about was blow jobs.

"Did you buy anything?" Brian finally asked.

I felt Liv tug on my shirt. I looked back at her. "We all bought toys," she whispered. "They're in the bus."

I think all five of us guys looked at the bus. I can't vouch for the others, but I suddenly had a newfound respect for the bus.

"I bought a vibrator and I don't even know how it works!" Addy wailed. "And did you know they have crotchless panties?"

Kev's face turned bright red. I don't know whether he was embarassed or turned on. I was going to go with embarassed 'cause I don't want to think about Kev turned on.

"What are we going to do?" Howie asked. Leigh's face was buried in his neck. He seemed to be struggling to keep his hold on her.

"I know what we can do," she blurted. Then she said something dirty in Spanish. At least I think it was dirty. And I think it was Spanish. It might have been Italian.

Liv's hand was sliding up my leg. I knew what I wanted to do. But I also knew that I wasn't going to torture Addy's dad and those two old ladies for an entire night while all of us had a Backstreet bang fest.

"I'll take Liv back to Kev's and watch the kids tonight," I offered. "If that's alright with you, Kev."

Kev was still holding Addy, brushing away her tears. He looked at me and nodded.

"That's fine. I think Addy's ready for bed. Right, sweetheart?"

Her arms went around his neck and she nodded. I had a feeling Kevin was looking forward to a lot of sober honeymoon sex. Him and I were going to take one for the team.

AJ was still holding onto Molly.

"Ally and Joe..."

"We can handle it," I assured AJ.

"Shelby..." he added. Molly lifted her head. She turned in AJ's arms. For a minute I thought they were going to kiss. I almost wanted popcorn. Instead she started shaking her head.

"Shelby's never seen me...me..me drunk," she said in a loud whisper. AJ just nodded.

"Okay, okay." He glanced back over at me.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," I said. "I have a little experience dealing with a preemie."

In the end, we loaded all the girls into the bus except for Addy who rode with Kevin in the SUV. Brian took control of the bus again. There was a lot of giggling going on between Liv and Leigh and a lot of racket as if they were rifling through bags. I had a feeling they were comparing porn shop trinkets.

Once at the hotel, AJ, Brian, and Howie got their girls to the rooms. Each one of the girls had a big Adult Emporium bag. I was secretly dying to see what was in Liv's but I was going to be mature for a change. I just dropped it off in our room.

A little suspense never hurt anyone, right?

Before we left, Kev and I walked into the hotel and got the port-a-crib from AJ's room. After clearing the use of it with the hotel staff, I got behind the wheel of the bus and Kevin returned to the SUV. We drove back to his place. Even before we pulled into the drive, Liv was passed out. I had made the right choice. Having sex with a passed out drunk girl was nowhere near as fun as having sex with a tipsy, fully-conscious girl.

Addy's dad and the two old ladies had everything under control. They had constructed a tent city out of chairs and sheets and every single one of the kids was fast asleep with a smile on their face.

I tucked Liv into bed in the guestroom. I met Kev in the hallway. We headed downstairs together.

"I'll take the first shift," he offered.

"Naw, I'll take the whole thing. You're getting married tomorrow."

Kev smiled. "That's why I'm taking the first shift. I'm sure everyone won't wake up until your shift."

As I sprawled out on the couch, I had to give it to Kev.

His brain worked a whole hell of a lot faster than mine.

I fell asleep thinking about Liv's mysterious porn store bag even as Kev rifled through Addy's.

Obviously, Kevin didn't appreciate a good surprise as much as I did.

Either that or he was getting ideas for the honeymoon.

I just hoped the poor old guy didn't have a heart attack or break a hip while he was going at it.

We needed him on tour in one piece.

And all his equipment needed to be in working order.
Chapter 43 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Forty Three - September 8

It was probably a good thing that I took the second shift. It was seven in the morning and I was sitting on the couch feeding Joe when Liv came stumbling down the stairs. She was still wearing the black dress.

"Nick?" she called out.

"In here," I said.

She stumbled into the living room. She looked around in surprise at all the kids laying under the 'tent city.' Her palm pressed into the side of her head.

"These aren't all ours are they?"

I started to laugh. "Did you have good dreams last night?"

She blanched. "I don't remember a lot about last night."

I grinned. "Do you remember the water tower?"

"Water tower?"

Oh, boy. She had been trashed.

"I'll explain later."

"Why are all the kids sleeping under sheets? Where is everyone?"

I set Joe's empty bottle down and lifted him up to my shoulder.

"That's part of the long story," I said.

Before she could ask another queestion, Kev came downstairs. He gave me a nod; I nodded back. A couple minutes later I heard the sound of coffee brewing. Kev walked back into the living room with a glass of water and his hand cupping what I could only assume were asprins.

"She okay?"

Kev cracked a smile. "She has a hell of a hangover. She just informed me there's hammers inside her head."

I winced. "Ouch."

I put Joe back into the crib and picked up Ally. Liv drifted towards the kitchen. She came back with a glass of water.

"It looks like you guys had everything under control," she said lightly. I smiled. No need to tell her it took two old women and Addy's dad to get everyone corraled. I shrugged.

"It was easy."

Liv knelt down and touched Brooke's cheek. She was curled up to Baylee, fast asleep. Mason had his arm around Shelby. James was sleeping with his mouth wide open at Shelby's feet. I swear he had one eye cracked open. He slept just like Howie. Noah had fallen asleep in the playpen.

"How's your head?" I asked. She looked over at me.

"Not as bad as I thought it would be."

Kev came back downstairs. "Anyone want toast?"

I yawned. I was exhausted. Food was actually the last thing on my mind.

I would be glad to get all the kids back to the hotel and take a nap.

-------------------------------

AJ pulled the bus up to Kev's house around noon. Liv and I got all the kids buckeled in; that in itself was a chore. Kev and Addy drove to the church to meet her dad, his mom, Jerald and Tim. Brooke toddled into the lobby happy as could be. Noah clung to Liv. I was glad he couldn't talk yet. He would have so blown my cover about yesterday.

Molly, Howie, and Leigh met us in the lobby. Shelby skipped up to Molly and began to chatter excitedly. James ran up to Leigh all smiles. Howie grinned at me. I knew that grin.

"You owe me," I said lightly.

"No, this was payment for the donkey," Howie said.

I just laughed.

"Baylee, you and Kay can hang out with us for awhile," AJ said. He picked up Joe and Ally's carseats. I glanced over at him.

"Where's Bri?"

AJ just smirked.

"Later."

We all rode up to the fourth floor. Leigh and Howie disappeared into their room with James. Baylee carried Kayleigh into AJ's room. Shelby jumped up and down.

"I want to sleep in a tent again!" she said. AJ looked at me. I smiled.

"Later."

Liv and I headed into our room.

"What time's the wedding?"

"Three."

Liv closed her eyes. "Oh, God."

"You go take a shower," I suggested. "I'll feed Brooke-ster and Noah."

Liv smiled and kissed me softly. "You're amazing."

I grinned. "I know."

She walked into the bathroom and I heard the water start to run. I ordered up some fruit for Brooke and got out a jar of baby food. Noah clapped his hands excitedly.

I timed things perfectly. I had just finished feeding Noah when the guy knocked on the door with the room service tray. I opened the door and tipped the guy.

I was just about ready to close the door when I saw Brian. He was carrying a bucket of ice and he looked completely out of it.

"Bri?"

He turned his head.

"Nick..." he said slowly.

I looked up and down the hallway. No one was around.

"How was last night?" I said. Bri blinked.

"I...don't know how I'm going to face my mom today," he said. "There were things in that bag..."

He trailed off and walked back to his room.

If I had been curious about the contents of Liv's bag from the porn shop before, I was dying now. I closed the door. Brooke stood up.

"FOOO!" she squealed. I laughed and set her up with a fruit spread on a blanket on the floor.

I hoped Brian and Leighanne would take pity on me and watch Brooke and Noah tonight.

I mean, after all...one good turn deserves another.

Right?

--------------------------------

Howie decided to take a turn at driving the bus. We ended up making it to the church with barely a minute to spare. Since we made up the bulk of the guest list, I think they would have waited for us anyhow.

If you're looking for a detailed description of the wedding, you've asked the wrong person. I'm not detailed oriented on that kind of stuff. All I can tell you is that one of Kev's brothers officiated (I can never remember which one's which), Addy wore a pretty fluffy white dress and Kev had on a tux (that would have looked much better if he still had the cornrows, thank you). They exchanged rings and 'I Do's' and all that stuff. Kev's mom cried buckets. Mason stood beside Kev and made faces at Shelby who stood up in the pew and tried to outdo him. Finally Molly had to pull her right onto her lap and lock her arms around the little booger.

When the ceremony was over, we all lined up outside and threw birdseed at the happy couple. I'm pretty sure James ate more than he threw. Shelby forgot to untie her sack of seed and just chucked the whole thing at Kev's head. Mason thought it was hilarious and did the same.

I could be wrong, but I really think Kevin might not like Shelby all that much. I can't wait to see the picture of him looking all pissed off.

Kev had hired a photographer from Lexington for the occasion. We all sat around outside the church and watched as Kev and Addy took shots on top of a pretty white horse.

"This is beautiful," Leigh said with a sigh. Liv nodded. She had that oogly look in her eyes that girls get when they see something mushy.

"Those are going to be beautiful pictures. The leaves are just beginning to turn. It's like a fairy tale."

"Until the horse takes a crap," AJ whispered in my ear. I laughed. I pretended to stretch, but I leaned into him.

"Did you get your kiss?" I whispered. He glanced over at Molly. He shook his head 'no.'

I wanted to ask what happened but I figured I'd let it go. I wrapped an arm around Liv. She smiled and leaned into me. I kissed her temple and glanced over at Brian. He was staring at Leighanne with his mouth open.

I don't know what happened to him, and I'm not sure I want to know.

The reception was held right outside the church. Tim and Jerald hooked up some speakers. Addy's dad drove off and returned about ten minutes later with the two old ladies from the night before. They had a car full of food. I think all of us guys groaned.

The jig was up.

"FOOD!" Shelby screamed.

"Hi dear," one of the ladies said with a smile. Shelby skipped after her. "Did you have fun last night?"

"Uh-huh. Can you show me how to make those marshmallows that you gave us last night?"

"Last night?" Liv asked. I rubbed my neck.

"Yeah..." I said. "About last night..."

"All of your kids are so precious," the other lady said. "They were no problem at all. They all went to sleep around the same time. Even the babies."

Liv waited until the ladies went back to the car. She put her hands on her hips. I watched her earrings dangle. It was better than watching her nose wrinkle up like it did when she caught me in a lie.

"I thought you said you guys handled everything?" Liv asked sweetly. I exhaled hard.

"We needed a little help," I said. Liv snorted.

"Hey, we had to get your asses off a water tower," AJ said.

At least AJ had my back. Liv's mouth opened in surprise.

"Water tower?" she squeaked.

"Liv, we were trashed," Leighanne said. Brian was standing behind her holding Kayleigh. His grin widened.

"I'm afraid of heights," Liv said in a small voice.

"I know. It's a good thing you don't remember it then," I said. She looked around and then leaned into me.

"What did you do to me?" she whispered. I looked at her in surprise and laughed.

"What? I didn't do anything."

"We didn't..."

"No!" I paused. "I wanted to wait until you were sober. Like tonight."

Liv blushed. Before she could say anything else, Addy's dad started ringing a large cowbell.

"Dinner!" he called out.

The whole reception was very laid back. I don't think I've seen Kev so happy in a long, long time. He sat right by Addy, his hand caressing her back or brushing the hair from her neck. She looked like she had come out of her hangover fairly well. When she finally did get up and walk away from Kev, she came over to the table and hovered over Liv.

"I just want to tell you I had fun last night," she said. Liv looked up and smiled.

"I'm glad."

"We're fun sober too," Leigh said enthusiastically. Addy laughed.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Howie passed behind me as Addy walked off. He leaned down right next to my ear.

"Did you get to look through Liv's bag?" he whispered.

"Why?" I whispered back. Howie grinned.

"That's a no," he said. He walked off whistling.

I almost growled.

After dinner, it was time for dancing. We all got to kick off our shoes. The grass felt nice underneath my feet.

Kev and Addy danced to Keith Urban's Your Everything. Liv started crying; Leighanne wasn't far behind. When Bri and I walked over to get some napkins, I leaned into him.

"Can you watch Brooke and Noah tonight?"

"Why?"

"Because you owe me."

Bri grinned. "Did you see what was in Liv's bag?"

I practically threw the napkin in the air.

"NO! I was too busy being Mr. Mom."

Brian laughed. "Fine, we'll watch 'em."

It was worse than Christmas. Howie and Brian had been privy to the contents of the mysterious porn shop bags. It was my turn.

Of course, before that happened, there was a wedding reception to enjoy. And that meant an official Backstreet serenade.

We chose Brian McKnight's Back at One. The girls all sat in a row in chairs, Addy in the spot of honor, right in the middle. The last of the summer fireflies danced around in the night air. I figured a sexy solo would be the perfect way to get Liv revved up. I sank down on my knees and looked up at her. She smiled down at me. I could tell by the look in her eyes that I was winning major brownie points.

"Say farewell to the dark of night
I see the coming of the sun
I feel like a little child, whose life has just begun
You came and breathed new life into this lonely heart of mine
You threw out the life line
Just in the nick of time
"

Liv was putty in my hands. As I tossed my mic in the air, Liv wrapped her arms around my waist.

"Leighanne said she could watch Brooke and Noah tonight," she murmured into my dress shirt.

"You asked her?" I said in surprise.

"Mm-hmm," she said.

Out of the kindness of his heart, Kev offered to drive Liv and I back to the hotel on their way to the airport. I said goodbye to Brian and Howie. Liv and I lucked out and Brooke and Noah were both fast asleep. Mason and Shelby were huddled under the picnic table whispering. I hated to think what they were cooking up. AJ was nowhere to be found. Neither was Molly.

I hoped that boded well for him.

"You guys have a good night," Kevin said as I helped Liv out of the SUV. I poked my head back in and smiled at him and Addy.

"Have a good honeymoon," I said. I gave him a cheesy thumbs up. "Go knock her up before tour."

Addy turned a shade of red that actually looked purple. Kev just grinned; I'm pretty sure that was his goal.

"See you in a few weeks for recording," he said. I nodded and closed the door. He drove off and I smiled at Liv.

"Let's go see what's in that bag of yours," I said teasingly. She looked confused for a moment, then mortified.

"Oh god, I forgot we went to the porn store..."

I scooped her up and carried her into the lobby. I did a little finger wave to the guy at the check-in desk. While we waited for the elevator I gave Liv a long, slow kiss.

"I didn't forget," I finally whispered.

I had been thinking about it for almost twenty-four hours. I was tired of suspense.

I needed action.
Chapter 44 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Forty Four

"Now remember that I bought all that stuff while I was under the influence."

I grinned. Liv's face was bright red; she was squirming on the bed. I sat on the floor in my undies with the porn shop bag on my lap. Feeling like my birthday had rolled around again early, I opened the bag and began to study the contents.

The first thing I pulled out were two black cuffs in a package. My temperature rose several degrees.

"Door jam cuffs?" I said. I looked up at Liv. She looked mortified.

"It sounded like a good idea last night," she sputtered.

I dug my hand back in. My hands wrapped around a round metal tin. I lifted it up and studied the label.

"Massage candle," Liv said. She actually sounded excited about that. I twisted off the lid and took a sniff. It smelled like strawberries. I stood up.

"Where you going?"

"I'm going to get it ready," I said with a laugh. I found a book of matches and a few seconds later the candle wick was flickering. I returned to the bag.

The next thing my hand touched threw me for a loop. It wasn't until I pulled it out of the bag that I realized what it was. I grinned.

"I thought you weren't taking baths anymore," I teased.

"That was another thing that sounded like a good idea last night," she said in a whisper.

"I think a vibrating bath sponge is an amazing idea," I said. "If we take a bath together I'll save you from faucets and jets."

Liv laughed. She sprawled out along the bed, her head hanging over the end to watch me.

I reached into the bag again. It was like a never-ending bag of tricks. My hand wrapped around a couple bottles and I pulled them all out together. I smiled in appreciation.

"Edible body paint?"

"That still sounds like a good idea," Liv said.

Cha-ching.

Before I got too excited, there was still one thing left in the bag. My fingers felt light flimsy material. I pulled two little pieces out of the bag and almost keeled over.

The tag said 'tease and please.' I couldn't have described it any better. It was a red see-through bra with matching red crotchless panties.

It was September in Kentucky, but I broke out into a sweat like it was a balmy night in the tropics. I glanced over at Liv and held out the little garments.

"I think Leighanne must have thrown those in my pile," Liv reasoned.

"Then remind me to thank her," I said enthusiastically.

Liv took the set and held it up. The look on her face made my heart plummet. I didn't think I was going to see her in those any time soon. I needed a plan. I scooted over to the mini fridge and opened the door.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

I held up a wide variety of little bottles.

"If I have to get you drunk to get that on you, so help me God, I will do it."

Liv rolled off the bed. She walked into the bathroom and shut the door.

"You better not laugh!" she called out.

Laughing was the last thing I was thinking of doing.

I crawled up on the bed. Then I got up and got the body paint. Then I got up and got the candle. I had practically given myself a workout before the door opened.

When I saw Liv, it was kind of like that scene in Austin Powers where he's laying on the bed and Felicity Shagwell comes over and the lotion squirts in the air. That pretty much sums up how I felt at that exact moment.

"Nick, your mouth's open."

"I know."

"Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"My face is up here."

"I know, but your boobs are right there."

Liv made her way over to the bed. The way she walked made it look like she was trying to cover up. There was no covering up with what she had on. She stopped by our luggage and rooted around. She held up a brand new box of condoms.

I was keeping Walgreens in business. But when I saw the box I groaned.

"Liv..."

"No."

"But..."

"No. That look on your face makes me think you're already lining up your guys to go in for the kill. I'm not taking any chances."

It was hard to argue when she put that picture in my head. Instead I waited with a stupid little smile on my face as she crawled up my body. She reached for the candle and swished the wax around for a second. Her lips curved into the most delectable smile I had ever seen.

As the wax dripped down on my bare stomach, I wasn't sure how long I was going to be able to endure the 'foreplay' part of the evening. Liv's fingers ran into the warm mixture and she began to rub the strawberry scented goodness into my skin. The combination of the scent and heat was incredible.

"Your turn," I whispered when my senses returned. I rolled over and looked down at her. There was so many possible options for drippage...finally I danced a thin line along the inside of her wrist. As I rubbed it in, her mouth opened a crack and a heady breath escaped. Her legs wrapped tightly around my waist.

It's a wonderful thing about crotchless panties. There's not really a need to remove them. Unfortunately, my undies were not crotchless. I wiggled around her tight leglock to get out of them.

"I'm not done playing," she complained. She reached over to the nightstand. She grabbed a bottle of the edible body paint in blue. I watched as she squirted a large gob on her finger. I opened my mouth to say something about Smurfs, but before I could, she reached down and rubbed the stuff where I never even though I'd ever put paint before.

"Roll over," she commanded. I don't know why, but I thought of the door jamb cuffs. She was awfully bossy.

I loved it.

I rolled over and she hovered over me. I reached over for the orange paint just as she slid down. I felt her lips around me and the whole Austin Powers scene happened all over again. I heard her moan in appreciation.

"Blueberry," she whispered.

I'd never had it called that before.

I was temporarily distracted by her need to get all the blueberry off. When she had succeeded, I came at her with the orange. As it should, it tasted like oranges.

I'm happy to report that I got my required daily allotment of Vitamin C for the day.

"This stuff is awfully sticky," Liv whispered as I nibbled the end of her finger. I had gotten a little carried away with the oranges.

"I know what we can use to wash it off," I said.

Ten minutes later the sexy bra and panties were on the floor and we were in the shower. Just Liv, me, and a vibrating sponge.

"Who lives in a pineapple under the sea," I sang as the spray rained down on us. I turned on the sponge. Liv laughed.

"Nick, shut---oooooh."

Now, I should mention that an 'ooooh' is always a good thing. So are the corresponding 'aaaaaah's' and 'fucks' and 'Nicky, Nicky, Nicky!'s'

"You should go shopping more often," I teased as I turned off the spray. So far I had been the perfect gentlemen. Well, not really, but besides from a blow job, I was keeping myself in pent-up torture. I grabbed a towel and wrapped her into it...right up to me.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed everything," Liv whispered. I felt her lips press into my neck. My arms tightened around her.

"We haven't done everything," I said. She looked up at me in confusion. "What?"

I grinned. "Those cuffs..."

Looking back, if anyone had a camera hooked up in the room, I would say that Liv and I would have the best selling porn tape in the history of the world. With all the candles and paints and everything else that Liv had tried out on me, it was kind of nice to have her freshly showered and completely at my control.

I think Liv agreed.

It was around two o'clock in the morning before we had finally exhausted the bag. Now I knew why Brian had that shell-shocked look on his face. He was way more innocent than I was but even I had been done in with our little romp at 'over the door' sex.

Liv fell asleep in my arms and even though I was tired, my brain was too wired to sleep. I held her close, relishing in the amazing feeling of having someone in my life who really got me.

Just as my brain was finally turning off, a light knock sounded on the door.

"You've got to be kidding me," I whispered. Shifting slightly so I didn't wake Liv, I wiggled my arms out from around her, tugged on my undies, and opened the door.

It was Brian. He was holding Brooke and looking extremely apologetic.

"DA-DDY!" Brooke said. She was in her PJ's and even though her cheeks were stained with dry tears, one fresh one still clung to her pudgy chin.

"She just kept chanting 'daddy' and crying," Brian whispered. "I felt crummy just leaving her like this."

I smiled. She looked so sad and pathetic and...well, her big blue watery eyes did me in. I held out my arms and she happily reached for me.

"It's okay. Liv's asleep," I whispered. Bri grinned.

"Did you...have fun?"

I glanced back into the room. I could still see the cuffs hanging from the door jam. I smiled.

"Oh, yeah," I said. I turned back to look at Bri.

"Is Noah fine?"

"He's fast asleep. We can keep him until morning."

I nodded. "That'll be fine. Have a good night."

"Or what's left of it," Bri added.

I closed the door and carried Brooke into the room. She stuck her finger in her mouth and began to suck loudly. She sniffled.

"I want you to get some sleep, pumpkin," I whispered. I put her down in the crib and kissed her forehead. She looked at me for a long minute as if to make sure I wasn't going anywhere. Then she fell back and curled up on her side. I smiled.

"You Carter women wear a man out," I whispered.

I quietly slipped back into bed. I was worn out.

But in a good way.

A very good way.
Chapter 45 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Forty Five - October 15

"Seriously, this is the biggest studio I could find."

"If you think this is bad, wait until tour."

The five of us were in the recording booth looking out at the mayhem that had formally been called the lounge. Shelby and Mason were bouncing from couch to couch. Noah was in his new walker that looked like a big Jeep 4x4. The thing was cute....until he found the horn. For the last half hour, he would smash his hands on the horn and laugh hysterically. Liv and Leighanne were walking Brooke and Kayleigh up and dow the halls. James was sitting on the leather couch calmly eating a popsicle while Molly fed Joe a jar of baby food. Ally was asleep, her head on her chest and her mouth wide open. And through it all Baylee was trying to read a history book.

"Do you think anyone would miss us if we just stay in the recording booth forever?" I asked.

"They'd find us," Brian said. "They always find us."

We had been in the recording studio for the past week and a half. We had a short amount of time to record and repackage Going Strong. A slew of producers and sound guys had been coming in and out during the entire morning. I'm pretty sure all of them were glad when their part was over. Every time someone new walked in, Shelby was right at the door asking them their name, age, and if they had any good music.

And speaking of Shelby...from the first day we got back in the studio, there was a change in AJ. A good change. He smiled a lot more, he showed up on time...all around he just looked happy.

Of course his punctuality was making me look bad.

"Mr. J?"

We all looked over at Shelby. She wrapped her hands around the doorknob and swung back and forth. AJ smiled.

"Sup?"

"Can we go to Chuck E. Cheese for dinner? I'm hungry."

AJ laughed. I think the kid could have asked for a limo and he would have said yes. "That sounds good."

Shelby grinned. She was wearing an astronaut suit, a backpack, and a green cape. She looked like an intergalactic Little Red, er green, Riding Hood.

"Can Mason come?"

"How about we all come?" I said. Shelby looked at me as if I had just interrupted a private conversation. Then she shrugged and jumped up and down.

"Okay!"

The door slammed loudly as she ran back out to the lounge. Kevin looked like he needed an aspirin. Bad.

"You have no idea what you've just done," Kev said. I smiled.

"What?"

He just shook his head and slid the headphones back on.

"One more take," he mouthed.

I know it's silly, but the idea of AJ having to keep an eye on Shelby at a place like Chuck E. Cheese was something I just couldn't miss. I put back on my headphones and glanced at the clock.

I was ready for some fun.

---------------------------------

"When was the last time you were at Chuck E. Cheese?" Brian asked me as I opened the back door of the Pathfinder to get Brooklyn out of her car seat. Liv was doing the same on the other side with Noah.

"I don't know. I think I was ten so...twenty years?"

"You've never come here as an adult?"

I shook my head. "No. Why?"

Bri just smiled. "Oh this is going to be fun."

Howie, AJ, and Kev pulled up soon after us. After all the kids were unloaded we trooped up to the tan building. Chucke E. himself smiled down at us from the huge purple and red sign.

I think we about gave the greeter at the door a heart attack.

"How many are in your party?" she asked nervously.

"Let's see..." Kev said.

"There's ten adults and nine children."

"That's nineteen!" Shelby yelled from somewhere in the back of the group.

"Okay. It's going to be a minute. But first, can everyone hold out their hands?"

The girl went along and stamped everyone's hand with a big number '69.' I'm pretty sure AJ and I started snickering at the same time. Liv jabbed me in the side.

"You're horrible," she whispered. I grinned. "You love it."

She turned away but not before I saw the smile.

After all of our hands were stamped, the greeter disappeared to try to find a table big enough. The little ones were patient for about, oh, sixty seconds.

Shelby was the first to crack.

"I need...I need...I need to play games!" Shelby squealed.

"Shel, you've got to be patient."

There was no telling that kid to be patient. Ten seconds later another voice piped up.

"Daddy, there's bas-ke-ball. Can I go play bas-ke-ball?" Mason begged.

I glanced around to see if the staff was making any progress on the tables. The place was packed; it wasn't looking good. I was holding Brooke. She spotted a huge slide and it was all over.

"DA-DDY! DA-DDY!" she screamed. Her head whipped around so fast that her ponytail slapped my right across the face.

"Dad, there's whack a mole. Can I go whack?" Baylee asked Brian.

I laughed so hard that I choked on my own spit. Liv slapped my back; even she was trying hard not to laugh. Brian must have given him some money because the next thing I knew, Baylee dodged past me.

As soon as he was out of earshot, I heard Kev say something about puberty. Brian groaned.

"Just shut up."

"How come HE gets to play and I DON'T?" Shelby yelled.

"DAAAADDDDD!" Mason yelled.

"DA-DDY!" Brooke squealed.

"MOUSE!" James yelled excitedly.

We were saved by the poor chum that had to wear the Chuck E. Cheese costume. He walked through our huge group and gave each of the kids a high five. Everyone was all smiles except Noah. The dude put his big mouse paw out and Noah started to bawl. His hands curled into Liv's hair and he did a hard face smack into her shoulder.

"Shhh," Liv said. She patted his back.

Good ol' Chuck took Noah's meltdown as his cue to leave. Shelby was just starting a third round of 'why can't I play?' questions when the girl that had stamped us headed over to us.

"We have a table. Right this way," she said.

We wound like a conga line through the place. I think I saw a couple people's mouths drop open. I ignored them.

In the end, our table was worth the wait. The wait staff has put four humongous long tables end to end so that we had front row seating in front of the stage. A couple waiters brought out high chairs and booster seats.

Shelby and Mason didn't even both getting into the booster seats.

"Daddy..." Mason said again. Kevin pinched his nose. He looked around.

"What's our plan?" Kev asked the rest of us. He always had to have a plan.

"Why don't the girls stay here at the table with the babies and put in a pizza order and the five of us can go with the older kiddos," Howie said.

We all agreed. I tossed Brooke up in the air and headed off towards the Toddler Zone. Brian followed with Kayleigh. AJ started to follow with Shelby, but she planted her feet firmly on the groud.

"What's wrong?" J asked. She looked up at him like it was totally obvious.

"I'm not a toddler," she said haughtily. She marched off in the direction of the Kiddie Area. AJ shrugged at us and followed.

"I guess it's just the two of us," Bri said.

"Just the two of us, we can make it if we try. Just the two of us, you and I," I sang. Bri groaned.

I was secretly glad that we had to go to the Toddler Zone. There were only a couple other little ones roaming around.

"No ball pit," I said with a smile. Brian snickered.

"Darn. I so enjoyed you getting Baylee out of the pit a couple years ago."

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up."

Bri and I both knelt down next to this little house and let Kayleigh and Brooke go. Kayleigh looked around curiously. Brooke didn't waste a second. She wrapped her hand around the little ladder going to the slide and looked at me. I propeled her up with a hand securely on her bottom. I couldn't help but laugh as she grunted her way up to the top. Once she got up there she looked at me.

"Slide down," I said. I walked around to the other side of the house. She plopped down on her bottom and pushed off.

"WEEE!!" she giggled. I caught her as she swooped down. Kayleigh clapped.

"Kayleigh bird, you want to try?" Bri said. She shook her head no.

"She didn't get your 'try-anything' attitude," I teased. Bri grinned.

"Yeah, she's more like Leigh."

I followed Brooke around. There were little turning blocks built into the wall and a giant baby-friendly version of the Whack-a-Mole game. Brian entertained Kay by shrieking like a girl when the giant moles came up out of the ground. I was just about ready to put Brooke in a little motorized car when a tall brunette walked up to me.

"Excuse me," she said. I smiled.

"Yes?"

"Are you Nick Carter?"

Brooke's arms tightened around me. Her legs kicked in happiness.

"DA-DDY," she said as if that was the obvious answer. I kept the smile on my face.

"Yes, I am."

The woman's eyes lit up. "I knew it! All the guys are here aren't they?"

"Er, yeah I think they are."

A blonde poked her head in the room. The brunette looked back at her and started nodding.

"It's them!"

Somehow I had a feeling that fifteen years ago these two would have been the type of girls to camp out overnight before a concert. I don't know why I though that; maybe it was the look in their eyes. The brunette turned back to me.

"You're little girl is adorable," she said. Brooke had already lost interest. She pointed to the car and whimpered.

"Thank you," I said. I leaned down and put her in the car. One token later and she was happily driving her Corvette down an imaginary street.

"Your wife is the luckiest woman," the brunette continued. I ran a hand through my hair.

"I'm the lucky one," I said lightly.

The brunette opened her mouth to speak, but before she could get a word out, there was a horrible banging above my head. I looked up. There was a giant tube set-up that ran from the Kiddie Area through the Toddler Zone. Shelby's face was pressed against the plastic.

"HEY LADY!" she yelled. "YOU'VE GOT A BIG BUTT!"

The look on the woman's face was priceless. She looked at me and then disappeared.

I swear Shelby cackled. I heard her hands slapping the tube as she moved back to the Kiddie Area.

"Hey guys?"

I looked up. Leigh was leaning halfway into the Toddler Zone.

"We've got pizza."

Bri and I had no problem getting Brooke and Kay to go back to the table for pizza. Howie arrived back with James just a few minutes after we sat down.

It was a whole 'nother story for AJ and Kev. I heard them before I actually saw them.

"I DON'T WANT PIZZA!" Shelby yelled. AJ came into view. He had picked her up but she had swung backwards in his arms. Her head was swinging towards the ground; she looked like a pissed off firefly. Mason wasn't yelling, but he was clinging to Kev crying like someone had just ruined his life.

Those two pouted for a full five minutes.

And then the show started.

I had forgotten about the animatronic characters that came out and did a twenty minute concert. James bounced excitedly in his booster chair swinging a piece of pepperoni pizza in the air.

Brooke stared wide-eyed as the characters turned in mechanical circles.

And Noah began to cry.

"Only your kid would be afraid of these things," AJ said.

"They're a little freaky!" I said indignantly.

Before anyone else could razz me or my son anymore, Noah reached over with a huge snotty sniffle and picked up a piece of pepperoni that Brooke had been playing with. He held it in his pudgy hand and chucked it towards the stage.

I have to say...my boy has a good arm. The thing went airborne and landed with perfect precision on the end of Chuck E.'s nose.

"MWHAAHAHAHHA!"

I turned in surprise. Shelby had just taken a sip of her soda when she saw the pepperoni land and heard Noah's excited laugh, she laughed so hard soda flew out her nose.

"IT BURNS!" she screamed. Her hands flew in front of her face. Molly grabbed a napkin and began to wipe her face.

I seriously have no idea how she did it. Shelby was like a poster child for ADHD.

After about fifteen more minutes, all the kids were ready to go back and do the games. This time all the girls took them. I have to admit that all the kids were a lot quiet heading into the play zone with the mamas then they had been with the dads. Baylee took the golden opportunity to disappear into the arcade.

"Hey, was that a Barney ride I saw in the Toddler Zone?" Howie said. He took a sip of his cola. I nodded.

"Yup. I don't think they realize that he stopped being popular a decade ago."

Howie smiled. "I will give you fifty bucks if you hop in and ride it."

I smirked. "That's all I have to do?"

"That's all."

"I can tell by that grin on his face that he's gonna do it," J said.

"I didn't say yes," I said.

Bri just snorted.

-------------------------------

Ten minutes later I was squished into the ride. My knees were pressed up against my chin. Kev put a token in the machine and away I went.

Well, I didn't really go anywhere. The ride creaked painfully as it bounced up and down. I was killing Barney with my sheer ripped bod.

Howie flipped open his cellphone and took a picture. I had a feeling that he was going to try to use it as collateral against the donkey picture.

But nothing was going to beat the donkey picture. There's something to be said about having to do something against your will that makes it ten times funnier.

"I think I just saw a spark," Bri finally said. Barney gave one last lurch and then came to a spot. I cheered.

"That's fifty bucks!" I said. I went to hop out.

But I didn't budge.

Howie held out a fifty. "Here you go."

I reached out for it, but he was too far away. I tried to inch out by using my ass.

No such luck.

"Uhhhh..."

"What's up?"

Kev started to laugh. "Oh shit. Are you stuck?"

I placed my hands on the sides and pushed. My legs were locked up against my body. I felt like an accordion.

"Oh god, I'm going to die in Barney," I said. AJ started to laugh.

If that wasn't bad enough I heard another pounding above my head. I looked up. Shelby was back in the tubes.

"YOU'RE TOO BIG FOR THAT!" she yelled.

"SHE'S STUCK SWEETHEART!" AJ called through his laughter. Her face broke into an ear to ear smile and she went slapping off through the tubes.

Two minutes later all the girls were over in the Toddler Zone for a peek. Liv walked up. She was holding Noah in her arms and had Brooke by the hand.

"Nick, what the hell?"

I smiled at her. I was hoping my charm would make the situation look a little less asinine.

"I won fifty buck."

"You did this for fifty dollars?"

"Well..."

Liv scooped Brooke up and headed out of the zone. Kev came up behind me.

"I think if I can just wedge my hands up behind you I can give you a push," he reasoned. I felt his hands push into my back. I winced. He kept pushing. Finally they slipped into the ride and landed right on my ass.

"Okay. One...two....THREE!"

Kev's fingers pressed into my ass cheeks. I still didn't budge. He tried again.

It wasn't going to work.

"Never mind," I said. I felt like Pooh stuck in a honey hole. "Thanks for trying."

"No prob."

I waited for Kev's hands to leave my ass.

They didn't.

"Uh, Kev...you can get your hands out."

I felt him tugging. "Uh...no I can't."

"What?"

The situation had just gotten worse. I was stuck in a Barney ride with Kevin's hands gripping my ass. This was like a twisted gay fetish in the making.

Howie seemed to think the same thing. Before I had a chance to react, he knelt down and got a picture. AJ and Brian laughed so hard they began to snort.

In the end, Liv went and got one of the employees. The next fifteen minutes were absolutely humiliating. The blonde and brunette from earlier came back in and took a picture. Then another employee was called in to help disassemble the ride. As half of Barney fell away, Kev's hand and my entire body were finally free.

Then as if the whole 'trapped' thing wasn't bad enough, the manager came in and pretty much told us we had to leave.

"I can't believe this," Kev muttered as he walked out of the building. Addy walked behind him carrying Mason.

"Was that the first place you've been banned from?" I asked. He looked over at me. I took that as a yes.

"I've been banned from a lot of places," I boasted. As if I wasn't sore enough from being squished into the ride, Brian came over and jumped on my back.

"I've been banned from that McDonald's in Canada," Brian said. "Remember?"

I had a sudden vision of Brian stuck in the playtube and Baylee trying to push him out with his feet and a giant bear.

"Oh yeah," I said with a smirk. I twirled around fast. Bri slid off.

"I remember."

Liv caught up with me. Brooke held out her arms and I scooped her up.

"I remember that too," Liv said lightly. "I thought maybe you guys had grown up since then."

I smiled. "Us? Grow up?"

"NEVER!" Brian yelled. He broke into a run and caught up to Baylee. He ruffled his hair affectionately. Baylee laughed and tried to trip him.

It had been another wild and crazy day in the life of the Backstreet Boys. I had battled with a purple dinosaur and the dinosaur had won.

This time.
Chapter 46 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Forty Six - October 31

"So what's the plan?"

"The plan is just to keep AJ busy."

It was October 31, Halloween. My favorite holiday of the entire year. Unfortunately, it was also AJ's wedding anniversary.

AJ was acting strange. For the past two weeks he had practically been floating on a cloud. He was acting happier and happier. Me and the guys were sure that he was going to crash into a deep bout of depression today. We wanted to make sure that didn't happen.

That's how we came up with 'Operation Distract AJ.' The plan was simple. We were going to take the kids trick-or-treating and then have a huge party back at Casa de Carter.

"This is the first Halloween I haven't been pregnant," Liv called out happily from the bedroom. I heard Leighanne laugh.

Leighanne was the master of themed costumes. She was dressed as Alice in Wonderland. Baylee was the Mad Hatter. Little Kayleigh was dressed as the Cheshire Cat. That left Brian. I was standing in the living room talking to a giant rabbit.

"Why are you the bunny?" I asked.

Brian took out a pocket watch and flipped it from hand to hand.

"Baylee refused to be the White Rabbit so...here I am."

I laughed. "Dude that sucks."

"Where's your costume?"

I grinned. "It's coming."

"Are you doing a theme?"

"Liv wanted to do Little Red Riding Hood. I'm the wolf. Then Liv picked out Noah's costume and I picked out Brooke's."

Brian looked down. Noah was dressed as a pumpkin. He kept yanking off his orange stem hat. Brooke was running around with Kayleigh giggling hysterically. I grinned.

I had found the perfect costume. Brooke was Wonder Woman...complete with red cape and little red and white tights. I hadn't dressed her until Liv went into the bedroom and changed. I couldn't wait to see the look on her face when...

"Nick, what is Brooke wearing?"

I looked over. I was all prepared with a smart-ass comment, but the moment I saw Liv I'm pretty sure I forgot my name.

When she had said we were doing the whole Little Red Riding Hood / Wolf thing I pictured a long peasant dress and a red cape and small hiking boots.

She must have gone to Hookers-R-Us for her Halloween costume. She had white stockings that came to above her knees and tiny little black heels. The little red and white dress looked like something those German beer girls wear while holding up two frothy mugs of ale. The corset was pushing things up to new heights. To complete the outfit there was a short little cape.

"AAAARRRRROOOOOOOOOOOO," I howled.

She smiled and did a slow turn. Then she looked back at me. "What is Brooke wearing?"

"She's Wonder Woman!" I said with a smile. "Complete with red cape."

Liv started to laugh. Bri just looked confused.

"I'm missing something..."

I grinned. "Inside joke."

I went down the hall and got into my wolf costume. I was going to be sweating balls by the time the night was over.

By the time I got back out to my living room, it was wall to wall Backstreet. I glanced around for AJ. I spotted him in the corner. He was dressed as Cap'n Jack Sparrow. He was holding Ally, talking to How.

"Hey guys, it's almost seven!" I called out.

Mason began an excited chant that Shelby quickly joined.

"CAN-DY! CAN-DY! CAN-DY!"

Addy gave a loud finger whistle. She was dressed as a nurse. It wasn't near as slutty as Liv's costume, but Kevin seemed to be admiring it all the same. The room quieted down. Liv grabbed a kitchen chair and started to climb up, but I pulled her down. Heights and short skirts don't mix when I had four other warm-blooded guys in the room. I scrambled up on the chair instead.

"Alright, here's what's going down. Liv, Leigh, and Leighanne are going to stay here and order the grub for the party and watch Noah, Ally, and Joe. The rest of us are headed out for candy.

"CANDY!" Shelby squealed. She as dressed as a T-Rex. Her whole face was painted green. Mason was dressed as a train conductor.

Then there was James. He was decked out in head to toe leather.

"What the fuck is he supposed to be?" AJ said. "One of the Village People?"

Howie made a face. "He's a motorcycle guy."

"All he needs is a handlebar mustache and he could be the dude from the Village People," I said.

"VROOM!" James said. He shook his little plastic pumpkin bucket. I laughed.

"Let's go."

----------------------------

I had been prepared for a disatrous trick-or-treating experience, but all in all it didn't go too bad. Having both AJ and Molly to corral Shelby had been a good idea. She had started to sing the 'Trick-or-treat, smell my feet song,' but Molly warned her that if she heard it again that AJ and her were going to eat the whole bucket of candy. Shelby's mouth snapped shut.

You've never seen a quieter kid.

Brooke had been too small to do much last year at Halloween. This year she was much more interested in everything.

"Daddy, ooooh," she said as we passed a house filled with coffins. I laughed and held her closer.

The best houses we visited were the ones with the little old ladies. Brooke put on the Carter charm and held out her bag, grinning ear to ear.

"Oh, aren't you adorable?" they'd say. She always seemed to get an extra candy bar.

Then there was the houses with the women around our age. I guess it must have been pretty shocking to open your door and see Nick Carter and his little girl begging for candy.

By the time we made it back to the house, I could barely carry Brooklyn's bag. She wrapped her arms around me and kissed my wolfy cheek.

"Did you have fun?" I asked. She nodded and put her head on my shaggy shoulder.

"She got more candy than me!" Shelby complained as she skipped by and eyed Brooke's bag.

"You've got plenty of candy," Molly said patiently.

"If we put our candy together, we'll have GIANT candy!" Mason yelled at Shelby. He took off at a run towards my front door. Shelby picked up her dinosaur tail and chased after him.

I glanced back. Baylee was eating a Snickers bar. His orange wig was crooked. Howie and Leigh were at the back of the pack. James decided to sit down and open a bag of M&M's right there on the sidewalk.

Liv, Leigh, and Leighanne had worked their asses off. There was punch with candy corn floating in it, pizza, hot wings, bat cookies...just the perfect amount of junk food after a night of pilaging the neighborhood for sugar.

Noah had ditched the pumpkin costume. He came crawling up to me and sat on my shoe looking up. Brooke pointed down.

"NoNo!" She smacked him in the head with some Sweet Tarts. Instead of crying, he picked up the candy, looking interested.

"What you got sweetie?" Liv asked. She knelt down next to him. He grinned and held the tarts out to her.

"MAMA!" he said happily. I looked down at him in surprise. His first word...and it hadn't been dada.

Liv's eyes widened. She scooped him up and beamed.

"That's right!" she said. She took the package from him and blew a loud raspberry on his cheek. He giggled.

It's funny, but even though they're so little, there was a definite difference between Noah's voice and Brooke's. Brooke's reminded me of a little bird. Noah's reminded me of a rambunctious little boy.

A little boy who had his mom wrapped around his little finger.

Liv kissed my cheek and then went off to make the announcement that our son was a genius.

I fixed up a plate of food for me and Brooke and sat down at a makeshift table.

"You know what we should do?"

I looked up. AJ had Joe in his arms.

"What?"

"Play poker."

I snorted. "With all these kids?"

"They'll eat some candy, run around for an hour, then crash hard," he reasoned.

He had a point. Plus he looked relaxed and content. If the poor guy wanted to play poker, who was I to say no?

"I'm in," I said. He clapped his hands and disappeared.

About ten minutes later, Kev leaned across me.

"Addy wants to get in on the poker game," he said. I laughed.

"Really?"

"Yup."

I shrugged. "That's cool. The more the merrier."

Brooke fell asleep on my lap about fifteen minutes later. I bumped into Liv. She was coming out of Noah's nursery.

"He's exhausted," she said happily. She followed me into Brooke's room.

"Was that not the most adorable thing you've ever heard? He said mama!"

I laughed. "It ranks right up there with Brooke's 'dada,'" I said.

Liv wrapped her arms around me and sighed. "We have amazing babies."

I tucked a light blanket up around Brooke. I had given her a couple small candy bars and after twirling around in circles and laughing, she had been down for the count. Even so, her face was still flushed.

"I agree," I said. I turned around.

"You know you shouldn't stand so close to the Big Bad Wolf," I teased. Liv smirked.

"We have a whole house full of people. I think I'm safe."

She turned around and grabbed my paw. We a laugh I followed her back downstairs.

She was safe. This time.

---------------------------------

"Texas Hold'em," Addy announced. I watched her deal out the cards like a professional Vegas dealer.

Liv was sitting behind me. I was stacking up my chips in neat little rows. Across from me, AJ had his scattered haphazardly in front of him.

Bri and Leigh had left early. After the awesomeness of the candy had worn off, Baylee had gotten bored. That left Kev, Addy, Howie, AJ, and myself to play.

"This is going to be like taking candy from a baby," Howie announced. I looked over at him. He smiled.

"You have a horrible poker face," he said.

"Pa-pa-pa-poker face. Pa-pa-poker face," AJ sang.

"Shut up. I bluff really well."

I bluffed lousy. Within an hour I was out. My neat chip stack had pretty much been divided evenly between AJ's messy stack and Addy's color-coded one.

"This calls for some music," AJ said as I was relegated to being the drink boy. "Got any Enya?"

"Enya?" Molly said. She had been sitting by him. I'm pretty sure that he was using her as a good luck charm like old ladies do at Bingo with those troll dolls. Each time he petted Molly's hair, he won a pot.

In the end, it was Addy who won. About a half hour before the game was over, Shelby woke up and decided to be helpful. Unfortunately, her version of helpful was asking questions like - 'Are three of those A's a good thing?'

Addy swept the floor with him.

"I had a really good time tonight," Howie said.

"That's because we didn't do anything stupid," I said. Howie laughed. James shifted in his arms, the leather outfit creaked. I tried hard not to make a comment.

"That's true."

"Thanks, man."

Kev and I did one of those weird brotherly handshakes. I gave Addy a hug and they were out the door.

"Good game," AJ said. I grinned.

"You too."

"Night, Bob!" Shelby said. It was two thirty in the morning and she was wide awake.

"Bye nutty," I called out. I closed the door.

"Bob?" Liv asked. I laughed.

"She thinks I look like Spongebob 'cause my hair's 'yellow'."

Liv laughed. "She's a weird little kid."

I tugged myself out of the wolf costume. I was surprised at how cool the house felt without a huge layer of fur all around me.

"Yeah, but I think AJ's really getting attached to her."

Liv hummed. "Not just her."

"Yeah, Molly's grown on him too."

"I think she's good for him. I saw him smile a lot tonight."

I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand. I was tired. Even the sight of Liv's costume wasn't giving me energy. I stifled a yawn.

"Bedtime?" Liv guessed. I smiled.

"You've outwitted the wolf," I admitted.

Liv grabbed onto the railing and pranced upstairs.

"Well, that's how the story ends!" she called out happily. I snorted.

I had married a bookworm...

And I loved it.
Chapter 47 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Forty Seven - Thanksgiving

"My toy."

"My blankie."

"My puppy."

It was one of the greatest football days of the year, Thanksgiving Day, and Noah and I were decked out in our matching Bucs jerseys while Brooke walked around the room confirming her supreme authority over everything in the house. As she reached for Lila, the poor dog scampered away as fast as her legs could carry her. Brooke looked around for her next possible possession. She walked up to the couch and wrapped a hand tightly around Noah's leg.

"My NoNo!"

Noah didn't seem to appreciate her love. He yanked his foot back and gave her a very pissed off little grunt. It didn't seem to faze Brooke. She looked up at me and gave me a very toothy grin.

"My daddy."

I smiled. "My Brooke."

She clapped excitedly to find someone that appreciated her game.

"Nick?"

I heard the sound of the oven door opening and closing.

"Yeah?"

"When's Angel getting here?"

"She said she'd be here by two!"

"What time is it now?"

"Two fifteen!"

"Ugh."

Brooke took off at a little gallop. I waited a few seconds and then...

"My mommy!"

I heard Liv say something and Brooke's unmistakable giggle. A minute later Liv was carrying her back into the living room.

"You need to stay here with daddy," she said. She plopped Brooke on the couch. Brooke flipped around and slid back off.

"My vee-vee," she said, touching the TV.

Liv looked like she had just crawled through a hot desert and fought off a giant monster. She had some white gunk smeared on her face, her hair was a mess, and she still had a huge oven mitt on one hand.

"Do you need help?" I asked. I crossed my fingers, praying she would say no. The game was just getting good...

"No, it's fine. Just keep the kiddos out of the kitchen, okay? I'm going to go get dressed."

I smiled. "Absolutely no problem."

Liv leaned down and gave me and Noah pecks on the cheek.

"Thank you."

She took off upstairs and I stretched out on the couch. Noah perched on my chest and studied the players taking off down the field. As the crowd went wild, he clapped. I groaned.

"No buddy, that was the other team. We go 'BOOOOOO!'"

"BOOOO!!!" Brooke squealed. I laughed.

"See, your sister's got it."

Fifteen minutes later it was halftime and the doorbell was ringing. I scooped up Noah and headed towards the front door.

It was Angel.

"I'm sorry I'm late," she apologized. She brushed past me; she was completely flushed.

"It's okay," I laughed. "Where'd you come from? Oz?"

She gave me a look. "No, it's just things have been crazy."

She set down a huge box on the floor and took off down the hall. I heard the bathroom door close.

"Hello to you too," I muttered. I glanced down into the box. I saw pies. My stomach growled. The guys and I had been getting the tour choreography down for the past three weeks and I was sick of all the fruit and salad that they had thrown at us. It was almost as bad as all the rice I had inhaled over in Japan.

"MY!" Brooke cried happily. She leaned over the box. I scooped her up in my free arm.

"Nope, that's for later."

Her face wrinkled. I was hoping I wasn't heading for a Brooke meltdown. I didn't want to be stuck doing corner patrol when the game came back on.

I had just gotten both kids back on the couch when the doorbell rang again. I headed back into the hall and opened the door.

It was Liv's mom and Mike.

"Hey mom," I said as she hugged my tightly.

"You're losing weight," she said. She stepped back and looked up at my face. I grinned.

"We've been getting in shape for the tour and--"

"Well, we'll make sure you have plenty of food."

Mike slid in beside her. He was carrying a huge box. I could smell delicious aromas wafting from inside.

"Beans, corn casserole, cranberry sauce, cheesy potatoes, and cheesecake," Mike rattled off. "Since I've been with Carrie I've gained twenty five pounds. I couldn't get back on the FBI squad if I tried."

I laughed. "You can come dance with us any day."

I picked up Angel's box and Mike followed me to the kitchen. Liv's mom took off towards the living room.

"Who wants presents?" I heard her say. Brooke squealed and I heard Noah laugh loudly.

Liv, bless her heart, had actually asked me if I was going to invite my mom to Thanksgiving. After making sure that she hadn't been hitting the rum, I had told her that while her intentions were good, I'd rather have hell freeze over.

The only other person I was expecting was BJ, and that was iffy. Dad had stopped by yesterday and we had a pre-Thanksgiving pizza dinner. Brooke seemed to find her grandpa fascinating and my dad about cried when she fell asleep in his arms.

"How's everything going?" Mike asked me. I smiled.

"Hectic, but that's the norm around here. What about with you?"

Mike grinned. "Well..."

"Nick, did you get my pies?"

Angel swung herself into the kitchen.

"Yeah, Brooke almost got into them."

Angel laughed. "That sounds like your daughter."

"What sounds like his daughter?"

Liv walked into the kitchen and opened the oven door for another bird check. Then she turned around and gave Angel a hug.

"Nick said Brooke was trying to get into the pies, so I said---"

Liv laughed. "Yeah that would be his daughter, all right."

"Do you need any help in here?" Liv's mom asked. She had Noah in her arms. He was holding a huge stuffed football.

"Yeah, I need some carrots cut up..."

Mike and I took that as our cue to leave. We ended up out in the living room to watch the third quarter of the game. The Bucs were three yards from a freakin' touchdown when Brooke tugged on my legs.

"Daddy, potty."

Liv had decided that it was time to attempt potty training. For the past week Brooke had ignored the whole thing as if it didn't exist.

It figured that today, at this nerve-wracking moment, she would choose to give it a try. As a dad, I had only one choice.

"Liv!" I called out.

There was no answer. I heard a lot of girly chit chat going on. Brooke tugged on my leg again.

"I'll let you know what happens," Mike teased.

I scooped Brooke up and kept darting glances back at the TV as I walked. They were taking their sweet time getting back into formation. I headed down the hall and into the bathroom. A very girly princess potty was sitting right beside the regular toilet in all its pink glory. I set Brooke down.

It was like a long drawn out stage show. First she stared at the thing, then she patted the seat. She tilted her head as if contemplating her next course of action.

I heard Mike cheer in the living room.

To aid things along, I got her bare bottomed and ready to go. She turned and just smiled at me.

I heard Mike groan from the living room.

"Brooke's potty," I said encouragingly. I tapped the seat. She giggled.

"MY!"

I heard a long string of cursing from the living room and Liv's mom yelling. I broke out into a sweat. The game...

Then the miracle occured. Brooke plopped down and peed as if she did it everyday of her life. She kicked her legs against the seat and clapped.

"GOOD JOB!"

I started to clap. Never in my life did I think I'd practically be doing a victory dance over someone going pee.

"What happened?"

I glanced over at Liv.

"She did it!"

Liv started to clap just like me. She knelt down and got Brooke all ready to go again.

"What a big girl!"

"My potty," Brooke said happily. She walked out in the hallway. I heard a long string of 'My's' as she went.

"How amazing is this?" Liv asked. I had slowly been inching towards the door. I stopped and leaned against the wall.

"Awesome. That didn't take long at all," I said.

"Well, this is only one time, but it's a start," Liv said.

"Right. Well, I'll go make sure she stays in the living room..."

I gestured towards the door. Liv grinned.

"Nick, go watch the game."

She didn't have to tell me twice. I took off towards the living room before I got stuck cleaning a potty chair.

----------------------------------

"Nick, seriously it's nothing to pout about."

"One point. One point."

The Bucs had lost by one lousy, stinking, point. The kicker had missed the shot as the last seconds of the game ticked away. I had gotten so mad I threw Noah's new stuffed football and Atari and Bitsy had gotten each end and tore it in half.

Needless to say, Noah was still sniffling even as he picked at the pieces of turkey Liv had cut up for him.

"Well, I have some good news," Liv's mom announced. She wiped her mouth and smiled at Mike.

"It doesn't involve football right?" Liv asked. Angel laughed.

They just didn't understand.

"No, not football. Actually...I'm getting married."

Liv's fork dropped on her plate. I saw her eyes widen.

"Really?"

Mike grinned and shoveled in another forkful of stuffing. Liv's mom looked like she was going to pass out.

"That's..." Liv trailed off. She picked up her fork. "That's wonderful."

"Carrie was afraid you were going to try to stab me with the carving knife," Mike teased.

"I was not! I just..."

"Mom, I think it's great," Liv assured her. "When's the big date?"

"February 18. We're just going down to the courthouse. Simple thing."

Liv grinned. "Nothing's ever simple. Am I invited?"

Mike laughed. "Of course. You're one fourth of our guest list." He winked at me. "Then of course your husband and the kids."

Liv and her mom started to chat about dresses and flowers and all that. Liv was right. After about ten minutes it didn't sound all that simple. Mike finally held up a hand.

"We're going to be in there for about fifteen minutes. We don't need any Wang Chung dresses or anything."

Angel looked at Mike like he had just committed a sin.

"It's Vera Wang," she admonished. He just shrugged.

After wedding conversation had died down, Liv and her mom got up and cut the pie. As we dug into humongous slices topped with whipped cream, Angel cleared her throat.

"I have some good news too," she said lightly.

"Are you getting married?" I asked. She laughed.

"Not quite." She had managed to scrape the entire layer of whipped cream into the center. It heaped there like an island floating in a vast ocean of pumpkin.

"You're going to be an uncle."

"What?"

There was a time, a couple years ago when someone had told me Leslie had announced she was pregnant. Somehow there was a whole bunch of drama with her husband (now ex-husband) and it was all an attention stunt. But Angel wasn't like that.

"Yep. I'm due in May."

My fork was heaped with delicious pumpkin stuff but I couldn't bring it to my mouth. I was looking at my little sister. My unmarried, single little sister. I decided yelling wasn't the best course of action. My voice came out pinched, but steady.

"Who's the father? Do I know him?"

A deep flush crept into her cheeks. "Well...that's the funny part..."

"Was it that groomsman at Nick and Liv's wedding?" Liv's mom asked. "He was chasing you like a hound all night."

"Groomsman?" I quickly eliminated Brian, Kevin, Howie, and AJ. That left...

"Matt," Angel said before I could guess.

My turkey was coming up and it didn't taste as good as it had going done.

"Matt?" I said incredulously. "Pothead, drunk off his ass, acts like a twelve year old Matt?"

"That's the one," Angel said calmly.

"Where is he?" Liv asked. Angel smiled.

"I don't know. We hooked back up about two and a half months ago and had a nice three weeks. And then..." She waved her hand in the air.

She was so nonchalant. As if she had just gotten the world off her chest, she took a large bite of pie.

"Where does that leave you?" I said. I was getting mad. I was having visions of punching him in his face and shoving his bong so far up his...

"It leaves me happy," Angel said. "I want a child, I don't want a wedding ring, and I'm old enough and financially secure enough to take care of myself and a baby."

I knew better than to argue with the only member of my family whom I actually got along with. Instead I stuffed some pie in my mouth and continued to think of what I would do to Matt when I saw him again. Meanwhile Liv and Angel started to talk excitedly about Brooke and Noah's future cousin.

"And," Angel said with gusto. The pie had quickly disappeared from her plate. "Mom didn't waste any time announcing that I could always come live with her."

I snorted. "Oh, yeah, that would work."

"That's basically what I said. Then she started whining about how I was her last hope for a grandchild she could actually visit."

I caught Liv's eye and smiled sardonically.

"And that darling," I said smoothly. "Is why my mother wasn't invited to Thanksgiving."

Liv's mom raised her water goblet.

"Here, here!"

The only thing left to do was toast to a Jane-free holiday.
Chapter 48 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Forty Eight - December 14

"Tell me again why we're going to Colorado?"

"It's a surprise."

"Nick..."

Liv and I were on a direct flight to Denver, Colorado. When we had left the house, Brooke and Noah were happily making Christmas cookies with grandma.

It was going to be two glorious days of child-free time. With a little business mixed in.

"You know there's a lot of snow in Colorado in December right?"

I grinned. "I'm aware."

I flipped open my cellphone to the World Clock. I held it up for her to see.

"See the cool thing is that this flight's only three and a half hours," I explained. "But because of the time zone change, we'll really only have lost a half hour of the day traveling. So we'll arrive at the airport around ten Colorado time even though we left at nine thirty Florida time! And even though we have a two and a half hour drive to get to our accomodations, we'll be there no later than noon thirty!"

Liv snorted. "Noon thirty?"

I leaned over, nose to nose and puckered my lips 'til they barely touched hers. "Yes, teacher. Noon thirty."

She smiled and leaned forward for a better kiss.

I could already picture her out on the slopes.

My very own ski bunny.

-----------------------------------

We arrived at Denver International Airport right on time. After Liv pulled me off the baggage carousel (I might have snuck one or two bites of cookie batter before I left...y'know for the sugar high?), I grabbed our duffel bags and we headed outside.

"Holy shit, Frosty," I gasped. The cold blast of air that hit my face felt like it gave me instant frostbite. I had on a jacket, but for all that it was worth, it could have been just a light plastic tablecloth.

Liv, on the other hand, was a Wisconsian at heart. She had on a thick padded parka and didn't seem to be all that concerned about the next Ice Age.

"Where's our car?" she asked. She held up her hands and blew into them. A big puff of steam escaped. Even though I felt like even my ankles were shaking, I smiled.

"We don't have a car," I said. I walked down the front of the airport to where a gigantic black bus was parked.

"You got a bus?" Liv asked incredulously. I hit the door with my foot and it swung open. The driver smiled down.

"You're the first ones here."

"Awesome, we get the best spot," I said. I scrambled up into the bus; Liv was right at my heels.

"Who else is coming?" Liv asked.

I stopped to put our luggage down. I knelt down and unzipped my duffel. I needed more clothes, stat.

"Well, I think--"

"This where the parties at?"

I heard a huge suitcase fall with a thud on the floor before AJ's head peeked up the steps. A second later Red appeared. Her eyes were wide.

It was the 'virgin' tour bus look.

"Well, AJ's coming," I said sweetly. Liv gave me a look.

Twenty minutes later Bri, Leighanne, Kev, Addy, Howie, and Leigh were all on board. All of the girls looked sufficiently confused.

"What's going on?" Addy asked. Kev grinned.

"Well now that all of us are here..."

"We're going on a ski weekend!" Bri announced.

"With a little business mixed in," Howie added.

Kev held up a brochure.

"We'll be staying at the lovely "Mountain Chic" villa in Aspen, Colorado where we will be enjoying cozy fires and skiing," Kev said in his best 'announcer voice.'

Howie held up a poster. I heard Liv gasp.

"And tonight, we will be the opening act and surprise guest duet at the Rascal Flatts concert sponsored by KYGO 98.5...Denver's #1, for New Country."

"Are you shitting me?" Liv squealed. She grabbed onto my arm so roughly I thought she was going to snap it off. I hadn't seen her look that excited since...since...

Well, since I proposed to her.

Liv did a wild crawl that almost sent her flying as the bus took off. She grabbed the poster from Howie's hand and sat back down. She had a big, goofy smile on her face. Addy looked over. She looked excited too.

"I think Joe Don's gorgeous," Addy said. Liv looked at her like she was crazy.

"Joe Don? No, definitely Jay. That dark hair..."

"Uh, excuse me?" I said. I pointed at myself. "Husband? Blonde hair? Irrestible bedroom eyes?"

Liv and Addy both laughed and just shook their heads. I glanced over at Kev. I had a feeling I had a look on my face similar to his. Finally he just shrugged and turned around in his seat.

"Just remember...you're coming home with me tonight," I whispered. Liv's fingers curled around my arm.

"That's exactly how I want it to be," she whispered back.

--------------------------------------

"This place is amazing."

"Dibs on this bedroom!"

"Damnit, Howie!"

"Addy and I are taking the loft!"

"That's fine with me, Kev."

"You're such a chicken, Bri."

"I just like my feet on the ground, thank you!"

It was like we were all kids at summer camp. Not that I had ever been to summer camp, but I kind of always thought of it as a mad scramble for the best bunk.

Of course, in my mind, any room in this place was the best room. Liv and I just strolled around everyone who was quickly laying claim. Finally we came to the last bedroom. No one had come this far back into the place yet. Liv opened the door and grinned.

"Oh, this one's ours."

I think it probably had to be the master suite. There was a big bear skin rug and a personal fireplace. The whole thing was done in rich woods and creams. A huge window looked out onto the slopes.

It was absolute perfection.

"Yup, totally ours."

I quickly opened my duffel bag and hung a pair of my boxer briefs on the door. Liv laughed.

"What's that for?"

"This is how we're marking our rooms."

"And what's going to stop anyone from taking off yours and putting on a pair of theirs?"

I gave her a 'duh' look.

"No one in their right mind would touch my underwear," I said. She grinned.

"That's true. I have to put them in the wash using salad tongs."

I laughed. Just as I was about ready to make a comment about the rug, AJ poked his head in.

"Son of a bitch, I didn't even know this room was back here."

I made a small violin with my fingers.

"Tough luck."

AJ took off his sunglasses and tried to give me the puppy dog eyes.

"C'mon. This is the first time I've gotten Molly alone and..."

"Sorry, man. First come, first serve."

He gave me the finger and disappeared.

"Aw, Nick, he does have a point..." Liv said. I turned around and pointed at the rug.

"Nothing, not even J's pathetic attempt at making me switch rooms, is going to stop me and you from meeting that rug later tonight."

Liv turned about three different shades of red.

-------------------------------------

We were at the villa no more than a half hour before we had to get back on the bus to head back to Denver. Liv and Addy were playing 'Don't Forget the Lyrics' with Liv's IPod set to all Rascal Flatts, all the time. Every now and then Leighanne would jump in.

"What about you two girls?" I asked. "Aren't you in the Flatts Fan Club?"

Leigh laughed. "Not quite."

Molly shrugged. "I'm more of an Aerosmith girl."

To make a long story short, we got to the venue, unloaded our stuff in the dressing room, and then went out to meet Gary, Joe Don, and Jay. We almost had to get some stage hands out to wipe up the large puddles of drool coming from Addy and Liv.

"I met you guys twice, back in 2002 at the Wisconsin State Fair and then once when you opened for Kenny Chesney in 2004," Liv said breathlessly.

"Well, you've been a fan since the beginning then haven't you?" Jay said with a smile. Liv almost snapped her neck off her shoulders from nodding so hard.

It was pathetic...but cute. I couldn't help but wonder why she had been so cool and collective around us but was a blubbering mess around these guys. Not that it really bothered me. I mean...what did they have that I didn't have?

Hmmmm....

Even though it was a 'surprise' concert, our fan club had just 'happened' to pick some of our members to show up tonight. That meant that we still had a small meet and greet (no Q&A) before the show. Liv had managed to snap out of her stupor and was there for photographs.

"This is the best night of my life," one girl said happily. "You guys are my two favorite groups of all time."

After she skipped off, an older woman came up. I got a kick out of having some Backstreet Grannies jamming out. She smiled at us sweetly.

"I couldn't believe I got picked for meet and greet. Welcome to Denver," she said. She held out her arms. There were two trays full of brownies covered in icing. I think all five of us leaned down at the same time.

"They're called Denver Nugget Brownies," the lady explained. "I thought you might need some after the show."

Howie took the trays. It was a good thing; I was tempted to peel back the plastic and just dig my hands in. He set them aside, but not out of sight. Bri and I both kept looking back.

Our sweet tooth was calling.

Unfortunately, there was no time for sweet tooths. There was just enough time to run through a quick soundcheck before the doors opened. Liv had her camera in hand. She danced from foot to foot.

"I think I've already tweeted fifty times," she said. "This is awesome!"

She gave a tug to my new white denim jacket. Her hands drifted underneat to my t-shirt.

"This is a good look," she said approvingly.

"Would you like it better if I add a cowboy hat?"

She crossed her eyes. "Very funny."

It had been eight months since we had last done a concert, but as we ran onto the stage to a chorus of surprised cheers (and alright, a few boos), it didn't take us any time to get back into the swing of things. If anything, the time off had been beneficial. We had a whole album of songs we really loved and all of us, even Howie, had the choreography down.

By the time our set was over, we had the whole place cheering for us. We quickly changed and hovered in the wings to watch Rascal Flatts perform.

I've got to admit that I'm not a huge country fan, but I've had Rascal Flatts on my IPod for years. I even follow them on Twitter.

And they put on a hell of a show.

About mid-way through, we headed back onstage to perform our collaborative song. We both loved it so much that it had ended up on both our new album and the Flatts' new album.

"A little birdie told us," Gary said as the audience cheered. "That this is going to be our next new single. Something tells me five friends of ours are going to see their names soaring up the country charts real soon."

That was our cue. We headed up on stage and it was a total love fest. The lighters and glowsticks were going and by the end even I felt the urge to let out a 'yee-haw.'

By the end of the concert, I think Liv had given herself laringytis. Gary, Joe Don, and Jay doddged backstage and slapped us into some hugs.

"Thank you guys for coming out," Gary said.

"No, thank you," I said.

"Hey, we're playing a day after you guys in Nashville in June," Joe Don said. "Want to do this again?"

"That sounds like a plan," Howie said. Leave it to How to jump on a deal.

We spent another hour shooting the shit and then it was time to leave. Bri and I both grabbed a tray of brownies and headed back on the bus.

"Tomorrow afternoon we're hitting the slopes," Kev announced.

"What about tonight?" AJ asked.

"We're not skiing in the dark. Are you on a suicide mission?"

"I wasn't thinking about skiing," AJ said. He smirked. "Maybe more like naked snow angels."

I unwrapped the plastic from the brownie tray.

"I think I'll take a brownie instead."

Everyone else seemed to be in agreement. We passed around the first tray. I took a bite and about died. The chocolate frosting has some marshmallow whipped in and the actual brownie itself had the most unusual flavor.

"Oh my god, can we hire that woman to be our tour chef?" Brian moaned.

We had just gotten into a discussion about the upcoming tour and were starting to pass around the second tray of brownies when I felt the bus slow.

"Oh shit."

I looked up front. We had the low cabin lights on overhead but the driver wasmasked in shadow.

"What's up?" Kev called out.

I felt the tug of the bus as it was pulled over. A second later it completely topped.

"Well, I hate to say this," the driver said nervously. "But I ran out of gas."

"What?"

The driver stood up. The light overhead shone directly on his face and I could see the look of embarassment.

"There was a gas station about a mile back. I'm going to go get some fuel."

"You're going to walk in this weather?" I asked. The driver smiled. He reached down and pulled out a humongous coat.

"I always come prepared."

We all watched in dumbfounded silence as he opened the doors and hopped outside.

"I can't believe this," Howie said. "What crappy luck is that?"

"I can top that," AJ said. "Guys, we can't eat any more of these brownies."

I looked down. There was only a half of pan left.

"Why?"

AJ had one small bite left. He brought it up to his nose and sniffed it.

"These are filled with pot."
Chapter 49 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Forty Nine

"Pot?"

"Are you sure?"

AJ smirked. "I've had a couple edibles in my day."

"I ate pot?"

Liv looked like she was about ready to freak out. I didn't know if that was the brownies kicking in or just the reaction to learning those amazing brownies were laced with weed.

"Dude, when did we start to eat them?"

"How long do you think it's going to take that guy to come back with gas?"

"Should we call 911?"

I held out my cellphone.

"We have no service."

Everyone got quiet as my announcement sank in.

"What do we do?" Liv finally asked.

AJ leaned his seat back and propped his legs up. "Just relax."

I knew from my own experience that you got a pretty instant effect when you smoked pot. I had a feeling that digesting it made the full effect of the hit take longer.

After about fifteen minutes, I got bored with the uneasy silence. By my estimates, it had been a little over an hour since we had started snarfing the brownies. I was just about ready to break out a deck of playing cards when Liv began to giggle.

It appeared that Liv was the lightweight of the group. Leighanne turned around. "Oh crap, are you okay?"

Liv nodded. "Yeah, it's just...there was pot in those brownies."

I tried really hard not to laugh. There was a glazed look in Liv's eyes and she was looking around as if she just realized that she was on a bus.

"Oh crap, I can't feel my feet."

I stood up and snorted. Two rows ahead of me Howie was hunched over staring at his legs.

"Has Howie ever had pot before?" AJ called out to the room in general.

"Not that I can remember," I said.

"Just checking."

"I'm going outside to see if I can get cellphone reception," Brian said. He stood up. He took about three steps towards the front of the bus and stopped.

"Woah."

"What?"

I assumed that the full impact had hit him and he was seeing litte Jerry Garcia bears dancing in front of his eyes. Instead he pointed to the front window.

"It's snowing, bad. And my heart's racing. I think I need to pray. Does anyone else want to pray?"

He wasn't kidding. The snow was falling so hard that it looked like our windshield would be completely buried in minutes. Besides that, his eyes were bugging out of his head.

"SIT DOWN!"

This time it was Leighanne. She stumbled after Brian and body tackled him to the ground. AJ started to laugh.

"I think this is going to be the best night of my life," he said.

Addy was the next one to lose it. One minute Kev was discussing going out and trying to get to the gas station and the next minute Addy was stripping.

"I want a baby," she whined. Kev looked like he wanted to crawl under the seat and hide.

"That looks like a really good idea," Liv said. "My clothes are itchy. Is anyone else itchy?" I grabbed her hands just as she went for the bottom of her coat. Kev was struggling with Addy. Our eyes met.

"What's going to happen when this stuff kicks in for us?" he asked. I smiled.

"Maybe it won't kick in for AJ and me. Maybe not for you either. I mean if you can look like Snoop Dogg, maybe you can handle pot like Snoop. If not, you can give Addy that baby."

"I think I'm going to be sick," I heard Molly say quietly. I looked over. AJ was helping her to her feet.

"I can't feel my arms!" she moaned. "Oh fuck, I'm the worst mother in the world. Shelby's mother is a pot head. AJ, she can't eat brownies ever again, okay? Okay?"

Liv's hands were floating to my jeans. I took her hands in mine and watched AJ help Molly into the bathroom. He let her go once they were at the door and she went tumbling in.

"Fuck," he said. He stepped in and closed the door behind him.

"Nick?" Liv whispered. I looked at her. Her eyes couldn't seem to meet mine.

"What?" I whispered back.

She leaned into me. I think she was aiming for my ear but she pretty much dived into my neck.

"I'm horny."

Now here's the thing. Under any normal circumstance I would have so loved for her to say that. But unfortunately, I was sitting in a bus that was rapidly filling with people sucumbing to the effects of the brownies and, by the way the snow was falling outside, I was pretty sure we were going to be buried alive. All they would find when they finally discovered the bus were ten frozen bodies and a half full tray of pot brownies.

"Liv," I whispered back. "That is incredibly sexy, but we need to wait until we get back to Aspen, okay?"

She looked up at me in confusion. Then she started to laugh hysterically.

"Aspen. Asssss-pen."

Brian started to laugh. "Hey, Ass-pen!"

I groaned.

"Shit, where did those colors come from?"

Leigh stood up (obviously her feet still worked, even though Howie's didn't). She reached into the air in front of her. There was nothing there.

Here's the fun thing about being one of the last to lose their mind. It's great to see how pot affects people in different way. You had Leighanne who thought she was a sumo wrestler, Addy and Liv who decided they wanted to be strippers, Howie who's feet kept going numb, Leigh who was chasing invisible rainbows, and Molly who was probably puking her guts out.

Except that the sounds coming from the bathroom did not sound like puke sounds.

They sounded like sex against the bathroom sink sounds.

"I hate to say this," Kev said. "But, I'm suddenly starving."

"There's brownies!" Liv said helpfully. She went to reach for the tray; my arms wrapped around her middle.

I hated to admit it, but my fingers felt numb.

Fuck.

"It's warm in here. Is anyone else warm in here?"

Howie stood up. Leigh looked back at him, touched his nose, and screamed.

"IT'S ON FIRE!"

At that moment I heard a loud thump from the bathroom. I was still holding Liv back. Kev was rooting through a bag looking for food. Addy, now free from Kev's grip, tossed off her boots. Bri was wrestling with Leighanne and laughing his ass off. Therefore, no one was actually capable of stopping Howie as he opened the bus door and threw himself and Leigh out.

"What's this about a fire?" AJ said. He walked out of the bathroom. His pants were around his ankles but he had at least had the decency of pulling his zebra print boxers back up. I saw a very naked arm and shoulder reach out of the bathroom after him. It reminded me of that freaky girl from The Ring.

"Nothing, Howie's hallucinating. Or something," I said. My mouth was feeling like cotton. And Liv was feeling good in my arms.

AJ said something else to ,but my hearing was growing fuzzy. There was a loud moan from outside and then one of the girls inside said something about naked snow angels.

And suddenly that didn't seem like such a bad idea.

I mean, if we were going to die on a bus, at least we should die happy, right?

-----------------------------------

I woke up the next morning in a hot tub filled with red, strawberry-flavored Jell-o. If that wasn't weird enough, I was wearing one of Liv's thongs.

And if that isn't strange enough, somehow we had managed to get back to the villa.

"And the first one wakes up!"

I lifted my head; it felt like a cement truck had run over it. My eyes felt droopy and dry.

AJ was standing in the doorway, calmly sipping from a mug of coffee.

"Holy shit, what happened?"

AJ snickered. "It was the best night of my life."

I closed my eyes. It hurt to blink.

"Was it the best night of mine?"

AJ laughed. "Don't you remember?"

"The last thing I remember is Howie and Leigh jumping out of the bus."

"Oh yeah. Howie did a lot of things last night that he's probably going to regret this morning."

I decided I didn't need to know details. I opened my eyes just a fraction.

"How'd we get back home?"

AJ took another slow sip. "Well, after you went into rainbow land, and I was the last man standing, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I walked the damn mile to the gas station, got some gas and drove us back here."

"What happened to the driver?"

"The gas station was next to a bar. He was 'warming up' over there."

"Okay. One more question. Why am I in Jell-o?"

AJ snickered and pointed. Every muscle in my body screamed as I turned and looked behind me.

Liv and Leighanne were laying right beside the hot tub in little bikinis. Leighanne's hair was a horrible shade of pink.

Brian was in about the same predicament I was. He was wearing tiny little panties and his arms were hanging over the edge of the hot tub.

"I got the girls out but there was no way in hell I was grabbing you guys while you're only wearing thongs. I have my limits. I've just been checking to make sure you don't drown yourselves."

I placed a sticky, dripping hand to my temple.

"I still don't understand."

AJ laughed. "Liv and Leighanne decided it would be fun to do some bikini Jell-o wrestling. And trust me, it was epic. But then you and Bri decided to do your own match and well...not so hot, my friend."

I groaned.

"Hey, don't dispair. You got laid last night. You carried Liv out and joined Howie and Leigh in the snow. I've never seen someone from Florida love snow so much. I'm surprise you both didn't get frostbite on your balls."

"Oh God," I muttered. AJ laughed again.

"Hey it could be worse. Kev ate all the food out of his duffel bag and by the time Addy got the munchies all that was left was to finish off the brownies. Her and Kev finished off the whole rest of the pan by the time we got back here."

As bad as that sounded, I still didn't think it was worse than sleeping overnight in Jell-o. I slowly sloshed my way out of the tub. AJ set down his cup.

"Before you go in, you grab one of Bri's arms and I'll grab the other. That way I can get him out and not feel guilty."

We did a team lift and Bri slide halfway across the floor on his stomach. That was going to hurt once he woke up.

I wiped my feet on a towel and made my way into the bathroom. The cold water seemed to revive me. I was just about ready to step out when the door opened.

Liv walked in slowly. Her dark hair was plastered to her face. A bright red line of dried jello dripped down into her bikini top. She stopped in her tracks when she saw me.

"Hey babe," I said. "You okay?"

"I'm as okay as I'm going to be considering the last twelve hours of my life are nonexistant," she said. "Just tell me one thing."

I smiled. "Okay."

"I didn't sleep with Brian again, right? Because I woke up and he was on the floor and we were all covered in Jell-o and..."

I held up a hand. "No worries. AJ assures me that all we did was have some nice girl-on-girl and guy-on-guy wresting action. But, you did have snow bunny sex with me."

Liv walked around me and turned the shower back on.

"I just want to know where all the Jell-o came from," she muttered.

As I towel-dried my hair, I couldn't help but think that was a very good question.

--------------------------------

"Okay. French fry. Scissor. Frency fry. Scissor."

"Nick, I can't french fry and scissor at the same time."

By late in the day, everyone had managed to wake up. AJ recounted some of the, er, more interesting parts of the evening and eventually all we could do was have a good laugh about it. At least AJ had been conscious enough to make sure no one slept with anyone else's wife and we didn't jump on top of the bus and think we could fly. Finally, Kev suggested we go skiing so we could tell our family something we did on the trip. I'm pretty sure eating brownies laced with marijuana wasn't a story to tell Liv's mom.

Liv had never been skiing before so I had started her out on the bunny hill. For living in a wintery state for almost her whole life, snow and her didn't mix.

"I feel like an idiot," she said. I was standing behind her, my boots crunching in the snow, desperately trying to keep her steady.

"Honey, you just have to lean into it," I said. She leaned forward and toppled over.

I was suddenly reminded of those little Weeble People toys from when I was a kid. Of course, weebles wobbled but they didn't fall down. Liv did. A lot.

"Nick, really, I can just go back to the villa and have some hot chocolate," Liv said. She had more snow on top of her hat then she did under her skiis. I smiled.

"You know I love you even though you're clumsy."

She laughed. "I know."

We shared a nice, cold snowy kiss and I helped her get back to the top of the slope. She gratefully ditched the skiis and headed into the villa. It looked like AJ and Molly had already called it quits too. They're foreheads were touching and it looked like he was holding her mittened hands in his gloved ones.

Even though the trip hadn't turned out quite like I had planned, it had been interesting. Plus, we weren't flying out until early morning. That gave me one more night to get my wish on that bear skin rug. Especially because I couldn't remember anything about our romp in the snow.

And I had a feeling that I didn't need any pot-filled brownies to convince Liv to join me in front of a toasty fire to make smores.

Whatever happened after was just an added bonus.
Chapter 50 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Fifty - December 24

"Nick, grab the camera!"

"Why?"

"Just do it!"

I hopped over Brooke and grabbed the camera laying on the kitchen counter. I headed back to the living room and gave it to Liv. She flipped the screen open.

Noah had on a huge floppy Santa hat and was standing up by the couch. Jingle Bell Rock was playng on the stereo and his little legs were bouncing up and down. Brooke had a plastic microphone pressed up to her face and was making up her own lyrics.

"Noah, come to mommy!" Liv cooed. He laughed, his fingers digging into the cushion.

"NoNo Go!" Brooke said. She tossed the microphone; it missed his head by inches. She looked at me.

"Sowwy! Sowwy!"

I could never argue with that adorable 'sorry.' It was her new favorite word. Noah let go of the couch and stood there for a second.

"C'mere Noah," Liv said. She held out her arm; the other one had the camera trained on him.

I knelt down by Liv and clapped.

"You can do it!"

Brooke came over right by me and clapped. It was like his own little personal cheering section. With a happy giggle Noah took a clusmy step forward. Then another.

I think he freaked himself out. He plopped down and held out his arms.

I scooped him up and covered his little face in kisses.

"DADDY!"

I picked Brooke up. She leaned over and gave Noah a big smack on his cheek.

Liv bounced up, grinning ear to ear.

"Now, that made my Christmas Eve," she said happily.

"COOKIES!" Brooke said. She pointed to a little white plate set out on the table.

"Those are for Santa. If you're good you'll have presents tomorrow morning," I said. Brooke grinned.

"Pee-sats," she said happily.

Liv followed me up the steps and took Noah. I carried Brooke into her nursery.

"My bed," Brooke said happily.

Since she had been doing so well with the whole potty training thing, I had transitioned her crib to the toddler bed. She seemed much happier now that she didn't have to create a complex animal stacking system to get out of the crib. I put her down and she grabbed her covers excitedly.

"Nite Nite Boo," she said.

It had become a tradition between her and I. I stood up and picked up a book from her little nightstand. It was a beautiful picture book version of The Night Before Christmas. Brooke grabbed her teddy bear and held it close as I perched down and opened the book.

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"


By the time I was done, Brooke's eyes were closed. I studied the tiny little rows of pretty blonde eyelashes. Her bottom lip jutted out slightly in a little pout. I leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"That was a good read."

I looked over. Liv was leaning against the doorway.

"What was your story?" I whispered.

"Mickey Mouse's Christmas ABC's," Liv said. "Not quite as exciting."

I got up, put the book down, and took her hand. Together we went down the steps.

"Alright," Liv said. She cracked her knuckles. "What do we have to put together?"

"Doll house, rocking horse, and play stove" I said.

"I'll take the rocking horse," Liv said.

A half hour later, I knew why she did. There was so many little bits and pieces to the doll house that I didn't think I would ever get it together. Liv had already moved onto the play stove.

"I don't know why," I said. "But I can so see Brooke hitting Noah on the head with one of those plastic frying pans."

Liv laughed. "And Noah trying to eat the plastic sunny-side up eggs."

We walked in tandem. When we were finally done it was eleven thirty.

"We need to eat the cookies. And milk."

I smiled. "Do they have pot in them?"

Liv gave me a look.

"We're never talking about that again."

I laughed. If anyone should have been in denial, it should have been me. I was the one to wrestle Brian in Liv's little panties.

Liv and I both took the couples and nibbled them down. I downed the milk.

"Bed?" I asked. Liv yawned.

"Yup. I have a feeling little Brooke-ster is going to be waking up early."

I smiled.

"For pee-sants."

------------------------------

December 25

"Mommy. Daddy. Mommy. Daddy. Pee-sants. Mommy. Daddy. Mommy. Daddy."

There's nothing like waking up to the persistant chant of a little one tugging at your covers. I opened an eye. Brooke's sparkling little eyes looked back up at me.

"Hey, Merry Christmas goober."

She stuck her thumb in her mouth.

I sat up and yawned. The other side of the bed was empty. Liv must already be up.

"Where's Mommy?"

Brooke just smiled. I scooped her up.

I bumped into Liv in the hall. Noah had two handfuls of her hair in his hands.

"Santa left a rather messy diaper for my Christmas present," Liv explained. I grinned.

We headed downstairs. It was hard to believe that just last year Brooke had been too little to really understand what everything was all about. She was more interested in bows and boxes than what was actually inside.

This year was completely different.

"PEE-SANTS!" she squealed. Noah squealed right along with her even though I had a feeling he was going to take her place in the bow and box department.

We set the kids down. Brooke went right over to the dollhouse. If she didn't get anything else, she still would have been happy. Noah eyed the rocking horse with delight.

Liv's mom and Mike arrived early. Brooke sat on my lap and we tore into her presents. Noah did the same with Liv. Like I had guessed, he ended up with two huge red and green bows stuck to his head.

As Brooke toddled back to her dollhouse, I leaned up into the tree and removed a white envelope. Liv's mom groaned.

"Nick..."

"Just open it."

"I know what's inside your little white envelopes."

I grinned.

"You need a honeymoon," I reasoned.

Mike smiled. "He's right there."

Liv was making a face as if the last thing she wanted to think about was her mom and a honeymoon. Even so, when her mom went in for a hug, she smiled.

"Maybe we should go to Colorado. I mean you did say it was beautiful."

Liv glanced at me. I bit the inside of my cheek.

"I'd go somewhere warmer if I were you."

We got into a discussion about the best places to vacation. After a nice lunch they left. Twenty minutes the doorbell rang again.

"Who's that?" Liv asked.

We weren't expecting anyone else. Needless to say I was a little more than surprised to see Angel standing at the door, tears streaming down her face.

"Nick!" she wailed. Her arms wrapped around my neck. I closed the door. Angel didn't lose it very often. Whatever or whoever did this to her was dead.

-----------------------------

"Angel, it's not the end of the world."

"That was my bread and butter. What am I going to do now?"

Angel had her feet propped up on the coffee table and was nibbling from a plate of cookies. I was staring at her stomach. Her pregnant stomach."

"I'm sure you can get jobs modeling maternity clothes," Liv said. Angel sniffled.

"I thought the company would just transfer me to that department. But they said they had enough of those models."

Her face was blotchy with acne. She was a mess. I had never seen her look that disheveled.

"So what happened to your apartment in Canada?"

She sniffled and licked at a chocolate chip before taking a bite into the cookie.

"My lease ran out."

"Have you talked to Matt?"

She snorted. "I think he has me on permanent caller ID block. Plus, I don't even want him in my life."

I bit my tongue. As far as I was concerned he was going to be in her life for at least the next eighteen or nineteen years.

"Angel, do you want to stay here?" I said.

She took a sip of milk and burped.

"I can't do that."

"Of course you can," Liv said. "We're going to be on tour and we could use someone to watch the house. It would work out for both of us."

"You don't want to live with mom," I said.

I saw tears spring to Angel's eyes again. "Well, if it's not too much of an inconvenience..."

I smiled. "Of course not."

As Liv tried to give Angel a pep talk and Angel wallowed in pregnancy hormones, I excused myself and headed upstairs. I scrolled through my contacts and dialed Matt.

It went straight to voicemail.

"Hey man, this is Nick," I said. "You know, Angel's brother? The woman you knocked up? I just want to let you know that you better man up and get your head out of your ass or I'm going to pull it out for you. Merry Fuckin' Christmas."

I hung up. I felt better.

But only slightly.
Chapter 51 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Fifty One - December 31

"I can't believe that last year at this time we were at the hospital."

"That was the scariest thing I've ever experienced in my life."

Brooke came up and offered me a fake hamburger. She had been 'cooking' up a storm at her stove. I took it and made a big show of taking big fake bites.

"Delicious," I said. I handed it back to her and she went back to cook something else. I looked over at Liv. She was hovering over Noah with her 'Tickle Monster' gloves which were big huge honking blue mitts with fur all over them. Noah's face was squished up and he was giggling, his legs kicking up in the air.

We had decided to be house hermits for New Year's Eve. We were taking off for Mexico City late tomorrow afternoon and it didn't seem like a good idea to go out and party until the wee hours of the morning.

The TV was on and shots of Times Square flashed on the screen periodicially intermixed with performances by special musical guests. The guys and I had done Time Squares before and I still remember freezing my ass off.

It was much nicer to be at home.

Angel had been living with us since Christmas. She had decided to go out tonight. I had called Matt several times but he never returned my phone calls. A source told me he was hiding in L.A. I had a feeling that the first chance I got, I was going to take a flight out there to 'check' on things.

"Mama," Noah gasped. Liv had finally sat back and let my son breath. He sat up, his hair flying crazily in the air. He reached for one of the mitts and smashed his face in it.

"Daddy, eat."

Brooke was back with another plastic creation. I scooped her up on my lap and pretended to stuff the hot dog in my mouth. She leaned against me and giggled.

"You think they're going to last 'til midnight?" Liv asked.

"They took a long nap. My guess is yes."

I was right. Two hours later the ball began its descent and Brooke stood right there, her hands on the TV watching it.

"Three...two...one...Happy New Year!"

Noah began to clap. I stood up and leaned over Liv. She smiled up at me.

"Happy New Year," I whispered. I kissed her softly.

"Happy New Year, Nick," she whispered back.

"NEW!" Brooke squealed. I turned around and flipped her upside down. I kissed her little cheeks.

"Happy New Year!"

--------------------------------

January 1

"My buddy! My buddy!"

Brooke was trying to squeeze as many stuffed animals into her bag as possible. Whenever I would relent and stuff another in, she seemed to find another one in a second and it would start all over again.

"Honey, we can't take your whole room!"

"Daddy, buddy!"

Buddy was a really sad tattered little green stuffed worm that she had dragged through the dirt outside most of the summer.

"Honey, buddy needs to stay here. His food is in the garden. Num, num."

"Nick, honey, we need to get the bags in the car if we're going to make it to the airport in time."

Brooke was clinging to the damn worm like she was going to pass out if she had to leave him. With a sigh I grabbed him and squished him into the bag. She turned around but I wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Time to go! You have to go potty?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yup!"

I carried her in one arm and her bag in another down the stairs. Liv was heaving our bags in the back. Noah was already in his car seat.

"How are you so organized?" I asked. Liv laughed.

"I'm just good like that."

I got Brooke buckled in and helped load up the bags.

"You ready for tour?"

"I was born ready," Liv said. She brought her huge equipment back up to the front and got in after it.

The ride to the airport took no time at all. We had a short flight from Tampa to Miami where we were meeting the others for the flight to Mexico City.

"BOOK!"

"KAYKAY!"

I set Brooke down and she took off towards Kayleigh. Brian and I looked at each other at the same time. We dropped our bags.

"NICKY!"

"BRIBRI!"

Bri flew at me and his scrawny legs wrapped around my waist. I held onto him for a second and then dropped him. A couple teenage girls walked past us giggling.

"You know, once your daughters grow up they are going to be so embarassed to claim you," Leighanne said. She nodded her head. "Kind of like your son's doing now."

Baylee had a BMX biking magazine smashed up to his face. Even his forehead was red.

"IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!"

Shelby was holding a McDonald's bag. She was wearing a tiara, Mardi Gras beads, and red sunglasses that had birthday candles poking out of the top.

"I'M SIX YEARS OLD...AND I GOT A HAPPY MEAL!"

I glanced over at AJ. He stuffed a fry in his mouth and laughed.

"I'M ALMOST SIX! I'M ALMOST SIX!"

It was Mason's turn to run by me with a Happy Meal. Shelby turned around.

"YOU'RE FIVE AND A HALF!"

Mason looked like she had just slapped him. "But that's close to six."

Shelby opened her bag and took out her burger.

"Do you want my pickle?"

Mason smiled. "YEAH!"

"Now boarding for Flight 632, Mexico City, Mexico."

"That's us!"

The last time that we had taken the kids on a flight was when we had gone to Kentucky for Kev's wedding. But that had only been flying with AJ's crew. Now we had all the kids with us.

"How long is this flight?" I asked.

"Three and a half hours," Howie said.

I groaned.

It took us forever to get everyone settled in first class. Shelby and Mason insisted on sitting together. They lined up their french fries in order by size before eating them. James was running up and down the aisles singing the theme song from Scooby Doo.

"James get over here. I've got to buckle you in."

"DADDY!"

I'm surprised the stewardesses didn't kick us off the plane before takeoff. Luckily one of them must have been a mom because she produced packages of cookies and we have nine happy kids as Miami disappeared from view.

"Cowd, cowd!"

Brooke perched on my lap. She pointed out at the clouds. I grinned.

"Yup, there's lots of clouds!"

"Hey Nick?"

Liv had her laptop open. Noah was happily watching a Baby Einstein DVD.

"Yeah?"

"I was thinking that the fans might enjoy some more of your tour blogs. Y'know, like Sam had you do?"

I laughed. "Really?"

"Sure."

"All the girls love Nick-isms," Brian called out.

"I'd love to do more blogs," I said loudly.

The flight was pretty uneventful for about the first hour. Mason and Shelby were roaming around and then disappeared all together. I was too busy watching Brooke and Kayleigh walking up and down the aisle to think about anything else.

Until the screaming started.

"What the--"

"DADDY!"

I grabbed Brooke just in time to save her from being run over by Mason. He tore up the aisle straigh to Kev. He looked like he had just seen a ghost.

"I'M A GIRL! I'M A GIRL!"

Shelby tore up the aisle after Mason, but Molly swooped down and intercepted.

"What are you talking about?" Molly asked. Shelby looked up at her.

"Mason said someone cut off my wiener, but I told him I'm a girl!"

Sometimes the best things in life were free. This was one of them. I peered up a couple aisles.

"Hey Kev, I think you need to have a talk with your boy!"

"Hold it. Shelby, how did Mason find out you didn't have a wiener?" AJ asked suspiciously.

I glanced over at Liv. She had quietly snuck the video camera out of her bag. She had a huge smile on her face.

"We wanted to play doctor," Shelby said. She shrugged as if it was obvious.

"KEVIN!"

It was a great five minutes. AJ went all into 'shotgun' dad mode and Kev just sat there looking up at him in frustration.

"He obviously didn't mean anything," Kev said impatiently. "He's only five."

"And he thinks girls have wieners!" I called out. They both looked at me. Obviously I wasn't helping.

"I have a wiener!" James called out.

"This makes me wish we had the Black & Blue plane back," I heard Leighanne tell Bri. Baylee was acting like he didn't know any of us.

I'm pretty sure the other passengers in first class had never heard the word 'wiener' so much in their entire lives.

After Kev had a little anatomy talk with Mason and AJ made Shelby swear she'd never play doctor again, things settled back down.

"It's going to be a long ten months," Howie said as we descended into Mexico City. I laughed.

"Something tells me we're just getting started."
Chapter 52 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Fifty Two - Nick's Tour Diary

January 2 - Mexico City - Mexico Foro Sol

Back by popular demand...it's me, Nick Carter, bringing you the latest Backstreet tour news straight from the road. Today we're in beautiful Mexico City. I'm in the hotel room watching the Weather Channel. I can't understand anything they're saying, but I do understand numbers. It's seventy-five amazing degrees outside. Our concert is outside at Foro Sol tonight so it's perfect dancing weather.

Me and the guys took our families to see the Castle of Chapultepec last night. That thing is amazing all lit up. Howie translated what the tour guy said so I have to give major props to the 'D' man.

And speaking of Howie...that man is like chocolate to the girls down here. I've never seen so much love. I woke up this morning and peeked (just peeked) over my balcony and these girls were holding this huge drawing of Howie that they painted on a sheet.

That was way too much Howie for me.

The concert tonight was sold out and went perfectly. For once we remembered all our lines and steps. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the Backstreet Boys are like wine...we just get better with time. Ha!

By the way...I think the fans were almost as excited to see Kev as they were Howie. I, of course, was just chopped liver. But, I'm sure some of you out there still love me, right?

...Right?

January 3 - Guadalajara, Mexico - Auditorio Telmex

After a short one hour flight, we arrived in Guadalajara, Mexico around noon. Howie picked our lunch destination and like always, the food was loaded with hot peppers. My daughter Brooke took a tiny bite of my burrito and turned splotchy just like her dad. I'm pretty sure Howie's trying to kill me for all the pranks I've pulled on him. Which reminds me...has Brian posted pictures of 'the donkey' yet? Hahaha!

After lunch we headed to the venue. Our VIP crowd was absolutely HUGE. One of the fans asked Bri and me if we thought it was easier to raise a girl or boy. Brian said a boy, I said a girl. I don't know what Kayleigh does, but my Brooke is a perfect angel.

Webmaster's note: Brooke's got Nick wrapped around her little finger. Take it from her momma...she's NOT a perfect angel!

As a side note...I almost forgot all of Kev's 'quirks' when he goes on tour. He had written this whole long speech in Spanish. Now I remember why all the girls love him down here. He goes to the trouble of writing crib 'love notes' to the ladies.

In my defense, I say a really cute Buenos Noches!

January 4 - Monterrey, Mexico - Arena Monterrey

We flew into Monterrey early this morning. I can honestly say that I will never forget Monterrey. Want to know why? Okay I'll tell you...

Brian and I lost our daughters.

Yeah, you read that right. One minute we were walking through the airport having a discussion on the right way to eat a cantaloupe and the next moment we were daughter-less.

Luckily we had eight other adults and Baylee to help in our search. Baylee found the girls in the gift shop pulling every single stuffed animal off the shelf while this Mexican lady stood there yelling in Spanish. I don't think I've ever cried that hard in my life.

I also don't think I've ever hugged someone as much as I hugged Brooke when she looked up at me holding a lime green frog. I was more relieved than I was angry. It was my worse feared played out for fifteen agonizing minutes.

Brooke and Kay now have those little backpacks that double as leashes. I'm pretty sure Liv and Leighanne would like an adult version of those to put on Bri and me.

Webmaster's note: He guesses correct! I still don't think my heart's beating normally...

On the flip side, the concert ROCKED. We played Arena Monterrey which reminds me of all of the venues we played during the Millennium tour. Everyone was packed in like sardines. The temperature spiked to about eighty five degrees and I think I went through a case of bottled water. It's never a good thing to be up on stage in front of thousands of fans and have to pee. That's exactly what happened to me when we did I'll Never Break Your Heart in Spanish. It's hard enough for me to remember the words under normal circumstances, but add in my small bladder...

Sorry, is that TMI?

January 6 - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Luna Park

According to my brochure, Buenos Aires is the Paris of South America. I think I can agree with that. Howie and Kev took their families to an art museum for the afternoon while AJ, Bri, and I took our families to the zoo. The kids had a blast. I found out my son, Noah, hates spiders. Brooke would have loved to have the tarantula crawl up her arm. One of the employees even let her pet a huge snake. Plus, no one got lost and we managed to avoid the giraffes.

That's a long story.

Unfortunately, on our way to Luna Park from the hotel, we had a minor 'bus' incident. Our driver didn't take the way that the police had initial mapped out for us and we were suddenly surrounlyded by practically every fan that was attending the concert that night.

If any of you have seen our tour footage from Black & Blue, you know how freaked out we got. This was a hundred times worse because our children were on board. Just a heads up to all the people that have tickets for future concerts -- don't try to tip over our bus. If any of us or a family member dies we won't perform. Got it? Good.

This was the first concert where we actually flubbed up. I'm going to blame the trama we endured just getting to the venue. Brian called everybody Chileans thinking we were in Santiago. I forgot the words to one of our new songs. And then there was Kevin's little Spanish speech.

Of course, that wasn't his fault. I might have replaced the script he was going to copy on his hand with a different script. So when he asked the crowd if they wanted him to drop his pants and get spanked, he thought he was telling the crowd that they had a magnificent city.

Oops!

January 7 - Santiago, Chile - Movistar Arena

I don't know of a better way to ring in a new year than by spending two beautiful days in Santiago, Chile. AJ, Kevin, and Howie took the fams to visit Torre Entel. It's this gigantic observation tower. Bri and I kept our feet firmly on the groud. I talked Bri into playing tennis at the hotel with me instead. Brooke and Kayleigh were our ball girls. Except instead of throwing them back to us, they decided to see how many they could keep from us. I don't think they quite got the concept.

Howie tried something new tonight. Since Baylee's decided not to announce us anymore, Howie decided to give the job to his son James. I have to admit he did a pretty good job. The little dude even did a dance.

Which reminds me! I will give anybody an autographed picture if you throw a bra at James while he introduces us. Just put your address on the bra. I just want to see his little face. And make it preferrably like a D cup. Or a Z cup. Do they make Z cups?

Webmaster's note: Disregard anything Nick just said above. Thank you.

Even though the introduction went well, we had a minor stage calamity. One of the top steps cracked and I toppled all the way to the floor. I bruised my tailbone. AJ was a smartass and tried to put one of those inflatable donuts on my stool when we sat down to sing Incomplete. I ended up sliding it on top of his bowler hat when he wasn't looking.

Take that, McLean!

I had planned to spend our free day roaming the city with the wife and kidlets, but now I'm stuck in the hotel. I'm sitting in a tub of ice with a bowl of fruit and finishing up this entry so Liv can finally post the exciting adventures of our first five concert dates.

I just hope they fix that step before the next date. Of course, I think I might just jump over it from now on.

Until later...stay safe my troops!
Chapter 53 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Fifty Three - January 8 - A 'Brief' Prank (As Told, and Caught on Tape, by Olivia)

It had been awhile since I had been on tour and I had never been out of the country. I remember watching videos of the Black & Blue tour when I was sixteen and thinking how insane the South American were.

I had no idea.

Between Nick and Brian losing Brooke and Kayleigh and the bus tipping over, I was second guessing this whole 'bring the entire family' along idea.

That is, until we got to Rio de Janero.

The guys were scheduled to perform at Citibank Hall that evening. The next day was a rest day...and AJ's 35th birthday.

Even though Florida's warm in January, it was sizzling in Rio. I dug out a tank top the moment we stepped foot in the hotel room. Brooke lifted up her shirt.

"HOT!"

"Thank God this is an indoor venue," Nick said. "You'd be peeling my crispy body up off the floor."

I laughed. "We can't have that."

I had just changed Brooke into a swimsuit and Noah into a little tank top and shorts when someone started knocking on the door.

It was Leigh.

"Can I talk to Liv a minute?" she asked Nick when he opened the door.

"Sure, Leigh," I said. I pointed at Nick.

"Don't lose our babies."

He rolled his eyes. I slid past him into the hall and closed the door. Leigh broke into a huge grin.

"Tonight's the night."

I looked at her in confusion.

"What?"

She looked left and right as if she was double checking that she wasn't being overheard.

"The underwear," she whispered.

My eyes widened. I had almost completely forgotten about the vibrating underwear that the girls and I had bought at the porn store. I say almost because I did end up packing them at the last minute.

"You have them right?"

I nodded. "Yeah, does everyone else have theirs?"

Leigh nodded. "I just went door to door and checked. Tonight's the night Liv!"

She disappeared down the hall. I laughed and went back into the room.

"Everything okay?" Nick asked.

I smiled. "Everything's fine," I said lightly.

This was going to be fun.

-----------------------------------

"Leighanne, you're amazing."

"No, Jodi and Madison are amazing."

Jodi and Madison, otherwise known as Leighanne's entourage, had arrived in the afternoon and headed straight to the venue. Baylee was happily playing with his cousin. They were zooming around on two motorized dirt bikes. Jodi and Madison had agreed to watch the kids while the girls and I put our plan into action.

"Everyone will be fine. We'll just stay in the dressing rooms and keep the little ones entertained and fed. If we need anything we'll call your cells," Jodi assured us. I had my phone right in my hip pocket.

"Right. So, how are we going to do this?"

The guys were out doing their VIP. I was being a horrible tour photographer and skipping out. We all went out in the hall and tore open the packages.

"I think if we literally go up and hand it to them they're going to get suspicious," Molly reasoned. Everyone agreed.

Then it hit me. I snapped my fingers.

"Why don't we just swap out the underwear the wardrobe girls put in their little bins with these? The guys get changed so fast after VIP they won't take the time and stop to make sure they're regulation 'tour' undies."

"That's perfect!" Addy said.

We spent a few minutes putting the batteries in. We held onto the crotches of the shorts and pressed the remote. A wicked vibration shot up my arm. We all laughed at the same time.

"I'm going to die laughing," Leighanne said.

"They're going to kill us," Addy said.

"If they can even manage to walk off stage," Leigh said with a snicker.

I had a feeling that we were all going to give the girls of Rio a view of our guys that they had never seen before.

------------------------------

"Where were you?"

Nick ducked back stage and quickly picked up a paper plate. He began to load up on chicken wings.

"Ugh, I'm sorry. I got the worst headache and I decided to stay in the dressing room and just lay down," I said. He glanced at me.

"You feeling better?"

I smiled. "Much."

It was a lie, but at least it was a little lie. The other guys came backstage soon after Nick and loaded up on food.

"You broke that one girl's heart man," Brian told Howie as he gnawed at a chicken bone.

"Well, what could I do? I'm married!"

"What happened?" Leigh asked. Howie smiled.

"I got a marriage proposal."

Leigh's eyes sparkled. "You're taken."

Howie gave her an equally sparkly gaze. "I know. Happily taken."

It was a really cute moment. I picked up my camera for a picture but Nick plopped down beside me on the couch. He held out an aspirin.

"Open up."

"You didn't have to get me an aspirin," I said. He smiled.

"I'm taking care of you. Open up."

I did as I was told. I figured an aspirin wasn't going to kill me. Nick handed me a bottle of water and I washed it down.

"Thank you, doctor," I said. AJ's head whipped around. I think after the whole Shelby incident, the word 'doctor' was forbidden in normal conversation.

We all sat around and tossed around jokes or random stories until it was show time. As always, the guys left about five minutes to get dressed.

"Wish me luck!" Nick said. He swooped down for a kiss. I gave him a long slow kiss. His lips curved into a smile.

"Good luck," I said softly. He licked his lips.

I could push that boys buttons in my sleep.

And in a few minutes I'd be pushing even more buttons.

The guys zipped into the dressing rooms and filed past us to get into their places behind the curtain. Leigh dodged into the dressing rooms and came back with a triumphant grin on her face.

"Mission complete."

It was great. Each of us reached into our pocket and pulled out the tiny little remote.

"Should we do it right away?" Molly asked.

"No, we need to wait. I want the suspense to build," I said.

The guys started off with Everybody and then launched into Just Want You to Know.

"When?" Leighanne said. Everyone seemed to be waiting for me to make the call.

"If I Knew Then," I said. It was right after one of the new songs. I ran out quickly to make my presence known with the camera and then ducked back offstage to the girls.

"Olá, BRAZIL!" Howie shouted. A deafening scream erupted from the crowd. He said something else and ended with..."If I Knew Then!"

We all had our fingers hovered over our buttons. Molly struck first. AJ started walking down the steps.

"...and your navigation system gets you clos--ahhhhhhh"

We all burst into laughter. AJ's leg literally jumped and the look on his face was priceless. Brian ended up finishing his verse.

The guys launched into the chorus. Addy zinged Kevin. He stopped singing and looked around.

"What's he looking for?" Leighanne laughed.

It was Nick's turn next.

"Got no instructions when it comes to lo--holy crap!"

Brian and Howie were looking nervous. Nick tugged at his crouch. I doubled over and snorted right into my hand. I had the videocamera set on a tripod on either end of the stage. I knew I was going to be laughing so hard to actually hold onto it and film.

I think Leigh got the best part of the whole song. With each punctuated word Howie sang, Leigh jammed the button down.

"I've never seen him sweat so bad," Leighanne giggled. "Oh, Bri looks lonely."

Her finger jammed down on the button.

"NICK!" Brian yelped. He did this little jig like the scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz when he first gets off the pole.

We randomly kept hitting buttons.

"When's their costume change?" Addy asked.

"They have to get through Love Will Keep You Up All Night," I said. We all grinned.

It was the perfect song to torture the guys. If I Knew was just a little taste. Now we were going in for the kill. There was no fancy dance moves. Love was just the guys lined up in a row with their microphones, belting out the lyrics.

And getting panty pleasured.

"I won't tell nobo----" Brian began. I saw his leg kick up. "Nothing good in life is scrip---ahhh" Bri turned around, his backside to the crowd. Nick looked almost scared. He grabbed his crotch again. I think he was trying to hold the undies away from him.

"I won't tell nobo---" Nick sang. "Oh god," he whispered. Howie gave him a look. Nick cleared his throat. "But I won't live like a---sonofabitch, LIV!"

I was pretty sure my nose was dripping I was laughing so hard. I think at that point all of the girls realized that there was no way we could just keep synchronizing. We just started punching the buttons. At one point all five guys just sat down on the ground and covered their laps. I had to hand it to them, they pretty much kept harmony. I went in for one more punch...

It was one punch too many.

"Oh shit."

"What?"

I looked over at Leighanne. "The buttons recessed. I'm pretty sure Nick's isn't going to shut off."

From the stage I heard Nick's voice disappear into a panty gasp.

"I don't mean to scare you but everybody has a first time---shit my pants won't stop vibrating!"

Nick's cheeks were puffed out and he looked like he was going to lose it. He just sat there while the other guys finished.

Luckily their costume change required that the stage curtain come completely down. All of them awkwardly got up and ran backstage.

"You're coming with me," Nick said. He grabbed my arm and led me to his dressing room.

"You only have sixty seconds," I said meekly. He pressed my hands against his very bulging crouch. It was vibrating like crazy.

"I know this was your idea," he said. I smiled sweetly.

"Surprise?"

Nick stripped. He jogged in place for a few seconds. I think he was trying to work the erection out.

"Are they supposed to constantly do that?"

I held up the remote. "I broke it."

He quickly yanked another pair of boxers out of his bag.

"We'll talk about this later," he said.

Luckily for me he sounded more amused than angry. He quickly got into his next outfit.

"Thanks for the show!" I called after him as he took back off towards the stage.

I bent down and scooped up the boxers. I laughed.

"Still...Going Strong," I said out loud. I sank back down onto the couch and burst into another round of uncontrollable giggles.

The Backstreet Boys had nothing on the Backstreet Girls.
Chapter 54 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Fifty Four - Nick's Tour Diary

January 10 - São Paulo, Brazil - Estacionamento do Credicard Hall

The BSB is still rocking Brazil! Today we're in São Paulo, which according to Mr. Dorough, is the largest city in the whole southern hemisphere. It's a bee-utiful eighty degrees. While the guys and I wanted to go see the racetrack, Liv insisted we tour libraries instead. I've never seen someone get so excited about a bunch of old books on a shelf.

Webmaster's note: It just so happens that I have photographic evidence of Nick trying to read the Portuguese version of One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish in one of those dusty, old libraries, thank you!

After our tour of the city, we went back to the venue to get ready for VIP. Our girls, er, pranked us in Rio two days ago so each of us had to go through our clothes really carefully before we put them on.

It's a long story.

Webmaster's note: Video coming soon!

James introduced us again. I think Mason's ready to try his hand at show-biz. I heard Kevin promise him he could introduce us on the South African dates. It's good to know we have stand-ins now that Baylee's too cool for us.

Yes, ladies prepare your daughters. Baylee's eight years away from turning eighteen!

Brian's note: I have to say I'm completely weirded out by Nick trying to pimp out my son. Ya'all have no idea what it's like to have to LIVE with this guy...

It was a great show tonight. I managed to get through it without crashing down the stairs and all of us were on high prank alert. Besides the fact that AJ sat on the rose he was supposed to hand out and got thorns in his butt, I'm going to say that we had a blast in São Paulo. We hope to come back soon!

January 11 - Caracas, Venezuela - Estacionamiento Del CCCT

I'm proud to announce that my daughter is bilingual and she didn't learn it from Dora. We arrived in Venezuela and before we left the airport, I stopped at McDonald's. My little Brooke smiled at the dude behind the counter and said Hola. I think he gave us extra fries for it. Score!

Webmaster's note: She now knows almost as much Spanish as Nick, haha.

I was glad that Brooke and I stopped at Mickey D's. Everyone else dined at this local restaurant. I'm not a picky eater, but sometimes I just feel like ingesting some good ole' American grease. I figure that I just dance it off later anyhow.

Liv, on the other hand, decided she wanted to be a daredevil. She ordered a dish called chivo en coco. She ate half of it before she asked the waiter what it was.

When he told her it was shredded goat she turned green. She could have been Oscar the Grouch's long lost cousin. It was hilarious.

I bet she wishes now that she gotten some fries like I had suggested.

Webmaster's note: I'd just like to state, for the record, that Nick picks on me a LOT. He never used to do this before we were married. Well...maybe he did...

We shook up the setlist tonight and just randomly put in Don't Want You Back. It's always fun when we do random changes because then we have absolutely no choreography. We always just end up running from one end of the stage to the other. Out of all of us, Kev's probably the only one that tries to act like he knows what he's doing. The rest of us just try to avoid body slamming into one another.

Well, I might purposely body slam into Brian. Sometimes. On occasion.

Okay, a lot. It's fun to try to knock the little guy down.

January 12 - San Juan, Puerto Rico - Hiram Bithorn Stadium

We're in Puerto Rico today, otherwise known as Howie D's home turf. We's takin' him back to de island, yo. I think James might become the President of Puerto Rico someday. There were enough girls cheering for him when Howie and him peeked over their hotel balcony that I think he could win votes without any problem.

I just hope if that ever does happen that he'll give his awesome Uncle Nick free stays at any hotel. I mean, that's the least he can do, right?

Liv and Leigh are sicker than dogs today. I'm pretty sure Liv's has something to do with the shredded goat from yesterday. Leigh's might have something to do with the massive wave of Howie adoration. It's making me a little sick too...just kidding, D!

I'm making Liv stay at the hotel tonight. AJ offered to take some photos during the show. We're probably going to get a lot of nonsense shots of ceilings and floors and his elbow like we did last tour. Anybody that goes to the concert tonight should post some photos up on the fanclub website for us. AJ needs all the help he can get.

I can honestly say that it's been years since we had such a high energy show. We added in these really cool pyrotechnics. I just love things that go 'boom.'

While we were onstage, Leighanne offered to watch Brooke and Noah for me. Unfortunately, all the kidlets managed to gang up and find some fingerpaints. Needless to say we owe the venue some money for clean-up.

Our next stop is South Africa. We haven't been there for years so I hope everyone's ready. We're bringing the party to you!

--------------------------------

"How are you feeling?"

"I never want to see a toilet in Puerto Rico ever again."

"That's what you get for finally eating the local food," I said. I pushed a damp strand of hair from Liv's sweaty forehead.

"How were the kids?"

I thought about the huge purple streak of paint that ran the length of my dressing room.

"They did fine," I assured her. "Can I get you anything?"

Liv's eyes fluttered closed. "Water. And a trash can."

I opted to get the trash can before the water. It was a good choice. Liv leaned over and heaved. I didn't want to look too close, but I knew that little shredded billy goat was probably floating in the mix.

"Mommy sick?"

Brooke stood in the doorway. Noah was holding onto her hand. He looked like he was going to cry.

"Mommy's going to be okay," I said gently. I opened a bottle of water and handed it to Liv. I took the kids back into the sitting room with me.

It was the middle of the night and we had to turn around the very next day for a much longer flight to South Africa.

Something told me that we were going to have at least two sick women, eight (maybe nine) cranky kids, and five exhausted Backstreet Boys.

And to top it off, in the middle of everything else that was going on, Liv and I had a very special birthday to celebrate.

Little Noah was turning one.
Chapter 55 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Fifty Five - January 13 - Sun City, South Africa

"Why isn't there a faster way to get to all these places? This is CRAZY!"

For once, I had to agree with little Red. The plane ride had been fun for oh, the first two or three hours. Mason finally decided that Shelby was still okay to play with even though she was a girl and they spent quite a bit of time playing their own twisted version of Go Fish that involved flicking cards at Howie's head at random intervals. Howie was oblivious. He had already started to fall asleep at the check-in counter in Puerto Rico and he wasted no time grabbing a pillow and blanket when we got on the plane. James was curled up on his chest and both of them were doing this identical mouth-open, 'I'm watching you with one eye still open' thing.

Brooke had lost the whole 'flying' thrill a few hours ago. She was sitting on my lap with the saddest look on her face I had ever seen. Even funny shaped clouds weren't doing it for her anymore.

Luckily Liv was feeling better. Leigh was not. She was curled up to Howie and she had one of the flight's barf bags in her hands.

"We have two more hours," Kevin said with a sigh.

"Mason, why don't you come here so we can start going over your letters and numbers buddy?" Addy asked with a smile.

His eyes widened. "I don't WANT to do school!"

Shelby's head shot up. "School? School's for fools!"

Molly turned around. "Actually Shelby, I think it's time for you to start doing your letters and numbers too."

This statement was followed by a meltdown of epic proportion. The last hour of the flight consisted of two sullen little kids with big pieces of tracing paper and pencils pouting about having to learn. Oh, horror.

My little guy on the other hand was glued to another Baby Einstein video. Noah pointed at the color blue and broke out into a huge grin. He was calmly sitting on Liv's lap. I so want to be as easy-going as him when I grow up, haha.

At last we touched down in South Africa. I couldn't have been happier to get off the plane. Out of all the guys I think that I probably like planes the least. My ass always falls asleep and there's just not enough to do.

"I can't wait to get to the hotel," Leigh sighed.

I couldn't have agreed more until we walked out of the airport.

"Dude, I forgot how beautiful this place was," AJ said softly.

It had been a long time. Brooke's eyes widened.

"Daddy, pwetty."

"Oh, Nick," Liv said softly.

We piled into three large busses and headed to the hotel.

"We're staying in a castle?" Mason said excitedly. Kevin laughed.

"No, buddy. That's just a hotel."

I wouldn't call it just a hotel. The Palace of the Lost City was the most unique place we had ever stayed at. The walls in each of our suites were hand-carved. Brooke pressed her hands into the grooves of the walls and looked up at me in surprise.

"Cool, huh?"

She nodded. Liv held Noah up.

"Ooooh."

There was no doubt that the place was probably too fancy to take kids, but at the time the guys and I weren't really thinking about that.

We realized our mistake when we all went down to The Villa del Palazzo within the hotel for an Italian dinner.

"Oh, thank God. I don't think they serve goat here," Liv said as we hovered outside. I laughed.

"You don't want spaghetti and goat balls?" I teased.

"Damnit Nick," Leigh groaned. She took off towards the bathroom.

"I want SPAGHETTI!" Shelby yelled.

We never made it through the door. There was a formal shirt and tie policy and the maitre'd looked like he would like nothing better than to slap a roll of duct tape on Shelby's mouth.

"But Mister, I'm HUNGRY!" Shelby yelled when the maitre'd explained the dress code. "Why do you have to dress up anyhow? You serve SLOPPY FOOD!"

AJ put a hand gently over her mouth. We backed off.

"Mr. J. we SO should have hit up a McDonald's," Shelby complained when he dropped his hand from her mouth.

My stomach was growling and I was getting tired. Brooke suddenly seemed to weigh a hundred pounds in my arms.

Finally we all ended up back in my suite waiting on room service.

"What's the plan tomorrow?" AJ asked. I grinned.

"It's Noah's birthday!"

Noah's head turned in my direction. He smiled and clapped his hands.

"And what are we doing for Noah's birthday, Mr. Carter?" Liv asked.

I smiled. "Well we're going to start off taking the kids through the artificial rainforest. And then..."

I paused for dramatic effect.

"We're going on a safari!"

"Is it a g-i-r-a-f-f-e-l-e-s-s safari?" Liv asked. She spelled out the word. It took me a minute to figure out what she meant. When I did I laughed.

"Liv, Brooke was one. She's almost two. There's no way she could still be freaked out."

Liv just gave me a look. She shrugged and smiled.

"Okay, but you're holding her."

I smiled.

"Deal."

------------------------------

January 14

"Elephants can purr like cats!"

"Hippos have to take a poop before they can make babies!"

I had somehow ended up on safari with the reincarnation of Steve Irwin. Shelby was practically hanging out of the jeep. She had a huge pair of binoculars pressed against her face.

"Where do you get this stuff?" I asked. She lowered the binoculars and looked at me.

"I watch the Animal Channel, Bob."

AJ snickered.

I had hired three jeeps to take us through the safari park. Liv and I were with AJ, Molly, Shelby, and the twins. Bri and Baylee were sharing a jeep with Howie and James. Leigh had decided to stay at the hotel. Somehow Kevin, Addy, and Mason ended up in a jeep all by themselves.

Noah was practically hidden completely from view by the huge hat that Liv had plopped on his head.

"Happy Birthday buddy!" I said. I leaned down and kissed his bare arm. I could taste the sunblock Liv had smeared on him. His little feet danced happily. He peeked out from under the hat when Shelby announced that there were cheetahs out there.

"Kitty!" Brooke said excitedly.

I couldn't wait until Brooke got older and I got to tell her that her daddy had actually petted one of those 'kitty's.' Sure I had almost pissed my pants, but I had still done it.

"HI SHELBY!"

Shelby turned around. I saw AJ wince. She had decided to wear high heels and one was currently wedged dangerously close to his groin.

"HI MASON! LOOK AT THE CHEETAH!"

"Shelby, you need to be quiet or you're going to scare all the animals away," Molly said. She tugged on her arm and Shelby landed with a hard plop on AJ's lap. She crossed her arms. AJ wrapped his arms around her. The next thing I knew she was giggling. AJ was tickling her sides.

We had almost finished the safari and I was thinking about how nice and peaceful the day had turned out to be when Shelby bounced back up.

But it was Mason who made the announcement.

"LOOK! THERE'S GIRAFFES! LOTS OF THEM!"

He wasn't kidding. There must have been about fifteen giraffes. Brooke's head turned and followed the direction that Shelby was pointing. Her eyes widened and she began to scream.

She wasn't the only one. Kayleigh joined in from the jeep behind us. Brooke turned into a wiggling mass of crazy. I tried to hold her down, but she wasn't having any of it. She reached out and hit Noah in the arm.

It was his turn to burst into tears.

"WHAT'S WITH THE BABIES?" Shelby yelled over the noise.

I was pretty sure that the noise was going to create a stampede. Luckily, if that did happen, it took place in the opposite direction from where our jeeps were parked. Our driver kicked the vehicle back into gear. Brooke pressed her face into my shirt. She was more than ready to get far, far away from here.

The jeeps took one big loop through the park and ended up back at the beginning. I kissed the top of Brooke's head.

"It's okay. Daddy's got you," I assured her. I was the first one to hop out of the jeep.

I should have let AJ go first. The moment I landed, I felt my foot slide out from under me.

"LIV!" I screamed.

I don't think she had ever moved faster. I felt Brooke being yanked from my arms just a split second before I fell down hard on my tailbone.

Again.

If the pain wasn't bad enough, the smell was enough to make me want to vomit. I felt something wet soaking into my jeans. A little mop of red hair popped up over the bars of the jeep.

"Ew, I think you just fell in LEOPARD poop!"

I heard Brian start to laugh. The unmistakable sound of a cellphone camera sounded. I stood up. The smell followed me. My driver looked like he was trying not to smile.

"We have a hosing off station," he said. He hopped out of the jeep. I looked down. Sure enough there was shit all over the ground.

I went and hosed myself off, but without a change of clothes, I was still soaking wet and smelling like wild animal crap.

"Why don't we go back to the hotel?" Liv said. She was keeping a pretty good distance from me. "You can...change and then we can get Noah a little piece of cake."

I nodded. "Sounds good."

We walked back to the van that had brought us from the hotel. Kevin yanked open the large back door where the spare tire was kept.

"After you."

"Why do I have to sit back here?"

"Nick, you smell horrible. You're going to have to throw your whole outfit away, man."

I really couldn't argue with him. I was offending myself with the odor. And I still hadn't learned to bring an extra set of clothes with me. On the way back, I think the van hit every single bump in the road on purpose. I vowed that this was the last time I did anything involving wild animals.

It just didn't turn out well.
Chapter 56 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Fifty Six - Nick's Tour Diary

January 15 - Sun City, South Africa - Superbowl Arena

Welcome back to the Nick Channel. It's all Nick, all the time. We all took the day off yesterday to celebrate my son's first birthday. Ladies, only seventeen more years!

Webmaster's note: Now he's trying to pimp OUR son out. Trust me, Noah won't need any help getting women by the time he's eighteen...

The concert tonight was awesome. We haven't been in South Africa since the Black & Blue tour and even then we were only here for promotion. This time we each had our own personal car for us and our families. The police had erected a huge metal fence to keep the fans from getting to us. Not that we had to worry.

Besides the beautiful scenery, the other thing I remember about our South African fans is how polite they were. We crawled to a stop and I saw Kev hop out of his car. I unrolled my window.

"I'm going over to them," he said. Bri hopped out of his car.

We ended up standing at the fence for about a half hour taking pictures and signing autographs. It was completely stress-free. I had no fear that someone was going to rip off my clothes or steal a huge chunk of my hair.

By the time we got back in our cars I was really looking forward to the show.

We all agreed as we got ready for the show that we weren't going to take ten more years to come back and visit. There were several times during the course of the show where I stuck my microphone out into the crowd and you guys sang back to me word for word.

Those are the moments we live for.

January 16 - A Day off in Cape Town

Today was a rest day. We took a super short flight from Sun City to Cape Town.

Kevin has had his eye on Table Mountain since the first time we visited. After we got checked into the Radisson, he managed to talk all of us, even Brian, into taking the cableway up to the top.

No one told me that there were shops and restaurants at the top. Our wives were drawn to the stores like moths to flames. Our kids were drawn to the food like rabid dogs.

Brian had a slight panic attack. Kev decided that he was invinicible and walked right out to the very edge. Bri crawled out to him and grabbed onto his shirt. Now that is true family devotion.

After taking the cableway back down, we headed out to the beach. My daughter found her first ever seashell. I was going to rent a surfboard, but I've already had two falls this tour. With the way my luck is going, there would probably have been a hungry shark in the water that wanted to make me his lunch.

By the time we arrived back at the hotel, most of us were burnt. Even with sunblock, I was feeling a little crispy. The only one of us that went from pasty Puerto Rican to Mr. Tan was Howie.

Sometimes life just isn't fair.

January 17 Cape Town, South Africa - Cape Town Stadium

We woke up early this morning and did a photo shoot in the banquet hall at the hotel. The hairdressers and stylists fell in love with Noah and Brooke. While they were spiking my hair they did Noah's too. They also painted Brooke's toes. I have to admit that I have extremely good looking children.

Webmaster's note: For once, I agree with Nick. He has amazing genes.

Speaking of kids...I think Mason's in love. The daughter of AJ's nanny has this crazy curly redhair. One of the hairdressers told her that if she sat still long enough she could make it flat. I don't think Mason knew what hit him when she hopped out of the chair. Kev better get ready to have hyperactive ginger grandchildren, haha.

Kev's note: For the record, Mason is only five years old. Nick has an overactive imagination. Shelby and Mason are just friends. Liv really shouldn't let him be the only one to write our tour blog...

Webmaster's note: For Kevin's sake, I'm really beginning to rethink this...

Anyhow, after the shoot, we headed to Cape Town Stadium for VIP. I got to do the backstage tour. I showed everyone our dressing room and the family room. I'm just glad none of our wives are currently breastfeeding. One time I did a tour while Leigh was feeding baby James in the family room. She was not happy. Of course, while I was explaining some of the benefits of having a seperate room for the kids, Brian had to jump in and explain how he was the master visionary for the creation of the family room.

Show-off.

Mason finally got his chance to introduce us tonight. Unfortunately he got carried away and started tossing little things that he had stored in his pockets at the crowd. Kev's wife Addy had to run on stage and get him off.

Brian pulled a pretty good prank tonight. He talked one of our dancers to wear a fake arm. We were in the middle of You Can Let Go. I went to twirl her and her arm freakin' popped off right in my hands. I screamed and did the first thing I could think of which was to get rid of the evidence. I'm just hoping some poor person in the audience didn't get pelted with it. If you did, I'm really sorry.

Anyhow, I'm getting ready for bed. We have one more show in Cape Town. I hope some of you are going to be repeat offenders. If so, I'll see you tomorrow!

January 18 Cape Town, South Africa - Cape Town Stadium

It's our last day in Africa. I'm going to be sad to leave. Not only could I stay outside and just stare at the water all day, but I'm also not looking forward to the long trip back to Florida.

I totally embarassed my wife tonight. I brought her out onstage and serenaded her with an acoustic rendition of All My Heart. She puts up with a lot of my crazy crap and I wouldn't be half the man that I am today if it wasn't for her. She's the yin to my yang...the mustard to my ketchup...the doughnuts to my coffee...the...

Webmaster's note: Nick went on for about a page and his comparisons kept getting more and more ridiculous. Trust me, you're better off not knowing.

Right before our last encore, we were surprised when an official from Cape Town came out onstage. We were presented with a key to the city and an open invitation to come back whenever we want. A little birdie told me that you guys have been sending in letters for months asking the city to do that.

On behalf of the whole group, I want to say that it's an honor to feel so welcomed. You guys made our time here unforgettable.

But, all good things must come to an end. It's time to enjoy a few days at home before heading to the land down undah. Which reminds me...I need to make sure I have some Men at Work on my IPod.

Hugs and kisses!!

-- Nick
Chapter 57 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Fifty Seven - January 22

It had never felt so good to be home. Unfortunately, I had one very important thing that I needed to do and it couldn't be done in Tampa.

I needed to go to L.A. to have a little chat with a certain 'someone.'

"Nick, what makes me think you're not going to L.A. on business?" Liv asked as I zipped up my duffel bag. I don't know why I had even bothered to unpack. Well, maybe I do. All my clothes had been pretty rank.

"Liv, business is my midde name," I explained. She snorted.

"We're not talking about Howie, here," she teased. I smiled.

"It's just a quick overnight trip. But, I am going to miss you."

"Well, we're going to miss you too," Liv said softly. I paused in my packing and headed over to her. She fell back against the mattress and kicked a leg out. I grabbed her foot.

"You don't play fair," she argued. I ran my fingers along the soft fleshy part of her underfoot. She let out a sound that was a cross between blow horn and hyena.

"Nick, you're going to wake the kids!" she gasped. I did it again.

"If you're gonna make noise, I can think of a better thing to do," I suggested. She tugged her foot back. With a smile, she shook her head.

"Uh-uh. You're the one that decided to take the red-eye out of here."

She had a point. I finished packing and spent several well-spent minutes kissing her against the doorframe of our room. My thoughts went right to those door jamb cuffs from Kentucky. I had no idea where she hid them...

"Nick," Liv whispered against my lips. "You're flight."

They would just have to wait for another time.

"Right, right."

I tiptoed into Brooke and Noah's room and gave them a soft kiss. Then I headed downstairs. Liv was right behind me.

Angel was sitting on the couch watching A Walk to Remember. She had a bowl of popcorn on her stomach and she was craning her neck around it, crying. She paused it and looked over at me when I set down my duffel and grabbed my keys.

"Where are you going? You just got back!" she said. I ran a hand through my hair. Ugh, telltale sign of a liar.

"I have a little business in L.A., so I'm just headed out there for the day. I'll be back late tomorrow night or early morning the next day."

That seemed to satisfy Angel. She grabbed a Kleenex off the coffee table.

"Be safe!"

I bit the inside of my cheek. It hurt, but it kept me from saying too much.

"I will!"

Liv's arms wrapped around my neck and she gave me one more kiss. She let go of me reluctantly.

"Nick, don't do anything stupid," she whispered. I glanced over at Angel and then back at her.

"I won't," I said.

There was nothing stupid about going to talk to the guy that knocked up my sister. We were just going to have a little chat.

That was all.

---------------------------------

I had tracked Matt down like a bloodhound. He was sitting across from me, albeit reluctantly, at this pizza joint. Even though it was the middle of the afternoon, the place was dark. Low-hung red lamps were the only source of light and I don't think anyone had bothered to change the bulbs in the forty years the place had been here. A couple bikers sat at the bar and a game of pool was taking place in a little side room.

"I needed to talk to you. Why didn't you answer my calls?"

"What can I get for you guys?" a waitress asked as she walked past.

"Rum and coke," Matt said.

"Diet Coke," I said. I saw him roll his eyes.

"Why didn't you answer my calls?" I repeated.

"Listen, Nick, there's nothing to talk about. I don't know why you flew all the way out here--"

I laughed. It wasn't a normal 'haha I'm Nick Carter' laugh. It was the beginnings of a 'I'm going to punch your face in' laugh.

"Angel's pregnant."

Matt grabbed a dried breadstick from the basket on the table and bit into it. Dried crumbs fell everywhere.

"Yeah?"

"Well, what are you going to do about it?"

Matt gave me a cocky smile. The waitress returned with our drinks. He took a deep, greedy sip out of his small glass. I didn't touch mine.

"Nick, how do I put this gently? Angel's...like a used bike. Everyone's had a ride on her. There's no way that kid's mine."

I felt kind of like a red version of the Hulk at that moment. My fist smacked into the table. A little bit of my Diet Coke sloshed out of the top.

"Angel is a good girl. When are you going to grow up and stop acting like you're five years old?"

Matt just laughed. He took another sip and then swizzled the drink with his breadstick.

"I never thought I'd see the day when Nick Carter got all 'family man,' on me," he said. He held up the two quotation fingers when he said 'family man.'

"Honestly, that might be what you want, but it's not what I want," he continued.

"Well, you should have thought about that before you took my sister to bed," I snapped. "She lost her modeling contract and she's living with me."

He tried to put on a sympathetic face, but he failed.

"Gee, Nick, I do feel bad. But, like I said, there's no way that kid's mine. You know models. They hop from one bed to the next."

I leaned forward. I felt a pathetic amount of heat from the dim bulb on the top of my head.

"So let's talk hypogenically. If Angel gets a DNA test and you are the father, what are you going to do?"

Matt removed the breadstick and took another swig of his drink.

"First off, it's hypothetically. Secondly, I'm not going to dick you around. I don't want anything to do with Angel. She's not my type of girl."

"So you'll just have a kid walking around this Earth and you don't even care?"

Matt laughed. "I probably have ten kids walking this Earth by now. It doesn't bother me. The way I look at it is that it's the woman's job to make sure it doesn't happen. If it does, then tough cookies for her."

I snapped. For one thing, his attitude was driving me crazy. For another, all I could think about was what type of random disease Angel had caught from this scuzz-bucket. I stood up and grabbed the front of his shirt.

"Woah, man. Take it easy," he said.

"No, I'm not going to take it easy," I said. He was hovering with his ass inches above the chair. I moved away from the table and pulled him with me.

Not surprisingly, I had caught the attention of the bikers. They had swiveled around and were watching us like hawks.

"Whatcha fighting about?" the biker yelled out.

"He knocked up my sister!" I called back. Matt opened his mouth to defend himself, but instead he just provided a perfect aiming point. My fist met his mouth and I watched with satisfaction as the blood began to pour out of his lip.

Of course, a punch can turn some people into Ancient warriors. Matt was one of those people. Once he recovered from the blow, he lunged at me and we went crashing into an empty table. I felt the wood splinter along my back as Matt tried to get enough leverage to return a punch. I managed to flip him to the side and get another hit in. I heard a crunch that I could only hope was his nose. He let out a moan. I pressed my hand against the wall to stand up.

That was a dumb move on my part. Even though his face was in agony, his legs were still in working order. He contacted hard to my groin.

Little stars danced in front of my eyes. I hadn't eaten, but I wanted to vomit. The pain was worse than anything I had felt in my entire life. This wasn't just me and the guys play fighting. This was a kick to end all kicks. The doctor was probably going to have to neuter me. I fell back down, clutching my junk, and praying to die.

In a weird twist of events, Matt kicking me in the 'no' zone was enough for the biker brethren to side with me. I don't know all the details, but the waitress who got me an icepack told me that he was taken into the pool room where he was ever so 'kindly' introduced to the pool balls. Then he was escorted outside and given a very un-friendly send off.

If I had been in better shape, I would have waited for the bikers to return. As it were, I gave the waitress a large tip for damages and a little extra for a free round on me the next time the bikers stopped in.

Then I went straight to the hospital.

I had heard that guys could die if they got kicked hard enough and I figured that I was in that category. Luckily, I was told that I was going to live even though I probably didn't want to have too much 'excitement' for a few days.

The way I was feeling, I didn't think I was going to have 'excitement' for a few years.

I ended up staying overnight at the hotel even though my business was done. I didn't want to go home limping like an injured dog.

After all, I still had my pride.

----------------------------------

"DADDY HO! DADDY HO!"

Brooke was standing in the open doorway hopping up and down as I yanked my bag out of the trunk the next morning. I laughed.

"Daddy's home!" I said. I was hoping some day she would remember that 'm-e' at the end of 'ho.'

I leaned down to pick her up and about screamed when her leg accidentally hit me. At the moment I didn't think it would take more than a strong breeze to send me through the roof.

Brooke's arms wrapped around my neck and I got a kiss. It made the whole thing worth it.

Matt had no idea what he was missing.

"How was your business?" Liv asked. I looked up. She was holding Noah in her arms and smiling with that look that told me she knew what I had been up to the whole time.

"Frustrating," I replied. Liv looked back and then shut the front door behind her. Whatever she wanted to say, she didn't want Angel to overhear.

"Did you kill him?" she whispered. I shook my head. "Not quite. But I think a bunch of bikers might have come close."

Liv startd to laugh, then stopped.

"Wait, what?"

I gave her the abbreviated, two minute version of my meeting with Matt at the pizza place. When I got to the part about getting kicked in the junk, her eyes widened.

"Are you okay?"

I gave her a crooked little smile. "Let's just say that the O-K Corral is closed for a week or two."

Liv rolled her eyes. "I don't care about that. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm just wounded," I said. All of a sudden I was hoping to score sympathy points. Liv was a great sympathizer. Or so I thought.

"I'd kiss it and make it all better, but I don't think that would help," Liv said with a sultry smile. She turned and opened the door. I closed my eyes and groaned.

She was right. That image didn't make it better.

It just might have made it worse.
Chapter 58 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Fifty Eight - January 27

"NO PANE! NO PANE!"

In two short years, I had managed to produce a hatred of giraffes and planes in my daughter. Brooke had begun to complain the moment that we boarded the plane and even after a night's sleep (a rather uncomfortable one, I should mention), she was still on a roll.

"Brooke, please give mommy a break," Liv said. She had a washcloth pressed against her forehead and she was gritting her teeth.

"You okay Livvy?" I whispered. Noah reached for the washcloth, no doubt to peek in at his mommy. I took his hands and shook my head no.

"I've just got a headache. A bad one."

Liv didn't get headaches often, but I guess a twenty three hour flight to Australia with two toddlers could do that to anyone.

"Look at my hair! Look at my hair! I sleeped on it and it's STILL straight!"

Shelby began to hopscotch her way down the aisle. Mason was right behind her.

"Mason, come back here and drink your juice!" Kevin called.

"Shelby, I've got poptarts!" Molly called.

Shelby and Mason both took back up the aisle. Liv groaned at the mention of poptarts. She got up, peeled off the washcloth, and put Noah in her empty seat.

"Stay with daddy," she said. I stood up to let her pass.

She was back in less than sixty seconds.

"Leigh's still in the bathroom," she complained.

"What do you need?"

Liv looked like she was about ready to make a smartass comment, but before she could, I saw her lurch. As if it was a everyday reflex, I reached for the puke bag.

"Eww! Did you know rats can't puke? Mrs. Bob should be a rat," I heard Shelby say.

At that moment I heard the bathroom door creak open. Leigh made her way down the aisle. Liv clamped the barf bag shut and took off.

"What's going on?" Leigh asked.

"Mrs. Bob puked!" Shelby announced.

"Like this!" Mason said. He began to make weird noises that was aided by a mouthful of orange juice. James began to laugh hysterically.

"You okay?" I heard Howie ask. Leigh nodded. He kissed her forehead.

They were having a little Dorough moment and it was actually pretty cute.

Unfortunately, I was too concerned about Liv to make some type of annoying remark.

Liv was gone for a good fifteen minutes, but when she came back from the bathroom, she claimed that she felt much better. I don't know the correlation between puking and headaches, but she said the pressure against her temples had let up and she was finally able to think again.

Brian was on his own for this leg of the trip and he looked like the loneliest Maytag repairman sitting off by himself.

"You can borrow one of mine!" I called out to him as we landed. He grinned.

"I might be homesick, but I haven't gone clinically insane!" he called back.

I stuck out my tongue. I forgot that Brooke was into copying me these days. Before I turned around her little tongue darted out of her mouth too.

Bri just laughed.

-----------------------------

"G'day! G'day!"

Mason was all smiles as we checked into the hotel. The lady at the counter rewarded his Aussie-ism with a sucker.

"He's like a mini Keith Urban," Addy said. Liv and her both aww-ed.

We split up to unpack but we all met back downstairs at the hotel restaurant for dinner. We had gotten smarter on this leg of the trip and chose hotels that were kid friendly. Finding someplace to eat with macaroni and cheese on the menu had now become a necessity.

And not just because I love a good dish of mac and cheese. We did it for the children.

While we were all waiting for the food to come so we could stuff our faces, Howie pulled out what I call 'the big D.' It was a huge binder with thick elastic bands to keep the thing shut. Howie kept all of our important meeting notes and junk in there.

"Tonight after supper we're meeting a couple radio personalities across the street at the Convention Center to record some promos and clips that will be aired throughout the day tomorrow," Howie explained. "MTV Australia is also going to be tagging along with us tomorrow for the show."

"MTV?" Shelby asked. "As in...MTV?"

AJ laughed. "Yup."

"Wow, you guys are ROCK stars!"

I couldn't help it; I laughed. Brian looked highly amused as well.

Howie flipped a couple more sheets of paper before he looked around at all of us. He had a really stupid smile on his face.

"And while we're talking business..."

Everyone groaned. He held up a hand.

"I know we were talking about putting some more dates in around August, but I wanted to tell you guy's that won't work for us."

"You, turn down more work for us?" I said mockingly. "Why won't it work?"

Howie grinned over at Leigh. She smiled happily.

"Because baby Dorough is due August 26."

You would have thought Howie had just won a bullfight. Liv and Addy hopped up and hugged Howie and then moved over to do the same to Leigh. Howie just continued to grin.

"Ah, Senor Erotico struck again," AJ teased. Howie looked over at him in surprise. He actually blushed.

"What did you call me?"

AJ started to laugh. Howie glanced over at Leigh like she had blurted some big secret but she just shrugged.

"All I will say is this one's going to love the snow," AJ said. He wiped his eyes and continue to chuckle.

It didn't take an Einstein to figure out what AJ was talking about. I was ready to jump in and start razzing Howie about a 'pot' baby when AJ caught my eye and snickered.

"Do you really want to bring up that night, Nick. I mean really?"

I remembered the jello. And the thong.

It didn't seem so important to razz Howie anymore.

------------------------------

January 28 - Sydney, Australia - Acer Arena

The guys and I were up late the night before doing those interview spots. I was so exhausted from the plane ride and overall jetlag that when Liv started singing loudly in my ear the next morning, I about had a heart attack.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NICCCCCKKYYYYY NICCCCKKKKK, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!"

I sat up in confusion. Brooklyn was sitting on Liv's pillow with one of those cone-shaped birthday hats on. Noah was chewing on the end of one of those birthday kazoo things where the paper flies out when you blow it.

"I ordered birthday french toast!" Liv said happily. She was standing by a big metal tray. She lifted the lid.

I was awake.

The french toast was topped with strawberries and bananas and there was so much powdered sugar and whipped cream that my teeth ached just looking at it.

"MINE!"

I grabbed the back of Brooke's PJ's just as she was ready to crawl over my lap onto the tray. She hung there in the air for a few seconds with only her little clawed hands flapping in the air.

"Hold it, honey bee," I said.

Liv cut the french toast into little bitty squares. Then she fed me. I was feeling like a nice spoiled thirty-three year old when the phone rang. I leaned over and picked it up. My mouth was still full of banana.

"Lo?"

"Where are you?"

I swallowed. "I'm getting served my birthday breakfast...what of it?"

Kev sighed. "Shit. Happy Birthday. But did you forget we're doing that thing with MTV today?"

"What thing?"

"They're following along with us and doing a mini-doc about the show," Kev said.

I groaned. "Yeah, I forgot. Give me ten minutes."

I hung up and looked at Liv.

"It should be against the law to work on your birthday," she said with a smile. I laughed.

"Tell me about it."

I got out of bed. Brooke was still eyeing the french toast.

"Daddy's giving you and Noah the rest," I said. Brooke looked up at me and clapped.

"MINE!"

I gave Liv a quick thank you kiss and hopped in the shower. I took a couple minutes deciding on my 'look' for the day and opted for a vintage Mario Bros. t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. Lastly I slapped a little gel in my hair and I was ready. Dressed to impress.

The guys and the crew were waiting for me. Howie and Kev looked like they stepped out of a Versace show. AJ was in his traditional black everything.

And then there was Bri.

When Leighanne didn't come with him, I swear he still dressed like he was nineteen. He had on some blue b-ball shorts and this white shirt with two sets of messy little kids handprints on the front. He was holding the shirt out from his stomach and looking at the camera.

"My son and daughter made me this shirt so I wouldn't miss them too much," he said into the lens with a grin.

There were a couple girls crossing the lobby and I kid you not, they stopped, turned, and 'aww'-ed right out loud. He was dressed like Will Smith back in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air days, he was balding, and he could still get girls.

I was impressed.

We hadn't had cameras following us for a long time so it was a little hard to get used to. I tried to remember not to scratch or pick my nose, but it was hard. I was actually glad when it came time for the show.

Acer Arena was packed. I stood shoulder to shoulder (well, sorta) with Bri as we waited for our cue.

"Liv feeling better?" Bri whispered. I nodded.

"I got breakfast in bed this morning. French toast."

Bri laughed. "Nice."

And just like that we were on. If any of the guys had planned a prank tonight, it was all but forgotten. Bri hammed it up for the camera like always and I became 'too hot to handle' Nick. My ego always inflates about tenfold. Of course, that's not hard to do when you move your hand just a fraction along your stomach and the girls go nuts.

What can I say? I have the magic touch.

The cameras tagged along to our dressing room after the show and we all said a final word. The crew thanked us for our time and left.

It sucked that my birthday was almost over and I had only seen Liv and the kids for, oh, maybe twenty minutes the entire day. The guys had wheeled out a birthday cake on stage for me, and I had seen Liv crouched down taking pictures.

We had spent so long with the crew after the show that the girls had taken the kids back to the hotel. I walked in to find everyone fast asleep on the bed. Once again, Brooke was taking up my entire space by sprawling out like a spider.

"Nick?" Liv mumbled as I shifted Noah down a little.

"It's me," I whispered.

Her arm came out and wrapped around my wrist. She peered up at me with blurry eyes.

"Happy Birthday."

I smiled. It might not have been the perfect birthday, but I had the perfect wife.

"Thanks, babe. See you in the morning."

Her head floated back down to the pillow.

"Sweet dreams," she whispered.

I wiggled Brooke down and managed to crawl into bed.

At least my dreams were one place cameras weren't allowed.
Chapter 59 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Fifty Nine - Nick's Tour Diary

January 29 - Melbourne, Australia - Rod Laver Arena

Australia, watch out! My sister, Angel surprised us this morning when we got to Melbourne. This country wasn't ready for the two of us. We're invading!

Angel didn't waste anytime with the invasion. Unfortunately her idea of military strategy is to hit the mall. Liv was more than willing to join that army. Something tells me they won't last long. They took Noah and Brooke with them. If the toy store doesn't wear everyone out, I don't know what will.

Since Brian is ridin' solo (s to the 'o', l-o!), we decided to have a ritualistic male bonding experience while the girls were out. We invited the other guys, but only Howie accepted our invite. Leigh chilled out at the hotel with James and little Jonah. Kevin and AJ took their crew up in a hot air balloon (should I say that? does our insurance cover that? hmmm...).

The three of us went golfing. Eighteen lush holes at Albert Park was just what I needed. There's no need to mention who won or lost. We're all winners in my book!

Webmaster's note: Which is Nick-speak for he lost. Bad.

We all got back to the hotel just in time to head over to the arena. I'm happy to report that Kevin and AJ didn't parish in the hot air balloon. I will state that I think they're crazy taking two five year olds up in the air.

Kev's note: It would have been a lot more frightening if Nick had come with us!

James is back to being our official introducer. That boy was meant for the stage. The only complaint I have is that it sounds like he's saying 'Uncle Neck' instead of 'Uncle Nick.' But, I guess it could be worse. Use your imaginations. You see what I'm saying?

We did something different with five of our VIP-ers tonight. We had a couple stagehands act like something was wrong with their tickets. They took them backstage to what they were told was a 'holding' room. They were blindfolded (for security reasons) and then brought out on stage.

I was shook like a teddy bear and I have five different colors of lipstick on my cheek, but I loved the looks on those girls faces! AJ even gave one of them a piggy back ride. He's such a ----.

Webmaster's note: Nick's entry was edited for bad language. I can't wash his mouth out with soap, but I can hit the delete key!

I think next time we come back we need to do two concerts in Melbourne. I was told tickets were going for insane amounts of money. Which reminds me...MTV Australia did a little 'day in the life' yesterday. Keep checking the website for information on when it might air.

January 30 - Brisbane, Australia - Brisbane Entertainment Centre

I'm so glad Angel decided to tag along on tour with us. She makes a great baby-sitter. And she's going to make a great mom. Wait? What? Haha. I'm going to take this moment to announce that I'm gonna be an uncle. I think Angel's already tweeted about it, but for those of you that don't know...ta-da! Which reminds me. Anyone in the L.A. area needs to do me a favor and go to the following address and...

Webmaster's note: The rest of Nick's post was edited so that he doesn't get arrested for putting a hit out on someone who shall remain nameless.

After we arrived, we were treated to a tour of the Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium. I think my son Noah is going to be an astronaut when he grows up. Sure he's only one, but I have never seen him that excited in my whole life. He only says about three words (none of which are daddy - he's holding out on me), but he was babbling like he was having a conversation with the entire solar system.

The girl that asked me a question at VIP asked me what my least favorite chore was. I thought that was really unique. Just FYI, my least favorite chore is dishes. I guess you could say I'm a paper plate guy.

Someone asked AJ what his favorite video game ever was. The dork seriously said Wayne's World. Out of all the amazing games that were ever released he chose that one. I seriously worry about Jizzle sometimes. Shwing.

Another night, another concert. I think I'm going to go to bed tonight with The Call stuck in my bed.

Not the best song to sing when you're a happily married guy, right?

Love you, Livvy!

Webmaster's note: He's such a suck-up!

February 2 - Jakarta, Indonesia - Ritz Carlton Pacific Place Ballroom

When we're on the road we end up seeing a lot of different food. I'm getting better at trying weird, off the wall, stuff. AJ still runs towards the nearest McDonald's he can find. After a recent bad experience, my wife isn't far behind.

The dish that Howie and I tried upon arriving in Indonesia was called Soto betawi. I didn't really care for it but Howie woofed it down. All I could tell for sure was that it contained coconut milk. I didn't find out until later that it also contained beef tendons, tripe, and intestines. I knew what intestines were but not tripe. Howie kindly informed me that its something from the stomach of various animals.

It's been a long time since I had gotten bad sick from food. I don't think I've ever crapped so much in my life, haha. I know you all wanted to know that right?

Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling much better tonight. It's really hard to dance and be sexual when you really should be camped out on a toilet with your ass falling asleep.

Somehow I managed to get through it, but I pushed Brian down to get to the bathroom. The guys wouldn't even come near the dressing room for an hour afterwards.

I'll admit, I stunk.

February 4 - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Sunway Surf Beach

Feeling much better today! We're in Malaysia and we're performing tomorrow at Sunway Surf Beach in the Sunway Lagoon Park. This was the first venue that the kids were excited about. The girls, Brian, and AJ stayed with the kids at the water park and Kevin, Howie, and I snuck over to the amusement park.

BEST. DAY. EVER. If you want photographic proof check my Twitter. Howie took an amazing shot of my mouth flapped in the wind. EPIC.

After the amusement park we went back over to the waterpark. I got a little sidetracked at Surf Beach. It's been a couple years since I was on a board and even though I was a little rusty, it still felt good to catch a wave. A couple fans that were already in the area for the concert tomorrow almost saw me lose my swim trunks. I caught them just in time.

Good luck next time, girlies!

Of course, all play and no work doesn't get a Backstreet Boy paid. After a good night's sleep I think I'll be ready to rock this place!

The kids wanted to go back to the water park, but we chilled at the hotel today. AJ was the only one to sneak out for a few hours, but he had a good reason.

We had such a fun trip here that I decided that I wanted to make it extremely memorable. I snuck into the dressing room while the guys were eating and put itching powder in Howie's t-shirt. He went all King-Kong once the powder took full effect. The girls loved when he ripped his shirt in half. I was laughing too hard to take a picture. Hopefully Liv got one for all you people that are curious!

Webmaster's note: Oh, I got it. Howie's chest looks like one of those connect the dot games. He has red spots all over. But it WAS funny when it happened!

Before I sign off on this newest entry, I also want to mention it will be the last one for awhile. We have some OTHER surprises up our sleeve! Stay tuned!
Chapter 60 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Sixty - February 6 - Taipei, Taiwan - Taipei International Convention Center

"We don't have to do this."

"No, I think it's a nice change from the blogs."

"I'm an excellent writer."

Liv looked up and laughed. "Nick, you wrote a whole post about your diarrhea."

I smiled. "Your point?"

Liv turned around and nibbled on a fry. She looked tired. For someone who fell asleep way before I did, I had no idea why she looked so tired...except that she wasn't used to being a world traveller.

I walked over and picked up the camera.

"You know, I can just walk around and get footage. We'll call it a Nick's Corner rather than a 'Behind the Scenes' segment."

Liv pulled her hair back into a sloppy ponytail.

"Well..."

"C'mon, I'll just bug the guys in the dressing room before the show."

"And that would be different from any other day because?"

I laughed. "Shut up."

Liv stuck out her tongue. I leaned towards her with my fingers poised as pinchers. The tongue flew back in.

"You wouldn't dare," she said.

"No, I wouldn't. I can think of other uses for that tongue."

She punched me in the shoulder. Hard.

"Go cause chaos somewhere else," she chided.

I tossed the little mini cam from hand to hand. "Will do. Take care of my babies."

Liv smiled. "Always."

I walked off thinking about all the possible things I could do to make Kev mad. He was probably the easiest target.

"I don't like that look, Nick."

I stopped and turned on the camera. Angel was heading down the hall with Noah in her arms. He broke into a huge smile.

"DADA!"

I was going to say something extremely witty about her waddling like a duck, but Noah saying dada completely threw me off.

"Alright, buddy! High five!"

I held out my hand and he gave it a big slap. I turned the camera on me.

"Just so you know, you guys are witness to the first time he said dada. You can start sending him fan letters now."

"Nick..."

I turned the camera back to Angel.

"Where are you headed?" I asked.

"I'm taking this guy off to see his mama before the show. Where are you headed?"

"To the dressing room."

"With a camera?"

I just laughed.

"See ya, sis!"

I paused the camera and continued down the hall. The door to the dressing room was slightly ajar.

"Shelby, I've got to get dressed for the show," I heard AJ say.

"But, it's not fair. I'd be really good!"

"Honey, I know, but..."

"Why does all the boys get to do it and I don't?"

I pushed the door open and walked in. AJ was standing there with his change of clothes draped over his shoulder. Shelby was looking up at him stubbornly.

"What does she want to do?" I asked.

Bri was slouched in a beanbag chair playing Wii. I had a feeling that he stole my console from the hotel room. He smiled.

"She wants to introduce us tonight."

"I won't throw things like Mason did!" Shelby whined.

"Well, why can't she?" I asked.

Kevin and Howie looked at me like I had lost my mind. Shelby turned to me, smiled, and then turned back to AJ.

"See, Bob says I can! Please, please, pleassssse?"

AJ sighed. I had a feeling that he just wanted to change into his pants.

"Okay."

Shelby did a couple fist pumps and ran towards the door.

"MOMMY, HE SAID YES! HE SAID YES!!!"

I smiled.

"See how easy that way?"

"I hope she calls you Bob," Kevin said.

"What's with the camera?"

Before I answered, I turned the camera on. I panned the room. A psychologist would probably love to see our dressing room. Howie and Kevin's side was neat and organized. AJ's and my side was the disaster area. Brian waffled between the two sides even though deep down I know he's a slob.

"Ladies and gents, boys and girls, welcome to Nick's Corner 2013."

Howie looked around. "We don't have an ice bucket do we?"

"I'm not going to do that again."

I saw AJ hide his M&M's. No doubt he didn't want me to get another shot of him digging under the couch if he dropped one.

"What would you guys like to say to the fans?"

I turned to Bri. He paused Mario Kart and flipped around on the beanbag chair. He waved and batted his eyes.

"Hi."

"Original. Really original."

I panned over to Kevin. "Kev?"

"Well..." he trailed off. Kev puts a lot of thought into his answers. I heard AJ snore.

"Before I run out of tape?"

"That recorder doesn't use tape," Kevin said. He smiled. "I just want to thank all of the fans for welcoming me back."

"Well put," I said. I panned over to Howie. He was on his cellphone. I skipped over to AJ.

"What say you, bro?"

AJ smirked. "I say I got to be gettin' into my outfit and I can't do that with the camera on."

I turned the camera on myself. I widened my eyes to the point of poppage.

"Or can he?"

"NICK!"

I paused the camera and laughed. Bri crawled off the beanbag.

The beanbag.

"HEY! I have an idea!"

The other guys just continued to pull their clothes out.

I looked around. Kev and How had the couch on their side of the room. In the far corner was a small trampoline that AJ used to warm up his legs and strengthen his knee before the show.

Couch. Beanbag. Trampoline.

"NO ONE GET DRESSED!"

Everyone stopped. I smiled. "I know of a fun way to warm up before the show."

"I already stretched," Kev said. Howie snapped his phone shut.

"So did I."

I shook my head. "No, this is going to be good."

----------------------------

"What is the object of this again?"

"We judge on technical ability. Which means you better make that trampoline jump count."

"I'm not doing it."

"Howie, you are the biggest stick in the mud. Do it for your son. Do it for your unborn child."

"I want to be around to see my unborn child, thank you."

I looked at AJ, Kev, and Brian. They all looked amused.

"You guys in?"

"I'm in," Bri said. He yanked his leg back and stretched.

"What does the winner get?" Kev asked. If there was one thing we had in common, it was our competitive spirit.

"I don't know..." I trailed off. Kev seemed to see where my mind was headed.

"No cornrows."

I snickered. "Fine, then no burning jerseys."

"We have our next photoshoot in Scotland," Howie said. "I'm thinking the winner should dress up in full attire."

"That would be hilarious," AJ said.

I thought back. I think at one point in time I had told Liv I would look good in a kilt.

It's funny how some random things suddenly come up again later.

"I don't think Howie should be able to suggest anything," I argued. "Since he's not participating."

"I would usually agree, but it's a really good idea," Brian said.

"Sounds good. No one has to grow their hair or burn anything," Kevin said.

"I'd look sexy in a kilt. Not that I'm going to lose," AJ said.

Howie took the camera from me.

"I'll do my part," he added. I rolled my eyes. Howie turned on the camera.

"Welcome to the first ever Backstreet dressing room Olympics," he said. "I'm Howie D. and I will be your commentator for the evening. Each of the guys will get two attempts. They will be judged on style, grace, and overall ridiculous-ness. Loser has to wear a kilt in one of our upcoming photo shoots. First up is B-Rok."

We set it up so that you stood on the couch, jumped on the trampoline, and landed on the soft beanbag. What you did in the air and the height of the jump was going to determine the awesomeness of the performance.

Bri did one of those 'diving' poses as he tested the couch. He got his game face on which looked a little to me like he was constipated.

"On your mark, get set...go!" Howie said.

Bri flew off the couch. He hit the trampoline, did a sloppy somersault and ended up sliding into the beanbag. He stood up and bowed.

"Not bad, but could be better," Howie said. "Kev, you're up."

Kev did a much better job. He always thinks things through. He actually backflipped off the couch. Even I was impressed.

Next was AJ. I'm pretty sure he is trying to purposely wear a kilt. He slipped off the beanbag on landing and smashed into the wall.

Of course, the wall he smashed into is the one adjacent to the family room. Before it was my turn, Liv and Molly were standing in the doorway.

"What's going on?"

"Backstreet Olympics," I said.

"One...two....go!" Howie said.

I tried not to be distracted. I eyed the trampoline. This was my moment to shine. I did a pretty impressive karate leap into the air. My feet hit the trampoline and I was airborne again.

And then out of nowhere came the pillow. I grunted and flipped over, landing hard on my back.

"THAT WAS AWESOME!"

"Do you think it hurt?"

Brian's face swam above mine. "I was just trying to add to your technical points, man."

After that things kind of got out of control. We all went into sabotage mode. Finally Liv grabbed the camera from Howie and made him do a leap. Kev tackled him midair and they accidentally landed on our food table.

"And that," I said, crouching down in front of the camera lens. "Is what I call a draw folks. I think you'll be seeing all of us in kilts sometime soon. That does it for this episode of Nick's Corner!"

Liv shut off the camera. She was trying so hard not to smile, but it was impossible.

"You're insane...and I love you."

"I don't think you're allowed to love your boss," I teased. Liv laughed.

"You didn't care about it the first time around," she shot back.

"Aren't you glad?"

Liv's eyes softened. "I sure am."

The girls disappeared and the guys and I did a crappy cleanup job and then got into our outfits.

For as much as the guys doubted Shelby, she did a really good job introducing us. I think the audience loved her. She came out wearing huge sunglasses, rainboots. To top it all off, she yelled through a huge megaphone.

It took a lot for the five of us to stop laughing before we had to jump out onstage.

I think she's got herself a permanent job.
Chapter 61 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Sixty One - February 8 - Quezon City, Phillipines

"Are you guys ready?"

"Of course. You're not going to ask us anything hard are you?"

Liv smiled. "It's not me you have to worry about. It's the fans."

We were assembled backstage on our official concert stools for a live video Q&A for the fanclub. For once, we were actually early.

"We've already got over five hundred questions," Liv said in astonishment. She fixed her camera.

"Alright. Here we go."

Howie fixed the collar on his shirt. AJ shifted and complained about his ass falling asleep. I refrained from picking at my nose.

Liv held up three fingers and slowly counted down. Then she pointed right to us.

"Hi, we're the Backstreet Boys," we said in unison.

"Welcome to our first live video chat. Thanks for being with us tonight," Bri said.

"It's morning in the states," Howie said.

"Good morning!" I said with a wave.

"Alright, we have our first question," Liv said from her perch behind the camera. "Lisa from Tacoma wants to know who your celebrity crushes are."

"I still really like Sandra Bullock," Brian said.

"Megan Fox," AJ answered.

"Angelina Jolie," Howie said.

It was down to Kev and me.

"Nicole Kidman," Kevin finally said.

"She's old," AJ said.

"So's Kev," I added. We all laughed.

"So who's your favorite actress, hot shot?"

Liv was grinning at me. I blushed.

"Jennifer Garner."

"When was the last time she made a movie?" Bri asked.

"Hey, when was the last time Nicole Kidman made a movie?"

"Point taken."

"Alright, moving on. Question two is from Brit in Kansas City. Now that all of you are fathers, have you ever thought about recording an album for kids?"

"Wow. That's a really good question," Kev said. "Huh, what do you guys think?"

"Are they talking about like us singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star?"

"Or are we going to do like a Kidz Bop thing?"

"I want to be...Miley!" Bri said. I laughed.

"We're going to call him Briley," I said.

"I'd love to do an original album with lullabies and stuff," AJ said.

"Not as Johnny No Name, right?" I asked. AJ snickered.

"Bloody hell, Nick."

Liv laughed. "Question three. And this one's just for AJ."

AJ grinned. I sat back and twirled in my chair.

"This question is from Maria in Brazil. Are you currently dating anyone?"

AJ ran a finger along the rim of his sunglasses. It was one of several tells that he had when he was nervous. It ranked irhgt up there with shirt rolling and skin plucking.

"Yes, I am dating someone. She's a great woman and she's amazing with my son and daughter. I'm very happy."

"And her daughter is like a mini-AJ," Brian added. "I think they're competing with their sunglass collections."

AJ just laughed.

"Quesion four comes from Lizette in Montreal and it's for Nick."

I stopped twirling in my chair. I loved questions just for me.

Liv started to laugh as she scanned the question. "She wants to know if you want a big family."

I grinned. Brian leaned forward.

"After having to change his son's diaper about three times the other day, I would like to answer this question."

I nudged him. "I didn't pass the question to you. Let's see..." I said. "Well, I think I can honestly say that I'd like one more child. I think three's a good number."

"What do you think Liv?" Howie asked.

"I'm just the voice behind the camera!" Liv called. "I have no opinion!"

"You're the one that has to see him naked and carry his children. You have to have an opinion," AJ said.

"Hey! I look good naked!"

"QUESTION FIVE!"

We all started to laugh. Liv cleared her throat. She glanced at the next question. I thought I saw a little mischievious glint in her eyes.

It made me nervous.

"Carl from Washington, D.C. asks - If you were gay, which of your fellow bandmates would you want to date?"

All five of us looked at Liv like she was crazy. Of all the questions to choose from, it figured she would pick that.

"I'd date Howie," Bri said. "He's a good kisser."

Liv started to laugh. Howie actually blushed. "Dude..."

"Hey, I've kissed you a couple times. I'm not ashamed."

"What about you J?" Liv asked.

This time AJ started to pick at the skin around his thumb.

"They're not really my type..."

"Oh c'mon," Bri said.

AJ sighed. "I'd probably date Nick."

I grinned. I don't know why that made me happy, but it did.

"Why?" I asked.

AJ snickered. "I guess I like tall blondes."

"Howie?"

"Man, this is going to sound bad since Bri went first, but I'd probably date Brian."

Bri grinned.

"I'm not answering on the grounds that Bri's my cousin," Kev said.

"That is a lame excuse," I argued. "There's still three of us!"

"Well who would you date?"

This was getting weirder by the moment. I sighed. "Probably Brian."

"Alright! That's two!" Brian pumped his fist in the air.

"Kev?" Liv asked.

He ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know...they're just not my type."

We all booed.

"Okay, last question guys. How is touring now different than touring ten years ago?"

"Well, there's a LOT more family members that we bring along," Kevin said.

"And half of them won't be able to get into a club for the next fifteen years to twenty years," AJ said.

"And we have crates of juice boxes and animal crackers," I added.

"Then there's the dirty diapers," Bri added.

We all groaned.

"But in all seriousness," I added. "I've never been happier. I think I can speak for the other guys when I say that it's awesome to share this experience with our kids."

Brian nodded. "Absolutely."

"We've already had Mason and my son James out introducing us," Howie added.

"And my girlfriend's daughter got the chance to do it too," AJ said.

"So it's really a family production," Brian said with a smile.

Liv smiled. I think she was actually a little teary eyed.

"Okay guys, any last words?"

"If you haven't already, go out and buy our alternate version of Going Strong," Howie said. "Six new songs."

"And we're going to be plugging away through October. We're making it around the world, so if you haven't seen us yet, we're coming!" Nick said.

We all waved and Liv pressed the button the camcorder.

"That was great. While you guys were chatting I got three thousand more questions," Liv said with a laugh. "Half were wishing I would die already."

I frowned; Liv didn't seem concerned.

"Do we still have time to eat before the show?" I asked. Liv nodded.

"Yeah, you have an hour. I'm starving."

We hopped off our chairs and Liv packed up her equipment. I threw my arm around her shoulders as we walked over to the buffet.

"These concert buffets and McDonald's trips are going to be the death of me," Liv teased. "I think I've gained ten pounds."

I grinned. "I like a little cushion for the pushin," I said quietly. Liv's eyes widened, but before she could say anything, I leaned down and nibbled her ear.

"You're horrible," she whispered. She let out a shuddery breath.

"I'll send a few extra stage thrusts your way tonight," I said. I trailed kisses down to her neck and then stopped. I grabbed a plate and started piling on food. Liv looked flustered.

I loved that I still had that effect I had on her.

I was good.
Chapter 62 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Sixty Two - February 10 - Marina Centre, Singapore

"We get to go home tomorrow, Noah!"

We had arrived in Singapore. I was holding Noah above my head. He squealed.

"You want to come with daddy to do something cool today?"

He gurgled a huge spit bubble.

"I'm going to take that as a yes."

"What are you guys doing?"

Liv walked out of the bathroom. She was wrapped in a fluffy white robe; Brooke was wrapped in a little baby version of the same robe.

"The guys are I are going to this really cool instrument shop," I said. "I thought I'd take NoNo with me."

Liv smiled. "That sounds like a plan."

Noah clapped. "BooBoo!"

Brooke giggled. "NoNo!"

"BooBoo!"

"NoNo!"

That went on for a couple minutes. Finally, I scooped Noah up.

"Time to go!"

"ME GO!"

Brooke reached out for me. "DADDY! DADDY!"

Noah grabbed my shirt and sighed.

"Brooke you're going to stay with mommy!" Liv said happily. Brooke looked at her.

She began to cry.

In the end, I had the double stroller going as I made my way down to the lobby to meet the guys.

"You've got double trouble?" Bri asked as I wheeled up. He was leaning against the wall making a huge bubble out of chewing gum.

"Brooke wanted to come too," I explained.

"That's alright," Kev said. Mason was holding onto his hand. "It looks like it's daddy day."

Shelby was clinging to AJ's hand and skipping in place. She looked up at him and beamed.

We were ready to go.

---------------------------------

"You remember drumming with daddy a long time ago sweetie?" I asked Brooke. She had a drumstick in her hand and she was happiy banging away. Every time she burst into laughter.

"BOOM!" Brooke said happily.

Brian came up and knelt down next to Brooke. I took the opportunity to head towards the guitars. Noah reached out and plucked one of the strings. His eyes widened excitedly at the sound.

"Ooooh," he said. He did it again. His little legs kicked into my side.

"You like the guitar?"

Noah nodded. He strummed for a third time.

"THIS IS AWESOME!"

I turned. Besides Brooke, we only had one other little girl in the group and her voice was unmistakable. Shelby was standing on a piano bench staring down at the keys.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"Woah, kiddo," AJ said. He scooped her up and sat her down.

"Like this."

AJ played a really amateur version of chopsticks. Shelby watched his fingers intently. She tried to copy him but it sounded like a dying cat.

"Not quite. Let's try again."

In the end, none of us bought anything, but we sure made a hell of a racket. We headed back to the hotel. I wheeled the stroller into the room expecting Liv to be up and ready to go to the venue. The sitting room and the bedroom were empty.

"Liv?"

I heard a groan. I opened the bathroom. Her arms were wrapped around the toilet bowl.

"Hey, what's going on?" I asked.

"Too many fries," Liv moaned. She flushed and looked up at me.

"I can't wait to go home."

I felt bad. Even when we were touring the U.S., I remembered that she had a rough time adjusting to lukewarm showers and sleeping through the bumpiest roads in America.

"Liv, maybe you should sit out the next leg of the tour."

"I'm your official photographer," she argued.

"I think if we don't have any blogs or videos for a couple weeks that everyone will live. Before you came along, the fanclub was a sleeper. You're spoiling everyone."

Liv sighed.

"I feel bad. Even Angel's doing better than me."

I smiled. "Where is she?"

"She went off shopping. I didn't feel up to going."

I kissed her forehead.

"Listen, when we get home you'll rest up and maybe if all goes well then you can meet up with us in Italy."

"That means you'll miss Brooke's birthday," Liv argued.

I groaned.

"We'll figure it out, okay?"

Liv looked at me, but she honestly looked too tired to argue. She nodded.

"Okay."

------------------

"Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for the incwedible Backstreet Boys!" Shelby screamed. The crowd went wild.

Little Red tore off across the stage. AJ bounced up from underneath the stage to give her a high five.

"Good job!" he whispered. She grinned.

We bounded up onstage to the deafening sounds of the crowd. My earpiece suddenly blocked out most of the noise and it was game time.

I was a little distracted during the concert. I kept an eye on Liv. Halfway through she ducked backstage. She didn't return for the rest of the concert.

"Where is she?" I asked the moment we were done.

"She's not feeling well," Leigh said.

I opened the door to the Family Room's bathroom. Liv was hugging the toilet bowl again.

"Liv?"

"I'm ready to go home, Nick," she sighed.

"That's exactly what we're going to do," I reassured her. "Just one more night. We'll leave in the morning."

Liv got up weakly. I helped her back out to the couch.

"I'll be out after my shower, okay?"

She nodded. "Alright."

I headed into the showers. Brian was singing into a bar of soap.

"My tummy's turnin' and I'm feelin' kinda homesick, too much pressure and I'm nervous," he sang.

"Dude what is with you and Miley? That is so 2010," I complained. I turned on an empty shower head and let the spray run down.

"What? I am homesick!" Bri complained. "I was family-less this time around."

I sighed and poured a huge mound of shampoo on my head. I began to lather up. It was going to be my turn next to be without my wife and kidlets.

"Leigh's skipping the next leg," Howie said. "The morning sickness is kicking her butt."

I paused mid-scrub.

Morning sickness...

---------------------

February 12

After another lovely twenty-some hour flight, we finally arrived back in Tampa. Angel was sullenly sitting in the back with Brooke and Noah.

"I didn't want to come back," she said.

"Well you surprised us by coming out, but it was a good surprise," I added. "What brought it on?"

"I just needed to get away..." she said lightly.

I didn't press. She had been pretty quiet the whole trip. It was hard watching her do this all alone and I knew better than to harp like my mom would do.

Liv had fallen asleep sometime between the airport and home. I couldn't help but smile as we pulled into our subdivision.

"Home, sweet, home!" I announced.

"HO! HO!" Brooke said. Liv stirred.

I pulled up to the house and instantly spotted an unfamiliar car in the drive.

"Who the hell's that?" I asked. I parked beside the car.

"Everyone stay here," I said. I hopped out. The car was empty but I saw some sneakered feet sticking out. Someone was sitting on our front steps. I headed up to get a better look. I couldn't believe it.

It was Matt.
Chapter 63 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Sixty Three

Matt seemed to see me at the exact moment that I saw him. He got to his feet.

"What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to Angel."

I could just barely see the lingering results of his run-in with me and the bikers. The skin below his eyes was a sickly yellowish color. He held his side; I assumed he might have gotten a broken rib out of the whole thing.

Good.

"I don't think she wants to see you," I said cooly.

"Nick."

I turned around. Angel was standing behind me.

"I told you to wait in the car."

She smiled. "I never listen."

"Angel--" Matt began. I held up a hand.

"I didn't say you could talk," I said hotly.

"Nick, I'll talk to him."

"But--"

"It's okay."

I folded my arm and stepped to the side. I didn't make any quick movements back to the car.

"I want to talk to her alone," Matt said. I snorted.

"I don't care what you want."

"Nick..."

I held up my hands. "Fine. Just trying to help."

I headed back to the car and slid behind the wheel. Liv turned to me.

"What's Matt doing here?"

I shrugged. "I'll be damned if I know."

"DAM!"

Brooke tossed a teddy bear at my head. Noah started to laugh.

"Dddddd," he managed to get out. I think it was probably easier to just let his sister do the hard work.

I picked up the teddy bear and handed it back to Brooke, never once taking my eyes off of the scene going on outside.

Angel's arms were crossed and Matt had on his smooth 'I Can't Believe it's not Butter' smile. At one point Angel started to shake her head. I reached for the handle.

"Nick, she's going to lay into you if you go out there," Liv said wisely. I sighed.

As the minutes ticked by, Matt began to look more and more agitated. He tried to hand Angel something, but she hit his hand away.

At the sight of actual skin contact, I ignored Liv's warning and hoped out of the car.

"You can't buy this away," Angel said. "Four months from now this baby will be here, whether you like it or not."

"Listen, we both know that you trapped me into this. I don't know whether you were looking for an instant husband, but it sure as hell isn't going to be me."

"Ahem."

Matt looked up. I stood about a half a foot taller than him. I tried to make it look like even more.

"I think you need to leave."

"Who do you think you are? I should have had you arrested for sending the freakin' Hells Angels after me."

"I don't think those guys were Hells Angels," I explained.

"They broke my ribs!"

"Good, they should have snapped off your dick while they were at it," I said coldly.

Matt and I stared each other down. It was a ritualistic male tradition that dated back through the centuries and from the time of the earliest animals.

"Nick, just let him leave," Angel sighed.

That was easier said then done. He was on my home turf. It was like those stupid Twilight books. Vampire vs. werewolf. Amazingly hot dad vs. worthless sperm donor.

I don't know who lunged first, but Liv told me later it was me. My hands pressed into his shoulders and down we went onto the grass in beautiful suburbia, U.S.A.

Our neighborhood doesn't see a lot of action, but it was just my luck that everyone was home that afternoon to see the 'main' event. Matt scrambled to get an upper edge on me. He squirmed his way out of my lock and I felt a hard knee to the back. I twisted around and grabbed the collar of his shirt.

It probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, but I wasn't really thinking. I chin-butted him.

Yeah, you read that right. I should have hit him with my forehead, but at the moment, my chin seemed to be an easier weapon. I felt something in my mouth crack and then intense pain. Matt screamed like he had been mortally wounded and fell back holding his forehead. I could see a trickle of blood run through his fingers.

I think we would have kept fighting after we shook off our initial agony, but all of a sudden streams of hard, cold water began to pelt the both of us.

"BOTH OF YOU, UP!"

Liv was holding our outside garden hose and she did not look happy. It kind of reminded me of whenever I had run into Liv's ex-husband, Hunter. Which was more than once. Or twice.

"Matt, get in your car and just leave Nick, go inside and just wait."

Still holding his forehead, and trying to avoid any more water shots, Matt headed off towards his car. I stayed put.

"NICK!"

Now Liv doesn't really scare me...well, most of the time. But the tone in her voice raised a red flag. I headed into the house.

After I had a chance to calm down, I realized that my mouth hurt way more than I had initially thought. I opened my mouth and touched the sore area.

One of my bottom teeth was broken.

It wasn't a front tooth, but any tooth is an important tooth in my book. Just the touch of my fingertip made me scream and fall to the ground.

Wimpy, I know.

Liv and Angel came in a few minutes later carrying Brooke and Noah. Noah was babbling like a little unleashed warrior. Obviously he had gotten a good seat for the fight. Brooke was crying.

"DADDY! DADDY!"

"Daddy's okay," Liv said calmly. I heard two sets of footsteps on the stairs, no doubt Angel and Liv taking both of them up to their nurseries.

About ten agonizing minutes later, I was still on the ground feeling helpless. Liv's shoes and legs came into view. I looked up.

"What did you do?"

"I broke my foof," I mumbled. I felt a little drool sliding out of my mouth. I wiped it with the back of my hand.

Liv didn't ask me anything else or scold me (thank God). She walked around me and opened up a phone book.

I liked a woman of action, especially when I, myself was helpless.

------------------------------

"I really like this place. We should stay here sometime."

"Nick, that was a dentist's office. They had to give you novacaine and nitrous oxide."

I laughed. Liv was funny sometimes.

"NoNo-caine. It's like Noah made it."

Liv was fuzzy, but she was looking cute. I love cute girls. I hung onto the open car door and grinned at her.

"Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you get in the car?"

I snorted. That was a funny question to ask.

"OF COURSE!"

I stared at the seat in confusion. I knew there was a trick.

"Hop up and swing your legs."

I snapped my fingers...or at least tried to. "That's it!"

Somehow I landed with my face in the cushion. My legs kicked up like a donkey, but I managed to squish myself in and turn myself around. The whole thing was highly amusing. I began to laugh.

"Way too much nitrous oxide," Liv said quietly as she got in the car.

My tooth felt one million percent better. I rolled down the window as Liv took off towards home. I stuck my head out and closed my eyes.

Sometimes I wish I was a dog so I could do those types of things.

"I really like doggie style," I blurted. I don't know where that came from, but it was an awesome thought.

"Nick, you need to go home and take a nap."

I rolled my head along the back of the seat. It was easier to turn my head that way. I smiled at Liv. I think I might have been drooling a little bit, but I couldn't tell.

"You should take a nap with me."

Liv cracked a smile. "Oh, no."

I nodded. It was a weird feeling; I felt like my head was a giant balloon. For a moment I began to panic that it might be filled with helium and float away. I touched my neck.

Phew, still attached.

"That's alright," I said, after that little moment of panic. "We don't have to do the nasty. You're already pregnant." I sniffled. "I'm gonna have a bay-bay."

Liv hit the break hard at a red light. "Nick, let's not talk about this now."

I smiled. "We've been through this twice, silly, billy, jilly, willy, nil.."

"NICK!"

"You're sick all the time," I said. I leaned over and sloppily patted her stomach. "It's okay to cook them in there. Carter's love your bakery."

Liv sighed and continued to drive. I scooted over as much as my seatbelt would allow and dropped my head on her shoulder. I put my nose against her neck. I sniffed.

"Nick, what the hell are you doing?"

"You always smell really good when you're pregnant."

Liv groaned. "Nick..."

I started to laugh. I don't know why but it just seemed like such a happy day! The last non-funny thing I remember is the nurse putting these tubes up my nose. She said it would help me relax.

I don't think she knew what she was talking about.

"What's so funny?" Liv asked. She almost looked annoyed. I don't know why; I'm naturally cute. No one hates cute things. Like kids. And bunnies. And Nick Carter.

"I was just thinking that you're like the Bat Cave. All my supersperm just know to fly right to Headquarters," I explained. I burst into another round of giggles.

I held my side. Oh, it hurt. Not in a bad way.

More just in a really, really funny way.

"I can't talk to you like this," I heard Liv say over my giggles.

I hung my head out the window again.

It was easier to just be a dog.
Chapter 64 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Sixty Four

I woke up in bed with no recollection of how I had gotten there. My mouth felt puffy.

"Hey, sleeping beauty."

Liv peeked in around the door frame. "You feeling okay? Can I bring you anything?"

"How did I get to bed?"

"You did a nice belly flop into it. The dentist had to give you nitrous oxide."

That explained it. I groaned.

"How loopy was I?"

Liv smiled. "Pretty loopy."

She came in and sat on the edge of the bed.

"How's Angel?"

"She's fine. She can't believe you chin-butted him. Of all the parts of your body to use..."

"Not my finest moment."

"Not by far."

Liv tucked her legs up and leaned against the headboard.

"I talked to Sam today."

"How's he doing?"

Liv smiled. "He's between projects right now. I asked him if he wanted to go do the Europe dates with you guys through March and April and he said that he'd double check his calendar, but he thinks he's completely open."

"Does that mean you're not going to join me in Italy?" I asked with a pout.

"No, it just means that I'm passing my camera bag onto the next queen of BSB media."

I laughed. "What brought this on?"

She sighed. "Well, I have a sneaking suspicion that Leigh's passing around that bug of hers."

"Bug? But she's---ahhh."

"But even if I'm not, I still feel jet-lagged. But I'll still meet up with you guys in Italy," she assured me. She smiled.

"I think I'm going to enjoy being a tourist more than being on the job. I feel guilty when I have to leave Brooke and Noah with one of the other girls. And Angel won't be up to traveling."

"Well, I guess I can survive until then. Did you make a doctor's appointment?"

Liv cracked her knuckles. "It's in a few days. Noah and Brooke need some shots anyhow so..."

I grinned, albeit lopsidedly (my mouth was still kinda numb). "And I get to play with the salad tongs again."

Liv laughed. "Nick, you're ridiculous."

She got off the bed and headed towards the door.

"In my next life I'm coming back as a gyno!" I called after her. I heard a snort.

"I think I'd make a good doctor," I mumbled. I rolled over and wrapped my arms around my pillow.

It was a good time to get caught up on sleep.

-------------------------

February 16

After a nice quiet Valentine's Day out on the town, thanks to Liv's mom, we had a jammed packed itinerary for the rest of the time I was home. It started with the trip to the doctor's office.

"HI!"

"Well, hi, cutie pie. You're getting big."

Brooke smiled and nodded.

"How old are you?"

Brooke held up two fingers. I laughed.

"Almost."

"And then there's Noah! Hi, buddy."

Noah held up his hand. She gave it a little smack.

"They're looking happy and heathily. How was traveling with them?"

Liv and I looked at each other and made the same exact face. Dr. Tresher laughed.

"You have my utmost respect. Now let's see...Noah's getting the PVC and Hep A today. And Brooke is getting...a Hep B."

"B! B! B!" Brooke chanted happily. Something told me she wasn't going to be all smiles in a second. I gave her a hug. Noah was playing with Liv's hair, oblivious to all.

As I predicted, we had two major meltdowns. Brooke held her arm like someone had just fired a gun at her. Noah kept hitting his head against Liv's collarbone as if that was going to make the pain go away. Of course, he had a double whammy. I was majorly sympathetic.

After Dr. Tresher produced some gummy bears, the tears suddenly stopped. This gave her the opportunity to give them a quick check-up.

"Both are at a great weight and height. Noah's jumped up to the 95th percentile in weight and height for his age. He's one of my little preemie champs."

Noah smiled up at her. Any animosity over the shots was gone.

"And how's mom and dad? They keeping you busy?"

Liv laughed. "You could say that."

"It gets easier once they sleep through the night, am I right?"

"Absolutely. Of course once they start walking, it's another story," I said. Brooke tossed a gummy bear at me. I caught it in my mouth. She clapped.

Liv cleared her throat. "I was hoping I could get a blood test today."

"Oh?"

"Well, there's a possibility that..."

Dr. Tresher glanced over at me. I had a feeling I was going to see her on Capitol Hill one day campaigning for a male version of monthly birth control. I suddenly pictured me, Kev, Bri, Howie, and AJ in a circular pool singing the 'Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, every day' song from those NuvaRing commercials.

Thank goodness I look good in yellow.

"Alright, so since you're an old pro at this by now Liv, how far along do you think you are?"

"Probably about eight or ten weeks."

Dr. Tresher waved her hand. "Let's skip the blood test. I need to see this on the big screen for myself. Have you had any signs?"

"I've been sick. Of course Nick gave me goat guts to eat."

My eyes widened. "I didn't do anything!"

"Breast tenderness?"

Liv shook her head. "Not this time. But I've gained ten pounds."

I put down Brooke and grabbed Noah. Brooke stood by my chair looking around. The gummy bears were long gone. Liv hopped up on the exam table. Noah's eyes widened.

"Mama?"

"Does he need to leave?" I asked. I got two eye rolls.

"I think we'll keep this rated G," Dr. Tresher said with a laugh.

I don't have to go into my long rambling description about how I can't see a damn thing on those 2-D ultrasounds. When I come back in my next life as a gyno, hopefully I'll be able to do better.

"Ah, much more conclusive than a blood test. Do you see it, Liv?"

"I see it," Liv said. She glanced over at me. I shrugged helplessly.

Dr. Tresher pointed out the blip on the map. Noah stuck his fingers in his mouth and stared at the screen.

"Well, you're going to be absolutely miserable this time around, Liv. It looks like we're going to put a due date of Labor Day."

Liv made a face. "I prefer winter babies."

Dr. Tresher laughed. "Blame your husband."

Again they looked at me.

--------------------

"I think we need a bigger house," I said. Liv looked up from the bowl of cookies she was making with Brooke.

"That would require moving," she pointed out.

"Not necessarily. We can build on. That would mean less lawn to mow."

"Nick, you hire people to do the lawn."

I smiled. "True, but Manuel would appreciate less lawn to mow."

Brooke stuck her finger on the spoon and took a big bite of chocolate chip cooking dough. She smiled.

"Yum."

"I really don't want to move if we don't have to," Liv said. I reached over and took a big bite of cookie dough.

"Mm, you're right Brooke, yum."

"What's yum?"

Angel walked in and put down a bag. I could spot baby clothes a mile away. She spotted the cookie dough and groaned.

"I would die for that. But--"

"Raw egg," Liv said with a nod. "I know."

As I took another scoop of cookie dough I couldn't help but secretly think it was a good thing I was going on the road.

Two pregnant women in one house was a scary scenario. I might as well have just walked around with a target on my head. I took a tablespoon and put a tiny bit of dough on the end. I knelt down and handed the spoon to Noah. He took a bite and his eyes lit up.

"Mmmm!"

I grinned. Pretty soon Liv was going to have to make a double batch just to feed all of us.

Not that I minded. I glanced over at her and she caught my eye. She gave me the prettiest smile.

I had a feeling she didn't mind either.
Chapter 65 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Sixty Five - March 1

There was a significantly smaller amount of people at the Miami International Airport for our trip over to Germany. Even though we had added Leighanne, Baylee, and Kay to the mix, we were missing Liv, Noah, Brooke, Molly, Shelby, Jonah, Ally, James and Leigh.

"This is going to work out well though," Kevin said encouragingly after I made a comment. "Me and Bri are going to share a bus and then it will be you three."

The look on Howie's face was hilarious. It was like Freddy Krueger had just jumped out and was poised to kill.

"I'm going to have to share with Nick and AJ? Again?"

Kevin tried to look sympathetic, but I think on the inside he was jumping up and down like a kid. "Yeah, unfortunately that's the way it worked out."

Howie groaned. AJ and I grinned.

"Call of Duty?" AJ asked.

"You're on."

Of course, before we could camp out in our bus and take off across Europe, we had to get their. The flight was a lot more quiet, but instead of feeling glad, I had that automatic feeling of homesickness.

"Why didn't Red and crew come along?"

AJ sighed. I think he felt the same way I did.

"Ally's got to work with a speech pathologist. I was tempted to just hire someone to travel with us but there was all this red tape. I didn't want to ask my mom again and I didn't want Joe to have to be separated from his sister again."

"So the surgery and activation went well?"

AJ nodded. "Yeah, it was...indescrible. When they turned that thing on and I said 'hi Ally' she looked up at me with this great big smile."

I grinned. AJ was getting all mushy. Not only that but I could tell he just had a manicure.

"Where's Liv?"

"Oh she wasn't feeling well and--"

"She wasn't feeling well?" Leighanne asked.

"Well, traveling didn't really agree with her and--"

AJ was grinning at me. I think it had something to do with the way I was talking with my hands. It was a bad habit I had developed from watching Liv do the same thing when she was nervous.

"You made a pot brownie snow baby," he said with a snicker.

"What are you talking about?"

I tried to wrack my brain with some fuzzy recollections of that night on the bus, but really after the room started spinning it was all gone. I can only imagine...

And considering my imagination's pretty wild, that's a scary thing.

AJ just laughed. "C'mon guys pay up."

All around me I heard the sound of wallets being opened and crisp bills being taken out. Three twenties were passed over to AJ.

"What is this?"

"I told these guys that Liv was going to pop out number three as a result of the bus incident," AJ said. "No one believed me."

"I'm hurt!"

Bri grinned. "Dude, you're like the Little Old Nick who lived in a shoe. You produce so many children you don't know what to do!"

The rest of the flight was filled with more jabs at Liv's and my amazing fertility. After awhile I tuned them out.

I was hurt. I would have been able to split the pot with AJ if he had let me in on it!

----------------------

Not only did Howie get me and AJ on the bus with him, but he also got Sam (even though he was kind of like Howie in the 'neat' category). Our budget was tighter over in Europe and so we didn't get our own private busses like we were used to in the States nor did we get our own hotel rooms like we did in Asia. Howie was okay through the first three Germany dates in Stuttgart, Munchen, and Leipzig, but the trip to Rotterdam caused him to crack.

The bus was happily bouncing along getting us closer to closer to our destination. It was the middle of the night, but AJ and I were both suffering from insomnia. Howie was snoring really loudly and Sam's leg was sticking out of his bunk. I glanced at AJ; he glanced at me. I knew we were both thinking the same thing.

I hopped back in my bunk and rooted through my duffel bag. As luck would have it, I had taken Liv's duffel bag. She had left her makeup bag in it. AJ and I laid out everything in the bag and took our weapons. I was armed with blush and lipstick and AJ armed himself with eyeshadow and nailpolish.

By the time we were done with Howie, he was looking awfull pretty. Pretty hellacious. It took a lot for me not to laugh spray spit all over sleeping beauty's face. AJ ducked out of the bunk as I took a picture.

The chicken shit.

A hard night's prank was the perfect way to cure insomnia. AJ and I crawled into our bunks and I fell asleep pretty fast.

Being an artiste is hard work, y'know?

------------------------------

"I'MMA GONNA KILL YOU!"

That was the first thing I heard when I woke up the next morning. I heard the sound of a curtain being ripped to the side and AJ's muffled voice. A second later my own curtain was being yanked back.

"NICK!"

Howie was staring at me like a bull who had just seen a bright red cloth.

"What did I do man?" I asked innocently. "Wow, you look pretty."

I couldn't help it; I started to laugh.

Howie's face was red, and I don't think it was just because of the blush. He grabbed my by the shirt and I went tripping out of my bunk.

"What you think you're doing? Can't I even fucking get some sleep without you guys jacking around with me?"

I was waiting for him to turn into one of those cartoon characters where fire flew out his nose and smoke shot out of his ears. Unfortunately, it didn't happen.

"I didn't do nothing!" I finally said. I was trying to act innocent and plus I wasn't the only one guilty. "It was AJ!"

Howie's head swiveled and he glared at AJ.

"I know it was both of you. Don't think I was born yesterday."

Howie gave me a punch in the stomach and then marched his diva self to the bathroom. The punch didn't really hurt, but I doubled over anyhow. It was much easier to laugh that way.

Which was exactly what AJ and I did.

--------------------------

We spent the rest of the bus ride in the sitting area. AJ and I played on my new game console and Howie tried to de-glam himself. By the time the bus came to a start, Howie was pacing right at the door.

"Have a good ride?" I heard Kevin ask.

"Don't even ask," Howie said. AJ and I hadn't been in a hurry to get off the fun wagon. A second later Kevin's head appeared.

"What did you guys do?" he asked. He looked amused.

"Us?" I said. I widened my eyes for effect. "What makes you think we did anything?"

Kevin smirked. AJ grinned.

"We got into Liv's makeup bag and made him our very own Barbie doll."

Kevin looked over at the wads of pink tissue that Howie had used to wipe off his nails. He snorted.

"You know, he just might go postal one day and kill us all."

I waved my hand in the air. "You have nothing to worry about. You'd be last. He loves you."

Kev laughed. "Well at least watch it for the rest of the day. He's pretty mad."

Kev jumped off the bus. I stood up and stretched.

"You ready J?"

AJ stood up. He hopped over the table and knocked a couple of the tissues on the floor in the process.

"Yup, let's rock."

Howie was walking towards the venue with his cell phone held up close to his face.

"I bet he's complaining to wifey about how mean AJ and Nicky are to him," J said. Howie gave him the finger.

I don't know exactly why I felt inclined to do it, but I took out my cellphone and flipped to the picture of last night.

"Bri, look what we did to Howie!"

Brian and Baylee both came jogging over. I held up the phone. Baylee started to laugh.

"That's a lot of blush!"

I grinned. "Thank you."

"Let's see what everyone else thinks," I continued. Bri watched as I sent it to Twitter.

@nickcarter Howie getting ready to go onstage at Rotterdam, haha

Bri snorted. Howie looked back at me suspiciously. I saw him go back to his phone.

"NICK!"

Howie whirled around. I was saved by the ringing of my phone. I smiled politely and held up one finger.

"Hello?"

"You didn't."

"That was fast," I said with a laugh.

Liv was laughing on the other end. "I subscribed to automatic updates. What the hell did you do to him?"

"It wasn't just me. Which reminds me...I have your makeup bag."

"Obviously. Is he going to kill you?"

I glanced up. Howie was standing in what I like to call 'my personal space.' I saw his nostrils flare.

"It's possible."

"I can't raise three kids alone."

I held out the phone to Howie.

"It's for you."

He took it in confusion.

"Hello?"

He listened for several beats.

"I don't know how you live with this." There was a pause. He sighed.

"I won't kill him. I'll just get even."

I snickered. I refrained from taunting him further. Howie listened some more and then started to smile.

I didn't like that smile.

"Hmm. Yeah. Okay, thanks Liv. Bye."

Howie disconnected and tossed the phone back to me.

"Wait, what was that? She wasn't trying to help you figure out how to get back at me, was she?"

He started to walk backwards, staring me down. Then he grinned. And it wasn't just any grin. It was a Jack Nicholson in The Shining grin.

Now I was scared.
Chapter 66 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Sixty Six - March 12 - Oslo, Norway

"I'm a barbie girl, in a barbie world. C'mon Howie, let's go party!"

Howie turned a page in his brochure roughly. I saw his jaw tense, but he didn't say a word. AJ snickered. Howie had been pretty moody and quiet since his makeover.

I was dancing around the bus in order to stay warm. My Celsius to Farenheit converter on my phone had told me right away upon waking up that it was 29 degrees Farenheit. I was reluctant to go outside.

Nick Carter does not make a good polar bear.

"Did you know Oslo sends Christmas trees to D.C. and New York every year?" Howie asked.

"Did you know that blue eyeshadow really accentuates your eyes?" I replied.

I heard the turn of another page.

I didn't like this new turn of events. Making Howie explode was fun. Howie keeping all of that inside...

That was dangerous.

I glanced outside. Kevin and Brian were running around playing football with Mason and Baylee. Little puffs of smoke from their warm breath flew up into the air. Bri ran up to the bus and knocked on the window.

"Come out here and play!" he yelled. I shook my head. For emphasis I pointed to the temperature on my phone. Bri rolled his eyes.

"You're not going to freeze!"

AJ laughed.

"You weren't worried about the cold when you were rolling around with Liv outside the bus in the snow," AJ said. He shoved a whole bunch of magazines on the floor and sprawled out on the coffee table. Howie glanced up, but didn't say a word. I made a face.

"I don't recollect any of that, thank you."

AJ laughed. "I wish I didn't. The sight of your white ass is burned forever into my mind."

Bri knocked on the window again. It was either stay inside and get razzed by AJ or go outside and pray that running around would warm me up.

I grabbed a coat and prayed for the best.

After a good hour of playing football, in which Brian actually avoided a tackle by dodging between my legs, we headed into the venue at Oslo Spektrum. Alongside our usual buffet fare they had set up some regional dishes.

"Meatballs!" I said happily.

"Kjøttkaker," Howie corrected.

"Meatballs!" I said again happily.

After stuffing my face with as many meatballs as I could possibly eat without fear of throwing up or risking getting a horrible stomach cramp on stage, I tossed out my plate. AJ wasn't far behind.

Howie, Bri, and Kev had just grabbed a quick bite. AJ and I had been having a meatball-a-rama. By the time AJ and I got to the dressing room, the other guys were already dressed.

"You guys better hurry," Kev warned.

"I need a bottle of water," Howie said. He walked out of the room. Bri was kicked back in the beanbag chair again.

AJ and I were down to our underwear when the fire alarm rang. I looked up.

"You've got to be kidding me."

Kev's eyes widened. "I smell smoke."

I stopped with my pants in hand and sniffed. Sure enough, I too smelled smoke.

Bri hopped up. "We gotta get out of here!"

He threw open the door and took off. AJ and I, not really caring about getting dressed anymore, ran out into the hall. We lost sight of him, but AJ grabbed my arm and pointed towards the emergency exit. We tore towards the door and burst outside. The door slammed shut behind us.

A cold blast of wind hit me hard as I stood gasping for breath. Goosebumps danced along my arms...and everywhere else. AJ rubbed his arms.

"Where'd everyone else go?" I asked.

"I don't know. That was the closest exit," AJ said.

I looked up at the building. I didn't see any smoke.

"Maybe someone just had a really strong cigarette," I suggested. I hopped up and down. Standing outside in your underwear really wasn't fun.

"I'll peek in and see what's going on," AJ said. "Damn, it's cold."

He grabbed for the door, but it wouldn't open.

"You've got to be kidding me."

He banged on the door. No one came to open it.

I had a sneaking suspicion that AJ and I had just gotten punk'd.

"Hey J?"

"Yeah?"

"I bet Howie set this up."

AJ looked at me blankly for a minute. His eyes widened.

"Oh shit."

Now, you wouldn't really think this was such a great prank, but here it was freezing cold and we were outside where the busses were parked in our underwear. The only other exits were probably already swarming with fans. It was pretty ingenious.

But not good enough.

"They can't go on without us," I reasoned. "Our bus is right there. I say we just go sit there until Howie has to bring us our clothes."

AJ grinned. "Good thinking."

With the bottom of my feet burning from the stinging cold, we made our way to the bus. I yanked open the door and took a step up.

Howie had been waiting for us. Before I could duck, Howie turned on a hose and ice cold water shot out at both of us. I heard AJ scream. I lost my footing and crashed down on the steps. Howie was relentless. He kept the spray trained on us. When he finally did shut it off, he quickly closed the bus doors.

We were shut out.

AJ had little tiny icicles on his goatee. I touched my hair. It was stiff. If I thought I was cold before, it was nothing to how I felt now.

"T--t--this isn't a p-p-prank," I chattered. "H-h-he's t-t-t-trying to k-k-kill us."

AJ's eyes narrowed and he began to beat on the bus door.

"LET US IN DAMNIT!"

While AJ was yelling and carrying on, I kept an eye on the side door. It opened a crack and Brian peeked out. I took off.

"Don't close the damn door!" I yelled. He laughed. I got to it just as he closed it again.

"BRIAN!"

"Who wishes to see the wonderful wizard of Oz?" Brian boomed.

"T-t-this isn't f-f-funny!"

Brian opened the door back up. He was grinning ear to ear.

"You're right. It isn't. But this is."

He turned his back to me and I opened the door wider. Five wide-eyed girls were staring at me with their mouth open. I had forgotten that Sam had hid five extra special VIP passes for a before-show tour. One girl, still with mouth agape, raised her cellphone. I heard a click. I quickly slammed the door shut.

By the time the door opened again, AJ was standing by me and neither of us was happy. I had frozen snot in my nose and I think I was wheezing. Kev peered out at us.

"C'mon in and get dressed."

We before stomped in. We had just barely enough time to take a warm shower and get in our clothes before the concert. Howie bounced on his heels; he was grinning ear to ear.

"Was this Liv's idea?" I asked. I couldn't believe my own wife had played a part in trying to kill me by hypothermia.

"No, she only gave me the idea about the fire alarm and a quick shut-out. I added in the water and Brian added in the girls."

"Well, when Nick and I get sick, don't blame us," AJ said bitterly.

Before we could discuss it further, we heard out cue and it was back out onstage. I don't think I've ever been more comfortable on stage. It was nice and warm underneath the lights.

I couldn't wait to get on the bus and call home. I needed to have a nice little chat with my wife.

I already knew she was going to say that I deserved it, and I knew that Howie and I were probably 'even.' Even still, I knew deep down that if the opportunity presented itself, that I would enact revenge in a heartbeat.

Lipstick and eyeshadow were better than becoming a human popsicle any day of the year.
Chapter 67 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Sixty Seven - March 15

The guys and I had initially booked ourselves a little family vacation time after the concert in Oslo. Unfortunately, my family was all the way across the ocean. So, with my free time, I figured that the best thing to do if they couldn't come to me was for me to come to them.

After all, a certain little girl of mine was turning two.

I took a late night flight out on March 13th. I left a note posted to AJ's door. The water incident had left him sicker than a dog. Even though I had gotten the brunt force of the water, I was feeling great.

Eleven hours later, I landed in Miami. It was two o'clock in the afternoon. I stopped at the mall and bought a small easel, a baby doll, and a little tiny stroller. After getting them gift wrapped (don't trust me with paper and tape), I headed home.

In my mind I was picturing this vintage 50's scene in my head where the dad comes home and the family cheers.

I think for a second I forgot who my family was.

The moment I opened the door it was mayhem. Angel was in front of the TV with Liv's birthing ball running through a DVD. Brooke was running around and around chasing two of the dogs who looked scared out of their minds. Noah was attempting to climb up to the kitchen counter and I heard the unmistkable sound of splashing coming from the bathroom.

On Brooke's umpteenth circle around the couch I swooped down and scooped her up. She screamed until she realized who I was.

"DADDY!"

Noah was half-way up the chair when he stopped and broke into a smile. He slid back down to the floor.

"DADA! DADA!"

Angel was mid-hump on the ball. She turned and looked at me in surprise.

"What are you doing home?"

Brooke was lightly smacking the side of my face, trying to get my attention.

"Where's Liv?"

Angel smiled. "Two of the dogs got sprayed by a skunk this morning. She's up to her elbows in tomato juice."

"Oh boy."

With Brooke still in my arms, I headed towards the bathroom. Along the way, Noah wrapped his arms around me. I looked like a baby-fied mummy as I shuffled towards the door. I pushed it open and looked around in horror.

If I hadn't known it was tomato juice, I would have sworn that the bathroom had become a crime scene. Two wriggling black and white dogs kept trying to jump out of the tub and Liv was completely covered.

And then there was the horrible smell.

"Need some help?"

Liv whirled around. I heard the sound of a plastic cup hitting the tub.

"Oh my God."

"YUCK!" Brooke said. She covered her nose with her hands.

"UG!" Noah said. He let go of my leg.

I grinned.

What a welcome home.

---------------------------------------

"MY BEEBEE!"

It was almost midnight and we were just getting around to presents. Which in a way worked out, since it was officially March 15, otherwise known as little bug-a-boo's birthday.

"That's a pretty baby," Liv said with a smile. "What's baby's name?"

"NoNo!"

Noah lifted his head from Liv's chest and smiled. I studied the little baby doll with the cute bows in her hair.

"I think it's a girl, sweetie."

"NoNo!"

I laughed. "Whatever you want."

As she was unwrapping the stroller, I looked over at Liv.

"I need to have a talk with you missy."

She looked surprised. "What?"

"You helped Howie try to kill me."

She started to laugh. "Did he lock you out of the building in your undies?"

"Not only did he do that but he turned the hose on me. I almost died."

Liv smirked. "You look fine to me."

I smiled. "How fine?"

She rolled her eyes. Brooke peeled back the paper.

"BEEBEE GO!"

I laughed. The poor little baby was smashed headfirst into the seat.

"What a good mommy," I said. Liv laughed.

Noah eyed the stroller with interest. Brooke's little arms reached up and she began to push the thing. She couldn't even see over it. About ten seconds into the walk, she smacked into the wall.

"Beebee BOOM!"

"That is so cute!"

I looked up. Angel was in her PJ's and she looked like she was tearing up. I smiled.

"How's those hormones?"

She rolled her eyes. "I am not hormonal."

Yeah right.

"So you having a taco or a hot dog?" I asked. She looked at me.

"What?"

"Are you having a girl or a boy?"

She stared at me a moment. She made a face.

"You're gross."

Liv made a face. Obviously the girls weren't appreciating my humor.

"So?"

Angel pulled her hair up into a ponytail.

"I'm not finding out. I want to be surprised."

"So is that why you bought out about eighteen different baby clothing stores?"

Angel laughed. "I'm just nesting. Maybe what I don't use I'll give to Liv."

Liv smiled. They had obviously had some type of prego bonding experience while I was gone.

"We will accept any donations," I said. "I have lots of mouths to feed."

At that moment the stroller ran over my foot. Brooke giggled.

"Daddy, go."

The only place daddy really wanted to go was bed. I kissed the top of her head.

"Open your last present, sweetie."

She tugged the poor baby doll out of the stroller and dragged her (er, him...er, whatever) to the last present. She tore off the paper and studied the easel.

I was hoping for some little squeal like she had done with the baby and the stroller. Nothing to it. She smiled. Held the baby up so he/she/it could see it and headed back to the stroller.

Noah, on the other hand, studied the bright happy sunshine on the side of the box and got uber excited.

"Well, I guess we'll keep it for when Noah's old enough," I said with a shrug.

Liv stood up. "One of our kids will appreciate it, I'm sure."

"If Noah doesn't and number three doesn't then you know what that means..."

Liv just gave me a look. She kissed Noah's cheek and headed towards the stairs. I looked down at Brooke. She looked like she was ready to give baby a ride again. Instead I scooped her up and then, before the meltdown started, gave her the baby doll.

"Time for night night," I said. Brooke gave the plastic baby head a big kiss.

"Beebee NoNo night night," she said.

I laughed and carried her to the nursery. I headed out of Brooke's room just as Liv came out of Noah's. We switched to give our goodnight kisses and then met back out in the hallway. Liv wrapped her arms around my neck and leaned into me.

"I hope you're not too mad at me," she said. I smiled. Her eyelashes tickled my face.

"I guess I can forgive you for helping the enemy," I said. I kissed her softly. She pressed forward, making the kiss so much more than just a simple loving peck. I felt her tongue on my lips and slowly opened my mouth to let her inside.

Sometimes pregnancy hormones were an amazing thing.

We tripped over ourselves on the way to the bedroom, a mixture of husky breathing and laughter. As Liv and I fell into the mattress, she was already lifting my shirt over my head.

"I'm not going to be home long," I whispered. She tossed the shirt across the room and her hands splayed across my groin.

"Then we better make every second count, right?" she asked. As my mind began to fill with sluggish naked images, all I could do was nod.

I had a feeling that I wasn't going to be getting to sleep for awhile.

Yet, suddenly that seemed all right with me.
Chapter 68 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Sixty Eight - March 28

After I flew back to rejoin the guys, we traveled to Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Spain and Portugal. Finally, we made it to Italy. AJ, Howie, and I were all camped out at the airport Malpensa waiting impatiently for our families.

"I can't wait to see them," I said. Howie and AJ both looked over at me.

"You took off on us and flew home two weeks ago," Howie said.

"It was Brooke's birthday!"

"You left me and I was dying," AJ said. I grinned.

"Well, I didn't get sick," I said sweetly.

AJ just rolled his eyes.

Before he could say anything else, I heard an unmistakable voice breaking through the throng of people walking towards us.

"OUT OF MY WAY! I NEED -- MR. J!!!"

AJ knelt down and held out his arms. A second later Shelby was clinging to his neck.

"YOU LOOK BETTER!"

AJ laughed. "I feel better."

"Can we get pizza?"

"D-d-d-d-d."

AJ looked down at Ally and Joe. Joe was so close to saying 'dada' it wasn't funny. Well, maybe it was. AJ looked like he was going to faint. I slapped him on the back.

"Oh, so close."

J glared at me. I smiled down at the cute little chubby faces peering up from the carseats.

"Aww, I want one. Can I have one?"

"Hey, Carter, you've got two right here!"

I looked up. Liv was walking towardsme trying to juggle Brooke and Noah. Brooke was wailing at the top of her lungs.

"DON'T CRY!" Shelby yelled. She snapped her fingers. Then she snapped them again.

I hurried up and took Brooke from Liv. Her eyes widened and she sniffled.

"Daddy?"

"Hey booger butt." I kissed her cheek and then leaned over and kissed Noah.

"Dada!"

Leigh wasn't far behind with James. Howie ran over to them.

I kissed Liv. She smiled.

"Miss us?"

I laughed.

"You have no idea."

--------------------------------------

"This was well worth the flight, Nick."

We were standing in front of the leaning Tower of Pisa with the kidlets in our arms. Liv's eyes were wide in amazement.

"Pretty cool, right?"

A smile played on her lips. "Never in a million years did I think I'd be in Italy with you standing in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa."

I laughed. "Life's funny that way."

"WOW! SOMEBODY SCREWED UP!" Shelby yelled. Liv and I laughed.

"Think Brooke's going to be like her at that age?" Liv whispered. I grinned.

"It sounds stupid, but I kind of hope so."

We took a tour and then Liv insisted on taking everyone's picture.

"It's your turn!" I finally said. She shook her head. Sam grabbed the camera.

"You've tortured everyone. Now it's your turn."

I pulled Liv towards me and wrapped my arms around her. She leaned back into me.

"At least you'll make the picture look good," she whispered. I smiled and kissed her softly.

After the pictures, we all went to a little cafe for pizza. Noah picked off the cheese and stuffed it in his mouth.

"Mmmm!"

We took the train back to Milan and checked into the hotel. Brooke ran right up to the bed and crawled up.

"BIG GIRL!"

I laughed. "You are a big girl." I picked her up and headed towards the roll-a-crib.

"Daddy! No baby bed!"

I bit the inside of my lip. It's not like they had any roll-a-big-girl-beds at the hotel.

Liv walked out of the bathroom from Noah. His little blonde hair was spiked up.

"DINO! ROAR!"

He held up his hands and snarled. I grinned.

"Woah!"

In the end, Brooke and Noah ended up sandwiched between Liv and I. Noah was still roaring like a dinosaur and Brooke pressed her nose right up to mine.

"Daddy, love you," she whispered. I smiled. "I love you too, buggy."

I fell asleep with a smile on my face and a bed packed with bodies.

-----------------------------------

March 29

"Are you going to grow up and sing like daddy?"

Noah was walking up the stage steps. Brooke and Kayleigh were sitting on the edge of the stage blowing into two of the microphones. Every so often they would stop and giggle. Directly to the left of the stage, I saw Leighanne and Liv doing the same thing.

"It will be fun to see who does end up doing some type of performing," Kev said. He was watching Mason and Shelby. They were sitting in the front row tossing popcorn in the air and trying to catch it.

"I always thought Baylee might, but now I'm not so sure," Bri said. "But Kayleigh..."

"Maybe it will be the Backstreet girls," I said with a laugh. I glanced over at Howie. "That means Leigh better be popping out a How-ette."

Howie rolled his eyes. "What about Kev?"

"Oh yeah."

Kevin laughed.

"We'll see what Addy and I get."

I was about ready to tell Brooke not to eat the mic when I looked at him in surprise.

"What? Seriously?"

"Yeah. We told Mason this morning. He told me he wants a sister."

"Who wants a sister?" AJ asked. Jonah was holding onto his neck.

"Mason," Kevin said. "He has a fifty-fifty chance of getting one around Thanksgiving." AJ broke into a grin.

"Well, congratulations."

"Thanks."

Another another hour of playtime, we got the kids off the stage and got ready for VIP. Liv smiled and took Noah.

"You lucked out when you came home for Brooke's birthday," she said.

"Why?"

"My mom wanted to talk to you. She about had a heart attack when I told her about the baby. You left for the airport about an hour before she came over."

I laughed. "I'm glad she didn't have a heart attack. I don't to make Mike a widower so soon."

Liv's mom and Mike had gotten married a couple days after we found out Liv was pregnant. It was a small courthouse wedding but it was nice to be the only guests. They had immediately left for a honeymoon in Tennessee and we hadn't wanted to break the news then.

"She isn't going to come at me with scissors when I see her, right?"

It was Liv's turn to laugh. "I don't think so."

"Alright, good to know."

I gave her a kiss and grabbed a couple bottles of water. It was time to switch gears.

"Who's daddy's girl?" Bri was asking Kayleigh. She pointed at herself. He grabbed her hands and kissed them.

"That's right!"

"Who's Nicky's boy?" I asked him. Brian turned and pointed at himself. I grabbed his hands but he pulled them back.

"You kiss my hands and I hit you," he said with a grin. I dropped his hands and tossed him one of the water bottles.

"You ready to rock?"

"No, but I'm ready to roll."

I twisted open my bottle and took a drink. From the stage, I could hear our group of VIP gals lining up.

It was show time.
Chapter 69 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Sixty Nine - April 11 - Glasgow, Scotland - Scottish Exhibition & Conference Center

-- Liv --

With the help of some ginger tea and having Leigh and Addy along to sympathize with, I was feeling much better on this leg of the tour than I was the first. By the time we arrived in beautiful Scotland, I was feeling back to my ornery self.

Almost.

Early this morning the guys had to assemble for a photoshoot. It was a nice day with high's in the upper 50's. I had double-checked on the shoot the other day as a favor to Howie. I was glad I did.

I had a feeling that the guys forgot about a little bet they made.

Of course, I hadn't forgotten.

The empty field was filled with little Backstreet-ers running to and fro. Shelby picked up a flower and began to yank the petals off. Brooke was sitting in the grass looking around in amazement. Noah had a little plastic guitar and he was happily yanking at the strums.

"Where's our wardrobe?" Kevin asked. I smiled.

"I just talked to the ladies. You guys can get dressed over in that trailer over there," I said. I pointed at a white trailer on the corner of the shoot area.

I watched with a grin on my face as the five of them headed into the trailer. About a minute later Nick poked his head back out.

"LIV?" he called out loudly.

I walked over to the trailer and wrapped my fingers around the little round door. I looked up into his irresistible face...the face that constantly prevented me from packing away my maternity clothes.

"What's up?"

"We have a wardrobe problem."

I stifled a laugh. "Oh?"

Kevin leaned over Nick holding a kilt.

"What is this?"

I couldn't help it; I laughed.

"Don't you guys remember the bet?"

"What bet?" AJ asked. He poked his head out under Kev's arm.

"The Backstreet Olympics that you did in Taiwan?" I prodded.

Nick looked confused and then he seemed to realize what I was talking about.

"But no one won!"

"Exactly. Everyone lost. So everyone gets to wear a kilt."

Kev's eyes widened. "Where's the other wardrobe?"

I smiled sweetly. "I told them to just bring the kilts."

If looks could kill...

---------------------------------

"I AM...BRAVEHEART!!"

Brian was the first one out of the trailer. The moment I saw him I couldn't help the laughter that bubbled up. I heard Leighanne gasp.

"Oh my God."

Nick jumped out next. It was a major injustice that a man should look that good in a skirt. He grabbed the hem and grinned.

"It's breezy today, ain't it?"

AJ hoped out next, much to the amusement of Shelby. Kevin and Howie both came out last.

The photographer was grinning ear to ear.

"Oh, this is going to be awesome."

Nick walked up and curtsied.

"How do I look?"

I grinned. "Better than I imagined." I paused. "Are you wearing anything under there?"

His eyes danced. "A true Scotsman wears nothing underneath."

"You're not Scottish."

His smile widened. Curiosity was getting the best of me. I knelt down and peeked.

It suddenly seemed a lot warmer out. I felt the blush on my cheeks.

"We're keeping all the kids away from you," I said as I stood up. He leaned towards me.

"Like what you see?" he whispered. His breath tickled my ears.

"I always like what I see," I whispered. "That's our problem!"

He laughed and ran a hand through my hair.

"Well lassie, I best be getting ready for the shoot."

He walked off. He grabbed the back of his skirt and for one irrational moment I was sure he was going to moon everyone. Instead he just slapped his cheek and headed off.

I know I'm a happily married woman, but I couldn't help but wonder if the other four guys were being true Scotsman as well. The thought made me all warm and tingly.

"YOU GUYS LOOK SILLY!" Shelby said happily. AJ smiled goodnaturedly and danced a little jig. He had proposed to Molly just a couple days ago, and I hadn't seen him smile so much in my entire life. Even a kilt couldn't get him down.

"Daddy's wearing a dress!" Mason yelled in surprise.

Kevin scowled. Addy sank down on the grass and began to explain what a kilt was.

"Can we get this over with?" Howie asked. He scratched his leg. When he did I had part of my answer. I saw his boxers peek out beneath the material.

Brian seemed to be having the most fun. He was twirling in circles playing an imaginary bagpipe. Nick began to do the same. Kayleigh and Brooke laughed. No matter what, they were their daddies #1 fans.

"Alright guys, we're going to do some shots over by the moor..."

For the next hour, the guys were positioned for shot after shot. I swear Nick and Bri kept trying to show as much leg as possible. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the wardrobe lady sneak in the other set of clothes that I had purposely told her to hide. Finally the photographer set his camera on his leg.

"Okay, now why don't you guys get dressed in the real wardrobe we have for you?"

Nick looked my way. I shrugged innocently.

This time Kev and Howie were the first ones in. I grabbed Nick's arm before he could walk by.

"Can you keep the kilt for later?" I asked. He laughed.

"If we walk around the corner of the trailer maybe you can duck under there and show me how much you like it," he said. I smashed my palm gently into his face.

"In your dreams, Carter. Go get dressed."

Twenty minutes later our five handsome guys were back in 'normal' clothes getting their pictures taken. Leighanne leaned against me.

"They're awfully pretty aren't they?"

I smiled at her. "They take a great picture.

"How you feeling?"

"Pretty good, actually. I guess third time's a charm."

Leighanne laughed. "I'll take your word for it."

"Mama, look!"

Noah tugged at my jeans. He held up a flower.

"Oh that's pretty!" I said.

"YOU"

Ah, Carter boys surely knew how to charm me. I scooped him and the flower up and covered his face in kisses. He giggled.

"I love it No," I said. I took it and made a big show of sniffing it. Leighanne was watching me wistfully. It made me worry about how I was going to feel when Noah grew up. That worry disappeared pretty quickly when five minutes later Baylee came up with a huge bouquet of flowers.

"I got these for you, mom!" he said with a smile.

"Oh, Bay, thank you," Leigh said. He hugged her and then ran off. She beamed. I noticed a little glistening tear in the corner of her eye.

"Things like this make me feel a little better that he's growing up," she said. I smiled. Noah's arms wrapped around me and I felt his shaggy blonde head press against my shoulder.

"And that's a wrap!" I heard the photographer call. Nick unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt. He held his arms out wide.

"I AM BEOWULF!" he screamed. Bri laughed. They headed back to the trailer yelling out random lines from movies.

"RELEASE THE KRACKEN!" AJ bellowed.

I shook my head.

Boys would be boys.
Chapter 70 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Seventy - May 16 - Halifax, NS

-- Nick --

After stops in Russia, Estonia, the Ukraine, Serbia, and the United Arab Emirates, we were finally back in North America. We kicked off May with our tour of Canada. About a week into our stops, Liv and the kids went back home.

Angel was due any day. I was kind of hoping she'd keep the baby in the oven for a few more days. We were kicking off our U.S. dates in Florida in four days.

Unfortunately, that wasn't meant to be. I was fast asleep in bed when the phone rang. I slapped my hand across the table until I found my cell.

"Lo?"

I heard a loud scream in the background. It woke me up fast.

"Nick?"

"Liv?"

"We're at the hospital. Angel's in labor."

I rubbed my face and sat up. "I can hear that. How's it going?"

I heard the sound of a door opening and closing.

"Matt's here."

"What?"

"He's here. I think Angel called him. He must have been sticking close."

My eyes narrowed. I didn't know whether he had finally gotten his head out of his ass or if this was some kind of stupid game.

"Has he said anything?"

"Not really. He's just standing in the corner."

"If he started anything call security."

"I will."

I heard the door open again. A second later I heard a few crackles.

"Nick?"

Angel sounded exhausted.

"Hey mama. How are you doing?"

"I don't know how Liv did this. This sucks. I took the drugs. And this STILL sucks."

I decided laughing probably wasn't the best thing to do.

"Angel, you're going to be fine. I can't wait to meet my niece or nephew. You can do it. I love you."

I heard a sniffle. "I love you too, Nick."

We talked for a few more minutes and then Liv came on the line.

"I love you."

I smiled. "I love you too."

I hung up and rolled over on my side. There was no way I could fall back asleep. Angel's screams were ringing in my ears and all I could think about was Matt standing in the corner like this shithead he was.

It was going to be a long night.

----------------------------------

The phone rang again about ten o'clock in the morning. Brian and I were playing a game of basketball. I held up my hands in a 'T' for a time-out and grabbed the phone from my bag.

"Liv?"

"Oh, he's absolutely beautiful, Nick."

I smiled. Liv cut to the chase.

"I have a nephew?"

"He's got Angel's dark hair and...oh, he's so sweet."

"How's Angel?"

"She did so good. He didn't want to come out. His head was too big."

I had a feeling my nephew had inherited that from his father.

"What about Matt?"

Liv sighed. "He walked out during the delivery. He came back after they had everything cleaned up but he didn't stay long. Angel was pretty upset."

"HE'S AN ASSHOLE!"

I smiled.

"Hold on," Liv said. I heard the phone being passed.

"Hey, Nick."

"Hey. How's that baby?"

"Ten fingers, ten toes. His dad's big head but other than that he's Carter through and through."

I smiled. "And his name?"

"Logan Robert."

I laughed. "Oh Angel, I love you."

"I've already talked to mom. She had a shitting fit but I don't care."

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm on an adrenaline high. I can't wait for you to see him."

"Well, a picture will do for now. I'll see you in a couple days, okay?"

"Okay, love you bro."

"Love you too."

--------------------------------

May 19

From the moment I landed in Tampa, every minute of free time was filled with something to do. Liv met me at the airport and we went immediately to Dr. Tresher's office. It was baby gender day.

Liv was pregnant. And not just a little pregnant. I mean full out baby belly pregnant. I just wanted to rest my head on her tummy and not move until the baby decided to come out.

Unfortunately, that wasn't in the agenda.

"How are you feeling?" I asked. Liv smiled.

"I hate to jinx it, but besides the vomiting early on this has been the been such an easy pregnancy. I'm actually enjoying it this time around."

I smiled. "Well, I guess Brooke and Noah paved the way for a comfortable baby cave."

Liv laughed. "It's probably a condo in there by now."

Thirty minutes later we were in the exam room. I leaned down and kissed Liv's bare belly.

"Hello, wittle one. Daddy's missed you."

"He or she's a funny little kicker. Not quite as forceful as Brooke or Noah."

"You've got a little tapper?"

I turned. Dr. Tresher was standing in the doorway. Liv nodded.

"That's a good way to phrase it."

"Well let's see whether it's a prince or princess doing that to you. Nick, I'm counting on you to tell me the answer," Dr. Tresher teased.

I laughed. "I think I know what a penis looks like now."

Five minutes later we had a nice 3-d shot of the inside of Liv's belly. I leaned forward. I didn't see a third leg.

"A girl?" I asked.

Dr. Tresher laughed. "You sound so unsure. Yes, it's a girl."

"Well, there goes Brooke's dream of calling the baby Mickey," Liv said. I laughed.

"She looks like she's doing great," Dr. Tresher continued. "No problems Liv?"

Liv shook her head. "I feel fantastic."

"Great. I'm looking forward to having a nice easy delivery with you again."

"I don't have to do a C-section do I?"

Dr. Tresher shook her head. "No, I think we can definitely do a vbac."

"A vbac?" I asked. All I could picture was a huge vaccum cleaner. I didn't think that was an option, but there it was in my mind, a giant Hoover."

"It stands for vaginal birth after cesarean," Dr. Tresher explained.

"Ohhhh."

Dr. Tresher gave Liv a few more instructions and then Liv got dressed.

"A little girl," she said. "I was sure it was going to be a boy."

I laughed. "You always guess wrong."

"Either way I'm happy," she said. I nodded.

"I am too. But I love my little girls."

"And they love you. How about we go home and see your nephew?"

I stood up and took her hand.

"That sounds great."

---------------------------

"Daddy! Beebee cry!"

"MAMA!"

"Let daddy through the door!"

"Meemee, no!"

Liv's mom was trying to hold Brooke back and hold Noah as I slide inside. As soon as I cleared the door Brooke ran towards me. I scooped her up. She was still carrying around the baby doll I had gotten her for her birthday. It was looking pretty sad. It had been pulled by its hair so much that it was almost bald.

"Hey sweetie. Hey meemee," I said, directing that at Liv's mom. She laughed.

"Hi, Nick."

Her attention went to Liv.

"What are you having?"

Liv laughed. "It's a girl."

"Mickey?"

Brooke pointed to Liv's belly. I leaned forward so that she tipped backwards in my arms. She giggled.

"Nope, it's a little girl baby sweetie."

"Mama, mama!"

Liv took Noah from her mom. I could hear loud, shrill cries coming from down the hall.

"That must be my nephew," I said. "I'll be right back."

Brooke clung to me as I headed down the hallway.

"Beebee cry," she repeated.

"I hear that. Let's check on the baby," I said. I knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

Angel was standing at the changing table. I saw two little pink hands waving in the air.

"Hey mama."

"Nick!"

She smiled. I set Brooke down on the floor and leaned over Angel's shoulder.

Little Logan was adorable. He had Angel's dark hair and her nose. He was just a lot bigger than I had expected.

"How much did he weigh?" I asked.

"Nine pounds," Angel said with a sigh.

I tried to picture that coming out of my little tiny sister. It wasn't a good scenario.

"And you're still alive?"

Angel laughed. "I'm stitched but still alive."

I hugged her.

"I'm proud of you."

"Thank you. Want to finish changing his diaper?"

"I don't love you that much."

But I really did. I finished changing him while Angel sat down on the bed. I reswaddled him and picked him up.

"What's up big guy? I'm your uncle Nick."

I got a huge yawn in response.

"What did you and Liv find out at the doctor's?" Angel asked. Brooke crawled up beside Angel. She stuck her thumb in her mouth. She was watching me with the baby like a hawk, but thankfully she wasn't screaming.

"We're having a girl," I said with a smile. Angel's eyes lit up.

"You are so good with girls," she said. "Actually, you've always been good with girls, right?"

I rolled my eyes. "Haha."

The next three hours I tried to spend as much time with everyone as I possibly good. We managed to sit down for dinner before I had to go.

"I feel bad keeping Liv from you," Angel said. I shook my head.

"You've always been there for us when we needed help with the babies. It's only fair."

"He can survive without me for a month," Liv said with a smile. She cupped my face and kissed me.

"I guess I can," I said.

I knelt down and kissed Brooke and Noah. Noah looked up at me sadly.

"Bye-bye."

"Bye-bye buddy. I'll see you soon."

Brooke held out her dolly. "Kiss bye-bye."

I kissed the little plastic baby.

"Be good for mom guys," I said. I grabbed my duffel.

This was the part of the job that sucked. But, like a Band-Aid, it was best just to rip it off. I headed out and took a deep breath.

I just couldn't look back.
Chapter 71 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Seventy One - June 11 - Las Vegas, Nevada

As the weeks went by, Angel was doing great with Logan. She hadn't heard a word from Matt since the day in the hospital. As far as I was concerned, she was much better off without him. It was his loss.

Angel was doing so well that Liv was heading back on the road with us. After the busses rolled into Vegas, I took a taxi to the airport to pick up Liv and the kidlets. I hated the time apart from them. It seemed like Brooke and Noah were growing up three times faster than they should. I relished in their little hugs and kisses.

Besides being happy to have my whole family back on the road, there was a reason that I had wanted Liv to come back for Vegas. Las Vegas didn't hold a lot of good memories for us and I was determined to change that. After a relaxing afternoon and an amazing show, I cornered AJ in the hall.

"Can you watch Brooke and Noah tonight?"

I was trying my best to look sad and pathetic for AJ. He usually always fell for it.

"Why?"

I grinned. "Well, last time we were in Vegas, our plans were ruined and I kind of want to...unruin them."

"So you want me to watch your kids so you can pork your pregnant wife?"

I slid my hands in my pockets. "Well when you put it that way...yes."

AJ shook his head. "I can't."

I sighed.

"Oh, c'mon. I've watched all three of your goobers tons of times!"

"Nick, I really can't. Molly texted and Shelby's sick. I don't want Brooke and Noah to get what she has."

The thought of Brooke and Noah getting sick on the road wasn't an appealing thought.

"Well, maybe I can ask Bri..."

AJ smiled and patted me on the back. "Good plan. Have a fun night!"

"You too. Buy some Kleenex!"

Bri came out of the shower toweling what was left of his hair (haha). I grabbed his arm.

"Hey Bri, can you watch Brooke and Noah tonight?"

"Why?"

"Cause last time we were in Vegas you slept with Liv and I want some good memories," I whispered for only him to hear.

He rolled his eyes. "You know that wasn't my fault."

I grinned. "I know, but does it make you feel crummy enough to watch Brooke and Noah?"

Bri snorted. "Unfortunately, yes."

Two hours later, Brooke was happily playing with Kayleigh and Noah was curled up on the couch watching a video.

"Thanks again."

Leighanne smiled. "Have fun."

I laughed. "We will."

Liv was waiting for me in our room.

"Everything go okay?" she asked.

"Absolutely. I think Kay was happy to have her buddy spend the night."

I clapped my hands. "So, Livvy, tonight's the night."

"No interruptions?"

I shook my head.

"None."

"No crazy family members?"

I smiled.

"None."

Three years ago, Liv and I had devised big plans to make love for the first time in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, due to my crazy asshole brother and a couple spiked drinks, a romantic evening with restaints and whipped cream had ended with Liv in bed with Brian instead.

Tonight was retribution.

"Look what I got," Liv said. She held up a can of whipped cream. My eyes widened in appreciation. I crouched down by my duffel and pulled out two black bands.

"And look what I found."

"The doorjam cuffs? We can't use them now. I'm a bowling ball!"

I laughed. "They'll work just as well on these bedposts."

Liv turned around and looked. "Ohhh, yeah."

She set the can back down and slid off the bed.

"I'll be right back. Get comfortable."

My version of comfortable was naked. As soon as the bathroom door closed, I stripped down.

Sure we had made love more times than I could ever count since that night in Las Vegas, but it had always bothered me that we hadn't had our time. I popped open the can of whipped cream and sprayed a huge amount in my mouth.

I almost choked on it when the bathroom door reopened.

"Ignore the baby belly," Liv said.

I didn't want to. She was wearing a cute little white nightie. I coughed and swallowed.

"You look amazing."

And the night was amazing. I finally got to live my dream of becoming a human hot fudge sundae and most importantly we were able to make a few good memories to remember whenever we visited Las Vegas.

----------------------

"Daddy, pop!"

Brooke walked out of Bri's suite the next morning happily munching on a Pop Tart. Noah wasn't far behind.

"Looks good. Can daddy have a bite?"

Brooke held it to her chest. "No!" Noah held his out. I took a little nibble and patted the top of his head.

"We have to be on the road in an hour," Bri reminded me. Kayleigh was dressed like a little Leigh and they all looked so...organized. I sighed.

"I know. I'm tossing the kiddos on board in their PJs."

It was a mad dash to check out and get to the busses. Kevin and Addy looked overwhelmed. Ally, Joe, and Shelby were with them.

"Where's AJ?" I called.

Kev looked at me.

"Uh---"

"Right here!"

AJ and Red came walking over like they didn't have a care in the world. He kissed her and looked around.

"Guys, meet Mrs. Molly McLean."

"What?" Liv said.

"You got married?" Leighanne said.

"When did this happen?" I asked.

AJ laughed. "Last night."

"And we weren't invited?" Bri called out.

He tried to look apologetic, but he just couldn't get the grin off of his face.

"Sorry. We just figured it would be hard to organize everyone in so short of time."

He had a point. It would have probably ended up like a three-ring circus.

The girls rushed over to oogle over Molly's wedding band. AJ folded his arms and rocked on his heels.

"Congratulations," I said.

"Sorry, I lied to you. Shelby's not really sick."

I laughed. "Well, you had a good excuse."

"DADDY!"

Shelby ran over to AJ and wrapped her arms around his legs.

"Hey kiddo, good morning!"

It was amazing that just a little over a year ago the four of us had to break down AJ's front door and drag him out of bed. Today he looked happier than I had ever seen him.

All around me was happiness. All five of us had never been happily married at the same time.

It was well overdue.
Chapter 72 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Seventy Two - July 2 - New York City

-- Liv --

I was sure that it would take many, many years before Nick would actually forget my birthday or our anniversary. I had hoped that having both events on the same day would actually eliminte the chances of him forgetting.

But he forgot.

I tried to convince myself that it was because of the craziness of the tour. He had spent all day doing press junkets and VIPs. I had barely seen him all day.

When I had opened my eyes this morning the first thing I thought I would see was my annual 'yellow' breakfast. But we were on the road. There was no sunny breakfast.

By the time the guys ran out onstage for the concert, I have to admit, that I was pouting. This was something Hunter would do. Not my Nick.

"You okay Liv?" Addy asked. I nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

To add insult to injury, everyone else had forgotten too. Even Bri and Leigh. They had celebrated Kayleigh's birthday earlier that morning, but they hadn't said a word to me. And just two years ago we had joked that they would never forget. I was thirty years old and no one remembered.

"How we doing NYC?" Howie shouted. Leigh looked over at me and we smiled. We were both six months pregnant and I was beginning to feel like a whale.

"We're so glad to be back again!" Nick panted into the mic. It was so damn hard to be upset with him when he looked that good. The sweat dripped down the side of his face.

"I want to thank you guys out there for supporting us all these years. Now, I have to give a special shout out to a special lady who's taken very good care of this Backstreet Boy. Livvy, come out here."

Leighanne laughed. "Did you think he forgot?"

I glanced back at her. She smiled and folded her arms. With my heart pounding, I headed out onstage. Most of the crowd cheered (I think after two kids and one on the way that they finally realized I wasn't going anywhere). Nick took my hands and smiled.

"It's also her thirtieth birthday. I've been ignoring her all day on purpose, but I want everyone to sing Happy Birthday to her."

Sure enough the entire crowd sang Happy Birthday to me. The other guys had disappeared off stage but as soon as the song was over, they came back. Kevin and AJ were carrying one huge spray of yellow roses and Brian and Howie were carrying another.

To top it all off, Brooke and Noah walked out on stage with two individual yellow roses. We had done a pretty good job of keeping Brooke and Noah (especially Noah) out of the public eye, so as soon as he walked out and waved at everyone, all of the girls in the crowd went nuts.

Nick kissed me and then scooped Brooke and Noah up in his arms. Brooke leaned forward and blew into his mouth piece.

"MAMA!" Noah said happily. He held out his flower. I scooped him up and gave him a hug.

I was trying hard not to cry but it was impossible. I smiled up at Nick. I wanted to tell him I hated him for surprising me, but I didn't mean it.

"I love you," I said, my voice thick with emotion.

"I love you too," he said. He kissed me softly and Brooke leaned over and kissed my cheek.

"Thank you guys," I said to the other four. They nodded. I glanced out at the crowd. "Thank you."

At one time I had been one of them. Now I was on the other side.

I never wanted to go back.

-------------------------------

-- Nick --

"You play dirty," Liv complained.

"I would never forget your birthday."

We were in the bus heading towards Camden, New Jersey. The whole bus smelled like roses. I was rubbing Liv's feet and she had her head resting against the soft leather.

"I knew that," she said. I laughed.

"You were pouting all day."

She rolled her eyes. I rubbed her heels.

"I can't believe I'm thirty," she sighed.

"You don't look it. I think I'll forever be married to a beautiful twenty-nine year old hottie," I said.

"Oh yeah, you won't say that when my boobs hang down to my knees."

I laughed. "Well I'll be so stooped over that will give me easier access."

"No you won't."

"Naw, I'll still be incredibly sexy."

After awhile Liv swung her feet down on the ground and curled up to me.

"Thank you for the flowers. They're beautiful."

"I stole the idea from Bri," I admitted. Liv laughed.

"The crowd loved Noah."

"Well, he is a charmer."

"Like his dad."

"Yeah. We're in big trouble."

We ended up falling asleep on the couch. I had the weirdest dream. Liv and I were old and Noah was my age and he had all these girls chasing after him. Not that he really needed help. Those girls were hot. As if that wasn't bad enough, Brooke was being chased by just about as many boys. She was gorgeous. There should have been a law against having two children that good looking.

I woke up feeling good. Even when I left this world I was leaving it in the hands of two beautiful people.

"Do I want to know why you're smiling?"

I turned my head lazily. Liv was watching me. I yawned.

"Just had a weird dream."

"Daddy, uh-oh!"

Liv and I looked at each other. I took off down the hall, Liv was fast at my heels.

Noah and Brooke were peering into the bus toilet. It was overflowing. They both looked up guiltily.

"Down the hole," Brooke said and pointed.

I looked down. Brooke's dolly was stuffed down in it.

"Brooke why did you flush dolly?"

"BATH!"

By the time that I got the dolly out and Liv mopped the floor, we were almost to our destination. The doll was a nightmare. It was missing an eye and the other one was only half open.

I needed to throw the thing away.

"Beebee?" Brooke asked hopefully.

"Bee?" Noah asked.

There was no way I was going to give her back a toilet drenched baby doll.

"Dolly has to go to the hospital. You'll see her tonight, okay?"

Brooke looked at me doubtfully but she nodded. I had a mission for the afternoon.

I needed reinforcements.

--------------------------

Liv kept the kids busy while I took Brian with me to the toy store.

"I need an identical baby doll," I said.

"There's no way you're going to find a doll as ugly as that one," he pointed out.

"We'll buy a new one and rough it up."

We looked at each other and grinned.

I bought a little 'Baby Doe Eyes.' She was brand new in box with soft blonde fuzzy hair. I bought her and Bri bought a pair of scissors. We took it into the men's bathroom at the mall.

"So what do we do?"

I yanked open the box. The soft little doll smelled brand new. I held out my hand.

"Scissors."

Bri handed me the scissors. I sloppily cut the hair so that it was uneven.

"Okay, that's better. Now we need to put down some paper towels."

Bri and I cordoned off a section of the bathroom with the towels. I put Baby Doe Eyes down. We both stared at it.

"Okay, we need to stomp on it."

Bri looked at me like I was crazy.

"What?"

"Brooke dragged that damn thing all over. I told you we need to rough it up."

"I...I feel bad."

"What?"

"Well, I mean, it's a little baby doll."

I sighed. With one swift movement I lifted my foot and rammed it down.

"C'mon. It's painless."

Bri stared down at it and then copied me. Just as his shoe hit Baby Doe Eyes nose, the door opened and a big husky dude walked in. He stared at the doll and then at us. He backed out shaking his head.

Bri looked horrified.

"He's going to turn me in!"

"What for? Baby doll abuse?"

Even still, I picked the thing up and tossed away the paper towels.

"Let's go."

We ended up back outside my bus. I knelt down and smeared some dirt into the body for good measure.

"Kayleigh takes really good care of her baby dolls. If this is what Brooke does to hers, I'm a little scared."

I looked up and smiled. "I disassembled my G.I. Joes and let them melt in the hot sun. She's absolutely normal."

Brian snorted.

"Nick, you are not normal."

I dusted off the knees of my jeans and stood up. 'Beebee' was ready.

"Wish me luck."

Bri slid his hands in his jeans. "Good luck!"

I headed into the venue. The kids were running around like normal. I head up the doll.

"Brooke, look!"

Her eyes lit up. "BEEBEE!"

She ran over and held out her arms. The moment the baby was in her hands, she checked it over. I held my breath. Finally her face broke into a wide smile.

"Love you, daddy!"

She wrapped her fingers around the arm of the doll and 'bump, bump, bump' went Brooke and baby back onstage.

"Nice job. What did you have to do to get it that messed up?"

I turned and smiled at Liv.

"You don't want to know."
Chapter 73 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Seventy Three - August 22 - Denver, CO

"This is going to be awesome."

"I feel kind of bad doing this. He is on baby alert."

"The baby isn't going to come on his birthday."

We were in Denver, Colorado, which was actually pretty funny considering it was the scene of our 'baby-making' spree. Howie had been telling Leigh to go home every day for the past two weeks and still she refused.

"This baby is going to be cooking for at least another week," she had said just a day ago. "Denver's your last date until well after my due date."

"Listen to Leigh. I'm not due until Labor Day," Liv had told Howie.

Tonight was his 40th birthday. The guys (sans Kev, he knew the pain of turning 40) and I had put our heads together to think of the funniest concert prank we could possibly pull.

The funniest prank I could think of was to convince Howie that Leigh had gone into labor during his solo set.

Howie had no clue. We had rolled out a cake right before the show started and he had made a big display of thanking us for not torturing him today.

It was hard not to laugh.

Leigh had taken to spending most of the concert in the family room with James. I was going to run out on stage all panicked. Meanwhile AJ was going to pour a couple bottle of water all over the floor. We were betting that he would fall right into the puddle.

By that time we would admit that we were just being assholes.

It was perfect.

Howie had this really upbeat number that he did. He had the whole sexy Puerto Rican thing going on as he walked from one end of the stage to the other.

I waited until he was all the way over on the other side of the stage. I turned around and gave AJ the thumbs up. Then I ran onstage, flailing my arms.

"HOWIE!"

The crowd cheered. He stopped and pulled his mic from his mouth.

"What are you doing?" he hissed.

I pretended like I was breathing hard. In reality, I was trying not to laugh.

"It's Leigh. Water. Broke. Swoosh."

I made a big show of spreading my arms wide like a freakin' geysey had burst. The look on Howie's face was incredible. He glanced back at the audience and then took off across the stage. I slid my right hand in my pocket, grinned, and waved at the audience. Then I watched what Howie did.

Sure enough, he saw AJ and ran right towards him. Almost in slow motion his hands flew up above his head and he lost traction. I saw him land down hard.

I've got to give it to AJ. He really does pay attention to detail. He smashed a big coconut cream pie right in Howie's face. I picked up one of the stage mics.

"Hey everyone, it's Howie's birthday!"

There were a few loud catcalls. Howie stood up and Brian (who I think still felt bad) handed him a towel. He wiped off, shoved AJ in the chest, and headed back out onstage.

"These guys just tried to tell me my wife went into labor," he explained. I could tell he was trying not to completely explode. He glared at me. I smiled.

"You got PUNK'D!"

I headed off-stage and let him finish his set.

After Howie's solo number we all went back out. We got through You Can Let Go, Don't Want You Back, and were halfway through As Long as You Love Me when I saw Liv in the wings trying to get my attention. I slowly inched my way over to the corner of the stage and whipped behind the curtain.

"What's up?"

"Leigh's in labor."

I laughed.

"Livvy, we already pulled the prank. You're a little late."

Her eyes were wide. "I'm serious. Her water just broke in the bathroom."

I stared at her. "Are you sure?"

"Nick, I think I've been through this before. GET HOWIE!"

I whipped back onstage. I wove around Kev and AJ. Howie glared at me and inched away. I inched closer. I pulled away my mic.

"Howie, you've got to go. Leigh's water just broke."

He looked up at me and rolled his eyes.

It figured that this whole thing would come back to bite me in the butt. Unfortunately, it was going to be worse for Howie if he didn't get his ass offstage. I pursed my lips.

This was time for action.

I hoisted him over my shoulder and lugged him off-stage. His feet were kicking up in the air and hitting me in the back hard. It hurt.

"NICK, PUT ME THE FUCK DOWN!"

It rang all through the arena. I could have cared less. I heard the other guys stop singing.

"LEIGH'S IN LABOR!" I yelled back. I dropped him backstage.

"HAHA, VERY FUNNY! YOU CAN FOOL ME ONCE BUT NOT--"

"How, I need to go."

Leigh was hunched over in the doorway of the family room. Howie took one look at her and yanked his headset off.

"Oh crap, you are?"

She nodded. "Ye--ow."

It was mayhem. Howie took off with Leigh and I went back onstage and had to explain why I carried Howie off like I was Tarzan. We managed to finish the show, sans, Howie.

I was really glad when we took our last bow.

Liv was waiting for me, arms crossed as I got backstage.

"Are you ashamed of yourself?"

It took a lot for me to be ashamed of myself. I wasn't quite there. I just smiled sheepishly.

"It was just really crappy timing."

"You would not be smiling if the guys had done this to you and I'd gone into labor," Liv said. I nodded.

"I know."

Liv and I took James back to the hotel with us. Baylee was playing checkers with Shelby since Mason was back in LA with Kristin. The little ones ran around until they dropped from exhaustion. Ally was sitting on AJ's lap chanting 'dada' over and over again. Once she had started to say it a couple weeks ago there was no stopping her.

"I wonder if the baby really will be born on Howie's birthday," Leighanne said.

"Well he won't forget it," AJ said. "Not that he would. That man's a walking PDA."

"PDA-A-A," I sang. I couldn't resist.

We waited for a phone call for as long as possible. Finally everyone drifted back to their rooms. Liv and I put the kids to bed and then crawled into our own bed. I ran my hands over her belly.

"Good night," I whispered. She smiled.

"Night, Nick."

------------------------

We didn't get a phone call until the next day when we had returned to Tampa.

"Hello?"

"I still hate you."

I smiled. "That's okay. Can I congratulate you?"

Howie laughed. "You can. She's beautiful."

Howie and Leigh had chosen not to know what they were having just like they did with James.

Another Backstreet girl.

"And what's her name?"

"Stefania Paula Dorough. She weighed six pounds two ounces."

"Does she have hair?"

I thought about how long it took James to grow hair in the front. Put that curse on a girl and...well, it wasn't a pretty vision.

"Nick..."

I laughed. "Sorry."

"She does have a lot of hair, for the record," Howie finally said. "I'm going to call AJ."

"Okay, well congratulations again. Give Leigh our love."

I hung up and relayed the message to Liv. She smiled.

"The girls are going to take over one day, Nick."

"That's okay. No matter what we are and always will be the originals," I said. I squeezed her to me.

"Often imitated, never duplicated," she teased. I kissed her forehead.

"Damn straight."
Chapter 74 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Seventy Four - September 6

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to keep hopping until she comes out."

Liv had been due September 2. It was now September 6 and she was getting a little desperate.

And crazy.

"Honey, I'm sure it won't be much longer. Dr. Tresher promised to induce if you don't go into labor in two more days."

"I will explode in two more days, Nickolas," Liv said. I shut my mouth. It was never good when Livvy called me Nickolas.

I headed down the stairs into the living room. Angel had gotten her own apartment close by and the house actually seemed quiet...well, except for two rambunctious kids and four dogs.

Brooke and Noah were standing at the easel with giant crayons. Brooke was scribbling without thought. I watched Noah carefully decide what color he wanted next.

"Whatcha guys doing?" I asked. Noah looked over at me and grinned.

"Art," he said.

"Scibblin," Brooke answered. "NoNo use purple."

Noah looked down and carefully picked up a green crayon. He drew a nice little swirl on the paper. Brooke gave him the evil eye.

I sat down by the easel and stretched my long legs out. Noah took a rest on my knee and let Brooke have the whole paper. All of his careful strokes were carefully erased.

"Are you ready for your baby sister to come?" I asked.

"Yeah!" Noah said excitedly.

"Nope!" Brooke answered. She stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth and pressed on the paper with all her might.

I had gotten the same answer for the past month. I just hoped this time around Brooke was old enough to know that constant screaming wasn't the answer.

A couple hours later I was trying desperately to fix dinner. I didn't want the kids to constantly live on fast food and yet I sucked at cooking. I was carefully cutting up a carrot.

"Bunny food," Brooke informed me.

"Good food," I corrected.

"Sketti!" Noah cried.

I had been planning on some chicken and carrots. It was one of the few things I knew how to cook. Spaghetti wasn't on the menu.

"Nope, chicken."

"Sketti!"

Brooke looked down at Noah. She looked back at the carrots.

"Sketti!"

I was outnumbered.

Thirty minutes later the kids were splitting a can of Spaghetti-o's and a dish of cooked carrots. I leaned against the counter with a turkey sandwich.

"Liv are you still hopping?" I called. No answer.

"Liv?"

I glanced over at Brooke and Noah. They were preoccupied. I ran up the stairs.

"Liv?"

The bedroom was empty. The door to the bathroom was ajar. I opened it slowly.

One of the things about married life is you get pretty accustomed to walking in on your significant other at their worst. Like on the toilet.

This was one of those times.

"Oh, sorry, I..."

Liv's head was bent down to her chest. She was wrapped in a towel. She had one hand on the sink and her knuckles were turning white.

This was not an ordinary trip to the crapper.

"Liv?"

"I took a shower. My water hasn't broke," she said through gritted teeth. "Contractions. Probably false."

We had experienced false contractions many, many times before. This was not false contractions.

"Are you sure your water didn't break in the shower?"

She glared up at me. I felt like she was going to implode me at any second.

"I'm going to call your mom and we're going to go to the hospital," I said calmly.

Then I ran out of the bathroom.

Twenty minutes later Mike and Liv's mom careened into the drive. She was through the door before I could answer it.

"I'll stay. You go."

"Thanks."

I ran back upstairs. Liv was still sitting on the toilet in her towel.

"We've got to get you dressed so I can take you to the hospital."

Her teeth were clamped so hard together that I was sure she was going to break a tooth. I reached for her arm.

"Don't touch--AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

I had never seen Liv like this. She had delivered Brooklyn without drugs. For Noah she had a c-section. This was...this was terrifying. This was like an exorcism gone horribly wrong.

"I'm going to call the ambulance," I said. I grabbed the phone, but she knocked it out of my hands.

"NICK!"

I had no idea what to do. She was screaming like someone was tearing her apart. Feeling like a dork, I crawled towards my phone and out of harm's way. I dialed 911.

"911. What is your emergency?"

"My wife's in labor. I don't think she can, er, move."

"What is your location?"

I gave our address.

"Okay, I need you to take a look and tell me what you see."

"What?"

I was going to tell the operator that she was out of her fucking mind when Liv slipped off the toilet grabbing her stomach. She tucked her head to her chest and moaned.

"You need to take a look and tell me what you see. I need to keep our paramedics informed up to the minute."

I had seen Liv in action before. I had helped catch Brooke. It was just that this was our bathroom with the fancy French tile, not a hospital.

"Liv, it's going to be okay, but I need to see what's going on," I reassured her

"I'm having a BABY!" she snapped. "FUCKKKKKK..."

I decided to take that as Liv saying, 'Yes dear, please check my hoo-hah.'

What I saw didn't make me feel better. There was the top of a head covered with dark hair that should have still been safely tucked in the recesses of Liv's body.

"THERE'S A HEAD!" I screamed into the phone. Liv gave another horrible scream.

"Okay, is your wife pushing?"

"YES! Should I tell her to stop?"

"SCREW YOU CARTER!"

"I can't tell her to stop!"

In hindsight, I'm sure the operator had a lot of fun with the phone call. At the current moment, I couldn't have laughed if I wanted to.

"Tell her to squat and bare down."

"She's already doing that."

Liv screamed again.

"Oh my god, what's going on?"

I looked up. Liv's mom was staring at us in shock.

"There's a head," I said feebly. I handed her the phone.

"Tell me what the operator says," I said. My mouth felt dry and I was just praying that I didn't pass out. I scooted closer to Liv and put a hand on her back. I took another peek just as Liv let out another blood-curdling yell.

There was no stopping the head.

"Take a deep breath," Liv's mom instructed. I didn't know whether she was talking to Liv or me but I sure as hell inhaled as much oxygen as I could.

"Where's your towels?"

I pointed to the cabinet against the wall. Liv's mom yanked out several fluffy towels and handed them to me. I peeked. The top of the head was still there and part of a forehead.

"The operator says if the baby's head is crowning don't pull it out. Wait until the head is out and then help her push."

I didn't have to wait long. Liv gave a huge grunt and suddenly there was a whole head.

"The head's out. Liv you're almost there," I said. Liv's mom would later tell me that I sounded completely calm but at the moment I could hear my pulse pounding in my ears.

"Clear the nose and mouth by stroking downward."

I did as I was told. I tried not to think of the baby goo. It was best not to think about that.

"Cradle the head and help ease her out."

This was the part I had helped with for Brooke. I knew this part. I saw a shoulder slip out and the body suddenly turned and came out in my hands. I continued to clear the nose and mouth. I was scared to death my own daughter was going to choke on her own baby house juices.

Then came the cry. Liv slumped down and I stared at my beautiful dark-haired little daughter in amazement just as the paramedic's footsteps sounded on the stairs.

--------------------------

"I think we've reached a new level in our relationship."

"Nick, you were incredible."

"You did all the work."

We were at the hospital and staring down at our little bundle safely bundled up in a soft pink blanket.

"We are going to have some story to tell her when she gets older," I said. I leaned down and kissed her bright pink face.

"Well, all of our kids have to make a unique entrance," Liv said. She tucked the blanket under her chin. "Right, Peyton?"

Peyton Renee Carter weighed a healthy seven pounds, thirteen ounces. She looked like Liv from the top of her pretty brunette head to the tips of her feet. I couldn't take my eyes off of her.

"Knock, knock."

Liv's mom peeked around the door. "I have a couple visitors."

Mike and her walked in with Brooke and Noah.

"Hey booger," I said. I took Brooke. "This is your little sister."

Brooke looked down. Liv pulled the blanket away from Peyton's little face. Brooke frowned and touched her hair and then mine.

"No beebee."

I laughed. "She looks like mama."

Brooke still didn't seem too happy but she didn't flip out like she had done with Noah. Mike held Noah while he leaned over.

"Petty beebee," he said happily. He puckered up. Mike lowered him down and Noah kissed the top of Peyton's head.

By the time the kids left, Brooke had at least touched her and Noah was in love. I think he was happy that there was someone smaller than he was in the family. Liv's eyes began to droop and I put Peyton in the bassinet.

"Get some sleep," I said gently. "It's been a hell of a day."

Liv smiled. "I owe you one."

I laughed. "No you don't. But I told you in my next life I was going to be a gyno."

Liv laughed. Her eyes fluttered closed.

I tiptoed out into the hall.

I had at least five phone calls to make...one to Angel and four to my brothers.
Chapter 75 by evergreenwriter83
Chapter Seventy Five - October 22 - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live

"I am so glad you're here tonight."

"I wouldn't miss this for the world."

I was in my stage clothes, holding Liv in my arms and I didn't think the stars could have aligned any more perfectly.

The news of Peyton's birth had landed us on the cover of People. I had answered so many questions about delivering my own child that Brian kept teasing me that fans were going to purposely try to go into labor so Nick Carter's hands would be the first ones to touch their child.

He's such a smartass sometimes.

"I hate that it's over, but I can't wait to have you home," Liv said softly. I kissed her softly.

"I can't wait to be home."

I heard Mason and Shelby introduce us from the stage. I grinned.

"That's our cue."

I followed Bri under the stage. He glanced over at me.

"You ready?"

I smiled.

"Let's do this."

We jumped out on stage and I felt the adrenaline start to pump.

"How we doing tonight Orlando?" I screamed. The crowd went nuts.

"It's been a crazy year and a half," AJ yelled. "But we're proud to end this amazing tour right here in Orlando."

"We hope that you'll be stickin' around for some new music and another tour," Howie said.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, we ARE the Backstreet Boys," Brian said.

"And this is for you," Kevin added.

It was all kind of a blur. We had been doing the same set and the same steps for almost a year. I think all of us could have closed our eyes and done it in our sleep. Yet, it seemed somehow...bigger this time around.

When we took our last bow, I foolishly felt tears spring to my eyes. Kid Nicky was getting sentimental. Kevin seemed to realize it. He gave me a big bear hug.

"Thanks for coming back," I said. He grinned.

"It's a little late to thank me."

"You know what I mean."

He nodded. He knew. He always knew what I meant.

It was bittersweet saying good-bye to everyone. Leighanne and Liv hugged each other for a good five minutes. Bri and I just grinned and enjoyed the show.

"So we'll have to get together for some playdates," I said.

"Absolutely. Kayleigh needs that female bonding."

I leaned against him. "I need some male bonding."

Bri smacked my ass. I jumped and he laughed.

"Too much?"

"Too much."

We wrapped up our goodbyes and Liv and I drove back home. She was quiet, her chin in her hand, staring out the window.

"What are you thinking about?"

She leaned back and looked at me.

"I was just thinking about how unexpected life is sometimes. In a good way."

I took her hand.

As I drove along and Liv finally fell asleep, I thought about all the things I wanted to do. I wanted to teach Noah to fish. I wanted to teach Brooke how to really play the drums. And I wanted to see Peyton reach all of those major infant milestones.

The guys and I had decided a long break was in order. How long that would be, I didn't know. All I did know was that we would never lose touch.

We were the Backstreet Boys. We kept coming back even when people thought we were gone for good.

But we were also dads. As much as the fans needed our music, our kids needed us a million times more. I wanted to send my kids to a real school and I wanted them to do things that I didn't necessarily get to do.

Hell, I was even thinking I might even patch things up with mom...

Okay, that was wishful thinking.

But, I did know that the first thing I would get to do as a normal dad was take my kids trick-or-treating. I would carve the turkey at Thanksgiving and maybe not massacre it this time. And I would dress up like Santa this Christmas.

Life held endless opportunities and I wanted to take every moment and savor it.

On October 22, 2009, I was headed to Phoenix, Arizona with the guys to promote This is Us and spent the entire flight wondering why I continued to date Lauren when I knew I didn't love her. At that moment in my life, I never thought that I'd be able to have the kind of family Brian had. It just all seemed so out of reach. I was destined to spend my life going from woman to woman. It didn't make me happy, but it just seemed like what life had handed to me.

But I was wrong. Life had handed me so much more. If I could go back and visit my twenty nine year old self, I'd tell him not to give up the search.

Great things happen when you least expect them.

And their names are Olivia, Brooklyn, Noah, and Payton.

THE END


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Nick Carter had the perfect life. The perfect wife. The perfect family. He was living the dream.

Aaron Carter had made a lot of mistakes. Met the wrong people. Did the wrong things. Thanks to his brother Nick, he had spent almost seven years in prison. Escaping from prison was just another wrong... It was time for revenge.


Check out the exciting conclusion to the Coaster series with Book Five (a short story) - Seven Days.
This story archived at http://absolutechaos.net/viewstory.php?sid=10192