Alexander James McLean, better known as A.J. McLean of the Backstreet Boys, was in one of the Orlando malls shopping. He was in search of hats, shoes, and sunglasses.

“Hey D.! Check this out!” A.J. exclaimed, grabbing up a pair of sneakers. “These are phat!”

Howie Dorough shook his head at his young friend, though a smile graced his tan face. “Only you would call a pair of shoes phat Alex.”

A.J. smirked at his best friend, then sat to try the shoes on. Once they were on, he stood up and began to sing and shake his butt as he tested the sneakers out. “I think I’ll take them.”

“Alex, never do that dance when with me in public again, okay?” Howie told him, looking to see if anyone was watching.

A.J. laughed as he stood back up after putting his old pair of sneakers back on. He paid for his purchases, then led his friend out of the store. “C’mon D, let’s go grab us some grub.”

“Good. I’m hungry now anyway,” Howie replied. They walked in silence for a bit, before Howie jabbed his friend. “Alex, isn’t that your father over there?”

A.J. looked over and glared. “What’s he doing here?”

“Shopping?” Howie suggested with a shrug.

“Other than the obvious, Howie!” A.J. snapped slightly.

“Let’s just go eat and forget about him,” Howie said steering the younger man in the direction of the food court.

They reached the food court and got into the McDonald's line immediately. While in line A.J. felt a tap on his shoulder, and thinking it was possibly a fan, turned to look.

“Hello Alex.”

“Robert,” A.J. greeted coldly. “What do you want?”

“Can a father not say hello to his son anymore?”

“No. Not if the father is you,” A.J. snapped, trying to keep his temper in tact.

“Daddy! Who he?” A little voice rang out then.

“Your brother,” Bob McLean replied calmly, his hand coming to rest on the back on the child’s head in comfort.

A.J.’s eyes immediately shot down to the little girl hiding behind her Daddy’s leg, then back up to his father.

“Alex, this is Tesia,” Bob informed him. “Say hello Tesia.”

Tesia hid her tear-stained face further behind her father’s leg instead.

A.J. crouched down, in hope of not frightening the small child anymore than he all ready might have. “Hi Tesia, I’m Alex,” he said gently holding his one hand out a little.

“Hi Awex,” a little voice squeaked, as the small child peeked out cautiously. She sniffled a little bit.

“What’s wrong? I’m not that scary, am I?” A.J. asked.

Little Tesia shook her head. “Gots a ‘pank,” she explained, sniffling some more, as she inched out a little bit.

A.J. glanced up for conformation and received a curt not. “Why’d you get one of those, Honey?” He asked, gently reaching over and wiping her tears away with his hand.

“I’s weggo Daddy,” Tesia whimpered softly, not minding that his hand had touched her face.

“You did, huh? Well, you shouldn’t ever let go of Daddy,” A.J. told her. “You don’t want to scare him none, right Sweetheart?”

“No scares Daddy,” Tesia shook her head no, though she was agreeing with him. “There’s a good girl.”

Tesia grinned big at that, flashing him a lopsided grin identical to his own. She glanced up at her father with her head cocked to the side. After seeing him nod, she immediately let go of his pant leg and dove into her brother’s arms.

A.J. looked a bit startled, but embraced the little girl nonetheless.

Howie smiled as he watched the two embrace. It was all just too cute!

“Daddy? I’s goes Awex? Pwease?” Tesia asked, looking up at her father with puppy-dog eyes.

“Tesia, Alex is too busy to play with you,” Bob told her. “We’re only saying hello.”

Tesia pouted some, her eyes filling up with tears as she turned her gaze back upon her brother. “You no pways withs me?”

A.J. felt his heart just about break as he stared down at the sad little face before him. “Of course I can play with you, Honey. If it’s okay with your Daddy.”

Tesia cast her look back up at her father. “Pwease Daddy?”

“She’s not easy to take care of Alex,” Bob warned. “She can throw a mean temper tantrum.”

A.J. watched as Tesia’s hands immediately covered her bottom. “We’ll be fine. Howie can always help me, right D.?”

“Sure,” Howie agreed readily, already in love with the adorable little one. “She’ll be fine Mr. McLean.”

Bob crouched down before his pride and joy. “You be good Tesia, or Daddy won’t be happy.”

“I’s goods girl,” Tesia insisted. “Awex saids.”

Bob couldn’t help but smile at that. Her innocence was priceless and adorable all at the same time. “Yes, you’ve been pretty good today.”

Tesia smiled again and hugged her Daddy tightly. Oh, how she loved her Daddy!

“You stay close to Alex now, Tesia,” Bob ordered firmly. “You hear me?”

“Yesth Daddy,” Tesia nodded, giving him a kiss. “I’s be goo.”

“Glue is a good thing Tesia,” Bob chuckled. He stood up and handed A.J. a diaper bag. “She just turned three and is afraid of toilets.”

A.J. nodded as he took the bag and felt his new found little sister latch onto his leg tightly. “When do you want her back?”

“When you’re sick of her or the end of the week,” Bob relied. “Whichever comes first.”

“Bye-bye Daddy!” Tesia called as A.J. scooped her up into his arms. “Wuvs you!”

“I love you Tesia,” Bob waved. “Have fun!”

Tesia giggled and blew her father kisses as they went their separate ways.

A.J. and Howie got back into the McDonald's line, as they realized they’d forgotten about lunch upon meeting Tesia.

“Do you like nuggets Tesia?” A.J. asked upon realizing he didn’t know what she liked.

Tesia nodded like crazy, her messy little pigtails flying about. “Nuggies!”

Howie laughed as they reached the counter. “Just like her brother.”

A.J. just smiled as he placed their orders. Soon enough they were all seated at one of the tables in the food court.

Tesia squirmed and pouted as she sat on the booster seat Howie had placed upon her chair.

“What’s wrong Honey? Don’t you like your nuggets?” A.J. asked as he took a bite out of his burger.

“Wanna sits withs you!” Tesia whined somewhat as she still squirmed.

A.J. smirked slightly. “Come here, Kiddo.”

Tesia smiled wide as she slid off the chair and ran around the table to her brother’s side.

A.J. finished moving her food over to his side, then reached down and scooped her up into his lap. “That better?”

“Uh-huh,” Tesia nodded, her pigtails flying about again.

“Hey Alex,” Howie began, “she’s going to need a car seat for the car.”

A.J. rolled his eyes somewhat annoyed. “Leave it to the Bas – Jerk to not leave anything like that with me.”

“You better watch your mouth, Alex,” Howie told him. “If she repeats anything there could be trouble.”

A.J. shrugged and looked down at the child munching on nuggets while in his lap. “I wonder if Momma knows about her.”

Howie shrugged. “I don’t think she does. If she did, wouldn’t she have told you?”

“Maybe, I don’t know,” A.J. sighed slightly.

“Hey, least she’s cute and looks like you,” Howie pointed out. “Everybody’s gonna love her.”

A.J. smiled proudly. “She does look like me, doesn’t she?” He chuckled. “I just hope nobody thinks she’d my kid.”

Howie laughed. “Hey, you never know what they’ll think. I can just see Kevin’s face now.”

A.J. chuckled as he pictured the image in his head. “I’m highly amused D.”

“All done!” Tesia exclaimed suddenly, clapping her honey covered hands.

“Well, let’s go get you cleaned up then, Little Miss T.” A.J. stood lifting her up as he did so. He headed towards the restrooms, pausing just outside them. “Which do I go into D.?”

Howie shrugged. “The men’s, I guess. I mean, she’s way too little to go into any of them alone.”

Tesia shook her head and pointed to a family restroom. “That’s one,” she told him, knowing it because of the picture on the door.

A.J. raised his eyebrows. “Since when do they have family restrooms?”

Howie shrugged again. “How should I know?”

They headed in and came back out once Tesia’s diaper had been changed and her hands cleaned.

“Well, let’s get you some clothes Baby T.,” A.J. said, deciding that would be her nickname.

“Yay!” Tesia cheered, clapping again.

A.J. laughed and kissed the side of her head. “You’re too cute.”

Tesia giggled into her little hands as they entered a children’s clothing store. After buying quite a few things, they headed for a toy store – minus Howie, who’d taken the bags out to the car.

“What would you like, Honey?” A.J. asked as he set her into a cart. “You can have anything you’d like.”

Tesia’s eyes went wide at that. Anything? She squeaked delightedly and clapped some more.

A.J. smiled as he pushed the cart along the aisles. He was still in shock he had a baby sister, but he’d never felt happier either.

“Awex, where Owie goes?” Tesia asked as she pointed to a doll and some doll clothes.

“He’ll be back,” A.J. told her. “He took your clothes out to the car.”

“Kay,” Tesia replied, too busy staring at her brother to look at toys.

A.J. held up a Doodle Bear. “Do you like him? You get to colour on him.”

Tesia gasped in shock and nodded eagerly. She loved to colour!

A.J. tossed it into the cart just as Howie rejoined them. “‘Bout time yah came back D.”

Howie smiled. “So I was missed?”

A.J. nodded as they moved onto the next aisle. “Yup. You were missed.”

“Hey Aje, I think someone’s got their eyes on you,” Howie said, nodding towards the little one in the cart who was sitting completely awestruck.

“Aye…Aye…Jay!” Tesia exclaimed giggling.

A.J. shook his head, though highly amused. “Whatcha want Baby T.?”

Tesia shrugged cutely, then reached to grab an Alvin and the Chipmunks colouring book.

A.J. chuckled and grabbed a big box of Crayola crayons. “Tired Honey?” He asked after seeing her yawn.

Tesia nodded as she rubbed her eyes some. She was getting sleepy as it was past her naptime.

“Let’s get these and head home then,” A.J. said. He pushed the cart to the check-out, where he paid for the toys and lifted Tesia into his arms once more.

Tesia immediately snuggled into her brother, seeking warmth, comfort, and safety.

Howie took the bags, so that his friend could have both arms free for the small child he held closely to his chest.

A.J. held Tesia as tight as he dared as she popped her thumb into her mouth and let her eyes droop.

“I all ready got her a car seat,” Howie piped up. “That’s what took me so long before.”

“Thanks D.,” A.J. said gratefully. “You’re the best.”

They eventually reached the car and got Tesia into her new car seat. Once sure she was safely secured, they both got in after tossing the bags into the trunk. Upon parking the car in A.J.’s driveway, Howie grabbed the bags as A.J., of course, grabbed up his sister.

“J,” Tesia whimpered as he attempted to lie her upon his bed. “J!”

“Shh,” A.J. soothed sitting down on his bed and rocking her some. “I’m not going anywhere, Honey.”

Tesia clung to him desperately. “No dark! Monsters!” She cried, referring to the Boogie Man and Gremlins she was terrified of.

A.J. kept rocking her as he reached down into the bag at his feet. “I have something for you, Baby T.”

“Pwesent fer Esia?”

“Yes, a present for Tesia,” A.J. smiled, lifting up a Teddy Bear. “This is Teddy. He wants to help me keep the monsters away.”

Tesia eagerly reached for the stuffed animal, hugging it tightly once it was in her chubby little arms. “Tank-you!” She exclaimed in a tired whisper.

A.J. kissed her head as he lay back on his bed with her. He snuggled her close, rubbing her back as she lay atop his stomach.

Tesia held tight to her brother and Teddy, both brand new to her, as she sucked her thumb contently.

A.J. sang softly in hopes of calming her down and putting her to sleep.

“If I could right, the wrongs that made you cry. Would you promise not to say good-bye. ‘Cause I’m holding on, with a love so strong. And I can’t take the day without you by my side…”

Eventually Tesia began to snore softly, signaling she had finally fallen asleep.

A.J. stayed with her, not wanting to wake her at all, as he definitely didn’t want a cranky toddler on his hands.

A short while later Howie went up looking for his friend who’d yet to come back downstairs. He smiled at the sight of the slightly tattooed rebel with the little girl upon his chest, both snoring away peacefully. He disappeared a moment to find a camera and snapped a few photos of the two sleeping beauties. He then headed on back downstairs to watch T.V. while the two napped upstairs in the leopard print bed. He knew they’d come down when they were up and ready to face the world again.