The Backstreet Boys had decided upon a trip to the mall, seeing as they all hadn’t been in quite some time. They’re busy schedules kept them from taking trips to the mall, and fans just made it even harder. But today, they had a day off and had all agreed they needed things from certain stores, so a trip to the mall was definitely in order.

“Remember, Tesia,” A.J. began, as he carried the little girl into the huge building. “You stay close and don’t let go of our hands, okay?”

Tesia nodded eagerly, squirming to get down so she could hold their hands. As much as she loved to be carried, she really wanted to walk for a change.

A.J. set her down upon the floor and immediately took hold of her hand, smiling when he saw her grab hold of Kevin’s as well.

“Alrighty then,” Brian said, feigning hurt but flashing her, a grin when he saw the little one frown. “I’m going to steal Frack away from y’all. We desperately need a new basketball.”

“And that takes two of you?” Kevin replied, raising his eyebrows at them.

Nick gave him an innocent look, nudging Brian to do the same. “Yes, Dad; it takes two.”

“Oh, it takes two, baby. It takes two. Just me and you,” Brian sang, as Nick joined in.

“It takes two, baby. It takes two. To make a dream come true,” Nick grinned as he sang along.

Kevin shook his head as Frick ‘n’ Frack took off giggling as they ran, dodging people in hopes of out running their security guards making a mad dash after them.

“Yo, D!” A.J. called to his best friend. “Where are you goin’?”

“I’m going to see if I can find my Mom that elephant she’s been looking for,” Howie answered. “Why don’t you guys take Tesia to get some new clothes? I swear she’s growing like a weed!”

Tesia giggled. “I’ma weed, J!”

A.J. chuckled. “Yeah, we’re takin’ the little weed to get some clothes.”

Howie waved, smiling as he walked off in search of his Mom’s gift that he had promised to try and find for her.

“Which store first, Alex?” Kevin wanted to know, not sure where the younger man wanted to start.

“Let’s let T. decide,” A.J. answered. “Hey, Baby Weed, where do yah wanna go?”

Tesia grinned widely up at him. “Toys!”

A.J. rolled his eyes. “Toys are later, Hunny. What clothes do you wanna look at?”

“Ats!” Tesia declared.

“Hats. Good choice, Babe,” A.J. grinned, as he heard Kevin chuckle.

“You two are too much alike,” Kevin confirmed.

“Yeah, but that’s why you love us,” A.J. smirked, as Tesia dragged them into a clothing store.

“Kevy loves me da mostest!” Tesia declared.

“Yeah, I’m sure he does,” A.J. agreed, not daring to look at Kevin right then.

Kevin frowned slightly. “Alex, I love you both the same.”

“Pfft. And I love Nick as much as I love the little weed here,” A.J. scoffed.

“I’m sure he’d be glad to know that,” Kevin stated, raising his eyebrows as he smirked.

“Shaddup,” A.J. told him. “Just because he’s a close second don’t mean a damn thing.”

“Damn?” Tesia chirped.

A.J.’s head snapped down in her direction. “Shh. Don’t repeat that T.”

“O’tay,” Tesia shrugged, letting go of her brother’s hand to check an article of clothing out. The hats were in the back and they were in the middle of the store.

A.J. glanced to make sure she still had a hold of Kevin, then went back to eyeing the older man warily. “Not a word, Kev.”

“My lips are sealed,” Kevin assured him.

“Whatcha lookin’ at, T.?”

“Mickey!” Tesia squealed, yanking the shirt down off the hanger. She then attempted to remove the shirt she was currently wearing to put the Mickey one on.

“Whoa! Whoa! Hold up there!” A.J. exclaimed, yanking her shirt back down. “You don’t strip in the middle of the store, Baby T.!”

“No strips?” Tesia repeated.

“No,” A.J. replied, taking the Mickey shirt from her. “We carry this around until we have enough to go try on, and then we go to the change rooms, silly.”

“O’tay,” Tesia shrugged, leading the way to the next article of clothing she wanted to see.

A.J. made sure he had her size in the Mickey shirt, before following her and Kevin further into the store. He was starting to get the feeling she was going to be a handful today; especially since she’d given him a hard time about her car seat on the way over. They couldn’t exactly bring the bus to the mall; the bus would attract way too much attention.

Eventually, Tesia had enough to try on and they made their way to the change rooms. A lady let A.J. and Tesia into one, and A.J. stayed crouched in the doorway while Tesia changed into the clothes to try them on. He was there to help her if she needed it, as she was still learning how to dress herself and sometimes got stuck.

A.J. chuckled softly, as he helped Tesia yank the shirt down over her head. “Whatcha think, T.?”

Tesia looked at herself in the mirror and cocked her head to the side. “Kevy!” She called. “Kevy!”

Kevin came and stood behind A.J., looming in the doorway. “Yes, Hunny?”

“I’s pwetty?” Tesia wanted to know, looking up at him.

“Yes, you’re pretty,” Kevin smiled.

Tesia smiled back and nodded to her brother. “I’s gets dis one, J.”

A.J. nodded. “Okay.” He shooed Kevin out, at her insistence, then helped her into the next outfit.

“Kevy!” Tesia called again. “Kevy! I’s pwetty now?”

Kevin came to stand in the doorway once more, smiling down at the little one who kept insisting he be the judge of her clothing. “Very pretty, Baby. You’re the prettiest little girl in the whole mall.”

“Weally?” Tesia asked skeptically, her eyes shining though.

“Really,” Kevin nodded. “Nobody could ever look as pretty as you in that dress.”

Tesia’s whole face lit up at that. She was wearing a little yellow sundress that had frilly lace along the seams. “Wan’ dis one J.!”

“Alright, T.,” A.J. agreed. “Let’s get you into your old clothes, so we can go look at the hats now.”

“Ats!” Tesia shrieked, trying to help him hurry up the process.

Kevin shook his head as he headed on back to where the hats where to check them all out. He found one he liked best, and waited for his little princess to come and join him once more.

Tesia squirmed out of her brother’s grasp and hightailed it straight for Kevin, never once stopping until she had reached him.

“Tesia!” A.J. exclaimed, as he quickly reached the two. “What did I tell you about taking off?”

Tesia shrunk some, glancing up at her brother, her hands automatically covering her bottom. “I’s sorwy.”

“You’d better be,” A.J. told her. “You don’t run off like that. You keep hold of somebody’s hand, or you’ll be in trouble, Little Miss.”

Tesia quietly and tearfully slipped her small hand into Kevin’s large one.

Kevin crouched down as he gently plopped the hat he was holding onto her head. “What do you think, Baby?”

Tesia sniffled, then peeked into a nearby mirror. “Mine.”

Kevin smiled softly, kissing her cheek. “Yes, Tesia; it’s yours.”

Tesia gave him a grateful smile, then wrapped her arms about his neck in a hug.

Kevin stood, taking her with him, and hugging her close. “What do you say we get your mean old brother to pay, then go look at some toys?”

“Yeah!” Tesia cheered. “Toys!”

A.J. shot Kevin an annoyed Look, not happy that the older man of all people was trying to undermine his authority.

Kevin just smiled and led the way to the check-out counter, where they paid for her things then left the store.

Tesia squirmed down again, taking hold of both their hands once more, as she babbled away happily.

The three of them walked through the mall, stopping to browse or buy an item every so often. Soon enough, they met up with the other three and headed on towards the toy store. On the way there they passed a pet shop, one that intrigued Tesia as there were dachshund puppies in the window.

“J!” Tesia exclaimed, though she couldn’t be heard as the Boys were all chatting with one another. “J!” She called again, trying to yank on his hand, as she became annoyed with being ignored.

Neither A.J. nor Kevin felt the little girl yank her hands free from theirs. None of the five walking saw the little one turn and run back towards the pet store. Nobody noticed a thing until much later, when they’d finally reached the toy store.

“Here we are, T.,” A.J. said smiling, though his smile left his face when he looked down and saw that his little sister was gone. “Tesia!?!?”

Four heads immediately snapped to look where the little one should’ve been. Four gasps of surprise were heard moments later, when they too realized that she was now gone.

“Where’d she go?” Nick asked, looking confused.

“I don’t know!” A.J. exclaimed. “I thought she was still holding onto Kevin!”

“I thought she was holding onto you!” Kevin responded.

“Shit!” A.J. cursed. “What if something happened to her? What if somebody’s taken her and left the mall? What if she’s hurt? What if…!”

“Alex, calm down,” Howie instructed. “Let’s back track and see if we can spot her along the way. I’m sure she isn’t too far away, okay?”

“Yeah,” Brian agreed. “She probably just spotted something and let go to check it out.”

A.J. quickly turned on his heel and practically ran back the way they’d just come, a frantic look upon his face. “Tesia!...Tesia!”

The other four quickly took off after their friend, all very worried that something had happened to the small child.

Meanwhile, Tesia stood watching the puppies, completely unaware that her brother was in a panic trying to find her. She was also oblivious to the fact that a security guard stood nearby keeping an eye on her.

Tesia giggled as the puppies yapped excitedly and tumbled over one another, highly amusing her. “J!” She called out, turning around to point them out to her brother, so he could see them too. “J!”

The security guard secretly keeping an eye on her, watched as her face puckered up and she began to wail.

“JAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!!” Tesia wailed, sobbing loudly. She wanted her brother! And she wanted him now!

The security guard took pity on her, and quickly made his way over, crouching down before the sobbing child. “Tesia…”

Tesia looked up, blinking back her very real crocodile tears. “Marcus!”

“What are you doing here?”

“Puppies,” Tesia answered, sniffling as she pointed behind her.

“Are you supposed to be alone?”

Tesia shook her head, her lower lip trembling some more, as she reached back to protect her bottom.

“You shouldn’t ever let go of your brother or Kevin, Tesia,” Marcus told her sternly. “Even though they’re not here at the moment, I know that you’ve scared them very badly.”

“I’s sorwy,” Tesia whimpered. “No scares J.”

Marcus sighed. “Well, you have, Tesia.”

Tesia started to cry again, as she knew her brother was going to be angry with her. Maybe even Kevin would be angry this time too.

Marcus picked the crying little girl up into his strong, protective arms, and rocked her a bit. “Shh…you’ll be okay.”

Tesia hiccupped into his shoulder some, as she buried her face into him. “Wan’ J!”

“Yes, I know that you do,” Marcus answered, starting to walk towards where he knew the toy store was.

The Boys were frantically running about, in search of Tesia, when suddenly they spotted her.

“Alex! There she is!” Kevin yelled. “Look!”

A.J. looked to where Kevin was pointing and gave the biggest sigh of relief in his life. He was greatly relieved to see that Marcus, his security guard and trusted friend, had her safely tucked in his arms.

“Tesia!” A.J. shouted, running towards the two of them at top speed.

Tesia’s head snapped up. “J!”

A.J. quickly reached them and plucked his little sister from Marcus’ arms. He hugged her tightly, kissing her face all over. “Thank God you’re okay!”

Tesia hugged him back tightly in return. “I’s misses you!”

“Where were you?” A.J. demanded, now feeling the angry part of him take over. “I told you not to let go!”

Tesia’s lower lip trembled, as she saw how mad her brother looked. “I’s sorwy…”

“Puppies,” Marcus answered for her. “She was in front of the pet store.”

A.J. sighed heavily, as he sat down on a nearby bench with her in his lap. “Tesia, why?”

“You no listens,” Tesia whispered softly. “I’s shows you puppies.”

“Next time, don’t let go Tesia, or I will for sure spank you,” A.J. said sternly. “As for your punishment, you’ll be getting no new toys today.”

“No ‘pankin’?” Tesia double-checked.

“No,” A.J. replied. “But next time, you’d better run, ‘cause if I get a hold of you, your bottom will be slapped, Tesia.”

Tesia sniffled as she buried her face into her brother’s chest. “I’s sorwy! I’s be goods!”

“I hope so,” A.J. told her, cuddling her close as the other four caught up to where he sat. “Let’s go fellas; if you’re done and all.”

“We’re done,” they chorused.

Later on after Tesia had been laid down for a nap, A.J. re-entered the living room area of the bus, only to find three guilty looking parties.

“Whatcha all do now?” He sighed, sitting down on the couch.

Brian sheepishly held up a colouring book and crayons. “She needed these, Bone. She’d been askin’ me all week for some, so we could colour.”

“Nick?”

Nick’s cheeks turned a light shade of pink, as he held up Mickey’s Pop ‘n’ Magic. “She likes games, A.J. I got her this so she’ll stop stealing my game boy.”

A.J. rolled his eyes. “D?”

Howie shrugged, holding up a Donald Duck puzzle. “She needs something to occupy her while we practice.”

“That’s what her Teddy Bear and dolls are for,” A.J. told him. “Kevin?”

“Hey, I was with you, remember?” Kevin reminded him. “Only thing I – well, you – bought her was the hat.”

A.J. shook his head. “Y’all spoil her too much.”

“We do? Who bought her the books, Bone?” Brian countered, having known for a fact that A.J. had sent Marcus to get her some new books.

“Alright, alright,” A.J. groaned. “I was sick of the same old stories. She desperately needed new ones, or I was gonna go crazy.”

The other four laughed, A.J. joining in a moment later. It was during their laughter, that they all spotted the little one standing in the doorway, wiping her tear-filled eyes.

“What’s wrong, T.?” A.J. asked worriedly, reaching his arms out toward her.

Tesia ran into her brother’s arms, snuggling in soon as he set her upon his lap. “You lefts!” She accused.

“Sorry, Baby,” A.J. apologized, hugging her tightly to him. “I won’t do it again.”

“Pwomise?” Tesia asked, looking up at him with worried eyes.

“Promise,” A.J. assured her, kissing her nose, which caused her to smile.

Tesia grinned up at her brother, then snuggled back into him, hugging her Teddy Bear close as she closed her eyes once more.

A.J. hummed softly, knowing he loved to see her smile more than anything. Even if she was naughty at times, he still loved to see her smile and to hear her contagious giggle. He rocked her until he heard her snore, then resumed conversation with the other guys; though, he made sure they didn’t wake her as they talked, as he knew how cranky she could get without a nap.