1. The Mall by LenniluvsBrian
2. Jealous? If So, Scat! by LenniluvsBrian
3. DADDY!?!?!?!?!?! by LenniluvsBrian
4. The Future Is Now The Present by LenniluvsBrian
5. What The.....????? by LenniluvsBrian
6. Whose She??? by LenniluvsBrian
7. Home Again by LenniluvsBrian
Little nine-year-old Hannah Richardson was wandering through the mall – the mall, where she’d come to shop with her folks, but had quickly disappeared on them instead. Her mother was pregnant and her hormones were making her bitchy and very testy – which usually resulted in Hannah ending up in trouble over something stupid, until her father came to her rescue. She was Daddy’s girl, and looked almost exactly like him. She’d his deep green eyes, pointy nose, and squared features. She even had his dark hair and bushy eyebrows! Though, her smile was all her own, only looking a teeny bit like her mother’s own smile. It was a smile that lit up her whole face and any room she was in – and she always smiled if her father was near by.
She was hurrying along – playing a game of ‘dodge-whoever-is-in-your-way’ – a game she knew she wasn’t supposed to play, but often did anyway. She was wearing blue jean overalls, and a bright green Mickey Mouse sweatshirt. Her long dark hair was in two French braids that hung down her back – which were now flying about as she ducked and dodged her way around.
She kept going, until she crashed into a sign that was in the middle of the mall. She looked up, her eyes goin wide and her smile even bigger as she read the sign.
“Kevin Richardson to appear here today from 3pm to 6pm. First come, first serve,” she read aloud before squealing excitedly. “He’s coming! He’s coming! He’s coming!”
It was during her squeal fest, that she noticed the pit-like area – where a small handful of fans were sitting in a circle on white benches that formed almost a complete circle. It was small and tight looking, but kind of cozy too – if you liked the sardines in a can feeling.
“What’s goin’ on?” Hannah asked the other girls sitting there.
“Kevin Richardson’s coming to the mall!” They all squealed.
“He’s gonna sit right in here with us too!” One shrieked delightedly. “Sign says so! Its in small print, but it says so!”
“Cool!” Hannah exclaimed. “C’n I sit with yah too?”
“Sure!” The girls smiled.
“Sweet!” Hannah cried.
“Here! Sit here!” One girl insisted.
“Um…I gotta go get lunch first,” Hannah admitted softly. “C’n you save me a spot? Please?”
“Sure!” They all agreed readily. “We gotta save one for Kevin too.”
Hannah nodded grinning, as the girls all giggled – most of them older than she, but just as excited that a Backstreet Boy was coming to meet them. She then took off for the food court – though, once there, decided she really wasn’t all that hungry.
“Maybe I should just go sit with ‘em,” she thought aloud to herself. “I don’t got money for lunch anyway. I ran ‘fore Daddy could give me any.”
She shrugged her shoulders, then turned and headed back for the fan pit. Just as she neared the pit though, she recognized four people off to her right, trying to near the exits doors in order to sneak out. She giggled to herself and quickly and secretly ran for them.
“Hiya!” She chirped excitedly. “”Did yanno he’s coming?!?!?”
“Yes, we knew,” A.J. chuckled, tickling her sides.
Hannah giggled. Where y’all been? I’ve missed y’all like crazy!”
Brian laughed at the little girl standing before them. “We’ve been shopping, silly. And if you’d stuck with your father like you were supposed to, you would’ve known that.”
“Oh!” Hannah said, clearly surprised. “So that’s why we were s’pose to stick together.”
“You should stick with them anyway, Hannah Marie,” Howie stated firmly, though his eyes weren’t angry – just concerned.
“I know,” Hannah said softly. “I’ma probably be in trouble for that later…”
“Probably,” Nick agreed with a small laugh.
Hannah smiled up at him, then tackled him in a hug. She hugged them all in turn – A.J. being the last and the longest.
“How come y’all are leavin’?” She wanted to know. “Ain’t y’all gonna greet people too?”
Brian shook his head. “Nope. It’s Kevin’s turn to hog the attention.”
Hannah laughed. “He’s good at that!”
“Yep! He sure is!” Nick agreed readily. “I never get any attention.”
“Liar!” Hannah accused smiling.
“It’s not nice to call people liars,” Howie reminded her.
“Well, he’s bein’ one,” Hannah pointed out.
“Are you going to greet Kevin?” Brian queried.
Hannah nodded. “Yep! I’ma greet him like everybody else – by screamin’!”
They all laughed, as A.J. leaned down some and held his hand out for hers. “Well, how’s about I make sure yah get there safely then, alright?”
Hannah groaned playfully, though she loved the attention. “It’s only right there!” She pointed to where the other fans sat – a good distance from the ones who had to stand behind a roped off area.
A.J. took hold of the hand she offered him. “Yes, but I’d like to steal some attention, before Kevin comes along and steals it all.”
Hannah giggled happily, as she waved goodbye to the others, and hurried over to the fan pit with A.J.
“Hey guys! I’m back!” She cried. “I brought y’all a surprise! My Uncle A.J.!”
A bunch of heads snapped up at the mere mention of A.J.’s name. “A.J.!!!” They all shrieked, thrilled beyond belief, but too shocked to be able to get up and tackle.
A.J. gave an amused laugh, as he quickly signed whatever they shoved his way. Once done, he checked his watch. “Well, Kevin should be here very soon, so I’d best be going. Take care of Hannah for me, alright?”
The fans all nodded and waved to him, as he quickly made his escape.
“You know the Backstreet Boys?” The girls exclaimed all at once, turning to look at Hannah, who’d taken a sit inside the pit.
Hannah just smiled at them all. She wasn’t about to give up her secret just yet, since they hadn’t realized she’d told them A.J. was her uncle.
A few short minutes later, Kevin Richardson of the Backstreet Boys arrived to a screaming frenzy of fans. He smiled, waving to the fans not lucky enough to be able to sit in the pit, then entered the pit only to receive a welcomed surprise.
“Hiya Daddy!” A small voice rang out.
Kevin eyed the girls, quickly spotting his nine-year-old daughter, sitting amongst his admirers. He smiled, his eyes crinkling some, as he shook his head at her.
“I was wondering where you’d gone, Princess,” he said, taking a seat next to her. He hugged her tight, kissing her head, as she quickly latched onto him like she always did.
“How come you didn’t tell me you were gonna meet fans?” Hannah asked, curious to know why he’d never told her that morning when they’d left for the mall. “An’ I saw everybody else. Uncle A.J. brought me back over here, ‘cause he wanted to steal the attention.”
Kevin chuckled. “That would be Alex for you. And I thought I’d just let you read a sign or two instead.”
Hannah giggled, rolling her eyes, as her father turned his attention to the stunned fans sitting with them. The fans sure were excited to see him – and she didn’t blame them. She was always excited to see her Daddy too – even if she did just see him that morning.
Kevin talked to the fans for quite some time, though he kept glancing at his watch – a little more so than usual.
“What’s wrong, Daddy?” Hannah asked softly, still snuggled into his side under his right arm. “Is Momma gonna have the baby soon?”
“Nothing’s wrong, Honey,” Kevin assured his little girl.
“You sure, Daddy?”
“Yes, Baby.” Kevin kissed her forehead, smiling down at her – causing the fans to coo.
Hannah returned his smile, and laid her head back upon the side of his chest. Oh, how she loved her Daddy.
After about and hour or so though Hannah began to grow extremely restless. She loved being with her Daddy, but she loved being able to run around and play too. And all these girls did was keep telling her Daddy how much they loved him more than anybody – when she was the one who loved him more than anybody!
“Oh, Kevin! I love you so much more than anybody!” One fan gushed.
Hannah had had enough! “You do not love him more ‘en anybody!” She yelled, jumping up to get in the fan’s face. “I do! He’s my Daddy! Mine!”
“Hannah!” Kevin exclaimed, shocked by her sudden outburst.
“They don’t love you more ‘en me! They don’t!” Hannah screamed, stamping her feet in tantrum-like form.
“Hannah Marie!” Kevin said sternly. “Sit down! Now!”
“But Daddy!” Hannah protested, stomping her foot. “You’re mine!”
“Hannah Marie Richardson, do not make me have to tell you again!” Kevin told her firmly, his eyes narrowing some. He was not happy with her at all right now. “Sit down!”
Hannah’s mouth opened as though she were going to say something, but one look at his face told her she’d better not if she valued her bottom. She gulped and sat back down quietly.
“I’m sorry, Daddy,” she whispered.
“We’ll discuss this – among other things – at home,” Kevin replied, as she cautiously snuggled back into him. He gave the part of her bottom sticking up slightly a sharp, frustrated smack. “Behave.”
Hannah yelped upon feeling the stinging warning smack, and buried her face into his side, trying not to cry. “Yes Sir.”
The fans looked a bit shocked, but didn’t dare to comment. They all knew she’d deserved a good smack, and weren’t about to make Kevin any angrier.
Kevin shook his head, rolling his eyes. “Sorry ladies. She gets a bit jealous sometimes,” he apologized light-heartedly, as Hannah sulked at his side.
Then fans nodded, a couple giggling. “We know the feeling.”
Kevin smiled at them and talked for a bit longer, still checking his watch off and on. Soon though, he decided to just let Hannah go wander. He nudged her up into a full sitting position and pulled her wallet out.
“Here, Princess,” he began, handing her a wad of cash. “Go buy yourself something. I know you’re bored just sitting here.”
Hannah looked a bit confused, as he didn’t usually hand her a wad of money after getting into trouble of any kind. She took the money and stuffed it into her pocket.
“You sure, Daddy?” She asked softly, feeling as though he was trying to get rid of her for some reason.
Kevin smiled at her. “Princess, I wouldn’t give you the money if I wasn’t sure, now would I?”
Hannah shook her head. “No…”
“Then go have fun,” he told her, still smiling as he ran a hand down the one side of her face. “And don’t get lost, or your mother will shoot me.”
Hannah giggled, as she flung herself into his arms for a hug. “I won’t, Daddy. I’ll be careful! Promise!”
Kevin hugged her back tightly. “And behave, Hannah.”
“I will,” she assured him, giving him a quick peck. “I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you too, Princess,” Kevin smiled, kissing her forehead. “Now, scat.”
Hannah flashed him an impish, yet innocent grin, and took off quickly.
Kevin chuckled, as he resumed getting acquainted with his loyal fans.
Hannah was walking along the streets of downtown with her brand new surfboard. The mall was located in the downtown area, so she really hadn’t wandered all that far – though, she’d probably be in trouble for leaving the mall without an adult anyway, as she knew better.
“Pfft,” Hannah scoffed. “I know better than to do lots of things – but I do ‘em anyway. I get more Daddy time – even if I am in trouble.”
She was in a bit of a daze and almost didn’t notice the blue sedan that was about to run her down. She saw it last moment, and quickly got herself and her surfboard out of the way.
“Watch it, Bozo!” She yelled at the car. “My Daddy’ll kill you!”
She looked confused and frightened all at once, as the car whipped around and came after her again. She quickly bolted off down the street – almost getting run down twice more, but by two different cars – a green one, and a purple one.
“What’s goin’ on?” She cried, as she ran for the mall down the street. “I want my Daddy!”
The cars kept trying to run her down, as she desperately tried to get back to the mall and her Daddy.
“I’ma tell Daddy they’re tryin’ to kill me! He’ll have security kick their butts!” Hannah thought, as she finally reached the mall and ran inside with her surfboard still clutched tightly in her arms.
She ran fast as she could for the place she’d left her Daddy, in case she was being followed by those crazy car people. She had just about made it to him, when she was suddenly surrounded by cops, whom blocked her path.
“Hey!” Hannah exclaimed, as they took her surfboard. “That’s mine!”
“Hannah Richardson,” one cop began, “you’re under arrest for the murder of Kevin Richardson. You’re also under arrest for the murders of Jessica, Alice, and Sarah – his fans.”
Hannah gasped as cold handcuffs were placed on her small wrists, and tightened until they hurt. What was going on???
“DADDY!!!!” She screamed hysterically. “DADDY!!! HELP!!!...DADDY!!!”
It was while the cop was reading her, her rights, that she suddenly realized they said she’d murdered her father.
“NOOO!!!!!!!!” She screamed hysterically, struggling to break free. “DADDY!!! I WANT MY DADDY!!! DADDY!!!”
Little did she know that as she was being dragged away, somebody with a heavy heart was silently watching all the chaos surrounding her, as her life began to crumble into little pieces.
Three years later, Hannah was released from the prison she’d been in, as they’d finally found proof that she hadn’t murdered her father and three of his fans. She was upset, alone, and still confused, as well as a bit bitter. She was wandering around, and soon found herself at the mall that she’d been dragged out of three years earlier, after being wrongly accused.
“I got nobody to love…’Cause I’m just not good enough….” She sang to herself softly.
To her, what she sang was true. After her father had been murdered, her mother had taken off and never been seen again – so she’d been told. And as for the other Backstreet Boys – her uncles – they’d never once come to visit her in the three years she’d been locked up.
She wiped away the lone tears that trickled down her face softly. She didn’t want to cry - she was free now, and able to do whatever she pleased – even if she was all alone.
“Hannah?” A raspy voice came from behind her, as she’d stopped just inside the mall doors.
Hannah’s eyes went wide – she’d know that voice anywhere! She whirled around, gasping in surprise.
“Uncle A.J.!!!”
A.J. smiled widely and scooped her up in a tight hug, only putting her down when she shoved him away angrily.
“What’s wrong, Princess?”
“Don’t call me that!” Hannah yelled, covering her ears. “You’re not allowed!”
The other three Boys appeared then, and stared at her in shock. “Hannah?”
Hannah turned to glare at them. “What!?!?”
“What’re you doing out?” Nick asked.
“Coming to kill you too,” Hannah snapped. “What the Hell do you think, Nick?”
“Hey, watch the language,” Brian told her. “We’re just surprised to see you, is all.”
“Well, let’s just say, I’m even more surprised y’all are still hangin’ around here.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Howie asked, narrowing his eyes.
“Don’t give me that look, Howie!” Hannah growled. “Y’all are too good to come see me when I’m locked up, yet yah just magically appear at the place I decide to go too once released.”
“We did go to see you!” Nick argued. “They just wouldn’t let us!”
“Pfft!” Hannah scoffed. “My ass you did.”
A.J. grabbed hold of her arms, when she tried to walk past them. “Listen here, Hannah Marie,” he said firmly, not one to use her two names often. “Just because they wouldn’t let us visit, don’t mean we never cared none or never thought about you – ‘cause we did! Every single frigin’ day you were gone, we thought and worried about you!”
Hannah shrunk back a bit as A.J. stared into her eyes, letting her see just exactly how much he still cared – how much they all still cared.
“Why?” She choked out.
“Why what?” A.J. demanded.
“Why…care?”
“Dammit Hannah!” A.J. exclaimed, still holding her arms tight in his grasp – but not tight enough to hurt her. “You’re family, remember?”
“But it was my fault!” Hannah cried. “It’s my fault he’s dead! I led those bad people here! I led them to him! Me!”
“Hannah, it was not your fault!” A.J. snapped. “Believe me, it was not your fault he got killed!”
“But they were after me!” Hannah wailed. “They wanted me to suffer! I killed my Daddy!”
A.J. shook her slightly. “You did not - I repeat, not kill your father!”
Hannah broke down in tears then, burying her face into A.J. after he pulled her into his warm, loving embrace.
A.J. held the sobbing girl tightly. He’d told the others all along that Hannah would blame herself for everything, and that she’d be a complete wreck.
The other Boys watched silently, hating the fact that A.J. had been right. They hadn’t ever wanted to believe just how hard the little girl they all loved would take everything. True, she wasn’t as little now, but in some ways, she still was that scared little nine-year-old girl who’d walked into utter chaos that lone day three years ago.
Hannah had eventually calmed herself down, and was able to break away from her favourite uncle a bit. She’d given him an apologetic smile, and he’d given her, a firm swat to her backside - which had hurt, despite the giggle that had escaped her.
She was now standing outside a store waiting for her uncles to come back out. She hadn’t felt like going inside the sports store, so she’d opted to stay put in the mall to wait for them. She was standing there, far enough from the entrance doors that she wouldn’t catch a chill, but could still see them and whoever came in them.
“What the…?” Hannah gasped softly, as she thought she’d seen someone she’d never expected to see again, walk through the doors. Her left hand now covered her mouth, as she watched in anxious silence for the person to turn around and show her their face.
She choked back a suppressed sob, when she was finally able to see the person’s face. And – not thinking at all – she very quickly ran for that person, wanting to be sure – and so that they couldn’t just suddenly disappear on her again like they had before.
The person who had entered the mall had very quickly spotted Hannah and had waited almost impatiently to be spotted by her. Once spotted – which was obvious by the look on Hannah’s face – the person stood waiting for her to come rushing over – which she did momentarily.
Hannah reached the one she’d been extremely shocked beyond belief to see, and stood staring up at them in disbelief. She went to speak, but instead her jaw just hung open, making her look like a fish out of water.
They stared at one another for what seemed to be an eternity, but was really only a few short minutes.
The Boys had come out of the sports store, and spotted the two over by the door. They smiled, as they’d known all along that the one Hannah was gaping at, was going to show up today.
“Hey Princess…”
“Daddy???” Hannah managed to squeak out, despite her state of shock. She received a nod and a smile in response to her question. “But….But….you’re….you’re s’pose to be dead!”
Kevin sighed, and shrugged slightly. “It’s a long story, Honey.”
“But – Just – Eee!” Hannah squealed, hugging him tightly. “I thought you were dead!”
Kevin shook his head. “No. Not really. Somebody else took my place.”
“But – how?” Hannah asked, confused. “I left you sittin’ there with the fans.”
“Yes, I know,” Kevin nodded. “But I sent you off, so we could do the switch. I knew you’d break the rules and leave the mall.”
Hannah gave him a sheepish smile. “I wanted a surfboard.”
Kevin nodded again. “I know that too. It’s back at home now.”
“But why would you hafta switch places with somebody?”
Kevin sighed. “Princess, it was the only way to protect you. I’d been getting threats, and I knew about the ones you’d gotten and tried to hide.”
“I – “
Kevin gave her a stern look. “You could’ve come to me with them, Hannah. It’s my job to take care of you, not the other way around.”
Hannah hung her head, feeling ashamed. Maybe if she’d gone to him like she’d wanted, none of this would’ve ever happened. She knew it was her fault. She just knew it.
Kevin gently placed a hand upon her shoulder, and gave it a gentle squeeze. “But I don’t blame you for being scared. I was scared too. I was terrified I was going to lose my Princess, and couldn’t bear the thought any longer – so I went to the cops. They cooked up a well thought out, well planned scheme and it worked out just fine, minus one mishap that did sadly occur.”
Hannah was too busy staring at her shoes, to notice the pained look in her father’s eyes at the mention of the mishap that had taken place while the plan was being carried out.
“You didn’t kill anybody,” Kevin told her firmly. “They just made you think you had, so they’d have an excuse to lock you up in a safe place.”
“But – those girls!”
Kevin chuckled. “Were very good actors. You never had a real gun – you’d been given a pellet gun, that wouldn’t pierce through any bullet proof vest – which all three had on.”
“Oh…”
“You sound disappointed that you didn’t kill them,” Kevin accused.
Hannah shook her head quickly. “No. I just thought....I’m just - confused.”
Kevin nodded. “Understandable.”
“But what about those crazy car people tryin’ to run me down?”
Kevin cleared his throat. “The green, blue, and purple cars?”
Hannah nodded in response.
“Princess, whose favourite colours are those?” Kevin said gently.
Hannah gasped. “Uncle Nick, Uncle Brian, an’ Uncle Howie tried to kill me?!?!?!?”
Kevin chuckled. “No. They were making sure you thought that, and that you really wouldn’t get run over. If you’d paid attention, they were actually swerving very carefully, so that they didn’t come anywhere near you.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” Hannah grumbled. “Where was Uncle A.J.?”
“Back here yelling about how stupid this plan was, and how you could end up accidentally getting hurt be
cause Nick’s not the world’s greatest driver.”
Hannah snickered. “No wonder the green car never came too close.”
“Exactly,” Kevin smiled. “I would’ve killed him otherwise.”`
Hannah thought of something then. “But – if they switched you with somebody else, how do I know it’s really you now, huh?”
Kevin eyed her a moment, then leaned down to whisper into her ear. “You never did get spanked that day, Princess.”
Hannah froze, her eyes wide. Only her and her Daddy knew he’d promised her a spanking for when they got home – though, her Momma had probably known too. “For….?”
“Your attitude and lying that morning,” Kevin finished.
Hannah choked back a sob. “Daddy….”
Kevin pulled her into a tight hug then, as she began to sob uncontrollably – her emotions having had completely caught up with her – like they had upon seeing her uncles earlier. After a short while, she was able to speak again.
“What about Momma? Did they lie about her too? She didn’t really run off, did she?” Hannah rambled. “Did I get a brother or a sister? Or both? Both would be great!”
Now, it was Kevin’s turn to choke back a sob. “A brother…” He managed to answer, just barely.
“Really? When do I get to meet him?” Hannah asked, looking up at her father – her eyes brimmed with tears and excitement. “Daddy?” She eyed him, a little worried upon seeing the look he wore on his handsome face.
Kevin looked down at her face, and swallowed hard. “You don’t,” he said softly.
“But – why not?” Hannah asked, utterly confused. “You said I had a brother.”
Kevin nodded. “You did.”
“But – what happened?”
“There was a mishap during the plan,” Kevin replied painfully. “Your Momma….she came looking for you…. She was at the wrong place at the wrong time…”
“You mean….?” Hannah trailed off, slowly realizing what he meant.
Kevin nodded silently. “She was worried you’d gotten lost or been hurt. She’d a bad feeling, and come looking.”
“But why didn’t she know the plan?”
Kevin shook his head. “She couldn’t know, Princess. Her part was to try and get you out of jail, like any good mother would try to do, when they knew for sure their baby was innocent. She could’ve succeeded, and she might not have. But, the plan went wrong when she came looking. She stepped in front of somebody when she shouldn’t have, and she got hit.”
“So it’s your fault!?!?!?!”
“No. It’s nobody’s fault. It was an accident. A horrible one, but an accident still,” Kevin stated, looking into Hannah’s eyes. “If I’d known either of you, or the baby would have gotten hurt, I wouldn’t have gone through with the plan.”
“So Momma didn’t run off ‘cause she hated me?” Hannah asked quietly.
“Of course not!” Kevin exclaimed, hugging his daughter close and rubbing her back. “Princess, your mother loved you very much! I had to swear to her endlessly that you were safe and would be fine.”
“Then how do you know I’d a brother?”
“I asked,” Kevin answered. “I had sources that would tell me, and others to keep an eye on you.”
“How come we’re together now?”
“Because they finally caught the Bastards,” Kevin said bitterly.
Hannah looked up shocked at her father’s choice of words.
“I’m sorry, but it’s true,” Kevin apologized. “You know I don’t say stuff like that unless it’s the truth.”
Hannah smiled slowly.
“Uh-oh. I remember that look,” Kevin chuckled.
“C’n we shop?”
“Phew! An easy question!” Kevin exclaimed playfully. “Sure, Princess. We can shop until your heart’s content.”
Hannah grinned and very quickly latched onto him tightly. She was not letting him go ever again!
It was while they were shopping, that they met up with Kevin’s new love interest. Her name was Kirsten; her and Kevin had met at the very mall they were all in now. Kirsten had tan skin, like Howie’s, and shoulder length light brown hair. Other than that, she looked almost exactly like Kevin’s late wife, Kristin.
“Hey, Baby,” Kirsten grinned, upon spotting Kevin with Hannah. “Is this your little girl? The one you’ve told me all about?”
Kevin nodded, smiling. “Yes, this is Hannah. Hannah, this is Kirsten – my girlfriend.”
“Your what!?!?!?” Hannah exclaimed.
“Girlfriend,” Kevin repeated. “We’ve been dating for a few months now.”
Hannah scowled, though she politely shook hands with the woman – the intruder, in her opinion. “Where’s she work?”
“I’m trying out to be a Backstreet dancer!” Kirsten gushed. “I’ve waited my whole life to be a professional dancer!”
Hannah frowned. “That’s nice,” she said a bit snottily.
Kevin patted Hannah’s hip gently in warning.
Hannah hugged her father even tighter in response. She was not sharing him with this – this woman! Especially not so soon after un-expectantly getting him back!
“Ooh! It’s wonderful! You will come watch the try-outs, won’t you?” Kirsten cooed.
“Of course, Honey,” Kevin smiled, taking hold of Kirsten’s hand. Together, the three of them walked to the store where the try-outs were being held.
“You’re gonna tour again?” Hannah said, once Kirsten had left their side to go get ready.
“Soon as the world knows I’m alive, yes,” Kevin replied. “Why?”
“I don’t even get you to myself or nothin’?”
“Princess, we haven’t even put the album out yet. We’ve a few final touches to do, and then it’s going out,” Kevin informed her. “And after that, tour rehearsals begin. You’ll still get to see me. Don’t worry.”
Hannah huffed, but remained quiet. She watched the try-outs with her father, trying to ignore the stares they were getting – they’d gotten them while walking through the mall too.
“How’s about we go walk a bit?” Kevin suggested, after Kirsten had finished dancing.
Hannah nodded, not admitting that Kirsten was a pretty good dancer - almost as good as her Momma had been. She sighed somewhat. Her Momma had been teaching her how to dance, before everything got messed up that one stupid day.
Kevin squeezed her close, having a feeling he knew what she was thinking. “You can always have dance lessons, if you’d like. I know it won’t be the same, but you always did love to dance.”
Hannah shrugged, not so sure if she truly wanted to dance anymore.
“I don’t like Kirsten, Daddy,” she admitted finally. “I just – don’t trust her.”
“Because you’ve just met her, and she looks a bit like your mother,” Kevin replied knowingly. “I know what you’re thinking – everybody else did too at first. But I’m not dating her because she looks a bit like your Momma, and she’s not dating me just so she can dance.”
“Kay….if you say so….” Hannah whispered quietly.
“Trust me,” Kevin smiled, rubbing her back some, before hugging her close again – though, she was clinging tightly enough for both of them, with both her arms wrapped around his waist in a death grip.
They walked about the mall for a bit, Hannah still glued to his side, when Kevin finally announced he had to go to the bathroom.
Kevin gently pried his daughter’s arms off his waist, and kissed her forehead. “I won’t be too long,” he assured her. “I promise. I’ll be back.”
“Okay….” Hannah said softly, worry displayed in her green eyes.
“Stay put,” Kevin told her. “I don’t wanna lose you again, Hannah.”
Hannah gulped slightly, but nodded. Her Daddy wouldn’t call her by her name unless she was in trouble, or he was trying to make a firm point.
Kevin smiled at her and disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Hannah to sit by herself on the bench.
Hannah sat there for quite some time, before worry and fear took control over her and she entered the men’s bathroom to find her father. When she couldn’t find him, she came out in tears, as panic began to take hold of her body. She wandered over to the mall window, as the mall was on a bit of a hill, and people liked the view. She was shocked to see her father down at the bottom of the hill on the corner talking to some guy she’d never seen before. She frowned and gulped slightly as her father started coming back up the hill – spotting her spying on him. She quietly watched him come back up, and once he reached the top, it was only moments before he was at her side again.
“I don’t like being spied on, Hannah Marie,” Kevin said sternly.
“Who was that man?” Hannah demanded. “What’s in that envelope he gave you?”
“I’ll explain later,” Kevin answered.
“Why did you lie about going to the bathroom?!?!” Hannah exclaimed. “You could’ve just told me you had to go meet somebody!”
“Hannah! Enough!” Kevin snapped.
Hannah back up some, her hands immediately covering her bottom – though, she hadn’t been struck.
“Now, let’s find Kirsten and get home,” Kevin said. “We’ve some things to discuss.”
Back at the house, Hannah was surprised to find all her old things in this new house. She wanted to question her father about it, but wasn’t so sure now was a good time. She sat upon her old bed in her new room, and nervously cracked her knuckles.
Kevin entered her room silently and sat next to her on the bed. “Hannah, you’ve gotta understand, this hasn’t been easy on any of us.”
“I know….” Hannah said softly.
“No, I don’t think you do know,” Kevin stated. “I know you’ve had it rough, thinking you were alone and had nobody. But I’ve had it rough too. I had to watch good people die, Hannah. I had to lie to the world, just to keep you safe. Your poor grandmother thought she’d lost me, her baby. It almost killed her, Hannah. I almost killed my own mother with grief.”
“Daddy, you did what you had too,” Hannah told him softly, placing her hands atop his. “You were just tryin’ to keep everybody safe.”
“And didn’t do a very good job of it, now did I?” Kevin retorted.
“Daddy, don’t get mad at me ‘cause you feel stupid,” Hannah said flatly, starting to feel her temper rise slightly. “‘Cause I wasn’t the one who told you to get me locked up, or to worry Momma like that! An’ I didn’t tell you to worry Gramma either!”
“Don’t you raise your voice to me, Hannah Marie,” Kevin said sternly. “Or I’ll give you something to raise your voice about.”
“You don’t get it, do you?” Hannah exclaimed, jumping up to yell at him better. “You think you know what I went through, but you don’t! I was arrested for supposedly killing you! An’ now you just come waltzing back into my life, expecting everything to be okay an’ go back to like before! I’m not nine-years-old anymore! I’m not some stupid lil’ baby, who thinks their Daddy is worthy of hero status! I was betrayed by my own Daddy! The one person I trusted more ‘en anybody! Even more ‘en Uncle A.J.!”
“Hannah!” Kevin said warily. “All you keep saying in I. I went through this. And I went through that. It’s not just about you! It’s about all of us and what we all went through!”
“You did the same thing!” Hannah screamed.
“I was getting to the other people! You never even gave me a chance to finish!” Kevin argued.
“Pfft. F*ck you,” Hannah scoffed.
“I’m starting to think, three years without a spanking was much too long for you,” Kevin stated firmly. “You’re reaching the limit of my patience, very quickly.”
“You don’t know shit!” Hannah snapped.
“I know more than you think, Hannah Marie,” Kevin said flatly.
Hannah had reached her own limit, and swung without thinking, slapping her father across the face hard as she could.
Kevin’s head jerked slightly, and he looked up at his daughter through narrowed eyes.
Hannah stood in shock for a brief moment, after hearing the sickening sound of her hand connecting with her father’s face. Eyes wide as saucers, she slowly began to back up some, a bit worried about what his reaction would be.
Kevin grabbed hold of her wrists, yanking her forward and whipping her around. He landed the hardest smack he’d ever given in her in her whole life upon her jean-clad bottom.
Hannah yelped loudly immediately bursting into tears, knowing he’d had to have used as much force as he could to have delivered that single smack. No smack to her bottom had ever stung this bad through her jeans before! Never!
“Oww!!!” She howled as he landed two more good smacks to her bottom though no where near as hard as the first one.
“You will not strike me ever again, Hannah Marie Richardson!” Kevin roared. “Not if you value your bottom, Young Lady!”
“Oww! I’m sorry!” Hannah wailed, as he landed the final two upon her bottom. He’d never given her more than five sharp smacks to her bottom – and never would – but five were definitely enough, as his hand stung like the dickens! “I’m sorry, Daddy! I’m sorry!”
Kevin gently pulled her into his lap and hugged her tight, smoothing her hair back and kissing her head. “Shh….Daddy loves you Princess. Very much. Shh….”
Hannah sobbed into his chest, her bottom stinging like crazy. “Love, Daddy….” She murmured softly through her tears. “My Daddy….”
Kevin rocked her until she fell asleep, then, not wanting to let her go just yet, carried her over to the rocking chair in her room, and rocked her some more. She’d always loved to sit with him in her special rocking chair, and be read stories or sung too or just snuggled like crazy. The rocking chair had always been her favourite spot in the house, and when she was younger, it’d been her time-out chair as well. Though, she always looked so small sitting on the large chair, she still loved to sit and rock. So when he’d bought the new house, and had her room set up with her old stuff, he made sure the rocking chair was in the perfect spot – near the window, so the sunlight and moonlight could beam in and light it up.
Not long after sitting down in the chair to rock his twelve-year-old daughter, Kevin too drifted off to sleep. Neither were sure if things would return to normal again – well, as normal as it could be for a Backstreet Boy – or if things would get even more chaotic. Only time would tell – and time was all they had.