It was late and Millie was tired from her long day, but she couldn’t stop thinking of the preemie. His tiny hands and his almond blue eyes staring at her. Her smile turned upside down when she noticed AJ leaning against his car in her driveway. She parked and hopped out of her car, already annoyed by his presence.

“Hi Mill.” he sighed.

She glared at him “Hi. What do you want AJ? I’m tired and I really don’t have time to…” suddenly his lips were against hers.

This time she didn’t kiss him back and when she had the strength she pushed him away “Your kisses don’t do anything anymore AJ. Just tell me what you want!” she demanded crossing her arms over her chest.

“Fine, I came to say bye…I quit the group. I’m moving to London to be away from everything, especially you…”

“What? You can’t do that! Did you even take a moment to think about the guys…how could you up and quit.” she smacked him on the arm. “Your so selfish…!” she snapped.

AJ looked at the ground and nodded his head “Your right! I’m selfish, I was selfish to ask you to marry me when I wasn’t ready for it. For cheating on you all the time, when the whole time I was just afraid to love you.” he swallowed the knot as she looked at him angrily “I just didn’t want you to find something better while I was gone…I guess that was inevitable! Then I did push Howie on to you, although he was with you cause he wanted to! I know I’ve hurt you over and over, but I realized that I do love you. More than anything…”

“About two years ago I did love you…so much AJ. When you were gone all I did was think of you and hope that you were safe and sound. When you were off screwing who knows who. You made that love fad away…you.” she poked his chest “That still doesn’t give you the god given right to break up the group!” she stormed towards the house.

“Wait…” he reached out for her arm “I know your disappointed in me, you’ve been for the longest. I’m leaving and no one is changing my mind. I’m starting my life over and the guys will just have to except it!”

“AJ it makes no sense your in the middle of a fucking tour.”

“Yeah so..” he shrugged like it was no big deal. “They’ll survive! Maybe they can have some reality show to see how they get the next fuck up of the group.” He raised his eyebrows. “I’m leaving…I love you! I really truly do, but I know you love him. Have a nice life Mill.” he kissed her forehead and jumped into his car and drove off.

Millie was angry at him for making such a stupid decision. She stood there staring at the empty driveway, but she couldn’t cry. AJ wouldn’t make her feel guilty any longer. Not for loving someone else. “Good bye AJ!” she finally whispered.

The next morning the remaining three Backstreet Boys sat at a round table in the record label office.

“I can’t believe the prick did this to us…I mean, just quit in the middle of a tour.” Nick banged his fist on the table. “What now?”

“I’m not sure, we’ve sold tickets all through the end of November.” Howie thought out loud.

“Well we are on a break right now, till Halloween. Maybe he’ll change his mind and come back to help us out.” Brian rubbed his temples.

The door opened and in filed the management, tour manager, the publicist and a couple of other suited people. “Hello guys…we have been going through all this. We came to the conclusion that we can’t just come out and say that AJ is a…what’s the word.” the dark haired man looked around for some help.

“A selfish prick!” Howie answered.

The man pointed at Howie “That will fit, so we can’t just come out and say that he is a selfish prick, whom decided to leave the group out of the blue. We would have to say that he is sick or something…”

Lana the overly serious publicist spoke up “We are trying to set up a press conference.” she sighed with annoyance. “Listen guys this is not going to go well…album sells were a flop this time around, then with the back taxes mistake and now canceling a tour. You guys will be lucky to have any fans after this. If you guys aren’t ready for what is to come…someone needs to talk to that stubborn ass man. Or just face the consequences.”

Brian cleared his throat “So your saying we convince him to finish the concerts that have already been scheduled.” he sighed, they all knew that AJ was stubborn as a bull.

Howie stood up “Well you guys can try, I’m not wasting my time with him. Is this it?” he was anxious to get to the hospital and do what he had been wanting to since yesterday.

“Yes that is it.” Lana spoke, “So we can stall another week, but once it hit’s the twentieth we need an answer guys.” everyone shuffled out of the office. Brian headed to the airport back to Atlanta and Nick went home to Sarah. While Howie drove himself to the St Joseph Hospital.

He sat in the car a good half an hour, he looked at his watch it was barely noon. Maybe he would catch her.

Millie sat impatiently, never had the days felt so long before. All she wanted was for it to be six already so she could go upstairs and hold Elijah that was his name, in her mind. When the nurses were present she just called him sweet names. On her lunch break she gave up eating, just to visit him.

“Alright go…just go woman!” her manager smiled and waved her towards the elevator “One hour lunch…go” she laughed at Millie who pushed the elevator button impatiently and almost jumped in as the doors opened.

She power walked down the hallway, it took her no longer than five minutes to get there, and another five to put the scrubs on, wash her hands and sign in. “Hey Benny…” she greeted, taking a seat on the rocking chair.

“Hi there, early lunch today.” she chuckled handing over the baby.

Millie smiled as she held the tiny baby in her hands, he stretched and yawned, his little mouth opening wide. “He’s adorable. Did his mother come back to see him?” she looked up, taking the bottle from Benny. The older woman just nodded with a frown, while Millie stuck the bottle carefully in the little opened mouth.

“I’ll be back, got a check on the other six that we delivered today. Is it me or is everyone and their momma pregnant lately?” they laughed as she exited the room. Leaving Millie inspecting the newborn, like it was the first time she saw him.

A couple of minutes later Benny came through the door a puzzled look on her face. “Hey sweetie, there is a young fine looking man outside. He says he’d like to talk to you.” she shrugged.

Millie rolled her eyes and groaned “It must be AJ, he was supposed to leave to London this morning. Tell him I can’t talk…” Benny opened her mouth to speak, but Millie spoke before “I don’t want to see him, really. Just tell him I’m busy.” she nodded her head with frustration.

Howie stared at all the bundles in the room, some were in pink others in blue. They were so tiny to him. He saw the older woman walk through the nursery and open the door, she seemed embarrassed “I’m sorry…she can’t see you right now.”

He bowed his head, “How about tomorrow? Can she talk to me tomorrow? Tell her I’m going to keep coming until she talks to me. Thanks.” he turned around and disappointedly walked down the hall. Was she that mad? That she didn’t even want to give him a second.

The walk to his car was long, he dragged his feet against the pavement, his hands still stuffed in his pockets. He would come everyday, until she would finally get tired of him and give him the chance to apologize.

Millie carefully placed a kiss on the babies wrinkled forehead and placed him back in his incubator. She removed the scrubs and took a look at the rest of the babies in the nursery, Benny came in to the room. “You could have talked to the handsome man.”

“Was he upset? I know AJ is pushy, I’m surprised he just left.” she twirled a pink blanket in her hands.

Benny laughed “Well he did say that he is coming back everyday until you talk to him.”

This made Millie think, AJ had said he was leaving this morning. He wouldn’t stick around unless he had decided to stay with the group. “Uh what did he look like?”

“Hum…a little taller than you, dark wavy hair combed back…big brown eyes. I’d guess he's Hispanic…”

Millie’s eyes widened “Holy…crap! That wasn’t AJ it was Howie…I gotta catch up to him…” she darted out of the nursery, jogged through the hall, hopped into an already crowded elevator. Then pushed her way out as soon as the doors opened and scanned the main lobby, there was no Howie in sight. She walked out and looked around the parking lot, but she had no luck. “Damn it!” she was disappointed in herself, but then she remembered “He’ll be back tomorrow…” she smiled all the way back to her station.