34-year-old Howie Dorough pulls into the crowded parking lot at Memphis International Airport. It's 6:02 in the evening. He's running late and he's exhausted. He spent the entire day with his fellow Backstreet Boy and friend, Nick Carter, packing boxes for their move back to Florida and it's quickly catching up to him.

"Daddy's getting old," he says glancing in the rearview mirror at his 4-year-old daughter. Her only response is a small snore. 'Great' he thinks to himself... a Backstreet Boy, tackling the airport alone with two small, sleeping children. He sighs and opens the door, slipping on his sunglasses and baseball cap -- his only hope of not being recognized is to go incognito and he doubts, on a day like today when he really isn't in the mood to meet up with fans, that it will work. He steps quickly around to the trunk of the car and whips out the double stroller.

"Good lord." He mutters quietly under his breath. "This thing weighs a ton."

He sets it up beside the car and goes about putting the kids in. First he grabs Cash, carseat and all and snaps him into the front seat, easy enough. Cash wakes up and gives Howie a small coo and flashes him a toothless grin. Howie grins back and tickles him under the chin. Nothing makes him love being a father more than when they smile at him. He goes quickly to the other side of the car and unbuckles a sleeping Olivia. This task is a little more difficult. She fusses and whines as he removes her from her carseat and plops her down in the back of the stroller. She stares up at him grumpily and rubs her eyes. He laughs... even the grumpy looks make him smile these days. He lays her seat back and hands her her blankie out of the car as she snuggles in and closes her eyes again. He grabs the diaper bag out of the front and heads off down the sidewalk of the the airport to wait for Maria.

He stares up at the sky as he walks along, it's a beautiful day and the planes flying overhead remind him of how much he misses being on tour. Even when he was a child Howie had loved to travel. He may in fact, be the only Backstreet Boy who actually enjoys the traveling part of touring more than the performing. They aren't set to start touring again until sometime in the fall. He's not sure he can wait that long. It's been 6 years since their last big tour and so much has changed. He, Kevin, and Brian are father's now and AJ's engaged to be married. With all of their families traveling may be a little less peaceful. He looks down at his sleeping angels in the stroller and sighs. 'Actually' he mumbles quietly to himself... 'you guys have made the last 6 years seem like 6 minutes so I guess waiting a while longer won't hurt.'

He stops by the automatic glass doors leading into the main airport terminal and lifts his cellphone from the tray of the stroller. He dials her number and puts it to his ear. Before it even has a chance to ring he catches sight of her across the parking lot. She's running along quickly, carrying her bag in one hand and waving with the other. She's obviously running late too... that makes him feel a little bit better. Their eyes meet and she smiles brightly. Even after 8 years of marriage her smile still takes his breath away.

"Hey hon!" she calls out to him as she hurries along the sidewalk lugging her bags. He leaves the stroller's side momentarily, never taking his eyes off of it to help her out. The two of them kiss as Howie reaches down and takes her bags from her.

"I will not miss Tennessee rush-hour traffic." She says out of breath as she peers down at her sleeping daughter in the stroller. "How long has she been out?"

"Since a few minutes before we got," He replies... "So about 10, maybe 15 minutes tops." She nods and leans in to kiss her softly on the cheek.

"I won't wake her up then."

She turns towards the front of the stroller and flips the hood on her son's carseat. Cash grins up at her and shrieks a small baby shriek of joy at the sight of his mommy. As she unbuckles him and lifts him from his seat Howie can't help but smile at the two of them. All of Olivia's life their families and friends have constantly told Howie how much she looked like him... but not Cash. Cassius Alexander Dorough was from the moment he was born, is now, and probably always will be the spitting image of his mother. She cuddles the baby close for a few moments and kisses his cheeks softly.

"I hate this." She says looking over at Howie as a tear slips down her cheek. He steps quickly to her side and wipes it away.

"I know baby... but this is it. This is the last project and then you can spend everyday with them."

"I just hate saying goodbye." She sighs and kisses him again before she places him back in his seat.

"Ugh," she groans as she looks down at her watch, "I'm gonna be late if we don't get going."

Howie opens the door and she pushes the stroller inside. He follows her quickly to the luggage check and sets her bags up on the counter. When they are finished there they walk to the security check together.

"This is it." She says as she takes his hands in hers.

"Yeah. I really hate this new airport security stuff... I wish we could watch your plane take off." He sighs as the line shortens and her turn draws closer.

She looks down at her sleeping children and shakes her head. "It's for the best babe. Go ahead and get them home to bed... I'll call you first thing in the morning. My plane won't get in until too late to call you tonight."

He nods his head and smiles. "I love you Mar."

She smiles... she loves when he calls her that.

"I'll miss you... but have some fun in paradise for all of us."

"I love you too sweetheart... I'll try."

And with that he kisses her goodbye and watches as she disappears beyond the metal detectors. He turns the stroller slowly and heads back towards the airport exit.