Nick heard Lexie's squeal all the way upstairs. He only hoped the neighbors hadn't heard it, too. He was still in bed, trying to catch his breath after their early morning love making. He always loved it when she woke him like that, her body and her love covering him like a blanket. Now she was squealing, and he wasn't even in the room.

Suddenly, the bedroom door flew open, and he sat straight up in bed.

"It's perfect, Nick! It's perfect!" She laughed, running and jumping on the bed. He scrambled to keep himself covered in case CJ walked in. She landed breathlessly next to him, her tiny tee-shirt and shorts barely covering her still sleep-warmed body. "It's the perfect house, Nick. It has plenty of bedrooms, it has a boat launch, beach rights, a pool and pool house AND a guesthouse. It's got the most beautiful light oak floors and huge windows and tons of natural lights. It's perfect, Nick, can we buy it, can we?!"

"I don't know. . ." He stammered.

"It's in Tampa, but that's only an hour or so from Orlando. Please, please, please, please, please, please. . ." She begged.

"Honey, I. . ." He continued to stammer.

"What's going on?" CJ asked, rubbing her eyes as she came into their bedroom.

"It's the perfect house, CJ!" Lexie said eagerly.

"It has the boat thing?"

"Yes, a boat launch, beach rights, a pool, pool house, guest house, and floor-to-ceiling windows. . ."

"Wow." CJ's blue eyes grew big as Lexie jumped off the bed and ran to her.

"Let's go see it, you wanna see it? Nick! Get dressed!" She yelled, as she ran out of the room with CJ. Nick blinked his eyes and then looked at the alarm clock as it went off.

What the hell just happened?

The house was deliriously perfect, according to Lexie, and CJ was pretty impressed, too. Nick had to agree that was really very nice. It was bright and airy, very much what they wanted, and it seemed to hold the promise of capturing more of their essence in it. This L.A. house still had too much of a bachelor/single dad vibe to it.

Lexie was on the phone instantly and made an appointment to see it on Saturday, making Nick fly back a couple days early. Nothing could contain her happiness as she showered and got ready for work. She couldn't stop talking about it, and started to get CJ pretty excited about it, too. By the time she left, even Nick was excited to see it. She gave him a list of chores, so they could fly out that evening to see it in the morning.

Saying Lexie was happy, was an understatement. She was floating the rest of the day, but her joyful mood suddenly evaporated into a jumble of emotions that collided in her chest when she was told Marty Portlowe, the private investigator, was on the phone.

"Hey, honey." He laughed in the phone.

"Hi, Marty. What's up?" She asked, trying to sound casual.

"I got that info for you. About that James woman, the little girl's mother."

Oh God!

"She's living in New York, and not very well. I got some pictures, it's a dump. She's got cancer all right and has only a few months to live, according to her medical records. I don't know what money she's living off of because she's not getting welfare or anything. She's not getting any child support for that kid, either. His name is Scott Thomas James, and no father is listed on the birth certificate."

"Any idea who the father is?"

"None. Doesn't even say in her lawyer's files."

"Can't the state make her tell them? Especially since she's dying?"

"No. I guess the kid will just go into foster care. He's four now. He'll be five next January. January 9th."

"Good God." Lexie sighed.

"What?"

"That's my father's birthday." She said. "AJ's birthday."

"Wow." Marty said.

"What about her family? Her parents, siblings. . .?"

"No clue. Christine James is not her real name."

"It's not? Is it professional or something?"

"As far as I can tell, it's the only one she's ever used."

"I wonder if Nick knew."

"Couldn't tell ya' that, hon."

"I know, I know. So, you have her address and everything, right?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Can you messenger it over to the auction house? I don't want it going to the house. Anything else?"

"Not really. She's worked as a model her adult life, was modeling when she hooked up with your. . .er...the kid's father and then she left him, went back to New York to be with this guy. . ."

"What?! What guy?"

"No idea."

"Any clue why she left in the first place? Left Nick in California?"

"I can only guess she went to be with that other guy."

"Could he be boy's father?"

"Naw. It didn't last long with them. Only a couple months." Marty said. "Then she did kinda drop out of the scene."

"God, I wish I knew why she left." Lexie groaned.

"Well. . ."

"What? You know something?"

"I don't know if this means anything. . ."

"Tell me! What?!"

"She had a procedure, about a month after leaving."

"A procedure? An abortion?"

"Yeah."

"Oh my god, was it Nick's child?"

"I don't know, I don't know that! According to my sources, he and her weren't too close after the girl was born. They had separate rooms. Maybe it was some other guy's and that's why she left. Maybe he did something. . ."

"No, Nick would never force a woman." Lexie said sharply.

"I didn't mean that. Maybe there was still something between the two of them, who knows?"

"If she aborted Nick's child, he would never forgive her. Oh my god." She groaned, dropping her head into her hands.

"Honey, I don't have much else. I'll send the file over to you, okay? You want me to keep digging?"

"Yes! Yes! I have to find out who the boy's father is!" Lexie's head snapped up. "You keep looking and I'll send payment tonight to cover your fees."

"Girlie, don't worry about that right now. Let me get some more stuff. . ."

"Please, Marty, I'm counting on you." She pleaded.

Christine might have aborted Nick's child.

The thought disturbed Lexie to no end. If it were true, what would she do if Nick ever found out? What if the child wasn't Nick's? What if she was having an affair while she was still in California? Somehow though, deep inside, Lexie knew that probably wasn't the case. The way Nick described her, she was too disturbed to cheat on him and be careful enough that he wouldn't find out. Then again, maybe Nick knew all along. That disturbed her even further.

Perhaps she loved him too much to see what might have actually happened between Nick and Christine. Maybe Nick was lying to her for some reason. . .no, that was ridiculous. Nick wouldn't lie to her. She would know. Nick had told her he never really loved Christine and their relationship was merely "comfortable". Lexie had always guessed that it hadn't been enough for Christine, so she left him. Lexie just couldn't rationalize why she left CJ behind as well. Relationships between men and women don't work out, but seldom did the mother leave behind the children. Fathers, yes. Lexie knew that one by heart. Howie Dorough and Nick Carter had taught her that not all fathers leave.

With a groan, she leaned over the steering wheel as she waited for the red light to change. She was on her way to pick up CJ, and the file that Marty sent her was locked securely in her desk. She turned and stared at the phone sitting on the seat next to her. She wished she had someone to talk to, someone to call, but there wasn't anyone who would understand. No one would understand what she was doing or the feelings inside her that were driving her to seek out Christine and to make some kind of resolution. Staring at the face of the insanity herself, she barely understood it.

The light changed, and the gentle honk behind her startled her out of her daydream. She took her foot off the brake, put the car in gear and headed through the intersection.

Nick helped CJ into some casual clothes and then into bed. She had been through this enough times to just go to sleep and her Dad would carry her to the airplane and she'd wake up in Orlando. Red eyes were like that. The excitement of the new house and sudden trip to Orlando pushed aside any thoughts of Nick and CJ's "date". Lexie had joked that it was nice of CJ not to be upset because her dad "stood her up." Nick tucked her in with a story and a kiss then headed down to the den where Lexie was answering emails. In the dim light of the room, the screen bounced an eerie light off of her dusky skin.

"You reading it or trying to stare holes into it?" He teased lightly as he came to sit on the edge of the desk next to her.

"Oh! It's just a dissertation from Aria, like always. I was going to just tell her I'd call her when I got there." She said, typing and sending the email.

"Baby, are you okay?" He asked, his voice thick with concern.

"I'm fine, just a little tired, that's all." She smiled as she logged the computer off.

"You want to go raid the 'fridge? You didn't eat dinner."

"No, I'm not hungry."

"I don't like it when you don't eat."

"I know, but I'm fine. . .okay, I'll go have a sandwich, okay?" She chuckled, getting to her feet and taking both of his hands. "And I'll eat it just for you."

He pulled her close and kissed her.

"Are you having second thoughts about Tampa?"

"Hell, no!" She laughed. "I really am just tired. I think it's the late nights with you lately."

"Well, we have a little time before our midnight flight." He smiled, pulling her into his arms.

"What about my sandwich?" She mused.

"I have something you could eat." He smiled then laughed at her groan of disbelief.

A hired driver took them to the airport, and they moved through LAX quite easily. Nick carried CJ onto the plane and strapped her into the window seat, Lexie took the middle one and he took the aisle. After a couple of drinks, Nick relaxed and they both fell asleep; tired from a long week and a quick round of lovemaking waiting for midnight to come.

Morning was dawning in Orlando when they landed. Weather had forced a layover in Dallas, but they still arrived in plenty of time. Leah and Howie were on the tarmac with vans to pick them up, and nothing was going to stop Lexie's squeal as she ran from the plane into Howie's arms.

"I can't believe you guys are moving back." He smiled, holding her tightly.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry I didn't tell you myself, but we just found a house and Nick had to make all the phone calls yesterday when I was at work."

"I can't tell you how much this means to me." He whispered into her ear as he drew her in for another hug.

"I've missed you so much, Dad." She smiled, pressing her lips against his lightly bearded jaw.

"Grandpa, Grandpa, Grandpa!" CJ said, jumping up and down next to them. They stood apart, and CJ held up her arms. Howie was quick to snatch her up, but stumbled a little under her weight.

"Good grief, CJ, you must have gained 10 pounds and a whole two inches since the wedding!" Howie exclaimed.

"I have not!" She protested as he put her down.

Lexie moved from her dad to her mom as the men greeted each other. Gathering bags, they loaded up and headed toward Tampa in one van while their luggage went to Howie and Leah's house in another.

"Thanks for setting all of this up, Howie." Nick sat in the very back seat with him as the women gabbed in the front.

"No, problem. I'm just sorry the kids couldn't come."

"Well, they already had plans with their cousins, that's cool." Nick agreed. "We'll see them tonight, won't we?"

"Yeah, I made dinner reservations in town for everyone." Howie smiled.

"You did what, Howard?" Leah demanded.

"I made dinner. . ."

"I've got a roast cooking at home and now you tell me this?" She sighed with a roll of her eyes. "I can't believe this."

"I told you I'd handle everything." He said in his own defense.

"You two need to communicate better." Nick chuckled. Howie grabbed Nick's ponytail and pulled his face close to his.

"Don't get between me and the woman fighting, okay?" Howie muttered.

"We're not fighting, I'm telling you that you are wrong." Leah laughed.

"You know what my dad did?" CJ asked, pulling on Leah's sleeve.

"What, Honey?" she smiled.

"He stood me up last night. On my date." CJ smiled smugly.

"He what?!" Leah gasped playfully.

"We had a date, but we didn't go."

"You stood up the pretty little lady?" Howie demanded playfully, still hanging onto Nick's hair.

"I didn't mean to. We had the flight and the house. . ." Nick jokingly begged.

"I think you had a date with someone else." Howie winked at Lexie.

"I'd never do a thing like that." Nick protested.

"Oh, I'll admit it! Don't hurt him, he was seeing me!" Lexie said dramatically. "Don't be mad at me, CJ!"

"Oh, I know how he can be." CJ play pouted. "He's a player."

The occupants of the van burst out laughing, until tears were streaming down everyone's cheeks and even their driver was trying not to cry with laughter.

"Howie, are you going to let go of Nick?" Leah asked, wiping her eyes. Howie looked over at the hair in his hand.

"I don't know. It's so nice and silky." He teased Nick, beginning to stroke it.

"Oh, knock it off." Nick groaned, snatching it away.

"It's as long as Lexie's. When are you going to get a haircut?" Howie asked.

"I'm not going to." Nick said, sticking out his tongue.

"You going to let him talk to you like that?" Leah asked.

Howie suddenly grabbed that spot between Nick's neck and shoulder. Nick let out an unearthly howl, and his body flew into uncontrollable spasms to get away from Howie's ticklish grip, leading everyone back into uncontrollable hysterics.