Nick woke to the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore. He sat up and pushed his untied hair from his face. Lexie was still asleep, gently snoring from her side of their makeshift bed.

They had returned to the house after making love one more time on the beach. The window of this master suite was open just enough to listen to the sounds he had longed to hear for years.

God, how I've missed this. Everything. The waves, her, my daughter. . .

His feelings so overwhelmed him that he suddenly couldn't imagine going on tour to promote the album. He couldn't bear to be away from any of them again. His emotions caught in his throat and his chest tightened.

"Nick?" Lexie mumbled as she reached out for him.

Nick saw her hand gently fall on his arm and his diamonds on her fingers sparkled up at him. Nick laid down and gently rolled her onto her back, settling his body lightly on hers.

"Lexie, wake up." He whispered. "Baby, I want to love you."

He slipped easily between her legs again and her dark eyes fluttered open as he pressed into her. She relaxed and let him love her, waking her gently with each movement of his body against hers.

Lovers woke everywhere together, but some were still kept apart by distance. Kevin walked the solitude of his Orlando house, cradling his cell phone as he rang to wake Sabrina.

"Hello?" She grunted in the phone.

"Sabrina?" He answered her.

"Kevin?!" She replied, her voice always a mixture of surprise and annoyance when he called her.

"Good morning." He smiled.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" She grunted, but Kevin could hear the laughter hidden in her voice.

"I do and I wanted to catch you before you went to work." He smiled, suddenly realizing he was doing more of that since he met her.

"What do you want?" She asked, puzzled.

"I have no right to ask this. . ." He began.

Please ask. . .Sabrina hoped as she sat up in bed. From her bed, she could see the cityscape and suddenly remembered him mentioning it the last time he was there. The only time he had been there.

"I know that you're going on vacation starting on Saturday. . ." He continued.

Yes?

"Would you meet me somewhere? I'd. . .I'd like to see you again." He asked nervously.

Weeks of him calling and neither ever mentioning what had happened between them. Sabrina finally quit wondering why he called and just learned to treasure each conversation. They talked about everything, everything but them. Sabrina hadn't been able to let go of him as thoroughly as she would have thought. She had plenty of time to think of all the possibilities and all of the complications. There were times when she didn't care, like now, when his voice came through the phone and warmed the loneliest parts of her heart. She didn't know what prompted this turn of events, but suddenly, Kevin was ready to talk.

"Where did you have in mind?"

"New Orleans. If it's not too far for you. . ."

"No, that's fine." She agreed. Kevin let out the breath he didn't even know he was holding.

"I'll email you the hotel reservations and tickets."

"That's fine."

"I can't wait to see you again, Sabrina." She heard him profess.

"I can't wait to see you, too." She agreed.

"Are you going to tell Lexie?" Leah asked as she sat on the bed and watched Howie trim his beard.

"No way. That's AJ's job." He smirked.

"I don't think she'll have a problem with it, do you?"

"Well, she's married to Nick and told us to all 'get over it'. I don't think she's in the position to get her dander up about AJ and Tina."

"It's a shame Tina couldn't be here last night. . ."

"Hon, it'll be a while before we see her in public with AJ. She's not a real 'out there' kinda gal." Howie wiped his chin and then the rim of the sink, turning to hang the towel back up on the rack. "I certainly didn't hire her to hook up with AJ."

"Oh, How, you know that's not how it happened." Leah said with a roll of her blue eyes.

"Yeah, yeah." He sighed, rolling his eyes at her.

"Stop that!" She admonished him as he walked toward her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her back into the bed.

"Stop what?" He teased her with a kiss as he pressed his body down on hers. His hands began to tug at the tie of her robe, his lips making good on hers. Dark hands slipped over her silky skin as they made their way into her robe.

"Dad!" John's voice yelled, right after their bedroom door flew open. Both Howie and Leah jumped to their feet and adjusted their robes. "Oh man!" John groaned.

"What?" CJ asked as she rounded the corner.

"They are at it again."

"What?"

"All kissy-kissy." John moaned.

"Oh, yeah, Dad and Lexie are like that all the time, too." CJ shrugged as they both turned to leave.

"I gotta be at school early this morning, Dad!" John hollered at them as he headed down the hall to the stairs.

"Tell me again why we had children." Howie sighed.

"Just remember to keep telling yourself that you love your children." Leah sighed with him. "God knows sometimes I have to."

"So, is there a plan for today?" Lexie asked, as she and Nick stood barefoot in their currently empty living room. They had showered and dressed a while ago and then spent an hour trying to find enough stuff to at least make coffee.

"I have today and tomorrow off to get CJ settled into school for next week. We've a couple private schools close by we need to go check out. Most of our stuff should be here today. Your mom and dad sent the rest of your stuff over yesterday. The boxes are up in one of the spare rooms you were thinking of making an office."

"I can't decide whether to do that upstairs or downstairs."

"I don't care, but I've got some engineers coming tomorrow to design a recording studio in that loft over the garage."

"Okay. Did mom and dad mention when they might go to Paris?"

"No, not yet. I think your mom is afraid Caroline is too young."

"She's almost two. She'll be fine. They'll only be gone a week." Lexie shrugged her shoulders. "So, when the studio is done, will you work here instead of Orlando?"

"No. I don't think it'll be done until after this album is complete. I'm going to make the drive and come home every night."

"That's a long drive, Nick."

"Do you want me to stay in Orlando?"

"No! Of course not. I didn't move all the way out here to not see you every day!" She admonished him. "You're just being a stinker!"

"Yes, I am!" Nick laughed at her. "You ready for some breakfast? I'm starved!"

"I'm ready for some food, but not your smart ass." She reached down to slap his rear end, but he danced out of her reach.

After breakfast, Nick and Lexie visited two private schools in the Tampa area, before they decided on which one was best for CJ. It was promptly followed by a trip to a local car dealership, because as Lexie pointed out, he'd probably be driving the Porsche back and forth to Orlando; leaving her with nothing but the Prowler to drive.

"I told you to send another car." He groaned as she ordered the driver to take them to the local "auto row".

"I don't like any of those cars." She huffed.

"They are beautiful."

"Except for the over-powering smell of testesterone, they are just lovely." She added sarcastically.

"Lexie, you should have just sent another one. . ."

"I don't want one of those. I want a nice little sedan or something. C'mon, Nick. Please don't make me drive those . . .those. . .big boy toys any more. A truck or even an SUV. . .anything other than those. . .things. . ." She moaned. "Hey! I'll make it worth your while!" She laughed crawling over to straddle his lap. He laughed as she began to nibble down his neck.

"Okay, okay, okay! You win!" He continued to laugh as she ground against him suggestively. "What do you want?"

"A Lexus, with black leather seats and . . ."

"Jesus, you've given this some thought, haven't you?"

"I have a picture I clipped out at home." She smirked from his lap. "Please, baby, please?"

"I said, 'okay'. Tell the driver where to pull into." Nick laughed with a roll of his eyes.

Lexie called the driver and told him even what dealership to go to. They pulled in and were greeted instantly. Luckily, Lexie really did know what she wanted and was quick to point it out to Nick and then ordered the first salesman she saw to get her the keys. The four-door luxury sedan was tasteful, like she was, but loaded with amenities. Its black sheen was just calling her name and Nick paid for it without much hassle. They dismissed the driver and Lexie drove them toward home. Nick sat in the passenger seat, his arms and legs stretched out admiring her as she drove through town talking about all the places she wanted to go see as they drove by. She picked a quiet little place for lunch and they strolled up to the door hand in hand.

Lexie watched the deli clerk's face light up with recognition as Nick pulled off his sunglasses to squint at the menu board. She smiled and winked at her, then looked up at Nick.

"Why are you squinting?"

"I forgot my glasses." He said, continuing to squint up at the board. "Is that 'mango' shake?"

"No, it's marbled. . .vanilla and chocolate ice cream." Lexie giggled.

"That's fine. What do you want?" He asked. Lexie and Nick ordered soup and sandwiches as well as two "mango" shakes.

They were about half way through the meal and Lexie had commented on Nick's inability to eat without getting food on himself when mustard ran down his hand onto his sleeve.

"Oh, man!" Nick protested, putting down his sandwich and grabbing a napkin to wipe his arm off.

"Uh, excuse me?" Both Nick and Lexie looked up as they heard the third person. The young woman was polite as she asked, "Are you really Nick Carter?"

"Yes." He nodded, continuing to wipe himself off.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't bother you. . ." The woman stammered.

"No, it's okay. What can I do for you?"

"I was just wondering...well...could I get an autograph?" She asked shyly.

"Oh, sure, no prob. You got some paper? I got a pen somewhere. . .oh here."

"Great, you remember a pen, but not your glasses." Lexie joked.

Nick pointed the pen at her as the woman laid down a piece of clean paper and Lexie just laughed a little harder as he crossed his eyes at her. He got the fan's name and they talked a bit and he signed the autograph. She left with a smile and a handshake.

"That was sweet." Lexie smiled as Nick picked up his sandwich again.

"That's me." He chuckled as he took another bite.

"When do you have to go back to the studio?"

"Monday."

"Monday?! Didn't Dad give you the week off? He knew I was coming in!" Lexie demanded.

"There isn't really any more time for time off if we're going to get this thing out this year." Nick explained.

"That's just great!" She huffed.

"Look, we still have today, tomorrow and the weekend. You'll be so busy moving us in you won't even miss me." He smiled until her hand came across the table to grab his.

"I miss you right now. I've been missing you for months." She choked.

"Baby, don't." He groaned.

"Just a little more time. . ." She muttered near tears.

"Sh, sh, don't!" Nick soothed, pulling her to her feet and into his arms. "Don't cry. Let's go." And he led her out of the deli and to her new car. He took her keys and put her in the front seat as he went around to get in the driver's side. "Lexie, please don't cry."

"I can't help it." She gasped, trying to hold herself together through this sudden torrent of emotion. She had assumed they had all of next week together. Nick started the car and pulled out into the light traffic. He reached out and held her hand and she clung to him. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She apologized as she wiped her eyes. "I swore I wouldn't do this."

"I'll be home every night, Lex, I swear." He reassured her.

"No, you won't. You guys work all night." She protested.

"No, we don't. AJ won't stay all night because of Alex and Brian hates it, too. We've been going to bed by 11 every night, I swear." Nick said with a light chuckle. "It's really kinda pathetic, actually."

Nick heard her chuckled a little as he drove.

"Oh yeah, you know us. The old, and I mean, old Backstreet Boys. AJ can barely make it to 10 p.m. without yawning. Brian, well, he's been married for way too long! Kevin? He gave up his night owl days years ago and you know Howie, what a party animal, he's home by 6 every night." Nick joked. "And in the morning? It takes us two cups of coffee to even get into the studio and we spend all that time bitching about our aches and pains. I love Brian, but if I have to listen about his irritable bowels one more day I'm gonna scream! Oh my God! Did you have any idea that Kevin has bunions? Jesus, they are gross!"

He could hear her laughing through her tears as he continued his drama.

"And Howie bitching about how Leah won't let him eat this or let him eat that, what a whiner! Oh, but here's the capper, and I don't know if I should be telling you this about AJ, but he's putting some gunk on his hair now. Shit, he hasn't had hair since. . .since. . .ever!"

"Nick, stop it!" Lexie laughed with a groan.

"Okay, I'm kidding about AJ. He's never cared about not having hair." Nick smiled across at her.

"I know." She nodded, wiping away her mixed tears of laughter and sadness.

"I love you, baby, don't cry, okay? It's gonna be okay." He reassured her softly as he squeezed her hand.

"I know, I know. I'm sorry." She nodded.

"Don't be sorry. Trust me, I understand completely." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. With a twinkle in his eye, he gently slipped one of her fingers into his mouth and began to suck each one.

"Stop that!" She giggled even harder, pulling her hand away.

"I know we aren't expected to pick up CJ until much later tonight. We still have this afternoon. Let's go back to the house. I need to make love to you some more." He smiled, drawing the back of his knuckles down her cheek.

"I need that, too." She purred.