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Fairy Bunny, the King of the Manor is dead.


There were no more Fairy Bunnies in Nick's heart. Lexie let the slip of paper lie with all the others she had scribbled on, across the bed and scattered on the floor. She figured she only thought of it now, because Nick's bunny was no longer on the dresser. She wasn't sure if he had taken it with him to the guestroom or not. She knew she didn't dare go in there to look.


All day she had slept on and off, taking calls from the family. Howie was doing the same, Nick had been there to visit, and CJ had spoken to Howie and had been a good girl. All news from AJ. She thanked him, spoke with her mother, aunts, and uncles and then hung up.


The Queen of Hearts is torn.


The only comfort she really had this day, was that she was sure her Dad would understand. It would be possible for her to be there when he's transferred, she agreed to go with her mother and him. That had been good. Today, though, she needed to rest. Away from her father and away from Nick's anger.


The phone rang in her hand.


"Hello?"


"Lex?"


"Jake?"


"Hey, girl!"


"Hey, buddy!" She laughed.


"I heard about your Dad. I'm sorry it took so long for me to call. Dad and I have been up fishing since last week."


"Whew, that's a long trip."


"We get along pretty good these days, so it's not so bad. It was just him and me."


"Cool."


"So, how is your Dad?"


"Well, it's hard to say. Other than the stroke itself, he's holding his own. Monday he's moving into a rehab center."


"How long will he be there?"


"I'm not sure. At least three months."


"Eww, doesn't sound fun. They think he'll be okay?"


"They say he'll probably recover some functions, but he'll never be 100% of what he was."


"Oh, girl, I'm so sorry."


"Thanks, Jake."


"Dad's out there now. I had to come back to school so I can graduate in June, then I'm coming back to Orlando."


"Yeah, I heard. That's great."


"Look, I gotta be straight with you about something."


"What?"


"I know about stuff there."


"What stuff? Christine?"


"Christine?"


"Shit, Jake, are you screwing with me?"


"No, no! Dad just said you and Nick were having some problems. He didn't say what kind. Isn't Christine like CJ's mom or something?"


"Yeah, or something." She sighed. "And we're not just having 'some' problems, we're having big-ass problems."


Since it seemed as though Nick was letting his Backstreet brothers in on it, Lexie decided to tell Jake. She only knew for sure that Brian, and now Kevin, really knew what was going on. Jake let her know they had decided not to tell Leah or Howie, but AJ would know by the time the night was out.


"AJ is going to shit." Lexie said.


"You think?"


"Then again, maybe not. He might just side with Nick, he's never been real loyal to me before." She groaned.


"Well, I'm on our side, girl. You know that."


"Yeah, I do, and I love ya for it."


"Love you, too, girl."



Christine and Scotty had a good, but short day at the beach. Lexie was surprised how accustomed Scotty was to being by himself. He would just play at his mother's feet and not fuss too much for attention. She had joined them for a little while, helping Christine back up the stairs to the house. Nick didn't call, but when midnight rolled around she called him.


"Are you coming home at all tonight?" She asked him.


"No. I'm staying at AJ's for the weekend. I'll be back Monday to take CJ to school."


"Have you told AJ yet?"


"Does it matter?"


"I already know Kevin knows. Rallying the troops or something?"


"No. I just think our family has the right to know."


"The Backstreet Boys have never been my family."


"We haven't told your folks."


"Gee, I appreciate that. It's not like they have enough to worry about."


"It's late, okay? I don't need you getting lippy with me."


"Fine, you won't have to listen to me at all tonight." And with that she hung up. "Bastard."



Sunday, Lexie went to Orlando and visited with Howie. She was barely in the door of the hospital and AJ was clamoring her for details in the lobby.


"Look, I just want to visit with my Dad, okay?" She arched a brow at him.


"I just want to know what the hell you were thinking to bring Christine back like that?" AJ asked.


"You know, somehow I knew you'd take his side." She snarled at him.


"I'm not taking sides."


"The hell you aren't."


"Look, I'm not. I swear. But Christine?"


"What do you care anyways? You weren't even talking to Nick when they were together. I'd just appreciate it if you would just stay out of it."


"I don't think Howie would approve. . ."


"You leave him out of it!" She suddenly snapped at him. "You have no right to even assume what he would think or say. His loyalty I could count on."


"I've been loyal to you. . ."


"Like you were when my mother died? Look AJ, don't get all paternal on me, okay? You suck at it. Just stay out of my and Nick's marriage." A deathly silence fell over them as they stood in the lobby of the hospital. "I'm going to visit with my father. If you don't have enough sense to stay out of our business, at least don't drag my parents into it right now, okay?"


She turned on her heel and headed for the elevator. Her own anger was boiling just near the surface and she knew it. For a split second, as the elevator doors closed on AJ, she wondered if she had been too harsh with him. She decided she hadn't. Nick had no business dragging AJ into their lives, but if AJ didn't have enough grace or brains to stay off the front lines, he was going to get hit, too.


"Hi, Mom!" Lexie smiled as she came into Howie's room.


"Lexie! I'm so glad you're here. Are you okay? AJ said you needed some rest yesterday."


"I did, Mom. I was just whipped. How are you doing, Daddy?" Lexie sat next to him and took his hand. His fingers gently wrapped around hers and tried to squeeze them. "Did you see that, Mom?"


"He's been doing that all day. Isn't it great?" Leah laughed gently, touching the top of his head gently, letting his curls loop around her fingers.


"Dad, that's great. You know it's me, don't you? I know you do." She smiled. "So, it looks like the move is still on for tomorrow?"


"Yes. He's doing well. He'll start his intensive rehab tomorrow." Leah glowed.


"How are you doing, Mom? I've come to take you out of here to lunch. You wouldn't mind, would ya Dad?" She squeezed his hand.


"I can't leave. . ."


"Mom, you can't stay here all the time. It's just lunch. You look like you could use some sun. Please?"


"Oh, okay." Leah smiled at her.


"I'll sit with him." AJ said from the door.


"You know, you need to stop sneaking up on people." Lexie smiled, but AJ knew better.


"That would be great. I don't want him to be alone." Leah stood and began to gather her purse.


"No problem. You have a good lunch." AJ smiled nearly as sweetly as Lexie did.



"So, how come Nick is in Orlando with CJ?" Leah asked her daughter as they began to work over their Caesar salads at the sidewalk café.


"Just giving me a break. He's going to tie up some studio time, too, I think." Lexie answered smoothly.


"He's been great about visiting Howie. CJ is still a little uncomfortable, but she spent some time reading to Howie this morning."


"She's at that age, but she's trying. She was very excited to go visit her Grandpa, and she loves him very much. How are the boys and Caroline?"


"Well, you know Tyler, he's always so resilient. John is still pretty upset, but he's at the age when he needs his father so much. Caroline is still just a baby."


"I'll see if I can talk to Nick about maybe spending some time with John, maybe that will help." Lexie offered.


"I think that might help. AJ has offered as well." Lexie couldn't help the undisguised snort, and Leah arched a fine eyebrow at her. "You two not getting along?"


"Well, he's not exactly the fatherly type."


"He's made his mistakes, but he's made great strides with Alex." Leah said, "But I understand your wounds are a little deeper."


"You could say that." Lexie sighed. "So, what are the plans for tomorrow?"


"Well, I've still got to get back to the house and pack a few more things. Cook was amazing. She got together some sweat clothes and toiletries. I don't think my house has ever looked so good." Leah chuckled.


"Well, Cook is a professional." Lexie agreed. "I could go past the house for you and put together another bag. What is he going to need?"


Leah and Lexie exchanged lists and after they were done eating, Lexie took Leah back to the hospital. She didn't go upstairs again, just returned to her parent's home. Nick's car was out front, so there was no avoiding him. She gathered her lists and her courage and headed inside.


"Lexie!" Tyler yelled as he ran across the house into her arms.


"Hey, buddy!" She laughed, trying to pick him up.


"I'm getting too big for that, now." Tyler laughed.


"I'll say."


"Hi, Lex." Nick said quietly.


"Hi, Nick." With Nick's appearance, Tyler was gone from the hallway and out to the back yard.


"What are you doing here?" She asked.


"John asked for a few hours, that's all. He's going to take your grandparents to visit Howie."


"That'll be good. I've agreed to pack a few more things for tomorrow's move to the rehab center." She told him. "How's little John doing?"


"He's been in his room, playing computer games. He won't go back out on the basketball court."


"I guess I can understand that. Mom asked if maybe you could spend a little extra time with him. Him missing Dad and all."


"Sure. I'll make a point of it." Nick shrugged.


"I'm going to go get those things." Lexie turned and headed up the stairs.


"Look. I'm sorry I didn't call." He apologized suddenly. Lexie stopped going up the stairs and turned to face him.


"I'm sorry I hung up on you." She sighed.


"I deserved it."


"Why did you tell Kevin and AJ? I can understand Brian, but AJ?"


"I just needed someone to talk to."


"That used to be me."


Yeah, when I could trust you. Nick thought. The look on his face was answer enough for that comment.


"That hasn't changed for me. Are you going to be back home Monday night?"


"Yeah. I'll take CJ to school, then come back for Howie's move."


"I'll be there, too." And Lexie turned and headed back upstairs.


She turned in to John's room and said 'hi' to him, but he wasn't that interested in talking to her. She turned to her parents' room and began to pack for her Dad.


Family pictures were scattered all through the room, on the walls and on the dressers. The children's artwork was there, including some from her childhood. Howie hung on to everything. He had two pieces framed. The first piece was where she called him 'Dad' instead of 'Howie'. That's always been his favorite.


Lexie stood and stared at the framed childhood sketch of her family back then. It was Howie and her and a pregnant Leah. She wrote 'Leah', 'Little John', 'Dad' and then 'Lexie' over each one of their heads. The next framed art was 'Mom', 'Dad', 'John' and 'Lexie'. She must of have been 9 or 10, maybe 11? She couldn't really remember.


She did remember how Howie just beamed when she showed him the first piece and that's why she began to start calling him 'Dad'. She loved the look of complete joy and happiness on his face. A few months later, after John was born, Leah became 'Mom'. Lexie knew it had to do more with the fact that she and Howie shared a child and she was feeling left out. She had only wanted to cement herself further into the Doroughs. She really had nothing to worry about.


I really shouldn't be so angry. I'm the one who hurt Nick. He has the right to be angry. It's not his fault he didn't do what I wanted him to do; didn't react the way I wanted him to.


Lexie began opening drawers and packing a suitcase from the list her mother had given her. She was coming out of the master bathroom and found Nick standing in the middle of the room.


"You have lunch?"


"Yeah, me and mom went out." She tucked her few items in the suitcase.


"I'm thinking we should talk."


"You know, " Lexie began as one hand ended up on her hip and another pushed her hair from her face, "when you're ready to come home, maybe we should talk then."


"Look, I'm sorry about the phone call. . ."


"No, you have every right to be angry. I'm just really not in a good mood to deal with this right now. It wouldn't be good for either one of us."


"You understand why it has to be this way, with Christine."


"Another Backstreet lie, I understand better than you think I do." Damn it! Damn my sharp tongue!


"It's for CJ. . ."


"I don't want to talk about it right now. When you come home, Nick, then I'll talk to you."


"Where does it matter where we talk about it?!" He snapped.


"Because its not about the damn Backstreet Boys. I'm not going to have a conversation with you, a private conversation, and then have you run and rally your boys. I know I screwed this up, Nick, but I don't need you telling that to everyone we know." Lexie slammed the suitcase closed and began to zip it shut. "I am very aware of where everyone's loyalty lies, Nick. I've known my whole life. I am a Backstreet outsider and I always will be, but alienating me further isn't going to help us fix this!" She grunted as the bag zipped shut.


"I was just looking for some help!" He growled at her.


"I don't know why, Nick. It's as plain as day to me." She turned to him and threw up her hands. "CJ needs to know who her mother is before she's dead so that one day she doesn't hate you like I hate AJ."