A.J. had just gotten off the phone with management – they’d yet again argued about the fact that Tesia was now on tour with the Boys. Management didn’t like it one bit, and every time they argued about it, A.J. plainly told them where they could stuff it. He loved his little sister and was not about to let anyone have him send her home before she was actually due back. Besides, if Nick could have Aaron on tour with him all the time, what was so wrong with having Tesia there? Of course, management had argued that usually Jane or Bob was there to keep an eye on Aaron, or one of the other Carter siblings – that Nick wasn’t the one who had to watch his little siblings while the Boys worked. A.J. had clearly stated that Marcus had no problem whatsoever watching Tesia, and had told him so himself. Needless to say, management was not amused by these turns of events – they were used to always getting their way – and this time would not be one of those times.

“Jay!” A little voice shrieked then - a little voice that came from his bunk on the bus.

A.J.’s head snapped up, upon hearing his sister’s frightened shriek. He abruptly stood up and hurried on back to where the bunks were – they were just before the T.V. room on the bus. He had been sitting out in the kitchen area. He reached his bunk and pulled the curtain back – he’d closed it for her earlier. “What’s wrong, Honey?”

Tesia reached up for him, and was relieved when he lifted her up, and held her close. She sobbed into his shoulder as he rubbed her back.

“You have a nightmare, T.?”

Tesia nodded slightly, head still buried into him. “Monsters…”

A.J. kissed her head lovingly. “Shh. There’s no monsters, Baby. And if there was, nobody here would let ‘em get yah.”

“Pwomise?” Tesia asked softly, lifting her head up just a bit to look at him. “You saves me?”

“Yes, Baby,” A.J. assured her. “We’d save you. You’re our Baby T.; we need you to make us laugh when we feel sad.”

“I goods at thats!” Tesia smiled slightly. She sniffled a bit. “I sits withs you an’ watch a T.V.?”

“Sure, Honey,” A.J. told her. “Just for a bit though. It’s late, and you need your beauty sleep.”

Tesia frowned at him. “I no pretty now?”

A.J. chuckled. “Baby, you’re beautiful! But you do need your sleep.”

Tesia gave him a small smile. “You pretty too.”

A.J. just laughed as he carried her into the T.V. room. “Hey guys. Look whose still up.”

The other four Boys looked up at smiled when they spotted the little girl in her brother’s protective arms. They’d heard her scream and had wondered what was wrong, but knew A.J. would beat them all there – so, technically, there was no point in any of them bothering to get up and check on her. Thus being the whole reason they were all still lounging about watching Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

“She okay?” Howie asked. “We heard her scream.”

“Nightmare,” A.J. answered.

“What about?” Kevin wanted to know, as A.J. took the seat on the couch next to him.

“Monsters…” Tesia whispered. “They a eats me! An’ Nicky!”

“And Nicky? Whoa!” Brian, whom was sitting over in the armchair, piped up. “That must’ve been a scary dream.”

“Uh-huh,” Tesia nodded slowly. She loved her Nicky, and didn’t like watching him get eaten by monsters. “It scary.”

Kevin, as per usual, reached over and rubbed her back while she remained seated in A.J.’s lap. “You’re safe now, Honey. We’ll protect you.”

Tesia squirmed out of her brother’s grasp and crawled into Kevin’s lap. This was normal, so none of them were too surprised. She surprised them with what she did next though. She moved on to Howie’s lap, and looked up at him expectantly. “Kiss pwease,” was all she said.

Howie smiled down at her. “Sure, Munchkin.” He leaned down and gave her a small peck, shocking the other Boys even more. Though, he too loved Tesia, he was usually the one who got fed up with her the easiest. He wasn’t used to whiney, little girls who were big sucks and loved to be cuddled – he was used to rambunctious little boys – namely, Aaron, as he was with them more often than her. “Feel better now?”

Tesia shifted slightly, so she could give him a kiss of her own. “Uh-huh.” She then turned and reached down to where Nick sat upon the floor at Kevin’s feet. She patted his head. “My Nicky.”

“Hey! Watch the hair, Munchkin!” Nick said, moving his head out of reach of her hand.

Tesia frowned, then pouted down at him. “I saves you from monsters,” she told him. “Be nice.”

Brian chuckled. “She sure told you, Frack.”

“Shaddup, Frick,” Nick mumbled sleepily. He sat up long enough to give her a kiss. “Now, shush Munchkin. Watch Willie.”

Tesia looked at the screen then and clapped her hands, upon finding Will Smith on the screen. “Willie!” She bounced slightly in Howie’s lap, then crawled back over Kevin to her brother. “I sits here!” She confirmed.

A.J. nodded his approval. “Good choice, Babe.” He kissed her head, and wrapped his arms about her in a backwards hug.

Tesia leaned her head back against his chest, so she could look up at him – she was facing the television. “Kiss!” She said. “Pwease J.?”

A.J. smiled down at her. “Yah don’t hafta ask, Babe.” He gave her a quick peck, then covered her face in kisses, thus making her squeal with laughter. He stopped moments later. “I love you, Baby T.”

“Loves J.!” Tesia declared, then turned her eyes back to the T.V. “An’ Willie!”

A.J. laughed and let her sit in his lap, until he was ready to go to bed. Once he was tired enough to sleep, he carried her back to his bunk and set her in. then once he was only in boxers and pajama pants, he climbed up to lie next to her. He lay there stroking her small face softly, as he kissed her forehead occasionally. “I don’t know why management wants you gone, T.,” he whispered to the sleeping child next to him. “But I won’t let them or anyone else take you from me – not yet. You make me happy, Baby, more than anything else in the world. You’re my Princess too, and not just Kevin’s – though he may be the bigger softie when yah older.” He sighed. “But I will keep you here T. I shall – and that’s a promise.”

“You are the sunshine in my life… You are the apple of my eye…” A.J. sang softly, as he snuggled down under the covers and rest his head upon the pillow. He pulled her a bit closer, and gave her head one last kiss, before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep for the night.