A.J. sat upon the floor in the rehearsal hall, with Tesia in his lap. She had just previously awoken from a short nap, and had requested a story. Needless to say, he’d quickly obliged to her request – besides, how often was it he got to read her a story anyway? Heck, even Nick was sitting there with them for the story. Funny thing was, he had a suspicion, that Nick was enjoying this maybe just a teeny bit more than Tesia – namely, seeing as the youngest Backstreet Boy was listening attentively and not daydreaming like usual.

“Look Munchkin!” Nick said suddenly, pointing to one of the pictures in her book. “There’s five puppies now! You gonna name ‘em?”

“Uh-huh!” Tesia nodded. “They J., Kevy, Bwian, Howie…an’ Nicky!”

Nick gave her a slight pout and tickled her. “You Lil’ Devil! You were gonna forget me!”

“Nuh-uh!” Tesia argued playfully, trying to squirm away from his tickling fingers. “I no forgets my Nicky!”

Nick smiled. “Good. Just as long as you remember you said that.”

A.J. whacked Nick upside the head playfully. “No hittin’ on my kid sister, Dork.”

“Who? Me?” Nick asked innocently. “Why would I have to hit on my lil’ girlfriend, huh? Explain that one, Boner.”

“Well, true – hey! Wait a minute!” A.J. exclaimed, suddenly realizing what Nick had said. “Since when are you dating a five-year-old? My five-year-old?”

Tesia covered her mouth with her hands as she giggled; she still sat in A.J.’s lap and was finding this all highly amusing.

“Hello! Earth to Boner!” Brian, who’d happened to be walking by, said. “Frack and Frackette here having been going out since last year. Where have you been?”

“What?!?!” A.J. cried. “I don’t think so!” He looked down at the giggling child in his lap. “And just what – may I ask – is so funny, Young Lady?”

“I a gonna marry Nicky!” Tesia managed through giggles. “Buts I gots to be older…Nicky saids…”

“Gee, thanks Kaos,” A.J. groaned.

“Hey! Better me than Kevin!” Nick pointed out.

“No, better Kevin than you,” A.J. replied. “Least I know Kevin treats a lady right.”

Nick crossed his arms and pouted.

“Haha! He got yah there Frack,” Brian laughed.

“Shaddup Frick!” Nick whined.

“Act yer age, nots shoe size!” Tesia piped up then, reciting what she’d heard her brother tell Nick all the time.

A.J. raised his eyebrows, midst stifling a laugh. “Nice one, T. Now, go tell Kevin that.”

“Kevy nots lil’!” Tesia reminded him. “Nicky lil’.”

Nick scowled. “Great. I’m being harassed by a five-year-old.”

“Hey, least we know Boner’s taught her well,” Brian chuckled. “Besides, you were more into that story you guys are reading, than she is.”

Tesia gave a small gasp. “Story!” She exclaimed, bouncing in her brother’s lap, now remembering her book. “Read J.! Read! Pwease!”

Brian smirked at them both, then went off to get them some snacks from the nearby vending machine out in the hallway. He was glad everyone had agreed on a fifteen-minute break, so Tesia could have her story. Though, he knew management wouldn’t be happy to learn that, should they find it out – he knew about the problems with management, as A.J. had confided in him, seeing as he had happened to overhear a conversation he shouldn’t have.

“Now, where were we?” A.J. asked, looking back down at the book.

“Da puppies!” Tesia stated. “J., Kevy, Bwian, Howie, an’ Nicky.”

“Oh, yes,” A.J. nodded. “The Backstreet puppies.”

“Yep!” Nick agreed quickly. “Us.”

A.J. gave Nick a sidelong glance, then resumed reading Tesia – and Nick – the story of the five little ‘Backstreet’ puppies. He never really liked this story of five puppies, but it made Tesia happy – and whatever made Tesia happy was worth doing; especially if rewarded with one of her famous lopsided grins that were a carbon copy of his. Nothing could ever beat one of those – nothing.