"Now, you guys stay close, alright?" A.J. McLean told the two children with him. "I don't want you guys get to lost."

"We'll stay close, Uncle A.J.," Baylee Littrell answered. "Right Ashlynn?"

Ashlynn nodded in response, and gave her Daddy A.J. an innocent smile.

A.J. smiled back, shaking his head. "Best behaviour, Ashlynn. I'm not afraid to spank your naughty bottom in public."

Ashlynn immediately covered her bottom and inched herself closer to Baylee. She didn't want to be spanked - especially not in public.

"C'n we look at toys too, Uncle A.J.?" Baylee asked hopefully.

"Do you know where they are Bay?"

Baylee nodded. "Uh-huh. Dad lets me go there by myself sometimes."

"Then how about you and Ashlynn go ahead to the toys, and I'll meet you guys there in a little bit," A.J. suggested. "But just toys, guys. I don't want to have to look for you all over the store."

"Okay!" Baylee grinned, grabbing Ashlynn's hand and hurrying her along.

"Walk!" A.J. called out after them, chuckling as he watched the two eight-year-olds slow down. "Crazy kids." He shook his head, then went about looking for what he'd come to the store for.

Baylee proudly led Ashlynn to the toy section, and smiled at her when he heard her gasp. "Whatcha find?" He asked.

Ashlynn smiled back, as she held up a Princess Barbie.

Baylee rolled his eyes. Barbies were so - so girly. "Wanna look at the games an' Ninja Turtles?"

Ashlynn nodded. "Kay," she said. "Like Turtles."

Baylee grinned at her. "I like Raph best!"

"Like Donnie," Ashlynn answered softly, as they entered the action figure aisle.

The two eyed all the action figures - from Batman to Spiderman to Lord of The Rings to Ninja Turtles. They looked at them all!

"Wan' this one," Ashlynn whispered to Baylee, holding up a Donatello action figure. "Think Daddy get?"

Baylee shrugged. "I dunno. You'd hafta ask him."

Ashlynn sighed and set it back down. She didn't want to ask her Daddy, as he'd probably just say no - he always told her no. Sometimes, she swore her name was No.

"What's wrong?" Baylee queried. "I'm sure he'll say yes - long as you're not naughty."

Ashlynn shrugged now, and went about looking at the other toys.

The two eight-year-olds browsed for quite a while, until A.J. finally came looking for them. It'd been while they were looking, that Ashlynn had pocketed something, deciding she'd show it to her Daddy later - but for now, it'd go in her pocket, so she'd remember to show him.

"Hey guys," A.J. said with a smile. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah," Baylee nodded. "We looked at everything."

"How about you guys each pick out one toy, okay?" A.J. suggested.

Baylee's eyes went wide. "Thanks!" He exclaimed, grinning. His Uncle A.J. could be really cool sometimes - long as he wasn't mad.

Ashlynn smiled big and ran to grab the Donatello she'd wanted ever so badly. She found her toy and hurried back to her Daddy A.J.

"Whatcha get?" A.J. asked her excitedly, knowing she still needed extra love and praise.

"Donnie," Ashlynn answered shyly, holding it up so he could see it.

"Ah, good choice," A.J. nodded, leaning down to kiss her head. "He's my favourite too. Daddy likes Leonardo - yick."

"I like Raph!" Baylee told his Uncle, holding up his Raphael action figure. "Dad likes Mikey 'cause it reminds him of Uncle Nick."

A.J. chuckled. "I guess Uncle Nick is kind of like Mikey."

Ashlynn giggled, as she followed Daddy A.J. to the check-out counter. She handed him her Ninja Turtle, then snuck a candy bar into the pile of stuff they were getting.

"Bay, why don't you grab a candy bar too," A.J. told him, having had seen Ashlynn sneak her candy bar in. "And why don't you guys grab some for Krissy, Ben, and Jamie too."

"Okay!" Baylee agreed, picking his and three more out - with Ashlynn's help.

Once everything was paid for they left the store, A.J. carrying the bags and Ashlynn holding his shirt and Baylee's hand. They went through the security thing, which immediately started to beep like crazy.

A.J. frowned. "What the...? I paid for everything."

"Excuse me Sir," the cashier said sheepishly. "Maybe something didn't ring through. Just let me check your bag, to make sure I didn't miss anything."

A.J. shrugged and handed his bag over - he knew it could happen that something didn't ring through properly.

"Well, it seems everything's been rung through," the cashier told him a few minutes later. "I really don't know why the thing went off."

"Don't worry about it," A.J. assured the girl. "I'm in no hurry today."

It was then Ashlynn remembered that she'd pocketed a toy to show him, but never had. She quickly looks away, afraid he'd know something was up just by looking at her. She hadn't meant to steal, but she was afraid if she told Daddy A.J. she'd made the thing beep, he'd be mad, so she kept quiet instead.

The three of them headed for the food court out in the middle of the mall, where A.J. had Baylee and Ashlynn sit at a table with their bags, while he got them all some lunch.

It was while A.J. was ordering their food, that Ashlynn confessed to Baylee.

"Baylee..." Ashlynn whispered quietly. "I made beep."

Baylee looked confused. "Made what beep?"

"The thingy..."

"The security alarm?"

Ashlynn nodded sheepishly.

"But how?" Baylee asked curiously.

Ashlynn silently pulled the small stuffed Scooby-Doo out of her pocket. "I wanna show Daddy, an' forgot."

"You stole it!" Baylee gasped, shocked.

"It accident!" Ashlynn cried softly. "I forgot it there!"

"Uncle A.J.'s gonna be mad," Baylee stated. "You gotta tell him."

"No!" Ashlynn said. "He not gonna listen! I no mean to!"

"Just tell him what you told me," Baylee said. "But if yah don't tell him soon, an' he finds out later, then you'll be in a lotta trouble Ashlynn."

Ashlynn bit her lip, looking worried, as she stuck the toy back in her pocket. She really did not want that spanking - and she really had not meant to steal - again.

A.J. came back then, and they ate their lunches as though nothing was wrong. After lunch, they walked around the mall for a while, just enjoying themselves. They even got some ice cream, as a treat.

The more treats they got, the worse Ashlynn felt - but still she kept quiet. Maybe she could just take the toy home and hide it? She'd never play with it, and this way her Daddies wouldn't no, and there'd be no spankings - that'd work, wouldn't it?

"Tell him!" Baylee hissed later on. "It's wrong Ashlynn!"

"No!" Ashlynn hissed back, still feeling scared.

"Tell me what?" A.J. asked casually, having had heard Baylee. "What's up, Ash?"

Ashlynn shrugged some, not uttering a word.

A.J. frowns, as he can tell something's up. "You know what lying will get you, Ashlynn."

Ashlynn squirmed some under her Daddy A.J.'s stern gaze. "I sorry..." She whispered.

"For what?" A.J. questioned, utterly confused.

Ashlynn glanced at Baylee, then sheepishly pulled the small stuffed Scooby-Doo from her pocket.

A.J. frowned. "Where'd you get that?" He demanded, hoping she'd just found it in the mall.

"I beep," Ashlynn answered quietly.

A.J.'s frown deepend. "You stole it?"

Ashlynn nodded sheepishly. She hadn't meant to! She really had forgotten she'd stuck it in her pocket.

A.J. eyed Baylee. "And you knew about it?"

Baylee nodded, feeling ashamed now. "Since lunch," he admitted.

A.J. shook his head in disbelief, and smacked Ashlynn's bottom, then Baylee's - right there in the middle of the mall!

Both children yelped, and Ashlynn started to cry, as Baylee's eyes welled up with tears.

A.J. signalled to Marcus, his old security guard from the Backstreet days, and had him take the bags out to the car for him.

Marcus nodded, and obliged, since he'd been following the trio to ensure no stray Backstreet fans mobbed A.J. while they shopped. It wasn't as often these days, but it still happened every once in a while.

A.J. took both eight-year-olds by their hands, and packed them into the family restroom. Once in there, he marched them into the handicapped stall, and locked the door behind him.

Ashlynn and Baylee both quickly sat down upon the lower counter that was in there. They didn't know what was going on, but had a feeling a spanking was going to come to them shortly.

"Now, explain to me just how Scooby wound up in your pocket, Ashlynn," A.J. ordered, but not in a tone that would scare her.

"I...I..." Ashlynn tried, but couldn't get her words out. She'd never been able to talk to her Daddy A.J. all that great. She leaned into Baylee, to get him to translate. "I wanna show Daddy. I keep Scooby safe, so I no forget. Buts I forgot."

Baylee looked uncomfortable with being her translator, but knew he should be used to it by now, as she always made him do it. "She wanted to show it to you, an' stuck it in her pocket so she wouldn't forget, but she forgot," he stated, then waited for Ashlynn to continue. "She forgot he was there, until the security thing beeped, an' then she remembered he was there."

"Why didn't you tell me then?" A.J. demanded.

"I scared," Ashlynn whispered to Baylee. "Trouble."

"She was scared you'd be mad," Baylee answered.

A.J. sighed heavily. "Ashlynn, I'm not mad, I'm disappointed. By not telling me, you lied. And you shouldn't have stuck it in your pocket in the first place."

"I sorry," Ashlynn whimpered.

A.J. rubbed her face gently. "I know, Baby. But you still have to be punished, because you were still naughty."

Ashlynn's eyes welled up with more tears. "No! No spanking!" She pleaded.

A.J. said nothing, as he took Baylee by the hand, and led him over to the toilet. He sat down, then stuck Baylee upon his lap, sitting upright.

"Now, do you know why you're in trouble?" A.J.asked him.

"I shoulda told you when I found out - right?" Baylee replied.

"Right," A.J. nodded. "By not telling me, you helped Ashlynn commit a crime."

"I'm sorry," Baylee said softly. "I didn't mean to."

"I know," A.J. said, kissing his head. "But you still need to be punished Bay."

Baylee sighed, and said nothing as his Uncle lay him over his lap, and pulled his pants and underwear down. He squirmed some, not liking the fact that Ashlynn could see.

"Ashlynn, Honey, face the corner please," A.J. told her.

Ashlynn sniffled, but did as told. She stood in her corner quietly.

A.J. raised his hand once she'd turned away, and brought it down upon Baylee's bottom firmly.

"Now, next time someone does something you know is wrong and you find out, tell a grown-up," he said sternly, spanking the bottom over his knee. "I'm proud of you for tryign to get Ashlynn to confess, but by not telling my yourself, you became an accomplice."

"What's...?" Baylee trailed off, as he yelped.

"An accomplice is someone who helps the other person do something that's naughty," A.J. answered, starting in on Baylee's sit spot, once the rest of his bottom had been spanked.

Baylee squirmed some more and kicked a little bit - Uncle A.J. was really taking good care of his sit spot.

A.J. slapped where the tighs and bottom connect a few more times, then stopped once Baylee's bottom was a nice healthy shade of pink. He sat the young boy up on his lap, and rubbed his back.

"Think you can be good for the rest of our shopping trip?" He asked.

Baylee nodded wisfully, as he rubbed at his eyes.

A.J. kissed his little blond head, then stood him on his feet, and gently puleld his underwearand jeans back up. "Now, go stand where Ashlynn is Bay."

Baylee nodded, and with one last hug, hurried over to where Ashlynn stood.

"Ashlynn, come here, Honey," A.J. said.

Ashlynn turned around, tears streaming down her small face. "I sorry..."

"I know, Baby," A.J. nodded, as he helped her sit on his lap. "But you were still naughty. Naughtier than Baylee."

Ashlynn whimpered, but accepted the hug and kiss he gave her. She started to cry more, as he lay her over his lap.

A.J. shook his head, and lifted her sundress up and lowered her panties to her knees. He then brought his hand down firmly upon her little bare backside.

"Now, I'm proud that you know what you did was wrong, and i'm proud of you for finally telling me," he began, slapping her bottom. "I'm also proud that you haven't used any naughty words or taken off on me at all today."

Ashlynn yelps some, and starts to squirm more than before.

"But, if you do something you know is naughty - like stealing - whether it's an accident or not - you need to tell Daddy, right away so he can try and fix it. And if it's an accident, and you tell a grown-up right away, there's less trouble. Maybe even no spanking at all."

Ashlynn gave a small wail, as he started in on where the bottom and thighs connect.

"But if you wait too long Ashlynn, like you did today, then there's lots of trouble," A.J. went on. "You know stealing is wrong, and so is lying. Now, you not only stole today, but you lied to me about it as well. I know you're still learning things, so I'll let you keep Donatello today. But next time, I'll make you take your treats back, alright?"

Ashlynn nodded slightly, as she squirmed and kicked upon his lap.

A.J. kept at the little bottom, making sure her sit spot was bright red before stopping.

"Now, we're going to go back to the store, so you can return Scooby, alright?" He told her, as he rubbed her bottom to help ease the sting some. "You'll apologize, we'll pay for Scooby, and we'll take him home later to sit on Daddy's desk in the Office. He'll sit there until I think you deserve him, okay?"

Ashlynn nodded, as he sat her up. She rubbed her eyes wistfully. "I sorry..."

"I know, Baby," A.J. smiled, kissing her forehead, as he still rubbed her bottom. "You're not in trouble anymore."

Baylee was relieved of his time-out, and sat on his Uncle's free knee. "I'm sorry too, Uncle A.J."

A.J. kissed both their heads, then set them on their feet. "Now, let's go pay for Scooby, and see about getting you guys some new shoes and maybe some new hats."

Ashlynn reached up for him, wanting to be snuggled a bit longer.

A.J. smiled down at her, then scooped her up into his strong arms, and cuddled her close. He looked down at Baylee, then scooped him up as well. "C'mon. Let's go."

Ashlynn and Baylee both sniffled, and hid their year-stained faces into his neck. They still felt a little naughty, but knew they were forgiven if A.J. was talking about hats and such.

A.J. carried both children back to the store, where they paid for the stolen Scooby-Doo. He then took them to get some new shoes - and of course, some new hats. The rest of their shopping trip went without any trouble - thus earning each child a few cookies each from the Sweets Shop.