- Text Size +
Author's Chapter Notes:
Added 9/28. Please read and review! :)

Wednesday, March 19, 2008
3:17 PM

While Kim was out with Rachel, AJ and Jordan just lounged around in the living room watching TV and eating way too many sweets. Next, they were going to watch a movie and Jordan was allowed to choose which one.

"What do you wanna watch, J?" AJ asked.

Jordan just groaned.

AJ chuckled. "You tired, J? Does your tummy hurt? I told you not to eat all of those cookies."

"A little..." he said quietly.

"You wanna take a nap?"

Jordan nodded and laid his head on his father's lap. AJ grabbed the blanket and draped it over him. He switched the TV from DVD to Cable and settled on watching billiards on ESPN.

Around 5 PM, Kim came home from lunch and shopping with Rachel to a surprisingly quiet house. She figured that the two of them would be bouncing off the walls...or something. She went into the living room and saw AJ watching TV with Jordan in his lap.

"Hey, babe." She gave him a kiss.

"Oh, hey."

"I brought home dinner." she said gesturing to the McDonald's bag and cardboard drink tray.

"Great. Should I wake him up?"

She smiled. "How long has he been out?"

"Since around 3."

She brushed some hair out of Jordan's face and felt his forehead. "He's still a little warm. Did he behave?" she said, looking up from Jordan.

"Yeah, we had a good time together. Watched TV, played around, raided the junk food drawer..."

"Alex! You know not to give him too many sweets..." Kim playfully smacked his arm.

"I know, but we needed something to snack on." AJ gently prodded Jordan awake, which did not sit well with him.

"Hey, sleepyhead. Mommy brought you home some chicken nuggets and fries. Are you hungry?"

He sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Kinda."

"You feeling better?"

Jordan shrugged.

Kim took out Jordan's Happy Meal and arranged it for him. "There you go. Now, you don't have to eat it all, just eat until you're full and then you can have your toy."

AJ took out his food: a double quarter pounder with cheese, large fries, a medium Coke, and a small iced tea, no lemon.

Kim got a double cheeseburger, fries and a Coke.

After they finished eating, they threw their garbage out and AJ cleaned up the semi-mess he and Jordan made earlier in the kitchen. He went upstairs to make a few phone calls.

He dialed a number and someone answered on the other end:

"Hello?"

"Hey, Rok, it's me."

"Oh...hey man." Brian said, a little distracted.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, just got a killer headache..."

"Oh. Are you guys staying in LA for this break?"

"Yeah, it'll be easier that way. The less traveling, the better."

"How are Leighanne and Baylee?"

"They're fine. B's just been going crazy all day, non-stop energy," he said as he rubbed his temple.

"Ha, Jordan's been the opposite. He just napped for a couple hours and had some dinner."

"How's he feelin'?"

"He's okay, still got a fever, but, he hasn't complained too much about his ear. He spiked an 103-degree temperature last night, but, he's considerably cooler and is eating and playing, which is good."

"That's good. Are they coming to Europe with us?"

"I think so, nothing's finalized yet." AJ answered.

"Okay. Well, Leighanne's calling me for dinner. Gotta go!" Brian said from "The Call".

AJ chuckled. "Alright, man. Later."

"Bye."

AJ hung up and called his friends Chris and Reneé to see if they wanted to go out and hit up the nightlife in downtown Los Angeles that night. They said yes and they would meet at AJ's house at 9 PM. Now all AJ had to do was tell Kim his plans and hope that she wouldn't object to them. He jogged downstairs to tell her and found her still in the kitchen doing a bit of cleaning.

"Hey Kim?"

"Yeah?"

"Is it okay if I go out with Chris and Reneé tonight? I haven't seen them since Nick's birthday."

"Okay. Who's driving?" she asked.

"I think it's Chris' turn."

"Please don't get tanked, you promised Jordan that you'd take him out tomorrow," Kim warned.

"I know. We're just going to go catch up, have a few drinks, and head home. I promise."

"Where are you meeting?"

"Chris is picking up Reneé and coming over here around 9."

"Alright."
---------------------

It was 9:15 PM when Chris and Reneé arrived. Jordan had been given his medicine and put to bed about an hour earlier, so, AJ and Kim curled up on the couch watched TV together until they came.

"Hey stranger!" Chris and AJ embraced and AJ hugged and kissed Reneé on the cheek and both went over to say hello to Kim.

"Are we ready to go? I think it's Chris' turn to drive," AJ said.

"Yeah."

"We'll be back by 1 AM. Bye babe." AJ kissed Kim and the three of them left for a night on the town.

They went to a bar and sat at a table in the back so they wouldn't be noticed.

"Drinks are on me tonight, guys. What do you want?" AJ asked.

"A Coke," Chris said.

"Cranberry and vodka for me, Alex," said Reneé.

"I'll be right back."

AJ went up to the bartender and ordered their drinks and a glass of Jack Daniel's for himself. He brought the drinks back to the table and sat down.

"So, Alex...how are things man? How was the tour?" Chris asked as he took a sip of his Coke.

"It was good. The shows in Mexico were awesome as always, there's a lot of Backstreet Pride down there. We're going to Germany next on April 2nd."

Reneé asked, "How are Kim and Jordan?"

AJ took a sip of whiskey and replied, "They're good. Jordan got sick though and they couldn't fly out for the last few shows. It's just an ear infection, he's getting through it."

"Awww...poor kid. Anything else new in your world?" Chris asked.

"Kim and I have to go to some charity dinner on Friday night, other than that, nothing."

"That's cool," Reneé said.

"So, what's been going on with you guys?" AJ asked.

Chris said, "Nothin', just working. Trying to pay the bills."

"You know I'll help you out if you need it, man," AJ suggested.

"I appreciate it, but no thanks."

Reneé spoke up and said, "I'm seeing someone..."

AJ perked up. "Who?"

"Ooh, wouldn't you like to know?" she joked. "This guy named Chad. I met him at Whole Foods. Weird, huh?"

"For how long?" AJ asked.

"A couple of weeks. He's a nice guy. Caring, funny, and he's a personal trainer."

"So he's one of those types..." Chris interjected.

AJ chuckled.

She took a sip of her drink. "Hey! He's a good guy, I actually have a date with him tomorrow night," Reneé defended.

"Ooh..." Chris and AJ both teased.

"You two are impossible!" Reneé scoffed. AJ and Chris just laughed.
-----------

Another glass of Jack, two cranberry and vodkas, and a glass of Coke later, the trio left and took AJ back home. It was 12:30 AM.

"Goodnight guys, it's been fun," AJ said as he exited Chris' Chevy Malibu.

"'Night, Alex."

"Goodnight, man."

He went up to the front door, unlocked it, and went inside. He quietly went upstairs and checked on Jordan. He opened his son's bedroom door and saw him sleeping, half-covered in blankets. AJ felt Jordan's forehead, covered him back up, and lightly kissed him on the cheek and went to his bedroom. He slipped out of his jeans and into some sweatpants and a clean t-shirt and climbed into bed next to Kim.

She stirred. "...Alex? Did you just get in? What time is it?" she mumbled sleepily.

He kissed her hair. "Yeah, it's me. About five minutes ago. It's 12:35."

"You smell like Jack..."

"I know, I only had two glasses. I swear. Reneé is a little tipsy though." He chuckled.

"Uh huh. 'Night Alex, love you." Kim rolled over and went back to sleep.

"Goodnight babe, love you too."
Chapter End Notes:
I hope everyone likes this so far, I really like writing this fic. :D