"Hey, where's my favorite three year old?"

"Nick, you made it!" Anna, Kevin's wife, exclaimed with pleasure, having spotted him.

"Of course, wouldn't have missed this for the world," he answered, scooping her son out of her arms. "Hey Jamie, how's it going buddy?"

"Hi," was all the excited child could muster, before he began to wriggle out of Nick's arms. He set him down, and watched him scamper off, then turned to greet the rest of the gathered people.

"Pulling out all the stops, aren't we, old man?" he asked Kevin, surveying the amount of people who were there, just for Jamie's third birthday.

"Anna got a little emotional. She's going through that nesting thing again, like she did with Jamie. She wants her family all around her," Kevin explained with a sigh. Nick laughed, knowing that it was probably the other way around. Anna, four months pregnant, was a constant distraction to Kevin as he was constantly worried about her. He couldn't leave the house for half an hour without worrying so much he'd have to call to make sure she was all right.

Nick could appreciate that. Anna and Jamie were Kevin's joy; and with another on the way, Kevin was so full of nervous energy, he was driving everyone crazy.

"Nick, come and meet the woman who's stolen my heart!" AJ called over the buzz of the crowd.

"How can she have stolen your heart when she already has mine?" Nick called back, with a laugh, making his way over to AJ and Jasmine. He was greeted by a hug by both of them.

"Now, Jasmine, you've been with this wretch for quite awhile now. When are you gonna make an honest man out of him?"

"You know that could never happen, Nickolas, there's not an honest bone in that man's body," she laughed, as AJ glared at her over his sunglasses.

"Haven't seen you around in awhile, Nicky, where've you been hiding yourself?" he asked.

"Been busy, man. You know how it can be. Some of the groups we signed are actually starting to pick up some speed, they need a bit of help along the way. I've been out with a few of them, living the good old days," he laughed.

"Yeah, remember them? Crappy motels and singing in malls. Thos were the days, my friend."

"He's actually lying, Jasmine, don't believe a word he says," Nick laughed.

"Nick Carter, where the hell have you been hiding yourself?" a familiar voice called through the crowd. The next thing he knew, he was being engulfed by a giant hug.

"Lacey, let the man breath," Brian was advising, attempting to pry her off of him.

"Thanks, Brian. Why do you always choose the crazy ones?"

"You have a lot of explaining to do, young man. You haven't been to see your goddaughter in a few months. Months, Carter! She's going to be walking soon!" Lacey began lecturing him.

"Did you bring her?" Nick asked, his eyes lighting up. Brian looked a little guilty.

"Uh, no, we left her with a sitter for the afternoon. She's got a bit of a cold, and we don't want Emily to get the others sick," Brian explained.

"That just means you'll have to come and see her yourself, you lazy ass."

"Lacey, I've been busy, you know how it is."

"No, I don't. Explain it to me."

"What is this, the Spanish Inquisition?"

"Well, someone needs to keep you on your feet. You've been slipping ever since…" Lacey trailed off, wishing she hadn't started. Nick looked away, and sighed.

"Let's not get into this today, Lacey. Later, I promise you can berate me all you want," Nick said with a smile, relieving the tension of that moment.

"You can be sure I will, Carter. Don't you think for a moment you're getting way from me this time," she laughed.

* * * *

"I knew I'd find you here," a voice came from behind. Nick didn't have to turn to look around to know who it was.

"Lacey, you're just too smart for your own good, sometimes," he answered back, not turning to face her. She came and stood beside him.

"Not really, I just looked at the calendar, and knew you'd be here. This is the only time you ever come back. I don't know why you don't sell the place," she sighed, gazing out into the ocean waters. It was gray day, the water was churning violently in the strong winds, sending large waves crashing into the shoreline.

"I was the happiest I've ever been here, why would I want to sell that?" he asked rhetorically. He only came to his old home once a year now. For the rest of the time, he lived in an apartment in Orlando, closest to the places where he needed to be.

"Nick…I know you don't want to hear this, but she's not coming back, honey. Just consider today the day that she died, because that is what happened. The day of the accident is the day that Cairo died."

"I can't just accept that, Lacey, you know I can't. I've tried to, so many times. Because once I accept her death, I can start to move on. But she really isn't dead."

"To us, she is. Because the Cairo that existed after the accident wasn't our Cairo. She didn't even know your name!"

"The doctors said that could change. That it could all come back to her. They said it could and I still believe it can."

"It's been two years, Nick. Two. She's been gone for two years! She's not coming back, and she's definitely coming back with her memory intact. You need to let go of that hope," Lacey said, cursing herself for how cold she sounded.

"I know that. And I want to try. How do I just accept the death of someone I love when they are still walking around, somewhere on this Earth?" he asked softly.

Two and a half years had passed since his whole world had turned upside down. Three weeks before their wedding. Eighteen months after Jamie was born. Two months after the last tour. Four months after her last book release. They had been on top of the world, and on one rainy night, they had come tumbling down.

Her breaks had failed. That was all they could say about the crash. No other cause, no other vehicles involved. Just a rainy night and faulty breaks. That's all it had taken to steal away his future.

When she woke up, ten days after the accident, she had been confused and frightened. Not knowing where she was, what had happened, or who she was. A few days later, she knew where she was and what had happened. But not who she was. That information was gone forever; swept away in the rainstorm.

For six months, they'd tried to get her back. But nothing the doctors were trying was working. She just didn't remember. Amnesia caused by trauma to the brain. Trying to make her remember him, to remember the life that they were about to have together, nothing worked. Until finally, she left one day, no longer able to stay with a complete stranger, knowing that she was causing his heart to break every time he looked at her.

Cairo had died the day of the accident. Carrie had taken her place.

"I'm ready to start living again, Lacey. Just tell me how, and I'm there," Nick said, turning towards her. She hugged him.

"Start by getting your family back," she whispered into his neck. He sighed. He'd cut most people out of his life after she'd left, not wanting to face the world. Not even those he loved. It was just too painful for him, he was a wreck. And after a year, they'd given up. Now, two years later, he doubted if they wanted him back.

"What's after that?" he asked.

"Get way from here. Go somewhere she won't haunt you. Somewhere that's new and fresh where you can get your creativity back. Start writing songs and drawing again. Play video games for a week."

"I think I've outgrown those, Lacey," he smiled sadly.

"Grab a basketball and go crazy. Go diving. Do something, Nick. Stop wallowing. Find yourself again. But start with your family, because they knew you best and can help you get back there. I mean all of your family, Carter. Us included. You've shut everyone out, and some people were considering giving up on you, until you showed at Jamie's birthday. You owe it to them," she lectured.

"Sounds like a good plan," he agreed. Together, they turned and walked away from the beach.