"Mom," came the all too familiar call of my son as he came through the front door a little while later.
"In here, kiddo," I answered from the floor of my office where Kevin and I were once again going through pictures.
When Colt appeared in the doorway he froze at the sight of the man he had discovered was his father. They stared at each other and my heart broke. My son looked like he wanted to bolt while the man I love looked like he wanted to just hold him forever. They loved each other so much, but things had changed and they were scared it had changed them.
"Hey, kiddo," Kevin finally spoke, his voice tentative, afraid.
"Hey, Kev," Colt answered back, keeping his ground in the doorway.
"Come here, Colt," I said, holding my hand out to the young man who seemed so much a boy at that moment. "We need to talk." He came to me, grasping my hand with all his strength. I smiled at him as he sat down.
"Did you have a good time last night? Did you and Josh have fun at the movies?" I asked, brushing his hair from his eyes.
"Yeah, it was okay," was his quiet answer.
"He's not going to take you away, you know?" I promised with a glance and a reassuring smile at Kevin.
"It's just kinda weird. Kevin Richardson is my dad. He's been my hero for so long and now he's this permanent part of my life," Colt said, his blue eyes looking into Kevin's green ones.
"Well, here's the thing. We need to make and appointment to make sure this is right. Maybe we are wrong, there's a small chance of it, but we need to know for sure. Kevin's also asked us to come to Kentucky with him. He wants us to meet his family," I said, squeezing Colt's hand. "Your family," I added.
"You're my family, Mom," Colt corrected, fear taking over his voice.
"Yeah, kiddo. You and I against the world. That's how it's always been, but now it's me and you and Kevin and all the people who love him and who will love you. It's us and the other Boys and their families. We belong somewhere now, baby. We belong to someone, but no matter what we will always belong to each other too," I swore, kissing his forehead.
"I've never been to Kentucky," Colt said, looking at Kevin.
"It's great. Beautiful place, you'll love it. I promise. And my brothers, man they will be crazy about you. And you have a cousin, Will. He's just a little thing now though. Not much fun yet. You know if all this is true, if you really are my son then you belong to Brian's family too. He's your second cousin," Kevin pointed out.
"Cool," came the answer.
"You two need some time alone. So I am going to head out for a while and do a few things. Colt, I'll have my cell phone. If either one of you needs anything just call. Be good and be careful," I whispered, kissing them each before walking towards the door.
"Why did you say be careful?" Kevin asked.
"You're both scared. Don't let your fear turn innocent words and emotions into something they aren't," I warned before leaving.
My son and his father needed time alone, to learn about each other, to reclaim the bond they shared before their biological ties were changed.
~~~~~~******~~~~~~
I peeked around the house to see Kevin and Colt playing basketball three hours later. They looked so happy, so bound together in their fun and love. They were laughing and when I looked closely I could see that Kevin was letting Colt win or at least he was losing to him.
"You got your skills from Brian, kiddo. I'm not all that great but you're pretty good," I heard Kevin say.
"You think I'm that good?" Colt asked.
"Nah, I think you're better."
Colt grinned at his father and shot the ball over his head. It sailed through the net with a whoosh!
Maybe, just maybe we would be okay. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard. Maybe we could be the family Colt needed us to be. The family he wanted us to be.
While I was gone I had made an appointment to have Kevin and Colt tested. Though the chance was slim, next to none really, we needed to know for sure.
I sat down against the house and just listened to them. The way they talked, the way they laughed. We were complete together, a family, a circle. We belonged together, the three of us. Fate had given Kevin and I to each other years ago to create this new life. Colton was everything perfect about the two of us in this single life.
My cell phone rang then and I turned it on before either one of them could hear it.
"Hello?" I answered.
"Hunter?"
"This is Hunter. Can I help you?" Who was this?
"Hunter, its Nick Carter."
"Nick! How are you handsome?" I asked, moving away from the house so I didn't disturb the ongoing game.
"I'm doing pretty well. Glad to be home. How about you, pretty lady? Did Kevin show up?" he asked.
So Kevin had told them he was coming. Did they know why though?
"Yeah, he got here last night. He's playing basketball with Colt right now. He's really happy to see him. He didn't know he was coming," I said. I wasn't lying. Colt was happy to see Kevin just a little surprised as well.
"I hope you can cheer him up. He's been really down and withdrawn the last couple of weeks. I think he missed you, pretty lady," he said and I could hear him laughing. Oh, if he only knew.
"He's much better. I know exactly what the sexiest rock star needs," I teased back, hiding the truth. I hadn't lied in so long to anyone. Amazing how something so awful can always come so easily to a person.
"Can I get me some of that, gorgeous?"
"In your dreams, you horny thing."
"Oh, man! Big brother always gets to beautiful ones," Nick whined and I laughed, truly laughed.
"I've got a friend, little man, who would love to meet you. You two are two of a kind. You would love her, Nick," I said, thinking of Serena. They were perfect for each other.
"So let me hop on a plane out there," he suggested. He really was a horny toad.
"Give me about three more weeks, ok? So Colt and I can spend some time with Kevin then I promise I'll set you and Serena up."
"I'm holding you to it, pretty lady," he said.
"You do that, little man. I'll talk to you soon."
"Bye, gorgeous," he said
"Bye, Nick," I answered before turning the phone off.
"Was that my Nick you were talking to?"
I turned to see Kevin standing behind me smiling. He was really smiling like he hadn't been since he had arrived last night. He looked happy.
"No, Richardson, that was my Nick I was talking to. I have laid claim to the cute little blonde. At least until Serena gets her hooks into him," I teased, smiling back at him.
"Ah, Serena. The best friend I've heard so much about. Should I fear for Nicky?" he asked, laughing.
"Yes," was my answer even as I began to laugh with him.
"Come on, Hunter. I'll show you what a Kentucky boy can do in the kitchen with a little help from his son," Kevin said, putting his arm around me and leading me inside
Two and a half weeks later the phone rang. I answered it in my office and immediately called out for Kevin and Colt. The pounding footsteps stopped a moment later in my doorway as the two men I loved stood in front of me.
"The results from the paternity test are in," I whispered, reaching out for them.
Two weeks ago we had suffered through the horrible ordeal of having to draw blood from my son and Kevin to be tested. Colt hated needles, but holding my hand tightly he faced that fear to know the truth about a man he loved.
Now there we were fourteen days later about to find out the results. The pain, the fear was all about to end.
I listened to the words being spoken into my ear and felt my heart twist and drop. Then I hung up the phone.
"Mom?" Colt's quiet voice asked.
Here it was, the moment in our lives that would change everything. We would never look at each other the same again.
"Hunter?" Kevin asked.
I stood up, grabbed their hands and smiled. "You're a father, Kevin," I answered.
The next thing I knew Kevin had Colt and I in his arms and he was cutting off our air supply he was hugging us so tight. I felt his shoulders shake with sobbing and could hear Colt's whimpers in my shoulder. Two such strong men cried in my arms tears of relief and joy and completeness. We belonged to each other.
"I love you so much, both of you. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you," Kevin cried in my shoulder. I held him tighter, letting his sorrow fade away. Regrets were a waste of time. We had found each other again and that was all that mattered.
A little while later we were sitting down, the tears quieted, the sorrow gone, the relief evident. Kevin stared at his son. Colt stared at his father. I stared at them both and for the first time began to notice the resemblance.
Colt had his father's height. Kevin's son had his chin. They held themselves the same way, wrinkled their noses when they laughed the same way, watched the people in front of them the same way. When I looked I could see Kevin in Colt, a million things I hadn't noticed in the last twelve years seemed so obvious in those few moments.
"You're really my dad," Colt said, his eyes tracing Kevin's face as if seeing him for the first time.
"You're really my son," Kevin answered, reaching out to touch Colt's face.
"So what do you two say about a trip to Kentucky? My son has a couple of aunt and uncles and a grandmother he needs to meet," I said, smiling at them both
"Did I ever tell you I love the way your mother thinks?" Kevin asked Colt as he grinned at me.
"Yeah, she's pretty smart for a mom," Colt added, laughing.
"So how about it, green eyes? You gonna book us a flight to Kentucky" I asked Kevin.
"I'm on the phone now," he answered, heading for the phone on my desk. I looked at Colt.
"So how about it, kiddo? Want to call Serena and tell her about Kevin?" I suggested.
"You haven't told her yet?" he asked me, surprised.
"I wanted to be sure. Besides, this is your news. So what do you say?"
"Grab the cell phone, Mom. Tell Serena to come on over," he said grinning.
"He's your what?" Serena cried out twenty minutes later from where she sat on the living room sofa. Colt and Kevin were to her left and I was to her right. The news of Colt's paternity had come as quick a shock to her obviously.
"Kevin's my dad," Colt repeated, smiling a goofy grin.
"But how? I don't understand," she said, looking from Colt to Kevin and back again. She was utterly confused so I told her our story.
When all was said and done she grinned hugging Kevin and Colt. "I can not believe that the man you wanted as a father has been your father all along. This is too weird, munchkin," she said, laughing.
"Tell me about it, Serena," he answered, laughing as well. He loved her so much. She was as close to an aunt as he had ever known and he cared for her as much as he would ever care for biological family.
"I'm so happy for you, Colt," she said, hugging him again.
"Thanks."
"Now I need to ask a favor, CeCe. Kevin wants to take Colt and I to Kentucky to meet his family. I sort of promised Nick he could come out in a few days though. So would you maybe mind taking care of the kid while he's here?" I asked, knowing full well what her answer would be.
"You want to leave me alone with Nick Carter?" she asked, staring at me as if I was crazy.
"Just for a little while. He wanted to meet you anyway. I don't want to call him and say no on such short notice but I don't want him to come out and be alone," I explained, lying so easily. I had planned to leave Serena with Nick all along.
"Well, if I have to I guess I can watch the kid," she said, smiling wildly as she laughed.
"Should I warn the other guys Nick's gonna be out of commission for a while after this trip?" Kevin teased.
"Honey, Nick's going to be out of commission for a lot longer than a while," Serena taunted with a smile.
"The Backstreet Boys will never be the same again," Colt added.
"Nick," I cried, seeing the gorgeous blonde step off the plane two days later.
He pulled his cap down lower and glanced around and I laughed. I suddenly realized I should be screaming his name in a crowded airport.
"Are you trying to get me killed, woman," he whispered, coming up to me.
"Oh, be a man, Carter. Give me a hug," I said, laughing as he held me.
"You are a sight for sore eyes, beautiful," he said, looking me over.
"Hey, remember Kevin saw me first, little man. Though you aren't looking so bad yourself. It's good to see you again, Nick," I said in a moment of seriousness.
"Same here, Hunter," he answered, hugging me again. "So where is this beautiful woman you called me out here to meet?"
"I'm doing great, Colt is wonderful and Kevin is much more himself. And how are you?" I teased.
"Sorry, beautiful. How are you? You look happy. How's my second favorite Baby Backstreet Brother?" he asked, referring to Colt.
"He's wonderful as always. He's sorry he's going to miss you though," I answered, walking him out to the car.
"Miss me? Why where is he going?"
"Kevin's taking us to Kentucky to meet his family. I'm leaving Serena in charge of you," I said, smiling.
"You're leaving me alone with a beautiful woman. Must not like her much," he teased.
"Trust me, honey. Serena will wear you down a lot faster than you will wear her down," I shot back, laughing at the man who had such an amazingly dirty mind.
"She can wear me anytime if she's half as beautiful as you," he answered. I only rolled my eyes.
"Now you have to be on your best behavior. At least until she attacks you," I said, my voice serious while my eyes laughed a little bit later as we pulled into Serena's driveway.
"Attacks me?" he echoed.
I laughed at him as I left he car and knocked on Serena's door. She opened it smiling as always.
"He's in the car, CeCe. Be nice," I ordered, waving Nick out of the car. Slowly, he unfolded his tall body and walked toward us.
"Wow," he mumbled upon seeing Serena. She smiled at him and for the first time since I had met her, she blushed.
"Nick Carter, this is Serena Spencer. Serena, this is Nick. Play nice children. Colt and I will be back in a couple of weeks. Go easy on the kid, CeCe," I teased before walking away from them.
The last time I saw the before turning the corner, they were still standing on Serena's doorstep staring at each other.
"Honey, I'm home," I called out, walking into my own home.
"Hey, baby girl. How did it go with Nicky?" Kevin asked, kissing me.
"I left him the hands of Serena. I think they like each other," I said in a child's voice, laughing.
"I think I should probably call Brian tell him to find a new best friend," he teased.
"Mom, did you bring Nick back with you?" Colt called out.
"Nope, kiddo. I took him straight to Serena's. We'll see him when we get back. Are you packed?" I asked my son.
"I think so," he answered, staring at the floor.
"What's wrong, Colt?" I asked, putting my arm around him.
"What am I suppose to wear to meet my family?" he asked, looking up at me like the tiny child he had one been wondering why he didn't have a father.
"You wear the same things you wear every day, kiddo. Kevin loves you in spite of the clothes you wear and everyone else will love you just the same," I said, kissing his forehead.
"Promise?" he asked, smiling slightly.
"Promise," Kevin answered.
Colt broke out into a full grin before heading back to his room. He stopped and looked back for a moment.
"Kev," he called back.
"Yeah, kiddo?" Kevin answered.
"Thanks."
"If you breathe you might actually live to meet my mom," Kevin teased three days later.
I took a deep breath and looked up at him with a weak smile. I was so nervous. Terrified really. I was meeting his mother, not just his mother though. His brothers and his sisters-in-law and all the people he loved. And none of them had any idea who Colt and I were. They were going to hate us, I could feel it. They would hate me for ruining Kevin's life and Colt for simply existing.
"Kevin, they are going to hate me," I whispered just as the plane touched down in Kentucky.
"Trust me, baby girl. My family is going to adore you, both of you. I promised," he said, squeezing my hand.
"Aren't you scared? What are they going to say when you tell them you have a son?" I asked, casting a glance at our sleeping child next to me.
"I know you may think it's hard to believe after what your parents did, Hunter, but my family loves me unconditionally. They will accept and love both you and Colt after the shock wears off," Kevin said, kissing me gently.
"I hope you're right, Kevin. Because I used to think my family would do the same thing."
Before leaving Colorado we had talked about how we were going to do this. Kevin's brother Jerald was meeting us at the airport but we would keep the truth to ourselves till we had the family all together back at the house. So when we stepped off the plane a little later I knew it was killing Kevin not to be able to tell his brother who Colt was.
They embraced and laughing and fighting tears. Kevin was use to being gone long periods of time but that didn't make the pain of missing his family any less. It was obvious how close he and Jerald were as they stood in the airport holding on to each other.
"So, how is my favorite little brother?" Jerald asked a moment later as they released each other.
"Never been better, bro. Never been better. I have some people I want you to meet. Jerald, this is Hunter and Colt Deveraux," Kevin said, pulling us close to him.
"Wow! Way to go, Kev. She's beautiful. It's a pleasure to meet you, Hunter. And Colt, man you're almost as tall as my baby brother," Jerald said, smiling at a boy he had no idea was his nephew.
"Comes with the territory," came Colt's cryptic answer that made me smile.
"Come on, old man. Let's go home," Kevin said, putting his arm around his brother's shoulders as we made our way to the baggage claim.
"What do you think?" I whispered to Colt.
"He seems pretty cool," my son answered.
"That's your uncle Jerald. How does that sound?"
"Like it's going to take a while to get use to. Kinda like getting to call Kevin Dad," he replied, looking at me.
"Along with Uncle Tim, Aunt Tracy, Cousin Will, and Grandma," I teased, smiling at him.
"Yeah, those too."
Ten minutes later we were walking into the house Kevin's mother called home. It was beautiful, the kind of place everyone wants to come home to. What made it better was Ann Richardson wrapping her arms around me only moments after her son had introduced us.
"So you are what's been making my son so happy the last few months. I can see why," she said, smiling at me.
"The feeling is very mutual, Mrs. Richardson," I answered.
"Please call me Ann. We save things like Mrs. Richardson for wedding days, right, Tracy?" she asked, her daughter-in-law, holding her hand out to the younger woman.
"Has a beautiful ring to it," Tracy answered, taking her mother-in-law's hand and stepping forward.
"Hunter, Colt, this is my favorite sister-in-law, Tracy. She's Tim's wife," Kevin explained.
Tracy hugged me briefly and turned to smile at Colt. "You know if I didn't think it was absolutely ridiculous I would think you were Kevin's son you two look so much alike."
Colt looked up at me and grinned a silly grin. "Thanks, Tracy," he answered.
A child's scream drifted in from the other room and we made our way towards it. Sitting in the floor surrounded by toys was Tracy and Tim's son Will. His father sat in front of him grinning wildly at something wonderful his son had done.
"Hey, Pops. Get off the floor and come see me," Kevin demanded, smiling at his brother.
"Kev," Tim called out, scooping his son up and coming towards his brother. "How are you, little brother?" he asked, hugging him.
"Never been better. Tim, this is Hunter and Colt. This is my big brother Tim and this gorgeous guy in his arms is his son Will," Kevin said, taking the baby from his brother.
He was crazy about him. You couldn't doubt that the way he smiled at the little boy, giving over his complete attention. As beautiful as the sight was it hurt to see it and when I looked at Colt I could see the hurt in his eyes as well.
My son had missed moments like that with his father. Kevin would have been crazy for the boy Colt had been and Colt missed that. I had missed that. Those moments when Kevin should have laughed at Colt's toothless grin, nights of two a.m. feedings, joy at a first step. He had missed so much and for the rest of our lives we would mourn that.
We had a new chance though. A chance not to miss anymore moments, anymore smiles. We were together again and if we did things right Colt would never miss his father again.
Once all the introductions were made Kevin had his family sit down. Here was the moment to change everything. They would love us or hate us, accept us or ban us.
"What I am about to tell you is going to shock you beyond words. You may not even believe me at first. I know it sounded crazy to me when Hunter told me but when I calmed down I knew it was truth," Kevin began.
He looked at me where I stood next to him holding his hand then smiled at his son. Colt nodded and slid his hand into his father's. A united front against an unknown.
"Colt is my son," Kevin confessed.
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