o~/Let's get this part started right/Let's get this party started quickly/Right now/~o
AJ sang loudly as he and Lori walked into Rebecca's house. "Hello ladies," he said placing a kiss on Alesha, Leighanne, and Rebecca's cheeks. Walking on through the patio doors, he greeted the guys with a very loud "WHAT'S UP!?!?".
Lori shook her head. "He's so odd," she said.
"Hey Lors," Alesha grinned. "Is he really old enough to be acting like Freedom Williams?"
"Huh?" Lori asked confused. "Oh! C & C Music Factory," she laughed.
Leighanne smiled. "So, how are ya'll doing?"
Lori shrugged. "Okay, I guess. AJ's driving me crazy touring and stuff. Mr. Johnny No Name," she said sighing and sitting down.
"No rest for the wicked," Rebecca grinned.
Alesha looked at Lori for a second. "There's something bothering you. What is it?"
Lori shrugged. "I don't know. I mean…I do know…I just don't…know."
Leighanne and Rebecca looked at each other having no clue at all what Lori was talking about. Alesha nodded in understanding. "Wanna talk about it?"
Lori sighed. "I'm…well…pregnant."
There was a collective gasp from the three other girls in the room and then silence. A few moments later, Rebecca asked quietly. "Is it…AJ's?"
"Yes, it's AJ's," Lori replied softly.
"How far along are you?" Leighanne asked.
"2 months."
"Wow. Does…does AJ know?" Alesha asked.
Lori shook her head. "I don't know how he'd feel about it ya know? I mean, he adores Taelen, as you can see," she said motioning outside where Nick, Taelen, and AJ were playing tag. "But I don't know how he's going to react to having one of his own…ya know?"
"Hmmm…" Alesha said thoughtfully.
Lori sighed. "I'm going to tell him tonite. Here, if you don't mind Rebecca," she said softly.
Rebecca smiled. "Less chance of him killing you or something. Not a problem."
Lori laughed softly. "Thanks."
"So, where's Kev?" Brian asked Howie as he turned the steaks on the grill.
Howie shrugged. "In Miami? He said something about visiting some of Carrie's family down there or something. Said he'd try to make it back in time."
"Hmmm…" Brian said thoughtfully. Watching Taelen and Nick he shook his head. "Ya know, I can't figure it out. He loves that boy, treats him like he's his. Yet he refused to have anything to do with Alesha when he found out what happened in her past."
Howie nodded as they sat down at the picnic table. "I know. He's confused. I think he's slowly coming around to realize what a screw up he was."
"Yeah. I just hope it's not too late by the time he does something to fix things," Brian murmured taking a drink of his tea.
"What do you mean?" Howie asked looking at him funny.
"Well you know about DarkStar, right?" Brian asked.
Howie nodded. "I've heard about him, yeah."
Brian sighed. "Well, Alesha's falling pretty hard for the dude."
"Has she even met him yet?" Howie asked, his eyes wide with concern.
Brian shook his head. "Don't think so. But I don't really think it's a factor. I mean, she's in love with what he says, the attention he gives her…you know. All of the things Nick was failing to do when he was being a retard."
Howie nodded. "Wow. How serious do you think she is about him?"
Brian shrugged. "No clue. She talks about him all the time. She's always online with him," Brian shrugged again. "I don't know."
"Hmmm," Howie said looking over at Nick.
"Did you know that they kind of spent the night together last night?" Brian asked.
"Who? Alesha and her netfriend?"
"No. Alesha and Nick," Brian said laughing.
"Oh really?" Howie asked, eyebrows raised.
Brian nodded. "Yeah. They…well…ya know…but apparently, she left sometime while he was sleeping. She left him a note."
"Hmm…what did it say? Or did he tell you?"
"He told me. Said something about waking up next to him would hurt too much, that she still loved him but knew what they had was over, and that she hoped he didn't think less of her than he already did…stuff like that."
"Wow," Howie said getting up to check on the steaks.
"Hey, ya'll, I'm hungry. Is the food almost ready?" AJ asked loudly walking up to the table.
"Oh, didn't Howie tell you? You have to cook your own?" Brian asked grinning at AJ.
"Whatever. I'll just eat yours," he laughed crazily swinging Taelen up.
"AAAHHH!" Taelen yelled as AJ tickled him. "NICK!!" he called.
"Where's Taelen?" Nick asked looking all around AJ and the other guys. "TAELEN!" he called.
"NICK!!" Taelen screamed as AJ continued to tickle him. "Hey D, you seen Tae? Can't find him anywhere."
Howie shook his head. "No man, haven't seen him around." "How bout you Bri," Nick asked.
"I'm right heeeeeeeeere," Taelen giggled again as AJ resumed his tickling.
"Nopers. Sorry. I'm not much help," Brian grinned.
"Where can he be?" Nick asked putting one hand on his hip, and the other was holding his chin, thinking. "AJ, have you seen Taelen?"
"No dude. Sorry," he said, swinging Taelen around and putting him back on the ground.
Taelen ran up to Nick. "I'm here. AJ had me."
"Taelen!" Nick grinned as he feigned surprise. "I've been looking for you all over. Ready to eat?" he asked placing his hand on Taelen's head.
"Yup," Taelen nodded, looking up at Nick with a grin.
"Ya know Lesh, if I didn't know better, I'd swear those two were related," Leighanne murmured watching out the door as Nick and Taelen were talking.
"Yeah, I know," Alesha sighed. "They act just alike, too."
"Hmmm…" Rebecca said watching Alesha watch the scene outside.
"I'm starving," Lori said standing up.
Alesha laughed. "It's started already," she said ducking as Lori threw a dishtowel at her.
"Shut up," she said walking outside. The other girls followed close behind.
"Hey beautiful," AJ said slipping his arms around her from behind and kissing her on the neck.
Alesha looked at Rebecca and giggled. Rebecca looked over at them and then back at Alesha and shook her head, grinning. Looking at Howie as a distraction she said, "Need any help?"
AJ looked at Lori. "What in the world is wrong with them?"
Lori, who'd been giving Alesha a look, smiled up at him. "They're retarded? No clue," she said.
Brian had his arms around Leighanne as she sat on his lap, his head resting on her shoulder. Leighanne smiled over at him, kissing the top of his head. "Heard from Kevin yet?" she asked.
Howie shook his head. "No. He's probably still in Miami."
"Lita!" Taelen exclaimed looking at her.
"What Tae? There's no need to yell, I'm right here," she said.
"Oh. Yeah," he mumbled. "Anywho, Nick's gonna teach me how to go diving. Isn't that cool?"
Alesha looked over at Nick, her eyes wide. "Umm…yeah. I guess."
Nick looked at her and shrugged. "He wanted to," he mumbled looking away.
"All righty," Howie said. "Dinner's done."
"Dudes," Howie said looking back and forth between Brian and Nick who were throwing things at each other. "Chill out. It's not our house. Remember that," he said shaking his head.
"May as well be yours," Nick grinned at him.
"Yeah. What number do we have for Howie on speed dial, Leah?" Brian asked looking over at Leighanne.
Smiling sweetly she answered, "His cell phone." Alesha and Lori giggled.
"Real number…ya know…home phone number?" Brian said making a face at her.
"Oooh…THAT number. Here of course," she grinned.
Rebecca smiled. "Yes, well. Ya'll never call here anyway."
AJ grinned. "That's cuz we never know what we might be interrupting."
Howie shook his head. Looking down at his watch he sighed. "Well…I guess Carrie and Kev aren't going to show up." He shrugged. "Oh well. I have something that I need to talk to ya'll about. It's really, really, REALLY important…and will ultimately affect the band. Either way, the decision likes with two people."
AJ's eyes narrowed as he took his glasses off. "You aren't leaving us, are you Howard? Cuz if you are, I'm just gonna kick your ass right now and -"
"Dude, Taelen," Nick said covering Tae's ears.
"AJ, sit down and be quiet," Lori said pulling back down in his chair.
"No, I'm not leaving, dumbass," Howie laughed. "That is…unless Becca wants me too," he said looking over at her.
Laughing nervously, Rebecca looked at Howie. "Why…why would I want that?"
Howie smiled. "Being the wife of a Backstreet Boy is a helluva lot more work than just a girlfriend."
"A…what…" Rebecca asked quietly.
"A Backstreet wife…dUh…" Brian said shaking his head.
"Howie…was that…did you just…" AJ asked his eyes wide.
Howie winked and walked over to Rebecca. Getting down on one knee, he took her hand in his. "Becca, I know we haven't been together for very long. But I know that I love you. I want to spend my life with you. So yes, AJ," Howie said glancing over at him. "I'm asking Rebecca to marry me."
Rebecca's eyes immediately filled with tears. "Oh Howie. I could never take you away from your family. And these guys ARE your family. Yes, I will marry you. But I could never ask you to leave them," she said wrapping her arms around his neck.
After he hugged her, he pulled out the ring slipping it on her finger. It was a princess cut diamond with two amethysts set on either side of it. "I love you," he whispered pulling her into an embrace again.
There was a loud "BANG!!" as Nick's chair fell over backwards. Saying nothing he rushed out of the house. Everyone looked at Brian. "What? I don't know," he said. He glanced over at Alesha and then back down at the table. The only sound made was that of Nick's car doors slamming, and his tires squealing as he pulled out of the driveway.
