EPILOGUE

The flashes going off from the cameras momentarily blinded the five men as they made their way up to the small stage. A curtain covered the back wall, hiding the background until they were ready to unveil it.

AJ smirked as someone asked that all the press take their seats. His eyes scanned the front row to see all five wives, and a little boy sitting there staring up at him.

Howie ran a hand anxiously through his hair as they waited to begin. They'd gone over what was going to be said for weeks and they finally had it done perfectly, or as perfect as they were going to get anyways. Smiling down at Ty and their year old son Sam on her lap he took a deep breath and wrapped his arm around J's shoulders.

Nick flashed a smile at the cameras, he knew Kevin was going to wait until it was relatively quiet to begin to speak as reporters were still shouting questions. He looked out at the front row, seeing Lis sitting beside Ty and little Sammy, holding one of his toys in her hand. She winked and he smiled back, taking a deep breath as he turned his concentration to his brothers.

Brian tried to keep from jumping up and down from the nervous energy that was running through him. His eyes scanned the room full of reporters, photographers and cameramen before turning them back to Shan sitting front and centre in the front row. He grinned as she gave him a quick wave and he stepped closer to Nick, waiting for Kev to begin speaking.

Kevin took a deep breath and flashed a smile at Alec before taking his spot behind the microphone, the others flanking him on either side. "Can I have your attention please? The five of us are here today to make an important announcement."

He stepped back and let D speak. "After taking nearly two years out of the spotlight, we've got only two words for all of you."

AJ stepped up, taking off his shades and smiling at everyone for a moment before speaking, "Backstreet's Back!!!" he yelled as the curtain behind them fell revealing a picture of the five of them...the picture that would adorn the cover of the new album.

*****

Thousands of miles away, sitting in his house he watched the press conference on television. "Good for you boys," he said raising his drink up in a toast, "Good for you."

"Lou?"

He sighed as he turned around, "I'm in the middle of something, can't it wait?"

Kendal nodded, "Sorry..." she replied, taking a seat on the couch and glancing towards the television. Lou sighed as he turned back to the television, watching his Boys. She glanced over at him occasionally as he watched the screen intently, a small smile crossing his face as various questions were asked. In the time since his 'death' Kendal had been sent down to the remote island a handful of times to check up on him and make sure he was recovering well from the almost fatal poisoning. Six months before he'd finally been released from the clinic and he'd bought this villa where he now stayed, bought and paid for by his few remaining Swiss bank accounts each filled with more than enough money to keep him in the life he'd become accustomed to. To everyone but a handful of FBI agents, Lou Pearlman died on the floor of his TransCon office, the result of ingesting an unknown amount of poison. Paul Hardy had been arrested and charged with numerous offences including extortion while Donna had been named as accomplice. They'd managed to keep the trial low profile and any testimony with reference to the Backstreet Boys was sealed. As far as everyone was concerned, that chapter of their lives was over with.

*****

The wives stayed for most of the press conference, leaving only when Sammy started to get fussy and headed back to the waiting room just down the hall.

Setting her son down in his portable playpen they'd brought with, Ty sat down on the couch and let her head fall back. "That was exhausting." she stated, rubbing her neck tiredly.

"I think their running on adrenaline." Shan commented, pouring herself a cup of coffee. "Did you see their faces when they walked in and the cameras started going off? That's the most stunned I've ever seen Brian."

"They did the deer in the headlight look well." Lis said, glancing at the door. "I just hope their not keeping them there all day."

"They said an hour and I doubt D's gonna let it go on longer then that."

Ty replied, looking at her son. "He promised Sammy some quality father-son time before we left this morning."

Alec leaned over the playpen watching Sammy chew on one of his toys. "D's turning into quite the father..."

"He's changed...but they all have..." Jenn commented, taking a seat and turning on the small TV in the corner so they could see the remaining moments of the press conference.

"Backstreet's back baby!!" AJ yelled picking Jenn up and swinging her around.

She laughed, "AJ McLean put me down!" she said finally, shaking her head.

"Will do." he set her down and kissed her softly, smiling at the rest of the group making their way into the room. "So guys, when are we set to go to the rehearsal studio?"

"Listen to him, we haven't been officially back together for twenty minutes and all ready he's set for rehearsals. Hey J any ideas for the next tour?" Brian teased.

"Well as a matter of a fact..." he started.

Holding Sammy to his chest, Howie fought back a smile at his best friend's words, "Here we go again..."

THE END