Brian and Leighanne laid in each other's arms kissing. One's lips gently brushing against the other's, and their tongues playfully exploring each other's insides.

"Make love to me" Leighanne whispered between kisses.

Brian lowered himself ready to enter his beloved fiancée when a faint cry came over the baby monitor.

Brian sighed heavily. "So typical!" he thought.

Leighanne rolled over. "I'll go get him" she said.

"No stay here. I'll do it" Brian said and kissed her one more time on the lips. He slowly arose from the bed and went to the room next door. He turned on the lights and walked over the crib holding his crying son.

"Aww buddy, what's the matter? Daddy's here now" he said picking Cooper up. "Oh my God" he thought as he felt how warm Cooper was.

Brian quickly rushed back to the master bedroom.

"Honey he's got a really high fever, I think we'd better take him to the hospital" he said trying not to panic.

Leighanne's face grew white as a sheet, and she walked over to her fiancé and took her little boy into her arms.

She felt his forehead. "He's burning up!" she almost yelled. Tears were threatening to fall.

Both Leigh and Brian knew that all small children got fever, but in Cooper's condition they didn't know how serious it could get, and so they didn't take any chances.

Brian quickly dressed, and took Cooper from Leighanne so she could do the same. All the while Cooper was crying.

"Shh buddy! Calm down. Mommy and Daddy are here" Brian said gently rubbing his son's little back. He tried bouncing him a little in his arms, and walked back and forth in the room.

"Ok baby, I'm ready!" Leigh said.

Brian grabbed the car keys and tossed them at Leigh.

"Here, you go start the car, and I'll bring him out" he said.

Leighanne left, soon followed by Brian carrying their little boy. Brian strapped him the best he could in the car seat, and then seated himself by the steering-wheel. He sped down the street in seconds.

Brian looked over at Leigh who was starring out the car window with a scared look on her face. He carefully reached out his hand and touched her face.

"Hey! It's gonna be ok. He's just running a little fever, that's all" he said trying to comfort her.

"I don't want my baby to die" Leigh said breaking into sobs. She covered her face with her hands. Brian's hand went from her face down to her back and gently rubbed it back and forth.

"He's not gonna die" Brian said his voice cracking up a bit. He felt the tears coming. "He's a strong little man"

"I'm so scared Brian. I don't know what to do. I can't bear losing him. It'll kill me" she said with tears streaming down her face.

"I can't lose him either. He's the best thing that ever happened to me, next to meeting you of course! We'll go through this together, alright? Let's not think about all that now. It'll only make things worse"

Leighanne nodded. Cooper had brought them even closer together, if possible. They didn't need to speak a word, but they would still understand each other. They had this mental connection that was beyond belief.

They approached the Hospital parking lot and Brian quickly found an empty space. He grabbed his son and him and Leighanne ran inside the building as quick as they could.

It was a total kaos, as expected at the emergency ward. People were running around hysterically. Doctors, patients and relatives were bumping into each other. Brian and Leighanne quickly walked up to the information desk. A young woman was sitting behind typing on her computer, while chewing on a bubble gum.

"Ecxuse me?" Brian said to the young woman.

She looked up at him with an annoying look at first but as soon as she realized who was standing before her she smiled nervously.

"Y-yes?" she asked.

"Our son is sick, he's running a high fever and he's kind of under special care so we don't really know what to do" Brian spoke.

"Oh um... I'll beep for a doctor" she said quickly signing off the Internet and logged onto the Hospital's system.

"Thank you" Leighanne said.

"Your name please?" the young woman said though she knew it already, but she wanted to be polite.

"Littrell" Brian said. "Double T and double L" he spelled for her.

The woman typed on her computer. "Yes I can see here what your son's condition is like, a doctor should be here any minute so stay calm" she could see how terrified they were, and felt really sorry for them. She enjoyed the Backstreet music alot and thought it was sad Brian and his fiancée had to go through this.

"Mr & Mrs Littrell?" a male voice called behind them. They turned around and there stood a middle aged man with a friendly look on his face. He stepped forward and reached out his hand for them to shake.

"I'm Dr Larch. Let's go and take a look at the little one shall we?" he said smiling.

Dr Larch took them back to one of the many examination rooms and asked them to sit down while he was working on Cooper.

Brian and Leighanne watched as Dr Larch examined Cooper, silently praying that their little boy would be allright. They watched as he listened to Cooper's heart, checked his throat, ears, eyes and took his temperature. Soon Dr Larch was finished and handed Cooper back to Brian who gently took him in his arms.

The two parents looked nervously at the doctor awaiting him to speak. Dr Larch sat down upon his desk crossing his arms over his chest.

"Looks like Cooper caught the flu" Dr Larch spoke. "But I don't think there's any reason to worry. He's a tough little guy. You can take him home to rest but don't hesitate to give us a call if he seems to be getting any worse", Dr Larch said arising from the desk. Both Brian and Leighanne sighed in relief.

"Thank you so much, Doctor" Leighanne said excitedly shaking Dr Larch's hand. Brian did the same and they were ushered outside.

They slowly walked down the hospital hallway with Brian bouncing Cooper in his arms.

"You sure gave us quite a scare there, young man!" Brian said chuckling to his son. Leighanne just smiled and kissed her fiancé on the cheek.

When back in the car Brian turned towards Leighanne with a serious look on his face.

"Baby we need to talk" he said.

"About what?" Leigh asked leaning in trying to kiss him on his neck.

"No Leigh this is serious ok?" Brian said. Leighanne stopped immediately and sat back.

"I've been thinking alot about you two lately and how I want my life to be. And I don't wanna miss out on Cooper growing up, not a single second of that precious time. He means everything to be and I wanna be there for him whenever he needs me. I don't wanna be a phonecall away when he needs a bedtime story or want me to sing to him. I made my decision at the hospital, thinking that 'what if I had been away when all of this had happened? what if something will happen to him while I'm on the road?'. And I couldn't live with that, knowing I could have done something for him", Brian said with tears filling his eyes.

"So... what are you saying?" Leighanne asked though kind of knew the answer already.

"I'm quitting the Backstreet Boys".

*****

Nick lay on his bed trying to get some sleep. He had been up since 3:00 AM feeding, changing and singing to Morgan who just wouldn't fall asleep. It was now 5:30 AM and he didn't know how much longer it would be until Morgan started screaming again. Being a father really took the toll out of him. The management had started complaining about Nick almost falling asleep when doing the dance routines. Just as he was about to drift off he heard his little girl whimpering. Nick sighed. All he felt like doing now was to cover his head with a pillow and fall asleep for 100 years. But he knew he had to get to her. She depended on him. He wasn't going to give up now. She was his responsibility. He loved her with all his heart, and wasn't embarrassed to admit it.

Nick got out of the bed slowly and walked into the nursery. Morgan lay there helpless crying her heart out with her little fists fighting in the air desperately wanting her daddy to pick her up. He bent over the crib.

"Aww baby, shhh! It's ok. Daddy's here and I'm not going anywhere" he said softly and reached down for her and gently picked her up.

Nick took her into the safe cradle of his arms, rocking her back and forth. He was still amazed at how small she was, being premature and all. Her little head rested against his shoulder and he was gently rubbing her back.

Nick was shocked at how much love he could have for one person. He felt that there was nothing he wouldn't do for his baby girl.

"I wish you were here, Des" he whispered as a sole tear carefully trickled down his cheek. He stopped bouncing Morgan for a minute and just stared out into space thinking back on Destiny. He was quickly brought back to reality by his daughter's tiny hand slapping across his cheek as trying to get her daddy's attention. Nick started pacing the room bouncing the little girl in his arms.

"Please baby, stop crying! Come one girl. Daddy needs some sleep ok? And so do you princess" he said kissing Morgan's head. He gently rubbed her back trying to soothe her.

This had been going on for the past few weeks. Morgan just wouldn't sleep at night and Nick was getting weary. With the up-coming tour and everything he had all right to be concerned about how well Morgan would cope on the road. He remember promising himself several years back that whenever he would settle down and have a family, he would keep his children off the road! Period! It wasn't a life for a kid.

"What do you want me to do babygirl? I've tried everything now, you gotta give me some hint here" Nick said half smiling. He left the nursery and went back to his own room. He lay down upon the bed with Morgan tight in his arms. Nick decided to turn on the TV and flip through the channels. He stopped at MTV hoping the night videos would work their magic... somehow. Suddenly the all too familiar tones of "I'll Never Break Your Heart" was sweeping through the room. Nick was just about to turn the TV off not wanting to hear any Backstreet-ish right now when he noticed Morgan wasn't crying anymore. He looked down on his daughter finding her soundly asleep.

"Thank God!" Nick thought. He put her down on the bed closely next to him and bent down to place a kiss on her little forehead.

"Good night princess, I love you" he said quietly.

Nick had decided right then. He wasn't going to let his daughter grow up on the road. He would not watch his daughter take her first step in the back of a tour bus. He would not let her first meal be a Happy Meal. And he wasn't going to risk missing out on his daughter's first words just because he was on stage. They belonged at home, where they were supposed to be.

"I'm leaving the group" Nick thought.