“Babe?” AJ called as he thundered down the stairs.

“In here!” Krista replied from the den where she was lounging on the couch and watching television.

“Hey,” he greeted his girlfriend with a kiss. “Howie called. Something about dinner or whatever. You mind?”

She smiled up at him. “Not at all. I think Christine and Ang were going to come over anyway. Have a little girls night.”

“Cool.” AJ stood up and began walking out of the room. “You know to call me if anything happens, right?”

“Yes dad,” she grinned.

“Krista…” AJ began, in a warning tone.

“I’ll call you if anything happens,” she cut in. “I swear. Now give me a kiss goodbye.”

He smiled as he walked back over to her and kissed her softly on the lips. “Bye babe.”

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ******

“Where are we going?” AJ questioned, from the passenger seat of Howie’s Mercedes.

Howie checked the lane next to him before pulling his car into it. “This new Cuban place in the city. I heard the food there is awesome.”

AJ nodded and watched as the scenery passed by. They pulled up to the restaurant a few moments later and each got out of the car. Howie handed the keys to the valet and led AJ inside. They were led to the very back corner of the restaurant. AJ was pleasantly surprised when he saw the rest of his Backstreet brothers seated at the table.

“What are you guys doing here?” He asked, as he sat down at the table in between Nick and Kevin.

Kevin grabbed him on the shoulder in a show of affection. “Think of it as a sort of bachelor party. The last days before the baby comes…” He grinned, raising his eyebrows up and down. The rest of the guys groaned.

“Lame, Kev,” Brian shook his head, smiling. “Very lame.”

Kevin tossed a piece of ice at his cousin. “Shut up, dude.”

“Did Krista know about this?” AJ questioned, taking a sip of his water. “She all but threw me out of the house tonight.”

“Not that I know of,” Howie shrugged. “Unless someone told her.” They all looked at Nick.

“What the hell are you looking at me for?” He asked, his eyes wide. “I didn’t tell her anything. I haven’t even seen Krista in like weeks.”

“You have a loud-mouth girlfriend,” Brian laughed. “They’re all doing something for her tonight. Kate probably told her.”

“She did not,” Nick huffed, not amused.

“Anyway,” Howie stressed, trying to change the subject. “Tonight is AJ’s night. We’re up for anything, man. Your pick.”

AJ picked up his menu. “First of all, we’re eating. I’m starved. We’ll decide about later during dinner.”

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

The doorbell rang right in the middle of Krista’s show and she groaned. “Where the hell is AJ when you need him?” She rolled off of the couch and waddled into the foyer in order to answer the door. “This better be good.” Flinging open the door, she gasped in surprise at the crowd gathered on her doorstep.

“Surprise!” They all chanted. Ang, Christine, Brooke, Katelin, Adrienne, and Aidan.

“What are you guys doing here?” Krista questioned, ushering them inside the house.

“Girls night,” Ang smiled. “And Aidan of course.” Katelin shrugged. “Couldn’t find a sitter.”

“It’s fine,” Krista bent down and tickled Aidan’s stomach. “Give me a hug, monkey.”

“Hi Aunt Krista!” Aidan hollered as he bounced into her arms. “You surprised?”

“Very,” she grinned, squeezing him tight before standing back up again. “Come on in guys. It’s kind of messy. I wasn’t really expecting company.”

The group followed her into the family room where she had previously been watching television. “Glad to see you’ve put away all of the presents from the baby shower,” Katelin laughed.

“Shut up.” Krista threw a playful glare in Kate’s direction. “You see how well you move at eight months pregnant.”

“Been there, done that already,” Kate replied, shrugging. “Although it wasn’t much fun for me. I didn’t get a cool baby shower like you did.”

“Anyway,” Ang cut in, wanting to change the subject to a lighter tone than Katelin’s pregnancy. “So, we figured we’d order some pizza, watch some eighties movies, and just hang out. What do you think?”

Krista grinned. “Sounds fantastic. Let me get you guys something to drink.”

Brooke pushed her down on the couch. “Sit. We’ll get them. Christine, come with me.”

“Yes sir.” Christine saluted, following Brooke into the kitchen. She watched her carefully. Brooke and Adrienne had never hung out in such close quarters before. At least since Kevin and Adrienne had gotten together and then subsequently moved in together. They had hung out in big groups together. Or when all of the guys were together. But not just the girls before. Brooke was happily married to JC and when he was around, no one else existed in their little world. Including Kevin and Adrienne. But when it came down to it, it was definitely uncomfortable between the two girls.

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

“Brian,” Nick warned, seeing as Brian bought yet another shot for he and AJ. “Be careful. I’m sure Krista won’t appreciate him coming home like that.”

“Blah blah blah blah,” Brian deadpanned, staring blankly at Nick. “See what you have to look forward to?” He turned to AJ. “You have a kid and all of the sudden you don’t know how to have fun anymore.”

“That’ll never happen to me,” AJ replied, before throwing his fourth shot back. “I’m always fun.”

“Sure,” Howie laughed, joining the three of them with a few bottles of Corona. He handed them out to the other guys. “I do distinctly remember little Nicky here being a party animal until his son showed up.”

“Shut up,” Nick grumbled. “I’m still fun.”

“Yeah yeah yeah,” Brian laughed, jumping as his cell phone began to ring. “Hello?”

“Bri? Honey, it’s me.”

“Hey. What’s going on?”

“Um…you guys need to get to the hospital. Krista just went into labor.”

“Oh shit…”

“Oh shit is right, Bri. Get your ass to the hospital now.”

Bri closed his cell phone and looked over at the rest of the guys. The look on his face said it all. “What’s wrong?” AJ questioned, not at all comforted by Brian’s expression.

“It’s Krista,” Brian all but whispered. “She’s in labor.”

“What?!” AJ exclaimed, fear automatically consuming him. Krista still had six weeks to go. This was not happening again. God would not do that to them again. He didn’t think he could go through this.

“Everything’s going to be fine, Jay,” Nick put his arm around his friend and began to lead him out of the bar. “We’ll get to the hospital and you can see for yourself.”

“You go get the car,” Howie instructed, throwing the keys to Nick as he joined the two of them outside. “We’ll take yours over there and come back later for everyone else. Brian just went to find Kev.”

The five of them piled in Nick’s Lincoln Navigator and made their way over to the hospital in downtown Orlando. When they got there, they were directed to the Labor and Delivery Floor and spotted Ang, Kate, Aidan, Adrienne, Brooke, and Christine in the waiting room.

“Where is she?” AJ asked, as soon as they reached them.

“She’s in a delivery room,” Ang replied, as she got up and threw her arms around him. “They won’t let any of us back there.”

“Well I’m the father,” AJ growled, marching up to the desk. “Excuse me. Can you tell me what room Krista Wilson is in? She’s just gone into labor.”

The nurse looked through the computer. “I’m sorry. No one else is allowed back there at the time.”

“I’m her fiancee, damnit!” AJ exclaimed. “Where the hell is she?”

The nurse’s face fell, her heart going out to the man in front of her. “I can let you back to the door but you can’t go in the room right now. I’m sorry but I can’t let you until Dr. Morris says it’s okay.”

“Fine,” AJ’s shoulders sagged, defeated. The nurse led him back down the hallway and towards the delivery room that Krista was in. As soon as they reached the room, a doctor emerged.

“Excuse me,” AJ grabbed his arm before he passed. “Are you Krista’s doctor? I’m her fiancee and the baby’s father, AJ McLean.”

The doctor gave AJ a grim smile. “Hello Mr. McLean. Why don’t we step over here.” He led AJ into a quiet corner so he could explain the situation to AJ. “Krista has gone into premature labor. It doesn’t look like we’re going to be able to do anything to prevent this baby coming tonight.”

“But she still has six weeks,” AJ tried to explain.

“I know,” Dr. Morris nodded. “The baby is tiny and we’re not sure how much the lungs have developed. But things like this happen a lot, Mr. McLean. I swear we will do anything to save your baby.”

“Thank you,” AJ sighed, dejectedly. He didn’t know what to make of the situation. Would their baby survive? Or would history repeat itself?

“God,” Katelin sighed, collapsing on to the couch next to Nick and Aidan, who was bouncing on his father’s lap, oblivious to what was going on around him. “I can’t believe this is happening again. I hope everything goes okay.” She reached out and started to run her fingers through her son’s blond locks. “I can’t even imagine.”

Nick leaned over and kissed her temple. “I know, babe. But I have a good feeling about this. Everything’s going to turn out perfect.”

“I hope you’re right.” Her right hand grabbed her boyfriend’s hand. “Makes you appreciate everything you have, huh?”

Nick met her eyes and smiled, sadly. “Yeah. I don’t know what I’d do without either one of you.”

“I can’t believe she has to go through this again,” Brooke commented quietly, where she was sitting on the couch with JC.

“What happened the last time?” JC asked, having not been around at the time that Krista and AJ lost their first child.

“She went into labor early like this,” Brooke began explaining. “Although I think it was even earlier than this. Anyway, he was born really small. Smaller than a baby that far along. And his lungs weren’t fully developed. He had stopped breathing as soon as he was delivered and they couldn’t bring him back.”

JC nodded, not able to express in words how awful he felt for Krista and AJ. “God, I just hope everything goes okay this time around,” Brooke

whispered. “There’s no way she could handle that again. Either could AJ.”

“Kris?” AJ asked, quietly, entering the delivery room that Krista was in. Nurses were bustling around her, preparing for the delivery.

“AJ?” Krista turned towards him, tears clouding her vision. She reached her hand out to him. “Oh thank God you’re here.”

AJ’s heart went out to her. She looked terrified. About the same as he felt but he knew he had to be strong for her. He couldn’t let her believe that they were facing the same danger as they were the last time. “Hey honey. How are you doing?”

“I’m in labor, AJ,” she growled, annoyed at his seeming calmness. Here they were again, facing the chance that they may lose yet another baby and he acted as if it was just a walk in the park. “Six weeks early and in labor. How in the hell are you so calm?”

Honestly, AJ didn’t know how he could have sounded like that. He was scared beyond belief and hating the fact that they had no control over the situation. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her temple. “Because everything’s going to be fine, Kris. I swear to you. I won’t let anything bad happen to you or our baby.”

“Hi Krista,” Dr. Morris announced, waltzing into the room. He took her chart from one of the nurses and checked it out. “It looks like we’re at ten centemeters. This baby’s on its way out.”

“Is everything going to be okay?” Krista asked, tearfully.

He patted her knee in reassurance. “We’ll do everything we can, Krista.”

“God…” Ang sighed, glancing at her watch for the tenth time in as many minutes. “What the hell is taking so long? I mean, everything sounded so grim earlier. If it was such a dire situation, why the hell is it taking two hours to deliver the baby?”

No sooner had the words passed her lips when a tired-looking AJ emerged from down the hallway. Everyone stood up to greet him. “How is everything?” Howie asked.

“It’s a boy,” AJ all but whispered. “Three pounds, six ounces.”

Nick glanced down at Katelin at her sharp intake in breath. He reached out and squeezed her hand, willing her to keep it together. “Is…is he alright?”

AJ nodded, numbly. “For now. They rushed him up to the NICU.” Finally, he broke down. “They didn’t even let us hold him.” Both Howie and Brian were right there as AJ all but collapsed in their arms. They led him over to the nearest couch in the waiting room. “Sit down, Jay,” Howie instructed, pushing him down. Then he and Christine sat on either side of him.

“How’s Krista doing?” Brooke questioned.

AJ shrugged. “She’s out. They gave her something.” He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down a little bit. “We named him. Taylor Alexander McLean.”

“Aww…” Katelin gushed. “That’s such a cute name.” Ang nudged her, smiling a little. “Not after you, dork.” Katelin responded by sticking her tongue out at her best friend.

“Mommy,” Aidan whispered. “That’s not nice.” This caused the entire group to start laughing, softly. “I know, baby,” Kate giggled. “I was just kidding.”

“He’s going to be fine, Jay,” Kevin said, reassuringly, as he strongly grabbed AJ’s shoulder. “Everything will turn out for the best. You’ll see.”

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Krista sat on the beach with her knees pulled up to her chest, gazing out at the moon reflecting off of the ocean. She heard the soft footsteps behind her but didn’t say anything as she felt AJ drape a sweatshirt over her shoulders. “I thought you might be cold,” he stated, trying not to startle her. She respond, as she felt him sit behind her and pull her back up against his chest. “What are you thinking about?”

She shrugged, reaching up and wiping her eyes. “Nothing really. Just wondering how we got to this point.” They sat in silence for a few minutes, just content to watch the waves lap against the sure. Finally, AJ’s voice cut into the silent night. “Ready to go back?” She nodded, allowing him to pull her up to her feet as they walked back through the sound.

AJ clicked the door shut as Krista went and dropped the keys on the table in the hallway. They smiled as they saw Denise come out from the living room. “Hey,” she whispered. “How was dinner?”

“Good,” AJ smiled, tiredly, quickly catching Krista’s eye. “How was he?”

“Perfect angel,” Denise grinned in return. “Just went back down about half an hour ago.” She grabbed her eyes off of the hall table. “I should get going. Call me if you need anything.”

AJ leaned over and kissed his mom on the cheek. “Thanks mom.”

“Thanks Denise,” Krista called, quietly, as she made her way up the stairs towards Taylor’s room.

Denise waved and then disappeared out the door. AJ watched as she got in her car and backed out of the driveway before closing the door and locking up for the night. He set the alarm, turned off the downstairs lights, and then followed Krista’s lead up the stairs. He found her in the nursery, peering over the crib and lightly rubbing her son’s

forehead. “Hey,” he whispered.

She turned to him, a small smile on her face. “Hey yourself.”

“How is he?” AJ asked, walking up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Perfect.” Tears pricked her eyes as she looked back and forth between her son and the man she loved. “Just perfect.” AJ placed a light kiss on her neck before picking up her left hand. He lightly touched the one and a half carat princess-cut diamond on her ring finger. “You happy?”

She turned around in his arms and placed a soft kiss on his lips. “Just like I said. Just perfect.”

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