*Chapter 3*


“I’ll see you in two months.” Nick was holding Sabrina in his arms and didn’t wanted to let her go but the plane was going to leave. Sabrina’s tears were falling on his shirt and it broke his heart to have to let her go. He wished she would of came with him like before but he knew it was important for her to do her own thing. He gently pulled her away, kissed her one last time and disappeared inside the plane.

Kevin came running toward her and asked her: “Sab, did you saw Brian? He’s not in the plane and we really have to get going!”

“I’m coming! I’m coming!” There he was, pulling Ryan by the hand and pushing Delilah’s carriage. “Kevin, would you give me a hand please? Take Ryan and I’ll put the carriage away.”

Before Kevin could take the boy’s hand, Sabrina bend to Ryan’s heigth and holded him very tight. “I’m going to miss you buddy.”

“Come Saby!”

“I can’t come with you Ryan. I have to go work and you have to stay with your dad. I’ll see you soon thought buddy, OK?”

He nodded, not understanding what was happening. He took Kevin’s hand and he left.

"Sab, I'll never be able to thank you enough for everything you did for me and the kids. We'll miss you."

Sabrina was very touched by Brian's words. She gave him a big hug and he holded her very tight. "I'll miss you too," she wispered in his ear.

* * * * *

"Ryan, come back here!" Brian said, exasperated. The little boy had been running all around the Backstreet Boys private plane for over half an hour. He was now trying to open the door to the pilots's cabin. Brian gave a sleeping Delilah to A.J. "Please hold on to her for a sec." He walked to Ryan and took him in his arms.

The boy started to push and kick his father. "Daddy, put me down!" Ryan screamed.

"Ssshhh! You're going to wake up Nicky and Lilah." Brian put his finger over his mouth and Ryan imitated him.

"Oh! Can I play with you then?" he said softly.

"Yes," Brian whispered. He sat his son in the seat beside him and gave him a coloring book and some crayons.

"When is your mom flying to met us?" A.J. asked Brian.

"In a week. I'm so glad she'll be there to check on the kids. I wasn't especially happy to leave them with some stranger."

The pilots asked the passengers to buckle their seatbelt because they were going to arrive in less than five minutes.

* * * * *

"Nick, could you please hold Ryan's hand? I've got to go get Lilah's carriage or my harm will fall. She's growing so fast!" Brian let go of Ryan and started to search for the luggage and the carriage. It wasn't easy with everything they carried. But after 15 minutes, he finally found the carriage and relieved his arm by putting Lilah into it. He went to see the others, waiting for a taxi to take them to their hotel.

"Where's Ryan?" But everyone was busy talking and no one paid attention to him. "Nick, where's Ryan?"

The urgency in Brian's voice caught Nick's attention and he turned around. "How should I know? I haven't seen him in awhile."

"What? I left him with you twenty minutes ago!" Panick was starting to build up in Brian. "Where is he!" Everyone was now looking at him. It was obvious that Ryan was missing.

"It'll be alright Bri. We'll find him." Kevin tried to reassure him but even he knew they weren't in a good situation. "Why don't we all go our separate ways? We'll find him, this airport isn't very big. Let's meet here in half an hour. Search everywhere, including the bathrooms, restaurants and anything that could interest a 2 year old. " Everyone nodded

Brian wandered around the airport, in a frantic mood. He had to find his son. But after half an hour of looking everywhere for him, he had to met the others at the exit. Maybe they had been luckier.

They were already at the meeting point but when Brian looked up at them with his eyes filled with hope, they only shook their heads. That was too much for Brian; he broke down and cried just like a child. Nick stayed with him while Kevin went to call the police, Howie went to ask the information desk how to find a missing person and A.J. continued to search around.

"Brian, we'll find him." Nick had a good idea what had happened to Ryan. "It may take a while, but you'll see him again and he'll be just fine."

"Nick, do you want to tell me something?"

It was too late. He had to tell him. "A week ago, Samantha came at the house."

Brian looked up. He seemed surprise. "What did she wanted?"

Nick was twisting his hands and looking at the floor. "Ryan," he murmured.

"What?"

"She wanted Ryan back. Actually, she just wanted to see him. You were still at the reunion and Sabrina answered the door. I didn't thought she was serious."

Brian was looking at Nick in the eyes. He seemed mad as hell. "Why didn't you tell me about it? How could you not tell me? You know how she is! Who knows where Ryan is right now." He tried to calm down but he was so afraid to loose his son. "I have to call Sab."

"Why?"

"Because she has to know."

"Brian, she was with me when Sam came. She'll feel just as guilty as I do. Besides, she's in Spain. There's nothing she can do."

"You're right. But I'll…" A stranger had just put an enveloppe in his hand. He stared at it with fear. He slowly riped the top and took off a sheet of lined paper. 'Not very professional', he thought. He unfolded it. There was two phrases written in pencil. "Meet me at Bolnechvicks at 6 pm. Do not contact the police." He looked at Nick. "It's her, I know it. I don't think she'll hurt him." He stared blindly around him when he suddenly came out of his haze. "Nick! Where's Delilah?"

"She's with Howie." Nick then noticed Kevin talking on the phone. "Oh shit! He's calling the police!"

Brian understood what he meant and ran toward Kevin. "We found him Kev, hang up! Now!"

Kevin did as he was told. "Where was he?"

Brian looked guilty. "I'm sorry I said that, but we can't contact the police. Samantha has him. I'm meeting her tonight at a restaurant. We ate there the last time we here together."

"Oh." Kevin didn't surprised. "Why do you think she did that? It's such a mean thing to do. But I'm glad we at least know he's not with some psychopath." "It's not far from the truth."

* * * * *

Brian arrived at the restaurant 15 minutes before the meeting time. He sat at a little table in a dark corner. At 6 o'clock sharp, he saw Samantha walk in by the front door. He still admired her appearence, always gracious and looking very sexy. She was holding a sad little boy by the hand. He got up quickly and called, "Ryan!" The boy looked up and ran toward his father. "Daddy!" He started to cry on his father's shoulder. Brian didn't care that many people were looking at him.

"It's OK sweety. Daddy's here. Are you fine?"

"Of course he is. I can still take care of my son."

She was there, in front of him. The woman in whom he had put all his faith two years ago. She had given him the best gift and he wasn't ready to give it back to her. Never. "Why did you do that? Do you have the slightless idea of what I've been through in the last hours? It was hell Sam."

"What about me? I missed my boy. I wanted to just see him but that friend of yours told me there was no way I could even think of that possibility. I tried to contact you but it's almost impossible. This was the only way to see you. I want him back Brian."

Ryan was holding Brian so tight he felt his heart was about to burst out of love for that little boy. "There's no way I'll give him back to you. He's no little toy you can play around with and then throw away. You had your chance Sam and you blew it. He doesn't need you."

"He does need a mother. My lawyer agrees with me."

"He had the most wonderful mother in the world. You'll never be able to replace her. And don't you dare try to scare me with legal stuff. You know you don't stand a chance in court: drug and alchool abuse, no job, instable, abandonning him when he was only a baby."

"Can't you even let me see him from time to time? Like two times a month or somehting? We'll have to make some kind of arrangment. I won't give up on him."

"May I remind you that you already did? You left him at a police station. For adoption. You're not a part of his life anymore and I don't want that to change. Forget about him."

Samantha smiled. A devilish smile. "I won't. Let me tell you a secret Brian. I want to become an actress. You know I have what it takes." She slightly pulled up her skirt. "No one will ever find out that I abandonned my child. Do you know what that could do to my career?"

Brian couldn't believe his ears. "You haven't change Samantha. You don't really want him back. You just want to save your image. Well, it's too late for that and my son won't suffer from it. He deserves way better." He got up with the boy in his arms. "That's the last time you'll see him."

"I'll see you in court Brian. If I don't get the boy, I'll get money. Either way, I'll win. Bye Ryan. See you soon honey."

Brian turned his back to her and walked away.


Chapter 4

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