allmyheart5

all my heart
by unique
chapter 5

Two weeks later found Kevin and Tyler sipping Cokes by AJ's backyard pool. Kevin had
    introduced Tyler to the guys the day after he had taken Cassie and Tyler to Denny's.
    Needless to say, the rest of the BackStreet Boys had been shocked, but had taken the news
    well. Then Kevin had called his mom, who was presently in the kitchen with Cassie and
    Denise McLean, AJ's mom, cooking up a storm. Anne Richardson had been ecstatic to welcome
    another grandchild into her life. Kevin smiled at Tyler now and Tyler smiled back joyously.

    "Hey Tyler.... Come here, buddy." AJ called from the in the pool.
    "What is it Uncle AJ?" Tyler asked, getting up from his chair. Kevin smiled at the
    expression on AJ's face at being called 'Uncle'. Cassie had made sure that Tyler respected
    his elders... though AJ being an 'elder' was new to Kevin.
    AJ laughed. "Come here, guy, and I'll how you something."
    Tyler watched carefully as AJ pulled himself up out of the pool and walked towards the
    diving board. AJ waved for Tyler to follow, so the little boy followed obediently. AJ
    mounted the diving board and grinned at Tyler.
    "You ever done a canon ball dive?" AJ asked.
    Tyler shook his head. "No... Why?"
    AJ chuckled. "Cuz it's a hell of a lot of fun, kid."
    Tyler laughed too. "Can I do one?"
    AJ nodded. "Sure, Tyler... watch this..." AJ walked down the board and quickly jumped up in
    the air and performed the perfect canon ball -- splashing water on those beside the pool.
    "AJ!" Brian shouted in annoyance.
    "Ack!" Nick sputtered as he was doused with water.
    "What the -- ?" Howie stared at AJ, who was now coming up for air.
    Kevin just laughed. He could see Tyler was enjoying this. "Go ahead and try it, Tyler." He
    urged.
    Tyler smiled and climbed onto the board. He moved towards the end of the board and stared
    into the water. AJ cheered him on. Kevin sat back and watched. Tyler grinned again before
    bouncing once on the board and curling up into a ball in mid-air. A loud splash sounded as
    he hit the water and AJ was instantly at his side, laughing. Tyler came up for air and held
    onto AJ, laughing along with him.
    Kevin looked over to the sides of the pool where the other guys had, again, gotten wet, but
    saw that they were all smiling. He started laughing too, and soon he was jumping into the
    pool just to give Tyler a hug. He suddenly knew the joy of having a child... it just came
    to him that he had to be one of the luckiest guys in the world to have a kid like Tyler...
    and a girl like Cassandra James.
    Cassandra emerged from the house just then, sporting the bathing suit he had bought for her
    just the day before. It appeared to be made especially for her and her sweet curves. Kevin
    smiled as he saw her sit on the edge of the pool and dip her feet in. She picked up Tyler's
    pool noodle and handed it to him. Kevin helped Tyler hold onto the floatation device, then
    watched as Tyler paddled away. Nick went into the pool and swam around with Tyler and AJ.
    Kevin turned back to see Cassie smiling at Tyler, then her eyes met his and a tingly feeling
    spread throughout his body.
    "Where's mom?" Kevin asked finally, that question the only reasonable one to come to his
    mind.
    Cassie gestured back to the house. "She's with Denise..." She smiled slightly, "She's making
    her cheesecake for dessert. I was told to come out and relax for a while."
    Kevin grinned. "She missed having you around."
    "Then why'd she kick me out of the kitchen?" Cassie chuckled.
    Kevin shrugged. "Who knows? Why don't you come into the water? It's nice."
    Cassie smiled. "Maybe later, Kevin..."
    "Hmmm... I think now would be better..." Kevin said slowly, looking off to the side.
    Cassie followed his gaze and saw Tyler standing on the diving board. She looked at him,
    slightly confused. "Why is now better?"
    Kevin shrugged. "Gut feeling?"
    Cassandra laughed but shook her head slowly. "Kevin, you're -- "
    "Bombs away!" Tyler shouted happily as he jumped off the diving board and sent waves of
    water over the edge of the pool.
    The guys burst into uproarious laughter as Cassandra sputtered and pushed her soaked hair
    out of her face. She stared at Kevin, then looked at Tyler who was holding onto Nick. He
    had a huge grin on his face as he waved at his mother. She smiled and waved back, trying
    not to laugh. She was a mess... but to see that smile on Tyler's face again, she would do
    anything -- including getting soaked. She couldn't help it. She started laughing.
    "Told you..." Kevin said with a grin. "You should have gotten into the pool... you'd already
    be wet!"
    Cassie laughed and slid into the pool, right in front of Kevin. She smiled. "Okay... I'm
    in... Happy now?"
    Kevin put his arms around her waist and gently pulled her closer to him. "Very happy,
    Cassie..." He looked into her eyes very seriously, "I was always happy with you in my arms,
    baby."
    Cassandra's breath caught in her throat as she felt Kevin's hard body pressed against her.
    Her head was spinning... or was that the rest of the world? Cassandra wasn't really sure...
    all she knew was that it felt heavenly to be back in Kevin's arms. She didn't even protest
    when he leaned closer and gently brushed his lips against hers. Instinctively, her arms
    wound their way around his neck and pulled him deeper into the kiss.
    A low whistle broke the spell that Kevin and Cassandra seemed to be under. They pulled
    apart and saw Brian, Nick, Howie, Tyler, and AJ -- who was the whistler -- staring at them
    with curious eyes. Cassandra felt a slow heat climb into her cheeks and she looked at
    Kevin. He was a little flustered himself, but he kept one arm around her waist. She smiled
    sheepishly at the others, but all they did was smile back.
    "Food's ready! Come and get it!" Denise called from the sliding door.
    Everyone cheered and headed for the house, leaving Kevin and Cassandra to stare at each
    other with wide, uncertain eyes. Kevin caressed her cheek gently, smiling. Cassandra
    smiled back shyly. Her whole body was still tingling from just that kiss... it was like
    magic or something...
    "My mom wasn't the only one who missed you." Kevin told her huskily, his lips brushing her
    forehead as he hugged her to him.
    "Sh-she wasn't?" Cassandra whispered back.
    Kevin shook his head slowly. "No... I missed you... a lot."
    Cassandra felt the tears build in her eyes, but she fought them back. "I missed you too,
    Kevin... I missed you so much..."
    "Shh..." Kevin held onto her as she started to tremble. He suddenly realized that she was
    crying. "It's okay, baby... I'm here now. Cassie... I'm here..." He whispered soothingly.
    "I meant it when I said I would always be here for you."
    "I was so scared when I was all alone..." Cassie cried softly. "I didn't know what to do...
    I didn't have anywhere to go... I wanted you to hold me so bad... but... I had to go..."
    Kevin felt the pain in her words. He knew that Cassie was alone in this world. Her parents
    had been killed when she was a child, putting her in various foster homes. Kevin had met
    her when she was waitressing at a cafe in Disney World. Like him, she had wanted to be
    famous... but she had wanted to be an actress. Somewhere down the road, she had lost that
    dream, and Kevin wondered what had happened to it... he wondered what happened to the girl
    that had so much to offer the world. As he held her in his arms he wished he could somehow
    take back all of those years that he had spent away from her, and away from Tyler... But he
    couldn't. All he could do was be there for her now.
    "Cassie... I'm not going anywhere... and neither are you." Kevin said softly, but firmly.
    "But Kevin..."
    "No..." Kevin shushed her, "I'm not letting you go, Cass... this time, it's you, me, and
    Tyler... for good."
    Cassandra heard the words and honestly wished she could believe them. She hugged Kevin
    tighter, pretending the world was okay... but it wasn't. She didn't know how to tell Kevin
    the truth. The truth about why she had come back in the first place. The longer she didn't
    tell him, the harder it would be in the end... but Cassandra just didn't feel like ruining
    the happiness that she and Tyler had now... it would break her heart... Tyler's heart... and
    Kevin's... for the second time. Cassandra continued to cry, but Kevin held her to him, and
    she drew in his strength. For now, she would hold off the inevitable, but deep down, she
    knew that it was already there... pulling her back into a nightmare that she could not wake
    up from.