“Nick, what am I going to do? There is no way that I can fight him. I don’t have the resources to have a lawyer like he does.” I was trying to keep myself from panicking. Nick had been wrong about Aj. He had finished the paperwork two weeks earlier to officially take me to court for Alex, he had every intention of taking Alex from me.

“I’m not going to let him take him from you without a fight. I’ve talked to some people I know and I want you to come back to LA with me.” He said as we sat at the kitchen table.

“What? Why?”

“I’m getting you the best lawyers money can buy. I will not let Aj take Alex from you.” Nick said. ‘I’ve watched him slowly kill her all summer, I refuse to let him win’ he thought as he watched me. “You have got to take care of yourself though. You aren’t going to be any good to Alex if you can’t take care of him.” I nodded. I knew what he was telling me the truth, but I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t sleep.

“I know. But I can’t take this from you. I just can’t use your money.”

“Shut up, Liz. I’m doing this because I care. You didn’t ask me to do this. So just take what I give you.” Nick said frustrated. I had never taken anything from him. He had given Alex gifts but I had never taken anything from him.

“Fine, and thank you.” I said the tears welling in my eyes. It seemed like every minute of the day I was on the verge of tears. I hated my life like this. “I just hate to know that because of me the Backstreet Boys are coming apart at the seams.” The news of the “Backstreet Baby” had hit the news just days after Aj filed the first grievance against me.

“Hey, you can’t help the fact that you got pregnant. You wouldn’t have had Alex if we hadn’t slept with you. It takes two to tango well three with us,” He said grinning making me laugh quietly, “Maybe it was just time for us to go our separate ways. We all still talk, well Aj doesn’t talk to me. But I know he talks to Brian and Kevin.”

“I know, I just wish I had told Aj as soon as you came back.”

“I know, I do too. But you made a decision and now we have to stand by it. But I’m going back to LA Monday and I want you there.” I nodded and looked out the window, my mind going back to Alex.