Alex said something, Kevin couldn't be sure what, and then the guys started all over again, the audience following suit.

The smile just didn't seem to be shaken from his face as Kevin could almost feel his dimples at full force, his hand going to cover his mouth almost girlish.

"Kevin," Rossie said, turning her head to the side, grinning evilly at him and Kevin knew he had been caught. "I can see you're smiling rather happily. What is it hon'? Can you tell us?" She intertwined her fingers together, placing her chin on top of them.

Kevin shook his head once again, but that only seemed to make him smile even more, as he laughed loudly, Brian and Nick giving them concerned looks while Alex laughed along. "I'm sorry," Kevin said, softly, running his fingers through his hair in a desperate attempt to recover his cool.

"You're happy hon, that's nothing to be sorry about." She lifted her eyebrows in a questioning sign. "Who's the lucky gal and how long have you two been a item?"

Kevin almost choked on his laughter, shaking his head as enthusiastically as he could. But he still had that deer caught in the headlights sort of look, and that smile on his face that just told something was most definitely going on -- even if he didn't wish to admit it.

Rossie faked a gasp. "You lying to my face Kevin, and you know it." She laughed it off, batting her eyebrows at him. "I'm gonna find out Kevin. You know I am."

Not really wanting to tell her there was nothing to find out, when in truth, there totally was, he only shrugged. "What can I say?"

And just before Rossie could do something else, try to pry it out of Kevin the only way she knew how, Alex leaned over, placed his elbow on Rossie's desk and batted his eyelashes at her. "Rossie, baby, why are you hitting on Kevin when you've got a stud like me by your side?"

Rossie laughed aloud, fanning her face as a blush made its way to her milk-white face. "Alex, please, I could be... your older sister."

The audience, of course, laughed at the statement while Alex only pouted, licking his lips seductively. "Not that much older."

"And that's why, AJ, my dear, you're my favorite Backstreet Boy." Winking at him, Rossie looked right at the camera and shrugged. "Will be right back folks."

Just as the red light on the camera turned off, Rossie turned around and looked right at Kevin, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "I'm gonna find out Kevin, and I don't want to be mad at you for lying to me."

Kevin just shook his head as Rossie turned around and started talking with her assistant.

"Really smooth there Kevy, don't you think?" Nick asked him as he leaned over and placed an arm along the back of Kevin's seat.

Kevin laughed guiltily, giving Nick his best innocent look, which he really couldn't pull out when both his eyes and smile were giving him away. "I just..."

"Really nice Train," Alex said, joining their impromptu party as both Brian and Howie stood around Kevin's seat. "Why don't you just come out and say it, huh? Would gave gone more low key, right?"

Hiding his face in his hands, Kevin shook his head.

There was laughter he knew by heard and then a hand patting his shoulder almost lovingly. "It's okay, Kev, after all, it's gonna come out in a couple of days, right?"

Parting his eyes, Kevin found Nick's clear blue eyes shinning at him. "I'm just..."

"Happy," Howie finished for him. "We can all tell Kevin. Hell, I bet the audience can tell too."

"Besides," Alex said, smirking, "I got Rossie out of our backs, right?"

The gang laughed, and the bell announcing they'd be back on air in a couple of second rang through the set, and the guys took their seats once again. However not before blue eyes caught green ones in a split of a second and found a smile.

*****

Cocking his head to the side, Kevin heard a couple of knuckles popping and couldn't help but smile. God, he was getting old.

Nevertheless, as his eyes looked sideways, falling onto the small child, emerald eyes glued to the screen as three very weird looking little girls flew through their made up world, Kevin felt young all of a sudden.

In his heart, Kevin knew things were changing with Sarah. Baby steps, he kept telling himself. The only way for Sarah to adapt to Kevin, to the new environment she had been placed in, were baby steps. Sarah was getting better, looking at him and nodding at his answers, even smiling, like she had done yesterday during the signing.

Furthermore, in only three short days, everyone would know about her, and that would give him the opening he so badly needed.

The distinctive sound of a door opening brought him out of his musings, turning around and seeing an almost languid tall blond making his way into the room in a klutzy way, limbs moving from side to side with a lopsided smile on his face.

"Hey there." Nick plopped himself onto the couch, Sarah's eyes glancing sideways at him for barely a second.

Kevin smiled. "I thought you'd be beating Brian up in Mario Cart."

"Nah, got tired of it. He's no longer a challenge, you know. It's not fun."

"Then find another game that's fun."

An evil grin made its way into Nick's lips. "That's what I'm planning to do. You wanna go shopping?"

He lifted his eyebrows, shaking his head. "Sorry."

Nick nodded, knowing what he meant. He wouldn't go shopping, not without Sarah, until the magazine was out. "That's okay. We can go next week."

"Sure."

When Nick turned around, he tilted his head, eyes falling on the screen. He grinned, recognizing the show. "The Powerpuff girls? I didn't know you liked them."

Sarah tilted her head to the side, green eyes meeting cobalt blue ones. A ghost of a smile appeared on her features and she nodded.

"That's so cool. Did you watch the first chapter? I think that Dr. Utonium it's kinda nuts. He just looks nuts."

Sarah shook her head, the smile staying on her features.

Nick frowned, not really sure what question had been answered. "You didn't watch the first chapter?"

She shook her head.

"Oh. That's all right, I'm sure there'll be reruns during summer. There always are." He paused, looking at a Blossom flying through the air as she giggled. "Who do you like best?"

He knew it was pretty stupid of him to expect her to answer the question, but he held hope as he gazed at her expectantly; when there was none, Nick held back his sigh in disappointment.

"Blossom?" A shake. "Blossom?" Another shake. "Buttercup!!! I like her too. She's so great! She's the only one with character, if you ask me." Nick frowned, thinking about it carefully. "Even though she is kinda of a toughie." He shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, at least she sticks with her convictions, which are, pretty much, kicking everyone's asses."

Meanwhile, Kevin was looking at the blond with wide jade eyes, surprised that a twenty year old knew so much about a show regarding... His eyes drifted to the screen; three girls punching three greenish bacteria sort of thingies, with no idea what so ever what they represented. He sighed. He should start learning about this kind of thing.

"Who's this butter girl you're talking about?"

Eyebrows lifted slightly and an amused look on his face, Nick shook his head. "It's Buttercup and I thought you didn't like cartoons?" At least, that was what Kevin had told him for years every time he found Nick watching them.

"Well, I gotta learn at some point, right?"

A smile made its way to Nick's lips, glad Kevin wasn't reluctant in learning. He was a parent now; and every parent knew their child's favorite TV shows.

"Is that one," Nick said, pointing to the screen where Buttercup just swirled around and kicked one of boys of the Amoeba gang in the face.

"This is a children's show, why is it so violent?"

Azure eyes rolled, a thin smile on rosy lips. "They are just saving the world."

"Kicking someone's butt is more likely," Kevin said, his nose scrunched up in disgust. "Sarah," he said, placing his hand on the little girl's shoulder, "maybe you shouldn't watch this. I'm sure there are better---"

"Don't overreact Kevin. The Powerpuff girls are awesome. Give it a shot. Besides, it's about three little girls who save the world, go to school, do their homework and still go to bed before eight."

Nick leaned over and winked at Sarah. I got your back, it meant. Don't worry. I've got your back.

And Sarah, to Nick's very own surprised, smiled in response. Message received. Thanks.

"That one," Nick continued, hand pointing to the screen once again, "that's Bubbles. She's the most... how can I say it, girly of them all. She's always giggling and stuff."

"Alright, and who are those sponge thingies?"

"The Amoeba Gang. They work to destroy Townsville and the Mayor, whose name, let me tell you, it's Mayor."

"A Mayor named Mayor?"

"Yep."

"All right..."

"Aha, and you don't know how they came to exist."

"Who?"

"The Powerpuff girls."

A grin. "Enlighten me."

"Well, Dr. Utonium wanted a family, so he got sugar, spices and everything nice together, then accidentally Mojo Jojo nudged his elbow and Dr. Utonium dropped inside Chemical X... "

To Sarah's own surprise, the way they talked, the way Nick leaned over Kevin, smiling while Kevin's nose wrinkled in bliss, was far more interesting than the show. Her eyes gazed at them, mirth palpable in her features as the corners of her lips twitched upwards. She had an interesting family.

*****

Placing her hands on either side of her, she pushed herself deeper into the confines of the couch, her head leaning against the back of the same. She grinned fully, the end of her ponytail falling onto her back. A lock of black hair fell onto her face, having found freedom from the purple scrunchie that held her hair nowadays.

Taking it between her fingers, she turned it around idly. She used to have her hair braided. Maybe she could ask him to braid for her. Her mommy used to make such nice braids. Uh, and yummy chocolate cookies. She had forgotten to ask him about the cookies. Maybe tomorrow.

"I don't get it."

The voice brought her out of her reverie, looking sideways towards the small kitchen table where Kevin was proceeding to shush Brian.

Brian sighed, rather loudly, and crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't get her."

"Brian I know---"

"How could she say that?"

Kevin sighed. "I don't know that either."

"How could she tell you that?"

His voice rose a couple of octaves and Kevin silenced him once again, his gaze averting to the living room area where Sarah was watching Pokemon while they killed time to go to the venue.

"Would you keep your voice low? I don't want Sarah to hear."

Brian nodded, calmer than he was when he first heard Kevin's summary of his conversation with his mother. He run his fingers through his blondish hair, speaking the question that had been in his mind since Kevin told him about the phone call. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

The older man sighed, cocking his head to the side, his eyes resting on Sarah. Her hair was soft and delicate, something he had just realized as he combed her hair this morning. A couple of locks were falling from the scrunchie, framing her candid face as she leaned against the arm rest of the couch and watched a TV show he did have some knowledge of.

"I don't know," Kevin said after a while. "I just... I didn't want to talk about it." The statement wasn't far from the truth. He didn't wish to talk about it at all, wondering if his denial continued, maybe it wouldn't be denial anymore.

"I thought she would be happy." Brian gave Kevin a ruthful smile, lifting his shoulders just a notch. "I thought... after everything she's told you about settling down and having a family, she'd be happy you have Sarah now."

"I guess she wanted me to get married before having a daughter," Kevin said, surprising not only himself, but Brian as well at the chosen word. But Kevin hadn't made a mistake; that was Sarah's position now, that was her connection with him. She was his daughter, and he wasn't going to deny that.

"It'll pass, I'm sure." brain picked up the cup of coffee they had pretended to have over the conversation, taking a sip and barely reaching half of the cup. "Just give her sometime. She'll...she'll see what a lovely girl Sarah is and welcome her with open arms."

"I don't know," Kevin said, the words coming out of him at their own accord, never meaning to say them. "I think she really means it. I think she really doesn't want anything to do with either her or me."

Kevin swirled around on his chair, forearm against the backrest, eyes falling once again over her. Her hair, this time, had won the battle against the scrunchie and fallen practically totally out of the small piece of cloth, waving down around her shoulders, her face partially hidden. He chuckled at the sight.

"Sarah," he said, calling out for her and she turned around, green eyes shinning. "Sweetie, your hair it's all messy. Go to the room and get the brush, will ya? It's over the nightstand. Can you do that?"

Sarah nodded enthusiastically, standing up in one jump and running on bare feet over to the room, coming back in only seconds. She walked over to where Kevin was sitting, Brian on the other side of the small table.

Kevin pushed his chair further from the table, opening his legs wide and Sarah got the hint, placing herself between them, handing Kevin the brush and turning around. Kevin smiled, kissed the top of her a dark head, and proceeded to get the small scrunchie of her hair, which was barely holding back a lock, and run the brush along the length of her soft hair, falling through his fingers with the easiness only acquired after years of practice. In a minute, tangles all free now, he pulled up her hair on the purple piece of clothing once again and she turned around, gave Kevin one of the most enchanting smiles and headed for the couch once again.

"You're a dad, alright." Brian said with a smile.

Kevin only shrugged, placing the brush on top of the table.

"You really like her, don't you?"

"What's not to like," Kevin said with a dreamy smile. "She's... she reminds me so much of Lizzie."

"I know," Brian said lowly, a sad smile on his lips. He didn't remember much about the girl, but what he did remember was her sweetness and her easygoing temper. Sarah seemed to take after her.

With a sigh, Brian placed his hand on Kevin's own, squeezing it lightly. "Don't you worry," Brian said, smiling as Kevin turned around to look at him. "I'm sure Aunt Ann will come through."

Kevin nodded, bewilderment consuming him.

*****

After lunch, the guys left for the venue. They still had practice, then a small meet-&-greet before the concert.

Kevin was planning on asking Allyson to look after Sarah while he was at practice, but considered it carefully. It really wasn't fair for Allyson, having to watch Sarah each time Kevin couldn't do it himself.

He knew Allyson was a sweet person, and probably wouldn't complain -- at lest not too much -- but it also wasn't the woman's concept of fun. Up until now, Kevin really hadn't known much about Allyson. She was great at her job, and knew how to keep the guys' private life private. But he hadn't ever seen her date -- not that she actually had the time to.

She wasn't the average woman her age. He was sure that any given female in her late twenties would have oooed and awwwed a child as lovely as Sarah, but Allyson had done the opposite. She had looked warily at the child and contemplated the pros and cons of having her on tour; still, she had let Kevin do it.

His thoughts aside, Kevin slid down his gym bag from his left shoulder, placing it on the couch, Sarah still up on his right arm. He smiled at her, shook her upwards in one swift moment, a smile on her features at the action, before sitting her on the couch. She looked up at him, emerald eyes shinning.

"Do you think Fatima will be too mad with us?" Brian asked warily.

Nick grimaced at the thought. "I just hope she's in a good mood."

"When in your life have you seen her in a good mood after we've chopped her choreography?"

"Well, yeah," Nick had to agree with Alex on that one, "but still..."

"We're gonna be practicing for at least two hours, if not more." Howie sighed, getting a thread of cotton from his gym bag, tying it around his now straight hair.

"It really could be worse guys," Brian said with a resigned aura around him. "At least we've got sound check after that, so we can't be dancing for too long."

Alex snorted. "Yeah, right. You should know how Fatima's brain works by now. She'd tell Sean to work thought the sound while we're dancing. Two birds with one stone."

"Guys, stop it, will ya?" Kevin said with a paused expression. "So, we've been badly--"

"Crappy," Nick said, "she'd say crappy."

"Alright, crappy, but she won't--"

Alex picked up a thick cotton bandana, placing it around his forehead. "Forget it Train, we're doomed."

Kevin chuckled good-naturally, his hand reaching for a bottle of water that stood by the side of the food table. "You want something sweetie?"

Sarah shook her head, but her eyes staid glued to Kevin's face. They had things to do right now? She wondered what it was, and who was this Fatima lady they were talking about.

Just as Kevin took a long swing of the bottle and Alex took off his sweatshirt, staying only with a thin white t-shirt, the door opened. Five pairs of eyes turned around to stare at their friend grinning evilly from the door's frame, while a pair of emerald eyes wondered if this was such lady.

"Well, hello guys, long time no see," she said, her chocolate brown eyes shinning with mirth. "It's obvious I haven't joined the tour in a while, since you all seem dead set on chopping my choreography."

"See," Alex leaned over, whispering for only Brian to hear, "I told you guys."

"Alex, dear," she said, her glare speaking volumes, "is there something you wish to tell the class?"

It was an uncanny ability of her to put someone down with only a stare and soft words.

"No," Alex muttered under his breath, placing his hands on his pockets.

"Good." Her eyes roamed the room, evaluating if the guys were ready to leave, for she would hold no mercy to either of them. A stoic mask staid on her face until she found a pair of emerald eyes she wasn't familiar with.

Fatima walked over to the couch, where a little girl sat by Kevin's side, green eyes wide open, head cocked to the side. She turned her eyes from the child over to the closer adult, who just happened to be Kevin. Kevin smiled sheepishly at her, and she only lifted her eyebrows in a silent question.

"Fatima, I want you to meet Sarah," Kevin said, doing the proper introductions. "Sarah, dear, this is a very good friend of us, Fatima."

Sarah only looked closer at Fatima while the woman gazed at Kevin, surprised.

"Sarah?" Fatima asked. "And, may I ask, who is she?"

Words came slowly from his lips, but not ought to doubt in his mind, but wonderment when it came down to what would Sarah think. "She's," Kevin said slowly, thinking the words carefully, and hoped Sarah wouldn't take it the wrong way, "my daughter."

Fatima's surprise only grew ten times ten and bit back down a gasp. "Your daughter?"

Kevin nodded, his eyes speaking volumes. I'll explain later, it said. Please, not now, but I'll explain later.

And Fatima, knowing them for so long, understood. She wouldn't push the issue at the moment, but later, when they were alone, she would question him until she ran out of air.

"Sarah," Fatima said with a sweet smile, squatting in front of the girl who only gazed back, "nice to meet you."

Sarah wanted to ask Kevin who this lady was. He had said it was a friend, but that wasn't enough information. Sarah wanted to know what she did, how she knew the guys. Sarah wanted to know this and many more things, but kept quiet. She bit down her lower lip, wanting to speak up. She would. She knew that, very soon, she wouldn't be able to keep quiet.

Fatima wanted to ask something else, wanted to ask Kevin why Sarah didn't answer, but she saw from the corner of her eye that Kevin was shaking his head. Giving the little girl another small smile, she swirled around and addressed the guys, a frown on her beautiful face, anger almost visible.

"Where was I?" She asked herself, her eyes roaming the room. "Oh, yeah, I was say how awful you are all at dancing. I'm sure Miss Sarah here could make a better effort and look more assure of herself on the stage, now wouldn't you Miss Sarah?"

Fatima turned around and glanced at the girl, who seemed as confused as anyone would be under such a question. "See? Not even she understand how you could all be so moronic on something as easy as keeping the pace. But that's okay, that why I'm here, to teach all everything from the beginning."

The guys started getting their gym bags together, getting bottles of waters and Gatorades while Kevin kneeled in front of Sarah.

"Sweetie, we're gonna go to dance for a little while, alright? I should be back in..." He was tempted to say half an hour, but seeing how annoyed Fatima was at the moment, it seemed more like an hour. "An hour. I'll tell Luke to look after you. If you need anything, or want to see me, just tell him." He knew it was very unlikely, but he wanted Sarah to have the choice if she wished so.

Leaning over, he placed a soft kiss on her head, picking his gym bag from where it lay besides Sarah, standing up. Kevin had wanted to ask her to come, but knew she would refused.

Brian, bag on his shoulder, mussed Sarah's hair as he walked over to the door, Nick right behind him. The blond kneeled in front of her and gave her the sweetest smile. "Take care of the room, will ya? We won't be long."

And just as Fatima was opening the door, Howie almost under the frame, a soft voice spoke up as a hand reached for sweat pants, tugging them slightly.

"Can I go?" Sarah asked, her hand clutching Kevin's sweats as she called out for his attention.

Big green eyes turned to look at the little girl who was staring back at him, similar emerald eyes filled with anticipation, and, not for the first time when it came to her, his heart melted. Kevin's lower lip trembled, and the back of his eyes stung as he kneeled in front of her, eyes wide and surprise all around his features.

"What did you say?" It seemed like a stupid question, pointless at the moment, but he wanted to hear her soft voice once again.

Sarah tilted her head, smiling as she saw the older man grinning madly at her, the corner of his bottom lip being chewed at. Her mommy used to do that when she was nervous. "Can I come?"

In two seconds time Kevin swept her up in his arms, swirling her around, her hair going all around the place, the scruchie falling down by the door. He squeezed tight, his face on her neck and she smelled like soap and cookies; she smelled like home. His eyes shut tight, he felt her arm going around his neck naturally and he felt even happier, the happiest he had ever been. For a moment, Kevin wondered if his heart could take much more.

And when he pulled away at arm's length and saw her face grinning back at him, Kevin realized that he'd be able to take many more moments like this, for he looked forward to them, to seeing his little girl this happy, this talkative with him.

"Of course you can come," Kevin said softly, afraid his voice would crack under the emotion on his chest. "You can come with me all the time."

Sarah smiled back, and Kevin felt like a father seeing his little girl for the first time.

Placing her on his right hip, comfortable with that position, he grinned from ear to ear, his nose wrinkling and his eyes dancing. Sarah kept smiling, her nose, astonishingly, wrinkled as well and green eyes cleared just the slightest, resembling fallen leaves in the middle of summer, dripping with morning rain.

In the bliss of the moment, Kevin leaned over and placed a small peck on the tip of her nose, making her giggle; making that the best sound he could ever hear.

Kevin turned around, as he had been drawn into a small world of their own, and saw the rest of gang watching them in awe, happiness in their faces and Fatima staring a little bit bewildered. He picked up his fallen bag from where he had dropped it moments earlier, and slid it over his unoccupied arm, squeezing Sarah tighter to his side.

"Lets go," Kevin said with a smile that couldn't be shaken off of his face.

"It's great to hear you Lady Sarah," Alex said with a smirk of his own as Kevin passed him by.

Nick mussed Sarah's now loose hair, the scrunchie in his hand. "I knew you'd warm up to us," he whispered in her ear, and she chuckled some more.

Kevin kept bouncing her up and down all the way to the stage, Sarah secured in his arms as she gazed in curiosity at the place around her.

Last time she had been in a venue, she hadn't seen much, for she had staid in the guys' dressing room. But this time, as she walked into the open wide stage, countless of rows before her, seeming to go up and into the sky, she gasped, her eyes filled with mirth.

"You like it?" He asked, looking right at her.

Sarah nodded, her eyes wanting to see more, wanting to know more, as would any four year old in such an interesting and wide open place.

"That's where the audience sit," Kevin said, pointing at the seats all the way to be back. "We make sure they can hear everything we sing." He grinned. "I'll take you up there after practice, what ya say?"

Her head bounced up and down in agreement, her lips parted open.

"All right. It's settled."

"I had been wondering," Nick's voice brought both Kevin and Sarah to turn around and look at the blond as he walked towards them, "where exactly..."

And before Sarah knew what had hit her, his hands moved in a quick motion to her sides and started tickling.

"You are ticklish!" He yelled over Sarah's own laughter and screams as she squirmed in Kevin's arms and the older man had a tough time holding her in place.

Then Sarah was throwing her head back, her body doubling, her legs around Kevin's waist and his hands on the small of her back to keep her from falling to the floor. Nick got a hold on her, his hands steadying her as they grasped her shoulders and she kept laughing, her screams subsiding and giving space to even more chuckles.

Once she settled, Nick run his fingers through her hair, smiling at her. "You're lovely," he whispered and Sarah smiled at him. "And your are very ticklish."

Sarah looked funny at him and bit back the glare. It wouldn't be nice to do that to Nick.

"Guys," Fatima said with a stern voice, and that was enough to get everyone's attention as they started getting onto their position.

"Do you wanna stay there Sarah?" Kevin asked, pointing to the back of the stage where she could sit and watch. "Or would you rather sit down there?"

Looking between the back and the front, about fifteen feet from where Kevin was standing and rather lonely, so many rows to her sides and to the back, she shook her head. "Here."

Kevin grinned from ear to ear, glee visible in his features as he heard her soft voice once again. "Sure, you can stay here." Smiling as he walked over to the back, he let his gym bag slid down his left arm and, instead of putting Sarah down, he used both hands to pick her up from her armpits and pulled her up and over his head, placing her comfortably on his shoulder.

"Or do you like it here better?"

Sarah nodded enthusiastically, her head bouncing as her small hands went to Kevin's hair, holding onto it tightly, but not pulling.

Kevin chuckled and walked over to his position at Nick's right on Everybody.

The guys stared at the older man, a frown on their faces.

"Kev," Brian said slowly, eyeing the pair carefully, "do you think that's safe?"

Kevin nodded, Sarah shaking just the slightest. "Of course. I remember when I used to put you in my shoulders Bri."

Brian's frown deepened. "Really?"

"Yeah, you were just about Sarah's age and--"

"Don't say it. I really don't wanna hear it. And if I ever find out you dropped me, I'll swear I'll kick your--" Brian finished with a shake of his head.

Kevin only laughed at it, making Sarah giggled with mirth.

"Come on guys, it's getting late!"

All of them face forwards, even if they kept stealing furtive glances at the older man and the child on his shoulders.

"Kevin," Nick pleaded, a worried and half terrified look on his face, "put her down, she can seat on the back and--"

"No, she's fine, right Sarah?"

Sarah nodded. "Yep."

"See?" Kevin turned around, facing forward once again. "It's not like I'm going to drop her."

But Nick's worry didn't ease. Instead, his head was half turn, his eyes glued to the little girl and what little balance she had as she sat there. Right now she seemed fine, but when they start dancing, wouldn't she fall? Why was Kevin being so irresponsible?

Nick couldn't help but keep on thinking of a million and one possibility that involved Sarah falling back and onto the stage -- something Nick really didn't want to consider.

And then the music started and everyone started doing their part, moving along with the beat, and Kevin turned, and Sarah wobbled and in two fast steps Nick was behind Kevin, his hands up, reaching for Sarah's back and barely touching it, protecting her from a certain fall.

Kevin laughed, knowing exactly where the blond was, his movements flawless, even though his hands were up and holding onto Sarah's sides, keeping her from stumbling.

"Nick! Get back to your post!"

But Nick didn't hear, he didn't care if Fatima got angry at him and probably forced him to run all around the venue, he wasn't going to leave his place behind Kevin, keeping Sarah safe.

"I'm not going to drop her!" Kevin yelled as he swayed back, his motions perfect and controlled.

"I don't care!"

And the rest of the song went just like that: four guys doing their dancing while one felt like ten years more were put on his tab and wrinkles were settling on his face over the worry.

*****

Shifting the weight on his right arm, Kevin walked up the stairs that led to the higher seats on the venue.

His hand moved to Sarah's side, and she giggled, squirming on Kevin's hold and the older man laughed at the response. It felt so great to be able to coax a smile from the little girl. He had never known something that made him feel so good.

They hadn't reached the highest yet, but Kevin turned around and pointed to the lowest of the place, where you could make out Brian and Nick dribbling the basketball while Alex and Howie talked.

"Do you see them?"

Sarah nodded.

"Now, we're gonna see if we can hear them."

Kevin lifted his arm high, and waved at them. Alex saw him, pointed Kevin out to Howie and turned around to yell something Kevin couldn't hear.

Brian and Nick saw them next, and picked up their headsets.

"Sarah!" Nick yelled into the microphone. "You look so tiny!"

Kevin chuckled. "We can hear them all right," he said, grinning as Sarah waved at Nick. "But it's very plausible that the audience won't hear with all the noise that's always present during a concert." He signaled up, and the sound manager, Steven, who was standing on the side, moved a couple of dials.

"What about now?"

This time it was Brian, and Kevin seemed to ponder it. He got out the Nextel phone he had borrowed from Allyson as the woman had been passing by, and talked into it. "A little bit more."

"Roger that," Nick said onto Steven's Nextel, and the sound was pushed up a little bit more.

"Why don't you sing?"

Nick chuckled. "We need you here to do bass."

"Sing something," Kevin said onto the phone. Sarah leaned over, her hand reaching for the phone and Kevin complied, drawing it close to her.

"Nick!" Sarah giggled. "Sing!"

Nick blushed bright red, even though neither Kevin nor Sarah could see him, but he duck his head and felt warmth in his heart. She was speaking, and she had spoken to him. "Sure," he whispered so softly, Sarah barely heard him.

And Nick picked up his headset once again, placing the microphone close to his mouth.

Kevin's eyes cleared, and the corners of his lips twitched in a ghost of a smile. He had always loved Nick's voice, so soft, so tender, so angelic.

"He sings pretty," Sarah said, looking at Kevin with a tilted head and a smile on her face.

"He sings prettily," Kevin corrected, then nodded, "and yeah, you're right."

"Do you sing pretty too?"

Kevin chuckled. "Prettily," he said again, but Sarah seemed adamant to say pretty, "well, I don't know, I sing alright I guess."

Blinking a couple of times, and coming back to the present, Kevin talked into the Nextel again. "Come on guys, this is sound check, you know?"

Alex got the cell phone from Nick, speaking up. "Yeah, well, there are five on the group, you know, not four."

"I'll be back in a minute."

"Fatima wants to continue with practice and if we suffer, then you suffer."

Kevin chuckled. "Oh, yeah?"

"Sure, yeah." Nick said, getting the phone back. "Come down, will ya?"

"In a sec." And Kevin released the Private Conversation button, sitting on one of the seats on the highest levels of the venue, placing Sarah on his lap.

"Can you see them?"

Sarah swirled her head around and stared down. Alex and Nick were throwing the ball at each other, and Brian was trying to get it. With only two tries, Brian was successful.

"Yeah," she said after a moment.

"We'd like to make the venues bigger--"

"What's a venue?"

Kevin smiled softly. "This place sis called a venue, where we perform." He reached out and rumbled Sarah's hair, who only twitched and giggled. "Anyhow, we'd like to make them bigger, so more people can come and see us, but if you make them bigger, then they'll see you smaller and smaller. Right now, you see Nicky very little, right?"

Sarah nodded. "I see him."

"I know, but when we were downstairs, in the very front, you saw him better, right?"

"He looked lots of bigger."

"A lot bigger," Kevin said, correcting her. "Still, we try our best that if they can't see us clearly, then at least they should hear us the best."

And Sarah nodded again, even though she didn't quite get what Kevin was trying to tell her. She didn't understand why people would like to see or listen to them.

Sarah nuzzled his neck, and Kevin let out a soft sigh of contentment. He would like nothing more than to hold her for the rest of the day, for the rest of the week, but things needed to be done, and he had to be a part of them.

Kevin shook his head, trying to get rid of the cobwebs that seemed to tangle his already fuzzy brain, her voice still clear in his mind; and when he stared at Sarah, her little head titled and dark green eyes gazing right at him, he could see in the back of them, a tingle of blue, sky blue, Lizzie's blue, looking at him and grinned. This was Lizzie's little girl.

"Come on," he said, standing up with her in his arms, and she nodded her head. "It's time to go downstairs." He thought for a moment as he started the journey down. "Maybe we can find chocolate cookies in the kitchen."

"Yeah!"

Kevin laughed at Sarah's enthusiasms over cookies, such a glee that resembled her mother's in a way that stunned the older man. And he could almost her Lizzie's voice in the back, telling him just how much she loved chocolate cookies.

*****

Sarah safely held in his arms, Kevin walked into the bus, placing one hand over Sarah's head in case she bumped against the frame of the sliding door that led them to the living-in bus.

Her dazzling green eyes widened in surprise as she tried to take everything at once, from the small kitchen area that promised her so much fun to the narrow hallway that lead to the bunks and into a closed door that seemed to whispered pranks in her ear.

"This's our bus," Kevin started, but Sarah started twitching in his grasp and he put her down.

The moment her feet touched the ground, she ran to the end of the small kitchen area that collided with the so-called living room and hopped onto the two-piece couch, jumping up and down.

Kevin shook his head, laughing at her girlish antics. "Sarah! You'll fall."

Nick patted Kevin on the shoulder as he walked inside, his eyes moving over to where Sarah was, laughing in delight. "She'll be fine."

Kevin turned around, giving the blond a pointed look. "Now you don't worry?"

The blond shrugged his shoulder in nonchalance, walking over to Sarah and picking her up in his arms, making her giggled all the way. "You're a handful, did you know that?"

Sarah seemed to consider his words for a moment before sticking her tongue out to him.

Nick frowned, then stuck out his own.

"Very mature Nick." Kevin said, taking his charger onto his embrace, walking over to the bunks and proceeding to show her around.

"This," Kevin pointed to the second bunk from the door frame, "is mine. You'll sleep here with me."

"We fit?"

Kevin chuckled at her puzzled face, her brow furrowing, and nodded. "Yep. We'll fit nicely. Don't worry." He leaned over and pecked her on the nose, which made her giggle

He opened the curtain with his free hand and saw her pink backpack inside, smiling at the thought. Allyson had brought it.

Sarah's small fingers moved over to the coat that Kevin had, dark green, shiny gray and black, and she held onto the edge tightly. "Can I play with it later?"

Kevin looked down at Sarah's hand and smiled at her. He was still wearing the Get another Boyfriend's wardrobe and, apparently, she liked it. Thinking about it, he wondered what exactly she'd like to do with it. "Depends. Will you take care of it? Because I have to wear it again tomorrow." That was only half accurate. The boys had two sets of wardrobe for them, but it was always better save than sorry.

Sarah nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah. I careful."

"It's I'm careful sweetie. Sure," and Kevin saw that Sarah was about to say something, probably ask him to take it off so she could play with it, but he continued. "but Tomorrow. Right now, it's way passed your bedtime." And that was something they hadn't talked about; or more like Kevin hadn't exactly figured out what Sarah's bedtime should be.

"You don't have sleeves."

He chuckled at her statement. "Yeah, I don't."

"Don't you get cold?"

"Nah, when we're dancing, it's never cold."

Sarah frowned, but then yawned, and realized that she was indeed a little bit sleepy. "Hungry."

Kevin's smile softened at the little girl. Of course she'd be hungry. It was already close to eleven, and even though they had something before the concert, Kevin remembered when Brian was young, he used to have dinner at eight. "Lets go for dinner."

Bouncing her up and down in his arms, Kevin walked back into the kitchen, where the rest of the gang sat around. Howie had a beer in his hands and his eyes moved between the bottle and Sarah. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to have a beer after the concert.

Kevin, too, realized the younger man was drinking and thought about it for a second before nodding at Howie. "No problem D. Don't worry."

He'd try to protect Sarah as much as he could, but there was always the possibility that he'd have to be somewhere where the drinks would come and go. And what better way for her to know it wasn't wrong to have a drink -- when you're over twenty-one -- than to see Kevin's friends doing it.

Howie's worry lessened as Kevin nodded.

Alex smiled at Sarah, tilting his head. "You want a coke Lady Sarah?"

Sarah grinned with glee at the name. She liked the name that man used for her. It made her all giddy inside. "Yeah!"

"No," Kevin said with a smile as Sarah pouted at him. He bit back his lower lip, the action reminding him of a young blond that used to do the very same at him when the boy wanted something. Kevin thought about it, looking at his friends, who seemed to support Sarah instead of him, and he sighed. "Maybe only a little bit. And with warm water. I don't want you catching a cold."

Nick shook his head as he walked over the cupboard and got a coke, pouring it on a glass and adding some warm water, just so Kevin wouldn't bug him.

Sarah was put down by Kevin, and she reached for the glass Nick offered. She got a hold on it tightly, taking a short sip, then handing it back. Nick looked at it, sighed, and claimed it as his own.

Sarah ran over to Alex, tilting her and looking at him critically.

"What do you need my Lady?"

She smiled tenderly, her eyes going to the piece of cloth around his head. "Can I have your scrunchie?"

Alex laughed, shaking his head. "It's not a scrunchie. It's a bandana."

His words didn't seem to matter in her head. It was like saying it's not a puppy, it's a dog. It was the same thing for her. She shrugged with an innocent nonchalance. "Can I have it?"

With a smile on his lips at her words, he nodded, unknotting it, and handed it to her.

She grinned with sheer glee and placed it around her neck. She would have fastened it if she knew how to tie a knot. Usually her mommy tied her shoelaces.

Kevin crossed his arms around his chest as he gazed at his little girl. Sarah turned around and looked up at him, smiling cheerfully. She crossed the room with fast steps and leaned against Kevin's legs as his hands moved on their own accord to rest on her shoulders.

"We should get something to eat, I'm starving."

Howie nodded at Brian's thought. "I second that."

"Me too."

Everyone turned around to see at Sarah, her words still catching them by surprise and she was smiling at the bunch, those sweet green eyes shinning with happiness.

"I'm sure there's something here," Alex said, walking over to the counter, beer still in hand. Cooking wasn't his best feature, but he could make some pasta when needed.

Indeed, chicken with rice and French fries in six different Styrofoam containers were placed on the corner of the counter and Kevin smiled at it. Allyson had always been so thoughtful.

Nick helped serving dinner, and in no time at all six of them were seated at the table.

Sarah, comfortably on Kevin's lap, looked at her plate with hungry eyes. She had had half a sandwich from the room she had been in with that nice lady that always staid with her when Kevin wasn't, but she was still hungry.

Kevin made the mental note to ask for another chair as soon as they got to the next town. Sarah didn't seem to mind not being on her own; actually, she looked like she enjoyed being by Kevin's side as much as she could.

With her own plate in front of her, Sarah picked up her fork and started eating. Kevin cut the chicken and French fries, and she ate comfortably.

Twenty minutes later, Sarah was laying against Kevin's side, half asleep, her eyes closed and her breathing evening. The plate wasn't even half eaten and her hands were a little dirty from the chicken.

Kevin smiled down at her, picked her up and made his way towards the bunk. It'd be better for her to lie down already, and he did just that. He remembered that she should really wash her teeth, and he picked up his old brush -- he really needed to get her one of her own -- and walked towards the bathroom.

Sarah was more asleep than awake by the time she finished with her teeth, and Kevin picked up her in his arms and took her to bed. Pulling down the covers, he placed her delicately on the bunk. Her hand reached out to him and he hushed her with a kiss. "I'll be back in a minute sweetie. I promise."

Her head rested on the pillow and he waited for a moment, seeing her chest raising and falling in an easy pattern, and when she settled for the night, he turned around and returned to the table.

Kevin sat down and looked at her half finished plate. Kevin hadn't even served her much, having placed the food in another plate to make it easier for him to cut it. He had only given her a couple of pieces of chicken, some fries and barely two spoons of rice; still she hadn't finished.

"Anyone wants it?"

The food was distributed between Alex and Nick with a grin, and the conversation fell into a easy pattern before the five friends, the only sound on the room was the continue roaring of the engine, the wind against the windows and the soft breathing, the barely heard breathing of a little girl in the second bunk.