He turned around and looked at the room, wondering if there was something else to be packed before going downstairs to get breakfast done. When he felt he was ready to go, Kevin nodded to himself and picked up the last suitcase he was going to take. He walked over to the door, leaving it by the side, so he wouldn't forget about it.

His eyes drifted over to the little girl still sleeping on his bed. To say that he had been surprised when he had woken up in the middle of the night, thinking about going over to her room and make sure the cover was up would be an underestimation. He had been just about to stand up when he felt something in his arms, against his chest. The older man had looked down and found himself staring at a small head with dark hair. He had sighed softly and been the happiest he could remember being.

When she had crept over to his bed, he wasn't sure. He was just glad she had felt at ease with him as to go to his bed. She had probably been slightly afraid of the new house, the new room, but she had sought Kevin's reassurance, and that was more than enough for him.

He had tried not to make any noise when he had stood up at five sharp to pack. She had barely turned around in the bed, sighing in contempt and placed her hand once again under her pillow.

Now, trying once again not to wake her, he picked up the suitcases two at a time and walked down stairs. He left the four bags by the living room and made his way to the kitchen. Once again there was really not much to make. Milk was poured into a glass, planning on warming it on the microwave and there was enough jam for one piece of bread. God, he had to go shopping. Once he got back from tour that would be the first thing on his list.

Quickly, as for her not to wake without him by her side, he walked back to the room. She was, thanks God, still asleep.

He kneeled in front of her, looking at her sleeping face for a moment. She looked lovely in her sleep, eyes close, even more peaceful than awake. With a sore heart, hating wake her, he shook her slightly, whispering her name softly. "Sarah, Sarah wake up."

She turned around, her back to him.

Kevin chuckled slightly. "Sarah, you gotta wake up."

She turned once again, laying down on her back, and opened her bright green eyes. Even in the wake of dawn, her eyes twinkled.

"We gotta go."

She sat on the bed and rubbed her eyes with her fists. Kevin picked up her small backpack and got a pair of sweat pants, a small shirt and matching sweatshirt.

He helped her out of her nightgown and into her clothes, all the while smiling at her. She put on small Rugrats sneakers, the same from last night, realizing she probably liked the show. He saved that information for later on. "Breakfast is ready. Again, it's not really much. We'll have something more on the flight."

They made their way to the kitchen. Kevin only had a cup of coffee, not really hungry at this time of hour. Thinking that maybe she would feel the same, he spoke up. "If you're not hungry, then that's fine, we can have something on the plane. Leave it if you want."

And she did as recommended. She only had a couple of sips of her milk, not even touching the bread. It was totally understandable.

Kevin checked his watch. It was already ten to six. They should be getting here any time now. He took her to the bathroom, and this time his eyes staid open for half the trip. He was getting better at this.

When they got back, she sat by his side on the couch and together they waited for the bus.

*****

At this hour, even the VIP lounge was deserted. They used to be only five people in the room, but this time it was six.

Looking down at a dark haired head on his chest, Kevin smiled. He had been sure she would fall asleep as they waited to embark, after seeing her tumbling in the van. She had sat upright for as long as she could on their way to the airport, but had finally leaned against the side of the window, her eyes closing every now and then.

Hence, when they reached the lounge, sat down and waited, she had succumbed to sleep. She had sat by Kevin's side, her head against his arm, and had fallen asleep in barely minutes. Thinking that maybe she wasn't too comfortable, Kevin had lifted his arm, placing her head against his chest, cradling her softly.

It was so very early for a little girl, that Kevin hadn't had the heart to wake her.

"She's very sweet," Alex whispered after a minute. Neither of the guys were making any noise as not to wake the newest youngest of them.

Kevin only nodded. "She's great." He paused, remembering the events of last night. "She actually nodded at me yesterday."

"You're kidding?" Nick asked, surprise evident in his clear blue eyes.

Kevin shook his head proudly. "No. I asked her... and she nodded. I was so surprised. Gosh, I wanted to hug her."

"I can imagine," Howie whispered.

"Yeah. She even turned off the TV all on her own after you all left."

"I think she just needs some time to warm up to you," Brian said, smiling at his older cousin. "To all of us."

Kevin nodded again. "Yeah. Poor thing," he whispered as he run his fingers through her soft hair, "I hated to wake her so early on her first day here."

"I know," Nick said, standing up from his chair and making his way to Sarah's other side. He looked down at her, smiling softly. He, too, reached out to touch her hair. Ever since he had met her, she had seemed so... untouchable with that silent posture. For someone so young, she did seem rather confident, secure of herself. How that was expressed, he really didn't know. But now, sleeping comfortable by Kevin's side, she looked... like a child.

As it seemed unnatural for them, they staid quiet for the longest time, neither of them wanting to disturb Sarah's sleep.

*****

"What now?"

Kevin looked up from his half empty plate over to Brian. He sighed softly, his eyes roaming the hotel room all five of them now sat in, having breakfast.

He wasn't really sure how he would manage that. When they had gotten in the plane, Sarah still asleep in his arms, he had realized he hadn't gotten her a ticket. He was lucky as the stewardess actually believed him she was three and ergo, wouldn't need a ticket of her own. The woman didn't complain, and something told him it had to do with his stature. Since first class wasn't full at that early time of the day, he got Sarah a seat by his side. The little girl slept the whole way through. It was only once they had reached their destination that he dared to wake her. Even then, she barely made it to the van awake enough as not to trip.

Kevin shook his head slightly, his eyes traveling to the closed door that lead to the bedroom. She was in there, sleeping the morning away under the thick covers the hotel provided. He had told her that she could catch up on the rest of hours of sleep she was missing. That he would wake her. And he would. Just not now. It was barely eight am LA time, nine Florida time, which meant she would probably sleep another hour. Then, and only then, he would wake her to have breakfast with her.

Kevin sighed again. "I don't really know. I gotta call management, I'm gonna have to tell Allyson as soon as she arrives."

"The guys too," Howie added as an after thought, talking about their bodyguards.

Kevin nodded. "I gotta tell them all."

"And what exactly will you tell them?"

Kevin thought his words carefully as he tried to answer Alex's questions. "That's Sarah is my responsibility now. That I'm keeping her with me -- always. And that they can't do anything to make me change my mind."

Nick nodded, proud of the conviction Kevin showed regarding Sarah. "That's good." He looked at the guys, who silently answered his question. "We're all with you."

"What about aunt Ann?"

Of course it had to be Brian who would bring his mother into the subject so early in the questioning. "I'm not really sure. I'm gonna tell her, don't get me wrong, just not now." Kevin shrugged. "Maybe later today, after I've dealt with management."

But before anything else could be said, the door leading to the bedroom opened slightly, tiny feet walking inside the room bringing a little girl rubbing her groggy eyes with the palms of her hand.

"Sarah!" Kevin said surprised, standing up and going over to her. He kneeled in front of her, looking right into her still sleepy eyes.

She really didn't need to speak to let him know what she was thinking. Her eyes were saying it all. And it was more than enough.

"Sarah," Kevin said softly, understanding the question, "I let you sleep in because I thought you were tired." He paused, feeling completely out of place. He sighed softly. There was no point in arguing as a monologue. "You should have breakfast with us."

Kevin stood up, making his way over to the food cart and picking up the cup of milk he had ordered for her. He poured some hot water, warming it up, and placed a slice of bread on a plate along with some scrambled eggs. His brain seemed to function as he thought about cutting the bread in small pieces for Sarah before giving it to her. He picked his forgotten cup of coffee on the way, and sat by her side on one of the couches, the plate on his own lap. He turned around the slightest, giving her easier access to the plate, not wanting her handling it.

"Good morning Sarah," Nick said softly, looking at her.

She lifted her eyes long enough as to frown at him, lowering them to gaze at her cup for milk.

Nick only smiled. "I don't know if you remember me from yesterday. I'm Nick by the way." He chuckled. "If you don't want your eggs, it's okay, we usually don't finish them anyway."

"Please, like you don't finish your plate. It's like you're an endless barrel. You just keep eating." He snorted. "Sarah, he's saying..." Alex paused for a second, swallowing the curse he was about to say, "rocks," he added. "You should definitely finish your breakfast."

"Oh, right," Howie added is two cents, "you never used to leave your breakfast when you were young."

"That was me," Alex said, glaring at his older friend as he really couldn't do much with Sarah here.

"Yeah, and Sarah is so small," Brian added as an after thought, "that food would never get in that little body."

"Come on!" Nick said, grinning all the while, his eyes focusing on Sarah's little form. "She's cool, I'm sure of it." He tilted his head. "You are cool, aren't you?"

They all waited for her to say something, but she only lifted her eyes, looked at Nick for a second, then lowered them once again.

"I think she's just playing hard to get," Alex stated, the corner of his lips twitching up in a smirk, his eyebrows rising. "I'm sure that once she gets to know us, see us as cool as we are, she'll be cool with us."

"Maybe she's just this secretive," Brian said, looking at her as well as she ate her eggs with her fork, leaning slightly over Kevin's lap, the cup of milk by her side, dangling dangerously as it stood between her leg and the small dent between two pillows on the couch. "You know. Private. Like Kevin used to be at the beginning."

"Oh, yeah," Howie added as an after thought. "He would barely say two words to us."

"You say it like I was a prick."

"You were," Alex said chuckling as Kevin glared at him. "Well, you just looked like it. Once you warmed up to us, you were really cool."

"And then got really obnoxious too," Nick chuckled.

Kevin glared at him.

"What?! It's true," Nick turned around and looked at Sarah. "Did you know that Kevin has this mother hen complex? He does. Don't worry, we'll make sure you have fun. We'll take you out without him knowing."

Kevin sighed. "It's not good to say those things. Sarah will think it's true."

"Well," Alex said, the word dangling in his tongue, "it is."

Kevin glared at the four looking at him like he was crazy. "Don't listen to them Sarah. They are crazy. They always have, it just comes out more when they are behaving like... lunatics."

Alex shrugged nonchalantly, giving Sarah a small smile. "It's ok. We're proud of it."

Nick stood up, doing it more out of instinct that anything else. He walked over to where Sarah was sitting, kneeling in front of her. Sarah paused as she was about to take another drink from her cup of milk.

Nick smiled sweetly, tilting his head as he looked at the little beauty sitting in front of him. Green eyes stared back firmly at him, dark eyelashes covering them as thin lips twitched upwards in a confused smirk.

"We all like you Sarah," Nick said lowly, his statement meant only for Sarah even if the guys were still in the room. "We all do. We don't need to hang out with you for a week to know that. You're sweet, you're a darling and that's enough for us to like you. We hope... I hope," Nick said under his breath, "that given the time you'll like us as well."

Sarah thought about it for a second, wondering why this grown man was looking at her like that. He was nice, she decided. She liked him, and liked his blue eyes in a second, very much her mommy's.

After a moment of thought, she nodded.

Nick couldn't be happier, thus happiness reflecting in his smile, the guys cheering in the back.

"Sarah, you rock!"

"Way to go baby!"

"You go girl!"

"Wooho! Girl power!"