Nick sat backstage at a concert waiting to go onstage. He looked around and saw his band mates, AJ, Howie, and Brian talking. Kevin came in with his wife, Kristin. Kevin came over and sat down next to Nick while Kristin went to talk to Brian’s wife, Leighanne.

        “Hey Nick,” Kevin said.

        “Hey,” Nick said.

        “Nicky, you okay,” Kevin said.

        “Well, it’s just that, I’m single, I just want to find that right person, I mean, you have Kris, Brian has Leighanne, Howie has Leigh, well, AJ’s single, but I just want to find that right girl,” Nick said.

        “Hey, I know someone, Kris and I met her on vacation, we hung out with her and she is a female version of you,” Kevin said. Nick looked at him.

        “Really?” Nick asked.

        “Yeah, she is perfect for you,” Kevin said.

        “Okay,” Nick said.

        “I’ll call you when she’s in town,” Kevin said. Nick nodded.

        “Okay,” Nick said.

        “Oh, and one more thing, Nick, um, she has a one month old baby girl,” Kevin said.

        “A baby?” Nick asked.

        “Yeah, the baby was a result of a rape and she doesn’t believe in adoption or abortion, like you,” Kevin said.

        “Oh,” Nick said.

        “Nicky, just meet her, don’t let the fact that she’s a mother scare you away,” Kevin said.

        “I’ll meet her, it doesn’t scare me,” Nick said.

Three weeks later, Nick was home getting ready to meet Kevin and Kristin’s friend. He went to Kevin’s house and rang the doorbell. Kevin opened the door and saw him and smiled.

        “Hey Nick, come on in, she’s in the living room with Kris,” Kevin said. Nick went in and followed Kevin to the living room and walked and saw Kristin with the most beautiful girl in the world.

        “Hayley, this is Nick,” Kevin said. Hayley looked up and saw him and smiled.

        “It’s nice to meet you, Nick,” Hayley said standing up.

        “You, too, so where’s your little girl?” Nick asked.

        “Upstairs asleep, Kristin and Kevin will be watching her,” Hayley said.

        “Can I see her?” Nick asked. Hayley nodded and he followed her upstairs to a room where a bassinet was set up. Nick quietly walked over and looked at the baby and smiled. He went out the door and looked at Hayley.

        “She’s beautiful, like her mother,” Nick said.

        “I was afraid you would be scared away because I have her,” Hayley said.

        “Nah, if any guy is scared away because you have a baby, they are idiots, you were raped, you got pregnant, but you refused to give the baby up or have an abortion, I admire you for that, because I don’t believe in abortion or adoption,” Nick said. Hayley smiled.

        “Really?” Hayley asked.

        “Yeah, she’s your baby, you gave her life, no one can take that away,” Nick said. Hayley smiled and hugged him.

        “Let’s go out,” Hayley said. Nick smiled and they said bye to Kevin and Kristin and left and went out to a restaurant and ate dinner and talked. Then they went to Nick’s boat and went out on the water and Nick stopped the boat and dropped anchor and turned off the boat and went and sat down next to Hayley.

        “Thanks for dinner, Nick,” Hayley said.

        “You’re welcome,” Nick said.

        “It’s a nice night,” Hayley said.

        “Yeah,” Nick said.

        “Nick, you okay?” Hayley asked.

        “Yeah, I was just thinking about stuff,” Nick said.

        “Nick, are you getting cold feet of being with me,” Hayley said.

        “No, I’m not, I’m just thinking of being with you again,” Nick said.

        “So this isn’t a one time deal, you want to continue to see me,” Hayley said.

        “Yes, I do, very much, I’ve always have had bad luck with girls, they always want something because of my connections, but with you, it’s different, you treat me like a normal person,” Nick said.

        “Nick, because you are a normal person, the Backstreet Boys is your job, it’s what you do, not who you are, you are Nickolas Gene Carter, not Nick Backstreet, you want to have a private life away from the spotlight, I want to stay out of the spotlight,” Hayley said. Nick smiled and hugged her.

        “Thank you, it means a lot that you said that, and you are right, I want a private life away from the spotlight, I want you in that life, Hayley, you and your little girl,” Nick said.

        “You mean, you want to be with me,” Hayley said.

        “Yes, I do, when I first saw you, I knew it in my heart that you are the one for me,” Nick said.

        “And it doesn’t matter to you that if you have me, you have my baby, too,” Hayley said.

        “Added bonus, I love kids,” Nick said. Hayley kissed him softly. The kiss deepened and they sat there holding each other and kissing. They laid on the deck of the boat and kissed.

        “Nick, um, how far is this going to go, I mean, what’s happening right now,” Hayley said.

        “Just kissing, I want to take things slow and not jump right into bed, I know you aren’t ready for it and just having a baby a month ago, I know your six week period isn’t up yet,” Nick said.

        “You know your stuff,” Hayley said.

        “Brian and Leighanne had Baylee five weeks ago, I was listening when AJ started bugging Brian about having sex with Leighanne, Brian told AJ to bug off and quietly said that nothing can happen for six weeks, I heard that part of the conversation quite clearly, and I know what you had been through and you are uneasy in the making love department but I assure you now that I will never ever hurt you in any way possible,” Nick said. Hayley smiled and continued kissing him.

        “We can make out, though,” Hayley said.

        “Exactly what I had in mind, I feel like I have known you forever,” Nick said.

        “Same here,” Hayley said. He kissed her deeply. Nick’s phone rang. He groaned and got it out of his pocket.

        “Yeah, Frick,” Nick said as Hayley kissed his neck.

        “Hey Frack, how’s it going?” Brian said.

        “Awesome,” Nick said closing his eyes as he laid on his back and Hayley laid on top of him.

        “Kevin said you had a date tonight, everything going okay,” Brian said.

        “Yup, just great, we are out on the boat,” Nick said.

        “Nick, you okay,” Brian said.

        “Just great, Frick, I honestly think I found the right girl for me,” Nick said. Hayley looked at him and smiled and continued kissing his neck.

        “That’s good, Frack, I’m glad, it’s about time, Kevin said she has a baby,” Brian said.

        “Yeah, a baby girl, and she is absolutely beautiful like her mother,” Nick said. Hayley smiled as she began unbuttoning Nick’s shirt. She opened his shirt and kissed his collarbone. He moaned.

        “Nick, am I interrupting something?” Brian asked.

        “Kind of,” Nick said.

        “When did she have the baby?” Brian said.

        “A month ago, don’t worry, Frick, we aren’t doing anything but making out,” Nick said.

        “You just met her!” Brian said.

        “Yeah, well, just being with her, it feels like I’ve known her forever,” Nick said.

        “I hope you know what you are doing,” Brian said.

        “I do, Frick, I’m not going to do anything she’s not ready for,” Nick said. Hayley smiled and kissed his chest.

        “Okay, talk to you later, man,” Brian said.

        “Bye,” Nick said. He hung up and put it in his pocket and laid there enjoying her kisses. They looked at each other and smiled and he rolled them over and kissed her deeply and kissed her neck. They got up and headed back to shore and got into Nick’s car and went to Kevin’s. They went in and saw Kevin holding the baby.

        “Hey guys, how was the date?” Kevin asked.

        “Awesome,” Nick said.

        “We decided to continue dating, just one night with Nick and it feels like I’ve known him forever,” Hayley said.

        “Same here,” Nick said.

        “So you guys are a couple now?” Kevin asked. Nick and Hayley looked at each other.

        “Yeah, we are, we are taking it slow,” Nick said. He sat down and took the baby.

        “Oh, her name is Alexis Marie Hardin, I call her Lexi,” Hayley said.

        “Hey Lexi,” Nick said softly. Lexi looked at him and gurgled. Hayley sat down and watched Nick talk to Lexi.

Chapter 2

Three months later, Hayley and Lexi moved in with Nick. Nick and Hayley have gotten closer than ever and were officially a couple in love. Nick has bonded with Lexi. Hayley was out shopping with Leighanne and Brian and Nick were on baby duty. Nick rocked Lexi to sleep while Brian did the same with Baylee.

        “I really love being a father, Frack, it’s amazing,” Brian said as he laid Baylee in his car seat. Nick laid Lexi down in her portable crib that was kept in the living room.

        “Yeah, it’s amazing, I know Lexi isn’t my biological daughter, it feels like she is my daughter, I love her like she was my own child, right now, I can’t imagine my life without her, she changed my life for the better, I’m no longer partying or drinking, or clubbing, she and Hayley have changed my life for the better, I feel better about myself,” Nick said.

        “That is good, Frack, I’m glad, fatherhood is a lot of responsibility, but it is amazing,” Brian said. Nick nodded. The front door opened and closed and AJ and Howie came in.

        “Shhh!” Brian and Nick said pointing to the sleeping babies. AJ and Howie quietly came in and sat down.

        “You guys on baby duty?” AJ asked.

        “Yup, the girls are out shopping,” Nick said quietly.

        “Oh man,” AJ said quietly.

        “What’s up,” Brian said quietly.

        “We have been writing a lot of songs, when can we go back to the studio,” Howie asked quietly.

        “I think we are set up for next month, that’s what Johnny said, to start working at the start of next month which is September,” Brian said quietly.

        “Good, give us time to fine tune these songs we wrote,” AJ said quietly. Brian and Nick looked at each other and Nick gave AJ a notebook. AJ opened it and saw lyrics.

        “You guys have been writing, too?” AJ asked quietly.

        “Yeah, while the girls shop and we watch the babies, we put our heads together and write songs while they sleep,” Brian said quietly. The front door opened and closed and Hayley and Leighanne came in with bags.

        “Shh!” Brian, Nick, Howie, and AJ said. Hayley saw her daughter sleeping as Leighanne saw her son sleeping.

        “How long?” Hayley asked quietly.

        “A half hour,” Nick said quietly. Hayley smiled and kissed Nick’s forehead. She went upstairs. Leighanne smiled as she watched her son sleep.

        “We are heading back to the studio at the start of next month,” Brian said quietly.

        “Guys, how about a barbecue,” Nick said quietly. They nodded.

        “Cool,” AJ said quietly.

        “Watch Lexi for me,” Nick said to Brian and Leighanne. He went upstairs to the bedroom and saw Hayley looking at her clothes she got.

        “Hey, how about a barbecue,” Nick said.

        “That sounds good, do we have enough food to cook with?” Hayley asked.

        “I can send Howie and AJ to the store,” Nick said.

        “Cool,” Hayley said.

        “Um, starting next month, the guys and I are heading back to the studio,” Nick said.

        “Okay,” Hayley said. Nick wrapped his arms around her.

        “I want you to know something, I was talking with Brian about it, I wanted to tell you that you and Lexi have changed my life for the better, I love Lexi like she was my daughter,” Nick said. Hayley smiled and hugged him.

        “And she loves you, I can tell, she never cries with you, she’s always happy,” Hayley said.

        “And I’m happy, Hayley, and sometime in the future, I want to adopt her, I want to give her my name and be her father, and someday, I want you to be my wife, and we can be a family,” Nick said. Hayley looked at him and smiled.

        “I want to be a family, too,” Hayley said.  Nick smiled and kissed her softly. They heard Lexi start crying. They went downstairs and Hayley picked up her daughter and cuddled her. Nick pulled Brian out back and motioned AJ and Howie to follow. They sat down.

        “Guys, I have been thinking and I told Hayley what I was thinking, I want to adopt Lexi and I want to marry Hayley, someday, I want to be a family with them, I want that now, I know we’ve technically been together for three months, but it feels like I have known Hayley forever and that Lexi is like a daughter to me, I want to make it official,” Nick said.

        “You have thought a lot about this,” AJ said.

        “Yeah, I have, I’m ready to be a family man, a real family, my dad is an amazing dad to me and my sisters and brother, I want to be a father like him,” Nick said.

        “Nick, I have watched you with Lexi and you are amazing with her,” Brian said.

        “I love her, I love Lexi like she was my own daughter, it is to the point where I don’t know what I would do without them,” Nick said.

        “We are behind you all the way, Nick,” Brian said.

        “Yeah, if you need us, we will be here,” AJ said.

        “Thanks, guys,” Nick said.

That night, Nick and Hayley put Lexi to bed and laid down in their bed, holding each other. Hayley rested her head on his chest and smiled.

        “What’s up,” Nick said.

        “Just thinking of how happy I am, I never thought I could be this happy, besides having Lexi in my life, I now have you and you are amazing, I couldn’t ask for a better person for me and Lexi,” Hayley said. Nick smiled and kissed her softly. The kiss deepened and Hayley laid on top of him.  Nick rested his hands on her waist.

        “Nick,” Hayley said as Nick began kissing her neck.

        “Yeah, baby,” Nick said. She pulled back and looked at him.

        “Make me yours forever,” Hayley said.

        “You are,” Nick said.

        “Make love to me, Nick,” Hayley said.

        “Are you sure?” Nick asked. Hayley nodded and kissed him deeply. He rolled them over and removed her clothes and his and he reached over into his nightstand and pulled out a condom and slid it on and he gently and slowly made love to her. They laid there afterwards, holding each other.

        “That was amazing, I want this every night,” Hayley said. Nick smiled.

        “We can make love every night, because I never want to stop,” Nick said kissing her hungrily. He got out another condom and put it on and made love to her again. They went to sleep afterwards in each other’s arms.

Chapter 3

Three months went by. Nick and Hayley have grown closer than ever. Nick was at the mall with Brian while Leighanne and Hayley were at Nick’s house with Lexi and Baylee.

        “Frick, I think I’m ready, I want to ask Hayley to marry me,” Nick whispered.

        “I support you all the way, Frack,” Brian whispered. Nick looked at rings and found one and bought it and went home. They walked in and saw the girls talking. Lexi and Baylee were asleep.

        “Hey,” Nick said quietly.

        “Hey guys,” Leighanne said quietly. Brian kissed his wife and sat down. Nick kissed Hayley’s forehead and sat down.

That night, Nick and Hayley put Lexi to bed and went to their room and laid on the bed, kissing. Nick pulled back and smiled.

        “I have something for you,” Nick said. He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the ring box. Hayley looked at it and opened it and saw the ring and covered her mouth with her hand and looked at Nick and grinned.

        “Marry me?” Nick asked.

        “God yes!” Hayley said. He kissed her and slid the ring on her finger.

        “Perfect fit, just like you, me and Lexi,” Nick said.

        “Yeah, we are, I love you, I know I do,” Hayley said. Nick smiled and kissed her deeply.

        “I love you, too,” Nick said.

        “I couldn’t ask for a better father for my baby girl than you, Nick, I can’t wait to marry you and for you to adopt Lexi and we become a family, I wanted to tell you earlier, but Nick, I’m three months pregnant,” Hayley said. Nick smiled and kissed her deeply.

        “We’re having a baby,” Nick said smiling.

        “Yes, we are, Lexi is going to have a little brother or sister, I am so happy, Nick, I have you, Lexi, and our unborn baby, I don’t think things could get better than this,” Hayley said.

        “Let’s get married tomorrow,” Nick said.

        “Are you sure, I wanted to see what it was like to plan a wedding,” Hayley said.

        “If you are pregnant, you will need a maternity dress, specially made,” Nick said.

        “Yeah, you’re right, I have a white dress that still fits,” Hayley said. Nick smiled and kissed her deeply and they made love. They laid there afterwards and held each other. They heard Lexi start to cry. Hayley got up and put her robe on and went to see her little girl. She picked up Lexi and sat down and rocked her in the chair. Nick came in and knelt down beside her.

        “How is our little angel?” Nick asked. Hayley smiled.

        “She is fine, she just needed to see Mommy,” Hayley said.

        “And Daddy,” Nick said smiling at her. Hayley smiled and kissed his forehead.

        “And her daddy,” Hayley said. Nick kissed Lexi’s forehead. As soon as Lexi went back to sleep, Hayley laid her in the crib and went back to her and Nick’s bedroom with Nick and they went back to sleep holding each other.

Epilogue

The next day, with the guys and Leighanne and Kristin present, Hayley and Nick were married by the justice of the peace and Nick signed the papers legally adopting Lexi and Nick and Hayley officially changed Lexi’s last name to Carter.  Nick and Hayley went to Hawaii for the honeymoon and came back a week later and picked up Lexi from Brian and Leighanne’s and went home. Hayley sat in the nursery with Lexi. Nick came in.

        “I think our little girl missed us,” Nick said.

        “I think so, too,” Hayley said. She put Lexi down for a nap and went with Nick to their bedroom and they collapsed on the bed, kissing.

        “I love you,” Nick said.

        “I love you,” Hayley said. He kissed her deeply as he rested a hand on her stomach.

        “I can’t wait for our baby to be born, then we can two little angels,” Nick said. Hayley smiled and rested her head on Nick’s chest as they went to sleep holding each other.

Six months later, Hayley gave birth to their baby boy. They named him Nickolas Scott Carter. They called him Nicky for short. Hayley sat in the nursery holding Nicky while Nick sat on the floor playing with Lexi. She never thought she could find someone like Nick who made her life complete and she knew they would always be a family.

THE END!