I ran my hand through my hair with an exasperated sigh. Bec and I had been arguing since Heidi had left. Thank God Dani wasn't with us, because she would have been screaming at all the commotion. I was pretty close to screaming myself. Bec was throughly convinced Heidi was totally wrong, while I thought she was pretty close to perfect.

"What? What did she do to make you dislike her? She gave a perfectly fine interview!"

Bec's eyes did a weird bugged out thing and she muttered something under her breath before giving me her answer.

"She was totally rattled Nick, you had to have noticed. I know you're not that dense."

"She's a fan, she was surprised to see me."

"The way she said 'You!', it almost sounded like she had a bad encounter with you before. Like she was accusing you."

"I've never met her before in my life, Bec. Swear. She was just freaked at meeting me. You've seen the fan syndrome in action before."

"Yes, but..." Bec took her seat at the desk and flipped through some papers. After some searching she yelled with glee and pulled a paper out of the stack. "She says she's 26, and a widow, not to mention that her baby has passed on as well. Don't you find that odd, Nick? Did she look 26 to you?"

I rounded the desk and pulled the paper out of Bec's hand. She had scribbled "WACKO" right across the top and had put a big red X beside her name. I gave her a withering glance and grinned as I noticed her blush slightly before turning away.

"Way to give someone a chance, Bec. Real nice." I tossed the paper back on the desk and put my hands on Bec's shoulders. She leaned back into me, responding to the pressure I was applying as I massaged her upper back. "I'm sorry. I don't wanna fight about this. I just don't understand."

"I can't explain it Nick, something just didn't sit right with me about her. But I guess if you want to give her a try, I can't stop you."

As I let my racing thoughts sort through my brain, I continued to massage Bec's shoulders and neck. Her groans let me know that I was hitting the right spots and also reminded me I wasn't THAT mad at her.

"Your opinion is important to me, you know."

"I appreciate that Nick. But...ooh, right there, more, more, that's good...but, it's up to you. Dani is your daughter. If you think bimbo Heidi is the right person, go right ahead."

"A-ha!" I smiled triumphantly and spun her and the chair around to face me. "You're jealous!"

"I am not!" Bec protested.

"Are too." I gave her a smug grin. "You are positively green!"

"Nick, we aren't even, I mean, we haven't, we don't..." Bec was sputtering and losing ground fast.

"Bec." I knelt down and took her hands in mine. "I know right now we don't have a 'thing'. I know we're just, what do they call it - fuck buddies?"

"I prefer friends with benefits," Bec sniffed.

I laughed. "Whatever! But right now, whatever we have, it's you for me. I won't be inviting Miss Heidi into my bedroom."

"Nick, we're not exclusive. We just needed each other," Bec explained.

"I know, but I'm happy right now." I gave her a small kiss and then stood, pulling her up with me and hugging her tightly. "So can we have her over to the house to meet Dani?"

"I guess," Bec agreed grudgingly. "If it will make you happy."

"Hot damn, we got the hot babysitter coming over!" I teased as I did a little victory butt shake and was rewarded with a smack on my ass and a thump on the head courtesy of my non jealous friend with benefits.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mom had left me a note on the dining room table that she had taken Dani back to their place. I called to see how she was, telling Mom I would be right over. My stomach directed me to some food first though, as I suddenly realized I hadn't eaten since the night before, other than some snacks at Bec's office. I took a spin through the drive through, polishing off my burgers before I was even halfway to my parents house.

"How is she?" I rushed through the door, slamming it behind me and then wincing when Iremembered that Dani might be sleeping.

"She's still sleeping, I hope," Mom grinned at me. "Come and have some dinner, while she's still down."

"It's okay, I got something."

"I see that." Mom laughed and swiped at a blob of mayo and lettuce stuck to my shirt. "You could have waited."

"I didn't want to bother you," I explained.

"No bother." Mom bustled around tidying the dinner table. I felt guilty, stuff had obviously been left out for me.

"Let me help."

"Nope." Mom pushed me back down in my chair and continued cleaning. "Tell me how the interview went."

I breathed a deep sigh. "I liked her. Bec wasn't too sure."

"What didn't she like about her?"

"Bec said it was something about her, but I think it's just because she's young and pretty."

"Is she?" Mom looked at me quizzically. She knew I didn't always go for the traditional beauty.

"She's...yeah...she's good looking. She says she's 26, but looks younger. I dunno, I mean - when I first saw her I reacted, of course, but she's just going to look after Dani. I've got too much going on to complicate things by trying to sleep with the babysitter."

"You're sleeping with the babysitter? She's ancient!"

Aaron entered the room with Dani snuggled securely in his arms. The scene made me want to smile fondly, but also laugh my head off. Aaron's shocked face at my misinterepted comment was one for the record books. You never have a camera when you need one.

"No, I'm not sleeping with the babysitter, jerk. Gimme Dani." I reached out for her, but Aaron sidestepped quickly and sat across from me in the armchair.

"No, she likes me," Aaron crowed.

"Aaron, let me see her." I tried to look menacing as I towered over him. Getting him sitting down wasthe only way I *could* tower over him any more.

"She's comfortable," Aaron complained, as he held her closer to him. "Leave her be."

"I missed her and she's sick, give her to me!" I was resisting the temptation to just snatch Dani away from him, but she looked so content, all snuggled up with her uncle Aaron, that I couldn't do it. Had to keep up the fight though, we had our reputations to uphold.

"N. O."

"Aaron Charles Carter."

"Enough." Mom stepped in between the two of us and pointed me to a chair. "Sit."

"But Mom..."

"Nickolas, your brother is going on tour in two days, let him spend some time with her. She's obviously happy with him."

Aaron smirked and stuck his tongue out at me. I returned the favour. Mom just rolled her eyes and I knew she was asking God why He gave her two insane boys for children.

"Yeah." I stood up and ruffled Aaron's hair affectionately. "She seems to like the little dork, doesn't she?"

"Dani and Aaron got along very well today," Mom praised. "He did all the diaper changing and playing with."

I knelt down and toyed with Dani's fingers. "Did you? Did you play with Uncle Aaron today. Did he keep you busy?" Dani giggled and cooed as I tickled her.

"Take her hands." Aaron held Dani out to me. "Take 'em! Watch what she can do!"

I grasped Dani's tiny hands firmly in mine. "What?"

"Just watch."

Dani wriggled around on Aaron's lap, still holding onto my hands for dear life. She finally got ready and pulled herself into a shaky, standing position. She held it for several minutes, grinning a triumphant grin at me, before her legs collapsed under her.

"That's the longest one yet!"

I just gathered Dani in my arms for a huge hug and beamed down at her with what could be nothing but fatherly pride. It was a nice, warm feeling.

"Has she been doing that all day?" I asked, still beaming.

"She's been trying to!" Aaron laughed. "She's been grabbing at me and her mobile. This is the longest she's stood though."

"Were you waiting for me? Is that what you were doing?" I laid down on the floor and heldDani close. "Were you waiting to show me?"

Dani wriggled around until her face was pressed next to mine and smiled.

"You were, weren't you? You knew I'd want to see." I pressed my lips to her forehead. "I love you, Dani."

A sudden flash of light interrupted our moment. Dani scowled and a few tears rolled down her face. I sat up and held her on my lap, rocking her until she was content again.

"I'm sorry Nick, I just had to." Mom had a few tears falling down her face as well. "You just looked so...so..."

"Grandma's a sap, baby girl. You got that? All you have to do is look adorable and you get whatever you want."

"Hey!" Mom protested. "I'm not that easy!"

Aaron and I burst into fits of laughter. Dani joined in with her soft giggles. We knew better.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After awhile, Dani and I ventured back home again. Aaron was reluctant to let her go, Dani had throughly worked her charm on my baby brother, and he held her hugged and kissed her several times before we finally got the car started. I checked Dani's temperature before settling her in bed. It had seemed to settle down some and she wasn't has bothered as she had been the night before. Once Dani was tucked in I booted up the computer to email Heidi. I found her online so I decided to message her instead.

nudad - "Hey Heidi, It's Nick!"

MusicMom - "Nick, how are you?"

nudad - "tired, just got home from visiting the folks. My girl is still a little under the weather."

MusicMom - "I hope she's better soon."

nudad - "thanks. I was wondering if you wanted to come over tomorrow to meet her?"

MusicMom - "I got the job?"

nudad - "That's up to baby girl. Bec says you should meet her."

MusicMom - "She didn't like me."

nudad - "Who, Bec?"

MusicMom - "yeah"

nudad - "we talked, all is good. So can you come tomorrow?"

MusicMom - "I think so."

nudad - "you have all the info?"

MusicMom - "Yes, I think so."

nudad - "Cool, so we are on for tomorrow?"

MusicMom - "Tomorrow, yes, tomorrow."