"Hey guys!" AJ and Howie knocked as they entered the front door, laughing at the sight of Nick and Kathy untangling themselves from each other on the couch. "Newlyweds!" Howie smirked. "Unstoppable sex machines, more like it!" AJ snickered. "Knock it off!" Nick sneered, good naturedly. "What brings you here?" Kathy asked with a smile as she adjusted her shirt. "We have the proofs of the CD photo session." Howie held them out to Nick and grinned. "They want Nick to approve his shots!" Nick to the offered envelope and held it in front of his face. "I like them all, any one is good for me!" Kathy smacked his shoulder lightly. "Mind if I look at them, before you approve all of them?" She spread the photos on the table in front of her and looked admiringly at them. They were wonderful photos. He wore his sunglasses in all of them, his clothes carefully picked out by the stylist to be in fashion, but also to match Nick's taste. She silently wished to herself that he could show his whole face and not wear the glasses. Kathy turned her head to look up at him, happily chatting with Howie and AJ. A milky haze was already starting to cover the gorgeous blue of his eyes. It didn't bother her of course, but it was unsettling to others. "I like these ones." She picked out three photos and placed them on the top of the pile. "Can I get some copies of these for myself?" Howie made a notation on the envelope. "Sure can! Hey, did Nick tell you what we decided to name the CD?" Howie smiled at her as he slid the photos back in their sleeve. "Yes!" Kathy exclaimed. "You know it's not really funny." She folded her arms and glared at them teasingly. "But it is the perfect way to describe the making of this CD. "Won't be long now." AJ stretched his arms over his head. "Then we get to see who our real fans are!"

The CD was released almost a month later to great fanfare. To announce it's release, the group appeared on all the interview shows to sing and had a special hour long show on MTV that they hosted. Nick proudly walked onto the various stages without assistance, save for his cane. Their singing performances were basic, the group just sitting on stools. They didn't want to give away their concert secrets just yet. The CD was setting all sorts of sales records and fans were going crazy, mail was pouring in to the fanclub and the website praising Nick for his courage in returning to performing. Nick had insisted that his message be included in the CD booklet in braille form as well as written word. "We have fans that are blind, this will make them feel connected." Nick told everyone. Some other popular groups were complaining that Nick was faking it. He was moving too well, there was no way he could be blind and it had to be a publicity stunt concocted to drive up record and ticket sales. Nick was furious and issued a statement to the media.

"I cannot believe there are people who doubt my handicap. Why on earth would I pretend to be blind? I would happily trade all I have for the chance to get my vision back. I am so thankful that our fans are still supporting us and giving us this great fortune. We will not disappoint them. To those that feel this is a publicity stunt, that I am doing this to get sympathy - to say something like that is an insult to me and to seeing impaired people everywhere."

"The dress rehearsal is today, you are coming aren't you?" Kathy slipped her robe over her shoulders. "Of course I am. I wouldn't miss it for the world!" She leaned over and kissed Nick. "I'm so proud of you." "Save that for after the show, okay?" He got out of bed and moved slowly to the bathroom. "Man, I'm surprised I can walk this morning!" he called out in a teasing voice. Kathy was flipping through her appointment book. "Kathy? You there?" "Hmm?" she lifted her head. "Did you say something? I'm sorry." Kathy walked into the bathroom and hugged him from behind, resting her head against his back. "You've been acting preoccupied alot in the past couple of days, are you feeling alright?" She looked at their joined reflections in the mirror. "I'm feeling a touch off. Will you be alright if I go see Alexa before the show today?"

Nick listened to the mingling crowd as he got ready backstage. The group had wanted as big a crowd as they could get for the dress rehearsal. They needed to make sure Nick could hear Kathy in his earpiece, that he could hear the other guys over the loud music and a crowd full of screaming females. They offered seats to fan club members, people associated with their charities and Nick delivered a whole section worth of tickets to the Association for the Blind in Tampa. The arena wasn't full, but it was enough to simulate the normal concert experience. "Hey! How was the doctors appointment?" Nick pulled Kathy close to him, kissing her lips then tickling her ear with his tongue. "I have to wait for a test result." "That doesn't sound good." Nick whispered. "What's wrong?" She shook her head against his chest. "We have to wait for the results. I don't want to say anything until then." A knock sounded and the group entered the dressing room. "Ready to go, buddy?" The guys crowded around Nick as Alexa pulled Kathy aside. "Do you want the result? I got it back just as I was leaving the office."

Kathy took her place in the pit with Alexa, Leighanne and Kristen as the show started. She pulled her headset on as the video started on the screen. "Ready Nick, on your platform?" He answered in the affirmative. "Okay, hold on to the bars, here we go!" She watched in amazement as he stepped off the platform and stepped in formation with the others. He looked stunning, they all did really, dressed in long black duster jackets lined in blue satin, sequinned t-shirts and black leather pants. Nick had his glasses in place and she could see the blue makeup lining his eye above and beneath the frames. She wasn't sure why he wanted it on, but it looked damn good on him. The concert progressed without incident. Kathy or the guys would warn Nick if he was near the edge or about to bump into someone. Anyone that didn't know he was blind would be hard pressed to believe it after his performance. The show was nearing it's end when it happened. They were singing "Everybody" and Kathy warned Nick that the stage looked wet. "Be careful hun." Nick took a turn to face the audience and slipped. He landed on his back with a thud. The crowd was stunned into silence and the group crowded around him to help. The band, not realizing what had happened, continued playing and Nick did too, singing his line lying on his back, thrusting his hips in the air and trying not to laugh. "Am I sexual?" He got up and signalled that he was fine. "Damn folks, I did that when I could see!" The audience laughed and cheered as the band launched into the next song.

"Okay Nick, over just a bit, over. There you go! Hold position, going down!" The platforms lowered and the group disappeared from view. Except for that one mishap, the show had gone beyond expectations. Kathy rushed backstage and hugged Nick tightly. "You were so awesome Nick! I am so proud of you!" The group and their families surrounded him with their congratulations. He beamed with pride. "Did you tell him yet?" Alexa asked. Nick whipped his head around. "Tell me what? You have the test results?" The backstage crowd hushed. "Test results? Kathy are you sick?" Jane asked. "No, I'm fine." She shook her head and held Nick closer to her. "But I did have to go to the doctors today and have some tests run." "And? Kath please, tell me!" Nick pleaded. "Well." Kathy hesitated and wrapped her arms around his waist. "How do you think you would like it if someone called you Daddy? Say by Christmas?"