Dawn sat down at the kitchen table and looked out the window at AJ pushing Arianna on the swing. He was a wonderful father. He and Arianna had such a close bond. She saw how his face lit up whenever he was with Arianna, as hers did when she was with her daddy.

She watched the little girl run across the backyard. Her dark brown soft curls bouncing around as AJ chased her. He was an amazing person. She still couldn't believe how lucky she was.

She glanced down at her engagement ring. She thought back to the day he gave it to her a little over a year ago. He had just surprised her with a new house. A house that she fell in love with the very first time she saw it. Every time she thought about all that they had been through in their relationship, it amazed her that they got through it, it even made them closer and their relationship stronger.
For almost 5 years, Dawn was in an abusive relationship. Dawn and AJ had known each other for a long time, since high school. After getting her a job singing backup with his group, the Backstreet Boys, AJ did all that he could to get Dawn out of her situation. Somewhere along the line, they fell in love and Dawn finally left her abusive boyfriend. He kept trying to get Dawn back, especially when he found out she was pregnant, but in the end, her love for AJ won out.

She glanced down at the small scar on her arm. It brought back painful memories. After realizing that she was not going to come back to him, her ex, Anthony, had beaten her up badly and raped her. She was in the hospital for two weeks. She had serious internal injuries, but the worst came when the doctor told her she would be unable to have anymore children.

She wanted more kids so badly, she wanted to be able to give AJ children. She tried to convince him to leave her because she could not give him the things he deserved. He wouldn't leave, though. He repeatedly told her that he loved her and anything that happened they would deal with and get through together. Sometimes Dawn wondered how she got so lucky.

They hadn't heard a thing from Anthony since the incident. AJ admitted that while she was in the hospital he had gotten into a fight with Anthony. She didn't know the specifics, she didn't want to know. AJ was actually quite upset that he lost his temper like he did. He felt like it made him just as bad as Anthony.

After singing backup with the Boys, Dawn’s career started to take off. AJ and Dawn recorded a demo tape of songs she had written throughout the years and he took it to Jive records, the same record label the Backstreet Boys were on. They loved her and signed her to a three album deal. She was recently offered the opportunity to open for Enrique Iglesias on his upcoming tour. She hadn't decided if she wanted to do it or not, though. AJ had a tour coming up and things would be very difficult on Arianna. Especially considering she would have to leave soon after he got back.

The sound of the door opening and slamming against the table snapped Dawn out of her daydream. She jumped as she looked up and saw AJ with Arianna on his shoulders.

"Sorry honey," he said as he bent down and kissed her on the lips. "What are you doing sitting here all by yourself?"

"Just watching you guys play outside and thinking".

"About what?" He asked, taking Arianna off his shoulders and sitting down next to her at the table.

"Just stuff," she replied as Arianna crawled up on her lap.

"Is anything wrong?"

She rose from the table, holding Arianna and kissed him tenderly.

"No, not at all," she smiled at him. "Not at all".


Chapter 2
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