A NEW DAY by Michelle T © 2000 CHAPTER TWO "We're here." Said Kevin. "Which room are you in Michelle?" "112, around the back." Kevin drove into the parking lot of the hotel and drove around the back to an empty space in front of the door to her room. "Ok, let's get you inside" AJ opened his door and with Kevin's help from the inside they gently got her out of the truck. When she finally emerged she swayed again and AJ caught her in another embrace. "We've got to stop meeting this way, Sweetie." He said with a chuckle. "Jeez, can I help it if I just keep falling for you, Sexy?" she replied with a little laugh. "Ah ha, I figured you'd notice how sexy I am sooner or later." He answered as he guided her towards the door. Kevin joined them at her left side and asked for her key. "Oh crap, it's in my right front pants pocket and I don't think I can get it out." She groaned. "No problem," Kevin said as he went behind her and with his left hand on her waist, he reached between Michelle and AJ and put his other hand into her pocket. "Oh god, that tickles" she giggled as his hand slid over her pelvic bone. At that they all broke out into laughter, which made Michelle groan again. She went to put her left hand on her side and felt Kevin's there instead. "Don't make me laugh or giggle or breathe anymore, please" she begged. Kevin pulled his hand from her pocket with the key between his fingers. He slipped the key into the lock and opened the door. "MOM!! Where have you been…… Oh my god!! Oh my god!!" Kim jumped off the bed and ran to Michelle, but stopped a few feet before her. "OH MY GOD!!" "Kim! Don't worry, I'm okay…. I had an accident in the car and these guys helped me out." Michelle said slowly as Kevin pulled AJ and Michelle into the room and closed the door behind him. "OH MY GOD" screamed Kim. "Babe, I think you better chill out a bit, your mom isn't in that great of shape." AJ said to the young girl. He looked at her shocked expression and knew instantly that she recognized them. Her mouth was wide open, as were her eyes. She was about 5 foot 1 inches and was slim with shoulder length golden brown hair, just a shade or two darker than her mother's. He left Michelle in Kevin's arms and went towards her. "Babe, you're gonna catch a lot of flies with your mouth open that much." With that he put his hand under her chin and she closed her mouth. Kim squealed again and threw herself into his arms. "What the hell is going on??" Michelle looked incredulous at her daughter's actions while leaning against Kevin for support. AJ grabbed Kim up in a great big bear hug and turned both of them around to face Michelle and Kevin. "Kev? You think this wild girl in my arms recognizes us?" he said with a wide grin and sparkling eyes. Kevin chuckled and led Michelle to one of the double beds in the room. "Seems so, Bone" He gently pushed Michelle down onto the bed and sat next to her. He took her left hand in both of his and said "Hon, I guess we should tell you who we are, since your overly excited daughter knows." Michelle looked at him with eyes full of questions. "God, Mom, they are the Backstreet Boys!!" Kim untangled herself from AJ's grip, but clung to his arm as she walked towards her mother. "What!" Michelle said looking at Kevin and then at AJ. "You know them!! The concert you took me to last September?" "I know who the Backstreet Boys are Kim!! We've only listened to their CD's a million times." "Well, this is AJ McLean and that guy holding your hand on your bed is "The" Kevin Richardson!" Kim was shocked and had the biggest smile on her face. Michelle looked back at Kevin and studied his face again. He looked at her with a grin and nodded his head. "She's right, Hon. We are them." "Christ, you think you could have told me that by now? All this time and you two didn't say anything," Michelle was also shocked. "Listen Babe, the thought never entered our minds to blurt out that we are part of that group. We were and still are much more concerned about your well being." AJ replied while going to kneel before Michelle at the end of the bed. He placed a hand on her knee and looked into her face. "I don't care who we are at the moment, you need to get out of these wet clothes and dried off and get some medical attention and soon." He was practically scolding her, or so it felt that way to Michelle. At that Kim suddenly realized that her mom was being supported by Kevin and finally really looked at her condition. "Mom….." her lips and chin trembling, "What happened, mom?" She inched closer to the bed and Kevin caught her hand in his. "Don't worry Kim, she's going to be okay. She had a car accident and we found her and we are going to help her…. and you. Ok?" He looked at Kim's face and knew she was about to cry. "Don't cry baby, she's okay now." Kim looked at Kevin and nodded her head. Then she took another step closer and gathered both Kevin and Michelle into a hug, knocking AJ on his ass. Kevin threw his arm around Kim's back and pulled her close. He could feel her sobs ready to erupt. AJ sat on his butt on the carpet and exclaimed, "Jeez, thanks a lot Kim! I thought I was your favorite and then you go and shove me aside for the tall gorgeous guy. God! Happens way too often if you ask me!!" He rolled his eyes and Kim started giggling and stood up and turned to AJ. She dropped herself onto his lap and hugged him. "AJ, I'm sorry…. but honestly, Nick is my absolute favorite!!" They all cracked up at that and once again Michelle groaned from the aches to her left side. She let herself fall back onto the bed and laid there laughing, her eyes shut tight to hold back the tears of laughter and pain. Kevin lay back next to her and gathered her into his arms. He pushed the damp hair off her face and kissed her cheek while rubbing her back. "Okay, missy, no more laughing for you." He laid her back down and gently lifted her yellow T-shirt on her left side. "Kevin!! God, I've only known you for like an hour and my daughter is in the room!!" Michelle laughed even harder and pressed her hand to her left side. Kevin removed her hand and looked down. Sure enough bruises ran from her ribs down to her waist and probably lower, but he couldn't see. "AJ, will you look in the phone book and see where the nearest hospital is?' Kevin looked over at AJ who was tickling the hell out of Kimberly. "Yeah, sure, once I'm done torturing this kid." He laughed and continued to tickle her. Kim's hoots and begs for mercy were ignored by him. Kevin gently pulled Michelle up from the bed, held her steady when she started to sway and led her to the bathroom. "Ok, you wait here and I'll get Kim to get you out some dry clothes." He returned to the room to find AJ and Kim going through the phone book. "Kim, can you get me some dry clothes for your mom?" "Ok. Can you tell her I'm starving? It's like 5:30 and we haven't eaten since 11:00." She asked while pulling clean clothes from her mom's bags. "Kev, the phone lines are down," AJ looked at Kevin with concern in his eyes, while holding the dead phone in his hand. "What the hell else can go wrong!! We'll go to the front office to find out where the hospital is and I'll get Kim some food." "Good idea" Kevin said while heading back to the bathroom. "Let's go Sugar. I'll get you fattened up so you quit flapping your trap." AJ grabbed Kim's hand and then noticed a hooded sweatshirt on the dresser and pulled it over her head. "Can't let you look like a drowned rat when you get to meet your fantasy boyfriend." He teased. "What?? I'm gonna meet Nick!!" Kim screamed. "Well, if you keep screaming in my ear like that, then nooooo!" He screamed back at her with a hearty laugh. She giggled and grabbed his hand again and led him out the door.