Hayley laid there in bed watching Nick sleep. She couldn’t tell him that she did have feelings for someone else, but it was Kevin who she has feelings for, not AJ. She knew she loved Nick with all her heart and would never want to hurt him. Nick woke up and saw her awake.

        “Hey, you ok?” Nick asked.

        “Yeah, I was just watching you sleep,” Hayley said.

        “Oh really,” Nick said. He leaned over and kissed her deeply. Things got passionate and soon they were making love. Nick was gentle and loving knowing that it was her first time. He made sure there was protection. They laid there holding each other afterwards.

        “Wow,” Hayley said.

        “I know, we are officially husband and wife,” Nick said.

        “And I’m all yours,” Hayley said. Nick kissed her deeply.

        “You got that right,” Nick said. They went to sleep holding each other. In the middle of the night, Nick woke up and heard Hayley moaning in her sleep. She moaned Kevin’s name and his heart sank as he knew she had to be dreaming about Kevin. She then moaned Nick’s name and giggled. Nick didn’t know what to think. He got up and went downstairs and got out a glass and put some water in it and drank it. He sat down at the kitchen table. He didn’t want to think about the fact that his wife was dreaming about another man. He heard a noise and looked up and saw Hayley standing at the doorway in her robe.

        “You ok?” Hayley asked.

        “You were dreaming about Kevin,” Nick said.

        “I was?” Hayley said.

        “Is he the one you want?” Nick asked.

        “Nick,” Hayley said.

        “Just answer me!” Nick said.

        “I want you,” Hayley said.

        “Hayley, just tell me the truth!” Nick said. She looked at him.

        “I have feelings for Kevin,” Hayley said. Nick got up and threw his glass against the wall.

        “Our marriage is over, well, it can’t, but we are over,” Nick said. He walked out the door. Hayley sat down and felt like her life was over.

Three days went by. Hayley never moved from the couch as she laid there wondering why her life was this way. Leighanne came in.

        “Hayley,” Leighanne said.

        “Everyone hates me, right, Kristin probably knows and hates me, god, Leighanne, my life has no meaning now, I love Nick so much, he’s gone and he hates me, I know why, because I have feelings for Kevin,” Leighanne said. What Hayley didn’t know was that Kevin was standing at the door, out of sight but in earshot.

        “What were the dreams about?” Leighanne said.

        “I dreamt that me and Kevin were a couple and we were always making love, god, Leighanne, I would give anything not to feel this way, I’m married to Nick, now he wants nothing to do with me, I wasn’t going to do anything to ruin my marriage to him, and ruin Kevin and Kristin’s marriage, I hate this, I want Nick back!” Hayley said.

        “Hayley, you have to give this time,” Leighanne said.

        “It’s been three days since he walked out, I can’t stand it, I want him back!” Hayley cried. Leighanne hugged her. Kevin left. He found Nick at Brian’s house.

        “Nick,” Kevin said.

        “What do you want,” Nick said.

        “You need to go home to your wife,” Kevin said.

        “No, it’s over,” Nick said.

        “Nick, she needs you, she wants you, she is very upset and lost, you need to go home to her, before something happens,” Kevin said.

        “What do you mean,” Nick said.

        “She might kill herself,” Kevin said.

        “She wouldn’t,” Nick said.

        “Nick, do you honestly think she would want to ruin your marriage, or my marriage to Kristin, especially since she and Kristin are best friends, do you really think that little of her,” Kevin said.

        “But she has feelings for you, I can’t be with someone who has feelings for someone else,” Nick said.

        “I give up,” Kevin said. He left and went home.

Chapter 6

Hayley sat down after returning home from the doctor's office. She was pregnant. Three months to be exact. It's been three months since Nick walked out on her. She packed her stuff up and moved into her own house that Brian bought for her to live in. Leighanne sat down next to her.

"I can't believe it, we were protected," Hayley said.

"Sometimes protection isn't 100% effective," Leighanne said.

"Well, there is no denying who the father is," Hayley said.

"Yup, and we should tell him," Leighanne said. They went to Leighanne and Brian's house and saw Nick sitting on the couch with Brian.

"Nick," Leighanne said.

"What," Nick said.

"Hayley is three months pregnant with your child," Leighanne said.

"Impossible, it's got to be Kevin's," Nick said.

"Wrong, Kevin and Hayley never did anything, not even kiss, she is over her feelings for him," Leighanne said.

"Yeah right," Nick said.

"Why are you being like this!" Leighanne said.

"Leighanne, honey, let it go, it's like talking to a brick wall," Brian said.

"I'm going home, it's obvious he doesn't care about anything besides himself, how could he care about a unborn child, I'm done, through, it's no use talking to him because it's not worth it, he is not worth it," Hayley said. She walked out the door. Leighanne looked at Nick.

"You are a jerk!" Leighanne said as she went upstairs.

"Hayley is better off with her lover, your cousin," Nick said.

"What makes you think that they are lovers, I know my cousin, he's been living in Kentucky with Kristin and Hayley has been here, living in the house that I bought for her so you can have your house,” Brian said.

        “They deserve each other, she’s probably having his baby,” Nick said.

        “Shut up, Nick, the baby is yours!” Brian said angrily.

Seven months went by. Hayley had a baby boy. She named him Nickolas Robert Carter. She was in the nursery of her house, nursing him when the doorbell rang. She groaned and put a towel over to cover what she was doing and went downstairs and opened the door and saw Jane standing there. Jane saw the baby and she came in.

        “What are you doing here, I thought you didn’t like me,” Hayley said. Jane looked at her.

        “I came to see if this is my grandson,” Jane said.

        “You’ll have to wait because he is eating right now, plus, he is your grandson, Brian, Leighanne, Kevin, Kristin, AJ, and Howie can tell you that,” Hayley said. She went upstairs. After the baby was done eating, Hayley burped him and buttoned her shirt back up and went downstairs and saw Jane sitting on the couch. Hayley sat down and looked at Jane.

        “My son seems to think the baby is Kevin’s,” Jane said.

        “Well, this baby is all Carter,” Hayley said laying the baby in Jane’s arms. Jane looked at the baby and looked at Hayley and back at the baby.

        “He looks exactly like Nick when he was a baby,” Jane said.

        “I never slept with anyone else but Nick, I don’t cheat, I was brought up not to cheat, Nick, he was my first everything, I never been with a guy before Nick, he is the only guy I have been with, in every way possible,” Hayley said.

        “I believe you, Hayley, I will talk to Nick, try to get through to him, this little guy needs his mom and dad together,” Jane said.

        “I am calling him Nicky,” Hayley said.

        “Nick hates that name,” Jane said.

        “He isn’t the one being called that, his son is,” Hayley said. Jane laid Nicky in Hayley’s arms.

        “I better get going, Nick sent me over here to see if the baby is actually his and it’s clear that he is,” Jane said. She went out the door.

A week later, the doorbell rang. Hayley got up and answered it and saw a man standing there.

        “Hayley Carter?” he asked.

        “Yes,” Hayley said. He handed her an envelope and left. Hayley closed the door and opened it and read it. She gasped and ran to the phone and called Leighanne and Brian. They came over.

        “Hayley, what is it?” Leighanne asked.

        “He finally believes the baby is his, now he wants full and sole custody of Nicky and I can’t ever see him again!” Hayley cried.

        “What!” Brian said looking at the papers.

        “He wants to take my baby away from me and I can’t ever come near either one of them, or I will be arrested!” Hayley said crying. Leighanne hugged her.

        “Damn him, I will go take care of this,” Brian said. He headed for the door when Nick came in with a woman.

        “Hayley Carter, I’m Holly Norman, with child protective services, we are here to pick up your son, you just been declared an unfit mother,” the woman said.

        “Bullshit!” Brian said.

        “Brian,” Nick said.

        “How could you do this, Nick, you can’t take a baby from his mother, did he tell you that he didn’t even claim this child as his until he sent his mother over here to see if the baby was truly his, or that he thought Hayley had an affair when she didn’t, or how about the fact that he wants Hayley to pay for something she didn’t do,” Brian said.

        “No, he didn’t tell me that,” Holly said.

        “You will be making a mistake if you take this baby away from Hayley, she loves this child more than anything in the world and would give her life for him,” Leighanne said.

        “Me and my wife, Leighanne, have been here for Hayley and her son since the beginning, Nick has not, he chose to believe his own lies, he refused to believe the truth,” Brian said as Kevin, Kristin, AJ, and Howie came in. Brian told them what was going on.

        “We have been here for her, too, she is an awesome mother,” AJ said.

        “I can say that me and Hayley never had an affair as Nick thinks we had, I am married to a beautiful woman, who I love more than anything and would never cheat on or hurt,” Kevin said.

        “Kevin never lies to me, he never did anything with Hayley and she is my best friend and she never had an affair, she is a great mother,” Kristin said.

        “I’m sorry, I know you all are close to Hayley, but I have to do what the court says,” Holly said taking Nicky out of his crib and went out the door. Nick followed. Brian grabbed his arm and Nick looked at him.

        “You are a bastard, I don’t know who you are anymore, but you are not the Nick we know, you will not have any help, I already talked with your mother, she won’t help you, no one will, you are completely heartless,” Brian said. Nick pushed him away and walked out the door. Brian went to Hayley and held her as she collapsed against him sobbing.

        “My baby!” Hayley cried. Brian looked at everyone and held her as she cried.

Chapter 7

Brian laid Hayley on her bed and covered her up and went back downstairs. He looked at the guys.

        “We need to have a band meeting and talk to Nick, he is out of control, having the child protective services come over and take Nicky away from Hayley, having her declared an unfit mother, suing Hayley for full and sole custody and not letting her see her son ever again, he is totally out of control,” Howie said.

        “I agree,” Kevin said.

        “I don’t want anything to do with him,” Brian said.

        “Brian,” Kevin said.

        “No, Kev, I don’t want to be near him after what he did,” Brian said.

        “I agree with Brian, he took our godson away from his mother, Nicky needs his mother,” AJ said.

Kevin went to Nick’s house and went in and saw Nick walking around with Nicky. Nicky was crying.

        “Having trouble?” Kevin asked.

        “He won’t stop crying, he has a clean diaper and everything,” Nick said. Kevin came over and put his finger in Nicky’s mouth and Nicky tried to suck.

        “He’s hungry,” Kevin said.

        “Is there any formula or milk,” Nick said.

        “No, he’s been nursing,” Kevin said.

        “You mean I have to have Hayley feed him,” Nick said.

        “Yup, that’s what I mean about him nursing, she’s been breast feeding him, they tried him on formula but it didn’t work, milk doesn’t work, he needs to have his mother’s milk,” Kevin said.

        “How about warm milk,” Nick said.

        “Tried that, it didn’t work, the only milk he can drink is from his mother,” Kevin said.

        “Kevin,” Nick said.

        “Nick, what you did was stupid, now you know that this baby needs his mother, more than you think he does, do the right thing, man, take him back to where he belongs,” Kevin said. Nick looked at Nicky and looked at Kevin and nodded and they got into Kevin’s car and went to Hayley’s. They walked in and saw Brian, Leighanne, Kristin, AJ, and Howie sitting in the living room.

        “Come on,” Kevin said leading Nick up to Hayley’s room. Hayley woke up and sat up as they came into the room.

        “He needs to be fed,” Kevin said. He left the room. Hayley took Nicky from Nick and sat down in her chair and unbuttoned her shirt and began nursing Nicky. Nick sat on the bed and watched his son eat. He thought about everything and realized that he was being an idiot.

        “I’m sorry for taking him away, I hope we can talk once he is done,” Nick said.

        “He is my son, Nick, and he needs me,” Hayley said.

        “I know, that is why I’m dropping the custody issue, I want to be a real father to him, and I want you guys to move back in with me, so we can be a real family,” Nick said.

        “Why do this now?” Hayley said.

        “I finally got some sense knocked into me, I thought about everything everyone has said, I know that if I keep up what I was doing, I would lose everything and everyone,” Nick said.

        “Nick,” Hayley said.

        “Hayley, we are married, and we have a baby together, and I love you with everything in me,” Nick said.

        “Nick, you really hurt me when you accused me of having an affair, and you trying to take my baby away from me, you broke my heart,” Hayley said.

        “I will do anything to make it up to you,” Nick said.

        “I need time, Nick,” Hayley said.

        “I will give you time, but can you and Nicky move back in with me so I can be close to him,” Nick said.

        “Yeah,” Hayley said.

Three weeks later, Hayley and Nicky were living in Nick’s house. Hayley had her own bedroom and she decorated the nursery for Nicky. The Grammy’s were coming up and Nick wants to take her as his date. She told him she would go since Leighanne and Kristin were going. On the night of the Grammy’s, Hayley and Nick arrived and they got out of the limo. Hayley was wearing a black silk dress. It was ankle length and sleeveless. They sat down in their seats. Leighanne sat next to Hayley and they started talking. The show began. Soon it was time for the guys to perform. Nick looked at Hayley. He got up and whispered something to Leighanne and went with the guys backstage. Hayley looked at Leighanne.

        “Leighanne,” Hayley said.

        “I’ll tell you when they go on,” Leighanne said.

        “No, you tell me now,” Hayley said. They looked onstage and saw the guys sitting on stools in the dark.

        “The song is dedicated to you, from Nick,” Leighanne said.

        “What song?” Hayley asked. The music for Shape of My Heart started up. She sat there and looked at Nick. He looked at her as he and the guys performed the song. After they were done, they went backstage. Leighanne looked at Hayley.

        “Hayley,” Leighanne said.

        “What,” Hayley said wiping her eyes.

        “You want him, don’t you,” Leighanne said.

        “More than you know,” Hayley said. The guys came back to their seats. Nick sat down and looked at Hayley. She didn’t look at him. But she knew what was going to happen that night.

Chapter 8

After the Grammies was over, the guys and girls went to the after party. Hayley went up to her and Nick's suite and called Jane.

"Hello," Jane said.

"Jane, sorry to call so late, how is Nicky?" Hayley asked as Nick came in.

"He's fine, Hayley, he was an angel, it was like Nick all over again, he is sleeping now but I have a feeling that he misses mommy and daddy," Jane said.

"I miss him, too, we will all be back sometime tomorrow night," Hayley said.

"Which will be tonight out here, we will see you guys then, bye Hayley," Jane said.

"Bye, Jane," Hayley said. She hung up.

"How's our son," Nick said sitting down.

"He's sleeping, she said it's you all over again, he was an angel, she said she has a feeling that he misses mommy and daddy, it's a good thing I got the breast pump, otherwise I wouldn't be able to come with you guys," Hayley said.

"Yeah," Nick said.

"I loved the song," Hayley said.

"Is there any hope for us?" Nick asked.

"Wait and see," Hayley said heading for her bedroom. Nick went into his bedroom and sat on the bed. He looked up and saw Hayley standing at the doorway in a black lace bra and panties. She came in and closed the door and came over to him. He looked up at her with love in his eyes.

"I guess there is hope for us," Nick said.

"Yes there is, you said you want to be with me again, right," Hayley said.

"Yes, I do," Nick said. Hayley leaned down and kissed him softly.

"Make me yours again," Hayley whispered. He kissed her and wrapped her arms around her and pulled her down on the bed. He removed his clothes and her bra and panties and his hands explored her body as he tenderly made love to her. Afterwards, they laid there holding each other. Nick stroked Hayley’s cheek.

        “You are so beautiful,” Nick said.

        “And you are so sexy,” Hayley said. He kissed her deeply and they made love again before falling asleep holding each other.

Three months later, the guys decided to tour the US again hitting two cities in each state. They were in Missouri heading for Kansas City. Hayley sat there looking out the window. Nick came in and saw Nicky asleep in his bed.

"Hey, you okay, baby," Nick said sitting beside her.

"I'm just nervous about being in Missouri again," Hayley said.

"Because of your parents?" Nick asked.

"Yeah," Hayley said.

"Maybe you should go see them, me and Nicky will go with you," Nick said.

"I don't know," Hayley said.

"You need to make amends, talk to them," Nick said.

"They don't want anything to do with me," Hayley said.

"They need to know about Nicky," Nick said.

"Why should they, they disowned me, they didn't believe me when I said that I didn't have anything to do with the marriage license, why should they know that they have a grandson," Hayley said.

"We are going to deal with this, you, me, and Nicky are going to your parents' house, and we will talk to them," Nick said. Hayley looked away from him.

        “No, I will not do that, don’t make me face them,” Hayley said. Nick looked at her. He went up front and got out his cell phone. He phoned Brian and talked to him. He hung up and wondered if he did the right thing.

Chapter 9

Hayley sat in Nick’s dressing room backstage at the arena in Kansas City. She held Nicky on her lap as he slept. Nick came in after the show was over and kissed her softly.

        “I love you,” Nick said.

        “I love you, too,” Hayley said. He kissed Nicky’s forehead and sat down beside her. They heard voices out in the hallway. There was a knock at the door. Brian came in.

        “You have visitors,” Brian said. Hayley looked up as her parents came in the room. She looked at Nick.

        “Hello, Hayley,” Susan said.

        “What are you doing here?” Hayley asked coldly.

        “We came to see you, Hayley, we came to apologize for what we did,” Susan said.

        “Like you guys are sorry, you didn’t care what I did or where I went when you guys disowned me and kicked me out,” Hayley said.

        “Hayley, we were stubborn,” Susan said.

        ‘You could say that,” Hayley said.

        “Who is this little guy?” Susan asked.

        “This is our son, Nicky,” Nick said.

        “We have a grandson,” Susan said.

        “No, Mother, you don’t, since you guys disowned me,” Hayley said.

        “Hayley, we want to make things right again,” Susan said.

        “It takes time, Mother, you can’t fix things at once and expect it to be better, it takes time,” Hayley said.

        “We want to make it up to you, we don’t care how long it takes, we want our daughter back, even if she comes with a husband and a son, the more the merrier,” Susan said.

Three weeks later, Hayley’s parents were on tour with them. They would watch Nicky while Hayley watched the concerts with Leighanne. Kristin stayed backstage and kept an eye on Hayley’s parents. Leighanne watched Hayley as she stared at Nick and was smiling. 

        “Hayley, you really love him, don’t you,” Leighanne said.

        “Yeah, I do,” Hayley said grinning as she watched Nick.

        “Hayley, there is something you should know,” Leighanne said.

        “I have some news, too, I’m having another baby, I know it’s too soon but I’m three weeks along,” Hayley said smiling at Nick as he winked at her and mouthed I love you to her. 

An hour later, the guys were in the showers. Leighanne sat there waiting for Brian. He came out and they went to his dressing room.

        "Did you tell her?" Brian asked.

        "No, I didn't, I can't now, Brian, she's three weeks pregnant, if I tell her, she'll get upset and have a miscarriage," Leighanne said.

        "Oh man, she has the right to know," Brian said.

        "I know, but I don't think she'll get over losing a baby, remember what happened when Nicky was taken from her for that short time, think of what would happen if she had a miscarriage," Leighanne said.

        "But she has to know that Nick had an affair, even it was only for one night, she has to know," Brian said.

        "Brian, we can't tell her and we know Nick isn't going to tell her," Leighanne said.

        "I know, but she has to know sometime, she has the right to know," Brian said. Leighanne looked at him.

        "Brian, we can't say anything," Leighanne said.

        "Okay, we won't say anything," Brian said. They all went back to the hotel and went to their rooms.