For Tinkerwood, who wanted BSB GSF, bless her heart.

Nick could no longer remember whose idea it was to appear on Oprah--it could have been anyone but AJ--but whoever it was deserved an extra big hug, and Nick intended to see that he got one. And AJ too, but that went without saying because AJ, of all of them, needed big hugs.

There were times Nick had almost wished to be short again, times he wanted to curl up with his head in someone's lap or be squeezed so hard his feet left the ground or tickled and wrestled until he ended up at the bottom of a sweaty, laughing pile of five. Other times, he was glad to be big--not just tall, but big, whatever Howie sad--because it meant he could stroke someone's back, lift someone up, or trap someone beneath him until they were smiling and feeling safe. It meant he could be home for his boys, just as they were home for him.

It was a wonder, really, that they had let things get so bad. Oh, they were still brothers, still family, but even blood family gathered at Christmas and birthdays, and he hadn't seen all his bandmates in one place for far, far too long. But that was what he thought of as B.O. (Before Oprah in this case, although often it just referred to AJ), and now, things were different. Things were right.

From somewhere in the vicinity of Nick's right kneecap, Kevin groaned.

"Happy first day back to you too, bitch," AJ said. Naturally, this resulted in further wriggling, noogies, and eyes getting poked out, until AJ finally gave up. "Uncle! Uncle! Now would you get your stomach out of my face so I can breathe again?"

"Actually, that's my stomach," Brian said. "But I have no feeling left in my limbs, so give me a minute."

"If that's AJ, who am I--"

"Hi," Howie told Kevin's thighs.

Nick sighed happily. "I love the first day back."

"At some point we should sing," Kevin said.

All responses were lost in the ensuing scuffle.