***In Bremerton***
"Nick…" Nikki started to say but changed her mind.
"Yes Nikki?" he said wanting to know what she had to say.
"Nothing…" she hesitated.
"Come on…" he pleaded while looking deep into her dark brown eyes for enough time to get her to say what she wanted to before looking back at the road.
"I was just going to say I don't want to go out on any dates with any girls but…" she was cut off by Nick again.
"Oh no girls?" he said trying to sound disappointed. As he said that Nikki felt as if he had just stabbed her heart. "Oh well I can still go on dates with guys right?" he said finishing his useless joke.
She smiled and said "Well I was going to ask you just not to date anyone while we are apart and keep it just you and me in a serious relationship. But I can't ask you to do that. I mean you'll be all over the place and you're bound to find a girl you like. So I'm not stopping you from going out." She didn't really want him to see other girls but knew she had to give him the choice.
"I don't want no body else! You are definitely without a doubt the one for me!" he said as he reached over and took a hold of her hand.
"Nick, you don't have to…Really. I know you'll wish you hadn't made this promise once your out on the road."
"I want to. I love you Nikki. And you know what?" he said his eyes suddenly lighting up with joy.
"What are you up to now Mr. Carter?" Nikki said letting a smile spread across her face slowly.
"Well since it's already November…I know we ain't doing nothing on Thanksgiving. I was thinking maybe you and me could get together for a thanksgiving celebration."
"I couldn't afford to fly to Florida! It's a sweet thought Nick, but I couldn't leave my mother either."
"I'll pay for your ticket…you can bring your mom and any of your other family that you want around for thanksgiving. Just please say yes!"
"I don't know." She said not sure if she could or not.
"Ok, ok just think about it please Nikki." He finally reached the bridge. Nikki knew she was almost home. She wasn't ready to leave Nick yet. "Ok Nikki I'm going to need more directions from here."
"Ok, Just keep going straight on this road until we get to the stop light." Nick did as she said. "Ok now take a right to go up this hill." She said trying to hold back the tears that had welled up in her eyes. "Then you turn on the first street that's on the left." He reached the street and turned down it. It was a manufactured homes type thing. "Go straight until you get to Lexington and turn onto it. It's the first house on the corner." He finally got to her house and pulled into the driveway. He got out of the car and went around to the other side. Then he opened the door for Nikki. She slowly stepped out and Nick closed the door behind her. They both walked up to the front door and knocked. Her 12-year-old sister answered the door. "Hey Cella, where's Dave and Mom?" She said as he took Nick's hand and led him inside. Marcella shut the door and walked ahead of Nikki and Nick. They followed her into the kitchen. There they found her mother, and brothers sitting at the bar table.
"Hey Nichole." David said walking over to her and giving her a hug. She smiled and hugged him back. Then she walked over to her mother and gave her a hug.
"Nichole I am so glad to have you home." Her mother said weakly.
"I'm glad to be home mom." She said trying to smile. "Well I guess it's time for me to introduce all of you to Nick. David, Cella, Mom this is my boyfriend Nick Carter…Nick this is my Brother David, and my sister Marcella but everyone calls her Cella. And Of course you know Tommy. And This is my mother Pam Vaughan." Nick walked over and shook Pam's hand.
"Nice to meet you Ms.Vaughan."
"Nice to meet you too Nick. And please just call me Pam. I feel so old when people say Ms."
"Ok Pam." He said politely.
"Would you like to stay for dinner Nick?" Pam offered hoping he would. She wanted to know who Nichole was with. She knew she wouldn't be around a lot longer but she wanted to make sure her children were well cared for.
"Sure, I'd love to stay for dinner. I need to call the guys and tell them I'm staying here to eat so they don't flip out when I don't come back to the bus."
"Well you are welcome to use our phone." Pam said pointing toward the phone.
"No thanks…I have a phone out in my car. It's long distance so I'll use mine. Plus I need to bring Nikki's bags in." he said smiling politely. He wanted to have a good impression on Nikki's mother. "I'll be right back." He said turning and heading toward the front door.
"Nick wait…I'm coming with you. I need to talk to Nina real quick." Nikki said she ran to catch up with him. He stopped and waited then they both walked out to his car. Nick called Brian's cell.
"Hey Bri! What's up?"
"Nothing much. You sound pretty happy considering you just said goodbye to your girlfriend." Brian said hoping Nick hadn't decided to do something crazy like live with Nikki.
"I haven't said goodbye yet." Brian sucked in a sharp breath. "Something wrong Brian??" Nick said hearing his sharp breath.
"I'm ok…but I am just thinking that the next thing you're going to say is you've decided to live with Nikki for now."
"No I'm just staying for dinner. I was calling to tell you I'll be late because I'm not ready to say bye yet."
"Oh ok! Good! That's fine. Is that all?" Brian said relieved that Nick wasn't staying there.
"Uh yeah Nikki wants to talk to Nina." Nick said as he looked over at Nikki.
"Oh ok. Hang on let me get her." Nick handed Nikki the phone and went to the trunk to get all of Nikki's bags out.
A couple seconds later…"Hey Nikki! What's up girl?" Nina said into the phone.
"Nothing much. I was just thinking…isn't your brother's party tomorrow?"
"Yeah it is."
"Well it's in Bremerton so we'll get to see each other again tomorrow." Nikki said happily.
"Awesome! I can't believe you won't be on this tour with us!! I am going to miss you so much!!"
"I know. I'm going to miss all of you too!!" Suddenly Nick wrapped his arms around Nikki. Surprised she smiled. "Most of all I'm going to miss Nick!" she said as she kissed his cheek.
"I know you will girl!! But I'll see you tomorrow ok? Sean promised he'd pick me up tomorrow so if you want he could pick you up too. Brian already said he wants to come. And Nick will go to see you. And A.J. will go just because he loves parties. All of the guys will probably go. So I'll see you tomorrow."
***Later At Dinner***
"So Nick you are a singer right? In the Backstreet Boys right?" Pam asked looking over at Nick. He seemed really shy. He was looking straight at his plate. "It's ok Nick! I'm not going to bite you. No matter what terrible things Nikki has told you about me!" she joked trying to get him loosened up.
"She didn't say anything bad." Nick said finally looking up from his plate. They had been talking about him and his career but now they were talking about Nikki, which he felt completely comfortable with.
"Yes well whenever we hear from Nikki we hear about you Nick. She must care a lot about you." Pam said and Nick looked at Nikki, whose face was bright red now.
"I hope it's not too terrible." He said smiling.
"Oh no nothing she said was bad." She smiled at Nick who was starring at Nikki. He seemed like a really nice guy. She had no complaints about him at all.
***Later***
"Nick are you sure you want to drive in the dark Hun?" Nikki said as she pulled away from him to see his face. His beautiful look eyes were starring straight back at her. She smiled. "Nick I really don't want you to drive in the dark. I could ask my mother to let you stay. Just please don't drive in this dark. The roads are wet and it's been raining for about an hour."
"Ok, I'll call Brian and tell him I'm staying in Bremerton. If your mother doesn't want me to stay here I'll go to a hotel if it makes you feel better."
"Thank you Nick!! I'll be right back!" she said as she left his arms and went to her mother's room. "Mom, I was wondering if it'd be ok if Nick stayed over tonight. I don't want him driving in this rain."
"Sure, you know what's right and what's not so I trust you. But I'm going to sleep now ok Hun?"
"Ok, Thank you so much mom!" she said as she walked over to the side of her mother's bed. "What did you think of Nick mom?"
"I think he is a really nice intelligent young man. He seemed to be very shy at first. But he is a very sweet young man. I like him."
"I'm so glad you like him!!" she said happily.
"Ok well you go out and be with him. He's only here with you for tonight and probably some of tomorrow. So go be with him. I understand." Her mother said reaching up and caressing her cheek.
"Thank you!" she said and with that she hugged her mother and left the room. She walked into the room looked on the couch. Nick must have gone out to get his phone. She walked over to the door and went outside. She saw Nick sitting in his car talking on his phone. She walked off the porch toward his car in the rain. Softly she knocked on the window and he looked up. She thought she saw tears in his eyes but it could have just been the rain on the window. He opened the door for her when he saw he and she got in. "Hey Hun, you can stay here for the night." She looked into his blue eyes and saw sadness. She hated to see him like this.
"Ok, We'll see you tomorrow Bri." Nick said in the phone.
"Ok, hey man you sure you're ok?? I mean you could tell me if there is something wrong…you're just like a brother to me so if you need help I'll help ya out."
"Yeah I know, It's cool though. I'll talk to you tomorrow Frick. Peace out and Give Nicola A hug for me."
"Ok, I will. See ya around Buddy." Brian said then hung up the phone. Slowly Nick put his phone down and looked over at Nikki. He looked deep into her beautiful brown eyes.
"So your mother said I can stay?" he asked trying to make this moment a little easier.
"Yeah. She said you could stay. I'm glad. I didn't want you to drive in this weather. It's rainy and dark." She said suddenly feeling uncomfortable. He smiled at her while thinking *Jeez I am going to lose her. I don't think I could stand it if I did.* Suddenly he felt Nikki's hand caressing his cheek.
"Nick I'm going to miss you too. I don't know if you feel the same as I do. But I keep getting the feeling that I am losing you. I promise you, that you won't lose me in any way." She said as if reading his thoughts.
He smiled and said; "You know just what to say…Thank you So much Nikki." He reached his hand over and pushed a couple pieces of hair away from her face then leaned in and kissed her.
***Later Inside***
Nikki had changed into some boxer short things and a white t-shirt. Nick was just wearing a pair of boxers.
"Nick, I hope you know I love you." Nikki said as she laid her head on his chest.
"I know, and You know I love you too right? And I'm going to find a way to spend Thanksgiving with you. No matter What!" he said smiling
"I know and I'm so glad we're going to be together. I really don't want tomorrow to come." She said knowing that no matter what she and Nick promised each other things would never be the same again. And that was something she wasn't ready to give up.
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