Brian was still afraid that Nick was using something illegal since he wasnīt plain old frack anymore. The two friends had always had an outstanding relationship although Brian had to admit that it had changed recently. Since Brian married Leighanne they rarely got the chance to talk any more. They spend little time together and Nick had turned to Howie instead.
As he was becoming a family man, Nick was more and more becoming a party man. Brian remembered when they were younger and Nick wasnīt allowed to go out clubbing. Brian had often stayed at the hotel with him, playing Nintendo. During those late hours that they had shared hotel room Brian had really got under Nick's skin.
He was a complicated person that had lots of compassion for other people. Emotional was also something that was part of Frack. However these last years had taken itīs toll on his friend and Nick was more reserved than before. Since he broke up with Manda and Tiffany he hadnīt find any real love. Nick seemed often down and he knew that when he was feeling bad he had his eating binges. This had been very often recently and Nick had gained lots of weight. He knew that Nick felt bad about that and as much as he could he never mentioned this to his friend. The other boys could give snide remarks, Brian knew that it hurt Nick so much more than he would ever admit. And the drugs. He would never forgive himself if Nick went to drugs. Recently he had been using much more alcohol that he could handle and when Nick had been so sick at the dinner banquet the other night they had talk between his bouts of sickness. Nick had cried telling Brian that he was his best friend and that he was the only one that he could ever talk to.
But then Nick had snapped at him before the Tv show and Brian didnīt know where he had him anymore. He was so moody and his behavoir had been really out of order recently. Nick was walking down a road that Brian was doing his best to prevent him from choosing.
The more that he thought about his friend, the more worried he became. Brian groaned and shifted for what might seem the hundreth time that night.
"Honey, what is it? Are you all right?" Leighanne had woke up when Brian had once again rolled onto his side, She looked concerned at her husband.
"Iīm worried, worried about Nick."
"Why?"
Leighanne was a great listener and she knew that Brian was often thinking about the other boys in the band. He was a person that helped other and she knew that Nick was often on his mind. They had talked about this through endless nights and she knew that Brian loved Nick as his brother. They were Frick and Frack. Inseperable. Brian told about what he had on his mind and she hugged her husband.
"Honey maybe you should go and see that he is alright if you are that worried."
"No, he is probably asleep." Brian shook his head, although his heart said that he should go.
"Brian, I know you. You canīt rest before you know that everything is all right with Nick. So go now" She hushed her husband up and Brian smiled.
God, he loved Leighanne with all of his heart. She was the best friend and wife that he could ever have.
He put on his pants and a T-shirt and a pair of shoes. Grabbing his hotel card he left the room, silently, not wanting to wake up any guests. It was three o'clock in the morning and it was rather quiet in the hall except for some music coming from AJ and Sarah's room.
AJ was a night owl. He slept on the day and was awake in the night. Brian smiled. AJ was AJ and he loved him for the guy that he was.
Knocking on Nick's door he waited for a response. Silence. Brian frowned. Nick was a heavy sleeper and maybe that was the reson why he didnīt open. That or if he was sick in the bathroom. Brian hoped that it wouldnīt be the latter. Brian knocked again. Still no response.
"Nick," he called out as loud as he could so that he wouldnīt disturb anyone. He felt on the door knob, suprised that the door was opened, he walked in. Nick wasnīt in his bed, but he could tell that he had been laying there since the sheets were all crumpled and the bed spread had fallen on the floor. His sweatpants also laid in a heap.
The light in the bathroom was on and Brian called out softly "Nick?" No answer.
He pushed the bathroom door open. No Nick, although the trashcan stood beside the toilet. Frack had been recently sick. Brian was now very worried. Where was his friend? Thoughts jumped up. Bad ones. What if Nick had gone out? Maybe he was in need of something? Of drugs! His mínd was racing as he ran out of the room towards Kevin's room. Kevin might have a clue where Nick was. He knocked at his cousin's door and didnīt have to wait long until a grouchy Kevin opened the door. If it was something Kevin hated, it was being woke up in the middle of the night.
When they had been on tour, going on the bus together in their younger days there had been an untold rule that Kevin was not to be woken up, unless the goal was to get him pissed.
"What?" Kevin growled as he opened the door. "Brian?" he changed his mood at once.
"Itīs Nick. He isnīt in his room," Brian was panting since he had been running.
" What? Nick isnīt in his room?" Kevin looked like a question mark.
" No and I donīt know where he might be."
Kevin tied his hands in a fist, "I'll kill that little bastard if he went out clubbing with Howie," he hissed.
"Calm down Train." Brian snuck inside and sat down on a chair. Kevins room was as tidy as always. Even his sheets werenīt messed up and it looked like he hadnīt been sleeping at all. His suitcase was neatly placed on the dresser and the clothes that he was going to wear next day was laying on a chair. Structure and neatness was something that was trade marks for Kevin Richardson.
" We better call Sweet D and ask if he has seen Nick," Kevin was putting on his jeans and buttoned his shirt, as his mind went into strategy, trying hard to come up with a plan.
Brian looked at his cousin. If it was one thing Brian admire it was Kevin's way of figuring out situations. He watched as the oldest member picked up his phone and called Howie's cell. After a few rings Howie answered. There was music in the background. He was out clubbing at some Japanese club with some of the band members.
" Howie here," he answered in a slightly slurred voice.
"Howie is Nick there?"
" Kev?" Howie sounded suprised.
" Yup, I just wanna know if Nick is there with you."
" Kev hold on," Kevin could hear a girl giggle in the background and he shook his head, smiling. Howie was always surrounded by girls. Then Howie was back " Sorry, Kuani wanted to know something."
" Kuani? Wasnīt her name Soan or something?"
" New one." No need for further explanation, "No, man Nick isnīt here, by the way didnīt you say that he was sick?"
" Yes, but he isnīt in his room."
" Strange, maybe he met a fan or something." Howie laughed, then he said " Gotta go now." With that he hung up.
" I hope not! Bye" Kevin sighed deeply as he held the phone in his hand.
" What did he say?" Brian was anxious to hear what his cousin had to say.
" He wasnīt there. Oh where can he be?" The two boys sat silent for a while, thinking where a delerious twenty one year old guy could be in the middle of the night in Tokyo. As if they had come up with the idea at the same timethey shouted out " AJ!"
With that the two boys practically ran towards AJ and Sarah's room. That had to be it. Nick had more and more turned to AJ when he wanted to talk or when he felt lonley lately. Maybe it had something to do with AJ being a bit more mature after his drug program, or that he was sober enough to hear what Nick was talking about.
After several knocks AJ appeared in the door, sheet around his waist. It was clear that he hadnīt been sleeping and the room smelled like sex. Hot sex.
" What the fuck do you want?" AJ was ticked.
" Is Nick there?" Brian wasted no time in talking small words.
" No! get the fuck out," AJ tried to push the door shut, but Kevin stuck in his foot.
" Have you seen him?" he asked, while peering into the room. AJ sighed then he opened the door so the two men could come in. He dropped the sheet and walked naked over to the bed. Sarah laid in bed, covering her breasts with a sheet. Her hair was all tousled and it looked like there had been some pretty wild games going on.
Brian grinned, nudging at Kevin to look at what was laying on floor. There in a heap was a nurse outfit!
" This better be fucking good," AJ murmured while lighting a cigarette.
" Nick is nowhere to be seen." The boys told him about the lost backstreet boy and AJ sighed loudly.
"Iīm so fucking tired of being that guys nanny."
" Or maybe nurse," Brian burst out laughing. Kevin even grinned.
" What the hell do you mean by that?" AJ asked a bit irritated, then he followed the boys eyes and he grinned " Yeah man, that was wild, wasnīt it honey." He slapped his girlfriends bare ass. Grinning like a wild cat.
Sarah giggled, "Yeah stud, you were the best."
" I even let you lend it Bīrok and maybe you Train if you wanna have some hot nights. Which Iīm pretty sure that you married men will soon need." AJ laughed loud, then he took a puff off the cig.
" Where can he be then?" Brian sighed, remembering the reason why they were at AJīs room 3:30 am. "We better talk to Bruce."
" Bruce, no he will have a fit" Brian shuddered at the words that would come from the PR managers mouth when he discovered that the blonde was missing.
" What else is there to do? Nick could be lost in Tokyo, running around sick and desorientated. How is that for a picture?"
AJ stood up, " Yeah man, go and talk to Brucey. Me and Sarah have some unfinished business to do, so go on," He pushed the two men towards the door.
" Okay..okay we can take a hint." Brian grinned, " But hey Bone watch it so that you donīt strain yourself."
" Nah man, Iīm not some old fart." With that he shut the door. Kevin and Brian laughed quietly. AJ was some sort of character. Inside they could hear the game coming on again.
As they knocked on Bruce's door they tried to come up with some good lines to say.
Bruce opened, looking dishelved. He was wearing a bathrobe and it didnīt look like he had slept very well.
" Oh so you decided to come at last. The two dwarfs. Looking for sleeping beatuy?"
Brian and Kevin looked at each other. Had their manager gone insane? Nick finally done him in? Bruce opened up the door widely, letting the boys in with a deep sigh. "Look what the cat dragged in," he said gesturing towards his bed.
The two cousins gasped in suprise. There on the bed lay no other than their youngest bandmate, Nick. "Come in and see for yourself."