She slumped down onto the hotel sofa. She wasn't even the same hotel as Nick or Aaron. She slipped off her shoes and socks and headed toward her bed. She sighed loudly as her skin came into contact with the cool sheets. Hotels were not her favorite place to be, but she enjoyed being with Nick. She smiled at the thought of Nick in his own room thinking about her too. She jumped as her cell phone started to ring.
"Hey Nickolas," she smiled.
"Hey," he whispered quietly.
"The show was amazing. Nice seats Nickolas, I could almost see you and AC," she snickered. Nick remind silent.
"Alex is on suicide watch," his voice cracked.
"Oh Nickolas," she cried. "I am so sorry."
"We're flying out to see him tomorrow afternoon. I'll be leaving in the morning, well four hours."
"Nick," she cried. Alex was one of her best friends.
"Aaron knows, he said you can stay on tour with him. Mom doesn't care either." His voice was low and weak.
"I love you Nickolas," she whispered knowing he needed reassurance more than anything at that moment.
"Love you too," he mumbled. "Will you come over to my hotel? I am in the Hilton, I'll have Mike wait in the lobby for you." His voice was so exhausted. Candice sighed.
"Ok Nickolas, I'll see you in what--15 minutes."

Just for concert purposes, Candice got her own bodyguard. He wasn't too big, like the boys' body guards. He looked very normal, like a brother or boyfriend. He was only six-foot tall, medium built and weight, with blonde hair and an eyebrow ring. Not the typical seven-foot, 300 pound bodyguard people pictured. He had a punk look to him. If you didn't know Mack was the biggest sweetheart, you would have been terrified of him.
Candice entered the hotel and scanned the lobby; Mike was standing near a big rack of tourist attraction brochures. She also spotted two young girls sitting on a sofa whispering. She made her way to the brochure rack and whispered to Mike, "those girls?"
"Looking for Charles," he smiled. They knew enough not to mention Nick or Aaron around anyone who even looked close to being a fan. "Meet me at the elevator in four minutes." Mike walked away slowly, never looking back. Candice looked through the pamphlets and made her way slowly to the front desk, winking at the clerk. "Is there any other way to reach the main elevator?" The clerk looked at her funny.
"Yes, go down that hall," he pointed to the right. "Then take a right, then another left and go straight."
"Thanks," she smiled looking back at the girls, who were now standing up and looking around. The girls just happen to be standing right near the hall that contained the elevators and would wonder why this girl and man were meeting so strangely. Candice frowned, however weird they acted, they did what they had to do. Mike looked nothing like Mack, but Mike wasn't that big either, Nick and Mike were near the same size. Candice smiled. As Candice approached Nick's room, her heart began to flutter. Mike smiled and wished her good luck. Candice opened the door slowly and saw Nick sprawled across the bed, sleeping peacefully. She smiled as she stepped closer to his bed, she felt different. She felt whole. Once he had told her that when you find the person you love, you feel complete around them, like they fit the other half of your soul. Candice's smile grew as she sat down on the edge of the bed. She felt whole with him near, not just physically, but when he allowed himself to open his heart and feel the love she knew he had for her. She felt so much love towards him that sometimes she wanted to cry. She loved him with all her heart. She adored everything about him, loved everything about him, good and bad. She could feel him, his soul, his smile, but most of all she felt his heart. As if reading her thoughts his head popped up.

"Hey," he whispered sleepily.
"Hey yourself," she smiled as he sat up in bed.
"Thanks," he smiled as she moved to sit next to him.
"For what Nickolas?"
"For being there," he sighed.
"No prob Bob," Candice yawned causing a chain reaction and Nick began to yawn as well. She had been up for almost 24 hours straight and Nick could basically say the same thing.
"No, I mean truly. Not too many people would be keen on giving up sleep to sit here with me." Candice smiled, not too sure what she should say. She noticed something different in his eyes, but couldn't place it. Before she could decipher what flashed before her in his eyes, it fluttered away, leaving the site of joy and exhaustion in his eyes.
"Nickolas, your flight leaves soon and you're tired." She yawned once again.
"I know," he rubbed his nose. "I can't sleep." Candice snickered.
"That's why you were out like a light when I arrived eh?" Nick shrugged his shoulders.
"That's different, see I was watching T.V. and," he winked at her. "I wish you were going with me."
"I have to work, and school." She smiled kissing his temple, sending goosebumps down his spine.
"Night Daydreamer," he whispered as she reluctantly climbed off his bed. He knew he had to get her out of his room before the anger that was rising in his stomach could be released. He hated the fact that she was so damn independent and would not take any days off for anything.
"Night Nickolas," she kissed the side of his mouth and hugged him tightly.
"See you in a week," he kissed her cheek and pulled away from the hug, as goosebumps filled his arms, "geeze." He muttered under his breath as she began to walk away. She rubbed her arms; the same goosebumps filled her arms as well.
"Man. Nickolas what you do to me is wicked." She grinned.
"I know," he smiled yawning once again. "Night."
"Night," she whispered walking out of his room and into the semi dark hallway. She yawned again as she rode down in the elevator. She entered the lobby and spotted the same two girl still standing there peering at her like some eagles. It had at least been an hour and they still stood there. Candice shook her head, she heard one girl muttered something under her breathe about a prostitute and Candice's temper began to rise. It took all the strength her body not to turn around and say something nasty tot he girls She walked out of the hotel with her head high. She had dealt with fans comments on more than once occasion, they whispered cruel things, and in the end would holler about her never being able to have contact with the Backstreet Boys anyway, but they hated her for the fact that she just might.

She sighed as she climbed into the taxi cab. She missed Nick already, and she had only been without him for no more than ten minutes. She watched the passing buildings as tears filled her eyes. She walked slowly up to her hotel room, still reeling from the pain in her heart. She suddenly felt cold and slipped into her not-so warm hotel bed. She took a deep breath and wondered how long her and Nick would be doing the same dance around their unspoken relationship. Tears slid down her cheeks at the thought of Nick being hurt by the announcement of her love for him. Fear filled her dreams at night, like her feelings were meant to be held inside a closet for the rest of her life. Candice couldn't stand it anymore. She could not take the pain of loving someone who did not return all the love she held for him. She ran her hand through her hair and decided she would tell Nick the first chance she got. She yawned and then began picturing Nick's reaction; she shuttered at the thought of his lips on hers.

"Nick, bro, are you ok?" Nick shook his head, trying to clear out his thoughts.
"Oh yeah. Bone I'm cool. How are ya doin'?" Alex watched the clouds in his friend's eyes.
"I'm fine. Never been better. You and Candi ok?"
"Yeah." Nick mumbled. He felt his temper begin to rise. He stared blindly at the wall.
"Nicky are you sure?"
"Yes! I. Am. Fine." Nick growled feeling his temper almost to the boiling point. Alex backed away. Knowing all too well the rath of Nick's temper. He may have seemed sweet and innocent, but whenever you pissed him off. Alex knew to back off. Figuring it was probably from being teased and picked on so much as a teen. Alex shrugged.
"Yo Bonedaddy!" Kevin's deep voice chimed from down the hall.
"The fellas are here!" Alex declared.
"Alex!" Brian smiled hugged his friend, as he wiped an imaginary tear away from his eye.
"Love ya too Rok," Alex held him tighter. Brian turned his gaze to Nick as Howie greeting Alex.
"Frack, why so gloomy? Candice dumb your ass?" Brian teased, but when Nick's dark eyes peered up at him, he took a step back.
"No," Nick sneered. "We were not a fucking couple Brian Thomas, and yes I am perfectly fine. I am doing so fucking great! Sorry Bone, I'll call you. Feel better ok?" Nick stood up and walked out of the room. Brian looked over his three friends, whose eyes were just as wide as his in disbelieve. Kevin half smiled.
"I got him." He stepped out of the room and increased his speed in order to catch up with the younger man. "Nick!" He called reaching for his arm as he gained on the pale figure.
"What Kevin?" Nick spat spinning around, breaking the older mans grip on his arm.
"Nickolas. Stop beating yourself up for this." Nick raised an eyebrow suddenly interested in what was being said.
"Oh Kev," he collapsed into Kevin's arms. "I miss her. I miss her so much. I cannot even believe how much I miss her right now. I feel so lost and lonely." Tears began to sting his eyelids.
"Nick, man, all I can say is have faith. True love does conquer all. It always wins in the end."
"Thanks Train." Nick wiped the moisture from his eyes. "Tell Alex that I will be back to visit in a couple days, I have to go home and take care of something." Kevin smiled at Nick as he walked away. Kevin knew Nick well enough to understand without any words what he was going through. Long distance relationships are hard, but even harder when you can't even admit you love the person. Kevin understood every insane thing Nick did. Why? Because Kevin had done the same thing, well not exactly but damn close. When he and Kristin started dating, he would have to be gone for months at a time. He couldn't call her everyday, and they almost didn't make it. Kevin sighed and began the short trek back to Alex's room. Something about Nick and Candice. Something about their relationship reminded Kevin of himself.
"Da TRAIN!!" Alex cackled. Kevin smiled and slowly entered the room, knowing not one other person understood Nick's wilds behavior. Not even his best friend.

She sighed as she stared out into the darkness. She missed Nick more than anything in the world. Sure he had left before, for great lengths of time actually, but this time was different. She knew this time changed everything. Something had changed between them, something wonderful and Candice wanted to get to the bottom of it. She knew as soon as Nick walked in the front door she was going to tell him how much she loved him. No matter what the consequence.

He smiled up at his dark home. He felt whole at home, and his smile grew at the thought of Candice being there to greet him. His feet couldn't get to his front door fast enough.

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