~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"He shoots.........and he scores!!!!" Brian hollared as the basketball went into the basket, "Beat you again Frack!!"
Nick laid on the court, panting with exhaustion. He watched as Brian continued to jump around. "How can you have so much energy!!?"
"Because...I'm in GRRRREAT shape!" Brian said doing a muscle man impression.
"Yea right! More like, what kinda drugs are you on!!"
Brian stopped and looked at Nick. "You okay Kaos?"
"Yea, I think this tour is just getting to me."
"Yea......just think.....only a few more shows left and we get a 3 month break!!"
"Man, I can't wait! I just want to lay on the beach and check out the girls....." Nick said dreamily.
"Yea tell me about it! At least we're ending the tour in Orlando....this was we can just go home after the show."
"I know......Bri...does any of this seem real to you?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, in the past 4 years, we've released 3 albums, done interviews and press conferences, gone on tours, done TV specials........it just seems so surreal......"
"Yea I get what you're saying......almost like it's a dream......."
"Yea......."
The silence between them stretched until Brian couldn't take it any longer. "Rematch?"
Nick looked at him, sighed and slowly pulled himself up. A few minutes later, him and Brian were in a heated game of basketball.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"You ready?"
Sam looked around the room sadly. She had spent 4 years of her life in this room. Looking at Jordan, Sam nodded slowly.
"Oh come on Sam, we're gonna have a blast this summer!"
Jordan and Sam were spending the summer at Sam's parents. They had just finished loading the cars with all their junk and now they were ready to head out. Sam had told Jordan the entire story about Nick. While they had been finishing up with packing, Jordan had been concocting a way to get Sam and Nick together. So far she hadn't come up with much, but she'd talk to Sam's mom to get some help.
Silently, the two walked out of the dorm room for the last time, got into their cars and headed towards Sam's.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hey......where's Nick? We gotta leave for the soundcheck," Kevin asked looking around.
"Last I saw he went to lay down. I'll go check his room," Brian said turning towards the elevators.
Getting out of the elevators, Brian rushed towards Nick's room. Knocking loudly, he waited. After a moment, when nothing happened, Brian knocked again, more persistantly. Still he heard nothing. Trying the doorknob he found it unlocked. Opening the door and stepping inside, Brian scanned the room. He spotted Nick sprawled on the floor beside the bed.
"Oh shit......" Brian mumbled rushing over to him, "Nick?? Hey Nick, wake up!!"
Brian noticed that Nick's breathing was shallow and immediately picked up the phone and dialed 911. After giving them all the info, he hung up and dialed Kevin's cell phone.
"Hello?"
"Kev, it's Brian."
"Where are you at?!!"
"I'm in Nick's room. He's unconscious on the floor. Go ahead to the soundcheck. I'm gonna go to the hospital with him. I'll meet you at the venue as soon as possible."
"Is he okay?"
"I don't know Kev......keep your cell phone on and I'll keep you posted."
Hanging up, Brian held onto Nick's hand while he waited for the paramedics.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sam and Jordan pulled into Sam's house early that afternoon. Sam didn't even have time to get out of the car before her mom was running out the front door.
"SAM!!"
"MOM!!"
After a few minutes of hugging, mumbling and crying, Stephanie pulled away from Sam and turned to Jordan.
"And you must be Jordan. I've heard so much about you," she said engulfing Jordan in a hug.
"Hi Mrs. Michaels. I've heard quite a bit about you too."
"Oh please....call me Stephanie!"
"Hey Mom....where's dad?"
"He's still at work sweetie. He promised to be home by dinner though."
"Okay.....come on Jordie, I'll give you a quick tour before we unload."
Sam took Jordan on a quick tour of the house and then onto the deck to show her the view of the ocean.
"Wow.....it's gorgeous here!"
Sam just nodded, staring out at the waves crashing on the beach.
"Hey......who's that?" Jordan asked pointing next door.
Sam shifted her gaze and barely suppressed a smile. Jordan was looking at a blonde boy who was going to town kissing a brunette.
"That would be Aaron.......Nick's little brother......"
"How old is he??" Jordan asked incredulously.
"Whew......he's 14 now......"
Before Jordan could say another word, Aaron looked up at them. Sam saw a look of confusion and then recognition flit across his face before his mouth dropped open.
"Sam??" he questioned.
"Hey Airboy!!"
Sam and Jordan watched as Aaron stood up, grabbed the girls hand and darted inside. Sam turned to Jordan.
"He'll be here in about 2 minutes."
Sam was wrong......it took Aaron 5 minutes to get over.
"You're getting slow AC, I expected you heard 3 minutes ago!" Sam teased him as he gave her a big bear hug, "Oh you've gotten so big!"
"Yea well that's what you get when you go away for four years and never call or write," Aaron said bitterly.
"You're right Aaron......I should've kept in touch.......I'm sorry," Sam said after a moment.
Aaron looked at her for a little bit before nodding.
"Anyways, this is my friend Jordan. Jordan, this is Aaron and......."
"OH.....sorry.....this is my girlfriend, Elisabeth.....or Beth for short."
After a few more minutes of mindless chitchat, Aaron and Beth headed back next door. Sam sat in one of the patio chairs and sighed. Jordan sat beside her and the two of them just sat in silence for a little bit.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Brian paced up and down the waiting room while waiting for Nick to be check out by the doctor. Everytime a doctor entered the waiting area, Brian jumped up, but so far it hadn't been for him. Sitting down, Brian laid his head in the palms of his hands and closed his eyes.
"Mr. Littrell?"
Brian bolted up and towards the doctor, "Is he okay?"
"Yes....calm down! He's gonna be fine. He collapsed due to a combination of exhaustion, malnutrition and dehydration. We've got him on an IV and he's resting comfortably. However....I do not want him performing until next week at the earliest. He needs to take a break."
"But he'll be okay?"
"Yes, he'll be fine in a few days."
"Can I go see him?"
"Yes, he's awake and waiting on you. Second door on the right."
Brian thanked the doctor and headed towards Nick's room. Slowly walking in, his breath caught in his throat as he saw Nick laying in the hospital bed.
"Heya Frack....."
Nick slowly opened his eyes and glanced at Brian.
"Hey Frick....are you mad?"
"Mad? Why would I be mad?"
"Cuz I screwed up...."
"Nick.....you overworked yourself....that's all. It's nothing to worry about. You're gonna rest and get better and we'll just make sure you take it a little more slowly."
"I know....but the tour......"
"Don't worry about it. We'll finish the tour. True a few of the fans are gonna be upset....but they'll want you better quickly. Maybe we can swing it where you can come out and talk to the fans before the show to explain why you aren't performing right then."
"Yea....the doctor said I should be well enough to perform at the last show....."
"Don't worry about it Nick...it's only a show."
"Yea....but my whole family's gonna be there....I want to perform!"
"Okay, okay.....relax buddy! You just stay here and rest. I've got to go do my soundcheck. I'll see when the doctors gonna let you out. I'll come back by after the show if you want me to."
"No....but hey.....do you think we could get someone to come over and record a little thing about why I'm not there tonight. Then just replay it on the monitors?"
"Yea sure. I'll send one of the tv people over as soon as I get there."
"Cool.....thanks Bri..."
"No problem! You just rest and get better. I better get going before Kevin freaks out completely!"
Laughing, Brian said good bye to Nick and left the hospital. Grabbing a cab, he headed over to the venue.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Later that night, Sam and Jordan sat on Sam's bed, giggling. They were going through all of her old pictures and yearbooks.
"Oh my god......"
"What?? What'd you find Sam?"
Laughing, Sam showed her the picture. It was of her and Nick....in the bathtub, butt naked.
"AWW!!! How cute!! Got any lovely pix like this of Brian?" Jordan asked suggestively.
"Sorry Jordan.....don't have any naked pictures of Brian.....I do have some pictures of him in a bathing suit though....."
"WHERE?!! GIMME GIMME GIMMEE!!!"
Laughing, Sam jumped up and raced downstairs, with Jordan hot on her heals.
"Gimme, gimme, gimme!!"
Sam came to a dead stop when she entered the living room. Jordan came around the corner and crashed right into her which sent them both crashing to the floor.
"Ooops..." Jordan mumbled as the people in the room began laughing.
"Hello Sam...it's good to see you again."
"Um,.....hi Mrs. Carter...." Sam said shyly.
"Oh please Sam....you've never called me Mrs. Carter....don't start now." Sam smiled softly as Jane got up and gave her a hug, "It's good to have you back home again."
"Thanks......" Sam said softly pulling away, "This is my friend Jordan."
After they had shaken hands, Sam and Jordan quietly retreated back upstairs.
"OH my god.....I'm so embarrassed!!"
"Why??"
"I don't know.....I guess I just figured she'd hate me...."
"Sam......it's been 4 years....I'm sure everyone has moved on. You need to talk to him you know......so you can move on as well!"
"I know......Anyways.....where's the picture!!!"
Jordan ran and snatched the pictures out of Sam's hand and sat on the bed.
"Wow....now that's a man!!!" Jordan said as she stared at the pictures.
Sam couldn't help but laugh.
"There!! You're laughing again. Now.....what else should we do?"
"How about we sleep!!! I'm exhausted!!! We can get up and hit the beach tomorrow or something."
Rolling her eyes, Jordan reluctantly agreed. Going to her room, Jordan watched some TV as Sam climbed into bed and fell fast asleep. When Jordan was sure that Sam was asleep, she snuck downstairs and into the living room, where Jane still sat.
"Um.....Mrs. Carter? Could I speak to you for a minute?"
"Sure," Jane responded, getting up and following Jordan into the kitchen.
Once there, Jordan filled her in on Sam's behavior lately, and the two of them came up with a plan to get Sam and Nick together.....to at least talk. All they had to do was wait until next week when the Backstreet Boys were performing in Orlando. Once everything was set up, Jordan went back upstairs to bed and Jane went back to fill Sam's parents in.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"So how's Nicky doing?" AJ asked later that night after the show.
"He's doing fine....he'll be able to leave the hospital the day after tomorrow and he'll be able to perform at the Orlando show."
"Oh good......"
"Yea...he's kinda upset he can't perform at the others, but he needs his rest."
"I can't believe we didn't notice how tired he was......"
"I know...I mean, we've all been tired......"
They all sat in silence, each feeling a bit guilty for not looking out for the youngest member a little better. Finally, everyone got up and headed to their respective hotel rooms for some much needed sleep.
