“I’m not the one who is leaving to go on a promotional tour.”
“I know... but you are going to come out and visit us, right?”
“No.... I was thinking of hooking up with Aaron while you were gone.”
“That’s not funny.” Brian said, with a pout.
“I think it is.” Megan said from behind him.
“You would.” He huffed. He was starting to go into quiet mode. He hadn’t wanted to leave Kaytee behind, but she was starting to take classes and she couldn’t take time off. She was already in enough trouble for meeting them at the MTV Europe Awards, and for staying with Megan at the hospital.
“It’s gonna be OK, Bri. We can talk every day and I promise that I will visit you every chance I get.”
“I know. I’m just gonna miss you a lot.”
“I’m gonna miss you too.” Kaytee leaned her head on Brian’s shoulder and hugged his arm. Brian tucked her hair behind her ear and kissed the top of her head.
“Aww... aren’t they cute? I think I may be sick.” AJ said.
“Oh shut up, AJ. I think it’s cute.”
“Thank you Meg.” Brian smiled.
“Well, lets just all be glad that those two aren’t being separated.” Howie pointed to Nick and Megan. “Now that good bye is something that could make you sick.”
“Howie, you better be glad that I have a seatbelt restraining me right now.” Megan said, with a sweet smile on her face. Everyone in the van laughed at the two. It was going to be an adventure, and their first time traveling around the United States. They had more security then they did when they were in Europe, but that was mostly something that Nick and his family had insisted on for Megan. She didn’t really like the idea of having her own body guard, but it was something that Nick had made up his mind about and he wasn’t going to change it.
“I don’t understand why you want more security. There is already more then enough for us.” She had protested when he told her that she was going to have her own guard.
“I think you know exactly why. Meg, if you are going to be on this tour with us, and we have no idea where Jackson and Janice are, I’m not going to risk someone hurting you. Not only that, but eventually the fans are going to find out that you are with me. I just want to make sure that you are safe.”
“I know that you want me to be safe, but do we really need to get another guard?” Nick looked down at her.
“I thought we just went over this. Look, it will be someone that Lonnie has recommended, and he will also be keeping an eye on you.”
“Great... I’m being babysat. I think the last time that happened was when we were about ...” She was cut off by him covering her mouth with his hand.
“Meg, please, all I ask is that you be careful, and let Lonnie and the new guy take care of you when I can’t. OK?” She thought for a minute and nodded. He uncovered her mouth.
“I just can’t understand...” Nick rolled his eyes and silenced her with a kiss. When they pulled away she bit her lip, and looked up at him. “I think that I understand now.”
Nick broke out into a smile and kissed her on the forehead.
They reached the airport and didn’t have any trouble getting into the gate and having all of their things to the check in counter. By then they had to meet security and Megan’s body guard. “Meg, this is Frankie Dumount.” Lonnie pointed to a large, bulky black man standing next to him. He had to have been at least 6-8 and had been working out since he was five. “Frankie, this is your charge, Megan Bradford. She is Nick’s girlfriend, although that needs to stay on the downlow. Be careful with her, she’s a feisty one sometimes, and believe me, I know. I’m just glad that I don’t have to deal with both of them this time.”
“Love you too Lonnie. Hi Frankie, it’s nice to meet you. And don’t listen to any of the threats that Nick here dishes out. I can take care of myself for the most part. I’m not that important.”
“Well, I’ll be doing my job Miss, to the best of my ability.”
“I was afraid of that.” She said under her breath.
“What was that?” Lonnie questioned.
“Nothing. I’m sure that you’ll do a great job. And watch out for the fans, they are pretty scary.”
“Megan, how many times do we have to tell you not to make fun of our fans?” Howie came up from behind her.
“I’m sorry guys, but I can’t help it. When I see a bunch of 10 year olds screaming there heads off for you guys... well I simply find it amusing that’s all.” She smiled at them.
A few minutes later their fight was called. Kevin, Howie, AJ and Nick said goodbye to Kaytee; Megan hugged her quickly, and grabbed Nick’s hand. They walked up the terminal quickly, knowing that the two would want a few minutes to themselves before being separated for a while.
“So this looks like goodbye.” Kaytee said, looking at the ground.
“No, this looks like see ya later. It’s never gonna be goodbye, OK?” He put his hand under her chin and forced her to look him in the eye. “OK?”
She nodded silently and a single tear fell down her face. He wiped it away and kissed her softly on the lips. “I love you, Brian.” She said quietly when they pulled apart.
Brian hugged her to him and kissed the top of her head. “I love you too, Kaytee. And I don’t want you to ever forget that, OK?” She nodded again as she hugged him tighter. A few minutes later the final boarding call was made and Brian had to go. “I’ll call you when we get there. I’ve gotta go, but I love you. See you soon.” He kissed her one last time on the lips, then on the forehead and turned to leave.
As a spur of the moment thing Kaytee grabbed his hand and kissed his knuckles. “For good luck.” She said with a smile. Brian smiled back at her and turned to leave again. A minute later he disappeared down the terminal.
As he walked down the terminal Brian thought about what she had said. ‘For good luck.’ He smiled and when he reached the door to the plane and was greeted by the flight attendant he smiled at her before lighting knocking his knuckles, where Kaytee had kissed them, on the side of the plane, whispered “For good luck” and stepped inside.
Nick and Megan had settled into their seats and were talking when they saw Brian get on the plane and sit down on Nick’s other side. “You OK Bri?” Megan asked when she saw the look on his face.
“I’ve been better, I left my heart back there.”
“It’s gonna be OK, Bri. Before you know it she’ll be on her way out to see us.”
“That’s easy for you to say.” Brian looked at the two of them. They were so happy now that they were together. And he was happy for them, he just wished that Kaytee could have come with them.
“Come on Bri. You aren’t the only one that had to leave someone behind. Howie left Hallie, AJ left Sarah, and Kevin... well... we aren’t exactly sure what his status with Olivia is, but there’s always Kristen.”
“Nick if you are trying to comfort him... I don’t think it’s working.” Megan said.
“I’ll be OK. I’m just gonna miss her, that’s all.”
“And she’s gonna miss you too. But you’ll both be OK.”
Kaytee moved to the window in front of the plane and watched as it pulled away from the gate. She pressed her hand against the window and wondered if he could see her. “You have someone on that plane?” Kaytee jumped a little. She turned to find an elderly woman standing next to her, staring out the window.
“You could say that.”
“Best friend?” She shook her head. It was true that her best friend was on the plane, but that’s not why she was upset. “Boyfriend?”
“No... He’s more then that. My heart is on that plane.” The woman smiled.
“You will see him soon. He loves you too.” Kaytee smiled at her words and watched as the plane taxied and prepared for take off. It began to move and gain speed. A moment later it was in the air and she watched it until it was out of sight.
She turned to thank the woman for her kind words and found that there was no one next to her. “Thank you.” She whispered quietly before making sure that she had she purse and began to make her way to the van that was going to take her back to her apartment.
They landed in Portland, Oregon three hours later. As they were walking up the terminal they thanked God that no one knew when they were coming in. So they thought. As they stepped into the airport they were greeted by about 30 girls who had been waiting for hours just to meet and welcome them to Oregon.
“Hey guys!” One girl yelled. They all smiled and waved at her. Megan, who was walking behind Nick, smiled at her and was rewarded with a glare that none of the others saw. She shrugged it off. It was something that she was going to have to get used to. A few girls down another one caught her eye.
She was a small girl that looked a little lost. Without thinking she walked over to her. “Hi there. What’s your name?” The girl looked at her with wide green eyes. She knelt down to eye level with the girl. “It’s OK sweetie. Are you lost?” The little girl nodded. Megan smiled at her and stood up, holding out her hand to the girl and helping her under the barrier that had been put up when girls had started to show up at the gate.
Once past the barrier the girl’s grip on Megan’s hand tightened as she realized that there were many people watching her. “Come on... it’s OK. We’re gonna go talk to my friends and see if we can find who you belong to.” The girl followed willingly behind Megan as she walked over to where Nick and the others were talking to security and a few fans.
Nick excused himself from the fan he was talking to when he saw her walk up to them. “Hey Meg... who is this?”
“I’m not sure who she is, but she is lost and I was wondering if we could help her find who she belongs to.”
Nick knelt down so that he was the same height as the girl. “Are you lost?” She nodded her eyes huge with fear. “It’s gonna be OK, alright? We’ll make sure that we find your parents, OK?” Suddenly she looked even more scared at the mention of her parents. Her grip on Megan’s hand tightened even more and she backed up a little. “It’s OK.... I promise that we will make sure that nothing happens to you, OK?”
The girl nodded again. Megan knelt down next to Nick, still holding the girl’s hand. “My name is Megan. And this is my friend, Nick. What’s your name?” The girl said nothing, but looked at the carpet beneath her feet. “OK... that’s OK. We’re going to help you, OK? Now why don’t we go over there where everyone else is standing and see if we can find out where you belong.” Once again she follow Megan willingly over to where the rest of the guys were standing watching them.
“Who do we have here?” Lonnie asked.
“We don’t know her name, but she’s lost and we were thinking that we could help her find her parents.” Nick said before Megan could.
Lonnie looked at the girl for a few minutes before sighing. “I suppose so. She seems harmless enough. Bring her with us and once we get all of our stuff we will try to see if the airport police can help us find her parents.” It was decided, then... she would be going with them... whoever she was.
Ten minutes later they were down at the baggage claim, waiting for their bags, and surrounded by security. Megan took the little girl over to a corner. “You OK?” The girl nodded. “Can you tell me your name?” She shook her head. “Do you want to tell me your name?” She nodded. “Then tell me, silly.” She smiled at her. “Why can’t you tell me?”
After looking at her for a few more minutes, the girl mouthed something that Megan didn’t quite catch. “What was that?” She mouthed it again and this time Megan watched very carefully.
“I can’t.” It was mouthed clearly.
She can’t? She isn’t physically able to tell me... she's mute! Megan was happy that she had figured the puzzle out, she was beginning to worry that something was really wrong with the child. She smiled at the girl. “That’s OK, sweetie, we are going to take care of you. Can you write your name down for me?” The girl nodded, and Megan grabbed a pen out of her purse and gave her my boarding pass to write on. She took her time and wrote her name out before handing it back to her. “Leigha?” She nodded. “It’s nice to meet you Leigha, like I said before, my name is Megan."
(Authors Note: From now on, whenever Leigha writes something down it’s going to be in quotes, just like she said it out loud, but remember that she can’t talk.)
Leigha shook her head and her eyes grew wide again. She scribbled something else down on the boarding pass. “I don’t want to go back to my parents.”
“Why not?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“OK.... Let’s get to a place where we can talk and we’ll figure this out and then-“
“Hey you two, we’re ready, lets go get that little girl back to her parents!” Brian called over to them. Megan grabbed Leigha’s hand and they caught up with everyone else. They were lead into a room where they could begin to sort everything with Leigha out.
“OK, everyone,” Megan started once they were all settled in the room. “This is Leigha. And the reason that she hasn’t told us anything about herself is that she can’t”
“What do you mean, she can’t?” Lonnie asked.
“I mean she physically can’t. She’s mute. But she wrote her name down for me, and she told me that she doesn’t want to go back to her parents.”
“OK, well, we need to get her back to where she belongs, we can’t just take her with us. A lot of people would consider that kidnapping. And that’s the last thing that we need right now.”
“Fine... but I want to be in charge of her while she is with us.”
“That’s fine with me, that gives me one less thing to worry about. The airport police are on their way here right now and when they get here we are going to sort all of this out. I only hope that everything works out...”
