"Hello, " I answered. I had just got home from a basketball game, with a friend, and sat down when the phone started ringing.
"Hey Nick, " Brian softly said.
I frowned and inwardly sighed. I just can't get over the fact that Brian screwed me over and screwed Kimmy, literally.
"Hi, what's up?" I asked, trying to be civil.
Brian sighed, "I thought we were going to try and be friends again. You got back hom five months ago and called me tweice, and we've only hung out once. I want us to be best friends again, Nick.
My heart was hurting from Brian's pleading, but I was still too hurt and furious over what happened. "Brian, I told you it wouldn't be the same. I'm not ready to be best friends again, I consider us aquantices, okay?"

I heard Brian sigh and he said, "I understand how you feel. I just want to talk to you, we haven't really talked about what happened. And, I want us to get past it. Mabey, you'll come back to the group, then?"
I started thinking that over. 'Can I go back to the group? Would I?' I came to the conclusion that I just wasn't ready. "I'm not ready to go back yet. Mabey in the future. Listen, we'll get together soon. Mabey I'll be able to finally see Baylee."
I could hear the smile and pride in Brian's voice when he answered, "Hopefully. He's so adorable and such a good baby."
"I'm sure he is. Listen, I have to go to the studio in a couple of hours, but I'll call you. We'll set up plans, okay?"
"Okay, bye."

I hung up the phone and laid my head back, on the back of the couch, sighing.

Brian's POV:

"Who was that?, " Leighanne asked as she walked in to the living room.
I laid Baylee, who was asleep, in to his bassinet and said, "Nick."
"Nick? Is he still harping about what happened?"
I looked at Leighanne sharply and said, "He has a right to."
Leighanne sat down on a chair and threw her hands in the air, "For God's sakes, Brian, it was months ago!"
I stared at Leighanne and , silently, thought, 'Why did I marry her? Whatever did I see in her?' "Leighanne, we have an open marriage. But a lot of people don't and won't. Nick is one of those people, he never cheats and doesn't expect his women to. I was his best friend and I messed him over!"
Leighanne rolled her eyes, "Quit being so dramatic, Brian." I cocked my left eyebrow at her and she continued, "You slept with his fiance, yes, but that should'tve changed your friendship. Whatever happened to sharing?"
I tried to keep my voice low, so I didn't wake Baylee. "Sharing! It was his fiance! He didn't want to share her."

Leighanne sighed and stood up, "Whatever. I'm going out and meeting some friends, I'll be home late."
"What about Baylee?"
Leighanne shrugged, "What about Baylee? He's asleep, isn't he?" Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed her purse and left.
"A bad wife, an even worse mother, " I mumbled.

Nick's POV:

It was two days later after the conversation that I'd had with Brian. I stared at the phone and, finally, picked up the receiver. I, slowly, punched in his number and waited.
"Hello?, " he asked on the fourth ring.
"Hey Brian."
I could hear the smile when he said, "Hey! What's up?"
"Nothin' much. I'm just calling to see if you...want to get together. Bring Baylee...I can order a pizza and we can hang at my house."
"That would be cool. I need to get Baylee ready, we'll be there in half-an-hour."
"Alright, bye." I hung up the phone and looked around the living room. 'I can't believe how uncomfortable I already feel. About Brian, no less!' I picked up the phone, again, and dialed Pizza Hut. I ordered an extra large with sausage and pineapple.

A little while later, I heard the doorbell. "Either the pizza or Brian, " I said. When I opened the door I saw Brian satnding there, holding a bundle of blankets. After we had sat down on the couch I said, "I thought you were bringing Baylee, not blankets."
Brian laughed, "I did! I wrapped him up so he wouldn't get sick. Are you ready to meet your 'nephew'?"
I nodded and smiled when he unwrapped the bundle. "He's adorable!" I took in the ten little fingers and the chubby little face. I reached out and touched one of the hands, smiling when it latched around my finger.
"Do you want to hold him?"
I slightly hesitated, but , finally, nodded. Brian handed Baylee over and I sat back, with him laying on my chest.

Just then the doorbell started going off again. "I'll get it, " Brian volunteered. Five minutes later he walked back in with a pizza box, sitting it down on the coffee table.
I handed Baylee to Brian and opened the box. "That's looking good!, " I exclaimed as I stood up. "Be right back, " I said. A few minutes later, I wakled back in to the living room with two Mountain Dews, paper plates, and napkins.
"Thanks, " Brian said after I handed him his stuff. I just shrugged and sat back down.

Half-an-hour later, we had finished eating and Baylee was asleep. Brian turned so that he was facing me and started, "Nick, I think it's time that we talked and cleared the air."
I sighed, "Okay. Let's talk."
Brian waited five minutes, waiting for me to say something, then he continued. "Look, Nick, I'm really sorry and tore up about what happened."
"You're tore up? How do you think I felt when I walked in on you screwing my fiance? Have you even thought about that?" I was trying to keep my voice down, because Baylee was asleep, but I was finding it hard.
Brian nodded, "Yes! I have thought about that! You were my best friend and I hope will be again."
"I just...can't understand why. Why did you do that? Why not pick up a slut somewhere?"
Brian looked defeated, "I honestly don't know. She kept coming on to me and I finally gave in."
"Why didn't you tell me that she kept trying to get you?"
"I didn't want to hurt you." When Brian saw my face, he added, "But, that didn't work out too well." Brian paused for a minute and then looked me in the eye, "I really am sorry."
I nodded, "I believe that you are. But, the issue is the trust. How can I trust you not to do that to me again?"

Brian seemed to explode right in front of me. "You can! Why won't you get that through your thick head?!"
"I just can't get past why you did it, " I said.
"God, Nick, I don't know. I guess because I was lonley and she wasn't getting what she needed from you. If you would've pleased her, she wouldn'tve been looking around!" I could see it on Brian's face, regret. But, it was too late.
"I think you should leave. Now." Just then, Baylee started crying. Brian started rocking him, trying to soothe him, while looking at me. He stood up and started, "Nick...."
I held up my hand, cutting him off, "Don't." I heard him sigh and open the door.
"Bye, " he whispered as he left.

Brian's POV:

' I can't believe I said that!, ' I berated myself, while driving home. "Why did I say that?, " I wondered out loud. I shook my head to clear it and parked my car in the garage. "Let's go, Sport, " I said to Baylee, as I got him out of his car seat. I took him up to the living room and put him in his playpen.
I looked at my watch, for the hundreth time, and saw that it was nine-thirty at night. "Where is Leighanne?! She should be at home!, " I angrily muttered. Ring! Ring! I reached over and answered the phone, "Leigh?"
"No, cuz, it's me."
"Kev? What is it?"
"Bri.....it's Nick. He's been in a car accident."
I could feel my heart drop to my shoes, "Is it serious? Where are you?"
"I just got the call a few minutes ago, but we're all at Orlando General. In the emergancy waiting room. The Doctor hasn't told us anything yet."
I took a deep breath, "Okay. Let me get Baylee situated and I'll be right there."

I hung up the phone and went to the crib. I took a baby blanket and wrapped Baylee in it, gently picking him up. Ten minutes later, we were at the hospital. I walked in and saw Kevin and Kristin, AJ and Sarah, and Howie and Leigh. I walked up to them and AJ said, "Let me have Baylee. You look beat."
I handed Baylee to AJ and said, "Thanks. I don't know how he can sleep through all this."
"Where's Leighanne?, " asked Howie.
I sighed and shrugged, "Who knows. She left earlier, saying that she was going out with friends." I started pacing, back and forth, nervously wringing my hands. "Where's the Doctor?"
"I'm sure everything's okay. Sit down," Sarah gently said.
"I can't. This is all my fault."
"How do you figure that?, " questioned Kristin.
I sighed and sat down, looking at the floor. "I said some things earlier. I went over and we had pizza, we were going to talk about what happened. You know, to clear the air. We started talking and he said that he believed that I was sorry. But, he didn't know how to trust me. And, I don't know, something in me just snapped. I was so mad that he wouldn't just forgive me and let things get back to how they were. Well, I said that I was lonley, that that's why I slept with her. And, then I......"
"And, then you....?, " Kevin prodded.
"And, then I said that he wasn't pleasing her. That if he had, she wouldn'tve been looking elsewhere."
"Oh, Brian, how could you say that?" Asked Leigh.
I ran a hand through my hair and said, "I don't know. It just popped out."
Howie put a hand on my shoulder and said, "This isn't your fault. I'm sure that you and Nick will work all this out."
' Howie, always the peacemaker, ' I fondly thought. I nodded and, slightly, smiled, "Thanks. I hope so."

"Is anyone here with a Mr. Nick Carter?, " a young man asked.
They all stood up and said, "We are."
The man nodded and walked over to where they were. "I'm Doctor Miller, I'm the one that has been taking car of Mr. Carter."
"How is he?, " asked AJ.
The Doctor smiled, "Not too bad. He could've been worse, but he had his seat belt on. He has a mild concussion, a broken wrist, and had to have some stitches put in his forhead. I want to keep him overnightfor observation. He should be able to go home tomorrow."
"Can we see him?, " asked Sarah.
The Doctor nodded, "Sure. Follow me." We walked in to the room and saw Nick lying in the bed. He had butterfly bandages over his stitches, and IV in his right arm, and his wrist in a cast. When we walked in, he turned toward us and gave a slight smile.
"How are you feeling, bro?" Kevin asked. Nick gave a shrug, "Okay. As good as can be." He looked over at me and I gave a feeble wave. "I see you brought Bay, " he said, smiling.
AJ walked over to him and waved Baylee's hand. "Hey Uncle Nicky, " AJ said in baby talk.
Nick smiled and said, "Hey Bay Bay."
"Come on guys. I think Bri and Nick need some time." Howie said. They all said they goodbyes to Nick and walked out to the waiting room.

"Well, you might as well have a seat, " Nick told me.
I nodded and pulled a chair over to the bed and sat down. "I'm glad you're okay, " I said.
"Thanks."
"Listen, I'm really sorry about what I said. I don't know what came over me. I just...got so frustrated over what you were saying. I was wanting you to just forgive and forget, so we could be Frick and Frack again. But, now that I have had time to think, I realize I have to be paitient. This was all my fault. Your breakup andyour accident." I could feel tears brimming in my eyes, but I tried to hold them back.
Nick sighed and looked over at me. "My accident is not your fault. It's my fault. I was going a little to fast and hit a gaurdrail. As for what happened, I'm ready to try and mmove past it. You're the bestfriend that I've ever had and I want that back. I've missed hanging out with you and all. I think we should just try to get past everything. Now, I'm not saying that it will be easy or fast, but it'll happen.
I smiled and said, "Thanks. You're the bestfriend that I've ever had also. And, I swear to God, this will never happen again." I leaned over and, gently, hugged Nick.

Seven Months Later--Kevin's POV "Hey, give me that back, Shorty!" Nick exclaimed, as Brian snatched his water. We all laughed, glad to see things starting to get back to normal.
"Well, " said a grinning Howie, " looks like Frick and Frack are back."
"Lord help us all!, " teased AJ.
A guy poked his head in the door and said, "It's time to go on."
We huddled for our group prayer, which Brian said, "Lord, thank you. Please help us give a good performance and have a fun and safe time. Thanks for everything. In Your Name, Amen."
We went out on stage and performed a few songs.
"Hello everyone! Having a good time!, " I exclaimed in to my micorphone.
"YEAH, " the audience yelled back.
I smiled, as did the other guys, "Great! Well, we are going to perfrom a very special song for you. It hold a special place in all of our hearts, because it's personal to us."
We all sat down on stools, and Nick stood up, walking to the front of the stage.