"Nicky," Beth whined, tossing her magazine on the floor. "I'm bored. Can we please go out tonight?"

"Beth," Nick began, sitting down next to her. "I thought maybe we could just hang around here tonight."

"I'm sick of hanging out here." She stood up and began pacing the room. "That's all we ever do. I'm beginning to think that you're embarrassed to be seen with me in public."

Nick rolled his eyes. "I am not. I'm just tired. But if you want to go out, then we'll go out.'

"Thank you," she said, sweetly, before sitting back down next to him. "Let's go to Howie's club."

"I don't know." Nick sighed. He knew that AJ, Amanda, Brian, and Leighanne would all be there and he didn't want to have to deal with Beth being around them all tonight.

"Nicky..." Beth pouted.

"Fine!" Nick threw his hands in the air, knowing he was not going to win this one. "We'll go to Howie's place."

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

"Damn, that's a long line," Brendan commented, as he and Katelin approached the front of the Orlando club.

"And one in which we don't have to wait in. Now come on." She grabbed his hand and pulled him up to the front of the line. "Hey Steve."

The man at the door spun around upon hearing his name. "Kate? I haven't seen you in ages. Finally dug your way out from under all of those books?"

"Ha ha," Katelin made a face at him. "Can you let the two of us in?"

He opened the door for them. "Sure, go ahead. Have a good night!"

"Howie!" Katelin called, spotting him standing by the bar.

"Kate?!" Howie exclaimed. She was definitely teh last person he had expected to see tonight. At least Nick wasn't here. He wasn't in the mood for bloodshed. "It's so good to see you! How've you been?"

"Alright," she lied. "Howie, this is an old friend fo mine from school, Brendan. Brendan, this is Howie, one of Nick's bandmates."

"Nice to meet you," Brendan said, shaking hands.

"You too." Howie smiled. "Well, some of the gang is upstairs. I"m sure they'd love to see you."

"Lead the way," Katelin stated.

Katelin leaned over towards Brendan, who was deep in conversation with Brian about the current baseball season. "I have to go to the bathroom. Will you order me another L.I.T.?"

"Sure," Brendan laughed. "How many is that?"

"Just do it," she commanded, playfully, as she got up from the table.

"Hey guys," they heard a familiar voice say not even a minute later. Six pairs of shocked eyes stared at Nick adn Beth as they stood next to their table.

"Oh shit," Amanda commented, quietly, to Leighanne. "This is not going to be pretty."

"You got that right," Leighanne replied, just before Brian elbowed her in the ribs. "Ow!" Nick pulled up two chairs for he and Beth and sat down, glancing curiously at Brendan. "I'm sorry. Have we met? You look really familiar."

Before Brendan could respond, they all heard Katelin's voice from behind them. "This is Brendan Douglas, Nick. He went to school with me. You've met him a thousand times before."

Nick was so shocked to see his wife there, especially with another man, that he had no idea what to say except "Where are the kids?"

"With your sister," Katelin replied. "What? You're allowed to go out and have fun but I'm not?"

"I....I didn't say that," Nick stuttered.

"Kate, maybe we should go," Brendan suggested.

"Yeah, maybe you should," Beth sneered.

Katelin spun around and glared at Beth. "I'm sorry. I don't believe we've met. I'm Katelin Carter. You must be the slut that stole my husband."

"Nicky!" Beth shrieked, as both Leighanne and Amanda burst out laughing. "Are you going to let her talk to me like that?"

Nick grabbed Katelin's arm and dragged her into Howie's office. "Ow!" Katelin complained. "You're hurting me."

"You're drunk, Kate," Nick pointed out, dropping her arm.

"Yeah?" Katelin rubbed her sore arm. "And you're an asshole."

"I'm sorry, guys," Brendan said, back at the table.

"Don't apologize," Amanda replied, glaring at Beth. "We were all having fun until they showed up." Beth sat and puted in the corner of the table. This was not how she wanted the evening to go. She had wanted to make a good impression on his friends. For them to accept her into the Backstreet family. Katelin being there was not something she had expected. In her mind, that woman always had a way of screwing up all of her plans.

"Will you grow up for just one second?" Nick exclaimed. "You're acting like a goddamn child!"

"Yeah, well you have that role down pretty well yourself," Katelin mumbled. "Not getting any at home so you'll find the first thing that comes your way." Nick ran his hand threw his short blond hair. "You know that's not what happened, Kate."

Katelin crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah? Well, enlighten me then."

Nick sighed. He didn't want to get into this now. At this place. "When did you fall out of love with me?"

Katelin stood in silence for a minute, just staring at him. Finally, she spoke, so quietly that he could barely even hear her. "Why are you so sure that I ever did, Nick?" Before Nick had a chance to respond, she was out the door and out of the club.

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