Love of a Lifetime

"Damn! I'm so late! Come on body! Go to sleep so I can be with Howie!"

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

'Where is she?' Howie thought to himself for the countless time throughout the show, his eyes barely straying from the front-row, center stage seat that he'd gotten for her.

He'd started getting looks from AJ and Kevin about forty-five minutes into the show. He knew he was making errors here and there. He couldn't help it. The more he tried to concentrate on the show, the more he thought of Destina.

"D, get it together. She's not coming man." Brian whispered as they made their way backstage to change before the encore. He felt badly for saying the words, as he could see the dejected look on Howie's face.

"She's still got time."

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

Destina found herself standing in the parking lot of the arena; and, after checking her watch, broke into a run for the front door.

"Miss, they're almost done. I'm afraid you're too late." the ticketperson quietly told her at the door, hoping to soften the blow at seeing the near-panic on Destina's face.

"No, you don't understand." she began, trying to calm herself so as not to appear as nothing more than a crazed fan. Clearing her throat and catching her breath, she continued. "I have one of these," she said, holding up the backstage pass "can I still use it?"

Smiling now, the woman answered, "Well, now, that changes everything. Follow me, please."

Destina's face lit with a brilliant smile as she followed the woman quickly towards the backstage area. She could hear Howie and the rest of the Backstreet Boys saying their "good nights" and she quickened her pace.

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

'Damn! Why didn't she show up?' Howie thought to himself as he took his final bows with the others. 'What went wrong? What if I never see her again?' He morosely made his way backstage, mumbled to the fellas that he was heading back to the hotel, grabbed his bag and left.

"Poor guy." Kevin stated, shaking his head somberly. Just as they had never seen Howie so happy mere hours ago, they now had never seen him quite so sad.

"I wonder what happened." Brian commented as he finished packing up his own bag before heading out himself.

Adding his own two cents before leaving, Alex relayed his plans for the evening, "I'm gonna go talk to Howie, see if he's okay."

"That's a good idea, AJ", replied Kevin, as they walked out together.

All Nick could do was sigh sadly as he finished grabbing the rest of his things.

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

'Please, please, please, let me not be too late.' Destina silently prayed as she ran into the backstage area, fighting her way past a group of roadies getting ready to break down the arena.

She rounded the corner without looking and ran straight into Nick, both of them landing squarely on their backsides in the hallway.

"Oofph!" Destina grunted, rubbing her butt to help alleviate some of the throbbing.

"Oh wow. Are you okay?" Nick asked, reaching his hand out to Destina to help her up, as he had risen quickly.

"Yeah, I'm fine." she responded, looking up at Nick. "Oh, wow. You're Nick Carter."

"That's what people tell me." he joked back, a sardonic grin gracing his lips.

"Sorry." Destina said, a slight blush tickling her cheeks. "ooh! Is Howie around? I was supposed to meet him tonight and I'm running really late. I'm not too late am I?"

Nick's momentary disbelief at this woman's intentions melted as he saw the same look in her eyes that he'd seen in Howie's a few minutes earlier.

"Howie left already." At the sight of her eyes filling with tears, he continued quickly. "But, if you are who I think you are, I can take you to him. What's your name?"

"Destina. My name is Destina."

"Hi Destina. I'm Nick." he said, taking her hand in his and bringing it to his lips. "Come with me."

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

"Howie, it'll be okay. You'll see her again. I'm sure she just got held up. Why don't you just call her?"

"I can't call her!" he spat, "I never got her phone number."

"You never got her phone number?" Alex asked incredulously. "You're in love with a woman and you don't even have her phone number. You do know her name don't you?"

Howie rolled his eyes at the teasing, "Of course I know her name! Give me some credit!"

"You really are in love." Alex said aloud, the words and the emotions behind them finally sinking in. He'd never seen Howie in love before. None of them had. "So, tell me about her."

Sighing, Howie couldn't stop the smile from coming as he began, "Her name is Destina ..."

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

"I can't tell you how much I appreciate this, Nick." Destina said sincerely, gently placing her hand on his forearm. A strange feeling coursed through Nick the moment her warm hand touched his arm. He'd felt something like it when he helped her up and again when he kissed her hand. He couldn't quite describe it. The feeling made him feel good; but, he couldn't put into words in just what way.

Their conversation flowed freely during the ride back to the hotel, their rapor instantantaneous. She found herself sharing things with him that she hadn't told anyone and she knew that, no matter what she said, it would be okay, that he wouldn't judge her or think poorly of her.

"... so, I opened my shop three years ago and that's --"

"Protective!" Nick shouted, interrupting.

"What?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Nothing." Nick covered, finally able to place a name on the feelings that Destina was creating in him. 'That's odd.' He thought to himself, 'I've never really felt really protective of someone before. Kinda cool.' He broke into a boyish grin then, causing Destina to shoot him a quizzical look.

"What in the world were you just thinking about?" she teased, playfully.

"We're here."

9