The next morning Isabella sees Nick sitting by himself in the downstairs restaurant. She goes up to him. "May I join you?" she asks.

He looks at her with lifeless eyes. "Sure."

She sits across from him. "Where's Mitzi?"

"I gave her my credit card and she headed for the mall."

"Is giving her your money the only way to get rid of her?"

"Bella mind your own business. By the way what did you do with my razor?"

"I threw it away." she confesses. "Why? Did you need it last night after the way Mitzi dogged you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I heard everything Nick. I heard her say that you can't get any better than her. I heard her slap you."

"Is eavesdropping a hobby of yours?"

"The night I met her I heard her call you a moron and a loser for messing up a couple of dance moves. Nick why so you let her treat you this way? She's wrong you know?"

"About what?"

"You can do better. Of course you could have the greatest girlfriend in the world and it wouldn't matter."

"And why is that?"

"Because you don't love yourself. Your family, friends, the guys, and your fans all love you but you don't care about yourself."

"You don't know how I feel."

"Then tell me. Prove to me that I'm wrong because believe me Nick I would love to be wrong about this. I would love it if everything that Mitzi did last night was a terrible dream but it wasn't. You have problems that go beyond her too. Nick I understand..."

Nick cuts her off. "You don't understand anything. Do you want to be a nurse or a shrink?"

"A nurse."

"Then stop psychoanalyzing me."

"Nicky I only..."

"Want to help." he cuts her off again. "Like I said I appreciate it but there's nothing you can do."

She decides for the time being to drop it. She looks at his plate and sees a
small Danish. "Is that all you're going to eat?"

"Yeah, I'm not very hungry."

"That's not like you."

Nick rolls his eyes. "Here we go again."

"I'm sorry. Well I'm starving." She looks at the menu. "A pancake and scramble egg sound good." She goes to place her order.

"That does look good." Nick says looking at Isabella's plate.

"Want some?" she asks.

"No, that's okay."

"Come on, I know that little Danish didn't fill you up."

"Maybe a little bite of egg."

She gets some egg on her fork and reaches it across to him. He takes hold of her hand guiding the fork to his mouth. Isabella stares at his luscious red lips longing to kiss them, she looks up into his eyes. "God Nick, I love you so much."

"Thanks." he says.

"You're welcome."

Nick sees Mitzi watching them. "I gotta go." He jumps up from the table and practically runs out of the restaurant.

Isabella turns to see what was the rush. When she sees Mitzi she becomes afraid. "What's she going to do to him now?"

Brian is on his way to his room when he hears the door to Nick's room slam and Mitzi storms past him to the elevator. He goes to Nick's room and hears Nick crying. He knocks and calls, "Nick Buddy open the door."

"Go away." sobs Nick.

"Frack come on."

"Leave me alone."

Isabella walks up to Brian. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know. We've gotta get in there."

She reaches in her purse and pulls out a nail file. "This should work." She sticks it in the keyhole and effortlessly unlocks the door. She gasps when she sees Nick.

"Oh God Frack. What happened?" asks Brian.

Nick is standing with his naked, red back to them. He turns to face them. "I fell."

"Nick you were crying like a baby." states Brian.

"It really hurt." insists Nick.

"Why did Mitzi run out of here?"

"We had a fight."

"About what?"

"None of your business."

"Wasn't see concerned that you got hurt?" asks Isabella.

"I fell after she left."

"Turn around." He does and she examines his back. "This isn't from a fall."

Nick turns to face her. "LOOK WHY DON'T YOU FIND SOMEBODY ELSE TO PLAY NURSE TO?"

"Because nobody else is letting someone beat them up!" with that she runs to her room. Once inside she throws herself onto the bed and sobs. "Nick I just want to take care of you."

Back in Nick's room Brian says, "Okay Nick if you fell why wouldn't you let me in?"

"I'm a big boy now; I can take care of myself. I didn't need you in here."

"You gonna be okay to dance?"

"Yeah."

During rehearsal for the show Nick tries to lift one of the female dancers as he has always done and cries out in pain. "Nick you can't dance tonight." says Brian.

"What's wrong?" asks Fatima.

Brian and Nick look at one another. "Nick fell earlier and hurt his back." replies Brian.

"Are you alright?" Fatima asks Nick.

"Yeah, I'm just bruised and really sore."

"Maybe you should see a doctor." suggests Kevin.

"He's fine." insists Mitzi.

"Back injuries can be serious." states Howie. "Right Isabella?"

"Right." she replies. Mitzi shoots her an evil look.

"Nick you've got plenty of time to be checked out before the show." announces AJ.

"I can rework the routine so you won't have to do much tonight." says Fatima.

"You all aren't going to leave me alone are you?"

"No." everyone other than Mitzi says.

Nick sighs. "Fine."

The doctor comes in the room. "Mr. Carter how are you feeling?"

"I'm sore but I don't think I'm as bad off as everyone's making me out to be."

"Let me look at your back." Nick lays on his stomach on the table. "You say you fell?"

"Yeah."

"Onto what?"

"A hardwood floor."

"There are multiple bruises."

"So?"

"So most falls cause one big bruise. These look like they were made by fists, small fists. I saw your girlfriend, want to tell me what happened?"

"Just tell me if I'm going to be okay."

"You'll be really sore for a few days. I'll give you some cream to rub on, it'll take out most of the soreness."

"What about dancing?"

"Not for a few more days." The doctor looks out at Mitzi in the waiting room. "I can give you the name of someone to talk to."

"Thanks but no thanks." Nick gets dressed and goes to meet Mitzi.

"You okay?" she asks.

"I will be."

"Here's the cream." says the doctor handing him the medicine.

"Thanks." replies Nick.

"Remember what I said."

Nick just nods and walks out. "What was that about?" asks Mitzi.

"He just told me to call if I need anything."

On their way back to the venue Mitzi says, "Nick I'm sorry you know that don't you?"

"Yeah I know." He wonders, "If you're sorry why do you keep hurting me?"

"That Isabella chick just makes me so mad. I know how much she wants you. I'm really mad at her I just took it out on you. Can't you get rid of her?"

"Mitzi how would that look? It would be bad for the group's image." He knows he threatened Isabella if she revealed his secret but he also knows things would look bad if he gets rid of her.

"Just make sure she doesn't get too close to you."

>>>>>

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