Chapter 9

Later that day, Kari and I got a van to the arena that the Boys' were performing at.

"Amy!" Nick called as Kari and I entered the green room back stage. He ran up and gave me a kiss. "I missed you."

I returned the kiss and gave him a hug. "I missed you too."

"Brian?" Kari asked angrily, her hands on her hips. "Are you gonna like, acknowledge me or not?"

"And why would he?"

"Because he's-" Kari turned around and saw Donna.

"Well go on, finish your sentence."

"Because he's my really good friend!" Kari said.

"That's what I thought. Get to work you two!" Donna turned and walked away.

Brian gave Kari a hug and kiss. "Sorry about that, but I saw Donna coming."

"It's okay. Who's first for hair and makeup?" Kari asked.

"Me! Me!" Nick jumped up and down like a little kid. "Do me first!"

Kari and I laughed. "Okay," I said. "Kari, you're better at makeup, so I'll do his hair."

"Alright," Kari agreed.

After we had finished everyone, Kari, Brian, Nick, and I went to look out at the audience. "Oh my God," Kari said. "Look at all those signs!"

"Look, there's one that says 'I'm the real Mrs. Brian Littrell'," I said.

Kari scoffed. "She thinks."

I looked for more signs along that line. "Oh my God, I gotta go," I said quickly and ran back to the green room.

"What's with her?" Brian asked. And then he saw what had gotten me so upset. "Holy shit, look at that huge sign!" He pointed to the middle of the arena where there was a large sign that took up almost the entire row. It said in big bold letters: Backstreet's Girlfriends Must DIE!

Kari's eyes went round with fear. "Brian, I'm scared. It's not safe for us to be here."

"It'll be alright." Brian gave her an assuring smile. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

"Have security take those girls out of there," Nick told Brian. "I'm going to see if Amy's alright."

Nick entered the green room. "Are you okay?" he asked as he took a seat next to me.

I shook my head as new tears formed in my eyes. "People want us dead Nick."

Nick took my hand. "It's okay Amy, security is taking those girls out of the arena."

"I saw more of those kind of signs Nick, I'm really scared."

Nick gave me a hug. "Then security will take those girls out too. They're just jealous, and besides I would never let anyone hurt you."

I gave him a weak smile and wiped away my tears. "Thanks Nick."

"No problem. Damn I'd better get ready to go on, see you later Aim."

"No!" I jumped up and held on to him as he was about to leave. "Don't leave me alone Nick!"

"Are you that scared?" Nick asked.

I nodded. "Did you see all those death to me signs out there? One of them had mine and Kari's name on it! First off, if Donna sees it we can be fired and second, it's even scarier that they definitely know who we are!"

"I'll go find Kari and my bodyguard. He'll watch the both of you and make sure nothing happens. But if something does go wrong just call me and I'll be right there." He gave me a gentle kiss. "Are you gonna be okay until I find Kari and Ron?"

"I guess so."

"Okay then, I'll be right back." Nick ran off and I sat alone in the green room, absolutely petrified.

There was a knock on the door. "Amy?"

"Wh-who is it?"

"Howie and AJ."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Come in."

"What's wrong with you?" AJ asked as he and Howie took a seat next to me.

"Didn't you see all those signs out there? Most of them say something along the lines of kill Backstreet's girlfriends!"

"That's pretty harsh," Howie said.

"You think?" I replied sarcastically.

"Howie! AJ! Where the hell are you?!" Donna stormed into the room. "You go on stage in 5 minutes and you're in here lounging with the hired help?! Let's go!"

Howie rolled his eyes. "Fine Donna. See ya later Aim."

After AJ and Howie left, Kari came rushing in followed by Nick. "Amy!"

I gave her a hug. "It's okay Kari."

"I'm so scared Amy! I like, don't want to die!"

"I hate to leave you Aim, but I have to go." Nick gave me a kiss. "I'll see you after the show."

"Nick, where's Ron?"

"I couldn't find him. You girls should be okay by yourselves, just stay here. Me and Brian will come back as soon as we can."

As soon as he left, Kari jumped up and locked the door. "There, now we're safe."

I laughed. "Look at the door reject, it's mostly glass. All they have to do is break it and we're dead!"

Kari just rolled her eyes. We sat in silence for a few minutes until Kari broke it. "Um, Amy?"

"Um, what?"

"I like, have to go to the bathroom."

"Yeah so do I. But the one in here isn't working."

"Like, so?"

"So we have to go to the one out in the arena."

Kari shook her head violently. "No way! I'm not going out there and getting killed!"

"Kari we have to!" I got up and walked to the door. "You coming with me?"

Kari sighed. "I guess."

We slowly got up, opened the door and crept out into the hallway.

"Do you know the way?" Kari asked.

"No, but I'll wing it." We cautiously walked to the very end of the hallway and quickly slipped out of the door connecting the backstage area to the front of the arena. "There's got to be a bathroom around here somewhere."

A little while later, Kari and I were still wandering around, hopelessly lost. Why does this feel like de ja vu?

At the same time...
"Amy? Kari?" Nick and Brian walked into the room.

Nick's face paled when he saw it was empty. "Oh my God, where the hell are they?"

"You don't think..." Brian couldn't finish his sentence. "We have to find them, come on!"

"But what about Donna?"

"Screw Donna! Now come on!" Brian ran out of the room, followed by Nick.

"Nick? Brian?" Donna was running around frantically looking for them. Finally she found them running through the arena. "What the hell are you guys doing? The fans are getting restless in there!"

Nick rolled his eyes. "We kinda have an emergency, why don't you put Aaron back out there for another number, they liked him."

"Oh really? And what's the emergency?" Donna narrowed her eyes. "And I'm quite sick and tired of the attitudes you two having been giving me lately."

"Amy and Kari are gone and they might be in trouble!" Brian said, frustrated. "Can we please go now?"

"Why do you even care, they're the hired help!"

"Because they're our girlfriends you bitch!" Nick yelled.

Brian couldn't help but laugh, but Donna was not amused. "They're your girlfriends? Well then I suggest that when you find them you tell them they're fired. I warned you Nickolas, but you never listen. Why don't you leave the rebel act to AJ, it doesn't suit you." Donna turned on her heel and stalked away.

"Holy shit Nick, I don't believe you said that!" Brian exclaimed.

Nick shrugged. "The bitch had it coming. Come on." He and Brian ran once again down the long hallway.

"I can't believe the only open bathroom was at the very end of the hallway!" Kari said as we walked back to the green room.

"I hope the guys are still onstage, cuz if they-" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw two figures running down the hallway. "Oh shit! Kari run!"

We took off down the hallway as fast as we could. That is, until I tripped and fell.

"Amy get up! They're like, getting closer!" Kari ran over to me and we hugged each other. "It was nice knowing you Amy."

"Kari? Amy?" I looked up and saw Nick and Brian.

Nick grabbed me and gave me a big hug. "Don't ever do that again!"

"Do what? What are you talking about?" I asked.

"We came back to the green room and you guys were gone," Brian answered. "We thought something bad happened so we came to look for you."

"If it isn't the lovebirds," Donna said sarcastically as she suddenly reappered. "I came to tell the two 'bad boys' that you need to get your asses on stage now." She turned to me and Kari and gave us an odd smile. "You two girls however, are fired. I called a van to come and pick you up, so go back, get your stuff, and leave. You are no longer allowed on tour with us."

"You can't fire them!" Nick said angrily.

Donna glared at him. "Really Mr. Carter? And why is that?"

"Because I love Amy and I'm not letting her or Kari leave."

My jaw must have dropped to the floor. Nick Carter, the Nick Carter, just professed that he loved me? "Nick, are you serious?"

Nick smiled warmly. "I mean it Amy. I love you."

I returned the smile as I tear trickled down to my cheek. "I love you too."

"That's so cute," Donna said snidely. "But it doesn't stop the fact that you girls are fired."

"Yes it does." AJ, Kevin, and Howie stepped out from behind Brian and Nick.

"We've been discussing this and we decided that you're fired Donna," Kevin said. "You have exactly 20 minutes to get out of here or security will escort you out."

"But yo-you can't be serious!" Donna stammered. "I hold you guys together!"

"I think we can find someone else to do that," Brian replied sweetly.

"I'm not leaving! You can't make me!" Donna threw herself to the ground and grabbed on to Nick's leg.

Nick looked down at her and smiled. "Wanna bet? Roooooooonnnnnn!" He called.

Ron came running up to us. "What's up Nick?"

He pointed down at Donna. "Please escort Mrs. Wright off the premises."

"I'm afraid you'll have to come with me Miss." Ron detached Donna and dragged her down the hallway.

"I'll be back! You just wait!" She screamed. "You can't live without me!"

"More like can't live with you," Brian muttered.

"Um, I hate to ruin this happy moment, but don't you guys have a show to do?" I asked.

"Nope, we finished up without those to clowns," AJ replied, pointing to Nick and Brian. "We're free to go."

Nick put his arm around my waist. "You wanna go somewhere after we get back to the hotel?"

"Like where?"

"I don't know, my room?" Nick smiled seductively. "It'll be fun."

I shrugged. "Okay."

Everyone laughed at us as we boarded the bus back to the hotel.