Chapter 17

"Nick, wake up! It's six in the morning! I let you sleep as late as I can!" Kevin demanded shaking his shoulder.

"I don't want to!"

"You never want to."

"I don't feel good."

"You never feel good."

Nick allowed his head to flop against the pillow. "My throat hurts and I'm cold."

"You probably caught a cold and I'm sorry, but you have to get up we have business meetings today."

Brian yawned as he attempted to tame his messy hair. "He shouldn't be in meetings if his throat hurts."

"I know that and you know that. Johnny is the outcast of our opinions, Rok."

Nick still lay in the bed shivering. "It's n-n-not fair! When you guys were s-sick you didn't have to work!"

AJ grabbed a pair of sunglasses. "Life is shitty, Nick."

Howie rolled his eyes. "Way to be positive with the kid."

"What? He'd figure it out eventually, D."

"Nick, I'm serious, you have to get up and get ready."

Brian frowned. "He's doesn't look so well, Kev. His complexion is pale and he's shivering. Maybe he is getting that flu bug. You know how bad you felt, and it would hit someone his age and size even harder. He should just be able to rest."

"Where, Brian? In a drafty tour bus while the heater is turned off because we're all inside?"

"He could lay down in the studio."

"Oh, yeah, Johnny would REALLY go for that!"

Howie stepped between them. "Relax guys. Maybe if Nick went ahead and got ready Johnny would see he isn't feeling well and let him off the hook."

Kevin laughed. "Yeah, Howie, and people in hell will get ice water, too."

"I'm sure they do, Kevin."

Kevin stared at the four younger members. "You all think I'm being a hardass, don't you?"

"Yes," came the reply in unison.

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

Nick laid his forehead against the dining table as the rest of the company continued to eat.

Brian sighed. "Nick, you need to eat."

"My throat hurts."

"I know, just try."

"Don't make him eat if he doesn't want to," Kevin argued.

"Kevin, he has eat. He didn't eat dinner last night."

"Which was really stupid if you ask me," AJ added sipping his water. "How could you not eat McDonalds?"

"AJ, would you eat McDonalds with a sore throat?" Howie asked.

He shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

Howie rolled his eyes. "There is no hope for you, McLean."

Brian frowned glancing at his youngest friend. "I think Nick should on over to the hotel."

"Brian, we don't even know where the hotel is," Kevin replied matter-of-factly.

Johnny glanced up from his reports. "The kid can't be that sick."

AJ snorted. "How the hell would you know? I had that throat thing and it was a bitch. And then once the soreness went away I started puking-"

"Ooooh," Nick groaned. "Don't mention puke."

Brian nodded. "Yeah, AJ, don't encourage him."

The boys finished their conversation as Johnny entered. "Well, boys I have a surprised for you."

Kevin gromaced. "And do what do we owe this pleasure?"

"A matter of business, Kevin."

Lou Pearlman's round form entered the tiny space. "Howdy, boys!"

Howie wore a painted smile. "Hello, Lou."

"How are my boys? Heard you weren't feeling too great."

AJ nodded. "We all got nailed with a nasty bug. Kevin's still getting over it and Nick has a cold."

"Aw, Nicky, you poor boy," the man said in a presence of played sympathy. "But we fight through illness and keep the Backstreet Train going, don't we?"

Nick lifted his head. "Why? Johnny and the rest of the staff didn't."

Johnny glared at the young blonde his lip quivering in anger. "That's enough, Carter!"

Howie crossed his arms. "How dare you yell at someone for telling the truth?"

Kevin beamed. "Well said, D."

Johnny snorted. "Well, Howie, I can see Kevin's attitude is rubbing off on you!"

Nick sniffled. "The truth can hurt, Johnny. Speaking of the hurting...Have you looked at your wife lately? Man, with a face like that-"

"NICK!" Brian shouted attempting to hide his laughter.

Kevin looked away fighting the chuckle heard in his voice. "Nick, that was not nice."

AJ abrupted into a laughing fit. "It wasn't nice, but it was funny as hell!"

Lou sat down giving Nick a final glare. "On to business. We're booking a tour to last throughout all of this year. Isn't that great?"

"Great?" Brian repeatedly quietly.

"Of course, Brian, a full year of touring. Throughout all of Europe."

AJ cringed. "What about breaks? We need breaks!"

"You'll have them. Time to yourselves to relax and catch some zz's on the planes and buses. And, of course, time alone at the hotels."

"We get seperate rooms?" Kevin asked.

"No, Richardson, two to a room. Odd man out gets time to himself."

"Then, it's not really time along then, is it?"

"You know you can't be picky while you're first starting out."

"Lou, do you have to share a hotel room while we're on tour?" Nick mumbled resting against the table.

"Well.....um.....no. Anyway..."

"Lou?" Nick's raspy voice interrupted.

He moaned. "Yes?"

"Are you related to Miss Piggy?"

Kevin covered his mouth. "Ignore him."

Lou continued. "And I figured.."

"Lou?" Nick's voice whispered beneath Kevin's hand.

Lou massaged his round forehead in annoyance. "What?"

"Maybe you should give up the music industry. You could make millions with dart boards!"

"Dart broards?" he grumbled. "What is he talking about?!"

AJ fidgeted. "I have no idea, Lou....Um, like I said he's sick."

Johnny growled. "You didn't say he was mental!"

Brian frowned rubbing Nick's back. "Lay off, Johnny, he's a sick kid. None of us had to try to sit through this stuff when we were sick-even you."

Nick moaned holding his throat. "It hurts. I wanna' go to the hotel."

Johnny nodded. "I agree."

AJ whispered. "You just agreed?"

Kevin paled. "Did hell freeze over?"

"Contary to your beliefs I'm not a complete ass, guys. The kid looks like hell. It's Lou keeping him here. I don't want the kid getting worse."

"Johnny agreed?" Lou laughed. "I don't think so-business first. Back to the tour."

Nick coughed roughly leaned against Brian. "What the hell do you know, Lou? Do you freeze on those buses? Travel around the world? You sit on your ass soaking rays in Florida while we fill your pockets!"

Lou's jaw dropped. "Why you little shit! You rude little-"

Nick rolled his eyes. "My muscles are spasming, my head is pulsing, I'm cold and my throat is raw and probably bleeding!"

AJ sat in shock. "He didn't whine or say 'duh'! Maybe we should call an emergency room!"

"The flu is not that bad," Lou said rudely.

Johnny shook his head. "The hell it isn't!"

"Fine! The little kid can stay at the hotel!"

"A fifteen-year-old can't stay by themself! Especially, when he's sick!" Brian debated.

"I can too!" Nick pouted still leaning against his friend.

Brian rested a hand on his forehead. "He's burning up. You can't expect him to-"

Johnny stood. "Enough! Nick can go over to the hotel! We'll arrange to have a physician see to him and that one of you goes with him."

"Brian?" Nick begged.

Johnny smirked. "No Kevin will. I heard that you took care of him. He should repay the favor."

Kevin shot daggers at the man. "If he wants Brian-"

AJ stretched his back. "Come off it, Johnny, you just know if you send Kevin you won't have to deal with his mouth."

He shrugged. "Nick gets to to rest, I get peace-it's a win/win situation."

"Why you low-life, stupid, idiotic-"

Wright cut Kevin off pointing to Nick's sagging form laying against Brian. "Personally, I think you should get the boy to a hotel and doctor."

Kevin stood pulling Nick with him loudly muttering swear words with each step. Brian flinched as he heard Kevin's long list. "Kevin has a lot of praying to do for God to forgive that...."

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