On The Outside: By Amy

Ch.6
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"I don't know how to dance," Brian blurted out randomly as he set watching television at Nick's side.

"You don't what?" Kevin asked, rubbing his brow.

"I don't know how to dance," he repeated meekly. "Kev, how am I suppose to take a girl to a dance when I don't know how to dance?"

Nick scratched his head. "Maybe you could just sit there and talk."

"That's not what people are suppose to do at dances!" Brian grumbled. "Patti's going to think I'm a complete loser."

"Well, according to AJ you are a loser," Nick stated.

"Don't remind me," Brian grouched. "I'll just call her and cancel."

Kevin shook his head. "Brian, if you do that you'll end up with a slap in the face."

"So? That's none of your business."

"The hell it isn't," Kevin argued. "If you break Patti's heart, Kit will march over here and yell at me. I'm not dealing with a pissed redhead because you can't dance. Get off your ass, I'm teaching you."

"You?" Brian gasped. "Kevin, you dance like a constipated turtle."

"I was a ballroom instructor," Kevin reminded him, as he glanced through their collection of music cassettes.

Brian rolled his eyes. "Yeah, to a bunch of little old ladies at the church. They were more interested in prune juice and fiber cereals than ballroom dancing."

"What's fiber do?" Nick wondered, wrinking his small nose.

"It helps people go number two on a regular basis," Kevin explained dryly.

Brian grimaced. "Thanks, Kevin, now I need to barf."

"You do not," Kevin sighed, turning on the player. "Now, get over here."

"Don't step on my feet."

"Do you really think I am that clumsy?"

"Yes," Brian answered without a moment's hesitation.

Kevin rolled his eyes. "Just shut up and listen to me already. Do you want to learn to dance or not?"

The teenager sighed, his shoulders sagging. "Yeah, I guess."

"Okay, now put your hand on my waist, and I put my hand on your shoulder," Kevin instructed.

"I don't wanna' touch your waist, or have my hand on your shoulder," Brian grumbled.

"Do it anyway."

Brian leerily placed his hand to his cousin's waist, mumbling unhappily with each action.

"Good. Now, you take my hand and we're ready to begin. You're going to lead."

"That's not fair!" the younger relative complained. "It's my first time ever learning how to dance and you're already making me lead!"

Kevin released an agitated sigh. "Brian, the guy is suppose to lead."

"Oh," Brian whispered sheepishly, his cheeks turning red with embarrassment.

"All right, let's start with something basic," Kevin decided. "Have on ever seen people waltz?"

"Yeah, old people on PBS do it. Nobody dances like that anymore."

"Yes, they do."

"No, they don't."

Kevin's face became cross. "Well, then you're going to be an individual and know how."

"What if Patti doesn't know how to waltz?"

"Brian, I just got off work. I've been through twelve hours of noisy dishes clanging together and working by an incredibly hot stove. And I had a new employee spill a gallon of burning soup onto me. I am trying to help you, now isn't the time to try to test me."

"Okay, okay," Brian replied, "don't blow a fuse."

"All right, now the gentlemen will start off with his left foot-"

"My left or your left?"

"Your left," Kevin answered tiredly.

"Now, you'll take a step forward and I'll take a step back with my right, then we'll step to the side and-"

"Kevin," Brian said clearing his throat, "it's rough to dance and pretend you're a girl when you're over six feet tall."

Kevin bit his lip, glancing down. "Good point." He looked over his shoulder, a small smile surfacing upon his thin lips. "However, Nick is just about the right size."

"What?" Nick exclaimed, his blue eyes widening. "Nuh uh! No way! I don't want to dance!"

"Well, you don't get a choice," the eldest man dictated. "You get to help Brian, because that's what friends do."

The blonde scratched his head. "Friends dance with each other and pretend to be girls?"

"In this case, yes they do."

Kevin took Nick's hand, pulling him into the center of the room. "Okay, now you hold Brian's hand and stand the same way we were," Kevin instructed, helping Nick recreate the pose.

Nick wrinkled his nose. "This is stupid."

"Most things Kevin does are," Brian muttered under his breath.

"Okay," Richardson said, clapping his hands together. "Now, let's just start the first step and see how it goes. Nick, you're going to take your right foot and step back. Then, you step to the side, then, back to the front and to opposite side going back to your original formation. Basically, you're going to be making a box. Let's just start off with this and we'll add in turns and things later. Okay?"

"Okay," the teens sighed.

"Start when I say 'one', I'll clap out the beat first so you know the pattern."

Kevin clapped his hands together, playing out four strong beats. "Now, one, two, three-"

"OOF!" Nick hollered as he and Brian fell to the floor, their bodies entangled together.

Brian looked up at his cousin, as he attempted to free himself. "Um, Kev, I think we need a little more help."

Kevin massaged his temples slowly, drawing in slow deep breaths. "On second thought, just stand there with her and attempt to sway to the music."

"She's going to be here soon," Brian stated, as he regained his footing. "Do I look okay?"

"Yeah, you look fine," Kevin responded, never viewing the outfit.

"Kevin!" Brian exhorted. "You didn't even look."

Kevin raised his head, taking in his cousin's appearance. "You look fine, I'm glad you decided to wash your blue jeans for this special occasion."

Brian chuckled, pressing away the wrinkles in his clothing. "There's a first time for everything."

Richardson squinted, examining the clothing. "Where'd you get that sweater from?"

"I borrowed it from Howie."

"I had a black sweater you could have borrowed."

"I know," Brian told him. "I tried it on, but it was too big. So, I asked Howie if I could borrow his."

Kevin crossed his arms. "You tried on my shirt without asking?"

"Uh huh, but I put it back and there's not even a wrinkle on it."

The guardian rolled his piercing green eyes. "That's not the point. Next time just ask, please?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Brian answered distractedly as he adjusted his belt buckle.

"What time are you picking Patti up?" Nick asked as he sprawled out against the flowered cushions of the yellow couch.

"She's meeting me here in a few minutes," Brian explained.

"You aren't picking her up?" Kevin questioned in surprise. "Isn't the guy suppose to pick the girl up?"

Brian shook his head at the older man. "You're not very good at being liberal. She's coming here because I live closer to the school, and since we don't have a car...We're walking."

Kevin sunk into the sofa cushions, taking a seat beside Nick. "Oh, no, Brian. We are not starting another conversation about the possibility of getting a car."

"But we need a car!" Brian pleaded.

"No, we don't. It's a very tiny town and everything is within walking distance."

Brian wore a sour statement. "Yeah, but wouldn't it be nice to get there without being soaked by rain or freezing because of the snow?"

"That's why people invented winter coats and umbrellas," Kevin said easily. "Let's not get into a fight before Patti gets here and spoil your evening."

"Fine," Brian whispered, giving in. "Hey, can I borrow some of your colonge?"

Kevin shrugged. "Yeah, I guess, but don't bathe yourself in it."

"I won't!" Brian hollered back, disappearing into the bedroom.

Nick Carter pulled his knees to his chest, tilting his head, watching Kevin's movements. "Is the reason you can't get a car because of me?"

Kevin gaped at the young man, not expecting such a presumptuous question. "No, absolutely not. Times are just very tough right now. That's not your fault, they were hard even before we met you."

"Are they worse because I'm here? Do you not got enough money to have me?"

The black-haired man shook his head. "No. Besides, you helped out at the diner, so, you're helping us out."

"Oh, I'm glad."

Nick fidgeted in the silence, bouncing his leg up and down. He glanced around the room, anxious to find something to capture his wandering attention. "Kevin?" he asked randomly.

"Hmm?"

"Can I watch TV?"

"Uh huh," Kevin replied, heavily concentrating on the crossword puzzle he was working on.

Nick stood in front of the small television, turning the tiny dial in his hand. He paused studying the program displayed on the screen. "Hey, Kevin, what's this?" he asked, gesturing toward the show.

Kevin glanced up from his game, observing the actors. "That's Matlock."

"What's that?"

"He's an old lawyer or detective or something that sloves crimes."

"Cool. Is there lots of blood and guts and stuff?"

"Not that I recall."

"Boring!" the blonde sang, changing the channel. He smiled coming across a cartoon, watching Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck perform their crazy antics.

The gentlemen were interrupted as a knock sounded from behind the door.

"You want me to get it?" Nick asked eagerly.

"I'll get it," Kevin stated, pushing his puzzle aside.

The home owner slowly turned the knob, smiling at the young girl standing outside the doorway. "Hello, Patti," he greeted pleasantly. "Please come in."

"Thank you," she replied quietly, entering the small house.

"You look lovely," Kevin complimented.

"Thank you," she whispered, her cheeks slightly blushing.

"Yeah, you look hot," Nick agreed, becoming silent as Kevin shot him a glare.

Patti's brown hair lay in loose curls at her shoulders, her cheeks gently painted by a layer of blush and light shades of eyeshadow bringing out her dark eyes. A pale blue gown lye over her body, small straps resting over her shoulders and the shimmering material ending before her knees.

"BRIAN!" Kevin called out. "Patti's here!"

"Coming!" Brian shouted, brusting out of the bedroom. He gulped as he came in contact with his date. "Hi, Patti," he squeaked. "You look w-wonderful."

"Hi, Brian," she replied meekly, staring at the floor. "Thank you."

Kevin shook his head watching the couple stand awkwardly in silence. "So, you two need anything before you go?"

"No," Brian replied, clearing his throat. "We're okay."

Kevin nodded. "Then, maybe you should get going."

"Oh, yeah!" Brian said, slowly releasing his nervous tension. "Um, are you ready to go, Patti?"

"Yes," she answered softly, with a nod.

"Okay," he breathed, taking her hand. "You uh...wanna' wear my jacket? You might

get cold."

"Well, I don't want you to get cold," she replied gently.

"Oh, I won't," he assured her. "This sweater is really warm," he explained as he took his jacket from the closet.

Patti thanked him with a smile as he helped her into the material.

Kevin smirked, watching the nervous teenagers walking to door. "Have fun you guys, and be safe."

"We will," Brian promised, leading his date out the door. "See ya' later, guys."

Kevin shook his head. "Those two are so sweet together it's practically nauseating."

Nick looked up at him. "I just hope they both relax both they spew on each other."

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

"Are you still watching those ridiculous cartoons?" Kevin asked the young blonde still seated in front of the television set as he emerged from the bathroom.

"They aren't ridiculous, they're cool," Nick retorted, looking back at the older man. "What are you all cleaned up for?" he asked curiously, positioning himself to face his companion.

"People have to take showers, Nick," Richardson replied nonchalantly, running a hand through his damp hair.

"Why are you dressed all fancy?"

"Fancy?" he repeated, glancing down at his simple, yet respectable ensemble. "It's just a sweater and jeans."

Nick nodded. "Yep. A black sweater and blue jeans, just like Brian wore to the dance. You two must be a lot alike."

Kevin raised his brow in disbelief. "We are not alike."

"Yes, you are!" Nick debated. "You're nice and he's nice."

"Lots of people in this world are nice," Kevin told him, resting back in one of the open chairs. "That doesn't make them all alike necessarily."

"I'm right about you and Brian being alike, but you're wrong about lots of nice people in this world," Nick informed him, his voice faltering.

Kevin stopped tying his shoes, bewildered by the youth's comment. "What are you talking about?"

Nick locked eyes with the older male. "Most people in the world aren't nice. They don't care about you, they leave you and they never wanted you to begin with."

"Not all people are like that, kid," Kevin whispered. "There are a lot of nice people out there, all you gotta' do is find them. Or maybe, if you're lucky, they'll find you."

"Brian found me," the blonde stated.

Kevin nodded. "Yes, he did. Which proves there are nice people out there, doesn't it?"

Carter shrugged. "I've met about six or seven nice people here, but there's millionsof people out there. And most of them ain't like you." Nick's eyes glazed over in anger, the blue coloring darkening as he lowered his voice. "Some people say they want you, but they just wanna' use you and kick you away when they're done."

Drawing in a deep breath, Kevin spoke gently to the troubled boy. "Nick, some people are bad. You know that, I can't hide that from you. I wish I could, but it's impossible by now. But not all people want to use you, or even leave you for that matter."

"Then, why do they?" Nick asked bitterly. "If people want to be near you, then why do they have to die? It's not fair!"

The thirteen-year-old drew his knees to his chest, burying his head into his lap. His shoulders shook with each gasping sob that escaped through his lips. Kevin stared at the young man in shock. The walls that were formed around Nick's emotions and true feelings were slowly falling down and vanishing from his behavior. Richardson was beginning to view the real Nick Carter. A young teenager that was still very much a little boy at heart. Carrying a dark past inside his soul, a mind full of confusion and a breaking heart that lye in shreds.

"It's not fair," Kevin agreed wholeheartedly. "It's not fair that people have to die, but I guess life on earth is something we have to share. People come generation after generation, keeping life on earth revolving. Leaving room for other people when they leave to keep the tradition alive."

Nick crossed his arms. "Then, why do some people get good lives and we got screwed over?"

Kevin sighed. "That is a question I really wish I had the answer to."

"I'll never have a life to pass over. There won't be anyone who even knew who I was. I'll just be some rotting corpse in a wooden box," Nick snarled.

"That will never happen," Kevin promised as he stood. "You are so much more than that."

"No, I'm not," the teen answered quietly, staring down at the floor.

The home owner knelt onto the carpeted floor, wrapping his arm around the young guest. "Maybe we need to make a change."

"A change?" Nick panicked, pulling away. "You mean you don't want me either, do you?"

"No!" Kevin called out, tightening his grip around the runaway. "I don't want you to leave, I wanted to talk to you about staying. I found out that I am old enough to be a foster parent. I'm not making any promises, I'm not exactly the most qualified man on the planet for the job. So, what do you think? You think I'd make a good foster parent?"

"No," came Nick's short answer.

Kevin removed his arm from the boy's shoulders, his statement growing dim. "You don't want me?"

Nick glanced up at him, sadness lingering in his teary eyes. "You're too nice. And I only bring bad luck to people."

Kevin stretched out his body, propping up his weight on his elbow. "I'm not following you, Nicky."

The teen tilted his head, unable to face his newfound friend. "Most foster parents don't really want you. They just want you in their home to get money from the government, or show you off to their neighbors, make them look like good citizens or somethin'. And if you tell them something is wrong, they don't believe you. They think that you're lyin'. That foster brats never tell the truth and always want attention because we pity ourselves. Nobody really wants a foster kid, Kevin."

Kevin Richardson's eyes narrowed as he listened to the orphan's tale. "It sounds to me that they're the ones that brought you bad luck. Not you to them. You're only a kid, Nick. You can't blame yourself for everything."

Nick lied back against the carpet, mimicking Kevin's position on the floor. "They weren't all so mean. There was one nice lady. Her name was Mrs. Tern, but she let us call her 'Hatty'."

"Us?"

"Me and this kid Jake stayed with her but-" the sad boy wiped at his eyes angrily, attempting to trap the tears that formed there. "She died. She was old, everybody told her she was too old to take me and him in, but she didn't listen to 'em. She actually liked us, Kevin."

"What happened to Jake?" Kevin inquired gently.

"He got adopted, I didn't," Nick said plainly. "I told you, I'm bad luck."

Kevin bit his lip. "Maybe it's time for your luck to change. You have helped me a lot. Brian needs a friend around here that understands him better than me, and you really help us a lot at the diner. Tony loves ya' and the customers were quite taken with you. And Howie and AJ like you, Patti and Kit...Maybe this is where you belong."

Nick pushed back his shoulders. "Well, I guess I could stick around. But only because you need me."

Kevin smirked, watching Nick's doubtful behavior change. "That's very considerate of you."

"Well, you've been nice to me. So, I should be nice to you."

"That's admirable," Kevin complimented, patting the blue-eyed orphan's back. "Let's get off the floor. It's too cold and I don't need to be getting my clothes dirty before I leave."

"Leave?" Nick asked, his eyes widening in brief panic. "Why are you leaving?"

"It's no big deal, I'm just headin' over to 'The Jazz Note'. Kit's singin' and I promised to go listen to her tonight."

"When do we leave?" Nick pondered, pushing himself to his feet.

"Well, I'm leaving in about five minutes when Howie gets here."

"Why can't I go?" Nick pouted.

"You're not old enough to get in there. So, Howie's gonna' stay here with you."

"I don't need no babysitter!"

Kevin rubbed his neck tiredly. "Don't consider him a domestic caregiver, just consider him a friend. Just two guys just hangin' out for the night."

"Yeah, right," Nick mocked.

"Did you ever think maybe Howie would like your company? AJ's at that dance and Howie would just be sitting at home alone."

"And he'd probably like the time to be alone. He could use the time to relax. You probably just don't trust me alone in your house."

"Nick," Kevin said with a sigh, "I don't trust thirteen-year-olds to be alone at night to fend for themselves."

"I was on my own all times of the day on the street," Nick shot back.

"Well, you aren't on the street anymore. If you want to stay here you'll have to adapt to my rules. Brian doesn't even stay here alone when I go listen to Kit sing real late at night, he crashes at Howie and AJ's."

"Fine," Nick sulked, returning his vision to the television screen once more.

Kevin lifted his head as he heard a gently pounding sound echoing from behind the door. "That must be Howie now."

"Goody," Nick griped, letting his body sink further into the sofa cushions.

"Hey, Kevin!" greeted a cheerful voice, footsteps coming closer to the living room. "Hi, Nick."

"Hi, Howie," Nick replied lethargically.

Kevin retrieved his jacket from the closet. "I saw AJ getting ready for the dance from the window."

Howie chuckled. "AJ's antics are pretty hard to miss. I don't know why he went to the Salavation Army and bought that ugly seventies' disco suit. He was goin' up and down the street dancing away. Sometimes, I really think the boy needs mental help."

Kevin shrugged. "Maybe he's just a nice schizophrenic. A few days ago he thought he was Elvis, now he thinks he's John Travolta."

"I'd just like him to be normal," Howie sighed. "You excited about tonight, Kev?"

"Howie, I'm just going to listen to the girl sing. She has a hell of a voice."

"And she looks good in her dresses," Nick added.

Howie blushed. "The kid's speaking the truth. Are you finally going to admit how you feel?"

Kevin lifted his nose in the air. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I'll be back in a few hours."

"See ya'," Howie said, offering a small wave.

Nick heaved an irritated sigh. "Goodbye, Kevin."

"So, Nick, what's on our agenda for tonight?" Howie wondered as he sat beside the teen.

"I don't care," Nick mumbled, glaring at the TV set.

"Well, we can do whatever you want," the Latino politely offered.

Nick's statement brightened. "Hey, Howie, you ever played poker?"

"Nope."

A smug smile crept over the blonde's lips. "This night might turn out to be exciting after all."

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