Jessica's blue eyes lazily opened and she surveyed the scene around her. All of her friends were sound asleep on the couch, the floor, and chairs. Events of the previous night flooded back to her. Five Backstreet Boys had crashed their private party last night. She groaned and rolled her eyes remembering the embarrassment the guys had put them through. It was almost like the time when she tripped down the isle at Leighanne and Brian's wedding. That was another event that Jessica had shoved to the back of her mind.
She pried AJ's arms from around her waist and stepped over Howie streched out on the floor. She made her way into her small kitchen and set up a pot of coffee. She went back into the living room and opened the curtains. While planting herself on a clear spot on her carpet, she turned on her TV.
"Would ya shut the damn thing off,"came a muffled groan from Nick.
"Sorry bud, it's 9 and I think you should suffer a little for crashing our night out last night. I know you hate getting up early,"Jessica grinned then turned the volume up on the TV.
Nick glared at her and sat up to stretch his lean, tall body. His blond hair was a tonsiled mess and he ran his hand through it. He moved Mandy's petite body off of him and joined Jessica on the floor. He sat Indian style and put his head on her shoulder.
"Sorry bout makin fun of ya last night,"he smiled.
"No your not,"Jessica replied, offering a smile letting him know she wasn't mad.
"You're right,"Nick grinned. "We had fun."
"You have a thing with spying Carter,"Jessica teased, poking his in the stomach playfully. "Like that time in the restaurant with Joey."
He rolled his eyes,"Oh please..."
She shoved him lightly with a smile," 'Oh please' what??"
"Nothin,"Nick said and looked at the TV. "What's with this video?? It's so messed up."
Jessica laughed loudly as she watched Justin Timberlake start to sing 'This I Promise You' in a fake forest with bubbles. "I agree. It's corny."
"I mean what's with the bubbles??"Nick continued, shaking his head. "And the fake trees and all. It's just stupid."
Jessica laughed at Nick's remarks about the video and nodded her head. She was never a big N Sync fan. They seemed pompous and arrogant to her. Maybe it was because her boyfriend was a Backstreet Boy, but she never liked them.
"Anyway, we got better things to talk about then this lame-ass video,"Nick said, smiling at her.
Jessica smiled back,"Yeah."
"So, I really think you should come on the 100 Hour Tour with us. It's gonna be sick. They're putting us on this HUGE plane. Plus don't you wanna see us perform at the EMA's?"Nick said excitedly.
"This is becoming a little redundant with you people. It's not like I haven't seen you guys perform either. If I'm not having this conversation with AJ you're up my ass about it too. I can't get off work. I told you that,"Jessica said, switching through the channels on the TV.
"PLEAAAASE,"Nick begged.
"Ugh, no,"Jessica replied then there was a silence. "So how'd rehearsals go for the EMA performance."
"Fine,"Nick shrugged. "There's the typical arguments but we wouldn't be us if we didn't fight all the time about stupid stuff...How's work?"
"Fine,the kids are great and I like it,"Jessica replied. The conversation was heading towards "polite" and Jessica hated having just polite conversations with Nick. He was so much more to her then that. "You know I'm really gonna miss you guys when the album comes out and you're busy again."
"We'll miss you too,"Nick said then gazed deeply into her eyes,"Jess please come with us on the 100 hour tour. It'd mean a lot to AJ...and me."
Jessica couldn't tear her eyes away from his. It seemed like they were penetrating into her soul. She couldn't stop the word when it came out of her mouth,"OK..."
A grin broke across Nick's handsome face,"WOO HOO!!"
"Oh god, I did not just agree to that..."Jessica moaned.
"Oh you so did!"Nick exclaimed.
"It's gonna be a blast Jess you'll see,"Nick assured her.
"I gotta go to work and make money so I can pay my friggin rent,"Jessica groaned.
"I told you I'd help you,"Nick said.
"And I told YOU that I didn't need your help. I'm an adult and I will pay my own bills. I'm independent and don't want to rely on anyone else,"Jessica insisted.
"Ok cool,"Nick replied.
"Nick, I have to go visit my dad before we leave. So it'd have to be today,"Jessica said softly.
Nick nodded,"You should."
"The thing is, I don't want to go by myself. I can't tell AJ because I don't want him to know how screwed up my life is right now." She snuck a glance at AJ to see him snoring away. "I don't want to put this on Leighanne either and I definitely don't want to go with my siblings or my mother. You're the only one I can trust with this Nick,"Jessica said, looking away.
"You want me to go?"Nick asked her.
"If it's not to much trouble. I know you probably want to be with Mandy and all but-"
Nick couldn't abandon her. She meant too much to him. They were always there for eachother and he could tell she really needed him. He quickly silenced her,"I will Jess. You can trust me."
She smiled lightly and gave him a quick hug,"Thank you. I couldn't do this alone."
Nick nodded and then there was another silence.
Jessica flipped the channel back to MTV to find 'This I Promise You' still playing.
"I hate this song, I hate this video, and I hate this band,"Nick whined.
"Well aren't you just a ray of sunshine this morning,"Jessica joked.
"Well if Pearlman didn't screw us over and create another band then we'd be more successful,"Nick complained.
"You're still bitter over that? Nicky you need to move on and forget about it. A little competition never hurt anyone. It keeps you modest,"Jessica replied.
"I'm changing this,"Nick muttered and grabbed the remote out of Jessica's hands.
"No way. I'm kinda liking this song,"Jessica grinned and turned up the volume, knowing it would get a rise out of him.
Nick raised an eyebrow then tackled her and wrestled the remote out of her hands.
"Heyyy! Give it back Carter!"Jessica yelled and made a dive on top of him and grabbed the remote from him.
"NO!"Nick yelled back.
Jessica grabbed a fistful of blond hair,"Give it."
"OUCH!"Nick screamed. "LET GO OF THE HAIR JESS!"
"You know,a nice bald spot might look good riiight there..."Jessica smirked and tugged on his hair.
"If you pull any of it out you're going down!"Nick warned.
"Touchy touchy,"Jessica smiled and released his hair and took the remote in the process.
They both turned around to find that they now had an audience. The whole group sat there looking at them with less then amused expressions on their faces.
"Did you kids have fun?"Kevin asked.
"Shut up Kev,"Nick mumbled.
"It's a little early for hair pulling isn't it?"AJ asked with a yawn.
Kevin was shaking his head,"Did y'all see that? Almost 21...these are the future leaders of America. God help us all."
"Thanks for the speech grandpa,"Nick snickered and dodged the pillow that Kevin had thrown at him. "And she pulled my hair it's not my fault." He took a hold of her brown hair and gave it a tug for revenge.
"OW,"Jessica yelped and she grabbed his hair once again.
"Stop!"Nick groaned.
"You let go first!"
"Ok you two,chill,"Mandy said, sending a glance at AJ. The two of them released eachother's hair.
"She started it,"Nick grumbled.
"You freakin tackled me!"Jessica said, indignantly.
"Ok, I'm sorry."
"Me too."
"Geez,"Howie mumbled.
"OOK,"Brian said. "That was like a flash back from second grade."
"Brian shut up,"Jessica said.
"Hey! You're so mean,"Brian replied.
"Yeah well that's me,"Jessica grinned.
"Will y'all grow up,"Kevin groaned, pulling Kristin on his lap and kissed her neck. She giggled as he whispered in her ear.
"You two are nauseating. Go be disgustingly cute somewhere else. No one here's interested,"AJ joked.
Kevin discretely flipped AJ off with a smirk.
"Hey guys, Jessica's gonna come with us on the 100 hour tour!"Nick said.
"Yeah it's true,"Jessica admitted.
AJ face broke into a grin and pulled her onto his lap,"YEAH BABY!!! Now I won't go crazy with these losers."
"Doens't he just crack you up?"Kevin asked sarcastically.
"You know I'm only playing,"AJ said.
"How can you be so hyper in the morning?"Jessica asked AJ as he began to tickle her sides.
"What can I say? It's a gift,"AJ said with a charming smile.
"Yeah it's kinda like his gift to be annoying,"Nick smirked.
"Yeah Nick, it's right up there with yours to be a dumbass,"AJ shot back.
"God you guys are mean in the mornings,"Mandy observed, running a hand through her long blond locks.
"Get used to it, it's always like this around here,"Howie said.
"Yeah and we're only joking. You know I love you man!!"AJ yelled and pulled Nick into tight, playful hug.
"Dude, get off,"Nick laughed and pushed AJ away.
"Aw shit. We forgot our bodyguards outside,"Howie groaned.
"Damn, I'll go get them,"Kevin said and Kristin got off his lap so he could get up.
"I should make some kind of breakfast. I can't cook worth a shit though. Nicky knows that,"Jessica laughed.
"Oh trust me do I know it,"Nick smiled.
"Who wants to help me?"Jessica asked. "Howie?"
"Jess, I can make pasta. No one ever said I could make breakfast,"Howie said shaking his head.
"How hard can it be? We'll just whip up a few pancakes,"Jessica pleaded.
"I don't wanna,"Howie replied.
"Anyone?"Jessica asked looking at them all.
"I will!"Nick exclaimed. They all looked at him then snickered.
"What?!"
"Nick do you remember the last time you tried to cook?"Brian gently reminded him. "You thought it'd be fun and I almost lost my kitchen because of the nice little fire you almost started. And it turned out to be this big project because you insisted on using every pan in my house to make scrambled eggs. To this day how you managed to set the eggs up in flames is still a mystery to me. Or why you needed 10 pans is beyond me too. Never again."
"That was an accident!"Nick whined.
"Yeah I don't have enough money for you to go burning down my kitchen,"Jessica said.
"Has anyone ever actually tried Nick's "cooking"?"AJ asked making a face then said dramatically,"I'm too young to die."
"Shuddup,"Nick said. "You guys always have to pick on me."
"I'll help you Jess,"Kristin volunteered.
"Ok cool,"Jessica smiled as Kristin got up to help her.
They all laughed and joked while Jessica and Kristin cooked breakfast and a half hour later all 14 of them sat down in any available space and had pancakes and bacon. They were all enjoying their time together without having to deal with cameras or reporters.
