Previously....
"NEW BACKSTREET BOY: To revive the old and welcome the new fans."
In a haze, John picked up the newspaper and read the short first paragraph.
'As of last night, an unnamed reliable source -- a close association with the Backstreet Boys -- came to this journalist to inform me that there are now plans to replace Nick Carter -- who left the group due to some undisclosed reasons a month ago -- with his rising star younger brother, Aaron Carter.'
"Who...?" John looked up, but he knew the answer to his question even before he asked it. "Who...?"
"We should ask you that, John." Mike sat behind the small table behind the burly bodyguard. "What happed last night with you and Jane? Burc said he walked in on you two in a discussion. *********************************************
"I want you to keep a close eye on John." Mike realized that the other was a close friend and so intercepted Burc's attempt to speak up for his friend.
"I know you think that John wouldn't do anything like this, but you saw how he came in this morning. Messy, unshaved, reeking of alcohol; he might not have done this on purpose, but maybe, just maybe now, he might have let something slip in his drunken stupor. So, keep an eye on him. I don't want him getting into anymore trouble."
"And Jane?"
"I will watch her myself. I swear we will get to the bottom of this before the week is over." Mike said the last convincingly -- or he thought so at least. ******************************************************* Back in Florida in Nick's new community college.
Nick slowly made his way through the halls. His mind was still reeling with the pains of his heart when he failed to notice another student coming 'round the bend. The clashed and books and papers went flying everywhere.
"Man, we have to stop meeting like this!" The other boy laughed staring up at Nick.
End of part 6
------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimers: This is strictly a work of fiction and so any similarities between real peoples and/or events are merely coincidental. The story does not necessarily reflect the lives of all involved -- despite the many wishful thinkings of some folks. So please enjoy the story and email me what you think. -------------------------------------------------------
BSB HAB2: Harmony Part 7 "Damage Control"
Press Conference in Conference Room 7
"No, there are no immediate plans to replace the 'temporarily' vacated spot left by Nick Carter." Mike calmly spoke over the consistent hubbub of news media reporters and their undying amount of questions and comments. Mike fought on against the gradient of questions flanked by the four members of the Backstreet Boys, their PR agent, and finally Jane Carter. John and Burc stood vigil at opposite ends of the long table. "Yes, you in the green."
"This is for Jane Carter -- mother to both Nick and Aaron Carter." The slim dark haired woman fumbled with her note pad and pen. "Being the always present force in your sons' careers, what and how do you feel about the possibility of one son replacing the other in the Backstreet Boy limelight?"
"Again, may I remind you all that what you saw in the paper this morning is nothing more than a false rumour and should only be taken as such. There has neve..." Mike cut in, but was himself cut off by Jane Carter's cool and calculated voice.
"Yes, what you saw in the paper this morning is only a rumour. There has yet been any serious discussions about Aaron taking Nick's place. However, speaking as their mother, I would only be delighted to see Aaron step up to his brother's place -- although temporarily..." Jane smiled cooly at Mike, seeing that the other was once again on the edge of his seat just about ready to explode after that last statement.
"Temporarily, it might be, but I do believe that it would do wonders for the careers of all the parties involved."
"So you are saying that there hasn't been any serious considerations?"
"Yes." Mike and Kevin answered simultaneously and emphatically.
"However, from what we have of Jane's comments, would it be same to assume that there have been some discussion on the matter?" A reporter -- someone Mike has never seen before -- spoke above the voices of the others.
This time it was the PR Rep from Jive that spoke up. "I am sorry but that is all the time we have. You are all welcome to enjoy some of the refreshments provided by the hotel. The Backstreet Boys are now scheduled to be at a photoshoot." The Rep got up first and waved off all the other questions from the press while the others followed suit.
"Mike, we would like to speak to you after the photoshoots." The Rep whispered as he walked passed Mike.
A drowned out "yes sir," was all Mike could utter as he watched The Rep's broad back walk down the steps up to the raised platform. *******************************************************
An hour later at a teen magazine's studio...
"Mike's not very happy about what happened today." Burc peered lacsidasically at the boys a few yards away posing for the furious flashes of the photographer's camera.
"I know." John answered, tension tightening in knots in his shoulders.
"John, man, what really happened last night? If you got drunk, it's alright dude, you can tell me." Burc shifted in his seat to adjust his focus on his friend.
"I didn't get drunk." John replied defensively.
"Man, you came in eyes red from the lack of sleep -- or from worse reasons -- reeking of alcohol. Now if that's not drunkeness, then I don't know what is." Burc stood up and stretched a little.
"Man, I got in a fight alright?" John finally blurted out. "After I left last night, I went to a bar nearby and got into a fight."
Burc looked at him to see how serious John was and busted out laughing. "You're kidding me?!"
"Burc, you know full well that I don't drink. Nor do I smoke."
"So that would explain the scruffy look. But what about the alcohol stench?"
"I got beer dumped all over me after I cold cocked one of the guys that were causing trouble."
"If that was the case, then why the hell didn't you tell us earlier?" Burc tried his darndest to contain his laughter. This was too much.
"I-I thought that it would get me into more trouble." John looked genuinely sincere enough that Burc bought his act laughing.
"Alright, alright." Burc slapped John on the back. "Sorry for laughing at ya dude, but you have to admit that it is kinda funny."
"Yeah, I guess it is." John gave a small chortled fake laugh to satisfy his friend.
"Well, wait til Mike hear's this, won't he be relieved." Burc winked at John and dashed off staggering from his laughter all the way to Mike's makeshift office.
"Yeah that makes one of us..." John muttered under his breath. The fact is, he did get into a fight as he had told Burc, what he didn't tell the latter was how he got blindsided with a beer bottle and knocked unconcious for God know's how long. John punched the cement wall behind him angry at himself for letting Jane get to him so much: not to mention not knowing if he really did give it away last night.
[Flashback] A crowded live bar just a few blocks away from where the Backstreet Boys are staying...
"You take the hotel room tonight man. I need to get some fresh air." John had scampered out of the hotel like a scalded dog earlier. He couldn't believe how he let Jane get to him like that. He just couldn't sit there and allow her to make such hurtful accusations to her own son like that. He was alright with him being accused, he's taken worse before and plus he never really took much of what came out of her mouth for anything past face value anyways. Nick on the other hand, had become so much like a little brother these past four years. Nick had treated him like a friend. Unlike John's former employees where intimidation was the main factor, he actually felt a bit of solace with Nick.
'I guess this is why so many other bodyguards drink.' John thought as he settled on the only empty stool infront of the wet bar. "I'll take a little scotch." John's weary voice reached feebly at the burly bar tender. John looked around at the crowded club, the crowd a mixed variety of ravers, suits, and punk kids.
He never understood the call of loud blaring music and the god-awful reek of alcohol and smoke. John was neither a drinker nor a smoker.
"Sure thing, man." The bar tender turned around and got him a glass. "So what's troublin' ya tonight, mate?" The other continued to clean glasses. Everyone on this side of the bar seemed to have been content with what they had.
Just then, two men entered the bar wearing brown trenchcoats and floppy hats.
"You sure your sources said this bar?" One man clung to his friend.
"Yes, now loosen up for pete's sake. Our insider will be here. Let's go get a few drinks." The other man replied, trying to pry his partner's hand loose from his coat. *******************************************************
Back at the bar....
"Work." John answered, gulping down the scotch like his usual lemonade.
"Ah, I hear, mate." The bar tender moved off to service two new awkward looking customers when he noticed that John wasn't really up for a chat.
"So you hear 'bout that teeny bopper group that's in town?" A scruffy kid -- around twentyisth, from what John could see -- yelled over to his friends acrossed a crowded booth.
"Yeah, what about 'em?" A more suave looking guy with a girl under one arm replied, although barely over the loud noise.
"I heard that the other one of 'em left 'cause he was a fag man." The scruffy kid took a swig of his drink and continued to the amusement of his small party.
"Really? I never saw that one coming." A third young man sarcastically added to the delight of his date -- or something -- John could barely make out any of her features from under all the pounds of make-up and hair on her.
"Yeah, I heard the one that left was a fag and was screwing every guy in the fuckin' place, man." The scruffy kid continued as though he never heard his other friend's sarcastic comments.
The conversation went on like that with the scruffy kid making more sexual attacks at the Backstreet Boys, mainly Nick Carter. John shrugged them off, first off he was tired and second they were just a bunch of drunk punks anyways.
John took another glass of scotch, and before he knew it, the alcohol was starting to take effect. The scruffy kid was still going on and on about Nick and his sexual orientation, but this time it was starting to get to him. He knew that it shouldn't, but he was continually getting heated.
"Hey, don't I know you from somewhere?" One of the two strangers in the coats finally spoke up after eying John up for the last 30 minutes.
"Sorry, man. I don't do that kind of thing." John replied cooly.
"No, I mean aren't you one of the body..." The other man was interupted when the loud scruffy guy bumped into John.
The scruffy guy staggered up from the booth and drunkenly made his way to the bar carrying three large glasses slossing this way and that. "Whoa! Watch it there man!" The scruffy kid bumped into John spilling the half drained contents of the glasses all over John.
"What the..." John shoved back away from the bar looking down at his soaked shirt and his dripping long hair.
"Hey, who do you think you are bumping 'round here spilling people's drinks you fucker!" The kid's hiccupy breath reeked of alcohol as he shoved John back into the bar.
John cracked his neck and looked over to the scruffy kid's friends. "You better get him away from me, or someone's going to get hurt!"
"C'mon, man let's go." The suave kid tried to pry his friend away from John.
"No man, this hiccup this fag's got this one comin'!" The scruffy kid made a druken swing at John.
His attempted punch was too diluted with his alcohol that he only connected with barely an open hand slap.
But that was enough for John. In a blur of speed and solid fist, John sent the drunk scruffy kid sprawling back onto their booth.
"Git the fuck out!" The Bouncer and the bartender shouldered their way to them. The scruffy kid tried to get up, but collapsed in an unconcious heap. "All of you, git out!" The bouncer grabbed the scruffy kid and shoved him to some of his friends. Suavy was still by John.
"You too, man. Pay your bill and get out." The bartender motioned to John.
"Yeah, whatever man..." John turned around to grab his coat, when Suavy grabbed a half full bottle of beer and send it crashing into the back of John's skull. John was sent stumbling to the bar. The dull ache of his head was now a migraine, and he was quickly losing the battle against unconciousness.
"C'mere, you little bastard!" The bartender hoisted up Suavy, ripping his shirt.
John sensed movement around and behind him, but the sounds of the ongoing stuggle and trouble escaped him.
He couldn't hear passed the ringing in his ears. His head began to throb wildly; shortly after his eyes began to feel as though they were weighed down by someone. John tried to straighten up, shook his head...and...and...collapsed. The last thing he could remember was falling down face first into the bar and his mouthing some words that he couldn't remember to one of the trench coated guys that had loomed over him. *********************************** The next morning...
The stench of old food enveloped him. The reek of old wet and soggy rags permeated his senses. The putrid aroma was so strong, John could taste the sharp acrid taste in the back of his throat.
"Ugh..." John shook the throbbing of his head and looked at his watch. "Oh shit..." The haziness of his eyes finally cleared, and John realised the reason for the stench. He lean up on on elbow and rubbed his temple with the other: John was in a trash pile in the alley behind the club. He vaguely remembers what had happened, but what was important now -- he remembered thinking -- was to get back to the hotel and change out of his dirty clothes.
[end of flashback]
******************************************************* At the community college in Florida...
"Damn man we gotta stop meeting like this!" The other guy leaned back on his hands, looking up at Nick Carter laughter echoing in his sparkling chocolate brown eyes.
"Excuse me?" Nick -- now just Gene Carter -- gulped, gather his things from the floor.
"The cemetary the other night. You ran right over me man." The other moved to a squat possition to pick up his own books and papers.
"Oh..." Nick was taken aback, surprised at the coincidence. "I-I'm sorry 'bout that dude. I didn't see you and I was in a rush..."
"Don't worry 'bout it." The other young man interupted him. "Help me up, won't ya?" The other man extended his hand out to Nick and smiled. "My name's Bryan, by the way."
That last took Nick like a slap in the face. He knew that he shouldn't have let that get to him -- come on, this guy is a stranger. But nevertheless, the name still haunts him even now.
"Is there something wrong, man?" Bryan asked as he took Nick's hand. Nick was about to pull him up when his arm jolted and faltered when Bryan introduced himself. Bryan was barely able to catch himself before he was once again on his rear end on the floor.
"Oh, I'm sorry 'bout that." Nick jolted back to reality, his voice was almost squeezed out of him.
"Well, I'll catch ya later man. I gotta jet!" Bryan bolted after he noticed the time.
"Yeah, you too." Nick watched the other disappear behind a corner before going back to picking up his things. ******************************************************* Hours later in a hotel room...
'Oh God, what have I done now? This can't be happening. I must do something to draw him back to us. I can't go on like this!' Brian rung his hands in anxiety. He was just returned from the photo sessions. The others were changing for another public appearance. He was already finished. All he could care about now was this morning's headlines. He still couldn't get it out of his mind. He must do something to get Nick back, before it's too late! Desperation radiated from Brian like an acrid stench.
"Brian, hon, I think they want you downstairs soon." Leighanne walked into the room. She had tagged along with the Backstreet Boys in the last few weeks due to Brian's emotional state. "Hon, are you okay?"
"Leighanne," Brian's eyes sparkled with joy -- like a tired scientist finally breaking the riddle of a formula he has been working on. "Leighanne, let's get married next week?" Brian gripped Leighanne's hands in his gently, He gazed deeply into Leighanne's eyes and reaction, his own searching for an answer.
"Brian...I...I.." Leighanne was overcomed with a rush of emotion. "Yes, I will." They kissed.
After a long, deep, and passionate merging of their beings, Brian hugged Leighanne to him dearly.
End of Part 7