The Shoot - Part Fourteen by Gboy
DISCLAIMER - I don't know Nick Carter or any of the BSB's or any other celebrity mentioned in this story. If you are under 18 or are offended by the thought of two men engaged in sexual activities then please dont read.
PART FOURTEEN
"Nick will you marry me?"
The words hung in the air. The kettle rattled away in the corner, steam pouring out of it.
'CLICK!' The kettle turned itself off.
"Um Nick?" I looked at him. He had turned away from me. I started to worry. We had been through a lot together in the past few months but was I being to forward? "Look, er... lets leave it huh?" I tried to backtrack.
He turned to me. He looked me dead in the eye before dropping his gaze. I had made a huge mistake. He spoke; "Of course....." I wasn't listening properly so I missed it.
"Huh?" I raised my eyebrows.
"Of course i'll marry you." He broke into the biggest smile "Had you fooled though!"
I let out the biggest exhaultation ever uttered on this planet. I picked him up and spun him round, my hands locked under his soft, warm arse
I looked deeply into his blue eyes; "We're gonna get married?" I asked unable to take the enormity of it all in.
"Uh huh!" He nodded vigourously before I kissed him. We acted like two school children as we span around the kitchen for a few more minutes, lost in each other, lost in our world that excluded everything and everyone else.
"I have to tell the boys." Nick told me when I finally let go of him.
"Of course." I beamed at him. I was so happy it was unbelieveable. I wanted to shout from the roof tops; 'I'm Marrying NICK CARTER!!'
But, obviously I didn't. This had to be a quiet affair. Just family and..... shit, Jem..... I had nearly forgotten her. I had hardly seen her in the last few months. After the success of our video she had been inundated with job offers. She had been back to the UK three times in the last two months, and I had managed to grab two hours with her each time. At least she had been in good company, she had been spending time with AJ. Quite a bit since he had split up with..... what's her name...... I was awful with names. It doesn't seem that full on, but with those two you could never tell.
Jem had to be here. She'd have to help me with stuff....... another thought occured to me.
I picked up the phone before Nick had the chance. Punching in Jem's mobile number, I wondered where she'd be this time.
"Hello?" Jem answered, seemingly alert for this time in the morning.
"Jem," I started "Where are you today, honey?" I smiled
"Um..... nowhere important....." She was acting mighty suspect. I had the feeling that she was with AJ, but I wasn't going to push it. Her and AJ hadn't been the best of buddies when they first met. That was partly to do with the fact he was acting like a major league dick. But now that was all in the past, she had obviously found something that attracted her to him. Good on her, I say!
"How is AJ this morning?" I decided to drop all pretences.
"How did you know I was here?" She sounded momentarily anxious.
"Oh, I dont know," I put on my best sarcastic tone "Maybe from you total avoidence of my question? The fact that out of the past eight weeks you have spent six and a half of them with him?" I laughed as she blustered on the other end, miles and miles away.
"I want to tell you something," She said finally, in a wisper "I think I love him."
"Wow." I stated "Big step, sweety." I completely forgot my news for the moment
"I know but the times I see you and Nick together I realise what I'm missing." She said in one of her rare moments of seriousness "I want someone to come home to. Someone to cuddle up to on a cold night. I want what you've got."
"Good for you, babe!" I smiled, she had felt that spark at last. After numerous flings I think she had turned the corner into full blow relationship mode.
"What did you phone me for again?" She brought me out of my thoughts with the question.
"Well," I cleared my throat grandly "In the words of Bette Midler.... I'm going to the chapel and I'm gonna get married......"
That was as far as I got with that statement as Jem had shouted so loud it nearly burst my ear drums.
"You can't tell AJ," I said trying to calm her down, "Leave that to Nick."
"Sure!" I could hear she was crying, which started me off. I hung up a few minutes later. Nick came back into the room with a steaming cup of coffee. We sat of the couch, my head on his chest. We listened to the time ticking by. The first seconds of out new life together. After about half an hour, I got up.
"You call each of the guys." I pecked him on the cheek "I have to go out for a while."
"Ok." He had already started dialling the first number.
The rings had to be perfect. The engagement ring would have to be smaller and less showy than the actual wedding ones. They had to show how much I loved Nick, and how much he loved me. I jumped into my hired car - a fabulous petrol green Jaguar XK8 convertable - and sped along the streets of London. I pulled up outside a jewlery shop on Regents Street.
I pushed the door and walked into the very home of a girls best friend!!
"What?!" Brian may have been asleep at the start of the conversation, but he was awake now; "Married?!"
"Yep," Nick smirked as he imagined his best friends face, "I'm gonna make an hosnest man of him."
"But...... It won't be legal."
"It doesn't need to be." Nick rationalised "It's a symbolic ceremony. It's just to concrete the emotional bond and deep love for each other we have."
"Big words...... Too many...... This early." Brian chuckled; "Dude, whatever you want to do is fine with me."
"Thanks." Nick was smiling so much it was begining to hurt, "One more thing..."
"God, you're not pregnant are you?!" Brian cracked up at his own joke
"Yeah, right," Nick chuckled along, "Seriously....... will you be my best man?"
"Of course boy..... In a heartbeat!" Brian smiled "I'll have to get a new suit!"
"Leighanne'll be there right?" Nick had become quite good friends with Brian's wife since they married
"You bet, she wouldn't miss this for the world."
"Go back to sleep," Nick rounded up the conversation, "I'll call you tomorrow sometime."
"Cool," Brian hung up after saying goodbye.
Nick smiled, one down, three to go.
I held the engagement ring in my hand. It was gold and platinum, entwined. Throughout the platinum, little diamonds had been placed.
"I'll need two." I said to the sales assistant.
"Certainly, sir." I gave our rings sizes. I had gotten Nick's when we had been shoping a few weeks back and I had brought him a little token of my affection. He hardly wore it because he had this weird notion that it might get damaged! He was so sentimental; "That's 15 thousand pounds, sir."
"Could you have them engraved?" She said that, of course, they could. I asked for a C and N intertwined to be engraved on the inside of the rings. It would take but a few moments, I was informed.
15 thousand and thirty pounds later I left the shop with the two engagement rings Nick and I would wear for the rest of our lives. Suddenly my mobile beeped. I'd got a text message. I opened it.
IM WATCHING YOU
A chill ran down my spine. Was I being watched....... I reasoned that it was a wrong number........ I hoped so.
I pointed the car key at the car. It beeped and unlocked. I jumped in. There was something else I had to do.
As I started the engine I turned the CD player, with Black and Blue in, on and skipped ahead to my favourite track. AJ's voice filled my space;
You're my shining star That is what you are There is no one like you baby (there's no one like you) Angels everywhere (everywhere) Everytime you're near You will always be my baby huh, huh
Baby when you do the things you do I wanna be close to you Cause I need to feel your every move, oh Baby I can never say how much (I) need your touch (I) can't get enough Cause you know what to do To turn me on, yeah (oh)
You're my shining star That is what you are There is no one like you baby (baby yeah, yeah) Angels everywhere Everytime you're near You will always be my baby Oh my my baby
Baby you're as close as close can get And baby you know I let every single part of me be yours, ooh yeah Doesn't matter if the phone might ring (I) 'Cause I won't hear a thing (I) When I'm in your arms 'Cause you know What to do To turn me on (on) Oh baby
As the song played on I had my mind on what I was about to do. I hadn't been back in years, but now, as I was about to embark on a new life, I had to lay the past to rest. ********
"Kristin," Nick was still attatched to the phone. "Is Kev around?"
"Sure Nicky," She was sweet to Nick. Like most people she treated him as the baby of the boys. "What's wrong?" The mother tone had crept into the conversation.
"Nothing's wrong," Why did everyone have to jump to the wrong conclusion? "Something's most definatly right!"
Nick heard Kristin call Kevin. He picked up the phone; "Nicky boy, what's up?"
"Not you too?!" Nick laughed, Kristin on the extention laughted too; "I want to tell you the best news ever in the history of news and you think somethings up!"
"What news?" Kevin and Kristin asked in unison,
"You too have been married too long!" Nick laughed again "And soon I'll know how that feels."
"Pardon me?" Kevin asked
"I think he means he getting married" Kristin told her husband
"That's right!" Nick was litterally bouncing up and down on the large padded sofa that faced the double doors that lead to the balcony.
"Who too?" Kevin asked
"Who do you think?!" Nick asked incredulously "Carl!"
"Oh...." Kevin went quiet but then shouted loudly "CONGRATULATIONS NICKY!!"
I walked slowly through the maze of head stones. The sky had clouded over by the time I had found her.
'DENISE JENNINGS BORN 14th FEBURARY 1952 DIED 29th AUGUST 1999 BELOVED MOTHER'
I read the words that I had had placed there. There wasn't anything else to say. 'Beloved Mother' said it all. I kelt by the white marble stone that stuck out of the ground, making the spot where my mum lay.
"Hi mum," I started as I placed the flowers I had been carrying by the stone. "I know it's been a while, I still talk to you. Everyday." I said this bit quietly as I didn't fancy being carted off into the loony bin! "A lot of things have happened to me since you've been gone. I got my first directing role........ That went well. I met Darren......... that didn't go quite so well. Then I met HIM. The man who I intend to spend the rest of my life with. You'd like him. He's smart, funny and loves the sea..... just like me...... well, except for the funny part!"
I was just talking to a slab of marble. I knew that but it, nevertheless, made me feel better, somehow connected with her again. It had been two and a half years since I had last been here. I figured that if I needed to talk to her, she'd always be there, around me. Now I had been back I knew that I needed something to project my talking at, and the headstone would do nicely.
"We're getting married, mum." I felt a lump form in my throat, "It won't be binding in the eyes of the law but it will be to us.......... I suppose what I really came for was your blessing."
As I said this, the clouds parted and the sun shone on my head. I knew that I had her blessings and that she would be with me the day I made Nick my husband.
"Mom," Nick started tentitivly
"Yes Nicky," Jane Carter spoke with equal tentitiveness
"I need to ask you a favour," He loved his mom dearly but he didn't know how she'd react to this news. "I need you not to freak out when I tell you i'm going to marry my boyfriend, ok?"
"Nicky," She started matter of factly "You want to marry another man......?" She asked
"Yes, mom" Nick was worried now. His parents and family knew he was gay but he had never tried to marry anyone else he had been seeing.
"And I haven't even met him yet?" She sounded jovial as she said this.
Nick let out a sigh of relief; "I don't know when the wedding will be but you have to come. You, dad, BJ, Leslie, Aaron - if he's not to busy - and Angel."
"Of course we'll be there. I wouldn't miss this for the world!"
I left my mum and made my way back to the car. My mobile beeped again. After the 'conversation' with the headstone I had completely forgotten the last message I had recieved. But as I looked at the phone it all came back to me.
IM STILL WATCHING
and as I scrolled down
& UR GONNA DIE UNLESS U GIV ME WOT I WANT
My eyes stang as angry tears streamed down my face. I whipped my head around and looked through 360 degrees to see if anyone was there. There didn't seem to be. But looks can be deceptive. I ran back to the car and hastily locked the door.
BANG BANG
the knock on the window made me scream. I hated being scared.
I looked out and saw a security guard standing there. I let out a huge sigh of relief
"Sorry to startle you sir," He said gruffly "The cemetery will be closing in five minutes.
"Thank you." I breathed as I wound my window back up. This was getting seriously weird. I was begining to think I had a stalker. I dialled my home number into my mobile, but it was busy. Nick must still be calling the four corners of the planet.
I turned the key in the ignition and sped away from the darkening burial ground.
"AJ this is the biggest thing I've ever asked of you." Nick was now lying spread egled on the sofa, phone in right hand, larger in the left.
"What's going on?" AJ sounded grumpy. Nick should have remembered that to wake AJ in the middle of sleep was an act punishable by death!
"Will you marry me?"
"Excuse me?" AJ seemed to be paying more attention
"Will you marry me to Carl?" Nick clarifyed
"Oh!!" AJ chuckled "But I have no churchy leanings..... " He started to argue before Nick lept in and reminded him that this wasn't going to be a legal service.
"Oh, if you insist!" AJ joked.
"Absolutely!"
Nick heard a voice in the background that he recognised, a highly excited voice; "AJ, is that who I think it is?"
"Who do you think it is?" AJ answered the question with one of his own
"I think that may be a certain Jemma Sachs,"
AJ handed the phone over and Jem's immediatly recongnisable tones came across the line.
"Nicky, congratulations," She almost blared down the phone "Carl told me this morning!"
"Thanks babe!" Nick was now smiling from ear to ear. This had to be the best day of his life. Or one of them. His best day had been the first time he performed to a capacity crowd. He would never forget the noise that hit him when he and the guys walked out on stage.
"Have you guys set a date yet?" She babbled enthusiastically
"No!" Nick chuckled "He only asked me this morning!"
"HE asked YOU?!" Jem sounded as though she was about to burst "He's always been so inward!!! HAHAHHA!!" she cackled down the phone "Boy HAS got balls!!"
She and Nick talked and laughed through the next hour and a half, before AJ finally ripped the phone away from Jem, said a few pleasentries and wisked her away to bed!
I wanted to run into the house as I got out of the car. But I made myself calm down. I wasn't being followed...... I couldn't be...... could I?
I pushed the key into the lock, my heart beating wildly. I turned it, nearly home.
The hand gripped my shoulder. A soft pad was pushed onto my mouth. I struggled furiosly. I had just survived one life or death situation, i'd be damned if I was going to die now. All fight suddenly left me. My legs wouldn't work. My arms hung loosely by my side. Finally my eyes closed.
Nick walked into the kitchen and moved to the window. He looked down and saw a couple of men struggling on the door step. One of them was Carl!
He boundered downstairs. He burst through the door just as the car screeched away. He noticed Carl's car keys lying discarded on the floor. He rushed forward and picked them up. With any luck he could still follow them.
He screeched out of the drive and out on to the streets. He chased the car through all of the streets of London and out into the countryside. They drove for hours. On and on. Nick lost track of the car as it dissapeared into a car park by the sea.
He stopped the car when he saw the other car again. All doors were open. No one was around. He walked slowly to the top of the cliff so he could get a better view. Then he saw them.
"DONT COME ANY CLOSER!" The voice shouted. He had heard that voice before, but where and when. A sleek black gun was pointed at Nick.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH HIM?" Nick shouted back. He looked at Carl still unconcious under the man's arm.
"WHAT'S RIGHTFULLY MINE!" Now Nick recognised him, it was Darren, Carl's ex-boyfriend.
"JUST LET HIM GO AND I'LL GIVE YOU ANYTHING!" Nick screamed at the top of his voice to overcome the noise of the crashing waves at the bottom of the high cliff face.
"I WANT 500,000." He stated simply "NO MORE NO LESS."
Half a million pounds. Nick would have given three times as much if it would save Carl.
"FINE!" Nick shouted, he always carried his cheque book around. He never left home without it. He scibbled on it, signed it then teared it out and held it up "LET CARL GO!"
I was feeling light headed, cursing myself for letting me get into this situation. Again. I seemed to attract trouble.
I opened my eyes slowly. Wind was rushing through my hair. We were still outside. I looked up. DARREN! He had a gun! I turned slowly and saw who he was pointing it at.
Oh god. I didn't want him to hurt Nick.
I don't know what came over me. I moved quickly and took Darren's legs from under him. He fell to the ground hard. I jumped up. Punching him in the face, I started to run, but he got up fast and grabbed me again. He pressed the gun into the side of my head. I saw Nick react.
"NICK STOP!!" I shouted.
"That's a good boy," Darren wispered in my ear "Now tell lover boy to give me the cheque." What cheque? Was I being brought? I don't think so! Quick as a flash, I elbowed Darren in the chest causing him to let go of me. I spun round and kicked him right between the legs.
What happened next was horrible. Darren took a few steps back. The gun went off once. I heard Nick scream in pain. It happened in slow motion.
Darren fell.
Nick fell.
Darren was killed as he hit the rocks at the bottom of the cliff.
Nick.......?
A litteral cliff hanger for you all this time. Special thanks to Keith for his most entusiastic of emails!!
Keep commenting, I'll always try to reply
gboy x