I'm glad you are all enjoying the story. After this there's only 2 more parts 'til the end. To all of you who send me feedback: THANK YOU!!!
Disclaimer: I don't know the Backstreet Boys, don't know whether they would act like this, etc. Yadda, yadda, blah, blah, blah.
Send feedback to: DarkLibra7@aol.com
-Lynz
Chapter 12
Kevin worked his jaw but he couldn't get any words to form. He was utterly speechless. As he sat staring at the ring on his hand his vision blurred as the tears started to fall, tears of joy. When Kevin didn't say anything and just sat there staring at the ring with tears streaming down his face Nick felt his heart drop. How could he have been so stupid as to think that Kevin loved him that much? He had really done it this time, he'd gone and ruined everything.
He took a deep breath as he felt tears sting the back of his eyes. "I'm sorry, Kevin. I shouldn't have said anything, I'll just take the ring and leave." he said, reaching to take the ring off Kevin's hand.
Kevin took Nick's hand in his and raised his eyes to Nick's. "Don't you dare. I love you, Nick. Screw everyone else. Of course I'll marry you."
Nick smiled as he started to cry just as bad as Kevin was. "You have no idea how happy you just made me."
"Probably just as happy as you made me." Kevin replied, leaning close and capturing Nick's lips with his.
"I love you, Kevin."
"I love you more," he mumbled against Nick's mouth as the two continued to kiss.
That night the two never left each other's side and made love in every room of Kevin's house. It was dawn by the time they finally went to bed, falling asleep in each other's arms. The next day they began planning their wedding and honeymoon, and they called Alec, Howie and A.J. to tell them the news. Everyone was ecstatic and supported them but Brian was on all their minds. Alec had never told Nick and Kevin that he had seen them at the surprise party and no one had been in contact with Brian since that night. The guys were going back in the studio to record for the new album in a matter of days and neither Nick nor Kevin had any idea just what was awaiting them.
Chapter 13
"Kevin, baby, wake up." Nick told him softly, shaking his shoulder. "It's almost eight and we have to be at the studio by nine."
"Just five more minutes," Kevin muttered, still half asleep.
Nick sighed. He had already showered, dressed and eaten breakfast while he let Kevin sleep. Walking into the bathroom, he filled a glass with cold water and brought it over to the bed. Holding it above Kevin, he turned the glass upside down, drenching Kevin with water. He sat straight up in bed, sputtering. "Shit that's cold!"
Nick chuckled. "You're the one who wouldn't wake up."
"I'm gonna get you back, Nickolas." Kevin told him as he reluctantly got out of bed.
"Not now you're not, we only have an hour `til we have to be at the studio."
Kevin's eyes shot wide open. "An hour? You let me sleep this late?" He jumped out of bed and ran for the shower. Nick just smiled and went back downstairs to fix Kevin something for breakfast. When Kevin came down 25 minutes later he was fully dressed and his dark hair was still damp from his shower. "Come on, Nick. We don't have time for breakfast." he said, grabbing his keys and heading for his garage.
"You're the one who didn't eat." Nick replied, following him out to his Toyota 4-Runner. Kevin muttered something under his breath as the two got into his truck. "You're not a morning person, are you?"
Kevin glared at him. "We've been together for about seven months and you are just now figuring that out?"
"No, I felt like antagonizing you." he said, grinning. Kevin just rolled his eyes and sped out of the driveway. When the two of them got to the studio they noticed that everyone else was already there. Nick led the way into the studio and down the hall to where the other three were waiting for them.
"God, it's about time you two got here." Howie said as they walked in the room.
"Hey, Kev's the one who woke up late and then almost forgot to pick me up from my house." Nick said, smiling.
"Can we just get to work here people?" Brian hissed from the other side of the room.
"Sorry, Bri." Nick replied, the smile fading quickly. "So, let's get started." ******
By late afternoon they had gotten two tracks recorded and were working on a third. Instead of Kevin being his usual perfectionist-self, Brian assumed that role and had them working straight through lunch. Nick could tell that he was upset about something but he had no idea what. "That's the fifth time you screwed up that lyric, Bone." Brian snapped at A.J., who cringed at the sound of Brian's voice.
"Sorry,"
"Sorry's not good enough. Let's just call it a day, huh?" he announced and walked out of the room. They all looked at each other before Nick ran out after him.
"Hey, Bri! Wait up, man!" Nick yelled as he jogged down the hall after Brian.
He stopped and turned around. "What?" he asked impatiently.
"What's up with you today? Not feeling well or something? Usually Kev's the one biting our heads off, not you."
"Why do you care?" he hissed.
"I'm your best friend. Why wouldn't I care?"
"Oh, really. You sure don't seem like my best friend anymore. I thought we told each other everything, Nick."
"We do."
"Then why didn't you tell me about you and Kevin?" Nick's eyes widened in surprise. "You know, I didn't find it very amusing to come home early from my honeymoon to surprise you guys and go to A.J.'s and find you dressed in drag making out with my cousin."
"Brian, look, I can explain."
He narrowed his eyes. "There is nothing to explain, Nick. You don't keep something like that from your best friend. What, didn't you think I'd want to know that my best friend and my cousin were gay? So how long have you two been banging each other?"
Nick was shocked but somehow managed to answer, "Since that night in Chicago."
"Seven months?" Brian asked, his eyes wide.
He nodded. "That's not all, Bri. Well, um . . . we're getting married."
"You're what?" Brian all but shouted.
"Brian, keep your voice down." he said, trying to quiet Brian before the others came out.
Brian groaned. "I don't believe this. I just don't fucking believe this. Never did I ever think for one second that you would do something like this. Seven months? And you're getting married? God, this is insane. What are you going to tell the public, huh? You can basically kiss your career good-bye, and our friendship." His eyes flared in anger. "I thought I knew you, Nick, but I guess I didn't. Either you can quit the group or I will, `cause I don't want to ever see you again. And if you come near my cousin ever again I will personally beat your ass. You make me sick."
"Fine," Nick felt his eyes well up with tears. "If that's the way you want it, I'll quit. Just forget I ever existed."
"That won't be hard." Brian hissed. "Now get your queer ass out of here." Biting his lip, Nick turned and left the studio. ******
The other three heard shouting coming from the hall and Kevin got a bad feeling in his gut. He walked into the hall to see Brian glaring down the hall towards the door. "Brian?"
He turned to look at Kevin and Kevin grimaced from the look that he was giving him. "I cannot believe that this has been going on for seven months and you never bothered to tell me. We're blood."
"Where's Nick?" Kevin asked, afraid of the answer.
"He quit." A gasp escaped Kevin's mouth and he started down the hall but was stopped as Brian grabbed his arm. "Just where the hell do you think you're going, Kev?"
He shook loose and bolted towards the exit, hoping to catch Nick. When he got outside he looked around but didn't see him anywhere. "Nick!" As he started to walk he felt something under his foot and stepped back to see what it was. His heart dropped when he saw it was the ring that he had gotten Nick the day after Nick proposed to him. It was identical to his except for a blue sapphire instead of an emerald. Grasping the ring tightly, he squeezed his eyes shut as the tears began to fall. His mournful scream brought the others running outside.
"Kev, where's Nick?" A.J. asked frantically.
"Why don't you ask Brian?" Kevin said, turning around to glare at Brian. "You made him quit, you blamed him for all of this. Well, I've got a newsflash for you, Bri. I love him and when I find him we are getting married. If he quits, I quit. But if anything happens to him, I will never forgive you."
He turned away from Brian's icy stare and looked up to the heavens. Please God, tell me where Nick is. Suddenly the vision of the ocean appeared in his head, and in the distance, a high cliff. Running to his 4-Runner, he scrambled into the driver's seat. Gunning the engine, his tires screeched as he sped off towards the beach, praying that he made it to Nick before it was too late.