Just One Kiss by Pengi
Story Notes:
All portions of this story from Nick's POV were written by Evergreenwriter83, all portions of this story from Kevin's POV were written by Pengi.
Chapter 1 by Pengi
Chapter One

"No, of course I can be at the airport early. How early?"

"Six."

"A.M.?!"

"Nick."

Howie wasn't joking around. I stopped at a red light, coughed, and glanced at my watch. It was seven. I was scheduled to meet my date for a late dinner in at seven thirty. Then if all went well, I'd take her clubbing. After a couple drinks, there might even be a nightcap at my place...or hers.

About six months ago, my girlfriend Lauren and I had broken up. It had been a messy blow-up. For the first time in my life, I had been the one left with a broken heart. After three months of moping, I had decided that I was going to find 'the one.' So far, all I'd managed to find was one double-jointed blonde, two potential stalkers, and one amazingly fiesty non-English speaking Russian . But I wasn't giving up. After all, I wasn't getting any younger. I wanted to have my act together by the time I was forty. I had nine years. Surely I could find someone. "Nick, are you even listening to me?"

"Hunh? Oh, yeah!" I said. I nodded my head even though I knew he couldn't see me.

"What did I say?"

I sighed and tucked the phone up under my chin. I was pretty much a professional at driving while talking, texting, and/or videotaping, but it was beginning to rain and I was about a year overdue for replacement windshield wipers. All they were doing was making messy streaks over the windshield. I squinted. The tinted glass didn't help.

"I'm guessing you told me to have a great time tonight," I said distractedly. "See you tomorrow."

"Nick, six a.m. Six--"

I hung up and tossed the phone on the empty passenger seat. I turned up my radio and drummed my fingers on the wheel.

Cal-i-fornia girls they're unforgettable. Daisy dukes bikinis on top. Sun-kissed skin so hot will melt your popsic--

Somehow this hobo jumped out from nowhere. One minute the rain-slick street was empty; the next, a guy wearing about four coats and wheeling a cart was right in front of my car. I slammed on my brakes. They squealed in protest. The car skidded to the left. I swung my wheel wildly; I know there's a proper way to get a renegade car under control, but truthfully I had no idea how it was done. If it wasn't for a driving instructor who was a TOTAL Backstreet Boys fan, I probably wouldn't have gotten my license. As it was, three autographs and one kiss later, I had a valid driver's license.

Unfortunately, my license was of no help to me. My foot struggled to find the brake; it found the accelerator first. With a terrifying screech the car shot forward. I felt the momentum build as the car jumped the curb. I even heard the sound of my windshield shattering into a million different pieces.

The pressure in my head that felt like my brain was being imploded was the worst. After that, everything else ceased to be.


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


"I miss you."

"I miss you too, babe. Give Mason a kiss for me, okay?"

Beep.

"I will. He's been asking when you're coming home."

Beep.

"Very soon." I pulled the cell phone away from my ear to see who the hell was calling me at 11:45 PM on a Sunday night. It was Brian. He could wait. "I promise, you can tell Mason that. Filming is almost done."

"That's what you said last week," Kristin complained.

Beepbeepbeep. - Brian had hung up.

"I know, but then the director had to extend shooting..."

"I know, I know..." Kristin sighed. "You're lucky I understand acting or else I'd think you were banging some hot babe out there.." she laughed.

I laughed, too.

Beep.

What the hell Brian? I wondered, What could possibly be THAT important that you gotta call me twice? Can't it wait?

"Okay babe, I gotta go, Brian's calling me..."

Beep.

"Okay sweetie. Call me tomorrow morning, okay? Mason wants to talk to Daddy."

"Will do, sweetie."

Beepbeepbeep. - He'd hung up again.

I made kissy noises to Kris and she giggled. "You're such a nerd, Kev."

"Yeah, but don't tell anyone."

Beep.

"Okay, gotta go babe, he's not stopping, it must be important. Baylee probably learned how to recite the entire Old Testament or something," I said sarcastically. Brian had been calling me a lot to talk about Baylee and his accomplishments. Being the only dads with kids over the age of three, Brian always called me with his Baylee brags and funnies.

Beep.

Kristin laughed, "Good luck sounding amused."

"Yeah I'll need it. Love ya, Kris."

I switched lines to Brian's call. "Hey cuz," I greeted him, "What's shakin?"

"Kevin... Nick's been in an accident. We need you."

My mind spun. "What?"

"Nick, he's been in an accident. He's got you as your emergency contact, he needs surgery. We need you down here, now."

I felt like I'd been dropped off the top of the Empire State Building without a parachute. Nick. Accident. SURGERY? "What the fuck happened?" I jumped up and grabbed my jeans and started tugging them on - backwards, I realized and had to start over again. My nerves were jiggling like jell-o.

"We don't really know much yet," Brian replied, "Howie was talking to him last, he was on his way to a date, he got in a car wreck... I dunno. He only had your old number on his forms so they called the next one on the list and that was me..."

Brian was terrified.

"What hospital?"

After I got the info from Brian, I ran down the stairs of the house I was renting while I was filming in Los Angeles and out to my car. I felt numb.


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