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Chapter Five
Point of View: Nick

Two days after the incident at the club, things were going okay. We'd been on the road and I'd rested after the hang over from hell. By the time we arrived at the next hotel, AJ was actually speaking to me again.

We were on the stage, waiting for the fans to come in to soundcheck party, when AJ officially ended the argument. "Look I'm not pissed at you anymore, Frack. Just don't pull any stunts like that again," he'd commanded. "I don't wanna keep saving your ass from big thug guys in bars."

"Yeah, yeah," I'd teased him, "Like you would've been much help... He would've snapped you like a damn twig."

"I could've took him, one hand behind my back," AJ answered, flicking his nose like an old school fighter guy.

"Uhoh," Brian called to Howie, "AJ's getting rough!" He leaped onto AJ's back, his legs wrapped around AJ's waist, and squeezed him. "Don't hurt me!" he cried.

AJ toppled forward, almost knocking into me, and Brian leaped off him expertly before he went down, too, smirking at me. "Whoopsie," he said, "I might've made him a wee top heavy!" He jumped out of reach as AJ grabbed at Brian's ankles. "I don't fall that easy," Brian laughed, taking off across the stage.

"Dammit," groaned AJ, struggling to get up. I reached out a hand and pulled him to his feet. He dusted off, staring after Brian with squinted eyes, "I swear to God, he just gets worse the older he gets."

"It's all the sex," I said, laughing.

AJ snorted, "If it was sex making him hyper, him and Leighanne would be multiplied like rabbits by now."

"Maybe they're selling the offspring on Craigslist," I laughed, "That's what BJ did when her rabbits had babies."

AJ laughed, "That would be weird. 'Backstreet Babies, fifteen ninety-nine! Pick up only!'"

"What're you laughin' at?" Brian asked, popping back over.

"You selling your secret sex kids on Craigslist," I laughed.

Brian's face scrunched in disgust, "What? You guys are sick.... Everyone knows you sell kids on eBay, not Craigslist. Verified buyers." He nodded solemnly.

Howie looked up, "I think that's illegal," he said, "Selling children on eBay."

"Ya think?" AJ asked, turning around, "God I love how literal you take shit, D," he laughed.

One of our security guards, a big guy named Ernie peeked his head in the door, "Hey Boys? You got a visitor." He opened the door up the rest of the way. Out in the foyer of the venue we could hear screaming fans. The ones that I could see through the gaping door were jumping up and down, waving. I waved back. Then my girlfriend, Krystal Armaleto, stepped through the door and I felt my fingers go limp.

"Kryssie!" I yelled, leaping off the stage.

"Oh good, Krystal's here," I heard Brian mutter.

AJ groaned.

I shot a glare back at them, the fun we were having a moment ago forgotten. I hated that they didn't like Krystal. She was amazing. We had so much fun together, and she didn't judge me for enjoying partying and stuff. In fact, more often than not, Krystal was my partner in crime.

Unlike many of my exes, Krystal was able to understand the pressure I was under from being out on the road. She, too, was a singer. She had produced two unbelievably good albums, with singles that had scorched the hell out of the charts. Krystal was huge. Like us in 1999 huge. Like Lady Gaga huge. It was insane.

Our relationship had been widely, heavily publicized. It seemed like there wasn't a music blog or magazine that didn't have our faces plastered on it almost every week for some crazy thing we were doing. It had been awhile, though, since we'd done anything too nuts -- or even been together, for that matter. We were both on tour, which made it hard because so few of our days off aligned.

She walked down the aisle between the seats, while I ran up to her. She had on strappy shoes, daisey dukes, and a form-fitting Backstreet Boys tshirt. It was kinda sexy seeing my face plastered to her chest. She smiled, "Surprise, I came in for the show tonight." I wrapped her in a hug and kissed her quickly. "Are you surprised?" she asked.

"Yeah I am!" I said.

"We all are," AJ intoned from the stage.

"I figured since our tour dates were only a couple hours apart I could swing up for my baby," she wrapped her arms around my waist and stuck her hands into my back pockets.

"Awesome! I'm so glad you're here!" I was really excited for the after party now, Krystal and I never failed to have an amazing time together, and I was looking forward to it.

Brian's voice floated through the venue, "They're going to be letting in the fans, soon... Unless you wanna get flattened..."

"C'mon, you can stand on the stage during soundcheck," I pulled Krystal toward the stage, and she followed me.

"Hey guys," she said, climbing up the little step ladder that the crew had set up on the side of the stage. They'd take it down once the show started - the fans would be way too happy to use it.

"Hey Krystal," Howie muttered. Brian waved.

"Nice eyeliner," AJ said.

Krystal smiled but didn't answer. I showed her to where our director-style chairs were just off stage. "Thanks for coming, it means a lot to me," I said, pecking her cheek.

"Yeah, it's great," she agreed.

I bounded back to the guys. AJ handed me my microphone. "So Kystal's here," he said, "Great."

"Isn't it?" I grinned.

AJ didn't reply. I had a feeling then that he might've been being sarcastic. It kind of pissed me off. Why can't they just like my girlfriends? They always hate them. Always.

The fans came in, clutching the photos that were being handed out to them and staring up at us like we were gods. Brian waved and ran forward to the edge of the stage, jumping from foot to foot. "Hallo! Hallo!" He blew a kiss, "Hallo!"

"See?" AJ nudged me, "They'd have like a hundred and eighty kids by now."