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Chapter Eight
Point of View: Narrator

Brian was sitting in a plastic chair next to the bed with his head bowed, his hands clasped on the back of his neck, asleep. He'd originally started out in that position because he'd been praying, but slowly he'd slumped a little bit further... a little bit more relaxed...

Nick stirred, and Brian snapped to attention, dropping the Bible that had been laying open on his lap with a thump, and shaking his head, snuffing a loud breath through his nose. His heart raced from the abrupt wake-up, and he looked Nick over, his eyes taking in the length of him - head to toe - before he relaxed. Nothing had changed.

Nick had been laying still since 12:45 AM, when he'd gotten there. It was now six. Brian's eyes were heavy as he looked at the clock. In a few hours, he'd have to call the guys and update them either way, make up his mind if he was flying on to the show in Seattle or telling them to cancel it.

He bent down for the Bible and pulled it back onto his lap, just as the overnight LNA pushed her way into the room, dragging the blood pressure stand. She smiled warmly at Brian before turning to Nick's far arm and sliding the cuff around his biceps gently. "I can't believe you're still here," she said to Brian. "We can call you when he wakes up, why don't you go get some rest at your hotel?"

"The others kind of took off for the next venue. I'm going to be flying out tomorrow, if he wakes up." Brian shot a glance at Nick, "I'm okay waiting."

"Do you want a cot at least? Or something to eat? I'm sure I could talk patient services into bringing you up a tray," she smiled.

Brian shook his head, "I'm okay. Thank you, though." He watched as she put a white clip on his finger and stuck a thermometer in Nick's ear, writing down the temp and his O2 level. The little clear thing in Nick's nose was evidently doing it's job at keeping his breathing steady.

She looked up once she'd gotten all her information. "Well, Peter will be in later to change the IV," she said, glancing at the bag, "Other than that, he's still doing good. He's just taking his time waking up is all. I'm guessing he's in need of some beauty sleep," she looked Nick over. "Not that he needs to be any more beautiful," she quickly added, biting her lip.

Brian laughed. He'd already taken a picture with her and given her an autograph on hospital stationary. The first time she walked through the door dragging that blood pressure stand, she'd dropped the cuff and started shaking and had to have Peter do the vitals because her own blood pressure had shot through the roof upon seeing Brian Littrell and Nick Carter. She'd been depressed all evening because she'd been scheduled the night of their concert. Now, getting to help take care of Nick, she was glad that she hadn't gotten the night off. It felt more important to be part of his recovery.

Once she'd left the room, Brian bowed his head again, returning to praying and waiting for Nick to wake up.



In her limousine, on the way back to her own hotel, Krystal pulled out her Blackberry and opened up Perez Hilton, who had already updated like fifty times on the crazy events of the night. From the raunchy pictures of them laying on each other in the backseat of the limousine when they first got there to some of the shots of her face pressed against his package on the dance floor to the full video of AJ and Nick's fight and Nick's dramatic black out... she knew she'd accomplished not just making Desi jealous, but finding the perfect excuse to break up with Nick Carter.

"Krystal deserves so much better," posted one fan, disgusted with Nick's slurring voice during the video.

"Nick Carter needs anger management classes! Temper, temper!" posted another.

"What the hell was he on now? How does Krystal put up with that guy? He's always high."

Yeah, this excuse would do nicely, she thought tucking away the Blackberry. After all, how could she be expected to stay when he was putting his health, and her safety, in jeopardy every night, just to go partying? Didn't he love her more than he loved his substance abuse? She'd asked him, so many times to get some help with it... but he was just too far gone. She'd tried so hard to hold on... not wanting to break up with him, hoping he'd snap out of it... but now he'd just gone too far.

She smiled and leaned back against the seat. The best part was Nick wouldn't even remember that they hadn't had the conversation already, so she didn't even have to go back to see him again.