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Chapter 20

"So what do you think?" Alex asked as he hit the stop button on the stereo. He had just played a song for his band mates that he had been working on since he first learned that they were going to reunite. The four guys before him nodded their heads in approval, letting the song sink in. It had been a month since Nick had learned about the reunion album and each of the guys had some time to put something together. So many things had changed since the last time that they recorded together that none of them had the slightest idea on how their musical tastes had changed. There was no way in knowing how well their voices blended after all of this time, if they even blended at all. Each one of the men sitting in the studio had their own questions and fears about what might happen during recording. "Good? Bad? What?"

"It's good," Brian answered first. "I really like it!"

"Yeah," Nick agreed and Kevin and Howie nodded their heads in agreement again.

"So Nicky, what about you? I know you've got a song on you somewhere," Brian joked as he lightly tapped Nicks shoulder. Nick smiled and laughed lightly.

"I got one, but I want you guys have to be nice about it. It's really personal and kinda important to me so I don't need any of you telling me that it sucks, alright?" Nick commented as he took his turn at the stereo.

"Of course man, it's all good," Alex replied as he took Nicks seat. Nick put his CD into the stereo and looked towards his friends who were unaware of just how much Nick bared his soul into the song that they were about to hear. He kept their eyes on them for a moment longer before starting the song. Once the sounds of the song began to fill the air, Nick let his eyes move from each of the men sitting before him. He was trying to read their reactions, he wanted to know what they all thought but then again, he was also afraid that the feedback would be negative. These guys wouldn't do that, Nick thought to himself, they've seen what he had been going through. They knew where he was coming from.

"Wow," Howie mumbled once the song ended and as Nick let his attention fall on the four of his fellow bandmates. "That was really good."

"Yeah, totally kicked my songs ass," Alex replied, nodding his head to stress his point. Nick let his eyes move over towards the other two bandmates that still hadn't commented on what they had heard.

"So, what do you two think?" Nick asked nervously.

"That's deep man," Brian replied. "Real deep."

"It's a great song Nick," Kevin stated.

"Dude, I could like feel your pain man," Alex commented, then jokingly added "I think I'm gonna cry man."

"Shut up," Nick snapped with a smile on his face. He was relieved that they liked it. That they liked him. This song was so much a part of him that if they had hated it, Nick would have believed nothing else other than that they hate part of him too. Knowing that they liked it, helped him feel more confident with what he had produced.

"That's definately gonna be on the album," Howie stated, still shocked by the power of the song. Brian nodded in agreement.

"But that's going to be all Nicky's song. I don't think any of us could do it justice," Brian said as he taped Nick on the shoulder. "Good work, bro. I'm proud of ya."

"Thanks man," Nick replied greatfully.

"And on that note I think we've done enough work for today," Kevin announced.

"I never thought that I would live to see Kev say that we've done enough work," Alex said jokingly as he lightly shoved Nick causing him to laugh. Kevin looked at him with discontent.

"Well, I still can't say that I've lived long enough to say that you two have gotten mature," he shot back at the two of them, making them laugh harder.

"Don't count on it Kev," Nick replied. "Cause it isn't gonna happen. Not in a million years." Kevin smiled. As much as he complained about their behavior, he enjoyed the fact that they hadn't changed. There was still that one thing that he could count on; that would always be the same no matter how much time had passed.

"How's Grace?" Brian asked Nick as they walked out of the studio.

"She's doing pretty good," he answered.

"Spending time with her mother?"

"No, neither of us have seen Erin since the divorce was finalized."

"Oh," Brian replied, not knowing what else to say.

"So where's your family? They come down this time?" Nick questioned, making Brian relax.

"They're coming down next week. There was a couple of things that Leighanne needed to take care of before she left, Baylee is taking some time off of work to come down here, Brandon, my other son and taking some time off from college and I'm letting the others miss a couple of days so that you guys can meet them," Brian explained.

"Keep 'em in school, I'll come up and visit you guys soon enough."

"Yeah but what about Howie and Alex? Who knows when I'm going to be able to convince them to come up to the house with their families. At least this way, we're all here, at one time and we can meet all of our famlies."

"Clare's coming in to meet your family man," Nick stated as they walked onto the elevator. "Her classes don't start for another week so she wanted to be here."

"That's great man. Maybe then you guys can talk a little bit about what happened that way," Brian said. "You know, in person?"

"Yeah, but I don't think that Clare has any problems with what happened. If she did though, she'd tell me about it. We've got a great relationship, at least I hope we do."

"You guys are great together," Brian commented. "So is that guy of hers coming along with her?"

"Probably."

"We're all gonna meet up at your house, how's that?"

"Why my house?"

"It's closest to the airport that's why," he explained. "We don't want everyone to be all tired when they get here so that we can't have any fun." The elevator doors opened before them and they walked out into the lobby then out into the parking lot. "I'll see ya tomorrow."

"Yeah, see ya," Nick replied with a wave to Brian as he walked towards his car.