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Chapter 21

"Nick," Brian called, shaking Nick in an attempt to walke him. Nick's eye's fluttered open and he tried to focus on Brian, but he only saw his fuzzy out line, he hadn't realized that he had fallen asleep. "Dude, we're on in ten. You gotta get up."

"How long have I been asleep?" Nick asked as he got off of the couch that he had fallen asleep on and rubbed his eyes in an attempt to clear his vision. Brian shrugged, having no idea how long Nick had been passed out for.
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"I have no idea but you gotta get your ass ready 'cause this won't be a reunion show unless we're all on the stage," Brian joked with a smile on his face. Nick smiled back. The night was finally there. They had completed the album right on time and were able to schedual some reunion shows. Each of the guys were beyond excited about this night. Nick had been waiting for this night since the day that the group had decided that it was time to take a break. During the months they were recording and getting to know each others families, they had all realized that making music with each other was where they belonged. This was what had been missing in all of their lives.

"We're back man," Nick said in awe, still finding it hard to believe that his dreams had come true yet again and he was about to step back onto a stage and make a triumpant return with his four best friends by his side. "It's been so long since we've done this."

"I know, it feels great doesn't it?"

"I can't even begin to explain it," Nick answered as he brushed his hair. "Is everyone here?"

"Yeah, Clare and Brad got here about ten minutes ago but when straight to their seats. She was really excitied about seeing you perform. She said she's never seen you sing before."

"Yeah, I sorta left everything behind when I married Erin," he replied. "We had agreed.... we at least Erin had said that we had agreed, that it would be better that way. Needless to say, she was wrong man."

"Well everything's back now kid. Let's show everyone out there that we still got it," Brian replied with a huge smile on his face. He tapped Nick on the shoulder and said, "I'll see you out there." Nick nodded. Nick yawned and grabbed a new t-shirt, the one that he was wearing had gotten wrinkled. He pulled the fresh one over his head and took a look at himself in the mirror, good enough he thought to himself. Just as he was going to head out to meet the other guys, he heard a knock at his door.

"Kev, I was on my....," Nick started but stopped short when he saw Erin standing on the other side of the door. His shock was clear on his face. He was caught in an internal struggle, unsure if he should just have her thrown out or talk to her. He spoke, promising himself that he'd only let this conversation run as long as he didn't become angry. If he did reach any level of anger, he was going to call security and have them take her away from him. "Erin, you were the last person that I was expecting to see."

"Yeah I know, I kinda figured that," she replied softly.

"So what are you doing here?" Nick asked, wanting to get this meeting with his ex-wife over as soon as possible. He didn't want to go out on stage angry. He wanted to enjoy everything about this night, it was supposed to be amazing for him.

"I just want to let you know that you've got my support," she replied. "I know that doesn't make up for everything or even make sense any more because of everything that I've said before, but I still wanted you to know that I've got no hard feelings. I want things to be okay between us, alright? For the kids and for us. We shouldn't hate each other, we've spent a lot of time with each other."

"Look, I don't want things to go back to how they we're," Nick stated. "I'm happy with how things are right now, I'm finally happy with my life, exactly how it is. You can understand that I have to do my thing to make me happy. I guess we can talk after the show with the kids and see what they think because that's what I feel is most important, alright? But don't think there will ever be anything that you can do to fix our marrage 'cause it's not gonna happen. You should get out there and find someone new. Don't get all caught up in the past."

"Understood. Have a good show," she responded while nodding her head slowly.

"Thanks," Nick replied with a nod. Nick sighed to himself when he felt he was far enough away from Erin. In his heart, he felt that the only reason why she had returned to speak to him, to give her support, was because of the buzz that was around the groups return. She wanted to get in on the action. It was a harsh thought, he knew that, but she had never made a single attempt at fixing things between them, until now, when he was in the spotlight once again. Surprisingly, Nick was dissappointed with Erins actions. Had she had done something else, he wouldn't have cared. Maybe he thought that after spending so much time with her she wouldn't have become almost 'star-stuck,' and he was hurt that he had been wrong.

He walked towards where the other guys were getting ready to go on stage. Nick could hear the buzz from the audience from the other side of the curtain. That sound was making him crazy, he wanted to get on stage already. He wanted to be back where he felt that he always belonged, on stage performing. The curtain began to rise, the sounds of the audience grew to almost a feverish pitch. Nick was clutching his microphone tightly, ready for the moment that he had been dreaming about for years.

The bright lights covered the stage and Nick looked out to the audience. Everyone had so much energy. He smiled, with a tear in his eye, he was so happy that so many people, fans, had stuck with them after so many years. This was what it was all about, Nick thought to himself; this was what made all his hardwork worth it. The sounds of "Time," a song that had made its original appearance on their Black and Blue album and made a return on their latest album, remade to show just how much they had changed.

The span of time that had passed since the original release and current time had helped the song gain more strength and truth. Years, maybe even decades, after the song was written, the five of them still had the chance to sing it to the world. Nick glared out into the auidence, he wanted to keep a picture of this moment in the back of his mind for the rest of his life. His smiled widened when his eyes stopped on Clare. She smiled back at him and gave him a thumbs up.

The End