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"Oh my God! CT! I got to meet him! I finally got to meet him!" Stephanie jumped up and down with excitement, her hands full with her camera and autographs from all of the Backstreet Boys. But the one she would treasure most would be from Howie, who had written a personal message for her that made happiness exude from every pore in her body.

"Feeling like a teenybopper much, Cocci?" Ana teased as she leaned against the wall of the arena, sipping on a twenty-ounce bottle of Pepsi she had brought along. She had seen the crowd of women, girls and gay men, deciding that her life was more important than trying to squeeze through all the people and risk death.

"Oh, bite me," Stephanie rolled her eyes and continued to grin as she showed her best friend her new treasures. She may have been acting like a 'teenybopper' but she felt she deserved to act like one. All the years she had been a fan of the Backstreet Boys, and now she finally got to meet them. If God had suddenly decided it was her time to go, she would have gone without a fight. Her one true wish had come true. "I wish you would have been there with me, though. AJ was there and--"

"What the Hell happened to your lip?" Ana interrupted, her ocean blue eyes widening with concern as she reached out and cupped Stephanie's cheek to examine the cut.

"There was a bitch out there dissing Howie, so... I told her off and she punched me," Stephanie shrugged, trying to brush it off like it was nothing. Her father and ex-boyfriends had hit her far worse, though she did wish the woman had struck her in the abdomen or chest. At least then it wouldn't be so damn hard to smile like it was now.

"You're lucky you don't need stitches," Ana clicked her tongue in disappointment, dabbing the cut with an alcohol pad that she had pulled out of her pocket-sized First Aid kit. Working at the local hospital had taught her to always be prepared, so she carried around the tiny kit wherever she went.

"Ouch!" Stephanie yelped as the alcohol burned and stung sharply. "She didn't even cause any swelling. Father and the others have done more damage than that little bitch did."

"Cocci..."

"I'm fine, CT. Really," she pulled away gently from her grasp and offered a crooked smile. "Thank you for cleaning me up, though."

"Sometimes I don’t know about you," Ana tried to shake her head in disappointment, but couldn't help but smile as she kissed her best friend's cheek. "Are you ready to go inside? We've got to claim our seats before all the other teenyboppers try to sneak in closer."

"Yeah, let's go. I've got to get my tour shirt and poster, too," Stephanie nodded as they walked into the arena and as soon as they got everything sorted out and bought; they headed into the seating on the main floor.

"Wait!" Ana took out her bandana and carefully placed it over Stephanie's glasses.

"Hey! I can't see!"

"That's the point, Blondie."

"You know, I could just take off the blindfold--"

"You do that and I'll make sure Howie knows about your triple-X dreams," Ana threatened sweetly as they walked down the aisle, getting closer to their seats.

"That was low," Stephanie pouted.

"Maybe, but you'll love me when I take show you the surprise."

"I already love--"

"Here we are!" Ana quickly took off the blindfold and grinned as Stephanie gasped, clamping a hand over her mouth. She didn't even wince from the sting of her cut as she stared at their seats. Front row. All the years she had been a Backstreet Boy fan, she had never had the luck of being so close in a concert.

"First row. HOLY SHIT, WE'RE IN FIRST ROW! CT, I LOVE YOU!" Stephanie shrieked with happiness, enveloping Ana in a tight embrace.

"Yeah, I know you do," Ana smiled, ignoring the people giving them a weary glance. "Now will you stop screaming and sit down before they kick us out?"

"Thank you so much," Stephanie sniffled, her eyes slightly brimming with tears. "This means a lot to me... you and Howie have made this the best day of my life."

"Anything for my Cocci. You just have to name your first born with Howie after me," Ana grinned, sitting down in her seat as she watched the look on the older woman's face. Her cheeks turned red and she gave a silly smile.

"They would be beautiful children with a father like that..." she trailed off, sitting down as well.

"And even more beautiful with my name."

"What if the first born was a boy?"

"I'll figure it out!"

"You're something else."

"True... but you love me."

"Indeed I do. And nothing will change that," Stephanie hugged Ana again as they waited for the concert to begin.


~*~*~*~*~


"Alright, Backstreet! What time is it?!" Kevin hollered as the band, dancers and group gathered in a circle. They began cheering and clapping their hands to a beat.

"It's time for me to go to work, y'all!"

"What kind of work?!"

"HARD WORK!" They all jumped up and down, hugging each other as the audience chanted for their five favorite guys. The band ran out first, followed by the dancers while the guys went under the stage. Like the previous concerts, they always started out by coming from below, shrouded in darkness and fog. As soon as they were situated, the platforms began to slowly move up towards the stage. The screaming became deafening as they caught a glimpse of the boys. Howie looked over at AJ and they both grinned as the music for Larger Than Life began to play, the younger man starting to cackle when flashes of pyrotechnics spurted from each side of the stage. The other four stepped to their left and began to sing. The fans began to sing and dance along with them, shouting their love and adoration over the loud music.

"Are you having fun?" Ana shouted into Stephanie's ear as they moved to the beat like liquid, showing off their toned bodies.

"I'm front row at the Backstreet Boys concert with my best friend... of course I'm having fun!" Stephanie smiled; rolling her hips in a slinky fashion that Ana had taught her a few months before.

"Good, because Howie's staring right at you!"

"He is not--" Stephanie’s mouth dropped in surprise as she looked up on stage to see that Howie was indeed watching her as he performed. Their contrasting eyes locked and he gave her a wink with his handsome smile. "Oh my God... CT, he's staring at me!"

"I already told you that!"

"But he's really staring at ME! Not just the fans... ME!"

"Um, Hello? Earth to Cocci! I already said that!"

Stephanie was about to retort when the song ended and the arena became pitch black yet again, alerting everyone to a wardrobe change. Before they could even wonder what was happening next, a voice boomed over the speakers.

"HELLO, TAMPA! HOW Y'ALL DOING TONIGHT?!" It turned out to be AJ as he and the others walked back on stage, clad in black shirts and pants, but in their own style as always. Everyone screamed in response and he grinned. "KICK ASS! You know we have a great show for you tonight, right? So let me hear some NOISE!"

"Damn... they're good!" Nick commented, pulling out his earpiece to rub his eardrum for a moment. "Then again, we can only expect the best when we come home!"

"And believe us, it's great to be back!" Brian added, looping his arm over Howie's shoulders.

"It's been too long," Howie replied, poking Brian in the side to elicit a shriek and giggle from the man. He raised his eyebrows as the audience laughed. "He scares me sometimes..."

"At least you’re not related to him," Kevin muttered playfully.

"HEY! I resent that!"

"We know."

"WE STILL LOVE YOU, BRIAN!" A group of girls shouted from the side of the arena.

"At least someone does!" Brian huffed towards his band mates, blowing kisses towards the group.

"Anyway. It really is great to be back in Florida for our last concert of the tour before heading back to the recording studio in a few months. No matter where we go... this is will always be the home of the Backstreet Boys," Howie broke the potential arguments, smiling as the fans screamed in agreement. "And now, without further ado... More Than That."

Everything quieted down as the band began to softly play the beginning intro of the song. The spotlight shined on Brian, who smiled as he began to sing. "I can see that you've been crying/ You can't hide it with a lie/ What's the use in you denying/ That what you have is wrong..."

Stephanie closed her eyes and swayed to the music. Whenever Michael had beaten her and left the apartment, she would turn on their expensive stereo and play More Than That on repeat until he got home. It was her way of escaping since she had promised Ana no more cutting. She could dream that Howie was singing the song to her, pleading to let him take her away to a place where she would feel loved and save.

"Cocci can you..." Ana trailed off, glancing at her best friend to see her eyes closed with tears streaming down her cheeks. She wrapped an arm around the woman's waist and tried to wipe the tears away. Stephanie said nothing, but held onto the younger woman tightly as she began to sing softly.

"Baby listen to me when I say..." Howie sang, kneeling down in front of Stephanie and Ana, holding his hand out to the one person who defended him without a second through. "There's not a day that passes by/ I don’t wonder why we haven't tried."

"Cocci, he's singing to you! Open your eyes!" Stephanie did so and gasped. He was on the floor, just behind the barricade, his hand reaching for hers. "Go to him!"

"CT--"

"GO!" Ana gave her a push and she stumbled forward, taking Howie's hand. She felt the electric shock yet again as the guards made sure the other fans didn't interrupt Howie's serenade.

"It's not too late to change your mind/ So take my hand/ Don't say good-bye," Howie looked right into her eyes as he sang, bringing her hand to his lips as Brian sang his small solo. He regretfully let go of her hand and climbed back onstage to finish the song, never breaking eye contact. The song ended and Stephanie still stood there, in shock of what happened.

"Cocci, I can’t believe it! Not only did you meet Howie, hug Howie, take pictures with Howie... you got SERENADED by Howie!" Ana hugged Stephanie tightly as she sat down.

"I'm never washing this hand again..." Stephanie sighed softly, in her own little world as the previous moment played over and over.

~*~*~*~*~

"That was fucking AWESOME!" Nick hooted, bumping chests with AJ as they ran off stage. Sweat was pouring down their faces and their bodies were exhausted, but it was a great feeling. The reason why they performed for thousands of fans every night. Tour hands threw them towels and they wrapped it around their necks, grabbing water bottles as they walked to their dressing room. Normally they would be running onto the busses for the next city but since it was the last concert, they could stay for a while and relax before going home.

"Hell yeah, bro! And now... we get to relax," AJ sighed, falling back onto the cool leather couch with a satisfying plop.

"Not exactly, we have a meet and greet," Kevin replied as he quickly drank half of his water bottle.

"I ain't moving from this couch... the girls can come to me. They always do," AJ grinned, giving Nick a high five as he wiped the sweat off his face.

"You're--hey, where's Howie?" Brian asked as he looked around the dressing room.

"He's right... dude, where is he?"

"He was right behind me after the pyros went off," Kevin frowned, standing up to peek his head out in the empty hallway. No Howie.

"Ooh! I bet I know where he is," Nick cackled.

"Where?"

"With that chick he was singing to during More Than That. He's probably getting her number and he'll get laid--"

"Nick!"

"What?!"

"Howie's not into one night stands. Especially with a fan."

"But did you not see this chick? She was gorgeous!"

"She was pretty fine," AJ agreed with a nod.

"Regardless, Howie--"

"Is getting laid tonight!"

"Instead of assuming that I'm going to get laid... how about you ask me?" Howie spoke up as he walked into the room, a goofy grin on his face. He clutched a small piece of paper in his hand, one he would never misplace.

"Dude! You got the chick's number, didn't you? Huh, huh, huh?" Nick scrambled over to Howie and began jumping up and down.

"And when did you revert back to sixth grade?"

"I didn't know he ever made it past that," AJ snickered, receiving a glare from Nick.

"C'mon, who was the chick you sang to? Did you get her number?"

"If I tell you her name and either say yes or no, will you leave me alone?"

"I can't make any promises?"

"Alright, then I guess you won't--"

"Okay, okay, I promise! I'll leave you alone if you tell me."

"Her name is Stephanie and yes."

"So you're getting laid?! Does she have a friend, sister or cousin you could hook me up with? Does--"

"Time for the ice bucket!" Brian interrupted, watching Howie's face grow red at Nick's constant questions.

"But I need to ask Howie--"

"Whoever hold their head in the bucket the longest gets free food at Mickey D’s."

"ICE BUCKET!" Nick ran over to start their new pre-concert and after-concert tradition, leaving the rest in his wake.

"That was easy."

"Too easy."

"I give him five, four, three, two, one--"

"HEY! Where did everyone go?!"

"Definitely too easy," Howie sighed, falling onto the couch in near ecstasy. Her kiss still lingered on his cheek, her perfume permeated in his senses and her laughter floated softly in his memory. He would call her. It was a risk on his part, but he felt she was worth it.