"I can´t believe this," Brin moaned looking at the watch for the umpth time the latest hour, "We were suppose to be just shopping at the mall and now we have been in this shoe store for like 45 minutes." He drew a hand through his hair. "How hard can it be to pick out a pair of shoes?"

"Take it easy, we’re done soon," Howie said with a smile holding up a pair of black shoes, "What do you think of them?"

Brian rolled his eyes. Like he cared what the guys put on their feet? To him the pair Howie showed looked just like every other pair of shoes that was taking up space in his friend’s closet.

"You can at least pretend that you´re interested," Howie muttered.

"Well I´m not and I really think we should leave now. Take a look outside.... the street is crowded with fans. Apparently the word has spread that we are in this store."

AJ looking up, lit up a big grin, "Yeah isn´t it awesome. Imagine all those gorgeous chicks are here just for us. Maybe we should go out and grab an ass."

"You´re sick!" Brian schrunced up his nose in disgust.

"Nope just horney." AJ laughed and so did Howie. This caught Brian’s disgust even more, "You´re just as bad as him."

The scene outside was bad, almost as bad as earlier in the music store. About a hundred was standing outside screaming their names, trying to get a glimpse of the famous popstars that was gracing Vienna and not a security guard in sight. Part of it the riot outside was due to that neither of the men had brought their bodyguards so they were virtually unprotected from the crowd. This was a decision that Brian wished he had never made.

How could he be so stupid to listen to AJ? What had he been thinking when he had agreed to go with the band’s two shopaholics on a round? He should have stayed at the hotel with Nick instead, maybe playing a game or two of Nintendo. Anything was better than running around in clothing stores!

To his defense he had to say that the guys had all tricked him to come along by offering to buy him lunch. And now they had been locked up in there for what seemed like eternity and judging by the amount of fans that had gathered outside they would have to sit tight until closing time or they would be crushed on the spot.

Groaning he got AJ´s attention again.

"Relax man. You´re gonna get an ulcer being that uptight." AJ grinned, "Now I see why you and Kev are cousins." The younger man got back a hard glare from Brian and he grinned even wider, "Chill out dude, life is too short to go around and worry." He patted to the seat next to him, "Come and sit down here and take it easy. Stressing is no good for the health."

Brian snorted, "No thank you!"

"Man there’s no need to be so hostile," AJ said a bit hurt over the expression of disgust his friend had showed. Ignoring Mr. Grouch he turned to his best friend, "Hey D´ Check out these beauties..ain´t they cool?" He held up a pair of brown boots. Howie nodded in approvement while Brian looked the other way.

The shoe manager was squealing with delight, "It´s genuine Buffalo leather, the finest quality Mr. McLean."

"Good I´ll take these," AJ put the boots down in the pile of shoes he had picked out. The manager was not late in picking up the pile of shoes walking with them to the cash register. It was rarely that any celebrity came into the shop, much less someone that was buying five pair of shoes from finest quality. Suddenly AJ changed his mind, "Wait," he called out to the manager who stopped unwillingly, "Yes?"

"You don´t happend to have a smaller size off that boot? I wanna buy a pair for my girlfriend too"

"Of course Mr. McLean." The manager flashed a big smile. Costumers like this skinny man with the wierd haircut was a person that he fancied, espeically when they were had such a thick wallet.

"How much are you going to spend? Don´t you think you had enough shoes by now?" Brian placed his arms over each other in disgust. "Man you don´t have to shop up the whole paycheck in a day."

AJ´s eyes grew black, "And who are you? My mother?

Howie sensed that this could end up in one of the endless mouth fights that was the guys trademark "There’s no need for fighting over a pair of shoes."

"A pair? I see five no six pair of shoes." Brian shook his head. Bone was some character. He was the person next to Nick who was very special with the exception that he had real trouble finding out who AJ really was. The more he got to be with the skinny man the more puzzled he became. He liked him yet he couldn´t understand him. Nick on the other hand was like an open book.

The feelings were mutual. Brian had always been a tough cookie for AJ to understand and since they were so different from each other they didn´t spend much time toghether. AJ thought that Brian had been so much more fun when he was dating Samantha and ever since he met that new chick Leighanne he was becoming more and more like a bore. Ok his friend could be funny at times but lately he was just moody. Peering over the top of his sun glasses AJ remarked that the Kentuckian had been standing by the door all the time, like a statue not showing any interest whatsoever in shopping.

"Are you guys done yet? I´m starving to death,"

"Didn´t I tell you to chill out and take it easy? It´s not like we can get out of this place anyway."

Upon hearing this Brian felt his temper being tested. "This was such an stupid idea." Turning to Howie he added, "right D'?"

Howie on the other hand shrugged. He´d never liked coming in between any of the guys and was always doing his best to stay out of conflicts. This was no exception. "I don´t know Rok, maybe we should listen to Bone."

"Listen to him? No way! I´m getting out of here. Howie where is your cell?"

"Here. Why?" Howie looked a bit surprised while he was handing the wanted gift to Brian. "You gonna call someone?"

"Yes, Security!"

Now AJ woke up. "What? Security? Are you out of your fucking mind?" He tried to reach the cellphone that Brian had in his hand. "Give it to me!" he demanded.

"No way...I´m calling security since it was stupid of us to go shopping without any bodyguards with us. What were we thinking?" He looked at Howie who seemed to think the same thing.

"Yes Bone why can´t we call Tommy and the guys?"

"Because it would look so fucked up if we were to call for backup now." He shook his head, "Besides we can get always go out the backdoor."

The manager came back with the a box of boots. "Sorry but there are is no back entrance!" He sounded appologetical.

"GREAT! Then we are stuck here." Brian flared out his hands before sitting down heavily on the chair. "And it is all your fault," he pointed to AJ who looked surprised. "This was the most stupid idea that you ever thought of."

"I? Dude you have done nothing but complain and whine. Just like some freaking baby." AJ was fed up with Brians pissy attitude. "You two bitch and moan like a bunch of ladies, especially you B'rok. You should buy a bra while you´re at it!"

"Har har..you think you´re funny now?" Brian asked irritated.

"Who says I´m joking? Man if I had known what a bunch of boring sissys you two where I would have dragged Kaos along. At least when he is around something is happening."

Howie looked a bit hurt, "You think I´m boring too?"

"Nope," AJ grinned, patting his friend’s shoulder, " You´re just a sissy." Howie made a face. The grin faded on the younger man’s lips when he looked at his other friend, "But you.. you use to be fun to hang around with but these days all you do is whine about everything. What has happened to you?"

"Nothing." Brian sneered, "it´s just that I have always in my life wanted to be stuck in a shoestore in a foreign country when my gut is screaming from hunger."There was major sarcasim in his voice. "Especially since getting outside I will be probably crushed to pieces."

"Well then your dream have finally come true. Congratulations." AJ could be sarcastic too.

"Knock it off you two."

"I´m innocent." AJ defended himself, "It was Bri who started it all."

"I did not. If you hadn´t been so stupid to go away without security and if I hadn´t listened to you then we wouldn´t have been here..stuck in a freaking shoeshop."

"You had your own free will to come with me and I didn´t hear you complain before when I asked if you wanted to get out of that hell hole." He was referring to the choice of hotel his managers had choose upon them.

"I had no idea that it would be this hysterical," he waved with his hand towards the crowd outside, "It´s suicide mission to go out there."

"Wuss."

"It doesnt get any better if we are fighting with each other," Howie tried to reason, but it was futile since he was talking at deaf ears. Brian and AJ was already engrossed in a battle of words where they were calling each other all kind of nasty things.

"This is getting stupid," AJ burst out. "I´m getting out from this place. Dammit, it´s just a bunch of girls!"

"A bunch? I say at least 200 people and if you go outside you’re a goner!"

"Overexaggurating again are we?" AJ said with a mocking voice.

Howie sighed, this was getting more and more embarrassing and he tried to explained to the surprised manager that they had been touring for too long and it was getting on their nerves to spend 24/7 with each other, constantly. The manager nodded, looking amused over the free show that the brothers were putting up.

AJ walked over to the window peering outside. When they saw the silouette of the Backstreet Boy, the girls were screaming even louder which had AJ laughing, "Dude there is alot of people out there." He stopped and made an grimace to the girls who screamed even louder, "There are also some true babes too. Maybe I should go outside and investigate." He grinned towards Howie and Brian who looked more shocked than amused.

"Are you crazy?" they said in unison when their friend reached for the handle, unlocking the door.

AJ smiled, "Nope but I like to live dangerously." With that he stepped out to the screaming crowed and disappeared out of view.

"What are you doing?" Howie yelled after AJ who was nowhere in sight.

Brian was just as shocked, "Come back here!"

They were doing everything in their power to stop AJ from going out to the hyneas. But it was too late. The girls spotted them too and they had to close the door and hide inside the store or they would have been grounded meat too. The girl’s screams were so loud that Brian had to hold his hands over his ears. As the seconds passed and no AJ appeared he was becoming more and more frantic. Yelling to Howie, shaking his arm he said, "You gotta do something..Oh my God he will be crushed. Do something! We have to call someone..call security..call Kevin..Oh My God what are we going to do?"

Howie was just as shocked up but he was doing his best trying to stay calm. Picking up his small cell phone he dialed the number to Kevin. If there was anyone who would know what to do in a situation like this it was his older brother. Several signals were heard before a voice came booming into the phone, "Yes?" It sounded annoyed like he was getting interrupted from something important.

"It´s me D'!"

"Howie what do you want?" Irritated tone.

"We are at a shoe store and was going to buy some shoes when Bone disappeared out in the crowd and.." Howie was talking as fast as he could as if he thought that he would get help faster that way.

"Who is we? You mean you and AJ and Brian? Calm down your talking too fast."

"No you dont understand. AJ will be getting crushed, you have to get security to come over and..." Howie was getting interrupted by Kevin who was not sounding so calm anymore. "He’s what?" There was a brief silence where Kevin is drawing in his breath, "Is Brian there? If he is, let me speak to him!"

"Here Kev wants to speak to you," Howie said handing Brian the cell. The Kentuckian shook his head in response, "NO I have to find AJ, this isn´t even funny. I have to go out there too."

"Are you nuts you’ll get killed too." Howie shouted getting an even more urgent voice from the other side of the phone. " D' get Brian for me!"

This was all a nightmare. In slowmotion Brian grabbed the cell, "It´s me," he mumbled into the phone. Kevin had rose his voice several octaves and he was talking unusually fast to be him , "Ok give me a report what is happeníng?"

"Bone went out to the waiting crowd outside..without security and now we have lost him!"

" Lost him??" Kevin practically yelled, " You have what? Are you morons or what???"

" It´s not my fault. He went out there and.."

" How can you be so stupid that you go out to hundreds of screaming girls? Didn´t you get enough of that at the music store earlier today?"

" Why are you screaming at me?" Now Brian was getting close to hysterical. " I´m not that one to blame I wanted to get security but then AJ thought that I was a whimpy ass and.."

" He did WHAT??" Kevin yelled so loud that Brian feared he would break his eardrums. " Man as soon as he gets back I´m gonna give him a fight that he never forgets!"

" Kev are you not listening?" Brian shouted into the cell, " He´s not coming back. He´s dead and.."

" Dead? Are you pulling my leg? Beacuse if you are Littrell it´s not funny and I´m going to kick your ass if.." He was interupted by his cousin.

" NO! It´s true we have to call an ambulance and.." Brian was shaking so bad that he didn´t even register when Howie was trying to get his attention. " Not now D' can´t you see I´m talking to Kev," he snapped.

" Brian! Brian! he´s here!" Howies face lit up like a christmas street in New York on New Years eve.

" Yeah B'rok I am." AJ´s voice sounded through the room and Brian turned his face to be met with the sore sight of his friend standing infront of him. Startled he dropped the cell in his hands, " Alexander is that really you?"

" Naaah dumbass, it´s a ghost. Of couse it´s me, stupid." He slapped his hand into Brians back, grinning widely., Brian took in his friends dishelved appearance. It was true, he was standing there. His shirt were torn, there were a bruise under his eye and his hair looked like it had been ripped at. There were also scratches on his cheek as well as his right ear was bleeding after someone trying to grab an earing for an souvenir. All over him were traces off lipstick too so it couldn´t have been too bad. Brian smiled. All that mattered was that he was still alive! The previous exchange with harsh words were forgotten and Brian gave his friend a really big hug causing him to back away.

" Take it easy you´re scaring me. You´re starting to act like Nick!" He grinned. Howie laughed too, yes even the manager was happy over that everything had worked out fine. The last thing he wanted was to get bad press and somehow a popstar dying infront of the shop crushed to death wasn´t that kind of publicity he opted for.

" How did you manage to get out of there?"

" The police came and the crowed was scattered," he grinned "and then I snuck back here again.

" Oh!" Suddenly there were a sound coming from the cellphone in Brians hand.

" BRIAN WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING, ANSWER ME!!" The loud growl of his cousins voice were heard.

Shit they had completely forgot all about Kevin in the turmoil of the lost friends return. Howie was the one that picked up the phone.

" It´s me D!"

Kevin was not a happy man, " What the fuck do you mean by leaving me hanging? What happend? Where did Brian go??"

" Sorry but AJ got back!"

" HE DID WHAT? I SWEAR IF YOU WERE DOING A PRANK ON ME I´M GOING TO KILL YOU ALL...SLOWLY!"

Howie smiled. He knew exactly how worried the older man had been and he did his best to reassure him that everything was fine and calm again. It took a while but when Kevin finally realized that everything was calm on the waterfront again he let out a deep sigh, " I swear that you guys are going to give me an hernia before this tour is over. First Nick and then AJ and.."

" Nick? What is it with Nick?" Howie asked a bit concerned, " He´s not getting worse is he?" Both Brian and AJ stopped the talking looking at the Latino.

" What?" Brian mouthed.

" It´s nothing...." Kevin said a bit irritated, " Now get your ass back to the hotel before something more is happening."

" Ok..we will be back soon.."

" Soon?" Kevin rose his voice again. " You better get your ass here NOW!"

" Yeah we will as soon as AJ is done with the shopping." Howies eyes glistered micheviously as he looked at both of his friends.

A loud groan could be heard in the background, " No way if you do that I´m kicking you all out and then locking the door. Personally."