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Kevin and I just sat there, silent and unmoving for the longest time. Facing forward, both trying to come to grips with what had just happened. I think HE was having a harder time excepting it then I was. Afterall I knew Jim was a monster. I have known it for a very long time now. But apparently, Kevin did not. I looked over to him and his expressionless face scared me a little. He was a bit pale but just blank.

"Kevin?" I tapped his shoulder gently. He still continued to look forward

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think so" That pulled him out of his temporary shock. He turned to me, "Are you okay?"

I nodded but I guess he didn't take my word for it because suddenly his eyes were scanning my body making sure I wasn't bloody or bruised.

"Nick, why the hell did you tell him YOU did that? I had it covered" Now he was yelling at me. Not the reaction I expected.

"He was hurting you. I had to do something" I defended my actions. I wasn't going to let Kevin get his head beat in for something I did.

"Well, that was dumb! That really set him off"

"Oh God Kevin you aren't really that dumb are you?"

"What?"

"He is always set off! He wanted to hurt somebody. He's a mean mean guy"

"Maybe he was just having a bad day" I couldn't believe I heard those words coming out of Kevin's mouth. I mean how can he think this could possibly be a once in a lifetime thing?"

"Kevin, look" I said slowly pulling up my shirt to show him my bruise from yesterday. It was big and nasty. Blue with a tinge of brown. He gasped.

"Where the hell did that come from?"

"He gave it to me yesterday" Kevin's eyes grew big.

"What?"

"He came in here while you guys were in the other room and took my Nintendo away. When I went to get it back he shoved me and I flew across the room"

Kevin stood up just then and grabbed me to get a better look. It hurt like hell.

"Why the hell am I just finding out about this?" He asked once again yelling at me. I pulled away from him and slowly put my shirt back down.

"I tried to tell you.."

"You did NO such thing Nick!"

"He is always mean to me Kevin. I told you that"

"But you never said he..hurts you" Kevin began to pace.

"I was afraid to tell"

"Why?"

"Are you gonna tell?" My question had him stop pacing and look my way once again.

"We need to have a group meeting right now!" He headed towards the door.

"Kevin...are you going to tell?" Oh my God that was the only thought going through my mind. He is going to tell and ruin a good thing.

"You can't tell Kevin" He shot me a look, "Stay hear and DON'T answer the door for anyone but me, I will be right back" And then he was gone.

I decided sitting on the floor by the wall was the safest place to be, so after Kevin left I lowered myself back down and sat with my head resting on my knees. Thinking about home. God how I missed being at home. I HATED going away on stupid trips like this but Lou said it was all a necessary thing. All part of the business. Now I wonder how many times in my life I would be hearing that one?

I moved my hand up to massage my stiff neck. It hurt from where Jim was shaking me. HE made me feel so small. Smaller then I already was. Luckily my mind wasn't allowed to wander too much farther because within about five minutes, Kevin was back with ALL the guys.

They looked confused.

"The meeting with Jim didn't go well did it?" Brian asked.

"I have a question but it absolutely CANNOT leave this room do you understand me?" They all nodded, Brian's eyes just staring at me as I remained on the floor.

"Has Jim.." He paused, trying to find the right words.

"Has Jim what?" Brian asked now once again looking at me with a little more suspicion in his eyes.

"Has he ever hurt you? Any of you?"

"What are you talking about Kevin?" Howie looked perplexed.

"Just answer the question..has he?"

"Hell no" He answered. Kevin looked to the other three and they all shook their heads as well. That made him breath a sigh of relief.

"Good"

"Why would you even ask us that?" Brian asked once again focusing his attention on me. I guess I was being a little too quiet for his taste.

"Because he just totally lost it in here and attacked me and Nick" The three of the guys gasped and for some reason, I laughed.

"How?" Howie asked now moving closer to me

"He.."

"There you guys are" Jim said taking it upon himself to enter the room. It made me very uneasy that he had our room keys. It made me VERY uneasy.

"Hi Jim my man" AJ said getting up and shaking his hand.

"We have a pretty tight schedule guys, so enough dawdling okay?" He looked at the other three to see if they had a strange reaction to him. When he saw that no one was making eye contact he immediately looked at me.

"Nick, can I speak to you alone for a minute?" I looked over to Kevin who looked as terrified as I felt.

"We are kind of in the middle of something" Kevin said actually stepping in between Jim and me.

"Oh you were? Is it something I can help with?"

"No, really it's okay. We will only be a minute" Jim then walked over to Kevin and stared him down.

"Okay then" He said never moving his threatening gaze from Kevin. "But don't forget, I want to see Nick right after this and he will tell me what happened in here"

He then pulled away from Kevin and smiled at me, "Right buddy?" I refused to even answer him or look his way.

When he left the room, the tension was still hanging in the air.

"Guys, I just want you to stay away from Jim okay?"

"But Kev, how is that even going to be possible?" Howie asked immediately growing concerned.

"Just do it!" Kevin said very seriously. As if he were threatening his five year old son for the last time before punishment.

"Kevin, he is our boss, we can't exactly stay away from him" Brian was trying to reason with him.

"Well, you will have to do your best. He is no good and I don't want any of you alone with him...got it?"

"Why?" AJ asked, now looking even more perplexed then before.

"I'll tell you later" He knew Jim was standing right outside the door. So did I. And I also knew he was waiting for me.

"Okay, that sucks ass as an explanation but fine. We will stay away from him"

"Thanks"

"Are you okay squirt?" Brian asked me.

I nodded. I could tell Brian wanted to know everything right here and right now, but I think he also realized that Jim was standing right outside the door.

"Kevin, should I call somebody?" Howie asked. Now I was alarmed.

"Not yet, I need to think this through first" Howie nodded at him and then winked at me.

The three of them piled out of my room leaving Kevin and I behind. Just as predicted, Jim was standing right outside the door as soon as Howie opened it to leave. He smiled at them and then closed the door leaving just the three of us in there.

"Kevin, you tattled on me didn't you?" He asked, in a sing song voice.

"Jim, you will make this a whole lot easier on yourself if you just leave now. Maybe ask Lou to reassign you. Tell him we are being pains in the asses or something"

"That's why I'm here in the first place. HE already think you guys are pains"

"I don't plan on telling anyone, but you have to leave though" I haven't known Kevin for that long but I admired the way he was trying to stand up to Jim. He was scared to death, just like me, but still he was making his points and most importantly not backing down.

"I don't care if you tell the other guys, They are harmless" Then he started heading towards me again. I took a few steps back towards the wall.

"But you won't tell anyone else"

"I can't promise you that" Kevin said once again putting himself between me and Jim.

"I think you will" Even though Kevin was between us, Jim's stare was firmly planted on me. I wanted to cry.

"If I get one phone call or anything it's over boys. I mean it. You'll never work in this town again" He let out a phony gasp before continuing.."And then what would Mommy and Daddy do?"

He laughed and stepped back. "Now come on boys you have a busy day ahead of you. Very busy" With that being said he walked out the door.

"What a jerk" I said.

"Yeah, he is"

"We can't tell Kevin"

"We need to Nick, but I have to figure out who to talk to first. Until I do, not a word to anybody okay?"

"Please Kevin, you heard him. He can ruin our careers. I need this job" I was getting choked up. It's kind of funny that a huge man beating me up didn't make me cry but the thought of disappointing my parents did.

"Nick don't be stupid. He can't do anything to us. We will be fine. Okay? You won't be fired from the group and if Mr. Pearlman would get rid of us because we told on someone who enjoyed beating up on us, then screw him!"

"But what if he takes it out on one of the other guys?" That made Kevin stop pacing once again.

"He won't. At least I won't let him, besides I am going to tell THEM everything"

"But then they have to swear not to tell anybody"

"Nick..stop acting like a kid. This is serious. I am going to put in a call to Mr. Pearlman tonight. After we are done. I just need to figure out what to say exactly"

That just about did it for me and I finally started to cry. He walked over to me and put his arm around my shoulder. "Nick, it will be okay, everything will work out"

"You don't know that for sure"

"Yes I do. Trust me" Then grabbing a napkin off of the table he handed it to me so I could blow my nose.

Once I pulled myself together, we walked out of the room and joined the rest of the guys for what would be our busiest day ever...