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“Phew! It’s freaking hot out there,” Brian breathed heavily as he came in from the sound check. Picking up a white towel that was thrown over a chair he wiped his sweat off.

“You’re talking about the weather or the girls?” His bandmate AJ asked taking a big swig from his water bottle.

“Both,” Brian laughed as he sank down on the couch in the backstage room. They were on their Never Gone tour and tonight it was Saratoga Springs in New York that they would be performing in. The sound check had gone rather good although all of the guys had been a bit tired since they had been invited to a party last night and it had gotten late, especially for Nick and Howie.

The door opened and in came Kevin, tightly followed by Howie. “It’s wild out there. The fans are really eating us up.”

“Yeah did you see that girl in the tight yellow top?” Howie agreed. “Man she was hot.” “You mean the one that wanted me to sign her breasts?” Nick asked as he too came in through the door.

“She wanted you to sign her breasts?” Howie asked with a mixture of surprise and disgust. “Did you do it?”

“Sure.” Nick nodded before sinking down beside Brian. “What don’t you do to please the fans?” He didn’t sound too thrilled, more tired. Pointing at the water bottle sitting on the desk beside AJ he asked, “You got one for me too?” A loud cough followed.

“That doesn’t sound too healthy,” Kevin stated with a frown. “Have let the doctor take a look at that?”

Nick didn’t get a chance to answer since Brian was there with a quick reply, “Hello cuz, it’s Kaos we’re talking about here. He who wouldn’t go to a doctor even if he had the plague.”

“Or the crabs,” AJ filled in with a large grin.

Nick’s only response was to stick his middle finger up. Ignoring his band mates he took a large mouthful from the water bottle before rolling it over his forehead in an attempt to cool his body down. It was sweltering out there and it didn’t help that Nick had spent an hour on the hot stage, performing before having to sign autographs for the fans. He could laugh himself lucky that the fans hadn’t attacked him, that if you didn’t count the girl in the yellow top and that was a pretty nice encounter. He’d even asked her if she wanted to come with him to the hotel room afterwards, for a small midnight party with his friends when he remembered that it couldn’t be done. They had to move on to the next city and he was in a way rather relieved when he found that out.

Asking up girls to the hotel room had been more of a habit than a pleasure and there were times when Nick found himself asking the question even though he’d rather spent his time alone, either in the hotel room or on his bus. His buddies however, was of a different thought and they used Nick to get the best findings. He knew that fans probably thought that he wasn’t aware that he was being used but to tell the truth that was something he more or less counted on these days. That was part of the life he was living and even though there were times when he wanted to change it all, he still found himself getting trapped and therefore he continued to outlive the rock n roll dreams with groupies in every corner.

This week however they were not with him on the bus and therefore he didn’t have to play the game. Another itching feeling crept up inside his throat and after harsh coughing a bag of cough drops were thrown his way. “Here. Take these. They will help.” Howie's warm and gentle eyes peered down at him.

“Thanks D.” Nick said, popping a couple into his mouth.

The guys talked for a while before Brian was the one to announce that he was going to give Leighanne and Bailey a call. Picking up his cellphone he walked off to another room. Instantly Nick saw his chance and he stretched out on the couch. It felt good to lay down his aching back which had been sore ever since he did one of those old back flips yesterday at the party and it had ended in a disaster. Nick, who’d been rather drunk when he’d tried jumping back up from lying on his back, had kicked not only the chicks that wanted to see his moves but pulled the waitress that came in carrying a tray of drinks down in the process. There had been lots of laughter that followed and in a way he was happy that he’d been too wasted to care. Now, roughly twelve hours later he’d regretted his stupid stunts. He wasn’t 19 anymore and certainly didn’t have the same physics as back then.

“You still sore?” Howie asked, since he was the only one that had been staying at the party long enough to witness Nick making a fool out of himself.

“A little.” Nick gritted his teeth.

“You shouldn’t have been so stupid to do a stunt like that,” Kevin said with disgust. “You know you’re not seventeen anymore.” “Yeah tell me about it,” Nick mumbled with a sigh. He guessed that this wouldn’t be the last he heard about the event and if he was right Kevins scolding would follow him for a while. Especially if he’d hurt his back.

“What possesed you to do something that stupid?” It was clear that the oldest Backstreet boy wasn’t done with his comments yet.

Nick opened his mouth to answer when AJ cut him short, “No don’t say anything...let me guess.” There was a huge grin on the rebel's lips as he said, “Either it was a blonde with a couple of big tits or it was a brunette?”

The blonde in the sofa groaned while Howie was the one to answer the question.

“Neither. It was a couple of redheads and they were sisters. Twins.”

“Ouch!” AJ yelled out, shaking his hand as he’d burned it. “Twins even? That had to be hot!”

Nick chuckled at the comment. “Yeah I guess.” His words were soon interrupted by another harsh cough.

Kevin shook his head as he stood up. “I don’t know about you guys but I don’t feel like standing here listening to Nick getting a piece of ass.” He patted the youngest on his shoulder. “You try and get some rest before the concert tonight and if I was you I would let the doctor take a look at that cough.” The only response he got was a grunt.

“Yeah Kev is right,” AJ agreed before placing a hand on Howie's shoulder, “Come on D let’s go outside and see if we can find something to eat while Nicky here,” he gestured with his thumb towards the package in the sofa, “is getting his rest.” Before the older man had a chance to answer he went on, “Besides I wanna hear some more about those hot red heads.”

That last sentence had Nick opening his eyes, “Oh No Howie. You’re not going to say anything. Are you?” There was panic in his voice which the Latino swiftly ignored.

“You mean about you saying that those redheads were actually for real? That they were Au Natural’” Howie laughed out loud and this had AJ forcing the latino out of the door with a Really? Tell-me-about-it-comment.

Nick however just groaned. He had no idea what Howie was aiming at and even if he knew he was too tired to pick up the thread. His head had started to hurt and when all of the guys had left the room he folded the pillow, rolled over to his side and wrapping his arms around his body he opted to get a few hours of shut eye before they were ready to hit the stage.

***************************************************************************

It was concert time and they were all hyped.

Nick was bouncing back and forth in the room like a tennis ball, and he couldn’t sit still even if his life depended on it. The fact that his cough had worsened with a runny nose didn’t keep him from being the Energizer Bunny that he was known for. The rest of the guys were taking it more easy. Brian had just made the fifth call to Baylee and Kevin had been going through the song list with their manager Keith. AJ on the other hand had spent his time talking with the other fellows in the band and they had been playing poker. Howie had been doing business with his real estate broker and while all of this had happened Nick had spent his time snoring z’s until he woke up half an hour ago; a big bundle of energy.

“Come on,” Nick bounced up and down pretending to be boxing with the air as his partner. He jabbed an uppercut only to say with in an announcer-type voice, “5-0 to Nick.” Holding up his arm in the air he announced, “And we have a winner...Nick Carter!” With that he made a victory lap around the room much to the other guys dismay.

“God Nick did you ever grow up?” AJ sighed in disgust as he looked up from the Rolling Stones magazine he’d been reading. Ignoring the question his friend danced on as if he was Muhammed Ali and that he was about to win the Championship in boxing. This act had the 27 year old shaking his head and he opened his mouth to comment when Kevin shook his head.

“Not worth it. Besides we’re about to enter soon and...” A loud wet cough broke his sentence, ”and...I’m sure that Nick could use all the strength he can get when he sounds like that.”

At that moment Nick choosed to spit up a large phlegm ball onto the wastebasket which sent AJ and Brian gagging in the process. “That’s nasty!” They both held up their hands infront of their mouths in an attempt to keep their dinner down. Even Howie scrunched up his nose in disgust, “Could you be more gross?” he complained.

Nick shrugged not caring that he was acting like a pig. Kevin shook his head but said nothing at all. He knew how the youngest could be and even though he didn’t like the idea of his band brother spitting in the wastebasket it beat that he would do it on some other place. Like the floor.

Keith stuck in his face inside the door, “You guys getting ready? The show is about to start now.”

Nick who had just sobered up from another coughing attack was fast on his feet again. “Yeah sure I’m ready.” He was being back to a meager impresionation of Tigger again. “Let’s go and say the prayer.” The other guys looked relieved that the show was about to start so that the energy that flowed through the blonde's veins would finally have an output. Seriously it was on the point were they would’ve gone crazy if they had to see Nick bounce around one more time. The concert couldn’t start fast enough.

After the mandatory prayer, which Brian held, they all ran on stage only to be met with thousands of fans screaming their name when they appeared. Their first song was “The Call” and the guys gave everything they could in the opening song. Kevin held a steady eye on Nick who seemed to have a hard time breathing from the first line of the chorus. AJ seemed to have the same opinion and they did their best to encourage the youngest to go on with his solos.

“Hit it Nick!” AJ yelled in the beginning of “Beautiful woman” and the blonde took the stage like the pro he was. The girls screamed like crazy and to say that the noise level was high would be an understatement. High as the clouds would be a better term to use.

Kevin noticed Nick wincing when the girls started screaming his name and he guessed that a headache was the cause for the discomfort and even though he knew that Nick was a big boy by now he still worried over the young man. He worried over his physical health but also over the mental one. Making a note inside his head he deiced to ask either Howie or AJ if they wanted to share the bus with Nick. The thought that he would himself volunteer crossed his mind but he knew that the blonde would feel much more comfortable with anyone of the other guys at his side. Besides he was the one that only came to the rescue when the young man was really bad off and even if he suspected that Nick had attracted more than just a simple cold he didn’t think that it justified him staying on the bus. At least not yet.

During the next song which was “More than that” Kevin continued keeping his eye on Nick, epecially since he suddenly noticed how drained he looked. They had been on the road for a couple of weeks and it was just in the beginning of the tour and Nick looked as if he’d been away for a year. Usually touring did him the most good but this time it was as if Nick would’ve needed more to stay at home and relax. The past year had been hectic with the Paris affair and even though the young man rarely talked about it Kevin knew that it had been affecting him more than he could say. Nick was a person that often kept his feelings inside until they were threatening to crack him open and he hoped that this time he would spill how bad he was feeling, but nope. Instead he continued with the mask that they could all look through.

A loud coughing could be heard from the upper stairs and looking up Kevin saw that Nick was holding an arm towards his face and he was coughing hard into it. By the look of it, it hurt too and he mouthed to the blonde if he wanted any water. Nick just shook his head negatively and instead sang his part in the song. Kevin sighed before turning his attention back to the music and the fans that were worshiping them in the front rows. He waved to a girl that held up a note that said, “Marry me Kevin. I’ll make you happy for life.” He smiled at her while thinking , ‘as if that would ever happen.’

During the short break while Brian was talking to the crowed, hyping them up, Nick walked directly to the backstage to blow his nose. Kevin followed shortly. “You okay man?” he asked.

Nick shrugged. “I think I’m getting a cold.” He coughed once again.

“Sounds like it.” The older man placed his hand on the youngsters shoulder, feeling the warmth radiating from him. “You think you feel up to do this?” The words most have surprised since the blonde turned around, a puzzled expression on his face.

“Yeah sure, why not?” When he received no immediate reply Nick went on, “Kev relax, it’s not the first time I’ve got a cold. I’ll do just fine.” He grinned but Kevin could tell that it was mostly a fake. The smile didn’t reach his eyes that looked more tired and glassy than he’d seen them in a long time.

“Is this here you’ve been hiding?” Howie interupted as he came running into the dressing room. “Nick its time for you to go on.” He looked at the two men in surprise when he noticed Kevin's hand on his friend's shoulder. “Everything’s okay?”

“Sure.” Nick said but there was hesitation in his voice. Squeezing the young man's shoulder Kevin said, “You know if you start to feel bad, just let us know and we help you. Like we always do.”

Nick nodded while picking up his guitar. Before running out of the room to enter the stage agin he gave the older man a look before saying, “Kevin, really it’s okay. I can manage.” With that he ran out of sight. The moment he’d left the room Howie turned to Kevin,

“What was all that about? Something wrong?”

Kevin shrugged. “Nick is getting a cold.”

“Nick always gets a cold,” Howie said with a smile. “As if that would be something to worry about.”

“Maybe so.” The older man agreed, “but I don’t like how exhausted he is.” Pausing for a moment, “As a matter of fact I’m wondering if either you or Bone could stay on his bus tonight. You know to see that everything is all right.”

Howie frowned. “You want us to stay on Nicks bus? Does he know about this?” There was disbelief in the Latino's voice. Kevin started to answer when there was one more call out from the stagehand.

“Richardson, Dorough, twenty seconds before you go on the stage!”