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What Becomes of the Broken Hearted
Chapter 23 – June 20 2007

Bored, Nick flipped down on his living room sofa and began channel surfing. Five years later and the Backstreet Boys were still one of the most popular acts in the world, as was Aaron Carter. Nysnc on the other hand were long gone. In fact, JC was working at a gas station not far from Nick's house.

“Twenty seven years old and still single.” Nick sighed, still flipping channels. Finally, he decided on VH1. “Even Howie's married!” He thought bitterly. He checked the TV Guide. 'Where Are They Now' was going to be starting in a couple of minutes. Nick laughed. “Maybe it'll be Nsync.” He chuckled to himself as the title screen started.

“Today on 'Where are they Now'. You may remember them from their catchy single 'How About That' Or maybe you hated them because of their close friendship with the Backstreet Boys. Whatever your opinion on them, they were everywhere in 2002. The 4 Gurlz.”

Nick's ears perked up upon hearing that. Turning up the volume he picked up the phone to call Brian. “You'll never guess who's on VH1.”

“This girls.” Brian replied knowingly.

“Yup.” Nick said. “I'm gonna watch it, see ya later.”

“Bye.”

Concentrating on the TV, Nick shook his head. Had it been five years ago already that they had all sent the summer at his house? He smiled, recalling when he, Steph, Charline had played soccer in the backyard. But all the good memories seemed to be shadowed by the agonizing last three days the girls were there.

After their music video for How About That was over, Joce appeared on the screen. She looked older and more mature than she had back then.

“I interviews each of the girls individually.” The host explained. “So you've just released a comeback single, and I heard it's doing pretty well.”

Joce nodded, grinning. “Yeah, it's a song called California, actually Charline wrote it while we were staying in LA a few years ago.”

The host nodded. “How, Charline isn't in the video. Did she quit?”

Joce shook her head sadly. “No, um, actually, she died.” She said quietly. By the time Charline had died, they were out of the spotlight and the media no longer had any interest in them.

The scene switched to the host interviewing Steph. “How did she die?”

Steph swallowed, four years later and it still hurt her to think about when Charline passed away. As well as for Sophie and Joce. The last image of Charline they had in their minds was her with a heartbroken sad look in her eyes. Steph remembered it vividly.

“Tell Aaron I love him.”

“Uh well, she was pregnant.” Steph finally spoke, trying not to look too upset. “And after she had the baby, her body was too weak.”

The host nodded sympathetically. “So who's taking care of her child?”

“We are, even though, legally, Sophie is the guardian.”

Nick's eye widened. Charline was pregnant? No, but that didn't mean it was Aaron's. It probably wasn't. That had been years ago.

“She just turned four this past April.” Sophie answered, smiling. Though nobody could replace Charline, Alissa was the next closest thing. She and Charline were so alike, always smiling and full of energy.

Mentally nick worked the math out in his head. If Charline's kid was four in April, that meant she had been born in 2003, and that meant she was concieveed around... July 2002. Thinking back, nick recalled something he would have liked to forget.

**Flashback – July 2 2002

Nick sighed. “Well, that's good. You were in the water right?”

Aaron nodded.

“That means you didn't use anything.” Nick stated, glaring at him.

Aaron winced. “I guess not.”

**Flashback – September 25 2002

“Is the rumour true that Charline is pregnant?” Ashley, an MTV VJ asked.

Aaron almost choked on his Pepsi when he heard that. Nick glared at him. There was no way Charline and Aaron could raise a kid!! They were only kids themselves.

Joce shook her head and both Aaron and Nick breathed a sigh of relief.

Coming back to the present, nick shook his head. It was all coming together. When Steph had told him too much stuff was happening; she had been talking about Charline being pregnant. The girls lied about Charline being sick to save theirs and Aaron's careers. The reason they never came back was because they'd been too busy raising Charline's kid!

Now, it all made sense to him. For a second, Nick thought he should call Aaron and tell him to watch VH1, and then he decided not to. The girls seemed to have their lives on track. Getting Aaron involved would probably create an unnecessary amount of drama.

Looking back at the TV, they were now talking about the song Charline wrote about California. It was a happy song, obviously written before hers and Aaron's break up.

When the video came on, Nick watched it closely. They were playing soccer, swimming, sitting on the beach and walking on the boardwalk.

Nick smiled, he remembered all that. It was like the whole video was a tribute to Charline. Nick wondered if Aaron had seen it yet. Probably not, since he was busy with the tour and all. Even so, the MTV VMA Party was in a few days, and if the girls were there ... well, Aaron would probably be crushed to say the least.

Switching off the TV, not able to handle watching anymore, Nick walked into his kitchen and started to make lunch. He never guessed things from your past you thought were long forgotten could come back and haunt you like that.