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Author's Chapter Notes:

I know I said I was done. You can thank Rose for giving me this idea. I ran with it and I hope you enjoy the outcome. I'm hoping it'll be Fishing meets Why lol

 

The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.  ~Elisabeth Foley  

~ 1 ~ 

The Backstreet Kevin   

 

“Are you sure this is a good idea?”

 

Kevin shook his head a few times but then smiled, “Yes Nick…for the ten thousandth time, I think this is a good idea.”

 

“Because we haven’t done this in a long time…I mean a really long time…in fact, have we ever done this?”

 

Kevin pulled his backpack up on his shoulder, “I don’t think so, not just the two of us anyway.”

 

“Have we ever done it as a group?”

 

“You are supposed to have the better memory Nick, not me.”

 

“Well Kevin, my memory is sucking lately.”

 

“I can tell.” He said as he reached over and pat his younger friend on the back. It was a very last minute decision, to go on a camping trip. Since Kristin had the baby, he never let his new family too far out of his reach. One would think that would be a good thing but supposedly it was Kristin who was yearning for some free time with just the baby.

 

Kevin smiled to himself; the Backstreet Kevin would have not taken that well at all. If Backstreet Kevin was told to go play in the woods with some of his friends, he would have just about had ten cows after thinking his wife was trying to get rid of him so she could have her lover come over or something even worse than that. Backstreet Kevin was a real asshole sometimes.

 

Being out of the limelight was probably the best thing he ever did for himself. It felt like a huge weight being lifted off of his shoulders. Not to imply that Backstreet was nothing but a huge weight, but the fame part of it was too much. He was scared that he had made the wrong decision at first. Maybe it was too impulsive and later when he’d end up doing regional theater in the tenth revival of Chicago; he’d look back on the days when he had it all and feel a huge sense of regret. Luckily, the regret hasn’t come, only the satisfaction of feeling free to do whatever he wants.

 

He was very naive, thinking the fans would be sad but would quickly get over it and understand why he had to leave. He was wrong about that. At first it stung like a bee. Hearing how outraged the fans were. How downright hateful they were about his departure. They really resented him for everything and even went so far as to blame him if the new album flopped.

 

Kristin told him it would probably not be a good idea to watch or listen to any of the interviews for the first few months. She said that even though the guys understood why he left, there was certain to be hurt feelings. Of course he didn’t listen to her and watched as interview after interview the guys said the same thing over and over again. He had to smile when he saw it was Howie who was left with the task.

 

“Kevin wanted to start a family and the door was always open…”  And on and on it went.

 

That’s how it started out anyhow. Things began to change when they split up for interviews.

 

The way Brian’s body language shifted when they brought Kevin’s name up coupled with some of the things he said about going for a younger sound now and how they all were more agreeable without Kevin, and the direction was geared to a younger audience and not for adult contemporary… all that stuff made it seem like he was the one holding them back.

 

The first time he heard that he actually called Brian and they had a mini blow out over the phone. It was a ridiculous argument and in the end they both apologized to each other. That’s when Kristin walked up behind him, kissed him tenderly on the neck and whispered an “I told you so.”

 

He decided it was best to maybe not watch or listen to any more interviews.

 

“So, where is this place anyway?”  Nick asked Kevin as he took out a compass and held it out to the sun.

 

“Do you even know how to use that thing?” Kevin asked, deciding to take a small break by sitting on a boulder and pulling out a water bottle from the cooler Nick was carrying.

 

Nick continued to hold the compass up to the air but he also licked his finger and held that up too. Kevin laughed at that, no was the answer. The boy had no clue what he was doing.

 

“Sure I do, can’t you tell? You know back when I was a kid, I used to be a Boy Scout.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Uh, yeah sure. It was fun we used to toast marshmallows and sell cookies.”

 

“Nick, that’s the Girl Scouts who sell cookies.”

 

“Why is that you think?” Nick looked around for a boulder of his own and let out a sigh when there was none to be found. He grabbed his backpack which was as big as a house it seemed and sat on that instead. Pulling a bottle of water out of the cooler for himself, he continued with his odd thoughts, “I mean the Boy Scouts could sell cookies too. Do they sell anything?”

 

“I don’t know, you tell me, you were the Boy Scout supposedly.”

 

“I was?” Nick had that priceless, baffled look on his face that usually made Kevin want to slap him, but that was the Backstreet Kevin, this one only laughed.

 

“Wow, you weren’t kidding when you said your memory sucks, huh?”

 

The blonde scratched his head and swatted one of those invisible mosquitoes away, “No I didn’t.” He answered, seeming amused.

 

“Too bad they didn’t give out badges to kids with the worst memories on the planet, because you my friend, would own that one!”

 

“They might have, but if they did I don’t remember!”

 

Kevin laughed and shook his head, “My dad was never a big fan of the Boy Scouts.”

 

Nick had a look of surprise on his face, “That’s weird. I would think all you Richardson boys were leaders of the pack and held the highest Boy Scout rank. Like Grand Pooh pah or something.”

 

“Eagle Scout I believe. Grand Pooh pah was a Flintstones thing.”

 

“I was close, they both would have happened around the same time!”

 

Kevin took his water and flung some at Nick, smirking when it hit him square in the face, “Very nice smart ass.”

 

“It just comes natural Kevin, like a gift from the Gods.”

 

“Too bad the Gods weren’t handing out more useful gifts like how to read a compass.”

 

“I could do a chant to the Gods if you’d like but that would involve stripping and lot’s of naked dancing.”

 

Kevin laughed, he really missed Nick a lot, but he would never openly admit that. “No, that’s okay; let’s pass on that one for now. Besides, I know exactly where we are.”

 

“Really?” Nick asked raising his eyebrow at his friend as he took another swig of his water.

 

That’s when Kevin pointed to the huge sign that seemed to be hanging right over Nick’s head. In big bold letters it read Campground with an arrow. Of course when Nick saw this he spit out his water and giggled like a ten year old. Kevin always loved Nick’s laugh. Even when he was so mad at the kid he wanted to string him up, that laugh was just so infectious he couldn’t help but smile. It’s that laugh that saved Nick’s ass more than once when Kevin was concerned.

 

“Well, should we continue on?” Nick asked as he stood up and stretched. “Shit! 3 miles!!! Kevin that’s hella long!” He added when he read the rest of the sign.

 

“Three miles is nothing. When you dance and run around the stage it’s the equivalent of almost doing a marathon every night.”

 

Nick semi nodded, “Yeah, okay but I’m on vacation.”

 

“Would you like me to carry you piggy back? Wait! Don’t answer that question.” It was Kevin’s turn to stand up and when he did his knees cracked so loudly it had the blond giggling again. “Shut up, you’ll be this old one day soon too.”

 

“I don’t know about soon, but if it makes you feel better, my joints crack all the time.”

 

“You would think I’d feel better about that but sadly, I don’t.”

 

“Well thank you Kevin, see? I knew there was a reason I still wanted to hang out with you.”

 

Kevin nodded at his friend as they continued down the rocky path towards the campground. It was funny that it was Nick’s name that came out of his mouth first when Kris told him he should go camping with friends. She seemed a little surprised. Not so much that it was Nick he mentioned, but more so the speed at which he mentioned it. The second it was out of her mouth, it took him only a few minutes before saying, “I wonder if Nick is free.”

 

Out of all of the guys it was Nick he felt the most disconnected to these days. He knew it was Nick who was going to take his leaving the group the hardest and he was right. While all the other guys shook his hand and at least pretended to understand, Nick didn’t even approach him. He just walked right out of the room and went to go play basketball. At first he was going to follow him but in the long run, he decided to give the guy some space.

 

Months after he officially left the group, all the guys had at least called him once, but not Nick and as much as Kevin wanted to call him up, he decided to play stubborn. Then came the reality show to which Brian had called his cousin, concerned about the youngest member’s decision to do a show on E!

 

“No good will come of this Kevin, you need to talk to him.” Brian had pleaded.

 

“I haven’t said one word to him since I left the group; you think he’s going to listen to me?”

 

“Your opinion matters to him, more than you will ever know.” Brian had answered honestly.

 

Kevin thought about making that call over and over again but decided against it. As much as he wanted to step in, he felt like it was no longer his place. Not that it ever should have been his place to begin with.

 

The show aired, Kevin was horrified and worried and that sparked a call finally to his little brother in the group. At first the conversation was very uncomfortable with long silences in-between words. For his part, Kevin chose his words very carefully, not even bringing up the actual show at all, just a nice, quick it’s been a long time man, how are you doing?

 

He was hoping that Nick would mention the show but he never did. They talked for about fifteen minutes and it went so poorly and felt so strained, Kevin actually got teary eyed when he hung up. All those years together, so close it was almost too close seemed to mean nothing to the kid anymore.

 

Kevin didn’t give up, he called Nick at least once a month, just to say hello and check up on him. Sometimes they talked and sometimes they didn’t. Gradually the conversations started to grow longer and more relaxed and by the time the new album came out, things seemed to be good.

 

When Kristin became pregnant, their relationship took a few steps backward. They didn’t speak for almost the entire time of Kris’s pregnancy and when Mason was born, all the boys called him, except for Nick. It hurt his feelings, but he also realized that’s the way the boy was. He knew that Nick cared but when it came to anything family oriented, whether it was weddings, funerals or births, Nick made it a point to distance himself from it all. Family hurt too much.

 

Eventually, Nick did call to see how the baby was and if being a daddy had changed the anal ness that was Kevin as he so eloquently put it. Shortly after the call, there was a brief visit and that felt good. Nick kind of squirmed around the baby, much the same way he did around a very young Baylee. Once he held the baby in his arms though, that familiar smile came back as he tickled the baby under the chin and made cooing noises at him.

 

They didn’t see each other again until Howie’s wedding, Nick not even showing up until the reception. There was so much going on; there wasn’t time to really have a great conversation. He didn’t like how distant the blond seemed during the festivities. He looked a lot like the old Nick. The one what was always so troubled about everything. He slipped out of the reception early and unnoticed and that was the last time Kevin had seen him until now.

 

He was hesitant to call Nick at first but he knew with this unforeseen break in their schedule, most likely he’d have some free time. There was a lot of stammering on the phone before Kevin came out and asked him about this camping trip. Nick said yes within a few beats of the question. Seems like they were both eager to reconnect.

 

“What are you thinking about?” Kevin looked up at his friend who was squinting from the bright sun.

 

“Huh?”

 

“You looked like you were in deep thought.”

 

“According to you, I always look like that.”

 

“No Kevin. According to me you always look like you are constipated although I have to say so far I haven’t seen much of that.”

 

“That’s because I shit before I picked you up.” Hearing the word Shit made Nick giggle.

 

“Seriously is everything okay?” Nick asked with a serious tone.

 

“I was just thinking about Howie’s wedding.” Kevin answered, “I hope he’s doing okay.”

 

Nick nodded and put his head down. The reason for this unforeseen vacation wasn’t a good one. Howie’s dad was gravely ill and most likely wouldn’t survive. That was one phone call Kevin wished he never had to endure again. Hearing one of his best friends, the usual stoic and unrestrained Howie, break down on the phone as he explained his father’s grim condition. They soon would have something else in common and that was one thing he wouldn’t wish on his worst enemy, a father who has succumbed to cancer.

 

“I hope so too.” Nick responded softly.

 

“Maybe we’ll give him a call when we reach the campgrounds.”

 

“That’s a good idea, although I think he just wants to be left alone.”

 

“You’d be surprised kiddo. When things like this happen the more people that reach out to you the better, I mean isn’t that how it is for you?”

 

Nick shrugged, “I don’t know, I generally don’t have anyone reach out to me all that often.”

 

Kevin let out a sigh, “Maybe they do reach out, but you won’t let them in.”

 

“I let plenty of people in Kevin, too many actually.” The defensive tone Nick used was a barometer to Kevin. He clicked this topic off as just another thing they’d have to talk about while on this trip. For now though, he’d leave it alone.

 

“Howie would love to hear from us Nick. Sometimes it’s just nice to hear from someone outside of the drama as a nice breath of fresh air.”

 

“I agree, let’s call him when we get there…if we get there.”

 

Kevin laughed, “We’ll make it little man, no worries.”

 

“You know AJ is going to bitch and moan about the three mile hike.”

 

“I know.”

 

Shortly after he and Nick planned out this trip on a whim, Kevin had the idea to invite AJ and Brian along too. It had been such a long time since he had seen all of the guys outside of a formal event. He was afraid the news would disappoint Nick, but he actually seemed eager for that to happen as well. His only request was at least a day or two of alone time with his big brother Kev. Once again when he got off the phone, he was all teary eyed, “I’m not sure what it is about that boy that makes the wussy you come out honey,” Kristin had joked, “but I do miss that from time to time.”

 

AJ and Brian both said they’d love to come along, of course Brian wanted it to be a whole family affair. When Kevin explained it was just a ‘boys’ only thing, he didn’t seem as open to the idea but still he agreed to come for two days.

 

So it would be Nick and Kevin for two days and then Brian and AJ would soon follow to join for the remaining two days. That meant four days of reconnecting with his old band mates, the people who he spent 24/7 with for twelve years of his life. Four days should feel like nothing after all they had been through, at least that was what Kevin was hoping for.

 

“Is that piggyback still up for grabs?” Nick asked as they came to the start of a huge hill.

 

“Nope, but if you want I’ll take the cooler.” Kevin answered as he grabbed the cooler out of his friend’s hands and started the long walk up the steep hill.

 

“How about I sit on the cooler and you can take us both?” Nick suggested.

 

Kevin just shook his head and laughed.