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"Friday night and the lights are low, looking out for a place to go," Jennifer sang, spinning around on the empty stage. "I'm a dancing queen!"

"Alright, you're fine," Fatima laughed at Jennifer's off-key rendition of the song and waved her off. "I just wanted to make sure you wouldn't hurt yourself tonight."

"I'm fine," Jennifer jumped off the stage and hugged Fatima. "Sick of standing still, that's for sure."

"Can I have my partner back?" Nick walked into the arena and looked at Fatima questioningly.

"Yes, she's all yours," Fatima gave Jennifer a push towards Nick with a smile. She thought the two made a cute couple, and was glad to see them back together. "Now will you be dancing the way I taught you again?"

"I haven't been?" Nick pouted, his blue eyes wide. "I thought you said I'm a wonderful dancer."

"She said you have a wonderful partner," Jennifer grinned, kissing Nick and pulling him up the aisle. "Come on, want to help me get dressed?"

"Oh yeah," Nick's eyes lit up, and Fatima was quickly forgotten as he followed Jennifer to her dressing room.

Fatima bent down to collect her things, looking up in surprise when she saw movement on the stage. "Hello?" She called, giving a start when Kevin emerged from the shadows, waving at her. "Oh, hey."

"Hey," Kevin smiled down at her. "Just checking the stage, after what happened to Jennifer, we can't be too careful."

Fatima nodded solemnly, in full agreement. "Definitely, please make sure every floorboard is very securely fastened."

"I intend to check every show from here on out, I don't want anyone else getting hurt." Kevin said, bending down and stamping on the stage for emphasis. He didn't want Jennifer getting hurt, at least...

"Good," Fatima smiled. "I hate losing dancers like that."

Kevin waved and turned away to continue his check. A smile crossed his face when he wondered...if Fatima hated losing dancers...how was she going to feel about losing a Boy?



Jennifer was standing backstage, stretching out before taking the stage for the night's show. She'd been amazed exactly how sore dancing after a week off had made her, and was only now, after a solid week back, getting back to what she felt was her full potential.

"Hey," Kristen smiled, joining Jen by the side of the stage. "How are you doing?"

"Good," Jennifer smiled. She was getting better at talking to Kristen, although she was still finding one word answers easier than any real conversation.

"I'm leaving the tour tomorrow," Kristen said in a hushed tone, shooting a glance at Kevin standing a few feet away. "He's keeping something from me, and until he tells me what it is, I won't stand for it. You don't know what it is, do you?"

Jennifer's eyes widened, and she shook her head rapidly, "I don't know, Kristen, he's been acting weird lately."

"I've noticed," Kristen sighed and frowned. "Well, whatever it is, I'm sure I'll figure it out soon enough."

The lights went out in the arena around them, and Kristen hugged Jennifer tightly. "In case I don't see you after the show, take care."

"You too," Jennifer returned the hug and ran on stage, shaken by Kristen's question. "Hey," she took Nick's hand and smiled, squeezing it tight.

"I love you," He mouthed, before spinning her around as the show began, and screams filled the air.

Jennifer was trying to concentrate on the show, but it was difficult. She could see Kristen watching Kevin's every move like a hawk, while Kevin's eyes seemed to be fixed on Nick. Nick, meanwhile, was oblivious to everything, he always tended to lose himself in his performance, and tonight was like every other. The fans were treated to the best of Nick Carter, which he gave every night, without fail. Jennifer watched as Nick bounded up the stairs to the top of the stage, spinning around and shouting at the fans in the upper rafters.

Kevin joined Nick up on top, smacking him on the back and grinning widely to joke for the crowd as they moved around the stage, standing on the edge, up high above the crowd below.

Nick felt a floor board under him wobble, and looked up anxiously, waving his arms to try to regain his balance. He felt like a cartoon character, waving in mid air. His face paled as he reached out for Kevin, well aware the man now held his life in his balance.

Kevin saw Nick stumble, and instinctively reached out his hand to grab him, their fingers locking as he struggled to hold the younger man's weight. As he felt Nick's fingers slip away from his, he didn't try to hang on, realizing this was his chance. "Bye Nicky," he whispered, watching as Nick's eyes widened in a horrific realization.

"Kevin!" Nick gasped as he fell backwards off the stage, screams filling the area as he tumbled 30 feet to the audience below.

Fans instantly swarmed on the fallen star, and security was forced to throw people out of their way as they tried to get to Nick, who had fallen right on some seats, just missing the girls who had been standing up dancing instead of sitting.

"NICK!" Jennifer screamed, and she jumped off the stage, clawing her way through people to try to get to him. "Oh my god," she cried, finally reaching him, her stomach churning when she saw him lying still, his body crumpled by his fall. "Nicky," she grabbed his hand and held it tight, looking at the people surrounding them. "Where's an ambulance??"

"Coming," one of the bodyguards reassured her, before bending down to pick up Nick. "Come on, we have to get him away from these girls."

"He just fell down 30 feet, you can't move him!" Jennifer barked, smacking at the bodyguard to get away. "You're just going to hurt him more, get a fucking ambulance!" Tears were pouring down her face as she screamed, but she was oblivious to anything other than Nick. "Oh god, Nicky," she whispered, bending down and kissing his cheek, her eyes widening when she saw the blood pooling under his head. "Oh christ, where's that ambulance..."

"How is he?" Brian called down from the stage above, the bodyguards were refusing to let the other Backstreet Boys go into the audience where their bandmate was lying.

Jennifer looked at Brian and shook her head. "Get the damn ambulance!" She shouted back, sighing with relief when the crowd parted around them to allow a stretcher admittance.

The paramedics quickly loaded Nick into the stretcher and rolled him out, telling Jennifer what hospital she could meet them at.

"Come on, I'll take you," Kevin wrapped an arm around Jennifer as she walked into the backstage area.

"NO!" Jennifer shouted and shoved him away, turning to Brian instead. "Will you go with me?"

Brian's eyes widened, but he nodded solemnly. He would be going anyway, of course, that was his best friend in there. "Let's go."

"Brian, he has to be ok," Jennifer said softly as they walked quickly through the arena, trying to get out the doors before the swarm of fans.

"He will be, Jenny," Brian reassured her.

Jennifer stopped in her tracks as a sob shook her, and she covered her face with her hands as she cried. "I love him, Brian, I can't live without him."

"I know, Jenny," Brian sighed, and put an arm around Jennifer to help her walk to the car. "I need him too, we all do." Or at least, he'd thought they all did.

Brian wished for the world he hadn't seen what he had, but there was no denying it. Nothing in the world could have hurt him more than what he'd seen, or shocked him more to the core. But he'd seen it with his own eyes...

As Nick had struggled for his balance on the edge of the stage, Kevin had pushed him off.