Under the Willow by Jaded Fae
Summary: What is the meaning of friendship? One may ask this question thousands of times in their life and never get an answer. For two Backstreet Boys friendship delves deeper into emotion and life than one may be able to bear. Love is thicker than blood and sometimes the family you seek has been standing beside you all along.
Categories: Fanfiction > Backstreet Boys Characters: AJ, Nick
Genres: Drama
Warnings: None
Challenges:
Series: None
Chapters: 1 Completed: No Word count: 364 Read: 900 Published: 09/21/06 Updated: 09/21/06

1. Prologue by Jaded Fae

Prologue by Jaded Fae
Author's Notes:
This story starts and the ending and goes back to the beginning.

Please review if you want more. Thank you.

Carpe diem!
Autumn was always his favorite. The reds, golds, and browns dripped around him, creating a landscape made for a dream. Slowly he walked, the grey sky above him, the old path below him, and for a moment he was at peace. He allowed the breeze to kiss his cheek and watched as it wisped the crisp leaves along the ground. The iron gate slowly grew closer along with its tiny homes inside. With his hands deep within his pockets he walked on, burying his chin and lips deep within his scarf.

Entering the gate, he worked his way through the stones on a path he knew all too well, though it had been years since he had been here. He stopped in front of the one beneath the large drooping weeping willow. Years had worn away at the stone, its once hard edges gave way to smooth, moss-covered letters.

Kneeling, he pushed aside some dead flowers and moved aside the dying grass so he could read the name.

He stood there for a long time, his eyes reading and rereading the solemn words. Memories, long forgotten, danced a smooth ballet in his mind.

It was the grave of his long dead friend, a wonderfully kind spirit of a man taken too soon before his time.

Bending down he picked up a smooth rock and wiped the dirt from it with his black overcoat. Although it was a Jewish tradition and he and his friend were both Christian, the man placed the rock on top of the headstone. It was to say, ‘I was here, and I miss you.’

He let his hand rest there for a long while, his fingers heavy with regret. The leaves rustled up around him as he stepped back, bidding his final farewell to his departed friend.

Turning, he started his way back to the main path, back through the iron gate, and farther away from the grave and the body that lay beneath the cold dark earth.

Only once did he looked over his shoulder, and only once did he speak, though only in a weak whisper.

“Good-bye Alex,” and he turned, and left the cemetery, never to return.
This story archived at http://absolutechaos.net/viewstory.php?sid=8092