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Double Exposure

Part Seven

I held AJ’s hand with a death grip as we walked past fans and club kids waiting outside of Tabu. AJ laughed and wiggled his fingers, "Uh, Kel... my hand?"

"Oh sorry..." I laughed and lightened my grip refusing to let go.

"What’s with the hand?" he asked as he maneuvered us through the crowd toward the VIP section. "Not that I mind it..."

"Just don’t wanna lose you..." I smiled and he squeezed my hand. The truth was I was nervous as all hell about going to the club that night. I hadn’t seen any of the other guys since Kevin’s wedding and although I occasionally would get a late night call from one of them and chitchat, things were different. We all had our own busy lives and AJ was the only one who I talked to on a regular basis. I’d worked myself up into a frenzy worrying about seeing them all again, and it was beginning to show. "Age?" I yelled over the music pulling at his hand.

"What’s wrong?" he asked turning around to look at me.

"I need a drink..."

He smiled, "I’ll get you one once we’re with the rest of the gang..."

"No, Age, I need one now..."

He looked at me and cocked his head a bit then nodded, "Yeah you do... come on..." With my hand still in his he changed our direction and pulled me through the club toward the bar. Once at the bar he leaned across it and said hello to the bartender by name. "Hey, Tony... meet my girlie, Kel... Kel, this is Tony. He makes the best drinks in town."

"Hi," I smiled and gave a slight wave with my free hand as I refused to let go of AJ’s.

"What’s your pleasure, beautiful?" Tony asked with a stunning smile.

"Tequila..." I smiled back.

"Wow... you sure you don’t want something a little less strong?" he laughed as he began pouring the shot for me.

I shot him a look, "No thanks, I’m a big girl." I looked at AJ, "You doing one too?"

He turned to face me and brought our locked hands to his mouth kissing my hand gently as he leaned against a stool making his eyes closer to my own height. "What’s up?"

I sighed and looked away from his eyes and absentmindedly searched the club, "Just nervous. I need to calm down."

He turned my face back to his, "Nervous about what?"

"It’s been a long time Age... I dunno, it’s just weird coming back home. Back to this world... your world."

"Kel, this is your world too. You’ve always been a part of this. You’ve been here since the beginning."

I nodded and smiled, "I know, honey. I just feel kinda nervous. I’ll be okay. Get a shot in me and let me shake my groove thang and I’ll be fine. Okay?"

"Okay..." he grinned.

"Shot?"

"Hell yeah... Tony? Another please..."

Tony laughed at us and smiled handing us the shots, salt shaker and lemons, "Have fun..."

"No lemons..." I said pushing the dish away.

"No lemons?" Tony asked in shock. "You sure?"

"Positive. The lemon is what makes you sick... Right, Age?" I chuckled.

"Yeah..." AJ said making a face. He’d gotten sick one night when we’d been clubbing and doing shots of tequila with the lemons. I’d warned him all night not to do it and then ended up cleaning up after him as he threw up half the night and I barely had a hangover.

"Okay... so a toast..." I smiled holding up my shot and handing him his. "To my bestest friend in the world, and to canceled photo shoots."

AJ smiled and nodded, "And to shaking our asses all night!"

I laughed and then we went through our ritual of licking each other’s hand, salting them, licking again and doing the shots.  I shuddered as the tequila burned its way down my throat and stuck my tongue out at AJ making a weird noise. He laughed and mimicked my moves. "Whoo... that’ll do it."

"Come on, girlie..." he smiled grabbing my hand again and pulling me toward VIP again.

My butterflies came back to my stomach, although they were beginning to soak in the tequila running through my bloodstream and were losing the battle. As we made our way up the stairs to VIP my eyes settled on Kevin and a grin splayed on my face. He took a double take of me and stood up grinning, "Holy shit she lives!"

"Kevy!" I laughed as he pulled me into a tight hug lifting me off of the floor.

"Look at you, girl..." he smiled stepping back to give me a look over.  "New York is treating you well..."

"Florida’s been kind to you too, baby... where’s that beautiful wife of yours?"

"She’s not here yet," he smiled pulling me in for another hug. "She’s on her way though. God, I can’t believe you’re here!"

"Did you really think that I’d let you Boys run around the world for a whole year without coming to love on you for a while first?" I chuckled.

"That’s true... you always come around to send us off... So you gunna tour with us? Finally live up to your nickname?" he teased.

I rolled my eyes, "You will never let me live that down will you?" I laughed, "God, a girl calls herself The Original Backstreet Slut once and it stays with her forever!"

"Mmm hmm..." he whispered and ran his lips across my neck gently before pulling away from our hug.  "Dance with me tonight?"

"Of course!" I smiled. "Now where’s shorty?"

“Brian or Howie?" Kevin laughed.

"Howie... I’ve gotta tease him about falling off the stage."

Kevin giggled and wrapped his arm around my waist as he looked around for Howie. "Oh... there he is... at the bar. He’ll be back though. And Brian, is out there on the floor dancing with some girl..."

I looked on the dance floor and smiled watching Brian dance. It always hit me how much I really missed having the guys in my everyday life as soon as I was around them again. "So where’s Nick?" AJ asked interrupting my thoughts about Brian and I felt my head swim a little at the mention of Nick’s name.

"I don’t know. Howie called him and invited him out tonight, but didn’t actually talk to him. Brian thinks he might be in LA with Aaron."

I pretended not to be as interested in their conversation as I was and listened while watching Brian shaking his cute little ass to the music. "Oh that’s right... I talked to him a few days ago and he said that he was going to visit Aaron for a few days. He’s probably still there. I think he said he was going to be home this weekend."

I turned around and faced Kevin and AJ. "Guess you’re just gunna have to catch up with Nick later, Kel..." AJ said and waved to someone walking by.

"Mmm hmm..." I smiled suddenly feeling as if the night was going to be okay. "So I dunno about you two, but I came here to dance. I’m going to go sneak up on twang boy down there..." I smiled pointing to Brian. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed both Kevin and AJ’s cheeks, "Miss me..."

"Always..." they said in unison and laughed as I took my over shirt off and threw it at AJ before running off to the dance floor.

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