Brian shifted nervously in the booth from the uncomfortable silence. “So your flight was good?”

“Flight was fine,” Kevin muttered as he looked around the restaurant.

“Geeze Kev, don’t cop an attitude about no one picking you up,” AJ grumbled.

The older man stared at the rebel. “Who said I have an attitude?”

“Well, you’re not talking…”

Kevin leaned back into his seat as he drew a slow breath in. “Do I have to run off at the mouth to keep you entertained every two seconds?”

Playing with the salt and pepper shakers, AJ shrugged his shoulders.

“Good, cause I’m tired and I’m really not in the mood to argue…besides, I would rather listen to Nicky talk than hear myself.” He turned his attention to the blonde. “You haven’t said anything since we drove over here.”

This time it was Nick Carter that shrugged his shoulders and twisted his face into a thoughtful frown. “Nothing to tell ya.”

Brian grinned at Nick’s mannerisms. This was the Nick he knew and loved. Nick caught the smirk and immediately looked over at Brian. “Whatcha you smiling for?”

“Just you…”

AJ rolled his eyes. “You realize how gay you just sounded….all totally in love gayness.”

Kevin shook his head. “What is it with you and being gay,” Kevin questioned.

“Yeah, whats wrong with being gay?” Nick asked.

AJ looked over his shoulder as he leaned closer toward the table, whispering, “Keep your voice down Nick!”

“Why? Are you afraid someone will find out that you’re gay?” the blonde asked with a smirk on his face.

AJ glared at the sudden change in Nick’s demeanor. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“What do you mean what’s wrong with me? There’s absolutely nothing wrong with me!”

“I told you to keep your voice down,” AJ admonished in a harsh whisper. He leaned back and then directed the next statement toward Brian and Kevin. “It would figure that as soon as we go to a public place Kaos decides to be like he was before the accident.”

“Accident? What the hell are you talking about?”

AJ nodded toward the blonde. “Exactly what I’m talking about!”

“Could you please tell me what you’re talking about?”

This time it was Brian that leaned forward. “He doubt he would recall what happened but I would have to agree with AJ. You seem to act normal when we go out in public.”

Nick started to move himself across the booth seat. “Jesus….Kevin, move.”

AJ cleared his throat, “Where do you think you’re going?”

“I need to take a piss, if it’s any of your business,” the blonde blurted.

The rebel slid out of his side of the booth, standing up. “I’ll go with you.” Standing in the aisle with Kevin, he waited a few moments for Nick to get out of the booth. Noticing that Nick was now suddenly happy to stay seated in the booth, he quickly whispered, “I thought you said you needed to use the bathroom…”

“That was before you decided you needed to go with me for some gay reason….” Nick mumbled, suddenly interested in the dessert menu.

Tired of standing in the aisle, Kevin slid back into the booth. “What looks good on the menu?”

“Stuff,” Nick replied and then quickly slid the menu back where he took it from.

“Such as?” Kevin pressed.

“It doesn’t matter, just pies and junk,” Nick replied. After a few minutes of awkward silence, he became aware of the eyes at the table looking at him. ”What!” he quickly snapped.

Kevin quickly placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder. “Take it easy.”

“Seriously, what the hell is everyone’s deal? I mean you guys get on my case this afternoon for no reason and I’m getting sick and tired of being singled out….where the hell is D anyways? He usually takes my side when you guys gang up on me.”

“Howie had business to take care of in Florida,” Kevin replied quietly.

Nick rolled his eyes. “During the middle of a tour? What the fuck Kevin….I’m shocked you even allowed that one to happen…”

“A tour Nick?”

“Are you deaf old man? Yeah, I said tour.”

AJ winced when Nick called Kevin old man. He was certain the Kentuckian was going to blow a gasket.

Kevin brushed Nick’s comment off. “There’s no need to call me names. Where do you think we are today?”

Looking around the restaurant, Nick shrugged his shoulders. “Dunno, you’d know as much about where we are than I would Kev since you always make it a point to memorize tour stops. The food is here, so just drop it, okay?”

Desperate to see if old Nick was the one that had everything before the accident, AJ looked at the wall behind the blonde to see if there was something that he could read what it said. He was disappointed when he realized it was only pictures on the wall. “Hey Kaos, I’m shocked you didn’t order a milk shake with that burger.”

Nick stopped in mid-chew to glare at the tattooed rebel. “You know I can’t have ice cream.”

“Huh? Why would you say that?”

Nick didn’t answer AJ’s question.

“Why would you say that Nick?”

“Leave Nick alone,” Kevin sighed. “Worry about your own food. I swear sometimes you act like a seven year old.”

Plunging several french fries into the pool of ketchup on the plate, Nick smiled. “Thank you Kevin.”

Brian grinned. “How’s your burger?”

Nick frowned. “Are you getting preoccupied with my food now too?”

“No, just a curious question, that’s all.”

“Burgers good, wanna see it?” Nick asked and then opened his mouth to show the chewed up food.

“Gross.”

“There’s the Carter I knew was in there,” AJ laughed. “How old are you since Kevin just said I was seven…”

“Three,” Nick replied non-chalantly.

“I see,” Kevin responded. He started to realize what AJ was getting at all of a sudden with the questions to Nick. “I keep forgetting it Nick, your birthday is coming up pretty soon, how old will you be again?”

“Are you serious?”

“Dead serious.”

“Twenty-five.”

Brian and AJ’s eyes widened. Nick was actually Nick and Kevin finally witnessed it!

“We should go out and celebrate,” AJ suddenly replied.

“I was thinking we should just go back and stay at the hotel tonight,” Kevin said. “Don’t y’all think that is a good idea?”

“Holy crap…you really are getting old,” Nick snickered.

Kevin puffed his chest out. “Maybe I am, but good god, I’m tired from the flight in this morning and I really think it would be good idea not to push yourself Nick.”

“What? You’re talking like I’m sick or something, it’s just a night off…besides when do you fly in? You’ve been cooped up in the hotel with the rest of us.”

Kevin quickly brushed off his statement of flying in. “Oh yeah…well, I guess I’m just a little tired from doing non stop concerts and stuff.”

As Nick looked around the restaurant, he began to realize that besides Howie not being with them; something was off.

Catching his gestures, Brian suddenly grew worried that Nick was slipping back into the post accident Nick. “Something wrong Nicky?”

“I dunno if it’s just me or not, but have you noticed that no one has come up to our table and bugged us for pictures or autographs?”

“No,” Brian replied.

“I mean not a soul…and it’s not like we’re sitting in a room full of geezers, no offense Kevin….but no one has asked us for squat.”

“That’s cause we’ve been off the map for a about two years since your accident,” AJ explained softly.

“Why the hell do you keep saying accident? What accident are you talking about? You’re seriously creeping me out!”

Kevin pulled his wallet from his back pocket and threw a hundred dollar bill on the table. “Let’s not talk here, lets go back to the hotel and I’ll talk to you there, alright?”

AJ shook his head. “Better yet, we’ll talk in the car.”

“Can’t wait,” Nick muttered through gritted teeth as he followed the rest of the guys through the restaurant toward the exit, all the while thinking the lack of recoginition from the other patrons and servers in the small building as spookily eerie.