****************************************************************** Note from the Author: Hello all. Thank you for reading this story once again and I hope that I have made the time you have spent worth your while. It has been a while since I wrote something new for this story, but something suddenly came up -- college -- that really took away my time from this story. As many of you have, I had grown too much attached to my characters and my story that I was not ready to not give it my all. So now, that I have a little time and need a little release, I have retracted the original first parts of Book 3 and fixed it enough to fit the brand new ending I have for this trilogy. I hope you all keep tuning in for the story as it will once again be an incredible pleasure writing for Nick, Brandon, Scott, and the rest of them. Thank you. ******************************************************************
Previously The end of Hearts in Harmony...
BSBHAB2: Harmony Part 13b "Final Revelations II"
[Police II: Leighanne's place]
"Sorry, ma'am but we have tried reaching your son at his home phone, and his phone has apparently been disconnected." Officer Chang raised his hand to stiffle any interruptions from those gathered. "We have already made contact with the local Tampa police and have them send a uniform patrol to see if he is okay."
******************************************************* [Tampa, a hour later]
Together Scott and Dan headed towards Scott's door where they were suddenly met with an astounding sight.
"YOU?!" Scott and Dan blurted out together. ******************************************************* [Miles and hours away at a crumbling old mansion]
"Nick...." John's voice was suddenly soft again, without any traces of guile or malice. "I love you..." Came his last words squeezed out in a whisper before he finally fell over the over hanging edge of the balcony to go crashing down 50 feet below onto the rocks of the steep cliff.
"John!" Nick came crashing back to reality in an attempt to grab the other before falling. But it was too late. John already disappeared underneath the foam and the surface as Nick looked down over the edge at his one time friend.
"John..." Nick groaned. Again his world was sent crashing down around him. In the last three months, he has lost everything. His love, his life, and his heart...
But Nick put his fingers lightly across Brian's lips and said, "No, Brian, you're wrong. Nick Carter is nothing without the Backstreet Boys." Nick flashed Brian a brilliant smile of old and they hugged like there was no tomorrow. ******************************************************* [Epilogue] A few weeks after the wedding..
The four Backstreet Boys took to the stage for their final song of the evening...
The crowd erupted once more as the five boys reunited and embraced on stage after almost an entire lifetime of being apart. For now, they were once again together. And this time they knew in their hearts that it will be forever.
'Forever...' A lone dark shadowy man stood amidst the roaring crowd. He too had a glint in his eye. But unlike the others, there was a leviathan of dangerous spark underneath his. 'That is what you told me once, have you forgotten me so soon, Nicky?'
~The End of Book 2~
And now for the final Book of the BSB Assunder Trilogy...
------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimers: This is a work of fiction and should not be taken into any other levels past that. The Backstreet Boys, Jane and Aaron Carter, Leighanne Littrell, are their own people. The trademarks of the Backstreet Boys belong to Jive Records. All of the events and places and people involved in the following story aside from the forementioned are only ficticious. In short, people, it's only a story, it's not real. It's PG so please, sit back, and enjoy the ride. Thank you -------------------------------------------------------
BSB Hearts Assunder Book 3: Hearts Promises Part 1 "Looking Back: Old Smiles, New Faces"
[Flashback: Brandon and Nick]
Nick cozily lay in the warm embrace of Brandon's arms.
It had been his first night in the arms of another man except for Brian. In the many long moments of the throes of their passion, Brandon had made Nick forget Brian and the world. Brandon had made him feel the very center of existence itself. The joy in his heart throbbed in unison with his body. His heart beamed up with the warmth of their love that has culminated for these past two months. It had been magnificent. Never in his life had he ever felt so loved and known it with each steamy breath he took in these past couple hours of the waning night.
Although Brandon himself was untried with another man.
Yet it had come to him like a natural instict in his loving and caressing of Nick's beautiful golden body. He poured his whole being, his very essence, his whole existence, he poured it out onto and into the intertwining of their love making.
Nick sighed where he lay exhausted spooned inside the curve of Brandon's body. He nuzzled against Brandon's arms and planted a soft kiss at the bend of the arm. He closed his eyes, content for the first time in a very long time. A soft loving smile slowly parted on his delicate features.
"Brandon, don't leave me..." Nick softly murmured in his half sleep, opening his eyes to bore deep into Brandon's with his burning blue fire.
Brandon kissed him lightly on the forehead, smiling down happily at him. "Nick, I will never leave you. I love you more than life itself, Nick." He chuckled softly and leaned down kissing Nick softly on the lips. "To coin Jerry McGuire, 'you complete me'."
"You're so corny," Nick giggled under Brandon's soft kiss, leaning up a little to give Brandon one of his own. Nick laid back down grinning happily up at Brandon.
"Will you settle for 'I love you' then?" Brandon smiled down at him. "Or am I just a good lay?" Brandon pouted jokingly.
Nick pulled Brandon down for a deep probing kiss. "Not that good," Nick tried to keep a straight face, but failed. "I'll settle for 'I love you' then." He laughed full heartedly as he rested his head comfortably against Brandon's chest.
Brandon settled back down behind Nick and kissed his neck gently as a summer's breeze.
"Brandon?" After a few minutes of contented sighs, Nick quietly whispered half expecting the other to be asleep.
"Yeah, baby?" Brandon loosened his arms around Nick's chest so the other could turn on his back to look up at him.
"Did you mean it when you said you wouldn't ever leave me?" Nick seemed to be awaiting some sort of rejection. The pain on his face was all too clear for Brandon to see.
"Of course I did, hon. I love you," Brandon kissed Nick on his fluttering eyelids. "I will always love you even after you grow tired of me." Brandon smiled and rested his face on Nick's shoulder.
"Then love me, Brandon. Love me forever, as I always will," Nick turned to fully face Brandon and together they consumated their private vows many more times that night before falling happily asleep in each others' arms.
[End of flashback]
Nick turned to the otherside of his bed, his eyes teary from the memory of his past. He loved Brandon, but did he really love Bryan? Last night had been a first between Nick and Bryan, but it had been cold; withdrawn. No, they had not had sex. They had slept together for the first time, but that is what it was. Bryan had slept over last night and they had spent the night cuddling in each other's arms. Nick was not ready for another relationship as deeply committed as the last, and right after Brandon, he had grown to understand that sex should really mean something more than just casual pleasure.
"Morning baby," Bryan calmly leaned over to Nick and kissed him softly on the lips. He had woken to the feeling of Nick's hot and heavy gaze.
"We should get ready soon, school starts in a couple hours," Nick tried to get up, but Bryan's hand was holding firm against his elbow. For a fleeting moment it wasn't Bryan whom he saw on the bed that beckoned for him to rejoin him now. For one fleeting moment, he saw the image of the man that had long since made many of his dreams a nightmare. That same man who now was somewhere with his new bride.
"Couple hours yet..." Bryan pulled Nick back into bed and the covers around him... *******************************************************
A few miles away...
"John. I still can't believe he turned out to be a psychopath." Leighanne gently kissed Brian's naked muscular shoulder, her fingers drummed lovingly against his strong pecs. "He was such a sweet and caring guy for Nick."
"You just never really 'know' someone you think you know, I guess," Brian shrugged as he moved from the circle of her arms to sit up on the edge of the bed.
"Yeah, but don't you remember how he was always so caring about Nick during those months -- heck, years even -- before and after he lost Brandon." Leighanne whispered the last statement, feeling a touch guilty of what it had all been for Nick.
"Leighanne, do you think--" Brian's face crumpled at once and his breath came out in ragged sighs.
"Honey, what? Tell me," Leighanne sat up and hugged Brian's head to her bossum.
"It's just-it's just--" Brian sobbed. "I think Nick still hates me..." Brian cried finally letting himself be lost in the warm comforts of his new bride's embrace.
"Shhh, it's alright. You know that Nick loves you dearly, you know that. He loves you and he has never hated you, Brian. How could he? You two were like brothers for so long!" Leighanne cooed.
"Yeah, brothers..." Brian whispered morosely and clutched at his heart knowing full well how he had decieved Leighanne about his relationship with Nick. ******************************************************* [Mike's office]
"Yes, detective, that is everything that we have on John." Mike handed the Detective Chang a complete copy of John's resume and files regarding family and story that he had given upon acquiring the job as bodyguard for the Backstreet Boys.
"Thank you, I am confident that this should be completely helpful in wrapping up this whole case. Mr. Murdoch, Mr. Kenth." Detective Chang nodded to both Mike and Burchard before heading out of the door.
"What did they say about the body?" Mike turned to Burc after a few moments of silence.
"They think it might have been washed away to sea," Burc went over to the side table and poured himself a cup of coffee. "They are still looking for it, but Chang said they might not pursue if it continues to elude them by the end of the week. He said too many witnesses saw him crash into the rocks and gets sucked into the ocean to doubt that he is dead."
"And?" Mike went back to his desk, ruffling through papers and files.
"Well, they said that they found what they thought was remnants of the clothes he had on. Splattered against some jagged rocks over cliffside." Burc dropped a couple of sugar cubes into his coffee; black just like his current mood. "John's dead. I'm fairly sure. I saw him sink into the waves after Nick shoved him out the window."
"Well I guess that ensures no Micheal Myers or Jason type of return don't ya think?" Mike sighed jokingly, trying to lighten up the mood.
"Yeah, right." Burc slumped into the chair infront of Mike's desk. There was still some business they needed to take care of. "Let's hope not. John was crazy enough apparently before falling off the cliff. Imagine how he would be after a near death experience." Burc mumbled as he took a sip of his coffee.
"Do you really think that John had an accomplice?" Mike commented, stopping his recent rumaging of papers.
"I don't really know, but the Detective said it fits the profile perfectly. All I know is, he was usually on a phone when he was on brake." Burc shrugged, taking a sip at his hot coffee.
"hmm," Was all Mike could mutter. The truth was, they had really not bothered to look beyond John's references which were mostly -- if not all -- former employers that were very high on his services. Other than those, John had never really seemed to have any sort of friends other than other bodyguards and former employers. But even those were few in number. John had always been professional with his work and found it unthinkable to socialize with his superiors. ******************************************************* [Community College after one class]
Nick hurried out of his class after he finished his test. He had felt great and very confident that he aced it. Heck, he'd felt this way all morning even after some musing during and after his "morning excercise" with Bryan. He stopped by the boys' bathroom for a moment to check on the way he looked. Today was the day he was actually going to bring Bryan to the cemetary to meet Brandon. They've been going out for a for weeks now, but he never really thought it appropriate to bring his current lover to meet his once soul mate. But somehow, today was different. Somehow, he felt that something was really going to happen today.
Nick looked at his watch and quickly made to meet Bryan at his class. He shuffled out the door with a purpose and hurried down the relatively empty hallways except for the occasional student rushing to get to class.
Nick stopped a few feet from the door to Bryan's class and watched as students started to pile out. He leaned casually against the wall and waited for Bryan patiently. But when the other finally came out, he was striken on the spot. Bryan had come out of class with somebody else. All Nick could think about was how happy he was that he took his time changing this morning after the second bout and stopping at the bathroom to check on himself. He was happy that he chose to were his new pair of creme coloured slacks, he was all the more happy that he decided to dress up for the occassion indeed.
"Bryan!" Nick called cheerfully as he excitedly made his way to the other two boys.
Bryan and the other boy stopped their conversation and with almost a look of anger on his face, Bryan turned around to see who had called. Upon seeing Nick, his face quickly became a bright image of smiles and sparkling teeth. "Well, I'll see you later." Bryan murmured quickly to the other guy as Nick finally made his way to them.
Nick eyed the other guy closely. He was tall; taller than Bryan even, which would mean that he was either as tall as or an inch taller than Nick himself. He wore a bright blue coloured buttoned down long sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, exposing a nice dark tan on his muscled forearms. The shirt disappeared into a tight pair of dark coloured jeans that hugged his slim legs and waist like a second skin. To finish the look, he wore boots that all the more added to his height. His body, from what Nick could see, was lean and strong judging by the forearms and the slightly bulging upper arms. When he moved, shy signs of abs showed with the effort under the silk shirt. But while the body was amazing, the face was all the more incredible. His face was clean shaven, cool, and dreadfully handsome. His short dark brown hair was gelled to short spikes in the front and went in a clean cut in the back. Nick saw the perfect bow of his healthy looking lips, to his strong square chin, his perfect nose, and his incredibly amazing green eyes.
"Come on, let's go." Bryan tugged on Nick's forearm gently trying to goad him into leaving, but this was to no avail. The stranger, although been given his hint to leave by Bryan, was not having any of it either.
As for Nick, when Bryan showed no inkling of introducing him to this tanned god, he quickly took the initiative and extended his hand with a big bright and cheerful smile, "Hi, I'm Nick."
Nick was terribly wrong when he thought that the other boy couldn't get anymore beautific. Upon taking the extended arm, the other had smiled broadly with a winsome smile that was accentuated with amazing dimples as his brown eyes sparkled with a deep and promising undercurrent.
"Slade." His voice was enough to melt the coldest icebergs of the arctics.
"C'mon Nick we're gonna be late." Bryan, annoyed, finally was able to pull Nick away from Slade. But his eyes were still drowning in the lovely pool of the living adonis that was Slade. To Slane, "Slade, I'll -- we'll see you later."
To which the other only smiled even deeper and uttered a low, almost whispering, almost sultry, "I take that as a promise..." His smile only wilted a little to take more of a wicked image that was full of forbidden promises.
"Nick. NICK!" Bryan pulled Nick back into reality after he had steered the other enough to walk him a few yards away from Slade.
"Wha...oh Hey Bryan!" Nick shook off his reverie and smiled broadly at Bryan as though it was the first he saw the other in the last few minutes.
"Are we going to grab some lunch or are you just going to stare at Slade all day?" Bryan vexedly frowned at Nick.
"Oh, haha, I'm sorry." Nick braved a quick glance at Slade. The other hadn't seemed to move, he was still looking at the pair with that same promising smile on his gorgeous face.
"Nick!" Bryan yelled again.
"Oh I'm sorry, it's just I've never seen Slade around here before." Nick answered feebly, feeling a little guilty.
"Nick if you are going to behave like some stricken schoolgirl, fine, but at least you could pretend to still be my boyfriend when I'm around." Bryan pouted as he finally managed to pull Nick around the corner. "Besides, Slade's trouble."
Nick looked at Bryan curiously.
"Yeah, that's right. The guy is gorgeous and he knows it. He thinks he's god's gift to women, er and, gays." Bryan looked suddenly uncomfortable. "You shouldn't see him anymore."
"Oh, if it means that much to you, then I won't see him anymore." Nick smiled at him kindly and hugged him for a minute or two. "Let's grab some lunch, I'm starving!" Nick grinned happily and pulled Bryan into the cafeteria.
"That's what I've been trying to tell you..." Bryan sighed exhasperated as he stumbled behind Nick into the cafeteria. ******************************************************* [A few yards away just as Nick and Bryan rounded the corner]
Slade chuckled deep in his throat and shook his head. He turned and nodded a greeting to another guy who materialized from the shadows before he too headed out the corridor.
End of Part 1