Previously...
BSBHAB3: Heart's Promises Pt. 1 "Looking Back: New smiles, Old Faces"
[Mike's office]
"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 fit 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. *******************************************************
[The end of class for Nick and Bryan]
Nick was terribly wrong when he thought that the other boy couldn't get anymore handsomer. Upon taking the extended arm, the other had smiled broadly with a winsome smile that was accentuated with beautific dimples at the ends while his brown eyes sparkled with a deep and promising undertone.
"Hi Nick, I'm 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 Shane, "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.
[A few minutes later]
"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. They 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. ******************************************************* [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 had been hiding in the shadows before he too headed out the corridor.
End of Part 1
------------------------------------------------------- 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 "Sights that Blind"
[On the way to the cemetary]
Nick and Bryan rode rather quietly in the car. One, Nick was still trying to sort through his own emotions with finally having both Bryan and Brandon all in one space -- even though the other is under 6 feet of dirt; and two, Bryan didn't know how to really react. He has been with Nick long enough to know how much Brandon meant to Nick, and deeper yet in his thoughts was something he and Nick were thinking about: Slade.
For Nick, Slade was an enigma waiting for him to discover. A dark hidden secret that was exotic and thrilling at the same time. Despite the chaos that was his feelings for Brandon and Bryan, he still could not pry the image of the other out of his memory: he had to see Slade again even for just a few minutes. There was something about Slade that he just so wanted to know. A nagging secret waiting to be discovered. The way he just seemed to reek of confidence in his casual and almost catlike stride. His smooth movement as though he was wading through water was just mesmerizing...well that and the way he was looking at Nick like something he wanted to taste did not make things easier either.
Bryan observed Nick as time flew past. His face was a regular Piccaso of confusion and emotions that he thought that it did not take a shrink to know what was in his mind. Partially, he was correct of course. But there was no way Bryan could know anything of what caused the most trouble for Nick right at that moment.
Nick sighed openly through his mouth and clicked the radio off where it had gone long enough without anyone's real attention.
"Bryan," Nick quietly broke the silence. "I am really happy that we're doing this today. I really am, it's just..." He couldn't finish. His emotions were far too intense to put into words.
"It's alright, hun. I completely understand the way you feel. It's alright," Bryan stopped to study Nick where he drove on amidst the confusion in his heart. "It's alright if you decide not to do this today after all." Bryan finished quietly, but Nick could swear there was an edge to his voice underneath the emotion.
But he shook it off as just his own confusion.
"Nah, we're here anyways," Nick sighed openly as the wrought iron gates of the cemetary came into view. However, Nick could see that there was another guy of his past present at the moment.
As Nick slowly brought his blazer to a standstill in the parking lot, he could see Scott through his window in an obvious fit infront of the caretaker.
"C'mon, let's go." Nick said, frowning suspiciously. ******************************************************* [A few yards away]
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, IT WAS VANDALIZED!" Scott was growling at the top of his lungs. "What the fuck are these gates for then huh? I worked my ass off to get my brother a proper burial in peace and this is what I get?!" Scott was not letting up a bit as Nick and Bryan made their way to the entrance.
Nick winced internally having taken some of Scott's anger before, he knew what the other guy must be feeling. As for the other guy himself, Nick has never seen him before here in the cemetary. He had thought that he had seen just about everyone on the local staff. Looking at him around Scott's massive billboard back, Nick could see that he was not all that much older than him if at all. He was lean, light brown hair in a nice clean trim. Longish clean shaven and slim face. Long arm in long sleeves finished with the dark slacks of the cemetary staff.
"I am very sorry sir, but that is all I was informed. The cemetary has been closed today for mandatory cleaning and inspections. You can see for yourself that there are cleaning crews working over time in there along with some remaining police officers. They have been doing this for most of the day, sir, please calm down." If the other guy was phazed at all by Scott, he wasn't showing. "I do know for a fact, however, that all visitors have been promised that tomorrow the cemetary will once again be on regular business terms."
"Calm down? Calm down?!" Scott grabbed the smaller guy by the front of his buttoned down dress shirt and slammed him against the side of the building. "Tell me why the fuck I should calm down and not kick your ass right about now, huh?"
Nick had seen enough.
"Scott, please, I'm sure they're doing what they can."
Nick carefully and gently tugged at Scott's bulging arms. He wasn't completely sure that he was in Scott's good graces. "Here let me," Nick braved the situation a little seeing that Scott had not rounded and decked him instead. "Come on let me see what's going on here." Nick said a little strained as he pried Scott's huge calloused paws off of the cemetary staff.
Finally getting Scott to back off a bit, Nick turned to face the cemetary man. He was not as small as Nick had originally thought him to be. Scott just seemed to have dwarfed the other man.
"Now, let's see here, uh..." Nick made the cursory inquiry of the other's name.
"Seth," The other filled him in.
"Now, let me see here, Seth, what's all this hooplah about vandalism of the cemetary?" Nick tried to seem cool, when deep inside he was a raging bull of emotions and confusion.
"Well as you can see, sir, there are cleaning crews..." Seth gestured behind him.
"They've been at this all fucking morning! They won't even tell me the extents of the damage if it involves Brandon or not." Scott rumbled behind Nick, almost threateningly moving towards Seth.
Seth gave an involuntary squeek and jumped back a step before Bryan and Nick were able to calm Scott down a bit again.
"Seth, if you could maybe get into the details that you are supposed to tell us other than the obvious..."
Nick let himself trail off as he kept his two hands pressed flat against the great pecs of Scott's massive chest keeping him from advancing -- barely!
"Well-last-night-some-local-punks-got-into-the-cemetary-somehow-and-made-a-mess-of-things-and-the-cleaning-crews-are-trying-to-clean-it-up-in-time-for-tomorrow's-services-and-visiting-hours."
Seth mumbled his words into a quick spiel before hurriedly moving back a few more steps away from the other three and closer to the office doors.
"Thank you Seth," Nick said calmly when Scott finally seemed to have cooled off. "I suppose then that you aren't going to be able to tell us any sort of damages?"
"No, I'm sorry," Seth cringed after the last statement and was already one step up towards the office doors.
"Aight, thanks." Nick turned just in time to see what he thought was a look that went between Bryan and Seth, but he shrugged it off as Bryan feeling sorry for the other guy. "Scott, please calm down. I'm sure Seth over there has tried his best to give us all he could that he is allowed to." Seth was making inaudible agreement noises behind them while Nick was feeling somewhat relieved in a weird and guilty way.
"Don't you ever tell me what to do boy, I still haven't forgotten your place in all this." Scott turned his violent and shinning dark eyes down at Nick and spoke through gritted teeth. Scott gave Seth a disgusted look before pushing past Bryan and into his car. He gave Nick and Seth one last glare before speeding off into the distance.
Nick smiled weakly at Bryan and shrugged helplessly.
"I-I'm sorry about all this." Seth finally got the courage to speak up as Scott's car disappeared 'round the far bend.
"That's alright, not your fault." Nick gave him a friendly slap on the shoulder. "You might want to consider a new line of work though, man." Nick smiled warmly at Seth before turning back to Bryan who was now heading back to Nick's blazer.
When Nick caught up, Bryan was on the mobile phone not looking pleased at all.
"Well that sucks." Bryan sighed as he hung up the phone. "I'm sorry about what happened out there, hun, but I got some more bad news." Bryan sat back and strapped on his seat belt. "Apparently the teacher that I am student teaching for wants me to clock in some late night hours tonight. Seems I can't go to that party tonight at Rob's with you after all." Bryan sighed as Nick pulled out the gravel path.
"That's alright. I really had no intention on going anyways, I just agreed because you were going at that time." Nick gimmaced and smiled at the same time.
"No, no, you should go. I think you both need and deserve a break after all this madness." Bryan squeezed Nick's shoulder lovingly.
"But--" Bryan quickly interrupted Nick.
"No, 'buts' about it. Besides, just because we can't go together doesn't mean I won't be able to show up later." Bryan smiled at Nick reasuringly. "As a matter of fact, I insist on dropping you off myself that way you can be sure that I am coming back to the party for you."
Nick slouched in on himself and finally agreed. Bryan was right. He DID need a break from all this craziness. This would be his perfect chance at having somewhat of a normal existence. ******************************************************* [Detective Chang's Office]
"Now let me see here..." Chang mumbled to himself as he was scanning through the new material in for the Mason case. After obtaining the family information and everything else about Mr. Mason, Chang had immediately checked into everything. He wasn't surprised that the family Mr. Mason supposedly had in the Northwest was a fake one. They were a troupe of amateur actors apparently who got a call from an anonymous employer. But there was something about this one new picture of John Mason he had unearthed that just seemed so familiar to him. Especially the other guy in the picture. Short brown hair. Slim built. He was having another officer look through the files to see what he could find on this other guy. ******************************************************* [Rob's party]
Nick slumped at the bar drinking a little beer from his can. The night had been pretty much the same, slow and tedious with a drunk girl giggling and laughing and telling him how much he looked like that one guy from that boy band Backseat Boys or something.
Of course, the party was full of beer and loud music, Nick was starting to get a head ache. When the girl finally fainted onto his lap, Nick had finally had enough. It had been hours since Bryan dropped him off and only minutes since he called to tell him that he was going to be taking longer than he expected. Of course after that, Nick had cared for the party as much as he cared for a certain blonde wanna be bad girl out there. However, just as he was about to get some fresh air, he walked in: Slade. The room seemed to suddenly brighten and less crowded. All there was between them were a few paces. And judging by Slade's smile, Nick wasn't alone in noticing the other.
Slade glided gracefully across the room in the same hip hugging jeans he wore earlier at school. "Hey," Slade whispered seductively, Nick thought, but it carried to his burning ears anyways.
"I didn't know you were coming," Nick turned away, his face blushing furiously. Thankfully for the low light, his beet red cheeks were not that obvious.
"Neither did I really, but suddenly I think I'm very happy with my decision." His chocolate brown eyes glinted with promise of private things in the dark underneath satin sheets as he took Nick's subcontiously outstretched hand.
"Well, I..." Before Nick could stammer anymore, one of Rob's friends came in and yelled out "Cops!"
With that single word, the music stopped. The beer games were forgotten, and much more of the beer disappeared. Rob was making his way to the front door to show that he was legal age to drink.
"C'mon!" Before Nick could do anything, Slade was already dragging him out the door and into the cool starlit night with the brilight shining moon.
"Hop on." Slade straddled a gleaming black motorcycle with his slim legs, swinging his slim backside onto the seat. "C'mon, let's go." Slade patted the seat behind him, gesturing towards the other helmet that was hooked at the back.
"But-but--" Nick stammered again. He cursed himself internally for turning into a blithering idiot. The sirens blared louder. That was enough. Nick hopped onto the motorcycle behind Slade, fastening the motorcycle helmet under his chin.
"Hang on," Slade smirked through his helmet's open visor as he revved the machine into blaring life.
The motorcycle vibrated wildly with its awesome power between both their legs, Nick was thankful that he was wearing briefs and not boxers tonight, as his arms linked together around Slade's slim and lean waist.
Unfortunately, as they pulled away, a certain small small blue Accord pulled into Rob's driveway. The driver was not very happy as he saw Nick and Slade speed off into the silver streamed night. ******************************************************************
End of Part 2 ------------------------------------------------------- More of the always painful exposition, I know. I'm sorry, I can't help it. <;) Anyways, thanks for reading, tell me what you think. Oh and a promise is a promise well kept, eh?
John