Obligatory warnings and disclaimers:
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If reading this is in any way illegal where you are or at your age, or you don't want to read about male/male relationships, go away. You shouldn't be here.
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I don't know any of the celebrities in this story, and this story in no way is meant to imply anything about their sexualities, personalities, or anything else. This is a work of pure fiction.
Questions and commentary can be sent to "kdawg96@hotmail.com".
Check out these fantastic authors as well: My buddy ND, author of 'Nick and Ashley' (a.k.a. 'All I Need Is You'), and my friend Joel, author of 'JC's Hitchhiker' and 'Brian and Tommy'. I recommend you check them out!
Thanks again to ND for writing the Brian sideline chapter!
COMING SOON: A sideline chapter written by Joel, author of the hit stories 'JC's Hitchhiker' and 'Brian and Tommy'.
http://jcv.5u.com/all/worldofslash/ - Jayson Vascardi's website that features my story and many other slash fiction stories. Go check it out.
Also check out Dream Slash, at http://www.geocities.com/dreamslashuk/, who has kindly offered to co-host this story, along with many other favorites.
Thanks everyone for sticking by me and supporting me throughout this series so far. I never thought I'd make it to ten chapters, but here I am! Special thanks to ND, Joel, Jayson, Alex, Matthew, Ry, Andy, and all of my other dedicated readers! Please send me all comments and suggestions. Let me know what you think. Now lets get back to what you came here for.
*** Encountering Nick - Chapter Ten
NICK
I walked along the moist, freshly cut grass wearing all black; black shoes, black pants, black shirt, everything black.
It was pretty chilly out, and completely overcast. I looked up, and the clouds were all gray, almost black. Everything seemed to be black.
I looked around and saw several people gathered together. I had no idea who they were or why they were gathered there, but I walked over to join them. As I reached them, I noticed everyone there was also wearing all black.
Lightning flashed through the sky, followed by the roar of thunder. Within seconds rain began to pour. Drops as big as golf balls began to descend; yet no one seemed to even notice. No one really seemed to care.
I began snaking my way through all of the assembled people, searching for someone I would recognize, someone I would know. After stepping pass about a dozen or so people I finally found the guys. There AJ, Brian, Kevin and Howie all stood, and Geoff was there too. They all looked dreadfully miserable. They all looked so sad.
"What's wrong guys?" I asked, but the rain drowned my voice out. "Hey guys!?" I yelled, but still they couldn't hear me. They hadn't acknowledged my presence at all.
They were all soaked from the rain. Their clothes were completely wet, their hair was drenched and their faces were dripping from the downpour. I looked closer though, especially at Geoff, and saw something else. It wasn't only rain on his face. There were tears as well.
It wasn't only him though, everyone was crying. Everyone was as miserable and sad as Geoff was.
"Geoff?" I asked, engulfed in confusion and a growing misery.
"Nick?" He barely wept, not looking at me.
"Geoff!" I seemed to yell, content by my recognition at last.
"Why did you leave me Nick?" Geoff sighed.
"I didn't leave you Geoff! I'm right here!" I yelled waving my hands in the air and in front of his face.
But Geoff didn't even seem to flinch. He again didn't even seem to notice I was there.
"I miss you Nick." He said before erupting into tears. Brian then took him by the shoulders and escorted him away from me.
"Where are you going?!" I screamed.
The next thing I knew everyone was gone. They all just disappeared. I stood alone, soaked, confused and afraid, in the pouring rain.
I turned around and finally saw was everyone was crying about. I finally saw what had made everyone so miserable.
My heart dropped and I couldn't breath. I fell to my knees, onto the ground, in front of it. I fell in front of what was causing all of this pain. A gravestone. My gravestone.
Nickolas Gene Carter January 08, 1980 - May 31, 2002 Blessed With The Voice Of An Angel
'This couldn't be happening!' I thought to myself, now also in tears.
"It's time Nick." A deep but familiar voice from behind me said.
"No it can't be!" I said as I turned around to see Kevin standing there, dressed in black like everyone else had been.
"It's time." He repeated.
"No!!" I screamed and began to shake for no apparent reason.
"Come on Nick! It's time! It's time to get up!" Kevin said, shaking me as I opened my eyes.
"No!" I yelled, still unaware that it had all been a dream.
"Whether you like it or not buddy, we have a band meeting in fifteen minutes, and you have to be there!" Kevin said as he finally stopped shaking me.
It had all been a nightmare. It had felt so real though.
"You're sweating like a pig!" Kevin said, still standing over me. I looked up at him to see his face smiling down at me. He's always been like a big brother to me. He has always watched out for me and has always been there when I really needed him.
"I am?" I asked. And I was. I was dripping in sweat. That dream had really frightened me though, so it was no surprise that I woke up in a sweat.
"Yea, go take a shower, and then meet us in my room in fifteen minutes, alright?" He arranged.
"Alright. Thanks Kev."
"No problem Nicky." Kevin said as he left the room.
Still a little shaken up, I headed towards the shower. The thought crossed my mind as to where Geoff was, but then I remembered him saying yesterday that he was getting up early today to spend the morning with Britney before we left for Washington and she left to resume her tour, which she had stopped to come to LA and help Geoff.
I turned on the shower, mostly on the cold faucet though, because I figured it would wake me up a little more and bring me back to reality. I didn't stay in the shower long. I just washed myself up and was out within ten minutes.
I dried myself off fairly quickly and threw on a pair of sweats and a shirt from my cases, which were already packed to leave for Washington. Once I was done and ready, I headed over to Kevin's room. I was feeling much better now than I did ten minutes ago.
When I arrived, I found the door unlocked, so I walked straight in. "Ahh, you made it!" Kevin said enthusiastically.
"Yea, with a minute to spare I said smiling, looking down at my watch.
"We're still waiting for AJ." Howie informed me, as I took a seat on the couch next to Brian.
"You know he's going to be late." I said, "He's always late."
"Typical AJ." Brian said, "He's probably having some fun with Jenny, if you catch my drift!"
"You know, I'm not all about sex." AJ said from the door as he entered the room.
"You're not?!" Howie said in a shocking, sarcastic tone.
"Yea, I like music too!" he said and we all burst into laughter.
"Alright everyone. Let's get down to business." Kevin said, letting his management traits take over now. "We have a lot to cover before we leave for Washington in a couple of hours."
"Alight Kev, hit us with what you got!" Brian said, sounding eager to hear what the band had planned for the next few days.
"Okay. Well as I'm sure you are all aware of, we are leaving for Washington DC in about two hours." Kevin said looking down at his watch for a second, "We'll be taking the same busses that picked us up at the airport the other day. There are two of them. The five of us and the two wives will be riding in one, along with Jenny and Geoff I believe."
That put smiles on both AJ's face and mine. Strangely, Brian's face seemed to sadden at the same time.
Kevin continued, "The other bus will hold the rest of the dancers, choreographers and management. The busses should arrive in Washington mid-afternoon, and we all go straight to a group rehearsal for the concert tonight. After the rehearsal, which includes all of the dancers, we'll check into our hotel. Accommodations will be the same as they were here in LA. Nick can stay with Geoff, AJ with Jenny, Brian with Leigh Anne, myself with Kristen and Howie with himself, due to his fuckin' obnoxious snoring!"
"Hey dude! I don't snore!" Howie protested.
"Sure you don't buddy!" AJ said sarcastically, "When my suite's even next to yours I have trouble falling asleep because of you!"
"Shut up!" Howie whined and everyone laughed at him.
For the next hour Kevin went on to talk about photo shoots, radio interviews and whatnot the guys were supposed to do in Washington.
"Do we get to meet the President?" I joked.
"Nah, not this time Nicky." Kevin said and I pretended to look disappointed.
"Alright, I think that's it." Kevin informed everyone flipping through the pages in his notebook to make sure he didn't forget anything important, "Meet at the busses in a hour."
We all got up and headed back to our rooms. I headed down the hall to mine, hoping Geoff was home from his morning get-together with Britney. I opened the door to find my love home, but Britney was there too. I guess their morning isn't over yet.
"Hey Nick!" She said as I entered the room.
"Hey Brit." I said. I turned to Geoff. "What, no hello from you?"
"I'm not going to let you get away that easily." He said as he grabbed a hold of the front my shirt and pulled me down towards him. Our lips converged and his tongue invaded my mouth.
"Wow." I said when the kiss was over, "Now that's what I call a good hello!"
"I thought you'd like it." He said casually, "So how was your meeting?"
"It was fine, the usual. I almost slept through it though. Kevin had to come wake me up fifteen minutes before."
"Ahh, Kevin to the rescue again." Geoff said. "I don't know what you guys would do without him!"
"Neither do I!" I laughed.
Geoff and Brit said their goodbyes. It was very hard to watch, almost painful. They both starting crying and sobbing, and I think I almost did too. It's amazing though; their friendship is so strong, kind of like Brian's and mine. Although Bri and I haven't been as close as we used to recently, it still a very strong bond. I love him, as a best friend. I bet the two of us would be very similar to the way Geoff and Brit were if we had to separate for a long time. I guess I'm lucky that I get to travel, work, and basically live with my best friend all of the time. I feel sorry for Geoff though, this has to be very difficult for him. But Geoff has me and I love him to death.
When Britney was gone, Geoff and I did some last minute packing before heading down to the busses. As we started to head down, I become aware that he was wearing the necklace I got him, which put a smile on my face. It looked so striking on him. I am so glad that I bought it for him, and he seemed pretty pleased as well. It was the perfect way to show him what he means to me.
"You know I am never going to take this off." He said, noticing me observing the chain around his neck as we stepped into the elevator.
"Promise?" I asked.
"It's a sign of our love. I Promise I will keep it as close to me for as long as I live."
"Well that deserves a kiss." I said leaning into him and giving him the most passionate kiss I could possibly give before the elevator doors opened to let us off.
We headed through the lobby straight to the busses and loaded all of our cases on to it. Again, AJ was late, so we were delayed by approximately fifteen minutes. No one really seemed to mind the delay, but Kevin looked a little pissed when AJ finally arrived. Sometimes Kevin seems more like he's a part of management than actually a part of the band. But that's Kevin for you.
We got into designated busses and before we knew it we were on the road again. After about half an hour on the road and chatting with all of the guys, Geoff and I headed to the back to curl up on the couch that was there.
"We'll see you guys soon. We're just going to the back to rest for a bit." I informed everyone.
"I didn't know rest was code for sex?" AJ said jokingly.
"Shut up!" I laughed, "We're not going to have sex!" I said as headed to the back of the bus where Geoff was waiting for me.
I positioned myself comfortably on the couch and Geoff lay next to me, almost on top of me. He curled up against me and fell asleep pretty quickly. Personally though, I wasn't up for going to sleep right now. Not after that nightmare I had last time.
I looked down at Geoff, sleeping so peacefully, looking as if he didn't have a care in the world. Just looking at his tiny nose, the way his cheekbones stick out the slightest bit, just looking at him gives me that tingly feeling and makes me feel so good inside. Every time I look at him I fall more in love.
I looked up and I began staring out the window, just watching the world go by. I felt so happy. I had the man I love in my arms, the career of a lifetime, and the most supportive friends. I feel like the luckiest guy in the world.
In the midst of my happiness, and against what I originally didn't plan to do, I soon found myself falling asleep. Within minutes, I was out like a light.
End of Chapter Ten Please e-mail me with all questions and comments at kdawg96@hotmail.com - and I'm always open to new and fresh ideas. I look forward to hearing from all of you. Check back next week for Chapter Eleven and the next sideline chapter!