Legal disclaimer: this is fiction, I'm not implying anything about the sexuality or personal lives of the Backstreet Boys. If you're not allowed to, then don't read.
Author's note: first of all I have to mention some really great stories out there...Remembering Petticoat Lane, Superman Can't Fly, Tears in Your Eyes, Survivors, Fixing The BSB, Sucks To Be You, Fitting In...they are all excellent. Sure there are more too, but go read these! Thanks for great feedback to this story, the adress is storykath@operamail.com, if you have something to say. Love and looneytunes, Kathrine.
- For You -
Chapter three:
As Nick had anticipated, Brian was not at all happy to receive his call. At least he hadn't waken him, Nick knew that Brian would be even grumpier if the phonecall would have waken him up.
Brian didn't want any calls at that time, he wanted to get to know Ingrid better and interruptions was not welcome. But the worry in Nick's voice made him snap out of it and listen to what Nick was saying. -Have you heard anything from Kevin in the last hour or so? he asked. -I can't get through to him, he isn't picking up his cell-phone or the phone at his place. -No, Brian answered. -He's probably turned his cellphone off, and isn't home yet. -You know that Kevin never turns his phone off, Nick said, not buying Brian's explanation. -I don't think he even knows where the `off'-button is. -Listen, Nick, Brian didn't want to, but had to ask. -Is there any reason that Kevin would not want to speak to you at the moment? Nick's voice was becoming just a little angry. -Do you mean to ask me if we had a fight? We sure as hell didn't, everything was fine between us when he left here. His voice softened a little. -I'm really worried about him, Brian. He should have been back at his house now, but I'm only getting his answering machine.
At this point Brian was worried too. -I'm gonna go to him, Nick said, -maybe there's something wrong with the phonelines or something. I won't be able to sleep anyway, untill I know he's okay. -Do you want me to come with you? Brian asked. -Nah, Nick answered, -I'll call you later, B, when I know something more. -OK, Brian said and turned off his phone. For a moment he was lost in worried thoughts about Kevin. Then a soft voice got him back to reality.
-Is everything OK? Ingrid asked, looking at him with worry in her own blue eyes. -That was Nick, Brian said, forgetting for an instance who he was talking to. -Apparentely Kevin's gone AWOL and not told us. He smiled slightly. -Sorry, didn't mean to bother you with our problems. -You are not bothering me, Ingrid answered sincerly. -Of course you are worried about him, Nick must be too.
At the mention of Nick's name Brian fell into a weird trail of thoughts. It felt like he was competing with Nick for some reason now, Kevin was his family and also Nick's boyfriend. Nick loved Kevin in another way then the way Brian loved him, but he couldn't help feeling that Nick were taking over Kevin's heart. He shook it off, Kevin's heart was big enough for all of them. Nick had also been right about Kevin not answering his phone, that just didn't happen. -Look, Ingrid spoke again. -You don't have to drive me back, it's a pretty long way. I'll take a taxi from here. -No, you won't, Brian's smile took the egde off his words. -I promised to deliever you home safe and sound, so that's what I'm gonna do! Now where do I drive?
Nick threw a jacket over his shirt and got out into his own car. He usually preferred driving with Kevin, but loved driving his dark red Durango too. But now he really wished he didn't have to go, he kept calling both Kevin's mobilphone and his home-phone. Still no answer.
He was trying to keep the speedlimits, but the car's speed seemed to follow his own increased heart-rhytm. -I have to get my head together, he thought to himself, -Kevin's okay, he has to be. There were a few other cars out on the main roads, but as Nick started reaching the egde of town, he found himself alone. Now he was driving slowly, keeping the car's full lights on, scanning the road in front of him. Dreading what he might find. The sun was coming up, it was getter lighter by the minute, soon Nick didn't need the headlights of the car anymore.
The forest grew thicker around him, he would soon be at Kevin's house. Without knowing it, Nick's hands tightened around the wheel. He could feel in every fibre of him that something was wrong, his beloved one needed him. The first thing Nick noticed was the marks on the road, the long, black marks made by a car moving fast.
Fear had an icy grip around his heart as he followed the skidding marks as they continued off the road. -God, no! Nick's voice was strained. Without even turning off the engine he was out of his car, running over to Kevin's car. The jeep was in a bad condition, most of the front was smashed. The windshield was not broken, but looked like a gigantic spiderweb. Frantically Nick ran to the driver's seat, just to find it empty. Part of him were ecstatic that Kevin wasn't in the broken car, the other part was wildly scared for him.
With shaking hands Nick got out his phone and speeddialled Brian's number. He had never felt so alone and scared in his life.
Brian's phone went off again. He looked at it and picked it up. He was expecting to hear either Nick or Kevin's voice on the other hand, saying everything was ok, sorry for making him worry.
Instead Brian had a near desperate Nick on the line. He didn't say hello, just rushed to the point. -I found his car, Brian, crashed. But I can't find Kevin! Brian slammed his car into a full stop, startling Ingrid beside him. -What did you say? What do you mean you can't find him? Nick's voice was trembling. -His car's wrapped around a tree, and Kevin's no where in sight! He must have wandered off into the woods or something, I'm going to go after him... -No, you are not! Brian shouted. -You just stay right were you are, Nick, I'm on my way. -But I have to find him, Nick's voice was pleading, -he could be hurt! -Tell me where you are, Nicky, Brian said a little calmer. -I'm going to be there in a minute, you stay put. We'll find him, don't you worry.
He looked over at Ingrid. -I'm sorry, but we have to go somewhere else before I bring you home. The car was wrenched around and sped down the road. -Nick just found Kevin's car, crashed into a tree. -Oh my God! Ingrid said, -what about Kevin, is he...? -He's not there, Brian said, his eyes dark. -Hold on, this is going to be a little bumpy.
Five minutes later, after a car-ride Ingrid was sure never ever to forget, they pulled up next to a dark red car standing in the middle of the road. Ingrid, who was a bit more together than the two other guys, reached through the window and turned the ignition off. Brian immedeately ran over to Nick who just threw his arms around him. -I can't find him, Brian! he said, near tears. -Everything's going to be fine, Brian tried to calm the younger man. -Kevin's going to be fine, he can't be far away.
Letting Brian and Nick take their time, Ingrid took a closer look at the car. There was a smear on the side window on the driver's side. Hoping it not to be what she was suspecting, she bent down to examine it closer. -What is it? a low voice said. Ingrid looked up to see Brian at her side. -I'm not completely sure, she said, not wanting to alarm them even more. -But I think that is blood.
Without another word Brian got his phone and called for an ambulance. Then he called the police. He had no idea how he kept calm enough to tell them who he was and what had happened. At the point where he thought he was going to loose it, he felt a hand in his. He met Ingrid's eyes and was strangely reassured by her gaze.
A deep breath later and he was getting off the phone. Nick wouldn't go near the car, all he could do was let his eyes sweep over the forest, hoping to find Kevin. All he wanted to do was run off, search every last bit of the forest to find his boyfriend. But he was also afraid of what he could find.
He didn't see Ingrid looking at him, and jumped a bit when he felt a pair of arms giving him a hug. -You looked like you needed one of those, she said as Nick shifted his eyes to her. -I'm Ingrid. -I'm Nick, Nick answered, -and thanks, I did need one of those. -Ahem, Brian said, -I better tell you this now, Ingrid. Nick and Kevin are a couple. Ingrid was looking at Brian now. -You are a very nice guy, Brian, but you do kinda make a habit out of stating the obvious. That brought a little smile to his face, despite the situation. -I'm going to call AJ and Howie, he said, -they will want to be here too.
An ambulance joined to two other cars on the road, followed by a blue and white policecar. -You up to talking with them? Ingrid said quietly to Nick who was looking awfully pale and scared. -Yeah, he said, trying to collect himself a little. -The sooner we find Kev, this nightmare will be over. Nick had shut his mind off to the thought of Kevin being hurt or worse. That just couldn't happen, they were simply going to find Kevin, he would be allright and everything would be OK again. Nick would never let Kevin out of his sight again, but things would be fine.
A middle-aged policeofficer came over to them as Brian talked to the medical personell. -You found the car, didn't you, Mr...? -Carter, Nick said, -my name is Nick Carter, and yeah, I found the car. -And the car belongs to one Kevin Richardson, the policeman continued. Nick looked as though he was going to break down just by the mention of Kevin's name. -Yes, he whispered.
Nick told them what had happened since they all had left the studio, tears were showing in his blue eyes. -I never should have let him go, Nick said in a thin voice, -why did I let him go? With her heart breaking at the sight of his despair, Ingrid put her arm around his shoulder. -You couldn't know what would happen, she said. -This is not your fault, Nick. -I wanted him to stay with me, Nick continued, -I know I could have made him stay with me...God, why didn't I even try? Now he was so scared and worried that he didn't even notice that the tears were flowing freely down his cheeks, his body was trembling.
Yet another car stopped on the road, making it impossible for any car to get by, no matter which direction they were coming from. Seconds later Nick was hugged simultanously by two darkhaired men, both telling him that things were going to be OK, that Kevin was fine. -That's AJ and Howie, Brian told Ingrid. -As long as we're telling here, they are also together. -OK, was all Ingrid had to say. Brian sighed internally in relief over her reaction. He knew she was a fan, and he couldn't have dealt with any big reaction then and there. How the other guys would react later when they found out that he had spilled their secrets to a girl he had known for about two hours, he didn't want to think about. -Just be OK, Kevin, Brian thought, -then you can yell at me all you want.
-Hey, chief! a policeman called and the officer talking to Nick excused himself and went over to the officer standing next to the car. -Are you sure that there were only one passenger in the car? he asked. -There are some confusing footprints. Right here there are two set, but otherwise there are only one. -Well, if someone didn't just fly past and decide to land for a moment, we have a situation on our hands, the older policeman said. -Maybe one of them got hurt and the other one's carrying him, the other man suggested. -Then why are the tracks heading into the woods, and why didn't they report the accident with the phone just there? He pointed onto the passenger seat in the front where Kevin's cellphone lay. -Shock? suggested the other one. -But we don't know if there were somebody else in the car. -Wait a minute, the policechief said, -I'll go talk to the young man again.
Now he was met by four worried men and one worried woman. Ingrid may not have been part of the gang for long, but she shared the worries. -Were there any other people in the car with Mr. Richardson? he asked. -No, Nick looked up, -Kevin was alone...why do you ask? -There are footprints from two persons here, the policeman said, suddenly aware of that he hadn't introduced himself. He did so and continued. -It looks like there were two people here and that one of them may be carrying the other. -Then where did they go off to? the man on Nick's right side asked. The policeman were thrown off a bit by the young man's hair who was not only ruffled by the fact that he hadn't given himself time to much more then throw on his clothes before rushing out the door. The black colour was also streaked with blue and red locks. -The tracks are leading into the woods, we'll get a searchteam out here right away, the officer said. He looked at the people in front of him. We re most likely facing one hurt person here and one in shock. -But Kevin was alone, Nick said. -There wasn't anybody else in the car with him. Couldn't this other person have walked by or something? the other darkhaired man asked. His hair was equally ruffled in a mass of black curls. -Then there would have been more tracks, the officer said. -They have to come from the car.
-Chief Larson! another policeman yelled. -We've found something here! Chief Larson walked over to the policeman, knowing that he was being followed closely by five persons, like ducklings after the mama duck. -What is it? he asked calmly. -This, the other man said, holding up a rag. -Heavily soaked in some liquid sedative. He handed it to his boss. -I don't know what it is yet, the medical people will have to figure that one out. But don't inhale it, you'll probably be out cold for at least a couple of hours.
The whole world seemed silent, even the birds didn't sing. Howie, Nick, Brian, AJ and Ingrid had similar looks of disbelief on their faces. -Well, chief Larson said slowly. -Seems like we have a kidnapping on our hands here. Then Nick couldn't take it anymore. Silently he just closed his eyed and blacked out, falling to ground in a circle of four shocked people.