My Kinda Guy: A Love To Remember - Chapter 20
"You've taken my heart to a higher place; you've lifted my soul to a better plane...Your love upheld the both of us, only to have it all come shattering down painfully...Our love is a vessel that carries us everywhere we go, work, home, everywhere... The pain of losing that love would cause such heartache and pain..." -- JT Poole
My Kinda Guy
A Love To Remember
Chapter -- 20
by [JT Poole](mailto:jtsplace@nctv.com?subject=Story: My Kinda Guy) and [Nicole Brown](mailto:mznikkigotstyle1@gmail.com?subject=Story:%20%20My%20
Kinda%20Guy%20-%20A%20Love%20To%20Remember...)
Feb 4 -- Orlando, FL -- Florida Hospital
Justin's POV
It's almost daybreak and I've been waiting out here for God knows how long. I went home and got cleaned up and did my best to not alert Tyler, Craig or anyone else that was in the house to my presence. I collected some of Nicky's things and walked out to the garage and drove here. On my way into the parking lot, I spotted JT's SUV and figured that he and Kevin were still here. I know they are mad with me and I can vaguely remember arguing with JT about what was going on. I must have been out of my mind to think that I could go up against him and not get my ass kicked. That's why I was in pain. Hell, if he sees me, he'll probably beat my ass again. So far, if he beats me up again, I won't even try to stop him. I deserve everything that happens to me. I had no right to hurt my angel like that.
I can't do this, I need to go back home and try to do this later. I can't face him...them right now. Nicky'll take one look at me and everything from last night would come back to him and he'll hate me forever. If he hates me forever, it's my own fucking fault. I shouldn't have gotten drunk the way I did. I should know by now that there are different ways to handle my problems, I just hope it's not too late. I fucked up and I must do everything I can to fix this. Out of everything that's happened in my fucked up life, Nicky is the only good thing I have going for me. I just hope I can make this up to him. I didn't mean to do that to him, I wasn't...in my right mind, I wasn't myself. I still don't know what came over me to do those things to him.
Well I can't stand out here forever. Pretty soon someone will come out and it'll probably be JT or Kevin. They'll take one look at me and probably jump my ass for what I've done. I know JT pounded me earlier, but that doesn't make up for what I've done. Oh God, please let my Nicky be alright, I didn't mean it. I have to stop being scared and go inside. I'll never find out anything just by standing here. I'm just not ready to see the results of my fucked up alcoholic actions.
Taking a deep breath, I shook myself and ran my hand through my hair. Walking through the sliding doors and stopping in front of the reception desk, I did my best to try to get my breathing under control so that I can find out where Nicky was. I don't need to break down again. I've done enough of that already.
"Excuse me miss, can you tell me where I might find...ah...Nick...Nick Carter-Timberlake?" I asked, not knowing what name they admitted him under.
"Just a moment sir, let me check," the young woman says, typing his name into the computer and then looking up at me quickly. "Sir Mr. Timberlake-Carter is in recovery right now. He's not able to have visitors right now."
"What!! I'm...I'm his husband, I need to see him," I say, forgetting to keep my voice then in the hospital.
"Well sir he's in recovery, you'll just have to wait until they have him in a room. You are welcomed to talk to his doctor," the woman says, picking up the phone and talking to someone.
"Is there like a recovery waiting room or something?" I ask, not really wanting to deal with this woman right now.
"Yes there is sir. Give me a moment and someone will be here to escort you there," she says, finishing up her phone call and then glaring at me. "Someone will be with you shortly, just have a seat over there."
"Thank you," I say, walking over to the sitting area and taking a seat. Please don't let this take too long, I need to see him and now.
The Recovery Waiting Room
JT's POV
We've been here now almost all night and the doctors just finished working on Nick. Since we've been here, we've seen many different doctors running in and out of the operating room to work on Nick. Thank God that they've finished and we know that he's going to be alright. It's a good sign when the doctor smiles at you and some other guy rolls the patient into the recovery room. I curse Justin for all of this happening. What the hell is wrong with him? We shouldn't be here right now going through any of this. What could Nick possibly do to get him that mad that he would beat him like that. I've been mad with that boy all night, but anger isn't what's needed, we need to find out what got Justin like that. I know he's been drinking, but I don't think alcohol did that.
The nurse just came in and told us that Nick's vitals are stable and that the doctor would be in shortly to talk to us. Me, Kevin and Aaron are sitting here calmly waiting for the doctor and you'd probably think that the way we look right now that one of us was ready to have that finally heart attack that Fred Sanford was talking about for over thirty years. Twenty minutes passed and the doctor walked into the waiting room and sat down in front of the three of us. He went on talking about the possible things that could have happened to Nick and then he went into the spill about we need to contact the police to report the person that actually did that to Nick. After assuring him that the person that had done this was already being taken care of, the doctor went on to tell us what to expect in the upcoming weeks with Nick's care. Talk about talkative; this doctor needs to get a life.
After talking with the doctor for a few minutes, he assured us that Nick should be alright and be back to normal in no time. Damn, I just have to curse Justin again. The boy needs his ass beat for all of this drama. The doctor said that none of Nick's major organs were damaged, but they had to really work on him to stop the internal bleeding. It was like Justin had burst every blood vein and vessel in Nick's chest and abdomen area. As the doctor says, Nick took too many blows to his torso and that's what caused all the problems. I'm glad that Nick's okay, I just wish he didn't have to go through this crap. Justin needs a beatdown and needs to have his ass laid up in here. Speak of the damn devil. Look what the cat drug in from the fucking rain. I wonder where he's been all fucking night since Aaron said he wasn't at the house when he was there.
"You!" Aaron screamed as he ran towards Justin, kicking and punching at his chest.
"Aaron, stop!" Kevin exclaims, trying to hold Aaron back as hospital security rushed into the room. "Come on kid, calm down."
"I'm not going to calm down damnit! He hurt my brother!" Aaron screamed as Kevin pulled the boy to his chest and hugged him as Aaron continued to struggle in his arms.
"Is everything alright in here?" The hospital security guard asks as I nod my head at him while glaring at Justin.
"Everything is fine, just a little bit of emotional stress," I say as Kevin was able to calm Aaron down.
"Alright, remember this is a hospital. Keep it down please," the security guard says, walking out of the room, letting the door close behind him.
"Where the hell have you been Justin?" I ask him through gritted teeth. "Aaron says when he got there, you wasn't around."
"I...I don't know where I was or how I got there," Justin answers as I walked over to him and smacked him upside the head.
"Do you remember now?" I ask him as he frowns. "I'm in no fucking mood for playing games Justin. Where the hell were you?"
"I just told you JT I don't know where I was," he answers again, tears falling from his eyes. "I just knew I needed to get home and find Nicky."
"Your husband has been here being operated on because of you! The least you could have done was remember where the hell he was. What the fuck is your problem Justin? What the hell caused you to hurt Nick the way you did? What did he do to warrant the beating you gave him?" I asked, wondering what the hell was going through his damn mind.
"I...I don't know what caused me to do that. I...I wasn't myself JT," he replies, looking down at the floor. "I don't know what made me hurt my precious angel the way I did. I was drunk and..."
"Justin you can't just chalk this up to your damn drinking," Kevin says, walking over to us now. "I get drunk...he'll JT gets drunk, but neither of us acted the way you did last night."
"Justin I don't get this. What made you start drinking again?" I ask him as he looked down at the floor. "Justin!"
"I'm sorry, I...I can't say. I don't want to talk about that right now," he says, looking away from me.
"You might not want to talk about it Justin, but you're going to have to. Right now, I feel like locking your ass away for a few years and if you don't tell us what the fuck is going on, I'll be just as happy to do that. Now start talking or else Blondie."
"JT please, I...I can't talk about that," he says as I get closer to him and jack him up.
"Either you talk about it or I'll beat it out of you. You have your options now choose one of `em," I tell him as Kevin grabbed my arm.
"Baby we don't need to do this here," he says, still holding my hand.
"We're at the hospital already, there's no better place than here Kev," I say as he shook his head as I turn my attention back to Justin who was crying at this point.
"If you must beat me JT, then do that, but I can't...can't tell you what you want," he says, tears streaming down his face.
"Oh great, the sympathy factor," I say as I let him down and moved away from him. "This isn't over yet Justin. You might as well open up and tell it already."
"If you're going to beat me up, do it already damnit," Justin says, crying all out now. "Do what you have to do JT, but I...I can't tell you."
"Fine," I say, ready to punch him, but my emotions got the better of me and I walked out of the room instead.
Justin's POV
What just happened here? I thought he was going to pound me into the wall, but he didn't. I was expecting him to go ahead and hit me and get this all over with. What stopped him? I wished he'd hit me, maybe that would make me feel something right now. I know I should be upset about what I did to Nicky, but my mind...mind keeps going back to Uncle Ken and what he did.
Start Flashback
A Few Weeks Ago -- Washington, D.C. -- The Essence Hotel
Justin's POV
Damn, we just got here and there's already some damn drama. I'm already tired and shit and now I have to put up with Nikki getting upset about Josh being here with us. I don't know what the problem is, but they need to act like adults and get over that shit. Hell, we're all grown ups here or at least I thought we were. I don't need here getting on my nerves. I'm in no mood for her to be beating on me like she was. I'm not Josh, I haven't done anything to her, she needs to quit that shit. If she wasn't a girl, pregnant and almost like a sister to me, I would beat her ass for all the hitting she's done today. Hell, there's only so much a person is willing to take before they get fucking mad and start hitting back. I know she's mad, but she ain't got to take that shit out on me. I'm not the root of her problems.
It's been a long day and it's still early up in the day. Nick and the guys are off doing Backstreet work, so I'm actually waiting for them to get back. This place is boring and I wish I was actually doing a little something-something with JT, but that's not an option right now since his and Kevin's kids are here close by. Those little boys are so cute. Nicky and me are going to have a good time spoiling them. I can't wait for him to get back here; we've been away from each other for too long. I miss my Nicky and when I get him alone, all by myself, I'm going to make up for lost time.
"There's got to be something I can do," I say aloud, sitting down in front of the television and switching it on. "I guess I can watch a movie or something until the guys get back."
I had been sitting there for almost an hour when someone knocked on the door. Getting up, I threw the remote on the sofa and walked over to the door. Looking through the peephole, I didn't see anyone there. Opening the door, I got the shock of my life when Uncle Ken was standing there looking back at me.
"Un-uncle Ken what are you doing here?" I ask him as he smiled at me and hugged me.
"Why you ask silly questions my boy, you know why I'm here," he says, letting me go as my body started trembling. "How is my little Justin doing?"
"I'm doing fine. What is it that you want Uncle Ken?" I asked him as he smiled at me and walked past me.
"You know what it is that I want Justin," he says, standing behind me, waiting for me to close the door.
"Uncle Ken I'm...I'm married now, I...I have someone in my life now," I tell him as he frowned and grabbed my hand. "Owwwww, you're hurting me."
"Not as much as you're hurting me Justin," he says, pulling me close to his body, getting up in my face trying to kiss me.
"No don't. stop it Uncle Ken," I say, pulling away from him. "I'm n-not going to do anything with you. Why did you even come here for anyway?"
"You're still my special buddy Justin. Because you supposedly married some guy, doesn't mean that what we have just up and disappears," he says, lifting my chin and kissing me on the cheek. "You're not going to turn me away are you?"
How in the hell did he get up here? How did he get past security? Someone should have called up here and got permission before letting him pass.
"This isn't...isn't going to happen, Uncle Ken," I tell him, wishing he'd just leave me alone or just fall over and die or something. "I'm not going to betray my husband for you."
"Well that's all fine and dandy Justin, but if you don't give me what I want, just remember I can get what I want from other places. I'm quite sure you know where I might be getting what I want from," he says, smirking at me now.
"What? From who?" I ask, trying to think of how he could be taking advantage of and then it all hit me. "No!"
Oh God, he's...he's hurting one of my brothers, but which one. I have to do something to stop him, but what?
"Is there something wrong out here?" Tyler, JT and Kevin's bodyguard asks, stepping out of his room.
"Tell him everything's fine or you'll regret it," Uncle Ken whispers to me as I nod.
"Everything's fine Tyler, just go back to whatever it was you were doing. We're just talking about some gossip," I say as he smiles and walks back into his room.
"Now where were we?" Uncle Ken asks me as he puts his hands on my hips and moves me up against the wall. "Oh yeah, you were telling me that you weren't going to play with me anymore and I told you that I could play with someone else."
"Who is it that you're playing with?" I ask him as he smirks again and shakes his head no.
"I'm not going to tell you that Justin. If I did that, you'd probably try to stop me or something," he says, leaning in and kissing me on the mouth.
"No Uncle Ken, please don't," I say, looking down at the floor as he lifts my chin.
"Where is your room?" He asks me as I made not attempt to answer him. "I asked you a question boy. Don't make me angry Justin. You don't want me to do something bad to one of my playmates."
"Over there," I say, pointing at the room that me and Nicky would be staying in.
"Come on, don't keep me waiting," he says, grabbing my hand as I led him to the room. "Don't drag your feet Justin."
"I'm not dragging my feet Uncle Ken," I say, looking over at Tyler's door.
"Don't get any ideas Justin. You know I can always do something you'd regret and royally fuck up your life. Don't make me do something to end your life and make everyone around you pay for it," he says, pushing me in the direction of the room.
"I'm not getting any ideas Uncle Ken, I was only looking around," I tell him as he shakes his head.
"I know you Justin. I know how your mind works already," he says, turning me around and pushing me up against the door as he opened it. "You know I could have killed you long ago when you told Randy I was hurting you."
"You were hurting me damnit," I say as he pushed me into the room and smacked me. "Owww. I was only a little kid and you did everything sexually imaginable to me."
"Don't act like you were hurt Justin, you weren't. You were the one that came on to me mind you," he says, taking my vest and shirt off.
"I came on to you? You are a sick bastard. I was only four fucking years old. How in the hell did I come on to you?" I ask him as he took off his overcoat and threw it in the chair in the corner.
"You came on to me and that's final. I don't want to talk about that anymore or you'll make me do something you'll regret later on," he says as I closed my mouth as he got my pants off and then started taking off his own. "Assume the position Justin; I need to be inside of you."
With that, he was naked and so was I. I got on the bed on my hands and knees and I could feel him moving up behind me. He pushed me down on the bed and positioned me the way he wanted me to be and then he was inside of me again, against my wishes, violating me.
End Flashback
Maybe I should have let him do something then to kill me. Maybe if I was dead, Nicky wouldn't be here in the hospital because of me. He shouldn't have to deal with any of this. He didn't deserve to be hurt like that. The person that needs to be hurt isn't around to pay for it, he's walking around scott free and nobody will do anything to stop him. Because of me, I almost killed my husband and I hardly remember doing any of it.
A Little Later -- Back at the Richardson/Anderson/Carter Estates
JT's POV
Is this day going to get any better than this? It's almost nine o'clock and I haven't gotten any needed sleep yet. How am I going to be able to do any work today if I can't keep my eyes open? I have too much stuff to worry about and I'm not going to be able to focus on any of it because of all that's going on right now. Poor Nicky, I wish there was a way to solve all of this, but there isn't. When Justin's ready to talk about whatever it is that made him start back to drinking, then he'll tell us and things will start to move in the right direction.
I don't think I'll be able to keep my eyes open today like I should. I've been up now for over twenty-four hours and I still haven't gotten any sleep. Between dealing with the stuff around here, dealing with the boys, dealing with Brian and his stuff, I haven't had time to at least wind down. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to handle things from here in my home office and do my best to stay awake.
Where is Lydia and Craig, I've been in the house for every twenty minutes and I have yet to see them. I've walked past their part of the house and I didn't hear a peep. Are they even here? Oh well, I can't worry about that now, I need to go check on the boys and get them ready for the day. I'll just have to do my best at it alone since Kevin decided to stay at the hospital with Nick. Aaron told him to come back here, that he would stay with Nick, but with all that's happened so far and the fact that Justin was there too, Kevin decided to stay and keep an eye on him. I don't know how long he plans on keeping an eye on Justin, from the things the boy said, he's not leaving his husband's side until a little bit later.
I just can't believe Justin did all of that. What in this world would make him beat up the person he loves like that? I know there have been plenty of times in the past that Kevin has made me mad, but I would never hurt him like that, never in a million years. I don't know what's going through Justin's mind, but the boy needs therapy and quick before he doesn't something to hurt someone else.
"Hey, hey, what're you two doing in here?" I ask, walking into the boys' bedroom to see that every toy that Lydia had bought for them was in the middle of the floor and the room looked like Taz® had come through at high speed.
"Jaytee!" Toby screamed at the top of his lungs and ran towards me. "Where's Kevin?"
"Kevin had to go handle some business," I tell him as he jumped on one leg and Jaken jumped on the other one.
"When he come home?" Toby asks, jumping up on my leg now.
"He'll be home in a little bit," I say, reaching down to pick him up and place him on my hip as I looked down at Jaken and he had that hopeful look in his eye. "Please tell me you don't want me to pick you up too."
"Purtee pwease," he says as I sigh and lean down carefully to pick him up, doing my best to hold both boys on my hip.
"How did you two sleep last night?" I ask, turning around and walking out of the room with a boy on each hip.
"Fine," the both said in unison.
"Did you two eat something already?" I ask as Jaken nods his head. "Oh? What did you have?"
"I had Lucky Charms™ and I got a toy out of the box," Toby says as I look at him, wondering how he got the Lucky Charms since I didn't remember buying any.
"I got oatmeal," Jaken says as he smiles at me.
"How did you get Lucky Charms™ Toby, I don't remember getting any," I say to him as I got down the hall to me and Kevin's room and placed the boys on the bed.
"Me don't know," he says as I turn around and start going through the closet, trying to pick out something to wear for that day.
"So what did you guys want to do today?" I ask, pulling out a cute Hawaiian print shirt and some khaki pants and laying them on the bed.
"What can do Jaytee?" Jaken asks.
"Well what did you two normally do in the mornings?" I ask, taking my shirt off and throwing it into the hamper.
"Play play play," Toby says, getting up and starts jumping up and down on the bed as he giggled.
"Hey, hey, hey, stop that. If the springs go bad in that mattress it would be because of me and Kevin, not you, you little bouncing bug," I say as I walk over to Toby and grab him to stop him from jumping.
"Do stay here?" Jaken asks as I look at him funny.
"Can you say that again?" I ask, wondering what it was he was trying to say.
"Stay here?" Jaken asks as I got closer to him. "Can we go places or stay here?"
"Where do you want to go?" I ask, finally understanding what it was he was saying.
"Disney Place," he says, standing up on the bed now. "Can we go, go?"
"Go to Disney Place?" I ask laughing now as he frowns. "I'm sorry Jake, did you mean Disney World?"
"Is that it?" He asks, looking at me as I smile at him. "Can we go there?"
"Well I don't know," I say, picking up my clothes and walking towards the bathroom. "You two stay right here, don't move. I'll be right back. I'm going to change."
I walked into the bathroom to wash up and get changed into a fresh set of clothes. While changing, I started laughing to myself at the way Jaken was talking about Disney World. He's the cutest little thing there is. If he wants to go to Disney, I should take him. I just hope that if we go there, Toby wouldn't freak out. I don't need another scene like yesterday. Brushing my teeth and gargling, I spit, check my hair and I'm back out into the main room to see both boys in the same spot I had left them in. As soon as I got closer to the bed, Jaken stood up and jumped towards me. Catching him, he wrapped his arms around my neck and hugged me tight.
"I missed you Jaytee," he says as he smiled at me.
"I missed you too," I say as I leaned down and picked up Toby too. "Come on, let's go get you two ready for an outing."
Later that Day -- Willacoochee, GA -- Home of Addie Mae Williams
Addie Mae's POV
Lord I haven't heard from them kids in weeks. I'm starting to get worried now that Cynth has come back home. She's all on that righteousness kick about getting her life right and now she wants to get John and Lydia back into her life. I told that chile to leave them cherin alone, but she's pigheaded just like her daddy. She went ahead and hired a private investigator to look for them and the man told her that they somewhere in Orlando Florida. I wish I woulda met the man so I could have stopped him, but it's too late now.
It's been nine years since she last saw them and I know for a fact that if she gets near them, they'll run. She hurt them kids very badly and they don't want her in their lives anymore. When she shot both of they daddies that was pain enough, but now she wants to get back into their lives too late in da game to be they momma. The heffa don lost her mind. If she finds them and tries to get back into their lives now, I don't know what they'll do this time. The last time she found them, both of them ran away to the other coast and did what was necessary to cut the rest of us in the family off. When that happened, it was five years later after I heard from them again. I can't go through another five years of not knowing if my little babies are okay. I raised them two and I won't be able to stand living without hearing from them.
"Addie Mae, what you doing?" Lester, my brother and Cynth's daddy ask as I walk through the house throwing stuff into my carryon bag.
"None of yo damn bizness Lester!" I shout at him as I walked over to him and got in his face. "Don't get on my nerves right now damnit! I'm on a mission."
"A mission to get on my damn nerves," he says, walking away from me and farting.
"Nasty azz bastard! Don't you do that muthafuckin' shit no mo!" I scream at him as he shook his head and waved me off in a dismissive way. "Don't make me cap yo azz Lester!"
"Cap this bitch!" He shouts, giving me the finger as he sat down on the couch and put his feet up on the table while turning the TV on.
"Lester if you weren't my brother, I'd chop off your head and leave you left for dead in the Chattahoochee River!"
"You ain't gon do nuffin bitch," he said as I walked over to him and pulled my piece out of my bosom and held it up to his nose. "I...I'se sorree Addie, I'se only playin."
"Oh now ya funked up azz playin'," I say as he leaned back on the sofa trying to move out of my way. "Next time I tell yo crazy azz sumthin', you betta listen damnit."
"Addie put the gun away, we'se familee hur," he says, still trying to move away from me.
"Sure we are, but it will only take a few seconds and one of my connections down at the Coroner's Office to remedy that problem," I tell him as his eyes got big. "Don't keep fucking with me Lester or I'll beat yo azz and feed the remains to that lil thing you call a dog sitting out there."
After Lunch Time -- Back At Florida Hospital in Orlando -- Nick's Hospital Room
Aaron's POV
I still can't believe Justin hurt Nick this way. What the hell was going through his mind to do something like this? Look at him sitting there on the bed so smug and calm like he hasn't done anything. If it wasn't for Kevin being here, I'd beat his ass and leave him in a shape similar to Nick's. The nerve of some damn people to think that they can just be forgiven for shit that they've done with a simple `I' sorry and I don't know what came over me.' This shit ain't over with by a longshot. He's got to walk out of here some time and when I get him alone, I'm going to beat his ass like I was Holyfield and he was Tyson. When I'm done with him, he'll know better than to pull this shit again.
We've been here in this room since a little after ten and Nick hasn't awakened yet. The doctor came in a bit ago and said that he'd wake up soon, but still nothing. I've been hoping on hope that he doesn't remember what happened to him. I can't imagine how it feels to be with someone and have them rape and beat you the way Justin did to him. I just hope that he doesn't remember any of that now. He's been through too much already and he doesn't need to remember that and experience that kind of hurt again.
"Baby...baby how you feeling?" Justin asks as I look up to see Nick stirring a bit. "Come on baby talk to me."
"Ju-Justin! No!" Nick screamed out as he started thrashing around on the bed as me and Kevin jumped up, with Kevin getting to Justin first and pushing him off the bed.
"Nick calm down," I say as he kept on thrashing, making me scared that he was going to hurt himself more with all the thrashing he was doing.
"Baby please calm down," Justin says as Nick starts thrashing more.
"Justin shut the fuck up!" I scream at him as hospital security and the doctor rushes into the room.
"What's going on in here?" The doctor asks, looking all Kevin and Justin as I did my best to hold Nick down.
"He's upset because of that bastard," I say as the doctor pulls out a syringe and injects its contents into Nick's arm.
"This should calm him down," the doctor says, looking at Justin and Kevin. "Gentlemen please escort these men out."
"What? He's the only one that needs to leave," I say, pointing at Justin.
"All of you should go. Mr. Carter needs rest and I don't think he's going to get it with you three here," the doctor says as the security guys stood at the door waiting for us to walk out of the room. "Mr. Carter shouldn't be disturbed for the next couple of hours, well at least by any of you three. Good day."
"Yeah whatever," I say, glaring at Justin as Kevin pulled out his cell phone to call someone.
The Dorough/Fatone Estates
Nikki's POV
"I got it!" I said, laughing as the twins and Briahna fell into a giggling pile on top of D. I have to say that in spite of all his misgivings, he's really being sweet to Bri. I walked over to the phone, rubbing my side where the baby was giving me a muscle spasm. "You need to kick elsewhere kiddo. This is the Dorough/ Fatone Estates, Nikki speaking."
"Nikki, this is Kevin. I'm at Florida Hospital. We need you and D to get over here as soon as possible," Kevin rushed out, sounding really upset. I motioned D over to me, walking out into the hall so I could hear what Kevin was trying to say. "Nick is... Nick is hurt pretty bad and I think he might need you guys here for awhile."
"What happened to him Kevin?" I asked as I ran up the stairs to find Joey and JC to stay with the kids. "He was fine yesterday when we got home. Hell, he was as happy to be home as I was. What the heck happened to him?"
"Justin happened to him," Kevin replied, his voice totally devoid of emotion. "Look, I don't want to get into this over the phone, but let's just say that Justin loved Nick almost to death. Just get here as soon as you guys can, okay?"
"Give us thirty minutes," I said as the phone went dead. I paused outside of the guys' bedroom long enough to give a perfunctory knock, and then I barged in, grinning when they jumped up, both grabbing for something to cover themselves with. "Let's not be acting like I haven't already seen it boys."
"Whatever lady," Tony snapped playfully, kissing me quickly as he slipped into his shorts. "What's going on?"
"D and I have to go over to Florida Hospital, so you two are gonna have to stay here with the kids," I stated as I left their room to grab my purse and keys. I ran past JC, who stopped me with a kiss. I smiled, kissing him back before I headed for the stairs again. "We'll be back as soon as we can, and we'll call you as soon as we know anything."
"Nikki, what's going on?" Josh asked, following Tony and I as we went back to the living room where D waited with the boys and Briahna.
"Kevin called and told us that Nick's hurt," I explained as I kissed the kids. "You guys be good for Daddy and Uncle Josh. We'll call when we can."
Howie and I left the house in a hurry, neither of us speaking much as we rode, but both of us were worried about what we might find. My hand went to his instinctively, grasping it tight as my stomach began tightening.
"Oh man," I whispered, rubbing my stomach with my free hand. D glanced over at me with a worried frown, but kept his eyes on the road. "Stupid contractions."
"You okay?" he asked when we got to the next stop light, rubbing the lump tenderly. "Are you sure you want to be doing this? You really need to be home resting."
"D, I'm fine," I stated, grinning at him as we pulled into the hospital parking lot. "Life doesn't stop just because I'm pregnant... besides, Kevin specifically asked for me to come. Now, let's go inside and find out what happened to Nicky."
Kevin saw us just as we were walking inside the door and guided us over to the elevators. He shook his head when I tried to ask him what had happened, ushering me into the car when it finally arrived. As soon as the doors closed behind me, I turned on him ready to take it there if he didn't tell me something about why we were here.
"Let's wait until we're alone and I'll tell you everything," Kevin said before I could get a word out. "Please, let's just get upstairs."
"Okay, so there's nobody around now, so start talking Richardson," I demanded, crossing my arms and refusing to move once he'd led us into a private waiting room where Aaron sat waiting. I hugged Aaron, mussing his hair. "Hey Aaron... now, somebody please tell me what the hell's going on before I lose my mind! What happened to Nick—and why isn't Justin here?"
"He was, but the doctors kicked all of us out when Nick woke up and started loosing it," Aaron replied, looking like he was about to spit nails.
"Okay, that's all well and good, but what does that have to do with Nick being in here?" D asked, looking just as confused as I was.
"Justin raped him—and he would have killed him if Kevin hadn't found them in the pool house and gotten Justin off Nick," Aaron explained, watching my face carefully. I collapsed into a chair, my face draining of color as I remembered my own rapes at the hands of my ex-husband. "Nikki, are you okay?"
"Where is Nicky?" I asked softly, my face emotionless as I sat beside D. Kevin knelt in front of me, taking one hand in his. "I'm fine Kevin... I just want to see him and make sure he's okay."
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, rubbing my hand. I smiled at him, kissing his cheek as I stood up again. "He's still in the recovery room... I'll take you to him."
"Thank you," I stated, following him wordlessly. We stopped outside the room where Nick lay, and there was something about the way Kevin looked told me that what I was about to see was going to effect me deeply.
I walked into the room, stopping short when I saw Nick lying on the bed, covered in bandages and looking like someone had used him for a punching bag. I covered my mouth, tears blurring my vision as I made my way over to the chair that was already set up beside the bed. I picked up Nick's hand, clutching it as I laid my head on the bed beside him and let the tears come—but the anger that Justin could hurt the man he loved was right on its heels.
"I'm so sorry you had to be hurt like this Nicky," I whispered as I caressed his hand gently. "But I'm here with you now, and I promise that D, Kevin, JT and I won't let anything happen to you. You just worry about getting better."
"N-Nikki?" Nick whispered, his eyes fluttering open. I smiled, pushing his hair back from his forehead.
"Hey there... you had us worried for a little bit," I said, trying to smile as I fought back tears. "You sure know how to make a play for attention. If you wanted to see us, all you had to do was call."
"Don't make me laugh—it hurts when I laugh," Nick gasped, fighting the urge to giggle as he squeezed my hand. "D-did Kev tell you what happened?"
"Yes he did... and your so-called husband is a dead man when I find him," I replied venomously, my eyes narrowing to slits briefly before I focused on Nick's woebegone face. "I'm sorry Sweetie... how do you feel?"
"I'm okay I guess," he replied weakly, his head falling back against the pillows. He closed his eyes for a moment and when they opened, he had tears in the bright blue orbs. "Nikki, h-how c-could he hurt me like this? All I ever did w-was try to l-love him... why did he do this?"
"I wish I knew Nicky... I wish I knew," I said as I sat on the bed beside him and caressed his cheek. "But we'll find out and get him the help he needs. Now you just rest. Don't worry about anything but getting better."
"Stay with me?" he asked, his voice slurred with sleep. I squeezed his hand, letting him know that I would be there while he slept.
If we can keep JT from killing Justin, he might just get the help he needs for whatever the hell it is that's bothering him, I thought sardonically as Nick's grip gradually loosened on mine. I made myself comfortable in the chair again, settling in to wait for him to wake up again.
"Rest well Nick... I have a feeling you're gonna need all the energy you can get soon," I said softly as I drifted off to sleep myself.
TO BE CONTINUED...
STORY WARNINGS & DISCLAIMER:
I don't know any of the members of «N SYNC, Backstreet Boys or any other celebrities mentioned. I don't know anything about their sexual orientation or the orientation of any other celebrities in this story (even though I wish some of them were gay). This story is fiction and you shouldn't take it for anything else but that. This is for entertainment value only folks.