Chapter 5: Early Morning Shock

We stared at each other through the darkness.
"I..." I started. He looked at me with questioning eyes.
Just then I let myself out of his arms and put my feet back on the ground.
My arms remained draped over his neck gently. His eyes questioned my actions.
Just then, almost like a savior we heard a voice call out in the distance.
"FRACK!" Brian called, running across the street.
"Dude, I knew we would find you here, isn't it gorgeous!?" Brian yelled,
A.J. following close behind him. A.J. and Brian stared at us.
"Are we interrupting something?" Brian asked.
"No, no, we were just talking," I lied.
"Interesting way of talking," A.J. smartly added.
"What are you guys up to?" Nick asked, releasing me from his arms.
"We're going to this club right down off of Broadway, you guys up for it?"
A.J. asked, looking around.
Without hesitation I jumped at the chance.
"Yeah, I'd like to go. Nick, will you go, please?" I asked. He looked down at me and smiled. He seemed a bit agitated that I pulled away, but his face softened when I asked if he would come.
"Sure, let's go," he said, putting his hands in his pockets.
A.J. and Brian walked ahead of us.
"I'm sorry," I said quietly through the piercing winter air.
"For?" He dumbly asked.
"For that, back there," I nodded towards where we were standing.
He didn't say anything.
"There's a lot you don't know about me and were you quite sure you wanted to do that?" I added.
"I know that there's something here I don't want to fight," he quietly said.
Maybe if he would have said it quieter I wouldn't have had to hear it. If that would have happened then I could keep denying my feelings for him. I frowned. We approached the club.
"We'll be right in guys, go ahead," Nick said, waving his hand at his friends.
He pulled me aside from the crowds of people. I faced him. The moon was bright enough for me to see his eyes. They were stronger than ever as he fixed them on mine.
"Kate you can't tell me you don't feel anything," he pursued.
Why was he so pushy? God, why did this happen... "I don't know what I feel," I said, starting to turn around.
He grabbed me harshly by my right arm and spun me around and looked at me again.
"Just give me a chance. You say there's a lot I don't know about you, but why don't you give me a chance to get to know that stuff," he pleaded.
His voice was kind and warm and he seemed to genuinely care. Yeah right, how many men have "seemed" to care in the past? But it wasn't about men, it was about me. About my promise to never fall in love and never rely on someone. If he knew everything about me, he wouldn't want me for sure.
"So what do you say?" He asked kindly.
"I say we go in and have fun and take it from there," I said with a smile.
He smiled back.

~ONE HOUR LATER~

Nick, Brian and I were sitting at a table with a couple of drinks when we saw Kevin, Howie and a few others come into the club. I said hello to them all and then excused myself to the bathroom to powder my nose. I was at the mirror fixing my lipstick when a cold familiar voice from behind me said:
"Ahhh Kaitlyn. I thought you were too good for clubs like this. Or a club at all," Kaylee hissed from behind me.
I rolled my eyes.
"What brings you out of your cave?" I shot back.
"Someone's PMSing," she growled.
"What do you want Kaylee?" I asked, getting tired of her.
"I saw you brought blond-boy here tonight. He's pretty hot," she smirked as the words came spitting out of her mouth.
"That's nice, will you excuse me," I said, pushing my way past her.
"Don't cross me McBride, cause I will have you fired," she threatened as I walked out of the ladies room. My face was red with fury as I made my way back to our table.
Nick looked at me concerned.
"Are you okay Kate?" He asked as I sat down.
"Yeah I'm okay. Do you want to dance?" I asked, pulling on his arm as I saw Kaylee stroll out of the bathroom.
"Thought you'd never ask," he politely replied as we stood up and he looped
his arm through mine. The smile returned to my face.

~30 MINUTES LATER~

It had been one fast song after another and I was getting quite tired. It was nearing early morning. Nick, A.J., Kevin, Brian and a few other people were out dancing on the floor. Howie and Kevin were surrounded by girls as Howie sat at a table chatting with a quaint young woman. A.J. danced fiercely with a blonde woman who was wearing hardly any clothing. Suddenly a slow song started. Was that possible at a club? I was shocked.
"Can I have this dance?" Nick sweetly asked as he took out his hand for me to take.
I took it with a smile. He pulled me close to him. I wasn't really short, about five foot seven, so my head lay on the top of his chest. His arms were strong and loving as they held me and rocked me side to side. I felt my body float away as he guided me across the floor ever so softly. I felt as if the world disappeared around us and no one else on the planet mattered. Time was frozen as we glided around the floor. Our eyes were locked intensely as I wrapped my arms around him tightly. His hands covered my waist and acted as my protector from all of the dangers around us. Even though it would be impossible with the loud music, I swore I could hear his heart beating. A shiver ran down my spine. I hugged him tighter. He looked down at me. I looked into his eyes. Our eyes locked as we magically floated across the dance floor. Another slow song came on. I continued to not budge from his arms. Against his will, I released myself from his eyes and laid my head softly back on his chest.
"And the first time ever I kissed your mouth, I felt the earth move through my head...I felt your heart so close to mine...the first time ever I saw your face..." the mournful song slowly played on.
I wanted him to hold me and never let go. I wanted him to kiss me, hold me, make love to me. But as the thoughts ran through my head I tried to push them out faster than they came. There were points where I didn't care anymore as long as I was in his arms. My head was resting softly on his shoulder when I felt his hand lift my chin up. He slowly moved my head to face him. My eyes stared back at his.
"Nick!" Howie shrieked running across the dance floor and up to us. Our gaze was instantly broken.
"What's wrong?" Nick asked, getting a little annoyed.
"It's Brian," Howie softly said.
Without a second thought Nick released me and flew across the dance floor. I followed closely behind.
Brian was laying still on the dance floor. There were a crowd of people behind him. A.J. was on his cell phone as Nick ran up to Brian and bent down next to him.
The music came to an abrupt stop.
"Brian, Brian!" Nick yelled, patting his hand. Kevin was kneeling on his other side, holding his other hand.
"The paramedics are on the way," A.J. worriedly said, placing the cell back in his pocket.
I looked up from Nick and Brian to see Kaylee standing in the distance with a notepad, taking down every bit of information that was going on. I knew what she was doing, but I didn't have time to deal with her.
Brian's head moved back and forth a bit as he tried to open his eyes.
"Brian, are you okay? Brian!?" Nick yelled at his best friend.
My eyes started to well up with tears. Kevin and Nick were two of the closest to Brian and they were bent down at his side desperately screaming his name. I wanted to do something, but there was nothing to do.
"Okay, everyone move out!" Howie yelled, trying to clear the crowd.
"Kate will you go to the bar and get him a glass of water?" A.J. asked.
Without a nod, I ran as fast as I could through the crowd to get to the bar.
I got a glass of water and a wet towel as fast as I could and ran back to Brian. I kneeled down on the floor with Nick.
"Nick, hold his head a bit," I ordered. Brian's eyes opened on and off.
"Brian do you want some water?" I asked. He mumbled a yes.
I slowly put some water in his mouth as Nick held his head. After he drank a little Nick placed his head back on the floor. Kevin placed some towels under his head. I took the wet towel I had and put it on his head.
"It's okay Brian, everything's going to be okay," I reassured him as his blue eyes looked up at Nick, Kevin and I.
Just then the paramedics arrived.

~TWENTY MINUTES LATER~

Nick, Kevin, Howie, and A.J. paced across the waiting room floor of the hospital.
"What could be wrong with him?" Nick asked, looking at Kevin.
Kevin pat him on the back and gave him a look of confusion. Nick sat down next to me and put his head in his hands. I rubbed his back softly.
"It's okay, he'll be okay," I reassured him. He slightly smiled at me.
"Are you guys the friends of Mr. Littrell?" A tall, skinny dark man asked, approaching us.
"Yes, how's my cousin?" Kevin worriedly asked.
"He's going to be okay. His blood wasn't pumping too quickly and he had lack of oxygen to his brain, so that caused him to pass out. We're running some tests right now, but he's awake now if you want to see him."
All of the guys began to follow the doctor down the hall.
"Are you coming Kate?" Nick asked.
"No, go ahead. He should be with his friends right now," I said and smiled up at him.
"Thank you, I won't be long," he said, running off to be with the others.
As I sat in the waiting room all I could think of was Nick.
I was off in a fantasy land when I saw Kaylee and Phil running down the corridor.
"Looks like no one's found out yet," Kaylee said, fixing her hair.
"What in the hell are you doing here?" I angrily persisted.
"Well one of the Backstreet Boys passed out at a club, this is top news. No other newspaper will know about this until the morning. We'll have the first story!" Kaylee excitedly exclaimed.
"I'll be damned if you do," I threatened as I stood up in front of her.
"Excuse me? Kate, this is my story and YOU are not going to tell me what to do," she said, as if she was brushing me off of her sleeve like a flea.
"Brian is not feeling well and his friends are very worried. He doesn't deserve to have his name and what happened tonight plastered all over the New York Times in the morning. Besides, aren't the papers already being sent to the press, it's after two in the morning?" I asked, disgusted.
"I called them and told them to hold for a half hour. So obviously I need to get working," she said, not taking into consideration anything that I had said.
"Kaylee!" I shrieked as she pushed past me. I followed her down the hall at a high speed until she found Brian's room.
"How nice the nurse was, telling me what room he was in," she muttered.
Nick came out of the room and closed the door quietly. He turned around and to his surprise saw Phil and Kaylee.
"Nick, how's Brian doing? What's his condition? Is he going to be okay? Do you have any comments on what happened tonight?" She persisted.
Nick looked at her angrily. I knew he was going to tell her to fuck off. I waited for him to, since I couldn't get through to her. He looked at her and then back at me.
"Was this your idea?" He asked, looking at me with a face of anger.
"What?" I shrieked.
"You called your editor? How dare you do that Kate. Is that all this is to you is news?" Nick yelled before walking off. I was speechless.

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