*Two Days Later/On Plane To Sweden*
Shayla was asleep with her head on Brian's shoulder. Nick was sitting across the aisle next to McKenzie sweating to death and fidgeting nervously in his seat. He looked over enviously at Shayla sleeping. She wouldn't give him any valium this time, much to everyone's relief, after his behavior on the last flight. He loosened his shirt collar, feeling like he couldn't breath.
"Baby sit still and try to relax," McKenzie said trying to read a book.
"Relax! Relax!" Nick exclaimed. "How am I supposed to relax when all I can think about is plumeting to the ground at 600 miles an hour and bursting into a big fire ball," he whined.
"Well thanks for sharing that honey. That left a real nice image in my mind," McKenzie said.
"Look out he's gonna blow," AJ said from his seat behind Shayla. He looked at Nick's face then at his watch. "3,2,1," he counted down.
Nick jumped up, making a mad dash for the bathroom, holding his hand over his mouth and his cheeks puffed out. Everyone laughed knowing he was going to throw up.
"AJ, that probably only made it worse. That wasn't very nice," Kimmy said smacking his leg.
"Yeah, but it was fun," AJ laughed.
"Be quiet! I'm trying to sleep over here," a grumpy Kevin bellowed from the seat across the aisle. He had been grumpy for the last two days since Jen left. She wouldn't be coming to Sweden until next week and he missed her terribly already.
"Geez, somebody needs to get some, and fast," AJ muttered under his breath.
"I heard that you walking tattoo on a stick," Kevin grumbled.
Everyone laughed, including Kimmy and AJ shot her a look. "Guys knock it off," Brian groaned. "We know you miss Jen Kev, but stop taking it out on all of us ok. You've been a real grump the last two days."
Kevin mumbled something they couldn't understand and went back to sleep. Nick stumbled his way back to his seat. He was pale and green and looked like he'd been hit by a truck. He plopped back down next to McKenzie leaning on her shoulder and groaning.
"Is he always like this?" Mcknezie asked the others.
"Yep," they all said in unison.
"You poor baby," she said putting his head in her lap and rubbing his back.
"Uh Kenz, I wouldn't do that if I were......" Brian began to say when Nick suddenly let out a load groan and threw up all over McKenzie.
"Ewwww, oh my god Nicky!" McKenzie yelled totally grossed out and jumping to her feet knocking Nick to the floor.
"Yeah!!!" AJ shouted with his video camera attached to his eye.
"AJ" Howie scolded him.
"Sorry sweetie," Nick groaned from the floor on all floors looking like he might blow again.
"Come on Kenzie, I'll help you clean up," Kimmy said helping her to the bathroom.
"Nice shot Nick," Brian chuckled along with AJ and Howie. Kevin, who had lookd up just shook his head and went back to sleep.
"Shut up," Nick whined as the stewardess gave him some towels to clean up the mess. "This wouldn't have happend if you guys would have let me have one of Shayla's pills.
McKenzie and Kimmy returned from the bathroom with McKenzie having changed clothes. They sat down in the seats in front of Shayla and Brian and started talking. McKenzie had given Nick a nasty glare. She didn't know which was worse, having him behave like a sex starved maniac or him throwing up on her. Nick pouted because she wasn't coming back to sit with him and grabbed a pillow tossing it one the seat next to him. He curled up with a blanket and went to sleep.
*4 Laters Later*
"Hey baby, wake up. We're landing," Brian said gently shaking Shayla.
Shayla woke up groggily wiping her eyes. She immediately took out a mirror and looked at her face to make sure they hadn't drawn on her face again. She freshened up as they pulled up to the gate.
As soon as they came to a stop, Nick bolted off the plane, kissing the floor in the airport. "What's with him?" shayla asked.
McKenzie had made her decision as to which was worse and answered her sister's question. "On they way home, he gets a valium," she said frankly and turned to walk away with Nick.
"What happened?" Shayla asked Brian and Kevin who were walking on either side of her.
They both laughed. "He puked all over her," Brian said as he cracked up remembering the site of it.
"What? Are you serious?" Shayla asked laughing. Kevin and Brian nodded yes. "Oh no, poor Kenz." The three of them burst into laughter.
Everyone was in the rented van on their way to their hotel. They were dropping off the girls then the guys were going to Cherion Studios to meet with Max Martin to go over what ideas he had for them and they would start tomorrow.
"Nick have you ever considered being hypnotised?" asked Shayla.
"Hypnotised for what? Do you wanna make me bark like a dog whenever you say a certain word or something?" Nick asked.
"No," Shayla laughed. "I mean for your fear of flying."
"Oh, no, no way. No one is going to be hypnotising me. Who knows what they might do to me, or make me do. They would probably make me tell them all my secrets and stuff. You know, try to find out everything about my celebrity life and then sell it to the highest bidder or write some tell all book," Nick carried on.
"Nick, your life ain't that interesting for them to wanna know about it. Now mine on the other hand...." AJ said as everyone laughed.
"Yeah and what secrets do you have?" McKenzie asked suspiciously raising an eyebrow.
"None," Nick said quickly. "Baby you know I don't have any secrets from you," he said thinking they're were some things that he'd done that he really wouldn't want her to know. "I just meant they'd wanna know about my life that I don't normally tell the press."
"Uh huh, right," Shayla said. "Speaking of secrets and your life, have we heard anything from Brent lately?"
"No, I should probably give him a call tonight and see how things are progressing," Nick replied.
"I hope something is happening because I'm really tired of this charade and I want to be rid of that girl," McKenzie snapped. Nick noticed it was becoming quite a touchy subject with McKenzie and her patience was wearing thin.
"I agree," said Shayla. "Remember, you guys promised, if there's nothing by the time we get back, you call it quits."
"Well, we might need a little more time when we get back if she doesn't tell Brent anything while we're gone. You know, give it another week or so with me around to really pour on the steam," Nick said.
"Nick," McKenzie protested. "You promised."
"Yeah, but it works better when I'm around," Nick said defensifively.
Both Shayla and McKenzie began snapping at Nick at the same time as they pulled up to the hotel. Nick was very relieved to see they were at the hotel because he wasn't in the mood to deal with the two of them at the same time. He knew this wasn't going to be over by the time they got back and he needed more time. He could probably convince McKenzie, but Shayla was another story.
"Shayla," Brian said pulling on her arm. "Let's not get into this now ok."
"Fine, but I'm tired of that little...."
"Shayla!" Brian and Kevin both said warning her to cool it.
Shayla grumbled under her breath as they all got out of the van and unloaded the luggage. They checked into their rooms and the guys got ready to go to the studio. Nick and McKenzie were still disagreeing over the Mandy situation when Nick was trying to leave.
"Baby, we'll call Brent when I get back and see what's going on. Then we'll talk about what we're going to do ok. I have to go and I don't wanna fight with you alright," Nick said giving her a hug.
"Yeah I guess. I love you," McKenzie said.
"I love you too," Nick smiled and kissed her. When he kissed her he suddenly wanted her. He loved kissing her. He couldn't imagine not having her kisses and couldn't imagine having to kiss anyone else ever again. That's why he was becoming worried he may have to break his promise to McKenzie about what he may have to do with Mandy to get her to talk.
"I gotta run baby. We'll pick this up where we left off when I get back," Nick said grinning, referring to his kissing her. He kissed her goodbye one more time.
"I'll be waiting," she said closing the door behind him.
He stood against the door for a minute. His heart and mind were going through a tough debate whether it was worth it if he had to go further than he wanted to with Mandy, to clear McKenzie and Shayla from all this. Was it worth the risk of losing her?