Meredith woke with an “off” feeling, and she laid in bed trying to figure it out.
“What’s wrong?” His voice was more raspy than usual, and she delighted in the sensations running through her body just from the simple act of him speaking.
“I’m not sure. I’ve got a feeling.” She patted his arm gently as she crawled out of bed and headed for the shower.
They didn’t have a particularly busy day planned, but she worried nonetheless. She kissed AJ as she left the bathroom and he headed in, then put on her “uniform” and headed into the living room. She found Leary, Winston, Nick, and Howie sitting around the room. She ruffled Nick’s hair as she passed, easily avoiding the swat he aimed at her butt. She looked at the breakfast menu before picking up the phone.
“What does everyone want?” Meredith relayed their orders to room service once she received them.
AJ, Kevin, Brian, Ramos, Collins, Sullivan, and Marcus joined them a few minutes later, and she added their orders. As they waited, she covered the schedule and made sure everyone was aware of the assignments. They each nodded their understanding and dug into the breakfast that had arrived a few minutes before. As she passed Howie, she squeezed his shoulder to let him know she would be keeping an eye out since he had Winston. Without looking up, he patted her hand and continued eating.
***Backstreet Boys***
As she pushed her way into the room, Meredith took a deep breath. “Remind me to kick that guy’s ass, okay? His idea of security sucks.”
As she looked around the room, her eyes grew wide. “Where’s D?”
Heading back to the door, she opened it to find Winston pushing through the crowd as he headed towards her.
“Where’s D?” She shouted at him.
Winston shook his head and continued heading for the door. Meredith jumped on a crate and looked over the crowd to find Howie and Collins in the throng of fans that had enveloped them. She saw Howie hold up his hands to protect his face and Collins try to cover him before they disappeared. Jumping down, she leaned back through the door.
“Sullivan, Ramos, Leary, Marcus, clear me a path. D and Collins are in trouble.” She closed the door on the rest of the guys, making sure they were safely inside.
As the guys finally got to their downed people, Leary kneeled down with Meredith to check on the condition of Howie and Collins.
“Looks like Collins has a couple of busted ribs. Howie looks to have a concussion.”
“Let’s get them inside where we can do a full triage on them.” She watched as Sullivan moved forward and picked up Collins’ legs while Leary grabbed Collins’ upper body. Biting her lip, she hoped the injured bodyguard wouldn’t be jarred too much in their quick rush back to the safety of the manager’s office.
Meredith helped Howie stand up, pulling his arm over her shoulder.
“I don’t feel so good.” He pressed a hand to his forehead before he sank against her.
“Shit.” Twisting her body to face him, she bent down and lifted Howie over her shoulder.
“We’re moving, people.”
Marcus cleared a path while Ramos brought up the rear, making sure everyone made it inside.
Kevin held the door open as Leary and Sullivan came through with Collins first, the others following close behind. Brian’s eyes widened as Meredith carried Howie into the room. He and AJ hurried over to help her lower their friend to the floor.
“I need the paramedics over here.” She yelled at the one of the store managers, who quickly dialed 9-1-1.
She looked over at Leary, who was checking Collins. “He going to be okay?”
Leary looked up and nodded. “He’ll be good once he gets taped and drugged up.”
She sighed in relief then turned her attention back to Howie. Leary finished getting Collins settled, then made his way over to the other injured man. Opening Howie’s eyes and checking the dilation, he went with his original diagnosis. He ran his hands up and down Howie’s body to check for any broken bones.
“They’ll need to make sure, but I still believe it’s just a concussion.”
Meredith brushed her hand across Howie’s forehead as she knelt beside him. “Thanks, Leary.”
Looking up at the rest of the security team, she smiled. “You guys did good. Thanks.”
They nodded and moved out of the way as the paramedics entered the room to check on the injured men.
As Winston quietly passed the young man, trying to keep from drawing attention to himself, a hand shot out and grasped his throat, pinning him against the wall. He stared into eyes that had paled in fury.
“Did you know that the Seals teach you several ways to kill a man with your bare hands?”
Winston shook his head as he tried to pry the fingers from his neck.
“I learned them all.”
He heard the whispered words and shuddered in fear, realizing he had seriously underestimated Nick Carter.
Leary stepped up to Nick as Marcus watched the scene in amazement. “Hey, man, I really don’t want to have to clean up any messes.”
Nick’s eyes never left Winston’s. “Who said I’d leave one?”
Leary shrugged and motioned to Meredith. She came over and placed a hand on Nick’s back “He’s going to be fine, Nick. Ease down.”
Winston felt the fingers around his throat loosen their grip before leaving entirely. He sputtered his thanks at Meredith, missing her fist heading towards him. He stumbled back, the wall catching him as he rubbed his jaw.
“You’re fired. Pack your shit and get out.”
Looking at the faces around him, Winston quickly slunk away.
***Backstreet Boys***
A somber group sat in the waiting room of the emergency department until the clamor of fans forced them into an empty examining room. Meredith moved back and forth between those waiting and those being treated. Collins was just waiting on a prescription before being released. Howie was still being examined to ensure that it was only a concussion. When the doctor came in to confirm Leary’s diagnosis, she high-fived her friend. The doctor looked confused until he heard that the bodyguard was a medic and had given the same diagnosis.
Because of the fans and media that had descended on the hospital, the decision was made to send both men back to the hotel for rest, with Meredith receiving strict instructions on what to do with Howie. She promised to call if there were any problems and gathered up her charges.
When they made it back to hotel, Ramos got Collins settled in his room, while Meredith made sure Howie was tucked into bed. She and AJ stripped him down to boxers and slid him under the covers. Seeing him asleep, they wandered back into the living room.
Kevin had ordered food since it was so late, and they each grabbed something to munch on as they tried to calm their minds from the earlier ordeal.
“Kevin, I need you to take first watch. Wake him up every hour. It’s 10:30 now, I’ll be in to get you at 2:30.”
“Why’s Kevin first?” Nick grabbed a French fry off Meredith’s plate.
“Because I will never get him awake if he falls asleep.” She smiled at Kevin.
He shrugged and smiled, acknowledging her words. “You’re right about that.”
“If I’m not up, come get me. Then, it’s Brian, Nick, and AJ. After Brian, we’ll go into two-hour shifts since he’ll be pretty much over the critical point. Okay, with everyone?”
They nodded and continued to eat. Sullivan, Marcus, Ramos, and Leary stepped into the room and grabbed the food that had been ordered for them.
“How’s Collins?”
“Feeling no pain.” Leary gave her a grin and a thumbs up. “How’s D?”
“Asleep. Kevin’s got first watch. He knows to come get you if there’s a problem.” Meredith leaned back against the sofa, letting her body sag against AJ’s.
“C’mon, babe. I think it’s time for bed.” AJ helped her off the sofa.
“Night, all.” She waved to them as AJ led her into the bedroom and shut the door.
Meredith hit the alarm before it could really go off and wake AJ up. He mumbled a bit as she lifted his arm to move from beneath him, then rubbed his back to help him settle back into sleep. She pulled on some shorts and a t-shirt and padded out into the living room and across to Howie’s room. Kevin had turned the light onto a low setting and was reading a book.
Meredith stepped over to Howie and looked at him before walking over to Kevin. “How’s he been?”
“Okay. He’s answered my questions, but I think he’s getting pissed at being woken up every hour.” Kevin stretched and twisted his body to ease the stiffness from sitting in one spot for so long.
“I’ve got it now. Good night, Kevin.” She patted his arm as he got ready to head to bed.
“Night, Merry. Thank you for being here today. I think it could have been a whole lot worse than it was.” Kevin kissed her on the cheek, hugging her tightly.
She appreciated the words and the gestures, returning the hug. “Time for you to be in bed. Irene will keep you hopping when she gets here later today.”
“Yeah, she will.” He grinned and winked at his friend before leaving.
Pulling the chair close to the bed, Meredith leaned over and gently shook Howie’s shoulder. He grumbled, but didn’t wake up. She shook it again, whispering this time. “D, wake up.”
“Why don’t you people leave me alone?” His voice wasn’t very loud, but the words spoke volumes.
Meredith chuckled. “Sorry, doctor’s orders. Every hour on the hour, you get a wake-up call to check and make sure you’re still you.”
“Fine. I’m still me, can I go back to sleep?” He carefully rolled over onto his back and looked at Meredith.
She could see the bruise and the white bandage covering the few stitches he needed. “Who are you?”
“Dorothy.”
“Who am I?”
“The wicked witch of the west.”
“Where are you?”
“Somewhere over the rainbow.”
Meredith laughed louder this time, unable to stop herself. “I think you can go back to sleep now.”
She sat down in the chair and propped her feet up on the bed. Staring at him in the duskiness of the room, she thought she was alone with her thoughts.
“It’s not your fault.” His voice drifted to her.
“Why do you say that?”
“I can tell that’s what you’re thinking. It was poor planning on the store manager’s part. The fans got carried away, and Winston was an asshole for leaving. You did the best you could, and you got us out of there pretty quick from what I hear.” He moved up a little on his pillow.
“Since when did you become psychic?” She slouched down farther in the chair.
He shrugged slightly. “I’d feel the same way. And I thank you for caring so much that you’re willing to take on the blame when you don’t have to.”
Meredith leaned over and grabbed Howie’s hand, holding it firmly in her own. “Thank you, Howard.”
He squeezed her hand back and settled down. “How many more minutes until you wake me up?”
She looked at her watch and pressed the button to light up the watch face. “About forty-five minutes.”
He slowly sat up and moved to the edge of the bed, grimacing as pain shot through his body.
“Where are you going, D?”
“Bathroom.”
He tried to stand up, but couldn’t quite make it. Meredith helped him up and eased him to the bathroom. “Do you need me to help?”
A look of horror crossed his face at the thought of Meredith helping him pee. “I think I can get this one.”
She laughed again. “Give me a yell when you’re done, and I’ll help you back.”
When he finished, she helped him back to bed. “Can I get you anything?”
“I’m actually kind of hungry.” He rubbed the side of his face as he sat there.
“Let me call room service. How about some soup and toast? Maybe some hot tea?” She picked up the phone to dial.
“Sounds good. I don’t think I could handle anything heavy.”
Room service was quick, and Meredith let them in when they knocked. Howie arranged himself against the pillows, and she carefully placed the tray on his lap. He ate slowly, often sitting for a few moments between bites. Meredith watched and kept an eye on the younger man in case he fell asleep while eating.
“You know, I love the fans…” he stirred the soup slowly.
Meredith remained quiet as he formulated his words.
“But today scared me. And the thing is, they didn’t mean to hurt me. They just got so caught up in the excitement, and it all sort of exploded.”
She understood what he was saying. “You’re not going anywhere for a couple of days, so you’ll get a chance to rest, and I’ll get a chance to do everything I can to make sure this never happens again.”
They stared at each other for a long moment before he went back to eating his soup. He finally finished the bowl and let Meredith take it from him. He waved the toast away, but accepted the tea and sipped it gratefully. By the time he finished, it would have been time for her to wake him, so she grinned and looked at Howie.
“Who are you?”
“Sweet D.”
“And who am I?”
“Merry D.”
“And where are you?”
“Hell.”
They both chuckled, and he settled back down in bed.
“Pleasant dreams, D.”
“I hope so.” He closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep until it was time for her to wake him again.
***Backstreet Boys***
At 6:15, Brian stumbled into the room and looked down at Howie. “He looks pretty good.”
Meredith put her book down and stretched. “Yeah, he stayed up for a while and ate some soup. He’ll probably want to get up by the time your shift is finished. We can move him to the living room, and Nick or AJ can keep an eye on him.”
“Night.” Brian took the spot she vacated.
“Night, Brian. Come get me if you need anything.”
He nodded and waved her away. Brian waited a few minutes before waking Howie.
“Hey, man, how do you feel?”
“Changing of the guard, I see.” Howie pressed a hand to his head. “I feel like shit. How do you feel, Brian?”
“Well, you know who I am.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’m Howie, you’re Brian, and you guys are really getting on my nerves waking me up every hour.”
Brian shrugged and grinned. “Doctor’s orders.”
“Since when do you follow doctor’s orders?”
“Since Meredith backed him up.”
Howie rolled back over and chuckled, before moaning. “Good point. Don’t make me laugh, though. It hurts my head.”
“Go back to sleep, D. I’ll be waking you in another hour.”
“How long does this go on?”
Brian sat back in the chair. “Until about 10:30. I think you’ll be allowed up by then.”
Howie sighed and snuggled back under the covers.
Meredith pulled off her clothes and climbed into bed, pressing her body up to AJ’s back and draping her arm over his waist.
“Mmmm.” His hand came up to rest on hers, and he shifted back towards her.
Meredith sighed as she spooned against him, letting her mind drift as she fell into sleep.
***Backstreet Boys***
She woke up around ten to an empty bed. Stretching to the four corners, she laid there and thought about the day. Since Howie and Collins were both injured, they had cancelled everything but the most important interviews, even deciding to conduct those by phone from the hotel.
Meredith climbed out of bed and wandered into the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day. When she finished, she pulled on a pair of shorts and a tank top, running a pick through her curls to let them air dry. She wasn’t surprised to find most everyone in the living room, watching television or reading the paper. She dropped a kiss on AJ’s head as she passed by him, patting Kevin’s shoulder, and ruffling Nick’s hair as she headed toward Howie’s room. As she approached the door, she was surprised when it opened and Howie walked out slowly. He moved carefully across the floor to sit in a chair, sighing as he made it down. He had managed to drag on a pair of breakaway pants and a wifebeater, and his hair tumbled around his shoulders in sleep-tousled curls.
Leary walked over and gently pulled the bandage back to check the stitches. He nodded in satisfaction and moved back to the table. Meredith smiled when Howie finally came back into view.
“Good morning, Dorothy. How do you feel?”
Kevin looked at the two of them, wondering what he had missed. Nick and AJ looked at the two of them as well.
“Well, if it isn’t the wicked witch of the west. I see you’ve brought the flying monkeys.”
“All the better to get you, and your little dog, too.” She cackled madly and was glad to see Howie smile as well.
They turned to look at the others, who were staring at them with concern. AJ got up and walked over to Meredith, placing an arm around her shoulders.
“You sure you didn’t hit your head, love?”
She wrapped an arm around his waist and squeezed. “Sorry. One of the many interesting tidbits D and I covered last night during our wake-up sessions.”
Brian ambled in a few minutes later after a bathroom stop, wanting to check in with everyone before returning to Howie’s room. He rubbed his stomach as he walked. “Man, I’m starving, what’s for breakfast?”
He looked over at Howie then plopped down on the sofa next to Nick. “Guess I don’t need to go back to your room since you’re awake.”
“Ahead of schedule, even.” Howie shifted a bit in his chair, propping his feet up on the ottoman.
“Isn’t that a record or something?” Brian leaned back against the sofa cushions.
Kevin shook his head. “Obviously, y’all had more fun than I did last night.”
The three of them looked at each other, then Kevin, before laughing loudly. Nick stood up and headed for the phone to place the breakfast orders he had collected. As they ate, they went over the revised schedule that their tour manager had dropped off earlier. Meredith watched as Kevin fiddled with his silverware when he finished his meal.
“Relax, Kev, I’ll be leaving soon to pick up Irene.” She stacked her plate on top of his.
He stopped playing with the fork and blushed a bit. “Sorry.”
“Are we even going to see you guys for the rest of day?” Meredith wasn’t surprised to see him choke on the juice he had sipped as she asked the question.
He wiped his chin, glaring at her and his friends as they laughed at him. “I should be so lucky.”
“Yeah, you should.” She grinned at him as she got up and slipped on a pair of sandals.
Meredith grabbed her backpack and sunglasses, leaving instructions for the security team as she left. AJ followed her to the door, giving her a long kiss before she walked out. She ran her fingers over his lips as she left, waving to the rest of the room.
“Man, you’ve got it bad.” Nick grabbed his book and settled onto one of the sofas.
AJ quirked an eyebrow at his friend. “And your point is?”
Nick just rolled his eyes and settled down on the sofa to read. Brian bent his head to look at the cover.
“%History of the U.S. Navy%?” He was kind of surprised.
Nick nodded, his eyes never leaving the page. “Yeah, it’s Meredith’s.”
Kevin, Howie, AJ, and Brian exchanged glances then shrugged before doing their own thing.
Table of Contents
Chapter Twenty