Walking Away

"Can I help you?" The young receptionist looked up at Nick smiling.
"Uhh…yeah, do you have any room for me to make an appointment to see a doctor?" He asked nervously.
"Umm…yep, we've got an opening in 30 minutes if you'd just like to take a seat Mr…uhh…"
"Carter….." Nick said quietly, looking around him slightly.
"Ohhh….now I can put the face to the name…" The girl said sweetly, a look of recognition falling over her face as Nick stood over her.
"Yeah…" Nick smiled slightly back.
"So is there anything you need specifically for your appointment? I mean, you look pretty damn good…healthy…" She winked typing details into the computer in front of her.
"No no…just a checkup….to check…uhh…up..on things…completely normal.." Nick let out a nervous laugh.
"Ookk…that's fine Mr Carter…." She said continuing to type as Nick handed over his details.
"Thanks…"
"Oh, and how's your friend….the one who had the heart attack? She's been the talk of the hospital….along with her famous visitors of course…" She giggled slightly.
"Umm…Becca's fine, she gets released today…." Nick said a little warily.
"Oh really? No more Backstreet Boys in the hospital….how sad…you must be happy that your girlfriend recovered so quickly though…" The receptionist probed a little deeper.
"Uhh…she's not my girlfriend….she's Brian's….well actually they….sorry she's Brian's steady girlfriend…. …" Nick caught himself before he started telling intimate secrets about their private lives to a total stranger.
"Oh she's not your girlfriend….oh well I guess you haven't got as much to worry about….and you can still…enjoy yourself…." The receptionist flirted and touched his arm lightly.
"Yeah, my beautiful girlfriend is 100% healthy so I've got nothing to worry about…" Nick put on a bright smile and pulled his arm away, he laughed inside himself as her face immediately dropped and became one of disgust.
"Oh good for you…" She forced a smile.
"Thanks…"
"Next!" She looked past him at the next person in the cue to come to the desk.
Nick shook his head still laughing slightly and sat down to wait for his appointment.

"Hi, we need to see Beth Porter urgently please…" Denise said as she stood at the front desk of the newspaper office with Cassidy, Kirstie and the Backstreet Lawyer John in tow.
"Just a moment…."
"Thank you…"

Brian stood there looking at Becca's presence in the doorway. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by Howie.
"Hey Becca, you released now?" He said excitedly walking over to her.
"Yep….good as new…" She tried her hardest to smile but it just sort of came out like a strained line with her lips. A gesture that looked more pained than joyful.
"Do you need a lift back to the hotel?" Kevin came up behind Howie and embraced her not letting go, but just holding her, tilting his head downwards to talk to her as he cuddled her close to him.
"Yeah that would be great…." Becca closed her eyes and lent against Kevin's chest, drawing affection and love from him like water she needed to survive.
"Hey, you're going to be ok Bec….everything is…we promise ok?" AJ's husky voice penetrated her thoughts as she felt his hand rubbing her back.
It was at that moment, Becca came to truly value the friendship of the wonderful guys that she had been blessed enough to meet and who had become a part of her life and a part of her.

Brian stood alone, watching the others comfort Becca and felt more alone than he had ever in his whole life before that moment.

"I just knew I had to tell you guys…this could really damage their careers…" Beth said as she finished explaining how she'd come to know about the tapes.
"Thank you so much…oh my god….you will be duly compensated please don't worry about that, we are in a debt of gratitude to you Beth…." Denise expressed as her, Cassidy and Kirstie sat in Beth's office while John the lawyer talked with the corrupt editor of the newspaper who had done the deal with Leighanne to sort out the legal matters and the charges that Leighanne and him would be facing….and of course to retrieve the copied tape.

"Is Rebecca alright? God this must have been so hard for her…." Beth shook her head in sympathy.
"Lets hope so….although I have a feeling this is far from over unfortunately…."

"What the hell is going on here….." Kevin mumbled from his spot in the van as the pulled up to the hotel.
Brian, AJ, Howie and Rebecca peered out the window, casting little fog patches on the glass.
"The police??" Howie said confused.
"Come on…it hasn't got anything to do with us…." Brian said agitatedly and got out of the van, walking past the flashing red and blue cars and the men in uniform keeping a small crowd of on lookers back.

The group rode the elevator in silence. Brian kept stealing glances at Becca in the mirrored door, but Becca kept her head down, and seemed to be deep in thought.
As they stepped off onto their floor however, they were met with even more confusion, as the sound of yelling people and banging noises filled their ears. The gasped and stood there shocked at the scene that was unfolding in front of them.

"Miss Wallace, if you do not wish the charge of resisting arrest to be added to your arrest warrant then surrender now…." The police officer shouted through the closed door as he held a gun in both hands and cocked at the elbow.

"Fuck you!" Leighanne's hysterical voice came from within the room.
The first police officer gave a second officer a brief nod and the second officer proceeded to kick the door open with amazing force.

Three police officers quickly raced into the room and dragged Leighanne out kicking and screaming. They pushed her up against the wall with a loud thud and quickly cuffed her hands behind her back, still struggling.

Brian snapped back to reality and ran over to them.
"What are you doing! This is crazy! Don't hurt her…." He said shocked.
"Excuse me sir…..we have an arrest warrant for a miss Leighanne Wallace on two counts of impersonation, bribery, forgery, fraudulent misrepresentation and 4 breaches of the media constitutional act…." One of the officers with free hands explained.

"What?! Forgery??" Brian said shocked.
"Brian baby…I'm so sorry….I'm so sorry…." Leighanne sobbed and looked at him desperately.
"You did it?" Brian asked her sadly.
"Brian I love you…..baby I did it for us….Brian…" Leighanne cried, her face wet with tears.

"Sir we really have to get her down to the station…." One of the police officers said gently.
Brian simply nodded and stepped out of the way…unable to look at Leighanne; he kept his eyes to the floor.
"Brian! I'm so sorry baby…Brian I love you…" Leighanne screamed hysterically as the police struggled to get her into the elevator.

Brian closed his eyes painfully as he tried to block out Leighanne's desperate cries. He took a deep breath to steady himself, he felt dizzy and weak…as if his legs could collapse under him any second.

Brian opened his eyes slowly as he felt a hand on his arm. There he saw Becca standing in front of him, arm extended. She looked up at him with her big brown eyes, an inner strength being projected through them.

"I'm so sorry…." He breathed.
Becca simply nodded and slowly lifted her hand off his. She turned and walked slowly away.

I'm walking away, from the troubles in my life
I'm walking away oh, to find a better day
I'm walking away (I'm walking away)
From the troubles in my life
I'm walking away oh, to find a better day
I'm walking away

Sometimes some people get me wrong
When it's something I've said or done
Sometimes you feel there is no fun
That's why you turn and run
But now I truly realise
Some people don't wanna compromise
Well, I saw them with my own eyes
Spreading those lies, and
Well, I don't wanna live my life, too many sleepless nights
Not mentioning the fights, I'm sorry to say, baby

I'm walking away, from the troubles in my life
I'm walking away oh, to find a better day
I'm walking away (I'm walking away)
From the troubles in my life
I'm walking away oh, to find a better day
I'm walking away