AJ rushed onto the stage breathless. Fatima and the guys all looked up, alarmed. Kev started to laugh.

"What took you so long?"

"Took me awhile to figure out where I left it," AJ explained, holding up the bottle triumphantly. 'A little white lie doesn't hurt anyone,' he thought.

"One more time through 'Everybody' and you're done for now!" Fatima commanded.

"Yes master," AJ rolled his eyes, laughing. Fatima just shook her head and turned on the music.

Somewhere in the middle of the song, they heard laughing, and stopped dancing. Fatina turned off the music and turned to see the girls. The guys just stared down at them.The girls were standing in the aisle, and Calli was bright red, not laughing near as much as the others, but still giggling a little.

"Hey girls!" Fatima called. They all waved to her, still laughing. "Guys, you're done." she said, turning to face the Backstreet Boys.

"Yes!!!!!" Nick yelled, pumping his fist in the air and laughing. They ran off the stage and came into the seats to watch the girls practicing.

Eagerly, the girls jumped up on the stage. Quickly, they and their roadies situated everything so they were ready to play.

Their band was called Nameless Victim. Their sound was a pop-rock sound, somewhat like that of Creed or Orgy. Calliope was the lead singer; she belted out their songs with her powerful voice. Raven was on guitar, Amee on bass, Miriam on keyboard, and Kiah on drums. They happened to be friends with Fatima and that was how they knew each other. They went through their first few songs briefly.

When the beginning chords of a very familiar song began, all five Boys leaned forward in their seats, eager to hear Nameless Victim's version of it.

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
You been out ridin' fences for so long now
Oh, you're a hard one
I know that you got your reasons
These things that are pleasin' you
Can hurt you somehow

Don' you draw the queen of diamonds, boy
She'll beat you if she's able
You know the queen of heats is always your best bet

Now it seems to me, some fine things
Have been laid upon your table
But you only want the ones that you can't get

Desperado, oh, you ain't gettin' no youger
Your pain and your hunger, they're drivin' you home
And freedom, oh freedom well, that's just some people talkin'
Your prison is walking through this world all alone

Don't your feet get cold in the winter time?
The sky won't snow and the sun won't shine
It's hard to tell the night time from the day
You're loosin' all your highs and lows
Ain't it funny how the feeling goes away?

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?
Come down from your fences, open the gate
It may be rainin', but there's a rainbow above you
You better let somebody love you, before it's too late

As the song died out, AJ swore he felt his heart stop. The raw emotion that Calli sang with chilled him to the bone. All five of them stared as Calliope stood there as the last chord hung eerily in the air. She had her head down between her arms, which clung on to the mic stand, as if her life depended on it.

Raven looked at her sadly, knowing Calli was hiding her face so they would not see the tears streaming down. But Raven knew; she could always tell things like this - especially when it came to Calli, who was at times an open book (not to mention by now, knowing each other longest, they knew each other inside and out).

Calli looked up, wiping her eyes quickly. She smiled sadly at the girls. "That was great, gals. Miriam, do you mind if we call it a day?"

"Not at all, Calli, I know you're a bit under the weather," Miriam smiled back. Calli smiled thankfully. They left the set up and wandered down the stage to the guys.

"Hey, that was awesome," Kev complemented. The others agreed.

"Thanks," Miriam smiled.

AJ turned to meet Calli's distant gaze. "I especially loved your version of 'Desperado'. I swear my heart literally stopped," he said softly. She bit her lip.

"Thank you, AJ," she whispered. He smiled softly.

"You guys wanna go out for lunch? We don't have to be back until 2." Howie asked after a short silence. Amee nodded eagerly.

"I'm starving," Kiah complained, rubbing her stomach as if in pain, then grinning.

"If I don't have anything to eat soon, I will faint." Calli said calmly, smiling.

"I'm starving..let's go!" Nick yelled, grabbing Kian and Raven's hands, dragging them out of the arena.

@-->--Chapter 5--<--@