Howie kissed Felicia, roughly fondling her breast with one hand while the other pulled the two closer together. She moaned softly into his lips. �Mmm�Howie, why do you hafta go?� she asked, resting her head on his chest.

�You ask me that every night Kitten. I have to perform, it�s what I do.� He kissed her again before tugging on her leash and leading her out of the room.

Felicia was Howie�s sex slave, following him wherever he went. When backstage or alone with the other Backstreet Boys or trusted people she would wear the tiny black bikini that he had picked out for her, and a collar and leash along with her own additions; a cat ear headband, and faux tail. When she was alone with him she wore nothing but her collar and leash unless Howie picked something for her to wear. When out in the public eye however she put on second skin black leather pants, a red spandex crop top and the collar with out the leash.

Not too long ago Howie had been going from slave to slave, but none had pleasured him half as well as Felicia had. She could do things for him that he had never even entered his wildest wettest dreams. He�d stuck with Felicia for three months now, and became very protective of her, making sure a trusted eye was on her at all times. During shows, press conferences and photo shoots his personal bodyguard held her leash, and it was made clear that the penalty for even touching her was death.

She sauntered behind him through the backstage, draping her arms over his shoulders whenever he stopped. �Bruce,� Howie said, handing her leash over to a tall surly man. �You know the drill.�

�Yes Sir Mister Dorough.�

Felicia wrapped her arms around Howie�s neck, kissing him once more before the show. �I�ll miss you.� She whispered, nibbling on his ear lobe. As he was walking towards the stage he turned and flashed her his sexy-sweet smile then continued on. �I love you.� She said even lower. She sighed and sat down on the floor. �Why do I put myself through this?� she thought, bringing her knees up to her chest and resting her head on them. �What�s the worst that could happen if I tell him how I feel? He may fire that�s what�he doesn�t want love from me, he just keeps me around because I know exactly how to do him right.� A tear slid down her cheek. She sighed again and closed her eyes, preparing for another evening of boredom.

:::On the Stage:::

As Howie sang the chorus to �How Did I Fall in Love with You� his thoughts wandered once more to Felicia. During the past few weeks his feelings for her had gone far past only sexual. As he poured out his emotions into the song, he directed them towards Felicia, waiting for him backstage. �Everything�s changed, we never knew�how did I fall in love�with you?� Unfortunately for our heroes, Howie also felt that Felicia wanted to keep things strictly business between them and real love was out of the question.

After the show AJ came up to Howie to voice the concerns of the other boys. �Hey D, are you feelin alright? You missed a couple of steps back there and you seemed kinda far away.�

Howie looked up at his friend. �Hmm? Oh, I�m sorry�there�s just been something on my mind recently.�

�Which one?� He asked subjectively. �Howie, you know that I�ve been pretty open minded about this whole thing with the girls you keep�but Felicia seems to distract you ten times more then the others ever did. I think it�s time to move on and get a real girlfriend.�

�That�s what�s been on my mind�AJ, I�I love Felicia. Not just in a sexual way anymore. I mean�god I can�t explain it, I just know that I do.� Howie rested his head in his hands.

�Well, why don�t you just ask her out then?� Nick, who had been listening in on the conversation, suggested.

�Because, I know she won�t say yes. She treats this as though it were the most serious job in the world! I don�t expect she�d have any feelings for me.� Howie sighed, running his fingers through his long sweaty hair. �She may even quit if she finds out. I�d rather have her near and unknowing then far away from me�I just couldn�t handle that.�

AJ sat down, placing a hand on Howie�s shoulder. �But if you don�t tell her then you�ll lose her for sure. I think you should just take a chance and ask her. If she leaves then she�s not worth your time and effort.� Howie�s expression of self-doubt and sadness didn�t change. �Take the night to think about it. If it takes longer then that for you to decide for sure then I�m gonna ask her for you.�

Howie nodded and stood up, walking over to the locker room door. �Thanks AJ�I know you�re just trying to help, but it may not be that easy.� He left and was immediately greeted by Felicia.

�Hey Hottie�didja miss me?� She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him. �I�m ready to play! Come �n get me Big D.� She stepped slightly away, making suggestive gestures for him to follow her.

�Not tonight Feli�I�ve got something to think about.� He continued on towards the bus. �Maybe tomorrow��

�MAYBE!?� Felicia thought. �Oh no�has he found out!? Is he thinking about FIRING me!?� Felicia�s breath quickened as the thought of being away from Howie crossed her mind. �No�he wouldn�t�� She shook her head and went back to the green room where her sister, Autumn, was waiting.

�Wow�I�ve heard that he has no stamina�but that�s just SAD!� Autumn laughed. �Sheesh�Feli I still can�t get over the fact that you�re a sex slave�Leif was right.�

�Not for much longer�� Autumn looked at her sister with concern. �I think Howie�s considering firing me�he didn�t want to play tonight. Said he had �something to think about.�� She sighed before continuing. �What am I going to do!? Should I just come right out and tell him that I love him!? Would that change his mind or seal my fate?� She slumped onto the couch.

�Well Kitty, I think you should just tell him. It�s better that he knows, and I think that with your charm and charisma he just couldn�t resist!� Felicia began crying. �Oh no! Sis�don�t cry! If you�re that worked up over it�you must really love him!�

�I do.� She said through sobs. �But I�I�m afraid Autumn�you know me, I make everything like this into a big traumatic production.�

�Alright, alright�why don�t you just think it over for a while�and if you need help I�ll be here for a few days longer. Why don�t you go to bed now, you could use the sleep.�

�Yeah�sleep�I�ve almost forgotten what that was like!� Felicia started off but stopped short. �But I sleep with Howie�I don�t think he even wants to see me tonight.�

�You can sleep in my car, it�s pretty big so there�ll be plenty of room.� Autumn led Felicia out to her car and the two went to sleep soon after they lay down in the reclining bucket seats.

:::The Next Day:::

�So, D, have you decided yet?� AJ asked as the boys were preparing for morning rehearsals.

�No. If I didn�t have so many butterflies in my stomach I would go ask her. But I can�t bring myself to do it. I�m just so nervous.�

�Well then�I�m just going to ask her for you.�

�NO! Please AJ�don�t.� A look of desperation entered his eyes. �If you do then she may not think I�m serious and��

AJ cut him off. �Listen, like I said before�if this girl doesn�t go for it then it�s not the right way to go, alright. I�m just surprised she�s not with you!�

�Actually, I couldn�t find her this morning��

:::Where IS Felicia?:::

�OH MY GOD! Autumn you turned off my alarm clock!?� Felicia screamed. �I�m LATE! Ooo�now he�s definitely gonna fire me! I�ve never been late!� Felicia quickly reattached her leash and jumped out of the car.

�That�s only because you�re always with him.� Autumn said, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. �Don�t worry�you only missed breakfast�by about five hours.�

Felicia didn�t even bother to listen, she ran down the halls to the practice area, but the door had already been locked. She pounded her fist on the door until it was throbbing, although knowing no one would hear her above the music. She began sobbing again and slid down the door until she was kneeling, her forehead resting on the handle. �I�m finished.� She shakily stood up and went back out to Autumn�s car, but she had already gone. Felicia decided to wait for her�she would be leaving when Autumn came back.

:::Later:::

�Hey, you�re Felicia�s sister, right?� AJ said, bumping into Autumn in the hall.

�Yeah, but if you�re looking for her don�t ask me�I don�t even know where she is.� Autumn sighed. �She�s supposed to be wherever Howie is right?�

�Yeah, but she�s not and that�s why he�s so upset.�

�Why? Cause he�s got no one to screw?� She asked sarcastically.

�No, because I finally convinced him to tell her about how he feels.�

�How he feels?� AJ nodded. �That�s why I�m looking for her�I�m trying to get her to do the same. So are you saying that they��

�Both love each other but don�t know it yet?� He finished her sentence for her. �Well, according to what you�ve told me then that would be an affirmative.� AJ and Autumn both grinned. �Shall we get the two together, together?�

�That seems like a plan�if we can find the female of this pair. Help me look would ya?�

�Umm�that WAS my original goal�but doing it with someone as, may I say, beautiful as you would make it seem as though it weren�t half the work it had been.� He grinned at her and she blushed.

�Well, you�re quite the charmer, aren�t you?�

�I�d like to think so.� He boasted. �Now, knowing your sister, where do you think she would be right now?�

�Well�she was kinda upset that I had turned off her alarm clock and she was about five hours late. And she�s kinda depressed because she thinks Howie is planning on firing her, she thinks that�s why he didn�t want to play last night.�

�Do you think she may want to leave? Or already has left?�

�Nah, I don�t think she could get away with a bus and my car is the only one there and�I left my keys in the ignition! Shit!� Autumn and AJ ran off towards the loading docks hoping that they weren�t too late.

:::Will they get to Felicia in time?:::

Felicia sat in the front passenger seat of her sister�s car, hugging her knees to her chest, crying. She had been there for almost half an hour, but had lost track of time and everything else in her own thoughts. Someone began opening the driver side door and she looked up expecting to see Autumn. Instead, Howie stepped into the car, closing the door behind him. She quickly turned away from him, fearing that he had come to officially fire her before she had a chance to quit and save herself some heartache. �Felicia, I�ve been looking for you.� She nodded. �I wanted to tell you something.� She couldn�t quite place the tone of his voice, but she heard it as she had expected to hear it and burst into another fit of tears.

�I know what you want to tell me.� She said shakily. �You�re going to fire me��

�WHAT!?� Howie exclaimed, taking her hand in his. �Whatever gave you that idea?�

�Well, for one thing I was late this morning, but that probably just fully convinced you. You didn�t want to play last night�you always want to play�I thought you were considering firing me.� She turned her tear streaked face to him, looking into his eyes.

�Felicia, that�s not what I was considering last night.� He took a deep breath before continuing. �What I was trying to decide was whether to tell you�� Felicia looked at him, anxious to hear what he wanted to tell her. He paused a moment, making sure that his words would be perfect. �To tell you that I love you, and that I want to offer you more then just my body, to share my heart and my soul with you�to share my life with you.� Felicia gasped, turning a bright shade of crimson.

�Howie�I�� She stuttered, trying to respond to this sudden pouring out of emotion towards her. Howie looked down sadly, mistaking her wide-eyed amazement as a horrified rejection.

He sighed and slowly stepped out of the car. �I thought so.� He said, tears forming in his eyes. �I didn�t think you would want that. You can leave�if you want. I�d understand.� He began walking away.

Felicia, in her shocked state didn�t realize to get up and follow him until he was halfway through the parking lot. She snapped out of her day-dream state, jumping out of the car and running after him. �Howie! WAIT!� He turned just as she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him with all the passion she had so longed to give to him. For a moment Howie thought this only meant she wasn�t quitting�but he noticed something different. Instead of the rough, sexual kisses she had always given him, these were soft and sweet, full of love.

He closed his eyes and returned the kisses, wrapping his arms around her, holding her closer to him. When they finally broke the kiss, Felicia rested her head on Howie�s chest, whispering, �I love you.� No longer afraid that he would hear, but knowing that it was what he had wanted to hear and what he had wanted to say to her as well.

Autumn and AJ reached the loading dock just in time to see Howie and Felicia, standing in the middle of the parking lot, kissing. Autumn sighed, smiling as her sister�s dream was being fulfilled. As she was lost in her thoughts AJ looked over to her, no longer able to suppress what he felt for her. He gently took her hand in his, drawing her attention away from Howie and Felicia. As soon as she looked up at him he slowly leaned in and kissed her, keeping the romantic mood of the area in tact.