| Chapter 7 The next several days were a frenzy of interviews, fan conferences, and tv shows. The guys had gone to Europe, flying from one country to another. It got to the point they had to be told where they were because they couldn't remember from one stop to the next. Nick had done very well. He only lost his concentration a couple of times, but quickly regained it without Tara's help. His training was progressing nicely, and he was starting to feel somewhat confident in his control of his abilities. They were on the plane, getting ready to land in Germany. All the guys were excited to come back, since this was where their careers really took off. They knew the fan response would be massive here, and were looking forward to the scheduled appearances they would have to do. Tara watched as all the guys were looking out the windows, talking about things that had happened to them when they were here. She smiled, seeing how excited they all were. She noticed that Nick had gone and sat in the forward section of the plane. Tara made her way up to him, noticing him biting his lower lip as he stared out the window. "Hey, what happened to all the excitement you had just a few minutes ago?" she asked, sitting down next to him. He looked over, worry in his eyes, "Something's not right, I can feel it." "Like what?" she asked, opening up her senses and not feeling anything out of the ordinary. "I'm not sure. I just have this awful feeling," Nick said. "Well, I'll be close if you need me," she said, patting him on the arm. He smiled at her, "Thanks." The plane landed, and the guys were ushered into the waiting bus that was to take them to the tv studios for their appearances. Stephen had scheduled two tv appearances for that afternoon, then it was back to the hotel. There were several hundred fans waiting outside the airport, but the bus made it through without incident, and the guys arrived at the studios on time. Tara stayed close to Nick while the guys waited for their time to go on. She could tell his anxiety was rising, but he was keeping control of it pretty well. Whatever it was that was triggering his reaction, she and the rest couldn't feel, but Nick's range far outreached all of there's so they trusted that whatever it was, was real. The guys made it through both interviews and where headed to the hotel. The longer they were on the bus, the more difficult Nick found it to stay calm. Tara sat next to him, while the rest of the guys stayed close, keeping Stephen and the body guards away from him. Nick leaned forward and rested his head on the back of the seat in front of him. He reached out with his senses and could feel the massive crowd ahead of them, surrounding the hotel. He looked up, "Guys, we can't go to the hotel." "Why not?" Kevin asked. "Remember Rio a few years ago?" Nick asked. "God, who could forget," Howie said. "It's worse than that," Nick said. "How do you know?" A.J. asked. "I can feel them. The hotel is completely surrounded, there's no way we can get the bus in there, and if we did, there's no way we'd be able to get out," Nick said. "How are we gonna get Stephen to listen to us though? He's gonna wonder how we know," Brian said. "I got an idea," Kevin said, "Bri, wait till I get up to the front of the bus, then call my cell OK?" "OK," Brian said, watching as his cousin headed to the front. Brian ducked down behind a seat and dialed Kevin's cell. Kevin moved up to stand next to Stephen, about that time his cell rang. "Hello," he said. He waited a moment, "God you're kidding right? Um huh, yeah OK, thanks man." Kevin hung up his cell and turned to Stephen, "We can't go to the hotel." "Why not?" Stephen asked. "That was a contact of mine. Ever since our little fiasco in Rio a few years ago, I have someone scope out the hotels we're heading to. Stephen, our hotel is completely surrounded by fans, there's no way in hell we're gonna get the bus in there and all of us get off without someone getting hurt," Kevin explained. "But we're almost there," Stephen said, as the bus turned a corner, and they both looked up the street into a sea of fans. "Holy shit," Stephen whispered, "Turn the bus around now!" Kevin moved back to the rest of the guys as the bus driver tried to cut down a side street. Stephen was on the phone, desperately trying to find another hotel they could go to. "Hang on guys, it's gonna be rough for a little while," Kevin said, seeing the fans chasing after the bus. Nick was gripping the seat in front of him, trying to keep his feelings in check, but not having much success. Tara was helping him, but she was finding it hard to handle the massive amount of energy that Nick was feeling from the crowd. "Honey," Brian said, seeing the intense look on her face. She stared at him, "Don't touch either one of us right now." Nick had his eyes clinched shut, and was breathing heavily, "God, please make it stop." The rest of the guys exchanged concerned glances. There was no way they could get Nick out of the bus if he broke down. The fans were running alongside the bus, banging on the windows. Stephen made his way back, "I found a hotel across town that will take us, but it's gonna be another forty-five minute ride." The guys ignored him, and he noticed Nick's anxiety. "What's wrong?" he asked. Brian pulled Stephen aside, "Nick's um having issues with the crowd." "Issues? Like what kind of issues?" Stephen asked. "Like um I'm not sure what you call it...anxiety attacks?" Brian said. "You mean panic attacks? When did he start having those?" Stephen asked concerned. "It's something that's been going on for a while now. The crowd kinda took him by surprise though," Brian said. "Does he need a doctor or something?" Stephen asked. "No, Tara's helping him. She's got some experience in that area, but it would be great if you could keep everyone to the front of the bus away from him till we get back to the hotel," Brian said. "Yeah, of course," Stephen said, heading to the front of the bus, and pulling a few people along with him. Brian turned back to the rest of the guys. "Man Bri, I didn't know you lied so well," A.J. said. "It wasn't a lie, I just stretched the truth a little," Brian said. Tara looked up, "Guys, let us out." They all moved out of the way as Tara and Nick got out of their seats and moved to the very back of the bus. Nick laid down on the seat that stretched across the back of the bus, while Tara kneeled beside him. "Nick, just hang on. We're all here and we're trying to help, OK?" she said. Nick nodded his head. He could feel Tracy, Jade, and Gideon next to him. They all had their hands on him, trying to ease his discomfort. Nick reached up and wiped the tears from his eyes, then looked at Tara with horror, "Oh God, they're here." "Who's here?" she asked. "Them, I can feel them in the crowd," Nick whispered. "Nick, listen to me. You need to ignore them and concentrate alright," Tara instructed. "I can't," Nick said, "Please make it stop, I can't take it anymore." Tara thought furiously as to what to do. Nick was about to completely lose it, and there would be no hiding it this time. "Please Tara do something," Nick cried. Tara turned to the guys, "Stand around us so the others can't see what I'm about to do." The guys made a semicircle around them, completely shielding them from the view of those in the front of the bus. Tara looked over as Tracy, Gideon, and Jade appeared next to her. Nick had curled up into a ball and was holding his head, "Help me please," he whispered. Tara nodded to the others and all four placed their hands on Nick's head. Nick jerked then his body went limp. "God, what'd you do?" Brian asked. "We knocked him out," she answered, "It was the only thing we could do." The others quickly disappeared, as Stephen made his way back to them. "Guys, how's he doing?" he asked. Howie caught him before he made it all the way to them, "He passed out. We're gonna need some way to carry him into the hotel when we get there." "Yeah, um OK. I'll get a couple of the body guards to do that," Stephen said, going back up front. Brian took his jacket off and laid it over Nick. The rest of the bus ride was for the most part in silence. The screams from the crowd running behind the bus as it crept down the road, the only sound piercing the silence. The guys were worried. They hadn't witnessed Nick like this before, and were all a little shocked by it. "It's weird ya know," Brian said. "What's that?" Tara asked. "That God would give him all these abilities, and then it would cause him so much pain," he said. Tara smiled at him, "Not all of us have to train and do this at the same time. It's a bit much for him." "That's why you didn't want him to do it in the first place isn't it? You knew it would be like this," Brian said. "I knew it would be hard on him. But I never imagined that his abilities would be what they are, that makes it even worse," she said. "Tara, what did he mean that he could feel them? Who's them?" Kevin asked. "His tormentors. Up until now it's only been in his dreams, but they are here, in the crowd. I can feel them too," she said. All the guys looked worried. "They won't approach him when others are around, and we're still here, so he should be alright for a while. Just make sure that he's not by himself, OK?" Tara said. All the guys nodded. Stephen came back, "Guys we're here." Everyone looked up to see the hotel looming over them. "We're gonna get all of you off, then carry Nick out," Stephen said. "No, take him out first," Kevin demanded. Stephen stared at him, but the look on Kevin's face wasn't one to be argued with, so he conceded. Everyone moved out of the way as two of their body guards came back and picked Nick up, heading to the front of the bus. The police where there to control the crowd, and in no time they had all made it into the hotel safely, and were headed up to their rooms. They got off the elevator and walked down the hall. "Guys, put him in my room," Brian said, opening his door. The body guards carried him in and deposited him on the bed. Stephen came in after them, "You're positive he doesn't need a doctor or something?" Tara smiled at him, "He'll be fine when he wakes up. Thanks anyway." "But I could have one here in no time," Stephen said. A.J. and Howie put their arms over Stephens shoulders, "Man, can we talk with you about some things?" "Yeah, but what....." Stephen started. "It won't take long," A.J. said, as he and Howie ushered Stephen out of the room. Brian followed them, locking the door behind them. He and Kevin watched as the three appeared around the bed. "I guess we need to wake him up," Tara said. "But wont he be overwhelmed again?" Brian asked. "Yeah, the crowd is really growing out there," Kevin commented. "He should be alright," Jade said. "If not, I guess we can knock him out again," Tracy said. Brian and Kevin watched as they all placed their hands on Nick and he jerked awake. Nick looked around, trying to figure out where he was. "What happened?" he asked, slowly sitting up and running his hand through his hair. "You almost lost it on the bus," Tara said. "We knocked you out before you completely lost control," Gideon added. "Thanks, I don't know how I'd explain to everyone what was going on if I really did lose it in front of them," Nick said. "Already taken care of," Brian said. Nick looked at him, "What do I have now?" Brian and Kevin laughed a little. "Panic attacks," Kevin answered. Nick put his head in his hands, "Oh Lord. Stephen's gonna think I'm a walking mental case." "No man, it fits. Everything you were doing fits a panic attack, it's a great cover," Brian said. Nick thought for a moment, "I guess you're right. Who thought up that one?" "Me," Brian said, grinning. "Should've known," Nick teased. "So your feeling better?" Kevin asked. "Yeah, everything's under control again," Nick said, "But I can still feel them." "We can too. Don't worry, they won't get close to you," Jade said. "Thanks guys," Nick said, breathing a sigh of relief. A knock came at the door and Brian went to answer it. He came back with A.J. and Howie. "So, you guys get Stephen straightened out?" Kevin asked. They both smiled, "Yeah, and we got some perks added in," Howie said. Brian, Kevin, and Nick looked at them. "Like what kind of perks?" Brian asked. "Oh just the, we better have a day off out of every four for the tour or you could risk Nick losing it in public kind," A.J. said. "He bought that?" Nick asked, amused. "Hook, line and sinker," A.J. said, "He's on the phone with headquarters right now, redoing what they have done of the tour schedule." "That's great guys," Kevin said, excited that they had accomplished something he'd been trying to get done for years. "Yeah well, thank Nick. If he didn't lose it from time to time, we'd still be going for weeks at a time," Howie said. "Guys, the purpose is for Nick to stop losing it," Tara said. "We know, but he could fake one every once in a while, just to drive the point home couldn't he?" A.J. said. They all laughed. "I guess I could," Nick said. "Well just make them good, who knows what else we could get outta them," Howie said. "Hey, I'm a great actor," Nick pointed out. The room filled with laughter. "Hey, I fooled all of you didn't I?" Nick asked. "Yeah you did, so what does that say about us?" Brian said. "Don't get me started," Nick teased. Chapter 8 |