Kevin and Howie felt like they were in a dream, a very bad dream. Kevin raced towards Nick as Howie instinctively went to A.J.
"We need to get them upstairs somehow," Howie declared.
"No, we need to figure out if they're still alive first," Kevin said, sarcastically.
He gently pulled Angel away from Nick and checked for a pulse. Feeling a steady one, he looked towards Howie, who nodded.
"So, they're both alive. Now we need to figure out how to get them cleaned up and upstairs."
Angel looked over at Kevin thoughtfully.
"Someone can go to the elevator and get an empty one. It's three in the morning so they should all be pretty empty, but just in case, Howie should go because he doesn't look bad. When he gets one, Kevin, you can carry one of them and we'll take him up. We really have no way to know if anyone will see us on your floor." She paused. "Unless you have a very trustworthy bodyguard�"
Both of the guys were shocked by her sudden �take-charge� attitude, and hesitated to answer for a second.
"Yeah, Louie could help us, but� what do you have planned for him to do?" Howie questioned.
"Just go wake him up and get back down here," she demanded. "I'll explain when he gets here."
*
Thirty minutes later, Howie came back with a very large black man, who was half-asleep. When he looked around the room and saw the disastrous mess, including the two unconscious men, his eyes popped open.
"What the hell�? Oh god, I must be dreaming. Wake up. Com' on, wake up Louie�" he said to himself as he closed his eyes and hit himself in the face.
"Louie, please calm down, and guys, come in here," Angel motioned towards the bedroom door. "We'll be able to concentrate better without the mess."
Once they entered, the men sat around the room while Angel stood in the center of them, pacing.
"Howie, were there any teenyboppers on your floor?"
"Um, I prefer to call them�"
"Were there?" she interrupted.
"Yes."
"That's what I thought and why I sent you to get Louie. Speaking of Louie, " she turned towards him, "you're probably wondering what's going on and why we woke you up in the middle of the night."
Louie looked into her eyes and asked, "Are they dead?"
Taken aback by the bluntness of his question and how she'd been the one asking it only moments earlier, she hesitated before going on.
"No, neither one of them is dead, just unconscious. They got into a fight and both of them ended up getting knocked out. I'll refrain from telling you the details because we need to get them both upstairs and we're running out of time before everyone else wakes up."
Louie nodded, meaning he understood the seriousness of the situation, and the other two nodded as well, saying they were ready to accept whatever Angel told them to do. Satisfied by their reactions, she began telling them about the plan she had concocted.
~
Louie and Howie went up to the ninth floor and cleared a path to Nick and A.J.'s rooms. Luckily, Nick's room was only two doors away from the elevator, but A.J.'s was at the other side of the floor, past the fans. Howie walked into Nick's room, pulled out a baseball cap and made sure to leave the door unlocked when he left.
Louie positioned himself in the middle of the hall, between the elevators and Nick's room, blocking the half-asleep young fans from seeing Howie's movements. He rode the elevator down to floor eight, where Angel was waiting for him, her face still caked with blood. She held the elevator open, as he walked into her hotel room to tell Kevin the coast was clear.
Kevin went towards Nick's still body and gently picked him up. He turned to Howie and whispered, "He probably has a concussion. We need to get him to a hospital."
�And tell them what? That the world-renowned, perfect Backstreet Boys are falling apart at the seams, and rather than solving their problems constructively, they're killing each other?" Howie retorted.
Kevin glared at him. "You do realize you could have stopped this right?"
Howie, avoiding the accusation, turned his back on the dismal crime scene and started out the door. "We should hurry before anyone gets suspicious about Louie standing in the hallway."
Not wanting to argue anymore, Kevin followed to the waiting elevator with Nick in his arms, making sure the door shut behind him.
*
The elevator ride to the ninth floor was treacherously slow as the three stood with rapidly beating hearts. All of them had the same fear floating in their heads. What happens if we get caught? How will we explain this?
As the doors opened, the plan was set to work. Howie rushed out first, heading towards the half-conscious fans. The girls immediately perked up and attacked him as Kevin, using Louie as a shield, carried Nick to his room. Unseen by the fans, Angel rode back down to her room, fear creeping into her head as she realized the one major flaw in her plan.
She waited until the three men walked back into her room before vocalizing the newly figured plan.
"Where is A.J.'s room?" she asked her accomplices.
"At the other end of the hallway. Why?" Howie asked.
"Which one? The one directly across from the elevator where Nick's was, or the one on the other side of the juvenile delinquents?"
"I don't appre�"
"Howie, shut up," Kevin said, tired and frustrated as the amount of misfortune increased. "It's on the other side."
"I was once an overly obsessed fan, and some of them aren't stupid. They would notice if you made any strange comings and goings. The rumors would be sure to fly then. Please Howie, tell me that you didn't get back on the elevator to come down here," she pleaded, glancing towards the door with nervousness.
"No, I went down the stairs like Louie and Kevin. I'm not stupid, you know�" He looked slightly offended.
At the mention of another escape route, Angel perked up. "What's the location of A.J.'s room in relation to the stairs?"
Kevin smiled, as the new idea formed in his head as well. "Not far. About the same distance as Nick's was from the elevator."
"Could you carry A.J. up the stairs?"
"Yeah, he's scrawny. Now, Nick would have been a different story� him being bigger than me and all�"
Angel cut him off. "But you can carry him to his room right?"
Kevin nodded.
"Okay guys. New plan."
~
Howie walked out of the stairwell to see no fans and a clear path to A.J.'s door. He unlocked the door with the spare key and propped it open. He walked back to the stairs and looked down.
"Everything's clear."
Angel signaled to Louie, who rushed down the hall just in front of Kevin to make sure no one saw them. Getting to the stairs, Kevin gave a slight sigh of relief.
"Don't think you're safe yet, Kev," Angel whispered. "We gotta get A.J. to his room and quick. There are people coming up the stairs� They're about two flights down."
Hearing people's voices floating up the stairway, Kevin started up the stairs two at a time, with Louie close behind him.
Angel went slower, feeling lightheaded and making sure no one sneaked up behind Kevin.
Finally hearing the door slam above her, she took a deep breath in hopes to ward off the dizziness and rushed upstairs to meet the others.
*
"How are we gonna keep this from your entourage? We really don't need any more people knowing about this, just to be careful. You guys have a reputation to keep up�" Angel continued to babble. "Oh god, I feel so responsible. If I weren't here, none of this would have happened. Nick would be safe in bed, not unconscious and almost bleeding to death. Oh my god, I have to go check on Nick. He could be�" She started rushing towards the door, but Kevin grabbed hold of her upper arm. Instinctively, Angel flinched from both fear and pain, reminding Kevin to loosen his grip.
"Things will work out. We're not really traveling with an entourage, so there aren't that many people to hide from. Howie, we have a long night to finish. You stay and clean up A.J., I'll do the same for Nick. Louie, thank you for your help, and if you keep this between you and us, you'll see an even bigger thank you in your next paycheck. Now, Angel, you'll come with me to Nick's room. Your room is pretty much destroyed, so you'll stay in Nick's room. He'll need someone to watch after him and he'll probably prefer you to me. I'll go down and get your stuff, and we'll deal with the mess tomorrow. Sound good?" Kevin asked.
Glad that someone else, other than herself, was taking control, Angel slumped against the wall, exhausted, and nodded. Deep down, she knew this was just the beginning.
~
Nick was having the strangest dream. Or was it a dream? To him, it seemed so real, yet not real at all. He was on a cloud. A big white, fluffy cloud, like the ones that always made up the floor of heaven in the movies. The cloud didn't seem to end as he looked in all directions. All he saw was the purest white or the brightest sky blue imaginable.
Towards his right, he saw a basketball court with the bright orange ball sitting in the middle, a complete clash with the surrounding whiteness.
�Oh yeah, they play basketball in heaven! Dying isn't so bad�
Nick thought to himself as he picked up the ball.
Oh yeah? You think this is so great? Try dribbling that thing! It's like playing on Astroturf!
Nick jerked up, dropping the ball, as this second voice entered his head. It sounded so familiar, but like nothing he'd heard before. Was he going insane?
Man! A guy dies and it's like he never existed. I haven't even been gone a week yet, Kaos!
The voice seemed to speak directly into his head, his tone jovial and familiar.
"Brian?" he whispered.
The one and only� Actually, there's more than one Brian up here, but you get my point.
He laughed.
"Where are you?" Nick asked, his voice trembling with emotion.
"Behind you dumbass!" Brian cracked up, as he saw his best friend jump and turn around.
"How� how did you do that?" Nick stammered.
"What? Get my voice in your head? Oh, the joys of being dead. We can talk to each other by thought. Takes a little bit of getting used to, considering anyone has the liberty of listening to anything you think. It's really not that fun, once you think about it� then people yell at you for wasting thoughts on such trivial nonsense. You've never had a headache until you have one caused by someone yelling in your head!" Brian said with his famous boyish grin.
Nick felt like crying. Standing before him was his best friend, dressed in head to toe white, including his sneakers and his backwards baseball cap. Curls of his blondish brown hair poked out in the front and a faint silver-ish glow radiated above his head.
"It's dress code," he said, motioning to his white garb and then to Nick's.
Glancing down, he noticed that he, too, was dressed all in white.
Stepping forward, he enveloped his friend in a crushing hug, trying to hide the tears of joy that came from their reunion. As Nick's chin brushed against the silver-ish light, he felt as if a lightning bolt had gone through his body and jumped back.
Laughing, Nick said, "That thing's real? They actually gave you a halo? Did they know who you were?"
Brian chuckled. "Are you kidding me? I was born with this halo! They just didn't want me to flaunt it on Earth and make people jealous!"
"You? An angel? Who's in charge of this place? Are they insane?" Nick teased.
"You'd be surprised at who does rule up here. Nothing's really how they told us on Earth. Yeah, I'm an angel, but no one's really in charge� Well, there is someone, but she doesn't like to consider herself in charge. Real nice girl�" he trailed off, with a sad glazed look in his eyes. Suddenly jerked back to their conversation, he said, "But enough politics, let's play some b-ball. This court sucks. I know a better place to play. " With that, he picked up the basketball, touched Nick's shoulder, and snapped his fingers.
The next time Nick opened his eyes, he was standing in a glassed-enclosed court with a white concrete floor and silver markings. All four walls were made of glass as was the ceiling, through which he could see many angels, some in white, some in silver, some with wings, doing various things outside like riding bikes, playing baseball, and even a few swimming.
"Life up here is like a lifetime of free retirement. You pick how old you want to be for most of eternity, and from there, your days are filled with whatever you enjoyed on earth. You just have to stay with the people here and not your friends at home� But anyways, let's play."
Caught off guard, Nick had to run to catch up with Brian. As they played basketball, they forgot where they were, why they were there, and how they had gotten there. All that mattered was the bond that held them together, the competition, the friendship, the love. Time slipped by unnoticed as they forgot all their loneliness and pain. All that mattered was that moment. Neither one thought that time might still be going on back on Earth.
Finally exhausted, the two fell to the ground, allowing a sort of euphoria shroud them from reality.
"We haven't played like that in a long time, B-Rok," Nick sighed, completely content.
A comfortable silence fell over them as they sat with their own thoughts. Running his hand through his hair, he was surprised to find a blonde strand caught between his fingers.
Seeing his confusion, Brian rushed to explain. "Up here, you turned back into your original form. All hair dye disappears. Tattoos vanish. It's almost like you become pure again."
"So A.J.'s gonna hate being dead, huh?" Nick laughed.
Brian chuckled. "Yeah, guess so�" Looking towards his watch, he sighed. "Nick, it's time for me to take you back."
"Back? Back where?" Nick asked, confused.
Brian looked at him strangely. "Back home. Back to you. Your home. Earth. Back to Kevin, Howie�"
Nick cut him off, a little angry. "What?! But I'm DEAD! I can't go back just like you can't!!"
Shock covered Brian's face as Nick's words sank in. "Nick, oh god. I thought you knew." He paused to collect his thoughts before plunging on. "Nick, you're not dead. You almost died, but it wasn't your time. You have unfinished business down there. An unfinished connection. The Queen Angel, the one �in charge,� told me to bring you up here and show you what you have to look forward to, so then you can go back down to earth and fight back and finish your life."
Tears sprang to Nick's eyes. "No, I don't want to go back there. I can't handle it without you."
"Nick, you have to. There's a girl down there, Leslie. She needs you and she'll help you move on. I've watched you together. She'll keep you sane, help you move towards me. Once your life is over, we'll meet again, but your place is with her now, not me."
"Angel," Nick whispered. "Oh god! She's probably worried sick to death or A.J.'s got her� oh shit. How long have I been here? I have to get back and save her!"
"Nick, calm down. She's alive. I made sure of it. I don't know your fate except that she's in it. If she weren't alive, you wouldn�t be either. Up here, they tell me time moves much faster here than earth; it's been almost a two and a half days here, so we better get you back quickly."
Tears were streaming down both men's faces as they held each other in a long hug.
"Don't worry about me Nick. I'll be here waiting and we'll see each other soon enough. But next time, you'll have to bring Leslie and stay longer." He pulled away and looked deep into Nick�s eyes. "You'll take care of her for me won't you? And everyone else too. You just have to promise that you'll take care of Leslie for me. At the end of my life, she was my world, and now she's about to become yours. Promise me you'll take care of her."
Through tears, Nick whispered, "I promise."
Brian smiled, gave him one more hug, and said, "Tell her I said hi and," he swallowed the knot in his throat, "I'll see both of you in time."
With that, Brian placed one hand on Nick's broad shoulder and snapped his fingers. Immediately, Nick felt like he was falling through an endless tunnel that was completely dark except for pinpoints of lights much like stars.
With renewed determination and a desire to see Angel's face again, Nick urged himself to fall faster.
*
~Meanwhile~
Kevin walked into Nick's room to find silence. He set down Angel's bags in the suite's living room, and walked into the dark bedroom where he had left Angel and Nick a few hours before. At her urging, Kevin had placed Nick on his bed and left Angel to care for his injuries by moonlight. She had thoroughly cleaned the cuts on his face and the back of his head, being extra careful where his skull had been cut open. She wrapped the wounds in hopes to stop the blood from flowing.
Nick's shirt, already ripped in places, had been cut off and thrown away. Patching up more places, including some that she had to pick wooden splinters out of, she had used all the bandages that Kevin had left her. Now, she was just rechecking to make sure most of the wounds weren't still gushing blood, when she felt Kevin's presence.
"He needs a doctor," she whispered. "A.J. busted his head open. He could have a major concussion and be in a coma. He could have brain damage."
As he listened to her words, he noticed she hadn't tried to clean her own injuries. Her face was caked in dry blood, with a few clean spots where tears had washed the stain away. Her shirt was ripped and she was so blood soaked that her leather pants had a shimmering red quality to them.
"He needs more than me Kevin." The look in her eyes was dulled by exhaustion and hopelessness. She ran her hands through her hair, leaving a streak of blood that Kevin wasn�t sure was her own, Nick�s, or both. She sighed when she got no response. "I have no more band aids, his back needs cleaning up, and I haven't even thought about below the waist."
Hearing that last comment, Kevin, feeling the complete opposite of what he should, smiled. He knew that if Nick could hear them, he would have taken the "below the waist" bit out of context and would be disappointed. Hiding the smile, he looked out the open window to see millions of twinkling stars in a lightly clouded sky. One star, in particular, shone through the clouds, and all Kevin's worries disappeared.
He walked towards Angel, noticed the questioning look, and glanced towards Nick. All the blood was cleaned up and each cut was solidly bandaged. He didn't look in too bad of shape if you considered the amount of blood that had been shed.
"Okay, I'll go downstairs and get some more bandages so we can patch the rest of him up. I'll also have them send up a change of sheets for after we're done. Your bags are in the other room. Maybe you should clean up and change. It'll help you feel better Angel," Kevin brushed a strand of hair out of Angel's face and looked into her bloodshot eyes, or the best he could since they were both almost swollen shut. "I have this feeling everything's gonna be all right." With that, he walked out of the room to accomplish his errands.
Looking out the same window, into the same sky, she saw the same bright star shining through the same cloud and it filled her with more dread and fear.
"This is all my fault."
With that, she placed her head in her hands and sobbed.
~
On the same floor, only down the hall, Howie was carefully trying to pick the glass out of A.J.'s wounds. Compared to Nick and Angel's, A.J.'s wounds were small and less severe except Howie became squeamish at the sight of blood.
With a pair of tweezers, he had spent the past two hours cleaning his best friend's wounds while trying to not get any blood on his fingers.
"Why did Kevin make me do this? It's his fault that A.J. went through that glass window, so he should clean it, but noooooooooo� make innocent Howie nurse him. I wasn't a part of it, so I shouldn�t have to clean the mess. No, it's all Kevin's fault. He's probably sound asleep in his bed while Angel takes care of Nick. That's how it's always been. Kevin barks the commands and the rest of us jump to the task. I'm sick of it!"
With that, Howie removed the last shard of glass and bandaged A.J. up. He went into the bathroom, washed his hands three times, and left A.J.'s room, making sure the door locked behind him. Entering his own room, he harbored a growing hatred towards Kevin as he stripped to his boxers and climbed into bed, falling asleep before his head hit the pillow.