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*********************** Too Close for Comfort: Chapter Two *************************



Nicky couldn't quite control her nerves.  She tried hard, for Nick's sake, but it was a 
challenge.  It wasn't like she was the one going onstage in minutes to perform for a crowd 
of thousands, it just felt like she was.  

Nick fled into the dressing room where she was waiting for him, pale as a ghost, and shaking.  
"I can't do this Nicky, I can't.  I want to and it's in me because I can feel it, but I'm so 
afraid.  What if they don't like us?"  

She looked up at his big blue eyes, wide with fear and stage fright, and shook her head 
giving him what he needed.  "Don't be silly Nick.  You were born to do this.  It isn't just 
in you; it IS you.  This is your dream, go out there with the other four guys and make it 
happen."  

Nicole Hernandez watched with satisfaction as color returned slowly to Nick's face and the 
fine trembling in his hands ceased.  He ducked his head, smiling bashfully, and gave her a 
one armed hug, which she promptly turned into a fierce bear hug.  "Thanks Nicky," he 
whispered into her curls.  

She grabbed his hand in answer, turning his palm up so that she could trace the fine scar 
his Swiss Army knife had left behind weeks ago and matched it with her own palm.  "You're my 
brother Nick," Nicole answered softly, "its my job."  

Nick kissed her cheek.  "I'm going to go.  I better see you in the front row."  

Nicky saluted him with a grin and shooed him out the dressing room door, a relieved smile 
on her lips.  She jumped when Kevin came out of the bathroom of the make shift dressing 
room in Sea World, Orlando.  She stared up at him warily, still not on great terms with 
this dark haired stranger with his low voice and southern accent.  

"That was really decent, what you just did for him."  

She shrugged sharply, her thin shoulders proud and angry with movement as her hair tumbled 
down her back in response.  "He's Nick.  Its what I do."  That's simply all there was to it. 

Kevin's green eyes rested on her for a moment longer and she fought the urge to squirm under 
the weight of his regard but, child or not, Nicole wasn't one to be easily intimidated.  And 
suddenly he smiled and it was like the sun coming out from behind the clouds.  

Nicky blinked in amazement and basked in the warmth of his grin.  "Thank you," Kevin rumbled, 
his voice gentle for one of the first times in dealing with someone he had been considering a 
thorn in his side since the first day he had seen her.  "Nick's not always easy to deal 
with..."

Nicole snorted disbelievingly.  "Like you are?"

His smile faded as he stared at the little girl so defiant before him.  She was a child, but 
she spoke like an adult and defended Nick like a mother.  It was easy to forget that she was 
only twelve.  "That mouth of yours is going to get you in trouble one day," Kevin warned with 
the wisdom of twenty-one years behind him and the arrogance to match.  

Something fierce and painful flashed across her face and was gone.  Nicky snorted instead.  
"Treat him right, or you'll be answering to me."  

Kevin started to laugh at her, but the tight lines around her full mouth paused him.  There 
was something frighteningly serious in the set of her jaw and the vulnerability of her dark 
brown eyes.  "I'll do my best for him," he responded instead, gravely.  A small sigh shook 
her slender form and she nodded.  

"All right, I'll take that answer for now.  You had better get out there.  Last time I 
checked they can't go on without you."

Kevin cursed, suddenly, vividly, and Nicole laughed as he tore out of the dressing room with 
all the poise of a little boy.  "Good luck," she called softly as he raced away.  She paused 
and looked in the dressing room mirror, studying her reflection and not entirely happy but 
what she saw.  She took a deep breath, and ran out to take her seat, just in time for the 
curtain to rise.

She was jammed into the packed first row of anxious girls and, before the boys began their 
introductions, took a moment to study the huge crowd behind her.  There were literally 
hundreds, even thousands of people here, families as well as teenagers.  It was a sea of 
restlessness and Nicky said a quick and fervent prayer for Nick and his band, that they 
could win over these silent, apathetic people.  

That they could be as great as she knew they deserved to be.  

Nicole watched with pride as the five Backstreet Boys took center stage.  The lights 
flooded them and she was amazed at the self-possession, at the pride, at the confidence 
in all of their faces.  They looked right up there, together.  She had never seen anything 
more right.  

A huge smile was already spreading across her face as they introduced themselves and started 
the first song.  Her smile grew to a laugh by the fourth song, as the people around her 
started to sway in beat to their voices.  The laughter was tears of pride when the Boys 
received a thunderous round of applause at the end of their first large concert.  

Nicky was one of the loudest fans as she shrieked, hollered, and screamed with the rest of 
the newly devoted.  In the aftermath of their success the boys looked stunned and Nick, 
Nick seemed overwhelmed despite his own ear splitting grin.  He took a second to wink at 
Nicky and blow her a kiss though, as the Backstreet Boys took a collective bow.  

It was at the very moment that she knew they would soon be making their mark upon the world.  
She shivered when she realized that she would be there to watch it happen.  To watch them 
rise.  

************************************************************************************

"Why didn't they want us Nicky?  I don't understand.  I mean, we're awesome, aren't we?  
We did a concert thing with Whitney Houston!  Its not fair..."  

Nicole sighed as she shifted and tried to get comfortable with a grimace.  She tucked the 
phone cord beneath her feet.  "Nick, don't give up hope.  You ARE awesome.  Just because 
Mercury Records didn't want to sign you doesn't mean you'll never be signed.  Besides, you 
guys shouldn't be settling for the first deal to come along.  You need to hold out for the 
best!"

Nick laughed, sounding much happier than he had when he had called her, distraught and 
depressed.  "Thanks Nicky, I needed that."  

"I know."

"I miss you," he said suddenly, quickly, sounding forlorn.  

Nicole swallowed the lump in her throat.  "I miss you too," she replied carefully, "very, 
very, VERY much.  You're having fun though, right?  I mean, this is what you want to do?"  

Nick sighed and she could picture him as he threaded his hand through his hair with tension.  
"I...  I love being onstage, the rush, I can't explain how awesome that feels.  And its so 
cool to meet the fans and sign autographs and take pictures..."

"But," Nicky interjected softly.  

"But, I miss home.  I miss Aaron and the twins and Les SO much.  And I really like the guys 
but its not the same as having you around.  I mean, Brian is a lot of fun and AJ isn't that 
much older than me..."

"But you're the baby and you hate being the baby.  And you're homesick."

"And I'm Nickysick.  Especially Nickysick.  And what about you?!"

"I'm very Nicksick," Nicole responded firmly, knowing that Nick needed the reassurance that 
she missed him as desperately as he missed her.  

"Good," he grumbled and she laughed.  "How's school going?  Its so weird to tour at different 
schools because, well, I'm not in school and it feels like I should be."  

"How's the tutor thing coming?"  Nick mumbled something unintelligible and Nicole raised her 
brows.  "Nick, don't you dare slack off!  You need an education and they went to the trouble 
of hiring you a tutor and you darned well better do well!"  

"Yes mother," he grumbled, interrupting her tirade, but she heard the smile in his voice.  
"Now stop avoiding my question.  How's school?  Is everyone treating you all right?"  Nicole 
looked down at her newest bruises and didn't say anything.  "Nicole, what aren't you telling 
me?  No one's giving you any trouble are they, because I'll fly right back to Florida and 
kick some collective ass if any of those bullies are even looking at you cross eyed!"  

"No!" she exclaimed, hating the lie but knowing that Nick would jeopardize his career by 
doing just that.  "No, I'm fine, really."  

"Honest?" Nick asked, suspicious.  

Nicole swallowed her tears and answered, "Most definitely.  And don't say ass."  

"Mom..." he whined and they laughed together.