�Ok, Nick, what�s bothering ya?� Brian asked as he and the Boys sat at Alexander�s house waiting for the verdict of their first day album sales. They all looked at Nickolas.
�Nothing,� Nickolas lied.
�You�re not focusing on this game of pool,� Brian pointed out. �You�ve been off for the past couple weeks. Something�s wrong.� Nickolas put the pool stick down and walked to the window.
�Is Sunshine keeping the baby?� Kevin asked.
�I don�t know what she decided,� Nickolas replied. �She won�t tell me until I decide.�
�You?� Howard questioned.
�Yeah,� Nickolas answered. �Sunnie already made up her mind, but since it�s my baby she wants me to have a say so. She wants me to decide, because she wants me happy.� They looked at him. �How am I supposed to choose between the woman I love more than anything in the world and our unborn child I�ve been wanting since I met her? I can�t do it. It�s too hard.�
�I don�t know what to tell ya, Nick,� Kevin said. "Sunn loves you and wants you to be happy no matter what.�
�If she doesn�t have the baby now, we may never get to be parents. If she does have the baby, Sunnie might die and our child will never know their mother�only through stories I tell them.� They stayed silent. �She�s pregnant with twins and slowly getting weaker. She had to come home from Texas, because she couldn�t handle the pain. She couldn�t hide it anymore and had to tell the producers.� They looked at him. �This morning she was in so much pain she couldn�t get out of bed. She was fine when I left though, but tomorrow might be worse, ya know. Or even better. We never know.�
�I�m sorry, Nick,� Alexander said.
�We all are,� Brian added.
�She wants to have a baby,� Nickolas said. �I know that because she stopped her birth control and insisted we stop using a condom. I didn�t say anything though.� He sat on the sofa. �What do I do? How do I choose?�
�I don�t know,� Kevin said.
�I want Sunnie and I want the baby,� Nickolas said.
�But which do you want more?� Brian asked and Nickolas looked at him as a phone rang.
�That might be management,� Alexander said picking up the phone and putting it on the coffee table and putting it on speaker. �Yeah, this is Alex.�
�Hey, man, it�s Johnny.�
�Hey, Johnny!� they all said.
�Good you�re all together,� Johnny said.
�What�s up, man?� Alexander asked.
�I got some good news. You�re album is already at number one.� The guys cheered. �It sold 2.7 million release day making it the number one selling album on its first day in music history.�
�Whoo!� the guys cheered.
�Ya guys are back on top again. How does that make you feel?�
�It�s awesome,� Brian said.
�Totally awesome,� Alexander added. �So much for NSync stealing our thunder.� They all laughed.
�Now remember that anything can happen this week,� Johnny stated. �Just because ya sold 2.7 mill yesterday doesn�t mean one of the others can�t out beat that for the week.�
�We hear ya,� Brian said.
�Well I have to go,� Johnny said. �But don�t forget you got press this weekend.�
�Gotcha,� Kevin said.
�I might not be there,� Nickolas said.
�I understand that, man,� Johnny assured him. �You just take care of that lovely wife of yours.�
�Yeah,� Nickolas said.
�I�ll see ya guys later,� Johnny said.
�Later,� the guys said and Alexander turned off the phone.
�Whoo!� Alexander cheered again punching his fist in the air.
�Backstreet�s back, alright,� Brian replied.
�We�re so back,� Howard said. �We�re here to stay.�
�We need to celebrate,� Alexander stated.
�Next week after we find out the first week sales results,� Kevin said.
�Sounds like a plan,� Howard said. Nickolas sighed and they looked at him. �Cheer up, Nicky. This is good news.�
�Yeah, but I ain�t in the celebrating mood,� Nickolas replied getting up.
�Why don�t you go home to Sunn, man,� Brian suggested. �Share this good news with her.�
�Right,� Nickolas said picking up his stuff. �I�ll see ya guys later.�
�See ya, bro,� the guys said and watched Nickolas walk out.
�I hope they make the right decision,� Kevin said.
�How are they going to know what the right decision is?� Brian wanted to know. �Two lives are at stake here and they have to decide who lives and who dies. I wouldn�t be able to do it.�
�Me either,� Howard admitted.
�I�d probably take my chances and have the baby,� Alexander stated. �Ya can�t replace a life. Yeah ya can have another baby, but it won�t be the same; and you can never replace the love of your life.�
�No,� Kevin agreed. �Honestly, I think Nick�s going to save Sunshine�s life. He�d die without her. Yeah he does want a baby, but I don�t think he�s going to want one at the expense of his wife�s life.�
�Nick is full of surprises, Kevin,� Brian replied. �Everything he does anymore is a surprise.�
�Yeah, but he�s not going to lose Sunn,� Kevin stated. �He won�t put himself through that pain of losing her.�
�I guess you have a point,� Alexander said. �Because I wouldn�t do it.�
�He already has his mind made up,� Kevin said. �He just doesn�t know it yet.�
�Hopefully it�s the right one,� Howard replied. �I wouldn�t want him to go through life thinking he made the wrong one.�
�He�s not going to,� Brian said. �Whatever one he chooses will hurt, but it�ll be the right one.�
�I hope so,� Alexander said.
CHAPTER 17 CHAPTER 19
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