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Before: Karma


Ashley

I was laying in bed later that night, rubbing lotion into my hands, and watching TV when Chris brought up my coffee date with Nick. "So... how did it go?" he asked. Chris had on boxers printed with the Lucky Charms logo, standing by the dresser, peeling his socks off. I'd been watching John Stamos try to get one of the Olson twins to take a bath.

"It was coffee," I shrugged.

Chris climbed int othe bed next to me and concentrated on taking off his watch, as I tossed my lotion into the drawer of my night stand. He looked at the TV, made a face because he hates Full House, then turned back to me. "Is his face really fucked up like they said?"

They was TMZ. Months ago, when the Backstreet Boys had announced putting the 20th Anniversary Tour and everything on hold until Nick was back on his feet, TMZ had made some comments about Nick's face and Chris had assumed he was like the Phantom of the Opera without his mask.

Which wasn't entirely far off. Just, not quite as creepy.

Or something.

"Don't be an asshole," I swatted at him.

"I'm not being an asshole," Chris laughed. Which meant he was. He took the remote off my knee and flipped the channels. I didn't really care, I had all the DVDs of the entire series on a shelf in the living room. There wasn't a single one I hadn't seen. Spoiler Alert: John Stamos gets the Olson Twin to take a bath and they all go downstairs and have dinner together. Isn't that how every Full House episode ends? "But no seriously," Chris said, interrupting my reverie as he landed on some baseball game. "Is it really bad?"

"He's Nick," I said, "He could get run down by a bus and still be beautiful."

Chris frowned.

"Stop wishing ill on your best friend," I said.

"He isn't my best friend anymore, not after what he did to you in Vegas... then disappearing for five months? Some best friend." He scoffed. He stretched. "So seriously. How bad is it?"

I shook my head. He wasn't going to let this go until he got what he wanted. "It was gross," I said, "Okay? You happy? His face is perfect on the right and looks like shit on the left. It was shocking, to say the least. It was literally breath taking. I hated it, the scar. It wasn't... he was so... different." I looked down at my hand. I felt guilty because Nick had seen me faulter when I first saw it and I wondered if he was still self conscious about it, if he'd played a tough act for me because... I don't know why, the same reason that he never cried when we were kids, even when he broke his hand or scraped his knee cap so bad the bone showed.

"Karma, baby," Chris muttered.

I swatted him again, "Asshole!"

Chris laughed. "What? It's true. He did shitty things so he had shitty things happen to him."

"I don't like to think I caused it in anyway," I said.

"You didn't, he did. He just did the shitty things to you."

"I'd rather think the universe is forgiving," I replied, shrugging. "Besides, he apologized."

Chris's eyebrow went up. "Wait, wait, wait. Hold up. You're telling me Nick Carter actually apologized for something?"

Honestly, I felt the same way. Nick wasn't one of those people who said sorry for things. He usually managed to get his way one way or another, or would just disappear until he didn't feel like he was obligated to say sorry anymore. I'd sincerely expected that to be the case when he called me, I never expected an apology. That's just how Nick is. It's stupid, it's assholic, but it's Nick. But was I gonna admit that to Chris? Oh hell no.

"Don't be like that. Nick apologizes."

"That time he set my hair on fire and I was bald for like a year and had like third degree burns? Yeah, never said sorry for that."

"You both agreed to set your hair on fire, first of all," I said, "Second of all, you set your hair on fire. Nick just filmed it."

"How would you know?" Chris asked.

"Because I was there. You were stoned off your gourd. For that matter, so was Nick."

Chris grinned. "Have I mentioned yet tonight that you are gorgeous?" he asked.

I pretended to have to think for a moment. "Hmm, nope. Not yet."

"Oh well then, Ashley, you are gorgeous."

I smirked, "You're so not out of trouble, mister." I leaned over and kissed him softly.

"I'm in trouble?" he asked, "Do I need to get punished?" his eyes sparkled.

"You'd like that too much. Instead, you must cuddle me until I fall asleep. Birthday Orders." I flipped over and snuggled into him. He curled around me, his arm wrapping around my midsection. I held onto his hand, weaving my fingers with his. He leaned over and kissed the ridge of my ear. I smiled.

"Night birthday girl," Chris whispered.

"Night," I replied.




Nick

AJ threw himself into the booth across from me. "This better be good, dude, I'm missing serious Daddy moments right now."

"I saw Ashley today," I said.

AJ contemplated a moment, then waved the waitress over. "Red Bull for me... and a beer for my buddy. And keep them coming." She nodded and walked away. "Okay," he said, "Go on. But be aware, Rochelle's going to be pissed you didn't ask her to come, too."

"Why would Rochelle care?" I asked.

"Are you kidding? You and Ashley have been like a damn soap opera for all the wives," AJ replied. "It might as well be the Young and the Restless airing an exclusive episode right now."

"Oh jeez."

"No seriously. We were thinking about having tees made. They'd sell well."

"Shut up."

"Leighanne could put them in her Wylee line. She likes putting peoples faces on shirts. We'll plaster you and Ashley right on there in like wild pop art colors..."

"Okay fine I'm going home, I don't need this," I said.

AJ turned serious. "Ok, I'll stop."

"Thank you."

"Now tell me what the hell happened?"

I took a deep breath, "I called her up, 'cos it's her birthday..."

"You remember her birthday, sure."

"I'm sorry I forgot your birthday, okay? Jesus it's been six months."

AJ pouted. "Yeah, yeah, yeah... Only known me 21 years, you'd think you could remember my damn birthday..."

"I don't remember anyone's birthday. Except Ashley's."

"Yeah, fine, whatever."

"Dude, do you wanna hear about me and Ashley or do you wanna pout over the fact that I missed your birthay?" I demanded.

The waitress brought over the Red Bull and beer and walked off again.

"Continue," AJ instructed.

"So I calld her and I invited her to coffee."

"This is the first time you've seen each other since the crash, right?" he asked, sipping his Red Bull.

I nodded and took a sip of my beer.

"Did she know about..." AJ motioned at my scar.

"Yeah," I said, "Well, kinda. She said she heard rumors."

"TMZ," AJ nodded.

"Yeah, probably," I said. "But she was freaked out."

"Did you bone her?" AJ asked eagerly.

"What? No," I said, shaking my head, "Jesus, AJ, you seriously think it was like oh hey happy birthday, oh thanks, wow thats a big ugly scar you have there, hey lets sleep together, okay?"

AJ shrugged, "Who knows. It is you, after all."

"Do you wanna hear this or not?"

"Yes, go on."

"Okay so we were talking and I apologized for January with the whole thing in Vegas, and --"

AJ's eyebrows nearly hit the ceiling. "WHAT?" He hacked on Red Bull he'd inhaled too quickly. "You -- you, Nick fucking Carter -- YOU apologized?"

"Yes."

"DUDE! Mark your mother fucking calendars world!!!" AJ stood up. "Ladies and Gentlemen of the bar... my friend actually apologized for something!" he shouted. Only a couple people looked over, annoyed by the crazy yelling guy.

"Sit the hell down, I'm not finished yet."

AJ dropped into the seat. "Is that when you boned her?"

"Will you stop? I didn't bone her."

"Okay, okay, okay. So what happened next?"

I took a deep breath, "Well, I was going to tell her how I feel about her, and --"

AJ's eyes widened, "And you're gonna bone her tonight when you have a follow-up date!"

"AJ."

"Okay, sorry. Go on."

"Well, I was about to say the words and then... I couldn't tell her."

AJ groaned. "Nick, we've been over this a hundred million times. When you finally tell her she's going to be ecstatic. She's going to be over the moon. There's no reason in the world for you NOT to tell her."

"Yes," I said, "Actually, there is one."

"What's that?" AJ asked, rolling his eyes.

"She's engaged."

Red Bull literally came out of AJ's nose as he choked.