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Kevin yawned loudly. He hadnīt got much sleep the previous night since Bruce had
wanting him to stay at the dinner pary until 3 am. Usually this was not a problem for Kevin
since he was used to working both day and night. Having an irregular schedule.

Lately this life had started to take itīs toll. He was getting older and his body couldnīt
cope with those late hours like heīd used to. The boys were teasing him about him being
an old man. At first he had denied it, but as he turned thirty he had really started to ponder
his life.

When he was back in Kentucky for a quick visit he had met several of his old high school
friends and they were married, some of them even had children. And here he was, stuck in
some hotel in Japan, far away from his loved ones.

Maybe it was time to start taking it more easy. Heīd been in this business for 10 years now
and he was starting to get pretty sick and tired over this road life. Thinking about the boys
he saw that they didnīt have that same glow. It was like they lacked energy or were they
not having as much fun as before?

Even Nick seemed to be less interested in being in the band. He had his own projects and
lately heīd even supressed that he didnīt want to tour anymore. It could just as easily be
that the young boy was toured out or that his health had been faltering on him lately.

Even so Kevin was set to call in for a meeting about the bands future, before they left to
the states. Sighing, he stretched his joints and took a sip from his black coffee.

The clock on the wall read eight o’clock and he was the only one down at the breakfast
room. No sign of the boys. But he expected them to come down at any second since they
were going to have a meeting at 8:30am discussing today’s hectic schedule.

And it was hectic. The day started out with the boys going to a photo shoot at 10 am.
After that they had a tv show after lunch and then some record signing at a HMV store.
Then there was rehearsal before tonight’s big show over at Tokyo stadium.

Kevin smiled when his mind drifted off to the up coming tv show. They had been guests at
this one before, when they were at the "Around the World Tour" last November. The
hostess had been a young girl, wearing braids that were standing up. She was very nice but
she talked very, very much and Kevin had never met anyone that could be so hyper, Nick
included. Nick was nothing compare to her, not even when he was on his worst sugar rush
or even drunk on his ass and that wasnīt saying much.

The boys had a hard time keeping themselves from laughing and the face his cousin made
when she came into the room had been priceless. Being in Brian mood he had been in at
the time, acted like the girl, hitting his leg on the table in the process as he was jumping up
and down.

What had Kevin in for a surprise was that the girl had actually calmed Nick down! Maybe
part of it could depend on Nick having a low grade fever due to the cold that he had
caught, but it was actually as if this girl had an calming effect on Kaos.

Nick. Kaos. Frack. Nicky.


Kevin’s thoughts drifted off to his young band mate. Nick had been hyper last night. Being
drunk on his ass. Kevin had to take care of the mess that Nick had created with the
sponsors and looking back he wished that he had insisted that Nick would stay back at the
hotel instead of going to the dinner party.

Nick’s behavoir had been so bad and Kevin wanted to just die when Nick had told the host
that his wife had a beatiful behind. Kevin and Bruce had spent the whole night trying to
soften the sponsors that looked not so pleased over the situation.

It had been a hard task since the sponsors thought that Nick acted very bad, but after
giving in for some requests they still kept the deal. He just hoped that there wouldnīt flare
anything up that would cause the sponsors dropping out from the deal. Again.

Even if Nick had been a jerk, Kevin felt a tad guilty that he hadnīt been there to comfort
the kid. After all he was the leader and often looked after Nick as the big brother. During
all those years on the road, Kevin had comforted his ‘little brother’ when he was
homesick, depressed and suffering some sort of sickness. As time had passed on him and
Nick seemed to drift further away, and now days they often argued with each other. Kevin
was thinking that he was acting immature and Nick saying that Kevin was not his fucking
dad!

During the last months of the Black and Blue tour, Kevin had thought that the blonde had
a low moral. He was skipping meeting, acting like a grouch when he finally turned up.
And yesterday Kevin had been so mad at him. Really wanted to kick his ass. Not caring at
all that Nick was sick as a dog. Leaving it to Brian and AJ to pick up what was left of
their little brother.

Brian had told him that he was concerned for Nick’s health and that had Kevin thinking
that there might bemore than meets the eye. Maybe Nick was really into something. Like
drugs. Or was there something else bothering him? Sighing heavily, Kevin hoped that Nick
would be up all fine and dandy. They had to do the show this evening and management
wouldnīt allow Nick to skip out even if he was feeling like hell. Hangover or not.

During the past years they had never let Nick skip out of a show even if he was feeling
sick or down. The blonde was too big of a cash draw and the fans would be so
disappointed if he was a no shown. The only time Nick had skipped a live preformance
was one time at MTV Trl when he had suffered from a nasty stomach bug.That time he
had been too sick to make it to New York where the show was recorded, since he had to
be close to the toilet all the time. Yet he had called in. All for the fans.

The fans. The boys did everything for the fans including risking their own health. Wonder
if Nīsync would do that? Kevin mused.

"Great, there you are." It was Bruce entering the room, newspapers in hand. "Look at
this," he continued slamming down the paper hard, in front of the dark man.

Kevin was in for a real fit reading the head line: IS THE BLONDE HEART THROB,
NICK CARTER, ON DRUGS?

Below the captions was a picture of Nick hanging in between him and AJ on their way to
the dinner. He looked so out of it and had a phoney grin on his face. Looking drugged up
to his gills!

"Fuck!" Kevin groaned. This was VERY bad publicity.

Bruce shook his head."Yeah this time the kid really did it, and this is not all," he gestured
towards several more papers. There were photos of Nick drunk, Nick puking, Nick laying
on the ground. And all asked the same question. Is Nick on drugs?

The Papparazzi most have made good salary on the boys that night and somehow Kevin
didnīt think that this was the last he heard of this story. The Japan tour was in for a real
disaster!

"The telephone must have rang the whole morning. Sponsors are wanting to draw back
the deal," Bruce growled while rubbing his temples.

"What?" Kevin hissed, realizing the seriousness in the situation. The press was just waiting
to get another sleezy story after AJ had come back from the rehab center. The boys had
gotten many questions about the drugs and Nick’s name had been mentioned several
times. On top of it Nick had been seen at Johnny DeppsVipers room a couple of weeks
ago and that was not good. That place was known for being "high" on the list, in more
ways than one.

"We have to downplay this," Kevin said, shaking his head.

"Downplay what?" Brian asked as he walked into the room, tired, black bags under his
eyes. He sat down silently beside his cousin, yawning.

"That old Nicky boy is on drugs," Bruce said irritated, getting a confused glare from
Brian. Kevin took on his task to inform Brian about the situation. Brian frowned as he
heard the story.

Bruce gestured to the papers, "As of this wasnīt all.When the management gets a wiff of
this they are going to fry our asses. Heads will roll," Bruce was mainly referring to his
own head and he was damned if he was going to let this screwed up boy fuck him up.

He had given his life for the boys, even sacrificed his own wife and kids for the boys fame
and now he wasnīt just gonna sit down and watch as Nick was dragging him through the
dirt. The boy was going to pay. In more ways than one.

"Calm down, we have to figure out a way to handle the situation," Brian said, trying to put
the upset man at ease. Bruce glared at him, but Brian’s calm had once again affected his
cousin and Kevin sat silently.

"Iīve cancelled the photo shoot for now. Instead we are having a press conference at
eleven. We have to figure out a strategy to work this out".

Kevin looked at Bruce. No matter what anyone had to say about him, he had a way of
handling all situations. Structure and strategy was part of Bruce and he had helped the
band in many difficult situations during the years. Especially when it came to pleasing the
management and the sponsors. When it came to the boys own well being he was being
strictly business-like at that matter, and Nick often got caught in between.

"I doubt that Nick will be up and ready," Brian mumbled, while pouring a cup ofīcoffee.

"So?" It was clear that neither Bruce or Kevin had much understanding for Nick’s health
right now.

"Me and Leigh stayed with him after we came back to the hotel and Iīll tell you that Iīm
starting to think that food poisoning isnīt that far fetched any longer".

"Bullshit, the boy was totally shitfaced and now he is going to pay for it even if he has to
lick the media’s ass. Literally!" Bruce was angry. His nose flared like bull. An angry bull in
for a fight.


"Have you confronted party boy yet?" Kevin asked, rubbing his temples. The famous
Nicky headache pounding in his skull.

"No, not yet. But trust me I will. In fact Iīm going to go and have a talk with him right
now." With that, Bruce stood up and walked towards the door. Briskly.

"Take it easy on him," Brian called out, "he isnīt feeling too well." Bruce snorted and then
left the room. Both Brian and Kevin sighed deeply. “What a mess!” Brian mumbled.

"Nick is in for a real treat. I donīt think that I’ve ever seen Bruce this upset before."

Brian nodded, silently.

Kevin felt bad. Deep inside he wanted to be there for Nick, yet he thought that the boy
needed to be taught a lesson since he was jeopardizing the bands future.

"Yup, this is going to be a long tour. Iīm starting to get sick of this crap!"

Kevin frowned. Had his cousin made that statement? Brian rarely expressed that he was
sick and tired of something. And certainly not touring. He had told Kevin that when he
was having the heart operation all he could think off was to get back on the road
again.That had helped him recooperate and the doctors had been amazed that he had done
so well. Brian said that the boys were his family. His brothers.

Nowdays when Brian was married something had changed.Brian had never expressed this
out loud, but Kevin being the analytical one had seen that something was troubling his
friend. Was he starting to get fed up with being a Backstreet Boy? Him and Leigh had
started a record company and the rumors was that it was beacuse Brian wanted out. The
boy had denied this, but what íf it was true?

"What?" Brian asked, the irritation in his voice was evident, when he saw that Kevin was
staring at him. Then he thought back at what the had said before. "No Kevin. I donīt
wanna quit. Not just yet."

Brian’s words had started a process in Kevin’s mind. If the boys wanted to quit there was
a big hitch. They had signed a contract with Jive records to make two more albums as well
as doing several tours and it would cost them lots of money since Jive would sue them all
if they broke off the contract.

Maybe all they needed was a break. And that, they were getting soon. Christmas was a
bliss.

"Morning guys," Howie stated as he made his entrance. Alone.

"Hey," Kevin said, looking surprised, "Where is that girl of yours?" He was looking at the
door, waiting for a girl to follow Howie in the tracks.

"Oh you mean Siono, she left." With that he sat down by the boys. "Why so gloomly?"
Brian said nothing, as he gestured towards the paper.

"Holy cow!" Howie stated as he picked up the newspaper.

After reading the story, Howie sighed. "Nickster really done it this time!"