So far had the charity concert been a total success. 20,000 fans had paid to see their favorite band perform and the main attraction was the two boybands. Backstreet Boys and N´sync. There were some German artists playing also like DJ Bobo but the night was soon about to end and it was N´sync’s turn to give all they could on stage. The fans were delighted and the small concert hall was filled to the brim with screaming excited fans.

AJ who had been backstage, looking out at the crowd together with some of the roadies was caught in the arm by a busty blonde reporter holding a yellow mike in front of him. It was VIVA TV making a live report from backstage. "Mr. McLean from the Backstreet Boys, you are the next band to enter the stage. How does that feel? Are you excited?" She smiled a toothy white smile and AJ found himself staring down in a very deep valley between two large breasts.

"Eh..uh.." He did his best to focus on her face and the microphone instead off her curves. This was easier said than done. Quickly he checked to see if she had a ring on her finger that indicated if she was married and to his satisfaction he found that it wasn´t the case. "This is great," he said with a smile. "Hearing those fans screaming outside makes you all hyped up and you wanna go out there and sing your heart out."

"Really," the reporter moved and so did her bussom and AJ found himself licking his lips. Damn she was fine. He answered a couple of questions of what the rest of the guys were up to, having a hard time concentrating. Loud screams broke his attention and the female reporter took the mic, "Right now it´s N´sync the new American popsensation playing and the fans seemed to like it."

He snorted. Why did all of the reporters had to compare them to that group? Ok they were talented and he´d met them several times but they were a copy and the worst part was that rumor was that none of the guys did have to work as hard as they had did over the years. They were clearly riding on the Backstreet success.

The blonde turned to him, "N´sync has hit the European charts pretty fast and last week they signed a fat contract for five years under the management of Mr. Lou Pearlman and Mr. Johnny Wright. The word is that they cut a good deal and now are the most richest boy band. What are your comments on this?" The reporter once again held the mic under his face.

'Five years? Pearlman' The words echoed in his head. There was a rumor going on in the music business about this but they had all thought that it was just another rumor that was going around so no one paid much attention to this. They had done their best in finding out how much truth there was in the rumor that it was Lou together with Johnny who was running the show. Upon asking about this to the management they had been told that for the time being N´sync would remain under their wings until another management would pick them up. This has turned out to be a bunch of crap and Kevin had found out that both Pearlman and Wright had invested a pretty good deal of money in this band and had told PR people that this was the new popsensation. This had hurt their feelings and to say that there was tension between the guys and the management would be an understatement. It hadn´t helped that Nick had revealed pretty bad stuff about how he was treated and now they were all upset.

"How does it feel to have another large popband under the same management? Another rival?" The reporter looked him sternly in the eyes and suddenly he found himself thinking of something else besides her big boobies. His mind worked frantically as he tried desperately to find the right words. Hell where were was Kevin when he needed him?

"It´s great." He plastered "the Backstreet smile" on his lips. "We´re not really rivals and they have done some pretty cool stuff and we are all friends with each other as a matter of fact Howie and Chris went to the same high school and they are old buddies."

Loud screams were heard from the concert hall and AJ chuckled. "Man it´s going to be totally wild out there. The fans are really on tonight and they will be even more hyped up once we get out there doing our stuff." Stucking his face into the camera he shouted loudly, "We will get out there rockin’ your socks off. YOU HEAR!!" The camera man backed away several inches over the sudden attack and this had both AJ and the reporter laughing. Fuck he really needed to get to meet her later on. She was the rare mixture of a stunning beauty and brains.

"It sounds like you´re really ready for this show."

"You bet," he grinned. "It´s our last show for this tour and we will give everything."

"There is a rumor going around that your youngest member, eighteen year old Nick Carter, is experiencing an eating disorder and is too sick to perform tonight. Is there any truth in this?

AJ jerked. Why did reporters have to be so nosy? "Nick?" he said with an even wider grin added with some flirting, "That boy eats just about everything so an eating disorder is out of the question." Fuck he couldn´t afford to fuck this up. "Seriously Nick is fine. He´s been a bit under the weather lately due to a cold but I can assure you that it´s nothing bad." He was lying through his teeth as he continued, "As a matter of fact we´re all suffering from a cold and Howie is nursing a sore throat." He smiled, still wondering when she would realize that he was lying and call his cards. "This is actually pretty common at the end of a tour." The woman nodded and he continued with the same self secure tone, "I can assure you that once he gets onstage he will be one hundred percent again and he will blow.." 'Fuck AJ bad word,' he mentally scolded himself. "I mean he will melt your heart." To this he added another "sincere" smile and hoped that the reporter had swallowed his bait. Upon leaving the topic with a chuckle and a comment "Sounds like he is in perfect shape then," he knew she had believed him.

"Yup." Damn he´d become a pretty good liar these days. That he had to admit. 'He glanced at his watch just to see that they had to be ready in fifteen minutes and he had just enough time to take a quick leak, make the last arrangements and the prayer that had become a real tradition. The reporter caught his gesture and with a smile said, "Ok I will let you go and get ready." Before she had a chance to say anything AJ added, "Thanks and we love you all. Wir lieben dich." Then he set his lips at the camera window again, laughing as the camera man that backed away, moved even further. Before leaving to go to the dressing room and after he made sure he was of camera he whispered towards the blonde, "I hope you´ll be at the afterparty tonight..I kind of would like to get to know you a little better." With that he smiled and to his relief got a "Yes I will be there."

"Ok see you there then baby." With that he quickly ran off to join the rest in the dressing room further down the hall.

Once inside the dressing room he let his guard down. "Man it´s wild out there," he breathed like he´d competed in track. Shutting the door firmly behind him he made sure that no fans had followed him and it was just security outside. Looking up he noticed that the rest of the guys were seated listening to Johnny giving out some kind of information. Thinking it was nothing of importance he said a carefree tone, "So waz up?"

Apparently his arrival wasn´t that appreciated since Johnny gave him an evil eye. "Where the hell have you been?" The dark man bellowed so loud that it could be heard out in the hallway. "I thought I told you specifically to be here at least 30 min before the show."

"Calm down," AJ said slouching down beside Nick who looked like something the cat had dragged in and then left for dead. "Move your fat ass," he snapped, fully aware that the teen was getting the irritation that Johnny was transmitting on him. With a wince his friend moved, still not letting go of his grip on his stomach. There was very little color in the teen’s face and after a quick look AJ shook his head, "Dude you look like hell!" Brian and Howie made a disgusted face which he simply ignored. "What? I´m here now ain´t I? What´s all the fuss?"

"You´re fifteen minutes late," Jonny barked.

"And just as nice as always," Brian muttered.

"I´m always nice," he lightly punched Nick. "Ain´t that right Nicky?" When the teen only winced and Brian shook his head he shrugged, "Oh well, so what was it that you wanted to discuss then? What was so important?"

Kevin looked up from a bunch of papers he´d been reading. "Home arrangements," he clarified.

"Huh?" No matter how he tried he could never get a grip on his older friend. He was way too formal and often using words he never in his wildest imagination had thought about using. "Huh?" AJ could never grip his older friend. He always sounded so formal and was using words that he never in his wildest fanatsy had thought about expressing.

"Jay we´re going home tomorrow. You forgot?" This time it was Brian who decided to be a smartass.

He rolled his eyes. Man how stupid did they think he was? "Noooo.." Turning to Howie he asked "So what are the plans? When are we flying home?" The older man started to open his mouth to give out the information when Johnny cut him short.

"If you´d paid attention instead of hunting girls you would know when." he sneered. This had AJ blowing a fuse.

"Fuck! Why are you all getting on my case? For your information I was outside talking to a reporter about the show and..."

"What?" Both Johnny and Kevin stared at him wide eyed. "Say that again!"

AJ grinned. He was having an advantage and this he was going to use. "She wanted to know what we were doing before a show and I told her that we were all masturbating..especially Kev and.."

"JAY!" Kevin was red as a lobster in his face and he could see Brian giggle slightly. "You didn´t..." The fists were balled.

Not wanting to call it off he continued with a shrug, "And then I told her that we were all drinking JD and doing groupies and.."

Kevin relaxed, something in AJ´s eyes told him that he was just making it all up. Why, he had no idea but then when did he ever make sense? "Cut to the chase AJ. You didn´t speak to any reporter."

"Yeah I did. She was a real busty blonde and I´m seeing here at the afterparty too. Grinning he turned to Nick, hitting him playfully in his stomach. "That was some babe would be something for you to bite your fangs into." All he got back was a groan as Nick protected his stomach like it was Fort Knox. He sighed deeply. Man this was boring. When none of the others seemed amused over his little "play" he sighed, "Relax. I´ve been in this game long enough to know what I can and can´t say. I played it nice." Silently he added, "as always."

"So what did they ask about then?"

"Oh you know..stuff." He shrugged, "About Nicky.."

The guys narrowed their eyes, Nick included. "What did you say?" There was a hint of worry in the manager’s voice.

"The truth!" He loved to see Johnny squirm and even Kevin looked a bit worried. There was a pause as they waited for him to say something more. "I just said that he was sicker than a dog, pissing blood, throwing up." He had to hide the smile that was toying on his lips.

"You didn´t say that did you?" The manager’s eyes darted nervously back and forth.

"No I didn´t.." He sighed, "but she DID ask me about the rumored eating disorder."

Upon this Howie nearly choked on the tea he was drinking and all of the men stared at him. "WHAT?" Nick looked just as scared.

"What are you saying???"

"Yeah that is right. She said so but I told her that Nick only had a bad cold and nothing else was wrong.." He looked coldly towards Johnny who seemed like he wanted to creep out of his skin. "Just like the truth, huh?"

When he thought the manager would blow a fuse he added, "But that wasn´t all.." He waited until the men was positively ready to strangle him, especially Mr. Wright.

"What the hell did you say now McLean?" The manager was red in his face from anger. Boiling inside.

"N´sync have just landed a five years contract. Fat and with lots of benefits.." He didn´t end the sentence on purpose and instead narrowed his eyes toward Johnny. "You know anything about this?"

The room that had been pretty silent as AJ was leading the show was suddenly filled with talk. "A five year contract?"

"Who would be so stupid to sign them up for such a deal?"

"I bet they will make millions on this one."

"You know something more Jay that you´re not saying?"

The questions and comments were many. When he thought it was fit to reveal what he knew about this he turned to Johnny, "Yes who do YOU think would be the management for this group?" The manager’s eyes darkened. "Why don´t we ask Johnny and Lou what they have to say about this."

Kevin was the first to speak up. "Johnny what do you know? " When the manager remained silent he continued, "Is it true? Did N´sync sign a contract with you? With Pearlman?"

"That is none of your damned business." Walking towards the door he made a hasty exit. "This is something we´ll talk about later. Right now all you have to be concerned about is performing and doing a perfect show." His tone wasn´t harsh. more authoritive and before he closed the door he turned towards Nick, pointing at him, "And you try and on your best." With that he was out of the door faster than the speed of light."

"That really burned." Brian shook his head.

"Yeah it burned his ass," Aj grinned back. "Some hell of a story."

Kevin who had remained calm as always looked at the younger man with a frown, "Ok spill what you know." Without hesistation the young man started to tell about what he´d heard and after talking for a while they decided to send Howie out to snoop around at the afterparty.

"We need to act and we need to act fast." Kevin said with a frown. "It´s a real mess and it doesn´t exactly gets better when I heard Nick’s side of the story." The rest of the guys looked at the blonde who leaned back against the headrest, eyes closed. Upon seeing this Kevin continued, "I´ll tell you guys later but right now we need to find a way out of this contract."

"Yeah it´s eating us alive. We´re like stuck in a trap and as long as we stay with Lou and Johnny we will be treated worse than animals." AJ always had a flare for the dramatic. Kevin did not.

"I have talked with some lawyers and they are trying to find out something more about this and as soon as we get back we need to have a meeting."There was worry in Kevin’s voice and he lacked the usual energy that he always had before doing a show. "Sounds good to me." Howie agreed.

"Yes and until then we have to pretend that everything is just peachy," Brian muttered, catching an eye towards Nick who had slouched further and further down in the sofa and looked like he wanted to curl into a ball and sleep the night away instead of playing sexual in front of thousands of screaming teens.

"Sucks doesn´t it," AJ added with a sigh.

Suddenly the door opened and a stage hand came in, "Five minutes before you´re on guys," he directed shortly before closing the door again.

"Fuck I wish we didn´t have to do this," AJ complained and gone was all the hyped up energy he had felt earlier on. They were in no shape to do this and looking at Nick he wasn´t sure if the teen had fallen asleep or not. This was madness.

"Me too." Howie had been silent most off the time and this had them all in for a surprise.

"You too D?"

"Yeah...Nicky has no business being out there and hearing all this crap about the mangement makes you wonder why we´re in this business at all." The atmosphere was so gloomy that no one could have guessed that within less than five minutes they would all be up on stage singing and dancing like all the troubles were forgotten.

"Stop it." The word was barely a whisper but everyone stopped talking. They had thought he was asleep. "You guys sound like you´re attending a funeral instead of preparing to see 20,000 fans that are just dying to meet us." Glassy eyed he looked at each of his brothers, "We´ve been through worse times than this and I think we need to forget our pain for a moment and just concentrate on the show. Go out there and show Lou and Johnny who really rules this party." A genuine Nick Carter smile lit up on his face. A smile that the guys hadn´t seen for a very long time. "They are not going to destroy our last night on this tour."

"Kaos is right. Lets get out there and show who is king. Those bastards ain´t going to destroy it for us." With that they high fived each other and hurried with quick steps over to the stage to make an entrance. There was a look of concentration etched on their faces as they said their prayer for the last time on this tour. The moment felt almost historical and all aches and pains were forgotten. Instead they were going up there to KICK ASS!