Nick stood in the door way, staring down at Aaron, his mouth agape. It was almost as if time had stood still. His mind was reeling.

“Is it true about the cancer?”

“AC, what are you talkin’ about?”

“Don’t lie to me Nick, I just want to hear you tell me.”

“Aaron, Nick needs to lay down, maybe you can talk to him later,” Kevin said softly as he tired to guide Nick into the house. They were only able to manage roughly two steps before Aaron stood between them, a determined look on his tear stained face.

“Aaron, let Nick into the house.”

“Nick, you promised me you weren’t going to die.”

Kevin gasped as the words were spat by the teenager. He quickly issued a reprimand. ”Aaron!”

Nick sighed. “It’s alright Kev. Let me into the living room and I’ll talk to you about this.”

“You should rest Nick---”

Nick shook his head, cutting Kevin off. “No, my brother deserves an explanation!”

Slowly the threesome made their way into the living room with Nick’s dogs bounding in, yapping. Nick eased his body onto the couch, placing a hand protectively across his stomach. Aaron could see his brother’s distress and saw Nick wince when he sat down.

Nick drew a breath in as he studied his brother’s face. “How did you hear about this?”

“A reporter came up to the front door and started asking me questions about you and then she said that you have liver cancer,” Aaron mumbled his explanation, wiping his eyes as he spoke.

“Dammit,” Nick muttered. “How the hell did they hear about this?”

Aaron shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know...... Nick they know about the chemo too. They know about the Hodgeskins too.”

Nick started rocking his body back and forth. “Shit...shit.... shit!”

“It was a matter of time before someone saw you Nick,” Kevin pointed out quietly.

“Yeah, but it wasn’t for anyone to tell but me. How could they do this to me?”

“This isn’t fair,” Aaron cried. “I don’t want to lose you!”

Nick held his arms open. “Come here buddy.”

Aaron walked up to him and gently laid his body into his brother’s open arms, sobbing.

“AC, Dr. Andersen said she thinks they can get this cancer out of my liver but it’s not gonna be easy.”

Aaron continued to sob as Nick stroked the boy’s hair.

“Aaron, did you hear what I just said?”

Aaron kept his face buried in Nick’s chest. “What?”

“I said that the doctor said she can get this cancer out of my liver but it’s going to be rough on me.”

“You’re gonna do it though, right?”

“Yes.”

“What are they going to do to you?”

“I have to have surgery and then I will be doing mega chemo treatments.”

“I’ll be with you through this, I’m not gonna leave you, you know that don’t you?”

Nick squeezed his brother’s body as tight as he could manage. “Thanks.”

“Nick... that call you took in the car, was that about the surgery?” Kevin questioned.

Nick rubbed his face. “Yeah, I gotta be there tomorrow morning at six...... I’m gonna go up and take a nap, okay.”

Howie, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, listening with teary eyes to Nick’s explanation finally spoke. “Let me help you up.”

Nick’s eyes met Howie’s dark, caring eyes. “If it’s okay, I want Aaron to help me.”

“Lee.... you aren’t suppose to be doing that, go back and lay down,” Brian said with quiet authority as he took the dust rag and furniture polish from her hands.

“It’s just light dusting, besides, I’m going crazy just laying in bed all day.”

“But that is what you’re suppose to do sweetheart.”

Leighanne sighed as she watched her husband place the items onto the coffee table. “I’m laying in bed getting fatter as the day passes.”

“You’re not fat.”

“I can’t even see my feet!”

“You’re not suppose to see your feet.”

“Brian Littrell, don’t tease me, I know I look all bloated and hideous!”

“You look beautiful,” Brian grinned. He patted his stomach for emphasis as he spoke the next sentence, “I’m the one that’s starting to look bloated and hideous, I’ve gained weight since we became pregnant.”

Leighanne smiled at her husband. “Well, we will look like a happy, chubby couple when this baby finally comes. If it ever gets out of me!”

Brian kissed her on the cheek. “I know you’re stalling, sweetie, come on, let me take you back to bed.”

“Can’t I just lay on the couch?”

“Absolutely not... if you mind like a good girl, maybe later today I’ll let you eat dinner in the living room.”

“Oh, you’re too kind Mr. Littrell.”

“Sarcasim noted,” Brian grinned as he turned the bed down.

Leighanne huffed as she struggled to get into the bed. “This is getting way too hard for me to do.”

“Which is why you should stay in bed. Do you want the television on?”

“Yes, I think I’d like channel 26, my soap is on.”

Brian shook his head, grinning. ”You and your soaps.”

“There’s nothing wrong with soap operas. You should watch it with me.”

“I got stuff to do...”

“Awww, come on, pleeeeeasse?”

Brian walked over to the opposite side of the bed and laid down ontop of the comforter, adjusting a pillow behind his head. “Okay, I’ll watch for a few minutes to satisfy you, but I’m warning you, be kind to me if I fall asleep.”

“You won’t fall asleep, you’ll be hooked, I guarentee it.”

Brian rolled his eyes. ”Marsha... Marsha.... oh I love you and you are going to have Jack’s baby not mine, but I’ll still love you anyway,” he mocked using a feminine voice.

Leighanne elbowed him sharply in the ribs.

“Hey!”

“Shhh...watch okay?”

Brian was patient and watched the show, his body was there but his mind was someplace else. “I really should finish the baby’s room.”

“Bri, it’s finished, there’s nothing more to do in there.”

“He’s gonna need more stuffed animals, it looks bare.”

“Brian, there is no more space to put anything else in there, we’ll loose him in what’s in there now for pete sake.”

"I know, but I want him to have so much, I want to be able to give him everything."

"I know you do. Hey, the commercial's over, shhhh, watch!"

Brian rolled his eyes as Leighanne turned the volume up on the TV. To his relief when the program started again, the telephone started ringing.

"Ah-ha! Saved by the bell, thank you Lord!" Jumping quickly off the bed, he called out over his shoulder, "I'll take it in the guest room, I don't want to disturb your show."

"I know better than that! You're just looking for a way out!"

"Never my love!"

Smirking, as he lifted the receiver, Brian shook his head. "Hello?"

"Mr. Littrell, I'm Trent Gillford, Capstar News. I'm sorry to bother you at home, but I wanted to confirm some news about Nick Carter and the liver cancer. I knew you'd be able to---"

"How did you get this number?"

"Wouldn't you like to hear what I have to ask? It's very important---"

"Liver cancer?"

"Haven't you heard about it yet? He was just at the hospital this morning. It's going to be breaking news on Mtv in a few hours. I thought you knew about it being his close friend."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." Stunned, Brian hung the phone up, missing the cradle a few times as he lowered the phone.

He slowly sat down on the edge of the guest room's bed, his mind clouded in thought. At first he consoled himself with the thoughts that if Nick were truely that sick and the liver biopsy came back as cancer, he would have called him as soon as he found out but as soon as the one thought entered his mind, another thought raced through it:

Maybe it was positive for cancer and Nick didn't tell him because he was trying to protect him because of what was going on in his own life with Leighanne and the baby.

Grabbing the phone, he quickly punched the numbers to Nick's house, praying with each ring the sounded. He privately hoped that anyone besides Nick answered the telephone. His heart caught in his throat when Aaron answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Aaron? This is Brian."

"Brian.... are you okay? Is everything okay with Lee? You sound funny."

Running a hand through his hair, Brian tried to calm his voice. "We're all fine... is Nick around?"

"He's sleeping."

"Oh. How's he doing?"

"He's doing okay I guess, but he's gotta rest since he has to be at the hospital tomorrow for his surgery."

Brian's heart sank. 'God, it must be true.'

"Brian.... are you still there?"

Aaron's voice shook the older man from his thoughts. "Um, oh sorry, I was distracted. So it's tomorrow then?"

"Yeah, Nick told me that it was going to be rough on him, but he was gonna do it and go through the harder chemo stuff."

Brian's throat ached from the tears he was holding back. Swallowing hard, he whispered, "Tell Nick I called and ask him if he could call me back when he wakes up, okay?"

"I will....Brian? Are you okay?"

"I have to go....Lee needs me, bye."

Brian hung the phone up before Aaron could reply. He let the tears flow down his cheeks unchecked, oblivious to the world around him, deep in his own thoughts and memories of his best friend.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?"

Wiping his eyes quickly, Brian looked up at his wife. "Nick's biopsy was postive for cancer."

Leighanne stared at her husband's drawn, pale face. "Oh my god."