"Where the hell is he?" AJ growled as he was pacing back and forth on the floor in the small room. "This is taking too fucking long. He should be here by now!"
"God youīre going to wear out the floor the way youīre pacing," Kevin said looking at the younger man. "Stop it youīre making me seasick."
"Yes chill out Bone, take a seat." Howie patted at the avaible chair next to him. "Relax." With that he turned back to reading Glamour magazine.
"How can you stand reading that kind of trash?" AJ asked in response, still pacing back and forth, "Isnīt that magazine for sissys?"
"No and that was all I could find," Howie defended himself.
"Yeah right!" AJ snorted before continuing. "Did the doctor say that it was going to take this long? I mean wasnīt he suppose to be out of surgery like an hour ago? Why hasnīt anyone been to talk to us? What the hell is happening here?"
"Donīt cuss." Brian responded from his side in the room. He was the one that had taken the only armchair in the room and no one had yet objected. AJ rolled his eyes but said nothing more. Shrugging, Brian continued, "and to answer your question; I really donīt know." He was telling the truth. He didnīt know anything about Nick anymore. It was too surreal of a situation to grasp. It felt like all the air was gone like a balloon that had been popped. Today had been the longest wait in history, even worse than all the recordings, photo shoots and delays at airports combined. And that wouldnīt say little.
It was even worse than when he had his own surgery, mainly because at that time he was the patient and couldnīt do much about it.
Nick had been in surgery for roughly six hours and that was the amount of time they had been trapped together in the same room. Not that it bothered them much since they have been most of the time - especially in the past - cooped up for hours upon hours together, often at small venues, hotel rooms or on uncomfortable buses. Sitting in yet another room together didnīt bother them too much if it wasnīt for the reason why they were being in there.
No one had said much. AJ had acted most nervous of them all and he had made endless trips outside the room, either to smoke, use the bathroom or get something to eat. When he wasnīt going back and forth into the room he was pacing and looking at the clock on the wall. It was quite irritating but they had refrained for saying anything since they knew by now that this was Bone’s way of dealing with nervousness. Kevin hadnīt said much either. He didnīt need to do it since his expression said it all. Tears were not far away and Brian could only guess what he was thinking of. He knew that Kevin was much more scared then he was letting on and that Nick being sick moved him deep at heart too. Howie had been the coolest of them. He had actually managed to take a nap for a while and in between he was reading women’s magazines and tabloids. But he wasnīt very talkative either.
Brian had spent the better part of the day comforting a devistated and crying Aaron. Silently he had wondered where the boy’s family was when he needed them the most but the teen had told him that they were going to come up and probably were on their way right now. Brian hoped so beacuse if they were a no show he didnīt know what to do. Nick, but especially Aaron needed them. Looking over at Nick’s bed he found the young teen fast asleep and couldnīt help but smile at the view. Aaron was hugging Nick’s shirt in a tight grip like a babyblanket for comfort.
"Hey Kev do you see who that reminds me of?" Brian called out motioning with his thumb towards the sleeping teen.
Looking up from the tabloid he had been convinced by Howie to read to kill some time, a brief chuckle was heard. "Yes..man they sure look alike." There was something dreamy in Kevin’s way at looking at the blonde. "He looks exactly like Nick did when he was his age. " Nudging Howie in his side he asked, "Donīt you think?"
"Wha..what?" Howie asked a bit disoriented for a moment and as Kevin repeated the question again he agreed, "Mmmm.. Do you guys remember when we were on that tour somewhere in Europe..Germany I think and Nick fell asleep while we were having that business meeting with all the hotshots?"
"Yes I do," Brian nodded, "Lou was so mad that I thought that the roof would lift."
"Yeah but that was no wonder since we had been up the whole fucking night rehearsing for that video shoot. He was absolutely zonked." AJ remembered before adding, "Hey do you guys remember that time when Nick made such an ass of himself when we were shooting hoops? You know when he fell flat on his face?"
"No when was this?" Kevin asked scratching himself on the head. He was trying hard to remember which of all of the thousands of times his friend had made an ass out of himself. It was easier to count the times when he hadn’t.
"It was that time when he was trying to impress those two girls that I had met..Actually I think that it was at the same video shoot."
"Oh now I remember," Brian laughed, "Man he was trying to do a reverse dunk while playing with his back to the basket and then ended up tripping and falling on his forehead."
"Yeah..that was the time," AJ belly laughed before sitting down on the chair, much calmer than before. "Man you should have seen his face when he got up."
"I did!" Brian grinned widely, showing how Nick looked like, just as disoriented with a whistle. "He was so embarrassed."
"Wasnīt that the time when he got that huge bump on his forehead?" Kevin commented suddenly reminded of the incident. "He even got a slight concussion if I remember correctly?"
"Aha..and Lou was pissed. The bump was so big that it looked like one giant horn," AJ grinned. "Man was make up pissed."
"As far as I can recall we did have to move the shoot for the next day, just beacuse he was so dizzy." Howie added before continuing, "Do you guys remember that time when Nick started to act so wierd during a show?"
"No," AJ said honestly, "Doesnīt he always?"
"Bone," Kevin reprimanded but there was laughter in his eyes like he agreed with what the younger man was saying.
"What?" AJ snorted, "Iīm just stating facts." No one objected to that.
"Ok D' was trying to say something when you interrupted," Brian said, urging Howie to continue with his story. "What did you say before that ass interrupted you."
"Hey!" AJ started but was met with a look from Kevin that had him shutting up again.
"Anyway Nick suddenly got this strange expression on his face like he was crapping his pants or something." Laughter was heard in the room as Howie continued, "and then he held a hand behind his ass and mumbled something to me and then ran off the stage."
"I remember that time," AJ laughed widely, "I thought he had shit his pants but it turned out that he had.." They were all howling now from laughter as they said in unison, " ripped his pants."
When the laughter finally died down several minutes later Kevin said with a grin, "Speaking of pants. I remember that time when you Brian," he pointed towards his cousin, "pushed him out of the dressing room just dressed in his boxers and all those girls outside had the time of his life." More laughter was heard.
"Hey that was not me," Brian defended, yet grinning at the memory. There was also a guilty look in his eyes.
"Yes it was," Howie objected, "and dude was Nick pissed at you for doing that. I thought he would punch you in the face."
"And I thought he would break down the door trying to get inside or make a hole in the door from all that banging." AJ laughed, "Or do you guys remember that time when Nick tripped on something wet and then fell down into the drums. One sec he was dancing, the next..BOOM..he was gone."
"Nick has really made an ass of himself so many times," Kevin grinned and the rest of them agreed.
"Not to mention that time when the drummer put sticky chocolate on the drumsticks and Nick had to play getting all sticky."
"That was just because you," Once again a finger, this time AJīs pointed at Brian, " you made him poop in a sock and then put it behind the drum and it smelled like shit all over the stage."
There was a loud laugh in the room as that memory was brought to life.
"I did not!" Brian defended himself, but he knew it was useless since all evidence pointed at him.
"Yes it was. Samantha even wrote about it in her book," Kevin stated with a smile, "Man Bri you could really get Nick to do alot of dumb stuff."
"It wasnīt my fault."
"Well who was it then? And who was it to get Nick to put firecrackers on that toilet seat if not you Brian?"
"And putting the saranwrap on the toiletseat so Johnny peed on the floor in the bus, it was you. Admit it!" Howie added.
"That was Nick’s doing!"
AJ shook his head, "No you were the brain behind it all. Dude donīt you think that we know that you had Nick to do it all and then looked like a freaking mama’s boy!
"Maaaaan why are you all blaming me?" Brian whined but he couldnīt help to chuckle at them memories they brought up. "Me? I never do ANYTHING!"
"Yeah right!" AJ snorted. "You are behind it all, admit it," he hit his friend in the head with Howie’s magazine.
"Hey you took that from me. I was reading it," Howie tried to snatch the wanted item but AJ held the magazine out of reach as he continued to torture Brian.
"Admit it." Another hit was placed out on Brian’s head and he covered it all up with his arms, still laughing.
"Ouch!"
"I think that Nick could be pretty good in making up pranks on his own too," Kevin said after a while when AJ had stopped hitting Brian and Howie had gotten his magazine back.
"I agree," Brian smiled, "remember when he gave Donna that gum that tasted like fish?"
"How could I ever forget?" AJ said, " She was so pissed at all of US that she made us stay inside and we were not allowed to go out clubbing for two days. Like WE had done something wrong!" AJ muttered.
"Yeah and you were so mad at Nick that you threatened to knock his teeth out," Howie added, "you even ran after him at that venue so he fell and started to have a nosebleed. Just before we were about to get onstage."
"And then you were grounded for two more days." Kevin grinned.
"Man those were times," Brian commented, "We really had some fun, didnīt we?"
"Yup we did."
"But there were some times when it all sucked too," AJ remembered, "at least for me and Nick."
"For you?" Three pair eyes turned towards the skinny man.
"Yes you know we were rather young at the time and you guys were allowed to do so much while we were stuck at the hotel playing tv games and watching videos."
"Porn videos you mean," Kevin added with a frown.
This had Brian turning towards his cousin, "What?"
"Didnīt you know that one time in Sweden I found them wacthing pay tv and it wasnīt Disney I tell you."
AJ laughed, "Well what could a guy do all alone, stuck in a hotel room?"
"I know..but with Nick?" Howie looked disgusted.
"He didnīt mind. Actually he was really happy about it. Especially with that blonde girl with those big breasts.What was her name again?" AJ thought for a moment, "Inga!"
"You really are something," Brian said shaking his head, "You even remember the porn star’s name?"
"Just because I met her a few years later. Wanna hear about it?" AJ grinned.
"Oh spare me!" Brian groaned placing a hand towards his forehead in disgust.
"Suit yourself," AJ mumbled, "youīre really missing out."
"Why is this conversation suddenly starting go under the belt?" Howie asked. Before he had a chance to say anything more they all said in unison, "BONE!!" Another loud laugh interrupted in the room.
A groan was heard from the bed and they all turned their attention towards the teen that was moving around, restlessly, in the process of waking up. "Wha..what izzit? Is Nick back?" he mumbled suddenly sounded very disoriented.
Instantly they were thrown back to reality. To Nick’s hospital room and to the situation at hand.
"No," Brian went out from his chair and went to sit beside the teen. Aaron was busy rubbing his eyes, trying to adjust to the bright lights so he didnīt acknowledge Brian before the bed weighed down under him and an arm was placed over his shoulders.
"You doing alright buddy?" Brian asked softly.
Aaron looked up, "He’s not back?" There was a hint of fright in his voice as he looked around in the room. "Why? Shouldnīt he be here by now?"
"Yes," AJ agreed fidgeting with his hands on his t-shirt like he did when he was restless. "Maybe we should go out and try to find someone that can tell us what the hell is going on."
"Brian how long did you say that the surgery would take?" Kevin asked ignoring AJīs harsh comments.
"Four, maybe five hours!"
"But it has already taken over six hours," Howie exclaimed looking at the rest of the men with a worried expression on his face.
"Then we are running overtime!" Kevin stood up from his chair and walked towards the door.
"Where are you going?"
"I just need to stretch my legs a bit." Kevin flexed his joints, "Iīll be back in a few." With that he left the room before anyone could say anything else.
"I bet that he is going to ask a nurse what is happening," AJ told the others. All he got back was a short nod.
Aaron turned worridly towards Brian, "Do you think that Nick is all right?"
"Yes," Brian said softly as he ran his hand through Aaron’s sweat soaked hair in the same gesture that he had done so many times to Nick. Trying to comfort his friend when something had been troubling him.
"You sure?" there was doubt in the boy’s tone of voice, "Then why hasnīt we heard anything by now?"
"Oh there can be millions of things," Brian said lightly doing his best not to scare the kid even more.
"Like what?"
"Yes like what Brian?" AJ wanted to know too.
The Kentuckian caught an irritated glare at the younger man before turning back towards the blonde, "You know the doctor could be busy with other patients and.."
He was soon interupted by AJ. "Tell me the fairytale about Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs while youīre at it too." There was disgust in the tattooed man’s voice. For a brief moment Brian felt a sudden urge to flip his friend off, yet didnīt do that since he was not a kid anymore besides that would not have been a proper thing to do in a situation like this. He knew that AJ was as worried as he was even if he often had a strange way showing it.
Brian was about to open his mouth to say something comforting to Aaron when the door opened and all their attention turned that direction.
In came Kevin followed by Dr. Andersen, still dressed in surgical scrubs.
"Hello guys," she greeted them with a smile, but it wasnīt returned.
"How is Nicky?" Howie wanted to know.
"Yes, how is he doing?" AJ spared no time getting to the point, "Is he out of surgery yet?"
Brian and Aaron said nothing.
The smile faded from the doctor’s face as she looked at all of them. "Young Nickolas is doing well. Heīs still in recovery and he will likely be there for a few more hours. But as soon as he is better he will be transfered back to his room and then you can all see him."
"So surgery went alright then?" Kevin asked and the doctor shifted a bit uncomfortable.
"Yes as well as could be expected." For some strange reason she was dragging out the words before she continued, "especially since we found another tumor..."
