Touring 24/7 had proved to be a real test on the five men, but especially for Nick who was the youngest and not allowed to do the same stuff as the rest of the boys. AJ was almost just as old but he had always been much more mature so he usually got away with doing everything anyway. When the rest of the guys had been out clubbing, dating girls, Brian had often stayed in with Nick. Keeping him company by playing videogames and watching movies. This way he had gotten to know Nick a bit better than the others and they had become close friends after a while. Brian knew that Nick had looked up to him as some kind of role model and Kevin once said in an interview that if Brian would jump off a roof Nick would follow. This was true....back then. Then Brian had met Leighanne and Nick had met Manda and they were not as close as they had been. But they still talked and laughed together. The press had named them Frick and Frack and called them inseperable. This wasn´t entirely accurate since Brian could get really tired of Nick and his pranks. He was a kid that got on his nerves and sometimes he wondered why the kid always acted so hyper.

As years had passed Brian and Leighanne got even closer and then they got married. This was like a thorn in Nick, even if they hadn´t talked about it. His friend started to party and stay out all night long often with either AJ or Howie as company. This upset him greatly since he knew that Nick wasn´t a typical party person - at least not deep inside. Brian suspected that Nick was doing this since something was not right in his life. After he broke up with Manda he became a player and when Brian tried to talk about that he would ruin his life the way he lived he just got a finger in reply. This became a thorn between the two friends and Brian had to confess that they hadn´t been that close until Nick told him one day about the cancer.

Thinking that he would loose his brother made his heart ache and even if he wanted be there for Leighanne too he just couldn´t leave Nick. Not now....not ever.

"Dude I could do with a smoke right now," AJ rasped breaking the silence in the room.

"You shouldn´t be smoking," Kevin said for what seemed the millionth time since the day AJ had tasted his first ciggarette. "It´s bad for you."

"Yeah but it sure as hell calms me down," he mumbled while fingering the elevator button a bit nervously. Seconds later he felt Kevin swat his hand.

"Dont do that. You´ll make the elevator stop."

Offended by being treated like a schoolboy getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar he said, "Dude you need to relax man. Take a chill pill or even better..smoke something." To this Kevin snorted and AJ shook his head. Kevin could be so anal sometimes.

Wanting to change topic Howie said suddenly, "I hope that Bob got a chance to talk to Jane and that she realizes that Nick is bad off and comes to see him and.." He got cut off by an annoyed AJ.

"Why D?"

"Because he is sick and needs his mother...that´s why." They could all detect an irritation in the Latino’s voice. It was clear that the situation was starting to get to him too. There couldn´t be anything more important in Howie’s life than family and he felt genuinely sad when he saw how Nick and his mother argued all the time. When he was younger she had been by his side..at least until he turned 15, and it hurt him to see how she ignored him when he needed her the most. "He needs his family."

"Well tell that to the bitch, not us." AJ rasped getting an unapproving glare from the rest off the men. "What?" he called out, "Is she here by any chance?"

"No but she is his family," Howie repeated like a broken record.

"We´re his family," the youger man snorted, waiting for the next move from his friend. Looking at Howie as he searched for a reaction.

"Yes but I mean his REAL family." Howie was starting to explain what he meant when AJ cut him off again.

"I know what you mean D. I´m not stupid." Brian and Kevin watched the scenario in silence, especically Kevin who shook his head disapprovingly. Like a warning. Ignoring this AJ continued, "He told us we were that..you know in some interview back in 97. Damn as a matter of fact he told us that many times. That we´re his brothers." There was not a hint of amusement in his eyes which had Howie a bit unsure where AJ was going.

"What I..what I mean is that he needs to have a mother by his side. After all she is the one that gave birth to him and fed him and....."

"You sure?"

Kevin who was starting to get fed up with the way AJ kept picking on Howie just because he had nothing else to do or didn´t know how any other method to open up his feelings snarled, "J that´s enough."

"Take it easy man..I was just pulling D´s leg a bit." He grinned in the way that only he could get away with before patting Howie’s back, "You don´t mind do you D?"

Howie who was known for being the nicest person in the group smiled a bit with uncertainty, "Yes Bone, it´s cool."

Upon hearing this AJ turned to Kevin, "There you go. Nothing to be upset about. We were just "playin" a little.

Now it was Kevin’s turn to snort, "Don´t you think you´re a bit old for that?"

Shrugging at the comment AJ said with disgust, "God Kev you can be so anal sometimes." Ignoring this the older man decided to block him out and instead turned towards Brian who had stood unnaturally quiet. He had barely spoken a word all morning and when he did he just said that he had such a bad feeling. Kevin hoped he wasn´t coming down with something since that was the last thing they needed right now. Either that or the nervous breakdown that he predicted was a fact.

"You alright cuz?" he asked putting a hand on the shorter man. Brian said nothing, just stared down at the floor. This body language said more than a thousand words. "I know..I know it´s eating us all."

When there was still no response he continued, "You know B'rok I´m sure that they will be able to stabilize him. To get his fever down."

The younger man nodded, "Mmmm....but even so he still has the cancer to battle." His voice was shaky. "After all the doctor said he would be off the chemo for now and that could mean that during this time the cancer would have a chance to grow even further and then..and then.." His voice suddenly broke and there was a single tear running down his cheek. Quickly he wiped it away with the back of his hand.

"God, now I really need that smoke!"

As the elevator doors opened they spotted Bob walking with an orderly by his side. His hunched over position and the fact that the black man was holding an arm around his shoulder made them stop. This struck them as strange. Brian’s heart pounded so hard that it hurt his ears. Glancing over at the others he saw that they had the very same expression on their faces. The picture of fright.

Without further delay they rushed towards the waiting room and Brian heard himself calling out, "What happened? It´s not Nick is it?" He had no idea how he was being able utttering the words but something inside him snapped. There was dead silence in the room as Bob turned his face their way. His face held a sad expression and tears glistened in the corner of his eyes. A short nod.

"Oh my God," Howie put his hand to his mouth, as to stall a cry of despair that threatened to escape. Kevin’s face paled and he could see how his cousin took a steady grip on the chair beside him. Time stood still and the thoughts that swirled around in his head was making him want to pass out.

Dreadful thoughts filled their heads and time stood still. AJ was the first to break the silence, "What happened? How is he?" His voice held an usual calmness which had taken Brian by surprise. Usually the younger man was a bundle of nerves when it came to situations like this.

When the orderly had left the room and Bob had calmed down he started to tell what had went down seconds ago, not a question was asked and it was dead silent in the room. After telling his story he let out a deep sigh and pointed down the hallway, "And there hasn´t been any news since then. They are still working on him.. if it isn´t too late." He put his hands to his face, shoulders hunching and then said with a sob, "God I don´t know what to do anymore. I don´t want this to be happening." It was a cry of despair.

Brian felt uncomfortable. He didn´t know what to do. There was relief that the worst hadn´t happened. That Nick was still alive but he also knew that the news about the seizure wasn´t the best either. A part of him wanted to embrace the older man while another side thought it was best to keep his distance since he didn´t know how the older man would react to such an action. Looking at his side he tried to decide what Kevin would do in this situation and he didn´t have to wait long before his cousin reacted.

The tall man hunched down beside Bob, laying a hand on his lap, "I hope everything will be fine." His voice was low and held that thick calm southern accent that had became a trademark for his cousin. "The doctors are professionals and Nick is a real fighter. I´m sure that he will hang in there." His voice was firm but Brian could see the twitch in his eyes where tears were forming.

Th rest of the men stood in silence. Suddenly a nurse appeared in the doorway. "I´m sorry to disturb you all but is there a Robert Carter in here?"

There was total silence in the room. Five pair of eyes staring at the nurse in the room, swallowing hard, expecting the worst to have happened. The nurse sensing what was on their minds smiled briefly, "It´s a phone call from a certain Jane Carter."

"Oh.." Relief swept all over them and Brian felt his legs go weak. He had been so sure that they would come and tell him his greatest fear. That his friend, whom he´d loved like his baby brother, had passed away.

"You can take it in the hallway," the nurse stated.

Bob nodded, "Mmm...yes." With heavy steps he walked away to the waiting phone. Dreading what he was suppose to say to his wife. He´d knew that she had to be pretty upset since his last call and now he feared that it would be tons worse. Picking up the phone he swallowed hard before answering, "Yes?"

"Bob?" His wife’s voice was on the other line and he was right. She didn´t sound too pleased. "What in Earths name do you mean by calling Aaron and upsetting him? Don´t you think he has enough on his mind?" She was clearly agitated. "I don´t know about you but I´m trying hard to run a business and having Aaron upset and crying, isn´t helping anything. Especially not when he refuses to come back to an important meeting." She was talking fast and not stopping once to even catch her breath.

He sighed. Business..business that was all she ever had on her mind these days. "Jane.." he started only to get interrupted. "Don’t you care about your son?" Her voice was hard and he had to bite back a sarcastic comment, not wanting to be as ugly as she was in her words. "Because if you did you wouldn´t make Aaron this upset." She went on and on about how he was making a fool out of them and how Aaron had reacted and that the new record company that was suppose to sign him on was having second thoughts. They didn´t want artists that were making a scene.

He let her talk. He always let her talk, hoping that she would stop soon and listen to what he had to say.

"By the way," she was starting to calm down, "why did you call me?"

Finally. He sighed, "Nick is sick..very sick."

"Yes I know..that is why you´re there..remember?" Her voice was sarcastic, "That is why you´re there leaving me taking care of the rest of the kids. Trying to handle it all. Just like you always do."

"No Jane..Nick is really sick.." he started noticing his voice breaking in the process. "Hi..his heart stopped."

There were a silence so deafening that all he could hear was his wife breathing hard on the other line. That combined with his heart pounding in his chest.

"Bob that´s not funny." She sounded upset.

"Jane it´s true." Suddenly it all felt so surreal. Here he was talking with his wife about that his son nearly died and she was thinking that he was lying. "He has a high fever and went into convoulsions and.."

"Oh God!" There was a gasp on the other line. Finally she was starting to realize what he was saying. "Is he..is he?" Gone was the annoyance and instead her voice was broken and he could hear her fighting tears.

"No, not yet."

"Thank God." "But Jane I think you should get on a plane and come down here..the doctors wanted me to tell you this. It´s not looking too good."

Another silence, then came the words that had him wanting to file for an divorce, "Bob I can´t."

"What?? What are you saying?"

"Aaron..we´re meeting this manager and if Aaron gets the contract he has his future settled. He will be up on the big stages and.."

Bob wasn´t listening. What was she saying? Where was the woman that he once married and that he loved so much? That cared about her chilren..ALL of her children over everything else? Where was the loving mother that he came to know? It was either a shield or she had gone completely insane since the words she was saying made no sense at all. How could she start talking about Aaron and contracts when she knew that her oldest son was on the verge of dying? Where was the hurt that he had sensed in her voice seconds ago? The questions were many and Bob didn´t know what to think or do. This was getting too much.

"Jane what are you saying? Nick is sick..he is dying and he needs you." He was doing everything in his power to stay calm. "You´re his mother and you should be there for him."

"You don´t think I care do you?" Her tone was high. "But you´re wrong..I care..I do care.."

'Then why the hell aren´t you here?' he wanted to shout balling his fist to let out the anger. Luckily she continued before he had to say anything.

"Nick made it perfectly clear that I was suppose to stay out of his business for good, and this what I´m doing now. Staying out of his life." She sounded hurt. "He told me that I´m not wanted and since I don´t want to upset him any further I´m granting his wish, even if it hurts to do so.

'Bitch!' he wanted to yell, yet he said calmly, "If you´re talking about that incident when Nick didn´t want to go to LA he has forgotten it by now..besides he was very sick, he was throwing his guts up when he said it and you know that he didn´t mean it. " He faked a small chuckle, "You know how Nick can be. Stubborn."

"No he meant what he said." She was hurt. "And if he doesn´t want me in his life I´m staying out of it. Even if it hurts me so much..after all he is my oldest. My baby."

She was playing a martyr.

He was about to tell her what he thought off her "act" when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around he was met with Brian’s red swollen face. No words had to be said, he just knew what the young man was about to say. The world stopped for a minute and everything went into slow motion. What happend next he had no idea but when he heard Brian saying in a hurried tone "It´s Nick..you gotta come. NOW!" he just knew that the worst had happened....