Nick awoke to the familiar antiseptic smell of the hospital. He groaned inwardly when he recalled the protested trip back to the hospital, compliments of Kevin Richardson. He knew that Kevin cared about him and was doing this for his own good, but deep inside, Nick believed that he would never be allowed to return home. He didn't dare tell anyone his feelings, fearing that they would think he was being either crazy or suicidal. He was more worried about the latter.

A young woman entered the room carrying a breakfast tray. "Good morning Mr. Carter."

"It's Nick," Nick quickly corrected.

The girl grinned as she set the tray on the bedstand.

"You can take that back, I'm not really hungry this morning."

"Sorry, but I have to leave it here, you should at least try to eat something."

Nick peered at the covered breakfast tray, wishing someone would walk in and move it away from his bed. The smells of the breakfast made his stomach do a few flip-flops. After a few moments, he was reqarded with Dr. Andersen entering the room dressed in a surgical gown and mask. At first he assumed that she had just came back from performing surgery but when he detected her eyes were filled with worry, alarms started sounding off in his brain.

"Dr. Andersen? You were in surgery, weren't you?" he asked with a hopeful voice.

The older woman sadly shook her head. "I'm sorry Nickolas, I'm afraid your counts are bad, I am having you moved to isolation this morning."

"Isolation? Why?"

The doctor sat softly on the edge of her patient's bed. "Nickolas, I'm afraid I have some bad news about your blood test."

Tears immediately sprung into Nick's eyes as he waited for the news that he had been dreading ever since the diagnois had been almost ten months ago.

"When you were brought in last night, you had spiked a temp and were pretty lethargic. The blood tests that I ordered came back with what I had hoped we would never get on you. Your white count was off the charts, I'm afraid you've contracted sepsis."

He blinked as he tried to digest what the doctor had stated. At first he wasn't sure he had heard her correctly. "Sepsis?"

"It's a blood infection."

"I thought I would only go into isolation when the time came for the bone marrow transplant."

"Yes, that would have been the reason, but Nickolas, you have a blood infection so that now puts a new wrinkle in your cancer. Your body is taxed and you cannot possibly fight off any germ that may invade your system - a common cold could kill you. I believe that keeping you in a sterile environment is the best defense in keeping you safe."

Nick swallowed hard as he tried to summon the courage to ask the next question. "Will I get better?"

Dr. Andersen sighed. "I wish I knew Nickolas, I'm hoping so. I promise I will be doing everything I possibly can for you."

"I know you are, but I'm scared," he squeaked.

In a comforting gesture, the doctor patted her patient's leg. "You're such a stubborn character, I'm sure you'll give it one hell of a fight."

That comment made Nick smile. "You're probably right."

"I'll check in on you in a bit once you've gotten settled in your new room."

Nick watched as the doctor left his room. Sighing he let his thoughts drift as he stared at the ceiling tiles. He shook his head in disbelief as his mind went over the new hurdle in his battle with cancer. When was his body going to give him a break? Will it ever give him a break?

Kevin, Howie and AJ had spent the night in the private waiting room down the hall from Nick's room. The night had been long and it was aparant on their faces.

AJ had managed to fall asleep in the small love seat, Howie kept drifting in and out of sleep as he tried to focus his attention on the same page of a magazine he had been trying to read for the past four hours. Kevin on the other hand, was sitting forward in an armchair, his head cradled in his hands as the Kentuckian submerged himself in deep thoughts about his young brother.

Dr. Andersen's movements in the private room, tore Kevin away from his thoughts. He quickly stood up and cleared his throat.

"You can sit back down Mr. Richardson," Dr. Andersen directed as she sat in the empty chair next to Kevin.

"How's Nick?" Kevin asked anxiously. The sound of his voice jerked AJ awake as well as Howie and both men quickly directed their attention to the doctor.

"Nickolas is being transferred to isolation."

"Isolation?!" AJ boomed as he sprung up from the loveseat. Kevin quickly shot a glare to his rebel brother.

"He has contracted a blood infection--"

"Oh God," Howie breathed, he knew how serious that was because of Caroline.

"What is sepsis?" Kevin asked.

Dr. Andersen outlined Nick's condition to each of them before sadly adding, "Usually sepsis isn't a fatal condition, but with Nickolas having cancer, a blood infection most often can be fatal, there is only a 60% chance that he could recover. I'm moving him to isolation in hopes that his body can fight this infection."

"How long do you think he will need to be in isolation?" Kevin wondered.

"It all depends on Nickolas," Dr. Andersen admitted.

"Is he going to die?" AJ rasped, quickly changing his words after he noted the looks of displeasure on the faces of Howie and Kevin. "He's gonna make it, right?"

"Jay! She said he has a 60% chance of beating this!" Howie replied.

"I think Nickolas will be trying his best to get well," Dr. Andersen agreed. "He does have a stubborn side to him and I think that is a remarkable quailty for him to have right now."

Howie smiled. "Yeah, Nicky is a hard ass."

The doctor smiled in agreement. "Are there any questions?"

"Will we be able to see him at all?" Kevin asked.

"Yes, but you will have to follow isolation rules and precautions. Go through the double doors and stop at the nurses station, but only one of you may see Nickolas at a time. I'll make sure someone comes down to let you know when he is settled."

"Would it be in Nick's best interests to call his family?" Howie questioned.

"I think that would be a good idea."

"You just said that Nicky would pull through!" AJ protested.

"No, I said that Nickolas has the personality to beat the odds, I didn't make any promises," Dr. Andersen corrected.

"Then you're changing your mind?"

"No, I'm just saying that maybe he would like to have his family here as support."

"We can let Nick decide if he wants us to call his family, okay?" Kevin decided. He then extended his hand to the doctor. "Thank you, Dr. Andersen."

Kevin Richardson was the first visitor allowed in Nick's isolation room. The tall Kentuckian was gowned up from head to toe in surgical garb, only his green eyes and familiar dark eyebrows were the only things visible that would let Nick know who was entering the room.

Nick waggled his eyebrows at his brother. "You look pretty impressive," he smirked.

Kevin couldn't help but laugh at how silly he must have looked. "Yeah, singer during the day, surgeon at night," he quipped.

"I wouldn't go that far," Nick laughed.

Looking at the various IV's that were hanging from the pole beside the bed, Kevin's mood grew serious. "Aren't you glad I didn't listen to your protests on coming to the hospital?"

Nick followed his brothers eyes to the IV line. "Yeah, I suppose."

"You've never done anything easy, you realize that, don't you?"

"That's me, probably why you nicknamed me Kaos I guess."

Kevin smiled at the memory of a young Nick Carter, tripping over his own two feet. "Yeah you were like a lost puppy when we first met."

"Puppy? I think I was more like a rottweiler, ready to mark my territory!"

"I beg to differ, do you remember when your pants ripped onstage infront of that row of girls you were trying to impress?"

Nick folded his arms across his chest. "I thought you were here to cheer me up!" He tried his best to feign a hurt look but his sour look was quickly replaced with a lopsided grin.

"Hey, is it okay if we call your folks and tell them about---"

"Absolutely not! That's the last thing I need is Jane coming here and telling the staff how to take care of me! I swear she makes things worse for me than better," Nick snapped.

"Alright, no Jane, but how about Aaron?"

"No, he's too busy right now and I don't like getting him worried and stuff."

"Are you sure? I know he'd love to see you and support you."

"I'm sure."

For a few moments, the conversation lapsed. Nick suddenly stifled a fake yawn. "Kev, I'm kinda sleepy, I'm gonna close my eyes and sleep, I'm sorry."

Kevin squeezed Nick's foot. "You don't have to apologize for feeling sleepy, I've probably stayed too long anyway, you need to rest."

Nick grinned. Thanks and Kev, tell D and Jay that I'll talk to them later, I can't wait to see how stupid AJ looks dressed as a doctor."

"Sure thing bro, talk to you later."

Closing his eyes, Nick sank his head deeper into the pillow. He felt bad for lying to Kevin and saying he was tired, but he didn't think he could take another minute of him pressuring him into allowing them to call Aaron or worse, his parents to come and see him. This was the last place on earth he wanted anyone to have to come to.

As much as he hated to admit it, he missed his family, most of all, he missed Aaron.

"Maybe when AJ comes in to see me, I'll tell him that I wanna see Aaron," Nick told himself.

With that, he allowed the sleep to wash over him. Rest was the best thing that Doctor Andersen could prescribe and Nick was going to make sure he followed that order at least, if anything else.