Things happen for a reason. When you are dating a wonderful girl for years and you think she's the one until one day you find her in bed with somebody else. Maybe at that moment you think your life is over until you are coming out of her apartment with a box of your stuff in your hands and run into the real woman of your dreams.
Another scenario for you. Maybe you are suddenly laid off work after being with the same company for 15 years. Just like that... laid off, but in that free time you manage to write a novel the one thing you have always aspired to do and then in the process become a famous author never having to do something other than what you have always dreamed of.
Things happen for a reason.
The scenario that fit for the boys went something like this. Someone turns your life upside down, even people you have grown to love and trust. The whole time it's happening you feel betrayed, bruised, battered. Never seeing a happy ending in sight until suddenly all the negative attention turns positive. People who never cared about you before, who even used to make fun of you on their shows are inviting you in for exclusive interviews.
You are being handed book deals, movie of the week deals, people wanting your life story. The guys who were set up, betrayed and almost ruined. Everyone wants a piece of you. Suddenly you become more than just a boyband from Orlando, you become the Backstreet Boys, able to stick together no matter what the odds.
All because you choose to let things happen for a reason.
When Howie walked out of that room he wasn't sure what was going to happen. He knew that to do anything but report these people to the police would have been morally wrong but yet he also knew it would never end if he did. Possibly even putting their youngest's life in danger.
With that knowledge he gathered the boys into his hotel room, pushing past a horde of reporters who had gathered outside. Looking at his friends who all seemed as lost and confused as he was, sat them down and told them what went on in that room.
"So you're saying that Matt was in on it the whole time?" AJ asked pacing back and forth in front of the bed.
"I don't know AJ he seemed to be"
"And what about her?" Her meaning Jessica.
"I guess"
"But they saved me Howie. I mean I'd still be in that place probably getting my brain fried"
"I have a feeling that was always the plan J. To help you out to gain their trust"
"Trust seems like such an irrelevant word" Kevin had said staring off into space.
He was right. After that night they no longer trusted anyone, well except each other.
"So what did he say he'd do to me?" Now Nick looking a bit pale had asked.
"He didn't really say Nicky but it was a threat and it was against you"
"So what do we do? We can't let them get away with it" Brian looked from one boy to the another. "Can we?"
No one had said a word, they all looked off in one direction or another. None ready to admit that maybe saying nothing would be the best way to handle the situation.
"If we don't say anything then we're as bad as they are" He said as if to confirm the dire consequences of the action which they might take.
"If we do...this will never end Brian" Kevin said surprisingly calm.
"Everything happens for a reason" Howie interjected. "Maybe this was meant to happen"
They sat in that hotel room all night No one slept, no one visited. Not even Pearlman or any of the people directly involved. It was almost as if they decided to leave fate in the hands of the boys.
Their decision didn't come until the next day when they were greeted by a knock on the door. Considering all they had been through that day and the days leading up to it, they thought it was best to stay in the same room never leaving each other's sides ever again.
Despite how exhausted they were none of them got more than a few hours sleep. It was Howie who walked over to the door and answered it. Surprised but not really, to see Jessica standing there waiting to be invited in.
"I'm sure you have questions" Was her greeting and Howie answered by moving out of the way and allowing her access to the room.
"Hi" She said surprised to find all of the boys sitting there staring at her.
"Well?"
"You guys have to realize that sometimes things happen you have no control over.
"I used to have control of my life" Howie said walking around her and standing with his brothers.
She laughed. It wasn't a menacing laugh just an uneasy one. "Honey that was before you went into this business. When was the last time any of you actually made your own decision? Really think about it" They all looked at each other for an answer. It was Nick who innocently enough answered, "Just this morning I was trying to decide on whether to eat a Mars bar or a Reeses Peanut Buttercup for breakfast"
"And what did you decide?" She asked smiling at his innocence despite the situation all that he had been through.
"I guess I didn't" He said pointing to both unopened bars on the nightstand.
"I think he proved my point"
"And what point is that exactly?" Kevin asked moving closer to where Jessica was standing, blocking her from Nick's view as if she was going to open her mouth and swallow him whole.
"I'm not the enemy here Kevin"
"Just get to your point"
"Fine...the point is, you choose this business it's the nature of the beast. Once you did that you lost yourselves in the process"
"Jessica I don't car what anybody says about the music business you can't tell me everyone goes through what we just did"
"No not everyone...only the most successful ones. Think about it boys, you have the chance of a lifetime here to capitalize on everything that has been so carefully planned for you. If you don't take that chance someone else will"
"How do they plan on getting us out of this mess anyway?" Now it was AJ's turn.
"By blaming Matt. He's already left the country. I was just coming to say good-bye. Fink had it all set up that from the beginning he paid Matt to take the fall. Now the only thing missing for this thing to work is your cooperation" She looked away from AJ and back to Howie, "It'll all work out"
"Can I ask you a question?" Howie asked once again taking center stage, "When this whole thing started I saw you arguing with Matt, it was right after I saw him in the room crying"
"Yeah"
"What were you fighting about? Or was that all for me as well?"
"No, it wasn't for you. We were fighting because he was having second thoughts about things and I threatened to leave him. It didn't seem real he had said until you actually fell for the bait and went in to talk to him. He wanted to stop things right then and there but I wouldn't let him"
"You wouldn't let him?" Up until now Howie was sure it was all Matt's doing, the bad guy behind the plan.
"Howie with all the money we were offered, we had to go through with it. I made sure I was fired that day to speed up the process, leaving him no choice but to get things moving"
They all sat and listened to her talk as if she was telling them a tall tale by a campfire. "Every detail of every little thing was mapped out perfectly. Our little rendezvous at my house, my disappearance, AJ kind of just helped out even more by hurting himself"
"I actually hurt him" Howie said once again giving AJ a sad look.
"When we heard he was at the hospital it was very easy to have him drugged"
"See? I told you I wasn't an addict!" They all knew that but he still felt the need to say it.
"Then someone also planted that stuff in my jacket. It was that fan who stopped me wasn't it?" She nodded at Brian.
"You know a thought occurred to me that maybe if they spent as much energy on our music career as they did on setting us up they wouldn't have had to resort to doing that in the first place" Kevin ran his hands through his hair in disgust.
"I just wanted to tell you all I'm sorry but make this all work for you please. I would hate to see anything but a happy ending"
Howie walked Jessica to the door, despite everything he still found her attractive. "You know I used to think we were a perfect match" He said as he opened the door for her. "We would have been" She smiled and kissed him on the cheek. Waving to everyone she took one last look into the room before running away.
He turned back to the guys who all looked drained. "What do we do?"
None of them spoke out with an easy answer. So they just sat in silence...
And chose to do nothing.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Fink as well as the rest of the people involved had stuck to their word. About two days after the ledge incident there was a major report of a disgruntled employee at Jive records, someone who had it out for Fink as well as his newest clients The Backstreet Boys. This man who had a thousand different aliases and almost impossbile to trace, big surprise there, had concoted a scheme to frame the boys one by one hoping that the one he resembled, Nick Carter would kill himself after being told garbage like his mother was a fraud and only cared about money.
Luckily a very crafty person working for the company who also by no coincidence happened to be their lawyer, was able to put two and two together. Their was a warrant out for Matthew's arrest but he would never be found. Nor would his accomplice a beautiful secretary who used to work for Jive and regularly flashed Howie smiles in the hallway.
Because Jane Carter, another innocent victim was dragged into this she decided to write a book based on the experience. Denise did the same. Neither of their sons had a strong relationship with their parents ever again.
Both VH1 and MTV didn't hesitate to jump all over the story by offering the boys a special. VH1 gave them a special Behind the Music and MTV did a two hour special news presentation.
It didn't stop there though, radio stations picking up the story about this up and coming boyband that almost lost their lives because of jealousy and greed started to play their songs. Their singles instantly flew up the charts. People were buying their albums and all merchandise BSB.
They became one of the biggest bands in the world.
None of them spoke about what truly happened and in time they came to forget. Sometimes it's easier that way. When you have everyone all around you calling you a hero then you must be a hero.
It wasn't until one sunny day almost a full year later, while waiting in a green room between TV appearances that Howie said out of the blue, "Does this make us bad people?"
Their entourage all around them, none of them knowing the real story because since then everyone had been replaced, all were confused. It was only the other four that understood.
"It's the nature of the business Howie" AJ said patting his friend's back, "Sometimes you have to lay with the Lion's in their den or you get eaten"
He nodded in understanding and that was that.
Just a little note...
I wanted to say thank you to all of you for sticking with this story. When I started it I had Big ideas
I had always intended for it to become a choose your own adventure story. But as it came along and I began to write on about 5 stories at the same time, I realized it wasn't going to happen. Because of that I feel like this story didn't get the love and attention from me that it deserved making you guys suffer the most.
Sorry about that
Now maybe someday i'll go back and add on more endings possibly but for now fittingly enough it came in like a Lion and went out like a lamb.
For anyone reading this just a few thank yous. A very few lol
Mersey throughout this whole story you have given me constant feedback and postivie feedback and I really do mean this, you are the only reason I actually finished this thing.
Sam I would put this story out of my mind until I would get one of your mails begging me to write more and telling me it rocked! lol so seriously guys this was for you!
Thanks!
