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Nick jogged down the damp asphalt, with Nirvana's "In Bloom" blaring through his ear phones. It was almost eleven at night and he had been running for a good thirty minutes. It was this time of night he had discovered was the best time to run. He didn't have to deal with fans, and Nick had turned nocturnal over the last year. Running and working out had become his drug to get through the death of his fiance Anastasia Stevens. That and reading. Rarely did he leave A.J's house unless it was to go to the gym, go for a run or head to Barns and Nobles.

"He's the one, who likes all our pretty songs, and he likes to sing along and he likes to shoot his gun, but he don't know what it means, don't know what it means and I say...." (Nirvana's In Bloom)

As Nick rounded to head down the street his iPod stopped working and he came to a stop. Nick took of his arm band and cursed to himself for not charging it in a while. He took a deep breath in and let it out before putting his iPod into a pocket. It was then he noticed the music that was being played somewhere else. Nick looked around his surroundings and it took him a minute to realize that the music was coming above him. He looked up and saw a young woman, in mid twenties, playing a keyboard and singing on a roof top of an apartment building. It was no Kurt and it wasn't something he'd be singing if he were still part of the Backstreet Boys. Nick wasn't sure why he even cared to stop to listen and it was that moment when he thought about why he was still there, that he began is run home.

Twenty minutes later Nick reached his house in Las Angelas, California. It was actually A.J.'s home he now shared. "Hey man how was the run tonight?" Alex asked with his girlfriend Amanda in his arms on the couch.
"Fine," Nick replied and headed up to his room. This was the typical conversation for Nick and A.J. these days.

"I'm worried about him baby, he's been more distant than ever." Amanda said.

"I don't know what else to do but maybe he needs to start living by himself again."

"You think he's ready?"

"I'm not sure. But if he's not, I'm not going to throw him out on the streets. He has come a long way though. Maybe he should go back to talking to someone. I just don't want him to waste the rest of his life."

"We can try another intervention with all the guys and his sisters and brother?" Amanda suggested.

"Let's head to bed and I'll call Brian tomorrow." Amanda nodded and the two went up to bed to call it a night.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The next day Nick rolled out of bed at three PM. He had stayed up all night playing a video game. He walked into the kitchen and poured himself a bowl of Kashi cereal. If Nick learned anything from the tragic death of Stacie, it was that life was too short and he had to take better care of himself.

"Nick, glad you're awake," Alex bounded into the kitchen. "So, I just got back from the studio because I have to get this new CD out by the end of the year you know."

"Yeah," Nick put a spoonful of cereal into his mouth and slumped into the chair at the table.

"I'm going to be performing at this new cafe down at Boulevard and there is going to be a couple of other live acts. You want to come tonight? Amanda will be there, Brian will be here for a few days, Howie and the wifey."

"Why is Brian coming to L.A. from Georgia?" Nick hadn't talked to Brian in a couple of months. They got into a fight the last time they talked about how Nick wasn't doing anything with his life and throwing it down the drain.

"To see me perform."

"At a coffee shop." Nick's attention was now on the newspaper on the table.

"I happen to enjoy performing at low key places. What do you say?"

"What time?"

"Nine tonight."

"I have to head to the gym, I'll let you know." Nick got up, put his bowl into the sink and went back to his room to get dressed. Alex let out a sigh of frustration and called Howie.

"Is he coming?" Howie answered the phone.

"He said he would let me know later. Not like he has anything better to do tonight. I think he'll come, I think he's finally getting bored with life."

"It's about time. Alright if you need help getting him there, give me a call. Otherwise, I'll see you tonight."

"Alright D, later." They hung up and A.J. went to get ready for the night.

It's Only Life

At the Phoenix Cafe, Nick, Howie, his wife Leigh, Brian and Amanda were sitting in a booth watching A.J. perform. The conversation had been between everyone except Nick. He sat in the corner of the booth, sipping on a coffee with his eyes glued to his cup.

"So Nick you look great," Leigh said brightly. Nick only nodded his head and glanced down at his watch.

"Alex really sounds great tonight. I think he's starting to miss the big stage though," Amanda said looking up A.J. on the small stage as he sang into the microphone.

"Have you been working on any of the songs with Alex," Leigh asked, ignoring the looks from Howie and Amanda. Howie and Amanda both expected Nick to blow up but all he said simply was 'no.'

"Thank you all very much for coming out here tonight," Alex said into the microphone. "I would now like to introduce to you someone with a small body but huge vocals and talent. Please help me give a warm welcome to Kylie Love." A.J began clapping as well as everyone else.

"Thank you Alex," Kylie came up onto the stage, gave Alex a hug and he made his way down to the table where his friends sat. She had a small petite body, shoulder length dark brown hair with a hint of red. Her eyes were two emeralds that sparkled off her smooth complexion.

Kylie then sat down at the piano and spoke into the microphone. "Thank you again Alex, lets give him a hand for his amazing voice." The packed coffee house clapped and she then spoke into the microphone. "I must admit that this is only my fifth time performing in front of people so I'm a little nervous. And before coming out, Alex told me to invision, and I quote, all the fine ladies out there in bikinis. Well, Alex, I'm sorry but that's just going to work for me. I'm straight. But picturing you right now in a bikini is helping. Anyway, grab yourself a cup of Jo and hope you enjoy what you hear."

"I'm going to head home," Nick said finishing the last bit of coffee from his mug.

"Hey man just chill for a bit, I just sat down with all of you." A.J. told him and Nick sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Tears are forming in your eyes, a storm is warning in the skies. The end of the world it seems, you bend down and you fall on your knees well get back on your feet, yeah," Kylie began.

"I have to go," Nick nodded his head in the door direction and Howie and Amanda slid out. Nick threw down a ten dollar bill and turned to walk out when he glanced up on stage to the women on stage singing. The voice was familiar but couldn't place where he had heard her before.

"Don't look away, don't run away, baby it's only life. Don't lose your faith, don't run away, hey it's only life." Nick started heading for the door but stopped at the cafe counter and watched as Kylie played and sang.
"You were always playing hard, never could down your guard. You can't win, if you never give in and to that voice within, saying pick up your chin, baby let go of it it, yeah." At that moment Kylie's intense eyes met Nick's lost blue ones and kept a gaze.

"Don't look away, don't run away, baby, it's only life. Don't lose your faith, don't run away baby it's only life. Don't look away, don't run away, hey baby, it's only life. Don't lose your faith don't run away baby it's only life.
"Take your hesitance, and your self defense leave them behind, it's only life, oh don't be so afraid of facing every day,just take your time, it's only life. I'll be your stepping stone, don't be so alone, just hold on tight, it's only life"

"Hey guys look," Brian pointed over to Nick who was leaning against the counter with his eyes glued on the female singer.

"Nick usually tunes out anything to do with live music,"Amanda told Brian.

"Kylie's music has that effect on people, her whole spirit is like that actually." Alex said looking up to Kylie whose gaze was fixed off to the side.
"It looks like she's singing right to Nick," Amanda said.

"I think she is." Alex replied.

"How long have you known her?" Brian asked.

"I met her last week at this place. She was buying two cups of coffee and I was signing up to perform for tonight and we began talking music."

"Did you tell anything about Nick?" Brian asked in disbelief because he thought he actually saw some bit of emotion in Nick's face.

"Not a thing." A.J. told him.

"Oh don't look away, don't run away, hey baby it's only life. Don't lose your faith, don't run away, baby it's only life. Don't look away, don't run way, don't lose your faith, don't run away baby, hey it's only life, it's only life, it's only life, don't look away...."
(It's Only life, Kate Voegele)

As the song ended it took Nick a minute to realize he was still staring at the singer. He shook his head, glanced over to the table of his friends, met eyes with Brian and then turned quickly for the door.
~*~*~*~
Nick had taken a cab to the coffee shop but he decided to walk home that night. He didn't know why but he felt more lost than ever after leaving the shop. He hadn't made any conversation with the group but get awkward stares from Brian. There was a part of him that wanted to throw his arms around Brian because he knew that Brian was responsible for Nick being alive today. But he couldn't just have things go back to normal.

Taking the long way home Nick began to feel guilty for leaving so early from the cafe. It really wasn't that early however, it was almost midnight now. He couldn't figure out why he felt the way he did and was frustrated. Nick reached the strip where he went running every night when he had heard someone yell.

"Get back here you son of a bitch!" A girl had screamed and chased after the man who had just ran into her. Nick looked around a tall brick building. He saw a petite girl jump on the back of a man who was running and the man fell to his knees. Nick walked briskly up to the two now wrestling on the ground. Just as he had reached them, he saw the man fling the girl off him, throwing her against the brick building. A key board had gone sailing up and came crashing down into the ground. The man held up a knife and just as he was about to put it into the girl, Nick yelled.

"Get off her!" Nick had pulled the man off and the man had ran off and Nick made his way to the girl who hadn't moved since she had been thrown.

"Hey you alright?" Nick asked kneeling down next to the girl.

"I'm alive," she winced sitting up holding her head.

"You just sang at the Phoenix cafe didn't you?" Nick asked helping her to her feet.

"Yeah, Kylie." She closed her eyes briefly and stumbled backwards.

"Whoa easy there," Nick steadied her. "You cut your head pretty bad," Nick reached up and gently touched her forehead near a large gash, where blood dripped down her temple.

"Oh no!" She ignored what Nick had told her and pushed past him to her smashed keyboard on the ground. She knelt down and picked it up, pieces falling out of it.

"You were just mobbed and injured, I think you should go to the hospital."

"There's no fixing this," she said sadly.

"I'm sorry this happened," Nick said simply without emotion in his voice. Kylie then lost her balance and fell from her knees to her side. "Are you alright?"

"I'm just a little dizzy, overwhelmed I guess. I should be the one asking if you're alright though." She then held the side of her stomach. "Cramp or something," she pulled on a smile.

"Excuse me?" Nick asked confused.

"Nothing," she shook her head closing her eyes again. Nick took his phone out and called A.J., it went to voice mail which means he hadn't turned it back on when he performed. "Who are you calling?" Kylie asked.

"Someone for a ride. Come let's get onto the side walk right here," Nick helped up Kylie, she fell into his chest and he moved her over to the side walk. He then let out a long sigh and put in another number.

"Nick?"

"Brian, I need some help and A.J's phone is off."

"Of course what's up?"

"You guys around the area still?"

"We're at the diner getting some food." Nick then went on explaining everything that had just happened and Brian said he was on his way.

"Alright my friend is on the way to take you to the hospital." Kylie nodded her head that lay against Nick's chest as they both sat on the ground. "Come on keep your eyes opened, I think you have a concussion. So you're Kylie, my name is Nick."

"Sorry we had to meet this way," she laughed lightly.

"It's quite alright." There was a moment of silence. Nick hadn't talked to any strangers in a long time and felt unsure of what to say or do.

"So you're a musician?"

"What was your first clue? The fact my keyboard is busted over there or the fact you saw me singing tonight."

"Sorry I'm not very good at making small talk."

"No worries, I usually am good at making small talk and big talk but right now I can't really think except for this pounding I have right about here," she pointed up to the side of her head.

"It looks like it stopped bleeding but it still looks deep."

"So are you going to answer my question I asked before?"

"Which was?" Nick asked.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine why?"

"I saw you tonight, saw into your eyes. You're in a lot of pain."

"Think you have the wrong person."

"No I don't." Just then a car pulled up to the two and Brian jumped out of the drivers seat.

"You two okay?" Brian asked.

"I think she has a concussion, which would explain the crazy talk she's been doing."

"Well, let's get her to the hospital. Nick you're okay?" Brian asked looking right into Nick's eyes, placing a hand on Nick's shoulder. Nick felt his stomach do a flip from the touch but shook it off as Kylie began to stand up.

"I'm fine," Nick helped Kylie to her feet and into the car. Nick then climbed into the passenger seat and Brian took off toward to the hospital.

"I'm surprised A.J. let you take his car," Nick said staring out the window.

"He let me without any questions, he was going to go with Howie and probably meet here. How you doing back there Kylie?" Brian looked into his review mirror.

"I'm peachy but I must say that my father would kill me for getting into a car with two strangers."

"Hey you know Alex, so we're not total strangers."

"True but how well do I know Alex? I mean he goes from A.J. to Alex and I heard he was even Johnny No Name?"

"Yeah but he's been sturdy for the past seven years. So you're very talented Kylie on the keyboard and with your voice, it's so unique but like angelic."

"Leave it Brian to relate your voice to something from God send."

"Oh stop, thank you Brian, that's sweet of you." The rest of the ride was quiet and within fifteen minutes they pulled up to the emergency room.

"You ready?" Brian asked getting out and opening Kylie's door and Nick looked in to help her out.

"What did you do to your side?" Nick asked referring the dark red stain on the side of her stomach. Her once light blue tank top was now soaked with blood.

"Hmm? Oh that yeah he had a knife and apparently I was in the way of it," she said weakly trying to joke. Nick helped her out to her feet but as soon as she stood up her body collapsed and Nick picked her up into his arms. He briskly moved into the emergency room.

"I need some help here!" He called out and then a gurney was pushed out and he lay her down. "She was cut my a knife and she hit her head. I think she has a concussion."

"How old is she?" A doctor asked pushing her into a room.

"Umm, I'm not sure, maybe twenty-five? I just met her tonight. My friend Alex is on his way he knows her."

"Alright thank you," a nurse told Nick and gently pushed him out of the room. Nick had a flash back as they had cut open Kylie's shirt.

"A body was found on the shore this morning by another surfer. A female surfer, fitting the description of Miss Stevens. We have reason to believe it's her but we need you to identify. I'm sorry Mr. Carter," she told him and began walking down the beach. Nick had tuned out the last part of what she said, all he heard was that a body had been found on shore. It couldn't be Stacie. She's too good of a surfer to drown.

He and Brian were escorted down the beach by three policemen. Another policeman lifted a yellow tape line that had been placed around a small area and they went under it. Nick first saw the hand with homemade bracelet's on it and knew immediately who it was. One more glance at the body that lay in front of him and Nick had turned around, fell to his knees and began getting sick.
As Nick thought about incident of a year ago, the room began to spin beneath his feet and he was on the ground.