Date: Mon, 07 Jan 2002 09:02:25 +0000 From: N D Subject: nick and ashley-chapter 16 DISCLAIMER: I don't know O-town or the Backstreet Boys and am not implying anything. This is just fantasy and if homosexual content offends you or is illegal for you to read, please leave. I am not affiliated with them, J records, Jive records, MTV, ABC or anything. The only thing I have remotely in common with these boys is that Ashley Parker Angel and I were born on the exact same day-August 1, 1981. FIRST THINGS FIRST: Thank you all so much for all the encouragement and kind words. Thank you to all the readers out there, especially the silent ones. I've been where you're at and if you've got a story dwelling in your head, please do us all a favor and give it a shot. This story was just a shot and look how far it's gotten. I'm already at the 16th chapter in only 3 weeks. All it takes is an idea and some dedication. The Nifty community is a very accepting place. http://jcv.5u.com/all/worldofslash/ --Jayson Vascardi's website that features my story and many other slash fiction stories. Go check it out. Nick and Ashley-Chapter Sixteen Nick pulled his Durango up to a house that was very familiar to him. He knew that while he was in Orlando he had to at least see them, let alone tell them something that has been on his mind. He was wondering whether or not it was worth telling them. 'They'll probably disown me.' Nick thought to himself. This brought a frown to his face. 'Fuck them. I don't need them.' Nick thought but then immediately scolded himself for not giving his parents enough credit. 'There's only one way to find out I guess' Nick told himself as he walked through the yard that he grew up in. Flashbacks of his childhood flew threw his head. He remembered that corner of the yard where the swing set used to be. He looked at the pool, which seemed so much larger when he was a kid. He finally reached the door and with a deep breath knocked on it. Within a few minutes the door opened and Jane Carter saw him and pulled him into a hug. "Oh my god Nick I was so worried." Jane said. "I called you guys from the hospital and told you I was ok." Nick said as he walked in. "Yeah but you were still almost killed and I'm just so glad you're home." Jane said. "Everything is ok now mom." Nick told his worried mother. "That's good to hear. So why are you guys home?" She asked her son. "They gave us some time off so we could get everything back together." Nick replied. "My son is home" Robert Carter exclaimed with joy as he walked in the room and pulled Nick into a bear hug. "Hey dad" Nick said. 'Let's see how happy you are when I tell you what I need to.' Nick thought to himself. "Good to hear you're ok son." Robert said. "Thanks Dad." Nick said. Everyone sat down at the table and began to catch up on some things. "So everyone is ok then?" Jane asked. "Yeah Ashley is a little banged up and gave us a scare but everyone is ok." Nick replied. "Ashley is the young man that saved you right?" Jane asked. "Yeah that's him. He's from the group O-town. They're on tour with us." Nick explained "I'd like to meet this hero sometime and thank him personally." Robert said. "Oh I'm sure you'll get to meet him." Nick said. "Good, tell him he's welcome in this house anytime." Jane said. "Well that's something I wanted to talk to you guys about." Nick said. "What is it hunny?" Jane asked her son. "This is kind of tough for me to say. I'm not really sure how to say it. It's been bothering me for a while now and I need to tell you guys." Nick said. "Nick you know we're here for you." Jane said looking into his blue eyes and putting her hand on his on the table. "I'm gay." Nick said. Jane slowly lifted her hand from his, which left Nick with a very cold feeling. He continued on though feeling as if Ashley deserved as much out of him. "Ashley's been my boyfriend for over a month now." Nick said. Both of Nick's parents stood there and looked at him then at each other. "C'mon you two, a second ago you said he was a hero and welcome anytime. Please accept this. I feel as if I've done good and made you guys proud and I'm old enough to make decisions like this. I need your blessing though otherwise it will eat at me forever." Nick said with tears in his eyes. "Nick, this man saved your life, which makes him a great guy in my book. My offer of him coming over anytime stands. It may take some time for me to get used to this but I know that you've got a strong heart. You wouldn't be famous if you didn't. I trust the decisions you make and just give me time and I will get used to it." Robert said. "Thank you Dad" Nick said as he got up and hugged his father. He looked back down at his mother and saw that she hadn't moved much. She stared through the table as if she was extremely hurt. "Mom, are you ok?" Nick asked with trepidation. "I guess. I just want to know where we went wrong?" She said as she looked up with tears in her eyes. Nick sat down next to her and took her hand in his. "Mom, you guys didn't do anything wrong at all. You did everything right. I learned love and compassion from you and dad. You were a great model of it. You were always accepting of everything and I know in time you will accept this too. Just because I am in love with a man doesn't mean I don't know how to love. Ashley and I are good for each other. He treats me with the same type of caring touch that you and Dad treat each other with. I know he would never do anything to hurt me. You didn't do anything wrong mom, you did everything right." Nick said as tears welled up in his eyes too. She stared down at the table still for a few minutes. Nick felt as if this was going to be as hard as he originally thought. Nick began to get discouraged but then all of the sudden Jane lifted her head and said, "Can we meet him tonight?" Jane said with a smile through tears and Nick pulled her into a hug and said "Of course." Robert joined in and this hug symbolized the unity that only a family can portray. A family is much like a tree, it may bend and sway but it takes a hell of a lot for it to break, especially if all the branches use each other for support. The roots will never die if the entire tree utilizes each other. "I'll go get him and we can have dinner together tonight and just talk." Nick said. "Sounds great son. Bring him over around 6." Robert said. Nick thanked his parents once again and told them he would see them tonight and drove off in his Durango with a new respect for the people that raised him. He arrived back at the O-town house with about 2 hours to spare before the dinner plans and saw Jacob on his way out heading to his car. "Hey Jacob. Where are you headed?" Nick asked as he got out of his Durango and leaned against it. "Hey Nick. I'm going down to see AJ today and spend some time with him." Jacob replied. "Sounds great buddy." Nick said. "By the way I'm throwing a surprise party for his 24th birthday tomorrow night. It's gonna be here so just be here by 7 and I'm gonna bring him by at like 7:30. Park your car in the lot across the street so that he doesn't see it." Jacob said. "I can't believe AJ's gonna be 24. He couldn't even drink when I first met him." Nick said nostalgically. "Yeah that must be crazy. Oh well I gotta get going. Talk to you later Nick." Jacob said hopping in his car. "Later man." Nick said as he started to open the door to the house. He walked in and found Devon and Dan on the couch in the living room making out. He decided to play Devil's Advocate and closed the door very loudly. The two men immediately jumped up and were startled out of their makeout session. "We were just, umm, we were" Dan began to stutter. "Don't worry about it Danny, I'm all for young love right now." Nick said with a smile. "Why are you so happy?" Devon asked his fellow blond friend. "I just told my parents about me and Ash." Nick said proudly. "Holy shit, how did it go?" Dan asked "I've never felt so close to them. It didn't hurt that Ashley just saved my life either." Nick said. "Wow, I wish I had the balls to do that." Devon said. "I was actually thinking about doing it soon. My parents have always been really supportive of me. I bet they'd be cool with it." Dan said. "I don't know about mine. I haven't had a good relationship with them for a while now. I was always in the acting career and they've always been kind of overprotective, a little too much so at times. I got in a pretty big fight with them a few years ago and things have never been the same." Devon said. "Holy shit!" Dan said. "What's the matter?" Devon asked concerned "I don't mean to change the subject but I just realized something." Dan said. "What is it?" Devon asked happy to change the subject off letting his parents know he was gay. "You're the Nerf Kid!" Dan said laughing whole-heartedly as he fell over on the couch. "Oh jeez...you didn't know that?" Devon asked rolling his eyes. Nick left his two friends to their own conversation and with a giggle walked upstairs to Ashley's room. He knocked and there was no answer. He opened the door and found him lying asleep on the bed with no shirt on and just his baggy jeans. Nick let out a smile realizing that this man was his and both of their parents accepted it. As if a huge weight was lifted off of his shoulders, Nick laid down next to his boyfriend and began to trace his fingers over his chest. Ashley began to stir and finally woke up and saw Nick in front of him. "Hey baby." Ashley said as he began to wake up. "Hey sleepy. Have I ever told you that you're really sexy when you sleep." Nick said. "Many times but I don't mind hearing it again." Ashley said with a smile. "Good." Nick replied "How did it go?" Ashley said, as he got excited remembering that Nick was going to his parents' house. "They want to meet you...dinner's at 6." Nick said with a smile. "Seriously?" Ashley asked. "Yup, it took some preaching but they're gonna accept it and can't wait to meet you." Nick said as Ashley pulled him into a hug that was a sign that things were starting to work for them. Things were going to be alright. Nick and his Durango pulled back up to the house he was at earlier in the day, giving him a sense of déjà vu. He felt a hand on his leg, which reminded him that he had someone else with him this time. He looked over at his boyfriend Ashley and gave him a wink. "You know you're the first person I ever brought home to my parents." Nick said "I should feel special huh?" Ashley asked "Yeah, but just because you're you." Nick said as he pulled into the driveway and stopped the car. Ashley leaned over and kissed Nick on the lips. Nick ran his hands through Ashley's hair, which could now do whatever it wanted since the bandages had been removed, letting Ashley's head breathe. Both men pulled out of the kiss and got out of the car and headed towards the door. Nick rang the doorbell and Robert opened it and welcomed them in. Ashley strolled behind Nick not really coming into site until they got to the kitchen. "Mom, Dad, this is my boyfriend Ashley." Nick said. "Mrs. Carter, thank you very much for inviting me." Ashley said as he extended his hand for a handshake. Jane Carter waited a few seconds and just looked at the hand. Nick started to feel as if his mom was bailing on him. When Nick was about to say something Jane spoke up. "Please, call me Jane." She said as she took his hand and shook it. Ashley turned towards Nick's father and put out his hand. "Ashley Angel. Nice to meet you." "Robert Carter." He said as he took Ashley's hand and pulled him into an embrace saying, "Thank you for saving my son's life." "I know he would have done the same for me." Ashley said. The 4 of them sat down and began to have dinner. They shared memories and laughs that night. Ashley was amused by hearing stories of "Nicholas" as a kid. Nick's parents let their guard down and let Ashley into their family and into their hearts. By the end of the night they knew that as long as Nick was happy then he was a great pick for a boyfriend. The parents learned a lesson from the son that day, a lesson of tolerance and a lesson of compassion. TO BE CONTINUED... <<<>>> ---ND---