Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 17:11:29 EDT From: Jessica Taylor Subject: Picking Up the Pieces Chapter 2 Everyone know what time it is?? IT's DISCLAIMER TIME! YAYYY!!!!..... (*grumb grumb* stupid things) Don't read this thinking that the Backstreet Boys are gay... cause hell if I actually know. If you're under 18, don't be here, and if you don't like homosexual relationships... why in the world do you even know about this place? Zach, Amy and Kyle are just figments of my imagination, not real people. (Leighanne's real though.) Whew, that's done. Now read the story.... Picking Up the Pieces Chapter 2 I had been crying for a good five minutes when I heard the door open slowly. "Nick?" I heard Kev say softly. I didn't want to really let Kevin see me, so the only thing I did was continue to cry harder into the pillow. Even though I had my back to the door and I couldn't see what was going on, I felt the dip in the mattress as Kev sat on the bed and the touch of his hand on my back as he started to rub it to try and make me feel better. I continued to have my back to him as he said, "Nicky? Wanna talk about it?" Dang it. He only calls me Nicky when he's concerned about me. "Not really." I said in a low voice as I continued to have my back to Kev. "You sure?" Kevin was pretty skeptical that I didn't want to talk to anyone. Sheesh, if I sounded the way I did now even I wouldn't want to drop the subject. "Okay." I sighed as I turned around so I could be eye to eye with Kev. By looking into his eyes, I could tell he felt sorry for me. I could just imagine what he saw. Me, with eyes red from crying, dried tear trails down my face, and my hair all messed up from burying my face in the pillow. Sorry sight for anyone to see. "He dumped me." I sniffled as I wiped my blurry eyes with the back of my hand. "Zach?" Kevin asked simply. All I did was nod my head in response. "Come here." He said as he opened his arms so he could envelop me in a hug. I shuffled over to Kevin on the bed and let him hug me. Sure Kev's mothering made me feel like a ten year old again, but it also comforted me at the same time. As weird as this may sound, being hugged by Kevin made me feel safe in a world that was too screwed up for me to deal with sometimes. We stayed there for a few minutes, the only noise in the room being Kevin's and my breathing. "Do you wanna tell me what happened?" Kevin asked softly. "I guess." I muttered into his shirt. "Let's get a little more comfortable." Kevin said as he repositioned himself and me on the bed. Kev ended up leaning back against the head board, and I was in-between his legs. "Now what happened. When you left you were happy and couldn't wait to see Zach, now you're cryin' your eyes out over him. What'd he do?" "He dumped me for a girl, I think her name was Sarah or somethin'." "Dang. That's harsh. And he never told you he didn't have feelings for you anymore?" "Nope. At least not untill I made an ass of myself." I said simply, trying not to let my voice betray my emotions. "What happened at Zach's?" "Well like you saw, I sprinted over to Zach's. I finally got there and when I rang the doorbell, I heard Zach yell that he would be right there. I also heard this girl's giggle. Well Zach finnally opened the door and we exchanged your basic pleasantries, almost like we were just friends and not lovers. That's when I heard the girl." I stopped my monologue to try and steel myself for what came next. Kevin must have sensed my aprehension, because he tried to soothe my nerves by saying, "Take your time Nicky. I can stay here as long as you want me too." I took a deep breath and continued, "She told Zach to come back to bed. I tried to find out who the girl was, but Zach was still standing in the middle of the doorway, blocking the view of his loft. Then this girl, who she later introduced herself as Sarah, entered the picture. I remember she had nothing on except a sheet that covered her body. When I asked Zach who she was, he said it was his girlfriend. I started crying at that point. He wanted to explain, but I was too hurt to actually hear what would probably be another lame excuse anyway, so I started yelling and screaming at him that I didn't want to hear it and I ran off. Then when I came into the penthouse, J asked me 'where my hip attachment was' and then I ran into this room. End of my pitiful story." I finally finished my sorry story with a few sobs and sniffles in-between. When I finally lifted my head to see Kevin's reaction, I saw that he felt real sorry for me, who the heck wouldn't?, but I also saw a small glimmer of glee in his eyes. "What's so funny Kev?" I had to ask. "Oh nothing. But you have to admit that AJ has no tact whatsoever." Kevin smiled slightly. "Yeah, you're right about that." I smiled with Kevin. "But that doesn't get away from the fact that I have absolutely no romantic luck at all." I said dismaly. "Okay, so maybe that might seem true right now, but don't count yourself out yet. So Zach wasn't the 'one'. You'll just have to pick yourself up and try again." Kevin, always the motivator. "But some never find their 'one'." I was still in a gloomy mood. "That's not saying you won't if you don't try." "But I don't know if I want to try anymore." I whispered softly as a new batch of tears started. "Don't say that Nickers. Don't ever say that." Kevin whispered into my ear as he started to rub my back again. "But what the heck is the point Kev? 'Cause I don't see it anymore." I said into his shirt. "Because if you stop searching, then you'll never find that one person that can make life worth living, makes you feel complete, and makes you feel so much more than words could actually describe. They could be right under your nose and you wouldn't know about it because you had given up and were never looking in the first place." Kevin said rather passionately, almost like it had happened to him before. I was starting to feel really spent, emotionally and physically, so I decided to make one simple request, "Kev, can we just sit here for a little while?" "Sure Nicky." And we did just that. I fell asleep minutes later. ********** After a well-deserved quality day with their fiancées, Brian and Howie walked into the suite with Leighanne and Amy trailing close behind. AJ met them at the door. "So how are my two best girls this evening?" "We're good." Leigh said as her and Amy both hugged AJ. "Even better now that you guys are in town." Amy smiled. "Glad to hear it." AJ smiled back. "So where are Kev and the inseparable duo?" Brian asked. "That's kind of a sticky situation. Ya see, the inseparable duo is kinda... well, separate." AJ admitted. "Oh my god! What happened?" Leighanne asked. "The cliff notes version of the story from what I gather, is that Zach and Nick broke up because Zach has a girlfriend now." "Shit. How's Frack?" Brian asked. "I don't know. Last thing I do know is that Nick was in D's room being comforted by Train." AJ replayed the last thing he remembered about the incident. Everyone walked over to Howie's room to see how Nick and Kevin were. When they opened the door they saw Kevin and Nick in the same positions they had been since Nick had told Kev his story, the only difference was that they both were asleep, and Kevin's head was slumped to lean against Nick's. "Aww. They look so cute sleeping together like that." Leighanne cooed. "We need to go find a camera." Amy said. "I think I might have a disposable one in my bag." Leighanne said as the two girls went to go find the camera in Leigh's bag. "Ya think?" AJ asked the unspoken question. "Nah." All three chorused. "Besides, from what I know Kev isn't even bi." Brian said. "And Kev's done this with all of us tons of times before." Howie supplied. "But that doesn't mean it isn't cute." Amy sang out softly as she took a picture of the scene on the bed. Everyone went to bed a few hours later, with Howie and Ames taking the untouched bed in Nick's room for the night. ********** Another chapter in the can... Email is still Midnight_Violet18@hotmail.com if you wanna send one. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!!!!!?? Hasta la vista everybody, Jess.