Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2000 19:30:32 EST
From: SkiFree0300@aol.com
Subject: Celebrity, Boy Bands, To Be Loved By Fame, Chapter 9

Hey ya'll.  This is the 9th installment of this story.  Hope ya like it.  I
haven't had much time to work these days cuz I have finals, but now that
tests are over and it's a new semester, I shouldn't have any trouble.

This does not suggest anything about the sexuality of the Backstreet Boys
in any way.  And if you are under 18, don't read this.  Get it?  Enjoy.

To Be Loved By Fame (Chapter 9)

I awoke with sunlight streaming through the window and Nick's arms wrapped
around my waist.  I stretched and got off the bed and walked over to the
door.

"Nick, I'm gonna go to the exercise room, K?" I said.

"Unh, uh sure," came a sleepy reply.

I threw on my exercise shorts and a mesh shirt and took the elevator down
to the lobby.  Damn.  I wonder where the exercise room is, I thought to
myself.  Oh well, who cares.  I might as well read the paper.  I picked up
the issue of the USA today and almost fell over.  I looked at the paper
once, then twice.  Oh My God Nick will kill me.  I had no idea of what to
do.  There on the cover was both Nick and my worst nightmare.  A picture of
Nick and me holding hands with the headline, Pop Star in Hot Gay Romance
with Actor.  I quickly bought the paper, and rushed back into the room.  I
burst through the door and shoved the paper into Nick's hands.

"Devon, I already know.  Brian called while you were downstairs.  We have a
press conference today before the concert, and that'll clear my name," he
said a little shakily.

"Nick, no.  That just doesn't work.  You can't go up there and just say,
that never happened.  And even if you do, it'll be bound to happen again,"
I said tears streaking down my face.  "You're career.  You're life!  You
can't just play hide and seek with the press," I said gathering up my
stuff.

"Devon, um, where are you going?" Nick asked his voice shaking.

"Nick, I'm leaving. . . . For your benefit.  We can't keep this up and keep
your career safe.  Look, we can just be friends, and this is what's best
for you," I said, not even believing what came out of my mouth.

"D-Devon, No.  You don't understand.  I'd rather have you than my job.
I'll quit, I'll, I'll, I don't know what I'll do.  Just don't leave.  I
can't handle it.

"Nick, you know this is best," I said grabbing my bag and heading for the
door.  "I love you, and you know that."  I would never forget that pained
expression on his face when I left, but I knew that was best for him.

Nick collapsed onto the door with a thud.  It's all my fault, he thought to
himself.

I just wanted to get out of there.  I took the elevator down to the lobby,
and ran smack into Brian and A.J.

"Devon, not again.  What the fuck do you think you're doing," Brian said
angrily sensing it was one of our rough times again.

"Brian, get the fuck out of my way.  This is best for Nick and you know
it," I said pushing past him.

"Devon!?  This is the time he really needs you.  This is the time that
you're relationship has to hold together," Brian said.

I just ran outside to the taxi, and directed it to Sheri's place.  I needed
to talk to her, have some time out.

I ran up the steps of the hotel, and took the elevator up to her floor.  I
burst through her door and saw her on the bed drying her hair.

"Sheri, Sheri.  I need to talk to you," I said breathlessly.

"Yes Devon, I saw the paper.  I don't understand why you're here," she
said.

"Sheri, I cut it off with him.  Well, it's for his benefit."

"Devon, I can't believe you.  In all my life I've never known you to do
anything quite so stupid," she said, her eyes spitting fire.

I looked away.

"Sheri, I know.  Just, help me.  I'm so confused."

"I know babe.  Let's just go to the concert tonight.  You owe it to him at
the very least," she said.

"OK, sounds fine.  Maybe I'll get a chance to talk it over with him."

Later that day, after I had told Sheri about basically everything that was
going wrong in my life, we started to get ready for the show.

I got on my best clothes, and gelled my hair up, sprayed some cologne on,
and we piled into the car and headed for the concert.  There was the
general public mess when we got there, and Sheri and I pushed our way to
our seats.  They weren't that great, but close enough.  Well, not as good
as the one's Nick got us, but we were on the floor.  There were some noisy
teenage girls next to us though, and I felt like I wanted to punch them if
they didn't shut up.

The concert went by fast, really fast actually.  I couldn't hear a lot
because of the noise from the crowd.  Soon, it was time for the last song,
and Nick came out alone.  He had never looked sadder in his whole life.  I
felt like I wanted to run up on to the stage and hold him.

I couldn't control it when he started singing.  His voice just surrounded
me, and he looked straight into my eyes, never loosing eye contact with me
the whole time.

"I need you tonight, I need you right now I know deep within my heart
Doesn't matter if it's wrong or right 'Cause I really need you tonight."

I was really crying, and stray tears were falling down Nick's face.  I knew
right then that I had made the biggest mistake of my life.

The concet hall started emptying as everyone started leaving, but I just
sat there, shocked, in my seat looking into nothingness.

"See Devon?  What did I say.  He loves you so much, and you love him too.
You need to go tell him that," Sheri said shoving me from my seat.

I rushed down the aisle, flashed my backstage pass to the guards, and
rushed to the back room where the guys were signing autographs.  As soon as
I walked in, all the guys started staring at me, and Nick stared at me,
tears falling from his eyes.  The girls in the room looked at me really
strangely, as if I was an alien.

"Devon, go talk to him.  NOW," Brian shouted angrily at me.  The girls in
the room cringed and looked at me even more strangely.  I pushed through
the crowd, and opened the door.  The room was a complete mess.  Clothes
were tossed everywhere.  It took me a few minutes to locate Nick.  He was
curled up in a corner of the room sobbing.

"Nick, please.  Talk to me," I said.

He just cried, and didn't turn.  I bent down and gathered him up into my
arms, which was kinda hard because he wasn't tiny.  I gently pushed the
blonde locks aside and wiped the tears off his face.

"Y-you came back," he said.

"Nick, I can't live without you.  I just really freaked out when I saw that
article.  I never wanted to hurt you, I just wanted to save you're career
and you," I said between sobs.

"Devon, you didn't understand.  You're all I care about anymore.  For all I
care, I can loose all my fame and fortune.  I'll just be happy as long as I
have you."

"Nick, I don't know if this is possible, but I love you more now than I
have ever before," I said wrapping my arms around him.

He pulled me into the most breathtaking kiss in the world.  Our tounges
slid out of our mouths as we tried to taste each other.  I ran my tounge
around his mouth as he placed a hand on the back of my head.  We both
started as the door opened.

"Well, I see you guys have all your problems solved," Sheri said as she
walked over to me and kissed the top of my head.  "I can't imagine what you
would have been like if you two were apart."

"Sheri, I guess you're just so right so many times," I said.  "I'm a
complete fool to not believe you.  You have so much more sense than
anyone."  I glanced over at Nick who was pouting.  "Oh, except for you
Nick."

"Sure Dev.  I know you and your flattery.  Anyways, let's go grab something
to eat.  I'm starving after that performance," Nick said grabbing my arm
and pulling me up.

"Wanna come Sher?" I asked.

"Well, who can resist a date with the two most beautiful men in the world,"
she said giggling like a teenager.

"Ok guys.  Let's get out of this hell-hole then," Nick said grabbing my arm
and pulling me out the door.  We walked past the guys, who were still
overloaded with screaming girls.

"Thanks for staying to help us out, Nick" Howie said giving Nick the death
stare.

"Hey, no problem.  We're just gonna go out for some food, OK," Nick said.

Sheri walked over and kissed Brian to the dismay of most of the girls in
the room.  "Wanna come Bri?"

"Sorry Sher, but I can't disappoint my fans," Brian said.

"Oh, too bad.  Can I have an autpgraph though," Sheri said in her bitch
voice.

"Come on guys.  Let's go before everything in town closes," Nick said
impatiently grabbing my arm.

"Bye guys. . . I guess I'm leaving now," I said giving Kevin a funny smile.

"Take care of yourselves," Kevin said giving me a fatherly smile as Nick
pulled me out of the room and Sheri followed at a trot.

We walked up to the exit of the hall chatting about nothing when a reporter
pulled us aside.

"Mr. . . Anderson right?  Wasn't it confirmed that you were not in a
relationship with Mr. Carter earlier today?" he asked in his whiney voice.

"Yes, that's right.  I don't think that's any of your buisness," I said
nastily.

"Why are you with him tonight then?  You never confirmed at the press
conference that there was nothing happening between you two," he said.

"We just happen to be good friends actually.  This here is Sheri.  She's my
girlfriend.  I think that ends just about all suspicions," I said grabbing
Sheri's hand.

"Really?  Then how come you are always seen with Nick, rather than Sheri
here," he said.

God this guy was beginning to annoy me.  "Well, I guess that. . " I started
to say.

"Actually, if you want to be nosy and a fucking asshole, yes.  I am in a
relationship with Devon here, and I don't think it's any of your buisness
anyway," Nick yelled.  "You want proof so you can go back to your fucking
news buisness with the top story?  Here," Nick said and kissed me.  It was
the most powerful and emotional kiss I had ever received.

The reporter just stood there with his pen and pad of paper looking like he
had seen a ghost.

"N-Nick.  You don't know what you just did.  I think it would be best
if. . " I said faintly.

"No Devon, I know what I just did.  I'm really really tired of having to
keep this affair in the dark.  I want to be able to go out In public and
hold your hand and not be afraid I'll see it one the front page the next
day.  I don't even care if it costs me my career," Nick said grabbing my
arm and pulling me into the waiting limo.  I looked back at Sheri, and she
was standing there muttering to herself, completely stunned.

We just sat there in the limo, Nick holding my hand.  "I wonder why I did
that," Nick kept repeating to himself.  "I just fucked up my whole life."

"Nick, you don't understand.  You're really not sane right now.  You just
need to calm down, and we can talk it over later," I said.

"No, I don't care if a loose my job, I just want to be with you, without
having to hide from the press all the time.  Let's take a vacation.
Somewhere really nice. . . . like a cruise," Nick said sounding so firm
that there was really nothing I could do.

"Sure, that sounds wonderful, but what about you're tour and everything.  I
still have my acting to do," I said.

"Well, let's just forget about if for a couple weeks, OK?  We can just be
together uninterrupted where nobody knows us," he said grasping my hand
lovingly.

"Wow Nick, that sounds like a great idea.  I guess I'm just so caught up in
being responsible to my career and everything, I forget to be myself," I
said laughing.

"So it's a deal?" he said.

"Sure, why not.  Oh, Sheri.  You wanna come with?" I said, hoping she
didn't feel left out.

"No Devon, this is your time to be with your boyfriend.  I don't want to
interfere or be a burden.  Just have fun.  I'll arrange it with your agent,
and if he doesn't like it, well he can go to hell," she laughed.

"Sher, you're the best.  I'm so lucky to have a friend like you," I said
throwing my arms around her and kissing her cheek.

"Hey, don't make Nick feel bad," she said kissing me back.  "But It's great
to have you as a best bud too."

"Well, that's all it better be," I laughed squirming around seductively.

We got out at a really fancy restaurant much like the one where Nick had
his accident.

"Now, don't go and wait for us outside this time, OK?" I said jokingly.

"Ugh, don't remind me of that," he said pulling a wry face.

I turned to Nick and started a little nervously.  "Nick, this isn't
anything against you, but since you and I, well, you know, you haven't
spent as much time with the guys.  I mean, I hardly see them unless an
accident happens."

Nick turned back to me and smiled.  "Well, I guess you're right.  I haven't
done them full justice, I guess.  It's just that, well, I'm so caught up in
our relationship that I just forget.  I'll be sure to spend more time with
them, happy?"

I blushed and smiled.  "You can always turn to me for some sage advice."

We walked up to a really pretty hostice, and Nick made his move.

"Uhm, could you get us a table, somewhere in the back, where nobody can see
us."

"Um, sure sir.  That's great but why would you want. . . . " she started.

Nick looked her in the eye.  She started to scream, but Nick had
anticipated that and had his hand over her mouth in a no time.

"I said, a table in the back where nobody can see us," he said again.

"Um O-Ok.  I. . I uh," she said shakily.  "W-Would you, um, please, ah. . "

"Sure," Nick said and pulled out a pad of paper and signed it for you.

"Thank you so much.  Wait til' I tell my friends I met a backstreet
boy. I'll be the most popular girl in the WORLD," she said happily, almost
in a dream state.

"I don't know how ya do it Nick, but I share the emotions," I said
giggling.  "Oh Mr. Carter, PLEASE sign me an autograph, I'll be the most
gay guy in the whole world," I said lauging.

Nick turned to me.  "I don't know what I'd do without being able to see
your smile every day."

"Well, while I'm away from you, I'll have to just give you a picture," I
said laughing.  Then I noticed he was serious.  "I don't know Nick, let's
just look at it as one, it's in the future, and let's just have a good time
in each other's company until that time, and two, we can just look at as a
chance to prove our love to each other, OK."

"Ok Devon, that sounds like a plan," Nick said wrapping his arm around my
waist.

"Nick, remember we're in publ. . . . Oh, I know," I said smiling and kissed
him, our tounges entwining slowly.

Sheri pulled a sour face.  "Uhm, I accept the fact that you are together,
but that doesn't mean I want to watch you two get it on," she said in her
motherly voice.

"Ok grandma," I said and Nick cracked up.  "Oh, and another thing Nick.
How do you think the other guys are gonna take the fact that you just came
out to the whole world?"

"Oh, I dunno.  All I can think about now, is that, well, I'm free," he said
happily.  "I can hold your hand whenever I want to, and we can kiss just
like regular people whenever we want to."  I leaned over to Nick and
brushed his hair back and whispered into his ear.  "This is what I've
always wanted."

Hey guys.  Well, It's done.  Next part is the 10th part, so it's sorta like
a 10th anneversary, so It should be longer, (and hopefully better) than
these parts.  I've had some more experience writing now, so my work should
be getting better !!  Love ya'll, and keep reading.  E-mail comments good
or bad (I won't listen to the bad ones) to Skifree0300@aol.com THANX!!!