When Paths Cross, Part 4
By Everybodycrys (everybodycrys@yahoo.com)

I want to thank all those who took the time to email me and encourage me to proceed. Its a real morale booster and keeps the ideas flowing. If you have any comments good or bad, please feel free to email me anytime:)

Kevin paced around the deck. He was furious, they had been waiting all morning for Nick to get back. Hours had gone by and he was starting to get worried. The rest of the guys were trying to past the time waiting for Nick and staying out of Kevin's way. Brian was up looking around with binoculars trying to spot their motorboat.

“I can’t believe he would just take off like this. You sure he didn’t say anything to any of you.” He asked them.

A.J. shrugged his shoulders, “Hey, we were all asleep like you, There was no way I was waking up early today.”

Kevin turned at glared out towards the ocean, “Damn he knows better then this. No note, nothing. I'm gonna kick his ass when he gets back.”

Brian climbed down from the second deck, “Maybe we should take the boat and start looking. He could have run out of gas or had engine problems.” He was starting to get really worried too, it wasn’t like Nick to not tell him about something like this.

Kevin thought for a second and nodded, “okay lets go, Howie get the lines and I’ll start up the engine. Brian get back up there and use the binoculars. A.J. look around and see if there's a inflatable stored on board.” They all took off at once to get their jobs done, soon enough they were under way.

They stood and stared at each other, each unwilling to make the first move. Marian looked at them both and knew they’d be here all day if she didn’t do something.

She flashed Nick a smile, “Hey there, its a great thing you came along. Our boat just died and we could use some help.”

Nick shook his head and looked over at her, “ Uh, yeah okay. what do you need? I can’t tow you, my boats about out of gas.”

Marian thought for a second and came up with the perfect plan. “ Do you know the harbor patrol out of the Isthmus?” She knew very well that he couldn’t. “You could find them and they’d be able to help us.”

Nick looked over towards the island, “Uh I don’t know, but I guess I could track them down.”

Marian sprung her plan, “well I know them personally. I guess if its okay, I could take the boat and go look for them and you guys could take a look at the engine and see if you can figure out the problem.” She tried to play the poor little girl as much as she could stomach. Surprisenly Nick didn’t give it a second thought.

“Yeah, good idea. I don’t know my way around here very well.” He jumped aboard and held the boat so she could climb in. She looked over at Matt who had been standing there silent the entire time. She saw the terrified look in his eyes. ‘ I'm doing this for you, please forgive me’ she thought.

Marian headed for the Isthmus. She had lied about knowing anyone but this would give them sometime to talk and since they were trapped until she returned Matt couldn’t take off.

Matt stood there looking at Nick, “Well you know anything about boats?”

Nick smiled, “No, but she’ll be back soon. I’m pretty lost when it comes to things mechanical.”

“ I guess we’re pretty lucky you were out for a spin this morning. But aren’t you out a little far from the island in that boat of yours.”

“Well, I have to be honest.” Nick looked up into his eyes, “I was looking for you. You took off so fast last night, we didn’t get a chance to exchange numbers or anything.”

Matt was reeling, from Marian's comments earlier and now Nicks sudden appearance, “ You were looking for me!? I didn’t think we were going to see each other again. No offense but your not exactly the kind of person I can call up to hang out with. I just don’t think it would be a good idea.” Matt turned and walk into the cabin.

Nick was devastated, he had come to find Matt and find a way to make him a part of his life and before he could say much of anything, he was rejected. He sank into the nearest seat. Tears started rolling down his face. He was overwhelmed by frustration. from trying so hard and from confusion. Nick stood up and stormed into the cabin and found Matt leaning against the table. He grabbed his shoulder and sat him down.

“Look, I don’t know where this is coming from, but we need to get some things straight. I had fun last night, We connected on a level that I haven’t felt with anyone else besides the guys in a long time. Do you know how rare that that is for me? I’m not here to mess up your life, I just want to know that we can be friends.”

Matt looked up in Nicks eyes. Those eyes which had captivated him since they met on the island. He started to cry, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking since his conversation with Marian. “I can’t....”

Marian looked at the gas gauge and knew there was no way she was going to be able to make the harbor. She looked around and saw another boat heading her way. She turned towards them hoping they would have some spare gas on board. She turned the boat to meet them. Pulling back the throttle she drifted up to the larger boat.

“Do you guys happen to have any......” She froze, looking up she found herself staring into the faces of the other four members of the Backstreet Boys and they didn’t look happy at all.

The questions started flying, “Where did you get that boat?” , “Where's Nick?” , “Who are you?”.

Kevin hopped into the motorboat and killed the engine. Marian was scared, they looked pissed. She explained what had happened with her boat and Nick showing up. Normally she would have tried to distract them giving Matt more time but these guys were not happy and she wasn’t about to stand in their way. They softened a bit when they found she was out looking for harbor patrol. Brian went up to radio them and get them out to the boat. They helped Marian on board and they headed out to find her boat.

Marian stood there silently watching as her boat came into view, she hoped she had given them enough time.

“I can’t....” Matt said. Nick lowered his head and Matt could hear him starting to cry. “ I can’t be your friend. I look into your eyes and I see things.... and , I feel things too. I’ve never felt these things before and I just get this intense sense of wrongness, Like everything I’ve ever been taught says this isn’t right.”

Nick looked up surprised, he hadn’t expected to here this. He had been completely confused over his feelings about this, but never had had he felt it was wrong. He was about to respond when they heard the sound of another boat pulling up. He heard Brian calling his name. ‘Damn,’ He thought, ‘How long have I been gone?’ Quickly he turned to Matt.

“Matt, listen I don’t know what to think, nothing about this seems wrong to me, but if you can’t continue I’ll just take off and we don’t have to see each other again. But.... and listen closely, I am as scared as you are right now and I'm willing to take a chance so I’m asking you to at least think about it.” With that Nick stood up and walked up on deck. He saw his boat along side with Kevin and Howie tying up. Brian ran over to and grabbed Nick.

“Where the hell have you been? We’ve been looking for you all morning. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, I couldn’t sleep and I had to do something.” He replied.

“God Nick, couldn’t you have a least left a note, Kevin’s fit to be tied.”

Nick looked over and saw Kevin approaching.

“Nick you can’t do this!! We were scared shitless.” Kevin started off. He looked at Nicks eyes and noticed that he had been crying. He immediately softened a bit, “ Are you okay?”

Nick looked behind him and saw that Matt hadn’t bothered to come up. He turned and gave Kevin a look that said get him out of there. “Please, I just want to go.”

Kevin nodded and handed him over to Brian, “Take him on board and watch him.” Brian nodded and led Nick over to their boat. A.J. and Howie watched this and followed Brian back over. Marian watched Nick leave and knew that things hadn’t done well. She climbed on board and looked around for Matt. She didn’t see him and started getting nervous until she saw him walk up on deck. She walked over to him and took his hand in hers. “Are you okay?” She asked.

“Yeah I fine.” He said, completely lying through his teeth. She saw right through him. But right now wasn’t the time to talk about it. The engine roared to life and they both jumped. They ran to the controls to see Kevin standing there checking the radio.

“Everything seems to work.” He said giving them a strange look.

“They didn’t work before, This is so strange I don’t know what happened.” Marian said, getting the feeling that he didn’t believe her.

“ Well its working now, so I guess we’ll just be taking off.” and with that he walked past them.

Marian walked over and looked over the controls. Everything looked fine to her. She was confused, she had been around boats for most of her life and this was the strangest thing that had ever happened to her.

“Well if that isn’t the weirdest thing. Matt did you guys do something to the engine while I was gone?” she turned to ask him. But he wasn't there. She looked over and saw him hand something to Howie as they were tossing off the lines to the boats.

“Could you please give this to Nick for me?” He asked, pleading with his eyes

Howie looked at how upset he was and silently took the slip of paper, nodded, and put it in his pocket. The two boat separated and soon they were both off on their own ways. Matt walked back up to Marian and gave her a big hug.

“What was that for?” She asked, a little surprised.

“That's for knowing me better then I know myself and for being here to help me make the right choices.”

She smiled and they sat together at the controls and looked out over the ocean.

Brain, A.J., and Kevin sat around Nick at the table and questioned him about his morning. They weren’t getting very far, Nick just looked out the window at the water and kept mumbling, “I tried.....I tried.”

Howie was up at the wheel, they had decided to cut this trip short and head back for the mainland and he was checking the GPS to make sure they were on course. The rest of the guys had no idea what to do, they had never seen Nick like this before. What could have happened to affect him so deeply?

Howie walked down and said everything looked good. A.J. went up to man the wheel, he had been wanting to drive the boat the entire trip.

Kevin tapped Nicks hand on the table, “Nick, come on we need you to talk to us. Please tell us what's wrong.”

Nick turned his head and saw how concerned everybody looked, he cleared his throat and whipped away the tears. He told them about the night before and how he and Matt had talked almost all night and how right everything felt.

“I don’t know why I had to see him again, but I couldn’t just let him disappear with out saying something.”

Brian nodded as if understanding but inside he was really confused. ‘ Does this mean something bigger? Is Nick.....’ Suddenly Howie screamed out.

“Damn it, I knew I forgot something. Here Nick that guy from the other boat asked me to give it to you.” He pulled the slip of paper out and and slid it over to Nick. Nick grabbed it and read it. He eyes went wide and to everyone's surprise he jumped up, almost knocking Brian off his seat, and ran for the deck. He started scanning the horizon but the other boat wasn’t anywhere with in sight. He relaxed a little and noticed that the sun was about to go down. He sat down in a deck chair and took in the sunset. The rest of the guys followed him up and stood behind him giving each other looks that said ‘What the fuck was that?”

Nick smiled and took another look at the paper

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// I’m scared, but I’m willing to try // // //

// 555-3742 -Matt //

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Well thats Part 4, I hope everyone enjoyed it. Let me know what you think. Good, Bad whatever. Future chapters should come on pretty fast as this is coming out much easier then I thought. You can email me at everybodycrys@yahoo.com Thanks again for reading