Date: Mon, 1 Dec 2003 16:18:01 -0800 (PST) From: slpwriter Subject: Nick Lachey: My Everything-58 Hello to all of you! I'm back with another chapter of "My Everything." Thanks for all of your support! Without it, I don't think I could have written this story for this long. Now on with the story. First of all, let me just say that this is my first time writing any kind of fiction like this. DISCLAIMER: This is a work of total fiction and is not meant to imply anything about the sexualities of Nick and Drew Lachey or anyone else mentioned in this story. If you are too young to read this, or if Homosexuality offends you, then please don't continue any further and leave. NEWSFLASH: To those of you who don't already know, Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson, in real life, have reconciled and are now husband and wife. I wish them all the best with their marriage and hope they live a long and happy life together. If you want details about their wedding, check out the 98 Degrees Official Website at www.98degrees.com. Other 98 Degrees stories I'd like to recommend are. "Give Me Just One Night" by Unanoche. "69 with Jeff Timmons" by Zachary Scott Pritt "Nick Lachey" by Ken. "98 Degrees Is Hot" by Gay Night "The Reunion" by RinSong. "Loving Nick Lachey" by Jordan "Playing Doctor with 98 Degrees" by Brian "This Gift" by Sprout and finally: "What I feel for you" by Thack. "What I feel for you." is an awesome story and Thack, himself deserves applause for all of his hard work on it. Now, I"ll let you get on with the story. Enjoy. Previously on "My Everything"..... Matt locked the door and turned around to face me again. "Well, Sean, what do you say we watch a little tv and talk awhile?" He suggested. "Sure." I said, with a smile. "Come on." I walked into the living room to get comfortable. Matt followed. I was definitely going to make the most of this time with Matt. we needed to talk and reconnect again in order to get our friendship back on track. ******************************************************* MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE LACHEY HOUSE............ "What does Ben have to do with any of this?" Jeff asked, confused as to what Drew was implying. Drew stood up and looked around at everyone. "When we were leaving to come back here, I saw Sean and Ben saying goodbye and then, I saw Ben kiss Sean."Drew revealed. "And it wasn't your typical kiss on the cheek kind of thing." That revelation caused a few eyebrows to go up. "Oh, so that's what this is all about." Danny said, a grin on his face. "You're jealous." "I am not!" Drew tried to say. But of course no one was buying it. "Yes, you are, hon." Kandi said. "If you weren't, you wouldn't be so pissed off." Then, a thought occurred to her. "Are you sure it wasn't just a friendly peck on the lips?" She asked him. "You know what they say: Sometimes a kiss is just a kiss." "Yeah, right." Drew muttered. "It looked like alot more than that." "Well, did you ask Sean about it, buddy?" Justin asked him. Drew shook his head. "Well then, that means that you don't really know for sure what is going on there." Jeff told him. "And you never will if you don't talk about it with Sean." Drew shrugged. "I don't know." He said. "Come on, Drew." Danny said, putting his arm around him. "Don't be so stubborn. If you keep this to yourself and not talk to Sean about it then you'll end up regretting it later." Drew listened to what Danny was saying and realized that he did have a point. "But what if there is something more between Sean and Ben?" He asked. "What if I do end up getting hurt again?" "Then, that's a risk, you're going to have to take." Justin told him. "Sean won't lie to you. And if there is something more between Ben and Sean, then you simply pick up the pieces and move on." Drew thought over everything that his friends were telling him. He really did love Sean and he did want things to be good with them again. But he was still afraid of being hurt again. After all, it had nearly killed him when he'd lost Sean to Nick all those years ago, when Sean had to decide which man he loved more. Drew was then broken out of his thoughts by his cell phone ringing. He grabbed it out of his pocket and proceeded to answer it. "Hello?" There was no reply. But Drew could hear someone breathing on the other end of the line. "Hello? is anyone there?" He asked again. There was a pause. "Drew, it's me." *********** CHAPTER 58 *********** "Drew's eyes widened when he recognized the voice. "Nick?!" He exclaimed, in relief. "Is it really you?" Everyone gasped when they heard that it was Nick who was talking to Drew. "Yes, Drew, it's me." Drew heard Nick say. "How are you holding up?" Drew looked up at everyone and saw that they all had questioning looks in their eyes, all about the same thing: How Nick was doing. "Drew, are you there?" Nick's voice asked. "Yes, Nick, I'm here." Drew said, bringing his attention back to his brother. "I'm doing alright. But we're more worried about you right now. How are you doing? "I'm sure you already know by now how I am, bro." Nick replied. "I've never been more confused or scared in my entire life. I want to do the right thing, but I don't even know what that is anymore." Drew could hear the sadness and loneliness in Nick's voice, which really broke his heart. He had never heard his brother talk like that before. It was like he was giving up. "Nick, listen to me." Drew urged. "We do know about what you're going through right now. Please, come home and let's talk about it, ok?" "I can't, Drew." Nick told him. "I'm not ready. The only reason I called was to ask you a favor?" "Name it." Drew said, without hesitation. "I need you to to promise me that if anything should happen to me before I'm ready to come home, that you'll watch over Jessica and Nicole for me." "Nick?!" Drew exclaimed, horrified by what Nick was asking of him. "Don't talk like that, you're scaring me!" "Is that Nick on the phone?" Drew and the guys turned and saw Jessica coming down the stairs, her face full of hope. Drew and everyone else nodded. "Let me talk to him." Jessica said, holding out her hand. "Nick?" Drew asked. "Jessica is standing right here and she wants to talk to you. Can I put her on?" "Yes, bro." Nick said. Drew handed the phone to Jessica who took it from him and put it to her own ear. "Baby, are you there?" She asked him. "Yes, honey." She heard him say. "Nick, I got your letter today." Jessica said. "I want you to know that I don't blame you for what's happened. If anything, it's all Sean's fault. He's the one who's ruined everything for us." "Jessica, please don't blame Sean." Nick said to her. "It's not his fault. He didn't cause me to leave. I left on my own." "Not you too, Nick." Jessica complained. "Everyone else is saying the same thing and sticking up for that slut." "Jessica, come on." Nick said, sounding stern. "You know Sean better than that. He's not a slut." "Well he's succeeded in sleeping with both you and your brother, so what else can you call it?" She asked, angrily. "Jessica?!" She heard him reprimand her. And he sounded like he was getting angry. "That's not the point anyway." Jessica said. "Baby, please come home. I miss you so much and so does our little girl. She misses her Daddy." "I wish I could, babe." Nick's voice said. "But I can't right now." "Well, then where are you?" Jessica asked him, suddenly. "I'll come to you." "I can't tell you that either, sweetheart." Nick said to her. "Besides, I'm getting ready to leave from where I am right now, anyway." "Where are you headed?" Jessica asked him. "I hope it's back in the direction of home." Nick was silent for a moment, which worried Jessica. "Nick, are you there?" She asked. "Nick?" "I'm here." He said. "Look, Jessica, I owe both you and Sean a decision and I just want you to know that I'm almost there where that is concerned, so hopefully I shouldn't be too much longer being away from home." "What decision is that, Nick?" Suddenly, there was a whole lot of static on the line and she couldn't hear him anymore. "Nick, I can't hear you." Jessica called out to him. "What did you say?" The static cleared up and Nick's voice could be heard again. "I said that my phone is starting to go dead, so I have to go now. Take care of my little Nikki. "I love you." "Nick, please!" Jessica begged. "Don't hang up! Nick there's........." That was as far as she got before the line was cut off. She quickly handed the phone back to Drew and turned away from everyone so that they couldn't see her cry. "Jessica, are you alright?" Drew asked, his voice full of worry. "I've got to get out of here." She sobbed, as she brushed past him and grabbed her purse and keys off of the kitchen table and ran for the door. "Wait, Jessica." Kandi called after her. "Do you want to stay here and we'll talk?" "No, I want to be alone." Jessica sobbed as she slammed the door behind her. Kandi went to the door and watched as Jessica got into her car and drove off. "I wonder what Nick said to her to get her this upset?" She wondered outloud. "I don't know." Justin replied. "But whatever it was, it couldn't have been good." "Well, I think it's time for lunch now." Danny said, rubbing his washboard stomach, which grumbled loudly. "Well, then I guess it's time to feed you, isn't it?" Jeff laughed, as he put his arm around Danny. "Come on, let's eat then." Justin said. They all started making their way into the kitchen to get some food. ******************************************************* BACK AT BEN'S................... "So, Sean." Matt started saying, as we were eating lunch together in the kitchen. "Are you up to going out on the town with me tonight?" "Sure." I replied. "I'd love to. I haven't done anything since I got here yesterday evening." "How long are you going to be here in L.A.?" Matt asked me. Didn't Ben tell you?" I asked him, surprised that he didn't know. "No, he didn't." He told me. "It never came up." "Today is Friday." I said to him. I'm here tommorrow and I catch a plane back home Sunday afternoon." "I wish you were staying longer." Matt said, feeling sad that I was leaving so soon. "I know, Matt." I said, putting my hand on his shoulder. "But this time, we'll be in touch and I'm not going to lose touch with you or Ben ever again." I then got up and walked over to the refridgerater and grabbed a notepad off of it. I returned to the table with a pen and started writing down my new cellphone number as well as the number for my apartment in Orlando. I finished up and handed it to him. "Here you go." I said, as he accepted the paper. "The numbers for my cellphone and apartment in Orlando." "Thanks, Sean." Matt said, as he leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. "I'll have Ben put this in a safe place." "See that you do." I told him. "My apartment's phone number is unlisted both in the phone book and in Directory Assistance." Matt looked up at me in total surprise. He'd never thought that I'd ever have an unlisted number. "Well, no wonder we couldn't find you." He said. "But I'm glad we got everything worked out." "So am I." I told him, giving him a smile. I then thought about Ben and was wondering how his meeting was going. "How do you think Ben is doing with his meeting right now?" Matt looked past me at something and I turned around to see what he was looking at. I saw Ben's car pulling up into the driveway. "He's back." Matt said, getting up. "We'll find out when he gets in here." I got up with Matt and walked over to the door to greet Ben as he came in. "Hey, Ben." I greeted him, when he entered the house. "Hey." Ben said. "What are you two up to?" "Nothing much, just hanging out." Matt told him, as we both watched Ben hang up his suit coat. "Cool." Ben said. "Have you two made any plans for today?" Ben walked into the living room. We followed and he sat down on the chair, across from the couch and put up the footrest. Matt and I both took a seat on the couch and relaxed as well. Matt picked up the remote and started surfing through the channels on television, trying to find something good on tv to watch. "So, buddy, how did your meeting go?" I asked him, curious as to how things had went. "It was ok." Ben said. "I talked about the new movie with my agent and he thinks I should take the lead role in the movie. But I'm still having second thoughts about doing this movie." As I looked at Ben, he did seem really worn out and tired from his long meeting. "Hey, Ben, you really look tired." I pointed out to him. "Why don't you go and take a nap for awhile?" Ben nodded. "That sounds like a great idea." He said, as he stifled a yawn. "I'm still a little beat from last night." "Yeah." I agreed. "I don't blame you after I came over really late last night." "That's not your fault, Sean." Ben said. "I was expecting you to come over here, but I wasn't sure what time you would be here." "Ok, if you say so." I said. I then decided to change the subject. "So, Ben, are you up to going out tonight?" I asked him. "Matt asked me if I wanted to go out and party with him tonight and I said yes. "How about you?" Ben thought it over for a moment, unsure of what he had planned for the day. "Actually, I'm not sure yet. "May I decide later tonight?" He asked. "Oh, sure, Ben." Matt said, nodding his head. "There's no rush. Besides, you really look like you can use that nap. As a matter of fact, so can I." "Yeah, you're right." Ben said, as he got up out of the chair. "I think we all can use a nap." I said. "After all, I didn't get much sleep last night after the way I treated Danny and the guys yesterday night. Now that things are back on track again with the guys and I, I think I can finally get some much needed rest." "Ok, then." Ben said, as he started walked towards the stairs. "I'm going to head up to bed for awhile." "Do you want some company, Ben?" Matt asked, out of the blue. That stopped Ben in his tracks. He turned around and looked at Matt in surprise. "Are you serious?" He asked, then added. "You want to sleep in the same bed with me?" Matt nodded, and as I watched, a smile started to form on his lips. "I could use a pair of strong arms around me when I do go to sleep." He said. I saw the mixed emotions playing on Ben's face. I knew he was wondering whether or not he should let Matt sleep with him, considering that they were no longer together. I knew that Ben had really been hurt by their breakup last year. "I don't know, Matt." Ben said, unsure of himself. "But, why don't you at least come upstairs and we'll talk about it a little more. Besides, I do need to talk to you alone." "All righty then." Matt said, getting up and walking over to the stairs. When he was beside Ben, he looked back at me. "IS this ok with you, Sean?" He asked me. "Yeah." I said. "Besides, I think you two really should talk and see where things stand with you both." I told Matt. "I just want to see you both happy again." Ben nodded at me, then breathed a heavy sigh. "Come on, Matt." He said. "Let's head up." "Alright. Matt said, as Ben started heading up the stairs. Matt turned back to me. "We'll see you later, Sean." He said, smiling. Then he winked at me and headed upstairs to catch up with Ben. I grabbed a blanket that was on the arm of the couch and pulled it over me as I laid down on the couch. As I drifted off, my thoughts went back to Nick. I just hoped and prayed that wherever he was, that he was alright and that he would be back soon. I realized that even though it had been great being with the guys again, it just wasn't the same without Nick. The guys were never going to be whole again until he returned home. My eyelids started fluttering and within seconds, I had drifted off to sleep. ******************************************************* BACK AT THE LACHEY HOUSE.............. Kandi, Justin, Danny, and Drew, were all in the living room, watching television and eating popcorn and junk food. Jessica still hadn't come back yet. They were all starting to get worried. Especiall Drew, who was holding Nicole in his arms. She was asleep. "Well guys." Drew said, getting up, slowly, careful not to wake the little girl up. "I'm going to put her down now." "Alright, Drew." Jeff said. "I have to say, it sure wasn't easy getting her down. She sure was fussy earlier." "I know." Drew whispered. "She's not used to sleeping in my arms. I think she misses Nick." "I know she does." Jeff said. "He and Jessica would both sing to her when it was time for her to sleep and she would just drift right off." "Yeah." Danny smiled, remembering when Nick would rock her to sleep, while singing to her. "she'd always fall asleep in Nick's arms. I think it has to do with her feeling safe and secure in her father's strong arms." Drew nodded. "And now Nick's gone." He replied. "And we don't know when he's coming back." "Not to mention he's in love with both Sean and Jessica from what he said in that letter to her." Kandi said. "That's gotta be even harder for him especially since he also has that sweet little angel in your arms to think about now. How this will affect her future. As well as her mother's." Drew sighed heavily. "Not to mention mine." He said, lowly. "What are you talking about, Drew?" Danny asked him, confused by what Drew meant by that remark. "Never mind." Drew said, as he looked down at the sleeping toddler in his arms. "I'm gonna take her up now. Kandi, would you turn on the baby monitor please?" "Sure." Kandi said, as Drew turned away and walked upstairs to put Nicole in her bed. When Drew had left, Danny turned to Jeff. "What do you think Drew meant when he said that Nicole and Jessica's futures could be affected by Nick's decision? then Drew said, "not to mention mine." What was that about?" Jeff looked back at Danny and brought up a hand to his cheek. "He's probably worried about being hurt again." Jeff said. "He's really put himself out there where Sean is concerned and depending on what Nick's decision is as to who he loves more, he could get hurt again if Nicks decides that he wants Sean back." "But that will depend on how Sean feels." Justin said, sadly. "But I'm sure it won't even be an issue anymore." "Why is that, hon?" Kandi asked him. Jeff and Danny looked at Justin too, really wanting to know the answer to that one. "Well, because I truly believe that what Sean and Nick once shared is over. I don't think Sean loves him that way anymore." Danny turned and looked at Jeff and leaned into his strong arms. "Well, if that's true, then answer me a question would you?" Jeff asked Justin. "What's that?" he asked, curiously. Jeff hesitated before blurting it out. "If Sean doesn't love Nick anymore, then why is he still wearing that wedding band that Nick gave him? Even after all of these years? That's got to mean something." "I'm sure it does." Danny said. "But the only person who can answer that is Sean." "Another question, I'm wondering about," Jeff started saying, Is that if it's truly over with Nick, then why can't he make a commitment to Drew?" "I've been wondering the same thing myself." They all heard Drew's voice say. Kandi, Justin, Danny, and Jeff turned towards the stairs to see Drew, standing there, just at the bottom. "How much of our conversation did you hear, Drew?" Kandi asked, worriedly. "Just when Jeff asked about why Sean can't commit to me." He told her. "I do think that it's over between Sean and my brother. But why Sean can't commit to another relationship is his problem now. And until he can commit to a relationship, I refuse to put my heart out there again just to have it stomped on and ripped to shreds again. I have my dignity you know." "Drew, come on." Kandi urged. "It's barely been half a day since Sean welcomed us back with open arms. You've got to be patient. Sean is working on finding his way back to us again. You've got to be grateful for that much at least. I certainly couldn't stand seeing him so angry and bitter towards all of us. Not that I blame him." "Well, I'm not doing it anymore." Drew said, a catch in his voice. "Every time I try to reach out to him, he ends up pulling away. Either that, or he's kissing up on other guys." Everyone looked up at him in shock. They were surprised that he was still all hung up over that kiss between Sean and Ben. "What?!? Danny asked, frowning. "Are you still pissed about that kiss that you saw?" Drew nodded. "It sure was a slap in the face to me after Sean kisses me and then later pulls away and says he's regrets kissing me. And that he's not ready for another relationship. The next thing I know, he's kissing up on Ben Affleck and smiling like the cat who swallowed the canary." Jeff shook his head, reluctantly and sat back into the couch. Nobody else said anything for a moment and there was an awkward silence. At least until it was broken. Just then, sounds of Nicole crying, came from the baby monitor. "Damn." Drew said, turning around to head towards the stairs. "Has she been doing that alot?" Kandi asked him, getting up. "Do you want some help with her?" "Yeah." Drew said. "And I'd welcome your help, girl." "All right." Kandi said, then looked at Justin. "I'll be back, baby." Justin nodded. Kandi then followed Drew upstairs. "Where is Jessica when we need her?" Drew said, as they both headed upstairs to calm the baby down. ******************************************************* BEN"S HOUSE.................... I was on the couch, asleep and reliving one of the most special moments of my life, in my dreams. "Sean, do you take Nicholas Lachey to be your lawfully wedded husband?" The minister asked. "To have and to hold? In joy and in sorrow, for richer or for poorer? In sickness and in health? for better or for worse? "Will you love and to cherish him, forsaking all others, and keep yourself only unto him for as long as you both shall live?" "I do." I said. I turned to Danny, who handed me Nick's ring. I took it and turned back to Nick. "And as as symbol of my promise, I give you this ring." I said, as I slipped it on his third index finger. Nick looked up at me, the love evident in his eyes. My eyes mirrored his. "As Sean and Nick have stood before us." The minister announced. "And have pledged their one for each other, I now pronounce them, Husband and Husband. Nick, you may kiss your groom." Nick leaned in to give me the most passionate kiss I'd ever experienced in my life. "SEAN!!! LOOK OUT!!!" Someone screamed from the pews. I whipped my head around and saw that Matthew Sheffield had burst into the santuary and he was standing there with a gun in her hand. "You will never have him, Sean!" Matt said, as he raised the gun. "Not ever again!" Everything seemed to go in slow motion as I watched the trigger slowly pull, as I prepared for what was about to happen. "MATT, NO!!!!!" Nick screamed. BANG! BANG! I woke up with a start, wondering where I was. I then realized that I was in Ben's living room. It was very quiet in the house for some reason. I looked over at the clock. It read 4:15p.m. I sat up to process what had happened in my dreams. "What does this mean?" I asked, outloud. "The wedding never ended like that. Not with Matt shooting me." Feeling thirsty, I went into the kitchen to get some water. As I stood there, drinking it and thinking over the dream I'd had, I happened to glance over at the refrigerator and noticed a note, clipped to the door of it. "What's this?" I asked, outloud, as I pulled the piece of paper off of the refrigerator and started reading it. "Dear Sean," "We've gone out to get some groceries, as our refridgerater is getting low. We'll be back soon." Love, Ben and Matt "Ben and Matt?" It was more of a statement than a question when I'd said it. "I like the sound of that." I said, smiling. "I just hope those two were able to talk and get things worked out between them. I just want to see them happy again." Just then, the doorbell rang. I went to the door and opened it. I was shocked to see who the visitor was. "What the hell are you doing here?" I asked. To Be Continued.......? "Where is Nick headed now that he's leaving from wherever he is now?" "Who's the mysterious visitor? What do they want? And why did Sean dream of Matt shooting at him at his and Nick's wedding?" "Will Drew be able to put his pride aside for love? or will he remain alone?" "What happens next? Oh, if you only knew!" Until next time, slpwriter@yahoo.com