The sliding doors opened to the fourth floor and Kevin started walking over to the nurse station. The place was quiet and almost empty, no one else there but the nurses on duty that night and one or two doctors making some lab tests.

The lady behind the counter smiled at the young man as she saw him come closer to the station. She guessed he couldn't be older than 25 or 27. Wondering what such a lovely young man could be doing at that time of the night - or morning - in the lab floor, she made his way from her computer to the stool.

"Can I help you with something?" her voice tender and amicably at him. Her eyes sparkling with kindness. It was amazing how awaken she could look at that time of the morning. Her brown hair was pulled up in a pony tail, a simple pencil standing behind her ear.

Kevin smiled at her. She was in her late thirties. The name on the tag said 'Laura', a nice name for a nice lady. Placing his palms against the coolness of the station island, he leaned over slightly. Taking his shades off with his right hand, he looked at her. Making eye contact with her deep brown eyes, he whispered. "The blood lab. There's a blood lab around here, right?"

"Yes." However her voice had lost all life and now was completely cold, steady. Her eyes had seemed to zoom out in themselves. Her looked focused on the piercing green eyes of the young man. An amazing color, so deep and clear, completely intoxicating.

"Show me." He commanded. The tone on his voice natural, like nothing was really going on. He had done this several times over the years, if not for this very same purpose, for others as well. His ability of mind control had grown with his experience as well. Being a vampire had its advantages at the end.

The lady nodded at the young man in front of her, never breaking eye contact. Walking over to the one of the drawers, she picked up a key chain, then made her way over to the hallway, Kevin right on her heels. Turning around in one of the corners, he walked to the end of the hall and waited at the door.

'Blood bank' printed in black letter against the soft wood.

Kevin toke one look at the door and nodded. Laura looked over the keys and picked one. Placing it in the keyhole, opened the door uneventfully.

The dark haired man and the nurse walked in the secluded room. There were freezers all over the walls and a small computer on one of the corners. Kevin walked to the computer, Laura still waiting by the door, and sat on the chair.

Going through the files at the screen, he checked the list of blood count. Realizing that they had enough stored of B+, he decided to take that one. After all, they usually used O+ for most of the emergencies. Walking over to one of the freezers, he opened the door. Looking through the lined up bags of blood, Kevin took six marked with B+ and placed them on his back pack. Closing the door, he turned and look at the nurse, still standing by the door.

He moved over to the door and left the room, the lady locking up after him. They both walked over to the nurse station, like nothing had happened at all. Laura moved to the drawer she had retrieved the key chain from and placed it back there, then walked to where she had talked to Kevin the first time. Standing there, she looked at the piercing green eyes of the young man in front of him.

Kevin smiled at her, his eyes taking a deep color of green. "Thanks." He whispered, his own voice confident and steady. With one last look at the lady, he put on his dark shades once again and made his way to the elevator.

Laura blinked a couple of times, then looked down to the hallway. A young man dressed all in black could be seen walking. Smiling to herself, she said aloud. "I should stop zooming out, one of this days I'm gonna miss something really important." Her voice, once again, cheerful and amicably. Shaking her head in an amused way, she made her way back to her place at the computer and sit by it, trying to finish her report.

Standing in the elevator, Kevin smiled to himself. It was so easy, it even amazed himself. It had taken years of practice, but he had that skill down to perfection. Looking at the sliding walls closing in front of him, the dark haired man decided it was time to get back to the hotel. It wouldn't be too long before the guys go there themselves. With one last look at the backpack in hand, he rested his back against the cool wall of the confined place.

Another night, another accomplishment.

*****

The guys got into the limousine, the atmosphere warm against the coldness of the street. Nick leaned down on his sit, his head resting against the softness of the material of the cushion, his eyes closed slightly.

"I'm beat. There's no way I'm gonna be up in.." lifting his hand so his watch was on his line of vision, Nick continue. "four hours. You guys leave without me." He mumbled.

"You're tired? Come on Nick! You're even younger than me. The party was only beginning and we had to leave just because we've got an early flight this morning." Exclaimed AJ, still upset about the idea of having to leave the club. He had been stretching their departure as much as possible, now cutting very close to arriving late. It was, after all, 2.15 am.

"Sure, say that now. But tomorrow morning you're gonna be begging for a couple more hours of sleep." Added the younger Kentucky cousin. He, too, was tired as well. They had only been in the club four hours, but clubbing after a concert was double effort. "Do you have any idea how pissed Kevin would be if we're late? Again."

Howie looked at his friends in front of him. Both Brian and Nick were dyeing for their beds, AJ looked like he could have stayed till five in the morning and wouldn't have care, while he himself also wanted to hit the sack. "You think Kevin will be up?"

"Nah! You how Kev is. I'm sure he's comatose by now." AJ stated. He was sitting with Howie by his side, and Brian and Nick in front of him.

"I don't know Bone. Kev is pretty serious about being late, he'd be up if he has to make sure we made it in time." Said Brian, his blue eyes already closed.

"Probably he'll be waiting in the hall with just his boxers on." Joked Howie.

"Uh! Only in his boxers, you're gonna get quiet a sight Nicky!" teased AJ, hitting the younger man slightly on the leg with his feet, trying to make him open his eyes.

Brian, at the words, opened up his eyes quickly and looked between AJ and Nick. Could he know? How did he find out?

Nick looked at his friend as a small blushed crept his cheeks, then looked at the floor. Yeah, he'd love to see Kevin in just his boxers. Not that he hadn't seen him like that more than once, but it was a nice sight after all.

"AJ!" hissed the eldest man in the room. He couldn't believe his friend would tease the younger man like that, after all, he didn't know both him and AJ knew.

"It's ok Howie, AJ told me you both know." Said the young blond trying to ease the worries of his older friend.

"What?" his voice full of confusion.

"It's ok Brian, they both know." Reassured the young blond.

Brian looked at Howie, who still had a confuse look in his eyes, then at AJ who was grinning too much for that late hour, to his best friend, who had a slight smile on his lips. "They know?"

Nick only nodded at his question, not sure about what else he could do.

"You know we know?"

The blond man grinned at this friend's response.

"So Brian knows as well?" Howie questioned once again.

He nodded again.

"Too much 'know' for my liking. To sum things up. Nick's in love with Kevin. That's something that both Howie and I knew for a while and, it looks like, Brian knew too." Finished AJ smiling. It had been quiet a while that he wanted it to be out in the open.

"How did you know?" question Brian while looking between AJ and Howie, still a little dazed at the revelation that the rest of the group - except the one involved - had known about all along.

"It's not that difficult to figure out Rok. You must know that. The way Nicky here looks at Kev it's enough indication that something deeper is going on. If you take the time to listen carefully, you'll see he loves him."

Brian sighed. "I thought no one else knew about it."

"I did too Brian. AJ told me he knew when we were in the club." Placing a hand on his shoulder, Nick hoped to ease Brian's worries. He was such a great friend. Always worrying about him.

"I had to. Nick seemed so out of it, I just thought it'd be better to let him know we both knew about it."

"You did good AJ." Said Howie while looking at his younger friend. "I know I said we should wait until Nick felt comfortable enough to talk with us. But seeing that it hadn't happened, telling him was probably the right choice."

"So what do we do now?"

"Do? There's nothing to do AJ."

"Of course there is! You have to tell Kevin." AJ said matter of fact.

Nick glared at AJ, his baby blue eyes surprised he even proposed that. "I can't AJ. I told you before. I'm not going to tell him."

"What you mean you won't tell him? He has the right to know Nick. After all this time, I think he deserves to know." Howie stated as he looked at his younger friend. He had been waiting from both Kevin and Nick to announce they undying love for a while now and wanted to help them as much as possible.

Nick sighed. He had talked about this with Brian enough times to re-enact those conversation with his other two bandmates. "What good will it do D? None. Kevin doesn't feel the same way. He never would. And the last thing I want if for him to freak out or feel uncomfortable around me. I'm used to things they way they are right now."

Howie leaned over to this younger friend and glanced right into his blue orbits. "What are you afraid of?"

Closing his eyes, he rested his head on the cushion. "Nothing Howie. It's pointless to tell him. That's all."

"Don't you think you should at least give it a shot?"

Brian looked at AJ, then at Howie and finally at Nick waiting for him to answer. They were asking the young blond the very same questions he had asked him two years ago. He still thought Nick should tell Kevin. He knew he cousin enough and was sure he'd never feel different with Nick just because he loved him. But he was too scare. Scare of the outcome and had already decided not to risk all he had for a single and, as he had said more than once, impossible shot.

"Look guys, I appreciate you worrying about me and everything, but I'm not gonna change my mind. I don't plan on loosing his friendship by telling him this." Nick finished as he looking between AJ and Howie. He needed them to realize he was telling the truth. It had taken him enough time to come to terms with the fact that nothing was bound to happen between him and Kevin and he wasn't planning on torturing himself of 'what ifs' just because his friends had the silly idea of playing matchmakers.

Howie sighed. He wished he could convinced Nick somehow, but it looked as if he had made up h is mind a long time ago. He had never seen his younger friend so sure about anything before. "If that's want you want, then we won't press the subject."

AJ looked at Howie and then at Nick. He was sure Howie was gonna need a lot more convincing that just that, after all he was the one always talking about how they would make such a cute couple. He wanted to them together just as much as his older friend, but if Nick didn't want them to interfere, then he had to respect his decision. "I'm not saying I like this kid, but it's your choice after all."

"Thanks. Both of you." Looking at Brian, he glanced at the rest of his band mates once more. "Thanks for understanding and not judging."

"What is there to judge? You fell in love with him Nick, there's nothing wrong about that." Howie said with a knowing smile. It wasn't so difficult to see where Nick's love was coming from. After all Kevin had always been the one to take care of them. Nick's love for Kevin as an older brother had only developed into something deeper. Besides, Kevin's calm and always nice nature could be endearing.

Nick nodded. "Thanks."

Brian smiled at his friends. It was great to know they supported Nick, just in case something actually happened between him and his older cousin. He'd give anything to see his best friend happy. If he could just make Kevin see how much Nick love him already. Placing his arm around Nick's shoulder, he looked at both AJ and Howie in front of him. Things would work out. One way or another, they would work out.

*****

The four singers walked into the hotel, nodding at the receptionist on the night shift. Pressing the elevator button, they walked in and waited for it to make its slow ascend to their floor.

Nick was leaning on his shoulder against one of the walls, his head resting on it as well, his eyes already close. He hadn't dance much, but AJ had been eager to get him to move in the dance floor. Sure, he loved going clubbing, but after a concert was even more tiring. The only thing in his mind in that very moment was his comfy bed and the knowledge that tomorrow morning - in just a couple of hours - he had to get up.

With his eyes closed, Brian had to force himself into a standing position. He was so tired that sitting on the floor was beginning to be an option. He didn't know what he had been thinking when he accepted AJ's invitation. He should have stayed in with Kevin. The younger Kentucky cousin couldn't help but sighed. He was gonna be dead tomorrow morning when Kevin attempted to wake him up. Ten to one that he was gonna over sleep and the older man was gonna throw a fit when he find out about it.

Howie kept looking at his watch. 2.29am. It was already late and he knew that if Kevin was indeed awake, he'd be hell pissed at them. 'Before two', he had said. Before two and it was already two thirty. However he could still deceive himself with the idea that maybe, just maybe, the older man was sleeping peacefully in his own room. After all Kevin had been almost unconscious back in the dressing room. Howie sighed. That was hard to buy. He had known him for a little over eight years already and knew that when it come to their safety, Kevin would be first one to keep an eye on them. He could be a worrywart sometimes, and it didn't matter how many time they'd tell him that they were already adults - he was only two years younger than him! -, the dark haired man wouldn't hear any of it. They were his 'children'. Always have been, always will be.

AJ looked around the cramped place and couldn't help but close his eyes. Tiredness was already taking over him. He could very easy stay up until very late at night - or morning - and wouldn't feel it, however as soon as the rush stop and silence took over wherever he was, he could feel himself relaxing and dyeing for some hours of sleep. The guys were right, if he had stay longer, he wouldn't wake up for the flight. Not that he was gonna be up any time soon either.

The elevator came to a stop and the sliding door opened. With heavy feet they walked over to the hallway. To their surprise, Kevin was standing there, leaning against one of the walls, glaring at them.

The older Kentucky cousin had arrived from his 'escapade' about twenty to two. Enough time to change clothes and wash himself from the smell of blood. At two sharp he had been on the hallway, waiting for the rest of his party.

Checking his watch as Kevin saw them walking over him, he knew they were late. Half an hour late.

"You're late." He acknowledge, his eyebrows closed within each other, glaring at them.

The guys looked at each other and didn't know what to say. They knew perfectly fine that he was pissed. Kevin had told them specifically to arrive before two and it was two thirty.

"Hmm.... there was some traffic." Mumbled Brian. It *was* a lousy excuse, after all how could possibly be traffic at his late hour, but it was the first thing that came to mind.

"Look Train, it was my fault, ok? I insisted for us to stay a little bit longer, didn't know we'd make it so late." AJ said while looking at the floor. Kevin would most probably yell at them and even tell them that they weren't going to any club in at least two weeks.

Kevin looked at both men who had spoke. Brian was fidgeting with the end of this T-shirt. AJ was looking at the floor, very interest in the carpet pattern. Howie seemed very uncomfortable with the situation, he must have insisted for AJ to leave early, but, of course, the younger man hadn't listen to him. The blond singer, however, couldn't help but look right into his sea green eyes and smile half a smile, trying to ease his anger with his peaceful baby blue eyes. Kevin found himself smiling back at him. There was no possible way for him to stay mad at any of them for very long, specially after Nick silently request him to let the matter drop.

The older man sighed. It was pointless of him to actually believe he could deny anything to the young blond. "Go to your rooms. You better be awake tomorrow morning at 6.30am sharp, otherwise I'll go wake you up myself and it won't be pretty." Kevin said with a stern tone.

The guys looked at each other and couldn't help but nod, thankful that Kevin hadn't skin them alive for being late. Each one of them made their way to their respective room, Nick being the last, wanting to speak with the older man.

"Thanks." He whispered as soon as the rest of the guys had left the hallway.

Kevin nodded and smiled at him. "Sure. I wasn't gonna be too hard on them either."

"I couldn't be sure of that, you looked very pissed." His baby blue eyes shining with emotion as he was able to spend some time alone with the one he loved, even though it was just for a couple of minutes.

The older man sighed. "I've been keeping them in line and trying to teach them something for the past eight years and it's like I haven't even been here. They *know* they won't wake up tomorrow at 6.30am if they go to bed this late, but they keep doing it. And then it's gonna be me the one who has to wake them up and called the airline and ask them to change our flight and I'll be the one who would have to face a mad producer when we're late for our interview." He couldn't help but feel angry and frustrated from time to time, specially when he felt like the guys took him for granted. "Guess I'm just rambling." Kevin leaned against his closed door.

Nick closed the small space that was between him and Kevin and placed a comforting hand on the older man's shoulder. "You're not rambling. They do listen, we *do* listen. Sometimes we don't do the right thing, but we do listen. It takes a lot of us to try and think about what's best and not what suits us. If it wasn't for you... we'd be lost."

The dark haired man looked up from the floor and met Nick's gaze. Stopping himself before reading his thoughts, he tried to smile. "Thanks."

"We care a lot for you Kevin, we really do." Nick said with soft voice. 'Specially me' thought the younger man tenderly.

Smiling once more, Kevin decided it was best for both of them to go to sleep. "It's better if we head to our rooms, it's late and we have an early morning ahead of us."

Nick nodded before making his way over to his room. Closing his door, he rested his head against the wood. If he could only tell him how much he means to him. If he could only tell him. With a sigh, he made his way to his bed. Kevin was right, they had a early morning and the last thing he wanted was making the older man mad when he wouldn't wake up the next morning.

*****

Kevin took off his clothes until he was clad only in boxers and laid down on the bed. He had already packed and was ready to leave for their flight in just a couple of hours. Having to be 'mother hen' to the guys was starting to take a troll on him and his feelings. He had to be strong for the young men and had to be there for him. He sighed. They often teased him about being the oldest of the group and that was why he was such a worrywart. If they only knew just how right they were.