Brian looked at Kevin. "You always unpack, unlike others," Brian said, giving Nick a small smile while the blond stared at the floor. "Your clothes are either in the closet, or in the dresser, so we can begin there."

Kevin nodded at Brian, not really having understood the joke. He walked over to the dresser while Nick started going through the papers in the table.

"What are those?"

Nick looked up from the papers and into Kevin's emerald eyes. "These are our schedules. You always had them in your power. We also have a copy, but we usually count on you to remind us what we have to do." He shrugged as he started looking at them again. "You've got some requests about interviews with a couple of radio stations and magazines. The usual stuff."

There were at least thirty pages there. Had he been in charge of them? Had it been him who wrote in the margins? Was that his handwriting?

An hour later, Brian and Nick had done most of the job -- actually Brian had done it and Nick had just provided moral support. Kevin would pick something from the drawer and stare at the piece of clothing, a minute later placing it on the bed where Brian would pick it up and fold it neatly. Or he'd gaze at the suitcase on top of the bed, his eyes losing focus for a second until he blinked himself out of it. Kevin hadn't actually packed anything. The closest he had gotten was holding a shirt up, the name Richardson printed on the back catching his eyes, and a minute later Nick had taken the shirt from his hands, given Kevin a small smile, and folded it as good as he could -- which, being Nick, wasn't that much of a help. It was a sleeveless yellow shirt with a number in the front. He didn't recognize it. It didn't look like the rest of shirts he had seen the guys folding.

"What else?" Nick asked softly, more to himself than to the three of them.

"The toiletries." Brian stated, as he took a pair of pants off the rack it was and folded it.

"Yes."

Kevin's eyes followed Nick as he picked up a small zipper bag Brian had placed on the dresser and entered the bathroom, walking out of the same about a minute later with the very same bag on his hands, zipping it up. Kevin didn't ask he only looked.

He knew the guys were helping him because Kevin himself didn't know how to do it, but, later on, he'd probably have to pack on his own. He trying to remember every little thing the guys were doing, like Brian folding the shirts in four or Nick placing the papers in a dark blue file that had been on top of the table as well.

"Is that all?"

Brian nodded. "Yeah. The dresser and closet are empty."

Kevin walked to the bed, sat down and stared at the full suitcase lying there. He opened it slowly, looking at his pants and shirts. There was a zipper in the inside. "What's this?"

Nick looked at what Kevin was touching. "A secret compartment. Even though it's not that secret."

"Oh."

"You usually keep the files and your book in there."

"Book?"

Brian nodded again. "You love reading." He smiled softly. "You tend to carry those book with you everywhere. Whenever we're in a big city, you go to the closest book store and look for something that catches your eye."

Kevin unzipped the bag, gazing inside. Nick already packed the files, a couple of books standing on the side. Kevin could only see the stack of pages, not being able to read the tittles.

"They are mostly sci-fi book. You read almost anything." Nick shrugged. "I've got no idea what you're reading right now, coz I haven't seen the covers, but I'm sure it's something along those lines."

Kevin nodded. "Thanks."

Checking his watch, Brian sighed. "Damn, it's getting late." He looked at Nick. "I wanna take a shower before going to dinner." He wanted to succumb to the tranquilizing waters of the spray and call Leigh. It was in moments so exhausting like this when he needed her most.

"Sure, don't worry. Kevin and I can watch TV while we ask for dinner."

Brian smiled at his younger friend. "Thanks." He gazed at Kevin before turning around and leaving the room. "I'll see you guys later!" He called out from the living room barely a minute before the opening and closing of the door could be heard.

With a rather unsettling feeling in his gut, Kevin turned around, looking at Nick for a second. He blinked. What were they suppose to do in the meantime?

"Well," Nick started, "we still gotta call for room service." He checked his watch. Eight thirty. "Wanna go to my room? We can watch some TV while I pack what little I did unpack." Nick gave Kevin a small smile, hoping to ease whatever the older man was worrying about.

Kevin thought about it for a moment. It wasn't like he had another choice in the matter, was it? "Sure."

Nick nodded more to himself than to confirm Kevin's statement. Picking up Kevin's key card from the dresser, where AJ had placed it before leaving, he walked over to the door. He stood there, waiting for Kevin to walk out ahead of him.

Kevin did as expected, walking out of the room, through the leaving room area and opening the door. Nick joined him seconds later. Kevin took a step into the hallway, Nick right after him, closing the door. 

With the room's key in his hands, Nick turned around. "This is your key," Nick said, hanging Kevin the piece of plastic. Kevin took it in his hands and stared at it for a moment.

His bedroom key.

Kevin remembered AJ opening his door. He didn't remember AJ giving Nick his key, but he probably had at some point. And now, Nick giving Kevin proves that he had something to call his own, captured his focus completely.

"Don't lose it."

It was Nick's voice that brought Kevin's attention back.

Nick smiled at him. "If you do, we can always ask for another one in front desk, but it's better if you don't lose it," he told Kevin.

How many times had Kevin himself said very similar words to Nick?

How many times had Nick actually lost his key and Kevin had gotten mad at him?

How many times had Kevin called him irresponsible and reckless?

He had been a kid back then, fifteen, maybe even sixteen, but Kevin had always assured Nick that one of the few things he had under his own responsibility was his luggage and key card.

Kevin had taught Nick boundaries and rules.

Kevin had placed the rules in the group.

Kevin nodded. "Sure."

Nick turned around suddenly, Kevin's voice catching him from surprise. He recovered quickly, nodding at Kevin, pretty sure Kevin hadn't noticed the blond youth wandering in his mind.

Before some other thought started running through his mind, Nick walked two doors down, standing in front of his very own. He opened it and entered the room, Kevin following him closely and quietly.

He walked towards the small table standing by the couch, picked up the received and proceeded to call room service.

"Good night, I'm in room 1720." He turned around, looking at Kevin looking at the room. "I'd like to order four stakes, one chicken and a hamburger. Yeah. Yeah. Some coffee, too. No, three pots. Yeah. Oh, and four extra plates of French fries. Aha. No, thanks. Oh, yeah, salad too. A lemon aside. Sure. Yeah. Thanks."

Nick hanged up, his eyes still on Kevin as he continued staring at everything.

Nick wondered for a split of a second what was it for him to see everything with different eyes. How could it feel everyday, everything, a new adventure?

Not so good probably, his mind answered back. Especially not knowing what happened three days ago.

Nick sobered up. It seemed amazing for him to, sometimes -- even if it was for only a minute or so -- forget the incident. Nick had been sure he'd never forget something like that.

And what tells you you actually do? He thought to himself. How can you be so sure you just don't purposely forget it so you can go on with your life, just so you can get by the day?

"You can take a seat, you know." Nick said, stopping his mind from going somewhere he didn't think he was ready to explore.

Kevin moved his gaze from the table standing on the side, looking very likely the one he had in his room, over to his younger friend.

"Ah?"

"A seat." Nick smiled. "You can take a seat. This is almost your room." There was something so profusely wrong about having to tell Kevin what to say. The guys' room were so very much his own, he had thought Kevin would know that.

"Thanks," Kevin said quietly. He complied, sitting on the couch, looking at Nick expectedly.

The two of them stood there, not saying anything and not doing anything either.

Suddenly, Nick remembered having to pack. He walked over to the bedroom, calling over his shoulder to Kevin as he did so. "The remote is somewhere in there. Turn on the TV if you want."

Kevin nodded, not really sure why he was nodding if Nick couldn't really see him. "Sure," he said quietly, and Nick didn't hear him. His eyes moved along the room, looking for the remote. He found it lying on the table. He picked it up and, turning it on, started going through the channels. He wasn't sure if he wanted to watch something at all, but Nick had said he could turn the TV on and, for a totally incomprehensible situation, he had just done it.

"I gotta pack!" Kevin heard Nick said.

Kevin nodded again, even though Nick couldn't see him.

"The flight it's at seven thirty-- shit!"

Kevin turned around, looking at the bedroom door but not knowing what had made Nick curse.

"Shit." Kevin heard again. "Nevermind, I gotta get Bone another one." A pause. "It means," Nick picked up on the sentence like nothing had happened, "we gotta be there at six, which means we gotta wake up at five. Totally shitty, I know, but we don't get much of a choice."

A second later, Nick's head poked through the threshold. "You know what? Why don't you get in here? I hate having to scream a whole conversation." Then, his head disappeared again.

Kevin, once again, did as told and walked over into Nick's bedroom. The blond was going around his room, looking at everything and nothing at the same time, getting things into his two suitcases laying open on the bed. Kevin sat by them, eyeing Nick's clothes.

"I usually don't have that much unpacked," Nick continued, still going through piles of clothes either on the floor or on every possible surface in the room, "but we've stayed for quite some time here." He didn't want to mention that four of those days had been a living hell on him. Oh, yeah, and on the rest of the guys as well.

"Shit." He said, trying to make a pair of jeans fit in an already full suitcase. "I remember now why I hate unpacking. Packing it's even worse. Fuck." After a minute of trying, Nick just gave up. "Fuck it." He threw the piece of clothing on the bed again.

He stared at it for a moment as Nick keep on packing. He picked it up, folded it neatly, like he had seen Brian do it, pushed back another couple of pair of jeans Nick had placed there, along with a pair of dark denim pants, and settled the jeans in hand with no trouble whatsoever.

Nick stared at Kevin. His eyes darted from his older friend to the suitcase, back to his friend. He had to bit his tongue back not to ask how he had done it.

Kevin shrugged, half guessing Nick's question. "I saw Brian doing that. I thought I could help."

Nick nodded. "Thanks." Right there, right now, even if it was for a split of a second, that same action, the way Kevin's eyes could see only what he was doing, how his whole focus could be drawn into something, reminded Nick of the old Kevin; the same Kevin who had tried to teach him how to pack decently. The same Kevin, eight years later, Nick still called out sometimes to help him with packing his luggage back in the bags they were suppose to fit.

Nick cleared his throat. "Thanks," he repeated.

He really got to stop spacing out like that. One day, it could really hurt him. One day, he could either fly so outside the atmosphere, there would be no way back or he could just start saying things that were better left unsaid.

Kevin shrugged again. "Your welcome."

Nick blinked. This was starting to get serious. Sometimes, like this, he just couldn't shake it off when his mind when to another world, taking him a little while to bring himself back into reality. "Sure."

There was a second of silence that for Nick seemed like the Ice Age.

Later, Nick would send a small prayer above as he heard a knocking on the door and he hurried himself to go open it. He was going to need as much time as he could get to get his head on straight.

He opened the door, let the waiter in and placed the food cart in the middle of the room, singed up the check, placing a good fifty-dollar bill on top of it, closing the door afterwards.

When Nick turned around, Kevin was standing comfortably and haggardly against the threshold of the door, his eyes calm and clear. Nick swallowed thickly. There was something about that scene, that very same scene, which made Nick feel short of breath. Not a good combination with his mind not really with the matter at hand.

"Food's here." Nick stated and his voice didn't sound as strained, as he would have guessed. He swallowed again. "The guys should be arriving any minute now."

Kevin nodded. "Ok."

Nick felt like he should say something, like it was right. Still, the logical side of his partly functioning brain reminded him there was nothing for him to articulate.

Once again his lucky star shinned on him, as he didn't have to make that choice, the knocking on the door tacking his attention from his thoughts.

Ariadne walked in, smiled at Nick then at Kevin, and took a seat on the couch. As was usual for her, she had two blue files of papers on her hands, along with her agenda -- which wasn't much her agenda, as was the guys'. She picked up the remote and started surfing through the channels. Kevin walked to her, sitting by her side.

"What are you watching?"

Ariadne turned to see him, smiling softly at him. "Nothing much. I wanna see what's going around, nothing much."

Nick saw Kevin nod just as there was another knock on his door and he let AJ and Howie in.

"Where's Brian?" Ariadne asked while AJ started looking at the food cart.

"Went to pack," Nick said. "He should be--" Before he finished his comment, Brian burst in, smiling at the guys.

"I'm not late," the younger Kentucky cousin stated.

Ariadne didn't say anything, only stood up and went to pick up her chicken from the food cart, along with her salad, the lemon sliced in fours placed by the side of the plate, just like she liked it. It always surprised her that, at some point during the four years they've worked together, Nick had learned she liked her salad with an extra lemon. AJ picked up his burger and started munching on the fries before the rest of the guys had even reached for their plates.

When the six of them were seated and with their respective dinner for the night, coffee already served and Ariadne pleased to have a can of Coke by her side, she looked at them. "There still are some things we gotta go through."

*****

Ariadne stood up and stretched, her hands reaching for the ceiling as she heard a couple of vertebras popping. She checked her watch. Ten twenty. "It's late guys." She picked up her scattered papers on the table and placed them back in her files. "The flight it's at seven thirty, so we'll be leaving here around twenty to six. I want you all up with the wake up call, do you hear me?" She looked at each one of them before walking over to the door. "I don't want to have to drag you from your beds."

After hearing a couple of groans and getting the evil eye from one of them, Ariadne shook her head as she opened the door. "Good night fellas."

"She's right," Howie said after she was gone. He stood up and finished the last sip of his coffee. "I'm outta here. See you tomorrow."

Brian followed Howie, standing up and walking over to the door. "Night guys."

As AJ made his way over to the door, he turned around, his eyes landing on a slightly lost looking Kevin, then on a tired looking Nick.

Nick rubbed his eyes, the beginning of a headache banging in the back of his mind. The six of them had discussed every possibility to be discussed. He knew Ariadne was right, that it didn't actually matter how many times they talked about what could be done because there would always be something they just hadn't thought about.

"I'm gonna get going guys, see you tomorrow morning."

It was AJ's voice that brought Nick out of his thoughts. The blond looked up, his eyes finding Alex's brown ones. "Sure," he said, still in his daze, "see you."

AJ nodded, then gave Kevin a small smile before leaving the room.

Kevin looked at Nick, not really knowing what to do.

Nick closed his eyes for a moment, trying to find the last threat of consciousness he had.

Kevin said nothing.

Nick took a deep breath.

Kevin frowned.

Finally, a minute later, Nick opened his eyes and was surprised to find a confused Kevin looking at him expectantly. "Something wrong?"

Kevin shrugged, not sure what to say. "Not really. I just... I'm not really sure which one is my room."

"Oh..." He hadn't thought about it. "I'll... I'll show you." Nick made his way to the door, expecting Kevin to follow him. The older man did as he thought he was suppose to, closing the door after him. Nick turned to his right, and stood on the other side of the hallway, one door on his right.

Kevin gave Nick the key, who opened the door and let the older man enter. Kevin looked around the room, walking slowly to the bedroom. It was late and he felt tired.

"I should--"

But Nick didn't finish his statement, as Kevin interrupted him. "Do I have pajamas?"

"What?"

"Pajamas? In the hospital, I slept in this very weird looking light blue gown. Do I have pajamas?"

Nick frowned. "Hmm... No, actually..." He paused. This was his friend standing in front of him asking him what were his sleeping habits. "You usually slept on the nude." Never in his life had he imagined he would be saying those words to Kevin.

"Nude?" It looked like Kevin didn't understand the nature of it.

Nick nodded "Yeah, you always complained about not liking shorts to bed."

"Oh."

Nick could see that Kevin was still confused about the notion. "You can try sleeping on your sweats, though," the blond suggested. "I do."

"Oh. Thanks." Kevin paused and looked around the room. "Where are them?"

Nick walked were Kevin's luggage laid, opened on suitcase and, after rummaging for a second, gave him a pair of gray sweats. "Here."

"Thanks."

Nick smiled softly, "sure, no prob."

Without saying anything, Kevin started taking off his jacket and shirt. Nick stared at him for a second. Then, Kevin proceeded to take off his pants and underwear. 

Nick's eyes were looking at Kevin, but his vision had lost all focus.

How could something so common as Kevin changing his clothes could hit him right in the face and force him to remember the very same thing he wanted to forget?

Kevin didn't remember his past, that Nick had to learn to cope because if he didn't, he was sure he'd just lose his mind.

Nick shook his head slightly.

This had to stop.

Kevin didn't remember his past.

Kevin didn't remember them.

Kevin didn't remember.

He had to understand the meaning of that sentence and just deal with it.

If he didn't? He probably wouldn't be able to wake up the next morning.

Kevin turned around and smiled at the blond. "Is this fine?"

Nick blinked twice before he could focus on Kevin and him wearing just a pair of gray sweats. Nick smiled back. "Yeah."

Kevin walked over to the bed, pulled down the covers and got under them. He smiled at Nick once again.

Nick started to leave, turning the light off as he reached the door, when Kevin's voice stopped him. He looked over his shoulder, his weight half leaning against the threshold. "Yeah?"

Biting his lower lip, Kevin looked at a strain of fabric, picking at it. "I was wondering..." He gulped. He propped up on one shoulder, his eyes down cast. "Hmm... do you think you could stay over tonight?" He looked up to his friend. "When I was at the hospital, you and the guys stayed that night. I don't know why, but I don't wanna be alone tonight." He paused. Kevin bit his lip again. "Can you stay?"

The room was dark, the only a shred of moonlight coming through the curtains fell by Kevin's side. Nick could hardly see the older man's face, but something told him Kevin was slightly embarrassed by what he was asking.

Something had to be wrong with that picture. Something was most definitely wrong.

Hadn't it always been Nick who had asked Kevin to stay in his room? Hadn't it been a frightened fourteen-year-old blond in the bed instead of Kevin? Hadn't it been a twenty-three-year-old Kevin standing by door instead of him?

Nick forced himself not to start biting his lower lip. Kevin was always nagging him about that. It showed him nervous, the older man always said. It showed him nervous and indecisive in the interviews. And now the tables were turned and it was Kevin the one biting his lower lip, asking for something Nick would have never imagined hearing from Kevin's lips.

He nodded. "Sure," Nick said quietly, barely heard in the room. "Sure." He closed the door behind him just as Kevin lay down on the bed again. He took his jacket off, his pants following closely. Dressed in only trousers, he pulled down the covers, lying down by Kevin's side.

The older man smiled. "Thanks," he said, closing his eyes, arranging the pillow for his comfort.

"Sure," Nick answered, resting his head on Kevin's matching pillow. He was doing this for his friend, he told himself. He was doing this because Kevin didn't want to stay alone in his room.

Kevin smiled again, his eyes still closed. "Thanks," he repeated

Nick nodded, biting back the impulse of caressing Kevin's cheek. This was his friend; the man he had known for half his life, asking him for a favor. Kevin just didn't want to be alone at night. That was understandable. Nick had been on the receiving end of the situation more times than he could count.

He closed his eyes, ready to sleep. Kevin's steady breathing was heard by his side. He opened his eyes slightly, looking at Kevin's calm face. Kevin had fallen asleep peacefully barely seconds ago. That should matter more than anything in his mind, the blond told himself.

He nodded again, closing his eyes, confirming his own statement.

Kevin was fine.

He breathed out a long sigh. Two days ago, he had begged for Kevin to see through the night. Now he was fine, which Nick thanked up to heaven.

He let out another sigh.

Everything, at least for tonight, was fine.