Turning around, he looked at the guys all scattered around his bedroom.

Howie was doing some zapping on his TV while Brian and Nick chatted lowly. He couldn't really hear what they were talking about, but Kevin was sure it had something to do with him. After everything that had happened the last two days, it had to be about him.

When the door opened loudly and a high whistle was heard, Kevin knew AJ had arrived. Smiling to himself, AJ half placed, half threw the gym bag on the bed by Kevin's side.

The group's resident wild child grinned through his dark shades and he looked up at Kevin. "Your things Train. Hope you like what I choose." He grinned madly and Kevin had the gut feeling that he should fear that look. "No better way to get back in action than with some style my man."

Walking over to the bed, Howie shook his head slowly. "Style?" He opened the gym bag and looked at AJ. "Knowing you, style means far too flashy for the average sight."

"What is that suppose to mean?"

Going through the clothes inside, Howie continue. "Means I know you J. I haven't seen you shopping for years not to know your kind of... taste." He turned around, grinned at the younger man, then turned his attention back to the bag. After making sure the clothes were within the range acceptable for public appearance, Howie left the bag alone. "It's ok Kevin. The clothes are wearable."

"Hey! I resent that comment. Everything I wear is wearable."

Brian snorted. "Yeah, right. It's only wearable because you wear it."

Kevin looked at the bickering of the three friends and couldn't help but smile. Did he use to bicker with them like that? Did he know just what buttons to push and when to stop? Did he have blackmailing information? He probably did. That is, his former self probably did.

Standing up, Kevin took the bag in his hands. "Thanks," he said to AJ, who smiled back at him. "I'll be right back." Walking over to the bathroom, he closed the door.

Kevin placed the bag on top of the toilet and proceeded to open it. Seeing the small check symbol on the side of the bag, Kevin took a piece of clothing at the time. The t-shirt was a dark blue color and there was an undershirt packed besides it. Folded blue jean followed and Kevin could read Tommy Hilfiger on the back of the same. A black long sleeves button up shirt had been placed besides the jeans. There were underwear inside as well, a pair of sneakers with the same check symbol on it and Kevin felt like he should recognize it. Socks had be shoved in the corner of the small bag.

Seeing his reflection looking back at him on the bathroom mirror took Kevin out of his axe. He leaned closer to the glass, his hand moving slowly over the surface. He had seen his face in the pictures he had watched this morning with Brian, but this was the first time he saw himself like this.

Dark green eyes were shinning brightly. He had green eyes. He hadn't realized that. How many things had his eyes seen? His friends growing older, that was for certain. A thousand artist. People in the crowd. The cities they have visited. How many things indeed. As his fingers moved along his eyebrows, his eyes were locked on the mirror. They were so very bushy. He had seen that back in the pictures and he had thought it was... particular. Neither of the guys had eyebrows like his, so it was kind of his trademark. Slowly, his focus changed over to his classical nose and landed on his mustache. He had a perfectly shaved mustache and a goatee. The goatee kinda reminded him of the one AJ had. His fingertip outlined his lips slowly, two pink thin lines looking back at him. How many girls had he kissed? Did he have a girlfriend? Did he have a wife? Those were thing he hadn't really wondered about until this very same moment. He'd have to ask the guys about it.

When his hand moved over to his hair, it was like feeling recently chopped grass. His hair was gone. Totally and completely gone. He had seen in this year's pictures that he used to have long hair, tied sometimes into a low ponytail. He looked so... different from the pictures indeed. Did the guys feel like he wasn't the same man they had for a friend? Did the hair gave them that feeling?

With his hair shaved down and his bushy eyebrows along with the mustache and the goatee, Kevin looked so very weird. Maybe the mustache and goatee just didn't go with no hair. He'd ask the guys about this too. He was sure they had a lot more experience in this than he'd probably ever have.

Kevin took off the hospital gown and put on the clothes AJ had brought for him. While sitting on the toilet, his right leg crossed over his left one, he looked at his untied sneakers. The shoe laces were hanging there, white ropes in an vertical position. Kevin looked at it and frowned. He was sure they were suppose to get tied, but the question here was... how? He knew he was suppose to know -- like a thousand more things along the last 29 years of his life -- how to do it, but he just didn't remember. He started biting his lip.

Another thing to write down on the list of What Kevin just don't remember, he thought sourly. What now? It's not like I have much of a choice, now do I?

And he just didn't. The only thing left was ask one of the guys to do it. How embarrassing! Kevin hid his face in his hand. He knew there'd be a lot more things he wouldn't know, so he better start getting used to asking the guys for help.

After bushing his teeth, he placed his toiletries -- the only thing he had at the moment -- in the bag and zipped it. Walking back into the room, he grinned slightly as he watched AJ eyeing his food. The hospital had served lunch while AJ had left, but Kevin had barely even touched it.

AJ looked at Kevin, grinning back at him. "Can't believe you left food Train," he said while giving the mashed potatoes another bite. "It's not that bad, you know."

Howie shook his head slowly in confusion. "It's awful J. I don't know how you can eat that thing." Him and the rest of the guys had taken a bite after Kevin had decided he didn't want any of it. Turns out neither did the guys.

He shrugged. "Dunno. It's really not that bad. Aren't you going to eat your chicken?"

"No, not really." Kevin walked over to the bed and placed his bag there. "You can have it if you want."

"Thanks!" The younger man took a bit and as his face contorted in disgust, he let the spoon fall down loudly on the tray. "Puaj! This is horrible! Too spicy even for my taste." AJ started running his fingers through his tongue, trying to get the taste out of it. "How can you eat that?"

Kevin chuckled slightly. "I didn't. That's why I left it." He shrugged. "Actually, I just wasn't that hungry at all."

"No wonder people die in here. This food could just kill you."

"Oh please Alex," Nick picked up the bag from the bed, "you're just over reacting and you know it. The food can't be that bad."

"It's worse!"

"Nutcase," Nick said, laughing. "We've tasted spicier food. Far more eccentric even. Germany, for example."

"Hey!" Howie complained, frowning at the blond. "I liked it."

"I rest my case."

He glared at Nick. "It wasn't bad. You guys are woosies when it comes down to food." He shook his head, remembering their first tour through Europe and Asia. "Kevin and I liked it, didn't we Kev?"

Suddenly the room came to a dead silence. Howie started biting his lower bit. Way to go Dorough, just go and remind them that Kevin doesn't remember a damn. He wanted to slap his forehead, he felt so bad.

Kevin started looking at the floor, shifting his weight from one food to the other.

Seeing that the five of them felt like trapped in their own reality, Nick spoke up. "Did you pack your things from the bathroom Kev?" They couldn't just froze whenever something like this happened. it wouldn't be the last time it'd happen, he was sure. At some point one of them was going to forget Kevin's actual situation and make a comment like the one Howie did and they just couldn't stay silent. It wasn't right. If they did, then half their lives would be spend walking on eggshells and they didn't need that. The last thing they deserved was lapse into some kind of steady present.

Hearing Nick's question, Kevin nodded slowly. "Yeah," his voice was low, barely even heard by the blond, "they are all there." Had he really tasted international food? Was it so spicy, Nick didn't like it? Had he really liked it? He probably had, otherwise Howie wouldn't have made that comment, would he?

The young blond nodded, smiling at Kevin. "Great." He looked around the room, making sure there was nothing else left to pick up. "I think that's that. Should we get going?"

Brian and AJ, coming out of their trance, nodded their confirmation when Kevin interrupted them with a low voice. "Hmm... I was wondering..." Kevin blushed a nice shade of red, looking at the floor as he did so. He couldn't believe he was about to ask something he knew should know at the old age of 29. "My sneakers... they've got laces and I don't..."

Brian blinked a couple of times before realizing what Kevin was talking about. He looked down, glancing over at Kevin's untied sneakers. He smiled tenderly at Kevin's embarrassment, hoping to ease down Kevin's worries about the matter. "Sure, no problem."

Frowning for a moment, when Nick saw Brian kneeling in front of Kevin, he understood what the older man was talking about. AJ looked at the cousins, rubbing his left eyebrow -- a habit he had taken after Kevin himmself. He hadn't even considered the shoe laces when he packed the sneakers. He hadn't even remembered that. It had totally slipped his mind. Howie bit his lower lip. This wasn't suppose to be like this. Kevin wasn't suppose to need help for things like this.

Brian took the laces in between his fingers and proceeded to tie them. Standing up when he finished, he patted Kevin's shoulder slightly. "All done."

Kevin nodded, still looking at the floor. "Thanks," he muttered under his breath.

AJ wanted to say something, to apologize for forgetting something as important as laces on Kevin's shoes, but he really didn't know where to start. This was Kevin, for God's sake! Things like this weren't suppose to be thought about.

"It's getting rather late," Howie said after a moment, not really knowing what else to do to get the guys' attention. "We should get going."

Checking out his watch, Nick realized it was almost four in the afternoon. Their bodyguards where probably waiting for them in hallway and they had told Ariadna they shouldn't be there more than four. She was going to go ballistic as soon as they touched the hotel.

"Yeah, it's really late," Nick added after a moment. He picked up Kevin's bag and made his way out of the room, his four friends following him.

Just as he had thought, the whole gang of five bodyguards were leaning against the walls, waiting for the group to make up their minds and leave the room. Eric, Nick's own bodyguard, approached the blond. "Are you all ready to leave?"

Nick nodded. "Yeah, Ariadna is gonna kill us."

The bulky man chuckled slightly. "We've been waiting for you almost an hour. It's your own fault."

AJ walked over him, shaking his head. "Ok, ok. Don't remind us, alright? We've got enough as it is." He so didn't want to get to the hotel to see Ariadna looking at them threateningly.

Lucas, checking his watched, saw that they were already dead meat. They'd be arriving around four forty and Ariadna was going to kill them. "Chickens. Afraid of a lady as nice as her."

Brian glared at Howie's bodyguard. "Yeah, right. Like you aren't afraid of her as well."

Anthony walked over to his protegee, looking at Kevin up and down. "You don't seem so out of shape." The corners of the older man's lips barely twitching up, he continued. "I'm glad you're fine. We were all worried." He hugged Kevin tightly, almost crashing his ribs.

Kevin looked over the man's shoulder, his eyes wide with surprise and raising fear. Who was this guy and why did he wanted to see how long Kevin lasted without air? Remembering that the guys had told him that no one besides the five of them and their manager knew about his accident, Kevin did his best to hug the bigger man back.

"Thanks," Kevin said, half out of breath. "Thanks."

Anthony pulled away, fully smiling at Kevin. After a minute, he slapped Kevin upside the head.

Kevin complained about the hit -- loudly. "Ouch!" His hand moved over his neck, rubbing it. The man sure could hit. That had hurt.

Glaring at Kevin, Anthony explained his actions. "Don't you ever, ever, dare leave the hotel without me again. Do you hear? You try that stunt again and I'll swear to God I'll sit on you."

Kevin blinked a couple of times before nodding. The man was quite larger than him, so much taller it was scary and was visibly heavier than him. Exactly how much, Kevin couldn't tell. He didn't even know his own weight and height. That was something else he'd have to ask the guys about. It was the least he should know about himself. That and if he had a girlfriend.

"Ok, ok," Jeff walked towards them, dropping his arms around Anthony's and Kevin's shoulder, "enough of this male bounding. It's time for us to leave this crazy joint --" He turned around and looked at either side of the hallways, hoping no doctor had heard him. It was never good to get in a doctor's bad side. "I mean, lets get the hell outta hear." Ruffling Kevin's hair, he laughed. "I'm sure you wanna leave already kiddo."

Kevin looked at him through half squinted eyes. And who was this one? He'd have to ask the guys for these... guys' names. "Sure," he said lowly.

Jeff chuckled, ruffling Kevin's hair one last time before walking over to Brian and proceeded to do the same thing to his charge.

"This is what we're going to do," Anthony started, taking charge of the situation. "We'll go through the elevator over to the parking lot. The van is there waiting for us. There aren't many fans surrounding the hospital and the parking lot is private, so we shouldn't encounter much trouble over there. Once in the van, it should run smoothly. Got it?"

Seeing the guys nodding at the man, Kevin was only able to nod as well. It didn't sound that hard, now did it? All he had to do was go to the elevator and over to the van. Piece of cake.

Anthony turned around and looked at Kevin. "Agreed? Something you wanna change?"

Kevin looked down right puzzled at Anthony. "Huh?"

"We've already checked the hallways and on front desk we were told that no fans had been allowed all day, so that's already taken care of."

Kevin turned to look at the guys, silently asking for help. He was totally lost in this conversation and was more than sure that saying he didn't understand wasn't going to look good.

Nick looked right into Kevin's eyes and nodded, motioning for Kevin to nod at Anthony.

Kevin started biting his lower lip. "That's good."

Anthony nodded his agreement. "We're ready. Lets get going."

Each one of the five tall and unknown men walked over to one of the guys, taking their side. Anthony stood by Kevin's side, not moving even a bit. The almost caravan movement started as they made their way over to the elevator. Kevin could hear Brian and Howie talking in the front, AJ was walking behind them and was talking with the man by his side. Nick was right in front of him and somehow, Kevin feared saying anything.

They entered the elevator, the guys standing in the back while the bodyguards were in the front. Kevin started fidgeting, clenching and unclenching his hands as he waited for the elevator to reach the parking lot.

Nick turned around, waiting for Kevin to lift his eyes to his, and smiled at him. He had the idea that Kevin was probably nervous about what was going to happen and hoped he could at least calm him down. Kevin smiled back at him, visibly calmer.

When the doors opened, the bodyguards proceeded to walk them over to a dark blue, dark windows van. Kevin wasn't really sure of what was going on, he only followed the guys. Nick turned around once again and seeing Kevin following them suit, he continued his way over to the van.

AJ and Brian entered first, sitting in the back. Nick took the seat in front of them. Stepping onto the van, Kevin took the seat by Howie's side, right in front of the rest of the group. Kevin started looking out the window, wondering if the other five guys -- who he had assume were his bodyguards -- were going to join them. Four of them walked over to another van that was behind them and one of them had hopped in the front seat of their van. Kevin started rubbing his eyebrow. Was it always like this? One of them always went with them while the other four went with another ride? He didn't know.

Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Kevin jumped slightly on his seat, turning to see who had scared him.

Nick smiled at Kevin. "Sorry," he said lowly, "I didn't mean to scare you."

Kevin shook his head. "It's ok."

"We'll leave the parking lot and get in our way over to the hotel." As if on queue, the engine started to roar. "We should be there in twenty minutes."

Kevin nodded and turned around, wanting to see through the windows. The van got out of the parking lot and started entering the street. Screams started going up, becoming louder as the seconds ticked by. Calls were coming from every side. Names were being called out.

Kevin looked out the windows. Girls were everywhere he looked. There were banners with their names and pictures all around the place. So many screams could be heard, Kevin thought he was going deaf with the sound.

It was... scary.

Kevin pull himself farther down his seat and into Howie's space, his eyes wide and his heart racing.

"Whoa!" Howie placed his hands on Kevin's shoulders, preventing Kevin from pressing him against the other side of the van. "Kev?"

He turned around, his eyes wide with fear. There had to be at least a hundred girls all over the streets, in front of the hospital and on the sides of the parking lot exit. There were posters around, deafening screams and wild chants. No one came too close to the van, but six feet from it was more than enough for Kevin. The minute the van was touched by the late afternoon sun, the screams intensified -- if that was even possible -- and Kevin couldn't help but cover his ears with his hands and lift his legs, placing them on the seat, fear all over him.

Nick glanced over at Howie, then back at Kevin. Kevin was scared. Kevin was more than scared at the moment. Looking around, Nick was finally able to realize what was scaring Kevin so very much.

He stood up from his seat and moved over to the small space between Kevin's and Howie's seat and the front seat. Nick sat there, placing his hands on either side of Kevin's face, forcing the older man to look at him.

"Kevin?" Nick tried to get his attention, but Kevin was shutting his eyes so very hard, it seemed impossible to reach out to him. Taking Kevin's hands in his finally got some answer from Kevin. "Kevin, please, listen to me."

Kevin was acting like a caged animal, looking around with a wild look on his eyes.

Nick turned over the front seat. Anthony was talking with Walter, their driver, and Nick hoped they'd stayed looking to the front and not turn around. If they were to see them, then they'd realize something was most definitely not normal.

"Kevin," Nick repeated, almost whispering. He placed his hands on either side of Kevin's face once again. "Kevin, everything is going to be alright."

Kevin shook his head forcefully. "There are so many people!" He whispered, his tone rising at the last word. "So many girls around."

"It's always like this Kevin," Howie spoke up. "It's always a pandemonium, but you'll get used to it."

"How do you get use to something like this?"

Nick stared at his three friends and didn't know how to answer that question. Had they actually gotten used to it or was it that it just didn't scare them as much as it was scaring Kevin? "We'll talk about it when we get to the hotel, ok? Right now, we can't talk much." He looked over to their bodyguard once again, hoping Kevin would catch the idea.

Kevin's eyes followed Nick and after a moment he nodded. Placing his legs on the floor once again, Kevin tried to catch his breath. He started looking at the floor, fearing looking outside. The scream kept coming and going, yells trying to catch the guys attention.

Kevin hugged himself, not wanting to hear anything anymore. How hadn't he heard anything from inside the hospital? Had the girls stayed quiet all this time?

He shook his head. That didn't really matter at the moment. They'll talk about it when they reached the hotel, Nick had said that. Nick wouldn't lie to him. Neither of the guys would. They had no reason whatsoever to do such a thing.

Howie, seeing Kevin so closed up in himself, turned around, his eyes asking for help from his friends. Brian had an idea, but he was too far away. Looking at Howie, he mouthed Hug him.

Howie looked between Kevin and Brian, finally deciding that Brian was right. He placed his arm along the back of the seat, his hand resting on Kevin's shoulder. The older man turned around, a puzzled look on his face. Howie smiled at him, bringing Kevin's body closer to his. Kevin accepted the touch, leaning against Howie's side and closing his eyes.