Howie tightened his hold on Kevin, trying his best to calm the older man down. "It's going to be ok Kevin. There's nothing for you to worry about, I can assure you," Howie whispered into Kevin's ear. "We get through this every single day. We're going straight to the parking lot and then to the rooms." Which was a blessing in itself, because he couldn't even begin to imagine how Kevin would react to having to walk towards the entrance of the hotel with the screams on either side of him. Kevin was more than enough nervous as he was, inside the van and six feet from them.

It was barely five minutes later that the yells were muffled by their entrance in the hotel parking lot. The van stopped and Anthony opened the door. Howie motioned for Kevin to jump off, him following closely.

AJ, Brian and Nick joined them barely a minute later and the five of them, along with the five bodyguards, walked into the elevator and over the suites. Neither of the five said anything, not really knowing what to. Kevin stayed against the back of the elevator, his hands clenching and unclenching over the trim of his shirt.

The doors slid open and the guys walked down the hallway. AJ lead the way, knowing exactly that Ariadne was waiting for them in her suite.

He knocked once, waiting for her to open up. It was barely ten seconds later that the door swung open and coal black eyes were flaring at him.

She moved aside, motioning for the guys to enter, her eyes glaring at each one of them. However, her demeanor visibly changed when the oldest of them all walked through the door, following his brothers. Her eyes softened and the ghost of a smile made its way to her lips. Kevin, on her eyes, seemed so very nervous and doubtful, not even resembling the man she knew.

Each one of them took a seat on the couch in the living room area, Ariadne walking calmly over the table standing on one side of the room, picking up her files.

In any other given situation, she would have been furious at this point. She would have yelled at them for their irresponsibility. She would have told them about how whenever they complained about their schedule not running smoothly was because of miscalculations like the ones they had just conducted themselves. That if they expected things to go as they want them to, the last thing the guys can do is be there at the time needed. She would have ramble on and on until either she had lost her point -- which usually happen -- or something more important was needed to be talked about.

Even so, Ariadne only looked at the guys and sighed. She couldn't do that now. She couldn't do it when Kevin was sitting on the couch, his hands clenching and unclenching on his lap, when his eyes were locked with a thread of his long sleeves shirt, when he was quiet, the only sound coming from him was his breathing. She had been told Kevin didn't remember anything. AJ himself had told her, when he came over to pick up Kevin's clothes, that Brian had been showing him pictures that morning and it was like looking at someone else's life.

And it was. To a point. Kevin's own recollection was zero. The only things he remembered was waking up the day before and being introduced to this very different five characters. How could someone handle that?

She shook her head more to herself than to make a point. She had gotten lost in her thinking. There were things to discuss here and now.

"I see you guys found your way to my room," she stated coyly. Brian was about to say something, to defend him and his four friends, but Ariadne waved it off dismissively. "It doesn't matter." She checked her watch. A quarter to five.

She took a seat on the armchair and placed her papers on the small center table. "I've talked with the venues. They weren't happy, I can tell you that much, and I was close to having to promise my first born but I got them to give you two weeks off."

"That's not enough."

Her eyes moved from the printed letters and notes written on the sides with red pen to Nick. "I know but that was all I could get."

"Ariadne," Howie started, "you gotta understand. Kevin has to learn everything. From lyrics to choreographs. How will he do that in two weeks?"

She sighed slowly, running her fingers through her black hair. "I know ok? But do you have any idea how difficult it is to ask owners and producers to delay dates two weeks?"

"That's what we pay you for, right?"

She said nothing.

AJ opened his mouth to say something, to apologize for that totally uncalled for comment.

However, Ariadne interjected, "I've talked with them and the most I can give you it's two weeks."

AJ sighed softly. The moment was totally gone. Even if he tried to talk with her about it, he knew she'd just wave it off dismissively and tell him there were more important things to worry about than a stupid comment. She'd done it before. AJ could count the number of times his temper had gotten the best of him and ended up snapping at her. Ariadne had nothing to do with it. She was trying her best to arrange the dates when she couldn't even tell the producers about Kevin's real condition

He shook his head slightly. He'd have to talk with her some other time. Whenever he had his head straight and she wasn't going to wave him off.

"I've got the dates here." She took a page from the stack standing in front of her, placing it on top. "If you guys don't stand behind it, they can always sue you for breach of contract."

"Can they do that?" Howie looked at the guys and then back at Ariadne. He had always been sure she was one hell of a woman, tenacious to the core, but it was in situations like this when her real idiosyncrasy was shown. She hadn't even been affected by AJ's comment -- which had been more than idiotic.

Ariadne nodded. "The contract is very specific. That and the fact that if you don't back it up, they'll lose lots of money."

"We'll do the concert," Brian said, "we just want more time."

"Two weeks," she stated, "that's all you've got."

"Fuck." Nick bit his lower lip. "Fuck. Shit!"

"Nick--"

"Ariadne Goddamit!" Nick stood up from the couch, walking over to the table and back. "It took us three weeks to learn the new choreography and about a month to have the lyrics down. How the fuck do you want Kevin to have it down in two week?"

"Well sorry, but there isn't anything else left for me to do." Ariadne stood up, facing Nick even though there was more than just a foot in between.

"Nick--" The calm voice went unheard.

"There has to be!"

"Nickolas don't you think I would have tried it."

"We have to--"

"NICK!"

Both Nick and Ariadne turned over to see Brian, his eyes wide, his face angered. He jerked his head towards Kevin, who had his head hanging.

"Shit," Nick muttered under his breath. They had more than just forgotten Kevin was in the room.

Ariadne let out a long sigh. This was more than complicated. She took her seat once again, running both her hands through her hair. She lifted her eyes, meeting the guys expectant looks. "Two weeks. And I'm sorry, but that's all you've got."

Brian nodded more to himself than to the rest of the gang. Two weeks. Two weeks to teach Kevin everything Backstreet was all about. If two weeks was all they got, then two weeks it was.

"It's good to see you back Kevin," Ariadne said lowly, surprising not only Kevin who met her gaze with doubtful green eyes but the other four. She gave him a small smile, probably the first smile they had seen her show in the last month. "I'm really glad to see you back on your feet." Even though she hadn't actually seen Kevin in the hospital because she was more than busy with the media, she had heard from the guys themselves about his condition and had been concern about his health.

Kevin blinked, actually seeing her for the first time since he had entered the room. She had slightly dark skin, very much like Howie's. Her eyes were black, of that he was sure. So was her hair, now that he thought about it. It was barely shoulder length and it looked like it needed to be combed by something that wasn't her hands, but it fell straight along her face and onto her clavicle. She was wearing oval metal glasses, gazing at him through them. "Can ask I something?"

Ariadne nodded. "Sure."

"Who are you?"

Ariadne paused. She had forgotten about it. She didn't need to turn around to know that the guys were looking at each other, completely lost. They, too, had forgotten about introducing her to him and it was more than obvious that Kevin hadn't even been told about who they were going to meet. If she wasn't used to getting out of situations like this, she would have be sweating like a pig.

She stood up and walked over the other side of the table, standing in front of Kevin. She extended her hand. "I'm Ariadne Fowley, Backstreet's Press Liaison."

Kevin took her hand in his and shook it. "Oh."

She smiled again. "That's a good of a reaction as any. In other words, I handle the schedules and dates. I'm the one who tells you guys where you have to be and when. And, lets face it, without me you'd all be lost."

It was a chuckle that drew Kevin's attention from her stoic face over to AJ. "Sure we will," AJ's tone was sarcastic to the core.

Ariadne glared at him. "Just try to live a week without me and you wouldn't even know which day it was."

Kevin turned to look at Ariadne once again. "What does this mean?"

She frowned slightly. "What?"

"This... this whole discussion about two weeks?"

She sighed softly, stand up and walking over to the small fridge the hotel provided. To say that Kevin's question had taken her out of axis was the underestimation of the year. She opened the door, speaking as she did so. "Did the guys tell you about the group?" Taking a Coke in her hands, she turned around. "What is it they do?"

Kevin nodded.

She walked back to the armchair, opening the coke and taking a sip. "You all had a pretty tight schedule before the accident happen. Interviews, photo shoots, meets-&-greets, tv shows, radio calls, autographs signing besides the concerts. All of that had to be postpone because of your condition. It was slightly understandable after telling the media you were attacked.. But having to delay the dates for more than just a couple of days was what I had trouble with." She shrugged. "I think they thought that you'd be back in a week, tops. Still, it's been a week and now I'm asking for another two weeks off. They don't like that."

"So...?"

Ariadne sighed. Kevin didn't remember, she had to keep that in mind. Her and the guys now had to teach him everything there was to know about how the tour was handled and the music industry in itself. "We do have the two weeks, but that's about it." She sighed. She could recall seeing the guys in between practice and they always looked like they were dead on their feet. Now Kevin had to go through all that with no prior experience whatsoever. "You're going to have to learn it all in two weeks."

Kevin's eyes moved from Ariadne over to the guys, his expression nervous and fearful. "Is that possible? You all said--"

Brian shook his head, a small smile on his lips. "Don't worry about what we said. You can do it."

He frowned. "Are you sure?"

"There's nothing for you to worry," Howie reassured. "We are all gonna help you with choreography and the lyrics--"

"Dates and names," Nick added. "We're gonna have to change some stuff around." He paused for a moment. "You can always learn only the songs for the tour. The ones we sing on stage. The old ones... well, we don't do them anymore, so why waste time."

Howie nodded. "Sure. That's a good idea."

"Fatima always said that working with one is easier than working with five, so," AJ shrugged. "Also, we could change a couple of songs and just make it on stools."

"Who's Fatima?"

"She's our choreographer," Nick said. "We've had her almost for as long as we've been as a group. She's really helped us when it comes down to our dancing."

"She's going to meet you all tomorrow afternoon," Ariadne took another sip of her coke. "I've got the tickets ready and you should be settle before lunch. She wants to see you all at two."

"Where?" Kevin looked at the five of them. "Where are we going?"

"Tomorrow morning you're flying to Virginia." Ariadne said calmly. "I got you a small house. We thought it'd be better if you get away of prying eyes and somewhere a little bit more quiet. She's got a studio there. Claudia, you and the guys' old singing coach, is going to meet you there as well."

"We're leaving?"

Howie nodded. "It's the best. They already know we're here and that you were in the hospital. At least leaving the city gives us more privacy."

Kevin didn't know what they were actually talking about, but he nodded. They were his friends, right? They were suppose to worry about him? If they thought it was the best, then who was Kevin to go against them? He trusted them.

Ariadne checked her watch once again. Ten to six. "Ok guys, you've got more than enough time to refresh and pack before dinner. The sooner you hit the sack the better. The plane leaves at seven thirty, with or without you guys, so make sure you're there."

AJ nodded, chuckling slightly. She was always the same when it came down to being on time for a flight. "Sure girl. We'd be on time."

"You better."

The guys stood up, planning on leaving. Kevin followed them, not really knowing where they were heading right now.

"I'll see you all at dinner."

Whenever they had to talk about schedules, it was a taken habit to have dinner at Kevin's room. However, Nick thought that maybe it'd be better if dinner was in his room instead. "At nine in my room, alright?"

Ariadne barely paused for a second before understanding the reason underneath. She nodded. She should have thought about it. That only meant that in the three hours in between, she had more than enough time to think about every other thing that had to be changed or considered. "Sure."

Brian opened the door, walking into the hallway. Ariadne waited for the five of them to be out, giving Kevin a small smile before closing the door after them.

It was an unspoken statement that they were going to Kevin's room. AJ retrieved the key from his pocket and opened the door. He had asked for it at front desk when he had come over for Kevin's stuff. The five of them entered the room, not really knowing where to begin with.

"This is your room." AJ stated. At least it worked.

Kevin looked around and nodded. The room looked very similar than Ariadne's room, that was for sure. It was big and spacey. It was a lot bigger than his hospital room. Windows covered with curtains stood in the middle, letting the last rays of sun enter.

"This is the living room area," AJ added after a moment. He didn't know for sure if Kevin was aware that his bedroom was the door on their left. "There's a small kitchen on the right," he pointed to the closed white door. "You're room is on the left."

Kevin's eyes moved from the door on the right over to the slightly ajar door on the left. He walked towards it, opening further and entering the space. There was a big bed with a gray comforter, wide windows behind it. A small dresser stood on his left, in front of the bed; a closet on his right. Another door was on the other side of the room, right in front of him and Kevin guessed it was the bathroom. A small table was in between the bed and door, papers still scattered on top.

"It's big."

"Yeah," Brian said, "we each have a suite in this floor."

"I'm placing your gym bag here Kevin," Nick called out for Kevin's attention. He placed the almost forgotten gym bag on the bed. "Your suitcases," he pointed towards the empty luggage in front of the closet and one besides the dresser, "are over there. You always unpack once we reach a hotel."

Kevin nodded.

"One of us can help you pack, if you want," Nick suggested, looking at the guys who nodded along. "It usually takes around an hour or two to have everything ready."

"Thanks," Kevin said sincerely. He sat on the bed slowly, his eyes moving towards the table on his right. There were papers on top. Papers he had most certainly needed barely a week ago. There were files opened, stacks of papers around. So many papers. He couldn't distinguish the words, but there were sentences written on pen around the edges. His hand writing probably. He had wrote notes down around the papers. Him.

"What happened?"

Kevin's voice was so very low, Brian almost missed it himself. "What?"

Kevin turned around from the papers and looked at his younger cousin. Brian had said he was Kevin's younger cousin. Brian had told Kevin himself. "What happened? A week ago, what happened?" He looked at each one of his friends. At the four people who were standing by his bed when he woke up. He looked at the four strangers who had introduced themselves as Kevin's caring friends. "What happened to me?"