The little girl giggles, blushing all the way to her ears. "Hmm... Hi."

Nick chuckles slightly. It's always like this. Whenever one of them meet a girl, they are always either too embarrassed to talk or to hyper to talk. He knew by now he should be used to meet-&-greets before concert, but somehow, he just isn't. "Your name little one."

"Mary."

Nick nods, picking up the water prove marker, writing down on the page "To Mary with Love. Nick." Handing the autographed picture to her, he waved in the next.

"Hi. What's your name?"

"Oh God Nick!" She starts jumping up and down and Nick hopes she won't get frantic on him. "You're so beautiful. I love you so much!"

He only smiles at her. He's used to this. He's sure they really don't love him, but he's used to girls telling them that. "Thanks." His gaze drops to the picture, signing it in one fast movement. "Take care." He knows the girl wants to stay and talk with him, but security tells her to keep the row moving, Brian smiling at her from his seat by Nick's side, asking her her name once again.

It's like they've got this well-oiled machine going on when it comes down to autograph signings. They try to have a meet-&-greet before the concerts as much as they can, even though sometimes they are just too tired to sit down for an hour and sign down their names nonstop. They just sit down on this long table, each one with markers in their hands and a stack of pictures of themselves, writing down names and signatures.

Cracking his neck from side to side, feeling it numbing from all the looking down, he's able to see Howie giving a small peck on the cheek to a little girl, no more than seven years old, crying her eyes out. He chuckles. AJ, on Howie's left, chuckles as well. D is always one of the calmest when it comes down to handling the fans. Kevin and Brian are closed second. AJ next and Nick, ought to his age, last. It's not that he doesn't like his fans; it's just that he gets tired easily.

"Hi Nick!"

The voice surprises him, making him turn around. He smiles again, his cheeks hurting from all the forcing on his jaws. "Hi. What's your name?" He says, pen in hand, starting to write "To."

She shakes her head. "No, it's ok. You don't have to sign an autograph for me, even though that's really nice of you. I'm sure your hand it's probably numb my now, right?"

Looking up in bewilderment, he squints his eyes slightly. "Yeah, a little."

She smiles. "Yeah, thought so." Her black eyes are dancing. "I just wanted to tell you that I really like your music. You guys sing great. I wish more people would take you seriously, but I'm still confident that someday they will."

To say that he was stunned would have been the underestimation of the year. No many teenage girls tell them that. "Excuse me," he says, really looking at her this time. "How old are you?"

She blushes slightly. "I know, I know. I'm probably a little bit too old to be after a boyband, but I believe you guys are more than just pretty boys singing together. I mean. You really harmonize. Your voices just blend together and create something..." she lets a slow sigh in contempt, "wonderful." She shakes her head, like trying to get back to the present. "Sorry. I kinda drift off. I tend to do that and my mom hates it. She says I'd do better in school if I just paid attention."

"She's right."

The girl nods. "Yeah. I know. I know. I try. I swear." She giggles. "Sorry, that wasn't what you asked. I'm sixteen by the way."

This time Nick nods. "Thank you by the way," he says, this time the smile reaching his eyes. "That was really sweet of you."

She shrugs. "Nah. Just thought I'd tell you not every girl in this place is after your name on a photo. Anyways," she turns around, realizing the row is waiting for her to continue down to Brian and then outside the room. "I think I better get going. I'm sure down there are a couple of Brian's fans that are planning my slow death. So... bye. And I hope you have a great show."

He nods. "Thanks. I hope you enjoy it." He frowns. That was weird. It was really weird when one of the girls told him something actually constructive and not your average "Hi, I'm (put the name here) and I love you."

He shakes his head, stiffening back a yawn. God, he's tired. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that he didn't go to bed yesterday until around two am. How could he, the song still in mind and the feeling of Kevin by his side still on his skin? He rubs his eyes. Time to get back to business again as the next girl appears before him, her own picture of him with the guys in hand.

"Hi!," she says cheery.

He tries his best to smile at her and not wince. "Hi. What's your name?"

"I'm Sandra. Oh God Nick, I only wanted to tell you how much I love you and that you're my favorite. I have every interview of you on tape. You're so great."

"Thanks," he says, taking the picture from her. He stops himself before grimacing. Oh god. That picture was awful. It was of him around... what? Sixteen. He was with the rest of the gang, standing before a yellow background, making what the photographers always called their seductive looks. Gosh, they so sucked at that. Where in God's name had she found that picture? It's printed, that's obvious. Damn. He hates his hair in this picture.

"That's my favorite picture. You look so cute!"

He gives her a tight smile. "Thanks." He looks at the picture for a moment. Looking at his own person five years ago, he suddenly feels old. Back then he didn't have to worry about law suits, marketing, album sales, prices, lawyers. He didn't have to worry about being in love. He rubs his left eyebrow, a habit he takes after Kevin. He shakes his head. He's trying not to think about the older man sitting by his side, and the more he doesn't want to, the more he does.

Picking up the marker, he wants to finish signing this damn pictures so he can at least do something he loves as singing for the audience.

But before he can even write a word, Sandra interrupts him. "Can I ask you a little favor?"

Sighing under his breath, he nods. Sure. Why not? He's already dead on his feet. "Yeah?"

"I was wondering if you could sign with that green marker?" She says, pointing at it. "I know green is your favorite color and I just want you to sign with it."

This time, he actually lets out an exasperated sigh. How he hated ever saying his favorite color. So many things had been sent to him on green. Everything you could think of, that had been sent on green. Always on green. By this time, he's sick of green. He now likes blue better. And there's no way in hell he's ever saying that, or he'll get fed off that too. "Sure."

He leans over to his right, the marker a little out of his reach. The venue always provided two boxes of markers in different colors. Brian, for example, always chooses brown. Nick doesn't know why. Kevin takes blue from the moment he sees it. AJ, being a little flashier than the rest of the gang, jumps from yellow to orange or even red depending on his mood. Howie goes with good old green. While Nick, lately, has been picking black. Maybe it had to do with his mood, but he wasn't sure that was the reason. After all, he had been gloomier since Thursday, but something told him that it was because he just liked the color.

Reaching a little further down the table, Nick barely even touches it. Hearing a soft chuckle mixed with a southern drawl he knows like the back of his hand, he inhales unconsciously. "Here," the voice whispers in his ear, the hair on the back of his neck standing up. Kevin hands Nick the marker. His hand brushes Nick's and he trembles. "You coulda have asked, you know?"

Nick nods, turning around, blue eyes meeting green ones. "Thanks Kev."

Kevin shrugs. He looks at the girl standing before Nick, giving her a nod. After all, she had just had another picture signed by him; he turns around and focuses on the girl in front of him. "Where were we?" He drawls.

Nick shakes his head. Better get his head straight before he made a mistake he'd later regret. "Sorry," he says to the girl. "What was your name you said?"

The girl chuckles. "Sandra."

He nods to himself, signing he picture. "Thanks and I hope you enjoy the show."

Oh so very excited, smiling and nodding she goes over to Brian.

Nick lets out a long sigh. He rubs his eyes with the palms of his hands. He wishes they didn't have to be here right now. He just wants to leave. Turning around, his eyes fall on the row. Only four more girls until this ends. He wishes they were through with this already.

"It won't take long."

Once again that voice in his ear. He stiffens unconsciously. He nods, barely even turning around. "Yeah," he says tightly.

Kevin frowns slightly, but dismisses it quickly. He gives Nick a small smile before turning around back to the girl who's handing him a picture.

Nick finishes the signing in autopilot. He's tired and he just wants to go to his bed and hide from the world for yet another night.

They go to the dressing room and each one of them have their full concentration in getting the right outfit and changing in a hurry because, as Kevin tells them every two minutes, they are running late.

The concert starts before Nick realizes it and he goes through it like he goes through life, enjoying it as much as he can but hoping the day ends. Not being his normal self, thinking about last night and the song, he misses a couple of cues. His dancing is flawless, but his singing leaves much to say. When the concerts ends and the guys are still all high on the emotion, Nick feels like an old man. He changes and doesn't say a word. Even Brian is worried about him, but he won't say a thing.

They get in the van that takes them to the hotel. The guys chat along, joking and laughing through the whole ride. Nick, sitting on one side, looks out the window, not joining them on the fun. He doesn't feel like it. He's exhausted. He feels like the life is being drawn out of him and he doesn't see the reason or the source.

They go up to their floor, each one of the guys making their way into their rooms. When Nick's hand touches the doorknob, he feels a hand on his shoulder. He knows it's not Kevin's in the way Nick isn't trembling and his heart isn't racing.

"What?" He asks tiredly.

"Do you wanna talk?"

Nick shakes his head, his back still turned. "Not really."

"Nick--"

"Not now Brian. I'm not up to it. I just wanna be alone."

There's a pause, silence. "Okay."

Nick nods, opening his door and getting in his room, not turning to see his friend. He can't do that. He can't face reality. Not right now. Not at the moment. He walks to his bed, falling down on it. He's too tired to change or get under the covers. He's too tired even to breath, but he doesn't have much of a choice on that one.

Before he can continue psychoanalyzing himself, there's knocking on his door. He groans out in frustration. Brian can be so fucking stubborn sometimes. Fuck him.

He doesn't move. Maybe if he pretends to be asleep, then Brian will leave him alone.

Another knock.

Not likely.

Shit. He stands up, walking over to the door. He's this close to opening it and slamming it in his face. That man doesn't understand no, does he?

"What?!" He growls out as he opens it, his eyes widening when he sees the person on the other end.

"Hi," Kevin says softly. "I'm sorry, I just..." He lets out a sigh. "Can I talk with you?"

Nick nods. "Sure," he moves to a side, motioning for Kevin to enter.

The older man complies, walking into the living room area. He starts pacing and Nick worries. Kevin only paces when whatever he wants to talk about, isn't pretty. It has happened before. When he had to tell the guys about the scamming Lou was doing, about the lawsuit and AJ's condition. He doesn't want to hear what Kevin wants to say. Not now. He knows he wouldn't be able to handle it.

Kevin lets out a small sigh. He can do this, right?

Of course you can, his mind tells him. You've thought about this. Put your feelings aside and just talk. He's your friend. This is the least he deserves of you.

Kevin nods to give himself some strength. "Nick, I wanted to talk with you for a moment."

Shaking his head, Nick walks over to the other side of the room. He opens the minibar, taking out a can of coke. If he wanted to drink, he surely wouldn't do it in front of Kevin. "Not now Kev, I'm really tired."

"I know." He jerks his head towards Nick. "I can see that."

Nick nods. "I just wanna go to bed right now."

"It won't take long."

"Not right now."

"Please," Kevin says slowly.

Nick thinks about it. He can't deny anything to Kevin; he knows that. But he's not in the mood and he doesn't know if he can face Kevin like this. He lets out a long sigh. Maybe if he gets through with this, then he can sleep. "Okay."

Kevin pauses, taking a step towards the blond and he's thankful Nick doesn't take a step back. "I..." He pauses. He had this whole speech going on back in his room, but now that he's in front of Nick, he doesn't remember anything. This is his friend standing in front of him. The same kid he used to play piggyback with. Things hadn't changed that much besides Kevin falling in love with him. He sighs. "You've been pretty quiet lately. You're not usually like that." He tries to explain. "Yesterday, you barely said two words to me. And today, you barely even said something to the rest of the guys. I feel like you're ignoring me. You don't even play with Brian after the concert. That's not you. That's not the Nick I know."

Biting his lower lip, Nick stays quiet. Of course he's not the guy Kevin knows. That guy wouldn't be in love with one of his best friends.

"I don't know if this is my fault," Kevin continues. "Maybe I've just been too hard on you. I know we haven't talked in a while and I've been getting pretty mad at ya lately," which wasn't Nick's fault, he knew that. "But I just want you to know that you can still tell me anything." Kevin pauses. "You used to do that, you know? You used to tell me anything. Everything."

Nick nods sadly. He remembers. He remembers when life was easier and funnier. When getting on Kevin's hair was his hobby and he didn't have things to worry about. When he wasn't in love with anyone. And that's something he can't say.

"I know," Nick whispers.

Kevin lowers his head. This isn't helping. Not Nick and certainly not him. He smiles sadly at the blond. "Go to bed if you're so tired. Rest. We don't have anything tomorrow morning. Not until lunch with a magazine. Sleep in. You haven't done that in a while. I'll leave you alone."

Kevin turns around, walking over to the door.

Nick closes his eyes shut. His head is hurting again. He feels so bad. Kevin thinks this is somehow his fault. But it isn't. It's totally Nick's. It's him making a huge deal out of nothing. It's him letting his feelings drawn him down. He wants to tell Kevin that. He wants to say he still trusts Kevin. He has to, unless he wants Kevin to keep torturing himself over that.

"I love you."

Kevin freezes in place just before he reaches the door.

Nick stares at Kevin's back. That was not what he wanted to say. That wasn't what he was going to say. It just... it just came out. Oh god. He wants to die.

Kevin turns around slowly, his green eyes darker, his face a mask of surprise. "What?"

Nick shakes his head. His eyes sting suddenly and his face is burning. He wants to crawl into a whole and die, he's so embarrassed. "I..."

"What did you say?" Kevin's voice is low, barely coming out as a whisper. He walks slowly where Nick's standing.

Nick shakes his head again. He wants to deny it. He wants to say that he meant it as a friend, but he can't. How can you deny something like that?

"I..."

Kevin takes another step forward, barely inches from Nick's face.

Blue eyes are wide, tears shinning in them. Reddened lips are being bit tightly to keep himself from crying out.

Mouth is open in surprise, green eyes clearing, filling with tears as well.

And before either of them know what's happening, a soft petal kiss in plated on rosy lips. Sounds stand still, bodies not moving, clocks not ticking.

When they pull apart, surprise has morphed into happiness and bliss. They just look at each other. Their hearts don't race anymore. They don't say anything. They don't have to. Everything that needed to be said has already been done. Their thoughts are enough to fill them and give them a sense of easiness.

They are fine.