Chapter 5

He trapped her against the bathroom wall and began to pull up her skirt, very much anticipating what was to come.  Kris hadn't had any sex in two whole days thanks to Kat's little disappearing act and he needed a release...badly.  Luckily, a very hot stewardess was more than willing to please him and within the hour, he lured her here in the bathroom. 

In twenty minutes, he got what he wanted.

Satisfied, he zipped up his pants.  "Thanks babe.  That was great."

She smiled sexily as she began to pull up her panty hose and pull down her skirt.  "It certainly was.  I could get fired for this...but hell, it'd be well worth it."

Kris laughed.  "Definitely."  He opened the door slightly ajar.  No one was waiting for the bathroom.  Smiling slyly, he closed it again.  Then he pulled her into his arms again.  "Nobody's waiting out there..."

She giggled.  "Really?"

"Uh huh," he began to undo the buttons of her blouse.  He knew she wouldn't say no.  Nobody ever said no to Kris Reid.  His eyes narrowed as his mouth traveled to her throat.

Except for Kat.

But that would all change soon enough.  She owed him big time and until she gave him what he wanted, he won't let her breathe a moment's peace.  She could deny it all she wants but he knew that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her.  She was just being stubborn.  But Kris had a thing for stubborn women...and he loved to conquer them.   As for Billie...  He smiled.  He'd leave her and go find fun elsewhere just like he'd always had.  But for now, he needed to keep stringing her along until Kat falls into his web.  His smile widened.

He had big plans for his little kitten.

***

Billie looked out the window of her hotel room, cursing the storm for not letting up for even a hour.  She hadn't seen or heard from her sister in two days and there was no one to comfort her.  Kris had to go for a very important business meeting back in Tampa.  She winced as another crash of thunder exploded in the horizon.  She hated thunder with a passion.  It'd frightened her since she was a little girl.  Kris...why did you have to go?  She needed him here, but she understood that his work was very important to him.

"It's for our future, baby.  I gotta start saving up for our family, our children's college fund, our retirement when we're too old to make a living."

She smiled for a brief moment.  She loved him so much and to know that he felt the same way about her was a blessing.  Of course it helped that her parents and Rina also approved of him.  Rina's opinion was especially important.  She loved her sister immensely.  Not because of their blood bond, but because she was also her very best friend.  Tears stung her eyes.  Where could she be right now?  Was she cold, hungry...alone?  Or was she unable to feel any of those things because she was....  Billie shook her head.  No.  Rina is fine.  She's a strong girl. 

She moved away from the window, reached into her bag and grabbed her discman and settled on the bed.  She needed to distract herself fast or she'd go nuts. 

"I promise you from the bottom of my heart,
 I will love you 'till death  do us part.
 I promise you as a lover and a friend,
 I will love you like I'll never love again...
 with everything I am."*

Billie sighed and relaxed her muscles.  She knew their music would do the trick.  It was one of the many reasons why she loved them so much.  She'd been a huge Backstreet Boys Fan since she went to a concert of theirs when she was visiting a friend in Europe back in 1996.  Her friends at work constantly teased her for that since she was still hooked on them now that she was nearing her 30's, but she couldn't care less.  It's not as though she was only one.  Kris kept trying to convince her to take their posters off her wall, but she refused to every time he brought it up.  She was a fan through and through...and damn proud of it.  Even though they weren't a group anymore.

"You see me sitting here, a smile upon my face.
 The time has come but you know that it's not too late.
 There's been too many things together we have seen.
 It's not that hard if you start to believe..."*

It had saddened her when she read the article in the newspaper this morning that they'd decided to call it quits, but she understood.  With Nick gone, BSB would never be the same, whether they replaced him or not.  It was either all five of them or nothing.  She had actually cried when she found out that Nick was dead.  Rina spent over an hour comforting her, though she had no idea who Nick even was.  The only one she remembered was A.J because she thought he was really hot.  She smiled.  Her sister had the weirdest taste in guys.  She loved A.J and all, but she was more into clean cut guys like Brian...or Howie.  Suddenly, she opened her eyes wide open, the article she'd read about Nick's disappearance coming to mind.  He'd gone missing here in Alberta!  Fear began to settle in her heart.  And now Rina's gone too...  The tears returned almost instantly.  What if I can't find her either?  What if she meets the same fate as Nick?!?!

***

Kevin was just finishing his packing when a knock interrupted him.

"Hey Kev.  Can I come in?"

"Sure Howie."

He opened the door and walked in, his eyes red from yesterday's events.  "Leaving already?"

Kevin smiled lightly.  "Yeah...Kristin's waiting for me in L.A.  Thanks for letting me stay at your place though."

"No problem."  Howie leaned against the wall.  "It's really over huh?"

"Yeah...it is."

"I'm gonna miss it."

Kevin sighed.  "So am I."  They'd been touring the world, hearing people scream at them for almost ten years.  It was going to be odd returning to a 'normal' life.  But it wasn't like they had a choice.  Their fans had been really upset, but they'd been expecting the news for months.  The guys had often said in previous interviews that BSB were the five of them, not four...

"I called Brian a few minutes ago," Howie said quietly, "there's still no change."

"I'm not surprised."

"A.J's thinking on heading over to Atlanta with Sarah and spend a few days with him and Leighanne.  Maybe having his friends around might help you know?"

Kevin nodded. "Yeah, Kristin and I are going in a few weeks."

"I'm spending a few days with the family before I go myself," Howie sighed, "I need to be around them right now."  His eyes darkened.  "Oh and before I forget, Rachel's downstairs."

He groaned and closed his suitcase.  "You've got to be kidding me."

"I wish," Howie crossed his arms, "she claims she wants to say bye to you before you go."

"How nice," he replied sarcastically.

"The only reason I let her in was because of Nick..." his voice faltered, "I don't think he would've wanted us to be...rude to her since he liked her so much..."

Kevin winced.  He hated hearing Nick being spoken of in the past tense.  It made everything too real.  "I guess I have no choice, but to see her then."  He followed Howie downstairs, suitcase in hand, and kept his reluctance in seeing her in check when he saw at the foot of the stairs.  It was really hard to, though, when she was grinning at him and dressed in red...just yesterday she acted like her world had ended.  Then again, he expected as much from Rachel.  Whether Nick had wanted to see it or not, it was easy to classify what kind of person she was.

A leech.

"Hey Kevin," she placed a hand on his arm, "I heard you were leaving already."

"Yes..." he frowned.  Was it really necessary for her to press her body against him like that?  He moved away and looked at Howie in irritation.

He rolled his eyes.

"I can take you to the airport now if you'd like."

"No thanks," Kevin replied and squished his suitcase in between his leg and her hers.  "Uh, Howie's takin' me.  Aren't you Howie?"

"Yeah, in fact, we'd better get goin' now." Howie opened the door.  "See you later Rachel."

"Awww, can't I come with you guys?"

"Uh, there's no room in my car," Howie replied, knowing full well that there was and she knew it.

Kevin smiled.  Any idiot could catch Howie's subtle hint.  So he knew Rachel would get it.

"Oh." She shot him a frosty look.

Howie was unaffected.  "Let's go Kev."

When they left the driveway, Kevin patted Howie's back.  "That was great Howie.  Couldn't have done it better myself."

"Thanks, but don't think you're off the hook yet.  It looks like Rachel's moved on pretty fast and she wants to stick her claws into you."

Kevin shrugged.  "I dare her to try..."

***

Katarina slowly lifted her eyes.  Where am I?  Her eyes moved from the ceiling to the sliver of light coming from the window on her left.  I'm back in Caroline's house...but how did I get back here?  She lifted herself up and groaned inwardly.  My head...  A soft sigh coming from her right, startled her and she nearly screamed when she saw him sitting in the chair next to her bed.  Her breathing increased.  It's him...that horrible man...  But as the light from the window shone down on the side of his face, she realized that she wasn't quite as frightening as she thought he was.  He was actually really...appealing.  His blond bangs fell over his eyes and his cheek was a little flushed, but soft looking.  She frowned.  He looks really familiar.  Another soft sigh escaped his lips and she wondered how such a gentle looking guy could've scared her to death last night.  But then again, he was sleeping right now.  Anyone looked docile when they were asleep.  Even guys like Kris.  His cool eyes resurfaced from her memories of yesterday and she shivered.  She'd never forget those eyes for as long as she lived.

Suddenly, he began to move and Katarina was fully expecting those eyes to peer right at her at any moment.  Instead, she saw something much more unpleasant.  Her eyes widened.  His face...what happened to his face?!  She stared at the black patch of leather that completely covered the other side of it, leaving only a hole where his eye was and one for half of his lips.  Something terrible must've happened to him, she thought sympathetically.  Still, that didn't make him any less intimidating.  She continued gazing at him tentatively.  He was the artist...the one who drew all those beautiful drawings, the ones that Caroline had painted and had displayed downstairs.  Caroline's hiding him here with her...but why?  All of a sudden it became clear to her as she recalled her discovery yesterday.  She gasped.  That's why he looks familiar! 

She was staring right at Nick Carter.

***

He could feel her eyes on him.  He was really surprised that she didn't scream her head off when she saw him.  Even Caroline had let out a minor yelp when she first glimpsed at his face.  Katarina Clark seemed to be full of surprises.  That both pleased and bothered him for reasons he'd rather not think about.

He'd spent all night thinking about her.

Tired of pretending to be asleep, he opened his eyes and squinted.  Light.  He stood and heard her gasp again.  Well, that's better than her screaming at me.  He pulled the curtains tighter and finally, turned to face her.  It'd been a long time since he'd seen someone stare at him with wide eyes.  It was kind of refreshing.  Unfortunately, he knew it wasn't for star status...or his 'good' looks.

"I thought you were dead!"

Damn!  So she did know who he was.  That was just great.  "I am."

Her fingers tightened on the blanket she was grasping.  "But I see you..."

Nick stifled a laugh.  She actually thought that he was a ghost.  The old Nick might've played with that idea...but he was long gone.  "I mean, to everyone else out there...I am dead."  He looked away.  "But as you can plainly see, I'm not."  He was growing wary of her gaze and he moved toward the door.  "I'd better get Caroline--"

"Wait!"

He stopped and turned slightly, showing her only his good side.  "What is it?" he asked gruffly.

"How...did I get back here?"

He knew full well that that wasn't the question she had wanted to ask, but he was thankful that she chose something else.  He often lost patience easily.  "I brought you back."

"You did?!" she stared at him in bewilderment, "but you kicked me out!"

"Yeah well, like Caroline said, it's not my house."  Why does she keep looking at me like that?

"Uh...thank you, I guess."

"Don't thank me.  Thank Caroline."  Okay, I've had enough of her staring!  He put his hand on the knob of the door.

"I know you..."

Nick sighed impatiently and turned to look at her again.  "I think we've established that already."

"No, not in that way..." her face grew pensive, "I know I've met you before...but where?"

"I'm going to get Caroline."  He left the room before she could stop him again.  As he made his way downstairs, he frowned.  Something about her words was bothering him.  She was talking crazy and yet, something inside of him was acknowledging that he knew her as well. 

It'd be a snowy day in Tampa before he'd tell her that though...

***

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