Fallen
By Lis
(c) 2000
********


The news resonated through the music business and finally through the
world. MTV and MuchMusic interrupted their programming to inform viewers
while fans stared at the VJs in disbelief. It couldn't be...they were
wrong. This wasn't supposed to happen, at least not yet...not for years,
not for another few albums, after just another few tours. The band that
had sat at the top of the charts for ten years was now no more.


"And the latest news out of the Backstreet camp is..." Nick turned the
radio off as he stepped onboard his boat, inhaling the sea air. He knew
when the news broke there would be an uproar but damn the news was
everywhere. Even CNN had announced it. "Nick?" A woman's voice called and
he turned around, smiling as he saw his wife standing on the dock. "Hey
Lissy." he greeted, helping her on the boat.

She studied him, "You okay? You were a million miles away..."

He shrugged as he readied the boat, "Just thinking...feel like going out
on the water?"


AJ sat on his patio, his eyes focused on no particular point in the far
off distance as he chainsmoked his way through the packs of cigerettes
laying on the patio table. Jenn stood in the doorway watching him, "J, are
you all right?" she asked finally. He didn't answer just blew a smoke ring
in the air and closed his eyes. Backstreet was dead.


Alec walked out of the house, "Kevin?" she called, her eyes scanning the
enormous yard for him. Finally she caught sight of him laying in the
hammock, "Kev?"

His eyes opened and he stared at her blankly for a minute, "Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm just great." he answered, closing his eyes again and hugging his arms
to him.


Brian stood on the driveway, bouncing the basketball rhythmatically
against the ashphalt before taking a shot at the basket. He frowned as it
missed the basket and waited for it to bounce back to him. He had never
felt so numb in his life...


Howie sat in his office, staring at all the awards on the walls. All the
good times they'd shared clouded his memory. His eyes took in each award,
the words Backstreet Boys jumping out at him. He squeezed his eyes shut,
trying to block the pain that had flooded his body the past three days.
Seventy two hours he thought he'd never live through.