Rachael came back just as the sun was setting over the horizon. Nick was tempted to what she was doing, but fought down the urge and turned away. He was still angry, he reminded himself. Turning his attention back to his dinner, he focused on the night ahead. He was slightly strung-up, for it being the first show and all, and he could see that the others were as well.

“Relax,” Julian told them. “You look like a horde of fans are after you.”

“Can I start running?” Brian quipped. They laughed, and the tension somewhat lessened.

All too soon, it was time to go. Nick could hear the full-throated roar from up above in the stadium, which was now pulsating with a full audience and the opening act which had gone on first.

“Thirty minutes!” he heard someone shouting.

“What about the check up?” Kevin asked.

“Yep- Searton’s going over it,” a crewman confirmed.

By now they were ready- dressed in blue space-like gear, harnessed onto the skateboards. The dancers trotted out, equipped with long staves and dressed in orange tracksuits, a bright contrast to the blue. The band, dressed in white, came out of their dressing room as well.

“Check up completed- everything’s in order,” a crew yelled out.

“Pyros checked; ready to go,” another reported.

“Circuits checked- in tip top shape!”

“Twenty minutes till show down!” another crew yelled.

Nick looked around, feeling the tension melting away. This was what he had been anticipating. The butterflies in his stomach were gone now, replaced by a rippling energy, coiled up and waiting to be unleashed on stage. He checked his microphone, listening absently as AJ chatted on non-stop.

Then he spotted Rachael. She was standing slightly apart form the others, observing the rioterius scene with a detached look on her face. If she weren’t so stiff and sharp-eyed, he would have mistaken the look for boredom. She must’ve felt his gaze, because she turned and glanced at him. He looked away quickly. She always made him uncomfortable- maybe it was that piercing gaze, he mused. She always looked like she was looking straight into a person’s mind. He shook his head slightly, as if trying to purge the thought away. Every time he saw her, he was reminded of his situation; the whispering voice that haunted in the middle of the night.....

“Five minutes!”

The shout shook him away from his trail of thoughts.

“Ritual time, everyone!” Marcus called out. Everyone gathered around. The group, the band, dancers, managers- for a short time of prayer, asking for the show to go smoothly. It had been a tradition of the BSB for a long, long time.

“Brian, would you?” Marcus asked when everyone linked hands.

Brian nodded, and said a short prayer. After the solemn moment, they put their hands together. Rachael looked a little startled by this ritual, but she joined suit.

“One, two, three-”

Everyone shouted, “Backstreet!”

“BSB what time is it?” Kevin called.

“It’s time.... To go to work now!” they chanted.

“What kind of work?”

“Hard work! Whoo!”

The ritual finished, the band and the dancers ran up toward the stage-they could hear the audience’s restless chanting; “... Backstreet Boys! Backstreet Boys!”

Howie took a deep breath. “ That’s us, guys.”

“Okay, let’s go!” AJ yelled impatiently.

“ ’Luck, everyone,” Kevin said, waving before the harness slowly lifted him up.

Brian shuddered as his skateboard slowly ascended. “And to think that I was used to these,” he yelled above the noise.

“You’ll get used to it,” Nick yelled back, grinning. All of a sudden, he was impatient to get out there.

He heard the band playing the Star Wars theme a split second before he was jerked up into the air. A blinding spotlight sought and found him. Screams, full throated and deafening, erupted from the audience below, rocking the stadium. Nick carefully manoeuvred the skateboard, sailing over the cheers, savouring the welcome; he had imagined what the reactions would be like. His fans didn’t fail him. (I’m getting emotional here...)

He saw AJ flying past, doing crazy somersaults. That maniac, he thought wryly, then tore his attention back to the flying. The band exploded into the introduction for ‘Larger than life’ as they landed on stage. Nick forgot everything else as they automatically launched into the rehearsed movements. His adrenalins were flowing.

“...Looking at the crowd and I see your body sway, c’mon....” he sang, and heard the screams rising to a crescendo. The dancers flashed on(HAHAHAHA!! Sorry!) at the bottom part of the stage, then the stand lowered and they went through the dance routine.

The party had just begun.

It was triumphant night for all of them. They sang again and again; the audience would have kept them there forever.

Then it was over. They left the stage, laughing, flushed, so high that they were almost flying. Cheers erupted from the backstage; champagne flowed, everyone was kissing everyone else (eww), but especially the guys. Nick was hugged and slapped on the back so much that he was sure he would be a mass of bruises the next day.

Julian nodded, looking extremely pleased. “Good work. You guys were great.”

“Fantastic!” Mike chortled. “Keep this up, and they’ll be eating out of your hand!”

“I rather thought they were,” Brian said smugly.

Nick grinned at them, his spirits bubbling, and then he turned around. And stopped.

On the other side of the room he saw Rachael, her dark eyes fixed and intense. Suddenly, Nick’s spirits plummeted, shaken back into cold reality. His high mood crumpled up, and he sullenly turned away from her gaze.

“C’mon, time you got out of the stage gear and showered. There’s a party waiting for you back at the hotel.” Denise said to them.

“What?” Nick asked, aghast.

“Don’t worry, just a few people with tight security,” said Mike, laughing.

They took their shower, towelled dry, and were handed some outfits to wear. A few minutes later, the security took them and the band back to the luxurious tour coach. The bus took them to their hotel, where they were whisked up to another suite, already full of families and friends; they cheered and congratulated them, and Nick was soon swallowed up on the atmosphere. But somehow he didn’t feel like joining in.

After a few hours, Nick went over to Brian and said quietly, “I think I’ll call it a night.”

Brian looked up. “Okay.”

Some people overheard and protested, “Hey, it’s still early! Don’t break the party up!”

Nick ignored the protests and turned to go, hoping that Rachael didn’t notice his exit. As he walked out of the suite, however, he heard her voice.

“Retiring?” her tone had a slight mocking tone. He whirled around and saw her standing at the entrance arms crossed. He scowled.

“Yeah,” he answered shortly.

Her brows lifted. “In that case, I’ll have to escort you, don’t I?”

He turned away abruptly. “I don’t need an escort.” He said curtly.

“Nick-”

He stopped, noting that this was the first time she’s addressed him by his name. “What?”

When he didn’t turn around, Rachael sighed and walked over. “Never mind,” she said wearily.

Inside the lift, a heavy silence hung over them.

“What happened up there?” Rachael asked suddenly.

“Huh?”

“On stage. You kinda.... struggled with something. What happened?”

Nick was taken aback. During one of the songs, his gear had caught on the harness- he didn’t know that anyone noticed. It was fairly subtle. “It was my suit. The buckle got caught in the edge.” He admitted.

She nodded. “Oh.”

The lift stopped, and they came out. Approaching their rooms, Nick stopped and took his key card out. “ ’Night,” he grunted after an awkward silence.

“Yeah.” She paused. “Nice work today, by the way.”

Startled by this casual compliment, he looked at her and saw in her eyes something that looked like a reluctant admiration. “Thanks.” He said, clearing his throat.

With a nod, Rachael strode away, swept her key card, and went in, closing the door after her with a click. He sighed, then went into his own as well.