Nick glanced out the window of Compass Point Studios basking in the beautiful Carribean sunlight before heading back into the dark studio. The weather had been very cooperative since the Backstreet Boys arrived in the Bahamas only two days before. Yes, this was work but nothing could prevent him from doing some scuba diving or just lazing around on the beach. This was supposed to be a sort of working vacation anyway.
It was May now. After completing the Millennium tour, the Boys had taken a month or so to relax, but the plan had been developing for months to take this trip. The members of the group all figured that getting away from the distractions of real life and going to the Bahamas would set their creative juices flowing. They wanted the best material for their new album. This was their own way of taking charge of the project.
Nick walked into the recording booth he and the other Boys had sequestered themselves in and his lighthearted mood faded when he saw Brian move around the confined space. He seemed so oblivious to the noise and chaos surrounding him as he sat down with a notebook and pen. Kevin and Howie had been discussing rather heatedly how much edge should be mixed into the latest song when Nick had left to go find a soda and now A.J. had joined the foray with his opinion.
As the others fooled around with different ideas - adding more bass or more drums, the noise became progressively louder. Brian continued to doodle on his notepad, working on the lyrics to some new song. He barely flinched and didn't bother to look up when a sudden burst of drums echoed through the room.
Ever since the group had arrived, Brian seemed to withdraw from his bandmates. Nick was worried again. Leighanne had called him to say that their relationship was even more wonderful than before when her fiancee had pushed her away. She wouldn't, however, elaborate as to what had been wrong with Brian. Instead, she very vaguely said that the couple had a heart-to-heart and things were normal once more.
Normal? Sure, her relationship with Brian was normal, but he hardly spoke to Nick. When they did talk Brian refused to look him the eye, a gesture that cut Nick to his heart and soul. He felt as if his best friend had abandoned him with no logical reason why.
Watching the older man now, the wheels turned in Nick's mind once more. His subconcious began to put the pieces together. It was his first step to grasping the truth.
* ~ * ~ *
Later that night, Nick persuaded Brian to hang out in the room rather than join the others in the casinos and clubs downstairs at the hotel. His goal was to try to help Brian open up and divulge even a hint of what was happening. His reasons were both noble and selfish. He would not only be reaching out to Brian, but he would hopefully be on the way to getting his friend back.
Nick's plan certainly worked in theory but lacked something somewhere in its execution. Brian had hardly said a word to him since he arrived rather insisting upon focusing on the movie they had ordered from pay-per-view. Really, Nick didn't understand the appeal of the film. He had seen it in the theatres and it had bored him then. Who was he to criticize Brian's choice to watch? Their friendship was fragile as it was, so he resigned himself to playing his Gameboy rather than make an issue of it.
What Nick didn't understand was that Brian was forced to concentrate on the movie. He didn't have the luxury of asking to turn on the closed captioning like he would had home, that would raise suspicion. Truly though, he wasn't focusing on the dialogue as much as he was contemplating telling Nick about his disability. It was, after all, the perfect opportunity, but how to approach the subject - especially when Nick was so tuned into his video game?
"Brian. Hey Bri!" Nick nearly shouted.
"Hmm." Brian finally turned to acknowledge his younger friend. It was then he noticed the phone he was offering. "Oh, thanks."
Nick rose from the bed and walked to the picture window that overlooked the ocean. He watched the waves roll into shore for a few minutes - the hypnotic sound and sight finally bringing him to understand his friend's recent attitude change. He glanced at Brian's reflection in the glass.
"That was Leigh," Brian said as he hung up the phone. "I need to head back to the States soon. We have some wedding details to work out."
"Okay." Nick couldn't hide the pain in his voice. "We'll stay here without you. There is just too much work to do. Are you sure you have to go?"
Brian panicked. It was obvious that Nick wanted an answer to the question he asked. He could see it in the reflection from the window, but he didn't hear what his younger friend had said. Nick turned to face him. This time his statements and question were more deliberate, much louder.
Brian's blue eyes met Nick's nearly identical ones. In them, he saw unshed tears and found an understanding. Then Brian received the shock of his life. Using his hands, Nick signed, "Yes, B, I know."
