"Thanks for coming New York, we'll see you guys next time around," Kevin screamed into his microphone, trying to be heard over the screaming mass of fans.
"GOODNIGHT!!!" The guys spoke in unison as the lights were dimmed on their bowing bodies. A few seconds later, 5 sweaty guys ran backstage to shower and change before heading back onto their bus to be whisked off to the next venue. Liz and Leslie were waiting for them inside of their dressing room, their faces clouded in worry. Nick was the first one in and he stopped when he saw the two women, causing everyone else to run into him.
"Nick, what's the big idea, why did you stop?" Brian asked, shoving his way through. Brian stopped when he saw the look on Liz's face, "What's wrong?"
Leslie stepped up from behind Liz who was lost in Brian's gaze, "Fellas, we have a problem," she stated.
"I think that's obvious," AJ said, heading into the shower room, "I call first!!"
"AJ get your ass back out here!!" Leslie screamed.
"Geez, calm down squirt, it can't be that bad," Howie said, putting his hand on Leslie's shoulder.
"Can't be that bad, can't be that bad??? You call thousands of teeny-boppers swarming around our bus, practically rioting out there all to get another glimpse of you, not bad??" Leslie's face was turning as red as her hair.
Howie took a step back as Liz intervened, "Leslie, calm down, we'll figure a way out of this."
"I hope you're right Liz, cause we have to be in Pennsylvania tomorrow."
Leslie caught Brian staring at her and quickly dropped her head. His gaze did something to her, it caused her insides to melt and do flip-flops. When she picked up her head he was still staring at her, only this time he was smiling and making funny faces, she could only laugh silently. There night out on the town had only been last night, but this was only the second time that day they were seeing each other, and they both longed to sneak a second alone together, maybe their chance would be now.
"Liz, why don't we go see if we can find another way out?" Brian suggested, still looking directly into Liz's eyes.
Leslie's ears perked up as she listened intently to Liz's answer, "That would be a good idea Brian," Liz replied. The two headed out the door and away from the confusing glances of their friends.
"I don't know about you, but I'm glad to have gotten out of there with my life. I thought Leslie was going to rip D's head off," Brian said, grabbing Liz's hand and interlocking his fingers with hers.
Liz felt pangs of electricity shoot up her hand where Brian's flesh was pushed firmly against hers. "I did to, let's just hope that everyone is intact when we get back," she said, attempting to keep her voice calm. They walked in silence till they came to a fork in the dark corridors, "Now which way?" Liz asked an even more confused Brian.
"I don't know, but I think we should go that way," he said, pointing to the darkest tunnel to the left.
"That one looks awfully dark, why don't we go another way?" Liz asked, squeezing Brian's hand tighter.
"You aren't afraid of the boogeyman, are you Liz? Besides, there's always a light at the end of the darkest tunnel."
"Who told you that?"
"Kevin, it was after our first show and we got lost in the tunnels backstage, but Kevin got us through by going down the darkest tunnel," Brian said as he began to drag a reluctant Liz down the corridor. A few feet into the corridor Liz released Brian's hand and interlocked her arm in his, just about cutting off all the circulation to his hand. "Watch it killer, what's wrong," he asked, stopping their adventure.
Liz looked at him with fear in her eyes, "Something just ran across my feet."
Brian could feel his heart beat a little faster as he realized something was moving in the tunnel with them. There were no words spoken as the two ran down the way they came and out of the dark tunnel. They stopped at the entrance they had gone through earlier to catch their breath, "Remind me to tell Kevin he was wrong about that dark tunnel thing," Brian said, in between gasps.
"Whatever you say. I'm glad we got out of there before whatever was in there ate us," Liz said.
Brian looked at her, little droplets of sweat were finding trails down her forehead and her chest was rising and falling quickly. Her hair that had once been pulled back neatly was starting to fall out in little wisps around her face, she couldn't have looked more beautiful than if she had tried to. He placed his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him, they were so close that they could feel each other's hot breath. Slowly their lips moved closer and closer to meeting, "BRIAN, LIZ, WHERE ARE YOU GUYS," came Nick's voice. Their kiss would have to wait until their next opportunity.
