Kevin stood backstage watching the hosts preparing for their appearance. He glanced around, scanning for the rest of the guys. AJ, getting his hair perfected. Howie, talking to some of the stage hands. Brian, on the phone, with Leighanne for at least the 50th time that day. And Nick…

Nick? Where the hell was he?

Kevin stormed over to Brian, who quickly hung up when he saw the look on his cousin's face. "What's wrong?" "Nick…where the hell is he?" Brian glanced around, catching AJ's eye as he and Howie joined the cousins. "I don't know. I knocked on his door this morning, but he was already gone. I guess I just figured he was here already…" Brian's voice trailed off as he realized Nick wasn't there. "Call the hotel and tell him to get his ass over here and NOW." Kevin muttered to nobody in particular, but Brian headed off for a quiet corner to call.

Kevin, Howie and AJ stood watching Brian as he hung up the phone and walked back over. "No answer. Either he's sleeping or he's blowing this off…or…" The four looked at each other, knowing that even if Nick was having a hard time lately, he'd never just blow off an interview. "Well, I guess we'll cover his ass this time…but I swear to God he'd better have a fucking good reason for this." Kevin growled, although his blue eyes gave away some of the worry he was feeling. It wasn't like him. Nick didn't always act as "professional" as Kevin would have liked, but he was a professional to everyone who saw them. So where the hell was he?

"BSB…on set in 5…"

The four turned and headed for the set as they were each introduced, each one plastering a smile on their faces that was shadowed by the worry they were feeling for their missing "brother".

The four men stood at Nick's hotel room door. Brian knocked several times, then finally after no answer turned the knob. The door swung open and they filed in one by one.

To an empty room.

Brian wandered across the room, his eyes trailing over the neatly made bed. All of Nick's bags were neatly piled in the middle of the bed. His Nintendo sat on the desk, unplugged and ready to pack it seemed. Howie walked into the bathroom, "All his stuff is here. Toothbrush, paste, razor, everything…but it's…" his voiced drifted off and AJ stuck his head in. "What the fuck? Everything is like, set up in a neat little row along the counter." He and Howie moved into the middle of the room with Kevin and Brian. "He never leaves his shit all neat like that…what the fuck is going on?" "Maid maybe?" Howie suggested. "Maybe, but what's with all his stuff on the bed like that?" Brian questioned.

AJ walked to the closet and opened the door. Empty. He turned and opened one of Nick's bags on the bed. "Okay, everything is FOLDED. He does NOT fold his shit! What is the deal?" Kevin scanned the room for any signs of Nick still being there, other than all his things. "His backpack…where's the backpack?" The other four men did a quick search of the room. Brian stood by the window and looked out at the empty balcony, "It's not here. But it's the only thing that isn't…all his stuff, clothes, hats, god his fucking Nintendo…everything is STILL here!"

A knock on the door caused all four to jump as they turned towards the door, nobody moving to open it. Another volley of knocks caused AJ to walk towards it, "Finally, dumbass must have locked himself out." He swung the door open, "Okay dildo, what the hell is…"

The young blond girl standing in the doorway stepped back slightly at AJ's words. "Ummm…excuse me?" "Shit, oh sorry…I thought…Damn." Kevin moved forward and pulled AJ from the doorway, "Can we help you?" he smiled slightly at the surprised girl, noticing she was wearing a hotel maid's uniform. "I was told this room was no longer occupied. I was sent to clean it. But obviously someone made a mistake…" she stepped towards her cart. "I'll let the hotel manager know a mistake was made."

Kevin closed the door silently and turned.

"Why would they think the room wasn't occupied anymore? We don't leave for another 3 days." Brian questioned. Howie reached for the phone by the bed and dialed, "Hello? Yes, I need to speak to the manager please." He glanced over at Kevin, AJ and Brian as he spoke, "Hello. Yes this is Mr. Dorough, I was calling to find out about Room 618…yes, Mr. Carter's room, has he checked out of the hotel?" he paused as the other four saw his eyebrows raise, "He has? What time did he check out? Ok, yes thank you. No, his room doesn’t need to be cleaned at the moment, thank you."

Howie hung up the phone slowly. "What did he say?" Brian looked at him, seeing confusion crossing his face.

"He said Nick checked out late last nite…"