New Beginnings

Title: New Beginnings
Pairing: Nick/Kevin
Author: Jules
Feedback: I'd lurve feedback... keeps me from thinking I don't suck
Rating: eventually R
Disclaimer: Now I do not own, lease or rent the people of which I speak, so I can't say that it has happened. It's just a story that I made up in my mind all by myself. And I do not propose to make any judgements on the sexual preferences of these gentlemen. It's all for fun.

Chapter 4

The following days and weeks went similar to the first one. One would get up in the morning, make breakfast for both of them, they’d eat and Nick would go off to rehearsal. Kevin would spend the day either sightseeing or just visiting friends he had in the city and either Kevin would make Nick dinner or they would meet somewhere at a restaurant. Nick would go back to the theatre, do his performance and then go back home to Kevin. Sometimes they would go out with the cast to a club or a bar, sometimes they would just stay in and watch a movie or talk. But this is how things went with the two men, routine being set up relatively easily.

Nick still waited for the day that Kevin divulged what it was that brought him to his doorstep at 4 am that morning. And as selfish as it was, Nick was thankful for whatever it was. Whatever that had happened in Kevin’s life to make him leave his wife, to make him leave his life was responsible for making Nick happier than he could ever remember being. From time to time Howie would all and ask for an update and Nick would simply tell him that everything was fine. Kevin was doing great and no he hadn’t told Nick why it was that he’d left. Howie always ended the conversation telling Nick to be careful and that he’d tell Brian as little as possible to get him off his back. And for 8 weeks their lives went on like this. A state of harmony and bliss, where Nick fell further and deeper into love with a man who would never love him back, at least not how he wanted him to.

Everything was perfect, until one day a UPS delivery man arrived at the door and turned everything upside down. Nick had been at the theatre for rehearsals, and arrived home at the same time as he did every day. He knew something was wrong the instant he entered the penthouse and didn’t smell anything cooking. Didn’t hear the familiar clanging of pots and notes of whatever CD Kevin had put on while cooking. "Kev?" Nick walked through the entire house and found it empty. Kevin was no where to be found and even more odd, there was no note. Usually if Kevin had to go somewhere, he would leave Nick a note saying where he’d gone and when he’d be back. Nick found nothing. He became to get more worried as time passed by and walking into the kitchen he figured that Kevin was a grown man. He knew how to take care of himself. Sitting at the table with the bowl of cereal he’d fixed for himself, Nick noticed a large envelope with his name on it. It had been opened and Nick wondered why Kevin would open his mail. Until he saw Kevin’s name on it as well. It was addressed to Kevin Richardson, in care of Nick Carter. At this address. No one was supposed to know that Kevin was here. NO ONE. Suddenly Nick was furious with Howie. He promised that he wouldn’t tell anyone Kevin was here and now, here Kevin was getting mail. And for some reason, Nick knew that this envelope was the reason for Kevin’s disappearance. Letting curiosity get the better of him, Nick pulled the contents out of the envelope and looked them over, feeling his stomach jump at what he was reading.

It was a letter from Kristin, telling Kevin, or Nick if Kevin hadn’t received the package, that she knew that this would be where Kevin ultimately would go after leaving their home so many weeks before. That no matter where Kevin went, what Kevin did, everything ultimately came back to Nick and the group. Nick was embarrassed to read what was clearly a personal letter from Kevin’s wife to Kevin, so he put the letter down and check the other documents that were enclosed. Divorce papers. Kristin was filing for divorce and Nick was stunned. He knew things were bad, they had to be bad if Kevin would be away this long without contacting anyone, but he never in his life thought that they could be this bad.

The alarm on Nick’s watch went off, signaling that it was time for him to get back to work. He swore, wanting to be there when Kevin returned from wherever he was but knew he had to leave. Regretfully, he put his dishes in the sink and left the penthouse, hoping that wherever Kevin was, he was okay.

The second that the performance was over, Nick bid the cast good night and quickly made his way home, upset to find the apartment exactly how he left it. Kevin clearly hadn’t been home as of yet and Nick started to worry even more. Checking the answering machine, he was relieved to hear Kevin’s voice leaving him a message.

Nicky. Sorry I haven’t been there today, just had things I needed to deal with. Don’t worry about me, I’m okay. I hope the show went well and that you ate something more substantial than cereal for dinner. I’ll be home sometime tonight when I get back into the city. Goodnight.

Nick laughed at how well Kevin knew him and breathed a sigh of relief that everything was okay. He hadn’t sounded like he was drinking, and he probably had just gone up to visit mutual friends of his and Kristin’s in Boston. Getting ready for bed, Nick couldn’t fight the overwhelming sense of disappointment he felt when he got into his bed and Kevin still hadn’t arrived home yet. He fell asleep with thoughts of Kevin foremost in his mind.