Title: Shades of Gray - - Light Gray
Author: Granitite Stone, granitite@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: If they were mine, would I be writing fanfiction? There is no malicious intent in this story, I know nothing about these men's real lives.
Rating: R
Summary: When one moment changes everything, and one decision can change a lifetime, you make the best choices you can. The question is, what choice is the right one? Even if you think you've made it, what's not to say you wouldn't have been happier the other way?

Brian opened his eyes and looked into an endless darkness. "Hello?" Only his own voice echoed back. "What did those crazy girls do to me now?"

"I was hoping you knew." Out from the mist walked… himself. Brian's life got just a little bit stranger. "I guess it's nice to meet you."

"Yeah." Brian took a moment to examine his otherself. They looked a little different, but it was almost like looking in mirror, right down to the rings on opposite hands. Him, wearing a wedding ring. Crazy. "I doubt our significant others agree."

"How's Leigh?" He had no doubts this Nick and Brian would be fine, but he got the feeling his wife wouldn't be taking this too well.

"She's fleeing first thing in the morning." Brian sounded a little disgusted. "If this means we're switching back, I'll be glad to get home. You can have your wife back, I'd rather have my boyfriend."

"Your boyfriend, who has abandonment issues to top off his commitment phobias." The Dark Brian zinged himself back.

Brian stuck out his tongue. "Yeah, well-"

Footsteps approaching cut him off. "Don’t fight with yourself." It was the girl in black.

From the other direction came the girl in white. "Trust us. It won't get you anywhere."

"The Fates." Dark Brian wondered why he felt intimidated by what looked like two teenage girls. "Is this over?"

"You're learning experience is over." The girl in black began.

"But your journey had just begun." The other girl almost grinned as she finished the sentence. "You are mistaken, Dark One."

"About what?"

"We are not implying you made the wrong choice, juts that there were other paths." They spoke in unison.

Brian finally spoke. "Why send me to his world? Couldn't you have just done what you did to Joey?"

"We could have."

"But the Boss felt you needed validation."

"Because a difficult task will face you at home."

"Yet not as difficult as what faces the Dark One."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dark Brian didn't like the sound of that.

No answer. The smiles faded from their faces. "It means nothing." The girl in black spoke in a flat tone. "Now go home, and kiss your wife goodbye."

"Goodbye?" That sounded even worse.

"She's going to the dentist's in…" Brian looked at his digital watch, and found it displayed all eights. "Um, she's going to the dentist's."

"Okay…." Wasn't Leigh's dentist in California?

"Now go." The girl snapped her fingers, and both she and Dark Brian disappeared.

"What's going to happen to him?"

The girl in white ignored his question as she had done earlier to his counterpart. "It is not your concern. You have problems of your own."

"What problems?" Brian was sick of these games.

"In five weeks, after today's crisis is partially resolved, MTV will expose you. It will be the end of Backstreet."

"Because I'm with Nick." Brian's stomach dropped. He'd thought these people were trying to tell him he'd made the right choice.

"No."

"No?"

"Because they won't just be exposing you. They'll air everyone's dirty laundry at once. There's only one way to stop them."

"What?" Brian was willing to do almost anything to save his family. She told him, and they disappeared.
-----
It was 6 am, and for the first time in days he was comfortable. It had been so hard trying to sleep alone. 'Wait a second.' Brian opened one eye. He was back. "Nick."

"What are you doing here?" Nick sounded annoyed until he opened his own eyes. "Brian? Is it you? I mean-"

"It's me." He couldn’t help himself, and reached out to tousle Nick's hair. He didn't get a change to say anything else before Nick did his impression of a boa constrictor.

He buried his face in Brian's neck. "You're back, you're back, you're back."

Brian felt Nick's tears on his skin. "I'm back, and I suddenly have new appreciation for the line 'No one else I'd rather be with.' I have never been so glad to be home."

Nick relaxed his grip a little. "I know you love me and all, but would you really rather be with me than have a woman you could be with in public?"

"We need to talk about that." Brian started to speak, and Nick silenced him with a kiss. "Nick, we need to talk. Nick. Nick, stop. Nick!"

The blond in question looked up from the hickey he was creating with annoyance. "Do you really want me to stop, or are you just being responsible?"

"Just being responsible. Forget I even mentioned it."
-----
When Kevin stopped the buses about three hours later, they were so tangled together he wasn't sure which arm to shake. "You're back, I hope. However, If you're not you, I'll have to do some serious damage."

"I'm me." Brian wriggled out from under Nick. "What's going on?"

"Wake Nick up." Kevin flipped their TV on.

Brian took one look at the building in flames, and shook Nick. "Where's Aaron?"

"New York." Nick rolled over.

"Nick, please wake up. Something happened."

Nick's eyes flashed open, and he stared at the screen. "Phone. Someone give me a phone." He paused, and noticed Brian was shaking. "Rok?" Why was Brian so upset?

"They told me he was going to face great hardship." Brian listened in horror as the reporter reread the flight number. "The other Brian. His wife was on that plane."

Go to Dark Side Part Four

~ The End ~

Author's Notes: I don't do happy endings. I apologize if my use of the WTC bombing has offended anyone. There will be a short epilogue for this, explaining what the Fates told Brian to do to prevent MTV from destroying their careers. The other side of this story will be posted ASAP.

~When I look into the mirror, and see a face I don't recognize, I am no longer surprised.
Choose Your Poison at www.angelfire.com/weird/cobalite/index.html
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