Chapter 3

Brian walked, actually,staggered through the door. His eyes were red and his breathing was heavy, his mom caught him before he collapsed. "Brian where have you been?" his mother asked kindly.

"Playing basketball" Brian replied out-of-breath.

She helped him to the couch she had to talk to him, figure out what was going on in his mind. "You know don't you?"she asked him.

"I went back and asked the doctor after you left, mom, what am I going to do?"Brian said starting to cry again,"Nick is counting on me, I'm soposed to be there for him, now I can't I've let him down."Brian said walking to his room. His mother watched as he paused every few steps to catch his breath, he was sick, she now realized it.

All four guys arrived at the airport on time one week later. They all knew Brian was missing and never mentioned it. The plane ride to California was silent, noone said a word, until the captian came on and said that they would be landing soon, Brian's favorite part,he loved to make fun of the captain.

They all got off the plane and met up in the airport, Kevin grabbed Nick's bags,he was too weak to carry them himself. Nick walked for a good five minutes before he sat down again.

"Guys I'm not feeling to good." Nick said sitting down on the first bench they came in contact with. Everyone,including Nick, was so worried about Brian, that they forgot that Nick was still sick. Nick's face was a pale and he was out of breath.

"Buddy you alright?" Kevin said putting down the bags.

"I can't really breath, Kevin I really don't feel well."Nick said starting to cry.

Kevin picked Nick up and told Howie to grab the bags. They all walked down to where the phones were, Jane and Bob were soposed to catch the next plane to California, so Kevin called Jane, he didn't know what to do.

"Jane, where is she?;I need to talk to your mother!" Kevin said almost screaming as Nick cried in his arms. Howie grabbed the oxygen tank from Nick's medical bag, and put the mask on Nick.

"Kevin, Aaron told me that you wanted to talk to me and said that it sounded eurgent, what's wrong with Nick?" she said knowing that it had to do with Nick.

"He suddenly lost his strength and couldn't breath, he said that he didn't feel good."Kevin said scared.

"That's okay, just tell him to get his oxygen tank, is he near by?" she asked.

"Actually he's sitting on my lap and has the oxygen tank on, he's still crying."Kevin said looking down at Nick who looked like he was dying.

"Good, tell him to calm down that will only make it worse, I'll be there as soon as I can, tell him I'll be bringing a surprise." Jane said hanging up the phone.

"Okay Nick, your mom said to calm down and she's coming and bringing you a surprise."Kevin said making sure Nick was listening.

"I know, it just hurts."Nick said crying.

"What hurts?"Kevin asked with concern in his voice, he promised his cousin he'd take care of Nick while he wasn't there, only Brian knew how to calm him down and how to give him his treatment. Kevin sat there trying to figure out what exactly Brian had done for him. So Kevin put in .35 more cents to call Brian. "What hurts Nick?"Kevin asked again.

"My chest, it hurts!" Nick said before his eyes closed.

"Nick! Nick!" Kevin screamed shaking Nick violently. Finally someone answered the phone, and it was not Brian.

"Where's Brian?" Kevin asked.

"He's with Nick's mom, she took him to the doctor he was complaining of chest pains, why?" Jackie said.

"Nick is sick, he just passed out, Brian is the only one who knows what to do, so tell him to come home now!" Kevin said as he hung up the phone.

I just hung up on her? Kevin thought to himself.

"You'll be fine, it's just stress, take a vacation or something." the doctor told Brian.

Brian just looked at Jane, he was more than estatic. "Really, can I go see my sick friend to cheer him up?" Brian said with pleading eyes.

"Yeah you can see your friend." the doctor said as Brian kissed her and ran out of the doctor's office with Jane trying to keep up.

"Brian Thomas Littrell!, slow down, you'll cause yourself to have a heart attack!" Jane said running after him. Brian stopped in his tracks, and waited for Nick's mom.

"I wanna see Nick."Brian said with puppy dog eyes.

" I know, just calm down, okay." Jane said putting her arm around Brian.

"Okay I will." he promised while getting in Nick's mercedes( he has one!).


Chapter 4