"Thanks for lettin me crash here," Nick Carter told his friend A.J.. The two Backstreet Boys were sitting on A.J.'s back deck playing chess. It was part of Nick's physiotherapy as he recovered from the crash he and three others of the group had suffered while on tour two months ago. A.J. watched with approval as the fingers of his friend's right hand closed easily over a bishop and used it to put him into check.
"No problem," he responded, studying the board. "Although I still don't get why you needed to leave."
"Two reasons, actually." Nick stroked his right forearm absently as he spoke. "I asked Suzanne to come in and check me out and I needed a place without witnesses. And... Mandy's back from tour."
"So?" A.J. raised an eyebrow. Nick and Mandy had their ups and downs as boyfriend and girlfriend, but they were good friends as well. "I thought you missed her."
"I did. I went out to visit her a couple of times. But now she's home, she's smothering me. Some of our fans were really hard on her about not dropping everything to be with me," he rolled his eyes. "I don't know if it's that she's feeling guilty or what, but in the last couple of days she's watching what I eat, how I move, she won't let the dogs near me," he shook his head. "I choked on some beer the other night - just went down the wrong way, y'know? She was about to dial 911!"
"Shit," A.J. laughed. "No wonder you need a break."
Nick flashed the famous Carter half-grin. "I figured I'd run to the one person most likely to leave me alone."
"Freak," one flick of a finger and a captured pawn sailed towards Nick's face. He caught it easily, again using his right hand. "I'm the one most likely to torture you to death, not *abandon* you. Get it right!"
"Oh yeah," the entire chessboard raised itself to A.J.'s eye level. "I forgot." He considered ducking, but opted to get up and run instead. The rattle of plastic against wood in his ear told him it was useless - Nick was going to cream him no matter what. With a whoop he leaped off the deck into his pool.
When he surfaced, Nick was laughing and the chessboard was hovering just above the water. A solitary pawn hopped off the board to bounce impudently on A.J.'s nose. A.J. chuckled.
"I surrender already. Call it off!"
Nick whistled and the board bounded back to the table like an eager puppy. A.J. hauled himself out of the pool. "Just 'cause that's the only way you can *beat* me with a chessboard..."
"Naw..." a towel presented itself to him, "just 'cause I *can*."
"Huh?" ignoring the fact that his wifebeater and shorts were wet, A.J. wrapped the towel around himself and sat down at the table again.
Nick shrugged, searching for a way to explain it without embarrassing his friend. After a momentary struggle, he simply laid it all out. "Since I got out of the hospital, it's been like... I'm suddenly free. Everything's coming together. I don't have to hide what I am, stop any instincts, because you all know, and you'll deal with whatever I pop out with." He looked A.J. straight in the eye. "*You* deal best right now, you barely blinked when I lifted the board. You've got no idea how cool that is, how long I've wanted to be able to do that."
A.J. grinned, but shrugged it off. "You've been waiting to chase me with a chessboard? *Very* creative."
Nick shook his head, "Love you too, bro." He straightened in his chair. "Suzanne's on her way in."
"Want me to leave?"
"Only if you're uncomfortable. Hi Suzy-Q."
Suzanne Nichols M.D., psychic healer and member of Nick's team stood on A.J.'s deck. She grimaced at the nickname. "I've warned you about that name, Nickolas Gene."
"Yes mom," Nick teased. Suzanne was probably older than Jane Carter, her short brown hair showing plenty of grey. Despite this A.J. noted the ease with which the two psychics seemed to relate to each other. Her demeanour towards Nick was more professional than maternal.
"Hello Alex, you're looking well."
"Uh... thanks Suzanne. I think it's him you're supposed to be checking out." A.J. stood up, ever the gracious host. "Want something to drink?"
"A glass of water would be lovely, thank-you." When he was out of earshot, she whispered to her colleague, "I think I make him nervous."
"You're being all professional and grown-up. That's not usually allowed at this house." Nick advised her with a smile.
"Ah. So, what's up? How's the arm?"
"The arm's fine." He laid it on the table, wiggling all five fingers in demonstration. "Still gets a little tired every so often, but pretty much painless."
Suzanne ran her fingers over the now-healed scars on Nick's forearm. "Seems to be doing fine. Are you keeping these?"
"May as well, for a year or so anyway. Diverts suspicion, and I don't really care how it looks."
"But...?" she searched his face with frank hazel eyes. "You called me here for a reason."
"Yeah." Nick stared at his arm for another moment or so. "Not physical."
A.J. returned with Suzanne's water and brought a third chair over. He listened quietly.
"I thought we established that you got out of that hell a new man. Not true?"
"Oh, totally," Nick reassured her. "I'm not stuck in there, not even in nightmares anymore."
"So...?"
The young man shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. I just have this nagging feeling that something's wrong. That I'm off-balance. I can't put my finger on it."
"Have you noticed anything, Alex?"
"Me?" A.J. studied his fingernails, thinking. "Don't think so. I mean, he's been talking to all of us more, we've all learned more about Nick over the last couple of weeks than we ever knew. But I thought that was the point."
"It was... just telling you history?"
"That's mainly Aje," Nick cut in. "Kevin a little as well, but A.J.'s really interested in the psychic community."
"Yeah, but more than that. You've been sharing more, Nick. We've all gotten real good at reading your body language cause you never liked talking about your moods. Now, you'll actually open your mouth and say stuff."
"Hmmm," Suzanne regarded Nick with a curious air. "All right Carter, I'll do a scan, see if anything shows up. Relax."
If A.J. had been expecting ceremony, or some kind of special effects show, he was disappointed. Suzanne simply took Nick's left hand in both of hers, and stared into his eyes for a few minutes. When she let go, Nick shook his head a little, as if to clear it.
"Anything?"
"Nothing. Same as the scan I did on you the day you left the hospital."
"What about before the crash?"
"Only the expected differences. No echo, a stronger connection to your friends, a few less blocks in some areas."
"No echo?" Nick stared. "Why isn't there an echo??"
"Oh dear." Suzanne frowned, "We thought you'd realise earlier than this."
"Realise *what*?" Nick demanded, now definitely agitated.
"Lina left the team before you came out of hospital, Nick," she told him gently. "She's working on other projects now."