Birds In Your Garden: Chapter 3
Page 9 | Page 10 | Page 11 | Page 12

"Brian!" Kristin exclaimed when she saw him in the hallway the following morning.

"Hey, Kristin," he said, smiling awkwardly to her, letting her hug him, stretching one arm around her lightly in return. "When did you get in?"

"Oh, it was a nightmare," she said, looping her arm through his, walking with him back to his room. "This whole trip seems to have been one. I'm trying to find Kevin," she said. "Have you seen him?"

"Uh, no," he said, wrinkling his forehead. "Did you try his bus?"

"I tried, but he wasn't there," she said, biting her bottom lip.

"Did you check with Carlos?"

"I don't know where Carlos is staying either," she informed him.

"Kevin's still sleeping," Carlos said coming around the corner. "I don't think he wants to be disturbed."

"Disturbed?" Kristin giggled, patting Carlos' cheek. "I'm his wife, Carlos! Where is he? I don't have much time before I need to head back to the airport."

"You're going back already?" Brian asked.

"Yes. My agent just called and managed to get me in for an audition for a movie with Bruce Willis! Can you believe it? I need to get back today."

"Well," Carlos said, hesitating, "Kev's wiped out. I don't know if he'll even wake up right now."

"Oh, would you please just stop guarding him for a minute?" she said, losing her good humor. "I know he's with that woman. Just tell me where to find him already."

Carlos said. "He was in with me last night."

"Sure," she said, placating him. "Whatever. Where?"

Brian lifted an eyebrow to Carlos as Carlos shook his head slowly, leading her down the hall to his room. He knocked lightly but knew Kevin would never hear him. He had already attempted to wake him once to see if he wanted breakfast or go to the gym, but he hadn't even moved. There was no response, so he unlocked the door and stepped back to let Kristin in, wishing her luck.

"Kevin," she sang lightly, climbing onto the bed next to him and brushing the hair off his face. "Kevin, darling…wakey-wakey." He merely shifted his arm. "Kevin…wake up. Just for a minute, darling." She ran her hand down his bare back and back through his hair. "Come on, knock it off. Just open your eyes for a minute." She nudged his shoulder a bit more firmly. "I know you don't want to talk to me, but you won't have to deal with me much longer." His eye barely opened. "I knew you were faking it."

"What?" he grumbled, turning his head on the pillow and closing his eyes again to fall back to sleep.

"I'm leaving," she announced, sitting back on the bed.

"Bye," he mumbled.

"Are we leaving things like this?" she asked, knowing that would get him to respond. She knew he wouldn't leave things the way they had. He always made up with her, even if he didn't necessarily mean it whole-heartedly. It was something he refused to do after losing his father, just in case. However, he didn't move again. He was either really exhausted, or really angry. "Kevin?" she nudged him again. "You're not going to leave things like this between us, are you?" He turned his head, slipping his hands under the pillow without a word. "Come on, tell me you love me. I have to catch a plane." She leaned over, smoothing his hair gently and kissed his cheek. "I love you." He rolled onto his side then, slipping a hand out from under the pillow and put something in her hand. It was his wedding ring. "What the hell is this?" she asked, holding it out to him.

"Have a safe flight, Kris," he mumbled, rolling back onto his stomach.

"Kevin," she demanded, pushing his shoulder into the mattress. "Explain what the hell this means!" Her voice rose in panic.

"It means I need time to think about what I want to do," he said without moving.

"Than take this back," she said, reaching for his hand, trying to give the ring back. "If you haven't decided yet, Kevin, take this back."

"Have a safe flight, Kris," he said again, lifting his head up from the pillow to look at her, squinting his eyes open through the sleep trying to reclaim him.

"I can't do this now, Kevin," she said. "I have to get back and prepare for an audition. I have things to do and I can't concentrate on them if you do this."

"And I have a tour to finish and interviews to do and appearances to make, and routines to get through and I can't do them if I don't do this," he answered. "I also can't do them if I don't get some sleep. Have a safe flight and we'll discuss all of this when we both have time. Have a safe flight and I'll call you."

"Kevin," she said, her voice shaking with tears, "you don't mean to do this. You're just exhausted and confused and you're hurt… I know you're hurt, but if you could only think about…"

Kevin turned his head on the pillow and looked her in the eyes sternly. "Carlos!"

"Oh, please," she groaned with indignation.

"Yeah, Kev?" Carlos came to the doorway.

"Please?" he said, closing his eyes.

"Come on, Kristin," Carlos said, opening his arm out for her. "He needs some rest."

"Oh, no," she shook her head furiously, "don't you treat me like some fan."

"I'm just doing my job, Kristin," Carlos said helplessly.

"Kevin, you're being ridiculous!" she yelled, pushing his shoulder again. He had turned his head again on the pillow and had his eyes closed. "You fuck!"

"Kristin," Carlos called.

She stood up and glared down to the bed, throwing his ring at his back with all her strength. "I am not going to give up this easily, Kevin Scott Richardson!"

"Have a safe flight," he mumbled without moving.

~

"Can we please pretend Backstreet time doesn't exist?" Kevin said heading into the dressing room behind Nick on the phone. "And that would be really helpful, Nick, if you didn't have the phone growing out of your ear." He leaned over Nick's shoulder, talking into the phone. "He's got things to do now, Rachel. He loves you. Say bye-bye."

"Hey, man!" Nick turned and shoved Kevin's shoulder. "Fuck off!"

"Not today, little man," Kevin warned, tilting his head slightly and lifting a finger.

"Just cause you're having a crappy day doesn't mean I have to suffer," Nick mumbled angrily, turning his back on Kevin and starting his conversation again with Rachel.

"Nick, I mean it," Kevin called impatiently as he headed out the door. "I'm not standin' around waitin' on you all night."

"I'll be there! Chill!"

He knew Nick would be late. He could see the stage manager running around with the last minute details, people were milling the hallways in every direction, but still, he'd not seen Jana once. A few of the dancers were heading towards the stage, and he could hear the audience was starting to get impatient. Shannon came out of one of the rooms with Punch, both laughing and starting to get pumped. "Shan, you see Jana anywhere?"

"Back in the changing room," she said, pointing over her shoulder. "She should be out any second."

"Thanks," he said, continuing down the hallway, slowing his steps as he came up to the female dancers' changing room. He looked over his shoulder, looking to see who might be watching him, but no one seemed to have time. Nerves were starting to electrify in anticipation, and there seemed to be a pull towards the stage area. Just as he was about to start back, Jana came out, looking down as she arranged her skirt-overlay of her costume. "Jan…" he started, making her look up.

"Break a leg, Kevin," she said, looking back down to her overlay and starting past him.

"Wait a second," he said, reaching out to grab her arm gently. She stopped and looked up at him again, watching another dancer head past them, suppressing a grin. "I wanted to apologize about this morning." Jana shrugged nonchalantly and started back down the hallway again. "Can we talk after the show?" he asked, coming into step with her.

"I don't think that's a very good idea," she said, trying to maintain a casual attitude.

"Why not?" he asked, keeping his eyes straight ahead in determination.

"Because I really don't think there's anything to talk about," she said, glancing over to him with a shake of her head. "It was all made pretty clear last night for me."

"You don't know what happened," he said, taking hold of her arm again and slowing her down.

"Don't want to either," she told him with a shrug. "We're going to be late."

"They won't start without me," he informed her, slowing her down again as another dancer hurried past.

"Kevin, please," she pleaded, "don't do this right now." She pulled away from his hand and lifted her palms up.

She was right, his timing sucked for both of them. They both needed to prepare for the next ninety minutes and he had to stop thinking about this for at least that long. "Yeah, you're right." He nodded in agreement. "But I need to talk to you."

They turned the corner and walked down the hallway a bit further, coming up on the ensemble standing around. Nick nudged AJ and a wide grin spread across his face. "Guess it won't be me paying the fine tonight, will it, Kevin?" he asked antagonistically.

"I was out before you," Kevin said dismissively.

"Nah, ah, ah…" AJ said, leaning his weight on one foot and wagging a finger at Kevin. "You were out of the dressing room, but you were the last to arrive here." He pointed to the floor. "That's $50 my man."

"Fine," Kevin sighed, "whatever."

"And an apology!" Nick tagged on.

"What for?"

"Being annoying and fuckin' with my phone call," he answered with a quick side-to-side shake of his head.

"Give it a rest, Nick," Kevin said, looking around the faces around him. Jana had managed to disappear into the group somehow. He found her standing on the far side as they started forming a circle for the prayer. "You do nothing but talk on the phone."

"That ain't what he's doin' on the phone," AJ teased, locking Nick in an elbow grip and tousling his hair. "Is it, Nicky? What're you doin' on that there phone, Nicky? Other than annoying the piss outta Kevin over here, that is."

"AJ," Kevin said with a reprimanding tone. "Can you please?" The rest of the group had clasped hands, looking at the three of them to join in.

"I wanna hold your hand…" AJ belted out in song suddenly, taking hold of Kevin and Nick's hand. "I'll stand between Grumpy and Horny," he teased. Kevin looked through the corner of his eye at AJ with a death glare, but AJ turned his head and gave him a broad, toothy grin. Kevin shook his head and rolled his eyes, but had to smile. As the prayer started, he shook the thoughts of Kristin and Jana out of head and gained his focus. Ninety minutes, he could focus for ninety minutes.

~

She had disappeared once again after the show, and he didn't want to create more talk by going to her room once they arrived in Dallas, although he did get up and start towards the door several times in frustration. By the time he found the resolve to do so, he had to get over to the venue for the 'Drowning' rehearsal. AJ had been antsy, Nick and Brian kept fooling around, and Howie kept falling short on his notes. He was about to think the whole thing was a waste of time when they finally pulled it all together and managed to get most of it.

There was no time to go find Jana after that, however, and once the show was over, he found out she had headed for the airport to go home for the three-day break before the New York shows. Looking over the schedule, he knew there would be no time to have a chance to talk to her. It left only one option, and he had to find Fatima to make it happen.

~

Her cat was completely uninterested in her return once she had fed him, and her roommate had left the apartment a mess. She spent over an hour soaking in a tub, after cleaning it, and then attempted to straighten things up a bit. She knew Leslie was down at the bars and if she wanted, she could get dressed and find her, however, noise and people was the last thing she wanted to deal with right now. She would have liked to sleep, but her body was saying 'shouldn't we be dancing?' instead of wanting sleep. Every thought in her head was confused and spinning, so she decided to just keep cleaning until she tired herself out.

"Jana?" She heard the front door close heavily and went down the hallway to get crushed by Leslie's hug. "You're home! You're home! You're home!" she squealed happily.

"For three days," she said, dropping her weight into her friend. It was pure comfort to see her, and the fact that the place was a mess was completely forgotten.

"You have to tell me all about it!" Leslie said, plopping herself down on their couch, intently looking at her. "What's wrong? You have that look."

"No look," she answered. "I'm so tired I don't know what to do with myself, that's all."

"Oh, don't say you're tired!" Leslie whined playfully. "Everyone's meeting down at the Dodger." Jana shook her head and smiled. "No? Please?"

"Just can't deal with the Dodger tonight, Les." She shook her head. "I've been surrounded by screaming teenagers and music so loud… I just can't deal with it tonight."

"Party pooper," she teased, sticking her tongue out at her. Jana flopped down in the comfortable spot on the couch and exhaled, smiling slightly at her roommate. "Okay, so tell me," Leslie grinned broadly, "you had to have seen him." Jana closed her eyes and nodded. "And?"

"Kevin," she said easily with a shrug. "He's still Kevin."

Leslie shook her head and dropped her chin. "Oh, no. That can't be it. Did he recognize you? Was he pleased to see you?"

Before she could answer, the bell rang and Jana groaned, dropping her head back. "It's going to be for you," Jana said. "No one knows I'm home." She pulled herself off the couch and went back to finish emptying the kitty litter before someone needed to use the bathroom.

"Okay," Leslie said quietly coming to stand in the bathroom doorway, "you described him as a green-eyed Adonis, but Jesus!"

"What?" Jana said, scrunching her face in confusion.

"You have a visitor," Leslie said, widening her eyes and pointing over her shoulder. "A green-eyed, really fuckin' polite, soft spoken Adonis-like visitor."

"You're kidding me," Jana gasped quietly, but Kevin came into view at the end of the hallway. "Holy shit," she whispered.

"There is such a back-story here," Leslie said raising her palms to Jana, "and I will get every detail at some point." She winked and bit her bottom lip. "But it looks like I might need to leave you alone, right?" Jana stiffened her shoulders and exhaled deeply. "Yeah, I need to leave you alone. I'm going to the Dodger if you need to find me and fill me in."

"Leslie," Jana said, reaching out to grab her, "please, whatever you do, don't tell anyone he's here. Like, no one. At all."

"Darling, are you kidding? If I had someone like that show up on my doorstep I wouldn't want to be disturbed either," Leslie whispered, looking over her shoulder, watching Kevin wander out of view as he looked around the living room. "Jesus, Jana! You left out details. I know you left out details."

"It's not like that," Jana protested.

Leslie gave her another look of disbelief. "Yeah, right," she snickered. "I'll be at the Dodger." Jana tied the ends of the garbage bag and washed her hands, glancing at herself in the mirror to see what kind of shambles she looked. White tank top, light blue pajama bottoms and her hair pulled back in a clip. Definitely not even remotely close to stunning, attractive or even decent, but she heard Kevin tell Leslie it was nice to meet her and the door closed heavily.

Alone. Fuck.

Birds In Your Garden: Chapter 3
Page 9 | Page 10 | Page 11 | Page 12

Birds In Your Garden Disclaimer | Email Coriander

Read the companion story:
Oreos for Breakfast (Nick Fanfic)
by The Pumpkin Coach & Paperbag Princess

c. 2001, 2002 by Coriander
Some content not suitable for children. You have been warned.