Birds In Your Garden: Chapter 6
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"Kev?" Someone was stroking his head gently, but he didn't want to move or even open his eyes. The sheets were warm, the mattress was soft, the pillows were in the perfect position, now was not the time to get up, surely not. "Kevin," she said softly, "come on, you have to get up." He could feel the coolness of her hand on the warmth of his shoulder, and even that was comforting. Nope, it was not time to wake up. "Come on, Kevy, you've got a show to do, remember? Last night in Boston…remember?" His brain clicked, knowing instinctively she was right, but the bed was so much more inviting still. "You'll have all night to sleep on the bus, Kevin. Come on."

"Inamun…" he mumbled, still unable to open his eyes or move a comfortable muscle.

"No," she chuckled, "not in a minute, now."

He pried his eyes open and smiled tiredly. "That's very good," he said groggily.

"What is?"

"You translated sleep-talk good," he said, forcing himself to roll onto his back and stretch, sticking his hands under the pillow beneath his head, closing his eyes.

"No, no, no, no," she giggled, leaning over to kiss his chest gently. "Eyes open. Stay awake."

He clasped his hands together and brought them over his head, trapping her into his embrace and keeping her next to him. "Can't we just stay here a little longer?"

"No," she said, pulling out from under his arms. "You're impossible to wake up."

"Stubborn," he corrected. "I like my sleep."

"Whatever," she said, sliding her fingers over his cheekbone. "You've got to get up and shower and head out with the rest of your boys. Last gig in Boston. You've got three hours."

"Plenty a'time," he yawned, turning onto his side.

"I've got to get out of here before you," she said, rolling him back over. "And Shannon's got to get in here to get ready. Remember? You're not in your own room, dear."

"I remember," he grumbled, remembering too well why he wasn't. "But she's probably still in my room."

She sighed, tilting her head at him with a sympathetic expression. "She's leaving soon, right?"

"If I have a say in it, yes," he answered. "But I don't want to think about her right now."

"Well, think about the show then," she said, tracing the muscles in his arms. He had pulled them up under his head again and sighed, looking at her. "It's been a great crowd. They're still supporting you."

"They've been great," he agreed with a slow, tired nod. "They've all been great since we've been back."

"So, get up and think about how good the show will be tonight, instead."

"I'd rather think about how good you're going to look standing behind me dancing." He let a slow smile slip across his face.

"Do that then," she said with a shake of her head. "Either way, you have to get up." She pressed both hands down on the mattress next to him and started bouncing the mattress. "They're going to think I kidnapped you or something."

"Nah, they're not, darlin'," he said lazily. "Brian and Howie heard it all. They know what went down."

"I figured it was pretty awful," she said, sitting Indian style next to him and resting a hand on his belly. "I've never seen you speechless like that."

"I don't know what to say about it," he said, reaching down to lace his fingers with hers, watching how his hands seemed to envelope hers. "It's…ugly. Got hateful. I had to get out of there." He shrugged. "And I found my way to you."

"I'm glad," she said quietly, turning her head to look at him. "It's sometimes better to just get out when it's so intense."

"Sometimes, it's the stupidest thing you can do," he said, watching her. "Sometimes, you should just make yourself stick around because you might be making the biggest mistake of your life."

She shook her head. "I don't believe that, Kevin."

"I should have stayed with you," he said quietly.

"You wouldn't have what you have now if you did," she said pointedly. "This was obviously what you were supposed to be doing, Kevin. Nothing about it is a mistake. No regrets allowed for doing what you had to do." She leaned over and kissed him quickly. "Now, get up. Go shower. Show Boston what y'all are about and we'll get together when we're in Canada and talk once you've gotten some distance."

"Have you always been this reasonable?"

"No," she chuckled with a shake of her head. "Get up now. Stop trying to have a conversation. You're going to be late. We have things to do."

They heard the door open and Shannon came in, covering her eyes. "Knock, knock, knock…I'm not here…I'm just grabbing my bag and I'm getting out." She peeked through her fingers with a smile. "I'll be out of your way in two seconds."

"Shannon, really, he's…" Jana started.

"No," she interrupted, picking up her bag. "Got it all in here. Take your time. Won't be back. See you on the van." She turned and headed out, closing the door behind her.

"See?" Kevin said with a smile. "We're alone now. No need to rush out."

"I still have to get ready," she said. "And so do you."

"Plenty a'time," he said easily, pulling himself up to rest against the headboard.

She fell over, dropping her forehead down to the mattress over her legs with a groan. "Kevviiiinnnn," she whined.

"Come on, darlin'," he said, putting his feet to the floor and taking her hand.

"Where?"

"We're going to start getting ready," he said, leading her to the bathroom.

"We're…"

He turned and quieted her with a look and dragged her along with him, closing the bathroom door closed behind them. He set her in front of the door and pulled the shower curtain aside, turning on the water and adjusting the temperature before starting the shower. Once he turned around, he stepped over to her and took hold of the bottom of the tee shirt she was wearing and lifted it over her head. Letting it drop, he stepped a bit closer and slid her panties down to the floor. He took her hand and pushed the shower curtain aside and stepped beneath the spray, bringing her with him and pulled her close, turning her back against the spray.

Sliding his hands up her spine, he spread his fingers into her hair and gently guided her head back to wet her hair and glanced around the lip of the tub for the shampoo. "It's on the counter," she said with an amused grin.

"Don't go anywhere," he teased, lifting a finger and stepped out, coming back with the shampoo. He stepped close again and wet her hair again, poured some shampoo into his palm and started massaging her scalp as he washed. She grabbed onto his waist to keep her balance with a giggle, but sighed shortly after with pleasure. She lowered her forehead to his chest as he massaged the nape of her neck and he gently pulled her head back to rinse out the lather.

"I condition too," she coaxed playfully, winking at him.

"In a minute," he chided easily, lowering his lips to hers for a kiss as he continued rinsing. They stepped back slightly and he wrung her hair out a bit before applying the conditioner, starting to massage her scalp again.

"You're too good at this," she mumbled with her eyes closed.

"I've been to enough hairdressers in my time," he said, kissing her again before bringing them back beneath the spray. This time, when he finished rinsing, he ran his hands down her back and brought his lips to her neck, kissing her languidly. He reached behind her to the soap and turned her around to run the bar of soap over her belly and breasts slowly, letting the soap drop and run his palms over her, cupping her breasts and pinching the nipples gently as he lowered his mouth to her shoulder.

She let her weight rest against him and closed her eyes to his touch, releasing a slow breath as his hands ran along her torso. Her head fell forward as he kissed the base of her neck and shifted to the other shoulder. His hand dropped lower to caress the soft flesh between her legs and she felt his lips press against her spine as she moaned in her throat. His hands moved to her hips and he turned so his back was against the spray and stepped towards her until her back was against the tiles. He placed his palms flat on the tiles over her shoulder and leaned forward to kiss her fully. She reached up to hold onto his arms, feeling the muscles beneath her palms as he pulled back slightly to drape kisses on her neck and shoulders before dipping his head to trace her nipples with his tongue. He shifted down to his knees, holding her by the waist with one hand as he guided her leg to rest on the lip of the tub. He kissed her inner thighs slowly, sucking and licking her skin until his tongue caressed her clit. She reached down to his shoulders with a gasp and dropped her head back against the tiles with a louder moan as he sucked gently and pressed his tongue along her rhythmically, drinking her in until she pressed her fingertips into his shoulders as she came with several gasps.

He sat back on his knees, letting his head fall under the spray for a moment before he sat up again, placing kisses on her belly as she ran her hands over his shoulder blades and slid down the wall until he was sitting on the tub floor and she was straddling him, caressing his erection. Her body was alive with sensations, how he felt beneath her, the spray of the water against her skin, the splash hitting her face and neck, his hands running along her breasts and torso. She could feel his hips rising more quickly against her hands and his grunts and moans coming faster until his entire body shuddered beneath her as he came.

"Damn, we're gonna hurt," he chuckled breathlessly.

"Bit bruised, I think," she giggled, leaning over to kiss him. "They should make tubs wider, I think."

"Or people smarter," he teased.

"It'd be easier to make tubs wider," she replied, pulling back to stand up. "You get someone attempting to seduce someone in the shower and all the smarts in the world isn't going to make them think ahead." She shifted behind him to pick up the bar of soap and started lathering him, running her hands over his chest at first. When he stepped forward to kiss her, she lathered his back and buttocks. "I am going to be so late."

"Blame it on Backstreet Time," he said between kisses.

"I'm going to blame it on Backstreet Boy," she laughed. "Now get out so I can finish."

He shook his head and leaned his back against the tiles, crossing his arms. "Nope. I'm gonna stand here and watch."

"You're not allowed to distract me anymore!" she warned playfully.

He continued to shake his head and lifted his hands. "Not going to do a thing but watch."

"Pervert." She stuck her tongue out at him but stepped beneath the spray and finished showering. He reached out a few times to poke at her, or run his hands along her back or thigh, but she would turn and give him a scolding look.

"Your turn," she said, handing him the bar of soap. She pushed the shower curtain aside and stepped out, wrapping a towel around her and stuck her head back into the shower with a playful grin.

"Pervert," he teased, lifting his head from rinsing the shampoo from his hair.

~

"Brian, just tell me where she's staying," Kristin demanded in the hallway.

"She who?" Brian asked.

"That dancer!"

"We have a lot of dancers, Kristin," he answered with a shrug. "I'm sure he'll be back any minute now. We've got to head to the gig soon."

"Goddamn it, Brian! I know he's screwing around with her already!"

"Her who?" Brian asked. "I don't know what you're talking about."

She grunted angrily and pulled the hair off her face. "Damn it, Brian!"

"What's going on?" Howie came out of his room, looking between Brian and Kristin.

"Howard, where is Kevin?" Kristin demanded, putting her hands on her hips.

"I don't know," he said, shaking his head slightly. "We saw him leave."

"He didn't leave the hotel," she started. "I went downstairs and the fans were asking me when Kevin would be out. So I know he didn't leave. He's not in the bar, or the dining area or the gym, or the pool. So he's got to be with her. I want to know where she is!"

"I don't know who 'she' is," Howie said with a shrug. "I'm sure he'll be back."

"Stop protecting him, would you?" she cried in exasperation. "I know he's having an affair!"

"Oh, Geez, Kristin." Kevin came around the corner, shaking his head and rolling his eyes. "Would you please leave them out of this?" He came down the hallway and headed to his room. "Sorry, fellas."

"Hey, no problem," Howie said, following Brian into his room.

"Where the hell have you been?" she demanded, trailing behind Kevin into his room.

"You know damn well where I've been," he answered, pulling his shirt off and heading to his suitcase for another.

"How dare you!" she hollered.

"How dare I what?" He turned, pulling a tee shirt over his head and shaking his wet hair out. "Leave and get my head together before we started something we'd really regret?"

"You were with her!"

"Yes, I was," he admitted calmly with a slight nod. "And I was actually hoping you'd be gone by the time I got back. But you're not."

"Kevin, you can't just…"

"Yes, I can," he interrupted, walking past her and heading to the bathroom to finish getting ready to leave.

"Why are you being so hateful?"

"Because you won't let me be nice," he replied. "You won't listen unless I yell. You won't believe me unless I show you I mean what I say. I went to see her because I couldn't deal, Kristin, with having to fight about this anymore. I just want to end it. Can you just let it stop now? I have things to do and I need to get ready for the show and I need to clear my head of this mess. Can you let me do that? Because right now, that's more important than anything."

"That is more important than your marriage?" she questioned doubtfully.

"Yeah, Kris, it is," he replied sincerely. "The fans are the reason we have what we have and I owe them 100%. No one can make me give less to them. Not even you. So, if you don't mind?" He lifted the hairdryer and started drying his hair, paying attention to his reflection in the mirror. Focus, stay focused…you do owe the fans this much…stay focused, dawg…clear your head…

"Kevin…" she whined into his thoughts.

Dear God, please give me the strength to be a good person. Please give me the patience to stay calm in this painful situation. Help me show her that I don't mean to hurt her any more than I have to. Please help me get my life together, grant me focus to carry on and do what I need to do and fulfill my responsibilities…

"Kevin, you can't just announce that you want a divorce!"

"We're going to have to discuss this at another time, Kristin," he said evenly, switching the blow dryer off and walking past her.

"I'm going to the show," she announced.

"Actually, you're not," he said with a shake of his head.

"Kevin!" she cried indignantly.

"You're not going, Kristin," he repeated. "Don't even try. Please?"

She sunk into the couch with a sigh, letting the tears stream down her cheeks. "I don't understand what went so wrong." He paused and went to sit on the coffee table in front of her, clasping his hands together and resting his arms down on his thighs. He lifted his eyes to her, hating the pain in her face. "I just didn't want to lose you, Kevin."

He shook his head slightly and took hold of her hands. "I'm sorry, Kristin. I just can't do this anymore. You're very special to me, but I can't be married to you. I have to do this right now, whatever the consequences. It started with a lie, let's not end it on one, okay? I just need my life back." She cried harder and dropped her head to his shoulder. He put his hands on her back and kissed the side of her head gently. "I have to go, Kris," he said quietly. She pulled back, wiping her cheeks and he kissed her gently with a finger under her chin and smiled weakly. "Gotta go." She nodded and fell back into the couch.

~

He watched the TV screen in horror and disbelief as the station replayed the plane flying into the 2nd tower, seeing the fireball explode out the other side. The bus was motionless, stopped at the Canadian border and he blinked to his driver standing beside him, also watching in speechless horror. Kevin reached out and put a steadying hand on his shoulder and watched the screen again watching the thick gray smoke rise into the bluest of skies over Manhattan.

"…originating from Boston…"

"Fuck!" he muttered with panic hitting his chest and making his heart race. "Brian's bus was behind us, right?" he asked.

"Yeah, right behind," his driver answered.

Kevin glanced out the window seeing Brian's bus behind him. "Let me out," he said, heading to the door quickly. He crossed over to Brian's bus and climbed in, collecting Leighanne in an embrace. Brian sat dumbfounded, staring at their TV and shaking his head, muttering a prayer silently as Kevin kept his arm around Leighanne to stare. "You all right, darlin'?" he asked gently, squeezing her shoulder as she nodded.

"That was my flight," she whispered, he entire body shaking in fear. He leaned over and kissed the top of her head, holding her more tightly.

"What flight was Kristin on?" Brian asked, stretching his hand out for Leighanne to come sit next to him.

"She left earlier," he said.

"They're grounding the flights," Brian said.

"I don't want to scare her if she doesn't know," he said quietly, looking to Brian in panic. There might be other flights…she might already be in danger. Without another thought he pulled the cell phone from his pocket and hit her number on speed dial. She answered after two rings, a bit hesitant. "Hey, everything all right?"

"We're being grounded," she said. "Ohio, somewhere."

"But you're okay?" he asked, his eyes glued to another replay of the plane flying into the tower.

"Yes," she answered. "I'm fine. Is it really true, Kevin? Two planes…?"

"Into the towers, yeah," he confirmed. "We're watching now."

"Oh my God, did Leighanne…"

"She's right here, darlin'," he interrupted. "Safe and sound. She's fine."

"Where are you?"

"They closed the borders," he said. "We're both at the Canadian border."

"We're landing, Kevin," she said. "They need us to turn the phones off."

"Okay," he said, breathing a bit easier. "Just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Thanks," she said. He was sure he could hear her crying.

"Be careful, darlin'," he said gently. "Call me when you're settled, all right?"

"Sure."

"Take care of yourself," he said. "I'll talk to you later."

"Okay," she answered and hung up.

"She okay?"

"They're grounding her somewhere in Ohio," he answered, lowering himself next to Leighanne. She was on the phone with her mother, speaking in reassuring tones and trying not to cry any harder. Moments later, Brian's phone rang. "Nicky? She's right here."

Kevin watched the two of them for a second and hit another button on speed dial. "Hi, Aunt Jackie, everyone's fine. LeighAnne's right here." He handed his phone over to Brian and sat forward, watching the TV again, unable to believe the images flashing before him.

"I just can't believe this is happening," Leighanne whispered. He reached out and took her hand, squeezing gently. "Those poor people."

"Dear Jesus, help them," Brian said silently, handing Kevin his phone back. No one knew what to say and sat dumbfounded for a while longer.

Kevin's phone rang again and he answered after one ring. Jana's voice was shaking on the other end. "Jana?"

"Leslie works on the 28th floor of tower two and I can't get a hold of her," she said quickly, tears filling her voice.

"Oh, baby, I'm sure she's fine," he said, the panic returning again as he looked to Brian and Leighanne. The sense of calmness in knowing Leighanne was safe was replaced by the fear again.

"What is it?" Brian asked, sitting up.

"Her roommate works in tower two," he said quietly.

"Who're you talking to?" Jana asked.

"I'm on Brian's bus with him and Leighanne."

"Oh my God, Leighanne!"

"She's here, she's fine," he said, listening to Jana cry on the other end. "Darlin', most of the phones have been knocked out, it doesn't mean she's not okay," he said, trying to soothe her.

"But Kevin…oh my God! Oh my God!"

He turned his attention to the screen, watching the billowing smoke lift and spread as the South tower collapsed upon itself. "Holy shit," he muttered in dismay.

"Those poor people," Leighanne cried.

"Jana…Jana…calm down, baby, please," he begged gently. "They had a lot of time to get out. She's going to be fine. You have to believe she's going to be fine." She couldn't respond for a long time and he listened to her cry in his ear, trying to comfort her by telling her not to panic, explaining that transmission was down, anything he could think of.

"Where are you?" she asked finally, her voice shaking.

"I'm at the border," he said, looking to Brian and Leighanne, shaking his head slowly with widened eyes. "They won't let us through yet, we might be here for awhile."

"Kevin…" she started, "what am I going to do? What if…"

"Shhh," he cooed into the phone. Leighanne reached out and rubbed his back. "She's going to be fine, darlin'. You have to believe she's going to be fine."

"I don't know what to do," she cried, completely panicked. "Kevin! I don't know what to do! I can't get through to anyone! Do you know how many friends of mine work… Oh my God, Kevin!"

"Jana, shhh, you have to calm down," he tried gently. "There's nothing we can do right now."

"I tried calling everyone I know," she continued quickly. "I can't get any calls through."

"Baby, it's a chaos down there right now," he tried, "she'll call you when she's in a safe place, okay? She'll call you when she's safe. Don't fret just yet, darlin'."

"I don't know what to do," she said again, her voice trailing off.

"Stay on the phone with me," he said. "Can you stay on the phone?"

"I'm on the hotel line," she answered. "My cell is right here."

"Okay," he said calmly, "stay on the line with me, okay? Just talk to me, darlin'. Whatever comes to mind… I'm not going to hang up, okay?"

Brian reached out and put his hand on Kevin's knee, squeezing quickly with support. "Get her number," he whispered. "In case the battery dies."

"Jana, what's your hotel number?"

She fumbled around a bit, finally giving him the hotel number. "I wish you were here," she said meekly. "I'm so scared, Kevin. Oh God, I'm so scared."

"I know," he sighed knowingly. "Don't give up hope yet."

"Oh dear God!" she cried again as he watched the second tower collapse. His entire body ached to be with her, hearing her in such panic and fear. He dropped his chin and pulled the hair from his forehead helplessly listening to her sob in his ear. He couldn't find any words to comfort her, seeing the disaster unfold before his eyes on the TV screen. He could hear Brian and Leighanne praying quietly together. "Oh my God," she cried into the phone again.

"I know, darlin'," he cooed into the phone. "I know."

"I'm so sorry," she cried.

"For what, baby?"

"I should let you go," she said, trying to control her voice.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "Stay on the line with me. I don't mind at all, baby. Keep talking to me."

"I want her to call," she cried. "I don't know what I'm going to do."

"She's going to be fine, darlin'."

"We don't know that," she snapped, bursting into another round of sobs. "I should let you go."

"No, no, no," he said, leaning forward, "don't hang up. I don't want you to be alone right now. Where is everyone else?"

"I…I don't know," she answered. "I just woke up and was going to take a shower and turned on the TV and saw this. I don't know where anyone is. I just…I just tried to get a hold of Leslie and then I called you… I just…"

"Okay," he said gently. "That's fine. I'm glad you called."

"What about Kristin?" she asked, panic filling her voice again. "She was heading back this morning…"

"Grounded in Ohio," he answered. "She's fine. See? Everyone is fine so far," he said, glancing back to Brian and Leighanne, shaking his head in helplessness. "Hang on to that, okay?"

"Hang on," she said quickly and he could hear her answer her cell. A few minutes later she was back. "She's okay," she cried. "That was her mother. She's okay."

"Oh thank God," he sighed, nodding to Brian and Leighanne with a smile. "Where is she?"

"She called her mom from a store somewhere," she answered, her voice shaking with relief now. "She got out before the second plane hit. She's okay, Kevin."

"I'm so relieved," he said.

"I'm so sorry for…"

"Don't be," he interrupted quickly. "Don't be sorry."

"I didn't mean to freak out…"

"You had every right to freak out," he said. "It's fine, darlin'. Really."

"Come see me when you get in?"

"Definitely," he promised.

"Whatever time you get in, okay?"

"Absolutely."

"Okay," she said, trying to take a deep breath. "I'm going to go then."

"Okay," he said. "I love you, Jana," he said gently.

"I love you too," she answered, her voice filling with tears again.

"I'll be there as soon as I can."

He hung up moments later and dropped back, watching people cross the screen covered in soot. Brian and Leighanne looked over to him. "She's okay?" Brian asked.

"Yeah," he answered, pulling his hair off his forehead again. "Leslie's okay." He could feel himself shaking, thinking of how scared she was, not being able to hold or comfort her. He glanced over to Brian and Leighanne with the realization that he had just told Jana he loved her for the first time. It had just come out of his mouth without a thought.

Brian reached over again to pat his leg. "It's okay, Kev."

"Better than that," he said as he took a deep breath. I love her, he tagged on silently.

Birds In Your Garden: Chapter 6
Page 21 | Page 22 | Page 23 | Page 24 | Page 25

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.