Nick's 21st Birthday Party. . .after the Superbowl at a Tampa Club

They had been at the club for a little more than an hour, and Danielle found herself blending into the crowd. She felt like more of an observer than someone who was part of Nick's birthday celebration. Not that she minded. At this point, she was trying to take everything in. Get accustomed to her new company. She was studying everyone. Kevin and Kristin acted as the "parents" of the group. Kevin, trying to make sure none of them got too out of hand. Brian and Leighanne were the social butterflies of the group, and never left each other's side. They were perfect together. They complimented each other so well. Brian had even started to warm up to Danielle before they got to the club. Howie was the suave one. Very charming and had no trouble finding company with a couple different beauties at the club. Then there was AJ. The only time AJ would look at her was either to leer at her or glare at her. And the time he talked to her was to ask her what Joey thought of her being there with Nick. To which she didn't have an answer.

"Danielle? Are you in there?" she heard a voice next to her. She snapped out of her thoughts and turned to look at Sarah who was waving her hand in front of her face.

Danielle shook her head, embarrassed. "Oh, yeah, I just got lost in my thoughts a little bit," she laughed.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. This is all new to me too. It gets a little crazy, huh?" Sarah noted.

"Yeah, it does. Wait till they get farther into the tour, that's when the craziness really starts," Danielle told her taking a drink of her beer.

Sarah looked at her with a puzzled look for a moment and then remembered, "Oh, that's right. You've been through this drill before haven't you?"

Danielle nodded. "Everything is very much the same, but very different. It feels weird. Being HERE."

Sarah smiled at Danielle and touched her arm. "I know this is weird for you. And I know AJ hasn't exactly made this easy for you. I'm so new to all of this too, it's hard not to become overwhelmed. I'm trying not to let everything get to me. It's hard though. Angry fans. They hate me because I'm not Amanda," she paused her smile fading from her face. "They hated Amanda because she was with AJ."

"I know what you mean," Danielle agreed softly.

"Danielle, it's going to get worse for you," Sarah continued. "You are going to get backlash from all sides. The NSync fans are going to be on you because you switched sides. You know how these fans are. The Backstreet fans are going to be on you for being with Nick so soon. You've got a double-edge sword."

"But I'm not WITH Nick. We are just friends," Danielle reminded her.

Sarah laughed, "Oh Danielle, you know as well as I do how they are. That isn't going to matter. Plus, these fans are seriously crazed when it comes to Nick. Just be careful."

Danielle nodded. She knew exactly what Sarah was talking about. Word wasn't exactly out that she wasn't with Joey anymore. When it did get out, it was only a matter of time before people found out about her friendship with Nick. Danielle sighed. She knew better than to get involved in this whole entertainment circus again. Being friends with Britney, she would always have been in the mix somehow, but, THIS. This was a whole other can of worms. Did she dare open it?

She glanced over at Nick, who was popping a bottle of champagne and hooting and hollering. She laughed at him as the champagne started to explode in his hair and around everyone else. He looked around the room for a second before his eyes met hers. His face lit up even brighter, and he stepped down off the table he was standing on with his hand out to her. She took his hand and he pulled her close to him. He had his right arm around her waist pulling her close and his left hand cupping her face. He looked so happy, Danielle couldn't help but share in his happiness. She was smiling just as wide as he was.

"So, are you ever going to give me a birthday kiss?" he asked her playfully.

"That's a pretty tall order, birthday boy," she replied.

"Just one. That's all I want for my birthday," he requested.

Danielle laughed, "That's it? That's all you want? You could have anything for your birthday! What about that blonde over there, I bet she would kiss you."

"Just one. Just from you," his thumb stroked her cheek playfully.

She took a deep breath. The feeling of being in his arms and the way he was touching her face. The look in his eyes. She was trying hard not to get caught up in her emotions. Nick was clearly drunk, and she was a bit tipsy herself. Before she could give it much more thought, Nick's face was inching closer to hers. And before she knew it, he had closed the gap placing his lips on hers.

She couldn't believe the sensation searing through her. She wrapped her arms around his waist and let him pull her even closer to him. She opened her mouth to allow his tongue to enter and she felt him probe deep around her tongue. She felt how perfect his lips matched hers. How they fit right into place. Joey always had sloppy kisses. . .Nick's kiss was sealed. She could literally feel her knees becoming weak.

When their lips parted, they stood there staring at each other. She could see a different look in Nick's face. He was searching her eyes, looking deep into her. Something about the look in his eyes ignited another fire in her.

"Yo Nicky! Smile!" AJ yelped as a flashbulb went off. Nick and Danielle were startled by the flash and looked over to a smirking AJ. Nick looked back at Danielle, "Thanks for the awesome present, babe." He kissed her cheek and then took off after AJ leaving her standing there.

Danielle just stood there speechless. She touched her lips with her fingers. She watched Nick bound after AJ and smiled to herself. There was a bond building by the minute between them. One thing she was certain of now. She liked how he made her feel. And she would be damned if she was going to let anyone break up their friendship. AJ, Joey, the fans. No one. She wanted Nick in her life. Bring on the can of worms, she thought, I'm busting it wide open.

Danielle had arranged for a limo service to pick them up from the party and take them home. Danielle knew that regular cabs couldn't be trusted in Nick's gated community and no one else was in much better shape to drive them. Nick was beyond drunk, pretty typical for turning 21 years old. His party had turned out to be a success, and everyone had a pretty good time.

She knew the job of getting Nick home was not going to be an easy one, but she was up to the task. After all, this night was about Nick and catering to him. She was glad to do that, especially after everything he has done for her.

Nick laid his head on the back of the seat and looked over at Danielle. He reached his hand out to touch her face. She turned her head as his fingers touched her cheek. "You. Are. Soooooo fucking beautiful," he slurred, his head still lying on the seat.

Danielle smiled and took his hand from her face and held onto it in her lap. "That's very romantic, Nick," she said with minimal sarcasm, playing along with his drunken mood.

"No! Really! I ain't lyin'!"

She turned her face away from him and looked out the window, "Oh, I believe you."

"Are you taking me home?" he asked.

"Yes, I am. I'm gonna get the birthday boy home and tucked in bed, and then I'm gonna go to my home." She explained.

"No!" he protested. "You tuck yourself in with me!"

She looked back at him and smiled, "Oh no, Nick. You're going to bed with your puppies. Danielle's going home to her own bed."

"Then take me to your bed," he smiled, closing his eyes and laying his head on her shoulder.

She gently pushed him off of her and patted his cheek. "No, no Nicky. We don't do that. This is Danielle, remember?"

The driver pulled into Nick's estate, "We're here. Do you need help getting out of the car?" The driver came around and opened the door for them. Danielle took the driver's hand and turned around waiting for Nick.

"Of course I don't need help getting out of the car, I know how to get out of the. . .ooof!" Nick exclaimed as he lost his footing stepping out and landed on his knees. Danielle started giggling and went to help him up.

"C'mon, birthday boy," she laughed, holding onto his main torso. "Let's get inside."

They started walking toward the door, when Danielle turned and yelled to the driver, "I'll only be a few minutes." The driver nodded and stood near the backseat door. Danielle held onto Nick as he stumbled along with her. He had his left arm slumped around her shoulders and his right hand hanging onto left hand holding onto his front torso.

"Let's talk about what. . .he's done. . .to become your number one. . ." Nick began singing.

Danielle just humored him and let him keep singing, "Very good, Nick, you have proven to me that you should lip synch while intoxicated."

Nick didn't hear her and kept singing as she fished around in his pockets for his keys. He grabbed her face in his hands and kept singing to his "audience". "Here me out. . .you must know. . .what it's all about. . .that he's just a player in looooooove. . ." as he sang the last word, he wrapped his arms around her neck yanking her head into his chest.

"Yup, he's a player in love, Nicky. Now where are your keys?"

He kept on singing and released her smiling and reached down under his doormat, and grabbed the key, ". . .Geeeeet Another Boyfriend. . ." he smirked at her and unlocked the door, immediately tripping over the threshold. He laughed, as she began helping him up.

Danielle's buzz was now leaving her as she realized that getting a drunken Nick Carter into bed, was going to be a bit of a chore. Plus, her bladder was working overtime. She had to pee since they left the club and now she needed to get to the bathroom soon. She led him into the living room and plopped him on the couch. "Stay here Singing One, I need to go to the bathroom."

She took off her jacket, threw it on top of Nick and rushed off to the bathroom, leaving Nick lying with his legs dangling over the arm of the couch. At that moment, Danielle's cell phone began to ring in her jacket pocket. "Hello?" Nick said out loud. The phone continued to ring. Nick grabbed the jacket lying on his stomach and began to search for the object making all the noise. He finally found the cell phone and stared closely at it, squinting his eyes to see the button he needed to push. He found it and answered the phone, "Hello?"

"Who the fuck is this?" he heard a voice say.

"It's me!" Nick replied. "Who the fuck is this?"

"Joey," there was a short pause. "Is that you, Carter?"

"Of course it's me! You called me didn't you?" Nick replied confused. "Joey who?"

"Fatone asshole! Where the fuck is Danielle? Why are you answering her phone?" he demanded.

Nick looked at the phone again. Nope, not my phone. Oops. "Jooooey. How nice of you to call. I'll be sure to tell Danielle you said hello. Goodbye!"

"Listen here. . ."Joey began, but Nick cut him off by hanging up. He then quickly turned the phone off and put it back in Danielle's jacket pocket. He stumbled up off the couch and headed to the front door, where he then proceeded to tell the driver to go ahead and leave.

Danielle returned and found Nick near the door again. "Where are you going?" She ran over to him and grabbed his arm.

"I was just locking the door," he explained, wrapping his arm around her waist. She squirmed out of his arms and went to check the door. She opened it and immediately saw that the car was gone.

"Nick! Where did the car go?" she asked impatiently.

"Who?"

"The car? The driver who was waiting for me?" she flung her arm back pointing out the door with her thumb.

"Oh! Him!" Nick exclaimed and walked closer to her, putting both his hands on her waist. "I told him, that he could go. You're staying here. With me. Tonight." He leaned in to kiss her and she pushed him away.

"You are an asshole, Nick!" she yelled.

"What?"

"I'm not one of your little toys that you can bring home and dictate what happens to me. You may be able to do that with your little groupies, but not me. I don't care how drunk you are. This is completely unacceptable!" she yelled and turned to go to the door.

"Shhhhhhhhhh!" He put his finger up to his lips, his eyes wide. He used his other hand to motion for her to calm down. "I sorry. My bad. Just SHHHHHHHH."

She stood there with her hands on her hips and replied calmly, "what?"

He grinned at her and approached her cautiously. Then whispered, "We don't want to wake up the dogs."

"Oh my God, Nick."

"Really. I sorry. Don't be mad, please?"

His eyes were as red and glassy as eyes could get. His face was all flushed. He was a drunken mess. It's no secret that guys get stupid and horny when they are drunk. Why should Nick be any different? Here he stood in front of her, with his hands clasped, and staring at her with those blue eyes. Drunk as they were, were still making her heart melt.

She rolled her eyes and took a deep breath, "I'm not mad, Nick." She said as she exhaled. "Just, let me get you some aspirin and some water and then into bed. I'm sure you have a spare room in this shack that I can sleep in."

I've got a spare space in my bed, he thought. "Yup. Lots of room here." He told her.

She managed to get him upstairs and to his room. He sat on the edge of his bed and watched her open and close drawers in his dresser. She pulled out two clean shirts and two pairs of boxers. One set of shirt and boxers was for her to sleep in. She threw the other set at Nick. "I'm not dressing you, so here are your PJs for the night."

She walked out of the room and down the hall to a spare bedroom. She changed clothes there, then walked back downstairs to the kitchen. She grabbed two bottles of water and four aspirin. She took two for herself and then brought the other two upstairs to Nick.

His bedroom door was partially closed, so she tapped lightly on the door. "Nick? I brought you some water and some aspirin. Are you decent?"

"Come on in," he answered.

She walked into the room and found him under the covers of his bed. He wasn't wearing the t-shirt she had thrown him. In fact, she noticed the boxers she had given him were still on the floor as well.

"Are you naked under there?" she asked.

"Yup. I don't wear pajamas to bed," he answered her. "Whadya bring me?"

She had not expected to be feeling the kind of sensations going through her upon seeing his naked chest. She remembered his kiss at the party, how weak her knees became, and how good it felt to be in his arms. She had to shake this feeling though. It was normal for two people to have a physical attraction to each other. That's all that was happening tonight. A mixture of alcohol and two lonely hearts can lead to situations like this. I have to stay strong. I'm not going to let anything happen between us. We're friends. Don't blow that, Dani, she told herself.

She went over to him and handed him the aspirin. "Here, take these. It might help your head in the morning. And drink this whole bottle of water before you go to sleep."

He took the aspirin and swallowed them down with a drink of water. Before Danielle could walk away, he quickly grabbed her arm and sat her down on the bed with him. Immediately, he pulled her to him with a tug of her arm and placed his lips on hers. His tongue dove straight into her mouth and he moved his hands up to her face. She couldn't help but kiss him back. His kisses gave her such an electrical feeling inside. So smooth, so soft, so. . .seductive. Purely physical Danielle, that's all this is. Drunken hormones and physical attraction, her conscience told her again. You have to be the one to take control of this situation.

He was sitting on the bed slightly on his side, and she could feel a hardness beginning to form against her hip. It turned her on to feel him becoming excited in conjunction with his drowning kiss. But, she had to listen to herself. This was wrong. She couldn't let it happen. No matter how much she wanted to keep going, or how wet she was getting herself, she had to stop it before they went too far.

She placed her hands on both sides of his face and broke away from him. Still holding him, she told him, "Nick? We can't do this."

He nodded and leaned in closer, not taking his eyes off her lips, "Yes, we can."

She moved back as he leaned in and moved her hands to his chest, holding him away. "No, we can't. This is wrong. It feels right, but this is only physical. I can't do this to myself. I know my emotions and I can't do this."

She stood up and ran out the door, knowing that if she stayed a second longer, she wouldn't be able to stop herself.

Nick laid back in his bed, brought both hands to his head and muttered, "Shit! What are you thinking Carter? You're not! That's the problem."

Nick's head was so clouded right now. The room was spinning slightly, his lips were still wet from her kiss and the erection that he held was starting to feel the need for release. Nick stumbled out of bed and into the bathroom where he hopped in a cool shower to snap him out of two things: One, the urge to follow Danielle and make love to her till they both passed out, and two, this fog of drunkenness looming over him. He had completely lost his wits about him.

When he emerged from the shower, he felt much more aware and refreshed. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist. He looked at himself in the mirror. "Dumb move, Carter," he told himself. "She's probably never going to talk to you again. Shit!"

Danielle ran into the other room, quickly climbed into bed and threw the covers over her head. She could hear the shower in Nick's bathroom start up. She knew why he was taking one, and she felt awful. She hated what her emotions were doing to her. Here she was, with Nick. . . little Nick Carter and all of the sudden he's grown up. All of the sudden, here is Nick Carter, the man. When did that happen? She thought to herself. She hated the fact that his arms felt so good around her. She hated that when he looked at her she could feel her stomach flip. She hated that when he kissed her, she wanted his lips to stay there forever. She hated that he did all this when he was drunk. And most of all, she hated that she felt as though she were betraying Joey. That it was wrong to be feeling these things for Nick. Especially, when deep down, she had wished it had been Joey she was kissing. As much as she hated to admit it to herself, she missed him. Her heart was still breaking. She felt tears forming in her eyes and she turned over on her side. Closing her eyes, feeling a tear fall down her cheek. Then she fell into a soft sleep.

Nick slowly opened the door to the dark, spare room where Danielle was sleeping. Still wearing just the towel, he quietly walked over to the bed and sat on the edge next to Danielle's sleeping form. He sat and listened to her breathe. He placed his hand on top of the covers over her body. She was so warm, and seemed to be at such peace. He wanted to crawl under the covers with her and envelop himself around her body, soaking in her warmth. He knew better than to try that. He prayed that he didn't ruin anything between them.

"I'm so sorry, Danielle," he whispered. "The last thing I would ever want to do is hurt you."

Danielle began to wake up, but she didn't stir. She could feel Nick's hand caressing her thigh through the blanket and listened to the words he gently whispered.

"I am just stupid. Drunk and stupid. You are not like any other girl that I've had in my bedroom. I never want you to feel like I treated you like one of them. You're different. I believe in your feelings and I want you to feel like you can trust me."

He paused for a moment before continuing. "You can, you know. Trust me, I mean. I don't want you to leave my life, Danielle. I know that I am going to be gone on tour, and I. . .I don't know how this is going to work. But it just has to. I'll make this up to you. I promise." He then leaned down and kissed her cheek.

Danielle felt his lips touch her cheek as he whispered, "Sleep baby," into her ear. She hoped that he didn't know she was awake. She smiled as she thought about what he told her. Don't worry, Nick. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not sure what we are doing, but we'll make this work.

Chapter 6
Chapter 4
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