Chapter Thirty-Five

It never failed. He'd known Alli for at least nineteen years, and he could probably count on one hand the number of serious discussions he'd successfully had with her. Alli had never much cared for tears and drama unless it involved the cast of Dawson's Creek and her weekly popcorn binge. He watched her intently until she opened her mouth, at which point he shook his head fervently.

"Oh, God no, Al. Don't sing. Please don't sing. I didn't even do anything that might remotely justify that kind of torture tonight..." He wasn't even sure when they had started playing Guns 'N' Roses, but he should've been paying attention so that he could switch the station before Alli could attempt to imitate Axle Rose. Now, the song was already in full swing, and he knew from experience that Alli would do serious damage if he tried to mess with the radio.

Alli just grinned wickedly at him before launching into the first verse of "Welcome To The Jungle". Nick sighed and slumped further into his seat, trying to ignore the off-key attempt at melody going on beside him. He arched an eyebrow and glanced over at her for a moment as the chorus began.

"If you start trying to air-guitar when Slash's solo thingy comes up, I'm going to kick you out of the car and make you walk to your apartment," he informed. Alli just stuck her tongue out at him and began singing more loudly. Nick rolled his eyes and sat back, trying to get lost in the lyrics so as to avoid being once more amazed by the glares of the drivers around them. "Do you always have to play the music so loudly?"

Alli burst out laughing. "Are you seriously asking me this? How long have we known each other, Carter?"

Nick frowned. "My ears are ringing, so I'm thinking that 'too long' might about cover it."

For what had to be the first time in history, Alli turned the music down and frowned at him in return. "You look a bit too serious for me to retort. What's up?"

He groaned. "Nothing, okay? Turn it back on, or up, or whatever."

She arched an eyebrow and glanced in his general direction before switching lanes. "You're going all moody on me. Axle Rose can wait."

Nick smiled forcedly. "Aw, you're postponing your scream fest just for me?"

Alli rolled her eyes. "I thought dinner went well, didn't you?"

Enter confusion. "Yeah..." Nick furrowed his brow. So typical of Alli to confuse the hell out of me. "Why?"

"Because, if dinner went well, then you have no reason to be in a bad mood."

He folded his arms across his chest petulantly. "I'm not in a bad mood."

Alli chortled. "Well, that was convincing..."

He sighed heavily and shut the radio off for good, causing Alli to shoot him a look of death. "I'm not in a bad mood. I promise. That song just...well, it was a bit ironic."

"How so?"

Nick gave her a breadbox look. "We're going to see David. At your apartment."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious..."

Nick groaned aloud. "Can you just not be sarcastic for, like, two minutes?"

Alli smirked at him. "Fine. Make good use of you time, though, because the clock is ticking."

Nick closed his eyes briefly. This was the part where he was supposed to be the honest, soul-bearing best friend who asked for advice and allowed himself to be counseled into a good mood again. Of course, the soul-bearing part didn't exactly fit the whole manly image he'd been working for. He blew a stream of air out between his lips and begged the testosterone gods to have mercy while Alli's wit was resting. "He's not going to like me."

"What makes you think that?"

He looked over, just to make sure that the frown on her face was genuine. It was.

"Al, I'm not stupid, okay?"

"Contrary to popular belief, right?" There was a smirk in her voice, and his jaw tightened at the sound of it.

"My two minutes aren't up yet."

She smiled slowly. "Okay, I'm listening."

He sighed again. "I'm not stupid. I know that you were upset when you left, and you were really pissed at me. David was there to listen, and I know that you rant to hell and back when you're pissed. You told him a lot of shit about me."

"Did I? What makes you think that?"

Nick laughed bitterly. "The amount of shit I heard about him when you two broke up."

For once, Alli kept her mouth shut. Though the break-up between David and herself hadn't been terribly bitter, she had said more than one thing that she wasn't proud of. God, the blonde kid has a point. Is he seriously worried about running into David again?

"Nick, he's not going to hate you."

Nick's reply was serious and blunt. "He still likes you."

Alli snorted. "He does not. If he did, something would've happened by now."

"It did. You kissed him."

"I was out of sorts."

Nick cracked a knowing smile. "Al, I know you. You're always out of sorts."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, so are you."

"I'm not David."

Alli cast him a skeptical look. "No shit, Sherlock."

He gave a huge sigh of exasperation and slumped further down in his seat as she pulled into a parking place and shut the ignition off. As he continued to huff, Alli's features formed another frown of concern.

"Are you really that worried about him?"

Nick gave her a serious look. "We're not supposed to like each other, you know. I'm the protective best friend and he's the prospective boyfriend."

Alli groaned. "Carter, you're being ridiculous. He's the ex-boyfriend, and if anyone should be doing the protecting at this point, it'd be Doc."

"Point proven," Nick muttered. He knew that he should sound triumphant, but the victorious feeling wasn't there. Alli sighed and got out of the car, waiting for Nick to follow her before locking the doors.

"I thought this was about you being worried that he's not going to like you?"

Nick's brow furrowed. "Maybe it's about me being worried about him liking you."

Alli sighed heavily for the countless time and tried to eliminate her frustration by shoving the doors to her apartment building open. "Okay, considering just for a moment the possibility that I am the object of affection again, which I'm not...why would you care if he likes me?"

"I don't know."

Alli rolled her eyes. "Yeah, me either. I think you're being paranoid. In fact, I don't think you even know what you're pissed about anymore."

Nick's features contorted in confusion when he realized that Alli was right. Dammit. It sounded reasonable before... He stopped. Before I opened my mouth. Well, shit.

"God, could it have taken you guys any longer to get here?"

Alli burst out laughing at the pathetic expression on her friend's face. "Aw, Doc, we came as fast as we could."

Be nice, Carter. Nick sighed heavily and put on a smile. "Yeah, Al broke about a thousand traffic laws in the process."

Alli's face registered indignation. "I did not!"

Nick shrugged. "Okay, maybe just a hundred. You did, however, manage to piss off every driver within a ten mile radius."

David nodded knowingly. "Ah, the ears are still ringing?"

Nick frowned and jiggled his finger in his ear. "What?"

The two men shared a laugh as Alli pretended to sulk. Inwardly, however, she was keeping a close watch on Nick. I wonder what his hang-up with David is?

"So, are you two ready for a good game of cards?" David asked with a grin, following the other two into the apartment. Alli shrugged.

"Sure, but I'm also up for a round of blind date gossip."

David groaned immediately, and Nick laughed.

"Was it really that bad?"

David smiled sadly. "Get me drunk first, and then I might have forgotten enough about tonight to be kind to the girl the next time I see her."

Alli popped him upside the head on her way to the kitchen for the deck of cards. "And you men say that we're melodramatic..."

"She drag races at midnight for fun!"

Nick frowned. "Sounds interesting, man. Why didn't you join her?"

David laughed bitterly. "No thanks, I like my life."

Alli gave him a disbelieving look. "There's got to be more to it than that."

David rolled his eyes. "Yeah, there is. She insisted on driving because she believes that the roar of an engine increases the amount of testosterone to our brains and therefore renders all men incapable of logical thought."

Alli groaned. "I swear, you guys hate any girl that poses just a minor threat to your masculinity."

Nick laughed good-naturedly. "Hey, man, I give you props for just remembering that bullshit."

David and Nick slapped a high-five, and Alli frowned. Okay, why was he worried again? "Well, boys, are we going to play or not?"

David grinned and pulled a chair out. "Give me the deck so I can deal, hon."

Alli made a face as she handed the deck to him. "Why can't I deal?"

David gave her a knowing smile. "We're playing Egyptian Rat Screw, Al, not fifty-two card pick-up."

Alli shook her head and began muttering. "Quit hating on me because I can't shuffle."

Nick smiled sweetly at her. "Oh, we will. Just as long as you don't try to do it again anytime soon."

Alli smacked him lightly. "I hate you both."

David cackled evilly. "More fuel for fighting, dear. You might actually win if you have a reason for revenge."

Alli smiled at her former boyfriend. "Aw, look, Carter, David taught his ego how to talk. Isn't that cute?"

Nick winked at David. "Can you teach me?"

David laughed. "Carter, I'll have your ego crying first."

Nick shook his head. "Don't count on it, Rastrelli. The tables always have the possibility of turning. You might want to get stock in Puffs while you still can."

David cracked a grin. "Them be fighting words, Carter. Are you willing to wager a bet?"

Nick opened his mouth to rise to the challenge, but took one look at the death glare Alli was shooting him and changed his mind. "No, I don't need to bet. I think the shock on your face will be enough reward, D."

David smirked. "We'll see about that. Who's starting?"

Alli, who was already wary of the tension in the room, volunteered. "I am." With a heavy sigh, she placed her three in the middle of the table. David threw his seven on top, and the floor shook as three hands reached for the deck.

"Victory!" Nick cheered as his fingers emerged with the cards tucked tightly between them. David rolled his eyes.

"Enjoy it, because it ain't gonna last."

Alli shot him a look of condescension. "Ain't ain't a word, Doc."

"And Carter ain't a victor," David returned with a smile as Alli placed a face card on top of Nick's Jack. "Very admirable try, though."

Nick rolled his eyes as David tried in vain to beat Alli's Queen. "Oh, get over yourself."

David shot him a smirk. "Resorting to pop lyrics, Carter?"

Alli groaned. "Okay, enough. I'm going to resort to popping the both of you if you don't shut the hell up and play. It's just a fucking game, okay?"

They managed to engage in tight, polite small talk for about two minutes before the competitive spirit returned. The pile, by that point, had grown relatively tall, and whoever managed to gain the cards would gain an obvious advantage over the other two players.

David dropped a Jack with a humongous grin. "Beat that, Backstreet Boy."

Nick smirked. "You do realize that luck has more to do with the order of the cards than strategy?"

David rolled his eyes. "You talk too much, Nick. Play."

Alli sighed heavily. "You both talk too much. Doc, I think that blind date must've ruined a lot more than just your evening."

David's taunting expression changed to a frown. "Al...I'll be good, okay? It was a bad night."

"Obviously," Nick muttered, just as he dropped a Jack of his own on top of the pile. Immediately, three hands covered the pile in an attempt to gain the large number of cards.

"Dammit, Al, your knuckles ought to be registered as a lethal weapon!" Nick cried as the force of Alli's blow registered. Of course, he and David noticed at the same time that Alli's hand was sandwiched between the two of theirs. "Oh, I think I won that set..."

David groaned and glanced helplessly in Alli's direction. "He's going to gloat, isn't he?"

Alli laughed. "Hell yeah! Are you kidding? This is Carter we're talking about..."

Nick stuck his nose in the air as he collected his rewards. "For your information, I can be very mature about things like this." He remained silent as he laid his next card on the table, just to prove his point. In fact, the other two were almost convinced that he actually had matured when he let out a tiny whoop of excitement. "Holy shit, did you see how many cards were in that stack?"

Alli rolled her eyes. "Yeah, Carter, I think we got it."

Nick grinned widely. "Just checking."

"No need," David muttered between clenched teeth. I cannot
fucking believe this...he cannot win this game. Not after all of that
shit he did to Alli this year. He does not deserve to hold this over
my head, dammit. He wasn't a competitive person by nature, but
something about being in the same room with Nick amplified the "out
for blood" part of him infinitely. He knew from the look on Alli's
face that she was beyond annoyed with him, but he also knew from
Nick's frequent glances in Alli's direction and the rapidly
decreasing space between Nick and Alli that Nick had more than
friendly feelings for his ex-girlfriend. Of course, knowing Nick,
he's got no idea that he likes her. That kid gives a whole new
meaning to the world "clueless"...

"Well, I'm out," Alli announced, throwing the last of her cards onto the pile. "That's the rest of my deck."

The hopeful look in Nick's eyes didn't escape David. "You can always slap back in, you know."

Alli smiled at him and ruffled his hair. "Yeah, Carter, I know, but I'm going to take advantage of the break and hit the bathroom."

Nick wrinkled his nose. "I so did not need to know that..."

Alli laughed. "Play nice, okay kids?"

David rolled his eyes before smiling innocently in Alli's direction. "Yes, Mom."

Alli stuck her tongue out at him before rounding the corner. As soon as she was out of earshot, however, he turned to Nick and dropped his deck on the table.

"Okay, Carter, game over. What's your deal?"

Nick followed suit, setting his cards down lightly in front of him before shooting his trademark perplexed look in David's general direction. "What do you mean?"

David stared at him incredulously. "With Alli, Nick. You were an asshole to her, and now the two of you are fine. What the hell are you trying to do?"

Nick glared. "Funny, I don't remember any of this being any of your business."

"Kind of like my relationship with Alli wasn't any of your business?"

Nick groaned inwardly. Fuck, this isn't going to be any easier than I thought. "Look, David, I was an asshole..."

"I think we've already established that."

Nick shook his head slightly, fighting the urge to smile at the thought that he had Alli to thank for the knowledge of words like "established". She always had been smarter than he was. In a way, she was smarter than he would ever be.

He shook his head again. "I just want to be a friend to her, David. The same friend to her that I was when you met her, and the same friend that you are to her now. That's all."

"Bullshit."

Nick had the faintest feeling that he should've been surprised when his subconscious agreed with David's blunt wording. Shit.

"Well, what the hell do you think I'm trying to do?"

"Bag her," David shot back frankly.

Nick choked on the breath he'd been inhaling, and his eyes widened to twice their size.

"WHAT?!"

David rolled his eyes, leaned in, and lowered his voice. "Look, Carter, I may not know you too well anymore, but I know that you've changed, and I know why Al left that tour. I don't want you turning her into another one of your little conquests. Unlike the other sluts starring in your twisted game of `Who Wants To Fuck A Backstreet Boy?', she actually cares about you, and she doesn't deserve to be treated like the other girls that you keep around for the hell of it. She isn't one of your little groupies, and she's not into mind games. Leave her the fuck alone, okay?"

Nick winced as he felt the familiar flush on his skin and roar in his head. He knew he had a terrible temper, and he had been fighting to keep it in check, but, well... What's that Alli used to say? "You can't win 'em all."

"Where the FUCK do you get off?!" When David continued to glare at him, he groaned. "Look, ass, Al is my friend, okay? I may be dumb sometimes, but I'm not stupid. I'm not going to jeapardize some nineteen years of friendship because I couldn't keep my dick in my pants. She may be pretty..." Pause. What did I just say? Pretty? Where in the hell did that come from? "...but there's no way I would ever take advantage of her like that. The thought didn't fucking even cross my mind, and that's saying something. I care about her too much to treat her like the groupies that don't even care for themselves, got it? I would never intentionally hurt her."

David smirked. "Then what the fuck was the tour about, Nick? You had to have known that Al hated your behavior."

Nick bit his bottom lip, and his voice registered guilt. "Look, man, you have to know that I had no idea how any of my shit was affecting her. Had I known that it was hurting her, I would've stopped, or done something that might allow her to be less affected by everything."

David snorted indignantly. "Like you are now?"

Nick sighed. "I think I've managed to clear things up between the two of us, don't you?"

David shrugged. "Only because, though Al doesn't take your shit, she does buy your bullshit. She believes you because she cares, and it's only going to end up hurting her, Nick."

Nick frowned and ran a hand through his blonde locks, making a mental note to get them cut. "Look, David, believe it or not, I do know how to be there for her. I used to be her best friend, and I'm slowly easing back into that position. Al is one of the people I cherish most in this world. I'm not about to do anything that might damage the relationship we have any further."

David shook his head incredulously. "And you think that falling in love with her is going to help matters?"

Nick groaned and dropped his head into his hands. "God, you and AJ should hang out. You two say a lot of the same shit, you know that?"

David rolled his eyes. "Yeah, Al might have mentioned it."

Nick chortled. "Yeah, well, she's right."

"So are AJ and I. Nick, you may not see it, but it's pretty fucking obvious that you've got more than protective, friendly feelings for Alli."

Nick arched an eyebrow skeptically. "Okay, either the flow of competitive testosterone has shut off your brain, or a healthy dose of daily soap operas is sparking your imagination, because there is no way in hell that I care about Alli as more than a friend. I don't fall in love."

David rolled his eyes again and dropped his head into his hands just as Nick had done earlier. "Oh, for the love of..."

Nick sighed. "I don't, okay? Not right now. Maybe further on down the line, I could have something like Brian or Kevin has, but not now. Right now, I've got a best friend who's going to be there whenever I get tired of the chick between the sheets. I get sex, I get Alli, and I don't have the fucked-up 'When Harry Met Sally' thing going."

David studied Nick intensely before recognizing the serious glint in his friend's blue eyes. At that point, he smiled knowingly and shook his head. "Mark my words, okay Carter? You will fall in love with Al. You're going to want to take care of her. When you do, though, don't be a jerk. Don't treat her like shit. You and I may have been tight--hell, we may still be tight, since you've decided to drop the asshole act--but I won't hesitate to kick your ass if Alli ever comes crying to my doorstep." He looked up again to study Nick's reaction. "You got me?"

Nick shrugged. "Whatever, man. Romance and Alli don't mix. Besides, didn't I give you this exact same talk at one point or another?"

David chuckled lightly. "History is doomed to repeat itself, right?"

Nick shook his head. "I still think that you and Age are crazy. She's just Alli."

David smirked. "Do you have any idea how many times I've had to say that to myself since I met her? I know what it's like to be attracted to the girl. She's an oddball, but she's a very, very lovable oddball."

Nick laughed and looked up with a smile. "For once, D, I might agree with you."

David nodded and held out his hand. "Okay, so...truce? I think Al was ready to kick us out with all of that competition."

Nick grinned. "Yeah, truce...but I'm still going to whoop your butt."

David clucked his tongue. "Wishful thinking," he sing-songed, just before Alli bounded into the room.

"Oh my freaking gosh...Nick, you dork! Why didn't you tell me?!"

Nick frowned, but gladly returned the hug he had suddenly found himself in. "Tell you what?"

Alli squealed again. "Brian? Leighanne? HELLO?"

Nick laughed. "Oh, that...I thought you knew?"

"Hell no! She just called me to tell me, and she's so excited, and she wants me to be a bridesmaid, and Brian was tickling her in the background, and they sound so happy together, and..." She trailed off with a nostalgic sigh. "I'm so jealous, man. I need to find my Pacey."

David rolled his eyes. "Oh, God, not this again..."

Nick frowned. "You know, we didn't even hear the phone ring?"

Alli laughed. "I'm not surprised. You guys were pretty caught up in this game. I could hear you all shouting from my bedroom."

The two men exchanged guilty looks. David cleared his throat. "Yeah, well, we decided to mature."

Alli smiled. "Aw, no more Tarzan?"

David shook his head. "No way, babe. The sight of Nick in a loin cloth scares me."

Nick cast a mischievous grin in David's direction. "That, and D and the apes got along way too well..."

Alli shook her head in amusement. "Knock it off, you two. Be nice."

Nick grinned. "We are nice." His grin widened when he received another hug. "Whoa, what was that for?"

"Brian and Leighanne! Cuteness in a whole new form, dude, I swear. Those two are going to give Barbie and Ken a run for their money."

David laughed. "And as long as they don't mass produce for a profit, we'll all be okay."

"You're just bitter about your blind date," Alli scolded, and David made a face.

"Did you have to bring that up?"

Nick rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Hey, speaking of bringing stuff back up, can we get back to this card game?"

Alli nodded. "Yeah, no kidding. I've got to try and slap in."

The other two men looked at her doubtfully, and she pouted. "I said 'try'."

David shook his head and placed his card in the middle of the table. "Don't hold your breath, Al. Carter's gotten good."

"And getting better," Nick joked, laying another Jack down on top of the pile. David caught his eye, and the two shared a knowing glance.

"You'd better be," he laughed. "'Cause I'd hate to have to kick your ass."

"No need," Nick told him with a small smile, and a silent understanding passed between them.

"I'm taking your word for it," David said quietly. Alli watched the two of them with a perplexed expression before rolling her eyes and decided that deciphering the macho code of communication wasn't worth her time.

"Or you could just play the game."

Nick laughed. "Yeah, that might work." As soon as he spoke, he laid a card down, and two hands quickly replaced his. "Dammit!"

David smirked as he removed the pile from the table. "Watch the deck, Nick."

Nick shook his head at his own stupidity. "Will do." As his eyes drifted to the determined expression on Alli's face, he couldn't help but smile. Something about her expression always made him want to laugh out loud.

He paused in his thoughts. He had the smallest inkling that his smile wasn't supposed to be that wide.

Dammit.