Where The Heart Is(Backstreet Boys Version)

Chapter Twelve

A year went by. Nick was still in a coma. Brizee was there with him every day, occasionally going home to rest up while Jane and Bob took turns until the guys returned from the tour and AJ, Brian, Kevin, and Howie took turns staying with him. Brizee had gone home to rest while Brian stayed with Nick. He was reading a magazine when he heard a sound and he saw Nick moving. He pushed the nurses button. A nurse came in and saw Nick and went to get the doctor. A doctor came in and examined him.

"He's coming back," the doctor said. Brian called Brizee and everyone. Nick's eyes fluttered and opened and he looked around and saw Brian standing there.

"Frick," Nick said weakly.

"Hey Frack, it's good to see you awake!" Brian said.

"What happened?" Nick asked.

"We were onstage in Paris, France, practicing for a show and a speaker fell and hit you in the head, we brought you back to the states and you are in Tampa General Hospital," Brian said.

"Paris, I thought we were in LA for a concert," Nick said.

"No, we were in Europe," Brian said.

"I remember being in LA for a concert," Nick said.

"Oh boy," Brian said.

"Brian, how long have I been here?" Nick asked.

"You've been in a coma for a year now, they told us you might never wake up," Brian said. Nick saw his hand.

"Oh god, you and Briz got married," Nick said.

"Um, no, I'm married to Leighanne," Brian said.

"You dumped Briz for Leighanne," Nick said.

"I cheated on her, okay, I went out with Leighanne, with Brizee's permission, and I ended up sleeping with Leighanne," Brian said.

"You jerk," Nick said.

"Everything's okay now, Brizee and I are friends, she and Leighanne are best buds, it's all cool," Brian said.

"So who is Brizee with now?" Nick asked. Brizee came running in and hugged him.

"Oh god, Nick, I was so scared!" Brizee said. Nick looked at Brian who nodded.

"Briz," Brian said.

"Brian, what is it," Brizee said.

"He has amnesia, he doesn't remember the past year and a half, his last memory was that he was onstage in LA," Brian said. Brizee looked at Nick and looked at Brian.

"Oh, I see, oh man, I'm sorry to hug you like that," Brizee said.

"We are friends, Briz, it's okay," Nick said.

"Okay, I am just glad you are awake, we all were worried that you wouldn't, from what the doctors said," Brizee said. The doctor came in and checked on him.

"Mrs. Carter, your husband is going to make a full recovery and the tests came out perfect, just the amnesia but in time everything will comeback to him," the doctor said. Brizee stood there frozen. Nick looked at Brian who sighed.

"Mrs. Carter?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, you and Briz are married," Brian said.

"Oh," Nick said. Brizee looked at him.

"I'm sorry," Brizee said.

"Briz, you have nothing to be sorry about, my memory will come back," Nick said.

"Yeah," Brizee said.

"I don't know what to say," Nick said.

"Just get some rest," Brizee said. She went out the door and leaned against the wall. Brian came out and looked at her.

"Briz," Brian said.

"I can't do this, Brian, I can't pretend, I can't, I love him so much, I can't deal with it being one sided, I can't handle knowing that he doesn't remember loving me," Brizee said. She went down the hall and out the door and went home and packed up her stuff and loaded up her car just as AJ and Emily showed up.

"Briz," Emily said.

"I can't do it, Em, I can't," Brizee said crying.

"Briz, he'll remember in time," Emily said.

"I know, but who knows how long it will be and I can't handle it, I can't deal with this," Brizee said. She got into her car and went to her father's house. Brad and Elizabeth came out and hugged her.

"Why are you giving up," Elizabeth said.

"I just can't deal with the feelings being one sided, I don't want to confuse him anymore than he is," Brizee said. Brad hugged his daughter.

"I love him so much, Dad, and he doesn't remember loving me," Brizee said. Elizabeth joined the hug.

Two weeks later, Nick was released from the hospital and Brian took him home. Nick walked in and looked around.

"Briz lives here," Nick said.

"Yeah," Brian said. Emily and AJ came in.

"Hey, where's Briz," Nick said.

"She moved out," Emily said.

"What," Brian said.

"She said that she needed to leave to give Nick space and get back to normal without him being confused," Emily said.

"But she should be here if she's my wife," Nick said.

"Nick, she just wants you to get settled in and relax and rest, she'll come back when you are ready," Emily said.

"She's my wife, Emily, if I'm married to her, she should be here to help me," Nick said. Emily called Brizee. Brizee came back and looked at Nick. He looked at her.

"Why did you leave like that," Nick said.

"I wanted to give you space," Brizee said.

"Isn't marriage suppose to be for better or worse, until death do us part," Nick said.

"I was just trying to make things easier for you," Brizee said.

"I may not remember us being married but I do remember us being best friends, Briz, I need you here with me, okay, you can help me get back to normal," Nick said.

"All right, I'm sorry, I thought I was doing the right thing," Brizee said sitting down. Nick sat down next to her.

"I just want you to help me get through this," Nick said. Brizee nodded. Emily went to get her stuff. Nick and Brizee were left alone.