Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2003 18:08:48 +0000 (GMT)
From: goldenknight <goldenknightuk@yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: Dreams of an Angel - 11 (gay/boybands)

Hello! Hi again. I know! I know! I told you guys last time that I'll not be
writing again until my exam is over at the end of April but I JUST COULDN'T
HELP MYSELF!! I'm just soooooo sick of studying so I thought I'll just take
a break and write something. But BE WARNED that this is not gonna happen
every day. After the exam, I'll write on, but till then, well... if I got
sick of studying again, I'll write again :) Otherwise, well, if I'm still
alive after the bloody exam (Please God, I hope!), I'll continue
writing. So guys and gals, here's the next part of Dreams of an Angel! Hope
you enjoy it. And thanks again for the cool feedback guys. You guys are the
coolest! :) If you have any suggestions or comment, well, the email addy is
below, so you know where to drop the note.

	Onwards to the boring part! Legal matters! Hehehe. You can press
'fast-forward' now.

	Well, first of all, this story, as you will certainly find out
soon, is TOTALLY fictional. So! If any of you truly believe in it... well,
my brother is studying psychiatry right now for his final medical
examination in April, so maybe I'll just refer you to him. You'd make a
good delusional subject. Secondly! None of the guys in the Backstreet Boys
are gay! (No matter how hard I wished it :P). But nobody say we couldn't
dream it, heh heh. Thirdly, Warren Worthington is actually a character from
Marvel Comics, X-men known as Angel or recently Archangel. Okay fine, I
admit it. I'm bored and I am making a pathetic attempt to make life a lil'
bit interesting. Its not like I'm gonna publish it or something. What else
to talk about hmm? Oh, there may be some adult gay scenes in this
story. Unlike my brother, I don't mind writing naughty stuff ;) so! If
you're underage, naughty, naughty! I can only ask you to go away, but I
cannot do anything else to stop you from reading on anyway. Hell! I've been
sneaking into the internet to watch gay porns since I was 13! So, if your
parents or whoever responsible for you catch you, don't say I didn't warned
you. However, if you're homophobic... well maybe I can seduce you enough to
turn you around heh heh. I do so love a challenge ;)

	Anyway, enough talk. Any comments or boos or suggestion or
whatever, just sent it to the same address as in NNTs,
goldenknightuk@yahoo.co.uk . Yeah, we shared the same address. Don't
ask. Long story.

	Okay then! On to the show. Now, don't be shy now. If you got any
comments or suggestions, just drop me a note. You do the request, and I'll
do the show.

	Andy

************************************

"You sure you're gonna be all right on your own, buddy?" asked AJ. "I can
go with you if you want."

"Of course I'm gonna be okay, AJ. Quit treating me like a lil' kid, will
you?" Nick replied in an irritated tone.

"Whoa, there. Don't get pissed on me. I'm just looking out for you. That's
what friends are supposed to do to each other right?" AJ backed away
quickly, smiling cheerfully.

Nick smiled back at him and adjusted his tone. He didn't mean to get pissy
with AJ. The man IS trying to look out for him. Even without empathically
reaching out to him, Nick could actually feel the sincere concern emanating
from AJ's mind.

They are in the VIP lounge of the airport, waiting for AJ's and Howie's
flight to be announced indicating the time for boarding. Howie has gone off
to make some phone calls while Jubilee and Warren went off somewhere to
arrange for their own private flight to Westchester.

"What are you gonna do for your vacation, AJ?"

AJ simply shrugged.

"I haven't really made any plans yet." He answered. "Spend a couple of
weeks with my folks, then maybe off somewhere for a nice relaxing
time. Maybe dabble with something else or another. We'll see. And you?"

"I'm going off to pay Brian and Leigh Ann a visit in a couple of weeks. You
wanna come along? The more the merrier."

AJ looked at him consideringly.

"Yeah, why not." He smiled. "We'll call the others and have a barbecue
party or something. Then we go out, hit the clubs and hang out just like
the old times."

"Yeah! That's a great idea." Nick agreed happily.

"Anything else you gonna do besides going to Brian's?"

Nick just shook his head. He knew AJ wouldn't have any problem with him
being a mutant but he's not prepared to make that little step just yet.

"I think I'm gonna hang out with Warren and Jube for a while. At times,
I'll go and check on my house and my folks. And for the rest... well, like
you, I haven't made any plans just yet."

"You and Warren seem to get along really well." Said AJ as he lounge on the
couch lazily. "I never seen you click that well and that quickly to anyone
so easily before."

"I like him." Nick admitted steadily. "He's way cooler than any rich guys I
ever met. Most of those rich and famous people I encountered are either too
snobby or too annoying."

AJ laughed.

"And being rich and famous yourself..."

"Don't go there, AJ," Nick interrupted with a warning glare at the laughing
guy.

"Warning noted," AJ surrendered as he smiled cheekily.

"What about Howie?" asked Nick curiously, "Is he gonna be with you?"

"He was at first," AJ answered in a somewhat annoyed voice. "But then he
received words that he is needed in New York; something to do with 'The
Right' meetings or something. I wish he didn't get involved with those
lot. People there always give me the creeps."

Nick tensed up upon hearing that name. The people involved in that
organization always gave him the creeps too in the past, and now that he
learned that he's a mutant, those people now practically frighten him out
of his boots.

"Howie's still not over with Jessica's death, huh?" Nick said softly as he
struggled hard to control his fear.

"He was in love with her, Nick," AJ sighed. "He might not say so in the
past, but, well, you saw how his eyes lights up whenever she was near. And
when she was not around, he'd become moody and quiet. The signs were there
all the time. Kev and I were actually waiting for the big news that they'd
actually get together at last. But... well, I suppose that will never
happen now."

"I never noticed those signs," Nick admitted sadly. "You know how bad I am
in noticing any signs and figuring things out. But I got my own suspicions
at the time."

The two remained quiet for a moment as they remember the fun time they had
with the girl.

"Brian suspected that Howie was going to tell her of his feelings a couple
of days before the whole incidence happened," said AJ suddenly. "He
overheard Howie booking a flight to New York one night."

In a way, that little piece of information makes Nick felt ever more
sorrier to Howie than before. He never knew about that.

"I guess Howie has all the right reasons to hate mutants." Said Nick, but
he was surprise when AJ only gives a weary sigh at his remarks.

"Things happen, Nick. Sometimes thing in life doesn't go exactly the way
you wants it." He said tiredly. "I was sad and angry at the news of Jess's
death too. But I don't go around blaming all mutants for it. There are good
mutants and there are bad mutants, just like there are good humans and bad
humans in this world. If Jess got caught in some crossfire between some
crazy mafia mob bosses and the cops and got killed because of it, would you
blame everyone involved in that shootings? Both the cops AND the mob
bosses? I'd only blame the mob bosses. The cops are only doing their jobs
to protect the people and eliminate the threats. The same goes for those
mutants out there. I only blame the bad mutants. Those good ones are only
trying to help us but sometimes, people die no matter how hard they try."

"And I definitely wouldn't associate myself with those honchos from 'The
Right'. They are up to no good, Nick. I'm willing to bet all my money on
that. That's why I'm keeping an eye on Howie. Hopefully I can pull him out
before the bomb explodes. Revenge because of love is one thing, but mass
murder is another. And the way those fanatical idiots in 'The Right' are
behaving, I've no doubt they are heading towards that direction."

"You've been attending their meetings?" asked Nick.

"Someone needs to keep an eye on Howie." AJ shrugged. "Friends take care of
each other right? That's why I felt bad when I didn't notice that you were
having problems. I was too busy looking the other way to notice things
right under my nose."

"Hey, dude, for the last time, don't worry about it!" Nick smiled. "You
can't look at every directions all at the same time. Don't beat yourself up
for it."

"Well, don't say Kevin is the only one working for the good of the group."
AJ laughed softly. "While Kev fusses around with y'all like a mother-hen,
I'll be the group's secret guardian angel."

Nick laughed at that.

"Got any feather wings or a halo of light to show me, O Guardian Angel?"

"Nay, my child. Thou art not worthy yet to see me in my full glory," AJ
attempted a sagely smile as he assumed a mocking self-righteous pose.

The two chuckled for a moment before falling silent.

"Speaking of feather wings, look at what I found in Warren's room last
night!" AJ exclaimed as he digs into his bag. "I've never seen it before in
my life."

Nick's eyes widened in shock as AJ pulled out a pure-white feather about
the size of Nick's forearm.

"This must come from one HUGE bird!" said AJ laughingly.

"Gosh, AJ, you've been stealing from Warren's apartment?"

"Hey! I wasn't stealing! It was lying on the floor at the edge of the
balcony, nearly falling off it. Some birds must have dropped it. I picked
it up out of curiosity and took it back to my room when we left the
place. It's beautiful isn't it? I've never seen something so pure-white
like this before. And soft too!"

"Man! You really should stop picking up strange things wherever you go,
AJ," said Nick, barely hiding the nervousness in his voice. "It's becoming
a bad habit. Last time you picked up some dirty old stone from some woods
because you think its shape is interesting."

"Hey! It does have a shape like a sea-horse!" AJ defended. "Anyway, I can't
help picking up strange objects that I find interesting. I've been doing it
since I was a kid."

"Well, at least you didn't pick up some dirty old tampons like the last
time when we were in Europe." Nick laughed brightly.

AJ blushed indignantly.

"I wasn't aware it was a tampon!!" He said in frustration before laughing
again. "Ooooohhh! Don't remind me of that incident!!! I've never felt so
embarrassed in my life!"

The two lost themselves in chuckles once again before falling silent.

"Hey, AJ." Said Nick. "Think I can have that feather? You're right. It is
beautiful."

AJ grinned.

"Hah! Look who're collecting strange things now."

"Pleeeeaseee?" Nick pleaded, giving him his best puppy face.

"Say 'AJ is the greatest guy in the whole world with a golden voice and a
gorgeous god-like body and the best personality amongst the Backstreet
Boys' first." AJ smiled smugly.

Nick's eyes widened at that.

"Good God! You really have a high opinion of yourself, don't you?"

"Hey! It's not everyday I have the star-attraction of the Backstreet Boys
right under my thumb," AJ laughed again. "I might as well savor the
moment."

Nick looked at the feather and was surprised that he really, really wants
it. That came from Warren's wings and if he has it in his possession, he
could always feel and cherish the softness of the wings whenever he wants
to.

"AJ is the greatest guy in the whole world with a golden voice and a
gorgeous god-like body and the best personality amongst the Backstreet
Boys." Nick could feel the shameful blush creeping up his face as he
recites those words.

AJ nearly fall of his seat laughing.

"Wow, you really want it don't you?!" He gasped.

"It's beautiful, you said so yourself." Said Nick. "Now can I have it."

"I should have recorded that. Oh well, next time you want something else
from me, I'll do that." Said AJ. "Here. Take it."

Nick took the feather almost reverently and softly strokes it. The
softness, the smoothness of it... he will treasure this for the rest of his
life. AJ has no idea how valuable this feather is to Nick. Carefully, he
placed it into his own bag.

"Hey! Would you mind if I come over and visit Warren and you at
Westchester?" said AJ suddenly.

"Umm..." Nick replied uncertainly. "Well... maybe... I mean, you need to
inform me in advance first because... well... I might not be there, you
see. I may go and visit my families and all... you know. And of course, you
need to tell Warren about it."

"Of course," said AJ. "Maybe I'll pay a visit there later. I'll bring Howie
along and Warren and Jubilee can show us around this school they go to."

Nick received that little statement with a grunt, but didn't say
anything... because he doesn't know what to say! Howie wandering about in a
school full of mutants? Okay! He must warn Warren about this.

"Umm..." Nick began but was relieved when the door opened and Warren and
Jubilee came in, laughing.

"Guys! Can you sign this pictures for me??" Jubilee shrill voice lit up the
whole room as she bounced into the room with a teenybopper magazine bearing
their faces on the front cover in her hand.

"My pleasure, sweetheart!" AJ laughed merrily. "Anything for my little wild
princess!"

Warren looked with amusement at Jube's blushing face.

"My God! AJ! How the hell did you do that?? You just made Jubilee blush!"
Warren exclaimed.

"Ah! Some questions are better left to aged sages, my dear Warren," said AJ
sagely before laughing. We Backstreet Boys have many talents other than
singing and dancing!"

"Hear, hear!" Nick clamored in as he joined the laughter.

They all looked up when the door opened again and Howie stepped inside,
looking at them quietly, especially Warren. Alarm set off in Nick's mind as
he immediately sense something is wrong. Howie's mind is radiating
with... suspicions... and wariness... Does he know about Warren?

"So, you're not gonna hang out with me for the holiday, D?" asked AJ.

"Maybe in a few weeks, buddy." Howie replied apologetically. "I know, I
know. I promised we hang out more during the holiday. But 'The Right' is
organizing a rally next week and they've selected me to be part of the
organizing team. Hey! You can join me if you want."

Nick noticed Warren and Jubilee's head snapped up upon hearing that
name. Luckily, the two didn't notice.

"Sorry dude." AJ politely declined as he shot Nick a look that asked him
not to reveal what he has just confided earlier. "I've been waiting for
this holiday for ages and I'm not gonna waste it on anything else other
than eat, sleep and clubs."

"Well, it's your choice. Wish you come along though." Said Howie. "What
about you Nick? Jube?"

"No, thank you," Jubilee politely declined, but Nick could empathically
feel the disappointment, contempt and loathing from Jubilee's mind, all
directed towards Howie. "I have better things to do."

"I have nothing against mutants, Howie," Warren spoke emotionlessly, "In
fact, some of my friends are mutants. In any case, I don't think some of
the people in that organization would be pleased to see me. We had
some... encounters before, and it was not on a friendly term."

Nick body began to tense as he looked nervously at Howie. The hatred from
Howie's mind flared so brightly it almost drowned all other emotions from
everyone else in the room. Even now, he could see Jubilee and AJ looking up
at Howie warily as they felt the sudden tension in the room. Howie is
looking at Warren with a sudden contempt in his eyes.

"So I heard," Howie replied coolly. "I mentioned your name just now to
Kirk, a friend of mine in 'The Right' and he didn't like you at all. He
told me that you rejected their request for you to be our sponsor. He also
told me you've been consorting with mutants, even supporting them."

"As I said, I have no problems with mutants." Warren replied. "As for
whether I have any dealings with mutants or not, well, you cannot be choosy
when you're managing a business empire. Either way, you let me worry about
that."

"Kirk also told me you were involved in Hodge's death." Said Howie quietly.

Warren's eyes suddenly become sharp and Nick looked at the two men
worriedly. Now, the dominating emotion he sense comes from
Warren... hatred, tinge with something else... betrayal?

"Hodge was my trusted friend once, but he betrayed me." Warren spoke
quietly. "He tried to kill me and steal my money. It has nothing to do with
mutants. He got what he deserved."

"That's not what they think in 'The Right'." Said Howie.

"I don't give a damn about what 'The Right' think." Warren snapped. Nick
looked at Warren, startled. That was the first time he heard anger in
Warren's voice.

They stared quietly at each other for a while.

"Don't involve yourself with mutants, Warren." Howie spoke at last, his
voice as cold as ice. "It's not worth it. *They* are not worth it. They
only bring misery and sufferings to us all. I'll be waiting for the day
when humankind will rise and wipe them all out once and for all."

Jubilee stirred slightly at the side and when Nick looked at her, she was
looking outside the window quietly. Nick also noticed the teenybopper
magazine lying unnoticed in the wastebasket... not to mention the strong
feeling of disappointment, loathing and sorrow rolling from her in waves.

"You're entitled to your own opinion." Warren replied. "I'm sorry if my
opinion on the matter is entirely different than yours."

Nick felt relieved when the announcement AJ and Howie's flight suddenly
arise from the speaker, breaking all the tension in the room.

"Well, D," said AJ soothingly. "We got to go. C'mon, don't take these
things too seriously, dude. So you have your own opinion. But you cannot
help it if other people have different points of view about these
things. C'mon. The plane is waiting."

Howie simply picked up his bag without even breaking his gaze from Warren.

"Bye, Howie, AJ." Said Nick as he hugs AJ. "Keep in touch will, ya?"

"Of course I will!" AJ laughed.

"You sure you want to follow Warren, Nick?" said Howie. Nick shivered
inwardly as he felt Howie's gaze directed towards him. He couldn't imagine
what Howie'd do if he finds out Nick's a mutant. "You can hang out with
AJ... or me."

At the corner of Nick's eyes, he could see Warren looking at him
silently. Nick smiled at Howie.

"Naaah. I need some time off and I think Warren's a cool guy. You take care
of yourself, okay, D? Don't takes things too seriously, buddy. Me, I'm
gonna enjoy myself to the fullest while I'm still young and good-looking."

"You say it, bruddah!" AJ cheered beside Nick and gives him a high-five.

"If you say so, Nick." Said Howie quietly, throwing a glance at Warren as
he did so. It's obvious that he identified Warren as an enemy now, and
tried to get Nick away from him. "Just be careful you don't end up like
Jess."

'This is it,' Nick though quietly. 'It's starting. It's only a matter of
time before all hell break loose.'

Howie paused before Warren for a moment, as he walked to the door.

"Mutants are a menace to the society." He declared quietly. "And so are
those who help and support them."

*************************************

"Jube?"

The girl looked up from her brooding to gaze expressionlessly at Nick. For
the past hours in Warren's private jet, Jubilee has not said anything to
anyone at all. She spent all her time sitting near the front of the plane,
gazing out of the window. But Nick knew better. He is after all, an empath.

"You're an empath, right?" said Jubilee. Nick simply nodded his answer.

"Then you know what I'm feeling right now, right? What mood I'm
experiencing right now?"

Nick simply nodded his answer again. For all the hours of their flight
since leaving LA, Nick could sense nothing else from her except
disappointment and anger. Howie's words seem to affect her deeply.

"Then you understand if I tell you I prefer to be left alone." Jubilee said
flatly as she turned her gaze back to the window.

Deep inside, Nick felt sad to be turned down like that. He only wanted to
help. He felt like he's partly responsible simply because he's Howie's
friend. Howie shouldn't have say those hurtful things about mutants, but
then, Nick understood perfectly WHY Howie said that; WHY Howie hates
mutants very much.

"You... you dropped your magazine back there at the airport." Nick spoke
slowly, holding out the rumpled magazine towards her.

He could hear Jubilee chuckled softly to herself. A sarcastic chuckles,
because empathically, he couldn't detect any joy or amusement in her mind.

"What's the point of keeping it, Nick?" she spoke softly. "Seeing his face
on it only reminds me of his hurtful words; his hate."

Silence stretched for a moment or two before she continues.

"You know, I used to think very highly of all of you. You were
like... every teenage girls' gods. I used to have this... fantasy of
meeting all of you, and then you all would take me out for dinner and have
a good time and all. But after hearing *his* words... it really hurts,
Nick."

"I'm sorry, Jube." Said Nick softly. "I... Well... You know AJ and I didn't
share his opinion. And I'm pretty sure Brian and Kevin don't share his
opinion too."

Jubilee merely smiled.

"You know, Nick, I used to live in the streets before ending up at
Westchester. My parents turned me out of the house when they discovered I'm
a mutie. I lived in the streets and sewers for 3 whole years, making money
by performing at the street side. I used my pyrotechnics ability to create
sparks of fireworks and pretended that it is some sort of street performers
tricks. Sometimes, I was discovered and then the whole nightmares
began. Mobs of people began to chase me with sticks and metal bars,
shouting 'Mutie' and 'Freaks' and thousands other hurtful name. Sometimes I
got lucky and managed to outrun them and hide. Other times, they caught me
and beat me up, and I'll ended up bruised and bleeding for days."

"On the streets, I heard all your songs and watched all your concerts on
the TVs on sale in the shops. I love all your songs and I really, really
envied you guys. When I got beaten up, I'd find some cracks or corner in
some alley and I would just hide and dream of you guys so that I wouldn't
notice the pain that much. I really looked up on all of you."

"Then, Howie spewed all those hurtful words and the whole things just
evaporate. I don't think I will ever look at you guys the same as I did
before. I'm a mutie, Nick, and one of the X-men. One of the good
mutie. Without the X-men, Magneto and the rest'd have destroyed all of you
hundreds time over long before now. We are stuck in a thankless job of
protecting all of you only to be spit and hunt down and beaten by the same
people we are protecting. Sometimes, I found myself wondering why we even
bother."

"I sure hope you're prepared of what you're going through in the future,
Nick." Jubilee continued. "You're a mutie now, just like Warren, me and the
rest. You'll be Howie's target practice as much as any other muties. I just
wished I can see the look on his face when he realizes that his beloved
bandmates is actually a mutie. It'll be a war between you against the rest
of the world, the latter also include all those big-shot mutie who wants to
see you dead too. Yeah, it's a crazy world out there, Nick. But that's your
road now. Be strong, and you'll survive."

With that, Jubilee just turned away and stares silently out of the window,
leaving Nick to get up and walks back to his seat, wondering about his
future. He dimly heard Warren's voice droning from the back of the plane as
he talks to the Worthington Industries board members through the phone.

The Backstreet Boys have lost one fan today. Anyone would say it's an
insignificant loss, but to Nick, it really hurts. He loved his career more
than anything else in the world, and has worked hard all these years to get
it off into the air. Losing a fan is not a small matter in Nick's mind. How
many fans would they lose when Howie finally decided to act openly? How
many more fans would they lose when they find out that Nick is a mutant?
Hell, the British boyband, Boyzone, started falling apart just from the
*rumors* that one of their member is *gay*. Would the same happen in his
case?

'It's a crazy world out there, Nick. But that's your road now.' Jubilee's
word echoed on and on in his mind.

She's right. This is his road now, where he has to confront all the hate
and prejudice of the world. The real question now is, is he strong enough
to survive it?

Only time will tell.

Glancing at the seat next to Jubilee, he saw the magazine Jubilee had
thrown earlier. Brian, AJ, Nick, Howie and Kevin's faces are on the cover
of the magazine, smiling happily - remnants of the old days. Nothing will
ever be the same again, now. Nick is a mutant and Howie is out seeking
vengeance and mutant's blood. AJ, Brian and Kevin are going to be caught in
the middle. Hopefully, they won't be around when the bomb finally explode.

********************************