" Hey Nick, you coming? " Brian called out as everyone was walking away to go inside to where the reception was being held.
Nick wiped a tear away and turned around to face the direction of his friend. " Yeah. I...I'll be there in a minute, " he choked, barely getting the words out. Brian nodded and headed off inside. Nick closed his eyes, trying his hardest to clear his mind, but he kept on thinking back to the day...
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Nick stepped out onto the hot pavement that was beside the pool. Finally he had time to just relax and have fun. After just getting done with the European tour a month earlier, he hadn't had much time to relax and he really needed it, let alone deserved it. He dropped his green towel onto one of the pool chairs and got ready to jump in, when all of a sudden two young boys around the ages of 9 and 13 came running by and bumped in to him, causing him to fall into the pool unexpectidely. He came up for breath and rubbed the water out of his eyes. There in the water in front of him, stood a beautiful, long-dark haired asian girl.
" Sorry about that. My bro's never care to watch where they're going, " she said.
Nick stared at her. " Oh, it's ok. No problem. I'm ok. I ain't hurt, " Nick replied not taking his eyes off of her.
" Are you sure you're ok? " she laughed. Nick nodded. " Anyways, my names Luci. "
" My...my... " Nick stuttered.
" I know who you are. Trust me I do. You're Nick Carter from the Backstreet Boys. I'd be stupid if I didn't recognize you, cosidering I have you and the guys' pictures plastered all over my walls at home in my room, " Luci said. Her face turned red with embarassement.
They swam around in the pool together for hours on end that day, until it started to get dark. The days to come were spent the same, until the day before it was time for them to part.
Nick had told Luci to meet him down in the hotel lobby at 6:30 pm. He said he was taking her somewhere, some sort of surprise. Luci got to the hotel lobby five minutes early and at exactly 6:30 Nick stepped out of the elevator carrying a dozen red roses.
" Hey babe, these are for you, " Nick said and handed the roses to her. " C'mon. We need to go or we're going to miss the surprise. "
" What is the surprise? " Luci asked curiously.
" I'm not going to tell you, because then it wouldn't be a surprise anymore, would it, " Nick replied and kissed her. Luci smiled as Nick took hold of her hand and led her out to his car.
Neither of them spoke a word until Nick pulled over to the side of the road and parked. He opened the door, got out and walked around to the passenger side and opened it. He reached out his hand and helped Luci out as she took it. To her amazement, Nick had droven out to a cliff over looking a beautiful ocean scene just as the sun was setting.
" Ahhh, just in time, " Nick said with a smile. He stood behind Luci and placed his arms around her as he layed his head on her shoulder. " I love you Luc, " he whispered into her ear.
" I love you too, " Luci replied, closing her eyes as she melted into his gentle arms.
That was six months ago and Nick was home again on a two month break from touring. He had called Luci up earlier that day and told her that he was going to do something special for their six month anniversary. Neither of them knew that the event that would take place that night, would change both of their lives forever.
Luci was upstairs in her room putting the finishing touches of her makeup on when she heard the doorbell ring. She came running down the stairs and saw Nick standing in the open doorway talking to one of her brothers, Luke.
" Hey Nick, " Luci said as she walked over to him.
" You ready to go, " Nick asked giving her a kiss.
" Yep, " Luci replied.
They took hold of each others hands and walked out the door. The night sky was already filled with dozens and dozens of twinkling, crystal stars.
" You like Italian food right, " Nick asked and backed out of the driveway.
" Yeah, I love it, " Luci replied as she stared out her window. Clouds were beginning to move in and before they knew it had begun to rain. The rain turned into down pour, making it difficult to see clearly.
Nick turned up the radio. 98�'s " I do ( Cherish you ) " was playing. It was his and Luci's song and he began to sing along with it. That's when everything began to go wrong. As the bright lights got closer, they could hear the honking of the horn.
" NICK, SLOW DOWN! " Luci screamed, but it was too late. Nick hit a wet spot on the road and the car spun out of control.
Nick opened his eyes and felt the rain hitting his face like tiny wet beads. He could hear a faint voice getting louder.
" Sir, are you ok? Sir can you hear me? " a man was asking. Nick blinked several times until he realized it was a paramedic. He could see the flashing lights of several cop cars and an ambulance. He brought his shaking hand up to the side of his head and felt the warm trickle of blood.
" Luc? Luc? " Nick called out as he sat up.
" Sir, stay calm, " the paramedic said as he tried to keep Nick from getting up.
Nick pushed the paramedic's hand away and stood up shakily, frantically looking around in search of Luci. His heart sank as he saw a group of paramedics and police officers bending over something. ' Please don't let that be Luc, please! " he kept repeating to himself as he ran over. There laying on the cold, wet pavement, was Luci, not moving. Nick pushed a police officer out of his way and dropped to his knees beside her body. There was a paramedic kneeling by the other side of her, preparing her to be put on the stretcher. Nick took hold of Luci's hand and held it tight. " Luci, don't die... " he said repeatedly until one of the officers had to pry him away so the paramedics could get her into the ambulance and then to the hospital. Nick collapsed helplessly on the ground and cried as he watched them wheel her farther and farther away from him. he sat in the back of the police car as he was taken to the hospital. The ride seemed to take forever.
" Nick Carter? " a doctor by the name of Dr. Hougan asked walking up to him as a police officer escorted him through the emergancy doors.
" Where's Luci? Is she alright? " Nick asked quickly looking around the emergancy room.
" That's what I wanted to talk to you about. She's in a coma and it doesn't look to good, " Dr. Hougan replied.
Tears began welling up in Nick's eyes. " I want to see her. Please let me see her, " he cried.
" Ok. Just follow me, " Dr. Hougan said and lead Nick down a long, quiet hallway until they reached ICU room 114.
Nick slowly walked in and went over to Luci's bedside where he sat in the chair next to it. He took hold of Luci's hand and began to cry harder. " I'm so sorry Luc. I never meant for any of this to happen. It's all my fault that you had to go through this. Please wake up, " he said, the words barely coming out. He leaned over her and kissed her gently on the forehead. Nick sat there in complete silence until he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Brian, A.J, Howie and Kevin standing there with saddened, tear stained faces.
" How is she, " Brian asked quietly.
" She...she's in a coma, " Nick managed to say, but stopped to keep himself from crying.
All of a sudden the worse got worse and the line on the heart monitor went flat, causing a loud buzzing noise alarm to go off. Doctors and nurses rushed into the room crowding over Luci. Nick tried to rush over to her, but the guys held him back, knowing that he would only get in the way. One of the nurses grabbed the EKG machine and turned it on. They tried several times to re~start Luci's heart, but it was no use.
" Time of death...11:15 pm, " the doctor announced.
" NO! " Nick screamed in a fit of tears. He ran out of the room and kept running until he found another quiet hall where he sat down against the wall, his knees tucked to his chest and his head in his hands. " No, no, " he kept repeating. " LUCI! " he yelled. The tears flowed, never~ending.
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Nick opened his eyes once again and stared at the grey stone. He longed to hold her in his arms again and never let go. He would do anything for one last moment with her, but he knew it wasn't possible. It had all happened so fast. He was with her, and then in an instant, she was taken away from him, never to be given back again. He knelt down next to the grave stone and placed the freshly cut flowers he had been holding next to it. He placed his hand on the stone and let the tears fall freely from his eyes. " I never meant for it to happen Luc. I miss you so much, " Nick said running his fingers over the engraved letters. Lucinda Hedt, July 12, 1981 ~ November 5th, 1999. " There will never be a day that passes by, I won't think of you and I will always love you. " He stood up taking one last look, then placed his hands in his pockets and walked away.