New Year's eve was finally here. It seemed like a long week for everyone. Brian's family was a little puzzled at his odd behavior during these past few days. When questions were asked, he just answered them in a tersely way. They had jumped to the conclusion that Brian had some issues with Leighanne when she did not come back ever since she returned to her parents' house.

When Leighanne arrived at their house moments ago, she explained that Brian was just under some stress due to work and thought he needed that little space for himself. Before Brian's family left the house to go to their New Year's party, she had assured them that Brian would be back to his normal self after the New Year. However, she was afraid that she had made an empty assurance instead.

Leighanne had been sitting in the Littrell's living room for over an hour after the family was gone. Feeling her bum started to ache, she got up from the couch and went up to Brian's room again.

This time, as she stood outside his room, she examined the two little dolphins hanging under the cross on his door. On the dolphins, the words Frick & Frack were craved. She used to chuckle at the goofiness of the dolphins because it eerily resembled the two best friends.

Now, only a frown could be found on her face. She could almost hear the cries of the dolphins. Crying for a friendship that was hanging for its dear life. Crying for the angel of reflections to show Brian the positive way to handle the current situation. However, it was all an illusion.

"Brian?" Leighanne called out as she knocked on the door. "Your family went out for the new year party an hour ago... Don't you think we are going to be very late for ours?" she said loudly. Receiving no reply, she placed her ear against his door. She could hear the soft tearing of papers and mumblings from Brian. Seconds later, those sounds were replaced by a soft crying.

She looked solemnly at the door. "He's crying..." Leighanne muttered to herself. Brian's tears were rarely shed. The things in life that he had gone through before taught him to be a stronger man. Yet, a sudden truth of the moment had led him to tears. Unexpectedly, a feeling of regret came over her. She should have lied to Brian right from the beginning. In another way, however, she knew that lying would only make things even worse.

...

Over at Howie's newly launched Tabu Club; music was filtered all around the dance floor. A couple of DJs were taking turns to spin the records and the whole club was about to be brought down by the thunderous volume of fun.

"Jesus, I'd rather have a peaceful New Year than this." Nick hollered over the loud music as AJ emptied his glass of beer.

"It's PEACEFUL, man! This IS peace to me!" AJ hollered back.

"I forgot his religion worships this kind of stuff." Nick whispered into Kevin's ears and gave a smirk at AJ.

Kevin let out a chuckle and slightly shake his head. "Well, I worship music... and you." he whispered back and received a small peck from Nick on his cheeks. That action was not visible to the others but only to their gang.

"Alright, enough of whispering sweet nothings, you two love birds!" AJ announced. He stood up and offered his hand to Amanda and she gladly took it. "Let's hit the dance floor! Can't waste our dear Howie's lovely club!" he winked at Howie and the latter got a disgusted look on his face.

"Hang on a second." Nick said. "Am I the only one who realized that Brian and Leighanne aren't here yet?"

Kevin looked concerned. The surrounding disco lights and music were making him all dizzy and he didn't even realize it. He rubbed his temple a bit and stood up from his seat. "Yeah, they're kinda late... Look, I'll go out and make a call to them. You guys go and have fun." The rest nodded and were out on the dance floor in a flash. Nick decided to play bodyguard and follow Kevin out to make that call.

"Wonder what's taking those two such a long time." Nick murmured as Kevin held the door for Nick to step out.

"Probably having some fun." Kevin suggested while wiggling his eyebrows and proceeded to dial Brian's number. Nick wasn't prepared to hear that. Well, at least not from Kevin. Did Kevin exchange his seriousness for a goofier attitude? He had to make a mental note of asking him someday.

After a few minutes of listening to the annoying phone ringing, Kevin wrinkled his forehead and scrunched up his nose. Nick did a cute chuckle upon seeing that. "What?" Kevin asked.

"Nothing. Just think that stressed up expression of yours is adorable."

"Nick, you know you're weird, right?"

"Well, that's what you like about me too, I suppose?"

Kevin rolled his eyes. "Right and thanks anyway." he smiled sweetly. "Brian must have switched his cell phone off... Can't get through the damn thing. Alright, don't say that I'm paranoid or anything but I'm worried." he said firmly. "It's been nearly a week since any of us saw or heard from him. I wonder what's going..."

"Guys!" Just before Kevin could finish his sentence, AJ yelled and quickly approached the two of them. Howie and the rest followed closely behind. A quizzical look lingered on both Kevin and Nick's face. "Gettoyourcarsnow! We'regoingdowntoBrian'shouse." AJ added quickly.

"Slow down, man..." Kevin requested. "What are you trying to say again?"

Howie took over and explained what AJ was trying to say. The latter was too anxious for anything right now. "We are going to Brian's house! Leighanne just called us and things are not looking right!"

"Not looking right?" Kevin adverted his quizzical look to Nick, who only looked back at him with the same expression.

"No time for any explanations-" Howie said. "Let's get down to Brian's house now."

...

Leighanne's face paled again when she heard another cry from Brian. No matter what she did or said; Brian just wouldn't open the door. She sat on the chairs, walked around the house, banged on Brian's door, pleaded with him and nothing worked. She tried to remember the last time that she was totally lost. Lost and couldn't found herself at all. It was Brian who forced her to embrace the reality before she finally stumbled out of her own world. It's due time that she repaid what Brian had done for her, but she failed. To Brian, this was a cruel reality. If only she could make him see things the way she saw it, it wouldn't be so bad after all.

When her imagination almost got the better of her, the doorbell rang. She scurried pathetically, like a little child, to the door and fumbled frantically with the doorknob before seeing the concerned faces looking back at her. Frown-like expressions cast over their face when they looked over Leighanne's shoulder.

Brian looked angry.

Brian. Angry. They thought it would almost be a sin if Brian's name and angry were said together in a sentence. Perhaps even closer to being a dangerous and unpredicted bomb in an abandoned coal mine. They used to laugh at Brian whenever he tried to look angry. The latter would always have fits of giggle through that mock anger. As for now, all they could find in Brian was a pair of cold eyes, waiting to pierce through the love which Kevin and Nick had for each other.

"Alright. So who seduced who first?"

Without much hesitation, Brian threw that sentence out. Each word came out with an extra coating of coldness. So cold. Even colder than the snow in December and the icebergs at the North and South poles.

"Brian!" It was the most natural response to come out from Leighanne. Kevin and Nick would hate her for letting Brian know the truth. Brian would do something stupid and out of this world. Almost anyone in their right mind would be stuffing their thoughts with so many possibilities. She was doing just that.

AJ and Howie stood there, staring and exchanging glances between each other. They knew what was coming their way. It was all spelled out in that pair of cold eyes. The forbidden couple, Kevin and Nick, was startled beyond speech. How in the world did Brian come to know? Was it their action or did someone already find out and told him? Why did everything happen so sudden and so unexpected?

Kristin.

That beautiful woman with the elegant name came up involuntarily into Kevin's mind. She could be the one. In fact, she's the only one who knew. What's her purpose in doing so? Trying to get him back into her life? 'She knew it was impossible.' he thought as he looked straight into Brian's eyes.

'Oh, come on, you idiot. Say something now.' Nick reprimanded himself silently. Now, of all times, he had to be scared and tongue-tied. Nick was scared. He had always been scared. It's just that he doesn't want to admit it. He had never felt secure about the way he lived his life and who he loved. He knew that he would always be judged on whatever he did. Especially if that person was Brian. Brian was like the older brother he never had. It would hurt Nick so bad if Brian hated him.

At this moment, a weird power overtook and diminished that feeling. He had no idea where it came from until he realized and felt a strong clasp on his hand. Looking down at his hand, he smiled. Kevin, the man and his everything, was there, holding his hand and giving him the strength when he needed it the most. When the others were still searching for that special someone who could understand what they were thinking without speaking a word, he had already found his.

For now, even if it's only for a moment in his life, he was going to speak up for himself, for Kevin and for their relationship. He couldn't let Kevin do all the explanations even though Brian was his cousin. Brian was his best friend and brother too. They were brothers who were even closer than those brothers who are related by blood. 'We love each other like brothers and we fight like brothers.' That cheesy line by Kevin spoke so perfectly for both Brian and Nick. They loved each other and they fought numerous times over stupid things. However, brotherly love didn't seem to be present right now and fighting like brothers could be of something thrown into the history already.

'Where's the brotherly love when you needed it and where's the playfulness when you crave for it?' Nick recited to God in his mind and slowly shifted his vision to look Brian straight in his face. Did Nick even remember this man, who was standing in front of him, being his best buddy? That look on Brian was like a total stranger to Nick.

'A friendship waiting to die and it's so hard not to cry.' Another line flooded into Nick's mental reciting. 'Damn it. It's not time to get depressed. Brace up.' he reminded himself. Gripping tighter onto Kevin's hand, he finally began his sentence. "Bri- Brian," he stuttered. "Please calm down and try to understand. We love each other. This is not a one-time fling between us and we did find what we wanted in one another. You know I'm not good at words... I just want you know that Kevin is still your cousin and that I'm still your best friend. Nothing has changed."

"Nothing has changed." Brian mimicked in a mock way. "Yes. Something HAS changed." he gave a glare to everyone before setting his fiery eyes upon Kevin and Nick again. "The both of you did something which was beyond my imagination and no one... No one told me. You guys have been hiding this... hiding this from me."

Nick's face began to sour up with that terrible urge to cry. He let go of Kevin's hand and went up to Brian. "Brian, we didn't mean to hurt you..."

"Don't come near me and just shut the fuck up! Just... shut up..." Brian yelled without even realizing that he had just mentioned the forbidden word in his bible. He proceeded to bury his face into his palms and turned his back to them. The rest was taken aback by his choice of words. Especially Nick, who felt as though someone had just plunged a knife into his heart. "I don't care anymore..." Brian sniffed and blinked back his tears, hard. "We're not going to meet or talk as from now unless it's something to do with the business," he calmly said. "Don't blame me."

With the heartless sentence still lingering in the air, Brian went over to the door and motioned for them to get out of his house.

Without any delay, Kevin took Nick's hand as he was still in his daze, and led him to the door. Before Kevin stepped out, he turned to Brian. "Bri, I don't blame you and please don't blame either of us. You'll come to realize what true love is all about when you accept our relationship as it is. I'll be waiting for that day."

Brian felt the eyes on his back as he watched the couple walked out of his house. Without a word, he headed straight for his room and no one stopped him in an attempt to confront him about his actions. Leighanne sat back on the couch and bit down hard on her lips. It was only at that moment when AJ and Howie realize that Leighanne was the person who told Brian about Kevin and Nick's relationship. Her expression spelled everything out so clearly.

"So, this is how we're spending our New Year this year." AJ commented and sighed.

Howie looked around the house and felt that thick air of sadness surrounding them. This was probably the worst New Year he had ever been through. "Yah-" Howie replied. "New Year's blues... It really sucks."

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