Work Text
Brian looked away from the four devastated stares he was getting, knowing that he had just dropped a huge bombshell on the group. He looked at his shoes, waiting for the explosion to happen, and he didn’t have to wait long. “What did you just say?” AJ asked, a hoarse tone to his voice, as if he was about to cry. “I have about 3 months to live. The doctors found an inoperable mass, and it’s slowly shutting my organs down. My kidney function is already almost zilch, and I have to either try dialysis, or I just wait until my other organs go” Brian looked up and saw the tears coming from all four. “What are you going to do?” Howie asked, his voice trembling. “I just want to make the most of my time that I have left count. I don’t want to be stuck in the hospital. I want to do one last performance with you guys, then go home, and make memories” Brian spoke softly, but all four heard. “Then that’s what we will do. One last performance as a group, and then retire from the business. I know I won’t continue on without you” Kevin hiccuped. Howie, Nick, and AJ nodded agreeing with Kevin’s statement. They knew they wouldn’t be able to continue on being the Backstreet Boys, without Brian. He was the central part to the group, despite the guys always saying that they all individually made the group. “Nick, what’s going on in your head” Brian asked, realizing that the younger blonde hadn’t spoken since Brian told them what was going on. “I don’t want you to die. I need my Frick. What am I supposed to do without you there?” Nick sobbed, as Brian went to gather him in his arms. “Frack, I don’t want to go either, but it’s not my decision. I need all four of you guys. Will you be there with me? Till the end?” Brian started to cry, and the three gathered around him, Nick still in his lap. “Yes, we will be there every step of the way” AJ reassured the older blonde. Brian knew that he didn’t want to spend time in the hospital, trying things that he knew wouldn’t work. He had a feeling for a while that his time was coming, and the recent reveal of the mass, confirmed it for him. He sobbed in his brother’s arms, not wanting to leave them behind. The five spent the night making plans for the coming days, each holding Brian in their arms. The group made the announcement the next day, about their last performance, and retiring from the business, which sent shock waves throughout the industry. The group had been together for almost 30 years, and no one understood why they were retiring. Brian released a statement the following week, where he revealed his diagnosis to the world, devastating their fans. “I have about 3 months to live. A mass in my body is slowly shutting my organs down, and I have already lost kidney function. I just want to make memories with my brothers, and they have said they are done with the industry after I go. We will do a goodbye performance this weekend, and then I am disappearing. You will find out when I pass, but I need to be with my brothers” the statement read, and Brian stayed strong through it all. “Can you do this last performance?” Kevin asked his cousin the night of their last concert as a group, trying to stay strong. “Yes, I need to say goodbye, and this is the only way” Brian nodded his head, trying to not cry again. They went out for their last performance, and officially withdrew from the spotlight. The five flew back to Kentucky, to Brian’s childhood home. None of the guys had ever married or had kids, so it was just the five of them in the home, Brian’s parents having passed five years ago. “What do you want to do?” AJ asked Brian, who was steadily getting weaker. “Take a walk each day, breathe in the mountain air, just be with you guys, until I can’t anymore” Brian just wanted to live while he could, and he hated burdening his brothers, but he knew they wouldn’t allow anyone else to shoulder the responsibility. A month had soon sped by, and Nick, Howie, AJ, and Kevin watched Brian steadily decline. They were devastated, but continued soldiering on, taking care of him, making memories, going out and having adventures on his good days, and reminiscing with him about their adventures on the road on his bad ones. “Let’s go walk around the property, see the mountains again” Howie held his arm out, and he and Brian made their way outside. Brian was all bundled up, since he had lost so much weight, he was unrecognizable. His hair had thinned, he was extremely gaunt, and his skin had a yellowish hue, from his liver slowing down in function. All of them knew Brian didn’t have much longer, the mass killing him faster than expected. Two more weeks passed, and Brian was now bedridden. He could barely move, and required assistance with everything. He was at the point of wishing he could just die, because he hated being a burden. Howie, Nick, AJ, and Kevin did everything, and never once complained, just wanting to care for him. One night, Kevin checked on Brian, and noticed his breathing was getting shallower. He realized that their time with Brian was drawing to a close, and he ran to get the other three. With tears in their eyes, the four sat around Brian’s bed, each holding a part of him, reassuring him they were near. Brian opened his eyes, and seeing his brothers, smiled. He opened his mouth to speak, and said the final words he would rasp out. “Backstreet’s Back” he got out, a gentle smile hitting his brothers, who all said “Alright!” in response. Brian smiled, and squeezed each of their hands, waiting for the words he knew would come, that would tell him he could go. He needed to know that his brothers would be okay. Nick saw what he was looking for, whispered to his brothers, and they nodded, tears cascading down their cheeks. “Brian, you can go. We will be okay, go, be with your parents. We will meet you again someday” AJ spoke. Brian saw the three nods, smiled, and took his final breath, passing away surrounded by his brothers. Nick broke down completely, the other three not far behind him. They clutched each other in their grief, not knowing what to do next. Kevin eventually called the funeral home, and they held a private service for Brian, keeping it to just them, and close friends, knowing their fans would understand. “What happens now?” Howie asked, as the four stood in front of Brian’s grave site, a month after his death. The other three looked at him, lost looks on their faces, unable to answer the question. They each rubbed Brian’s headstone, and walked away, arms around each other, not knowing what the future would bring. Despite that, they would get through it, just as they always had, honoring Brian in everything they would do.