They were staying at the Sheraton in downtown Halifax. Once they got to the hotel they all crashed and went to sleep. Mickey was awaken at noon by a knock on the door. She reluctantly got up and answered it. When she opened the door she saw Laura standing out in the hallway.

"Hey Mick sorry for waking you up."

"Who said you woke me up?"

"Ah Mickey, I've known you for like ever, no need to bullshit with me."

"Yeah whatever." Mickey responded as the two of them walked over to the bed and sat down.

"I just wanted to come over, is that ok."

"Of course it is Laura! Is everything ok?"

"Oh everything is just fine. I didn't see you much after the concert last night and I'm sure everybody will be going different ways today so I just wanted to see you."

"Speaking of AJ, what's up with you two?"

"We weren't speaking about AJ Mick."

"Sure we were. You said you weren't going to see me much today and the reason for that is because you're going to spend the day with AJ, therefore we were talking about AJ."

"I don't know how you do that."

"Do what?" Mickey said with a grin.

"Tie everything together so you can change the subject so easily."

"So are you going to answer me? I thought you liked Howie."

"Howie is my favorite Backstreet Boy but there's something about AJ. I can't explain it."

"You're not supposed to be able to explain it. That's what makes it special. You can explain why you like Howie so that kind of ends the story."

"Then why did you ask me about him?"

"I just wanted to make sure that you were on the right path." Mickey had a huge smile on her face. She loved playing the parent figure for Jenn and Laura, too often Laura worried about her. "I knew you were, I can see that you're happy."

"I am Mickey. I don't know what's going to happen but that's the cool thing about it. Did you know that he loves Shakespeare?"

"Oh God, Shakespeare is turning over in his grave as we speak." She laughed. "I guess this is a good example of 'Don't judge a book by it's cover'."

"Yeah. He's so alive and he doesn't know what he wants to do from one minute to the next. It's cool. It's hard keeping up with him but I think I can manage."

"That's good to hear. I like seeing you excited like this. It's good for you."

"I just don't want you to feel like I'm deserting you."

"What? You're making me feel like an old lady here who can't find a date or anything!"

"No! That's not what I meant! I just...."

"I know," Mickey interupted her. "I'm just playing. Are you going to be here for a bit or are you going out soon?"

"AJ probably won't get up for a little longer so I'm sure I'll be here. Why?"

"Oh I just want to go take a shower but I don't want you to leave."

"I'll be here. I'll just get caught up on the soaps and stuff."

"Ok, don't forget that we're in a different time zone now. We're an hour ahead."

"Oh yeah."

Mickey just took a quick shower. When she got out she could hear Laura talking to somebody. It was Jenn. Mickey got dressed in the bathroom and then headed out to the room. They had the tv on the Montell Williams show, paternity tests was the topic today. The three of them really got into the show and were thankful that the knock at the door came during a commercial break. It was Nick and Brian. Mickey told them to come in but also told them the rules, they were to let the girls watch Montell. They agreed and quickly got into the show as well. Mickey loved these types of shows, at the same time she also felt bad sometimes. It was a sin when the good guy got hurt. Just as the show was ending, there was another knock on the door.

"What is this? Party central?" Mickey joked as she went to answer it.

"Hey is Laura in here with you?" AJ asked.

"Yeah, come on in. Now we're just missing Howie and Kevin."

"Did somebody call for us?" Kevin asked as he appeared at the door.

"Where did you come from?"

"Well see I don't ask my parents for all the juicy details...."

"Oh shut up!" She said turning her back on Kevin and Howie. She didn't have a big room and now it was totally full, she squeezed in between Jenn and Nick on the bed.

"What? You're having a party and didn't invite us?" Howie joked.

"Ah, actually she didn't invite any of us." Brian replied. "We just all showed up."

"Sounds like you guys." Kevin interjected.

"Us?" Nick exclaimed. "You're here too!"

"Yeah, well, that's different."

"So what's the plan for today?" Jenn asked.

"We could always go to the casino!" AJ answered excitedly.

"In the day?" Laura looked at him weird. "Plus don't forget that three of us can't get in."

"Ok scratch that idea then."

After two hours or so of discussing what they were going to do, as well as other unrelated stuff, they decided to do different things. Some of them were still undecided as they all split apart. Nick and Mickey were going to cross the bridge to Dartmouth so they could go shopping at Mic Mac Mall. Mickey knew here way around Halifax really well so they had no problem venturing across the harbour. Nick wanted to have a regular day so Mickey told him that they were going to take the bus over then. He just looked at her.

"I spend the majority of my time on a bus and now, on my day off, you want me to get on another one?"

"Well I guess we don't have to." Mickey laughed.

"We'll get a car or van ok."

"Sure."

Nick called down to the front desk to get a car. They ended up with a Cavalier Z24. The two of them walked down to the front door, where the car was waiting for them. The bellboy went to hand the keys to Nick but Mickey walked passed and grabbed them. Nick laughed and got in the car. She started the car and cranked the stereo, both of them laughed when she turned it on. Backstreet's Back was on. Mickey told Nick that he wanted to be treated like a regular guy so she was going to keep the song on. That's what she would do if she was with any other guy.

"So where should we start?" Mickey asked as she parked the car.

"How about inside?" He chuckled.

"Why do I always get stuck with the smart asses?" She looked over at him. He was just smiling away. "Let's go."

"What's in this mall?" He asked.

"Well it's the biggest one around here. It has Toys R Us, Athlete's World, Stiches, Thrifty's. Places like that. It has a bit of everuthing. Athlete's World has a basketball net in it."

"What? Can you actually shoot hoops there?"

"Yeah, unless they have a display in the way."

"Cool, we'll have to make it there during our stay. What are you interested in looking at? Are you going to buy anything?"

"Chances are, yeah. There are a few things I need."

"Need? Are you sure it's not things you want?"

"Well that too." She laughed.

They went into almost every store while they were there. Both of them baught some new clothes and sneakers. Nick shot a few hoops at Athletes World. He got lonely by himself so he got Mickey to shoot some with him. They went up to the top floor of the three floor mall to grab a bite to eat. Nick kept looking around to see if anyone could tell who he was. He was happy when he realized that nobody seemed to notice. He had a hat on forwards so you couldn't see his hair and could barely see his eyes. He was getting more and more energy it seemed. While they ate they talked about what they would do when they left the mall.

"You decide." Nick prompted. "You know what's here. All I know is that there is an arena and a really big hill."

"A really big hill huh?" She chuckled.

"Yeah, that's why we come here more in the summer time now. The hill fits like 30,000 people and the arena can only fit 10,000."

"I was at the last concert you guys did on the hill here."

"You were?"

"Yeah, it was crazy. I know I won't be watching you guys tomorrow from the crowd."

"That's ok, I guess. Just as long as you're not too far away." Mickey looked up at him when he said this.

"Never." She replied.

Mickey suggested that they should go walk around the harbour front in Halifax. The hotel was apart of it so they didn't have to go far. Nick agreed so they finished eating and left the mall. Mickey checked her watch as they exited the mall. She was suprised to see that it was getting dark already. It only took them ten minutes to get back to the hotel. They ran their bags upstairs and then went right back out. They went into all the little shops along the waterfront, not to buy but just to see the neat stuff. They walked around and then sat down and looked out at the harbour and watched the ferry cross over to Dartmouth and the people on the private boats. The navy was also out in the harbour doing exercises.

"You know I've never been on a boat before." She said, staring straight ahead.

"No I didn't know that. There's a lot I don't know about you." He said getting her to look at him.

"Well, what do you want to know?" She asked.

"Everything." He said, this time it was his turn to look straight ahead. "I should get one of those forms that the magazines get us to fill out." He said jokingly. "No seriously, I want to know about you. Is Mickey your real name or is it a nickname? Have you lived in Toronto all your life? What do you want to do with your life? Do you even know? What about school and work?"

"Well my name is really Daniella. Everybody started calling my Mickey when I was younger because I loved Disney stuff. The name just kind of stuck with me through the years."

"I like Daniella, it's pretty. What about middle and last names? This is pretty bad, I don't even know your last name."

"Daniella Jordan Atwood."

"Atwood huh? So what about Toronto? Did you always call that home?"

"No, I lived in a few places. From here to Montreal to Toronto."

"You lived in Halifax?"

"Yeah, well we have cottage here. It's about half an hour away from here."

"We?"

"Well, me, now." She said as she shivered.

"Are you cold? Do you want to walk back to the hotel?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, I just need a sweatshirt." She said and they headed back. She put a sweatshirt on and they decided to go out on the balcony of her room.

"Are you ok? I didn't mean to upset you when I asked about the 'we'."

"Oh you didn't, I'm ok. I just still miss them sometimes. It's been three years so you think I'd be over it now."

"You'll never get over it. And you don't have to."

"Thanks." She said.

"For what?" He asked.

"For not being an asshole."

"So is that why you've kinda kept your distance? You thought I was an asshole?"

"No, I just didn't want to find out if you were."

"See you should have asked. You haven't asked me anything about myself since I met you."

"Well I figure that you've already let people know what you want them to know. I don't want to invade what little you have left for yourself." "There's a lot that people don't know about me. They don't ask the right questions. Plus there are only a few people that I can really talk to. There's a lot more to me then my favorite color or how I like my pizza." He laughed.

"And you feel that you can talk to me?"

"I sure hope so."

"Well I don't write for any big time magazines or anything so I think your secrets are safe with me."

"Phew. I was worried for a moment."

"Do you ever get tired of travelling and living your life?"

"All the time."

"Really?"

"Yeah, but the thought only lasts for a few seconds most of the time. Sometimes the fans can be really over bearing. I don't like it when they try to rip my chain off and that kind of stuff. It's frustrating cause I don't understand it. If I'm cranky someday then it's printed that I'm this huge prick and stuff."

"That would suck. I want you to know that even though I'm a hugely obsessive fan, I've never been like that."

"Ha, that's ok. So what do you want to do for a career?"

"God, everything it seems like. I wouldn't mind being a cop, a lawyer, a writer, a producer, a hip hop dancer...I haven't really decided yet. I've got the time to think. I don't need the money so it's just going to be for fun. I need to make sure it's something I like."

"So you like the entertainment business too huh?"

"Yeah but behind the scenese of it. I don't want to be famous I just want to be responsible for famous things."

"That's cool. So, you're not into singing and acting?"

"Singing definately no! I love to sing, but I can't. As for acting, I don't mind it too much but I'd still rather be behind the camera."

"So have you gone to college or anything?"

"Yeah but I haven't finished yet. I still don't know if I'm going to go back in September or take a year off. What about you, do you think you'll ever go to college?"

"I want to. I'm thinking about going and playing ball. I don't want to leave the group though so I don't know. I'd feel so bad."

"Without thinking about anybody but you, what would you decide?"

"I'd play basketball for a couple of years and in the off season I'd sing and act." He looked over at Mickey. "I still have dreams you know. They change. I'm like you though, there's so much I want to do. I'm happy though doing what I am."

They stayed outside until after midnight and then decided to move on inside. Mickey got the munchies so they ordered room service and sat around and continued talking while they ate. They talked about everything and neither one judged the other. It was very good for the both of them. They started getting tired so they both crawled into Mickey's bed and curled up together and fell asleep in each other's arms.