Ashleigh stirred and opened her eyes. She came to realize she wasn't in her room but she was in a huge bed. She looked around the room and saw Nick sound asleep on the couch near by.
"Oh shit, Gwen is going to kill me," she thought, climbing out of bed. She looked over at Nick, who was slightly snoring and felt her heart beat faster. She sat back down on the bed, still watching him. "Oh screw Gwen," she thought. She had remembered falling asleep in Nick's arms. He had listened to everything last night and comforted her. He was exactly what she needed. She had never felt so strongly before but she quickly got scared. What if Nick breaks her heart? He'll never be around when she needed him. Ashleigh decided right then it would be nothing but a strong friendship. She kept watching him sleep. A smile crept across her face as he snored. Feeling her stare, Nick started to wake up. He rolled around on the sofa and looked over at Ashleigh.
"Good morning," Ashleigh greeted him. He smiled and sat up. His hair was sticking straight up and Ashleigh couldn't help but laughed. He smiled at her.
"Morning," he said.
~~~~~~~
AJ woke up and saw Gwen asleep in his arms. She had fallen asleep in his room after they watched a movie when they were done swimming. His heart melted. He loved her more than anything and desperately wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He laid there and watched her sleep. He loved the way she smiled when she slept. He started kissing her neck and she woke up.
"Hmm.." Gwen mumbled and rolled over and buried her head into AJ's chest.
"Morning," he whispered.
"I don't wanna wake up," she grumbled. He smiled and ran his hand through her hair.
"I know," he said. "Gwen?"
"Hmm?"
"I've been thinking a lot lately," AJ whispered.
"Hmm mm," she mumbled.
"I want to spend the rest of my life with you," AJ blurted out. She looked up at him.
"Really?" she asked.
"Yes Gwen...I love you more than anything," he confessed.
"I love you too..." Gwen said, hoping she was leading him up to what she thought he was going to ask.
"And..." AJ grew nervous," and...I..."
"yes..?"
"I just wanted to tell you," AJ lied. He chickened out. He couldn't ask her yet. Her hopes sank but she smiled.
"Thank you," she said, as they kissed. "Dammit AJ," he cursed to himself.
~~~~~~~
Ashleigh crept down the hall and peered around the corner. The hall was clear and she tip-toed to her room. She put her ear to the door and couldn't hear anything. She prayed Gwen was still sleeping and she quietly swiped her key. She opened the door and Gwen was no where to be found. Ashleigh looked in the bathroom, kitchen and her room. Ashleigh let out a huge sigh. She didn't get caught. Suddenly, Ashleigh heard someone unlocking her door. She dashed into her bed and quickly pulled the covers over herself. She pinched her eyelids shut and pretended to be asleep. Gwen crept in the room. Gwen knew Ashleigh was going to be pissed if she knew Gwen snuck out when she was supposed to be watching her. She looked over to see her sister sleeping and let out a sigh. She collapsed onto her bed and starred up to the ceiling. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with AJ but something was bugging her. She had a feeling something wasn't right. She looked over and saw Ashleigh sleeping. Her sister started waking up and she looked over at Gwen.
"Mornin'," Gwen greeted.
"Hey," Ashleigh said, pretending she was sleeping there the whole time. Both sisters waited for each other to say something about the night before. Gwen knew Ashleigh knew she slept in AJ's room and Ashleigh thought Gwen knew about her and Nick.
''So, what time did you get in last night? I must have been sound asleep," Gwen lied.
"Funny because when I came in, you weren't in here," Ashleigh said, smiling.
"Alright, I fell asleep in AJ's room. No biggie," Gwen said.
"Ah ha," Ashleigh said. Ashleigh was waiting for Gwen to give her a big lecture. "So, aren't you mad at me?" Ashleigh asked.
"Should I be?" Gwen asked, changing out of her PJs. Ashleigh realized that Gwen had no idea about her falling asleep in Nick's room and decided not to say anything.
"No! Not at all," Ashleigh quickly covered. Gwen looked over at her sister. She knew something was up.
"You didn't..." Gwen said.
"We just talked," Ashleigh quickly said.
"Ah I knew something like this would happen!" Gwen said, smacking her forehead.
"Nothing happened!" Ashleigh said.
"You were there all night, weren't you?" Gwen yelled.
"Yes," Ashleigh confessed. Gwen threw her shirt on her bed.
"Dammit Ash, I knew this would happen," she yelled at her sister.
"Gwen, we just talked! I'm not like that anymore!" Ashleigh yelled back.
"I know that Ash but you are walking on dangerous grounds. If you get involved with Nick, the fans will dig into your personal life until they find something wrong with you to tell everyone. Someone will find out about Cole and it will be everywhere. Even though you put on the 'I'm saving myself' front, they will destroy you and your relationship with Nick," Gwen warned her sister.
"That won't happen," Ashleigh defended herself.
"I sure hope not. It might not, but what if the same thing happens with Nick? What if you make another mistake and sleep with him," Gwen said. Ashleigh opened her mouth to yell at Gwen but she held up her hand, "I know you won't mean to Ash, but Nick is hot and sometimes an attraction can lead to...well, this," Gwen said. "If the same thing happens, it is gonna hurt you ten times more than it did before because Nick is so famous you won't be able to escape him," Gwen said. Ashleigh turned her back to her sister and felt tears swell up into her eyes. Gwen realized she was being a little harsh. She hugged her sister.
"I'm sorry. You are a smart girl and you know what you are doing," Gwen apologized, "I just don't want to see you get hurt." Ashleigh was silent.
"Why can't I meet a guy and be in love like you and AJ?" Ashleigh asked. Gwen was a little taken back. Ashleigh was the one who always had guys calling her and asking her out. That was the last thing Gwen expected to hear from her.
''I waited a long time for a great guy like AJ," Gwen said. Ashleigh sniffled and wiped her tears away.
"I like Nick," she said, softly. Gwen's heart melted. She felt so bad for her little sister. "I told him what happened..." Ashleigh confessed. Gwen knew that no one knew except for herself and their parents. She knew it was a big step for Ashleigh to confide in him like that. "He just held me and made me feel so much better," Ashleigh said. "He told me everything was going to be okay and he just...understood. No one ever gave me that." Gwen looked at her sister. "But I'm so scared," Ashleigh confessed. Gwen hugged her sister tight.
"Don't be. I'm sorry for scaring you like that," Gwen said.
"No, it wasn't you," Ashleigh said. "I'm so scared of him breaking my heart. What if he doesn't respect me after what I told him?"
"He does, trust me. I know Nick and I know how he feels about you," Gwen told her sister. "Talk to him. And I promise, if you do decide to date him and if he is the one for you, we will keep it confidential for your sake," she promised her sister. Ashleigh nodded and Gwen wiped away her last tear.
"Come on, you got a boy to go flirt with," Gwen said, smiling.
~~in AJ's room~~
AJ laid in his bed after Gwen left for her room. He wanted to propose to her so badly but every chance he got, he chickened out. This was an all too familiar scene to him. Back when he was dating Amanda, he wanted to propose to her. But he chickened out and she fell in love with someone else. He didn't want to go through with that again but he knew Gwen was different. He loved Gwen in a whole new way than he loved Amanda. AJ knew Gwen was his one. He never had that confidence in his relationship with Amanda. There was no doubt in his mind about Gwen.
~~3 days later~~
''But Baby, do I have to leave?" Gwen asked, coughing. AJ wrapped his arms around her and hugged her.
"Sorry hunny, but doctors orders. You're contagious," he said. Gwen had caught a terrible cold and was coughing and sneezing like crazy.
"But why can't I just sleep on the bus?" Gwen whined.
"Because you need a lot of sleep and you won't get that here," AJ said. "You need to be at home resting and get well quick."
"But.." she started to protest but AJ put his finger to her lips.
"No buts," he said. She coughed and he rubbed her back. They were waiting in the VIP room of the local airport. Gwen was going to fly home for 3 days to get better so no one else would catch her cold. Their managers feared everyone catching the cold that was going around and having 5 coughing Backstreet Boys.
"You're probably going to get sick in a day anyways," Gwen said, sneezing.
"Nu-uh...I got my flu shot...unlike someone I know," AJ teased her. Gwen hated getting shots and skipped her flu shot this year. She plopped her head on his shoulder. "I called Illie, she's gonna pick you up from the airport," AJ said. Gwen wanted to go to AJ's house for the three days instead of her apartment.
''Okay," Gwen sniffed. She took out a tissue and blew her nose. AJ felt bad for seeing her so miserable.
"And Joe is going to be staying in the guest house while you are there," AJ said, about his bodyguard who stayed in their guest house. "He volunteered to take you back because he wants to see his wife." Gwen nodded. The effects of her cough syrup were kicking in and she was becoming sleepy.
"Aww baby, I hope you feel better," AJ said, kissing her forehead.
"I don't wanna go," Gwen mumbled.
"I know but you need to get better so you can come back to me," AJ said. "And don't worry about Ash. I'm sure she'll keep busy," AJ said. "I'm gonna miss you like crazy."
"Me...AHH-CHOO!" Gwen said, sneezing. AJ laughed and handed her another tissue. "Me too," she said. Gwen's plane was called and Joe came in to walk her on. AJ helped her up and hugged her tight.
"I love you baby. Get some rest and take some long bubble baths," AJ said. "And drink plenty of orange juice."
"Yes daddy," Gwen joked. He kissed her forehead. "I love you too."
"I'm gonna miss you. Call me when you get home," AJ said.
"Okay," she said. Joe helped her to the terminal and she turned around and waved to AJ before sneezing again.
~~~~~~
"Got any nines?" Nick asked.
"Nope! Go fish!" Ashleigh said. The two were spending every minute together. They spent late nights talking about everything except the fact of them being in a relationship. Nick knew she wasn't ready and decided not to say anything. But it was obvious something was going to happen to the two. They both knew they had a connection. They were soul mates.
AJ sat across from them at the other table and starred at his cell phone. It was 3 hours after he dropped Gwen off at the airport and he was already missing her so bad it was driving him nuts. It was driving everyone else nuts too.
"Hey J, if you stare at that thing, it's not gonna make it ring any sooner," Ashleigh teased. He looked up.
"Yeah yeah I know," he said. Ashleigh was going to take over Gwen's job for the three days she was home. Ashleigh and Nick started thumb wrestling as AJ watched. He knew Nick was crazy for her and vice versa. He had never seen Nick so in love with a girl like this before. He knew they had something going.
~~at the airport~~
Gwen had slept the whole way to Florida and Joe woke her up right as the plane landed. They left the plane and walked into the airport. She spotted Illianna waiting for her.
"Hey girl!" Illie shouted. Gwen coughed and sneezed her way to her. "Damn, you do need a break," Illie said, taking her bags. They got Joe's and Gwen's luggage and all walked out to Illie's car. Once they were driving, Illie spoke up.
"So, how's the tour?"
"It's going great," Gwen answered. She already missed AJ like crazy.
"How are the guys?" Illie asked.
"They are great. They all say hi," Gwen said.
"How's Ash doing?"
"Well, she spends all her time with Nick," Gwen told her.
"So I hear. You'll have to tell me the details later," Illie said, as they dropped Joe off at AJ's guest house in front of his mansion. Joe said by to the girls and went in to greet his wife. Illie drove up to AJ's house and parked. She helped get Gwen in and the dogs ran up to greet her.
"Now you get right up there to bed and I'll bring you up some orange juice," Illie said.
"Illie, you aren't my maid!" Gwen laughed, lugging herself up the stairs.
"I know that girl! I'm just getting you started, then I'm leaving!" she laughed. Gwen walked into her and AJ's room and collapsed on the bed. It was good to be home and she climbed in under the sheets. She could smell AJ's cologne and it made her smile. Illie came upstairs with a glass of orange juice, some magazines and the phone and gave them to her.
"Okay, do you have everything? Remember, I'm a call away," she said.
"Thank you so much Illie," Gwen said, in-between coughs.
"No problem. I'm gonna go but I'll be back later," Illie said. Gwen thanked her again and picked up the phone to call AJ. She dialed the numbers and he answered on the first ring.
"Talk to me baby," he said. Gwen laughed.
"Hey," she said.
"Hey Baby, how was your flight?" he asked.
"I slept the whole time," Gwen said.
"How are you feeling?"
"Tired," Gwen answered.
"I bet...I miss you," AJ said. Gwen smiled.
"I miss you too," she said.
"How are the dogs?" AJ asked.
"They miss you," Gwen said.
"Aww...pet them for me," AJ said. "Hey, if you get bored, you can read my fan mail. That's always entertaining," AJ suggested.
"Okay, Illie brought in the many bags of letters," Gwen said, looking over at the huge bags of letters. They talked for awhile and AJ could hear Gwen yawning.
"Okay baby, its time for you to go to sleep," AJ said.
"Okay, Love you," Gwen said.
"I love you too, I hope you feel better," AJ said. Gwen coughed and they hung up. Gwen pulled one of the huge bags of mail onto the bed and started sorting through the letters. She started reading them and laughing at how cute they were. After her 15th letter, something caught her eye. It was an envelope addressed to AJ from Amanda Brighton. Gwen knew this wasn't a fan letter and she debated whether or not to open it. Guilt came over her as she ripped the envelope open. It was a belated birthday card and she opened it to read.
"AJ, I know we've been through hell and back, but I hope that doesn't destroy our friendship. You are such a big part of my life and I can't see you not in it. You are a great guy and I'll always love you as a friend. Love- Amanda." Gwen's guilt soon turned into curiosity. Who was this Amanda and why hasn't AJ said anything about her? If she was such a big part of AJ's life, why didn't he tell Gwen about her? Gwen shoved the card into the dresser drawer next to her and fell asleep.
