I can't believe this, I thought, my hands fingering the piano keys. This can't be happening. My fingers began mindlessly playing a song I had just begun to write, flowing effortlessly over the keys. I tried to clear my mind, to concentrate on the tune, but I couldn't. I slammed my hands down on the keys, eliciting a dreadful sound from the speakers.

"Woh, someone's pissed." I looked up in surprise to see JC standing in the wings of the stage. I looked back down at the keyboard and sighed. "Alex, baby, what's wrong?" I shrugged, feeling a fresh wave of tears spring to my eyes. Immediately, JC was over by my side, wrapping his arms around me as I cried. "Shh," he soothed, rocking me back and forth, comfortingly. "Tell JC what's wrong." I giggled, despite myself.

"Always cracking jokes at the wrong times, huh, Chasez?" I joked lightly, lifting my head off his chest to look at him. He smiled down at me.

"There's my smile," he said, putting his hand under my chin.

"Who said you owned it?" I asked, mischievously. He grinned and laced his hands behind my back.

"Me!" he smiled proudly. I rolled my eyes. Remembering why I ran to the stage, I sighed. "C'mon, please tell me what's wrong."

"I . . I can't," I said. "Don't be mad, Jay. Please don't be. It's just that . . . I want to figure this out for myself first before I tell anyone. Do you understand?" I looked up at his, my eyes pleading. He looked down and me and sighed.

"Yeah, I guess I do," he sighed. While one hand stayed on my back, the other one reached up and caressed my cheek. "I just wish you'd trust me enough to tell me whatever's bothering you. You know I'd only try to make it better." I smiled at his compassion, putting my hand on top of the one he had on my cheek.

"I do trust you enough," I told him, truthfully, kissing his hand. "The thing is, I don't even trust myself with this. Please don't be upset."

"I'm not," he assured me. "Just as long as you know you can always come to me with anything."

"I know that, don't worry." I smiled mischievously. "I come to you all the time for money, don't I?" He laughed and shook his head.

"You're too much," he said, gazing down at me.

"Don't I know it."

"You seem to know everything at this point," he joked, pulling me close. "Seriously, though. You okay?" I sighed, not really wanting to go back to that same dreadful topic.

"Yes," I said. "Now can we please talk about something else?" JC nodded and started swaying back and forth. "Umm, there's no music, hun. What are you doing?"

"There's music playing in my head," he said. "We're dancing to it."

"Okay . . . you feeling alright?" He just laughed and picked me up, swinging me around in a circle. I giggled and wrapped my arms around his neck so I didn't fall. "Down boy!"

"Can I play, too?" We looked out into the arena, finding Chris and Star sitting in the front row.

"And what song would you like to hear, little girl?" I asked, looking directly at Chris.

"I wanna hear. . . wait a minute! Little girl?!?" I smiled wickedly at him and wiggled my eyebrows. He bolted out of his seat and up the steps onto the stage. "Why you little . . ." He ran towards me, but JC blocked his path.

"Run, Alex! Run!" my boyfriend yelled.

"Nah," I said, sitting down on one of the stools they'd used in their performance. "It's too much fun to watch Chris's face turn red." I heard Star laughing from her seat.

"How could anyone be so childish?" The four of us stopped and turned towards the back of the First Union Center stadium, where I could make out two figures watching us. As we walked closer, I could see one was a tall, lanky-looking blond and a medium-heighted blond sitting there watching us.

"Excuse me?" I said, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"She said," the tall blond repeated as if we really hadn't heard the first time, "'How could anyone be so childish'?" I rolled my eyes.

"And, who the hell are you?" I asked.

"I'm Kristin," the short one said. "Kevin's fiancée. This is Leighanne, Brian's fiancée."

"Well, that explains your presence here, I guess," Star said, coming up next to me, "Yet, it still doesn't explain the piss-*ss attitudes."

"Listen, you little-"

"Kristin!"