~*Christmas Morning*~

“WAKE UP!!” Brian cried opening the door to our room. He laughed and pulled the covers off our bed. Nick had his arm on my stomach and I shrieked. I ran out of the room chasing Brian

“Brian!! You jerk!” I shrieked. He locked himself in his room. I could hear loud laughter. Leighanne came up to me and rolled her eyes. She pounded on the door

“Brian…it’s me….” She said softly. The door opened and I attacked him

“I surrender!!” Brian cried after he couldn’t be tickled any longer.

“Oh yeah…I rule,” I cried gleefully and left to go change. Nick fell asleep again on the bed. I leaned over and bit his ear

“HOLY SH---“ He cried and woke up. He looked up at me and growled playfully

“Merry Christmas!” I chirped. He laughed and hugged me

“Merry Christmas,” he answered back smiling at me.

We went downstairs and sat around the tree. Leighanne took out the first present. It was a square shaped present. It said “Nick,” on it. I smiled. That was my present to him. He looked at me curiously and unwrapped it. It was an incredibly small painting of a Shooting Star. He could probably fit it into his pocket “It’ll be by my side until I die,” he whispered and we embraced. Leighanne and Brian smiled at each other. Nick then opened his card

“Two tickets to see Journey in concert!” he cried. He hugged me and kissed me even harder. I smiled.

Nick brought out a huge present for me. I opened it and sighed happily. It was a portrait of me. Painted in different shades of Pink. Pink was my favorite color, don’t ask why, it’s always been. In the lower right hand corner was scrawled “Nick Carter, For my Shooting Star,” I hugged Nick.

~*Later That Night*~

Leighanne leaned against Brian as Nick built a fire “We start touring in a month,” Brian said. Leighanne closed her eyes.

“Yeah…” Nick said softly putting his arm around me

“So?” Leighanne and I asked

Brian and Nick looked at each other. Brian smiled “So you won’t mind, if we pick up a few….girls on the road right?” Brian asked

“For those cold lonely nights,” Nick added. Brian grinned at him.

Leighanne looked at me “Sure…go ahead,” Leighanne said.

“Yeah…” I said snuggling against Nick.

Brian and Nick laughed. Leighanne yawned

“I’m going upstairs,” She said. She kissed Brian and said good night to Nick and I. Brian sat there and we talked about what to expect for this tour. Soon I noticed that Nick was tired too

“I’m out,” Nick said. He kissed me and went upstairs too. Soon Brian and I were left

“You know what Rachel?” Brian asked after awhile

“What?” I sat closer to him

“We were going to record a Christmas album…but Nick didn’t want to,”

“Why?” I cried

“He wanted to spend as much time needed with you before we go on tour,”

“Oh…that’s so sweet,” I said

“Yeah,”

“But I would’ve liked to hear it,” I said

“Me too,” Brian started humming and sang a line

“What was that?” I asked after he sang

“One of the songs that was gonna be on the album,”

I looked at Brian’s face against the fire. I was tired “Good night Brian,” I said kissing him on the cheek

“Merry Christmas,”

“Merry Christmas,” I said and kissed him one more time on the cheek. He looked at me. His face with the fire in the background. The Christmas lights illuminating his face. I looked at him and pressed my lips against his. He brushed his hands through my hair and kissed me back. I let go of him

“Oh my…god…” I cried

Brian looked horrified “This didn’t happen…” He said

“Right…” I said

“Don’t tell Leighanne,”

“Don’t tell Nick,” I said.

“I won’t,” Brian said. I went upstairs to get some sleep. I couldn’t sleep all night. A guilty feeling kept nudging me. I had to talk to Brian about it.