"Oh, hi darling," AJ's mother yawned sleepily into the phone. "What are you doing calling this early?"

"Oh, that's right!" AJ cursed at himself. "I forgot about the time difference over there. I didn't wake you, did I?"

Denise smiled with patient amusement. "No honey, I was already up," she said gently. "I have some meetings arranged this morning with your label, so I got up nice and early." She sat at her kitchen table, phone in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. She took a careful sip of the hot liquid before asking another question. "So, what's up? How's everything?"

AJ snorted cynically. "Absolute mayhem. But, what else is new?" He could feel his mothers' prying eyes on the other end of the phone, urging him onwards silently, and he took a deep breath. "We had a little security problem the other day," he explained dryly.

"Oh?" Denise exclaimed, suddenly a little more interested in the conversation. She set her cup down, leaning forwards with her arms resting on the table. "What happened? Is everyone alright? How are the other Boys?"

"Yes mom, everyone's alright. Just a little shaken," AJ answered her questions unenthusiastically. He glanced up from where he was sitting into the other room, where he could see the other 4 band members and Corinne conversing by the kitchenette table. A half-smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he watched Corinne laugh and smile as Kevin doubled over in hysterical laughter, Nick and Brian rolling in their seats by his side, and Howie laughing more at them than anything else. She seemed to glow in the mid-afternoon light.

"Alex?! Are you going to tell me what happened?" His mother shook him back to reality and he turned his attention back to the conversation at hand. He mumbled some words of apology, and Denise arched her eyebrows in wonder. He was certainly acting strange this morning, she thought.

"Mom, do you remember Nick's friend Corinne?" AJ asked. He listened as his mother thought back in silence.

"Oh yes!" she finally exclaimed after a few moments. "That cute little blonde-headed girl that used to torment you and Nick. I remember her now. You had quite the crush on her, Alex," Denise cooed teasingly.

AJ could feel his face heating up in embarrassment. "I did not!" he exclaimed.

"Mmm-hmm.." Denise teased again, stirring her coffee absentmindedly. "So, anyway, what about her?" she asked, not without curiosity.

AJ took in a deep breath, ignoring her previous remarks. "Well, I saw her again for the first time a couple months ago-" he began.

"Oh really?" Denise interrupted, "How is she doing? She must be, what? 18 by now?"

"Yeah.." AJ answered dully, looking back into the other room at Corinne's energetic form. Denise noticed the pause in the conversation and smiled in curiosity. "She's doing alright. She's actually on tour with us right now."

Denise leaned back again in her chair, her brow raised in surprise. "Oh?! Why is that? Is she and BJ visiting Nick?"

AJ smiled, somewhat amused, and took another deep breath. "No, actually. She's with Brian." He paused for dramatical effect, and when his mother didn't answer he continued. "They are dating each other."

"Oh?" Denise asked, not trying to hide the surprise in her voice.

"Yeah. They seem to be really tight."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. It's been going on for a while now"

"Oh."

AJ snorted a laugh. "Mom, is 'oh' all you have to say?" He realized later that he probably sounded a little short with his mother. Her silence spoke volumes, and he knew what was running through the older woman's mind.

Denise looked up from her coffee mug, shock still drawn on her face. "What happened to Sarah?" she asked softly.

"Her? Brian finally got some sense knocked into his head and dumped her psycho ass."

"Alexander James! Please, humor your mother- I'd like to think that I taught you some manners!" Denise replied sharply. AJ could feel his face redden in embarrassment, and he apologized to his mother. Denise let out a sigh. There was something in AJ's voice... some kind of emotion. What was it? Sadness? Anger? Hurt Denise thought, That's what it is. Yes... that must be it. But why? Because of Corinne? Denise's eyes flickered for a moment in realization. Oh my, could it be possible...? Yes... that was it! Alex still liked her. It must be it. Oh, poor boy she thought sympathetically, It must be killing him to see her with Brian. Then something like worry flashed through the woman's mind.

"Mom, your silence says more than you think it does," AJ said perturbed, interrupting Denise's thoughts. "The reason I brought her up," contrary to what you may be thinking, AJ thought, "Is because of what happened the other day."

"Is she okay?!" Denise asked anxiously.

"Yes, she's fine. Some scratches and bruises, but otherwise she came out unscathed." AJ proceeded to tell his mother the entire story, finding himself burning with emotions by the time he was finished. He was worried about Corinne, of course, but also frustrated with Brian. He knew he shouldn't be... it wasn't entirely Brian's fault. But the anger boiling within him said otherwise. He sighed in agitation, trying to push the burdensome thoughts away. "To make a long story short, those particular two guards are being replaced immediately."

"And good riddance!" Denise exclaimed, perturbed. "If they can't do their job properly, then who needs them!" AJ chuckled at his mother. She practically bubbled over with passion and enthusiasm all the time, and it always made AJ proud to say to others that she was his mom. "I'm thankful that everyone is alright. That must have been a terrible experience for Corinne," Denise continued seriously.

AJ nodded grimly. "And for Brian," he said, and was shocked when he heard the bitterness in his voice. He bit his lip, waiting for his mother's response. Finally, he could hear her draw in a breath.

"Alex... what's the real reason you called to talk to me?"

AJ squeezed his eyes shut. "Mom, I need your advice," he began shakily.