Why had he reacted like he did? He wasn't quite sure. One minuet he was spouting off words of faithfulness and compassion, the next he was chewing her out over... over what? A picture? He didn't know. He was angry, that's all he really knew right now.

Nick appeared in the doorway behind him looking furious, but Brian didn't really pay much heed to him until he heard the door being slammed loudly from behind him. He jumped in mid-pace and turned around to face his friend. His eyes slowly traveled the distance up Nick's taller form to his face, and Brian gaped at him. He looked absolutely furious. His arms were folded tightly across his chest, his chin protruding slightly so that his lower lip curled upwards in a frown, and his ocean blue eyes seething with anger. Brian began to open his mouth to ask what the hell was wrong with him when Nick stopped him shortly.

"No! You listen to me for once, Brian!" Nick spat, stretching a hand out in front of him in angry gestures. "What in the world was that little scene out there all about? What were you thinking?!" He glowered at him, and Brian thought for a moment that his friend was preparing an attack like a preying lioness would, just before striking her prey.

"Nick, come off it! You know very well what happened! You saw the magazine!"

"The magazine? Brian, what the hell do you think I'm talking about? I couldn't give a damn about the magazine! What did you do to Corinne?!" Nick jumped on him.

Brian took a step backwards. Nick was shouting at him with such vehemence that he thought for sure he would wring his neck. Brian tried to explain himself. "When I saw the magazine-"

"Brian, forget the flipping magazine!" Nick interrupted loudly. "Why did you blame her? Why did you do that to her? Do you have any idea whatsoever what that did? She's out there crying right now, Brian! All because of you! Are you a damn fool?! You jump on her over some stupid magazine?!" He paused for a moment to get a good breath, and once he was composed, began speaking again. "Is it like this has never happened before, Brian? We've never been on some tabloid? Get over yourself! You're starting to sound like Gregory! This will pass... it always does. It wasn't worth it! It wasn't worth hurting Corinne over!"

Brian stared dumbly at Nick. God, he felt like a real idiot now. He had hurt Corinne worse than he had thought. He lowered his head in shame, letting out a shaky breath. What the heck was going on? Only weeks before he had sworn to himself that he would never do something to jeopardize his and Corinne's relationship, and just now he had blown everything. Why? For what? He ran his hands through his hair again, feeling the tears begin to well up.

He was scared. For heaven's sake, he was terrified! He hadn't felt for anyone so deeply as he felt for Corinne in such a long time, and that scared the hell out of him. What if she didn't love him the same? What if she ended up breaking his heart the same way Alex had those years past? Brian couldn't bear the thought of it. He was so scared that that magazine and everything that would be going around in the media and on the Internet would end up hurting Corinne, and then she'd leave him. He wouldn't be able to handle that again. And now he knew; that's why he did what he did.

All the emotions began to overwhelm him, and before he knew what was happening a sob was wrenched from his mouth. He looked up at Nick who was still just a furious as before, and lost it. One by one tears streamed down his face, and he couldn't stop or control them.

Nick froze in shock at seeing his best friend fall apart. Geeze… was it because of him yelling at Brian? He let out a breath, feeling his body sink. He closed the distance between him and Brian in a few short steps and wrapped his arms around him. Brian sobbed into Nick's shoulder uncontrollably.

Nick tried to release the tension from his jaw, still tight with fury. "It's okay Brian. I'm sure she'll be alright-" He paused, not knowing what else to say, but he didn't have to say anything because Brian began to speak.

"I'm so scared Nick," Brian choked out from behind his sobs. "I don't want to lose her… I really don't want to lose her."

Nick tightened his grip. "Brian… I think you're overreacting… she'll be fine, I'm sure. It's me you have to worry about kicking your ass," he said with a light smile. Brian pulled away from him.

"No, you don't understand…" he said, ignoring Nick's attempt to lighten the mood.

Nick furrowed his brow at him, cocking his head to one side. "Talk to me, Rok. Tell me what's up."

Corinne wiped away tears from her eyes hastily. She felt hurt and embarrassed and out of place in the company of all these men. Where was BJ when she actually needed her for once? She cracked a faint half-smile at the thought. No… she knew BJ might as well be her right arm, considering how much she depended on her. But at the moment, there was no way of getting to her, and Corinne was desperately lost among her company.

She was sitting on one of the bench seats of the kitchenette table. AJ was placed worriedly by her side, and Kevin was pacing up and down the small corridor anxiously, fretfully waiting for word from Brian.

AJ slid his arm back around Corinne's shoulders comfortingly- it had only been minuets since she had shrugged him away, embarrassed. "Corinne, are you okay?" AJ asked very softly, concern and compassion dripping off of his words.

Corinne sniffled away tears, nodding her head tightly. "Yeah… yeah, I'm fine. He didn't mean it, I know it." She bowed her head in thought; Or did he?

AJ clenched his jaw together, letting out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. What the heck was going on? Both he and Corinne heard Kevin sigh from his pacing just feet away from them, and watched as the eldest member of their group ran his hands slowly and rigidly through his dark hair, as if a lot of thought was put into the action. He whirled around quickly and met Corinne's wet eyes with his own, and made a face of deep sorrow and compassion. "Corinne… I am so sorry about all of this… Brian just… he just…" he paused to collect his words. "Give him some time to cool down and think about it. I know he didn't mean to hurt you."

Corinne looked to her lap, nodding almost imperceptibly. "Yeah… thanks."

Kevin smiled crookedly. He was worried for both her and his cousin. The way Brian had been talking to him, he was positive that things between them were going great. Now this had happened. He furrowed his brow, cocking his head to one side as he looked at the pair sitting at the kitchenette table. And was it just his imagination, or was AJ….

No. He knows better than that. Doesn't he?

Before he could think about it any further, noises from the back caught his attention. He turned on his heels and stared with relief as he saw Brian walking out of the back, Nick closely in tow. He had his hands laid across Brian's shoulders and looked to be whispering words of comfort into his ear. God, he looked awful! Kevin hadn't seen him look this terrible in a long time.

He stopped a few paces away from Corinne and AJ. Her head bobbed up with a start, looking at him worriedly and expectantly. AJ slid his hand over hers comfortingly. Brian swallowed the lump in his throat, and bid his tears to stay at bay.

"Corinne, can I talk to you, please?" he croaked.