I sighed lightly, carrying myself lightly over to the couch and plopping down on it. I held my breath for a second, listening to how quiet it was. Too quiet. I never realized how lonely it could be without Brian and the other guys around. The room felt empty and cold.

I brought my knees up and tucked them under my chin, wrapping my arms around them. I looked around the room again, barely moving my head in any direction. I wished Brian were here.

I sighed then, pushing the thoughts out of my mind. He'd be back in.... I checked my watch. Awe man, not for another 3 hours. I pouted softly as I wondered how in the world I'd pass the time. Finally, I decided to watch some TV. I picked up the remote, flipping on the set, and searched through the channels until I finally found something in English.

Two hours later the TV was turned off. For some reason a solid block of "The Brady Bunch" just did not interest me anymore. I tried some music videos on the country's own version of MTV, but that was less entertaining than watching Peter Brady go through puberty. Finally I just picked myself up, deciding on a shower.

After letting the water get warm, I stepped in. I remembered to bring my own shampoo and conditioner from home with me, so I lathered up a handful of my favorite shampoo (which resembled a fruit punch kind of smell) and ran it through my hair. To my own surprise, I stayed in the shower for 45 minutes. I had allowed the hot water to make my mind drift, and found comfort in the steamy little room. I drew a few designs in the steam-coated shower door, thinking about the show the Boys were performing tonight. I now felt sorry that I was missing it.

When I finally stepped out of the shower, I dried myself off and slipped into a comfortable pair of shorts and my favorite sweatshirt. I let out a soft sigh as I opened the door to the bathroom, allowing the cool air from outside to assault my face. I took in a deep breath and walked into my bedroom. The clock on the bedside table read 11:25. Brian should be back any minute.

I settled down on the bed and began flipping through a magazine while I waited. I wondered when I'd get to talk to BJ again... I hadn't been able to tell her everything on the phone earlier, and I knew that Beej would kill me if she found out from someone else all that had happened.

A half-hour later Brian still hadn't come back. I was beginning to feel worried wondering what was holding him up. I set the magazine down and settled into my pillows. I resolved to call Kevin if he didn't come back soon.

Ten minutes later, I was fast asleep.

Brian walked in the room at around 12:13 am. After the show was over, AJ invited everyone over to his room for a few drinks. He had lingered much longer than he intended to, relieved when both Kevin and Nick said they were going to head back to their own rooms. Brian took his chance and left with the duo.

He quietly kicked off his shoes, stepping into the living area of the suite. He looked around the dimly lit room, not seeing a hint of life anywhere. He noticed that Corinne's room was lit up and concluded that that's where she must be. He first sauntered to his own room, changing into some comfy clothes, and then made his way to Corinne's.

Her bedroom door was cracked, and Brian knocked softly before pushing the door open the rest of the way. He smiled when he saw Corinne on her bed, sound asleep, all cuddled up and clutching to her loose sweatshirt, her bare legs bent at the knee so that she was positioned into something like a fetus position. Brian quietly walked into the room, still smiling, and sat down on her bed beside her. Her back was to him, and he quietly leaned over her, brushing her still damp hair out of her face. He could smell the scent of her shampoo and inhaled the enticing aroma greedily. Corinne stirred lightly as Brian continued to trace his fingers down her cheek in feather-light strokes. Her eyes fluttered open, and she rolled to her back, squinting up at Brian. She smiled when she realized it was he.

”Hey,” she whispered in a tired voice. Brian smiled down at her.

”Hey.”

”Where you been?” Corinne asked, yawning.

”AJ’s room,” Brian said simply. “I didn’t mean to wake you,” he added, still running his fingertips down her cheek. She smiled at him, gently grabbing his hand with her own.

”I don’t mind,” she said with a smile. “Want to stay with me tonight?”

Brian arched an eyebrow suggestively and she laughed at him, swatting his arm playfully. He chuckled, bringing her hand up to his face. “I’d love to,” he whispered softly before kissing the back of her hand tenderly. Corrine’s face turned to a deep flush at this simple gesture, and Brian grinned at her.

He stretched his body out next to hers on the bed, letting her snuggle up against him so that her back was pressed against his chest. He wrapped one arm up underneath her, pulling her closer to him, as he reached behind him and turned off the bedroom light with the other. When the room was dark, he draped his other arm over her waist and rested his cheek right next to hers. She let out a content sigh and Brian smiled, mimicking her. They both chuckled lightly and pressed themselves closer for warmth, as they allowed sleep to overtake them.

They slept in each other’s arms all night.

At around the same time in AJ’s room, everyone else had left and he was now there by himself. He huffed a sigh as he sauntered around his room, already messy even though he’d spent no more than a few hours there. He downed what was left in his glass, shaking the ice around when he was finished so that they jangled against the glass noisily.

He walked over to his bed and sat down on the edge, cradling the empty glass in both hands, resting at his lap. He stared at the floor ahead of him for a moment, lost in thought. Then, he looked over to his bedside table. It was covered with empty bottles from his minibar. Some were his, but most were from his other 4 bandmates. He sat and stared at them for a moment, as if he were thinking that if he stared long enough, they would tell him a story. He sighed and shook his head.

Howie had lingered. He was the only one who stayed after the other guys had left his room that night, and AJ figured it was because he was trying to make sure AJ wouldn’t keep up the party after the others were gone. He sighed. It had been a good while since he’d let that happen.

He remembered when he had first started drinking heavily. He was eighteen. In Europe that was the legal age. Of course, it’s not like he hadn’t drank before then, but, it was that year that he had let it become a problem. A big problem. Howie was threatening rehab. AJ sighed… poor Howie. He knew he had put him through hell that year. But it was Howie’s own damn fault; he had to be superman and try and solve all of AJ’s problems. He couldn’t bring his father back. He couldn’t keep Marisa from giving his life hell. And he most certainly couldn’t help Kevin the ego-trip man, Nick the ever annoying teenager, or Brian and his heart condition. So, he should have butted out of AJ’s problems. But, he didn’t.

Ultimately, it was Howie that straightened his life up. “What would your mother think? What would your grandparents think? And what about your career?” He had been relentless, but he had nursed AJ off of the heavy drinking. It was just a stupid way he had tried to solve his problems.

AJ picked himself up off of the bed, placing the glass in his hands on the bedside table with a loud clank. Why was Howie so flipping worried that he would start abusing alcohol again? Because of Corinne. AJ sighed, leaning down to open the minibar, and retrieving another bottle. Corinne was not a topic of discussion between him and Howie right now.

AJ held the small bottle up, letting the light reflect off the reddish-brown liquid inside. Corinne. Damn him to hell for letting her slip through his fingers. He had had seven years… but he was too ignorant to see how strong his feelings for her were then. He was too scared to let her know what he felt for her. Now he was too late. Damn him to hell. He’d let Brian move right on in and take her.

There was no mercy for his aching heart. None, except for the small bottle that rested in his clammy hands. He had had too many already, he knew, but what was one more? He leveled his dark brown eyes at the small bottle, examining every detail of it. Was Howie right about everything, as usual?

AJ slowly walked back over to his bedside, bottle in hand, to retrieve his glass. He’d barely made it to the end of his bed before he felt a great burst of anger swell within him. He spun toward the wall, hurtling the small bottle away from him with untamed force. It shattered against the wall, its light brown liquid wasted across the pale white canvass of it. AJ took in great heaving gasps behind the force of his anger.

No! Damn it, he was better than that! He wouldn’t let it control his life—not ever again! His life was worth more than that! Corinne was worth more than that.