Rachel sat up and yawned. She felt much better and her head didn't hurt as bad anymore. After a few days of laying around the bus and hotel rooms and taking tons of medicine, the sinus infection was finally out of her system.

She trudged over to the connecting door and walked through it. She looked at Lance's sleeping form and smiled; he looked so peaceful. His face was free of all his stresses and problems. He looked like an innocent little boy. His body was curled up and he had the blanket tucked all around him, up to his chin. It was a sign that he was comfortable. Rachel stepped closer to Lance and gazed at his face; she let her eyes wander up and down. She noticed that his eyelashes rested gently on his cheeks and his mouth was parted slightly. She watched as Lance's chest rose up and down in soft heaves. He was still asleep.

"God, he is beautiful." Rachel whispered. She quickly covered her mouth and hoped that Lance hadn't heard her. After looking at him closely, she knew he hadn't.

A shrill whistle woke Lance with a start. He sat up quickly and looked around him wildly. Rachel was standing by his side, giggling. "Oh, you are so dead!" He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her down on the bed.

Lance jumped up to his knees and started tickling her. "I surrender! I surrender!" Rachel giggled. She put both hands on his shoulders and pushed herself away from him. She sat up and laughed.

"We should get dressed. We've gotta be at the venue soon and you need to eat breakfast." Lance smiled at her. He gently touched her cheek. The softness of Rachel's skin made his knees weak. He could practically smell her soft scent.

Rachel looked up from the bedspread and into his eyes. She jumped slightly at the tender look in his eyes. Rachel could see love and protection shining through them. It was a look she'd never noticed before.

"Um, you have a pillow case indention on your face." Lance cleared his throat. He knew he ruined the moment and that was the purpose. There was no pillow case indention and she knew it too.

It took nearly an hour to get all of the guys out of the hotel and to the venue. Justin had to continuously go back to his room for things he forgot. Chris took forever to drag out of his room. He claimed he had fallen asleep in the shower.

Rachel sat on a chair in the backstage area of the arena and looked around. Lance was sitting across the room, working on papers for his clients. Justin was in the weight room, Chris was playing with the sound equipment. JC was talking on the phone to his longtime girlfriend, Diana. Joey was taking a nap.

Her boredom led her thoughts to a few years before.

"Rae, I have to tell you something." Lance entered the house nervously. He had broken up with her a week before. They were trying hard to move on with their friendship.

"Okay." Rachel ventured, knowing what he was going to tell her was not good. "What is it?" She questioned nervously. She gestured for him to sit down on the couch and he shook his head.

"I'd rather stand." Lance stepped back away from her. "I uh...I don't know how to say this." He stumbled over his words.

"Just say it Lance!" Rachel screamed at him. The anticipation was driving her insane.

"I, Sierra and I...we. Um." Lance stuttered, not knowing how to say the words, but knowing he couldn't hide them anymore. He and Sierra were together and it wasn't right for them to hide it from Rachel. She deserved to know.

"Oh. I see. Congratulations." Rachel turned away from him, no longer being able to look at his face.

"Say something. Anything." Lance demanded. He hated not knowing what she was thinking.

"Get out." Rachel walked out of the room. A few minutes later the slamming of her bedroom door was heard. He sighed and left the house.

Rachel bent her head down to hide her tears. She hated reliving that moment and every time she did, she felt pain sear through her heart. It was the hardest thing forgiving her two friends. She had succeeded in forgiving Lance - almost. But Sierra, she never forgave her.

She tried wiping her tears away, but they kept streaming down her face. She sniffled and cleared her throat, wiping away some of the tears. "Aunt Rake!" A little voice screamed from across the backstage area.

She stood out of her chair and knelt down. Jon could be heard from miles away with his voice. He was loud, just like his older brother Justin. She had known Jon since he was a baby and used to baby-sit him. He could never pronounce her name when he was learning to talk; thus the name Rake. "Jon!" She shouted and he ran into her arms. Rachel swept him off the ground and spun him around in a circle.

She sat down on the chair and Jon settled himself in her lap. He was facing her and noticed her tears right away. "Why do you cry Rake," He asked quietly, cocking his head to the side in wonderment. He touched her face with a hand on either side and looked deep into her eyes.

It amazed Rachel how little kids could notice so much. "It's because I'm so happy to see you sweetie." She tried to smile.

"Hey Mister!" Lance said to the man standing by with a professional camera. The man ran over. "Can you take a black and white photo of that little boy and woman sitting in that chair right there, without them noticing you?" The man nodded his head as he quickly switched film and snapped away the pictures.

"Can you give me a kiss and a big hug, Jonboy?" She asked, using her nickname for him. He nodded yes and gave her a sweet baby kiss on her lips. His hands were still on either side of her face and they curled themselves into her hair as she pulled him into a hug.

"I love you very much Aunt Rake." The boy whispered into her ear and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh, Aunt Rake loves you very much too." She kissed his forehead. He leaned his forehead against hers.

"Don't worry. It be alright." He jumped off her lap and ran towards the room where Justin was. She smiled at his soft southern accent and looked over at Lance. He was looking directly at her and she hastily wiped away her tears.

Lance saw her crying and knew it wasn't because of her happiness to see Jon. He smiled at her and turned back to his paperwork. He didn't want to embarrass her by showing that he knew she was crying.

Rachel sighed and walked over towards Justin's parents and greeted them with hugs and kisses. It was going to be a long tour.

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