The next day, Mikayla woke up to a pounding headache and she was so sick she didn't think she could even sit up. She rolled over and saw that AJ was sleeping with her. She smiled to herself and watched him sleep. He looked so sweet. He was sweet. He stayed with her after the others left. God, the others... Her mind wandered back to the events of the night before. Everything was so fuzzy, and it was hard to remember everything that happened. All she remembered was Kevin, Nick, and AJ in her room... and something about honey. She slowly got up and walked to the bathroom. The room was spinning, and she had to hold onto a chair to keep from falling. As she made her way across the room, she realized that her entire body was incredibly sore, and she wasn't sure if she could make it.

"Hey baby, you OK?" AJ asked, sleepily.

"Yeah, just trying to make it to my suitcase for some aspirin. Good God, AJ, did you get the tag number of the bus that hit me last night?" she said, speaking as quietly as possible.

AJ laughed. "No bus. Just a whole bunch of Long Island Tea and a ton of tequila."

"Ugh don't mention alcohol of any kind ever again. I swear if I live through this, I'll never drink another drop," she moaned, swallowing two aspirin and walking slowly back to bed. She laid down and put her head on AJ's chest, then closed her eyes.

"Mikayla, do you really own The Cheetah?" he asked, laughing.

"Yep. I own all three of them. I own a lot of stuff, AJ. You'd be surprised," she said, still not opening her eyes.

"So how did you get the money to buy them? Sorry, but I have to know where all this money comes from. Besides, I thought some big Italian dude owned The Cheetah clubs," he said, gently stroking her hair.

"My hair hurts, AJ. Don't touch it," she whined. "And as for the clubs being owned by a big Italian dude, I guess that would explain why I have this mother in law named Maria who tries to force feed me pasta every time I visit, wouldn't it?"

"You're married??" he asked, panic creeping into his voice.

"No, I used to be married. My husband is dead."

"How did he... die?" AJ asked quietly.

"Accident. Let's just leave it at that, OK?" she answered, her voice flat and emotionless. "But I got all the money, the investments, the clubs, the houses. You name it, I got it."

"OK," he said, not pressing the issue.

"AJ, why am I so sore today? What the hell did I do last night? I feel like I did about ten hours of tae-Bo or something," she moaned. She felt AJ's chest moving as he laughed silently. "WHAT?" she said, sitting up. "Why are you laughing?"

"You really don't remember?" he asked, a smirk on his face.

"No, not really. All I can remember is you and Kevin and Nick and something about some honey."

AJ just laughed, but he wouldn't tell her what went on.

"Fine, if you're going to be an asshole about it, Nick will tell me," she said, getting off the bed and staggering slightly to the bathroom to get a shower. When she passed the mirror, she did a double take. She had hickeys on her neck and her breasts. She stomped back into the bedroom and gave AJ an accusatory look.

"Did you do this to me?" she asked, pointing to the marks.

"Um, I don't think so," he said, trying hard not to laugh.

"Asshole," she said, turning on her heel and going back into the bathroom.

*************************************

One warm afternoon, Mikayla relaxed in Brian's arms on his hotel room bed. He was watching a movie, and she was trying to take a nap. Mikayla had become very close to Brian since she started traveling with them. Their relationship had been primarily physical before, but now they connected on a different level. Mikayla felt like she could trust him with anything, and since Leighanne had gone home a few weeks earlier, Brian was relying on Mikayla to be his friend and confidante, and occasionally for his physical needs. Of course, Mikayla would never allow him to actually have sex with her, even if he begged. It had become almost a running joke between them.

Mikayla wasn't feeling well. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she felt normal. She rolled off of Brian's shoulder and put a pillow over her head.

"What's wrong, Kay?" Brian asked, pulling the pillow off.

"I feel like shit," she moaned, pulling the pillow back down. "I feel like I've got a hangover or something. I've been feeling like this for a few weeks. It comes and goes. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Poor baby," he said, removing the pillow again and kissing her forehead. "You don't have a fever. Do you want me to get you something?"

She asked for a Coke and some Tylenol, and he got up to get it for her.

"Maybe you're pregnant," Brian laughed, as he walked into the bathroom.

Mikayla laughed. "No, Bri. I faithfully take my pill every night. No babies for this girl."

But the more she thought about it, the more nervous she got. "Brian, I have to go for a little while, OK. I'll be back later," she said, her voice shaking a little. She got up and walked out the door.

Twenty minutes later, she was alone in her bathroom, looking down at a home pregnancy test. She saw the line moving across the test window, then the control window. She felt the tears welling up in her eyes as the test window began to show a very faint line... positive. She felt her knees giving way, and she sank down onto the floor. She began to cry, sobbing uncontrollably. This kind of thing didn't happen in her world. In her world, there was no such thing as VD or pregnancy. She had never even given it a second thought. She was so good about taking her pills... except for that night. The night she had gone out drinking with the boys. Oh God, that night... She suddenly had a panicky feeling deep inside, and she knew she had to get out of there immediately. She quickly packed her suitcases and called for plane reservations home. She then called Brian.

"Bri, listen, I have to go home, OK? I have some things I need to take care of," she said, her calm voice belying her inner panic.

"Home? You mean you're leaving right now? You'd better call the guys and tell them, or they're gonna be pissed," he said, sensing something was terribly wrong.

"No, I don't have time. I have to leave now. My plane leaves in an hour. I'll call you when I get home, OK?" she said, hanging up the phone and racing toward the door. Brian ran out into the lobby and grabbed her arm as she came out of the elevator.

"Kay, what the hell is wrong with you?" he asked, hugging her tightly. She tried to push him away, but she couldn't. The tears started again, and she sobbed into his chest.

"Brian, I just have to go, OK? Please let me go. Tell the guys I said goodbye, and I'll see all of you... um... after your tour is over," she said, pulling back and wiping her eyes.

"Mikayla, please tell me what's wrong. I'm worried about you," he said, his blue eyes filled with concern.

"I can't, sweetheart. I just can't tell you any more than I already have, ok. Just... just tell the boys I'll miss them. I just have some stuff I need to handle right now, and I have to do it alone." She smiled weakly. He kissed her forehead softly and brushed her hair out of her face.

"Ok, I'll tell them. But I want you to call me tomorrow and let me know you're ok."

"Alright, Bri. I'll call you tomorrow." She picked up her suitcase and made her way out the front door to a waiting limo. As soon as the driver closed the door, she began to sob again. How could she have been so stupid? She knew she would never be able to see her boys again, and the more she thought about it, the harder she sobbed.