"Ali?" Kevin asked coming up behind me as I walked.

"Hi," I said quietly.

"What happened to you now?" he asked as Nick pulled out a chair for me.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I replied.

"You can tell them," Nick whispered to me.

"Not until me and you talk privately," I replied. The guys could tell I was lying, but didn't question anymore.

"So..." Howie started, but nobody knew what to say.

"Our show got cancelled for tonight," AJ informed me.

"My flight leaves early tomorrow morning," I told them.

"You're leaving tomorrow?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, when do you guys come back?" I asked unsure.

"The day after next, but I'll come back with you," he offered.

"That's okay. Go back with everyone else," I said scared. "But,"

"Nick! You're going to wait until we all go back," Brian said noticing my
fear.

"Oh, okay," Nick said looking at the ground.

"The door!" I said suddenly remembering it.

"I cleaned it," Brian said knowingly.

"What the hell is going on?" AJ asked annoyed.

"I beat Ali," Nick cried, "I got drunk and beat the shit out of her."

"Bastard," Nick mumbled.

"Oh, man," Kevin sighed.

"I have to go pack. Brian, can you help me, please?" I asked crying.

"Yeah," he replied. He followed me upstairs.

"Al, even though Nick's my best friend, I don't think you should date him," Brian admitted. I didn't say anything. I just pulled out my suitcase and
started packing, "Al?"

"I love him," I whispered, " I haven't been able to say it to him, but I do. And you can't tell him either. Last time I let a guy in he hurt me. I want this to work out," I explained.

"But he hurts you too," Brian reasoned.

"Not in a way that can't be fixed. I'm human, I'll heal. As long as he's sorry, its fine," I replied.

"No its not. Its wrong. I almost took you to the hospital last night," Brian said amazed I was talking like this. I softly started to cry, "C'mere," he
said gently hugging me. Even that hurt.

"Ow," I mumbled.

"Just be careful," Brian said looking into my eyes. Then there was a knock on the door. I wiped my eyes and went to get the door.

"Hey," Nick whispered with red puffy eyes. A sign that he'd been crying.

"Come on in," I said opening the door. He walked in slowly.

"I have to do some stuff. I'll see y'all later," Brian said leaving.

"Did I hurt you bad?" he asked as I went back to packing.

"No, I've had worse," I replied.

"Oh."

"Nick, I'm not mad at you one bit. I understand completely. It was a part. Who wasn't going to drink? I just, I mean, we're not going to break up
because of this. I want to be with you," I blurted out bluntly.

"I don't want to loose you. I'm so sorry I drank again," Nick said on the
verge of tears. I went and hugged him tight.

"Don't leave me, please? I know everyone is saying we should brake
up and maybe that would be the best for the, but not for me. I need you to be with me," I cried. I looked up into his eyes and kissed him softly. He replied with his lips. He held my face with his hands and I ran my hand through his hair.

"I won't leave if you don't want me to," he whispered.

"Don't leave," I smiled and kissed him. We layed on my bed and just held
each other. Stroking each others hair and faces. Without any words we got to know each other a little better. He could tell I was fragile yet strong. And I could tell there was more to his player story.

"Nicky, tell me now why you became a player," I whispered playing with
his shirt.

He sighed. "I fell in love with a girl a few years back. She was my life. When on tour with us, and I thought she loved me. One day I caught her with another guy. She tried to play it off as " I just needed someone." So, I believed her. Then she wanted help braking into the biz so I did help. As soon as she signed she looked back at me and goes "Your job is done, seeya!" and walked out. It turned out she was only using me. Through
all that she was still with that guy. I decided then, I was gunna be a guy that uses girls. I mean why not? She did it to me, but now you're here and I want you to be her for always," he smiled.

"I'll try," I replied. We kissed softly and it turned into a makeout session.

"I have to get a shower," I said pulling away.

"I'll come with," he offered.

"I don't want you to see me like this," I replied.

"It'll be a punishment to me to see what I've done," he reasoned. I didn't reply, I just got up and turned the water on. I stared at myself in the mirror.

I had a flashback of what happened the night before. I was just brushing my hair when Nick stormed in and threw me on the ground. He said I was flirting with Justin. After a minute I was too weak to move and then fell unconscious. I wonder how long he beat me for.

"Ali," Nick whispered and kissed my neck.

"What?" I asked startled coming out of my daze.

"I know what you were thinking about," he told me.

"Sorry," I said turning around, " I think a shower will help." I stripped
down and got in. Nick followed. He took one look at my back and started tracing the bruises he had placed there gently.

"I'm so sorry," he cried. I turned around.

"Nicky, stop this. I told you I was fine," I said pulling his head to mine. I kissed him, "Stop worrying."

"Okay."

"If it make you feel better Dan use to do this and he never apologized," I said as I finished rinsing my hair. Nick had a confused look.

"He beat you?" he asked.

"Nah, but it got your mind off of it though," I smiled and turned the water off. I grabbed a towel and got out.

"Oh, so I've got a liar on my hands now," Nick assumed getting out too.

"No," I shrugged. I got dressed and finished packing.

"You can't come tomorrow," I told Nick, "The fans will be all over."

"I know, but I'm getting up to say bye," he said as if a threat.

"That's fine," I said putting my hair up.

"Leave it down," Nick said bluntly.

"What?" I asked confused.

"Your hair, leave it down, please?" he asked.

"Why?" I asked still confused. Why would Nick care about my hair?

"Cuz I wanna fix it," he smiled cheesily.

"Is that safe?" I joked.

"C'mon lemme try," he begged.