Chapter Twenty-Four

	“ What should we do?” AJ murmered quietly into her ear a few hours later,
returning with their drinks.  
“ Oh, thanks,” She accepted her drink and flashed a ‘help me’ look at him.
“ I found him, he’s over there, Nat, and he was looking for you.” AJ lied, providing
their getaway.
“ Really?  Great,” She turned and excused herself from the little group gathered.
“ What are we to do now, Ms. Trevante?” AJ asked smoothly, falling in step as they
headed to the opposite direction.  
“ Let’s get the hell outta here!”  She replied, sipping her Cosmopolitan before
placing it on a table and motioning for him to do the same.  After getting their stuff
from the coatroom, they headed out and into AJ’s ride, eager to take off and make it
a night...


                
  *****
       Dousing the last french fry with ketchup, he popped it in his mouth and washed
it down with a swig of Sam Adam’s before taking out his wallet and pulling cash out.
“ We should go.  I’m sure your brother’s worried by now,” AJ said to a pretty tipsy
Natalie who was finishing her milkshake noisily.
“ Who cares?  I’m not tired, I don’t feel like heading home yet.” She answered,
reaching for a BBQ wing as he wrinkled his nose distastefully.
“ Chocolate milkshake with BBQ wings?  Natalie, darling, that is hideous.” He chided
and she shrugged.
“Tastes damn good though.” They were seated at a diner a few miles away from
where the press party had taken place, hours after they had left and it was nearing
3:30 am.  They had spent the rest of the night after leaving at a nearly empty
bowling alley, raising lots of looks due to their party apparal and their identities. 
They had left when the place had closed at 1:30 and went to the park.  That led
them up to that moment; sitting in the empty diner and finishing off their
post-midnight ‘snacks’.
“ How are we gonna get home?” Natalie asked suddenly, remembering they had told
the driver they didn’t need him for the night.  AJ shrugged and laughed.
“ Guess you’re gonna have to walk in those heels, babe.”  She stared at him
resentfully.
“ Damn you, McLean.  We’re gonna take a cab.” She decided.
“ Sure...Let’s just hope there are any cabs at this hour of the night.”  
“ There are.” She snapped, causing another laugh from AJ.
“ Calm down...I’ll just call Nick to come pick us up.” 
“ Yeah, AJ, that’s brilliant, Nick-...He hates me so he’ll get out of bed at four am to
come pick us up.” 
“ I wanna go to the beach.” AJ said unexpectedly, pushing away his empty thing of
fries.
“ Could you imagine?  I could see the headlines now; ‘Intoxicated Popstar and
Actress Found Passed Out at Beach in the Early Hours of the Morning’...”  She
laughed, wiping her fingers on a napkin and sitting back in her seat.
“ That’d be fun.  We could watch the daybreak!” He declared, following her actions
and sitting back.
“ That means we’d have to wait for another few hours.” He gave no response, just
stared at her, smiling.
“ Bad idea.” He laughed, nodding.
“ Hold on, what the hell was that look?”
“ What look?” He asked in mock innocence, still smirking.
“ Oh please, you know what I’m talking about.” She gave a quizzical smile, waiting
for an answer.
“ Mind if I smoke?” He asked, already in the process shaking out a cigarette from
the package.
“ Explain the look!” She challenged, putting her hand around his hand which was
holding the cigarette to keep him from avoiding her question.
“ There was no look.” He insisted, unable to keep a straight face.
“ You are such an ass.” She remarked, pulling her hand away and shaking her head.
“ So do you mind?” He asked, motioning to the cigarette.
“ Nope, I don’t mind, they’re your lungs.” 
“ Actually, second hand smoke is worse than actually smoking it yourself.” He said
after he lit up.
“ Great, now you’re killing both of us.” She rolled her eyes and looked up when the
after-hours waitress came by to their table.
“ I’m sorry, sir, you can’t smoke in here.” The girl said, eying his cigarette.
“ Oh, really?  Sorry.” He looked at Natalie.
“ We should get going then, Nat.” He paid for the food and they exited the diner,
standing outside while he finished his Marlboro.
“ I don;t wanna walk home.” Natalie declared, watching him.
“ Well, I guess we’re gonna have to call Nicky-Boy.” He said, pulling his cell out of
his pocket.  He dialed the numbers and waited before hanging up.
“ Not picking up.” 
“ Great.  Call a cab service.”
“ Let’s walk,” He grinned when a few drops of rain fell.
“ Yeah, right.” She looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to get ahold a cab.
“ AJ, we are not-”
“ Yeah we are.” He replied, slipping an around her and leading her to the sidewalk.
“ You are crazy, we’re gonna get pnemonia and die, or get mugged, or-”
“ Or we’ll get home safely.”  
“ You’ve had too much to drink.” 
“ You’ve had more,” He accused, laughing at her.
“ Oh shut up and walk.” The rain continued with a steady patter as they continued
on their trek home.  Nearly fourty-five minutes later, they reached their street,
soaked to the bone and shivering.
“ Shit...” AJ cursed, stopping suddenly.
“ What?  You just now realized this was a bad idea?”  
“ I don’t have my keys.” 
“ So?  Nick’s home, right?” 
“ You don’t understand, Natalie, that boy is such a fucking heavy sleeper, he
wouldn’t wake up if you over him with a...I don’t know, something really loud.”
Natalie rolled her eyes a his analogy and continued up the street.
“ Well, AJ, darling, looks like you have to sleep on the porch tonight, huh?” She said
when she reached her house.
“ Gee, thanks, dear friend.” She walked up to her door and turned back.
“ Go see if he’s awake!” She watched as he went nextdoor and held his finger on the
doorbell for several seconds before looking over at Natalie.
“ I’m fucked.” He mouthed to her.
“ Try the door, is it locked!” 
“ Ssshhh!  Whisper!” He twisted the knob and sighed before pressing the bell again.
“ I don’t think he’s awake...” She commented in half-whisper.
“ No shit, when’yda get so smart?” 
“ Well, J, I’m really tired...Goodni-”
“ Oh no, you are not leaving me alone out here!” He half-joked, trying the bell one
last time before going across to her house and standing directly in front of her,
staring.
“ I had a great time tonight.” She teased, turning around to unlock the door.
“ Natalie...” He sweettalked, hugging her from behind and leaning his head on her
shoulder.
“ I know deep down you wanna let me stay at your house, don;’t ya?” He murmered
in her ear.
“ Attempts at seduction do not work, AJ.” She rolled her eyes, half-turning to look at
him.
“ You know I wouldn’t leave you locked outside of your house, you ass.” She said,
turning back to open the door.
“ You can get off of me now, your little scheme worked, didn’t it?” She laughed,
attempting to get in the house with his dead-weight on her.
“ Natalie, Natalie, must you keep squelching your natural desire for me?” He
aggravated in a mock voice, poking her in her side as he pulled away.
“ You wish...” She tossed her keys on the front table, nearly knocking over an
expensive-looking vase.
“ Now, where will you-” She mused, going up the stairs, AJ following in close
proximity.
“ With you, of course.” He interrupted, a sly grin on his face.
“ Uh, no.” She said shortly.
“ Ok, here we go, you can stay in here,” She said when they reached the third floor
guestroom. 
“ Bed’s too small.” Natalie looked at him.
“ AJ.  You can’t really be choosy in this situation,”
“ I bet your bed’s bigger.” He said, tossing his jacket onto a nearby chair.
“ You’re right it is,” She bragged gleefully. 
“ Aaah, you suck.” He called after her as she turned to leave.
“ Goodnight.” She replied, smirking to herself as she headed to her room.  She
stopped mid-step and turned around.
“ AJ, do you need dry clothes?” She called.
“ Nah, I’ll just sleep in my boxers.” She entered her room and got into the
bathroom, shedding her wet dress and slipping into a nightgown before pulling her
hair up and washing her face.  When she exited the bathroom, AJ was lying under
the covers in her bed, feigning sleep.
“ AJ!” 
“ Ssshhh!  Your brother’s asleep, remember? And I’m trying to sleep too!” He
scolded, his voice taking on a drowsy one.
“ Get out of my bed,” She said, standing opposite his side.
“...I wanted to talk to you about something.” He patted the side next to him and
looked at her.
“ It’s important.” Sighing, she took a seat and stared at him.
“ Well, Natalie...” She waited for more but he didn’t say a word.
“ Yes, AJ?” 
” Well, well,well...I...” He stopped again.
“ I forgot.” He stated simply, smiling at his lame ploy.
“ You are an idiot...Fine, you stay on that side and don’t move closer or I will-”
“ Scream bloody hell, got it.” He nodded as she slid under the covers and snapped
off the lamp next to her before turning onto her side, he back to him.
“ This is nice.” AJ said a few seconds later, breaking the silence.
“ AJ.” She warned, lifting her head up.
“ Sorry, sorry.” A minute later, she assumed he was asleep and so she rolled over,
facing him.
“ It’s cold in here.” He said and she opened her eyes.
“ Go to sleep.” 
“ I can’t, it’s freezing in here.” 
“ What do you want me to do?” 
“ Well...” 
“ I meant about the cold, jackass,” She said when a smirk spread on his face.
“ Turn down the air-conditioning?” She sighed as she got out of bed again and
headed to the a/c controls.
“ Better?” She asked, getting back in bed.
“ Not yet, it takes time for it to-”
“ AJ!”
“ Ok, sorry.” She turned her back to him once more.
“ Hey, Nat. I’m gonna get some water, ok?” He whispered loudly a minute later.  
“ Fine.” 
“ Do you want some?” 
“ No, thanks.” He got out of bed and she watched as he left the room.  Thinking of
how it’d be funny if he ran into her brother on his way down in just his boxers, she
closed her eyes again, a smirk playing on her lips.  She was half-asleep when he
returned and shut the door.  He got in next to her and studied her face.
“ Still awake?” He whispered, as she kept her back to him.
“ Shh...I’m sleeping.” 
“ But I can’t sleep...” 
“ Try.” 
“ I can’t,”
“ Count sheep...”
“ You’re too tense, you’re gonna get a sore neck in the morning.” He said, leaning
closer and massaging her neck.
“ AJ, go to sleep.” She murmered again, appreciating his warmth in her stupor of
almost-asleepness.  A few minutes later, she put her hand over his, stopping his
neck massage and feeling guilty for getting irritated.
“ That’s good, thanks.” She mumbled.
“ Umh-hmm...” He made no motion to move his hands, nor did she.
“ Goodnight.” He whispered and she laughed sleepily.
“ ‘Night, AJ.” He moved his hands from her neck and slid  around her waist,
snuggling closer before attempting sleep...






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