She looked up at him, dark eyes shimmering in the half-light of the room. She reached up with her hand and stroked his face with the back of her hand. Nick closed his eyes. Finally, she spoke in a soft voice.
"Thank you, so much. I know you didn't have to do this, but I'm glad you're here and I'm glad you'll never leave. I don't know what I'd do without you here with me right now." she said, still stroking his face.
His grip tightened about her. "You know that. I'll always be with you, whenever you need me."
"And whenever you need me, I'll be there." Gina said softly.
"Hey, since you can't seem to sleep on your own, how about coming to stay in the room me and Bri are using? It'll be cramped and we'll have to share a bed, but-"
"But you'll be there and I know you won't take advantage of the situation. I think you know that at this point in my life that I'm not really physically or mentally ready for that kinda thing." Nick nodded.
"Then yes, I'll gladly give up this place for some company. Will ya help me bring my stuff?" she asked, smiling softly at him. He looked at her, and smiled back. "Of course I will. You don't have much, do ya?"
At her sheepish look, he laughed. "Just like a girl. You'll need it on the tour, anyway. I'll bring what you need for tonight now and the rest tomorrow."
"Sounds good." she replied. So Nick, with Gina's help brought most of her things into the room he was sharing with Brian. It would be like sardines in a can in there, but she wouldn't be lonely or scared anymore.
Brian woke up to find suitcases and carryall bags all over the place. He looked to Nick's bed and almost jumped out of his own in shock. There, nestled contentedly, with a smile on her face was Gina.
"Well, whaddaya know?" Brian exclaimed softly, shaking his head.
"I know, huh?" Gina said, getting up. Brian looked at her and felt sorry that he had waken her up. Even though she had had a monstrous nightmare the night before, she looked breathtakingly beautiful.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry I woke you up-" Brian said quickly, but Gina cut him off.
"Not at all. Actually, I've wanted to talk to you anyway, and here we have the perfect opportunity." she said, stretching and sitting on the side of the bed.
"About what?" Brian asked curiously.
"I know it isn't fair keeping you guys in the dark about my past. I promise to tell you all the entire story when I'm ready. Nick knows most of it already." Gina said seriously, looking into his blue eyes.
"I know that wasn't what you were going to say, and you can tell me anything. As for your life story, you don't even have to tell us at all, but if you want to, then whenever you feel up to it we'll listen." he replied, looking back into her troubled dark eyes.
Gina looked down at Nick, and she felt an enormous butterfly open it's wings in her belly. When she looked back up at Brian, he caught his breath. There was a look of such love and happiness on her face that it made him realize that she was falling in love with his best friend.
"You like him a lot, don't you?" Brian asked, piercing her with his blue gaze.
"Yes, I do. I know you all think that I can't possibly feel like this after just one day, but...I don't know. It was the same way with Selena. She knew she was going to be with Chris when she met him. Don't ask me why, it just happens with the girls in my family." Gina said, looking at Brian and he could see in her eyes that it was the truth.
"Actually, we don't think that. Nick has been a loner ever since last fall when Mandah broke his heart and dumped him. He's actually been pretty bummed out ever since. He's been past the rebound stage for months and we've all been trying to encourage Nick to go out with a girl, and even set him up once which was a disaster. We were about to give up hope when-"
"When we found each other, you mean?" Gina asked, interrupting him.
"Yeah, exactly." Brian replied.
"Well, this has been nice, but I have to get to the studio. I have an album to record, and if you guys want me on tour with you, I have to get cracking." Gina said, going to one of her suitcases and picking out her outfit before going into the bathroom to take a shower and get ready.
While she was in the bathroom, Nick woke up. He looked around the room, sleepy eyed, hair tousled. He looked at his best friend, who had a wide grin on his face. Nick grumbled and threw a pillow at Brian. Brian dodged it, grinning like a fool. He laughed at Nick's feeble attempt to hit him, but Nick sent another pillow sailing his way and it got him right in the gut.
"I don't see what you think is so funny that you sit there smiling like a clown, B. What's got you up on cloud nine this morning?" Nick asked grumpily.
"Your girlfriend is quite anxious to get to work, that's all." Brian said. In reality he was grinning because he remembered a time when he and Leighanne were like this, and they had grown to love each other, and he knew Nick and Gina were headed that way and a bit faster than he and Leighanne had.
"Where is Gina, anyway?" Nick asked, looking around the room.
"Right here." Gina said from behind him. Nick's face lit up when he turned around and saw her. She was wearing a long cream skit with slits on either side and a cream top with no sleeves and a turtle neck collar. Her long dark hair was pulled back in a bun, but a few shorter strands framed her face in the front.
She came over to him and patted his head. "Get up, sleepyhead. I do need an escort to get to the studio, you know." she smiled winningly at him, and Nick scrambled up to get his clothes and rush into the shower. He came out wearing baggy khaki pants, a dark green wife beater and dark green Nike sneakers. His hair was gelled in its usual style, so that it hung around his eyes and his eyes gleamed. Gina went to him and interlocked her arm in his, and they left the hotel together. Soon after they left, AJ, Kevin and Howie came into Brian's room where he was trying to pick out the outfit that he was going to wear.