"I'm coming!" Brian shouted as he ran down the stairs to his front door.

"Took you long enough." Howie complained as he walked into the house.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I thought Nick would answer the door." Brian apologized as he buttoned his shirt.

"And I thought I was always the last one ready." Howie teased. He and Brian started a small conversation about their nightly plans as they walked up the stairs while Brian finished getting ready. Before they could enter Brian's bedroom they heard a door creak. Brian and Howie turned around to see Nick popping his head out the door.

"Hey Howie." He greeted with a small grin.

"How ya doin', Nicky?" Howie greeted back quietly when he noticed the sadness in Nick's eyes.

"Hey Bri?"

"What's up, Nick?" Brian asked.

"Um, could you fellas make plans without me tonight? I'm not feelin' good." Nick requested.

"What's wrong?" Howie and Brian asked together.

"Nothing. I'm fine, I just don't feel like going out." Nick explained.

"Sure, Nick. Get some rest." Howie replied.

"Thanks, guys. Have a good time tonight and don't do anything I wouldn't do." Nick tried to joke before closing his door.

****

"Hey guys!" Susan tried to greet with a fake smile. Xanda only stood back and watched the scene unfold. She felt like the world was spinning much too slowly as Susan and Kevin striked up a conversation to ease the tension.

AJ stared as Xanda and realized that he was walking slowly towards her. "How're you doing?"

"I'm doing better. I'm back to work and everything." Xanda said as she tried her hardest to concentrate on the conversation.

"That's good." AJ replied. He didn't know what to say or how to act. He knew he was over Xanda and that she was probably over him but he knew he had to apologize. She still hurt from the pain he had caused. Just seeing her made him realize how much he had screwed things up for her and maybe himself. He never wanted to resort back to his old ways again and he never wanted to hurt another woman like he had hurt Xanda.

****

"What's up with him?" Howie asked while Brian tried to pick out what cologne he wanted to wear.

"With who? Nick? I'm not sure. Probably women problems." Brian concluded. "Tommy or Calvin?"

"Calvin. So, Nick's having women problems? I guess I can relate." Howie stated. Brian quickly sprayed himself before turning his attention to Howie as he laid spread out on Brian's bed.

"You? The Latin Lover having women trouble? I wouldda never have guessed." Brian laughed.

"Very funny! Susan and I have been arguing a little bit lately. She says I'm not giving her what a woman needs. Hell, I'm so worn out from the tour, I can't satisfy her three times a day!" Howie complained mostly to himself. Brian's eyes widened and his chin dropped as he looked at Howie in shock.

"Three times!?! Holy shit, How! If she's bitching cause she's not gettin' it more than three times a day then there's probably no satisfying that woman." Brian laughed. Howie grinned in response but decided he wasn't in the mood to talk about his problems that night. He wanted to go out clubbing with one of his best friends while Susan had a "girls night in" with Xanda.

"Ah man, my pants are wrinkled. Bri, where's your ironing board?" Howie groaned after he got off Brian's bed and stretched only to find out that his Kahki's had become wrinkled from laying down.

"Ironing board?" Brian laughed. "Are you kidding me? If I ever have anything wrinkled I just toss it into the dryer."

"I'm serious, Bri!" Howie complained.

"So am I!  Your pants look fine. Man, you're so anal when it comes to your appearance." Brian laughed.

"Fine. Forget it."

"Well, I'm ready to roll but we need to stop at the store to pick up some gum. I need to chew on something." Brian explained as they walked down the stairs.

"How about your tongue?" Howie whispered under his breath when the thoughts of Brian embarrassing himself by the things he would probably say once he got drunk later that night entered his mind.

****

Brian and Howie walked into the grocery stores and caused a few too many stares and whispers from the people around them.

"They're used to me and Kevin but I guess they're not used to seeing you here." Brian mumbled to Howie.

"We're also dressed up. That's bound to cause a few extra stares." Howie stated with pride before he started to laugh. Brian walked straight to the candy section to find his favorite type of gum when a voice caught his attention. Brian looked in the direction in which the voice was coming from and almost choked on his own spit.

"You okay, man?" Howie asked with concern as he patted Brian on the back.

"I'm fine but look over there!" Brian pointed.

"Oh damn!" Howie whispered. "C'mon, let's go see if we can help any. I don't hear any yelling yet but you never know when Xanda might crack." Brian nodded his head and followed Howie to the bakery.

"Hey fellas!" Brian greeted Kevin and AJ.

"Hey Rok! What's up?" AJ greeted, relieved that someone had saved him.

"Just picking up some gum before we head out tonight." Brian replied. Howie said a quick greeting to everyone so he could spend the rest of the time in the store talking to Susan.

"Hey Xanda." Brian tried his hardest to make an effort with Xanda. The guilt he felt after accusing her of causing the break-up with AJ was starting to eat at him. Xanda in return studied his face trying to see right through him. It shocked her to find a trace amount of sincerity in his eyes.

Howie peered at the girls cart and smiled wikedly.

"What?" Xanda replied accusingly.

"Sweet Jesus! What kind of party are you two planning? Kevin, take a look at all this crap!" AJ shouted as he rummaged through the cart.

"Looks like your cart, doesn't it AJ?" Kevin laughed. Brian and Howie both looked into the cart and almost chocked at the amount of junk food they saw.

"It's a little kids dream!" Howie laughed. Xanda and Susan stiffled a few laughs as the guys continued to joke around.

"It's nice to hear you laugh again." AJ said softly as he looked back up at Xanda. Xanda desperately wanted to say 'thank you' and start up a humorous conversation with her former best friend and lover but the broken heart inside her wanted to tell him to 'fuck off' and 'go to hell'. After a 2 second arguement that went on between her heart and mind Xanda finally settled on a small smile in AJ's direction.

"So, where's the rest of the Brat Pack?" Xanda asked Howie.

"Nick? He stayed home." Howie stated as everyone stood around making small talk.

"Women troubles." Brian explained as he popped a piece of unpaid gum into his mouth. Kevin frowned upon Brian's actions. "What!? I'm gonna pay for it! Jeez, Kev...lay off! It's not like I'm having an affair with a married woman or somethin'. It's just gum!" Brian shot back at his cousin causing AJ and Howie to laugh.

"Sorry man, but he got you on that one. You left it wide open!" AJ replied after seeing Kevin's disapproving look.

"All right, take all the cheap shots you want. I don't care. What's done is done. You can't change the past." Kevin said to no one in particular.

"Too true...too true." AJ said under his breath.

"So, what are Nick's women problems?" Susan asked knowing that it had something to do with Keely.

"We don't know if that's what it is but I'm assuming it is cause he was excited about going out and then he just decided not to go cause he wasn't feeling good. Keely probably shot him down for good this time." Brian rambled on.

"I doubt that..." Xanda mumbled.

"Bri, if I tell you something promise me you won't tell Nick." Susan requested. Brian saw the seriousness in Susans eyes and heard it in her voice.

"Yeah, no problem. What is it?"

"Keely is in..." But Susan quickly stopped when she saw the look of horror on Xanda's face. "Never mind. Forget about it." Susan stated.

"You sure? Okay, then..." Brian replied.

Howie, noticing the peace that was going on between Xanda and AJ, nudged Brian in the arm. "Well, our work here is done. We'll be seeing you guys...and ladies...later."

"Yup, I gotta pay for this before Kevin has a spasm attack." Brian groaned causing everyone to laugh.

"We gotta get going, too." Xanda added to the conversation. As she started to walk away AJ grabbed her by the arm.