Alexa couldn't help but stare around her at the house. "Wow. This place is nice."

"I like it."

"What's not to like." Alexa ran her hand along the wall, as he led her further into the house. "Did you decorate it?"

"My ex did most of it."

Alexa hadn't heard much about his ex, but she quickly realized that today wasn't the day to ask. She continued looking around her. Until then it hadn't occurred to her to wonder why she'd never been to AJ's home. But now she was glad. This place was intimidating. She could see the pool at the back of the house. More rooms, and stairs to more rooms in all directions. One room in this place was bigger than her entire apartment.

Alexa blinked rapidly, bringing herself back into the present, and realized she was alone in the hall. She walked slowly trying to figure out where AJ had gone.

As she advanced, she could see AJ kneeling at the edge of the pool. He stood up slowly a wriggling mass of wet fur in his hand. He wrapped it in a towel before noticing Alexa.

"The wet rat here is Vegas." He held up the wet dog. "He likes falling in the pool."

Alexa chuckled, "Aw, poor thing." She took a step forward getting a closer look at the puppy.

"Poor thing nothing. Every time he gets near the pool he falls in. You'd think he'd learn." The look on AJ's face was adorable, and Alexa could tell that the puppy was treated just like a baby. She found it incredibly endearing.

The doorbell interrupted Alexa's thought and AJ shoved Vegas into her arms. "Here, I'll be right back."

Alexa adjusted the little dog in her arm and walked back toward the door. She watched AJ jog most of the way to the door, then proceed to slide the rest of the way right into it. Alexa couldn't hold back her giggles as AJ pretended it hadn't happened and casually opened the door.

"You run into the door again, Aje?" Alexa bit her lip to stop her giggles, as Nick walked into the house. "Hey," he nodded toward her.

"Nick, that's Alexa."

The tall blonde focused clear blue eyes on Alexa, and she fidgeted, shifting the dog she was still holding.

"Hey," Nick smiled, catching her eyes, and then reaching out to pat the head of the puppy. "Hey Vegas," He looked up again, "Puppy approved."

Alexa nodded, "Apparently." She leaned down placing the dog on the floor, missing the look of approval that passed from Nick to AJ.

"So, where's your woman?"

Alexa stood up just in time to see Nick roll his eyes at AJ's question. "She said she had some stuff to do. But she's coming by later."

AJ half-smiled, "She knew our day just wouldn't be complete." He cringed slightly as Nick reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Watch it."

"Come on, man. You know how much we like her. Hell, you don't even like her most of the time. You're just with her for the sex."

"If you knew, man, you'd understand."

Alexa listened silently, acutely aware that they'd gone into �guy mode' and probably weren't even aware that she was listening. Her mind wandered as she looked around, taking in details of the house around her. Her eyes scanned the walls, the windows, the furniture. In the background she could hear the continuing conversation but she didn't pay attention until it wasn't there anymore. She blinked twice, and then turned her eyes back to AJ.

"Alexa? You there?"

"Uh hmm."

"You want anything?" She shook her head, and he turned to Nick, "Beer?"

"Yup,"

AJ took off to the kitchen, and Nick flopped down on a sofa. Alexa followed, sitting across from him.

"So, you're the doctor, right?" Nick wanted to make conversation, but he didn't know what they had in common, besides AJ. And he really didn't want to talk about AJ.

Alexa didn't make it any easier, simply nodding in answer, and continuing to pick the fingernail polish off of one finger with another. Damn, Nick was good looking. Completely opposite of her type, but the smile, and the way his eyes sparkled when he smiled. Wow. She shook her head lightly, as AJ stepped back into the room.

"Nicky," he handed Nick the bottle, ignoring the glare elicited by the use of the nickname. He was about to sit, when the doorbell rang. "Gotta go do the host thing."

Alexa listened to the footfall to the door, and then AJ returned amongst a group of people. Nick stood, greeting someone that Alexa thought she recognized as Brian. She stood to the side silently, waiting to be noticed by someone. It was in those few moments that she realized she didn't really know any of these people. She felt like an extreme outsider.

Suddenly AJ grabbed her hand, pulling her over to him, "Hey everybody. This is Alexa." There were murmured greetings, and although they seemed to welcome her, it didn't make her feel any better. She still didn't really know anyone. She let her eyes scan the room, drawing comfort from AJ beside her. She counted one missing member of the group, Kevin she thought, and there were several other people she had no clue about.

Feeling AJ squeeze her shoulder, she turned to look at him. "You be alright? I'll be right back." Alexa nodded hesitantly, as he tipped her face up to kiss her before running off.

Sighing, Alexa settled herself into a seat, not feeling particularly willing to interrupt anyone's conversation with an unknown presence.

In a matter of seconds, Nick had sat down beside her, "Hi. How ya doin'?"

Alexa smiled, slightly. At least he was a semi-familiar face. "I'm alright."

"Good, you look kinda freaked."

"Not freaked, just a little intimidated."

Nick laughed, and it made Alexa feel a little bit better. "At least you're honest. We're not that scarey." He took a second to look around the room, then started pointing. "That guy in the corner, with the girl. That's Howie." He turned around in his seat, and pointed again. "That over there, that's Brian, and over there is his fiancee, Leigh Anne." He scanned the rest of the room. "Doesn't look like Kev made it. No surprise there." He stopped looking around and made eye contact with Alexa. "That's the inner circle. The people you need to know."

Alexa was grateful that he'd taken the time to point them out. Up until them she'd been relying on what information she remembered from Taylor's numerous Backstreet rambles.

"I figure since AJ took off you might want some introductions, right?" He stood, and reached for her hand to help her up. "Hey, Brian, Howie." He motioned to them as he and Alexa crossed the room. "Alexa, this is Brian. And this is Howie D."

Both men smiled, although Brian looked at Nick strangely. Howie stuck out his hand, shaking Alexa's with a warm smile. "Nice to meet the woman AJ's been talking about." He gave Alexa just enough time to blush, "Where is he anyway?"

Alexa shrugged slowly, and looked a little bit uncomfortable with the question, before Brian spoke up. "So, how'd you meet AJ?" Howie and Nick both stared at him, "What? He never talks to me. I'm out of the loop now, remember?"

"She's a doctor." Nick sounded proud, as if somehow he was responsible for that detail.

"Really?"

Alexa nodded. "He came to the clinic I work at."

"Remember that last tattoo he got?" All three men made faces, remembering the tattoo. "She's the one that fixed it." Again with the pride.

"I never asked him what made him come to my clinic." It was something Alexa had always wondered about.

"I did that. I chose the clinic." He grinned widely. Alexa suddenly realized what the pride was about. Nick was taking credit for her presence. The grin faded when she looked at him skeptically. "I did, I made a good choice, didn't I?"

Alexa rolled her eyes at the slight whine in his voice, "Guess so. How exactly did you make this fateful decision?" She noticed Brian and Howie trying to hide smiles and Nick looked away from her, a sheepish look on his face.

"Eeny meeny miney mo in the phone book..." He glared at Howie and Brian for laughing, then smiled when Alexa joined them.

"Very sophisticated decision-making."

"Hey it worked didn't it?"

"I don't know... Ask me again in a couple of months." A chorus of �oooo's' from the guys, that ended suddenly.

"What are they asking you in a couple of months?" AJ stepped up next to Alexa, and she turned to smile at him.

"Oh, nothing." She batted her eyes innocently, when he gave her a look that clearly said he didn't believe her.

"Hey, AJ. I was thinking the other day, do you remember that time that you and Amanda ..." Nick didn't finish his sentence because AJ smacked him in the back of the head. "Hey, what'd you do that for?" AJ glared at him over Alexa's head, and motioned to her with his eyes. "Oh. Never mind." Nick looked at Alexa, and then glared back at AJ, and walked away, rubbing the back of his head. Brian made a show of looking for Leigh Anne, and went over to her and Howie took off in another direction.

"So, you're getting along with the guys?" Alexa had turned to face AJ, and he pulled her closer to him.

"Uh hmm, Nick introduced me to them." She hadn't said it to make him feel bad for not doing it himself, but AJ's face fell.

"Shit, I forgot about that. Sorry."

Alexa smiled, running one hand down the side of his face, "It's okay. Nicky did good."

"Nicky? He hates that y'know."

Giggling, Alexa shrugged. "It suits him."

AJ just shook his head, "Never let him know that..."

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