A while later, Alexa found herself chatting with LeighAnne and Nick. AJ had stayed right by her until an oh-so-important phone call that he just had to take.

"So Nick told me how you and AJ met." Leigh Anne smiled. "Only AJ could pull that off." The comment threw Alexa off a little bit, and she didn't know how to reply. LeighAnne spoke again before she had to. "But we've all got a story. It's all a matter of right place, right time." Alexa looked at her curiously, and LeighAnne continued, "Brian picked me up at a video shoot."

"Cute. So, does Nick try to take credit for that, too?"

Nick frowned, "Hey, I picked the clinic. I get to take credit."

Rolling her eyes, Alexa nodded, "Uh huh, sure ya do."

The conversation ended abruptly when a whiney nasal voice pierced through the room, "Nick! Where are you baby?"

Nick groaned and got up, leaving the women alone. Alexa leaned toward LeighAnne, "What was that?"

"That," LeighAnne gestured to the bottle blonde across the room, "is what Nick is calling a girlfriend these days."

Alexa cringed, "Ugh. He could do so much better." She was taken aback by LeighAnne's sudden burst of laughter.

"Oh we're going to get along so well. I've been saying that for months." She took a second glance at Christina who seemed to have attached herself to Nick. "He's a great guy, but like anybody who started in the business as early as he did, he's got issues. Hence Christina."

Alexa watched the couple for a second as Nick tried unsuccessfully to pry Christina off of himself. "Doesn't look like Nick is too into her."

"Her presence means he's not alone." LeighAnne shrugged, "She serves her purpose."

"So he's got somebody, and she's got the prestige of dating him."

"Exactly, and she thrives on it."

They chatted for a while longer, but Alexa excused herself, partly on a mission to find AJ, and partly just to clear her head. The night had been overwhelming to say the least. She found herself standing outside, taking deep breaths to absorb the last few hours. She turned to head inside, feeling herself shiver, and stopped when she heard two voices.

"So, what do you think of this new one?" Alexa tried to place the voice.

"Not usually the type he rebounds with. She's nice."

"Maybe this one's serious." Alexa found herself holding her breath. They were talking about her.

"C'mon Howie. You saw the way he was last week as well as I did. Did he act like it was any more serious than any of the others?"

"You're right." She heard him, Howie, sigh. "You think Amanda's gonna be back this time?"

"She has every other time, only God knows why. It looks like all her stuff's gone this time though."

"He mentioned her finishing clearing out while we were out of town."

"We'll see."

"Alexa might be good for him. Hope he doesn't screw it up."

A slight chuckle, "Nick's ready to move in if he does."

The voices drifted away, and Alexa clasped her hand over her heart, trying to calm it. She felt so stupid. She'd never been at his house before, because the ex had still been there. He'd played her, but good. Dammit. She'd known it all along.

She walked quickly back inside, looking around. She didn't see AJ, not surprising. He'd disappeared long ago. Nothing like ditching your own guests. She stood still, looking around the room, when she felt a touch on her arm. Turning, she found LeighAnne.

"Hey Lex, Brian and I have to get home early tomorrow, so we're leaving," LeighAnne looked carefully at Alexa, "Are you alright? Need a ride home or anything?"

Alexa glanced around herself, before answering. "Um, no, I think I'm alright. Thanks so much though. It was really nice to meet you." Alexa was completely genuine. She really had enjoyed meeting and talking to LeighAnne.

LeighAnne smiled warmly, "It was nice meeting you too. We should go to lunch sometime."

"That would be great," Alexa glanced over LeighAnne's shoulder as Brian approached.

"Leigh, honey, have you seen AJ? Alexa?" Brian nodded at each of the women as he addressed them. "I was going to tell him we were leaving, but he's vanished." Alexa noticed LeighAnne roll her eyes.

"Sorry, but it seems like typical AJ. I haven't seen him for a while. Wonderful host he is." She turned again to look at Alexa, "Are you sure you're alright to stay?"

Alexa smiled, and started to reply, but was interrupted.

"I"ll make sure she's okay, Leigh, you can stop playing mom, now."

"That doesn't really make me feel any better, Nickolas." LeighAnne smirked at him. "What about Christina?"

Nick shrugged, "What about her?"

Brian gently put one arm around LeighAnne. "Stop worrying, They're all grown up." LeighAnne looked at Brian, then Nick and finally to Alexa.

"Okay then, I guess that's my cue to butt out. Alexa, I'll call you next time we're around, and we'll get together."

Alexa nodded, amazed by how quickly she'd been accepted into the group. "Great. It was nice to meet you Brian."

"It was about time we met, we've all been hearing about you for months." Alexa blushed. "Don't worry, he didn't say anything.... well, Actually, worry. We might know your secrets." LeighAnne swatted at Brian, and he laughed, "Nah, just kidding. I'm sure we'll see you again." He looked up at Nick, "See you in a couple weeks."

"Right." Nick waved as Brian and LeighAnne departed.

Alexa looked around the room, absently tucking strands of hair behind her ear, trying not to think about what she'd overheard a few minutes before. "So, uh, LeighAnne's really nice. And Brian, too."

Nick nodded slowly. "Yup, she makes him happy, so it's good."

Alexa could tell there was a little more to it than that, but she didn't feel comfortable asking questions. She looked randomly around the room, wondering what she was doing sitting in AJ's house, when AJ was nowhere to be found.

Nick waved to someone who was leaving and then winced at the sound of another voice. "Nicky! Where'd you go hunny?" Alexa watched as he sighed, and then turned toward the voice.

"I'm right here, Chris."

Before the words were out of his mouth, the whiney blonde had practically attached herself to him. "I was worried when I couldn't find you baby."

Nick visibly shrunk from her touch. "Where was I gonna go? You've got the keys remember?"

Christina giggled, and Alexa cringed. How did he put up with that? He's a gorgeous, smart guy. He could do so much better. She looked away as Christina caressed Nick.

"What do you want, Chrissy?" Nick's tone was steady as he carefully disengaged himself from Christina's grasp.

"I wanna go home. This is no fun anymore." She pouted when her advances weren't returned. Nick sighed again and scanned the room, realizing everyone else was gone.

"Okay, just let me find AJ first. Then we can go."

"Find who?" Alexa jumped at the raspy voice directly behind her. "I'm right here." She could smell the alcohol as he hung an arm across her shoulders.

"Where've you been, man. Bri and Leigh were looking for you and you were nowhere to be found." Nick's mild chastising went by unnoticed.

"I was around. They just didn't look close enough." AJ looked around. "So they left?"

"A while ago," Nick's tone developed an edge to it, "Christina and I are on the way out now too. You need a lift, Alexa?"

Alexa didn't get the chance to answer.

"Of course she doesn't. I got her here, I'll make sure she's fine."

Alexa was stunned. She couldn't believe that AJ was suddenly making a big deal out of her presence, when he'd barely acknowledged her existence in hours. She was about to say something when Christina started to drag Nick away.

"C'mon, Nicky. Everybody's fine. Let's go home now." The whiney voice faded as she pulled him around the corner, and with an apologetic look toward Alexa , he disappeared.

Alexa heard the door shut behind them, and stepped quickly away from AJ. The smell of alcohol on him was making her ill.

"Hey, you're not happy. Didn't you have a good time?"

She blinked several times looking at AJ. What was he thinking? Or was he? "Oh, I had a fabulous time surrounded by people I'd never met until today. And you're drunk." The bitterness in her words was clear to her, but apparently the alcohol was numbing that part of AJ's brain. She wanted to confront him with everything she'd heard in the last hour, but she knew at this point it wouldn't do any good.

"You were hanging with Nick, and Brian and LeighAnne. You made friends." He stepped forward and tried to put an arm around her, but Alexa stepped away from him. "What?"

"That is SO incredibly not the point. It's your fucking house. Where the hell were YOU? Sure, I wanted to meet the people you spend all that time with, but I also wanted to spend time with you. And you disappeared." She knew yelling at him wasn't going to do any good, because he probably wouldn't remember anyway, but it made her feel better.

"Aw, baby. I'm sorry. I can make it all better."

Alexa nearly laughed at the suggestion. She should have known that was coming. "No, I don't think so. What I want right now, is to go home. And you are obviously too drunk to drive me there." She sighed, considering her options, and deciding what she should do.

"I'm not that drunk, y'know."

She looked up at the sound of his voice. "Excuse me?"

"I said I'm not THAT drunk. Just a little more than normal." He was actually feeling pretty sober now.

"Just a little more than normal. Oh that's nice to know, there's a normal level of being drunk." She sighed, she'd known that already. She just didn't understand why it had happened today. The last time she'd seen him, he was fine.

"I don't need a lecture. I get those all the time. Nobody really cares if I listen or not, they just do it to make themselves feel better."

Part of Alexa felt sorry for him, but not sorry enough to forget anything. She still wanted answers about what she'd overheard. "And this is what makes you feel better? Getting drunk while your rebound girl sits in the house that your ex has barely moved out of?" She said it all in one breath, before realizing what she was saying.

AJ's look was blank. He closed his eyes slowly, then reopened them. "Who told you?"

Alexa laughed dryly, "Well, that pretty much says it all, doesn't it? God, I'm stupid." She walked in the direction of the door, pacing, not really ready to walk out of the house, yet.

"Alexa, don't."

She turned, "Don't what?"

"Don't go. We can talk tomorrow." He held his head. "Can't do this right now." He waited a second for her to answer, and when she didn't he turned and went up the stairs. He knew enough not to suggest she join him.

Alexa sat down heavily in a chair. What was she supposed to do now? She knew she could go to a guest room, but she probably wouldn't sleep anyway. She considered just leaving, but it was late, and he'd driven her there, so she sat staring out the window for most of the night, her emotions going back and forth between anger and hurt, before finally falling asleep in the chair.

She woke to a puppy face looking up at her from the floor. She guessed rather easily that he wanted to go out, and knowing that AJ probably wouldn't be awake for several hours, she figured she'd be kind. She let him out and waited until he ran back inside before shutting the door and stooping to pet him, "How do you put up with him, huh?" She was about to start an in-depth conversation with him when the doorbell rang.

She looked at the door, debating for a moment whether or not to answer it. When it rang a second time, she walked to the door. Checking the window she saw Nick and swung the door open.

"Damn, AJ, I thought..." Nick looked puzzled. "Alexa? You're still here?" Sudden realization struck him, "Shit, I'm sorry, I'll go ..."

"No, don't."

Again the puzzled look. "Where's AJ?"

"Probably still sleeping it off."

"You mean... nothing?"

Alexa couldn't help herself, she had to laugh. "Gawd, no." She was about to say something else, when she saw Nick glance quickly above her head. Turning she noticed AJ on the stairs. He glared at Nick. Nick glared back.

AJ looked at Alexa, "I'm glad you're still here," he mumbled, only partially awake.

"It wasn't as if I had much choice..." Her voice was soft, hiding how she still felt.

"You do now, if you want me to take you."

Alexa turned a grateful smile toward Nick. "Yes, thank you."

Nick motioned to the door, "Truck's in the driveway, I'll be right out."

Alexa turned, and without another look at AJ she left.

AJ waited until he was sure Alexa was out of the house before turning back to Nick. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

At one time Nick would have been intimidated by the anger in AJ's voice but after years of experience he knew it was all show. AJ wouldn't actually hurt another person. Small appliances, maybe, and a wall or two, but not a person. Besides, Nick had size on his side. "I'm taking your girlfriend, who happens to be a very nice person, who you completely deserted last night, home. Do you have a problem with that?"

Nick watched as his words sunk in to AJ. "Why the hell did you come back?"

"I wanted to make sure the fifth member of this group I'm in didn't do something stupid, like drown himself in the pool."

"Bullshit."

Nick took a deep breath, trying to keep himself from yelling at his friend. "Believe what you want, man. But it's a damn good thing I did come back, or that woman in my truck would probably hate you a hell of a lot more by the time she finally got out of here."

AJ sank down to sit on the step he'd been standing on. "Fuck. What did I do?"

Nick shook his head, amazed at how little AJ observed. "Dude, you basically ditched her in a house full of people she didn't know. The only person she did know disappeared, and from the looks of it, had his own party with a bottle or two. And she spent the night in the house, by herself, I'm guessing, thinking about all this." He was going to continue when AJ cursed. "You fucked up big time, man."

"Dammit!" AJ stood up suddenly, surprising Nick into taking a step backwards.. "This was supposed to be different. Only this time I pushed her away before she could leave. FUCK!"

Nick stood silently watching AJ rant, knowing it was exactly what he needed to do. AJ turned to face him. "Do you really think she hates me?"

Nick shrugged, "I would if I were her."

Clearly, AJ wasn't listening as he paced back and forth in front of Nick. "I gotta fix this. This one is different, she's smart, and ... damn. What do I do?"

Figuring that was his cue, Nick grabbed AJ's shoulder, "She's gonna hate both of us if I don't get my ass out of here. Think about this for a couple of days. If you're still convinced she's the one, call her."

AJ looked at Nick, his eyes pitiful. "You think?"

Nick half-shrugged, "Can't do anymore damage, right?" With that said, Nick started to the door.

"When did you get so smart, Carter?"

Nick opened the front door, "We all gotta grow up sometime, Aje." He shut the door behind him, and walked to his truck. He pasted his trademark smile on his face and stepped into the truck, "Sorry about that, we had some stuff to discuss."

Alexa didn't turn from staring out the window.

"So, uh, where do you live?"

"Oh," Alexa looked a little startled as she rattled off the directions. Then she turned back to the window.

Nick couldn't really blame Alexa, but he couldn't help but be disappointed at her being so quiet. He'd enjoyed talking to her last night, and he hadn't expected to see her this morning. He couldn't be exactly upset about it, even if it wasn't the best circumstances.

He spent the next few minutes trying to figure out what to say. She didn't look like the type who'd be interested in any of his usual topics of conversation. Absently, he flipped on the radio, carefully avoiding any station that might play their stuff.

"Stop!"

Instinctively his foot hit the brake and his eyes scanned the road ahead. Seeing nothing, he glanced over at Alexa, who was chewing her lip nervously.

"I meant stop changing the radio station," she explained meekly, "I like this song."

Nick took a second to recognize, "Don't stop believing" before replying, and starting to drive again. Thank God there hadn't been anyone behind them. "Journey's one of my favorite bands." He glanced at Alexa and realizing he had her attention he went on, trying anything to keep it. "I used to sing �Open Arms'." He heard Alexa giggle quietly. "What?"

"You? Sang Open Arms? And you like Journey?"

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, "Why is that so funny?"

Alexa chewed on her fingernail, while she contemplated her answer. "It's not, I guess. I just didn't picture you listening to Journey. You look like an alternative, metal type, not 80's retro."

Nick smiled, and wiggled his eyebrows. "I'm full of surprises."

Alexa laughed and rolled her eyes, "Uh hmm, I bet you are. Surprises that thousands upon thousands of teenage girls could rattle off faster than their own phone numbers."

"As long as their not rattling off my phone number, I don't care."

"If you're giving out your number to teenage fans you'd deserve it."

"Nah, not me. That's AJ's job." Nick knew he shouldn't have said it, before he even finished the sentence. He just hadn't been thinking. "Shit, I didn't mean that the way it sounded." There was no response from Alexa, she'd gone back to staring out the window. "AJ's not really a bad guy. He's just a little bit stupid sometimes."

"A little bit stupid?" Alexa had turned to face Nick, her eyebrows raised.

"Well, okay, so a lot stupid. But it's not really his fault. He took it real hard when his last girl left. He's still recovering." Alexa looked skeptical, and Nick had no idea what made him keep explaining. "I know, it's no excuse for him being an ass, but he can't help it. If it helps any he knows he screwed up."

"I feel oh so much better now." Alexa replied, wryly. "AJ knows he screwed up, all is right in the world."

Nick debated his defense of AJ. The more screwed up she thought AJ was, the less chance she'd go back to him, leaving her open to other options. But it also meant that she wouldn't be around. He finally decided to keep defending his �brother'. He couldn't forget the look on AJ's face earlier. Damn this having a conscience.

He took a deep breath, trying to figure out how to explain without pissing anybody off. "Okay, listen. I don't know why I'm explaining this, but I have to say something. It's true, AJ's pretty screwed up right now, but it's hard not to be, the kind of life we have. He just always finds the wrong kind of people. He wants to change, but everybody just lets him stay that way and accepts him, giving him excuses and stuff. He needs somebody who's gonna make him change, not let him use the old excuses. Know what I mean?"

He glanced at Alexa who was rapidly twisting a strand of her hair tighter and tighter around her finger. Realizing he was waiting for her response, Alexa stopped twisting her hair and looked at him. "Okay, but why are the rest of you normal? You've all been through the same stuff."

Nick laughed a dry sarcastic laugh, "Oh ya, we're normal." He shook his head, "Far from it. We're just better at hiding it I guess. Brian's probably best out of us, mainly because of LeighAnne and his family. Then Howie, �cause his family's good for him, and Kevin and Kristin. And me, well... you met Christina."

Alexa nodded solemnly. "So you're saying that I could be the one he's looking for, to make him change." It wasn't really a question but Nick nodded, as Alexa continued. "What if I don't want to?"

He took his time answering, not sure if she really wanted his input or not. "I guess then you get out at your place, and we never see you again."

She noticed that he'd said �we' but she didn't have time to think about it before he pulled the truck to a stop. She sighed, realizing they were at her place. "AJ's lucky he's got a friend like you. You're a real sweetheart." She got out of the truck, and then leaned back in the door, "Thanks Nick."

He shrugged, "I just drove." He smiled as Alexa shut the door, and waved through the window before going up her walkway. Damn, AJ owed him big time for this one.

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