"Well why didn't you say something earlier, it's only an hour away..alot closer than the twelve hours your used to.." Nick said, looking over at her.

"Well can we go?" Whit asked.

"Duh" Nick answered.

An hour later they were on the road, set for their trip, alone. Everyone else had denied their requests for company, each having reasonable excuses. The two were exiting the beach house that the guys owned and making their way out onto the sand. "Oohh it's cold" Whit said as her feet touched the edge of the water, the breeze blowing her t-shirt closer to her skin.

"Na, you just gotta get in" Nick replied as he came up to her and in one movement had her over his shoulder, carrying her deeper and deeper into the Atlantic Ocean.

"I told you it was cold!" Whit yelled as the two went under, resurfacing she slicked her hair back before looking at Nick. "Ok, well its not THAT cold, but still" she said as her face cracked into a smile.

"Why do you have a t-shirt on?" Nick curiously asked.

"Well I had one on because of the breeze, but seeing that it is now soak and wet it's not really doing me any good..." Whit answered as she looked at him before peeling the fabric from her skin, Nick watching closely.

"What time is Nick coming back?" AJ asked as Brian picked up his phone.

"Umm..I think they are spending the night at the beach, that'd be my guess.." Brian answered.

"When are they gonna hook up?" AJ asked.

"What do you mean?" Bran replied.

"Don't play stupid, you know just as well as I do Nick has got a major crush. Since when does he stay at your house everynight for three weeks.." AJ began as the two started a discussion.

"Hungry?" Nick asked as the two laid in the sand, they'd spent the whole day there, it was close to eight now.

"Yea, I guess thats what that loud rumble was implying" Whit answered as she slightly laughed. Nick was the first to stand up, pulling her up behind him. Three hours later they were back on the beach, just walking staring out over the vast water and the universal sky. "You come here often?" Whit asked, not being able to stand the silence any longer.

"Sorta, I used to, alot..with...." Nick began, but trailed off at the end.

"With who?" Whit asked, raising her eyebrows.

"My ex, we'd just come here and walk, but thats a long story, I won't bore you with it, we're over now..." Nick answered.

"I don't think you could ever bore me, but what happened, not trying to get in your business, I'm just nosy..." Whitney replied.

Nick glanced over at her, a half smile on his face, maybe he could talk to her about what was going on in his life. None of the guys wanted to hear about it, maybe she would. She'd given him the oppurtunity to open up and he was going to take the chance, "I dunno, really.." he began. Pausing to kick up some sand, he continued, "Well I mean I know, but it's hard to explain, the breakup was a mutual agreement it wasn't like one of us just up and ended it. I miss her now, I mean I loved her, but it just...just wasn't working out, ya know?" he said, glancing over at Whit.

"Yea, I know.." Whit said back.

"Like right before we broke up, we never talked, never went anywhere together, never did anything basically. Then I left on tour and over that time frame, I made up my mind. I wasn't going to let her waste her time with me when she could find someone that was meant for her. I was going to be considerate, not let her keep thinking we were doing fine, then one day just blow it off, she has a life too..." Nick explained.

Whitney cut in, "At least your considerate, one of the very few..." she stated.

"What do you mean?" Nick asked, now it was her turn to spill.

"I don't know what it is, if it's me or if it's them, but I can never have a loyal relationship. Every guy I've ever dated in any way, shape or form, has ended up cheating on me. And they don't have the decency to tell me themselves, I just find out on my own, mostly walking in on them screwing, making out or something to that extent. Nobody really seems to notice that other people do have feelings. I've never loved any of them, it's never been that deep, so it's not all that hearbreaking, but it gets depressing sometimes, almost a fear to me..." Whit answered, trailing off, Nick didn't need the whole story.

"Why are you scared?" Nick said, getting interested, maybe he wasn't the only one with personal problems.

"I mean I'm not scared to the point of shaking, I'm just afraid that I'll..that I'll lose the one I really do love. When I find the one whose right for me, the one I've been waiting for, that he'll end up being like all the others and I'll end up thirty something, alone, still living bymyself...my only companions my Aunt" Whit said back.

"What about your parents being your companions, isn't that why we have them in the first place?" Nick asked.

"Well yea, I guess thats part of the reason we have them...." Whitney answered, looking out farther over the water.

"How come you don't still live at home, your like twenty and live in that big house alone, going to school part time, most people your age are full time college students still piled up at home..." Nick led farther into the subject.

"I don't really have a choice Nick, I dunno if Brian ever said anything about it, but my parents were killed when I was younger, I lived at my grandparents until I was thirteen. Thats about the time that Brian left for Florida, so once he had moved I moved into his house. When I was sixteen Aunt Jackie gave me the oppurtunity to move out and live on mine on, I took it. May sound crazy, I mean I was only sixteen, but I'm independent. I like living by myself, I can come and go as I please, plus where I stay is only five minutes from Jackie's and it's in a respectable neighbor hood. I go to school part time, I work the rest of the time and I manage to keep everything together.." Whitney explained, resting her gaze on the sand as she walked.

"I'm sorry Whit.." Nick began.

"It's Ok, don't be, may sound strange, but I like my life...most of the time..." Whitney stated as she looked over at Nick. "I have this sudden need for an adrenilane rush..." she suddenly said.

"All amusment parks are closed, but we got a jet ski, it's a fast ride if nothing else..." Nick said back.

"You guys do?" Whit asked.

"Yep, you up for a ride?" Nick answered.

"Hell yea, but I'm wearing these clothes, it's not like I'm gonna get drenched..." Whitney added, looking over her cargo pants, tank top and windbreaker.

"Na, you won't get that wet, you'll just get the mist from it, let's go" Nick said, grabbing her by the arm and making their way back to the house. Once they'd gotten the jet ski out of the garage and taken it down to the dock they climbed on. Nick turned his hat backwards so it wouldn't blow off as the wind passed them. Thirty minutes later they were out in the ocean, not sure of their depth, laughing as Nick drove like he had no common sense. Whit sat behind him, her arms wrapped around his waist so she wouldn't fall off. She rested her upper body and head against his back to block most of the wind. She closed her eyes and breathed in his scent, this felt so right. Nick just drove, looking at the water that seemed to sparkle with the moonlight and occasionally asking Whit a question, but mostly thinking. He exhaled deeply when he felt her lay her body against his, he could feel her heartbeat, he loved that feeling.

By one AM the two were back in the garage, fighting with the jet ski, trying to get it in it's reserved place. Whitney was sitting on the edge of the pool table as she awaited Nick to finish putting the cover back on. She tossed the 'cue ball' back and forth in her hands, she took her eyes off of it to see Nick walking towards her. Soon he was standing in front of her, each of her knees touched his hips as he stood directly in front of her. She swung her feet as they brushed down his thigh and he looked at her. "What?" Whitney asked when he just stared.

Nick placed his hands on her hips as he pushed himself all the way against the pool table, "Nothing" he whispered before their eyes met and he brushed his lips against hers.

Whit found herself laying back on the green velvet like material of the pool table as her lips stayed in contact with Nick's. Just as she was flat on her back she pushed back up, sending Nick back to a full standing position, herself to a sitting one. "Nick..we, we can't do this" she breathed, she paused to look in Nick's eyes, "I mean your Brian's best friend, hes my cousin, it just won't work..Ok.." she stated. Deep inside she knew it wasn't that, it was that she didn't want a long distance relationship, she wanted someone there for her.

"Ok, I understand...." Nick said as he helped her down from the pool table and they made their way inside. Whitney went on to her room, actually Brian's, but her's for the night. Nick passed by her door as he followed behind, making his way down the hall towards his own room. "Whit?" he asked, opening the door.

"Yea?" Whitney asked as she looked up from her bag.

"Just so you know, I'm not like them" he stated, before their eyes met. They stood there for a few minutes before Nick gave her a halfway smile and turned to walk out.