Two years later...............

Adrianne relished in the fact that the guys, her best friends, had guided their career in such a way that they were now pop icons. Of course over the period of two years they all had changed.

Heather and Lance had developed into the ideal couple. They each had their own lives but meshed them like no other. Adrianne was closest with Heather since Dee had spent a lot of time traveling. Her friendship with Justin hadn't changed much, they were closer than ever.

Joey was still in love with Kelly and he asked her to move in with him right after No Strings Attached had been released.

The unexpected had occured between Marie and JC. No one honestly thought that it would last considering her attitude but shortly after they worked things out JC asked Marie to marry him.

Then there was Chris. Adrianne could never have found a better friend and vice versa. They brought out a side of each other that the guys didn't know was there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Shit....." Adrianne grumbled as she tried to fox the air conditioner for the third time. It sputtered and came back to life causing her a sigh of relief. She spun around in her office chair and tried to put her focus back on her work.

"Adrianne, you have a call on line seven." The intercom buzzed.

"Thanks Angela." She hit the speakerphone button. "FuMan this is Adrianne."

"Are you actually working today?"

"Hi to you too Chris. What's up?"

"Just checking up on you. Angela said you've been out of wack the past week."

Adrianne frowned. "Well if you were two months from getting married how would you feel?"

"I don't know, I'm never getting married."

"Seriously Chris. I'm getting cold feet, cold legs everything."

"Ok, ok enough wedding talk. Get to work."

"Stop bugging me then. Oh! Before you go I need to run some prices by you."

"It can wait until tonight. I gotta go."

"Chris....." She whined. "I need your advice."

"BYE, Addy." He hung up before she could protest further.

"Punk." She spoke to the dialtone.

The alarm on her watch beeped telling her it was time to get out of there. She glared at the stack of data on her desk then decided against putting in any more overtime. On her way out she stopped and waited for Angela to close everything up.

"So, you told on me again huh?"

"Well what do you expect? Chris is a good bargainer." She laughed as she pulled out her car keys. "So you guys are having a friends night out tonight?"

"Yeah, Mark and I are meeting Chris over at Planet Hollywood."

Angela stared at Adrianne a bit puzzled. "What about LeAnn?"

"Long story...." Adrianne said making a face. "To this day I will never understand what he saw in that girl. But, I'll see you tomorrow thought I've gotta get going."

"See ya girl!" Angela yelled.

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Adrianne had just finished showering when her phone rang. "Hello?"

"I'm going to be a little late tonight. I've got to run by Joeys' and pick up something."

"All right. Tell Kelly hi for me. Mark isn't even home yet so we might be late as well."

"He works a lot doesn't he?" Chris wasn't that fond of Adriannes' fiance Mark.

"Don't start this now Chris. He's uh.....he is a good guy and a hard worker."

"Anyone who wears a suit twenty-four seven is weird in my book. Something about him rubs me the wrong way Addy."

"Chris, stale taco shells rub you the wrong way."

"I'm being serious here. That takes you for granted."

"He's been here for me through a lot and I love him. He's just a different person that you."

"Who are you talking to?"

Adrianne spun around coming face to face with Mark. "Uh...Chris I've got to go. She clicked the phone off and tossed it onto the sofa. "I didn't know you were home sweety."

"Who were you talking to Adrianne?"

"It was Chris, remember we're meeting him for dinner?"

"We aren't going I changed my mind."

"Mark I barely see Chris. What's up with you?"

A loud smack was heard as Marks' hand connected with her face. She fell to the floor, hand covering her eye.

"You're going to call him back and tell him we aren't going! OK?!?"

She nodded as he stomped away. Her hands trembled as she tried to dial Chris' cell phone. "Chris.....I can't, I mean we can't make it tonight. Mark isn't feeling well." She was trying to hide the shaking in her voice.

"What's going on Addy?" Worry washed over him.

"Everything is fine. I'll call you tomorrow." She ended the call avoiding the interogation.

Mark was snoring lightly from the bedroom when she made her way into the bathroom. A bruise was already forming where he had hit her. She ran a shaky hand over the red lump as she wept.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day Adrianne tried to hide the bruise with make-up. When that didn't work she created a story as to how it happened. She was thankful Angela hadn't noticed on her way in. The door to Adrianne's office opened suddenly. Chris came strolling in with a smile on his face that quickly disappeared when he saw the shiner his friend was sporting.

"Holy shit Addy! What the hell is that?"

"Oh this?" She said casually stroking the sore spot. Laughing nervously she stood up. "Well I tripped last night taking the garbage out. I hit my face on the gate to the dumpster."

Sirens went off in his head, knowing that couldn't be the truth. "Let's go." He held his hand out for her.

"Where are we going?

"Since when do you question me? Lets just go."

She grabbed her purse and took his outstretched hand. He drove downtown and parked in front of NYPD Pizza, Adriannes favorite pizza place. After they had ordered Chris leaned forward and gently touched the bruise. Adrianne flinched.

"I'm sorry.........So are you going to tell me what really happened?"

"I already told you Chris. I fell." Her eyes never met his.

"I worry about you A. If something is wrong you know you can tell me."

"And if there was actually something wrong then I would tell you."

"Are you positive you're ok?

"100 percent." She said plastering a fake smile on.

Out on the sidewalk Mark watched as the two talked. He was downtown for a meeting and had noticed them on the way to his car. With fists clenched he stalked to his vehicle and sped off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The day had improved greatly since Adrianne's lunch with Chris. She smiled telling herself how lucky she was to have him as a friend. Her house was dark when she stepped in, throwing her keys on the table by the door. Mark stepped out in front of her.

"Oh! You scared me!" She said trying to make her way past him. He blocked the hallway, preventing her from passing. "Mark I've got to change and shower."

"You're screwing him aren't you?"

"What! Who!?"

"That punk ass I saw you with today!"

A shocked look formed on her face. "Chris is my friend, you know that!"

Mark stepped forward and grabbed a handful of her hair. There was a distant look of rage in his eyes. One she had seen before from her father.

"Please Mark........" She begged.

"Shut up bitch! I know you were no good!" He pushed her head forward knocking it against te wall. She stood dazed, her head pounding. When she turned to call he police he pushed forward, tripping her in the process. Screams were all she could utter as this stranger of a man she once loved hovered over her. "I should have known you were a no good whore. I warned you about that guy but you didn't listen!"

With what felt like all his strength he kicked her in her ribs. All she could do was try and wiggle away from him as he beat her over and over again. Finally as quickly as he had started, he stopped. He grabbed his keys and was out the front door.

Adrianne waited until she heard his car drive away to try and stand. Pain shot through her battered body as she pulled herself up with the help of the counter. SLowly but surely she stumbled out to her SUV and drove to the closest house she knew of. She cried out in pain when she got to the door. It took effort to raise her hand and knock on the door.

"Coming!" Called a voice from inside.

The front light flipped on and Adrianne squinter as the door swung open.