This was always the hardest part of the job. Saying goodbye to all your family and other folks you love and go away for a while. This would be a shorter trip. He and the Guys would be gone for only about a week or so to do some recording. It might be elongated for another week or so, but if things went well he’d be back home and with Brittany in a flash. Brittany.
    She sat in a chair close to one of the other terminals in the airport. Her back was facing he and the others. She hadn't said a word to him or anybody else all morning. And he couldn’t really blame her. Maybe she was still really embarassed about the night before, at his house. Even after the whole 'I love you' exchange there was still this whole uneasiness about her.
    What was he supposed to say. Or what could he say. She was right. She wasn't like the other girls he'd been with. She was so much more fragile. Pure. Innocent. He loved that about her. But he had to be careful. If he said something wrong her heart might shatter into a million pieces. And he did not want, at all, to hurt her heart. He only wanted to take care of her. His little angel. AJ had never been in love with anyone this way... it was all new to him... and he loved it. Every minute he thought about her, looked at her... just her name was enough to stop his heart. AJ took a deep breath and went over to her. She looked gorgeous as ever, less like Leighanne, more like someone worthy of being painted. Photographed over and over and stuck everywhere so the whole word could see.
    Brittany looked up when she heard footsteps suddenly stop behind her. She knew who it was. Didn’t quite know what to say to AJ. She sighed as he positioned himself in front of her. She looked up at him. "Hey," she said with a small smile. AJ stooped down in front of her and put a friendly hand on her knee, not wanting to get too, too close or touch her in a way that would make people around them wonder. He was close enough to take in her intoxicating scent. Strawberries. Close enough to count her barely-there freckles.
    "Hey. How are you?"
    "I'm good," she said, almost inaudibly. Her eyes twinkled lazily. "How are you? You excited about bustin' outta this joint?" Brittany's question made him smile. Every word out of her mouth was just so adorable. This was the Brittany that he knew. Whom he'd met early in the year. Just sweet, lovable. Not trying to grow up too fast. This was the way he hoped she would stay.
    "You know, Britt, I can honestly say that this is the first time I'm not 100% dying to get out of Florida." He took his hand off her knee. "I am gonna miss you like crazy."
    His tender-aged girlfriend bowed her head slightly, her thick blonde hair fell over her shoulder. Her cheeks were pink and her soft hand touched his. "I'll miss you too." There was a short pause. And Brittany looked up again, the blush fled her cheeks. Finally spoke up, sounding a little more like a woman, "I'm sorry."
    "What for?"
    "For not acting like myself last night.. I just... I feel like I owe you something. Because you don't have to be wasting your time on me. I mean, AJ, there's so many women that you could be with, that could give you what you want or what you deserve. That you don't have to wait on and--"
       "Shh. Brittany, you don’t owe me anything, okay?" He kept his voice low just in case someone was in earshot. "I wont rush you into anything.. with you, I wanna take this slow."
    She nodded her head. It felt good to hear him see that. "Yeah, let's do that." AJ took her hands and kissed them, sweetly.
    "When it's time... we'll both know, all right?" His eyes were compassionate behind his brown-tinted sunglasses and it widened the smile on her lips. She nodded vigorously. "And I do love you." Their eyes were locked. Their hands were locked. Neither of them could seem to help themselves... he kissed her lightly. A kiss that left both of them begging for more, but they couldn't risk being seen. One day, he thought. One day he'd be able to kiss her and it wouldn’t matter. One day soon. "I gotta go."
    "Okay. As much as I'd like you to miss that flight and stay here with me." For some reason her voice faltered. AJ sighed.
    "Brittany... please... don't..."
    "I'm sorry--” she sniffled as he wiped her eyes. "I don't like saying goodbye."
    That floored him. Suddenly, he found himself having to wipe his own eyes. He did not remember leaving being so hard. What was happening to him? Why did he suddenly ache so bad inside? "I don't either. Not now." He pecked the side of her face and stood with Brittany. They shared a tight embrace before AJ followed the others over to the terminal and they got onto their plane.
    Brittany watched through the big glass window, the Guys plane roll away out of sight. Her hands were clamped under her chin. Silently she willed the week to zip by so she could have him again. Leighanne came and stood beside her. Brittany heard several sniffles come from her direction. When she looked she found herself staring into very red, very swollen blue eyes, almost like hers. Leighanne wrapped her arm around her niece's shoulder. She sighed and rested her cheek against Brittany's shoulder (Britt had a good four inches on her). "C'mon, sweets, let's get outta here." Another sniffle. "I think we've had enough of this for one day."