| Chapter 25 Howie and Kira sat on the couch in her apartment watching TV. They had gone out for dinner and had again rented some movies. Howie looked down at Kira, she was nestled in his arms, totally engrossed in the movie. He smiled, he couldn't remember when he had felt this happy, this whole. Kira felt him looking at her, and glanced up at him. "Whatcha lookin at?" she asked with a smile on her face. Howie smiled down at her, "Someone I love." Kira sat up and looked at him, "Really?" Howie nodded his head, "Really." Kira stared at him for a moment. Howie leaned in close and gave her a kiss. Kira breathed into the kiss and wrapped her arms around him. Howie ran his fingers through her hair, then ran his hands down her back to rest on her hips. They stayed that way for a long time, lost in the kiss, which was becoming more and more passionate. Suddenly Kira's clock started to chime. It was two in the morning. Howie pulled away, "I should go, it's really late." Kira grabbed his hands and looked deep into his eyes, "No, why don't you stay." Howie looked at her, "Are you sure?" he asked. Kira nodded her head. She got up and offered her hand to Howie. He took it, and she led him into her bedroom. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tara had just gotten out of the shower when Nick woke up. "Hey, you're up early," she said drying off. "Yeah, thought I'd get up and see what morning actually looked like," Nick said with a smile on his face. Tara laughed as she started putting her clothes on. "Aww, see now, you're ruining it," Nick said. Tara grabbed a pillow off the end of the bed and threw it at him. Nick dodged the pillow, and sat up. "Did Howie ever come back last night?" he asked. "I don't think so, I never heard him if he did," she answered. "Well good for him," Nick said laughing. Tara looked at him for a moment, "OK, why are you in such a good mood this morning?" He gave her one of his most innocent looks, "I have to have a reason? I can't just wake up in a good mood?" Tara put her hand on her hip," Nickolas, I know you better than that. You never wake up in a good mood, now what gives?" He smiled at her, "I worked some things out last night that have been buggin me for a while." Tara stopped brushing her hair and looked at him, "Like what?" "Oh, just some things, nothing for you to worry about," he said getting up and walking over to her. He pulled her hair back away from her face and stared into her eyes, "I love you, you know that don't you?" Tara smiled, "Yes I do, and I love you too." Nick leaned down and gave her a slow passionate kiss. When he broke away Tara looked at him shocked. "OK, I'm waking you up early from now on," she said with laugh. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brian sat up and looked around his room. He had a funny feeling, but he couldn't figure out what it was. The hair on the back of his neck was standing on end, and he had goose bumps. He didn't remember having a dream, but he felt anxious inside. He got out of bed and headed downstairs. When he got to the kitchen A.J. was sitting at the table eating some cereal. "Bone, you're up early," Brian said, getting his own bowl out of the cabinet. "Yeah, couldn't sleep much last night," A.J. said. Brian sat down at the table and poured himself some cereal, "Yeah, me either. Is Howie still asleep?" A.J. smiled, "Never came home last night." Brian looked at A.J. and raised his eyebrows, "Oh really?" "Yep, and if he tells me they were watchin movies all night I'll kill him," A.J. said with a laugh. Brian laughed and spilt some of the milk he was pouring into the bowl. "Damn Alex, see what you made me do," Brian said. Tara and Nick came into the room. "OK, what's so funny in here?" Nick asked. "Nothin, Bri can't hold his milk is all," A.J. said. Tara walked around the counter and threw Brian a towel. "Thanks," he said. Tara started to make some coffee, while Nick sat down at the table. "So, what's on the agenda for today?" Nick asked. "Well, I've got to go to the studio for a little while, finish up some paper work before we send the master off to production. Shouldn't take very long," Brian said. "I'm open for suggestions," A.J. said. "Well why don't we all meet for lunch and then go do something this afternoon?" Nick said. "Sounds good, I should be done by then," Brian said finishing his cereal, getting up to put his bowl away. Tara was pouring the coffee when she felt it, she turned around, "A.J. catch him!" A.J. looked up to see Brian falling, he caught him and laid him on the floor. Tara and Nick rushed over. "Brian? Brian are you OK?" Nick asked. Brian looked up at them a little confused, "Yeah I'm fine," he said as he sat up. "Brian what just happened?" A.J. asked. "I just lost my balance, that's all, nothin big," Brian said as he got up, picked up his bowl and headed for the dishwasher. "Bri, maybe one of us should drive you, what if that happens when you're on the road?" Nick said concerned. "Guys, I'm fine, it won't happen when I'm driving," Brian said. Tara followed him over to the dishwasher and took the bowl from him. "Bri, you don't know that," she said. He looked into her eyes, Tara, let me go. I haven't been by myself since this ordeal started. I promise I'll call if I don't feel well, OK? Tara gave him a concerned look, "Alright." Brian smiled and headed upstairs to get ready. Nick looked over at her, "What'd he say?" "That he hasn't been alone since all this started, and that he'll call if he doesn't feel well," she answered. A.J. shuttered, "Man you guys freak me out with that shit." Tara just smiled at him and finished pouring the coffee. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Leighanne was headed out the door when Gary stopped her. "How long you think you'll be?" he asked. "I don't know, they want to reshoot some scenes, probably most of the day. Why?" she asked. "Oh, no reason," Gary said with a smile, "Just I might have a surprise for you when you get back." Leighanne looked at him curiously, "Oh yeah, like what?" "Now if I told you it wouldn't be a surprise anymore," Gary said with laugh. "Yeah, yeah," she said opening the door. "Anne, I've got some errands to run today too," Gary said. "OK," she said leaving the house and walking down to her car. "Wonder what he's planning?" she asked herself. She got in the car and headed for the set. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Howie woke up and looked over at Kira. She was still asleep. He lay there watching her for a long time. Then he finally decided to get up. He gently eased his arm out from under Kira's neck, and quietly walked down the hall to the bathroom. Howie turned on the shower and stepped inside. He was letting the water flow over him when he heard the door open. He looked in that direction, just as Kira stuck her head in the shower. "Hey, you mind sharing, I'm late for work," she asked with a smile on her face. Howie stepped aside and let her in, she turned around to face him. He looked at her for a few minutes, "I thought you didn't have to work today?" Kira looked at him with a mischievous grin on her face, "Oh yeah, you're right I don't. OK then I'll leave you to yourself," she said as she started to step back out of the shower. Howie reached over and grabbed her arm, "You're not getting away that fast," he said as he pulled her back in. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Brian had been at the studio for a few hours, signing paperwork, and going over some last minute editing with the producer. "Well I think we got it," the producer said holding up the master cd. "Great," Brian said. He got up and thanked all the techs and the producer and headed out the door. He walked across the parking lot to his car. As he reached down to put the key in the door, someone grabbed him from behind. They had a clothe in their hand that was across Brian's mouth and nose. He tried to fight against them, but who ever this was was much bigger than him. Everything started to blur. Brian fought to stay awake, he tried to pull the person's hand away from his mouth so he could breathe, but to no avail. He felt his knees give out, then everything when black. Gary drug Brian over to his car and lifted him into the trunk. He then reached in and pulled Brian's wedding ring off his finger and shut the lid. He walked around to the back of the studio and slipped in the back door. Gary made his way down the hall and into one of the game rooms. He laid Brian's ring on the couch, and made his way back out of the building. He then pulled a box of matches out of his pocket and struck one. He smiled as he dropped the match and the entire side of the building went up in flames. Gary calmly walked back to his car, got in, and drove away. Chapter 26 |