***Trans
Cons. Office*** Sherry
had her head down, walking to Kimber�s office. She went over and over in her
head on what she needed to say. She hated being the one to deliver bad news but
it was better coming from her. She rounded the corner, Kimber�s office in view
when she heard her name being called behind her, and she turned around to find
the bluest eyes that had haunted her since the tearful goodbye. �Bryan.�
Sherry said faintly, his smile radiating approaching her. �I
thought that was you walking fast.� Bryan said standing before her. She looked
beautiful, the same eyes, the same lips. �I
was on my way to see Kimber.� Sherry said not sure what to do. He was better
looking then she had remembered. �You look great, Bry.� �Thanks,
so do you.� Bryan took a step forward wrapping his arms around her. Sherry
tensed at first not wanting to give in to the warmth but found herself no longer
resisting. She wrapped her arms around him, embracing him, taking in his smile. The
two stood for a moment, time standing still until finally Bryan broke away. �I
was on my way to the studio to see Erica.� �It�s
down the hall at the end.� Sherry said. �Chrissy, my partner was there
talking business with Erica.� �You
have done very well for yourself.� Bryan took her hand. �I am very proud of
you.� �Same
to you. Westlife had done very well. And Erica is a wonderful girl.� Sherry
said a lump forming in her throat. �Thank
you.� Bryan looked into her eyes, seeing what he had missed. There was silence
between the two, not awkward silence but just silence. Thoughts, feelings
rushing back to each other, time apart coming to an end. �I
should go see Kimber.� Sherry finally said. �Yah,
I need to go and see Erica.� Bryan said smiling. �Will I see you before the
video shoot?� �Orlando
is big but not that big. I�ll be around.� Sherry said smiling loving the
idea of seeing Bryan again but knowing what it would do to her. The
two said goodbye, Bryan watched Sherry walked into Kimber�s office. His heart
following her, once again, she had his heart. ***Trans
Con. Executive Building, Kimber�s office*** Sherry
nervously paced in Kimbers� office. The silence was deafening, Kimber waiting
for the important news. She had cleared her morning to talk to Sherry and was
now regretting it. Sherry had rehearsed her words last night; it had taken her a
week to get up the nerve to talk to Kimber. She was still in denial with the
news, trying to give Kevin the benefit of the doubt. But Nick saw the two of
them together and Kevin laughed when Nick asked him about it. Sherry�s stomach
turned, her throat tightening up. Why did she have to be the one to tell but if
the roles were reversed, she would want to know and then kick Nick�s butt out
the door. �Damn
it, Sherry, tell me.� Kimber said her words stopping Sherry in her tracks.
Sherry finally sat down across from Kimber. �I�m
just going to say it.� Sherry said looking at her. �Kevin is having an
affair.� �What?�
Kimber asked, leaning back in her chair. �He�s
having an�� �I
heard you, Sherry.� Kimber said standing up. � Let me guess, with
Michelle?� �You
knew?� Sherry asked surprisingly. �Didn�t
know but suspected. Michelle has that reputation. I just never thought�. my
husband would be the trap.� Kimber walked over to the couch. She sat down, her
head in her hands. �I
am really sorry, Kimber.� Sherry said sitting down next to her. �How
did you find out?� Kimber said in-between sobs. �Nick
told me.� Sherry gently rubbed her back, wishing she could take away her pain.
� It has been going on for awhile.� �I
know. God! I am so stupid!� Kimber yelled standing up. �Why did I think that
marriage would change him?� �Hopes,
Kimber. And you loved him.� Sherry said trying to help her. �Well,
I�m not going to be the fool anymore.� Kimber walked over to her desk
grabbing the phone and began dialing. �The
guys are in route to California. You should reach Kevin�� �J?�
Kimber said her back to Sherry. �I will meet you tonight.� Sherry�s eyes
widened standing up. �The Trax club at 8.� Kimber continued.
�Good�I�ll be the one looking damn sexy and ready to party.� Kimber hung
up the phone, shaking from her actions. �What
the fu�� �Like
I said, I am not going to be the fool anymore.� Kimber patted Sherry�s back
and walked out of her office. �Come on, Sherry, I need to buy the perfect
outfit for tonight. Something that J would never be able to resist.� Sherry
followed her out amazed but also proud of her friend. She was not going to be
the fool. ***Trans
Con Studios*** Erica
and Dan stood around the soundboard going over the music; trying to be
professional and not let any feelings get in the way. The recording was going
well, Erica was lost in her work, standing next to Dan, stealing glances. She
thought he was so handsome when he sang, his eyes shining in the notes. She was
growing to love his expression when he would hit each note. Dan also stole
glances at Erica, being mesmerized by her smile, trying not to reach out to her,
holding her hand. Silently wishing they could go back to Germany. He told her
his heart, never regretting it; he just wished he knew hers. There was more to
Erica then Bryan, Dan could see it. �Where�s
my girl!� Bryan yelled making his entrance. Erica turned around, all eyes upon
her. �Bryan,
what the�� Erica said, Bryan rushing to her, picking her up and twirling her
around the small room. �Baby!�
Bryan yelled finally putting her down and placing his lips on hers. �You
got in early.� Erica said his blue eyes bringing her back to reality of loving
him. �I
ran the whole way here.� Bryan said kissing her again. �God, I�ve missed
you.� Erica laughed in his excitement trying to hide her hurt in knowing about
Sherry. �I
am assuming you are Bryan.� Dan said his hand reached out to him. �Bryan
McFadden.� Bryan said shaking his hand. �Dan
Miller.� Dan smiled glad to know that Bryan was at least a gentleman. �You
are so lucky getting to work with my girl.� Bryan said kissing Erica�s
cheek. �I
am but you are the lucky one. You get to spend the nights with her.� Dan said
winking at Bryan who wasn�t sure how to take his comment. �Um�yeah.
So are you almost done?� Bryan asked putting his hand around Erica�s waist. �Yes.
You can just sit over there and watch.� Erica said leading him to the couch.
�Now behave.� �Not when you are in the
room.� Bryan said patting her butt. Erica continued her work with Dan as Bryan
watched. He watched the two of them work but was seeing something more between
them then work. It was the way they looked at each other, the way that Erica
would flip her hair back when she would laugh with Dan. Bryan saw how close Dan
stood next to Erica, how he slightly placed his hand on her back when they
looked at the sheet music. Bryan was not blind, he was not stupid. He saw the
emotion and tension between them. It was then that he realized that he better
ask Erica the question before it was too late. ***Orlando
International Airport*** The
hardest thing for Kristina to do was to say goodbye to Mark. She had spent the
last three months with him, day and night. They had become closer then she could
have imagined. Touring with him was amazing and his support every night when she
performed was wonderful. She had also become close to Christian and Ste, they
had become brothers to her. Not being able to see them every morning for
breakfast, not being to say goodnight to them when her and Mark would steal away
into the night was something she wasn�t sure if she could handle. But she knew
that she had to come home. She could tell in Tonya�s voice that she was
needed. When Kristina talked to Megan, she heard fear and pain in her voice. It
had been three months since she had seen her best friends, the girls that were
her sisters. Against the promoters and managers, Kristina left the tour to come
home. Not sure what to�not sure how she could help. But if her friends needed
her, she was there, just like they had been for her so many times. Kristina
sat in the taxi, looking out at the scenery she had enjoyed for years living in
Orlando. She missed the blue skies, the sun and the clubs. She missed her home,
the late night talks with Tonya and Megan and�Devin. But even that wasn�t
possible. He had hurt her, it was over and it would never be the same. But being
in Orlando, seeing where they played, where they spent their time together, the
memories were too much. �God,
what have I done?� Kristina said quietly. She came home for her friends but
was also opening old wounds. Wounds that never got the chance to heal.