"You survived!" Nick said in a congratulatory manner as he and the rest of the group stepped off the red carpet and inside the venue. He wrapped Melissa into a hug and spun her around. Sure, people stared. But he didn't care. He knew how hard it had been for her, and thought she deserved his thanks.

He sat Melissa back down on the ground, holding her for just a moment to make sure she was steady in her heels. She was smiling. "So do they have merchandise here? Because I think I deserve an 'I survived the VMA 2002 red carpet' t-shirt right about now."

He laughed. "This is an awards show, Liss. Not a concert."

Melissa pouted. "Well, then how am I supposed to remember the night? I know I'm not going to be getting one of those moonmen tonight."

"You could steal a towel out of the bathroom," Nick suggested.

Melissa pondered that for a moment. "Not a bad idea...but how would I get it out of there? Someone would catch me for sure. My purse isn't big enough to hide the towel, and I sure as hell can't hide it under my shirt."

Nick laughed, running his hand over Melissa's see-through clad belly. "No, you definitely can't do that. But don't worry, Liss. You have all night to find a material possession to steal and take home. You're a creative girl- I have faith in you that you'll find something."

"Nickolas!" The voice calling him from across the room tore Nick and Melissa out of each other's arms. They turned around, and found themselves watching the approaching figure of Jane Carter. She walked quickly, weaving through the crowds. Leslie was able to follow her mother pretty well. But poor little Aaron struggled to keep up and maintain his cool little strut at the same time.

Nick groaned. "I saw her a couple of days ago, in LA. I thought she'd had her Nick fix for at least another six weeks."

Melissa understood what he was saying, but still... "She's your mother, Nick. And you knew she was bringing Aaron to the awards. Did you honestly think that you could come here tonight and not talk to her?"

"I don't think," Nick replied. "I only hope- and pray."

Jane was now in hearing-distance, so Nick and Melissa had to cut their chatter short. Melissa left him with one piece of advice. "Be nice."

"Nick!" Jane called again, this time face-to-face with her superstar son. Politely, Nick hugged his mother and kissed her cheek. A reporter snapped a photo. It would be run in US Weekly in a few days.

Melissa looked on, soaking in the two's expressions. As much as Nick despised his mother at times, Jane looked on at Nick with nothing but adoration in her eyes. Until that look quickly changed. Her hand went to Nick's face, picking at a blemish on his chin. "Nick, you're face is all broken out. Have you been taking that prescription medication the dermatologist gave you?”

Nick pushed away his mother's hands. Angrily, he grunted: "Yes, I have."

"I really thought that acne would go away as you moved into your twenties, but it hasn't seemed to yet..." Jane fretted. "Maybe you aren't washing your face enough."

"I wash my face all the time, Mom." Nick spat out. Frustration clearly rang in his voice. "Its all this make-up I have to wear for TV shows and photo shoots. My skin doesn't like it."

Melissa decided to take her own stab at trying to change the conversation. Leslie was standing on her mother's right, dressed in a pretty, cherry red ensemble. "I love your dress, Leslie. Who designed it?"

Before Leslie could open her mouth to speak, Jane took the opportunity to add another two of her cents into the conversation. "You'd never believe the trouble we have finding Leslie clothes for situations like this. Designers just don't make cute, fashionable outfits for plus-size girls. I keep telling Leslie that if she watched her weight a little more closely, we wouldn't be having this problem. But that girl loves her Ben and Jerry's."

Leslie didn't stand up for herself, instead letting her mother believe her words we the word. Instead, she shot Melissa a look. A look Melissa had received many times over the years from Nick. A look of anger, hate, frustration and hurt- all balled up into one. Melissa returned the look with the most reassuring face she could muster. She just hoped it would be enough.

"Aaron," Melissa greeted next. "You look like you just rolled out of bed." Indeed, the young boy's hair was matted into that characteristic "bedhead."

"Can you believe he actually told his stylists to make his hair look that way?" Jane asked in wonderment.

"Girls like it, Ma." Aaron protested.

"Girls like clean-cut pop stars. You aren't some scruffy rock star, Aaron."

"I beg to differ," Melissa spoke up. "I think Aaron looks great. Why, if I weren't only a few years younger..."

"Hey!" Nick finally found his voice and decided to join the conversation. "That's my little brother, man."

Aaron, Leslie and Jane watched as Nick and Melissa proceeded to exchange a quick kiss. Despite any problems the Carter family was continuously going through, no one could help but be happy for Nick and Melissa. They belonged together, they always had. The Carters were just happy that the two themselves had finally realized it.

"You should probably be going," Jane advised once the love session had ended. "Melissa, you're the second act to perform, so you should probably get settled in your seats now."

Melissa and the Carter children all exchanged the same look. Five kids to control wasn't enough for Jane? Now she'd moved onto Melissa?

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