“Mommy.” Leilani’s quiet voice barely carried across the room.

“Hey sweetie.” Chelsie nuzzled Leilani’s cheek. "Why are you still awake?”

“I was waiting for dessert. Uncle Gevvy said you’d bring me home dessert.”

Chelsie giggled softly. “I did bring you home dessert. It’s a huge piece of chocolate cake. I think we’ll both have to eat it.”

“Yay!” Leilani cheered, sleepily. “Can I have it tomorrow?”

“Absolutely, after dinner, okay?”

Chelsie tucked the blankets around her daughter and rearranged the dolls and toys that surrounded her. She smoothed her hands over Leilani’s hair and leaned over to kiss her cheeks.

“Mommy?”

“Yes, sweetie?”

“Do you love Uncle Gevvy?”

Chelsie sat down on the edge of the bed, startled by Leilani’s sudden question.

“I really like Gev, honey. He’s a very good friend. Why do you ask?”

Leilani yawned and snuggled into her blankets. “Daddy said something. I don’t ‘member. I’m tired.” She yawned again and let her eyes slip closed.

“Go to sleep, baby.” Chelsie kissed Leilani again and left the room quietly to let her daughter peacefully rest.

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

Chelsie drifted around the living room, putting toys away and gathering dishes to be washed in the morning. Her thoughts kept wandering back to Leilani’s words about being in love with Gev, that her daddy had said something that she couldn’t remember. Chelsie flopped down on the sofa with a heavy sigh. She picked up one of the photos that Leilani had wanted displayed around the house. This one was again taken during a meet and greet outside of some venue and Mark had his arm loosely around her waist, but still held her close to him, while Chelsie had an arm around his back and let her other hand rest on his chest. As the tour wore on, they never had a problem expressing their feelings for one another. The fans had seemed to know about their relationship without either of them saying anything, and they screamed their appreciation whenever they appeared together. Chelsie set the photo back down and sighed again.

“Why does it have to be like this Mark? I have so many things I want to ask you now, but only Leilani can hear you. It’s not fair.”

She flipped the television on, but soon turned it off, finding nothing interesting to watch. After checking in on Leilani, Chelsie curled up in her own bed, hoping that the thoughts running through her brain would stop long enough to let her get something resembling a good night’s sleep.

“Chelsie?”

Chelsie sat up in bed, disbelievingly. She and Mark had each others room cards, but only if something happened to the other were they to use them. The chaperones monitored their hotel “activities” carefully. But, Mark was definitely in her room, slowly advancing towards her bed, not making a sound.

“Mark?”

Chelsie stumbled out of her bed and rushed to the doorway, pulling Mark into the hallway before he could wake Courtney. “What’s wrong? It’s 4 in the morning!”

“Come outside.”

“I’m in my pajamas, Mark.”

“Me too.” Mark gestured to his legs that were clothed in a light blue flannel material that was covered with monkeys.

Chelsie rolled her eyes. “Those aren’t your pajamas.”

Mark grinned. “Nope, but they’re comfy. I’m not giving them back!”

“I don’t think Katee wants them back now. Lord only knows what you’ve done in those things.”

Mark moved closer and silenced her with a kiss. “Come with me.”

“I thought something was wrong.” Chelsie crossed her arms over her chest and refused to move.

“I’m sorry.” Mark kissed her again. “I just really wanted you to see this.”

Curious now, Chelsie allowed Mark to take her hand and escort her outside to the deserted patio at the back of the hotel.

“Look up.” Mark directed.

Chelsie tipped her head up. “What am I supposed to see?”

“The stars.” Mark said, simply. “Aren’t they beautiful? The sky is so clear and the stars are shining so bright. I knew you’d want to see something so gorgeous.”

Mark stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her head gently.

“It’s beautiful, Mark.”

Chelsie felt a tear running down her face. How many men would ever even look up long enough to notice a beautiful October sky, not to mention how many would think to grab their girlfriend to come see it too?

Mark pulled a chair out from one of the tables and sat, settling Chelsie onto his lap, as they both continued to gaze up at the sky.

“I knew you’d love it.”

His breath caressed her neck and Chelsie snuggled her face into his warm chest. “I love it, Mark. Thank you for coming to get me.”

He tipped his head down and kissed her cheek tenderly. “We can’t stay out too long, the chaperones will freak if we aren’t back in time for role call.”

“I don’t care.” Chelsie whispered. “This is amazing.”

Mark laughed softly. “Come on now, you don’t want them to think that I’m trying to corrupt you or anything.”

Chelsie twisted to face Mark, straddling him by letting her legs dangle through the arms of the chair.

“You? Corrupt me? I think they might be too late for that, Mr. Kanemura.”

She kissed his lips and then poked her tongue out, touching his nose with the tip. She giggled when his hips jerked slightly in response.

“I think you’re right.”

They kissed passionately for several minutes, stars and beautiful sky forgotten.

“We forgot about the stars.” Chelsie gasped.

“I don’t know about you, I was seeing stars.” Mark mumbled, almost incoherently.

“I think you just wanted to get me alone out here.” She challenged him.

“No, I wanted you to see the sky, honest.”

“Honest?”

Mark nodded seriously. “But now, unless you want me to ravish you right here on the patio, we need to get back inside!”

Chelsie stirred in her sleep, something buzzed around her, disturbing her, but not quite waking her up. She rolled over and then turned to her other side when the buzzing continued, seeming to get louder and louder.

“Chelsie!”

She sat up fully awake now, heart beating fast in her chest, the echos of her shouted name still reverberating off the walls. She clutched the blankets to her chest and listened carefully for any sound or movements.

“Who’s there?”

She looked around, not seeing any sign of an intruder, but far too terrified to get out of bed and check.

“Chels, it’s me.”

Chelsie eyes grew wide and she scanned the room frantically. Nothing was there.

“Please, don’t be afraid. I’ve been waiting so long for this.”

“Mark?” she tried to hide the tremors in her voice. She had to be dreaming.

“It’s me. Oh God, I’ve waited so long to talk to you again!”

Chelsie shivered and pulled the blankets up to her chin. “I’m dreaming.” she said out loud. “Just dreaming.”

“No don’t! I’ve waited all this time for you to believe, so that you could hear me and now you won’t believe it!”

“What?” Chelsie whipped her head around, sensing the voice coming from her right hand side. Mark’s side of the bed.

“Lani can hear me because she’s not afraid, she believes. You’ve never been able to hear me because you doubted in her belief.”

“I…I never doubted my daughter.” Chelsie stammered.

“Our daughter.” the voice whispered in her ear. She knew that voice. She could never, ever forget that voice.

“Mark?” Chelsie collapsed against the headboard, tears streaming down her face. “Is it really you?”