"What are you doing here? Didn't you already hurt Nick enough?"

"I just came to see how he was getting along. I couldn't have hurt him too badly, didn't take him long to recover and find a new chick, did it now?"

"You hurt him plenty, leave him the hell alone!"

"Oh my! Brian, such language, really!" Heather teased. "You're going to go to hell for that." She waved her fingers at him and sauntered down the hallway.

Brian stood staring after her, torn between going to make sure she left Nick alone and checking on Jessica. He didn't know if anyone else on stage had seen, but Brian had saw her pale and collapse a few moments after Heather had shown up in the audience. He knocked on the door hesitantly. "How's everybody in here?"

"Much better now that SHE's gone." Leighanne assured him, standing and greeting him with a kiss. "She was telling the most horrible lies. Whatever made her show up again?"

Brian shook his head and knelt down to Jessica's level. "Feeling better? I saw you take a dive in the audience." He took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze.

"Much, thank you, Brian. Do you know where Nick is?"

As soon as the words left her throat the door banged open, slamming into the wall behind it.

"Where's Jess?"

Nick rushed over to her, pushing Brian out of the way. He gathered her in his arms, kissing her cheeks repeatedly. "You lay here for a minute, I need to talk to Brian and then we'll go back to the hotel, okay sweetie?"

Jessica nodded and smiled as she watched his retreating figure, Brian tagging along behind him.

*******************************************************************************

"What the hell were you doing in there with her?" Nick raged at Brian.

Brian stared at Nick in confusion. "I just wanted to see if she was okay. I knew Carlos told you what happened, that's why I didn't come and get you."

"She's mine Brian, you stay away from her. You can't have her." Nick threatened.

"Nick." Brian couldn't help but laugh. "I have Leigh. Remember Leigh? I was just checking in on Jess to see if she was alright."

"I call her Jess! Only me! You're all after her." Nick paced back and forth in front of Brian. "I've seen y'all looking at her, checking her out. Well, forget about it. She's mine!" he yelled.

Leighanne left the room and walked up behind Brian. "He wasn't doing anything wrong, Nick, he was just concerned for her."

Nick glared at her and crossed his arms over his chest.

"What did that bitch tell her?"

"I don't think you want to know Nick. I told her what Heather was like, what she did to you."

"You did what?" Nick screamed, advancing on Leighanne. She ducked behind Brian for protection.

"Nick, what the hell has gotten into you?" Brian comforted Leigh, as he stared at Nick in disbelief. "Leighanne was just trying to be helpful, to comfort your girlfriend."

"I can comfort her myself." Nick pouted. "I wish you would all stay out of my affairs!"

Brian and Leighanne exchanged glances. "We'll leave you alone now, Nick. I'll put this down to your being upset about Heather showing up. We'll forget this ever happened" They turned and walked down the hallway to gather Brian's things from the dressing room. Nick watched them go and cursed.

"Fuckers. I know what he wanted. They all better watch their step." he muttered to himself.

*******************************************************************************

"Hi baby." Nick reentered the room and sat beside Jessica on the bed. "Are you alright, sweetie?"

"I'm fine now Nick."

"Really?"

"I felt faint, overwhelmed I guess, but really, I am fine now."

"Good." He knelt by the cot and took her hands in his. "Are you ready to go back to the hotel? I took all my stuff to the van already, that's why Brian got here before me." Nick sneered when he said Brian's name.

"I can't wait to get back and relax." Jessica told him.

Nick smiled and kissed her fingertips before pulling her upright and into his embrace. "You're the best, do you know that?"

"The best for you, love, only for you."

They wrapped their arms around each others waists and walked happily down the hall to the exit.

*******************************************************************************

Jessica stepped out of the shower with a happy sigh. She did feel so much better now. It was hard for her to believe that the conversation with Heather had ever happened. Jessica felt sure that she was just trying to provoke her and make her mad at Nick. "Well it's not going to work." she said to herself as she slipped into a white, fluffy robe. "I love him and I'm going to treat him right." Jessica entered the bedroom and giggled when she saw Nick immersed in one of his video games.

"How you doing?" She peered over his shoulder at the television screen.

Nick lifted one arm up to pull her down for a kiss. "I'm doing just fine. You are gorgeous, you know that?"

Jessica blushed. "Thank you Nick."

Nick twisted around on the floor and looked her up and down. "You look like you're ready for bed." he questioned.

"Oh, I am. It was kind of a rough night."

"I thought we might have some fun." Nick's lips came perilously close to pouting.

"In the morning, hun? Please? I'm really not up for it tonight." Jessica protested.

Nick threw his controller to the floor and stood up. "Well, I'm damn well up for it!" He grabbed his crotch for emphasis. "I turned down some choice groupies at the arena tonight for you!"

Jessica looked at Nick in shock. "What did you say?"

"Forget it!" Nick realized what he had let slip and tried to brush it off.

"You wanted a groupie?" Jessica's lips trembled. He couldn't be serious. She loved him and he loved her. Didn't he?

"I said forget it!" Nick roared. "Did you ever stop to think that I have needs too? That I might have made plans for us tonight?"

"I'm sorry Nick, I'm just so tired. I didn't think you might..."

"Damn right you didn't."

"What were your plans? Maybe I can change my mind." Jessica tried to look seductively at him.

Nick raised his eyes to her. "You really want to know?" Jessica nodded encouragingly at him.

"I thought maybe we could have a threeway. I picked out this gorgeous groupie and got her a room here. You and her would look so good together. Thinking about it, while you were in the shower, got me so fucking hard." He smirked and pointed to his crotch again.

Jessica felt faint again. "Me and a girl? Nick, no. I'm not comfortable with that at all."

"Dammit!" Nick raised his hand and slapped her across the face. "I paid for her damn room, for her damn ride and damn food. We are going down there!"

"No, Nick." Jessica pleaded and then cowered when he raised his fist again.

"What have you got on under there?" He ripped her robe open and smiled at her naked body. "Perfect."

Jessica felt tears running down her face, her left eye was starting to swell closed and it hurt terribly. "Nick." she begged. "Please!"

"Let's go." Nick said, brusquely and pushed her out the door.