Jeff Buckley's voice drifted from Reilly's stereo, under my door and into my room. My arm lay across Joel's bare stomach and my head rested on his chest. His fingers brushed through my hair sending tingles up and down my spine.

"We should go out tonight, just you and me," Joel suggested. 

"That sounds like an excellent idea," I hummed.

"KIRBY! JOEL!" Our names being called at 180 decibels caused me to jump. I scoffed and answered.

"It's already ten! Get up!"

After much complaining and winging, we got up and dressed ourselves. We came into the living room and joined them mid-conversation. 

"Face it Jess, we've been to all of the attractions," Reilly said. 

"That's impossible, what about the Getty Museum?" He asked. 

"Kirby and I went there yesterday," Joel answered, sitting down on the empty sofa, taking me in his arms. 

"Six Flags?"

"We went there on Tuesday," Zac said. 

"Well...I guess all that's left to do is go out to dinner for the next two nights," Jesse sighed and sat back with his cup of coffee. 

"Joel and I were gonna go somewhere by ourselves tonight, if that's ok," I said. Jesse looked momentarily crushed. 

"Kirb, it's ok, we should hang out with everyone," Joel cut in. 

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it'd be the wiser decision," He smiled, I kissed him.

"Ok great. Well, since I took the day off for you guys, who's up for a day at Venice Beach?" Jesse asked. 

-    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    - 

(cut to an hour later: Venice Beach)

"That songs about pizza, Kirb," Jesse laughed. 

"HUH?"

Finding out that one of the most romantic songs on Jesse's album was about PIZZA was not something I was accepting very easily.

"Yeah, it was just for fun!" He laughed again and picked up his cup of coffee, taking a sip, "One night I was bored and I thought, 'What's one thing that I couldn't live without?' and I thought, PIZZA!"

"This is unbelievable."

"What!" Jesse cracked up laughing, mainly at the fact that I seriously thought that song was about a girl he'd been hiding from us. But no. It was about PIZZA. 

"So how far done are you, Jesse?" Zac asked.

"We've got about three songs down and finished, and we're about to start in the fourth,"

"How many songs on the album?" Reilly asked.

"We're aiming for fourteen, depending how long they are,"

"Oh ok, cool,"

"They keep pressuring me to hurry up, but I don't want to. I want to take my time, cause what if I rush it and it turns out like shit?" He said. 

"Will they let you go at your own pace?"

"Well they will -and they are- They know how badly I want this to go well,"

"They're being really good to you, aren't they," I added. 

"They are, actually. Considering I'm so new at this. I'm like a newborn practically. Martin tells me everyday that everyone just has this 'gut feeling' about me. They tell me that for some reason, they know I'm meant to be doing this. So they're willing to take the chance,"

"Now that is a compliment," Reilly said. 

"Yeah, well, it really helps," Jesse said, "There are some days where I want to throw it all in. You know, when my pessimistic side gets the better of me,"

I looked at him in amazement, "How do you do it?" 

Jesse smiled in modesty.

"Seriously," I continued, "It's such a huge thing, Jess. You're recording your own album at 19, you write all your lyrics, all your own music, and you're producing it-"

"Co-producing,"

"But still, it's just incredible,"

"Aww, shucks,"

"I'm serious! If you don't become an international celebrity, I'll buy a hat and eat it," 

We all laughed amongst each other and continued to discuss Jesse's album until our lunch had come and gone. We then decided we'd rent a whole heap of videos and stay up until all hours of the morning watching them together. 

-    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    - 

(cut to saturday morning: airport)

"Three suitcases and three duffel bags, that's all there were,"

"I fuckin swear I saw four duffel bags," Reilly cursed, digging through the trunk of the CRV. 

"There were three duffel bags, Reilly." Jesse said, stacking the last suitcase onto the trolley. 

"Fine. Whatever." Reilly slammed the door shut and pushed a trolley into the airport. None of us really took his bad mood personally. We blamed it on it being five in the morning. 

"We have to check you guys in," Jesse said as we entered the inside of the airport.

"But that means we have to leave you guys," I said, staring Joel directly in the eyes. 

"If we leave it for much longer, then the queue is going to be way too long and you'll be late,"

"He's right," Zac said.

We all pushed our trolleys over to the then-deserted check in desks. Zac went first. 

I felt a soft hand tugging at my fingers and walked away from the group. Joel held my hands in his and kissed my finger tips. 

"It's been....wonderful to know you, Kirby," He said, almost in a whisper.

"You too Joel," We stood quietly together, breathing in each other's scent. "I'll miss you,"

"I'll never stop missing you,"

"Kirb...it's your turn," Reilly said, speaking quietly in respect.

"Go on," Joel said, "It's ok,"

I did what I had to do and checked in, ready to walk into the passenger's only section of the airport. We all hugged Jesse goodbye and he said he'd be home to visit us as soon as he could. 

"Will you be there on tour?" I asked Joel. 

"Of course I will," He smiled and kissed me softly. I pulled my bag onto my shoulder and began to follow Zac and Reilly away from Joel and Jesse. 

I waved to him once more and I was out of his sight.

-    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    -    - 

(cut to on the plane: twenty minutes into the flight)

"Are you ok Kirby?" Zac asked me. 

"How do you mean?" I asked.

"You know...leaving Joel,"

"Oh, I'm fine," I smiled, latching onto his arm. 

"Are you sure? Cause you can talk to me, you know,"

"We knew we were going to be separated from the day we met, and we still started going out - so it would be stupid to feel sorry for myself." 

"I had a lot of fun in L.A, ya know," I said, half announcing that the whole Joel experience was to be loved and left, and half avoiding the subject. 

"Me too, Kirb. It was pretty cool living as rich, famous people for a little while,"

"Famous?" 

"Well, I got that feeling...Maybe it was just me,"

I giggled and relaxed, planning on taking a nap. "I got that feeling too Zac, so don't worry. You're not completely insane...yet,"

"I'll let that slide since you're already half asleep on my arm," Zac whispered as my eyes slowly drooped shut.