CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO ~ "You're What?!?!"

   "Nicole, what do you mean you're going home tomorrow?" Rachel asked, setting aside all the work she had piled on her desk in an effort to get her mind off of Erik, surprised by the revelation.
    "I mean, that I've thought about what you said about not distracting Jacob from what he is here for...and well, in order to not be a distraction, I'm leaving until after the group is named," Nicole stated calmly, while her heart was breaking, thinking about how hard it would be to actually leave her brother and Jacob.
    "Nicole, I'm sorry about what I said.  That wasn't what I meant when I said I didn't want you to be a distraction to him," Rachel explained as she came around her desk.  "Nicole, I meant....I was hoping you would help remind Jacob of his commitments...and keep him from breaking the rules established by Lou for the guys.  I didn't mean that I wanted you to leave," Rachel explained, knowing full well it would cause more probs if Nicole did leave right then.
    "Well, I really thought about what you said, and the easiest way for me to not distract Jacob is to not be here. I really think it would be better if I left," Nicole continued.
    "Nicole, if you leave, I may just lose both Ashley and Jacob.  I can tell by the way they act if you aren't here, they won't do very well with rehearsals.  Now can you deny the whole world the wonderful sound of your brother singing...or of Jacob singing for that matter?"
    "Well, I don't want to distract them," Nicole said.
    "Nic, honestly...I was still upset about Jacob coming in so late...and then you not being home when I was getting ready to come to work...and then having to postpone meetings because Jacob and you needed to be found.  You aren't a distraction, and well, honestly, I really enjoy having you around. Since I moved down here I haven't really had any 'girl friends' to do things with, and you and I did seem to get along quite well," Rachel tried explaining.
    "Geez, Rach.  First you tell me to remember what Jacob's here for and to not distract him...now you're telling me that you don't want me to leave so I won't distract him," Nicole said, shaking her head in uncertainty.
    "Nic, please, don't leave.  I think we'll suffer mass defection if you do.  I honestly think that both Jacob and Ash would quit right here and now if you did.  Trevor would probably follow close behind.  The only one I really think would hang around...and not even threaten to leave would be Ikaika," Rachel explained.  "Give it some more time...just help Jacob remember his responsibilities...that was really what I meant earlier.  Please," Rachel said, begging as there was a light knock on her office door.
    "She's not answering...maybe she isn't here," Erik said as the guys stood outside the door to Rachel's office.
    "I just heard her...and she's talking to Nicole," Jacob said.  "I'm going in to find out what exactly she's doing to destroy my relationship," he added as he opened the door.
    "Rach...I'll think about coming back...but I am leaving for Redding again tomorrow," Nicole said, not hearing the door open.
    "NO!!!!!!!" Jacob yelled, drawing attention to himself, Erik, Ashley, and Trevor who were all standing in the doorway to Rachel's office.
    "Nice of you to knock, guys," Rachel said laughing.
    "We did...you must not have heard us," Erik said, not wanting Rachel upset with him.
    "NICOLE...YOU ARE NOT GOING BACK TO REDDING!!!!!" Ashley said grabbing his sister by her arms.  "Do you realize what dad would do to you for coming out here and staying this long?" he added.
    "Ash, what are you talking about?" Nicole asked confused.
    "Our step-dad, the man who doesn't hesitate to hit us if he doesn't agree with what we do," Ashley said, not worrying about whether the others in the room heard him.
    "ASHLEY!" Nicole yelled, surprised that her brother would say that in front of the other guys in the room, while Trevor and Erik both stood there shocked by the revelation.
   "I'm sorry, Nic, I know we said we wouldn't talk about that in front of the others...but it needed to be said.  It's like you forgot all about what he's done to you, just since I was selected to come here to audition for a part in the group," Ashley explained as Jacob pulled Nicole into a tight embrace and gently rubbed her back to help ease her crying.
    "What is everyone going to think about me and our family now, Ashley?" Nicole asked as she looked up from Jacob's chest where she had had her face buried while she cried.  She then noticed Rachel who had turned as white as a sheet after hearing this 'news' about her roommate.  "Rach, please don't say you're not going to let me stay with you when I come back to visit," Nicole said, shakily.
    "Nicole, you aren't leaving," Ashley and Jacob both exclaimed at the same time.
    "Nicole, what happens in your home with your parent's isn't going to cause me to change my opinion of you at all," Rachel said.  "If you choose to leave now, you'll still have a room at my house anytime you come...but I hope you stay," Rachel added unsure what to do with this new information.
    "Thank you, but I really think it would be better if I left, for a little while anyway," Nicole said.
    "Nicole, you can't.  I need you here; you're the inspiration that gets me through all my rehearsals.  I need to know I'll have you to sit and talk to when I get done," Jacob said, pleading with his girlfriend to stay.
    "Jacob, I don't want to distract you from what you need to do to make the band," Nicole whispered softly.
    "Nicole, sweetheart, you don't distract me.  What gave you the idea that you did?"
    "Ummm...I guess that would be me," Rachel said sheepishly.  "I asked her earlier to remember that you were down here for a reason, and to not distract you from what you were doing."
    "Rachel, how could you say that?" Ashley and Jacob both asked at the same time.
    "Guys, I was referring to the fact that Jacob was out past curfew.  Not anything actually work related.  I just wanted Nicole to help me make sure that Jake didn't miss curfew again...that's all," Rachel said as Bryan knocked on the door.
    "Ummm..I hate to interrupt, but Tyjuan needs all of us in the studio, now," Bryan said politely, not wanting to interrupt the conversation he could tell was going on in the office.
    "Thanks, Bryan," Rachel said.  "You heard the man...get going," she added, as the entire group walked slowly out of the office.
    "Ummm...Rach...I need to talk to you later, please," Erik said, and getting a nod in the affirmitive, he ran to catch up with the others.
    After the dance rehearsals were finished for the day, Erik made his way back to Rachel's office.  "Rach, you said we could talk later?" he said as he poked his head in the door.
    "Come on in, Erik.  We do need to talk," Rachel said motioning for him to come in and shut the door behind him.
    "Should I go and let someone know that I won't be going back with them?"
    "I think they're all smart enough to figure it out, Erik," Rachel said.  "But if it makes you feel any better, just a second," she added before she picked up her phone and dialed the extension for the rehearsal room that O-town had been using.  "Ty, are the guys still around there?"
    "Yeah, well, Erik disappeared really quick but the rest of them are still here."
    "Can I talk to Ashley or Jacob, please?"
    "Ashley here, what can I do for ya, Rachel?"
    "Ash, I just wanted you to know that Erik isn't gonna be going back with you guys tonight.  I needed to talk to him about some things, so I'll make sure he gets there after I'm done with him here," Rachel said, hanging up the phone before any questions could be asked.  "So, what was it you wanted to talk about?"
    "Rach, I can't deal with this anymore.  I need to be able to be open about my relationship with you...or I just can't be in one with you," Erik said softly.
    "Erik, baby, I know exactly how you feel," Rachel said getting up and kneeling next to the chair Erik was sitting in.  "I think that's why I've been so tense and frustrated lately.  I want people to know how much I love you.  I know it's why I've kept myself holed up here...behind these mountains of papers that other people could easily take care of for me," Rachel admitted.  "I couldn't bear being close to you...but not being able to show you how I felt."
    "Well, what do you suggest we do about it?" Erik asked, hoping she wouldn't suggest that they end any relationship that they may have been developing.
    "We need to talk with Lou....together.  I don't know what he'll do about everything...if I'll get pulled from the O-town Project or if I'll totally lose the job, but it's something we need to do, if you are willing to that is," Rachel stated, hoping that Erik would be willing to go with to give her the moral support she needed to face what she saw as an obstacle in her path to success.
    "What about your career?" Erik asked, knowing how important it was to her to be involved in the management end of the music business.
    "Erik, I've made a choice...I feel like it's right to be with you...my career will take care of itself," Rachel said, knowing that if worse came to worse, she could work for Lynn Harless at Just In Tyme Management until something else came along.
    "Well, in that case, do we need to set up an appointment with Lou to talk to him about this?" Erik asked, not sure what Lou's reaction would be, but he hoped that Lou wouldn't use the clause in Rachel's contract and fire her for admitting that she wanted Erik to be her boyfriend.
    "I actually made an appointment for right now, Erik.  I wasn't sure if you'd be willing to go with me as moral support, but I knew it had to be done.  I want our relationship to be out in the open, not relegated to a few stolen moments here and there when we can ditch the camera crews," Rachel said as she led the way to Lou's office, on the top floor of the building.
    "Wow...I never knew Trans-Con was this big," Erik said marveling at what he was seeing everywhere.
    "Yeah, you guys have basically stayed in the 'dungeons' up til now.  After the final five are selected, you'll all be brought up here to meet with the head of the P.R. department and then also with Lou," Rachel said.  "We just didn't want to scare y'all with all the awards and stuff that Lou has received from his work with other groups."
    "Thanks," Erik said softly as they stepped off the elevator.  "Rach, I just have a question for you...didn't you tell me you had dated JC and AJ both while they were under contract with Trans-Con?"
    "Yeah, I did, why?" Rachel asked.
    "Well, I guess I don't understand why it's a big deal with you and me when he didn't fire you for dating them," Erik explained as they walked down the hall towards Lou's office.
    "Well, I didn't have a contract with T-Con at the time," Rachel explained.  "I was just here as an intern a couple of hours a week, with no pay, now Lou actually has a contract with me," she added before she greeted Lou's personal secretary who notified Lou that Rachel was there for her appointment with him.

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