"What is it? Is everything ok?" D asked once they got outside.

"Dawn told me that she asked you to go on tour with her," AJ began.

"Yeah, she asked me yesterday at lunch. I haven't decided if I’m gonna go yet."

"Why not?"

D laughed.

"Well, us normal people have to hold down nine-to-five jobs, J. Plus, Nick and I are getting closer and I’m not sure if I wanna leave him."

"You can take a long vacation or a leave of absence or something, can't you? As for Nick, it’s not like you won’t see him. I’ll bring him with Arianna and I when we come visit."

D looked at him and crossed her arms.

"Alright, what's the deal. Why do you want me to go so bad?" She asked seriously.

AJ ran his hands through his hair and sat down on the grass.

"You promise not to tell Dawn?" He asked, looking up at her.

"Yes."

"I don’t want her to be alone with Noah. I don’t trust him. I’ve been watching him tonight and I don’t like the way he looks at her. I talked to him earlier and he made it quite clear that he's very single. It figures. He said that he’d take care of Dawn, she’s in good hands. I think he’s up to something, D, and I don’t like it."

D sat down next to AJ on the grass and took a deep breath. She had to tell him she agreed with him.

"I’m sure he will look out for her like any manager would. It’s his job. I don’t know if he’s up to something, AJ, but I have to admit, I’ve noticed the way he looks at Dawn too, and the way he acts around her."

AJ looked at her shocked as D continued.

"I noticed it the day of Kevin’s barbecue, too, but I didn’t say anything because you were worried and I didn’t want to upset you more. I’m sure it’s nothing, though."

"Well, this is just great, so I'm NOT overreacting. I would feel so much better if you were there with her. Not only to watch out for Noah but to make sure she’s ok. I know what being on the road is like. Touring can be such a bitch. It’s not easy, but with you there it may be easier for her. I would go myself, but with Arianna, you know I just can't."

D looked at AJ and she could see the pleading in his eyes.

"Please, please, please," AJ begged, grabbing her hands and giving her his pouty face.

D laughed and shook her head.

"Alright, McLean. I’ll do it but you better bring my man with you when you visit!!"

"I will. Besides, he’s gonna drive me nuts without you here to keep him occupied," AJ joked, getting off the ground.

They both laughed as he reached out his hand and helped D up.

"Thank you," he said as he gave her a tight hug.

"Your welcome J. I’ll watch out for her for you."

He smiled at her and they went into the house to rejoin the party.

Just as they walked through the doors Dawn came into the kitchen to get Arianna a drink.

"I was wondering where you two were," she said, giving AJ a kiss as she opened up the refrigerator.

"AJ and I were talking about me coming on tour with you."

"I was telling her that Nicky would be fine without her for three months and that I’d bring him to visit with me and Arianna." AJ informed her.

Arianna came running into the room smiling from ear to ear. She was having such a great time. Everyone was fawning all over her and she loved every minute of it. It hadn’t hit her yet that her Mommy was leaving in a few days. Dawn gave Arianna her drink and she took off to find her Grandma.

"So you’re gonna go?" Dawn asked D excitedly.

"Yes, I’m gonna go with you."

Dawn rushed over to her and gave her a hug.

"This is so great. Now I’m not so scared. I’m going to have someone there to talk to and go shopping with in Paris!"

"Oh great! Should I warn the credit card company now?" AJ asked, cringing at the thought of the huge bill he would have by the time the two of them were finished.

"I think I need a drink," he joked, walking out of the room.

The two girls laughed and started talking a mile a minute about the tour and what needed to be done before it started.

"So have you told Nick yet?" Dawn asked carefully.

"Not yet. I just decided when I was talking to AJ."

"I’m glad he talked you into it. I’m sure it will ease his mind if you’re with me. I think Nick will be alright with it too."

"I hope you’re right. I’m gonna miss him like crazy!"

"I hear ya!" Dawn agreed, "I don’t know if I can leave AJ and Arianna for that long."

"He’s going to come visit you so it won’t be too bad," D reassured her.

"It’s still going to be hard. I’ve never been away from my daughter for more than a few hours. I only have a few more days with her, too. Not only that, but with all the problems Alex and I have had in the past few months, everything has been going so well between us, it makes me not want to leave at all."

"Everything’s going to be fine. I’ll do my best to keep your mind off of them. You’ll be so busy you won’t be able to think straight anyway," D laughed.

"Oh man, thanks for reminding me," Dawn laughed back.

"Are you and AJ doing anything special on your last night here?"

"I’m not sure if he has anything planned. I’m going to give him something special, though."

D gave her a sly smile.

"Yeah, I’m sure you will."

Dawn play-slapped her on the arm.

"Not THAT kind of present you hornball. I’ll leave that to you and Nicky," Dawn joked.

"Oh PLEASE, don't try to fool me, you're forgetting who you're talking to....I know the two of you are worse than we are!"

They bothg laughed.

"So, what are you going to give him?"

"It’s a surprise. I haven’t even gotten it yet. I hope he likes it, though"

D gave her a sideways look.

"It’s not a tattoo is it?"

"No, I’m not getting a tattoo for him."

"Oh, okay." D thought for a minute. "Is it a new dog?"

Dawn shook her head and laughed.

"If you must know, it’s a ring, a promise ring" Dawn whispered.

"Aw, how sweet!!" D gushed. "He’ll love it!!"

"I hope so. I thought that since I'm being such a pain in the ass about the wedding, I wanted to give him SOMETHING so he knows that I do want to marry him, eventually. I want to get something engraved inside of it also, but I don't know what yet. You don't think it's corny to give a guy a promise ring, do you?"

"No, not at all. I think he'll love it. He's into all that mushy, love stuff. He'll probably never take it off!"

"That's the idea", Dawn winked at her as they laughed.

"There you are," Nick said to D as he walked into the kitchen.

"It’s now or never," Dawn whispered to D as she left them alone to talk.

"Where have you been, baby?" Nick asked, wrapping his arms around her.

"I was talking to AJ about the tour coming up," she told him, laying her head on his chest.

She loved being in his arms and was going to miss it terribly. She didn’t know how to tell him she was going away for three months.

"He’s been going crazy about it," Nick said. "Dawn's never done this before and he’s worried. That and the fact that he’s gotta take care of Arianna all by himself."

"Yeah, he’s worried. That’s why he wants me to go with her," she whispered, still holding onto him.

When he didn’t say anything she pulled back and looked up at him.

"What are you going to do?" He asked her quietly.

"She asked me the other day to go and I wasn’t sure with work and...you. Nicky, we’ve just started out and I don’t want anything to come between us. I’m so happy with you and I’m gonna miss you so much," she choked out, a tear falling down her cheek.

Nick brushed his thumb over her cheek and brushed the tear away.

"So that means you’re going to go."

She couldn’t speak so she just nodded.

"I’ll come and visit you with AJ and the baby. We can work it out. We’ll make it through this." Nick pulled her into his arms and held her close. "I’m going to miss you, baby love."

"I’m gonna miss you too, Nicky."

Nick leaned down and gave her a tender kiss on the lips. A minute later Denise walked into the room.

"Come in here guys, Dawn has a surprise, I think she’s going to sing something for Alex".

D and Nick looked at each other, puzzled.

"Funny, she didn’t mention anything to me about this", D said.

They walked into the living room where everyone was gathered. Dawn was standing in the middle of the room holding a microphone.

"Okay, now that I think everyone’s here, there’s a few things I want to say. First, I want to thank everyone that’s here tonight from the bottom of my heart, you’ve all done so much for me I don’t know how I could ever repay you. I have wonderful friends and you guys mean so much to me, thank you."

"Secondly, there is someone, besides that little one there", she pointed at Arianna sitting in Denise’s lap. "That means more to me than anything in the world".

She looked directly at AJ as he sat looking at her, stunned.

"It’s Daddy!" Arianna yelled as everyone laughed.

"Not only is he the love of my life, but he’s also my best friend. I don’t know where I’d be right now if it weren’t for him. He’s helped me through some of the darkest times in my life and has been instrumental in giving me some of the best times in my life. Everything I have right now, I owe to him".

Tears started to well up in her eyes.

"I want to sing a song, it’s not mine, but it means a lot to me and the words describe the way I feel".

She looked over at AJ again who was lovingly watching and listening to her.

"I just want to say thank you Alex and I love you with all my heart. This is for you."

AJ mouthed back "I love you" and blew her a kiss as the music started.

"For all those times you stood by me, for all the truth that you made me see. For all the joy you brought to my life, for all the wrongs that you made right. For every dream you made come true, for all the love I found in you, I’ll be forever thankful, baby. You’re the one who helped me up, never let me fall, you’re the one who saw me through, through it all. You were my strength when I was weak, you were my voice when I couldn’t speak. You were my eyes when I couldn’t see, you saw the best there was in me. Lifted me up when I couldn’t reach, you gave me faith ‘cause you believed. I’m everything I am, because you loved me..."

When the song ended AJ stood up, walked over to Dawn and pulled her into his arms as everyone was clapping.

"I love you so much", AJ whispered in Dawn’s ear as he pulled her face to his and kissed her gently.

Denise sat wiping the tears from her eyes while holding Arianna in her lap. Even D had to fight back tears. She looked up and kissed Nick tenderly on the lips.

Chapter 13
Back