A couple of minutes later, after Rachel had the flashback, Nick took her hand.
"Are you feeling better, honey?" he asked, carefully examining her, to see if she was alright.
Rachel looked down to the floor and nodded slowly. Nick nodded and led her to the car, closely followed by AJ. The ride back home was a silent one. They were all feeling uncomfortable with one another. For one, Nick was feeling uncomfortable because he didn't know what was wrong with Rachel. Rachel because she didn't how to tell Nick the things that happened with AJ and AJ because he didn't feel 'at home' with Nick anymore after everything that happened between Rachel and him.
Nick decided to break the silence first.
"I was thinking that maybe tomorrow we could have a little get together in the house so that we could invite the guys and the family over"
"But, they don't know about AJ being in jail and getting out and all" Rachel replied.
"It's a get together... we can tell that we are not celebrating anything in particular. We just wanted to bring the guys and the family together" Nick shrugged.
Rachel shrugged back. "Okay"
Nick looked at the rear view mirror looking at AJ. He was pretty entertained with his shirt. Nick smiled at him. "You're a little bit too quiet. What do you think about the little party?"
"It's a good idea... after all, we haven't seen the guys in a long time"
Rachel looked at Nick. "We can invite Amy over... I haven't seen her in a while"
"Yeah we can" Nick nodded. "Remember that since she is with that Randy guy, she doesn't call anymore" Nick said with a smile, referring to Amy's newfound boyfriend.
"She's really happy with him though"
"Have you talked to her?"
"Almost every day... I haven't seen her in a long time. I think it's been a month since the last time I saw her"
"Okay well... call her when we get home" Nick said darting his eyes to the road again.
AJ took a deep breath as Nick took Rachel's hand.
*Why am I getting so damn jealous... I've never being like that with her* he thought. *Maybe she feels something for me. But then again, maybe not... This is so screwed up...I gotta talk to her, but will she be willing to talk to me after everything that happened. After all, I was the one who kissed her. Maybe I'll talk to Amy... she might help me since he knows Rachel more than well. * he sighed. *I need to talk to Nick too... he's my little bro... he could understand* Then he shook his head slightly. *I don't think so. He has a big temper when it comes to these things. Ohhh McLean... you did screw up things big time now...* he thought, resting his head against the seat and closing his eyes. *Maybe I'll talk to Amy at the party tomorrow... and then... talk to Rach*
___________________________________________________________________
That same night, AJ stayed over at Nick and Rachel's house. They took the time to call everybody about the little 'party' that was going to take place on the next day. Apparently, everyone said yes since they couldn't go to Brian's get together a couple of days before. The next morning, Rachel kept getting all of her flashbacks messed up and it was driving her completely insane. Every night she would get terrible migraines that would make her cry until the wee hours in the morning and Nick had to stay with her all night trying to soothe her and help her get through it. At least, she was trying to live a normal life, under the circumstances but everything that happened with AJ kept troubling her head. She lied down on the bed and closed her eyes, curling herself up in a ball. As she drifted up to sleep, her mind started running...
*Flashbacks begin*
"Nice to meet you, my name is Nick"
"You don't like me, do you?"
"No, I like your friend" Rachel said glancing at AJ.
*****
"Mom! You can't tell me who to date. I love Nick!"
"You don't love him shit Rachel!"
"I love you Nick"
"I love you Rach"
"Rachel Alexandra, will you marry me?"
"Of course!" she said putting her arms around Nick's neck.
"Remember that what God united, let no man come between them"
"I'm pregnant"
"You are the proud mother of a baby boy"
"Thank you for giving me Colin, the greatest gift after you" Rachel grinned kissing Nick softly on the lips.
"Being in our second anniversary... best gift... after the car of course" Rachel said, making Nick chuckle.
"I am going out with your husband behind your back" Patricia whispered to Rachel.
"Are you cheating on me, Nick?"
"I don't love you anymore! I don't know how I could be married with you all this time!" Nick shouted, making Rachel storm out of the room.
"AJ, we can't do this... I can't do this to Nick"
"I love you... It was a mistake. Everything was a mistake. I shouldn't have said anything" Nick said apologetically.
"Oh my God" Rachel said looking at the blood on her hand after the car crash.
"You had a beautiful baby girl"
"I wonder who is Alyssa's father"
*Flashbacks end...*
Rachel opened her eyes abruptly, sweat pouring down her forehead. Then, she leaned back on the bed and contemplated a blank spot on the ceiling, clearly remembering every flashback that marked the course of her life with Nick. She didn't remember everything, but she started remembering bits about her life, from the moment that she met Nick, to the day of the car crash and beyond.
"Please God, bring me my whole memory back" she whispered as she got out of bed and looked at the window.
A smile spread across her face when she saw that Nick and AJ were playing with Alyssa and Colin. She remembered that Nick told her that she was going to look for them at his parents' house while she took a nap.
They were playing hide and seek and Alyssa was sitting on the middle of the lawn, playing with her favorite doll. She watched them closely as all of their faces lit up with happiness. It seemed as if they fully enjoyed everyone's company. When Alyssa wasn't paying attention, Nick went behind her back and lifted her up, giving her a kiss in the process. Then, he started tickling her sides as she was laughing uncontrollably. Then Colin came and threw himself against his father and Nick landed on the floor with both of them lying on his stomach and AJ messing up Nick's hair. Rachel watched the scene unfold in front of her eyes as she unconsciously kept grinning. She couldn't ask for a better father or a better husband, but at the same time, she looked at AJ, carefully remembering all of the times when Nick wasn't there and AJ was. She was extremely confused now but she decided that she would tell Nick everything after the 'party' after she talked to AJ. She couldn't hold it back anymore. She had to tell someone and fast, so she decided that she was going to call Amy.
"Hello?" Amy answered a little bit breathless.
A smirk appeared on Rachel's face, making her forget what she was going to tell her. "Did I interrupt something?"
Rachel heard Amy laugh at the other end of the line.
"I'm sorry I interrupted your steamy make out sesh with Randy"
Amy kept giggling.
"Call me later when you're done" Rachel said with a grin. "And tell me the details"
Then she heard what she thought was Randy's voice at the other end of the line. "Okay" Amy finally said.
Rachel chuckled. "Have fun, and tell Randy that I said hi... see ya later!"
"Bye bye... promise I'll call you later or I'll see ya at the party"
Rachel nodded. "Okay then" She decided that she was going to give the AJ-Nick problem a break so she made up her mind that she would not think about it for now.
A couple of minutes later, she decided to take a shower. Then, she went downstairs where the kids and Nick and AJ were playing. She gave them a shy smile and took Alyssa in her arms.
"Are you going to play with us?" Nick said, wiping off the sweat that was forming on his forehead with the collar of his white shirt.
"You do realize that your friend and family are coming in about 2 hours and your shirt is all ugly"
"So?" he asked nonchalantly.
"So, you gotta take a shower and get dressed... and you too AJ" she said with a smile.
"Ohhh but you like me this way" he said, bringing her close to him.
"Get off from me! You're all sweaty!" she said trying to get out from Nick's grip. "I like you when you're nice and showered"
"Yeah right" he said, nodding sarcastically. Then he cracked up a smile. "Don't worry sweetie" he said, rubbing her back.
AJ lifted Colin off from the floor. "Let's play" he said, making Colin laugh. "Are you going to play with uncle AJ?"
Colin nodded and motioned for him to get him down to the floor. AJ did it and they played some more hide and seek until it was shower time and dress up time.
It was 2 o'clock and people started arriving. The first to arrive were Brian and Leigh accompanied by Leigh's nephew Andrew who found entertainment with Alyssa in the playpen. Then, everybody else arrived, including Nick's family, Amy and Randy and the rest of the Backstreet Boys. They were all having a great time, dancing to the music and talking to each other.
Rachel decided that she would talk to Amy but the only thing that Amy told her was that she should talk to AJ and Nick and set the record straight with everything that was going on.
Meanwhile, Nick was talking to his mom and messing with Aaron, while AJ was talking to Howie, never mentioning the fact that he was just coming out of jail, saving Nick from a crime that neither of them committed.
After Rachel talked to Amy, she was eyeing AJ from a distance, clearly distinguishing his every move. She took a deep breath and went over to where he was, determined that she was going to talk to him right there and then. She put his hand on his shoulder making him turn around and face her.
"Can I talk to you for a sec?" Rachel said uneasily.
AJ sensed what she was feeling and nodded slowly, predicting what she was going to tell them and foreseeing that it was not too good.
"Let's go upstairs" she motioned, walking in front of him up the stairs. She entered her and Nick's room and sat on the bed. AJ entered, leaving the door slightly ajar.
"Well, here we can talk without the music interrupting us"
AJ sat on the bed next to Rachel, rather uncomfortable with what she was going to tell him.
Rachel stood up and looked out the window. Then, she turned around, taking a deep breath and facing AJ.
"Whatever happened between us, it was not supposed to happen"
AJ closed his eyes and sighed softly. "I know Rachel, I wasn't going to talk to Nick about it"
"I know AJ... that's the problem... Nick is the one who is my husband and I feel uncomfortable around him when I think about the kiss we shared. I can't deal with this 'secret' anymore. I don't know how I'm going to tell Nick... but I know that I will be telling him soon"
"Rach, I know it was out of line for me to kiss you. I just can't hide back what I feel" AJ replied simply.
Rachel looked at him strangely. "W-what do you mean?"
AJ motioned for her to come sit next to him. She did as told and sat down next to him, looking at him straight in the eye.
"I can't hide what I feel" he repeated in a whisper. Rachel closed her eyes and diverted her sight to the window, again.
There was an awkward silence surrounding them.
"AJ?" she said, still glancing at the window.
"Hmmm?"
"I recalled the first time I met Nick..."
AJ put a hand on Rachel's shoulder making her turn around.
"What exactly did you recall?"
"I liked you first"
AJ nodded and smiled. "I remember that you were a waitress in a restaurant and the whole group went there. We were not famous yet in the states, so no one recognized us. Nick was so attracted to you. It was crazy. Nick told me that although he was shy and all, he was going to approach you"
Rachel was beginning to get interested in what AJ was saying and turned around, looking at him.
"Then, he talked to you and..." he started chuckling.
"What?" Rachel said, smiling.
"Nick innocently asked if you liked him..."
"... and I said I liked you" Rachel finished as AJ's eyes were wide open by her spontaneous comment.
"Exactly... did you remember that too?"
"When you got out of jail... I had this big headache." she took his hand "I remembered that during that big headache"
"Do you still feel the same way?"
Rachel sighed loudly. "AJ... as much as I want to be with you... I can't... I don't know my past... I don't know anything... plus I'm Nick's wife. I can't do that to him"
"Can I tell you something?"
___________________________________________________________________
"Hey momma!" Nick said, greeting his mom with a big kiss on the cheek.
"Hey son! Where's Rachel and the kids?"
"Colin and Alyssa are playing with Andrew right there" he said, motioning with his finger where they were.... and Rachel, I haven't seen her in a while"
"Okay then... I'll go play with them"
Nick nodded and grinned, messing Aaron's hair. Since he was behind his mom, Nick couldn't do anything to him. Jane turned around abruptly.
"Ohh and before I go, can I go upstairs to the bathroom? Cause, I think someone's using the downstairs bathroom"
"Sure, come on" Nick said, signaling for them to follow him upstairs.
___________________________________________________________________
"Can I tell you something?" AJ whispered.
Rachel nodded. "Sure, what?"
AJ cupped Rachel's head in his hands and kissed her lightly on the lips.
"Oh my God" Jane said, as she saw Rachel and AJ lip locked on Nick and Rachel’s bed, making Rachel and AJ separate abruptly. Since the door was a little open, she could see what was going on.
Nick and Aaron didn't say a word. They just gazed at the sight of AJ and Rachel kissing on Nick's bed.