Marshall was talking to Dre about one of the tracks on his new CD that was a couple months away from dropping when suddenly he was interrupted by someone grabbing his hand and pulling him in for a half-hug.

"Em, hey, how've you been?" AJ asked, ignoring the way his gut clenched in apprehension as the blond rapper's icy blue eyes landed on him. He was making a spectacle out of himself in the hopes that it would grab the rapper's attention and get him curious enough to meet him in private so he could warn him about what was going on. As he dragged a resisting Marshall in closer, he whispered against his ear, "Bathroom by the bar, five minutes."

Marshall shoved him away, asking, "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

AJ rolled his eyes, playing his part well, not letting on in the least that he was pretty sure he'd end up getting his ass beat for how he was acting. "Oh please. Everyone here knows all that boyband stuff you spew is just hype. We all know you don't really have that big of a problem with us."

Marshall stared at him like he'd grown another head, his whispered words still rolling through his brain. Why the hell did he want him to meet him in the bathroom in five minutes, and why the fuck was he acting like they were old friends when they'd never even met before? Finally he decided the boyband bitch must be using again. It was the only explanation for why he'd play Russian roulette with his life that way.

Just before turning away to ignoring him, he commented, "Whatever, bitch, obviously rehab didn't do its job."

AJ laughed like that was the funniest thing he ever heard before leaning in and resting a hand on Marshall's shoulder. In a low voice, he said, "Be there or regret it."

Before Marshall could respond, AJ walked off. He stared after him, vaguely hearing Dre ask him what AJ had meant by that, but all Marshall could do was shrug. "No fucking clue Dre. The fucker is stoned or some shit."

Four minutes later, Marshall was wandering through the crowd by himself. Dre had gotten sidetracked by someone wanting to talk to him about a track he wanted him to produce for him and Marshall had gotten the hell out of there. Shop talk, unless it was shop talk about his shit, was not his thing.

Somehow he found himself near the bathroom by the bar. Whether it was conscious or unconscious, he had no clue, but he figured he had nothing better to do anyway, so he might as well find out what he wanted. While he was at it, he could have some fun and threaten him for good measure for coming up to him in public like that too.

AJ watched Marshall walk into the bathroom exactly on time. He was slightly shocked. After he'd calmed his nerves enough from having, in essence, threatened the slightly psychotic rapper publicly with that 'Be there or regret it,' comment, he found himself doubting that the man would take him seriously and actually meet him there.

But he was there, and now AJ had to work up the courage to go over there and talk to him. It wasn't that AJ was a wimp, or scared of his own shadow, but Marshall was from a different world than he was and violence was an everyday thing for him. AJ just wasn't too eager to be on the receiving end of it. He knew though, that if he wanted him to take him seriously, he'd have to get his respect first.

Gathering his courage, he walked over to the door and tried the knob. It was unlocked. Looking behind him to make sure the guy he'd seen on the balcony wasn't watching, he opened the door and stepped inside.

Marshall was waiting for him, standing half behind the door. When he saw the knob turn, he prepared himself, hoping it was the boy bitch and not someone else. As soon as he caught sight of his trademark sunglasses and goatee, he stepped forward, turning the lock on the door and slamming it shut at the same time.

AJ barely had time to register what was happening before he found himself pressed into the wall next to the door, Marshall's tattooed forearm across his throat constricting his breathing.

"You've got exactly ten seconds to explain yourself before I beat your ass." Marshall said in a low, threatening voice.

AJ realized briefly how stupid he'd been for going in there alone. He should have gotten Kevin to come with him. Sure, he and Kevin were having problems, but Kevin was probably the only person he knew who could have had half a shot at intimidating Marshall. Then he remembered his earlier thoughts. He had to be just as much of a hard ass if he wanted to get the other man to listen to him.

Ignoring the hand across his throat, he reached up and shoved at Marshall's chest hard, leaning all his body weight into it. The surprise of AJ fighting back more than the force he used dislodged Marshall and in the next instant Marshall found himself pressed against the wall, AJ pinning him with a hand on each bicep.

'Damn, the little fucker moves fast,' he thought to himself. Out loud he said through clenched teeth, "Get the fuck away from me before I really get pissed."

AJ ignored the sick feeling in his gut that the older man could and would deliver on his threat and smirked like he could care less what he said. "I will, after I tell you what I called you in here for."

Marshall stared at him curiously, his anger momentarily forgotten. That was the reason he'd come in here after all, to find out what the fuck the skinny little shit wanted from him. "Well?"

"There's something in your pocket you might want to get rid of." AJ stated.

Marshall's eyebrows furrowed together. How the hell would he know what was in his pocket or not? "You really are using again, aren't you?"

AJ shook his head. "No. Just reach in your pocket already, will ya?"

Marshall stiffened. "Don't fucking tell me what to do."

AJ's impatience got the best of him then and he let go of one of his biceps to reach down and into Marshall's pocket himself. The instant Marshall felt him reaching into his jeans he snapped. AJ didn't even see the punch coming as Marshall swung his freed arm at him, catching him on the side of the jaw.

AJ jerked backwards, his sunglasses flying off, his hand caught in the other man's pocket up to his wrist. As he started to fall, his caught hand pulled Marshall off balance and then he was on the floor, the older man half on top of him, his hand still in Marshall's pocket.

Realizing he was about to get the shit beat out of him if he didn't do something fast, AJ bent his knee and planted his foot on the floor, using it to push him over onto his side and Marshall effectively off of him. Rolling over further, he shoved Marshall onto his back and climbed on top of him, straddling his thighs. Silently he made a note to thank Nick for all the wrestling matches they'd gotten into over the years.

"You are fucking dead, bitch. As soon as I get out of here you'd better run far and fast because I'll be after your ass. No one fucking gropes me and lives." Marshall snarled, bucking up and trying to dislodge AJ.

AJ ignored the pain in his jaw for the moment as he leaned down and wrapped his free hand around Marshall's throat, squeezing slightly to get him to shut up as the trapped man let loose a string of curses. Adrenalin was rushing through AJ's veins and he could feel his heart beat pounding in his ears like a drum beat.

Leaning in close so his face was only inches from the other man's, he glared at him and bit out, "Shut the fuck up, will you? I'm trying to help you here, not grope your sorry ass. I'm not that hard up, ok?"

Marshall stared up at him, shocked at the younger man's aggressiveness, but unwilling to give him the satisfaction of seeing it. He'd never expected him to have been able to get the upper hand with him. He was impressed, even if he was unwilling to admit that to himself.

"Get your motherfucking hand out of my goddamn pocket." He bit out, his voice slightly raspy because of the pressure AJ was placing on his throat.

"With pleasure," AJ sneered.

Feeling around inside his pocket for a second more, he felt what he was looking for and pulled his hand free. At the same time he released his hold on Marshall's neck and stood up. He tossed the little clear vial with white powder in it down on the other man's chest and took a step back, rubbing his jaw where he'd hit him.

Marshall sat up, grabbing the drugs as they rolled down his chest. "What the fuck?"

"That's why I came over to you out there and told you to meet me in here." AJ mumbled, searching his own pockets now for his cigarette and lighter.

He was starting to come off the adrenalin high a little and he was suddenly shaky. He did not want Marshall to know that though. Finding what he was looking for, he lit up, taking a long drag and blowing it out slowly, feeling the nicotine sail through his veins almost immediately and calm him somewhat.

Marshall got to his feet. He was thoroughly confused. "So you could plant drugs on me?"

AJ rolled his eyes, feigning a calm he didn't quite have. "Damn, mark this day on the calendar. He can say a complete sentence without swearing. And yes. That makes perfect fucking sense. I dragged your ass in here to plant coke on you by putting it right in your hands and pointing it out to you. Oh, and that was a cheep feel by the way, which is why I got nowhere near your dick, asshole."

Marshall clenched his jaw at AJ's sarcasm, fighting the urge to hit him again in favor of information. "Just fucking tell me how this got in my pocket and how you knew about it."

AJ sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he leaned back against the wall. It appeared Marshall no longer had any plans on attacking him…at the moment at least. He was extremely thankful for that. That fight had been his quota for the decade.

"Your ex-wife is setting you up." AJ said flatly, meeting Marshall's cold stare dead on.

Marshall did a double take. "Say that again?"

"She's trying to get you tossed in jail so she can get custody of Hailie." AJ explained patiently as he took another drag off his cigarette.

"And you know all this cuz a little fucking fairy flew by your ear and told you right?" Marshall said sarcastically, not wanting to believe the younger man.

AJ pretended to think about it. "Uh, that would be a no. He definitely didn't have wings, and there was no flying involved. He did however have a cell phone and the short-sightedness not to check the shadowy corner of the balcony before he dialed Kim's number and blabbed every little detail."

Marshall knew in his gut that the other man was telling him the truth. Anger burned in his gut as he threw the vial at the wall and turned around in a circle, cursing Kim with every name in the book.

After a few minutes of swearing, he finally paused for air and Alex quirked a brow, asking, "Done now?"

"Not by a fucking long shot. That bitch is going to pay for this." Marshall fumed, his fists clenching and unclenching.

"Yeah, well, that's your business. I don't what the details. One more thing though. Check your car before you leave. The guy on the cell said something about making sure the police know to search your car. I guess Kim's supposed to call them with an anonymous tip so you get pulled over after you leave here."

Marshall was silent for a moment as he studied AJ. "Why the fuck are you telling me all this?"

AJ shrugged. "Call it my good dead for the day. AA and all that shit."

Marshall snorted. "Yeah, what the fuck ever. No one just does shit for no reason. You've got a reason."

AJ nodded. "Yeah, so? It's my reason. I don't have to share it with you."

Marshall stared at him for another minute, trying to intimidate him. AJ didn't back down even an inch or show any signs of nervousness even though his brain was screaming for him to run for his life. He just continued to lean casually against the wall sucking on his cigarette.

Finally Marshall got sick of trying to figure out what was in it for him and took a step closer, invading AJ's personal space. "Fine, keep it to yourself. Just don't expect no favors from me, now or in the future, got it Backstreet bitch?"

"Trust me, a favor is the last thing I want from you." AJ retorted, trying to ignore the sudden stirring in his jeans as he stared into the other man's eyes, their faces inches apart.

He couldn't believe he was getting turned on by Eminem. Slim shady. Marshall fucking Mathers. No way. He had to be insane. It was the only explanation. That and it had been a couple months since he'd gotten laid last. He was more picky now about who he screwed since rehab.

Marshall backed off, seeing something flash through AJ's eyes behind the sunglasses that he'd found after the scuffle and slipped back on. Something that he either couldn't identify or didn't want to.

Either way, he decided to get the hell out of that bathroom. The asshole was doing something strange to him. He couldn't explain the sensation that had run through him just then when he'd been inches away from him. Correction. He refused to even contemplate what that feeling had been.

"Good. Glad we got that straight." Marshall said, then he was opening the door and walking out.

AJ leaned over and locked the door again after Marshall departed and took a few more hits off his cigarette as he said to the empty room, "Your welcome, Em."

Flicking his cigarette butt into the toilet, he leaned in and flushed it, then headed for the door, deciding he'd spent enough time at that party. Screw the tabloids if they got wind of the fact that he left a mere forty-five minutes after he got there. He no longer cared. He'd just had a face off with Eminem and survived, relatively unscathed…and only slightly disturbed by the fact that he now wanted to fuck the shit out of him. After all, a little insanity could be expected after having a confrontation with him…couldn't it?

Minutes after AJ walked out the door of the party, Marshall tracked down Dre and said his goodbyes. He was too worried that the boy bitch might have been right about there being a stash in his car and he wanted to check it out.

Getting to his car, he started going through it with a single-minded efficiency. Five minutes later he was sitting in the back seat staring dumbfounded down at the drugs in front of him. There was enough there to get him sent away for a while. And more than enough to get his joint custody of Hailie yanked.

He felt sick. He needed to get rid of the shit right away. Looking around, he spotted some bushes off the side of the mansion the party had been at. Grabbing the stuff, he climbed out of his car and headed in that direction, making sure no one saw him as he headed over.

Minutes later he was cruising out of the mile long driveway and turning onto the semi-private road to head toward the highway and his house. Sure enough, within a minute or so, there were flashing lights behind him. He pulled over and leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes momentarily as he waited for the cops to come up to his car.

Fuck. Shit. The Backstreet bitch had been right. Now he owed him and owed him big, even though he had said he didn't. He couldn't believe it.

As his door was yanked open and he was unceremoniously pulled from his car and shoved into it, the officer ordering him to spread his legs so he could search him, Marshall stared down at the pavement and sighed. As fucked up as it was, he'd rather owe the skinny little shit than have to spend the night in jail and loose his daughter.

AJ kicked at the tire of his car yet again. He couldn't believe it. His brand new car had broken down on him. Just flat out stalled. A second before it had happened, the check engine light had come on. A lot of fucking good that did him. Now he was stranded and the battery in his cell phone was dead.

Sighing, he turned and leaned against the car, looking up and down the deserted road. He figured he was approximately halfway between the highway and the party, about two miles from each if he counted the mile long driveway. It was a semi-private road and a Saturday night. No one would be coming by any time soon, he was sure of it. He'd left the party early and as far as he knew, there were no other major parties going on that night, so people would be sticking around for a while.

Resigning himself to the fact that he had a lot of walking ahead of him, no matter which way he looked at it, he locked his car up and started walking back in the direction of the party. Unfortunately only Kevin was there. Nick, Brian and Howie had bailed on them, leaving Kevin and AJ to represent for their group. So now not only did he have to walk two miles back there, he had to stick around until Kevin decided to leave, then spend all that extra time alone with his ex who couldn't get it through his head that they were really over.

Fucking wonderful. His day couldn't get any better he decided, rubbing his jaw absently and remembering the earlier fight with Marshall. The man had hit him hard and it still hurt. He'd be surprised if he didn't have a bruise later.

A good twenty minutes after being pulled over, Marshall was finally back behind the wheel and headed on his way. The cops had hassled him, but they hadn't found a damn thing on him they could haul him away for. It turned out he had a broken tail light, and that had been their excuse for pulling him over, but it was apparent it had been just an excuse to search him and his car. He'd checked out the tail light too. It was obvious it had been smashed on purpose.

He got no more than a minute down the road when he saw a lone figure walking up it. He started to turn away and focus on the road when the glow of a cigarette being brought up to the person's face caught his eye.

He did a double take when he got close enough to see who it was. His brows knit together in curiosity. A few seconds later, a car came into sight, pulled over on the side of the road and Marshall put two and two together. He chuckled to himself, almost feeling sorry for the fucker because of the long walk he had ahead of him.

A few seconds after that though, his conscience, something that was a rarity for him to hear from, kicked into gear and reminded him that he owed the guy. Slamming on the breaks, he cursed under his breath as he shoved his car in reverse and turned in his seat to back up.

Hope had leapt up inside AJ as he took another drag on his cigarette when he'd seen the headlights coming toward him, but when the car passed him by without so much as even slowing down, his hopes sank again. He'd hoped whoever had been behind that wheel would have stopped and offered to give him a lift. Apparently that was too much to wish for.

A minute later though, he heard an engine behind him. Turning, he was surprised to see the car from a minute ago, complete with broken taillight backing up toward him. He paused and waited to see who it was, getting ready to thank the person for stopping.


Chapter Two
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