thanks for all the feedback :)

Part 20:
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"Alec calm down and listen to me will you?"

"Listen to you? Why so you can keep lying?" she yelled.

"I can't talk to you when your being irrational." he said simply getting
to his feet.

Hey eyes went cold, "Irrational? How would you prefer I handled this
Kevin, maybe invited him and whoever his mother is for dinner? Oh I know
why not invite them to move on in since they're family."

"I've never seen him...I don't know he's mine."

"Oh that's supposed to it make it better? But he could be that's what your
saying?"

Kevin nodded, his fingers running through his hair. "Its a possibility!
But I just..."

"Just chose to ignore it."

"I just found out someone just brought this to my intention a little while
ago. I haven't looked into it yet."

"And you never told me about it?"

"I didn't think there was reason too!"

Alec pulled her hand back and let it go, slapping Kevin straight across the
face. "I don't want to hear it. Get out!"


~Next day~

Shan sat watching everyone walk out of the gate where the Nashville to
Lexington flight had landed. After the last person walked by she stood up
and walked inside, trying to see if he was maybe the last one off the
flight. As she stood there the flight attendants walked by and she turned,
trying hard to keep from crying as the realization hit her: Brian was
lying.


Nick passed Lis the phone, "Hi." she said as he walked out of the bedroom.

Shan took a deep breath, "Hey."

"Whats wrong?"

"Remember how he was supposed to fly to Lexington today?"

"Yeah."

"I went, he never got off the plane. I don't think he was even on the
flight."

"Oh man..." Lis mumbled, "What are you doing?"

"I'm staying here in case he ever shows up."

"That reminds me, I got the mail. You got a envelope thingie...looks kinda
official."

"Who's it from?"

"I don't know, didn't look."

"Can you send it up here? Courier it or whatever? I'm not sure how long
I'll be staying here."

"Course."


Cassie sat in the back booth of the restaurant and watched the doors
hoping Brian would hurry. She didn't have too much time before her flight
left. She turned her attention back to the menu that was spread across the
table.


Brain took a seat across from Cassie and nearly laughed as she jumped when
she realized he was sitting there. "Startled you didn't I?"

She shook her head, "Your still just appearing out of thin air!"

He grinned and picked up the menu, "I talked to Cliff last night and he's
going to look over everything. I don't understand why we..."

Cassie leaned back against the booth, "Bri like you said the other night,
it may not be true. It could be a ploy by Lou to make you do something."
He had told her some of what was going on but not the entire story, he
didn't want to tell her any of the others stories.

"Yeah your right." the waitress appeared at that point and they placed
their order, sitting back in relative silence afterwards.


AJ and Jenn walked through the mall, stopping in the food court for a
snack. "Who knew I could get you back in public again?" Jenn teased as
they found an empty table.

He laughed, "Okay so for a while there I was a bit of a recluse."

"An angry, drunk recluse." she stated.

"I'm sorry Jenn its just I didn't want to feel anything. I thought I'd be 
better off numb."

"I know but you scared me." she turned her eyes away from AJ and looked
around, "Bri's away right?"

"Yeah Nashville or something." AJ said eating a couple fries. He glanced
at the bags at his feet, "Do you have the bag from GAP?"

Jenn didn't hear him, she was too busy watching the couple walk out of the
restaurant. "J if I didn't know better I'd swear thats Brian over there
with another woman."

At her words he spun around and stared at Brian and Cassie, "Nah nuh uh
not him." he said hurriedly, quickly he tipped over his drink onto his
white shirt. "Crap!" he yelled jumping up.

"AJ you klutz." she laughed, "Here take this one, its got some of the
shirts you bought in it, go change."

"Thanks Jenn. Meet you back here." he took the bag and walked off,
glancing behind him at the direction where Brian had been. He sighed with
relief when he saw he was long gone. You owe me man, you owe me he thought
as he headed into the men's room.


Ty watched as Howie went over the stack of paperwork again. He kept going
back to the same stack and it was starting to drive her crazy. "Howie!"

"Huh?" he glanced up at her, "Oh hi Ty, what are you up to?"

"Watching you highlight every sentence in that stack of paper. Need me to
help you with something?" she offered, sometimes she'd work with him on
things.

He shook his head, "No I'm good, just about to set this away." he smiled
and moved his chair back from the desk. 

"Finally. You've been cooped up in here all day. Its scary." she leaned
against the doorframe. "Feel up to a movie tonight?"

"Sure. Let me go grab a shower and we'll catch the late show." he started
picking up his papers when the phone rang. He shot her an apologetic look
as he picked it up, "Dorough."

"Mr. Dorough..."


Nick smiled as he walked outside and found AJ sitting at the picnic table.
"J..."

"Hey Carter. Uh Where's Rok?"

"Supposed to be writing isn't he?" Nick asked, taking a seat across from
him.

AJ leaned forward and lowered his voice, "Then why the hell did we see him
and Cassie walking out of a restaurant. I had to pull a distraction so
Jenn wouldn't be a hundred percent sure it was him."

"He's not...but damnit Shan went up to surprise him. Oh shit." Nick
rubbed his face. "What do we do?"
	
"Do about what?" Lis asked walking outside with Jenn.

"Do tonight?" Nick covered.

Jenn sat next to AJ, "We were thinking dinner. If you guys are up to it?"

AJ nodded, "Dinner sounds good. Nick?"

"Yeah great."