Part 47: * * * * * * * * * * AJ tapped on the window again, growing more and more worried. Jenn had looked at him then turned her head back to the steering wheel. He watched as her shoulders shook and he fumbled through his pockets for the spare keys. Finding them he unlocked the door and threw it open, kneeling beside her. "Jenn, baby what is it??" he asked worriedly. "Were there reporters there?" She laughed, a hollow laugh that unnerved him. "I wish there had been." "Jenn would you look at me and tell me what your talking about?? Your scaring me." "Oh really? Am I??" she reached across and opened the passenger door. "What is with you, did something happen?? Damnit Jenn talk to me." he said as she finally got out of the car. She ignored him as she walked around and pulled the duffel bag out of the car, "You want to talk to me, are you sure?" "Jenn what the hell is going on?" he yelled, he was afraid something had happened. He could only imagine. "Fine we'll talk upstairs, I don't feel like getting into this outside." Five minutes later they were upstairs in their room, the door locked while AJ watched her toss the bag on the bed. "What's going on?" he asked, somewhat more calmly. Jenn undid the zipper on the bottom compartment and pulled out a small clear plastic bag. "What the hell is this J?? I thought you didn't do this anymore?" she tossed it at him. He watched it fall to the rug at his feet and his heart started racing. "What...where'd you find that?" "This bag at home. I mean it makes sense, the way you were acting...not sleeping just pushing everyone away...the rampage in the studio that day ...I can't believe you AJ!! You promised me you stopped this shit before we were engaged!!" "I'm telling you Jenn I'm not...I swear I've never seen this before." "Oh so the drug fairy broke in and hid this in your old favorite duffel bag..." "Where was the bag Jenn?" "Why don't you tell me?" she sat on the bed, shaking in disbelief. It had been all she could do to control her anger on the drive home. "I have no idea!! I haven't used that bag in years, you know that for a fact. Maybe I left some in there years ago." "That would be quite a convincing lie J if I hadn't seen the way you just picked your cigarettes right back up the moment things started going wrong with Backstreet." "I hear yelling." Brian commented, glancing towards the stairs. "Good deduction Rok." Nick said shaking his head. "I didn't even hear them come in." "So their fighting, what else is new??" Shan said, pouring herself another drink. She noticed everyones curious stare. "Name one couple that hasn't been fighting these last weeks." No one answered, "Point taken." Brian said, meeting his wife's gaze. "Anyways...how'd that meeting with Justin go?" Nick asked, steering the conversation away from another fight. "It went nowhere." Lis said, taking the last piece of pepperoni pizza. "How'd that happen?" "He didn't want to help, couldn't believe Lou would or could do something like that. What did Lou do, hypnotize you all or something?" Jenn walked downstairs, AJ at her heels. "I'm not listening to you lie anymore Alexander. I know what I found and that's that." she stopped as she walked into the kitchen and found the foursome sitting there staring at her with wide eyes. "Oh shit." AJ stopped behind her, "Oh goody our friends are here too." "Uh what's going on guys??" Brian asked, he'd never seen Jenn this angry before. Jenn turned to AJ then back to the group, "Not much, J's doing drugs but hey what else do you expect from the resident Bad Backstreet Boy." she smirked and sat down at the table. Nick and Brian both stared blankly at AJ. "J you told us that Lou's stuff on you was wrong." "Oh no, it was right all along. I found his secret stash right there at home." "Jenn...guys I am not doing drugs. I haven't for years..." "Where'd you find them Jenn?" Brian asked. "Upstairs in his old duffel bag. Well upstairs at our house." she poured herself a drink and stared at AJ. "I thought I knew you J..." "Hello am I invisible?? I haven't done that stuff for years...I never even knew there was any in the house." "Did big bad Lou plant them??" Jenn asked, raising an eyebrow. "Screw this!!" J stormed from the room and Lis looked at Nick, motioning for him to go after him. "No, he's got his problems he can deal with them on his own." he stated firmly. "Some friend you are Nick." Lis muttered. Howie drove the car back towards the beach house, the only sound in the car was that of the radio and Ty softly singing along every few songs. "How do you think it went?" she asked finally. Howie let out a deep sigh, "I don't know. I just hope I didn't tip him off somehow. The last thing we need is him running to Lou telling him the gig's up, get ready to go to jail." "Honestly I don't think Paul's that smart." He laughed a little, "Why not??" "Just a feeling. He may be the liason between the mob and legal businesses but he's not all that bright." "Now why didn't you tell me that years ago?" "Because you never would have listened." Howie pulled in the driveway, parking just behind Jenn's car as AJ came tearing outside. "Ty why don't you go in, I'm gonna see J...he doesn't look that well." "You sure?" she asked, unbuckling her seatbelt. "Yeah you go ahead." he opened the door and got out, heading in the direction AJ went. "J!!" he called, it was starting to get dark out and he could barely see his friend. "Go away Howard." J said coldly. "Nope, not gonna." He sat down on the cold cement beside him, they were at the back of the property where the steps led down to the beach. "What's going on?" "Oh lets see, my wife found drugs and immediately thinks I'm back to using." "Are you??" J shot him a dirty look, "J you know I gotta ask." "No D, I haven't in years. Not even through all this shit." "That's good though, means rehab helped." "Yeah well no one gives a damn that I'm telling the truth. Jenn will never believe me, Nick and Brian don't. Like why should I even try?? Maybe I'll jump in my car and go away, cuz I sure as hell aren't wanted here." D put his hand on his friend's shoulder "J..." He pushed his friend's hand away, "Save it D. No one wants me hear, Kevin will chew my ass out as soon as he hears about this. You know what, maybe Lou did us a favor, maybe it was damn time we broke up."