Chris’s phone rang at eight o’clock Wednesday morning. "What in the world?" she muttered to herself, rolling over and reaching for the phone on the nightstand. "Hello?"

"Is this the sexy lady in 535?" a husky male voice asked. Chris recognized the voice immediately.

"That depends," she answered, laying on her side.

"On what?"

"On whether or not this is the sexy man in 533," Chris said.

"Then I guess this must be the sexy lady in 535."

"And you must be the sexy man in 533."

"You know what I want to do?"

"What’s that?" Chris started to smile.

"I want to break down the door between us and jump into bed with you."

"Is that all?"

There was a pause. Then, "Actually, no, that’s not all..."

Chris looked to see if the door separating AJ’s room from hers was unlocked. "Well, then what are you waiting for?" She heard the click from the other phone being hung up and before she could do the same to hers, AJ banged open the door, ran across the room, and jumped on her bed...and on top of her.

"Hel-lo!" Chris said.

AJ pulled back the covers from on top of her head and kissed her cheek. "Good morning, sexy lady."

"Good morning, sexy man," she returned, smiling. "Did you sleep well?"

AJ closed his eyes and shook his head. "Not at all. All I could think about was you. But it was all good. How about you?"

"Do you want the truth?"

"Always."

"I slept fine. And I didn’t dream about anything. Not even you." Seeing the fake hurt on AJ’s face, Chris shifted around until she was facing him. "But that was because I didn’t want to be disappointed when I saw the real thing."

AJ kissed her on the lips, lightly. Chris kissed him back, with more force. Within seconds the two of them were kissing passionately, holding onto each other as if they would never let go. But never once did either of them try to go any further, even in the intensity of the moment.

When they finally came up for air, literally, as they somehow ended up under the blanket, Chris shook her head.

"What?" AJ asked.

"I just don’t understand."

"Understand what?" he pressed, concerned.

"I don’t understand how I can love you so much."

"Come here, you." AJ put his arms around her and held her to him. "What are your plans for today?"

"Hmm. I don’t know. After being up so late last night, and that obscene phone call from a complete stranger, I think I’ll just stay in bed all day."

"Need some company?"

"What? In bed?"

"Well, if that’s where you’re going to be staying all day..."

"You know darned well--"

"I know, I know." AJ kissed the top of her head again. "I thought the whole group could spend a little time together, like go to the beach or something. Have a relaxing day before we leave to go home tomorrow."

"We’re leaving tomorrow?" Chris asked. "Wow! And the tour kicks off again right away?"

"Yep. In Fort Lauderdale. Actually, we’re leaving really late tonight. It’s going to be a long trip."

"Yeah, I know. I’m excited to be going home, though. Sleep in my own bed."

"Are you coming with us on this leg?" AJ wasn’t sure if he wanted her around for the first couple weeks. He had to work on his marriage proposal.

"I don’t want to be a burden. And besides, you’re bound to get tired of me."

"I’d never get tired of you. And you’d never be a burden. However, I would understand if you didn’t want to come. It’s a lot to ask to continue on tour, especially since you’ve never been on one before. And this is a world tour."

"Don’t I know it? I think I’ll go to Fort Lauderdale, then I’ll just head back to Orlando. You guys are going to have off for Christmas, right?"

"Absolutely. We wouldn’t miss the Annual Backstreet Christmas Party at the Littrell’s for anything."

"Especially since it’s named after you?"

"Exactly. But that’s weeks away. Let’s just enjoy this time."

Chris looked at the clock. "How about I get dressed and we can go enjoy some time outside of the hotel room?"

AJ looked her up and down. "But I like your T-shirt dress! And your flattened hair. And your dirty socks--"

"Don’t say anything else. Please." Chris wriggled out of AJ’s grasp and got out of the bed, adjusting her T-shirt over her boxers. AJ watched her, looking closer at a shadow on the back of her leg.

"Hey, Chris, turn a bit to the left, would ya?"

"Why?" she asked, turning.

"What’s that on your leg?"

"Where? Here?" She lifted her leg behind her so she could see. "Oh, that’s just a bruise. I must’ve run into something the other day, I guess. See?" Chris pulled down the waist of her boxers, revealing a bruise the size of a baseball on her hip. "I have one here, too."

"My God, Chris!" AJ got up and came over to her, peering at her hip. "What the hell did you do?"

"Language, mister. I don’t know. Maybe I sleepwalk?"

"It’s a painful shade of purple."

"Very poetic."

"Does it hurt?" he asked, pressing gently on it.

"No. But I’ll admit it is ugly."

"Do you have any more?"

"Not that I’m aware of, and no, I do not give you permission to check for me," she said teasingly. "Now give me back my shorts."

AJ reluctantly backed away. He was still in his boxers, but no shirt. "I guess I’ll go change, too. Then I’ll gather the rest of the crew."

"Okay," Chris nodded. "Meet me back here?"

"Or there," he said, pointing to his room. "Or somewhere in between."

"Sounds good. See you in a few." Chris wandered into the bathroom, and closed the door. Taking off her clothes, she looked at herself in the mirror. The bruises on her hip and leg were nothing compared to the ones that were hidden by her clothing. There was one on her upper arm, one on her left shoulder, one on her lower back, and one on her shin which AJ hadn’t noticed. She looked herself over to make sure there weren’t any new ones, then sighed. It was a good thing they were going home. She needed to get checked out right away.

"I’m telling you, Kevin, those things are huge!" AJ was saying. Howie looked at him.

"What in the world are you talking about?" he asked.

"The ugly mother bruises on Chris. They’re like this big!" he said, holding his hands in a circle about the size of a baseball. "And she says they’re not painful, but they look so horrible. It scares me."

"Are you sure it just wasn’t a mark? Like from paint, or an imprint from the bed?" Kevin asked.

"I’m positive. Kev, I know I’ve been going out with her for almost five months. But there are things I still don’t know about her. Are these things part of her, well, you know?"

"I know that bruises can be a sign of leukemia, but maybe she really did just walk into something, you know?" Kevin put a hand on AJ’s shoulder. "I’m not saying don’t brush this off, but don’t make a big deal out of it, either."

"But I--"
"I think Kevin’s right," Howie said. "If you try to push the issue, you might scare her off."

"I don’t think I’d be scaring her off," AJ argued. "I’d just be showing her that I’m concerned."

"AJ, calm down." Kevin said, looking over AJ’s shoulder. "She’s coming, and she’s fine. Don’t let her see you upset."

"Take a deep breath," Howie said. AJ did. "Good. Now just treat her as you normally would."

"Hey there, you handsome strangers!" Chris said, coming up behind AJ and putting her arms around his waist.

"That must be my beautiful lady," AJ said, turning his head to see. Chris smiled, her dark eyes twinkling. Howie observed the wordless interaction between AJ and Chris, then made eye contact with Kevin, who was also watching.

"Okay, you guys. What are we going to do today?" Nick asked, coming into the room. " ‘Morning, Chris," he added, noticing her. "You look nice."

"Thanks, Nick. You, too."

"I think we should do something fun. But what is there that’s fun to do in Italy during the day?" AJ asked.

"You’re the party boy," Howie said. "You should know."

"You know, guys," Chris began, standing beside AJ now, "I’ve never been to Italy. I’d hate to ask and sound like a little kid, but could we go see the city?"

"That sounds like a good idea," Howie said.

"I agree," Nick said. "I think it’d be fun."

"All in favor?" Kevin asked.

"Aye!" the group chorused.

"What are we ‘aying’ about?" Brian said, he and Emily joining the group.

"You just missed the vote of the day," AJ said.

"For what?" Emily asked.

"For what we’re going to do today. The guys are taking me on a tour of the city." Chris said excitedly. "Are you coming?"

"It sounds like fun, but we already had plans." Brian said. "But you guys have a good time. Don’t stay out too late. We have to be at the airport at 3:00."

"Yes, Dad," Nick said.

"Have fun and be careful," Chris said.

"We will. Catch you later!" With that, Brian and Emily waved and left the hotel room.

"Well?" Kevin said. "Are we ready?"

"Almost. Just let me get a jacket and my purse," Chris said, sprinting back into her room. A few seconds later, they heard a thump and Chris say, "Oh, damn!"

"You okay?" AJ said, running in. Chris was sitting on the floor, holding her left wrist.

"I’m fine. Help me up."

"Yes, ma’am," he teased, reaching his hand out. She took it with her right hand and stood up. "What’d you do?"

"I’m a klutz. I tripped over my own feet and landed on my wrist. I think I just twisted it."

"Are you sure?" he asked, taking her hand gently in his own and examining it. "Does it hurt?"

"When you touch it like that, it does."

"How about when I do this?" AJ turned her hand over, and saw her wince.

"Of course it hurts, you idiot!" Chris cried, hitting him on the shoulder with her good hand. "Why do people always ask if it hurts, and then try to make it hurt?"

"I don’t know."

"It hurts, okay?" Chris shook her head. "I swear, I’m so clumsy. But I did bring my brace just in case."

"Where is it?"

"In my suitcase. I’ll get it. I know exactly where it is." Chris took her hand away and opened her suitcase with the other. She pulled out her wrist brace and closed the suitcase. Holding out her injured hand, she asked, "Would you?"

"Sure." AJ took the brace and wrapped up her wrist. "Better?"

"Could be. We’ll see. Now let’s go before they think we hit the sack." Chris put her purse over her shoulder and grabbed her jacket, and returned to AJ’s room.

"What’d you do now, Chris?" Nick asked. "We heard a thump."

"I was just seeing if I could fly off the bed. I did, for about a second. Then I crashed."

"There’s a big surprise," Kevin said, under his breath.

Chris looked at him. "Now what’s that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing at all," he replied. "I’m still marveling over how you got all the klutzy genes. I know it wasn’t from my side of the family."

"Thank you, Kevin, for that fabulous revelation of your family history," AJ said. "Need I remind you of a certain little rip that occurred during a show a few months ago?"

"You don’t have to," Kevin said. "But that wasn’t due to lack of coordination."

"It was if you always get caught on protruding objects--"

"Don’t go any farther with that, please," Chris said, covering her ears. "I don’t need to hear anymore."

"It wouldn’t bother you if you had your mind out of the gutter," Kevin said, grinning.

"Ugh! You guys are so disgusting. I’m not sure if I want to spend a whole day with you."

"Actually less," Howie said. "Unless we get a move on."

"Sounds good to me," Chris said. "Is everyone here who’s going?"

AJ looked around. "I think so. And if they’re not, that’s their problem." He took her hand and started for the door. "Let’s try to get out of here without causing a scene." Howie, Nick, and Kevin followed, with Kevin making sure the door was locked. Then the group headed for the fire exit and went outside through the back door of the hotel.

Chris was dreaming again. It had been a long day, and when she and the guys had returned from their tour of the city, instead of sitting up and talking, Chris went to bed. Now she rolled over in her sleep, and pulled up the covers.

This time, instead of a man in a hooded cloak, it was her doctor. He was shaking his head sadly, and closed her file. Chris was laying on the hospital bed, the steady ticking of the heart monitor the only sound in the room. She was awake, but neither the doctor nor the others in the room could see it. Everyone was in the white room: Kevin, Brian, Howie, Nick, Emily, AJ, and even Kat. There was someone else, too. A tall, attractive female whom Chris remembered vaguely from seeing her, but didn’t know her name. She was standing beside AJ, a little too close. Chris tried to speak, tried to tell her to get away from her boyfriend.

Chris cried out and shot up straight in her bed, the blanket falling from her shoulders. Her heart was racing and she turned her head rapidly back and forth, trying to see where she was without giving her eyes the chance to adjust. Once she realized that she was still in the hotel room, she tried to control her breathing. Inhale....exhale....inhale...exhale, she thought to herself, forcing herself to breathe in counts of eight.

Soon Chris was calm enough to realize that what had happened was just a dream. But why is my heart still racing? Why did it scare me so badly? I’m still shaking, she thought, looking at her hands in the moonlight. Suddenly there was a jiggle of the lock and the door banged open. Howie flipped on the light switch and came running to the bed, fully dressed. He hadn’t been to bed yet.

"Are you okay? What happened? I heard a scream!"

Chris was shaking uncontrollably, but managed a small smile. "Bad dream," she said. "No big deal."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Howie asked, concerned. He looked at Chris, her eyes wide and frightened. She shook her head. Howie reached over and put his hand on her back as she bent over. "Chris, are you positive you don’t want to talk about it?"

"No..." she managed to say. "Not now. It’s not time yet." Howie looked at her, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"I still have another year. Another year," Chris repeated, in a state of shock. Howie sat down on the edge of the bed and rubbed her back gently.

"It’ll all be okay, Chris. It was just a dream," he said, trying to comfort her. She was sitting rigid and still shaking. As Howie continued to rub her back, the shakes subsided, and soon Chris had relaxed again.

"I’m sorry, ‘D," she apologized, sitting up straight again.

"Chris, don’t worry about it. Bad dreams happen." He removed his hand from her back and looked towards the door which was still open. "I hope you don’t mind I kicked in your door."

Chris followed his gaze and said, "It’s not my door. You can do whatever you want to it."

Howie laughed. "Somehow I don’t think the manager would appreciate that." He looked at his watch. "You still have about two more hours if you want to sleep some more."

"I think I will try to get a few more winks. It’s been a rough week," she said, stretching her arms over her head and yawning. Howie got off the bed as Chris snuggled back down under the covers, then turned out the light. "I’m sorry again, for interrupting you, Howie. I don’t mean to be a burden."

"You’re not a burden. Now go back to sleep. We’re going back home soon."

"Yeah...."Chris sighed, closing her eyes. Within a few seconds, she was asleep, and Howie left, closing the door quietly behind him.