Gwen woke up from her peaceful sleep to realize her plane landed. She looked out the window, expecting to see the familiar Orlando airport, but cocked her head to the side when she saw it wasn't it.
"Uh, where are we?" Gwen asked the stranger next to her.
''A pregnant lady on the plane started to have contractions so we had to land in Pittsburgh," the man informed her.
"PITTSBURGH?!" Gwen shouted, jumping up. She looked at her watch. She know she wouldn't make it for the beginning of the show, but if she caught a flight as soon as possible, she had a chance to see the last song. She grabbed her bag from under her seat and boarded off the plane, trying to get ahead of everyone else. She ran to the large ticket line forming and tried to get up front. After waiting for about ten minutes, she got up to the counter.
"How may I help you, Miss?" the flight attendant asked.
"I need a ticket to Orlando on it's next flight out," Gwen said. The girl behind the counter started typing away on her computer.
"I'm sorry Ma'am, we're all booked. I can get you flight heading out tomorrow morning," she told Gwen.
"No. I had a flight going to Orlando TONIGHT and I will make it TONIGHT. You people put me here in Philadelphia..."
"Pittsburgh."
"PITTSBURGH and I want in ORLANDO. Tonight!" Gwen yelled. The girl started typing again on her computer.
"We have one spot that just opened up on the 5:30 flight," she said.
"Perfect, book me please," Gwen said, pulling out her credit card. She got her ticket information and found her way to her gate. She had a good hour wait. She pulled out her cell phone to try to call AJ but he wasn't home and had his cell off. She sighed and plopped down in the chair.
~~~~~~~~~~~
AJ stepped out on the stage and looked out in the audience, oblivious of all the piercing screams. He scanned the audience and saw Illianna, Tony, Brian, Leighanne, Nick, Ashleigh, Kevin and Krystal but no Gwen. No Gwen. AJ's heart sank but he covered it up and began the show as everyone cheered for Johnny No Name.
~~~~~
AJ took his final bow and blew a kiss to the fans. He ran off stage and almost collapsed. He was soon swamped with press, media, family and friends. His head started spinning and he couldn't think straight. ''Where's Gwen?"
"Gwen? Oh honey, she's not here yet," his mom answered during all the commotion. AJ did his meet and greet with the fans who had backstage passes and forced a smile on his face. But inside, he was dying. He wanted Gwen to be there so bad and he couldn't handle the fact she wasn't. He realized how much he needed Gwen to even breathe and it scared him. He finished signing autographs and taking pictures and was escorted out to his bus. He got to the hotel and got escorted in to escape all the screaming fans. They would scream his name, grab his clothes and take a million pictures of him. He made it into the building and got up to his room. He even saw older girls that were his age trying to impress him. Didn't they understand he was married and in love? He only had one girl in his life. And she wasn't there. His whole body began to ache as he opened the door to his luxurious suite. He stood around in awe. This was one of the finest suites he's ever been in and he felt like he didn't deserve it. All he did was make girls scream and cry. He just loved to perform and the fans were an extra bonus. He walked right to the mini-bar and soon, it was empty. He felt alone and unloved. He knew Gwen loved him but at this point in his life, he needed to be shown that love. He had a thousand girls who sleep outside on the sidewalk every night to even catch a glimpse of him and anyone of them would die to be with him. Knowing this made him feel even more alone. He knew he was selfish by wanting Gwen all to himself and not wanting her to have a real job but he couldn't help it. Gwen kept him sane, level minded and grounded. Gwen made AJ become Alex. He needed to be Alex, not AJ. He picked up an expensive looking vase and hurled it against the wall.
"Dammit!" he screamed as it shattered to the floor. He crumbled to the ground as he finished his last bottle of vodka. He felt exactly like the glass vase and he needed Gwen to put him back together.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Gwen ran into the hotel. She hurried past the fans who hysterically shouted her name and took pictures of her. She ran over to the front desk and checked into AJ's suite. Gwen thought she could surprise him while he was sleeping to try to make up for the concert. She received the key and hurried to the elevator with her head still down. She got up to the floor and walked down the long hall. She reached the door and slid through her key. The hall light of the suite was still on and she called out his name. No answer. She dropped her bags and walked through the rooms. She gasped when she saw a huge pile of broken glass splattered all over the floor. She carefully walked around them and opened the bedroom door. The light was off and she walked over to the desk to flip on a lamp. AJ was sprawled out across the whole bed on his stomach and was still fully dressed. She took off her coat and shoes and walked over to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and slid on top of him. He didn't move or wake up. Gwen cocked her head to the side and tilted up his face to hers. She was instantly hit with the stench of alcohol. She climbed off of him and looked around the floor. Mini liquor bottles were all over and her heart plummeted to her stomach. "He's drunk and passed out," she said to herself. Tears flushed her eyes as she looked at her husband. Even though he was sleeping, he looked so lost and confused. Gwen didn't know what to do or where to sleep since AJ was taking up the whole bed. She walked around the bottles and back into the living room. She let her sobs fill the air as she lost her control. She sat on the couch and stood back up. She moved the cushions to see if it was a pull out bed. It wasn't so she laid back down on the sofa. She fell asleep to the rhythms of her tears flowing down her face.
~~~~~~~~~~~
AJ slowly came back to life when he began to wake up the next morning. He rolled over in his bed and opened his sore eyes. He had the worst hangover he ever had and stumbled out of bed. He tried to walk to the bathroom but tripped over a suitcase. He looked at the thing that caused him to fly to the floor and realized it was Gwen's. He gasped and stood up.
"Gwen?" he said, aloud. He thought he was dreaming and that his wife couldn't possibly be there until he saw her.
"Hi AJ," Gwen said, standing in the doorway, covered up in a white bathrobe.
"Gwen," AJ sighed as he saw her. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. He clung to her as she tried to get out of his grab. AJ felt the effects of his hangover take over his body as he dodged to the bathroom. After he vomited, he sat on the floor against the wall. Gwen walked in and stood in the doorway.
"Why are you doing this to yourself?" she asked, quietly.
"Because you weren't here," AJ answered simply. Gwen could feel tears fill up her eyes.
"I'm sorry AJ, I really am," Gwen said.
"So am I," AJ answered.
"Why do you feel you need to drink away your insecurities?" Gwen asked, kneeling down next to him on the bathroom floor.
"I need something to replace you when you aren't here," AJ said, looking into her eyes.
"AJ," Gwen started to sob, "Please don't do this. Please don't drink like this. Why are you doing this?" she sobbed in his lap. AJ wrapped his arms around her. She looked up at him. "Please don't turn into someone I don't know."
AJ looked into her eyes and felt tears stream down his cheeks. "I need you to be with me. Gwen, I can't handle this lifestyle without you by my side. Last night, I lost all control because I needed you to be here. I look outside at all the girls who wait for hours just to see me and I see girls who throw themselves on me like I'm a prize to be won over the night. They don't love me. I need you here because you do," AJ sobbed. Gwen was now holding him as he sobbed into her chest.
"I will always love you," Gwen whispered.
"Please stay with me," AJ begged. Gwen nodded. They just stayed on the bathroom floor, holding each other while they both cried.
~~~~~~~~~~
