"She hasn't left the room," asked AJ.

"Nope."

"Have you talked?"

"Nope."

"OK Nick don't go mute on me too."

"Sorry. I take her food and she eats a little, otherwise nothing."

"Man, she is one stubborn woman."

"You said it."

"Well I'm going up there."

"Good luck," said Nick.

AJ walked up the steps. Hesitating a moment, he walked in the room. Kassidy looked up from her laptop startled by his entrance. She quickly recovered and went back to work.

"Hello Kassi. Nick says you've shut yourself up in this room since you got here." He paused. "Not talking huh. Okie Dokie. I can talk enough for both of us. Have you looked at Nick since you got here? Did you notice Candace isn't here?"

Her head shot up.

"Ah I see you haven't. Well Candace is gone."

"Wait Nick said she was fine with this."

"She is. She encouraged him to come get you."

"She shouldn't have. Why did she leave?"

"Because she knew Nicky didn't love her and she didn't love him. She moved out before he got back. They are both fine with it."

"OK."

"Now we've taken care of the Candace question. It's time for the Nick question."

"What am I suppose to see?"

"He's whipped. He should be rested by now. He's been off the road for over a week and he's still exhausted."

"And?"

"Damn it Kassidy, he's exhausted because he's worried about you. Shit you're worrying everyone. Did you look at Lee or Michael the last time you saw them? I know from talking to them on the phone that they are worn out too and worried. And when was the last time you talked to Grace?"

"When was the last time you talked to Grace?"

"Huh."

"I talked to Grace last night. She told me she hadn't heard from you since she left the tour."

"It was her choice to go. I didn't ask her to leave. I still don't know why she left."

"AJ take your own advice."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"It means," said Kassidy, as she grabbed a tape off her nightstand and tossed it to him. "When are you going to wake up to what is right in front of your face?"

"What is this?"

"It's a tape I want you to listen to. After Mr. Smug come back and we will talk. For now, get out!"

"Kassidy."

"Get OUT!"

AJ did as she asked. He went downstairs and relayed the conversation to Nick. He asked Nick what was on the tape. Nick didn't know, but thought he should listen to it. AJ told him to hang tough as he left. Nick sat on the couch for a moment. The more he thought about things the madder he got. Finally, he bounded up the steps two at a time. He walked in Kassidy's room, picked her up and didn't stop until they were out by his pool. He dropped her in the water.

"What did you do that for," yelled Kassidy when she surfaced.

"To wake you up!"

"I am awake thank you very much. Now stop being a dumbass and help me out."

"You're the dumbass and a selfish one to boot!"

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"It means, you have all these people who love you. You are putting all of us through hell. You think you are the only one who lost Kevin? You aren't! You think you are only hurting yourself by acting this way. Wrong! It hurts us to watch you slip away. You are stronger than this."

"No I'm not," she yelled.

Nick jumped in the pool and walked toward her. "Yes you are Kassidy. Your strength is one of the things Kevin loved most about you."

"How do you know," asked Kassidy, her tone still biting.

"He told me once. I had called, but you were out doing something for a friend at church. The woman's husband was dying and you stayed with him while she got some rest. Kevin said it had brought up so many painful memories of your parents, but still you kept going. He admired that in you. So do I."

He watched the battle being waged behind her eyes. Finally, her lip began to tremble and a tear escaped her eye. Nick started to pull her into his arms. She shoved him away.

"Kassidy!"

"No Nick. Don't get close. I want everyone to go away. Bad things happened to the people I care about." "Kassi what are you saying?"

"People die around me. If I care about them and let them in, they die."

Nick took her by the shoulders and said, "Kassidy look at me."

"No."

"Kass look at me."

Kassidy looked into his blue eyes. AJ was right Nick was exhausted. He was still gorgeous, but very tired.

"Kass you care about so many people. Most of us are still alive and not going anywhere. I know it hurts. But baby you've got to let some of it out or it will swallow you. And I know Kevin wouldn't want you do this to yourself. You know I'm right."

"It just hurts. I'm so scared."

"Its OK I'm here."

That was all Kassidy needed to hear. He watched as her face crumbled. Her first breath in was a sob quickly followed by more sobbing. Nick held her as they stood in the pool. They didn't move until she began to shiver and hiccup.

"Oh great! (hiccup) I cried so hard (hiccup) I've got the (hiccup)."

"I hear them," laughed Nick. "You are also freezing. Let's get out of here."

"Yeah you don't make a (hiccup) a good prune," joked Kassidy.

They ran into the house. Nick pulled her into her bathroom. He went to get dried off while she took a hot shower. The tears were falling again, but this time she didn't try to stop them. She was surprised to find Nick holding a towel when she stepped out of the shower. She shyly stepped into his arms. He dried her, never acknowledging how thin she was. She dressed and they went down to the kitchen. The hiccups were gone and Kassidy was hungry for the first time since Kevin had died. She rummaged around in Nick's cupboards and refrigerator, put him to work making sandwiches while she made a salad. They carried everything outside. Nick watched as Kassidy turned her face to the sun. After a minute, he saw tears sliding down her cheeks.

"Kassi?"

She looked at him and said, "It's OK. Kevin always wanted to come down here, but we never took the time. He loved being outside. He worked in the yard all the time. He loved the water. You two were alike in that respect. He would have loved your boat."

"I wish you guys had come down. We would have gone out on the boat. I know I didn't like Kevin at first, because. well you know why. But after I got to know him I really liked him."

"He liked you too. Um Nick. why didn't you tell me about Candace?"

"Yeah like we've been talking bunches since I got you here."

"I can't believe I was so wrapped up in me that I didn't realize she wasn't here. I just thought she was too scared to come near me. I was pretty hateful."

"Yeah you were, but that's changed now. The pain had to come out some way. Now it's coming out in a better way," he finished as he leaned over and wiped a tear off her cheek.

"AJ said you two realized you didn't really love each other. I'm sorry it didn't work out."

"Well we love each other, but not in the way to be together forever. I know that sounds stupid."

"No it doesn't. And stop saying you're stupid."

"Hey you called me a dumbass earlier."

"I know, but like you said I was the dumbass. Man I've got so much to do. I have to call and apologize to everyone. Starting with you. I'm really sorry for how I've acted. I need to check on Jessie and the house, call work and church to let them know I'm back so to speak. I have to call the lawyer about the estate," Kassi rambled as she started to get up.

Nick's hand on her arm stopped her. "Kass you can do that tomorrow. Today just be still and relax. Give yourself at least twelve hours of healing before you start attacking the world again."

"Do I attack the world?"

"Well you attack life and I'm glad you are finally doing it again, but you don't have to do it today."

"All right," she said. On impulse she leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"What was that for," asked Nick with a smile.

"For being my friend and being brave enough to come get me."

"Anytime Kass."