"Nick you have got to be kidding me," exclaimed AJ.

"What," asked Nick, playing innocent.

"Hello! You had a night alone with your woman and you two slept? Nick what's wrong with this picture?"

"We were tired," whined Nick.

Kassidy took the phone and said, "Bone we're rested now. You said you would bring the kids home when we were ready. We aren't ready, so they can stay another night. Right? You say yes Kassidy."

"Yes Kassidy."

"Good Bone. Here's Nicky."

Kassidy handed the phone back to Nick. He started talking to AJ again, but had to hang up when he felt Kassidy's mouth wrap around his hardness. Kassidy stopped and looked up.

"Through talking to Bone?"

He watched her mouth descend n him again and moaned "Oh God yes."

"You sure you don't want to call him back," she asked before sucking on the sensitive skin of his inner thigh.

"N-n-o. Kass don't stop."

"You want me to stop," she replied, blowing air over his tip.

"Kassidy," he groaned.

"Nickolas?"

"Please."

She smiled then closed her mouth on him. His fingers tangled in her hair as she moved on him. His back arched and he moaned. She teased him with her tongue. He was gasping for air. Her hands massaged the insides of his thighs. She picked up the pace and his hips moved with her. He groaned when he felt her nails on the insides of his thighs. With a shutter he released. Kassidy continued to move on him until his body relaxed. She rested her head on his thigh. He brushed the hair from her face. She kissed her way up his body. He kissed her mouth gently. Pulling her into a hug, they lay there enjoying the closeness.

"Stay," he whispered.

"Nick I'm here."

"I know, but you're leaving."

"Baby I have to go back to work," countered Kassidy.

"You don't have to work."

"Yes I do. I have a house payment to make and other things."

"If you stayed here you could sell the house."

"Nick I will not live off you."

"Kassidy you can."

"No. I love you Nick, but you've had too many people living off you for too long. I won't do it."

"But I need you."

"I need you too, but we need time."

"Kass we've taken 5 years. I want to be with you all the time starting now. I've waited long enough."

"Nick."

"No! Kass I love you. When is that ever going to be enough?"

Kassidy had no response. The look of sadness in those beautiful blue eyes almost killed her. He softly kissed her forehead before walking into the bathroom. Her tears fell silently as she heard the water turn on. She closed her eyes and the image of the water cascading over the body of the man she loved played out behind her eyelids. She prayed for guidance. It would be so easy to just stay there, but it wasn't that easy. She had to be responsible. She owed the people in Nashville that much.

She got out of bed and moved to the bathroom. She stood in the doorway for a moment, watching Nick standing under the water with his eyes closed. He was struggling with his emotions. She stepped in the shower and he slowly opened his eyes to look down at her.

"Nick I love you so much. I want to be here with you all the time. Don't doubt either of those things. However, imagine if I said you have to give up your career and move to Nashville, forgetting about your life here. Would you do it the second I asked?"

"Yes."

"Great! So you are going back with me?"

Nick's head dropped and he said, "No."

"It's not easy. Baby nothing about us has ever been easy. You take care of your family things. I will go back to Nashville and figure something out. OK?"

He nodded and pulled her into his arms. He bent to nuzzle her neck. She reached behind him and turned off the water. His kiss stole her breath.

She felt him lifting her off the ground and her legs automatically wrapped around his waist as he buried himself inside her. Breaking the kiss, he stepped out of the shower.

As he carried her to the bed, he whispered, "I love you. Only you. Always you."

"I love you. Only you. Always you," whispered Kassidy in reply.

He moved them onto the bed and began to thrust into her deeply. His Hands moving over her body. It seemed he was trying to memorize everything about her. He said 'always you' with every thrust. Kassidy's hands were also busy trying to memorize him. She turned her head to the side and for the first time caught a glimpse of them in the mirror of the dressing table he had bought her for Christmas. It stole her breath seeing their bodies intertwined. She could only see their bodies pushing into each other. Nick kissed her cheek and she guided his head so he could watch them too. He groaned and thrust harder, lifting her. She watched his body jerk as she gripped him trying to keep him inside her longer. They tore their eyes from the mirror and looked at one another. They had the same look of urgent need. The need for release from the sweet agony their bodies and souls were experiencing. Kassidy pulled Nick's face close, capturing his lips. Their lips were still pressed together when they climaxed. Their bodies twisting and pushing. Their bodies slowed before the kiss ended. Nick started to lie beside her.

"Not yet," whispered Kassidy tightening her legs around him.

Nick smiled, "You want me to stay here? Inside you?"

"Yes," she replied while gently tightening around him.

"Kass," he breathed.

"Yes?"

"Baby you keep doing that and I will," he trailed off.

"Get hard again?"

He said, "yeah."

She began to move and said, "This would be a bad thing?"

"God no, not bad at all. Kass," he gasped as he began to thrust again.

They did leave the bedroom to fix something to eat late in the afternoon, followed by two hours bathing some unhappy puppies. When they were done, they watched the sun set and let the dogs run around the yard. After dark, Nick talked her into jumping into the hot tub attached to the pool. They made love again and ran inside. Kassidy pulled towels out of the linen closet and found Nick in the living room with the TV on.

"Here," she said, tossing him a towel.

"Come here."

"Nick we should get dressed."

"Why?"

"Good point," she answered, dropping down by him.

"If you lived here we could run around like this all the time."

"Oh yeah, never mind that Lesley, Aaron and Angel are living here."

"Damn," he said as a smirk played on his lips.

"Let's just enjoy it while we can."

"Deal," agreed Nick, wrapping his arms around her.

The next day, Grace and AJ brought Lesley and the twins home. Grace and Kassidy went shopping.

"You still leaving tomorrow?"

"Yes. Why wouldn't I?"

"Let's see.gorgeous boyfriend whose crazy about you and whom you are crazy about."

"I know Grace. Its killing me," said Kassidy as she teard up.

"Kassi I'm sorry. Don't cry."

"No you're right. I am fully aware that I'm walking away when he needs me. But what can I do? My job is there. Am I suppose to just leave them in the lurch? Am I suppose to live off Nick? Then I'm everything his mother accused me of being."

"I know it's hard."

"I am so tired of it being hard. When do we get a break?"

"I don't know Kassi."

"I know you don't." After a minute she continued, "Thanks for listening to me whine."

"Sure. Like you do it all the time."

They finished shopping. Grace collected AJ and headed home. Kassidy and Nick were banished from the kitchen as his siblings prepared dinner.

"Dinner's ready," called Lesley from the dinning room.

"It looks wonderful," said Kassidy as she hugged each of them. "Thanks guys."

"It really does look good," agreed Nick.

"Can we eat? I'm starving," exclaimed Aaron.

"Sit and eat," directed Kassi.

Nick watched Kassidy with his brother and sisters. She had a way of drawing people in. He was going to miss her so much. Even though he wouldn't admit it to her, he was worried about dealing with his parents without her. He also knew he had to let her work through what she wanted to do about their living in two different places. He prayed she would work through it fast.

They helped with clean up, then gathered in the studio. They spent the night singing, laughing and talking. Kassidy marveled at how normal it felt. She thought about leaving the next day and felt tears stinging her eyes. She pushed the thought from her mind. She could cry tomorrow. Right now was about being happy and spending time with Nick and his family.

The next morning, Kassidy said good-bye to Angel, Aaron, and Lesley at the house. It would be hard enough for Nick to make it in and out of the airport without being mobbed. He had insisted on taking Kassidy, just like she knew he would, so she had booked the first flight out. The airport would not be as crowded.

"Baby don't cry," Nick soothed as he held her.

"I'm sorry."

"It's OK. I understand."

"I don't want to leave, but I have to go back."

"I know, but I'm already missing you."

"Me too."

The boarding call was given. They let everyone board while they held each other. The last call for boarding came. They could prolong the separation no longer. Kassidy pulled Nick down into a soft kiss. He wiped the tears from her cheeks. She then walked to the gate. She waved good-bye before disappearing. Nick watched the plane taxi out onto the runway.

Kassidy cried most of the flight home. She was torn. It took walking in the house for her to realize it was no longer home. Nick was her home. She called to let him know she arrived safely. She didn't even unpack. She curled up on her bed and cried herself to sleep.

The next day she went to work and made it through the day. Playing catch up from her vacation, but her heart wasn't in it. Michael called her in the evening.

"Hello?"

"Kassi."

"Hey Mike. How were the holidays?"

"Hectic, but good. How about you?"

"Same here. Mike I'm in love."

"Did you realize it before or after Christmas?"

"After why?"

"I won the bet!"

"What bet?"

"Lee bet me a night of babysitting that you would realize it as soon as you saw him. I said with the wedding and everything it would take you until after Christmas."

"I can't believe you two! On second thought."

"Yes you can," laughed Michael, but stopped short when she realized she was going to ruin her best friend's good mood. "Um Kassi have you been to the store today?"

"Nope. Why?"

"Are you going with Nick to the court hearing?"

"How do you know about the court hearing?"

"Two words. National Enquirer."

"Oh damn! Do you have it?"

"I hate to admit it but I do. Sorry it just shocked me so I bought it."

"Read it to me now!"

Jane Carter had struck again. She painted a picture that was far from the truth. She said Kassidy was after Nick for his money and saw the cash potential of hooking Aaron and Lesley. In Jane's fairytale, Kassidy was unable to conceive so she was trying to get an instant family with great earning potential. Of course Kassidy was more desperate since becoming a widow. Jane's poor son had fallen under this older woman's spell.

"That's all a lie."

"Kassi I know bullshit when I see it."

"I wonder why my phone has been quiet? She made sure they had my full name and where I live posted in the article. Michael I've got to call Nick. I have to warn him. I should have never left him."

"Kassidy you didn't know."

"But Michael."

"Kassidy just admit that you want to be with him."

"Well sure, state the obvious! Too bad reality doesn't work with that dream."

"Why not?"

"My job, house, life here."

"Did Nick ask you to stay?"

"Yes."

"Fine. You can find another job or convince them to let you do it from Florida or where ever you two land. The house can be sold. Your life should be with the man you love."

"That's why you are my bestest friend in da whole wide world. Always my voice of reason."

"Exactly! So what are you going to do?"

"Nick is already in LA for the hearing day after tomorrow."

"And?"

"I'm going to talk to Lawrence, then my butt is on the first plane to LA."

"What are you going to do when you get there," asked Michael.

"I'm going to make sure everything is ready for the hearing. Make love to the man I love. Finally, I'm going to put the fear of me into Jane Carter."

"That's my bestest friend in da whole wide world! Damn good to have you back."

"It's good to be back."