They were back on a plane in less than an hour. As soon as they took off, Regina sank back in her seat and gave a giant sigh. It had been less than an entire twenty-four hours since they had left New York and they were already on their way back.

“You tired?” Marshall asked though the answer was obvious.

“Yeah,” she nodded looking over at him.

“You can pass out now, you know, it’s okay,” Marshall replied. Her eyes kept studying his face.

“You’ve been great through this whole thing, you know baby boy?” she asked.

“Don’t worry about it,” Marshall replied.

“No, really, I’ve been kinda cold and out there, and you just took it all in stride. Thanks. And thanks for the date baby, I loved it,” Regina replied leaning over to place a hand on his chest.

“It was nothing,” he shrugged.

“No, it was, just wonderful, romantic, sweet, thoughtful, and I loved your song, love your voice, you know that? No one’s ever done anything that nice for me,” Regina kissed his cheek.

“You deserve it Lyric,” he replied kissing her slightly on the lips. She smiled for the first time in long hours.

By the time they got back to the hotel it was early morning in New York and though Regina had been tired on the plane she couldn’t sleep. She collapsed on the bed as soon as she arrived however and didn’t move until later that evening when the guys stopped by to see how she was.

“How she holding up?” Swifty asked as he peeked past Marshall to see the bedroom door still closed.

“Pretty much okay. Though she hasn’t been attacked by the reporters yet, that’s the part I’m worried about,” Marshall replied quietly.

“She still asleep?” Fifty asked.

“Nah, I told her you were coming over, she’s just getting a shower and getting cleaned up. She wanted to see you guys.”

After a few moments they all migrated to the couches and chairs and sat around in silence.

“Did you know about it?” Dre asked.

“I knew she’d been married, I knew she’d had a child that died. Other than that, she didn’t say anything else. I figured she would have told me that when she was ready,” Marshall replied sighing.

“It would have happened sooner or later, though,” Kuniva said with annoyed sigh.

“Yeah, but it didn’t have to happen through the hands of her best friend,” Proof snapped.

“Chill, man, there ain’t nothing we can do about it, we just gotta be her friends, that’s all,” Bizarre piped up. There was a click of a door and Regina stepped out of the bedroom.

“Hey, all my boys, what’s up?” she said plopping herself down on the couch between Marshall and Kon.

“What’s up baby girl?” Kon asked.

“Yeah, what you want to do tonight?” Kuniva asked.

“Oh, I say, stay in, get really drunk and watch bad, bad horror movies? You game?” she asked looking around.

“Only if we get to see you dance,” Proof called.

“Well, first things first, I gotta be drunk for that to happen,” Regina laughed.

Several hours, two bottles of Jack Daniels and Bacardi, and one hip-hop/rb mixed CD later, Regina was three sheets to the wind, giggling and laughing and dancing. She hadn’t drank all the booze herself. She had stopped after about six shots of JD, four of Bacardi and three beers, till she was effectively drunk and too stupid to care what she did anymore.

The guys, especially Marshall, Bizarre and Proof had been careful to watch her, and not drink too much themselves. After a robust rendition of B2K’s “Bump, Bump, Bump” by Kuniva and Fifty, Regina collapsed on the sofa next to Bizarre in a giggling fit.

“Damn girl, you’re fi fi drunk!” Bizarre said with a laugh.

“A fi fi? I ain’t a fucking poodle,” she’d tried to be serious but soon she was laughing again. Bizarre shook his head and laughed at her.

“Now if you want a fi fi, just wait,” she said, though Bizarre was pretty sure she was flown the coop by now.

She continued to laugh at some inward thought and then pointed over at Marshall sitting opposite her on the other couch.

“Just you wait, he’ll be your fi fi. Soon as he dumps me,” she laughed even harder at this, trying to catch her breath as she fell over slightly. Everyone turned to look at her, Marshall’s ears picked up.

“Who said I was dumping you?” he asked.

“I don’t know, the fi fi fairy maybe!” she continued to laugh then turned to Bizarre, putting a hand on his arm.

“Yeah, he better watch out. He’s so afraid of gay guys, he’ll be one next,” Regina couldn’t stop laughing.

“You know, my ex husband, gay, completely, fi fi fairy, you name it. Waited till I was pregnant to tell me of course,” Regina said as she turned to Bizarre, but the lightness and funniness didn’t fall from her tone she just kept laughing.

“Yep, waited till I had the old proverbial bun in the oven, you know, something to keep me happy and busy while he was out bonging his best friend, just you watch out baby boy, apparently I turn ‘em faster than a heat wave spoils some bad leftovers,” Regina turned to Marshall as she said this, touching her stomach when she mentioned, “bun in the oven” and still hysterically laughing.

“Except the one hitch in his plan, bastard didn’t expect to want to be her father after she was born, oh that was rich. Suddenly all happy and shit that he had a daughter,” Regina kept laughing but the rest of the room was silent.

“Hey baby girl, come on, why don’t we put you to bed?” Proof asked as he nodded to Marshall.

“Yeah, you’ve had a long day,” Marshall said as he stood up.

“Long day, oh the longest day of my life, that fucking funeral! God, everybody standing around, crying and shit. Thought I was totally fucked cause I didn’t say a word, didn’t cry, nothing.” Regina spoke like it was the funniest story in the world.

“Come on sweetie, time for bed,” Bizarre said putting his arm around her and lifting her off the couch.

“Tells me it was my fault she died, my fault, kicks me out the damn house, like that really mattered to me!” Regina kept laughing and gestured wildly with her free arm, the other one being used to hold her up. Proof hurried over and took hold of her other side and helped her towards the bedroom.

“We got her Marshall,” Bizarre said over his shoulder. Regina was a small woman, but being drunk she seemed to be four people rolled into one. She kept talking and laughing hysterically as she was led to the bedroom and helped into bed.

“There you go, into bed,” Proof said as he pulled the covers up over her. She snuggled into her pillow almost immediately but kept mumbling as she rolled over a few times.

“You just get some rest now girl, you’ll be right as rain in the morning,” Bizarre said as he sat down on the bed beside her and brushed her hair out of her face. “Mi belleza pequeña, il gioiello del mio occhio, el amor de mi vida, L'Imp di desideri, la sola persona nella mia vita, quién tiene moneda, Il valore più di l'oro o l'argento a me.” Regina sang softly as she drifted into sleep, a ghostly melody still drifting in the room.

Bizarre stayed by her side a few minutes longer until she stopped singing and finally fell asleep. Marshall came to look in on her just as Bizarre was leaving.

“What was that singing I heard?” Marshall asked.

“I don’t know, something in a different language. Look, don’t be mad at her for the things she said, it’s been a rough couple of days,” Bizarre said looking back at Regina.

“After some of the things I’ve said about people sober, I don’t have the right to be upset about anything she says when she’s under this amount of pressure and totally drunk. Besides, she wasn't commenting on me anyway, it’s that fucking Mario anyway,” Marshall replied watching Regina roll over and reach for something on the other side of the bed. He realized that she was looking for him.

“Marshall? You coming to bed?” she asked sitting up and rubbing her head a little.

“Yeah, I’ll be right there,” he said nodding to her.

“Okay, I’m just, just gonna go puke,” she said as she crawled out of the bed. Marshall rushed over and caught her before she hit the floor and helped her to the bathroom.

“She all right?” Bizarre asked leaning in on the doorframe of the bathroom. Regina was at the sink rinsing out her mouth.

“Yeah, she’ll be fine, why don’t you get the guys and go, I’m just gonna go to bed with her, make sure she doesn’t puke anymore. Oh, thank Proof for me too man,” Marshall replied as he kept a hand on Regina’s back.

“You got it man,” Bizarre nodded to him and left to collect the guys to leave them alone.

“All right, back to bed,” Marshall gently commanded.

“I said some really stupid shit didn’t I?” Regina asked as Marshall led her back to the bed.

“A few, but you’re allowed, it’s been a rough few days.” Marshall half walked, half-carried Regina back to bed.

“You hold up, I’ll get you some pajamas,” Marshall replied as he sat her down and grabbed a T-shirt and some bottoms.

“Come on, I’ll help you,” Marshall said as he sat her up again.

“I can dress myself,” she replied sleepily as she changed her shirt. She changed her pants as well and then crawled back under the comforter.

“Baby boy, I can’t sleep without you,” she said lazily with her eyes closed, her hand on his side of the bed.

“I coming,” he said, shedding his clothes and sliding in beside her.

“That’s better,” Regina replied finally able to relax as she snuggled up against him.

“Good, now you need to sleep, I’m right here, I’m not leaving you,” Marshall replied as he stroked her hair and kept a tight arm around her.

“Promesa?”

“En mi corazon, a tu corazon, nunca olvidar, no promesa pequena, no promesa granda ire olvidar, good night Lyric.”