Danielle sighed in content as she turned her purple Stratus into her apartment complex's parking lot. Though she was tired from a full day of classes then working part-time at a dead end job, she still felt happy. She expected her fiancé to arrive in town this weekend and the thought of seeing him after a few months apart gave her heart a small flutter. All day at school and at work, she broke out in a big smile and announced to everyone, whether they knew or not already, that he was due back in town this coming weekend.

She sprinted up the stairs and unlocked her door, her smile faded as she saw the state of her apartment. Clothes were everywhere, hanging over dining room chairs, piled in the corner of her couch and, of course, scattered everywhere on the floor. Tonight she would devote herself to cleaning this place up so that her fiancé would see that she could indeed take care of herself and she did not need to move into his house with his housekeeper.

She sighed in resignation as she started clearing the clothes out of the dining room. Maybe she should put them all in the dirty clothesbasket so that she could run them all through the wash again. Danielle lost track of which ones were dirty and which were clean anyway.
Before she got too far along in her work, she called and ordered a pizza, with extra cheese. She had been craving one since early in the afternoon and decided that she should give in and satisfy her craving. Halfway through her cleaning process the phone rang.

"Hello?" She questioned the caller.

"Hi beautiful." The male caller responded.

"Kevin! I didn't know you were going to call tonight."

"Well I like to surprise you. If only I could see that pretty face of yours light up with a smile as you are surprised."

"I love hearing from you." She said hearing muffled noises on the other end but thinking nothing of them. "Are you still expecting to be in tomorrow?"

"Well that's what I called you about." His voice dropped and she prepared herself for another disappointment.

"You won't be in tomorrow." She stated before he could.

"Well when do you expect you will be able to come back?" She asked, dropping the clothes in her hands back on the floor. No reason to clean the place now she thought.

"I really don't have any idea. This business keeps getting dirtier. I mean this whole lawsuit thing. It's crazy, I mean we are suing our own band mate and he is in on our side of the lawsuit as well." Kevin laughed. "People really think we are crazy now."

"Well it is a bit strange Kevin." Danielle agreed. "And it does seem like you guys are breaking up as well with all of this going on." She sighed; somehow, she knew she would not miss him being a part of a smash pop group.

The doorbell rang and Danielle jumped slightly at the sudden sound. "My pizza is here." She informed Kevin of the reason for the doorbell.

Danielle leaned the phone between her ear and her shoulder and reached for her purse. Fumbling through it, she finally found her wad of cash. Separating the bills, she unlocked the door and opened it wide. Her head was still faced downwards messing with the bills.

"I am sure you could have put the phone down, the person on the other end might not have minded." She heard suddenly in surround sound. Confused she glanced up and let out a squeal that could be heard across her complex.

"Kevin!" She squealed again. "You are such a jerk sometimes." Smacking him lightly on the chest with her cell phone, she stepped aside to welcome him.

He smiled back at her and walked inside, setting the pizza down on the dining room table. He glanced around, noting the clothes still on the floor that Danielle recently dropped in disappointment. "I love what you've done with the place."

Danielle felt the heat rise in her cheeks in slight embarrassment. "I was cleaning when you called. You were supposed to be here tomorrow, remember?" She bent over and grabbed the clothes she dropped earlier and threw them in her room, closing the door behind her.

"I really wish you would just move into my place. We are practically married; I don't see why you refuse to live with me."

Danielle pulled up a chair and opened the pizza box, pulling out a slice of the warm cheesy goo. Kevin rolled his eyes at this and went in the small kitchen, pulling two plates out of the cupboard and grabbing plenty of napkins. "Here," He said placing a plate in front of Danielle though half her slice had already disappeared.
She smiled at Kevin and put her slice down. "Aren't you sweet?" She tossed her crust on the plate and grabbed for another slice.

"You didn't answer me." He stated, sitting in a chair next to her.

"What was your question?" She asked, pausing between bites.

"I don't understand why you don't move in with me. I would feel better about leaving you all the time if you were there and I knew that someone was there to make sure you were looked after and well fed."

She sighed. "Kevin, we've been through this. I want my independence before we are married. I like having my own place right now. Besides without you in that house, well, the house is kind of creepy." She shuddered remembering the one time she stayed a week in his house at his request while he was out of town.

"It will be your house one day too." He said leaning closer to her, brushing a loose strand of her sandy-brown hair out of her eyes.

Danielle scrunched her nose up at the thought. "I know, I keep hoping I can convince you to move to a smaller house, but it seems that will be impossible." Quickly she finished off her second slice and moved to the refrigerator grabbing a Pepsi.

She drank from the can, watching Kevin take a bite out of a slice of the pizza himself. I really should just go and live with him, she thought to herself. I need to learn to deal with the place one day.

A sudden noise jolted her awake from her dreaming. Her phone was ringing again. Quickly she lunged for the phone and answered it before Kevin could even attempt to answer. "Hello?"

"Hey Danielle." A female voice answered.

"Kristy, goodness girl, how are you? I wasn't expecting you to call." She looked at Kevin apologetically, Danielle and Kristy were close friends and she knew that she could not bring herself to blow Kristy off just because Kevin was there.

Kevin continued to eat the pizza; finding a newspaper and scanning through the news while half listening to Danielle on the phone.

Kristy's melodic voice answered Danielle's question. "I am doing great. You would not believe what happened to me today." She paused waiting for Danielle to try to take a guess about the events of the day. When she did not answer soon enough, Kristy answered for her. "I got the job!"

Danielle could tell her friend was brimming with happiness. "That is wonderful." Kristy had been trying for a Public Relations position at all the hip clubs in town and, as she told Danielle, she finally landed a position at a club called Nostalgic.

The girls continued to talk for another hour before Danielle noticed Kevin starting to fall asleep where he was sitting. "Kristy hun, I hate to do this to you, but Kevin came in early and…"

"Why didn't you say that in the first place?" Kristy interrupted. "I could have told you my news and you could have seen to your man's needs." She laughed.

"Kristy! You are so wicked." Danielle laughed. "I am sure he's not up for that." She giggled as Kevin seemed to perk up to the word 'wicked' and that he was not 'up for it'. He turned to her and smirked.

Danielle saw his smirk and said her good-byes to her friend. "Well Kevin, are you up for it?" she asked as he approached her, putting his arms around her waist and holding her tightly.

"What do you think?" He questioned kissing her intently on the lips.

"I think you are always up for it." She laughed and pulled him towards her bedroom. Closing the door behind him, he groaned loudly as he realized they would have to clean all the clothes off the bed and floor before anything were to happen.

Danielle woke to the sun streaming into her room, a smile creeping onto her face when she recalled the events of last night. Slowly she stretched her arms and turned onto her side, running her hand along the crease Kevin left on his pillow. Smells of breakfast being prepared wafted into the bedroom and aroused Danielle. She climbed out of bed and grabbed her nightgown letting it slide down over her head.

She watched Kevin prepare breakfast from her doorway for a few minutes, relishing the moment. Finally, she decided to make herself known.

"So are you treating me to the World Famous Richardson breakfast?" She queried.

"Good morning beautiful." Kevin replied. "I am just making a simple breakfast this morning. As I recall we had plans to go look at wedding invitations this morning."

The haze of the moment dropped and Danielle slumped onto a chair in the dining room. "That's right, wedding invitations." It wasn't that she did not want to look; it was the first step they were taking in their planning. Danielle was surprised she was allowed to look at the invitations. Both Kevin's mom and her mom were teaming up and deciding how the wedding should be planned.

Kevin placed a plate of eggs and potatoes in front of Danielle. "Here, eat this, it will make you feel better…I guarantee."

"What would make me feel a lot better is if our mothers stayed home today." She said while picking up her fork and spearing a potato.

Kevin shook his head. "I promise that you will have the wedding of your dreams." He quickly consumed his food and then took his plate in the kitchen. Danielle finished her food soon after, following Kevin's lead with the plate. They both finished getting dressed and were out the door in a matter of an hour, off to meet their mothers at the paper store for invitation shopping.

*****

The couple emerged from their car and made their way into the paper store. They had no idea there was a car that followed them for several blocks, pulling back if they got suspicious and passing them at some points. The person behind the wheel practiced following people just so she could be well trained to follow the couple when they went on outings.

Every Saturday that he was visiting, she made it her mission to follow them. How did she know when he was in town? She watched the girl when she was alone, of course. Someone had to keep an eye on the girlfriend of a pop star such as Kevin Richardson. Someone had to make sure that she wasn't cheating on him. So far, the girl was clean, she only hung out with one other person besides her fiancé and it was her best girlfriend.
She pondered going inside to see them closer, but she could not risk them seeing her in too many locations they were. They would start to get suspicious. However, how she would love to see their invitations. She could wait though, she was sure that she would get to see them soon enough.

She pulled out of her parking spot towards the back of the parking lot and turned on to the street, planning on the next time she could safely follow them inside somewhere.

*****

"Mom, not the pink floral one!" Danielle shouted at her mom in complaint.

"Why not darling, you used to love pink and flowers are perfect for a wedding?" Her mom asked her.

"In case you haven't noticed mother, I am not a little girl anymore." Danielle pushed air out between her lips blowing a piece of hair out of her eyes.

Kevin looked at his mother, who thankfully had kept out of most of the invitation discussion. She was pursing her lips, trying to continue keeping out of the conversation. He turned back to Danielle and put his arm around her. "Honey, what invitations do you like?"

Danielle looked at the salesgirl for help. "I think that you will like these invitations back here." She smiled at Danielle as she turned the pages. The invitations she showed her were made up of vellum paper that overlaid pictures of flowers or elegant patterns. The color of the type on the paper ranged from gold to black to any other color that might be needed for a wedding invitation. Tying the two sheets of paper together were sheer material bows, colors available to match the font if desired.

Danielle smiled broadly at Kevin while the salesgirl explained the different invitations on these pages. "Oh Kevin, I like these." She said decisively.

"Well maybe you can get pink flowers as the background?" Her mother questioned.

"Mom! There will be no pink in this wedding."
Kevin started to chuckle, which started Danielle giggling. "I'm sorry mom; I just don't like pink anymore."

Danielle's mom nodded and sat looking at the choices that Danielle made for her wedding invitations. When they finished they all decided to go and grab some lunch, then separated ways allowing the couple more time together before Kevin had to be off again.

Sunday passed and before the lovers knew it, Monday reached them again. Time for Kevin to depart so that the recording on the album could continue. The sooner the album was done, the sooner he would tour to promote it, the sooner the wedding date would arrive, and the sooner Danielle and Kevin would be living as man and wife.
Though it tortured Danielle inside to let her future husband leave, she knew that in order to be together, she would have to endure the separation.

His departure was quick, and she sat moping for the first hour afterwards, and then decided she needed to do something. She was about to pick up the phone when a knock came at the door. Confused as to who it could be, Danielle walked slowly to the door. She peeked out her peephole, scanning outside for anyone who might be there.

She saw no one, so she opened the door, keeping her bolt locked. "Hello?" She called out into the hallway. "Is there someone out there?" She still received no response, so she opened the door the entire way and scanned to the right and left of her door. She saw no one so she shrugged and started to move back inside when she happened to glance down, seeing an envelope with her name written in red ink.

She picked the envelope up, turning it over to look at the front and back. Again, Danielle shrugged and went inside with the envelope, opening it on the way back to her couch. She plopped on the couch and read the letter.
I'm watching you.

Don't do anything you wouldn't want
your dear fiancé to know about.


Danielle looked around her apartment and then looked out the window, noticing a blue metro speeding out of the parking lot. Quickly she got up and closed her blinds.
Finally, she shook her head and tossed the note in the trashcan. She chuckled at herself for being so scared. Her fiancé was Kevin Richardson, of course there were people who knew her name and that she was his fiancée. She smiled and shook her head. Why did she think she would not receive the threats or whatever they called them from his fans?

She went back to what she was doing before and picked up the phone. It rang a few times before Kristy picked up.

"Kristy, you will never believe what just showed up on my doorstep." She laughed remembering how scared she was for a moment, and then proceeded to re-open her blinds.

"What?" Kristy asked with curiosity in her voice.

"I just received my first 'threatening' note from one of Kevin's fans."

She could hear Kristy's laughter on the other end. "What did it say? Get away from my man or I'll have my Barbie attack your Barbie?"

"Close enough." Danielle glanced at the trashcan the note was sitting in. "So what are you doing tonight?"
The girls chatted for a bit longer before both had to go so that Kristy could get ready for work. Danielle busied herself cleaning. The next time Kevin comes in for the weekend, I am definitely not taking the Monday after off work. She thought to herself as she whittled away the hours doing odd jobs that called to be done around her place.

In what seemed like forever, 7 o'clock finally rolled around and Danielle, having finished all her work, was sitting, and waiting for Kristy to show up so they could go out.

She answered the knock on the door and smiled broadly at her friend who simply looked past her and into the apartment.

"What happened here? A tornado come through her in reverse?" She gaped at Danielle's now clean apartment.

"Ha Ha." Danielle replied shoving Kristy out of the door. "So where are we going again?"

Kristy threw her head back in laughter and drug Danielle to the car for a night out on the town Kristy style.

*****

She watched the hotel, waiting for them to emerge. She got some inside information that told her they were going to be staying at this hotel and she was not about to miss her opportunity to meet Kevin, the man of her dreams.

She stood in the shadows since one of their bodyguards or the office manager, told her to leave. She could hardly remember who told her to leave the premise this time; she was always being told to leave by some person or other. How was she to know who had told her to leave this time?

Finally, she saw them walk towards the front doors. Oh how she loved to watch him walk. Everything about him made her swoon inside.

When he got far enough away from the building she made her move.

"Kevin," She shouted after him. "Kevin wait." She watched as he pulled to a stop, squinting towards the girl that ran towards him. "I just want to get a picture." She screamed at the bodyguards that approached her.

"Stop!" He ordered his guards. "Let the girl come here." His face warmed with a smile at her. "Well now, what is your name?"

"Tracy," The young woman smiled stepping more into the light so that Kevin could see that she indeed was a young woman and not a 'girl' as he called her. "I've been waiting for a picture with you for an hour." So, he didn't really need to know how long she followed him and waited for a chance like this.

Smiling she handed the bodyguard her camera with a sly grin and waltzed over to stand next to Kevin. A smirk came to her mouth as she quickly put her arms around Kevin's waist. The camera went up to the bodyguard's face and through her toothy grin she shot out what she was dying to tell Kevin. "I would make a better wife to you then that 'girl' you are marrying."

The bodyguard finished taking the picture and Tracy released her hold on Kevin. "Thanks so much." She smiled to them, slowly turning and starting to walk away. When she was a safe distance, her smile fell from her lips and she turned to look at the car Kevin disappeared into. "Believe me, you and I will be married before that bitch becomes your wife."

Weary from the night before, Danielle hoped in the shower hoping the mixture of hot and cold would bring her senses around. Now, as well as not taking the day after Kevin leaves off, she was never going to go out with Kristy on a weekday. Events of the night before were hazy, there was drinking and dancing. When she asked Kristy if they could leave, she only laughed and continued dancing with the guy of the moment.

The water felt good, refreshing her mind and body. Today would just be another boring day at work, even though Kevin insisted that she did not have to work, he would gladly support her while she spent her time devoted to writing, as she wanted. She dried her hair and wandered into her bedroom to grab her clothing. She thought of what other plans she had to make for the wedding, they were only getting started so there was plenty to do.
Kevin already had both the church for the wedding and the reception hall booked. They decided on invitations this last weekend, and she would be dress shopping this weekend with her mom and Kristy. She moved to a picture of the three of them together at one of the clubs they liked to frequent. They all looked so happy and cheerful, she was glad that Kristy would be her maid of honor and be there to share and support her on her wedding day.

The thought of work flew back into her head and Danielle looked at the clock on her nightstand. Her eyes widened as she realized she should have left five minutes ago, her fantasizing about her wedding made her forget the time. Quickly she grabbed her jacket and headed out the door.

*****

She stood down the block from where the boys were eating. She watched Kevin intently as he took a bite from his sandwich. She knew it would be a chicken sandwich, she had watched him eat lunch enough to know that was his favorite.

"Now he will dab his mouth with his napkin, just to make sure he doesn't have any mayonnaise on his face." She giggled as she watched him put the sandwich down and pick up his napkin, blotting around his mouth.

She continued to watch as the boys finished up their meal, threw some money on the table and walked back to the studio. Before the bus boys moved in, she was there taking the napkin Kevin had used only moments before. Holding it tight, she brought it to her face, gently placing her lips upon it imaging it was Kevin himself she was kissing.

Feeling eyes on her, she shoved the napkin in her jacket pocket, quickly making her way out of sight. She had to get home before anyone missed her; people would wonder exactly what she was up to if she was gone too long.
Taking one final look in the direction Kevin wandered off into, she was soon hailing a taxi and making her way home.

*****

He tapped his fingers on the desk as he waited for Danielle to answer the phone. After the third ring he started to get a little worried, she usually picks up the phone after the third ring. He waited, letting the fifth ring go, then the sixth, after the seventh her machine finally picked up and he hung up in frustration. Where in the world could she be on a Tuesday night?
Kevin started to pace around the room, where could she be on a Tuesday evening. It wasn't like Danielle to go out on a weeknight; sure, she did it a few times, but not frequently. Times like these were the reason he suggested that she have a cell phone, so he could get in contact with her when he started to worry.

The sound of the phone startled Kevin and he quickly answered making the ringing sound stop.

"Hello." His answer was curt, whomever it was he needed to get off the phone with them so he could try to call Danielle back.

"Why hello Kevin darling, should I go? Are you expecting a call from someone else?" The playful tone in her voice suggested a smirk on her face.

"I'm sorry Danielle; I thought you were someone else." Embarrassed he ran his hand through his hair and took a seat on his bed.

"Oh I see, you thought I was another one of your many girlfriends." She giggled.

"Ha ha," his laugh was fake but a smile beamed on his face. "Where were you like two minutes ago?" He asked becoming serious.

"I was actually walking up the stairs to my apartment when I heard the last couple of rings. I was over at Kristy's, she had to work late so she asked me to go by and feed and walk her dog." Kristy had called her that afternoon and asked the favor, Danielle happily obliged.
When they finally hung up it was an hour later and they had discussed everything they thought of any interest to the other person that occurred during their day.

Danielle left out the note she received the other day, laughing at it. It wasn't as if there was any threat from the note, it didn't even say anything that threatening. She drifted off to sleep thinking about centerpieces she could possibly have at the reception.

*****

A soft cackle escaped her lips, as Tracy found uniform of a janitor for the building Kevin was in now. She sighed as she thought of his perfection, everything from his hair down to his legs. She shivered with excitement at the possibility of getting closer to him. Holding him the night before for the picture was just a stepping-stone. She wanted closer to him, she wanted to be there as he slept and dreamt of that bitch that did not deserve him.

She carefully put the jumper on and put her hair up in a ponytail. She walked around to the back 'employees only' door and yanked it open. The hallways were lit dimly and a sparse few employees were around and those that were paid Tracy little attention as she made her way down the hallway and up the stairs.

Now that she passed the employee area, she had to be more careful. People would question her and her existence on particular floors; she crept along ducking into open rooms avoiding guards and the real janitors.
Finally, she reached the room she was looking for. She pulled a bobby pin out of her hair and bent down to begin picking the lock. She smiled as she worked, thinking how easy it was to find the procedure for unlocking a lock online. After a couple of minutes, she heard the click she was straining to hear and quickly she opened the door.

Tracy moved inside and scanned the room, she growled to herself as she realized the room had already been picked up and cleaned. There would be no remnants of the earlier occupants. She sighed to herself as she made her way around the room trying to find something, anything that would clue her into where she could find Kevin now.
She misjudged their schedule, but that would not happen again. She smiled to herself as she found an open book on one of the tables stating where Kevin was going to be for the next few weeks. She held it close to her chest as she got out of the janitor outfit and went back into the hall, quickly exiting the building and making her way home where her mom was surely wondering where she was now.

Danielle smiled as she woke up, remembering that Kevin was coming in this weekend to see her. It had been nearly two weeks since they last had seen each other, now all she had to do was drag herself out of bed and go to class and then on to work.
Here classes drug and with the thought of work ahead, Danielle never thought the day would be over. She almost fell asleep twice during her last class for the day, but she managed to take a few notes and even remembered to write down the homework.

Her feet felt like lead as she pulled herself out of her classroom and drove herself to the bank that she was a teller at part-time. People annoyed her and the doors seemed to take forever to be locked. Five o'clock arrived and Danielle thought it safe to shut her window and begin balancing. The moment she entered her final check and hit enter for it to print, one of the financial specialists came over with a customer who just opened an account.

Danielle rolled her eyes in annoyance. She paid no attention to the customer as she finished the transaction and sent the person on their way. She continued to grumble and growl to herself about the specialists being inconsiderate to the tellers. Finally, she fixed her checks and continued with her balancing. Forty minutes later, she was turning her stratus out of the banks parking lot and heading towards home.

She was almost home when a piece of paper on the floor of the passenger side caught her eye; it had the same writing as the envelope shoved under her door. At the next stop light, she bent over to pick it up carefully flipping it over.

Stay away from Kevin bitch or
I will not be responsible for my
actions.

By the way you look so cute
while you were sleeping through
your last class. You didn't look too
happy towards the end of work
either, what happened?

I'm watching you, stay away!

Danielle's pulse quickened and her palms became sweaty, the note fell to the ground and she simply stared ahead. Whoever had slipped that note into her car had seen her today. She thought back to whom she saw during the day, there were no two faces she remembered seeing in both places today.

Danielle jumped from the sound of a horn honking behind her. She jolted and looked at the light, it was green. She waved an apology to the person behind her and continued towards home trying to decide if she should tell Kevin about this or not.

She cautiously got out of her car, glancing around her as she made her way into her apartment. Danielle quickly entered her apartment and shut the door, locking all the bolts. She ran to all her windows and her patio door and locked them as well. She shook her head and fell onto the couch breathing heavily.

*****

A giggle escaped her lips as she watched Danielle pull into her parking lot and practically run into her apartment. She found it interesting that she looked every direction as she walked. She must have gotten my note, she whispered to herself.

She carefully got out of her car and made her way towards Danielle's apartment, another note held tightly in her hand. There was no way she would let Danielle live happily ever after with the man she was meant for.

Her eyes skimmed the parking lot and caught a glimpse of another girl watching the apartment as well. Well who do we have here? She thought.

She approached the car with a big grin, the other girl carefully rolling down her window.

"Can I help you?" She asked the girl sitting in the car.

"I'm just looking for a friend." She replied.

She nodded her head in understanding. "I think you and I are looking at the same apartment." The other girl's eyes widened as she mentioned the apartment. How did she know she was watching it?

The small brunette's reaction to that comment let her know she hit it right on the head. "What's your name?" she asked the girl in the car.

"Tracy." She replied. "I … I was just um…"

"No need to explain Tracy," she replied, "I'm in love with him too."

Tracy gasped at the girl's comment. "How…? I mean who are you?"

"Let's just say, I'm someone who does not want that bitch to be with Kevin, she doesn't deserve him."

Tracy nodded in agreement.

"I can make her back away as well; you see I already have her scared." A soft chuckled escaped her lips. "I will make it so that she won't know what hit her."

Tracy nodded at the strange girl and she listened as she explained her plans. Her plan was wonderful and Tracy gave her word that she would help her out any way that she could and let her know everything she learned. The other woman nodded in satisfaction and told her to get lost, only one of them should be around at a time, until the day that it all was going to happen and they were going to get rid of Danielle once and for all.

She watched as Tracy drove off and looked back at Danielle's apartment. It was dark and she knew that Danielle would be showering in preparation for Kevin's arrival. She would need to hurry before Kevin arrived and saw her standing there.

She took one-step when she heard her phone ringing at her side. She cringed and did a mental head slap. How could she have been so dumb to leave her cell phone on, and bring it with her?

She rushed back to her car to answer the call.

*****

Danielle knew she couldn't stay seated for long after everything that happened, so she got up and made her way to the bathroom stripping off her clothes quickly. She turned the knobs in the shower and relaxed under the warmth of the water.

She lathered the soap and washed herself trying to wash away the memory of the note. She could not ignore it now, someone was watching her. She threw her face under the water and tried to think of who it could be, but the only thing she could think of was a crazed fan stalking her. She never thought it would happen, but she should have known after Leighanne's stories.

As she washed her hair, she tried to think of Kevin's face and his arms wrapped tightly around her. It would not be long until he would be there and she would feel more secure but until then, she needed some noise to comfort her.

She dried herself off, wrapped a towel around her and wandered into the living room turning on the television. Glancing sideways, she noticed her phone. She needed to talk to someone; a comforting voice would definitely help.

She knew Kevin would be driving and should not answer his phone if she did choose to call him, she decided instead on her best friend.

She quickly dialed the numbers and listened to the ringing, outside she heard a car drive off and what she thought was Kristy's phone. She got up and moved towards her patio glancing outside the shades. No sign of her, she must be hearing things.

"Hi Danielle," Kristy answered.

"Kristy, you will never believe my day." Danielle started.

"Really, what happened?"

"I am being followed, and I got another threatening note."

"Interesting," Kristy responded, "are you sure you aren't imagining it?" She turned towards Danielle's apartment across the parking lot and smirked to herself.

Kevin turned his car into Danielle's apartment complex and parked. He sprinted up the stairs to her apartment and knocked loudly on the door. He was greeted by the door opening, chain still in place.
"Honey, what's going on?" He questioned Danielle.

"Nothing." Danielle answered closing the door and opening it all the way, so Kevin could come inside.

He watched as she re-bolted the door and looked around anxiously. "That doesn't look like nothing," He said pointing to the door.

"So I started to lock my door all the way." She said shrugging her shoulders.

Kevin shook his head. "Danielle I know something is wrong, I have known you too long to know that you don't like to use the chain." He moved close to her and hugged her tightly. "Now tell me what is wrong."

Being held in Kevin's arms was exactly the comfort she needed. Kristy played if off like a prank pulled by some young teenage fan, but Danielle sensed it was something more. Finally, she couldn't hold it inside anymore and she started to sob. "I got a threatening note," She said muffled by his chest.

"What?" He asked not sure he heard what he thought she said.

She took a step back and looked into his deep green eyes. "I said I got a threatening note today again."

Kevin looked at her in disbelief. "Again? You mean there was a first time?" He looked at her seriously. "I can't believe you would keep something like that from me."

Danielle moved to the couch and sat down patting the seat next to her for Kevin to join her. He sat down next to her and she sighed. She told him everything that happened, starting with the first note. Why she didn't tell him, why she was worried now.

Kevin listened to everything she had to say, all the while, plotting his course of action. What they should do and why he thought it was what they should do. When she finished talking, he stood quietly and made his way to the refrigerator, grabbed a soda and walked back to the couch.

He opened the soda and began to drink, taking his time before saying anything. Danielle sat staring at the television screen that remained on while she told the story.

Kevin set down the drink and took Danielle's hands in his, turned her face towards him and kissed her. "I know you are worried, but it is something we can work through. I knew this was bound to happen, the other guys told stories of their girls stalked and I knew it was only a matter of time until someone started in on you." He paused to stroke her hair.

"I love you more then anything Danielle, and now that you've told me this, I think that it is more important that you move in with me. I know that you want to maintain your independence until we actually get married, but I really do think this is for the best."

"Okay," Danielle nodded solemnly. "I think that would be a wise decision."

Kevin looked at her astounded at her ease of acceptance. He knew that this note she received must have really scared her in order for her agree to move in with him.

"I know you are thinking that I must be frightened to agree, but I've been thinking about this for some time. We would get to see each other more often and you wouldn't be so tired from flying into town and then having to drive to see me." She leaned over Kevin and grabbed his soda looking up at him smiling like nothing had happened that day.

She took a gulp of the soda and then placed it on the coffee table smiling innocently. "Now I haven't seen you in two weeks, do you really think I want to continue talking about this note and my possible stalker?"

She moved in closer and laid a soft kiss on his cheek. Moving slowly, she placed a kiss on his other cheek. Putting her arms around his neck, she pulled him closer to her pressing her lips to his.

Gently his hands moved up her arms, clasping her face in his palms. Finally, he pulled away. "Are you sure you want to do this now?"

Danielle looked at Kevin with such desire that Kevin did not wait for her answer but pulled her down on the couch caressing her and removing her clothing.

Danielle moved in all the motions Kevin was used to, but she was deep in thought wondering who could be watching her and why did they choose now, after they were engaged to take action?

*****

Kristy looked at her watch. Where was the little tart? She wondered. I know I told her to be here by midnight. She watched the road and finally saw a car approaching. She watched as a shorter brown-haired girl got out of the vehicle and advanced towards her.

"So what is our first plan of action?" Tracy asked her.

They agreed to work against Danielle, to ruin her for Kevin, but what about when they had won? Who would get Kevin in the end, Kristy smirked to herself about how easy Tracy would fall and then smiled letting Tracy think it was a warm greeting.

"Well, how old are you Tracy?" Kristy asked.

"I will be twenty in two days." She smiled proudly as if it was something worthy accomplished.

"Alright, old enough to go to the clubs with us." Kristy smirked. "We'll introduce you as my cousin, Danielle knows I have many but doesn't know even one-third of them."

Tracy looked at Kristy confused. "So you know Danielle?"

Kristy cackled. "I've been friends with her since before Kevin came along."

"Why are you doing this to your friend?" Tracy asked suddenly unsure if she really wanted to be in on the plan with Kristy or if she should just continue stalking Kevin alone.

"I saw him first!" Was her only response.

Tracy nodded and they agreed on a time and place they would set up for Tracy to meet Danielle. Soon, very soon, Danielle would be out of the picture and Kevin would be hers.

Danielle sighed in satisfaction as she woke in Kevin's arms. She loved feeling this way; she loved the feeling of his arms wrapped around her as she sleeps. Quietly she turned her head towards the clock; it was flashing 12:00. She gasped and threw Kevin's arms off her.
She ran to her dresser and picked up her watch. "Kevin wake up!" She shouted across the room.

She rummaged through her dresser pulling out clean undergarments for the day. "Oh we are so running late."

"What's wrong?" Kevin asked groggily from the bed.

"We are late for our meeting with the minister." Quickly her clothes were off and she was stepping into her clean clothes. She piled her hair on top of her head and she sprayed her perfume quickly over herself. "No time for a shower, get up and get dressed." She called out as she ran into the kitchen pouring two glasses of milk.

Danielle drained her glass quickly and took the other to Kevin. "Here, to get something in your stomach." She watched as he drained his glass, then she took it away and put both in the dishwasher.

Ten minutes later, they were on their way to meet with the minister they reserved to say their wedding months ago. They were going to discuss the readings they wanted, and the vows they each prepared.

For the short time they were with the minister, Danielle felt calm, letting the memory of her threat disappear. After the meeting, they went to grab some lunch, then decided they should get some boxes and start packing Danielle up for the move.

They unlocked the door and stepped inside shocked at what they saw all around them. Chairs were tossed over; dishes were broken on the kitchen floor. Large slits on the couch showed whoever was in was out to be as cruel as possible with her stuff. Cautiously they made their way into her bedroom.

Leave him be!

Kevin gasped as he saw the words written on the wall behind her bed. "Who would do this?"

"I'll give you one guess Kevin." She replied.

"Your stalker?"

"You're brilliant." She spat out sarcastically.

"No need to be a smartass about it."

Danielle shook her head at the mess. "Well I doubt I'll get my full deposit back on this place now." She sighed heavily as she noticed the window was smashed out and glass was all over the floor.

"Well no time like the present to start packing and cleaning the apartment." Kevin smirked.

Danielle glared slightly at Kevin before moving carefully to the bed. "This is just disgusting," she pointed out the filthy sheets. "What in the world did they use to make these sheets this dirty?"

Kevin came over and peered at the sheets. "It looks like a mixture of ketchup and chocolate ice cream."

"Well whatever it is, it made a mess and looks disgusting." Danielle shook her head in disbelief. "Well I will just toss those sheets out, I suppose."

The two spent the remainder of the day packing up Danielle's stuff and cleaning the apartment.

"I feel bad, making you clean and pack on your weekend off." Danielle said as they sat on the couch during a break.

"Honey, I really don't mind doing this with you." He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. "Tomorrow we will start moving the boxes to my house."

*****

Kristy sat alone in her dark apartment; the only light came from the small table next to the chair and the television across from her. Newspapers and magazines were spread out in front of her, scraps on the floor, scissors in her hand. She searched for the perfect letters to make her note. She was careless with her last note; some of the letters might be able to be compared to hers. She needed to be more careful this time.

Right now Tracy would be on some errand that Kristy sent her on to keep her out of the way. Tracy would become a good patsy, but there was no way that Kristy was going to share her victory or her spoils with that little Backstreet Boys fan.

Tomorrow night she would set her actual plan into motion. She would drop off the note telling Danielle where to meet her in order to stop the threats, to end the torment she might feel.

Kristy cackled to herself at the thought of Danielle showing up and the torment that would follow. She glanced swiftly to the bookshelf where the faint light glowed on the spines. 'The Art of Torture' and 'Tortures of Old' jumped out at her and she smiled to herself.

*****

Something about Kristy seemed off to Tracy. She felt the same about Kevin's fiancé, but there was something more to the tone in which Kristy talked about Danielle.

She stood inside the club and looked around. She didn't understand why she had to scout out clubs. She was told a bit about the plan, but not enough that she really felt apart of it. She shook her head wondering why she even decided to join with this Kristy girl in the first place. She had a feeling that something terrible was going to happen to her for participating in Kristy's plan. She didn't understand why, if she had these feelings, she continued to help.

She sighed as she stood in a far corner watching the movement in the club. There were many people dressed in leather holding whips, slashing at someone's calves as they walked past another person.

Tracy cringed with every snap she heard. What kind of person would come to a place like this? She wondered.

A streak of light entered the room and all eyes turned towards the front door, craning their necks to see who the new person to join their world was. Tracy let out a small gasp as she watched Kristy advance towards her, hips swinging. She was outfitted head to toe in red leather. Her mini skirt barely covering all it should, and her tank top pushing her breasts together giving her the appearance of a larger chest then she really had.

Red leather gloves stopped just short of her elbows, her boots just below the knee. A knotted leather whip dangled on her wrist and every so often, she would grab it and smack it lightly across her own thigh.

"Don't you just love this place?" She grinned at Tracy.

Her jaw continued to hang open in shock.

"You like?" Kristy asked and turned herself around so Tracy could view her whole outfit.

Tracy nodded at Kristy and turned her head quickly away to look at the others still watching her. "Do you come here with Danielle?"

Kristy let out a laugh that seemed to carry through the whole club. "She would not be caught dead in a place like this."

"Then why did you send me here?"

Kristy leaned against the bar and smirked, shrugging slightly at Tracy. "I thought you might enjoy it here."

"So then this isn't the club we are going to be meeting Danielle in?" Tracy questioned.

"Oh heavens no, I just brought you here to get you laid." An evil laugh escaped Kristy's mouth as she noticed Tracy's' shocked face.

Danielle called her mom and cancelled their lunch telling her what happened to her apartment and what she and Kevin would be doing that day. Her mom sounded as if she understood, though Danielle could sense she was not thrilled at the idea of her living with Kevin before they officially got married.
Earlier in the day, Kevin rented a truck and later in the day Nick, A.J. and Howie were coming over to help with the move. Brian was still on his honeymoon. The process was going slowly for Danielle, she, at the moment, was left alone to pack and move the boxes to the truck. Danielle sent Kevin out again to find more boxes so they could finish packing her stuff.

She hoisted a box of clothes from her room and slowly made her way out the door. A person in front of her forced her to stand in the doorway.

"What are you doing here?" Danielle asked her.

She looked at Kristy, her eyes wide with shock. "I was, um, going to ask you the same thing."

Danielle looked around the box at Kristy, an envelope in her hands. "What's that?" She asked her.

Kristy quickly moved the envelope behind her back. "It's a surprise."

Danielle looked at Kristy. "Okay, well since you are here, can you help me move these boxes to the truck?"

"You're moving?"

Danielle nodded. "After that break in last night I've decided it would be safer if I just move to Kevin's place."

Kristy shook her head, "But you wanted to stay independent until you were married." She pleaded.

"Well I had been thinking about it," She pushed past Kristy and headed towards the stairs. "It will save some strain in the relationship and I would get to see him more often, especially now that the album is almost ready for release."

Kristy stared at Danielle stunned. If she moves in with Kevin, her plan of tormenting Kristy was ruined. There was no way she would be able to break into Kevin's house; there was no way to continue her plan after the torture she already planned.

"NO!" She screamed out of nowhere. She couldn't let Danielle ruin her plans. "You are not doing this to me."

"Doing what to you?" Danielle questioned, confused by her best friends actions.

"I have plans you are ruining!"

"What plans?"

Kristy turned to the side and started to talk to herself. "This isn't happening, everything was going so well. How am I going to make it work now? Kevin's house has too much security; I'll never make it work."

Danielle watched her friend confused. She watched as Kristy talked to herself, watched as she put her hands to her head frustrated, dropping the envelope to the floor. Danielle's eyes floated from her best friend to the envelope on the floor.

She stared at it shocked at what she saw, the red ink, and the handwriting on the outside. "You," she looked back at Kristy who noticed the envelope on the floor.

Danielle noticed a change come over Kristy, and cold uncaring eyes met hers as she looked questioningly at her friend.

"Why Kristy?" She asked.

"Because, Kevin and I are meant to be together and you are really getting in our way." She moved towards Danielle.

"Kristy, what are you talking about?"

"Remember that night in the club where we met him? Do you know he approached me first? He offered to buy me a drink before he even laid eyes on you, but being the good friend that I am, I called you over. Do you remember that?" She asked while moving a little closer. "Then when you came over you were such a floozy, you had him out on the dance floor in two minutes flat."

"Kristy, I discussed this with you after that night. I asked if you liked him, you told me no. You told me that you didn't mind that I was going out with him. Why do you have a problem now?"

She flared, stepping closer to Danielle. "Most of your boyfriends last a few months, I thought you would finish with him, I could then move in, pick up the pieces and we would be engaged right now." She sounded like tears were going to fall, but Danielle saw no tears in her eyes.

Danielle shook her head. "I don't understand…"

"Of course you don't understand. You understand nothing but yourself!" Unable to take it any longer Kristy stepped forward lunging at Danielle forcing Danielle to go over backwards.

She watched with an evil grin as Danielle fell down the stairs, feet going over her head, the box toppling after her. A small cackle began to rise in her chest, stopped by the cry of anguish heard coming from the parking lot.

"Danielle!" He called out.

Kristy changed her manner and looked down at the scene horrified at what she saw. She screamed and rushed down the stairs towards the fallen Danielle.

"What happened?" Kevin asked her.

Kristy looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "I don't know, I was inside helping her pack, she said she was going to take a box down to the truck. I heard you scream her name, ran out the door and saw her falling." She leaned over the body of Danielle. "Oh please be okay." She said aloud.

Kevin looked at the twisted body of Danielle and flipped his phone open. "I need an ambulance…" He gave the address and the cause of emergency then fell to his knees stroking Danielle's hair.

Kristy watched as Kevin's eyes swelled with tears, she decided to make herself appear useful by moving the box. With her back turned she allowed a smirk to cross her face. Her death might work better; I will be there to comfort him in his time of need. She forced herself to hold back the laughter until she was alone.

The ambulance arrived ten minutes later and left again, carrying Danielle and Kevin, in another ten minutes. Kevin asked Kristy to close up the apartment, to make sure it was locked and then he asked if she would join him later at the hospital.

Kristy wandered into Danielle's apartment and looked around the boxes. You thought you would escape your destiny, she said to herself, you only made it come faster. She found the keys, locked the door, and made her way to the hospital to secure herself in Kevin's affection.

Tracy logged onto AOL anxious to read her e-mail, talk with her friends and work on her Backstreet Boys website. Since meeting Kristy, she hardly logged on and felt she was neglecting her other hobbies.
Almost as soon as she logged on, an IM popped up on her screen.

BoyCrazyLipstick: Did you hear about Kevin's fiancée?

Kvn4ever: No I haven't, what's the news?

BoyCrazyLipstick: She's in the hospital, but that's all they are telling us on MTV News, I thought that you might have more information seeing as you know like EVERYTHING about Kevin.

Tracy sat silent for a few minutes staring at her screen and what her online friend just told her. She was so out of the loop that she didn't even know crucial information like that.

BoyCrazyLipstick: Hello? Are you still there or did you go to the bathroom and not tell me? :p

Kvn4ever: No, I'm here, just in shock is all.

The two girls continued to talk about other tidbits of information that was going on in the Backstreet world, but the news she received would not stop nagging her.

Right before she was going to log off "You've Got Mail" sounded from her computer. She clicked on the mailbox icon, eyes widening at whom sent the mail.

Tracy, it's Kristy. Change of plans since I landed our girl in the hospital. I'll get back to you later with more details.
Meet tomorrow at our usual meeting spot, we'll talk more.

Tracy re-read the e-mail for what seemed like the tenth time when her words "I landed our girl in the hospital" finally sunk in. Kristy put Danielle in the hospital and she was working with this girl. Her breathing became harder and the room started to spin. What in the world was the goal of Kristy anyway? They started with the same goal, to get Danielle out of the picture, but did Tracy want to go as far as Kristy would to achieve their goal?

She threw herself into bed and lay awake thinking about what was going on in her life right now, she wasn't sure she wanted to continue on the path she was taking. Before she fell asleep, she decided to wait and see what Kristy had to say before making her decision to back out or not.

*****

Kevin sat in the waiting room, eager to hear any news about Danielle. When they brought her in, they took her into the ER, he was not allowed to follow them into the room.

His hands covered his face, he did not want to be seen like this. In fact, he did not want to be seen at all. If Danielle was not in his life, he was beginning to think he would crawl in a hole and let the world pass him by.

He did have friends, and he knew they would be there for him in any way possible, but he felt his life would lose all meaning if he were to lose Danielle.

Keeping one hand over his face, he reached into his front pocket and pulled out a tissue.

"Kev, maybe you should go home and get some rest, you don't look so good." Nick's voice rang in his ears.

"Would you feel good if the love of you life's life might slip through your fingers? If I hadn't pressured her to move, if I insisted that she wait for you three to arrive then she might not be here." He said finally looking at his three friends who arrived with Kristy.

"Nick, Kevin has a right to be here, let's just support him and keep him company." Kristy suggested making sure she was the first to take a seat next to Kevin.

Nick walked away mumbling something under his breath, taking a seat next to Howie and A.J.

The group sat waiting, watching the hours tick away. Danielle's family arrived at the hospital and were unable to find anything out about her condition either. Finally, Kevin was unable to bear the waiting any longer. He marched up to the receptionist and demanded to know what was going on with Danielle.

"Sir, please keep your voice down. I assure you that if it is taking this long there is a valid reason."

"I want to know how she is doing!" He shouted back.

"Kevin, calm yourself." Kristy stepped forward placing her hand on his arm to sooth him. "There is nothing you can accomplish here by raising your voice, you will have to wait." For the bitch to die, she added in her head.

In another few minutes, the doctor finally emerged from the ER. He talked to the receptionist and she pointed to the group that formed in the corner of the waiting area. He approached slowly and cautiously.

"Are you the friends and family of Danielle Fitzsimons?" the doctor asked the group.

Danielle's mom stepped forward, "I'm her mother."

The doctor took her aside and talked in hushed tones; Danielle's mom nodded slowly and carefully as her condition was explained to her. When the conversation was done, Danielle's mom came back to the group looking worse then when she started the conversation.

She took her time explaining Danielle's condition to the rest of the group, Kristy took Kevin in her arms holding him tightly as he cried learning that she was in stable condition but showing signs of amnesia.

"Her family is free to go visit her. You'll find her in room 438 just down this hallway." And with that, the doctor was on his way.

Danielle's family made their way to her room, Kevin, practically dragging them into the room. Kristy followed; unsure she wanted to be in the room, what if Danielle's memory came back suddenly?

She decided she needed to see her condition for herself so she would know exactly what more she had to do to get Danielle out of Kevin's life.

Kristy stood in the back of the room watching as Danielle's family approached Danielle hoping that she would recognize them, tears streamed down their faces as she disappointed them. Kevin only stared at her, willing her to remember him, he did not want to ask, he could not bear it if her answer was 'no' like he felt it would be.

Danielle's mother noticed Kristy standing towards the back of the room and walked over to her.

"Why don't you go and say hello, maybe she will remember you." Her eyes were hopeful and determined that she would find something her daughter recognized.

Kristy, playing the role of dutiful best friend walked towards Danielle's bed. She looked at her, half-horrified, half delighted by her appearance. Danielle lay in bed her left arm and leg in casts, bandages wrapped around her chest. There were indents on her face from where rocks imbedded themselves and doctors pried them out. A small cut apparent over the left side of her face.

Trying to make a joke and get smile from the girl, Kristy spoke without thinking about the others in the room. "Looks like you avoided injuring your right side too much." She smiled broadly showing her friendliness to Danielle.

Danielle stared blankly at Kristy then smiled herself. "Your face is familiar to me. I don't know who you are exactly, but I remember that smile."

Danielle's family and Kevin let out one long breath in unison indicating that they had been holding their breath since their last chance approached the bed.

"Danielle," Her mother started. "This is your best friend Kristy, since you can remember her more then the rest of us," she paused choking back a sob, "I think it would be best if she helped you regain your memory. When you are released I think she will be the one to go with you to your apartment and help you remember everything else about your life."

Kristy stepped back slightly. She did not want to help Danielle get better; she wanted Danielle out of the picture. Of course, she would help Danielle's family, there was no way she wanted them to find out that she was the reason their daughter was in the hospital.

That night, when Kristy was finally alone, she tore around her apartment frustrated. Danielle hadn't died and now she had to be the one to help her memories return. It could only be worse if she awoke with full memories and she was now in jail.

She threw herself onto the couch and turned on the television for noise. Suddenly a thought came to her of how Danielle's amnesia could benefit her.

Tracy hurried to get ready. She was called a half an hour ago and told to meet Kristy at ten minutes to five at the café around the corner. She looked at her watch and let out a soft yelp, she was running five minutes late and Kristy did not tolerate lateness.
She arrived out of breath stopping short of the table where Kristy sat sipping coffee. She tried to approach the table casually and as coolly as Kristy would have she been the one that was arriving late. Her attempt failed sorely.

"You are late." Kristy snapped barely looking up from the newspaper in front of her. "You know how I hate lateness."

Tracy collapsed into the empty chair and sighed. "I know, but I thought you'd rather have me here cleaned and dressed well rather then in my pajamas."

Kristy finally looked up at Tracy and raised her eyebrow, "Good choice." She looked back to her newspaper and continued to read the story she was reading taking slow sips of her coffee.

All Tracy could do was to sit and watch Kristy as she finished her morning routine. After another five minutes, Tracy ordered her own coffee and Kristy set aside her newspaper.

"I bet you are wondering about my e-mail and why I called you here today."

Tracy blew on her coffee to cool it as she nodded her head in response.

"Well, with my most recent note I went over to Danielle's apartment to find the bitch moving. Imagine she was moving without telling me, her best friend." Kristy continued to tell the story to Tracy about Danielle falling down the stairs and then about her hospital visit.

Tracy sat for a few minutes after Kristy finished, trying to digest what she was just told. "So what is our plan now that she doesn't remember anything?" Tracy meekly asked.

"Well sometimes when patients get amnesia, they turn into different people because they really have no idea what they were like before." A smirk crossed Kristy's face. "Our goal is to 'help' Danielle figure out who she was before all of this happened, but sometimes they just don't listen to those who are helping." Kristy batted her eyelashes innocently. "What a shame for Kevin that she will not remember being with him, and that she will end up being someone that he is not attracted to."

Tracy grinned at the idea. "So we will make her act like a girl that Kevin would have no interest in?" She giggled. "Who are we going to make her like?" She asked.

Kristy thought for a second. "He likes the good girls, someone who will treat him like his momma. Someone like Danielle was before all of this."

Tracy nodded her head in comprehension. "What part am I to play?"

"Instead of my cousin you are another of our friends. You will, of course, back up everything I have to say. I will prep you on the background I will tell her she but you will not just nod your head at everything I say. There will of course be times that you will have to bring up her invented back ground so it seems more realistic."

Again, Tracy nodded her head. "So I get to act." She said wistfully.

"If you want to think of it that way, then yes you do."

"What happens when we make her into someone Kevin doesn't want, do we split and it's every girl for herself?" Tracy had to know, the question had been tugging at her for the past few days.

Kristy just shrugged, "one thing at a time dear." She remarked. Kristy knew that there was no way she was going to let Tracy stand a chance at getting Kevin once Danielle was out of the picture. Maybe she could arrange a little accident for Tracy that would get rid of the one other person who knows her plan. That way she could get Kevin and be safe from a jealous teenybopper.

The girls discussed their first plan of action over bagels and when they were finished, they left separately to different parts of the city to start their plan.

*****

Kevin was exhausted, through the whole night he never left Danielle's side. He watched her sleep, watched as her eyes fluttered open, watched as she tried to remember everything in her life before the accident. He tried to talk to her about her life to help her remember anything, but the only time her eyes showed any kind of recognition was when Kristy was near.

He insisted upon helping her whenever she would let him. She had one good hand, so he just held the food closer to her. He helped her to prop her leg up if she needed it, he even fluffed her pillows, but her face still showed no recognition when she looked at him.

The door creaked open and Kevin jumped at the noise. He turned to see who walked in, seeing Kristy he sighed and turned back to Danielle.

"Is she still not recognizing you?" She asked from the doorway.

"No."

A small cry of joy sounded in Kristy's head, but she was solemn when she spoke. "How is she doing other then that?"

"She seems to be recovering. She has a healthy appetite and keeps herself busy as best she can."

Kristy nodded and looked towards Danielle her eyes fluttering open hearing people's voices.

"Hi." Kristy smiled at her. "How do you feel today?"

The woman in the bed, used to the strange man being in her room looked away from him and at face from yesterday and slightly smiled at her. "I hurt, but I think I will be all right in the long run."

Kristy nodded thinking to herself of all the plans she had in store for Danielle and answered, "Well I am sure you will be happy to get out of here, into your apartment with me. Maybe some of your memories will surface when you get there."

Kevin looked at the girls hopeful, "Yes, maybe you will remember more." He was scheduled to leave in few days to complete a few tracks and re-edit some others, he hated the fact that he was leaving her but knew she would be safe with Kristy helping her to remember.

Kristy turned her attention back to Kevin. "You look tired Kevin; maybe you should go home and get some rest."

Kevin sighed knowing that Kristy was right. He could not keep his constant vigilance up for much longer. He stood from his chair moved to Danielle's bed starting to lean over her to kiss her but her sharp intake reminded Kevin that she was not familiar with him so he pulled back quickly.

"I will visit you later." He forced a smile and quickly turned leaving the room.

Kristy waited until Kevin was really gone before taking the chair he vacated. "So you remember absolutely nothing?" She needed to know where she needed to start.

"Well I think I know that Danielle is my name, everyone is calling me by that name, but other then that I really have no idea who I am. Am I going to school, do I have a job? They all hinted that I was marrying that man, Kevin, that has been staying in my room, but what else about my life?"

It took Kristy all her strength to not smile at the words Danielle was speaking at that moment. A complete blank slate, she was in luck.

"Well your name is Danielle Fitzsimmons, but I'm sure you have been informed of that. Let's see, you are in school right now, undecided major. You have a part-time job working as a bank teller." She smiled at Danielle; see she could tell her the truth about some things in her life though she was unsure about Danielle's decision about a major.

"Okay, what about favorite foods, what were they?" Danielle's eyes lighted, she knew she could have asked these questions of the man that was in the room, but she felt that she had more reason to have this girl around her.

Kristy had to think for a moment, she knew the answer that Danielle gave every time she was asked, anything Kevin made but there was no way she could give that answer now. None of her answers should connect her to Kevin in any way.

"Well let's see, you love bread strangely enough. I never understood your fascination with that food." It wasn't a complete lie; Danielle did like bread but not as much as Kristy made it out.

Danielle smiled at her, "that's good to know." She leaned back and let out a small sigh. "I get to leave at the end of this week, I can't wait. I hope that you will be able to help my memories resurface." Tired she closed her eyes, Kristy watched until Danielle's breathing was steady before sneaking out the room.

She left room 438 and made her way to Danielle's apartment to unpack her boxes, decorate the apartment with a few things she picked up and get rid of all traces of Kevin. Shoving Danielle down the stairs had been the best move in her life.

With the start of a new week, Kristy seemed to bounce with joy. Danielle was definitely coming home this week and she would officially get to start her new plan. Already Danielle was refusing to believe anything Kevin was telling her that differed from what she already told her.
Kevin was already turning to Kristy for comfort, the one link to Danielle's past that Danielle was accepting. He allowed her to comfort him and he was starting to tell Kristy his fears and worries about Danielle's amnesia and what was going to happen if she never got her memory back. He was worried about leaving, but knew he was leaving her in good hands, though he knew that their wedding was going to be put on hold indefinitely.

Kristy had a hard time keeping Danielle's mother and Kevin away from the apartment, pleading with them to leave things to her, that she knew what she was doing and everything was going to be all right.

Kristy smirked to herself, everything was going to be all right, she was finally going to get Kevin and Danielle was not going to make her sick with her goodness anymore.

A soft knock brought Kristy out of her thoughts.

"Hello?" she called out.

"Kristy, it's me, Tracy." The voice behind the door called. "I need to see her apartment before she gets here if I am going to be a convincing friend."

Kristy sighed knowing that she needed the twits help, but despising the fact that she did. Unlocking the door, she opened it wide to the girl behind the door.

"Well, you do have a brain hidden behind that mess of hair."

Tracy made a face at Kristy behind her back and followed her inside taking in the view. "What did it look like before?" She asked noting the leather furniture with exotic, sexual art hanging on the wall.

"Well, there were paintings by Monet, and Renoir and other impressionist artists that made me sick every time I saw them, they were way to fluffy."

Tracy shook her head deciding now was not a good time to mention that she loved paintings by Renoir. "So what did you do with all of her stuff?"

Kristy shrugged, "well since I am going to be living here with her to help her, all her stuff is in my apartment." She shuddered slightly, "good thing I don't have to see all that stuff every day I think I would go mad if I had to." A laugh escaped her lips, which made her sound mad already to Tracy.

"So when do you expect her here?"

"I will be leaving to pick her up in a few minutes, she asked me to be the one to pick her up and drive her home. Good thing too, wouldn't want someone else to see my decorations." She smiled as she looked around.

"Now have you prepared yourself?" Kristy asked.

Tracy nodded. "I've read the background at least fifty times and memorized several things. I've been her friend for three years; we met at a club and dated for a few months. The sex was great between us, but I valued her more as a friend then a lover so we broke up. Our bond was great and we stayed friends for all these years giving each other our opinions on who we are dating or just, as you put it, fucking."

Kristy applauded, "Very nice."

Tracy smiled, she was happy to finally be recognized for doing something well.

"Now leave!" Kristy commanded so harshly that it made Tracy jump. "I have things I need to finish before I get Danielle."

Tracy nodded and took left the apartment leaving Kristy to put the final changes on the apartment and to her plan.

*****

Kristy arrived at the hospital with minutes to spare. Kevin was sitting close to Danielle who was sitting in a wheelchair in the waiting room waiting for Kristy to arrive.

"Danielle, I have to go away to work." Kevin was telling her. "I will keep you in my prayers for a speedy recovery and I hope that you get your memory back." He paused apparent that he wanted to tell her that he loved her, but was unsure how she would take it. After their few days together, Danielle warmed up to Kevin and joked around with him being friendly.

Kristy did not like what she saw between the two when she came into the room. She was acting like her normal self. Kristy thought on several occasions that Danielle regained her memory and all was lost, but she sighed internally when they assured her that she had not regained any of her lost memories.

"How are you today Danielle?" She asked cheerfully.

"I'm in some pain from having to sit in the chair, but other then that I think I'm going to be okay." She smiled at Kristy then towards Kevin, not something Kristy wanted to see at all.

Kevin helped Danielle in the car, something Kristy was not sure she could have managed on her own. She hugged Kevin as thanks. "I'll take good care of our girl." She said soothingly. "When you come back you'd never know that anything happened."

Kevin nodded trying to smile. "I hope that is so, I love her so much Kristy."

She nodded in response, holding in the retching feeling. She watched Kevin get in his own vehicle and drive off before climbing into the drivers' seat of her own.

"The trip shouldn't take long, and then we will get you comfortable on your couch watching a movie and eating some non-hospital pizza." She smiled at Danielle through the rearview mirror.

They arrived at the apartment complex promptly and Kristy assisted Danielle back into the chair and then looked towards the stairs to Danielle's apartment in dread. "How am I supposed to get you up those?" She asked Danielle.

"Hello." A voice called out. "Danielle, it's so good to you see you, you are looking quite well." Tracy lied, she never met Danielle before and she certainly was not prepared for the look of her after the few pictures she caught in magazines and online. "I was so excited to see you that I decided to visit now, plus if you were as bad as Kristy was saying, I thought you could use some help getting up the stairs."

Kristy gave a small smile to Tracy over Danielle's head. "That was a good idea Tracy, thanks for thinking ahead."

Danielle looked at the new face. "Hi," She said unsure of herself. "Are you one of my friends?"

Tracy nodded, "For three years now."

The two girls wheeled Danielle to the bottom of the stairs, helped her stand and then supported her as she limped slowly up the stairs. Kristy opened the apartment door and let her in, a small gasp escaped Danielle's mouth as she looked around.

"Here you are, home sweet home." She smiled at Danielle.

"I didn't think it would look like this." She said mouth agape taking in the black leather couch, the black chairs and leopard print rug. She let out another gasp as she saw some of the erotic paintings on the wall. "I thought I would have more flowers." She said meekly.

Tracy and Kristy, as if cued, laughed at the comment. "You really don't like paintings of flowers," Tracy chimed in.

Kristy eyed Tracy carefully and then let her face smile. "Now let's get you set up on the couch, you can pick a movie from your collection," She pointed to the paper with the movie titles on it, "and I will order the pizza. We'll call this the ultimate girls' night in, and we will make sure it's full of memories from your past as well Danielle." Kristy winked at Tracy as they set Danielle up on the couch, then she moved into the kitchen letting out a soft laugh, her plan was going how she planned so far.

Kevin sat in his house staring out the window. It was a couple months since Danielle's accident and Kristy told him that it was best if he stayed away from the apartment for a few more months. He was sinking more and more into a depression that everyone was trying desperately to keep him out of. He called the apartment to see if Kristy would even let him talk to Danielle on the phone, but he still had not luck. Kristy would talk to him about what was going on, but she would not allow him to talk to Danielle.

Kevin was going out of his mind not being able to make contact with the woman he loved, Danielle. All of his friends and his family called and came over trying to keep his mind off of Danielle, but when he was alone he was left with nothing but his thoughts. What if she never regained her memory, what if she never remembered being in love with him. Would she be willing to let him try to get back in her life, he knew that he would always love her, but would she give him a chance to prove his love again?

His thoughts were broken by a knock on the door. His heart started to flutter with hopes of Danielle, regaining her memory, rushed quickly to see him. He flung open the door and the smile dropped from his face, his melancholy attitude returned, it was only Kristy standing at the door.

"Don't look so happy to see me Kevin." Kristy teased. "The way you look you would think I was death or something." She didn't wait for an invitation; instead she just made her way into Kevin's house and sat down on the couch. She watched Kevin shut the door and turn towards her, still looking like his soul was crushed. She patted the couch next to her hinting that he should take a seat.

"I came over to talk to you about Danielle."

Immediately Kevin was at her side sitting on the couch. "Does she remember me?" His eyes looked at her hopeful.

Kristy bowed her head and looked at her hands shaking her head slightly. "I'm sorry Kevin, she's not mentioned you at all. In fact she's not remembering anything of her past life. She seems to be making a new persona for herself."

Kevin turned from Kristy not willing to let her see his tears fall.

Carefully Kristy moved closer to Kevin and put her hand on his shoulder. "It's all right Kevin, she doesn't really remember me either." Or else she would know I shoved her down the stairs.

Kevin turned towards her and nodded letting her arms wrap around him in a hug. Kristy smiled over his shoulder while patting his back.

"It will be all right Kevin. I promise, everything will work out for the best in the end."

They sat together, Kristy comforting Kevin for another few minutes, and then Kristy decided it was time to leave and get back to Danielle. "I will come back and visit you often. We can only find comfort in each other in this difficult times." She told him before she left.

*****

Danielle woke up in her dark bedroom staring at the ceiling. She called out Kristy's name wondering if she was still there. When she did not receive an answer she continued to lie in her bed thinking about everything she could remember.

Finally, she managed to prop herself up in her bed, she turned on her light and pulled out her journal. Her mother gave her the journal, a doctor told her it might help her to remember if she wrote about her experiences now.

She pulled it open to a blank page and grabbed the pen sitting on her side table and began to write.

"I often wonder about Kristy. I wonder why her face
is the only face that seems familiar to me. I don't think the others that visited me would lie about who they were, especially that Kevin man. He seemed so hurt by my not remembering, it made me wish everyday
that I could remember one little thing about him to make him smile.
Kristy and Tracy have been good to me. Staying up late, telling me about what I liked and what I did before my amnesia.
I don't know why, but I feel that the story I was told abouthow I met Tracy is a little off. I don't believe that I dated a girl. I can't believe that I dated a girl. I feel nothing for Tracy now, but perhaps that is the reason that we stopped dating, no fire. But to
think of myself lying in bed with a girl, kind of makes me feel uneasy.
I've mentioned Kevin a bit to Kristy, asked her about him, asked her about him and me. The first few times she shrugged it off but the third time I asked she looked me straight in the eyes and told me that Kevin was nothing more then a wishful thinker. She says
that he and I dated for a bit, but I decided to move on. Ever since Kristysays that he's been seeing her but still pines for me. If that is the case, which I have no other reason to believe otherwise, then I do not wish
Kevin to come around.
I am surprised that my mother and father have not been to seeme. I would have thought they would try to help jog my memory to help Kristy out. But, Kristy said that she was surprised they showed up at the hospital. She said that usually they have nothing to do with me.
I think I remembered something from before today. I was sitting in the living room and Tracy was making something. She asked me where the crackers were and I was able to tell her exactly what cupboard they were in.
It felt great to remember something from before.
I hear the door opening, Kristy must be back."


Danielle put down her journal and turned off the light closing her eyes to give the appearance that she was still asleep.

The light to her room suddenly blared on and she opened her eyes to see Kristy standing at the end of her bed. "So what did you do while I was gone?" She questioned.

"You were gone?" Danielle played innocent. It was something that she constantly needed to play innocent with Kristy. She felt that she did not want to let Kristy know she kept a journal.

"Yes, I went to visit Kevin, try to make him stop thinking about you and give me the attention I need from him." She smiled and sat on the end of the bed. "I'm sorry that you have to have no memory of your relationship with him, that way you could tell him it's over between you two. He seems to think that since you have no memory it will somehow get him another chance with you."

Danielle looked at Kristy. "I'm sorry, but why are you dating him if he still wants to be with me?" She wondered that the minute she told her that story.

"I'm a sucker for punishment I guess. He asked me out, probably to get closer to you again and I went. We got along and I think I love him. I don't think I want to push him out of my life yet. I am hoping that I can make him remember that he really does love me."

Danielle nodded her head, seeing that she was besotted and knowing that she could be the cause of her unhappiness. "If you want I can tell him that I remember about us and that I think he needs to get on with his life and make you the happiest he can."

Kristy beamed at once at Danielle. "You would do that for me?"

"Of course, you, after all, are helping me regain my past." Danielle smiled back at Kristy.

"Thank you Danielle, you have always been a wonderful friend." Kristy took Danielle's good hand and squeezed it slightly. "Now what do you want for breakfast? I know, I'll make you eggs and hash browns, you love to smash the eggs over the potatoes and eat them together." Kristy helped Danielle into her wheelchair and then helped her sit on the couch while she went to make breakfast for Danielle.

Kristy made arrangements with Kevin to meet at a restaurant, a public place. He agreed since she said Danielle wanted to speak with him. He sat waiting at the restaurant the happiest he felt in a long time. He just knew that Danielle wanted to meet with him because she finally remembered him, because she remembered their original wedding date was almost here, and that she still wanted to marry him before the new year.
He heard someone approach and looked up catching Kristy's eyes on him.

"Where is she?" He asked looking around hopefully.

"She's in the restroom, she wanted to make sure that she was still feeling up to see you." Kristy took a seat across from Kevin placing her hand gently on his arm. "Kevin, I don't know if what she has to say is going to be what you want to hear. She still has not told me of any memories she has of you."

"But why did she want to meet to talk with me? Why else except to say that she remembers and she wants me back in her life for always."

Kristy looked somberly at Kevin. "Please don't get your hopes up." She took a chance by grasping Kevin's hand in hers; she held it tightly as they waited for Danielle to come out of the restroom.

*****

Danielle sat in the restroom, sat in her wheelchair looking at herself in the mirror. She told Kristy she would do this, she told her that she would tell Kevin that they were no longer together so that he and Kristy could move on with their lives. She saw how happy it made Kristy when she said she would. She knew that Kristy wanted this very badly. If this is what her best friend wanted so much, why did she feel like she did not want to do this.

As far as she knew, this man would not have fit into her past life of sex clubs, orgies with friends and all the drugs. She knew he was a famous singer for a group adored by little girls. She knew that their lifestyles were probably the reason that she called it quits earlier. Every time she told herself those reasons there was something nagging her in the back of her head, something telling her it didn't feel right.

She stared at herself harder, willing herself to remember her past before she made a huge mistake that would change her future. The harder she thought about the past, the more she remembered only what she was told by Kristy and Tracy.

She sighed giving up for the time being. Kristy would not lead her wrong; everyone agreed that she was her best friend so why would a best friend tell another something that was not the truth.

She knocked on the restroom door and Tracy came walking inside. Danielle looked around the restaurant as she was being pushed to the table that Kevin and Kristy were sitting at. She noticed their hands clasped together and gasped slightly. Kevin looked up and towards her, dropping Kristy's hand quickly.

"Danielle, you are looking wonderful. How do you feel?" He asked smiling at her.

"I'm feeling a bit better, not in as much pain as I was." She was moved up to the table. Her glance was caught up in Kevin's eyes that she did not even notice Kristy motioning Tracy to get lost and Tracy pleading quietly to stay.

Kristy, having finally gotten rid of Tracy, coughed and caught Kevin and Danielle's attention. "How about we order some food?" She asked.

"Unless Danielle has something she wants to tell me now." Kevin looked at her; ever hopeful of getting her love back he was lonely without her.

Danielle shook her head and turned to face Kristy. "I think we should get some food first."

The three ordered something to eat and some drinks and sat waiting for them to return in silence. When the food arrived they ate in silence, Kristy watching Kevin, Kevin watching Danielle and Danielle looking at her food.

Finally, they all finished eating their food and simply sat sipping their drinks.

"Okay, we are done eating and never have I had a more silent meal. Can Danielle please tell me what she wanted to tell me?" The silence had been unbearable to Kevin. He wanted to know what she wanted to tell him badly. If she remembered him he wanted to smother her with his kiss, if she did not remember him he did not understand the reason to have this lunch.

"Kevin, I, I remember our relationship." Danielle stated sadly.

Kevin jumped from the table with joy. "You remember me!" He exclaimed happily. He moved closer to her in an attempt to kiss her.

Quickly, Danielle moved her head away from the kiss. "You have to stop pretending like we should still be together. You need to move on with your life as I will have to with mine." She looked towards Kevin and saw the horror in his eyes.

"I, I don't get this. You remember breaking up with me?" He questioned.

"I remember that you and I are not supposed to be together." She answered.

"But our wedding was planned for two months from today, look the invitations were sent the other day." As if he knew he would need one, he pulled an invitation out of his front pocket and thrust it at Danielle. "See, we picked this out together, your mom wanted pink flowers and you almost made her stop talking completely for that comment." His frustration could not hide the tears that were starting in his eyes.

Danielle took the invitation and looked it over. She then looked to Kristy for support who was looking away from the scene, avoiding both Kevin and Danielle's gaze.

"I don't know what to think of this, but that you need to get over this obsession." Danielle stated. "Kristy, please take me away from here."

Slowly Kristy stood giving Kevin a look of 'I'm sorry' before taking the handles of Danielle's chair and pushing her away.

Kevin quietly collapsed into his chair and stared at the invitation in his hands. He was confused and upset, wondering what was going on in Danielle's head. She remembered breaking up with him. How was that possible? They've never even considered breaking up; they knew from the second week of dating that they were going to be together forever.

He saw the people around him starting to look at him so he quickly left the restaurant and made his way back home where he freely let the tears fall.

*****

Tracy watched from across the street, she watched them eat quietly then she observed the scene when Danielle must have been telling him that she did not want to see him anymore. Kristy pissed Tracy off, she knew that being in that restaurant was the closest she had ever been to Kevin without acting like a teenybopper and getting a picture, but she still made her leave.

She watched as Kristy left with Danielle then watched Kevin practically fall apart in his seat. She quickly moved closer to the restaurant, she could play it off that she was in the restaurant and saw him, try to comfort him. She knew it would piss Kristy off if she interfered now, but she could not stand to see Kevin as sad as he was and she wanted to hold him.

By the time she crossed the street, he was leaving. She followed him carefully and cautiously. There was no way she wanted to be turned in for stalking, not now, not when she was so close from her own goal.

"Kevin!" She called out unsure of what made her do that.

He turned around and he looked more forlorn then when he first set out.

"I don't think you remember me…"

"Oh hey, how are you?" He questioned trying his hardest to put on a smile.

"I met you that one time, outside that hotel, I got your picture."

He nodded showing some remembrance. "Yeah I remember you, my bodyguard almost shoved you down?"

"Yeah that was me." She replied keeping her head low.

"Did you want another autograph? Another picture maybe?"

Tracy shook her head. She had no idea what she wanted to say to him, she hadn't thought that out. She just wanted to be near him. "I, I, no I didn't want a picture or autograph, I wanted to know if you were all right."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Kevin, your eyes are puffy and you sound stuffed up. It was apparent from a distance that you've been crying."

Kevin looked down, away from the young girl in front of him. "I'll be all right, I just need to get home and rest. Thank you for your concern…"

"Tracy, my name is Tracy."

Kevin nodded. "Thank you Tracy."

Then Tracy did something drastic, something she never thought she would do in a million years. She took out a piece of paper with her phone number on it. "Here, this is my phone number, if you ever want to talk about what's going on I'll be a good listener."

Kevin took the paper and looked at it half-heartedly. "If I ever need anyone, thanks." He pocketed the paper with full intention of tossing it out; he would never call a fan especially about his problems.

Tracy watched as he turned and walked away from her, watched as he found his car, and watched as he drove away.

Finally, she got in her own car and made her way back to her place knowing that in some way she did the right thing.

When they arrived back at Danielle's apartment, Kristy took Danielle into her room and gave her some pain pills mixed with a bit of a sleeping pill hoping to knock her out for a good while. After this afternoon, Kevin would just fall into her arms and she will finally win the battle. Kevin will finally be hers. She knew that there was no way he could resist her now that Danielle crushed his heart. Guys were easy to pick up and screw in this condition.
Kristy went into the living room and sat watching television for a while. After about 30 minutes, she got up and peeked in on Danielle to find that the pills took effect and she was sleeping.

Quietly, so not to wake Danielle, Kristy went into the bathroom and changed her clothing from what she was wearing into a low cut top and a short tight skirt. She left her panties in the restroom deciding she would have no need for them later. Carefully she applied her make up and tousled her hair giving it somewhat messy look. She took one look at herself and smiled at her reflection.

"There will be no way that man will be able to resist me now." She chuckled smugly and quietly grabbed her keys, her purse and left the apartment.

The drive over to Kevin's tortured Kristy, the very thought of that man touching her, caressing her and giving her pleasure left her thighs moist and she knew that when she arrived she would not be able to wait long to get him into bed.

She approached the gate to his housing development and flashed Danielle's pass at the guard. "Here to see Kevin Richardson." She winked at the guard, leaned down slightly waiting for him to let her in.

"And your name would be, ma'am?" He asked looking at his log sheet of expected visitors.

"Danielle Fitzsimmons, Kevin's fiancée."

"I don't know who you think you are fooling, but you are not Danielle. I've met her on several occasions and you are definitely not her."

Damn, she thought to herself, this guard actually knew the bitch.

"Well I'm a friend of Kevin's I swear, I'm just here to cheer him up, if you know what I mean."

"Ma'am I have never known Mr. Richardson to hire a woman of ill repute." He turned his back to her and turned back around to her, phone in hand. "Now if you tell me who you are, I can ring you in to Mr. Richardson and ask him if he knows you and is expecting you, or you can turn around now before I call the police."

Kristy sighed, she did not want to ruin the surprise, but if it was the only way she could quench this desire was to give the guard her real name then she supposed it was the only way.

"Fine, fine. My name is Kristy Spencer; I'm a friend of Kevin and Danielle." She waited while the guard called Kevin's place and waited for his answer.

"Yes sir, I'll tell her that, thank you." The guard finished his conversation then turned to Kristy. "He told me to let you know that he will let you in, but next time, just call him and let him know you are coming over, he is more then willing to let you visit."

Kristy nodded her head. "Sorry for the deception sir, I didn't think anyone would mind my little white lie." She smiled at the guard moving just enough to let her skirt inch up allowing the guard to view the very top of her thighs.

"I expect you to tell the truth when coming into this housing development from now on Miss." He tipped the brim of his cap at her and then pushed the button to open the gates. "Have a nice day."

Kristy pushed the accelerator and started to move forward, "He's got to be gay." She glanced in her rearview mirror and watched the guard go back into his booth totally unfazed by her.

She pulled into Kevin's driveway and got out of her car. Slowly she made her way to the door and knocked. Kevin appeared at the door a few seconds later.

"Why the lie?" Was the first thing he said. Kristy was sure that he didn't even look at her when he asked.

"I was worried about you and I didn't know any other way that they would let me in." She looked at Kevin innocently and waited to be allowed inside.

"Well I suppose I can forgive you this time." He smiled. Now that his initial worry was past he looked Kristy from head to toe. "You have a hot date tonight?" He smirked and opened the door wider to let her inside.

"You could say that." She smirked smugly; sure that he could not see her face.

She took a seat on the couch and patted the spot next to her. "I came to talk about this afternoon."

Kevin's face froze and he moved like a robot to the couch, plopped down and dropped his head into his hands.

"What was that Kristy? Why did she remember something that has not happened?" He shook his head and looked at her with pleading eyes. "What has she said to you?"

"I don't know where that came from Kevin, all she would tell me was that she remembered you." She inched closer to him taking on of his hands in hers. "I swear I had no idea that she was going to say what she did."

Kevin wiped his eyes and looked at Kristy. "Did she say anything after lunch?"

Kristy shook her head, "No she went straight to sleep."

Kevin sighed and looked towards the clock. "I'm at a loss of what to do, she's been in my life for so long. I suppose I could call one of the guys and he can come over, watch a movie and order pizza with me. That way your big night isn't interrupted."

Kristy moved so she was kneeling on the couch next to Kevin. "If I leave, my night will be ruined." Carefully she took Kevin's hand making sure he kept it in his lap and then swung her leg over him so that she was straddling Kevin. Slowly she sat on his hand letting him feel her.

Kevin's eyes widened at this movement and quickly jerked his hand out from under her.

"Ooooooh that felt good." She leaned closer to Kevin's face. "Do it again." She whispered kissing his lips softly.

"I can't do this with you." He pushed Kristy away. "Danielle…"

"Danielle doesn't remember you Kevin; she basically broke up with you. I am here to comfort you." She took his hand that felt her and put his index finger in her mouth sucking on it slightly.

Kevin watched the girl sitting on his lap, half in wonder, and half in desire. He always found Kristy attractive but her personality was not attractive to him. She was so opposite Danielle he often wondered how they became best friends.

Meanwhile, Kristy moved off Kevin's lap and kneeled in front of him forcing the button on his jeans open then pulling the zipper down. Kevin moved away from her as much as possible, trying to keep Kristy's hands away from where she was aiming.

"I don't think we should," Kevin tried to stop her again. "What if Danielle recovers her memory and we have done this? Wouldn't you feel bad? Wouldn't you feel guilty?"

Kristy looked up at Kevin while she continued to kneel. "Why should I feel bad, we both have needs and desires? Besides, if her memory does come back, we don't have to tell her what we've been up to together."

Cautiously she crawled closer to Kevin's zipper, stuck her hand through the hole, and searched for the hole in his boxers, her hand settling on what she was searching for. "There's the big fella." She smirked at Kevin.

Kevin jumped at her touch, but was unable to disguise his desire.

"See I know how much you want me." She laughed moving her head closer to his crotch.

His pent up desires were too strong to hold Kristy off and he allowed her to begin pleasuring him. His slight moans and groans were all the encouragement Kristy needed.

"Oh…." Kevin moaned, "Danielle," It was subtle and quiet, but Kristy heard it none-the-less.

"Danielle?" Kristy stopped what she was doing and looked at Kevin. "Danielle? Here I am doing this for you and you are still thinking about her?" Her anger showed, but there was still a hint of longing in her voice.

"Kristy, you should go." Kevin said in finality. "I don't think this ever could ever work between us, I told you that the first night we met. We are just two completely different people."

"I suggest you change your mind." Kristy spat back.

"It's not something I can just change my mind at a whim about. I am in love with Danielle and there is nothing you can do to change that."

"Is that a dare?" Kristy asked icily

"Kristy I love Danielle and until I know for sure that she will never be the same I will be true to her."

Kristy finally stood and wiped the sides of her mouth. "Well it's apparent that you need someone to help with some of your sexual tension maybe you should reconsider."

Kevin shook his head and pointed to the door.

Kristy looked at Kevin with a shocked expression on her face. "I'm sorry, but please don't be mad. Please understand that I still want to be friends and there for each other during this hard time. It's been so long since I've comforted anyone without using sex that I'm unsure of what to do." She tried desperately to make it sound like she was somewhat a victim in the whole thing as well.

Kevin stared at her for a few minutes thinking about what she did and said this evening. Finally, he spoke. "Fine, for Danielle's sake, in the long run, I will omit this from any conversation."

Kristy quickly pecked Kevin on the cheek and turned towards the door. "Thanks Kevin, I would hate for there to be any awkward feelings between us if Danielle gets her memory back." With that, Kristy walked out the door.

The sun was starting to set as she got into her car and blasted her radio. "Damn!" she shook her head. "He loved the head I was giving, but shit, he still only thinks about Danielle." She turned her car towards Danielle's apartment and floored it plotting and planning how to reach Kevin the slow way to make him hers.

As Danielle watched the minutes tick away on her clock, the nagging feeling she started to have at lunch became stronger. There was something in Kevin's reaction to her announcement that made her have second thoughts about what she was saying. She almost blurted out that she really didn't have any memory of him to keep that pained look out of his eyes. At least not remembering him was better then telling him that.
She pretended to take the sleeping medicine that Kristy administered her; she wanted to be awake while she was gone to search her own apartment. Kristy always got stuff for her, she said it was to keep her from feeling a fool if she could not find the stuff on her own, but Danielle was starting to wonder about the validity of that statement.

She glanced at the clock again and felt that she waited long enough, now she would be able to look around. Quickly and still acting quietly, she got out of bed and began to look through the drawers of her dresser. Her clothes were folded neatly inside, her underwear was separated by colors, and whites, socks were separated by a box.

Danielle shrugged and moved on, skipping the two drawers in between. Just getting dressed everyday she's managed to go through those drawers. The bottom drawer that was one she did not have a chance to open yet.

She started to open the drawer slowly and carefully, but it would not budge. She pulled harder, but it would still not open. Finally, remembering the trick, she started to use the handles and tilt the drawer at the same time she pulled out. Uneasily the drawer opened and Danielle gasped at what she saw.

Inside the drawer were clothes very different from what she saw hanging in her closet and that were folded in the other drawers. Inside, clothes of soft colors sat crumpled in heaps. She started to pull them out as she thought that those shirts fit her more then the ones that Kristy swore she picked out. As she pulled, more and more articles of clothing out, a small thin box became apparent towards the back of the drawer.

Danielle pulled the box out of the drawer and sat looking at it for a few minutes. She wanted to open the box, but was a bit fearful at what she would find. Would she find that Kevin was lying when he said that they were engaged, or was Kristy lying when she said that she and Kevin were an item?

Suddenly there was a click at the front door. Kristy was coming back, there were clothes spread out on the floor of the room, and she was supposed to be asleep. Quickly she shoved the clothes back in the drawer and slammed it shut. Still holding the box, she jumped back into bed and threw the covers back over herself right as the door to her room opened.

"Danielle? Are you awake?" A meek voice asked.

Danielle kept her eyes closed, it was not Kristy in the room, but she did not want to reveal herself to Tracy for the information would make its way back to Kristy eventually.

"I'll make something for dinner." She said to Danielle in case she was awake before leaving the room.

The door closed quietly and Danielle let out a sigh of relief. She listened to the sounds in the kitchen that reassured her that she had a bit of time to herself to look through the box. She leaned on her elbow and pulled out the box, opening it quickly she rummaged through little cut outs, little articles. She took one out and read it.

Backstreet Boy, Kevin Richardson was seen spotted
downtown tonight with local woman, Danielle Fitzsimmons. Rumor
has it that the two met at a club half a year ago and have been
inseparable since. Fans of the Boy are anticipating or dreading
a marriage proposal.

She sat stunned by the words, but then Kristy told her that she and Kevin did go out a few times, but why would she keep the article if she did not want to be with him? She found another and continued to read.

In a recent article Backstreet Boy, Kevin Richardson, announced
that he is indeed engaged to Danielle Fitzsimmons and that early next year
they plan to tie the knot in a small ceremony in Danielle's hometown.
Girls around the world were crushed to hear the news of his
engagement….

Danielle stopped reading and put the article down. Why would he announce his intentions to marry her if he would only be embarrassed later when they found out it was a hoax. Why would she keep all these articles if they were false? Shuffling the papers around a little more a picture caught her eye. She pulled it out and sat looking at her and Kevin staring into each other's eyes, inches away from each other's faces.

Why would I look at him that way if I did not love him? Danielle questioned herself.

The noises in the kitchen brought her back to the present and she quickly shoved the contents of the box back inside it and shoved it under the pillow. She listened to the girl in the kitchen singing along to her CD as she prepared something in the kitchen. This girl that she supposedly was lovers with, she could not imagine it, she could not believe that about herself. Sure the girl was attractive, but being with a girl intimately never excited Danielle, that had always been Kristy's thing.

Kristy was always the one who slept around with everyone. She remembered that, something triggered that part of her memory. Danielle smiled at her small triumph, but if that was the case, why was Kristy lying to her about how she acted?

The sound of the front door opening alarmed Danielle and she quickly pulled the covers over her head and listened to the sounds coming from the other room.

"What are you doing here?" she heard Kristy ask Tracy.

"I was just making something for dinner for Danielle." Tracy answered honestly. "Besides, what are you doing here? I thought tonight was your night to seduce Kevin." Danielle caught a hint of spite in the girl's words.

"Be quiet you fool!" Kristy stated firmly.

"She's asleep; no doubt you gave her enough sleeping pills to knock her out for a year."

The voices became quiet and Danielle could no longer make out what they were saying. No doubt, that Kristy decided they should talk softer since Danielle might wake from her pill-induced slumber soon. Danielle lay in her bed replaying what she heard in her head repeatedly. If she thought something was wrong, if she thought that Kristy was up to something, it was clear that Tracy would be her only way to discover what it was.

Kevin paced back and forth in his house; Brian and Howie were coming over to comfort him. He definitely did not need Nick and A.J.'s form of comfort right now, alcohol would only make him feel worse.
The thoughts of what happened earlier in the day ran through Kevin's head. What was going on in Kristy's head, why would she think that she could take advantage of her friend's situation like that? Should he tell the guys? Should he ask them what to do?

He sighed heavily when he heard the knock at the door; carefully he made his way over and opened the door for Brian and Howie.

"Hey," He said solemnly.

"Kevin, I know what's going on in your life, but you really look like someone ran over your dog with a bus." Brian tried to joke.

Howie gave him a sharp look, "That was stupid Brian."

Brian only shrugged before taking his cousin up into a hug. "Sorry pal."

Howie laid his hand on Kevin's shoulder and waited for Brian to release him from his hug. "What took you so long to call us?" He questioned as they moved into the living room to sit down.

Kevin shrugged as he fell into an armchair. "I thought she would come around soon, I thought this would be over by now and we would be resuming our plans for the wedding." He paused avoiding the other two guy's gaze, afraid they would know what happened in that very room earlier. "She told me she remembered me today at lunch."

"That's great Kevin!" Howie exclaimed before Kevin could add anything else.

Kevin only looked up at him, the words unable to form in his mouth.

"She didn't say what you thought she would, did you Kevin?" Brian said noting the look in his eyes.

Kevin shook his head. "She said some bullshit story about how we dated for a bit but then decided that we would be better separate." He dropped his head in his hands unwilling to let himself cry in front of the others.

Howie glanced at Brian then back to Kevin. "Why would she remember something that didn't happen? Is there something else to this story Kevin?"

He thought about it, did he really want to mention what happened to them? He knew that Brian would think that he somehow convinced Kristy that it was what he wanted too. After a few minutes of silent debate with himself, Kevin shook his head. "No, there is nothing else to tell."

Brian looked at his cousin, the sadness in his eyes showed more then he knew. If Kevin did not want to discuss something then he knew that he would not discuss it.

"So, pizza and a movie?" Brian asked, breaking the silence.

*****

Tracy and Kristy had left for the day leaving Danielle to sleep, but Danielle tossed her pills down the toilet when she was getting ready. She sat on her bed staring into the darkness pondering her next step. She sighed deeply and glanced at the paper in front of her, she found it in one of her drawers, it was just a phone number she had no idea who it went to, but the first step to finding out her true past was to dial the number.

She picked up the phone and carefully dialed the number waiting anxiously for someone to pick up when the phone started to ring. The impulse to hang up the phone surged over her when a voice answered on the other end.

"Hello?" The voice asked.

"Um…" Danielle started to say.

"Can I help you?" the person asked her.

"Well, this is going to sound strange but…"

The person on the other end stopped Danielle from continuing. "Danielle?" The person asked. "Did you remember my number?"

"Well, uh, no," She replied. "I actually found it written on some paper in one of my drawers, but didn't know who it belonged to. I thought I would call it and find out."

"Oh," The voice on the other end sounded disappointed. "So if you can't remember that you are talking to me, Leighanne, then I suppose you don't remember Kevin yet either?"

Danielle shook her head and answered Leighanne. "No. I don't remember either of you, though your voice is very comforting."

"Well Danielle it's good to hear your voice too, I don't know why you've avoided talking to any of us. We all miss hanging out with you. Jessica was just talking about you yesterday and we were talking about how distant you've seemed."

"Well, I can't get out of my apartment alone; my leg still makes it hard to go down stairs alone."

"Well when I've called Kristy has said that you didn't want to talk to any of us."

"Kristy huh?" Danielle asked.

"Yeah, Kristy. I understand that you've known her longer then us, but to just stop talking to us doesn't seem like something you would do."

"Well Leighanne, I want to know my past from other points of view, I've only been getting Kristy's and this girl Tracy that I supposedly dated and I would like to talk with Kevin, but Kristy doesn't let me out the apartment alone."

Danielle managed to get Kevin's number but they didn't get to talk much longer, Danielle heard keys, quickly threw the covers over her head, and pretended to be sleeping.

The door to her room quietly opened and a soft voice called out to Danielle. When she didn't respond Kristy slowly walked over to the bed and sat down.

"Danielle, wake up sweetie."

Groggily Danielle sat up and stretched the best she could, trying to make it appear that she was asleep only a few minutes before.

"Kristy?" She asked pretending that she was not doing anything that Kristy would be mad about.

"Well I thought I would come and check on you and tell you that I really am glad you are alive."

Danielle smiled and nodded at Kristy then laid her head back down on her pillow. "Thanks Kristy, for everything you've done for me."

Kristy pulled the covers around Danielle. "Now I really am going to get going, I have to work."

Danielle yawned and closed her eyes, pretending to sleep again.

*****

She watched in the shadows as the lights in his living room flickered, she guessed that Kevin was watching a movie. There was another car in the driveway and she assumed that Brian was over keeping him company.

She didn't want to think about how she made her way into the housing development, she could still feel the blood trickling down her leg from climbing over the gate.

Kristy told her to keep her eye on Kevin tonight, that she had other things to do so she needed Tracy to do this for her. That's all Kristy wanted her to do, watch. She watched as Kristy directed Danielle's life, she watched as Kristy made her sad attempts to woo Kevin, she watched as her own life and aspirations seemed to disappear.

Tracy shook her head and decided she needed to do something about what was going on. She needed to take control of her own life. She managed to get close to Kevin on several occasions without Kristy's help so why did she have to ask Kristy if she could even look at Kevin now. Why did she have to get permission to do anything anymore?

The other day Danielle asked about their relationship and Tracy almost gagged at the thought of being with another girl. Kristy glared at her and so she tried her best to talk about it, but Danielle looked unsure of what she was saying. Tracy was sure that Kristy would yell at her, possibly turn her over to the police for something or other for ruining her plan, but instead she simply sent her to watch Kevin and make sure that he wasn't attempting to contact Danielle.

She watched as the lights blared on in Kevin's living room, the movie must have ended and whoever he was with was surely about to leave. She kept her eyes on the house as the front door opened, she watched as Brian, and Howie exited.

She sighed quietly as she caught sight of Kevin. He always managed to astound her, he was so stunning. Cautiously she moved closer to his house, it was difficult to avoid the light on the street, but she managed to hide behind some bushes that were on his property, it was the perfect spot, there was a great view of his living room.

She watched as Kevin moved back into the living room and took a seat on the couch, she watched him flip through the channels. She turned her attention to what was on the television. Kevin was watching a home movie. Danielle's face appeared on the screen smiling at the camera and pursing her lips together. She continued to watch as the images showed Kevin and Danielle sitting together closely. Tracy shook her head, Kevin looked so happy; he didn't look that way now.

She turned her head back to Kevin to see his reaction to what he was watching. She gasped, her heart jumping into her throat as she looked at Kevin looking at her.

Kevin started towards the window, he was sure he saw someone staring in watching his television. He shook his head and looked towards the window again he saw nothing there now. He turned his attention back to the television and watched Danielle's face shine as she talked with their mothers at a barbeque to announce their engagement to their families. That was such a wonderful day in their lives, he never thought that something like what was happening to them now could ever happen to them.
The rustling of the bushes outside his window forced Kevin to look towards the window again. This time he knew he was not making the image of the girl in the window up this time. He continued to stare at her as she watched the television and then looked at him. Slowly he rose to his feet and moved to the door.

"Hey!" He shouted at the girl that he saw trying to move quickly away from his house. He started after her and caught up to her in a short amount of time. He grabbed at her arm to stop her from running anymore.

"You are that fan that I seem to see all over aren't you?" He questioned.

Tracy turned and faced Kevin nodding ashamedly. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to appear to be stalking you, but I just like being around you. If you want me to stop I will I am truly sorry Kevin." She chanced it and looked up into Kevin's eyes. He was looking back at her with soft eyes, not at all angry in any way.

"Typically I would be furious about the invasion of my privacy, but I think you might be able to help me. I seem to recall you were at the café when Danielle," He choked back the words, "well… that day in the café."

Tracy nodded her head. "That was me."

"How did you manage to convince Kristy to let you wheel her out to me? I mean you had to have some kind of persuasive skill, I was wondering if you could help me get close to Danielle, maybe get Kristy to let her call me or let me see her. Talk her into it for me."

Tracy shook her head. "I can't speak with her, I didn't convince her to let me bring Danielle to you, she made me bring her to you."

"You are friends with her?" Kevin fumed.

Tracy shook her head, "More like going along with her so she doesn't turn on me." Tracy moved her eyes to stare at her hands again, fiddling with her rings. "I was following you and I was sitting outside Danielle's apartment and she just approached me and told me to help her." She conveniently left out that it was before the accident and left Kevin assume what he wanted about the timing.

"So you can't help me?"

Tracy looked back up at Kevin's face; the sadness it portrayed broke her heart. "Actually," she started, "I'm in charge of watching her tomorrow evening when Kristy's at work."

"So can you help me out and arrange a time for me to come over. I know that if she and I are able to spend time together then she will remember me."

Tracy shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. What if Kristy finds out? I don't want to know what she would do to me if she knew I was the one who let you in to see her."

She stared at Kevin as his face fell, unable to take it anymore she collapsed. "Come over to her apartment after eight tomorrow night." Tracy decided that two hours were needed between her and Danielle so she could set the record straight between her and Danielle.

Completely out of character, Kevin pulled Tracy into his arms and hugged her tightly. "Thank you so much, I don't know how I will ever be able to repay you for doing this for me."

Blush crept onto Tracy's face, finally Kevin pulled away. "Just don't creep into my neighborhood again and hide in my bushes." Kevin smirked slightly then moved back into his house.

*****

The clock ticked by slowly. Tracy thought Kristy would never leave, already it was seven o'clock and Kristy was still in the apartment. Tracy had no idea why she was still around, there was no reason for her to be there still but she couldn't push her out of the apartment without raising Kristy's suspicions. She sat on the couch trying to look casual as she flipped through the stations on the television.

"Well," Kristy started as she walked from the bathroom. "I guess I should get going, I worked a little later then I originally thought." Kristy shrugged and grabbed her purse. "Now I can trust you to be here alone with her?" She asked.

Tracy gulped quickly and nodded. "Of course, Kristy. You know I want to break Kevin and Danielle up just as much as you. He deserves so much better."

Kristy glared at Tracy. "Quiet you nit, it's not like her hearing was damaged in the fall." Quickly she stormed out and drove off just as quickly.

Tracy snuck to the window and opened the shade carefully watching to make sure that Kristy wasn't turning around and speeding back. When she didn't see any headlights turn back into the complex, Tracy ran to the phone and quickly dialed Kevin's phone number.

"It's time." She hung the phone up and ran into Danielle's room.

"Danielle, wake up!" She shouted at the form that appeared to be sleeping in the bed.

Danielle bolted into a sitting position, startled at the shouting that was going on in her room. "What?" She wondered what it could be, what would be so important that Tracy would barge into her room after Kristy told Tracy to leave her alone.

"We are going to be having a visitor soon, and I need to straighten some things out with you." She moved closer to Danielle and sat on her bed. "Everything I've told you about us has never happened."

"That doesn't surprise me." Danielle quietly mentioned. "I can't see how I would have been able to have an affair with a woman. Not that you aren't attractive or anything, but the thought just gives me the creeps."

Tracy laughed slightly. "I'm sorry about everything that has happened lately. Kristy just wants me around to watch you when she can't be here, that's really all I'm for. I've started to feel bad and I would like for us to be friends, I have a visitor coming over to see you in a couple of minutes."

It was as if a director cued the sound, the doorbell rang causing Tracy to jolt slightly. Still clutching her chest from the shock, Tracy smiled slightly at Danielle and made her way to the living room to answer the door.

Tracy peeped out the hole and sighed in content as she saw Kevin's dark frame outside the door. He is so good looking, she thought to herself as she unlocked the door and let him inside.

"I'm glad you could make it." Tracy beamed.

"Anything to see Danielle again, I've missed her so much."

Tracy blushed slightly and looked away embarrassed. "I'm sure you have." Quietly she closed the door and lead Kevin into Danielle's room.

She watched as Kevin moved to Danielle's bed and took her hands in his. Quickly she left the room so that they could be alone to catch up, besides, someone had to keep her eyes and ears open for any signs of Kristy returning home early.

*****

"Danielle, I've missed you so much." Kevin started when he was sure that Tracy had left.

"Kevin you have to understand, I still don't remember anything, but I'm starting to think that Kristy isn't being truthful with me. I found a phone number the other day, dialed it and it was Leighanne. We talked for a bit and I realized that somewhere deep down I knew what she was saying was right." Danielle paused and lifted up her pillow. "Plus I found these."

She shoved the article clippings into Kevin's hands and he read them to himself smiling to himself at the memories. "Now I'm glad you kept these things." He laughed to himself. "I would have had you throw them out a long time ago, now they've proved a point."

He moved closer to her and cautiously put his arms around her bringing her in closer to him. "I've missed you so."

The two sat talking for the next couple of hours only to be interrupted by a knock coming quietly from the door and Tracy's voice calling their names. Slowly the door opened.

"I think it would be best if Kevin left now before we get too close to the time Kristy is due back to arrive." Having said that, she backed out of the room and let the couple say their good-byes.

"Danielle I am so glad that you decided to meet with me and hear me out."

"I'm glad too Kevin. I can't say that I remember you, but some of this has helped me start to think, and I remember a few of the situations you were telling me about. I'm sure you've started me on the path to remember." Danielle leaned in closer to Kevin and carefully kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

Kevin smiled, holding back any tears he felt were going to fall. "Another time?"

Danielle nodded and situated herself under her covers so it looked as if she had been sleeping while Kristy was gone. "I can't wait." She beamed at Kevin and closed her eyes. His visit really did tire her out and she wouldn't have to pretend to be asleep when Kristy arrived.

Kevin watched Danielle's eyes close and stood there for a few minutes after just watching her before he turned his back to her and left the room.

Kevin smiled at Tracy and walked towards the apartment door. "Thank you Tracy."

She nodded and continued to watch her movie. "Hurry, she's expected home soon."

Kevin was surprised at this. "But it's only been a couple of hours; surely she works more then that."

"She'll be home on a break to check in. I would leave quickly."

Kevin turned towards the door and opened it, walking quickly down the stairs that caused this pain in his life, and out to his car. He closed the door just in time, Kristy's car pulled into the parking lot and she swiftly ran to the apartment. Not thinking anything suspicious was going on, she didn't bother to look around her and therefore did not notice Kevin's startled eyes sitting in a car parked not even three cars away from her own.

Kristy paced back and forth at work. Something was bothering her but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Something in the way Tracy acted around her while she was at the apartment. She was used to how flakey Tracy could be, but there was definitely something that she didn't like in the atmosphere.
She watched the few people left in the bar, wishing her boss would realize that she wasn't needed anymore so she could leave and get back to Danielle. Maybe she should take her on a little trip away from everyone and then 'forget' to bring her back. Of course, she would tell everyone that Danielle decided that she needed to be away from everyone so she could start a new life. They would probably believe her since Danielle was still not showing any signs that she remembered anything from her life before.

Kristy smirked to herself, pulled out a napkin, and removed the pen from behind her ear quickly jotting down notes to herself about where to go and how to make it happen. With Danielle finally out of the picture, nothing could hold on to Kevin's heart and she could finally weasel her way in to his heart.

She would, of course, take her to a place that the others would not think to look, because Danielle has only confessed to her that she has always wanted to visit Alaska, or was that the one place she never wanted to visit? She chuckled to herself causing the couple at the table closest to her to look up. Kristy quickly straightened up her face and continued to make her plans.

*****

Danielle watched as Tracy threw different items into a bag.

"I can't get to where your real clothes are, so you will have to make due with what Kristy has given you." Tracy told her as she picked through the underwear.

"The bottom drawer of the dresser, those are my clothes I'm pretty sure." Danielle motioned to the drawer. "Isn't this dangerous though, if she's as bad as you say she is?"

"There is no other way Danielle. If you want to get your life back, you will be the safest with Kevin, in his gated community." Tracy paused for a second thinking about how easy it was for her to break into the place. "Well, being with Kevin is the best place for you."

Danielle smiled weakly at the girl who was partly to blame for the condition she was in now. "Why are you doing this now?" She asked. "This has been going on now for several months now, why are you helping me now?"

Tracy dropped the shirt she was holding into the bag and averted her eyes from Danielle. "As much as I like Kevin, I realize that he would never choose to be with someone like me. Since you've been hurt he's not been the same, the light in his eyes is gone. With him acting so different, the group isn't the same. I can't be apart of something that might lead to the boys disbanding."

Danielle nodded silently in agreement. "That would be shame, to see them disband after all the music they've created. It's one of the things I love about him."

Tracy looked at Danielle carefully. "You said, 'one of the things you love about him', so that means you are starting to remember."

Danielle's face brightened a little, "Yes, it feels so good to have something of my own thoughts back."

"That is so great; you'll have all your memories back in no time." With an added enthusiasm, Tracy started to throw more clothes into the bag on the floor.

The front door slamming startled both girls forcing them to jump. Tracy quickly tried to hide the bag under the bed, but she did not move soon enough. The door to Danielle's bedroom flung open and both girls stared shocked at Kristy standing in the frame.

"What in the hell is going on in here!" She shouted noticing dresser drawers still slightly open and a bag on the floor with clothes tossed into. "Tracy, this is the last straw. You are going to pay for this. I should have known I couldn't trust a fan."

Danielle watched in horror as Kristy advanced, grabbing Tracy by the neck and squeezing. The wheezing from Tracy was starting to make Danielle sick to her stomach. She did not want to watch someone die, especially the person who was trying to help her out of this situation.

"STOP!" She yelled as loud as she could, but it did not stop. Kristy kept going, soon Danielle was sobbing so hard that she began to shake. She could no longer watch and she shut her eyes tight. Her brain began to form images of what was going to happen to her now.

Danielle was unsure what made Kristy stop squeezing the young girl's next, but a straggling breath started again and a sigh swept over Danielle. Bravely she looked up just as the lamp next to her bed went crashing down on Tracy's skull.

"You are insane!" Danielle shouted at Kristy. "What in God's name are you doing?" She looked down at Tracy, blood trickling from her forehead, and noticed that every now and then her chest went up and down in a shallow breathing movement.

Kristy turned her head from Tracy, dropped the lamp and looked towards Danielle. "I'm crazy?" She asked sickly sweet. "What about you and your ex-fiancé thinking that you actually belonged together?"

Danielle could only stare. "What's come over you?"

"He should have been mine!" She shouted slapping Danielle across the face. A red handprint appeared across her cheek showing exactly what happened shortly.

Choosing her words carefully, Danielle tried to calm Kristy down; unsure what exactly the girl was capable of doing to her. "Kristy, if you feel that way, why did you wait until now to tell me? Why not tell me sooner then I would have bowed down and let you have him."

"You have always gotten what you wanted Danielle. You got into the school you wanted, you got the classes you wanted, and your clothes always fit you just right. The last straw was dating Kevin. Not only is he famous and good-looking, he's the best guy I've ever known."

Danielle looked down, not wanting her eyes to give Kristy any reason to do to her what she did to Tracy whose breathing was starting to become shallower.

"I couldn't take your perfect life anymore. Every time I was around you, I felt more and more like my life was the dumps. It didn't help that you paraded yourself around all high and mighty, showing off your damn ring when you got engaged."

Danielle knew she should keep her mouth shut, but couldn't help but ask. "If you hated me and being around me so much, why did you pretend to be my best friend?"

Another slap crossed Danielle's face, brightening the handprint already present.

Kristy grabbed Tracy's legs and began to drag her from the room. "I need to finish some business." Slowly she began to drag the unconscious girl from the room and towards the front door. Positioning herself at the top of the stairs, she began to attempt to stand Tracy upright, so that the fall down the stairs would make more of an impact on her body.

It wasn't supposed to be like this!" Kristy shouted loud enough for Danielle to hear in her room.
Danielle could hardly breath, how in the world was she going to help this poor girl when she could not even stand on her own two legs. Shortly a loud series of thumps let her know that there was nothing she could do any longer, there was no need to worry over trying to help when there was no one she could help, and Kristy had finished what she started.

There was nothing left for Danielle to do but wait. With a bum leg and ribs, still sore from her original fall down the stairs. Suddenly it dawned on her. Of course, how could she be so blind to not see it before, Kristy was the one who shoved her down the stairs. Memories started to flood back into Danielle's head, images of notes, threatening letters and Kristy admitting it all to her right before her own fall.

Footsteps could be heard coming closer to her room. What was she going to do now that she knew the truth? There was no time to call the police; Kristy would be back in the room before Danielle even got to talk with an operator. She couldn't just sit there; she needed to arm herself with something. As quickly as she could, she scooted over to the bedside table and picked up the lamp. She stared in silence as the door to her bedroom opened slowly, the lamp held securely across her chest in hopes that it would offer her some protection.

Her heart started to pound inside her chest, it felt as if it would explode any second sparing her captor from having to kill her herself. Sweat dripped from her brow, as the door seemed to be opening now in super slow motion. A part of Danielle took the time to wish Danielle did not have a flare for the dramatic and would just open the door and shoot her.

The intensity of the moment finally overpowered Danielle and her head became light, then the room became dark and she saw no more.

*****

The room was still dark, but she could hear sounds coming from outside. They sounded normal, she didn't hear any screaming, she didn't hear anything to make her think that someone was in pain. Light started to creep in the windows, windows that she was not familiar with at all. Memories of what happened the night before seeped back into her mind.

She remembered the door opening, she remembered the choking, but confusion swept her as the next thing she remembered was Kevin's face hovering over her own. Tears had begun to poor down her face at the sight of his face, but she couldn't make him stay long, he was needed elsewhere. He had to go and help someone that needed him more then she did.

She must have blanked out again after that, because her next memories were of the room she was in now. She turned her head carefully and managed to look at the bed next to her own, a familiar face lying there looking back at her.

"How are you doing?" She asked the girl.

"So much better now that Kristy is out of the picture for good, and Kevin is back in my life."

"I'm glad to hear it Danielle." Tracy answered hoarsely. Her throat was dry and she needed water. Almost as if on cue, Kevin walked in smiling at both girls.

"Water anyone?" He asked beaming at Danielle the whole time.

Tracy nodded her head, hoping that his eyes would catch a glimpse of her silent plead. He did of course pour a cup for Tracy before taking a seat between the beds.

After taking several gulps and getting a refill, Tracy finally got the nerve to ask. "What happened?"

Kevin looked at Danielle and then back at Tracy. "I never really left when I said I would, I sat out front. When Kristy came back, I approached the building and waited by the bottom of the stairs to see if I could hear anything. I saw her drag you out and toss you down the stairs, I was able to intervene and help prevent as traumatic a fall as Danielle had the first time."

Kevin paused to pour himself a glass of water before continuing. "I called for an ambulance and then made my way upstairs, stopping Kristy right before she smashed Danielle across the head with a lamp. The authorities came, and well we all ended up here, back in this room." He turned to Danielle and gave her a secret smile.

Danielle smiled back and turned to the confused Tracy to explain. "Kevin told me that this was the room I was in after the initial accident, Room 438." She laughed lightly, a laugh Tracy hadn't heard since before all this happened and was glad to get the chance to hear it while not hiding behind a brick wall pretending she wasn't there.

Before Tracy could say anything a large woman came busting in the room. "These ladies need to rest young man, please vacate the room."

Kevin stood, leaning over to kiss Danielle on the forehead before leaving. "So you are okay with what we discussed?"

Danielle nodded and smiled at Kevin. "Of course."

Kevin looked at Tracy, smiled and then left the girls in the hands of the nurse.

*****

Her body shook with excitement as she waited to hear the music she longed to hear. She couldn't believe she was where she was, couldn't believe that she was being treated so kindly. Tracy always dreamt of something like this, but never imagined it would after she collaborated with Kristy.

The music started and Tracy stood in excitement, watching every move with a broad smile on her face. She watched until she felt it necessary to take a seat again, glad that everyone thought the same and sat down.

"Dearly beloved," the minister started, "we are gathered here today to join Kevin Scott Richardson and Danielle Jane Fitzsimmons in holy matrimony."

Tracy beamed from her seat at the couple they were finally getting married. Their lives would be perfect together and nobody would be able to stop their happiness anymore, not with Kristy behind bars now. Tracy watched and hoped that later she would be the one to catch the beautiful pink rose bouquet, what a wonderful souvenir of this occasion that would be.