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Chapter 40

"So now you're with A.j right?"

"No, I don't think I need to leave here with a extra baggage on my shoulders know what I mean? Besides I told him how I felt and he choose Krista."

"Yeah, I guess that was a good ideal, that way you would have to worrying about anyone or anything but yourself. I'm sorry about Krista."

"Yeah."

"I'm gonna miss you Amby, won't you let Nick and I at least drop you off at the airport when it's time?"

"I'm gonna miss you to and no, it would be much easier for me this way. If you guys come I'll surely cry." They laughed. There was a short moment of silence before Caitlin spoke up again.

"Can I at least know where you're going?"

"I'd rather not say but I'll call you and let you know what's up but you can't tell anyone, I don't want any un-needed distractions."

"I understand." Caitlin sighed. "Is this the last time I'll be talking to you for awhile?"

"No, I leave in a few days."

"And you have to go and leave the week the boys go back to the studio to start their new album, leaving me all alone." Caitlin and Amber laughed.

"It's not that bad Cate, I promise." Amber smiled. "It's just the touring part with Nicky boys constant complains."

"I'll take you word on it." Caitlin giggled. "Besides, I have a feeling I'll keep him occupied."

"Whoa, to much info Cate." Amber laughed.

"What?" Caitlin asked innocently. "I was talking about playing with him on his Nintendo." She giggled.

"Sure Caitlin, whatever you say." The girls stayed on the phone awhile, just talking and laughing. Caitlin was one of the people Amber was going to miss the most. She was a true friend, you know, the kind you can always count on for their honest opinion and cares about you. She was going to miss Nick and all their picking on each other; they did that often. She was going to miss Brian for just being the understanding gentleman he was. Someone she knew loved her with all their heart no matter what obstacles where in their way. She was going to miss A.j and the relationship they wouldn't and couldn't have but she wasn't going to think about that. The next few days Amber and Caitlin hung out a lot and where getting teased about it from Nick Carter himself.

"I don't know how many times I have to tell you to get over your self Nicky and just admit you and Brian enjoy your quite time together and stop putting it off on Caitlin and I." Amber smiled. She was over Nicks house after going shopping with Caitlin for her trip.

"Yeah Nickelodeon." Caitlin giggled and Nick looked at her wide-eyed.

"Now don't you start with that missy, your not gonna have Amber around to protect you." Nick smiled.

"Protect me from what? You? Please!" Amber and Caitlin busted out laughing.

"Hey, hey! Don't underestimate Nicolas Gean Carter!" Nick mocked hurt.

"Aww my poor Nicky." Amber pinched his cheek.

"Please don't do that Amby, that's what my grandmother does." Nick shuttered and Amber and Caitlin looked at each other and tried to hold the giggles in.

"Nicky will you ever quit." Amber laughed.

"NEVER!" Nick yelled.

"We should've known." Caitlin giggled. Amber spent two more hours and then left, saying a secret good bye to Caitlin because she was leaving in the morning.

"By Nick."

"By Amby." Nick called from his spot on the couch as Caitlin walked Amber to the door.

"Well I guess this is it." Caitlin muttered. She really didn't want Amber to go but she wanted her to find peace so she agreed with it.

"Yeah."

"I miss you already." Caitlin smiled, trying her best not to cry.

"Aww I miss you to but don't worry I'll be back, just don't know when but I know I'll be back." Amber smiled and hugged Caitlin.

"Bye Amby."

"Bye Cate." Amber got in her car a drove home. Caitlin locked the door and when she turned around she became face to face with Nick.

"Nick you scared the sh--." Caitlin was cut short by the confused look on Nick's face. "What?"

"Caitlin where is Amber planning on going?"

"Home?"

"Caitlin for real, I'm not joking where is she going?"

"I don't understand what your talking about Nick." Caitlin walked back into the living room to clean up a bit.

"Well I know for a fact you guys wouldn't say I'll miss you to each other is Amber was just going home." Nick stressed the word just.

"Nicky look, what ever Amber's is her business and hers alone ok?" Caitlin turned and looked him in the eyes. "She's a big girl babe, she knows what she's doing." She placed a gentle kiss on his lips. Nick sighed.

"Does Bri know she's leaving?" Nick asked and Caitlin nodded. "Did they break up?"

"Yeah, she didn't want to leave with attachments." Nick took Caitlin's hands and kissed them. "You gotta give her that much Nick, at least she told them the truth."

"Them?" Nick asked confused.

"Brian and A.j what you didn't know?" Caitlin was surprised.

"Wait so let me get this straight." Nick sat down and pulled Caitlin to his lap. "Amber broke up with Brian because she's in love with A.j?"

"Yeah." Caitlin whispered. "She loves them both but she just needs some time ya know, to figure it all out." Nick nodded in agreement.

"I hope Amby finds what she's looking for." Nick sighed.

"Me to Nicky." Caitlin snuggled closer to Nick and sighed. "Me to."



~*~The Next Day~*~

Amber was packing the last of her things for her flight. She couldn't wait to get out of here and relax for a change. Amber sat on her bed looking around the room to see if she had forgotten something when her eyes fell on a picture of her and A.j. She walked over to her dresser and picked it up and smiled, they were so happy then. Amber placed the picture in her suitcase and dragged it down stairs. Amber had called a cab so she wouldn't have to worry about her car; she had made all the arraignments to have one for her when she reached Hawaii as well as other things. Ten minutes later the cab pulled up and drove her to the airport. As Amber drove through her familiar neighborhood she began to miss it. Amber reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone and dialed the numbers that would be forever burned in her mind.

"Hey this is A.j" Came his cheerful voice. "I'm not home right now but please leave a name and a number and if your lucky I might just get back to ya!" He chuckled. "And don't use up all my tape! *Beep* Amber smiled at his message.

"Uh Hi J, it's me. There's a lot of things I want to say to you but I only have a short time to say it so here it goes." Amber played with necklace A.j hade bought her for her sweet 16 some years back. "I'm sorry for causing you pain, I'm sorry for telling you I love you, I'm just." Amber stopped to choose her words. "I'm just sorry about this whole thing, I wish I could turn back the hands of time and make you mine but I can't." Amber sighed. "I'm gonna miss ya J, I really am. Be happy babe." And with that she hung up the phone, leaned back into her seat and closed her eyes to stop the tears from falling.

~*~Meanwhile~*~

A.j walked in his house and sat his keys down. After the Amber thing a few days ago he needed to clear his mind so he took a nice long walk to think about things. A.j noticed the light to his machine was blinking but ignored it and went to take a shower. As he reached his room he striped off his clothes and made his way to his bathroom. He stepped into the shower and let it's hot water relax him. After A.j was done he made his way downstairs and checked his messages as he looked for something to eat.

*Beep*

"Hey Bone it's me, Kevin. Just calling to say what's up and how ya doing? Call me back if you get the chance."

*Beep*

"Hey baby." Came Krista's voice and A.j smiled. "I wanted to let you know I made it back to Cali all in one piece, I would have called sooner it's just I was really busy. Well, miss you. Bye!"

*Beep*

"Uh Hi J, it's me." A.j's head shot up and looked at the machine. "There's a lot of things I want to say to you but I only have a short time to say it so here it goes." "I'm sorry for causing you pain, I'm sorry for telling you I love you, I'm just.I'm just sorry about this whole thing, I wish I could turn back the hands of time and make you mine but I can't." Amber sighed. "I'm gonna miss ya J, I really am. Be happy babe."

*Beep*

A.j sat there confused. Miss him why was she going to miss him? It wasn't as if he was going to stop being her friend or something. A.j looked at the number and recognized it was Amber's cell so he called her back but got no answer.

"Damn it!" A.j grabbed his keys and got in his car to go over Ambers. When he got there the house was dark so he use his key and went in.

"Amber? Baby girl are you here?" A.j asked to the empty house and got no response. Worried, A.j called Brian to see if she was with him but Brian said no and hung up. A.j called Nick to see if she was there.

"Look J, I don't know where she is. She's not here that's for sure."

"Do you know anywhere else she could be?" Nick sighed. "Come on Nick, if you know something tell me!" A.j demanded.

"A.j I.

"Nick! Tell me!" A.j was starting to get really angry.

"I don't know where she went but she's gone."

"Yeah no shit Sherlock but where? Where did she go!"?

"I don't know, she didn't tell me or Caitlin where she was going just that she was leaving and she would be back, when? I don't know." A.j sighed in frustration.

"Alright.thanks." A.j hung up the phone and sat down on the couch. He felt something under him so he moved a little to see what it was.

"Florida Airways?" He muttered to himself. "Why would she." A.j glanced down and read in Amber's handwriting her flight number and the time she was leaving, she left out her destination but A.j didn't care. He had to find her before she left. He bolted out of the house and in his car to make he's way to the airport.