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Chapter 93:

It was just about time for the concert to start and everyone was getting into place for their enterance onto stage. Howie had left nearly 30 minutes before, after having explained to the guys his reason for absence. Brian and Nick had understood, but Kevin had been more on the angry side when Howie had told them.

Nastasia hadn't seen A.J since their encounter in the dressing-room. She had no idea where he had run off to and she was a bit worried, because he still hadn't shown up. She promised herself she would talk to him after the concert before they got back to the hotel, if she could find him.

" Hey Stazzie, how's about dancing with me tonight? " Nick grinned as he came up behind Nastasia and wrapped his arms around her slender waist.

" Give it up Carter, " Nastasia giggled. " I'm not going to dance with anyone but my Kevvy. "

" C'mon, just dance with me tonight, " Nick tried.

" What, so I can decieve my poor Kevvy? That would just break his heart, I couldn't do that to him, " Nastasia giggled again, it cracked her up how Nick just wouldn't let it be. He was desperate to dance with Nastasia.

" But you're breaking my heart by not dancing with me, " Nick pouted, giving her the puppy dog face.

" You'll live, you're a big boy. "

" Are you sure of that Stazzie? " Brian joked as he walked by.

Nick glared at his friend and took off after him. " I'm going to beat you man! "

Nastasia shook her head with a laugh as she watched Nick chase after Brian. They were a sight. She was about ready to walk over to Kevin to talk, but A.J strided through the stage enterance doors catching her attention. She began to make her way over to him. " I'm glad you're here JJ. Listen, I wanna talk to- "

A.J payed no attention to her, walking by without the simple acknowledgement that she had said something to him.

Nastasia watched as A.J walked away, her heart sinking. She wanted to talk to him, but now he wouldn't talk to her, none of this was fair. She sighed and walked back over to her place with the other dancers, waiting for the concert to start.

*****

" Once again, an amazing performance put on by the talented Nastasia Anne Dorough, " Kevin grinned as everyone was being ushered out to the tour bus.

" Must you always flatter me? " Nastasia replied dramatically.

" Yes, " Kevin answered seriously. " I must always flatter you, because if I didn't, who would I have left to flatter? "

" You've got a point, keep on flattering me, " Nastasia giggled as Kevin offered her a kiss on the cheek. She stopped suddenly, falling behind everyone as she looked off to the side.

" You coming Stazzie? " Brian called back to her.

" Um...I forgot some stuff in the dressing-room, " Nastasia lied. " Just go ahead. I'll catch a cab back to the hotel. "

" Alright, see ya later. "

Nastasia waited until they were out the door before she walked over to where she had been looking. She could barely see him sitting there in the shadows but he was there. " JJ? "

A.J jumped a bit, leaning more into the light. " Hey, you scared me... "

" Sorry... " Nastasia giggled a bit as A.J stood up. She felt her heart jump but she silently told herself to calm down. " What were you doing? "

" Just sitting alone, chilling. "

" You weren't going to catch the bus back to the hotel? "

" No, I was going to catch a cab. "

" How come? "

" Because, nobody wanted me around, so I figured I'd just catch a cab. "

" You know that isn't true... "

" Stazzie, it's ok. I can deal with it. "

" Why are you doing this to yourself? "

" I'm not doing anything. "

" You are a bigger liar than Howie, " Nastasia laughed as she watched A.J's features turn into a frown. " JJ, can we talk? "

" Is Howie around? "

" No, he left before the concert even started. Didn't you notice? "

" No, I didn't...actually, I was trying to avoid him, so that's probably why. I didn't want to cause any more problems... "

Nastasia watched as A.J looked off to the side, he wasn't wanting to look at her and he was keeping distance between the two of them. " Are you ok JJ? " she asked, seeing the tears threatening his soft eyes. He had no sunglasses to hide them this time.

A.J shook his head. " No... " he answered quietly.

It took one tear to fall down his cheek before Nastasia pulled him into her arms and wrapped him in a tight hug. She could feel herself wanting to cry at the same time.

A.J burried his face in her shoulder as he began to sob. " I'm sorry Stazzie...please...I'm so sorry... "

" JJ... "

" I'm so sorry...I never meant to hurt you. I'm so sorry... "

" I forgive you JJ... "

" I'm so sorry... " A.J continued to sob as Nastasia rubbed his back comfortingly. She had forgiven him, but would he ever be able to forgive himself?

" JJ, I forgive you. It's ok, " Nastasia answered, hugging him tighter as she felt him shake with his sobs.

" I hate myself for ever hurting you... "

" Don't hate yourself... "

" But you hate me. "

" You're my brother JJ, I could never hate you, " Nastasia smiled as she pulled back. " Now stop crying, or you're going to make me cry, " she joked.

" I think you already are, " A.J whispered as he used a shakey hand to wipe the tears off her cheeks. " I really am sorry... "

" Yeah, I know you are. Just don't do it again, or I will be the one to kick your ass and it won't be pretty, " Nastasia threatened with a laugh.

" That's a scary thought, " A.J grinned.

" Watch it! " Nastasia laughed, smacking him on the shoulder. " Shall we head back to the hotel now? "

" Yes I think we shall, " A.J grinned, placing his arm around Nastasia's shoulder protectively. He silently thanked God that he had his sister back, even though he knew he didn't deserve it.

*****

" It's either cocoa puffs or Lucky Charms, " Lauren stated as Chase plopped onto one of the chairs at the table in the kitchen, yawning with the sleep still in his eyes.

" I want pizza! " Chase said.

" We don't have pizza Chaz, " Lauren laughed. " So which cereal is going to be? "

" I want pizza. "

" And I said we don't have pizza. "

" Can we go eat pizza later? " Chase asked with hopeful eyes.

" Yes, later when we go shopping with Grammy and Grams. But you need to eat some cereal right now. So which kind? "

" Um... "

" Well? "

" Um... "

" Cocoa Puffs? "

" No! Lucky Charms! "

" Is that your final answer? "

" Yes! "

" Alright, " Lauren laughed as she fixed a small bowl of cereal for her son and carried it over to the table, sitting down with a cup of coffee for herself.

" Mommy? "

" Yeah? "

" Why you mad at Aunt Stazzie? "

Lauren nearly knocked over her cup of coffee as her heart stopped from the words her son had said. " What do you mean sweetie? "

" Aunt Stazzie says you're mad at her. "

" When did you talk to Aunt Stazzie? "

" The other day when Grammy called her. And she said you're mad at her. Why Mommy? " Chase asked, confused at why his mother could be mad at his aunt.

" I'm not mad at your Auntie... " Lauren answered quietly.

" But she said you were. "

" I'm not, " Lauren answered. She looked to see the phone lying on the kitchen counter only a few feet away and got an idea. " How about I call your Aunt Stazzie and tell her I'm not mad at her? " She was dying to talk to Nastasia, she hadn't talked to her in so long, and she hated the fact that they weren't talking.

" Yes, you should call her! " Chase squealed, wanting to talk to his aunt also.

" Well then Mr. Know-it-all. "

" Yep! "

" You are such a dork, " Lauren laughed, shaking her head as she stood up, hoping to God that Nastasia would agree to talk to her.