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A.J. woke up that morning feeling fine for the first time in over a month--until he realized he was alone. The loneliness was a constant companion now. He still missed Cassie even though he knew he shouldn't. Everybody thought he was over her. Everybody except Brianna. She was the only one A.J. trusted enough to talk to. Crawling out of bed, A.J. decided he would go see how she was feeling.

****************************************************

Bianca opened her eyes to the bright sunshine. "Isn't today gonna be a peachy fucking keen day?" she growled jerking the covers over her face.

"Nice language, sweet cheeks," Nick sat down and uncovered her face. "Baby, are you feeling better?"

"No," she said. "I just feel the same as I did last night. I hate fighting with Brianna."

"Bean, y'all will get over this. All best friends fight. It adds to the friendship."

"See, we said some horrible things. But I only said what I was feeling. I just shouldn't have made them public knowledge. It just feels weird knowing that I can't just call her and everything will be alright. And to top things off, today is her birthday. That just makes me feel worse."

"Then call her, baby," Nick leaned down and kissed her. "What do you have to lose?"

"Nothing, I guess..."

"Well, call her."

Bianca picked up the phone and dialed Brianna's room number. No answer.

"Well, I guess that answers my question. No answer. Boy today is just gonna be wonderful," she sighed and placed the phone back on the cradle.

"Don't worry so much, Bean. You'll only end up making yourself sick. I know that really bothers you, but, baby, you have to be willing to let things like this happen," he said pulling her into a hug.

"I guess you're right. I'll try not to think so much about it," she said snuggling closer to him.

****AT THE SAME TIME****

Brianna sat on the examining table anxiously awaiting the doctor’s return. After disclosing her symptoms she had been poked and prodded almost mercilessly. They had drawn blood, taken fluid and God knows what else. The doctor had left her with a laugh and the comforting phrase: "I'm gonna tell the nurse to screen that for cancer cells. Rather be safe than sorry." Those words sent shivers down her spine and made her break out in a cold sweat. "Happy birthday to me, huh?" she thought dryly.

She regretted leaving while Kevin was in the shower, but she didn't think he needed to be there. She wished he was here now to hold her hand while they pricked her with needle after needle.

The doctor, a kind-looking older man, came back into her room studying her chart. "Okay, Miss Chambers." Brianna fidgeted with her gown as he spoke. "Your blood tests are back. We found something actually..."

****THAT NIGHT****

Bianca had been at the venue for over an hour preparing for the show. Brianna was still gone when Bianca returned earlier and Kevin was beginning to get worried.

Kevin called the hotel room again, but still got no answer. Maybe she was on her way to the show.

****************************************************

Brianna turned on the lamp by her hotel room door and ignored the ringing of the telephone; she didn't feel like talking. Hundreds of salty tears spilled down her cheeks and splashed around the sheet of hotel stationary on the small table. Picking up the pen she began to write.

****AFTER THE SHOW****

Bianca walked lazily into her dressing room. She had been at the meet and greet, but just didn't feel up to it. It had been a very long day and she was exhausted.

Walking to the back she began to change her clothes. She heard the door open but when she heard nothing else, figured it was Nick.

"Hey baby. I'm back here," she called out to let him know she was there. "I'm just changing my clothes."

When Bianca got no response she just continued looking for her clothes. She stopped when she felt arms circle her waist. Leaning into them, she said, "Hey, baby. This is a nice greeting."

"Don't worry. It won't last for long."

Bianca's blood ran cold instantly; that was not Nick's voice. She spun around to face the intruder. "Eric?" she choked out, completely shocked at who stood before her.

"Thought you'd never see me again, didn't you, Bianca? SURPRISE!" Eric breathed into her face.

Bianca closed her eyes and fought hard to hold back tears. "Why are you here?" she managed to ask.

Eric laughed bitterly and kissed her roughly, shoving his tongue into her mouth. "I'm here to get what I never got while we were together." He picked Bianca up and threw her roughly onto the couch, covering her mouth with his hand as he crawled on top of her. Bianca took this opportunity to bite down hard on his hand.

Snatching his hand away, he slapped her across the face with enough force to turn her head completely to the left. "Bitch!" he shouted. "Look, if you do that again I will really fuck you up. And if you scream I'll kill you." Eric clamped his hand back over her mouth and ripped at the buttons on her shirt. All Bianca could do was lie there and pray that someone would find her before it was too late.

Outside, Nick was looking for her. Seeing no lights shining from under her dressing room door, he walked away to look somewhere else. He hadn't seen Brianna, either. Maybe they were somewhere together talking out their argument.

"Hey, Kev, have you seen Bianca?"

"No, Nick, I haven't." Bianca was the least of his worries right now; he hadn't seen or heard from Brianna since she snuck out to go to the doctor early that morning. It was odd that she hadn't tried to let him know anything, but every time he called their hotel room she still didn't answer the phone. The last thing he said to her that morning was, "Happy birthday, darlin'. I'm goin to take a shower." He regretted not sayin 'I Love You' because he felt like something was terribly wrong and he didn't know what it was.

****AT THE SAME TIME****

Nick decided to wait for Bianca in her dressing room. When he opened the door he heard low voices coming from the direction of the couch. "Bianca?" he called quietly. He saw two people in the shadows and froze in his tracks. He could barely make out Bianca's form beneath someone else on the couch. Reaching over, he flicked on the light.

The light invaded the room startling Eric and making him jump. His hand fell away from Bianca's mouth and she let out an ear-splitting shriek that brought Kevin and A.J. running.

"What the hell..." A.J. started before seeing Bianca. Nick and Kevin snatched Eric from Bianca and A.J. went over to comfort her. Squeezing her tightly, he stroked her hair while she cried into his shoulder.

Nick slammed Eric hard against the wall. "Kevin, go get Q." Looking back at Eric he asked, "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" He got no response, only a cold glare from Eric. Nick was fed up. Throwing him down on the floor, Nick kicked him again and again despite A.J.'s efforts to tell him to stop.

Q pulled Nick away and yanked Eric up. Throwing handcuffs around Eric's wrists, Q told him, "Come on, buddy. We've got a lot of talking to do."

When Q took Eric out of the room, Nick walked over and sat down on the other side of Bianca. Turning, she threw her arms around his neck sobbing and shaking violently. "Nicky, I was so scared. If you hadn't found me he wou--"

Baby, don't even say it. Everything's alright now. You're okay and Eric is gone. You'll be fine."

Bianca just closed her eyes and kept crying. Q walked back in and stood silently in front of her and Nick. Bianca pulled her torn top together and looked up at him with wet eyes.

"Bianca, sweetheart," Q said, "We need you to come down to the police station and file charges. Okay?"

Wiping her eyes, Bianca nodded. "Nick, I don't want to go alone."

"Baby, you don't have to. I'll go. And Brian will go with us."

Kevin gave Bianca a hug. "Bean, you know I'd go, but I'm gonna go back and try to get up with Brianna to let her know what's going on. I'm a little worried."

"Yeah, I'm gonna go with Kevin," A.J. spoke up. "I'm kinda worried about Brianna, too."

Bianca hugged both of them before they left. She hoped Brianna was okay, too, because right now she really needed her best friends support.

****MIDNIGHT****

All the way back to the hotel Kevin's mind reeled over Brianna. Where could she be? What could she be doing? Had she been sick enough to be admitted to a hospital? What if his baby was lying alone in some cold, sterile room scared to death and alone? Kevin pushed these thoughts from his head as they pulled up in front of his hotel.

When he walked into his room the same fears flooded his brain again. The room was pitch black and dead quiet. Kevin was disappointed and beside himself with worry; Brianna obviously wasn't back yet.

He made his way over to the bed, not bothering to turn on the lights, but when he laid himself down he felt something crumple beneath him. He pulled a piece of paper from the pillow and switched on the light.

The letter, printed in Brianna's bubbly cursive on hotel stationary, was relatively short and smudged countless times with her teardrops. Expecting the worst, Kevin took a deep breath and began to read.

Kevin,

Hey. This has to be the hardest letter I've ever had to write, but I couldn't face you with this--not right now anyway. My appointment this morning was...eventful at the very least. The doctor found something today and I'm really scared. I didn't know what else to do so I'm going home to my family. I wanted to call you but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I'm sorry.

Don't give up on me, baby, because things aren't over between us. I hope. I'll be back, but first I have to organize my life and that's something I can only do alone. I LOVE YOU, BABY! No matter what and I hope you don't forget me while I'm gone. I'll miss you like crazy and I know I'll cry myself to sleep every night wishing you were there.

I'd give anything to hear you say you love me right now, but if I do I won't be able to leave and I have to make myself go. I've got a lot of growing up to do and only a little while to do it.

My plane leaves in 20 minutes and I have to pack. I'm taking your Kentucky t-shirt; it smells the most like you. I have to have part of you with me at night even if it is just a shirt. I love you, baby. I'll miss you.

Brianna

Kevin cried as he read the note, crumpling it in his hands as he sobbed. Reaching for the phone he noticed her locket on the table. Kevin picked it up gingerly, fingering the tiny clasp and popping it open to reveal the small picture inside. He and Brianna were so happy then. What could have happened for her to leave? He hooked it around his neck and picked up the phone. When A.J. answered, Kevin managed to choke out, "A.J., she's gone..." before collapsing on the bed in a fit of violent tears.