“I think my favorite place in the world is being out on the ocean. When I was younger, I was always at the beach and when my parents fought all the time, I’d go running to the beach. My Dad always joked that I learned how to swim and scuba dive before I even learned how to walk. Something about being out there is just amazing, y’know?” Nick glanced over to make sure that he still had Adrienne’s attention, and, sure enough, she was still looking at him. Several hours had passed since he had frightened her and, yes, the door to the guest room was still shut part-way and Nick was convinced that Tank and Bernie sat behind it just waiting for the opportunity to attack. But, Adrienne had not run away. Instead, she sat against the wall of the room with Allie’s head resting in her lap. She listened intently to his stories, whether she thought he was an idiot or not, he didn’t know. But, the point was that he shared his deepest secrets with her. Things that no one knew about him. And she didn’t criticize him for it. “I take my boats out all the time and I love how the dolphins jump alongside like they’re trying to race you--”
“Wild dolphins?” Adrienne interjected softly, tilting her head back to rest against the wall so she could have a better view of Nick leaning against the wall of the hallway. She studied him curiously, gently running her fingers over the bridge of Allie’s nose as she snored with pleasure. She had thought about turning away several times, but something about the pleading to Nick’s voice caused her to stay.
"Yeah… They're just awesome… Sometimes I'll throw anchor and take a dip and they just come right up and splash and play," Nick explained with a grin, watching a smile play at her lips as he stretched his back slightly. "Do you live near the ocean?"
“No…” Adrienne answered with a soft sigh of regret, biting down on her inner cheek when Allie shifted against her, flaring the pain in her body. But, she made no reference to it, instead thinking about her strong desire to live near the ocean. That was the biggest request Adrienne had for the sisterly vacation – to visit the ocean several times. She loved the way the waves crashed against the sand and the life living within the waters. Dolphins and whales especially. “We live in the mountains and… Well, it takes a long time to get to an ocean and its nothing but rocky cliffs anyway…”
"If you want to go to the beach someday, just tell me… We can just go right down the boardwalk. There's a little cove up the beach where you can find all sorts of things like starfish and crabs. It's really cool…" Nick trailed, offering a soft smile. The way her cinnamon eyes lit up when he spoke of the beach caused his heart to warm tremendously, reminding him that there were still decent people in the world.
“I’d like to go out boating and see the dolphins,” Adrienne suddenly announced, though she clapped a hand over her mouth when she realized that the thought had projected into a statement. A crimson blush covered her face when she noticed Nick quirk his dark blonde brows in an inquisitive nature. She immediately shifted her gaze down to Allie, holding her breath as if that would control the blush.
"When AJ and your sister get back I'll ask him if he wants to make a day trip of it," Nick suggested softly after a moment. "We can pack a picnic lunch and go swimming?"
Adrienne hesitated slightly at his suggestion, gently brushing her fingers over Allie’s ears in a firm rub. “…Today?”
"Whenever you want, Adie," Nick promised.
“I thought you were going to call me Adrienne?”
"I am… I just wanted to make sure you're paying attention."
“Clever…” Adrienne trailed, though she knew better than to fall for that.
"What's your favorite color?" Nick questioned suddenly. He had spent the entire time talking mostly of himself, and now wanted to learn more about her.
“Green and purple,” Adrienne answered, finding the courage to look at Nick once more. “My suite at home is decorated in green and lavender… It’s my favorite…”
"I like green too… Suite? You have a suite?"
“Bedroom, bathroom, sitting room, study…”
"Just how big is your house?" Nick questioned softly.
“Big enough.”
"It's just you and your sister?"
“No, we live with my mother and father.”
"…And a legion of faithful servants?" Nick inquired with a grin, attempting to joke.
“Some are more faithful than others.”
"What's your last name again?"
“Moreau.”
Everything came crashing back to him so swiftly it was as though she had slapped him. Drunken advances, the softness of a backside in his palm. The sharpness of a hand against his cheek. Crimson wine staining Paris' white dress. "Oh holy shit…" he groaned, hiding his face in his hands. "I am such a fucking idiot…"
“What’s wrong?” Adrienne inquired in confusion, watching as Dallas dove between Nick’s legs for protection as JD tried to bite his tail. She didn’t know what she had said to make him shout such a vulgarity… “I’m sorry--”
"No, no, I should be saying that…" Nick trailed. "I knew you looked familiar…"
“I do?”
"Don't you remember me? Puff Daddy's All White Party?" Nick reminded.
Carefully, Adrienne shifted with Allie in order to open the door a bit more so she could get a better look at the man. Under different circumstances, she probably would have regarded him as handsome. His wild, messy platinum locks were brushed in every direction and a bit of facial hair was starting to grow. He was dressed in a pair of faded jeans and a t-shirt with a band logo. But what caught her most was the brilliance of his dark sapphire eyes. Josette would have called him filthy, but Adrienne regarded him as rugged. And, when she considered Josette’s view of him, the memory he was referring to came flooding back. “You’re Nick Carter who dated Paris and was the prize of the evening attached to her arm…”
"And you were the blushing debutante who I thought was cute and when I tried to make a move on you your sister slapped me, threw her drink on Paris' dress and cussed me up one side and down the other…”
“You put a permanent chocolate stain on my backside, which, coincidentally, looked very much like a handprint…”
"…Whoops…"
“Why were you trying to ‘make a move’ anyway? You and Paris were quite cozy. She loved parading you around at every chance… Lord knows she couldn’t stop gushing about you when she was attending any of our normal functions…”
"She and I were never good for each other," Nick sighed. "And I saw you and thought you looked like what I really needed, y'know? Someone sweet and unassuming who wasn't vain or caught up in the celebrity or anything…"
“You hollered at my sister that you were drunk off your ass--”
"Do you know of a better way to keep her from chopping a guy's head off?"
“To stay away from me…”
"She must be a pretty good sister, to attack a complete stranger…"
“She’s far better than a pretty good sister.”
"You look sleepy, Adrienne… Do you want me to leave you alone so you can take a nap?" Nick murmured, noticing the dark circles under her eyes when she hid a yawn behind her hand.
“I’m not tired,” Adrienne disagreed with a small shake of her head, smiling toward Bernie when he came to flop at her side. Knowingly, she reached for his belly, because he would eventually bare it to her anyhow. It was impossible for her to sleep. Her body would refuse to allow her a moment’s rest. She was on a constant state of alert. And, if she slept, it would only be for an hour before she woke up drenched in sweat.
"…Do you want to go downstairs and watch a movie with me? AJ bought Curious George last night…"
“You don’t have to--”
"I was just offering, you don't have to if you don't want to. I know you're probably scared of me-"
“I was just saying that you don’t have to keep me company…”
"I don't mind it… You're easy to talk to. When you talk, that is," Nick murmured. "I'm just thinking you might be more comfortable on the couch than on the floor-"
“Bernie… What do you think?” Adrienne inquired of the largest dog, noticing that he was watching her expectantly, as if he were waiting for her answer as well. She felt as if she were suffocating within the guest room and had initially wanted to go downstairs to inspect her surroundings. But Nick had deterred those plans.
"…He thinks I should run down and fix some popcorn and get some icy sodas," Nick suggested hopefully, already slowly getting to his feet.
“I guess we’ll meet you down there…” Adrienne suggested when Allie suddenly pulled away and Bernie got up as well.
"You can make it down the stairs okay by yourself?" Nick questioned, offering his hand to help her to her feet.
Forgetting his question for a moment, she simply stared at the hand he offered her. It was extended palm down, merely waiting for her to slip her fingers against his and hold on. She had never seen a man’s hand in such a manner. Instead, it was always raised in anger, ready to echo against the side of her face. Startled when he cleared his throat, she hurriedly took his hand so he wouldn’t become upset. “I’ll be fine going downstairs…”
"Okay… I'll meet you in the living room in a few minutes then," Nick agreed softly, impulsively reaching to brush back a stray lock of her hair.
Standing just inside the threshold of the guest room, afraid to even breathe, she waited for the sound of Nick’s lumbering down the stairs. When she was sure she had some kind of privacy, she reached for the curl that Nick had tucked behind her ear. The warmth his fingers brought to her body was inviting at first, but then churned her stomach for even regarding such a thought. Glancing into the hallway, she released a frustrated sigh before glancing to Bernie and Tank. “Do you growl at him because he’s bad news? Or growl at him because he teases you and you have to get back at him?”
Bernie and Tank seemed to ponder her question for a moment. Then, looking at each other, they came to an agreement of sorts, each appearing to grin when they looked back up at Adrienne. Panting with excitement, they turned to follow Nick. Which was answer enough for her.
Stepping into the hallway, she watched the two male dogs hurry down the stairs in order to find Nick, but Adrienne waited when Allie whined. Watching the pregnant dog lumber from the guest room, she cooed softly and walked with the dog down the stairs. Both seemed to anticipate the others’ pains, careful to work each step in hopes to decrease the aggravation. But, somehow, they made it and Allie went to the kitchen for food and Adrienne slowly walked toward the living room. Seeing the emptiness of the plush room, she evaluated her options for seats. She could take the recliner, loveseat, long couch, or somewhat shorter couch. Glancing to the large, flat-screen TV, she decided she’d sit on the long couch and hope the dogs would get to her before Nick. Carefully, she eased herself onto the couch and felt herself sink into the softness. It felt wonderful.
Nick entered a few moments later, carrying an enormous bowl of buttered popcorn. Placing it in the middle of the couch, glancing around to see the dogs were taking protective stances at Adrienne's feet. "Just a minute, I'll bring you a soda…"
“Mmhmm,” Adrienne murmured, certainly not prepared for the overwhelming wave of exhaustion that attacked her so quickly. In the past three weeks, sleep had never been an option. In the total of twenty-one days, she knew she had barely obtained ten hours of sleep collectively. Now, after the hospital, she couldn’t force her body into sleep either. Curling protectively against the pillow tucked beneath her head, she muffled a yawn against the back of her hand. She was sure she couldn’t fall asleep.
When Nick returned, setting a tall glass filled with ice and Pepsi on the end table where she could reach, he simply thought she was resting her eyes. Sipping his own soda, he moved to load the DVD, grabbing the remote from the shelf before moving to sit at the opposite end of the couch. "I haven't seen this yet, but…" His sentence faltered when he saw her shift slightly on the couch, the tension leaving her features as she obviously went to sleep. Knowing she needed the rest, he turned the TV off before grabbing one of the blankets off the back of the couch, carefully draping it over her before settling onto the cushion next to her. "Sleep well, Adrienne," he whispered.
Hearing the soft sigh leave her slightly parted lips, Nick couldn’t help the smile that graced his face. Shifting carefully, he fixed the blanket over her body to assure that she was covered completely, never expecting her legs to stretch out over his lap. When he looked down at her legs, he suddenly held his hands up in defense as Bernie and Tank growled. “She did that, not me, so go take a shit outside or something.”
Before Tank or Bernie could decide whether or not to take him at his words, they were diverted by JD and Dallas, who began to yip excitedly at the sound of a car pulling into the drive. Leaning up so he could see out the front window, Nick groaned when he saw AJ's car parking. Knowing it would take them several minutes to get all the things from the car, he carefully eased Adrienne's slumbering form into his arms. Somehow he managed not to wake her up, though she did sigh softly as she snuggled closer against his chest. As all the dogs raced to the door to bark at their owner's arrival, Nick got up from the couch and headed in the opposite direction, going up the stairs to place her in her bed. He heard the car doors slam as he stepped into the bedroom, and hastily crossed the room, making sure not to jostle her as he laid her on the bed. Drawing the covers up over her, he paused to gaze at her lovely features, leaning to press a gentle kiss to her forehead before leaving the room.
Knowing he’d be slaughtered if he were caught upstairs by the potential couple, Nick attempted to race down the stairs in a speedy momentum. But, it seemed futile when he was halfway down the steps and AJ was glaring up at him from the foot of the steps. Lurching in his movements, Nick shoved his hands deep into his pants pockets, attempting to look nonchalant.
“What the Hell are you doing here?” AJ inquired skeptically.
"I came to get my stuff that I left here yesterday-"
“Then why don’t you have a damn thing in your hands?”
"Because when I got here Adrienne was coming downstairs and when she saw me she fell up the stairs, so I talked to her-"
“You son-of-a-bitch, if I found out you touched one hair on her head, so help me God!” Josette threatened in a rush, dropping the smaller bags that AJ had allowed her to carry. Oblivious to her injured ankle, she hurried up the stairs in search of her sister, sure to throw a sharp shove into Nick before calling out for Adrienne.
"For God's sake, she's asleep!" Nick cried in defense.
“What did you do with Adrienne?” AJ accused when he heard a sharp curse follow from Josette before a soft shriek of surprise. Wincing, he realized that Nick had been truthful in his statement, but Josette would soothe Adrienne back into a slumber. What he was far more concerned about was the guilty look spread across Nick’s face. Something didn’t seem right as he gathered the bags to carry into the living room.
"I didn't do anything! She got kind of scared, and I sat outside her door and talked to her for a few hours…" Nick trailed, following AJ into the living room. Peering into a bag, he raised an eyebrow when he saw a stuffed Curious George. Glancing to his friend, he realized the older man was actually humming to himself as he began to separate the bags. "Why are you so damn happy?"
“She got kind of scared? What does kind of scared mean exactly, Nick? And what the Hell are you talking about? Talking to her for a few hours? Don’t tell me you long-winded her into listening to your sexual escapades, because that medication is already making her sick as a dog--”
"We talked about the ocean, dogs, music, and family," Nick interrupted defensively, scowling at the glare AJ gave him. "Jesus Christ, J…"
“Why were you even talking to her? She doesn’t have anything you want.”
"I was talking to her because she seems like she'd be nice… Did you know you've got a hickey the size of your nose right there on your neck?" Nick said, rubbing the base of his own throat.
“Jealous?” AJ guessed with a wicked smirk, working to carefully separate the bags of clothing into two individual piles. One pile would be for Adrienne. After consummating their love in the dressing room, Josette had insisted that they keep on shopping. She had been diligent in picking out a specific type of clothing for her sister, but AJ had managed to help somewhat. So, the faded, worn, and frayed jeans were folded into a pile with t-shirts, lounge pants, pajama bottoms, tank tops, and other casual clothing for Adrienne. The other pile was for Josette, which consisted of highly fashionable items. Black skirts, black dresses, black slacks, smart tops, elegant camisoles, and those fantastically lucky jeans…
"What'd you do? Dump the psycho and go hook up with one of your ex toys?"
“Don’t make me punch you right in the face.”
"Don't tell me the Ice Queen herself did it-"
“Shut the fuck up, Nick.”
"Holy shit, you got laid-"
“Why don’t you get your shit and get the fuck out of here?”
Nick hesitated, not wanting to leave quite yet. Part of him wanted to pull the truth of the day's events from AJ, but mostly he wanted to be around when Adrienne woke from her nap. He wanted to be able to look into her eyes and feel that warmth again… "…I can't. The painters showed up this morning to redo the house, and I have to stay gone at least a week-"
“Well, get your shit and take your punk-ass over to Kevin’s house.”
"J, they make me sleep on the futon in the basement," Nick whined.
“Hotels are available for such a charming man as yourself and makes it a helluva lot easier to pick up the prostitutes at the corner,” AJ mused, thrusting a pile of clothes toward Nick to make him fold.
"I don't pick up prostitutes, damnit," Nick grumbled, starting to fold without thinking.
“Well, half the women you supposedly date probably should be paid for their services…”
"AJ… Can I stay?"
“You were so fucking anxious to get out of here the other day… What changed?” AJ inquired quite seriously, tucking Josette’s clothing into the empty bags so he could take them upstairs. He didn’t understand Nick’s desperation to linger.
"Adrienne and I were thinking of taking some trips out on my boat… And she wants to see the beach and the little cove…"
AJ immediately groaned with disbelief. “Hell no, get your shit and get out right now--”
"Nick, Adie just told me how wonderful you were, sitting outside her room and keeping her company today," Josette announced as she entered the room. Her face was aglow with happiness, and she offered Nick a genuine smile of thanks. "She hasn't been so calm since we got here, thank you… She told me you mentioned something about a boat trip, and I think we should do that soon-"
“That poor girl can’t even come three steps out of her room without having a heart attack and you want to take her out on a boat?” AJ blurted incredulously, amazed that Josette had even turned a smile toward Nick when she was repulsed by his very name. And the wickedly proud grin that Nick displayed made his stomach knot with worry.
"Oh, Ajie, you should see her, she was smiling and looked so hopeful… Almost like a child asking to go to the circus," Josette sighed. "And something tells me that she'll do just fine on a boat trip. She loves water and the animals…"
“Dolphins?” Nick suddenly guessed.
“She absolutely loves dolphins. They’re actually her favorite sea creature. And then the killer whale… But she always chides me because I guess the Orca is just another breed of a dolphin and not really a whale… But, anyway, yes, she loves dolphins and whales… How’d you know?” Josette confessed with a silly smile, reaching to hug AJ gratefully.
"She told me," Nick announced with a proud smile.
“I think she’d live at Sea World if I let her…”
"…You can have the downstairs guest room," AJ groaned reluctantly after Josette had given him another hug before leaving the room. Shoving another stack of clothing at Nick, he scowled, knowing the younger man was up to something.
Nick arched his dark blonde brows with confusion at AJ’s offer. “I already have all my shit in the upstairs guest room--”
"Fine, fine! But I'm locking your fucking door from the outside," AJ warned.
Nick shrugged off the threat as he glanced down to the pile of clothing in his hands. Noticing the variety of greens and purples amongst other colors and a significant portion of jeans, he looked to AJ with a grin. “This is all Adrienne’s stuff, right? So, I’ll just go put it upstairs--”
"Over my dead fucking body you will," AJ growled. "You're carrying your ass to Delmonico's and picking up the order I called in for dinner."
“What giant dildo did Josette shove up your ass today?!”
"I'm just protecting Adrienne."
“From what?”
"Your less than honorable intentions, that's what. When you finish that stack, leave it on the couch and go get our dinner."
“I don’t have any intentions--”
“Don’t bullshit me, Nick. I know you and those stupid contests you have with your shithead of a brother. And I don’t want Adrienne involved in that,” AJ murmured, glancing back to assure that Josette wasn’t present before grabbing Nick’s arm. Leading him toward the door, he maintained a threatening growl to his voice, “She’s hurting. That fucker raped her not only with his own oily dick, but other things that I don’t think either sister wants to remember. He fucked her up so bad that she almost bled to death. She needed a hysterectomy, but their mother refused to allow it, so they patched her up as best they could. God knows that little tidbit terrifies the hell out of Josette, knowing something could go wrong because Adie didn’t have the hysterectomy. So, hands off, got it?”
"Got it," Nick promised softly, glancing towards the stairs. He'd had no idea she had been that bad off…
Stirring in her light, dreamless sleep, Adrienne could swear she felt the warmth of soft lips against her forehead. Reaching up to touch the tingling skin, she let her eyes drift open, surprised to find she was alone in the room. Save for Allie, who panted heavily in a deep sleep next to her. Sitting up slowly, she let the covers fall from her body, wondering if the kiss had truly been a dream…
Furrowing her dark brows, she exhaled a soft breath as she leaned to gently scratch behind Allie’s ears, realizing that within the next day or so, puppies would arrive in the McLean household. But, for the moment, her thoughts drifted back to the idea of being kissed. She had never been kissed before. Well, except for her sister’s kisses and those of the Moreau family’s help that had raised her from an infant. But to have the lips of a loving man against her skin was unbeknownst to her. She may have had friends of the opposite sex, but none had dared to cross the line for fear of retaliation from the Moreau family. Sighing, Adrienne reached to furiously rub her forehead to clear away her wistful imagination. She was in no condition to be dreaming of kisses and romance and she never would be.
A soft knock at the door pulled her from her reverie, causing her stomach to knot with worry at who the intruder could be. Josette never knocked, even at home; she simply barged into the room spouting off the reason for her intruding. When another knock sounded, followed by the shuffling of feet behind the door, she reached to pull the covers up to her chest like a shield. "Yes?"
“Hey, Adrienne, it’s AJ…Alex…Ajie… Whichever you’re going to call me at this point… Well, it’s me?”
"Come in," she murmured with a trace of a smile at his hesitation.
The door opened, and AJ's smiling face peered around to see her sitting up in the bed. "How you feeling, Adrienne? You had a nice long nap… You slept through dinner and everything. I was going to get you up, but Ettie put her good foot down and told me to leave you be, so…" Shrugging as he entered the room, he cleared his throat. "I didn't wake you up did I?"
“No, I was up before you knocked,” Adrienne promised, watching AJ hold his arms behind his back as if attempts to shield something. But, with him being so skinny, the bags behind him protruded from the sides. “…Does Ette need me?”
"No, no, she's…" AJ trailed softly, knowing he couldn't simply blurt out the fact that at the moment she was asleep in his bad. Naked… Pulling the bags from behind him so he could place them on the foot of the bed, he offered a smile. "I just came up to bring you the stuff we got you this morning."
“Oh, thank you,” Adrienne murmured kindly, smiling apologetically when Allie buried her snout underneath the layer of pillows with a grunt. Reaching to rub the dog’s back, she glanced to the enormous bags, deciding that their father must have wired enough money to suit them comfortably for several weeks. Anything to keep the injured daughters away... “Did Ette have fun?”
"Loads," AJ promised quickly, perching on the foot of the bed as he pushed the bags closer. "She got you enough clothes to last you all year… And then some, I think, unless you're one of those women who changes clothes every two hours-Oh! This is from me," he announced, pulling a stuffed Curious George from a bag so he could present it to her.
“Curious George?” Adrienne questioned in confusion, leaning back slightly when he offered her the stuffed animal. When his smile strained uncomfortably, she reached out to take the gift into her arms. It was the infamous monkey from the newly released DVD and the older childhood books. The books that Josette would diligently read to her every night when they were children. Gently running her fingers against the soft fur, she sighed softly. “Why’d you buy this for me?”
"'Cause… Well I know it's going to sound corny, but… I know how it feels to need something to hold onto," AJ explained softly, remembering those first nights after his girlfriend had disappeared, the few hours his mind had paused long enough for him to gain something resembling sleep. How hard it had been to fall asleep, until he had pulled one of her shirts from the laundry to clutch.
“But you have my sister now?” Adrienne guessed, looking up from the plush Curious George though she still continued to fold his ear over her fingers. She wasn’t overly naïve about the ways of the world. She had seen the way that AJ looked to Josette and how she reciprocated those looks. And, the hesitant nature of his entrance had told her something magical had occurred between them that morning.
"Um… Uh… I can't talk to you about things like that-"
“I’m twenty one years old, not one nor two. I understand that you two have a great affection for one another. I just hope that you’ll treat her right. She’s very special to me.”
"You're very special to her, too… And I promise, I'll treat her right," AJ said, leaning over to press a friendly kiss to her cheek before she could react. "If you want to talk to her, she's in my room, I'm going to go down and fix your plate-"
“Thank you, AJ,” Adrienne murmured, watching him launch off the bed and walk from the room. Glancing down to the Curious George once more, she leaned over to look at the bags of clothing. The first two were filled with the typical clothing that she loved to wear when Mother was absent from the house. And then third bag was tied with a note, signed with a heart and AJ’s name. Pulling out some of the clothing, she was amazed to find torn, faded, and ripped jeans that she absolutely adored as well as a variety of different styles that she’d never dare to wear at home, though she loved to admire in magazines. Lurching in surprise, she scrambled off the bed and raced into the hallway. “AJ!”
There was no response. Instead, from downstairs, came the sounds of the man's singing, accentuated by the appreciative barks from JD and Dallas.
Going toward the stairs, she glanced down them in hopes to see AJ so she could properly thank him. He had gone to so much trouble in order to make her feel comfortable in his home. He had even taken the time to consider what type of clothing she would like to wear instead of yanking various clothing away from different racks to hurry along to the next spot. She had never been treated so kindly in her life, so she hesitated for only a moment more before carefully moving down the stairs. Following the sounds of a man’s soulful voice, she peered into the kitchen to see AJ working hard to warm up a meal for her. He was dancing about the kitchen with a pleasant grin on his face, actually seizing JD into his arms for a rowdy dance. The man was in love, that much was certain... “Um… AJ?”
"Adrienne!" AJ gasped in surprise, whirling around to face her. Reaching over to pull her plate from the microwave, he actually blushed over the fact she had caught him so jovial. "Did you need something, Hun?"
“I just…” Adrienne hesitated significantly in her original thoughts, reaching to toy with a fallen ginger curl. She had known what she wanted to say when she walked down the stairs. But catching AJ off guard and his surprised features had startled her intentions. “The clothing… Ette bought the two bags, but then you had your name on the other…”
"I just picked out a few things I thought you'd enjoy. After asking Ettie about you and all…" AJ explained with a nonchalant shrug.
“But you put thought into them…”
"I always put thought into what I'm buying for someone else-" AJ cut off with a surprised grunt when the woman was suddenly squeezing him in a grateful hug. Tentatively, he let JD slide to the floor before placing his hands gently on her back. "Hey… You're welcome, hun…"
“You didn’t have to do that though,” Adrienne murmured, oblivious to the tears that rained down her pale cheeks as she locked her arms around him in a tender hug. “No one’s ever cared enough to… Well, besides Ette… But, you… Thank you so much…”
"Hey," he whispered, easing his arms around her for a gentle embrace. "I care about you, Adrienne. You've been through things that nobody should ever have to face, and you're still able to smile…"
“It’s hardly a smile,” Adrienne sniffled, burying her face against his chest for a moment of protection. “But, thank you so much.”
"Anything for you," AJ promised.
Pulling back slightly, Adrienne pressed a hand to her face when she noticed the splotches of tear stains on AJ’s shirt. She immediately blushed crimson with embarrassment, unweaving herself from his arms. “I didn’t mean to attack you or anything--”
"I don't mind," AJ assured her, playfully flipping her hair over her shoulder before turning to fix her salad. "Are you going to eat down here or up in your room?"
“…Is Nick around?”
"He went out to get some movies to watch tonight-"
“I can eat downstairs if you want, but I’d like to go see Ette--”
"She's upstairs in my room. Last room at the end of the hall," AJ informed. When she murmured a thanks before leaving the room, he remembered how he had left Josette earlier. Dropping the salad fork with a clatter, he rushed to catch her, groaning a curse when he saw she was already halfway up the stairs. Oh well. He could only hope she wouldn't castrate him…
Ignorant of AJ’s plight, Adrienne continued up the stairs and down the hallway. She braced a tender hand over her abdomen as always, her gait still quite awkward as she attempted to nullify the pain. Though, every thought she had seemed to leave in a rush when she knocked briefly on AJ’s master bedroom door before entering, catching her sister’s nude body flurry of movements to clothe herself. “Josette Floriana Moreau!”
"Adrienne Elaine Moreau!" Josette returned in surprise, jerking the plush comforter up to her chest when she realized her clothes were in a heap at the foot of the bed. Seeing her sister's shocked expression, she hastily smoothed her hair, suddenly affecting a casual appearance. As though she were frequently seen naked in a man's bed. "What are you doing in here?"
“Apparently not what I’m really supposed to be doing in a bedroom as I had originally thought…” Adrienne mused, following her sister’s eyes toward the heap of clothing – a mixture of AJ’s clothing as well as recently purchased women’s clothing. Glancing back to her sister, she maintained a coy expression upon her face though her cheeks tinged pink. “I get a get-out-of-trouble-free card for finding you like this, don’t I?”
"When have you ever gotten into trouble, Adie?" Josette questioned honestly, tucking the comforter tighter around her.
“There’s a first time for everything,” Adrienne decided, carefully leaning down to gather her sister’s clothing from the floor. Then, making sure to shut the door behind her, she offered her older sister the garments and then turned around.
"You're going to hold this over me forever, aren't you?" Josette sighed, shaking out the knee-length skirt to rid it of the wrinkles before she climbed out of the large bed to pull it on. "Did you sleep well?"
“Not forever,” Adrienne assured, glancing to all the photographs on the dresser. Most were of AJ and an older woman, who Adrienne assumed was his mother. Others were pictures of his dogs and then pictures of him with his band. Her eyes lingered on a photograph of AJ and Nick attacking one another in a friendly bear hug “…Did you kiss my forehead after I fell back asleep?”
"No… You fell asleep so fast and I went down to thank Nick for talking to you-"
“Do you remember him, Ette?”
"Remember him? …Have we met that greasy slob somewhere before?" Josette questioned as she buttoned up her blouse. Tucking it into her skirt, she began to hunt for her shoes.
“He dated Paris--”
"He's the drunk asshole who groped you in front of the paparazzi and left a big chocolate handprint on your ass-"
“He apologized--”
"When?" Josette interrupted, giving up the hunt for her shoes. Instead, she ran her hands through her hair, letting it fall loose past her shoulders in hopes it would conceal the bruises on her neck. A glance in the mirror showed that her lips were still swollen, though the cuts on her cheek were finally starting to heal. "Today?"
“Yes… When he realized who I was…” Adrienne answered, abandoning the photographs when she felt Josette’s arms gingerly wrap about her waist. Her older sister dared not to squeeze her for fear of injuring her further, so Adrienne dropped her hands to cover Josette’s hands. “…Were you scared, Ette? I mean… What you did with him… You wanted to do?”
"I wanted to do it," Josette promised softly. AJ was all that she could hope for when it came to making love. And so much more. She truly had never dreamed that making love could be so pleasurable. When their mother had first explained it to her, it had seemed as though the act was merely the duty of a woman. "And yes, I was scared at first, but… He was very tender, Adie."
“So, you’re happy?” Adrienne hoped, turning to face her sister.
"Il est mes chéri…"
Adrienne smiled. “I told you so.”
"And you're going to hold that over my head as well, aren't you?" Josette teased.
“Of course!”
"You won't mind if I accept his invitation to share his bed?" Josette questioned, wanting to be sure.
“No, I won’t mind,” Adrienne promised with an affirmative nod, having no desire whatsoever to ruin her older sister’s good fortunes. It wasn’t as if she slept at night anyway, so there would be no difference but the amount of light Adrienne would keep within the room. Besides, Josette deserved to feel safe and protected at night. AJ could provide that.
"Adrienne? Honeybunch? Your dinner's ready!" AJ called from downstairs. "And ask Ettie to find the earring she nibbled out of my ear!"
"Oh, God," Josette groaned with a firm blush, releasing her sister so she could find the earring in question.
“Vous êtes un féroce minette sexy,” Adrienne decided with a coy grin.
"Un peu," Josette sighed, enjoying the playfulness Adrienne was showing.
“I think AJ should be the judge of that,” Adrienne disagreed, moving for the door when AJ bellowed that her dinner was getting cold. It wasn’t that she was hungry. More so, she seemed to have lost all appetite with the array of pills that she needed to take, but would eat so her sister didn’t worry. She had always loved to tease her sister and initiated the playful banter, but still felt dead inside.
