Life was good. Taylor's recovery lifted everyone's spirits. The fellas continued recording, and it was fun again. They laughed and argued and sang. It was all the way it used to be when they were just five struggling vocalists looking to succeed in the industry, hoping for the one break they needed. They had been through so much lately. All of the tension that had existed for various reasons was gone, and it showed up in the playbacks in the studio. Their voices were clear and beautiful and the fun they were having came through. This was going to be the best album they had done yet.

Taylor got physically stronger every day, and she came to rely on the hated wheelchair less and less. She pushed herself hard to regain the use of her legs. Nick and Jamie cautioned her to take it easy but she laughed at them and told them they were just afraid they'd be left behind in her dust. She continued to work hard, and soon it was hard to tell that she couldn't walk several weeks earlier.

Taylor and Jamie had a great time together. Their days were spent househunting, arguing good-naturedly over the type of place they wanted. They were setting up the branch office, interviewing potential staff, and getting everything organized. They hung out at the studio when the guys would let them, or they took off on their own, either shopping or just relaxing on the beaches.

Nights were spent either alone, or with some combination of the five guys and their significant others. Something was always going on, and they all grew closer as a group. Life was definitely good for them all.

Only Taylor had an inkling that it wouldn't last. The voices in her head appeared with an alarming frequency when no one else was around or late at night when Nick was sound asleep and she was wide awake. She dreaded being left alone with her thoughts. She would creep out of their bed, careful not to wake Nick, and wander down to the bay windows in the living room that faced the ocean. Taylor would watch the waves roll over the shore, and drown the voices out with a glass of wine.

Sometimes Nick would wake in the night, and find her downstairs. Taylor always reassured him that she was alright, just not able to sleep. She would then lead him by the hand upstairs back to bed, and distract him by seducing him. Nick often joked about how he liked her insomnia, and she would give him a demure smile in return, then continue her seduction. Being with Nick was an escape for the moment, but in the back of her mind, the voices simply laughed.

They were at Nick's house. Jamie was waiting for Taylor to finish her shower after her daily therapy session so that they could go have a late lunch. The phone rang, and not thinking twice, Jamie picked up the receiver.

"Hello?" she said. There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment, then, "Is Nick there?"

"No, I'm sorry he's not available right now. Can I take a message?"

"No, no that's all right. I'll try his cell, thanks."

"I could tell him you're calling if you want? Is this BJ?"

"Thanks, but I'll just call his cell and talk to him. It's easier that way." Jamie heard a click and a dial tone before she could say anything further. She hung up the phone just as Taylor walked into the living room.

"Was that for me?"

"Hmm? No, just someone looking for Nicky. No big deal," said Jamie, shrugging her shoulders. "C'mon, you ready to go? I'm starving." They left the house several minutes later and both forgot about the phone call.

Molly replaced the phone, shaking. She needed to talk to Nick, needed to find out if it was true. She replayed the other conversation she had over again.

It wasn't really a conversation though, more like an ultimatum. Kevin had called Molly and warned her to stay away from them all, especially Nick.

"You have no idea what you're doing, and you are going to ruin his life. Leave Nick alone, I'm only going to say it once."

"Or what?" she challenged him.

"Don't provoke me," he warned her. "You've done enough to us, and I will make sure you can't hurt us again. Your probation will be revoked so fast your head will spin. I mean it, leave Nick alone."

The tone in Kevin's voice had frightened her and she knew he was serious. But somehow she didn't think Nick knew about Kevin's call. She and Nick had been friends for too long and, with the one exception, they had been brutally honest with each other about everything. Having someone else warn her off wasn't Nick's style at all. He was too honest, too forthright, to let someone else say goodbye for him.

She just wanted to talk to Nick, to ask if that's what he really wanted. If it was, she would fade out of his life without a second thought. Kevin had been right in the respect that what Nick did was too important to him to let anything destroy it. She wouldn't be responsible for that; she had come so close to doing that once before and she remembered the pain she had caused Nick. When they began speaking to each other again, Molly had promised him then and there that she would never again be the reason his world fell apart.

"I must be in the wrong house, I'm sorry," teased Kevin as he walked into the kitchen. Jamie was over by the counter, bowls and ingredients spread out in front of her. She shot him a look, "Funny, very funny Richardson."

"Well, it's just that the last time I checked, you didn't know how to cook."

"I never said I didn't know how, I just don't like doing it, that's all."

"Oh, okay," he looked around the kitchen. "So where'd you hide Taylor? I know she's the one actually making dinner, right?" The dishtowel in Jamie's hand suddenly hit Kevin in the chest and rolled down his body to land at his feet.

"Just for that, you're not getting any of this."

"That is supposed to be a threat, right?" She scowled, and he laughed. "So what did the Twin Terrors do today?"

"Not much actually. Taylor had a late therapy session, so we had some lunch then just stayed at Nick's talking and planning for the office some."

"I see. So nothing interesting, huh? Nothing I need to be worried about?" asked Kevin as he sat down at the kitchen table.

"Honestly, why do you think there is something to be worried about whenever Tails and I are together?"

"Howie didn't name you two the Twin Terrors for nothing," Kevin chuckled. "He doesn't give nicknames to people unless he thinks it's appropriate." She stuck her tongue out at him, then turned back to the counter to finish up.

"So did Nick get the phone call?" she asked suddenly. Kevin looked up, startled.

"What phone call?"

"I'm not sure. While I was waiting for Taylor, a girl called the house looking for Nicky. I assumed it was BJ or one of his other sisters. It sounded important and she said she'd call his cell. I'm just curious, can't help it you know."

Kevin knew exactly what she was talking about. Molly did reach Nick on his cell that afternoon, and Nick and Kevin had a chat about it afterwards. Nick was angry that he was interfering, and Kevin defended himself as best he could. He told Nick that he wanted to make sure nothing happened to hurt Taylor. Nick had responded by telling him to mind his own business, but Kevin pointed out that if Taylor got hurt, Jamie would be hurt too, "And that makes it my business, Nick, whether you like it or not." They had left it like that, since Nick couldn't fault that argument.

Jamie sat down at the table next to Kevin. "Hello? You there?"

"Yeah, what?" Kevin shook his head to clear his mind.

"You just spaced out for a minute. You all right, darlin'?" Kevin leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Yeah, yeah, I'm okay." He regarded her silently for a while, trying to make a decision. The confused look didn't leave Jamie's face, and he nodded to himself, at last deciding what he had to do.

"Baby, there's something I need to tell you, but you have to promise me you'll hear me out and not get mad."

"Let me guess, I'm not going to like this very much," she grimaced. He nodded, then briefly explained the situation with Molly and Nick, and his part in it all. Her confusion quickly gave way to shock, but she remained silent as Kevin explained.

"And you've known about this all along?" she asked quietly. He shook his head, "No, I found out about a month ago. But I didn't say anything because I thought there was enough going on at the time."

"So why now? Why tell me at all?"

"I guess it was all alright when I knew you didn't know anything. But you talked to Molly, I just realized that it would happen again, despite the warning I gave her. And if I act on it and have her probation revoked, then you'll find out everything anyway. I wanted you to hear it from me, Jamie, before you found out the hard way. I've said before that Molly would hurt us again, and I want to make sure this doesn't come between us." He looked into her eyes, "I love you too much to want this to screw it all up."

It was Jamie's turn to be silent. She thought through everything Kevin had said, everything she had seen with Nick, and finally everything she knew about Nick and Taylor. Kevin sat there nervous, but let her process this all, and waited for her to speak.

"I want to talk to Nick about this," she said finally. Kevin waited for more, but she said nothing.

"Okay," he said cautiously.

"I'm serious, Kev. We need to show him that this can't go on anymore, and it certainly can't be hidden." Kevin relaxed once he heard her say 'we.'

"Don't take this the wrong way Jamie, but you don't sound mad."

She smiled, "Perhaps I should be angrier, but I just can't. Right now what concerns me is what will happen if this goes on much longer. Nick can't keep this from Taylor, it's almost the same as lying to her in her eyes. She's the one I'm worried about. She may seem better, but she's still fragile inside. Mike broke something in her, and it's not fixed yet. I don't know what it is, but she needs all of us to help her through it. If she finds out that we all kept this from her. . ." She shook her head. "The sooner the better, Kev, that's all I know. We need to talk to Nick soon."

Jamie told Taylor the next day that she needed to run some errands in the morning, and that she would meet up with her later in the day. Since Taylor had another doctor appointment and a long therapy session, she agreed to meet in the afternoon.

Jamie drove over to the studio, and parked in a secluded corner behind someone's minivan. She didn't want to risk having the car seen by anyone, especially Taylor, if by some chance she decided to surprise Nick.

Kevin was the only one who knew she was coming to the studio. But he acted just as surprised as the others when she appeared in the control booth alone. They had just finished running through one of the arrangements, so they all decided it was a good time for a break. Kevin asked Nick to come with him, to see what was going on, and Nick agreed and followed him out the door.

Kevin picked Jamie up and gave her a hug, "Hey there baby! What are you doin' here?" Nick looked behind her, "Did you leave Taylor on the side of the road again?" She kissed Kevin, then laughed at Nick, "Nope, she's at the doctor, remember? I just thought I'd come see what my favorite guys are doing. . .so have you seen AJ and D?" Kevin pretended to drop her.

"Kidding, I'm kidding! Did I hurt your feelings, baby?" she asked. Kevin nodded, and Nick sniffed behind them and acted like he would burst into tears. Jamie giggled, then got serious.

"Actually, there's a reason why I'm here." Kevin opened the door to an empty conference room, and beckoned them to come inside. Nick remained where he was, but Jamie tugged on his arm, "C'mon, this involves you, Nicky." He looked surprised and allowed her to lead him in the room.

Jamie closed the door behind Nick, then turned around to face him. "Nicky, I know," she said quietly.

"Know what?"

"Molly." Nick's face drained of color momentarily, and he sank into a chair. He faced Kevin, "You told her?"

"Yes, he did," said Jamie before Kevin could say anything. She moved over to where Nick was seated, and sat down next to him. "I'm not mad, Nicky, Just concerned."

"You don't understand. . ." he started to say.

"Nick, you're right. I don't. I'm not going to pretend I do. But that's not why I want to talk to you. You can explain to me why you're doing this, but you'll do it while Taylor's in the room too."

Nick balked, but Jamie simply put her hand on his. "Nick, you know you need to. Taylor needs to know what's going on. If she finds out from anyone but you, that'll upset her more."

He bowed his head, "I know." He took a deep breath, then looked up. "I know I should have done this from the beginning, but I just couldn't. I guess now's as good a time as any, right?"

"Yeah, it is."

"How mad do you think she'll be?"

"I don't know. Kevin seemed to think I was going be angry, but I'm not. I'm more concerned for you. As for Taylor, I used to be able to tell you exactly what she'd do. But I can't do it anymore."

Nick's brow furrowed. "Why not?"

"Mike. . ." Nick closed his eyes and nodded. He whispered, "When do you want me to tell her?"

"We will tell her tonight, okay? I'll help you, Kev will too, right?" She glanced over at Kevin, who was leaning against the wall, silent during this conversation. When Nick looked his way, Kevin nodded. "We'll all tell her, Kaos."

He breathed a sigh of relief, "Okay, tonight it is."