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"So you're going to do what?" Carly asked Jen, sitting across from her on the bed.

"Kevin said that he's going to make sure I get Nick alone at some point tomorrow," Jennifer explained. "He figured that we might as well take two days, give him some time to calm down, since we don't have a show until tomorrow night anyway."

"You're not leaving the tour then."

Jennifer smiled and nodded, "nope, wasn't planning on it."

"Good." Carly grinned, and grabbed her friend in a hug. "I worry when you get all upset like that, you know."

"You worry," Jennifer snorted sarcastically. She wasn't feeling completely back to normal, but she was definitely feeling a thousand times better. With Kevin as an ally, it couldn't be long before she was able to convince Nick to take her back, right?

"And what of Mr. Richardson?" Carly asked with a raised eyebrow. "Having any problems with the marital infidelity thing?"

Jennifer made a face and rolled her eyes, "he was going to call Kristen when I left his room before. As far as I know, anyway, she doesn't know that he's been fooling around, I don't know why she left Orlando."

"I think you're not the only girl Kevin's cheated on Kristen with," Carly said in a confessional tone, smirking when Jennifer stared at her in surprise. "Oh, come on, don't tell me that's so hard for you to believe."

"It is, actually," Jennifer shook her head. "He loves Kristen, he only slept with me because he was trying to use sex to keep me around. That's all there is, ever was, ever will be."

Carly sighed heavily and ran her hands through her hair. "For your sake, and Nick's, I hope you're right. But I have a very strong feeling you're wrong."

"I'm right, I know I'm right," Jennifer said firmly. After everything she'd been through, didn't she deserve a happy ending?



Nick stepped out onto the stage, looking out at the dark arena in frustration. "What the hell," he grumbled, shuffling his feet as he walked to center stage. "What kind of rehearsal is this?" He shouted to the empty seats in front of him. Goddamn Kevin, telling him there's some urgent, important rehearsal he has to be at, then nobody's here. Of course. "What the.." he cursed softly as a spotlight turned on, shining brightly on him.

"Ok, this isn't funny," Nick held his hand over his eyes to block his eyes from the bright light, trying to see who was in the area. "Hello? Fuck this, I'm leaving," he turned to leave, stopping dead in his tracks when a voice filled the air, singing a song he knew all too well.

I can see that you've been crying
You can't hide it with a lie
What's the use in you denying
The words you have at home

Nick's mouth dropped open as he heard the singing, trying to place the source of the beautiful voice, but he had never heard a woman sing like this before. Her voice was clear and strong, and filled with such emotion...

Baby you deserve much better
What's the use in holding on
Don't you see it's now or never
Just why you can't be friends
Baby knowing in the end
I will love you more than that

Jennifer stepped onto the stage, microphone in hand, singing her heart out. She saw Nick's eyes flash when they recognized her coming out of the wings, and prayed he wouldn't leave. She smiled at him, and continued singing.

There's not a day that passes by
I don't wonder why we haven't tried
It's not too late to change your mind
And take my hand, don't say goodbye

"What are you doing, Jenny?" Nick asked her softly, his expression looking sad and hurt.

Jennifer just shook her head, and finished the song.

Oh I will love you more than that
I won't say those words, then take them back
Don't give loneliness a chance
Baby listen to me when I say
I will love you more than that*

"I don't want Kevin, I want you, Nick," she said firmly, walking to him on the stage and taking his hands. "Please, Nicky, I know I screwed up, can you ever forgive me?"

"Kevin wants you, I can't compete with him, you said it yourself," Nick protested, shaking his head. "You can't say no to him, can you?"

"I can, and I have," Jennifer replied, looking directly into Nick's eyes, needing to see his expression as she spoke. "Remember when you told me I was your Jenny?"

Nick let out a soft sob and nodded, remembering so many other things as well.

"I realized...I am. No matter what Kevin does, says, whatever, Nick, I'm your Jenny, and I always will be."

Nick's eyes filled with tears, and he was barely able to choke out the words, "But...Kevin..."

Jennifer smiled wryly and gestured to the empty arena, "Who do you think is working the spotlight? We're all alone here, except for him..."

Nick shaded his eyes to look into the light, and was rewarded with a nod from the light. "That's Kevin?"

"THANKS KEV, YOU CAN LEAVE NOW!" Jennifer shouted, before turning back to Nick. She smiled when the light bounced once more around them. "And now we're alone."

Nick stared at Jenny, his blue eyes wide. "I love you so much, Jenny, losing you again would kill me."

"Never, ever again," Jennifer reassured Nick, as he bent down and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against him, amazed by how right Nick's body could feel against hers. "I love you," she breathed, as he pushed her down onto the stage, no longer thinking about where she was, who could be around. The only thing that mattered was Nick, and proving to him how much she loved him.



Kevin fully had intended to leave after Jennifer asked him to, he really had. But when he'd heard Nick tell Jennifer he loved her, something in the tone of his voice made him pause. He sat down and watched as the couple slowly begin to make love on the stage, gently, tenderly undressing each other.

He knew he shouldn't be watching, that it was wrong, a private moment, definitely not something to be shared. But as he watched Nick make love to Jennifer, he realized how wrong he'd had everything.

When he'd talked to Jenny Lynn, he'd told her that he hated seeing the way Nick looked at her. And now he realized how backwards he'd had it...

Nick loved Jennifer. Kevin could see that, it was so clear, in every touch, every sound, every word he said to her. So what....

But as he watched, he saw the way Jennifer was looking at Nick, touching him, moving with him. It was different than the way she'd been with him....his brow furrowed as he tried to discern what that difference was. He felt a pang in his heart when he finally identified the pattern he was seeing. Nick loved Jennifer, but Jennifer was in love with Nick too. It was one thing to hear her say it, but to see it...

THAT was what he wanted. He wanted Jennifer to look at him the way she was looking at Nick. And, the way he saw it, there would be only one way to accomplish that.

Get rid of Nick.

Lyrics from More Than That by Franciz & LePoint/Adam Anders ©2000