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Author's Chapter Notes:
Thanks so much for all of the feedback for chapter 1....here's the second! Hope you all enjoy :)
Chapter 2

Nick woke up later that afternoon...laying next to Amanda, his new wife.



Wife...



"No!!!!" he screamed, watching her fall in front of him...blood spattering his clothes. Her body lay in front of him and he felt tears burn his cheeks as he looked at her.

"Nick....I'm so sorry..."

"Please don't leave me," he begged, sobbing as he held her. Blood covered his hands, there was nothing he could do to stop it.
"I love y-" she whispered, but her eyes closed...



Nick got out of the bed and walked out onto the balcony, looking at the sun setting as he wiped his eyes. Today would have been the day after their second anniversary. He wondered what it would have been like if Tracy had not died that day in Aruba. He knew that they would not have had any children. Truthfully, Nick doubted they would have lasted this long at all after the conversation he had with her on the cruise the night before it all happened.....





"Why don't you and Amanda get along like you used to?" he had asked her after they made love for the first time.

"I thought she was in love with you and wanted to take you away from me." she answered.

"Tracy, I am gonna be honest with you. Amanda and I have a history. I have feelings for her..."

"Baby, I know. Lance told me everything."

"He what?" Nick asked in surprise.
"Lance told me you were going to propose to her when you came back from Japan. He told me you lost your virginity to her. When I found that ring around your neck I got scared." she explained, her hand on his cheek as she tried to make him understand. Nick nodded silently, frowning.

"You did all that because you were afraid of losing me?" he whispered.

"She's my best friend, Nick....but I am in love with you. The last thing I wanted was to be left heartbroken. I am so sorry." she said, kissing him gently.

"Baby, you need to talk to her. This doesn't change how I feel. I do love you but I won't get between you and her." Nick replied. Tracy nodded and kissed him again as Nick returned it.

"I will talk to her when we get back." she said, smiling.


She had never gotten that chance. Nick sat on the balcony for a long time, just staring at the sunset and feeling his eyes water at the memory of her, feeling as if he had hurt her by marrying Amanda.

"Until death do us part..." he whispered, looking at the gold wedding band on his hand and sighing as the tears began to fall.


Amanda woke up some time later and was concerned when she saw the bed empty. Nick had vanished from the room and she didn't like how quiet it was. A soft noise floated into the room, coming from the balcony.

"Nicky?" she called, walking towards the door. She stopped when she heard him sobbing, his head buried in his hands. Amanda felt horrible, she wondered what she had done to upset him. Leaving him alone, she went to the phone to call home and check on the children.


"Carter Residence, this is Brian Littrell."

"Bri, what are you doing at the house?" Amanda asked, laughing at how even when he was off duty, Brian still sounded like a police officer.

"AJ had to go down to the store for a few while Celine is napping so I am just watching things. Aaron is doing his homework." he explained.

"So everything is okay?"

"Of course it is. How do you like France?" Brian laughed.

"Oh, its wonderful but I am worried about Nick....he's out on the balcony crying." Amanda told him with a sigh.

"Don't you know what today is?"

"Should I?"

"She died two years ago today....He wanted to change the wedding to next week, don't you remember?" Brian explained. Amanda's face fell and she felt horrible. Tracy had been murdered on this day, how could she have been so insensitive?

"I am a horrible person....no wonder he is upset." she whispered.

"No, you're not. Amanda, it was an easy mistake to make. I'm sure he will be fine, just talk to him." Brian replied. Amanda got off of the phone and walked out onto the balcony where Nick was, placing a hand on his shoulder and rubbing his back gently.

"I am so sorry, sweetheart. I should have respected your wishes." she said. Nick wiped his eyes and looked up at her, his eyes red and worn.

"It isn't your fault, baby. I didn't want to ruin our honeymoon, I am sorry." Nick apologized. He stood up and she put her arms around him, rubbing his back for comfort.
"I am the worst friend, Tracy's death.....I should have remembered, Nick. Even though she was awful to me she was still my friend."

"Baby, let me tell you something. She was going to talk to you when we got back from the cruise, I told her it wasn't right of her to be so nasty to you because of how I felt about you. She knew I loved you." Nick told her, his eyes welling up again.

"She did?" Amanda asked in surprise. She moved to wipe a tear from his cheek as he nodded, sniffling.

"Tracy told me that Lance had twisted her mind to think you were stealing me from her, he told her I wasn't a virgin and we had history."

"That bastard. Nick, I should have listened that day when you told me it was a bad idea to marry her. If you hadn't....she would still be alive." Amanda told him as he held her.

"Baby, you and I are supposed to be together. Tracy's death made me realize I still loved you, and if it wasn't for that happening Celine wouldn't have been born." Nick pointed out.

"You're right. I wouldn't want Celine not to be in our lives. It was the best thing to happen to us. Nick, if you're not ready we can go home and have our honeymoon another time." she offered. Nick shook his head, his blonde hair falling in his eyes as he smiled.

"Let's just take it easy tonight baby. We can have fun tomorrow." he whispered, kissing her. Amanda and Nick walked back into their hotel room hand in hand, not wanting to change their past for anything.