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Ana almost regretted knocking on Howie's front door. Her father had left just ten minutes ago and Ana was already looking for salvation. He had slapped her before he left, leaving yet another mark against her already bruised cheek. Now the lower part of her cheek was slowly turning a new array of dark colors. Trying to conceal the bruise, she let her curls fly free, hanging down past her shoulders. She still wore her expensive sunglasses with the same lavender tank top and pastel blue skirt. She shifted her backpack uncomfortably on her shoulder, vowing to wait only a few more seconds before turning away. She should have just spent the weekend concealed in her home. She didn't know why she had agreed to spending the weekend with the Doroughs.

She had just turned to leave when the door opened. "Baby, where are you going?"

"Mel went off to do some errands, and I was cleaning the study. I-- oh my God, Ana! What happened to your arm?"

"Nothing, I hit the waves a little too hard. They're not too kind when you try to slice through them..." Ana stated, forcing a strained chuckle. She was at least thankful that he hadn't seen her face yet. "But, if you're cleaning the study, then I can just come back--"

"Ouch," Howie winced a little. "I just finished cleaning, come on inside." He was about to reach for her hand, but she flinched without thinking about it.

Ana watched Howie's eyes glaze over with confusion. She bit down on her bottom lip, mentally scorning herself for the obvious flaw. She did her best to think up a proper excuse, "Arm's just a little tender, you know?"

"Oh. I understand," he opened the door more and she walked in. "Are you hungry? I could make you something."

"No, not hungry at all. Just tired is all," Ana replied, shrugging her shoulders. She went to move her fallen curls away from her face, but froze, quickly running her fingers through her curls instead. In fact, tired was a mere understatement. She was absolutely exhausted. She had hardly slept since her father returned.

Howie frowned a little at Ana's attitude. Something didn't fit right with the reason why her arm was broken, and her hair was never down when she came to visit. The thing that stood out was her flinching when he tried to touch her. "You could go on up and take a nap, if you want. I'm sure Mella is going to want to stay up all night pigging out and watching movies. AJ is also staying for the night, and with the two of them together, I never get any sleep."

"Why don't you sleep? Because they're loud?"

"I don't fall asleep if I'm around them... I always end up getting decorated with cookies or writing on my face. I learned that lesson when I first started touring with the fellas."

"Isn't that why you have a lock on your door?" she asked, slowly easing her backpack to the ground.

"That's a lock if anyone but AJ is over. Somehow, the asshole figured out how to pick my lock. I'm vulnerable in my own house."

"You could go over to my house..." Ana's voice trailed, remembering the glass that the maid had yet to clean up. She even remembered that a bit of blood had tainted the white carpet. She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. "Guess you're S.O.L., Howie."

"Always am being friends with AJ, Brian, Nick and Kevin... then add Mella on top of that," Howie reached over and tapped lightly on her sunglasses. "What's with those?"

Ana winced openly when the sunglasses bumped backward into the tender flesh. She had prayed that Howie hadn't noticed the obvious pain as tears flodded her hidden eyes. "Um... My Dad brought them back from Europe, said they're the latest thing over there..."

"And it's a trend to wear them inside?"

"AJ does it, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, but that's because he doesn't like his long eyelashes--"

"And I don't like the color of my eyes," Ana blurted, trying to end that conversation.

"The color of your eyes?" Howie's eyebrows furled in confusion. "You've never complained about it before."

'Well, wait till you see the skin clashing with them,' Ana thought hatefully.

"Ana? Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I don't know. You seem more... distant."

"Why? Cause I didn't kiss you or anything?"

"What? No, I didn't mean it like that--"

"Then what did you mean?"

"I'm just worried about you. Melicia mentions that you haven't been in school practically all week, your dad came home, and I'm just worried about you," Howie admitted honestly, opening his arms wide.

"Worried about me?" Ana repeated.

"Well, of course. I really feel a lot for you, and when I didn't see you outside or talk to Mella... I got really worried."

"It was just a surfing accident, no big deal," Ana answered somewhat softly.

"We didn't know it was a surfing accident, Sweetheart. Can you blame us for being worried? Can you blame me?"

"No, but I can blame my father," Ana murmured, glancing away.

"Your father? What did he have to do with your accident?"

"He was sitting on the sand and yelled my name. It startled me and I went crashing," Ana lied, holding her casted arm tight against her lean stomach.

"Oh, okay." Howie frowned. The story didn't add up like it should have if all that happened with a surfing accident. They sat there in silence for a minute.

"Um...are you really busy?" Ana asked, hesitating for a moment.

"No, not at all. Why?"

"I just... I want to lay down, but I don't want to be alone... I know it's stupid, but would you mind laying with me? You make me comfortable, Howie, and I really need you..."

A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he leaned over and kissed her forehead. "It's not a stupid question and of course I will lay down with you. I'm always here when you need me."

Howie grabbed her backpack and helped her up the stairs with his hand wrapped around her waist. They traveled to the guest room and Howie sat the bag down at the side of the room. Ana immediately kicked off her chunky heeled sandals. She glanced down at her skirt, immediately cursing. There was no way she could get it off without tearing the skirt and then her father would have an absolute fit. "Howie? Can you unzipper this?"

"Sure, Baby." he gave her a sweet smile as he reached over and gently unzipped the skirt.

Ana nodded briefly as the skirt fell down to the floor and she stepped out. She was wearing his purple boxers, which made Howie smile yet again. She turned away from him, pulling the sunglasses off her face, and tossing them onto the nearby nightstand. She then sat down heavily on the bed, massaging the back of her neck with her good hand. "I had to wear skirts all freaking week. You have no idea how much of pain in the ass that it is," Ana murmured as Howie sat beside her, completly oblivious to the dangerous bruise on the opposite side of her face.

"I don't think I would ever know-- but now that you're in my house, you don't have to, okay?" Howie replied as he sat down behind her, reaching to massage her neck for her.

Ana tensed immediately when she felt Howie's hands slide against the sides of her neck, only remembering when her father reached to choke her. But she heard Howie's soft voice telling her it was okay and immediately let her muscles sag with obvious relief. She hung her head forward as Howie slowly started to rub her neck. "He just wants things perfect. It's not his fault," she murmured softly, closing her eyes.

"Not everything can be perfect, Sweetie," Howie whispered in her ear before kissing it.

"For him it is," Ana answered, turning around on the bed. She seemed to forget the hideous bruise covering the right side of her face.

Howie's mouth dropped open as he saw the large bruise. "What happened?"

Ana closed her eyes for a long moment, mentally screaming toward herself. She held her good hand up to block the bruising, but her small hand couldn't cover it entirely. Howie's compassionate eyes were enough to tear through her soul. Wet tears welled in her aching eyes. "The board hit me in the face..."

She felt him grasp the hand covering the bruise and kiss it. "A surf board did all that?"

"I was really cruising in the water..." Ana lied as he pulled her hand away to examine the bruise. A sharp eye would obviously catch the two distinct colorations between the meshing of two bruises. The older one was filled with duller blacks, purples, and yellows. The newer one held brighter blacks, purples, and blues.

"Cruising enough to get hit twice?" Howie asked, noticing the distinctions in bruising.

"I was getting into the car to take my dad to the airport when I hit my cheek off the door," Ana fumbled to explain, shrugging her shoulders. "Dad always called me the family klutz."

Howie nodded, not wanting to believe what he thought in the back of his mind. "Mella's the klutz in our family, I know what you mean..."

"Yeah--"

"We can get some ice to put on both injuries?" Howie offered.

"Later, I'm really tired," Ana stated, breaking away from him to cuddle against the side of the bed. She instantly curled herself into the fetal position.

"Okay," Howie nodded, laying right next to her before wrapping his arms tightly around her. "I'm always here for you, Ana. Don't forget that."

Ana wiggled in his arms, turning to face him. She carefully held her cast across her stomach and reached out with her other hand to run her fingers down his stubbly cheek. "What if it's a dangerous issue?"

"It doesn't matter what issue it is," he took her hand, threading their fingers. "I'm going to be right here, and I'll protect you in any way I can."

"Even if the waves are really rough?" Ana asked, hinting to more than she knew she would.

"Baby, the waves could reach up to the Heavens and be rough as Hell... and I would still be here."

"Good, because they're getting rougher each time he comes home..." she trailed softly, noticing the confused look in Howie's eyes. She bit down on her bottom lip, knowing she had to change the subject before she revealed everything. Her father would strangle her if he knew. "Um...Howie? Can I tell you something personal?"

"You know you can tell me anything."

"I think I love you," she stated with a shy smile. No matter how much physical pain she felt, Howie holding her made everything melt away. It was as if she were in a bubble of protection, away from the harsh realities of life. Howie made her forget the numbness inside.

Howie's eyes lit up with happiness as he smiled. He felt giddy and almost like a teenager again. "Really? You love me like I love you?"

"How do you love me?" she asked with her normally impish smile.

"Like I would go insane if I didn't see you every day," he leaned forward and kissed her. "Your smile makes me light up inside, every time we touch I feel sparks... I love you with my life, Ana."

"To answer your question... Yes, Howie, I love you like you love me. Because I know that no matter what happens, I can always come to you. I could be drowning and you would plunge in the depths to rescue me. That's the kind of love I feel," Ana admitted, gently kissing him.

"You want to move in with me forever?" Howie murmured, breaking their kiss for a moment.

"I wish I could," Ana replied dreamily, her eyes growing heavier.

"Someday, Baby," he answered softly, pulling Ana into his arms. She rested her head on his chest, the beat of his heart soothing her. "I promise you that."

*~*~*

Melicia and AJ hurriedly ran into the house with several bags of food in each of their hands. Melicia repeatedly cursed as she hurriedly flopped the bags onto the kitchen table, praying that they wouldn't rip or tumble. She started to laugh when a bag ripped from AJ's hands, spilling bags of various chips. He cursed loudly as Howie walked into the room. AJ was about to let loose a variety of cures, but caught Howie's look. He swallowed hard, mustering a feeble smile. Howie rolled his eyes, bending down to pick up the fallen items. "Thanks for getting more junk food, Mella," Howie teased.

"You gotta have the junk food when friends are staying the night, Uncle Howie!" she objected, pulling food out of the other bags and putting them away. "Besides, I'm not going to be the doctor in this group; that's Ana's job, remember? I'm the writer."

"And a wonderful writer you will be," Howie agreed, kissing her forehead. "But...speaking of Ana... Have you met her father at all?"

"No, actually, I haven't. Every time I was over, he was either sleeping or out of town," Melicia replied, frowning a little.

"Oh, figured as much. It's just the girl has a lot of bruises and breaks for a stupid boarding accident--"

"Ana's here?" Melicia blurted loudly.

"Yeah, she's upstairs sleeping," Howie raised an eyebrow at his niece. "Why is that a surprise? You invited her over."

AJ decided to cover for Melicia, playfully throwing his arms around Howie's shoulders. "Upstairs sleeping, huh? How'd you tire her out, D?"

"You are perverted," Howie grunted, pulling out of AJ's grasp. "The poor girl had a bad accident and she was tired."

"More like a bad father," Melicia murmured angrily, shoving the cans of soda deep in the fridge.

"A bad father?" Howie questioned, overhearing Melicia.

"Because he's never home," she added onto her comment.

"Alright..." Howie trailed with confusion.

"Hey, Mel, throw me a Coke while you're in the fridge," AJ broke the silence.

Melicia grabbed a can and chucked it toward AJ as Ana came into the kitchen. The whirling can came inches from Ana as AJ held his hand out to catch it. On instinct, Ana grabbed her head and ducked downward. "Holy shit!" she screamed out.

"Oh my God! Ana, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there!" Melicia immediately apologized as Ana stood up.

"N-No problem... Just nothing flying toward my head, p-p-please," Ana stammered, struggling to maintain her composure. She held a hand against her thumping heart. She could only see the gin tonic glass come flying toward her.

Melicia walked over and gave Ana a hug. "I didn't mean to scare you. I'm sure that was like seeing the board coming at you, right?"

"More like the glass," Ana murmured.

"Huh?"

"Nothing, I just think that action is likely to keep me up for an entire century," Ana replied with a simple shrug, not really noticing AJ stare at her intensely. She moved a lock of hair away from her face as AJ took a gulp of soda. When AJ's eyes locked onto the hideous bruises, he choked on the soda.

Howie pounded AJ on the back as he choked on the liquid. "You okay, bro?"

"God that fucking bruise is gross," AJ coughed, not really thinking about his words.

"ALEX!" Melicia scolded as Ana's face turned red.

"Is it really that bad?" Ana asked in horror.

"Ana, it's just a shock if you don't know about it," Melicia replied, giving AJ a cold glare as she looked back at Ana. "You just need to ice it and the bruises will fade faster."

"Then new ones will appear," Ana replied, allowing her curls to fall back in her face. She saw Howie's confusion, but she shrugged her shoulders. "Don't worry about it, AJ. It is pretty fucking hideous."

"I didn't mean to sound like an ass, I was just--"

"It looks fucking hideous," Ana repeated, allowing her impish smirk to finally surface.

"Okay, you're right..." AJ trailed off, feeling another glare come from Melicia. "So! What's for dinner, D?"

"Anything high in fat that has a chance of clogging arteries sounds fine with me," Ana answered, relieved that the spotlight was finally off her. She leaned against the counter, glancing at Howie with question.

"Well, I had been thinking of either some Chinese food or Mexican. It's up to you guys, but I'm gonna need help."

"Help?" Melicia asked, her eyes growing wide in surprise. She always burned this in the kitchen - a trait inherited from her father. She held her hands up to her forehead as if seeing an image. "I see myself in the pool with someone at my side while Uncle Howie cooks..."

"That's me!" AJ volunteered. He wasn't good in the kitchen either; his mother was always the one who cooked for him and if she wasn't, he was ordering takeout or eating at Howie's.

"Me?" Ana groaned.

"I'll burn the food, Ana. We're talking MASSIVE flames!" Melicia yelped.

"My mom won't even LET me cook in my own house!" AJ objected. "That's how bad I am!"

Ana rolled her eyes as both hit the floor on their knees. In unison, they began to plead for her to help instead of them. The glitter in Melicia's eyes made Ana laugh, knowing that they just wanted alone time. Ana shrugged her lean shoulders, pulling a hair tie off her good wrist, handing it toward Melicia. "Put my hair up and I'll help Howie. I've always cooked by myself, figure it might be nice to try it with someone who cares."

Melicia gave a soft smile before leaping up to her feet and carefully pulling Ana's blonde curls into a ponytail. She kissed Ana's nonbruised cheek. "Thanks, chica!"

"You got to stop kissing me. Makes me look soft or something," Ana teased, bringing her good arm around Melicia for a quick hug.

In reply, Melicia kissed her cheek again before running upstairs to put on her bathing suit. AJ immediately followed suit, leaving the two alone in the kitchen. Howie offered a sly smile, knowing what the end comment about 'caring' meant to himself and her. Ana walked toward Howie, holding her arms out. "Put these mexican making hands to work!"

He chuckled, taking them and headed to the fridge. "First, we need ingredients."

"Well, duh," Ana replied, crinkling up her nose.

"Hush up, dama menora," Howie replied, rolling his eyes with a smile as he placed lettuce, cheeses and hot sauce into Ana's arms.

"Not too much," Ana replied as her casted arm began to sting with pain.

"I know. Hold on," Howie grabbed a few more things into his arms and grabbed the jar of hot sauce out of hers. "Better?"

"Thanks," Ana answered with relief, walking over to the counter. She carefully dumped out her contents onto the counter, making sure than none spilled. Then, she carefully arranged them into a row.

"Wow, you do what I do when I cook," he chuckled, kissing her temple as he pulled out pans and tortilla shells.

"You knew that those two were going to back out of cooking," Ana scolded, leaning against the counter.

"Who, me?" Howie asked innocently as he turned on the stove and placed some hamurger in one and chicken in the other.

"Yes, you. You're completely evil, you know that? Just because I didn't cook with you last week. You're really sly..." Ana laughed, shaking her head in disbelief.

Howie shrugged with a smile. "You know you love me."

"Yeah, but you owe me big time," Ana replied, poking him softly in the chest.

"I'll pay you back later tonight," he gave her a wink, kissing her gently.

"How?"

"I've got my ways, Darling," Howie replied, kissing her again before going back to the meat and chicken. "Which one do you wanna cook?"

"Chicken, but how?!"

"You are too impatient! Watch the chicken, it's gonna burn!"

Ana rolled her eyes, stirring the chicken. "You better tell me how."

"All you need to know is that it's totally corny," Howie replied as he chopped at the meat.

"Why is it corny?"

"Because that's the way I am. The Dorough's are corny people when it comes to the people they love. Mella's like that, haven't you noticed?"

"Yeah, she's always kissing me..." Ana trailed, playfully shuddering.

Howie chuckled, kissing the top of her head. "That's how we show affection, Dear."

"It's contagious, isn't it?"

"Very. Soon, you're going to be like us!"

"I wouldn't mind it."

"Good," he turned from the stove for a minute and gave her a deep kiss.

Ana moaned softly against his lips, allowing her good hand to hook around his neck. He pulled her close as the meat sizzled with the sounds of Melicia and AJ splashing in the pool. Yet, nothing seemed to bother them inside their passionate world. Ana smiled as they briefly broke their lips apart. "So, how are you going to pay me back?"

"You can keep asking me, but I'm not telling you," he smirked, caressing her left cheek.

"I'm going to drive you absolutely nuts if you don't tell me."

"That's the sacrifice I'm willing to make!"

"I'll stop kissing you till you tell me?" Ana tried.

"No you won't."

"Yes, I will."

Howie raised an eyebrow. "Really, now?"

"Yes, please tell me," she begged softly.

"Well..." Howie was about to tell her when he smelt something burning. "CRAP!"

"That was your pan of meat, not mine!" Ana chirped, taking her perfectly tanned chicken strips off of the heat.

Howie poured a little bit of water into the pan, stirring the slightly charred hamnurger. "You distracted me!"

"You should have told me," she said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Caray, caray, caray..." he muttered, pouring the meat into a bowl after adding his own spices. "Ana, Baby, will you go and tell them it's time to eat?"

"If you tell me what's so corny about how you're paying me back," she answered, wrapping her arm around his neck when he finished the preparation. She slowly delivered small kisses to his bare neck.

"I-I, uh, I'm, uh..." Howie stuttered, shivering as he felt her lips on his skin. "It's like the t-typical candlelight--"

"Candlelight? Just candlelight?" she purred against his skin.

"Only candlelight," he whispered. "With roses, soft music and-- hey, I just told you my surprise!"

Ana smiled softly, kissing his neck a few more times. "Candlelight, roses, soft music? Sounds like you're trying to make me give up my vows."

"I wouldn't make you do anything you don't want to."

Ana chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, weighing her choices. She always told her mother that she would wait for marriage, but she loved Howie. And, now with her father's outburst, Ana just wanted to be loved. She just wanted to stop feeling numb and used. She needed Howie more than he realized. "I want to though," she answered quietly.

Howie's eyes grew wide at her words. "Y-You want to?"

"Yeah, I love you, Howie. I trust you and I want to..."

"You're sure about this? I mean, I love you so much, but I just don't want you to regret--"

"I'm not going to regret it," she confirmed quickly, thinking in the back of her mind that if she had her choice, he would be the one she married anyway.

A smile formed on Howie's lips as he leaned in and kissed her softly. "Alright. If you want to, then so do I."

"Are you sure you're not going to regret it?"

"Never. I love you too much to regret anything I do with you. To be honest... I wondered what it would have been like to make love to you when you first walked into this house..."

"No way," she laughed.

"Yes way," he contradicted, chuckling.

"Well, guess you're going to find out," she answered, leaning up to kiss him. She heard another shriek from outside in the pool. "I don't think tonight's going to work for your corny surprise, though. Since AJ can break into your room and all..."

"I can always suggest that they go back to his house," Howie replied, pulling her close. "They always like fooling around, wrestling and playing games anyways. May as well let them be alone at his house so we can be alone here."

"Aren't they going to get suspicious though? I mean, Clicky invited me over and all... I should stay with her..."

He shrugged a little. "It was just an idea, Babe."

"It's whatever you want."

"I would like some alone time with you... but you're right, how could I suggest them to leave without making it suspicious?"

Ana could only think about AJ and Melicia's schemes when they wanted alone time away from Howie. It just seemed rather ironic that Howie and Ana were now making plans to ditch Melicia and AJ. "Who knows, maybe you'll get lucky, and they'll want to go see another movie?"

"Yeah... maybe. Well, if not tonight... sometime soon," he gave her a sweet smile and another kiss before walking out onto the deck. "MELLA! BONE! DINNER'S READY!"

"WAIT!" AJ cried, running around the pool. With expert tactics, he jumped toward the raft that held Melicia. His feet hit the plastic raft, causing it to tip. Both spilled into the water, giving a final kiss beneath the water, before rising. "Got'er good!" AJ grinned with pride, winking at Melicia.

Howie laughed as Melicia jumped on AJ's back, trying to dunk him one more time before walking back inside. "Good one, man!"

"You little butthead!" Melicia whispered loudly, continuing to be on AJ's back as he walked out of the pool.

"I just wanted to give you another kiss," AJ murmured softly, before rising out of the pool. He smiled thankfully as Ana handed him a towel. Without thinking, he threw it against his back, wrapping both him and Melicia in the oversized towel.

"Next time do it so I don't have to get wet again," she replied, but was smiling as she quickly kissed the nape of his neck.

Howie didn't seem to notice as he walked back into the house, getting the table set. Gently, Melicia eased off of AJ's back, taking the towel with her. She grinned triumphantly as she hurriedly hugged Ana close to her soaking wet body. Ana groaned inwardly as Melicia soaked her tank top and boxers. "Is this how it's going to be all weekend, Clicky?"

"Yup!" Melicia laughed, kissing Ana's cheek again before going inside and up to her room to change back into shorts and a tank top.

"Do you know what we're doing tonight by chance?" Ana asked as AJ grabbed another towel. She felt somewhat unsure around him, since he only seemed to stare at her injuries. He looked at her as if he knew what had truly happened and it scared her.

"No, not really. Mella was talking about going out for a little bit, but I thought that maybe you would want to be with her tonight. You know, like a girls night thing."

"I'm not going to drag down Clicky's night. If she wants to go out with you, she mine as well go out with you. It's not like I'm going anywhere. I would probably crash early tonight anyway. So, if you want to take her out, go ahead, she loves you a lot," Ana answered, averting her eyes away from his.

"Are you sure?" AJ asked, raising an eyebrow. It was odd how Ana was insisting they leave for the night. He had thought maybe she wanted Melicia to stay and hopefully get the truth about her injuries.

"Yeah, Clicky shouldn't have to change her plans because she saw me bruised and wanted to make sure I have company. I can just head home anyway."

"Well..." AJ bit on his lip for a moment. It would be nice to get some alone time with Melicia. "You're positive that's okay?"

"Yeah, I'm positive. I don't want Clicky hating me because I'm cock-blocking her or something," Ana admitted quite bluntly, hearing Melicia yell for them to hurry.

AJ's cheeks turned red at the statement. "Uh, her and I aren't--"

"MCLEAN! LORD! GET YOUR BUTTS IN HERE!" Melicia yelled again.

"That's not what I meant. I just meant that I don't want her hating me because I'm preventing her from spending quality time with you," Ana answered simply, stepping into the kitchen.

Now that Ana had brought it up, images were floating through AJ's mind involving him and Melicia. "Damn you, girl..." he shook his head, chuckling as he walked into the kitchen.

"Well fuck you, too," Ana quipped, overhearing his mutter.

"You're the one who said it first!" he objected.

"When did I ever say damn you?" Ana asked in confusion, sitting beside Melicia at the table.

"Never mind, I apologize for saying damn you," AJ quickly said as he reached for the hamburger and taco shells.

"I find it amazing that these girls have gotten you whipped so fast, J," Howie chuckled, praying that no one noticed the slightly burnt meat, because he wouldn't hear the end of it.

"They don't have me WHIPPED," he objected, taking a bite of his taco. "I'm just being polite."

"We have him whipped," Melicia whispered to Ana.

"Definitely," Ana agreed, both of them looking over at AJ with innocent looks.

"What did you two say?" AJ demanded.

"That we were stupid to even think that we had you whipped," Ana replied sweetly.

"That's right," he agreed. Melicia immediately kicked him in the shin. "OW!"

"Too hot?" Melicia asked with a sugary-sweet smile.

"Yeah... burnt my tongue..." he muttered, going back to his food. She was going to get it later when they were alone.

Ana rolled her eyes as Howie quickly dove into his food. He stopped every few seconds to gaze over at her, but she diverted her attention. She picked out some chicken meat and a shell, eating lightly. Her stomach was still hollow with pain and she didn't want to be sick. Finally, after a few minutes of AJ rambling with food in his mouth, Ana leaned over to Melicia. She spoke quietly so only Melicia could hear, "AJ told me that you wanted to go out with him tonight, Clicky. You shouldn't have invited me over if you wanted to do that, but it's not a big deal. I'm just heading home and you two can go out. I'm exhausted anyway. I don't get much sleep when Dad's home."

"I still invited you over because I thought you and Uncle Howie could hang out," Melicia muttered as she grabbed another taco shell. "You don't have to be alone in your house when you can stay here and have company."

"I don't mind being alone, because I don't want to bother your uncle," Ana murmured, picking at the bits of chicken.

"You actually think you bother him?" Melicia snorted a little. "He loves it when you come over."

"Wonder why," she retorted softly, thinking of Howie's plans for her.

"Probably the same way anyone else does. You got this aura around you... it's contagious."

"You saying I'm a disease?"

"No! That was supposed to be a compliment."

"Gotcha," Ana replied with her impish smirk. She placed her fork down, feeling her stomach rumble in displeasure. "Look, I'm just saying that I want you to have fun with AJ. You two go out tonight and don't worry about me. I'll just meet up with you tomorrow and teach you to surf. Then we can talk about whatever your dying to talk to me about, because I can see it in your eyes."

"Well... alright. You know I can't help but worry, it's my nature."

"I'm just tired and bruised. Just normal fatigue from getting the crap kicked out of me...by the waves."

"Yeah, those waves can be hard, from what I've heard," Melicia agreed, her stomach knotting a little as an image of Ana's dad twisting her arm until it snapped appeared in her mind.

"Just have fun with AJ. He seems like a great guy to marry," Ana teased, gently nudging Melicia's shoulder.

A blush immediately formed on Melicia's tan cheeks as she nudged Ana back. "Callete, hermanita."

"So, what are you girls whispering about?" Howie finally asked, noticing the blush firmly set against his niece's cheeks.

"Nothing really. Clicky's trying to con me into going to some stupid movie with her, but I keep telling her that romance isn't my department. I'm tired and all. So, I figure I'm vollunteering AJ for the assignment so Clicky doesn't whine my ear off... And then I'll head home to bed, I'm just beat." Ana replied, setting up the necessary guidelines for AJ and Melicia to follow for a sweet getaway.

"AJ? Will you pleaaaaaaase take me to see this movie? Please, please, please?" Melicia begged, batting her eyelashes.

"Romance again?" AJ whined.

"Aw, come on. I watched Pulp Fiction with you, and that equals to TEN romance movies. Please?"

"D, is it alright if I take your whiny niece out to see some mind-numbing romance?" AJ groaned, sinking down into his seat as if sulking.

"Yeah, sure," Howie replied, not really paying attention to what AJ had just asked him.

"Really, Uncle Howie?" Melicia asked gratefully, noticing his eyes simply locked on Ana's form.

"No, I'm lying," Howie broke his gaze from Ana to give his niece a teasing look. "Of course you can go."

"Great! AJ, let's go get ready!" Melicia burst, immediately jumping away from her seat. AJ groaned loudly, trying to protest, but Melicia quickly yanked on his arm, sending him flying upward. She reached down to place a kiss on Ana's cheek, not noticing the bruise. Ana winced openly as Melicia pulled AJ up the stairs to get ready.

"You're pretty lucky, Howie," Ana murmured, sitting back in her seat, shielding her bruises.

"Yeah, because you basically got them out of the house," Howie winced as he saw pain in her eyes. "I'm guessing Mella forgot and she kissed your bruised cheek."

"She has a fleeting memory," Ana whispered, struggling to choke back the pain. She didn't even know how Howie could look at her without becoming sick. The bruises were disgusting. She was disgusting.

"She got that from hanging out with Nick as a kid," Howie replied, getting up and sitting next to her. "Do you want me to get some ice for that? And maybe some Tylenol?"

"How about morphine?" Ana murmured, still shielding her hideous face.

"I'm sorry, all out of that this week. The next best thing is Tylenol 3."

"Tylenol 3 with Codine? Hell yes, I'll take that and some ice, but I can get--"

"Nope, I'll get it. You stay here. If I see you've been up... well... that's to discuss later," he kissed the top of her head and ran upstairs for the pain killers.

Ana waited until he was gone and stood up. She walked toward the fridge, pulling out a tray of ice. She retrieved a plastic bag, filling it with the chips of ice. She then put everything away and sat back down. Carefully, she applied the coldness to her cheek and eye, sighing with absolute contentment as Howie arrived in the kitchen. "I got up," she stated simply, refusing to open her eyes.

"Had a feeling you were going to," she felt him kiss her forehead and heard a glass set on the table. "Hold out your hand."

She did what she was told, holding out her good hand as she balanced the ice against her face and allowed the coldness to seep through her cast also.

"That's two Tylenol 3. Put those in your mouth and I'll hand you a glass of water." She popped the pills in and held out her hand again. A cold glass was set in there and she took a large gulp of water.

"Thanks," she whispered, finally opening up her good eye. She smiled faintly as he seated himself beside her again. "I must look pretty hideous, huh?"

"Everyone has accidents, doesn't make them hideous. Just that the bruises aren't nice to look at. I think you still look beautiful."

Just wait till my dad's home for an entire month,' Ana thought with a depressing feeling sinking into her stomach. She held the ice firmly to her cheek and eye, finally turning to glance at Howie. "Are we really going to..."

"Like I told you, only if you want to. I'm not going to rush it."

"I want to, I just don't want you to think you're going to vomit while looking at my bruise."

"Hey, hey, hey. Your bruise doesn't bother me. I don't look at that when I look at you."

"I really want to, Howie," Ana decided with a small smile, pulling the ice away for a moment. "I want to love you, because that's all you've done for me. And, as stupid as it sounds, I want you to be my first, because I want us to last through eternity. I want to share my being with you..."

"And I'm always going to love you," Howie replied, leaning over to kiss her. "What you said was not stupid, because I feel the same way. Well, it's not my first time, but you know what I mean."

"Who knows, maybe my first will end up being my husband," Ana teased faintly, accepting the kiss, deciding not to think about what Howie's first time must have been like.

"It could end up that way," he gave her a smile as AJ and Melicia thundered down the stairs.

"You finally got ice on the surf damage?" AJ teased, reaching to ruffle Ana's locks, but she immediately jerked away from him. Melicia glared frostily at AJ, causing him to back up a little. "Um, sorry, have fun tonight, okay?" AJ decided to say, trying not to notice Ana's fearful manuever.

"Yeah, thanks," Ana muttered, giving Melicia a 'talk later' look before putting the ice back on her face.

"What are you two doing tonight, then?" Melicia decided to ask, pulling AJ back toward her.

Howie shurgged. "Don't know. Probably just kick back and watch tv or something. Well, that'll be me. Ana will be sleeping soon with the Tylenol 3 I gave her."

"Hell yes, I think I'm going to go crash on the couch now," Ana replied happily, standing up. She cross the long way through the kitchen to avoid AJ, disappearing into the living room.

"Um... I think she hates me again..." AJ trailed off, frowning.

"You know why she did that," Melicia answered quickly, not realizing that Howie was sitting there still.

"I was just trying to make light conversation!"

"That's not what I was talking about!"

"But I didn't--"

"Hey, aren't you two going to be late for the movie?" Howie interrupted the agrument.

AJ glanced down at his watch. "Yeah, we are. Sorry. Hey, D, be careful with the little firecracker in there. She's really tired, don't make her work out too hard, alright?"

"Does anything that comes out of your mouth NOT involve sex?" Howie rolled his eyes as he walked with them to the front door.

"Don't tell me you haven't even thought about it with that cute chick in the house to yourself," AJ teased, winking toward Melicia playfully.

"I'm pleading the Fifth on that, McLean," he replied as they reached the door.

"Was that a yes?"

"It wasn't a yes or a no. You best get out now before I have to open a can of whoop ass on you."

"That was a definite yes," AJ murmured toward Melicia with a laugh, stepping out the door before Howie slammed it.

"You are so perverted, you know that?" Melicia replied, smacking his arm as he opened the passenger door of the car for her.

"Yeah, but you love it," AJ replied with a sexy growl, leaning down to kiss her neck before shutting the door.