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Author's Chapter Notes:
OMG IT'S AN UPDATE AAAAAHHHHH!!!!! Yes an actual chapter!!! Thanks to Presley for curing my writer's block. So say thank you to her and go read her stories and give her some feedback too ok? Luv yas! Here it is! And more on this and KDL to come!!!!!!!
Chapter Seventeen: Ain’t No Other Man

“Ain't no other man, can stand up next to you. Ain't no other man on the planet does what you do (what you do). You're the kinda guy, a girl finds in a blue moon. You got soul, you got class. You got style you’re bad ass - oh yeah! Ain't no other man it's true - all right -Ain't no other man but you…You are there when I'm a mess. Talk me down from every ledge. Give me strength, boy you're the best. You're the only one who's ever passed every test. Ain't no other man, can stand up next to you. Ain't no other man on the planet does what you do (what you do). You're the kinda guy, a girl finds in a blue moon. (You're the kinda guy, a girl finds oooo yeahh). You got soul, you got class. You got style you’re bad ass - oh yeah! Ain't no other man it's true - all right -Ain't no other man but you.” (**) Ain’t No Other Man ~By Christina Aguilera

Nick woke up with a start, the recurring nightmare had been keeping him up for the past three nights. He knew it was more his fear of losing Alyssa that caused the dream moreso than anything else. But every night it’d been the same scene over and over, he’d come home and find Alyssa in bed with Brandon her body writhing underneath his.

He hadn’t mentioned it to anyone, least of all Alyssa. He knew he should, that he should tell her of his underlying fear of losing her to Brandon but he couldn’t, wouldn’t. It was weakness in his eyes and he did not want Alyssa to see him as that.

He felt Alyssa stir next to him and looked over at her face seeing her green eyes studying him.

“What’s wrong?” She asked.

Nick sighed a shaky sigh, “Nothing I’m all right go back to sleep.” He replied.

Alyssa looked at him sensing the tension in his voice. “Lover talk to me.” She answered back wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

He relaxed into her touch, “Just a bad dream, nothing more.” He lied.

“You’ve said that for the past few nights, are you sure there isn’t anything I can do to make you feel better?”

Nick turned his head to look in her eyes, seeing the concerned look on her face. “Tell me you love me.”

Alyssa’s expression softened, “I love you.” She whispered.

“Promise me something then?” He asked.

“Anything.” Alyssa replied.

Nick sighed as he wrapped his arms around her, “Never let anyone try to take you from me.”

Alyssa thought a moment then leaned over kissing him softly, “I promise, no one will take me from you. I’m your girl, no one else’s.”

He smiled a little at her showing her that he felt a little better.

The next day…

“Alyssa what are you doing?” Nick asked walking in the kitchen seeing Alyssa making lunch.

“Brandon is coming over for lunch to hang out I wanted to have everything made before then so I don’t have to worry about cooking.”

At the mere mention of Brandon’s name all the color fell from Nick’s face and he felt a little lightheaded.

“Brandon’s coming here?”

Alyssa looked at him seeing the ghostly look on his face. “Baby what’s wrong?”

Nick took in a few shallow breaths, “Nothing I’m fine.” He lied waving her off.

Alyssa saw right through him and sighed, “You trust me right?”

Nick turned and looked at her a little shocked she’d been so perceptive him. “How do you do that?”

She grinned a little, “Because I know you. You’re scared of something happening between Brandon and I while you’re gone right?”

Nick nodded in response.

Alyssa sighed and gave him a grin wrapping her arms around his shoulders. “Believe me if I was going to do that it certainly wouldn’t be with him. I’d just wait until you get home.”

Nick chuckled a little, “You better.”

“You know I would, besides I’ve slept with him before and it sucked, do you really think I’d want an encore after that performance?” Alyssa shot back with a cheeky grin.

He rolled his eyes, “I hate the fact that it happened at all.”

Alyssa sighed and leaned up kissing him slowly, “It happened, can’t change it, but in a way it’s made us stronger.”

“How so?”

“I appreciate you more now than I ever did. And it’s because of my mistake with Brandon and your willingness to forgive me that’s made me see how much of a good thing I have with you.”

Nick gripped her hips hoisting her up against his chest as they backed up to the pantry cabinets. He kissed her neck, alternately biting and sucking on it gently as she wove her fingers into his hair and moaned softly.

Just then the doorbell rang. Alyssa and Nick froze and he rolled his eyes. “Fucker seems to always try to ruin things between us.” He muttered under his breath assuming it was Brandon at the door.

Slowly he let Alyssa down and went to the door opening it to see Brandon on the other side. He gripped the handle on the door, wishing he could just slam the door in his face but he couldn’t do that to Alyssa. He knew he could trust her.

“Hey.” Brandon said with nervous grin. He knew coming over would not go over well with Nick. And that had been precisely his plan. He didn’t want Nick to be comfortable with him. Not when he wanted Alyssa for himself.

Alyssa came into the foyer and gave Brandon a quick friendly hug letting him in the house. Nick shut the door for a moment before saying. “Hey I better get going to the meeting. We’re on for dinner tonight right?” He said with a grin.

Alyssa smiled back, “Of course lover wouldn’t think of any where else I’d rather be.” She said giving him a kiss. Breaking it a minute later she added, “Say hi to the guys for me.”

“I will.” He replied getting a smug grin on his face. He turned to Brandon and held out his hand. “Good to see you again Brandon.”

Brandon shook his hand and replied, “Thanks it was good to see you too.”

Nick gave Alyssa one last kiss and said goodbye as he grabbed his keys and wallet and walked out to his car.

Later on that day…

Nick sighed reclining in the comfortable couch of the studio.

Brian gave him a look and asked, “So how’ve you been?”

Nick looked over at him wondering what his motives were. Lately it seemed like everything he did was up for speculation by someone, the fans, the guys, hell even Alyssa questioned him from time to time. “I’ve been good.”

“How’s everything with Ali?” Brian asked sincerely.

Nick sighed a little thinking it over. Things between him and Alyssa had been great over the last few months. She’d been the absolute perfect girlfriend, and he would be the same back to her. Always bringing her something he knew she’d like, flowers, little odds and ends he thought were perfect for her personality. “Great, she and I have been perfect.”

“And the nightmare? Any reason for that?” Brian shot back.

“I think it’s because Brandon is back in her life, and I’m just being paranoid.”

At that moment AJ came walking back in with a dismayed look on his face. “Women suck.” He announced.

Nick got a clever smirk on his face, “I know I have one at home.”

“NICKOLAS GENE!” Brian exclaimed trying to hold back his laughter.

“What it’s not like it isn’t true.” Nick reminded.

Howie snorted having heard the entire conversation. “Yes but we do not need to know that Ali blows you it’s a little too much information if you ask me.”

AJ laughed a little, “At least we know it’s with him and not Superboy.”

Nick tried to hold back his laughter but he couldn’t. “So why do you proclaim that women suck, besides the obvious reason.”

“Kaci and I broke up.”

“Again?”

“Yep, except this time it’s final. She’s too young for me.” AJ replied.

“Hallelujah.” Brian retorted making everyone look at him.

Nick chuckled and patted AJ on the shoulder, “Don’t worry about him he has bible tourets.”

“Funny, you’re going to Hell.” Brian shot back.

“And it’ll be a hell of a party!” Nick replied with a cheshire grin.

AJ laughed a little, “Now children…”

Nick shot him an odd look before busting out laughing. “Dude, do not do the whole school marm thing. It just doesn’t suit you.”

“I bet it suits Alyssa.” AJ retorted.

Howie chuckled, “Oh yeah she is a teacher….I don’t doubt Nick’s been sent to detention often.”

Nick cracked up, “Actually we haven’t gotten into role playing.”

“Question is do you want to?” AJ countered.

Nick shot him a look as if to say ‘are you kidding me?’ “No shit Sherlock.”

“Well what’s stopping you?” Brian added making Nick shoot him a surprised look. “What? Just because I’m Christian and a father does not mean I don’t like sex with my wife. Or trying new things for that matter.”

Nick scrunched up his face. “I know I walked in on it several times on the Black and Blue tour.”

Brian chuckled, “And we heard Alyssa screaming out to the sex gods enough on the Never Gone tour so yeah I think we’re even.”

“Touche”

“Anyways, yeah I’m single now, goddamnit.” AJ interjected.

Nick sighed a little, “Yeah and if Aaron doesn’t get his shit together Kellie will be open for you.”

“Wait what’s going on?” Howie asked.

Nick shook his head, “Aaron hasn’t said the L-Word to her and she told Ali that the whole younger guy thing isn’t so much fun anymore.”

“And you would know this how?” AJ asked skeptically.

Nick gave him a look, “Alyssa is my girl, Kellie is her best friend….you do the math.”

“But would she seriously leave him?” Howie asked.

Nick thought a moment, “She wants to settle down and she realizes that dating an 18 year old is not the best way to find a suitable match to spend the rest of her life with.”

“That’s pretty true, that was mine and Kaci’s downfall.” AJ explained. “I want a good woman to settle down with, hell I’m not as lucky as you Nick.”

Nick smiled at him, “Yeah who would have thought my soulmate was the girl I met when she was 12 and I was 16.”

“You owe your sister a huge thank you.” Brian added.

“I know, I’ll have Ali make her the maid of honor.”

Brian raised his eyebrows, “You’re seriously going to ask her?”

Nick grinned, “Yep have it all planned out.”

“And? When are you?” Howie asked with a grin.

“January. The family reunion it’s going to be perfect.”

AJ laughed a little, “Aww, dude I’m happy for you, I knew you’d be a complete romantic sap once you found the right woman who could appreciate it.”

“I definitely found her.”

Meanwhile….

Alyssa smiled at Brandon picking up the dishes from their lunch. She walked into the kitchen happy for the distance between them. She started noticing his mannerisms were all connected to showing how he felt about her. She sighed as she rinsed the dishes. She liked Brandon he was a great friend but she didn’t feel any attraction to him besides a mild physical one. It most certainly wasn’t enough to make her act on it and betray Nick, not after all they’d been through.

Brandon got up going up the stairs to the master bedroom he pulled the pair of boxers out of his pocket throwing them haphazardly onto the floor. He smirked to himself then went down silently as he could into the kitchen and decided to tell her but as soon as he saw her he lost his nerve.

Alyssa looked up a little surprised that he’d come into the room so silently. She looked him over he was nothing like Nick. Three inches taller, darker hair, narrower jaw. The comparisons were infinite but she couldn’t see herself with Brandon. Nick on the other hand she could see herself having kids, growing old with him.

“So how are things with Nick?” Brandon piped up hoping that there was something wrong with the relationship. He liked Nick thought he was a good guy, but he wanted Alyssa to himself and he’d do anything to get her.

Alyssa grinned, “Amazing, considering what we’ve been through I couldn’t have asked for a better man.” She replied honestly.

Brandon grinned back hoping the anger inside of him wouldn’t show. “That’s great, how long have you two been dating?”

Alyssa sighed happily, “Almost two years.”

He grinned this would be his opening, “And he hasn’t put a ring on your finger I’m shocked.”

“I don’t think our relationship is ready yet, but it will happen when it’s meant to.”

“Yeah but don’t you think that it would show how serious he is? I mean a guy pretty much knows if he’s going to spend the rest of his life with you after he’s lived with you for a while.”

Alyssa thought a moment. She’d never thought about it that way before. But he was always dropping hints wasn’t he? That he intended on spending the rest of his life with her right?

Brandon looked at her smugly seeing the doubt cross over her face. He looked at his watch seeing that his meeting was going to be starting soon. “Hey I’m gonna take off, my meeting with the studio starts in like an hour you know LA traffic.”

Alyssa smiled, “Yep it’s a bitch.” She replied walking him to the door.

“So I’ll see you at Lori’s engagement party right?”

“Most definitely.” Alyssa answered back giving him a hug.

Brandon broke away and walked over getting in his car driving off to his meeting.

A few minutes later Nick’s black BMW pulled into the drive way just as Alyssa was coming out to get the mail.

Nick smiled getting out of the car as Alyssa grabbed the mail and walked over wrapping her arms around Nick’s neck. “How was your meeting?” She asked with a content grin.

“The usual…” He replied leaning down to kiss her.

Alyssa grinned just as their lips met. A minute later they broke away and walked into the house. Nick went upstairs while Alyssa stayed for a moment sorting the mail.

Nick went into their bedroom seeing a pair of mens boxers near the bed that did not belong to him. His brow furrowed in concern as he went over picking them up.

Alyssa walked into the bedroom seeing Nick with the boxers hanging on his finger like it was diseased. “Baby whose are those?” She asked not recognizing them either.

He looked at her, “Why don’t you tell me?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well Brandon was here earlier.” Nick reminded.

Alyssa got a shocked expression on her face. “Nick I can’t believe you would say that. I wouldn’t.”

“You have before.”

Alyssa got a solemn expression on her face but that didn’t hide the anger blazing in her eyes. “We’re not going to discuss this, I am faithful to you believe me or don’t that’s your damn choice.” Alyssa replied going into her old room slamming the door shut.

He sighed taking the boxers and thought for a minute. Brandon was trying to make him doubt Alyssa. He knew Brandon wasn’t to be trusted but this…he should have expected. If he was going to put the moves on Alyssa then he knew he’d have to step it up and show Brandon that if he tried anything he’d be truly sorry.

Alyssa flopped onto her old bed putting her head in her hands seething. Why didn’t he trust her? She’d proven that she could be trusted didn’t she?