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"No! No! No! No! No!"
The shrill screams of his son brought a pained groan from Brian's lips as he reached to rub his temples, allowing the blue striped polo shirt to fall to the floor. Sinking onto the couch, he watched as Baylee raced around the living room in a fury of destruction, ripping the magazines that they had been collecting of Alana's stardom off the coffee table as well as pictures from various photo-shoots along with other pieces of Nick's livelihood. If it had been about the shirt, Brian sincerely wouldn't have minded giving into his son's temper tantrum. But, this issue was far bigger than a change of shirt. He had scheduled to meet with Leighanne once more. To take her out to dinner so Baylee could get to know her once more. But Baylee hated her. There was no denying that. He screamed and cried whenever Brian tried to place him in her arms. She may have been his mother, but the coldness exuding from her form warned Baylee otherwise. And Brian had been naïve enough to convince himself that she would learn to be a mother. After all, they were having another child together.

"I'm stayin' here," Baylee insisted, kicking over the small end table that Nick had placed framed photos of Zachary on. They all crashed to the floor, but he paid them no mind. "I not goin'!"

"Baylee!" Brian growled with the utmost frustration as he heard the loud shattering of glass followed by a rattle of the table behind the couch, sending several framed photographs of the family clattering to the floor with the same shower of glass slivers. Crying out in aggravation, Brian leaned over to grab Baylee under the arms, yanking him onto the couch with a burst of adrenaline. "You have to go! She's your mother! And no one is here to stay with you!"

"HER'S NOT MY MOTHER!" Baylee screamed. "Knot my Mommy! Her can go to Hell!"

"That's enough out of your mouth!" Brian retaliated in a hoarse growl, clapping a hand over his son's mouth. "You will not disrespect me like that! Do you understand me?! No cursing! None! No swear words! And no yelling at me!"

Baylee glared at him, sapphire eyes narrowing with loathing as he delivered a sharp kick to his father's side.

"Damnit, Baylee Thomas Wylee--"
"Y'know, giving him a shorter name would have been easier in the long run when you wanted to scold-Jesus Christ!" Alana yelped in pain as her bare foot connected with layers of sharp glass behind the couch. Lurching backward, she immediately reached to grab her pained foot, hopping toward a plush recliner as she hissed away the pain. Leaning forward, she winced when she saw the immediate rivets of blood racing down the bottom of her foot. "Damnit, damnit, damnit, damnit!"

"'Lana here! I 'tay wit' her!" Baylee decided when his father's hand fell from his mouth. Leaping over the back of the couch, he raced to retrieve the first-aid kit from the bathroom.

"What the Hell is with all the glass?" Alana cursed with a heavy hiss as she reached to pluck the largest pieces of glass from her foot, trembling as she held the bloody smears in her hand, not knowing where to deposit them.

"Baylee knocked over a few things," Brian explained. "I'm sorry--"

"More like a fucking tornado," Alana growled as Baylee came racing back into the room with the large first aid kit that Alana insisted she make for Nick's home. Tears of worry were already gathering in his sapphire eyes as he offered a hand towel and the box. Holding her breath, Alana took the box and towel, throwing the heavy pieces of glass into the towel before opening the box. Grabbing the alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, tweezers, gauze, and cling wrap, she went to work on her foot.

"I d'orry," Baylee sobbed suddenly, pressing his body against the side of the arm chair as Brian got to his feet. "I 'tay an' nurse you, 'Lana? No want'a go wit' Daddy--"

"I'm fine, Boogie," Alana promised, making sure not to curse as she placed the towel beneath her foot and dropped a flood of the cleaning mixture over the wounds. Biting down hard on her bottom lip to keep from crying out, she placed a ginger hand against the back of Baylee's long, platinum curls. "Where is your Daddy going?"

"To see his Mother," Brian answered before going into the kitchen to retrieve the broom and dustpan.

"I don't want'a go see her," Baylee emphasized, crawling up sit on the arm of the chair. "P'ease, 'Lana? Her's mean an' hates me."

"Why do you think she hates you?" Alana questioned softly, looking to Baylee as she waited for the fizzing of the mixture to stop, knowing she'd have to dig for the tinier pieces of glass. Though, for the moment, she was far more concerned with Baylee. The worry in his eyes reminded her of the abused children she had encountered in the medical field.

"'Cause her no 'nuggles. Her too busy. And she stinks like the old ladies at G'amma's church. And her told Daddy that I was a little sonofa--"

"Baylee!" Brian snapped as he returned to the room, offering his son a sharp glare to warn him not to continue.
"If you don't want to see her, then you shouldn't have to see her," Alana stated simply as she carefully tended to retrieving the glass in her foot, trying not to whimper in pain. "…I have the day off today, Boogie. The first day in a very long time and your Nicky already had made plans with his family. So, I'm picking Zachie up from Krissy and Kevvy and taking him to Sea World. Would you like to come along?"

"Please," Baylee murmured, curling against her so he could hold onto her arm, fearful that his father would snatch him away.

Brian scowled. "Baylee, you're coming with me--"

"Zachie and I would love to have you," Alana promised.

"I go get ready now!" Baylee decided, offering several kisses before sliding onto the floor.

Brian sighed as Baylee darted upstairs. "Alana, he needs to go with me--"

"When my parents first divorced, they decided on joint custody of me, but my father never really wanted me. He just wanted joint custody as a way of keeping my mother around. So, every weekend, I was shipped to his house. Sometimes he would be there. Sometimes he wouldn't. Let's just say, the things that happened there, I was much happier when he was gone. No child should be forced into seeing someone they know isn't right for them," Alana answered calmly, never bothering to look up from her work.

"This is a completely different situation," Brian sighed as he began to sweep. "I'm just trying to keep the family together--"

"You're breaking a family apart because of a woman who sees how wonderful your solo album is doing and wants a piece of that asset."

"She's having my child, Alana. I can't just--"

"That woman is not pregnant," Alana snorted, satisfied that all the glass was retrieved from her foot as she started to layer gauze along the wounds before wrapping it with the gauze wrap.

"How do you--"

"Bye Daddy!" Baylee shrieked as he raced through the living room, clutching his backpack. "Let's go, 'Lana! I waitin' in the car!"

"If she was so disgusted at her pregnancy with Baylee, what makes you think that she would be willing to go through another? Because she loves you and Baylee that much? So much that she abandoned you when the poor boy was at death's door?" Alana asked blazingly, reaching for her low-top Converses. Easing her feet into them, she bent to tie the laces. "That woman would do anything and everything to keep a child out of her body. Make no mistake about that."

Brian took a deep breath, gritting his teeth in frustration as he stalked into the kitchen to dump the glass. When he came back out, he saw Alana walking gingerly towards the door. "Do you need some money for Baylee--'

"I can manage to pay for Baylee," Alana assured as she heard the fumbling of the front door locks. Glancing to her watch, she noted it was early in the afternoon and heard her friend's infamous giggle. "But, I do need you to tell Natalie what the Hell is going on with you. Before I tell her myself. And it won't be tactful coming from me."

"Is that a threat?"

"Yes," she answered quite simply, walking to the garage.

As the door slammed behind her, the front door burst open, Natalie stumbling in. Holding most of her skirt over her left arm as she spoke into her cell phone, she pushed the door shut and headed slowly towards the stairs. "Alright, I'm in… I'll talk to you later, okay? …Bye, JC."

Watching Natalie tip-toe up the stairs with a silly smile on her face, Brian found his jaw falling ajar in horror. Had she just said JC? Had she honestly been out all night with JC? JC Chasez? Former member of N'Sync. Clenching his fists, Brian growled as he stomped on the pile of glass. "Where the Hell have you been?!"

Natalie whirled around to look at him, one hand flying to her chest in surprise. Hearing JC's murmured goodbye in her ear, she quickly snapped the phone closed, reaching to tuck it into her purse. "I was… I went to the Maxim afterparty with Howie, AJ, 'Lana and Nicky," she answered calmly, telling herself that she refused to ask where he had been so much lately. She wouldn't let him ruin the good mood she was in. "And afterwards, JC Chasez and I went out for breakfast at this little diner just on the beach. Joey and his wife went, too. Then we went for a walk--"

"Why the Hell would you do something like that?! You were out all night with him?! Where's your ring?!"

"Howie has it--" Natalie cut off with a scowl. "I was having fun, Brian! I went out with him because he's nice, he's charming, and he didn't run away from me at all! I needed some sort of attention and affection, considering I haven't gotten either of those things from you, unless it was to bitch at me for something I've done--"

"What did you do with him last night?" Brian demanded sharply, not sure his heart could take it if she admitted to having sex with another man.

"He kissed my cheek. And my hand. And we hugged. That's all," Natalie answered, meeting his gaze.

"I can't believe that you would go out with--"

"What was I supposed to do? Come home to an empty bed and wonder where you were? What's kept you from me, Bumpkin?" Natalie questioned softly, sinking down to sit on the bottom step.

"I've just been busy, Rosie…" Brian sighed as he shoved his hands into his pockets, glancing down at the wreckage beneath his feet. Stepping over the glass, he moved toward the steps. He knew Alana would have no qualms in breaking the confidentiality he had sworn against his friends. He had been agonizing over how he could possibly tell Natalie about Leighanne's return. He had spent so many nights awake, agonizing over the very concept. He loved Natalie more than anything in this world, but Leighanne was pregnant… He had the obligation to assure that his family was together and well taken care of.

"I understand that you're getting ready for the solo tour," Natalie murmured, toying with the hem of her gown. It was still damp from her earlier walk on the beach… "But you've never had to go to rehearsals or promos or interviews until all hours of the night. God… If it's someone else just tell me, okay? Don't sugarcoat it--"

"Leighanne's back," Brian blurted, not knowing how else he could possibly say it

"Leighanne?" Natalie repeated softly, her heart clenching with worry. "Back? What do you mean, she's back? Back in town? Back in the States--"

"Staying at Beverly Hilton--"

"And you're staying with her?" Natalie accused. Her stomach rolled at the mere thought, causing her to get to her feet.

"God no, I haven't been staying with her. I've come back to Nick's house every night after spending time with her. But I haven't been able to slip into bed with you afterwards. It wasn't fair to you or her. And, she's pregnant--"

"With your baby," Natalie finished for him in a whisper. Immediately all the hopes she had clung to for the past months seemed to crash around her. The promises he had made that had turned to naught with the reappearance of his wife. Shaking her head as her eyes filled with the hot tears of betrayal, she turned to race up the stairs.

"Rosie, wait!" Brian yelped in shock as he hurried to race up the stairs after her, feeling his heart sink to the heavy hollow of his stomach. Tears prickled his eyes as he heard the strangled sob ahead of him followed by the sharp slam of a door. "Natalie!"

"Wait? For what?!" Natalie cried, her purse crashing against the door as he started to open it. Her eyes landed on the framed photograph of her and Brian, one Baylee had taken in the Bahamas. With another strangled sob she turned it over, unable to bear the happy smile on Brian's face. "For her to suck you dry again? For you to realize that she doesn't love you or Baylee? Damnit, Brian, I'm so tired of waiting--"

"I have to keep my family together--"

"Then I hope you enjoy your family," Natalie interrupted before jerking the luxurious satin of her gown off her body. Flinging it onto the bed, she went through the motions of dressing, fighting back sob after sob as she began gathering some things.

"Natalie, please don't--" Brian winced, attempting to take a step in when he heard the heavy thump of shoes against the door.

"Leave me alone!" she demanded with a sharp sob, flinging the door open a moment later.

"Where are you going?" he questioned in confusion as she slipped past him with a hard push, running down the stairs. "Natalie!"

"I have to get out, Brian," she explained through her tears, snatching the keys to one of Nick's cars off the table by the stairs.

"I want to talk to you about--"

"Don't even try," she hissed with hurt, turning to stare at him. "Don't you dare try to tell me that this is a good thing. That you're doing the right thing. Because you're not, Brian. I'm not waiting for you anymore. I can't, Brian… I can't take this anymore--"

"Natalie, I love--"

"I wish I could believe that. Bye, Brian. I do love you," she whispered, turning to leave.

"But, I do…" he murmured helplessly.

*~*~*

Natalie hugged her arms to ward off the sudden chill as she stepped into the rehearsal hall. Her eyes burned from the tears she had shed over the past twenty-four hours, her throat raw from the sobs she had muffled against the pillow over the night. Sitting in the row furthest from the stage, she watched Alana finish up the song she was rehearsing, a tense smile tugging at her lips when she saw how comfortable her friend was becoming onstage. She was interacting with the band members, playing air guitar during the instrumental part of the upbeat song. When it finished and those around the stage began to applaud, Natalie got to her feet, drawing in several deep breaths to bolster her nerves. She had to go through with this. There was no way she could spend the next months in close quarters with Brian. She hated letting down Alana in the last minutes before the tour started, but she knew it would kill her.

Grinning when the drummer tossed her a bottle of icy water, Alana wasted no time in bending over to pour the cold liquid across her neck. Standing up, she blew a hard breath of hot air from her lungs, working to tuck all of her long locks up into a messy bun. Panting, she wiped a sweaty brow with a towel that was draped over her shoulders. These were the last days of rehearsal before the tour started. Everything had to be perfected. And, she was hot and sweaty from rehearsing under the hot lights all day. Pounds seemed to melt off her body the harder she worked on the stage, continuing to make her pregnancy unnoticeable. But, her passing thoughts faltered when she noticed the awkward presence of a person toward the back of the building.

Giving Alana a quick wave, Natalie motioned towards the door, hoping her friend would be able to step outside for a few moments of privacy. She knew others would tell Brian that she was there, and had no inclination to see him. At all.

Nodding, Alana looked back to the band and signaled that it was time for a break. All the men nodding with approval, she laughed as she hopped off the stage and jogged toward the front door. Patting her sweaty face delicately with the soft towel, Alana pushed on the door to slip outside, groaning when she ran into a wave of heat from the Californian sun. Squinting within the brightness, she noticed Natalie slumped against Nick's car. "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"I…" Natalie sighed, toying with the key chain in her hand. Taking a deep breath, she kept her gaze on the asphalt, not able to meet Alana's eyes. "I can't be your Assistant… Manager… What-the-fuck-ever I am. Not anymore. At least, not while you're on the tour with… Him."

"Okay…" Alana trailed, toying with the edges of the towel wrapped around her neck as she fought to control the soft pant in her breathing. She had figured as much when she returned from Sea World to find an empty house and a sob-filled message on the answering machine. The truth had finally been released and Brian was free to bring Leighanne out from the hidden shadows. Not that Alana approved. Nor Baylee. It seemed as if Natalie was the one going into hiding.

"I'm sorry, 'Lana… I-I want to be with you, to stand in the sidelines and watch you mesmerize all those people, but--"

"It's okay, Allie," Alana interrupted gently. "I don't really need a Assistant or What-the-fuck-ever. I understand."

Nodding shakily, Natalie finally glanced up at Alana. "I guess I'll run to Nick's and pick up the rest of my stuff… You'll keep in touch with me, won't you? I talked to Howie-Well, sobbed to Howie-this morning, he said I can do a lot of the work for you online and by phone, so it's not like I won't still have your back. I just won't--"

"Why don't you just keep staying with Nick?" Alana offered suddenly, realizing that Brian had moved into the hotel with Leighanne yesterday afternoon, dragging Baylee with him when they returned from Sea World. She'd have no chance of seeing him there. Not before the tour and certainly not during. Alana couldn't even imagine just sending Natalie away from the house when Nick would be all alone also. Someone had to watch out for him.

"I don't want to be a burden," Natalie declined, shaking her head. "He's busy taking care of Zach. I'll just go to my old apartment--"

"He's going to need help taking care of Zachie…"

"Alana…" Natalie sighed. "I'll stay for a little while."

"I think Nick would really like it if you stayed during the tour. But it's your choice."

"Okay. I'll let you get back to rehearsal now. You're doing such a good job, Alana," she promised, impulsively hugging her friend tightly. Burying her face against Alana's shoulder, she held back a sob. "I love you. And I'm so proud of you."

"I'm all sweaty and you're…" Alana's sentence trailed into a pointless conclusion as she staggered back from the power of Natalie's body thrust against hers. But she wrapped her arms tightly around the older woman, squeezing her as hard as she possibly could. "I'm so sorry, Natalie. I wanted to tell you from the very beginning but it wasn't my place to say anything. I'd do anything to make you feel better."

"Go inside and backhand him into China?" Natalie requested with a sniffle. "And tell him I'm moving in with JC--"

"So that's where you went running to," Alana laughed as she tenderly rubbed Natalie's back. "Into Mr. Chasez's arms. Very nice…"

"I slept in his guest room," Natalie informed her, cracking a small smile as she pulled away. "Not like I banged him seven ways from Sunday--"

"Hell, I would have and probably gave him one wicked blow-job that had him screaming in ecstasy to all the local magazines."

"I went home with JC, 'Lana. Not Vinny," Natalie crooned dramatically.

"I think I just need one Fuck-Safe pass for that man," Alana sighed with a small pout. "Y'know, he calls me every day?"

"He's twitterpated," Natalie confirmed with a giggle. "…JC says I can stay with him--"

"Screw staying with Nick then!"

"Alana! I just met the man two days ago!"

"Like the thought of pity sex don't make you hot to trot--"

"I don't want pity sex."

"Okay, any sex will do--"

"There's only one person I want to have any sort of sex with. And he's with…"

"I know, Natalie," Alana sighed, leaning to press a soft kiss to the older woman's forehead. She truly felt sorry for Natalie and the pain she had to deal with. To say Brian had ripped her heart out would be a vast understatement. Even watching him perform was unbearable for Alana and he hadn't even broken her heart into pieces. "…I'll let you play with my boobies if it'll make you feel better?"

Natalie eyed Alana warily, though she quickly reached to brush her hands against Alana's breast. "Oh, that made me feel a lot better! I think I'm ready for sex with JC now--"

"Don't be sarcastic about these boys, they actually got an ogle from Vin-Fucking-Diesel when I bent over to get a pen that he accidentally dropped!"

"And I'm sure it was quite the accident," Natalie mused, wondering how it was that, no matter the depth of her depression, Alana managed to make her feel better. God, she was going to miss her.

"No, actually, the accident when his palm just went…" Alana trailed into a sing-song type of voice with an impish grin of pride.

"I wonder if what the Playmate said is true…"

"Well, while I'm away, you hook up with Nick so I can get one of those I-can-fuck-whoever-I-want-cause-you-diddled-my-best-friend passes. I'll take one for the team!"

"Trust me, once with that fumbling man was enough. I'll take one for the team with JC--"

"Handsome doesn't fumble and if he does, I find it adorable…"

"You bring the best out in him, 'Lana."

"…Thanks…" Alana trailed, reaching to brush a stray tear away from Natalie's flushed cheek. "Need me to do anything?"

"I'll be alright," Natalie promised.

"You're sure?"

"I don't have a choice," she murmured, leaning up to kiss Alana's cheek. "Get back to rehearsal, okay? I'll call you later."

"After I'm done with rehearsal, I can go grab a shower then pick you up wherever? I need to get some stupid shopping done for clothes and stuff for appearances along the road… I can spend one of my first checks on spoiling you?"

"…Can we go get our nails done? And I really need a new haircut…"

"Sure," Alana complied, making sure not to cringe at the very thought. "We could hack off all my hair while we're at it--"

"No!"

"Just a bit above my shoulders--"

"No! You've got to keep your hair… Maybe get a trim--"

"Why can you cut your hair, but I have to keep mine?"

"Because you already have a fan base that counts the reasons to love your 'long, luxurious' locks… I can shave my head and no one'll care."

"Allie…"

"Get back to rehearsal, okay? I'm not going to shave my head," Natalie promised as her cell phone inside the black convertible began to ring.

Arching her brows with curiousness, Alana glanced to Natalie as the phone continued to chirp. The flustered look on Natalie's face caused Alana to grin with excitement. "I'll get it!" she cried triumphantly, opening the door to Nick's car and diving inside before Natalie could protest. Knowing exactly who it would be, Alana sang smoothly, "Hey, Sweet Thang!"

"Alana!" Natalie squeaked in horror.

"…This isn't Nat…"

"No, sir, you didn't get that lucky," Alana laughed.

"Alana?" JC inquired with a chuckle. "How are you? I was calling to see if Nat wanted to join me for lunch, but if she's with you--"

"No, no, no, she'd love to join you for lunch. She was just stopping by the rehearsal hall to bother me. Can you imagine? Interrupting me from my hard labor. All I'm trying to do is give a good show- Hey! You interested in a manicure and a haircut after I'm done with practice?"

"Alana," Natalie groaned in disbelief, diving to grab the phone.

"I'm just being friendly!" Alana yelped as she clamored for the passenger door, crawling out to the opposite side. "Stop abusing the pregnant woman, damnit!"

"I don't do the manicure and haircut thing," JC laughed. "But why don’t I take you ladies out to lunch afterwards-You're pregnant?"

"Nope! Natalie's pregnant!" Alana blurted as she threw the phone into the air, scrambling to her feet as Natalie dove to catch it. "Why are y'all bothering me in the first place!? I'm supposed to be practicing! Making a great show! Dazzling millions! Gotta go! Bye!"

"You'll be lucky if I let you live to your wedding day!" Natalie shrieked.

"She's engaged?"

"To Nicky," Natalie confirmed.

"So, she's pregnant and engaged to Nick?" JC questioned as means to get clarification.

"Yeah… But don't go spreading that around, okay? They haven't told anyone--"

"So, no one's taken them out to celebrate?"

"No… Things have been rather hectic," Natalie murmured, glancing to Alana, who was downing some of her cold water. "Why?"

"Is anything planned for her tonight, Oh Great Assistant?"

"Um… 'Lana? What have you and Nicky got planned tonight?" Natalie questioned, chewing nervously on her bottom lip.

"I ain't got a damn thing planned… And I don't know about Handsome… I left early this morning and didn't get a chance to talk to him… Why?"

"Not a thing going on," Natalie informed JC. She would call Nick later and confirm, but if she knew him, he had nothing planned. "…Why?"

"You girls go get your manicures and your haircuts and call me when you're done. I'll swing by and pick up Nick, then we'll take you girls out to celebrate? Only, the surprise will be between you and me?"

"JC… You… I…" Natalie faltered for a moment, swallowing nervously. "…What should I wear?"

"Doesn't really matter, you're beautiful in anything."

"…JC…" Natalie sighed, her cheeks flushing at his compliment. "Thank you… I'll call you."

"No girlfriend wars at the mall?" Alana guessed as she watched Natalie hang up the phone and climb out of the car. Shrugging her bare shoulders, she gulped down the rest of her water, knowing someone would be looking for her soon.

"No, we're still going," Natalie promised with a smile, beginning to jangle the key chain. "You almost finished here?"

"I guess I can leave any time now? I went through all my songs like a hundred times. Do you know I've lost like ten pounds?"

"You're working too hard… You need to add more carbs," Natalie told her with a worried glance. "I'll wait here for you and we can head to the mall." She would have gone in with her, to continue their chat, but knew she would run into Brian. Or worse, his wife.