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Alex awoke with a start. Her eyes widened when she realized that Justin was still on the bed with her. After extracting a few strands of hair from a sleeping Justin's fist, she got up and made her way to the bathroom. She stared at herself in the mirror. "Oh my aching head!" She moaned and turned on the shower. Even though she had a whopper of a headache, she did feel better. She had let herself grieve for the first time.

Justin woke up to the soft splash of Alex in the shower. He started to massage his neck. He had a charlie horse from sleeping with his body so screwed up and with no pillow. He silently rose from the bed and slipped into his room, closing both doors between them.

~*~

After four tylenol and about gallon of water, Alex emerged from her room wearing dark sunglasses. Shae was just returning to her room from taking a dip in the pool. "Hey, how are you feeling?" Shae yelled down the hall.
Alex winced at the noise and started to giggle. "Girl, I haven't been this hung since college. I'd really like to go for a swim but I don't think my headache will fit in the elevator to get to the pool."
Shae looked at her like she'd cracked. She couldn't believe that Alex was giggling after what had happened lastnight. "Are you okay?" She asked, concerned.
"Shae, I'm fine, I guess I just needed to get that out of my system." Alex walked towards her. "I'm sorry Shae."
"Don’t worry about it."
"Yes, I will. I want to apologize for the way I acted lastnight. I really didn't mean to take it out on all of you."
Shae's expression softened. She hugged Alex. "Hey, that's what I'm here for. You can always come to me if you need someone to yell at or a shoulder to cry on."
"Thanks. I don't know where I'd be without you."
"You would be leading an extremely boring life without me!" Shae grinned.
"Have you seen anyone else this morning?"
"Yes, I just saw Chris and JC on their way downstairs about three minutes ago. Why?"
"I have to apologize to the guys too."
There was a distinct click of a door opening behind them. They both turned to see Justin coming out of his room. He was rubbing his neck and wincing.
"Well, here's your chance. You can start with Justin." Shae whispered and disappeared into her room.
Alex turned around to face him. "Justin", she began. "About lastnight - I'm sorry. I…." She trailed off, not knowing exactly what to say. "Thank you for - for what you did."
Justin smiled. "Hey, don't mention it. Are you sure you're okay"
"I am. For now anyway." Justin's hand went back to his neck to massage it again.
Alex let out a long breath. At least one apology was over with. "What's wrong with you?"
"Well, I didn't have the most comfortable sleep lastnight. I've got a knot." He arched one eyebrow.
Alex blushed slightly, "Yeah, I can be a real pain in the neck sometimes. Come on" Alex beckoned him back to her room, "Maybe I can work it out for you."

Justin was sitting on the floor leaning up against the bed. Alex was behind him, one leg on either side of his shoulders. She had been working on his neck for twenty minutes.
"I'm sorry, I'm not very good at this." She apologized.
"You're doing fine." Justin encouraged her. “Lex, I’m sorry about your baby. One of my friends miscarried last year. Although she was fine physically, and it nearly killed her emotionally.”
Alex stopped rubbing his neck for a moment. Justin turned to face her but winced and turned back. “I didn’t miscarry.” She whispered and began massaging again.
Justin’s eyes widened. “Oh my god! You had an abortion?”
“No, I had a baby girl in September.”
“Your sister is raising her, right?”
“No, she was adopted by a young couple who was not able to conceive.”
“Why? Alex, didn’t you want her.”
“Of course I did, but I couldn’t. I had nowhere to go. I hadn’t found a job yet and I had no family to lean on. What did I have to offer?”
“What about your sister? – Ow!”
Alex hadn’t realized that she had been rubbing that hard. “I’m an only child.”
“But you said – “
“I lied.”
“So I’m the only one that knows?”
“Yeah, you, and Cracy.”
“So who did you spend Christmas with?”
“I was alone. That’s why this whole thing happened yesterday. I had the entire week to think. Listen. Can we not talk about this for a while? I’ve dealt with enough for today.”
“Okay, but on one condition.”
“Shoot.”
“No more holidays alone and no more secrets.”
“That’s two conditions.”
“Okay, on those two conditions then.”
“I promise.”
“And if you ever feel like talking about it, or maybe just need some company, I’m here for you.”
“Thank you Justin.”

Voices were coming from the hotel corridor. The sound of a card slipping through the lock was followed by Shae entering the room. Joey and Lance were behind her.
"I'm starving to death. If I don't get any food in my gut, I'm going to die. Do you guys wanna come?"
"Joey, you are always dying of starvation. Ooh me next Alex, puhleez. I need a back massage." Lance whined like a school girl.
"Sorry guys, Alex is my personal masseuse. Get your own." Justin grasped Alex's hand at his shoulder and kissed it softly on the palm. "Thanks." He smiled, getting up.
Alex, still wearing her sunglasses, fell back on the bed.
"Aren't you coming Lex?" Shae asked.
"I don't think I could stomach even the smell of food this morning. But if you guys really want…" Alex giggled.
"No, that's okay. Your face looks greener than the eggs in the buffet." Joey quipped.
"I never looked good in green." Alex laughed. "You go ahead and eat. I'm gonna have a nap. Wake me up when it's time to get on the bus. I don't want to be left behind. Joey and Lance, can I talk to you for a minute, please?"
Shae pulled Justin out of the room by his sleeve.
"What's going on?" He asked her.
"Alex is apologizing about lastnight. I thought she'd probably like a little privacy."
Joey and Lance came into the hallway a few minutes later. Justin looked at them quizzically.
"Can't talk, must have food." Joey spoke and pointed to the elevator.