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The next year was so full of wonderful days. The boys were taking time off to spend with their families. Kevin had been offered a job in a Broadway musical and he would fly in and out when necessary. The kids and I spent time between Florida and Kentucky. We would spend weeks in Florida with Lisa and the kids while Nick worked on production stuff. He had started his own production company and was doing very well. Howie and Susie were patiently awaiting the birth of their first-born and AJ and Cierra were all wrapped up in Xander. You just knew every time the phone rang that the baby had learned something new. AJ was such a good daddy. Brian was out promoting his solo album and Leigh and Tyler were right there with him. Leigh had been talking about a brother or sister for Tyler, but Brian wanted to spend time on the solo track before adding to the family. I missed Kevin so much when he was away with the musical, but I knew it was something he had always wanted to do and I was proud of him. I flew out to New York to surprise Kevin for the opening night and was so impressed by all the cast, but especially the one playing the male lead. I couldn't wait to get him alone that night. He had been so wonderful on stage it made my insides twist just thinking about the night that lay ahead. I had left a note at the hotel's front desk for him.



Kevin,



Hi,

I wanted to see if you would do me the honor of meeting me for a drink to celebrate your opening night. I promise it will continue to be a night to remember if you meet me.

Yours & Yours Alone...........

I had dressed the tight fitting black cocktail dress Kevin had bought me. It dropped low and showed off the emerald pendant Kevin had given me. I sat there sipping on my drink waiting on him to come in. I let my mind wonder as to the night that lay ahead. I was brought back to reality when I heard a familiar voice. I could hear the voice, but I couldn't see the person.

"No, she doesn't know about you."

"But Kevin, don't you think it's time you tell her?"

"No, I'm not ready to tell her yet. I need a little more time." My heart began to sink.

"But Kevin, she is going to find out."
"I know, but it's just that it's complicated. I'm not sure how she will take the news. I don't want to upset her. I have to find the right time to tell her." Tears began to fall down my face. Could this be real?

"Kevin, this is not the kind of secret that needs to be kept. She needs to know as soon as possible. I mean, the longer you wait."

"I know, I know, look I love Cass, but..." I didn't stay around to hear anymore. My heart was breaking. I ran to the front desk and had the doorman get me a taxi. I had to get out of there. I needed to get back home.

Oh god, what was I going to do. Had I lost Kevin? What had happened? What about the kids, what about us? I broke down in the back of the cab after asking the driver to take me to the airport. I was booked on the first flight home, I needed Will and Lexi, I sat in the VIP lounge waiting for my flight to be called.

"Kevin, if you are seriously going to buy a house in LA then Cass needs to be made aware of it. You can't just surprise her with something like that?" Sarah said.

"I know Sarah, it's just I know that with Lexi getting ready to start school and moving Cass so far away from Lisa, well, it will be hard for her. I just know that I am going to be spending a lot of time on the West Coast and it would be easier for me if I had my family with me. I miss them so much and I need Cass so bad." Kevin sat talking to Sarah Campbell never noticing Cass in the booth behind him. He never saw her leave.

"Well Sarah, I really got to get to bed, thanks for doing this interview so late, with the show schedule and rehearsals it so hard."

"Well, you know I love you and Cass and I would do anything to help and really if you want me to check out that house for you in LA when I fly back next week I'll be happy too. I know Cass's taste pretty well by now and I'm sure that I will be able to tell you whether or not she will like it." Sarah had flown into New York for an interview for MTV on his opening night. They both got up and left the restaurant. After putting Sarah in a cab Kevin headed back inside the hotel.

"MR. RICHARDSON." Kevin heard the night clerk hollering for him as he was stepping onto the elevator. He stopped the doors from closing as the clerk ran towards the doors.

"Mr. Richardson, I'm so sorry, but you have a note here. I wanted to make sure you got it, however the young lady that left it has already left the restaurant."

"Thank you" Kevin said taking the note from the boy. The elevator doors closed. Kevin could smell a familiar scent coming from the envelope. He felt his insides began to tingle. He couldn't wait to get to his room. He ran down the hall way and quickly swiped his keycard in the door, flinging it open in one swoop. Complete darkness.

"CASS" Kevin hollered into the darkness. No answer. He reached for the light and flipped it on. He sat down on the sofa and opened the envelope. Where could she be? He thought to him self as he unfolded the paper. His eyes falling to the words.

Kevin,

Hi,

I wanted to see if you would do me the honor of meeting me for a drink to celebrate your opening night. I promise it will continue to be a night to remember if you meet me.

Yours & Yours Alone...........

He called down to the front desk.

"Excuse me, but you said that the lady who left this had left the restaurant, do you know where she went?"

"Yes sir, she was crying and asked for a taxi to the airport."

"OH GOD, CASS." Kevin yelled as he dropped the phone. His imagination began to run through what had been said at the table between him and Sarah.

"If Cass overheard us? Oh god, what does she think? Where is she?" He grabbed his cell phone and dialed her number.

Cass glanced down at the ringing phone. His picture showing up with each ring, tears falling harder each time his face appeared. Do I answer? She thought to herself holding the phone tight in her hands.

"Hello." Her voice trembled as she spoke. She tried hard to stop the tears from falling.

"Darlin, where are you?" He was crying, she could hear it in his voice. He knew she knew.

"I'm going home Kevin."

"No baby, you got it all wrong. Please tell me where you are."

"Kevin, I'm not stupid or blind, I saw you, and I heard you. I know you don't want to upset me but it's to late Kevin. There's no need for explanations." Her voice growing more and more staggered with each word.

"Baby, please, it's not what you think, let me come get you, let me explain."

"EXPLAIN? How? What is there to explain? God Kevin, wasn't I enough, didn't I give you everything you wanted? I was always there, I still am. What did I do so bad?" Her sobs over took her and she dropped the phone running to the bathroom. She didn't want everyone in the lounge starring at her.

"BABY, Please." He was yelling in the phone now. The counter attendant picked up the phone.

"Uh, Hello?" She asked.

"WHO"S THIS?" Kevin yelled.

"I'm Mandy, the lounge attendant? Who's this?"

"I'm Kevin, why do you have my wife's phone?"

"She dropped it and ran into the ladies room, Kevin, Kevin Richardson?"

"Yes, where are you, where is she, is she ok?"

"I'm at the airport in the VIP lounge, she's in the bathroom and apparently she is not OK?" His tone was upsetting Mandy.

"Mandy, look I'm sorry, it's just my wife and I have had a small misunderstanding and I really need to talk to her. Can you do me a favor?"

"What's that?"

"Can you stall my wife until I can get there. It'll take me fifteen minutes at the most."
"Well her flight is scheduled to start boarding in ten minutes."
"Please Mandy, can you help me? Look you know who I am, what can I do for you to get you to help me?"

"Well"

"Come on Mandy, how bout an autographed picture of Nick?" Kevin thought Mandy sounded like someone close to Nick's age.

"Well"
"Come on Mandy, ANYTHING?" Kevin was getting desperate; he was already downstairs getting into a cab.

"I'm not a Nick fan." She said shyly?
"Then who, AJ, Howie, Brian, please Mandy just name it?"
"Well, I would love...." She paused.

"Yeah?"

"I would love a hug and an autograph from...."she paused again.

"You got it, just tell me who and I'll set it up." He had her and he knew it.

"YOU." She squealed.

"ME? Sure, you keep my wife there till I get there and I'll even give you a kiss." He heard the girl squeal and he hung up the phone.

"Excuse me." Cass stood at the attendants counter. "Did anyone find a pink razor phone?" Cass had calmed down and realized that her flight would soon be taking off she could only think of getting home to Lexi and Will.

"Yes mam, someone did find a phone, you will have to wait for the security guard to bring it from the security office." Mandy had taken the phone there knowing that they would be slow about bringing it back. This would ensure that she would miss the flight.

"Let me call them, if you'll just have a seat over there." Mandy motioned to the chairs over by the piano in the lounge. She picked up the phone and called the security office.

"It will be a few minutes." She told Cass as she hung up the phone. She just grinned to herself. She had been a fan of Kevin Richardson's since the Backstreet Boys first got together and she was going to make sure that her dream came true, to give that man a hug.



"FLIGHT 223 to Orlando now boarding at Gate 8" Echoed over the loud speaker. Cass stood and went to the counter.

"Please, that's my flight. Can you check on my phone, I really need to board."
"Yes, mam, if you would just have a seat over there." Once again she motioned to the chairs by the piano. The lounge had cleared, the only two left was Cass and Mandy.



"FINAL BOARDING CALL FOR FLIGHT 223 TO ORLANDO." Cass began to consider leaving without the phone. Just then the doors to the lounge opened.

"OMG." She gasped to herself and headed to the bathroom door. Kevin was headed towards the counter when he caught the movement out the corner of his eyes.

"CASS, STOP" He yelled as she ducked into the bathroom. "DAMN IT" He yelled hitting his hand on the counter making Mandy jump.

"Mr. Richardson?" Mandy softly spoke up.

"Oh, I'm sorry, you must be Mandy." He turned to notice the young girl standing to his left.

"Yes, sir." He walked to the edge of the counter and pulled Mandy into a hug. The young girl just sighed.

"Here ya go. He pulled two tickets to the musical out of his pocket. I'm sorry I don't have the autograph picture with me, but if you will come to the show on Friday I will have one for you."

"OH Mr. Richardson, thank you so much. By the way, we are the only ones' left in here. I was just getting ready to close the lounge down, no more flights out tonight." She winked and went to the back of the lounge and disappeared through the doors. Kevin walked over to the bathroom door; he pushed on the door, locked.

Kevin placed his forehead to the door and placed both hands on the door.

"Cass, baby, please, talk to me. Please come out." His voice was soft. "Baby, please, it's not what you think. Cass I love you so much, you're my life, you and the kids, your everything. Baby, please let me explain what you saw, what you heard." A tear slid down his cheek.

Cass stood on the other side of the door. Her tears spilling over with every word he spoke. Her body betraying her; wanting to run into his arms, her heart breaking, her head telling her to stay stong. She loved Kevin so much.

"Cass, darlin, I need you please. Damn it CASS, PLEASE." She heard him pound on the door. She placed her head on the door. Silence, after a few minutes she heard a familiar sound. Kevin knew that she could hear him and he had to convince her to come out. Cass could hear the soft sound of the piano coming from the lounge. She slid down the door where she could hear through the vent. What was he doing? Then she heard that voice, the one that stopped her heart, and those words. Oh god.



It seems like yesterday when I said, "I do"
And after all this time, My heart still burns for you
If you don't know by now, That you've my only one.
Take a look inside me, And watch my heart strings come undone
I know I promised you forever, Is there no stronger word I can use
To reassure you when the storm Is raging outside, you're my safest place to hide
Can you see me, here I am I need you like I needed you then
When I feel like giving up I climb inside your heart and still find
You're my safest place to hide You see colors no one else can see
And every breath you hear a symphony
You understand me like nobody can I feel my soul unfolding like a flower blooming When this whole world gets too crazy
And there's no where left to go I know you'll give me sanctuary
You're the only truth at all, You're the road back home
Can you see me, here I am Standing here where I've always been
And when words are not enough, I climb inside your heart and still find
You're my safest place to hide My safest place to hide
I know I promised you forever There's no stronger word I can use
To reassure you when the storm is raging outside you're my safest place to hide.

That you
My are to hide


Kevin's sobs became unbearable as she heard him fighting them to finish the song. As his word stopped he felt her hand touch his shoulder.

"Oh Cass" He sobbed and grabbed her holding tightly as he cried.

"Kevin, not here." She said.

"Let's go back to the hotel, ok." He stood, his body towering over hers.

"Ok." The ride back was silent; they made their way across the lobby and upstairs to his suite. Cass walked over to the windows and crossed her arms over her chest. She stood their starring out at the city lights. She could feel Kevin's stare on her back.


"Baby, please come sit down by me." He sat on the edge of the sofa.

Cass slowly walked over and sat down. She wouldn't look at him, couldn't look at him. She knew is she looked into those eyes she would lose what little composure she had left.

"Baby, I know that what you heard or what you saw must have gave you the wrong impression."

"No, Kevin, I was wrong, I shouldn't have run away like that. I should have stayed to see what was happening. I'm here now so just tell me. If you don't want me anymore, I will find a way to understand, but please just tell me the truth." A tear fell down her face. Kevin reached up to wipe the tear with his thumb cradling her face in his hand.

"Darlin, you are all that I want, you are the only person I need. Like I was saying, I know it didn't look or sound good, but what you heard was a discussion between me and Sarah."

"Sarah?"

"Yes, Sarah, she was here doing an interview. The production company for the musical has asked me to sign on for three more months and most of the rehearsals will be held in LA. I can't stand the thought of being away from you and the kids that long. Cass, I asked Sarah to check out this house in LA for me when she went back. She was here doing the interview I told you about for MTV and she said she would. Baby, I didn't want to tell you about any of this until I was for sure that I was taking the part. I know how much you love being in Florida with Lisa and how you enjoy the time we spend in Kentucky so I just didn't want to upset you about this until I had to."

"Oh Kevin, I feel so stupid. I'm so sorry. It's just that when I saw you with her and I heard you saying all those things." She covered her face with her hands as the sobs overtook her.

"Oh baby" Kevin took her in his arms. "It's ok. I'm sorry, I know that we promised each other that we wouldn't keep anything from each other and I broke that. I'm so sorry." They sat there holding each other.

"Cass, you are the only one for me. I love you so much." He tilted her chin up to look into those emerald eyes.

"I love you to Kevin, I'm sorry I doubted you, doubted us. It's just that, God if I was to ever lose you. I don't think I could live."

You will never lose me Cass, I love you and there is no other woman out there for me. Come on let me show you how much I love you." He stood pulling her to stand beside him. He wrapped her in his arms and began kissing her. Her knees gave way as his hands caressed her back. He bent scooping her in his arms and carrying her to the bed. As he undressed her, his eyes grew black with passion. Her heart pounded, she trembled with his every touch. They made love, so intensely. They both were showing each other their need for the other. Wanting to make sure that each one knew how much the other loved them. The sound of their heavy breaths filled the room.

"Kevin. If you want to move to LA, It's fine with me. You and me that's what makes it home, as long as it's you and me." She snuggled closer to him.

"Always and forever Cass, just the two of us. I'll never leave you and your right, as long as we have each other that's home. I love you." The fell asleep reassured of each other's love and knowing that nothing could separate them from each other.