Chapter 1

Aj stood in the small dinning room of the cabin, his head was spinning, and he watched in horror as Chelsea went flying into the bookshelf.  His lungs stopped, his heart stopped, and he froze for a second as he watched the shelf wobble.  As it tipped forward Aj’s instincts finally kicked in and he dashed for the object falling over.

Everything from that point on went in slow motion, him running for the shelf, the arm that came out in front of him and slammed into his chest. As he gasped for air his eyes opened and he saw the shelf coming down onto her.  He heard the thunderous crash as the old trinkets and old books as they fell out of their places.

“Chelsea!” Aj called out as his eyes shot open and he sat up just as quick.  His short wavy hair soaked in sweat, his breath was short and quick as he gasped to get his breath back.  He reached for his chest and noticed there was no pain.  Quickly his eyes darted around the room, seeing the large dresser with the generic TV sitting on top of it, the generic table and chairs that sat in the corner of the room, and the small nightstand with a plain black lamp sitting on top of it on his right.

“Alex?” He heard Chelsea mumble from beside him and he quickly looked to his left.  His whole body relaxed as he saw her slowly sitting up and gently rubbing her eyes.  “Was that you?”

He didn’t say anything as he wrapped his arms behind her and pulled her against him.  Closing his eyes he inhaled the sent of her hair and lightly sighed realizing it was just a dream.  Her hands slid across his back and he felt goose bumps scatter across his arms and up the back of his neck.

“Alex, what’s wrong?” Chelsea asked as she pulled away to look at him but he wouldn’t let her.

“Bad dream.” He said as his fingers slid through her hair.  A soft moan of sympathy came from Chelsea’s lips, if there was anyone who knew about bad dreams it was her. 

Chelsea suffered from bad dreams because when she was sixteen she was taken from everyone by her Father and it wasn’t until a couple of months ago that they got her back.  Aj was on tour in Mexico when Kevin had called saying they had found her dad.  Everyone including Aj thought she was dead, imagine their surprise when the police found her in a small room, in the back of the house her Father was hiding out in.  Even though some people like Tim, Jerald and his Mother thought the best thing for Chelsea is for her and Aj to not be together but Chelsea and her Doctor told Aj something else.  Chelsea needs him to be around him, to feel his love because years of abandonment have left her wanting and that’s what Aj was going to do.  He loved her still after all these years and he wasn’t going to walk away from this one.

“It was about the cabin again wasn’t it?” She asked as she slowly pulled away from him and this time he let her.

“Yeah” Aj nodded lightly.  “I’m ok now though.” He said as he tried to fake a smile. 

“Are you sure you don’t look like it.” She said with a small frown.

“Yeah I just need a smoke and I’m good.” He said as she frowned.  “I promise when the tour ends I’ll look into quitting.”

“Look into?” She asked as he crawled out of the bed.

“Chels” Aj said and looked at her with a don’t start look as he grabbed his black pants.

“Fine.” She said putting up her hands.  “I guess it’s better than you not doing anything.”

He pulled his pants over his boxers, and then pulled his shirt over his head and down his body. Aj then walked over to the dresser and grabbed his smokes, cell and keycard, putting them into his pockets.  He turned around and walked over to Chelsea’s side of the bed and sat down on the edge.

“Wait up for me?” He asked as he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

“I suppose.” She sighed sarcastically.  He lightly smiled at her as they both leaned in and kissed each other.  When they pulled away he softly smiled at her as he looked into her eyes.

“I won’t be long.” He said as he gave her one last quick kiss.  She nodded at him with a smile and he got up from the bed and walked to the door.

Making his way down the hallway that their rooms were on, he headed towards the end of the hall where the floors smoking room was.  He opened the door and walked in, not shocked to see there was no one there at three in the morning.  Lighting his smoke he sat down on one of the chairs and pulled his phone out of his pocket.  He looked at the bright blue numbers on the cell phone screen and did the math in his head on what time it would be in Florida.

Realizing it was still sometime in the evening there, he flipped his phone up and dialed his friends Chris’s number.  Putting the phone to his ear he took another drag from his smoke and waited for someone to pick up.

“Hello?” Said the voice on the other end of the phone.

“Hey bitch.” Aj said with a smile.

“Hey dude, uh what time is it where you are?” Chris asked.

“Like three in the morning, up having a smoke.” Aj said. “Figured I’d call see what you were up too, see if you were already for tomorrow.”

“Yeah man all packed at ready to go.” Chris told him.

“Sweeeet, did you get that thing?” Aj asked.

“Yeah and dude why didn’t you tell me it was going to be like getting it out of fort nox?” Chris said with a light laugh.

“Sorry, that’s why I told you to bring ID, they usually don’t let a third party pick it up but I’m out here.” Aj said apologetically.

“Yeah it’s cool, no worries though, I have it.”

“Awesome” Aj said with a smile.  He took another drag of his smoke and then proceeded to talk to Chris about when he would arrive in Liverpool.  When he finished his conversation he closed his phone and butted out his smoke.  Putting the phone back into his pocket he stood up and walked out of the room.  He made his way down the quiet hallway, everyone in the other rooms fast asleep.  As he approached his room he heard a door open behind him and he turned around.

“What are you doing up?” He asked when he saw Nick poking his head out the door.

“I dunno ask your Girlfriend, she’s the one who kept calling my damn room and hanging up.” Nick said half asleep. “If I find out Kevin put her up to it, I’m kicking his ass.” Nick sighed as he turned around and closed the door behind him.  Aj laughed and shook his head as he turned around and pulled out his keycard, unlocking his bedroom door.

Opening the door he walked into the room and then closed the door behind him, he then made his way over to the long dresser and put his smokes, cell, and keycard down on top.  He turned around and saw Chelsea laying in the bed with her eyes closed, on her side, her arms tucked under her pillow.

“Chels?” Aj said as he looked at her.  She didn’t say anything or move.  A small smile crept across his face.  He knew she wasn’t sleeping, not after pulling prank calls on Nick.  Pulling off his shirt and unbuckling his pants he let them fall to the floor and slowly crept up the bed, over top of her.  “Chelsea..” He sang lightly.  “Faker.”

“Am not.” She said as she laid there her eyes still closed.

“So someone was calling Nick’s room and hanging up, any idea who it was?” He asked as he gently kissed the side of her neck.

“Nope.” Chelsea said.  “Did you ask Brian?”

“Brian’s sleeping.” Aj said as he kissed her neck again.

“Maybe it was Kevin.” Chelsea said as she slowly rolled over.

“Maybe, but I think it was someone working under Kevin.” Aj said as he raised his eyebrow.

“Who’s that?” Chelsea asked confused.

“Don’t make him cranky, he gets cranky we all get cranky.” Aj said with a light smile.

“Ok.” Chelsea sighed.  “But you’re costing me free chicken wings.” Chelsea sighed.

“Chicken wings? Chels you sold yourself out to Kevin for Chicken wings?”

“What can I say.” She replied with a light shrug.  Aj laughed as he laid on his side beside her and slid his hand up her leg and stopped on her hip.

“Did you talk to Tim or Jerald today when you talked to Kevin?” He asked her.

“No” She said in a tone he had reacquainted himself with.  “Last time I talked to one of them they got mad that we were sharing the same room.”

“You know I would never push you.”

“I know.” She replied with a light smile and then she sigh.  “I just don’t get what their problem is.”

“It’s because of Kevin’s bachelor party.” Aj said.

“And I understand that but how long ago was it?” She asked.  “And you’ve proven you’ve changed, it’s not fair.”  Aj smiled at her and then lightly kissed her on the forehead.  “Besides can’t they hear what my Doctor is telling them?”

“We have to get up early so let’s get some more sleep.” He said as he crawled under the blankets.  Aj pulled her against him, her back facing him; he wrapped his arm over her and gently kissed her neck.

“We can still get you your own room.” He said and she rolled over slightly and looked at him.

“No” She replied lightly shaking her head.  “I haven’t really had a bad dream with you here beside me, at least not one that’s going to send me running all over the hotel.”  Aj lightly smiled at her.  “I don’t care what anyone says anymore Alex, my Dad is gone, my Mom is gone, I don’t understand why people want to take you away from me too.”

“Well they’re not Chels, I’m not going anywhere as long as you want me here.” He told her as his fingers gently drifted down her neck.

“And I do.” She told him.  “For a long time.”

“Then I’ll be here, no matter what anyone says.” He replied.  She turned to face him more and then kissed him.  When they pulled away Chelsea rested her head against Aj’s neck.  He closed his eyes as he wrapped her in his arms and let her get comfortable.  It wasn’t long until both were fast asleep again.