AJ woke up the next morning with a mouth full of hair.  Katie was draped over his chest.  Their legs were intertwined, her head resting on his chest, her hair spread across his face.  He gently extracted the hair from his mouth and looked down at her.  She looked so peaceful sleeping.

AJ just wanted to spend the day in bed with Katie, just like this, but the sun shining through the curtains had forced him awake.  He knew he had to get up eventually, he had one last meeting to attend before getting the week off.

Katie's eyes fluttered open and she smiled up at him, "Good morning sexy."

"Good morning babe," he smiled back and leaned in to kiss her.

Katie rolled over and lay back remembering the events of the night before.  After AJ had helped Beth and Joe get settled, they'd gone to bed in his room.  Though they hadn't actually gone to bed immediately.  She could still feel him on her, smell him on her skin.

It wasn't something she'd planned, having sex with AJ the night before.  It just sort of happened.  Not that it was a bad thing.  Quite the opposite actually.  Katie hadn't felt like that in...a long time.  It was never like that with Dane, not even in the beginning.  It might have started off a little awkward on Katie's part, but it didn't stay that way.  Besides, AJ didn't seem to mind.

She sat up.  They hadn't gotten dressed again after their love-making...what was the point?  Suddenly self-conscious though, Katie grabbed the sheet to cover herself as AJ got up.  She knew he'd seen every inch of her the night before, but that was different.  It was daytime, sun shining through the curtains, full light.  It was just her insecurities showing through.  The insecurities that she would have to work through.

"Hungry?" she asked him as she combed through the tangles in her hair.

"I have no food," AJ pointed out.

"You have to have something I can make," Katie reasoned.  She went over to her bag and dug out a pair of jeans and a tank top.  Dropping the sheet, she put on the clothes, then tossed the sheet back on the bed and walked out of the room.  She could hear AJ start the shower as she made her way down the stairs to the kitchen.

She went into the kitchen and pulled open the refrigerator door.  Juice and soda.  Not much you could make with those.  Moving on to the freezer, Katie found similar.  There was a frozen...something...Katie couldn't tell for sure what it was.  She just tossed it back in the freezer and closed the door tight.  The pantry, her last hope.  Same luck.  There was microwave popcorn...from a year ago?  That couldn't be very good anymore.

"There really is no food in this house," she heard footsteps entering the kitchen, but didn't look up to see who they belonged to.

"Not my house, why should I have food here," Joe laughed.

Katie looked up, "Oh, sorry.  Thought you were Alex. Mornin' Joe."

"Morning.  I think Alex is still in the shower."

"Okay...well, if you're hungry...you're outta luck.  There's juice and soda...old microwave popcorn...and an unidentified something in the freezer."

Joe laughed, "Sounds tasty.  I'll just take some juice up to Beth."

"We'll go grocery shopping today.  Beth okay?"

"She's just tired.  You know, long day yesterday...jet lag," Joe offered up a phony explanation.

"Mmhmm.  Celebrating your first night in a new city, were you?  Tell her I said good morning."

"Will do," Joe grinned.

"Still planning on going apartment hunting this afternoon?"

"That's the plan.  We'll keep you updated."

Katie leaned against the counter making a mental grocery list as Joe walked out of the kitchen with a glass of juice.

He passed AJ on the way up the stairs, "She's tearing apart your kitchen."

AJ just laughed and walked into the kitchen.

"You know, you really do have no food here," Katie said as AJ walked in.

"I told you.  I don't go shopping much.  Most of the time it's midnight grocery shopping or I might encounter fans.  You know, crazed women chasing after you while you are grocery shopping..."

"Not that fun?  Too bad."

"Oh yeah?"

"I'm crazed...why didn't you run away from me?" Katie smirked.

"Mmm, I guess I might just be a little crazy," AJ stepped towards her, pinning her to the counter.

"Crazy now...that could be dangerous."

"Not for you.  You're all safe with me," AJ said as his hands slipped under her tank top to feel the bare skin on her sides.

Katie had just wrapped her arms around AJ's neck and slipped her tongue into his mouth when Beth walked in.

"Oops, sorry," Beth blushed, backing right back out of the kitchen.

AJ and Katie pulled themselves apart.

"Do I have to share you today?" Katie asked.

"Only for a few hours.  I have a meeting with the guys, then I'm all yours."

"I suppose I can live with that," Katie joked, "I'll go do some grocery shopping.  Maybe I'll get to cook breakfast for you tomorrow morning."

Katie walked out of the kitchen in search of her friend while AJ grabbed a soda and went to get ready for his meeting.

"Sorry about the kitchen," Katie said, entering the room Beth and Joe were sharing.

"Don't worry about it.  Not like I saw anything...important," Beth giggled, "You two are so...gross!"

"Gross?" Katie picked up a nearby pillow and chucked it at her friend, "I seem to remember you and a certain boyfriend making out all over the apartment in Cali."

"Oh well.  No, but really, it's cute.  I don't think I've seen you this happy since before..."

"Yeah, I know.  I am.  It's great.  Anyway, enough of that.  Going house shopping?"

"Yeah, Joe's got someone that has some places he wants us to see.  Swears they are amazing.  I guess we'll see," Beth didn't sound too hopeful.  It was wishful thinking if one believed that you could find the perfect place to live your first days shopping."

They heard the phone and a few seconds later AJ called out for Katie, "Babe, it's for you!"

"For me?  Who is calling me?" Katie questioned as she went into the master bedroom to grab the phone, "Hello?"

"Katie!  Brian told me you were here!  How are you?"

"I'm great.  We got in yesterday afternoon.  Is this...Leighanne?" Katie hoped she was right.  It was only logical that it would be if Brian was the one relaying the news.

"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry.  Yeah, it's Leighanne.  So you're here for good now then?"

"Here for good.  You're all stuck with me now," Katie laughed.

Leighanne laughed back, "This is exciting!  I was calling because I'm sure you know that the guys have some thing to do.  Wanted to see if you wanted some company?  Kris and I were going to lunch.  We'd love if you joined us!"

"I'd love to.  I just have to make sure my friend is occupied for the afternoon," Katie replied then covered the mouthpiece, "Hey Beth, what time are you going out?"

"We're meeting the realtor at about one.  Go have fun!"

Katie nodded and pulled the phone back to her ear, "I guess I'm in."

"Great.  Brian is coming by to pick up Alex, so I'll just ride with him over and we can make them take AJ's car."

"Sounds great.  I'll see you in a bit then!"

Katie hung up and went to get changed into something decent for an outing.  Twenty minutes later, Brian and Leighanne had arrived and Joe and Beth had left.

Leighanne and Katie drove out to meet Kristin at a restaurant that the girls frequented together for girls lunches.

"I was so excited when Brian told me that Alex said you were moving out here!" Leighanne said.

The girls sat down and ordered lunch, getting right into conversation.

"I was a little hesitant at first," Katie admitted, "It's weird picking up and leaving like that."

Kristin spoke up then, "I think Kev was a little hesitant about it, too.  Mister sensibility-think everything through to the last detail debated whether or not to talk Alex out of it all."

Katie didn't say anything, unsure of what to make of that comment.  Kristin caught her look, realizing that her comment hadn't come off completely right.

"Oh, no, that makes it sounds like he doesn't like you!  He thinks you're great.  Kevin thinks you're really good for Alex.  I think he sees what we see."

"And what do you see?" Katie asked, almost wishing she hadn't.

"You two are adorable.  Perfect," Leighanne supplied.

Kristin nodded, "I think Kevin is just worried.  He thinks you're great, he just doesn't want either of you two to get hurt.  Honestly, I think he was more worried about you.  Alex kind of filled the guys in on you a little more...about Dane and all that.  I think he was worried that you were pushing yourself too fast."

"I wondered about that, too.  But I think I would've come out here anyways, even if I hadn't met Alex.  My best friend was coming out here.  I had nothing to stay back in California for.  I tried to make myself think about what I would do if there was no Alex, and I knew that either way I was moving with Beth and Joe.  Being closer to Alex is just an extra bonus."

"Good.  We can all relax then.  We know you moved out here for your reasons," Leighanne smiled.

The girls fell into a more relaxed conversation as their food arrived.  The rest of the afternoon was spent discussing much less serious topics.