"Is Katie feeling any better?" Kevin asked AJ.  He'd been making the rounds, checking that everyone-Nick and AJ-were actually getting ready to leave.

"Uh...I...think so?" AJ had no idea what Kevin was talking about.

"Oh..." Kevin raised his caterpillar-like eyebrows in confusion, "She didn't say anything to you?  You didn't know she was sick?"

"No," AJ was concerned now, "What's going on?"

"Kris just said that Katie's been hiding away all week.  She won't go out with her and Leigh I guess."

"I...hmm...I don't know.  I guess...she got a call from Dane," AJ almost shuddered as he uttered the name, "She was pretty freaked."

"She's probably just scared," Kevin tried to assure him.

"Hope so...guess it's a good thing we're going home."

"I'm sure she's fine."

"I'm going to give her a call...make sure everything is really okay.  I'll be down in a few?"

Kevin nodded.  He turned and walked out of the room, leaving the younger man to call his girlfriend in privacy.  AJ fished his phone out of his pocket and dialed the familiar phone number of his Florida home.

"Hello?" Katie answered.  AJ could tell she wasn't right.  She hadn't answered with her usual pep.  She sounded depressed almost.

"Hey babe."

"Alex!  Hey sexy!" Katie automatically pepped her voice up at the sound of AJ's voice.  "I miss you!"

"Not for long.  We'll be home in the morning."

"Oh wow, I forgot what day it was!  Good.  I don't know if I could've lasted much longer without hugging you."

"I know I couldn't have lasted any longer."

"Do you need me to come get you from the airport, or one of the guy's houses or anything?"

"That's okay.  We've got a limousine that'll drop us all off.  It'll be hella early, too.  You just sleep and I'll wake you up when I get home."

"Oh I can't wait to see you!"

"So...is everything okay over there?" AJ decided to just jump right in.

"Of course," she tried to play it cool, "Why wouldn't it be?"

"It's just...I hear you've been hiding from the girls?"

"Oh...yeah...that..."

"Did you have a fight or something?"

"No.  I just...haven't been feeling well.  I haven't been up to going out or anything."

"Have you...left the house at all this week?"

Katie hesitated, "Well...yeah.  I went to the grocery store."

"That doesn't count.  What's wrong?  Are you okay?  Feeling better?"

"Can we do one question at a time?  I'm...fine.  I just...don't want to talk about it...over the phone, I mean.  Can we do this tomorrow?  When you get home?"

"If you're okay...I can deal with that.  You promise we'll talk about...whatever it is?"

"I promise."

"Good.  I have to go anyways.  Someone's banging on the door.  They're waiting for me downstairs."

"Okay.  I love you.  Have a good flight."

"Love you, too, babe.  I'll see you tomorrow."

AJ clicked his phone shut as he went to open the door.

"Hey man, you ready?" Howie asked, peering into the room.

"Yeah, sorry.  I was on the phone with Katie.  My bags are all ready to go.  Everyone waiting on me?"

"Yeah.  No problem.  Is she okay?"

AJ made a face, letting the shorter man know that he wasn't so sure about the situation.

"I heard Brian and Kev talking.  I guess the girls were pretty worried about her."

AJ zipped up his last bag and Howie helped him carry them down the hall to the elevator.

"Yeah.  Something's definitely up.  Katie didn't want to talk about it over the phone though."

"Just a few more hours man."

AJ nodded and the two excited the elevator and went through the empty lobby.  They reached the front doors and got into the limousine.

AJ hadn't paid any attention to the conversations that occurred on the ride to the airport.  His mind was focused solely on Katie.  He didn't get much sleep on the plane either.  His mind kept wandering back to her as he tried to figure out what could be going on.

Of course his mind jumped to the worst possible scenarios.  Maybe she'd decided that she didn't want to be with him anymore.  She was going to break up with him, she just didn't want to do it over the phone.  Or she had a fight with the girls.  What if she didn't get along with them anymore?  No, they could work that out.  Then the worst scenario ran rampant through his mind.  She was sick.  She'd gotten cancer or something equally as horrible and life threatening.  She was dying.

Howie looked over at AJ, only to find him pale and gripping the arm rests with such force his knuckles were white.  AJ was trying to breath, trying to relax himself.  Howie knew that AJ had no issues with flying, especially not now that they were in the air, with no turbulence.  He was sure it had to be Katie.

"She's going to be fine man.  You can't think about it like this or you'll have yourself too worked up.  Whatever it is...we'll all be here."