"Hey, we're stopping by this afternoon before you get discharged...is there anything you need?" Beth asked Katie.  She'd called her at the hospital to make sure on the time she was being discharged-no need showing up if Katie was already gone.

"Alex said I could stay with him again...I can't go back to the apartment yet.  You think you could bring me some clothes and stuff?  You know, make-up, hair ties, pajamas...all that stuff."

"Not a problem girlie.  Anything you need in particular?  Any special clothes?"

"No, don't think so.  Just whatever...you know what I like."

Katie hung up the phone and turned to AJ.  He was sitting in a chair next to the bed, his feet resting on the edge of the bed.

"Hey, so I was thinking...I need to get out of here..."

"Just a few more hours cutie and you're free.  We'll go back to the hotel, order room service-"

"And hide out in the hotel room?" Katie asked, disappointed.

"And you would rather...go out?"

"Yes.  I would.  I need to go out."

"You need to go out like I need another tattoo.  Actually..."

"See, you need another tattoo, and I need to go out.  Except I don't want to go out and get you another tattoo," Katie squinted her eyes, trying to figure out what had just happened.

"I was thinking about doing this tattoo-"

"Hey ADD, we were discussing my going out tonight," Katie stuck out her lower lip in a pout.

"Are you sure you're up for that?"

"I'm not broken.  I can walk, talk, dance...I need to go out!" she was practically begging him to take her out now.

"We'll see.  I still don't think it's a good idea though."

Katie spent the rest of the afternoon trying to get him to cave and take her out for a little while that night.  She begged him right up until they'd gotten her things into his car and the nurse was wheeling her out of the hospital doors.  Eventually he relented, but only if certain conditions were met.

"I am not taking you anywhere in public just the two of us.  Someone has to agree to go with us, preferably a small group of us," he began and Katie nodded as she listened, "You will not go anywhere alone.  And if I feel like you've had enough, we're leaving."

Willing to agree to just about anything to go out and have fun, she agreed, "I can deal with that."

So the rules had been agreed on and the plans had been made.  Nick had been planning to meet some friends at a small club, and Howie had agreed to tag along with his girl.  Kevin and Brian had both wanted to meet Katie, the girl who made AJ mush, but they had made prior plans with their wives Kristin Leighanne.

It was around six o-clock by the time they got back to the hotel room.  Katie immediately began rummaging through her bags, hoping that Beth had been thoughtful enough to pack some cute clubbing clothes.  Finally she came out with a pair of dark wash, boot-cut jeans, and a cute little blue top.  The top had longer sleeves so part of her arms would be covered, hiding some of the marks, but the neck was low cut and it was short enough that her midriff would be slightly exposed.

Katie had showered and was now standing in front of the bathroom mirror in her jeans and a bra trying to figure out how to do her hair with one hand.  She'd wished she could take the brace off, but she knew that the sprain wouldn't heal if she kept messing with it.

AJ stood silently in the doorway watching her, slightly amused by the profanities she was using.  Eventually deciding her hair was as good as it was going to get, she reached for some cover up for her bruises in hopes of making them a little less obvious.

Covering the visible marks on her face and neck, she turned her back to the mirror to check out the one on her lower back.  It wouldn't be immediately obvious, but she didn't want to take any chances.  When she turned around she spotted AJ watching her from the doorway.

"What are you staring at?"

"Me staring?  I wasn't staring," he grinned and continued staring at her half-nakedness.

Several attempts and a few more profanities later Katie threw the make-up across the small bathroom screaming, "Fuckin' ass hole mother fucker!"

"Wow, don't think I've heard a girl as pretty as you swear like that before," he laughed, "Need a little help?"

"I hate him!" Katie yelled some more, emphasizing her words by banging her un-injured hand on the counter, "I hate him!!"

AJ stepped out of the doorway and into the bathroom, picking the tube of concealer up off of the floor.  He put his hands on her arms and directed her to turn with her back to him.  He then got onto his knees behind her.  AJ gently pressed his lips to her lower back and Katie let out a long slow breath.

"Better?"

She slowly nodded her head, her voice not cooperating with her.  AJ then went to work.  He squeezed some of the cover up onto his finger and gently applied it to her discolored skin.  She shivered when she felt a stream of his breath on her back.  He softly blew on the make-up covered area to aid in the drying process.

He stood up and put the tube on the counter next to her.  Looking at her through the mirror he smiled, "If you tell anyone I put make-up on for a chick..."

Katie nodded as she slowly turned around, trying to draw air into her lungs.  Their faces were inches apart.  She could feel his breath on her cheek.  Without thinking about it, she leaned in and closed the small gap.  Their lips touched briefly and then it was over.  She'd pulled back so quickly AJ wasn't sure it had actually happened.

"S...I, uh...sorry," Katie stammered, turning her face away.

"You should be.  What the hell was that?  Cause it sure as hell wasn't a kiss," he responded, catching her chin with a finger and turned her face back to his.  He leaned in and again their lips touched.  Katie felt like time had stopped.  Her eyes fluttered closed.  Her lips parted to let a sigh of contentment escape.  AJ took her parted lips as an invitation to deepen the kiss.  His tongue slipped past her lips, running over her teeth, before meeting with hers.

In an attempt at remembering that she was still fragile, he didn't pull her to him like he normally might have.  And then he realized what he'd done and took a step back to put some space between them.

"Wow," Katie whispered, her eyes opening.

"I shouldn't have done that."

"I..."

"I'm sorry.  Acting on impulse."

"I..."

"But that was a kiss...not that thing you did."

"That was...wow."

"Yeah."

"Alex...what's...what's going on here...with us, I mean?"

"I'm...uh, not sure."

"That kiss was amazing, I just...I'm not ready for a new relationship right now.  Especially with a guy like you."

"A guy like me?  What's that supposed to mean?"

"No, no-"

"You mean me, mister flirt?  The love ‘em ‘n leave ‘em guy?  Not every girl is a conquest here," AJ was trying to defend himself.

"Please listen to me!  I didn't mean it like that!  It didn't come out right.  I'm sorry.  I just meant...you're leaving soon.  You don't live here.  I don't think I could start a relationship only to have you leave.  I'm not sure I could handle that."

AJ stopped, he'd taken her words the wrong way.  He should've known better, but he wasn't thinking clearly.

"It's too soon for you to be worrying about another guy.  You've become a great friend already.  And I like you.  I think we could have something here...in the future.  I'm not willing to let you throw yourself into something you're not ready for.  I would never ask you to do that."

"Thank you for understanding.  I just need some time."

"All you need.  I'll be here."

"You'll be the first one I call when I'm ready.  You just better not have a girlfriend when I do," Katie laughed.

AJ leaned in to hug her and Katie realized that she still hadn't put on a shirt.  Suddenly self-conscious she lifted her arms to cover her bra and excused herself to finish getting ready.