AJ just watched Ciara sleep. Ciara's stepfather, Dan, checked on them about an hour later. AJ was asleep with his arms around Ciara.

"They use to sleep like that when they were kids." Jarod explained as he was walking by.

"They really were inseparable, weren't they?" Dan asked.

"Yes, and my mother doing what she did robbed my sister of AJ and the first fourteen years of her life and then robbing them both of the past twelve just sickens me, Dan. I love my mother, but she was wrong." Jarod expressed his feelings and then headed for the living room.

When Ciara began to wake up, she could smell AJ's aftershave and feel his arms around her and then she concentrated and heard his heart beat. `This feels so good and so right', she said to herself.

AJ was already awake.

"Hey! You're awake. How do you feel?" he asked.

"Complete… whole again… happy." She replied with a smile. She truly did feel that way. "How about you?" she asked him.

"I'm okay, but I think we should leave and get a hotel for the night. I don't like seeing you in so much pain." AJ admitted.

"Can I just have a few minutes alone with my mom? I don't want to leave things on a bad note. She needs to know that I love her but that I'm very disappointed in her and that I'm angry." Ciara explained. She really did love her mom, but she needed time.

"How's your headache? Is it still lingering?" AJ was concerned.

"A little. It'll be gone by morning."

"Why don't you write your mom a note? This way you can still tell her everything you want to and your migraine won't get any worse." AJ suggested. Ciara thought about his suggestion for a few minutes.

"Deal, but can we just lay here like this for a few minutes. I feel so safe and complete now here like this." Ciara never wanted him to let go of her.

"Sure." AJ said. He sang I Promise You to her. It was so sweet.

After he was finished, they got up and got ready to leave. While she wrote her mom a note, he looked at the various awards and pictures and books that were about in her room. He learned a lot about her in those few moments and she didn't even say a word.

As they were leaving, Ciara asked her stepfather to give her mom the note. Jarod ran out to them.

"Take care of her, AJ, like I know you will." He told Jarod.

"I swear, J. We'll call you from the road." AJ got in the driver's seat. He and Ciara left for Connecticut to join up with Rachel and the guys. They stopped for a bite to eat and to look for a hotel for the night. Ciara's headache continued to fade away. They called Rachel and the guys. Rachel put them into her speaker phone unit.

"How are you two? How'd things go today?" Rachel asked.

"We got the answers and ralized some things." Ciara admitted. AJ whispered into her free ear "Yah, like that bed is too small for both of us." Ciara felt herself blush as she tried to hold back a giggle.

"Are you still there?" Rachel asked when she didn't here anything from Ciara or AJ.

"No, we're on our way to a hotel. Where are you monsters?" Ciara inquired.

"On a road somewhere. Did you know that Howie can really cook? He threw everything into a crock-pot this morning when we left and we just ate. Yum!" Ciara commented.

"Really? Didn't know that. And how are you getting along with the guys?" Ciara wanted to know which one she was growing close to.

"Well, I told Brian today that I really enjoy spending time with him, but…" Rachel's cell phone cut out.

"Dagnabit!" Ciara laughed.

"What is it?" AJ asked.

"One of the cell phones cut out. Just when she was about to spill her guts too!" Ciara was still laughing. She turned on the radio and found an Adult Contemporary channel. They were currently playing U2's With Or Without You. AJ instinctively sang along to the song as he continued the drive to a hotel that the restaurant manager had recommended.

Ciara sat back and just watched AJ's facial expressions. She was amazed at how sexy he had become since they were little kids. From his chiseled jaw to his painted finger nails, he was a gorgeous man. Ciara hen began to feel silly, she was calling her childhood best friend sexy and gorgeous. What would Rachel say? What would Dylan have said? She smiled as she remembered Dylan. Dylan would have loved AJ. AJ and Dylan would have been friends. They would have gotten along really well. How she missed Dylan so much. Did he do this? Did he send AJ to her? She wondered about that and she knew that anything was possible.

AJ had forgotten momentarily that Ciara was in the car with him. He sang along to the next song that came on when the U2 song was over. It was Bon Jovi Thank You For Loving Me.

Ciara snapped out of her daze that she was in.

"Hey! The fifth member of Bon Jovi!" she teased as they pulled into the hotel parking lot.

Once they were registered, they barely changed into their nightclothes before Ciara was already asleep. AJ covered her with a blanket and turned on the TV.

"Daddy!!!" Ciara screamed, waking herself up from a nightmare just as AJ got to her.

"C?" he asked.

"I thought that with my memory back my nightmares would go away. Doesn't look like it." She began to cry.

"Ssshhh… things are going to be okay. Stop hogging the bed and move over so I can scoot in next to you." AJ comforted Ciara. "Remember the sleepovers we use to have?" AJ asked her.

"Yeah." She was still crying.

"Let's pretend we're having one of those now." He said. "How many times have we done this?"

"Too numerous to count. Could you just hold me? I'll be okay." Ciara said. AJ laid flat on his back and let Ciara lay her head on his chest. She fell back to sleep listening to his heartbeat.

When they woke the next morning, it was raining outside.

"Everything's new again." Ciara said as she opened the curtain.

"Are you okay? You tossed and turned most of the night." AJ commented.

"I'm sorry. I'm still processing everything and the confrontation with mom yesterday."

"It's all right. We should get going as soon as possible though." AJ noted. He let Ciara take a shower first.

They made it to the venue by eleven am just as the bus carrying Rachel and the guys pulled in.

"Someone forgot to turn their cell phones on again." Kevin said as everyone greeted each other.

"Oh crap! I'm sorry." AJ said as he checked his cell phone. Ciara checked hers as well.

"Okay guys. Jamie wants to meet with us about something. Rachel, Ciara? Do you want to come with us?" Howie asked.

"Would you guys mind if we stayed behind and spent time catching up?" Ciara asked.

"Not at all. Gives us guys a chance as well." AJ stated.

"Corey will be at the door to the bus if you two need him. We'll be back soon." Brian stated.

"Ok. What happened yesterday? Dan would only tell me that you nearly had another blackout and that you and Jarod were very upset." Rachel relayed her phone conversation with Ciara's stepfather to Ciara. Ciara explained the previous day's events to her.

"Wow! One would never guess that AJ is a shy, polite person." Rachel declared at the end of Ciara's story.

"He hasn't changed too much oer the years. He's still the guy I remember with a killer voice, gorgeous eyes, and a big heart. So, tell me about your weekend with four of the five Backstreet Boys." Ciara sat back in her seat.

"They are so amazing. They ruly are. We laughed a lot and had so much fun just talking and getting to know each other. I really like Brian and Kevin. They both are very family oriented and know what they want out of life."

"You spent a huge block with Brian though."

"He is just so easy for me to talk to. I told him everything and I feel really good about it."

"And Kevin?"

"Tall, dark, mysterious, great abs. Deep insight." Rachel sighed.

"You get it going on girl!" Ciara laughed. They discussed the guys a little while longer.

"Does AJ know about Dylan?" Rachel turned serious.

"He knows part of it." Ciara admitted and grabbed a tissue to dab her eyes.

"Which part doesn't he know about?" Rachel questioned.

"The kidney donation."

---

"Now, Krystal has lost her voice to laryngitis for a few days. We don't have an opening act for the next week. What do you guys think we should do?" Jamie asked the guys. The guys all spit out ideas at Jamie. They agreed to try to get some local talent for that night and AJ was going to ask Ciara if she'd like to sing with him.

"How was yesterday, AJ? Did you get the answers you were looking for?" Brian asked as the guys headed back to the bus. They could see fans were already showing up.

"It was an eye-opener. Thanks for asking Bri." AJ gave his friend a pat on the back as the guys all took a few minutes to let a few of the fans take some pictures and sign a few autographs.

"Remember when… we never needed each other… the best of friends… like sister and brother…" AJ found himself singing softly to himself as he smiled for a young man in a wheelchair.

"Hi! I'm AJ. What's your name?" AJ asked the young man.

"Eric. It's nice to meet you." Eric stated.

AJ and Eric carried on a conversation for nearly a half hour. AJ found out the boy had been in an accident while diving in a high school competition and that he listened to the guys every day during physical therapy. Before AJ left to join the gang on the bus, he asked Eric what his favorite song was. Eric told him and thanked him again as well as wished him luck at the concert.

Ciara had seen the last bit of interaction between AJ and the young man and managed to take a few pictures of them together.

"AJ hasn't done that in a while." Nick commented when Ciara got back on the bus.

"Done what?" Ciara questioned.

"Greeted the fans and talk one-on-one like that with just one of them for so long. He's usually running around with a water gun or silly string." Nick shook his head and laughed. The AJ he knew and loved was back and it was because of Ciara. Ciara was startled by the ringing of her cell phone.

"Hello?" she answered the phone.

"Hey! It's Jarod. Eddie and Bobby are with me. Mom took off. Dan went after her." Jarod reported.

"Are the guys okay?" Ciara asked.

"They're confused, hurt, angry." Jarod explained.

"Should I come there? Should I come back?" Ciara asked.

"No, no. I just wanted you to know what was happening. And to make sure you were all right."

"I'm with Rachel, AJ, and the guys and I'm doing all right. How about you and I have dinner when I get back?" she suggested.

"Sounds good. Something I think we need." Jarod admitted.

"Okay. I'll call you when I get back from vacation. In the meantime, if Eddie and Bobby want to talk to me about anything, have them call me." Ciara wanted her brothers to know she was there for them.

"I promise. Go and have some fun. You deserve it." Jarod hung up with his sister.

"Everything okay?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, the twins are staying with Jarod for a few days. Mom took off and Dan went after her." Ciara explained. "So, what's on the agenda?"

"Lunch, then sound check, then a fan meet and greet and then we sing." AJ came onto the bus.

"No opening act tonight?" Ciara asked.

"C… I was wondering if you'd like to sing with me tonight." AJ said out of the blue.

"No way! Absolutely not!" Ciara stated.

"Ciara, you'll have fun. It's something you've always wanted to do. Remember the list?" Rachel remarked.

"We don't even know what to sing or what we sound like together. I'm not ready." Ciara stated.

"Not even for fun? Just fun?" AJ gave Ciara his famous puppy dog eyes that she would die for.

"What shall we sing?" Ciara gave in and agreed. Everyone clapped. AJ was thrilled that Ciara agreed to sing. He sent one of the crewmen out to get a video camera and some blank tapes to tape their duets for them.

Ciara and AJ talked with the band to find out what songs they knew. Out of a list of fifteen duets, Ciara and AJ picked out four. Rachel, Jamie, and the guys went down in front of the stage to listen to them rehearse.

Next Time I Fall

Love like a road that never ends
How it leads me back again
To heartache
I'll never understand
Darling, I put my heart upon a shelf
'Till the moment was right, and I told myself

The next time I fall in love
I'll know better what to do
The next time I fall in love
Ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo
The next time I fall in love
The next time I fall in love
It will be with you

Now as I look into your eyes
Well I wonder if it's wise
To hold you like I've wanted to before
Tonight I was thinking that you might
Be the one who breathes life in this heart of mine

The next time I fall in love
I'll know better what to do
The next time I fall in love
Ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo
The next time I fall in love
The next time I fall in love
It will be with you

Next time I'm gonna follow through
And if it drives me crazy
I will know better why
The next time I try

The next time I fall in love
I'll know better what to do
The next time I fall in love
Ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo
The next time I fall in love
The next time I fall in love
It will be with you


(I Wanna Take) Forever Tonight

Feel your breath on my shoulder
And I know we couldn't get any closer
I don't wanna act tough, I just wanna fall in love
As we move into the night I get crazy
Thinking how it's gonna be with you baby
I don't wanna play rough I've been loving you enough
Oh, baby

I wanna take forever tonight
Wanna stay in this moment forever
I'm gonna give you all the love that I've got
I wanna take forever tonight
Fill you up, fill you up with love
When we close the door all I need is in your eyes
I wanna take forever tonight

Touch my lips, I'm on fire
You're the only one I'll ever desire
Turn the lights down low, make the world go slow
When I'm holding you tonight it's so easy
Nothing moves me like you do when you tease me
And to rush would be a crime
I just wanna spend some time with you baby

I wanna take forever tonight
Wanna stay in this moment forever
I'm gonna give you all the love that I've got
I wanna take forever tonight
Fill you up, fill you up with love
When we close the door all I need is in your eyes
I wanna take forever tonight

And when I'm here beside you
I wanna see what drives you out of your mind
I never wanna leave I only wanna be with you
'Cause I love how you feel your love is so real

I wanna take forever tonight
Wanna stay in this moment forever
I'm gonna give you all the love that I've got

I wanna take forever tonight
Wanna stay in this moment forever
I'm gonna give you all the love that I've got
'Cause I can't live without you

After All

Well, here we are again;
I guess it must be fate.
We've tried it on our own,
But deep inside we've known
We'd be back to set things straight.

I still remember when
Your kiss was so brand new.
Every memory repeats,
Every step I take retreats,
Every journey always brings me back to you.

After All the stops and starts,
We keep coming back to these two hearts,
Two angels who've been rescued from the fall.
After All that we've been through,
It all comes down to me and you.
I guess it's meant to be,
Forever you and me, After All.

When love is truly right
(This time it's truly right.)
It lives from year to year.
It changes as it goes,
Oh, and on the way it grows,
But it never disappears,

After All the stops and starts,
We keep coming back to these two hearts,
Two angels who've been rescued from the fall.
After All that we've been through,
It all comes down to me and you.
I guess it's meant to be,
Forever you and me, After All.

Always just beyond my touch,
You know I needed you so much.
After All, what else is livin' for?

After All the stops and starts,
We keep coming back to these two hearts,
Two angels who've been rescued from the fall.
After All that we've been through,
It all comes down to me and you.
I guess it's meant to be,
Forever you and me, After All.

After All the stops and starts,
We keep coming back to these two hearts,
Two angels who've been rescued from the fall.
After All that we've been through,
It all comes down to me and you.
I guess it's meant to be,
Forever you and me, After All.


At The Beginning

We were strangers, starting out on a journey
Never dreaming, what we'd have to go through
Now here we are, I'm suddenly standing
At the beginning with you

No one told me, I was going to find you
Unexpected, what you did to my heart
When I lost hope
You were there to remind me
This is the start

And life is a road and I wanna keep goin'
Love is a river I wanna keep flowin'
Life is a road now and forever wonderful journey
I'll be there when the world stops turning
I'll be there when the storm is through
In the end I want to be standing
At the beginning with you

We were strangers, on a crazy adventure
Never dreaming, how our dreams would come true
Now here we stand, unafraid of the future
At the beginning with you

And life is a road and I wanna keep goin'
Love is a river I wanna keep flowin'
Life is a road now and forever wonderful journey
I'll be there when the world stops turning
I'll be there when the storm is through
In the end I want to be standing
At the beginning with you

Knew there was somebody somewhere
I need love in the dark
Now I know my dream will live on
I've been waiting so long
Nothing is going to tear us apart

And life is a road and I wanna keep goin'
Love is a river I wanna keep flowin'
Life is a road now and forever wonderful journey
I'll be there when the world stops turning
I'll be there when the storm is through
In the end I want to be standing
At the beginning with you

Life is a road and I wanna keep goin'
Love is a river I wanna keep flowin' on
Starting out on a journey

And life is a road and I wanna keep goin'
Love is a river I wanna keep flowin'

In the end I want to be standing
At the beginning
With you

"Wow! She has a great voice!" Kevin was shocked.

"That was unbelievable!" Nick declared.

"Wow!" was all Howie could think of.

"Why doesn't she pursue a career in music?" Brian asked Rachel.

"Because her passion is writing." Rachel commented.

"She's going to blow the crowd away tonight!" Jamie exclaimed.

"That was fantastic!" AJ said when they were done rehearsing all four songs. The band agreed with him.

"Thanks AJ. You weren't so bad yourself." Ciara blushed.

"Even better than I remember of us singing when we were younger." AJ was still amazed at how well their voices blended together and at how wonderful it felt to sing with her.

"Don't even ask me. I know what you all want to ask me." Ciara said to everyone. "I'm doing this for one night and one night only. I'm not meant to be singing music, I'd rather write." Ciara explained.

"Well, we're lucky to have you for the evening then." Jamie got an idea in his head. "Guys, continue on with your sound check… I'll be right back." Jamie announced and disappeared backstage. Ciara joined Rachel out in the audience to listen to the rest of the sound check.

"How'd it feel up there on stage singing with AJ?" Rachel asked.

"As if it was just me and him and that we've been doing it forever." Ciara admitted.

"Hey girls!" Brian said into the microphone. Ciara and Rachel looked up at the guys and got attacked by silly string. Rachel was prepared and managed to get Nick and Kevin. Ciara was too busy laughing to care what was happening. She was remembering her thirteenth birthday party and the fun they had.

"Ciara, you're a mess!" Rachle laughed as the guys all ran out of silly string.

"It's okay, they were having fun. " She replied, snapping back to the here and now.

"You two look like multi-colored spaghetti!" AJ said as the guys made their way down to them.

"Gee, I wonder why!" Ciara laughed. AJ and Kevin helped the girls get all the silly string off.

"Guys, time for the meet and greet!" Jamie yelled a half hour later.

"You two want to come?" AJ asked. The girls decided to go with them.

"Forgive our appearance. We were having a silly string fight and lost track of time." AJ announced to the fans as they entered the blocked off section of the backstage area. The fans went crazy cheering for the guys. One-by-one, the fans went by the guys and got an autograph and pictures taken. An hour and a half later, everyone was backstage again. Ciara and Rachel went back to the tour bus to get ready while the guys got ready in the venue.

Ciara and Rachel finished packing before Ciara spoke to her.

"AJ and I are going to go see my mom this afternoon. That's when I was going to tell him about the kidney." Ciara finally spoke.

"I'm sorry. You know how protective I ah of you. Why didn't you tell him about the donor?" Rachel was curious.

"Because that's the hardest part of all. To know that my donor was killed a month later really hurts." Ciara broke down just thinking about it.

Rachel felt really bad for bringing everything up. She wondered though, just how much Ciara did tell AJ about her past.

An hour later… Ciara and Rachel were sitting in the hotel room; Ciara was writing in her book while Rachel was checking email when there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it." Ciara opened the door to Brian. He looked upset.

"What's wrong Brian? Where's AJ?" Ciara asked as she let him into the room.

"He and his mom were arguing and she slapped him and he bolted. I was hoping he came back here. But…" Brian stopped, "He said to me not to let his mom near you. What does he mean by that?" Brian questioned.

"I don't know." Ciara was puzzled. She wanted to know what AJ and his mom discussed and why he took off.

Brian called the rest of the guys and had them come to the girls' room. While he did that, AJ showed up with his bags packed.

"C… are you ready?" AJ asked. He had been crying.

"AJ, is everything okay?" Brian asked.

"Things will be fine, B-Rok. Thanks for asking." AJ stated.

"Where are you two going?" Rachel asked.

"To see my mom and then we'll meet up with you in Connecticut for tomorrow's concert." Ciara explained.

"Just think, Rach… you get four of the five Backstreet guys all to yourself."

"But you'll be the one I miss." Rachel and Ciara hugged as the rest of the guys showed up.

"Looks like we're ready to go!" Kevin announced.

"AJ, everything's set. Drive carefully. We'll see you tomorrow." Howie explained.

"Thanks guys. Ciara, shall we?" AJ asked Ciara.

"Yes… just one last check of the room before we go." Ciara explained as she checked the bathroom.

They all left the hotel together. AJ and Ciara headed for her mom's, Rachel and the guys headed for Connecticut.

AJ and Ciara didn't talk much in the car, but they sang along to the CD player.

"Okay AJ, I don't know how my mom's going to react, but, I just wanted to prepare you in case she freaks out." Ciara explained. They were about a mile from her mom's. She noticed the twins and Jarod's kids walking towards the park. Ciara pulled the car over to say hi.

"Hey kids…" Ciara said as she got out of the car. The kids all noticed her and ran over to her. Jarod's daughter.

"Um, Auntie… why is AJ with you?" her niece asked.

"Because he's an old, old friend Amy. AJ, I'd like you to meet one of your youngest fans, Amy. Amy, I'd like you to meet your favorite Backstreet Bo, AJ McLean."

"Hi Amy." AJ said and knelt down to her level.

"So uncle Jarod was correct. You got your memory back?" her younger brother, Eddie, commented.
"Yeah, wait until I tell you some stories about your dad!" Ciara laughed.

"Mom doesn't know you're coming, does she?" Bobby, her other brother, asked.

"No, didn't wanna give her the chance to flee." The boys both understood what she meant. Amy started tugging at Eddie's shirt. "You guys go have fun. We'll see you later." Ciara and AJ said goodbye to the kids and continued on to the house.

When they arrived at the house, Ciara parked the car behind her mom's.

"Nervous?" AJ asked her.

"Very… you?" Ciara countered.

"A little, let's go." AJ said. As he was about to get out of the car, Ciara grabbed his hand.

"What is it?" AJ asked.

"No matter what happens in there in the next few minutes, I'm glad we found each other again." Ciara admitted to him.

"Me too." AJ kissed her cheek.

"Dad! Mom!" Ciara shouted as she and JA entered the house.

"They're out back." Jarod came out of the kitchen. Ciara ran to him and gave him a hug.

Jarod and AJ looked at each other.

"AJ, it's been too long. It's good to see you." Jarod extended his hand.

"Jarod, man, I've missed you." AJ bypassed the hand and went for a hug. Ciara teared up. "I know we have a lot to catch up on, but C and I are on a mission." AJ explained.

"Well, let's go out back so we can get some answers." Ciara suggested.

"Oh my god! You brought him here! Why?" Ciara's mom questioned as soon as she and AJ stepped through the patio doors. Ciara and AJ looked at each other.

"Because we need answers, momma. Real answers." Ciara replied calmly.

"Would it help if I told you what I know?" AJ suggested as he gave Ciara's mom a hug. Everyone sat down at the picnic table. Jarod and Ciara's stepfather and Jarod's wife also sat down at the table. AJ looked at Jarod and Ciara. "What I'm about to say may or may not be true until it's either confirmed or denied. Please try not to pass judgment until all parties are heard." AJ squeezed Ciara's hand.
"I saw my mom earlier today and we argued about why she lied to me. She said because you said it would be best for your family if you never saw us again. My mom told me a story about her best friend dropping her daughter off to go shopping for her daughter's birthday. Anyway, she took her son and her best friend's daughter out to lunch and saw her best friend cozying up with a man who was not her husband. That same man showed up at the hospital the day of the accident. My mom questioned you about that man. She…"

"My god mom! Did you have an affair?" Jarod blurted out. "Is that why you put us through hell? So you could continue your affair?" Jarod was angry. Ciara was trying to absorb everything. Ciara's mom was sobbing, that was her only emotion.

Ciara put her hands to her face to wipe away the tears.

"You chose some man and to protect that man and your affair over your own children, momma! I don't believe this! How could you do this?" Ciara spoke really fast.

"I was foolish and stupid. I'm sorry." Ciara's mom cried out.

"Did dad know?" Jarod asked.

"No, he didn't know." She admitted.

"Excuse me, mom, why? Why did you do it? Why did you choose him over your children? Why did you pull us away from a boy that we considered our brother? Why did you choose to let your daughter think she purposely didn't want to remember her life? You tore our lives apart for an affair! AJ, I know you asked us not to pass judgment, but right now I'm so disgusted at what she's done… I need to go check on my babies. Children who will know that I won't have an affair with anyone but their mother and I won't choose someone else over them." Jarod said. As he got up, he put a hand on his sister's shoulder. "Never doubt how much daddy loved you and that he would never have done what she did." Jarod declared before going back into the house.

"Why momma?" Ciara asked, tears streaming down her face.

"Ciara, please honey, please don't get so upset." Her stepfather begged.

"I already have the beginning of a migraine dad. And as far as momma, ultimately, she has to answer to God for the affair, but I need to know, why on earth did you keep me away from AJ?" Ciara's head was pounding and her cheeks were flushed.

"I thought that by you not being able to remember the accident and by moving us away from AJ's mom, life could be good again. That we would have the life that your father would want us to have. And we did. I focused on you and Jarod."

"Don't you dare put this on her." AJ stated.

"AJ, please take Ciara to her room. She needs to get some rest." Ciara's stepfather directed.
"Daddy, please… I need answers. Don't you want some answers from her about this? What she did wasn't fair to me or to Jarod." Ciara begged her father.

"Ciara, the stress of this is not good for you. Go take a nap. We'll talk more later." Her stepfather stated. Ciara knew he was right, she should go calm down.

"Ciara, AJ, I'm sorry." Ciara's mom said as AJ led Ciara towards the house.

"You're about twelve years too late." Ciara said into the air. AJ heard her and inwardly agreed with her. AJ and Ciara didn't exchange any words. Once inside the house, Ciara led AJ to her room. She reached in her purse for her migraine medicine. AJ opened the bottle for her.

"Go lay down. I'll get you a glass of water." AJ said when they reached her room. The bathroom was across the hall. When he returned to her room, she was closing the blinds and curtains. He cleared his throat so that she knew he was back.

"Thanks, AJ" Ciara said. She walked over to the bed.

"Anytime." AJ handed her the water. He sat down in the oversized beanbag in the corner as she popped the pill and downed the water.

"I'm just going to lay down for a few minutes. I'll be okay if you want to go back out there and hang out with Jarod or something." Ciara let AJ know he didn't have to stay.

"I'd rather stay in here with you. Go on now. Close your eyes." AJ said. He decided to move the beanbag next to the bed.

"Why don't you just come up here and lay with me?" Ciara suggested.

"Our mom's…" AJ was about to say that their mom's wouldn't approve. Ciara could read his mind.

"We're twenty-six years old. Who cares!" she giggled. "Just come up here and be next to me."

"How can I refuse my best friend?" AJ laughed along with her as he joined her on the bed. She moved over so there would be enough room for both of them on the bed.

"Can I ask you something?" AJ asked.

"Always." Ciara yawned.

"How bad are your migraines?"

"Well, they've been so bad that they've put me in the hospital for a few days." Ciara admitted.

"C… I'm sorry I wasn't there for you." AJ broke down.

"Don't you dare say that!" What's done is done. Let's concentrate on getting to know each other again and building our friendship again." Ciara stated. AJ kissed her forehead and pulled her into an embrace.
"I can do anything for you." AJ said as Ciara dropped off to sleep.

Ciara woke not long after AJ went to take a shower. She and AJ were going to go see her mom today, but first, she wanted to talk to her brother.

"Jarod?" Ciara asked into the phone.

"Hey sis! How are things going?" he asked.

"AJ and I are going to go see mom today, I thought you should know." She explained.

"Is that a good idea so soon after you got your memory back?" Jarod asked. He was concerned for both his sister and his mom.

"Yeah, I need to know why mom lied to AJ and his family. Why she never let him back into my life. I could have gotten my memory back a lot sooner." Ciara defended her decision. She was finally angry over being hidden away from AJ for so long.

"You're right, sis. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't do more to help you get your memory back." Jarod sighed.

"Don't you dare blame yourself for any of this!. It's mom's doing. Not yours. You did the best you could back then and now." Ciara expressed her belief in her brother.

"Thanks Ciara. I'm going over there this afternoon with the family. How about you show up then?" Jarod suggested.

"Okay, we'll do that. Don't tell her we're coming though, please." Ciara had a feeling that if her mother knew they were on the way, she'd go to a movie or something so that she wouldn't have to face telling them why she lied to AJ and his family.

"I won't. See you later. Drive carefully." Jarod said before Ciara heard a click signaling that he hung up.

After Ciara hung up the phone, she began packing her suitcase. Their stay at the hotel was over as they would have been heading out with the guys for the next two weeks. Rachel and Ciara hadn't really discussed with the guys what was happening next. Ciara wasn't sure if they were going to tag along or if they were going home.

"We're going with them." Rachel announced as she and Brian entered the hotel room.

"Don't be obsurd." Ciara stated and continued. She felt a stab of pain shoot through her head and swayed a little. Rachel noticed, Brian didn't.

"Where are your pills?" Rachel asked.

"Pills? What's going on?" Brian got concerned.

"Residual effects of my accident and memory loss." Ciara explained to him. Ciara pulled the two prescription bottles out of the nightstand. Rachel had gone to the bathroom door and knocked on it.
"AJ, I need a glass…" Ciara interrupted Rachel, "God, Rachel! I'm not going to die, it can wait until he's done in there." Ciara said as AJ came out of the bathroom, showered and dressed. He was holding a glass of water. "Oh my god! You told him!" Ciara glared at Rachel.

"No, I didn't tell him anything." Rachel stated as she brought the glass of water to Ciara.

"Tell me what?" What are those?" AJ said, looking at the two big horse pills in Ciara's hand.

"You haven't told him yet?" Rachel stated. Ciara shook her head. Rachel felt really bad.

"No Rachel, I haven't." Ciara stated.

Meanwhile, AJ took Ciara's prescription bottles in his hands and read them.

"What are these?" AJ asked Ciara again. Ciara placed her hand on the first bottle.

"This one is for the erratic moments of pain and dizziness that happen when sharp jabs shoot into my brain: in other words the onslaught of a migraine." Ciara said as she drank down that pill. She took the other bottle from AJ and popped a pill from it and downed the rest of her water. "That one is a little more painful to talk about." Ciara said and sat down on the bed. "AJ… I had to have a kidney transplant last year. It's an anti-rejection drug and I'll have to take it every day for the rest of my life." She couldn't look at AJ. Both AJ and Brian sat down on the nearest available spot. Ciara didn't want to say any more, but knew she had to so she continued, "One of the many things that was wrong with me when we were in the accident long ago was that I had to have my spleen and one kidney removed. Although I still had the other kidney, it was traumatized by the accident and did sustain some damage. The scar tissue and damage got progressively worse over the years and last year when Rachel and I were on vacation, I had an attack and we discovered that without a kidney transplant, I would die. I was transferred back to near my mom's home and put at the top of the list. Two weeks later, I received the transplant." She explained. She could see the range of emotion flashing in AJ's eyes.

"I'll be right back." AJ said and bolted from the room.
Brain sat in complete silence while Ciara threw her clothes into her suitcase and Rachel thought of something to say.

"I'm sorry, C. I thought you already told him. I didn't know he'd react like that." She finally said.

Brian got up from where he was seated and went over to Ciara. "I'm sorry, I don't know what to say. But from what Rachel has told me and from what I have seen, you are a very strong-willed and healthy woman." Ciara gave him a hug.

"Thank you. What I need you to do is go find AJ. He could use a friend right now. Someone who's not so involved in what happened ions ago." Ciara explained.

"I'm going to do just that. And don't think about going home because we still owe you two weeks with The Backstreet Boys." Brian said. Rachel walked him out. Brian told her not to blame herself, that AJ needed to know the truth and now he needs to deal with it. Brian kissed her on the cheek and went in search of his friend.

“Okay… so… where were we?” AJ asked as the waiter left them alone after taking their order. They had talked all the way over about high school and the years right after and what had happened to them in those years.

“We were talking about the stuff I did in college.” Ciara reminded him.

“Yeah, that’s right. We were discussing how you refused to write for the school paper because you didn’t share their views and how the editor tried to blackball you with the local paper and in turn, got blackballed from their paper for being a liar and a cheat.” AJ explained.

“Yup… that’s where we were.” Ciara smiled. It was as if they had known each other all this time. “But, that’s over and done with. So, tell me… about why there’s no one special in your life?” Ciara asked AJ.

“Just haven’t found the right one. I’ve had girlfriends before, but no one as close to me as you were.” AJ admitted.

“AJ, we were fourteen years old, you should never have compared anyone else to me.” Ciara said.

“They just could never capture my heard like you did, C. I tried. I even proposed to one of them, but she knew that she didn’t have all of my heart. She knew.” AJ stated, “What about you?” he asked.

“I was married, but he was killed a few months into the marriage.” Ciara looked away from AJ. It was painful to talk about even though it had been almost two years.

“I’m so sorry.” AJ was taken aback by her pain, “May I ask how he died?”

“He was in the military and died on a training accident when the helicopter he was in crashed into the side of a mountain overseas.” Ciara explained and fished for a tissue in her purse.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you cry.” AJ said and handed her his handkerchief.

“I know, I’m just very emotional right now. He’d be jumping for joy right now about me having my memory back.” She managed a smile.

“What kind of man was he?” AJ wanted to know all about the man that had captured her heart.

“He was kind and generous and loving. I met him at Six Flags in New Jersey right after graduation from college. Rachel and I had convinced our parents to let us go from one amusement park to another that summer before we went out and got jobs. What I did was coincide speaking engagements with whatever cities we’d be in so that helped pay for our fun. Anyway, Dylan and some of his friends were back home on leave and as Rachel and I were waiting in line, one of his buddies was trying to soak him with a water gun and got me instead. He felt so bad he went and bought me a new shirt from one of the souvenir stands. But he wasn’t you and I didn’t know that. Don’t get me wrong, I loved him, he was my life, but I always sensed that there was something or someone out there that had a part of me. I never shared it with anyone. I didn’t want to seem like a bad wife.” Ciara explained.

“You could never be a bad wife.” AJ took her hand in his as the waiter returned with their dinner. They ate and reminisced and laughed and discussed how AJ got into the Backstreet Boys and compared notes on touring. Before they knew it, it was nearly midnight.