"Sorry… but here's another bag for the pantry." Kevin grinned. He was happy to see AJ happy. He was going to have to get AJ alone later to talk.

"Oh… thanks." Ciara replied. Both she and AJ were blushing.

"You're welcome." Kevin left them be as he tried not to show how happy he was for AJ. Howie came into the kitchen.

"Where's Bone?" Howie asked.

"Preoccupied at the moment. Why?" Kevin replied.

"Nick was asking for him since he's stuck in bed for a few more days. Wants some fresh meat to conquer with video games." Howie explained.

---

"Did you see the look on his face?" Ciara asked as AJ helped her put the food away.

"I saw… I'll beat him later." AJ laughed. Ciara playfully hit him on the chest.

"Good girls don't hit." AJ stated as he grabbed her hand. He was flirting with her.

"Who said I was a good girl?" Ciara flirted back, catching AJ off guard.

"Jesus! I don't know why, but I never thought you'd say that." AJ told her. They both laughed.

"I always wanted to say that." Ciara laughed even harder.

---

"This is a great grille. It doesn't get used much, does it?" Brian asked as he and Rachel checked all the connections.

"About a dozen times a year or so. Ciara and I just don't like to grille for just the two of us." Rachel explained.

"How's it going out here?" Howie joined Rachel and Brian on the patio.

---

"AJ, Nick would like for you to play some video games with him." Kevin said when Ciara and AJ came out of the pantry. AJ turned to Ciara.

"Need me for anything else?" AJ smiled, wondering what she would say next.

"Not now, maybe later." She replied coyly.

"You two are too cute." Rachel said as she returned from the patio. "And Brian and Howie are having tong wars. You guys don't get to grille much, do ya?" Rachel asked. She got the meat out of the fridge.

"Kev, go separate those two and I'll go hang with Nick." AJ suggested. As he walked past Ciara, he patted her on the rear.

"Alexander James." She warned. He chuckled as he continued out of the kitchen. "Okay, Rachel… what can I help with?" Ciara asked, focusing her attention on helping Rachel with dinner preparations.

"Ciara?" AJ knocked on her bedroom door early the next morning. He woke up after hearing a noise. When she wasn't in her room, he went looking for her and found her asleep in front of her computer. He picked her up and carried her over to the couch.

"AJ?" she stirred.

"Sssshhhh… go back to sleep." He replied as he put an afghan over her.

"Please don't leave me. I can't lose you again." She said before falling back to sleep.

"I won't leave you. Ever." AJ replied. He moved the recliner chair opposite the couch and got comfortable as he watched her sleep.

"AJ!" Ciara screamed a little while later.

"Ssshhh… I'm right here. Right here, baby." AJ was startled by the scream.

"It was so real." Ciara cried as AJ wrapped his arms around her. Ciara placed her hands on either side of his face and touched him.

"This is real, C…" AJ stated as he looked at her. She calmed down almost instantly.

"I… I… I couldn't find you. One minute we were walking in the garden, and the next, you were gone. Then I couldn't find you and I looked everywhere. I felt so scared." Ciara explained.

"You will always know where I am." AJ promised. He held her a little tighter. They fell asleep with his arms around her and her head on his chest.

---

"How long does it take to answer a phone?" Kevin asked the next morning. He was trying to call AJ, but he wasn't answering his cell phone.

"Here, call the house directly." Rachel suggested. She gave him the number to call.

"Hello?" a sleepy AJ answered the phone.

"AJ… it's Kevin." Kevin replied.

"Nicky all right?" AJ immediately asked.

"They're releasing Nicky today. We should be there this afternoon." Kevin explained.

"We'll be waiting. Have a safe trip." AJ said before hanging up the phone. He woke up his sound asleep Angel Eyes by singing to her.

Steelheart
I'll Never Let You Go (Angel Eyes)
© 1990
Angel eyes
You have angel eyes
Such a smile that lights up my life oh
You're a dream come true
Now I'm holding you
And I'll never, never let you go
I will never let you go

First time I laid my eyes upon you
All my dreams were answered
First time I kissed your tender lips
My love to you I surrendered
I'll never let you go
You're always on my mind
You're the only one for me
You're all I need
And I'll never, never let you go

Angel eyes
My heart relies
On the love you give to me
You never let me down
You're always by my side
And I'll never, never let you go
I will never let you go

When my heart starts to crumble
And the tears start to fall
You hold me close with tender lovin'
And give me strength to carry on
I'll never let you go
You're always on my mind
You're the only one for me
You're all I need
And I'll never, never let you go
I'll never let you go

You're always on my mind
You're the only one for me
You're all I need
And I'll never, never let you go oh ooh
And I'll never, never let you go

"I love waking up to your voice." Ciara smiled as she stretched. Once she was up, they got cleaned up and had breakfast before making sure the bedrooms were ready to be inhabited.

"Did Kevin say when they'd be here?" Ciara asked as they sat on the patio.

"Just that they'd see us this afternoon. Why?" AJ inquired.

"Nothing. I guess I'm anxious for them to get here. Ya know… I think I'm going to put some music on. Anything particular you would like to hear?" Ciara asked as she got up.

"Not me!" AJ laughed, referring to the Backstreet Boys music. Ciara disappeared into the house. A few minutes later Boys II Men was heard coming out of the speakers. Ciara was gone for a few more minutes ad returned with lemonade for them both. Before she could sit down, AJ extended his hand to her.

"May I have this dance? He asked. She took his hand and accepted his offer. They danced out on the back porch, both looking deeply into the other's eyes, they became oblivious to the music as they each got lost in their own thoughts.

When Ciara could take no more, she moved in and planted a kiss on AJ's lips. He returned the kiss. When they parted, Ciara realized that it felt right kissing AJ. She didn't feel like she was betraying Rick at all. AJ was trying to read Ciara's face. Was happy? Was she upset? He finally broke the tense silence.

"What are you thinking?" he asked her.

"How I'm ready to move on. I always thought I'd feel guilty if I kissed another man after Rick. But I don't." she admitted.

"That's good, right?" AJ questioned.

"That's really good." Ciara declared before kissing a smiling AJ once more. AJ backed away from her though. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"It's only been a few days since everything began. Us finding each other the way we did, you getting your memory back… me getting you back. I think we should take things slow. It's only fair… to you, to me, to both of us." He admitted.

"Slow is good." Ciara didn't argue. "Torturous, but good."

"I know that was totally out of character for me, but you're so special to me. If this develops into something more than a friendship, I want it to last!" he explained to her.

"I agree, but AJ… we were only kissing." Ciara couldn't help but giggle.

"Uh oh… that's your mischievous giggle." AJ pointed out.

"I was just remembering our first kiss back when we were fourteen. You were so nervous. You asked me if it was okay if you could kiss me." Ciara was enjoying having her memory back. AJ turned red.

"I was so embarrassed. I didn't know if I should just kiss you or ask you first." He remembered too.

"Well, you won me over completely when you asked. You were always the gentleman with me… always."

"That's because I saw how Jarod and your father were with you and your mom. I wanted to be just like them." AJ walked away from her. The memories tearing him apart; he had missed her family so much. He had missed her so much.

"AJ, I'm sorry for what happened. Please don't walk away from this." Ciara called after him. It was then that they heard a vehicle pull up out front.

"Ciara??? AJ??? We're here!" Rachel called throughout the house moments later.

"We'll talk more later, I promise." AJ swore to her as he walked back to her. They went into the house to greet everyone.

The rest of the afternoon was spent unpacking and getting Nick comfortable. Ciara and Brian and Kevin went grocery shopping while AJ helped Rachel prepare dinner for grilling and Howie hung out with Nick.

---

"I told you two you should have worn disguises. Now all twenty of your fans will be on our doorstep by supper." Ciara teased as she, Brian, and Kevin came into the kitchen carrying groceries. She had impulsively kissed AJ on the cheek as she made her way to the pantry. Rachel was in shock over what she had just witnessed. Ciara hadn't dated, let alone kissed another man since Rick died.

"Rachel, you okay?" Kevin asked from the other side of the counter.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine." She replied. "Hey, who wants to man the grille?" She changed the subject and put the memory of Ciara kissing AJ in the back of her head so that she could grill Ciara about it later.

"I'll do it." Brian volunteered.

"Great! I'll show you were everything is." Rachel explained as Brian followed her out onto the patio.

---

"What was that?" AJ followed Ciara into the pantry.

"What was what?" Ciara asked.

"I thought we were taking things slow?" AJ replied.

"We did, that's why the peck on the cheek and not a full kiss on the lips. You don't like?" she asked. She was feeling a bit mischievous.

"Not when I want to do this." AJ said and pulled Ciara into a passionate kiss. They stayed that way for a few minutes until Kevin had cleared his throat.

---

”Welcome to my humble abode.” Ciara said that evening when they had arrived at her country Victorian home. AJ looked around the foyer. The home was huge. Seven bedrooms, five baths, two powder rooms, a sauna room, family room, living room, dining room, huge kitchen, rec room, attic, basement, and Ciara’s den. Ciara showed AJ the house and the grounds.

While they were walking, AJ decided to ask her more about the history of the house and grounds and about Rick.

“This place is beautiful, Ciara. How long have you been here?” AJ began.

“My stepfather owned it before he and mom got married. It was a wedding present for me and Rick. Dan and Jarod made this place liveable year round for us. Rick barely knew this place.” Ciara explained.

What do you mean?” AJ asked.

“Well, right after we returned from our honeymoon, Rick was shipped out on assignment for six months overseas. When he returned six months later, we found out about my kidney problems. They put me on the list for a kidney and then everyone in the family was tested. Unbeknownst to me, Rick got tested as well. Turns out, he was my best match. Anyway, a week later, I received a healthy kidney from Rick. He was home for a month. The day he shipped out to Germany, it was the last day I saw him alive. He was killed two days later in a training exercise. The plane he was co-piloting malfunctioned. When he ejected, his head hit a piece of the plane, apparently killing him instantly.” Ciara explained. She had sat down on a bench in front of a rose bush. “We were only married for eight months. Not anywhere near enough time. It’s been nearly three years since he died. “Ciara drifted off, remembering the last time she saw Rick. He wouldn’t let her drive him to the y were both lousy at goodbyes.

“Ciara?” AJ was concerned about her.

“Yes, AJ?” she snapped out of her funk.

“Do you regret him being in the military? Do you think that maybe if he had an everyday job close to home, he’d still be here with you?” AJ wondered.

“No, I don’t think that way. I don’t think of the what ifs or could have beens. We lived life day by day. I don’t regret any of the time I had with Rick or the love we shared. I miss him and I still love him, but I’ll see him again someday.” She smiled. AJ couldn’t tell if she still mourned Rick or if she had truly moved on. AJ decided to change the subject.

“How about we raid the kitchen for dinner?” he was hungry.

“Sounds good. Then we could watch a movie or something.” Ciara added.

They made pasta and sald for dinner and then watched Independence Day on DVD… the special edition. In the middle of the movie, they had a popcorn fight.

“Uh oh.” Ciara laughed when they had stopped throwing popcorn at each other. They looked around the room.

“I think we’ve had a little too much fun here.” AJ declared. They turned off the movie and cleaned up the mess they made.

“I think I’m going to call it a night.” AJ said after a yawn escaped from his weary body.

I’ll show you to your room.” Ciara offered. She wasn’t ready to go to bed just yet. She was going to go to the dent and get some writing done.