"AJ! Where's Baby?" Paul demanded the next morning. AJ had just stepped out of his room to inform Paul of that very thing.

"She crashed in my room last night Paul," AJ explained.

"How is she? Did she talk to you at all? Is she honestly okay?" Paul questioned, full of brotherly concern.

"She told us about Greg and why what Jacki said affected her so much. I can't believe that Jacki would say something like to intentionally hurt her!"

"Yeah, well, Jacki is bitter. She always has been, because we chose Lilia over her at first. And I guess watching all of us thank Lilia about the video was just too much for her to take. I can understand that, you know," Paul said.

"Understanding is one thing, but condoning it? I mean, you saw Lilia, she looked terrible. She finally passed out from exhaustion, but she was so upset and hurt. I don't see how anyone who knew what that would do to her could actually do that. I hope that I don't see Jacki today," AJ said, his anger flaring.

"Don't worry about her, we'll handle her ourselves. If she thinks that she's going to get away with this, she's more delusional than we thought," Paul said, mirroring AJ's anger. "So she told you everything?"

"About how he died on his way to see her sing, yeah. Man, I wish I'd known that. But that whole thing with the kareoke makes sense now," AJ commented.

"That's all that she told you? Well, she left out some stuff. But she'll tell you eventually. She trusts you. I want to thank you for looking after her last night, man," Paul said seriously.

"Lighten up man. It was nothing," he said. Paul checked his watch, realizing that he was going to be late for their early rehearsal.

* * * *

That morning, nothing that Premiere did was right. The rehearsal was a complete disaster. Jordan, their manager, had come to see them, to check their progress, as the tour opened the next day.

"So, if you guys want to throw everything away, then that's fine by me. You'll get the bill in the mail. But if you actually want to stick around and take advantage of this opportunity you guys have, need I remind you that it's in part because of my persistence, then you better get your act together, because I don't want to see this kind of horrible performance ever again. Got it?" he said sternly. The members of Premiere listened to his speech idly. They didn't care what he was saying, he was a pompous wind bag, but he held their future over their heads, so they were polite.

"Don't worry Jordan. You can rest assured that this will never happen again," Paul assured him, taking charge of the group.

"Thank you for your reassurance Paul, but I'm not quite satisfied with that. I'd like to see you do the entire set all over again, and keep doing it until I'm satisfied," he ordered. Paul was shocked.

"Um, Jordan, that's a lot to ask. We've done it twice today already, we're excited and stressed and I think it would be beneficial if we could have the rest of the day off to prepare for tomorrow," Paul objected.

"Well, I don't. Get to work," Jordan barked. Sighing, everyone made their way back to prepare for yet another rehearsal.

* * * *

"So, where you boys taking me tonight?" Lilia asked, hanging up her cell phone. She was with Nick, Howie and Brian, in her hotel room. After finding out about her internet connection, they had stormed over in order to take advantage of it.

"What do you mean, where are we taking you?" Nick asked. He was slightly surprised at her lightened attitude today. It was almost as if last night had never happened. She seemed much happier and light-hearted today, like what she had been carrying around had been lifted off her shoulders.

Of course, pouring your heart out to two people you've known a week could do it, Nick thought. She could be trying to save face in front of us, trying to make sure that she won't 'bring everyone down' like she had said yesterday.

"Oh, my boys are busy tonight. Seems the manager came by and was upset by their performance, so they're under stage-arrest until they get it right. You guys are lucky you got the day off. And fabulous people like yourselves wouldn't want to let someone new to town who doesn't know her way around yet, well you wouldn't want to let her just hang out in her hotel room, now would you?" she asked.

"Of course not. But that don't mean that we're going to be the ones taking you out," Nick replied.

"Sure you are. What have you guys got to do tonight? Well, other than you Brian, you got a woman to keep happy. But you and Carrie are welcome to join us, but we, meaning Howie, Nick and I, are all hitting the town. Any questions?" Lilia asked.

"Can I come?" a voice from behind asked. Lilia spun around and saw AJ standing there, holding a key card in his hand. "You forgot it last night."

"Hey, the more the merrier," she replied, trying to stay positive. The truth was that she really didn't want to be in the same room with him, he made her so self-conscious and uncomfortable. With what happened in the elevator and last night's break down, things were just weird with him.

* * * *

"Want us to get anything for you, Lilia?" Howie asked. They were at a club that AJ and Howie promised would be a great place. Lilia, knowing the tricks of the trade, had managed to sneak in along side Nick.

"Water with lime, s'il vous plait!" she called. Howie hung his head in mock shame.

"Lily, he meant do you want anything to drink, as in alcoholic beverage," Nick whispered. Feeling foolish, Lilia shook her head

"I don't drink, and I'm really not used to having to get someone to buy for me, it's almost an insult. At home, I've been legal for two years. Well, a year and three months. But still, it's aggravating. Plus, I don't drink," she repeated.

"Seriously? Why not, bad experience?"

"No, I've never been drunk. The most I've ever had was half a glass of champagne at my cousin's wedding reception, so my tolerance…well, I could get smashed off cough syrup," Lilia explained.

"None for her, D!" Nick called. Lilia laughed.

"Okay, Carter. How about another go at this dancing thing?" Lilia asked, standing up. Nick jumped up and followed her.

"This dancing thing, as you so eloquently put it, is an acquired skill," he said.

"Those who acquire it have no skill?" Lilia asked, raising her eyebrows at him.

"I strike that from the record. Let's dance!"

After a handful of dances, a slow song came on. Just as Lilia was about to put her arms around Nick's shoulders in order to dance, AJ came up beside him and said something to Nick that Lilia couldn't hear because of the music. Nick looked over at Lilia uncertainly, then back at AJ. He nodded, then made his way off the dance floor. AJ took Lilia's hands and put them around his shoulders.

"Let's dance," he said. Lilia sighed.

"I was in a middle of a lesson, why did you have to interrupt it?" Lilia demanded.

"I figured it was the only way to get you to talk to me."

"What are you talking about?" she asked. When questioned, deny, deny, deny!

"Lilia, you've been avoiding me since you woke up this morning. At first, I thought it was awkwardness or something, having told us everything last night, but then I saw the way you were with Nick. Then I got suspicious. I did a quick check and found nothing in my teeth, no strange odors emanating from my direction. Then I figured, from process of elimination, that there was definitely something up, because women don't normally ignore someone as smooth as me," he answered, trying to keep the conversation light. Lilia was at a loss for words. She took a deep breath and tried to think of what to say.

* * * *

He stood at the edge of the dance floor, and watched the two of them together. AJ was talking, Lilia was answering, even though it didn't look like her answers were given very willingly. He watched them for a few moments, when he could stand it no longer, he turned around and stormed out of the building.

* * * *

"AJ…it's not-"

"-you, it's me. Heard it. Try something original."

"You overwhelm me. To the point where I don't feel comfortable in the same room as you. Is that enough of an answer for you?" she blurted out. Immediately she wanted to slap herself for just coming out and saying it, without any tact.

"Not quite what I was hoping for, but I think I can build on this."

"Build what? Trust me, there is nothing to build!" Lilia said, her voice raising slightly.

"If there's nothing to build, then why'd you kiss me in the elevator?" he asked.

"You were… -what? You kissed me!"

"Oh, but there was some definite responses coming my way. Admit it, you like me!" he teased. Lilia was getting frustrated. She stopped dancing.

"You are arrogant, conceited, annoying…Do you want me to go on? Well, anyway, what on earth makes you think that I would like anyone like you?" she demanded.

"I'm charismatic. It's all about the charisma," he answered. She bit back a scream of frustration.

"You are so annoying and pushy and all I want is for you to leave me alone!" Lilia said calmly, evenly, holding back her temper. She was clenching her knuckles, and felt her nails dig into her palms.

"Look, if it takes another hour or two in a non-moving elevator for you to admit it, I can gladly have that arranged," he said.

"Okay, so your definition of time is what…48 hours? And after I pour my heart out to you, telling you exactly why I don't want to get involved? I can't deal with you," she said simply, and turned and walked back over to their table, leaving him alone on the dance floor.

She reached the table, and gulped down the contents of the first glass she saw. And nearly gagged at the horrible taste.

"What is this stuff?" she asked hoarsely, grimacing. Howie was slightly amused at her facial expressions, as she was pantomiming pure disgust.

"Tequila," he answered lightly. She took another swig. After she recovered from her contortions, she slammed the glass down.

"Let's have another," she said.

* * * *

"Howie. Howie, Howie, Howie. What's it like to be Howie?" Lilia slurred, three rounds later.

"Not bad. What's it like to be Lilia?" he responded. He was feeling a little light headed, but was no where near as bad as Lilia.

"Right now? It's not so great, Howie. But I'll let you know when I don't see four of you," she answered.

"You see four of me? That's not so cool, Lilia. Maybe we should get you home or something. Paul's not going to like this," Howie said.

"Paul is an overbearing jackass that thinks he can control me, but doesn't have enough courage to tell Sandy that he loves her. But I love him anyway… What were we talking about again?" she asked. AJ, sensing that enough time had passed, making it safe for him to approach Lilia again. But when he reached the table, he was not expected to see Lilia slumped over the table, laughing her ass off.

"D! I leave you alone with her for twenty minutes! Twenty minutes! She's absolutely trashed! What was she drinking?" AJ demanded.

"Quetila. No, that's not right. Laqueti. Quateli? Quetila. No, I said that already. Tequila," she slurred, then giggled at herself.

"She's never drank before, and you give her hard shit? I'm not even going there…" AJ said, then sighed. "Okay, Lilia, how about we go back to the hotel now? You look tired."

"No, I'm fine here. I like this place. But the lights are…" she trailed off, staring off into space. She suddenly snapped out of her daze. "I don't want to leave yet!"

"I think it would be a good idea," AJ said.

"Just because I like you doesn't mean that you can tell me what to do, okay? I am a big girl, I can sit in a bar all by myself, without people telling me to go home, okay? D'you undershtand?" she asked, standing up. The room started spinning in front of her. "On second thought, maybe going to sleep would be a good thing."