"So, what do you think?" Nick asked her. They had just finished on stage, and were all gulping down water and relaxing for a few minutes.

"Not bad. Actually, you guys were totally amazing!" she said honestly.

"Thanks Kay," they all chorused.

"Ooh, unison. Almost as good as your harmonies," she teased, batting a stray strand of hair out of Nick's eyes.

"Oh my god! It's them! Look, it's them!" a shrill voice cried, drawing the Boys' attention towards the door. There were two girls grabbing each other with shock at the sight of their favorite band. They came running over to them.

"Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god!" the one girl kept stammering.

"I think they got that part," Cairo giggled, at their stupefied attempts at making conversation.

"Can we…Can you…I mean, will you…I mean, pen, paper, write…name on paper…" the taller of the two girls stammered.

"You want an autograph?" Kevin asked, trying to make sense of the poor girl's nonsense.

"Yeah! If you guys don't mind, we have CD's and stuff that would be cool if you would sign them," the other broke it, clearly exasperated at her friend's inability to remain cool.

"Hey, no problem!" they said and after signing the proffered items, they stood talking with the girls for a few minutes.

"Hey, are you…No, never mind," one of the girls said, looking in Cairo's direction. "Wait a minute, it is you! You're Cairo Williams, aren't you?"

"Yeah. You've read my stuff?" she asked, shocked. Her fan base was a much older crowd than these two young girls.

"Yeah. I mean, you Cairo Williams!! Who hasn't read your work?" the girl asked incredulously. Cairo laughed as the girl whipped out her pen and autograph book again, and looked over in amazement at the Boys', who were standing with their mouths agape. It wasn't often that someone came along and stole their glory, backstage at their own concert.

"Well, thanks for stopping by, girls!" she said, as she and the rest of the guys got ready to leave.

"That has never happened to me before," Cairo said.

"What, having people ask for your autograph?" Howie asked.

"No, having two young girls ask for my autograph while standing in the room with the 5 guys that adorn their t-shirts, pants and undoubtedly, their lockers and bedroom walls. Wow," she said, amazed. They laughed at her.

"After it happens a few times, you get used to it," Nick said.

"No you don't, stop lying. You know you don't, otherwise, why would you guys tour and perform as much as you do? Then it'd be boring and monotonous. You guys love it, admit it!" Cairo chided.

"You're right, we do. They're all so naïve when they first start out, aren't they?" Kevin commented.

"First start out? What do you mean, first start out?" Cairo said, her eyes blazing.

"Now you've done it, Kev. You're in for the lecture of your life," Nick said, recalling the lecture he himself had gotten after making a similar comment.

"See, you know how many people think that just because you're young, you're just starting out? I've been working hard for years to make the impact that I have, I'm not just starting out…" she began to say, following a stunned Kevin as he tried to escape the "lecture of his life".

* * * *

"Well, I guess this is good-bye, Kay," Nick said, his bag packed and ready by the door.

"Yeah, I guess so Nick. You have a tour to finish, and I have a novel to finish. 'Til we meet again," she said smilingly.

"Yeah, until we meet again," he echoed, hugging her tight. Pulling back, he rested his forehead against hers and gazed into her eyes. It warmed his heart to see her old fire back again; she wasn't the super-serious, self-reserved Cairo that he had returned to the last time. She was herself again, despite the shadow of despair that still dwelt in shadows under her eyes. She seemed to be constantly fighting at them, trying to disperse them with laughter, and for the first time since Brad had died, she genuinely seemed to be winning.

"Wonder what number you'll get this time?" she asked, trying desperately to break the serious moment. What are you so scared of? she asked herself. You're scared to fool yourself again, to think that you love someone, and to think that they feel the same way, her heart answered back. So, who do I listen too? My sensible head, forget the neighbor, forget guys altogether, or my foolish heart, screaming at me to kiss him? What do I do? she asked herself. Closing her eyes and sighing, she turned around and opened the door.

"I'm going to miss my flight. I'll see you later Nick," she said, and quickly turned around and walked away.

Seething in frustration, Nick watched her until she reached the elevator.

"What's up?" a voice from behind asked. Nick turned away from Cairo's retreating figure and faced his best friend.

"Not much, B," he responded, sounding as forlorn as he felt.

"Kay leave?" he asked.

"Yeah, she's gone. She couldn't wait to get away, either."

"What? She's the one that couldn't sleep because she was so excited to see you again, Nick. She told me so in her emails," Brian said, confused.

"Well, something must have changed, because she was so anxious to be rid of me, she practically ran out of here," Nick said.

"I don't know, something just doesn't seem right about that. Have you talked to her yet?" Brian asked, trying to meet Nick's eye.

"No, not yet. Not about the…you know," he replied, looking away from Brian.

"About the way you feel? You should tell her, Nick. You might be surprised by how she reacts," Brian said. It was obvious to him and to the rest of the guys, but Nick still didn't seem to think that Cairo felt the same way he did.

"She may freak out and decide to move," Nick said, turning around and slamming the hotel door shut.

Meanwhile…Cairo walked into the elevator and sighed as the doors shut. That was way to intense, she thought to herself. Why did you let him get that close?? she demanded of herself. He's a celebrity, he's famous. He meets so many influential people every single day. A guy like him wouldn't fall for the girl next door, you know that. So just get it out of your head and be glad that he is your friend, if nothing else, she chided herself.