Feeling slightly buzzed, Cairo sat down on her bed, still giggling from the effects of her gifts. She had loved the dress, and thought that it was perfect for her. Erika, the clothing 'Wild Child' had respected her self-consciousness while picking the dress, and the result was something that was both sexy and not too flashy or revealing. The practical joke supplies had been amazing, as well as more fuel for the love-hate relationship that everyone thought Nick and Cairo had. And Brian's gift had sent her into hysterics.

Flopping back onto her pillow, Cairo threw her hands back, and felt a solid object beneath them. Sitting up, Cairo noticed the small package, wrapped in white tissue paper with a pale pink ribbon holding a rose in place. Smiling with a slight blush, she happily picked it up, thinking gladly that her love hadn't listened to her wishes and had bought her something anyway. She gently undid the bow, and caressed the flower. Then she removed the soft tissue paper to reveal her gift. She had to force herself to keep from crying out in fear at what she saw.

It was a black, leather bound journal. It's likeness to the one she had found, Katherine's, was startling. Gasping slightly, she opened the cover, half-knowing what the inscription would read. She was surprised and relieved when she saw: What better thing for a writer than a place where she can write-for herself. Love you always Kay.

It was just a strange coincidence, that was all. The only reason she was really upset by the gift was that she hadn't told Nick about the journal she had found. He had no idea it existed, so how could he copy the idea? She smiled, revelling in his thoughtfulness and his ability to find her the perfect gift, despite the uselessness she found in material things.

She flipped to the next page, her fingers lingering on the thick, smooth pages. And then she did scream. Not a loud, blood chilling scream like the one she heard in her mind, but a small cry expressing a small amount of the fear building up inside her.

On the next page was a charcoal drawing. Of a rose bush that was almost an exact replica of the one found in Katherine's journal, drawn centuries ago by Andrew.

* * * *

"How?" was all she could stammer out when she reached Nick's room. She threw the journal on his bed and looked up to him, searching for an answer.

"How what?" he asked, a little confused, and more than a little disappointed by her reaction. He had been so sure that she would like his gift.

"How did you know? How did you come up with this? How did you know about it?" she demanded, shaking like a leaf.

"What are you talking about Cairo?" he demanded.

"What…Why did you give me this?" she asked, her eyes burning as she held back tears of panic.

"I thought you would like it. If you don't, you don't have to freak out on me, Cairo," he said.

"Nick! You don't understand! How the hell did you know about it? And what possessed you to give this to me?" she yelled.

"Your birthday," he answered sullenly.

"No, there's more to it. I can't…you don't understand. I need to know. Do you know about Katherine?" she asked quietly.

"Who are you talking about?" he asked, blankly.

"Katherine, Nick. I found her journal in the bookshelf downstairs, and it is…exactly like that one. So where did you find it Nick?" she demanded.

"Kay, what the hell is going on in that head of yours? What are you talking about?" he asked, frustrated, and a little afraid of her.

"What made you give me this for my birthday?" she asked slowly. He sighed.

"Meagan helped me pick it out. I couldn't think of anything, except the drawing. And then we went into town, and she dragged me into the stationary store, and that's where I found it. Happy?" he asked.

"So you don't know about Katherine? You have no idea?" she asked quietly.

"No, I have no idea what the hell you're talking about. If you don't like the gift, it's okay, I'll find something else," he said dejectedly.

"No, it's just that…I can't really explain it to you. But I can show it to you," she said, grabbing his hand and the journal, and pulling him to her room. As soon as they were in the room, she shut the door, and pushed him down on the bed. She pulled Katherine's journal out from where she had been hiding it ever since she had found it. She couldn't explain her reasoning, other than that she felt the need to keep it hidden, almost like it was her own journal.

"Look at this," she said, handing him the ancient volume of one woman's life. He flipped through the pages slowly, skimming the fancy script. He turned to the front and stared at the drawing, amazed.

"Do you see?" she asked.

"Why didn't you show this to me earlier?" he asked, clearly offended by her slight.

"I didn't think it was that important. Do you understand now why it's so…upsetting?" she asked.

"Yeah, they are so similar. But hey, a good idea is a good idea. Even if it's not all that original," he smiled, kissing her lightly.

"You don't find this eerie at all?" she asked, a little baffled.

"Not at all, Cairo. It's just your over-active, writers' imagination working against you. Plus you are tired. Do you like your gift?" he asked, meekly.

"Yeah, it's really sweet."

"Good then, no more talking about ancient journals and odd coincidences. You really are a writer, Cairo. All we have to do it shut you up in an old house, and you are all ready imagining things," he said, smiling slightly.

"But the thing is, Nick, I haven't-"

"-It is a good setting, isn't it?" he interrupted her, startling her. "Too bad we have to leave here soon. It has started to feel almost like home. I honestly feel like this is the spot where I was meant to be, my entire life. Ever get that feeling, Cairo?" he asked.

"You want to buy it?" she asked, for the thousandth time that week.

"No."

"Then consider it a gift. Brickwood is now officially yours," she decided, having had enough of the ancient place.

"Careful, I may take you up on that. Go to sleep, Cairo," he said, leaving the room. Cairo watched him leave, staring confusedly at the door.

She knew that there was something wrong, she couldn't deny it any longer. Ever since they had come to Brickwood, something had changed. It became apparent to her with the incidence of Nick's jealousy towards Brian, but now it was painfully obvious.

He called her Cairo. Ever since Lacey, her traitorous best friend who had started the nickname, had told him about it, he would always call her 'Kay', almost without exception. Everyone else called her 'Carrie' (except Meagan, who she insisted call her Cairo, simply because she didn't like her), but with Nick, it was like a sign of their closeness. No matter how hard she tried, he always used the nickname. And now, she would gladly hear him use it, for it would mean that everything was all right.

He was also a lot less affectionate. A month ago, he wouldn't have been in his own room. He had insisted on it this time, claiming that they needed their own space, which was true. Cairo had an artistic temperament, and when she was artistic, it was dangerous to come within ten feet of her. But it just seemed different this time. He seemed to be acting less like her boyfriend, and more like the way the other Boys treated her.

And the way he reacted. Normally, when she was upset, he would have stayed with her. And she really was upset. The whole 'coincidence' had her scared, and he knew it. Her gentle, caring Nick of the past would have held her and listened to her and convinced her that everything would be fine. But that hadn't happened.

Cairo sighed. There was definitely something wrong, and Cairo couldn't help but shudder at the thought of spending another four days in Brickwood. Everything bad seemed to have started when she had inherited it. She couldn't wait to get out of the old house.