"How much has she had to drink?" a cautious AJ asked, watching Cairo as she danced crazily on the dance floor, surrounded by three strange guys.

"As far as I can tell, only about half a shot. She is way over her limit, though. And Brian! Have you ever seen B like this?" Howie asked, watching in amazement as he staggered over to the table.

"Nope. But I guess that he just got into it to make her bingeing a little less because she's pissed, and more social," AJ suggested.

"I think we'd better get them back to the hotel for safe keeping," Howie suggested.

"Nick and Stacey are going to kill us. They send Brian after Carrie to make sure she's okay, and then they send us after Brian to make sure Carrie didn't kill him by accident. And why is Meagan here?" AJ hissed, knowing how Cairo felt towards her.

"This is like an episode of the Twilight Zone. B and Carrie drunk with the girl Carrie seems to hate the most right now. Well, let's get them home," Howie said, as he took the hard task of getting Cairo off the dance floor.

She was trashed. He couldn't figure it, because she really hadn't had much to drink at all. Even though her tolerance was so low, the amount she had consumed would not do that much to her. But then again, he hadn't been there the entire time.

"Carrie, it's time to go now. Say goodbye," he said, putting her arm over his shoulder to help her walk home. AJ grabbed Brian, and they made their way out of the club that they had been lucky enough to find them in. Fortunately, it was the club beside the hotel, so their walk wasn't that far.

When they entered the lobby, Meagan, who was perfectly sober, went her own way, leaving the two men to struggle with the drunks. The elevator door opened, and out came two girlfriends, who were looking a little miffed.

"You boys promised you'd spend time with us, and here you are, with Carrie and Brian," Erika said.

"You sent us after them!" AJ protested.

"Howie, you promised we'd see some sights tonight. Let the two drunks pass out, we have places to go," Angela said sweetly. The two Boys looked at each other, and knew that they were not going to win this. They shoved Cairo and Brian into the elevator, figuring they'd be able to find their hotel rooms without any trouble.

* * * *

"Meagan, I keep telling you this. I trust Cairo. I love Cairo. No matter what you say to me, this will never change, so stop trying, okay?" Nick said, finally telling her that he was not interested in her. She had been increasing the degree of her hopeless flirtations with him, and he finally had to tell her.

"Then why is it that I'm here with you, and she's off with someone else?" Meagan asked coyly.

"I realised something. I could have lost Cairo when she had her accident. I could have lost the greatest thing in my life. I never want to feel like that again. I don't want to take any more chances with her. And when I said that I don't have a girlfriend, it was true. At least, I hope so. Because I don't want her to just be my girlfriend anymore," he said. Meagan's eyes nearly bulged out of her head as he pulled a blue velvet box out of his pocket.

"You have to be kidding me. Do you know where she is right now?" Meagan screamed.

"Do you think she'll like it?" he asked, ignoring her comments, as all his attention was focused on the box in his hand. Inside, a delicate, modest diamond ring twinkled in the light. It was small and simple, the way he knew that she would want it.

"Nick, what about your career? What about your fans?" Meagan screamed again, desperate to make him see reason.

"I need her to be mine. I can't risk losing her to someone else," he said, still entranced by the ring.

"When are you going to ask her?" Meagan asked weakly.

"As soon as I can find her. Do you know where she is?" he asked.

"I can show you. Let me show you what it is that you want to be with for the rest of your life," she said bitterly. She led him out the door of his hotel room, and down the hall. He was expecting her to lead him to Cairo's room (she had insisted on having her privacy to write this time), but she kept walking, a few doors past. She suddenly stopped in front of where Brian was staying and motioned towards the door. Frowning, Nick grabbed the key that Brian had given him earlier that night so he could pick up some papers that he was supposed to look over, and opened the door.

The inside of the room was dark, but he could see two shapes huddled under the blankets on the bed.

He was standing a few feet in front of them. And still, he could not believe what his eyes were telling him. He could hear their whispered words of love, and each one stabbed him in the heart each time. Helpless to the torturous sight, he turned away, feeling bile rise in his throat.

"Katherine?" he whispered softly. At the sound of his voice, one of the shapes stirred. Waking slowly, Cairo realised that her head was being cracked in two.

"Oh my god, my head is broken," she moaned. She looked around her, and then stared confused at the person next to her.

"Brian, what the hell are you doing in my room?" she asked.

"I am sorry that I had to show you that, love, but I could not let you return thinking that her heart was still yours. You would not believe that how I cared for you, but I have proven it to you this day. She would have made a fool of you, and I kept you from that fate. Andrew, I love you," she was whispering.

"What is going on here?" Meagan demanded. Looking up in horror, Cairo noticed that she wasn't alone in the room.

"Nick? What's going on?" she asked.

"I can't…I can't believe this…Kath-" he broke off, unable to speak. Suddenly Cairo realised what he must be thinking.

"Nick, wait, let me-" she tried to say, standing up until her hangover proved to be too much for her.

In a rush of grief, he turned and fled the painful scene. Weary, his footsteps were clumsy and his breath burned his lungs, and soon he collapsed. His face was pressed into the damp grass and he could smell the dirt. He heard footsteps behind him, and felt her arms around him as he pulled himself up with her help.

When Cairo was finally able to stand, she turned to the door. But she was too late. He was gone, with Meagan trailing after him.