Pausing in front of the hotel door, Cairo breathed deeply. She knew how this was going to go, she could sense it, but she also knew that it had to be played out, or it would never end. Gathering her wits, she forced herself to go forward.

She stormed into the hotel room, calling Nick's name. He finally emerged into the suite's sitting room from his bedroom.

"I have nothing to say to you," he declared.

"Like hell you don't," Cairo dismissed.

"Oh, really? I catch you in bed with my best friend, and you think I'll listen to anything you have to say?"

"Nick, we were very drunk last night-"

"Like that's an excuse!"

"And we came back to the hotel and passed out. That's all that happened," Cairo said, truthfully.

"Do you expect me to believe that?" he hollered.

"I expect you to trust me! I have never given you any reason not to trust me, so why won't you believe me?" she yelled back.v

"If it were anyone but Brian, I would. But I can see the way you two are with each other, Cairo. I'm not blind, you know!"

"What? The only thing that Brian and I have in common is you. And the fact that it's Brian should make it all the more ludicrous. He would never do that to you, and neither would I, which is why it didn't happen," she tried to explain.

"You know, Cairo, I figured after everything that Brad did to you, you of all people would not cheat. I did trust you, but how can I?"

"I have never done anything to lose your trust. I have never even lied to you!" she said.

"Until now. I'm not buying your weak story. I figured a writer could come up with something more creative," he shot at her.

"You don't believe me. There is nothing I can do or say to make you believe me, is there? You decided the moment you walked in, and you are determined to stick by it, aren't you?" she asked, knowing that she was sensing the truth.

"No. Do you think I wanted to believe that? No. But I am not a fool, Cairo. I will not be played," he said.

"Where is she? Where the hell is Meagan? That is not something you would say, so where is Little Miss Manipulative?" Cairo yelled.

"Leave her out of this. This is about you and me, Cairo."

"No, don't you see? This is all part of some game that she is playing. And you are her prize, and if you let her manipulate her, then she's won," Cairo explained.

"You are wrong about her, you always have been. Unlike you, she loves me, no matter what. It's unconditional with her," he said spitefully. His words were like a slap in the face.

"Nick, if you love me then you would know that I would never do this. You would know that I could never hurt you like that," she said, pleading with him.

"I don't love you," he spat. Cairo felt herself trembling. She knew that this would be bad, but she didn't know how bad. She didn't expect that.

"What…what are you saying?" she said, with shining eyes.

"I never loved you." Cairo scrunched her eyes shut so she could avoid the hatred in his eyes. When she opened them, stray tears slipped out, spilling onto her cheeks. She took a look at him, and then nodded slightly.

"That's all there is to say, then," she said. Slowly, the door to the bedroom opened, and Meagan slipped out into the sitting room. She walked over to Nick and grabbed his hand, with an expression that plainly said, he's mine.

Cairo backed away from them, and ran out the door. And ran straight into AJ and Kevin.

"Carrie, what the hell happened between you and Nick?" AJ asked, concerned by her tears and by the shouting that he had been able to hear down the hall.

"I don't who the hell that is in that room, but it is not Nick!" she shouted, and continued running.

* * * *

Cairo packed her bags quickly, booked her flight and hailed a cab to the airport. She didn't look back. She just had to get as far away as possible. He knew, he knew just how to hurt her, and he had used it. And he meant it, she could see it in his eyes. And it had hurt more that anything ever had in her life.

She reached her home in Florida and stayed long enough to put it on the market. Ever since she had started following Nick around on tour, she had developed the ability to write anywhere, and so the house in Florida was no longer as important to her career as it once had been. She made some arrangements to rent a cottage in her favourite part of Ontario, her real home. As soon as she could, she left Florida behind.

She spent her time in relative quietness, determined not to be depressed or to even cry over what had happened. But still, it hurt. When her lawyer informed her that someone who wanted to buy Brickwood had approached him, she was surprised and pleased. And when she went to sign the papers, something inside her stopped her from putting the pen to paper.

Some voice deep inside her told her not to sell it. She then made an offer to the would-be buyer, who remained anonymous throughout the entire deal. She offered to rent to them, with few conditions. The offer was readily accepted, and the immense property was no longer her problem.

She had almost taught herself to forget, until Brian made his surprise appearance. Her peaceful sanctuary had been shattered.