This Crazy Little Thing Called Love

“Excuse me miss, can we see Becca now?” Cassidy stopped a nurse.
“The nurse looked at the group and down at the clipboard she was holding.
“Very well, you may….but there are too many of you, only 2 or three at a time ok?” She warned them before entering another room.

“You go Cassidy…” Howie told her.
“Nick are you coming ?” She asked, extending her hand to him.
“Yeah….” He said taking it.

They walked into the room tentatively. Becca had her head turned away from them, staring at the window, the very one that Brian had sung to her in her dream that previous night.

“Hey Bec….” Cassidy smiled warmly.
Becca turned her head slowly, still a little disorientated from the anesthesia.
“Hey Cass….Nickolas…” She croaked, a tired smile on her face.
“You look great Bec….” Nick rubbed her arm.
“Don’t lie…” She said letting out a little wheeze of a laugh.

“How do you feel?” Cassidy asked concerned.
“Like I had a heart attack…” She replied dryly….then another look come over her face.

“Is Brian here? Where’s Brian?” She asked quickly, her eyes wide.
“Umm….he just went back to the hotel to freshen up…” Nick started.
“Was he here last night??” She interrupted him.
“All night long….” Cassidy nodded solemly.
“It wasn’t a dream….” Becca said to herself, remembering the hazy details of Brian’s thoughts to her the night before.
“What? What are you talking about Becca?” Cassidy asked confused.

“Tell me what the hell is going on……I need to know…” Becca said propping herself up a bit, with trembling arms. She flopped back down again exhausted.

“Becca I think you should just rest….you don’t need to deal with anything else right now…” Nick looked nervously at Cassidy.
“Tell me…..what have I done to Brian to make him so mad at me….” Becca looked from Nick to Cassidy.
“He’s not angry at you……it’s complicated….” Cassidy said gently.
“He told me he never wanted to see me again….” Becca said, tears forming in her eyes.
“Oh Bec….” Cassidy said squeezing her hand.
“Tell me….if you guys care about me at all….please…” Becca pleaded, a single tear running down her cheek.

“Well if she didn’t do it, then who did?” AJ asked exasperatedly as they stood at the vending machine across from the hospital cafeteria.

“I don’t know! But we’re going to find out!” Kirstie said determinedly as she put in some charge.
“We? When did this become a collaborative effort?” AJ asked amused.

“Since one of your friends is in big trouble for something she didn’t do…..and since you don’t want your girlfriend sent home….” She said reaching down and retrieving her chocolate bar.

“Mmmm…..good points….alright I’m in. But how are we going to solve the mystery…..”

“Elementary my dear Watson…..the simple powers of deduction…” Kirstie said with a smirk. AJ shook his head laughing and pulled her in for a kiss.

“Why Sherlock….mixing business with pleasure?” He asked her grinning.

“Even the greatest have their weaknesses….” Kirstie said tracing a finger down his chest.

“Leighanne? Leighanne are you in here….” Brian stepped into the darkened room.
“Yeah….” A soft voice came from the next room.
Heart pounding, Brian shut the door behind him and walked quietly into the next room where Leighanne was seated on the couch, the muted television casting images across her tear stained face.

“Are you alright?” Brian asked timidly, even though the answer was obvious. So obvious in fact, that Leighanne did not even bother to answer.

“Look, I’m sorry for the way I brushed you off yesterday, it’s just been a really difficult time….” He began.
“You think you’re the only one going through a difficult time??” She asked incredulously.

“Do you have any idea what my life has been like…..being completely and hopelessly in love with you….yet it was a struggle for you to even say hello….” Leighanne said bitterly.

“You and me broke up Leighanne! I’m in another relationship now….nothing can happen!” Brian said exasperatedly.
“How can you say that! How can you say you’re in a relationship after what she did to you?!” Leighanne said raising her voice.
“Well….I’m not….I’m not positive it was her that leaked that tape.….” Brian confided.
“What are you talking about….” Leighanne froze as her heart caught in her throat.
“Oh I don’t know….but I don’t know how….” Brian let his confusion be voiced.
“Brian you’re a fool if you continue to let her play you like this! I would have thought that now the little two face was caught you could see what she was doing……but I was obviously wrong…” Leighanne spat like venom.
“Don’t talk about her like that!” Brian warned.
“Don’t keep defending her! You can’t defend what she did Brian!” Leighanne pressed.
“I didn’t come here to argue with you Leighanne…..I was just trying to show that I cared….but until you let your jealousy go…its obviously no use….” Brian sighed.
“Jealous??” Leighanne’s jaw dropped open.
“Yeah….jealous…..” Brian said a little quieter as he began to think.
“I’m not jealous! It just kills me to see you wasting your life with someone like that!” Leighanne exploded.
“Kills you to the point where you would kill her if it meant that she was away from me Leighanne?” Brian asked studying her intently, his brain whirring a thousand thoughts a second.
“What are implying Brian….what are you fucking saying!?” Leighanne’s face grew red with anger.
“Nothing……forget I said a word….” Brian waved her away and left the room still in a slight daze as a whole new light of thinking dawned on him.

“Me?? Why the hell would I do it!” Becca gasped as Nick and Cassidy filled her in on the situation about the tape….and how she was the accused.
“I know its insane Bec….but your name was on the check!” Cassidy explained.
“Oh god….Brian must be going crazy…” Becca covered her mouth shocked.
“He put his fist through a wall….if it’s any consolation…” Nick said dryly.
“Why me! Why would my name be on that stupid thing!” Becca repeated stunned.
“Someone trying to take you down…..” Cassidy said gravely.
“But who?” Nick asked the question they were all thinking.
“Your guess is as good as mine….but everyone’s a suspect…the stakes are too high…” Becca vowed.

“What’s wrong! Oh my god are you alright?” Howie said immediately concerned into the phone.
“No I’m not alright! God Howie why didn’t you warn me about any of this shit!” Holly cried into the other end of the phone.
“Calm down baby…please, just tell me, what’s happened…” Howie soothed.
“What hasn’t happened! My god they’re so awful….” Holly sobbed.
“Who! Holly, tell me…has someone hurt you??” Howie was becoming more worried by the second.
“These girls! Everyone knows Howie….I don’t know how….but people know about us….” Holly wiped her eyes with a tissue, trying to calm herself.
“Oh baby….people were going to find out eventually…..it’s something we all have to deal with….the fans love us…but…” Howie began.
“Don’t give me that bullshit Howie! You’re not the one being called a slut in public! I teach at a Junior high school for gods sake! Yesterday two girls in my form showed me an internet site….a friggin’ website Howie! www.boycottholly.com! You should see the stuff they’ve written…..its awful!” Holly let her tears flow.
Howie was silent for a moment pondering what to do or say next. His heart ached for Holly, and he could only imagine what she was going through at that moment.
“I’m going to fix this….” Howie reassured her.
“Howie! You’re not even in the same continent as me! You can’t do shit! That’s what the worst part in this is…..that these people can say all this about me as much as they want….and I can’t do a thing about it..” Holly said sadly.
“Holly baby…” Howie was close to tears himself. This was the part of fame he hated.
“Don’t you see Howie….they win….they always win…” Holly said quietly.
“No, don’t say that! We win….because we have each other…and they can’t do shit about that….” Howie urged.
“I don’t know if it’s the same for you….but last time I checked…..I was still sleeping in an empty bed…..” Holly pointed out in nearly a whisper.
“Baby….I’ll be home soon….please, don’t get like this…” Howie said desperately.
“I don’t know if I’m strong enough for this Howie….” Holly said sadly.
“Holly! Don’t say that….shhh…baby please I need you…” Howie said choking up.
“And I need you too Howie….I need you here! I need more to hold then a telephone!” Holly said emotionally.
“10 more days baby…please…..then I’ll hold you and I’ll never let go….” Howie said, a single tear running down his face.
“I have to go….” Holly said quietly on the other end.
“Holly….” Howie began.
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow….sweet dreams Howie….” Holly trailed off before hanging up.