Nick and Brian ran to Jessica, while Kevin and Howie went off to find AJ.
Nick sat on the couch and pulled Jessica into his arms, rocking her slowly. Brian sat on the other side of Jessica, stroking her hair. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I never meant for this to happen."
"I know," she whispered, shaking her head. Burying her face in Nick's chest, she let out the last of her sobs.
Howie got to AJ first and stood behind the troubled young man. "AJ," he whispered, reaching out to put his hand on AJ's shoulder. As AJ turned around, Howie felt a chill run down his spine at the look in AJ's eyes- that of a soul lost forever, perhaps never to come back.
"I told her everything, D," he murmured. "Everything... I never meant to hurt her.... never meant to...." he wrapped his arms around himself, swaying slightly.
"I know," Howie whispered.
"We understand, Kevin added softly, walking into the room. "You were honest with her, and you didn't get angry... that's what really counts. Maybe it did hurt her, but she needed to hear your side of the story, just as you needed hers. Now, both of you understand each other."
"So what?" AJ cried, throwing his hands up in the air and pacing. "What does that accomplice? Inner peace? Nope. Happiness? Hell no. So why the fuck does it matter?" He crumpled to the ground in a pitiful ball, rocking back and forth. "All I did was hurt her... All I did.... I promised myself I'd never hurt her... and I did... My God, what kind of a person am I?" he whimpered.
Howie knelt next to AJ, wrapping his arms around the soon- to- panic youth. "A great person," Howie whispered.
"Great? After what I did?" he paused before continuing,"What does it matter anymore? I've broken the one vow I made to myself. What does it matter? I may as well die, for I have nothing to live for anymore."
Howie flinced at the words coming out of his best friend's mouth. "Stop.... Stop it," Howie whimpered, feeling himself briefly pull away from AJ and sit next to him, pulling his arms around his legs.
AJ looked into Howie's fear filled eyes and immediately shut up.
"Alex, you have so much to live for... an immense talent, a bunch of brothers, a loving family, fans galore, and a best friend who cares the world for you and would die inside if you left him that way," D finished.
AJ stared at Howie, never having really realized how much Howie cared, and just how much he took their friendship for granted. "I'm sorry, D..." he murmured, hugging his friend closer to him.
Meanwhile, Jessica clung to her best friends.
"I'm sure he never meant to hurt you so much," Nick started shakily. "He just wanted you to know... to know what he went through... he.. he.." Nick took a deep breath before continuing. "All those days after you left... he waited for you... he waited two years for you before giving up.
He made himself sick worrying about you, wondering where you were... it hurt him, physically, everytime he thought of you... everytime he realized you had fallen out of love with him."
Jessica sat there staring straight ahead, tears running down her face, unnoticed. "I... I did that to him?" she murmured. Nick and Brian nodded sadly. "My God," she whispered hoarsely. "How could I have been so stupid? How could I have let something as wonderful as him slip through my fingers?" she continued. Nick held her tighter, neither he nor Brian saying a word.