"Sooo...how was life without me for the week?" Chris asked as he pulled onto the highway Sunday afternoon after picking up Nicole up from her apartment.

She smiled, looking at him quickly before looking out the window. "It was okay."

His eyes widened and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Just okay?"

"It was fine."  Nicole replied with a shrugged, chewing on her bottom lip to keep a straight face.  She kept her eyes on the road in front of her with her hands on her lap, clasped together.

"Just fine?"

"Yep.  Most peaceful my life has been for the past coupled months."  Nicole responded with a smirk.  Her eyes took a quick glimpsed at him, his eyes narrowed into slits on his face, a brow raised as they sat at a stop light.  Turning her head she smiled brightly at him before breaking out into a fit of giggles.

"Okay okay, it was alright.  I somehow missed your crazy ass."  She admitted, blush taking over in her cheeks.

"That is what I like to hear!"  Chris proclaimed, puffing out his chest with a smile on his face.

Nicole rolled her eyes as his actions.  "Whoa there cowboy, control that ego of yours."

"Ahem, you mean space cowboy."

Nicole rolled her eyes at the reference of one of the songs on the last CD.  She shimmied down in her seat as she shoved her hands in her sweatshirt.  Even though the heat was on in his car after her protesting he had to put it on because of the cold weather outside, her body still tingled from the long embraced hug he gave her once she opened the door of her apartment.  She watched as he casually tapped his fingers against the steering wheel and bobbed his head to the music.  "Are we almost to Pizza Hut because I'm starving."

"Whine whine whine."  Chris mocked with a smile.  "That's all you women do...oof!"  He exclaimed after her hand smacked against his arm.  "Rude."  Chris rubbed the area she hit.

"Rude?"  Nicole sat up in her seat and looked at him resembling he was crazy.  "Do I have to remind you the women remark you just made?  Just because you are a pansy that a chick might bring the pizza to your house we have to go to Pizza Hut and get it..."

Chris laughed.  "Do I have to remind you what happen last time we had pizza delivered to my house?"  He interrupted her.

"But it was entertaining."  Nicole added with a laugh.  "I was getting ready for her to propose to you."

"I love my fans and all but..."  Chris paused when she started to laugh harder.  "Okay her stealing that plant pot by my front door was not that funny."  He eyed her out of the corner of his eye before letting out a groan when she laughed harder.

"Yes it was!"  Nicole sat up in her seat and took a deep breath to calm herself.  "Oh my gosh, when I was leaving and we both noticed it was gone.  Priceless!"

"You really need help."  Chris told her while he pulled into the Pizza Hut parking lot.  "Come on starving girl.  Let's get you some food so you don't pass out."

"Right, like you're not hungry."  Nicole hopped out of his car.  "I hope your plant stealer is here."

"Get in."  Chris told her while he held the door open for her.  "I hope not."  He added in a whisper.

"Wuss."  Nicole mumbled under her breath as she ducked under his arm and walked into the Pizza place.

"Watch it."  Chris pointed at her in warning.  She looked over her shoulder at him.  "I'll leave you out for them to eat you next time."

"There are four other guys who would save me."  Nicole smiled at him before leaning her hip against the counter top.  "And that isn't counting your body guards."

"Oh I'll do it without any of them there."  Chris winked at her before turning his attention to the man behind the counter.  "Hello, I have an order for pick up under the name, Mike Jones."

Raising his eyebrows, he turned his head slightly with an assumed look on his face when he heard a soft snort come from his side.  Nicole had her hand over her eyes as she shook her head slightly.

"Please excuse her."  Chris told the man behind the register.  "She hasn't taken her special pills yet, have you hunny?"  He rubbed Nicole's arm and smiled.  "Don't worry.  Once we get home we'll get them out so you can take them with food and not have to go back to the padded room."  He leaned over and gave her a big sloppy kiss on her cheek all while she stood there with her jaw half open.

"I'm going to kick your ass."  Nicole warned him under her breath once the man gave Chris his change back and went to get their pizza.  "Plant girl is the least of your worries."

"I'll be waiting dear."  Chris told her with a smirk.  "Bring it."

~

"I still hate you."  Nicole told him after plopping onto his couch when they got to his place.  She glared at him once more, like she did almost the rest of the five minute drive back to his place.  Chris chuckled, setting the pizza box on the table in front of them and their cans of sodas.

"You should have seen your face."  He told her before setting himself beside her on the couch.  "I wish I had a camera."

She rolled her eyes as she wrapped herself up with a blanket.  "Seriously," Nicole said as she picked up a piece of sausage pizza, "Plant girl is the least of your worries."

"I'm still waiting for you to kick my ass."

"When you least expect it."  She pointed her slice of pizza at him.  "Watch your back."

"I'll be waiting."

"Mhm."  She hummed as she took another bite.  She eyed him carefully as he took his sandals off besides hers and positioned his feet on the table, taking a big bite of his slice all while turning on the television.  Nicole positioned her foot up on the table in front of them and moved it so it was next his.  "Hmm..."  She hummed.  "Mine is still better."

"What?"  Chris looked away from the TV at her.

"My toes."  Nicole wiggled her toes.  "My pink is prettier than yours."

Confused, he looked toward their feet before letting out a laugh, forgetting that he was now supporting pink toes also.

"But mine looks better with my skin tone."

Nicole laughed as she shoved his shoulder and pulled her legs back underneath her as she positioned the blanket around her better.  "Sometimes you scare me."

"I'll lick your piece of pizza."

Nicole gasped, pulling herself away from him with her slice of pizza in her hand.  She looked down at her slice in her hand behind looking back up at him.  "You touch it, you die."

"Oh so scared."  Chris remarked sarcastically and rolled his eyes and took another bite of his slice of pizza.  "Can't you feel me shaking?"

"Oh knock it off.  Start the damn movie."  She told him after finishing her piece and wiping her hands off with her napkin.

"Someone is bossy today."

"Someone is grumpy today."  She mocked.

"I knew I should have picked a scary movie."  Chris teased as he pushed play.

"And scare me to death?  I think not."  She replied as she picked up another piece of pizza.  "You know you were having an Indiana Jones craving also."

"Because you kept quoting from the movies the whole time on the phone yesterday."

Nicole smiled at him before looking back at the TV once the movie, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, started.  When they agreed on having pizza and to watch a movie, he was afraid he would be sucked into watching some chick flick movie.  Yet, once again she surprised him and told him that she had been craving to watch any Indiana Jones movie and started quoting from the movies.

"Stop thinking."

Chris blinked, her voice pulling him out of his thoughts.  "Huh?"

"You're thinking to hard about something."  Nicole told him, her sparkling green eyes looking into his brown ones with her head tilted slightly.  She smiled softly and softly poked his bottom lip with her index finger.  "When you think to hard you stop chewing on your bottom lip."

His eyes trailed down to her finger that was on his bottom lip.  His eyes slowly followed up the length of her arm till they found her green eyes once more.  His eyes gazed into hers, both staring at each other as moments went by.  The movie flickered around them as they were lost into each other.  It wasn't until Chris turned his head and cleared his throat to bring to an end the gaze between them.

"Uh yeah, sorry.  Zoned out there for a second."  Chris turned his attention back to the movie on the television, ignoring the look of confusion on Nicole's face before she too went back to the movie.

He looked over at her out the corner of his eye, Busta jumping upon the couch and making himself comfortable on top of Nicole's lap.  Her hands instantly went to scratch him behind the ears while she chuckled along a witty line from the movie.  Busta quickly opened up to her, why couldn't he?

Because he likes anyone with hands.  Chris silently told himself and rolled his eyes.  His thoughts instantly left his head; becoming cloudy and disoriented when he felt her head rest against his shoulder.  He looked down at her before wrapping his arm around her shoulder.  A small smile formed on his face when he got a faint scent of her shampoo and perfume flooded his nose.  It was something about the aroma that instantly calmed him.  He couldn't get enough of it, enough of her witty comments, how she kept him on the balls of his feet - learning something new about her every day that surprised him.  They were right; never judge a book by its cover.  He reminding himself of the saying his mother told him many times in his life.

Half of him told him to take the step, starting dating again however his other half told him no and reminding him of the heartbreak Karen just put him through.  He slowly let out the breath he didn't' know he was holding and laid his head on top of hers.

He didn't know what to do anymore.

It's just like him
To wander off in the evergreen park
Slowly searching
For any sign of the ones he used to love
He says he's got nothing left to live for
And this time I think you'll know

You're not alone
There's more to this I know
You can make it out
You will live to tell

~~~

Chris shifted on the wooden stool he was sitting on as he listened carefully to the music flowing from the headphones over his ears.  It was another day in the studio as he sat in the sound room, the rest of the guys on the other side of the glass playing an intense game of Bullshit.  It was his turn to lay down his voice for the track The Game Is Over.  He sat up straight and took a deep a deep breath when he heard the music cords that came just before the chorus.

"You played yourself but did you, did you think that you could really find love from someone else.  You're making moves, you're gonna lose, you know, you played yourself.  And now you're thinkin', thinkin' you can get one by me but you'll never win, but you'll never win.  Try again, 'cause the game is over."

"Nice man."  Rich told him over the mic.  Chris opened his eyes to see Justin standing up and hovering over Rich to talk also.

"Yeah man.  Not bad for an old man."  Justin remarked with a teasing smile.

Chris pointed a finger at Justin before moving his thumb across his neck, hinting that he will kill him once he got out of the room.  "I'd watch myself baby J.  Your momma isn't here to save your ass once I get out."

"I'd be out of here before you and your cane make it through the door."  Justin teased back after putting his hands down to his sides.  "Do you need me to call the nursing home and let them know it's time for them to come get you?"

"That's it."  Chris took off the headphones and sat them on the stool he was once sitting on before he bolted out the door.  Justin let out a scream before he was tried to get away, losing once Chris got a hold of him and tossed him to the floor.  Lance quickly jumped up from the floor and to the couch before he got rolled over by the two wrestling on the floor.

"Go for the jugular!"  Joey chanted after placing his stack of cards on the table.  "Come on go go go!"

"Don't encourage them."  JC groaned.  He picked up his legs when Justin and Chris rolled over toward him.  Lance, JC and Joey winced when they saw them roll into the wall, profane words escaping from both mouths while they continued to wrestle along the floor.  Joey leaned over, his eyes gazing back and forth from Justin's card pile and him on the floor with Chris.  Slowly he leaned over and picked up Justin's cards.  He smiled, showing Lance and JC Justin's stack of cards before quickly putting them back down before Justin could catch him.

"Ow!  Fucker, you bit me!"

"You bit me first!  You're going to give me rabies!"

"Oh my god."  Lance moaned.  "Call Mike before they cause each other to bleed again."

"I'm good!"  Justin quickly jumped up with his hands in the air.  "No need to call Mike!"

"You are far from good, JuJu."  Chris muttered under his breath.  He pushed himself up from the floor and fixed his clothes.  Chris looked down at the table when he heard his phone vibrating against the wood.  Flipping it open he chuckled when he read the text he received.

Kill Me.

"Who is it?"  Justin asked Chris while he tried to look over his shoulder.

"Who are you, my mom?"  Chris jerked his body around so Justin couldn't see the screen.  He leaned his back against the wall and texted Nicole back.  He couldn't help but smirk about her over dramatics among wedding dress shopping with Kara.  She begged him all night on the phone to help her try to get out of it because Kara was picky about her dresses.  She told Chris over the phone that she contemplation about hanging herself last time they went dress shopping.

Than who will be Busta's girlfriend?  He would be so heartbroken.

"I bet its Nicole."

Chris's heard jerked up when he heard Joey's voice.  "How..?"

"You're face lights up like a damn Christmas tree when anything that has to do with her is brought up."

"Whatever man."  Chris muttered under his breath.  His cell vibrated in his hands and he clicked the new message box.

There are a couple females dog's in your neighborhood.  He'll find a replacement in a snap.  Kill. Me.

Chris jerked his hand away when Justin reached for his cell.  Quickly he lifted his leg up and pushed his foot against Justin's stomach to fight him off while he typed a response back to Nicole.

You just bought a whole container of Ice Cream.  You don't want to waste that now do you?

Chris laughed softly to himself.  He quickly looked up when he saw a quick movement out of the corner of his eye.  Swiftly, Chris jumped and ducked around Justin, trying to get out of Joey's arms length and slipped into the sound booth.  Smiling brightly that he won, he wiggled his cell phone in the air while sticking his tongue out.  He flipped his cell opened and signaled to the guys that she texted him back, holding his other hand underneath as if he was one of the girls on the show, The Price Is Right, before looking at what she said.

The things I do for Ice Cream.

Chris let out a laugh.  And anyways, Chris quickly texted while walking over to the stool, no other dogs will have your legs.

Chris shoved his cell in his pocket before looking up and seeing each other guys staring at him, singling death threats.  Innocently Chris waved at them before slipping the headphones over his head and giving Rich a thumbs up.

~~~

And anyways, no other dogs will have your legs.

Nicole snorted, fighting back the laugher, after reading the new text message she received from Chris.

"I don't see this dress being funny at all."

Nicole looked up at Kara, who was standing in a silky white wedding dress with her hands on her hips with an eye brow raised.

"Sorry."  Nicole dropped her cell in her purse.  "Ehh," Nicole bobbed her head back and forth while her eyes looked over her dress, "I'm not feeling it."

"That is what I just said before you started giggling over there.  Stop texting Chris and pay attention."

Nicole's eyes shot open and looked at Kara amazed.  "How did you...?"

Kara tapped the side of her head with her index finger and winked.  "I know you to well.  I'm going to try on another dress."

Nicole groaned, dropping her head on Sarah's' shoulder, Kara's mother, who was sitting next to her.  "What did we ever do to deserve this torture?"

Sara laughed and patted Nicole's arm.  Instantly Nicole wrapped both of her arms around Sarah's arm, closing her eyes and let out a sigh.  Sarah had always been another mother to her since she was little.  After her mother died, she would go to Sarah for motherly advice.  Just like her mother, Sarah would sit and listen to the whole story before putting her two cents in.  Sarah had always treated Nicole as if she was one of her own, another daughter.  Nicole always joked that she was Sarah's favorite daughter over Kara.

Nicole opened her eyes when she heard Kara shuffling into the room once again with the wedding store consultant behind her.

"I dunno why you keep going to the super white color ones; we all know you are far from innocent."  Nicole teased.

"Watch it."  Kara warned with a smirk.  She pointed a warning finger at Nicole through the mirror.  "My mother is here."

"Oh please," Nicole rolled her eyes and sat up in her seat, "Like she doesn't know?  Hello you two live together.  I find it very hard to believe that your mother thinks that you two sleep in separate beds."

"Kara sweetie, you have been far from innocent the day you were born."  Sarah pointed out with a chuckle.  "I still say the light cream color dresses look best with your skin."

"Thank you!"  Nicole exclaimed and tossed her hands in the air.  "How many times have I said that?  Nice to know that your mother is listening to me and not you, but," Nicole shrugged, "When do you ever listen to me?"

"After we are done here, I'm taking your ass down."  Kara threatened as she started walking out of the room.

"If I'm not dead by you torturing me like this!"

"That was my plan!"  Kara shouted out from behind the door.

"I expect a really good Maid of Honor gift!"  Nicole yelled back.

"You two are something else."  Sara remarked with a shake of her head.  "So, tell me more about this Chris guy."

"It's nothing."  Nicole examined her nails.  "We're...dating I guess?  It's only been two dates."

"Kara has told me that you two are quite cozy with each other."

Nicole stopped picking at her nails and looked at Sarah in question.  "You're daughter has the biggest mouth in the world."

Sarah chuckled.  "Tell me about it.  Well you know that boy needs to have mine and Henry's approval before anything."  Sara brought her hand up to her mouth and let out a soft gasp.  "Oh Kara!"

Nicole casually looked up and sat up in his chair slightly.  "Kara," Nicole whispered, "You look beautiful.  That's the dress!"  She sat back in awe as she watched her best friend stand before her in an off the shoulder soft cream color dress.  Out of all the dresses Kara tried on, she could see her walking down the aisle in this dress, leaving Taylor speechless.  It was the one.

Nicole smiled as she watched Sarah embrace her daughter, both of them in tears and it wasn't until than that she realized something.  She would never know how this moment would ever feel in her life.  She would never get to go wedding dress shopping with her own mother.  Nicole would never get to feel this moment ever.  She had always heard that this moment was always the most important and special part of the whole planning, and she would never get to experience it.

Slightly jealous and sad, Nicole quickly wiped the escaping tear and stood up to walk over to Kara.  At that moment she was silently thankfully that everyone else in the room was with tears so she would blend in and no one would notice the pain that was in her heart at the moment.

"I'm getting married!"  Kara squealed softly before wrapping her arms around her best friend.

"Scary thought, I know."  Nicole sniffed while she held her friend tighter.  "I'm so happy for you.  You're so lucky."