“Why couldn’t you just let him leave?” Kim asked.

            “Because we need him, he is an important part of the group.” Katy answered, even though they had been over this a few times already.  Katy didn’t understand what the big deal was and why Kim was so upset, it’s not like the photos where that bad.  They were very mild compared to what they could have been.

            “We could have just gotten one of the Backstreet Boys; they are all cuter than JC.” Kim explained.

              “No we agreed to get ‘N Sync.” Mandy explained coming into their conversation.

             “This just isn’t fair; I mean it’s apparent by the way Justin coddled you the other day that the two of you are very close.  Joey and Mandy flirt with each other all the time.  Brandi and Chris have spent some time alone together.  I have no one.” Kim explained.

            “Lance is pretty hot.” Katy chimed in, not denying the Justin comment.

            “Lance is gay, you idiot.” Mandy snapped.  Katy just smiled, she kind of though Lance’s gayness needed to be put to the test.  He was just too cute to like boys.  “And there is nothing going on between Joey and me.  He’s married remember.  We are just both very flirtatious and yeah that is probably wrong but he is just so cute, I can’t help myself when I am around him.” Mandy added.  She had been feeling a little guilty about her feelings toward Joey.  His wife had to be worried sick about him by now.

            “You know it’s not that I don’t want to continue this talk, but my Katana is missing and I know one of you hid it from me, so now I am on a mission to find it and when I do there will be hell to pay.” Katy said getting up, she had noticed the missing weapon when Kim had been chasing her and she attempted to arm herself but it wasn’t where she had left it.

            “It’s probably in the same place as the crossbow.” Kim sighed.  Mandy looked at her confused, this was the first she had heard of a second weapon.  “Oh you didn’t know?  Yeah apparently we have a crossbow.” Kim explained.  Mandy just shook her head, it wasn’t worth getting into.

            “Oh yeah, that’s right you guys borrowed that.  Yeah I am going to need that back as well.  I love that thing.  It’s just so cool.” Katy beamed, but sadly that was now something else she had to search for.  Kim just smiled, she was pretty sure that Brandi had made both disappear, but she wasn’t about to tell Katy that part.  Katy left the two of them alone and headed up stairs.

              Mandy waited for Katy to disappear before turning back to Kim.  She could tell Kim was still trying to sort things out, and she didn’t like seeing her friend this way.  Mandy had talked to Brandi, and she knew about Kim’s true feelings for JC.  It was the way she looked at him when he wasn’t paying attention but what she couldn’t figure out was why Kim was being so difficult.

            “Are you Okay?  I mean really okay?” Mandy asked.  Kim looked up at her trying to act confused about what she might be implying.

              “Yeah, JC just get’s on my nerves.  He is just so perfect and it really bugs me.” Kim said softly.

              “Does it bug you because you like him?” Mandy asked.  Kim just took a deep breath.  “Why are you fighting this?” Mandy asked.  She carefully slid something in front of Kim.  Kim’s eyes watered a little as she looked at it, it was one of the photos that Katy had taken, damn her, she had printed some of them out.  Kim cursed Katy in her head; she thought she had gotten rid of them.  They did look cute together, so innocent.

            Kim started to cry softly to herself and Mandy hung her head, this hadn’t been her intention.  She came around and patted Kim on the back, trying to console her.  They spent a few minutes that way, neither of them saying anything to the other.  Kim wiped her tears away and ran her wet fingers across the photo, thank goodness it was dry or she would have smeared it.

            “What is wrong Kim?” Mandy asked, choking on her words a little.  She thought back to the past conversations that they had together.  The danger that they were all in, was apparent, and she needed to know what was on Kim’s mind.

            “I am just not as strong as you guys are, I can’t do this.  I can’t fall in love and then just walk away.” Kim said.  Her insides were churning just thinking about it.

            “That doesn’t make us stronger than you, if anything it just makes us stupid.” Mandy joked trying to lighten the mood.  Kim did crack a smile.  “And who knows what will happen once this is all over.  I am not saying that you have to fall in love with JC, just trying being nice to him.”

            “But nice could lead to other things; I would rather have him hate me.  It makes what we are doing here a whole hell of a lot easier.” Kim explained.

              “As Katy would say, easy is over rated.” Mandy replied.  Mandy headed back into the kitchen to see about fixing the guys some lunch.  She didn’t want to press Kim to much about it otherwise Kim would just shut down.  There was mild chatter coming over the radio but Brandi was down there, so it didn’t alarm Mandy.

            “Man, I have never seen you this bent out of shape over a chick.” Joey stated looking over at JC, who had his face buried in his hands.

            “I am not bent out of shape over a girl, she just sets me off that is all, and this whole situation has just sets me off.” JC explained.  He questioned in his mind if what he had just said was the truth or not but it had sounded good.  “Like you should talk, you’re married and you are hitting on another woman.”

            “Yeah well you try being married to me.  It’s not easy you know.  Kelly puts up with a lot of crap; I don’t even know how she does it.  I am shocked everyday when I wake up to find that she is still there.” Joey explained, trying to not get emotional while thinking about his girls.  He didn’t realize until just now how much he really missed them.  But Kelly was good to him, all the late nights out with the guys, surrounded by beautiful women, coming home drunk.  Yup she was pretty awesome.  “Just fess up, Kim pushes all your buttons and you let her because you think she is attractive.” Joey said, just to change the subject.

            JC leaned back in his chair and glared at Joey, they had been friend fat too long and Joey knew him too well.  But it still didn’t hide the fact that they were all being held there against their will.

            Brandi was in the sound booth with Lance and Chris, she assumed that the others weren’t getting into too much trouble but she couldn’t be sure.  Her eyes were fixed on Chris as he working on the laptop.

            “You know the staring is kind of creeping him out.” Chris said, not diverting his eyes from the screen.  Brandi smiled, she liked it that he knew that she was staring at him.

            “I can’t help it, you are just so cute.  I love watching you work, you do this so effortlessly.”  Brandi explained, causing Chris to blush a little.  It wasn’t that this was easy by any means; he was just used to do it with his new band.  It would be easier though if they had the music for it, but Mandy was pretty sure that she would have something for them to work with tomorrow.

            “Well I hate to disappoint you but I think it’s about my turn to take a shower.  So you are going to have to sit there and stare at someone else in a little bit.” Chris explained.  Brandi pouted though the thought of him in the shower was kind of a turn on.  Chris laughed a little under his breath, teasing this girl was just too easy.