After Nick and AJ realized they were too late, they just went home. AJ moped around for days. He cried every now and then and would spend long periods of time just staring into empty space. He barely ate and would never answer phone calls. The Boys were getting to tour again and everyone was worried about him and Nick.

Nick was just about the same. His brothers and sisters tried cheering him up but nothing seemed to work. Everywhere he went was just a reminder of all the wonderful times he and Michelle had shared, the beach, his house, even going into his room caused him to cry. He knew that sleeping with Calista was the biggest mistake of his life, it had cost him everything, it had cost him Michelle. He slept on the couch night after night. Even when he would talk all he would do is ask �Why?� He was grouchy and unpleasent. All he wanted was for Michelle to come back to him. He wanted to hold her in his arms and feel her skin against his.

~~~~~~

�Come on bone! Open up!� Brian and Kevin were banging on AJ�s front door.

�Go away!� AJ hadn�t moved from under hid makeshift bed on the couch for 2 days.

�Open it up or I�ll bang the door down!� Kevin was getting very impatient with his friend.

AJ sighed and reluctantly got up. He opened his door in a wrinkled under shirt and boxers.

�It�s about time! And what the hell are you wearing?! It�s one o� clock in the friggin� after noon!� Brian looked at him. AJ looked terrible. It was obvious that he hadn�t shaved in a while and he needed a shower.

�What do you want?�

�We are taking you out. Take a shower and get dressed!�

�I can�t.�

�Why not?�

� Because even the shower reminds me of her.� He plopped back down onto the couch and burried his head in the pillow. Kevin and Brian just exchanged a look.

�I�m almost certain I don�t want to know the answer to this, but why would the shower remind you of Calista?�

AJ started to cry a little.

Brian sighed. �Look, I�m really sorry man, but you can�t just lock yourself up in your house!�

�Watch me!� AJ grumbled from the pillow.

�Alexander James Mc Lean! Get your lazy ass into the shower this instant before I do something to you!� Brian looked at Kevin in surprise.

AJ got up slowly. �Fine! You don�t have to yell though!�

AJ trotted off to the shower and ten minutes later came out of his room. He still looked kind of bad, but it was a big improvement.

�So, where are we going?� AJ grumpily plopped into the back of Brian�s Jeep.

�First, we�re going to pick up Nick, then Howie is meeting us for lunch.�

AJ sighed. He didn�t know how he could go to Nick�s house, knowing that Calista�s house was just a few houses away.

When they got to his house, Nick looked almost as bad as AJ had earlier.

After much persuation Nick got dressed too. He sat in the back seat with AJ but neither of them looked at each other. As they left Nick�s house they passed right by Calista�s old house.

�Wait! Stop the car!�

Brian stopped and backed up in front of her house. AJ just stared at it and tears fell down his eyes. �I love you Calista, wherever you are.�

~~~~~~~

�Michelle! I can�t find that box!� Calista was searching around frantically.

�What box?�

�The medium sized one that says Callie�s bedroom.� She sounded scared as she threw everything in her way out of her way.

�I need to find it!� A tear came to her eye.

�Calm down! It�s right here.� Michelle stood in front of the box.

Calista rushed over to it, sat down and ripped it open. �Thank God!�

Michelle sat down next to her as Callie opened the box. She pulled out another box, a beautifully decorated one. Another tear rolled down her face as she opened the box slowly and looked inside.

�What is that?� Michelle peeked over to see what was in it.

Calista pulled out some of the already used candles and incense and bottle of oil.

�Just some stuff. Sometimes after a hard day at gymnastics I would light some candles and incense and just relax.�

�What about the oil?�

A smile crept upon her lips as she remembered that night when she massaged the oil onto AJ�s back.

�I�ve only used it once�.With AJ.� She started to laugh a little but then her smile faded to a frown and she began to sob. Michelle put her arms around her and tried comforting her.

�Shhh. It�s okay. You�re going to get through this.�

Calista pulled away. �How can you say that? I love more AJ more than life itself! I would do anything for him! Don�t you get it? I screwed everything up! I slept with my best friend, my boyfriend doesn�t even now about it and I left him a letter! Can you imagine how that would feel if that was you? I would die for AJ, and now I might die without him. Even on days when we didn�t see each other, we would talk on the phone for hours. Sometimes, when I couldn�t fall asleep and it was like, 2 in the morning, I would call AJ and he would come over and just hold me until I fell asleep. He was always so kind and gentle to me and look how repaid him.� She fell to the floor and put her face in her hands.

�I do understand! My boyfriend slept with one of my friends! I had to leave him with hardly any explanation. I love Nick too! I love him so much it hurts inside! You�re not the only one who had to leave the one you love behind! And don�t say you�re going to die! You can�t think like that!� She sat down next to her.

�How am I supposed to think? I want him with me right now so bad! I just want to be held in his arms. I just want to be with him! I can�t go on without him!�

Michelle wrapped her arms around her and cried into her shoulder. �I know how you feel. But you have to try and go on, we both do. You�re responsible for another human now and I promised to help you. I�m not going back on my word!�

�But I can�t live without him!� She sobbed into Michelle�s shoulder.

�We have to try. I know it�s going to be hard, but we have to.�

They were both silent. �I love you Nick. I wish none of this would have happened.� Michelle closed her eyes. She knew that it was time to move on, without Nick.