Abby felt like she was in a dream. She’d lived the dream so many times in her head she was having a hard time believing the whole scene before her was real. She was sitting at a table for two in a quaint little restaurant across from the man who had dominated her dreams for the last year. She couldn’t have been happier.

There was one difference between the dream and the reality though. The reality was filled with awkwardness. She and Brad had been sitting in silence for the last ten minutes, occasionally catching each other’s eye when they both looked up from their food. In her dream they’d be making out already. Now she couldn’t even talk to him.

"Brad?" Abby started, but was interrupted when Brad said "Absters?" at the same time.

Abby laughed and blushed. "Go ahead," she said.

"No, you go ahead," Brad said. He smiled at her, encouraging her.

Abby nodded and asked the dreaded question. "Why is this so awkward?"

Brad shrugged. "I don’t know. Maybe it’s always this awkward when you’re moving from friends to something more."

"So we are moving to something more?" Abby asked, relief flushing through her body.

Brad blushed. "I want to, if you want to…"

"I think you know I do," Abby said. She was amazed at herself. She’d never been this bold, ever. "Maybe we should see if we can get through a date first though?"

Brad laughed. The tension shattered and was replaced by the easiness they were both used to. Brad’s smile faded after a second though.

"How’s Josh?"

Abby’s face lit up as she heard JC’s name. Brad found it slightly easier to fight down the innate jealousy because now he knew for sure that Abby was interested in him.

"Well, I haven’t talked to him since I talked to you this afternoon," Abby said with a smile.

Brad had forgotten that he’d asked already. "Oh yeah…"

"I’m going to miss his phone call tonight," Abby continued. She shrugged and got a playful smile on her face. "Oh well. He’ll be happy."

Brad raised his eyebrow, questioning that statement.

"He’s been asking when we were going to hook up since he left a month ago."

Brad couldn’t help but smile. He felt a sudden surge of love for JC.

"You know the more I hear about him, the more I like him," Brad said. He put one of his hands deliberately on top of Abby’s. "You ready to jet?"

Abby blushed lightly at the deliberate contact and nodded.

JC fiercely cut the steak in front of him. It was already in little pieces, but he kept making the pieces smaller and smaller. He was so intent on the meat that he’d completely blocked out the four guys staring at him.

A hand suddenly covered his wrist on the hand that held the knife. JC looked down at it, confused as to where it had come from.

"Josh," Joey’s voice came as if through a haze. "The cow’s already dead. There’s a reason we come to restaurants— we don’t have to slaughter ol’ Betsy ourselves."

JC looked at the four guys around him, suddenly realizing that they were there. Then he looked at the plate in front of him. It was covered with the small pieces of steak. A few peas had also been victims of his steak knife.

"Sorry," JC said. He speared one of the pieces of meat with his fork. He put it in his mouth and began chewing harshly.

The rest of the guys cringed as they heard his teeth grinding together.

"Bro, whas da matter?" Justin asked. He hadn’t seen JC this distraught in a month.

"Nothing," JC said strongly. He speared another piece of meat and put it in his mouth. "Why should anything be wrong? Why should my life being fucking splashed across the tabloids be considered wrong?"

The guys all felt their jaws drop at JC’s outburst. They’d seen him yell and swear, but they’d never seen him this angry before.

"What happened Josh?" Lance asked. His voice was guarded and sensitive.

JC dropped his fork on his plate suddenly and his head ended up in his hands.

"I don’t know," he said tersely. "I went to bed last night, talked to Abby, everything seemed peachy and when I woke up my world had gone to hell in a hand basket."

"This has something to do with the tabloids?" Joey said perceptively.

"The Comet is running some fucking story," JC said. "From what I could make out it was some love quadrangle shit that isn’t true at all, yet they supposedly have the pictures to back it up. Cassie was shitting a brick."

Justin, Joey and Chris nodded sympathetically. They’d all been subject to Cassie’s wrath more times than they could count.

"What’s the story?" Chris asked. He always liked new gossip.

"You’re all going to laugh," JC said with a wry smile on his face. "I supposedly broke up with Tammy for Abby who’s now cheating on me with Brad." He began laughing in a hurt sort of way.

None of the rest of the guys laughed.

"Wha is dat funny?" Justin asked. "It make Tammy da angel, you da sucker and Abby da bitch."

JC sobered up. "I just thought it was funny because they think Abby and I are dating. I mean really."

"Why is that so funny?" Lance asked. "And is she really dating this Brad fellow?"

JC shrugged. "She hasn’t mentioned it to me, but they’ve been getting a lot closer recently. And it’s funny because Abby and I would never date. I mean she’s been stuck on Brad for like a year and I’m, well, you all know—"

He trailed off and looked at the rest of the guys.

"So wha you gonna do?" Justin asked.

"I don’t know," JC said. "I mean we can’t really retaliate until we know the whole story and we won’t know that until the paper comes out. I’ve still got to warn Abby that this is happening. I couldn’t get in touch with her.

"She don’t know yet?" Justin asked. His eyes showed his concern. From experience he knew how hard it was to end up in the tabloids for the first time.

JC shook his head. "And I really don’t want her to. It will bring her into this world and I want her to be able to stay out of it as long as she can."

His voice had taken on a caring tone that immediately cause the rest of the guys to look at each other. His voice hadn’t sounded like that for a long time. Since the beginning of his relationship with Tammy.

Abby slipped the key into the gold doorknob and turned it, pushing the white door open as she did so. She turned on the light and looked back at Brad over her shoulder.

"What?" she asked noticing an uncomfortable look on his face.

"I can’t ever get over the amount of green in this apartment," he said as he cringed playfully.

Abby laughed and smiled. "I’d like to say that you get used to it eventually, but I don’t think you ever do."

She walked over to the answering machine and noticed that there was a message.

Brad laughed as he shut the door behind him. He walked up behind Abby.

"Let me just get this message okay?" she asked, turning to face him.

Brad nodded and sat on the couch, looking at Abby as she pushed the play button.

"Abby, this is Josh. Give me a call A-sap okay? It’s important. I’ll talk to you tonight okay? I’ll call after the show. Bye."

Abby looked at the answering machine as if it could answer her confusion over the message. Why would JC call her in the evening and say that it was important? He knew as well as she did that they talked every night.

She turned to look at Brad and walked over to the couch, sitting next to him. He had a concerned look on his face.

"Do you want to call him?" Brad asked. "It sounded like he really wanted to talk to you."

Abby shook her head. "It’s late. I’ll call him tomorrow."

Brad nodded and continued to stare at her with a serious look on his face.

"Abby?" he asked. His voice was husky and scared at the same time.

"Yes?" she answered, looking up at him and meeting his eyes.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked lowly.

Abby froze. She tried to find her voice so that she could reply. "Yes," she managed to get out.

Brad licked his lips slightly and began to lean towards her. He closed his eyes as he approached her, but Abby didn’t notice because she’d closed her eyes as well.

Abby felt herself shudder as their lips met for the first time. His lips were firm, yet soft against hers. She could feel a little bit of stubble along his upper lip as his skin moved against hers.

Brad opened his mouth slightly and slipped his tongue out of his mouth, sliding it along Abby’s lips. She opened her mouth and mentally moaned as the last part of her dream came true. The proverbial fireworks were exploding in her head and she knew that if she died at that moment her life would be complete.

Brad put a hand on her cheek and slowly slipped it behind her head pulling her even closer. Abby put her hands on his chest. They were both lost in the kiss and it was as if an earthquake shook their reality when the phone rang.

Abby and Brad jumped apart and Abby fumbled for the phone.

"Hello?" she asked breathlessly. It was late. She didn’t know who would be calling.

"Ab?" JC’s voice came through the line.

"Josh," Abby said. She noticed Brad roll his eyes. "This really isn’t a good time. Can we talk tomorrow?"

"I’m sorry Abby, but this is important," JC said.

Abby sighed. "It’d better be. I’ll call you back okay?"

"Okay," JC said.

Abby didn’t even say goodbye; she just hung up the phone.

"I’m sorry," she said turning to Brad. "Apparently he really needs to tell me something. You can stay if you want, but I don’t know how long this is going to take."

Brad nodded and slowly got up. "It’s late and we’ve got to be at work early tomorrow."

Abby nodded. "I’m really sorry."

"It’s okay," Brad said as he stepped closer to her. "I’ll see you tomorrow."

He put one of his hands on her cheek and brought his lips down to hers. They kissed gently and he pulled back, smiling as he saw the dreamy look on her face.

"I had a really good time tonight Abby."

Abby opened her eyes and walked with him to the door. "I had a wonderful time," she smiled. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Brad said, and then he began walking down the hall.

Abby shut the door and leaned against it. She smiled as she touched her lips lightly. She could still feel his lips on hers.

Her eyes drifted over the room and landed on the phone. With a sigh, she felt her smile recede slightly.

"This had better be good Chasez," she said to the empty room. She picked up the phone and dialed his cell number.

It rang once and was picked up quickly. "Abby?"

"This had better be good Chasez," Abby said again. "I will have you know that you interrupted my date with Brad."

"You really were on a date with Brad?" JC asked. "I didn’t believe it when I heard it."

Abby was even more confused than she had been previously. "How did you know I was going out on a date with Brad. I didn’t tell any of you guys cause it only got setup this afternoon."

"Are you sitting down Abby, because I really think you should before I tell you what I have to say. You really aren’t going to be happy."

"With you, or with the situation," Abby asked as she sat down. "You’re scaring me Josh."

"Well Abby, have you ever heard of The Comet?" JC said with a sigh. "'Cause if you haven’t you will have by Monday."

Brad smiled as he opened the door to his apartment. The night had gone perfectly. He didn’t even mind Josh calling at the end. It gave him a reason to leave. He wouldn’t have been able to otherwise.

He took off his jacket and hung it up in the closet. His eyes rested on the answering machine. The light was blinking. He pushed the button and went into his kitchen to get something to drink.

"Brad, my name is Henry Wilkins and I’m a reporter for the Comet. I’m writing an article about JC Chasez and I was hoping to talk with you about his romantic relationship with a friend of yours, Abby Monroe. Give me a call okay? My number is 806-5498. It’s important so give me a call anytime tonight okay? Bye."

Brad felt the plastic water glass drop from his hand and fall to the countertop. It bounced slightly and the water splashed everywhere.

He walked back into the living and replayed the message, making sure that he had heard correctly. He took down the number and stared at it. His good mood had completely disappeared.

Slowly he picked up the phone and pressed the numbers. He listened to the ring and cringed as the phone on the other end was picked up.

"Wilkins speaking."

"Hello Mr. Wilkins, this is Brad Jenkins."

"Brad!" Henry said. His voice had taken on a tone of excitement and life. "I was beginning to think you weren’t going to call me back."

"No, I just got home," Brad said. "I was rather confused by your message. I think that you’ve been misinformed."

"How so?" Henry asked with a slight tinge of fear in his voice.

"Abby and JC aren’t involved," Brad said. "She’s involved with me."

"Uh-huh," Henry said. "So they’ve never been involved?"

"Nope," Brad said. "They’re just roommates."

"That’s bull Brad and we both know it," Henry said. "Have you seen Ms. Monroe and Mr. Chasez together?"

"Yes I have," Brad said. Memories of Abby hugging JC and the smile that lit up her face whenever she mentioned him flooded Brad’s mind. "There’s nothing there."

"You wouldn’t say that if you had the pictures I’m looking at in front of you now. I know that they’re involved. I talked to JC today and he didn’t deny it."

Brad felt like he’d been punched in the gut. "They aren’t together. I told you. She’s involved with me."

"Can you deny that they never had anything going on?" Henry asked.

"No," Brad said slowly.

"And how long have you and Ms. Monroe been involved?" Henry asked.

"For a little while," Brad said.

"Uh-huh," Henry said. "Would this little while be since JC left on tour?"

Brad was silent.

"I thought so. It’s not nice to move on to other people’s girlfriends while their gone Brad."

"Fuck you asshole," Brad replied. "I didn’t fucking take her from Josh. She wanted me. She’s always wanted me."

He slammed the phone down and rested his head in his hands. His breath was ragged and shallow. His eyes and throat burned. He balled his fists up and felt his knuckles digging into his forehead.

"Fuck me," he said quietly. He didn’t want to believe that Abby and JC had been involved. That was one of his biggest fears, yet this Henry guy said he had proof. Had he just gone out on a date with an involved woman? It was the one thing he said he’d never do. "Fuck," he said again quietly.

Henry smiled as he hung up the phone. He didn’t know when he’d developed such a mean streak, but he was loving it. This was the sort of life he’d dreamed about when he’d first applied for the position on the Comet.

He only had one more call to make. He now had enough information to talk to Abby. She was the centerpiece to this whole story, yet he wanted to talk to her the least. She could confirm or deny his suppositions. It would look the best to put into print that Ms. Monroe was unavailable for comment.

Henry picked up the phone. If Brad was home that must mean that Abby was to. It was never too late to call to get information for a story. Plus, if she was sleepy she was less likely to say something that would undermine the whole four-page story he’d already written.

He dialed the number and listened to the phone ring.

Abby lay on her bed in her dark bedroom staring up at the ceiling. There were thin trails of wetness that trailed down her cheeks towards the bedspread. She heard the phone begin to ring but she ignored it. Whoever it was could wait until she managed to pull her life out of the hell that it had suddenly descended into.

She wasn’t worried about herself. She’d never done anything wrong, even though JC had explained that she would come out looking pretty bad. She wasn’t worried about JC because he was more used to all this. He would survive. She didn’t give a crap about Tammy. If the story portrayed her half as evil as she was in real life it would make all the nights she’d spent listening to JC vent worthwhile. The person she was worried about was the one she didn’t know how to bring this up with. Brad. They’d just gotten together and this was the sort of stuff that would ruin their relationship quicker than she could say ‘Wait!’

She knew she should call Brad now, but she didn’t know what to say. ‘Sorry, you’re going to all over the newsstand on Monday? So you wanna go out again tomorrow?’ She closed her eyes as the phone stopped ringing. The silence brought a sense of aloneness where her imagination could run wild. Two more tears squeezed out the corners of her eyes and down her cheeks towards the bed.

Sleep was not going to come tonight.

Henry hung up the phone. He’d tried to reach Abby. He really had. It was her fault if she didn’t answer her phone at one in the morning.

He scrolled down the document to the one spot he had left to finish. His fingers typed the words he’d been waiting to all night.

‘Ms. Monroe was unavailable for comment at the time of publication.’

Henry saved and saved again. One could never be too careful. He clicked the print icon and smiled as his printer spit out the six typed pages.

Mr. Jones would be happy because this was good. This was very good.

And it was all Henry’s.