At around midnight, the welcome Home party for Brian was pretty much over. Nick and Laura said their goodbyes and left. It was when they were alone in Nick's Truck that Laura decided to ask him something.

"Um... do you still want to come with me when I go to San Francisco to see my family?" She asked staring out the window.

"Sure..." Nick said.

"Well... I've got to leave tomorrow at 6 AM..." Laura explained.

The next morning Nick and Laura boarded a plane to San Francisco. The whole flight they didn't even talk to each other. They usually couldn't shut up when they were together, but ever since that evening on Nick's boat, well... things had changed between the two. Their silence was interrupted by Laura's cell phone. She reached into her bag, pulled it out, and said "Hello?"

"Hi! It's Alyssa!"

"Oh... hey!" Laura said trying to sound happy.

"What's wrong?" Alyssa asked.

"Nothing's wrong..." Laura said

"Oh... Nick still not talking to you?" Alyssa asked as if she had just read Laura's mind.

"No..." Laura replied as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Give him time!" Alyssa said. "I have some good news, though!"

"What?" Laura asked.

"Howie and Mary Jae are coming back Friday... so we're planning on having Theresa's baby shower on Sunday or Monday!" Alyssa explained.

"Great!" Laura replied.

After a couple of minutes of talking, Alyssa said goodbye, and Laura was left to spend the rest of the flight in silence. When the plane landed, they got off the plane, went through the terminal, claimed their luggage and headed outside to get a taxi. When one stopped for them, Laura gave the cabbie her address and he peeled away from the curb so fast, Laura was flung across the seat into Nick's arms.

"Sorry..." Laura apologized. Suddenly realizing how good Nick smelt.

"That's okay..." Nick helped her settle back in her seat, and then he turned back to look out the window. A few minutes later, the cabbie pulled up to Laura's house, and her and Nick got out. Laura tipped the guy, and he drove off.

"There you are!" Laura's mom ran outside to give her daughter a hug.

"Hi mom!" Laura said

"This must be Nick?" Her mom asked.

"Hi..." Nick said as she hugged him.

"My you're tall!" Laura's mom told him.

Nick just laughed as he followed her and Laura into the house.

"Well... Laura, I trust you can show Nick to the guest room? I've got to finish getting dinner ready" Laura's mom explained.

"Sure!" Laura answered as she started up the stairs to her room. When she reached the door, her face reddened. Right in the center was a poster of Nick. Nick saw it, but he didn't say anything. "Excuse me a minute..." Laura said as she opened her door and glanced in. Sure enough, her other posters of Nick and the BSB were still up on her walls. She closed the door, and said "The guest room's right next to mine..." Laura explained as she opened the door to the room next to her's. Nick stepped inside, and turned around. "Thanks!" Nick said.

Laura just nodded as he closed the door to his room. She sighed, opened the door to her own room, went inside, and closed the door behind her. She flopped down on her bed and stared up at the ceiling. She suddenly burst into tears, what was she thinking when she invited Nick here, she knew how uncomfortable it was going to be. Could it be? Did Laura have deeper feelings for Nick than she actually knew? Just then the phone on her nightstand started ringing. She picked it up and said "Hello?"

"Is Laura there?" The voice asked.

"This is she..." Laura said.

"Laura?! Hey babe what's up? This is Brad!" Brad greeted her.

"Brad? Is it really you?" Laura asked.

"Who else?" Brad asked.

Laura could just picture him, the thought made her angry..."I told you I don't want to see you again, EVER!" Laura yelled into the phone before slamming it down. The phone rang again, and Laura picked it up. "Hello?" She said cautiously.

"Is Laura there?" The voice asked.

Laura knew whoever was calling her wasn't Brad. "This is she..."

"Hi! It's Justin!" The voice said. "From high school? We dated for like two months..."

"Justin! Hi! How are you?" Laura asked.

"Pretty good... I just broke up with this girl I was seeing..." Justin said.

"Really? I'm sorry..." Laura said as she sat up.

"Yeah... so how are you? You're mom said you were flying back in for a visit from Orlando? How was that?" Justin asked.

"HOT!" Laura said.

"Really? So did you meet any guys down there?" Justin asked.

"Actually I did!" Laura said thinking about Nick next door.

"Oh..." Justin's voice trailed off.

"Well... what have you been doing?" Laura asked.

"Besides breaking up? Work, school, thinking about you..." Justin's voice trailed off after that last part.

"Me?" Laura asked.

"I wanna get back with you Laura. I wanna give our relationship another try! I love you!" Justin said.

"Oh Justin...I'm..." Laura started to say but Justin cut her off.

"Don't say anything... just meet me tonight on the pier. I just want to see you..." Justin explained, and then before Laura could say something, he hung up on her. Laura sat staring at the phone in her hand, then she hung up. What was she going to do? Justin wanted to see her, but she couldn't leave Nick alone, it wouldn't be right, he was her guest. She decided to invite him along. She opened her door, and was about to knock on Nick's door, when she heard him talking. Normally, Laura wasn't one to eavesdrop, but... she placed her ear to the door.

"I don't know why I came Frick... I feel really weird!.....I know, but after our talk on the boat.....I don't know..... I REALLY like her...but if she says I'm rushing her I don't want to........well...not exactly, but she told me she's had some bad relationships.....I REALLY like her, and I don't know how to prove to her that I would never hurt her.......Man! She probably thinks I hate her....... because, I haven't talked to her once this whole trip.....well, except for in the cab over here, he pulled out so fast, she fell in my arms....... it felt so good to sorta hold her!" Nick laughed. "What? You've gotta go? Okay.... I'll try.... later B-Rok!" Laura zipped back into her room, threw herself across her bed, grabbed a book from her nightstand, and acted like she'd been there, and hadn't heard Nick's conversation.

The door to Nick's room opened and he stepped out. He came to Laura's door, and knocked.

"Just a minute!" Laura tossed the book down, got up off her bed, and opened the door.

"Hi..." Nick said.

"Uh...hey!" Laura said stepping out into the hall.

"So..." Nick said.

"Umm...you wanna come down to the pier with me?" Laura asked. "I'm meeting a friend from high school down there!"

"A boyfriend?" Nick asked.

"Well... yes, but... we're not together anymore!" Laura explained.

"Well..." Nick looked hesitant "Alright!"

"Cool! Lemme just tell my mom!" Laura bounded down the stairs with Nick following.

"Mom! I'm taking Nick to the pier with me, alright?" Laura asked standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

"Okay!" Her mom replied.

"We're taking the car...." Laura explained as she grabbed the keys. And headed outside. Her and Nick got in the car and drove down to the pier. When they got there, they started walking. Laura noticed Justin right away. He had brown hair and blue eyes, he had enough muscle to look good, and he was tall. He waved, she waved, and Nick just asked "That him?" Laura nodded and ran over to him, Justin picked her up and swung her around. Nick slowly joined them.

"It's good to see you!" Justin said looking Laura up and down.

"Same here!" Laura replied.

Nick cleared his throat, both Laura and Justin looked at him. "Oh! Justin, this is Nick, my...." Laura drifted off. How could she explain to Justin that Nick was her boyfriend, when he wanted to get back together. She decided to tell him anyway. "Justin, Nick is my boyfriend..." Laura said looking down at the ground.

Justin looked hurt, but smiled and shook Nick's hand. Nick smiled back, and the three of them just stood on the pier.

"So... who's hungry?" Laura asked breaking the silence.

"What? Oh me..." Justin said.

Nick just nodded.

"Great! Let's get some pizza!" Laura said leading the way. They arrived at the pizza place. Justin took Laura's hand and guided her to a corner. "Why'd you bring him?"

"Who?" Laura asked.

"Don't play dumb Laura... you know who!" Justin said.

"Justin, Nick's never been to Frisco, I didn't want to leave him alone..." Laura explained. She noticed Nick glancing sadly over at the two. "Now... let me get back to him, before he thinks there's something still between us..." Before she could walk away, Justin grabbed her by the arm, and pulled her back to him.

"You know it, and I know it! You still have feelings for me!" Justin said staring Laura right in the eyes.

"Justin... you're HURTING me..." Laura said trying to fight his grasp.

"Just say it Laura!" Justin said gripping her arm tighter.

"NO! Justin I love Nick! Now let go of me!" Laura argued.

Hearing Laura's voice Nick glanced in the corner. He saw Laura struggling against Justin. Nick didn't know what came over him, but he ran over, pushed Laura out of the way, and slugged Justin right in the mouth. Blood poured out from his lip as he glared out Nick. "Whoa...your boy's got strength Laura!"

"Don't hurt him Justin!" Laura begged from the floor. She was shocked by the hardness of the floor. Her pleading didn't do any good, Justin took a swipe at Nick. His fist connected with Nick's nose. Blood came gushing out. "Come on asshole!" Justin taunted Nick. Nick's fist connected with Justin's nose, now blood was covering both of their faces. Now the whole place was in an uproar. Justin slugged Nick in the stomach, Nick grimaced in pain, but with the strength he had.... he gave Justin a black eye. Justin hit Nick in the stomach, the last blow was too much for him, and Nick collapsed on the floor.

"NICK!" Laura screamed watching him go down. She started to ease her way over there, but Justin blocked her way.

"I'm not through with you..." Justin said, grabbing her and pulling her up. He turned around, and kicked Nick in the stomach again. When he turned back to Laura, she decked him in the other eye. Then she kicked him in the crotch, and to give him a taste of his own medicine, she slugged him in the stomach. "Now, asshole, how does it feel?" Laura asked as Justin collapsed on the floor. She then ran over to the crowd around Nick and made her way through to him. When she got there, she saw Nick unconscious on the ground.

"Oh my God! Nick!" Laura kneeled down beside him, and put her head to his chest. "He's still breathing..." Laura said to herself. "Help! Please help him!" Laura said yelling at the crowd.

"Mommy! That's Nick Carter!" A little girl said.

"Someone, please... help him!" Laura was screaming at the crowd now. Then she burst into tears. What seemed like an eternity to Laura was only about 5 minutes to the world. An ambulance crew came through the crowd. They loaded Nick on, and made their way back outside. Laura got caught in the crowd, and by the time she made it outside, the ambulance had just pulled away. Laura stared after it, and then she collapsed into tears. "Oh God... what have I done?" She asked. A friendly couple who noticed the whole thing, offered to drive Laura to the hospital.