Big Time Scandal: Chapter Four

February 17th, 2012
10:52 PM

Horror overtook me as two large men in black t-shirts came out of nowhere and roughly grabbed Stella and I. We both shouted in dismay as they started leading us back toward the door we had come from.

"Hey! I won the meet-and-greet passes!"

The security guys both hesitated as they looked down at our badges then over at the woman in the power suit. She narrowed her eyes at us as she walked over, her high heeled shoes managing to still make noise over the din of the men breaking down the stage.

"Let me see those," she said.

I ripped my arm out of the man's grip and thrust the badge around my neck into her face. She stared down at it. I was sure if looks could kill the badge would have burst into flames and me along with it.

"Aren't you two a little bit old to have these?"

Stella scoffed. "You've got no right to be calling anyone old, honey." I glared back at her. It was a well deserved comment, but it seemed like this bitch was the only one standing between us and the band, and the last thing I wanted to do was get us thrown out.

"Denice!"

The older woman looked back quickly at who had shouted what I assumed was her name. I, too, glanced over to see who it was. My heart stopped momentarily and excitement course through my veins and replaced the dismay.

"Logan? What are you doing back here?" Denice, ignoring Stella and I completely, click-clacked her way over to him. "Why aren't you with the rest of the band on the way to your rooms.

He didn't answer her immediately, just looked over at us. I could almost swear there was recognition in his eyes when he looked at me. His mouth was pressed into a grim and serious line.

"I sincerely hope," he said, turning back to her. "That you were not about to throw them out when they clearly have meet-and-greet passes."

Denice shook her head and laughed. "Of coooooouuurse not, Logan. I had no idea they had the passes until just as you walked up!"

It was my turn to scoff that time. Logan looked over at me, a look of amusement in his eyes at my reaction. Denice looked as well, murder in her eyes.

"Boys," he said, gesturing to the security guards. "You can go. I've got it from here."

Stella was finally unhanded as the guys both stalked off, disappearing around a corner. She glared after them, and when they disappeared, glared over at Denice. She had the good graces to at least remain silent though.

"Well the passes entitle them to a half an hour here backstage so I'll call the rest-"

Denice stooped midsentence because Logan held up his hand. "Im well aware what the passes entitle, Denice. As I said to the boys, I've got it from here."

She stood there mouth slightly ajar. It was obvious she was a woman who was not used to being interrupted.

"That was your cue to leave," he said after a moment, an angry look on his face.

Her mouth fell open more, but after a moment, she click-clacked away, clipboard still in hand. Logan glowered after her until she had disappeared around the same corner as the security men.

With her gone, he looked back over at Stella and I. The anger, though still there, had been buried beneath a glimmering mask of happiness. "Its a pleasure to meet you two," he said, walking over to us.

I held out a hand to shake his, but he only grabbed it and pulled me into a hug. I fell forward into him, nearly making both of us fall.

"Shit!" I righted myself quickly and blushed a deep maroon. "I am so sorry. I just didn't-"

"No," he said, waving off my apology. "It was totally my fault." He smiled, that incredibly adorable dimple of his peeking out. I blushed again.

"Im Stella," said my sister, breaking my starstruck silence. She moved forward and pulled him into a hug. Logan laughed and returned the hug wholeheartedly.

"Well it certainly is a pleasure, Stella." He looked back at me, though still talking to her when he said, "And your......boyfriend?"

I sputtered. "Brother." It came out of our mouths simultaneously. "James," I said, my face warm. "Its great to meet you, Logan."

He smiled again. "The feeling is mutual, James." There was a moment of silence where I simply stared at him, my heart pounding a million miles a second. Stella cleared her throat. "So.....about the rest of the band?"

Logan blinked a couple of times and looked over at her. "Right. You guys follow me. Its a bit of a walk, so just keep that in mind."

And with that he walked off, weaving his way around objects and people. Stella and I looked at each other in confusion before quickly following after. Where was he taking us?

Sweet Oblivion

I needed someplace to go. The world had gotten far too overwhelming and my nerves were shot. A person could only deal with so much before they got to  their breaking point, and I had passed that roadblock miles back.

Somehow I found myself in front of his house. My feet just carried me for hours once I left the apartment. They would have hurt had they not been as numb as my hands. A jacket had been one of the last things on my mind when I got dressed and left.

I couldn't deal with hearing him happy. That grating laughter, the smile on his face as he stared lovingly into the eyes of his new love interest. It was sickening how happy he was.

He didn't deserve happiness. I may be a bitch for feeling that way, but he was an asshole and a whore, and those that treat others like shit don't deserve to be happy in my book.

I couldn't feel my feet, but I assumed they were moving forward as the front door seemed to be moving closer and closer. What time was it? How long had I walked just to wind up here? Why had I come here?

This is the closest I had been to the man that tore my heart to pieces in eight months. After two years he had broken up with me, stating that I relied on him too much. Pardon me for losing a father and winding up homeless all a week after my birthday.

Single, homeless, fatherless; all shortly following a day that was supposed to be spent bathed in a happy glow. Mine was spent cooking my own dinner, planning my own party, then having only two people show up.

I felt my hand raise up and make a fist. Was I going to knock? There were no lights on in the house. His parents were probably asleep. He was probably asleep.

"I still love you." It had been my voice, but I don't remember forming the thought that had led to it being spoken. I knew by the pain in my chest though that it was true. He had been my first real love, the first man to truly show me what it meant to be happy, to invest his time in me, to show me that he cared.

Now, broke, in debt, heaet-broken and utterly lost, I stood on his porch after not having seen or spoken to him in eight months. "Im crazy," I laughed softly to myself. A sob broke through the laugh and I bit down on my cheek, relishing in the pain. It was an anchor that kept me from floating down the river of red.

Of course, it was also an anchor that set me assail on that sweet red river to oblivion once upon a time. The numbness faded in my hands a bit. Just enough to hurt. Just enough to make things real again, to snap me out of whatever had led me there. Just enough to make me realize it was time to book another ticket down that red river. It was easy enough to find, easy enough to let flow to the end.

Did he deserve that? Did he start everything? No. But he was certainly the one thing that could have made it better, bearable. I guess that makes him as guilty as anyone.

I pulled out my keys and stared down at them, shining in the dull street lights. My friends, if you could call them that, would know why I chose that spot. Im sure some of them would be sad. Most would spare a thought then move on with their lives. Not like it mattered to me. I wouldn't be around to get angry or sad.

The key somehow managed to feel cold against my skin despite how icy I was. There was a brief flash of heat, followed by a moment of sweet surrender as the red river flowed.

The warmth was replaced by biting cold when the river met the air. The ice crawled into my arm, up into my shoulder. Before long I couldn't feel anything.

When I had wound up on the ground, I didn't know. Did it matter? I supposed not. Perhaps it had been an eternity ago. How long did the ship have left to sail? Maybe an eternity more.

As I laid there on the pavement, A sense of peace overcame me. It was the first peace I had felt in long time, and instead of the sadness I figured would have continued to grip me, I was overcome with happiness. There would be no more pain. No more life to contend with. Just sweet oblivion.

Dreams Cut Short: Chapter Two

The earth shook as the massive Fearow hit the ground. The crowd roared and covered their ears as Lightning joined them with a screech. The Champion recalled his fainted Fearow with a grimace. He stared up at the crackling bird in the sky with a burning intensity.

The crowd cheered Lightning as he flew laps around the stadium, letting off bursts of electricity that once again had the hair on Jaden's body rising on end. He didn't notice though. He attention was focused solely on the Champion some hundred yards away from him. The older gentleman broke his gaze away from Lightning and smiled over at the trainer.

"You think you're special with your legendary lightning bird, do you?"

Jaden raised his eyebrow as the crowd grew silent. "Not at all," he shouted. "Im not special at all. However, my six friends here are far more than special. They are an unbeatable force that will rip your team apart."

The crowd went wild. Jaden had a way with words that could make anyone do just about anything. He glanced up at Lightning flying around in the sky, almost free as he used to be.

The arena faded and suddenly Jaden found himself running as fast as he could, Shadow speeding along right behind him. The shouts of Team Rocket seemed to be getting closer and closer to him. He could hear an Arbok slithering through the grass behind him.

"Shadow," he shouted behind him. "Hypnosis!"

He heard the Arbok's cry as it lunged from the grass, either at Shadow or at himself. All he heard was the sound of the large serpent hitting the ground hard.

Above him, Zapdos screeched and shot a bolt of lightning at Team Rocket. He heard their cries as they went down.

Jaden finally stopped, his lungs and legs burning from the long run. He doubled over in pain and clenched the stitch in his side. Shadow floated beside him, gently rubbing his back in comfort.

Jaden felt a powerful gust of wind hit him and the area around them a moment before Zapdos landed directly in front of them. The hair on the trainer's body stood on end as static electricity charged the air.

He looked up at the giant legend before him and found himself unable to speak. Awe had overtaken him, the bird's fierce beauty more than he could handle.

He finally found himself able to utter a sentence. "Get out of here," he said quietly. The bird leaned in closer, as if inspecting the small trainer. "Hurry, before more of them show up."

Zapdos just stared at him intensely. A whistling in the air drew both of their attentions away and toward the abandoned electric plant. A small slender rod whizzed toward them, shining red in the last rays of a dying sun.

The rod exploded out as it got near, a giant net appearing out of the smoke, ensnaring Zapdos. The bird screeched angrily as it tried to free itself to no avail. It was trapped.

Jaden burst into action immediately. "Shadow," he yelled. "Keep those bastards busy. Do whatever you can to give me time."

Shadow nodded and flew off toward the group of oncoming Team Rocket members. They were hell bent on capturing Zapdos for themselves. Jaden just wanted to see the legend free and able to go where it pleased. He ran over to where Zapdos thrashed, trying to release itself from the net.

As Jaden got closer, he saw that it was no normal net. It looked like some kind of metal alloy that seemed to be absorbing the bird's electricity. He would have found it ingenious had it not been.put to such a horrible use.

"Zapdos," he shouted. "Stop thrashing. Im going to try and get you out."

If the bird heard, it made no effort to listen. It continued to thrash, and as it did, moved itself ever closer to the lake some twenty feet away.

'If Zapdos falls into that water,' the trainer thought. 'He's going to be in some real trouble.'

He looked behind him to see Shadow fighting tooth and nail to hold Team Rocket back. He wouldn't be able to hold them much longer. It looked like there was only one option. He wouldn't be able to get Zapdos out so long as he thrashed around like that and sooner or later the bird would either drown or be captured by Team Rocket.

"Shadow," he shouted. "Use hypnosis on Zapdos. Hurry!" The Gengar quickly broke away from Team Rocket and obeyed, its eye beginning to glow a bright blue. Zapdos caught sight of it and slowly began to stop thrashing. After a moment or two, the bird was fast asleep. But Team Rocket was quickly heading toward them, murder in their eyes.

Jaden quickly reached for an empty ball at his belt and threw it at the sleeping Zapdos. The ball hit the bird and enveloped it in a bright red light before disappearing into the ball. It wiggled around on the floor for a moment before falling still. The ball flew back into Jaden's open hand. He replaced it and quickly grabbed another as he turned to face the oncoming attackers.

The stadium appeared once more and Jaden found himself back in the presence, staring keenly at Lightning. Six months. It was hard to believe that it had only been six months since he was forced to captured the legend to save it. Had there been any other choice, he would had taken it.

As it was, once they were able to get to the Cerulean Pokemon Center to make sure Zapdos was alright, he tried to release the bird. It began to fly away before it stopped in midair and hovered, staring down at Jaden. It screeched once before landing before him.

"You....you want to stay with me?" He was incredulous as the bird nodded. After a moment of thought, the trainer smiled. "Fine, but only on one condition! I name all of my Pokemon. That means you need a new name! Hmmm.....how about.....Lightning?" The Zapdos screeched and let off a bolt of electricity into the sky. "I'll take that as a yes."

He was glad Lightning had chosen to remain with him. The bird had proven to be a great friend and powerful ally.

"Take down that sorry excuse for a legend, Onix!" The ground shook, ripping Jaden's gaze from the Soaring lightning. In the center of the area stood one massive Onix. It glared menacingly at Lightning before lunging.

Dreams Cut Short: Chapter One

Jaden bent down and looked Shadow, his Gengar, in the eyes. They stared at each other a moment, passing words no onlooker could distinguish between each other. They both nodded simultaneously and faced the field before them, the reigning Pokemon Champion standing before them.

"Not for long," he said with a smile, Gengar chiming in as if agreeing. The pokemon trainer smiled down at his oldest companion. Ten years they had.been together. Ten years since a boy of six wandered into the burned out ruins of the old tower in his home of Ecruteak City. Ten years since that boy was attacked by an angry Koffing. And ten years since a small Ghastly came to his aid and fought of the gaseous assailant.

Shadow hadn't been out of his sight since. Even when his family moved him to Pewter City, Shadow tagged along. When Jaden went to see the Pokemon Professor in Pallet Town, Professor Gary Oak, Shadow tagged along and fought off any wild pokemon that they happened upon.

When offered the choice between three.rare pokemon, Jaden merely held out his hand and asked for an empty Pokeball.

"Shadow," he said, turning toward the floating ghost. "Would you like to be my pokemon?"

Shadow beamed and collided headfirst with the ball in Jaden's head, effectively catching himself. As soon as the ball had closed, the ball popped back open and the ghost pokemon appeared again. The Professor could only laugh as the new trainer and his best friend walked out of the lab, muttering about some boy and his Pikachu.

And now, here they were, years later. Both had changed over the years. Shadow had evolved shortly after that day. It had been only a year ago that Jaden had finally let Shadow convince him to trade him with another pokemon so he could evolve, then trade him back. It had been a heart stopping moment, handing his best friend over to some stranger aboard a cruise ship sailing for Cinabbar Island.

He hadn't let out a breath till they had traded back and he release Shadow from his Pokeball. The newly evolved pokemon burst from the ball and shouted in happiness at his new stronger form. He immediately tackled his trainer to the ground and began licking his face.

Jaden smiled as he thought of the adventures they had been through over the years. He thought back to all the battles that had led here to this day. The pokemon he captured, the team he raised, the friends he made, and the laughs they had shared. It all led to this one moment. He would be the next Pokemon Champion if it killed him.

"Age before beauty," he shouted. A grin grew on his face as the Champion glowered at him.

"Taunting your betters is never a smart move."

He reached for a Pokeball on his belt, kissed it, then tossed it onto the field.

"Fearow, show them what it means to be Pokemon Champion!"

A Fearow the size of which he had never seen before erupted from the ball with a deafening screech. It must have been very old and very powerful to have reached such a six. It must have had a wingspan of fifteen feet, and a beak that was nearly as long as Jaden was tall.

Though he was slightly shaken, the trainer laughed it off. "That all you got?" He grinned and grabbed a ball from his belt. He glanced at his friend and said, "Why don't you leave this to Lightning?"

He tossed the ball in his hand onto the field and all the hairs on his body stood on end. "Clip that baby bird's wings, Lightning!"

The lights in the stadium grew bright for a brief moment, some of them blowing out, as his pokemon burst from its ball. An angry crackling sounded throughout the stadium and a piercing screech that made the one that overgrown chicken made seem like a whimper was soon to follow.

Lightning, Jaden's Zapdos, flew through the stadium and headed into the sky, straight at Fearow. "Rain Dance," yelled Jaden.

Lighting altered its course and whizzed past Fearow into the open sky, disappearing into the clouds. A burst of light lit up the sky and Lightning reappeared, thunder and rain trailing in its wake. The arena, the people, the trainers, and more importantly, Fearow, were instantly soaked by the terrential downpour.

Jaden smiled as he wiped his drenched bangs from his face. That Fearow was toast.

Big Time Scandal: Chapter Three

February 17th, 2012
6:40 PM

Tourists turned to look at us, bewildered, as we shouted. Big Time Rush blasted through my car speakers as Planet Hollywood came into view. Both Stella and I pointed and buzzed with excitement. We were nearly there. We were going to see what was sure to be the most memorable concert of the year.

I pulled into the parking lot at an illegal speed and flew to the very top. It was habit, really, as there was rarely parking on any of the other levels. This was a parking garage I knew well as Krave, the hottest gay club in town, was one my friends and I frequented.

Once at the top, I screeched to a halt in the closet spot to the elevator and we burst out of the car, nearly forgetting to lock the doors on ole' Bender, my Toyota Tercell. She was nearly as old as I was which meant electronic locks and windows were not something she was graced with.

As the elevator slowly descended to the desired level, Stella turned toward me and thrust her arms open.

"Hug me, little brother!"

We both screeched as we embraced, the doors opening. More confused, and somewhat startled, tourists stood there. We paid them no heed as we rushed out and headed toward the concert venue.

A line led from the door and looped a couple of times around the entrance way. Stella groaned and looked heart broken. "We're gonna be out here forever!"

I grinned at her. "Big sister; VIP's do *not* wait."

I slid my arm around he's and pulled her to the front of the line, feeling the glares of people who had no doubt been waiting for an hour. I spotted a burly looking man standing at the front, allowing people to go through the door after checking their tickets, and menacing look on his face as if daring them to question him.

"Mike," I shouted as we got nearer. He looked up from the tickets he was eyeing and smiled.

"James, man! Long time no see. Where the hell you been?"

I smiled at him and we hugged. Standing at 6'4, he was quite an intimidating man, what with being covered in thick muscle. That was what I thought when I first met him at least. When you got to know him though, he was really a sweet heart.

"Ahhh, you know; busy with work an stuff. I've missed you though!" I pulled out our tickets and handed them to him. His smile fell a bit as he grabbed them.

"And I thought you had just come by to see me," he said, a wistful look on his face.

I stood up on the tips of my toes and hugged him around the neck, planting s kiss on his stubbled cheek. "We'll hang out soon, Mike. I promise."

He scanned the tickets and nodded. "I get off at one. Shoot me a text and let me know what you're doing. I'd like to take you out to dinner."

I nodded as he handed the tickets back and promised I would. We said our goodbyes and Stella and I headed in, people waiting in line speaking up in dissent. I looked back to see Mike shooting them a stony look that said he would break their knee caps if they didn't shut the fuck up. I didn't hear another word as we went through the doors.

People milled about here and there, buzzing with excitement just as we were. Granted, most of them seemed to be twelve year old girls, but that didn't matter to us.

Stella pulled me to a stop and looked at me questioningly, her right eyebrow raised. "Not that Im not thankful, but who on earth was that very large and very scary man?"

"Mike?" I laughed. "He's just a big ole' teddy bear. We actually met at Krave a few months ago. We danced for a while then went out for a late dinner at that IHOP we always go to. You know the one? We've been out a few times since then. He's really sweet."

She shook her head and smacked my am. "Ouch! What was that for?"

"First, for not telling me about him. Second, for going to Krave without me. And third, for not making him your boyfriend!"

I shook my head. "I know, but its a mutual thing. I like him, and he likes me, but he's going through a bad divorce right now."

Her eyes got big. "Oh my gosh." I nodded as we started moving. "What happened?"

I made a sad face. "He came out of the closet."

She didn't question further and I didn't offer any more information. We headed through the crowd and made out way to our front row seats. All around young girls screamed and shouted, a couple parents here and there looking bored.

We were easily the oldest fans that were there. Somehow, being in an audience full of barely pubesesent girls didn't bother me. As we took our seats, the glares I could feel on our backs only made me laugh.

Then, the lights brightened and the background music died out. There was a momentary hush throughout the crowd before a loud voice sounded over the speakers.

"WHO IS READY FOR A BIG....TIME....RUSH?!"

The screams were deafening. Stella and I burst from our seats and joined the audience, shouts erupting from our mouths.

Kendall, James, Carlos and Logan rushed out on stage, their energy and excitement palpable.

"Elevate a little higher!"

I jumped up and down as my favorite song started playing. Stella and I both sang along till that song ended and another began. As each song began and ended the audience's energy was renewed. It was truly an intoxicating experience.

Just before the last song ended Kendall, the front man, said a few words, thanking all of us for being their fans and how they wouldn't be there without us.

I stared up at the stage, oblivious of Kendall, my eyes on Logan. He looked out over the crowd and smiled as the song began. My eyes remained on him throughout the song and at one point, I could have sworn he looked down at me and winked. I swooned.

And then, like that, the concert was over and the band headed off stage as everyone screamed for an encore. I grabbed Stella and we headed to the entrance to the back stage area. A large man stood there, guarding it. I found myself wishing it had been Mike, and not just because he'd let us in without a fight.

He glared at us as we walked up. "This area is closed," he growled. We both held up the badges hanging around our necks that stated we were allowed back stage. He looked for a moment as if he still wouldn't let us in before he nodded curtly and stood aside.

We walked through the door and headed up a flight of stairs. This was it. We were meeting Big Time Rush. I looked at Stella as we walked and she looked as if she were going to burst.

I pushed open the door at the top of the stairs looked around at the hustle and bustle of the roadies as they broke down the band's equipment. I grinned largely as we walked around, trying to find the area where we'd be meeting the band.

"What are you two doing here?"

We turned to find an older woman in a power suit holding a clip board, looking a bit like a bird of prey.

"Security. Get these two out of here!"

Big Time Scandal; Chapter Two

February 17th, 2012
5:37 PM

A shout of elation drew my attention to the front door. A goofy grin spread across my face as I jumped up from my spot on the bedroom floor. A matching shout erupted from my own mouth as I threw open the door to find my sister, Stella, standing there.

"Damn, girl," I said, giving her a once, then twice, over. "You are certainly dressed to impress."

"Oh, stop!" She smiled and struck a pose. Stella was my best friend and had been for years now. I shutter to think where I would be had it not been for her over the years.

The Filipino stood just over six inches shorter than me at 5'5, and looked amazing in a pair of black skinny jeans, red canvas shoes and a black and red corset top that more than showed off her assets. With just enough make up to accentuate her natural beauty, she looked phenomenal.

"Gorgeous," I said, dragging her into a hug. She took a step back and took a look at me.

"Little brother! What the hell?!" Her tone and face spoke of anger, but I could see a hint kf a smile teasing at the corner of her full lips. "You are just set on taking my man away from me, lookin' all sexy like that!"

I grinned and struck a pose myself. "He wishes, girl. You know who I got my heart set on!" We both laughed as she walked in, closing the door behind her.

I made my way back to the bedroom where our favorite group, and subject of the evening, was blasting through my phone's speaker.

"Elevate a little higher!"

We both burst into song, singing along with the amazing voices surrounding us.

As the song came to a close, we collapsed onto my bed and Stella squealed in excitement! "Little brother," she said, hugging me closely. "I cannot believe you won us meet-and-greet passes for the concert tonight!"

I laughed as she squealed again. "I will finally meet the man of my dreams!" She rose from the bed suddenly and walked dreamily to my wall, eyeing one of the posters hanging there.

"Kendall.....fucking....Schmidt." She stroked the poster and sighed. I rolled my eyes at her and got up. Taking hold of her shoulders, I steered her away from the poster and out of the room, causing her to whimper sadly. "Kendall...."

She sounded like a child having his favorite stuffed animal taken away. "Okay, seriously," I said, leading her into the bathroom so I could finish doing my hair. "You're a creeper. You'll scare the poor boy off. Hell, you'll scare the whole band off, and then I'll have to kill you."

She twitched her nose. "Fine."

My eyes rolled and I smiled before turning to the mirror and take a last minute glance in the mirror. I wore a blue v-neck shirt, chest hair sticking out, a pair of loose fitting blue jeans, and my favorite pair of blue canvas shoes. I adjusted the collar of the shirt, pulling it slightly lower, and brought the pants down lower around my hips.

My hands ran through my black hair and I smiled, adjusting my thick framed black glasses. I was well aware they were a pair of 3-D glasses with the lenses popped out, but I loved the way they drew attention to my hazel eyes.

Taking a closer look in the mirror, I saw that they had turned a bright green speckled with gray and bordered by brown. My eyes, like all true hazel eyes, changed color depending on my mood.

"Yup," I said, grinning. "Definitely excited!"

Stella gasped and jumped up off of the edge of the tub where she had made a seat. I glanced back in surprise and question. "Dude! It's 6:45! We have A little over an hour until we see them."

Our eyes met and we both shouted, "BIG. TIME. RUSH!"

Big Time Scandal; Chapter One

February 13th, 2013
9:26 AM

A solid thump on my door snapped me from a peaceful slumber. Reluctantly, my eyes slid open and fell onto the clock on my bedside table. 9:23.

"Seriously?" I muttered. "It's my damn day off."

There was another bang on the door, followed by a shouted, "James! Wake the fuck up! Some asshole rang the doorbell and woke us all up looking for you."

I groaned quietly, willing myself to slide the comforter off my body and crawl out of bed. Certain my roommate wouldn't appreciate me answering.the door naked, I grabbed a pair of purple plaid pajama bottoms and pulled them on.

"Who the hell is awake this early on my damn day off?" I was met with a shrug as she walked away and into the living room, probably to crawl back into bed with Andy, her boyfriend, who had no doubt fallen back to sleep.

Sure enough, as I rounded the corner, I noticed his head buried beneath a pillow and Lana crawling back into bed with him, their puppy Icharus perking up at the sight of me.

"Don't even think about it, you little spaz," I muttered grumpily.

A gust of cold wind whipped through the apartment. I shivered, and my nipples turned into diamond cutters.

"Shit, bitch," I growled, plastering my hands over them to keep them warm."You couldn't close the damn door?"

She shrugged again before rolling over and nestling herself against Andy. A pang of mingled sadness and loneliness went through my heart, a vision of soft brown eyes and dimples closely on its heels. I clenched my eyes shut as they began to sting. Thinking about him was useless.

I wiped the painful image from my mind, annoyance returning, and I strode over to the door of our apartment to find an older gentleman, probably in his late forties, with a smiling face.

"James Stewart?"

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at him. "Who the hell are you?" I asked.

His smile slipped a bit, but he recovered quickly and said, "Oh, I'm Don, with FedEx. I just have a package here for him."

I paused for a moment. I hadn't ordered anything. I spied a thick manila envelope clenched under his arm and frowned. "What is it?" I asked, more suspicious than ever.

His smile returned. "Are you James?" he asked, avoiding the question.

I paused again, wondering if I should reveal that I was. What could it be? Another vision of him, his warm brown eyes, that adorable dimpled smile, flashed through my mind. I missed him,and it hurt. I bit the inside of my cheek painfully against the vision, tasting blood. The delivery man ignored my obvious pain and continued on.

"I have to deliver it directly to James. I've been given strict instructions that its for him only. If you're James then I can give it to you after you sign here," he said, raising his other arm and bringing an electronic signature pad into view.

"Yeah," I said, reluctantly. "I'm him."

"Great," he beamed. I grabbed the stylus and quickly signed my name as he handed me the envelope. As soon as my hand touched it, he spoke up again. "You've just been served." And with that, he turned and walked down the steps, leaving me dazed and confused as I stared down at the thick envelope in my hands.

Hey There, Stranger

The steady beat of the music hummed magnificently through my body. My hands rose above my hand, twisting and twining to the beat. Eyes closed, body throbbing in time to the DJ's tracks, lost to reality; it was intoxicating. How long had he been there? Seconds, minutes, hours, and eternity? My eyes opened and there he stood, and suddenly it didn't matter.

His silver eyes shone brightly as the rainbow of strobe lights whirled over him. The crowd fell away, the music intensified, and our bodies met. As I danced, it felt as if he were more than just a man of the night, more than just a dancing partner, more than a hookup waiting to happen, though both of us would no doubt wind up there.

I lost myself in his overwhelming presence. He bled sensuality from his every pore, and our bodies somehow came closer and my rock met his hard place. It was glorious.

Before I new it, the night sped up at a blinding speed and his lips crushed mine as we fell onto his bed. His hands, rough in a way that made me frenzied, clawed at my clothing. My shirt tore away, as did his. His skin felt like the blazing heat of the sun, and once again I was lost.

As I lay there, his steady breathing the only sound in quiet room, the first vestiges of dawn beginning to creep their way through the venitian blinds, my eyes found him. I knew then that I had to see this nameless man again. I had to feel him envelope me again.

I crept slowly from the bed, making sure not to wake him. I grabbed my clothing and dressed. I spotted a pad of paper and pen on the cherry table on the other side of the room.

I hugged my arms around myself, warding off the early morning chill. He would see the quickly jotted down name and number on his desk. Whether he would call remained to be seen. I had hope I would see him again. I climbed into the driver side of my car just as my phone went off. I pulled it out of my pocket and glanced at it, a smile teasing my lips. 'Hey there, stranger.'