Nick’s excitement grew as May began to fade. Stacy was cramming for her finals and once they were over, she would spend few days with her family before joining him on tour. They’d managed one weekend together earlier in the month and he couldn’t wait until she’d be with him every night.

And he began researching diamonds on the internet, looking for the perfect one for Stacy. She only had one more year of school left and he didn’t think it would hurt if they were engaged during that year.

But a phone call the week during her finals changed everything.

“Nick,” she cried.

“Stace? What’s wrong?” His heart pounded in his chest.

“My dad.” She gulped for air. “He was in a car accident. He’s…he’s real bad. He had a stroke in the ambulance.”

“Stace, I can be there in a couple hours, babe. Let me make some arrangements.” He knocked on the adjoining door of his hotel room and walked in without invitation. Jake jumped off his bed, brow furrowed. Nick held up a finger.

“He’s stable,” Stacy continued. “You don’t need to come right now. I’ll keep you informed.”

“It’s not a problem, really. We can reschedule the shows.” He shrugged at Jake who nodded, still confused. “I can catch a flight and be there before you know it.”

“Thanks, Nick, but you don’t need to do that. If he takes a turn for the worse, I’ll let you know.” He could hear her calming down and he began to relax. “I just needed to hear your voice.”

“Who’s with you?”

“My mother is in the room with Daddy now and my brother and sister are here.” She took a breath. “A couple friends came down with me.”

Glen Stevens I bet, he thought but didn’t ask. He didn’t want to upset her. “You can call me anytime you need to, okay? Even if it’s the middle of the night.”

“I know. Thanks, Nick. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” he said. He hopped up on the dresser and promptly lit a cigarette. “Call me later.”

“I will.”

He flipped his phone shut and filled Jake in on what happened.

“That’s rough, man,” Jake said. “You know you can go if you want. We can reschedule. Rob’s cool about that sort of thing.”

Nick took a long drag off his cigarette. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. I get the feeling Stacy’s afraid it would upset her mother.”

“Who gives a rat’s ass about her mother?”

Nick smirked. “I know, but I gotta do what’s best for Stacy.”

Jake grabbed his own cell phone. “I’m gonna call Rob and tell him what’s going on.”

XxX

As June came to an end, Nick’s frustrations grew. Stacy still hadn’t joined him nor had she been able to break away to see him. After multiple surgeries and countless hours of physical therapy, Albert was released from the hospital. Although Althea hired a private nurse, Stacy still felt duty bound to stay by her father’s side. He couldn’t fault her; he’d do the same for his mother. But he missed her and the separation was beginning to put a strain on their relationship where it never had before. He was highly suspicious Althea was behind it – especially with Albert incapacitated and not able to act as a buffer.

He could hear the stress in her voice each night when he called her as she explained how she was helping her mother take care of her father’s business.

“All those business classes I took are starting to pay off,” she told him tiredly one night in late July. “And Mother is grateful. She’s trying to do her job and Daddy’s and it’s really taking a toll on her.”

“I bet,” he said vaguely. “Listen, we’ll be that way in a couple weeks. Why don’t you come to a show?”

“Nick, have you not been listening to a thing I’ve said?”

He sighed. “Of course I have, Stace. I’ve heard it all. I just think you need a break, too.”

“How fair is that, huh? How can I run off and leave my mother with all this responsibility?” Her voice edged on hysteria.

“Where are your siblings?” he demanded. “How come they’re not around?”

“They have families of their own,” she defended. “I can’t expect them to stop living their own lives to take care of all this.”

“Well you have a life, too, Stace. What about school? What happens when you go back?”

“I don’t think I will this semester. I need to help my family.”

He groaned and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m worried about you,” he said in a low voice.

“I’m fine,” she laughed. “This is what I need to do right now.” She paused and he could her take a few breaths. “Maybe you and I should take a little break.”

“No,” he said curtly. “Don’t try that. I’ll be back there soon enough and I’ll help you the best I can.”

“Nick,” she said weakly. “I can’t expect that of you. And I can’t expect you to wait forever for me.”

“I love you, Stace. You’re worth the wait.”

“You’re too wonderful,” she said, tears in her voice. “I love you, too. I have to go. Call me tomorrow.”

“I will.” He shut his phone and clenched it in his fist, heart breaking.

XxX

He stared at the ceiling as the bus rolled down the highway. The bunk was uncomfortable and he couldn’t sleep. But it wasn’t just the bus. Stacy had grown more and more distant with each call. And the sadness in her voice tore at his heart. Albert’s condition hadn’t changed much, though he was starting to regain a little speech.

“Dude, we’re in Indiana,” Jake announced as he opened the door. “So close to home.”

“Wonderful,” Nick muttered.

“Did you call Stacy? Is she coming to the show tonight?”

“I was getting ready to do that,” he said as he sat up. “Gimme a minute, okay?”

“Sure man,” Jake said, worry flickering in his eyes. “Let me know what’s up.”

Nick nodded as Jake left, shutting the door behind him. He called her cell and was shocked when Althea answered.

“Um, where’s Stacy?” he asked.

“She’s out with friends,” Althea’s cold voice replied. “She left her cell phone. If you would like to leave a message, I’ll give it to her when she returns.”

“I just wanted to let her know we’ll be in Central Indiana tonight. I was hoping she’d changed her mind and wanted to come to the show.”

“I don’t think that will be possible. She’s out with Amy, Peter and Glen. They went to get supplies so they can go to Glen’s summer home for the weekend.”

Stunned, he was unable to speak. She didn’t tell him she was going out of town. She’d been dead set against leaving home since her father’s accident. “Just have her call me when she gets in, please.”

“I’ll give her the message.” She hung up.

XxX

Nick pushed Stacy out of his mind as he prepared to go on stage. He concentrated solely on his music, watching Jake pace the stage in his leather jacket. He snorted. He knew the girls loved it but he thought it was a little unnecessary.

Ronnie and Matt were engaged in their usual battle of guitar picks and it perked him a little. He truly enjoyed what they did for a living and loved being on stage with his best friends.

Once they finished their encores, he dashed off stage, eager to shower his sweaty body. His cell rang and he was surprised to see Stacy’s number, amazed that she timed her call so perfectly.

“Hey, Stace,” he said, a little coolly, remembering where she was.

“Nick! How the hell do we get backstage?”

“Huh?”

She giggled. “I’m here. We snuck down here. I need to talk to you.”

“Umm,” he said, unable to think coherently. “You remember Craig, right? Or Freddy? Find one of them. I’ll call their cells and let them know you’re here.”

His heart pounded. She was actually here. His anger quickly metamorphosed into excitement. He called the roadies and told them to watch out for Stacy. He sat impatiently in the dressing room until finally, a knock.

“Hey, Nick,” Freddy grinned. “I found her.”

Stacy rushed in the room and hugged him. He kissed her cheek and his smile slipped when Amy and Peter walked in, Glen lurking behind them. “How are you guys doing?”

“Fine,” Amy smiled. “You guys are so good.”

“Thanks,” he said.

Ronnie peeked his head in the room. He grinned at Stacy and gave her a hug, inquiring about her father. “Nick, me and Matt are heading to the after party. It’s in the hotel’s banquet room. You coming?”

“In a bit,” he said. He turned to Stacy and cupped her cheek. “Let me shower and then we can get out of here.” He hurried through his after show routine and when he returned to the dressing room, Stacy was alone. “Where did everyone go?”

“To get something to eat. I’ll catch up with them later.”

He sat next to her on the sofa and kissed her tenderly. She responded but he could tell she was holding back. He broke the kiss and sat back, taking her hand. “You look like hell, Stace. What’s the matter?”

She bowed her head and he was shocked to hear her sniff. He lifted her chin and the tears rolled out of her eyes. “Nick,” her voice was pained. “I had to see you in person. I couldn’t do this over the phone.”

He shook his head and stood, rummaging around on the dressing table until he found a pack of cigarettes and shook one out. He lit it, back to her. “Don’t do this, Stace.”

“I have to,” she said weakly. “It’s not fair to you or to me.”

He whipped around, eyes blazing angrily. “No, it’s not. I told you I’d wait.”

“Nick, I have too much responsibility at home right now. I need to focus on that. I won’t have time for us. I need to help my dad.”

He stuck his cigarette in an ashtray and rubbed his hands over his face. “I love you, Stacy.”

“I love you, too,” she whispered.

“Then we can make it work. We’ve done a good job so far.”

“But things have changed.”

He sighed and sat next to her. “Is it that Glen guy?”

“No,” she replied quietly.

“But your mother would like it to be.” He didn’t ask – he already knew the answer. His heart threatened to break apart and scatter at his feet. He cupped her chin and looked in her face. The dark circles only emphasized the dull pain in her eyes. Her shoulders were tensed and he wondered how the hell she’d managed to cope with the stress. And now this. It was killing her. He kissed her softly. “I’ll do whatever it takes to make things easier on you,” he whispered. “If this is what you need, okay.”

She sobbed and he pulled her to his chest, stroking her hair. When the tears stopped, he released her. He kissed her once more and stood, taking her hand. “I’m always gonna love you, Stace. Call me when … just call if you need me.”

He led her to a side exit and stood with her as she called her friends and told them where to pick her up. She leaned on him as he held her. When the car arrived, she kissed him again, putting all her feelings in it. “I’ll always love you, too,” she said and ran to the car.

He trudged slowly down to the banquet hall, his heart thumping sadly with each step. He waved to Doc and located Matt and Ronnie. “Where’s Jake?”

“He took off,” Ronnie said. “He said he couldn’t take another party and he was going to get something to eat.”

“How? I thought his bike wasn’t working?” Nick asked.

“Took a cab,” Ronnie said slowly.

“Where’s Stacy?” Matt asked, eyes betraying his calm voice.

“Gone, man,” he said. Ronnie and Matt exchanged a look. “Tell Jake to come up to my room when he gets back, okay?”

“Sure,” Ronnie said. He clasped Nick’s shoulder. “You okay, bro?”

Nick managed a weak smile. “Fine.” He left them and crept through the crowd in search of the elevators. He plopped on his bed, the adjoining door wide open, and waited for Jake. He turned on the television but nothing held his interest. As the hours dragged on, he wondered if Jake rejoined the party and maybe Ronnie or Matt forgot to give him the message. He doubted it, though. He’d seen the knowing in both sets of eyes. He contemplated calling Jake’s cell but decided against it. Let him have some fun.

Finally, around dawn, he heard Jake fumbling around in his room. He peeked through the connecting door and grinned at Nick.

“You’re up early,” he said, eyes bright.

Nick shrugged. “Where you been, man?”

Jake laughed and parked on the corner of the dresser. He lit a cigarette and took a long drag. “You’ll never believe what happened tonight,” he said, voice tight with excitement. “I just met the girl of my dreams, man.”

Nick’s lips turned up in a slight smile. “Cool, man.” Because I just lost mine, he thought.

A/N: And there we go. Sigh. Sorry it moved so fast these last couple chapters but there’s only so much stuff I can write about their tour.

I think I’ll finish RJ’s story before I start the sequel. Well, post the sequel, actually. I’ve already started it (couldn’t resist).

Thanks so much for the reviews.