The day after Thanksgiving Jess went and picked up Nick at the airport. He was surprisingly by himself.

Jess - "Just you I thought you would have a swarm of people with you."

Nick - "Well I was able to convince them that no one would be looking for me in LA so I didn't need the whole bodyguard entourage."

Jess - "True. So did you check anything?"

Nick - "Nope just little old me and my bag."

Jess - "Good come on Stephen's waiting in the loading zone. They start out that way."

Nick - "I see you're getting around a little better."

Jess - "Yeah I've been up moving around more. There he is?" She points out Stephens car just as a girl screams.

Nick - "Can you run yet?" He sprints to Stephens car. Jess can't really keep up but she does make it to the car before the girls do. Stephen pulls away. "That was close."

Stephen - "Does that happened often?"

Nick - "More often then I'd like."

Jess - "Nick this is my brother Stephen. Stephen this is Nick." Nick was sitting in the front seat so they shake hands.

Nick - "Nice to meet you."

Stephen - "Same here. So Jess tells me that you're a musician."

Nick - "Yeah."

Stephen - "Don't tell our dad. He hates musicians."

Jess - "No he doesn't."

Stephen - "Okay let me clarify, he hates musicians dating his daughter."

Jess - "Well that won't be a problem cause we are not dating."

Stephen - "Hey I was just warning him."

Jess - "No you're trying to scare him."

Nick - "I'm not scared."

Stephen - "Oh but you will be. Yes you will be." He gives Nick an evil look. Jess smacks him in the back of the head.

Jess - "Knock it off." Stephens turns on to the freeway.

Nick - "I've got a room at the Oasis Palms if you could drop me off."

Stephen - "Oh no. You're staying with us."

Nick - "No really that's okay."

Jess - "I wouldn't try arguing with him. Reece has already gotten your room ready."

Nick - "Well you guys really didn't have to go to any trouble."

Stephen - "It was no trouble. Reece loves being the little housewife. I keep hoping she'll rub off on that one." He points to Jess in the back seat.

Jess - "Hey I'm completely happy living in my little apartment by myself. I've done the whole living with some one thing and it just wasn't for me."

Nick - "So what you're never going to get married or anything."

Jess - "I don't know maybe. Look I'm only 23, I've got a few years before I have to make life decisions like that."

Stephen - I'm the same age that you are and I'm quite happy with Reece."

Jess - "That's cause you and Reece are soul mates or something. Your relationship is so good its almost unnatural."

Nick - "How long have the two of you been together?"

Stephen - "What was it like three years ago?"

Jess - "Closer to four. Can you turn the radio on or something?"

Nick - "What's wrong?" He senses her mood change.

Jess - "I'm just sick of this conversation." She doesn't want to talk about relationships. It makes her think of Donnie and Brian.

Nick - "So what time is the premier?"

Stephen - "The curtain goes up at nine. But we're supposed to arrive at eight for the pre-movie mingling."

Nick - "Cool." They pull up to Stephens house. Its a modest little house set back off the street. The fence around the property is more for decoration then to keep people out. Goldie and Reece were sitting on the front porch drinking coffee. They came down to the car.

Jess - "Nick this is Reece and my mom, Goldie. Mom, Reece this is my friend Nick."

Goldie - "Nice to met you. Is it Nick or Nicholas?"

Nick - "Either one." He shakes her hand.

Reece - "I'm so glad you could come. I can't remember the last time Jess brought a guy home."

Jess - "I still haven't brought a guy a home. He's my friend."

Reece - "Okay whatever."

Jess - "Reece look at him. He's a kid for crying out loud. You're what like five years younger then me. He's like the annoying little brother I never had."

Reece - "Okay I'm sorry." Jessica goes in to the house as fast as her wounded leg will take her. "God she's touchy this week."

Goldie - "Maybe its just her ankle hurting again."

Stephen - "No cause she snapped in the car too."

Nick - "Maybe she tired of people talking about her lack of a boyfriend."

Goldie - "We're just worried about her."

Nick - "Well she told Brian that she didn't want a relationship, so maybe everyone should just back off." Goldie turns to look at him. "What?"

Goldie - "Who's Brian?" Nick looks at Stephen, who is shaking his head no.

Nick - "What?"

Goldie - "Who's Brian?"

Nick - "What about Brian?"

Goldie - "What's going on?"

Nick - "With what?"

Stephen - "Come on lets get your stuff upstairs."

Nick - "okay."

Goldie - "Not so fast. I'm going to find out whats going on."

Stephen - "Hey shouldn't dad be home by now?" She looks at her watch. Which gives Stephen time to get Nick inside.

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Kurt - "Hey come on its time to go!" He is yelling up the stairs. Nick comes running down two at a time. And almost runs over Kurt.

Nick - "Sorry Mr. Connery." Kurt gives him a look of death. Nick is honestly scared of him.

Kurt - "That's alright son." He reaches out and straightens Nicks tie. "That's better." He actually likes Nick. He realized after talking to him for a few minutes when he got back from golfing that Nick was in no way a treat to his little girl.

Nick - "Thanks. Jess should be down in a minute."

Kurt - "Women are always the last ones ready."

Goldie - "I take offense to that." She comes out of the living room into the foyer where they are standing.

Kurt - "I didn't mean you."

Nick - "Mrs. Connery you look beautiful."

Goldie - "Oh for the last time please call me Goldie."

Nick - "okay." He looks at Kurt.

Kurt - "I'm still Mr. Connery."

Nick - "Of course."

Jess - "Daddy leave Nick alone." She comes down the stairs slowly, holding up her dress so she doesn't trip and break the other leg.

Nick - "Wow. Jess you look great."

Jess - "Thank you." She turns so everyone can see the whole dress. "Does it hide my cast?"

Goldie - "Yeah when you stand still you can't see it at all." Nick still has a stupid grin on his face. She elbows him and Kurt glares.

Nick - "Sorry."

Kurt - "Well Stephen and Reece have already left and it would look tacky for us to get there too long after them so lets get going."

They go out and get in the rented limo and head to the theater.

Goldie - "So Nick is this your first premier?"

Nick - "Yeah. I'm really excited."

Kurt - "Well there's going to be a lot of press there so dont do anything stupid."

Nick - "You sound like Kevin."

Goldie - "Who's Kevin?" She is still trying to get to the bottom of who Brian is.

Jess - "He's that guy that Loren's dating."

Goldie - "Oh that's right. That boy from Kentucky."

Kurt - "Dad's going to love it if he loses child to an American."

Goldie - "I'm sure he will be fine. Oh we're here."

The car pulls up and Kurt and Goldie get out first. Jess senses Nick hesitating a little.

Jess - "What's wrong?"

Nick - "Nothing, its just this is the first time I've ever done anything like this by myself."

Jess - "Come on you'll do fine."

He gets out of the car and then turns around to help her out. They walk up the red carpet with her arm through his. Incase she stumbles she won't fall on her ass. There are reports are both sides yelling his name. He takes a few minutes with as many as he can. Jessica feels like just making a sign and putting it on her chest that says, No we are just friends. By the time they get inside its only ten minutes before the movie starts. They find their seats beside Kurt and Goldie.

Kurt - "Did you two get lost?"

Nick - "No. We got a little tied up with the press outside. I'm not used to dong it by myself and it kind of took me a little longer then usual."

Goldie - "That's okay. We shouldn't have left you two alone. How's your ankle sweetie?"

Jess - "Fine."

The theater gets dark and the movie starts.

Chapter Twenty-Two