"Dump your stuff here and once the lovebirds come back down to earth I'll find out where you are staying and help you with your stuff."
"Thanks." Em grunted out.
"Want anything to eat?  Drink?"
"I'm good, thanks." She paused, "so do you have any idea about what this is all about?"
AJ shook his head. "Nope. I'm as clueless as you."
Em shook her head. "Not one word. He even ignored her during both the concert and soundcheck yesterday and now they are sucking face outside together."  She sighed, "Do you remember seeing her hanging around Nick?"
"Not really. No more than any of her friends. I've seen her at a few soundchecks and concerts, but that’s about it really. Can't say I've really taken much notice of her."
"Friends? Don't tell me she's been hanging around those bitches."
"Hey, calm down will you?"
"Calm down. She's been acting strangely since I joined her, to then find out that she has something going on with her favorite Backstreet Boy, then find out she has been hanging around with the groupies from hell and you tell me to calm down? I just want to find out what the bloody hell is going on!"

"Go and sit down and I'll tell you."

***

The four of them had moved to the living room, Nick and Sue sitting on one couch and Em and AJ on the other. The tension between Sue and Em could be cut with a knife. Sue fidgeted under the gaze of her friend.
"So, are you going to tell me what’s going on?"
"Well... As you may have guessed Nick and I are together." Sue stammered out.
"No shit," was AJ's reply.
A disapproving look from Em shut him up fairly quickly. "And..."
"We got married in Las Vegas."
"When? How? I was with you the whole time..."
"When I was in Las Vegas at the beginning of the tour, almost three weeks ago."
"WHAT? And you didn't tell me?"
"I did, but you didn't believe me!"

AJ came over and gave his friend a manly hug, "Congratulations, man."
"Thanks."
"But what's with the secrecy?"
“I dunno, I just thought…”
“Nicky thought it would be for the best if it came out after the tour instead of before it.”
“But why still keep it from me yesterday?” Em asked. She turned on AJ “And you told me that you hadn’t seen them together!”
“I hadn’t,” he defended himself. “I can’t remember seeing the two of them together all tour.” He paused, “I mean, I remember Sue following the tour, but that’s it.”
“Marcus was the only person who knew and that was so we could spend some time together.”
“But how did you manage to keep it from everyone?”
“We’re good that way.” Nick winked at them, sparking groans from Sue and AJ and a death glare from Em.
“This is unbelievable.”

“I did tell you, Em. You just didn’t believe me.” Sue pointed out to her friend.
“We were joking! I mean, we were chatting about Just… Oh my God. Just!”
“Just what?” AJ asked, looking completely lost.
Nick grinned, “Oh yeah, love that one. We’ve been reenacting some of the-“ Sue’s hand clapped over his mouth, effectively shutting him up.
“Let’s talk of something else. What about-“
“Are we staying here?” Em decided to let it go for now and focus on the logistics instead.
“Yep. I think.” Sue turned towards Nick who nodded.
“Yeah, AJ’s got the main guest bedroom so I guess Em, you can have the one across the hall”
“Let’s go. I’ll show you where it is.” AJ stood up and without looking whether she was following him, left the room.
“Right.” Em blinked but stood up too. “Sunny, this isn’t over.” She announced before leaving the couple.

***

While the lovebirds were further reacquainting, Emma was busy remembering the past few weeks and whether she should have guessed something was going on. Had Sue been talking about Nick? Yes but that was a normal occurrence. Had she said he was looking at her during shows? Yes but same thing, that was normal. So how in hell could she have guessed the two of them had met and gotten married? Come to think of it, did that mean they’d known each other beforehand or that they’d married in the spur of the moment? Argh! She hated not knowing!
“You okay?” AJ was waiting for her in the middle of a bedroom that was far too white for her tastes.
White bed, white linen, white walls. White, white, white.
“Not really. You?”
He shrugged, “I’m fine with it. Whatever rocks his boat, ya know. He’s done a lot of growing up this year so I guess-“

“It’s Nick you’re talking about!” Em couldn’t help but point out.
“Uh, yeah, I know. I live with the dude. I mean, I wouldn’t have expected him to marry so young but what do I know?”
“Not much apparently.” Em muttered under her breath.
“I put your stuff on the chair there. Have fun.” AJ moved towards the door but Em was quick to stop him.
“Hey!”
“What?” He growled as he turned back to face her.
She suddenly realized he’d probably heard her earlier comment. Oops. “I’m sorry. I’m just really thrown by all this and I’m taking it out on you. Truce?” She held out her hand.