Chapter 1

"arent the stars pretty nicky?....nicky...?"

"hmm?"

"i asked if you thought the stars were pretty." the girl laying against him sat up and turned around. "whats wrong?"

nick smiled and pulled her back into his arms,"nothing. yeah, the stars are pretty."

she smiled and snuggled against him,"what were you thinking about?"

he rested his chin on her shoulder,"you."

she blushed,"good thoughts?"

he smiled and nodded,"always."

she smiled,"good. i like when you have good tho--"

she was interrupted by a loud clap of thunder. she jumped slightly and let out a soft whimper. nick glanced up at the sky and hugged her closer,"its okay baby. it was just a little thu--" this time he was interrupted by the thunder and a flash of lightening.

she glanced at the sky and held him a little tighter,"maybe we should head back to the house...."

he nodded and stood up, pulling her up with him,"you go down to the bedroom k? i dont want you to be up here when it gets really bad."

she shook her head and jumped slightly at another clap of thunder,"i dont want to leave you."

he kissed her on the forehead,"and i dont want to leave you but you'll be much safer down below. i promise ill be fine. we'll be home in no time in front of a big fire with all the dogs watching the rain from our nice warm bed."

she smiled slightly at the thought and nodded. "okay, but please be careful." she headed downstairs. she stopped halfway and turned around.

nick watched her as she went, when she stopped he couldnt help but smile,"i knew you were going to do that. yes. i promise ill be fine. scouts honor."

she laughed,"you were never a boy scout."

he put his finger to his lips,"shhh...thats between you and me. now go."

she nodded and headed the rest of the way down. nick smiled, turned around and started to head back to the docks.

"THAT MAKES YOU LARGER THAN LIFE!!!"

nick sat up in bed and looked around the room. he frowned once he realized he was in his room and not on his boat."what the hell..." he mumbled. he glanced at his alarm clock that said 6:15 am. he hit the button to shut off the song that was doing nothing but getting on his nerves at that moment and sighed.

he punched his pillow in frustration and laid back down, willing himself to finish the dream he had been having. the same dream he had been having for the past week. about one girl that he had never met.

his puppy nicky jumped up on the bed and waddled over to him. he sighed and pulled her into his arms,"couldnt sleep either huh?"

nicky licked his face and made herself comfortable in his arms. he smiled and tried to fall back asleep.

"so leigh called me from the set last night and she sa...frack...? hello....is anyone in there...? NICK!!"

nick jumped slightly,"jeezus frick. what?"

"where have you been? ive been talking to a blank canvas for like the past five minutes," brian said knocking on nicks forehead.

nick gave him a look and pushed his hand away. brian raised an eyebrow,"oh...i know what it is...you had that dream again huh?"

nick blushed and nodded. "hmm..." brian said rubbing his chin. "maybe it means something...."

nick sighed,"yeah but what?"

brian shrugged and smiled sweetly. nick gave him a look,"frick, do me a favor..."

brian nodded,"anything..."

"next time i ask for your advice...smack me."

"can i smack you whether you ask me or not?"

nick rolled his eyes and walked away from brian who smiled triumphantly. happy that he had successfully aggravated his best friend. nick walked over to aj and tapped him on the shoulder,"bone...can i ask you something?"

"yup."

"okay. well...um...have you ever dreamt something so real about someone but you had never met that person?"

"why? youve been dreaming about some mystery girl and wonder if it means something?"

nick looked at him wide eyed,"how do you know?"

aj rolled his eyes and pointed to brian,"big mouth."

"see if i tell him anything again..."

"anyways. i dont know if it means something. maybe when we start touring again you'll see this girl. you know, like deja vu."

nick nodded,"thanks. much more helpful than brian."

aj laughed and nodded. he picked his keys up off the table,"are you two ready to head to kevs?"

"yeah. your not waiting for mandy?"

"she had to go pick up a friend of hers from the airport so shes just gonna met us at kevs."

nick nodded and went outside to get brian while aj went out to the car to wait for them.

"come on em..." amanda mumbled under her breath. she had been waiting at the airport for the last 20 minutes for her friend. the flight had just landed and she was getting more and more impatient as more and more people that werent her friend filed off the plane. finally her friend came out of the terminal.

"amanda!!"

"emma!!"

emma raced over to her friend and hugged her,"its SO good to see you!!"

"you too! how was the flight?"

emma made a face, she hated flying. "it was a flight. nuff said."

amanda laughed,"right. well lets get your things then you can come and meet aj."

"oh the wonderful aj who i hear nothing about and who always answers YOUR phone when i call?"

amanda blushed and led the way to the baggage claim. emma laughed,"thought so. will i be meeting the other guys too?"

amanda nodded,"yeah. kev's having a bbq so they'll all be there." she glanced at her friend out of the corner of her eye,"although i do think you should change first. brian may have a gf but that doesnt stop him from looking." emma had on black shorts and a baby blue tank top that perfectly set off her blue eyes.

emma laughed,"amanda, ill be fine. ive never even been glanced at by a guy...i doubt thats gonna change today."

they picked up emmas bags and went to the car. once everything was loaded they headed to kevins.

"is it always this humid?" emma asked turning one of the vents blasting air in her direction.

"yeah but you should be used to it. california is like this too."

"no its just hot...not humid."

"well kev has a pool so you can cool off when we get there."

emma nodded and they headed the rest of the way to kevins talking about their plans for emmas week there. finally, about 15 minutes later, they pulled up to kevins huge two story house. emma got out of the car and looked the house over.

"wow..."

"nice huh?"

"just a bit." they both headed around the back through a side gate. both girls could hear lots of yelling and loud splashes.

amanda rolled her eyes,"my guess...brian said something that annoyed nick...nick pushed him in the pool...then pushed aj in for just being near by...by the time we get there kev will be standing behind nick waiting to push NICK in."

emma laughed as they rounded the corner into the yard and stood off to the side. sure enough, both aj and brian were in the pool shooting nick looks who was smirking not seeing kevin standing directly behind him.

amanda cleared her throat loudly and all the guys turned to look over.

"hey ma--HEY!!!" nick yelled out as kevin shoved him in the pool and walked over to the girls.

"hey amanda," he said and kissed her on the cheek.

she smiled,"hey. kevin this is my friend emma, emma-kevin."

emma smiled,"hi, its nice to meet you."

"you too. how was your flight?"

emma made a face and kevin raised an eyebrow,"i take it you dont like flying very much either?"

"how did you know...?"

"thats the same face nick makes when we talk about flying,"he said. he took her hand and pulled her over to where the rest of the guys were. "hey guys..."

both brian and aj,who were now trying to drown nick, looked up. "yeah...oh hey amanda," aj said. he let go of nicks head and climbed out of the pool.

amanda laughed,"hey. guys this is my friend emma."

"hey..a girl," brian said climbing out of the pool.

"and what am i?"

"your amanda." brian went over to emma and gave her a hug. she shrieked and started laughing. "what?"

she laughed,"did you forget your soaking wet?"

"oh yeah...."

howie came over and handed her a towel,"here you go, im howie."

she smiled and dried off her arms,"thanks howie. can you tell me where the bathroom is so i can change?"

"sure," he offered her his arm,"shall we?"

she smiled and took his arm. aj rolled his eyes as he watched them walk into the house,"hes so damn cheesy."

"yeah well some girls like cheese," amanda said taking the can of soda out of his hand and helping herself.

"...hey..."

"werent you busy drowning nick?"

"oh yeah...come on rok." they both jumped in the pool at nick who was trying to wipe the water out of his eyes.