The next morning, Laura went over to JC's to dropped off some music she had been working on for the album.

"JC! You here?" she yelled as she entered the back door. She walked through the kitchen and noticed three bags of luggage sitting in the hallway. He came down the stairs with a piles of clothes wrapped in his arms.

"Going somewhere?" she asked.

JC looked up from counting his garments and then bent down to place them in his suitcase. "I have to fly to Vegas this morning...We're taping a tribute performance for a TV special that is going to air soon and we have to do some promotional things while we're there. I should be back in a week or so. I'm going to stay longer to try and get some writing done."

Laura was hurt and disappointed that JC had never told her about the trip. "Oh."

"I never told you. I know." he said as he continued to pack...He never looked up at her. "I'd forgotten about it until Lance called and reminded me last night after we got back from the party.

"Are you pissed at me about something?" she asked.

Still never looking up at her, JC proceeded to zip up his luggage, "No. Why would you think that?"

"Because you seem rather cold right now."

"I'm not being cold, Laura. I just need to hurry up and pack before my cab gets here." he said as he stood up to face her.

"Well, I guess I will say my good-byes now then." Laura walked over to JC and quickly hugged him, "Have a safe trip, JC" She turned to leave. "I won't waste anymore of you time."

JC ran his hands through his hair and pulled it slightly as if he were going crazy. "Why do you always do that?" he asked.

"Do what?"

"Make me feel like an asshole when I shouldn't?"

"JC, only you can make yourself feel that way. I just didn't want to make you late...If I wouldn't have dropped by just now, I would not have seen you at all." she said, realizing he planned it that way.

"I would have called you later. I didn't know you were up."

"I guess you were trying to leave without telling me, so you wouldn't feel obligated to bring me along."

JC didn't want to admit that he was trying to leave without telling her. When she walked away from him at the party the night before, he had suddenly started to feel used and worthless to her. He felt like she was so loving with him when they were alone together and then treated him almost like a stranger when they were in public. He was growing weary and needed to go and clear his head.

"It wasn't that at all. You're always welcome to come if you want to Laura."

She wanted to tell him to go fuck himself but didn't want to argue with him right before he left to get on a plane.

"That's okay, JC. But thank you for the offer." she struggled to smile.

Laura walked back up to him and gave him a long hug good-bye. JC was still hurt about the night before but found it hard to stay angry with her. He closed his eyes and tried to memorize that moment...The way she felt in his arms...The way she looked...The way she smelled...Everything. He lightly kissed her forehead. "I'll call you when I get there."

"Okay. Just leave me a message on my voicemail or something. I'll probably be out all day."

"Oh...Okay." He was puzzled that she was okay with him leaving her that way. He stood there alone again watching her through the window as she walked away.

Later on that afternoon Laura's phone rang. She didn't want to speak to anyone and knew JC would most likely be calling her around that time. She turned down the volume on the answering machine and went back to playing the piano.

Moments later her cell phone began to ring. She looked at the display window and noticed it was JC's phone and let it go straight to her voicemail. She was tempted to pick up but decided to wait. At about 6pm her curiosity had won the battle and she checked her messages:

"Laura, its me. It's almost 2pm. I was just calling to let you know that I got in OK. I'm staying at the Luxor Hotel. The number here is 702-262-4102. It's suite 4880. They'll ask for a code. Just tell them LAC and they will connect you through to me...Or call the cell and I'll call you back once its charged up. Umm...I guess that's it...(long pause)...I'm sorry about how I was acting earlier. I was just in a weird mood...And now that I am here, I am really wishing you were here with me. I know you've never been here before and I wanted to show you so many things. Well maybe next time right? You are probably out so I won't keep babbling. I will hopefully talk to you later before I go to bed...(long pause)...I love you, Laura."

Laura saved the message and sat back on her couch and wondered if she should call him back or not.