When Worlds Collide

by White-Knight-1988

Fame, fortune, and everything that goes with it...this is the life of Kim Hart, shared with four new friends and a few very old ones. Celebrity, though, comes with a price; will it cost her the one thing that her heart as always wanted?

A/N 1: This story is definitely extremely adult in nature, thus the Mature rating which is necessary considering the world in which this story takes place. If you are offended by harsh language, minor drug use, conversation of a sexual nature, or sex itself now is the time for you to click the Back button and read something different.

A/N 2: For those of you who have seen the HBO series "Entourage," then you will most likely recognize the characters—who aren't mine and aren't being used for profit—in this story. If you aren't familiar with the show, I've made an effort to explain almost all references to past events on the show as well as who the characters are and where they came from.

Title: When Worlds Collide

Timeline: Concurrent with Season 5 of "Entourage." All things PR are canon up until the end of Turbo, which means "Forever Red" and Dino Thunder didn't happen in this story.

Summary: Kimberly Hart never set out to be a celebrity, it sort of just happened that way. Thrust into an unfamiliar world, she is befriended by a group of young men led by one of Hollywood's most recognizable faces. Her budding friendship with this actor and his entourage leads her to the last thing she ever expected to find; a chance at redemption, and maybe, something more.

Original Posting Date: October 17, 2008

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"Drama!" yelled the steely eyed, black haired man seated in the folding chair marked Director as he looked around the studio where the television series Five Towns was currently being filmed. "Where the fuck is Johnny Drama? Someone find that stupid prick and tell him that he's fired if he's not out here in the next three minutes!"

Outside on the lot, a man in his late thirties with closely cropped brown hair and a goatee ran as hard as he could towards the studio. Dressed in a form fitting black tee shirt, faded blue jeans, and a pair of tan work boots, the man turned the corner and ran into the studio via the oversized, garage door-esque entrance with beads of sweat dribbling down his forehead. He continued towards the set, running as fast as he could until he reached the director's chair and stopped.

"Hey, sorry I'm late, Ed," said the man in a faded New York accent. "Turtle brought some girls to the trailer and, uh, we got a little carried away."

Glaring at the man, the director shook his head. "Drama, I don't give a fuck if Jesus Christ himself was in your trailer. When you're supposed to be here at four that means four; not four-oh-one, not four-fifteen, and definitely not four-thirty like you are now, but fucking four o'clock!" he shouted. Johnny "Drama" Chase opened his mouth to reply, but the director cut him off before he could say anything. "Look at you; you're sweating like a tranny hooker on Santa Monica in July. Get some powder on that ugly face and then get your ass on the set before you're making a living off Viking Quest residuals like you used to."

"I'm gonna go to the set, but not 'cause you told me to. Besides, you're a fucking director. You can't fire me," Drama replied, turning for the makeup lady. As he walked towards her he shook his head, his voice barely a low mutter. "Man, fuck that guy. He knows I don't get anything for Viking Quest."

"Cheer up, Johnny," said the makeup lady, an older woman with gray hair who smiled at him while hastily touching up his face. "God only knows the last thing we need here is for you to tick off another director more than you already have."

Drama scoffed. "Look at me, Lucille, does this face look like it gives a fuck what Ed Berger thinks? The guy's a fucking tool. He's lucky he's the director or I'd drag his ass out on the lot and give him a beat down, Johnny Drama style."

The makeup lady rolled her eyes. "Just get to work, Johnny," she told him, Drama already starting swiftly towards the set as she moved with him to put the final touches on his face. "And watch your mouth when you're around me. You know I hate curse words."

Ignoring her, Drama arrived on a set designed like the streets of Far Rockaway in Queens, New York and stood near the two actors whom he would be working with for this particular scene. One was another series regular, a young man in his late teens/early twenties with long brown hair. The other was a guest star, a petite woman ten years his junior with beautiful auburn tresses and doe brown eyes.

Drama paid no attention to his male co-star, instead looking to the woman, his eyes filled with intent of a very adult nature as he smiled at her. "You ready to work with the best in the business or what, babe?"

"I hate to break it to you Drama, but Vince isn't here," his co-star interjected with a laugh, Drama glaring bullets at him as the woman covered her mouth to suppress her giggle.

"Shut up, kid. No one cares what you think," said Drama bitterly, returning his attention to the woman with a smile as he dropped his voice so only she could hear. "Just ignore him. He has a small, flaccid penis and no friends other than his hand."

The woman just rolled her eyes at Drama. "Whatever," she replied as she turned to the director, ignoring the back and forth bantering now going on between the show's two stars. "Hey, are we going to do this or what?"

Flipping through a stack of papers, the director barely raised his eyes to her. "That depends on whether your co-star is ready and done being a little prima donna piece of shit or not."

"Hey, fuck you, Ed!" said Drama, pointing a finger at the director. "Johnny Drama is always ready to work."

"That's what you said before Viking Quest got cancelled, you egotistical prick," the director muttered inaudibly, shifting his attention to the crew. "Alright, places everyone! I want this son of a bitch shot in time for me to get home and watch The Family Guy."

Immediately, the three actors assumed their various positions around the set. The director's assistant moved to stand in front of the set, holding the clapboard in the eye of the main camera. "Five Towns, episode nineteen, scene four, take one."

"And, action!" called out the director.

Lined before a long stretch of prop apartment buildings was a sidewalk upon which Johnny Drama and the young man started walking down as the woman, from a distance, began to move in their direction. As they walked, Drama swiveled his head towards the man on his right.

"You catch the Yanks game last night?" asked Drama.

The young man shook his head. "Nah, I was watching the Mets."

"The Mets?" questioned Drama, his co-star nodding. "Who cares about the Mets?" Before the young man could answer, Drama barreled into the woman who bounced off his shoulder. They both stopped, staring at each other. "Hey, watch where you're going, lady. You might get hurt next time."

Rolling her eyes, the woman laughed at him. "Yeah right," she replied, picking up her purse from the sidewalk and slinging it over her shoulder, missing Drama's flinching face by inches. "If anyone gets hurt, it's gonna be you. See ya later, loser."

With that, she turned and continued in the direction the two men had come over. Looking at his friend incredulously, Drama wore a pissed off expression as he stared at the back of the woman walking away from him.

"You better hope you don't see me later!" he yelled. "That stuff don't fly in my town; not in any of my five towns."

"Cut!" the director shouted, the three actors freezing and turning to face him. "Kim, you were absolutely perfect; Drama, you fucking suck! Explain to me why in God's name you still have a fucking job in this town!"

While Kimberly Hart smiled at the man's compliment, Drama, on the other hand, did not take kindly to the director's words. "That's it, I've had enough of your shit, Ed. Get your ass up so I can knock it back down," he said as he moved quickly towards the seated man, his clenched fists at the ready.

Standing in front of the director, Drama grabbed him by his shirt collar and lifted him into the air, his feet dangling wildly as he wore a frightened expression on his face. "Put me down, you piece of crap," said Berger, choking on his words.

When Drama did not show any signs of releasing him, Kimberly rolled her eyes with a sigh and ran to where the action was. "Everyone's watching you, Johnny," she hissed, a firm grasp on Drama's bicep as he looked down at her. "Put him down."

Raising an eyebrow, Drama scanned the room to find that every single person there was indeed staring at him. Quickly, he switched his look of anger to a half-cocked smile and gently returned Berger to his seat, straightening the man's shirt.

"Good, now get back to the set," continued Kimberly, shaking her head. Drama obediently did as he was told, walking back to his younger co-star. Normally, once his buttons had been pushed this far getting him to calm down was damn near impossible, but there was just something about Kimberly that made him willing to do whatever she told him to. Once he was out of earshot, she looked at the director. "You're lucky he didn't beat the crap out of you. Now stop being such an asshole and direct the damn scene."

Scared out of his wits, Berger scurried into a more upright position in his chair and hastily nodded his head. "What the fuck is everyone staring at?" he yelled, looking around the set. "Get your asses in place and let's shoot this thing."

The remaining two hours of the shoot were incident free; relatively speaking, that is. Drama and Berger continued to jaw back and forth, but Kimberly was able to keep Drama in check before it escalated beyond words again. At the call of "that's a wrap," Berger was on his feet and out the door long before Drama had time to think about continuing things outside.

Standing on the sidewalk, he noticed Berger's disappearance, looked to Kimberly, and scoffed. "I fucking hate that guy," Drama muttered through gritted teeth. "We got into it on an episode of Melrose back in '95 and he's had it out for me ever since."

Kimberly shrugged nonchalantly. "You're not exactly an easy person to get along with, Drama. I mean, no offense, but for a guy who's in the middle of his first steady job since 1997 you've got a pretty big complex."

Drama opened his mouth to argue, but thought better of it, sighing when Kimberly glared at him. "Listen, you're still new to this. When you've been around the business as long as I have, you're allowed to have an ego. On that note," he continued suavely, "my baby bro's having a little going away party at La Casa de Drama and I think you should be my date."

Staring back at him with eyes widened by disbelief, Kimberly started to chuckle which caused Drama to awkwardly mimic her. "You—you're joking, right?" she asked through her laughter. "Now you listen; I may be new to this, but I still know enough about the business to know better than to date an actor whose biggest claim to fame is a show that ran for twenty episodes on the Sci-Fi Channel."

The laughter of Johnny Drama died almost instantly, his face turning stone cold. "For your information," he replied in absolute seriousness, "Viking Quest ran for twenty-two episodes."

"Congratulations, Johnny," said Kimberly, clasping his shoulder. "Have a good night. I'll see you tomorrow."

Feeling a little bit bad that she had laughed in his face like that, Kimberly turned on her heels and quickly headed for her trailer. As soon as she was inside she moved for the couch upon which her Louis Vutton purse rested and took a seat next to it. Reaching inside, she pulled out her cell phone and scrolled through the "A" section of her phonebook until she found the number she was looking for.

She waited patiently while it rang, opening her mini-fridge and pulling out a can of Diet Coke in the process. The can popped open with a hiss just as Aisha Campbell picked up on the other end of the line.

"Oh boy, I must be pretty important if I'm getting calls from celebrities, now," said Aisha teasingly, Kimberly laughing. "What's up, girl?"

"You'll never guess what just happened to me," Kimberly responded, taking a sip from her soda can.

"Nope, I won't. So why don't you just tell me?" replied Aisha.

"I just got invited to a party for Vincent freaking Chase!" Kimberly squealed excitedly.

It took a few silent moments for Aisha to reply, needing that time to let what Kimberly had just told her sink in. "Wait, wait, wait," she said, dumbfounded, "the actor, Vincent Chase; as in super-sexy-Aquaman, Vincent Chase?"

"Yep," answered Kimberly, nodding even though Aisha couldn't see her. "How freaking awesome is that? I feel like a little girl who just got asked out on her first real date! I mean, it's Vincent Chase for crying out loud!"

"Girl, don't go getting too excited on me. That boy has been in the papers with at least twenty or thirty women in the last year, he hasn't been in a real relationship since Mandy Moore dumped him, and we both know you're not the type for a one night stand."

"Wow," said Kimberly, sighing as she lied back against the cushion. "You sure know how to drain the excitement out of a girl, don't you?"

Aisha chuckled. "Just keeping it real, girl; just keeping it real."

Kimberly snickered. "I guess in the end it doesn't really matter seeing as how I'm not even going to go?"

"You're joking with me, right? You just got invited to a party for one of the most gorgeous men on the entire planet and you're not even going to go? Jesus, Kim, what in the world is wrong with you?"

Knowing that her friend's words were meant to be teasing, Kimberly shook them off with a quiet laugh. "You wouldn't go either if going meant having to be Tarvold from Viking Quest's date."

Aisha coughed exaggeratedly. "Eww, please don't tell me that Johnny Chase asked you to be his date. That's too much for a girl to handle at one time."

Laughing, Kimberly shook her head. "I know, tell me about it. He's not a bad looking guy or anything, it's his attitude that I don't like. A guy with an ego as big as his is such a turnoff. I do feel kind of bad, though, 'cause when he asked me to go with him I pretty much just laughed in his face."

"Ouch, Kim; very ouch," said Aisha with a flippant laugh, "Hollywood has turned you cold, girl."

"Oh, whatever, 'Sha," Kimberly replied, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, I just wanted to call and tell you what happened, but I gotta run. Give me a call when you've got some time off and we'll get together, okay?"

"Definitely; I'll talk to you later, Kim."

"Bye,' Sha," said Kimberly, hanging up her cell phone.

Dropping the device back into her purse and pulling out her car keys, she took a long drink from the silver-red can and rose to her feet, tossing the almost empty container into a nearby waste basket. With her purse hanging over her shoulder, she exited her trailer and started towards the parking lot.

As she approached her black BMW convertible with tinted windows and twenty-inch chrome rims, license plates marked "6GLDMDL," she pointed the clicker on her key ring towards the car and hit the button to unlock it. She climbed into her car and closed the door behind her, laying the back of her head against the soft headrest.

It had been a long day to say the least. Her morning had started off with an eight a.m. meeting involving her agent and a fairly large sports apparel company in regards to a possible endorsement contract. Then at ten she'd met with her record label to discuss the third and final album that was contractually required of her. Shooting for Five Towns had begun at eleven-thirty with a forty-five minute break at three-fifteen and it was now almost eight o'clock.

More than anything in the world right now Kimberly just wanted to crawl into a hot bath, snuggle up in her pajamas, and fall asleep to her favorite trashy reality shows. Alas, a quiet evening alone in her home was not in the cards for her on this particular night.

Sighing, she slipped her key into the ignition and turned, waiting for the usual sound of her engine springing to life, but nothing came. Furrowing her brow, she turned the key over and over to the same result, each time her expression growing increasingly angrier.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" she yelled, beating her fist against the steering wheel. Anyone who knew Kim at all would know that she was seriously distraught, for it was a rare occasion when that word was uttered by her. Deflated, she closed her eyes and put her head on the headrest, running her hand through her hair as she muttered "I hate my life."

With clear exasperation written on her face, she yanked her keys from the ignition and grabbed her cell phone, climbing out of her car while dialing Information for a towing company. One arm folded across her chest she listened to the phone ring, an automated voice answering just as a black SUV slowly rolled to a stop in front of her. The window slid down and Kimberly immediately recognized the driver as Johnny Drama's friend Turtle, a slightly chubby man with a chinstrap beard.

"Yo, something wrong with your car, sweetheart?" asked Turtle in a heavy accent. It was definitely from New York with a hint of something uniquely urban.

"The stupid thing won't start," answered Kimberly sheepishly.

Had it been Drama asking that question, Kimberly would have certainly replied with something a little more vicious, or at least sarcastic, but she liked Turtle. He definitely wasn't her type, but she had to admit that he was kind of cute, in a cuddly teddy bear way.

With a half-smirk, Turtle nodded and shrugged. "What are ya gonna do?" he asked rhetorically.

"What are ya gonna do?" Kimberly returned, chuckling lightly.

"Where you going?" asked Turtle.

"Valencia," answered Kimberly, "why?"

"Hop in, we'll give you a lift," said Turtle, pointing with his thumb towards the rear passenger door.

Kimberly considered the offer, but when she saw Drama smack Turtle and the two go back and forth for a few moments, she shook her head, realizing that Drama didn't want her in the car with them. "Thanks, Turtle; I really appreciate it, but I need to call for a tow truck and I probably shouldn't just leave my car hanging out here without me."

"You got another car, don't you?" questioned Turtle, Kimberly nodding even though she didn't really understand why how many vehicles she owned was relevant to the situation. "Then take care of it tomorrow. It's gonna take at least half an hour for a tow truck to get here and they're already starting to close the set down. Drama'll be on his best behavior, I promise."

Momentarily debating it, Kimberly quickly decided to accept Turtle's offer. The car could be dealt with when she came back the next day, and waiting around for a tow truck to show up was about the furthest thing possible from how she had wanted to spend her evening.

"Alright, you talked me into it," she replied, walking towards the car as Turtle nodded and pulled his head back into the vehicle. Settling into the leather seat, Turtle looked back at her with a smile and she returned the gesture. "Thanks for the ride, guys. I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome," Turtle replied politely. Drama muttered something she couldn't quite make out, but from his tone of voice it didn't sound too pleasant. Rolling his eyes, Turtle looked to his friend and smacked him on the back of the head. "Jesus, Drama, have some manners. You're such an asshole sometimes."

Kimberly covered her mouth to stifle her giggle as Drama gingerly rubbed the spot where Turtle had hit him. "That was completely unnecessary, bro," said Drama, pointing an accusatory finger at Turtle. "You hit me again and I'll tell Vince."

Turtle chuckled. "You tell Vince I hit you, and I'll tell him you're being a total fucking douche bag."

Drama opened his mouth for a comeback, but Kimberly cut in before things had a chance to get even more out of hand. "Guys, guys, guys," she interjected, waving her hands in front of them. "If this is how it's going to be, I'll just get out and wait for the tow truck."

"Fine," said Drama.

"No," said Turtle at the same time, glaring at Drama before turning to Kimberly and smiling. "It's all good. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride."

Kimberly nodded, looking out her window as Turtle returned his focus to road and the car slowly started to move forward. An awkward silence settled over the trio almost instantly, Kimberly sending text messages to a few friends to keep occupied. For nearly twenty minutes they rode this way, navigating the streets of Los Angeles with no one saying a single word until Turtle's cell phone started to ring. Quickly, he reached into his pocket and retrieved the device, looking first at the caller identification and then to Drama.

"It's E," said Turtle.

"Answer it," Drama replied.

Turtle nodded and flipped open his phone, holding it up to his ear. "What's up, man…what do you mean you can't pick up Vince…Dry cleaning? You're fucking joking, right…god dammit, E, today was your day to pick Vince up…yeah, yeah, fuck you too, you little Lucky Charms, pot of gold motherfucker."

Hanging up the phone, Turtle stuffed it into his pocket, quickly changed lanes in order to merge onto the freeway, and then looked at Kimberly in the rearview mirror. "Sorry, Kim, but we're gonna have to make a little pit stop. It seems our little Irish sidekick has better things to do than pick up his best friend."

"When you say you're going to pick up Vince, you mean Vincent Chase, right?" asked Kimberly. When Turtle nodded, she shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "Then it's no big deal. I've always wanted to meet Mr. Queens Boulevard."

"I was in Q.B. too, you know?" Drama interjected, wasting no time in seizing the opportunity to shine the spotlight on his own acting résumé.

"Yeah, for like three minutes," said Turtle with a laugh while Kimberly closed her eyes to prevent herself from rolling them at Drama.

"That was three minutes longer then you, Tons o' Fun," Drama replied.

"Guys," said Kimberly sternly, glaring at the two men who immediately fell silent. "That's better. I swear, for two guys who are supposed to be such good friends, you sure do act like jerks to each other."

Drama shrugged. "That's kinda the way our relationship is."

"Yeah," added Turtle, nodding. "We just like to give each other shit a lot, but we don't really mean nothin' by it."

Kimberly did not reply, instead turning her attention back to her cell phone for the remainder of the trip. Thankfully, said trip did not last very much longer. It was about five minutes later when they pulled into a strip mall and parked, the three occupants climbing out of the SUV.

"This is where Vince is?" asked Kimberly, surprised that a celebrity like Vincent Chase would come anywhere near such a middle class area.

"Yup," answered Turtle with a nod, pointing to one of the nearby suites, "right in there."

Kimberly looked to the building in question, reading the sign above it aloud. "Falcon Martial Arts," she murmured with the slightest hint of hesitation in her voice. It was almost as though the name of the place had struck some sort of odd chord with her. "What's Vince doing at a karate studio?"

"Baby bro's in training," Drama answered as they started to cross the parking lot.

"Yeah," added Turtle. "Some big ass company in Japan wants to pay him like three-quarters of a mil to shoot this sneaker commercial, but they want him to fight in the spot, or at least look like he knows how to fight."

"So they sent him to train in the Valley?" asked Kimberly, raising a curious eyebrow.

Shrugging, Turtle nodded. "That's what we said when we saw the place, but apparently the guy who owns it is world famous or something. The people in Japan pretty much insisted that Vince train here."

Opening the door, Turtle stepped back and allowed Drama and Kimberly to go in front of him. "Thanks," said Kimberly, smiling appreciatively as she entered the karate studio.

"Not a problem," Turtle replied, following them in as the door closed shut behind him.

Kimberly's first thought as she looked at the interior of the foyer was that it was rather plain for someone who was world famous. The walls were solid white, as was the counter of the receptionist's desk, which was currently vacant. On the left wall was a door marked as the girl's locker room, its' male counterpart in the same spot on the adjacent wall. There were no pictures of the owner with other famous martial artists, no medals or trophies to signify the man's apparent standing in his chosen profession.

The main area of the studio was very much the same, row after row of thin blue mats lining the concrete floor. Aside from a display of weapons on one of the walls, this room was as bland as the foyer.

Only two other people seemed to be in the place. Dressed in white karate gi's they stood on the mats, going through a slow kata with their backs to the approaching trio. One of the men had somewhat long, curly black hair and, even though she couldn't see his face, Kimberly instantly recognized him as Vincent Chase. The other man, who she deemed to be the owner, wore a black belt around his gi and had a closely cropped head of brown hair.

"Yo, Vinnie!" yelled Drama as they walked towards the mats.

Both men spun around and Kimberly froze on the spot, staring not at Vince but at the owner, completely oblivious to Drama and Turtle passing by her. It made a small part of her sad to realize that she had recognized Vince, but not the man she had known for almost fifteen years.

For quite some time she stared into the chocolate brown eyes of Tommy Oliver, neither one of them paying any attention to the interaction between Vince, Drama, and Turtle. Just when it seemed like the silence was going to become awkward, they both started to laugh at the irony of the situation and quickly closed the gap between themselves, embracing each other warmly.

"Kim, wow," murmured Tommy in excited disbelief, releasing his hold on her. "What are you doing here?"

Kimberly shook her head. "It's a long story. Reader's Digest version; I'm working with Drama and my car broke down so I hitched a ride with these two," she answered, using her thumb to indicate Drama and Turtle who were too busy with Vince to notice she and Tommy. "I should have known when I saw the sign out front that this place was yours. Only you could be subtle enough to be world famous and have a dojo thirty minutes from my house with me not knowing about it."

Tommy laughed, shrugging his shoulders. "You know me. I like to maintain a low profile," he replied, Kimberly nodding. "God, it seems like it's been forever since I last saw you. What was it; Jason's Christmas party last year?"

"Yeah, I think so," said Kimberly. "So what have you been up to other than teaching karate to celebrities?"

Tommy started to answer, but stopped when Turtle stepped up behind Kimberly and tapped her on the shoulder, the petite woman turning around to face him. "Oh, hey, Turtle," she said with a smile. "What's up?"

"Sorry to interrupt you guys," Turtle answered, pointing to his watch. "But Vince is on a tight schedule and we really gotta get going."

"Oh, umm, okay," Kimberly replied. Quickly, she pulled out her cell phone from her purse and looked back at Tommy. "Talk about bad timing for a reunion, huh?" she continued, chuckling as Tommy nodded. "Listen, give me your number and I'll call you later. Maybe we can get together this weekend and catch up?"

"Sure," said Tommy casually, masking his excitement as he recited his phone number to Kimberly.

"Awesome," said Kimberly, punching in a few keys before dropping her phone back into her purse. "It was good seeing you."

"Yeah, same here," Tommy replied, the pair sharing a quick hug. "But don't think 'cause you're a celebrity now that I won't find a way to hunt you down if you forget to call me."

Kimberly laughed, shaking her head as she quickly backpedaled to catch up with Vince, Drama, and Turtle who were already at the door. "I wouldn't dream of it," she told him, smiling. "I'll talk to you later."

Tommy waved his goodbye, Kimberly returning the gesture before turning around and running after the trio. She finally caught up to them in the parking lot, casually sliding into place at the end of the line next to Turtle, Vince to his right and Drama at the other end.

Trying to stop herself from appearing star struck, Kimberly avoided all eye contact with Vince as they walked towards the SUV that he owned, but never drove seeing as how at thirty years old he still didn't have a driver's license. One of the upsides to being famous, though, was that there was always someone to drive him wherever he wanted to go.

On the driver's side of the car, Kimberly opened the door and started to climb into her seat, but stopped when she saw Vince prevent an obviously confused Drama from entering the back seat with her.

"You can ride shotgun this time, Johnny," Vince told his older brother, Kimberly smiling in utter glee as she slid into her seat, Vince joining her moments later. She bit back her smile even as he grinned her way and offered her his hand. "Hi, I'm Vincent Chase."

"K-Kimberly Hart," she replied, her hand trembling as she shook Vince's.

Vince nodded. "I know who you are."

"You do?" asked Kimberly, clearly shocked.

Again, Vince nodded. "Yep; I have your first two albums in my collection at home," he answered, Kimberly's eyes growing wide at this knowledge. "Hey, don't look so surprised. You're stuff is really good."

"Wow," she muttered, shaking her head. "I can't believe you actually listen to my music. I mean, you've pretty much been my favorite actor ever since Queens Boulevard. I was actually at Sundance when it premiered."

Vince's smiling expression turned to one of dead seriousness as he looked at Kimberly and scoffed. "Are you kidding? I am Queens Boulevard."

Kimberly clapped, laughing appreciatively at the utterance of one of Vince's more famous line from the film as Turtle maneuvered the SUV onto the freeway. "You have no idea how much I love that movie. It's up there with Head On as one of my all-time favorites."

"No Aquaman up there?" asked Vince, almost surprised because his appearance in the James Cameron directed film was easily his most notable to date.

Kimberly shook her head. "Can I be honest with you?" she asked, Vince nodding. "I know every actor does indie's for passion and studio films for money, but I kind of felt like Aquaman was below you. You went from playing these two raw, gritty characters to playing an underwater superhero who talks to dolphins. It was just a little too much for me, I guess."

In the driver's seat, Turtle looked at Kimberly in the rearview mirror and made a cutthroat motion with his hand to signal for her to stop talking. "You keep saying stuff like that and Vince'll never make another dime, and I'll be living in Drama's condo for the rest of my life."

Vince laughed. "It's cool, Turtle. You know you don't have to worry about me bringing in a paycheck," he replied, turning his attention back to Kimberly with a smile. "Besides, I appreciate your honesty; and honestly, the only reason I did it is 'cause Cameron directed and he only does a movie like once every ten years."

"Don't get me wrong, Vince, it was a good movie and I definitely enjoyed it for what it was," said Kimberly. "For a superhero movie…I mean, there's a reason it beat out Spider-Man's record at the box office. I just think you're better in roles where you play characters that people can relate to, that's all."

"That's probably why Medellin sucked so hard," Turtle interjected, referring to Vince's film about the infamous drug lord, Pablo Escobar; a film that had absolutely bombed at the Cannes Film Festival in France the year before.

"Why'd you have to go and bring up Medellin, Turtle?" asked Vince, half-whining. "I thought we agreed never to speak of it again."

"You're right, Vince. My bad," said Turtle, touching his chest apologetically.

Vince nodded and then returned his focus to Kimberly. "Did Johnny invite you to my going away party tonight? When he told me you were guest starring on Five Towns, I told him he had to invite you."

Kimberly hesitated, not wanting to tell Vince that she had laughed in his brother's face. Luckily for her, though, Drama quickly stepped in for her. Looking back at Vince, Drama slapped his forehead. "You know what, bro, it completely slipped my mind. The last couple of days on the set have just been nuts. You know how it gets."

Kimberly mouthed her thanks to Drama, silently pondering the notion that maybe he wasn't such a jerk after all. Looking at his brother, Vince shook his head. "Well then," he said, turning to Kimberly once more, "on behalf of the Chase Brothers, I'd like to invite you to my going away party tonight. You can even bring Tommy if you want to. And if you ask me, I think he could use a good party."

She couldn't help but laugh, knowing exactly what Vince was talking about. "Trust me, I used to think the same thing; everyone does when they first meet Tommy. It's not that he's wound up or anything like that, he's just really, really disciplined. It takes a lot to get him to cut loose."

Curling his bottom lip thoughtfully, Vince nodded. "Well maybe you can convince him to cut loose, then. And since you were honest with me, do you mind me being honest with you?" he asked, Kimberly shaking her head as Vince smiled, whispering, "Tommy digs you."

Kimberly's eyes grew as wide as saucers. "Wh-what do you mean, he digs me?" she sputtered.

Vince laughed. "I mean he digs you. He's been training me for the last two weeks and we've kind of become like friends in that time. We got to talking about stuff one day last week and I brought up Johnny's show and how one of my favorite singers was going to be guest starring on it. When I told him it was you he perked up and got real interested. Besides, it was pretty obvious back at the dojo that he's interested in you."

Now it was Kimberly's turn to laugh, adding an adamant shake of her head to accompany it. "No; no way," she replied, waving her hands dramatically. "Tommy and I dated in high school, but that ended a long time ago. We're just friends now."

"Okay, then invite him just as a friend," conceded Vince, not really interested in getting into an argument or lengthy discussion over it. "Or don't; it's up to you. Either way, I expect to see you at that party."

Kimberly had to admit that it had been nice seeing Tommy earlier and she'd meant it when she'd told him that she wanted to catch up. Now she had the perfect opportunity to do so and no reason why she shouldn't. "I can't promise that Tommy will want to come," she told Vince who nodded in understanding, "but I'll definitely be there."

"Good," said Vince, smiling. "When you talk to Tommy I want you to make sure you tell him that this invite came straight from my mouth and that I would be personally offended if the man who trained me for my commercial didn't come to see me off."

Laughing, Kimberly nodded. "Will do," she replied, turning her focus to their current location. "Take the second exit from here, Turtle. Make a left at the light, go straight for about two miles, turn right and you'll be there. The code at the gate is four-three-seven-nine-pound."

"Gotcha," said Turtle with a joking salute.

Ten minutes later they were pulling through the open gate, Kimberly giving Turtle directions until they reached her house, a rather large two-story home that she freely admitted was far too big for a single woman.

"You live here all alone?" asked Vince.

Kimberly nodded as she removed her seat belt and gathered up her purse from the floor. "Yep; I know it's way too much for me, but I swear I have tons of visitors come through at the most random of times. For like two weeks last month, all six bedrooms were occupied."

Vince laughed flippantly. "You don't have to defend the way you spend your money to me," he replied, Kimberly chuckling awkwardly with pink cheeks. "Anyway, we gotta run. I'll see you later, though."

"Yep," said Kimberly, climbing halfway out of the vehicle before ducking her head back in. "Wait; I don't know where Johnny lives so how am I supposed to get there?"

"I'll give you the address," Drama answered, but Vince shook his head.

"I'll do you one better," Vince interjected, directing a smile towards Kimberly. "What's your number?"

"555-9832," she replied, "why?"

"Because I now have the number of one of my favorite singers," said Vince, he and Kimberly both chuckling as he entered the number into his cell phone. "And in two minutes you'll have Drama's address and the number of one of your favorite actors."

"Sounds good," Kimberly replied, shaking her head in amusement. "Thanks again for the ride, guys. I'll see you all later."

The three men all echoed their goodbyes as Kimberly exited the vehicle and shut the door behind her. She paid no attention to the SUV's departure, digging through her purse for her keys while walking up the driveway towards her front door. She found the key ring resting on top of her cell phone, which made her do a double take as she extracted the keys.

Smiling, she grabbed her phone and flipped it open, letting herself into the house while scrolling through her phone book. Once she'd found the number she was looking for she hit the button to dial it and placed the phone next to her ear, waiting with baited breath as it started to ring.

--

In a modest two bedroom condominium on the outskirts of downtown Los Angeles, Tommy Oliver sat in his living room alone. Seated on the floor in between his couch and coffee table, an old Kung Fu movie playing on the television, he held a red and gold container in one hand and a pair of wooden chopsticks in the other.

To one who did not know Tommy and the man he was, his status as a world renowned martial artist would be unrecognizable considering his living situation. He had more money than he knew what to do with, a byproduct of five years racing stock cars professionally before opening the karate school that had increased his wealth five times over.

The thing about Tommy, though, was that all the money in the world was not enough to buy his happiness. Being rich had just never been something he was all that interested in; the condo had been paid for in cash, as had every piece of furniture inside the place along with the white 2007 Corvette currently located in the downstairs parking lot. He had enough money to live far more lavishly than his chosen lifestyle, but the truth was that each year he actually donated to various charities just as much as he spent on himself.

He wasn't happy with his life because he had money, he was happy with his life because being able to help people in need was something he'd loved doing ever since he'd played the role of spandex-clad superhero back in high school. Still, though, if he was honest with himself something had been missing from his life for quite some time.

Equal to his love for helping others was his disdain for being alone. It wasn't like he was struggling for company—he had plenty of friends he could call at a moment's notice—but his condo had been painfully empty in the six months since he'd parted ways with his girlfriend of two years; a young, rising actress he'd actually considered marrying before he'd found her cheating on him with her agent.

Picking inside the container with his wooden utensils, he took a bite of Mongolian beef and steamed rice, swallowed it down with a drink of water, and mused with a soft chuckle that if not for bad luck he would have no luck at all.

No, that wasn't fair, he reasoned silently. Life had blessed him wonderfully in almost every possible facet of his existence. Unfortunately, life had also chosen to curse him ruthlessly when it came to the relationship department. Thrice over Tommy had been in love, and all three times those relationships had ended with him alone, nursing another broken heart.

"Come on, Tommy," he muttered to himself, shaking his head. "Snap out of it. Dwelling on the past is just going to make things worse."

Life, it seemed, felt it necessary to play another cruel trick on Tommy, though, for at the mention of the past he was left to contend with the proverbial floodgates crumbling, hundreds of memories rushing his mind as he recalled his chance encounter with Kimberly an hour or so earlier.

God, she'd looked amazing when he'd first seen her waltzing into his karate studio with two of the last people he'd expected her to be with. Truthfully, it was like she grew more and more beautiful each time he saw her. And the way she'd looked at him…

Tommy was no longer the ignorant boy he had been in high school, utterly oblivious to the many girls batting their eyelashes at him in the hallways. He'd learned to read women the same way they read men, and it had taken only the briefest glimpse into Kimberly's eyes to know that there was still something lingering between them. It could have been veiled attraction or deep seeded love, Tommy didn't know; all he knew was that something was definitely still there.

Chuckling, he took another bite of his dinner and silently told himself that it didn't matter with Kimberly's current status as a celebrity. He taught karate to regular people and the occasional actor; she played sold out concerts, appeared on the television screens of millions on a daily basis, and regularly associated with the likes of Vincent Chase. Sadly, Tommy just didn't really see a place for him in her life anymore.

He was suddenly jolted from his less than pleasant thoughts, jumping a few inches on the seat of his pants when he felt his Blackberry start to vibrate against his leg. Quickly he retrieved the device, looking down on the screen at a number he didn't recognize. Furrowing his brow curiously, he answered the phone.

"Hello," he said almost cautiously.

"Guess who."

Tommy laughed. "Hey," he answered, instantly perking up. "I was just thinking about you."

"Good things, I hope?" Kimberly replied.

"Always," said Tommy half-truthfully as he grabbed the remote control from the coffee table and turned the volume on the television way down. "What's up? I didn't expect to hear from you this soon."

"What are you doing tonight?"

Caught off guard, it took Tommy a few moments before he could coherently answer her. "Uh, nothing really; I'm just sitting at home, eating some Chinese food, and watching cheesy karate movies, why?"

"Yep, that's about what I expected you to be doing," said Kimberly with a knowing laugh. "Listen, Vince is having a going away party tonight and he told me that he wants both of us to come. I thought maybe we could go together and, you know…catch up, I guess."

Pushing himself onto his feet, Tommy tucked the phone against his shoulder and picked up the takeout container, carrying it with him to the kitchen. "Yeah, I don't think so, Kim. Sorry, I mean I still want to hang out and catch up and everything, but partying with celebrities just isn't my thing."

"You do realize that like ninety percent of the people in this country would do just about anything to go to a Vincent Chase party, right?"

Chuckling, Tommy nodded as he closed the box of Chinese food and tucked it inside his refrigerator. "I guess I'm part of that other ten percent, then," he replied. "Besides, having to shout over loud music and drunk people isn't exactly the best environment for catching up with someone you haven't seen in over a year."

Kimberly sighed. "I didn't want to do this, Tommy, but you've left me no choice. Vince said that he would be personally offended if the man who trained him for his commercial didn't come to see him off, and you and I both know how much you hate to disappoint people."

Tommy rolled his eyes, incredulous to the notion that she would actually appeal to that part of him—his consummate need to always put everyone else's happiness above his own—just to try and convince him to go to some party. His shoulders sagged in defeat as he walked towards his room, knowing that he'd have to go if nothing more than as a favor to Vince.

"What time is this party?" he asked, already entering his spacious walk-in closet in search of something to wear.

"Are you going to go?"

"I'm thinking about it," he answered, grinning as he pulled down a black dress shirt on a hanger and inspected the garment. "What time does it start?"

"Vince said people will probably start showing up between ten and eleven."

Tommy looked down at his watch. "Alright, well it's already quarter after nine so I'm gonna hop in the shower. Text your address to me and I'll be at your place in an hour or so; that sound good to you?"

"That sounds perfect. I'll see you in a little bit."

"Bye, Kim," said Tommy.

Dropping his phone back into his pocket, he returned the black shirt to its place and continued to scan the closet for a few more minutes. In the end, he settled on a white, silk dress shirt and a pair of crisp, dark blue jeans, laying them out on his bed before he turned for the bathroom.

The next thirty minutes were spent in nervous anticipation as Tommy went about getting ready for the party; showering, shaving, and running a palm's worth of gel through his hair to give himself a head of stylish spikes, all the while wondering what the night could possibly have in store for him.

A splash of aftershave and a single spray of cologne, both courtesy of Giorgio Armani followed once he had finished dressing, Tommy gripping the edge of his bathroom sink as he stared at his reflection in the mirror. "It's time, buddy," he whispered.

Knowing that he needed to go into this with a clear head, he forced himself to push away all of his preconceived notions as to what might or might not happen later. Sighing, he shook his head, freeing his mind as he exited his bedroom and started towards the kitchen.

After retrieving a bottle of water from the refrigerator and snatching his car keys from the counter, he stepped out of his condo and into a relatively short stretch of hallway. Aside from his place there were only three other apartments on the floor and they were all spread out far enough to grant everyone a fairly reasonable amount of privacy, enough so that Tommy could have a dozen or so people over without worrying about disturbing his neighbors.

He rode the elevator down the eight stories to the parking garage where he found his Corvette parked where it always was, in the spot marked T. Oliver. With eyes closed he turned the key in the ignition, listening intently as the engine purred to life, smiling at the way it rumbled ever so perfectly. When it came to cars he was definitely a guy's guy.

Once he was behind the wheel it was like he completely forgot about everything else. His thumb tapped subconciously against the steering wheel, the Red Hot Chili Peppers playing from the speakers as he navigated the garage, his fingertips dancing on the gear shift while waiting for the moment when he could really put the tires to the pavement.

As soon as he had pulled out of the parking garage and into the flow of traffic, he shifted into second gear, then third, and finally fourth. Traveling comfortably at sixty miles per hour in a forty-five zone, he maneuvered in between and around cars with expert precision, his years of racing professionally paying dividends long after that chapter in his life had ended.

It wasn't until he reached the freeway, though, that he really let go and showed what his car was capable of doing. A blur of white shot down the interstate at a paltry ninety miles per hour, Tommy not even flinching as he continued to press down on the gas pedal.

Another advantage to one of his previous "jobs" was that he had developed a rather keen sense of his surroundings. In the three years that he'd been living in this area he had seen and memorized every speed trap and hiding place that the California Highway Patrol used, and had only been issued one speeding ticket in that time.

He pulled up to the gate of Kimberly's community in just under thirty minutes, frowning as he stared at the call box because her directions had failed to include a gate code. He scrolled through the list of residents until he found Hart, K. and then dialed the number, waiting as it started to ring.

"Hello," said Kimberly after the third ring.

"You could have given me a code, you know," Tommy replied, his head half out the window.

"Oh my God, I totally forgot. I'm such a dork. I'll let you in right now."

Tommy chuckled. "Alright, I'll see you in a few."

The line beeped once and then went dead, the wrought iron gate slowly swinging open a few moments later. With the possibility of children lurking nearby Tommy drove much more carefully the rest of the way, staying well below the speed limit until he came to a stop in front of a rather large, two-story home.

"Jeez, Kim, go big or go home," he muttered, shaking his head with a laugh. By the time he had gotten out of the car, she was already walking down the long driveway towards him. "Are you running a brothel in there or what?"

Kimberly laughed, rolling her eyes as Tommy walked around the car and opened the door for her. "Don't even get me started tonight, Tommy," she started, giving him a quick hug before sizing him up with a smile. "You look good."

"You look amazing," said Tommy with a wink, Kimberly blushing slightly. She wore very little makeup, a simple black halter top, and a pair of form fitting jeans, but her natural beauty was more than enough to have her male companion well entranced.

"Thanks," murmured Kimberly, smiling brightly.

Tommy nodded. "Come on," he replied, motioning towards the car. "We wouldn't want to be late for the almighty Vinnie Chase, now would we?"

Chuckling, Kimberly started to climb into Tommy's Corvette as he walked back around the car. "Hey, Tommy," she called out, causing him to stop at the hood of the vehicle and look over at her. "I'm not going for Vince."

"Who are you going for?" asked Tommy rhetorically, already knowing the answer. Or so he thought.

"Turtle," Kimberly answered.

Grinning triumphantly, she slid into her seat and closed the door behind her, looking at Tommy through the window as he stared at the vehicle in a momentary lapse of dumbfounded silence. Rubbing the back of his neck like he always did in situations like this, he shook his head slowly and got into the driver's seat.

Pulling on his seatbelt, he inserted the key into the ignition and looked at Kimberly. "I didn't think Turtle was your type, Kim," he said dryly, wearing a half-cocked smile. "But if you're looking for a guy with a little extra meat on his bones, I'm sure I could talk to Vince and arrange something between you two."

Laughing, Kimberly shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, but no thanks. I don't have any trouble getting guys on my own."

Tommy immediately recognized this as Kimberly testing the waters, trying to see how much was willing to take from her. If that was the game she wanted to play, then Tommy was more than happy to play right along.

"That's good," he replied, pulling away from her house. "I was worried that you'd be lonely at the party. I mean, it is Vince's party after all so you know there's gonna be like a thousand single women there tonight, and I just don't think poor old Vince will have the time to talk to each and every one of them."

"Is that your way of telling me you plan on hooking up with someone tonight?" asked Kimberly, raising an eyebrow at him.

Tommy shrugged. "Maybe," he answered, grinning thoughtfully. "It has been a while."

"Well then if you're hurting, by all means go for it," said Kimberly, her heart telling a completely different story than her words. The truth was that she wanted Tommy; badly. But after not seeing him for over a year, she doubted if trying to bed him was the right way to reenter each other's lives.

Even though they were just friends, Kimberly giving him free reign to hook up with anyone he wanted was the last thing Tommy had expected considering this night was supposed to be about them getting reacquainted with one another. The seriousness of her reply made the joking nature of their little game die a painful death and Tommy sighed softly.

"I don't really go for star chasers, anyway," he murmured, returning his full attention to the road. "Most of those girls are only there for Vince and the only reason they get with someone else is because he didn't get with them."

Kimberly smiled, peeking at Tommy from the corner of her eye. "Like I said earlier, I'm not going for Vince."

"Oh, that's right; I forgot," said Tommy, smacking his forehead. "You've got your eyes on Turtle tonight."

"I have my eyes on lots of guys, Tommy," she replied, staring right at him for a little added effect. "But very few are ever lucky enough to have any more than that. I don't just throw myself at anyone willing to give me a little attention, you know."

Tommy laughed, cautiously eyeing the petite woman seated next to him. "Then I guess it's a good thing that I have a lot of attention to give, isn't it?" he asked, Kimberly shrugging her shoulders noncommittally. "It's gonna be a long night."

"Pshh, in your dreams," she replied teasingly, sticking her tongue out at Tommy which caused him to roll his eyes.

"Wow, Kim, very mature," he said with a chuckle.

"Thanks," said Kimberly, smiling.

Tommy shook his head. "So where exactly is this party at, anyway?"

"Drama's place; it's just outside of Beverly Hills, I think," she answered, scrolling through her phone until she found the directions that Vince had sent to her earlier. "Yeah, um, it's on Carmelita Avenue. Take Santa Monica down to Oakhurst; turn right and Oakhurst will eventually change into Carmelita. It's the fourth building on the left."

Tommy nodded. "I won't remember anything after Santa Monica so you'll have to remind me later," he replied, sharing a knowing smile with Kimberly. "A lot's changed, but that definitely hasn't, unfortunately."

"No one's perfect, Tommy," said Kimberly with a shrug. "Besides, I think it's kinda cute."

Chuckling, he quickly moved the Corvette across three lanes of traffic, merging off of Insterstate-5 and onto Highway-170. With their course set for Hollywood, Tommy spared the briefest of glances in Kimberly's direction.

"So, uh, what have you been up to since Jason's party?" asked Tommy, turning the radio off. "The last I heard you were just getting back from your tour and your agent was trying to get you to do an episode of Law & Order: SVU. Great episode too, by the way; you really nailed the whole I'm-A-Murdering-Hooker-But-You-Should-Feel-Sorry-For-Me thing."

Kimberly looked at Tommy and laughed. "Are you making fun of me?" she asked, not sure if his compliment was serious or sarcastic.

Tommy shook his head. "Not at all," he answered. "I watched the episode the first night that it was on and thought you did a great job."

"Thanks," said Kimberly with a hesitant smile, still waiting for Tommy to tell her he was pulling her leg, but he never did. "I never wanted to act, you know. My agent really cornered me into doing Law & Order and it just kind of spiraled after that. Sometimes, I wake up in the morning and I can't help but wonder if this is the life I'm supposed to be leading."

Raising a thoughtful eyebrow, Tommy's bottom lip curled as he nodded his understanding. "You and I have both been blessed when it comes to our jobs and our financial well beings," he replied, Kimberly nodding in agreement. "But those things…they happened because we took the gifts that we've been given and used them to the absolute best of our abilities. When it comes to acting, you're gifted, simple as that. You're also not the type of person to let a talent like that go to waste."

"Don't get me wrong, I love acting a lot," said Kimberly softly. "It's just…you don't really realize how sleazy and shady Hollywood actually is until you're working in it every day. I'm not a deceitful person and I don't like deceitful people, but that's pretty much all that Hollywood consists of."

Tommy shrugged helplessly. "Only you can decide how you want to live your life, Kim. When you come home at the end of the day, if what you're doing doesn't make you happy then what are you living for, you know?"

Sighing, Kimberly nodded as Tommy pulled off of the freeway and onto Santa Monica Boulevard. "Right on Oakhurst," she reminded him, Tommy smiling appreciatively. "I love my job; I love my life and I'm thankful for everything I have. Life is just a big guessing game; you're presented with choices and you have to hope that the one you choose is the right one."

"I'd say by the looks of things that you don't choose wrong very often," said Tommy teasingly.

"Just once," Kimberly whispered simply, allowing him to take her answer however he chose to. "What about you? What have you been doing other than teaching karate?"

Tommy shrugged nonchalantly. "Nothing really," he answered, Kimberly giving him a look that said she didn't believe him one bit which made him chuckle. "I'm serious, Kim. Between running that school, teaching classes all day, six days a week, and overseeing the new dojo being built in Angel Grove, I don't have time for much else. I tossed around the idea of getting into mixed martial arts for a while, but things have just been way too hectic lately."

"Yeah, I know how that goes," Kimberly supplied, shaking her head. "Between all the commercials and photo shoots and guest spots on shows, I've been neglecting my music a lot. Now my label manager is down my throat about writing new material for my next album; I've only got three songs done and I need at least fifteen or twenty by the time I'm supposed to go into the studio two weeks from yesterday."

"We need lives," said Tommy, chuckling.

Kimberly laughed and nodded her agreement, wearing a bright smile as she looked to Tommy. "I'm glad that you decided to come with me tonight," she told him honestly, Tommy smiling. "We really should get together more often."

"I'm glad I came, too. And I agree, we should definitely hang out more," Tommy replied as he slowed the Corvette down, turning right onto Oakhurst. "This is the street that turns into Carmelita, right?"

"Yep," answered Kimberly, nodding. "It's like less than a mile from here."

"Cool," said Tommy. Two minutes later they turned right and pulled up alongside a parking attendant's booth, Tommy leaning his head out the window. "Uh, hi; we're here for Johnny Chase."

"You on the list?" asked the attendant, a middle aged African-American woman who carefully eyed the pair.

"The list?" questioned Tommy, the attendant nodding as he turned to Kimberly. "Did Vince say anything about a list?"

Kimberly shook her head. "No, but I'm sure one of our names is on it if there is one."

"Yeah, you're right," said Tommy, returning his attention to the attendant. "It's gonna be under Kimberly Hart."

"Why not under your name?" asked Kimberly as the attendant scanned the list.

"'Cause Vince has a thing for beautiful women," he answered, grinning.

Kimberly rolled her eyes. "Oh, so I'm beautiful, now?" she questioned playfully.

Chuckling, Tommy shrugged. "You're alright, I guess."

Before Kimberly could make a comeback the garage attendant interrupted her. "You guys are good to go. Mr. Chase has the space closest to the elevator reserved for you and his home is on the fifth floor. Enjoy your night."

"Thanks," said Tommy, nodding politely as the attendant raised the steel barrier to let them through. He maneuvered the Corvette through the garage, finding in a matter of seconds the space that the attendant had spoken of. Parking the car, he removed the keys from the ignition and looked at Kimberly. "Here we are."

"Here we are," she echoed with a smile. "Let's go."

Nodding, Tommy climbed out of the car as Kimberly did the same. He met her at the trunk and she immediately latched onto his arm. Tommy looked down at her and smiled, shaking his head as he led them towards the elevator. "You know, you always did look good on my arm," he told her in a low murmur.

Smiling up at him, Kimberly shook her head. "Actually, you look good with me on your arm which is actually a testament to how good I already look without you," she replied.

Tommy rolled his eyes as they stepped onto the elevator, not really understanding Kimberly's logic. "What floor did that lady say it was on again?" he asked, grinning sheepishly.

"Five," answered Kimberly, pressing the button for him.

As the elevator doors closed and the car slowly started to ascend, Tommy laughed. "Still doing everything for me, eh?" he asked jokingly. "You know, I may be forgetful but I think I can handle pushing an elevator button."

"Oh, whatever," Kimberly groaned, smacking his shoulder. "You always do everything for me. When was the last time you let me hold a door open for you, or take a seat without you pulling my chair out and pushing it back in, or pick up a dinner check?"

Hands stuffed into his pockets, Tommy shrugged bashfully. "What can I say? I guess when it comes to women I'm just old fashioned like that. If you're gonna blame someone, though, blame my dad. It's his fault I'm this way."

"I've already told your dad a hundred times over—and your mom too, for that matter—that they both did an amazing job raising you," said Kimberly, Tommy's eyes widening in surprise. "Besides, no one needs to be blamed for anything. You're still the same sweet, charming, caring guy you've always been and that's part of what I love about you."

Tommy wore an amused grin as the elevator chimed and the door slid open. "Oh, so you love me now, do you?" he asked in retort.

With a smile of her own, Kimberly nodded as they stepped out of the elevator and into a long hallway, dozens of doors lining each side. "Oh yeah, definitely," she replied, "in a total you're-the-best-surrogate-brother-I've-ever-had way."

"Do you call all of your ex-boyfriends 'brothers,' or just the ones you write breakup letters to?" asked Tommy with a laugh.

His joking reply surprised Kimberly somewhat, causing her to sputter as she tried to think of something to say. They'd been friends now for over a decade, and there was definitely a certain level of comfort to that friendship that allowed them to banter this way without worrying about offending the other person. But Kimberly could not recall a time in that eleven and a half year period where Tommy had ever been able to provide a comeback to her playing what she called the "Brother Card."

She and Zack had gotten into many an argument over her usage of that particular phrase, but alas; a story for another time.

Defeated, Kimberly shrugged. "I got nothing," she told Tommy who laughed as they turned a corner and arrived amongst a cluster of people, the party having already spilled outside of Drama's condo. "Jeez, how many people do they think they're gonna stuff in this place? Oh my God, is that a—"

"Port-o-potty," muttered Tommy incredulously. "Two of them," he continued, shaking his head at the pair of plastic structures standing side-by-side against one of the walls. "Drama really is a crazy bastard."

Kimberly laughed, nodding her agreement as they inched towards the door, carefully weaving their way between the people waiting to pee and those who'd come out to escape the confines of the condominium. "I think this is it," she said, indicating the door that the most people were congregated around. "Yep, it definitely is. I can hear music."

Tommy opened the door and actually staggered back a few steps when he saw the sea of bodies that filled Drama's home. There were at least a hundred people—probably more—and by Tommy's quick calculations, a female-to-male ratio of roughly four-to-one, which made him grin down at Kimberly.

"See, I told you so," he teased, lightly poking her ribs with his fingertip as they looked around for a familiar face or two. "Hey, I think that's Vince's manager over there by the kitchen. Let's go say hi and see about getting a drink."

"Sure," said Kimberly, suddenly not caring what they did as long as she stayed near Tommy. She hadn't expected to feel this way, but the eighty or so women that were at the party had made her surprisingly protective over him. Despite her earlier words, she'd be damned if she shared him with anyone tonight be it romantically or platonically.

They came to a stop behind a rather short man with closely cropped brown hair that was so light it teetered on the verge of being red. He was in the middle of taking a drink from his beer bottle when Tommy tapped him on the shoulder. "Yo, E," said Tommy, speaking loudly over the music as a young man of clear Irish heritage turned around. "Man, how many people is Drama trying to cram in this place tonight?"

"Hey, hey, Tommy; what's up man?" Eric Murphy replied, shaking Tommy's hand. "Trust me, if it was up to Drama there wouldn't be more then a dozen people here. The last time we had a party here he made everyone that came put their shoes in a basket by the front door."

"I take it Vince talked him out of that one this time?" asked Tommy.

Eric nodded. "He wouldn't budge on the bathroom, though. He's got a fucking lock on the door and everything," he answered, shaking his head as he took another drink and turned his gaze to Kimberly, his eyes growing wide. "Holy shit, you're Kim Hart," he continued with a disbelieving laugh, offering her his hand which she took with a smile and nod. "Not that I mind, but uh, what are you doing here?"

"Vince invited me," Kimberly answered. "My car broke down on the set, so Turtle and Drama gave me a lift home. I was with them when you called Turtle and told him you couldn't pick up Vince earlier."

Wearing an expression somewhere in between shocked to see her and utterly in awe at her presence, Eric chuckled and shook his head. "Well, it's a pleasure meeting you. I don't get star struck very often anymore, but I gotta admit…meeting you is pretty cool."

Kimberly appeared surprised to hear this. "Vince said the same thing, but I don't get it," she replied. "My music isn't that popular, and even then it's not exactly the type of thing that young, single guys like you and Vince would listen to."

Setting his beer down on the counter, Eric smiled apologetically. "I, uh, I don't really listen to your music," he said with an awkward chuckle, Kimberly looking at him in confusion. "I saw you on an episode of Law & Order once, thought you were great, and I've pretty much seen every show you've been in since then. Between you and me, if Aquaman had been made two years later, you would have made the perfect Aquagirl."

With rosy cheeks Kimberly smiled thankfully, not really sure what to say. Tommy, though, who'd been standing by her side, more than willing to let her shine, was happy to step in and save her, putting his hand on her shoulder as he addressed Eric. "Hey man, where can we get a drink around here?"

Eric used his thumb to point over his shoulder at the refrigerator. "There's at least a dozen different kinds of liquor and beer in there, couple different sodas and juices, too. Cups should be on the counter next to the fridge."

"Cool," said Tommy. "Thanks, man."

Eric nodded as Tommy started across the kitchen, Kimberly instinctively taking his hand and offering her other one to Eric on the way by. "It was nice meeting you."

"Yeah," said Eric, nodding once as he shook her hand, "Same here."

Standing in front of the refrigerator, Tommy opened the door to find that Eric had not been kidding in regards to the assortment of beverages to choose from. "Wow," he murmured, looking to Kimberly. "Pick your poison, I guess."

Eyeing the choices, Kimberly shrugged. "I think I'll just have a beer," she replied, silently struggling over which one of the many brands to choose. "Corona'll work."

Nodding, Tommy dipped his arm into the refrigerator and retrieved one bottle of Corona and one Heineken. Holding them by the neck in one hand, he pulled out his key ring and used the small bottle opener to pop the lids. Handing Kimberly her beer with a smile, he murmured, "One Corona for the lovely lady."

"Aww," said Kimberly, slipping her arm around Tommy's waist and leaning into his side as his arm found its' way around her shoulder. "You know, you keep complimenting me like this and a girl might think you're trying to get somewhere with it."

Tommy casually shrugged. "Maybe I am," he replied, winking at her. "Or maybe I'm not. You'll never know."

"Oooh, so mysterious," said Kimberly sarcastically, her head turning as she caught something on the balcony. "Hey, I think that's Vince out there. Come on, let's go say hi."

Tommy just nodded, allowing Kimberly to lead the way. He should have been insecure and perhaps a few years ago he would have been, but adulthood had opened Tommy's eyes to the truth about women and relationships. Showing any sort of disdain would be exactly what Kimberly wanted; for his cards to be shown well before hers. The Tommy of old would have played along obliviously, but this Tommy wasn't about to let Kimberly know that he hadn't stopped thinking about her the last four hours.

They found Vince leaning with his elbows on the balcony rail, staring out onto the Los Angeles skyline as he half-listened to the man standing next to him; a man that Kimberly immediately recognized, but Tommy did not. At the sound of the glass door sliding open, both men turned around to face the pair.

"Hey!" exclaimed Vince excitedly, walking towards them. "You made it!"

Tommy and Kimberly both nodded.

"Wouldn't want to personally offend the big star, would I?" said Tommy, he and Vince sharing a laugh as they shook hands. "Thanks for the invite, by the way."

"Oh yeah, don't worry about it. Enjoy yourself, man," Vince replied, Tommy nodding. Turning to Kimberly, he went for a handshake while she moved for a hug. Awkwardly, Vince shook his head and chuckled. "Have we known each other long enough to hug?"

Kimberly laughed. "Are you kidding?" she asked, hands on her hips and a smile on her face. "I'm one of your favorite singers and you're one of my favorite actors. If you asked a tabloid reporter he'd probably say we're engaged."

Vince shared in Kimberly's laughter, but at the same time he was also eyeing Tommy, searching for some sort of approval or denial. Many a woman Vince had been with, but for the ones he was only friends with he made it a point to ensure that the line was never crossed. Making sure that Kimberly wasn't watching him, Tommy gave Vince a single, discreet nod.

"Alright, you convinced me," laughed Vince, sharing a quick hug with the petite woman in front of him. Letting go of Kimberly, he turned back and put his arm around the man he'd been talking to, pulling him into the conversation both literally and figuratively. "Guys, this is my agent, Ari Gold. Ari, this is Tommy Oliver and Kimberly Hart."

Ari was of average height and build, a full mop of black hair atop his head. He wore a pair of crisp khaki pants and a stone-colored, pilot's style shirt that no real pilot could actually afford. He nodded his head at Vince's introduction and hastily shook Tommy's hand before shifting his attention to Kimberly.

"Fuck me, Vinnie. You never told me you knew the best fucking female singer to come out in the last five years," he replied, offering Kimberly his hand which she took. "Ari Gold; you wouldn't be looking for representation, would you?"

Vince rolled his eyes. "Come on, Ari—"

"That depends on what you can do for me," Kimberly replied, unintentionally cutting Vince off.

Ari started to reply, but Vince intentionally interrupted him. "No," he said firmly, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Kim, but this is a party and I have to insist that no one talks business, tonight. Ari, give her your card."

In faux irritation Ari rolled his eyes and pulled out his wallet, retrieving a business card and passing it off to Kimberly between his middle and forefingers. "Have your manager call my assistant over there," he told Kimberly, pointing to a slightly chubby, Asian-American man talking to Eric and Turtle in the kitchen. "That's Lloyd, my little kamikaze queer. He'll set up a lunch for us."

Kimberly furrowed her brow as she took the card from Ari. "Kamikaze queer?" she asked, both confused and unimpressed.

Before Ari could reply—and possibly dig himself an even deeper hole—Vince came to his rescue. "Lloyd is gay, but I can promise you, Ari is not a homophobe. He's just insecure and likes to make fun of things he doesn't understand."

Kimberly nodded, still not liking the derogator nature in which Ari spoke of his assistant. "I'll have my manager call you," she muttered, quickly turning to Vince. "So you're off to Japan tomorrow, huh?"

"If you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go get another drink," Ari interrupted, extending his hand to Tommy. "It was nice meeting you both. Kim, make sure we get in touch. Just ask Vince and he'll tell you I can turn a hobo to Hollywood."

Ari promptly left the balcony and entered the condo, both Kimberly and Tommy somewhat relieved to see him go. Vince smiled at them and shook his head. "Sorry about Ari. I know he's a little abrasive, but he's really not a bad guy, at all. Personally, he's saved my ass more times than I can count."

Taking a drink from his green bottle Tommy nodded his head, neither he nor Kimberly much wanting to discuss Ari. "Japan is so bad ass, man," he told Vince. "You're gonna have a blast over there."

Vince shrugged. "We'll see, I guess. I'm only going for five days so I don't know how much time I'll have for sight seeing. The crappy part about it is my grandfather's Japanese and I've always wanted to go to Japan, just not for work."

Kimberly started to say something, but before she could she was interrupted by the door opening. She and Tommy turned their attention over their shoulders to see a trio of women, a blonde on either end with a brunette in the middle, walking straight towards Vince.

"Vince, baby, are we gonna have that dance you promised us earlier?" asked the brunette, clearly the leader of the group.

Without waiting for Vince to answer she reached out and took his hand, pulling him towards door. Wearing an apologetic smile, Vince looked at Tommy and Kimberly. "Duty calls," he muttered, shrugging his shoulders helplessly.

Tommy and Kimberly just laughed as Vince was escorted back into the condo with the grin of a man who knew that he was in for a very, very long night. Alone once more, Tommy moved towards the banister and leaned over it in the same position they'd found Vince in; Kimberly joining him a few moments later.

"It's weird, isn't it?" asked Tommy, looking down at Kimberly fondly.

"What do you mean?" Kimberly questioned.

"The city," Tommy answered, gesturing to the sea of buildings speckled with brightly illuminated lights. "The view from up here…it's so much different than what it actually looks like down there."

Kimberly nodded. "Yeah, it's so pretty up here."

Tommy sort of grunted his agreement, but he was no longer focusing on the skyline. There was just something about Kimberly, the way she dressed so simply but looked so damn beautiful, that had now captured his full attention. "Do you wanna go in and dance?" he blurted out, surprising both he and Kimberly with his question.

It took Kimberly a couple silent moments before she could reply. "Y-you're serious?" she asked, Tommy nodding. "Wow, I can't believe you're actually asking me to dance. I've always had to ask you."

Tommy laughed, shrugging his shoulders. "It's not high school anymore, Kim. That self-conscious kid whose sole focus was making sure he didn't embarrass himself in front of you is long gone."

With an impressed smile, Kimberly extended her hand to him. "Well then show me what you got, Mr. Confidence."

Winking, Tommy tossed his bottle into one of the three wastebaskets Drama had placed on the balcony and then took her offered hand, leading her back into the condo and onto Drama's hardwood, living room floor currently pulling double duty as the dance floor. She promptly turned her back to him, Tommy's hand slipping around her waist as he pulled her in closely.

In a matter of moments she knew that Tommy hadn't been embellishing when telling her that he was no longer the shy young boy he'd once been. He danced with a sense of confidence that, in this particular area, she'd never seen from him before, their hips and feet moving in nearly perfect unison.

Unfortunately, they'd entered at the tail end of the song and their dancing was abruptly ended when the song faded to its' end.

"Yo, what's up? DJ AM on the ones-and-twos. Shout out to my man, Vinnie Chase. He's about to go to Japan ya'll, so give it up for Vince!" the famed DJ called out, his station blocking one of the two entrances into the living room. At his instructions, the room erupted into a chorus of cheers for Vince. "That's what I'm talkin' about, right there. Alright then, we're gonna slow it down a little bit with this one."

The room that had just been cheering now groaned their displeasure, DJ AM laughing over his microphone. "Calm down, calm down," he continued, shaking his head. "It's not about to be a funeral, just a little something for you ladies to get close to the guy you just met and are already planning to sleep with."

Kimberly whirled around immediately, pointing her finger at Tommy. "Don't get any ideas, Mister," she told him with a smile and the slightest hint of a twinkle in her eyes.

Tommy held up his hands defensively as a new song started to play. "I wouldn't dream of it," he replied innocently. While the bass line intro of the song became accompanied by an electric guitar and drums, Tommy reached out for her hand. "Come on," he continued, smiling.

Grinning slyly, Kimberly allowed Tommy to pull her in, this time dancing face-to-face to a song she recognized immediately. Considering their storied history together, "SuperHero" by Jane's Addiction certainly seemed to be a fitting song for the pair to share their first real dance together in over a decade.

Yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah
Yeah
You were smiling by my table
Had to call up everyone that day
A beautiful mind and body
What a happy ending I see

My mind had been enabled
In a memory you overflowed
I wanna be your superhero
Even if I tumble fall

I'm ok
You have that effect on me
But I need you desperately
You know I need you desperately…
Palms up, Tommy held Kimberly's hands at waist level. His arms crossed as he spun her around, then quickly uncrossed as he brought her back and pulled her in close. Kimberly had to stifle a giggle when one of his hands slipped around her waist and he dipped her backwards, their faces just inches apart.

"Wow," she murmured, smiling. "I'm impressed."

Laughing, Tommy winked. "Oh, you haven't seen anything yet."

Brick or stone cannot hurt me
Madmen around the city go
They attack, I bring them down
And make their chances super low

Oh my, my, a pretty naval
Dimple cheek, a face I adore
I wanna be your superhero
Fallin' from a running horse

I'm ok
You have that effect on me
But I need you desperately
You know I need you desperately…

I, oh, I
Hold to that elusion
Yeah, I—I
I'm not your average guy

With her back to Tommy, Kimberly arms had now found their way around his neck as she slowly swayed her hips, gently grinding against him. Tommy had his hands on her hips, his chin resting on her shoulder as he whispered in her ear, "You keep dancing like that and a guy might think you're trying to get somewhere with it."

Unable to contain her grin, Kimberly threw caution to the wind and leaned her head back, tracing her lips along the nape of Tommy's neck. "Maybe I am," she murmured, grasping his hands as she slowly turned around to face him, their bodies still moving to the music. Smiling up at him, she winked. "Or maybe I'm not. You'll never know."

Other guys they won't dare to
Join the line in order you peck
When they introduced me to you
My face had turned to super red
Your steady beck and call boy
Playin' on piano
I wanna to be your superhero
Not afraid to tumble fall

I'm ok
You have that effect on me
But I need you desperately
You know I need you desperately…

Yeah, I'm ok
You have that effect on me
But I need you desperately
You know I need you desperately…

I wanna be your superhero
Yeah, I wanna be your superhero
I wanna be your superhero
Oh, I wanna be your superhero
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah

It wasn't until the song slowly faded away into nothingness that Kimberly started to realize the way she and Tommy had been interacting. The casual flirting had been fine, but now they were toeing dangerously close to a line that she didn't truly know if she was ready to cross yet.

She knew in her heart that being attracted to Tommy was just going to be one of those things that stuck with her for all her life. It was as simple as that and there had never been any denying of it. And even though this was the first time they'd seen each other in a year, before Kimberly's sudden rush of fame they'd spent a good amount of time rebuilding their friendship.

Her body pleaded with her to give in to life's most cardinal pleasure, to take Tommy by the collar of his shirt, drag him back to her house, and have her way with him for the rest of the night. Her head, however, was questioning whether or not it was worth it to risk their entire friendship on one night of fun. If one of them were to wake up in the morning with regrets…certainly it would spell the end of their friendship.

"Let's go get another drink," Kimberly murmured, not waiting for an answer as she took Tommy's hand and pulled him behind her towards the kitchen. She yanked open the fridge and pulled out two bottles, one filled with Grey Goose vodka and the other with orange juice, and then looked at Tommy. "Do you want a screwdriver?"

Shaking his head, Tommy reached over Kimberly for another Heineken as she started to mix her drink. She definitely didn't follow any bartender's recipe, mixing equal parts vodka and juice into a red plastic cup before returning the bottles to the refrigerator. She quickly downed half of the drink, her body shaking slightly from the burning sensation running down her throat.

Her sudden need for a drink had Tommy staring at her with a furrowed brow. "You okay, Kim?"

Kimberly nodded. "I'm fine," she answered, this time taking a much slower sip from her cup. "It was just hot out there, that's all."

Tommy raised an eyebrow at this, but chose not to argue over it with her. He knew why she was drinking; the obviousness of the situation was written all over her face. He was almost certain that she was nervous about the direction they were heading in, and the look in her eyes clearly told him that she was seriously weighing her options.

The vodka was either to calm her nerves or take her to the point where she could claim inhibition for her actions, and knowing Kimberly the way he did, he seriously doubted that it was the latter of the two options.

Finishing off her drink, Kimberly set the cup down on the counter and looked at Tommy. "I'm gonna go use the bathroom," she replied, patting his chest as she started passed him, whispering, "Be on your best behavior."

Tommy laughed, watching her go with a shake of his head as he took a sip from his bottle. She wanted her space to think and that was fine. The truth of the matter was that Tommy had already done that before he left his apartment to pick her up. If the opportunity presented itself, barring him being sober and Kimberly being trashed, he was going to take it.

Part of it was built from a burning desire to capture that which had evaded him for so very long. He'd long since given up trying to fight the notion that his physical attraction to Kimberly would be everlasting; and in his heart he firmly believed that their friendship could survive beyond them sleeping together, even if it was only a one-time thing.

He didn't know what Kimberly was thinking, but for him that was the absolute worst case scenario possible. Adulthood had crushed the stories his parents had told him growing up, that sex and love were on equal ground and that the first could not exist without the other. He'd slept with his fair share of women, but very few could say that his heart had been theirs.

As he moved towards an opening on a nearby couch, he silently mused that one of the three women on the planet who could lay claim to that was currently standing in the hallway port-o-potty line, and he hadn't even slept with her before. And though he told himself that sex and love did not go hand in hand, he couldn't help but be hopeful that, if something did end up happening between he and Kimberly tonight, it could possibly lead to something more. But not once did he fear for the safety of their friendship when it came to taking that next step.

Outside in the hallway, however, a very different story was being told as Kimberly tapped her foot impatiently in the midst of a line that crawled at speeds no faster than a snail's pace, keeping her head down to avoid the possibility of being recognized. Had she not been standing amongst a group of total strangers she surely would have been doing the bathroom dance.

Coupled with that was her inability to shake the desire that was slowly starting to bubble up inside, threatening to consume her entirely. She wanted Tommy badly; that she'd already come to terms with, but she still couldn't get her head to agree with her on it.

"Kim, is that you?" someone hissed from nearby.

Raising her head, Kimberly looked to her left to see Turtle standing next to her, his arm around the waist of a fairly attractive blonde. "Oh, hey Turtle," she murmured.

Turtle chuckled, shaking his head. "What are you doing out here?"

Kimberly looked at Turtle as if his question had been in Chinese. "What does it look like I'm doing?" she asked with a laugh, "Waiting for the bathroom."

Rolling his eyes, Turtle reached into his pocket and pulled out a pen. "Here," he replied, taking Kimberly's hand and scribbling six digits on her palm. "That's the code to Drama's bathroom, but if he sees you, you didn't get that from me."

"Oh my God, Turtle, you're a lifesaver. Thanks," exclaimed Kimberly, hugging the side of him that wasn't occupied by another woman. "One more minute of standing here and I think I might have exploded."

Turtle waved it off dismissively. "You don't gotta say anymore than that," he told her with a laugh. "Now if you'll excuse me, me and Miss Danielle here have a spot on that dance floor calling our names."

"By all means," Kimberly replied, laughing as she motioned for him to go in front of her.

She followed them back into the condo and made a beeline for the bathroom where she quickly scanned for Drama before entering the combination on the lock, quietly slipping through the door unnoticed. She emerged five minutes later and reapplied the lock, starting off in search of Tommy while still thinking that she hadn't been seen.

"Uh-uh-uh, sneaky-sneaky," Vince called out to her, wagging a playful finger once she'd turned around. "Don't worry, I won't tell Drama."

Kimberly smiled appreciatively. "Thanks," she replied, Vince nodding. "So what happened to those three girls? They weren't enough for you, or what?"

"Oh, trust me they will be," answered Vince, chuckling. "But that's for later. Actually, I'm glad I ran into you 'cause I was looking for you and Tommy."

"Really, what for?" asked Kimberly.

Leaning in close, Vince dropped his voice to a whisper. "Tommy hooked Turtle up with this guy he trains that sells some of the finest California grown on the planet," he replied, wiggling his eyebrows. "The guys and I took a vote, and we all agreed that you're both worthy of being invited into the Smoke Circle."

Kimberly stared back at Vince in disbelief. "Wait, when you say 'Tommy,' are you talking about my Tommy?"

"Uh, yeah," Vince answered hesitantly. "The guy was in his fraternity in college or something like that. Tommy said he stopped smoking when he opened his dojo, but I just wanted to put the offer on the table."

Shaking the surprise out of her eyes, Kimberly chuckled. "Wow," she muttered, shaking her head. "After knowing Tommy for as long as I have, that's the last thing I expected you to say," she continued, mulling over in her head the idea of joining Vince and his friends. "Still, I probably shouldn't. I haven't smoked in years."

Vince shrugged nonchalantly. "Hey, it's no big deal. I just want you to know that you're passing up on an opportunity that very few people are given," he responded, his voice carrying a certain convincing charm that Kimberly just could not ignore. "The boys and I; we smoke with many, but few are invited into the Circle."

"What's so special about this little circle?" asked Kimberly curiously.

"Ah, see, I can't really tell you that. What happens in the circle stays in the circle," he told her, smiling apologetically. "But like I said, you're more than welcome to find out for yourself if you want to."

The truth was that there'd been a brief period in her life in between the Pan Globals and the Olympics where she'd dated a guy in Florida who grew pot and occasionally she partook in smoking it. And while she'd enjoyed the feeling one got from the plant, being able to compete in the Olympics had been far more important to her, so when the time came to train she dumped her boyfriend, stopped smoking, and hadn't touched it since.

That didn't mean she was opposed to the idea of doing it now, though. Hell, ninety percent of the people she'd met in Hollywood openly admitted to smoking marijuana regularly, and she was almost certain that at least eight of that remaining ten percent just hid it really well.

"I guess there's no harm in doing it just this one time," she replied, shrugging. "But I doubt Tommy will want to and I don't want to ditch him, so I'll go ask him and if he'll come, then I will too."

"Fair enough," Vice conceded with a nod and smile, pointing to a door at the end of the hallway. "That's Johnny's room. Knock three times, count to five, and then knock four more times and someone will let you in."

Nodding, Kimberly turned to look for Tommy as Vince moved passed her and down the hallway, slipping into Drama's bedroom. She him found out on the balcony, standing alone despite the fact that there were three very attractive women out there as well. Stepping up next to him, she bumped him with her hip, earning his attention and a smile.

"So, uh, since when do you hang out with pot dealers?" she questioned, chuckling.

"What are you talking about?" Tommy laughed casually, shaking his head. "Who told you I hang out with pot dealers?"

Kimberly shrugged. "It doesn't matter, Tommy. I'm not mad," she told him. "Honestly, I'm more interested in hearing about how you got into it because that's really the last thing I ever expected to hear."

Tommy sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "After we graduated high school and the new guys had taken over everyone sort of drifted apart and went their separate ways. I didn't really have a direction so I made an impulse decision, took some of my money from racing along with a year off from it, and backpacked through Asia, studying at a bunch of different dojos. But when you don't have much money and smoking with the local villagers' means a free meal in your stomach after a long day, you do some things you might not normally do. I stopped before I opened the school, though; didn't want to be a hypocrite, what with teaching kids about self-discipline and all that."

"Vince wants us to go smoke with him," Kimberly replied, appreciating Tommy's story for what it was and moving on. "I told him I didn't think you'd want to, but that I'd ask you just in case."

Wearing a thoughtful expression, Tommy shrugged. "Do you want to?"

"Maybe," Kimberly answered, grinning sheepishly.

"I'm game if you are," said Tommy, surprising her once more, and for what had to be the tenth time that night. "But I'm only doing it this once, so I don't want you to go thinking that it's something I'm going to be doing regularly."

Kimberly shook her head and took Tommy's hand, quietly leading him back into the condo. As they moved through the kitchen Tommy pulled her towards the refrigerator. "I'm just gonna grab another beer," he told her, opening the fridge door. "Do you want anything?"

"Corona's good," she answered, Tommy nodding and opening her beer before handing it off to her. "Thanks."

Tommy just smiled and nodded, Kimberly's hand finding his once more as they walked out of the kitchen and through the hallway until they reached Drama's room. Kimberly completed the instructed knocking sequence, Tommy raising a curious eyebrow at her.

"What's that about?" he asked, chuckling.

Kimberly shrugged. "Vince told me to do it so they know it's us."

The door opened before it could be discussed any further, Turtle's head peeking out from around the corner. "Cool, come in," he muttered, hurriedly motioning for them to enter. Kimberly smiled and pulled Tommy into the room, Turtle hastily closing the door behind them. "Have a seat, guys."

Vince nodded to them as they each took a seat in a circle of cushioned folding chairs; Tommy sat with Kimberly on his left and Eric on his right, Vince next to his manager, followed by Ari, Drama and Turtle, the latter of whom sat on Kimberly's left to complete the circle. Slowly, Vince rose to his feet and moved to the center of the circle, looking around at his companions before settling on Drama whose eyes were already glazed over and showing the early signs of being bloodshot. With a laugh, Vince turned to Tommy and Kimberly.

"Thirty minutes ago he was freaking out about all the people here," said Vince in a low whisper. "Three hits of the stuff from that guy you hooked Turtle up with and he forgot all about it."

Chuckling, Tommy nodded knowingly. "I told you, bro, he only sells the best."

"Amen to that, bro," Drama groaned, raising his beer bottle to a chorus of laughs.

Shaking his head, Vince looked at Turtle. "What are we waiting for, Turtle? Let's get it going."

"Man, why's it gotta be me, Vince? I'm like, the second shortest one here. No offense," he replied, the last part for Kimberly who waved it off dismissively. "Besides, it's Drama's piece and it's Drama's house. Let him do it."

"Turtle, look at Drama and tell me if you think he's capable of moving more than a few inches," said Vince, giving Turtle a look that told him not to argue.

Turtle rolled his eyes as he stood up. "Alright, fine, I'll do it. But no throwing M&M's at me when I'm on the stepstool this time," he replied, smacking Drama on the back of the head as he walked passed him, grumbling, "Wake your bitch ass up, you pansy. I swear to God, Drama; biggest fucking lightweight alive."

"Hey, come on, Turtle. Go easy on him," Eric interjected with a laugh. "It's not Drama's fault he's all old and dilapidated, now."

"Hey, fuck you, E," muttered Drama, his eyes closed and his head leaning back. "I may be old, but I can still kick your ass."

"Alright, alright, enough of the hating, guys," Vince interjected, chuckling as he waved his hands for them to stop. "I'm leaving in five hours and I plan on spending at least three of them the girls; so let's just sit back, relax, and enjoy this last bit of time we have together, okay?"

Eric, Drama, and Turtle all muttered their agreement as Turtle opened Drama's closet door and pulled out the biggest hookah pipe that both Kimberly and Tommy had ever seen. It stood at roughly seven feet tall with at least six hoses extending from the center.

"That thing is huge," Kimberly muttered in disbelief.

The other occupants of the room all nodded their agreement as Turtle awkwardly, but carefully carried the hookah to the center of the circle. Setting it down, he went to the side of Drama's bed and grabbed a pouch of flavored hookah tobacco from the nightstand drawer, then returned to the pipe and looked at Vince.

"You got the herb?" asked Turtle simply.

Vince nodded and dipped into his jeans pocket, pulling out an orange prescription bottle. "I got the herb," he answered, tossing the container to Turtle with a smile.

Turtle snatched the bottle in mid-flight and quickly popped the lid, dipping his nose inside and inhaling deeply. "Fuck me, this smells good," he muttered, offering it to Kimberly who shared a similar reaction.

"Damn," she replied, looking at Tommy and laughing as Turtle went to work on preparing the hookah. "You might have to carry me to the car after this."

"Let's hope not," said Tommy, chuckling as he leaned in close to her, whispering so that only she could hear him. "This night is going to end a lot sooner than it could if you go and pass out on me."

Kimberly smiled devilishly. "Well then let's hope I don't."

While still of sound mind and body, Kimberly had all but decided that a night in her bed with Tommy was pretty much inevitable. It was her head that had told her to break up with him in the first place; now, as adults with almost fifteen years of history between them, she was ready to give in to the desires of her body, as well as those of her heart, to let fate run whatever course it had chosen for them.

If they ended up dating down the road, then so be it. If it was just a one time thing, then she was okay with that too. She could look herself in the mirror without regret knowing that, even if they didn't end up together in the long run, their one night with each other would have still been more than just a casual hookup.

"Here you go," said Tommy, snapping her back into reality as he offered her one of the hoses with a knowing smile. In high school, it was Kimberly who'd always been able to read him, but as Tommy had already proven multiple times tonight, he wasn't high school Tommy anymore. He could look at Kimberly for just the briefest of moments and nine times out of ten know exactly what she was thinking about.

"Thanks," Kimberly murmured, taking the hose and raising the tip of it to her lips, slowly inhaling as the water at the base of the hookah started to bubble. She held it for a couple seconds and then leaned her head back, exhaling thin wisps of fruity-flavored smoke. "Mmm, is that strawberry?" she asked to Turtle who nodded. "It's delicious."

Across the circle, Ari held a hose to his lips but did not immediately inhale. "I know we just did shrooms together last week so I probably don't have to say this, but if any of you mother fuckers," he started, referring to their visit to the famous Joshua Tree as he pointed to the four men who had accompanied him, "tell my wife about this, I'll cut your balls off."

"Relax, Ari," said Vince. "I told you, what happens in the circle stays in the circle, remember?"

"Let's hope so, Vinnie," Ari replied, taking a long hit from the hookah. His Hebrew heritage came out as he exhaled and muttered, "Mazal tov, bitches."

It was nearly forty-five minutes later when a slightly bleary eyed Kimberly pushed her chair right next to Tommy's, pulling her legs onto the seat so that she could curl up next to him. Tommy's arm instinctively found its' way around her shoulder, keeping her close as he looked down at her and grinned.

"You're so damn cute, you know that?" he murmured.

Kimberly smiled bashfully. "Who, me?" she asked, her fingertips toying lazily with Tommy's shirt as he nodded. "No, if anyone's cute here it's definitely you."

"Fine," conceded Tommy with a laugh. "I'll be cute and you can be beautiful; how's that?"

Nestling herself even closer to Tommy, Kimberly looked up at him with a bright smile and longing eyes. "I think I'm ready to go home," she whispered.

"You can't honestly expect me to drive like this, right?" asked Tommy, chuckling somewhat awkwardly.

Laughing, Kimberly shook her head. "Of course not, silly," she replied, kissing his neck a single time. "We'll call a cab and then you can pick your car up in the morning."

"Is that your way of inviting me back to your place?" asked Tommy, winking.

Shrugging, Kimberly slipped her hands into Tommy's and slowly rose to her feet. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see, won't me?" she replied with a wink of her own as she pulled him out of his chair, slinking an arm around his waist while turning to face Vince. "Hey, guys, I think we're gonna get out of here."

Smiling knowingly, Vince nodded and stood from his seat, walking towards them around the outside perimeter of the circle. "Did you guys have a good time?" he asked, Kimberly and Tommy both nodding.

"Yeah, man," Tommy answered, shaking Vince's hand. "Thanks again."

"Hey, like I said earlier, it's no big deal. If we're throwing a party, you guys are always welcome," Vince replied, sharing a hug with Kimberly that was a lot less awkward than their first one. "You want me to have Turtle call a cab for you or something?"

Kimberly started to reply in the positive, but Ari cut her off. "No need to do that," he interjected. Quickly moving to the bedroom door, he opened it and looked back at Kimberly. "From me to you as a token of good faith," he continued, smiling as he stuck his head out the door. "Lloyd, get your ass in here!"

Moments later Ari's assistant came rushing into the room. "What can I do for you, Ari?" he asked, his attention lost when he noticed Kimberly. "Oh my God is that Kim Hart?" he gushed in a hushed voice.

Ari nodded, speaking softly. "Indeed it is, Lloyd, and I want her as a client, so you're gonna take the Benz," he replied, holding up his key ring for Lloyd to see, "and drive her and her friend wherever they want to go, got it?"

Taking the keys from Ari, Lloyd nodded dramatically. "You can count on me, Ari."

"That's good, Lloyd. That's real good," Ari muttered, clasping his assistant's shoulder as he looked to Kimberly. "Ms. Hart, my assistant Lloyd would be more than happy to drive you home, and for that matter, anywhere else you might want to go tonight."

Smiling, Kimberly nodded appreciatively. "You're working your way up a short list, Mr. Gold," she told him, shaking his hand before turning to address the rest of the group. "Guys, it was nice meeting all of you; even you, Drama. Thanks for everything."

Far too gone to move, Eric, Drama, and Turtle just nodded and waved their goodbyes as Lloyd led Tommy and Kimberly out of the condo and into the hallway. He did not dare interrupt their hushed conversation, remaining silent until Kimberly addressed him in the elevator. "So you're Ari's assistant, huh?" she asked, Lloyd nodding. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but why would you want to work for someone that talks to you the way he does?"

Lloyd sighed as the elevator doors slid closed. "Ari and I have a very complicated relationship. Sure, he spews venom in every direction, and yes he's condescending sometimes, but he's also the best boss I've ever had. He may not always show it, but he genuinely does care about the people he's close to, and he's always willing to get his hands dirty to protect them."

Kimberly nodded. "So, being his assistant and all, I take it you see how he interacts with his clients, am I right?"

Lloyd smiled and nodded his confirmation. "Oh, yes, Ari's great; and I swear, I'm not just saying that because he wants to represent you. Ari always does whatever it takes to get his clients exactly what they want."

"That's definitely a good thing," Kimberly replied, smiling up at Tommy when he put his arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. She leaned into his embrace, hugging him around the midsection. "I'm really glad you decided to come with me tonight."

"Me too, Kim," said Tommy wistfully, rubbing the side of her shoulder. "Me too."

The elevator chimed less than a second later, the door sliding open shortly thereafter. "Shall we?" asked Lloyd, motioning for them to exit.

The pair nodded and stepped out of the elevator, waiting for Lloyd to exit so that they could follow him to Ari's car. As soon as they started walking behind him, Kimberly allowed her hand to slip into Tommy's. Their fingers intertwined as he raised her hand to his lips for a single kiss, looking down at her and smiling.

"I don't want to go another year without seeing you," he admitted, catching Kimberly slightly off guard.

"Me neither," she replied, grinning from cheek to cheek, "So we won't. I'll make an effort to hang out more if you will."

Tommy nodded, murmuring his answer of, "Definitely."

Suddenly Lloyd came to a stop, causing Kimberly and Tommy to do the same as he pointed to a black Mercedes-Benz. "This is it," he told them, opening the back door.

"Thank you, Lloyd," said Kimberly, smiling as she slid into the car.

"Yeah, thanks," added Tommy, his hold on Kimberly's hand never breaking as he climbed in after her. He settled into his seat, noting with an amused grin the way Kimberly sat in the middle spot and immediately curled up next to him.

Moments later the engine rumbled to life, Lloyd looking at them over his shoulder as he backed the car out of its parking spot. "So where are we heading?"

"Valencia," Kimberly answered.

Lloyd nodded once and with that they were off. It wasn't until just then, as Kimberly lazily traced her fingertips across his chest, that Tommy noticed the sequence of numbers written on her hand. Wearing a quizzical expression, he lifted up her hand and held it for her to see.

"Pulling double duty?" he asked with a laugh.

Staring at her hand, it took Kimberly a few moments before she realized what Tommy was talking about. Rolling her eyes, she shook her head. "How many phone numbers do you know that only have six digits?" she asked, Tommy chuckling in embarrassment once he'd actually counted them. "Turtle gave me the code to the bathroom lock," she continued, scooting in closer to him. "Besides, the only guy I'm interested in tonight is you."

Her verbal confirmation was all that Tommy needed to hear. Summoning every ounce of strength in his body, time seemed to slow down as he pulled her in with closed eyes for a single kiss that was as soft as it was lengthy. His hands cupped her cheeks throughout the kiss, Tommy suppressing the urge to laugh when he heard the delight-filled giggle of Lloyd coming from the front seat.

The kiss lingered for a few more seconds, Kimberly's fingers drifting towards her mouth once Tommy had pulled away. "That was nice," she murmured, touching her lips as she smiled at him, "But not nearly enough."

Tommy managed the most fleeting of laughs possible before Kimberly had captured his lips once more, the pair kissing like a couple of rabid teenagers which had Lloyd smiling from ear to ear. Hands began to roam as they hungrily devoured each other's mouths, exploring the bodies they'd longed to touch for so long. She moaned hot against Tommy's kiss, tearing her lips away with a flushed smile when she caught Lloyd staring at them.

"Soon," was her whispered promise, Tommy nodding as she rested her head against his chest, sighing contentedly at how wonderful she felt in his arms. "Mmm, I forgot how nice this felt."

"Me too," Tommy admitted, smiling as he kissed the top of her head.

They rode in comfortable silence for most of the remainder of their trip, exchanging casual conversation when something came to them or pointing something out when it caught their eye. It was roughly twenty minutes later when Lloyd, following the instructions that Kimberly had given him, pulled to a stop in front of her Valencia home.

"This is it," said Kimberly with a smile, clasping Lloyd on the shoulder. "Thanks for driving us, Lloyd; and tell Ari I said thank you as well."

"You're very welcome. And I will," Lloyd replied, nodding politely to them both as he nervously fiddled with his fingers. "Is, uh, is there anything else you want me to tell him?"

Kimberly laughed knowingly, understanding Lloyd's veiled hint at his boss's desire to represent her. "Tell him that if he can get me into a movie with Vince, then he's got himself a new client."

"Will do," said Lloyd, saluting Kimberly excitedly as she followed Tommy out of the car. "Have a good night, you guys."

"You too, Lloyd," Kimberly replied. Waving goodbye with Tommy, she slipped her arm around his waist, looked up at him, and smiled. "Race ya to the door?"

Tommy laughed, rolling his eyes. His body language said that he was going to object, but then with a quick sidestep he started sprinting towards the door. "See ya, short stuff!" he called out, looking back over his shoulder at her.

"Hey, no fair!" yelled Kimberly, running in an attempt to catch up to him.

Quickly approaching the door, Tommy suddenly stopped and turned around just in time to sweep Kimberly—who was hot on his heels—into his arms. He lifted her up and spun her in the air, kissing her as soon as she'd been returned to her feet. Smiling inside, Kimberly took him by his shirt collar with both hands, her lips firmly attached to his as she started to backpedal towards the door. Breaking the kiss, she grinned slyly and, with dangling fingertips reached behind her and gently brushed them along her door.

"I win," she told him, smiling triumphantly.

"Cheater," Tommy muttered, shaking his head in sarcastic disappointment.

"Says the guy who got a running start," Kimberly replied.

She and Tommy shared a laugh as he shrugged in defeat. "Can't blame a guy for trying, right?" he asked helplessly.

Kimberly shook her head, giving him a quick kiss before turning her attention to her purse where she dug around for a few moments until she found her keys. Suddenly nervous, she fumbled with them as she attempted to find her house key, inserting it into the lock with trembling hands.

She cursed angrily under her breath, pushing the door open as she stepped into the darkness of her house and started to search the wall for the light switch, not letting Tommy enter until after the front room had finally been illuminated.

"This is it," she murmured, gesturing towards the inside with a wave of her arm. "Welcome to the house that Kim built."

"You mean the house that Kim's checkbook paid for someone else to build," Tommy corrected, flashing a grin.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Kimberly replied, rolling her eyes as she pushed him into the house and kicked the door shut behind them. "Do you want a drink or something?"

Tommy shrugged, stepping into the living room as Kimberly turned for the kitchen, giving him clear indication that she was going to have a drink whether he wanted one or not. "Uh, yeah, sure," he answered, not really seeing much other choice in the matter. "I'll take a beer if you have any."

"Of course I have beer," Kimberly called out to him from the kitchen. "Do you want Corona or Sierra Nevada?"

"Sierra Nevada," Tommy replied, taking a seat on a white leather couch that faced the biggest plasma television he'd ever seen before.

From the kitchen, Kimberly watched Tommy with an amused smile as he checked out his appearance, smoothing out his jeans and even going so far as to lift up his shirt and smell himself, all the while completely oblivious to the fact that he had gained something of an audience in the process.

Pouring herself a glass of red wine, she carried the drinks into the living room and handed Tommy his beer, taking up the spot on the couch next to him. Wearing a bright smile, she raised her glass.

"To making up for lost time," she toasted.

Tommy lifted his bottle and tapped the neck of it against the rim of her glass. "To making up for lost time," he echoed, smiling as he and Kimberly each took a long drink.

She was stalling and Tommy knew it, her nerves getting the best of her like he'd seen so many timed before. Luckily for her, Tommy was a patient man, one who would wait for her to sort things out in her head whereas most other men probably would have started planning their exit strategy when they didn't go straight to the bedroom.

Setting his beer down on the glass coffee table, Tommy rose to his feet and crossed the living room in silence. Kimberly watched him curiously as he perused the various framed pictures on the shelves of the entertainment center surrounding her television, wondering what kind of thoughts were going through his head right now.

Tommy's eyes scanned the many photographs, giving Kimberly the space she needed while quietly searching for something to get them heading in the right direction. He found it in the way of a fairly old picture, one he was genuinely surprised to find in such a prominent place amongst her collection.

He couldn't help but smile warmly as he lifted up the frame and brought it closer, staring down at a picture of himself and Kimberly at the park. It was from their junior year of high school, taken by Aisha shortly before Kimberly had left Angel Grove for gymnastics glory in Florida. In the photo Tommy sat on the ground with his back against a tree trunk, his arms wrapped just under the neck of Kimberly who rested comfortably in the space between his legs, her hands holding onto Tommy's arms.

They each beamed so brightly, the love between them evident on both of their faces. Memories from a much simpler time in their lives, Tommy mused; a time when neither really had a clue about relationships. That hadn't mattered, though, because they'd loved each other and that had been all they needed.

Slowly turning around, Tommy held up the picture for Kimberly to see. "Do you still remember this day?" he asked, crossing the room and returning to his seat at her side, the frame resting on his leg.

Looking from the photograph to Tommy, Kimberly nodded. "Like it was yesterday," she murmured, smiling fondly. "The six of us played football, and then you and Rocky barbecued lunch for us. After that, you took me for a walk along the beach."

"Do you remember what I said to you?" asked Tommy, his arm slipping around Kimberly's shoulder.

"Mhmm," she answered with a nod. "You held my hands and told me that I was the most beautiful girl in the world, and that you loved me. If memory serves me correct, we spent the next thirty minutes or so making out in the sand."

Tommy laughed. "It was more like forty-five, but hey, who's counting?"

Whether Tommy had done it intentionally or not, Kimberly wasn't sure, but their little walk down memory lane had helped to calm her wary nerves. Now more than ever, she was certain that everything would work out between them in the end. Swallowing the last of her wine, she set her glass down on the table, looked at Tommy, and smiled.

"I have something for you," she murmured.

Tommy raised a curious eyebrow. "Oh yeah, what's that?"

Kimberly did not immediately reply. Instead, she crawled onto Tommy's lap and sat facing him with a wry grin. Slowly she reached up behind her neck, untying the knot of her top; separating the two strings, she allowed the garment to fall, Tommy's eyes lighting up as she revealed herself to him.

"Me," she finally answered. Cupping Tommy's cheeks, she dipped her head and kissed him hard on the mouth, his hands roaming all over her naked back. With closed eyes she pried her lips away, nestling her face against his neck as she explored this new area with many a tantalizing, seductive kiss.

Tommy let out a quiet moan, goose bumps on his arms and shivers running up and down his spine. "Oh God, Kim," he groaned, staring up at the ceiling. "That…feels…so good."

She said nothing, only stopping for the briefest of moments to switch sides as Tommy's hands slid down to her ass, squeezing it through her jeans. "Mmm, someone has wandering hands" she murmured softly, Tommy chuckling slightly as she pulled back. Taking his hands, she rose to her feet and smiled down at him. "Come on; let's go to my room."

Tommy practically floated on air as Kimberly helped him up, leading him down a long hallway and into the master bedroom. This moment…he'd dreamed of it for so many years, and now that it was here he could hardly believe that it was real.

Upon entering the room she whirled around to face him, gripping the collar of his shirt and kissing him passionately while slowly backpedaling towards the bed. She sat down on the edge of the California king lined with maroon sheets and a golden-brown colored comforter, pulling Tommy down with her.

Only when the need to breathe became too much did Tommy pull back, but even then the time spent catching his breath was productive, his shirt winding up on the floor moments before his lips found Kimberly's once more. He laid her down gently on the bed, hovering over Kimberly as her fingers started to fumble with his belt buckle.

"I…want…you…so…bad," Kimberly murmured in between kisses, pushing him back just enough so that she could pull his belt through the loop of his jeans, which she did in one long, fluent motion.

"Impressive," whispered Tommy. He kissed her as he laid her back once again, moving his kisses to her neck while his hand slid down to the button of her jeans. "But I prefer a much more subtle approach."

Inch by inch he kissed his way down her body, Kimberly biting her lip and smiling as Tommy effortlessly unbuttoned her pants. On his knees in front of her he looked up and winked, slowly tugging her jeans away.

"Jesus, Tommy, just do it already," said Kimberly demandingly.

Tommy rolled his eyes. "Fine; ruin all my fun," he muttered, pulling her pants off to reveal a tiny pair of pink, g-string panties which has Tommy grinning like a madmen. "Damn, that's sexy."

Kimberly gave him a flustered smile as he rose to his feet and descended on her lips, her panties flying off with a snap. A quiet moan escaped Tommy's lips when Kimberly's hand suddenly slipped into his boxer briefs. Staring longingly into his eyes, she flashed him a grin and wrapped her fingers around his rapidly hardening cock, aiding the process with a series of short strokes.

"Someone's happy to see me," she murmured, smiling wickedly.

Pulling back only long enough to remove his boxers, Tommy attacked her mouth hungrily as she took hold of him once more, aiming his throbbing manhood at her glistening lips. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this," he whispered on the wingtips of a kiss.

Gazing up at him, Kimberly smiled. "So then do it."

"With pleasure," said Tommy softly.

Moments later, Kimberly's pleasured moan filled the room as Tommy slowly sank himself inside her, a wonderful sense of warmth flooding her entire body. With her arms around his neck she looked into his eyes, biting down on her lip as he filled her in a way that could only be described as perfect.

"Do it, Tommy; fuck me," she said quietly, sealing her demand with a kiss.

Tommy was more than willing to oblige; towering over the petite woman, his eyes locked on hers, he quickened his pace. She let out a gasp as his throbbing cock slid in and out of her moist depths, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist to keep him close.

"God, you are…so beautiful," he whispered, kissing her with each and every stroke that filled her like no man had ever done before.

"Harder, Tommy, harder," she murmured, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as Tommy did what he was told, eliciting a series of moans from Kimberly. "Mmm, yeah, just like that. Fuck; that feels so good."

Words could do no justice to what Tommy was feeling as he looked down at the woman whom he'd loved and lost only to reclaim again, even if it turned out to be for just this one night. In his heart he knew that what they were doing was more than just fucking; she had his heart as much as she did his body, and if Tommy was honest with himself it had always been this way.

He held her warmly in his arms, kissing her over and over again, cherishing each and every moment as they made love to each other with a desire that had finally bubbled over after fifteen years of waiting.

Her lovely face strained with lust as his deep, impacting thrusts drive her into the bed. Her arms closed possessively around his neck, her heels locking over his lower back as their hips worked in a vigorous rhythm. She felt every inch of him throbbing inside her. Their mouths fused in a deep, steamy lip-lock while her thighs shuddered from the long surges of his body into hers. She writhed with pleasure beneath him, clawing at his back when his mouth began sucking a rosy nipple so hard while taking her with such greedy passion.

"Oh God... never... never been this good," Kimberly sobbed as the bed's headboard rocked against the back wall in time with their hot love making.

Tommy was violently aroused; the tight sheath of her body squeezing around him devoured any restraint he had. When his mouth descended once more he inhaled her tongue in his mouth, drawing on it while thrusting deep inside her. "Never felt so good...God, so fucking good."

Throwing her head back, Kimberly cried out to the heavens when Tommy brought his thumb to her swollen clit, the throes of climax rapidly approaching her. The first orgasm hit moments later, her body shaking as she muttered, "Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod; I'm cumming."

Tommy wore a proud smile as he started to slow his pace down; giving Kimberly time to recover before he continued, but she had other ideas. Capturing his lips in a hot but fleeting kiss, she shook her head.

"Keep going," she told him.

Nodding obediently, Tommy attached his lips to hers and continued to fuck her, giving everything his body had to this woman. A quiet moan escaped Kimberly's lips when Tommy suddenly pulled away from them, kissing his way down to her breasts.

"Right there, Tommy," she continued, whimpering as he took her nipple into his mouth, gently biting the tip. Her eyes glazed over, she looked up at Tommy and smiled, pushing her hips down to meet his thrusts. "Oh God, I—ah, I'm so close, Tommy. Just a little bit more," was her moan-filled plea.

Bracing his palms on either side of her, Tommy hung his head to meet her eyes. "I'm gonna come, Beautiful," he whispered.

With eyes squeezed, Kimberly bit down hard on her lip and yanked him with back in with her legs just as he was starting to pull out. "It's okay," she told him, nodding her confirmation to his veiled question. "I want you to come with me."

Knowledge was power, and with the knowledge that Kimberly was on some sort of birth control he tightly gripped the comforter and gave a few strong final thrusts. She cried out at the height of orgasm, her nails digging into Tommy's back just moments before she felt him expand andf quiver, coming deep inside her.

They held on to each other with trembling arms, their chests heaving as they struggled for air. Smiling uncontrollably, Tommy tilted her chin with his forefinger and placed a series of quick kisses to her lips. He rolled to her left and collapsed next to her; hands on their chests, they looked up at the ceiling in unison, neither much sure of what to say.

Awkwardness was spared, though, as their heads turned towards each other and they both started to laugh heartily. "We really just did that, didn't we?" asked Kimberly, nipping at Tommy's lips.

"We really just did that," said Tommy, nodding his confirmation. As his breathing started to return to normal, he flipped over on his side to face her, pulling her in close and kissing her forehead. "God only knows we waited long enough," he added with a chuckle.

Laughing, Kimberly shook her head and, to Tommy's dismay, slowly pried herself away from his embrace. She kept her back to him, revealing nothing as she rose to her feet and remaining silent until she turned around to face him. "Stand up," she said simply, Tommy furrowing his brow in confusion. "Just stand up, Tommy."

He did so while not understanding why. "Are you kicking me out?" he asked hesitantly.

"Hardly," she replied, winking at him as she pulled the comforter back from the headboard. She sauntered under the sheets, practically teasing Tommy into submission with each slowly disappearing inch of her body. Turning on her side, she curled her finger towards Tommy and motioned for him to join her. "I can't kick you out when I'm not even done with you yet."

Tommy could do little more than laugh as he climbed back into bed, his lips immediately searching out Kimberly's. They made love three more times that night, exploring their deepest desires until neither could move more than a few inches in any direction.

His first conscious thought when his eyes slowly started to flutter open some seven hours later was that it had all been a dream, especially when he reached out for Kimberly only to have his hand touch an empty side of the bed. His worries and disoriented confusion, however, were put to rest moments later at the realization that the bed he was currently lying in was not his.

Through sleep-filled eyes he noticed something on the pillow next to him and pushed himself up in bed to find that it was a plain white envelope with nothing written on it. "What the—" he started, picking up the envelope curiously as he opened it, revealing a single sheet of tri-folded paper. Utterly confused, Tommy unfolded the paper and started to read the hand written letter.

Hey there, Handsome,

As I write this, it's just after nine. As you read this, you're probably looking around wondering where the hell I am. I wanted to be there when you woke up, but I have to be at the studio by ten-thirty. I thought about waking you, but you were sleeping so soundly and I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

I know we should probably sit down and talk about last night, and I'm okay with that, but I just want you to know that I don't have a single regret and I hope you don't either because being with you was everything I had ever dreamed it would be and more. And hey, now that we've already done it I'd say we have a pretty damn good reason to hang out more often.

Anyway, I didn't want you to have to take a cab back to Johnny's so I went ahead and left the key to my Escalade in the kitchen for you and took the cab myself. It should have plenty of gas so you can use it for the day. Oh, and feel free to make yourself at home. There's a whole bunch of stuff in the kitchen if you want breakfast. Thanks again for an amazing night, Tommy.

Always,

Kim

P.S. You're picking me up tonight. NBC Studios Lot C at 8:30. Bring my car and then we'll go get yours.

Refolding the letter, Tommy shook his head and laughed in partial disbelief. Throwing himself back down on the bed, he looked up at the ceiling and smiled, his hands resting comfortably behind his head.

Another night with Kimberly? Oh yeah, he could definitely get used to Hollywood.

--