~ NO COPYRIGHTS HERE. I DO NOT OWN ANY CHARACTERS OR PLACES, MTV & THE RESPECTED PLACES DO.~

CHAPTER 1

~Reality Exposure~

-12:00a.m-

It is the first day back in Jersey Shore for everyone after coming from Italy and the party started right away. They were given a surprise party welcoming them back with all of their friends and families, pulled together by their Shore Store boss Danny. After rounding the festivities up, the gang makes it a point to christen their first night back with a trip to Aztec Bar.

Now it is Mike, Vinny, Pauly, Deena, Snooki (Nicole), and Jenni making their way in. Ronnie and Sammi decided to stay in. Earlier Vinny expressed that he had been feeling off since seeing his family. He feels homesick and the guys are now cheering him up by taking him out to snag a chick, well, Pauly is. Mike has other agendas, with his best boy The Unit that involves a little incident between the two, Nicole, and her friend Ryder.

The plan seems to be failing for Vinny when everywhere you look, bombs are going off. It is Grenade city in Aztec tonight. It ends up being Jenni, Deena, Ryder, Vinny, and Pauly hanging out since Nicole got lost with her current squeeze Jionni.

In all the smog, there is one cute girl that Pauly tries to grab but he senses that something else is wrong. Vinny doesn't even look present and he has been snipping a little at him, especially when Pauly was dancing with Ryder.

Pauly finally asks Vinny, "Do you just wanna go back to the house?"

"Yeah, I'm not feeling it tonight. Let's get outta here." Vinny leads the way out.

The two make their way towards the door and everyone else watches them. Deena is dancing with Ryder and she leans over to Jenni. "Where are they goin?"

Jenni replies, "They're leavin. Vinny's tired I guess."

Deena while dancing turns back to the girls. "Well that sucks. I don't want anyone to not have a good time." Jenni makes a pouty face and so does Deena.

They decide to check on Vinny later to see if he is any better.

-At the House-

Pauly and Vinny settle in the house and Pauly looks for something to eat when Ronnie comes into the kitchen.

Pauly yells out, "I'm starvin over here!"

Ron closes the fridge back in his face while walking past. "There's some left over burger patties in the bin at the bottom bro. Eat those."

Pauly looks at Ron before opening the refrigerator, "Well how would I know that? You closed the freakin fridge in my face."

Ronnie laughs a little and hunts around for a cup to pour himself a glass of water. Meanwhile, Pauly gets to work on stacking his burgers. Before pulling the buns out he yells into the front room.

"Yo, Vinny! Want one of these patties before I smash 'em?"

Vinny answers back, "No thanks. I think I'll jus go to bed."

Pauly quietly sighs and continues to make himself two burgers. When he finishes, he grabs a drink and moves into the front room.

Sitting down looking at Vinny lying on the couch, "I thought you were goin to bed?"

Vinny with his arm across his face answers, "I'm not that tired." Pauly chews assessing him.

"You should try to get some sleep bro. You'll feel better in the morning."

Vinny doesn't answer him. By now, Ron comes back in and takes a seat on the two- seater by Pauly. Vinny looks over briefly before getting up and going to the back where his and Pauly's room is.

Ronnie looks at him until he disappears before responding. "What's with him?"

Pauly shakes his head, "I don't know now. He was saying that his family comin to see him is messin with his head but I don't know. I've seen Vinny homesick before but this is somethin else."

Ronnie nods. "Well goin to the Bar didn't help? I thought you all would bring some chicks back and that would be the end of it."

Pauly shakes his head after swallowing his bite. "Aztec was terrible tonight bro. Grenades everywhere. I had to get my man out that war zone."

Ronnie laughs and responds, "He just needs to sleep it off."

Pauly agrees, "That's what I told him." Ronnie nods and gets up.

Ron, "Well, 'night bro. I'm callin it a night myself."

Pauly nods but his mind is still on Vinny. He would go check on him after finishing his food.

-15 minutes later-

Pauly goes in their room and expects to find Vinny knocked out but he is laying down face up staring at the ceiling.

Going over to his drawer to get ready for bed, "I wonder when everybody's comin back? It wasn't that happenin tonight."

Vinny offers a grunt but that's about it. Pauly continues to gather his bathroom gear so he can take care of that before hopping in the bed.

When Pauly returns he is in his boxers, flip-flops, and nothing else but his chain on. He moves over to his nightstand to take care of that though.

Vinny watches Pauly take his chain off and move his neck around a little. When he turns around Vinny rolls over to his side away from him. It doesn't go unnoticed and Pauly speaks up.

"Is there something on your mind…besides what you told me earlier on the walk home?"

Vinny mumbles from his pillow, "…No. Not really."

Pauly doubts that. "Now is the time to talk to me, I'm all ears."

It takes a long silence but Vinny eventually blurts out.

"I'm in love with you."

A/N: That's it for chapter one of my first story! Review and let me know if you're ready for more.