Sorry, this is a short chapter, but like I said, I'm struggling with this one. I'm trying to come up with a big event to tie in so I can give everyone something specific to do, but since at this point in the story, it's late November for them, I'm drawing blanks. If anyone would like to suggest anything, I'm happily taking suggestions. And to everyone reviewing through these hard times, i love you.

"Kwest Taylor," Nic finally said, turning around to face him. "How the hell are you?"

He smiled as he approached her for a hug. "I'm good, Miss Quincy." He finally got a good look of her face. "Whoa, what happened to you?"

"Uhh, bad relationship," she answered softly. "Thus, the reason I'm here."

"Are you serious?" he asked. "That Jordan Avery guy was beating you up?"

Nic looked away. "Yeah. Could we not talk about it? It's still a sensitive subject."

"Sorry," he apologized. "So, now that you are in Toronto, which we'll talk about why later, do you plan on working or taking a break?"

"I'm pretty much clear until February for Fashion Week," she reported. "So I've basically got three months of off-time. We already shot the Victoria's Secret Christmas ads and the fashion show is on Tuesday and Sports Illustrated comes out the next week, so I'm good for some relaxation."

"You think Kelleigh will let that slide?" Tommy interrupted, referring to Kelleigh Cooper, Nic's longtime publicist. "I mean, she doesn't like you taking off two weeks during the summer for us, so what are the chances of her being okay with three months?"

Nic shrugged. "Don't know, don't care. It's my life and she can't make me do anything I don't want to do. Besides, she has other clients to worry about."

"But you're her favorite," Jude added. "Karolina is bossy and then she takes on all those America's Next Top Model girls and they rarely ever do anything big."

"She'll get over it," Nic said dryly. "If something comes up in Toronto, I'll do it, but I just don't want to travel right now."

"Yo, T!" Darius called, emerging from his office. "What's going on out here?" He looked up from the file in his hands and a broad smile appeared on his face. "Nic Quincy, back from the dead."

"Hey, D," she smiled, hurrying over to hug him. "How's it going?"

"Can't complain," he answered. "I'm still making money."

"Still bald I see, too," she teased, rubbing his shiny head. "It suits you."

He rolled his eyes. "Still got the snarky wit."

"Why change perfection?" she shrugged. "So, tell me about some of your other artists around here? I know of Jude, SME, and Mason Fox, who I want to meet so bad."

"Really?" Portia asked. "Spending all that time in LA hasn't caused you to not like country music?"

"Mason Fox isn't country music," Nic replied. "He's like folk/pop-rock. It's very mellow and I like mellow."

"Thank you," a male voice said behind her. "I usually just get classified as 'country' or 'crappy,' so I like hearing otherwise."

Nic turned around and found herself face-to-face with Mason Fox himself. "Oh, hi! I'm a big fan of yours."

"Well, I do enjoy meeting famous fans," he admitted. "It means I attract a wide variety of audience and I like that. And the fact that you're pretty doesn't hurt."

"He's gay," Jude whispered into Nic's ear, "so you don't have to worry about him hitting on you."

"Jude, I can hear," Mason told her. "I'm not deaf."

Jude smiled. "I know, Mase, I was just informing her that you won't hit on her the way Spied and the boys will."

"What's with all the commotion out here?" a female voice demanded from studio C. "I'm trying to work on an album!"

"Calm down, Karma," Tommy advised. "My sister is in town and visiting with people she hasn't seen in years."

"Your sister?" Karma, an R&B diva, repeated. "Nic Hill is your sister? How is that even possible?"

Nic already didn't like this girl. "Well, when a mommy and a daddy fall in love and get married, they sometimes consummate their relationship-"

"I know how babies are made!" Karma cried. "I meant that you two have different last names."

"I dropped 'Quincy' and shortened my middle name so I wouldn't be associated with him," Nic answered. "Should I just buy a shirt that says that on it?"

Karma placed her hands on her hips. "You started modeling when Tommy was super famous. Why wouldn't you want to ride his coat tails to the top?"

"She's not you, that's why," Jude put in. "She wanted to earn her fame by her own accords, not her brother's. You, on the other hand, would use and abuse people to get famous. Unfortunately, there was no one for you to exploit."

"Jude, get over yourself," Karma sneered immaturely before stalking back into studio C.

"She's a real peach," Nic stated. "I can see why we don't see much of her in the press."

Darius jumped into the conversation. "The girl is still green. She wants the fame but doesn't want to work for it."

"I see," Nic nodded. "So, is anyone going to record today or am I here for nothing?"

"Good point," Darius decided. "SME, Kwest will work with you today in A. Jude, you'll be with me and Portia all day, discussing concepts for a music video, and T, I want you on the phone with everyone you saw in the States to see how Jude's doing in rotation down there. Let's go, people! Time is money!"

Nic decided Jude and Tommy were doing boring stuff, so she went to studio A with Kwest and the boys to watch them record.

"What have you got for me?" Kwest asked them.

"Actually, yes," Spiederman answered, pulling a wad of paper from his jeans pocket. "I started this while we were in LA and then I finished it yesterday on the plane."

Kyle sat down at his drum set. "Gee, I wonder what it's about then."

"Title?" Kwest requested.

"It's called 'Supermodels and Wife Beaters,' tentatively," Spiederman explained. "And Nic, it's not about you and Jordan at all. I just take real-life situations and use them as song titles, but they never match the actual song."

She shrugged. "I don't care. That's why I like your all's music so much because it's always creative but never the same." She sat down next to Kwest.

"Spiederman Mind Explosion, 'Supermodels and Wife Beaters,' take one," Kwest said into the microphone as Kyle started the heavy drum intro.

As Spiederman played and sang, Nic felt her Sidekick start buzzing in the pocket of her jeans. She pulled it out and looked at the LCD screen, frowning at the picture that popped. "Yeah?"

"Nic, I just read on Perez Hilton that you were seen heading to LAX yesterday with your brother," her publicist, Kelleigh, stated coolly. "Tell me that was misleading because you wouldn't leave the country without telling me, would you?"

"Was there anything about the fact that Jordan beat the crap out of me?" Nic countered. "Cause Perez is usually all over everything and that happened, too."

Kelleigh was momentarily silenced. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because my brother was there and I felt more comfortable going to him," Nic replied. "Look, Kel, I'm sorry, but I just want a break after all of this, okay? The show is done and airs Tuesday, we've done the Christmas ads, SI comes out next week, and there's nothing until Fashion Week. Until then, I'm on hiatus."

"Well, I clearly don't like to hear that, but maybe you deserve it," Kelleigh agreed. "What if I can get you something in Toronto?"

"Then let me know," Nic said. "Good-bye, Kelleigh." She flipped her phone shut and went back to watching the boys record.

"Hey, D, can you come in here?" Tommy asked Darius over the phone later that afternoon. "I got something I want to talk to you about."

A moment later, Darius appeared. "What is it, Tom? It's been a busy day."

"Did you notice that my sister had a black eye and busted lip?" Tommy asked quietly as Darius sat down across from him.

"Yeah," Darius confirmed. "I just assumed she ran into something because Nic Quincy, for being a highly sought-after supermodel, is pretty clumsy."

"She didn't run into anything but Jordan Avery's fist," Tommy reported. "He hit her, D, twice."

Darius' head shot up from his Blackberry. "He did what?"

"In LA, we ran into her at Les Deux on our last night there and she said she was meeting with Jordan," Tommy began. "I didn't think too much of it, even though I don't like the guy, so I went to talk to the DJ about remixing 'It's Just Noise' into rotation at the club. When I got back to our table, Jude said Jordan had showed up and was being a jerk, so Nic had decided they were leaving. The next morning, she showed up at our door with a messed up eye and lip, saying they'd gotten into a fight about his behavior and when she stood up for herself, he attacked her. I want something done about that."

"I agree," the mogul nodded. "But how can we do it without it getting ugly in the press? We don't want to taint our name, or your sister's."

"I'm working on it," Tommy went on. "I may do it anonymously to the LA police and make sure they keep it quiet or legal action will take place, but I don't know for sure. I just wanted you to know in case I need your connections."

Darius sighed. "Well, okay. I protect Nic like I protect family, so if she needs help, I'm there to do it. Just let me know, T." He stood up and left Tommy's office.

"So, Kwest, tell me about your baby," Nic said as they sat in hospitality around lunchtime. "Ally, right?"

He smiled and pulled his wallet from his back pocket, flipping to a picture of a little girl of about two, with caramel-colored skin and bright green eyes. She had a curly head of hair and was already very well-dressed.

"I assume your wife is a fashionista?" Nic laughed. "Well, your daughter is absolutely adorable and she has your smile."

"Thanks," he said. "So, ready to talk about your face?"

She sighed and hopped up onto a counter. "You know how I was dating Jordan Avery, the actor? Well, things haven't been too good between us lately and it got out of control on Saturday night. See, I ran into everyone at Les Deux in LA because I was meeting Jordan, but when he showed up, he was in a really foul mood and I got mad and we left. Once we were back at his apartment, he started yelling at me for not defending him and I don't like being yelled at for nothing, so I yelled back. He didn't like that, so he slapped me and when I started screaming, he hit me. End of story."

"Nic," he breathed. "You're not with him anymore, are you?"

"Would I be here if I was?" she replied, sipping her bottled water from a straw. "It's fine, Kwest, I promise. He has no idea where I even am and I doubt he'd care enough to come looking for me."

"Are you sure?" he wondered. "I don't want to see you hurt, Nic."

"I know," she said. "Tommy's hell-bent on nailing him, so we'll see."

"Is this a private party?" Jude teased, walking into the room. "What's going on?"

Nic shrugged. "Just filling Kwest in on the Jordan thing. How'd the video stuff go?"

"It's good," Jude answered. "We came up with a pretty cool concept, we start next week, and you'll never guess who's directing it?"

"David LaChappelle?" Nic guessed smugly.

Jude's face fell. "How'd you know? Did Portia tell?"

"You've been wanting him to direct one of your videos forever," Nic pointed out. "And he's the only guy you'd get that excited over."

"I'm so excited!" Jude cried. "I mean, David LaChappelle? He doesn't direct for just anyone."

"He's a nice guy," Nic confirmed. "He did some shots for Sports Illustrated this time around."

Spiederman sat in the lobby, strumming his guitar and listening to the conversation in hospitality. He knew he couldn't have Nic, as she'd just gotten out of the world's worst relationship, but he couldn't help but fall harder for her after spending time with her.

"Dude, no way," Kyle said, sitting down next to him. "I know what you're thinking and there's no way. It's not even ethical."

"I know," Spiederman muttered. "But do you know how hard it is to have the girl of my dreams dangled right in front of me and then ripped away? Not to mention the fact that she's cool as hell."

Kyle frowned. "I'm sure it sucks, but I don't think she wants it and Squinty would have you placed in front of the firing squad."

"I know!" Spiederman groaned. "It just sucks."

"Dude," Wally said, sitting down across from them. "You could have any other girl you want, so don't waste your time wanting the one you can't have."

Spiederman smiled mischievously. "But those are always much more fun."

As he walked away, Wally sighed. "He's gonna go after her, isn't he?"

"I'm afraid he is, Wallace," Kyle nodded slowly. "I'm afraid he is."