Because the Night

by BeautifulandBroken

Wilma invites CB and Lainey to join her and Johnny Atkins on a weekend trip to Atlantic City. After some convincing from Wilma, CB and Lainey agree to share a hotel room together to allow the lovebirds some time alone. What could possibly go wrong… or what might possibly go so right?

So this idea came to me last week and literally could not stop writing until I had it all down. It follows the canon of the show (except for one BIG plot point which you will soon discover) and unpacks some angst and feelings along the way. There is language and smut, just so you're forewarned. It was so much fun to write! Hope you enjoy it!

~.~

"Love is an angel disguised as lust,

Here in our beds until the morning comes."

~ 10,000 Maniacs, "Because the Night" (1993)

(written by Bruce Springsteen & Patti Smith)

~.~

"Well, here we are… Atlantic City!" Wilma excitedly proclaimed as she exited the car, peeling off her sunglasses. She glanced around the hotel's surroundings with glee, breathing in the sea air, and handed the reins to her vehicle over to the valet.

"Yeah… the world's playground!" Johnny Atkins added to her statement, pumping his fists in the air. He emptied the backseat and walked around the car to open the trunk.

"You got that right," Wilma said and gave him a flirty wink. "And we all know Wilma likes to play!"

Shaking his head, CB almost gagged at their amorous exchange as he slid out the backseat, but soon regained his bearings. He hurried over to the passenger side to open the door for Lainey.

"Milady." He bowed and extended his hand chivalrously.

"Thanks, CB," she said, giving him a slight smile.

He mirrored her grin, but she ignored his outstretched hand and pushed right past him, joining Johnny at the rear of the vehicle.

"Anytime," he replied, his eyes trailing after her.

CB frowned sadly as he watched her retrieve her suitcase from the trunk. Lainey had seemed rather melancholy the entire ride down from Philadelphia. It had only been a few weeks since she and Barry had decided to call it quits. She just hadn't seemed like herself since they'd ended things; it was as if a piece of her was missing. CB smiled, his spirit restoring, and made a silent vow to help cheer her up later when they were all settled. He was her best friend after all. It was his duty to pick her up when she was down.

"Hey, CB?" Wilma pulled on his arm, lowering her voice. "I know you're supposed to share a room with Johnny Atkins this weekend, but would you mind rooming with Lainey? I want to get to know my bad boy a little better… if you get me."

She wiggled her eyebrows to make her intentions more obvious. She looked past CB to gain a better view of Johnny's rear end as he bent over to pick up Lainey's suitcase.

"Sure," CB answered rather quickly and shrugged his shoulders as if he didn't mind.

Rooming with Lainey would provide the perfect opportunity for him to lift her spirits. However, the thought of Wilma and Johnny "getting to know each other better" made his stomach turn. But he was a people-pleaser and he just wanted to make sure everyone was happy.

"You sure?" Wilma placed a hand on his shoulder. "You sure it won't be awkward, you know, having had a crush on her?"

"Wilma, I told you awhile ago I was over the whole crush thing. We're just friends now," CB assured her, grabbing his suitcase from the trunk. Lainey and Johnny Atkins were already ascending the steps towards the hotel's entrance.

"Okay, good," she answered merrily, still gawking at Johnny's ass. "Cause Wilma's got some plans… oh, yes, she does."

"You've got problems," CB mused, chuckling to himself, as they followed their friends into the hotel. He remembered their conversation they'd had outside of The Fifth Element earlier that year regarding her affinity for "dirtbags."

"Sure do." Wilma grinned from ear to ear, winking at him. "And it ain't going away anytime soon."

~.~

"There's only one bed!" Lainey exclaimed at the top of her lungs, dropping her suitcase on the carpeted floor. She threw her hands into the air in frustration. "Wilma didn't tell me there was only one bed! I should've never agreed to this!"

"Well… uh." CB swept his right hand through his hair, trying desperately to think of a solution. He glanced around the room and spied a mint-green sofa positioned near the window. "Look, there's a couch. You take the bed, I'll take the couch. Problem solved."

"You sure you don't mind?" She turned to him. "We can see if they'll switch our rooms."

"No need. I slept on your couch for two months," he said, picking up her suitcase with his free hand, and lifted their bags onto the dresser. "I'm used to it."

"Still, I hate the idea of you sleeping on the sofa when you paid for a bed," Lainey lamented, walking over to the window. She gazed out toward the shoreline off the distance and crossed her arms over her chest. "We can take turns if you want."

"Let's not worry about that right now," CB suggested and stood beside her at the window. His eyes fell on the boardwalk below, suddenly remembering his vow to help cheer her up. "Hey, why don't we head down to the boardwalk and grab a bite to eat? We can ask Wilma and Johnny to join us."

"Sounds perfect." She smiled at him. "I could really go for a hotdog right now."

"Hotdogs it is then." CB nodded, returning her grin, and reached for her hand.

Lainey hesitated for a few fleeting seconds, glancing down at his offered hand, but then took it swiftly into hers.

~.~

"I'm sorry they couldn't join us," CB said as they strolled down the boardwalk with hotdogs firmly in hand. "Or should I say, wouldn't…"

"That's okay," Lainey replied, shaking her head, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "I guess 'Do Not Disturb' actually means do not disturb."

"Uh, yeah." He laughed. The image of an irate Wilma about to rip him a new one from behind her hotel room's door replayed in his mind. "I'll never make that mistake again."

"Remind me why they asked us to come on this trip again?"

"I'm not sure anymore."

She giggled, and they continued to enjoy their hotdogs as they slowly sauntered onto the pier, making smalltalk. It was almost dusk, and the sky was breathtaking, painted with numerous hues of orange and purple. CB noted how the light from the dying sun made the contours of Lainey's face even more beautiful. He caught himself staring and quickly looked away. He distracted himself by throwing away the paper sleeves that had once held their snacks.

Lainey became silent all of a sudden, gazing off toward the ocean, the wind gently tossing the curls of her blond hair. She walked toward the edge of the pier and leaned against the wooden railing. CB joined her, noticing several tears were now streaming down her cheeks. His heart achingly plunged inside his chest at seeing her in pain.

"Lainey, you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She sniffed away her tears and turned her head away from him, wringing her hands together.

"Is being in Atlantic City hard for you knowing what happened… well, what almost happened here?" CB asked, his mind recalling what Lainey had told him that night before Valentine's Day. The night they shared two bottles of wine at Bistro de L'Amore and talked until 1 am.

Lainey immediately pivoted her head back to him, her eyes wide with surprise.

"You remember what I told you about Atlantic City?"

"Of course, I do," CB said, offering her a half-smile. He reached over and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her left ear. "I remember everything from that night."

She smiled back at him, but then her smile slowly faded. She leaned forward against the railing once again.

"I've always believed Barry and I were soulmates… since we broke up, I just don't know where my life is headed now… it's almost like I've lost my compass, so to speak," Lainey confessed sadly, watching the waves rolling out with the tide. "And this whole thing with my mom. I just feel… lost."

CB sighed at her words and closed his eyes. He knew his best friend was at a crossroads in her life, and he longed to take away all of her pain. But it was something he just couldn't do; she had to work out her issues on her own. The least he could offer her was his companionship and a shoulder to cry on when she needed it.

"Hey, it's going to be okay. You'll figure it out. You always do."

Reaching over, CB lovingly draped his arm across her shoulders. Lainey instantly turned and encircled her arms around his waist, sobbing uncontrollably into his chest. He squeezed her tightly to him, tears beginning to pool in his own eyes, and pressed a firm, comforting kiss to her hair.

As he held her there, CB peered off at horizon, the wind nipping at his cheeks. He took a deep breath, inhaling the salty air, and his heart broke for her. Watching the yellow sun begin its descent along the New Jersey shore, he vowed to do whatever was within his power to make her happy again.

~.~

"Hey, you wanna grab a drink at the bar?" CB inquired, gesturing toward the casino, as they headed through the hotel's entrance. Lainey had been mostly quiet on their walk back from the pier.

"No, I think I'm just going to head up to bed." Lainey sighed heavily and hugged her arms tightly to her chest. "It's been a long day."

"Gotcha," he replied. "Well, I'll head on up with you… keep you company."

"No, no, CB, please," she protested, holding up her hands. "You go have fun… we're in Atlantic City, dude. You should enjoy yourself. I'll be fine."

"Really, it's no problem. I'm actually pretty exhausted myself… you know, from teaching all day and the ride down here."

"Okay, well, whatever," Lainey finally relented, a slight irritation in her tone.

CB wondered briefly if she was a little embarrassed by what had happened on the pier earlier, that she'd made herself too vulnerable in front of him.

The two friends walked to the elevator in silence. Once they'd reached their hotel room, the one they'd graciously agreed to share so that Wilma and Johnny Atkins could have some alone time, CB unlocked the door and held it open for her.

"I call first dibs on the shower!" Lainey exclaimed once they were both inside the room. She immediately started rummaging through her suitcase, gathering up her toiletries and pajamas.

Shower. The word echoed over and over in CB's mind. A shiver ran down his spine.

"O-kay," he stammered out, shrugging off his denim jacket and placing it on the wooden chair by the dresser.

He hadn't even thought about the possibility of there being showers and all the other awkward situations that might accompany their shared hotel experience this weekend. He took a deep breath and tried to assure himself that they'd shared her apartment for almost two whole months - as friends, of course. They could do this without any awkward feelings; they were pros at it. Besides, he'd promised Wilma it wouldn't be awkward, right?

As Lainey disappeared behind the bathroom door, CB sunk down on the bed and raked his hands down his face. A jumble of mixed emotions raced out of control throughout his mind. While he'd gotten over his crush on Lainey a few months ago, those feelings for her had never really gone away. And they probably never would. Holding her in his arms on the pier had felt the closest to heaven he'd ever been, but he'd just been comforting her, nothing more. She'd just come off a break-up with Barry and being in Atlantic City had reminded her of when they'd almost gotten married there many years before.

Sighing, CB grabbed the remote control for the TV and flipped it on, hoping to distract himself - and drown out his thoughts of a very naked Lainey in the shower. He quickly found a rerun of Friends and began to undress himself. As he pulled on his pajamas, he accidentally knocked the remote off the bed, causing the channel to suddenly switch.

"Yes, yes. Oh, yes, baby."

The small hotel room was soon filled with lusty moans coming from the television set, accompanied by light jazz.

"Harder! Yes, yes!"

CB's eyes immediately flew to the screen and then went wide with shock. His face morphed into a quizzical expression, and he became fascinated by the way the two lovers were positioned.

"Hmm," he murmured, pivoting his head to gain a better view. "Don't see how that's possible, but… interesting."

Then, realizing that Lainey could enter the room at any second, CB frantically began searching for the remote to turn off the TV before she could finish with her shower.

"What the hell are you watching?" Lainey emerged from the bathroom, wearing her Hello Kitty pajamas, her wet hair twisted up into a towel. She placed her hands on her hips, judgingly. "Porn? Really, CB?"

Stopping his search for the remote, CB lifted his head and peered over the bed at her from his position on the floor.

"Oh, hi," he said, his cheeks flushing bright red. He quickly rushed over to the TV and switched it off. "The remote fell off the bed and changed the channel, I swear!"

"Mmhmm," she replied in disbelief, cocking an eyebrow. "Charlie Brown, I would've never taken you for a porn guy."

"I swear… I wasn't watching it! The remote-"

"It's okay." Lainey began unknotting the towel from around her hair, letting the wet tendrils flow down her shoulders. "Don't be embarrassed. Everyone does it."

"But seriously, I wasn't watching it," he tried to get her to believe him once again, gulping. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion when he realized what she'd said. "Really? You've watched… uh, porn?"

"Of course." Lainey ran a brush through her wet hair. "Who hasn't?"

"I just… never thought girls did." CB chewed nervously on his bottom lip. He sat back down on the bed, his eyes darting around the room to avoid looking at her.

"You learn something new every day." She threw her brush back on the dresser and plopped down on the bed beside him. "Hey, remember when Babe was sold out, so we saw Eyes Wide Shut instead?"

"Yeah, that was all kinds of, uh, awkward." He suddenly sobered, thinking back to that day with fondness, the day of their "just friends date."

"I can never look at Tom Cruise the same way again." Lainey laughed. "I mean, I've always found him hot, but…"

"Totally," CB agreed, and then, realizing what he'd said, corrected himself, "I mean, I can't look at him the same, not that I find him hot or anything."

Lainey's laughter rose louder and louder, and he found himself laughing along with her. After a few seconds, she sighed, holding her middle to keep from keeling over.

"Thanks, CB," she simply said, pressing a hand against his on the mattress.

"For what?" He looked down at her hand resting on top of his.

"Making me laugh." She ran her thumb back and forth across his knuckles. "I haven't laughed like that in awhile… not since…"

The feeling of her fingers brushing against his was intoxicating, and he should've definitely shifted his hand away, but he just couldn't bring himself to move.

"Hakuna… matata," CB finally managed to reply, chills running up and down his spine.

Lainey smiled down at their hands, possibly remembering when he'd said those very words to her last fall when she was stressed out over her students' production of The Lion King.

"I'm glad we're still friends," she said after a few agonizing seconds of silence between them. "I don't know what I'd do without you in my life."

She peered up at him, and she had never looked more beautiful to him than in that moment. CB suddenly felt lightheaded, his heart hammering against his ribcage. Lainey was mere inches away from him, the woman he'd pined after for so long. So close in fact, he could smell the strawberry scent of her shampoo. He loudly gulped and said a silent prayer that he could be strong, strong enough to resist the urge to touch her, to kiss her - to anything her. He didn't want to ruin what they had between them, but all of his defenses were weakening by the second.

To his surprise, however, Lainey was the one to make a move.

Letting go of his hand, she reached up and cupped her palms on either side of his face. CB's head was all in a daze; he felt as if he'd wandered into a dream. All he could manage to do was stare at her in awe as if she were the most goddamn beautiful creature on the planet, which to him, she most certainly was.

Lainey leaned in slightly and then pulled back to smile at him, taking a deep breath, before finally pressing her lips gently to his. His lips instantly responded, kissing her back with all that he had, his walls crumbling to bits at his feet. Consequences be damned. He embraced her, wrapping his arms around her back, as their kiss deepened, their tongues desperately beginning to explore each other's mouths.

Grabbing her by the waist, CB pulled her into his lap, and she immediately spread her legs to straddle his hips. The action awakened the part of him that desired her the most, and he felt himself hardening beneath the fabric of his pants.

"Oh, CB… I want you," Lainey moaned, breaking free of his lips. She began working on the buttons of his pajama shirt and frantically shoved it down his shoulders.

"I want you too." He fingered the bottom of her tank top, yanking it over her head. He stared wide-eyed at her bare breasts when he was finished, blinking in disbelief. "Oh, Lainey, you have no idea how much I want you right now."

She giggled as his lips found her neck, and he kissed his way down the length of it, all the way down to her breasts, taking one of her nipples into his mouth. He lapped his tongue around her nipple several times before sucking it roughly as if it were the very sustenance to his every need.

"Fuck…" Lainey cried out, throwing her head back, and began rocking her body against him. "Feels so good. Oh, CB…"

CB let go of her breast, and his head fell to her chest in surrender. The exquisite friction she was creating with her movements nearly drove him out of his mind.

"Lainey…" he whispered against her chest, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. "That feels... fuck."

Suddenly, Lainey halted her movements and dismounted him, and for a second there, CB thought she'd changed her mind. He opened his eyes, completely love drunk, only to see her shucking off her shorts along with her underwear. He blinked like a madman, hardly believing this was all real, before fully drinking in the sight of her nude body before him.

"Lainey…" CB rose up on his knees on the edge of the bed to meet her and reached down for her hands. He brought them up to his lips, planting tender kisses across her knuckles. "You are so beautiful."

"So are you," she said as he let go of her hands.

She ran her hands up his chest, tracing the groves of his muscles with her fingertips. She leaned forward and kissed the hollow at the base of his neck. He drew in a sharp breath, his whole body shivering into gooseflesh.

"Make love to me… please," Lainey whispered, her lips ghosting his neck. He felt it all the way in his knees.

"Yes," he answered without hesitation, exhaling, his eyes searching hers. "I'd do anything for you, but... are you sure?"

CB wanted this so badly, had been wanting it forever it seemed, but he wanted to make sure she really wanted this, that she wasn't just acting on impulse. There would be no turning back; their friendship was up against the ropes, being molded and fashioned into something else with each passing second.

"I'm one-hundred percent sure," she said, looking him straight in the eyes.

Crushing her lips to his, Lainey pushed him down on the bed, and he flipped them over so that he was on top of her. He peppered hot, lingering kisses down her chest to her bellybutton, spreading her legs apart with one of his knees.

CB wanted to make this the best experience of her life, to make sure she was fully and completely satisfied. She deserved it after all she'd been through the last few months; it was the least he could offer her, his amazing best friend who had suddenly become something much more.

Moving his body between her thighs, he came onto his knees and looked up at her.

"May I?"

Lainey glanced down at him in between her legs, her eyes becoming as large as saucers.

"You mean… you want to?"

"Why wouldn't I?" CB replied, hooking her left leg over his shoulder, and slipped his hand underneath her bottom to angle her center toward his mouth. He could smell her arousal now, so heady and thick; it almost drove him insane.

"Nevermind." She shook her head and relaxed against the mattress, grinning. "I just thought guys…"

"You thought wrong," he said, licking his lips. He leaned down, her intoxicating scent flooding his senses. "You learn something new every day, right?"

She chuckled, but soon let out the loudest moan he'd ever heard as he flicked out his tongue and swiped it across her clit. Her whole body shuddered, her legs clamping around his head in nothing but pure need. CB smiled against her center and stroked her again with his tongue, long and hard and deep. God, she tasted good, like strawberries and honeysuckle and everything that was bathed in sunshine. He wanted to taste her delicious essence forever.

"Oh, yes, there. Fuuuuuck, CB." Lainey squirmed and fisted her hands into his hair, yanking and pulling as if to bind herself to reality. Her ankle dug sharply into his back, but he gladly welcomed the stinging pain; it only spurred him on further.

CB set a rhythm of licking and sucking and kissing until Lainey was almost screaming in ecstasy, her thighs quivering all around him. Before long, she was grinding herself against his mouth, and he groaned into her center, wanting nothing more than to bury himself deep inside her. However, it wasn't his turn yet, and frankly, he didn't care as long as she kept moaning his name. It was all the satisfaction he needed.

CB raised his head to look at her, slipping one of his fingers into her slick wetness, pumping slowly in and out of her. Something devilish inside him wanted to watch her, watch her come undone beneath him. She was so sexy with her wet hair tousled about her head, her eyes slammed shut, her cheeks flushed with heat, her breasts bouncing with their movements. It set off something primal in him, something that no other woman had ever done before.

"Oh, shit, shit." Lainey's head flew back against the pillows. Her back arched, her hips bucking against his hand. "I'm almost… oh, fuck, yes! I'm… I'm..."

CB sensed she was close and quickly went back to work stroking her clit with his tongue all the while curling his finger inside her as she writhed above him.

"Oh… God, CB, yeeeeeeeesssss!" Lainey cried out, pinching her face together, raising her hips off the mattress.

She collapsed weakly back on the surface of the bed, her chest heaving violently. Her hand flew to her forehead.

"Oh, dear God. That was amazing. Wow."

Grinning from ear to ear, CB withdrew his hand and lapped up what was left of her essence with his tongue before hovering over her.

"You're welcome," he said, his ego swelling with pride, and sweetly kissed her forehead.

"I guess watching all that porn paid off, huh?" She laughed and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Guess so..." He smiled, peering lovingly at her face. "Um… do you still want to… you know-"

"Absolutely," Lainey interrupted him and then captured his lips with hers.

He hesitated for a few seconds, not sure if she would mind the taste of her on his lips, but relented when she didn't stop.

Reaching down between them, Lainey helped him pull down his pajama pants, and since he'd already rid himself of his boxers earlier, he was now on full display before her. Slightly embarrassed, CB swiftly positioned himself back between her legs.

"Did you ever think we'd end up like this when we met?" Lainey asked him, biting her lower lip.

"Never," he confessed, kissing her neck, slowly and sweetly. He then looked into her eyes. "I just wanted to be close to you, to be your friend, to be anything you needed me to be."

"Oh, CB, you always know just the right words to say," Lainey said with tears brimming her blue eyes. She ran her hands up to his face. "That's why I love you."

CB's heart almost stopped. He thought for a brief moment that he was hallucinating or that his ears were failing him.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I said I love you, dummy." She smiled the widest grin he'd ever seen on her face. Her words made the sweetest music he'd ever heard.

"Oh, Lainey, I love you… so, so much." He crushed his lips to hers, running his right hand down between her legs.

Without any further hesitation, CB aligned himself up with her center and pushed carefully inside her. Lainey let out a sharp gasp and bit her bottom lip. He almost lost his mind at how warm and wet she was; she had sheathed him perfectly and completely. It was as if the world had faded away and there was only her; there was only his amazing, beautiful Lainey. In the end, she was all he ever needed.

"Is this okay?" He asked, holding his breath, making sure he wasn't hurting her.

"Yeah." Lainey finally breathed, nodding. "Keep going, please."

CB grit his teeth, pulled back, and then drove all the way back into her. He reached down and entwined one of her hands into his, pressing it up above her shoulder. He peered down at her tenderly and then worshipped her lips, starting to rock against her in small, agonizing thrusts. The overwhelming tightness of her heat drove him completely mad, and he wondered how much longer he would be able to last. He thanked the stars that he'd already thoroughly satisfied her or he would never be able to forgive himself for finishing too soon.

"Oh, you feel so good, baby," Lainey moaned, latching her legs at the ankles behind his back. She squeezed him impossibly closer with her thighs. "Oh, yes, deeper. Oh, my God."

Before he knew what he was doing, CB had unwrapped her legs from around him and hoisted the right one onto his shoulder, plowing back into her until she was practically shouting his name over and over again. The slapping sounds of their bodies crashing into each other echoed in the silence of the hotel room, sparking a slight embarrassment, yet overwhelming delight to his ears.

Lainey soon came undone at the seams once more, the spasming of her walls driving him toward his own release. CB came harder than he'd ever had in his life, specks of white light bursting like fireworks across his vision.

"Lainey…"

Her name fell from his lips like a prayer, and they both crumpled against the white sheets of the bed in exhaustion seconds later.

After thanking her with one last kiss, CB rolled over and laid beside her, their heaving breaths the only sounds now filling the room.

"Well, that happened," Lainey finally broke the silence, staring up at the ceiling.

"Yeah, it did." CB laughed and wiped several stray beads of sweat from his brow.

He should've felt massively awkward after their little tussle, yet he didn't; being with her had felt so right. He just hoped she felt the same way.

A few more seconds of silence passed between them.

Lainey suddenly turned over on her side and ran the back of her forefinger down his face.

"I rather liked it."

"Ditto," he said, smiling up at her, and turned his head to place a swift kiss to her finger.

As he gazed up at her, CB couldn't believe he'd just made love to Lainey; it had to be the most wonderful experience of his life. And she'd told him that she loved him. All of his dreams had finally come true.

"Would you… maybe… I don't know... like to do it again?" Lainey crooked an eyebrow at him seductively, tracing the length of his chest with her finger.

"Oh, hell, yes!" CB rolled back on top of her, muffling the sounds of her giggles with his lips.

~.~

The next morning, there was a pounding at the hotel door.

CB jerked awake and, realizing he was still naked, quickly found his pajama pants and pulled them on, hopping on one foot all the way to the door.

The pounding became even more insistent as he unlatched the deadbolt and turned the doorknob.

"Sorry, I got here as fast as I could… Wilma?" His tired eyes flew wide with surprise.

"CB, Lainey's gone!" Wilma pushed past him and entered the hotel room. She caught sight of the messy bed and lifted her eyebrows. "Oh, dear God. What on Earth were you two up to last night?"

"What do you mean she's gone? She's right-" CB ignored her question and yanked back the sheets on the bed, only to discover Lainey was not where she'd fallen asleep beside him the night before. He quickly glanced over at the dresser only to discover her suitcase was nowhere to be found.

He turned back to her. "Where is she, Wilma?"

"Look… CB, I'm sorry, but she took a cab to the bus station." Wilma's lips pressed into a hard line.

"But why would she - please tell me she's going back to Philly, not Detroit… please don't say Detroit!" CB begged, pressing his hands together as if in prayer.

Wilma confessed dejectedly, sighing, "She's going to Detroit."

"No, no, no." CB's heart fell in his chest, tears beginning to brim his blue eyes. He raced over to the dresser and, pulling out a change of clothes, began dressing, not even caring that Wilma was still in the room. "She's not going to sleep with me and then run off back to Barry."

"Hah, so our little plan worked," she boasted, folding her arms over her chest smuggly.

CB's head shot up as he zipped and fastened his jeans. He could feel the anger boiling beneath his skin.

"Your little plan?"

"Johnny Atkins and I asked you to come on this trip so we could get you two alone," Wilma said, somewhat regretfully. "We thought it was about time you and Lainey realized you were meant to be together."

"Well, congratulations, Wilma!" CB retrieved his wallet and spat at her on his way out the door. "You made her break my heart again! Are you happy now?"

"CB, I'm sorry!" She called after him, but he was already gone, slamming the door shut behind him.

~.~

After hauling a cab to the bus station, CB found himself racing through the Greyhound terminal in utter desperation. He was determined to stop Lainey from making a huge mistake and running back to Barry in Detroit. They had mutually decided that living so far apart was putting a strain on their relationship and felt it was best to move on. CB knew that if she went to Detroit, Barry was certain to take her back with open arms. And after making love to her last night - three times actually - CB knew in his heart that she was meant to be with him, not Barry.

CB finally found the exit outside to the busses and, after explaining his situation to the ticket taker, the kind woman pointed him toward the bus that was just about to depart for Detroit. He thanked her profusely and took off, running faster than he'd ever had before, hoping to stop the bus before it left the station. Just as he reached the last slot where the bus was supposed to be parked, he spied it pulling out toward the highway. He ran after it, but soon gave up, his lungs about to burst from lack of oxygen.

Completely dejected, CB fell to his knees and shouted after the bus, "Lainey!"

Placing his head in his hands, he began sobbing, sobbing because he knew he'd lost her - lost her for good this time.

"CB?" A familiar voice called from behind him. "What are you doing here?"

His bones nearly leapt out of his skin. It couldn't be, he thought.

Turning around, CB saw Lainey, wearing his favorite shirt, the Aerosmith shirt she was wearing the night they'd dined at Bistro de L'Amore. Her purple suitcase was positioned at her feet on the pavement.

He blinked, wondering if he'd imagined her there, and then stood up to face her.

"You missed your bus," CB said angrily. He wanted to scream at her, scream that she'd broken his heart once again, but he couldn't bring himself to speak.

"I know…" She looked away, staring at the pavement. "Look, CB, I'm sorry I ran off. It's just… I got scared. Barry and I were high-school sweethearts and I always thought we were meant to be together, you know? After what happened between you and me last night, I was confused. I thought maybe I'd made a terrible mistake... "

CB closed his eyes, his heart shattering into pieces the more she spoke.

"But then, I realized, that part of my life with Barry is over... my life is in Philly now…" She took a few steps closer to him. "With you."

All of CB's anger dissipated, and he peered down at her, sighing contentedly, trying unsuccessfully to hold back his tears at her words.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm one-hundred percent sure," Lainey confessed and winked at him, reaching up to cup his left cheek with her hand. "Everything these past few months has led back to you… Titanic, Singled Out, that blasted Beanie Baby-"

"But that was Barry-"

"No, it wasn't, dummy. I knew it was you all along… it's always been you." She smiled, the tears in her eyes sparkling with the light of the morning sun. "And I love you… Charlie Brown."

CB grabbed the sides of her face and kissed her with all the fire of a thousand stars, and she melted into him, jumping into his arms. Laughing, he spun her around and then placed her feet back on the pavement before pulling back.

"I love you, Lainey," he said, wiping away a few stray tears from under her eyes with his thumbs. Then, he glanced around, noticing that quite a crowd had gathered behind them.

Turning toward them, he shouted with his hands held high in the air, "I'm in love with Lainey Lewis!"

In response, the crowd erupted in thunderous cheers and applause. CB even thought he heard a few cat-calls and whistles. Lainey, embarrassed, punched him playfully in the chest, but then threw back her head with laughter, pulling him to her with the collar of his shirt for another long, passionate kiss. The throng around them soon dispersed, heading toward their awaiting busses.

"Well, we still have two days left here in Atlantic City…" CB said after he'd devoured her lips to the point it almost hurt, offering his arm to her. "Care to join me for another stroll down the boardwalk, milady?"

"Maybe," Lainey replied, leaning in toward his ear, and sucked gently on his earlobe. CB felt it all the way down in his toes, goosebumps erupting down his neck onto his chest. "But by the time I'm done with you, Mr. Brown… I doubt you'll be able to stand."

With that, she turned on her heel, knelt down to grab her suitcase, and began walking back toward the entrance to the bus station.

CB's mouth fell open, his eyes trailing after her, focusing on how her black jeans molded perfectly to her ass as she walked away.

"Well, dummy, you coming or what?"

"Uh, y-yeah." He cleared his throat, making a "yes" gesture with his right arm, and proceeded to perform several cartwheels after her.

He made a mental note to thank Wilma for asking him to tag along later.