Whoo-hoo, another longish chapter. So this one mostly is about Nic and Spied, but the next will definitely be all Jommy because well, it just will. And the next chapter will also bring back the ex-spouses, who are facing their dismissal. Anyways, hopefully you like it and even more hopefully you'll review. To everyone who already does, I love you!

"Here's how this is going to work," Wally announced, standing in front of Nic as she perched on the coffee table of the house he was staying in. "You can have Sadie and Jude help you paint 'Wally,' 'Kyle,' and 'Spiederman' on you anywhere you so choose, thought it must be readable, and then 'I Love SME' on your back, got it?"

She couldn't help but just smile. She knew the streaking would eventually happen and it was almost comforting that they stuck to their word. "And how long does this streaking thing last?"

"Well, when previously discussed, Kyle and I decided on a full five minute thing," Wally began, "but now that you went all exclusive with Spied, and he wants to keep your nakedness to himself, he negotiated us down to 30 seconds."

"How sweet," Tommy gagged from the kitchen. "That's still 30 seconds too long if you ask me."

"Well, we're not," Kyle stated. He looked down at his watch. "You'll find the appropriate paint in Jude's bathroom; you have five minutes."

As Nic went towards the stairs, Spiederman stepped in front of her. "You don't have to do this, you know."

"A promise is a promise," she pointed out. "And just think, you could've had a private dinner with me and instead, you're allowing the whole beach see me naked. Don't you feel stupid now?"

"More than ever," he admitted shamefully, moving aside to let her pass. "After those 30 seconds is up, you're mine, Quincy!"

Tommy stuck his head around the corner. "No, thanks; I'm going for your lead singer."

"Funny guy," Spiederman smirked.

Ten minutes later, everyone stood on the beach, preparing for the moment.

"You ready?" Jude asked Nic, who was dressed in nothing but a silk, purple robe.

"Let's do it," Nic nodded, going to untie the belt.

"Wait!" Spiederman interrupted. "Does she have to do this? It's awkward for me. I haven't even seen her naked yet and now I have to let the whole beach do it?"

Nic rolled her eyes. "Here, we'll do it this way. I'll let you come peek inside before anyone else and then do my part of the bet."

"All right," he immediately agreed, walking towards her. She pulled her robe out just enough for him to look down and he blushed slightly. "Okay, good to go."

Nic took a deep breath, untied her robe, and let it fall to the ground.

"Thank you, God," Kyle whispered, admiring her practically perfect body. "Spied, dude, you are so lucky."

"Thanks," Spiederman said triumphantly. "But stop staring at her like that, please."

"So, I decided that instead of running like a wild woman all over the place, I'm just gonna take a walk," Nic announced.

"Work it!" Sadie cheered. "Strut like you mean it."

"Umm, the Cheetah Girls called," Jude teased. "They want their song lyrics back."

Spiederman leaned into the conversation. "Why do you know that?"

"As a musician, I know different things," Jude replied. "From me, to Justin Timberlake, to even the Cheetah Girls."

"Loser," Kyle muttered. "I mean, Justin Timberlake? That's as bad as Boyz Attack."

"Wow, thanks," Tommy said dryly.

"Okay, you're good!" Wally yelled to Nic. "Here's your robe."

Spiederman helped her put it back on. "Wanna go inside?"

"Duh," she whispered seductively. "I don't even have to change."

"Uhh, she's cold, so we're going in," he reported back to everyone else.

Jude watched them walk away. "Uh-huh. I bet she's cold."

"More likely she's hot for you guitarist," Kwest added.

"Again, with the talking of my sister's sex life," Tommy sighed. "Let's just not."

"Your house or mine?" Nic wondered. "Forget it, let's go to mine."

She led him inside and to her third floor bedroom, with him kicking his shoes off as they went.

"Down boy," she advised. "I prefer to go slow and take my time."

He crawled onto the bed and rested on his knees. "All right, take all the time you want in removing your robe then."

"Why would I remove it?" she wondered. "Aren't we just watching a movie?"

His face fell. "Oh, are we?"

Though she enjoyed seeing him squirm, she laughed. "No, I'm kidding. But can I take a quick shower to wash this paint off?"

"Sure," he agreed. "Want some help?"

She considered his offer. "I'd rather surprise you."

15 minutes later, after mindlessly flipping through TV channels, her bathroom door opened and she emerged in just a fluffy pink towel.

"Nice color," he joked, pulling her on top of him. "Is it nice and soft?"

"The softest," she confirmed, tugging at where she'd tucked it in. "And I smell good, too."

He pulled her closer and smelled her hair. "You smell like cotton candy."

"It's my favorite shampoo," she explained. "So, now what, Mr. Spiederman?"

"Whatever you want," he replied. "It's your house."

She leaned down and began kissing him softly. "Then I want you."

"Your wish is my command," he murmured, completely pulling the towel away.

Later that night, when they woke up after their few hours together, they wrapped themselves in her red sheets and walked onto her small balcony. They stood in silence, stealing kisses every so often, staring out at the water in front of them.

"This is nice," she spoke up quietly. "I like it."

"What?" he questioned, holding her near him. "Being outside, swaddled in your sheets?"

"Funny," she smirked. "No, I mean us. I love you."

"I love you, too," he assured her, kissing her forehead. "I know it's crazy after only a week or so, but we've been in contact and I fell for you long before I ever even saw you. Of course, I'd seen you in magazines, but still."

She placed a soft kiss on his shoulder, which was becoming her favorite spot. "I think we're cute."

"You're cute," he said. "I just got lucky."

"Yeah, that's true," she grinned. She shivered. "Come on, let's go back inside and you can warm me up again."

"Is Nic still sleeping?" Jude yawned to Tommy the next morning as they stood in the Quincy's kitchen with Kyle. "I'll go wake her up."

"Me, too," Kyle agreed, following her upstairs to the girl's bedroom. He knocked softly on the door and when she didn't respond, he pushed it open slightly.

"Aww," Jude gushed lightly, finding Nic and Spiederman sleeping together, his arms tightly around her waist. "That's so sweet."

"The guy's in love," Kyle noted, shutting the door soundlessly. "Hardcore, head over heels for her."

Jude nodded. "So is she."

"How are things with Tommy?" he asked. "Good, bad, okay?"

"Between okay and good," she answered honestly. "He told me he loves me, so I'm tempted to let him back in, but then my head's like, 'don't do that cause he'll just hurt you again,' so I don't know."

The drummer sighed. "I think you have to be cautious with that one, but not too cautious where you end up regretting it, you know?"

"I do," she murmured.

Before he could say anything else, the sound of Spiederman's cell phone went off, causing them both to jump a little.

"Hello?" Spiederman struggled to answer.

"Vin, man, you gotta take a break from your vacation and head up to NYC on Tuesday," Georgia's voice came through. "TRL wants SME to come and perform 'Leave Running to the Track Stars' that day."

"We do?" he groaned. "What if we don't?"

Georgia paused. "You won't have a comfortable contract to come home to, that's what."

"Fine," Spiederman relented. "Do we have to book our flights, too?"

"Taken care of," Georgia assured him. "You leave tomorrow morning at 8:30 and you'll come back Tuesday night at 6:45." She hung up.

"Who was that?" Nic yawned, stretching her body.

"Georgia," he reported. "Me and the guys gotta head up to New York in the morning to do TRL on Tuesday."

"No!" she whined. "You're leaving me?"

"I have to," he said. "Just for a couple of days and then we'll be back."

"Boo," she whispered. "I hate Georgia. And MTV."

"Me, too," he assured her. "Me, too."

That announcement put a damper on the day. Nic remained in the house, watching re-runs of Laguna Beach, the band packed and made sure preparations were made on the phone with Portia and Georgia, Kwest and Tommy did some work, and Sadie and Jude tanned on the beach.

"Nic, come on, do something," Tommy advised, finding her sitting in the dark, watching season three. Her hair was pulled into a messy braid, she was wearing her glasses, and old sweatpants were sagging on her hips while she'd haphazardly thrown on an old sports bra. "Its 2:30 and you're watching a scripted reality show about snobby teenagers in California."

"Tommy, leave me alone," she demanded. "I'm sad right now and seeing these overly privileged brats get into trouble makes me happy."

He rolled his eyes. "You were an overly privileged brat."

"Shut up," she told him heatedly. "Let me do this, please."

"Fine," he relented. "If you need me, I'll be in the office."

Spiederman finished packing and walked over to the other house. He frowned sadly at seeing Nic look so depressed, watching TV. He climbed over the couch and sat down next to her.

"Hi," he greeted. "You okay?"

"Sure," she lied. "Why wouldn't I be? I mean, I'm in Hilton Head, my favorite place on the planet. What do I have to be upset about?"

He eyed her. "Nic, its okay to not be okay with me leaving. Trust me, I don't want to go. I mean, yeah, its great exposure for us, but we don't need it. Hey, maybe you could come!"

"No," she sighed. "Go and do your rock star thing and I'll stay here and wait for you to come back."

"You're mad," he noted. "I don't want you to be mad."

"I'm not mad," she assured him. "I'm just bummed. I'm just gonna miss you." She leaned her head on his shoulder. "I love this show."

"Really? You're a Laguna Beach fan?" he asked. "And isn't this season three? It wasn't even that good."

"Yes, it was," she corrected. "Completely underrated. See, Kyndra's on again-off again boyfriend, Tyler, is so cute that it's watchable. And she was a sneaky bitch, unlike Kristen, who was always in your face."

"Cute, huh?" he repeated. "Is that so?"

"Oh, are you one of those guys?" she groaned. "If I say someone's cute or good-looking, you get all self-conscious and jealous?"

He shook his head confidently. "No. I don't care; you're with me, not him."

"God, they're so cute," Jude pointed out to Sadie as they watched from the back deck. "People search an entire lifetime for something they found in a week."

Sadie nodded. "I think they could get married."

"Tell that to Tommy," Jude laughed. "He'd love to hear it."

"I know, but I do think so," Sadie said. "Do you think I'll ever marry Kwest?"

Jude scoffed. "Definitely. Within the next year I say he proposes."

"I hope so," Sadie gushed. "I'd say yes in heartbeat."

"No way!" Jude cried sarcastically. "I wish something drastic would happen with Tommy to push me one way or the other, you know?"

"Like, he either sweeps you off your feet or he just completely ices you out?" Sadie guessed. "Well, seeing as you said he told you loves you, I'm assuming you're more likely to get swept."

Jude bit her lip to keep from smiling. "Yeah, maybe."

"Wipe that smile off your face," Sadie smirked. "Why don't you just tell him you want to be with him?"

"Cause I don't know if I do!" Jude cried. "That's why I need the grand gesture; I'll either love it or I won't."

Sadie grinned sympathetically. "I think you need to be open-minded when he does whatever he does."

"Yeah," Jude breathed. "I do."

Nic had decided to drive the boys back to the airport Sunday morning, so she woke up at 5:30 and immediately put a on a pot of coffee.

"Good morning," Spiederman greeted her, letting himself in a few minutes later. "Ooh, can I have some of that?"

"I guess," she sighed, as if it were a major imposition. "No, I'm kidding. Cups are in the second cabinet over from the microwave."

He retrieved a mug from where she'd directed him and filled it. "Portia said to be at the airport by 7:30, so what time should we leave here?"

"Around 6:15 or so," she answered. "Are Wally and Kyle awake?"

"I think so," he yawned, kissing her cheek. "Kyle's in the shower and Wally was getting dressed."

She nodded. "Good, good."

At 6:10, she helped them load everything into the Range Rover and then climbed into the back seat with Spiederman. Kyle was driving to the airport and then she'd drive back.

"Are you still sad?" Spiederman asked her as she leaned into him.

"I'll be sad until Tuesday night," she admitted, her voice cracking. "And you'll be partying like a rock star in Manhattan."

"Please," he scoffed. "I'll be holed up in our hotel room the whole time, missing you."

She smiled half-heartedly. "Liar."

When they got to the airport, Nic walked them as far as security and stopped just before the metal detectors.

"Okay, I guess this is it," she sighed, hugging him tightly. "I love you."

He bent down and kissed her. "I love you, too. It's only a couple of days, so I'll be back before you can even miss me." He kissed her once more and followed Wally and Kyle beyond the security.

"That's wrong," she mumbled, watching them go. "I miss you already."