Valerie woke up with a start a gasp escaping her lips. She looked out the window only the crack of dawn looming over the hills outside. She looked around her room and found no one. She threw the quilt off of her body and found she was still in her t-shirt and jeans. She tried to remember why she had gone to bed without changing, but at first she couldn't. Her eyes and face were sore. She walked to her mirror and looked at herself. She looked like hell. Her mascara and eye shadow were everywhere, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes were all red along with the area surrounding them. She pushed the escaped strands of hair back. They wouldn't stay down and after a few tries she gave, pulled her ponytail holder out and ran her hands through the matted mess. She could feel her stomach growl and decided it was definitely time for breakfast. Feeling gross she switched her jeans and tee for a grey sweatpants and a canary yellow tank top. She opened her door as the light came shining in through the window. She walked into the kitchen and put water in her black tea kettle. As the pot began to heat up she went to her refrigerator to see what she wanted for breakfast when she heard the unmistakable sound of a very masculine groan. She froze and let the refrigerator door close. She cautiously worked her way around the bar and saw a figure with long, blonde hair sleeping face down on her couch.

"Adam?" she queried inching towards the couch. His head popped up and he looked around him, eyes half closed, trying to make sense of where he was at. She walked closer and again called, "Adam, what are you doing here?"

Adam sat up his eyes kind of bugging out. His lower lip was jutting out and he had a look of shock on his face. "This is definitely not my bedroom. Hi Val," he smiled. Just from the tone of his voice she could tell he wasn't really awake yet. His shoulders were slumped and his hair was a mess. She couldn't help but think he looked absolutely adorable. As she looked at him, her face softening at seeing him first thing in the morning she began to remember why she had been crying, and that the last thing she could recall about the previous night was Adam holding her as she cried herself into a blackout.

Adam smelled the air almost like a dog and said, "Do you have coffee? I mean I know you don't drink it, but do you have any?"

"No. Nobody really is ever here first thing in the morning."

He stood up and pulled his hair back and locked it in place with a black band from his wrist. "Well how about I take you out to breakfast because me without coffee is not a pretty sight."

She chuckled a little then remembered her reflection in the mirror and how ghastly she looked. "Oh my God, I look so terrible though." She put her hands over her face to hide her hideousness from Adam.

He came up to her and rubbed his hand up her arm. "You look fine. I haven't seen myself, but I can't imagine that I look presentable."

"Yeah, but your mascara is running down your face either," she moaned. She wasn't crying, just exhausted.

"Well you know what the trick is, that water-proof mascara." She couldn't stop the giggle. He hugged her to him and kissed the top of her head.

"Just give me a few minutes to get ready."

"Okay."

After breakfast they went for another walk through the city park, and then they made their way back to the apartment. Once there they talked a little more about the night before. She explained to Adam how she wanted things to go slow. Her body was willing, but her mind was having trouble getting past it all. Adam understood. He didn't like it, but he could get by as long as he was with her.

Afterwards, Adam left for his flight to Tampa. He hadn't been home in two weeks and he decided that he wanted to switch up his two weeks of clothes. Before leaving they exchanged a goodbye kiss, something they had not done before, but a ritual that she was definitely willing to get used too. She turned and looked at her living room and felt a sudden emptiness overcome her. Already she missed him.

The next two weeks flew by and whenever Adam came to town the two were inseparable. They went to dinner, movies, and spent a lot of time in her apartment. They took walks and boats rides, and spent hours just sitting on her couch talking. Getting closer and closer, becoming more and more intimate. At first it was just kissing, but it began to progress into second base and a few playful touches here and there, but it never went for the full home run.

That was until Independence weekend. Adam had talked her into going with him to the California shows, and then they were going to go to his cabin in Canada to spend Canada Day/ Independence Day together. It was there that Val had an inkling that she might finally be able to rid herself of the thoughts of Tyler. To be hundreds of miles away from those bad memories and allowed to be a woman for the first time in her life.

As he left on July 1st Valerie closed the door as his head disappeared down the second set of stairs. She walked into her kitchen, and grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator. As she tilted the bottle to her lips she looked at her calendar. They had only one show on the 3rd and then they were done for the week. The show was in San Diego, one of her favorite cities in California. She hadn't been there in years. She had the time to take off from work, and she had the money to get a ticket out there. She called her boss and said to find someone to cover tomorrow; being the only day she had to work before her week off anyways, and began packing.