Jocelynn spun around in the chair in the studio. The week had past quickly for everyone. After the video shoot the guys were busy nearly all the time with 'Backstreet BootCamp' as Kevin had put it, in preperation for the second leg of their tour in the US. The good thing was that Jocelynn hadn't really seen Alex all that much, she had purpously made sure that they had spent as little time around eachother as possible. She needed to space in order to think and had been induldging herself into her writings. It had always been theraputic for her, and now it just put it more in to purspective how seriously fucked up everything was in her head right now.

     Right now the guys were downstairs in Nick's house hanging out, Joce had been dragged over by Kevin, Kara and China, but she managed to slip away and sneak into Nick's private studio. Thanks to Kevin, Joce was finally figuring out how to use the sound boards and everything. After dinking around a while she stood up and went into the booth where she picked up a guitar and started to play around a little bit then found the chords to 'Climbing the Walls'. As she played around, she found herself singing her part of the song.

          ~Take my hand, take my life
          ~Just don't take forever
          ~And let me feel your pain, you've kept deep inside
          ~There's gotta be a way for you and I together now
          ~Yeah it's comin' to get me
          ~You're under my skin
     
     She didn't even notice someone had come in and was listening in on her.

     "You know what, this would sound really hot as an acustic version." She heard someone say on the speakers. Looking up Joce saw Alex on the otherside of the glass, sitting where she had just moments earlier. Getting up she set the guitar back on the stand and walked out of the area.

     "What do you want?" She asked softly sitting on the other chair.

     Alex relclined in the chair, "Nothin' really, I was just wondering what you were up to in here. You and Kevin have been working alot in here lately."

     "Yeah well, he wants to work on the album as much as possible right now before you guys go on tour."

     "Sounds like Kev," he nodded,"I heard that he asked you to come on the tour with us and you declined. Why?"

     Reaching for pen, Jocelynn paused at hearing him ask her why. She could hear a small hint of sadness, ignoring it, she picked up the pen and started to write in her notebook again, "I just don't think it would be a good idea, considering."

    "You and me?"

    "Not just that. Granted it is a factor, but there was the issues of where I would be staying, my son, stuff like that. It's bad enough that people think that there is something going on between me and Kevin. This would only give more fuel and the media will be up all of our collective asses."

    She was right, alot of people outside the Backstreet family had begun to think that Joce was the reason for Kevin and Kristin's seperation, which was far from the truth. But even Alex had suspisions about the two of them the past few days. They were almost always together, working in the studio or just hanging out, he had even walked in on them the other day in the living room. Kevin had been laying across the couch with his head in Joce's lap, both had been asleep. He didn't want to think that he pushed Jocelynn so far that she would go to Kevin instead of him.

     "Joce," He said in a hestiant voice.

     "No, Alex. There is nothing between Kevin and I. He's going through a hard situation with Kris and since I have been there I have been helping him through it. Just like he has been helping me work through my issues with my ex, my son and- you." There was a pause between them as she lifted her head to meet his eyes.

     He could see the shock on her face that she answered a question she wasn't even asked, "How did you know I was going to ask about you and Kevin?" Alex asked bewildered.

     "I- I dunno. I dunno I could hear you ask it in my mind- just like the other night-" She trailed of trying to focus on her notebook again. She could feel his gaze pour into her.

     Alex felt his brain going a lil fuzzy, she knew what he was thinking with out even looking at him. He knew that they were connected to eachother but even this was more then he would have susspected. Wait a minute-

     "What did you mean, just like the other night?"

     Shacking her head, "No, it's nothing. I am just being stupid."

     Placing his hands on her shoulders tightly, he spun her in the chair making her face him, "No! Tell me, what about the other night?!" He demanded. A wave of panic tummbled from her in to him and he quickly released her, not wanting to make her afraid of him.

     "The other night, well last week actually. I was downstairs trying to get my notebook away from Kevin and Nick with China and I dunno-"

     "Joce, please tell me.." He pleaded.

     "Ok, I was standing in the kitchen and I was thinking about you. Trying to figure out this. And I asked what did you want from me.. and I could have almost sworn that I heard you say-"

     "I've got everything you need?" Alex said, feeling his heart beat starting to increase.

     Wide-eyed Joce looked at him dead on, "It's getting hard for me to breath..."

     "Let me be your guarentte... no that is impossible. I was upstairs thinking the same thing."

     "I - um - better go..." She said quickly getting up and heading to the door.

     "No, Jocelynn, please. Don't." He found himself standing up and reaching for her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and turned her to him. Resting his hands on her arms he pulled her gaze to meet his and just staired into her's... searching for something, anything that he hoped would help answer his questions. Then he found it, his answers and her own questions. Just as about he was to lean into kiss her, a knock broke the spell and he saw her eyes change dramaticly right before him as if to shut him out.

     "You are not in danger of me," He said to her as he left go of her arms.

     "Yes I am, you are able to control me, manipulate me and you shouldn't be able to. It's is dangerous to me." She said back to him. Again there was a knock at the door and it opened.

     Kevin stood in the doorway, "Joce are you-" he started off "What's going on in here?"

     "Nothing, actually." Joce said turning to Kevin, "Alex had a really kewl idea of doing an acustic version of 'Climbing the Walls'. I was wondering if it was possible for us to do that and maybe put it as a bonus track on my album."

     Kevin wrapped an arm over her shoulders and gave her a hug, "That would be a great idea. But why don't you get down stairs for a moment first and get yourself something to eat then if you want we can work on it." He said ushering her to the door. She walked out the door, leaving it open, Kevin spun to look at Alex, "You better not have tried anything with her AJ. Because she is very fragile emotionally right now. I don't want you to mess with her. I care about her very much, she has become my bestfriend lately, and I will be damned if I will let you hurt her. Okay?"

     "I know Kev, okay. Don't worry about me messing with her. All I want now is for her to be happy, and figure out everything so she and I can get back together." Alex promised. "And why the hell are you so protective over her, she's not your's to protect."

     "AJ, you might want to back down right now. Jocelynn is MY buisness, and even more so if the situation envolves one of my brothers." Kevin said sternly as he took a step closer to Alex.

     "Shouldn't you be worried about your own marriage instead of Jocelynn. You know people might start thinkin' that you are fuckin' round with her. Now isn't that causing more harm to everyone involved?" Alex countered. He felt jealously start once again raising it head, he knew there was nothing between them. Joce had told him that, but he didn't want Kevin to be the one she ran to, he wanted to be the one. But he knew he steped across the line too late as Kevin's fist came in contact with his jaw.

                                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     Nick, China, Kara and Joce were all standing around the island in the kitchen when they heard a thud above them.

     "What was that?" Kara asked as the all looked up at the ceiling only to be answered by another thud and a loud groan.

     Nick's eyes nearly bulged, "I know that groan." He took off towards the upstairs with the 3 girls hot on his heels.