Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2001 01:01:23 +0200
From: Aaron . <loveactivist@hotmail.com>
Subject: "Watching You Without Me" Chapter 6

*Does a Chandler impression* OH. MY. GOD! I cannot believe the ammount of
e-mail I got since posting chapter five! WOW! Thank you guys all so much,
it was exactly what I needed. :) It seems like my story is really having an
impact on people, and I feel so warm inside now. :) That is a good thing,
and even if i could have touched one person with this story, then it was
worth it. Thank you all!

Once again, MAJOR thanks go to the lovely Nimm. She helped me with the
ideas for this chapter, which is a good thing because I needed it.  lol.
This chapter is also longer than the last ones.  SO anyway I'm shutting up
now. :) Happy Reading!


"Watching You Without Me"

Aaron DeLorean


*Chapter Six*

___________________________________

"Can't let you know
What's been happening.
There's a ghost in our home,
Just watching you without me.
I'm not here." --Kate Bush
___________________________________


	With the promise of follow-up visits with a psychologist, I left
the hospital that morning. The doctor had started me on Valium, which was
the last thing I needed but didn't say anything. A.J. came to my room with
Tori to help take me to the car.
	A.J. grabbed my bag in one hand, and took my arm in the other. I
looked at him amused.
	"You know hun, I can walk my own little self out to my car." He had
a worried expression on his face.
	"Well, actually the doctor doesn't want you driving so I drove your
rental back to the hotel, and I'll take you back." I rolled my eyes.
	"Stupid doctors…" I muttered under my breath. "Fine," I gave him
my arm after rejecting the wheel chair the nurse tried to pin me in, "Let's
go."
	I hobbled out to the parking garage with the help of A.J., the
whole time I could hear Tori walking behind us making little worried sounds
every time I grunted or panted from pain. I'm sure we all look positively
hilarious, the three of us. Two men, one looking like he as about ready to
faint, being propped up Boris Yeltsin-style by the other man; a rather
frazzled woman trailing behind them in tight vintage-80's Fendi jeans with
her hair teased out around her head like a New York hooker. I laughed out
loud at the image in my head. Tori emitted yet another little worried gasp
as A.J. stopped and look at me concerned.
	"Are you ok Aaron? Do you want us to go back and get a wheel
chair?" I laughed again.
	"Jesus you guys, I'm fine!" They stood there and looked at me like
I was an escaped mental patient. I rolled my eyes again, "Can we PLEASE
just get to the fucking car and leave?" Tori took a little bottle of pills
out of her purse.
	"Are you sure you don't need to start taking this Valium sooner
than the doctor said?" I sighed and we began our trek to the car.


	Tori slithered into her rented Lexus like a graceful
cat. A.J. helped me climb up into his Tahoe, which, considering the state I
was in was quite the undertaking. My foot stepped onto something firm and I
looked down. Running boards. I smiled.
	"Wow, looks like someone took my advice!"  He laughed,
	"Yep, did it just for you baby!" I cocked my head and smiled
surprised.
	"Such a gentleman." I grinned.  Finally settled into my seat,
A.J. reached in to buckle my belt. It was too tight and I let out a
slightly pained moan. He stopped what he was doing immediately and looked
at me closely. "It was a bit too tight." I explained.  He reached down to
adjust it. I could feel the heat emanating from his body as he slid his
hand between my waist and the seatbelt. He looked up at me.
	"Better?" He asked with a smirk.
	"Mmm, Much." I breathed out. Our lips were mere centimeters
apart. He leaned in and brushed his lips on mine. It was like lightening
bolts had come shooting down from the heavens and hit me in the head. I
felt a tingling in my chest. Suddenly a car horn blared loudly. Surprised,
I looked up. There was Tori, sitting smugly in the Lexus, honking her
horn. She lowered the window.
	"Let's get this show on the road you two, I don't have all day! I
have to be at a showing at four!" I flipped her off and glared at
her. A.J. laughed.
	"Let's roll."

	As we pulled off of the interstate, I noticed we had come to a very
private, very rich, gated community. I looked surprised.
	"You know, call me stupid, but this sure isn't my hotel."
A.J. nodded,
	"Yeah, I know, um, well, the doctor weren't going to release you,
they wanted to commit you for observation. Thank Tori for it, because she
wasn't about to let that happen. They finally decided to release you on one
condition," I closed my eyes and leaned my head back in the seat; I didn't
like the sound of this. "You're gonna come live with me." My eyes popped
open as I whipped my head around in A.J.'s direction.
	"Excuse me?"
	"No one wants you to OD again Aaron." I fidgeted with my hands in
my lap.
	"I-I'm sorry…" Before I knew it tears were running down my
face. A.J.  noticed, and total concern possessed his face.
	"Oh, Aaron, I'm sorry I didn't mean-" I stopped him mid sentence,
	"It's ok, I just," I paused and took a deep breath, "Let's just get
home."  He nodded,
	"Sure."


	When we pulled into the drive Tori was already there. One of these
days I was going to have to hear the story of how those two had met.  Tori
popped the hatch on the car, and I gingerly climbed down from the
Tahoe. Tori was grabbing bags out of the trunk. I noticed they were mine. I
shrugged. At least I wouldn't have to go back and get them. Tori walked
into the house and set the bags in the foyer. We followed her in. She
turned around quickly and embraced my tightly.
	"Oh Aaron," she began in her ubiquitous pseudo-dramatic voice. "I
am so, so sorry about all of this, but we all thought you needed something
stable, a sanctuary where you can rest." I smiled,
	"It's ok Tor, really, I don't mind."  Suddenly, in a wave of
remembrance, I remember the exact reason why I was in Florida in the first
place.
	"Oh my god, A.J., the album! We have got to start as soon as
possible!"  Tori and him both looked worried again for the 100th time that
day. Was I really that far in a hole? I really didn't know HOW I
felt. A.J. opened his mouth,
	"If you feel up to it, I'm sure we could start, but the moment Tori
or I feel like you're stressed, I'm stopping production for a while." I
smiled,
	"Thank you, and I promise to alert you all if I feel like I can't
handle it."  Suddenly we heard a loud voice coming from the doorway.
	"Does anyone close their doors around here, or is this the way
crazy Floridians live these days?" I knew that voice! I whirled around to
look. A petite woman stood there. The bright afternoon sun framing her soft
face as she smiled with her dark brown eyes. She carried with her a single
potted rose-pink. In the other hand she had a box of donuts and a salad
mix. I squinted and looked at her in the light.
	"Oh holy mother of good! NIMM!" I ran up and hugged her. She
winked,
	"The one and only." She walked in and sat the rose down on the
small table in the foyer. She sat the donuts and salad down next to
it. "How are you doing Aaron? Pretty bad I gather?" She asked, "As soon as
I got Tori's call I took the first flight out of Napa." She turned to
A.J. and her eyes traveled over ever inch of his body. "Nice catch Aaron."
I blushed,
	"We're not dating Nimm." She smiled smugly and conspiratorially,
	"Well don't worry, you will be." I looked in her eyes. Nimm and I
share what we jokingly refer to as "The Gift". Over the years we had joked
about what people would say or do more times than either one of us could
remember. She started again,
	"He's certainly not here out of pity dear, because if he WERE he
would have been gone by now. It is written in the stars kiddies!" I rolled
my eyes and we both laughed. A.J. looked lost. I'd have to clue him in on
Nimm and me later. My stomach growled.
	"Damn I'm hungry." I notified everyone. Nimm held up her box of
Hostess Donuts.
	"I brought donuts!"


To Be Continued.....