"...You really don't have to do this..." Cate said, tucking a strand of her dark hair behind her ear and looking out the window.

"I want to. You saved my ass back there. This is the least I can do. Besides, you're a really cool chick." Aaron said as he looked at her.

"...But what will your brother and his bandmates think?" she said, turning away from the window to look at him.

"I don't know. Don't worry about them, though. They probably aren't who you think they are." He replied.

"Thats just it. I don't know what to think. Its not like I care what other people think of me, I just don't want you getting shit from your brother because of me. I mean, you picked up some random girl from the street because you nearly ran her over and you narrowly avoided getting caught in a swarm of crazed fans." Cate explained. Aaron thought about what she had just said. He knew she had a point, Nick would be pissed. But there was something about this girl that he just couldn't let get away...

"What, you think I don't get chased all day? You'd be surprised what they try and do to get to me." Aaron said with a smile as he thought of some of the crazy things his fans did. "But I have to say, I've never gotten away from them like that. It was a first..."

"Um, thanks?" she said with an uncertain tone. Aaron really surprised her with that one... He seemed really down-to-earth despite all the fame he had. She didn't really know what to expect of him...

Aaron laughed. "You're welcome." He looked past her and out the window as the car began to slow down. "We're here. Looks like theres cameras, but don't worry, I know you can run fast."

"...And if we don't? Oh I can see it now, 'Aaron Carter Goes to Hotel with Mystery Girl'."

"Just put on that hat you had on and run. Thats all you gotta do." Aaron said as he put on a pair of sunglasses and a baseball cap.

"Okay, if you're sure..." Cate said as she put her hat on and pulled it down as far as she could, then put the hood up on her hoodie. She undid her seatbelt and motioned to get the door. Just as she was about to open the door, the driver, who had gotten out of the car and walked over, opened it and she put her hand up to block the blinding flashes from the cameras. Aaron slid out right after her and the pair hurried as fast as they could to the door. Once inside, they walked to the elevators and waited. "So thats why celebs wear sunglasses..."

Aaron laughed. "Yeah, thats one reason. Not as many out there as I thought there would be, though..." They stepped into the elevator and it started to move once Aaron had pressed a button.

"You mean there are usually more cameras than that?" Cate asked, still slightly panting.

"There can be. You get used to them after a while." The elevator stopped and they stepped out. Cate followed closely behind Aaron as he led the way to the room. "Are you okay? You look like you're worried someones gonna jump out of one of the rooms and start snapping pictures of us." Aaron joked.

"You- You don't think they would, do you?" Cate inquired, sounding worried.

Aaron couldn't help but laugh. "Please tell me you're not serious. I was joking, Cate."

"I, um, I knew that. I'm okay, I'm just worried about getting in trouble." she said.

"I told you, don't worry, please." Aaron stopped walking and turned around to look her in her bluish-green eyes. "Please trust me, you have nothing to be worried about." She looked into his eyes. He was being sincere, she could see it. She nodded and he turned back around as they continued walking. Two minutes later, they stopped at a door, next to which a guard sat in a chair. As he saw them approach the door, he started to get up.

"Its okay, Mark," Aaron said to the guard, "Shes with me." The guard nodded and sat down.

Aaron knocked on the door and a few seconds later someone answered it.

"What took you so long?" Brian asked as he opened the door. Aaron walked in and motioned for Cate to follow him. Cate waved to the guard and slowly walked in the door behind Aaron, taking a quick look around at the humongous suite and the others in the room.

"...And who is she?" Nick asked, noticing Aaron had not entered the room alone.

"Oh, this is-" Aaron started.

"Cate. Cate Adams. Nice to meet you." she put her hand out to shake his, but Nick crossed his arms. "...Okay then, guess the feeling isn't mutual..." she pulled her hand back and put it in her pocket, then took off her hat with the other hand. Kevin and Alex, who had just walked in from another room, looked at Aaron and smiled.

"Hey Aaron," Kevin said as he and Alex examined Cate, who was looking extremely uncomforable, with their eyes.

"I didn't know you were doing charity work..." Alex commented. Nick tried to contain his laughter. Aaron glared at him and he grew silent.

"Oh yeah, like all the girls you'd bring back to your room were wonderful...," said Howie, who had just entered the room.

"At least this one is decent looking..." Nick commented, sitting on the couch while still keeping his eyes fixed on Cate.

"...This one?" Cate said.

"She speaks. Impressive." Kevin said.

"Aren't you supposed to be the nice one?" Cate asked in a somewhat mocking tone. Kevin gave her a smile and sat down next to Nick.

"You'll have to excuse my bandmates, they seem to have forgotten how to treat their fellow human beings. Its nice to meet you, Cate. I'm Brian." Brian said, holding out his hand to shake hers.

"Nice to meet you too, Brian. You didn't really need to say your name, I know who you all are. I'm not a teenie, I swear. You're just... hard to not hear about." she explained. "Anyway, at least their rudeness hasn't affected you." Cate replied, shaking Brian's hand.

"Yeah, great. I, for one, would like to know what the fuck is going on." Nick questioned.

"Yeah, Aaron, what happened?" Alex said.

"Gee, don't all jump down his throat at once, now..." Cate said sarcastically.

"Excuse me, I don't remember asking for your input." Nick retorted.

Cate went from uneasy to pissed off in a split second. "Okay, I think thats my cue. Aaron, it was fun for a while but now I think I better leave. Your buddies here have made it perfectly clear where they think my place is: on the other side of this door. Which is where I'll be. It was nice meeting you all. Have a nice life." Cate stated, grabbing Aaron's hand, shaking it, and walking towards the door. He jumped in front of her just as she was about to reach for the doorknob.

"You're not leaving." Aaron firmly stated.

"To hell I'm not! Majority rules, dude. Now move." Cate said, trying to make him step away so she could get the door open. Nick walked over and amusingly watched Cate trying to move his brother away from the door.

"Um, Cate?" Nick said, trying to get Cate's attenion, not to mention trying to make sure he'd remembered her name.

"Yes??!" Cate said as she turned her head to face Nick, frustrated.

"Theres something you should know about Aaron." he said.

"What? That he doesn't know what 'majority rules' means?" she asked. Nick and the others laughed.

"No, that he can be stubborn. Theres no making him budge when he doesn't want to. I meant that literally as well as figuratively." he explained. When he said this, Cate stopped. 'Hes more like me than I thought...'

"...Oh." she said, "Thanks for waiting til just then to tell me."

"Welcome. By the way, no one said you should leave." Nick commented.

"Didn't have to say it, you guys have a knack for making someone feel like they don't belong." Cate stated. "I wasn't including you two in that..." Cate added, looking at Brian and Aaron.

"Yeah, I know how to treat females. I have a wife. And a mom, too." Brian said. Aaron nodded in agreement.

"Me too. Not the wife part, though. I have sisters instead." he explained.

"Hey! I have the same sisters! And mom!" Nick exclaimed, upset.

"Then act like it!" said Cate.

"That'd be nice, for a change..." Brian dreamily said. Aaron spoke up in agreement. Howie and the others looked at each other. Alex walked over to Cate.

"Cate, I'm sorry if I gave you the impression that I'm not a nice person. You wouldn't by any chance believe that I had a bad night?" Alex questioned.

"Couldn't be as bad as mine. Its okay, apology accepted, um..." Cate said, not sure what to call him by.

"You can call me Alex, or AJ, whichever."

"Okay, Alex."

"You're not the only one whos had a bad night, man." Aaron commented.

"Speaking of..." Nick trailed off.

"Yeah, what happened?" Howie asked, eager to hear the details.

"Well, it started out with me and the driver trying to avoid some teenies and cameras." Aaron began.

"Yeah... and how did Cate come into the picture?" Nick argued.