It Only Takes One Night.

I jumped out of Tony's bed at the sound of my brother's voice and scrambled into the closet before Tony even had a chance to react. Shit, shit, shit.

"Sup, Tone?" Jaime said, his voice sounding obnoxiously loud. I wanted to jump out of the closet and yell at him and tell him to go home so I could continue living in my perfect fantasy world where nothing existed except me and Tony.

"I was sleeping," Tony said, somewhat defensively. "How'd you get in?"

"The door wasn't locked," he said. "I'm bored. Kailee's gone off as usual and Mike and Vic won't answer my texts. Wanna hang out today?"

Tony squirmed uncomfortably. "Uh, sure."

Jaime frowned at him. I could see the confusion, tension, and sadness in his face. "Tony, is something wrong? I feel like you're ignoring me lately, and acting weird when we're together. You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Tony looked so sad, staring at my brother, and Jaime looked so sad, staring at Tony, that my heart started to hurt. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes and my body was starting to shake. This was all my fault. I was ruining their friendship because I was a selfish, needy bitch. I should have just stayed away from Tony. But there was a part of me, a part of me that was stronger than the rest of me, that needed him in my life.

"Nothing's wrong, Hime, okay? I'm just dealing with some things and I need to deal with them alone, I guess."

I could see that my brother wasn't buying it. "You never deal with things alone, Tony. You've always came to one of us ... and now, you're coming to none of us. Even Jaxin won't tell me what's wrong with you. I don't even know if he knows, but if he does he's not talking. So you better start."

I couldn't stop myself. I stepped out of the closet, annoucing my presence by clearing my throat.

Jaime turned to look at me, and I knew what he must have been thinking. I saw his jaw drop, I saw his eyes cloud over, I could almost see what was going on in his head ... and his heart. I was wearing one of Tony's long Keystreet shirts. My hair was a mess. My hands were shaking. But the expression on my face was on of determination.

"I'm not sorry for what I'm about to say, Jaime. I love you with all of my heart, but I've been keeping something from you. And I've begged Tony to keep it from you, too. We've been having an .... affair, I guess you could call it. I started it when I was drunk. I also started it the second time because I was a needy bitch. And this last time ... who knows? But I wanted it. I still want it."

Jaime didn't speak. I continued.

"I'm selfish. I wanted something, and I went for it. I didn't think of anyone else involved. I would apoligize, but I don't think it's enough. I hurt you, Jaime, I know. Will you forgive me? Hopefully, one day. And Tony ..."

I faltered, looking at Tony. His beautiful eyes, his rough hands, his sad, haunted look. "I love you, Tony, but I can't be with you."

And I didn't wait for anyone to answer before I ran down the stairs, choking on my sobs, leaving Tony staring after me and Jaime staring at Tony.

Tony's POV

I love you, Tony, but I can't be with you. I love you, Tony, but I can't be with you. I love you, Tony, but I can't be with you. I love you, Tony, but I can't be with you. I love you, Tony, but I can't be with you.

The words kept playing over and over in my head, to the point that I almost forgot that Jaime was in the room with. Jaime, my best friend. Jaime, who had just found out that I'd been sleeping with his sister. Jaime, who probably hated me.

Tears streamed down my face, and I couldn't stop them. I didn't look up, I kept my head bowed, wanting Jaime to disappear so I could let myself go completely.

I felt arms snake around me and pull me close.

I looked up. "What are you doing?" I asked Jaime, confused.

"Comforting my best friend," he said softly. "I love you, Tone, no matter what."

"You're not m-mad at me?" I hiccuped.

"I can be mad at you later. Right now, I want you to be okay." He rubbed my hair softly and I could feel the tears starting to dry up.

"And what about Kailee?"

"She can manage without me right now ... I don't think she'd want to see me, anyway. But you ... I'm worried about you." His dark eyes held mine until I broke the connection, unable to stare at him without choking on words that wouldn't come out and air that I wish I didn't have to breathe.

I didn't know what to say to this. Tears filled my eyes. Kailee loved me. But she couldn't be with me. I didn't understand where any of this had came from. When did love become part of this already complicated equation? Friendship and lust was bad enough, but add love to the mix and it literally became one of the those algebraic equations that I'd never been able to solve in high school. I didn't think I was any better at solving them now, either.

"How did this happen, Jaime?" I said, my voice breaking. "Why is this happening?"

"I don't know, Tony, you tell me." And I heard in his voice that he really wanted to know what happened. Kailee hadn't really given him much to go on, besides confirming the fact that we'd had a physical relationship. But I couldn't help feeling like she'd left a lot out ... that there'd been more and she'd just made it seem like a simple fling.

"She was at the bar one night, a night where I'd gone to meet Steph. The night that Steph told me she was getting married ... she comforted me, and I didn't see anything wrong with it. I mean, we were friends, right? We were both drunk, though, and one thing lead to another ... I can't imagine you want details."

"That's why she had your necklace," Jaime said. "I thought your story seemed a little weird, but I just figured you'd been with some girl or she'd been with some guy and you were protecting the other."

"I wish," I said.

I looked around the room. It still smelled of Kailee, and it still showed that she'd been there, with the forgotten bobby pin or the pieces of hair on my pillows.

"We agreed we'd forget about it, that day I helped her move? We talked and chalked it up to a drunken mistake. And then ... that morning, that you'd walked in on us? We really hadn't done anything but talk and lay together ... and that's when I realized it would be more complicated to pretend nothing had happened. I'd opened up to her in ways I'd never opened up to anyone and I couldn't see her as just a friend anymore."

Jaime winced suddenly. "You heard what I said to her, didn't you?"

I nodded.

"Shit, man, I'm sorry. That's why you were being weird around me ..."

"Don't, Jaime. You have no reason to be sorry. Anyway. Let me continue. She called me a few days after, because she broke something in your bathroom and didn't want you to kill her -"

Jaime looked very hurt. "You guys seem to think I'm some kind of murderer," he protested feebly, but I continued nonetheless.

"So I went and helped her, and we talked, and had fun, and I guess it felt too ... too much like a relationship. Stuff she said scared me, so I ran. Like a coward. And I guess she knew what was up because the next thing I knew she was at my house offering to be friends with benefits and I tried to resist her but I couldn't and we had sex and then you called looking for her and I lied again and then she was here again and we had sex and then you came over and here we are."

I finished the last part in a rush and just sat there.

"Wow," Jaime said. "That's complicated."

"I'm so sorry, Jaime. I should have just told you what was going on."

"I wish you had, but I can't say I blame you. So ... what now?"

"Well, I guess we just pick up where we left off, huh?"

"I don't think it's that simple, Tone."

"W-why not?" I stuttered. Great, here it came. He was going to tell me that he'd changed his mind and that he was pissed and disgusted by what I'd done and that he didn't think he could be friends with me, let alone in a band that toured together 300 days a year and -

"You want to be with my sister, Tony. Don't deny it. What she just said broke your heart because it's not just about sex at all, as much as the two of you tried to fool yourself into believing it was."

My face went bright red. "D-doesn't matter what I want, Hime. She made it perfectly clear what she wants."

Jaime stared at me. "And you're just gonna let her go, just like that? Hell, you fought for Steph for way longer and she wasn't good enough for you! I'll go talk to her, she'll come around, you'll see -"

"Jaime, please don't. Everything's way too fucked up right now. If she wants me, she knows where I am. If she doesn't, well ... that's life, right? Either way, it'll be fine."

I smiled brightly as I got up off the bed and started picking things up, keeping myself busy and facing the other way, doing anything possible to avoid seeing the mixed look of pity, worry, sadness, and confusion on Jaime's face.

Obviously he wouldn't understand. I didn't even understand myself.