"NO! NO! Do not hang up!" Brianna chanted, dancing as she struggled to force her key into the lock. After the fourth ring, she managed to throw open the door and dash for the phone.

"Hello?" she panted when she finally remembered to hit the 'talk' button.

"How's my favorite lady?" the voice on the other end asked. She smiled as she recognized his voice.

"Carter, my friend, how many times do I have to tell you, I just don't find you attractive?"

"You are breaking my heart," he laughed.

"How's your significant other treating you?" Brianna asked, as she sank into the comfort of her battered couch, which she refused to replace because she was certain that it added character to her ugly apartment. She sighed.

"You just fell into 'your ass grove', didn't you? I know that sigh. Anyway, Laurel is wonderful. Seriously, Brianna, I have to get you down here to meet her. I need you to scare her into marrying me," he declared.

"I am not scary! Just because Brian has nightmares doesn't mean anything," she pouted. Nick seemed to hesitate for a moment.

"Brie…I proposed to her."

"What'd you go and do a stupid thing like that for? You got your ass rejected. I know babe, I do have connections. Did she say why?" she asked, playing with the phone cord.

"God, you can never be caught off guard. It's complicated, Brie, nothing I can explain over the phone. But you have to meet Laurel. I've never felt this way about anyone, Brie. I feel like…I don't need anyone or anything else while she's around," he said. With a start, Brie sat up. Something horrible had just occurred to her. Thinking quickly, she spoke up about an impulsive idea.

"Look, I need to visit my mom. I was going to spend a month or so freeloading off of her, so you make sure you are in the country for the entire time, and I'll meet Wonder Girl," she bargained.

"When do you leave?" he asked, and she was momentarily satisfied to hear his excitement.

"How does tomorrow sound?" she asked.

* * * *

Muttering angrily to herself, Brianna stormed her apartment as she packed. Banging drawers vented her anger, which had suddenly made itself known. She was pissed off, and now, nothing she owned seemed to satisfy.

Ignoring her eclectic collection of yard-sale furniture, vintage rugs and curtains, and glow in the dark blow-up chair which she kicked out of her way, she focused on the fact that she would have to spend a lot of time with her mother.

Brianna had a wonderful relationship with her mother, the type that you would expect to see on television. There was only one thing that they could never, ever see eye to eye on, which was leather. Brianna's mother was hopelessly in love with genuine leather shoes (Italian, of course) and Brianna was strongly opposed to it. An under-grad of veterinary medicine, Brianna was the type of person who protested at fashion, against the use of leather and fur. Despite their disagreement about the choice of footwear, Brianna and her mother were very close and understood each other completely. If only her mother would get past her leather obsession, they would be perfectly happy with each other.

This thought added to her irritation as she grabbed handfuls of socks out of her top drawer, and threw them in her bag.

"Thinks he doesn't need anyone else…I'll show him who he needs," she muttered as she threw more clothing into her bag, not bothering to organize. She would have to iron when she got to her mom's.

Their friendship had bloomed after they had first met. In a world where honesty wasn't considered a virtue, Brianna's bold frankness was what Nick had found he needed most from her. They met in person on frequent occasions, but for the most part, they relied on phone calls and letters to remain in touch. Nick trusted no one's opinion more than Brianna's, and Brianna loved the way she could bend Nick to her will. It was a friendship made in heaven.

And now, there was a possibility it might end. Nick was serious about Laurel, and while Brianna did not love Nick as anything more than a brother, anyone threatening their closeness was immediately seen as the enemy. Even Brian was considered someone to be watched, as he was probably closer to Nick that anyone else. Nick needed her; he needed their friendship, and now Laurel was coming along and making him think he didn't need anything but her. Brianna was ready for a war. She was going to destroy Laurel…and her relationship with Nick, if she had to.