Happier days for both Rihanna and Chris Brown as the former couple perfom at Madison Square Garden in New York on Dec. 12, 2008.

Credit: AP Photo/Evan Agostini

Rihanna and Chris Brown are back together, reports People.com.

According to a source, they're hanging out at Sean Combs' house in Miami. Adds the source: " While Chris is reflective and saddened about what happened, he is really happy to be with the woman he loves."

I bet. I don't know Brown or Rihanna; I've only interviewed each of them briefly, separately. But what a shocker to hear that Brown, as his career circles around the drain, is "saddened about what happened." In the three weeks since he allegedly beat Rihanna up following Clive Davis' Feb. 7 pre-Grammy party, some radio stations have yanked his songs and both Wrigley and the Got Milk folks have ended their association with him, at least temporarily.

For Brown, reuniting could be one of the few moves that can resurrect his career ( I'm not suggesting at all that their spending time together is a career move). Fans of Brown's may reckon that if Rihanna can forgive him, so can they.

I'm a little loathe to comment because all the facts have yet to be revealed, but both stars' statements have done nothing to indicate that the reports are inaccurate and the photo that TMZ published of a bloodied and beaten Rihanna was chilling. I don't know if any more facts are needed since there can be absolutely no justification for Brown's alleged actions, no matter what, if any, the provocation.

So what does it mean if they are, indeed, back together? For one, it sends a horrible message to the kids that look up to both of them as role models. And, whether it's fair to lay that burden on two folks who are still so young themselves, they are role models. Many abusers can be rehabilitated and Brown has so much on his side: he's only 19 and doesn't have a long history of abuse that we know of. But rehab doesn't happen in three weeks. It takes time for counseling, for figuring out why he felt hitting a woman was a viable option, and for any legal action that may be taken against him to take place. The Los Angeles Police Department charged Brown with making criminal threats. However, the district attorney has yet to decide if he will be prosecuted.

On Rihanna's side, it just feels sad to me, especially if she feels she can't do better than some guy who pushes her around. Hopefully, she's laying down the law to Brown this weekend. I don't think there's any downside to her career-wise to being with him, but I feel bad for her the next time she has a new album to promote and she has to answer questions about this difficult time in her life.

Want more music news and analysis? Sign up now for HitFix Blog Alerts and get The Beat Goes On in your inbox every day.

Don't stop the music! Click here to add The Beat Goes On to your iGoogle, My Yahoo or My MSN experience today.

Not part of the HitFix Nation yet? Take 90 seconds and sign  up today.