Justin watched as the nervous girl rocked on the couch in front of him. They were in the dressing room backstage. It was a steady rocking as she wrung her hands. Her crutches lay beside her, forgotten. He sighed, remembering his first performance; he used to be as nervous as she was now.

He kneeled in front of her, trying to catch her gaze. “Hey, look at me. I know this can be nerve-wracking but you've got an amazing voice. You worked so hard to get here, you can't give up now.”

“I don't know if I can, Justin,” she whispered.

“I know you can. And I’ll be right beside you.” He gave her a genuine smile as he heard their call.
---
SIX MONTHS EARLIER 23 year old Nicole walked down the hall of Memphis Community College on her crutches. On her way to her dorm room, she passed the bulletin board. On it was a red flyer with white writing. It read: ‘Do you want your voice heard? Have you always wanted to learn music and show your talent? Well, here’s your chance! Music lessons for underprivileged students; sponsored by The Justin Timberlake Foundation.’

Thinking about it, she walked to her RA’s room. “Hey, Girl, what's up?” Linda asked, letting Nicole in and sitting on the bed.

“Do you know what this is about?” She handed her the paper.

“Oh, yeah, I’m working on it. Are you going to enter?”

“I don't know, what is it exactly? I don't know if I’m ready to be signed to a label. I’m not even that good.”

“Well, it’s not for the label, perse. You don’t get signed right away. It’s sort of a contest you could say, through the foundation. You audition for a few people from the foundation and one artist from the label,” Linda explained. “If they like you then you get to work with the artist and he’ll teach you more about music. It’s like a stepping stone in the right direction. That way in a few years, you'll have what you need if you do want to be signed. Understand?”

Nicole had heard about the programs Justin and his foundation set up over the last year. She didn’t think much of it because no one had ever thought she was a good songwriter. But she wanted a job in music after college and knew she needed to learn more. She was a writer, but didn’t understand much of the music aspect. Not to mention she was a fan of Justin’s. He was the reason she had a connection to music; it calmed her. The Cerebral Palsy she was born with made some things difficult. And music had a soothing way of letting her escape the day. If she could show him how much that meant with her writing, she’d take it. Taking a deep breath, she signed the paper.
---
25 year old Justin Timberlake rolled over as his alarm went off. He pulled the covers over his head and tried to seek warmth. It wasn't physical warmth he needed though, it was a feeling he hadn’t felt in a while. He was so tired. This week had been long and stressful. Justin was dealing with an impending record release and a nasty breakup. Part of him wanted to stay under the covers and sleep for another 8 hours, but he knew he had work to do.

He had broken up with his ex-girlfriend a few weeks ago and it was hard. But, he always found the way to deal was through his music. It was a soothing way for him to sort his feelings and helped better than bottling them inside. He brushed off the thoughts, knowing it would only make him feel worse, and got up. Walking into the bathroom he looked in the mirror. He wore a wifebeater and worn boxers. His short curls were a bit messy and he had a bit of scruff.

Justin moved to the shower, getting ready for the day. He had a ton of work to do in the studio. Though the album was almost done, he still had a few finishing touches – namely a ballad. Plus, today he had a meeting with Johnny, his mom, and a few people from the college in Memphis to talk about his foundation. He wasn’t really looking forward to that but knew this would be a good opportunity for his hometown and wanted to help. He’d arrived in Memphis the week before so it wouldn't require so much travel.

THE MEETING – Justin sat in a small office before everyone arrived. He was thinking about what he’d created and what he wanted to achieve with it. So far he had gotten thousands of signatures from teens all over the world to sign a petition which his mom Lynn had taken to Congress. This convinced Congress to support music education. The Justin Timberlake Foundation was a great way to promote music education and he wanted everyone to benefit.

That was why he came up with this contest. He wanted to help someone learn music and hopefully love it like he did but also learn how important the subject of music is. Truth be told, Justin didn’t know what to expect from the young people he’d hear, but he had hope that they could make it. He simply just wanted them to have the opportunity. And should they want a record deal later down the line, well then they’d have what they need to start.

Soon, everyone piled in. Dean Robert Hamilton sat at one end of table, Lynn on one side of Justin, Rachael on the other. Johnny sat at the other end; and an RA from the college, Linda Scott.

“Thank you for coming all the way down here,” Hamilton started. “I am sure you're very busy.”

“My foundation sets up opportunities to help those who don’t necessarily have access to music. I want to help in any way I can,” Justin offered.

“That’s very generous of you. We’ve seen the other programs you've created and we could certainly use the help.”

“Being that this is my hometown, I felt I had a personal call behind this. It’s been a great help to me and I want to give back.”

“Ok, and what would be involved in this?”

“Well, Justin would meet a student and help them with the basics of music. Just enough to get them started,” Lynn chimed.

“Then we were thinking of maybe him helping co-write a song. It would be enough to get the person used to the idea and give them a boost toward their goal,” Johnny continued.

And Justin finished. “I want to help someone who has a passion for music gain the opportunity to do what I have. The best way to do that is by first teaching them how to get there.”

“In light of that, we’ve chosen a few students and you can make the final selection of who exactly gets this position,” Linda spoke up. “We have Daniel Swanson, Aaron Thompson and Nicole Alexandra.”

AUDITION, A FEW DAYS LATER, Justin sighed and tapped his pen on the counter. The first two auditions had been a bust so far. While both seemed talented, he thought that they lacked something, more specifically; soul. He was looking for that spark, that excitement that he possessed when he sang. He was beginning to think that maybe his expectations were too high.

The next person, Nicole, came in. She kept her head down as she tried not to trip. She was so nervous. She never thought they’d pick her for a callback; she didn’t even know whom the artist she’d be auditioning for was. She seriously didn’t think she had the courage to do this. As she picked her head up, her jaw dropped.

Justin looked up and saw her expression. It was obvious shock that he, Justin Timberlake, was who she’d sing for. And a lot of nervousness. He briefly gulped and wondered if she had a fear of public speaking. He smiled gently, trying to sooth as much of the nerves away. “Hey, what's up? You're Nicole, right?” Moving on autopilot, she nodded. "Do you want some water or something before you start?" He asked, though part of him was unsure why he was so concerned about her well-being. It was just a simple music audition, right? But he felt a connection to her, maybe from music, and wanted to help her should this be her dream.

“Thanks, Mr Timberlake,” she said quietly. “I feel honored to have this opportunity.”

“Justin, and no, the pleasure’s mine. Everyone deserves a shot at what they want,” he chuckled. “So, you ready? We’ll do a little interview first between you and I and then you'll sing, ok?”

Taking a deep breath, Nicole answered, “I guess it’s now or never.” She sat down in front of him, Lynn, Johnny, Linda, and the foundation’s executive director.

“Linda said you're a fan of my music?”

“Yeah, you have an amazing voice. It’s got a sort have calming tone,” Nicole answered and her face lit up.

‘There we go, she’s smiling, we’re on a good start,’ he thought. “That’s good, what's your favorite song?”

“Oh, wow, um...Take a Ride?”

“Cool, that’s a good song when you want to get away from stuff.” Justin looked at her as he thought. “So, how’d you end up on crutches? If you want to tell me, of course.”

“Oh, it’s no problem. I was born this way, my legs don’t do what my brain tells them. I had a lot of problems in school, which is where you came in.” She paused for a deep breath. “I went through a lot of bullying and other stuff. I ignored it but after a while it got hard. I’d liked your music with *NSYNC so when your first solo dropped, I used that to escape what everyone was saying. I owe a lot to you for where I am now.”

“Wow, that’s amazing. You seem very optimistic. Music does help people no matter what the situation, I agree with you on that. And how long have you been interested in music?” he asked

“Um, really all my life. Whether it be oldies or what's out now, there’s always been some kind of music playing around me.”

“Ok, very good.” Justin made some notes before looking encouragingly at her. “You ready to sing?” She nodded. “Go ahead.”

Have you ever loved somebody so much
It makes you cry
Have you ever needed something so bad
You can't sleep at night
Have you ever tried to find the words
But they don't come out right
Have you ever, have you ever
Have you ever been in love
Been in love so bad
You'd do anything to make them understand
Have you ever had someone steal your heart away

Justin’s head snapped up. The sound was beautiful and he stared as she continued.

You'd give anything to make them feel the same
Have you ever searched for words to get you in their heart
But you don't know what to say
And you don't know where to start

After Nicole was done, she looked down and fidgeted. Justin noticed this and knew it was unnecessary but he was so in shock by her voice, he couldn’t make the words come out. He cleared his throat, leaning on the counter, and smiled. “Hey, wow, that was...that was amazing. Honestly.”

The timid young woman looked up, a smile on her face. “Really?”

“Mm-hmm. You can't find raw talent like that very often. You're really good.” He looked to Johnny and Timbaland who nodded their approval. “Ok, that settles it; you're in. We’ll set a time for you to come in after classes and we’ll see what we can get, ok?”

Nodding enthusiastically, Nicole almost tripped getting up. “Thank you to all of you, you don’t know how much this means.”

“Everyone deserves a chance. See you, tomorrow.”

STUDIO Nicole nervously sat against the wall outside the studio. She’d arrived early, wanting to make a good impression, and was now waiting for Justin. She looked down at her lap. All she had was a notebook and a pen she could fit it her shoulder bag. It was easier to carry when she was on her crutches. She looked down the hall, not seeing the singer. ‘What if he doesn’t show? What if they realize I’m not as good as they want? What if they really want one of the other students?’ She put her head on her knees, her breathing speeding up. ‘Of course, he won’t show up, I was stupid to think I actually had a chance. He’s one of the coolest singer, of course he could find someone better.’ Just as her eyes clouded, she heard hurried footsteps.

“I’m so sorry I’m late, I was working with an agency on getting a movie deal. And then we got stuck in traffic. I really held onto my road-rage,” Justin apologized breathlessly but smiling.

Rachael laughed beside him. “Don’t let him fool you, we were on time until Dorkboy wanted his precious coffee.” She elbowed her cousin lightly, causing him to almost drop the cup.

“Hey, watch it! if I drop this, I’ll burn her!” he scolded.

“Haha, ok, relax. You'll probably just burn yourself. Which would be funny to watch.”

“Oh, yeah?” He was going to tease her back but before he could move though, he noticed Nicole looking between them and the floor nervously. “Anyway, thanks for the help this morning, Rach. We have to get to work.”

“Yeah, I have to go run stuff to your mom and then do some errands,” his cousin answered. “See ya, J.”

“Yup.” They watched her go and Justin looked down to Nicole. She was looking at him, not knowing what to do. “Want to go inside, we can talk before we start work?”

“Ok.” She watched as he set down his coffee and lent her his hand. She took it, balancing on him and one crutch as he gave her the other. She smiled and followed him into a room with tons of sound equipment. When they were seated, she asked timidly, “so what do want to talk about?”

He gave her a soft smile, she was awfully shy but he wanted to know her better, it’d be easier to work together then. “Well, that was my cousin Rachael. She’s also my assistant.”

“Yeah, I know, that’s cool. Kind of like a family business.” ‘Wow, that was stupid of me to say.’

“Exactly.”

They started talking about random stuff. Music, songs, and then got into movies. Specifically Justin’s latest. “Alpha Dog really touched me though.”

“Oh, I think that that movie touches everyone in some way when they watch it. But in what did it touch you if it’s ok to tell?” he asked.

“My one friend was into drugs & he ran in that same kind of life. I thought the storyline was good though, it made me think who was on what side,” she said.

Justin stared at her in shock. “I'm hoping that he is in some way out of that lifestyle. Did he have a chance to see the movie? Once you get past who the actors are and get into the whole the actual storyline it can really get into you. And the fact that its a true story is even worse.”

“I don’t think he saw it, we didn’t stay friends. But yeah, it is an amazing and heartbreaking story. But in my opinion, Frankie was a good guy.”

“Frankie was trying to do good but got lost along the way...cause in the end when he's at the crime scene you can tell that he really wants to help and do the right thing but he's kind of caught up in the high life and he doesn’t know what to do.” Justin paused to sip his coffee. “He doesn’t want to go to jail for killing but he also doesn’t want to go for drugs either, you know?” he asked.

She nodded. “Yeah, I totally was into that. I thought he kind of got pushed into it and realized it to late.”

“Yes! And he was living in denial for so long that it was insane.”

“Mm-hm. It's like Johnny totally roped him into it.”

“And at the end he was living so much of a lie about the killing that he didn’t even believe it when it was right in front of him...and he was being sent to jail.”

“Exactly,” Nicole finished. They stared at each other seriously for a moment. They had just met, yet they were so comfortable with each other.

NEXT DAY Justin sat at the small keyboard in the corner of the studio and played. He didn’t know where it had come from but the tune had been stuck in his head for a few weeks. He finally decided to see if he could get it down.

Nicole walked in quietly, the young man not noticing her behind him. She sat down, laying her crutches down and watching. He was playing a soft melody with a slow-tempoed beat from one of the pre-settings. His fingers moved gracefully over the keys as his head bobbed along with. He closed his eyes, letting the music wash over him.

Nicole thought it was beautiful. She loved seeing this side of him. As much as she loved his goofy side, over the years of being a fan and even the last few days of knowing him, she’d begun to like seeing him in the studio. It was a different side of him where he could create whatever he wanted and he looked peaceful. Suddenly feeling someone else’s presence, Justin turned his head. Opening his eyes and smiling he said, “hey, sorry, didn’t hear you.”

"It's alright," Nicole replied. "I wish I could play like that."

"That's what you're here for right?" he asked, moving over and tapping a place on the bench next to him. She went over, sat down, and giggled to herself that she sat that close to Justin Timberlake. He began to play and then said, “ok, you try.”

She looked down, embarrassed. “I-I um, I didn’t catch that.”

He looked curiously at her for a moment. “Just wondering, have you ever seen music on a page before?”

“Yes, but I usually get lost. I can follow sometimes but I’m not that good,” she answered.

“Ok, here’s where we’ll start then.” He opened a piece he was working on for this particular tune. “See the S shape at the beginning here?” At her nod, he continued. “That’s the Treble Clef. Under it, the C shape, is the Bass Clef.”

“Oh, ok. I see.”

“Good, if you remember that which keys are which, you're set. The higher notes are the Treble.” He took her right hand, placing it on the right side of the piano. Picking up her left, he placed it on the other end. “This is the Bass, the lower notes.”

She nodded, following him. “What about the notes on the page?” she asked.

“Reading piano notes is basically like reading a pattern. the notes are named with a letter, like A, B, C, D, E, F, or G...”

The pair continued like that for the rest of the day – Justin teaching, Nicole learning.
---
A few weeks later, Justin and Nicole were getting a lot of work done. It took a bit but she finally learned the stuff he taught her on the piano. Now they were working on ideas for a song. Currently they were walking down the street going to a diner Justin loved. Luckily it wasn't too far so Nicole’s legs wouldn't tire out. “Yeah, yeah, I like that,” he commented.

“Justin...,” Nicole interrupted uneasily.

He followed her gaze across the street where some paparazzi were watching him. He looked behind him towards the couple of bodyguards who would sure keep them safe. “It’s ok, just keep going and they wont bother us.” He hated being followed sometimes, especially with people not used to the cameras but it was a part of the lifestyle and he had to live with it.

They made it safely into the pizza place and were thankful no one bothered them. Sitting down, Nicole took out a notebook and passed it to Justin. He didn’t usually write things down for songs but felt it could work for ideas. “Ok, so let’s see.” He started humming a tune, the same one he did on the piano, without realizing it.

Nicole wrote some words down, concentrating on his tune. “Ok, how about this as a first line? And we could put it with what we’ve been practicing.”

He glanced at it. ‘Red Roses and candy hearts, that’s where the sweetest of my love starts.’ “That’s good, what else you got?”

‘Sweet smiles and soft words, you're voice can be heard over the crowd.’ She sighed, getting stuck.

“Here, try this: It singles out and catches my attention, Leaves me hanging in suspension.  The beat flows through me as you draw near, I hear the words you whisper in my ear.

She nodded, catching his line of thinking. “And then: I whisper back everything you want to hear. And it takes away all your fear. Baby Girl, I can see it in your eyes, So much deep inside.

“That’s awesome. And we can make it into a duet, ya know like the guy and then the girl,” he spoke excitedly. She giggled, excited they finally had a start. They wrote a few more lines before Justin asked, “so how long have you been writing songs?”

Nicole snapped out of staring at his eyes. She blushed. “Um, this is my first one actually. But I always write poems and stuff.”

“That’s cool, that’s sort of the same. I mean, different results but you're still a writer.”

In the studio, Justin and Nicole were hard at work. They had finished the song and were now finishing up the music. Usually the music would come first and then lyrics would be built off  of that. But at that time, the words just flowed out and they went with it. The tune he had been messing with on the keyboard weeks earlier was now done on a guitar, with the same beats in the background. It was an uptempo R+B ballad. Sort of like most of his songs; such as Better Not Together or Take It From Here.

Justin came out of the booth after finishing the piano. He looked at Tim who sat next to Nicole. He nodded, listening to the playback and tweaking a few things. “How do you like that?” Justin asked the girl.

“I love it, it sounds perfect with everything else we used.”

“Cool. Ready to start the vocals?” Tim asked.

She bit her lip and looked at the singers/producers in front of her. “Um, I guess so.”

Justin chuckled softly, blue eyes gleaming behind his glasses.  “Stop second-guessing yourself. You rock and you know it, girl. You came this far, just a bit more and we’ll be done. Now, just like we were practicing, ok? Get in there.”

The first couple run-throughs were awesome, they just had a few glitches. Mainly with how she breathed and held the notes. Justin looked down at his notebook and ran into the booth. “I’m sorry, J. That one line keeps getting me.”

“It’s ok, we just have to adjust it. Try it like this.”

She nodded and then the next time she sang the verse, it went off without a hitch. “Ok, now we do your verse and the chorus?”

“Mhm. Ready? After we get this down we can call it a night.” He nailed his verse first time through, but he wanted to do it a few more times. Once he was happy with all the tracks, he smiled brightly and turned to Nicole. “Go on in. Just make sure you keep the breaths in the right spots and you'll be fine.”

Chorus: Side by side, we'll conquer it all
Side by side, we gave it all
Everlasting, forever, never-ending

The middle of  the chorus, a giggle broke through the microphone and over the speakers. Tim, who was adjusting the soundboard, looked up at the noise. The young girl immediately quieted and continued singing.

On you my heart is depending.
Oh, side by side, we’ll make it through,
Side by side me and you.
Struggles, confusion, then love anew.

Again, the bubbly noise rang through the room. Tim once again snapped his head up. Looking between Justin sitting next to him and Nicole in the booth, he saw the talented singer hiding his smile behind his hand. “J!” he scolded but with a hint of amusement.

“I’m sorry, man, I um thought of something Trace said earlier?” he answered unconvincingly. The smiles were still on their faces and Timbaland knew the lie.

“Oh yeah? Why is she laughing too?”

Justin looked at Nicole and shrugged before laughing again. “Ok, it’s late and we got it the first time. Let’s go.”

The veteran producer sighed and chuckled as Justin collected their belongings. Everytime they’d look at each other, he would make a silly face and Nicole would laugh. He shook his head, listening to the quiet chatter. Those two sure had chemistry when it came to music. They had a few key things in common and could always make each other laugh. But when it came down to doing work, they were totally serious. Justin was an amazing teacher and Nicole was eager to learn. She always seemed so bright and took everything in to make it just right. It was hard to believe they’d only known each other for a month or so.

When they’d gathered their things and said goodnight to Tim, they were on their way.
---
As Justin pulled the car up to the hall of dorm rooms, he turned to Nicole. “You did a really good job today. You've got an amazing talent.”

“Thank you. I couldn’t have done it without you. I look up to you a lot with music.”

“Well thank you. You have a real gift, girl and you should share it if it’s what you love doing. People are going to love you,” he told her. “If they don’t, well, don’t stop doing what you love, ok?”

She nodded and he came around to open the door. Helping her to her room, they smiled. “I’ll see you the day after tomorrow.”

“Ok, thanks for the ride home. I appreciate it.”

“No problem. Goodnight.” He turned to go back to the car. But stopped a few steps away and turned back. Walking up to her, he carefully tucked a piece of hair behind her ear whispering, “you're going to shine, Star.”

Nicole watched as he smiled softly and left. Her jaw practically dropping for the second time since they met.

AN:well, this is the last chapter. :'( my friend and i are sad to see it end but we had so much fun writing it. he really encouraged me and i had fun bouncing ideas around with him :) . the song Make It Through was written by me.

Nicole looked up, hearing a familiar bass coming from a car on the street. It looked like one she recognized. It was a jeep but she’d recognize the song blasting through the speakers, and the voice of the person, as she got closer to it. It was an upbeat song, definitely set the summery vibe for the coming season. It was a fun song, could possibly be played in a club, but had more of a feel for just driving in your car with the top down.

Walking up to the window of the car, she heard the smooth southern voice ring out. “ Riding in the drop top with the top down
Saw you switchin lanes, girl
Pull up to the red light, lookin right
Come on let me get your name girl
Tell me where your from, What you do, What you like
Let me get your brain, girl
And tell me how they that got that pretty little face
On that pretty little frame girl.”

Nicole smirked at that always being a favorite song of hers and the few onlookers they attracted. She was getting a little uncomfortable by the stares when people recognized them but Justin’s huge smile set her at ease. “You done with that little concert?”

Laughing heartily he climbed out, crossing over to her. “I was driving from the interview, going for lunch, and look who I see walking the same way. That is, if you haven’t eaten yet.”

“No, I haven’t. I’d love to have lunch with you,” she smiled.

Just as they were getting into the jeep, two girls came up to them. They had confused and questioning looks on their faces. “We, uh, heard you singing. Are you – are you Justin Timberlake?”

He would gladly sign something for a fan but today he just wanted to lay low. Smirking, he turned to the passenger in his car. “See, I got it again! I should just pretend I’m Justin.”

“Oh, ok, sorry,” the second girl said. “We just love Justin and since that was his last single, we were wondering when he would do new music.”

‘Apparently they haven’t heard about the interview I just did,’ he thought. He then climbed into the driver’s seat, Nicole cracking up next to him.

“That was kind of mean, ya know.”

“I know, but I didn’t want us to be surrounded without guards and until the interview airs, the fans don’t know I’m doing an album. Or that you and I are working together. Plus, this is our down day. Total stress-free.”

“I’m surprised it hasn’t leaked yet. I mean, someone has to know you're in town.”

“Yeah, right?” Justin pulled to a red light. “I mean, a few people know but Johnny wants this really tight-lipped until we’re done. It’ll be better for your career if we can just surprise people.”

“Yeah, if that’s what they think is best. So, where are we going?”

“Well, I was thinking we could drive around, grab some lunch...”
---
The new duo of the multitalented singer and the upcoming rising star he was teaching, were now done recording. They decided on using Nicole’s demo song as Justin’s last song he needed for his album. It’d be perfect – filled his label’s quota for the record and gave Nicole a stepping stone as previously planned. She had done her very first photoshoot. Granted she was nervous but Justin was there coaching her and it went great!

They were now coming to the homestretch before Justin’s album release party. They were in soundcheck, planning that Nicole would sing her song at the party. They were awesome, of course.

“That was good, you're going to rock that party,” he told her.

“Haha, yeah, that’s because there’s no people. Did I mention I have stage fright?”

He chuckled. “Yeah, but it’s ok. All your friends will be right there, you'll be fine. Just remember to breathe and the rest will come naturally.”

Suddenly Rachael, Johnny, and a few other management came running through the double doors. Johnny carried a cardboard box and a wide smile. He pulled out a CD case and handed it to them. “What's that?” Nicole asked, peering over the six-foot tall man’s arm from her 5”1’ height. He tipped it and she saw him on the cover, the CD being his new album. “It’s finished, that’s great!”

He smiled and half-hugged her with one arm. The cover and booklet were amazing, he looked so handsome. Some of him serious, decked out in William Rast; some of him just chilling in a hoodie or t-shirt and laughing. He flipped it over and pointed out the small words at the bottom. ‘Bonus Track: Make it Through ft. Nicole Alexandra.’

“What?! Why’d they put me on there?!” she cried out in surprise.

“Well, you did help write it and it is mainly your song. J just did backup,” Johnny answered.

“Yeah, and remember what I said when you auditioned for the foundation?” Justin continued. “This is your stepping stone should you want to continue in music.”

“But...wow...” Yup, she was definitely shocked.

“I take it she likes it,” Rachael laughed.
---
ALBUM RELEASE PARTY Justin watched as the nervous girl rocked on the couch in front of him. They were in the dressing room backstage. It was a steady rocking as she wrung her hands. Her crutches lay beside her, forgotten. He sighed, remembering his first performance; he used to be as nervous as she was now.

He kneeled in front of her, trying to catch her gaze. “Hey, look at me. I know this can be nerve-wracking but you've got an amazing voice. You worked so hard to get here, you can't give up now.”

“I don't know if I can, Justin,” she whispered.

“I know you can. And I’ll be right beside you.” He gave her a genuine smile as he heard their call.

“Come on, guys!” Rachael called from the doorway.

Justin helped the young girl up and walked with her to the side of the stage. “Thank you all for coming out tonight for the record release of the rightfully called “Soul Music” by Justin Timberlake!”

The crowd whistled and clapped and Justin felt Nicole shake as he whispered encouraging words.

“And introducing a new artist he’s been working with through the Justin Timberlake Foundation, Nicole Alexandra!”

He led her onstage, sitting on the stools as the lights dimmed. Both of them took a deep breath  as the music started.

Justin: Red roses and candy hearts
That’s where the sweetest of my love starts.
Sweet smiles and soft words,
Your voice can be heard over the crowd.
It singles out and catches my attention,
Leaves me hanging in suspension.
The beat flows through me as you draw near,
I hear the words you whisper in my ear.
I whisper back everything you want to hear
And it takes away all your fear.
Baby Girl, I can see it in your eyes,
So much deep inside.

Chorus: Side by side, we'll conquer it all
Side by side, we gave it all
Everlasting, forever, never-ending
On you my heart is depending.
Oh, side by side, we’ll make it through,
Side by side me and you.
Struggles, confusion, then love anew.

Nicole: You swooped in,
Took my heart within.
I know you'll keep it safe,
That you're love for me will always remain the same.
As for you, my return will be too,
‘Cause sweet boy, my love is truest of true.
I hear your heartbeat speed up to match mine,
We meet in the center of the dance line.

Oh, the club lights disappear.
It’s a new door we enter.
Oh, look into your eyes.
Join our hearts forever now.

Chorus: Side by side, we'll conquer it all
Side by side, we gave it all
Everlasting, forever, never-ending
On you my heart is depending.
Oh, side by side, we’ll make it through,
Side by side me and you.
Struggles, confusion, then love anew.

Oh, side by side, we’ll make it...through.

The crowd went wild, literally on their feet and cheering. Breathing heavily, Justin and Nicole walked offstage and she nearly toppled him with excitement. “That was so cool! Oh my, God I can't believe they liked it!”

Not saying anything, he leaned in, lips gently touching hers. Her eyes widened before she melted into the kiss. Pulling back, their foreheads rested together. Just looking into the other’s eyes, they could see into the other’s soul. Kissing the corner of her mouth, he smiled, finally finding the music his soul needed.

THE END