Part 1: Inspiration

 

August 1st, 2:00 p.m., Los Angeles

 

Justin Timberlake was on break from a photo-shoot for Esquire magazine. This was his third cover in his career.  The charade bored him sometimes.  Everyone fussed for one simple reason: to make him look good on camera. It didn’t take much, in his opinion. All he had to do was show up clean shaven and dress in a suit and tie. The ladies loved that. Can this be over? I want to get away from these superficial people.

 

His phone buzzed. It was Marissa Whitlow, one of MTV’s senior executives. Why would she call? I thought I told Trace to talk to them about performing for this year’s show.

“Hello?”

“Hey Justin. It’s Marissa from MTV. How are you?”

“Hey. I’m doing alright. What’s happening?”

“Well, my comrades and I have been planning the Video Music Awards. We’d like to give you a special award this year. A lifetime achievement award if you will. The Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.”

Wow. I don’t deserve to be mentioned in the same category. He’s a legend. “Whoa. Thank you. So, what does that mean for the show?”

“We’ll give you 15 minutes to perform. You can use that timeframe however you choose: the songs, the dancers, and the arrangement. We just provide the venue.”

How in the hell am I supposed to fill 15 minutes in an award show? Damn, I haven’t performed that long in that kind of venue before. “I’ll be there. When is it again?”

“August 25th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.”

“Sounds good. Thank you again for this great honor. I’m floored y’all think I’m that good.”

“Yes, you are. You’ve had a notable career and MTV wants to celebrate that. We’ll be in touch.”

“Have a good evening, Marissa.”

“You, too, Justin” They hung up.

 

I have to invite the guys. I wouldn’t be here without them. It had been 10 years since he and his friends JC, Lance, Joey and Chris shared the stage as pop super group NSYNC. Yet he knew this occasion wouldn’t be complete without them. Together they had accomplished great things: escaping a greedy manager and overbearing record company, 2.4 million albums sold in one day, sold out world tours, and legions of fans. Their biggest accomplishment, though, was their friendship. He spent every day with those guys, traveling the world and doing what they loved: entertaining people. That experience bonded them together like family; no one else would understand what happened.

 

In 2002, he defected from the group to embark on a solo career. Record executives had been whispering in his ear for the previous year that they thought he could make it on his own. Greedy for more, he seized the opportunity. Little did he know it would be the group’s downfall. For a while he didn’t care, drunk on power, glory and fame. Several years of animosity followed. The group got together for different occasions, but the dynamic wasn’t the same. Then in 2011, Joey suggested all of them surprise Chris for his 40th birthday. That night, the quintet aired out their grievances. They all agreed to move on and spent the remainder laughing and reminiscing about yesteryears gone by.

 

Since then, his relationship with each guy was on better terms. He talked to Chris the most often. Regardless, he hoped everyone would say yes to a reunion performance if he asked. Was it logistically possible? They’d have to clear out five different schedules for a week of rehearsal plus rehearsal time for his solo material and finish out his tour with Jay-Z. Even so, did they still have the chemistry? Could they pull off a performance at the caliber they were 10 years ago? They were older, which meant they moved a little slower. Still, he had a feeling even a mediocre performance could outdo the current boybands on the scene. This has to happen. It’s time. It’ll be fun to sing together again.

 

“Hey Justin! Break time’s over!” Trace, his best friend and personal assistant, announced; thus, snapping his thoughts back into reality.

He inwardly rolled his eyes. Back to work. Guess this can wait.

9:00 p.m., Justin’s LA mansion

 

He’d been tinkering on the keyboard for an half an hour to decompress from his busy day. JC and I used to have keyboard duels when we recorded Celebrity. Justin smiled at the memory. When trying to come up with melodies for the album, the duo would come up with competing melodies to see if any would stick. Usually improvised and spontaneous, it helped fuel creativity for the eventual songs. JC wrote a song for NSYNC on piano alone, but it didn’t make the final cut. ‘It was a shame, because the song was indicative of his friend’s talent. Speaking of, I need to call him about this reunion. He hit JC’s name in his contact list.

 

“Hello?”

“Hey J, it’s Justin.”

“Hey man, how you doing?”

“Good. How full is your schedule this month?” Justin asked.

“Ummm, kind of. What’s up?”

“MTV is giving me this career award at the VMAs. It’s called the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. NSYNC had a big chunk of our careers on MTV and I’d like to get the group back together for this.”

JC gasped. “Oh, wow. Congratulations! What are you thinking the group would do?”

“MTV is giving me 15 minutes to perform. I’d like some of that to include us. I don’t know how long yet because that would be decided if this happens.”

“Yeah, man. If you want me there and everyone else says yes, of course I’m in.”

“I can’t do this without you, JC.  It wouldn’t be the same if anyone was missing.”

“Have you asked anyone else?”

“Not yet. You’re the first, actually. I plan on asking everyone personally. And please, keep this a secret for now.”

“You got it.”

“I want it. I’ll do whatever it takes.” Justin crooned.

JC chuckled. “Wow, I totally forgot about that song. Anyway, keep me posted on what happens.”

“Of course. I’ll talk to you soon, bro.”

 

Next, he thought of Chris. Despite the decade age difference, they were great friends. They both liked golfing and motorcycles. More than that, Justin saw him as a mentor figure. Underneath the humor was a thoughtful man who struggled to get through many hardships. Now he didn’t have to worry about money. If anyone deserved that, it was Chris. Even years later, Chris would tell Justin that he still had that survival mindset because it had been ingrained in him. They had spoken on the phone about a week earlier. Regardless, he had to keep his vow to ask each guy personally.

 

“Hello?”

“Hey, Chris. I got some good news.”

“Oh, really? What is it?”

“MTV called me today. They told me they want to give an award called the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the VMAs.”

“Dude!” Chris exclaimed. “That is so awesome. I’m so excited for you. Is it for your whole career?”

“Justin nodded. Yes, I think so. They’re giving me 15 minutes to perform that night. MTV was a huge part of NSYNC’s career as well. So, I would like to get everyone back together to join me on stage to perform.”

“Cool. I’d be down in a heartbeat. Have you thought about what we would do?”

“Not yet. That’ll come if we work this thing out. JC has already said yes if everyone else is in.”

“Then you have two ‘yeses’. Do you need me to spread the news about the award?”

“No.” Justin replied. “I want to talk to everyone personally about it.”

“Ah, okay. I’ll be honored to share the stage with you that night. Daww, my baby brother’s all group up!”

The younger man laughed. “Shush, you. I’m surprised they wanted to give me this. The mere mention of Michael’s name and mine in the same sentence… I’m not so sure I deserve that accolade.”

“Sure you do, Justin; you’ve had a remarkable career in 20 years.”

Not to MJ’s caliber, though. “I suppose so. I have to make some more phone calls.”

“Okay. Good to talk to you, Justin. Hope this works out; it would be fun to get the group together again.”

“Same to you, brother. I hope it does, too. I miss us together. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Later.”

 

Justin then called Lance and Joey. Both went to voicemail. He wasn’t surprised; they had their own obligations as he had his. He left messages and hung up. I hope they say yes. I’m not as close to either of them but it wouldn’t be the same without their crazy energy and off the wall antics. Oh, I wonder if Johnny knows?

 

Johnny Wright had been NSYNC’s manager and remained his throughout his solo career,  He trusted Johnny; they had a close working relationship. He was honest and direct. Never secretive like Lou Pearlman. He was supportive of his client’s decisions, but would raise concerns if he thought Justin might be veering in the wrong direction.

 

His phone buzzed again. It was Johnny. Speak of the devil. How did he know I was thinking about him?

“Hello?”

“Hey award winner!” Johnny greeted.

“Oh, so you’ve heard.” Justin replied flatly.

“Yeah, of course! Congratulations! Aren’t you excited?”

“I don’t know. It feels surreal. I feel like mine and MJ’s name shouldn’t be mentioned in the same sentence.”

“Well, a lot of people think so. Have you thought about the performance yet?”

Justin smiled. “I got ideas brewing. I’ll tell you at the meeting tomorrow.”

“Fair enough. That was going to be my next question.”

“Of course I’m coming. I never miss a meeting.”

“10 a.m. sharp.”

“Deal. I’ll see you then”

 

August 2nd, 10:00 a.m., Wright Entertainment Group office

 

“So, what’s your big idea, Mr. JT?” Johnny asked while tapping his pen on his desk.

“I want to get *NSYNC back together for this performance, Johnny.”

His manager smiled. “Oh, do you?.”

“It wouldn’t feel right without them. They were such a big influence on me and helped me get here. Half of my moonmen are with them.”

“Have you asked everyone?”

“JC and Chris. They both said they would if everyone else said yes. I haven’t been able to ask Lance and Joey yet.” He sighed. “I’m not sure if it’ll happen, though. Getting five schedules clear for the same night, let alone the week of rehearsal time we’d need prior to the performance, would be a pain in ass and a half.”

 “You’re Justin Timberlake. I think we can make it work. I’ll help coordinate things if need be. I think it would be a great idea.”

“It’s still a work in progress, so please don’t let that information leave this room.” Justin instructed.

“Understood. I’d like to see them again, too. It’s been several years. Also, you have to consider you have to plan and rehearse your own show on top of that.”

“That’s why I have you.”

“Touche, Justin.  This month will be busy but we can do it.”

 

Lance and Joey returned this calls later that day. Both of them expressed interest in participating, but had to do some rearranging in their schedule to make it happen. Afterwards, Justin sent out a group text indicating he’d gotten tentative answers and that he needed definite answers ASAP so he could make plans.

 

The next couple weeks were hectic. Justin and his crew traveled to several different cities for the end of the tour. In between, plans for his solo performance started coming together. He would perform hits such as “Cry Me A River”, “Rock Your Body”, “Lovestoned”, “Suit and Tie” and his new single “Take Back The Night”. He left time for the proposed reunion but also had an alternate plan in case it fell through.

August 10th, 5:00 p.m., Boston

 

“So it’s a definite yes from you?” Justin asked Lance on the phone.

“It’s a hell yes, bro.” Lance replied.

They both laughed. “As a thank you, I’d like to invite you to my show with Jay-Z that Friday night in Miami. It’s the last night of that tour.”

“Well, sure. But I ain’t paying $500 to watch you shake your ass for an hour and a half.” Lance teased with an augmented Southern accent.

Justin laughed. He expected nothing less of his friend. He knew Lance and the others would knock him off his high horse if they had to. “Don’t worry. I’ll hook you up with VIP passes. It’s not a problem.”

Lance grinned. “I just had to razz you some, Justin. I’ve known you since you were a Pee Wee!”

“HEY! I wasn’t that young!”

“Well, okay. Little League age.  Could you get a pass for Michael, too?”

“Not a problem, Lance. He’s more than welcome to come.”

“Awesome. Thank you. I’m looking forward to the show. You’ll kill it.”

“Thanks and you’re welcome. I’ll have to up my A game since you guys will be there.”

 

Now, all I need is a yes from Joey. Lance and Chris had said yes to the show; JC couldn’t come until Sunday morning. He was actually taking an overnight flight Saturday evening into the morning. He wouldn’t be surprised if JC was late. Just then, his phone buzzed again. How convenient. The odds are in my favor today.

 

“Hey yo, Timberlake” Joey said.

“Hey! Do you have an answer for me?” Justin asked.

“When and where?”

If it wasn’t you, I’d interpret that line differently. “I’d like us to meet at 10 a.m. Sunday at Lakeshore studios.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s an old rehearsal studio. It’s not in a well-known part of town so we shouldn’t be spotted. Also, I’d like to invite you to my last show in Miami. Lance and Chris will be there.”

“Hell! That sounds like a party to me.” Joey replied. “This month will be awesome. It’ll be fun to get everyone together again.”

“If we don’t kill each other first.”

“As long as you don’t slap my meatball Italian ass again, we’re good.”

Justin started laughing so hard he got questioning stares from others around him. “Okay, promise.”

 

Part II: Preparation

 

August 18th, 10:00 a.m., Miami

 

Today was the first day of rehearsal for the reunion performance. Justin wasn’t looking forward to this for the sheer reason the he was still tired from the final show of the “Legends of Summer” tour Friday evening.
This will be planning day, anyway. We don’t know what the hell we’re doing for this show yet. So, chill Timberlake. It’ll be alright. He pulled his Escalade into a parking space outside the rehearsal studio.

 

Chris happened to park the next space over. He smiled when he saw his friend. “Hey man, how’s it going?”

“I’m hanging in there, Tricky.” They hugged. “Is anyone else here yet?”

“Not that I know of. Lance and Joey will probably arrive together. They tend to pair off. And who knows when Shazam will show up.”

Justin chuckled. “Hah. I haven’t heard that name in years. I’m kind of nervous about today.”

“Why? It’ll be fun.”

“It might not be the same since it’s been so long.”

Just then, they heard a honk behind them. A navy Lexus was driving into the lot. “Let me guess, that’s Joey.” Chris said.

The car stopped a moment later. Joey stepped out of the driver’s side, with a sheepish looking Lance on the other. “Wazzup homies?” Joey greeted.

“Well, well, well. Isn’t it Joseph Anthony Fatone?” Chris said with a smile. “Always one to make an entrance.”

They spent the next few minutes greeting each other with hugs and playful jabs. “Where’s JC?” Lance asked.

“Last I heard, he was on a plane flying cross country. The flight’s overnight. He might not be here for a while.”

“Oh wow. Hopefully he’ll be functioning.” Lance replied.

“You underestimate the guy’s ability to sleep anywhere, my friend.” Joey teased. “He can sleep on buses, cars, planes, hotel beds, floors. He’ll be fine.”

“Come on inside, y’all. I think there’s coffee and donuts.” Justin told them.

“I’ll never say no to free food,” Joey smiled. “Let’s go.”

 

In the studio, Johnny was already waiting for them, along with WEG Vice President Melinda Bell, Kevin Antunes, NSYNC’s former musical director, and Stephanie Jones, Robin Wiley’s best friend and also a vocal coach. Whoa, I feel like I’m in a time warp right now.

Justin pointed his three friends. “Hey, look who I brought with me, Johnny.”

“I see that. Welcome, guys. Have a seat. There’s breakfast over there.” He motioned to a table set with plates, coffee and Dunkin Donuts.  “Where’s JC?”

“He’ll be here. I got a text in the middle of the night telling me he was boarding his second plane.”

As if on cue, the studio door opened. A tired and ragged JC walked in. He waved causally. “Hey everyone.”

“OMG It’s Shazam!” Chris exclaimed and rushed over .

JC laughed and hugged him. “I’m glad to see you, too”

 

The next hour passed with breakfast, settling in and visiting with each other. Justin was wrong about the dynamic being awkward: it was as if nothing had changed at all. Everyone reverted back to their old group roles and it felt like he had teleported back 15 years.

 

“Alright” Johnny called in his most business like voice. “Let’s talk logistics. We have a week to put this together. That’s a time crunch. What limits the time even more is Justin has his own show to rehearse for on top of this. So, my idea is since this section will most likely be first, we’ll do our rehearsals in the morning and early afternoon and Justin’s solo stuff in the evening.”

“I hope without the 6 a.m. wake up calls,” Chris muttered.

“Oh, trust me. 10 will be the magic time we meet every day. I won’t be able to handle any earlier than that. And I’m the youngest here.” Justin joked.

“We’ll probably have a never ending supply of alcohol and pain killers.” Joey said.

“It’s probably the only way we’ll survive,” JC replied with a chuckle.

“Guys, focus.” Johnny barked. “What ideas do you have?”

“We should do a medley, like we did in 2000. Showcase a variety of songs.” Lance suggested.

“I was thinking the same thing.” Justin replied. “Our 2000 performance was well received. I want you guys have standout moments.”

“But it’s about your career, Justin.” Joey countered.

“Yeah. But you guys helped me get here. I got at least 10 minutes for my own songs. In our time, it’s about all of us as a unit.”

“Do we have to dance?” Chris groaned.

“Well, yeah.” Justin replied. “Isn’t that what we’ve always been about as a group? Giving a whole show instead of just standing there the whole time.”

“You know what would be cool?” JC chimed in. “We use the blues version of “I Want You Back” from the Celebrity tour as Justin’s entrance.”

Justin’s eyes lit up. “That’s a great idea! I’ll improvise the first verse like I did then and on the last word ‘Back’, you walk in with the other guys while belting out a note.”

JC grimaced. “I’m not so sure.”

“Come on! It’ll be epic. The audience will be lulled into thinking this will be a simple performance. Then BAM, your voices wakes everyone up. People will love that. You still have a bigger fan base than you realize.”

“I haven’t done that in a while. I don’t know if my voice is up to par.”

“That’s what the vocal coach is for.” Lance said, “We know you can still sing your ass off and the world needs to know that, too.

JC shrugged. “Touche. I used to do that at the end of the song and you guys told me the old visualize the audience in underwear trick?”

“Although knowing the age group of our fans… that might not have been the smartest idea.” Joey commented.

The group laughed. “Ah, I think I better leave that one alone,” JC said. “Anyway, what comes next?”

 

A half hour later, the group had a tentative performance plan: start with the “I Want You Back” blues version with Justin while JC cues everyone else’s entrance. Then the song switches back to the original version with a transition via the last chorus into “I Thought She Knew”. The set would finish with “Bye Bye Bye” before the other four guys exited through trap doors.

 

Lance sighed. “I wish Robin were here. She’d enjoy this so much.”

Their vocal coach, Robin Wiley, died of cancer in 2006. She was a multi-talented fiery redhead who could keep them in line while wisecracking with the best of them. All five guys went to her funeral; the group dynamic was still tense them and they didn’t spend too much time together.

“She was a special lady, indeed. I’ll do my best to get your voices up to the same standard,” Stephanie said.

She nodded. “I know. But Robin wouldn’t want us to dwell on her absence. We have a show to put together in a week. We have to keep on!”

“That’s right,” Johnny said. “For the rest of today, you’re hers. We’ll start the hardcore dancing tomorrow.”

 

“Bye Bye  Bye” and “I Want You Back” came together rather quickly, since the guys still had the songs in the back of their mind. “I Thought She Knew” was a doozy, on the other hand. Luckily Robin had written down all their parts in piano for rehearsal use. They spent an hour tweaking the harmonies and getting comfortable with the song again.

On the fourth run through, Justin got chills down his spine. He was 14 again and had only met Lance hours prior. It was their first time singing a whole song together, after Robin taught them their parts. It was that same feeling he had then:  these five individuals had something irreplaceable. “I thought that she…” Everyone stopped for a second. Each had the same knowing smile as Justin. “Knew.”

“Damn, I got goose bumps.” Lance said, “It almost felt like the first time we sang together.”

 

August 19th, Miami, 1:00 p.m.

 

“Hey JC, do you think you could still do a backflip?” Justin asked.

JC frowned. “I don’t know about that, man. I can try but I can’t guarantee any results.”

“Well, can you try?”

“Yeah. I need a mat, though.”

“I brought some in case we needed them.” Justin motioned to the side wall. “Let’s get one out.”

 

JC took a deep breath once on the mat. “I have to trust my body. I’ve done this a million times before.”

“Yes, you can.” Justin reassured him. “We’re here to catch you if you mess up.”

“Stand back, please.” Everyone took a step back. JC jumped, squatted, reached backward over his shoulder and flipped over. However, upon landing his right foot slipped and he fell on the mat.

“So close!” Justin exclaimed. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” JC stood up. “I’ll keep practicing, even though my body will protest.”

“Hell, that’s better than what I could do now.” Chris said. “And I did those flips with you.”

 

JC attempted the flip a few more times and each time one foot or the other gave out. Then on the last one, both of his feet landed but his legs still wobbled. Everyone agreed to move on to a different section of choreography for the moment.

 

August 22nd, Miami, 2:00 p.m.

 

The choreography had come back gradually throughout the week. However, they moved a lot slower than they used to. So Darrin Henson, the standing choreographer, modified the content to ease up the load.

 

“Remember, people expect a show from you guys because that’s what you’re known for. It’s NSYNC standard and you need to live up to the hype. You don’t want to let anyone down.” Darrin reminded them.

Gee Darrin, no pressure or anything. As if I’m not under enough already. Tense moments had surfaced off and on from the stress they were under. Each guy wanted the best out of the other four, even if their intentions got lost in translation. I’d love to tell him to fuck off right now.

“From the beginning again, fellas.” Their instructor started the music and JC’s voice boomed from the speakers as they danced: “I’m doing this tonight. You’re probably gonna start a fight. I know this can’t be right. Hey baby, come on.”

Chris then fell over, moaning and groaning in pain.

Everyone rushed to his side. “You okay, Chris?” Justin asked, alarmed.

“I’m too old for this shit, bro. My 40 something knees hate you right now,” Chris breathed.

“But really, are you okay?” Justin asked.

Chris nodded. “Yeah. I’ll be okay. Let me get up here.” He slowly stood up. “How did we do this every damn day?”

“We were in shape.” Lance replied.

“And we’re not now? Round is a shape.” Joey added.

Justin playfully rolled his eyes as the group laughed. “Okay, let’s take ten. We’ve been rehearsing for a while now.”

“You’re the boss. I won’t say no to a break. Especially if it involves food or women.” Joey quipped.

Laughter erupted again. “Only you, Joey.” JC said.

 

2:15 p.m.

 

“Watcha doing?” Joey asked JC.

“ Looking at Twitter. This craze is weird, man. My Girl Radicals convinced me I needed to be more active and I’m hooked now. It blows my mind.” JC shook his head.

“I know. Remember when we thought having our own website was the coolest thing ever?” Chris asked.

“Times have changed, man. I love it, though. It’s a nice way to communicate with the fans.” Lance added. “I’ve been asked a million times on my Twitter if the rumors are true.”

“I’ve been bombarded with questions on my feed.” Melinda added. “It’s been fun to tease the fans. I can make you a Twitter account right now if you want.”

Chris’s eyes widened. “No way! You’ll do that?”

Melinda laughed. “Of course. I’ll make one right now and give you guys the login information. You’ll be up with the times.”

Justin smiled slyly while scratching his chin. “We need to come up with something that  can be interpreted several ways. Just to drive everyone crazy and we can laugh sinisterly.”

“How about something like ‘Test, 1, 2.’?” Joey suggested.

“Test. Is this forsaken thing on?” Chris pretended the poke an imaginary microphone.

Melinda smiled. “I got it.” She typed frantically. “I wrote ‘Check 1. Check 2. Is this thing on?”

Everyone laughed and agreed it was the best thing to write.

 

As the guys got ready to resume rehearsal, Melissa said “I only posted that two minutes ago and it already has 5,000 retweets.”

“Wow, isn’t that something?” Lance said in a dreamlike state. “Pinch me now.”

“Steve counted how many times you said that in one segment one time.” Joey said. “Your accent totally came out.”

“Oh, yeah. That was on the Reel NSYNC. Still, wow.”

“I didn’t realize how many people still cared about us.” Justin sighed. “I figured people saw us as another pretty boy act from the bubblegum age.”

“That’s not true,” Johnny replied. “Like Darren said, you guys set an incredibly high standard. You were and still are hard workers because you’ll never settle for less than your best from yourselves and those around you. So what do you say we show the world that age doesn’t take away talent or work ethic?”

Everyone clapped in agreement. “That being said, let’s take it from the top.” Darren chimed in.

The guys got into starting formation, ready for another round of muscle aches and pouring their heart into this performance.

 

August 23rd, 1:00 p.m.

 

“I don’t think I can do this, J.” JC said, as he got up from another shaky backflip landing on the mat. “I’m not consistent enough and that’s with support. Can you imagine what might happen? I don’t want to take that risk in front of a national audience.”

Justin nodded. He’d been trying it off and on all week with mixed results. “That’s no problem. I don’t want you to do something you don’t feel 100 percent confident in. We have a good amount of content in our routine already.”

“I just hope our bodies hold up until show time.” JC sighed, glancing over at Joey and Chris who had various ice packs in use.

“Are you holding up okay physically? You haven’t complained as much.”

JC shrugged. “I’m not in the shape I was then. But I’m making it. Complaining only adds tense energy; we don’t need more right now.”

You’re right about that. Lance and Chris had a minor squabble earlier so they were taking a break for everyone to cool off.

“We can work through this; we’ve worked through rough spots before.” In reality, Justin felt a bit nervous now. Was it because he was nervous about the show or he was afraid it would fall apart at the last second? He remembered the feeling back when the group appeared on awards shows or tours. Millions of fans were counting on them to deliver a solid performance. And right now, they didn’t look like they were ready.

Part III: Celebration

 

August 25th, Brooklyn, 1:00 p.m.

 

Justin entered the arena for dress rehearsal. I can’t believe we made it here. I’ve doubted several times whether we would. He smiled to himself. Friday’s rehearsal ended on a pretty tense note. Darren tried to get the group back on track, but no one was having it. They met for another hour Saturday morning and it was more of the same. They agreed to save everything until they got to dress rehearsal in Brooklyn.

 

JC was already on the main stage, rehearsing his steps. “Why am I not surprised?” Justin called out.

The older guy looked stopped and smiled. “Yeah, so what if I am?”

“Just jazzing. It’s why you’re one of the best at what you do.” Timberlake climbed on the stage. “Can you believe it? We’re actually gonna do this tonight.”

JC shook his head. “Nah, man. It looked like we wanted to strangle each other sometimes this week. And you know something? We’ve been friends for 20 years.”

“No way, have we really?”

He nodded. “You started the Mouse Club in 1993.”

“Well, will you look at that? We’ve done pretty well for a couple kids show alums.”

They both laughed as the other three came in. “What’s so funny?” Chris asked.

“Nothing, Tricky. Hey, come see the stage. I think you’ll recognize one of the elements well.” Justin replied.

The others came on stage a minute later. “OMG! We got trap doors!” Joey quipped. “I hope this thing doesn’t kill me like that other one did,”  

“I doubt that, Fatone.” Chris reassured him. “Although, it wouldn’t be one of our shows without a stage malfunction. It’s happened several times throughout our career.”

“Like the time the mechanism for the little elevator thing we rode during “The Two of Us” and we had to find an alternate route around the stage. That was a trip.” Joey recalled.

A light bulb went off in Chris’s head. “Oh, I remember that now. We were scrambling while the stage hands tried to direct us around. That tour was so effing fun, though.”

“This will be fun, too, guys.” Justin said. “We’re here because we want to be.”

“Are you sure that’s not your Tylenol and vodka infused body talking?” Chris quipped.

Everyone laughed. “Well, maybe a bit,” Justin conceded.” But really, it’ll be fun. We can do it.”

 

The dress rehearsal went relatively well. A few mess ups occurred, but they weren’t too panicked. After three run-throughs of their section, the other guys could take a break. But Justin had to do his own show. He admitted to a twinge of jealously. Regardless, he knew the performance would be fun. He’d enjoyed the past week. There was a side of himself he could only show when he was with those guys. A person who didn’t take stardom as seriously. Someone who could laugh at the stories tabloids wrote about him. Now’s not the time to get sentimental Timberlake. You have another show to rehearse.

 

8:50 p.m.

 

“Ten until show time,” Hakim, the stage manager, said.

“Thank you, sir.” Justin replied. “We’ll be out in a minute.”

The door shut again.

Justin surveyed the four men accompanying him. All the preparation had come down to this. The world was waiting for them, but the next five minutes belonged to the five souls alone.

“Wow, how did we get here?” Lance shook his head. “I never thought we’d do this again.”

“I’m glad y’all are here.” Justin said. “It’s an honor to share this stage with you tonight. No matter what anyone else says, you’re all stars in my eyes. All of you have helped mold me into the artist and man I am. And I thank you for that.”

“Awww you’re getting us all sentimental.” Chris teased. “But really, we’re glad to be here. We always talk about supporting each other and that’s what we’ll do.”

“Then, it’s show time! Let’s go!” Joey exclaimed.

“Wait, we’re forgetting something.” Chris retrieved a fraying black and blue hacky sack from his pocket.

“Is that the same one?” Lance asked.

Chris nodded. “Yes, it is. I found it while cleaning out my closest a few months ago. I almost threw it away, but something told me I might need it.”

“Game on, then. We have to do this right.” Justin said, smiling.

 

The guys kicked the sack around for a few minutes. It was almost refreshing that they still sucked at the game because that meant nothing changed. Time seemed to reverse itself for that moment.

At 8:55, the game ended. The quintet bowed their heads for a quiet moment. “Now, let’s go out there and have a kick ass show!” Chris exclaimed.

Everyone changed hugs with one another. As Joey, Lance and Chris started towards the stage, Justin looked over at JC. His friend had been exceptionally quiet the past half hour. “You okay, JC?”

JC sighed. “I’m nervous, J. What if they don’t like me? What if I fuck up?”

“You won’t, man. The audience loves your charisma and voice. I’ve always said you’re the best singer out of all of us and I stand by that statement. You’ll nail this, Joshua. I believe in you.”

JC smiled. “Thanks.” They hugged again for a second. “See you on stage. Go show everyone what a star you are.”

Justin smiled. “Alright. See you then.”

 

9:05 p.m.

 

A single spotlight shone on Justin while the band played jazzy chords in the background. He closed his eyes, losing himself in the music.  He and his four closest friends were about to sing for the world once again.

“It’s so hard to say I’m sorry.” He began, “for all those things I’ve done. I called you on the phone and told you I thought you were the one.  But you said you wanted to be alone. So what I am supposed to do when I want you…”

“BACK…” JC belted from off stage as the lights turned on. The crowd roared as he (along with Chris, Joey and Lance) approached Justin while still singing. His voice was still capable of astronomical acrobatics and his nerves were unfounded.

“Hey Brooklyn!” Joey exclaimed “Remember us?”

The crowd cheered.

“We heard our little Timberlake was getting an award.” Chris said. “So, we had to join the party.”

“You wanted us back so we’re here for you.” Joey turned to Justin. “Start us off, JT!”

“You’re all I ever wanted. You’re all I ever needed, yes. So tell me what to do now, cause…”

The guys harmonized “I…I…I…I…I….”
“I want you back!”

Adrenaline and muscle memory then kicked in. The excited crowd was behind them, singing along while grooving to the music and once again Justin was with his four brothers. When they performed together, he felt invincible. He grinned from ear to ear.

“It’s hard to say I’m sorry. It’s hard to make the things I did undone. A lesson I’ve learned to wear for sure…”

As he sang, he made sure to touch a few fan’s hands. “So don’t pick up the phone now. I’m trying to figure out just want to do. I’m going crazy without you…”

He rejoined the guys and they sang and danced through the chorus. “So tell me what to do now, when I want you back.” They turned their backs in one of their signature moves.

 

The lights dimmed for a moment as they rearranged into their vocal lineup for “I Thought She Knew”. They took out an ear monitor so they could hear each other during the song. JC hummed the starting note. As they sang the opening chords, the crowd’s fervor instensified. The lights illuminated as Joey sang: “A heart full of words left unspoken, now that we’re through. I’d sell my soul to have this silence broken. Oh, I thought she knew. I thought she knew.”

Wow, this is the best we’ve sung this all week. What a prime time.  

Then transitioned into the Chris-lead chorus. “I thought she knew my world revolved around her. My love light burned for her alone. But she couldn’t see the flame. Only myself to blame. I should have known…I should have known” Lance’s bass came out more prominently on the second phrase.

“She was my once in a lifetime,” Justin crooned. :”A happy ending come true. OH, I guess I should have told her but I thought she knew. I thought she knew, yeah. I thought she knew. I thought that she…” The group paused and looked at each other, smiling. “knew…”

They harmonized and ended on a perfect note.

More screams and claps ensued. “That was some kick ass a cappella,” Chris said.

Everyone nodded in agreement. However, there was no time to waste. The performance wasn’t over. They still had to perform “Bye Bye Bye”. The group got into beginning formation. 
“I’m doing this tonight.” JC growled as the guys harmonized on the first word of every phrase. “You’re probably gonna start a fight. I know this can’t be right. Hey baby, come on. I loved you endlessly, when you weren’t there for me. So, now it’s time to leave and make it alone.”

The whole group started. “I know that I can’t take now more. It ain’t no lie. I wanna see you see you out that door. Bye bye bye.”

Next was the dance break, reminiscent of their 2000 performance. The adrenaline kept everyone going. Lance was almost late on the ‘frozen’ pose. Only Lance, Justin chuckled to himself.

They stared the last chorus. “Don’t wanna be a fool for you. Just another player in your game for two.”

“You may hate me, but it ain’t no lie. Bye bye bye.”

“Don’t really wanna make it tough. I just wanna tell you that I’ve had enough.”

“Might sound crazy, but it ain’t no lie. Bye bye bye.”  They finished, hearts pounding and out of

breath.

Chris is right; why did we do this every night?  Wait, I still have ten more minutes left! “Give it up for my brothers in NSYNC, y’all. Aren’t they amazing?” Justin motioned to them.

The crowd agreed.

Joey, JC, Lance and Chris bowed to the crowd and walked to their trapdoors to descend.

Justin turned back to the crowd. “Okay. Now you’re all mine for the next 10 minutes. Let’s get to some more music, shall we?”

 

Justin preformed his section. It was fun, but he had a little bit more fun with the guys. Jimmy Fallon presented him the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, electing him as the ‘President of Pop’. Timberlake chuckled as he took the stage again to accept the gold plated moon man. He thanked God, his parents, his wife Jessica Biel, and his management team.
“I have one final thank you.” He said. “I dedicate this award to the four guys I shared the stage with first tonight. They are my mentors and I wouldn’t be the man I am today without their guidance. So, thank you Chris, Joey, Lance and JC. This goes out to you all.”

 

The aftermath was a blur. Justin was greeted by an onslaught of well-wishers and interview requests. The press room was a madhouse as well. The constant flashing cameras could blind even someone with spectacular vision. And by the end, his face muscles hurt from having to smile so much.

 

The next phase of the night was Eldorado, a Mexican restaurant right across the street from the Barclays Center. He’d arranged for a private room for a low key dinner with the guys, their dates and families, crew and dancers. He expected at least 200 people there. Still, he was looking forward to having a nice meal and a drink with his favorite people. He hadn’t eaten much today from nerves.

 

The night passed by with ease. The wait staff was friendly and the cuisine was delicious. Justin ordered an enchilada plate that he enjoyed. In between bites, he tried to make sure every guest was comfortable and having a good time. Of course, many sought him out with their congratulations anyway.

 

3:00 a.m.

 

The party had dwindled to just the five guys and their dates (except JC, who was single and Kelly had gone back to the hotel with the kids.) They all had glazed looks from overindulgence in food and drink. Chris, Karly, and Joey were going with Justin and Jessica to a club afterwards. JC, Lance and Michael had other plans.

 

Lance yawned. “I think I’m turning in for the night. It’s late.”

“Same here.” JC chimed in. “I’m afraid I’ll doze off on the table.”

“Y’all are lame!” Justin joshed. “Especially you, Lance. You used to stay up all night and go to parties with us.”

Lance shrugged. “You also have to remember that was 10 years ago. My system ain’t what it used to be.”

“So, I’m not getting ribbed?” JC asked.

“No, because you’re the party buzzkill.” Joey replied.

“I can party when I want to, thank you!” JC said, laughing.

“I know, JC. You’re just too easy to make fun of sometimes.” JC and Justin hugged.

“I expect nothing less. Thanks for inviting me tonight. I had a great time.”

They broke away. “Thanks for coming. I couldn’t have done this without you and your voice. Your face lights up when you’re performing. Maybe you should consider doing that more often.”

JC shrugged. “We’ll see. My focus is elsewhere right now. Have a good night.”

 

8:00 a.m.

 

Justin and the others went to the club for a while. Bored with the atmosphere, they headed back to Jessica and Justin’s penthouse apartment. They’d talked for hours even then. Joey lasted until six. At 7:30, Jessica poured some coffee and made French toast. Justin didn’t want this to end. He’d enjoyed this experience and was thrilled he got to share it with some of the ones who mattered most.

 

“Aren’t you tired?” He asked Chris.

The older man shook his head. “I couldn’t think a better way to spend a night: with my four brothers that I would give my life for. I rather have my life filled with moments like this one. Especially if they don’t happen as often as we’d like.”

Justin blushed. “I’m glad you feel that way. I had a great time, too. When I’m with y’all, it’s like I’m 18 again. Reminds me of a simpler time in my life and how I need to have that mindset more often.”

“You know we’ll knock that insane ego of yours of that high horse real quick.” Chris quipped.

The group laughed. “I wish you luck with him, Karly. He’s a character.”

Karly smiled. “I’ve known that since the day I met him. But I wouldn’t change him for anyone else. I think it’s really beautiful what he has with you and the other guys. You have so much history and nothing has broken that. Sure, forces have threatened but nothing has shaken that foundation. Everyone should aspire to that type of relationship, no matter what it is.”

The group smiled, especially Chris. “Now you see why I love her?”

Justin smirked. “You picked a good one, Kirkpatrick.”

“Just like I picked a talented member for the group.” He replied.