Prologue

She wondered if this was a good life or not. She wondered if THIS was ALL her life would amount to. Being 19 and a working student wasn't always the easiest of lives. Especially when you are supporting yourself. Especially when your family lives on the other side of the country. Especially when you have 2 DEMANDING jobs so you can pay for tuition, a small yet cozy apartment, clothes, and food. Oh and gas which seems to ALWAYS be on the rise for her old but trusty Chevy truck.

ESPECIALLY when your best friend is 7 years old.

Lately she felt her life was an emotional roller coaster. One day she was happy, giddy, perfectly content with her life, and other days, like this, she wondered if there was more.

She wondered.....too much.

She did it in class, she did it at home, she did it in the car. Work was the only places she found herself not being distracted by her thoughts.

Work.

One work place she loved, one she liked, sometimes.

The work she loved was with her best friend, that 7-year-old.

The work she sometimes liked was very contradictory to her other workplace.

Was it immoral to be a bartender and a baby-sitter?

Her normal week was very odd, at least to her. Friday nights and Saturdays nights she bartended at a local club called Tidal Wave. Sundays she spent going to church and time for herself. Mondays through Fridays she spent from 9:30 to 2:30 at college. From 3:00 to 9:00, was spent baby-sitting. From 9:00 to usually around 12 she spent studying or reading or listening to music.

Music, gosh, she was one of those people who loved EVERYTHING. And not just saying that so you don't have to give a long answer. If it was considered music she listened to it.

She laughed at herself when she would go in to Camelot music and come out with Mozart's 5th symphony, Eminems new record, a George Michael greatest hits, the new single by O-town, D'angelo's record she had been meaning to get for about a year, the old Enya CD she seemed to misplace, and the new Dolly Parton album.

Oh yeah, cant forget Bon Jovi's CD. She would always smile in memory of that "shot down in a blaze of glory song."

-Dammit I forgot Sgt. Pepper's CD. - She would think to herself on the way home. Her old one literally was worn out.

You get the point.

She was one of those people that hated TRL and MTV. Never played any videos and when MTV did, they only played pop, limp bizkit, korn, and eminem.

Not that she didn't like those artists; she just would like to see other videos as well.

VH1 was no better. All they did was marathons. How many times can one person see Behind the Music: Metallica?

The only music she disliked was techno. Probably because that's all she heard at her job. Well, Moby was OK. And Nsync, from her other job. But she did like two of their songs. Only two.

And as she stood there, in the computer section of Best Buy she wondered....is there more to my life than this?

She had spent the whole day contemplating buying what she was staring at. She knew one of her employers would not be happy, while the people at her other work place would cheer her on.

Was this what her life came down to? What her bosses thought?

But you have to admit it, buying a CD burner can be a stressful experience if you are a very moral person. Not saying that if you have one you aren't a nice or good person. But to her, she DID believe the artist should be compensated for their talent. Maybe she was sympathetic because of her job. But she was a poor college student and would much rather pay 1 dollar for a CD than 17.

Decisions, Decisions.

She hated them. Always got in the way of things.

"May I help you ma'am?" A young looking african-american male with a name tag that read 'Darrell' came up to her.

"Yeah, I need help. Majorily." She sighed running a hand through her long, black hair.

"Well, if you are wondering which writer/burner is the best I would recommend the Hewlett packard one." He pointed to the one that she was looking at.

"Well, see I have an HP at home, but that's not my problem."

"What is it? Money? We have some cheaper ones that are almost as good." He pointed over his shoulder.

"No, I need help MORALLY." She mumbled to herself.

"Huh? Ohhh I see, starving college kid that respects music artist."

She tilted her head to the side and widened her ice blue eyes behind her rectangular glasses. "How did-"

"I've been there." He smiled.

"Well, what did you decide?"

"At first I tried to stay moral and not go with the burner. But money became an issue and for a music lover like me, well, it just got easier and cheaper. I use to love metallica for taking Napster to court. Now I'm pretty sure Napster is a gift from above."

She laughed lightly at the comment. "Are you in college now?"

"Graduated from Florida State last year."

"Cool, I'm a sophomore at UCF."

"What are you studying?"

"Good question." They both laughed.

"Well, I hope you have luck in whatever you do. Now, decision time...." He looked at her hopefully.

She grabbed her hair in frustration. "NOOOOO!"

"Get it. Believe me, you'll be glad you did."

She exhaled loudly and looked at him with a pout. "All right, but if I don't like this then I'm coming back here and demanding a refund."

"Yes ma'am."

She watched as the man carried the rather heavy box for her to a cash register. He started typing up paper work, needing to see her driver's license, credit card, ect.

As Darrell worked on ringing up her purchase something, or rather someone caught her eye. It was no one she knew, but it made her smile. A couple, around her age were giggling and contemplating over cell phones. The woman pick up the phone and held it to her ear as the man walked a few phones down and picked up another phone pretending to answer it. The two were acting silly and childish for their age, but she would give anything to have that. She watched with a sigh as the man put his arms around the woman and kissed her temple, then cheek, then the girl pushed him away with a whisper that told him to stop. He laughed in return.

"Hello? Ya there?" A hand was waved in front of her face.

"Ohh sorry." She looked at Darrell. Most people would be embarrassed by getting caught staring off into space, but not her. It happened too frequently with her.

He handed her credit card back and she signed the receipt. He handed her the box, carrying the burner. "Here you are, thanks. And don't worry about all them musicians, they get enough money as it is."

-I could have told you that- "Thank you."

As she exited the doors of Best Buy she mouthed 'please don't go off, please don't go off' referring to the alarms. She always had a phobia that she would walk between the sensors and the alarm would go off. Then everyone's attention would be put on her.

It wasn't that she was afraid she would get caught stealing, that wouldn't go over well with her morals. But she didn't like a lot of attention to be placed on her. She wasn't one to be scared or embarrassed easily. But this was a big one. She was an observer instead of an entertainer.

She let out a breath as she walked towards the parking lot. She walked to her beat up pick-up truck. She hated the red color, she hated the coffee stains and lingering smoke smell from the previous owner, and she hated how the passenger door was broken and rattled while she drove.

But she loved that truck.

She opened up her passenger door and placed the box inside on the seat. She shut the door with a slam to make sure it would latch right, or the door might fly open while she was driving like it HAD done before. Walking to the driver's side she bent down to pick a penny, heads up.

Heads was good luck, tails was bad. Her father always told her, "Alex, don't ever pick up a penny on tails. It brings you bad luck."

She smiled at the memory. She missed her family. But she liked Florida a whole lot better than Alaska. And of the few things she was stubborn about, this was one of them. She wouldn't go back to live in Alaska for anything.

She never liked the place. And never had a reason not to. But, it was just one of those things. She didn't like it.

She cranked her truck and put in the tape that connected her portable CD player to her stereo. Putting the Beatles CD she had forgot to get the other day in the player.

She immediately flipped to "When I'm 64."

That one song that could depress her and make her day as bright as the sun in the same moment.

It was such a cute song, but made her wonder if she would ever have someone to sing that to.

Men, boys, males, whatever.....she didn't have the best of luck with them.

They always found her as distant, too deep, and kinda moody.

She always found them as.....imperfect.

Your daddy always tells you to never set your standards low. That it was GOOD to be picky when it came to guys.

But there is such a thing as too picky, and well, Alexandria was TOO PICKY.

She had had serious relationships with about 3 guys, but in the end realized she didn't love them or they just weren't perfect enough. She didn't date much. She rarely had time, and when she did she would rather be by herself.

She knew it. The people she had classes with knew it. Both her bosses knew it. Her family knew it.

And the only one that seemed not to know was her friend, her only friend, her 7-year-old best friend. The only person that could make her smile in the worst of her moods. The only one she thought really understood.

He yet he was the only one that didn't know she was alone. And I don't mean lonely. I mean A LONE!

He was the only one that thought Alexandria was it. The cream of the crop. He was the only one that seemed to really, and I mean REALLY TRUELY care, who she was, and what she was about.

But then again, that 7-year-old, was her best friend. Jonathan Harless was Alexandria's best friend, and probably the only one that could make her smile and make her see that her life was more than this.

Her life was more than this.

(8:00 on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, 2000)

Alexandria parked her car behind a rather nice Mercedes E-class and Chrysler van that were inside a garage. Her beat up truck looked out of place at the two story, nice brick home. Her truck looked out of place in the whole neighborhood. But she didn't care.

This was her workplace. But more importantly, THIS was her second home.

She went to the side door that was in the garage and checked to see if the door was unlocked. It was, so she just went right on in. She saw Paul at the kitchen table looking over some papers and there was a coffee mug beside him.

"Hey, Alex."

"Hi, Paul. How are things today?" She walked to the refrigerator and got her out a Snapple Orangeade.

That was one thing that she loved about that place. ALWAYS had Snapple Orangeade.

"They're all right. Lynn is in the den. I think she is on the phone with Justin still but you can go on in."

"OK. Where's Jon?"

"Play practice. He'll be back soon." With a soft smile she watched as the older man pushed his glasses further up on the bridge of his nose and went back to his paperwork.

Alexandria walked into the spacious den, smiling at Lynn who was relaxed in a chair laughing.

"Well, tell Chris I don't want him putting anything in my boy's toothpaste...I thought you said you guys were too old for practical jokes...yeah, obviously It's Chris! What am I thinkin?"

Alex smiled brightly. Lynn was always so happy whenever she talked to her son on the phone. She didn't get to see him as much as she would like with his career. But Alexandria had never seen someone more proud of their son than Lynn was.

And Jonathan.

Jonathan wanted to BE his older brother. Some days he would walk around and demand people to call him Justin, instead of Jon.

And that's why she hated Nsync so much. Whenever she was with Jon that's all she listened to. Non-stop. Alex would try to get him to change to something else. But no, never. Nsync was all you could listen to in his mind. She use to like Nsync, but you can only hear "It's Gonna Be Me" so many times before the whole "me/may" thing starts to get to you.

The Harless's were probably the people that she was thinking about when she almost got an ulcer contemplating the CD burner. She had heard Lynn talk about Napster and how her son and members of the group discouraged use of it.

But she had to admit; she had had so much fun making new CDs.

That was her problem, she worried too much about other people. She worried WAY too much.

Alexandria walked over to a small table that had pictures scattered randomly in nice frames while she took a gulp of her drink. She loved this family.

She wished she could be a part of this family. Ones with Lynn, Paul, Jon, and Justin were scattered around. She picked up one of Lynn and Paul on their wedding day. It was such a beautiful picture. But her favorite of all of them was the one they had of Jonathan and Justin.

Justin, looking like he did earlier in the year, had Jon on his back. They were both laughing and smiling beautiful smiles.

You could see the love for one another radiating through that photo.

Alex always had something in her mind that made her doubt Justin. She had never met the guy and talked to him for maybe two minutes on the phone, once. But she didn't think he was the best brother he could be.

He didn't get to see how much his brother missed him and loved him and wanted him to be there.

But she understood. Justin loved his job. A lot like she loved hers.

Still she wished the brothers got to spend more time together. The way Jon talked, they had so much fun together and he was the best creature on this earth. But that's how most younger brother's felt towards their older sibling.

She picked up a new picture that was there and smiled. It was one of her and Jon. She remembered that picture all too well.

~~~

"Hey LEXY!! Get in here, Justin is about to be on TV!!"

"I'm coming Jon, let me get our popcorn."

Alexandria walked into the living room to see Jon sitting Indian style on the floor mesmerized by the TV show.

She sat down by him and handed him a Capri Sun and set the bowl of popcorn in front of them. Without removing his eyes from the screen he picked up a handful of popcorn.

Then his smile stretched as far as the Mississippi River. "Looky, it's Justin." He pointed to the screen. Alex looked at the screen and saw Nsync on TV for the preshow of the 2000 VMA's.

"Hey mommy!" Jon screamed at the TV when he caught a glimpse of his mother.

"Look at your mom, all dressed up."

"She's beautiful, like you." Jon said struggling to get his straw in the Capri sun package.

"Oh, shut up."

"I'm serious. You are beautiful," he said in his childish voice.

"And so are you." She ruffled his hair.

"No, Grandma says I'm handsome!"

After a few moments, after Nsync had left the screen Jon spoke up. "Let's take pictures of ourselves. I'll dress up as Justin and you can dress up like Britney."

"Honey, I don't look ANYTHING like your brother's girlfriend."

"But you can wear one of those shirts that shows your bellybutton and then you will."

~~~

Alex remembered laughing at Jon's comment. The picture was of Jon with a white turtleneck on and sand colored pants from abercrombie kids. He had on purple sunglasses like Justin had worn to the VMA's. He looked like a little version of Justin. Alexandria, on the other hand, had put on a blonde wig that Jon had found in a closet, kept on her jeans, and a tank top that his mom used as a cleaning rag. They cut the shirt off to show her stomach and took photos of each other. They were posing for the camera. Alex was blowing a kiss at the camera and Jon had on a look that said, "Don't mess with me" with his arms crossed over his chest.

She had a copy sitting on her nightstand. That picture was taken after she had been baby-sitting Jon for about two weeks. They had clicked immediately.

"OK, so you are going to grandma's when?....OK, then you are coming home, right?....good...I know....Justin, are you going to be able to come see Jon in his play?...It'll mean so much to him."

Alexandria smiled at Lynn who rolled her eyes at her son over the phone and Alex giggled in response. She wondered what Lynn wanted from her. It was rare that Lynn would ask her to come over on a Sunday, especially when Jon wasn't home.

Alex walked over to the couch and sat down. She picked up a magazine on the table as she sat her drink on a coaster and looked over the cover. She held it up to Lynn with a raised eyebrow and Lynn mouthed "Jon". It was one of those magazines dedicated to Nsync that you found on the bottom shelf of the magazine aisle in the Grocery store. A teenybopper magazine.

She heard the garage door slam and heard a familiar and wonderful voice ring out in the house.

"GUESS WHAT DADDY? I got the part of Joseph in the Christmas play!!"

There was laughter and talking coming from the kitchen and before Alex knew it the sound of her name "Lexy" and pitter-patter of little feet were heard. Then a heavy object was placed in her lap. She looked at the child who had plopped down on her like she was a chair.

"Guess what?" He looked up at her brightly and said loudly. "Shh, Jon, I'm talking to Justin." His mother said.

"JUSTIN!?! I want to talk to him." Jon said with pleading eyes.

"Hold on a second, OK?"

"K." He turned his attention back to Alex. "So, Timmy broke his arm and he can't be in the play. So they asked ME to be Joseph!"

"Jon I'm so proud of you." She hugged him tightly. "I know, I don't have to be a sheep anymore!!"

They both laughed and Jon and Alex started talking about different things. Well, mostly Jon was talking.

"Yeah, Justin...you HAVE to be there now, he got the part of Joseph....yeah, he wants to talk to you...hold on...Jon, come talk to your brother." Lynn told him.

He hopped off Alex's lap and went to grab the cordless phone. "Hey...uh huh...I'm very excited that I got Joseph....YOU'RE GOING TO BE THERE!?! YESSSSS!!....When are you coming home?...Oh great...I want you to meet Lexy....my baby-sitter...well, she's more like a friend...ewww, no she's not my girlfriend....She's too old....she could be your girlfriend!!!....Well, why don't you go out with Britney and Lexy?.....What's a pimp?.....No, TELL ME!!!...JUUUUSSSTTTIINNNN....Fine then....no, I'm not mad....OK, then I'll talk to you later....Bye Bye BYEEEEEE...Yeah?....I love you too." As Jon handed the phone back to his mother Alex clutched her heart. If that wasn't the cutest thing then what was?

Jon and Alex talked while Lynn finished her conversation. When she cut off the phone, she sighed and looked at Jon. "Come here, honey. I'm so proud of you." The son and mother hugged and Jon crawled up on her lap and began playing with her curly hair.

"Why is Alex here? She never baby-sits on Sundays." Jon asked looking more enthused with her hair than his mother.

"Well, Justin gets Christmas break in a week and he said he is going to grandma's for a few days before he comes home. Well, I decided that me and Paul are going to go up there and surprise him."

His eyes lit up. "YEAH!! We get to see Justin early?"

"Sorry, buddy, me and daddy do. But you have to stay because you have school and play practice."

"But mommmmmy...I wanna see Justin, too." He pouted.

"Honey, if I could get you out of school I would, but I can't. And you have a major role in the play and are going to need to be there for practices."

"Who will I stay with?" Jon's pout continued as he laid his head on his mother's chest.

"Well, that's why Alexandria is here. I'm wondering if you wouldn't mind staying with him for 4 days. You can stay here and you know I'll pay for everything. If it's too much, I understand. I know you have school."

"It shouldn't be a problem. School for him starts at 9:30 right? And ends at 2:45?" Lynn nodded running a hand over her son's head as he yawned.

"Then that shouldn't be a problem."

"Yeah, it's just me and you, Lexy." Jon smiled brightly.

"Great. I'll call you later with details I'm still trying to work things out. I don't know why Justin wants to go by my momma's before coming home?"

"Well, if you need anything else just call. But, I need to go, I got finals coming up in a few weeks and I need to get some projects done."

"Thanks Alex. You are...you are just a life saver." Lynn smiled picking up her growing boy that was looking tired.

"Sure."

"Bye Lexy," Jon said. Lynn handed Jon over to Alexandria and she hugged the boy and kissed his cheek before setting him on the ground. "Bye Jonboy, go get some rest."

She turned and walked back through the kitchen, saying goodbye to Paul, throwing her empty Snapple bottle in the trash, and walking to her truck.

She was happy. Very happy. She would get to spend 4 days with her best friend. Just her and him. Having fun. And getting her mind off things.

(December 7, 2000)

"What are we doing for supper?" Jon asked as they stepped in the kitchen of the Harless home. Alexandria had been staying with him since the day before. Lynn and Paul had left in the afternoon.

"I don't know, you want pizza, McDonalds?" She asked as she put the keys on the hook beside the door. They had spent the afternoon at the beach. It was too cold to go swimming, but neither cared. They had fun chasing crabs and seagulls, picking shells off the shore, and cloud watching, a new hobby that she was teaching Jon to love.

"Nahhh."

She stopped in the middle of walking to the answering machine. "WHAT? Did I hear you correctly?" Jon always wanted McDonalds or Pizza.

"I was thinking, could you make that chicken spaghetti stuff you made me one time?" He smiled brightly, resting his chin on the island counter of the kitchen.

"Sure can. Let me go see if yall have all the ingredients. You go put us some GOOD music on OK?"

"OK!" He ran out the room.

Alex smiled and walked to the fridge and pantry to see if they had what she needed to make her pasta. Everything she needed was there, but the chicken. She'd have to go and get that anyway.

She heard the sounds of "Tearin' up my heart" come through the Boze system in the den. She groaned and yelled for Jon. He came in the kitchen with the remote control for the system in his hand. He pressed a button and made the volume decrease.

"Put on your jacket. We gotta go to KFC."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." Jon went and grabbed his jacket after shutting the CD player off and they went outside to get in that trusty Chevy.

----------

"I feel like chicken tonight, like chicken tonight." Alexandria sang as they entered back into the kitchen.

She was singing, holding the bag that contained the major part of their meal and he was dancing around like a...chicken.

"Go put some music back on. Some GOOD music."

"Nsync IS good music!" Jon retorted and ran to turn the CD player on.

As Jon did that, she got out everything she needed. She turned on a burner and placed a pot on top of it. She poured some olive oil in the pot and let it warm.

As Alex started to chop onions the sounds of "Bye Bye Bye" came on. Even more hated than "Tearin' up my heart." It had been at least a day since she had heard Nsync's first CD. But No Strings Attached, well, that had been the ONLY CD she had heard all day. Too bad one of the only songs she liked by them was on the other CD, "Sailing". And "Here and Now", her other song she tolerated wasn't on a CD as far as she knew.

But she couldn't help but smile when Jonathan came in the kitchen perfectly doing every dance move. She swayed her hips, trying best she could to at least have fun.

She put all the chopped onion in the pot with the oil and let the two mix and simmer. As they did that she opened two cans of Crushed Tomatoes.

Oh no, the hated song: It's gonna be MAY.

That got on her nerves so bad. She thought if you couldn't get the words to rhyme, please don't try and change the way they sound. I mean who would literally go around and say "It's gonna be may." Hello? "It's gonna be ME" Thank you.

Before she knew it her thoughts had taken her all the way through "Space Cowboy" to "Just got paid". A tolerable song. Jon had been dancing and singing the whole time. By now, the pasta sauce was cooking and she was ready to cook the noodles.

She filled a pot with water and set it on the stove. She put a bit of salt in the water and turned on the burner, setting the lid on the pot.

She looked up to sing and dance with Jon, put he was no where in sight.

"Jon?"

"Hold on." He called from the den. She heard the music stop and a minute later he came back in and pressed a button on the remote with a bright smile.

A piano came through then electronic beats. She squealed.

Dream's "He loves you not", was her favorite new song. She picked up a spoon she was going to use to stir the sauce and began singing with it.

"You can bite you cherry lips..."

Jon and her danced around each other. "Break it down Lexy!!" Jon giggled.

She gave him the spoon as he sang and she danced. The girl had moves. She DID work in a club.

"You are better than my brother." Jon yelled over the blaring music. It was loud. But neither cared. This was what they usually did. Danced and sang to loud music.

"He's never going to make it with you." She pointed to Jon and walked over to him. She grabbed his hands and they began dancing together. Bouncing around the island, grooving around each other. Gosh, she never felt more free in her entire life.

Until the music stopped abruptly. The song wasn't over. She heard the whistle of the boiling water and a female giggle. Then an amused male voice asked, "What's going on guys?"

Then she heard an excited boyish scream. "JUSTIN!!!!"

She turned around quickly and smiled at the site before her. Justin had his brother in his arms swinging him around and laughing. "Jon, you are HEAVY! What have you been eating?" Justin asked.

"Lexy's cooking."

Alex rolled her eyes and took the top off the pot and put noodles into the boiling water. "Oh, pulease. I cook only 1 thing and it's heathly."

"It's good too. Hey Britney." Jon said. Alexandria hadn't even noticed her.

"I'm sorry I'm not introducing myself, I don't want this to burn. Be with you guys in a second." Alex said with a chuckle and turned back to the sauce. She took a spoon and took a bit of the sauce in it. She blew on it several times before tasting it.

"Mm, girl, you did it again." She smiled at herself. She COULD cook marinaria sauce.

She turned to the two new people in the house. "You guys hungry? I got enough for everyone."

"What is it?" Britney asked as Justin started tickling Jon.

"Pasta with my marinaria sauce and Kentucky fried Chicken. It's really good."

"Sure, make us some." Justin said as Jon tackled him on the kitchen floor.

Alex put more noodles in the boiling water and set the timer for 7 minutes.

"OK." She sighed and wiped her hands on a dishcloth. She walked over to Britney. "I'm Alexandria, the baby-sitter." She and Britney shook hands.

"Hi."

"Hello, Justin. Nice to finally meet you." Alex said raising an eyebrow at him. He was still on the floor. Jon hopped off him and looked at Britney then Justin strangely.

"What are you doing here? You are supposed to be at Granny's."

"Surprise. That was just a trick so I could surprise you all." Justin smiled at Jon charmingly.

"Oh nooooo." Alex groaned and then laughed.

"What?" Justin asked standing up off the floor.

"Your mom and step dad went to your grandmother's in Memphis to surprise YOU! They are up there right now. Oh, my gosh, I bet she left a message saying you weren't there either." Alex groaned and walked over to the blinking light on the answering machine.

"Hey, Alexandria. Umm, this is Lynn. Justin pulled a trick on us and isn't here. He never made plans to visit my moms. So, we don't know where he is. But, I have a feeling he is in Orlando trying to surprise us. If you hear anything give me a call. Well, just give me a call anyway. The number is on the fridge. Thanks girl. And Jon, I love you. Bye you two."

Justin looked at Jon and made a goofy face. "My planned backfired."

"That's OK. You got me!" Jon hugged his legs tightly.

Alex smiled at the two and then moved her gaze over to Britney. She didn't look like you she did on TV. She was still beautiful. But much more plain without tons of makeup and T-shirt and jeans.

"I'm going to set the table. Why don't one of you call Lynn. What does everyone want to drink?"

"Brit you want a diet coke?"

"Of course J." She smiled at him.

"OK, two diet cokes. Jon?" Justin asked his brother.

"She knows what I want." Jon smiled and pulled his brother into the living room to show him something. Justin grabbed the cordless phone on the way. Britney followed them.

And there she was. All Alone again.

-God Lex, you are obsessed with the idea of being alone for the rest of your life. LET IT GO!-

She walked back over to the stove as the timer went off and tested a noodle. IT wasn't quite done yet. She remembered the fried chicken and warmed it in the microwave.

She got all the food ready and called out through the house. "Food's ready."

Britney came in first and giggled as Justin ran to the table racing Jon. Jon lost and pouted. But Alex came over and set his Capri sun in front of him. "It's OK Jon. I still love you." She kissed his head and went to the stove to make her own plate of food.

"I called mom. She and Paul thought it was funny. She'll be back in a couple of days." Alex nodded in response to Justin. She grabbed a Snapple from the fridge and went towards the sunroom that was connected to the den.

"Lexy, where are you going?" Jon called after her.

"Jon, spend time with Justin and Britney OK? You see me ALL the time."

"Yeah, but....but you are my best friend." Alex watched as Justin stopped midbite and turned his eyes to her then Jon. Alex new she couldn't interfere. Justin had every right to think he was Jon's best friend. She could see the look of pain on his face.

"You know how I get sometimes?" She moved her eyes back to Jonathan.

"Yeah, when you like to be alone."

"Well, I feel that way now." She smiled softly. She hated lying to the kid. She didn't want to be alone. But thought it was necessary.

She turned around and silently walked to the sunroom and set her food on the coffee table, sighing loudly.

-God I want that. I want a boyfriend. I want a little brother. I want someone I can talk to. - She thought as she heard the 3 people's laughter from the sunroom. Suddenly, she wasn't that hungry.

She sat in the bay window of her apartment. Looking out over the trees and stream that was the view. She resituated her position on the comfortable pillows and brought out a book that she had started reading.

As much as she tried she couldn't get into the book. She just couldn't concentrate.

She kept thinking about the night before. How right after she had finished her dinner she had told Jon goodbye after Justin explained how she wasn't "needed" anymore. He didn't mean it coldly, but it came to her that way.

Damned brain.

She always read into things. She wasn't "needed" anymore. It was a Friday.

She had nothing to do. Classes were over for the week and normally she would go to the Harless' and spend the afternoon watching Jon. By 6 she was out the door and gone to her other work place.

Tidal Wave.

Work. Always kept her mind off things. So she decided to call her boss and tell her she WOULD be working that evening. She had called and gotten off for the weekend because of Jon, but now she wasn't "needed."

"Hey, Uncle B."

"Hey Lexus, what's up."

"Not much, you need a bartender tonight?"

"We can ALWAYS use an extra. I thought you had that other gig."

"Change of plans."

"Aiight, cool, yo. It's army night, so wear your camouflage."

"Sure thang. See ya at 7:30."

Her 3rd Uncle or so, she really didn't know, owned the club and had gotten her the job. He was kinda hippish and thuggish and valley guy. Each night they had a theme at the club. Some times it was cowboys and Indians, tonight was army night, there had been ghetto night, cross-dress night, swimsuit night, Hawaiian night, everything.

But no matter what, the bartenders dressed up.

She wasn't a drinker, but she had to give it to that place. They sure knew how to liquor people up. She wasn't a big clubby type of person, but if she were she would love to go there. When you walk in the door of Tidal Wave people are automatically on you. Practically the whole place is a huge dance floor with a long bar at the end. On the sides of the floor 2 feet above, are booths. When you walk in, if you look up you see a balcony, and that's where the DJ parks himself.

Bartenders weren't supposed to drink while on the job, but each of them had a ritual.

LOTS OF SUGAR.

All of them went to work with a sugar high. It was fun, got annoying, but she had to admit some of her funniest moments happened at that work place.

Alexandria looked at the clock, 6:30. She needed to get ready. So, reluctantly she rolled away from her bay window and headed to her bathroom.

-------

"Gimmie the mic." Alex grabbed the microphone at the DJ's station from her co-bartender Michael.

"No, I'm telling the 'Stronger' rules."

"No, I am."

He pouted. "Please."

"You did it last time."

She was right, so he narrowed his eyes at her. "Screw you." He kissed her cheek and went down the spiral staircase to the dance floor.

"Ready?" She asked the DJ. He nodded and scratched the record they were playing to a halt and put on another one.

"HUSH JUST STOP!" Alex screamed in the microphone. The room came to a halt and then erupted into cheers. Tidal Wave had a lot of regulars. And 'Stronger' was the one of the most requested yet simplest games.

"All right, kids. It's time for...."

"STRONGER" The place screamed.

"OK, for those who don't know what this game is. It's simple and FUN! As we play Britney Spears' wonderful song "Stronger" We want everyone to dance and sing as best they can. Each bartender will come in the crowd and pick special contestant to play this game, if you get picked you have to come and dance with the bartender that chose you on one of the booths. Then you will go to the bar and we will see how STRONG you really are." The crowd cheered with ohhhs and ahhhs. "OK, folks, keep in mind if you aren't a drinker or know you ARENT strong, then just say NO!"

Stronger came on and Alex skidded down the steps and started gyrating in the crowd. She spotted Terry in her camos and smiled at her, she was a new bartender and was still getting use to the games and looked a bit nervous. "PICK A HOT GUY!" Alex yelled to her. She gave her an OK sign.

Alexandria spotted a tall brown haired guy dancing great, she asked him if he was strong enough and he laughed and followed her to a booth.

Several other bartenders were already on the tables dancing with their partners. Alex jumped up on the booth and then stepped on the table, followed by the guy. She didn't bother looking at the people in the booth. "What's your name?"

"Noah."

"I'm Alexandria. Let's boogie, baby." Alex smiled and began dancing with the cute guy. She felt like two pairs of eyes were on her, but she ignored it.

This went against her attention phobia. She was actually, feeling her palms sweat as the crowd looked at her and Noah dance though the smile on her face said otherwise.

Soon the song faded into a techno beat. She stepped off the table, being helped by Noah. "Go on over to the bar, Kit-kat will hook you up with the strongest thing he got." Alex winked at him as he kissed her knuckles and walked towards the bar.

She sighed and nodded towards Jacob, one of the head bartenders. He gave her their symbol that meant, "you have a 10 minute break" She mouthed a thank you and grabbed the red bandanna over her black hair and took it off, heading towards the door to get some fresh air. She hated the smell of sweat, smoke, and alcohol mixed together. Before she had even made a step someone called out to her. The music was pumping and she strained to hear. She looked out at the dance floor. No one seemed to even look at her. The voice called out again, a little louder from behind and she turned to look at the table she had been dancing on.

"Uhh, hey guys? How's it going?" She smiled at the famous couple at the booth; a little startled they were there in the first place.

"You work here?" Justin asked almost as if it hurt.

"Oh, yeah. Friday and Saturday nights." She shrugged and waved to someone she had seen several times there.

"Does mom know about this?" He asked with a connected brow.

"Yup. Why? Do you not approve?" She said rolling her eyes. Damn him for cutting into her break.

"No, its cool I guess. Have a seat. That is if you can." Justin told her.

She sighed and plopped down across from him and Britney. "God, this job looks fun but spending all night on your feet with pounding music and drunken slobs all over you isn't all that great." She pulled her v-neck camo shirt down a bit and Justin looked at Britney surprised.

They both watched in amazement as Alex brought out a wad, a HUGE wad of money out from her bra. She set it on the table and brought her wallet out, connected by a chain.

She had to be careful when she was at the club. There were so many people and it was so loud, she would have no clue if someone stole from her. It had happened before and each employee was asked to use one.

She counted the money and smiled softly, "But the tips are GREAT."

She placed the money in her wallet and looked up at the couple. "Can I get you two something? On the house?"

"That's OK, we are kinda underage anyway."

"So am I, but who's telling. Beside, we got two big rockstars in our humble club, this is big doings." Justin shook his head looked at Britney who had her head on his shoulder.

Alexandria wondered what they were doing there. They both looked tired and they obviously weren't dancing. And wait a minute....

"Where's Jon?"

Britney yawned. "He's spending the night with a friend."

"Ohhhh OK."

Michael came up to her. "Hey, Lexus, they are asking for you at the bar."

"Why, I'm on break?"

"But you are the only one that gives out orgasms the correct way."

She sighed loudly. "Oh, tell everyone I'll be there in a sec."

"More like sex." Michael nudged her; not even caring that two famous people are sitting with her.

"Shut up, perv." She shoved him back.

"I'm not the one that says, "Orgasms are my specialty"." He mocked her playfully.

"It's a drink honey, a BEV-ER-AGE!" By now he was gone. She looked back at Justin and Britney. Britney was giggling and Justin's eyes were huge.

"If you excuse me, I have to go give out orgasms." She stood up. "Later guys, and if you need anything come get me."

When she left Britney turned to Justin. "She's strange."

"I know, I can't figure her out. I think she has multiple personalities."

"Well, we've only known her for what 2 days and only spoke to her a little at that."

"Let's not talk about her it gives me a headache, let's dance." He looked at her pleadingly and she pushed herself off him and stood up to go to the dance floor.

The shrill of the phone woke Alex up. Her head emerged from the covers. Hair everywhere eyes squinted. She could have sworn she took the ringer off the phone.

She looked at the clock as the phone rang again. 1:25am? Who on earth would be calling her at THIS time?

"HELLO?" She said groggily.

A scared child's voice came over the line in a sob. "Lexy?"

"Jon, what's wrong honey?"

"I had the dream again."

Alex sighed. Jon had been having terrible nightmares the past month. But he would never tell her what was happening in them. "Well, did you tell Justin?"

"No, he is asleep. I don't want to wake him."

"Have you tried going back to sleep?"

"Yeah, and I'm just too scared. It's going to get me too."

"What's going to get you Jon?"

"The monster." He whispered.

"Jon, I'm pretty sure Justin won't be mad if you wake him up. Are you at home or his house?"

"His house."

"Just go wake him up, he is your big brother, he shouldn't mind."

"But Britney's here. And he told me not to bother them."

She realized what was happening. "Oh, I see."

"Well why don't you get in bed and I will sing to you."

"It's not the same. I want you here. I miss you."

Alex sighed. "Jon, it's only been 3 days since I've seen you."

"Yeah, but Justin and Britney never want to do anything with me. They just tell me to watch TV as they have grown-up fun."

"Well...." She started.

"Jon, what are you doing on the phone." She heard in the background a sleepy male voice. All she could hear was Jon start to cry on the over end.

Angrily Justin's voice came in the phone. "Who is this? And why are you talking to my brother at 1:30? What did you say to him?"

"Justin, calm down. It's me, Alexandria. He had a nightmare and called me."

"Oh. Hold on..." She heard two people mumbling in the background calmly. "I'm sorry Alexandria. He should know better than to call someone over a stupid nightmare."

"Oh it's fine really. And it's not that stupid. He's been having the same one for about a month now and he won't tell me or anyone else what it's about."

"What? A MONTH?" Justin couldn't believe he didn't know.

"Yeah, he just says he doesn't want the monster to get him too. I don't know what it means. But, it hasn't been too much of a big deal. This is the most upset I've heard him."

"Wow, I had no idea." He started talking with Jon again and returned to the phone. "Listen I know it's late, but Jon is crying awfully and I cant seem to help. Would you mind coming over here? I understand if not. But you seem to know more about this than me." He said the last line a little reluctantly.

"Sure. I know how to get there. I'll be over there in less than 10 minutes."

She hung up the phone and scrambled out of bed. Slipping on her glasses, throwing on a T-shirt and sweatpants and flip-flops and pulling her hair back in a ponytail. She grabbed her keys and headed out to the truck.

------

She got to Justin's house. She had been there once before with Lynn and Jon to pick up laundry or something, she didn't really remember. She couldn't fathom being 19 years old and having this. His house was just as big as Lynn's and Paul's and he had a Mercedes and BMW as well.

Now her truck felt REALLY out of place.

She got out of the truck, shivering because of the cool night air. She walked up the brick path to the front door and it opened before she even was at it.

A young boy ran out and jumped into her arms. She hugged him and picked him up and sat down on the front steps with him in her lap. Justin was at the doorway but she didn't acknowledge him.

"It was so scary Lexy." Jon sniffed.

"I know Jon, I know. But why don't we go inside where its warm." He nodded and she stood up, hoisting him higher up around her torso. As she past Justin, holding the door he sighed. "Thanks for coming so late."

"Don't worry about it." She smiled. She wondered how many people had the privilege of saying they saw Justin Timberlake in his boxers, socks, and an undershirt. She shook the thought out of her head and let Justin led them to the guest bedroom where Jon was sleeping.

Alex walked to the bed and dropped Jon on the bed. He giggled and snuggled under the covers.

"The monster can't get me now."

"Oh really? You drag me all the way out here to tell me that?" She mocked being mad.

"No, YOU are here. The monster can't get you." Alex squatted down next to the bed, resting on her knees and resting her chin on the mattress.

"What makes me invincible to the monster."

"What's invincible?" He asked curiously.

"It's like, when something can't harm you. Immune."

"I think I understand. OK, well, see you are Alex, nothing can hurt you."

"And why is that?"

"Because you are my hero." He whispered. Alexandria looked at the small child. He was so wonderful.

Someone cleared their throat and walked further in the room. "Are you going to be OK Jon?" Justin said sounding hurt.

"Yeah, Lexy's here."

"Honey, I can't stay." She smiled at him.

"WHY NOT?" He almost screamed.

"Shhh, Brit's sleeping." Justin shushed him.

"I don't care! You and Britney are always sleeping. You never play with me. I thought you coming back would be fun. You said we would go to the zoo. But we haven't. I want you to go back on the bus!" Jon screamed.

Alex closed her eyes. Now if this wasn't awkward what was?

"Jon, I'm sorry." He whispered.

"You are always sorry." He pouted, as a tear ran down his chubby cheek.

"Hey, what's with all the screaming?" Alex turned towards the doorway and almost died.

Seeing Britney Spears in an oversized T-shirt, hair ALL messed up and bags under her eyes, was probably the highlight of her life.

It was good to know celebrities have a bit of normality in their life.

"Jon, had a nightmare, and Alex here seems to be the only one that can help." He said bitterly.

"Oh, well, I'm going back to bed." Britney turned on her heels and left the room.

Alex was amazed. Neither one of the two stars had been mean or ugly to her, but neither had made an effort to be nice. They just kinda ignored her.

It really pissed her off.

"Jon, I don't know..." The little boy put his hands over his ears. "..Fine, be stubborn. See if I care." Justin stated then Jon crossed his arms over his chest.

Neither moved. Both were pretty stubborn if you asked Alexandria.

"OK, here is the deal. Since both of you are acting like children..."

"Hey!" Justin looked at her accusatoringly.

"Justin you aren't being a big help here, and Jon you know that you are being stubborn and could make this a lot easier on everyone. Now, I didn't drive all the way out here in the middle of the night on the 1st night I've had off in about 2 months just to watch BOTH of you fight. Jon, you get under the covers, I'm going to sing you to sleep. Justin, why don't you go back to Britney. But promise Jon you will do something with him tomorrow. You might think he is being childish. But that's what he is: a child. And he has been waiting and WAITING for you to get home and I really take it personally when you ignore him, like Jon says you have. YOU are not the one that has to listen to Nsync 24/7 because that's all Jon wants to listen to. YOU are not the one that has to hear that Justin did this and Justin did that. YOU are not the one that has all of Nsync's dance steps and songs EMBEDDED in your brain but NOT BY CHOICE. YOU are his role model and his probably favorite person. Don't let him down. I'm going to go get you some water." She looked at Jon and then left the room to go try and find a bathroom with a glass.

When she was gone, Justin turned to Jon a little shocked by what he had just heard. No one had ever come down on him that hard before, besides his mother. He sat down on the bed. "I'm sorry buddy. Gosh, I so sorry."

Jon sniffed and began to cry again. "I miss my brother."

Justin slipped into the covers and pulled Jon against his chest. "You want me to stay in here tonight?"

"No, you have Britney."

"I'd rather be with you though."

"Really?" He looked up at his brother like he was a million dollars.

"Of course Jon, you are my brother."

Jon rested he head back on Justin chest. "I love you big J."

Justin sighed and kissed the boy's head. "And I love you little J. I'm so sorry about all this."

"It's OK."

"No, its not. It hurts to know that I'm not your best friend anymore."

"You are still my best friend."

"No, Alexandria is."

"Yeah, but cant you have 2 best friends?"

Justin thought for a moment. "I suppose."

"Do you like Lexy?"

"She's all right."

"No, she's awesome. You need to go with us to the beach. You would have fun."

"What do yall do?"

"Chase seagulls and pick shells."

"What's so special about that?"

"I don't know? She just makes it fun, and then we do this thing she calls cloud watching."

"What's that?"

"We lay on this blanket and look at the clouds. She tells me the real names and stuff like that, and I make up names. It's fun." He snuggled deeper into his brother's chest. "I feel sorry for her though."

"Why?" Justin asked curious.

"Well, I've overheard mom and dad calling her that poor girl. She's not poor. She's not rich. But I don't know. She doesn't have any family around. I think that's what mom is talking about. And I've never seen her hang out with anyone besides me. But she seems fine to me."

"Yeah, well, sometimes people are lonely. Hey I got an idea. Maybe one day all three of us can go to the beach or the zoo." Justin looked at Jon hopefully.

"I'd like that." Jon smiled.

"Me too." Alex came in and sat the water on the nightstand. She grinned at the brothers.

"Thanks for coming, sorry about...everything." Justin cringed slightly.

"Don't worry about it. You going to be OK, Jon?"

He just nodded, already being taking into dreamland. She bent over across Justin's chest and kissed the boy's head. "I love you Jon." Justin took in a deep breath when he caught the smell of her shampoo.

She stood up and sighed. "Bye Justin. I'll lock everything back up."

"OK, hey, thanks. And I really am sorry."

"I said don't worry about it." She grinned and pulled the door shut.

Justin looked down at his brother and whispered. "You're right Jon. She's amazing. You're right."

It was 2 o'clock on Sunday.

She was mad at herself for skipping, actually sleeping through, church. She ALWAYS went to church.

But after she got back from Justin's the night before she couldn't go to sleep. Jon's tear-stained face, Justin's hurt expression, and then them holding each other. It made her mind at ease to see the two brothers' love each other so openly.

It reminded her of her brothers.

She had a younger brother, Scott and an older brother, Andrew. Well, she had HAD an older brother. Andrew had died when she was 10 of cancer. He had been 16 at the time. He had been her everything.

She started thinking of her younger brother, he was 16 now. The last time she talked to Scott he was being called the "lady-killer". She was sure he was, with his jet-black hair and big beautiful ice blue eyes. Just like Alex.

But anyways, because of all these thoughts, Alexandria was unable to sleep. She had been up for about an hour fiddling around her apartment. It was in desperate need of a good cleaning job.

She sat on her bay window and looked at her apartment. All of a sudden it got really large when she saw how much she really needed to clean. In front of door was where the small kitchenette was. There was a bar that separated the rest of the apartment. Then a dining area. The couch separated the eating area from the den. The couch faced the bay window. An entertainment enter was in the corner of the room, beside the window. A love seat was against the right wall, if you were facing the window.

On the wall opposite of the loveseat was a mini, REALLY mini, hallway. On one side the door opened to her actually spacious and big bedroom where her desk and computer was. On the other side was a door to the bathroom and shower.

She sighed and went to the small hall closet near the front door. She brought out the vacuum, endust, Windex, 409 and whatever else she would need. She pulled out a new pack of paper towels and sat everything on the counter. She picked up the endust bottle and shook her head. What was she thinking? She shouldn't do this without music.

Sauntering over to the entertainment center, Alex contemplating what good cleaning music would be. Peppy music. She searched her CD collection and came upon her CD she had made the other day on her burner. She turned to the number she was craving to hear. David Grey's "Babylon". Turning the volume dial up loudly she lightly danced around her apartment, spinning and twisting, smiling.

Smiling. Something she needed to do more of.

"Go with your heart, Go with your head...." She sang quietly.

She had put all her dirty dishes in the washing machine and started to wash them. She had cleaned off the counter and re-organized some papers scattered around the bar. She was just finishing up mopping the tile floor when the doorbell rang. Janet Jackson's "If" was blaring through the speakers and she didn't even bother turning it down, or changing from her sweats and sports bra.

She looked through the peephole and not expecting whom was standing there. She unlocked the door and swung the door open.

"Hey guys!" She greeted with a warm smile.

Jon ran into her apartment and went to go talk to her pet Amazon Gray, Chester that was caged beside the kitchen table.

Alex smiled at him.

"Ummm, I hope you don't mind us coming over. Jon wanted to see you and I, umm, wanted to, uhh thank you for last night." Justin stuttered scratching the back of his head.

She waved her hand for him to come in. "Come on in."

She swiveled her hips to the tune as she went to turn down the stereo. "Sorry about how filthy this place is, I'm in the process of cleaning." She picked up a wifebeater lying in a pile of clean laundry and pulled it nonchalantly over her head.

"Hey, Lexy can I get Chester out?" Jon asked her hopefully.

"Yeah, sure." She said taking some laundry into her room. She returned and walked up to Justin who was giving her apartment the look over.

"Nice."

"Well, its filthy right now."

"No, I like it. It's cozy, unique. I like the ceiling." Alex looked up to where Justin was staring. Her ceiling was painted to look like the sky. Over her bedroom and bathroom area it was a night sky. Around her kitchen were storm clouds, in her dining room and part of the den was cloudy and around the bay window was a clear sky. They all faded together to look like one big sky.

"Yeah, I have a thing for weather."

"It's really good. Are you an artist?"

"Who me? Nuh uh." She eyed Jon who had the rather large bird perched on his shoulder. "My mom did it when I moved in here."

"Oh, that's cool. Do they live in Orlando?"

"Alaska."

"Wow."

"Yeah." An awkward silence fell over them. They watched as Jon tried to get the bird to talk.

"Umm, you want something to drink?"

"Nah, I'm fine." He responded politely.

"Jon, you want something?"

"No thank you, we just got back from McDonalds."

"At 2?"

"We kinda slept in." Justin said sheepishly

"Oh I understand. Umm, where's Britney?"

"She had to catch a flight back to Louisiana around lunch time. Going to go spend time with her family." A hint of his southern accent hit her ears and made her at ease.

"Oh, that's cool. Well, umm, have a seat, make yourselves at home. If you don't mind me, I'm going to finish cleaning up a bit."

"That's OK, we were about to leave. Weren't we Jon?"

"Can we stay?" He asked hopefully, still intrigued by the bird.

"I thought you wanted to go over and see Joey."

"Let's stay and help Lexy clean up."

"You want to clean?" Alexandria and Justin said at the same time.

They looked at each other and Alex laughed loudly. She didn't notice Justin slightly blush.

"If you want to clean, by all means go at it. Do YOU want to clean?" She looked at Justin.

He shrugged. "I guess I can help out."

"OK, Jon you take the Windex and work on the windows. You want to vacuum?"

Justin sighed. "I think I can manage that."

"I'm sorry, you don't have to do this."

He shook his head. "No, I want to. As a thank you for last night, and dinner and well, for being so good with my brother."

That was one of the best compliments anyone could ever give her. "All right. Then troops, get to work."

Jon saluted her and Justin followed suit, she smiled and shook her head as the marched off to do their jobs.

-Don't miss judge people. You thought he was a prick and now here he is cleaning your house. -

"Hey Alex? Lexy? Alexandria!" She snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Justin who was staring at her waving a hand in front of her face.

"Oh, sorry. Bad habit."

"I was wondering, WE were wondering what you were doing this afternoon?"

"Cleaning."

"Besides that."

She thought but already knew the answer. "Nothing."

"Why don't you come with us. Mom and Paul get back tonight late and we were going to go over to one of my friend's house. What do ya say?"

"Nah, I got finals next week and I need to study." Excuses Excuses. She really could go out and do things with them. But she would feel like a 3rd wheel. She needed to be safe, in her shell.

"Come on Lexy, please." Jon came up to her pleading.

"Jon, I cant."

"Why not?"

She searched for a good excuse. "I-I- I have to study, OK?"

"OK, but, are you baby-sitting me next week?"

"I guess, I don't know." She really had no clue with Justin being home.

Justin ruffled his hair. "Buddy, I think I'm going to be with you next week."

Jon turned to Alex almost crying. "Oh, so when will I see you again?"

"Probably at the play."

"But that's a week away."

"Jon, it'll be all right."

He whispered. "What if I have a nightmare?"

"Then I'll be there, OK?" The child looked up at his older brother and sighed.

"I guess." Jon sniffed and looked over at the birdcage. Chester was outside on his playperch bobbing his head up and down. Jon laughed lightly.

Then the bird did something unexpected.

It flew. Right over to Justin.

The bird captured itself on Justin's chest and fluttered its wings. Justin looked scared and then sighed in relief as the bird calmly climbed to his shoulder.

"Well...." Justin sighed in relief.

"Hehe, Chester likes you." Jon giggled.

"Yeah, he likes tall perches. But let's put him up." Alexandria went up to Justin shoulder and smiled at the bird. She put her wrist up to him and he wouldn't get on. "Come on Chester."

The bird wouldn't budge. She gave it a funny look and sighed and looked at Justin.

Her funny look faded away when his dark eyes looked into her icy ones. They stared at each other, not knowing why.

He noticed that behind her glasses her ice blue eyes had a fire in them, a passion. Something that he knew was rare.

He smiled slightly, and she stood there still baffled at Justin Timberlake staring her in the eyes.

Chester broke her stare. He climbed down Justin's arm and hopped onto her shoulder. She looked at the bird and he pecked at her glasses. She finally smiled and walked back over to the birdcage.

As if nothing happened. Justin turned the vacuum on and vacuumed her carpet. Jon was busy cleaning her windows.

She shook her head and picked up paper towels and the endust can.

For the first time, in a LONG time she couldn't describe, read into, or think about what had just happened.

Her mind was....

Blank.

"And I guess that's why they call it the blues. Time on my hands..." Alex quietly sang along to the stereo as she ran a paper towel with 409 soaked into it, over her sink.

"....Living like lovers, rolling like thunder, under the covers." A perfect male voice sang out behind her. She turned around and saw Justin leaning against the frame of the doorway to the bathroom. He smiled and came in.

"What else do you need to be done?"

"Umm, You and Jon could take the sheets off my bed and put new ones on. That sounds bad." She giggled.

"Nah, its all good. Where are your clean sheets?"

"Right here." She opened a closet that was in her bathroom and exposed tons of sheets and towels. She picked out the print that went with her comforter and handed the sheets and pillowcases to him.

"Thank you." He grinned

She smiled continuing her scrubbing of the sink. "No, Thank you."

He waved a hand in front of his face and blinked. "Whew, those are some strong fumes, girl."

She nodded coughed slightly. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Justin led Jon in to bedroom. The end of the bed was all she could see. She watched as pillows were thrown on the floor and then the comforter.

She had been so wrong about Mr. Popstar. She should have known better. Someone with a family like Lynn, Paul, and Jon, just couldn't be like she had presumed him to be. Egotistical, stuck-up, self-centered, bitter, and uncaring.

Instead he was the exact opposite.

She smiled. It had been a long LONG time since she had hung out with someone her own age and it was very refreshing to not have to be constantly remembering that you had a 7 year old with you and couldn't say or do certain things. Of course that 7-year-old was still there, but she was still happy another 19 year old was there too.

So what if they had been cleaning all afternoon? She bet not many people got to see Justin Timberlake lipsing and karoke to Madonna, Billy Joel, and Britney Spears using a broom as his microphone. She about died from laughing when her mixed CD played "Lucky." Justin had gotten so "into" the song that her and Jon thought they were going to have to restrain him.

"Hey Alex, where did you get this CD, it's really good." Justin called from her bedroom.

Her eyes went wide and she chewed her bottom lip nervously. She looked into her bedroom where him and Jon where letting a sheet slowly descend on her bed. He looked up at her as he tucked in the sheets at the end of the bed.

"I uhh, umm, made it."

"Uh ohhh, we got ourselves a little music pirate here huh?" Justin stood up and put his hands on his hips. Jon scrambled into view and went over to her computer, plopping down in her chair. He pointed to the box that was her CD burner and spoke. "Yeah, she got a CD maker Justin."

Justin looked at her and walked over to her computer. He moved the mouse to take off the screen saver, and wasn't surprised when he saw napster already up and running. "Uh huh." He said shortly.

"I'm sorry." She bowed her head and looked at the floor in shame. She was going to have to go to best buy and tell Darrell she wanted a refund now. She felt bad.

He chuckled. "Don't be. I understand."

"But you are against it."

"Yeah, but there ain't anything I can do about it. As long as you aren't selling CDs for profit I cant do anything."

She slumped her shoulders. "But now I feel bad."

"Don't worry, I'm not mad." Justin smiled at her, looking at her deep icy eyes as she removed her glasses and cleaned them with the bottom of her tank top. Her fit stomach was exposed and Justin stared at it like it was artwork. She looked up and he quickly turned his head back to Jon so she wouldn't notice he was staring at her body. Jon was trying to put a pillowcase on a pillow. But he wasn't being very successful. Justin walked over and helped him.

Alexandria walked into the room and walked over to her computer. She smiled happily and breathed a "yes."

"What?" Jon came up beside her.

"You'll see." She got up and walked into her den. Justin looked down at Jon. "I like her."

"I told you so." Jon responded matter-of factly. Justin brought the 3rd pillow into his arms and sighed. "How many pillows does one person need?"

"I don't know, mmmm, I like the way they smell." Jon said sniffing the 4th pillow and only one that wasn't covered with a pillowcase. Justin plucked it from his grasp and smelled it, closing his eyes in the process.

It smelled....unlike anything he had ever smelled before. Sweet. Intoxicating. Wonderful. The scent filled every part of his body. He couldn't describe it. He knew he would never forget that smell.

He heard the music cease coming from the living room and Alex reappeared she walked over to her computer and sat down. "I've been meaning to download this song for ages. I love it!"

She clicked play with her mouse and turned up the speakers on her computer and smiled as "Can't fight the moonlight" by LeAnn Rimes filled the room.

"Under a lover's sky I'm gonna be with you.." She sang as she got up. She walked into her living room again still singing the song.

Jon tugged on Justin's pants leg. "Justin, JUSTIN!"

"What Jon?" He turned to look down at the little boy.

"You were staring at her."

"I was not. Let's finished making the bed. OK?"

"OK." Jon giggled as they silently made the bed. Listening to the song. Justin could hear her voice from the kitchen. "You can try to resist Try to hide from my kiss But you know, but you know That you, can't fight the moonlight Deep in the dark you'll surrender your heart..."

Justin sighed and looked down over at Jon who was singing also. He smiled. He had missed his brother so much. They had perfectly made the bed and went into the living room.

"We're done!" Jon yelled.

"We're done." Chester mocked him.

Justin walked over to the cage. "So, he talks."

"Yeah, sometimes." Alex pushed herself up on the counter eating an apple. "Well, guys. Good job. You shouldn't have helped me, but I thank you none the less."

"Oh, we had fun, didn't we little J?" Justin came around the bar and leaned against the counter across from her, beside Jon.

"Yeah, whenever you are with Lexy, you have fun." He smiled at Justin then at Alex. She rolled her eyes and took a big bite out of the apple.

"Well, Jon, we need to go. Joey is going to be waiting for us."

"You sure you don't want to go, Lexy?" Jon looked at her hopefully.

"Nah, you boys go on and have fun."

"Come on, come with us." Justin spoke sincerely and softly. She gulped the bit of apple in her mouth and forced herself to shake her head. "I really need to study."

"Well, all right. But, next week I'll give you a call and we can all go to the beach. Jon says it's a lot of fun, with you." He added the last part shyly.

"OK. Sure." She whispered. She hopped off the counter as they slowly walked to the door. Justin opened it and they both walked outside. She stayed in holding the door open.

"Thanks guys."

"Sure." Jon smiled brightly.

"Thank you, for being such a wonderful person, with Jon." He grinned.

"Oh OK." She didn't really know what to say.

Jon came up to her and hugged her waist, she hugged him back and bent down to kiss his forehead. "Bye guys."

"What? I don't get a hug and kiss too?" Justin pouted.

She looked at him like he was crazy. "You can't be serious."

He gave a half smile and stepped closer to her. "But I am." He engulfed her in a hug and her eyes went huge. What was he doing? Justin Timberlake? Heartthrob? Nsyncer? Boyfriend of Britney Spears? Hello? What was he doing hugging little ol Alexandria Smith?

He pulled away and lowered his head. "Come on, I want a kiss too." He said impatiently.

She couldn't BELIEVE she was going to do this. But she did. Her lips went forward and kissed his smooth forehead. What was SHE doing? She could smell his cologne. Intoxicating. She stepped away from him and he stood up straight.

"Bye Lexia." He whispered huskily.

Lexia, that was a new one. She had many nicknames derived from her name. Alex, Lexy, Lex, Lexus, she'd even been called Andrea before but never, never in her life had she been called Lexia.

She looked at him and managed a small, scared smile. She looked at Jon who was covering his eyes as if they had REALLY been kissing, and giggling.

"Bye." She squeaked. Justin pulled the door shut, winking at her.

The door clicked and she gasped for air. WHAT WAS THAT ALL ABOUT!?!

She gulped and licked her lips. For the 2nd time that day her mind was blank. Justin had made her mind blank. She rushed to the CD player and popped in a different CD and pumped up the volume.

She flopped back over the loveseat. Her leg draped over an armrest and her head against the other.

She stared at her cloud covered ceiling as Cranberries "Dream" calmed her racing nerves and harmones.

That boy was trouble. That boy was trying to make her fall. There was no other reason for his actions.

That boy, that man, that person, was getting to her. Guys didn't get to her. She had giving up on them and had put up a lock around her heart that was impossible for anyone to open.

But Justin.

Nuh uh. This couldn't be happening. He COULDNT be unlocking her. He just couldn't.

It was impossible. She wouldn't LET him get to her.

Yet she couldn't get the smell of his cologne and shape of his mouth when he gave her a half-smile out of her mind. Or the way his dark blue eyes turned darker when he looked at her.

She stood up quickly and scanned the room. Perfectly clean.

"This cannot be happening to me." She whispered allowed.

Her light blue eyes scanned the papers once more. She sighed and realized she couldn't change or do anything more to it. She picked up her keys and they jingled. The girl beside her gave her a stern look and she mouthed, "Sorry." She picked up her wallet and glass bottle of Snapple orangeade and slid out the desk. She slipped her pencil in her pocket and picked up the papers.

She moved down the stairs of the auditorium to the bottom and handed her papers to the man sitting there. He looked up and smiled at her. "Miss Smith, would you mind staying after and talking with me about a few things? If you have somewhere else to be I can talk to you anther time." He said in a hushed tone not to disturb the other students.

"No, its fine. I'm going by the library to drop off some books. When do you want me to be there."

"How about in an hour. Everyone SHOULD be done by then."

"All right, see ya in an hour."

"OK, bye bye." The man readjusted his glasses and started grading some other papers he was looking at while the class took their final exam.

She walked out the door of the huge auditorium class. She wondered why her professor, Mr. Melton had asked her to come see him. She didn't even know he knew her name. College Physics was one of those huge classes with about 100 people in it.

Oh well.

She walked down the long hallway and to the doors that led outside. Her now empty bottle was thrown in the trash as she trotted across the courtyard to the University library.

She walked in and was surprised when not many people were in there. Usually the place was a buzz of activity.

She did her normal routine: Turned in books, checked out new ones, got a cup of Cafe Latte from the small over-priced Starbucks inside the building. She always got her drink for free because the guy behind the counter had a crush on her. She felt bad, but it WAS a free cup of coffee. She then went and sat her usual couch and began reading one of the books she picked out. They were all usually on the same subject. Weather.

She looked at the clock hanging on the wall and saw she had about 35 minutes until she needed to head on back to see Mr. Melton. She took a sip of her Cafe Latte and opened the first book. She began to read.

-The weather may be humankind's most widely...-

"Alex, right?" A voice startled her.

She looked up and saw an extremely petite girl with long dirty blonde hair and bangs. Her face had a broad smile on it and her brown eyes twinkled.

"Uhh, yeah." She had seen this girl...somewhere.

The short girl balanced her books and papers under one arm and forcefully jerked out her right one. Alex sighed and put her book face down, marking her page on the space beside her. She put her hand in the girls outstretched one.

"I'm Jennifer Noles, I'm in your Earth Science class."

Alex brought her hand back and looked at the girl and finally recognized her. "Oh, yeah. You are the one that sits right in front of Mr. Wilson."

"Yeah." After a few moments of awkward silence, Alexandria scooted over and motioned for her to sit down.

"Do you want to sit down?"

The girl nodded frantically and sighed into the seat. "Thanks."

"What year are you?"

"Freshman."

"Oh, do you like it here?"

"Oh I love it. Central Florida has a great Human relations department. I hope to get into child services, what's your major?"

Alexandria took a big gulp of her drink. "Uhh, I haven't declared one yet."

"You haven't? Aren't you supposed to have declared one if you are a sophomore."

Alex shrugged. "I guess. I just haven't decided what I want to do with my life yet."

"Oh, that's cool. You know they say the most interesting people when they get older still don't know what they want to do with their lives."

"I've heard that too." Jennifer smiled at her.

"So, are you ready for the exam tomorrow?"

"Oh, yeah. I've been ready." Alex stated with confidence.

"Not me. I KNOW I'm going to fail."

"Don't say that."

"Well its true. I don't understand all that weather and volcano and rock crap. Who cares anyway about that type of stuff? I mean, all I need to know is if it's hot, cold, sunny, or rainy so I'll know what to wear."

"Well, I personally, love that class. It's my favorite."

Jennifer cringed. "Oh, sorry."

"It's cool. I mean, every has to like and dislike different stuff or life would be boring."

"Yeah, I was wondering. Are you taking the astrology class next semester because Tom told me you were."

"Tom? Ohh that guy I have Earth Science lab with. Yeah, I am. Are you?"

"Yeah, do you think maybe you would help me out in there. Tom said you were really smart in all that type of stuff. And I know that I'm NOT."

"Yeah, sure. Here, let me give you my number." Alex took out a piece of paper and pen and jotted down her number on a piece of paper. "Now I'm not there usually between 3 and 9 on weekdays but after 9 I'm home. And on weekends you can get me anytime during the day Saturday or Sunday afternoons but I work Friday and Saturday nights."

"Oh, really, where?" She said with total curiosity.

"You know that club off Highway 34, Tidal Wave?"

Jennifer's eyes got huge. "OH MY GOSH! You work there? That is like THE club. We go there all the time. What do you do? DJ?"

"Uhh, actually I bartend."

"Oh cool." The girl was a little shyer now than normal.

"Yeah, oh crap. I gotta go. I have to go meet with my professor in 5 minutes. It was good talking to ya Jennifer. Give me a call whenever." Alex stood up and tossed her Styrofoam cup in the trash.

"Sure. And you can call me Jen."

Alex waved and smiled. "Alrighty. Bye Jen."

She walked out of the library with a smile on her face. -Wow, what a sweet girl. OH my gosh. Did I just make a friend? Today is a good day. Go Lexia, Go Lexia! - She giggled then stopped suddenly.

Lexia.

That's was Justin had called her. She had never called herself that and no one else ever had either. Why did she call herself that NOW?

---------

Alexandria yawned as she waited for Mr. Melton outside his office on a bench in the hallway. He finally showed up.

"Sorry. Some people took a little longer to finish the exam than expected."

"It's fine." He unlocked his door and Alex stood up and followed him in. He motioned for her to sit and she did. He set down his briefcase and books and coffee mug and plopped down in the worn leather chair behind the desk.

"I bet you are wondering what you are doing here." He laced his fingers and leaned over the desk.

"Uhh, kinda." She said nervously.

"Well, I just wanted to congratulate you. You have the highest average in my class. And infact I graded your exam while I waited for the rest of the class to finish and you only missed one."

"Was it the one on friction with a pulley, I never quite grasped that one."

The older man smiled. "Yes, it was that one. But anyway, that's amazing that you are THAT good in a college level physics class. I talked to Mr. Wilson and he said you are excelling in the Earth Science class as well. And your Chemistry professor says you are doing great also. I'm guessing you are a science lover then."

"Kinda. Well, yeah." She giggled slightly.

"Why are you here then?"

"Huh?" That was a weird question.

"This isn't a science school, like Florida State University. Why are you here at UCF?"

"I don't know really. I just applied, got accepted. It was the farthest thing away from where I use to live and I liked the campus and I like Orlando."

"OK. I was just wondering. I looked up your records and also saw you haven't declared a major yet."

"Well, I don't really know what I want to do."

"I can tell you love science and I've heard you take a liking with weather."

"Oh my gosh. Yes. I love it. It's so just, amazing and enthralling. People, I KNOW think I am a dork because of it, but I just cant get over it. It's such a wonderful thing to study and learn about."

The man smiled knowingly. "I see. Well, I don't know what you do in your spare time, but I was wondering if you would want to maybe get an internship at the NSSL here in Orlando. Since we don't have that great of an atmospheric science department here at UCF, I thought maybe they would give you some more direction. You can see if that's what you really like."

Alex could barely breathe. "Oh my gosh..."

"I talked to them about your situation and they think that you would be a perfect new and fresh mind to bring to their lab."

"The National Severe Storm Lab? The one here in Orlando? Wants me?"

"Yeah."

"Oh my. I don't know. I mean, I have 2 other jobs, that are very demanding and..."

"It can be used as hours credit." Mr. Melton interrupted her.

"Are you SERIOUS?" This was BIG news. She would get college credit for this? WOW.

"Sure am. Think about it over the holidays and get back to me, all right?"

"Sure Mr. Melton. Thank you. THANK YOU!"

"You're welcome."

Alex shook the man's hand and left the office. She skipped gaily through the hallway and walked with a smile on her face all the way to her truck. She pumped her best of John Mellencamp CD all the way back to her apartment. She kept "Jack and Diane" on repeat.

She hopped out of the truck still singing the song very loudly and got to her door. She walked in, set her stuff down and squealed.

She plopped back on her couch. "OH MY GOSH! My dreams are coming true. NSSL wants ME for an internship. What a day!" She sighed and smiled wistfully then squealed again. "AND I ONLY MISSED ONE QUESITON ON MY PHSYIC'S EXAM!! I NEED TO CALL DADDY!!!!"

She walked over to her phone in the kitchenette and picked it up. But she saw the number 1 on her answering machine. It surprised her. She never had messages. She pressed play.

"Hey, Lexy. It's Jon. Umm, I want to know how your test went today. We had a math test yesterday. It was hard. There was even subtraction on it. I don't think I did good. But, I wanted to call...what?...oh, Me AND Justin wanted to call and see if you wanted to go to the beach tomorrow. I want to go cloud watching!! And Justin does too. Do you have any more tests because mommy said you might have a lot? But call us back. Oh...WHAT?...NO!...Justin says hi.....I think he has a crush on you...." In the background there was a scream, "JON!!!" "...hehe, Justin's mad that I told you his secret. Justin likes Lexy. Justin and Lexy sittin in a tree...K I S S....." Justin's voice came over the line. "Lexia? Yeah, Jon has to go. Bye." And then the message was over.

-He said it again, Lexia. And Jon was beginning an annoying little brother but still. Justin has Britney. Why would Jon think he had a crush on me? -

She smiled and then it turned into a frown. She couldn't internship at NSSL and baby-sit Jon. But...this was her dream. But...Jon was her heart.

Decisions. Decisions.

She hated them. Always got in the way of things.

She picked up the phone and dialed a number, a familiar number.

"Hello?" A kind female voice asked.

Alex smiled. "Hey, Lynn. How are you?"

"Oh great dear. How are the exams?"

"Oh, pretty well. I did very good on the one I did today."

"That's great."

"Umm, I know Jon isn't there, but is Justin by any chance?"

"No, he is at his house. He is picking Jon up from school then coming here. I hope he doesn't get mobbed by 7 year olds."

The mental picture of Justin Timberlake being chased by 100 7 year olds made her giggle. "That wouldn't be good. Well, when they get back will you tell them to give me a call?"

"Sure thing sweetie."

"Thanks Lynn, bye bye."

"Bye Alex."

Alex hung up and sighed. She went over to her stereo and flipped on the radio. She sat on the couch and massaged her temples.

She would call her parents, later. Right now she needed to think about what she was going to do with this internship and her jobs. She needed money but WANTED this experience. It was her goal. She had never gone after her goals before. She didn't know if they were worth going after.

She wondered if there was anyone she could talk to about this. She thought and thought about who would know what its like to try your hardest to reach your goals.

And she was given a sign.

The DJ on the radio spoke. "Don't forget tonight we will be out at the Christmas Fair in Park Oaks taking your request. The Jamaican cruise is still up for grabs and ANYONE is a potential winner. Come by our booth and visit us tonight only at the Christmas Fair. Now here is Nsync's latest song, "This I promise you."

If ANYONE knew what it was like to go after your goals it would be him.

Justin.

2 days later

"Hello?" Alexandria picked up the phone after she swallowed her food.

"Hey Alex?"

"Yeah, who's this?"

"This is Jen. Do you remember me from the Library the other day."

Alex took a big gulp of her Snapple. "Oh yeah. Hey Girl, what's up."

"Not much. Uhh, are you OK?"

"Oh, sorry. I'm eating." She giggled as she stuffed her mouth with another forkful of salad.

"Oh that's cool."

"How did you think you did on the exam?"

"Better than I thought. But I won't know until he posts the grades."

"Yeah, it was actually a lot harder than I thought it would be."

"Yeah..."

The doorbell rang. "Hey, hold on a sec. Someone's at the door." Alex took a bit of her drink, set down the phone, and stood up to go to the door.

She looked through the peephole and smiled.

She opened the door. "Hey, guys. Come on in. I'm on the phone and eating so just bear with me."

Jon ran in to talk to Chester, like he always did. Justin smiled at her and walked on in, winking at her as she held the door open.

-He has GOT to stop doing that. What a player. I wonder if Britney knows about this? -

Justin stood in front of the bay window peering out of it, and she plopped back down on the couch and continued her conversation.

"Sorry, I had some friends come over."

"Oh, do you need to go?"

"Nah. I don't pay much attention to them anyway."

Justin glared at her and she giggled. He stepped towards her and plopped down on the couch beside her and stared at her. Just stared.

"What are you doin?"

"Umm, nothing." Jen said confused.

"Sorry, I meant Justin."

"Oh is he your boyfriend?"

"God no. He is too ugly to be my boyfriend." Justin pushed her and she fell sideways on the couch. She brought her legs up and placed them in his lap as she rested on couch. He looked at her like she had two heads.

"Anyways, do you have any plans for Christmas?"

"Yeah, my family lives in Daytona so I'll go up there. What about you?"

"I'm going to Alaska."

Jen sounded so amazed. "That's awesome."

"Not really. I can't stand the place. And this time of year its dark 20 hours of the day. And Cold. Just bitter."

She watched as Jon walked over to the couch and him and Justin started whispering. Alex tried to listen to them and Jen but it was impossible with Jen talking a million miles per hour about Christmas and Alaska and she couldn't understand what Jon and Justin were talking about but they were whispering and laughing.

"...and we all ride around and look at Christmas lights in the neighborhood. It's cool to see little beach houses with Christmas tree lights."

"Yeah. We all sing songs.... AHHHHH STOP!" Before she knew it Justin and Jon had tackled her and were tickling her ferociously.

Jen's confused voice came over the line. "Are you OK?"

"STOPPP IT! I'M ONNNN..HAHAHA THE PHHHHOONNNNEE" Alex screamed.

"Uhh, Alex?"

With a powerful slap to the shoulder, Alex got Justin to get off her and Jon just laughed hysterically on the floor. She moved across the room, silently thanking the inventor of cordless phones.

"Jen, I have to go. Call me back tomorrow or whenever OK?"

"OK. Are you all right?"

"Yeah, my friends just decided they would tackle me. See ya."

"Uhh, bye?"

Alex clicked off the phone and stormed over to where Justin and Jon sat whistling, looking as if nothing had happened. She picked Jon up and swung him over her shoulder and started twisting in circles.

"UNNN, I'm dizzy." Jon yelled. Alex giggled and sat down on the couch, bringing Jon around to sit in her lap.

Alex rested her forehead on his. "Sorry, buddy, but you know better than tickle me."

"Yeah, I know Lexy." Jon smiled and wrapped his small arms around her neck. Her arms encircled him and she squeezed him tightly.

Justin watched, mesmerized. This girl looked as if Jon was her own. Her eyes were gently closed and she was rocking him back and forth.

He sighed and looked at his watch, "Hey guys, we need to go if we are going."

Alex pulled away and smiled at Jon who returned the smile 10 times bigger.

"Let's go. Justin you are going to have the BEST time." Jon pulled on Justin's hand standing him up as Alex grabbed a bookbag and her keys.

"I have a feeling I will, you got everything?" He asked Alex.

She nodded and walked to the door, holding it open for them.

The 3 walked to her truck, She unlocked her door and got in. She had to reach over the seat to unlock the passenger side doorway. Justin picked Jon up to help him get up to the seat. He stepped up with ease and shut the door.

"Slam it." Jon and Alex said at the same time. Justin slowly turned to the door and realized that it indeed had just bounced back open.

"Sorry, my car isn't like that nice little James Bondish car like a certain pop star I know owns." She smiled smugly as he giggled and slammed the door shut.

"OK, seatbelts everyone." She stated simply and watched as the two guys put on their seatbelts as she cranked the engine. "Pick out some CDs if you want. I have one of those portable CD player things with a tape, it's not perfect but it works." She turned around and backed out of the parking space.

Jon picked up the small CD case and rummaged through the selections. Justin stared at her as she moved the steering wheel peering behind her shoulder. She was beautiful in such an unusual way. When he had first met her he thought her as odd. But now he realized that was what made her so special and different and rare and...wonderful.

He couldn't figure her out but was dying to know what was going on in her head.

She definitely wasn't your normal 19-year-old. But then again he didn't know many NORMAL 19 year olds.

He had thought about Alexandria the day before, not being able to get the image of her in sweatpants and a comfy T-shirt out of his mind. She was so different than Britney, but in a good way. Oh no, Britney. He couldn't be thinking of Alex while he was with Britney, but it was so hard when all he could see when he closed his eyes was that long black hair and icy blue eye filled with passion.

Justin shook his head and looked down at his brother. Alex turned around and pointed to a CD Jon was looking at. "I'm in the mood for that. OK?"

"All right." Jon shrugged. He pulled the CD out and worked the CD player and tape. Justin was amused that his little brother actually knew how to operate it.

An organ note came through the stereo and she turned the volume up very loud.

Soon a voice came through the speakers, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life...."

"Oh I love this song." Justin smiled contently.

Alex nodded. "It ALWAYS puts me in a great mood."

"What is it?" Jon asked.

"Prince." Justin and Alex said at the same time wistfully.

Alex looked at the two boys in her car and pressed down on the gas as Prince sang "Let's go crazy" and turned on to the highway laughing and feeling free.

She loved driving and listening to music. What a rush.

"Oh no let's go! Let's go crazy. Let's get nuts!" She sang loudly. Jon danced around and all Justin could do was laugh.

He would love for America to see him now. In a red pickup truck blasting prince with his giddy little brother and a mystery chick.

That's what she was to him, a mystery.

After going through her CDs, they finally resorted to listening to the radio.

"This is the best song in the entire world." Alex sighed.

"You say that about EVERY song." Justin giggled.

"But this is just.... wow. And I'm FREEEEE, free fallin." She sang with all her heart as they made their way down a secluded road. Justin looked out at the pretty much deserted highway. She had such a naturally sweet voice. It wasn't great but he liked how she confident enough to use it in front of people, or at least him.

"Which beach are we going to again?" Justin wondered.

"It's a beach that nobody goes to. It's privately owned but I know the owners so it's cool." They pulled on to a dirt road. The truck bumped in potholes and Justin couldn't help but wonder, WHERE they were going.

Either side of the path was covered in thick, tall bushes and the path curved ahead so that's all he saw in front of him too.

He looked down at Jon who was looking over all her CDs, like he had done during practically the whole ride. Jon turned upwards and smiled at his brother. Justin smiled back and raised his head and sighed.

The bushes stopped and all he could see was white sand and blue ocean and sky.

Alex pulled the truck up until the sandy dirt became more sand than dirt and parked. She opened her door and hopped out, Justin and Jon followed suit. She grabbed a few things from the back and went to find a good spot to retire to. Jon had already dragged Justin towards the shore and was showing him something.

Alexandria unfolded a huge blanket and gently laid it on the sand. A cooler was placed on a corner of the blanket and 3 books were placed in another. Her book bag was place beside the cooler. She plopped down on the blanket and removed her tennis shoes and socks. She rolled up her khaki cargo pants halfway up her calf and stood up to join them on the shore.

She walked quietly up to them and they were deep in conversation and didn't notice her.

"Yeah, she'll be really quiet. She gets very quiet whenever we come here."

Justin looked at his little brother as he picked up a shell and tossed it back in the water. "I thought you said she was a lot of fun."

"She is, but she doesn't say a lot. We basically just lay on the blanket and watch the sky. I don't know why but its fun."

"She's different, but in a good way."

"Yeah, that's Lexy. She's so cool."

Alex cleared her throat and the 2 turned to her a little startled. "Hey, guys you can do whatever, I'm just going to go lay down. There are drinks and snacks if you get hungry, in the cooler."

Jon nodded. "Thanks Lexy."

"Yeah, thanks Lexia." There was that name again.

She smiled softly and turned to go back to the blanket.

"See, I told you." Jon pointed out.

Justin stared at her as she retreated back to the blanket. "She looks a little stressed out."

"What do you mean? She always looks like that. Its just Lexy." Jon spotted a fish and ran after it.

Justin mumbled to himself still staring at her. "Still. She looks like she needs someone to talk to."

Justin spent time with his brother on the beach. But though he was there physically his mind was else where. His eyes kept wandering over to her lying back on the blanket. Every now and then her position would change and a leg would bend upwards or she would stretch her arms. But she stayed on her back. Staring up at the sky.

"Hey Jon?"

"Yeah." Jon asked, trying to sneak up on a seagull. It flew away before he even got 10 feet from it.

"Do you want to go see what Alex is doing?"

"I guess." The little boy shrugged and skipped towards the blanket, with Justin slowly sauntering up to them.

Jon had already laid down perpendicular to her. His head using her stomach as a pillow.

"What's that one right there?" Jon pointed to the feathery cloud that looked like it was high in the sky.

"That's a cirrus-" She moved the sunglasses to her forehead and squinted at the sky. "Yeah, that's a cirrus fibratus."

"How do you know all that?" Justin spoke from his position standing above them.

"Well, I've always had a thing for weather. Call it my hobby or passion." She smiled and moved her sunglasses back down over her eyes.

Justin smiled and lay down on the blanket and rested beside his brother using her thighs as a headrest.

"Do I look like a pillow or something?" She mumbled.

"Yeah, kinda." Justin giggled and sighed, turning his attention to the sky.

"Lexy?" Jon asked.

She turned her head to the side tiredly. "Yeah babe?"

"Why do you always like to be alone?" Jon asked full of curiosity.

Alex sat up causing Justin and Jon to do the same. "What makes you think I'm alone?"

"I don't know, I've heard momma talk about it a few times." Justin gave Jon a look that said 'shut up'.

"Oh. Well...just because I don't have a lot of friends doesn't mean that I'm lonely." She was glad she had on sunglasses so the two guys couldn't see her eyes water.

"Hey Jon, come here." Justin started whispering something to his brother and Jon giggled and ran off.

Alex gave a him a curious grin. "What was THAT all about?"

"You'll find out." Justin grinned evilly and moved his body so he was lying down next to her.

"Whatever, Timberlake." She sighed and rested back down on the blanket.

After a few minutes of silence Justin cleared his throat. "So, do you normally lie to my brother?"

"Excuse me?" What WAS he talking about?

"It's obvious Lexia. You are lonely."

She sat up and looked down at him. She snapped. "You don't know me. How can you say something about me when you have known me for a maximum of a week? I could say that you are a player but I don't know you enough to say that."

"Oh you BETTER explain." He propped himself up on his elbows and raised an eyebrow at her.

"All the little winks and stares you have been passing my way. And the whole 'I want a kiss and hug, too' thing when you guys came over and helped me clean. And don't MAKE me start on the whole tickling escapade this morning. If you didn't realize it, you DO have a girlfriend. I think her name starts with a Brit- and ends with -ney."

He rolled his eyes and plopped back down on the blanket. "Don't flatter yourself."

"Believe me, I wasn't." She scoffed and picked up an apple lying in the cooler and stood up.

"Where are you going?" He asked her as if he was her father.

She looked down at him and shook her head. "If you MUST know, I'm going to go take a walk to calm my temper. Next time you think your celebrity ass can try to dissect me, think again. I'm not a little teenybopper Justin Timberlake. I don't give a damn what you do with your life. But don't you DARE treat me like a child. And don't you DARE try and figure out what I'm about, because you couldn't POSSIBLY understand." She turned and began walking off.

Alex looked over her shoulder quickly, "And make sure you watch YOUR brother so he doesn't do something stupid like drown."

She turned sharply and walked rapidly down the beach, occasionally biting into the apple.

Justin just stared at her. What gave her the right to yell at him like that? He looked over at his brother and saw him still doing the job he asked him to of picking shells. He plopped down on the blanket in frustration.

She had been right.

He didn't understand her. And he shouldn't have tried to figure her out. And he definitely shouldn't have been flirting with her. But he couldn't help himself. The more time he spent with her, the more time he wanted to spend with her. His family practically had adopted her. She was so different and complex compared to anyone he had ever met. Yet he still felt the same as her at times and saw her as so simple.

He needed to apologize.

But first he needed to figure out his feelings.

--------

About an hour later when the sun was starting to dip down towards the ocean, and after a lot of tears and mental screaming, Alex walked back over to the blanket. She shouldn't have taking it out on him. Stress from school and work was taking her over the edge. And not to mention her confusion about Justin. She wanted to just be friendly towards him, but it was so hard. Especially with him lying back on the plaid blanket with a white T-shirt on and faded blue cargo pants. A tan bandanna over his head and sunglasses over his blue eyes. Jon was sitting beside him talking to him. They were smiling at each other. That gorgeous smile.

"Guys, are you ready to go?" She quietly said.

"Yeah, sure whenever you are." Justin tried not to look at her, but he did notice her red, puffy eyes.

They both silently picked up their belongings listening to Jon carry on about the play he was performing in 3 days. They finally made it back to the truck and got in. Alex started the car without speaking, Justin slouched in his seat and Jon looked back and forth between the two utterly confused.

The car ride was silent. Torture. Jon had fallen asleep and she thought Justin had, but every now and then he would shift positions or clear his throat.

Alex pulled into her apartment complex and parked the car. Justin got out and picked up his things in the back. Alex nudged Jon who was peacefully still in dreamland. He made no move to wake up so she picked him up, him straddling her front and brought him out of the car.

Justin put all their stuff in the trunk of his BMW and opened the door for her to put Jon in. She sat him down and put the seatbelt across him. She kissed his forehead sweetly and pulled away. Justin shut the car door as quietly as possible and Alex began to walk away.

He grabbed her wrist.

A sensation burned through his hand and in her wrist. She stared at where his was holding her as he spoke. "Listen, Lexia. I'm sorry about this afternoon."

"Yeah. Me too." She whispered and jerked her arm away. She turned around and picked her stuff out of her truck and walked into the apartment building.

Justin sighed in defeat and slumped his shoulders. He walked to the driver's side of his car and sat down. He leaned his head on the steering wheel and closed his eyes tiredly.

"You like her." Jon whispered. Justin looked over at his brother who was staring at a field beside the building where some kids were kicking a soccerball. HE was shocked by how his brother wasn't teasing him or saying it in an immature way. He seemed thoughtful and sure of the idea.

"You're right Jon. I do. I really do." Justin started the car and backed out of the parking space.

Alex had reached her apartment and opened the door. Her answering machine was blinking and she closed the door and walked over towards it.

"Message 1..." "Hey, Alex? This is Jen. I'm just making sure you are all right. It was kinda crazy there for a while. Anyways, talk to ya later. And if I don't, have a Merry Christmas."

She giggled, she bet Jen thought she was a lunatic.

"Message 2..." "Alexandria, this is your mother calling. You haven't called us about exams yet. Please do. And I need to know about all your flight stuff and what time you will be getting here. Scott is dying to see you. Anyways, I love you. Bye bye."

Alex smiled. She was glad she would get to see her family in a few days.

"Message 3..." "This is Anthony Ellis from the National Severe Storm Lab here in Orlando, I'm calling for a Alexandria Smith. If you could, would you please call me back at 876-2309 about your internship? Thank you."

Her groan was so loud she was afraid she would disturb her neighbors. She didn't need to have THAT on her mind too.

"Message 4..." "yo Sista. This is Uncle B. Call back chica. I need to know when you are going to work. We are all missin ya. Later gurl."

"Oh, crap. Will this day EVER end?"

"Message 5..." "It's me. Sexy Scott at your service. Mom and dad told me to call you and ask about New Years. Are you staying here? Anyways, call me back Al."

Alex finally smiled happily. She was grateful her brother would be near her in a matter of 5 days. She needed to talk to him.

Alex sighed and walked into her bathroom. She needed a shower. She needed to think.

Usually days at the beach were fun. But today had been a disaster. Why?

Her mind couldn't get off of Justin, and what he had said:

"Its obvious Lexia, you are lonely."

The sun beamed rays of light across the foot of her warm bed through the cheap plastic blinds of the medium sized window. She groaned and stretched and rolled over on her back to stare at the ceiling.

-What time is it? - Her head turned to the clock causing straight strands of black hair to fall diagonally across her face. She tucked them behind her ear. -11:45, you slept in.-

Her perfect white teeth broke through her full lips and she smiled, but it was turned into a yawn.

"Ohh, I could stay in bed all day!"

SWUAK!!

"SHUT UP CHESTER!" She yelled.

"Shut up Chester." She heard him mock.

Alexandria groaned and rolled out of bed. She walked out of her room and walked to the birdcage. She uncovered the cage to let him have light and he was giving her this look. Chester had looks and this one was one that said, "ah ha I woke you up."

She glared at him and he started bouncing his head.

-That bird is nuts. - She thought as she walked to the kitchen to get his food.

After feeding the bird and pouring herself some orange juice and making poptarts, she plopped herself down on the baywindow seat and picked up a book she had checked out at the library early in the week. She bit into her poptart as she began reading.

-Prayers and ceremonies have been used by people throughout history in the hope of altering the weather. Among the best known ritual is the rain dance of the Hopi Indian of...-

There was a knock at the door.

She looked up strangely and sat down her book and shuffled to the door. She looked through the peephole and saw no one. She swung the door open and looked down both hallways and saw no one again. She thought she heard footsteps from the steps. She waited and saw Mr. Krecor turn the corner from the steps, sorting through his mail. He looked up.

"Hey, Alexandria how are you?" The middle aged black man said.

"Fine, you?"

"I'm all right."

"Did you by any chance see anyone unusual leave on your way out?" Alex inquired.

"Uhh, actually yeah. Some young looking kid you had a baseball hat on was sprinting down the steps two at a time. He looked like he was in a hurry. But I've never seen him before. Why?"

"I just got a knock at the door and no one is here."

"Well, looks like someone was." Mr. Krecor nodded to her feet. She looked down. There was a brown envelope at her feet with her name scribbled on it. Well her nicknames. Two nicknames

To: Lexy or Lexia

She just stared at it not even picking it up. Mr. Krecor walked to his apartment that was diagonally across from hers. He looked at her. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah, fine." She said picking up the envelope and turning around. "Bye Mr. K."

"Bye, Alex." He said before she shut the door.

Alex went back to her baywindow and sat down undoing the clasp that held the envelope shut. She turned it upside down and out fell a piece of paper and an object. She fingered the object with a distance smile and turned the paper over to read it.

Meanwhile...

"GOD I AM AN IDIOT!" Justin yelled to himself banging his hands on the steering wheel.

-Why did I run like that? I'm such a loser. - He sighed deeply as he came to a stoplight. -I hope she got that envelope. I hope no one steals it. - He looked to his right as the light stayed red and noticed a car full of teenage girls staring at him with their mouths open. He grinned and pulled his baseball cap further down over his face.

-You should have left the top up, moron. - He scolded himself for the millionth time that day.

"OH MY GAWD!! IT'S JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE!" He looked out of the corner of his eyes through the sunglasses and the girl was practically hanging out of the passenger side window.

He looked up and saw the light had just turned green and pressed down the gas petal as far as it could go. His engine roared and his wheels screeched as he sped off.

Back on the ranch....

Alex smiled as she read the note again.

"LEXY.

No, its Lexia.

IT'S LEXY!!

Fine you win.

Anyways, it's us. We wanted to thank you for the fun day yesterday. We made this for you. You don't have to wear it, but it's just a reminder of the two coolest guys you know. Have a wonderful day and we will see you at the play tomorrow night! Bye Bye Bye!

Love,

Jonathan and Justin

P.S. Justin says, 'I'm really really sorry about yesterday.' "

She picked up the necklace that was made out of rather thick white string and had five shells hooked through it. Knots kept the shells in place on the string. The middle one was the biggest shell and they got smaller in size as you went further from the middle.

She probably would never wear it. She wasn't a big jewelry person but it was still a sweet gesture. It eased her thoughts about Justin a bit. She was still mad at him, but now more at herself than him.

It was all just one big mass of confusion to her. And today was a day to forget all that and relax.

(Saturday night, 6:00 the next day)

Alex parked her truck in an empty parking space. The church lot was already pretty full. She couldn't wait to see this play. It was going to be so cute. She walked up to the front of the church and through the doors.

"Why, Hello Miss Smith!" The pastor said. She took a bulletin from one of the ushers.

"How are you Reverend Hoswer?"

"Oh I am wonderful. I'm excited to see the play."

"Me too. Talk to ya later." Alex smiled and left the lobby part of the church and entered the sanctuary. She spotted several familiar faces of people she knew. This was the church she went to.

She scanned for a curly strawberry blonde and found it, middle section 10 rows from the front. She smiled and walked down to the row. Sliding herself through the pews right beside the blonde.

Noticing a presence the blonde turned. "Alex! Hey girl!" Lynn hugged her tightly.

"Hey Paul." Alex leaned forward to say hello to Paul who was on the other side of Lynn.

"Good evening, Alex." He nodded to her.

"Justin is running a little late." Lynn rolled her eyes.

"No I'm not." A voice came from beside Alex. The three people turned to see a smiling Justin in khakis and a button down, long sleeve dark blue shirt sitting beside them.

"Bout time you showed up, boy." Lynn said reaching over Alex to ruffled his hair.

Justin stuck out his tongue at his mother and shimmied off his jacket and placed it beside him. He turned back to Alex. "Hey, Lexia."

"Hello, Timberlake." She spoke staring at the stage where a curtain was blocking the view.

"Still mad at me?"

"Yup." She tried not to smile.

Justin sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say all that. Maybe if you would..." Alex turned and shushed him.

"Justin, lets quit while we are ahead. By the way, thank you for my little present."

"You got that?" He was a little surprised.

"Yeah, and why didn't you stay and personally give it to me?"

He bit his lip and stuttered. "I-I was afraid you might kill me or something. You were so mean and cold the other day."

His voice was so serious she immediately felt bad for being that way. "I'm sorry."

After a few moments of silence, Justin nudged her. "Hey, what are you doing after this?"

"Uhh, going home. Why?" She looked at him confused as the lights went down.

His voice changed to a whisper. "Why don't we go get some coffee or something?"

"What would Brit Brit say?" Alex giggled.

"Oh pulease. This isn't a date; this is two friends drinking coffee. What do ya say?"

"Well..."

The speaker interrupted her and both of their attention was placed on the stage. "Ladies and Gentlemen, family members and friends. Welcome to the First Baptist Church's annual Christmas Pageant."

The speaker walked off the stage and the curtain was drawn back. Slight laughter was filled within the room and proud smiles of parents as they saw their children on the stage.

---------

"Then the shepherds went back to their fields, praising God for the visit of the angels and the birth of baby Jesus." The oldest boy of the group said. He was the narrator. The curtains closed and the crowd stood up cheering.

Alex looked around; all she saw was smiling parents. The curtained opened again, and the applause got louder as each cast member was announced.

"Joseph played by Jonathan Harless." The children's director spoke into the microphone. Justin brought two fingers to his mouth and whistled loudly. Alex nudged him, giggling and kept clapping.

Finally every child ran down the stage towards their families. Jon tripped on his long robe but didn't fall. He ran up to his family that had already filed out of the pew and towards the front of the church.

"Did you see me, Justin!?!" Jon yelled.

Justin picked him up and hugged him tightly. "Yes I did. Watch out Brad Pitt."

Lynn laughed and hugged her younger son and so did Paul.

"Where's Lexy?" Jon looked around. He spotted her, leaning against a railing to the pew. He ran to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing his cheek into her stomach. "I love you, Lexy."

"I love you too, sweetheart. But why do you say that?"

"Because you were the one that told me to try out for the play. Now I know what I want to be when I grow up. An ACTOR!" Jon grandly bowed.

"I thought you said you were going to be a singer?" Justin mocked being offended.

Jon shrugged. "I'll do both."

"Sure ya will. Come on, we have to get you to the cast party." Lynn pushed him towards the front of the sanctuary.

"Mom, me and Lexia are going to go get some coffee. Then I think I'll go back to my house. OK?"

"All right sweetie. You two have fun." Lynn and Paul waved, following Jon.

"I never said I'd go get coffee with you." Alex smirked.

Justin rolled his eyes. "Come on, Lexia." She shivered when he said her name.

"You cold?"

"No." She said quickly. "Lets go. I'll follow you in tha truck."

Justin smiled and walked with her out of the church.

She turned off the engine to her truck and looked up at the place he had led her to. Surprisingly, she knew of the place. In fact she knew the place very well. She came here almost every week to get herself her beloved Cafe Latte. Yet she had never been there at night.

It was an out of the way Coffee House on one of the not so popular streets in Orlando. But it wasn't the bad part of town. Just not much was going on. So business was never high. Yet tonight there seemed to be more people than usual. But she had never been there at night.

She was surprised Justin would want to come to a place where he could possibly be recognized.

But then again, a coffee house usually didn't house many 13-year-old hormone enthralled fans.

She stepped out of her truck and slammed the door shut. She looked over a Justin's covered convertible that was parked a few spaces down from her. He opened his car door and his long frame stood up out of the car.

He looked over at her. His eyes cutting through the cool air like a bullet to her icy eyes. "You ever been here before?" He simply asked.

She gulped and took a step away from her truck, towards the sidewalk. "Uhh, yeah. But never at night."

Justin nodded and walked up to the door and opened it for her. A bell jingled, but it couldn't be heard over the noise of the strong jazz music coming from the building. She walked over to the awaiting doors and managed a small smile and walked into the cafe. She looked around like it was her first time there. It had such a different atmosphere.

She looked around until she felt two hands on her shoulders.

She jumped.

"Relax Lexia. Let me take your coat, for you." She chuckled at her shakiness. She didn't know why she was acting this way. Yet, she did. Justin.

She unbuttoned her coat and shrugged the gray knee length coat off her shoulders and handed it to him. He didn't take it.

"Justin, you said you wanted to take my jacket. Did you change your mind?" She looked up at him and saw that his eyes were traveling along the length of her slender body.

It made her excited and nervous at the same time.

His eyes flew back to her own for a mere second and she could have sworn she saw his face turn red as he grabbed her jacket and hung it up, turning away from her. He got his own leather jacket off and hung it up on the same post as hers since there were none left.

Justin walked in front of her, as to not have to watch her walk. It was hard enough having to look at her eyes. But to see her slim body in the fitting, calf-length, black dress, was too much. It hugged her curves and was sleeveless to show off her long, delicate arms. The neck had two pieces of fabric that tied at the bottom of the column of her neck and hung down over the low-cut neckline of her dress.

He was thankful for those pieces of fabric. He wouldn't be able to control himself if they weren't there to cover her.

He led her to a table in the corner of the room. Sofas and chairs were filled with people and couples and there was a stage with a small band playing jazz music.

She sat down in her chair and looked towards the stage when a young black woman took the microphone.

"We all know this is open mic night, so I'm going to start by singing one of my favorites. This is Georgia On My Mind."

The woman began singing and her voice was that like Billie Holiday. Smooth and soft and beautiful.

Alex sighed and watched as the girl worked her way across the stage, singing and moving with passion and wisdom.

Justin noticed the intent look on her face and grinned. "Martie's good, isn't she?"

Alex forced her gaze away and looked at him. "Martie?"

He nodded to the stage. "Yeah, she's here everytime I come on open mic and she always blows me away."

Alex thought for a moment. "I'm guessing you come here often then."

"Yeah, everytime I'm home. I like coming on Saturday nights. Usually by myself. I love coming here and getting my regular cup of coffee and listening to people sing. Not professionals, but regular ol' people. Some are forced or betted up there. Others, like Martie, don't have to be asked twice."

"Do you ever get up there and sing?"

"Oh hell no. I don't want to sing more than I have to." He looked at her in the eyes and shook his head. "I didn't mean it that way. I love my job. But, I don't want to get tired of it, ya know? I don't- I don't know what I'm trying to say."

"It's OK, I'm a little confused. But it's OK. It kinda surprises me that you would want to come somewhere and hear unprofessional voices."

"Well, it's refreshing. And some of the voices are awesome."

"Just an' ol' sweet song, keeps Georgia on my mind!" Martie sang out perfectly and finished with a slight bow.

Alex and Justin both clapped. A few whistles were given, Justin included.

A waitress soon came up to their table. "Heya Justin, how's life treatin ya?"

"Fine, Liz. You?"

"I'm dandy. I'm guessing you want your normal." He nodded and she turned to Alex. "Well, well, well. Mr. Timberlake decided to bring some company with him. You must be a special one, he ALWAYS comes alone."

"Were just friends." Alex said shyly.

"Yeah, sure, honey. What will it be?"

"Cafe Latte, with a shot of Vanilla favoring."

"Alrighty, that will be right out kids." Liz turned to go put their order in, but Justin called to her.

"Hey, Liz. We are just friends, OK? I mean I have a girlfriend and she's my brother's baby-sitter, and I don't have to explain anything. Why am I defending myself?"

Liz shook her head and smiled. She leaned in and whispered. "Think about that question you just asked, Justin."

She smiled and turned on her heel and walked away.

Justin gulped and looked back at Alexandria. "Sorry about that."

She looked down at the floor. "It's OK."

"Yeah, well. So, umm, what are you doing over the holidays?"

"I'm going to visit my family in Alaska. I'm staying there until January 3rd probably."

"Wow, that's quite a ways. I hope Jon will be able to handle himself with you gone."

"I think he will manage." She giggled.

Liz came over and set their drinks down. "There you are."

"That was quick." Justin said.

"It doesn't take much to make coffee, kid." She spoke and left.

Alex took a sip of her drink and groaned. "Mmm, that's great."

"Hey, I uhh, well, umm, this is my first time doing this." A nervous guy with glasses said into the microphone as he sat on the stool.

"Take to the highway, wont you lend me your name
Your way and my way seem to be one in the same..."

"Oh, I love James Taylor." Alex cooed as the man nervously sang the words to the song "Country Road."

"Lexia, I'm sorry about the other day. I really am." Justin said out of no where.

She was a little startled and smiled. "It's OK. I just don't like it when people put me in my place. I'm not use to people calling out my feelings like that."

"So, it's true then?"

"What?"

"That you are lonely. Don't lie to me."

She took a long gulp of her drink and sighed. "What's wrong with that? Lots of people are."

"Yeah, but it's like you choose to be. You don't have to be that way you know? Everytime I see you and talk with you I feel like I can be myself. And that's VERY rare for me. If you can do that with me, I don't know why you don't have any friends. But you CHOOSE not to have any, don't you?"

"So what if I do?" She was starting to get offended.

"Listen, I don't mean to upset you. But that's not healthy Lexia. I worry about you."

"Why Justin? Why? You've known me for a matter of maybe a week and here you are-"

"Stop. I'm sorry I said anything." Justin sighed and turned towards the stage again.

Alex sighed loudly. "I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just under a lot of stress right now with everything going on."

He turned back to her. "Why don't you share it with me?"

"Well, when I was at school a few days ago doing finals my professor told me that I got offered a internship at the NSSL here in Orlando."

"What's that?" Justin asked taking a sip of his coffee.

"The National Severe Storm Lab. I know you think I'm a complete dork. But this is what I've DREAMED about, and here it is right at my hands. And I don't know if I can take it."

"Why not? It's your dream."

"Well, this internship doesn't pay money. Unless I officially get a job there, which probably won't happen any time soon. And I NEED money, Justin. I'd have to quit one of my jobs to keep up with my apartment and college. The job at Tidal Wave gives me a LOT of my income and not baby-sitting your brother is NOT an option. I'm not quitting that. But, I don't know if that will be enough for me. And I'm not the type of person to ask my parents for money."

"Why not?"

"They have enough troubles as it is, and I don't want to be another burden."

"Is that why you moved as far away as possible from them?" Justin cringed. "I'm sorry. Forget I said that."

Alex looked at him for a moment shocked. She couldn't believe he had just said that. "I can't believe you."

"I'm so sorry Lexia."

"No, don't be. I've never thought of that. But you're right. You are absolutely right. After my brother died, I always felt I was a burden to my parents. I don't know why. I just did. And that's why I came to UCF. They don't even have any majors that I'm that interested in. I just wanted to be as far away as possible. I can't believe you were able to see that. Wow." She stated astonished.

Justin licked his lips and looked at her wide, shocked eyes, that were scanning the table. "How did your brother die?"

She met his gaze. "Cancer."

"I'm sorry."

"It's all right."

Justin tilted his head and looked at her for a long moment. "You know what you need?"

"What?"

"A release. Why don't you go up there and sing something? Trust me, it's a release from everything."

"No! I hate attention and having people stare at me." She shook her head, laughing.

"Please. You're voice is fine and just close your eyes. It's not a big deal. There's like 20 people here. I do it in front of thousands each night."

"Yeah, but you don't have an attention phobia."

"Come on." He smiled a half smile at her, encouraging her to go up there. She groaned and stood up.

-I can't believe I'm doing this. -

Justin smiled brightly as she walked nervously up to the stage and spoke to the band before sitting down on the stool and fiddling with the mic, so it would be positioned at her mouth.

"I'm a little nervous, so just, bare with me. Uhh, this is one of my all time favorite songs. It's by Sheryl Crow and umm, well this not that jazzy, but, anyways here it is." Alex cleared her throat and waited for the guitar to come through.

"God, I feel like hell tonight
Tears of rage I cannot fight
I'd be the last to help you understand
Are you strong enough to be my man?

Nothing's true and nothing's right
So let me be alone tonight
Cause you can't change the way I am
Are you strong enough to be my man?

Lie to me
I promise I'll believe
Lie to me
But please don't leave

I have a face I cannot show
I make the rules up as I go
It's try and love me if you can
Are you strong enough to be my man?

When I've shown you that I just don't care
When I'm throwing punches in the air
When I'm broken down and I can't stand
Will you be strong enough to be my man?

Lie to me
I promise I'll believe
Lie to me
But please don't leave"

Alex took a deep breath and opened her eyes. Surprisingly people were clapping and cheering. She smiled and managed a "thank you" before hurrying off the stage back to her seat.

She plopped down and drowned the rest of her coffee.

"Well?" Justin asked.

She looked at him. "That's got to be the worst and best moment of my life." They both laughed.

He looked at her, no, stared was more like it. For as long as he could. Finally he looked down at the table and back at her.

"This place is getting boring. Nothing can top that last performance." She blushed and he smiled. "Let's get out of here."

She looked up at him; he had already stood up and was pushing in his chair.

-What is he suggesting? - She thought with wide eyes.

But she couldn't stop herself from pushing her chair back and sliding out to a standing position. Justin laid a few bills on the table and she opened her purse to get her money.

"No, it's on me."

"But that would make this a date." She smiled curiously.

"Maybe, but we know better than that." He smiled and put his hand on her back to lead her to the door. She couldn't believe this. He was acting like...like...

...like they were together.

He handed her jacket and she put it on. She was able to smell his cologne on her jacket that had seeped through from where his jacket had been placed over hers.

"Ready?" He asked, opening the door.

She stuttered and tried not to look at him. "Uhh, yeah."

Alexandria walked out into the cool, Floridian winter night breeze. She hugged her jacket to get a bit of warmth back to her body. Her feet moved quickly towards her truck.

Justin chuckled. "Hey speed demon, slow down."

Alex stopped abruptly and turned back to him. He sauntered up beside her walked with her towards her car. She fiddled with the keys and opened the door.

He held the door open for her and helped her inside. She sat down and reached for the door, but he held it back.

"Listen, about this whole intern thing." He leaned against the door and sighed. "I personally know what it's like to go after your dreams. It's been the most...indescribable and amazing and the best thing in my life. I can't even fathom how my life would be if I hadn't gone after my dream. My advice is to go for it. If you don't at least try, you'll spend your life wondering what COULD have happened. It will work out, I promise." He smiled a charming smile.

She looked at him unbelieving every word he said. "How can you be so sure?"

He chuckled and leaned in and whispered loudly. "Because I've been there." He pulled away. "Have a nice night." And he shut her door.

Justin turned and walked towards his own car with her staring at his retreating form.

"You're absolutely right!" She smiled and put her key in the ignition.

She cranked the car.

The engine sounded like a dying cat being run over by a steamroller. It squealed once more and coughed.

"This is NOT happening." She stared at the hood of her car that was smoking.

She stared at it for a few minutes until a knock on her window startled her. She turned and there was a smirking popstar. She opened the door.

"Need a ride?" He giggled.

She glared and him and grabbed her purse and keys and stepped out of her car. "Well, sor-RE that I'm not a rich singer that can afford nice little BMW's like YOU can."

"OK, OK, come on, I'll take you home. You can get someone to fix your truck tomorrow." He pushed her away from the truck and locked the truck door and shut it.

"Man, I don't think I've ever rode in a BMW before. Especially a NICE one." Alex smirked. She mumbled to herself, "My dad would kill me if he saw me now, wow."

Justin jogged a bit to walk in front of her to his car. Once he got there he opened the door for her.

"Thank you." She smiled at his politeness. She sat down on the plush leather and watched as he walked around the front of the car to his side, as she put on her seatbelt.

He got in the car and cranked the engine. As they backed out, Alex whimpered.

"You OK?" Justin asked.

Alex turned to him. "I really hope she'll be all right. I don't know what I'll do if she dies. She's all I got."

Justin looked at her like she was crazy then realized she was talking about her truck and laughed a bit.

"What?" She gave him a 'look'. "That truck is VERY vital to my life, don't laugh."

Justin cleared his throat and tried not to smile. "Sorry."

The rest of the way to her apartment was spent with then being basically quiet. It wasn't awkward; they were just both thinking.

About each other.

The radio was softly playing Brian McKnight's 'Anytime'.

Alex concentrated on the dark outside as she listened to Justin softly hum and barely sing the song.

"Do I every cross your mind anytime? Do you ever wake up reaching out for me?" He shifted his hands on the steering wheel and changed gears as they slowed down off the highway ramp.

For some reason, Alexandria began thinking about her brother. And when she heard Justin's smooth voice sing "I miss you." She couldn't stop a tear from falling down her cheek.

She breathed heavily and brushed it away.

Justin saw this out of the corner of his eye. "Are you all right?" She forced a smile. "Yeah, I just, that song made me think about my brother for some reason."

"Are you sure you are OK?"

"Yeah, I've been dealing with it for almost 10 years now. I just get my moments." She smiled as they reached her apartment building.

She bent down to pick up her purse and put her hand on the doorhandle, but it opened before she had a chance to open it herself. Justin stood there, grinning. "Who would have thought Justin Timberlake was a gentleman?" She smirked as he shrugged.

"Thanks-"

"Let me walk you to your door." He interrupted her.

Her blue eyes went wide and she turned around on her heels and walked with him following her to her apartment. They walked up the steps silently and made it to her door.

Alex nervously searched for her keys in her purse as Justin leaned against the wall beside her door. She found them and opened her door a bit.

Justin pushed himself off the wall. "Thanks for coming to the coffee house with me. Ya know Liz was right." Alex tilted to head to the side in confusion as she leaned against the doorframe. "I've never brought anyone with me there before. She was right, you MUST be special."

Alex gulped. She didn't know what to say to that. So she didn't say anything.

Justin sighed and put his hands in his pockets. "When I first met you, I didn't know or really care to know about you. Call it being stuck up or conceited or whatever. But God, I'm so glad Jon forced me to get to know you. I still want to know more. You are a mystery to me, Lexia. One I intend to solve." He looked up into her eyes and she couldn't breathe.

His eyes witch were blue were turning navy and then almost black with the passion in the words he spoke.

She tore her clear eyes away from him and stare at the floor below. "Thanks for the ride."

"Sure, no problem." He whispered.

"I guess I'll see you later then." She spoke nervously.

"Yeah, have a good holiday if I don't see you." His voice cracked a sign that he was just as nervous.

-Why AM I nervous? - They both thought.

"All right, bye," She barely said and stepped into her apartment and closed the door.

"WAIT!" Justin called out.

She swung the door open, almost hopefully. She could feel her face turn red with embarrassment at her actions.

And she NEVER got embarrassed.

"I- I- can't leave without-" He stuttered, his mouth trembling, eyes staring at hers.

"Can't leave without what?" She spoke stepping further out of her doorway.

-What am I doing? - Her head screamed.

Justin stepped further to her. They were inches apart. He was staring down into her eyes. Her head was slightly tilted upwards. She was by no means short. But he was a few inches taller than she was.

"What am I doing?" He whispered, subconsciously, as he gently placed a hand on her cheek.

"I don't know." She smiled slightly and it became bright when his own mouth broke into a lopsided grin.

"Lexia, I- I think- " He stared at her lips and moved back up to her eyes that were darkening to a beautiful aqua color.

"Justin, you are confusing me." She spoke nervously.

"Say that again." He closed his eyes.

"Huh?" Her eyes narrowed in confusion.

"My name, say it again." His eyes remained closed.

She licked her lips and breathed. "Justin."

He sighed in almost a whine. He groaned, "Yeah."

"Are you OK?" She giggled.

His eyes opened and he stared at her. "I'm fine. I think."

Alex looked at him like he was crazy. He was acting so strange.

Justin saw the look she was giving him and smiled brightly. "I'm not crazy."

"You're acting that way." She motioned with her eyes to the hand that was still on her cheek. "Care to explain that?" Her normal sarcastic and amused voice returned.

"Sure." His look became serious again and she regretted ever saying anything. "Maybe this will help you understand..."

She watched unable to move as his hand grasped her cheek a bit firmer and his head tilted forward and down. Her mouth slightly parted as she saw his eyes slowly close. It was a bad move because it gave him better access to her lips.

Which were now a breath away from her own.

She could feel the movements against her when he brought out his tongue to lick his lips. His thumb softly rubbed across her cheek and he whispered. "I shouldn't be doing this."

But he did.

His soft lips touched her own.

Her eyes widened and she stared as his closed ones so close to hers. She could see his lashes resting on his cheeks. He then tilted his head and locked on to her bottom lip.

Then, did she close her own eyes.

It had been a long time since she had kissed someone. Someone that she actually didn't mind kissing. Someone she wanted to kiss.

Her hands that had been trembling by her sides made their way upward to his arms. She slid them to his shoulders and around his neck to bring him closer, grasping lightly at the collar of his blue shirt.

She pulled away and tilted her head to the side, trying a new angle and bringing him closer to her.

Justin made some sort of noise that sounded like a groan when her hands grabbed onto the short curls at the back of his head. He nudged her lips apart with his own and timidly slid his tongue in her awaiting mouth.

She sighed and enjoyed the sound of his ragged breath from his nose. They both needed air, but neither wanted to stop for it.

Justin pulled away to give them a quick amount of air and lowered his head again.

But Alex stopped him. Her hands came down and pushed at his chest.

She didn't know what had sent her back into reality. If it was the regain of oxygen or the absence of his lips, or both. But she then realized that they shouldn't, and COULDNT be doing what they were.

For SO many reasons.

"I can't do this." She whispered so close to him that he felt her breath tickle his swollen lips.

"Why?" He asked.

Was he a complete moron? There were so many answers.

The fact she was his brother's baby-sitter. The fact he had a girlfriend. The fact that they came from two VERY different worlds.

She stuttered and stepped back. "I- I- I don't know."

She couldn't give him an answer.

She looked up at his confused and hurt eyes. "I'm sorry." She barely even whispered and ran into her apartment and slammed the door and locked it.

She rested against the back of it and cried.

She didn't know why. She HAD been emotional lately. But this was no reason to cry.

Just two young people that accidentally kissed one another.

But if it was an accident why did it feel so right? And why was she crying? And why had he looked so hurt when she pulled away?

"I can't leave him like that." She whispered and turned around to swing the door back open and talk to him. They had to talk this out. She opened the door.

He was gone.

She stared at the empty space in the hallway for a few minutes. Until a door opened across the hallway.

She heard loud jazz music come from the door and watched as Mr. Krecor stepped out. "Hiya, Lex."

"Hi." She whispered.

"Are you OK? You look a little pale. And are you crying?" He asked worriedly.

She just listened to the jazz music. It was Billy Holiday. Her song, "Georgia In My Mind."

It was like someone was playing it to MAKE her think of him. Make her think of their night at the coffee house, listening to Martie, talking. Hearing that soulful voice and muted trumpet sent chills down her back, through her arms and legs, to her toes and fingers.

"Yeah I'm fine." She spoke with a raspy voice and turned to re-enter her apartment.

They hadn't done much that night. They hadn't got to know TOO much about each other.

Yet she realized now how much tension and attraction had been there. How much they wanted, and needed each other.

And now he was gone.

(Exactly 2 weeks later)

"Lexy Lexy you so fine! You so fine you blow my mind hey lexy, hey hey, hey LEXY!"

Alex hit her brother with a pillow, HARD. Then covered her face with it and plopped back on the bed. "Get off me NOW! SCOTT!!!!! MOOOOMMMM!"

"Scott, stop bothering your sister." Alex's mother's voice came from the downstairs.

"Come on, Alex! You said we would play basketball. Come on, it's already 11:30!" Scott whined.

Alex took the pillow off her face and look out the window. "It's 11:30? Damn the freakin' Arctic Circle and the Sun."

"What wrong with you, sis?" Scott asked sitting Indian style on her bed and looking at her odd.

"Nothing, Scott. Just let me sleep. I'll be ready to play once the sun comes up. Does it even come up, today?"

Scott nudged her. "Yeah, a little after lunch. Lex, what's wrong? You KNOW you can tell me. We tell each other everything. Come on."

"Scott, go call one of your girlfriends." Alex groaned.

"FINE!" He yelled and jumped off her bed and went to her door. He turned abruptly. "Ya know? I get to see you like 4 times a year. It would be NICE if you would at least PRETEND you care about me and mom and dad. I know Andrew isn't here anymore. I know he was your favorite, but, dammit Alex, I'm your brother TOO!" His voice cracked and he left her stunned with a slam of the door.

Alex stared at the ceiling and threw the covers off her and shuffled to the door. She swung it open and prepared to step out, but took a step back. Scott stood there and stared at the floor.

"Sorry." He mumbled.

"Oh, Scott." She sighed and pulled him into a hug. "I'm the one who should be sorry. God, I'm SOOO sorry, Scott." Alex cringed and mumbled, "Damn, I sound like Justin."

"Who's Justin?" Scott pulled away. Alex looked him in the eye and turned away. "You are BLUSHING! OK, SPILL IT!" Scott yelled, leading her over to the bed and sitting down.

"He's just Jon, the kid I babysit's, brother."

"Oh the popstar!!!"

"Yeah, the popstar." Alex smiled.

"Lexy's got a crushhhhhhhhh." Scott tried to be as annoying as possible. Then Alex pushed him and he fell backwards on her bed. "Hey, doesn't he date FINE Miss Spears."

"Yes, he does. And I DONT have a crush." Alex spoke firmly.

"Yeah YA DO! You've NEVER blushed when I said something about a guy before. Come on, so is he all that all my girlfriends crack him up to be."

Alex gave him a look with wide eyes. "You don't tell them that your sister knows him, do you? Ya know that's a lame way to get girls."

"I would never- OK, so I did once. But she already had a boyfriend, a very SERIOUS boyfriend. So, it didn't really work." Scott shrugged.

"Scott, I don't know what to do!" Alex groaned and lay back on the bed.

"So, tell me about him. I miss our girltalk." Scott paused. "OK, that didn't sound right." They both laughed.

"Well, he- He's different, Scott. He's annoying and gets under my skin and is so incredibly CUTE! My God, and he is FOREVER licking his lips, and it drives me insane!!! And his brother, I love his brother more than anything, and he is sooo good with him. They are like just PERFECT together." Alex sighed. "His lips are so soft too, and his hair so enchanting, and he is so romantic, and when he kisses-"

"YOU'VE KISSED HIM!? Alexandria! He has a girlfriend." Scott's eyes were huge and he was talking with his hands, wildly.

"Don't you think I know that? I mean God, I'm reminded of it EVERYDAY!"

"When did he kiss you?" Scott sounded a little disgusted.

Alex smiled faintly and sighed. "Two weeks ago. It was the last time I saw him. I don't want to talk about this."

"Alex you need to. You seem confused. Talking always helps you figure things out."

"Can we just go play basketball now and let me forget it." She pleaded with him.

"Sure, I'll meet ya outside." Scott stood up and walked to her door. He opened it and turned around. "If it makes you feel any better, If I weren't your brother, OK, this is going to sound gross, but if I weren't, I'd dump Britney for you in a matter of seconds." He smiled and left her to think about what he just said.

(5 o'clock that evening)

Alex raced her brother to their back deck.

"No FAIR!" She screamed when he pushed her down. He just turned and stuck his tongue out and ran into the house.

Her father stuck his head out from behind the big grill that he was cooking hamburgers on. "Troubles Ally Cat?"

Alex pushed herself off the ground and walked towards the deck. She stepped up the 3 steps onto the wooden porch and went to go sit on the picnic table beside the grill. "You could say that."

He smiled at her and put some of the raw meat on the grill. "It's good to have you home, Alex. We miss you around here. It's not the same."

"I'm sorry dad. I wish I could say I missed it, but I don't. I love you guys, I miss yall, but not Alaska."

"Did you say yall? You have become a southerner."

"Yeah." Alex sighed. She looked out over the backyard that was sprinkled with spots of snow, not the normal sheet of ice she was use to up there. "I'm surprised there isn't much snow yet."

"I know, they say it's been the warmest winter in years here, but ya know we still got the coldest months ahead."

"That's the only problem with Florida. It's always sunny. Never much variety in weather. But they do have thunderstorms like crazy. It's SOOO cool, dad."

Her father smiled at her. "Speaking of weather, I'm proud at you for taking that internship. Have you decided if you are going to quit baby-sitting or bartending yet? Cause you KNOW how I don't really like you working underage, even if it IS for your uncle."

"I know daddy. I just know I'm NOT quitting baby-sitting. I LOVE that job. I want you to come down sometime and meet Jon. He is so adorable."

"Me and Mom have been thinking." He flipped one of the burgers. "We might come down there for a week later on in January."

"REALLY?" Alex beamed.

"Yeah, and Scott is staying until school starts back up for him, right?"

"Yeah, until the 8th, I think. I'm really happy he is coming back with me. I think he will have fun."

"Oh, I bet he will."

Alex smiled. Her and her father sat there for a while. The only sound came from the popping embers and sizzling meat of the grill.

He cleared his throat. "Alex, I want to open up an account for you. A bank account that me and mom can put money in for you whenever we want."

"Dad-"

"Just listen to me Alexandria. We don't like it, you being across the continent and we don't even know if you have enough money to eat or not. And with this new internship thing you wont have time to take 2 jobs. Please, just let us do this for you."

"But I want to be independent of you guys. I've had you for support for 18 years. Please, I don't want to be a burden."

"ALEXANDRIA! You will NEVER be a burden to this family. NEVER!" Her father stared at her eyes. She lowered her head in disappointment. "Alex, Andrew is gone. He has been for almost 10 years now. None of us will ever be able to forget him, but you've GOT to move on. You are our first kid to go to college. Let us do this for you." He laughed slightly. "See, now you even got me confused and rambling!"

She chuckled at her dad's statement. "OK, but I'm paying to get a new car or at least the Chevy fixed. I hope it can be fixed."

"Ally, we are doing that for you, and THAT'S final."

"Ugh, dadddd..." She whined.

"Alex, go inside and get a shower. You and your brother have spent all day outside playing like 5 year olds. Tell your mother the burgers will be ready shortly."

"Yes sir." She stood up and walked to the door. She stopped and smiled at her faint reflection in the glass. She turned around and ran to her father and wrapped her arms around him from the back. "I love you daddy."

He smiled brightly. "I love you too, my ally cat."

She pulled away and walked to the door. "And don't think you can get away from me too easily, girl. Me and you, one on one, tomorrow. You are going DOWN!"

She laughed. "You WISH!"

--------------

(3 days later)

"Hey Alex, will I be needing a bathing suit?" Scott called from his room across the hallway.

Alex responded packing her bags from her own room. "Nahhh." She thought. "Well, yeah. The Harless's have a heated pool and we might swim one day. I don't know. Just bring one in case."

"All right."

"Here is your clean laundry, honey." Her mom came in and placed a basket of clean clothing on her bed.

"Thanks mom!" Alex said genuinely.

Her mom walked over to the door and closed it. She came back and sat down on Alex's bed. Alex packed her bags as her mother watched her. Finally she got fed up. She sighed and looked at her mom, tiredly. "Spit it out, mom."

"At-ti-tude!" Her mother giggled. Alex rolled her eyes. "I want to know what his name is."

"Excuse me?" Alex laughed confused.

Her mom looked at her with serious eyes. "You've met someone, haven't you?"

"I don't know WHAT you are talking about." Alex continued packing her luggage. Her mom picked up an unframed photograph that was lying on her nightstand. "This Jon?"

Alex looked at the photo and smiled. "Yup. Mom, he is amazing. I swear I love that boy to death."

"Yeah, I bet. But he isn't the one I'm talking about Alex. Don't you dare lie to me. I've been waiting 19 years to see that look in my daughter eyes and that knowing smile. Don't deny me the pleasure in knowing who the boy is, Alexandria."

"Mom, I swear. I'm not dating anyone."

"I never said you had to date someone to be in love with them."

"LOVE? Mom, are you OK?" Alex asked dramatically, putting a hand on her mother's forehead.

"His name is Justin, he is Jon's big brother. He is the pop singer, MOM!!" Scott said from the door.

"Scott!!!" Alex yelled at him.

Her mother pointed to him. "Scott LEAVE! Close the door, too!"

Scott smiled sweetly. "Sure thang, ladies." He did as he was told.

"Justin, eh? Jon's brother. Hmmmm." Her mother said in thought

"Mom, no. Just, No. OK?"

"Well, then why would Scott say anything?"

Alex sighed and stuffed some jeans in her almost full bag. "OK." She looked at her mother and started her story. "So I'm baby-sitting Jon for the weekend and he comes back home from being on tour and I meet him for the first time. OK? I don't really get to know him until one day he and Jon come over. They helped me clean the apartment."

"I like this boy already."

"Yeah, and he said he liked your painting on my ceiling."

"No, I love this boy. And why aren't you together?" Her mom smiled amused.

"He has a girlfriend. I know you aren't into today's music, but he dates Britney Spears."

"Was she the one who wore that, umm, outfit on the awards show?" She asked cautiously.

"The flesh colored, diamond, halter top and thong thingy? Yeah, that's her." Alex watched as her mom's eyes got wide and she made a motherly face. "Anyways, so I realize he isn't this stuck up celebrity I thought he was. I thought he was wrong for leaving his brother and everything. I realized this week I'm just like him." Alex sighed and plopped down on the bed after putting her packed bag on the floor. She laid her head in her mother's lap.

"What else?"

"We went to the beach. I took him and Jon. And we got into an argument."

"About what?" Her mother ran her fingers through her daughter's silky black hair.

"Me being lonely." She responded quietly.

"Well, are you sweetie?" Alex turned and looked up at her mother. A tear fell from her eye as she nodded.

"I saw him at the Christmas pageant Jon was in and afterwards we went to get coffee."

"Oh, that's nice." Her mom softly brushed the lone tear away.

"It was open mic night at the coffee house. He got me to sing, momma. In front of a crowd. And you know about how I get with crowds."

"Wow. Alex, you are falling fast, babe." Alex nodded knowingly.

"Then my truck wouldn't start and he took me home. Mom, guess what type of car he has?"

"Do I even want to know?"

"A BMW Roadster."

"Oh my gosh, he is your soulmate." Her mother exclaimed chuckling.

"It's blue."

Her mother's jaw dropped. "Have you told your father."

"No. He would FLIP!" That car was her father's dream car. Seriously, DREAM car. A metallic blue BMW convertible Roadster.

"Yeah, so, we get back to my apartment and he insisted on walking me to my door. Yeah, I was very suspicious. You know how I am." Her mom nodded. "And he said I was special. He said I was a mystery that he wanted to solve."

"Oh my." Her mother's eyes were wide and astonished.

"And we said goodbye."

"That's it?" Her mother asked disappointed.

"No. He told me to wait and I opened the door back and it just happened."

"What, babe? Don't leave your momma hanging."

"He leaned in and said he shouldn't be doing this, and he kissed me. Mom, he even cupped my cheek. Do you know how much I adore that?" Alex closed her eyes groaning at the thought of it.

"I know, I go weak whenever your father does it, still!" They both laughed.

"I didn't respond at first, and then I couldn't help it, and I kissed him back. Mom, I've never felt ANYTHING that magical in my life. EVER! Cole's kisses don't even COMPARE to this. And me and Cole dated all our junior and senior year."

Her mom sighed. "Well, my girl is all grown up and in love."

Alex sat up and gave her mom an unbelievable look and shook her head. "Mom, this isn't love. I mean, I had to pull away."

"And then what?"

"I went inside my apartment and cried."

"YOU CRIED?" Her mother asked shocked.

"Yeah, sorry. I mean, mom, if you had been there..." Alex trailed off

"Well, if you cried you MUST be in love, baby, you hardly EVER cry."

"I know. And so, I had to talk to him, so I opened the door back up and he was gone. I haven't seen or spoken to him since. Not even when Lynn and Jon drove me to the airport."

"You don't realize it, but, you DO love him."

"MOM! I barely know the guy. I mean, yeah he's hot and mister cool. But, no, mom, not love. Maybe attraction, nothing more."

"Sure. OK. Whatever you say." Her mother rolled her eyes. "But thanks for sharing this with me. It's good to know we can still have our girltalk."

"Yeah."

"OK babe, you got a flight this evening, finish packing." She got up and walked to the door and opened it.

"Hey mom! Thanks."

"Tell me that in a few months." Her mom smiled and closed the door.

The next morning around 9...

Alex groaned and took her head off of her brother's shoulder. "I cannot believe we had an all night layover in Chicago."

"Yeah, dammit, I hate planes." Scott tried to stretch his long legs in the cramped space in their coach seats.

"At least we are landing, FINALLY!!" Alex exclaimed and they both smiled, tiredly.

"So, is Lynn picking us up?"

"Yeah I called her in Chicago and told her about the delay. And Jon probably, also. So if some 7 year old starts attacking me, don't fret."

"All right." Scott smiled.

They were both happy they would be able to spend a few weeks just brother and sister, goofing off. They fought like normal siblings, but were pretty close and had a lot of fun together.

Soon the plane had landed and they were departing the airplane. Alex and Scott both had bookbags on their backs and she was clutching a worn and tattered stuffed animal Dalmatian.

"I cannot believe you still have that NASTY thing." Scott scoffed as they stepped off the plane onto the ramp.

"I left Spot in my room last time I was home by accident. I've been missing him. So, SHUT UP."

Scott giggled at his sister's annoyed expression and walked beside her out into the terminal. She scanned the crowd for Lynn and Jon, but before she had time to search she heard her name.

"LEXY! LEXY LEXY!"

She turned and watched as Jon ran up to her. She squatted and enveloped him in her arms, dropping Spot.

Scott smiled evilly and picked up the animal and stuffed him in his backpack secretively.

He looked down at his sister who was listening to Jon talk widely. He looked up. He smiled even more devilishly when he saw Justin Timberlake himself with a baseball cap on standing there talking with a huge black man about 10 feet away. They were slowly walking towards them.

"Jon, I want you to meet my brother Scott. Scott this is Jon." Alex's introduction caused him to turn his gaze to the young boy.

"Whatsup man. I've heard a whole lot about you."

"Really?" Jon asked, with his eyes liting up.

Scott nodded. "Oh yeah, you're all she talks about." Jon looked at Alex and she shrugged.

"Where's your momma?" Alex asked Jon.

"She's not-" Jon started.

"Hi, I'm Scott. Alexandria's brother." Scott said smiling victoriously, sticking his hand in the direction of Justin, taking the initiative, like he often did.

Scott gave a glance and almost busted into laughter when he saw her shocked expression to Justin standing there.

"Justin Timberlake." Justin responded shaking his hand. "Mom had some errands to do, so I offered to come pick you guys up."

"Well, that's kind of you."

"Yeah, this is my bodyguard, Mike. I figured being in an airport I might need more than just a hat." Justin shrugged sheepishly. Scott and Mike shook hands.

Mike stuck a hand in front of Alex and she just stared at it.

"Alex, it's called a handshake." Scott said loudly.

Alex snapped out of her gaze and slid her small hand into Mike's while shooting daggers at her brother with her eyes. He smiled brightly, too brightly.

"So, yall ready to go?" Justin asked.

"Yeah, lets go to baggage claim." Scott exclaimed. He walked behind Justin and Jon, beside Mike, striking up a conversation.

Jon turned around. "Where's Lexy?"

Everyone stopped and turned around. They saw her scratching her head standing in the same place they just had been.

"You OK Lexia?" Justin asked, sincerely.

Scott looked at him then back at his sister. She smiled softly at Justin. Scott grinned at the obvious attraction between the two.

"Where's Spot?" She spoke quietly. Her eyes locked with Scott's. He tried not to smile.

But the corners of his mouth twitched upwards.

"SCOTT PETERS SMITH!! YOU BETTER GIVE HIM BACK NOW!!!" She pointed to him and stalked over to his innocent face.

He put his hands up in defense. "Oh nah! Nuh uh!! LEX LEX LEX! Shame on you, leaving Spot in an airport all alone."

She gripped the collar of his shirt and brought their faces centimeters apart. "Where is he?" She growled.

Justin, Mike and Jon stood there with their mouths open.

Scott grinned and reached behind him to pull the stuffed creature from his backpack. She grabbed at it, but he stuck high in air. He was taller and his arms longer so she couldn't reach it.

"You SUCK!" She spat in his face.

"Love you too, sis." He smiled. She began jumping for the animal. She then heard laughter coming from Justin, Mike and her brother. Jon seemed to be the only one not amused by looking up at the stuffed animal almost puzzled.

She realized the scene she was making and stopped and stared at her brother. He was smiling.

"I Hate You." She spoke lowly.

"Aww, Lex, come on now." He blinked rapidly.

She stepped back and stared at him. He brought his arm down and looked at the stuffed animal studying it.

He looked up at her and didn't like the evil smirk on her face. "Al, I don't like that look."

She stepped forward and he stepped back. Justin, Jon and Mike watched as if it were a TV show. "I have 3 words for you."

"What?" His voice was timid.

"August."

"Oh no..."

"Bahamas."

"Alex, don't..."

"TEQUILA!!!" She yelled.

He threw the animal at her and she caught it and put her fist in the air, one with Spot, and pulled downward. "YES!"

"You are going to pay for that one, Missy. Don't you even try to sleep tonight. You know you aren't supposed to say that word in front of me." He narrowed his eyes at her as she skipped to him and wrapped an arm around him. She kissed his cheek and he wiped the spot where she had kissed him feverishly.

"Let's go get our luggage, bro!"

They walked down to luggage claim and waited for their bags. "I can't believe you brought that up, Alex. That was just WRONG." Scott said while they stood there.

"Well, its not my fault you tried to get hooked up with a drag queen named Tequila on our family vacation." Alex spoke bursting with giggles.

"You did that?" Justin appeared beside Alex.

Scott's face turned red with anger and embarrassment. "I didn't know, OK?"

"Yeah, sure. It's OK, little bro. You can come out of the closet whenever the time is right." She put a hand on his shoulder and he shrugged it off.

He turned sharply and glared at his sister. "Alexandria, you aren't in the position to piss me off. Because you KNOW I could embarrass you. And remember? You don't GET embarrassed." Scott's eyes motioned to Justin standing there beside Alex talking to Mike who had Jon on his back.

"You wouldn't."

"I don't know. I'm kinda in the mood right now to..."

"Please, Scott. PLEASE, don't say anything." She pleaded.

He sighed. "I wouldn't do that to you."

"THANK YOU!" She wrapped an arm around his neck and sighed. "Thank you. Because you COULD embarrass me REAL bad."

They both chuckled until their luggage came. They retrieved all of it and walked towards the doors that led outside.

"Oh my god! Are you Justin Timberlake!?!" A high pitched squeal was heard.

Alex and Scott looked beside them and saw a 13 year old girl with braces smiling brightly and wide-eyed at Justin.

They both watched amazed as he turned and plastered on a smile. "Hey, yeah, but lets keep it down all right? I wanna keep a low profile."

"Oh SURE! Can you sign something?"

"Course." He grinned as she pulled out a scrap piece of paper. Neither had a pen. The girl looked around worriedly.

Alex cleared her throat. "I got one." She reached in her backpack and handed it to Justin.

"Thanks, Lexia." He pressed the paper in his left palm and scribbled his name.

He handed it back to her. She smiled. "Do you mind me asking who they are?" The girl pointed to Alex and Scott.

"Oh well, umm..." Justin stuttered.

Scott stuck his hand out at the girl. "Cousin number 1. This chick right here is cousin number 2."

"You don't look ANYTHING like Justin, how can you be related?" She said unbelievabling.

"Well, we are on his stepmom's side. So we are more like step-cousins." Alex smiled.

The girl looked utterly confused but she nodded slightly and turned back to Justin. "Thanks."

"No prob. Bye bye." Justin turned to leave with Mike eyeing the girl carefully with Jon still on his back.

Once they got outside Jon turned to Scott and Alex. "You guys aren't our cousins." He giggled.

Justin sighed in relief. "Thanks guys. It would have took too long to explain it all, ya know."

"Yeah, we know. Don't we sis." Scott nudged his sister.

"Huh? Wha?" She had been dazing off into space as they walked through the parking lot.

"Alex, you OK?" Scott looked at her concerned.

They had finally reached Justin's Mercedes and he was piling their luggage in the back. Mike was helping him and Jon was dancing around in circles. Alex was staring at Justin. The way his muscles would seem to cause the sleeves of his T-shirt to look way too small as he hauled their luggage in the back.

He reached up and shut the back and his T-shirt rode up and she could see the elastic of his white boxers that had some print on them.

"Alex, you're gawking at him." Scott whispered to her. Her head snapped towards him and he smiled tenderly at her. "Go get in the car, Al."

She smiled and giggled slightly and stepped closer to the car. Jon was holding the front door for her. "Shotgun, for Lexy."

"That's OK, Jon. You take it."

"No, Justin told me I HAD to give you the front, with him." She stepped towards the passenger side and slipped in. She watched as Jon shut the door behind her.

She pulled the seatbelt over her body and snapped it in. It wouldn't snap and she looked down to get it to go in. It kept sliding back out.

Justin stepped in the car and pulled his seatbelt over him and turned on the engine. "Everyone in?" He asked and everyone nodded. Mike, Jon, and Scott were in the back. Jon in the middle.

He looked over at her, struggling with her seat belt. "Oh, sorry. It's kinda tricky." He reached over and took her hands away from the belt and buckle. She gasped when his hands touched hers. He looked up at her and smiled.

He somehow fixed the belt to buckle and leaned back over to his seat. "Thanks." She whispered.

"No problem." He turned around and looked out the back of the car as he reversed. He turned back around and put the car in drive. He looked at her and caught her staring at him. He smiled. "No problem at all." He licked his lips and grinned, turning back to the road. He spoke very clearly the next words and articulated the words. "Not. At. All. Lexia, not at all." He sighed and turned up the radio.

Was he mocking her? Was he trying to prove some point? She had no idea what he was trying to do. But whatever it was, it was confusing the hell out of her. She glanced in the side mirror and saw her brother looking at her with wide eyes. He mouthed to her. "He likes you."

She rolled her eyes and sighed, watching the Orlando highway as Shaggy's 'Angel' filled her ears.

Justin abruptly sang loudly with his brother as if planned, pointing to her, " Girl you're my LEXY, you're my darling, LEXY. Closer than my peeps you are to me, LEXY. Shorty you're my LEXY, you're my darling, LEXY, Girl you're my friend when I'm in need, LEXY!!"

They both giggled and Alex looked at him with her mouth dropped open slightly because he was making an ass out of himself. He chuckled when he caught her shocked expression. He winked at her and smiled brightly. Jon was still singing as they were staring at each other. He wiggled his eyebrows and turned back to the road.

Alex jerked her head to the road as well and stared with a glaze over her eyes at Orlando skyline. Suddenly she began to smile. She couldn't stop. A giggle escaped her lips and she turned her head to look out the side window. She covered her mouth with her hand to quit from laughing as her eyes twinkled.

She was amused because figured out what he was doing to her. What he was trying to do.

He was flirting. It was cheesy and a little pathetic. But he was flirting. Pure and simple.

Justin pulled into the parking lot of Alex's apartment. He scanned the lot, searching for his mom. She wasn't there yet.

"Damn..." He muttered to himself and continued driving, right on out of the parking lot.

"Umm, Justin? That was my apartment building ya know?"

"Do you mind if I go fill up my tank. The little light has been flashing the whole way here."

"Uhh, sure." Alex said skeptically.

Justin smiled at his cleverness and rode 2 streets down to the gas station. He parked in front of the pump and opened the door. "I'll do it J."

"Hey, thanks man." Justin said to Mike who stepped out of the car and proceeded to fill up Justin's gas tank.

Justin sighed and relaxed into his seat. "Justinnn I have to go."

He turned around to look at his brother who was sitting there with a pained expression. He sighed, "All right, c'mon."

"I'll take him." Scott offered. Alex turned around and glared at her brother.

"Ya sure?"

"No problem. Come on, Jon." Scott opened the door and took Jon to the bathroom.

Alex caught his smug grin as he walked by the front of the car.

"Ugh, ass." She mumbled.

"That's not nice, Lexia." Justin spoke in a smooth voice. She turned to him.

-I cannot believe that little prick left me in here with him. -

"How was your holiday?" He asked turning and looking at her lazily.

"Fine, yours?" She pretended to pick off lent from her comfy stretch pants. Anything to avoid his eyes.

"It was nice." He continued to stare at her. Memorizing her every move and feature.

She groaned and looked up at him. "We need to talk, don't we?"

A sly smile slid slowly across his face. "About what?"

"Well, the umm...you know." She started to blush and turned her head towards the window, away from him.

As if she had done something wrong he grabbed her chin and forced her to look back at him. "What do we need to talk about Lexia?"

His voice was low, almost a growl. His eyes were baring into her own. "The kiss." She whispered meekly.

-This'll get her. -

His hand dropped from her chin and he looked at her puzzled. "What kiss?"

Her jaw literally dropped.

"What kiss? Well, umm, you don't remember, after the coffee house?"

He shook his head nonchalantly. "Nope."

She glared at him and her nostrils flared. "Well then let me refresh your memory!! After we got coffee from the cafe my car wouldn't start you took me home and walked me to the door. We said goodbye and I left and you told me to wait and I came back and you kissed me. Then I pulled away and left you."

He smiled at her agitated voice. This was what he wanted to hear. "I don't know WHAT you are talking about. You must have dreamed it."

"How DARE you say that."

"Lexia, I don't remember kissing you. I have a girlfriend. I'm sorry. I mean, I know it's a little hard to resist me, but I'm sorry, I cant. I am flattered that you would consider me that way. But with Britney and Jon and the fact that you just aren't my type and I'm not attracted to you, AT ALL. Just no. OK?"

His voice was mocking and made her feel cheap and used. She couldn't believe she had fallen for...

"You asshole. You arrogant, uncaring, asshole." She narrowed her eyes.

"Lexia, that's NOT nice." He turned and looked at Mike who had walked into the store to pay for the gas. Scott and Jon were walking out the doors.

"Shut the hell up!" She yelled at him. He turned to her with wide eyes.

"Damn girl. Chill-"

"I SAID SHUT THE HELL UP! OR do you not understand that? Maybe this will work." She paused and at that moment she felt like punching him. "Shut the FUCK up!"

His eyes closed and he took in a breath. His jaw clenched.

-Damn it, Timberlake. You weren't supposed to make her hate you. Way to screw up, idiot. -

He opened his eyes and saw that her gaze was fixated on the road outside her window. Her body was titled away from him.

Just then, Scott, Jon and Mike reentered the car.

"All right, we are all set." Mike said, as they were all strapped in the car.

Justin looked at her once more and started the engine and pulled out of the station.

They pulled back up to the parking lot in silence. Justin saw that his mom was there and smiled. Maybe this would brighten her day some. He parked his car and she immediately got out. She pulled her keys out of her pocketbook and walked quickly to the building.

"Hey, Lex? We kinda need our bags." Scott yelled at her.

"I got a migraine. Just bring them up will you?" She called with an attitude and continued her stalk towards the door of her building. She opened it and walking in the building.

Justin shot a glance to his mother who had gone unnoticed and looked at everyone else. "Wait here."

He sprinted to the doors and opened them. HE ran up the steps and to her hallway. He walked to her doorway and saw it was cracked opened. He pushed it further open and still didn't see her. He stepped in.

"Lexia?" He called.

"GO AWAY JUSTIN!" She called from her bedroom. He sighed and walked over to her bedroom.

She was laying on her side, curled up in the fetal position clutching a pillow.

He slowly walked to the bed and sat down on the edge, looking at her. "I'm-"

"Save it." She interrupted him.

He got off her bed and knelt down on the floor looking at her face. She sniffed. He brought his hand up to wipe away the tears he had caused. She rolled over before his fingers came in contact with her skin and faced the other way.

"Lexia, I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't mean it. I don't know why I said it. I wanted some type of reaction, but I don't know why. I didn't want this. I'm sorry. I do remember that kiss. And the fact that I do and the fact that it happened and I cant forget it, bothers me." She looked back at him and saw that his eyes stared into hers.

"You aren't lying." She whispered.

He stood up and looked at her lying on the bed. "I know I'm not. But what I said about the other stuff is true. I cant- I cant do this with you. I have a girlfriend and I don't think its good for us to, do anything, and with you being Jon's baby-sitter. We aren't- We don't- I don't know, Lexia. But this just cant happen, OK?"

She sat up and nodded. "I know."

"OK, then. Friends?"

She looked at him shook her head. "I can't do that. It will be too hard for me. You're the first- I don't know my feelings for you just yet Justin. And I think it would be best if I just, not be around you much."

"But-"

"Justin I barely know you. And you barely know me. Just, let it go. Let me go. If I have to let you go, you have to do the same."

He sighed. "You're right."

They were both silent for a while.

She sniffed and turned to him. "Did I see your mom out there?"

He returned the smile. "I don't know, did you?" He nodded to the door. "There's a surprise for you out there, Lexia."

Her eyes brightened and she sprinted out the door and down the hallway.

Justin stood there, in her bedroom and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm an idiot. I'm a FREAKIN idiot." He turned to walk out of her doorway but turned back and walked over to the bed. He picked up her pillow and brought it to his face, burying himself in it. He loved her smell. It was so...

"Damn..." He groaned and closed his eyes. He gently placed the pillow back where he found it and left her bedroom and apartment. He walked down the steps and out into the parking lot.

He heard a scream. A girl's scream. A loud, blood curling, scream from Alex.

He turned and saw her, collapse in Mike's arms.

Jonathan ran over to Alexandria and shook her. She leaned downwards with the help of Mike and sat down with a plop on the asphalt. Scott and Lynn smiled brightly at one another before Scott walked over an introduced himself.

Justin giggled and quickly walked over to where Jon was waving a hand in front of Alex's face. She wasn't moving.

Scott, Lynn and Mike were talking and giggling at Alexandria still sitting on the ground staring with a dazed expression on her face at the car they were all standing by.

Jon looked up at Justin. "She's not moving. I think she's dead."

Justin shook his head and squatted down to be closer to Alex. He looked at her then back up at Jon. He smiled evilly and yelled to his mother. "Mom, I don't think she wants it. Why don't you just take it back? Or better yet, Scott your 16 right? Why don't you take it."

Scott rooted and took the keys from Lynn and pretended to get in the car that had a big red bow on it while the others laughed. Justin turned back to Alex. A small grin had spread across her face.

Justin smiled when her teeth showed through her lips. She started laughing and couldn't stop. She leaned to her side only to hit Justin and make him lose his balance and fall over on the asphalt. She startled laughing hysterically then.

She stood up and jumped in the air about 5 times while everyone else stared at her amused. Justin had since brushed himself off and stood up.

Jon was jumping up, trying to be like Alex and down wondering why she was having so much fun doing it, because he just got dizzy.

She stopped and looked at Lynn then Mike, then Scott, then Justin. She ran over to Jon, picked him up and swung him around yelling, "I GOT A NEW CAR!!!!!!!"

Everyone smiled at how happy she was. IT was ABOUT time!!!

Then she set Jon on the ground and her smile turned into a frown. "Who got me this?"

Lynn cleared her throat. "Your parents. They called me up and asked me to 'deliver' it for them."

"That's why you hardly got anything Christmas morning, sis." Scott spoke smugly.

"But, why? I could have gotten the Chevy fixed. It would have been a lot cheaper." She whined.

Justin sighed and pulled on her arm forcing her towards the car. "Lexia, look. You got a new 2000 silver FULLY LOADED Jeep Grand Cherokee. BE HAPPY! Don't worry about all that stuff. Its a gift, from your parents, except it and enjoy it."

She looked at him for a while as he just stared at her back. She began to smile and walked over to her new car. She gently reached out and touched the front light and her hand snapped back. She glanced at her brother who was leaning on the hood. "It's real" She whispered.

He smiled and nodded. She walked over to him and smiled sweetly. "GET OFF MY CAR!!"

He was startled by her voice and jumped away. She giggled and hugged Lynn before grabbing the keys from her brother and opening the door after ripping the bow off. The scent of "new car smell" filled her nostrils and she sighed. She stepped up into the car and left the door open. She gripped the steering wheel and looked around the leather interior. Her eyes landed on the console and her wide eyes turned to the people outside. "IT HAS A CD PLAYER???"

"Yes Lex, most cars now-a-days have one. Yours is a 10 disk changer." Scott said smartly stepping up and looking in the car. She swatted him away and let her fingers graze the CD player. She took the keys and slid them into the ignition. She took a deep breath and turned the keys.

The engine roared and settled to a purr. Justin's eyes widened when she groaned loudly and slid down in her seat, seemingly in pleasure.

She finally re-gained some sense of reality and looked outside. "Everyone in, let's go cruisin'!!" She slammed her door shut.

Scott jumping in the passenger seat and closed his door. Alex moaned "oh yes" when he didn't have to slam it to get it to shut. Jon got in the back with his mother.

Alex noticed a presence missing and rolled down her window. "Come on you guys, Justin you and Mike can squeeze in, Jon can sit on someone's lap, come on."

Justin shook his head and looked at Mike before turning back to her. "That's OK. I need to get back and see what's going on in Nsync land."

"Ya sure?" Her ice blue eyes were wide and curious.

Justin stared into them and lost all feeling in his body. He stuttered and nodded. "Y-Y-Yeah."

"OK, bye guys!" She yelled and pulled out of the parking lot, rolling up her window with her automatic windows, a feature she never had before.

Justin stared as the car made its way out of the parking lot. Mike walked over and put a hand on Justin shoulder, causing him to jump. "Oh, hey Mike."

"Justin, you are in over your head."

"What do you mean?" Justin looked at the big man.

Mike sighed and sucked on his teeth looking straight ahead. "Your feelings for her, well, they are quite noticeable." Justin began to protest but Mike held up a hand to stop him. "I know you hate it when I interfere with your personal life. And I do a good job, NOT doing that. Now, as much as I hate to admit this, we are close, J. And I know things about you that I really don't want to know. And I consider you a friend. As a friend it's my responsibility to look out for you. Hell, it's my JOB to look out for you."

They both chuckled. Mike stepped in front of Justin and made him look him in the eyes. "Justin, you need to think, LONG and HARD about this. You need to think about what people are going to say about you and Alexandria. Britney, the guys, Johnny, THE MEDIA!!"

"Mike, you DONT know what you are talking about. She is my brother's baby-sitter. OK? So what if I find her attractive. Yeah, OK? So she is very intelligent and intriguing, and she had beautiful eyes." Justin stared at Mike. "Have you seen her eyes? Damn...Yeah, and she is great with my brother and fun and different and...." His voice trailed off and his face had a faint smile plastered on to it.

Mike smiled and Justin caught it. "No Mike. No. OK? Just....dammit stop smiling like that."

He started chuckling as Justin looked away and started blushing. Mike's laughter echoed through the parking lot and Justin couldn't help but to giggle, his face red as a cherry.

A car horn beeped and they both looked up to see Alexandria's Jeep in front of them, she had her window rolled down and was leaning out a bit. "Hey Justin, Mike...I forgot to say thanks. Thanks for bringing us home. I'm surprised you are still here. Sure you don't want to go for a joy ride??" Her eyes twinkled with happiness and mischief.

Justin just stared at her, as if in shock. Mike looked up at her and spoke for him. "Nah, I gotta get this boy to the studio to lay down some tracks. Thanks though, and it was wonderful meeting you, Alex."

"You too, Mike. Bye you guys." She smiled and sped off again.

Mike turned to Justin whose mouth was open and his eyes were glazed over. "Come, Justin, lets go." He pushed Justin towards his Mercedes and forced him to walk.

Mike noticed Justin was still in a daze and held out his hand. "Keys." Mike said simply, before Justin subcontiously brought his keys out of his pocket and placed them in Mike's large hand.

Mike dragged Justin to the passenger door and opened it, pushing him inside. He slammed the door shut and got in on the driver's side. As they backed out of the parking lot, Mike smiled at Justin, who was staring at the dashboard. "You're right Justin."

Justin slowly turned his head to Mike. "Huh?"

"I said you are right. She's got BEAUTIFUL eyes. And that body. Whew. Tall but not too tall, and slender. Damn. And that hair. You just want to run your fingers through it. It's so long and shiny and you know that black hair like that, and ice blue eyes are very rare. Her brother looks kinda like JC. Damn, that girl is fine!!! And her curvy, yet very fit body...."

"OK MIKE!! I get the point." Justin said aggravated.

"Yeah, you get the point perfectly clear don't ya Justin?" Mike said with a sigh.

Justin turned to him sharply, "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, you understand you might start falling for her. You won't admit it. But you know in your heart you've already begun that process. Now everyday people might not see this. But, boy, I KNOW you. And I know how you get around girls you like. Your momma knows you, and your brother knows you, the guys know you, and Johnny knows you. And they will ALL know that you have fallen for her if you aren't careful." Justin looked confused and Mike continued. "Justin, you were drooling over her out there. No, you were stunned by her. I've NEVER seen anyone that taken back by someone just driving up and saying 'thanks.' You looked like you had seen the gates to heaven. You were MESMIRIZED by her. So, you need to figure all this out because if everyone else starts to see where your mind and heart and WHO KNOWS what else you have is thinking about Alex, all hell will break lose. You need to prepare some people if you are thinking about.... doing anything with her."

Justin sighed in his seat and made a move to turn up the radio but Mike spoke before his hand reached the dial. "And one last thing. I've got one word for you. One word that has been with you for about 7 or 8 years now. One word that knows you, VERY well. One word that you claim to be your best friend....and GIRLFRIEND. That one word is Britney."

"Mike, my head, my heart, my soul....my body...They are all so confused and mixed together, I just don't know WHAT to do." Justin sighed massaging his temples and closing his eyes.

"Well, Justin, you need to figure all that out. Because, damn, I hate to tell you this, but no matter what happens, you are going to break someone's heart in this. Britney, well, she just figures that you two will always be together because that's what's expected and how its been. And Alexandria, god, what a name...Alex, well, I think she...I think she's already fallen for you. And I think she hates that, and I think she doesn't want to be in love with you. But....there's nothing she can do about it now, except wait."

"DAMMIT! Everyone keeps bringing up this LOVE crap. It's not LOVE OK? Just leave me alone, OK Mike? I can handle this on my on. No. NO!! I don't have to handle anything, because there isn't anything TO handle." Justin yelled at his bodyguard.

Mike sighed. "OK, whatever." He turned up the radio as Justin relaxed into his seat, chewing on his fingernails.

The commercials on the radio cut off and the DJ came through the speakers. "It's afternoon request hour here on '97.6 the edge and this request goes out Ted from Erika. Here is Sheryl Crow's "Strong Enough."

"Great..." Justin mumbled as he stared out the window.

"What was that?" Mike asked.

"Nothing." Justin said glancing at Mike then back out the window.

He whispered at the passing cars. "Just great...."

January 6th, 2001

It had been about 3 days since Alex had gotten her new car. She LOVED it. Who wouldn't? Scott and her had spent a lot of quality sibling time together. Which had been spent mostly in the jeep, because she always wanted to drive it!

She had seen Jon a few times in the week. Her and Scott had taken him to McDonalds and to the beach one afternoon. They had gone over to the Harless's for a swim one day.

But she hadn't seen Justin.

She tried not to let it bother her. They, no SHE, had been the one to pull out the 'not even friends' card.

She couldn't get him out of her mind. Alex did a pretty good job of keeping her thoughts away from him, but then Scott would say something or she'd hear a song, or see a picture and she couldn't help but think of him.

That morning Scott was still sleeping and she had drove to Krispy Creme to get an assorted box of donuts. While she was walking through the glass doors back to her car she thought she saw Justin's Beemer pull out of the parking lot. She didn't know if it was him, the top was up and it drove off before she had a chance to get a good look.

But ever since then she had been thinking about him. His eyes, his hair, his smile, his lips, his body, his laugh, his voice, his hands...

...his kiss.

It had been about a month, more like 3 weeks and she could still taste the salty flavor with a hint of coffee of his lips from that sacred evening.

She sighed as she opened the door to her apartment and saw her brother was awake flipping through the channels, sitting up on the couch that was covered in pillows and blankets; his make-shift bed for the week.

"Jenn called." He said not removing his gaze from the TV.

Alex set the box on the kitchen table. "This early?"

"No, last night. When you went to go get your CDs out of your car."

"SCOTT! And you decide to tell me NOW?" Alex scoffed and walked to the fridge to get some orange juice.

"Opps." He shrugged a smile forming across his handsome features as he finally stopped on something worth watching.

"Come here, Lex. Bring those donuts and juice. There's something GOOD on TV." His voice was full of mischief.

Alex rolled her eyes and poured them some orange juice and picked up the box, doing a good job of balancing the 3 objects and set them down on the small coffee table. She set down beside her brother and opened the box of fresh donuts.

"Hmmmm, those look good." She reached to pick one up. "Whups. Forgot the napkins."

She got up to go get some napkins. "Come on, you are missing the best part." Scott said turning up the volume and giggling.

She came back and threw some napkins at his giggling form. "What's so funny?" She plopped back on the couch.

Scott laughed harder and pointed to the screen with the remote. Alex turned her gaze to the TV as she picked up a donut. She opened her mouth and prepared to bite down when she heard a familiar voice through the TV speakers.

"Alex? Can I ask you something? Will you please....dance with me?"

The donut fell out of Alex's mouth and she stared at the TV in shock. She hadn't seen the TV movie Justin had made, surprisingly enough, but had heard enough about it from Jon. According to him it was Oscar worthy. This, well...it was KINDA cute???

"Oh my gosh, that is sooo cheesy." Scott giggled picking up a crueller and ripping into it. "And the worst part is, she has the same name as YOU!!" Scott said with a mouthful of donut.

Alex looked down to donut that was sticking to her red T-shirt. She started giggling and looked up at the screen just in time to see 'Alex' and 'Jason' dance in the movie "Model behavior."

"That has GOT to be the WORST line I have EVER heard. I HOPE for Justin's sake that that wasn't ad-libbed. Did you see that?" She looked at her brother who was almost choking on his orange juice, laughing. "Oh my gosh, he sounds like he is attempting to be a phone-sex operator or a guidance counselor, I don't know which."

Scott opened his mouth wide and laughed so hard that he thought he was going to burst. "I NEVER thought I would EVER hear the words phone sex and guidance counselor in the same sentence in my LIFE!!"

"Well.." Alex sighed and finished off her donut. She gulped down her orange juice and turned to her brother once the credits began rolling. "Scott...can I ask you something?"

He nodded meekly like the girl that played Alex in the Disney Movie.

"Will you please...." She smiled at Scott and he giggled, anticipating her next line. Her voice became normal and she started cleaning up their napkins encrusted with frosting and empty glasses."...Get ready for the day, we are going to find a b-ball court. I've been deprived."

Scott stood up and stretched "I know. Dad almost beat you last week!! And you NEVER get beat."

"I know." Alex said cockily. Scott threw a pillow at her and she almost dropped the glasses, she was carrying to the sink. "Watch it, boy. Go get ready."

"Where are we going to play?"

"I don't know, we will find somewhere. We could go to the YMCA." Alex sang 'YMCA'.

"All right, whatever."

She remembered something as she set the glasses in the sink. "Oh crap, the courts are closed this week at the Y, they are re-finishing the floors, but we will find somewhere."

"OK, cool." Scott started searching through his bag as the phone rang. He got up and went to the bathroom to take a shower. Alex looked at the digital clock in the kitchen and saw it was later than she thought, 10:45.

She picked up the phone. "ello?"

"Hey Meredith, its Jenn."

"What's up."

"Not much, I called you last night and left a message with your brother.

"Yeah, I got the message 20 minutes ago."

"Ohh hehe, I got to ask you something."

Alex giggled at the closeness in that statement and the one Justin's character had said on TV. "What?"

"A friend of mine is having a party this next Monday before classes start back up. You wanna come?"

"Uhhh, well, I don't know." Alex wasn't a big partier.

"It'll be fun. It's just a few of us and we will probably just sit around, watch movies and stuff."

"Ohh I thought you meant like a PARTY party."

"Nah, we don't party much. Well, we go to clubs. But my friends and I don't drink or anything so...."

"Really? That's interesting."

Jenn laughed nervously. "I know, I'm a dork."

"No. Not at all. It's just rare you find college students that don't drink. I don't either. I did a bit in high school. Trying to look older, I guess. But since I started working at Tidal Wave the stuff just got sickening. Ya know?"

"Yeah, and just to go ahead and tell you, this party is kinda like a umm, how do I say this? Well, we have like this bible study club thingy, and it's all the people from there. But this isn't a bible study party. This is just us hanging out."

Alex smiled. "That's awesome. What church do you go to?"

"I go to the Methodist one off of Hunters Avenue."

"Oh yeah, that real pretty, old one, with the elaborate stained glass window facing the street?"

"Yup, that's it."

"I go to First Baptist."

"Oh really? Our study leader goes there. You know Kenny Davis?"

"KENNY? Oh my gosh. When and Where? Kenny is awesome!!" Alex knew Kenny from church and loved his humor and laid-back persona. He was a really cool guy.

Jenn giggled. "Yeah, its at my friend Margrets house, I'll call and give you definite times and directions later."

"Great. I'm really looking forward to it Jenn." She spoke genuinely.

"Me too. Well, I have to go. Oh and sorry I called so early. I just didn't know when I'd get a chance to call later on."

"It's cool. Thanks girl. Bye bye."

"Bye bye bye!!"

Alex looked at the phone and mumbled as a dial tone sounded. "Did she just say 'bye bye bye'?"

Alex groaned in realization. -Not her too. -

She giggled and walked to her room to change into something more suitable to play b-ball in.

-----

"Alexandria, we have been riding around for about an hour. There are either no open courts, or they aren't fit to play on, or something. Either find somewhere in the next 5 minutes or forget it."

"Scott, you are so impatient." Alex sighed as she pulled out of the parking lot of a park that had basketball courts. They were all being used.

"You just want to ride around in your pimp-mobile don't you?" Scott said with a serious expression.

Alex giggled and nodded before Scott punched her arm.

"Well, there IS one last place."

"Where?" Scott was eager to get out of the car.

"The Harlesses have that mini-court in their backyard, but I don't want to bother them."

Scott picked up her silver nokia cell-phone, a Christmas present from her parents, and started searching her phone book.

"What are you doing?" Alex asked breaking her gaze with the road for a few seconds to give her brother a look. He didn't acknowledge her, instead brought the phone to his ear.

"Hello? Mrs. Harless?....Yes, this is Scott Smith, Alex's brother, and we were wondering if we could come over to your house and play basketball. We can't find a free court in the city limits of Orlando....I know that kinda hard to believe....Are you sure you don't mind?...We don't have to if it's a bother.....all right, great..thank you...uh huh..bye bye."

Scott shut off the phone and set it down. "To the Harless's, Lex."

"Scott, you don't just invite yourself over to someone's house."

"Oh pulease. You are like FAMILY to them, Alex. They are nice people. Plus she said she was in her office doing work, Paul is out of town, Jon has a friend over and we will just play some ball. No distraction of any kind."

"Whatever you say, Scott." Alex sighed and drove towards their destination, with an uneasy feeling in her stomach.

She had a feeling that somehow, she wouldn't pass this day without seeing him....Justin.

An hour later

Sweat poured off the young mans forehead as he tried desperately to keep up with his opponent. It didn't help that the two cheerleaders on the sidelines weren't for him. It didn't help his ego that he was a little taller than his enemy.

It made him sick that it was his sister.

It was winter. But it was Florida. The temperature was a nice 65 and it was sunny.

Jon and his friend Billy were sitting on picnic table beside the half court with a CD player. They were being refs, calling in Alex's favor everytime and making sure the right music was playing.

Alex had two "b-ball CDs" which had just music you would listen to if you were playing basketball.

The score was 56 to 37.

Alexandria checked her brother and then pivoted around him and stole the ball, jogging up for an easy lay-up.

"THAT'S 58 BABY!" She rooted and giggled at her brother laying on the pavement letting a waterbottle empty itself on his face.

"You are such a wimp. Come on, Scottie!! You said it yourself, first to 60. You got LOTS of catching up to do." She dribbled the ball around his head, moving it in-between her legs. She twirled it on her pointer finger as he looked up at her.

"I forfeit."

She pouted. "No fair. You HAVE to finish. It's a Smith tradition. You start something, you FINISH it." She was growling now.

Alex was a complete 180 when it came to basketball.

She was an ANIMAL.

And she was good. REAL good. No, she was AMAZING.

She didn't play regular basketball, she played street ball. She could compete with the best NYC had to offer. She was a 'baller'.

Scott pushed himself off the ground with a moan and wiped himself off. "OK, lets hurry up and get this over with..."

--------

"Hey, whose car is that?" Chris asked his younger counterpart.

"Oh my gosh, what's SHE doing here?" Justin said aloud, pulling into his mother's house.

"Who's SHE?" Chris laughed turning down the radio.

"Lexia, Jon's baby-sitter."

"OHHHH the girl you cheated on Britney with and can't stop thinking about."

"CHRIS! That is confidential. And I didn't cheat on her! It was just a quick kiss. I told you to leave that in my game room. No one else knows. Got it?"

"Yeah, just saying. I can't wait to meet her." His smile was evil and secretive.

Justin parked his car behind her jeep. "Chris don't embarrass me. OK? And the other guys are here too, so DONT let on that you know anything. They'll get pissed. You know how they are."

"I know. I'll be good, mommy." Chris rolled his eyes and got out of the car. A black jeep much like the one in front of Justin's car parked behind them. And out rolled the other Nsync members.

"So, what exactly are we doing today?" Joey yawned and stretched.

"Going over song ideas. Just us. Nobody else. Just Nsync. All the while we play some basketball." Lance said positioning his sunglasses over his eyes.

"Yeah, Lance, you got the SKILLZ don't ya?" Joey said sarcastically as Lance gave him the evil eye.

JC got out of the driver's seat and eyed the Jeep in front of Justin car. "Who's Jeep is that?" He pointed to it.

"Alexandria's." Chris said dramatically.

"Jon's baby-sitter." Justin corrected and led them towards the front door.

As they walked towards the porch a horrific yell was heard. Lance turned to Justin. "What the hell was that?"

"I don't know." Justin said pushing through his bandmates and cautiously walking around the garage to the backyard where the noise had come from. The rest of Nsync followed him. They stopped when Justin halted and carefully walked beside him and saw the scene in front of them.

---

"SCOTT SMITH! You will pay!" Alex said stepping on her brothers stomach who was lying on his back, laughing. Her tennis shoe pushed further down and made him wince as she leaned over to get closer to him. Jon and Billy turned up the music, giggling at the two siblings fighting.

"OK, Lex, I wont pop you bra strap anymore."

"EXACTLY! You know that's against the rules. I play street ball, but that doesn't mean you can cheat, Double S." She sighed using his basketball nickname she had for him.

"OK, OK!" He said pushing her foot off of him and standing up. "Now where were we?" His eyes narrowed.

She passed him the ball. "Check." Her voice was stern and almost venomous.

"Yo, vanilla kick it one time, booooyyieee." The CD player said.

Alex smiled evilly as 'Ice Ice Baby' came through the backyard. Scott passed the ball back to her and bent down to attack at her first move.

"Wow, you never said she was FINE!" JC stared as Alex bent slightly and started dribbling the ball.

"WHEW! Back that ass up." Joey laughed and slapped hands with Lance.

Justin rolled his eyes but smiled softly at Lexia and her brother.

Alex contemplated what her move would be. She watched as her brother's eyes flinched to look behind her and she jumped at the opportunity and dribbled around him on the right and ran up to make a quick lay up.

"Oh hey, JUSTIN!" Scott yelled.

The ball rounded the rim and tilted outward and bounced on the pavement and began to roll off the court. Alex watched it.

-I can't believe I just missed that, all because...- The ball was stopped by a white Nike tennis shoe.

Her eyes quickly traveled up the length of the owner of that shoe. "You were off balance, that's why your shot failed."

Immediately, she was insulted. No one tells her how to play.

Her eyebrow slowly raised and she stared at him as Justin bent down to pick the ball up and tossed it to her brother.

"So what's that Jon? 40 to 58?" Scott giggled.

"That last basket didn't count when you popped my bra." Her eyes were still on Justin as she spoke to her brother.

"She's right!" Jon nodded and waved at Justin with Billy.

Justin ignored him and stared at Lexia. "These are the guys. Joey, JC, Chris, and Lance."

She nodded to them but kept her eyes locked with Justin. They narrowed slightly and she started walking towards her brother, not breaking her stare.

She finally grabbed the ball from her brother who scoffed and rolled his eyes. He then decided to introduce himself to the 4 guys there. Alex walked up to Justin. She tilted her head to the side and spun the ball on her middle finger. "Are you telling me how to play Timberlake?"

"Maybe. Maybe not." He licked his lips slowly with a confident grin.

"I don't LIKE it when people tell me how to play." Her voice sounded like steel. Couldn't break it for anything.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah. I HATE it."

"Well, you weren't doing it right." He smiled brightly when her face turned red with anger.

"Oh, you BETTER step up to this challenge. You and me, one on one, RIGHT now."

"Actually, the guys and me came here to play a little ball, ourselves. And since there 5 of us we need an extra player." He spoke calmly as if asking her to join them.

Her face turned to a slight smile. "Scott, you wanna play with us?" Justin asked staring at Alex smiling confidently when her face contorted to look like she would explode.

"Fine." She whispered then chest passed the ball to him. It was such a quick and forceful pass; Justin lost his balance had to step back in order not to fall.

She had walked away about 5 steps when she turned on her heel and smiled. "I got a proposition."

"And what's that?" He asked curious to know what she was going to say.

"The Smith's versus Nsync. Me and Scott against you 5. Loser has to buy the pizza after the game."

"I don't really think that's fair, Lexia. I mean, 2 to 5. And not mention your well..." He laughed and looked at the other members of his band before turning back and looking her up and down.

"I'm WHAT?" She growled.

"You're a girl." His eyes came back up to connect with hers and he shrugged.

"Oh that just makes me want to kick your asses even more."

"LEXY!" Jon yelled in shock. "Sorry Jon, you know how I get with Basketball."

"Yeah, its OK. Billy and me are going to go inside to get a snack. We will be back later." Jon led Billy back into the house.

"So, you up for it?" She asked the guys, finally breaking her staring contest with Justin and looking at the other members. They all shrugged not wanting to go up against the fireball they saw in front of them.

Scott ran up to her and mumbled in her ear. "I know you are good. And I know I am good. But Lex think about this, 2 to 5? I know you don't care about pizza. But think about your pride."

She turned to her brother. "Think about this, Scott. How long have we been playing together?" She grabbed his elbow and walked with him slowly away from the other guys who were getting ready for the game conversing and taking off shirts to leave them in wifebeaters and undershirts.

"Since we both could pick up a ball."

"Exactly. We know street ball. We have skillz. We are a team. We know each other's moves. We've been playing together for almost 12 years. They've been a group for 5. We can take them. Just don't let them intimidate you. We got them. I hear Timberlake is pretty good. But he ain't got jack crap on me. You know that."

Scott shook his head. "You are so cocky about this."

She shrugged. "But you are DAMN good." She smiled at that comment.

"So..." She questioned him and he smiled and nodded. "Let's show them losers how to play Smith style. Or better yet, lets show them how to LOSE Smith style."

She slapped hands with him and brought him into a hug with their hands clasped. "And one more thing, if all else fails, we will bring out the secret weapon."

Scott pulled away, looking at her strangely. She smiled. "What's the 3 things I have out here that no one else does?"

Scott looked confused then his eyes widened with realization. "You don't mean..."

"Legs, Hips, and Breasts. Gotta love being female." She wiggled her eyebrows and turned back towards the other guys.

"What are we playing to?" She asked sweetly, too sweetly.

"Well, I would say, to make it FAIR, if yall get to 30 before we get to 50, you win." Justin smiled smugly, twitching his noise.

"Oh hell no, first to 50. We aren't changing the rules. FIRST. TO. 50." She roared. Her voice echoed and sent chills down every guy out there's spine.

Blackstreet's "No Diggity" came on the CD and she sauntered up to the 5 men standing there with her hips swinging to the beat. Their mouths open. Her brother grinned knowingly, following her.

She slowly, with wide eyes, took the ball from Joey who was practically drooling. "Ready to play boys?"

They all nodded in a daze.

Her red tank top clung to her, drenched in sweat. Her hair, in a ponytail was whipping around her face. "Whew, it's hot." She breathed, dribbling the ball.

Somehow she took one hand and pulled the tank over her head, still dribbling. She switched hands she was dribbling with, removed the shirt from that arm and tossed it to the grass, surrounding the court. She dribbled the ball and bit and bent her knees and shot the ball, flipping her wrist. It swooshed in the net and bounced back to her. She picked it up and swiftly turned around, facing the guys there. They all stared at her. Her black Adidas pull-away pants, which had come, unbuttoned on the sides at places and gave them teases of her surprisingly tan and toned legs. Her stomach was tiny and fit with a slight indention of her abs. Her white with pastel stars sports bra had a low cut neck and showed off a bit of cleavage. She tucked the ball in-between her knees and pulled her hair out of her rubber band and shook it, running her hands through it torturously, closing her eyes.

Justin's eyes narrowed. He knew what she was trying to do.

It was working. She looked, HOT. He smiled at her, subconcoutiously.

-Damn, I want that. -

After pulling her hair up into a better ponytail, she smiled and tossed the ball lightly to JC.

It hit his chest and bounced off. She giggled and winked at them.

"Ready to start fellas?" She licked her lips at the 5 guys still staring at her.

Alex tried not to laugh. -This will be easier than I thought. -

"Double S!!!" A female screamed in a voice that was lower than normal.

"I'm trying, I'm trying." Was the response?

Two bodies were pressed against each other. It looked like a dance. The one in front was trying desperately to get away. She pivoted and faked, but he was all over her. Every time she turned there he was.

She knew Justin was good but Chris was a surprise. He was shorter than her too!!!

Alex saw her brother had managed to get away from the guard of Justin and JC and she sang loudly. "Over the river...." She faked throwing the ball over Chris. He reached and she bounce passed it between his legs to Scott. She looked up at Chris's shocked expression and smiled. "..and through the woods." She looked over his shoulder just in time to see her brother make a jump shot.

"HELL YEAH!!" Scott yelled.

Alex jogged up to him and gave him a high five, walked on and pulled on his shirt as he did the same with her and they turned around and walked the opposite way. It was one of the "smith victory dances" they had done the whole day that none of the Nsync guys understood.

"Come on, let's finish this!!" Justin yelled at the two.

Alex turned around and gave him an amused look. She leaned to the side and giggled. "How's the kool-aid, Lance?"

Lance glared at her. He was sitting on the picnic table. The game had been 'too intense' for him. He was now a 'cheerleader' with Jon and Billy.

Chris sighed. "Man, I'm too old for this. I'm going to call it quits."

"Chris, come on man, we are killing them." JC said begging.

Alex cleared her throat. "Excuse me, umm the score is 46 to 44, that's not killing ANYTHING."

Justin came behind her and whispered in her ear. "But it's still winning."

She smiled sweetly at Joey who was looking at them and elbowed Justin in the ribs. As he clutched his side, Joey laughed.

"You know what? I like this girl." He smiled, pointing to her.

"Thanks, Joe." She smiled and looked at the remaining players. "Let's get on with this nitty gritty, PLAYAS!"

"Lexia, you got problems." Justin shook his head and stood out side the court on the grass. He held the ball over his head and slapped it with one hand. Scott guarded JC and Alex had a good hold on Joey.

"Guess, I'll do this myself." Justin mumbled, beginning to dribble the ball slowly. Alex caught his movements but kept her eye on Joey as well. Scott was keeping JC from doing anything.

Justin thought about his next move. He smiled when he got a plan. He started jogging towards Alex and Joey to make a lay up, when Alex left Joey to go for him, he pivoted to the other side and ran up to make a lay up. The ball was about to leave his fingertips when Alex ran up and began tugging on his mesh basketball shorts. The ball went up but bounced off the rim.

"NO FAIR!" Justin slapped her hands away before she could pull his shorts down and she just giggled.

"That DOES not count!" He yelled, trying not to be amused at her innocent expression.

"Exactly, you didn't make a basket." She smiled smugly at him and he pouted.

"OK, Scott take this bitch out." Alex yelled at Scott picking up the ball and tossing it to him. He picked it up and took it out to the grass.

"Ohh yeah." Lance and Chris yelled turning up the CD player as Aeromith's and Run DMC's "Walk this way" came on.

Scott looked on as Justin was all up on top of Alex blocking her from doing anything. He smiled, at the permanent smile on Justin face and Alex's determined face. Justin obviously was enjoying being that close to her. And Scott knew Alex normally would to. But Alex was a different person when it came to basketball. Nothing could keep her from losing her cool.

Scott sighed and began dribbling the ball, as soon as he did; Joey and JC were on him as well. He tried breaking free. But it didn't work.

"LEX! SECRET WEAPON!" He yelled.

"What's the secret weapon?" JC asked still guarding him; Joey was now guarding Alex along with Justin.

Alex smiled and ran as fast as she could away from them. Of course they caught up but she was farther away from the basket, which was beneficial in the "secret weapon."

Justin was behind her, his arms waving all around. She smiled and pressed her hips firmly to his. His eyes shot wide at how she was closely pressed to 'him' and he tried to back away but she kept backing up towards him. She finally got it so she was close to the boundary. She gave him a little push with her butt and he stepped out of bounds. She then ran forward. Her brother still struggling with JC. Joey was now on top of her. She smiled.

Joey was behind her, much like Justin was. She pivoted and turned and licked her lips, her face inches from his. "She told me to...WALK THIS WAY." She sang breathlessly, close to him.

She had seen the way Joey had been staring at her the whole game. It was about time for some pay back.

He stared at her lips as she leaned in. Then she took her hands placed them on his chest and pushed slightly. He stepped back and she made her move.

Scott pivoted around JC, threw her the ball. She caught it and started dribbling towards the basket. Her dribbling began longer and her running faster. She was five feet from the basket and she leaped in the air.

All 6 guys stared at her like Michael Jordan was there, flying through the air in slow motion.

She let out an animalistic growl and slammed the ball into the basket with a dunk. Her hands caught the rim and the ball fell on her thighs and bounced back to the pavement. She held onto the rim as it started to bend down with her weight. Using all her arm muscle she pulled herself up in a pull up on the rim and when the rim looked like it might break she let go and landed on the ground, knees bent. She stood up right and turned back to the guys. She smiled and picked up the basketball, spinning it on her finger.

"Butter baby." She said.

"How- what- oh my!" JC stuttered.

"I have never seen a girl dunk before." Joey said amazed.

Justin stared at her as she smiled at him. "DAMNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN"

"Ditto." Lance and Chris agreed nodding slowly in a daze.

Scott walked over and picked his sister up and spun her around. "That's the Smith in ya, sis." She smiled and laughed at him.

"That WAS rather good." She looked at her brother nodding.

"Oh yeah, and I love the way you literally, 'butted' Justin out of bounds." He giggled.

Alex tilted her head to the side as if thinking and turned to look at Justin. "Yeah, that was fun."

"Hey Joey, walk THIS way." Scott chuckled with Alex soon following.

"46 to 46. Now THIS is a game!" Alex yelled. "And to think, its 2 against 5 and.." She gasped and pointed to herself with wide eyes. "...I'm a GIRL!" She mocked being astonished before rolling her eyes.

"Come on guys, its almost over with." Scott giggled and grabbed the ball from his sister.

"All right." Justin walked back onto the court with JC following him. JC turned around. "Joey lets play."

"Nuh uh. She's evil." Joey pouted, pointing to Alexandria.

"Who? Me?" She said innocently.

"Yes, YOU!" Joey stomped over to the picnic table and grabbed a cup and the pitcher of kool-aid made by Lynn and poured him some.

"All right, now the game is fair." Alex smiled at Justin who looked less than happy.

"Our ball." He said without emotion.

After about a minute, Scott and Alex had beaten Nsync 50-46. After shaking hands with all the guys and not really doing too much gloating the competition was over.

"So, what do yall want on your pizza?" Lance asked with a red grin from the kool-aid.

"You want the usual?" Alex asked Scott he nodded. "Pepperoni, peppers, onions, and sausage. Oh, and get some breadsticks."

Scott sighed contently and looked at his sister. They nodded and gave each other some 'dap'. They spoke simultaneously. "WE be GRUBBIN'!"

They laughed and turned back to Nsync who was staring at them strangely. It caused them to laugh more.

Joey, Lance, JC, and Scott went inside to go order the food, with Chris following them with Jon and Billy attached to his legs.

Alex was putting her CDs back in the case and cleaning up the kool-aid cups when Justin came up and sat down on the bench of the table.

She looked down at him and smiled. "Good game." She spoke softly.

"Yeah, you uhh, wow." He sighed lifting the bottom of his shirt and wiping the sweat off his forehead. Alex tried not to look, but she couldn't help her eyes from wandering to his exposed skin. She bit her lip.

-Of COURSE he has a good body. Of COURSE. Why does he have to have a fine body? Why God? WHY? -

The shirt came down and she snapped her head back to the cups that were scattered on the table. Justin caught her blush and how her eyes had wavered away from him. He smiled knowingly.

"How did you learn to play like that? I mean, I've played all my life and I've never seen a girl OR guy play as fierce as you."

"Well, my dad had me shooting hoops as soon as I could walk. 6 years ago I went to LA to spend summer with my aunt. She doesn't have any kids. It's just her and when she went to work I stayed with an African American family in her apartment building. They had a son my age and he had an older brother who was about 20 at the time. We went one day to see them play b-ball and I asked if I could play. They thought I was pretty good and I just picked up on their skillz."

"Wow. That's really cool. You're awesome out there."

"Yeah, its kinda funny. I'd be out on the courts and I was the only white girl out there. Actually I would be the only white person out there. I went back there every summer until college. And I just got better and better. It was great. I'd be out there just smothering all these 6'5, 180 lb. black guys. They'd be SO mad a white chick beat them. I had so much fun picking on them."

Justin smiled at how she talked. It was like when she talked about weather. She got a passion in her eyes and a whistfulness in her voice. He sighed and looked down at his hands. "Lexia, can we PLEASE be friends? I know you said it's easier this way. But, even though I did LOSE, I had an amazing time with you today. I know things are kinda confusing, but I want- I need your friendship."

"Justin, I don't know." Alex sighed and turned her head to look away from him.

"Just think about it. OK? I'm going to be here in Florida all spring and well; Jon is going to want to do things with you and with me. He kept bugging me this past week if you could tag along. And I hated killing the boy's spirits. I- I just want you to know that if you need to get out or want to do something, I'll be around."

She looked at him, staring at his hands in his lap. He slowly brought his head back up to her and their eyes locked. She nodded slowly. "OK. Thanks."

"Sure." He smiled and nodded to the house. "And there are 4 other freaks that I think have taken a liking to you too."

Alex rolled her eyes and walked back towards the house with the used paper cups in her hands. "I don't see how you 5 stay out of trouble when you are all cooped up in a bus together."

Justin smiled and ran up behind her poking at her exposed sides. She jumped and dropped the cups. "Who says we stay out of trouble?" He stuck out his tongue and ran into the house, leaving her there with a pile of cups at her feet.

January 8th

It was around lunchtime and Scott was just now waking up. He stretched on the small couch and he eyes slowly opened. When he didn't recognize the odd ceiling before him, he jumped up causing him to almost fall off the couch.

"Bout time you woke up!!" Someone giggled.

At the sound of the voice Scott looked up to see his sister looking at him curiously over the top of her glasses. She was at the kitchen table; books and paper were scattered everywhere.

"What time is it?" He asked pushing himself back on the couch and letting his head dangle on the back of it.

"Almost lunchtime, you might want to get dressed or showered or SOMETHING. Justin and Chris are coming over here in about 15 minutes." She spoke without removing her eyes from the paperwork she was doing.

"OK. What are you doing?"

"I'm going over some stuff for my internship. I got a lot of things to finalize with Uncle B too. A lot of tax and insurance crap."

Scott stood up and shuffled to the bathroom. "Sounds like fun." He shut the door.

Alex sighed and threw her pen down on the table. "Yeah, a blast."

About 10 minutes later Scott reemerged from the bathroom with a towel around his waist.

Alex looked up and rolled her eyes. "Scott, put on some clothes."

"What? Don't you like my rippled and cut bod?"

"Oh pulease, you look like a string bean. You got NO muscle." Alex giggled when he glared at her and got some clothes from his bag and walked back into the bathroom.

Just as Scott was coming back out from the bathroom clothed, the doorbell rang. Alex didn't look up from her work. "Scott, get that will you?"

"Damn, you sure are enthralled with those papers." He eyed her carefully as he walked to the door barefoot. He didn't even look through the peephole. He swung the door open and turned back around to finish talking to his sister.

"What's the big deal with that crap anyway?" He looked over her shoulder to see what was so important on the papers.

"It just has a lot of stuff about the potential you have working at NSSL. There are like possible governmental jobs and some awesome stuff."

Scott giggled and walked back over to the couch where his bag was. "You're eyes lit up when you said government. You aren't thinking about becoming a spy are you, Lex? Uh ohh, Agent Smith, FBI." Scott mocked being a FBI agent and Alex threw her pen at him hitting him in the crotch.

"Oww." He grabbed the painfilled area.

"That did not hurt." She looked up and rolled her eyes.

"Girl, you don't know. Man, ohh." Scott wobbled and carefully set down on the couch with a sigh.

A throat was cleared behind her and she looked over her shoulder to see Justin, Chris and a rather tall blonde with her hair pulled back in a clip, standing there.

"Sup, yall? How's it going?" She looked back down at her papers.

Justin walked over to the chair across from her and pulled it out and sat down. "Not much. This is Danielle, Chris's girlfriend."

Alex looked up at the girl and smiled. She stuck out her hand. "Alexandria. But you can call me Alex, Lexy, Lex, Lexia, WHATEVER."

The girl smiled and spoke softly as she shook Alexandria's hand. "Yeah, Justin has told me a lot about you."

Alex turned back to Justin with an amused look. She could have sworn he was slightly blushing.

Justin locked his eyes with her and smiled softly as Scott came up and introduced himself to Danielle.

Ignoring everyone else, Justin looked down at her paper work. "What's all this stuff?"

Alex sighed and picked up a pen to sign something on a piece of paper. "Its NSSL stuff and stuff for quitting Tidal Wave."

"So you made a decision." Justin smiled slightly at her and she smiled back.

"I guess, I mean, like you said this is my dream. And my parents have become like the bearer of gifts all of a sudden. Cell phone, Car, half of my tuition. So, I guess I'll try and make it."

"Good. I'm proud of you, Lexia."

Alex tried to contain the blood from rushing to her face, but it failed.

"Yeah, my last day at Tidal Wave will be next Friday. It will be a fun evening."

"So, what are we doing today?" Scott asked from the couch, pulling on some shoes.

"Well, Danielle wants to go to the mall. But it doesn't matter to me." Chris shrugged.

"YES THE MALL!" Scott yelled. 4 heads turned and looked at him strangely. "What? Lex said she wouldn't take me, and I NEED to go. All we have up in Icebox is Wal-mart."

"That is not true. And it's not an ice box." Alex rolled her eyes at her brother.

"I thought you said you hated big Alaska." Scott raised and eyebrow playfully.

Alex shook her head and looked at Justin, who was smiling, quite amused at the brother and sister fighting. "Don't you guys need security if we are going to the mall?"

"It's taken care of." Chris smiled.

"All right, let me go get a jacket and we will go."

Alex went into her bedroom to get a jacket and Scott followed her. Danielle turned to Justin and gave him a questioning look. "Don't worry, by the end of the day you will love her just as much as I do."

Justin turned his head to look at Chester who was whistling. Dani turned to look at Chris shocked at the words he just said. He just nodded. Chris had told Dani about the kiss and how Justin had acted around her the day they played b-ball. Danielle and Chris also noticed how Justin never let his eyes drift from Alex since the moment they walked into her apartment.

Justin turned back around and saw Dani and Chris staring at him. "What?"

Danielle sighed loudly. "Justin, one word. Brit-"

He interrupted her. "I know, OK! God, why does every-" But before anything else got out, Alex and Scott had came back.

"Remind me I gotta get an outfit for next Friday. Uncle B wants me to wear something special since it's my last day." She smiled and ushered everyone out of her apartment.

-----------------
2 1/2 hours later
-----------------

"Do you mind if we go in there?" Alex looked up at Justin. He raised his head to the store name and turned his eyes back downward to her smiling, pleading face.

-Damn you, Lexia. Don't look at me like that. -

He sighed and pulled his cap lower on his head. Alex took that as a yes and squealed as her and Dani slapped hands. The two girls had become fast friends on their little randevue to the mall. They found out they had the same taste in clothing, which was always a plus.

Scott and Chris, along with Dre, a bodyguard, had left to go look for Justin some birthday presents. Scott just needed to get away from the girls.

Justin did too.

But he was stuck with them. Partly because Chris was birthday shopping for him. Partly because he wanted to keep an eye out on the girls, knowing they could get out of hand in the newly re-done Georgeton Parks Mall in the nicer part of upper Orlando. That's where they were.

But mostly he wanted to stay with Lexia. He wanted and NEEDED to be around her.

He just couldn't get enough of that smile and laugh and eyes and hair and...

"Aren't you going to come, Justy Wusty?" Dani giggled as she and Alex gleefully walked into the clothing store, Bebe.

Justin groaned and rolled his eyes to Mike who had the same bored look as him on his face. "Why did you have to follow THEM?"

Justin shrugged and followed the girls into the store with Mike close behind.

----------------
15 minutes later
----------------

As Alex walked towards the dressing room following a salesperson, Mike clicked off his walkie-talkie and looked at Justin. "Dre said they are going to meet up here in a few minutes."

"Good, maybe we can leave." Justin groaned.

"Here is your dressing room miss, just ask for Geana if you need anything." The tall, skinny, attractive black woman said opening the door to the dressing room open for Alex.

She walked in and turned around about to shut the curtain when Justin called out. "Hey, Lexia. Come out here and model for us, I want to see what they look like on you."

Mike turned his gaze to the young man beside him. Thankfully there were two chairs, two EMPTY chairs outside the dressing rooms of the store. He had been engrossed in an issue of Cosmo, but turned his attention elsewhere at Justin's little comment.

Alex had just smiled politely and shut the curtain. Then Danielle's head popped out of her dressing room curtain, across from Alex's. "You didn't ask to see MY outfits!"

Justin looked at Dani almost like a deer in headlights. "Oh, well, you can show us to, if you want."

She just rolled her eyes, shaking her head and brought her head back in her dressing room. Mike chuckled and Justin looked at him curious. "WHAT?"

Mike continued laughing as Justin stared at him and then Mike looked up and his laughter ceased. Noticing, Justin quickly led his gaze to where Mikes was resting.

He about fell out of his chair.

"Hey, Geana?" Alex called from the full-length, three-sided mirror she was standing before. The black woman stood before her. "Hum?"

"Do you think you can get me a size smaller in these pants? They are a little loose in the waist."

"Sure." He lady smiled and walked away.

Justin gulped so loudly that Mike turned and looked at him. "If those pants get any tighter I don't know....wwwwoooowwwww." Justin whispered under his breath.

Mike nodded. "I use to like leather okay on girls. But now...damn boy, hold me back. HOLD ME BACK!"

Justin just let his gaze travel the length of Alex's body. Her legs were covered in nice fitting red leather pants. They had no belt loops and didn't look like a zipper was anywhere to be found. He didn't know HOW she got them on. HE didn't care. They looked like they were painted on, and he seriously didn't know HOW she would be able to fit in a size smaller.

He wasn't calling her fat, by no means. Those pants were just TOO tight to try and go smaller.

Her top was a shimmery, sequenced silver..thingy. It looked like a tanktop from this angle, but he hadn't really got a good look at the front or back of her. Just the side.

"So, boys, whatcha think?" She turned to him with raised eyebrows. Justin clenched his jaw in the dip of the top. If it went any lower Mike was going to have to hold HIM back.

Hell, they were going to have to hold each other back. Or either fight over her.

She turned on her heel and Justin's intake of breath was so loud the lady a few feet away rummaging through a rack of clothing, turned around to see if he was OK. When she saw what he was staring at, she smiled at his expression.

The back of Alexandria's top was....well, WHAT back?

All it had were two velvety thin strings that she had tied into a bow to keep the silver piece of cloth from showing anything in the front.

She was already showing enough.

Justin thought of his brothers, his grandmother, snow, snow and more snow. But it didn't work. Thinking of lots of ice and his family still couldn't keep him from being turned on by seeing Lexia dressed this way.

Those pants were just too...perfect. They showed EVERYTHING she had to offer.

That top was just too....much. It showed too much of the front and too much of the back.

The pieces of fabric that held the top together in the back were meant for only one thing in Justin's mind: easy access.

"It's not too much is it? Cause I don't want to look like a slut." Alex giggled looking herself once more in the mirror.

"You look...FAN-TAS-TIC!" Danielle yelled from her dressing room, it was partly opened. She was smiling at Justin's shocked expression and Alex's hopeful face.

"Are you sure it's not TOO much?" Alex was obviously very self-conscious in this super-sexy outfit.

"Hell YES it's too much. I'm not letting my sister walk around like THAT!" 4 heads turned towards Scott, Chris and Dre who were standing there with shopping bags. Scott dropped his bags and ran to his sister and covered her body with his. "Nobody look!"

Alex scoffed and pushed him away. "Shut up, Scott."

"Man, if dad saw you in that....whew...he would FLIP. Like, literally, FLIP!"

"Girllllllll, uph! Dani baby, you better WATCH out." Chris smiled walking over to her dressing room to see what his girlfriend was trying on.

"Well, Justin, what do YOU think? You haven't said anything yet." Alex turned to Justin. His eyes were dark with passion and he looked her up and down once more, stopping at her hips, chest, lips, and finally her eyes. Her cheeks were pink, as she had noticed him checking her out.

"Its-" He stopped not being able to find words.

"It's what?" Her voice was expectant and wanting.

"It's....amazing." His voice was like a whisper, breathy and soft. She smiled and looked herself in the mirror once more. But she turned back to Justin as his voice continued his whisper like sound as his eyes traveled up and down and up and down, over her body, never landing on her face. "It's breathtaking, It's awe-inspiring, It's wonderful, It's perfect, It's....sexy." He groaned the word sexy. His gaze came to her eyes and she looked almost frightened under his intense stare. His torturous tongue came out to lick his dry lips before he spoke in a sigh. "It's...you, Lexia."

She broke her gaze from his as the saleslady came up to him. "I'm sorry, we don't have any sizes smaller in those pants." Alex just nodded and looked at her brother who was giving her a scared look, biting his lip.

No one was expecting Justin to say anything like that, with THAT much intensity in his voice.

His voice had DRIPPED with passion.

She turned on her heel and quickly walked into her dressing room. As she was about to shut the curtain she caught Justin's painfilled look. He looked like he was battling a war with himself. His eyebrows were raised and almost connected, with his forehead wrinkled. His bottom lips was trembling and his hands were gripping the material of his navy cargo pants, right above his knees. He opened his mouth to say something.

Instead he tore his eyes from hers and grabbed the closest magazine to him and opened it, ripping through the pages.

Alex sighed and gently closed the curtain to her dressing room.

Justin's eyes finally peered over the magazine to see Scott, Dre, Chris, Dani and Mike staring at him. "WHAT?" He yelled, rolling his eyes and returned to flipping through the magazine.

Mike returned to his Cosmo, Dre turned to talk to Geana, Chris was talking to Dani through her dressing room curtain. His eyes landed on Scott.

Justin had two younger brothers, but he had no older sister, and had no idea how it was to be protective over them. Scott's jaw was clenched so tightly and his upper lip was slightly curled angrily. Both hands were balled into fist at his sides, his knuckles white. His eyes, those same color eyes Justin was falling in love with, were locked onto him. Justin turned frightened under the younger man's stare. He was afraid he was about to get the BEAT DOWN.

He didn't get that, but he did get something else.

Scott's right arm lifted and his fist was held in front of his stomach. Justin saw the muscles in his arm tense as he squeezed his hand tighter. Scott slightly let his fist jerk, popping his middle finger straight up, flipping Justin off. He shook his head and laughed sickening before he took his hand down and turned to go to the front of the store.

The car ride had been pretty much silent between the three. Nothing had been said. The only sounds were that of breathing, the radio, and the highway. Scott stared out the window thinking and thinking of how his sister could be so taken and enchanted by a guy like Justin. He liked Justin, but then again hated him for confusing and upsetting his sister like he had a gift for. But Scott knew he KNEW that Justin was just as upset and confused as Alex was.

Danielle tried to think of something to say, but everytime something would come to her mind she would force it back down. She knew that there was something happening between Justin and Alex but she didn't want to call anything before it blew up. And she had a feeling it was going to blow up.

Alex sighed and tried to relax in the driver's seat of her Jeep as she drove back towards her apartment. Chris and Justin along with Mike and Dre were in Justin's Mercedes. She was following them.

She was trying not to get confused by Justin's looks and comments that had occurred while she was at Bebe. She tried not to read into them and she tried not to smile. But she had too.

Because even though, he looked away and pretended not to care, he did.

She had seen the way he was literally, checking her out. She knew that she looked pretty hot in her new outfit. Justin had proved that. From the way his jaw dropped, to the way he shifted uncomfortably in the chair he was perched in when she modeled for them.

He had acted like a jerk. But it was just a cover up. And she knew it.

Sure she was upset about his actions, but he had ever right to try and cover up his feelings. He had a girlfriend already.

Alex turned down the radio and picked up her cell phone and dialed the number Justin gave her to his cell. Dani and Scott both looked at her a little odd.

The phone rang about 3 times before Chris answered. "Yeah, Chris. I'm starving and I'm stopping at Micky Dees. Yall tagging along?"

She heard Chris speak to the other guys. "Yeah, we will lead."

"Umm, no. I'll lead. I got know a short cut from here. Let me lead OK?"

She heard talking again and then Justin's voice. "Listen, Lexia. I need to lead OK. We don't want you getting lost. The Orlando freeway can be quite tricky. Plus short cut? There is a McDonalds at every exit between here and Miami. So let me lead OK? OK? Lexia? OK?" Justin heard the phone line go dead and looked to his right to see a Silver Jeep pass him speeding wildly. Dani was hanging out of the window pointing, laughing, and sticking her tongue out at the guy's car.

Justin just stared in belief for a while as the Jeep got farther and farther ahead of them. He turned to Chris in the driver's seat. "No she just didn't." Justin turned back and pressed on the gas as the two bulky men in the back seat, groaned.

-------

"Welcome to McDonalds how may I help you?"

"I'd like a number three without cheese, super sized. Oh and a caramel Sunday without nuts."

"Dang girl that is a lot of food." Justin said from behind her

Scott giggled. "Yeah, you should see her at Thanksgiving."

"Shut up and order." She commanded her younger brother. He ordered and Alex paid for their food. The lady behind the counter placed two cups and two orders of fries on the tray. The fries were perfectly golden, hot and salty. Alex reached for a fry and brought it to her face. Before it got too close a hand grabbed her wrist and brought her hand to his face. Justin bit into the fry.

"Did you just eat my fry?" She glared.

"Uhh ohh. I'm going to go get our drinks Lex. Its just a fry don't kill him." With that Scott walked off.

"That's for passing me and making me drive like a maniac here." Justin smiled smugly.

Alex smiled back. "Well this..." She slapped his shoulder, hard. "Was for stealing my fry."

"This.." Justin pulled her hair, hard. "Was for hitting me."

"WELL THIS..." Alex took his wrist and twisted it. He had to contort his body so she wouldn't break it. She brought her mouth down to his ear and whispered. "This is for checking me out in Bebe. Let me ask you something Justin, did you like that slinky top and TIGHT pants, hummm?"

She giggled, releasing Justin and picked up her tray of food and walked away with a triumphant smile on her face.

Alex sat down and shortly after Scott sat down next to her. He handed her drink and she gave him his food. Justin sat down across from them in the booth with a smirk just as Alex took a sip of her drink and cringed.

"What the hell is this, Scott?"

"Your drink." He spoke innocently.

"It's a suicide. Man, Scott why do you have to be so immature." Alex rolled her eyes and grabbed her small container of ketchup. She looked up at Justin who was eyeing her suspiciously. She smiled secretively and squished the sides of the container so that the ketchup oozed over Scott's fries.

"ALEX!! You KNOW I hate ketchup!!" Scott looked at his fries and whimpered. "They're ruined."

Justin giggled slightly until two pairs of ice blue eyes glared at him. He cleared his throat and stuffed his burger in his mouth to keep from laughing.

"You know there is only one way to solve this." Scott spoke trying to salvage a clean fry.

Alex took a huge bite out of her Quarter Pounder. "You're right Scott. This calls for a competition." She spoke with her mouth full.

"What do you suggest?" He unwrapped his Big Mac and looked at Alex.

"OK. I got a plan. First to finish food, drink and everything. FRIES included."

Scott groaned at the thought of eating ketchup and added a part. "Then you have to throw all your trash away and go out to the playplace."

"Take off shoes and go through the course."

"First one down the slide and in the ball pit wins."

"Deal." Alex said and her and her brother shook on it.

"You guys are nuts." Justin looked at them crazy.

"No FAIR! You've eaten half your burger and I haven't started." Scott whined.

"SHUT UP. I got a sundae and you don't. You are such a baby." Alex groaned and looked up at Justin. "Will you do the honors?"

"Huh?" He asked.

"Count us down." The Smith siblings spoke simultaneously.

"Uhh OK." Justin put down his hamburger and cleared his throat. "Ready...set...." He paused and smiled at Alex, then winked. "GO!"

And the race started.

They were both stuffing their faces with food. Justin laughed when Scott squeezed his eyes tight as he ate the fries. He turned his attention to Alex and she was spooning her sundae into her mouth. She threw the spoon. It whirled past Justin and hit Dre on the head. Alex held the cup up to her mouth and banged on the bottom of the cup to get all the ice cream in her mouth. Before he knew it two tall black haired siblings were jumping out of the booth and over each other to make a beeline to the trashcans. They fought each other furiously.

Chris turned from the booth behind Justin. "What are they doing?"

Justin shook his head laughing. "Being brother and sister I guess."

Justin stood up to go see the finishing of the "race."

He went outside the to the play place and could hear the brother and sister fighting and cursing each other through the jungle gym. He looked down and saw the pile of their shoes at his feet. Scott came down the slide first but Alex pushed him and he landed on the ground. She ran ahead but Scott grabbed her pants leg and she almost toppled over. Somehow she managed to get free and jumped into the ball pit with Scott on her trail.

"I WON!" She exclaimed throwing the balls in the air.

Scott dove in after her and they started fighting and laughing.

"Uhh guys?" Justin asked. They didn't hear him. "HEY LEXIA! SCOTT!"

They still didn't answer him. Justin just shook his head at them. He looked into the ball pit and was about to say something else when he was hit in the forehead by a red rubber ball, hard.

Scott and Alex immediately stopped laughing. They stared at him in shock. Then Alex started to giggle. "Sorry."

"It's OK. But I thought I would tell you that the manager is looking out here suspiciously."

Alex giggled and threw another red ball, hitting Justin in the chest. "Lexia..." He warned.

"What are you going to do about it?" She threw another ball hitting his stomach.

"Hey man, I'd watch out if I were you. Alex has expert aim at umm, THAT area." Scott said cautiously.

"Scott I would NEVER do that!" Alex sarcastically said picking up a ball and tossing it at Justin. Before it hit him in THAT area, he dove him the pit and tackled Alex.

"Don't think about it, girl." He laughed.

Scott jumped on Alex as well. "AHHH, I'm being attacked by my brother and a popstar. HELPPP." Alex laughed as they tickled her and covered her in the pit.

A voice cleared and they all looked up to see a steaming nasty, greasy, 40 year old lady with the tag "manager" on her shirt, staring at them with her hands on her hips.

-----

"Thanks a lot Justin, I wasn't done with my sundae yet."

Justin rolled his eyes as Mike ushered him to the car. "For a 250 lb. 28 year old you act like a newborn." He turned his attention to the siblings behind him "What are you laughing at??"

"That was number 16!!!!" Alexandria yelled loudly in the air. She was holding on to Scott who was laughing just as hard.

"16?" Danielle questioned.

"That's the 16th McDonalds we've been kicked out of." Scott finally composed himself until Alex whispered something in his ear. He burst into laughter. "That's 24???? OHHHH we are awesome!!"

The slapped hands and Alex looked up at Justin who was giving them the strangest look. "That's the 24th restaurant the Smith's have ever been kicked out of. Gosh, we are awesome."

Alex and Scott turned around and admired the McDonalds they just got kicked out of and even waved to the manager who was staring at them.

"Justin, why can't we hang out with FUN people like Alex and Scott instead of those other losers part of Nsync?" Chris giggled and Justin shrugged.

"I don't know man. Hey, Mike why don't you take my car and you guys can just drop Chris and Dani off since they didn't drive to Lexia's and ME and Dre will go with them. K?" Justin threw his keys at Mike who caught them.

"That made NO sense Justin." Danielle giggled. Chris nudged her and made her get in Justin's car. "Wait a second!" Dani ran out and up to Alex whom she gave a hug. "It was great meeting you girl, you got my number right?"

"Oh yeah, you are now my official shopping buddy." Alex laughed.

"All right, later guys. Nice meeting you Scott." She waved and got into Justin's car and it soon pulled out of the McDonalds parking lot.

The 4 remaining piled into Alex's Jeep. Scott being in the front as usual. The car cranked and the sounds of Lionel Richie and Alabama came through the car. "DEEEEEEEPPPP RIVER WOMANNNN." Scott and Alex sang/yelled/giggled.

"Are they listening to what I THINK they are listening to?" Justin asked Dre trying not to laugh.

Dre nodded. "What a great song, hey turn it up Lex!"

"My pleasure." She smiled in the rear view mirror and caught Justin's crazy expression. "Come on, Justy Wusty, SING! You are the only professional in the car. Go for it. DEEEEPP RIVER WOMAN!!"

Before he knew it, Justin was quietly singing along with them as Dre laughed and laughed and Scott and Alex sang the song a little TOO loud, with all their heart and soul.

------

"Now you expect me to drive YOU home?" Dre asked as Alex pulled up to her apartment complex.

"Duh, how else am I supposed to get home. Mike has my car."

"Why did you do that? I mean, you could have drove." Dre rolled his eyes and Justin just smiled as Alex put her car in park.

"Well guys, I had fun today." Alex glowed stepping out of her car and shutting the door. While everyone else piled out she went to the back of the jeep and got out all of her and Scott's bags.

There were too many for only 2 people to carry and Justin smiled at the opportunity. "Here, let me help you guys. Dre you go ahead I'll be back in a minute."

Dre nodded knowingly and waved goodbye to them and went to his car.

"You didn't have to do that Justin." Alex smiled, speaking directly to Justin for the first time since the "Lionel Richie" incident.

"I wanted to." He grinned at Lexia. Scott groaned, "OK, middle-schoolers, can we please make it up the steps without you two DROOLING over each other, thank you."

Alex smiled at Justin not really hearing what Scott had to say. They were both just slowly sauntering their way up the steps to her apartment. Scott rolled his eyes. It was making him mad that Alex could seem hurt and confused by Justin then the next second stare at him like he was the gates of heaven.

"I had so much fun with you today, Lexia." Justin blushed slightly. They were now at her apartment door.

Scott grabbed her purse and found the keys and let himself into her apartment with a sigh. "FINALLY!" He yelled stomping through the door and plopping himself on the couch and flipping on Alex's CD player.

Justin and Alexandria remained outside the doorway.

"Well, here we are." He said shyly, not being able to think of anything to say.

"Yeah, here we are." She repeated in a whisper.

He began to stutter. "Umm, so..."

She blurted out. "Do you want to come to a party with me tonight. Scott will be there and its not many people. I think we are just watching movies or something."

He smiled the famous half smile. "I'd love to. I'll give you a call when I get back home."

"All right." She smiled and a familiar song came through the speakers of the stereo in her room.

Justin laughed slightly and looked her in the eyes. "You know, I use to hate this song, but I love it now."

"Huh?" Alex listened and could hear "Strong Enough" coming through her speakers. She smiled. "Oh yeah."

"And I can't help but remember that night, the coffee shop, your truck breaking down. I remember you cried when I was playing Brian McKnight. I remember walking you up here. I remember what happened right here..."

She saw the look in his eyes and was frightened by it. She cut him off. "Don't. Please, just don't make it any harder."

"I'm sorry." He bowed his head.

"It's OK." She smiled at him softly and he looked up and stepped closer. She couldn't move, couldn't breath. She didn't know what he was doing. And she didn't know how to respond.

Justin noticed her tense up and smiled to himself. He wasn't on a mission to try and make her feel awkward, but he knew what she was thinking. And while their bodies were reacting differently to it, they were thinking the same thing.

-I'm falling for him. -

-I'm falling for her. -

Alex sighed loudly, a little too loud when his soft lips came in contact with the naturally tan, smooth skin of her cheek. He rested his forehead on her temple. "I wish I could explain all this, Lexia. But I cant. I'll, uhh, give you a call when I get back." Justin pulled away slightly and looked back into her apartment. "By the way. You might not want to go back in there, Scott is about to get up and jump me I think."

Alex giggled slightly, trying to come out of her daze. Justin pulled away and looked at her before mouthing "bye" and walking down the hallway and disappearing down the steps.

She sighed with a childish smile on her face, before stepping backwards into her apartment, closing the door, and resting her forehead on it.

A voice from the couch finally yelled out. "WHAT WAS ALL THAT ABOUT?!"

Alex rolled her eyes. "What are you talking about?"

Scott opened his mouth slightly and furrowed his eyebrow in thought. "OK, did he not just kiss your cheek and whisper something to you that made you giggle? HELLO ALEXANDRIA??"

Alex waved him off with the back of her hand. "Whatever Scott, I'm going to go take a shower. Remember we are going to Jen's tonight." Alex began to walk towards the room but Scott jumped up after her and followed her into her bedroom. He pushed her and made her sit on her bed.

"OK, you need to be straight with me. What is going on with you and Justin?" He looked down at her sitting on the edge of her bed, messing with the comforter, smoothin it out.

"Nothing, Scott. Just let it go." She said softly, not looking at him.

He bent over and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. He stared at her for a few moments and shook his head. "How can you be in love with him?"

She jerked away quickly; "I am NOT in love with him. He is a friend. THATS ALL."

"ALEX! Do not lie to me! I know you. Why are you doing this? You are SO careful with your heart and here you are giving it away to someone you cannot have. He has a GIRLFRIEND ALEX! A VERY POPULAR GIRLFRIEND! And I don't think the press would like to know that Justin Timberlake is fooling around with Alexandria Smith, his brothers baby-sitter." Scott was pacing the room.

"Since when did you start caring about my love life, Mr. I'm a pimp of the junior class at my school. Seriously Scott, I'm 2 years older than you I think I cant make up my OWN mind, THANKYOU!"

Scott sighed and walked over to her as she fell back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. She grabbed her stuffed Animal, Spot and hugged him. "Lex, I love you so much. We are a lot closer than normal siblings. And it really REALLY hurts me to see you stoop this low." Alex turned to him with an opened mouth, shocked, and he held up a hand.

"Just let me finish." She sighed and grumbled something under her breath. "I'm not saying that Justin is a bad person or anything. In fact, he is great with you. And under any other circumstances I would cheer you on. But this is not just Justin, the boy you babysit's brother. This is Justin Timberlake, teen idol, boyfriend of the pop princess; he can't even go to the freakin mall without someone watching him. Do you WANT that? Think about it Lex. Do you want someone you see for only half the year? Someone you can only be truly alone with in the privacy of your own home. Do you WANT to be on the next cover of the National Enquirer? Huh? Tell me Alexandria. Tell me, WHY on earth you would be this stupid. Tell me why you would let yourself fall for him."

She turned and looked at Scott who was staring at her, now sitting on her bed as well. "I can't help it Scott. When I get around him, its like another person takes over my body. I crumble Scott. I literally shatter in front of him. He has so much power over me, it...it scares me." She whispered.

Scott sighed and looked at the floor. "Just, be careful. And don't let him completely take over your heart because, I do NOT want to have to fly across the continent just to kick his ass."

Alex chuckled as Scott got up and left her room. "Hey, if he calls while I'm in the shower take a message, and BE NICE SCOTT SMITH!"

"No ma'am." He said smirking as he closed the door.

----------

Justin smiled happily as he got in his house. He pressed the button on his answering machine as he sorted through his mail.

"Hey Curly, I need to ask you something. OK, well, you know you'll be 20 in like 3 weeks and we kinda need some sort of idea of what you don't want so we CAN get it for you anyway. So, give me a call dude. Well, I'll probably see you in like a day or two so nevermind."

Justin shook his head at Joey's personality.

"BABY! Call me. We need to talk, I miss you. Yeah, so what? It's been like 3 days right? The AMA's are coming soon. I cannot WAIT to go with you. We are going to look so stylin in our little matching outfits. I'm kinda nervous about hosting, but its all good. By the way, I talked to Lance a few hours ago. He says you and that baby-sitter girl have been hanging out a lot. You aren't cheating on me are you babe? Nah, I know you wouldn't do that to me. OK, so I've used up all your time on this thing. Call me when you get in. Love ya, J. Ohh one more thing. I'm going to do the half-time show with yall. Ain't that AWESOME? OK, bye babe."

Justin stared at the answering machine. He felt so guilty. But he couldn't help his actions. It was like it was someone else the whole time. Then again, whenever he was with Lexia. He just felt....right.

"Hey Justin. Yeah, umm, what are you doing tomorrow? Mom told me to call and see if you wanted to come over. Lexy is coming over after she drops her brother off at the airport. But she has to leave at I think, hold on... MOOOOOMMMMM....." Justin laughed as he could hear all of Jonathan's and his mother's conversation through the phone. "...OK, at 4:30 she has to go somewhere. So, mom wants you to come over. OK? It will be guy's night. YEAH!! Umm, well, call me back I guess. I love you!!!"

Justin smiled at his brother's voice. It always made him feel special when he was around his brother. HE sighed running a hand through his hair, as he remembered how utterly jealous he had felt about Lexia's and Jon's relationship. He had long gotten over it, but for about a week he was on the verge of hating her and now, here he was, forcing himself not to fall in love with her.

"Dammit..." Justin sighed and picked up the phone. He dialed her number, which he had somehow memorized. He felt like a middle schooler. Memorizing your favorite crushes number even though you never had the guts to call them. He didn't even realize the phone was ringing and jumped when a male voice answered.

"Hello."

Justin's breath quickened. "Hey, uhh Scott can I talk to Lexia?"

"She's in the shower. This is Justin right?"

"Uhh, yeah. Just have her call me when she gets out." He said quickly.

"No that's OK. She shouldn't be much longer, why don't you and I have a little chat?"

Justin gulped. For some reason Scott intimidated him. Justin was taller and probably stronger, but Scott had this way of making him feel like a baby, and guilty. Justin always felt guilty around Scott. And he couldn't help but be glad he was flying back to Alaska the next day.

"Soo, Justin Timberlake. Do you mind if I'm blunt?" Scott said with an almost amused voice.

Justin walked into his living room and plopped down on the couch, slinging an arm across his eyes. "Scott, what do you want?"

"There is no need for attitude Mr. Popstar. I'm simply just wondering how far along you are going to LEAD my sister. I don't appreciate you flirting with her and being all mushy when you HAVE a girlfriend already."

Justin groaned. He was so tempted to hang up at this very instant. "Scott, you don't know-"

"Justin, please, let me finish." Scott voice was more urgent and not as stern and Justin sighed. "I like you Justin. I do. You are a nice, good, fun guy. You are EXACTLY the type of guy I want my sister to have. You make her happy. This past week she has been giddy and well, the other day she was SKIPPING down the isles of the grocery store. I've NEVER seen my sister skip in my life. But you also confuse her, greatly. And when Alex gets confused she thinks. And when she thinks, all hell breaks lose. I don't even think you could try to get into her head because she's got so much stuff in there that its just..." Scott stopped his thoughts and got to the point. "What I'm trying to say is don't play her Justin. DONT. If you like her or whatever, fine, great. But I don't want her to be a back up and I don't want her to be someone just to keep you company when little Miss Spears is out of town. Yes Justin, I'm asking, no I'm TELLING you that you have to decide between the two. I can't stand to see my sister's emotions range from cloud 9 to the depths of Hades in a matter of seconds. That's not healthy. If she becomes Bi-polar you are paying for her medicine!" Justin couldn't help but giggle.

"Scott, honestly, I don't know WHAT the hell I'm doing. I thought my world was perfect and so, I don't know, set? And then walks in Lexia, and I haven't been able to get my world back in its order. She's cluttered and scattered all my thoughts. I can't stop thinking about your sister and it scares me. It really terrifies me that I can know someone for a month and they have already changed the way I act, think, everything!" Justin was now pacing the hard wood floor of his living room.

Scott giggled. "Well, I didn't need to know all that. But its a little comforting to know you aren't just trying to get a good lay out of Lex or something. I'm actually relieved to know you are as confused as her."

Justin sat down on his couch. "If not more so."

"So, anyway, I think she said we have to be there at like 7 or something. I don't know. She hasn't told me much about what we are doing tonight. You?"

"Not a damn thing."

"Well....what? No. Hold on...." Justin listened as he heard two people fighting for the phone. He smiled when he heard a loud groan and a door slam a few minutes later.

"Sorry about that. He wasn't, bothering you was he?" Alex spoke in the phone cautiously.

"Nah, just some man to man chat."

Alex giggled. "You are calling yourself a man. You are calling SCOTT a man? Oh lordy..."

"Oh pulease, Lexia. I'm all man. And you KNOW it." Justin said seductively into the phone.

"Umm, this isn't digital get down Justin. Sorry." She giggled and pulled the towel tighter around her body and sat down on her bed. She tucked the phone in-between her shoulder and ear as she let the towel around her ebony hair fall down. She wasn't very graceful and dropped the phone.

"Oh god!" She reached down at the floor and picked it up. "Sorry about that."

Justin chuckled. "What happened?"

"Ohh, I was trying to take my hair out of my towel. I wasn't successful with the phone."

"So, uhh, you are in a towel right now?" Justin asked quietly.

"Uhh, yeah, I just got out of the shower." She said not realizing what he was picturing in his mind.

Justin bit his bottom lip and sighed. "Hey let me put on some clothes OK?" Alex said.

"Sure." He squeaked. He heard her put the phone down and then heard some sort of material fall. He whimpered and fell back on his couch. "Think of grandma. Granny. Ohh granny, you aren't helping. She's naked right now, Lexia. Naked. OHHH NOOOOOO....help me."

"OK, sorry about that. So, uhh, do you think you can be ready by about 6:30 or so?"

Justin looked at his watch. "Sure. I'll be ready then."

"All right, well, me and Scott will be there at 6:30 to pick you up k?"

"I guess."

"All right, see ya in a bit."

"OK."

"Bye Justin."

"Bye babe."

They both hung up and Justin began to get off the couch and get ready as Alex stood up off her bed. They both fell back to their original seats and stared into space in shock.

"He just called me babe!"

"I just called her babe!"

Neither of the two people had seen anything like it. They grew up in a middle-average family but this was awesome. Alexandria had seen his house before but this was the first time she was able to study it. And she couldn't believe only one person lived in it.

"He lives here?" Scott stared at the house speechless.

"Uhhh huhhh." Alex nodded slowly. They were both still sitting in her Jeep staring at the house.

"Well, lets go inside!" Scott got a suddenness surge of energy and before Alex could stop him he was lightly jogging up to the front door of Justin's house. He rang the doorbell as Alex was finally coming up to the front steps too.

Justin opened the door and smiled at Scott. "Hey. I'll be ready in a few minutes."

Alex stepped up and Justin's eyes lit up. She was only in jeans and a red T-shirt, but to him she looked more beautiful than ever. Her hair wasn't its normal bone-straight, but instead it was rather wavy and flowed in the wind. "Sorry, we got here a bit earlier than expected." She blushed because he was staring at her so intently.

Plus he was looking soooo, incredible. She never thought someone could make a plain ol' pair of worn jeans and a button down navy shirt look good enough to go to a wedding in.

Justin cleared his throat and shook his head. "Come on in, make yourselves at home." He turned back in the house leaving the door open. Scott turned back to his sister and smiled victoriously at being let into the "dream house". But she wasn't paying attention. He grabbed her arm and whispered in her ear.

"Stop blushing. You've never blushed in the 16 years I've known you and ever since I've came here you're face has permanently been red. Especially when Popstar is around. Snap out of it." He hit the back of her head and was glared at.

They walked into his house in all-out awe. Justin emerged from....somewhere in the elegant house and smiled at them. They were both staring all around his house. "You guys want the tour?"

They snapped their head towards him and nodded vigorously. Justin chuckled. "OK, well you are in the foyer right now."

He led them through a walkway to a big country-styled kitchen that had a cooking island, a small table and a living room connected to it. The living room had a TV, couches, ect. "So this is the kitchen. Back over there..." He pointed past the living room to a small walkway. "That the garage and the laundry room is back there, but, uhh, you don't want to see all that."

Alex smiled innocently. "Yes we do." Justin shook his head. "No, believe me, ya don't."

He pointed to two double glass doors that were close to the way they entered the kitchen. "That's the dining room. Never used it once." He giggled and turned back around and went through another entranceway. HE looked out the windows as they past the way. "Out there's the Jacuzzi and pool."

They had entered a room full of white. White couches, white rugs, white walls, white grand piano...just white. "This is my grand living room. This is one of my favorites in the house." Alex and Scott were in a dreamworld as they looked around the room and out the many, large glass windows to the big backyard. Justin smiled and walked back towards the foyer past the steps that led upwards.

"There's the downstairs bathroom." He pointed to a door beside the steps and walked down a hallway. "Here the guest bedroom. This is where Jon was, remember?" Alex nodded to Justin's question and he led then down the hallway to the last door.

"And here is the sweet spot. This is my playroom." He opened the door to show an islanded theme room with pool tables, foozball tables, air hockey games, couches, TVs, ect.

Scott looked at Alex and leaned over to whisper something to her as Justin led them out of the hallway and to the foyer. "I take all that back. Do whatEVER you want to with this boy. My advice is to marry him and don't get a pre-nup." Alex giggled as she hit his shoulder.

"Well, that's about it."

"What's upstairs?" Alex pondered.

"Oh, just my studio and bedroom." He shrugged.

"Well, lets go see. I'm here for the GRAND tour." Alexandria rolled her eyes at her brother's comment.

"Uhh, OK. I guess." Justin looked a little unsure. He walked up his steps with the two Smith's in tow. He turned right at the top of the steps, which was a balcony that overlooked the living room and the foyer. He opened the door at the end of the hallway and showed them what was inside. A music studio was there, with different instruments and a desk, soundboard, ect.

"This is really cool, man." Scott said sincerely.

Justin smiled sheepishly. "Thanks, I spend a lot of time in there." HE closed the door behind them and walked back to the steps.

"What about your room?"

Justin turned and looked at Alex who was half-smiling at him with wide eyes. He nodded slowly still staring at her icy eyes. "Uhh, well, yeah." He led them to his bedroom door and opened it.

It was huge. A safari type theme completed the setting. A huge sleigh bed, wild paintings, and a Japanese screen. "You keep this place really clean." Scott said admiring the room.

"Yeah, well, I like my house neat."

Alex looked down at the floor, shuffling her feet. She wanted to be able to roam around this house like it was hers. She wanted to be a part of it. She wanted to lie in that big bed after a stressful day. She wanted to live there. With him.

She cringed at her thoughts. She was so mad at herself for letting him control this much of her.

"Are you OK, Lexia? You look a little pale?" Justin looked at her very concerned. She hated him for that. She turned and trotted out of his room.

"I'm fine. We need to go if we are going." She spoke without emotion.

Justin looked Scott with confused eyes. Scott just shrugged. "I've lived with her for forever and I STILL don't get her!"

Alex slouched and kept her hands in her pockets as she headed down the steps. Scott followed her and Justin lagged behind wondering what he said or did to make her uncomfortable. The two gentlemen followed Alex down to the foyer where she stopped and turned.

"Are you ready?" She asked Justin looking at him like a disapproving mother.

Justin was getting tired of her moods and rolled his eyes. "Uhh, YEAH!" He walked over into his kitchen grabbed his keys, stuck them in his pocket and led them out his front door. He held it open and pressed a button on a security panel on the inside of his doorway before closing the door. He followed them out to Alex's Jeep.

"You can have the front, Justin." Scott said.

Justin's eyes widen and he mumbled to Scott. "I don't want to sit beside her when she's all moody."

"That's why I put you up there." Scott put a smug grin on his face and stepped into the backseat of the Jeep.

Justin whined and got in the passenger seat. Alex was sitting there staring at the steering wheel. Finally she spoke quietly. "Sorry for being so....bitchy."

"It's ok." Justin sighed, pulling the seat belt over him.

"No it's not." Alex put the car in park and turned around to back out. "I shouldn't take my PMS out on you."

"OHH GOD!" Justin and Scott both yelled covering their ears. Alexandria snickered and turned up the radio.

----

"Where are we going?" Justin asked looking around the unfamiliar part of town.

"Margaret's. She's a friend of my friend Jen. That's where we are going. She has this house, somewhere around here." Alex pulled up on a street. "OK, look for number 342."

Scott and Justin looked out of the windows for the desired house. "There, that white one." Scott pointed to a two story, reasonable sized white wooden house. Cars were parked along the driveway and curb and some people were outside throwing a football.

"They aren't going to like, freak, when they see me are they?"

"Probably. I haven't told anyone that you are coming!" Alex smiled and stepped out of the car. "WHO KILLED KENNY!!????!!" Alex yelled to the one person she recognized playing football

"ALEXANDRIAAAA!!" An older guy about 25 yelled with a mock accent. He ran to her and stopped then hugged her tightly. "What are you doing here? Who invited YOU?"

She opened her mouth and hit his shoulder. "Jen did, THANKYOU!"

"Ohhh, she's inside." Kenny smiled down at her.

Justin and Scott were just now getting out of the car. Justin looked very skeptical. "Ken, this is Scott my brother and Justin, a friend."

"Hey, aren't you..."

"Yeah, yeah, Justin Timberlake." Justin sighed.

"No, aren't you Lynn's son?"

Justin blushed a little. He couldn't help that someone would automatically notice him for his fame. "Uhh, yeah."

"Your mom is THE sweetest lady. Tell her that Kenny said hello." Kenny turned to Scott and shook his hand.

"So, you ready to have some fun."

Alex shrugged. "What do you got planned?"

"Smoke some bud. Drink some vodka, you know the usual." Kenny giggled. "Nah, someone is cooking hamburgers and after we eat I think we are playing some board games that Jen brought."

"Board games?" Justin asked skeptically.

"BOARD GAMES!!" The smith's shouted together. Scott looked at Kenny. "What did she bring?"

"Uhh, I think Taboo." The brother and sister gasped. Kenny laughed. "And Scategories. Ohh and monopoly."

"Scott, we are going to kill man. You guys better WATCH out." Alex high fived her brother.

"You guys are weird." Justin looked at them strange as they entered the house.

"ALEX!" Someone yelled. Alex turned around and smiled at the short girl that was waving at her from across the room. She excused herself form the people she was talking to and made her way over to Alex.

"Hey girl, glad you came." Jen hugged the much taller girl. "Ohh, I wouldn't miss it. This is my brother Scott." Alex motioned towards her brother.

"Hey, Jen. Nice to meet such a beautiful lady." Scott smiled shaking her hand. Jen blushed.

"Ohhh God. Bad pimp. BADD." Alex said in a whisper.

"You too, Scott. I'm glad Alexandria brought you." Jen smiled sweetly at him and he returned it.

"OK, Scott. Stop." Alex said firmly breaking their hands apart that were still shaking. "Jen, this is my friend, Justin, I brought him along too." Alex motioned to Justin but his back was to them and he was talking to Kenny about something.

Jen looked up at the tall person in front of her. She could have sworn she had seen that curly hair before. "JUSTIN! Stop socializing and meet Jen." Alex giggled.

"Huh?" Justin looked over his shoulder.

Jen gasped. -Is that...-

Justin turned around and looked at the very small girl in front of him. "Hey. You must be Jen. Lexia has told me about you." Justin stuck out his hand and Jen stared at it like it would bite her.

She looked back up at his confused face and opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She stuttered finally. "You-you're- oh my god, you are Justin Timberlake."

Justin smiled, but groaned inwardly. That's what he was dreading. But he came for Lexia. He looked up and saw the girls that Jen had previously been talking to staring at him with mouths open like fish.

He shook his head and laughed almost bitterly. "Yeah, THAT'S ME!"

"Wha? Huh? Alex you didn't tell me you knew the like, hottest guy on EARTH!" Jen screeched, causing Alexandria and Justin both to cringe.

"Well, he's not THAT great." Alex mumbled, chuckling.

Justin looked at her out of the corner of his eye, "thanks."

"Oh MY GOD! GIRLS!" Jen looked over her shoulder to motion for her friends to walk over to them. "It's Justin Timberlake!" She half whispered, half screamed.

"Ohhhh God." Justin said in a nasty voice, they heard it and turned to give him a disgusted look.

Alex looked back and forth between them and decided to intervene. "Hey Justin, I need to talk to you about something. Now." She pulled on his arm until she had led him outside on the porch. She sat down on the front steps and motioned for him to do the same.

He plopped down putting his head in his hands.

"I'm sorry." Alexandria whispered.

Justin looked up and saw her running her finger across a crack in the wooden steps. She was concentrating on it.

"It's OK. I mean I'm use to it, I was just hoping not to have to worry about it tonight. But, it's hard to get away from it now-a-days."

"I bet. Listen; let's go inside. I'll try and calm Jen down. I mean she's never seemed to be like that when I was around her. I'm guessing she's just a bit shocked." Alex pushed herself off the steps and waited for Justin to do the same.

They strolled back into the house. Jen was looking at the floor kinda ashamed. The girls that were once there had disappeared.

"Hey Jen. Where did your friends go?" Justin asked. Alex looked up at him shocked.

Jen jerked her head up startled and smiled briefly at him. "Oh, umm, they went out back. I uhh, I just want to say I'm sorry for like, freaking out. It's just; I've never met anyone famous before. Especially not anyone that I would actually care about meeting."

Justin sighed and grinned. "It's quite all right." He walked up to her and put an arm around her shoulders. "So tell me Jen, what are you studying?"

Alex watched amused and in shock as he led Jennifer out of the foyer of the house and further into the living room where she could hear her brothers voice coming from.

She shook her head and mumbled under her breath, "You amaze me Timberlake, each and every day."

-----

"Remember when Uncle Doug ate the bowl and he-"

"CHICKEN!"

"YEAH. OK ummm, Treetops Park is known for..."

"Mountains..." Scott shook his head no vigorously at his sister. "Ohh ohhh, squirrels!!"

"OHH YEAH BABY! All right, on your 16th birthday dad took you on..."

"HELICOPTER!"

"All right, its something..."

BRNNNNNN.

Justin looked at Jen and then back at the Smith's who were counting how many words they had guessed correctly. The 4 of them had retreated to a deserted room in the house while they ate their dinner and played grueling matches of Taboo. The Smith's were on a team and were practically stomping on Justin and Jen.

"Ohh yeah, that's a record. We got 17 cards."

"That's just not possible." Jen said remembering how Justin and her thought they did good when they got 5 cards right.

"What it is, is NOT fair. You two know each other and know all these inside jokes. Me and Jen met like 2 hours ago."

"So..." Alex said, popping a potato chip in her mouth and taking a gulp from the red plastic cup that held her watered down Coke.

Justin looked back and forth between the siblings. "So, I say we spilt up the teams."

"That's stupid." Alex pouted.

"Come on, Lex. It is kinda unfair." Scott shrugged, switching places with Justin on the floor.

"Wait a minute, what if I want to be Jen's partner."

"Sorry." Justin smugly said getting situated beside Alex.

"Fine!" She said picking up the card holder and looking at Scott who had the timer ready.

"Ok, Ready, GO!" He shouted.

"Ok, ummm, something that you put on your face when it's bright outside."

"Uhh, sunscreen?"

Alex smacked him against his head. "Noo, idiot. It like blocks something."

"Sunscreen..."

"UGH!!! No, like..." Alex began to blink rapidly and opened her eyes wide to try and hint to him something. He just looked at her like she was crazy. "Ohh yeah, Oakley's is a brand of them."

"Sunglasses?"

"THANK YOU!" She flipped the card and smiled. "My job?"

"Bartender."

"Other job."

"Oh, baby-sitter."

She flipped the card telling him he got it correct but mumbled "Moron." underneath her breath.

"Wait a minute, job is a word on the card. You can't use that." Scott said, pointing to the card.

Alexandria just glared at him.

BRNNNN.

"You suck." Alex said punching Justin in the shoulder. "Hey, sorry, gosh. I don't spend my free-time perfecting my board game skills."

"Yeah you should be sorry."

Alex and Justin continued fighting as Jen and Scott took their turn at the game. Alexandria couldn't help but smile at Justin and Jen. Jen had calmed herself, and Justin had been more than understanding and kind to her. So far, the evening had been carefree, and just fun.

It was exactly was Alex had been needing.

"Ok, it's our turn. I'll show you how to work this thing." Justin said arrogantly taking the card holder and waiting for his signal to go.

They were doing ok and had got 3 words down when he stopped and chuckled.

"What, keep going.." Alex spoke, impatiently waiting for the next hint.

"Ok, what am I?"

"Huh?"

Justin repeated slower. "What am I?"

"Uhh, a guy, I hope." Alex giggled.

Justin rolled his eyes. "Nooo, just go, what am I?"

"I don't know, nice, annoying..." He gave her a bored look. "Stupid.."

"Lexia..."

She smiled and then got serious. "Ok, umm, sweet, kind, cute...caring, I don't know!! TALL!!" Justin just smiled at her answers. She was far from the word on the card but he could really care less.

"You aren't even close." He chuckled.

"Well, help me out." She exaggerated.

"Ok, umm Jennifer Lopez, Carson Daly, Tom Cruise, Britney, me and the guys, we are all..."

"Celebrities..."

He bit his lips anxiously. "Almost there, kinda another word for that."

Her mind wandered as she stuttered. "Uhhh, ummm... Famous?"

"YEAH!" BRNNN. Justin and the buzzer went off at the same time.

Jen snatched the holder from him, playing a playful game of tug-of-war until he finally let her have it. "All right, lets do this, Scott."

A knock was on the door and Kenny was leaning against the doorframe. "We are putting in the movie. It's Forrest Gump."

"Ohh, I love this movie." Alex said sincerely.

"Oh lord. She'll be quoting the damn thing for days." Scott groaned.

Justin chuckled and Jen stood up off the floor. "I'll clean up guys, you go on." Alex said.

Jen and Scott walked out of the room and Justin stayed in and helped her. "Go ahead Justin, save me a seat, will you?" She looked up at him and smiled.

"All right." He pushed himself off the floor and left Alex by herself to clean up the board game and their empty cups and plates.

She was having such a great time. It was relaxed and she didn't have to worry about anything. Most of the people there had watch a basketball game that was on TV and just lounged around the house. But she had played a board game. She realized how much she had missed the simple act of getting lost in something insignificant like a game.

Alexandria stood up and threw their trash away, on her way to the big living room where everyone was hanging out in. The movie had just started and she looked around the room for a seat. And she saw him.

He was sitting in the loveseat of all places, in the dark corner of the room. He raised his eyes to her and smiled as he patted the cushion beside him. She grinned uncomfortably and slowly made her way over people and pillows to the small couch.

"I'm not a smart man, but I know what love is?"

Alex tried her best to remain her composure. Though she always seemed to be a pretty strong individual, movies could get to her like nothing else. It was the music and the words and the actions and the settings, all pulled together. She couldn't help it. She let it go. Justin watched Lexia out of the corner of his eye as the romantic scene in Forrest Gump reeled on. He could have sworn he saw a tear flow down her cheek.

She was relaxed into the small loveseat they were sitting on. He didn't intentionally sit there, but it was the only places they had to sit. And he didn't mind sitting by her, closely. In fact, he enjoyed it.

Her hands clutched onto the pillow that was lying upright against her stomach and she brought her chin down to rest on the top of it. Her knees were somehow intricately bent underneath her. Justin really couldn't figure out how she was able to sit like that for two and half hours, but figured she must have been comfortable.

Justin turned his attention from Alexandria to the rest of the dark room only lit by the blue hue of the TV. A few people had become uninterested in the movie and went outside. Others were asleep on the floor of the living room. A few couples were cuddled up in chairs and couches intently watching the movie. His eyes scanned over to the couch where Scott and Jen were sitting.

Justin's smile brightened when he saw Jen tiredly resting her head on Scott's shoulder. His arm was protectively wrapped around her shoulders as they silently watched Forrest Gump.

A yawn overcame him and he raised his arms over his head, slightly arching his back and then snapping back into a slouched position. He felt tired and worn out. He giggled before tipping over on to Alex as a joke. His head hit her shoulder, as he leaned on her, waiting for her to push him away.

But she didn't.

She brought her arm around his shoulders, running her hand up and down his arm as he rest there. She tilted her own head to rest on his as the end of the movie came.

The warmth of her body was a like a blanket, and her hand gently running across his upper arm lulled him to dreams. That jasmine scent she always carried with her slowed his breathing.

In seconds, he was fast asleep.

----

When the lights were flicked back on, groans and stretches could be heard and seen around the room. She immediately spotted her brother, giggling to Jen about something.

-God, he is such a player. - Alex giggled to her self.

People had already started to leave as soon as the movie was over with. She glanced at a grandfather clock that was situated in the corner by the front door. It read 11:40. She figured since everyone else was leaving, and because her brother had a plane to catch the next day that it would probably be best if they left now.

But she was way too comfortable.

Like everyone else, an urge to stretch her cramped muscles came upon her. Her legs stretched out in front of her, wiggling her feet in circles. Her arms attempted to rise above her head, but only one arm was successful.

She looked down to see what was pinning it down and only saw short brown curls sticking up in every direction. She jerked her arm away that was around him and pushed herself away for him in the small space she had. He groaned and slowly opened his eyes, slouching on the edge of the couch, sitting upright. He rubbed his eyes much like a child and turned his head to see Lexia staring at him almost like he could hurt her. He smiled and looked up as a figure came in front of them. Scott stood there with Jen.

"Enjoy the movie?" Justin smirked.

"About as much as you two did." Scott said smugly.

Alex ignored the comment and pushed herself off the couch to stand up. "Well, you got an early flight tomorrow, so we need to go."

"All right, lets go." Scott said reluctantly and turning to Jen. They looked at each other for a while before they hugged tightly.

Alex looked over at Justin as he looked over at her. They gave each other a knowing look.

Jen hugged Justin with a bright smile. "Thanks for being so understanding."

"NO problem. Maybe me, you and Lexia can all go out to eat for lunch sometime." As he spoke this, Jen's eyes lit up and she nodded her head.

"Hey girl, thanks. I had a great time tonight." Meredith said embracing the shorter girl.

"No problem, hey umm..." Jen whispered into her ear. "..Are you and Justin..."

Alex pulled away and desperately spoke. "NO!"

"Ok, just wondering." Jen smiled. From the actions she had seen that night, she figured Alex would be a little sensitive about the subject.

Jen waved goodbye and walked off somewhere else in the house. The three left walked to the front door, thanking Margaret for her hospitality and letting them join in on their fun.

Alex spotted Kenny before she left and gave him a big hug. "I'll see you this Sunday right?" He asked.

"Probably." She said thinking about her schedule.

Kenny shook Scott hand. "It was a pleasure meeting you Scott, please why don't you do us a favor and just take Lex back with ya." Alex elbowed Kenny in the stomach and he rubbed it, painfully exaggerating.

"And it's great to finally meet Lynn's popstar of a son." Kenny chuckled as he shook Justin's hand.

By now, they were out of the door and walking down the brick walkway to where Alex's Jeep was parked.

Once they got to her car, Justin went towards the backseat. "That's ok, Justin. You can sit up front."

"You sure?" Justin asked, wondering if Scott had some ulterior motive for being nice to him.

Scott yawned, nodding, and opening up the backdoor. Justin shrugged and climbed in beside Alex.

After a few minutes of silence beside the sounds of the road, motor and radio. Justin turned around and giggled at the sight. "You're brother is fast asleep."

"Man, he won't be able to sleep on the plane tomorrow. He can only sleep on planes if he is dead tired." She looked in her rear-view mirror at her brother, slumped against the window.

"What a dork." She mumbled.

"You and your brother are really close aren't you?" Justin asked looking at her as she drove down the road.

She put on a distant smile and shrugged, changing her hands on the wheel. "I guess. I sometimes consider him my best friend. After Andrew passed away we kinda had to cling to each other. Scott doesn't really remember much about him expect when he had cancer because he was so young."

"What type of cancer did he have?"

"It started out, and the doctors just thought he had asthma, but then they found out he had lung cancer. So when they went in to operate and remove the tumor, they found out how bad it was. It was spreading so fast they couldn't do anything about it. They gave him about 6 months."

"God, I cant imagine what that was like." Justin whispered, genuinely feeling so sorry for her.

"Yeah, but he fought it for two and half years. He was so strong during it all. But it was really hard on me, ya know? He was like my hero. Nothing could touch him. And I remember telling mom the day before he died, that he was superman and that he would live forever because nothing could kill him. And when I woke up the next morning..."

Alex shook her head sighing and trying to stop the wetness from dripping from her eyelids. "..he was gone, wasn't he?" Justin asked quietly.

Alexandria nodded and reached her hand down to the volume dial, so she could turn up the radio and end the conversation.

As soon as her fingers touched the dial, a hand grabbed hers. It was like an electric shock. Tingles ran from her fingers up her arm and into her body. Her hand was pulled away from the dial and long, slender, well sculpted fingers locked in-between hers as a thumb gently ran across the back of her hand.

She glanced down at their intertwined fingers resting on the console in-between them. A slight smile came to her face as the warmth from his hand radiated into her and made her happy among her depressing memory.

That had never happened. No one had ever been able to make her completely change her attitude when talking about her brother.

No one, but Justin.

A loud sigh was heard form the passenger side as she pulled into his gated driveway. "I'm really sorry about your brother Lexia. I really am. But if his death has helped create who you are today, then it wasn't all a tragedy."

As she put the car in park she thought about what he had just said. If she was in the mood she could have completely gone off on him because of that statement. But now, all she could do was stare at their intertwined fingers and grin.

It was like their hands were made for each other. It was like someone had taken one fist and pulled it apart and put one part on Alexandria's body and the other on Justin's.

"That's probably the nicest thing anyone has ever said about my brother's death." She said, still staring at their hands.

Justin took his other hand and timidly lifted her chin, to make her look at him. "It's only the truth Lexia, you are an amazing person."

This day was just getting better and better for Alex.

"You're not so bad yourself, Timberlake." She smirked and sighed when he opened his door and pulled his hand away. He stepped out of her car and looked back at her, winking as he shut the door.

Alex watched him, not wanting to let him go. She wanted to stay right there and just hold his hand for forever. And just as she thought he was going to turn and walk up the path of bricks to his front door, he turned the other way, and walked in front of her car, his hands in his pockets and his head downward. He came to her door and opened it.

He reached over her and unbuckled her seat belt, causing her eyes to widen at his actions. "What are you doing!?!" She said loudly. She glanced in her rear-view mirror to see Scott still drooling, peacefully on her window.

Justin didn't say anything as he pulled her body so that she was sitting sideways in the seat, facing outside. Justin looked down at her with no expression on his face what so ever. Alex looked up at him, pressing her lips into one, as she tried to contain her laughter at his actions.

With one swift move, he had reached down to her and embraced her in a tight hug. Her lips were forced apart and a sigh escaped as she wrapped her own, slender arms around his bent back.

"Jon told me a few weeks ago that I looked down. He said that a very smart lady told him that when someone looked down that all you needed to do was hug them and that could make their day a little brighter. Well, you looked down Lexia, so I took my brother's advice." He whispered into her black hair, kissing it with his soft lips as he talked.

He breathed in her jasmine scent as she giggled, happily. "He was right. And so was I, because I was the 'smart lady' that gave him that advice."

Justin pulled away completely and, propped an arm up on the top of her door so he leaned against it. "I know." HE smiled a toothy grin that was sure to melt the hearts of teens everywhere.

Well, it worked with Alexandria.

"I better go and let you two get back. Tell your brother that I had a really great time meeting him, and tell him that he scares me, seriously." His eyes widened to exaggerate his statement.

They both laughed and Justin stepped back from her car, still chuckling. "See ya later, Lexia."

"Bye, Justin." She giggled as he slammed her door shut and jogged to his front door, fiddling with his keys in the process.

Alex put her hand on the passenger side seat and turned her head around to back out of his driveway. She was met with a perfect, white, evil smile.

Scott kept his eyes close he began the melody to "Let's get it on"

"I've been really tr-trying baby..." He sang loud and clear.

Seconds later, he was met with a powerful punch in his stomach and a mumbled, embarrassed. "Shut up."

Friday: January 12, 2001 8:30 p.m.

She was looking forward to this night. It would be pure fun. It was the end of one period of her college life and beginning of another. She never enjoyed the atmosphere of Tidal Wave. But she would miss the people that worked there and the money.

But she new she had to do it.

Classes had started back the Monday before. She really liked her classes. She had babysitted Jon like normal, all week. Scott had left the weekend before. She had been very glad that he had come down to visit her. Her family was sometimes all she had. Her family and the Harlesses were the only people she felt she could count on.

Jen and her had some classes together, and she was glad she was starting a friendship with someone else. And she hadn't seen Justin since she dropped him off at his house the night of the party.

She didn't know where he was, and she really had no reason to know or care.

But she did. She wanted to know where he was and had been so badly.

She ran the tube of bright red lipstick over her lips and pushed them together. She smiled at her reflection. Her outfit was outrageous and daring.

And she loved it.

She gave herself the look over. Making sure all her straight long black hair was perfect, her makeup was done correctly, and making sure the top was tied on tightly.

She ran her hands down the tight red pants and stared down at her feet, covered in silver heels and bright red toe-nail polish on her toes.

She had gone all out. Rarely, did she ever go this far when getting ready for something. But it was a big event.

It was the end of Tidal Wave and the beginning of her dream.

She smiled at her reflection in the mirror, before turning out the light of the bathroom and walking into the den of her apartment to get her purse and jacket.

She looked at Chester once, before covering up his cage with a blanket to let him sleep. "Here I go, time to party." She whispered.

---------

Cheers and hoots were heard from the crowd surrounding the bar. The bartenders and patrons were all looking up at the two people standing up on the bar. The music just happened to turn into Prince's "1999". One of Alex's favorite songs.

Alex grabbed Michael's hand and began to sing and dance to the song, as they paraded on top of the bar.

Tidal Wave was normally crazy. But this was mayhem. The club was bumpin', literally. Alexandria had spent the night behind the bar; throwing bottles in the air and doing tricks while she served drinks. But since it was her night, she decided to give her self a break, and in 10 minutes she had drowned a Screwdriver and taken a shot of gin. And now...she was quite tipsy.

Kit-Kat, the head bartender, jumped up on the stage pulling Terry up with him. He pointed to Jacob, who was at the DJ booth with a mic, in his hand.

"GIRLS, this is FOR YOU! LEXUS, you know this is your song..."

Alex covered her mouth at the song they were playing. She just shook her head as Kit Kat came up to her thrusting his hips.

Jacob's voice could be heard through the speakers. "Baby when were grinding, ooo I get soo excited. Oh you know I like it, try but I can't fight it..."

Kit-Kat grabbed her waist and began to dance with her. Alex was really starting to feel her buzz and decide to go all out. And before everyone knew it, her and Kit-Kat were grinding and dancing very close and seductively on top of the bar.

A few songs later, and as soon as Alex's buzz had slightly worn off, she found herself back behind the bar serving up drinks.

And she began to remember what she hated about this place. Guys constantly giving her offers, slipping phone numbers in with their tips. The winks, the gestures, she hated it. She felt slutty there. She knew that she shouldn't have acted the way she did on the bar, but she didn't care. It was her last night there, and she didn't give a damn about anyone else or what they thought.

"Excuse me, miss?" She heard, as she was reaching up for a glass.

She looked over her shoulder, not really seeing the person, but making it so she could hear their order. "What cha want, sweetie?"

"A friend of mine told me you give out GREAT orgasms." He laughed at the end of his statement. She thought that the music had turned her hearing bad; but she knew that voice from somewhere.

"Honey, I'm the master of orgasms." She pulled out a small glass, and tossed up a bottle of liquor in the air and caught it, pouring a shot in the glass. After mixing up the desired drink and sticking a small red straw in it, she turned and slid it to the end of the bar, where the guy was.

"HEY!!" She exclaimed, walking towards his side of the bar when she saw whom the owner of the familiar voice was. "What are you doing here, Joey?"

"Just chillin. In fact, all the guys are here. We had nothing better to do and J said it was your last night. So I was like, well we GOTS to go." He laughed, taking a sip of his drink and nodding. "That's good, definitely orgasmic." He wiggled his eyebrows.

She rolled her eyes giggling. "So you are ALL here?"

"Yeah, its weird. It's been a while since we all did something together. Can you get off, I'm sure the rest of the guys want to see you."

"Sure babe, I call the shots tonight. Hey, did the guys want anything?"

"Uhh, yeah, actually they did. But I told them they'd have to get it themselves." He stuck out his tongue and winked at her playfully.

Alex shook her head. "What do they want, its on the house? I'll bring it to ya."

Joey's eyebrows raised. "I think it was 2 Heinekens, one screwdriver, 3 shots of tequila, and a shot of vodka."

"Whoa now, you boys better watch ya self. Nah I'm kidding. Where are you sitting?" She asked. Joey pointed over the crowd, to a booth in the corner of the club.

"All right, be there shortly, babe." She spoke bringing out the glasses she'd need as he gave a small wave and turned into the mass of sweaty, gyrating people.

Alex smiled at what had just happened.

-He came to see me. -

----

10 minutes later...

Alexandria raised the small tray over her head and the people behind the bar. "CUSE ME!" She shouted, when people wouldn't move out of her way. She rolled her eyes and brought the tray down to rest on the edge of the bar as she made her self a quick shot of vodka and drowned it, to calm her nerves that had been caused by knowing that Justin was there. She shook her head, as it stung her throat and a moment of dizziness came over her. She recovered and picked up the tray of drinks and weaved her way out through the mass of people.

Her long legs swiftly took her over to the area that was marked off slightly by security. She saw Mike and Dre and waved at them and their stern expressions turned to smiles. Her blue eyes traveled to the 5 men laughing and sitting at a round booth. They all looked nice, but when the one on the end burst into laughter, she had to struggle not to drop the tray in awe.

He was dressed black leather pants and a plain, tight white tee shirt. He looked heavenly to Alexandria.

The shot of vodka that she had drowned was in her system, but she it wasn't enough to give her the nerve to go up to them. She found Jacob with a tray walking past her and snatched a small glass, not sure of what it contained and threw it back, tilting back her head and placing the empty glass on a table where the people sitting there, gave her weird looks. She ignored them, put on a bright, sexy smile and strutted over to the 5 celebrities. Whatever was in that drink, had definitely worked.

Joey spotted her first and smiled, waving her over. Before the others had a chance to look and see, she was there. And they weren't expecting for what she was going to do.

Alex set the tray on the table, and then plopped down on Justin's lap, making herself comfortable. "So which one of you sexy boys had the screwdriver?" JC uncomfortably raised his hand and almost laughed at Justin's wide and shocked eyes.

"All right I got 3 tequilas and a V here?" She spun them off the tray an on to the table, without spilling the liquor. Lance and Joey reached for the shot glasses. And finally Alex took the bottles of beer and a hand held bottle opener and opened the beer for them. "I'm guess these are yours?" She said pushing the bottles to Chris.

"Nah, Justin gets one." Chris said, pushing one of the chilled bottles back her way. Alex turned slightly on his lap and stared at him. He stared back and soon began to smile.

"Can I see some ID?" She smirked. Justin's mouth dropped a bit, and he tried to ignore the chuckles coming from his band members. He rolled his eyes and reached around her to grab the beer and take a swallow of it. I he brought the bottle away from his lips he winked and licked his lips. "I don't need any ID."

Alex nodded slowly. "All right, popstar, but keep in mind, I can report you to Kit-Kat. He is head bartender and he is pretty strict about underage drinkers." She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back against him, smiling at Chris who was sitting across from her. Justin just smiled and sighed at the way she felt against him. He whispered in her ear. "I won't tell, if you wont."

She looked at him and stood up. He sat up on the seat and shifted his legs uncomfortably. "Ok, Timberlake. But first, you gotta dance with me." She smiled at him and looked at the rest of the guys. "And don't worry I'll be back for more Nsyncers after I wear this one out."

She turned and started walking to the crowd of grinding, sweaty people. Justin sat there, stunned for a few seconds, before Lance who was beside him, pushed him out of the booth. "Go for it, dude." He just regained his balanced and gave a final look at the booth. All the guys were smiling and nodding at him to go for it. He shrugged and followed her through the crowd.

"They want each other BAD!" JC said laughing.

Lance laughed along. "Poor Brit."

"Dang, but did you see her. I mean, sorry Britney. No disrespect. But that girl right there, is just...damn." Joey shook his head.

"Well, Justin needs to figure out what he is going to do. Cause, as of right now, he don't have one single clue. And the next thing you know, he'll be on the national enquire. 'Nsync member gets brother's baby-sitter pregnant and leaves shattered Spears with his bandmates."

They were all silent for a minute, and simultaneously, nodded and gave their approval of the idea. Lance nodded. "Works for me."

JC shrugged. "Don't worry, we will take care of Brit-Brit very well."

"Oh pulease, I'm going to go find someone to dance with." Joey motioned for Lance to move so he could get out of the booth.

-----

Justin felt like he was in heaven. He closed his eyes, as she was forced up against his sweaty body, when the crowds seemed to close in and suffocate them. He sighed when her hands, grabbed hold of his strong shoulders. His hand moved from her leather-covered hip, to the skin of her exposed back to press her into him. He felt the strings hang over his fingers and smiled when he tugged at them playfully.

"Don't even think about it." He opened his eyes to see those ice blue ones sternly smiling back at him.

Justin stared into her eyes and brought her as close as possible to him, and began to grind to a techno remix of "Most Girls" by Pink. "I wouldn't..." He paused and brought his head down so his lips could rest by her ear. "...not unless you wanted me too, Lexia." He breathed huskily.

Alex's eyes widened and she turned her head so he wouldn't see her blush. She began to feel like maybe it wasn't such a good idea to have danced with him. She didn't mind being pressed up against him, in a sweaty, sexy, raw, hot position, but her emotions were starting to weigh on her. And she didn't want this to be the place where it unfolded. "Maybe I should go dance with one of the other guys. I promised them and I've dance with you for a least 4 songs, now."

"Just one more, please?" He asked with begging eyes. She sighed and gave in as "Most Girls" faded into Mya's "Free".

They gyrated and grinded and had fun dancing on the floor. Justin began to sing slightly, "I'm free, Single, Sexy making my own money, looking for the right party, And if your free," Justin pointed to Lexia as she just faintly smiled at him and danced. "Scoot your best thing at me." He thrusted towards her and pointed to himself, in some hammy rendition of the song. "... if you like what you see, Maybe I'll let you share, My fantasy. Ohhh this is SO my song."

Justin just smiled and continued dancing as Alex's mind started to wander and she began to think about what he was actually saying.

-No. It's not. -

"Actually, it's not your song."

Justin stopped dancing for a moment and looked at her. "Yes it is, it's ALL about me." He began to move again to the beat.

Now she stopped dancing completely. "What about Britney?"

He just stared at her and stopped dancing. They just looked at one another in the middle of the club, people brushing against them and giving them odd looks. "Ohh, yeah." He said reluctantly.

"So then you aren't single, you aren't free." She said, still staring at him. He noticed her icy eyes turn darker and begin to get glossy with the unshedded tears that threatened to fall.

"I-I-guess not." He stumbled looking down at the floor.

She gave a quick half smile. "That's what I thought." And with that, she left him.

"Wait, Lexia-" But it was too late. She had disappeared into the crowd and he was left in a crowd of strangers.

"Hey, you're Justin Timberlake, right?" He heard a voice say and he just absentmindedly nodded his head in response staring at the spot she had once been. "Wanna dance?"

He looked at the perky blonde in front of him and shook his head. "Not right now." He spoke softly, and pushed past her and towards the booth, hoping he would see Lexia again that night, but knowing in his heart that he wouldn't.

Wednesday, January 17th. 1:45pm.

"And so, the theory is, if life can exist on Earth, then Mars might be able to sustain life even better, because of the un-violent weather conditions there. What do you think?" The professor of the 'theory and philosophy of science' class asked his small class of about 25 students. He pointed to the girl in the front row with her hand raised.

"Yes, Alexandria?"

Alex shifted her position in her chair and looked at her professor questionably. "But if there aren't any weather conditions like hurricanes and tornadoes or whatever, how can the balance of life be preserved. First of all, if humans went to Mars we would have to basically live in a plastic bubble because we'd be sucking in toxic air..." A few chuckles were heard around the class. "...but who would WANT to live on a planet where day in day out, it was the same thing. No snow, no storms, no lightening, no tornadoes, no excitement! We wouldn't even be having a class like this, and natural weather disasters maintain some sort of balance in the ecosystem, even though they are devastating."

The professor took in what she had to said and nodded. "Nicely said, Miss Smith. Anyone else?...Yes, Matthew?" Alex turned in her seat to look behind her at the smartest guy in her class. He was often in a lot of her science classes, and kinda ticked her off because well, he was basically a smart-ass.

"The theory is not what would be more exciting, it was which would be able to sustain better life. And clearly, if the weather was predictable and the same, life could better be prepared and could take measures to prolong itself in those conditions."

"Good Point, Matt! On that note, I want each of you to keep in mind you have your project due in 3 weeks, if you have any questions, please see me after class. You are dismissed." The professor stepped away from his lectern and walked to his small desk.

Alex turned to Jen, who was sitting beside her. "Why did I let you talk me into taking this class. All of that, STRAIGHT over my head." Jen giggled.

Alex stuffed her text and papers in her satchel and stood up out of her seat. "I'll help you out. God, Matthew pisses me OFF! HE ALWAYS has to be right."

Jen and her began to walk side by side, glaring at Matt who went to go talk to the professor. "I know, personally I liked your answer better."

"Why thank you, Jen." Alex turned and smiled at the short girl.

"Sure. Hey, do you want to go get some coffee with me?" They reached outside of the large building and Jen pointed to the campus library.

"Actually, I don't have anymore classes and I have to be somewhere, but I'll see you tomorrow in Astrology class, and what are you doing this weekend?"

She squinted her eyes in thought, then shook her head. "Umm, nothing I don't think."

"Well, give me a call and we will do something." Alex smiled.

"Ok. Bye Lex." Jen waved and turned to walk away.

"Bye Jen." Alex smiled and fished for her keys in her bookbag and began walking across the short distance to the parking lot where her car was. The more time Jen and her spent class together, the more she seemed to like Jen. She was happy to have the afternoon off from baby-sitting Jon. He was at a friend's house or something, and she was going to the beach, to clear her head, read a book, and think. Her internship started the next day and she was quite nervous about it.

Her mind had been so cluttered she needed some time to sort everything out, and that was exactly what she planned on doing.

------

The wind whipped her hair in front of her face, and she brought up her hand to tuck the stray strands, behind her ear. Her hand came across the book she was reading in front of her to flip a page and she continued reading.

Nothing could ruin this moment in Alex's mind. The sun's heat was being slightly cooled by the passing clouds. The sea was calm and made a lulling noise as it crashed onto the shore.

A seagull flew down and began to pick at the apple core she had tossed onto the sand a few moments before. She reached to her right and unscrewed the Snapple bottle resting there, and at the same time, struggled with trying to keep the wind from turning her books page. She finally got the bottle cap open and tilted her head back, almost popping her neck, as she chugged down the last of the drink. She sighed and tossed empty bottle on the plaid blanket she was laying stomach down on.

She kept reading her book, until she heard the faint sound of a car motor and tires against a dirt pathway. The sound got closer and closer. Alex sat up, stunned, wondering whom else would be coming to her beach.

The owners of the private beach were an elderly couple that was in Alex's church, and they rarely came, or she had never seen them there.

She sat there on her blanket, staring, not even blinking, at the gravel road that led back to the main road. Soon enough, a blue convertible with its top down appeared behind the tall dunes and bushes.

Her eyes went wide and her mouth dropped to the ground when she saw who it was. She looked around her blanket, and back up at the BMW that was parked beside her Jeep, thinking this was a dream.

HE finally opened his car door and stepped out, sunglasses covering his eyes, jeans on, and a long-sleeve red abercrombie shirt, with the sleeve pushed up to his elbows. "Hey!" He said loudly as he made his way over to her.

"Uhh, hi. What are you doing here?" She questioned as he reached her blanket. She looked up at him, and squinted her eyes and put a hand over her eyes to shield the sun.

"Well, I uhh, I wanted to talk to you about some things, and I didn't know if you would be here or not. But I took the chance. Do you mind?" He asked pointing to the blanket. She shook her head and scooted over.

Alex searched her small bag for her sunglasses and a twisty to pull back her hair. She slipped on the glasses and sat up, pulling her wind-blown hair back and quickly putting it in a sloppy ponytail. "So, what's on your mind?" She asked, slouching back into a comfortable position, facing him as he stretched out his legs on the blanket, using his arms behind him as support.

"A lot." He chuckled. "A whole lot."

"I know how you feel. I start my internship at NSSL tomorrow. I'm so excited and nervous at the same time." Justin noticed the eagerness in her voice and smiled at it.

After a few moments of silence Justin cleared his throat and drew in his legs, to sit Indian style. He tugged at his shoelaces as he spoke. "I'm sorry, Lexia. I'm so sorry for the mixed signals I've been giving you. I don't know what it is about you, but I can't help myself, ya know? And I know what I'm doing is wrong, to you, to Britney, to Jon, to myself, but I can't stop it. And I don't know what that means just yet."

Alex looked at him stunned for a moment, until he looked up, over the rim of his sunglasses at her. Their eyes locked and he smiled brightly at her. "Don't looked so stunned Lexia."

She shook her head and began to blush. "Sorry, I just, wow. I'm actually grateful you said that. For a while I didn't know if you were just really flirty or trying to play me or what."

He leaned towards her slightly and looked at her concerned. "I would never play you, Lexia. Never."

She laughed slightly and looked at him shyly. "Why do you call me that? No one has ever called me that."

He shrugged and reached over uninterested to pick up her open book. "I don't know, just my nickname for you. What do you not like it?" He smirked at her. She smiled and shook her head. "Nah, I like it. In fact, I like it a whole lot."

She didn't mean for it to come out that way, but he began to blush, she just looked away almost ashamed. "Stormy Weather, eh?"

Alex turned her head and looked back at him. "Huh?" He held the book up at her. "Ohh yeah, that's my favorite book."

"What's it about?" He asked, looking at the blank cover of the worn hardback book.

"Its about a girl who is obsessed with the weather, and just talks about her hardships and loves and life, stuff like that. It was written by one of my mom's friends in Alaska. My moms one of those real artsy people."

Justin just nodded and ran his finger over the pages. "So, it's about you, huh?"

Alex grinned. "No, it was written before I was born, but it's my favorite book. I've read it about 8 times."

Justin looked at her shocked. "Wow, it must be good."

"Yeah, well I like it." She sighed and looked out at the ocean. So peaceful and calm, yet strong and fierce. It kinda reminded her of herself.

"Well, do you mind if I stay out here for a few minutes. I won't bother you, but this is a good place to think. In fact I came here last Saturday by myself."

She tilted her head to the side. "Really? Wow. Well, make yourself at home. I'm just going to keep reading, if you don't mind."

"Not at all." He smiled and leaned back on the blanket, looking up at the sky. She returned to her position on her stomach and began reading the book again. It took her a while to start concentrating on it, because of the civility that had happened between them.

It was the calm of a storm, and they seemed to have just made peace with each other. A few pages had gone past in her book and Justin spoke up.

"Hey Lexia?"

She placed her hand on the book, so as not to lose her page and looked over her shoulder at him. "Yeah?"

"What's that cloud right there?" He asked, pointing to the sky. She looked up and smiled at the similarities he had with his brother.

"That's a cumulus. The ones that people consider the cotton-ball or the fluffy clouds are cumulus. If you want to be specific then it a cumulus humulis. But, that's just if you are picky." She looked back down at him and he was staring at her, still lying back on the blanket. Finally he shook his head

"Some people like music, some like movies, others like sports. But you Lexia, you like clouds." He chuckled and bent his arms behind his head and rested his head on his palms.

"Well, sorry for being a dork." She mumbled, and turned back to her book.

"No, no. It doesn't make you a dork. At least not to me. It makes you different, it makes you special. And that's a very good thing. You are the first person I've ever met that likes weather as much as you do. That's refreshing, Lexia. It's neat to meet someone who doesn't just like the usual stuff."

She turned her head to look over her shoulder at his relaxed position. "Thanks. That means a lot Justin."

"Well, I just speak the truth." He grinned and looked at her out of his sunglasses as she turned back around and continued with her book.

He hadn't really known the reason that he was at the beach, but he was there. And now, he was really glad he came. He looked at her back. She had on khaki shorts and a long sleeve deep blue shirt that made her black hair stand out. Her knees were bent, having her barefoot swing in the air. He was happy. For the first time, the awkwardness between them had disappeared. And even though they were silent, and weren't really conversing with each other, it didn't matter. They didn't need words. Not now at least.

On some weird level they had bonded. And from this point forward, there was no turning back, because at that moment, they realized in their own ways, what they both wanted. They discovered there was no use fighting it, so they just gave up, gave in.

In the silence of the beach, they realized they were falling in love with one another.

The next day

"And here, is the Doppler. We have 6 computers hooked up to this baby."

"Wow, this place sure is...wow." Alex said mesmerized, looking around the large laboratory with a high ceiling and two floors. People in jeans and T-shirts walked around, thinking about the papers in their hands. Others in lab coats ran past and into doorways that she wasn't sure where they led. She had been there all day, and was having an awesome time.

"So, come with me, and I'll so you your office." Said Rick, the 25 year old looking guy with jeans on and a Dave Matthew's Band T-shirt on, with round glasses and dirty blonde hair. He had been showing her around all day.

"I have an office?" Alexandria could almost not believe this. It seemed too good to be true.

"Well, don't get all excited. It's not like a CEO's or something. But, its a room, has a door and a window and a desk and chair, so, its better than nothing." He shrugged walking out of the lab part of the building down a long hallway. He turned a few times down other hallways, and Alex prayed she wouldn't get lost when she came back. He came to a door and turned the knob, flicked on the lights and showed her HER office.

"This is so cool." She gushed, running her hands over the fake wooden desk.

"Yeah, we will probably have a computer hooked up for you tomorrow."

She looked at the guy who was about her height. "Thank you guys so much for doing this for me. This...This is my dream."

Rick just smiled. "Well, we are glad to have you a part of the team here. Come on, let's go and meet some of your co-workers. We got some real characters in this place." He giggled.

Alex gave a last look at her office before following Rick out of the office. "I think I'm going to like it here."

---------

(Two days later, Saturday)

"So, Lexy, are you still going to be able to baby-sit me?" Jon asked, clutching on her hand tighter, and bringing his ice cream cone to his mouth with his other.

"Of course Jon, I'll be working at the lab on Friday nights and all day Saturday. I'll still be with ya after school." She smiled and looked over at Jen who was sipping on her slushy they had got from the food court in the mall.

"Well, good." HE said, smiling at her with ice cream stuck around his mouth and on his lips. Alex giggled.

"Hey, do you want to go in Express?" Jen piped up.

Alex wasn't really in the mood for shopping, she just was there because Jen wanted to shop and she was baby-sitting Jon. "Whatever."

They walked in the store being greeted by the saleslady. Jon hid behind Alex, clutching on her hand when they were in the store. She brought him over to where the couches and chairs were and sat down with him clutching to her, in her lap. "What's wrong Jon?"

He just twisted her shirt and buried his head in her shoulder.

"Do you not want to look around?" Jen asked, already having a piece of clothing draped over her arm.

"Nah, you go on, we will just wait." Alex said, rubbing Jon's back comfortingly. Jen gave her a curious look before shrugging and walking off to shop some more.

"Jon, what is wrong?" She pulled him away from her to look in his face.

He pouted and sniffed. "All these girls are around."

"So?"

"They are in clothes that the girls that hurt Justin wear." He leaned his head on her shoulder and breathed into her neck.

"Jon, these girls aren't going to hurt your brother. How can they hurt him? He isn't even here."

"But they hurt him anyway. They scream at him and cry and yell. It hurts him. It makes him cry and that makes me cry."

Alexandria was just silent for a moment as she took in this information. She finally got it registered in her brain. "He cries over his fame." She spoke quietly.

"I don't know why they yell at him and grab him. He doesn't like it though. I heard him tell mommy that he use to, but it got worse or something. I don't know. But I don't like it." He took a strand of her hair and twirled it in his hand. "That's why he likes you. Because you don't scream and grab at him. And he likes you a lot."

Alexandria smiled slightly and rested her forehead against his. "Just between you and me..." She stopped and whispered, "...I like you're brother a lot too."

Jon smiled brightly and turned into a fit of giggles. Alex found herself tickling the young boy, who was desperately trying to get away from her fingertips. He pushed himself off of the bright red couch and ran around the small table in-between the couches. He laughed and caught his breath as Alex, narrowed her eyes and pretended to pounce on him.

He backed away and looked down at the table in front of him and picked up one of the many magazines that was there. His laughing fit immediately coming to an end and he walked over and sat beside Alex, his legs swinging off the edge of the couch and hitting it below with his heels.

"Look, Lexy. It's Britney." He pointed to the cover and Alex plastered on a fake smile as she looked at the magazine. She read the words beside the picture, 'Britney on fame, friends, and how she keeps a boyfriend.'

"I see Jon. I see." Alexandria just studied the cover.

She had never been in the position that she was before. She felt guilty and sorry for the feelings she had towards Justin because of Britney. And there wasn't much she could do about it. Justin wasn't technically "cheating" on Britney with Alexandria. But still, the feelings were there. They both knew it. And they had finally got it through both of their thick skulls that those feelings were shared. But now what?

Were they to forget their feelings and attraction? Were they to go on like nothing ever happened? Were they to just go for it and not care about anyone else? Were they to tell everyone? Were they to keep it a secret? Were they to just bottle all their love for each other up inside until one day it exploded?

Alexandria had gotten her feelings straightened out. She knew what she wanted and needed. But how were they going to make it work? How on earth were they to make this work?

"LEX, you HAVE to try this on, I do not care what you say. You ARE trying this on." Jen came over with clothes hanging off her small body. She struggled and finally held up a navy plain dress that was silk and crisscrossed in the back. To Alex it looked like a slip. But she decided to humor Jen and try it on.

"Ok..." Alex sighed. "All right, but watch Jon for me." She looked down at Jon who was looking at her with big eyes. "Be nice for Jen, I'll be right in there."

She took the dress and walked over to the dressing room, turning once more to look at them, before she shut the door to see Jen, putting all her garments on the couch beside her and Jon looking at her curiously.

"So, Jon, have you had fun at the mall?" Jen asked once she got situated. Jon just stared at her and nodded, chewing on his index finger.

Jen smiled and picked up the magazine Alex had set back on the table. "Ohh look. Does Justin and Britney spend a lot of time together?" She asked, honestly curious looking over the cover and flipping through the magazine.

"Not really. They go to award things together and she comes to his house sometimes. But they talk on the phone a whole lot." He said, picking at a string that had come loose in the cushion below him.

"I think he likes Lexy, but don't tell Alex or Justin I said that." She bent down to his level and winked. Jon finally gave in a smiled and then giggled.

"He told me he REALLY likes Lexy." Jon's eyes lit up when he said really and he continued in a hushed tone. "I like her too, but she's my baby-sitter. I love Lexy. So does Justin, I think."

Jen's eyes widened and she closed the open magazine in her lap back to look at the cover, then she looked at the young boy in front of her. She subconsciously fought with asking the question on her mind, but she meekly got it out anyway. "B-But what about Britney?"

He looked up from the cushion and scrunched his face up in confusion, "What about her?"

Before Jen had a chance to respond Alex's dressing room door opened and they both looked up and gasped. Jon began to clap and giggle and Jen just sat there staring at Alexandria stunned.

"So, I tried it on. What do you think?" Alexandria spoke in a bored tone, turning around.

Jon giggled and nodded his head. "I like it Lexy. You look purty."

Alex smiled at Jon's innocence and looked to Jen who was still staring at her. Finally she found words to speak. "That will knock him off his feet."

Her eyebrows furrowed and she wondered what Jen was talking about. "Who?"

Jen snapped out of her shock and glanced at Jon before looking at Alex. "Oh nobody." Jen smiled secretively. "Why don't you change out of that, cause I need to find me a dressing room. By the way, you ARE getting that dress."

Alexandria rolled her eyes and walked back into the dressing room. As she shut the door, she stared at her reflection in the mirror on the wall. The navy dress came to right above her knees. The neckline was low, but it was a stylish square design. The back was plain with two simple crisscrosses of fabric that stretched across her elegant back. She had to admit, with her hair and eyes, it looked beautiful. She didn't have many places to wear a thing like that. But Jen was right; she HAD to get that dress.

Maybe one day it would come in handy.

------

An hour later

Jon was whining about something and interrupting Alexandria and Jennifer's conversation. Finally Alex got fed up and sighed. "Jon, you sound like a 7 year old!"

"I AM a seven year old!" He retorted.

Jen just laughed at the statement and even though Alex was trying to seem stern, a chuckle escaped her. "Jon, just calm down, we are very close to home."

"Noooo! I've been trying to tell you, I'm not staying at Mommy's tonight." Alex stopped at the stop sign of the suborned area she was in and turned in her seat to look at Jon who was staring at her like she had done something wrong.

"What do you mean? Was I not supposed to take you home?"

"No, you are supposed to take me to Justin's." He looked at her with blue eyes that reminded her so much of Justin's and smiled brightly. A little too brightly for Alex's liking. She turned back around and sighed, making a U-turn in the middle of the street and heading towards his house which was a least 15 minutes away. It wasn't that big of a deal, she was 2 minutes from Lynn's, and had to head across town to go to Justin's. But she mainly just didn't want to see him. And then again, she couldn't wipe off the childish grin on her face for anything.

A few minutes later Jon's voice broke the silence. "Lexy, put in Justin's CD."

Alex groaned. She had gone all day without hearing Nsync, but she should have known better than to get out of a day without it, with Jon. "Jon, don't you want to listen to something else?"

"NOOOO!! I wanna listen to 'It's gonna be meeeeee'." He sang falling over the backseat in laughter.

"Jon, do you have you're seatbelt on?"

"Yes." He spoke quietly reaching behind him to pull the strap over him; he glanced up to see her sternly looking at him through the rearview mirror to make sure he put his belt on. He smiled at her in the mirror. "I wanna listen to my brother."

Alex groaned in defeat and reached behind her, into the seat flap on the back of her seat and pulling out a CD case. "Can you find what he wants?" She handed the case to Jen. Jen couldn't have worked any faster, and before Alexandria knew it, the sounds of her LEAST favorite song were blasting out of her stereo, with two of the three people in the car, dancing and singing.

Alex rested her elbow on the ledge of the window and leaned her cheek on her fist, as she drove with her right hand, and increased the speed of her Jeep. She needed to get there fast, REAL fast, so she didn't have to listen to the music very long.

After 'It's Gonna Be Me', Jon requested 'Bring in tha Noise', and finally 'I'll Be Good For You'. Alexandria didn't mind that song very much. She had heard about a billion times that Justin had written it. And if she didn't have to listen to it every day of her life, she would probably really enjoy the song.

They were halfway through that song when they had finally reached Justin's house. The gate wasn't open.

"Jon do you know the code?" Alex asked, looking in her rearview mirror at the young boy in the backseat.

"It's his birthday."

She looked a Jen. "Man, I hope his fans don't know that." Jen nodded and giggled. "Well what's his birthday?" Alex inquired.

"January 31st." He shrugged.

Alex pressed in the numbers and it didn't take. "Was he born in 1981?"

Jon nodded, looking happily out the window to the large house in front of them. "I think so."

She finished pressing in the numbers and finally the gates opened. "Wow, this is a...BIG..house." Jen breathed, mesmerized by the house.

Before Alex had even put her car in park, Jon had jump out of the vehicle and ran to the door. He rang the doorbell and no one answered. As soon as Alex had walked up to him, he gasped and ran back down the steps of Justin's front porch, down the driveway, in front of the garage and back around somewhere in the house.

Alex looked at Jen, who was standing beside Alex's car and looked strangely at the short blonde who had just sprinted around the corner of the house. She shrugged before following in the direction that Jon had gone. "Come on Jen." She waved her over and Jen skeptically followed as Alexandria glided past the garage and rounded the corner of the house. She stepped a few feet and could hear Justin's laughter along with Jon's. She couldn't help but sigh at the beautiful sound it was.

Jen came up beside her and they walked at little further until they were in the back yard. They both gasped.

There he was with Jon clinging on his bareback, him attempting to play basketball. He shot for the ball and Jen watched as the ball surprisingly sunk into the net. Alex just stared at him, in a pair of gray sweatpants and tennis shoes, red bandanna around his head and nothing else. "Come on, Jon. I'm trying to play a game here bud."

The sounds of Nelly's "E.I." were blasting through the stereo, as Jon hopped off his back and Justin dribbled the ball a bit and passed it to his brother, who fought to catch the large ball in his small hands.

"I thought Lexia was bringing you." Justin spoke with evident disappointment in his tone.

"She did, I don't know where she is though." Jon shrugged and giggled, attempting to throw the ball in the air, but completely missing the hoop. "Andele Andele momma EI EI UHHHOHHHH" Jon sang and giggled.

Justin looked up from laughing at his younger brother and around his backyard. His vision finally rested upon two women. One was smiling brightly at him and waving happily. The other was just staring at him, her eyes, even in the distance he could see changing from their light blue to a dark aqua.

"Hey Jen, Lexia. How are things?" He said, patting Jon on the head and walking slowly over to the girls.

"Hey Justin. Nice House." Jen giggled at him. He smiled back at her, and then glanced at the taller girl. He noticed her gaze. It started at his shoulder, and her eyes were slowly traveling downwards.

"How are you Lexia?" Justin said in a low voice. Alex's eyes snapped up, from being enchanted by the small droplets of sweat, flowing and dripping off his body. Her face immediately reddened at his broad, cocky smile, and she looked down at the ground to avoid him. "I'm fine." She barely said.

"Well, that's for sure. UMH." He grunted and back away from her to check her out, being as obvious as possible.

Alexandria tried not to smile, but it came anyway. "We need to go though, I need to get Jen back." Her voice was softer than normal.

"No we don't." Jen whined.

Alex looked at Jen. "Well, you can stay, I got to go do my paper for Astrology."

"When is that due?" Her eyes went wide and for a moment Jen became utterly terrified.

"Next Monday."

"Ohhh crap." Jen made a disgusted face. "I guess we do need to go, I haven't even STARTED on that."

"Are you girls sure you don't want to stay?" He asked stretching his arms over his head making his arm and abdomen muscles contract. Alex whimpered slightly, being taking over by his presence. Both Justin and Jen looked at her strangely.

She gulped and her eyes widen when she realized there were other people around other than herself. "Y-Ye-Yeah, we're sure. Have fun with your brother tonight." She looked up into those dark blue pools that were staring intently at her.

"I will." He grinned at her and winked.

Alex bit the side of her lip and leaned to the side to look around Justin and to speak to his brother. "Jon, we are leaving." Alex called out to the boy, still attempting to make baskets and rapping to the song in the process.

"I drive fast, see call me Jeff Gordan, in the black SS with the navigation!" He dropped the ball and ran over to her as she squatted down to his level. "Bye Lexy!" He said hugging her tightly. She pulled away and kissed his forehead while she stood up, and watched as Jon said goodbye to Jen with a hug also.

"Bye guys." Alex said, walking away, waving along with Jen.

"Bye Jen. Bye Lexia." Justin called after them. Alexandria turned once more to smile at him and finally turned around.

Justin smiled at her retreating form until they were out of sight then turned back to his brother.

"So, did she talk about me?"

Jon rolled his eyes and stomped away to retreat the basketball. "I'm not telling." He teased.

"But JONNNNNN...." Now Justin was the one sounding like a 7-year-old.

January 24th

Alex waited impatiently in the chair by the huge glass window. She bit her fingernails and chewed on her lip as she watched the big 747 plane roll up to the gate.

Her parents were coming to visit her, and that plane in front of her carried them. She was excited and nervous at the same time. They wouldn't be staying with her, but still they were in the city, and it wasn't like she could just do whatever she wanted. She was going to show them the city and the places she worked. The Harlesses had invited them over for dinner. And Alex was quite nervous about that, because, Justin was going to be there. And her mom knew about Justin.

Alexandria and her mom were very close, the best of friends. They told each other everything. And she had been calling her mom keeping her up to date with the little saga they had going on. She just hoped her mom wouldn't embarrass her.

"Flight 412 from Dallas, Texas is now deboarding. I repeat Flight 412 from Dallas, Texas is now deboarding." The speaker announced.

Alex took in a deep breath and stood up, looking towards the doors. At first a few businessmen hurried out of the plane, totebags rolling speedily behind them. She looked down at the ground and waited for the people to come off the plane. Some were businessmen; others were family's, some looked plain lost. But one person caught her attention.

It was a young girl, around her age with long brown hair; she was short and looked almost scared as her wide eyes scanned the crowd. Alex watched in awe as the girl gasped and ran a short distance to a tall sandy blonde guy. They were in an embrace so tight, she couldn't see that they were two separate people. He set the girl on the ground and brought her face to his with his hands and kissed her sweetly before pulling away. Alexandria sighed when she watched his mouth move and she made out the words. "I've missed you more than anything. I love you."

Alex turned her attention away from the couple and let out a breath from her mouth, making her lips vibrate and make a noise much a horse. "Is that my alleycat?" She heard and immediately began to smile as she recognized her father's voice.

She turned her attention to the tall man with a head of thick brown hair walking swiftly towards her and wrapped him in a warm hug. "Hey Daddy. How was the flight?" She pulled away and he shrugged nonchalantly.

"Girl, you BEST give me a hug too." She heard and rolled her eyes at her dad, as she left his grasp for her mothers.

"Hey, Mom. Mmmm, I'm glad you are here." She sighed, squeezing her mom, who could be her twin plus about 25 years, a little tighter.

"Me too sweetie, I cant wait to meet the hip-thrustin baby you got a thing for." Alex's mouth dropped and she began to turn red. "MOM!"

"Why are you blushing? You never blush!" Her father quipped up.

"I'm not, let's GO!" She exaggerated and stomped off away from the gate with her parents chuckling and following her.

----------

"Now, DO NOT embarrass me! PLEASE!" Alex said to her parents as she parked her car in the Harless's driveway.

"Lexus you don't get embarrassed, at least I thought. I thought you didn't blush either, but now I don't know...." Her father trailed off.

"Just keep in mind that I work for these people and they mean a lot to me and I don't think they need to know all the stupid things I did when I was a kid."

"You still are a kid." Her father said getting out of the passenger side of the Jeep.

She sighed and pulled her keys from the ignition. Her mom opened her door for her and whispered. "You just don't want to get embarrassed in front of Mr. Popstar."

"UGH. Mom he is probably not even here. His car isn't. So...BEHAVE MOM!" She said, giggling as she got out of the car and linked arms with her mother to walk to the door.

She walked to the front door, which was a like a first for her. She hadn't gone to their front door in about 6 months. Her dad stood beside her and her mom on her other side and she brought her hand up to ring the door bell.

Before her hand even touched the button, the door swung open and she was greeted by a happy, smiling, Jonathan Harless.

"Hello Lexy and Lexy's parents. Welcome to our home." He said in the best grown up voice possible.

"Well look at you, Jon boy all nice and dressed up." Alex said amused. He was dressed in khakis and a button down light blue shirt, but he had no shoes on and his barefeet stuck out under his pants leg.

"Mom made me." He groaned. "Come on in." He said, pushing the door back and allowing them to enter.

"Mom, dad, this is Jon. Which you have probably figured that out by now." Her mom knelt down to Jon's level and stuck her hand out for the small boy to take.

"Its nice meeting you Jonathan. You can call me Sandy if you want to. Alex sure does talk about you a lot." Jon returned her handshake and giggled shyly.

"And I'm Ally's dad. You can call my Charlie." Alex's father didn't bend down but he offered his hand. Alexandria smiled at the sight of Jon staring at her dad, and his tiny hand in her father's very large one.

"Alex dear?" She heard someone call and she turned around to look past the living room and to the kitchen where Lynn was standing.

"Hey, Lynn!!" Alex said walking over and giving the woman a hug. "Come meet my parents. This is Sandra and Charles, my mom and dad." She said in a goofy voice, with her arm around Lynn's shoulders, and Lynn's arm around her back.

"It's so good to meet you two! We are happy to have yall eat with us." Lynn spoke, her southern hospitality seeping through with her voice and smile.

"Well, its so good to meet you too Lynn. It seems like you guys have sorta adopted Alex and we are grateful for that, since we are so far away." Sandra said smiling at her daughter and winking.

"Oh no problem. Guess what?" She said turning her attention to Alex. "What?" Alex asked with a grin.

"Paul's in there cooking, go surprise him." She whispered.

"Paul's COOKING? Oh my gosh, this is a monumentous occasion. I'll be right back." Alex said and turned to walk in the kitchen.

"WAIT FOR ME!" Jon spoke for the first time in minutes. Alex waited for him and picked him up and threw him over her shoulder, with him giggling all the way to the kitchen.

"Paul HARLESS!! YOU are cooking?" Alex said, flipping Jon off her shoulder, to sit on the counter.

The man jumped slightly and turned, apron around his front and hand to his heart. "Gosh, Alex. I'm not ready for a heartattack. Give me a few years. And YES I am cooking."

Alex giggled and made a funny face a Jon. "Well, I'm not ready to die of food poisoning. Give ME a few years."

"Hey, now. Watch it. I'm not THAT bad." He said, turning back around and stirring whatever it was he was cooking.

"Daddy can I go upstairs and show Lexy the new puter game you got me." Jon asked, jumping off the counter.

"Sure, but dinner will be ready in a little bit."

"Ok, come on Lexy." He tugged on her hand, and before she was able to speak to Paul again, she was being dragged through the living room. She gave a small wave to her parents who were sitting down talking to Lynn about who knows what.

Alex followed Jon down the hallway, past Justin's old room to Jon's room. It was plastered with pokemon posters and one Nsync Poster. Alex rolled her eyes and sat down on the bed in front of the small desk that contained Jon's Laptop. Alexandria thought it was crazy for a 7-year-old to have a computer, but Justin had bought it for him, and all he did was play games on it. And most of the games were intellectual games. And he didn't have the Internet. So she didn't feel to skeptical about it. But she still thought it was crazy.

"I got this game. It's so neat." He spoke, swinging his legs wildly below the chair. He waited to the computer to boot up and when it did he double clicked on an icon and waited a few moments for the game to load.

"Jon, where's Justin?" Alex finally asked the question that had been on her mind since she had entered the house.

"Ohh, he went to the store to get some Snapple."

Alex giggled and looked at him unbelievingly. "Is that it?"

"Yeah." He shrugged. "Mom said that we were all out and hated it because you loved the stuff and he said he would go get you some."

Her mind went blank for a few moments. She would have been happy with water or tea or anything. And yet, he had done this; for her. It was almost too good to be true. "Are you joking?"

"No." He turned in his computer chair and looked at her confused.

"Oh, ok." She spoke shortly and softly.

"Anyways, there are all these levels and characters. It's SOO cool. You'll have to play it with me after dinner..." Jon kept rambling on and on about the game, showing her the levels and how to play the game.

She randomly spoke an 'uh huh', 'cool', and 'ohh' as she stared at his nightstand. There were 3 pictures on the nightstand. One was Lynn and Paul. Another was of her and Jon. And then the biggest one was of Justin and Jon, both in their pajamas asleep on the couch, with Justin's arm casually draped over Jon. It was the cutest thing she had ever seen. They both had on pajama pants and button down pj tops. She couldn't see what was on the pjs. But the picture was adorable, and she had to fight the urge to reach out and touch the frame.

"..And you can even go up to the level of kingship."

"Ohh, cool." Alex spoke, staring at the picture.

"But, its hard because..." He suddenly stopped and got very quiet for a moment. Alex's attention was forced off the picture and she looked at Jon who was sitting in his chair, looking off to the side.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

He looked at her and grinned evilly before jumping out of his chair and running out of his room screaming. "JUSTIN'S HOME!"

Alexandria's eyes widened and she stared at the door Jon had just ran out of. She slowly stood up and could hear laughter coming from the downstairs. She stopped at the top of the steps so that she could hear but not see the living room.

Alex heard Justin's smooth voice, softly speak. "Well it's a pleasure to finally meet you Mrs. Smith, Mr. Smith."

"Ohh call me Sandy. Gosh you are just so cute. Alex told me you were cute but she didn't tell me you were, well, hmmmm." Alex hit her head back against the wall at the words her mother had just spoke. She knew that her mom would kill her for this. It was so like her. But she had to smile when Justin's nervous laughter filled her ears.

"LEXY!! WHERE ARE YOU?" She heard Jon yell.

She pushed herself away from the wall and walked to the steps and slowly walked down them, concentrating on her tennis shoes, and not dare looking up.

She reached the bottom step and took a deep breath before setting her gaze upwards. Lynn and her dad were talking, she guessed Paul was still in the kitchen, Jon was tugging on Justin's khaki pants leg, and her mom was saying something that made Justin smile and blush.

Justin looked down at his brother, and put a hand on his head, to calm him and let him know that he was not being ignored. Justin's redden cheeks slowly faded and he looked up to the steps, where Alex was watching him.

His smile softened and she returned it. "Hey." She whispered him only seeing her mouth move and not hearing a thing.

"I, uhh, got you some, Snapple. You like the Orangeade kind right?" He asked, scratching the back of his head and looking at her with a child-like expression.

She nodded. "Yes. Thanks. You didn't have to do that." She stayed by the railing on the bottom step, keeping her eyes on him and only him. Nothing else seemed to exist anyway.

"Well, I wanted to." The side of his mouth twitched upward in a quick half-grin before his torturous tongue came out to moisten his dry lips.

Alex's mouth quivered at the motion, until she felt a soft hand on her shoulder. "Honey, there's a 7 year old in the room. Don't molest the nice gentleman right now. Maybe later."

Her eyes widen and she looked at her mom who was trying to hold in a giggle. She looked at her mom shyly and sighed, rolling her eyes. "I'm kidding. By the way. Good choice. And I mean GOOOOD choice. Be glad I'm not your age. Honey, that boy is fine. Umh, you see how them khakis look on him, wow. And that dark green shirt. Dang, Lex. You better go for it, or I'm going to have to shoot you." Her mom whispered all this in her ear and then turned back around and walked over to Lynn immediately being wrapped up in the conversation.

A few minutes later, Alex was still by the steps. Justin was playing with his brother and her parents and Lynn were conversing up a storm. She knew they would get along.

"All right, its ready." Paul spoke, balling up his apron in his hands. "I think."

"Ohh, gosh. I should have cooked." Justin exaggerated, walking over toward the kitchen.

"Watch it boy. I know your mother." Paul kidded and patted Justin shoulder as he passed with Jon, sitting on his hip.

"Justin, you cook?" Sandra asked nonchalantly following him into the kitchen.

Justin sat Jon down on the floor and smiled at Alex's mom. "Yes ma'am. I cook quite a bit. I'm the breakfast king."

"Well isn't that great." She said, looking at Alexandria with an enthusiastic face. Alexandria rolled her eyes and pushed past her parents into the kitchen. "Where's my Snapple. I need a drink."

Justin looked at Alexandria surprised. "They are in the fridge Lexia."

"Lexia. That's a new one." Her dad said. "Alleycat, have you ever counted all your nicknames?"

"No, dad. I haven't." She spoke, taking a bottle from the fridge, opening it and chugging it back, as she walked into the dinning room where Paul had set up their meal.

"Gosh, she treats those Snapples like they are alcohol." Charles chuckled, shaking his head and striding into the dining room.

By now, everyone had found a seat at the dinning room table. Paul and Charles were at the heads of the table. On either side of Paul were Lynn and Jon. Beside Jon was Justin and beside Justin was Alex's mom. Alex sat beside Lynn across from Justin. They had said a quick blessing and immediately began to eat. Though they had picked on Paul for cooking, the meal was quite good. Conversation had been light and happy, and so far it had been a good evening.

"So, Lexia, how's the internship coming?" Justin asked before stuffing a piece of bread in his mouth.

Alex set down her fork and looked up at him. "Very well. They set me up in the hurricane and oceanography section, which is really cool, because you know how much I love the beach."

"Oh believe me, I know." He said in a seductive tone. Alex's light blue eyes widened and she stared at Justin and kicked him under the table. He cringed silently.

"Are you liking it Alex?" Lynn asked sweetly.

"Oh yes ma'am it's great."

"Well, how are classes going this semester Allycat?" Her dad asked. She turned her head and looked at her father.

"They are fine, dad. This philosophy in science class is kinda hard."

"Sounds like a blast..." Justin mumbled sarcastically, getting a stern look from Lynn and a kick from Alex.

Justin contorted his face to look like he was in excruciating pain and finally sobered up enough and smiled an evil smile at Alex. She began to feel a socked foot against her calf, and soon it was at her knee, then pressed against her thigh. As soon as it touched her thigh, she grabbed it and dug her nails into the material of the sock, hoping to cause some pain.

Justin began to thrash his foot to get it free, but she wouldn't let go. "You ok, babe?" Lynn asked, noticing the way her son was biting his lip and slouched in his chair. Alex let go of his foot and he straightened up. "Fine, mom." He forced a smile and glared at Alexandria, who smiled triumphantly.

"Justin, Alexandria said you play a little bit of ball." Her dad cleared his throat and said.

"Oh yes sir. I love b-ball."

"Yeah, she told me she beat you."

Alex almost choked on her Snapple and looked between her father and Justin's accusatory gaze.

"Is that sooo." He drug out.

"Yeah, but don't feel bad, she beats everyone."

"She still needs to work on her form." Justin smiled brightly, licking his lips and crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back in his chair.

"OWW!! Alexandria!!" Her mother said, bending down to rub her leg.

"Ohh, mom. I am sooo sorry." Alex couldn't help it and laughed. She just busted out laughing. In an attempt to kick Justin, again, she had kicked her mother. She couldn't help but laugh.

"What was that for?" Her mom said, smiling, but evidently hurt.

"I , uhh, was trying to-" She couldn't finish she was laughing so hard.

"She was playing footsies with me." Justin said as if he was admitting to a crime.

"EWWW!" Jon said, still picking at his barely eaten food. He must have not liked Paul's gourmet cooking.

Her mom's pained expression softened to a bright smile. "Ohh really?" She pointed to Justin and spoke loudly. "I WAS NOT! I was trying to give him the idea to keep his mouth shut."

"By kicking me?" He said innocently. Alex just narrowed her eyes.

"Hey Justin, why don't you show Charles your car." Sandra spoke to her husband. "You are going to die."

Justin stood up and stared straight at Alex's pouty face. "I'd be glad to. Shall we?" He asked turning to Mr. Smith and motioning towards the kitchen.

"I'm with ya." Paul spoke. The three got up and left the room chuckling about the incident that had happened earlier.

Alex sat there for a few moments as everyone else talked. Jon had asked to be excused and ran off. Finally Alexandria turned to Lynn, when the room was quiet. "You're son is so annoying."

"Which one?" Lynn giggled.

"Who do you think. I'm going to go bother the non-annoying one." Alex said standing up. "Thanks Lynn, it was..." She fought to find a word. "...Interesting."

When Alex had stormed out of the door. The two left at the table turned to each other and at the same time giggled. "I just love your daughter." Lynn giggled.

Sandra took in a deep breath to calm herself and looked sincerely at Lynn. "And I just love your son."

Next day, around 2 in the afternoon

"All right, what's this one?" Alex asked, holding up a picture of a certain constalltion to Jen.

"Duh, thats that Orion thing, everyone knows THAT one. Get some harder ones." Jen giggled.

Alex didnt respond though, she just gave a blank stare at the wall behind Jen. Jen finally waved a hand infront of her face. "Hello? Alex?"

Finally she snapped out of it and cringed. "Sorry, I spaced out."

Jen nodded slowly. "Uhhh yeah, may I ask why."

"Nothing, that song just reminded me of something." She said softly switching the flash cards. Jen just gave her a strange look and continued on, wondering the meaning behind Shaggy's "Angel".

They hand been at Alex's apartment ever since lunch, studing for a big Astrology test they had the next day. Alex's parents were still in town, they were going to spend the day shopping on their own, since Alexandria had school. The night before Alex had left with her parents from Lynn's by given Justin the evil stare, but it turned into a giggle, and they were both laughing.

Lately, she just hadnt been able to get mad at the boy.

Another 30 minutes passed and they were both tired of studying. "Well, I guess I need to go. I got an English paper to write, too!" Jen groaned, flopping back on Alex's couch.

"Ok, thats cool. But if you need any more help, feel free to call." Alex stood up and stretched and Jen followed her actions, grabbing her bookbag and jacket.

"Thanks Lex." She spoke walking to the door.

Alex opened it for her. "Sure thang. See ya later."

"Bye." Alex shut the door and walked over to her couch and sat down and turned on the radio, smiling when she heard the 80s hit, "I just died in your arms tonight."

"I, I just died in your arms tonight, must have been something you said..." She lightly sang along and swayed her hips as she cleaned up her books and papers. Something flashing out of the corner of her eyes got her attention and she turned to it, to see her answering machine flashing. She had turned off the ringer on her phone and turned down the volume of the machine while they were studying.

She shrugged and went over to see she had one message. She pressed play.

Someone cleared their throat and spoke. "Hey Lexia, its Justin. Can you call me back on my cell as soon as you get this. I might not be able to answer the phone, but just leave a message. I got ask you somehting important. Ok? Thanks. Bye."

Alexandria, sat down on one of her chairs around her kitchen table and stared at the phone and answering machine resting on the counter top behind the table. His voice could make her smile and giddy, scared and unsure, and thoughtful and emotional. Slowly, after picturing him in her mind she got up and walked behind her cabinent to a drawer that held her phone book and other junky stuff. She pulled out her adress book and scanned for the number to his cell phone that Lynn had given her for emergencies. She picked up the phone, and dialed the number as she walked over to her stereo and shut it off. After 4 rings someone picked up.

"Hello?" The voice was deep and unfamilar, Alex was scared she had gotten the wrong number.

"Umm, is Justin there?" She asked quietly.

The voice grew very stern. "Who IS this?"

"Alexandria Smith." She almost felt like saying 'sir.'

"Alex eh? How ya been you fine-ass girl?"

Alex's eyebrowed merged. "Who IS THIS!?!"

She heard a loud chuckle that sounded slightly familiar. "It's Lonnie."

"Ohh, hey Lonnie, you scared me!"

"It's what I do best. But, uhh, Justin is busy right now, he, well hold on..." She heard in the background Lonnie yelled. "Joe, tell Justin Alexandria is on the phone." After a few minutes, a new voice came through the line.

"Hey, Lex, its Joey. Justin is talking with Wade right now."

"what?" Alex was confused.

"Ohh, we are practicing for the superbowl things right now in Tampa, Jusitn is talking with our choreogrpaher."

"Ohh yeah! I forgot you guys were doing the halftime show. OH MY GOSH, is Aeorsmith there?!?"

"Yeah, Steven Tyler is like 10 feet away from me, hehe." Joey giggled and Alex almost screamed. "That is SOO awesome."

"Yeah, hey, are you coming Tuesday?"

"Coming where?"

"Me and Justin's Birthday blash." Joey spoke enthusiastically.

"Umm, no, I dont think-"

"Here's Justin." Joey interupted her. "Good talking, bye."

Before Alex got out a goodbye for Joey, Justin's voice filled her head, and she immediately smiled. "Lexia...Hey."

"How are you, Justin?" Her voice had became softer, milder, gentler, loving.

"I'm fine. Lexia I got a big favor to ask you."

"Sure, go ahead."

"Ok, well my parents are going out of town this next week, and I'm supposed to look after Jon. But me and Joey are having this big birthday party next Tuesday. I'll be twenty."

"Good for you." Alex chuckled at how happy and proud he seemed.

"Yeah, so I kinda need a babysitter for Jon Tueday and Wednesday. Do you think that will be a problem?"

Alex sighed to herself. For a moment she thought that he was going to ask her to the party. But she had been wrong. She had gotten her hopes up, and all for nothing, they were shattered to tiny bits and pieces. Why would he invite her anyway? They werent THAT close. She was a babysitter, college student, Lab intern, but certainly not a good friend of Justin Timberlake's. It was like forbidden territory, how DARE she think she could have been friends with him, how DARE she.

"All right, I guess Jon could just stay at my place, if thats ok." She said, disappointment evident in her voice.

"Why would he stay there? He could just stay at the babysitters house or mom's house or MY house. Why would you loan your apartment like that?" His voice was micheivios, and she knew he was up to someting.

"Wait a minute. If I'm going to babysit Jon, why cant he stay at MY house."

Justin chuckled loudly in the phone. "Lexia, you cant babysit him that night."

"And why not!?!" She was getting a little peeved. He better not be riding her of her babysitting duties.

"Becuase YOU have a huge party to attend to, and you BETTER be there!"

Alex's mouth dropped. "But you said you needed-"

"I said I need a babysitter, but that doesnt mean I want YOU to babysit. I'm asking you to help me FIND a babysitter, since you will be preocupied, and Jon doesnt trust himself with many people. And frankly I dont trust many people with Jon either. So, I need your help, since you will be, well, occupied at that moment."

Alex's smile crept on to her face at his sexy words. "Call Nancy Torks, she is the childrens director at our church, she's babysitted for him before, and Jon likes her."

"Do you have her number?"

"Yeah, its somewhere around here. Hold on a second." Alex put the phone to her chest and sighed a breath of relief and let a smile come to her face. She bit her lip and shook her head trying not to scream. He was inviting her to his party, and she was SO estatic. She knew Mrs. Torks number by heart, but just needed a break to endulge in this moment.

"Ok, its 658-2396. Got that?"

"Yup, thanks Lexia, this means a lot."

"I just cant believe you lead me on like that, and I cant belive I'm actually invited." She felt giddy, light headed, wonderful.

"Well why WOULDNT you be invited? By the way, dont take this the wrong way, but if you want to invite Jen along. You probably wont know a lot of people besides the guys, so it might be good if you have someone there you actually know. Plus, I'd love to introduce her to the guys."

"All right, I'll have to make sure she doesnt go crazy with all the popstars that I bet will be showing up. Um, where is it at?"

"Ohh, at Club Georgio's in downtown Orlando."

"Oh my God! That is serious VIP, as we called it at Tidal Wave. Well, what do yoo expect from a boyband memeber."

"Hey now, watch it." He played along.

"I'm just playing, so like Tuesday sometime during the night?"

"Yup. I mean since its me AND Joey's birthday its going to be bumpin'. Joey knows everyone in their brother, so..." He trailed off into a light laugh.

"All right, well I cant wait."

"Me either, if I dont talk to ya before then, then I guess I'll see ya there." His voice was airy and sexy and Alex tried not to groan into the phone.

"Ok, and I'll be sure to watch the superbowl thing." She said.

"You do that. And one more thing Lexia..."

"YES!?" She cringed herself for sounding too excited.

He chuckled a moment. "Wear something really sexy for me for my brithday, thats the only present I'll need. Later."

The phone clicked off and Alexandria stared down at it and then slouched down in her chair, breathing heavily, and sighing. "He has GOT to stop doing that!!!"

----------

January 30th, 8:38 pm

Alex peered out of the passenger side window of her Jeep, leaning over to smile at Jen who was hoping down the steps that led up to her dorm on the UCF campus.

Jen opened the door and got in beaming at Alex. "THIS IS GOING TO BE AWESOME!!!" She screamed. Both girls squealed in delight. Tonight was going to be a night of pampering, celebrities, and a lifestyle neither of them have ever experienced.

"You look GOOD!" Alex beemed, showing all her teeth to Jen who was dressed in a short tiger print skirt, and a black halter top. Her hair was down and curly and her makeup was sparkly.

"Girl, Britney better watch out tonight!!" Jen responded, looking over Alex who had her hair up in a bun, with whisps around her face, her makeup was smoky, her lips a bright shade of red. And her dress was a very short, tight, plain, high neck like, sleevless black dress that showed off her figure perfecftly.

"You ready?" Alexandria said excitedly.

"LETS GO!!!"

Alex and Jen stepped out of her Jeep that was parked in a space near the back of the building. There were so many cars and limos and people there. They both nervously walked to the front of the building where there was a huge line of people waiting to get in. Alex was becoming almost sick with butterflies. She wanted to be there, desperately, but she had a feeling something was going to happen. And she didn't know if that was a good thing or not.

They filed behind the large line being marked off by a red, velvet rope. "This is crazy!" Jen beamed.

"Yeah.." Alexandria said quietly.

Jen's eyebrows connected. "Are you ok?"

She plastered on a fake smile. "Ohh yeah." Before Jen could interrogate further a large, black man with a tight black shirt and black pants on and with a baldhead caught their attention. He was making his way towards them, stopping and asking people for their names. He came to Alex.

"Name, please?"

"Alexandria Smith." Her voice quivered. The man looked over his clipboard, flipped a page and his eyes light up. "Yes, Miss Smith, right this way."

"Ok, she's with me." Alex grabbed Jen's arm so they wouldn't get separated and followed the man into the booming, sweaty, expensive, awesome club, ignoring the people in line yelling at them.

Both girls were just in awe. The music was loud and bumping, lights everywhere, people dancing, drinking, laughing, and having fun. Most of them were beautiful young people and Alex and Jen were stunned. The level they were on was where the tables and booths and exquisite statutes and plants were. A staircase led down to the dance floor, below them in a big open space.

"Ok, ladies, Mr. Fatone and Mr. Timberlake had you on their invite list so, have fun." The man spoke before turning and leaving them alone.

They both looked at each other and squealed. "Ok, ok, ok. We aren't teenyboppers! Not tonight!" Alex giggled.

"But look, oh my god, that's the Dream girls."

"Ohhh lordd." Alex groaned.

"This is SOO awesome Alex, thank you!!!"

"Thank Justin!"

"Where is the cutie?"

"Do I look like-" Alex stopped midsentence when she saw him, surrounded by girls, one particular blonde by his side as they all gyrated and grinded to the music.

Jen followed her gaze and nodded knowingly. "Well, I'm going to go get up on that. C-ya!" Jen pranced off to the dance floor.

"Jen don't....LEAVE...me.." But it was too late. Jen was gone and was in the mass of girls. Justin was now being block by all of them, so she couldn't see him anymore.

Alexandria just sighed, pulled her dress down to actually cover her thighs and looked around her, searching for someone she might be able to talk to. She searched and spotted the point of interest. As she stalked over to the bar, she hoped they weren't carding. She needed a buzz, FAST.

She thought to herself as her long legs flowed her there. -When did I start drinking so much!?-

She didn't even notice the eyes watching her as she past, or one figure get up and follow her. As she approached the bar, she noticed most people were just standing around waiting for their drinks. No one was actually sitting down. She decided to push her way through and sit right smack dap in the middle of all of them. But as soon as all the strong alcohol scent hit her, she began to feel queasy. It wasn't worth getting drunk that night. So when the bartender finally got to her, she just ordered a water.

Someone plopped down beside her, but she didn't look up, she just concentrated on the quickly melting ice in her glass. "I'll have was she's having." The man beside her said.

She looked up, "I'm having-" She noticed him. "...water. Hey, Lance."

"You are looking great, Lex!" He said checking her out. She just rolled her eyes. "You are too."

"This place is really rockin' eh?" Lance said, turning around slightly and admiring the large, exquisite club.

"Yeah it is, you boys sure know how to through a party."

Lance chuckled. "Baby this is small-scale compared to some."

Alex smiled as her and Lance talked about nothing too important. Just small chitchat. She was glad there was someone there she could talk to and not feel TOO out of place. But it was inevitable. She felt like she didn't belong there.

"All right, ladies and gents. A slow song was requested by birthday boy, Justin, so here ya go guys." The DJ said, from wherever he was located.

"Do you want to dance, Alex?" Lance asked, extending his elbow.

She giggled at his serious look. "I'd love to."

They walked down a large stairway that led down to the dance floor and maneuvered their way through the crowd. Lance took her hand in his and danced very professionally with her, lightly talking about all the people there.

Alex gasped when she caught Jen and Joey dancing together. Jen spotted them and they shuffled over to them.

"Hey, having fun?" Jen beamed in Joey's arms.

"Ohh yeah!" She winked at Lance who deeply chuckled, his adams apple bobbing.

"Jen this is Lance, Lance, Jen." The two of them exchanged hellos.

"LEXUS, damnnnnnn. You sure did dress...well, HELLO!" Joey spoke, unable to finish his statement with an intelligible word.

"Thanks." She smiled.

"Ohh, I kinda was able to dance with Justin, he said he was looking for you." Jen shrugged.

"Yeah, sure." She rolled her eyes. "I'm sure he had a search party out for me."

Jen looked at her strangely and just shrugged and was carried off by Joey. Alex sighed and continued dancing but something caught her eye. In the dark corner were Justin and Britney. They were dancing, but she could tell they were both very into the conversation they were having.

But she had never seen anyone look so beautiful in her life. She had never considered a man "beautiful" before, but he was exactly that. His leather pants, snugly fit to every inch of his lower half, while a bright blue, tight sleeveless T-shirt clung to his torso. His forehead was creased, and she didn't miss the frown on his face.

"Hey Alexandria, I'm not much of a dancer, so I'm going to go mingle all right?" Lance interrupted her and she hadn't even realized that the music was now a fast-paced techno scratch.

"Ohh, sure." She said still in her daze. People immediately surrounded her and she stood on her tiptoes to look over to see where Justin and Britney had been. But she only saw Britney, talking with some other girls.

She sighed and, rested back on her heels. "Looking for someone?"

Alex's breath caught in her throat and she slowly turned around to see Justin standing there with a cocky grin on his face.

She shook her head furiously. "N-No, not really."

She stared at his face as his eyes widened and took in the length of her. He even walked in a circle around her and came back to face her, closer than before.

"Happy Birthday to me." He muttered and smiled.

Alexandria didn't know what to do. Britney was near them, she felt guilty, and sneaky, yet she didn't care. And when he pulled her close so that she was right against his hard body, her thought process went out the door, and she didn't care who saw. She could feel him and smell him and almost taste him at the memories of their kiss.

"Will you dance with me Lexia?" His voice was a whisper and she looked up to see him leaning over to her ear, he pulled back and for a moment all that existed was them, staring into each others eyes. She didn't even speak, but he knew her answer. He wrapped his arms around her waist and made sure their bodies were completely touching as he grinded into her intimately.

She caught who she thought was Jen with JC and noticed both of them staring at them wide-eyed. She didn't notice how dirty or how close her and Justin were dancing, she was just moving with him. Reality hit her in their stares and she pulled back a little.

"Been drinkin tonight Timberlake?" She smirked, knowing she would get a positive answer back. And hopefully that would be the source of his straightforwardness.

"Nope!" He smiled and hers faded. "I want to be sure to remember this night. I'm 20 baby!" He rooted and Alex laughed, before he crashed her back into him. "And you aren't getting away from me so easy."

A techno version of Mandy Moore's "I wanna be with you" started and her and Justin continued having fun, dancing. She noticed a few whispers and stares, but knew that no one there knew her, so she didn't care. She just danced her butt off.

She couldn't help but smile, when another couple or dancer would come up and say something to Justin and he would introduce her as a "Good friend", every now and then putting an emphasis on "good."

When Joey strutted by he pulled Joey towards them and whispered something in his ear as he smirked at Alex. "What was that?" She asked.

He just ignored her and started doing the hammer, but she grabbed his arms to stop him and they both laughed and continued to grind.

A song or two later the DJ came over the speaker again. "All right, sorry to dampen the mood, AGIAN. But Timberlake wants another slow song, and who am I do disappoint the Birthday boy." Joe's "I wanna know" faded into the speakers and Alex tried to sneak away, this wasn't what she needed.

He grabbed her arm. "Please..." His eyes bore into hers. "Don't leave me."

The words came out helpless, almost desperate, and she let him win as he came over and slowly put his hand on her hip. Her hand was shaking as it accidentally brushed against the skin of his arm as she reached up to rest it on her shoulder. She thought he was just going to dance like normally with his hand in hers, but when he held her hand and rested it for her on his other shoulder, her eyes widen.

Then they fluttered shut as his free hand, tickled her back, sliding his fingertips to her neck and pressing down, for her to rest it on his shoulder. Her hands had long clasped together behind his neck.

She was in heaven and even closed her eyes as the essence of him filled her up. His hand slid down her spine and rested on the small of her back. Her eyes opened as she heard him singing, "I wanna know what makes you cry..."

He sang the song, and it seemed to be for her, but deep in her mind, she knew better. She felt the side of his head, rest against hers, and she could hear the song he was singing more clearly, he was singing in HER ear. He felt her jump when his hands slid down a little farther testing his boundaries and brushing against her rear end, before slowly making their way back to where they were supposed to be.

"I'm sorry Lexia. I can't control myself when you are around. I do things, I don't normally do. I say things that are idiotic. And all I seem to be able to do, is look at you, long to touch you, and..." He pulled away and she lifted her head to look into his eyes that were almost black. His hand came up to her cheek and he brushed the wisp of hair out of his way. His eyes traveled her face, her nose, cheeks, eyes, and settled on her lips. "...and I cant help but want- no, NEED to kiss you."

Alex gulped. His eyes were now closed, head slightly tilted, his face coming forward. And she wasn't stopping him. In fact, she was closing her eyes and moving in to meet him, to kiss him...

...at his 20th birthday party, with tons of important people around, and his girlfriend somewhere near by.

In fact, she was a whole lot closer than either of them thought. "Justin, we NEED to talk, NOW!." Was all Alex heard, and the next thing she saw, was Justin being dragged away from her by a famous pop princess.

He turned his head and winked at her, and she wondered how he always kept his cool resolve.

And she looked around her, not seeing a face she knew. And once again, she had been left alone.

Britney pushed people out of the line to the bathroom, not even caring about the people yelling at her. She went into the bathroom, waiting for people to get out and told them to find somewhere else. She slammed the door once everyone was out and locked it.

Her breathing was heavy, as she stayed turned toward the door. Finally, she collected herself and turned back around to see him standing right behind her. She couldn't control her hand that slapped across his cheek. He glared at her, as he held his cheek and moved to sit on the tile floor, finally bringing his head in his hands.

"What the hell did you think you were doing Justin?" Her voice was low, and deadly.

Justin didn't move or talk or anything. She was the last person he wanted to deal with. "Tell me, please. I need to know if this is just a little birthday present for yourself, thinking you might get some play tonight or something. I can't believe this. I just cant!" She paced the floor and gripped at her hair.

"Britney, you don't under-" He was interrupted.

"YOU ARE RIGHT! I DONT understand. Why Justin? I thought you were in love with me. You told me all the time. If you-" She stopped and watched as he, rested his head against the wall and slowly opened his eyes at her. "If you love me, why were you going to kiss her." Her voice was weak now, barely a whisper.

Justin turned his head so he didn't have to look at her. He knew exactly what had happen, but the last thing he wanted to do was hurt Britney.

Britney sighed and leaned back against the door. "You don't love me anymore do you?"

His voice was sure of itself. "Brit I will always love you."

"Yeah, but not in THAT way. You know what I mean."

The bathroom was quiet and they could only hear the booming bass coming from outside. "Are you in love with someone else Justin?"

His head snapped towards her at that comment and he just stared as a tear slipped down her face. "Just tell me, I've been expecting this for sometime now. I knew this would never work. We've both just been scared to be alone. But you've found someone haven't you? You are in love with someone." Her voice was quiet, but he knew she understood him.

He pushed himself off the floor and walked over to her, wrapping her in a hug as she cried into his chest. "I'm soo sorry, Brit. I didn't mean for it to happen, it just...did. I wasn't expecting this at all."

Her head moved against his chest in a nod. "I know, its ok. You can't help what your heart feels. Sorry I slapped you."

"It's ok. I kinda deserved it." He chuckled.

He pulled her away from him and rubbed his fingers under her eyes to stop the mascara from running. "Britney I've known you for so long, and nothing is going to come between our friendship, but I cant help what's happened between me and Lexia. It just....happened. I can't explain it."

"I know." She whispered. "It's your birthday Justin, go spend it with her."

His forehead wrinkled. "I don't want to leave you by yourself."

"You kidding me, there are some hot guys here tonight." She managed a small giggle and smiled.

He leaned down and left a lingering kiss on her forehead. "I'm sor-"

"Stop, don't be sorry for falling in love. Just promise me you'll be there to listen to me blab on when it happens to me."

He smiled brightly. "You know I'll be there."

"Go, have fun. And Justin?" She called as she was at the door, and turned to look at him.

"Happy Birthday." She smiled and winked before leaving him in the bathroom alone.

------

"Come on Alex, you have to tell me what that was about?!" Danielle and Chris were off to the side and they had seen everything that went on with Justin and Alex, and Britney. Danielle had rescued Alex from being alone and was trying to get her to talk and Chris was looking bored out of his mind.

Alex's voice raised over the loud music. "I do not. And I don't know what you are talking about. It was a misunderstanding."

Danielle crossed her arms over her stomach. "You just don't want to believe that Justin actually tried to kiss you."

"Whew you should have seen Britney's face, Justin's getting a BEAT DOWN!"

"SHUT UP CHRIS!" They both yelled. He rolled his eyes at them.

"Dani, I don't know WHAT is going on. But I can tell you one thing, I'm confused as hell about it." She sighed in defeat.

"Well, look who it is, maybe you won't be confused any longer." Chris pointed with his beer bottle to Britney, who was quickly walking out of the bathroom. She was coming towards them.

"Hide me." Alex said, cowered behind Chris.

Danielle speculated. "You are going to hide behind, elf boy?"

"No you didn't." He glared at his girlfriend. Alex couldn't help but giggle.

Britney walked past them, her eyes focused on Alexandria. Alex tried not to stare back but she couldn't help it. Britney had no expression on her face, but she didn't look happy. She twitched her mouth in a side grin and turned, swinging her hair over her shoulder and got lost in the crowd.

"Whew..." Alex breathed.

"Better watch it Lex, she might find out where you live. Yeah, she's sweet now, but she can be VICIOUS!" Chris animated his speech and Danielle smacked the back of his head. "Shut up, moron."

"I love you too." Chris gushed before Dani gave in and bumped hips with him.

"Well, there went Britney, where's J-" Danielle asked but stopped when she saw Alexandria staring off, towards the bathroom. They both looked where her gaze was, and saw Justin staring right back.

When he started, striding up to them, Danielle tugged on Chris's arm and they patted Alex's back saying goodbye and waving at Justin as he got closer. But neither of them responded.

Finally Justin reached Alex and just stood there, looking at her. He stared at her, moving his gaze over her body. She did the same with him. After what seemed like years, Justin actually took in a deep breath and when he exhaled he spoke. "heyyy..." It came out breathy.

"Hi." Hers came out short and quiet.

"We need to talk." She nodded in response and her eyes shyly went towards the floor.

His hand came up and lightly grabbed her chin, and lifted her head back to him. When their eyes locked, they were able to look deep inside each other, see and learn things they couldn't explain or describe. "Let's get out of here."

Alexandria smiled at him, raising an eyebrow insinuating his idea. "Ohh really?"

"To talk Lexia, where's your car parked?" His hand found her arm and slid down to her hand and clasped his with hers. Goosebumps raised on her arm where he had touched her. She looked down at them connected by the hands and then back up at his face. He was staring back with a huge smile. He winked and began walking away from the small corner they were in.

"It was parked in the back."

"Ok, well then we will go the back way." He walked swiftly back towards the bathroom area.

"What about Jen? Ohh crap. Hey, I'll be back, I'm going to try and find her. I'll be back in a sec." Alex pulled away from his grasp, and Justin just smiled as she quickly ran away, looking in every direction. He couldn't wait to get in that car and tell her everything he had been meaning to.

----

"Jen, THERE you are!" Alex said out of breath as she quickly walked over to Jen who was laughing in-between JC and some other guy she had never seen at a table.

"ALEX!! Come, sit, chat. This dude is soo funny." She said pointing to the guy Alex didn't know.

"I'm leaving."

"WHAT? It's only 12." Jen whined.

"Do you think you can call a cab or something? I hate to do this to you."

"I'll get her home." JC piped up.

"Thanks JC. I'm really sorry." Alex was over apologizing.

"Alex, chill. It's ok. Just, why are you leaving?" Jen asked concerned.

"Ohh, well me and Justin are leaving, ok? I'll see you tomorrow in class." Alex waved turning back around to run back to where Justin was.

"Well, well, well..." JC spoke, leaning back with an amused grin on.

"Man, I got Astrology tomorrow." Jen pouted and looked over a JC who just winked.

"Who cares? Justin and Alex. Ohh man, I wonder where Britney is." Jen realized and her eyes widened.

-----

"Sorry, it took forever for me to find them." Alex came up to him and sighed loudly.

He giggled. "It's ok. Everything cool?"

"Yeah, lets go." He grabbed her hand and pushed past people looking at them strangely that were going into the bathrooms and went down a dark hallway to a heavy metal door. He unlocked it, opened it, and the cool wind hit both of them, making them shiver.

"Dang, its cold. Where IS your car?" Justin said rubbing his arms. Alex grabbed his hand and pulled him with her to walk quickly to her Jeep. Justin smiled as Alex basically drug him towards her car; he was enjoying every minute of their hands intertwined. Finally they got to her Jeep, unlocked the doors and hopped in.

Alex turned the heat on full blast. "I thought this was Florida!" She giggled.

"ME TOO!" Justin yelled before they both laughed. As Alexandria backed out, Justin turned up her stereo and searched through her CDs for the one he want. He smiled and put one in and leaned back getting relaxed and putting on his seatbelt.

Alex narrowed her eyes at him. "What happened to your cheek?" She was concerned for it was very red.

"Ohh uhh.." He laughed nervously, lightly touching it. "I kinda got slapped. I'll explain later." She just nodded slowly.

"So where-" Alex stopped and looked over at him at the edge of the parking lot and turned to smile at Justin who was staring out of the window. "How did you know this was one of my favorite songs?"

He turned back to her and smiled brightly. "I don't know, I just like James Taylor and knew you said you did to. And I really like this song, it's relaxing."

"There something in the way she moves, or looks my way or calls my name..." Justin quietly sang looking at her.

She blushed and turned down the way. "...And I feel fine any time she's around me now, she's around me now, almost all the time...." He stopped and looking at her puzzled. "You know you do that a lot."

"What?" She asked, stopping at a stoplight.

"Blush. You do it all the time."

She giggled softly. "I'll be honest Justin, I DONT blush. Or I use not to. But you make me blush for some reason."

Justin smiled boyishly and gasped when he looked outside. "OHHH can we go there!!!"

Alex turned and looked at him strangely. "Dairy Queen? It's like 2 degrees outside."

"YEAH, but I'm CRAVING a blizzard."

"Uhh, all right." Alex shrugged and pulled into the parking lot of DQ and pulled into the driver thru window lane. "Are they open?"

"Yeah, lights are on inside. See the sign say, open late night."

Alex shrugged as she came up to the menu. "What do you want?" '

"Oreo Blizzard please!" His voice got higher like an 8-year-olds and Alex just giggled as she gave his order.

10 minutes later Justin was moaning about how delicious his Blizzard was and Alex kept trying to get him to give her a destination. Soon they came towards a sign that said Disney World, 1 mile. Alexandria got a smile on her face, looked at her clock that said 1:08 am and followed the road until they got to the gates of Disney World. She pulled off on the side of the road that was deserted and they had a great view of the empty, yet lit up Magic Kingdom.

Justin brought his spoon up to his mouth and raised his eyes to the sight before him. "Ohh this brings back memories." He chuckled and spooned the ice cream into his mouth.

"Are you done with that YET?" Alex giggled.

"It was a large and its better to eat it slow so it last longer." He whined. "I bet you just want some."

"And if I did, you wouldn't share!" She smiled at him, but didn't realize his next move. He spooned out a large bit of the ice cream, holding the cup between his thighs and putting his palm under the spoon so it wouldn't drip. He moved the spoon and hand towards her face. "Go ahead. You know you want some."

"Eww gross, you've been licking that spoon like a lollipop, no thanks!"

"Oh pulease. I don't have germs." She rolled her eyes opened her mouth and he slid the spoon into her mouth.

"And its not like we haven't kissed or anything." He smiled as her eyes widened and locked onto his. "Good ain't it?" He winked at her, pulling the spoon out. She nodded blankly and swallowed.

Justin relaxed back into his seat and after a few more bites set the empty cup in the cup holder in the console between them. They were both quiet just listening to the James Taylor music that was quietly flowing through the Jeep.

Alex brought her legs up in her seat and took off her heels throwing them in the backseat and bending her legs in her seat to be more comfortable. IT was a weird contrast. Justin was sprawled out, legs stretched and wide, slouching in the seat. And Alex was basically curled into a little ball; her constantly checking her dress to make sure she wasn't showing anything.

Justin took in a deep breath and rolled his head, lazily over to look at Alex's profile. She was staring straight ahead.

"Me and Britney broke up." He said looking at her. She turned her eyes first and then her head and looked at him trying to contain her confusion and JOY.

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah, you should be, it's your fault." He sighed and turned his body slightly, so one leg was bent and his foot under his bent knee, and his head was resting on the window. Now he could see her better.

Alex looked at him strangely and scared. "My fault?"

He smiled and nodded. "If hadn't been wearing that sexy little dress I wouldn't have tried to kiss you."

She thought for a minute and was confused by his words and actions, and she tried to think her way through it, but it didn't work. Before she was able to say anything he chuckled. "Nah, I would have tried to kiss you know matter what you were wearing."

She moved her gaze to him just in time to see him lick his lips arrogantly and stretch his aching muscles. "Britney figured out that I have feelings for you."

"Oh." She whispered still looking at him.

"She realized I was in love with someone else. And not her." He popped his neck and looked up in thought. "Ya know? Its weird our break up, really. She was so mad at first, hence the big red mark on my face. But then she really understood. I think we've both kinda been expecting this break up sooner or later. I'm kinda glad it was sooner, because now you are here. And I..." He looked at her and saw her staring at him intently, biting her lip in anticipation of what he was going to say.

His face turned as sincere as possible. "And I don't think I could stand myself if I didn't give the person I'm in love with a chance. If I didn't give YOU a chance, Lexia."

"Wow." She breathed and he looked at her with raised eyebrows. "That's never happened to me before."

"What?" He was utterly confused at this point.

"I've never had someone just lay it out like that for me before. I don't think I've ever had anyone tell me that they were "in love" with me before. That...wow. That's a damn good feeling." Her radiant smile made him close his eyes and take a content and refreshing breath.

"So, umm..." He spoke hoping she might explain some of the things she felt.

"I don't know what to say, I mean I've never felt this strongly for someone that's not been apart of my family before, well besides Jon." Justin smiled at her comment. "It's weird, and new, and exciting, and scary, and I just, man." She took in a breath and leaned her chin on her propped up knees.

"You know how you said I blushed. Well you're right, I mean, I never use to. And now you make me shy and embarrassed and uncomfortable and unsure. But then, the more time I spend with you, the more comfortable I get and the more a fall. I'm basically obsessed with you. But in a good way. I think about you all the time. I wake up and go to sleep thinking of you, and in-between I try and convince myself that it's just a phase. But this isn't just a phase. Everytime I see you I lose my concentration, everytime I hear you voice I focus all my energy on you, and..." She turned her head to lean her cheek on her knees and peered up at him as he stared deeply at her. "..everytime you call me Lexia I feel like I've touched heaven, just for a moment."

Justin turned away from her at those words and got back into his original position, resting back against the seat. He looked down at his hands that were fidgeting in his lap, then up at the illuminated castle in the distance, out the side of the window where it seemed to be pitch black, and then to the side where Alex was looking at him frightened. He looked at her and felt for the door handle and opened his door. He stepped out, slammed the door shut and closed his eyes smiling as big as possible. They had known their feelings and they had known each other's feelings. But now it was out in the open. He was free, the feelings he had were priceless, and he wanted nothing more than to let Lexia take him for all that he was worth.

Alex uncurled her position and looked terrified as he walked past the front of her Jeep, being lighted by her headlights. She had no idea what he was doing, and more importantly, what he was thinking and feeling. He came to her side and opened her car door. He gripped the edge of the roof of her car and leaned over her. She turned slightly to look up at his closed eyes and his steady breathing. A hand came down to take her arm in his and then her other arm. He pulled her out of the car, releasing her as he slammed her door shut.

Alex was confused and scared she didn't know what the hell he was doing. And then he pulled her back in his tight grasp and pushed her up against the car door. Looking all over her face. Her confused and fright went away when in one moment she saw a smile twitch the corners of his lips and he dove into her.

His body pressed against hers, they were now one person seemingly, his arms were bent, his hands on the glass of her window steadying him above her. Her heels were off, causing her to be shorter and her tiptoes were pushed against the soft grass underneath her. Her hands were plunged into his curls, her elbows on his shoulders.

They're bodies pressed together feeling every bit of the other one, their hands and arms supporting their weight, their eyes closed gently, their noses breathing furiously, and their lips...were meshed together in a wild dance.

They moved together and in opposite directions, not letting the other one breathe or get away without being attacked. Finally his arms pulled her away from the car and wrapped behind her back and lifted her off the ground. Their lips broke apart and they both started laughing joyously.

"You tasted like ice cream!! I haven't had a kiss like that in years!!" Alex screamed happily.

Justin sat her back down and pulled her close against him. He spoke slowly. "I've NEVER had a kiss like that Lexia, never."

She pulled away slightly and looked at him grinning. "What now?"

"Ummm..." He broke into a smile. "..I guess we will start out slow and, well I guess we are together now. Jon's going to be ecstatic." He gushed, bringing his hand up to caress her cheek.

She leaned her head into his palm. "My mom is going to pass out she'll be so happy!! I'll have to call her as soon as I get back home."

"Yeah, well, it's almost 3. You wanna take me to my house?" He smiled hopefully, biting his lower lip.

She picked at his shirt and looked up at him innocently. "Only if you'll kiss me goodnight."

"That's a promise Lexia." He leaned down and opened her car door while kissing her lightly. As he pulled away he whispered. "One I intend to keep."

It had been three days. Three glorious days since Alex and Justin had, become a couple, gotten together, started dating, whatever you want to call it. They had seen each other at least for an hour each day, and the more time they were together, just the two of them, the more they were realizing the joy and beauty of their blossoming relationship. Her schedule had been busy, of course, but his had been fairly easy and whenever she had an hour or two to spare, he was right there.

The night before the two of them had "double dated" with Alex's parents, and it ended up being a double date for Alex with her dad, and Justin with Alex's mom, who had stolen Justin in the process. Her dad had taken the news of Alex and Justin pretty well and her mom, well, she about fainted. The place they had gone was an upscale restaurant with Alexandria and Justin being the only two people there under 35.

The other times they had just hung out not really doing too much heavy relationship stuff, but cuddling, lightly kissing, flirting, stuff like that.

It was now Saturday around lunchtime and Alex was on her way to baby-sit Jon. She was going straight from NSSL to the Harless's and was humming along to "red, red wine" which was blasting on her radio. She hadn't asked Justin yet, but she wondered if the Harless's knew about her and Justin. She hadn't baby-sitting Jon these afternoons's because he was either at a friend's house, or she was too busy, or something came up.

She parked her car in front of the close garage door and stepped out; she looked over to the neighboring house to see an old man on his front porch watching Jon run down his steps for Alex with a backpack bouncing on his back. Alexandria waved at the old man named Mr. Jordon, who looked after Jon during those odd times that lasted no more than 30 minutes when Alex was running late or Lynn had to leave early.

Jon ran over and hugged her waist. "Hey my brother's girlfriend." He gushed. She pulled away and swung him up over her shoulder.

"What makes you think that I'm Justin's girlie girl?"

She opened the house with the key she had and stepped into the house. She sat him down and he dropped his bag. "He told me!! I want LUNCH!!" He ran off.

Alex's eyes widened. Jon was a rather calm child, but like all kids he had his moments, or days. And today was DEFIENTLY going to be a 'let's-sign-Jon-up-for-ridilin' day.

"Ok, what do you want?" She asked calmly, trying to calm his mood by her tone.

"P'nut butta 'n jelly!" He looked up at her with a jar of jelly and a container of JIF in both hands.

She sighed and her eyes widened at his weird expression. "Ohhh k. This is going to be an interesting day."

Alex groaned as he threw the containers on the counter and started running around the island of the kitchen screaming. "LEXY AND JUSTIN! LEXY AND JUSTIN! THEY ARE KISSY KISSY!!!!"

Her eyes were covered tightly by one hand and she mumbled. "This is going to be a long day."

-------

He couldn't help but giggle at the sight. It was now nearing 4 in the afternoon and Lynn was expected back pretty soon. The TV was playing the ending of The Lion King; it was the big fight scene.

Jon was on his stomach on the floor, with his Simba stuffed animal under his head and being used as a pillow. He was clutching it tightly, his eyes were shut and he was breathing deeply. But the site that got him more was Alexandria.

She was on the couch. Her legs were bent and lying on the couch, and she was leaning a bit sideways. Her elbow was propped up on the armrest, with her hand holding her tilted head up. She was sleeping as well, but with her glasses on the edge of her nose and a big textbook and papers in her lap and around her.

He giggled and smiled tenderly as he crossed the den area and leaned down to pick Jon up from the back of his shirt. The little boy groaned and clutched his animal as he stood up and leaned on the man beside him, never once opening his eyes. He picked up Jon and let him straddle his front and snuggle to him as he made his way to the steps. He cautiously and quietly traveled up the steps and into Jonathan's bedroom. Jon was gently placed on the bed, half-asleep and a Pokemon blanket was put over him.

On his way out the door, Jon's voice called out and stopped him. "Mmm Justin?"

He stopped and turned, to look at his younger brother, cuddled on his bed. "Yeah?"

The kid smiled brightly yet tiredly, and giggled. "You and Lexy, hehehehehehe."

"Take your nap, Jon. Mom will be home soon." Justin left the door cracked and was about to run down the steps, when he saw Lexia still sleeping figure on the couch. Instead, he slowly made his way down the steps and towards the couch. He took the remote from the floor and turned off the TV and VCR. Picking up the papers around her, he stopped when she slightly stirred and her head almost fell out of her hand, but she managed to say asleep.

Justin giggled and stacked the papers neatly on the coffee table in front of him and gently and cautiously took the textbook from her lap, she never once moved. He brought his hand to her face and pondered on how he could successfully get her glasses off without waking her fully. He slid them off slowly and an amused smile came to her face as her eyebrows furrowed together and her lips were pursed in confusion. Yet she stayed sound asleep.

He knew his schedule at times could be demanding and horrendous, but he actually had a break every now and then. Alexandria never got a break, or so it seemed. She was either with Jon, at school, or at the lab. Justin honestly wondered how this would work between them, but he knew if he tried they could pull it off. And he so desperately wanted to pull this off.

They hadn't talked much about how it happened, how fast or how slow it came about, they just went with their feelings and from what he was sensing, she was enjoying him as much as he was enjoying her.

And it had only been three days, but he no doubt in his mind; it was only going to get better.

Now that she was free of her books and glasses, he pulled the afghan from the back of the couch and sat down on the couch. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back with him. His head was on the pillows, resting beside the armrest, and she was securely lying on top of him.

"Huh?" She mumbled, opening her eyes and rubbing them, trying to remember her surroundings.

"Shhh." Justin cooed, wrapping the big blanket over her back, and then bringing his arms under the cover to hug her close. "Just go back to sleep."

A smile came to her tired face and she leaned her head on his shoulder, but then shot up. "Where's Jon?"

Justin chuckled at her eagerness and grabbed her face in his hands. "Lexia! He's taking a nap upstairs. You were sleeping; sitting straight up, you must be tired. Ok? Just relax." She did just that and leaned down on him, sighing at the smell of the Nautica cologne that she was beginning to know by heart. Her face was turned inward towards his neck and she played with a string on the neckline of his shirt.

"Mom call me at the studio and told me she wouldn't be home till 5 tonight. She said she would have told you herself, but thought you'd like it better if I told you." She giggled and looked up at him with an eyebrow raised.

"Man, and now you are here. Now I have to put up with you. Just great." She mocked being upset and he pinched her side.

"Watch it, Lexia." She snuggled deeper into his shoulder as he continued on with a yawn. "Anyway, I talked to Britney this morning. She's taking this pretty well I think. She is leaving for Sweden tonight, to record. I think the distance will be really good, so she can get her mind off stuff and concentrate on the music."

"Yeah, so are yall going to the press with this?"

"Not yet. Just be better to keep it underwraps ya know, let people figure it out. Oh, and I got it cleared from Johnny to go with you tomorrow to drop your parents off at the airport, but I'm thinking in about 2 hours he will call me telling me Lonnie or someone is going with me, but its all good."

"Yeah..." She mumbled into his neck, her breath tickling his skin.

"All the guys today were cracking on me, everyone Lexia. They were all calling me the ladies man, and saying I was wrapped around your finger. Can you believe that? But its cool, I'm glad they aren't mad because most of them are good friends with Brit too. Johnny didn't say much when I told him, but he'll get over it. He is just worried about the tabloids and press. I don't care."

He took a deep breath and yawned again. "I told mom and Jon and Paul about us yesterday. Mom was shocked but I think she was happy for me, Paul was just laughing, I don't know what his problem was, and Jon was screaming 'I knew it' for an hour. That boy is smart for a 7-year-old. Then I called my dad in Memphis yesterday, because I knew if I didn't and he found out from someone else he would be mad, but he just wants to meet ya and stuff. And I think-"

He stopped midsentence when he noticed the quietness of the room; it had just been him running his mouth off. Now, all that could be heard was her quiet steady breath, gently blowing across his neck. He smiled distantly and moved his face so he could kiss the top of her head. His arms tightened a bit and he turned his head towards hers and snuggled into her hair and the pillow behind him, closing his eyes and slowly drifting into a dreamworld that lately, he seemed to be in all the time, asleep or awake.

-------

(An hour later)

Lynn was still talking on her cellphone when she entered her house. She was talking to her husband who was currently stuck in an Orlando traffic jam. She set her purse and blazer on the kitchen table and walked over to the refrigerator pulling out a diet coke and popping the can open. She said goodbye and turned off her cellphone, taking out the battery and putting it in the charger that was on the counter against the wall. As she took a sip from the can and sorted through the mail but abruptly, stopped. The mail was slowly placed on the counter and the can was frozen at her lips.

-It's WAY to quiet in here. -

She sat the can down and knew that Justin and Alex were here because of their cars in the driveway. But she just didn't know why it was as quiet as night in her house. She carefully walked into the den area and looked around not seeing anything. She was on her way to the steps when she heard a slight intake of breath. Her figure froze and she turned on her heels and gasped at the sight before her.

Lynn had never had anything against Britney; she was a nice girl. But Alexandria was the type of girl that she secretly wanted to always see her son with. Someone that was smart and genuine, down to earth, had strong family bonds, good with kids, religious, and had a kind soul. Alex was all those things plus many more.

To see them embraced closely and sound asleep, like it was the most natural thing to them made her giddy and a smile erupted onto her face. She almost didn't believe Justin when he had told her. Sure she had seen the chemistry and sparks flying between both of them. But she never would have thought it was actually happen. It was almost too good to be true.

"Mommy?" She heard and looked up and over her shoulder to the top of the steps where Jon was rubbing his eyes trying to get woken up.

"Hey baby, were you taking a nap?" He slowly slumped down the steps into his mothers awaiting arms. He hugged her tightly.

"Yeah."

"Did you have fun with Lexy today?" He nodded tiredly in response and she held his hand as they walked into the den. Jon's tired eyes lit up at the sight of Justin and Alex and before Lynn could stop him, he had charged them and was running towards the couch screaming their names.

Lynn giggled as she saw one of Justin's blue eyes open and immediately shut. She heard him groan over Jon screams as he held on to Alex and turned them so that Alex was in-between the back of the couch and him, and his back was facing Jon.

"Justin! JustINN!! JJJJJUUUUSSSTTTTIINNNNN!!" Jon half laughed/ half screamed and tugged on the blanket and their clothes and finally Justin's hair. "WAKE UP! MOMMA'S HOME!!" He yelled and giggled, trying to climb up on the couch and on top of them. But he wasn't doing a very good job. Lynn chuckled heartily and walked over to the kitchen area. Before she got there she looked down at Alex and Justin. Alex was laughing into his chest and Justin was glaring at his mom.

"Would you shut him up." He grumbled in a low, raspy voice.

She ruffled his curls and bent over kissing his head. "No honey, but why don't you change that 'just got up' attitude. You don't want to scare Alex away just yet. Wait at LEAST a week."

"Mommmmm." He groaned.

"What time is it?" Alex randomly asked. She managed to sit up, kinda, as Justin continued to ignore his brother. She looked at the clock and gasped. "Ohh my, I gotta go, I have to go pick up my parents in a hour to go out to eat." She pushed Justin so she could get up, but he wouldn't budge. After awhile a smile came to his stern face at her annoyed tone. She hit him hard in the arm and he grabbed it, sitting up and letting her free.

"Man, you are a violent woman." He laughed sorta in pain and looked at his brother who was across the room, curled up in a chair with a remote in hand, but glaring at Justin. Justin maturely stuck his tongue out at Jon, who huffed and returned to his channel surfing.

"Well Jon, I'm out. See ya Monday babe." She walked over and kissed his head. Alex got her papers and glasses. She held the papers and book under her hand and hooked the reading glasses in the neckline of her tee shirt. Looking up at Justin who was smiling at her sincerely she grinned smugly before walking into the kitchen to get her keys that were on the counter, beside the phone. "I leaving Lynn."

"All right, bye Lex. See ya later."

Alex was almost out the door and putting her jacket on when she felt someone's arms encircle her waist. "You didn't say bye to me." He whined, barely brushing his lips over the soft skin of her long neck.

"Well you were being Oscar the Grouch, so I decided you didn't deserve a farewell." She pushed away from him and walked to her car that wasn't blocked in. Lynn had parked behind Justin, blocking him in instead.

"I'm sorry." She set her books on the hood of her car, right in front of the front window at the sound of his voice. She turned sighing, to see him pouting and shuffling towards her with the puppy dog look working full blast.

Her hands came up defensively as he got close. "Ohh no you don't. I know that look, Jon uses it all the time and it DONT work. So just tuck that lip back in." She brought out her finger and plucked his bottom lip.

He smiled and right before she was getting ready to open her car door and he pinned her up against it. "This brings back memories." His eyebrows wiggled and she tried to get away from him, but he pressed his body into hers and covered her mouth with his own before anything else could be done or said.

His hands tangled themselves in the mass of her ebony hair, and her hands surrendered and traveled up his chest, to his shoulders. His tongue gently darted out to trace the seem of her lips but as soon as she gladly welcomed him in, he smiled and pulled away. Completely.

She was left there alone, as he walked backwards, laughing and pointing at her. "Bye bye bye!" He sang, laughing.

"That was not nice, Timberlake." She glared at him and roughly picked up her books.

"That's what you get for not saying goodbye." He leaned against the frame of the open garage door and smirked at her. She opened her car door in a huff, threw her stuff in the passenger's side and stepped in.

"I don't like you anymore!" She screamed.

He laughed and yelled back. "I never liked you to BEGIN with!"

She glared at him and flipped him off, watching in amusement as his mouth dropped opened and his eyes widened. "LEXIA!!" He yelled and clutched his heart dramatically in pain.

She smiled brightly. "Call me tonight, loser."

"Sure thing, ugly." He winked at her and watched as she closed the door and backed out of the driveway, purposely turning on her bright lights to blind him. Only until she was out of sight, did Justin turn and walk back inside the house.

Next day, sometime around 2 in the afternoon: Orlando Airport

------

"No, I'm not talking to you."

"Oh pulease. You are so, ugh."

"Ohh that's mature Alley Cat."

"Don't worry Justin, I'll take care of you."

"MOM!"

"Oh this is priceless."

"Shut up, Dre."

"Oh no, are you going to ignore me TOO!?"

The 5 of them were sitting in the gate of the airport waiting for Alexandria's parents to be able to board. Alex was trying to talk to Justin, but he was ignoring her because of the incidents that had happened last night, i.e. flipping him off, calling him a loser, etc. She was getting fed up and her Dad was picking on them for acting mature while Alex's mom was of course defending Justin. Dre was laughing as hard as he could at the scenario, eating a bag of doritos and drinking a coke.

"Well what did she do to you that was so horrible?" Her father asked, sitting across from them with Dre. Justin was in-between Alex and her mother.

Alex shot Justin a look as an evil smile crossed his handsome features, being shaded by a baseball hat. "She flipped me off." He bowed his head like he was crying and Alex shoved him into her mother when she caught the bright white of his smile.

"Alexandria." Her fathers low voice his her and she looked up to see her dad giving her a look.

"Daddy, I was just picking."

"I was just picking." Justin mocked in a high pitched voice.

"You know how I feel about that sort of thing, you should know better." Her father shook his head and Alex just stared at him a few moments in disbelief.

"Fine, SEE YA! Have a GOOD FLIGHT!! Gosh, all yall have to align with the mega-popstar. Well, he ain't all that great. Peace!" She grabbed her purse and jacket, stood up and stalked off.

"Um, is she really leaving?" Dre asked.

"Probably." Alex's mom giggled and shrugged. Before either one of them knew it, Justin had stood up and followed her, ignoring Dre's yells for him to come back and security.

He spotted her, walking rather slowly, looking down at her feet. He jogged up to her and grabbed her arm to turn her around. He had a pitiful look on his face that immediately turned sour when he saw her amused smile.

"Oh, OH MY GOS-" His hand covered her mouth and he slightly put her in a headlock as they walked back towards her parents. "Don't you even DARE think about yelling like a teenybopper."

He finally pulled his hand away and she wrapped her arm around his waist. "I knew you'd come running for me."

"I'm still not talking to ya." He mumbled.

Alex giggled and pinched his side. "Ok. I didn't want to hear you're nasally voice whine anyway. You are only good to look at."

Justin stopped and looked at her hurt. She smiled and tugged on his hand, "And to kiss, and cuddle and flirt with." A girlie giggle escaped her when she saw him shake his head and turn a bit red and he let her pull him where her parents were.

"Well, Alex. Nice of you to join us." Her dad said, trying to hide his chuckle.

"Ah ha, gosh, dad. You are the next Jerry Seinfield." She deadpanned.

"Flight 429 to Chicago, Illinois is now boarding first class passengers at gate 12..." The speaker repeated the announcement and Alex looked up almost shocked by the news.

Alex shuffled her feet and looked down at them. "Well..."

"Come here baby." Her mother immediately stood up and walked over to her embracing her in a tight hug. "I'll miss you, girlie."

Alex sniffed and snuggled into her mom's shoulder. "I'll miss you too mom. Better call me, cause well, I might be needed some, you know...advice."

Her mom pulled away, with her still in her arms. "I know baby. I'll try my best." She rested her forehead against her daughters and began whispering and giggling things.

Justin looked over at Alex's dad and chuckled. "Gosh, they are like twins."

"I know, amazing eh?" He shrugged. Justin just nodded and looked around nervously.

"Well, Justin. It was nice meeting you. I uh, well, I know I'll see you again sometime."

"You too, Mr. Smith. It was a pleasure." Justin extended his hand for Lexia's father to shake. The man looked at it and pulled Justin in a "manly" hug. Justin's eyes widen and he was in pure shock by the gesture. "Take care of my girl for me, Justin. Please."

A grin managed its way on his face at the words. And for the first time, He really got to see just how tight Lexia; HIS girlfriend was close to her family. It was just another thing that made him love her more. "I will sir."

They pulled away and straightened out their clothes trying to recuperate from their little break in the stern image they were showing.

Alex's mom laughed loud and let her daughter kiss her on the cheek. She caught Justin's eyes. "Ohh Justin. We were just talking about you." Alex nudged her mom embarrassed a bit and rolled her eyes.

"Ohh my other baby. I just mmmm." Alex's mother walked over to Justin who was trying to hold in his giggles.

"It was nice, umm, meeting you." He giggled and wrapped his arms around her.

"Ohh Lex, he gives nice hugs." Her mom groaned.

"Mom, he is MY boyfriend. Not yours. Look at your hand, you have a wedding ring. HELLO??" Alex rolled her eyes and sauntered to her dad who was talking lightly with Dre.

Alex pouted and whined. "Dad, my boyfriend is stealing your wife."

"Oh well, who needs em." He shrugged and pulled her into a hug. They looked over to see Justin with his arm around her mom and they were talking very deeply.

"Bye Daddy."

"Bye Alley Cat. Just, before I go; I just want to make sure you're not gonna let some boy walk all over you."

"I wont."

"I know you wont. But I can tell you really like him." He paused and kissed her head that was resting on his shoulder as they hugged. "But I know he likes you too, I know he really likes you because of the way he has acted around you this past week. And I'm so glad you found someone Lexus. I am truly happy for you."

"Thanks Dad."

"Just be careful with your heart. I don't want to have to fly 5000 miles with my shotgun just to get a point across." They both laughed and squeezed each other one last time.

Alex turned her head to the side so she could look away from him. Her voice cracked and a single tear escaped her eye. "I love you Daddy."

"And I love you Alexandria."

"Will you do me a favor?" She whispered.

"Sure."

She pulled away and looked up at him. He tilted his head to the side and wiped away her tear. "Kiss Andrew's grave for me."

Her dad simple nodded and lifted his chin to place a kiss on her forehead.

The announcer called that the rest of the passengers to Chicago were able to board and Alex pulled away, took a deep breath and looked at her parents. "I guess this is it."

"Honey, no it is NOT! You two WILL be visiting us. And I will be calling. You know me better than that, sweetheart." Her mother stated animatedly.

Alex chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Ok mom."

"You ready?" Her father asked her mom who nodded.

"All right, Alex. We will call you when we get in." Her dad spoke.

"Ok. Bye guys." They smiled and her mom came over to give her a quick kiss and turned to Justin to do the same. Justin smiled and gave Alex's mom a peck. "MOM!! Stop hitting on him!!"

She just shrugged and they turned to walk away. "Bye Justin! Bye Dre, thank you. See ya later Alex."

The three left waved and yelled good-byes as Alex, Justin and Dre stood there and watching them board the plane. When they disappeared down the ramp, Dre turned to them.

"Ok, let's go. By now the whole world knows you are here." Dre groaned and pushed them ahead of him.

"Dre, lighten up." Justin groaned. He looked down at Alex who was walking beside him with her head down and a sullen look on her face.

"Hey, you ok?" He nudged her and she looked up and barely smile. "I'll be ok."

"I think you need cheering up." He said low and huskily. Her eyes widen and she let him pull her close to him. "Ohh really?"

"Ohh yeah, and that's why me and you are going on a date tonight. Hey Dre?" Justin looked over his shoulder to the bulky man behind him. "Get your nice clothes cleaned and dry, because tonight, us three are going out. rarrr" He growled at Alex who smiled brightly in response and held on to him tighter as they made their way out of the airport.

---------
February 5th 12:45 p.m.
---------

"Come ONNN! You have to tell me."

"I'm not saying anything."

"But Alex!! I haven't talked to you hardly at ALL since last Tuesday. Wednesday I didn't go to class, and then the next two days you hardly spoke to me. And then I tried calling you over the weekend but you were NEVER home. So what is up between you and Justin! Come on! Something MUST have happened after you guys left the party."

"Jen! Gosh, Calm down." Alex grabbed the girl's upperarms in the midst of the people in downtown Orlando. "Ok, we are...together."

The two girls were walking together to meet Danielle for lunch. Jen had a hair appointment downtown and was walking with Alex. She had not shut up about what was going on since they had started their treck. Downtown Orlando was bustling with activity. People going to eat in their short lunch breaks, people talking on cell phones, people shopping like maniacs.

Alexandria continued on walking but noticed that Jen was no longer with her. She stopped and turned to see Jen staring at her, her jaw on the cement, her eyes as wide as baseballs and she was frozen in place.

"Come on, geez." Alex walked back and grabbed her arm, dragging her further.

Jen stuttered. "I just, oh my, see, wow."

"Just chill ok. It's not that big of a deal."

"YES IT IS!!!!" Her scream caused the people around them to look at them like escaped circus clowns. Alex forced a smile at the people and rolled her eyes, stomping off.

"Jen, isn't this where you get your hair done?" Alex sighed, pointing to the building she was standing on.

"Yeah, but so-"

"Call me later, I'm already late for meeting Dani. I'll fill you in. Just don't say anything. All right. I'll explain later."

"OH YOU BET YOU WILL BE EXPLAININ'!" Jen pointed to her and in an almost angered fashion, pushed the door open and stomped into the beauty shop.

Alex giggled and shook her hair. People and cars whipped past her on the sidewalk of Orlando's main street. Her purse was raised higher on her shoulder and she started walking a fast pace towards the small cafe she was supposed to be meeting the other Nsync girlfriend, to talk about being just that.

----

"So, Dre and Mike BOTH had to hold the boy back. Those guys are too much at times, but I swear they never fail to crack me up." Dani took a sip of her water and giggled at the memories she had.

"I just can't believe that Justin did that! I mean he was only 16, what was he trying to do?"

"Prove a point. The boy is a perfectionist. He does everything to the maximum. If he takes on a task he is going to put all of his effort and MORE into it. But he's learned not to take on Chris's bets anymore. Especially when they can get you in to trouble with the law."

"Yeah, I've kinda gotten the feeling of how close they are. I mean, just by the way they seem to know each other so well."

"Yeah, they are close friends. But we are here to talk about us, not them. So, what do you want to know?" Dani crossed her hands and leaned over the table a bit.

Alex looked down at her empty salad bowl and then back up at the blonde in front of her. "How do you handle it? How do you handle all the press and media, and fans?"

"Well, it took some time to get use to. I mean, I was literally scared of Dre, and Lonnie, and those guys. But I warmed up to them, and that helped. I'm not going to lie and say that I like having them around all the time. But whenever Chris wants to take me out, well, its kinda necessary. I've learned the hard way, that I'd much rather go out with Chris AND one of the guards and have a pleasant evening, than go out with just Chris and end up being hounded. Because no matter what we try, it ALWAYS happens when we go to a public place."

"Yeah, and I don't really mind the security that much. But.." Alex sighed and looked out to the traffic filled street. "..I hate attention. I have a phobia of it."

After a long paused Danielle cleared her throat. "You are going to HAVE to get over that phobia, Alex. There is no way you can be a celebrity girlfriend and still have your OWN life unless you can handle a little hounding by fans, a little bad press, and a little attention."

"That's what I was afraid of."

"See Alex, Justin is probably one of my FAVORITE people. I mean, it's no WONDER he has all the fans, or most of them. He is an amazing guy. He is such a RARE thing. You just can't find a guy like that around today. And you are so lucky to have captured his heart. But with that, you gotta take the risk or you gotta leave. Justin doesn't play around. In fact when I first heard about his little crush for you I was REAL skeptical, because he doesn't get crushes. Justin falls in love. Hard. And I personally thought that him and Britney were a done deal. But I was wrong."

Alex nodded not really knowing how to respond and just let the noisy streets fill their silence. "But if you try, if you just push away your own fears for a second, and concentrate on just him, it will be worth it. I've never seen him like this. It's the real thing for him this time. But that doesn't mean its going to be easy."

"I know, but I just don't want to hurt him ya know? He threw away a perfect relationship just to take a chance with me. And I'm really scared that I'm not going to be able to handle it."

"Well first of all his relationship with Britney wasn't picture perfect, in fact, it was horrible. They just looked good together. They are great friends, but when it comes to dating, just NO!" Danielle eyes widened and she giggled a bit. "But, I haven't spent much time with you, Lex, but I know you are a strong girl. And I know you can tough this out. It gets better, you learn to handle it and there are definite perks. No matter what is thrown your way, if you just put up a wall and don't let it get to you, Justin will make it worth your wile." She leaned over the table and grabbed Alex's hand. "I've seen the boy in action. I still can't get over for the things he does for those he loves. Just keep in mind how lucky you are to have him in your life. All the guys pick on Justin about him having the most fans. Yeah, he is a cutie, but that's not it. No disrespect to the other, but he just has a way about him, you just see him and you cant help but want to know more. The fans are bitter, I'm not lying. They will RIP you a part, but only if you let them. The one thing that you can do to make all this better, just be nice to the fans."

"What? How does that make my relationship better?"

"Yeah its crazy, but believe me, it works. If you don't give the fans a reason to hate you, if you let them in and are nice, even when they are mean, it makes YOU feel better. Plus you are at less of a chance of getting bad press. And that's one less thing you have to worry and get upset over."

Alex thought about it and nodded, but Danielle continued. Alex made a note to herself that Dani could go on and on, but she didn't mind the advice. "I'm not saying all the fans will be angels if you are nice, but it will be better than being called a bitch."

The advice that Danielle was giving her was taken straight to the head and digested into her heart. She knew that it wasn't going to be easy to be with Justin, but Alex had never had feelings like she was having, and she wasn't going to take the risk of having them disappear or be taken from her. Besides, what did she have to lose?

A lot.

It was a risk her even thinking she could do this. Her job, her social life, and her anonymity could be put into turmoil. Alex wasn't a risk taker, but when she closed her eyes for a moment and tried to look into the future, Justin was apart of it. And she knew this was a risk she HAD to take.

The ring of her cell phone brought her back into reality and she apologize to Dani while searching her purse and flipped open the small silver device.

"Hello?"

"So, I was thinking, after last night's enchanting evening at the Tavern, why don't we go low key tonight and go bowling. I know a great place on the outside of town, where their wont be a crowd."

A smile stretched across her face and her icy eyes twinkled beneath her sunglasses at the sound of his voice. "I don't know I have class tomorrow, and since I didn't get in till 1 last night I almost didn't make it to class this morning."

"Pweaaassse."

"Justin, I have class. Why don't you come over and help me study and we can just do whatever."

"Whatever, eh?"

His voice was mischievous and Alex slightly blushed and looked up to see Danielle staring at her with a smirk on her face.

"Well, I don't know." She shyly said.

Justin chuckled knowing he had pushed one of her buttons and was happy with her reaction. "Ok Lexia, I'll be over around 4:30 or 5 and I'll bring some take out with me. I'll get someone to watch Jon, so it will be just you..." He paused and whispered. "...and me."

"Ok. Bye Just."

"See ya in a bit, baby." With a click of her phone, she cleared her throat, sat up in her chair and looked at Dani.

"Well Alex, I'm glad we've had this talk. But I gotta go rescue Chris from recording, and you need to get back to class probably. But do one thing for me?" Dani pulled out some money from her purse as Alex looked at her questionably.

"What?"

She giggled. "Wipe that grin off your face, and get rid of the red on your cheeks. You don't want to go to class looking all flustered."

February 9th around 9:30 at night...

----------

--Lips touched lips. Her strands of ebony hair got caught in the spring breeze and wrapped around to brush his ivory face. The thunder of the storm that filled their hearts passed over the navy sea spilling forth its contents of rain, lightening, and wind. Drop after drop fell from the sky to the earth, coating them with the love from heaven.

Then like an unexpected clap of thunder he pulled away. His strong hand lightly fell from her cheek and her eyes opened and looked directly into his. She couldn't tell if he was crying or if it was just the rain. She wasn't physically or mentally prepared for his words. They were the two words she had dreaded from the moment she had met him. And now they were out in the open and flooding her mind like a great rushing wave.

"I'm leaving."--

She jumped when she felt warm air steadily blowing on her neck. She then heard the familiar chuckle. "Sweetie, do you want to eat some dessert I made? Its rrrreally good."

She sighed tiredly and turned in the plush leather chair, situating the blanket around her and laying the open book down in her lap. "Justin I'm at my favorite part."

"You've been reading that book since you GOT here. The only time you haven't been reading it was an hour ago while we ate. Just give it a rest for a while and spend time with me." He rested his chin on the back of the chair and pouted at her. Her head shook and she dog eared her book and placed it on the table beside her and then her glasses went on top of that.

The blanket that was covering her was thrown aside and she stood her lankly body up and stretched her arms. As soon as her body had stretched its length and she was standing on her tiptoes, two strong arms wrapped around her tiny waist. She giggled and relaxed into his embrace.

"I made sundaes. With caramel and chocolate syrup and sprinkles and those little cherries."

"I don't like those cherries." She turned in his embrace and rested her head on his shoulder, breathing in his cologne.

"I love cherries..." He paused and let his lips barely touch her earlobe. She could feel his breath as he whispered. "...can I have yours?"

His soft, velvety lips moved down her neck right to where the neckline of her shirt was. Only then did he straighten back up and look down at her with a crooked smile. Her icy-blue eyes were round and wide and shocked.

"What?" He chuckled, searching her face for clues as to why she was so shocked. She pulled away from him and turned to her side and then back to him with that same look on her face. "Lexia...what is it, babe?"

"Don't play dumb." She narrowed her eyes and pushed him forcefully. The back of his knees hit the chair she had once been sitting in, and he fell back giving her an unbelieving look as she walked out of his living room and into the kitchen.

"Leeexxxiiiiaaaa..." He whined, pushing himself out of the chair and shuffling towards the kitchen. He walked through the kitchen and looked around trying to find her. It didn't take him long because she had become a statue outside the dining room. He slowed his pace and a grin came to his face as he stepped closer and stood beside her. "...I don't know what I said, but I'm sorry."

Her head turned and she had on a distant smile. "You did this for me?"

"I wanted it to be a little, ya know, romantic." He shrugged sheepishly. "You've been at my house all evening but we haven't spent any time together. So I figured I would do something about that."

Alexandria turned back and slowly stepped towards the dining room table. The whole room was dark expect for the glowing light coming from 2 long candlesticks. There were two bowls at each end of the table filled with ice cream sundaes with spoons, placemats and only two chairs, and a elegant vase in the middle of the table with a single red rose in it.

She let her fingers run over the smooth, shiny mahogany wood towards the chair and bowl at the end of the table farthest from the double doors. "There's only one problem." She crossed her forearms on the top of the chair at that was there and smirked at him.

"Ohh honey, there ain't NO problems!! You just sit that cute little tush of yours down and we will dig in." He half walked/half danced to the chair closest to him and pulled it out.

"No." She softly said.

"Lexia, what is it?" He encouraged her with his facial expression and she giggled and walked over to him. She picked up his bowl of ice cream and spoon that was lying beside it and the place mat and walked over to the other end of the table.

"Get your chair."

He picked up his chair and followed her. She had set up his little placemat and sundae right beside hers. He shook his head and sat down right beside her. She picked up her spoon and pointed at him. "Cheers"

He picked up his own and clinked spoons with her. "Cheers."

And they dug in.

They enjoyed their ice cream and fed each other lightly talking about nothing of importance. And finally they got BACK to his original question. "So, can I have your cherry?"

"JUSTIN!! Stop it, it's not funny!" She defended herself.

"I'm not making a joke LEXIA!! Dammit, I just want your cherry."

"Justin, I'm sorry. But I'm just not comfortable with this perverted little joke you got going on, ok? If you want to know seriously? I don't KNOW! Ok? GOSH! I've never done that before so I just, UGH!"

"What are you talking about? What haven't you done?" He looked at her unbelieving. "SEX, JUSTIN! Gosssshhh..." She groaned in embarrassment.

"OH MY GOD!" He yelled and then began laughing so hard he almost fell out of his chair. "I, umm, I wanted to have THIS cherry Lexia, not THAT cherry." He reached over and picked the bright red berry from her bowl and raised his eyebrows as if in question. Her eyes darted back and forth from the cherry in his fingers to his curious face.

"I, ohh, well, see, oh man." She pushed her empty bowl away from her and laid her head on the table in embarrassment.

"Lexia, you thought I wanted to have sex with you." He poked at her shoulder like a little kid and she turned her head just in time to see him pop the stem of the cherry and slowly devour the small red fruit.

"Ohh shut up. I think I need to go now." She pushed back her chair, stood up and began walking out of the dining room.

"Wait up. Wait wait!" He chanted picking up their bowls and blowing out the candles as he followed her. He dumped the bowls in the sink and followed her to the living room where she was picking up her glasses, book, purse, and jacket. "Lexia, don't leave."

"I have to go." She ignored him and almost attempted putting her jacket on. But he snatched it away from her. "Alexandria."

That's what made her stop. The sound of his smooth, comforting voice saying her full name was new to her. She froze and he gently laid her jacket down on the couch and came behind her and let his hands skim up her arms to her shoulders where he kneaded the tight skin. "It's ok, Lexia. It's ok."

"I just made a complete ass outta myself, so forgive me if I feel a tad bit embarrassed and don't really want to be picked on right now." Her voice quivered and was unsure and trembling.

He let go of her shoulders and reached down for her hand. He pulled her towards the big chair she had been sitting in and sat down in it himself. He then pulled her down in-between his legs and held her there against his body. "Don't be embarrassed. You were just taking it the wrong way. I just wanted your- I just wanted that piece of fruit on the ice cream. It was just a misunderstanding, babe. That's all."

"But now you think that I've been thinking about it, and I haven't, well not really. And it scares me because I'm a virgin and I know that you aren't and I don't know what-"

"Ohh and just how do you know that I'm not a virgin?"

"Well, I just kinda figured, since Britney spent the night here and John said all yall ever did was stay in bed together."

"We SLEPT in the same bed, that's all. But I'm a virgin Lexia. So is Britney. She's waiting til marriage, but I doubt that will stand up. I know its mean, but sometimes the things she does, well they make me wonder. I've never had sex Alexandria. I don't know when I will or if I will soon. I'm not going to say I haven't thought about you in that way, because that would be a lie. But there is no pressure from me ok? We can take this as slow as you want. All right babe?"

He turned his head down towards hers and she tilted hers upwards and nodded. "Oh, and please don't ever be embarrassed in front of me. I'm sure we are both going to say and do a lot of stupid things from here on out. You don't have to be perfect for me Lexia. I like you the way you are." He brought a hand to her cheek and drew his lips towards hers in a loving kiss.

---

The lights in the living room had been dimmed to nothing and the only light was coming from the table beside them. A blanket was wrapped around their snuggled bodies as they talked about past relationships and crushes.

"Ok, so who was YOUR worst kiss?" Justin looked at her with a curious face.

Her eyebrows connected and she thought for a moment. "Ohh yeah, there was this one guy who just, ugh. He had no idea what he was doing. I think his name was Jason. No, no wait. I know, it was Justin. Justin Timberlake." She slowly moved her devilish expression to his puppy dogface.

"Fine, I just wont kiss you anymore."

"Thank God." Alex mumbled under her breath.

His navy eyes narrowed at her and he pinched her under the blanket. "I'll have you know I am a master at kisses."

"Oh really?" She moved slightly so that her back was against one of the armrest and she was looking at him, but still sprawled out on his lap. "Who declared you this "master of kissing"?"

He smirked and pulled her back closer to him. He licked his lips and grinned knowingly. "You did."

"No I did-" She stopped when he leaned forward and touched his lips to hers. He claimed them in a dance and parted them with his tongue, letting it sweep through her mouth and then finally pulling away by releasing her bottom lip and resting his forehead on hers.

"You did, too. Yesterday when I brought your bookbag from moms and I greeted you with my little hello kiss. I think I recall you saying, 'Justin you are the master of kissing.' Yes that's it."

She giggled and rested her head on his shoulder letting him hold her. "I've been missing this."

"What?"

"Companionship. A relationship with someone my age, a relationship with a male. I'm glad I have a boyfriend." She leaned in closer to his ear. "And I'm really glad you are my boyfriend."

He started to whimper and tried to push her away. "And I'm really glad you just decided to put all your weight right on my crotch." Finally he got situation and sighed contently.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"It's quite all right." He looked at her lazily and smiled. "So who was Jon staying with tonight?"

"Billy and Caleb were having a mini camp out in their backyard, so all the boys went over there."

"We use to have camp outs in Memphis. I use to be the best camper."

"OH YEAH, RIIIIGHT." Alex said unbelieving.

"I did."

"Honey, come to Alaska where at night it gets down to -10 degrees and you DO have to worry about grizzly's and cougars. Oh yeah, Alex Smith almost got made into a grizzly bears snack when she was 8."

"Oh my Gosh, are you serious?" Justin's mouth dropped.

"Yeah, Andrew somehow saved me."

"Oh..." Justin didn't know what to say, she suddenly became quiet when her brother was mentioned.

She finally cleared her throat and reached over him to the table where her book was placed and grabbed it, opening it to her desired page. She then handed it to him. "Will you read to me?"

"Sure." Was all he said. She pointed to the part where she had stopped and he picked up right where she had left off.

He coughed lightly and let his smooth voice flow over the words.

" 'I'm leaving.'

She didn't know what to say to him, so she reached out and clung to him like he was her last hope for survival. It was a tragedy really, at least in her mind. The only person she had ever loved was leaving her for a better life. A life away from the stormy weather of this girl's heart. They stood there for hours; holding each other and letting the storm soak them and then dry them with its fierce winds.

And soon the pelicans began their annoying calls again and the- "

He stopped and looked down at the sleeping girl using his body as a mattress and smiled. The book was gently placed on the table and the light was turned off, leaving them in peaceful darkness. Justin resituated the blanket and wrapped his arms around Lexia, soon falling into a peaceful slumber himself.

Next day, sometime in the afternoon

----

"Scott, when did THIS happen?" Alex exclaimed trying to balance the phone in between her cheek and shoulder as she applied a burgundy-red coat of paint on her toes.

"About a week ago. Hey, look at us, the Smith's are getting some play." His hearty chuckle filled her ears and made her smile.

"So what do you think of all this. Of me and Justin?" She looked up when a figure walked in front of her and sat down on the couch beside her. She smiled and winked as he rolled his eyes.

"Ey, go for it Lex. More Britney for me. I'm kidding." He deadpanned and caused her to laugh.

"I'm sure I can hook you up, but what would you precious Michelle say?" Michelle was his week old girlfriend.

"Hey, Michelle can join in!"

"Scott, don't be a pervert. Hey, hold on a sec."

"K."

She looked over a Justin who was now holding the small bottle of polish and trying to maneuver her foot to his lap with his other hand.

"What ARE you doing?"

"You are going to make a mess. Let me try this for ya." He smirked at her and pried the miniature brush from her fingers. She gave in and turned her body to that she was laying across the couch with her feet in his lap. One foot had already been perfectly done.

"You are a trip." She giggled and brought the phone back to her ear. "So Scottie, how's school?"

"Sucks. Nah, I mean I'm making good grades, OF COURSE, but its just so boring. I got Kalinger for Trig and THAT'S HORRIBLE."

"Oh man, he was such a prick to me. Be a nuisance to him for me. Krazy Kalinger was what we called him. Ugh."

Scott unexpectedly screamed in the phone. "Ohh ALEXANDRIA! I forgot to tell you. You will DIE."

"What? WHAT?!? Don't leave me hangin'!"

"Guess who came back in town the other day?"

"Who?!?"

"Cole McTabers."

Her mouth dropped and she took a moment to let it all sink in. "MY EX!?! COLE?? EHH!" Alex made a face and Justin caught it raising an eyebrow and mouthing the words "ex" as he brushed the paint across her middle toenail.

"Yup, he is engaged."

"WHAT!?!?!?!" Alex's foot jerked away almost hitting Justin. But he caught it and pinned it down giving her a crazed look. "Hold on." She spoke in the phone and looked at Justin. "My ex boyfriend, Cole is getting married." Then she went back to her brother. "TO WHO?"

"This skanky blonde. Her name is like Susy or something. I met her at church as was exactly like this..." He cleared his throat to a high pitched squeak. "...Like oh my god, like really? You are Alex's brother. Wow, awesome. Yeah man, Cole and her use to be buddies right? RIGHT!?"

Alexandria laughed loudly. "Good thing I'm not there. When did he get engaged."

"Like a month ago, they leave tomorrow for Vegas. I'm so glad you broke up with him. He has changed Lex, a WHOLE lot."

"Yeah, well you remember how he was after our break up."

"Oh my gosh, yes!"

"I thought I had killed him. But I mean you can't really have a relationship when you live in practically different hemispheres."

"I know mentally and physically." They both laughed fully.

"That's weird, he is getting married? Wow, that's- STOP!" She screamed and thrashed her foot away.

"What?" Justin looked at her innocently. "I was just drying them."

"But it tickled. Don't blow on my feet, you freak." But he did anyway. He held her foot in both his large hands and blew steadily on her toes, staring her in the eyes. She giggled but it soon faded when his head moved slightly and his lips brushed the top of her foot and then to her ankle.

"Uhh, Scott?" She breathed into the phone, barely feeling his lips move up to her knee.

"What are you doin?" He asked.

"I'll call you back, bye." She clicked the phone off the hook and threw it on the floor of her small den. Her eyes locked with his as his lips touched her thigh. "Justin..." She whispered.

He let go of her knee, which he had delicately been holding and picked up her hand that was limply laying, beside her. He sat on his knees in-between her bent ones and brought her hand to his face. He bent her wrist for her and kissed in the center of her palm. His lips journeyed up the underside of her arm. She sometimes couldn't tell if it was just the soft feel of his breath or his lips that were on her because his touch was so light. He got to her elbow and made sure her arm was around him. Her once kissed hand was now entangled in his hair, her elbow on his shoulder as he leaned over her.

His eyes bore into hers while he settled his weight on top of hers. The back of her head hit the armrest and his head dipped down to a spot on her neck that he was gradually learning was he "weak spot." She groaned barely enough to be heard and her head tilted to the side, giving his lips more access to her smooth flesh. His fingers worked to lightly move the bra and tank straps that were covering just a bit of skin on her shoulder. Though it was February, Alexandria was only in a short pair of cotton gym shorts and a spaghetti strap tank. The heater in her apartment had a tendency to work over time in the warm winters. Justin was in jeans that were slightly scratching the insides of her thighs and a tight red Abercrombie tee.

Her other hand subconsciously traveled across his broad back and down towards the lower part. She was heading towards dangerous territory and so was he. His lips were now at the side of her chin; her hand fisted in his hair was directing his movements. Her heavy breathing encouraged him to do more. And he did just that.

She tilted his head for him and immediately kissed him with as much passion she could find in her body. Their tongues battled at first, vigorously trying to wear the other one out. But finally peace was made and they danced together in an ageless pattern. His left hand traveled down her body rounding her butt and latching on her thigh, holding her leg over his hip. His right hand traveled up her body, much like her hand that wasn't in his hair was doing. Her hand had slipped under the hem of his shirt and was tickling up and down his back. His hand slowly inched beneath the fabric of her tank and was exploring her tight, smooth stomach.

His mouth pulled away from hers for a moment and both of their eyes opened lazily, drunk with passion. He licked his lips, tasting her minty lipgloss before he leaned back in and she excepted his mouth with hers. Hungrier and Hungrier she got for the taste of those beautiful, swollen lips that he was ravishing her with. More and More intense did their passion and desire for one another build. Higher and higher his fingertips inched towards the part of her body covered by a cotton bra. She could barely feel his fingertips touch the underwire of her undergarment. It registered in her mind that this would never have happened with anyone else. Definitely not with someone she had only been with for 2 weeks.

But she truly, honestly, did not care.

Her hand that was on his back, removed itself from his shirt and gripped the material, trying to pull him free of it. His nose took in a heavy, shaky breath and he moaned against her, grinding his body into hers along with his tongue and lips. She almost had the shirt off him; she just needed him to pull away from her lips for one second. He did and she successfully pulled it over his head, his arms were still trapped. So he worked to get them out as his lips found hers again. One arm was removed and his shirt slid off the other arm and was thrown to who knows where in the room.

But they both heard it hit something. And then they heard the annoying, wake-up call.

"SQWUAK!!!!!"

His redden lips hovered over hers as they both struggled to take in breaths. Both sets of blue eyes were wide and round. His hand snaked out, ashamed, from her shirt, and her leg was released from his hip. Her hand slowly untangled itself from his hair and moved down to his neck and around to his cheek that was red with embarrassment.

"Lexia, I'm so-"

"Shhhh." She chuckled, hushing him and rubbing his lips with her thumb. She leaned forward and kissed him lightly. "Don't be sorry Justin. And don't be embarrassed." She pushed him a bit and wiggled her way out from under him. She stood up and stumbled to the birdcage mouthing "thank you" to Chester. She picked up his T-shirt and slowly walked back over to him. He was sitting up, his arm slung over his eyes. His jeans were riding low on his hips and she could see the elastic ban of his plaid blue boxers.

He slowly moved his arm and reached out shyly for his shirt. She shook her head. "Nuh uh. You ain't getting this back. You just look too good right now."

He chuckled and shook his head disbelieving. "How can you be so calm and cool Lexia? Do you realize what just happened."

"Oh I'm pretty aware of the fact that we just completely made out on my couch. But I sure as hell enjoyed it. And hope it will happen again." She plopped down beside him and threw his shirt at him. He immediately put it on.

His head popped out of the neckline and he struggled to get the tight shirt to cover his body. "But that could have led to something, well, a lot more serious than just making out, babe. And are we even READY for that?"

She propped her head up in her palm, her elbow on the back of the couch. "When it comes it comes. We will take this as it goes. Ok? We won't rush, but I'm not closed off to the idea, and I'm pretty sure you aren't either. So, just ya know? Wait. If either of us feel uncomfortable we wont; will stop."

He grinned boyishly and after a few seconds leaped on her. "So we still get to make out?" He smiled fully when her beautiful laugh hit his ears.

"Of course, silly." She ruffled his hair and looked deep in his eyes.

"Want to now?"

"Justin!" She exclaimed, giving him a shocked look.

"What?" He shrugged and laid his head on her shoulder, playing with her black, long hair with his strong fingers.

"You are crazy." She said in a funny voice.

"So? Who cares? It makes me special." He kissed her neck softly and wrapped his arms around her, clinging to her almost like a child would a mother.

"You are definitely special Justin Timberlake." She giggled and brought her wrist to in front of her face to see her watch. "And it's almost 5:30, why don't you get off me and we figure out something to eat."

"I got a better idea. Why don't we figure out something to eat and THEN I get off you." She rolled her eyes and placed her arm back around him.

"Whatever you say, crazy."

February 14th, 4:30 p.m.
Valentine's Day
---------------------

Every free second the past 4 days had been spent with each other. Even the seconds that weren't free, they tried their best just to be near each other. When Alex was baby-sitting Jon, Justin "accidentally" had left something there, or was in the neighborhood. At the storm lab she spent most her time doing paperwork and computer stuff, WHILE on the phone or on IM with him.

The time spent together was mainly talking or just resting, but even more than that was spent doing what Justin so eagerly wanted to a while back, "make out." Since Saturday their "make out" sessions as she referred to them as, had increased steadily. And the day before she had to physically remove herself from him because thing started going WAY too far. Yeah, they were moving fast, but they were just catching up for lost time spent obsessed with one another but not with one another. She had an intuition that something was going to happen between them, soon. She had no clue what it was, but she just knew that something would have to happen to progress these feelings they shared.

Each time see saw him, or heard him, or touched him, or tasted him, or SMELLED him, she loved his scent, she fell harder than before. In some ways he was still a mystery to her. She still had questions about why he did certain things, and she wondered about some of the things Jon had told her. But she figured in time, she would find out, when he was ready to share.

Right now that didn't matter. She knew where she stood. She knew her feelings like her favorite song. She was in love. She was more in love with him than anything else she had ever imagined. She had never had a feeling this strong before.

She just wanted to revel in this feeling forever, and ever, and ever.

A push was made on her side and her elbow slid off the end off her hard desk and her body slumped, not prepared for the jolt. She slowly peered, perturbed to her right to see Jen giving her a stern look. "Hey, wake up, pay attention, we got a test next Monday." She said in a hushed tone.

Alex giggled and rolled her eyes as Jen's grin broke through her face and turned back to their astrology professor.

Her long body slid down a bit in the chair and she stretched, yawning. She looked over to the small clock in the corner of the room and saw it read 4:40. She got out of class in 5 minutes.

And those 5 minutes seemed to be the longest 5 minutes she had ever experienced.

She wanted to get home. It was Valentine's Day and the last place she wanted to be was in class. Her and Justin had no plans. An emergency Grammy's/new record/business meeting had been called for in New York City at the Jive headquarters. Neither of them were pleased, but he promised to call that evening when the meeting got out. Which was supposed to be around 7:30.

She was going to go home and run herself a long, nice soothing bubble bath, put on a jazzy CD and just chill...and think about HIM. She had rented a few sappy love movies, and one comedic romance just to lighten the mood in case it got "too sappy". But no matter what she did, from now until 7:30 would take a century to pass by.

She had waited 2 months for them to be together, she figured she could wait a couple of hours.

"Alex, are you sitting here all night?"

"NO why?" She snapped out of her daze.

Jen giggled. "Class was dismissed a minute ago."

Like a bat outta hell, Alex jumped out of her seat, stuffed her papers un-neatly into her satchel and sped walked out of the classroom.

"Well, wait up, GEEZ!" Jen said trailing behind, running to catch up with her.

"Sorry, I just need to get home."

"Uh ohh, got a big date with the Timberlake?" Jen smiled, nudging her.

"No, actually I don't. He is in New York."

"Ehh, that sucks, well I gotta go, I got a night class tonight. Good thing I'm single, or life would REALLY suck, bye Lex." Jen waved and veered off to the left and trekked towards another part of the campus. Alex fiddled with her keys as she jaywalked across the road and went to the Burger King parking lot that was right across from the science building at UCF. She usually parked there so she wouldn't have to walk far. Tonight she sprinted to her car and jumped in, wheeling out of the parking lot and heading home.

She turned up the radio and switched it to the soft rock station that was only playing love songs for Valentines Day. Halfway home they played "This I promise you." It wasn't like she really like the song, she hated Nsync, but it registered that it WAS Valentine's Day, and she wasn't going to be able to spend it with her Valentine.

Her smile faded. Sadness crept in, and reality hit her as she stopped at a stop light with a jolt. "I'm alone on Valentine's." She said to herself.

She was hurt. It actually hurt in her chest. 15 minutes ago she loved the fact that she was on her way home so she could be alone and just enjoy the feeling. But she was going to be alone, usually she wouldn't care. Remember she liked being alone, but tonight it would be different.

She pulled into the parking lot and parked her car. She opened her door languidly, and uncaringly. She walked to her apartment building with slumped shoulders, and her eyes glued to her shoes. She kept telling herself: "You like being alone, you like being alone, you like being alone."

But it was useless. She sighed and looked up. She was almost to the door. She passed a blue BMW Convertible and immediately thought of those blue eyes and intriguing hair, the hard working body and soft face that belonged to the man she loved. She shook her head and walked through the glass doors and up the steps to her apartment. She reached her door and unlocked it. But something hit her.

-Is that MUSIC coming from my apartment? I didn't think I left anything on...-

She pushed the door open and her breath caught in her throat. Her purse slid off her shoulder and hit the floor with a thud as she looked at the sight before her.

"OOHHH BABY I LOVE YOUR WAY!!!"

A smile as long as the Great Wall of China spread across her beautiful face and her eyes twinkled.

He was in black slacks and a white shirt that was tucked in. His back was to her so she could only see the back of his still damp shortly trimmed curls. There was a red rose in his hand and he was using as a microphone. Her eyes drifted to the large crystal vase that was placed on her kitchen table. All she could see was red roses and white baby's breath. There at least had to be a dozen, if not more.

"EVERY EVERY EVERY DAY!!!" He sang with the early 90's song blaring through her speakers. She covered her mouth so she wouldn't laugh outloud when his cute little butt began to shake and his hips moved with the beat. She bent down to pick up her purse, just to have it be dropped on the counter of the kitchen. She shut her door as quietly as possible and walked to the other side of the counter and propped herself up on it. She swung her legs and took in the whole site of him.

She had no idea how he was there but she did not CARE. The side of his face could barely be seen, but she almost gasped when he turned his head to the side, eyes closed belting out the song.

"But don't, whoa no no, hesitate, la di da...cause your love just won't wait, JUST WON'T WAIT!!!!" He turned on his leather shoes heels and opened his eyes.

His figure stood up straight in shock at the sight of her giggling at him on her counter and he almost dropped the flower. Instead a suave grin found itself on his lips and he slowly began walking to her thrusting his hips in the process. "Ohh baby I love your way..." He whispered.

He parted her knees and stepped in between them, lightly singing the song and letting the petals of the rose brush across her cheeks and lips. The song faded out and silence engulfed them.

"Hey." He whispered, letting the rose rest on the counter and his arms encircle her. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders as his nose rubbed with hers.

"Hey, I thought your were in New York."

He chuckled and kissed her briefly. "I lied."

She pulled back and pouted for a moment but couldn't help it when she thought of him belting out the song. "Ohh baby, you love MY ways?" She giggled.

A shade of pink filled his cheeks but it quickly disappeared. "Yeah, I do." He leaned in and kissed her lips so softly before resting his chin on her shoulder and rocking with her slightly on the counter in a tight hug.

"I thought that was your car outside, but I didn't want to get my hopes up." She giggled in his ear, her hands twirled in the hair at the base of his neck.

"Yeah it is. See your roses?"

She rested her forehead on his and looked far into his eyes. "Yeah, thanks. I love them."

He turned and looked at his watch. "Lexia its almost 5, I have reservations for us at 6:30. Mikes gonna be here at 6 so you got an hour to get ready, is that ok?" He pulled away, his hands on her waist and hers locked on his neck, them staring at each other.

"Ohh anything is ok. I just can't believe you are here, you TRICKED me." She pouted shortly and then hopped off the counter. "Where are we going?"

"Is Taco Bell ok with you?" He watched her walk away from him but she stopped and turned with a bright smile.

"YES!! I just love their Chulupas!!" She giggled and shook her head. "Where are we really going?"

"You've probably never heard of it, but there is a little Italian/ seafood restaurant right on the beach about 20 minutes from here. It's very secluded and private. I've never been there but JC said it was REAL nice. Its in Cape Canaveral."

"Hmmm, Timberlake havin to get tips on dating." She giggled and ran into her bedroom, slamming the door at his narrowed eyes. He smiled to himself and picked up the rose, putting it back in the vase.

Nothing would ruin this night for them. It was their night. It was Valentine's Day.

-----
Hour later
----

Justin opened the door to let Mike in. "Come on in, I don't think she is ready yet."

"Boy you going to be pushing it, its gonna take a while to get there."

"Oh well, we will make it." Justin reassured him taking his place back on the couch and he continued channel surfing.

Mike walked over and squeezed himself in a chair. Justin chuckled at his uncomfortable position. "You look....spiffy." Justin fell into a fit of laughter.

"Listen boy, you are paying me EXTRA for this, but better be NICE or I will leave your white ass and tell all the radio stations where you are and WHO YOU ARE WITH, Mr. SPEARS!" Mike smiled smugly and tried to relax in the seat.

"I don't date Britney anymore, HELLO?" Justin rolled his eyes and tried to act snobby.

Mike chuckled heartily. "But the world doesn't know that."

Justin cut off the TV and turned his head to give him a look. "Mike would you shut-" He stopped mid sentence and his mouth went lax. He had never in his life seen anything so beautiful.

She was in a silk navy dress that came to her knees and had a square neckline. Her make up was very natural; her lips just glistened with a clear gloss. Her eyes were sparkly but not too much and her complexion was perfect. Her black hair had been curled and some how tossed upon her head, with tendrils cascading from the clip that held them together. Her ears had diamond, or rhinestone, hoop earrings and a delicate, slender silver necklace with a similar stone fell elegantly against her collar. Her toes were still in the burgundy paint he had applied to her and her heels were navy 3-inch stilettos.

Mike turned his thick neck and smiled at the girl standing there almost shy, with a white cardigan over her forearm and a small purse hanging off her shoulder. "Damn girl, you look fine." Mike smiled when a she giggled and shook her head. "So do you Mike, mmm, didn't know a suit would look so good on you."

Her gaze found Justin and his navy eyes darkened to black and he licked his lips nervously. He stood up and cleared his throat. "We need to go."

Mike looked between Alex and Justin, noting the disappointment in her face and Justin brushed her off. Mike went and held the door for them while Justin picked up his black jacket and pushed his arms through to rest it on his shoulders. He walked past Mike who was giving him a stern look and walked down the hallway towards the steps.

Alex sighed and slipped on her cardigan and walked past Mike with her head to the ground. He reached inside the knob and locked the door and closed it quietly. His big demeanor jogged a few steps to catch up with Alex and he stuck out his elbow for her to take. She smile genuinely and let her slender arm slide through the small space.

"I don't know what his problem is, he's a strange boy that's for sure. But there's no doubt about it, Alexandria..." He turned and smiled at her. "...You look gorgeous."

"Thanks." She whispered. They came to the steps and saw Justin leaning against the railing waiting for them.

"What are you DOING?" He yelled at Mike and hurried to Alex's side. "She's MY date." He pulled her away protectively and held on to her shoulders.

"Well you were acting like a PRICK so I decided to show her some manners. I decided to let her know that at least ONE gentleman was eating with her tonight." He gave Justin a fatherly look. Justin returned it and then narrowed his eyes.

"Just go get in your car, we will meet you at the restaurant." Justin ordered.

"Ohh no no no no no. Remember what Johnny said about the rules, you ride with me and I'll bring you back here."

Justin stomped and pouted, letting a whimper sound through his nose. "But MIIIKE."

"Ok, ok! I'll drive separately. But I'm following you; I'm going to my car. Don't try anything Timberlake. I know your momma." Mike pointed to him accusatorily and made his way down the steps and out the door.

Once Mike was out of sight, Justin turned back to Alex. "Sorry I ignored you, I just-" He stopped and let his hand reach out and lay lovingly against her shoulder. He then moved it to rest on her soft cheek. "You are so beautiful, its like you aren't even real. I didn't know what to say, I'm sorry if I hurt you now. I was speechless. You are just so beautiful, so beautiful." His thumb ran across her cheek that was pinking at his words.

"Stop it Justin, I forgive you, now can we go eat, I'm about to starve." His intense gaze blinked away and he smiled.

"Surely." He offered her his arm and she accepted, after she leaned over and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Happy Valentines day, baby." She smiled.

He let a crooked grin, show just the bit of his teeth. "Happy Valentines Day, Lexia."

Alexandria smiled sweetly at Justin who was holding the door for her in the beach house styled restaurant. It was right on the beach as he had said. Justin held the door open for Mike and the three of them proceeded towards the front desk.

"Welcome to Canaveral's Bay, can I help you sir?" Said an older man dressed in a blue shirt and gray slacks.

"Yes I had reservations for Timberlake." Justin said coolly to the man, looking over to wink at Alex.

The man looked up from his chart and a bit of recognition flashed in his eyes. "Ohh, Mr. Timberlake right this way."

Justin smiled and reached for Alex's hand and they followed the man through the house towards the back of the restaurant. There was a gorgeous view of the beach and their table was right by the window. The sun was setting so the sky was a mixture of pinks and blues.

Justin walked over to a chair and held it out for Alexandria. She smiled at him and sat down gracefully. He was being such a gentleman. The way to the restaurant they had just sang along to the radio and talked lightly. When his right hand wasn't maneuvering the clutch it always found hers and held it. So far it had been the best Valentine's Day she had ever experienced.

Justin took the seat beside her and leaned over to whisper in her ear. "You don't mind if Mike sits with us do you?"

She turned to look at him and shook her head no. He smiled at her and turned back to the matride.

"Susan will be your waitress tonight. All of our specials tonight are on the slip inside your menus. I hope you enjoy your evening." With a nod of his head he turned and disappeared.

"MMMM, they got a 40 dollar steak..." Mike looked up from his menu at Justin. "...your paying for mine right?"

"Shut up, Mike." Justin glared, but Alex interrupted him.

She beamed, looking around the restaurant. "This is so nice, Justin. You really shouldn't have done this."

"I wanted to." He spoke softly.

"Ohh god, you two aren't gonna feed each other are you?" Mike groaned.

"No, Mikey. Just chill. I'm ordering oysters so you have a lot more to worry about than just us "feeding" each other." Alex giggled slightly as Mike rolled his eyes. She turned to Justin and he was staring at her shocked.

"Are you really getting oysters?" He whispered mischievously.

She pushed him slightly. "Eww, no. I hate the things. But I might get something chocolate for dessert, and chocolate is an aphrodisiac."

"Yes." Justin rooted.

"Mike you are taking me home right?" She looked at Mike who laughed and winked at her.

"Baby I'll take you anywhere."

"Hello?" Justin waved in-between them. "I'm here! Me, Justin. You can stop."

They both giggled at Justin who was pouting, but smiled as soon as Alex rested her hand on his knee as a sign of affection, but she quickly pulled it away once the waitress arrived.

They all ordered, Mike getting that steak, Justin getting chicken pamesian, and Alex going for one of their specials that was pasta with a tomato sauce.

To keep in spirit with the fact that they were on the beach, Justin and Alex decided to share a shrimp cocktail as an appetizer.

It arrived and Justin slightly nudged Alex to get her to play along with his little joke. He took one of the chilled shrimp and dipped it in the cocktail sauce and brought it to Alex's lips.

Mike groaned. "Ohhh great."

Alex just laughed and accepted the shrimp before taking her turn in feeding Justin.

"That's IT!" Mike took the cocktail bowl and brought it to his side of the table.

"But Miiiikkkke, you are ruining our fun." Justin pulled out the puppy dog eyes.

"Exactly." He grumbled before pushing their appetizer back towards them.

Talk during their evening consisted of how Justin got into Alex's apartment; he had gone to the landlord's apartment and begged for a key to her apartment. Then their conversation took a turn towards the new album and some of the songs that they were working on which then rotated into the Grammies, where Mike picked on Justin for asking his mom to go. And finally it came to sports. Alex quickly disappeared in the conversation, letting Mike and Justin get lost in who was better the Lakers or the Spurs or the Knicks or the 76ers or the...

Alex just stared out of the window, picking at her almost empty plate of pasta and sipping on her water. It was perfect, like Justin knew these were the places she loved. He knew her fondness for the beach, and the fact that he brought her to a place that was right on it, with the best view in the building, just took her breath away. She wasn't looking at him, but she could hear him. His distinctive laugh and voice that got louder when Mike would try to prove him wrong.

She didn't want the moment to end. She didn't want the night to end. She wanted to be in his company, forever.

"Are you done Lexia?" Someone breathed on her shoulder. She forced her gaze away from the ocean to see Justin staring at her amused, pointing to her empty plate. She then looked upward to see their waitress, piling plates in her hands.

"Oh yeah." Justin smiled and took her plate, handing it to Susan.

"I'll be right back with the dessert menu."

Once Susan left, Mike shook his head slightly. "I'm stuffed, no dessert for me."

"What about you Lexia?"

"Hmm, I'm kinda full, but I'll share something with you." She smiled at him and he nodded.

"Yay, we get to feed each other again." He grinned evilly at Mike.

"By now I'm at the point of not caring." He smiled triumphantly at Justin who was disappointed he couldn't annoy his trusted bodyguard.

Susan came back and Justin and Alex debated for a while of what they wanted to order. Finally they decided on a chocolate cake with caramel and chocolate frosting. They both thought it was good, but very rich and as promised, they fed each other, getting at least one annoyed groan from Mike.

After 15 minutes, Alex found herself back in the alone company of Justin again, in his convertible, riding back towards Orlando. She and Justin had both thanked Mike overly for coming with them on their Valentine's Day. They probably could have made it without him, but Justin was protective over Lexia, more so than himself.

He didn't want to take the risk of letting the press get to and exploit her.

They were riding back, letting the sounds of some jazzy music over take them when Justin looked in his rear view and chuckled. "Dammit Mike, you aren't supposed to be following us!!"

Alex turned to see a black Expedition with tinted windows right on their tail. She smiled and waved at the car before turning back around. "I should moon him, that'd be so funny."

"I DARE YOU!" Justin yelled laughing.

"What will you give me?"

"Hmmm, what do you want?" He asked seductively.

"A million dollars." She giggled.

"I'll give you 50."

"REALLY? Alight!!" She brought her knees up in the seat and started rolling up the back of her dress.

"You are really going to do it!?"

"Yeah, 50 dollars is a lot in Alex land." She looked at his shocked face that was smiling and laughing unbelievingly.

She was about to sit up and actually do the task when Justin reached out and grabbed her arm, forcing her back in the seat.

"What?"

"Don't." He said sternly.

"Why? I want 50 bucks, baby." She giggled. But she stopped when she saw the worry in his eyes that were glued to the rear view mirror.

"What is it?" She whispered.

His voice quivered slightly with worry. "That's not Mike's car. He has a front tag that's silver and has a Lakers emblem on it. That car doesn't have a tag."

"Well he could have taken it off or ..."

"No, he loves that tag." And with that he sifted gears and sped off down the highway. Hoping that he lost the mysterious SUV that was following them so closely.

------------
30 minutes later.
------------

"Come on, It's only a little after nine. I don't think it will hurt you to stay over just a little bit."

"Well, don't you have class in the morning?"

"So, that doesn't matter. I usually don't get to bed till around 11 on normal nights anyway, just come on."

"Uh ok." And with that Justin opened his car door and stepped out. Alex smiled and stepped out of his convertible as well. She helped Justin pull the top down on his car and wondered why he was doing so.

He was only going to be over a little bit and rain wasn't in the forecast, but she didn't argue with him. She wrapped her shoulder with her cardigan and walked over to his open arm. He wrapped his arm around her and walked with her towards her apartment complex, locking his car with the keyless entry as they went.

He dropped his arm from around her once they were inside and she grabbed his hand, pulling him up the steps. They sauntered down the hallway, not speaking at all. Finally they got to her door. She opened it but was stopped.

"Hey, Lex!" She turned to see Mr. Krecor with a bright smile on and Miles Davis blasting from his room.

"Hey, Mr. K! Happy Valentines Day." She giggled and walked over to him, motioning for Justin to do the same.

"I got something for ya, wait right here." She nodded and he went into his apartment and reappeared seconds later with a single pink rose for her.

"Aww, Mr. Krecor. You shouldn't have. This is so nice."

"Well, I was walking around downtown and there was a flower vendor and I just knew I had to get you one. Sorry it doesn't have a vase."

"No, it's fine, thank you." She gave him a hug and he chuckled.

"I didn't think you would be having a Valentine today, but I guess I was wrong." Justin bit his lip and looked down at his feet.

"Mr. K, this is Justin. My boyfriend." She smiled watching the two men shake hands. She had just introduced Justin as her boyfriend; she had never done that before. She felt tingly and giddy, like a schoolgirl with her first crush. She was so in love. So in love with the most wanted Man in America.

And she wouldn't change her feelings for anything.

"Well, I'll leave you two alone. Good night." Mr. Krecor quietly closed his apartment door and Justin turned to look at Lexia who was slowly walking back to her door.

"He's nice."

"Yeah, very nice."

"So, what do you wanna do?" He asked nervously, shutting the door behind him.

She left her purse, flower and cardigan on the counter and slipped off her heels, kicking them to the side. He watched her pad over to the stereo and flip on some music. She had been so, her, that night. He was so in love. So in love with the most incredible women in America.

And he wouldn't change his feelings for anything.

He watched, mesmerized, shrugging off his jacket and resting on the back of one of the chairs of her kitchen table.

She shrugged her shoulders, taking the clip out of her hair and letting her ebony curls fall against her tan shoulders and back. "I don't care."

She flipped through the radio, but a hand came up and stopped her motions. An arm wrapped around her waist and pressed her into him. The radio had conveniently stopped on Janet Jackson's "Again."

He took her hand by the radio dial and locked it with his, bringing it to rest on her stomach. He began to sway with her, letting the music fill their heads and hearts and voices, as he whispered the song to her.

He turned her around in his arms and pressed his forehead to hers, still dancing slightly. "Now here we are alone again, didn't think it come to this....and to know it all began with just a little kiss." He then turned his head and pressed his lips firmly to hers.

She didn't know what he was doing, where this would lead and didn't care. She was in his arms, kissing him. She thought it would never happen. She never thought she could love someone so much.

He pulled away and held her tightly, whispering. "Hold me, hold me, don't ever let me go. Say it just one time, say ya love me. God knows I do, I love you, again..." He whispered in her ear, letting his lips brush against her.

"Lexia?" He asked pulled his head away, and bringing up a hand to cup her cheek. She lifted her own head and looked into his navy eyes, her icy ones glistened over with unshedded tears.

"Yes."

He leaned down, brushing his lips with hers once, and then pulling away slightly. "I'm in love with you. I love you, Alexandria Smith. I love you."

The words made her ears ring. Her lungs couldn't catch a good breath. Tears filled her eyes to the brim. Her lips trembled. Her mind went blank. And her heart pounded with love.

It wasn't the first time a guy had said "I love you" to her. But it was the first time it seemed to matter.

She finally shook her head and widened her eyes, clearing her throat and trying to forget he just said that. She had been waiting for those words, and in a way they had already been said. But what those words meant and what could come from them scared her. So she would just have to move on and forget them.

"I'm sorry Lexia, but I just can't help it. It's become a habit. It's as natural as breathing or blinking to me. Loving you is something I'm MEANT to do."

What was that about moving on and forgetting?

A tear slipped from her eye and his eyebrows furrowed almost in pain. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

"I-I-don't know what to say."

"I shouldn't have said it. I know it's been just a few weeks, but it's been 2 months since I've known you. And from that first day I saw you singing in the kitchen with my brother, I knew there was something about you I couldn't put my finger on." He wiped her tear away and leaned down to kiss her forehead and secured her into his chest.

"I tried to ignore it, by ignoring you. But then Jon had that nightmare and you came over and I saw the way you put us in our places and I couldn't fight it. I had to find out what this was that was making me think and dream about you. And then you seemed so alone. And I wanted to help you SO incredibly bad. I wanted to hold you and tell you that you WERENT alone. But I was scared. I still am in a way."

He pulled away slightly and lifted her wet face to his. "But I don't care. I'm too far in this now. I haven't even found the key to the lock that you hold yet. But at least I'm searching. You still are a mystery to me Alexandria. Let me solve it. Please." His eyes begged hers.

She wanted to say something eloquent, like him. She wanted to profess her love in such a way that HE lost HIS train of thought, like she just had. But she could do nothing but stare at him. She looked straight into his eyes that were starting to look hurt.

"Say something, please." He said it again. 'Please'. He was begging her for some reaction and she just was too scared or too shocked to do anything.

"I-I-" She stuttered and shook her head, looking down at the floor. She laughed at her self.

"You what?" He asked breathless.

She looked up from the floor and let her shaking hands tremble up his biceps, over his shoulders, up his neck and she lightly gripped his cheeks. She whispered. "You want the key. Here's my key..."

She brought his face the few inches away to hers and kissed his lips barely. His lips gripped hers for more, but she pulled away, opening her eyes.

His eyes opened as well and her icy ones darkened as his turned to black. She was only a breath away.

"The key is, that I love you. More than anyone I ever have. I didn't know I could love someone this much. See, you don't need a key Justin. You have automatic access to my heart." She stopped the smile that was on her face and got choked up. "You're the only one that's never needed a key."

Two tears left her eyes and quickly fell down her cheeks. "You're the only one that's even tried to unlock it. Let me show you..." She seared her lips with his, wrapped her arms fully around his neck. His face was wetted with her tears. She pulled away roughly. "Let me show you, you don't need a key."

Her kiss and her body forced him backwards. Her hands tangled themselves in his hair and he pressed her solidly into him. All that could be heard was their ragged breaths, struggling as their lips sucked at each other and moved together in a rhythm.

The back of his legs hit her couch and he sat down bringing her with him. She sat on his lap, kinda. More like straddled it. Her hands tugged and pulled at his tie, trying to rid it of him. She finally slid it out threw it on the floor. They never once broke contact from their lips.

His hands had found a resting place on her butt and hers were working forcefully to get his shirt unbuttoned. One button wasn't cooperating and she groaned into his mouth and pulled away, forcing his tongue and lips away from hers. She looked down and pulled up on his shirt, getting it loose from the restrains of his pants and worked on successfully getting all the buttons undone.

He took a while to catch his breath and finally he reached down and grabbed her hands that were pushing the shirt open and running across the second skin of his torso that was his white wifebeater. She looked up at him, wide eyed.

His were half closed, his chest heaving as he breathed in and out deeply. "Wha-What are you doin?" He asked, finally opening his eyes.

"I uhh, well, I thought, ya know, that we were going to uhh..." she stumbled, redness staining her face.

He chuckled breathlessly. "It's ok, just, I know. But we've got all night, babe." He brought her hands up to his to kiss her knuckles and he smiled brightly.

She narrowed her eyes and scoffed a few moments, before pushing at his chest and standing up. "Fine, you want it NICE and SLOW and ROMANTIC, you'll get it that way. All you men want the same thing!" She tossed her hands up in defeat and walked away from him.

He stared at her for a moment, wondering if she was being sarcastic. She looked over her shoulder and winked at him, showing him that she was.

A smile came to his face that was permanent as he watched her. She giggled as she picked up a blanket heaped on the floor beside Chester's cage and covered him. "Don't interrupt!"

She then sauntered to the counter and pick up her pink rose and moved behind the counter to the kitchen to find a vase for it. She also cut off the light in the den and left the kitchen light on, leaving a dimmed glow in the room. She filled the vase up with water and put the vase on the kitchen table beside her bouquet from him. She looked up to see him intently staring into her eyes.

They lulled her to him, like a lure catching a fish. She slowly walked away from the table and towards the couch. She stood in front of him and let his eyes wander down her body and then back up. She bent over him, laying her hands on the back of the couch, on either side of him. Her face hovered over his. He closed his eyes, brought his hand to the back of her head and pushed her forward, meeting her lips in a heated kiss.

She slowly pulled back, bringing his bottom lip with her and finally releasing it. She whispered on his lips. "Stay here"

With that she stood back up and walked over to stereo. She flipped through a CD case and paused a moment, letting her fingers pick up a blank CD she had made a while back. It was entitled "Love mix." She smiled sheepishly to herself and put it in the player.

She waited patiently for the song to sound through the speakers. A fast paced beat sounded through and she let her hand drop from the volume dial. When the eerie sounds of chords from an organ sounded she turned slightly to look at him.

When the bass hit their ears she walked in beat with the music towards him. When the sound of a harp came through she stood in front of him and offered her hands. He accepted and stood up, wrapping his arms around her and swaying to the beat.

"That's all I wanted
Something special, something sacred
In your eyes"

She looked up into his eyes and he brushed her long flowing curls off her shoulder and let a hand, delicately touched the skin that he discovered there.

"For just one moment
To be bold and naked
At your side
Sometimes I think that you'll never
Understand me"

His fingers trailed over the collar of her dress and then down her silked side to her hip.

"Maybe this time is forever
Say it can be"

He pulled her body tight against his and leaned in the short distance and let his lips roam the shoulder and neck that was being offered to him.

"That's all you wanted
Something special, someone sacred
In your life"

His lips burned her skin, breathing the song up her neck to her ear.

"Just for one moment
To be warm and naked
At my side"

He pulled his lips away from her ear and moved so that his mouth was moments away from hers, as he sang the song.

"Sometimes I think that you'll never
Understand me"

A smirk came to his face at the next line.

"But something tells me together
We'd be happy"

His arms circled her back and his lips passionately devoured hers.

"(Baby)
I will be your father figure
(Oh baby)
Put your tiny hand in mine
(I'd love to)"

His hands grabbed the material at the back of her dress as the need to be with her filled him. He tilted his head; trying a new angle and not letting her have mercy at all.

"I will be your preacher teacher
(Be your daddy)
Anything you have in mind
(It would make me)
I will be your father figure
(Very happy)
I have had enough of crime
(Please let me)
I will be the one who loves you
Until the end of time"

His fingers found the delicate zip to her dress and he slowly unzipped the back of it, his hand going down the curve of her spine.

"That's all I wanted
But sometimes love can be mistaken
For a crime"

She backed away from him, the dress barely hanging on to her. She shrugged her shoulders letting the dress slide down her body and pool at her feet. She kicked it to the side.

"That's all I wanted
Just to see my baby's
Blue eyes shine"

Her gaze moved from her feet up to his eyes. His mouth was open and eyes glazed over with love and desire.

"This time I think that my lover
Understands me"

His eyes traveled all around her, down and up and everywhere. It made her nervous.

"If we have faith in each other
Then we can be..."

His eyes met her and he smiled, comforting her immediately.

"...Strong"

Without warning, he pulled her to him and kissed her like she was his last breath, causing both of them to LOSE their breaths.

"I will be your father figure
Put your tiny hand in mine"

Her hands pushed his unbuttoned white shirt off his shoulders, exposing his strong arms.

"I will be your preacher teacher
Anything you have in mind"

His arms left her and pulled the shirt off him, tossing it to the side.

"I will be your father figure
I have had enough of crime"

His hands worked furiously to rid her of the black, strapless bra she was wearing. But she pulled away and looked up at his bruised lips and lustful eyes.

"I will be the one who loves you
Until the end of time"

Her voice was soft and smooth. "Remember, don't rush. We've got all night."

"If you are the desert
I'll be the sea
If you ever hunger"

He grinned and watched as her small hands found the hem of his undershirt and pull it up.

"Hunger for me
Whatever you ask for
That's what I'll be"

His arms lifted over his head and she pulled it completely off him.

"So when you remember the ones who have lied
Who said that they cared
But then laughed as you cried"

His arms lowered and he felt giddy, seeing her aqua eyes turn straight blue as they crossed over his stomach and chest, and up to his face.

"Beautiful Darling
Don't think of me"

Those trembling fingers inched towards his pants. She slowly undid the belt and top button and zipper, as his head was tilted down, watching her undress him.

"Because all I ever wanted
It's in your eyes"

He attached his lips to her neck.

"Baby, baby"

Her leg bent and rubbed up the outside of his, as her hands traveled the vast expanse of his bare, muscular back.

"And love can't lie, no..."

His hands roamed her slender body, coming to her hips and finding her butt, and lifting her.

"(Greet me with the eyes of a child)"

Her legs wrapped around his hips, as she straddled his torso. His lips were still sucking on her neck.

"My love is always tell me to..."

His wiggled his hips, causing her to laugh, as he let his pants fall to the ground. He stepped out of them and his shoes and carried her into her bedroom.

"(Heaven is a kiss and a smile)"

He stopped at the foot of the bed and pulled his lips away from her neck. He kissed her gently.

"Just hold on, hold on"

He giggled, resting his knees on the edge of her bed. "Hold on, Lexia."

"I won't let you go, my baby"

With that, he fell forwards. Pinning her underneath him on her unmade bed. She laughed outloud, making a smile adorn his lips as he kissed her collar.

"I will be your father figure
Put your tiny hand in mine"

He had settled his weight in-between her legs that were bent on either side of him. Her hands ran through his hair, as she arched her back and let his hands clumsily unfasten her bra.

"I will be your preacher teacher
Anything you have in mind"

He tossed it aside and leaned into her, sighing when their skin connected.

"I will be your father figure
I have had enough of crime"

Her hands traveled down his back as his lips traveled up to hers.

"(So I am gonna love you)
Until the end of time"

His lips pushed hers apart and he let that tongue sweep inside, meeting hers for the millionth time that night.

"I will be your father I will be your preacher"

He pulled away and smiled, his face hovering above hers. He chuckled the next line, making her roll her eyes.

"I will be your daddy"

And then he kissed her again, making her eyes flutter shut.

"I will be the one who loves you..." He tried desperately to control his breath as he felt her hands move to his hips.

"... until the end of time..."

His eyes bore into hers, saying things they couldn't produce into words as her hands slowly pushed down the material of his gray boxer briefs....

Next morning...around 9

-----------------------

Up, down.

Up, down.

That's how the lavender colored sheets moved. The two bodies snuggled closely to one another underneath the sheet were breathing deeply as the song "How does it feel" lightly sounded throughout the apartment.

One of the bodies breathing became louder and longer. A noise sounding like that of a rumble bubbled up in the throat of the male figure. He stretched his body and rolled his muscles to uncramp them. A content smile was on his face as he remembered the dream he had the night before. He breathed in deeply once more.

His eyes popped open at the smell.

That smell of jasmine filled his nostrils and he realized it wasn't a dream. The song that was playing hit his ears and he remembered what had happened during that song. It was the song that had played after "Father Figure." The CD must have been on repeat as D'Angelo's voice made him yawn.

He turned his head that was cradled by a soft pillow. He saw her.

The purplish sheet had been tucked protectively under her arm, making sure everything was covered on her body. One arm was bent and disappeared under the pillow. Her hair had become flat and a bit static filled and surrounded her head and lay across the pillow. Her lips were parted taking in deep breaths as she lay on her side, facing him. Her eyes were shut and she was sleeping so peacefully.

He smiled tenderly and lifted his arm to try and pull a few strands of hair out of her face, without waking her.

He had never seen anyone look so beautiful as she did right then. Of course he had thought that about 4 times in the past 12 hours. When she stepped out of her room in that navy silk dress. When that navy silk dress slipped off her body. When she finally stopped her tears the night before and a gasp of pleasure escaped her lips. And right now.

He sat up slightly to look at the clock on the nightstand on her side of the bed...

-Her side of the bed, I could get use to this-

It read a little after nine. He leaned over to press a kiss to her forehead. She stirred but didn't wake. Justin pushed the covers off him and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. His eyes slightly widen and his cheeks blushed at the fact that he was in nothing. He searched for his underwear and found it lying not far away on the floor. He reached to pick the discarded gray material and quickly put it on, standing up as he did so. He walked to her door and turned back slightly watching her sleep.

He shook his head laughing. The night before had been so magical and perfect. He couldn't have asked for anything better. He had never in his life felt or experienced anything that physically and emotionally beautiful and satisfying.

He stepped out, pulling the door shut and walked to the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator and searched for food that she had.

-Now what can I fix for breakfast? -

-----------
20 minutes later
-----------

She woke up. It was as simple as that. Her body rolled over in the bed and clutched the other pillow. But she noticed something different. The pillow smelled like cologne. Men's cologne. Well, barely. But still it was different than what she was use to.

She opened her eyes and smiled, squeezing the pillow tighter to her chest and face. Her smiled faded quickly though. She smelled bacon cooking. She sat up abruptly.

"Oh my god." She mumbled, pulling the sheet that had fallen from her quick movements, up to cover herself. Her eyes widened and she bit her bottom lip. Alex fell back on the bed and thought about what she had done the night before. A smile came to her face. She started giggling. And she couldn't stop.

She tried to sober up a bit and finally she was able to stand up, with the sheet wrapped around her shoulders, covering all of her expect her head and neck. She carefully walked to her closed bedroom door.

She was almost scared to open it. Opening it would open the door to her new life almost. Something magical had happened the night before and she was almost afraid that maybe it had just been her imagination.

She put her weight on one leg as she pulled the door open. She realized, by the slight soreness that it had happened. Her feet shuffled out towards the kitchen.

There he was.

He had only his cute little boxer briefs on, a red mitten on one hand and a spatula in the other. Her stereo was still playing her CD. She was glad she had made that CD.

His hand put the spatula down for a moment and he reach to grab his glass of milk that was beside the stove. As his head tilted back he stopped. He sat the drink down and turned around.

He smiled. And she blushed.

He wiped his milk mustache away with his tongue and he spoke smoothly. "Hey"

"Hey." She repeated in a whisper, not moving from her spot beside the counter.

"Come here." He motioned for her to join him and he turned back around. Slowly she shuffled towards him and appeared by his side. He handed her the spatula and she accepted it fumbling with her sheet to get it to cover her with her holding the utensil. He was making eggs and bacon.

He then wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pressed his lips firmly into her temple. "Morning beautiful."

She pushed him away smiling shyly. He just chuckled and walked away. "Work on those eggs for me, k? What do you want milk or Orange juice?" He opened the fridge looking over at her back, smiling as her back and shoulders became exposed, as she maneuvered the sheet to be tucked under her arms.

"Orange Juice please."

He took out the OJ and went to the cabinet that he had searched that morning for glasses and poured her a glass. He brought it to her, setting it beside his milk. He then wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his forehead on her shoulder. "How you feeling?"

"Sore, but its ok." He squeezed her tighter and started swaying with her. She giggled trying to pick up the frying pan with scrambled eggs in them and put them on the two plates he had found, without letting her sheet fall. "I'm trying to cook here, Justin."

"And I'm trying to hold you, Lexia." He mocked and began letting his lips soothe her skin on her shoulder and neck.

"Justin..." She half whined/half groaned. He kissed her cheek and let her go.

"Ok, ok. Give me the spatula." He grabbed the spatula from her but unexpectedly wrapped his arm around her waist and brought her towards him immediately descending his lips on to hers. His other hand ran through her black hair. She forgot her sheet and let her hands caress his bare shoulders sliding up into his hair as his tongue massaged hers. He pulled away and rested his forehead on hers. "I love you, ya know?"

"Yeah, I know." She giggled and watched as an evil grin came to his face. "What?" She asked, but immediately shut her mouth and reached for her sheet that was falling off her as she spoke. She wrapped it completely around her, even her head, so that all that was shown was her face.

Justin laughed heartily and let her go, turning back to the stove. He began singing with the song on playing. "Sailing, takes me a way...." He stopped singing. "...I thought you hated my group."

"I do." She stated smugly. "This is the only song I like. This and "Here and Now." That's it."

"Oh, ok. Whatever." He shook his head and went back to his food.

Alexandria was going to walk to her bedroom and put some clothes on when a deafening pounding came from her doorway. A muffled voice was on the other end.

"Lexia? You there? This is Mr. Krecor. Please open up, its an emergency."

Without thinking Alex ran to the door and swung it open. "What?!?"

He stopped, his mouth slightly opened at the sight of her in a sheet. He peeked in and saw Justin looking at him dressed in only his underwear. Justin blushed and turned back around.

"Umm, well, see...sorry." Mr. Krecor stumbled and cleared his throat, not about to speak on the awkward situation. "I went downstairs to get the paper and there were all these people out at the doorway. So I go out there and they are asking if I've seen a Justin Timberlake in the building. There I'd say 15 people out there with cameras and stuff. I- I didn't know what say to them, so I told them I didn't know what they were talking about."

Alex's head turned to Justin. He was standing there, back turned not moving at all. "Justin?" She whispered.

He just put up a hand as if to tell her not to speak.

She turned back to Mr. Krecor. "Thanks, umm, I'll umm, call you. We will probably need you back over here soon."

"K, I'm sorry." He forced a smile and backed out of the doorway and turned to his door. Alex shut her door and locked it. She turned to Justin who was now staring at her.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Justin. What are we goin to do?" She stood there, wide eyed. Clueless.

Justin cut off the stove, threw the mit and spatula down and walked to her phone. He dialed a few numbers. Finally he locked eyes with Alex and spoke in a low voice in the phone. "Mike, I gotta problem."

An hour later

---------------

Justin sat on Alexandria's couch, phone to his ear and his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. Alexandria had taken a quick shower and gotten dressed. Justin had been forced to put on his wifebeater and pants from the night before, because he had nothing else. Alexandria was in jeans and a T-shirt, her hair still damp as she sat Indian style on her bed, not knowing what else to do.

Mr. Krecor had come back now and then, reporting on how bad or what was going on downstairs. The landlord, Mr. Currin had stopped by, being as kind as possible, but still clearly pissed off at the matter. He had tried going down there and telling them they were trespassing and everything. But there were quite a few people out there and he was only one man.

A knock on the door woke Alex up from her daydreaming and she quickly walked to the door, giving Justin a sympathetic look. He must have been talking to Johnny because he was just listening and not saying a word.

She peeked through her peephole and opened the door. It was Mr. Currin.

He leaned on the doorframe and his green eyes looked into hers. He said in a raspy voice, "From what I can gather, some reporter was at where yall ate last night. I don't know how or why and he followed yall back here. I don't know if he got pictures or not. The reporter I talked to was like 18 and he didn't seem to know much. I didn't tell them he was here, I just inquired why they were here and why they thought Justin Timberlake was here."

"Thanks. I'm sorry Mr. Currin. I didn't mean for this to happen really." She bowed her head and didn't look at him.

"It's ok Alexandria, I know you wouldn't do this on purpose. I'm going to go make some phone calls to see if I can get these people away from here. I'll be back later." He smiled and walked down the hallway. She shut her door and leaned her body against it.

She didn't want anyone to know but she was scared out of her mind. If that reporter had gotten pictures of them, who knows what could happen. And even though she knew a bit of turmoil would happen with Justin's rep, she wasn't as toned in on that as she was the fact that she was paranoid of attention. And if this happened, then a lot of attention would be put on her.

She pushed away from the door and walked to the sink to clean up the dirty dishes that Justin and her had made with breakfast. Neither of them had eaten much. He was on the phone while he ate, he had been on the phone all morning, and Alex just picked at her food.

She put all her dishes in the dishwasher and tried her best not to pay attention to Justin's voice that was rising steadily behind her.

"Johnny, I know ok? Don't you think I've kicked myself over this ENOUGH in the past hour? ...Oh come on, give me a break.... Yeah Mike and Dre are coming here...no I don't, ok?....HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW?!?!...Jesus!" He let out an annoyed sigh and as Alexandria pressed start on her dishwasher she heard the beep of her phone being turned off.

She took the butter and carton of eggs that had yet been put up and put them back in the refrigerator. When the door shut and she turned around, there was Justin, staring at her, leaning against the counter. "Mike and Dre should be here soon. I told them right, right? Park in the back and come up the fire escape?"

She nodded. "Yeah, it's just a stairwell that is outside and comes up to this floor. Its not really a fire escape but no body uses the stairs, so..." She trailed off and looked down at his barefeet, poking out from his black pants.

"Ok. Once the guys get here and get us out we have to go see Johnny. I won't lie; he's not going to be that kind about this. Umm, depending on how long it takes for the paparazzi to leave probably will depend on whether you can come back here or not. I mean, who knows, I heard your landlord say they had been following us for a while so they might have gotten good pictures of you and me. I bet you anything they have one of you waving to them when we were in my car." He chuckled slightly; realizing now that that black expedition had definitely not been Mikes. Alexandria forced a smile of her on.

"Shit." He grumbled and pounded his fist on her counter.

"What?"

"My car. I forgot. It's out there in the parking lot. How the hell am I going to get that back home? I mean if they see me or you take it, that just would not work. Mike and Dre would be suspicious looking because; well they LOOK like bodyguards. Do you realize how much this SUCKS?!?!" He grabbed his hair in frustration and closed his eyes.

"Yeah, I realize." She whispered.

His eyes popped back open and he dropped his hands. "I'm sorry, Lexia. I just- I'm quite pissed off right now, and I doubt my mood will change all day. I'm really sorry."

"Me too."

"Hey, hey-" His sincere voice was cut off by banging on the door. Alex looked through her peephole and let out a tired sigh. Thanking God for the two men that were shown when she opened the door.

"Hi."

"Heya Lex. Is the boy panicking yet?" Dre chuckled walking in with a plastic grocery bag. He tossed it to Justin. "Clothes." He simply said.

Mike's expression wasn't as comforting as Dre's. "There's a hell of a lot of people out there. I just can't believe that I let this pass me. I should have spotted them."

"Dude, its not your fault. I'm going to go change." Justin into her bedroom and did just that.

As Justin was changing, Dre called up Johnny and some other people on his cell to make everything in check. Mike stared at Alex, a grin slowly spreading arcoss his face. Finally she widened her eyes, "WHAT?"

"Nothing." He chuckled. Justin emerged shortly in jeans and a tee himself, going into the bathroom to brush his teeth. He came out to seconds later, toothpaste all around his lips and the brush in the corner of his mouth. He mumbled. "Lexia, tell Mike about the car situation." She thought a moment and it dawned on her. "Oh yeah, he is freaked out because his car is out there and he doesn't know how he is going to get it back." She rolled her eyes. "I mean, cant he just get it later when there ain't anybody here?"

Mike smiled as Justin emerged, stuff the toothbrush into the plastic bag and walking around the room picking up his shirt and shoes and jacket from the night before. Mike and Dre both raised their eyebrow at him as he did so. "What?" He exaggerated. Mike turned just into to see Alex's face turn bright red, before she busied herself with striating her roses. He tried to hide the knowing smile coming to his face.

To break the annoying situation someone was at the door. Alex walked to it, looked through the peephole and opened the door. "I just wanted to check and make sure everything was ok. Is there anything I can do?"

"I don't know, Mr. Krecor. Thanks though, come on in. This is Mike and Dre they are Justin's bodyguards." She motioned him inside and he shook hands with the two men.

"Wow. Well, I kinda have good news, me and Mr. Currin think that the people outside are thinning out. But we aren't sure. It just looks that way." He smiled sheepishly and stood there.

The situation was just becoming more awkward. Bodyguards, neighbors, landlords, etc. were all getting worked up because Justin had stayed the night and some nosy reporter had found out. And THAT was the embarrassing part. Alex's "first time" seemed to be publicized. The thought made her eyes well up with tears. This was not what she wanted at all.

"I got an idea, if you are so worried about your car, why doesn't Mr. Krecor here drive it to somewhere and we can meet up with him and then me and Dre can drive him back while you two so get bitched out by Johnny." Mike offered the idea. Justin didn't look thrilled.

"Do you know how to drive stick?" He asked uneasy.

Mr. Krecor tried not to laugh. "Yes, I do."

"Ok then, its settled. And that will also throw off suspicion that you are here, if the reporters see someone else drive your car away. They wont think that you are here or whatever." Dre offered and Mike nodded in agreement.

"Justin, hand me the keys." Mike stated. Justin picked up his keys that were lying on the counter, and reluctantly gave them to Mike.

"That's like his prize possession. It's the blue BMW convertible out there. Please don't mess it up because then he will whine to ME about it." Alex rolled her eyes.

Mike rumbled. "And ME!"

"Me too." said Dre.

"Hey!" Justin yelled in defense.

"Meet us at the McDonald's off on Rasybury Road. You know it?" Mike asked.

Mr. Krecor nodded.

"All right then, you guys ready to get out of here?" He looked at Justin who nodded and then at Alex who just shrugged.

"Ok, then. Lets go." Mike rubbed his hands together and the 5 of them headed out the door. Mr. Krecor went towards the main steps, while the other 4 quickly went out the backway.

--------

The ride to McDonald's was uneventful and quiet. Until Mike banged on the steering wheel. "I can't believe I let this pass me."

"Mike you couldn't have known. It's not your fault." Justin mumbled, looking out the tented windows in the back.

They were now at McDonald's. Justin and Alex got out quickly and Mr. Krecor handed Justin the keys. Justin just mumbled a 'thanks.' Alexandria pulled Mr. Krecor into a hug.

"Thanks for everything this morning. You were a lifesaver." She whispered to him.

"Hey, I'm just looking out for my Lex. I'll check on ya tomorrow. You want me to feed Chester for ya, if you're not back tonight?"

"Yes, thank you." She pulled away and he winked at her and quickly got in the black SUV. She turned and saw that Justin was already in his car, hat and sunglasses and engine already on. She jogged to his car and got in, pulling the seatbelt over her.

He sped out of the parking lot without saying a word. She looked at him through the corner of her eye and finally she couldn't handle the silence. She reached to turn on the radio. But his hand grabbed hers and interlocked their fingers. He sighed and stopped at a stoplight. He turned his head and smiled at her. "Well, this has been an eventful day. And look its only 11 in the mornin'" He chuckled and brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, before letting it go and driving towards the WEG offices.

1 p.m....WEG offices

-------------------

Alex's leg bopped up and down in a quick pace as she sat in the waiting room outside of Johnny Wright's office. Dre plopped down in the seat beside her, unwrapping a footlong sub from subway. Mid-bite he looked over at Alex and grabbed her knee. He smiled and chomped down on the sandwich.

"Sorry, I'm just nervous for some reason." Alex said, her leg finally not shaking anymore.

He swallowed. "It's ok. Don't worry. We've handled worse situations than this. Believe me!"

She giggled at him as he bit down again. She sighed and slid down in her seat some more. She had already gone through the magazines on the table and talked with Dre. He had offered for her to go with him to get something to eat. But she wasn't hungry and she wanted to stay there incase they needed her. She hoped they didn't need her.

Finally the door swung open and both of them looked up to see Mike walk out. In the background they heard Johnny. "Nuh uh, Justin, you ain't goin ANYWHERE!"

Then the door shut.

Mike looked at Dre then at Alex. "Well, that was...interesting." He squeezed into the last chair in the small room and sighed, closing his eyes.

"I've never seen Johnny like that, it was kinda funny." His voice rumbled with a chuckle. Alexandria stared at him wide-eyed, scared out of her mind.

5 minutes later Alex was counting the number of tiles on the ceiling when the door open and Johnny stomped off yelling. "Don't go anywhere, I'll be back in a few minutes."

Alexandria watched him walk down the hallway and turned to see Justin lying on the floor, stomach down, through the doorway, whining. "Mommy I wanna go home."

The two bodyguards chuckled as Justin rolled on his back and pushed himself into a sitting position against the doorframe. "This really sucks. Gosh, he just wouldn't shut up. He's like a principal." Justin giggled and closed his eyes.

Alex sat there staring at him, shocked. She was one that wasn't used to being yelled at. And she didn't want to be, especially by someone she had never met. As soon as they had got to the WEG building they had to wait a few minutes and then Justin and Mike had gone straight into Johnny's office. The first time she had seen the man was when he had just stormed out.

"Hey, he wants to see me AND you when he gets back." Justin spoke. Alex's eyes widen, if possible, even more.

"Me?" She choked out.

"Don't worry. He will be nice to you." Justin smirked and closed his eyes. "I hope this is over with soon. I'm ready to get HOME! Hell, I'm just ready to go anywhere, just get me outta here!!"

"Well, Justin you stuck with me for a while now." They all looked up to see Johnny standing there with his arms over his chest. He smiled smugly at Justin and turned to Alex.

"Alexandria, its a pleasure to finally meet you. I'm Johnny Wright, Justin's manager." He stuck out his hand and Alex stood up and accepted it.

"Yes sir, its good to meet you too." Her voice shook.

He smiled knowingly at Justin and let go of her hand. "Let's go inside my office." He led Alex to large office and motioned for her to sit in one of the chairs in front of the huge desk. Justin pushed himself off the floor and looked back at his two bodyguards and mouthed 'help me' before shutting the door. He walked to the chair beside Alex and sat down.

"All right Johnny, hurry this up." Justin sighed, supporting his head up with his palm.

Johnny raised an eyebrow. "This will be very short, if you just keep that mouth of yours shut."

"Yes, father." Justin chuckled.

"Anyways..." The older man shook his head and relaxed into his leather chair. "...so, here's the deal. Tomorrow we are having a meeting; everyone is going to be there. The rest of the guys, girlfriends, security, me. It's going to be to go over "relationship" policies. Now you know, I give you tons of freedom in that department. But you see we have a problem. Because you need to decide what you want to do about the whole Britney thing. As far as the rest of the world is concerned you are still with her. You and Britney need to decide what you two are going to do public wise." He stopped, cleared his throat and looked directly at Alex.

"Now I know you aren't use to any of this. But you do understand that dating Justin means you are going to have some restrictions. I mean, if you two decide to go public, your life will be just that, publicized." Alex's face contorted into pain almost.

"I can see you don't like that. My suggestion is to lie, kinda. Might not be morally correct, but what the fans don't know wont hurt them, OR you. My advice is to continue on with the Britney/ Justin thing. You don't have to comment on your love life but you can make it appear to be that you still are a couple. That keeps Alex's rep safe. But really, we can't do anything until we see what is printed. Tomorrow morning most likely. Then we can see where we need to take this. For all we know they could have gotten no pictures, or they are fuzzy or what not. Mike would have spotted someone with a camera in the restaurant, and other than that all the pictures were taking in dark lighting, I'm assuming."

"So, don't worry Lexia, because there might not be anything to worry about." Justin looked over at her stiff body and smiled comfortingly. She forced a smile and he reached over the small distant and picked up her hand, locking it with his and squeezing it gently.

Johnny smiled. "Now I'm not cameraman or anything, so just whatever. You are both adults. You are in charge of your own life. So, I'm trusting you to make the best of this situation and to try stay out of situations like this in the future. I know this is awkward. Believe me, I really don't like playing Jenny Jones. Ok, so I'm done."

"We can go?" Justin asked excitedly, melting down into his chair chanting 'yes'.

"Hey, one more thing..." Johnny stood up as the two did. "...just to be safe, Alex why don't you stay with someone tonight, instead of going back to your apartment, just to be safe. You don't have to, but I'm just saying to be safe. The reporters might have left the entrance but they could still be camped out in cars so..."

"You can stay with me." He smiled at her and squeezed her hand.

"Ok." She nodded.

"All right, then. I will see you guys tomorrow at 11. I'm sorry for all of this." He smiled and opened the door for them and they walked out getting sympathetic looks form Mike and Dre.

"That was quick, everything ok?" Dre asked.

"Everything's fine. Bye Johnny, bye guys." They all said goodbye and Justin began to lead Alexandria down the hallway. He then stopped. "Hey wait here."

She watched him jog down the hallway back to the waiting room, confused.

"Hey Mike, call me on my cell tomorrow morning around 8 ok?"

He gave the young popstar a weird look. "What for?"

"I'll tell you later." Justin turned to walk away but a hand landed on his shoulder.

"Ok, hey J?"

"What Mike?" He sighed.

An evil smile lit up his dark face. "I see that chocolate cake worked eh?"

"What do you- oh my gosh, I cant believe you." Justin's face became beet red.

"Uh huh, you are turning red. It sure did. I'm just happy for ya, like I said. She's Fuine." Mike sucked the air through his teeth and Justin glared.

"Shut up, leave me alone."

"Bye justy wusty." Mike laughed watching Justin jog down the hallway toward Alexandria.

----------

"Are you supposed to baby-sit Jon today?" Justin asked looking over to the passenger's side. Alex just nodded and continued staring out the window.

Justin sighed. She had been so quiet since that morning, and he was really scared. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. A thought entered his head and he immediately scolded himself.

-Last night was not a mistake. It just wasn't. It felt right. It was right. -

Moments later they were at Lynn's. The neighbors released Jon and he came running at the sight of Justin and Alexandria there together.

Alex opened the door as Justin picked up his brother and carried him into the house, Jon giggling the whole way. When the brothers got inside Alex had already gotten herself a Snapple and sat down at the kitchen table with the phone in hand.

She punched in some numbers and waited. "Hey Jen, its Lex. I know you are in class right now. Um, something came up today and I had to miss my classes. I'll be missing my morning classes tomorrow probably. It's a long story; I'm not going to be home tonight. Just, I know you, you are going to be anxious, but anyways I'll call you later. Bye." She immediately dialed another number.

Justin grabbed himself a drink from the fridge and handed his brother a Capri Sun. Then Jon ran off to the TV, crawled up on the couch and stared yelling for "Lexy and Justy" to join him.

Justin walked over to Alex, smoothed over her dark hair and kissed the top of her head before going to join his brother.

"LEXY GET IN HERE!!" John yelled turning on the TV and curling up to Justin that was sitting beside him on the couch.

"Shhh..." Justin held his brother to keep him from squirming. "...Lexy and I have had a rough day ok? Just let her have her space."

"Is she ok?" His big eyes looked into Justin's scared.

"Yeah, she will be fine." Justin said in a hushed toned and kept his arms around Jon as he flipped through the channels.

Alex came back in and plopped down on the other end of the couch. She mumbled. "Mr. Krecor said that him driving your car threw off some of the people but that they're are still some there. But they are getting few as time goes by."

"That's good." Justin said softly.

"Who's Mr. Krikoor?" Jon asked confused.

Alex turned her head and giggled. "He lives in my apartment building."

"Oh." He pulled away from Justin and crawled over to Alex on the couch and picked up her hand, pulling it towards Justin. "Come on!"

Alex sighed and stood up, walked two steps and sat down right beside Justin. "Happy?" She asked Jon. He mumbled a 'mmmmhmmm' and crawled up on both of their laps and spread across them.

Justin looked down at his brother, laughed and then up at Alex. "Do we look like a couch?"

She shrugged, looking blankly at the TV.

"Come on, Lexia. It'll be ok." He moved his arm around her shoulders and tugged her close. Finally she rested her head on his shoulder. Justin pushed his head forward and turned hers for her and moved his lips onto hers, kissing her sweetly.

"ewwwww." Jon curled up his nose at the sign of affection. "YES! It's on."

Alex sighed and whispered, "thank you" to Justin and turned to the TV just in time to see the beginning credits of "Pokemon" come on.

Around 5:30

---------

The only sound in the kitchen was the constant chopping of the purple onion on the kitchen island. A shaky breath was inhaled and the chopping halted for a moment. Now the muffled, giddy and childish voices of brothers playing basketball outside filled her ears.

She sighed, wondering how he was able to not let this get to him. Of course he didn't have attention phobia and he was probably use to all of this. She broke the sliced onion into rings and tossed them into the salad mixer. The back of her wrist ran across her cheeks trying to get rid of the wetness there, caused by the onion. No, caused by the events of the day.

It kept replaying in her mind. The night before had been beautiful, magical. Today had been hell.

She hated herself for thinking this, but she had been all day. -Why did I have to fall in love with him? - Of all people, she had to go for the one that could screw up her life in a matter of seconds.

She knew the risk. She had taken it. And now she was faced with the consequences. She just hoped she could put up with it, to be strong, and in the end get his love still, unconditionally.

Her thoughts had carried her away, and like a rocket blast the door bust open and two sweaty guys came in yelling. "YOU CHEATED!" And "I BEAT YOU!"

"Now, boys. If you aren't going to be nice, I won't let you play." Alex's head shot up at the sound of Lynn's voice. She hadn't even heard her car drive up.

Lynn made her feel...weird. She knew Lynn could read her son well, and she wondered if she would pick up on what had happened the night before. Knowing Lynn, Alexandria knew she'd be asking questions. ESPECAILLY with what had happened today.

"Hey, Lex. What are you cookin?" Lynn asked.

Alex sniffed, blinked a few times and looked up at the 3 of them staring at her eagerly. "Umm, salad and pasta. What else do I know how to cook?" She managed a chuckle.

The three of them looked at her concerned. "What? Ohh, its the onion. Pretty strong." Her voice cracked.

Lynn and Jon smiled and nodded. Justin stared at her and gently shook his head. Her eyes locked onto his and his face frowned. He knew it wasn't the onion. He knew very well it wasn't the onion.

"Well, Paul called. He is going to be late tonight, so it's just us. How was yall's day?" Lynn asked.

"Mommy, I drew a picture and the teacher like it so much she put it on the bulletin board." Jon said proudly.

"Good for you. What was it of?" Lynn squatted down and ruffled his hair.

He grinned. "Me beating Justin in basketball." Justin maturely stuck his tongue out at his sibling. "IT WAS! It was me dunking on him." Jon giggled and ran off to somewhere in the house.

Lynn shook her head and stood up. "What about you two how was your day? Ohh yeah, how was your date? I haven't had the chance to talk to either of you." She sat down in at the kitchen table, sorting through the mail but waiting for them to answer.

"Uh, mom. Today was...strange. Last night was great. But because, umm, of last night, today was stressful." Justin stuttered and sat down beside his mother.

"What do you mean?" She dropped the mail on the table and stared at him, hard.

"Umm, well. See last night, some reporters somehow followed us back to Alex's apartment."

"Oh no." She whispered. "Did they get pictures? Tell me what happened?"

Justin glanced at Alex who was busying herself with washing the salad and fixing the noodles. He turned back shyly at his mom.

"Well, uhh, so...man, how do I tell you this?" He laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head. He was close to his mom, but he wasnt sure he wanted to test the boundaries of how close they were. "Ok, so this morning one of Alex's neighbors came over and told us he saw all these reporters outside. We had to call Mike and Dre to get us out without them getting pictures and then we got lectured by Johnny and then we came here."

"Oh ok. But, what do you mean? This morning?" Her curiosity triggered and she looked at her son with wide-begging eyes.

He sighed; knowing there was no way out of this. "Mom, I didn't go home last night. I stayed at Lexia's." He mumbled the last part.

Her forward position on the table slouched back. She stared at her eldest son. He bowed his curly head and watched as his fingers fiddled with the drawstring on his basketball shorts.

Alex tried everything in her power to stay out of the conversation and busy herself with cooking. The silence was knawing at her. She stole a quick glance at the kitchen table. Lynn was staring at Justin so hard. Like she was trying to get inside his head.

Alexandria knew, Lynn knew.

Justin slightly lifted his head and turned his eyes to his mother. She mouthed and in a barely audible voice, whispered. "Did you sleep with her?"

He could say no. But he knew his mom already knew the truth. There was no point in lying. He turned and looked at Alex who was reaching in the cabinets for the plates and bowls. He smiled.

-Who cares if my mom knows? I'm in LOVE with her. -

He turned back to Lynn and confidently looked into her eyes and nodded softly. She took in a sharp deep breath and turned her gaze outside as her son stared at her.

"I'm going to go get Jon. Dinner is almost ready." If it were any softer Alex's voice would have been a whisper.

Lynn turned, smiled and said, "All right."

------

Dinner was silent.

Except for Jon. As always, he had a ton of things to say and ask. So dinner wasn't TOO awkward.

Finally, Lynn looked up and directed her gaze straight to Alex. "So, is it ok to go back to your apartment tonight?"

Alex gulped down her food and shook her head no. "Umm, I'm uhh, staying at Justin's tonight. I'm going to have to get my clothes and stuff that I have here though, because I cant go back to my apartment just yet, and uhh, I don't have anything with me." She looked at Lynn, turned to Justin who tried to smile and then looked down at her plate of barely eaten food.

"Oh ok." That was Lynn's only response.

"MOMMY! Can Justin and Lexy spend the night??" Jon asked rather loudly.

Lynn looked up at Justin and Alex and then back at Jon. "Umm, I don't think so honey. They are going to Justin's."

"No, mom. That's a great idea. I can sleep on the couch and Alex can take my old room. That's fine. What do you say Lexia?" Justin looked at her encouraging her with his smile and eyes.

She looked horrified. "Um, whatever."

"YEAH!!!" Jon cheered and tried desperately to get the pasta on his fork, without it sliding off.

Justin winked at Alex. What was he trying to do? Make her life as awkward and embarrassing as possible.

She doubted that, but it sure seemed that way.

-----------
A bit before 9 that night.
------------

"LEXY!!!!!"

Alex groaned at the familiar voice. She loved the kid, but today was not a day that she really wanted to be worrying about him. As bad as that sounded. She just wanted to curl up in her bed and cry, as hard as she could.

"What Jon?" She peeked her head in his room to see him sitting on his bed, in his pjs, waving a book in the air.

"Will you read to me?" She couldn't help but smile at his sugar coated voice.

"Sure. But I gotta get a shower ok? I'll read to you after. I won't be long." She smiled and turned back to Justin's old room that she had claimed as her own for the night. Lynn had laid out her a towel and Alex had got her toiletries bag and pjs from where she kept her spare stuff. She sighed, picked it up and turned to walk to the bathroom that was outside in the hall. Her eyes scanned his old room.

It was blue, of course. Very boyish, very bare. She wondered what he had been like a few years ago. Was he still the suave romantic guy she had fell in love with, or was he a shy awkward boy that girls steered clear of?

She giggled to herself; one of the only times she had all day and made her way to the bathroom. She knocked to make sure, hugging all her stuff to her chest. She was about to open the door when it cracked open for her.

She saw that curly head look out and smile; he then opened the door further. "Come on in."

She just stared there for a moment. Alex couldn't believe how he could still leave her breathless. She had seen all of him. But right now, she couldn't think of anything better than how he looked right then. A white towel securely hung on his waist and the rest of him was bare and a bit wet. His hair was slightly damp, half his face was full of shaving cream, and the other just had streaks of it. A razor was dangling from his right fingers.

"I'll be out in a minute." He smiled smugly and raised his chin and ran the razor up over his skin. She meekly walked in and set her stuff on the toilet seat and looked up at him as he shaved.

"I know you are thinking that its pointless for me to have shaved at 9 at night, but mom will DEFIENTATLY want to talk to me tonight, and the more babyish I seem, the better off I am. Aww, bye bye goatee." He pouted but chuckle as he looked at his girlfriend out of the corner of his eye.

"Ohh, you know mom knows right?"

"Uhh, I guess." She whispered. He sighed and turned to look at her. His eyes bore into hers, trying to figure her out. She cleared her throat, ignored him and busied herself with putting some of her toiletries in the shower. She heard the sink run and water splash. She guessed across his face. As Alex was leaning over in the shower two hands grabbed her waist and pulled her against a strong chest. She was dragged over until she was looking at herself in a mirror with Justin behind her, holding on.

"Look at you. Stop this. You haven't eaten all day, you haven't said more than 3 words, you aren't being yourself. Snap out of it ok? This isn't the girl I love. Please, I need my Lexia back." His eyes pleaded hers in the mirror and he bent down to kiss her neck. "Please Lexia, don't let this get to you. We are going to be ok."

Justin turned her in his arms and looked at her. He opened his mouth to say something but stopped. Instead he brought his arms around her waist and leaned over her, crashing his mouth down on hers. His lips expertly moved with hers as his tongue eased his way to hers. She moaned and brought him closer by holding his head tightly to hers. This had been what she needed all day. He had been affectionate, sure. But she needed to KNOW that he still wanted, needed, and loved her.

His hands moved down, cupping her butt and pressing her into him. She had finally lessened the grasp on his face and moved her hands to his bare back. Justin lessened the pressure on her lips and kissed her softly once, then twice. Finally his lips left hers and traveled down the side of her neck. She rested her head on his strong shoulder and hugged him tightly as his lips stopped and remained motionless against her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry Justin, I'm so sorry." She whispered, her voice shaky and filled with tears.

"Shhh, baby, don't. It's ok. Don't cry Lexia. Please." He begged. He hugged her as tight as possible and a minute later a soft knock came to the door and it cracked open.

"Uh, guys. Jon is complaining that no one is reading to him." Lynn smiled at them as they pulled apart.

"I'm leaving. Gonna be ok?" He asked Alexandria.

"Yeah. Thanks." She whispered. Lynn looked at both of them and smiled comfortingly. She was shocked at the initial news but she was realizing how hard this was for them with the press that might have gotten.

Justin shut the door behind him and looked at his mother curiously as she began to laugh lightly. "Nice outfit, honey. Go put some clothes on and come downstairs, I wanna talk with you."

He turned up his nose and went into his old room/ Alex's new room to get clothes.

---------

Justin cautiously sat down by his mother on the couch. She handed him a glass of milk. He had to smile. She knew him, well. Too well at times, but he wouldn't change that for anything.

"So...how is she doin?" Lynn asked carefully.

Justin sighed, slouching down. "Not good. I know why, but then again I don't know why she is acting like this. I hope she doesn't think that it's her fault or anything. Because it couldn't have been prevented or anything. I...nevermind."

His mom reached over and grabbed his hand. "Tell me baby, I already know...everything, kinda." She giggled.

"I hope she doesn't think what we did was a mistake." His face began to burn with red and he looked away.

"Ask her baby. Believe me, it's very strange for me to be giving you advice on this subject. But you're 20 years old, and as much as I hate to admit it you are your own man. You know you will always be my baby though, right?"

He rolled his eyes and moved his position so he was stretched across the couch with his head in her lap. She instinctively ran her fingers through his hair and he sighed, contently. "I know momma. I mean, I don't know what to do. I've never been in this situation before. It was...I don't want to tell you how good it was mom, but ya know? What now? I just wish no one had found out, then I would have been able to talk to her. But now, it's weird."

"Justin, I've told you all my life. Girls are weird. They have strange emotions that get mixed up. I've known Alex, LONGER than you. And maybe I don't know her as well, but I know she's not much for attention. She's a strong girl, stronger than I've ever met, but that's her weakness. Most people wish and hope to be celebrities, to be famous. Alex would hate it. And, I love Alex like she were my own. And I know that she must really love you if she is putting her private life on the line, just to be with you."

Justin smiled at his mom's words, staring off to a bookshelf that had a picture of Jon and Alexandria on it. Lynn continued.

"I know you might not wanna hear this, but I bet she is really doubting her life with you right now. So you need to convince her that you are worth the risk."

He turned his head and looked up at his mom. "But what if I'm not momma, what if I'm not worth the risk?"

"Believe me baby..." She smiled and sat up, causing him to move his head. She took a pillow and gave it to him, he position it under his head. She then took the afghan off the couch and placed it over her son. She kissed his forehead. "...you are worth the risk."

He smiled and got comfortable under his makeshift bed. She walked away. "Get your rest Justin, you got a big day tomorrow."

"Ok."

She turned off the lamp that was left on in the room. "Goodnight baby."

"Thanks. Night momma."

Next morning, 8:30

-----------------

Justin crept in his old bedroom for the second time that morning. The first time had been about 30 minutes ago when he came in to get some clothes. Mike had just arrived at his house and Justin was going up stairs to place a note on his nightstand for Alexandria.

He sat the folded up piece of paper right beside her glasses so that she would be sure to see it. His blue eyes smiled at the scene before him.

Neither of them were under the covers. Alex was practically sitting up, with Jon leaning on her shoulder and her arm draped over him. A blanket was gently over their laps and a "Harry Potter" book was lying in Alex's lap face down. Her head was tilted to the side towards Jon and they were both sleeping quietly.

He leaned over and pressed a kiss to Alex's forehead and then to his brothers. Jon yawned and opened his eyes tiredly.

"Shh, buddy. It's time to get up." Justin whispered.

Jon's eyes opened more. "I'm hungry."

"Well, come on, don't wake Lexy up." Justin held out his arms and picked up Jon, trying not to stir the girl sleeping there too much. Jon hung on to Justin's torso as they walked out of the room.

"What are YOU doin up in the MORNING!!" Jon giggled and Justin gave him a teasing mean look.

"I've got stuff I gotta do. Mom's already got your breakfast ready for you to eat. And she sat out your clothes to go to school. Will you wake up Lexy for me when you get done with breakfast?"

Jon nodded and Justin sat him down and let him down once they reached the bottom of the steps. Jon spotted Mike and he squealed and ran over to the big black man, casually sitting on the couch, reading a magazine.

"MIIIKKKEE!!!" Jon crawled up and wrapped his arms around the big mans stomach.

"Hey, Little J. What's up my man?"

"Not much." He pulled away as Justin began to speak.

"Now Jon, I'm putting a lot of responsibility on you. Me and Mike have to go. Can you remember to wake up Lexia once you've eaten? She needs to take you to school this morning ok? Can you do this for me buddy?"

"Yeah, sure!" He said happily.

"Ok, we gotta go now. So go eat and then do what you are supposed to ok?"

"Ok. Bye Justin, bye Mike." Jon hugged Mike once more and jumped off the couch and ran over to hug Justin.

"Ok, Jon, bye." Justin giggled and opened the door as Jon ran off to the kitchen.

Mike shook his head. "He is so cute."

Justin smiled smugly and opened the front door. "Yeah, mom says we are just alike."

"Uh huh, suuuurrree." Mike rolled his eyes and stepped out into the warm morning Florida sunshine.

------------

Alexandria parked in the space outside of Nsync's management building. She sighed and cut off her car and relaxed back in her seat. It was 10:30 and the meeting didn't start till another 30 minutes. She picked up Justin's note that was lying on her passenger seat. She read it...again.

"What's up you sexy thang you? I went out this morning to run some errands. I might be a few minutes late to the meeting, but its ok. Danielle will sit with you so you won't be alone. Just save me a seat ok? (preferably beside you) I went and got your car for you this morning. The keys are on the kitchen table. Can you take Jon to school for mom? He needs to be there by 9:30. I think that's all that I need to tell you. Oh yeah, I got a surprise for you, but you will find out about that later. Have a good morning, Lexia.

I love you SOOOOOO much!!!!

Justin"

She had been quite surprised when she learned he had gone and gotten her car for her. She had done everything he asked, taken Jon to school. Her mind had been wondering where he had been all morning, and what this surprise was that he had in store for her. She looked down at the note one more time, staring at the words "I love you SOOOOO much."

He didn't realize that reading that had been her happiest moment she had had in the past 24 hours. She sighed and put the note in her purse and stepped out of her Jeep.

She entered through the front doors and immediately went to the front desk and asked the receptionist where she was supposed to go. The lady checked off her name and pointed her in the right direction.

Her legs carried her to the elevator where she got on and traveled to the 3rd floor. The elevators dinged and the doors opened.

She was hit in the stomach by something. It's wasn't hard, she bent to pick up the squishy foam swoosh football. She raised her eyebrow and stood up straight looking into the eyes of two guys.

"Ohh sorry Alex!" Lance chuckled giving her a sheepish grin. Chris smiled and threw his arms wide.

"ALEXANDRIA!! I haven't seen you in a while. What's up chica?" He engulfed her in a hug and she patted his back.

"Uhh Chris can we get off the elevator, the doors are closing." He pulled away and jumped back as the doors started to close. He pulled her out of the elevator.

"Sorry Lex, Lance here can't throw." Chris kept his arm around her shoulders and walked down the long hallway towards Lance.

"Whatever dude, you just can't catch."

"Don't test me, youngin."

Alex giggled at their antics. It was good just to forget about all her problems for a moment.

"Come on, Dani is like freakin'. She was talking all this morning about Alex this and Alex that. I think she likes you more than me."

"Oh, there's no doubt about that." Alexandria smiled sweetly at Chris. He glared at her and opened a set of double doors to display a large room with couches and chairs.

Joey, Danielle, a girl she had never seen before, some of the security, and a 40 year old lady was there all sitting around each other chatting.

"LEX!!" Dani piped up seeing her.

"Hey Girl!" Alex walked over to her and hugged her.

"Hey, how are you doin?" She asked cautiously.

"I'm...better. Yesterday wasn't fun." She assumed everyone knew by now.

Dani's eyes widen. "I bet, come on sit down." Alex sat down and watched as Chris and Lance plopped down in chairs.

"This is Joey's girlfriend, Michelle, and this is Melinda." Danielle pointed to the two women Alex didn't know. "Melinda is like the boy's momma. She does the website and all the fan relations and stuff. We call her "chicken"."

A few minutes past and everyone was just casually talking. JC had come in, bringing his girlfriend Bobbie whom Alex found very refreshing. She was small and shy but very sweet. She smiled at the way JC and her interacted and she wondered if that's how her and Justin were. Like, they just...fit.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Johnny strolled in, sat in a chair beside a table, put down some different papers and looked up to everyone in the room. "Let's get this started."

---------

It was 15 minutes into the meeting when the door bust open and Justin and Mike swaggered in. Johnny had gone over a few policies, thrown down the 2 tabloids that had covered the story. So far, no other press had. But the pictures they had gotten were...well they were pretty good. You couldn't be for sure who it was. But anyone that knew Justin had a convertible blue BMW could insinuate. And sure enough, like Justin had said, there was a picture of her waving to the camera, but it was a bit blurry.

There were also ones of them walking out of the restaurant and into his car; but they were kinda far away. And ones of them going into her apartment. That was all. The article was just the regular crap. How Justin was cheating on Britney and stuff. But the most surprising thing was that they had found out Alex's first name. She didn't know how or care to know how. But still it bothered her. At least they didn't know more than that.

Anyway, Justin strolled in with his hand swinging a McDonald's bag back and forth. "I keep forgetting that Micky Dees stops serving breakfast at 10:30. That sucks." He plopped down in between Alex and Dani.

"Hey babe." He smiled at Alex who gave him a "shut up and behave" look.

"So, did I miss much?"

"Not really." Johnny said. "Everyone I talked with Justin first thing this morning, so he's basically heard everything I have to say to you."

"Yeah, and I've talked with Brit." He fished out a hamburger and gave it to Alex to hold for him. He continued as he picked up his fries. "She and I have decided that we aren't going to say anything else about our relationships. We've planned to go to award shows together just to throw off people because I don't want the press going after Lexia and me and Britney are still friends. So it's cool."

Justin picked up an apple pie and handed it to Alex. "Want this? I got it free."

She giggled and shook her head. Joey clapped his hands once and held them in front of his face. Justin threw him the apple pie.

"So ANYWAYS, umm, it shouldn't be a big deal. The next big award thingy is the Grammies and she'll be in Sweden, and I've already asked my mom to go with me. So, there ain't no problem." He smiled sweetly and retrieved his hamburger, unwrapped it and took a big bite with everyone watching.

He swallowed and shrugged. "What? Can't a brotha eat?" He looked at Joey who bit into his pie and shrugged as well.

Alex sighed and smacked her hand against her forehead as the room erupted into laughter at Justin and Joey.

Johnny smiled and looked up and locked eyes with Alex. "Alex, I've called your landlord. He says they've got everything under control. But he still is seeing a few suspicious people around there, so, like I said before, do what you feel is right. But my suggestion is to stay with someone until the weekend is over."

"Ok, I guess I'll-"

"You movin' in with me." Justin said eating the last bite of his hamburger. He tossed the wrapper in the brown bag and picked up his fries that had been trapped in between his knees.

"Excuse me?"

"You are moving in with me. Surprise!"

"Oh I am? That IS a surprise." Alex cocked and eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. How dare he boss her around and decide stuff for her.

"Yeah, it'll be safer that way."

"Oh ok, sure, whatever you say Justin." She turned her head away her jaw tightening and stared off into nothing.

Johnny cleared his throat to break the tension building in the room, coming from Alex. "Uh, ok. Well I guess that's all I need to discuss with everyone. I need security and guys to stay for a while I gotta talk to you about some things. Everyone else is free to go." Johnny smiled and stood up.

All the girlfriends and Melinda stood up talking with the guys. But Alex picked up her purse, waved goodbye to Dani and the guys and started towards the doors.

"Lexia, baby. Wait." She stopped with her hand on the door and took in a calming breath.

He jogged up to her and opened the door for her. She stepped out and he followed her, walking slightly behind her towards the elevators.

"What's wrong? Are you mad at me?" Justin whined.

"No, not at ALL!" Her voice was thick with sarcasm. She pressed the down button. "I have to go to class Justin. I'll come back to your house-"

"Our house." He interrupted and smiled.

"YOUR house, when class is over. Bye." The doors opened and she stepped in. He grabbed her hand.

"Wait. Don't be mad. Please. I have my reasons and I'll explain later."

The doors began to close and she snatched her hand away. "Bye Justin."

"Ok, bye Lexia. I love you."

The doors shut and Alex rested her back against the wall of the elevator. She was mad that he had gone ahead and assumed that she would move in with him. But the sincere tone of his voice and the way he had said "Lexia...I love you" changed her attitude. She had been a ball of emotions the past 2 days. So much had happened and she hadn't had a long time to actually think about it and sort it out, like she liked to do with any problem she faced.

But right now, all she could think about were the way his eyes looked before those elevator doors shut.

No matter what he had done or said, she knew he loved her by the look in his eyes.

And that made her day a little bit brighter.

That afternoon

-------------

"YOU WHAT?" Jen screamed causing a few people to turn and stare at her in the UCF library. Alex gave her a look and continued on.

"Yeah, so when I was at the meeting today, he just kinda announced that I was moving in with him!"

"Go Lex!" Jen rooted quietly, this time remembering they were in the library.

Alex pressed the copy button once more on the copier that was copying pages from a science book she needed for one of her classes. "Yeah, but I don't want to. I like my freedom, I mean I love him yeah, but Jen I've been with him 2 weeks!"

"You guys are moving a little fast don't ya think."

"I know, but it feels right. I just was surprised by the moving in thing, I wish he would have discussed this with me." She picked up her copies and pried the heavy reference book from the machine.

"It will work out Alex. I miss the boy, I want to see him sometime." Jen smiled evilly as Alex laughed.

"You are a mess. But I guess I better be headin out, I told him I'd come home after class."

"All right, but just something I'm going to note. You just said "home" Alexandria." Jen gave her a look that said, "I told ya so."

Alex pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. "Ok, ok. So the idea of living with the sexiest man alive does excite me a little, but still..."

Jen giggled and patted her back as she walked further into the aisles of books. "Later Lex. Have fun with Loverboy."

"Bye Jen."

Alex smiled. Jen had been very understanding and helpful to her situation. She had knocked some sense into Alex, letting her know that Justin probably had his reasons, and if she did love him, she would understand his actions, or at least let him explain before she got all upset.

Jen could be quite sensible and bright for being a star struck teenybopper.

She covered her eyes with sunglasses as she stepped out of the library. Yup, her day was getting brighter and brighter.

-------

The Silver Jeep had been parked right outside the open garage, behind Justin's cars. She walked through the garage, lightly knocked on the door and opened the door.

"Hey Just?" Alex called out. She walked past the laundry room, giggled and peeked in. Her eyes widened at the site of piles and piles of clothes just thrown in there. She walked on towards the kitchen and saw a big bouquet of Daisy's on the kitchen table. She smiled when she saw a note with her name on it. She opened it and almost gasped when she saw her apartment key taped to it.

The note read...

"You might want to be more careful with this thing. All I had to do was get your keys from your purse when you spent the night at momma's and took the key."

She searched for her keys in her purse and sure enough she was missing her house key. She immediately put the taped key back on her keychain.

"Where are you?" Alex asked into the quiet house. She got a response. But not the one she was hoping for.

She turned at the noise and her mouth dropped. There was Chester and his cage, all set up beside the kitchen table, against the glass doors that led outside.

He had gone to her apartment and brought her stuff back here!

Her mouth went dry and she immediately went to the refrigerator to get something to drink. If it was going to be THEIR house, she might as well take advantage of it. She opened the fridge and her eyes widened. It was stocked with Snapple.

She then heard the faint vibration of bass and followed it through the foyer to the guest bedroom. She heard loud music coming from the room and slowly inched the door open.

She gasped at the sight. Justin was rapping and singing along to Common's, "There are Times."

"It don't take a whole day to recognize sunshine...there are times, when you'll neeeeeed someone. I will be by your siiiideee. Ohhh yeahhh. There is a light that shines, special for you ANNNNNNDD me." He was dancing and singing loud. But that's not what made her gasp.

Her underwear was scattered all over the guest bed. Some of her other clothes were in piles on the floor.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" She yelled.

He jumped slightly and smiled way too brightly. "Unpacking!"

She thought he had lost his mind. What WAS he doing?

"Do you keep your socks and undies in the same drawer or separate?" He asked, still shaking his hips to the song.

Alex stormed in and shut the CD player on the dresser off. "I'll say it again.... What the hell are you doing?" She said her word slowly and articulately.

Justin put down a handful of bras that he was holding and walked over to her. "I'm moving you in. This is your room now."

He tried to wrap his arms around her, but she pushed him away. "Why are you doing this Justin? You are acting insane. I don't really want you rummaging through my underwear."

He smiled evilly. "It's not like I haven't seen it before."

She glared.

"Lexia, just give this a chance ok? If you HATE living with me, its cool you still have your apartment. I didn't move everything out, And I...I'm just trying to make this as easy as possible. I've never felt this way about anyone, and I'm sorry, but I WANT you to live with me." He stuck his hands in his pockets and lowered his head.

Alex sighed, feeling sorry for upsetting him. He looked like a little kid who just learned he wasn't getting a puppy for Christmas, right now. "Justin..." She walked over to him and grabbed his upperarms. His head lifted slightly. "...This is just a little...much. I mean, that apartment means a lot to me. It was the first place that was like MINE, and mine alone. My mom even painted that ceiling and I just, I don't know. This is just going to take a lot of time for me to get use to living with you. I'm use to being by myself."

"You are use to being alone." He whispered.

"Yeah." She took her arms and wrapped them around his stomach. "But I'll try this for you. Since it means a lot."

He removed his hands from his pockets and held her to him. "Thank you."

"Sure, but one problem." She pulled away, still in his arms and looked at him smiling. "Chester is a messy bird."

"It's ok. I'm sure Jon would love to baby-sit him for us."

"I like that."

"What?" He asked, grinning as she moved in closer.

"That word...us...." She kissed him softly on the lips. He pulled away to whispered against her.

"I like it too." He smiled and moved his hand to the back of her head, tilting it, and pushing her forward to devour her lips with his own.

-----

A little after 11 that night

Justin had gone and picked up some food for them and they ended up eating and then watching a movie after Alex had finished unpacking. She was amazed. The closet and dressers were full of everything she needed. Even her bathroom was stocked.

She had to bite her tongue when she opened up the compartment under the sink and saw that there were tampons there. She didn't even want to know...

Now she was under her covers, the light was out in her room and all that was lighted in the room were small patterns on the carpeted floor that was from the moonlight shine through the blinds.

The bed was amazingly comfortable. She even had her stuffed animal Spot snuggled to her chest. She was in her favorite pair of sky blue cotton pajamas. And her pillow was the one from her apartment, her down feather pillow she had had since she was 16.

Yet in all that familiarity she couldn't get one wink of sleep.

"arrrggg..." She growled and flipped off her stomach and on to her back, staring at the ceiling. She closed her eyes, breath deeply and relaxed. Five minutes later she hit herself in the head with Spot.

After 10 minutes off laying there not being able to even think of sleep Alex threw her covers off her in a sigh, and literally rolled out of the bed. Her bare feet shuffled across the carpet to the door.

She stopped.

-Don't go bother him, he is probably in his REM mode now. -

She turned around.

-But he is your boyfriend; it's his job. -

She smiled and turned back to the door and opened it.

She took a step back and dropped her stuffed animal in surprise.

"Oh, hey." Justin shyly said, dropping his hand that was in a fisted position, ready to knock on the door.

"Hi." She said back.

He scratched the back of his head and bit his lip. "I uhh, was just coming to...I couldn't sleep."

She smiled and leaned against the opened door. "Me either. I was just about to come sneak in your room."

"What's wrong? Do you not like your bed? I can change the mattress and pillows if you-"

"Justin, that's not why I couldn't sleep." She interrupted him.

"Oh." He looked down at his bare feet and stared at them as she let her eyes travel all over him.

They didn't talk for a good while. He just stared at his feet as she let her eyes run over his Carolina Blue sweatpants with the letters UNC running up the sides of the legs and his white undershirt.

"Well, look at us we match." Alex giggled.

He looked up and smiled at her solid light blue cotton long pajama bottoms and same colored tee. "I guess so." He then reached out for her hand and interlocked her fingers with his, pulling her out of the room.

She didn't question him as he led her into the foyer and then up the steps. She just allowed him to drag her to wherever he wanted. It wasn't like she was doing anything else. It wasn't like she was sleeping!

He reached the upstairs and turned towards his room. His hand clicked the lights off and the house got extremely darker. She grinned when he looked over his shoulder and smiled genuinely.

The door to his room was partially opened, so he just pushed it a little further and led her inside. He didn't even let her hand go as he led her over to his bed and turned out the light.

Now the room was completely dark. Well, expect for the moonlight and digital clocks. He sat her down and pulled the covers over her, only then letting go of her delicate fingers. He strided to the edge of the bed and crawled up the bed and pushed his feet and leg under the dark colored sheets and comforter. Once under the covers, he immediately reached out for Alex.

"Now, I can sleep." He mumbled into her hair, spooning her body from behind.

Alex sighed and rested her hands on top of his arms that were holding on to her stomach. "Yeah..."

"Lexia?"

"What?"

"I love you. And-" He paused and she could feel his lips brush her shoulder. "-And I want to thank you for spending Valentine's Night with me. I know I haven't gotten to tell or show you how much that meant to me, but I'm working on it, ok?"

"Justin you don't have to show me how much it meant. I know, it meant a lot to me too."

"Good. Goodnight babe."

"Goodnight Justin, oh and I love you too."

He smiled. "Good. Night."

"G'night."

"I'll see you in the morning."

Alex giggled. "Ok, babe."

"Do you want breakfast?"

"JUSTIN!!" Alex yelled unbelieving.

"What?" He asked innocently.

"Shut up!"

He giggled and held her tighter. "Yes ma'am."

5 minutes later they were both fast asleep.

Next morning...a little after 9

-----------------

Alex shot up in the bed when she didn't recognize where she was. When she looked around her she sighed, seeing the tossed sheet on his side and his discarded sweats and tee thrown on the floor. He must already have been up and gotten ready for his day. She racked her brain, trying to remember what day it was. Saturday, she thought. She rolled over and looked at the clock. It was almost 9:15, and she had to be at the Lab at 11.

The covers were thrown off her and she stood up and stretched, relishing in the smell of his room. The smell of him.

Finally Alexandria regained her senses and made her way downstairs. She heard him before she saw him. He must have been on the phone. She rounded the corner of the kitchen and saw him, looking out of the glass doors right beside Chester's cage. He was in jeans and a white T-shirt, one hand was on the glass in front of him, tracing imaginary patterns with his fingers and the other was holding up the phone.

"Yeah...Well, I don't know where we would go...I guess?.... I could ask...I really hate this, I mean she's already missed a lot of classes for this thing...I don't care...Yes sir...You just, you don't know Lexia like I do.... I'll ask...but that doesn't mean its going to happen..."

Alex listened to his end of the conversation, wondering whom he was talking to. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his middle and pressed her cheek on the back of his shoulder. He jumped, not expecting her, but sighed at the feel of her around him. He took his hand off the glass and turned in her arms, holding her with that hand. "...uh huh...sure...yup...ok ...bye." He clicked off the phone and dropped it onto the kitchen table. Now he hugged her fully.

After a few moments he mumbled, "Morning."

"mmmm..." She stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his lips. "How you?" She pulled away with her hands still clasped around his back.

"I'm perfect now..." He smiled and she giggled in return.

"Who was that? I heard my name be mentioned." She unwrapped him from her hug and ran her hands through his hair, down his neck, and over his shoulders, kneading them slightly.

"Johnny...he has another suggestion."

"And that is?" Alex stared at his arms, letting her hands run down them while she asked her question.

His eyebrow connected, wondering what she was doing. "He thinks we should go away for a few days. Like far away..."

"Does he mean Tampa or China?" She smiled as her fingers played with his and she looked at them intently.

"I don't know, Lexia. What ARE you doing?" He was confused as to why she was groping him at this very moment.

"I'm...studying you. Now what did Johnny say?" She stepped back and let her eyes roam over him. He wondered if something was wrong with his appearance and to why she was "studying him". He shoved that aside for now and answered her question.

"He said for us to get lost for a few days. He thinks it will be good for us and the press if we disappear, but to somewhere we KNOW that the press cant get to us."

"Alaska..." Alex muttered stepping closer.

"What?" Justin asked as her hands crept around his torso and scratched his back.

"Let's go to Alaska. I get to take you home to the mom and pops and you can see the place that made me into..ME!" She smiled and slid her hands lower and into his jeans pockets and squeezed slightly.

His eyes widened with surprise. "Lexia, what are you doin' babe?" He asked secretively.

She smiled, biting her lip and pushed him into her with her hands in his pockets so that their front were snugly meshed together. "I don't know. But let's go to Alaska. Ok?"

"I guess, I mean can you miss school?"

"Sure, I have the highest average in all my classes. I can afford to miss a few." She leaned her head right under his chin.

"Well let's be a little cocky..." Justin picked, playing with her hair as she clung to him tightly.

"Well, its the truth, and sorry, but I work my ass off to get those grades so I am allowed to be cocky." She smiled up at him and he let go of the strands he was playing with and dipped down to kiss her full lips. It started out slow and gentle and quickly moved to fast and hard. Justin ended up picking her up and sitting her on the kitchen table. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he leaned forward and over her on the table, kissing her furiously. Finally she broke away. "I gotta go to the lab Justin."

"In lab's you study things. Well you said you were studying me. So study!" He chuckled into her neck. He kissed her there a few times and finally she sat up and pushed him away.

"I'll study you later." She smiled and he sighed.

"Ok. But you promise?" He asked with a pout, pressing his forehead to hers.

She grinned and nodded but then she gasped. "Oh, Justin. I don't know. Umm, after intern I'm going to go back to my apartment and pack up some stuff to take back home sense, well I don't live there anymore..." She smiled at him. "I'll come back here after I get back and pack what I need to take home and then I'll go back to my apartment and pack there. Ok?"

"I guess, when will you be back from the lab?"

"Uhh 4ish?"

"Ehh, I have to be at the studio all this afternoon. But I'll see you tonight?"

"Um, I don't know. I might stay at my place...WAIT A MINUTE!" She hopped off the table and stared up at him.

"What?"

"When are we leaving for Alaska?" She realized she didn't know if this was a tomorrow thing or a next week sort of thing.

He cringed afraid of her response. "Tomorrow if possible."

"Oh. Well I need to call home, hehe." She laughed. "But yeah, then I'll stay at my place tonight and then I'll meet up with you at the airport or I'll come back here in the morning or whatever. Just call me on my cell or at my apartment. I guess you are making the flight reservations."

"Yes I am." Justin reached out and held her in his arms.

"All right then, I need to go get ready to go Justin...Justin...Justin!" He ignored her as he kissed her neck with sloppy wet kisses. "I gotta go babe." Alex sighed.

He started to whine. "So, this is the last time I'll see you before we get on a plane. Don't you want me to come over and help you tonight?"

Alex giggled and forced herself away from him. "I think we can go 24 hours without each other Justin."

"You might be able to, but I CANT!" He retorted seriously.

She walked close to him, grabbed his cheeks and placed a wild and wet kiss on his mouth, leaving him whimpering for more. "Deal with it, and maybe I'll put a full scale scientific experimental study on that fine body of yours. K?"

He nodded his eyes still lazy from the passionate kiss he had just received. She smiled at him and kissed him softly once more, finally forcing herself away and walking out of the kitchen. "See ya later, babe."

"Bye Sexy Lexy." Justin giggled.

Alex looked over her shoulder, winked and slapped her rear end playfully, before she skipped to her room.

--------------------------------
8 that night
-----------

Alex squeezed the phone between her ear and shoulder as she picked up a stack of sheets and towels. "So, I can take towels and sheets home right? I mean you have those."

"Yup, I got mounds of stuff like that. Mom went nuts when I moved out here a year ago. ahhh." Justin lightly squealed.

"What is it babe? You been squealing like a pig ever since I got on the phone with ya." Alex giggled.

"I just, can't wait for you to see me tomorrow."

Alex thought about what he said and it made no sense so she ignored it. "Umm, ok. Gosh mom and dad are just thrilled that you are coming. I'm going to warn ya though. It's not fun up in the Big A."

"Ohh yes it will be. It's funny though, I had to go to mom's and get all my winter clothes since ya know, you don't really need them in Florida. I had to go fish them out of the attic." He giggled. "I can't wait to have a snowball fight, I haven't had one of those in forever. And I AM the master."

"Oh, I really doubt that."

"Is that a challenge Miss Smith?" His voice made her smile through the phone and she fell back on her bed, sending a few piles of clothes to tip over, but not caring in the least.

"It might be. You'll just have to wait a see."

"Baby, don't tease."

She scoffed and whined like a little brat. "But I'm so good at it."

Suddenly his voice got lower and huskier. "I know. So, Lexia, lets talk about this whole studying thing."

Alex blushed a bit and curled herself in a ball on her bed, fingering lacy pattern on the end of her pillowcases. "Justin..."

He breathed deeply in the phone. "What sexy?"

"I don't want to talk about studying." She whispered shyly.

He coaxed with his smooth voice. "Why not? You know you like it. You couldn't keep your hands off me this morning."

"But Justin, talking is..." She stop and blushed to herself, not believe she was going to say this. "...it's different than doing."

"Mmmmm hmmm, VERY different." He chuckled heartily.

"Awww, stop, you are embarrassing me." She whined.

"How am I embarrassing you? I don't get it Lexia. I mean, this is something we've shared together. Just you and me, babe."

"I know."

"I gotta question." His voice went back to normal Justin.

"Ok."

But then it returned to its deep huskiness. "Do you really think that you will be studying more of me? I mean, that wasn't just a in the moment thing right?"

Alex was a little taken back by his question. It was being blunt in a vague way. She hadn't really thought about it, because to her the answer was simple. She had made a decision 3 nights ago. And she didn't think there was another way about it. "Babe, making love to you was not a one time deal in my mind. At least I hope it's not a one time thing."

Justin was silent for a while as he let her words sink in and fill his head. He smiled and stuffed another bulky sweater into his suitcase. He sighed and held the phone close to his ear, as if it would get him closer to her. "Good. Not that I would feel differently if you had said it was just one time, but this just...I don't know." He closed his suitcase and scratched his head. "It just makes me feel better to know we feel the same way about the issue."

"Ok Justin. But lets not talk about this any more it makes me..I don't know, just makes me feel weird."

He stopped his actions immediately, starting to worry about their situation. "It does?"

"No, I mean. I'm not regretting it or anything. Its just that when I think about it makes me...I don't know feel older and grown up and tingly and STOP it Justin. Just change the subject!" She shouted.

He chuckled into the phone. "All right. Listen I need to call Mike or someone so that they will know what time to come pick me and you up to go to the airport. But I'll call ya back in like 5 ok, sweetie?"

"Sure."

"Ok, talk to ya in a sec." He clicked the phone off and dialed the number for Mike's. He walked to his dresser and threw his bottle of cologne and some other things over onto the bed. As he waited for Mike to pick up his let his fingers trail across the frame of a picture sitting on his dresser. It was of Alexandria and Jonathan playing basketball and they must have not known it was being taken. His mom had given it to him.

Justin sighed. He really didn't want to have to go on a trip now. He was tired and wanted to relax just for a bit. But a distant smile came to his face. He would be with her. And then suddenly he wasn't tired and he wanted to go on a trip, to wherever. Just as long as she was there too.

Next morning...Sunday. Around 8

--------------------------------

"Tell me again, why I agreed to do this?"

"Johnny suggested it."

"Johnny suggests a lot of things. Why did I have to agreed to THIS?"

"Because you have a hot girlfriend and she offered to take you to her home."

After a few seconds he responded. "Ohh, yeah."

Mike chuckled and looked over to the passenger side where Justin was curled up to the window with a pillow and a hat on his head.

"Now, tell me again why we didn't go pick Alex up?" Mike asked as he parked his car.

Justin groaned and opened his eyes slightly to glare at Mike for asking him a question. "She said, I don't remember Mike. I just know that Jen is bringing her."

"Gosh, I hope Alex will put up with your grumpiness. It's only 8. You've gotten up a lot earlier than this before." Mike opened his car door and stepped out.

Justin yelled before he slammed the door. "But I got 2 hours of sleep last night." The door promptly slammed with the "t" in night.

Justin shrugged and closed his eyes again.

Moments later his world went spinning and his eyes opened as his pillow hit the pavement and two arms caught him. "We are 15 minutes late because I had to wake you up and force you into a shower. Now get out of that attitude, pick up your luggage and lets go." Mike shut the door behind him as Justin mocked him under his breath and lowered his baseball hat.

He threw his carry on over his shoulder and picked up the next bag he saw which was the smallest one. He smiled sweetly as Mike grumbled and picked up a huge duffel bag. "I don't see why you are taking your whole wardrobe."

"It's Alaska. You gotta pack thick and warm stuff." Justin smiled as Mike slammed the back of his car down and started walking with Mike into the terminal.

The walked through the sliding doors and headed straight towards the American Airlines check out. He spotted the two girls, alive, bubbly, and very much awake.

Jen was standing up in front of Alex who was sitting on her luggage in beside the ticket line. Jen was dressed in a skirt and shirt and looked rather nice. Alex on the other hand had her hair in braided pigtails and a bucket hat on her head. Her glasses were perched on her nose and she was wearing torn jeans and a baby tee. A sweatshirt was wrapped around her waist and she had a Styrofoam cup in her hand.

"So, anyways. We were all freakin' out because professor Cox was running all over the lab looking for a fire extinguisher and the thing was going up in flames, smoke was EVERYWHERE! Oh my gosh, everyone else was just running around trying to put water on it and I just sat there laughing my tail off. Oh you should have BEEN there, Lex." Jen was talking with her hands and laughing. Alex was giggling as well.

"Well, I had to go to all those meetings with Justin's manager. I just can't believe it caught on fire. Professor Cox is so peculiar about having everything perfect."

"That's what was so funny!" Jen exclaimed.

"Well, its good to know you girls are in a good mood. Alex, watch out. He is like prince moody...well its pretty normal for Justin, but still..." Mike smiled at Alex who looked up with a bright smile.

Justin was lagging behind and dragging his small duffel bag. He got to the group and nodded at Jen, plopped down beside Alex on the floor and put his pillow on her legs. His head fell on the pillow and he closed his eyes. "Wake me up when we get there." He mumbled.

Alex smiled and rubbed his shoulders. "Babe, we gotta get on the plane first."

"No, you have to carry me." He whined. Alex looked up and rolled her eyes.

"Well, I hate to go. But I gotta get to church. Have fun you two. And Justin, it was a pleasure getting to see you again."

"You too Jen." Justin mumbled.

Mike sighed, annoyed. "Sorry about him. I'm Mike. I'm a bodyguard."

"I figured that much. I'm Jen, Alex's friend." She turned back to Alex and bent down to hug her. "Bye girl, have fun. Email me when ya get there."

"Sure thang."

Jen petted Justin's head. "Bye Justin."

"Bye." He croaked out.

Jen smiled, waved and pranced towards the exit.

"Justin, get UP!" Mike yelled, picking Justin up. Justin pushed him a away.

"Man, get off."

"Get off that attitude."

"You aren't my mom."

"Damn right, cause if I was you wouldn't be acting like you were a bratty 2 year old. Now go get your boarding passes and luggage checked. I did not wake up on my day off just to see you have a bad attitude. I've been doing you a lot of FAVORS here lately Justin. So plaster on a smile, stand up straight, and don't act like you are all high and mighty." Mike watched in victory as Justin rolled his eyes, put on a smile and walked towards the fight attendants that were behind the luggage check counters.

Alex stood up and smiled as Mike took Justin luggage over to him. He came back and got all of her luggage without saying one word. Justin looked over his shoulder and nodded with his head for her to come join him. She walked over to the counter and stood beside him as they got their boarding passes and luggage checked. Sometime in their check out they had to show their driver's license.

"Eww, look at yours." Alex pointed and giggled at his messed up hair and almost stunned face in the small picture.

"Look at yours!" Justin said, not even seeing hers.

"My picture was quite good thank you." She bumped him with his hip and he nudged her back.

The flight attendant handed them their passes and licenses back and smiled. Justin readjusted his carry on strap and Alexandria tugged on her hat as the walked with Mike towards the gate where their plane would be taking off.

A half an hour later the flight attendant called for first class passengers and Justin stood up and stretched.

"We are going first class?" Alex asked shocked.

"Yeah, what else?" Justin shrugged.

"Oh my gosh, this is going to be awesome." She squealed and put her arms through her backpack straps and hoisted it up.

Mike gave Justin a brotherly hug and gave Alex a bear hug before waving them off on to the plane.

"Au revious Mike!" Justin turned around and blew him a kiss. Mike turned and started walking the other way. He never turned back around.

Justin giggled and nudged Alex in the side. IT was a small flight and not many people were on it. They would have a short lay over in Denver, which was 5 hours away and then they would fly straight to Juneau. "You excited?"

"About what? Going home? I guess. I'm more excited that you get to see it." She smiled at him through her glasses.

"I thought you hated the place." He smiled knowingly at her as the boarded the plane, being greeted by the attendants.

Justin pushed past her and found their seats and put his stuff in the compartment above him. "Take the window, I'll be dead in about ten minutes." He smiled as she went past him and sat down cautiously. "Wow." She breathed at all the neat first class features.

"What?" He chuckled as he shut the compartment and plopped down beside her window his pillow in his lap.

"First class." She smiled. "It's spacious."

"Yeah, not spacious enough for me." Justin stretched out and sure enough his legs were still a little bent in the space. "But as long as I got my pillow, I'm good." He smiled and pushed it behind his head and got comfortable.

"Well since you aren't going to talk to your girlfriend, I guess I'll just study and take notes on what I'm missing next week." She turned her head and looked out the window.

"Sorry baby." He leaned over, pressed his chin in her shoulder and looked up at her. "I didn't sleep good last night, cause you weren't there with me and ya know...now I'm all tired."

She turned and smiled at him. "Take that hat off I can't even see your face." She reached and grabbed his hat, ignoring his protest.

She gasped. "Oh my gosh."

"You don't like it." He pouted.

"Wow. That's like drastic change Justin." Her eyes widened as she looked over his newly shaved head. "Who did it? When?"

"Yesterday evening one of my buddies came over and we were messing around. We were just going to trim it. But, I uhh, decided to do something a little different." He bit his lip. "What do you think? Honest?"

She thought and looked for a moment an evil smile shone through. "You got big ears, sweetie."

"Aww." Justin whined and tried to get his hat back, but she kept it out of reach. He kept reaching over her, and soon he was so close that she could feel his giggles on her face. He grabbed his hat, and she grabbed his face.

Her lips kissed his gently and he seemed to melt and calm his actions immediately. She pulled away and whispered. "You look real, real sexy, Justin."

He stared into her eyes and like the Cheshire cat a grin spread across his face. He silently went back to his seat, fidgeted with his pillow and stretched as far as the seat would let him. As planned, 10 minutes later he was dead asleep.

That evening...

--------------

"Do you see them anywhere?" Alex asked, scanning the few people in the Juneau airport. It was a small airport and their weren't many people around.

"No, babe. I don't." Justin replied looking the other direction.

Suddenly someone jumped on Alex's back and covered her eyes. "ALEX ALEX ALEX!!"

"Scott, GET OFF ME!!" Alex giggled as Scott hopped off her. "What's up bro?"

The two hugged and Scott chuckled. "Not much. Sup, Justin? See ya snagged her." Scott smiled and shook hands with Justin.

"Where's mom and dad?" Alex asked, taking her hat and forcing it on her brother's head.

"They coming. They had to park. Sorry we were late. Highway 3 was blocked off because of an anvelance."

"Ohh, figures."

"Yeah."

Justin's eyes widen. "Avenlance?"

"Yeah, happens all the time." Alex shrugged and spotted her mom. "MOMMY!"

"Baby!" She ran to her mom and hugged her tightly. "I'm so excited about having Justin here. Ohh gosh, he even looks good after he gets off a plane!"

Alex rolled her eyes, smiling and walked over to her dad. "Hey Daddy."

"Hey alleycat." The two hugged and Alex stayed in her father's arms as they walked back over to where Justin and Scott were talking.

"Justin, give me a hug." Justin's eyes widened a bit and he hugged Alex's mom.

"It's good to see you Mrs. Smith."

She pulled away. "I keep telling ya, call me Sandra or Sandy. None of this Mrs. stuff. You guys ready to get back?"

"YES! I need my bed." Alex groaned.

"How ya doin' Justin?" Charlie asked him.

"I'm doing good sir." He said quietly.

"Come on, I'm ready to get home!" Alex whined.

"Ok, ok. Let's go." Scott piped up and they started heading towards baggage claim.

-----------

"Wow, this is so cool. It's like another world." Justin said looking outside at everything that was snow covered. IT was dark too. It was only 4:30 or so Alaska time and it was as dark as the wee hours of the morning.

"Wake me up when we get there." Alex groaned quoting Justin, curling up in between Justin and Scott in the back of the Smith's Explorer. Her head was in Justin's lap and her feet in Scott's.

"Moooommmm, Alex is bothering meeeee." Scott mock whined like a little kid.

"Ohh, gosh." Charles chuckled as he drove their car.

"Justin, take your hat off." Alex giggled.

"No." He firmly said.

"Come on, do it." She poked him in the stomach.

"Ok, ok. I got my head shaved and Alex wont shut up about it." He took off his hat and Scott started laughing.

"Oh my gosh. That is funny. I mean, you don't look funny, but there is this girl at school who is like obsessed with you and she loves your hair and ohh, I just wow, she's going to die."

"Going into the army Justin?" Charles asked with a smile.

"You guys stop picking on him. I think it's sexy."

"Eww mom!" Scott groaned.

"What? It is." She defended herself.

Alex could feel the movement of Justin's stomach as he laughed and she smiled. "Ok, me and Justin are putting up a wall, yall cant cross it."

"She just said yall." Scott pointed out.

"Shut up." Alex groaned, kicking him.

"Just pointing out that you are turning into a southerner."

"Ain't nuttin wrong wit dat!" She said in a country twang.

"What happened to your wall, sis?" Scott giggled.

"Mom, Scott's bothering me."

Sandra said in a stern voice, "Scott stop bothering your sister."

"Wait a second. When I said that nobody said anything!" He shouted.

"That's cause we like Alex better." Her father spoke up.

"Aww, that hurts." Scott pouted and sniffed.

Justin spoke for the first time in minutes. "Don't worry Scott, I like you a whole lot better than Lexia."

"Ah HA! The superstar likes me and not you!" Scott poked her leg.

"So, he's my boyfriend." She smiled and started tracing patterns on the fabric of Justin's jeans.

"I know. You tell me that everytime I talk to you." Scott groaned.

Scott and Alex's bickering faded out in Justin's mind as he reached down to pick up her hand. He caressed her delicate fingers with his own and let his other hand, reach down and undo her braids and run through her hair.

Scott slumped in his seat. "Well, we got at least 30 minutes till we get NEAR our house. I'm going to sleep!"

"Thank you." Alex groaned.

A few minutes later the car was quiet except for the quiet sounds of James Taylor's voice coming through the car stereo. Alex's mom was humming and her dad was singing quietly. Scott was breathing quite loud in his sleep and Justin was listening to the music and running his hands through Alex's hair.

Alex was asleep.

Sandra turned; knowing it was a little too quiet in the backseat. She smiled at the site of Justin looking down at her daughter as she slept.

Her daughter seemed different in a way that only mothers could pick up on. She had seen the love Justin and her had for each other the last time she saw them together. But this was something different, something deeper.

There was passion and desire when they looked at each other, now.

She turned back around and looked over at her husband singing. She grabbed his hand and turned to look out at the peaceful scenery of Alaska.

She and Alexandria would be having a talk, a long talk.

-----------------

A little later

"Guys, we are almost there." Charles spoke softly.

Alex opened her eyes and stretched, hitting both of the guys in the process.

Scott groaned. "God, Lex."

"Mmm." Justin moaned.

"Sorry." She mumbled and sat up straight.

A large front yard came in view. They had been on a long dirt road for a few minutes and now, a house was in view. It wasn't small, but wasn't huge. It was two stories, nice, had a big front porch, and had an amazing amount of land around it. Conifer trees made a barrier around the yard. The snow lingered, everywhere.

To Justin it looked like it was out of a movie or postcard or something. He would have never pictured Lexia living in a place like this, so far out in the country, so far away from everything.

They pulled their car into a garage. Justin noted the basketball net placed off to the side. Scott opened his door and Justin did the same, stretching when he stepped out. As soon as he was about to go get his luggage from the back, a pair of slender arms snugly fitted around his waist. "I'm tired, Justin."

"I know Lexia. Come on we gotta get our luggage."

"Don't worry about it Justin. Alley you go on and show him the house. We'll get it."

"K dad." Justin began to protest but Alex pulled on his hand. "Come on."

When they stepped in the house, Justin took in how it was semi-rustic yet modern at the same time. They stepped into the kitchen from the back porch and a dining room was connected to the kitchen. A small but nice and cozy living room was fitted in the back of the house and a foyer with steps that led upstairs. Beside the steps was the master bedroom.

"Where's your room?" Justin teased.

"Up here, come on." Alex said leading him up the steps. She veered to the right at the top and opened a door. Justin noted the poster of Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, and Pamela Anderson on the walls.

"Scott's room." Alex stated. "That's where you will be sleeping. Now over here..." She smiled and walked the opposite direction to a door. Her name was painted in flowery blue "Alexandria" on the doorway

She pushed it open and allowed him in. Her room was kinda girlie. It was pinks, lavenders, and light blues.

Her bed was frilly and fluffy and there were lines of stuffed animals against the widow seat she had. Her ceiling wasn't painted, but her walls were like a garden. Flowers, grass, and a bird or butterfly was painted here and there.

Justin just glanced at her as she sat down on her bed and let him survey her room. He ran his fingers over her white desk to her window that faced the front yard. He turned around and smiled at her. He narrowed his eyes at something on the otherside of her room beside her dresser, which was beside the door that led to her bathroom. There were shelves of awards and ribbons. All of them for basketball.

"Wow Lexia."

"I told you I was good."

"I know you are good. But I didn't know you played for high school or anything."

"Yeah." She hopped off her bed and wrapped her arms around him from behind. He sat down the small ribbon he had been fingering and looked over his shoulder at her. "You wanna see something really special?"

"Yeah, sure." He smiled and turned as she left him. She grabbed his hand and brought him back over to her window seat and motioned for him to sit amongst her stuff animals. There was a blown up picture on the wall and she took it off it hook and sat down in between his legs and leaned back against his chest.

"That's my brother. That's Andrew." She whispered. He picked up the frame and looked at the picture. A young Alexandria was there in overalls and a high ponytail. She looked about 9 or 10. With her was a handsome teenager in jeans and a shirt. He had brownish hair and charming face. He had Alex on his back and they were both smiling.

"That's why I love that picture with Jon on your back so much. It reminds me of him." She said quietly.

Justin let her have her picture back and she held it to her chest as he wrapped his arms around her and held her there. "Thank you for sharing that with me."

She turned her head and looked up at him. He stared down at her. "Justin..." She paused and snuggled a bit more into his embrace. "...I love you."

He smiled and kissed her forehead. "I know, Lexia. I know."

Next morning...rather early, before 8

----------------------------

Justin opened his eyes and was greeted with the eyes of his ex. He groaned and rolled over to look at the eyes of Janet.

Much better.

Not that he hated Britney. It just was really weird to see her up on a wall in the room he was sleeping in.

The night before he had almost lost it. Alex was being very...distant and sad and quiet. Ever since she had showed him that picture she had been very solemn. He knew painful memories were here in this house. She had described to him the night before of how her parents' room was huge because it used to be a room for Scott also. Andrew had had what was now Scott's room.

Justin had felt bad for taking the room, but Scott convinced him that he liked sleeping on the couch downstairs. Justin was quite surprised that he and Alex had the whole upstairs to themselves, but he tried not to think about that. He had inferred that her parents weren't too strict. Especially her mom.

After dinner, Alex had taken a shower and gone to bed leaving Justin downstairs with her family.

He had been shown her baby pictures and all the other ritual "family and boyfriend" things. Soon after he found himself in a bed and nodding off.

He flipped on to his back and stared at the ceiling. The house was all quiet. He took in a deep breath and thought he smelled bacon. A smile spread on his lips. He relished in the silence.

"SCOOOOOOOOTTTTTT!" He heard someone screech and then pounding footsteps.

He heard screams, laughter, pounds and bangs. Finally the pounding got close to him and he heard a door slam. His eyes moved to his doorway and he saw Alex standing there locking the door and mumbled curse words as she walked to the bathroom and got out a towel. Justin looked at the floor and saw a trail of water on the carpet.

She came back with a towel wrapped around her, rubbing it on her hair and arms. "I can't believe that little prick. He is such a jerk. Oh my gosh."

"Well Good Morning to you too." Justin chuckled.

She jumped and gasped at him. "Oh, I totally forgot you were here."

"Well, thanks." He rolled his eyes.

"No, it's just. Dammit." She walked over and sat on the edge of his bed and looked down at his relaxed position. "I was all nice and cozy in my bed, just laying there thinking and the next thing I know I'm soaking wet and Scott is running out of my room chuckling with a empty pitcher in his hand."

Justin raised an eyebrow and put his hands behind his head. "We have this tradition of waking each other up with practical jokes. Ya know, shaving cream in the face, toothpaste, you name it, we've done it."

"Awww, and now you are all wet." Justin smiled as she glared at him.

"It's not funny. I'm freezing now." She shivered.

His eyes roamed her body and chuckled for a moment. "I can tell."

Her eyebrows furrowed and then rose with realization and she covered herself with the thick comforter. "Not funny."

"I'm pickin, babe. Get in here if you're still cold." He opened up the covers and she willingly scooted herself into the space and let him rubbed her arms and tried to get warmth back into her.

"You need to get out of those soaked clothes."

"Well, I'm not going to do that now. My parents are downstairs and I bet Scott has a bobbypin working on this door right now."

"I'm not suggesting THAT!" He chuckled.

She turned and ran her hand over the stubble on his jaw. "We are going to have fun today."

"What are we doing?" He asked with a smile.

"I'm going to show you my mom's studio and then me and you are taking the truck and going to go in town to run a few errands, but we should be back around lunch. I thought maybe we could have a snowball fight and see how good you REALLY are, and maybe when daddy gets home from work me and you can take Scott and him in some b-ball." She smiled and scooted a little closer to him.

"Oh really? I kinda like playing against you though."

"Why?" She questioned.

He rubbed his nose with hers and licked his lips. "Cause you get to rub all up on me."

"Ohh gos-" She was cut off by his lips.

"OHH PULEASE!! It's MY BED!! JESUS! DO THAT CRAP IN YOUR OWN!! I promise I wont ever throw water on you, just don't get it on with your boyfriend in MY bed. EWWW!"

Justin's shocked eyes looked up and Alex began to chuckle. "That's what you get. Just be glad you got the door open in time."

"OHH NOOO. eww, just...ewww..." Scott covered his eyes and pointed towards her room. "Out, or I'm telling mom."

"Mom doesn't care. She'll root me on."

"I'll tell dad." Scott smiled when Alex jumped out of bed and walked to her room.

He sighed and leaned against his doorway, twirling a crooked bobbypin in between his fingers. "Morning Justin. Breakfast is ready whenever you are."

And with that Scott walked to Alex's door banged a few times and screamed "I LOVE YOU SIS!"

"SHUT UP! JUST GO TO SCHOOL!!" Justin heard muffled.

Justin groaned and rolled out of bed, walked to his duffel bag to get a change of clothes for the day.

-------

Alex glanced over in the passenger seat. "You look like a thug."

"Sorry." He mumbled.

"No, its ok. It's cute, in that big puffy coat and toboggan. Hehe, it's adorable."

"I just don't see how you can stand this. It's like 2 degrees!!" Justin exclaimed as they drove down the country road towards town.

"Actually it's -5 but who's really paying attention." She chuckled.

"Yeah..." Justin laughed. "...I thought it was supposed to be dark all the time."

"Oh it is, but we have 6 hours of light today. It will gradually increase until all day it's bright and then the cycle starts again." She sighed and pulled off on a road.

There were cars and people randomly scattered about. "This is downtown Greenvillage. It's small, quaint, but it reminds me a lot of the small southern towns like how everyone knows everyone and is nice and stuff like that."

Justin nodded and looked around. All of the vehicles were trucks or SUV's to conform to the harsh weather. Everyone was bundled up with fur-lined coats. But the town still looked alive. Shops were open amugst the snow. It was different than what he was use to.

He gasped. "Did I just see an Eskimo!?"

Alex chuckled and nodded. "Probably, there's a tribe of Aleut Eskimos about 3 miles West of my house. I have Aleut blood in me, mom's side." She smiled at him when he gave her an interested look.

Alexandria pulled her truck to the side of the road and parked. They got out of the car with Alex bundling up and Justin amazed as his breath vaporize like smoke in front of him. He was shivering.

Alexandria picked up his gloved hand and pulled him onto the covered sidewalk. They walked down a few shops to a florist and Alex walked in the place. A bell dinged as she stepped in and pulled Justin in with her. She took off her gloves and stuffed them into her pockets.

"Ms. Olago?" Alex called through the flowers and plants. Justin admired the place. In an area full of three colors, white, gray, and blue here was a shop that contained every color known to man.

A graying short and sout woman stepped from the back of the shop and gasped, dropping the towel she was wiping her hands with. "Alexandria!"

Justin watched as they hugged for a long time. He smiled as the woman's narrow eyes crinkled to a bright smile. She looked Indian herself. "How have you been my beautiful Alexandria?"

"I've been good Ms. Olago. How have you been?"

"Ohh just fine. Who's your friend?" She smiled and winked.

"Ohh.." Alex turned and waved him closer. "Ms. O I want you to meet Justin. He is my boyfriend."

"Well, from Florida?"

"Yes ma'am." Alex said kindly.

"Well it's nice to meet you Justin are you in college with Alex?"

"Umm, no ma'am."

Alex smiled at Justin who was beginning to blush. "He is a singer Ms. O. He's in this group. They are very popular."

"Well, do you have a lot of things to do today?"

"Yeah, we have to go by Courts and I'm going to see Andrew so..."

"Oh, yeah. Let me go get your flowers." Ms. Olago turned and went to the back of the shop. Alex turned to Justin and smiled.

"She got my mom started in painting. She was an art teacher at my mom's school. But she retired and became a florist. She's known me all my life. She's THE nicest lady I know." Alex spoke animatedly to Justin who smiled.

"Here they are." The older woman came back with a beautiful arrangement of purple and white flowers.

"Oh my, they are awesome Ms. O." Alex set them on the counter and fished for her wallet.

"Alexandria. You know me. Take em. You've never had to pay and I'm not going to make you today. So just go on..." She shooed them away.

"Ms. O, one day I'm paying you back." Alex warned.

"Yeah, yeah! Now get out of here and be sure to visit me before you go back to Florida."

"I will. Bye Ms. Olago."

"Bye. Nice meeting you Justin."

"You too."

Alex hurried over to Justin and linked her arm with his. "I'm going to put these in the car and then we can go to Courts Food, get mom her groceries and then we are outta here." She smiled and him and he nodded.

He wondered what she meant by going to see Andrew. But, he let it slide for now and watched as she ran to the truck, put the flowers in and ran back.

The two had gone and got groceries and now Justin was staring at her, as she stared out the front of the truck that was parked by the local cemetery.

"Um, you can just stay here. There's no sense in getting all cold. I'll just be a few minutes." She grabbed the flowers that were lying beside her and opened her door. It slammed shut and Justin watched as she walked in the thick snow towards the tombstones.

She stopped in the middle of the large cemetery and stayed standing for a few minutes.

Justin could do nothing but stare at her.

Alex stared down at her brother's tombstone. She let her eyes glaze over the frozen inscripted words.

"Beloved son, brother, and friend. We will miss you Andrew. And you will always be in our hearts. Andrew Nathan Smith 1975-1991"

She stared down and her hands began to trembled, as it seemed to get colder. "Hey." She whispered.

"It's Al." She sighed and her glassy and icy eyes looked up to the sky for a moment and then back to the gray marble. "I know it's been a while, and I'm sorry I didn't come by last time I was home. I know it was the first time that I didn't visit during Christmas, but I...I'm tired of this Andrew. I'm so tired of having to miss you. I want you here. And it's just not fair that you aren't. It's not fair at all. I thought it would get easier coming here, but for some reason it gets harder and harder." She sobbed and let her tears fall and melt the snow below her before freezing themselves.

"It's not FAIR, dammit! I need you Andrew. I need you..." With those three words she dropped to her knees and buried her face in her hands. The flowers dropped by her side and she cried, hard.

"God, why did you have to do this. I just don't understand. You never did ANYTHING to deserve this. Why.... oh God...." She whispered and crawled up to the tombstone and ran her fingers over his name.

"Look at me getting upset over selfish stuff! It's always about me, isn't it!!" She chuckled through her tears and sat there, sitting on her brother's grave and staring at his tombstone.

She was quiet. She just listened to the wind and the crackle of ice on the few big trees in the cemetery.

After a few minutes she whispered. "I've been so lonely without you Andrew. I've been so lonely. But...I've, I've met someone. And for the first time in about 10 years, I'm not a lone anymore."

Justin stared at her. When he saw her drop to her knees he thought about running out there to see if she was ok. But this was her time. Her time with her brother and the last thing he wanted to do was intrude.

But it had been a lot longer than he expected and for a good few minutes she had not moved one muscle. He figured he could check on her, and go back if she asked him.

The snow crunched underneath his thick hiking boots as he trekked to where she was crouched in front of a large marble tombstone. He stood a few yards behind her. And even though her voice was quiet whispers, he could still make out every word she was saying.

"...so, he's in this group. They sing and dance and all that good stuff. Even though I really don't like their music, because of his brother Jon. Ya know? The kid I baby-sit, but he has a really good voice. I wish you could meet him, because I know how much you liked to sing. He...he's my world right now." She stopped and looked up over the small town the cemetery looked over.

"Andrew, I've never felt this way about anyone and it scares me. You know me, and you know that ever since I was born I think my way through situations, I wonder and I worry and I make a big deal out of nothing. I'm my own person and I'm..I'm just weird." She laughed and looked back down at his name.

"But, I'm not like that anymore. I mean, I'm still my own person and I'm just as weird if not more so. But I just...When I'm with Justin, the rest of the world fades away, I have not a care in the world. I don't worry, I don't think about every little thing and what it means and...and I don't know if that's good or not, but...I've changed. I'm a hell of a lot happier than I have been in a long time. I've fallen in love A. I just wish you could be here to give me advice."

Justin fought back his own tears at her words. He tried not to let how her voice cracked effected him. But soon enough, he was tired of clamping his mouth shut and tried to drying his eyes.

"I mean, mom is obsessed with him. I'm just glad she's happily married. Dad is...dad. He is nice and indifferent about the situation, but I think he is a little wary. But that's just dad. And then there is Scott. Oh lord, Scott is like you. I mean in that he will listen to me blab on, but he is never serious. He is always joking and being sarcastic. So I have no one to go to for advice. I mean, I have this friend Jen, but...I don't know, I need a guy's opinion, ya know? And...Gosh, I just wish you were here to talk to me about things." She sighed and just remained quiet for a while.

"Lexia..."

She stopped her motions and looked over at Justin. She petted the snow beside her and he slowly walked over and took a seat beside her. "That's Justin. See how good he is. He knows exactly when I need someone to come and just sit and hold me."

And with that, Justin pulled Alexandria over into his lap and held her. A few minutes later, she whispered. "I miss him so much Justin."

He didn't even know she had been crying as he held her, but the sound of her voice confirmed it. "It's ok, Lexia."

She sniffed and situated herself so that her arms were around his neck and her face was snugly fitted under his chin. "I want him back. I just want to take him back."

Justin rubbed up and down her back and stared down at Andrew's tombstone. He didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything. "Sing for him, Justin. I told him you were a singer. Andrew loved to sing."

"What do you want me to sing to him?"

"Anything you want."

"Well how bout I sing to you, but he can still hear me?"

She lifted her head to look into his eyes. She was shocked when she was a trail of wetness down one of his cheeks. "Whatever..." She smiled.

"When you're weary
feeling small
when tears are in your eyes
I'll dry them all
I'm on your side, ohhh
when times get rough
and friends just can't be found
like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay thee down
like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay thee down...."

Justin's soft smooth voice echoed through Alex ears, as she cuddled up to him. She sat there, eyes closed, smelling in his cologne and letting him sing to her and hold her. Tears fell from her eyes.

But for the first time that morning her tears weren't in sadness or anger. They were tears of love.

For her brother, and the man singing away all her pain.

---------------

"You two have fun?" Alex's mom asked as she sat by the kitchen table, eating lunch. Justin sat the bags of groceries on the kitchen counter

"Yeah, mom." Alex smiled and hugged her mother from behind.

"Did you do ok at the grave?" Her mom asked concerned as her forehead pressed on her daughters.

"Yeah, I was...ok." She smiled sheepishly.

Her mom nodded and turned back to her food. "Did you get what I needed from Courts?"

"Yup. I'm going to go show Justin the studio since I didn't get a chance this morning."

"All right. Just watch out for the waterfall painting that's in the corner, I was working on it this morning. It's still a little bit wet."

"K." She held her hand out for Justin and dragged him out of the house on to the porch and through the back yard.

"You keep draggin me around everywhere." He chuckled.

"Sorry." She slowly her pace and walked beside him to a tiny side house that was in the back corner of their back yard. Woods surrounded it. Justin noticed all the bird feeders and windchimes that were frozen around the small hut. Alex stepped up on the big stone step that led to the house.

"It's a little slippery, so be careful." she opened the door and walked in. Painting, paints, paintbrushes, charcoals, pastels, canvases, stools, water, easels, everything an artist would need was tucked away in this small little one room house.

"I wish I could paint. Mom just has a knack for it. I've tried. I like stick figures." She giggled. There was an old timey burning stove was working and heat was radiating from it.

"Wow, this is really cool." Justin admired the place.

"Yeah, usually mom finishes a piece and takes it into town. There is a gallery there that has her stuff and a few other local artists' pieces there.

"Wow, she's good." Justin admired a painting on canvas of a snowcapped mountain and the base with a lake and flowers.

"Yeah, she likes canvas and watercolors the best. Sometimes she'll use oil base. And then the pastels and charcoal are just for textures. But she doesn't use them much."

"Wow, so is this what she does most of the day."

"Yeah, once Dad goes to work and Scott goes to school she spends all her time out here. She loves it. She likes to think and reflect and all that liberal artsy stuff." Alex chuckled. "Yeah, that's where I get my thinking gene. But mom doesn't worry, she has a very intellectual mind and she..I don't know. YA kinda have to get to know her. She's not just the sexy-men-enthralled woman that she shows you she is."

Justin rolled his eyes and laughed. "I don't see her like that."

"Oh really?" Alex maneuvered her way through painting and easels back over to where he was.

"Yes, really. I see her as this amazing woman who can paint beautiful pictures, and who thinks I'm hot." Alex hit him as her arms circled around his waist.

"I'm kidding. She is an awesome painter. And she brought you into this world, so she's got to be a great mom."

"She is a great mom. A little much at times, but she's cool." Alex pressed her cheek into his shoulder and rocked back and forth with him. "Thanks for going with me this morning."

"Well it was either go with my sexy girlfriend or be molested by her mother."

"Stop it!" Alex pushed him away and giggled as she opened the door and went back outside in the snow.

She was walking away from him when he called out. "Hey Lexia, baby?"

"What?" She turned with her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows at him.

In that same moment she got hit square in the chest with a snowball. She looked down at the front of her snow-plastered coat and then back up at her laughing boyfriend. He was laughing so hard and bent over to contain himself. She licked her dry lips and let an evil smile creep on her face.

"Ohhh, ohhh oh o o o " Justin whimpered, his mouth and eyes making three perfect "o's". His rectangular eyebrows arched.

Alex just giggled, covering her mouth with her gloved hand.

"Lexia, dammit. Oh God..." He bent over, his hand down the front of his pants.

"Problem's baby?" She bit her lip. Moments before Justin and her were in an intense snowball fight when he had made some sexiest remark about women sucking at snowball fights.

She shoved a handful of snow down the front of his thick ski-type pants.

"Man, this hurts." He whined, his face contorted into pant. "I was just joking Lexia, man..."

Then, she realized that he actually was in a lot of pain. She immediately felt bad and walked over to him, holding his arm. "Sorry, I use to do it to Scott all the time. It never effected- well, nevermind."

He braced himself by grabbing on to her shoulder. "Babe, you aren't supposed to make that area on your boyfriends body cold and in pain."

She raised a curious eyebrow when he stood up a bit straight and moved to hug her. "Yeah, you are supposed to make it hot and in LOTS of pleasure." He whispered.

"Oh my gosh, ever since Valentine's you've been obsessed with..." She stopped and mouthed "sex".

"What are you scared of Lexia? Oh no, the polar bears might hear the 's' word!" He giggled when she narrowed her eyes at him and pushed him away.

But instead he grabbed on to her as his balanced failed and they landed on the white ground.

"ow, snow's harder than it looks." Alex groaned. Justin rolled over on the snow so that he was lying halfway on top of her. "Well you are a lot meaner than YOU look."

She rolled her eyes. "Justin, I'm sorry ok? But that was a rude comment you made."

"Sorry." He grinned boyishly.

"Yeah." She sighed and relaxed into the snow with him on top of her. She looked up and he was staring down at her with seriousness in his face she had only seen a few times with him.

"You are so..." He smiled a little. "...So beautiful."

She looked away shyly and he took his hand and turned her head back to his. He leaned down to kiss her sweetly. "Everything about you is; just beautiful."

"Stop it Justin..."

"No, you are gorgeous and..." Like a light switch his sincere, sweet smile flicked to evil. "...and COLD!"

With that he smashed her face with a handful of snow. As she tried to get the ice out of her face, Justin shot up and ran to the porch. He waited for her to turn and look at him with an angered face.

"Don't mess with the master, Lexia." He winked and opened up the door and went into the house.

She pushed herself up on her hands; mouth opened gaping at the door. "Oh, no Timberlake. You are going down."

------
Around 4 in the afternoon...
------

"Alleycat!"

"Gotcha, dad." Alex responded, watching as her father got free from Scott's blocked and she passed him the ball. He shot and it went through the net.

"Man, everyone in your family is awesome." Justin commented from beside her, his breath make a white vapor in front of him.

"Nah, mom sucks. She can't dribble for anything." Alex giggled as they watched her brother take the ball out and check it with her dad. Alex bent over a bit and spread her arms wide, trying to block Justin.

"Hey, Lex babe?"

"Mom, I'm playing." Alex groaned as Scott tossed Justin the ball. Alex caught it instead and made a perfect lay up. She turned to her mom.

"Come on, you gotta help me fix dinner." Her mom leaned against the garage doorframe.

"Alley..." Her father warned when Alex started to pout and whine. She rolled her eyes and shuffled towards her mom.

"Come on baby, you can watch you fine boyfriend from the window in the kitchen." Her mom wrapped her arm around her shoulders and led her back into the house.

------------
6ish
------------

"So what tabloid got it?" Sandra asked after taking a sip of her drink.

"Umm, National Enquirer, Star, and Globe had a small thing on it." Justin cleared his throat and said.

"So, now you're living together?" Scott asked.

Alex nodded, smiling.

"So....uhh, are you selling your apartment or what?" Her father asked a bit sternly.

She shrugged. "I don't know yet daddy. I mean, I've only stayed at Justin's for one night, so I don't really know." She bit her lip and moved her food around her plate with her fork.

"How's school? You've been missing a lot." Her mom asked.

"What is this 20 questions?" Alex exclaimed.

Her father grinned. "Actually yes, it is." He chuckled and moved his gazed to Justin. "So, Justin what's it like, ya know? Being a celebrity and all. I mean all we know about you is basically what Alex says."

Alex put her hand on his knee and squeezed as a sign of comfort. Justin grinned. "Well, uhh, I don't know its weird. It's good and bad. I mean, I love being able to perform and write. There are definite kicks. I mean I'm pretty much set as far as finance goes for life, and I get special treatment whether I ask for it or not. I don't know. But then again some days I don't like..." He trailed off a bit and lost this train of thought as Alex's hand snaked up his thigh, kneading the hard denim of his jeans.

"...and uhh, well, umm, ya know I get recognize a lot. I cant go to the grocery store without a disguise or signing umm..."

He coughed and glanced over to Alex who was delicately biting down on the last bit of her food, making sure to slide her fork out of her mouth as slow as possible. "..and uhh, or uhh signing an autograph. It's sometimes hard. VERY hard." He took in a deep breath.

Alex tried not to giggle as her hand traveled as far as she would let it. This was his payback from the snow fight. But the funny thing was, he wasn't putting his hand down in his lap to stop her, like he so easily could. He glanced at her and they locked eyes.

She grinned and casually brought her hand back in her lap.

"Well, umm, is everyone done?" Alex's father asked. Everyone nodded and he and Scott started getting everyone's plates and glasses and taking them to the sink.

Alex and her mother stood up and began to exit the kitchen. Justin just remained seated, not knowing what to do.

"Come on Justin. It's a rule in this house. If you cook, you don't clean." Scott spoke up. Justin stood and turned to the two men that were now at the sink.

Alexandria looked back over her shoulder and winked. "Have fun." She giggled at Justin's horrified expression. She knew her father and her brother might give Justin a bit of a hard time, but it would be good for him. She giggled and jogged through the foyer and up the steps to her room. She opened her door.

"Hey baby...let's talk." Her mom said.

-Oh great. -

--------

"So Justin, you do anything special for Valentine's Day?" Charles asked as he set the last of the dished in the dishwasher.

Justin was wiping the kitchen table and stopped suddenly. "Oh uhh, we uhh, I surprised her and went out to eat and then came back to her place and...ya know..hung out."

Scott finished cleaning off the counters and tossed his dirty rag over in the sink. "Well, I got my girl roses. Ohh, she loved me. I mean, who wouldn't?"

Alex's father rolled his eyes and watched as Justin put the rag he had been wiping the table with in the sink as well. "Well, you are free Justin. Hope you didn't mind cleaning."

"No sir. It was fine." Justin smiled and walked out of the kitchen. He glanced in the living room, looking for his girlfriend, but didn't find her. He sauntered through the foyer and up the steps.

At the top of the steps he could hear Alexandria and her mom giggling and talking in Alex's bedroom. He grinned and walked over to her cracked door and knocked slightly, opening the door a bit more.

"Hey ladies." They both looked at him shocked. Alex's face turned bright red and her mom's eyes widened and she burst into laughter.

"Come on in Justin, we were just talking about you." Sandra said between giggled.

Alex gasped. "MOM!"

A few minutes earlier.

-----------------

"Talk about what mom?" Alex questioned, walking further into her room, pushing the door closed as she stepped.

"Sit down." Here mom patted the space in front of her on Alex's soft bed. Alexandria did not like that smug little grin her mom had on her face. But Alex sat down anyway and looked up at her mom, bored.

"Babe, you might not appreciate this question. And, well I could be wrong. But I doubt I am." Her eyes widened a bit and her teeth appeared between her lips in a smile. "Are you sleeping with Justin?"

-Oh god..-

"Uhh, what makes you think that?" Alex said quickly. Her mom and her were best friends. They had always been close, being the only girls in the family. Alexandria had been brought up kinda rugged and a bit tomboyish, but her mom had taught her the ins and outs of being a girl like a best friend would, not a mother. But she was 19 years old, and she didn't want her mom knowing everything there was to know about her.

"Well, ever since you two stepped off that plane you've been very...touchy feely. A lot more than the last time I saw you. The looks you to give each other. Well they aren't, "Aww you are cute" they are "Aww, can I your rip your clothes off"."

"OH MY GOD!" Alex's eyes widened as far as they could. Her mom was a little outrageous, but lord! She had never heard her mom be like this.

"And baby, I know. I've been there. I can remember when I met your dad. Well, I know you don't want all the details. But I know what you are feeling. Just know that you can come to me with anything. In fact, I thought you had gone all the way with Cole."

"Ewww." Alex cringed.

"But obviously, not. But Justin, whew babe. I might get mad if you didn't."

"I can not believe you are saying this to me." Alex's voice was mumbled and like that of a robot.

"Alexandria, I saw what you did to him at dinner." Alex's face burned.

"W-w-what?"

"It wasn't very nice baby. Why did you anyway? I mean what if your dad saw. Oh lord." Sandra leaned forward a bit and grabbed Alex's trembling hand. "But it was funny seeing him sweat like that."

"Moooooommmmm." Alex whined, falling over on the bed.

"Alex...I'm happy for you I really am. It's a little soon, but I mean you can't deny the feelings you two share for each other. They're strong baby." Her mom's voice was finally soothing.

"So you aren't like...bothered by it?"

"By what? You having sex with the fine boy."

Alex's hand flew up in the air. "MOM! STOP! Ok, that's just not cool."

"What? Are you mad because I said sex or because I called him fine."

"Both." She giggled.

Sandra smiled and laughed as well. "Well, they are both facts."

"But..you are my mom..." Alex cringed, burying her face in her hands. This had to be the most embarrassing moment she had ever experienced.

"Hey ladies."

They both looked at him shocked. Alex's face turned bright red and her mom's eyes widened and she burst into laughter.

"Come on in Justin, we were just talking about you." Sandra said between giggled.

Alex gasped. "MOM!"

Justin chuckled and walked on in, smiling. "Have a seat Justin..." Alex's mom scooted over and Alexandria shook her head.

"I can not believe you are doing this." She mumbled.

"Doing what?" Justin asked cluelessly as he sat down on the bed.

"We are talking about sex." Sandra replied coolly.

Justin pushed himself off the comforter. "I think I'm going-"

"Sit back down." Sandra pulled on his arm and he gave Alexandria a pleading look. Alex was covering her face, just letting her eyes be shown.

"God, strike me with lightening. I'm begging. PLEASE!" Alex begged.

"That's not nice babe." Sandra smiled and grabbed one of each of their hands in hers. "Now, I know what it's like to be your age. I just want you two to be careful. We don't want any mini Justin's or mini Lex's running around."

"Oh god..." Justin said quietly.

"You two know about protection. You are bright young adults. But sex isn't something to take lightly. Just use your best judgment, ok?"

"Yes mom. Can you please leave? You've mortified me for life." Alex mumbled.

"All right babe. And don't worry I wont tell your dad. Because, well...Justin you would be dead by now." Sandra giggled as Justin chew on his bottom lip. She leaned over and kissed his head and did the same with her daughter.

"Bye you two." With that, she hopped off the bed and walked over to the door, shutting it quietly.

Alex stared at Justin. Justin stared at Alex. "Oh my gosh." They whispered simultaneously.

Finally a giggle escaped Alex's lips and it was passed on to Justin. Before they knew it the sound of laughter was echoing around her room.

"Just shoot me now, please...." Alex begged, crawling over to the she was no longer sitting across from Justin but beside him.

"That was absolutely horrible. I had no idea yall were talking about that. She was so cool about it though. Cooler than my mom even."

"I KNOW! For a second there I thought she was going to ask how good it was." Alexandria mumbled.

"WHAT?" Justin said with laughter.

"So what did you and the men talk about downstairs?" Alex giggled as he relaxed back on her many pillows and turned his head to look at her.

"Not anything like that. They basically just asked me harmless questions. Your dad talked for a while about my BMW. He is so obsessed with that."

"I know. He's always wanted one. Mom's thought about getting him one, but they are kinda expensive and not very practical for Alaska."

Justin smiled at her as she played with the hem of her long sleeve UCF shirt. "Lexia, what were you trying to do at dinner?"

She stopped her hands and grinned. "Just getting ya back for the whole snowball fight."

"Hmm, you seemed to be obsessed about that area of me ever since-"

"Ok, shut up...we've had a long day. I'm changing into my pjs. Come back here in a second and will talk some more."

"Ok, babe." He leaned over and kissed her cheek sweetly. But soon his simple kiss had turned into kisses that were leading her mouth. She smiled against his lips and pushed him away. He just chuckled and left her room with a wink.

----

Few minutes later...

Justin knocked on Alexandria's closed door. He heard her yell, "come in" and he turned the knob and opened the door. Her bed was already pulled back but she was no where in sight.

"Lexia?"

"I'm in the bathroom." She peeked her head out of the open doorway and he smiled. He shuffled over to the bathroom and leaned against the doorframe. He watched her silently as she took her contacts out and put them into their small white case. He had to smile at her in cute and innocent red flannel pjs. She looked up at her reflection, blinked and locked eyes with him. She smiled, but then it faded. Her hands fumbled as she reached for her glasses and slipped them over her eyes.

"When did you start wearing glasses?" She turned and walked over to him.

"I've had them since I was 13. I just don't wear them. I'm just a little farsighted, so they are basically reading glasses. But I've grown use to not wearing them."

"So why put them on now?" She asked, flatting her hands against his chest and looking at him.

"I don't know. I heard women say they think guys look sexy in glasses. So..." He grinned.

"You look like a dork." She giggled when he pretended to be hurt. "I'm kidding." She patted his chest and walked back into her room, scrambling up on her bed like a little kid. "I can't believe I didn't know you wore glasses though. Hmmm."

He followed her and sat down on the edge of her bed. "Well there's a lot you don't know about me."

Her light blue eyes glanced over his face that was looking at her comforter. "What's wrong?"

"Do you think we are going to fast?" He sighed, turning to look in to her eyes.

She was startled by his question. She was even more taken by the serious worry in his face. "I-I don't know. I mean, I guess some people could say that but, I don't...I don't feel that way."

"Me either." He whispered.

She sighed in relief. She was afraid of their relationship at this point, because he was right. She didn't know a whole lot about him and the same with her. But they were learning, and the more they learned about the other, the more they fell harder and deeper in love. "Then don't worry. I know that I might not have known you for very long but what I feel for you doesn't come with a time limit. I don't think there is a certain rule that says you have to know this much or known the person this long to be in love with them."

"I'm glad we agree on this stuff." He chuckled and pulled his legs up on her bed and laid casually across her bed, perpendicular to her stature.

"So then, tell me Justin. What's something that I don't know about you?"

"Umm, hmm, well, when I was 14 I was arrested."

"Oh my gosh, I'm dating a criminal?" Alex gasped.

He chuckled. "Uh, yeah. Me and my best friend Trace, who you HAVE to meet sometime. The boy is insane, cracks me up, anyways...I told my mom I was spending the night with him and he told his mom he was staying with me, and we thought it would be stay up all night. Trace's idea. Oh my gosh, it was so stupid. Anyways, so we were being stupid kids and I had some spray paint and uhh, well we were...oh gosh...this is embarrassing, we took all the speed limit signs in our neighborhood which were like 25 mph and spraypainted 69 over them, because we were 14 year old dorks. Anyways...we got caught."

"What did Lynn do?" Alex asked enthralled with the story.

"She never knew. Trace's uncle who was a police officer in Millington caught us and he was on shift that night. He took up in the copcar and made us walk through the jail and then he locked us in a cell for about two hours. Then he told us we had to work for him that summer, like yardwork for elderly and stuff. Then he took us home. By then it was like 8. I went home and so did Trace and my mom and his mom never knew. Just thought we had come in early and that we were good 'ol boys trying to help the little old ladies in our town."

"Oh my gosh, Justin that is bad."

"I know. I was a bad kid. What about you? Done anything illegal?"

"Not that I know of. Speeding?" She chuckled when he gave her a bored look. "Really. I'm a good girl. I mean, I have very high morals about like breaking the law and stuff. It's weird. Like I would never consider vandalizing or stealing or anything like that."

"Well then tell me something I don't know..." He asked curiously.

She thought for a moment staring at the navy material of the sweatpants he wore. "Well, you don't know that my dad grew up in Oregon then moved up here after college and met my mom. But that's not about me, uhh..." She looked over at her case of basketball trophies and awards.

"I had been offered a full ride to go to Alaska State for women's basketball."

"REALLY? And you didn't go?" Justin asked shocked.

"No..I had to get away Justin. And just think, if I did, I would have never met you." She smiled at him. Justin licked his lips and grinned.

"Tell me more Lexia..." He paused and turned to his back, staring at her ceiling and smiling. "I want to know more about you...I want to know it all..."

Chapter 53

Alex laid on her stomach down on the living room rug hanging on to every word of her mother's phone conversation. Scott was at school, dad at work, and Justin was taking a shower. It was near lunchtime and she was still in her pjs. She had got up about an hour before and was still quite groggy. She wasn't sure at what time her and Justin had finished their long conversation. At one point her dad had come up and said goodnight. Scott had even had a seat on her bed and talked for about an hour with them. All she remembered was that it was well after midnight when Justin covered her with her thick comforter, kiss her briefly and said goodnight. As soon as he flicked off the lights and closed the door, she was knocked out.

And now she was trying her best to study and read her textbooks for the classes she was missing. She had talked with her professors, and while some had been lenient; others had not. But it was so hard to study when your mom was talking as loud as she could.

"...oh this is SO exciting....Yes, I don't think it should be a problem at all. Charles is going out of town tonight on business. He has to stay in Juneau, and Scott is off for the weekend. So this will be just fine....Well, I'll be there at 5 then...Talk to ya later Kath...bye now...."

Sandra clicked off the phone and sighed happily against the couch. Alexandria turned back to her textbook, skimming her finger along the line of words as she read.

"Hey baby?"

Alex groaned silently. She really needed to study. "What ma?"

"Um, tonight do you think you and Justin can keep fort here. You know dad's in Juneau and Scott is spending the night at Trevor's. And well Kathy Marsew, you know the lady that runs the gallery. She said that they are having a big painters fest in Sitka and they want me to go."

"That's great mom. So it's just me and Justin?" She turned back to her book.

Sandra chuckled. "Yes baby. You happy about that?"

Alexandria shook her head. "I think you are more happy than me."

Her mom stood from the couch, walked over to the glowing fire and took a piece of wood that was piled beside the hearth and tossed it in to add to the heat. "Nah, Justin is the happiest."

"I am?"

Alex looked over her shoulder at his voice and smiled. He was a figure of grace and suaveness as he strolled over to her and towered above her. She looked up at his freshly shaven and washed body. She could smell the aftershave and she could see the color in his complexion from the hot water. Everything about him intrigued her. She had learned more about who he was growing up and had heard the stories the night before of everything that had happened to make him the man she saw standing above her in a long sleeve shirt and jeans. Everything that had made him the man she loved.

He nudged her with his socked foot and she grabbed it, to keep it from bothering her. Her mom stood up from the fire and squeezed behind Justin and the wall to walk back into the kitchen. Alex noticed how her mother's hands grabbed on to his shoulders as she passed. She giggled and he sat down beside her.

"What?"

"She has the biggest crush on you." Alex flipped the page of her text and pushed her glasses up on her nose.

"Well, I have a big crush on you." Justin whispered, leaning over on the floor to press a kiss to her black hair that was tossed up carelessly in a bun.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever, I gotta study, so...well, you are going to be bored out of your mind. You can go snoop around or bother my mom, but I really need to concentrate."

"Oh..." He sighed disappointed. "..ok."

"Sorry Alaska isn't the most happenin' place." She swung her feet that were dangling up in the air and switched hands that were propping up her chin.

"Well, uhh...give me a suggestion of something to do." Justin pulled on her bun and let his hand wander down to her back that he rubbed affectionately.

"that..back rub..now." Alex demanded.

"Ok." Justin smiled as she dropped her hand from her chin and rested the side of her face on her bent arm. He sat up on his knees and she propped her book up on its bottom and held the top so it wouldn't fall. Soon she felt his hands slowly push into the muscle of her back.

"Ohhhhhh yeeeeaaaahhh..." She groaned, closing her eyes, trying her best to keep reading the words about chemical bonds and not think about his strong hands molding and kneading her back.

"Man, Lexia...you have knots all in your back."

"Well when you work with a kid under the age of 10, it happens." She groaned. Her hand dropped from the book and it fell back on its spine. Her eyes closed and she succumbed to the feeling he was creating in her back. It spread from the force of his palm and fingers and soared through her back and then to every inch of her, making her numb.

"Mann..." Justin bit his lip as he tried working out a certain spot at the base of her beck and shoulder.

"Ohhhhhhh o o ohhhh..." Alex whimpered.

"Does that hurt?" He stopped his rubbing at a halt.

"Don't stop. Go harder. Please." He chuckled as she whined and he worked out that one spot on her neck.

Justin pressed on her shoulders in a classic massage manner. "Any other particular places?"

"Lower back. Like right above my butt."

Justin chuckled and scooted down on his knees a bit. He slowly pushed as hard as he could into her lower back muscles rotating his palms. "Oh...my...god..."

"Like that?" Justin asked.

"You have know idea."

"I thought you were supposed to be studying." He smirked and lifted up the back of her pj shirt a bit so that the thick flannel wouldn't get in the way.

"Who cares about-" She stopped when his warm hands touched her skin. Her ice blue eyes popped opened in shock then lazily close as he worked on her spine.

"I love you." She mumbled as he pulled down her shirt and patted her back a bit.

"Love ya too. Now, do me." He smiled and put himself in the same position as her. She turned her side to look at him and giggled.

"I have to study." She pulled her book in front of her face to block Justin. She giggled when she looked at the words and saw they were upside down. Just as she was about to turn the book, a hand plucked it from her grasp and set it on the part of the wood floor not covered by the large rug and slid it far away on the other side of the room, near the entranceway to the kitchen.

He smiled at her and dipped his head so they were only a breath away from each other. "Like you tried to say earlier. Who cares about studying?" He smiled and leaned in closer.

"What do you two want for lun-ohhh, sorry."

Alex looked up at her mom and sighed. "I don't care. But you two are too much of a distraction. I'm going up stairs to study. Don't bother me." She scrambled off the floor and ran over to her book, picked it up and ran up the steps.

"What am I supposed to do?" Justin yelled after her.

"Make me LUNCH!"

He looked at Sandra and raised an eyebrow when he heard a doorslam.

"She's one strange girl." Sandra giggled.

Justin pushed himself off the floor and walked over to the kitchen. "Yeah, that's Lexia all right. Very strange."

------
That night...
-------

"Come on..."

"But it's going to be so cold. Can't we stay here and cuddle by the fire?" Justin pouted from his relaxed position on the living room couch.

Scott had left right after school to go to a friend's. The school he went to was year round so he had a 4 day weekend that start that afternoon. Her mom had left shortly after that and her father was already in Juneau doing business.

The young couple had tried their best to cook dinner, and well...it ended up in being a fresh, homemade gourmet dinner consisting of 2 nicely chilled glasses of Pepsi and a hot pepperoni Tombstone pizza. They finished off their meal with two perfectly mixed mugs of Swiss Miss.

It was a grand dinner.

And now they had retired to the living room, being only lighted by the glowing fire and they were just cuddling and talking, enjoying the time alone when Alex gasped, sat up and started pulling on his hand like a eager child.

"Why do we have to go outside?" Justin whined.

"Oh come on, this is going to be the coolest thing. Please." She begged, pleading into his eyes.

"All right all right, give me a jacket and a blanket." Justin sighed. She went into the coat closet and gave him her dads fur lined leather jacket and even giggled when he put the hood on, lining his face with the thick bristles of hair. She tugged on her own jacket and carried the blanket with her just in case.

She opened the front down and was met with the cool winter chill. "What are you doing?" Justin asked AGIAN.

"Listen, I want to show you something." She walked out on the front porch, and sat down on the front steps. He followed her and blew on his hands with his white breath. She grabbed his hands and made nodded to the outdoors. "Look." She whispered.

He moved his eyes from her and looked out over the snow that seemed to be illuminated to the black trees a distance away. Finally his navy eyes fixated on the reason that she had pulled him outside in this minus zero weather.

A weird haze of greenness danced across the starry sky. He had heard of the northern lights, auroras in science class and on the occasional Discovery channel show, but this was...indescribable. It was so foreign to him and strange he thought he was seeing a painting, or watching a movie. This couldn't be real. "Wow."

"Yeah, Andrew was the first person to teach me about the auroras. It's just the reaction with nitrogen and oxygen molecules hitting our atmosphere. Sometimes they stay suspended like a painting other times they dance...like this. I like these the best; they just glow like an ember in the sky kinda. Andrew and me would always come out here. Sometimes on school nights we would sneak out here and just watch them together, not say anything...just watch."

He hugged the jacket to his body and watched the lights dance across the black sky. Alex sighed and let the bitter air sting her eyes and make them water. "After he died, I didn't want to ever look at them again. But eventually I couldn't help it. You would be driving at 5 and it would be pitch black and there they were. But I don't know. I mean, its still hard because I can still picture him sitting right where you are just staring at the sky. Sometimes...especially when he got sick...I would just stare at him instead of the sky. He wasn't supposed to be outside because he was so ill, but, he always got me in the middle of the night and we would sneak out here."

She looked down from the sky and saw that now he was looking at her. She could tell he didn't know what to say, most people didn't when you talked about someone who had passed away. But she didn't care. She wanted him to know her feelings, her feelings that she had kept inside for the past 10 years of her life. "I uhh, isolated myself once he passed away. It became like a drug almost. I could just lock myself in my room or play hoops by myself and not have to worry about letting someone get close to me. I was always so terrified that something would happen and they'd be taken away from me. Even Cole, who I dated for like 2 and half years, I didn't let him get to me. It was just like a routine thing. We'd smile, we'd kiss, we'd go out. But that was it. I thought moving to Florida would get me out of this phase. I think mom and dad did too. That's the only reason they let me go so far. But Florida just closed me off even more. I only connected with your brother, and that was just last year. I've been so scared..." She whispered as a tear fell down her cheek and another slowly followed from her other eye.

Her icy eyes mirrored the bluish snow blanketed across her wide front yard. "It's so easy to not let people in ya know? I mean, I had it down to an art form. Someone would try and get to know me and I would just shoot them down. I had a way of just letting people know by how I walked in a room that they just shouldn't waste their time on me. And then you...why the hell did you waste you time on me? Why did I let you?"

"Alexandria. I've never wasted any of my time with you." His voice was soft yet serious.

She looked away and sighed, her heart feeling heavy and her throat going dry. "I use to love Alaska. I use to love the snow and sky and open space. And I hate that I've fooled myself into thinking that I despise it. When I was 8 I wanted to build my own log cabin and live up here until I died. Why did I let that change?"

"You didn't, Lexia. I can tell by the way you're eyes lit up when you saw your house for the first time in a while 3 days ago. Just the way you were excited in letting me see where you grew up. You didn't even have to think twice about where we would go to get away. You immediately said Alaska. You might think you tricked yourself, but that's just been a front. That 8 year old girl is still in you some where. And I see more of her everyday. You just...you need to let it go. I know it's hard. But, you need to let HIM go Alexandria. It's been 10 years. Give yourself some peace of mind. You don't have to forget him I mean, you cant. But you gotta let God have him, Lexia."

She sniffed and looked down to the cracked wooden steps. She whispered her emotion thick with her voice. "But it's so hard."

Justin reached down to her face and cupped her cheeks in his cold fingers. She looked up at him as his thumbs ran under her eyes. "I can't make you do anything. This is a battle with yourself. But I'll do anything I can to smooth the process."

She scooted over and leaned her head against his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "You've done so much already, Justin."

"No..." He whispered. "...what's something I can do right now for you? Do you want me to just sit here? Or sing to you?" He smiled. "Or give you a massage?"

She sighed and lifted her head off his shoulder. With one last look at the dancing greenish glow in the sky she stood up and offered her hands to Justin. He looked up at her, his forehead brushing against the fur of the hood. But before he put his hands in hers, she moved the hood off his head and kissed the top of his newly shaved area. She cupped the sides of his head and tilted it up towards her. Her body paused for a moment when his hands lightly wrapped around her upper arms as she leaned over him. She moved her lips to his and kissed him gently, pulling away before he was really able to respond.

"There is one thing you can do...."

He replied in a whisper. "What's that?"

She leaned in and kissed him once more a bit more forcefully, but still she pulled back and breathed against his wet lips. "Love me Justin. Please?" Her eyes moved from his lips to his eyes and stared into those dark pools that were staring back at her.

He smiled and she could feel the movement near her lips and see the crinkles in the corners of his eyes. "I think I can arrange that."

Alex helped Justin slide the fur-lined coat off his shoulders and into her hands. She worked quickly to hang the heavy jacket on a hanger and hook it to the bar in the coat closet. She looked down at herself and began to unzip her thick jacket, but a hand covered hers, and lips pressed into the base of her neck. Her eyes closed, still red from her crying and the harsh cold weather of Alaska. Her head fell back and hit his shoulder, as his lips nibbled on her smooth neck and his hand pushed hers down and unzipped the jacket slowly.

"Justin..." Alexandria breathed.

His hands ran up her arms to her shoulders and he slowly pulled the jacket off her slender arms and into his hands. "What Lexia?" His voice was no louder than hers had been.

They were whispering like they were afraid someone my hear them, but no one else was in the house. She turned around and faced him; taking her coat from his hands and letting it fall to the floor.

She stepped forward and pressed her palms to his chest. Her hands ran up to his shoulders and her arms around his neck. She tilted her head, pushed up on her toes and whispered in his ear, when she felt his hands holding on to her lower back. "Let's go upstairs."

Her feet lowered off her tiptoes and hit the ground, her height shortening. Her eyes were almost ashamed when they traveled up his neck, over his lips and to his eyes. In the dim light, she could see them darkening...with desire.

Though his eyes were serious, and confident, his voice came out almost timid. "Oh kay."

Her small hand extended and she watched as his much stronger, larger one slid against hers, and molded against her fingers and palm.

With a deep breath, Alexandria squeezed his hand and walked towards the steps, pulling him behind her. She walked up the steps slowly, and her legs seemed to work slower the closer she got to the top.

Holding his hand in one of hers, her other hand gently turned her doorknob and pushed open her bedroom door. The only light from the room came from her small nightstand lamp. She didn't move, she couldn't move. She just froze, holding his hand, staring at the white carpet.

Something, someone moved behind her, beside her, and stood in front of her. The white carpet was cluttered with blue and gray tennis shoes. Her light blue eyes closed, and opened a moment later, but now staring up at the man in front of her. His vacant hand moved to her cheek, and carelessly let his fingers trace her cheekbone, hooking a few wisp of her black hair behind her ear.

Her mouth opened slowly, but her words came out rushed. "Justin, I hope that you-"

"Shhh..." His finger rested on her lips. She followed that finger up his arm and to his face. He was grinning sincerely. "Just be quiet." He whispered.

She nodded against his finger.

With a quick swipe of his tongue, he moistened his lips and stepped forward. His finger brushed against her lips and his hand cupped her cheek. His palm seemed to sculpt her face as she closed her eyes tightly and covered his hand with her own, not letting it move, and rubbing her cheek against his fingers. She turned her head and let her lips rub and barely kiss his hand.

She hadn't noticed he had gotten closer to her, until his hand dove in her hair, tangling it in his fingers and holding the back of her head. Her eyes barely opened before they fell shut again, as his mouth descended on to her own.

A whimper came from Alex's throat when his lips pushed and pulled at hers, tempting her, coaxing her, and loving her. Her body went lax at his touch and she had to wrap her arms around his waist to keep herself from falling. The more her arms wrapped around him, the closer their fronts came together.

When her chest pressed against his, a barely audible groan sounded from Justin. Alexandria's hands slid lower and shyly into the back pockets of his jeans. In that moment, his tongue swept over her own, and pulled it towards him. His nose took in uneven heavy breaths and he tilted his head dangerously to one side.

She hadn't even noticed they had been moving until his lips were torn away from hers. She opened her eyes and realized he was now sitting down on the side of her bed, looking up at her.

The room was silent, except for their deep, slow breaths.

Justin looked off to the side, lifted his hips slightly and pulled his wallet form his back pocket. He held it in his hand, not knowing if he should make the move to get out what he wanted to.

Alexandria didn't let him make that decision for himself. She grabbed the wallet herself and began searching it, kicking her tennis shoes off as she did. She kicked her shoes off to the side and pulled a small foil square out of his wallet and set both items on her nightstand.

When she turned back to look at Justin, he was staring at her, pulling off his tennis shoes and socks. She walked over to him, turned around and cautiously sat down beside him on the cushy bed.

They looked like shy little middle schoolers, about to receive their first kiss. Alex covered his hand with hers and looked up at him. His eyes turned first, and then his whole face turned to hers. His eyes watched her, as she pulled his hand to her mouth and she began to kiss his fingers. Justin couldnt help but stare at her lips, kissing and gently sucking on his hand.

Their eyes bored into each other, as her lips closed over the tip of his middle finger. She pulled his hand away from her mouth and rested it on her shoulder. "Justin..." She leaned in closer, one hand, cupping his face, the other moving down his neck and chest. "...I want you."

He gulped when her hand found the edge of his shirt and she snuck under it, letting her fingers tickle his stomach. "Are you sure?"

Suddenly her lips were so close to his, a breath away, a moment away. She closed her eyes, knowing in her heart what she wanted to say, and letting it gently float out of her mouth. "Make love to me, Justin."

"If you say so..." The side of his mouth twitch up into an amused little smile, that she returned. His lips slid over hers, but she pulled away and stood up in front of him before the kiss could continue. He looked up at her, his eyes wide and innocent.

She crossed her arms in front of her stomach and grabbed on to the material of her sweatshirt and the T-shirt under it. Her arms raised over her head and in a swift motion, she was left in just her bra and jeans.

"Lexia..." Justin sighed. "...let me do that."

She ignored his request and pulled on his arms, making him stand up. He obliged, and let his eyes roam over her slender body as her tiny hands crept forward and pulled on the material of his long sleeve shirt. She couldn't reach far enough to pull it off him completely, so he helped her and let his shirt fall to the floor.

Her body sat back on her bed, and she pulled on his white undershirt, until he was standing in between her knees. His head tilted down and he watched her, unbuckling his belt and undoing his jeans, taking her sweet time, and torturing him in the process.

Finally she pulled on the material of his jeans, and they slipped down his narrow hips, over his legs and pooled at his feet. So far, Alex had run the show, set the pace, and initiated actions. But Justin couldn't contain his desires any more, and the next thing Alex new, he had leaned over her, forcing her back on the bed, and pinning her there with his arms. He hovered over her letting his dark blue eyes scan over her face. He locked eyes with her, and dipped his head, pressing his lips to the base of the column of her neck.

Her eyes closed and she groaned, feeling his lips and tongue make a straight line down her chest, in-between her breast and over her stomach. His hands followed his motions, curving over her shoulders and her collar. They molded the shape of her breast in his hands, soliciting quiet whimpers from her throat.

His tongue dipped into her navel and made a ring around it. As his hands moved down her sides to her hips, he blew on the circle around her belly button, cause her to giggle quietly.

He smiled against her tummy and looked up at her face to see her peering down at him. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?" Justin asked.

She smiled, biting her lip, waiting for him to make the next move. He stood up and kicked his jeans at his feet off the side. His hand tugged on her black track pants, trying to get them off her. She lifted her butt off the mattress and he successfully slid them off her smooth legs and dropped them on her floor. His fingers pulled on her white socks, making sure to tickle the undersides of her feet and make her giggle. He slowly put both of her bare feet down and stood up straight.

His eyes stared at her body covered in small purple bikini cut undies and a plain white bra. His breathing quickening and he shook his head. "You are so beautiful."

His eyes ignored the red stain in her cheeks, and became mesmerized how her hair fell delicately on the bed, making a black halo around her. Her eyes were much darker than normal and she was, bending her knees a bit, and covering her stomach with her arms, instinctively trying to hide her almost bare body.

"You seem overdressed." She spoke, the first thing that had not been whispered since they came in from outside.

Justin looked down at himself and smiled. Without warning he pulled his under shirt over his head, by the collar and let it fall on the floor. He smirked at her, opening his palms and sticking his arms out a bit to either side of him. "Better?"

She smiled. It was a smiled full of promise and curiosity, playfulness and desire. "Help me, pull back the covers."

He watched her as she sat up and turned to her side, picking up the cushions and pillows neatly places against the headboard and tossed them on to the floor. He couldn't move, just stunned by her movements. She scooted off the bed and stood in the small space between him and bed. Her hands reached for the comforter to pull it back, but his arms wrapped around her stomach and his lips played against her ear. "I love you."

She closed her eyes and relished in the feeling of his lips moving over her neck and shoulder. Something happened inside her when the gentle gesture of his fingertips sliding the thin strap off her shoulder occurred. Whether it was an epiphany or just a simple thought, Alexandria couldn't keep it in anymore.

His lips had moved to her other shoulder, treating it the same as the other, slipping the bra strap slowly off her. Her head leaned back and she turned slightly so she could whisper in his ear. "Justin I need you..."

He stopped for a second and looked deep into her eyes. He snapped out of his trance and grabbed the end of the comforter and sheets and pulled it back. He felt hers hands encircle his arm and her lips at the curve of his shoulder. "I need you so much."

Her world tilted on its axis, when he dipped down and swooped her up in his arms, then gently dropped her on the mattress. His body crawled over her, dropping random kisses in random places on her skin, finally reaching her mouth. When her hand directed his movement, holding on to the back of his neck, fingering the bristles of hair there, his mouth worked hungrily on hers, like she was his last meal, his last breath.

Her back arched slightly, her chest pressing into his, as his fingers searched for the clasp to her bra. After a few kisses on her collar, a frustrated chuckle, and diligent work by his fingers, he managed to pull the white material away from her and throw it somewhere on to the floor.

Her teeth nibbled on her lip as his eyes wandered over the new skin that was shown. "Can I..." One of his hands brushed under the curve of one her mounds before covering it. "...kiss you..." His eyes moved up to her own. "...here?"

Alex swallowed the lump in her throat and didn't even try speaking, she just nodded. She almost didn't want to look at what he was going to do...no one had done this before to her, but she couldn't move her eyes from his.

And when his soft lips closed around the tip of her breast her eyes closed shut and her back arched off the bed slightly, pushing herself into his face. "Justin."

He stopped and looked up at her face, eyes shut, and mouth agape. "What? Do you want me to stop?" He asked worried that he had done something she didn't like.

"No..." She took in deep breaths, licked her lips, and kept her eyes closed. "...keep going."

Justin grinned and moved his lips to her other breast, lavishing it with hot kisses, making her whimper.

He moved his body down hers, kissing along her ribcage, kneading her waist and smelling that jasmine scent on her skin that was only Lexia. His lips and tongue traveled below her navel and came in contact with purple cotton material.

Dark blue eyes met light blue eyes, and with a silent question for permission, Justin sat up on his knees and hooked his fingers into the sides of her panties. He stared at her face while he pulled her underwear down her legs and completely off her body.

Something about ridding herself of that last article of clothing made her shiver and goosebumps danced across her skin. She attempted curling up into a ball anything to make the cold air leave her. But before she was able to move, Justin's body had stretched over the length of her own, the simple skin to skin contact made her forget what the word cold was and her body began surging with warmness, like she was sitting by a fire.

She let him settle his weight on top of her own and looked up from her white sheets to his face. "I don't want to wait any longer." Alex whispered her fingers playing with the freckles scattered over his shoulders.

He kissed her forehead, and then the tip of her nose. "I don't think I can wait any longer." He smiled against her mouth and kissed her sweetly. Her tongue came out to play with his, but instead he rolled off her and on to his back. With a glance at her, he looked over to the nightstand and reached for the small foil package that was lying there. He eyed it in his hands and licked his lips nervously, returning his gaze to Alex.

She was closer than he expected, and she gently grabbed his hand and took the foil square from him. She worked to open the package and mimicked him from earlier. "Justin..." She looked in his eyes as she tore the package open. "...let me do that."

"Lexia, don't-"

She interrupted him and pressed a hand to his chest, when he tried to sit up, like she was. "Justin, please...I want to do this."

He didn't complain, and just lay there, trying to control his heavy breathing. Alex took the contents of the foil package out and tossed the empty square on to the floor, somewhere. Her eyes traveled down from his chest muscles to his abs. She had an urge to reach out and touch the body that had been so well built and sculpted. He had called her beautiful, but in her mind, HE was the gorgeous one. A body of hard muscle under smooth skin. She couldn't help but let her mind wander and she wondered if all of his fans would even be able to digest this side of him, this site of him.

"Lexia..."

Her eyes snapped up to his face and she was giving her a curious glance. "Oh, sorry...I was just thinking. Drifted off..." She bit her lip and grinned when just slowly nodded once, licking his lips.

She tried not to blush, but a bit of pinkness crept in her cheeks anyway. -He's got to stop licking his lips like that. -

With a small shake of her head, her eyes traveled over his navel to the dark line of thin hair that led, lower and lower. If she was pinkening before, a switch was turned on a full color of deep red invaded her face as she eyed the over-obvious strain in his boxer briefs, that right now looks 2 sizes too small.

Her delicate fingers inched towards him, then snapped back. "Sorry, I..."

"Lexia, you don't have to do anything you don't want to. You know that." She looked back up at him and then away shamefully.

"But I want to do this for you. I'm just...nervous."

"What's there to be nervous about, babe?" Her eyes snapped to his, and he was smiling. Normally she would have called it his cocky, arrogant, smug little smile. One side of his mouth was tilted higher than the other. But right now it was a smile of encouragement. And it was all the notion she needed to let her hand grab the elastic band of his underwear and pull...down.

She pulled his underwear all the way to his ankles, where he kicked them off himself.

Red didn't even describe the color in her face now. She didn't really know what to do with...everything, now. She glanced up at his face; he was just as red as hers.

Some how that was comforting to Alexandria. To know he was embarassed too by the releaving moment. He was looking off to the side, anywhere but her, his face burning, so he couldn't see what she was going to do.

Alex didn't watch what she was doing, just stared at his face as her fingers slowly unrolled the condom down the length of him. His mouth opened slowly and his breathing got labored at her touch.

"Oh my god..." He breathed when her fingers left him. She crawled back up and lay right beside him, kissing his shoulder, watching his chest heave up and down.

"Now, Justin..." She whispered on his skin. Her eyes locked on his when he turned his head, her lips still on his shoulder.

He nodded and rolled over on top of her. He sighed, like he had just finished a really difficult and tiring task when all of his naked body touched all of hers. Alex wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held on to his back as one of his hands supported himself off her and his other traveled down her body and to her leg, which he held over his hip.

His lips crushed into hers in a mind blowing kiss, inching his hips closer to her own. His tongue massaged hers and his hands gripped his back, the kiss become more powerful as time went on. Finally Justin couldn't take it anymore, he pulled away keeping his forehead against hers and whispered, "Are you ready?"

She nodded, making his forehead move with her own. "Ok, I don't want to hurt you."

"Just go slow...like last time." Alex whispered, bringing a hand to his face and letting the back of her knuckles brush across his cheek and temple.

He licked his lips, again and as slowly and gently as possible, slid into her warm heat. Alex whimpered against him, biting her lip and squeezing her eyes shut, trying to block out the pain his invasion was causing on her.

Justin just stayed like that, buried deep inside her, not moving at all, breathing harder than he ever had in his life. Alex's eyes opened slightly to see what he was doing, why he wasn't moving. "Justin..." She squeaked out.

"Damn, Lexia. You just...damn..." His neck went numb and his head fell against her shoulder. "...I never knew anything could feel so good." His voice was quiet and could barely be heard.

A moment later, Justin slightly moved out of her and then inched back in. "Ohhh..." Alex moaned in a bit of pain.

"Are you ok?" Justin whispered.

"Yeah, keep going." She whispered and tilted her chin up to claim his lips.

Soon Justin's slow, and gentle thrusts became faster and not as languid as they had been. Alex's breathing had slowed down and she was now purring like a kitten almost, lulling Justin closer and closer to his peak.

His breathing had quickened severally, with his pace. He didn't want to seem to vulgar with such a beautiful and special bond they were sharing, but after awhile he couldn't control himself and began to lightly groan and grunt with each thrust of his hips against hers.

In the middle of it all, Alex's other leg wrapped around Justin's slender waist and she held onto his shoulders as her back involuntarily arched up. "Justin...I..ohhh..."

Justin's eyes opened at her soft moan of pleasure. He sighed and smiled when he saw a content grin on her lips. "Open your eyes Lexia, look at me."

He held her cheek in one hand, not slowing his pelvis at all, waiting for her eyes to open and lock on to his. Slowly, her eyelids drunkenly drifted open, and her head turned to face him. Their eyes locked and Justin felt himself about to uncoil.

"I love you, Justin." Alex whispered in the damp air.

That was all it took.

Justin's lower back arched slightly and his hips dug into hers, her name spilling from her lips as he emptied his love deep within her. "Lexia...."

Her fingers dug into the skin of his shoulders as her voice started to crack and whimper. "Just-in..ohhh.."

Finally after being suspended in time, so it seemed, Justin's sweaty body collapsed on to hers. His head rested right at her shoulder, his heavy hot breath searing her neck. Her arms wrapped around his back and she caressed the sweaty surface lovingly, letting her lips kiss the intriguing freckles sprinkled on to his skin.

Minutes later he was still deep inside of her, his weight settled between her legs and his body pinning hers to the mattress. His breathing was not as ragged as before, but it was still heavy. Alex ran a hand over the short bristles of hair on his head. "Are you all right Justin?"

He chuckled barely. "I don't know."

"Did I-"

He stopped her and kissed her cheek with his wet lips. "You didn't do anything wrong Lexia. God, you did everything perfectly."

"Are you sure that-"

"Shhhhh, baby." He interrupted her again, and let his mouth caress hers for a moment before sighing. "Let's just go to sleep ok?"

"Ok."

He kissed her, while at the same time rolling off her. The absence of him from her body made both of them groaned unpleasantly as he pulled out of her. While the invasion of his body was uncomfortable at first, the more Alex got use to it, the more she was sure that he was her missing piece. He was the part of her puzzle that needed to be there to make her complete. She felt whole with him by her side.

Alex reached over and clicked off her lamp on her nightstand, making them be emerged in darkness. She rolled over and cuddled up to Justin's side as he pulled the sheets and comforter over their cooling bodies.

Alex's fingers danced upon his chest, her cheek on his shoulder. Justin arms wrapped around her protectively and his lips kissed the top of her head. His strong hand pushed a few of the sweaty black strands off her face, and he continued to stroke her hair.

"I do love you Justin." Alex whispered when his hand began to slowly its movements and their bodies began to be overcome with sleep.

After a moment he didn't say anything so Alex closed her eyes, thinking he was already dreaming away.

But slowly, just as she was nodding off he subcontiously voiced in a sleep-filled voice, "I love you too Lexia. I love you too."

Next morning

-----------

He was exquisite. There was no other way about it. Everything about him fascinated her. The way his hand rested on his stomach that was moving up and down very slowly. The way his arm bended and rounded in a one broad shoulder that was sprinkled with freckles. She had set out on a mission the night before to touch each freckle with her lips. It was a success. The way his freckles disappeared and molded with his tan skin up to his thick neck. The tiny line of indention below his neck that showed the reward of working out and running on stage. The way the white sheet covered his body from his chest down.

Alexandria's icy eyes traveled back up his neck to the day old stubble on his chin, his parted lips which she could still feel on the skin of her stomach traveling...everywhere, and his triangular nose. His head was tilted just a tad to the side, towards her. His eyelashes were barely resting on his cheek. The way his eyebrows were so naturally defined, perfect rectangles. His forehead, which was, smooth and soon was covered by little thick bristles of hair. Her mouth twitched into a grin, her teeth peeking through her lips at his ears. They were kind of big, but she thought it added to his adorableness. And sexiness.

She had awoken with her head snugly fitted into the upper most part of his arm, her cheek pressed onto his chest. Her hand was placed right above his on the sheet covering his stomach. His arm was carelessly thrown on her pillow, his hand somehow brushing against her back as she breathed.

But now her cheek was propped in her palm, her elbow bent and resting near his elbow on her pillow, and her hand trying to control its urge to reach out and touch him.

Her fingers went towards his face and then snapped back, as if touching him might cause him harm. He was a work of art. Her mom had once painted people, but said it was too much work and too hard to successfully use paints and a brush to get across the true beauty of a human life.

Alex was a spiritual person. A very personal spiritual person, and there was no doubt in her mind that when God created Justin he had done it with every intent on making him the beautiful man he was today.

And it was almost too much to grasp that all this was hers. That this beautiful painting, this piece of artwork named Justin Timberlake was all hers.

Her mind kept wandering to the words he had spoken the night before. "...you gotta let God have him, Lexia."

God had taken her brother away from her. He had ripped him from her grasp and left her there...shattered.

And now, He had given her someone back. Someone that was becoming a necessary in her life. Someone that she could run to when she felt her world was shattering. Someone that she hoped would never, ever be taken away from her.

The sun was just rising in the short Alaska day. Her clock that was hanging on her wall read 9:37 a.m. Her father would be home soon, and so would her brother, and her mother. She hated it, but she had to disturb her exquisite man, even though her fingers were still afraid to touch him.

Finally they reached the prickled skin of his rounded, strong jaw. Her palm held his jaw and chin as her thumb ran delicately across his lips.

The artwork stirred, and made a growling sound. His lips opened and his steady jaw moved across her palm in a wide-mouth yawn. When his mouth closed, his tongue ran smoothly across his lips and his eyes finally appeared.

"Hey." She whispered, now rubbing his cheek with her fingers.

He smiled a lazy smile. "Mornin'."

"Sleep ok?" Her voice continued like a whisper.

"Oh yeah, like a rock. But then again, I was quite tired." He smirked and she started to blush. "You are so cute when you do that."

"Stop..." She quietly, said. Her face raised off her palm and lay upon his chest. She felt his fingers playing with the ebony strands that lay carelessly across her pillow and shoulders. Her hand left his cheek and traveled down his chest to his stomach where her fingers met, mingled, and danced with his.

"Thanks for last night." He mumbled his voice still heavy and groggy.

Alex's teeth nibbled on her lower lip, startled by his bluntness. "Oh, ok. You're welcome."

"I'm not just talking about...well. I mean, I realized I never thanked you for showing me the northern lights like you did. That was amazing."

Her head lifted off his chest and her sky blue eyes met his ocean blue eyes and at the same time they smiled. "They are amazing."

"You were amazing too." He chuckled when she immediately got an innocent look in her eyes and her head tucked back into his chest.

"Whatever. I just cant believe well...nevermind."

She could feel his muscles stretch underneath her and could hear a groan rise up in his throat and meekly come out of his mouth. "Cant believe what?" He asked once his body relaxed.

"Well, I mean, we are in the bed that I've had since I was 8. It's just weird."

"Weird good or bad?"

"Neither. Just weird." She mumbled turning her face into his chest and pressing her lips to the small line of indention she had been fascinated by earlier.

"Must be..." He sighed as her body brushed over his slightly as her lips traveled up his collar to his neck, finally rest on his voice box. "...good."

He tried not to moan when he felt her breath tickle his neck and her smooth leg rub against his. "Ya know? I really wish Jon wasn't obsessed with Nsync."

"Do you have to bring my brother into this?" Justin chuckled not wanted to think about his 7-year-old innocent brother in that moment.

She sighed and ran her fingers over the slope of his neck. He giggled and tried to tuck his chin so she would stop. "That tickles."

"Sorry, I just. You have such an amazing voice, I hate that I've gotten tired of all your songs."

"You like Sailing."

"And Here and Now." She sighed, now playing connect the dots with those intriguing freckles and her small fingers.

"Well, to be honest. I get tired of them too. But it's my job. I'm just happy we've been in the studio. It's great creating new music. I can't wait to get back and get in the studio."

She nodded against the part of the pillow right above his shoulder and right beside his face. He turned his eyes first to look at her and finally the rest of his face. "I love you." He whispered out of no where.

She grinned and pressed her lips to his as her answer. These were the kisses that she loved. The kisses he had rain all over her face the night before. Not wild. Not forceful. Yet still passionate, and wanting. They were full of love and if she tired she wouldn't be able to justly think about and describe accurately the perfectness of this type of kiss. And he wouldn't be able to justly sing or write about the beauty of this type of kiss.

She moved. He moaned. Yet their lips never left each other. Her body managed to scoot closer and somehow slide on top of his. He pulled away, panting like he had run a marathon. It wasn't from their kiss, which had been very light and gentle. Just the feeling of her body leaning against his was enough to make his breathing get heavy and his heart to skip a few beats. He could feel her hand running over his head, across his ear, down his neck and resting on his shoulder. Her eyes left his and her head tilted down a bit.

"I'm so amazed with your little freckles." She smiled and tried to hold her giggle from escaping her mouth.

"Why?" He asked curiously.

She shrugged and looked back into his eyes. "I don't know. I just am."

"Well I'm amazed by your hair." He took his hand off her back and plunged it through her locks, smiling when his hand slid straight through not having to detangle at all. "And your eyes. They are amazing. Like I can tell exactly what you are thinking by just looking at them."

"What am I thinking then?"

He stared into her eyes for a long time. She stared back almost afraid to blink, thinking it might make him lose his train of thought. Finally, he pushed on the back of her head and met her lips halfway, kissing them sweetly.

"You are thinking that its getting late and as much as you would love to lay here all day, your family is going to be home. And it would not be good for them to see us like this."

She smiled and shook her head, pushing herself off him and plopping down on the other side of the bed. "You're good."

She started to groan as she rolled herself off the bed, but soon his large hands grabbed her bare hips and pulled her back. She was going to say something, tell him that she had to get dressed, he had to get back in his room and put some clothes on himself. But that was before she was wrapped in his comforting arms from behind. That was before she felt him press against her; ankles to upper back. That was before he began to shower her shoulders with kisses.

She sighed, hating the words that were about to leave her mouth. "Justin, we gotta get dressed."

With one last kiss he let her go and sat up on the bed, his legs swung over the edge. "I know, I just needed to hold you one more time before I had to start the day."

"Justin, you can hold me anytime during the day." She pulled the sheet around her body as he stood up pulling his underwear over him as he did.

He turned and smiled at her. "But not like that." He leaned over the bed and captured her lips in a kiss. "Get dressed. It's our last day here."

"Ok." She whispered. She watched as he walked to the foot of her bed, bent over and swiped his clothes in his hands in one graceful motion. She stared; clutching the sheet in her fist as he casually strolled to her door and opened it. He looked back over his shoulder and smiled before walking out. He didn't even bother shutting the door, and she didn't bother moving her eyes.

She watched the muscles in his back barely move, stretch, and flex as he walked. He finally reached his own bedroom and stepped inside, closing the door behind him, gently.

Her head fell to the side on her pillow and she exhaled and inhaled deep breaths. He had just walked out of her room and in to his own. But he had managed to leave her breathless.

Her artwork had disappeared from her sight for the moment but the image was still implanted in her mind. She could taste his skin and lips and could hear his breathing and his tired growl. The way he slept like a child. The way he whispered he loved her. The way he would touch her and make her body tingle.

Everything about him fascinated her. There was no other way about it.

He was exquisite.

A few days later

----------------

"Lexy!!!"

"It's ON!"

"Ahh, I'm coming!"

"HURRY!!!!"

Alex stormed down the steps, caught herself on the banister and swung around through the hallway, past her room and into the game room. She fell to the ground beside Jon and laid on her stomach, just like him looking up at the big screen.

Jen was sprawled out on the couch.

Alex was upstairs putting Justin's clean laundry on his bed when she heard Jen and Jon yell for her.

She stared at the screen, waiting, hoping for Justin to appear on screen. After not blinking and staring mouth open at some of the outfit she screamed with Jon and yelled. "LOOK!!! JUSTIN!!!"

Jen gasped. "WHAT DID HE DO TO HIS HEAD?"

"Shaved it." Jon giggled watching his brother be interview by an MTV correspondent.

"His...curls..." Jen couldn't believe her eyes.

Alex bit her lip and watched as he responded to question and made gestured and funny faces in the camera. The room became quiet except for the blaring TV. After they answered a few questions it cut to commercial. Alex sighed, knowing that would be the only snippet of her man for a while.

Jen started blabbing. "I can't believe it. Why did he do that?"

"I think it looks good." Alex turned to her back and sat up, smiling at her friend.

"You WOULD! I'm going to use the bathroom before they come back." Jen stood and walked out of the room and to the bathroom down the hall. Alex rolled over and nudged Jon in his side.

She noticed that he was being very quiet. Usually if his brother was on TV he would be jumping up and down, pointing and screaming. But he was just lying there, looking away towards the big window of the room. "Jon, you ok?"

"There were a lot of cameras there." His voice was barely audible.

Alex bit her lip in thought. "Yeah, so. There are always a lot of cameras when Justin is on TV."

"There were a lot of people too."

"Jon...what's wrong?" She was overly concerned now.

They came back from commercial and Jen ran in the room. Alex looked at Jon out of the corner of her eye. He was chewing on his fingernails.

She was scared. She had never seen him like this.

And what was scarier than that, was that Alex didn't know what was going on. She knew Jon like he was her own, and for the first time, she didn't have a clue what was going on inside his head.

She was terrified.

-------
A little after 11
-------

Alex closed the front door after Jen and watched as she got in her car and drove down the driveway and out of site. She turned to the small security panel and tried to remember the codes Justin had written for her to remember. After staring blankly at the wall it hit her and she punched in the codes.

She quietly walked back into the playroom and pushed power on the TV to turn it off. Jon was sleeping on the couch. She would have moved him to a bed, but he was so peaceful and she was afraid of waking him.

When the Grammies started Jon was better. He was jumping around and yelling and sang along to This I Promise You. He would point out his mother when they showed glimpses of the guys and Alex was happy he was back to normal. He fell asleep on the couch beside Jen before the show was over. Alexandria was sad they hadn't won but then again was glad that Jon didn't miss anything.

She knew he would be sad his brother didn't win a Grammy, but he would have been so heartbroken if he had and he missed it.

Her body bent to pick up the drinks and snacks that were scattered on the floor and she walked back through the hallway and into the kitchen. She put everything back where it was supposed to go and through their trash in the trash can.

She was baby-sitting Jon and he had to get up and go to school the next day. She knew he would be tired. So would she. Her plane had gotten in the night before, late. Justin had had a separate flight to LA.

It had been 2 days. She missed him, terribly.

She was tired and worn out from the past week, and it was already getting late and she would have to get up early to take Jon to school. Just as she was turning the lights off in the kitchen a ringing noise interrupted the quietness of the house. She picked up the cordless phone and pressed Talk. "Hello?"

"Hey baby."

She sighed. She had missed his voice. "Hey. Sorry you didn't win."

"Hey, being nominated is all that matters." He chuckled sarcastically.

"Where are you right now?" She walked past the front door for the third time and entered her bedroom.

"In the limo, headed to a party. Mom says hi. How's Jon?"

"He is asleep on the couch in the play room. I would move him but he is too peaceful. Tell Lynn said hi back."

Justin mumbled "hi back" to his mom and returned to the phone. "I wish you could be here. I miss you."

She smiled at his whispered words. "I miss you too."

"Listen, I gotta ask you something and I hate doing this over the phone. But I wanted to ask you before I do anything."

"What?"

She could hear him sigh. She sat down, wondering what he was going to say. "Well, uhh. Ok there is this Janet Jackson tribute thing MTV is doing next weekend. And, ok. Please don't get mad, but what would you think if I took Britney?"

She was quiet. She thought about it. Didn't like the idea. She thought about it something. Still didn't like it.

"Lexia...listen, if you don't feel comfortable then that's fine. I wanted to ask you before I even mentioned it to her. I would take you; I would LOVE to take you. But you know I cant. Not unless you want to go and have your picture taken with me and people...ya know..."

"Yeah, well. It's ok. I guess." Her voice was so uneasy.

"You don't want me to. That's ok. I just wanted to-"

"Justin..." She interrupted. "...its fine. I mean I'm not thrilled. I'm not going to praise you for taking your ex but I mean, you guys are still friends and I don't have any right to stop you from doing things with her."

"Are you sure? Because I don't want you to like get weirded out and be mean to me."

"How is that different from normal?" She giggled.

He breathed deeply in the phone. "Everyone is staring at me Lexia. They are all up in our conversation."

"Who?"

He whined. "All the guys and mom and everyone."

"Oh. Sorry." She giggled. "But really it's ok. This will throw off some people and I mean I'm ok with it. I trust you."

Justin was quiet for a second and finally he whispered, "It feels so good to hear you say that."

"Lexy?"

Alex raised her head at the sleep filled voice. He was standing there, rubbing one eye with his fist. "Hey hold on." She spoke in the phone and then to Jon. "Hey buddy, why don't you go change in your pjs and then you can go to bed ok?"

"Ok." His hand dropped tiredly from his eye and he grabbed his bag that was right inside the doorway of her room and turned to go change...somewhere.

"You're brother just woke up."

"Oh, tell him I love him. Hey we are at the place. Listen I'll call ya sometime tomorrow."

"Ok."

"Listen. I love you, I miss you." She heard a bit of laughter in the background and kissing noises. She figured the guys were making fun of him.

"Thank babe. I love you and miss you too."

"Ok, bye Lexia."

"Bye." She clicked the phone off and at the same time Jon shuffled into the room and crawled up on her bed. She pulled back the covers and kissed his head. "Justin said he loved you."

"Oh." He mumbled quietly, already closing his eyes.

"Is everything ok Jon?" Alex asked.

He nodded and clutched the pillow.

"All right, well I'm going to go upstairs and go to bed, or do you want me to stay down here with you?"

He yawned and shrugged. Alex just stared at his relaxed position. This was not the Jonathan Harless she knew and loved. "Ok, well...goodnight."

"Night." He mumbled.

"I love you Jon." She kissed his forehead and stood off her bed. She walked to her dresser and pulled out her pjs and crossed the room to the door. She looked back to see him breathing deeply, holding her pillow, fast asleep.

She was worried. Very worried.

But she didn't know what to do. So she just went on with everything. She flicked off the lights and shuffled to the steps, walking up them and into Justin's bedroom.

Too bad sleep didn't come to her as easily as it did for the little boy downstairs.

February 25th afternoon

-----------------------

She was bored. It was as simple as that. She had gone to church that morning. It had been a while since she had been to church and she had a lot she needed to go and pray about.

But now it was the afternoon. She didn't have to baby-sit, or be at the lab. She didn't really want to study and she had nothing to do. Before she met Justin she reveled in times like these. Times when there WAS nothing to do and she could just think or read or whatever she wanted.

But now she was bored.

She had gone for a swim. Got cold. She had got in the Jacuzzi. Got hot. And now she was leaning on this kitchen island...bored.

She looked down at the empty plate of left overs she had from her food the night before. She was bored, she ate. But now with a belly full and nothing to do she wondered how on earth she could spend her afternoon.

Justin was still in LA. He had taped the MTV ICON thing the night before. He was supposed to be home late that night, but that was like 6 hours from now. She was bored and not having fun at all.

An idea came to her that she didn't like, but she figured was pretty necessary. Cleaning. She always did it in her apartment when she was bored. And even though Justin house was not even close to being call dirty, she could wash some dishes, change sheets, vacuum.

A sigh escaped Alex's lips and she pushed herself away from the counter, and walked towards the sink.

She might be bored anymore, but she still wasn't having fun.

She wished Justin was home.

------------

After standing in front of the linen closet, which she had found in the laundry room, for about 5 minutes, Alexandria had pulled out a beautiful set of white satin sheets. She figured, if she was going to be living there, why not sleep on the good stuff. She had put the delicate cloth on her bed and then went back to the laundry room to shut the linen closet door.

She had been so excited when she saw the nice sheets she had forgot to close it. She had never slept on satin before.

But when she went to close the door something caught her attention. Her arm reached to the very back of one of the shelves and pulled out a set of sleek, black silk sheets. There was a lot of material and she figured it would fit Justin's King-size bed.

A smile slowly spread on her face.

Her long legs carried her upstairs and in his room, where she laid the silk sheets on the bed and went to his stereo. She looked at his CDs and realized she wasn't in the mood for hip-hop or r&b. So she settled on the radio and spent a few minutes standing there, pressing the "forward" button to skip through stations. Finally it landed on a song she hadn't heard in a while.

And for some reason it was the perfect song for her at that moment.

She turned the volume up, almost as loud as it would go and walked back over to the bed. She ripped off his pillows and comforter and pulled the sheets and cases off as well. She sang quietly as the music echoed through the house.

"I could feel at the time
There was no way of knowing
Fallen leaves in the night
Who can say where they're blowing
As free as the wind
And hopefully learning
Why the sea on the tide
Has no way of turning"

She danced around the bed, swiveling her hips and turning as she tucking in the mattress cover. She hadn't been able to do this, act like a kid, in a while.

"More than this
You know there is nothing
More than this
Tell me one thing
More than this
You know there is nothing"

Her hands grabbed the shiny, silk sheet and lifted her arms high in the air, letting the sheet slowly descend.

"It was fun for a while
There was no way of knowing
Like a dream in the night
Who can say where we're going
No care in the world
Maybe I'm learning
Why the sea on the tide
Has no way of turning"

Blue eyes smiled and watched the scene in front of her as the sheet delicately touched the material below it. Another pair of blue eyes stared in front of him but not at the bed, at the slender figure, bent over at the base of the bed, tucking in the sheet.

"More than this
You know there is nothing
More than this
Tell me one thing
More than this
You know there is nothing"

He couldn't get over how natural and beautiful she looked in plain old black cotton shorts and a white tank top. He could see the dark colored bathing suit underneath the white material. Nothing was more beautiful than her. Nothing...

"oooh aaaah"

Her humming halted when she heard his voice. His beautiful tenor voice sing loudly throughout the room. She couldn't move, couldn't breathe. Nothing was more beautiful than his voice. Nothing...

"More than this
You know there is nothing
More than this
Tell me one thing
More than this
There's nothing"

She finally got the strength to turn around and face him. He was just standing there staring at her. She wanted to run to him and tell him she had been bored without him in her presence. Tell him she missed him and loved him. Yet all she could do was stare at his eyes that were looking back at her.

"Hey." He smiled and half shouted over the loud music.

She yelled back. "You are back early."

He nodded and stepped in the room, walking over to the stereo and turning it off. His voice returned to its normal smoothness. "Our flight got bumped up and we got back a lot earlier than expected."

"Good." She sighed. "I'm glad."

He stepped closer to her, his eyes darkening. "I missed you."

"I know. Is this healthy? It was like 4 days and I was going through my Justin withdrawals."

His lips tilted into a crooked grin as he stood a foot away from her. "Withdrawal eh?"

"Yeah, but I have made use of your pool and Jacuzzi and the huge bath tub you have."

"I see, but next time don't get in the pool or the Jacuzzi or the tub..." He stopped and smiled evilly. "...without me."

Her eyes rolled sharply back to the bed she had been trying to make. "I put new sheets on your bed."

"I see that." He whispered. She didn't look at him, but he seemed to be closer.

"I put the white satin ones on my bed. Is that ok?"

"Just fine." She could feel his breath float across her ear and cheek.

"I think the black ones look nice on your bed, they feel..." Her eyes closed when his hands wandered around to her back and pressed her into him. His face was inches from her. "... good, too."

"Lexia, would you stop talking so I can kiss you?"

Her light blue eyes turned back to him and he smiled at her slightly shocked expression before leaning in and pressing his mouth to hers. He was like a drug. With that minor touch her stiff body relaxed and seemed to fall into his. Her hands grabbed his shoulders for support as his lips parted hers and slid back, letting his tongue run across her bottom lip. She moaned and her hand left his shoulder and grabbed the back of his head, not letting him move.

Her resolve was breaking. And even though he was just in plain old jeans and a tee shirt she couldn't get over how sexy he looked and felt and smelled. It was hard, being away from all this for a few day and then BAM! He was back in her grasp. She was an addict. She was addicted to the Timberlake drug.

Right now she was overdosing.

She pulled away from his kiss and sighed. "I'm happy you are back."

"Me too. That's the last thing we have to do for a while. Now I just get to chill for like a month. Just record and write and spend time with you." He swayed with her in a hug.

"I was so bored without you here. I mean, it was awful. I've been cleaning all afternoon because I was so bored."

"Well, you could have studied. I know you've been missin' classes and I don't want my girl to get behind."

She turned her nose a bit. "I just wasn't in the mood."

"Oh, well there was a message down stairs from Jen, guess your music was too loud, but it was reminding you about some big Astrology test."

She gasped as she stepped back from Justin and her hand flew over her mouth and her eyes bulged. "Oh god."

"Forgot didn't ya?"

She just nodded, still in shock.

"You ok? Come on its only 5. You got time."

"But that's like my hardest class and I haven't been able to catch up and the professor...what am I going to do?" She bit her lip, worry written all over her face.

Justin grabbed her shoulders and looked at her directly. "Listen, you are going to go and start studying. I'm going to take a little nap. Now in an hour you wake me up and I'll find us something to eat or go get something. Then for the rest of the night; well until 1, I'm yours to help you study ok?"

"I guess." Her voice was like a whine.

"All right, come on..." Justin pulled her to his bedroom door and pushed her out in his hallway. "..go study!"

"But-"

"Lexia, just go study. It'll be ok."

"I'll try." She mumbled

"Good, now wake me up in an hour, ok?"

"K."

He smiled and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I love you."

"All right." She stared blankly at his chest.

"ALEXANDRIA!"

"What?" She asked quietly, moving her eyes to his, not blinking once.

He chuckled a bit. "Just go study baby. You'll be ok. Stop worrying. You are gonna do fine."

"Ok." She took in a deep breath and turned around, leaving him. For some reason in his sincere words she found the courage to stop worrying.

She wasn't bored anymore.

But studying sure as hell wasn't going to be fun...

March 2nd, around 9 p.m.

------------------------

"Don't bite me!" Alex giggled at her companion nibbling on her finger. He bit down a tad bit too hard.

"Ow, punk."

"Punk." He mocked.

She glared at her feathery friend. "Ya know Chest, you better control ya self, I might let you go one day. Might accidentally leave the front door open and buh bye."

The bird just turned his head and started to squawk loudly and repeatedly. "What is it?"

A second later she heard the door open and shut. She heard his voice ring out through the downstairs. "...bout car I drive or the ICE around my neck...la la la laaa...bout clothes I wear and where I go and whieeee..."

He stopped as he spotted his girlfriend sitting in his living room with Chester on her wrist. "Hey baby." He said in a sing-songy voice.

"Well, someone's in a good mood." She smiled and he nodded and danced around, walking back in the kitchen.

"Yup! It was great. Got this new song we are working on, its gonna be hot. How was your day?"

Alex stood up and walked over to the kitchen with her bird. She put her pet up and turned back to Justin who was searching the refrigerator. "It was great. I had the best time at the lab. They got a new piece of equipment so we were able to try it out all afternoon. And-"

"We have like no food." He interrupted her, pulling out a carton of milk. "Sorry, go on."

She just giggled as he reached in a cabinet and pulled out a box of Captain Crunch. "Well, I got back my test score for that Astrology exam I had."

He set the bowl and spoon he had down on the counter and bit his lip. He had spent at least 5 good hours helping her cram for that test. It was almost if he had had the exam too the next day. "And..."

She smiled and pointed to the fridge. He turned and looked on the outside. Sure enough there was a paper stuck to the silver surface with a magnet. He looked at the number and a huge smile came on his face. "A 93? Lexia, that is awesome!"

"I know. That's why it's on the fridge!!" She giggled. He walked over to her and picked her up in a hug. "I told you it would be ok."

"I know, thanks for helping me study." He set her back on the floor but kept his arms around her. His lips descended on her forehead and moved down between her eyebrows, down the bridge of her nose to the tip. He pulled away and smiled. "I'm so proud of my Lexia."

She giggled as he kissed her for a brief moment on her lips and pulled away, completely. "I'm also so hungry! I haven't eaten since lunch."

"Well, I'll go to the grocery store tomorrow and get us some food. Make me a list of what cha want." She leaned on the counter as he made him self a bowl of cereal.

"This is awesome, we have both had a great day." Justin smiled and put the spoon with a huge helping of cereal in his mouth. He grinned as he crunched.

"Ya know? I thought Jon was bad about cereal but I think you are worse. It's like all you eat."

"So?" He mumbled.

She giggled and walked over to Chester's cage and covered him. "Night Chesty."

"You are right. That bird is REAL messy. You'd think he'd be able to keep his little bird food in the cage." Just as Justin said that a piece of cereal fell out of his mouth and landed on the floor.

Alex clamped her mouth shut as he took a papertowel and cleaned up after himself. "I guess I'm not one to talk, eh?"

After a few minutes of just watching him devour his cereal in pleaseure Alex spoke. "Justin, I wanna tell ya something." She walked over to him and wrapped one arm around his waist and pulled his bowl from his grasp and set it on the counter.

"And that is..." His speech was drawn out.

She grinned and wrapped her other arm around him, resting her cheek on his shoulder. "I've been so happy this past week. I mean I've had a lot to do with getting settled fully in here and catching up with school and lab work. But I've been really happy. And its something I haven't been in a while."

A sigh sounded from his mouth and he rubbed her back affectionately in his hug. "I'm really glad to hear you say that. Ya know? Nothing could ruin our week. I mean, it just feels good to be settled and relaxed. Everything is just back to normal."

She moved her lips to his neck and pressed a kiss to his skin and whispered. "I know exactly what ya mean."

"Maaannn, you know that's my spot." Justin groaned as she sucked on the part right below his jawbone, close to his ear.

She chuckled and let her arms hug him tightly as she continued to kiss his neck with him holding her.

But as soon as his head tilted down towards her face, to maybe let their little moment of time together expand when neither of them had to study or record or whatever, was interrupted by the shrill of the phone.

"Just let the machine get it."

"That's a good idea, but I better get that." He shuffled over to the phone with her still in his arms and answered it. "Hello?"

Alexandria sighed and scratched his back as she held him. But suddenly he pulled away from her and mumbled a "Uh huh" in the phone. He clicked it off with a "bye mom".

"What is it?" Alex asked, concerned by his furrowed brow and worried face.

He turned and looked at her. "We need to go over to moms. Jon is...he's asking for you."

"What?"

"He had a nightmare again. Mom says its real bad." His eyes pleaded with hers to help in any way.

"Well, come on. Let's go." Alex automatically grabbed her keys and walked towards the door, not even bothering to change from her pjs. Justin followed, biting his lip trying to hold down the worry that was building inside of him.

------------

"Mom, what's going on?" Justin asked as she led him and Alex up the steps and to Jon's room.

Lynn sighed and shook her head. "I don't know. I mean, he was screaming because of his nightmare and then he just started crying saying he wished Lexy were here. I couldn't do anything." She looked a bit shocked and Justin knocked on the door to Jon's room.

"Hey buddy. It's Big J. Why don't you let me come in?"

Alex leaned against the wall, trying to think of a way to get Jon out of his room. "I just came in and woke him up and I went to get him something to drink and when I came back he had locked himself in."

"Or everyone else, out." Alex mumbled.

Justin turned and looked at her at her statement. He knocked loudly again. "Come on Jon, this isn't funny. Open the door."

A minute later, nothing had changed. Alexandria walked over to Justin and lightly pushed him out of the way. She knocked twice and then flattened her hand on the door and slapped it. A moment later the same knock was echoed back to her. "It's our secret knock. I'll be right back." With that Alex ran down the steps and searched for a piece of paper and a pen, she wrote a message on in and ran back up the steps. She knelt and slid it in the crack under the door.

"What are you doin?" Justin asked.

She stayed knelling. "One time when I was baby-sitting there was a really bad storm, and he got scared. The power never went out, but we turned off the lights anyway and got flashlights and pretended we were spies. We had secret passageway and knocks and hideouts. It was actually kinda fun. And we would send spy messages this way." As soon as she finished talking the paper flew back toward them under the crack.

Alex read the child's uneven handwriting. It read: "Lexy come in."

Her eyes went wide, she wasn't really expecting him to order her to come in but she stood up and turned the knob that was now unlocked and peeked in the door. He was sitting on his bed, clutching his ratty Simba stuffed animal. She looked back at a worried Lynn and an eager Justin.

"I'll be back." She whispered and stepped in the room and closed the door.

"Lock it." He sniffed.

She turned and locked the door behind her. She walked over to him and sat on the edge of the bed. "Jon..."

"It got me Lexy. The monster got me. It almost got you." His voice trembled.

"Jon, what is this monster? I mean is he big and hairy and makes faces like this..." She contorted her face into an ugly shape and began to attack him with her fingers making him giggle. She was so happy to hear that sound.

"Nnnnoooo." She pulled away and looked at him sincerely.

"Then what is it Jon? You've been having these nightmares for a while. Now this is serious if you MOM has to call me and Justin to come over here."

"I don't know!" He yelled and whined as only little boys could. "It's just bad and it already got Justin and it got me tonight and I was scared and then I saw it go after you." He picked at his Simba.

"I don't know what to do buddy. I mean I don't know what this monster is so I cant help you."

"Well, its weird. It's not really like a monster like they have on Pokemon. It's like a lot of things. I don't know." He rubbed his eye and bit his lip in thought.

"It's a lot of things? Well what are those things?"

He looked up at her in thought. "It's weird, Lexy. It's like there are all these girls and then there are cameras. And everytime someone takes a picture it hurts Justin and tonight it hurt me and then they went to you."

The wheels in Alex's head were turning, and she did not like what was going on. She started being afraid of what this monster was. "Has anyone else been hurt by the monster in your dreams?"

"The first one I had Britney was in. And I've seen Chris and Joey in them, but they are usually all Justin. And usually I'm in them, trying to help him. But tonight it got me too."

"Jon..." Alex scooted over a bit and pulled the boy towards her. He willingly accepted her hug, dropping his stuffed animal. "...Listen. I know it's hard for you to understand, but your brother's job causes him to be yelled at and grabbed at. But if he didn't like it, you know he wouldn't be in it. Every job has its downs, and sometimes Justin's downs are a little worse than others. But Jon, Justin loves making music, he loves singing, and he loves performing. It's going to be ok. All this crazy stuff will die down sometime."

"I know, but it scares me." He gripped her shoulders tighter and she resituated him in her lap.

"I know Jon, I know." She kissed the side of his head and wiped away the little bit of tears that had escaped from his eyes. "Why don't we go downstairs and get you some milk. Ok?"

He nodded and she stood up, hoisting him around her torso. He remained latched to her front, hugging her and getting his little fingers tangled in her hair. When she unlocked and opened the door she was practically attacked by Justin. "Hey, Jon? Are you ok buddy?"

Jon just nodded against her shoulder and turned the other way from his brother. "What was wrong?" He pleaded with Alex.

She shook her head and quiet said in a stern voice, "not now, Justin" before turning to walk down the steps.

After getting Jon something to drink and caring back upstairs, Alexandria was about to burst with her emotions. She was angry, and upset and confused. She hated that because of Justin's career choice this perfect and innocent little child had to suffer.

And yet as she reached his room, Lynn was still standing there with Justin, both still worrying; Justin seemingly more so than Lynn. She kissed the boy's head and said goodnight, telling him she loved him as she passed him to his brother.

Jon began to sniff and Alex knew he was crying silently as Justin just held him to his torso. She watched as Justin's eyes closed and he whispered he loved him to the boy. She couldn't watch anymore. She turned her head and looked at the floor, having to press her lips together so she wouldn't cry, or scream.

Finally Lynn passed her and touched her arm. "Thanks Alex. I just don't-"

"It's ok Lynn." She smiled as Lynn nodded and walked in the room with her son in her arms.

"You guys go on home. I'm sorry I called you out here."

"It's fine, momma. Bye. See ya Lil J."

He waved and Justin sighed and turned to go down the steps. Alex winked at Jon and followed Justin.

"Where is Paul?" Alex asked.

Justin opened the front door and let her pass him. "He's got a late night at the office. He is supposed to be back soon though."

She nodded and headed outside to her car. Justin followed her, noticing the weird look on her face. He had only seen that look one other time with her and that was on their way back form the beach that first time.

As soon as he was in her Jeep she pulled out and drove down the street.

"Mom was kinda freaked. When you went to get Jon something to drink she was so upset that she wasn't able to help him. But I told her it would be ok." She didn't respond. The silence in the car went on and on and it was driving him insane. Justin made a move at one point to ease their tension and turn up the radio but she stopped him.

"Do you mind? I kinda just want some quiet."

"What is wrong Lexia? I mean, Jon had a nightmare. I was worried too. But he is ok now."

"You don't know that! For all we know he could have the nightmare over and over again. What he is dreaming about is not healthy. It's not good for a kid to be getting this worked up over a nightmare." Her voice was raising with every word she said.

Justin just slumped in his seat. "I know you care about the kid, but he is not your responsibility. He's my brother Alex. Not yours."

She slammed on breaks. "WELL AT LEAST I SEEM TO GIVE A DAMN ABOUT HIM."

His mouth dropped. "What?"

She put her car in park and fell back against her seat. "I said at least I seem to give a damn about Jon."

"I can not believe you. How DARE you say that." His voice was a whisper.

"I'm sorry. I'm just- I'm really angry Justin. These nightmares are- just forget it."

His voice was like steel. "No, you tell me."

"I don't want to tell you right now."

"ALEXANDRIA YOU TELL ME WHAT THE HELL IS GOIN ON WITH MY BROTHER TO MAKE YOU THIS PISSED OFF WITH ME." She tried not to cry as his words went straight into her heart. She didn't want him to know. The anger and confusion went away and all she felt was heartbreak. She didn't want to be the one to tell him it was his own fault his brother couldn't sleep at night.

"Alexandria...I need to know."

She turned to him and looked him square in the eye. His dark pools were pleading for her to tell him, to help him.

"He is having nightmares about fame."

"What?" He didn't know if he had heard her correctly.

She licked her dry lips and said a little louder, her voice heavy with emotion. "He said the nightmares have lots of screaming girls and cameras. And everytime a camera goes off you get hurt. He tries to save you but tonight, in his dream, they got to him to. He said they almost got to me."

She tried to look away when his bottom lip quivered. She didn't know if he was trying to respond or about to cry. His straight eyebrows wrinkled in thought. He leaned back against his seat, his eyes staring shocked out at the road in front of him.

After a minute of silence, she took her car out of park and continued down the street. She didn't even notice if she had blocked in cars on the road. She didn't care. Her mind was tired, but she couldn't help but remember Jon's look when he saw his brother be interviewed at the Grammies. She even remembered the times when they would go somewhere that was primarily young females and how his small little hand would clutch hers tighter.

These nightmares weren't just affecting Jon's sleeping patterns. They were affecting his life.

She glanced at her boyfriend out of the corner of her eye and saw him nibbling on his fingernails like they were his favorite candy. Wrinkles were still in his eyebrows and now his forehead too.

Their wonderful day had just been ruined.

-----------------

Alex just stood there as Justin walked up the steps to the upstairs. "Hey Justin I'm-"

She was met with a doorslam. It wasn't a hard slam, but it was loud enough she knew he was in his room. "-sorry."

It was a hard concept; a 7 year old having such dreams. But being that young he probably didn't understand the things that went with being as famous as Justin.

She wished she had never told him. She knew that this would hurt Justin. Even before she knew him she had a sense for how much his brothers meant to him, and vice versus.

She put her foot on the first step to go up and talk to him, but then stepped back down. He probably just wanted to be a lone for the time being and think about things. That's how she would want to be.

So, she went into her bedroom and walked over to her bed. She was already in pajama pants and a tank top, so she didn't change. She slipped into the cool satin sheets and sighed. Alex hoped Justin would have a night just to chill and relax.

She closed her eyes and prayed for sleep.

Justin sat in his room, on his bed, waiting. He finally changed clothes and got under the silk sheets. He ran his hand over the smooth material. The empty space beside him made him feel lonely and worse than he already did. He wanted her there to hold him and tell him it would be ok.

But she never came.

With one last look at the door, he turned out the light and sunk deep into his bed.

---------------
Next day around lunch
---------------

The click of keys was all that could be heard in the tiny office. Numbers blurred together on the Spreadsheet layout on the screen. Graphs were constantly being printed. Yet the person in front of the computer felt worn out and tired. She didn't want to be there, she wanted to be at home, in bed.

Alexandria sighed and rubbed her forehead. The migraine she had was not improving her day. She was about to reach behind her to her stereo to play some soft music and rid her tension when she heard the "bling" of an IM on her computer. She minimized the spreadsheet on rainfall data and looked at the IM.

cloudclaud26: Hey Alex?

Alex pressed respond and talked to the one of her co-workers. Claudia was a lab assistant up in observatory. She was an expert on clouds.

Lexygurl: What's up Claud?

cloudclaud26: Not much. Just wonderin if you wanna go get lunch with me in like 15? (I was too lazy to walk down a flight of stairs to ask ya in person ;))

Lexygurl: hehe, sure. Meet me in the lobby at 12:30.

cloudclaud26: k, Bye

Claud signed off and Alex was about to do the same when she heard the door open sound on her computer and looked at her buddy list. Her eyes slightly widened at the name Lexiasman20. He had a few screen names and only used this one when he was talking to her at work on IM. She thought about IMing him. But they hadn't spoken a word that morning. In fact, she hadn't seen him since the night before. Alex had left to go to the lab at 8:30 that morning and she guessed he was still asleep. After a minute or two of just staring at his name she realized he wasn't going to IM her. She didn't want to be the one to say something first. She figured when he needed her he would talk to her. She took her mouse to the X button and was about to log off of IM.

Lexiasman20: Hi

She just stared, her fingers forgetting how to type, her mind forgetting how to think.

Lexiasman20: Baby, you there?

She shook her head and regained her senses.

Lexygurl: Hey

Lexiasman20: :) how's work?

Lexygurl: Boring today. I'm tired, got a headache, and I'm doing data work. In other words, not fun.

Lexiasman20: I'm sorry. What are you doing for lunch?

Lexygurl: Going out with one of the girls that work here.

Lexiasman20: Oh, that will be fun. I just woke up. hehe

Lexygurl: Justin its 12:20.

Lexiasman20: I know, I didn't sleep good last night.

She bit her lip at the screen, knowing why he didn't. She felt that pang of emotion hit her stomach.

Lexygurl: Oh.

Lexiasman20: Yeah, I'm still in my boxers. ;) Hey, umm...when do you get off today?

Lexygurl: 3 or 4

Lexiasman20: Oh ok. Well Jon is coming to spend "guy's afternoon" with me. Hey, don't forget we gotta watch that Janet thing.

Lexygurl: Oh yeah that's tonight isn't it?

Lexiasman20: mmmhmmm

Lexygurl: What are you "mmmhmm"ing about?

Lexiasman20: nuttin'. Just it's really sexy. And my Lexy's going to like it. But anyway, I need to go before mom brings Jon and thinks I'm a bum because I'm in my underwear ;)

Lexygurl: You are a bum, baby.

Lexiasman20: :(

Lexygurl: I'm kiddin'. I gotta go to lunch. So I'll see ya this afternoon then.

Lexiasman20. Yup. Bye Lexia. I love you.

Alex smiled at the screen.

Lexygurl: Ok, I love you too. Bye.

She watched as he signed off, and after looking at his name for a minute she signed off herself.

"So, are you dating anyone?" Alex asked before she started eating her pasta.

Claudia flipped her strawberry hair over her shoulder and resituated her glasses before responding. "Not really. I mean, I have dates every now and then, but I just broke up with my boyfriend of like 3 years about 2 months ago, so...I'm still adjusting."

"Oh. Sorry." Alex cringed.

"No it's ok. I mean we just were too different. I don't know. What about you? Are you, uhh, dating anyone?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm seeing this one guy." Alex continued eating her food, hoping Claud wouldn't inquire too much.

"Oh that's cool. Ya know? This might sound a little weird. But I just have to ask."

Alex looked up at her and took a sip of her drink.

"Well uhh, you see Dave and some of the other guys at the lab were talking about you."

"Oh yeah, I've heard that Dave has like a crush on me. I mean, he is nice but I never talk to him that much, ya know? It's weird."

"Ummm, that's not what I'm talking about."

"Oh." Alex quietly said.

"I mean, don't get me wrong. Everyone at the lab knows he's got the hots for you. But uhh, they were all talking about you and this certain guy."

"Um ok?" Alex didn't like the color of green in this girls eyes. She didn't know Claudia very well, but they had been to lunch before and she was nice. But, she dint know what it was about her, it made her feel...weird. She was afraid of this little inquiry she had going on.

"Ok, this might sound totally crazy. I mean, it will be kinda funny if its not true, which I'm sure its not. But uhh..Ok.."

"What is it Claud? Just tell me"

The girl took a deep breath. "Ok, so you know Deedee up in the wind section."

Alex nodded.

"Well, so every day she buys Inquirer or Star or some tabloid for kicks just for us to laugh at..."

-Oh shit. - Alex tried to remain cool about it. She ringed her napkin in her lap and licked and chewed on her lips, praying that Claudia wasn't thinking what she knew she was.

"...well, so like there was this big article about a week ago on one of the Nsync members..."

-Definitely oh, shit. -

"...and like, ok. So you probably don't even know what I'm talking about but there was this article about him and this mystery girl named Alexandria and there were pictures and everyone was talking about how they thought that was you..."

-Stay cool. Stay calm. Laugh it off. Dammit LAUGH ALEX! LAUGH! - "Ohh, ha ha ha ha. Me? Which member was it? Those boys are kinda cute!" Alex's laugh was VERY fake and she scolded herself for being a sucky actress.

"Justin Timberlake. YA know? The one that is supposedly dating Britney Spears."

"Why do yall think that's ME?"

"Uhh, well the pictures kinda looked like you. And the girls name was Alex and Dave said he has past your office hearing you talking to "Justin" on the phone."

"Oh gosh, Me? Nsync? I don't even like their music. Hehehe.."

"Oh, well I was just asking. I mean it was kinda observed but I mean the pictures kinda looked like you. They were a little blurry though. I mean, I was just going to see if you had seen the article or heard about it or whatever."

"Yeah, well the guy I date is named Justin."

"Well that's probably the main reason why they think that. Is he cute?"

Alex sighed, seeing Claudia's now eager and excited expression that replaced the unsure and confused one a few moments before. "Oh yeah, he is VERY cute. Just..mannn..."

"AHh, I wanna meet him." She smiled and dug into her almost untouched food.

"He's a little shy."

"Yeah, well anyways...did you hear about the new report NOAA let out about the tides and..."

Claudia's word faded out and around Alex. She didn't care about the stupid NOAA report. She was just thankful that she was able not to freak out, too much, and that Claud didn't believe the stupid tabloids. But at the same time she was scared. This was the first time anyone had approached her about it. And she didn't know if she could lie about her relationship again. She didn't like to lie, especially about sometime that meant that much to her.

But she was willing to do what ever it would take to keep that relationship because...it DID mean so much to her.

-------------

"I've always thought Janet was so cool." Alex mumbled, resituating the pillow, in Justin's lap, that was cushioning her head as she lay on the couch.

Justin sighed and ran his fingers through her hair. "Yeah, I had a huge crush on her ever since I saw her "Love will never do" video."

"She makes me jealous. I mean she's what like 30 something and she is so gorgeous." Her fingers traced the denim lines of his jeans.

"Lexia, you know you are like the sexiest woman alive, so don't even try it."

She giggled. "Well you are the sexiest man alive."

He nodded. "And that's why we go so good together...look it's on."

Alex turned back to the TV just in time to see Justin and Chris come on the stage. She didn't move any muscle except to breathe and to blink, not even blink, from that point on until about 5 minutes later when they cut to commercial.

Justin thought she had fallen asleep or something, she hadn't said a word. "Lexia?"

"Huh?"

"You awake."

"Oh...yeah."

He turned her face up to his and looked down at her. "What is it baby?"

She grinned and soon it turned into a giggle. She couldn't control the giddiness she had from seeing that little cover Nsync had just done. She turned on the couch and hugged his stomach, laughing into his belly. "What is goin on babe?"

Her voice was muffled in his shirt. "That was so hot, Justin. Oh my gosh."

"What was? Oh the Janet thing? I told ya."

"I mean your whole little "I'll go deeper, deeper baby..." Mannnn. HEHE." She smiled up and he and he put a cocky grin on his face.

"Yeah, I was thinking about this FINE girl I know when I sang that line. Her name is Alexandria."

She sat up and looked at his smug little grin for a few moments before turning his head to hers and pressing her lips to his. Before she knew it, and before he knew it, his back had slid down the couch and she was on top of him. One of his hands cradled her head while the other ran up and down her back.

He sang as she kissed down her neck, giggling also. "You feel so go I'm gonna cry."

She kissed back up to his mouth and smiled against it and whispered. "That's the way loves goes."

"So you liked it?"

"I loved it." She leaned back in and locked his bottom lip between hers as her weight settled on top of him.

His mind forgot all of his worries and plans and everything else that was going on at that moment. He loved moments like this, when he could just get lost in his girlfriend.

But this moment was potentially able to get out of hand. And he knew it. So, he pulled away from her beautiful lips and caught his breath.

"Wait."

"What?" Alex groaned.

"Get up. We got something we have to do."

She pushed off him and sat at the end of the couch. "Huh?"

"Come with me." He stood up and walked out of the game room towards the kitchen.

"Where we goin?" She hurried behind him sliding her socked feet on the wooden floor.

Justin didn't say anything just grabbed his keys and walked to the garage door.

"Justin, I'm in sweats and a tee, I don't even have shoes on. Where are we going?" She stared at him unbelieving as he held the door open for her.

"You'll see." He smiled as she sighed heavily and walked through the door. He cut off the light switch that was by the door and walked out of the house, locking it as he went.

"JUUUUUUUSSSSTTTTIIIINNNNN"

"Lexia, just stop whining. We are almost there." Justin chuckled as she huffed and puffed. Finally he pulled off the winding road and onto a dirt road.

"Wait a minute-" Alex turned around in the small little BMW and looked around her surroundings.

"Are we-"

"Shhhhh." He interrupted. "Just relax baby."

She couldn't believe he was taking her here. With all that had been going on with her life, it had been at least 3 weeks since she had been able to visit her beach. The salty air began to fill her nostrils and she sighed. Definitely, this was relaxing.

Soon, Justin's headlights highlighted deep soft sand and his car came to a halt. "Just wait here for a second. Ok?"

"All right." She smiled as he got out of his car and went to the trunk. Alexandria just looked around her, almost in awe. She had forgotten how much this place meant to her. How much she loved it.

And it hit her. She had never been there at night. It was something she always wanted to do, but was a little creeped out going by herself.

Her head tilted upwards, and if possible ever single star out there was lighting up the sky. And here she was, with this incredible man. She couldn't even fathom her life without him now, and a little more than 3 months ago, he wasn't a part of her life. Just 3 months ago she was contemplating her life. Wondering where it was going go and what the future held for her. And now...it didn't matter.

Just as long as he was there with her.

"All right. It's all set up." She looked towards him, he was opening her door for her and she peeled off her socks and stepped out of the convertible. "Ohh, the sand feels weird all cold in between me toes." She giggled at her own strange little voice and walked over to the little lit up place on the sand.

There was a little lantern that was barely lighting up the place and a big blanket with a basket also. "Sit down." He motioned for her to sit and she did willingly.

He cautiously sat down on the blanket and reached in the basket to pull out 2 Snapple Orangeades. "YES!" Alex cheered and snatched one of the Snapples.

Justin took his own and Alex raised an eyebrow as he opened the bottle and took a big gulp. The bottle stopped at his lips and he pulled it away. "What?"

"So YOU are the one that has been stealing my Snapples." She narrowed her eyes with a smile.

He shrugged. "They're good."

She peeked in the basket and pulled out one of the two Tupperware containers. "What's this?"

"Strawberries."

An amused smile appeared on her face and she held up the other round container in question. He smiled. "Chocolate syrup, frosting whatever that stuff is."

She giggled and sat the two items on the blanket and opened them. "Mmm, my baby gettin' a little kinky."

"Nah. I just thought it would be nice to ya know...come out here since I know you like it so much."

She dipped one of the strawberries in the chocolate and tasted it. "Mmmm, that's yummy."

"I want one." Justin pouted. Alex bit her lip as she fixed him a strawberry and leaned over the blanket to push it towards his lips. He bit into it and grinned as he chewed. "That is yummy."

After a few minutes of silent eating of the strawberries and chocolate, Alex scooted over to his side of the blanket and smiled at him, moving in towards his face.

"Wait, Lexia. I wanna talk to you a little."

Her smile faded and she busied herself with putting up the Tupperware in the basket along with their empty bottles. She crawled to the other side of the blanket and laid down. "Fine, talk."

Within a few seconds he was laying down close beside her pointing up to the sky. "I know what that constellation is?"

"Oh really?" Alex said amused, forgetting about the bit of frustration she felt when he said he wanted to talk.

"Yeah, its tha big dippa."

She couldn't help the laugh that his statement caused. "Justin you helped me study for that Astrology test and that's the only one ya know? That's not even the right name of it."

"I'm just playing." He said quietly.

Alex sighed and rolled over on her side, and rested her head on his shoulder. "Justin, I'm sorry about what I said in the car yesterday. I shouldn't have said you didn't care about your brother. I know that you do. I know that you care about him more than anything. And I'm sorry. I just was frustrated."

"I know, Lexia. It's ok."

"No it's not. I mean I hate that he is so young that he doesn't understand why your life is the way it is. I mean I can't really understand it myself and I'm 19. I'm not going to lie and say that I think what you do is best for Jon, because even before I knew you I had my doubts. But...I know you love it. And I don't know what I'm saying. But, just know that its gonna be hard for me to pick your side over Jon's because I want to support you and everything because I know how much you love this, but I don't want to have to hear about him having nightmares, frequently that are so bad his mother cant help him, and he screams and cries."

"Do you think I want that? I don't Alexandria. I hate that this is causing him to not be able to sleep without being scared. You don't realize how much my career pulls me in two completely different directions sometimes. And I don't know whether to laugh to cry to shout or scream or be happy or what sometimes. But you are right. Music is in my soul, and if I don't do music...I'll just whither away into nothing."

Alex's head lifted off his shoulder and to his face. The lantern was barely giving them enough light to see each other. She could make out his features and his eyes were looking at her. "I'm sorry Justin."

"It's ok Lexia." A smile came to his lips, making her at ease. "I sometimes just get frustrated with it all. I hate being FORCED to make decisions, and well in this business I HAVE to. Sometimes I just can pick one way or the other, so I have to ride the fence, and sometimes that's not a very comfortable place to be."

She just nodded and let her head fall back to his chest. His fingers lightly played with her hair as one of her hands made invisible patterns on his T-shirt. "Do you ever get a break? I mean just a time when you can just worry about yourself and not your group or your family and friends, just Justin time?"

He sighed. "Not really. I mean, I'm not really allowed that time. Being at home, alone I guess."

Her finger stopped it movement.

"But being alone sucks. Ya know? Especially in your own house because then you are like. Man, I don't have anyone to be around. But now you are there." She noticed the change in his tone; her finger started moving on his stomach and chest again

"But, sometimes I just like to go out driving or coming here. I've been here about 4 times by myself ever since you showed it to me. And well there is this little island I went to once, about a year ago went we had all that legal trouble. Do you know about that?"

"Lynn told me I think. The Transcontinental lawsuit thingy?"

"Yeah. Well I needed to get away so I went to this island that is owned, yes I know OWNED by one of my old tutors when I was on MMC. Her husband won like the lottery or something and they bout this little island and built bungalows and beach houses on it, and they rent them out to couples or whoever. You can see the lights of it form here, I think."

Justin sat up a bit and looked over the dark waters of black and spotted one little light in the distance. "I think that's it. Yup, But Mrs. Belask was the coolest teacher. I really liked her."

Alex resituated her position as he lay back down. He started humming something that she never heard, so she just listened to him for a moment until he stopped.

"Justin, someone asked me about you today."

It was a shock to herself once she had said it outloud. She was thinking it, and some how it came out of her lips.

"What?"

"Oh well, umm...some people at the lab had seen the article in the tabloids and Claud, who I went to lunch with asked me about it. She wasn't like, saying she thought it as me, she was just curios about what I thought. It was kinda weird. I really didn't like lying about it."

"Well if anyone else ask, you need to ok? Lie your little heart out. We can't let anyone in on it except those who already know."

"I just hate not being able to tell everyone about you."

"You just cant Lexia. If you do, then you will have to face the media. And believe me, that's something you don't want to do."

"Justin?"

"Wha Lexia?"

"God I love that name." She mumbled. "Anyways, will you sing me something?"

"You want ME to sing?"

"Yeah. You got a voice, just your music sucks."

"Eh now. WATCH IT!"

"No, its ok. Just not good if its like forced in you ears every minute of the Gosh Darn day."

"Ok ok. What do you want to hear?"

"Somethin' jazzy, soulful. And if you start singing "It's Gonna be MAY" I'll hit cha."

He chuckled at her playful voice and thought about what he could sing to her. "Ok, now this is really soulful and jazzy and you probably know it. It's kinda sad though. Anyways..."

Alex smiled as his voice that she could have never pictured with the song filled her ears. She was surprised he knew the song. But then she realized he probably heard it on open mic night at the coffee shop. She bit her lip in remembrance.

"Don't know why
There's no sun up in the sky -
Stormy Weather.
Since my girl and I ain't together,
keeps raining all the time."

Alex's hand traveled down his chest to his stomach and finally to the hem of his shirt. Her hand timidly went under the shirt and she started to rub his stomach muscles and move up to his chest. She smiled when she felt him shift and giggle under her.

"When she went away,
The blues walked in and met me.
If she stays away,
Old rockin' chair will get me..."

He stopped and barely sang the rest as her lips touched his neck, slowly moving up to his jaw.

"Lexia...I'm trying to sing..."

She ignored him and moved her lips down his chin and towards his lips.

"Can't go on.
Ev'ry thing I had is gone -.." He chuckled and stopped sing. "Forget it." And with that he cupped her face and held her lips to his. His tongue gently made its way to hers and as they danced, she managed to make her weight settle on him easier.

After a few more passion-filled moments, Justin's head turned to the side, and Alex ended up kissing his cheek. "Justin.."

"Lexia, It's getting late. And we both know where this might lead. And I'm already gettin' a little chilled out here. Why don't we go back home?" He looked in her eyes and she turned up her nose not wanting to leave that moment.

"Come on..." He gently moved his head to her ear and let his lips brush against it as he spoke. "I'll make it worth your while."

Alex hopped up, and marched to the car.

March 10th, 2001 10 in the morning.

------------------------------------

"So I'll just meet ya at moms. It's quicker than you coming all the way back home."

Alex sighed into the phone and relaxed back in her chair. "Well I guess that's ok."

"What? Do you need to get stuff from here or something?"

"No, no. It's ok. I just don't know if I can get off in time. I'll ask though."

"Well just call me if something changes. I'm not doing anything; Jon's not doing anything so whenever. He is excited though."

A smiled appeared on her face at the sound of excitement in Justin's voice. "I bet."

"No, you don't understand Lexia. So I woke up when you got to of bed which was at like 8. But I went straight back to sleep and I swear at 8:30 that boy called and talked to me for about an hour. I was so mad."

She giggled. "I left the house right at 8:30."

"I know. So this will be an adventure. Mike is going to come to moms too."

"Oh ok. Well, listen let me go see if I can get off early and I'll call ya back."

"All right, bye baby."

"Bye." Alexandria hung up the phone in her office, pushed out of her chair and walked out into the hallway. She made her way down the hallways to the main lab to ask Dr. Ellis if she could have the day off to go to Seaworld. The thought brightened her eyes. She got to the double glass doors of the lab and saw a bustle of activity. Her hand gripped the door and pulled it open. People were shouting and running and going nuts in the large white colored room. Alex's eyebrows furrowed and she wondered WHAT was going on.

She saw Dave run past her and she grabbed his shirt. "WHAT?" He yelled in a rush.

"What going on?"

"Huge front off the Caribbean is sneaking up on us. It's gonna be a whopper." And with that information given he jogged on past her.

-Oh great...now I wont be able to get off. -

She walked through a crowd of people and computers to a large office. She knocked. No answer. After a minute she knocked again and finally the door was slung open.

"Oh, hey Alexandria. Can I help you?" Dr. Ellis asked frustrated.

"Uhh, nevermind. This is a bad time. Sorry to bother you." Alex cringed and began to turn.

"No, what is it?"

"Ohh well, I was wondering if I could get off for the rest of the day. It's ok if not." She bowed her head, shuffled her feet, and waited to get shot down.

"Great idea. There are enough people running around here today. The more we can thin out, the better we are." A thin smile graced his lips. "Bye Alexandria."

"Thanks Dr. Ellis." She smiled and waved, but turned back around inquisitive. "Hey, when is this big front supposed to hit?"

"Tonight or tomorrow morning. It's big, and its going to be stationary. It's gonna be here for a while."

"Oh ok." She shrugged, and walked back through the crowd of people; not caring about the front, and just happy she actually got the day off.

--------

3ish

"Arf Arf ARF!"

Alex giggled at Jon who was obviously annoying the crap out of Justin.

"Jon, we know that that's what sea lions sound like."

"They BARK, ARF ARF ARF!" Jon ran around "arfing" and clapping his hands together.

Justin shook his head, lowered his baseball hat and glanced at Alex. "Whatcha doin?"

She turned her head down from the sky. "Ohh, there is supposed to be a huge weather system coming this way. I'm just looking at the clouds."

She looked at him and smiled. He smiled back. That was about the only sign of affection they were allowed to give to each other. Mike would clear his throat whenever Justin would reach for her Alex's hand. They were in a public place, and even though Justin had a hat and sunglasses on, they didn't want to take the chance.

"OH YAY!!! JUSTIN!!" Jon pulled on Justin's shirt.

"What buddy?" Justin looked down and smiled at the excited kid.

"Can we go see the killer whales!! They will be out in a few minutes LOOK!" Jon pointed to the Orca pool and sure enough the cartoon whale wooden sign said that at 3:15 the whales would be performing.

Justin shrugged and looked at Alex. "Wanna go?"

"Sure." She smiled and Jon picked up her hand and pulled her to the entrance.

"Come on. Come on. WE gotta get good seats."

A few minutes later Jon and Alex were sitting in the blue seats near the huge tank. Justin and Mike were a respectable distance away.

"Lexy, why are they called Killer Whales? Do they kill people?" Jon asked as he "swam" his stuffed dolphin through the air.

"Killer Whales aren't their name. They are Orcas. They are just called that because they have teeth. But the only thing they kill is fish and turtles. Sometimes birds and sharks. And maybe..." Alex voice lowered and she narrowed her eyes at the stuffed animal. "...dolphins."

Jon squealed in half fear and tha child giddiness that only kids can have. Finally we turned around and looked up at his brother. "Big J come sit with us!!"

"Jon, you are in the SPLASH zone."

"So?" He questioned.

"Sooooo...I don't want to get wet!! I got my new Nike's on." Mike laughed at the popstar's comment.

Alex rolled her eyes. "Lets make a compromise. You come down 4 steps and we will meet ya there."

"FINE!" He gave in and walked down the four steps, letting out a deep sigh as he sat down. Mike followed him, shaking his head.

Jon plopped down between Mike and Justin and Alex went on the other side of her boyfriend. "You are like a cat, cant stand just a bit of water."

"No, I've been to SeaWorld before. I've sat in the Splash Zone. Shamu does not like me." He lowered his cap a bit and watched as the women and men in wetsuits came out on the fake rock type thingy and started revving up the crowd.

---------

"Lexia..."

She giggled with Jon. "What?"

"I'm wet."

"Awww, REALLY? I couldn't tell." She pointed to his splashed blue tee shirt.

He pulled his shirt away from his body that it was sticking to and attempted to ring it out.

"Ok, guys. It's getting late and I think it might rain. So you ready to call it a day?" Mike asked.

Justin looked at his younger brother, whom this day had been planned for. Jon shrugged and nodded. They had been through the whole park, and there wasn't anything else to see.

"Ready Lexia?" He asked with a wink.

She nodded, biting her lip.

"All right, head out troops." Mike ordered with a deep chuckle. Justin was now carrying Jon on his back so Mike escorted Alex on his arm towards the exit.

-------------

Next morning...

Justin sat at bar of his kitchen, but he was looking out his windows towards the pool. He kept the phone to his ear, chuckling at his best friend's voice.

"Trace, dude. I'm tellin ya. You're gonna die when you meet her."

"I know man, you keep saying how hot she is."

Justin sighed. "That's not it. I mean she is like wow. It's not just how she looks. It's how she talks and walks and smiles and just is."

"Boy, no wonder you gave her the goods."

Justin gasped for a moment. "Listen Trace. That's not how it was. I mean, it was just felt right.."

Trace's chuckle entered the phone line. "I bet it felt JUUUUST right."

Justin gave an annoyed look even though Trace couldn't see him. "You are my best friend. Don't be getting all personal on me. I don't want to tell you how good my sex life is."

"Exactly. I'm your best friend. So you better dish the dirt or I'm going to annoy you and have major jokes. And you KNOW I have jokes, and you KNOW I can annoy you."

Justin knew that Trace would annoy him about this. But Trace knew Justin, and he knew Justin was probably itching to let some of this out even though he was trying to stay completely private about it. He let out a sigh and tried to hold off the blush in his cheeks. "All right, but this is private dude."

"Justin, its Trace."

That was all he needed to know.

"Ok...so... Justin sighed, lick his lips and thought about his bedlife. "The first time, you know I wasn't like..It wasn't for pleasure ya know? Well...it sure as hell WAS pleasurable. But like I didn't want to hurt...HOW CAN I DISCUSS THIS WITH YOU?"

Trace's laugh filled Justin's frustrated ears. "Justin, chill. I just want to know like if it was like worth it."

"HELL YEAH."

Trace laughed again. "So just tell me."

"Ok, so then the SECOND time was up in Alaska. Now that junk was NIIICCEEE. And then their have been a few times since we got back."

"Damn, so you guys have pressed the gas pedal so to speak."

"SHE HAS, man. Like last night was the first night that we just went straight to sleep without one of us trying something. I mean we don't ALWAYS do...that. But..ya know..she's my girlfriend...Trace....dude...stop laughing."

"Sorry..It's just. I mean, just hearing this from you is funny."

"Why?" He asked eagerly.

"Man, I DONT KNOW. So like, yall sleep in the same bed every night?"

"Not EVERY night. Just ..well a lot. But I mean sometimes she'll have to get up real early or just want her space or I'll want mine I mean..but usually we sleep together."

"Cool man. So my baby's all grown up...sniff sniff..." Trace joked.

"Whatever man. But my Lexia is mine. And no one else can have her. That's for sure." Justin said arrogantly.

"OH IS THAT SO?"

Alex stretched in the bed with a groan and rolled over, hoping to wake her counterpart. But the only thing her arms and hands awoke were the sheets and pillow that were there. Her eyes opened and her sky blue eyes were not met with the normal, groggy half opened dark eyes that were usually always narrowed at her, when she woke him. The usual embrace that she was greeted with and the always whispered, "Go back to sleep." wasn't there.

She rolled back on her back and pouted at the ceiling. Then she stopped. Pouting, wasn't something she normally did and she shouldn't start now just because her boyfriend wasn't in bed.

So, Alexandria rolled out of her bed, readjusted her tank top and pull up a bit on her pajama pants and stumbled towards the bedroom door. She walked down the steps, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes trying to remember what day it was and wondering what time it was. When her feet touched the hardwood floor of he downstairs she heard his nervous laughter.

She smiled and walked to where it was coming from listening to his end of the conversation.

"HELL YEAH." Alex smiled at his excited voice, leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen and listened.

"Ok, so then the SECOND time was up in Alaska. Now that junk was NIIICCEEE. And then their have been a few times since we got back." Her smiled faded and she stood up straight, wondering what the HELL he was talking about.

"SHE HAS, man. Like last night was the first night that we just went straight to sleep without one of us trying something. I mean we don't ALWAYS do...that. But..ya know..she's my girlfriend...Trace....dude...stop laughing." So now she was stepping silently closer to him, hoping that he wasn't talking about what she thought he was.

"Why?...Not EVERY night. Just ..well a lot. But I mean sometimes she'll have to get up real early or just want her space or I'll want mine I mean..but usually we sleep together."

So now Alex had assumed and figured out Justin was blabbing about their sex life. She was fuming.

"Whatever man. But my Lexia is mine. And no one else can have her. That's for sure."

"OH IS THAT SO?"

She watched as he turned sharply and his eyes widen slightly. "Uhh, Trace I gotta go." He clicked off the phone and slid off the stool. "Morning, baby."

"Don't do that..." She shied away from him when he tried to hug her.

"How much of that did you hear?"

"Enough to know that you are blabbing about our SEX life." She pulled the refrigerator door open and it hit the cabinet beside it with a bang and came back to almost trap her in the appliance.

"Lexia..."

"Oh don't Lexia me." She snapped, slamming the carton of milk on the cabinet. She ripped open a cabinet and snatched a glass and then pouring the milk in it.

"Fine then. ALEX. I'm sorry ok? It was Trace, he was buggin' me. He knows everything about me and just..." He stopped when she spit the milk back into the glass, looked at the date on the carton, made a face and went over to the sink. "...I'm sorry I was a jerk. I shouldn't have said anything."

Justin bowed his head and began to walk out of the kitchen but stormed back in and snatched the now empty glass from her and put it in the sink. "No! NO! I'm not going to feel sorry for this ok? Trace is my closest friend, and he is the only one I've told anything to. And it wasn't like I was being all graphic and stuff."

"Well I'm sorry I don't want the world to know that we are screwing around." She threw her hands in the air and walked back to the refrigerator.

His head lowered his mouth dropped a bit. "So now it's just screwing to you. Well thanks."

She clinched her fist together and gritted her teeth. "Ugh, that's not what I meant. Dammit Justin. Just...ugh." Her feet stomped and she kept growling to suppress her anger...or to show it.

"What? I wanna hear what you obviously HAVE to say. So maybe I shouldn't have told him, but oh well. Excuse me for having a best friend."

"You're not excused. Be glad you have a best friend Justin, not everyone DOES!" She pushed into his chest and passed him, walking out of the kitchen.

Justin's shoulders slumped and he shuffled after her to go say he was sorry, make up, anything so she wouldn't be mad at him. If it was one thing he hated, it was when Alexandria didn't want to be near him. "Lexia..." He whispered going out into the foyer.

He looked down the hallway to see her black hair whip over her shoulder and her bedroom door slam shut.

Alexandria stormed to her closet and pulled out a dress to wear to church. She glanced at the clock and saw it was almost 10 so she had about an hour to get ready. She stomped to the bathroom and turned on the shower water. She looked at her herself in the mirror and gasped. "Oh my Gosh, why are you doing this." She mumbled to herself wiping away her few tears. "I must be pmsing there is no reason for me to be this upset. YES there is!..." She went on to mumbled about how she couldn't believe he had been talking about what they did in private to his best friend. Maybe she was just jealous because she had no one to talk about this with. She wasn't about to tell her brother or JON for that matter. God, no. And though she would talk with her mother, well...that just wouldn't work out for Alex.

And lately it seemed like he didn't understand her. Sometimes he would be up in his small studio and she would come home from school and try to give him a hug and he would ignore her. She knew he was working, but it was just a hug. And sometimes he would want to go and do things and spend time with her but she had school, and he didn't realize that she couldn't even miss one class. She had already missed too many. She knew they were different people, but that's what supposed to make this relationship fun; being able to learn about the other person. So why were their times when she was finding it stressful?

Alex didn't like stress. And right now she was stressed out.

-------

"Where are you going?"

Alex stopped at the garage door and looked back towards the doors that led outside. He was there with a towel around his neck, no shirt on, swim shorts on and all of him dripping wet.

She took in a calming breath and looked away. "Church."

He nodded and watched as she hoisted her purse strap higher on her shoulder and opened the door.

"Wait, Lexia..."

She turned back, hoping he would say something, anything. She hated when they were "fighting" it hadn't happened much, and usually they would make up two seconds afterwards and laugh about it. But now they weren't laughing.

"...ummm...nevermind..." With that he turned back outside, threw his towel off and she watched as he slipped back in his bubbling hottub.

She thought about skipping church and hopping in there with him. Having him hold her and kiss her and tell her how much she meant to him. She want to be near him and be able to feel him close to her and know that he loved her.

Whenever Alex felt in doubt about Justin, she always thought about how much he had been through and how much he had put up just to have her in his life the way he wanted. The way she wanted. He gave up his girlfriend of so long, he almost gave up his reputation. Sometimes she thought she might have been selfish in this relationship.

But she couldn't admit that. Alex had a hard time admitting when she was wrong and she didn't like giving up on her pride. So instead of running outside and hopping in the Jacuzzi with all of her Sunday clothes on and confessing how much she needed him, she walked out the garage door to her Jeep, got in...drove to church.

But her conscious kept nagging her the whole service.

------------

As soon as church was over she rushed back home hoping to see him again. But there was a note. And it simply said "Gone to studio."

He must have been in the studio for a very very long time because now it was nighttime and she was lying in his bed, waiting for him to get home. Sometime while she was lying there she drifted to sleep. A few hours later she woke back up and looked at the clock it said 3:28 a.m. She smiled and turned to her side ready to curl up to Justin, but he wasn't there.

In his absence she pulled his pillow to her body and held it close. Maybe it was just that she wasn't use to going a day without a sign of affection. She felt lonely, and she wanted him there with her. But he wasn't and after what seemed like forever she fell into a restless sleep.

-----------

That morning Alex woke up to the sound of drawers being shut. She opened her eyes just in time to see Justin pull an undershirt over his head. She watched him as he walked into the bathroom and a few minutes later come back out and strolled to the bed. He pulled back the covers and slipped in. When his head hit the mattress instead of a pillow he sat up a bit and looked around. His eyes finally landed on her.

She was staring at him.

"Hi." He meekly said.

"Where have you been?" She handed him the pillow and he put it behind his head.

"The studio. I just got in."

"Ohh what time is it?"

"Like 6:30." He rolled over on his side, turning his back on her.

"Oh."

Alex knew she had a few hours before she had to be at class so she let her body relaxed, just glad that he was home. But she still felt shut out. She still wanted to be near him. And even though only 2 feet separated them, those 2 feet were enough to make her feel...alone.

And then out of no where he spoke. "Lexia, I'm not going to say I'm sorry for talking to Trace. He is my best friend, and he knows everything about me. I AM sorry that it hurt you, but I'm not going to take it back."

She sighed...relieved. She didn't care about that stupid conversation anymore. It was the last thing on her mind. She reached her hand out to touch his arm. Which she touched him, he turned around and rolled over to face her. "I'm tired." He said with droopy eyes.

"Did you get any sleep at the studio?" She let him curl up to her, resting his head on her shoulder and holding on to her waist.

"No." He barely said.

"Well, go to sleep. I have class in a few, but I'll lay here with you if you want me to." She ran her hand over the short hairs on his head.

His grip tightened around her. "Thanks. I'd like that."

He fell asleep in no time.

She stayed awake for a while just watching him.

But soon she had dozed off as well.

The two young women squealed with childlike excitement as they ran from the old brick building to the Silver Jeep parked across the street. The lights flashed and a slight beep was made as one of them pressed the keyless entry. They hopped in, slammed the doors and were silent as they looked down as themselves and listened to the rain. Finally they looked up at each other.

"Oh my GOD we are SOAKED!!!" Jen screamed.

Alex just started laughing, and she couldn't stop as she started her car and pulled away from the parking lot.

"That was so fun. Hehe, We should have just played in it. I mean we are already soaked!!" She shook her head, droplets of water spraying as she did.

"I'm glad that was our last class of the day." Jen sighed.

"I know, its really getting bad." Alex's blue eyes peered out of the front window up to the clouds.

"So, we going to your house to work on this project or mine or what?"

"We will go to mine. Justin's probably at the studio and its closer. Plus we don't want to bother your roommate."

"So how is the lovelife with the Timberlakeness?"

"The TIMBERLAKENESS? Um...ok?" Alex giggled uneasy. "Nah, we are ok, I guess."

"You guess?" Jen inquired.

"Yeah, I mean. I don't know. We've both been busy, and we had a fight or argument I guess the other day. It wasn't awful. He was just saying stuff and I went off and we didn't speak for all yesterday. It sucked." She sucked the air between her teeth and pull off the highway.

"Well all couples have their little scruples."

"YEah..but, we never had them before, but I guess we just are..I don't know. Maybe it's just a phase, but I kinda feel like he is pulling away from me."

"What do you mean Lex? I mean everytime I've seen you two together, well like the 4 times, he was all OVER you and stuff."

"Yeah but...he like doesn't...I don't know, I mean its not like we ever were best friends type close or something, but I don't know,..its just like a feeling...maybe I'm just thinking too much." She nibbled on her lip as her Jeep pulled up to his house. She pressed in the code for the gates of Justin's house.

She smiled...the code was his birthday. And everytime she pressed in those numbers she remembered what happened at his party. The night he said everything she wanted to hear come from his mouth. The gates opened slowly and she drove through to the garage, which was open.

"Hmm, he must be home." Alex mumbled as she pulled her car behind his cars in the garage. She and Jen stepped out and she heard music blaring. She shook her body a bit to try and get off some of the water, but it really didn't work.

Alex sauntered into the garage hearing the blaring bass from the stereo mixing with the sounds of someone rapping. Alex liked all music, but rap was something that she just couldn't get into like Justin. She rolled her eyes when she spotted him on the weight bench, both hands gripping the bar with several weights on both ends. She looked back at Jen and shook her head.

Alex walked over to him and looked down at him as he exhaled and put the bar right under his chin.

"You are soaked."

"Really?" She looked down at herself in mock astonishment.

He bit his lip and moved the heavy weights to their resting place and sat up.

"Ohh..hey Jen." He smiled as he saw her. She waved shyly as he wiped the sweat from his neck with a towel.

Alex sat down on the bench he was straddling and rubbed her soaked body all over him. "HUG ME BABY!!" She giggled trying to get him as wet as possible.

She was trying to annoy him but instead he wrapped his arms around her, getting his wet wifebeater even wetter with the rainwater from Alexandria. "You are all cold baby." He kissed her neck and rested his cheek on her shoulder.

"I can't believe you are hugging me, I'm all wet."

"So...I'm all sweaty. You actually feel good."

Jen scratched the back of her head and looked away, trying not to feel too awkward as Justin affectionately hugged and kissed his girlfriend sweetly on the lips once.

"Me and Jen are going to go get showers and change and then we have a big project to work on. Do you go to the studio tonight?" Alex slid down on the bench and rested the back of her head right under his chin. He turned his face down and kissed the wet pitch-black strands on her head. "Nah, I worked a little up in "my room" for a few hours today and since I pulled an all nighter last night I wont have to tonight."

She nodded, making his chin go with her because it was resting on her hair. "All righty, well you can help me and Jen later on if you want to. It's an Astrology project."

"Oh, boy." He chuckled unenthusiastically.

"Ok, I think we've made Jen feel awkward enough so you need to let me go." Alex wiggled from his tight embrace and giggled at Jen who was covering her eyes with her hands like a child.

Justin looked over at Jen and laughed out loud. "Oh come on, we aren't THAT bad."

Jen just nodded with her eyes covered.

Alex turned back around and looked down at his big navy eyes piercing up at her own. She bent down and pressed her lips to his in a lingering kiss. When she pulled away slowly she almost brought him with her. He smiled and whispered, "You are so sexy my Lexy."

She licked her lips and petted his head. "Get back to pumpin my Justin."

"Ok...so we are just cheesy now." Justin said, laying back down as she walked away from him.

"So...its all good baby." She looked over her shoulder and smiled before her and Jen went to the door.

Justin's smiled slightly faded. "Yeah...It's just perfect." He sighed in a mumble, staring at her as she pulled off her drenched shoes and socks and laughed at Jen at all the water that had been collected in them.

When they stepped in the house and shut the door he leaned back on the bench and after a few deep breaths, he began lifting weights again.

----------------

11 that night

Alex mumbled another curse under her breath as the lights flicked off, again. She pushed the button on the flashlight expecting the power to flash back on in about a minute like it had about 5 times in the past 30 minutes.

But after a few minutes the power didn't flick back on. She pushed away from the kitchen table where all her work was scattered about and walked out to the steps. Jen had left about an hour or two before and Justin had just gone upstairs.

He had come in a little bit after Jen and Alex started working on their project. He played pool in the game room as they lay on the floor talking and laughing as they worked. She had caught him several times just staring at her. It was weird, like he was trying to think about something really hard while he stared at her, and then he would change it into a wink or a blown kiss.

At one point when Jen had gone to make a phone call and another time when she had gone to the bathroom Justin had practically attacked Alex with kisses, pulling away right as Jen would enter the room again.

She didn't fight him, but his curious behavior DID make her wonder.

She stepped to their bedroom where she guessed he was. The beam of light stayed on the doorknob as she turned it and walked in. "Hey Just?"

An answer wasn't given, but as a sound of thunder and a blast of lightening lit up the room from the window, she saw him lying on the bed. But that flash of light made her blink rapidly and question her sight.

-Is he...-

The dull beam of light timidly moved across the carpeted floor to the bed, where she saw the covers were practically hanging off the bed. She saw two feet, two long legs...

"Oh my God!!" Alex almost dropped the flashlight at what was shown.

Justin chuckled. "It's nothing you haven't seen before Lexia."

"YOU ARE NAKED!" She yelled.

"Nice observation." He stated in a monotone voice.

She knew her face was burning red as she fumbled with the flashlight, keeping the beam of light on the carpet. "Justin, are you insane? It's completely dark in this house. The power just went out, probably for the night, and here you are butt naked on the bed? WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!"

"Well..." She could hear the bed shift and move and she didn't dare look to see what he was doing. "...I was just thinking, its pitch black. You cant study...I cant sleep. What else is there to do?" His low, husky voice was getting closer and closer to her.

She gasped when the spotlight where she was holding the flashlight highlighted his cute toes and feet. She could see the shadow of his hand as he reached for her flashlight and turned it off. She was immersed in blackness and the only sound of her own ragged breathing and the rumbling thunder and rain. She heard the thud of the flashlight somewhere on the carpet.

"Justin..." She whispered in a scared, shy voice.

Suddenly his hands were on her, traveling down the length of her arms and grasping her hands. "Lexia...shhh..." His hands tugged on hers and the next thing she knew he was pulling her from her safe spot by the door. Suddenly she felt him move, guessing that he sat on the bed as his hands fell to her hips and began playing with the waistline of her cotton sweatpants.

Lightening flashed for a moment and she was able to catch a glimpse of him. He was staring up at her as his hands fumbled under her shirt. "Just go with it baby..."

"But..." She began to protest but before she was able to respond he had somehow managed to get her on his bed. She felt his lips wander, looking for her own as they nibbled up her neck, over her chin and to her mouth.

He pulled away after just one small kiss and groaned. "I want you so bad, Alexandria."

She didn't know what to say. She wasn't really expecting this, and was still in this state of shock. Never before had he had it all planned like this. Every other time they just kinda got lost in the moment and made their way up to this point. But...this was different.

And she didn't really know if she liked this forwardness as much as the other slow stuff.

Before she knew it, her shirt was lying on the floor and he was working on her pants. Once he got them down to her ankles she willingly kicked them off for him. His arms found her waist and he pulled her barely clothed body against his non-clothed one. She could feel his hot breath against his neck as his fingertips gazed, barely, up her sides making chill bumps appear all over her skin.

"Lexia, I need you...please..." His low smooth voice became a barely audible whisper. "...touch me."

She had never heard this type of desperation on his voice and she had to wonder if there was something a lot more than just sexual frustration going on in that brain and body of his. The sigh, no the whimper that escaped his mouth when her lips gazed the middle of his collar confirmed for her that there was a lot more going on.

But right now, it wasn't time to try and figure out this mystery of a man that laid beside her, sighing at her touch. Right now was her time to SHOW him how much she loved and needed him.

She would worry about all that other stuff later...

This was becoming a little bit familiar.

A little TOO familiar for Alexandria's liking. It seemed like now every single time she woke up in Justin's bed in the morning, he wouldn't be there. She sat up and looked over at the clock, keeping the sheet around her torso as she squinted to see what time it was. The clock was flashing 3:47 am. The power had come back on and Justin hadn't bothered to change the time. She looked around the room, seeing Justin's piled clothing in his chair and her own clothing scattered on the floor.

Justin had fallen asleep shortly after the events of the night before, but Alex lay there, exhausted and sleepy, but unable to get her mind to stay still. And now as she scrambled around to get some clothes on everything hit her...again.

There was something off with what had happened the night before. Justin had been fairly forceful, and yet in the middle of everything when she looked up at his sweaty face...he looked like he was in pain. He looked like he hated this. And that scared her.

She thought it was her imagination, but when he collapsed on to her she could have sworn she heard him mutter an "I'm sorry."

Alex shook her head as she closed the bedside tables drawer shut, blocking the small box of condoms that rested inside there from her view. She took the foil wrapper that was lying on the floor beside her jeans and threw it quickly in the trashcan.

She had a bad feeling. A VERY bad feeling. She didn't like the way he was last night. It wasn't like she minded being with him that way; it was the way that he seemed during it all. The vibes that she usually got made her tingly and almost overpowered with love. But last night's vibes were almost like he was somewhere else. His mind wasn't on her or what they were doing.

When her hand touched the doorknob to open the door to the rest of the house, the rest of her world, she had some weird feeling to look back at his bed. The sheets were all wrinkled, her pillow had fallen off the bed and his was scrunched up.

She hated this. She hated not waking up next to him. In a way she was starting to miss him. And her thoughts from the day before about him pulling away were starting to be more clearly impressed in her brain.

The air condition seemed to be working a little too well when she carefully went down the steps. She was just in his boxers and her T-shirt from the day before, but the house had never seemed this cold before.

A boom of thunder sounded when she reached the foyer and she peered outside to see that it was still raining...Hard.

Dr. Ellis and Dave were right. This storm was heavy, and it wasn't going anywhere.

But when she heard one word be spoken from Justin, the storm seemed to rage inside. This was become way too familiar. It was like deja vu. She heard his voice in the kitchen. She heard him say "Trace..." into the phone.

She immediately got worried.

It was like a dog seeing someone unfamiliar pull up their driveway. Her eyes widened, her ears seemed to pick up every sound, and uncertainty crossed her features. She had never met Trace, and it wasn't that she didn't like him, she didn't even know him. But the last time she had heard Justin and him talk on the phone had caused a lot of turmoil.

She didn't think Trace was a problem, but now when she thought of Justin talking to him on the phone she had this remembrance of their day apart.

She nervously stepped into the kitchen.

If she thought it was deja vu before, this was REALLY deja vu. He was sitting there in jeans and a tee shirt, like always at the bar of his kitchen island. The phone was pressed to his ear, his shoulders were slumped and his head was slightly lowered.

Alexandria bit her dry lips and waited...

"I don't know anymore...It's like we aren't even close...last night I wasn't even acting myself...I'm getting very weird feelings...I'm so worried about it, Trace. I mean, this isn't me. I don't know if there is a future with Alexan, with Lexia...see, I'm starting not to call her by her nickname that I ALWAYS call her. Maybe I'm just thinking to much, but it's been on my mind for about a week now. Ever since we got into a fight over me talking about sex. I mean, come on I'm a GUY! What if I'm just wasting my time...we don't have a lot in common...what?...Yeah, I KNOW I'm rambling...yeah, I know that..."

Justin went silent, listening to what Trace had to say. Alex's world began to spin. He had doubts. She had her doubts too, but they weren't like this. They had never been like this. Her ears started to ring, and her mouth went dry.

"...Trace the truth is, I'm so infatuated with her....no, I'm not saying that I'm not in love, its just like she's becoming this obsession and I know how those aren't healthy, I mean just look at Nsync fans...ha, yeah I know right?..."

She started to gasp, and her eyes welled up with tears. Why didn't he say something before? She would have worked it out. Just yesterday he said he "needed and wanted" her. What happened now?

"...I think I need a break from it..."

Her heart broke in two.

"...Everything, man. It's all becoming too much. I thought this time to work on the album would be stress-free but I got so much on my mind and...I hate saying this but I'm really scared that a girlfriend is one of the things that is holding me back..."

Her heart shattered into millions of tiny pieces.

"...and another thing is, I don't know if I can trust her....no, I mean I don't think she will do anything like that, but what if one day she tells someone about me, what if she has a change of heart and wants me just for money....I know, I know, but that fear is in me Trace...it always will be....I told you how she acted with the tabloid thing that happened in February...It took her a while to get use to it...what if something else happens. I mean, its likely that if we stay together the press will get to her eventually...she has no idea what its like to be a celebrity. That's why it was cool with me and Brit, she understood me. Lexia doesn't..."

Alexandria's body stiffened. She thought she understood him. That's why she had done so much and given so much and shared so much with him. Did he not realize how much he meant to her? Did he not need her anymore...like she needed him?

She felt as if she was watching a horror movie but she couldn't close her eyes or turn her head from the gory scene. Her eyes and ears were forced to watch and hear him. She didn't notice her breathing get deeper and she didn't even feel the tears slipping down her cheeks.

The house seemed cool before, now it was like ice.

She shivered.

Justin's neck craned a bit to look outside and he slid off the stool. A clap of thunder made him slightly jump and he spoke into the phone. "...Listen dude, It's stormin' like mad over here. I need to get off the phone before I get electrocuted or something. But I'll call ya later on about all this...yeah, I'll try...later man..."

She heard the phone beep off and her icy blue eyes glazed over as he broke off a piece of toast that she hadn't noticed he had beside him and sauntered to the birdcage and fed it to Chester. She stared as he put his hands in his pockets and looked down at the bird, eating in the large cage.

"You are one messy bird..." He mumbled, shaking his head.

He turned his head towards the outside watching the rain and wind and thunder. He thought about his conversation with Trace. It all boiled down to one emotion. And that was fear. Justin was scared out of his mind. It was hitting him how much he was becoming dependent on this girl, and he didn't need another dependency in his life. He was scared as to what Alex would do when he went on tour, when the Nsync frenzy was revved up again. It was pretty bad now, but when they were out there selling albums and touring and doing interviews, it seemed like the fanaticism exploded to a higher height than ever before.

And he was terrified that she might not be able to handle it. And then...he would be left alone.

He shook his head from his negative thoughts and turned his eyes away from the puddles forming in his backyard. He stretched his body by reaching his arms over his head and clasping his hands together, trying to make himself as tall as possible. He tried to manage to get all the kinks out and finally slumped his body back into regular position. A sigh escaped his lips and he turned around on his heels and stepped away from the door and back to...

He stopped.

He had never seen her look like that before in his entire life. In fact, he didn't think he could think of a time ever seeing anyone look like that. Her cheeks glistened with tears, her eyebrows were bunched together and her bottom lip was trembling terribly.

She looked hurt, betrayed, sad, disappointed, scared, and innocent all at the same time.

She had just heard everything he had said to Trace. In a way he was glad...but seeing her like this made him feel like he had just had his heart ripped from his chest and someone was running around him with it in their hands, making him chase after it.

"Lexia...I..."

She sobbed and covered her mouth with her hand.

"..listen, I didn't..."

"No.." She whispered. She shook her head and took in a deep breath. "...answer me this..."

Justin's jaw tightened when he saw a flash of pure anger in her eyes. "...when were you going to tell ME you were leaving me?..."

He thought he hadn't heard her correctly of something. He never said that. She was implying things and taking them way out of context. "I never said that I was leaving you." His voice became stern.

"You didn't have to. I kinda figured that out with the whole 'its not healthy, I can't trust her, she doesn't understand me, it's a waste of my time' speech I just heard." Her voice cut through the heavy air and hit him in the stomach.

Justin knew that if he stayed in that moment right now he would lose it. His now bumbling temper would boil over and burn everything around it if he didn't forget about this. His emotions were high, and the last thing he needed to add to his list of emotions was anger. He needed to get away from her for just a little bit. "I can't deal with this right now..." He walked towards the foyer, passing her as he walked.

"Oh you just can't deal with ME right now, that's it, isn't it?" She grabbed his arm forcefully and shouted at him.

His pot boiled over.

"Dammit stop screaming and don't grab at me like you are one of my fuckin' fans!"

He didn't realize what he had just said when he walked to the coat closet, pulled out his raincoat and tugged it on.

Alexandria froze.

His temper had just burned her in the worst of ways.

He pulled his keys from his pocket and opened the front door to exit this house and this bad atmosphere.

But Alex growled after him. "Don't you ever compare me to one of those girls that grabs at you Justin! Don't you DARE think of me like that! Or do you? Am I one of the girls that gives your brothers nightmares? HUH? Am I just a body for you to use? Someone that annoys you but is sooo obsessed with you, you know you can have their way with them? Is that what I am to you? Am I just your damn whore?"

He stood there for a minute before looking over his shoulder, his eyes piercing almost hatefully into her own. Anger was just added to that list. "You use to not be, but you are sure starting to fit into the whole whore roll. Very nicely I might add."

With that he turned back around sharply and slammed the door shut behind him before being pelted down with rain.

Time stood still when the door slammed.

All she could do was stare at the wood of the front door. The thunder seemed to get closer and the rain seemed to fall down harder.

And she couldn't move.

He had just walked out on her and called her a whore. She began to see red. Her jaw locked and before she knew it, she was slamming the door behind her herself and being immediately soaked with rain.

He was jogging through the front yard, trying to figure out why he didn't walk through the garage to get to his car.

She screamed through the rain. "YOU THINK I'M A WHORE? IS THAT IT JUSTIN? HAS THIS ALL BEEN SOME GAME FOR YOU?"

Justin stopped and turned, growling at her. "You don't have a CLUE as to what I think, so stop trying to figure me out!"

Her hands and arms waved through the rain as she yelled. "WAIT A MINUTE! You are the one that once said you wanted to figure ME out. So when I try and do the same you get all pissy?"

"You need to mind your own business. I have had a hell of a lot on my mind and here you are all up in it. Just get AWAY!" He turned back to go to his car.

"So now you want me to LEAVE? WHAT IS THIS? Just two days ago you were bragging about our sex life."

He turned back around and stared at her. "ALEXA-" Her voice and a flash of lightening and thunder interrupted him.

"OH SHUT UP FOR A SECOND! So FIRST YOU BRAG ABOUT IT AND NOW YOU ARE ALL WORRIED. WHAT THE FUCK JUSTIN? I DONT KNOW WHAT YOUR PROBLEM IS BUT I'M NOT SOME DAMN TROUPHY ON YOUR MANTEL JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE. YOU CANT BRAG AND POINT TO ME LIKE AN AWARD YOU WON. THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS. I DESERVED TO BE TREASURED AND CHERISHED AND LOVED LIKE A HUMAN BEING NOT SOME PIECE OF METAL MADE BECAUSE THOUSANDS OF LITTLE GIRLS WANT TO GIVE THEIR VIRGINITY TO YOU." Her eyebrows were lowered and eyes narrowed and her breathing was heavy.

He chuckled a bitter laugh and looked up and down the tight shirt that was clinging to her body and his boxers that were sticking to her hips. "Well you gave yours up to me pretty easily."

She crossed her arms over her chest and growled at him. "So NOW I'm just a person for you to get off with? You don't even care about me. You never loved me. I was just some chick you could fuck. Wow you are sooo smooth Justin. Got it with the baby-sitter. You are so full of shit Timberlake."

"SO NOW YOU DONT THINK I LOVE YOU? YOU THINK ALL I WANT OUT OF YOU IS SEX??" He spat at her, unbelieving the words that were coming from her mouth.

Her arms went wide as she screamed. "WELL YOU SURE AS HELL DONT ACT LIKE IT. I MEAN OBVOIUSLY YOU DONT LOVE ME IF YOU THINK I'M A WASTE OF YOUR TIME!!!!"

He pointed at her accusingly. "YOU DONT KNOW WHAT THE FUCK YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT."

"AND YOU WOULDNT KNOW WHAT THE FUCK LOVE WAS IF IT BIT YOU IN THE ASS."

He screamed in the storm that they were being drenched with but not caring at all. He hated this. He hated this more than anything. "JUST SHUT UP ALEXANDRIA. YOU DONT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. YOU DONT EVEN REALIZE HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU."

"EXACTLY BECUASE YOU DONT LOVE ME AT ALL." Her voice was no longer that of anger. She seemed sad as she spat out her sentence and her body began to convulse with sobs.

"You don't even know." Justin spoke in a low voice. He turned on his heels and jogged to the driveway and into the garage, shouting. "YOU DONT EVEN KNOW ALEXANDRIA!"

He got in Mercedes, cranked the engine and peeled out of the garage and down his long driveway. He caught her image in the rear-view mirror.

She was on her knees in his front yard, hands covering her face.

He shook his head and turned back to his driveway, not daring to look back.

--------

Alexandria shut the door behind her with a shocked look on her face. She didn't take notice of the water puddling at her feet or the trail of rain she left on the hardwood floor as she walked to the kitchen and sat down at the table. Her eyes remained unfocused into space as she tried to make sense of what just happened.

And it all came down to one thought.

He left her.

He left her cold, wet, and seemingly unloved.

Her eyes trailed to her bird when he started to chirp along with the thunder. She languidly slid out of her chair and took all of the toast that Justin had on the kitchen table and threw it in the cage. Then she walked over to the refrigerator, pulled out a Snapple and sauntered back through the foyer and into her bedroom. Water was in various puddles all through the kitchen and foyer where she once had walked.

She was in a state of shock as she pulled some dry clothes from her dresser. Her mind wasn't really working; her body just moving subcontiously.

She tugged on her clothes and walked over to the small dresser beside her bed to get out some socks. She stopped when she looked at the picture on her dresser. It was of Justin and Jon. She picked up the frame and ran her fingers over his smiling handsome face. Her shock state ended and as gasp sounded from her mouth. She felt blindly for the bed so she could sit down. She held the picture frame to her chest, curled up into a ball and cried until her nose was sore and her eyes were red.

-------

That afternoon around 2

Justin parked his car in his garage, sighing. Her car wasn't there. It was a good thing, because ever since that morning he had been thinking and he came to a decision about what he was going to do. And he didn't know if he could tell her to her face.

Once he was in the house, he searched the kitchen island for a note from her. They always left notes for the other on the island if they had gone out. But this time there was no note. He rubbed his forehead, feeling just a bit of worry. He knew he was a little cold and mean this morning, but he was angry. She knew he had a temper, right?

He shook it off, figuring that she was at school.

Justin opened up the junk drawer in his kitchen and pulled out the phone book, after searching and searching the pages for the number he had circled once before he dialed the numbers and waited for the call to go through.

He sighed at the sound of the voice that hit his ears. He was immediately relaxed and relieved. This was just what he would need to get his mind off things and be able to clear his head and figure out what he wanted.

When he was done with his call he ran up his steps and into his bedroom to pack. But he stopped as soon as he stepped in the door. The sheets were all crumpled; some of her clothes were at the foot of the bed. Suddenly he didn't want to do this. He didn't want to be away from her.

He and the guys were taking a week break from recording to relax. And he was going to do just that. But he wanted to be with her while he relax, but at the same time he felt stressed out whenever he was with her. He was getting confused, very confused.

He was thinking with his brain and not his heart. Or maybe he was using both and that's what was messing him up.

He knew dragging this out and pulling her along was not fair to Lexia. He knew he loved her, but he needed to know how much. That area was so vague for him because he had never had a relationship like this before.

In his mind he had only one option.

He went into his closet, walked to the very back, and pulled out his huge duffel bag.

---------

"NO!!!" Alex screamed, putting her car in park on the shoulder of the highway, and pressing the hazard lights. She growled with rage and didn't bother wiping away her tears as she opened her car door and looked outside at her front tire that was completely flat. She stared at it as she cried. "God, do you hate me or something?!?! I DO NOT NEED THIS!"

She got back in her car, not caring that her seat was being drenched in water as she sat. She looked at her cellphone and pressed the "on" button. It said 'low battery,'

"Well isn't this swell I lose my cellphone, my car, my boyfriend, MY LIFE ALL IN ONE DAY!!!" She screamed and banged on her steering wheel making her car horn beep several times. She finally gave up...she just gave up on everything.

The rain knocked on her window and the thunder boomed. Lightening lit up the fairly dark sky as cars sped past her, not daring to stop and help her.

After a few more helpless sobs echoing in her Jeep there was a knock on her windshield. She jumped and opened up the door slightly.

"Hey ma'am. Do you need some help?"

She nodded and sniffed, taking in his uniform. "Ok, my name is Officer Loggins. I see you got a flat tire here..."

She interrupted him. "And my battery in my phone went dead and my boyfriend hates me and I hate myself and my car is ruined and its raining and I'm missing class and..."

"Whoa now..." The older man chuckled and put a hand on her shoulder. "Get your stuff and get in my police car. I'll take you back home and get someone out here to fix this for you. Allright?"

She nodded and got all of her stuff as the police man wrote down her license plate number and looked over her tire for a few moments. She walked slowly to the car behind her not caring about the pouring rain and sat in the passenger side, waiting for Officer Loggins to come back.

He jogged to his car and got in. "Whew...what a storm." He looked over to see her holding her purse to her chest and tears streaming down her face. "Hey now...everything will be ok. You said your boyfriend hated you? I doubt that. No one could hate such a pretty gal like you. Don't worry about him. He must not be THAT great of a guy if he hates you."

"That's where you are wrong, sir. He is the greatest guy. He's...perfect."

----------

Justin's duffel bag hit the floor when he saw the answering machine light blinking. He had forgot to check it before. He pressed the play button.

"Hey, Alex? Or Justin...but anyways...um, this is Jen. I was just wondering if you were ok Alex because well duh you weren't in class and we still need to work on our project before next Monday gets here. Umm, well I'm guessing you are just sick or Justin has you swept away somewhere. Justin I'm serious stop spoiling the girl. She has SCHOOLWORK to do!! Hehe, whatever...so just call me and tell me you are alive. Um ok..bye. oh wait wait wait...here we go. BYE BYE BYYEEEEE! hehehehee." The message cut off Jen's giggle.

Justin stared at the machine. So Alex wasn't in class. And now a knot of worry entered his belly. He had no idea where she was and he prayed and hoped she was safe. The weather wasn't the best and he wouldn't know what to do if she wasn't ok. He would never forgive himself if she wasn't ok.

He shook his head to rid him of his negative thoughts and pulled out a piece of paper and a pen and began writing a note on it.

He bit his lip and wrote in his trademark handwriting, "Lexia,"

He raked his brain, trying to figure out what he could say. How he could tell her what he had going on in his mind, tell her what she needed to hear. Finally it all came down to one thing. Brutal honesty.

Skipping around the subject would just leave her curious mind wandering. And he needed to get this out.

He sighed and the he gripped the pen tighter as he scribbled his first sentence.

"Lexia,

I'm leaving."

He thought and thought about what all he could say. Finally he just wrote it all out.

"Lexia,

I'm leaving. Not for good. Just for a week. I need to figure out this mess of my brain. I don't want anyone to know where I am, but...if you need me, if you still want me after all I've said you can call. The number is in the phone book. It's circled in red, and I would go and search for it for you, but I don't really have the time. I have to go. We need to have a long talk, but I can't do that just yet. I need to think things through. I hope you are ok. And I'm sorry if I hurt you. I seem to be doing that a lot lately. If anyone asks tell them I'm safe, I'm ok. I'm not anywhere where I'll be bothered. I just need to be alone. But please do call me. Maybe you can..."

Justin let his mind work through the pen, and he didn't realize his message was getting longer and longer and longer and he was basically pouring everything he had been worried about into it. His hand worked furiously as he wrote and finally he got to the end.

"...and even though you probably hate me for all the stupid stuff I've done; I still love you Lexia. I know it's hard for you to understand. I don't really understand it myself, but I need a break right now.

Love always and always,

Justin"

He looked over words once more and folded the paper in half and left it on the edge of the counter on the island. He looked around the kitchen, and picked up his duffel bag. He thought once more about what he was going to do, hoping it was the right decision. His blue eyes spotted a book lying on the kitchen table and picked it up, reading the cover. It was Alex's favorite book, "Stormy Weather". He figured he might need something to do with his time off, so his stuff the book in his bag and sighed.

Once more he looked around his house to see if he forgot anything. He instinctively reached for his cell phone on the recharger but stopped and remembered this week was supposed to be without interruptions. He turned away from his over used device and walked towards the garage door. He looked back one more time, checking to make sure his note was still there. He flicked off the lights and walked out of the door. When the door slammed shut a breeze floated through the house, picked up the note he had for her and it fluttered to the trash can right beside the island.

----------

Alex yelled thanks to Officer Loggins and sprinted to the front door and barged in. "JUSTIN! JUSTIN! BABY LISTEN! I'M SO SORRY! WHERE ARE YOU WE'VE got...to...talk." Alex's voice echoed back to her and she stopped and listened, waiting for him to answer. But he never did. She listened a little bit more before she called out again. "Justin?"

She walked to the kitchen to see if there was a note. There wasn't so she went to the garage to see if his car was there. She figured he was still out and about and figured she would just wait for him to come back so she could start groveling and begging at his feet.

She paced the kitchen for a few moments not knowing what else to do. What if she had really lost him? She didn't know what she would do. Where would she live? What would happen with her and Jon? What would happen to...her whole life? She had had someone she loved taken away from her before and she couldn't let that happen again.

She saw that the light was on the answering machine and pressed it. She listened to Jen's message with a slight giggle. If only Justin had swept her up for the day. She had spent the day searching for him, and then she got a flat tire, so she never went to class. She whimpered and closed her eyes, not knowing what else to do.

When she opened her eyes they locked on to a simple black device. His cell phone. That was very strange. He ALWAYS had his cell phone with him. She got that painful gut feeling again and made her way to the kitchen table and sat down.

Maybe he had just gone to the store. Maybe he had forgot he cell. All sort of things could have happened. So she just sat and waited.

She waited and waited for him to come home.

-------

Her bottom lip was become more red and chapped as time went on. She had been chewing on it for forever it seemed. She had the cordless phone in her hand. It was getting dark and she was about to panic.

She dialed Lynn's number. "Halllo?"

"Hey, wait..Jon?"

"LEXY!!!"

Alex sighed that one name made her fears subside just a smidgen. "Jon is your mom home, I need to talk to her."

"Yup, hold on one second. Hey, is Justin there??"

All her fears rushed back. "No, Jon he isn't here right now."

"Oh, well I'll get mommy, hold up." She rubbed her forehead with her free hand and waited for Lynn to come on the phone.

"Hey Lex, what's up babe?"

"ummm..." Alex sighed and just let it all out. "Have you seen Justin, or talked to him?"

"No, why?"

"We got in a fight. A big fight. And I don't know where he is."

"Have you call his cell?"

"I'm looking at his cell phone right now. He doesn't have it, his car isn't here, and the last time I saw him was this morning. And I just have this weird feeling."

"Call the guys, if you need their numbers they are in Justin's cell. Call everyone Johnny, mike, everyone, see if they have heard from him. If he has gone anywhere security will know. Ok, call me back Alex. It isn't like Justin just to run off, I'm sure he is all right."

"Ok. Thanks bye Lynn."

Alex clicked the phone off and picked up Justin's cell she went to his phone book directory on his cell and searched through the names, pausing when she got to the words "my girl" she highlighted the name to look at the number and smiled when she saw it was her cell's number. She scanned the names and dialed JC's.

After 2 rings he picked up. "Hey, this is Josh..."

"JC? It's Alexandria...have you seen Justin?"

And her hour of phone call after phone call began...

-----

"Hold on Chris I got another beep. I'll call ya later." Alex switched over on the phone. "Hello?"

"Ok, this is Mike. No body in security knows anything."

"Mike, what do I do? I mean no one has seen him or heard from him in almost 10 hours!! Is it right for me to be worried about this. I mean what if he is just out driving and here I am making everyone freak out. What if-"

"Alexandria, shhhhhhh. Just chill out. We will find where he went. He knows not to do this. So whatever he has going on, he better have a damn explanation."

"I guess you are right. There aren't many places he can go. He is Justin Timberlake." She tried to laugh at her own joke. But it failed.

"Listen Alex, try to get some sleep ok. I'll call you if anyone figures out anything. Are you sure he didn't leave a note or anything?"

"Nothing."

"That's not like him. Ok, Try and sleep ok?"

"I'll try. It won't work."

"It'll be ok Alexandria. I'll talk to ya tomorrow. bye bye."

"Bye mike." Alex sighed and let the phone slip out of her hands and fall on the bed beside her. She curled up to her pillow in Justin's bed. She hadn't said anything to anyone about this, but his pillow wasn't there. She remembered how he said he always traveled with his pillow, and now it was missing. She was thinking that just maybe, he had left for good.

But why didn't he tell anyone?

She reached over and turned off the light, putting the phone on the nightstand also. She shifted down into the covers and pulled them tightly against her body.

She tired to sleep. But everytime her eyes closed she remembered seeing his bitter face and his harsh words. She could feel the rain pouring down on her trembling body. He had left her.

And now she was all alone.

It was an all too familiar feeling that she had felt for years before she met Justin, and now here engulfed in his smell and his memory the feeling was new. IT was a loneliness she had never experienced before.

This loneliness was 10 times worse that the loneliness she felt before she had ever laid eyes on his handsome face.

Now she had the image of his face in her mind. His eyes darkening with passion and love for her, his eyebrows so defined and his lips moisten and parted.

She could remember all of their kisses, the way he kissed, and the way his lips felt on hers. She could feel his body lying behind her, holding her as they talked together quietly before drifting to sleep. She could feel his breath on her face getting more labored and uneven as he made love to her. She could hear his voice ringing in her ears at every time he whispered the words, "I love you" or said her name, "Lexia."

That was it.

She held on to her pillow and whimpered as all the fond memories they had shared crashed on her. What had she done to make him not want her? What had she done to make him want to leave her? What had she done to make him not love her anymore?

A distant sound of thunder interrupted the sound of rain on the roof of the house. It wasn't as heavy as it had been, but the storm was still there.

She so desperately wished that storm would go away, and that her man would come back to her.

She sighed and opened her eyes, peering at the clock that read almost 11. She thought about all those times in the mornings when she would ask him what time it was and he would mutter, "too early".

Right now it was too late. He needed to be home, with her, in her arms, letting her kiss him.

But he wasn't.

She had no idea where Justin Timberlake was.

No one did, except for the man himself.

March 14th....that afternoon.

Jen didn't say anything as Alex drove back to Justin's house. She had never seen Alex this worried before. Jen really didn't see the big deal. Justin had only been gone for about a day, he would be back. Alex hadn't really talked about it much, but she looked half-shocked and half-scared.

"Lex, I'm sure he is ok."

"Hey, do you want anything to eat before we go back to my house because we don't have much food."

"Alex...I'm not hungry. It'll be ok."

"Oh look we are here. Ohh, look JC and Lynn are here. Yay!" Alex smiled, but it was obviously fake and forced on to her features.

Jen shook her head and stepped out of the car when Alex parked it and made her way to the house not even waiting for Alex. She busted through the doors getting strange looks for JC, Chris, Lynn, and Mike.

"She's going insane."

JC and Chris smiled comfortingly. Mike and Lynn just stared as Alexandria numbly walked into the house, not acknowledging anyone. She went to the kitchen set down her keys and her satchel with her books in it. She pulled a Snapple out of the fridge and opened up one of the cabinets to get something to eat. She hadn't eaten all day.

But she stopped with what she discovered there. Justin's assortment of cereals were all perfected lined inside the cabinet she happened to open. She didn't even blink as she stared at all the named brand cereal boxes.

She was trying to forget about it all, just move on with her life for the time being. But all day she had been thinking and worrying about him.

"What have I done?" She whispered to herself.

"You haven't done a thing, sweetheart. Justin's stubborn. And his momma is so mad at him right now." Lynn chuckled and wrapped her arms around Alex, resting her cheek on her shoulder. "He'll be all right."

"But where is he? Everyone keeps telling me he is ok but then you all say that it's not like him just to go off without anyone knowing. What am I supposed to do? Sit here and wait for him to come through that door? What if he doesn't ever come back? What if I ran him off? What if something bad happened and he is lying dead on the side of the road?"

"Shhhhhh." Lynn tried to comfort the panicking girl that's voice got louder and louder as she talked. She was now shaking as Lynn held on to her and rocked her back and forth. "Calm down, Alex."

"Hey, Damn...I'm going to throw the trash out, it's over flowing." Chris mumbled as he threw his bottled coke in the trash. "I'm going to go talk to Johnny and some other people, do you guys want me to bring any food back?"

Lynn nodded and shooed Chris away with her hand as she continued to "shh" Alex. Chris gave them a helpless look before compacting all the trash in the bag and pulling it out of the can and walking out the door.

"Lynn what am I going to do if he doesn't come back?" Alex sniffed and pulled away from her, searching the older woman's eyes, hoping she could comfort her and tell her it would be ok.

"He'll come back. He has to come back, if not I'll go find him and beat his tail so hard he wont be able to walk." Lynn signed when a breathy laughed sounded from the young girl in front of her.

"Come on, let's go in the living room with everyone else."

Alex nodded and let Lynn pull her towards the large white room. JC and Jen were talking, sitting beside each other on the couch and Mike was over by the piano, seemingly inspecting it as he held a cell phone to his ear.

Lynn led her to one of the big comfy chairs and she sat down in it slowly, running her hands over the leather that covered it. Lynn gave JC and Jen a worried look, more so for Alex than her son.

"Hey Lex, how are you?" JC asked in a smooth voice.

She didn't look at him, just relaxed into the chair and sighed. "Justin loves this chair. We always fight over it because it's so comfortable."

Jen whispered to JC. "Would you mind taking me home later. I don't think Alex needs to be driving."

He smiled at her and nodded. "Sure."

Mike turned around from the piano and walked over to Alex handing the phone to her. "It's Johnny. He wants to talk to you."

Alex's eyes widened and she took in a shaky breath as she accepted the phone. "uh, hello?"

"Hey Alexandria. How you holdin' up?"

"Um, not very well." She looked at Lynn as she talked with Justin's manager. He basically just told her what she already knew, which was that no one knew anything. He had called about everyone they could think of, and no one had heard from the popstar.

While Alex was on the phone Jen turned to JC. "Hey, no offense or anything. I mean I know that Justin is kinda recognizable, but what's the big deal? He just hasn't told anybody where he was for a day. I mean cant he just want to be alone for a day or two."

"Jen, I know it's hard for you to understand. But Justin can't be alone. And if he wants to be he has to TELL someone where he is going and what he is doing. I mean, it doesn't seem like a big deal for you if someone just disappears for a day, but it IS because Justin's safety is a major issue. It may seem a little weird that we are getting all worked up, but we have to." JC sighed and whispered the last part making sure Lynn or Alex wouldn't hear.

"Something's wrong Jen. I mean, I'm trying not to show my worry but Justin is too smart to just disappear. Even if he wanted to, he would tell at least Mike so that if something happened they would know. And Chris would pull a trick like this, get everyone worked up for nothing, but Justin wouldn't. Justin knows better than that. Something is going on, and we are just trying to figure out what it is."

"So you mean, like you think something bad has happened?" Jen asked, now for the first time very worried.

"I don't know what to think Jen. I don't know what to think." He shook his head and looked over to Alex who was nervously biting her lip.

The phone of the hose rang and everyone looked at each other hopefully. It was how it had been all day, when the phone rang everyone got their hopes up. "I'll get it." Lynn stood up and walked calmly to the phone and picked it up.

Everyone stared at her.

She turned around smoothly and walked over to Alex who was eagerly and hopefully staring at Justin's mother. "It's for you..."

She took away the cell phone and exchanged it with the cordless phone. Alex put it to her ear and whispered an "hello?"

"Baby..."

Immediately Alexandria curled up into a ball and started crying. "Momma, I'm so scared."

"I know baby. It'll be ok. I'm sorry it took forever to call, I just got your message. Just calm down, I'm sure he is ok."

Alex stood up and shouted into the phone, storming up to the steps. "Dammit mom, everyone keeps saying that! But I know it's not true. If he was ok, he would be here with me right now, momma. He would be with me..." Alexandria stopped when she reached the top of the stairs and slowly walked over to his/their bedroom.

"Alexandria, calm down babe. What was your fight about?"

She pushed the door open and walked towards the bed. "I caught him talking to one of his friends on the phone and he said he didn't know if he wanted to be with me..." She swallowed her sob and choked out. "...anymore."

"Well did you give him time to explain it?"

She laid down in the bed, shoes and all and pulled the sheets and comforter over her. "Not really. He didn't really want to talk to me and then we just got mad and I don't know mommy, but now I don't know where he is..."

"Alex you are getting all worked up. Maybe he just wanted to get away for a while and clear his head."

"But MOM!! You don't understand. He can't DO That. No one knows where he is; it's like he just vanished. It's like someone just picked him up and carried him off, away from me."

After a long pause, Alex's mom's voice quietly spoke through the phone. "Alexandria, this isn't like Andrew. It's not the same thing."

"Well forgive me for not taking it well when people I love more than anything are taken away from me!" Alex yelled in a cold voice in the phone.

"You just need to relax."

"I CANT!"

A knock on the bedroom door seemed to wake Alex up from her bad thoughts. She called a "come in." And watched as the door edged open.

She wasn't prepared for the site before her.

"Mom..." She said hoarsely.

"Baby, what is it?"

"I'll call you back." Alex clicked off the phone and stared at the person who was now running into the room, crawling up the bed and tackling her in a hug.

"HEY LEXY!!!!"

Alex closed her eyes and tried to fight back the tears. "Jon..."

"Guess what? My teacher said that I was one of the smartest kids in math at school. She even gave me this thing of stickers!" He giggled, rolling off her.

Alex looked up at the doorway to see Lance standing there. She gave him a pleading look and he mouthed, "He doesn't know. Don't tell him." to her. He shook his head at her to emphasis his plea. She nodded in response before he grinned and shut the door behind him.

"Lexy, when's Justin going to get home. I gotta tell him something." He rolled over on his stomach and swung his feet high in the air.

"Um, Justin went away for a while."

"Where did he go?"

"Jon, why don't you tell me." Alex said, trying to change the subject.

"Oh, well its kinda a guy thing." Jon said, blushing a bit.

Alex sighed. This day was just getting harder and harder. She hated that Jon didn't know and wouldn't and couldn't understand that his brother was....missing. She felt like his disappearance was all her fault.

"But uh, you are my best friend so...I don't know." Jon pursed his lips and looked at her shyly. "What do you do if you like somebody?"

Alex thought she hadn't heard him correctly. A faint smile, one of the first in hours played upon her lips. "Jon do you have a crush on a girl at school?"

"Uhhh...I guess. I mean her name is Steph and she's really pretty and she's really nice. And today when we played kickball she was captain and she picked me to be on her team first."

Alex smiled and rolled over on her stomach like him and nudged him in the side. "Well why don't you ask her. There's no harm in asking her."

"But what if she says no? What if she laughs at me?" He looked at her with wide eyes and a slight pout.

Alex sighed, contently. It was amazing to her how a 7-year-old, who had no idea about male and female relationships had the same worries that people her age did. She smiled fully. "But won't it be better to ask and find out. If she doesn't like you, than she wasn't worth it in the first place. But just think...what if she does like you?"

Jon bit his lip and began to giggle, covering his face with a pillow. "If she likes me then we can be like you and Big J. hehehehe."

"Ummm." Alex chuckled a bit. "Maybe not exactly like me and Justin."

Jon giggled and rolled over, squirming as Alex tickled his sides with her fingers. She laughed as he tried to tickle her in return.

It was the only happy moment she had had all day.

March 15th, around 3

"Where the HELL is he?" Joey said, obviously pissed off.

"This is freaky, yall. What if some psycho fan-"

Chris gave him a look. "Shut up Lance."

"But what-"

"SHUT UP LANCE!" Lance clamped his mouth shut.

JC tried to be the voice of reason. "Ok, ok...listen. Everyone just chill. I'm sure there is some logical explanation for why we don't know where Justin is. Getting all worked up right now is no way to handle this."

"So what do you want us to do? Sit in a chair all day staring out the window with a stunned lock on our faces, flinching whenever someone touches us and going faster than superman when the phone rings to pick it up?" Joey said exaggerating.

For some reason that broke the tension between the 4 Nsync members. All of them managed some form of light laughter.

"That's not funny boys. That's not funny AT ALL."

Joey and the rest of the guys looked up at the doorway of the game room of Justin's house to see Lynn giving them a stern look.

"Sorry, Lynn. It was just a-"

"I know it was a joke Joey. But..." She let out a sigh and walked further in the room and sat down carefully beside Lance on the couch. "...have you guys decided what you are going to do until he gets back?"

"If he isn't back by tonight we are going to keep recording stuff but it's kinda hard. Justin is producing and the main vocals for...most of the songs. So, we cant do...too much...without..him." JC voice trailed off into a mutter as he spoke.

The room got really quiet, really fast.

Danielle who had been curled up in a comfy chair in the far corner of the room, reading a book spoke up and broke the silence. "How's Alex?"

Lynn turned on the couch and looked at her, as the other 4 occupants of the room. "She's...sitting in chair, staring out the window with a stunned look on her face, flinching whenever Mike or me go up to her and flying like superman whenever the phone rings."

"Dammit where is he?" Lance whispered.

"Lynn..are you SURE you don't know anywhere he could be?" Dani asked, trying to think where Justin would be herself.

"I- I have no clue where my son is. I'm supposed to know. I'm his-" Lynn was silenced when they all heard pounding footsteps of someone running somewhere in the house.

Then they heard a drastic, "HELLO? JUSTIN?"

They all were deafly silent. They couldn't hear anything but a mumbled voice.

All 6 of them got up at the same time and walked through the hallway and foyer to the living room where Alex was now perched in her same chair that she had been in since that morning, but now with a cell phone pressed to her ear.

"Who is it?" Lynn asked Mike, everyone else right behind her looking at Mike eagerly.

"Scott. Her brother."

"Oh..." The sigh that escaped all of their mouths was in unison and rather loud.

"I can't stand this. Anyone wanna go...do something? get food? cruise the neighborhood?" Chris asked.

"I'll go." Lance shrugged. Danielle came up and wrapped her arm around her boyfriend. "I'm not leaving you."

Chris' lips twitched upward in a grin.

"Well, I'm going to call Randall and mom again. Maybe they have heard something." Lynn scratched her head as she walked away and towards the kitchen.

JC shook his head with a frown. "She's about to crack."

"I know. And the last thing we need right now are two Justin loving females on the verge of breaking down." Joey pressed his palms into his eyes, trying to do something to ease his headache.

"If he doesn't come back. There might be a hell of a lot more than just two Justin loving females we have to worry with."

"If he is pulling a prank I swear I will-"

JC interrupted him. "He's not. You noticed how distant he was this past week. Concentrating on solely music, not joking around at all..."

"Becoming you..."

JC narrowed his eyes with a grin. "...but still. You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I know." Joey bit his lip and walked past JC and into the living room, sitting down on the couch, and watching Alex.

--------

"I don't know, Scott." Alex said, not really realizing she said anything as she stared into space like a girl in a coma.

"Alex? Lex? ALEXANDRIA!!!!"

Alex shook her head. "wha?" She slurred into the phone.

"Listen sis. You aren't paying attention to me. Just know that we all love you and that it's going to be ok. Ok?..ok? Alex?"

"Yeah, ok."

Scott's sigh was clearly one of defeat through the telephone line. "All right. Bye Alex."

"Bye bye." She said in a very weird voice.

She flipped off her cell phone and casually tossed it on the floor not caring at the floor was made of hardwood.

JC's voice flowed throughout the room. "Hey, someone's here."

Alex immediately left her drunken state and sobered up, hopping out of the chair and running to the front door to see who it was. "WHO IS IT?" She yelled.

JC squinted his eyes looking through the windows around the front door. "Ohh its just Jen with Jon."

Alex whimpered against the glass, her breath fogging it up one instant and then disappearing the next. "Where are you, Justin?"

JC turned to look at her when she had whispered those words. He stepped towards Alex and felt awkward doing what he was about to, but he pushed that aside for now and wrapped his arms around the girl in front of him.

At first Alex stiffened in his arms, but slowly everything in her relaxed and she fell into him. Her hands clutched his neck as her face was buried into his shoulder, crying.

"We'll find him, Alex. I know it." JC bit his lip and prayed that they would find him.

Alex didn't even hear Jon bust through the garage doors screaming her name.

"Lexy! Lexy!"

She didn't even hear Jen's voice calling out to her. "Hey, I talked with the professor today about you. He said he kinda..umm...understood when I told him you were having family problems. I got your stuff so you can do it. We still got our- well, umm...project...nevermind." Jen trailed off, seeing her body shake with her cries in JC's arms. Jen looked at JC and nodded to Jon who was looking at them strangely.

"Come on Jon, let's go talk to Joey." Jen pulled on Jon's arm.

He obviously didn't want to go talk to Joey. "What's wrong with Lexy? Lexy...." Jen pulled him away anyway.

Jen walked into the living room and smiled at Mike and Joey. She had gotten to know these guys a lot better in the past 24 hours, trying to help her friend. "Hey guys."

"WHATS WRONG WITH LEXY!" Jon almost screeched.

Joey's eyes widen and he searched for something to take Jon's mind off of Alex. He knew it wouldn't work. "Hey buddy, will you come with me to Justin's studio. We gotta go look for something for him."

"Where IS Justin?" Jon cried.

Jen looked at Mike. They knew that it was stupid for them to try and keep this from the kid. But they didn't know what else to do. Jon wouldn't know what to do if Justin was gone. He would just crumble.

Like Alex.

Joey got off the couch and bent down in front of Jon. "Come on, buddy. I'll give ya a piggy back ride."

Jon sighed and crawled up Joey's back. "What's wrong Joey?" He whispered into the older man's ear.

"Come on..." Joey pretended like he hadn't heard him at all. "...lets go upstairs."

With one last look at Alex's now still body in the arms of JC, Jon turned to the steps and uneasily said. "Oh kay."

Jon was only 7. But he knew something was really wrong.

---------

About 15 minutes later...

Jon came running down the steps with Joey chasing him. He had a big hardback book in his hand, waving it away from Joey.

"Jon, let me see that." Joey ran into the living room, receiving a chuckle from Mike.

"Noooo. I wanna look at it!!!" Jon ran over to Alex and curled up in her lap, like she could protect him from Joey.

JC and Jen smiled when Joey narrowed his eyes playfully at Jon and sat down beside the two on the couch. "What's he got?" JC asked looking at Joey.

He sighed and draped his arm across the back of the couch, behind Jen. "Justin's old yearbook."

"oohhh...from how long ago?" JC inquired.

"I don't know for sure. I think it was right before we blew up. You know how they put his picture in the yearbooks and he bought one even though he had tutors and well, didn't really attend the school." Joey sighed.

"Yeah."

"I can't imagine living like that." Jen quietly said.

"Yeah, we cant either." JC sighed. "We worry about Justin sometimes. I mean, he never got a normal life. Sometimes by the way he acts or says things we all kinda have to say..wow, you really don't know do you? Like if this is some big joke or if he ran away or something...well, just I don't know. I'm rambling."

"It's JC's nervous habit." Joey mumbled to Jen. She just nodded and looked at Jon who was nagging an uninteresting Alex.

"Lookie Alex. It's Justin a long time ago." Jon pointed to a picture that was in the thick book, but Alex couldn't look.

She couldn't bear it. She couldn't take this anymore.

"No Jon. I don't wanna look." She mumbled, staring out the window.

"FINE!" He yelled.

That was a first. Jon never yelled at Alex. That was probably the first time he ever had except for yelling her name in joy. This was a frustrated angered yell.

Lynn broke the tension. "Come here baby, show me what you got."

Jon huffed and pushed off Alex's lap and went to his mother handing her the book. "Why is everyone sad mommy? What is Alex mad?"

"She's not mad baby. She's hurting right now?"

"Why?" His eyes began to glass over as he looked between his mother and the shell of the girl cuddled into the leather chair.

"Ohh, look at her brother. Look at that hair." Lynn exclaimed with a twinge of hurt coming in her voice.

Jon didn't care about the book anymore. He just stared at Alex.

Mike was conversing with the other 3 on the couch while Lynn flipped through the pages of the yearbook. She tried to fight back tears as she saw the one of two pictures they had of him. She could remember how nervous Justin had been going back to that school after MMC, finding his crowd and then being swept away again. This yearbook was from his sophomore year. It was the last yearbook he ever owned.

Lynn pressed her lips together; she couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't bear to look at a picture of "her baby." She closed the yearbook with a snap.

Jon turned his furrowed eyebrows and narrowed expression away from Alex when he heard the noise. He pried the book from her fingers and began tearing the pages apart as he flipped through, trying to show his anger to everyone in the room.

He was mad he was the only one that didn't know what was going on. He finally flipped the book the inside of the back cover and was about to throw the book down and start a tantrum when big black writing on the white inside of the cover struck him. He read over it a little and looked at him mom. "Momma, who is Mrs. Beelaask?"

Lynn looked down, read over the words and smiled. "Ohh that was your brother's favorite teacher. She tutored him when he was in Europe a few years ago. She was the only one to sign his annual because Justin really didn't go to the school. He just had tutors from this school. And he never got the chance to get anyone else to sign it. But she must have."

Jon looked at the handwriting a little bit more, kinda confused but not ready to really commit to worrying about it. He had bigger things to worry about. Like Alex. His big eyes looked up to the girl in the chair.

She was no longer curled in the chair but staring at him intently sitting up straight almost like a plank of wood. She finally spoke. "What did you just say? What was the teachers name?"

"Mrs. Belask? Why? Do you know her?" Lynn asked utterly confused.

Alex stood up, marched over to them and gripped the yearbook, pulling it away from Jon. He protested her, she ignored him.

She lightly skimmed the message. "...whenever you need someone to talk to you know I'm here...stay strong and know you can come to me for advice...you'll always be my favorite student...Love, Mrs. Belask..."

"Oh my god..." The book fell out of Alex's hands and hit the floor, falling opening to the front page.

"Alex what is it?" Lynn asked her worriedly.

Everyone was staring at the girl with shaky hands in the middle of the white living room. "Alex? Lex? What's going on?" Mike asked in a calm manner.

She gasped and sped walked to the kitchen. "I think I know where he is."

Everything was starting to click. That name stuck out in her head. She could remember the night he told her about his favored tutor. About going to her island...about...

"Oh..my..." She whispered, searching the drawers of Justin's kitchen.

"Alex, what did you just say?" Mike asked following her in the kitchen.

"I know where Justin is." Alex spoke a little bit more clearer than before, pulling out the phone book and ripping through the pages.

Joey looked over at JC from the couch where they didn't bother moving. "She just shattered."

"No, listen dude." JC nudged Joey and they watched as Lynn sat Jon down and ran after Alex.

Jon stared at Jen and the other two on the couch for a moment before biting his lip and following his mother.

He was obviously very confused.

"Alexandria, where is he?" Lynn asked, pushing past Mike and standing right beside the girl.

"What was Mrs. Belask's first name?" She inquired ripping through the flimsy pages.

"Uhh I don't remember, why?" Lynn looked between Alex and the phone book. If she thought about it Lynn would have remembered, but she didn't really care about the teachers name in that moment. She wanted to know where her son was. And she wanted to know what Alex knew about that.

Suddenly Alex gasped and stared down at the book. Lynn looked down and saw a number circled in red. It read: "Mrs. Ellen Belask...P.O. Box #9629....(197)298-5108..." There was a line under it that read "Belask Beach Rentals.....(197)298-5110..."

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god..." Alex chanted quietly ripping the cordless phone from its resting place and punching in the numbers.

"What's going on Lynn?" Mike asked.

"Mommy, why is Lexy acting weird?"

"I don't know." Lynn stared in disbelief as Alex held the phone to her ear and paced the kitchen.

Alex on the other hand waited, nervously, anxiously, through one ring, two rings...three...

"Hello, Belask Beach Rentals this is Ellen..."

A sigh escaped Alex's lips; she fought with what to say. If she was wrong, she would make a fool of herself. She was beyond caring at this point.

"Hello? Hello?"

"Oh, hi. Sorry, ummm.." Alex stuttered.

"Hi, can I help you?" The ladies voice was sincere and kind.

"Umm, this is going to sound really weird but, ok..." Alex took in a calming breath. This might just be the sanity she had been missing the past few days. "...my name is Alexandria Smith, and I know you probably cant..."

"Alex? Justin's girl?"

Alexandria stopped. She just froze for a few seconds. Finally she pushed herself against the wall, and slid down it. "Uhh, yeah...I guess..How did you know?" She meekly said.

"Oh he told me that you would be calling. He was kinda worried though he thought you would have called Tuesday or Wednesday night. But he will be happy to know that you did. He has been talking about you a lot. Are you going to come down here?"

Alex was lost for words. He was expecting her?? How was she supposed to know where he went?

"Are you still there sweetie?" Ellen's kind voice asked.

"Yeah, I'm just a little shocked. We...we didn't know where he went, everyone was so worried."

"Hmm, ok? I don't know why. He said you would know where he was. Are going to come down here? I think Justin would like it."

"Uh, yeah...where..."

"If you take Highway 11 south all the way to the coast it takes you to Right's beach, it's a tiny town. If you get on the main road, which is the strip...right when you pass the first McDonalds there is a dock. There's a fairy that runs about 3 times a day from our island to Right's beach. The last one for the today leaves in about an hour."

"Oh my god...I gotta..."

"It's ok honey. It doesn't take long to get here. Just come on. He'll be happy to know that you are on your way."

"I can't believe that he's there. So he is ok and everything?"

"Yes, he is just fine. He was a little down this morning when he heard you hadn't called, but besides that he's been ok."

"Well umm.."

"Go on Alexandria. Get your things and get down here. He's been waiting for you."

"Ok, um, thank you, bye." Alex clicked the phone off and stared into space for a while. Her eyes moved up to everyone who was now in the kitchen staring at her hoping for information. She thought she heard one of them ask her something, but Mrs. Belask voice was still ringing in her head and she couldn't hear anything more than her voice and her own heartbeat.

Finally she shot up and ran out of the kitchen.

"What just happened?" Jen asked looking around.

JC breathed. "Did she just find him?"

Lynn nodded with a smile "I think."

"Mommy? Where is Justin?" Jon asked stomping his foot.

Lynn chuckled, tears about to pool from her eyes. "I have no idea, sweetie. I have no idea."

Mike shook his head and flipped open his cell and began punching numbers.

"Wait...what just happened?" Joey asked utterly confused.

--------

Less than 3 minutes later...

"Alex, Alex Alex!!...Where is he?" Mike grabbed her arm as she ran through the house with a small overnight back on her shoulder.

She sighed with a look that showed she didn't want to be bothered. "I can't talk right now, Mikey. I'll call you when I get there, bye guys..." Alex ripped from his grasp and ran to the garage door and opened the door and got in her Jeep.

She stopped for a moment before turning on her car and taking a deep breath. "Thank you God. Yes, he is ok."

She smiled. For the first time all day, she smiled. 5 minutes later she was speeding down Highway 11.

And everyone still left in Justin's house was slightly stunned. Lynn was smiling, hugging Jon who was still clueless and very annoyed with the matter because everyone was ignoring him. Mike was talking to Johnny on the phone. And the other three, JC, Joey, and Jen were trying to make sense of what just happened.

"You know what? You celebrities have confusing lives." Jen shook her head.

"Tell me about it." JC grinned.

--------------

30 minutes....

Alex almost groaned when she saw the car she parked by. Justin's BMW was covered, locked up and in the remote section of the parking lot beside the dock. She parked beside the blue convertible just for her own sake. Grabbing her bag from the passenger seat she got out of the car and took in the salty ocean air. Her legs carried her towards the dock, her eyes searching for which boat would take her to the island. She read over the various names of fishing tours and boat tours you could go on, but she didn't see the one that she need.

-Don't panic Alex...it's ok. At least you know that he is ok...you just gotta figure out which one of these....god, it smells....-

"Excuse me miss? Can I help you?"

Alex turned at the voice and saw a man that looked, well, pretty disgusting. He had a cigar in his mouth and his beard was long and gray and he was bald on his head. He had on sweaty wifebeater that didn't cover him enough and slick rain pants with suspenders and fisherman boots.

He looked like a fisherman. He was a fisherman.

"Ohh well, I'm looking for the fairy that will take you to where the Belask beach rental thingys are..." Alex really didn't know what they called the place.

"Ohh, you mean Sunrise Island. Yup, that fairy is the last boat down there, just docked about an hour ago." He pointed towards the end of the long wooden and rickety dock.

"Thank you so much." Alex smiled and walked as fast as she could towards that end.

"Sure."

Once she got to the end of the dock she stared at the boat in front of her. IT was, well, it was a medium sized boat. It looked like a regular old fishing boat with a cabin and all, but it was kinda old looking.

She would love to see Justin on this thing.

She smiled. Maybe she would get her chance.

An old man, probably the same age as the fisherman, but looking much nicer in his hat and sunglasses and casual clothing came up to her. "Hi, I'm Captain Belask. Are you going to Sunrise Island?"

"Yes sir."

"Well let me help you aboard."

"Ok." Alex followed the man down a wobble 4 foot side stretch of wooden planks, trying not to fall and also trying to figure out what he said his name was. -Did he just say Belask?-

She ignored it as the older man held her stuff as she walked up the small, slippery steps an into the boat. He handed her stuff to her and grinned. "We will be heading out in about 15 minutes. Just make yourself at home."

She watched as he walked down the tiny dock onto the larger on and began fiddling with ropes and all other sorts of things.

Alex didn't have a clue as to what she was doing. But she figured if it would get her to Justin, it would be worth it. She clutched her bag and purse in her arms and tried to maintain her balance as she went to a seat on the side of the boat. It didn't look like anyone else was on the vessel but herself.

She began to feel a little uneasy about this whole thing.

The sound of laughter found its way on the boat and she looked at the steps to see the captain helping a couple in their late twenties up on the boat. They talked with him like they new him well before finding their seats in the front of the boat.

Alex just sat there.

A few minutes later Alex was looking up at the clouds when she felt a presence sit near her. She turned her head and smiled at the woman who had sat a few seats down from her. The woman was in her 40s or 50s and she was dressed in casual clothing much like the captain. Sandals, khaki pants, a short sleeve button down shirt and a sweater tied over her shoulders.

She tired not to stare at the woman, but it was kinda hard when the woman was staring at her.

Alex jut turned her head and bit her lip, feeling a bit of nerves wash over her.

Suddenly the woman spoke. "Are you Alexandria?"

Alex's head flipped sharply around with wide eyes. "How did you-"

"Wow, you are even more beautiful than Justin described. He said you were gorgeous but I had no idea you were this pretty."

"Huh?"

The woman shook her head and pushed her hand towards Alexandria. "Ohh, how stupid of me. We talked on the phone...I'm Mrs. Belask."

Alex just stared at the woman.

Alex's hand timidly slid into Mrs. Belask. "It's great to finally meet you, Lexia. Is it ok if I call you that? Justin said it was his nickname for ya."

Alex just nodded and muttered an "Uh huh".

Minutes later, Ellen Belask was talking non-stop about Justin as a student and Justin in the olden days. Alexandria was just in shock about it all. It was slowly hitting her, that she still had him. He obviously didn't hate her. But most importantly, he was ok. He wasn't "missing".

But she had to wonder, how the hell did he think she was supposed to FIND him?

"Well, I'm so glad the rain let up. It looks like its going to be a pretty afternoon. It would be a nice day for a swim. Not too hot, not too cold. But just right."

Alex hadn't said a word yet. She didn't know WHAT to say. It was all too much to take in right now. Her man was safe, but she was confused more than ever.

The boat began to take off and Alex and Ellen looked over the side as they slowly pull away from the dock. "Man, he is going to be so happy to see you. When I told him you called...well he didn't say much, but I don't think I've seen that boy smile any bigger. And he's got a BIG smile."

Alex blushed a bit and looked down shyly. "So he's not like mad at me?"

"No, honey. Justin..." Ellen looked at her thoughtfully before continuing. "...He doesn't know how to handle things sometimes. He likes to take control of it himself, and when he doesn't know what he is doing he sometimes loses his cool. I think, well from what he told me, that he couldn't control his feelings for you. He got scared. He needed to get away from his life for a few days and figure out his priorities. Us regular, little people get the chance to do that. People like Justin, well, they have barely enough time to sleep, let alone think about their actions and emotions and other stuff. So, he went away. He's a weird kid. He's not normal. I mean, we all would like to think that he is, but the way he has spent his life has changed him. And...It's for the better, sometimes. And other times it's for the worst. Someone like him, you gotta let them have their space. Justin knows what's best for him. And he's the only one that does. Not his mother, not his bandmates, not even you can tell him what he should do. He's smart. He always figures out what he needs to do."

"He's not THAT smart." Alex exclaimed.

Ellen chuckled. "What do you mean by that!?"

"If he was smart he would have told SOMEBODY where he went."

"He said he left you a letter?"

"Do you know where? I never saw such a thing. I thought he had been kidnapped or left for Antarctica or something."

"Hmmm, that's strange. He said he knew you would get it. Weird..." Ellen said thoughtfully.

"I know. But I guess that doesn't matter now. Man, I can't wait to see him. It's been like 3 days but, still...This is so not healthy." Alex giggled.

"Its called being in love, honey. And it can be very healthy if you let it."

Alex grinned.

A few minutes later, the women were still chatting away about Justin when a loud speaker broke their conversation.

"This is Captain Belask, we will be docking in approximately 5 minutes. I hope you enjoyed you ride..."

"Oh...my...gosh. He is so full of it." Ellen sighed, annoyed.

"What?" Alex laughed.

"My husband, Larry. He thinks because he can steer this boat 3 miles off shore day in and day out that he is a captain of some huge ship. Just listen to him. It was a 15 minutes fairy ride, not a cruise on the Caribbean."

"Hehe, how long have you been married?"

"It'll be 23 years this June."

Alex smiled, content with the thought of being with someone that long. "Aww, that's nice."

"Yeah, it is." Ellen smiled.

-----------

10 minutes later...

"Come on, I'll take ya where he is staying. He's probably out swimming or walking on the beach or something. This has been the only nice day since he came. Well, yesterday evening wasn't too bad."

Alex followed the lady out of the little house that was the check in area to a row of about 5 golf carts. "I made Larry invest in these. I'm getting old, and I'm not about to walk around this whole island. I'm not crazy."

Alex sat down as Ellen took the wheel and drove them past several nice looking beach houses, among trees and pathways. Some houses had pools, some were beachfront, some were big, and some were very quaint. "This is a really neat place ya got here. Is it good business?"

"Yes, very. Especially in summer time. It's just spring so we are picking up. About 3/4s of our houses are occupied right now. People rent them for weekends or up to a whole season. When Larry invested in the island I was skeptical, but, it's been the best thing for two retires fogies like us."

Alex smiled and just a few seconds later Ellen stopped in front of a small sized beach house, palm trees surrounded it, and it was painted in a pretty, very light bluish color. "It's beach front. Justin demanded one." Ellen giggled. "Pool and Jacuzzi too. That boy is spoiled."

She walked up the few front steps and into the cool house. "Justin?"

No answer.

Ellen sighed. "He must be on the beach. Well, I kinda need to get back to the main house. I'll definitely be talking to ya later on. He's probably on the beach. Bye Alex. Great meeting you." Ellen gave Alex a small hug and turned to go out the door.

Alex stood there for a moment, taking in the house that was the home to the person she loved more than anything for the past few days. She walked towards the small kitchen and beach styled den with light colors and seashells and paintings of beaches on the wall. There was a deck outside, behind the living and to one side of the house was his bedroom. She sighed, setting her stuff down.

The bed wasn't made, of course in Justin fashion. His pillow was there among the pillows provided. Some of his clothes were scattered on the floor. His duffel bag was at the foot of the bed, opened, and clothes spilling out of it.

She peeked inside the bathroom that was connected to the bedroom and the rest of the house. It had two doorways. As soon as she pushed the door open more, she could smell the fresh smell...of Justin.

She sighed. This was what she needed. This was all she needed. Except for one thing. And that was Justin himself.

She walked back through the small house to the den and out towards the balcony. She pulled the sunglasses from the top of her head and shielded her eyes as she slid the door open and then shut as she stepped out. The deck led straight out on to the sandy beach.

She searched the area, looking for that familiar person that could flip her world around in seconds. She walked down the steps of the balcony, eyes scanning the beach, not seeing anyone or anything but sand and ocean.

Her tennis shoes hit the sand and she pulled them off with her socks before letting the hot white sand burn her feet. She skipped and jumped a little, trying to get use to the feeling.

She walked further out on the beach and away from the house. It was quiet a distance to the water from where she was. But she didn't see anyone swimming. She was getting butterflies in her stomach. She wanted to see him. She wanted him with her in that very moment.

Alex walked further and further down towards the shore. There was no one in sight. She looked down way down the beach and saw just an elderly man picking up shells on the shore. She looked the other way and saw a young couple, both with very blonde hair running on the beach beside each other, but going in the way opposite of her. Her feet were now off the soft sand untouched by the ocean and she met with the hard, packed sand.

She dug her toes in the sand, wishing that he would some how magically appear. Ellen said that she had told him she was coming, because she said he smiled. Alex wanted to see that smile for herself. So, he knew she was coming. So why wasn't he waiting for her? She was getting fed up with this game of hide n go seek he was playing.

He made her believe that he was missing, and now when she finds out where he went, he's not there.

She was fed up. With an exaggerated sigh and turned on her heels and with an unhappy expression walked back towards the house.

She looked through her sunglasses at the house beside Justin's. It was almost exactly like his, except his had a pool and Jacuzzi off to the side of it, that one didn't. She stopped and walked a bit faster, looking towards the pool and Jacuzzi.

But her hopes were let down. There wasn't anyone there.

She looked over her right shoulder just to make sure. He wasn't there.

She looked over her left shoulder just to make sure. He wasn't there.

She turned back, towards the house. She took two steps before stopping. She thought that maybe, just maybe she saw a figure but...she didn't want to get her hopes up so she kept walking.

And the more she walked, the more her heart nagged at her. Finally she had to make sure.

She turned around and stared in the direction her heart was telling her to look.

She gasped.

There he was.

Chapter 71

There he was.

Not moving.

Not looking.

Not doing anything at all but laying there.

She couldn't believe she missed it. There were two palm trees, kinda out of the way, but still close enough to his house and a hammock was in-between the trunks. Justin was lying peacefully in the white roped hammock.

She didn't think she was moving, but sure enough, her legs were taking her closer and closer to him. And with every step she got a better glimpse of him. Dark sunglasses masked his eyes, his chest was bare except for an open book that was lying open and face down on his chest. One hand was on his stomach; the other dangled off the hammock. He had swim shorts on that were riding low and one leg was bent, his foot behind the other legs knee. There was a bottle of water sitting upright in the sand beside the hammock.

She was now 10 feet away, at most. His chest rose and fell with each deep breath he took. His lips were parted, his head tilted to the side.

Her eyes began to water. It was hitting her how much she had missed him, how much she had needed him and still did. He was doing nothing but sleeping and she felt like she could die in that very moment and be content with life, because she knew that she love him. And that was all that mattered.

She walked closer until she was right by the hammock, looking down on him. She looked over the title of the book he was reading. It was her book, Stormy Weather. She smiled. He was reading HER book.

Before she always had to resist the urge to reach out and touch him. This time she didn't care. Her finger lightly touched the book at first, running over the title, before skimming down and touching his hand. As soon as she touched him, tears fell from her eyes.

Her hand moved up over his arm and up to his face. Her palm caressed his cheek, lightly rubbing it, before making her thumb run across his lips. She was caressing him like he was her favorite antique or something. She was holding him like he would break. She was touching him like...

...like he was her everything.

She let out a breath and it came as a sob. Her tears began to fall on his chest. "God, I thought I had lost you Justin. I missed you so much."

Her hand traveled down, to skim over his chest where his heart was. She continued crying until she heard a giggle.

She looked up and saw a bright, white smile that belonged to the one and only Justin Timberlake.

"Stooooppp. That tickles." He tried to curl up his body, pushing away her light touch that caused him to giggle.

She stood up with a stern face. "You...UGH!" She began hitting him with her fist. "You TRICKED ME! I thought you were leaving me you prick! UGH!!!" She kept trying to hit him, but he just laughed.

Finally she got him in the chest. "ow..."

"That's for calling me a whore. I can't believe you JUSTIN!!"

But he just kept giggling, and rubbing the spot on his chest where she hit him.

"Ugh, I hate you..." She exclaimed, but as soon as she had said the words, she was falling forward. He had pulled her over him so that she was leaning all her weight on his body, her head just above him, the book trapped between them.

"And I love you." He whispered, looking up at her face and tucking the hair behind her ears.

She just stared down at him. She needed to see his eyes so she pulled off his sunglasses and tossed them into the sand. "Hey, those were expensive."

She raised an eyebrow as he took her sunglasses and tossed them in the sand as well. "Hey, those were expensive." She mocked. He also pried the book from between them and laid it on the ground.

He didn't find her mocking very funny. His hand cupped her cheek and he looked deep into those icy light blue eyes that had captured his heart to begin with. "Lexia..."

Her eyes closed and on instinct she didn't give him a chance to speak, but her lips had muffled his words. She had questions that needed to be answered, and they had a lot they needed to work on, but now that didn't matter.

She needed to kiss him. She needed to feel his lips move slowly with her own, and she needed to let the warmness of his tongue make the rest of her body shiver.

His hand plunged into her hair, forcing her head not to move as his lips and tongue worked with hers. Finally, the need for air became necessary and Alex pulled away and snuggled her face into his neck. His hand stayed in her hair and his other caressed her back. "Why did you leave me Justin?" She cried softly.

"I didn't-"

"I thought I had lost you...for good." She interrupted him and rested her head on his shoulder, watching as her hand made circles on his chest.

"Baby, you'll never lose me." Justin whispered into her ear.

She lifted her head and looked down at him. "Yeah, I did! For 3 days, not make that at least 5 because you haven't been mentally with me since Sunday. What did I do that made you so...untrusting towards me?" Her voice was whiny, she was pleading.

"You didn't do anything, Lexia. It was all me. Listen, I went nuts. I just had one bad thought in my head and I didn't let it go and it started building up and it exploded. I was afraid that one day, one day I might lose you and then I don't know what I would do. I needed to come here to clear my head and..it worked. I had faith that you would call me and come here and that we could work this out."

"Justin? You STILL are nuts. How was I supposed to know you came here? Everyone was sooo worried. We thought something bad had happened."

"Why? I left you a note on the kitchen island."

"No you didn't."

"Yes I did."

"No..you didn't." Alex widened her eyes to show him that she wasn't joking.

"I swear I left a little letter to you that explained that I was only going for a week and I told you where you could find the number for where I was."

"I never got a note Justin."

"Well then how did you find me?"

"We were all pretty freaked out and for some reason Jon got a hold of one of your annuals and to make a long story short...when I saw the letter from Mrs. Belask things started to click. I went to the phone book and saw it circled and called and she said she was expecting me."

"Wow, now is that fate or what?" He grinned boyishly.

"It was one of the weirdest moments of my life." She smiled and rested her head back on his shoulder. "I see you stole my book."

"Yeah, it's boring."

"IS NOT!" She said defensively.

"It's a chick book. It's about romance and love and blah."

"Oh my gosh, it is so good. You just don't know what good literature is. You think Maxim is the Pulitzer prize winner...men...."

"I'm kidding Lexia. It was ok. Not my thing. But it was definitely something you would like, so therefore I was able to bear it. It reads kinda quickly, so I started on it agian. I'm reading it twice."

"Really wow. Why?"

"I'm trying to figure out what you think is so great about it."

"HEY!" She hit him playfully a few times causing him to chuckle.

After a few minutes of silent listening of the ocean and holding each other in the hammock Justin's timid quiet voice hit her ears. "I'm sorry I called you a whore."

"It's-"

"It's not ok. It's very far from being ok. I crossed the line. If I were you I would be doing some major butt kickin' right now."

"I'm too nice."

"Yeah, I know." He giggled. "But seriously..." He shifted and made her lift her head so that it hovered over his own. "I- I don't think I can forgive myself for saying that to you. It was wrong. You'll..." He let his hands hold her face above his own and wiped across her cheeks with his thumbs. "...You'll never be my whore." He tilted his head up and hers down and kissed her forehead. "Maybe my girlfriend..."

She grinned and her put his lips on her cheek. "Maybe my lover..." His lips brushed the corner of her eye. "Maybe my heart..." His smiled and kissed the tip of her nose making her smile innocently. "Maybe my soul..." Her smile faded to a look of seriousness and so did his. "But never my whore..."

"Thank you." She whispered, looking deep into the dark blue eyes that had stole her heart to begin with.

"For what?"

"For being Justin Timberlake." She smiled.

"Well, sometimes I wish I wasn't him. Sometimes I wish there was a whole lot more to my life than being a popstar."

Alex sighed and looked off towards the beach. "Ya know what. I spent a good part of last year thinking that same question. I spent all my time wondering if there was more to life than just being lonely and liking clouds. But...I think I've realized now that you can make life out to be what you want it, ya know? I mean if you are content with being lonely and liking clouds that's the most life is ever going to be. But if you aren't content, then obviously there is a lot more. I don't wonder about that question anymore."

"Why not?"

"Because there is nothing more than this right here. There's nothing more that I would rather be doing than just laying here with you. We don't even have to talk, and I'm fine with that.

Justin turned her head back to his and pressed his lips to hers. He pulled away moments later. "Will you help me?"

"Sure. Doing what?"

He took in a deep breath and let it out whispering, "Will you help me find what more there is in my life than being famous?"

She smiled and nodded. "You helped me, I'll be happy to help you." She rested her head back on his shoulder and shift a bit so that she was more curled up to his body and more comfortable in the hammock.

"Lexia, I love you."

She sighed against his body and let all of her muscles relax as she seemed to melt into him and the thick white ropes. "I know Justin. I love you too."

The breeze lightly swung the hammock back and forth; the palm trees rattled in the wind and the ocean lulled them both into a sleepy state. Minute after minute past and they both drifted away from the world.

Justin knew Alex was asleep, but he muttered it anyway. "You know what Lexia. You're right. There's nothing more than this right here."

Unknowing to him, a smile spread wide on Alexandria's lips.

Wednesday, July 11th 2001...about 1 in the afternoon.

After a morning of summer school classes Alex was burnt out. She had rarely gotten sleep the night before because, you know who called right at 12:00am to wish her a happy birthday. They ended up talking for 2 hours and Alex had to be up at 7 to be at an 8 am class.

It was her 20th birthday and the rest of the evening was planned with Jon, well baby-sitting him that was. Claudia from NSSL, her boss (she was now Claudia's assistant in the cloud department. She got paid, she was no longer an intern) had let her have the evening off since it was her birthday.

But Alex had no one to share it with. Well, she did, but the person she wanted to share it with, Justin, was off in Colorado or...somewhere...

She just wanted to sleep. But she wouldn't get the chance.

She parked her car in the Harless' driveway and leaned her head on the steering wheel. Maybe she would just take a short little one-minute nap.

She heard the muffled cry of Jon. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEXY!!!"

Maybe she would take a 5 second nap instead.

She opened her eyes and took her head off the wheel and looked at the boy, dressed with a flimsy birthday hat and a big present in his hand. Jen was behind him smiling.

Alex got out of the car, languidly, before being clobbered in a hug and her ears pelted with the sound of the song "happy birthday"

Jen just giggled. "Hey girl, how was class this morning?"

"Uh.." Alex grunted.

"That interesting huh?" Jen giggled. "Well, I guess that's it for me. You two have fun. And Alex, we ARE going out tomorrow night."

"Ok, ok. Just don't call me tonight. I wanna sleep." She moaned, being dragged towards the house by Jon.

"Ok. Later girl, Happy Birthday."

"Thanks. And thanks for watching Jon for me."

"Sure, anytime. Later guys." Jen waved and walked to her car that was parked on the curb of the road.

"Bye...Come on LEXY!! You gotta open my present!" Jon pulled her through the front door and finally dropped her hand.

"All right, all right." Alex sat down with a sigh.

"What's wrong? It's your birthday Lexy!! BE HAPPY!" Jon exclaimed with a bright smile, pulling the annoying hat from his head and letting it drop to the floor.

"I know I know. But I stayed up talking to your brother WAY too late last night."

"Oh..well...open it!" Jon pushed the big box in her lap and stood in front of Alex that was sitting on the couch, shifting his weight, impatiently wanting her to open it.

Alex ripped open the package and lifted the top of the white box. She smiled at what was inside. There was a frame picture that was drawn by Jon.

"Awwww, Jon it's so good. You are getting really good at drawing!!"

"Yeah, that's me you and Justin on the beach." Jon pointed to the three people drawing in a childlike manner on the off white paper.

"What are me and Justin doing?" Alex smiled at the picture of them holding hands.

"You guys are walking and I'm catching a seagull, hehe." Jon giggled. "So you like it?"

"Oh, yeah. I love it, thanks Jonboy." Alex leaned forward and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Sure. Mom told me I had to give you something else too.... Come on." Jon pulled on her hand once more. Alex was thankful for her gift, but she was tired of being drug around. She just wanted to be still...for like 7 hours.

But she sucked up her laziness and followed the small bubbling boy into the kitchen. He handed her two cards.

She looked over the envelopes and smiled at her name on one "To Alex." She looked at the other and shot Jon a look. That one, in the dark red envelope that just one simple word on it. "Lexia."

"Open em!" Jon bit his lip.

Alex opted for the "Lexia" one first. She ran her finger along the slit and pulled out the red construction paper from inside. It was folded down the middle and the front had another piece of pink construction paper in the shape of a heart on it with the words "happy birthday" written in black ink on them. She opened the card and read over the words.

"Lexia...

Well you are no longer a teenager. You are a full grown adult woman. Well, I could have told ya that a while ago. I hope you like this card. I made it myself. Aren't I creative? Anyway, I know you are down because I'm not there to celebrate your birthday with you. I know this, because I'm rather down about the matter myself. But, sometimes, there's nothing you can do.

But what if there is something we can do....

In about, I don't know, maybe 1 minute Jennifer Noles, I think you know her, is going to knock on the door and tell you that she is now baby-sitting Jon for the afternoon. You need to get your bootilicious self home. Why you ask? Well, you need your rest before this weekend when you come and see me. Because baby, we aren't going to stop celebrating at all. Party central 24/7. Get ready girl.

I know you. And I know a million questions and thoughts are running through your mind right now. Well stop worrying. I know what I'm doing. Trust me, just a little bit.

And while you're at it, have a VERY happy birthday.

I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Did I tell you I love you?

-Justin"

"What did it say?" Jon asked when she closed the card with a smile.

"Oh..well..." She was interrupted by the doorbell. Alex walked over to the garage door and opened it.

Jen stared at Alex with a bored look on her face. "I will get paid for this. Justin said you are supposed to go home."

"I know, wait...huh?"

"I just talked to him on the phone. I would ask how he got my cell number but I don't really care right now. He said "tell her to go home, now." Whatever that means." Jen pushed past a slightly stunned Alex and walked on in the house. "Jon, sorry bud, you are stuck with me all day."

"Oh..." He sighed a bit disappointed. But then he smiled. "...HEY CAN WE WATCH the video making thing for Dirty Dirty Dirty POP again?"

Jen groaned. "AGIAN? We watched it this morning!"

"So?"

Alex just grinned. Jen was spending more and more time with Jon. She was feeling the effects. "Don't you just love Nsync now Jen?"

"I always did like backstreet better." Jen mumbled and walked further into the house.

Alex grabbed her cards and walked into the den to get her present from Jon. "So, I guess I'm going home, for some reason."

"Go on. I'd hate for you do have to stay and watch Chris run over some dudes foot for the millionth time. I swear we shouldn't have ever taught this kid to operate a VCR." Jen shook her head as Jon pushed in a tape in the VCR and began dancing around the living room.

"Hey, even I don't get tired of seeing Chris do that! Have fun guys. Bye bye."

"Bye Lexy."

"Help me." Jen muttered.

Alex walked down the front steps of the Harless house and towards her car. She had no idea why she was going home. Well Justin told her to rest, but she had a feeling there was a lot more going on that just "resting." And even though she was tired, she couldn't wait to see what was going on there.

Just as long as it wasn't a surprise party. She wasn't in the surprise party mood....not right now at least...well she never had a surprise party..so...maybe it wouldn't be TOO bad.

--------

Well nothing looked different outside their house. No extra cars. No banners or anything. Nothing that wasn't there when she left that morning. She parked her car in the garage and got out and to the door. She unlocked it and peeked inside, half waiting for someone to pop out and say "surprise."

But nobody did. She walked on in the house, not getting any weird vibes or anything. Maybe he just wanted her to rest. Have the day for herself. He knew that she would enjoy that. Maybe that's all there was. IT was a nice gesture for her birthday.

She walked to the kitchen, pulled a Snapple from the fridge and popped it open, gulping down half of it before walking into the foyer to go change into her pjs. Hey, if she was going to be resting might as well get comfy.

But as soon as she got in the foyer her feet stopped and her eyes stared at was on the floor right in front of the steps. There was 4 long stemmed roses put together on the floor to make an arrow that pointed to the steps.

A smile twitched in the corner of her mouth.

She sat her Snapple down on one of the steps before making her way up them. She walked pretty slowly, even though she was anxious to see where she was being led. At the top of the stairwell there were four more roses directing her to the left, towards their bedroom. She still technically had her bedroom, all her clothes and stuff were down there, but she never slept there.

She got to the door of Justin's bedroom, it was shut completely and there was a note and a rose taped to the door. She pulled the rose and note off and smelled the delicate flower as she read the note.

All it said was. "Your birthday present is on the bed."

She held the rose and note in one hand and used her other to turn the doorknob and open the door.

It had been 22 days since she had last seen Justin. 3 weeks, 1 day. Their phone bills were terribly expensive, but it still didn't make up for not physically being with that person. She was supposed to go visit him in California this weekend but obviously he couldn't wait that long to celebrate her turning 20.

Because there he was lying on their bed. A smile played on Alex's lips as she looked directly at him, not paying attention to the few items on the nightstand and the candles surrounding the room. It was Justin who had her attention.

He had on pitch black dress pants...and that was it. No shoes or socks, just a bit of the pants legs covered the bottom part of his ankle. His chest was bare, and she had to think, he was a lot darker than last time she saw him. Last time she had seen him he was...well WHITE. And now he had a sexy golden tan.

And besides the fact that he was sleeping, the most intriguing thing about the whole scene was that around Justin's neck was a bow. Not a bowtie, a big red bow, loosely hanging around his neck and resting on his shoulder.

Alex licked her lips and stepped further into the room whispering, "Happy Birthday indeed."

She tried not to giggle, but in that moment her tired body was rejuvenated, she was giddy and couldn't wait to wake him up. She walked over to the bed and finally took her eyes off the sleeping Justin to set her note and rose on the table beside the bed.

She stopped and cocked an eyebrow.

-Someone's getting kinky. -

She eyed the silver bowl of Strawberries and another matching smaller one beside it with Chocolate sauce in it. She couldn't help it anymore, she laughed.

She covered her mouth with her hand; she didn't want to wake him just yet. After a moment she contained herself and lightly sat down on the bed, making sure not to wake him. She carefully dipped a strawberry in the chocolate before turned back to Justin.

Crawling a bit over the bed and raised on of her legs to the other side of him, and straddled him, careful not to sit on him just yet. She bit her tongue and tried not to giggle as she gently rubbed the chocolate on to his parted lips. She contemplated putting the chocolate all over him, on his cheeks and nose and chest, but she didn't want him to get TOO messy.

She brought the berry to her own mouth and bit down on it, staring at him. In that moment she let her weight gently ease onto his stomach, sitting on him. He stirred and she giggled at his chocolate covered lips. On instinct he licked them. She knew him too well. His eyes slowly opened as his tongue swiped across his lips again.

She smiled at him when their eyes locked on to each other.

"Hey..."

She didn't say anything at all. She bent her body and kissed him fully on the mouth, taking away all of the chocolate she had put there. His hand lifted from the bed and held on to her head as she nibbled on his lips with her own. Finally she sat back up straight.

"Hi." She whispered.

"Happy Birthday, Lexia."

"Yup, VERY happy." She giggled as his hands held on to her bare thighs, moving up to where her torn jean shorts covered her waist and gripped her hips. He picked her up slightly and forced her to lie down beside of him.

"Do you like your present?" He grinned, biting his lip and staring in her eyes.

"Hmmm, what present? You said it was on the bed, but I don't see a box." She chuckled at his annoyed expression.

"I'm your present, baby. And I have an idea."

"Let's hear it." She smiled, scooting closer.

He let his hand play upon her cheek and jaw and neck and shoulder that was covered by a thick tank strap, watching his fingers everywhere they moved. "Well, I didn't have time to get you a cake so I figure why don't we make one ourselves."

"Oh really?"

He nodded. "Yup, that's what the things on the nightstand are for. We can make one out of me or one out of you. Which would you rather have?"

"Hmmm, both. Let's make two birthday cakes. I AM 20 years old now. I think I deserve two."

"That's a perfect idea." He smiled and dipped his head to kiss her full lips. He pushed her a little so that she landed on her back and he was slightly hovering over her. His kissed her and kissed her and kissed her, and wouldn't stop. He let his tongue curl around hers as her hands held on to his shoulders and the back of his head.

Finally he slowly pulled away, raining her lips with pecks, before moving up slightly and kissing her nose. "I missed you." He whispered.

"I missed you too." She held onto his back, not letting him go from their embrace.

After laying there for a minute or two not saying anything, Justin rolled away from her and off the bed. "Stay right there." He winked and headed to the stereo.

He fumbled with a CD as she picked another strawberry from the bowl, and sat up against the headboard. She took this grand opportunity to kick off her flipflops, before he came back.

He looked over his shoulder and smiled at her. She smiled back popping another Strawberry in her mouth. He took his time, staring at her and walking over to her, obviously not in any rush. He carried the remote for the stereo in one hand and extended the other to her.

She accepted his hand and let him pull her off the bed. He held one of her hands in his and held it to his chest. His other arm wrapped around her back and held her tightly against his body, before pressing the play button and tossing on the floor.

Alex cocked her head to the side as music filled her ears. She had never heard this song before and when a harmonica came through, she looked at Justin with a thoughtful expression.

"It's from the new album. The one I did with Stevie Wonder. One of the ones I wrote."

She nodded with a smile as he began to sway with her and she stared at him as he began singing along with himself quietly.

"So many times I thought I had it in my hands
But just like grains of sand love slipped through my fingers
So many nights I asked the Lord above
Please make me lucky enough
To find a love that lingers"

Alex was in shock. She just stared at him, trying not to cry. He had sung just 5 lines and she was ready to cry at this sincerity of his voice.

"Something keeps telling me that you could be my answered prayer
You must be heaven sent
I swear "

He grinned and kissed her forehead as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Cause
Something happens when you look at me I forget to speak
Something happens when you kiss my mouth
My knees get so weak
Could it be true that this is what God has meant for me?
Cause baby I can't believe
That something like you could happen to me"

Her hands played with the now annoying red ribbon around his neck, she managed to tear it and toss it on the floor, before lightly letting her lips press into his neck as he sway her body in time with his.

"Yeah, yeah
Something like you"

Justin's arms encircled her and made sure she wasn't moving anywhere but with him. He continued singing the words to her, letting his breath tickle across her ear and hair.

"Girl in your eyes I feel your fire burn
Your secrets I will learn
Even if it takes forever
With you by my side
I can do anything
can do anything
I don't care what tomorrow brings
As long as we're together
My heart is telling me that you could be my meant to be
I know it more each time we touch"

This was getting too much. Had he written this for her? He wrote it. Who else would it be for? But this was...too much. Well, almost...

"Cause
Something happens when you look at me I forget to speak
Something happens when you kiss my mouth
My knees get so weak
Could it be true that this is what God has meant for me?
Cause baby I can't believe
That something like you could happen to me "

Justin pulled her head away from his shoulder and smiled at her, pressing his forehead against hers and staring deep into her eyes as he sang.

"Something magical
Something spiritual
Something strong within the two of us alone, yeah "

He grinded himself into her at the next line and giggled as she blushed.

"Something physical
Something undeniable
Nothing like anything that I've ever known

Unexpectedly he bent down a bit and picked her up, wrapping her legs around his waist and holding on to her, looking up at her a bit and singing.

"Something happens when you look at me I forget to speak
Something happens when you kiss my mouth
My knees get so weak
Could it be true that this is what God has meant for me?
Cause baby I can't believe
That something like you could happen to me

She let her lips touch the top of his head before moving down to his forehead, feeling his breath on her neck as he sang.

"That something like you could happen to me
Something happens when you look at me
Can't believe that you happened to me"

The song ended and neither of them moved. Finally Alex wrapped her arms around his shoulder and hugged him tightly, tightening her legs around his waist as well. She sniffed.

Justin closed his eyes and rested his temple on her shoulder, talking into her neck. "I wanted you to hear that first from me before Jon plays it out and makes you hate it. I'd don't think I could stand it if you hated the song that I wrote for you."

"You wrote that for me?" She pulled her head away looked at him, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

He chuckled lightly. "Yeah, who else?"

A tear slipped from her eye and he tilted his chin and took it away with his lips.

"Thank you." She whispered, smiling.

"For what? The party hasn't even started yet." He grinned.

"There's a party?" Her eyes widened with excitement at the thought of a big party just for herself.

He nodded and leaned into her, holding her tighter to him so she wouldn't fall, and letting his lips gently touch hers before whispering against them. "Yeah, it's going to be a great party. Just you..." He kissed her mouth passionately, and he felt like his knees were going to buckle beneath him. He teeth broke through his lips and he stared into her sky blue eyes that were so close to him. He watched as the darkened to an aqua color. "...Just you and me, Lexia."

She giggled a little and smiled down at him. "Whats the fun in that?"

The seriousness of his gaze turned into a playfull desire. He quickly walked back towards their bed, unable to wipe the smile off his face. "I'll show ya the fun..."