July 3, 2002
Outside of Minot, ND

"Are you nervous?" Justin asked Shelby when they were about an hour west of Minot.

"I'm mostly excited to see Brad, but at the same time, I am nervous. I don't want to see anyone else." Shelby shrugged.

"Well, you'll do just fine." Justin assured her.

"Thank you."

"Does he know we're coming?"

"His boss does, he's told Brad they're closing the place down for cleaning and that Brad's in charge." Shelby smirked.

Brad hated cleaning. He usually made Shelby do all the cleaning, and if she wasn't there, he'd still have someone else doing it for him.

"Did he actually buy that ? Closing down in the morning for cleaning when they could do it at night?"

"Yeah, they usually do they're cleaning around that time."

"Does he know about us?" Justin asked.

Shelby just blushed and shook her head. "I told him you kissed me, but I haven't talked to him since then."

"Have I told you today that I love you?" Justin said planting a soft kiss on her lips.

"I love you too." Shelby sighed and leaned into his embrace.

She was in heaven. She had a boyfriend who loved her and cherished above all else, she had friends, she had a life. For the first time since her mother died, she was truly happy.

"Oh, don't forget, Susie is joining us in Fargo." Justin reminded her.

"I know."

"Maybe, she'll say you're all cured."

"Maybe." Shelby swallowed thickly.

"What's the matter with that honey? Don't you want be cured?" Justin asked.

"I do, but it's not that."

"What is it then?"

"If I'm cured, that means I have to leave, and I don't to leave you when I just found you." Shelby spilled her fears and Justin opened his eyes widely.

"You wouldn't have to leave Shelby, you're my girlfriend, you have every right to be here and stay with us. Granted, some things would change, but you could still come with me."

"Really? They wouldn't just kick me off?" Shelby looked him in the eye.

"Of course not. Is that what's been bothering you these past two days? I thought you were just worried about going back home."

"I'm sorry," Shelby looked away feeling guilty for bothering him.

"Don't be sorry sweetheart, just be honest with me. If anythings ever bothering you, please come to me. I'll always be here for you Shelby, no matter what."

Shelby gazed into his eyes and again found nothing but tender honest truth. She placed her hand on his cheek and gently pressed her lips to his and kissed him softly.

Justin was shocked, Shelby wasn't usually the one who iniated a kiss. He let her continue to set the pace and kissed her back.

Shelby was feeling brave as she deepened the kiss, she had butterflies in her tummy when Justin was meeting her halfway.

"Hey, get a room." Chris said coming in the back area where they were sitting.

Shelby pulled away and blushed brightly.

"You're just jealous." Justin announced.

"Jealous of what?" Chris asked intrigued by the conversation.

"That you don't have a girlfriend." Justin said the first thing that came to his mind.

"Okay Justin, whatever you say." Chris shook his head.

"We'll be there in about ten minutes." Shelby said looking out the window recognizing all the signs.

"The drivers know where to go right?" JC asked sitting down next to Shelby on her other side.

"Yeah, I gave them the address." Shelby nodded.

Shelby was starting to get nervous. What was Brad going to say when he saw her? What would she do if some of her old enemies were there? What was going to happen if she saw Alice? All of thse questions kept plaguing her and had been for the past 2 days. She knew she could, no would, be strong and wouldn't let anybody bait her into anything, but she was still nervous.

The minutes flew by and before she knew it, Shelby was sitting in the Denny's parking lot. She stepped out of the bus and led the way into the building. Steven, the morning manager said he'd leave the door unlocked and she could just walk in. She had let them know that they'd be having at least twenty five people eating so he was prepared, he just hadn't told Brad what was going on and had instructed the other staff to play along.

Shelby walked inside and felt strange being back here. It'd been over a month since she'd left, and then she thought she'd never be back, but here she was.

"We're closed for cleaning." Brad shouted from the back.

"No you're not, you're closed for a party." Shelby hollered.

Brad came out and saw Shelby standing there with Justin and the rest of Nsync, and behind them, all their bodyguards and wardrobe people. The rest of the crew traveled ahead to set everything up.

"Oh my, what are you doing here?" Brad asked after his initial shock.

"Surprise?" Shelby laughed.

"Come here you." Brad walked over to her and engulfed her in a huge hug. "Damn I missed you."

"I missed you too Brad." Shelby said pulling back slightly and looked into his eyes.

They stared at each other just soaking in each others presence for a few minutes before they heard someone clearing their throat behind them.

Shelby turned around and blushed, she'd momentarily forgotten about Justin and the other guys. She walked back to where Justin was standing and grabbed his hand and led him to Brad.

"Brad, this is my boyfriend Justin, Justin this is my best friend Brad." Shelby introduced her two favorite people to each other.

Justin and Brad shook hands and seemed to stare each other down.

Brad knew about what Justin had done to Shelby right away, but as he stared in his eyes, Brad knew he had nothing to worry about. Justin loved Shelby very much.

"Thanks for being there for Shelby." Brad said as a way of approving of their relationship.

"Thank you, I love her very much." Justin said putting an arm around Shelby's waist bringing her closer.

"What are we chopped liver?" Chris asked coming over.

"Yes." Shelby said without blinking.

"Thanks Padime, you don't know how much that hurts me." Chris said placing his hand over his heart.

"What? You didn't sense a disturbance in the force Anni telling you that I was going to say that? What kind of chosen one are you?" Shelby shook her head.

"No love." Chris huffed.

"Brad this is Chris, Chris this is Brad." Shelby introduced him as well as the other members of Nsync.

"You guys sit down and we'll get you some menu's," Brad said after all the introductions had been made.

Shelby didn't go sit down with others, the part of her that missed working at Denny's went behind the counter and grabbed an apron and some menu's.

"What do you think you're doing?" Brad asked seeing her with the apron on.

"Helping you." Shelby said with a look that read 'what-does-it-look-like-Im-doing.'

"You realize you don't work here any more right?" Brad teased her.

"I know, but part of me misses it, so bite me." Shelby said falling into her old routine.

"Alright, why don't you take the usual tables," Brad said knowing she'd made up her mind.

"Alright boss," she winked at him then went over to her first table which was of course NSyncs table.

Shelby set the menu's down in front of them and grabbed her order book. "Can I get you guys anything to drink?"

"What are you doing?" Justin asked with laughter in his voice.

"Asking what kind of drinks you want." Shelby answered.

"Okay then," Justin nodded.

The guys ordered their drinks and Shelby went on to the next table and got their drink orders. The only two tables that were actually in her "section" as there were others and technically she wasnt really working.

"Hey waitress, wheres my drink?" Joey called out after five minutes she'd went back to the kitchen.

Shelby just shook her head and chuckled. She'd just finished the drinks and put them all on a big round tray and carried them first to NSyncs table then to the other table which held the girls she'd done wardrobe with.

She set down their drinks, took their orders, then brought them back to the kitchen. Shelby went back over to NSync's table and tried to pull up another chair when Justin stopped her.

"What are you -- "

Justin cut her off by pulling her down onto his lap and put his arms around her keeping her there. Shelby leaned back against Justin and listened to all of the conversation going on around her.

It wasn't very long before all their food was done and Brad had joined their table making it a little more crowded, but Justin still insisted that Shelby sit on his lap.

"So Brad, tell us, how long have you worked here at Denny's?" JC asked making conversation.

"About five years. It's helping put me through college." Brad answered.

"Sounds like fun." Lance said.

"It's not all that bad. The pay sucks as a waitress as you only make 3.15 an hour and then you have to rely on tips for the rest. But when I became supervisor, my pay rate went to six bucks an hour. SO that definatly helps." Brad explained.

"Sometimes I wish I had a regular job. I really love what we do, but sometimes I wish I was just a regular guy." Justin sighed longingly.

"It's not all that great." Brad shrugged. "You get to travel the world and see everything you want to see, you get to do what you love as your job. What can be better then that."

"We can go to all these places, and do what we love, but theres no privacy and no time to ourselves. Wherever we go, we have to have security with us, I can't even go wo the mall without a disguise. That is why I wish I was normal." Justin shrugged.

Shelby patted his leg sympathically and caught his attention and gave him an encouraging smile.

"Sorry man." Brad said akwardly.

"Hey, it's not your fault." Justin smiled.

They moved onto things less depressing as they finished up their meal. To Shelby's dismay, they had to leave soon.

"Anytime you want, you can join us on tour." Justin offered as they stood ready to board the buses and get moving.

When you love someone so deeply
They become your life
It's easy to succumb to overwhelming fears inside
Blindly I imaged I could
Keep you under glass
Now I understand to hold you
I must open my hands
And watch you rise

"Thanks, I might just have to take you up on that." Brad nodded shaking his outstretched hand.

"It was nice meeting you, Brad." Justin shook his hand.

"You too, take care of her." Brad said with almost a threatening tone.

"You can count on that."

Spread your wings and prepare to fly
For you have become a butterfly
Fly abandonedly into the sun
If you should return to me
We truly were meant to be
So spread your wings and fly
Butterfly

"Come here, you." Shelby said pulling Brad into a hug.

"I'm going to miss you sweetie." Brad whispered.

"Me too," Shelby answered hugging him tightly.

"If he treats you bad, you talk to me, I'll beat his ass."

I have learned that beauty
Has to flourish in the light
Wild horses run unbridled
Or their spirit dies
You have given me the courage
To be all that I can
And truly feel your heart will
Lead you back to me when you're
Ready to land

"You'll have to get past the bodyguards first." Shelby chuckled.

"You better get going." Brad said pulling back.

"I love you, Brad." Shelby whispered.

Spread your wings and prepare to fly
For you have become a butterfly
Fly abandonedly into the sun
If you should return to me
We truly were meant to be
So spread your wings and fly
Butterfly

"I love you too, now get a goin." Brad pointed to the bus.

I can't pretend these tears
Aren't overflowing steadily
I can't prevent this hurt from
Almost overtaking me
But I will stand and say goodbye
For you'll never be mine
Until you know the way it feels to fly

"Take care." Shelby said before boarding the bus.

Shelby looked out the window at what used to be her life. She'd changed so much in the month and a half that she'd been away from this place. She'd grown, sure she was still human and she still had feelings that could be hurt, but it wasn't like she was going to go kill herself because of it.

Spread your wings and prepare to fly
For you have become a butterfly
Fly abandonedly into the sun
If you should return to me
We truly were meant to be
So spread your wings and fly
Butterfly

Brad looked at Shelby through the bus window and felt his heart soaring. He loved her so much, not the type of love that a lover would have, but the type of love that he would feel toward a sister. She'd grown so much since she'd left. She'd become a butterfly.

So flutter through the sky
Butterfly
Spread your wings and fly
Butterfly

(Song Butterfly by Mariah Carey)