I cannot believe he was kicking my ass like this. Scrabble is my game and he was kicking my ass.

"That's bullshit," I groaned as Justin smiled and sat cross-legged on his bed, which was also our table for the moment. The Scrabble board was laid out mid-way on the wrinkled white sheets as his blanket sat in a crumpled heap at the foot of his bed, right beside our bags of McDonald's.

"Actually, that's igneous," Justin smartly replied as he laid down the 's' and sat back with the smuggest smile I've ever seen. "It's one of the three basic rock types." I raised a brow and huffed.

"You know igneous, but not your name..."

He shrugged and smiled. "Sorry, I can't help if I remember these things," he told me, "But I'm not sorry that you're getting served by the white boy with a cane."

"Ha, grandpa, I get it," I mumbled as I glanced down at my watch, "But I gotta go now." Justin let out the most pitiful whimper and tossed his head back.

"Why?" he whined as I cleared the board and tossed everything back into the box.

"Because I have a job to do and people to attend to," I smirked. "I'll let you kick my ass later."

"Oh, what's that?" he perked up instantly, "Did somebody willingly admit they loss? No, never that. The morphine is just too good."

"Shut up," I laughed, tossing out the now empty McDonald's bags. "I may not ask for help, but I'm big enough to admit I've lost to a worthy competitor."

"And I get a compliment?" Justin gasped dramatically and covered his heart with his hand, "I must be dead. God, is that you?" I slapped his knee lightly and shook my head.

"You're an ass."

"Now, that's my Sash." I rolled my eyes and leaned behind him to fluff his pillows before he scooted back and rested against them. "You work too much."

"Mmm..." I mumbled thoughtfully as I shook his blanket out and laid it over him. "I don't work enough." He gave me a sympathetic smile. It was telling me I was lying to myself.

"I can't imagine having those crazy hours," he told me softly, "I like getting up late and doing nothing." I chuckled and idly played with the frayed ends of his sheet.

"Everybody loves to do that," I told him, "But you're Justin Timberlake, man. You toured all the time."

"Doing what?" he asked and it suddenly dawned on me that I never once mentioned what it was that he did.

"You were a singer," I said, "You sang and danced and I think you even had some movies on your belt." His eyes widened in shock and curiousity.

"Word?" he chuckled, "That's crazy."

"Yeah, it is," I said, "You worked more than I did. I can't imagine singing and dancing every night in front of millions..."

"Millions?" he breathed, "Wow."

"You were fairly popular," I told him, "You were in a boyband before hand though; 'Nsync. Y'all had a great run too." I thought for a second. "... You had a really good career now that I think about it."

"I'm a millionaire, right?" Justin smirked, "I guess I did have it pretty good for myself."

"You earned it though," I said, "You were so smooth that every hormonal teenage girl wanted to chew the gum you chewed and would cry if they got a glance of you."

"Are you serious?" Justin laughed out loud, "Why? I'm just...me." I shrugged.

"Well, you meant a lot to them for some reason," I quickly stated, "I gotta go though."

"Wait..." Justin called as I walked over to the door.

"What?" I asked over my shoulder and Justin placed his arm beneath his head as he stared at me with a tiny smile.

"What about you?"

"What about me?" I asked.

"Did I make you wanna cry?" I laughed and he joined me.

"Absolutely...not," I retorted, "You were never my type. Too Hollywood."

"And now?" he called as I turned the knob of the door.

"Now what?"

"Now... I'm not Hollywood," he said, gesturing around his room, "I'm just a white boy who got his ass kicked and is laying in bed with bruised ribs and a lil' bit of morphine."

"Exactly," I said, "That's what you are now and that's all you are to me."

"Really?" he continued and I nodded, "Is it because my bank account is M.I.A.?" I laughed and shook my head.

"No."

"Is it... is it my whiteness?" he smiled, "Am I a goofy white guy with a big head?" I laughed again.

"Justin, I gotta go..."

"C'mon, girl..." he chuckled, "Tell me what it is?"

"Why does it matter?" I asked, smiling softly, "You don't want me and I don't want you. We're friends... and that's a title that's hard to come by. Be happy that you have that."

"I am," he assured, "I'm happy with friends... I was just teasing." He looked down at me and for a moment I caught his eye.

"Okay then... I'll see you when I get off?" He nodded.

"If you don't forget me," he pouted as I rolled my eyes.

"Boy, feel blessed that I'm taking time out of my day to talk to you."

"And feel bless that I'm here to listen to you talk."

"Whatever, Justin," I said dismissively as I walked out of the door.

"And it's Matthew!" he called as it closed behind me. I rolled my eyes again. I've been doing that whole lot more over the last two weeks... I've also been laughing a lot too. I guess things balanced out with Justin a little. He annoyed me greatly, but he knew how to tell a joke. I guess that's why I've been on my best behavior for the last six days. I've visited in the morning and brought him breakfast. I've snuck him Mickey D's for lunch, and I've brought him food from home for dinner.

And he... he's been good. Talks like a motherfucker. Annoys my soul. Whiny as ever too, but sweet... Big on eye contests and flattery, but nothing short of a genuinely nice guy. We've spent so much time together over the course of a few days that I've become comfortable with the idea of him being my friend. I don't correct the 'Sash's anymore (although the 'babe's and 'baby's are getting a bit out of hand) and I've been holding back the white jokes.

He seems appreciative and I most definitely appreciate that.

"Sasheirah!" I stopped in my tracks when I heard Shannon's annoying voice from behind me. I pressed the down button on the elevator and turned to her as I waited.

"Yeah?" I asked as she jogged up to me.

"Scott Masterson wanted to speak to you," she said, a bit breathlessly, "Something about Matthew." I held the breath I had for a moment as I wondered why Scott Materson, head of the hospital, wanted to talk to me. I had spoken to him a few times and he's shared a couple of lunches with the nurses, but other than that... he was just the boss man.

"Okay..." I said slowly as I thought about all the reasons for this interest in Justin, but only one reason stuck out in my mind: they found him. His family and friends. His management team and fans. They found out he was here and beat up and were ready to take him back to his Hollywood life.

"Yeah, well, he's in the lobby office, so you can meet him and Clarissa there," she finished as she began to walk away. I stared at her back and how flat her ass was, which made me feel a little better about myself. But I was feeling my mood damper. What was this... queasy feeling deep in the pit of my stomach? Why was I feeling so sad all of a sudden?

I had an internal battle as I tried to convince myself that it was my Big Mac playing with my stomach, but I knew that I'd... miss him. Not that I'm attached and would just die without him here, but I was kind of used to eating lunch with him and playing random board games. I was used to having him buzz for me and as I came to his side to aid him with something, he'd smile and ask me to pass the remote that had been next to his foot. I was used to pinching and slapping him for doing dumb shit like that.

The little fucker had crawled under my skin like a cancerous tumor and made a home there and it made me sick. It really did. I wanted to slap myself for getting so comfortable with somebody as unsteady as Justin. Whose to say he won't wake up one morning and remember who he is and get up and leave and forget about lil' old me? I'm all he has now because I'm all he knows, but once that changes... I'll just be the nice nurse who helped him out a little. He'll write my five hundred dollar check and be gone from my life.

Just like that.

"Clarissa," I greeted as I approached the front desk she was standing behind. She hustled over to me and placed her hand on my shoulder, guiding me up the hall.

"Now, just listen to what he has to say," she told me, "I already talked to him about everything and gave him a suggestion."

"What is this about anyway?" I asked as we turned the corner to the dreaded office. "Did his family come to claim him?"

"No," she said and I felt my tense body relax, "But that's part of the problem." Before I could ask what that meant, Scott was in front of us, sitting at the desk comfortably in a white polo and gray slacks. He was a tall man, well over six feet, and white. His hair was brown with streaks of gray and he was clean shaven. He was in fairly good shape for his age and as his thick, dark framed glasses rested against the bridge of his nose, I could say he was attractive in a nerdy way.

"Miss. Haynes," he greeted as he stood and walked over to where I stood, giving me a firm hand shake.

"Mr. Masterson," I smiled, "How have you been?"

"Good, good," he assured, "Just got back from Hawaii with the family." I nodded.

"Nice," I smirked, "An escape from the wrath of January."

"Tell me about it," he smiled, "I wish I didn't tease myself though. I was dreading coming back, but at least I missed the storm."

"Lucky you, my car broke down because of it," I shared and he shook his head.

"Terrible, isn't it?"

"Eh, you know," I said dismissively, "So... I hear you wanted to speak to me about Matthew."

"Oh, yeah," he said, walking back behind the large oak desk and taking a seat in the leather swivel chair. "I just went through his file and there's really not much of one..."

"I know, he was out in the street..." I reminded.

"Yeah, I know," he said, "But that's a problem for us, Sasheirah. You know that we have to show some type of payment for the medical treatment." I sighed deeply.

"Right..." I grumbled.

"Now, I know that you've been trying to help Mr. Matthew out yourself with some clothes and things, so Clarissa suggested that I'd ask you if you were comfortable with taking him in."

"In what?" I asked dumbly.

"Well... he can't stay here," Scott said, "We can't block a room just so he can sleep at night. We need it for patients and the service he gets is costly. He might just be a John Doe and we may never see this money, so we can't let the expensives continue to rise. He's using morphine and getting hospital food and television..."

"Well, Mr. Masterson, he's not in the best condition," I argued, "He can't remember...anything. And he's in pain, all the time. That morphine's the lowest dosage possible just so his muscles can relax. Even if I do take him in, how am I suppose to get any of that stuff?"

"There's a pharmacy," he said and I scoffed despite myself.

"Yeah, but where am I suppose to get money for that? He's uninsured... Well, as far as we know." Scott shrugged.

"I don't know," he told me, almost coldly, "He'll just have to deal with the pain."

"He hobbles around on a cane," I stressed, "He's probably no older than me and he's in so much pain he uses a cane."

"Miss. Haynes, this is out of my hand," Scott snapped, "I cannot help everybody who comes through those hospital doors. If it were up to me, they'd get free treatment, but that doesn't keep the lights on and that certainly doesn't make your check look any better." I shook my head.

"I know this is out of your hands, but I'm a little stressed out with this guy. I wish he could remember something about anything."

"Well, when he does and gets his insurance back, he can get whatever he needs and pay us back. Here's the bill and the number to a homeless shelter is on the back." I took the white envelope he was handing over.

"Homeless shelter?" I asked.

"If he can't stay with you and he can't stay here, he has no place else to go," he reasoned, "I just took the liberty of finding the best one I could in case you couldn't take him." I looked down at the envelope that was in my hand and glanced over the number that was carelessly written across the back in black ink.

"Thank you," I said, "But he'll stay with me."

---------------------------

"You've been evicted," I announced as I walked into Justin's room. The television was on and he turned down the volume as I found a spot on the edge of his bed to sit on. The IV in his arm seemed to stick out more as I thought of how much pain he was going to be in when it was removed.

"Evicted?" he asked innocently and I sighed as I massaged the back of my neck. It had been such a long day.

"Yeah, the hospital can't afford to have your broke ass laying around here mooching," I said, "Your bill is so high now and since you're not insured, they can't trust you for a repayment, so they're kicking you out now. You leave tonight." Justin sat up as I walked over to him. I reached into the drawer by his bed, slapped on some gloves and grabbed an alcohol pad.

"Tonight?" he asked, watching me cautiously as I slowly pulled back the tape that was holding down his IV.

"Yep," I sighed, "Like now." He looked around his room and then back at me.

"Where am I suppose to go?" he asked. I rolled my eyes and he hissed as I slowly pulled out the needle and quickly covered it with the pad.

"You're going home with me," I informed him and he batted his stupid eyelashes as I found a bandaid and patched him up.

"Are you going to take advantage of me?" he joked and I slapped his leg after removing my gloves and tossing them out.

"I'm going to smack you if you don't shut up," I smiled. "Now, get up, get your shit, and get out. I'm exhausted."

"All right, all right..." he mumbled, unsteadily sliding off the bed as he walked around the room like the hunch back, collecting his clothes and snacks.

"Don't forget the ACME bag," I told him as I took some of the items from his hand before giving him his cane. He grabbed his clothes and looked around the room one last time.

"I think was actually getting used to this room," he told me before shuddering, "That's terrible."

"Why do you hate hospitals so much?" I asked as I shut the door behind us once he hobbled out into the hall with me. There was a pause from his end as we trailed up the hall toward the elevators. His clanking cane was echoing through the silent hall. "Well?"

"Well what?" he asked.

"Why don't you like hospitals?" I asked again with a smirk, "Geez, gramps, get it together." He smiled sheepishly.

"I don't know, really..." he shrugged, "I just keep thinking they aren't a happy place. Like everybody just dies here or something." I pondered over that before pressing the elevator's down button; watching it light up beneath the pad of my thumb.

"I get that," I told him, "But people gain life here too."

"I know, but... I don't know," he mumbled, "I sound insane. Just forget it." The dinging sound reverberated off the walls as the elevator arrived and we stepped on. Justin pressed the double LL for the lobby since he had been standing closer and we rode down in silence.

"I gotta sign you out," I told him as I headed over the the patient sign in office down the hall. I waved at Debra and filled out the paper work. Justin waited outside for me as I did so. When I was finished, we made our way out to the lot as I tried to find my car. It took five minutes of Justin bitching and moaning and me telling him to shut up, but I found it parked on the second level of the parking garage. We tossed his shit into my trunk and he actually helped himself into the car as I slipped into my driver's side.

"Let me find out grandpa's got a new move," I teased as he clipped on his seat belt.

"Girl, please, I've been resting my ass off and my body is showing its appreciation," he smiled, "Not to mention I'm hopped up on morphine."

"And thanks to me and David of pharmaceutical drugs, you will have pain killers," I told him proudly, "I got the prescription under my name and so it's only twenty bucks a bottle. It beats the other prices I was getting."

"Wow, you did all that illegal shit for me?" he grinned and I laughed.

"Don't tell anybody."

He crossed his heart and zipped his lips. "I got you." I shook my head and turned up the heat as we drove down the road. I decided to put on some music and found Golden Girl on Power 99 yapping away instead.

"Goodness, it's cold outside, ain't it? Everybody's bundling up tonight or cuddlin' up with their significant. We're halfway through the month, people. A couple more January flurries and then there will be V-day and Spring before you know it, so all you folks pushing back those resolutions better get on that or it'll be just like last year; no change or gain."

I nodded my head and smirked softly. I did it to myself every year; promised a bunch of shit I didn't mean. I swore I'd stop cursing and work less and be more outgoing and lose some of those unwanted pounds. I swore up and down I'd get up in the morning and run twice a week...Puh-lease. Who was I fooling?

"What was your resolution?" The question, surprisingly, came from my mouth and I think Justin was even a little shock when we he paused.

"Umm.... I don't know," he said letting out a breath, "Right now though, I want to just... I wanna get a job or something. Stop bumming around and shit. Especially if I'm gonna be staying with you."

"You can't get a job," I laughed at the perposterous nature of his resolution.

"Why not?" he asked.

"First off all, a job requires I.D. and social security cards and valid addresses, all of which you don't have-"

"I have your address," he said innocently.

"Okay, so lets say you have my address... What about the rest?" He shrugged as I turned and looked over at him. The light was red, so I continued to stare as he looked out of the window.

"I didn't think that far," he mumbled. "I just wanted to help out." I can hear his sad tone of voice and I turn back to the street just as the light turns green.

"I know," I comforted, "I don't really need any help right now, so don't worry about it. You'll pay me back when you get your life together."

"What if I don't?" Justin asked and I sighed.

"You will."

"But what if I don't?" he asked again, "What if by some chance, I don't get it together and my memory stays away and my family never claims me and everybody forgets all about this Justin Timberlake character. What if I'm just Matthew for the rest of my life?"

"Justin, it doesn't matter," I snapped, annoyed by his questioning, "You're gonna be fine, okay?"

"Who says I'm not fine now?" he asked, as annoyed as I as felt. "Why do you keep assuming I'm miserable?"

"I'm not," I impugned, "I'm just saying... you're acting like this is normal and it's not. Justin, you're a celebrity, not some random guy from Philly. You don't know anything about being normal. You don't fit in here."

"Why? Cause I'm white?" he asked bitterly and I rolled my eyes.

"Because you don't." My answer was the last thing to be heard the rest of the ride and as we parked and made our way inside, it was as tense as ever. Bob greeted me at the door with a meow and a caress. I wanted to be mad that he got his fur all over me, but with the cold shoulder Justin was giving me, the warmth of his kindness was nice to have.

"I guess this is my room now," Justin finally spoke as he slowly sat down on the couch with a heavy sigh. He looked even more pathetic now that he had a cane and that tone in his voice. I crumpled my face as the words left my mouth.

"You can sleep in my room," I told him reluctantly, "I can take the couch." He sucked his teeth and waved me off.

"Naw, woman," he dismissed the idea as quickly as it came, "I'll sleep down here."

"It'll just be for the night," I said, "I can probably get you an air bed or something after work tomorrow. It's no biggie."

"I'll take the couch for the night than," he assured, "I don't want you sleeping on this thing. You got work and it takes too long for you to get comfortable."

"Why can't you let me be nice?" I asked jokingly. "The one time I'm not mean, you won't take it. This is why I don't try." It took a moment, but a small smirk tickled the corner of his mouth.

"I'm sorry," he said, "But I don't want nor need your kindness. I'm Mr. Independent...you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?"

"Ha, ha, smartass," I smirked, "You can sleep on the damn couch."

"Cool with me," he said nonchalantly before sitting back comfortably in his seat. I stared at him for a moment as he picked up the remote and turned on my television like he owned the place. I placed my hands on my hips as Bob jumped onto the sofa and Justin allowed him to snuggle into his lap.

"Hello, Bob," he greeted in a low tone as he scratched the spot behind Bob's pointy ears, "How are you today?" I smiled to myself softly and shook my head.

"Why won't you sleep upstairs?" I inquired, "It bothers me that you sleep down here."

"It didn't bother you the first night."

"That's before I confirmed that you weren't a serial rapist."

"Are you sure about that?" he mumbled and I scoffed.

"Shut up, stupid," I said as he chuckled at his lame self, never taking his eyes from the screen in front of him. "You sleeping upstairs or not? It's cold as fuck at night in this living room."

"Well, I'm not gonna let you sleep down here either," Justin told me, "And if you don't want me down here and I don't want you down here, than I think that we only have one choice...."

"Fight to the death and let the winner get the bed?" Justin slowly turned from the television to give me a look of confusion. I simply smiled innocently.

"I was thinking something more along the lines of sharing your bed, but fightin's good if that's what you're into...."

"Share my what with who?" I asked, "Justin-"

"Matthew, one," Justin interrupted, "And two, we're friends, right? Friends can share a bed without a problem. Besides, I need a cane to get around... You can pretty much take me if I try anything. I don't know how I would defend myself against your attack though..."

"Shut your fuckin' face," I joked, "I wouldn't attack you if you were the last man on earth."

"Ah... I see," he nodded, "You're the gay. That explains a whole lot."

"Fuck you," I said, punching him in the shoulder light enough to not cause him any real pain, but hard enough to get my point across.

"Apparently, you wouldn't fuck me." He rubbed his arm. "And thanks for the new bruise. It'll match the rest of my body perfectly."

"You're welcome," I told him with a grin, "And fine... I guess we can share the bed for tonight... no biggie." I could feel my stomach tighten with anxious knots and I could feel this weird, geeky feeling engulfing me. It had been a while since I had shared my bed with anybody but my cat and I was far from prepared. It was just Justin, but... I dunno. We weren't that close and my room was the hottest in the house, so I never really slept with much on. Usually a tank and short shorts... Even that didn't seem appropriate. Maybe a moo-moo?

"I guess this means I have to wash, right?" Justin frowned.

"Damn straight," I said, "I don't want you funking up my sheets."

"Okay..." he reluctantly grumbled as he struggled to stand with his cane. I held his wobbly arm and pulled him up. He let out a sigh. "Thanks." I could see he was embarrassed in a weird way, so I opted not to tease him with the grandpa jokes. I, instead, guided him up the steps and into the bathroom.

Once we reached the room, however, it seemed different. He stood for a while as I watched him nervously. All I could think about was whether or not it was appropriate to help him into the shower because that would require my eyes and his nudity and now that we're friends and not the mention sharing a bed, it seemed weird.

"So... I guess you should..."

"Yeah..." Justin laughed lightly, "I think I can handle it, so you don't really have to help if you don't want-"

"Okay," I interrupted, not needing to be told twice as I turned to head out, "I'll leave the door open halfway so I can hear you if you call me."

"Kay..." Justin told me as I scurried out of the room and down the hall. Once I reached my bedroom, I pushed the door halfway and went through my drawers, trying to find something to wear. I had some silky numbers and a part of me wanted to wear it, just for the hell of it, but I quickly talked myself out of it.

"Don't make this more than what it is..." I mumbled to myself, "It's Justin... It's just Justin..." I coached myself over and over and settled for my usual tank and shorts. I grabbed two towels and dug through my dresser for a pair of underwear. I walked up the hall again after I gathered all my things and heard the shower running. I peaked inside and saw only Justin's clothes piled up on the edge of the sink.

I tip toed inside just as the sound of his voice came flowing from the inside of the shower.

"Girl... I'm so in love with you..." I smiled to myself as I listened to him sing 'Let's Stay Together' for a brief moment before I remember I was only dropping off his towel. I walked over to the sink and grabbed his used clothes and replaced it with his clean towel. "Sash?"

I stopped moving as if I were guilty of something. "Yeah, just dropping off a towel and picking up your clothes."

"Oh, okay..." Justin said, "I hope that wasn't too bad."

"What?" I asked.

"My singing," he chuckled, "I thought I'd try it out."

"It was good," I assured, "It was really... good."

"Thanks," he said, pushing back the shower curtain while covering up his body with it. "That was convincing." I tried to ignore the droplets of watever beading down his chest and disappearing behind the curtain that covered his lower half, but I was only human, so my eyes linger longer than necessary.

"Uh huh..." I mumbled dumbly before turning out of the room and heading back to my room. I closed my eyes and let out a breath. I wanted to slap myself again and it made me so mad that I was so pathetic that I suddenly found Justin's crippled ass completely sexual. I wanted to gag, but I couldn't lie to myself. I was almost two years forced into celibancy and it was taking a heavy toll on my body now that a slightly attractive young man was in my presence. I was just sad.

After tossing Justin's dirty clothes into my bedroom hamper, I pouted as I walked back downstairs and gathered all of Justin's crap from Target and Payless and brought it up to my room. I sat on the bed and unpacked everything, finding a spot for it all throughout my room. I was busying myself so much that I hadn't noticed Justin had hobbled his way out the shower and down the hall until a soft knock rattled my door.

"Are you decent?" Justin asked as I walked over and just pulled the door open. I guess that was a huge mistake because Justin smirked and my eyes traveled very quickly down his body that was wrapped solely in a towel at his slender hits. A slightly purple and pink tinge stained the skin around his ribs, but other than that, his torso was flawless. He was smaller than what I usually go for, but he was cut right. Six pack abs and pecks for days. His arms were marked with tiny scabs from previous cuts, but the black cross on his arm was untouched and glorious.

"Your ribs look a lot better," I blinked as I looked back into his eyes that seemed much larger somehow as he looked down at mee with his head slightly tilted to the side. That's when I noticed all of him was slightly tilted and leaning on the doorframe. "Where's your cane?" Justin shrugged and it was slow, and based off the look on his face, it was painful as well.

"I decided to walk without it," he told me, "I can't keep leaning on that thing. I feel a lot better than I did before. I need to come off of it so I don't get too dependent."

"It's a cane, not crack," I told him, "Don't do that. You could've fallen over or something."

"But I didn't, did I?" he quipped as he slowly pushed himself from the wall and held his sides as he brushed past me and into the room. "Stop being so hype, Mom. Nobody likes a hype guy." I rolled my eyes and turned around to face him. I watched as he slowly sat himself down on the edge of my bed with a sigh.

"Excuse me for being such a good person and worrying about you," I grumbled, "I won't make that mistake again." I walked over to my drawer and grabbed him a pair of his boxer briefs. I tossed it into his lap and he looked down at the red underwear like he had never saw it before.

"I don't sleep with underwear," he informed me, tossing them back at me. I caught them with ease and raised a brow.

"You what?" I asked in disbelief.

"I don't," he repeated, "Too constraining. I tried it the first night at the hospital and it felt like I was having sex with myself. If you toss and turn you get all tangled... too much drama. I'd rather not." I looked down at the underwear in my hands. Justin with no underwear and a dripping wet, beautiful sculpted chest sleeping in my bed?

"You're wearing your underwear," I said, tossing them back at him, "I want you to be in them when I get back." I warned as I grabbed my assorted sleeping outfit and towel. I hurried down the hall and into the shower, washing up quickly, drying off, dressing, brushing, and washing my face. When I was finished, I got back to my room and found Justin in his underwear and nothing else laying on the left side of my bed. He looked up from the folded hands he placed over his navel and up at me.

"This isn't your side, is it?" he asked and I shook my head.

"I don't pick sides," I told him, "I just sleep wherever, so you're cool..." He nodded and I trailed over to my hamper to dump my work scrubs. I fiddled around with my dirty laundry for a moment, knowing that once it was tucked away, I had to go to bed and sleep with Justin.

Well, not sleep with Justin, but you know what I mean...

"Hey, I saw you had a lap top," Justin said to my back before I finally turned around. I looked at the bed and saw the edge of my computer sticking out from under my pillow.

"Yeah?" I inquired, slowly making my way around the bed to the empty spot beside him. "You wanna use it?" He shrugged and I reached my side, lifting up my pillow. He took the initiative to grab it and place it onto his lap as he sat up straighter. I slipped into the bed beside him and Justin watched me carefully as if I'd break the bed if I moved too fast.

I wondered for a moment if he honestly thought that. I wasn't like the size 0 girls he was usually seen with on those US Weekly's I've scanned through while waiting in line at the market. I actually ate food and had some meat on my bones to prove it.

"I was wondering," Justin spoke and I almost jumped back when I felt how close he was. My arm quickly recoiled when it brushed his and I mumbled an apology as I settled into my bed, sitting upright like Justin.

"You were wondering what?" I asked, trying to relax as I looked over his face. I noticed the freckles on his shoulders and the light hairs growing on the side of his face. His short, curly hair reminded me of his Justified days and I wondered why I was suddenly a teeny bobber, ready to scream because Justin Timberlake was looking at me like I had three breast.

"Sash!" Justin yelled, and I jumped and blinked myself out of my trance. Damn, that's about three times already.

"What?" I asked annoyed and embarassed as I turned away from him and looked down at the thin sheet I threw over myself.

"Damn, woman," he chuckled and I looked up at caught a glimpse of his white teeth from behind his pink lips before he ran his tongue over his mouth. "I asked you a question and you spaced out all crazy. I didn't realize I was that boring."

"Well, you are," I teased, "But what was the question?" Justin had opened up the laptop some time during my spacing off and it was fully loaded as he double clicked on the Internet Explorer icon.

"I was thinking that maybe we could look up some of Justin Timberlake's stuff..."

"You mean your stuff?" I corrected, taking the lap top from him and placing it on top of my legs. He grunted in response and I rolled my eyes as I typed YouTube into my address bar. The site loaded and I felt the bed shift as Justin scooted closer to me, leaning to see the screen. I typed his name into the YouTube search and a shitload of videos popped up.

"Holy..." Justin breathed, "That's all me?" He leaned over my shoulder and excitedly looked over the links and previews and pictures on the screen as I scrolled down and about.

"Why don't we watch a video?" I asked, looking around to see if anything caught my eye.

"Like a music video?" Justin asked. I nodded before I smiled when I found it.

"This is my favorite song by you," I cheesed, happily clicking on the link as the page loaded. "It doesn't hurt that my boo is on here too."

"Who?" Justin grinned. "Me?"

"No, fool," I said as I went to press play, "T.I."

"Oh..." Justin stupidly replied as the intro of 'Let Me Talk To You' played as him and Timbo took over the screen. I couldn't help but bob my head to the beat and look at the way Justin moved and flirted with the video girl. I glanced over to Justin on my left and he was so into the video that I would've called him a cocky bastard if I hadn't known any better. It must've just been weird to watch yourself on screen like that, singing dancing like a fish breathes water.

It wasn't until the screen went black before little video bubbles came up that I looked over at Justin again. I backed to the previous page and smiled.

"So...?" I inquired, "Cool, huh?"

"It feels... cool," Justin said, "I mean, it's cool, but it's weird. It doesn't feel like I could do all that."

"But you can," I told him, "That's proof." He seemed a bit uncomfortable suddenly and I couldn't quite figure out why.

"I think I'm gonna hit the hay..." Justin said, slowly sliding down onto his back. He only grimaced from a little bit of discomfort before pulling the sheet over his waist.

"You okay?" I asked, closing my lap top and placing it onto my nightstand.

"Yeah..." he weakly assured, "I'm just... I don't know."

"It's weird, right?"

"Something like that." He fell silent and I reached over to my right to click off the lamp.

"'Night," I said, turning my back to him as I laid down.

"'Night."

--------------------------------------------

I woke up the next morning and I was warm and comfortable against the skin of another. I wanted to deny that it felt as good as it did to wake up with my face pressed against his bare chest and his arm tucked beneath my head. I wanted to deny that I could've stayed like that for the rest of my sad little life, but I couldn't. I couldn't lie to myself and I couldn't deny the fact that Justin was growing a little too much on me.

"Hey..." a raspy morning voice greeted and I froze in place.

"Mornin'," I squeaked out, rolling over as he groaned. I sat up quickly, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. I glanced over at the alarm clock and it was only 7:12am, about an hour before I usually get up.

"Where you goin'?" Justin asked with a smile in his tone. "Sleep, woman... Sleep." I closed my eyes and they laid heavy with exhaustion. I could've definitely laid down and rolled back into his warm, welcoming arms and been satisfied, but my pride swelled up. I didn't need it. I didn't need him.

"I gotta get ready for work," I said, "Get in early and get some more time in."

"Whatever..." Justin sighed and I could hear the sheets being ruffled, "I'll be right here." He yawned to signify he was officially tired and sleeping again and I rolled my eyes before looking over my shoulder at his lightly snoring figure. Abs out and moving with his breathing... Skin smooth and peachy... Sun shining from my window and making my white sheets glow along with him.

Damn he was fine.