"What are you doing?" I question as I enter Justin's bedroom and watch as he tosses half of his wardrobe into an open suitcase.    

"I'm doing what everybody does when shit gets out of control." He shrugs and examines a pair of jeans before throwing them back into the closet. "I'm going home."    

My eyes widen at his statement and the anger quickly courses through me. That's just like a man...to leave when the going gets tough.    

Honestly, I didn't expect something like this from Justin. I figured his breaking loose from Johnny was a sure sign that he's finally taking matters into his own hands. But, things aren't going exactly the way I expected.    

Justin walking away from his career was just the beginning. From there, everything has snowballed and we've landed ourselves in our biggest mess yet.    

In light of Jc outing us to the world, my career is once again suffering, thanks to the chaos in my personal life. RCA has postponed everything involving me. Promotion, the tour, appearances, you name it. So, I've got a lot of time on my hands until a suitable replacement for Jc is found. And God only knows how long that could take.    

The weird thing though, my album sales keep increasing. Which, I'm definitely not complaining about, but it's all kind of bittersweet. I mean, ok yeah... the album is doing ten times better than we could have hoped for, but everything around me has gone to shit.    

I guess success comes at a price.     

I just never thought that price would be having my manager, someone I trusted and considered one of my best friends, stab me in the back.    

I still just can't really grasp the situation. Jace was never the greedy type... why did that suddenly change? I refuse to believe he did this just for money.    

But then again... there's the book. Honestly, that just... I don't think words can even begin to describe how shocked, angry and hurt I'm feeling about that. Selling me out was one thing, but do they really need to write an entire book and air all of my dirty laundry?    

On the flip side though, thanks to the insanity around us, Justin and I don't have to hide anymore. When Jace started talking, he didn't hold a single thing back, including the fact that Justin and I are together now. And I still don't know how the hell he even found that out. He's probably had someone spying on me all along or something.    

In a way, I'm kind of grateful that some things are out in the open. For the first time, Justin and I don't have to walk on eggshells. We can just be together and not worry about anyone else.    

If Justin wasn't around for all of this, I probably would have ended up in a padded cell months ago. Things are coming at me from a million different directions at once, and it's more than a little overwhelming. But, Justin is a pro at this sort of thing. He's been through it before and he knows how to handle it. When I'm freaking out, he knows exactly how to calm me down. If I need to talk, he listens. When I ask for advice, he's always right there.    

As corny and cliche as it sounds, he's been my rock through all of this.    

Until now.    

Now, he's planning to leave me here to clean this mess up on my own, and I'm not so sure I can handle that. I need him more now, than I ever did.    

"That's great." I mutter and roll my eyes. "You're gonna go run to mommy, while I get hit with the shitstorm by myself. You're a real stand up guy, ya know that?" He stops his packing and stares at me, his head coked to the side and an amused smile on his face.    

Of course, he thinks this is funny. I swear, he's such a fucking prick sometimes.     

I know, I was just raving about how wonderful he is and now I'm calling him a prick. I'm going through a rough patch, I'm allowed to act like a schizoid sometimes.    

"Why do you always do that?" He asks suddenly, that stupid smirk never leaving his face.    

"What?"    

"Get all mad and shit and try to pick a fight before you know what's going on."    

"I don't!" I scoff at him and take a seat on his bed. "You just said you were leaving!"    

"Yeah, but you oughta know by now that I'm not gonna take off without you. I go... you go. It's a rule." He grins and plops down next to me.    

And just like that... he's right back to being amazing.    

"What about Chelsea and Trace?"    

"They're coming too." He nods and gently pushes me onto my back before he crawls on top of me, his knees resting on either side of my hips. "I just thought we could use some time away from the bullshit. The media stuff is getting a little crazy and I just... I wanna go hide for awhile."    

"A warning would have been nice."    

"Yeah, but that ruins it. The surprise is the fun part."    

"You act more like a little kid everyday." I giggle as he leans forward, his mouth hovering over mine.    

"You love me." He smiles as his lips brush over mine with each word.    

"What the hell are we gonna do Justin?" I sigh loudly and roll my eyes.    

As great as he's been the past couple weeks, we haven't really come to a solution about any of the issues we're facing.    

There's no telling what the hell Jc and Beth are going to put in that damn book. Justin still hasn't heard a word from Johnny or the label. We're being hounded day and night to tell our side of the story. It's one big fucking mess and so far, all we've done is hide.    

Neither one of us has released a statement or given a single interview. Even when we're out and we're being followed, we ignore the countless questions being shot at us. We haven't done a damn thing about any of this crap. And, we don't even have a plan.    

Unfortunately, we can't ignore all of this forever. At some point, we have to speak up or do something to defend ourselves. This isn't gonna go away, no matter how much we wish it would.    

"It's gonna be fine." He smiles and kisses me sweetly. "Trust me... it'll work out, and we'll be fine."    

I want to believe him. I really, really do. But something in my gut tells me otherwise.    

But then again... who knows?    

Things with Justin have this way of always falling into place, no matter how shitty it is. Maybe this is one of those things, and I'm overreacting.    

But, I'm not going to get my hopes up. I'm preparing for the absolute worst, because I'm so damn tired of being let down.

**********************    

"Why are you watching this crap?" Justin groans as he sits up in bed. "You know it's all bullshit."    

"Not all of it." I mumble, not taking my eyes off of the screen.    

I really do hate E! News, but with everything that's been going on, I feel like I need to watch it. At this point, I wouldn't put it past Beth or Jc to be selling their story on here.    

I know Justin sees his hometown as some kind of sanctuary, but for me... it's like being on a whole other planet. I feel completely removed from my every day life, and I'm not too fond of that. Especially when things are so crazy. I should be in L.A, trying to straighten all of this out, not hiding in Tennessee.    

The TV is shut off suddenly and I turn around from my spot at the foot of the bed to scowl at him. "I was watching that."    

"I know." He shrugs and shoots me a smug smile.    

Normally, I'd probably fight him for the remote, but I'm far too comfortable to even think about moving, much less get into a struggle with him. Before I know it, he's crawling on top of me, and gently sitting down on my butt.    

Well, I was comfortable, now I'm just smashed into the mattress. He is such a punk sometimes.    

His hands slide under his oversized Tennessee Titans jersey I'm wearing, and his fingers being slowly massaging the small of my back.     

Alright, maybe this isn't so bad after all.    

His hands continue to move up my back, stopping every few seconds to work out some of the tension before he finally reaches my shoulders.    

As his fingers knead my skin, I can't stop the loud groan of pleasure that escapes. He chuckles softly and I can just picture him shaking his head.        

"Feel good?"    

"Oh God... you have no idea." I mumble.    

"See? I told you, you need to just chill out. You can't let this shit get to you."    

"Shut up, and don't stop."    

I don't want to talk about anything, especially our present situation, while he's doing that. I just want to lay here, let his hands work their magic and enjoy the feeling of all the built up stress leaving my body.    

I know I've been losing my cool a lot these last couple months, but how could I not? I've been through hell and back lately. And, just when I think things are settling into a calm, something else comes along and knocks me on my ass.    

Honestly, the only thing that's kept me going is Justin. As much as I hate to say it, I've even accepted the fact that I'm slowly but surely losing my best friend.    

I know Chelsea's holding in a lot of resentment toward me, and that's led to her not only shutting me out, but hiding things as well.     

In a way, I get it. I lied to her face for months, when I should have just come clean. But, if she wants us to remain friends, she's got to learn to let it go. I couldn't avoid the lies I had to tell. I made a commitment and I wasn't going to break it. For some reason, she just doesn't seem to understand that, and I've got a bad feeling she never will.

I've explained. I apologized. I did everything I could to right my wrong doing, but none of it was good enough for her. Unfortunately, it's got me wondering if maybe it's pointless to keep trying.    

Maybe our friendship is just broken beyond repair.    

"Alright, your turn." Justin says suddenly as he pulls off his T-shirt and moves to lay on his stomach. I roll my eyes before sitting down on his butt, and running my hands along the smooth skin of his back.    

He's been doing an excellent job of putting up this strong front, but I know deep down, he's terrified. He knows Johnny and the label could completely wipe him out. He knows the fate of both our careers is pretty much in Jc's hands. Despite all of that, he's doing everything imaginable to make me believe that everything's going to work out.    

The truth is, neither one of us can even begin to guess what's going to happen. But, I think as long as we've got each other to lean on, we'll be alright.    

"I love you." I whisper as I lean down and kiss his bare shoulder.    

It sounds stupid, but sometimes, it's kind of difficult to be angry and bitter about everything that's happened. If it hadn't been for all of this insane bullshit, I wouldn't be here with him right now. He's by far the best thing that's ever happened to me, and even if everything does go straight to hell, it was worth it, simply because it gave me Justin.    

"I love you too." He murmurs.    

"Oh yeah? prove it." I whisper seductively and bite at his ear lobe.    

In a flash, he's flipped over and pinned me underneath of him, his fingers digging into my sides. He grinds his hips against mine and I have to bite my lip to hide the huge grin spreading across my face.    

I love how, at the mere implication of sex, he's ready to go in about two seconds. It's like he never gets tired of being with me and I love that about him. He's always more than willing to show me just how much I mean to him.    

Based on my past experience I've learned, that's pretty rare. A lot of guys don't bother to go those few extra steps, but Justin does. He loves me, and he has no problem letting me know it.    

I sit up and let him pull my jersey off before he tosses it on the floor, and pushes me onto my back once again.  He wiggles out of his boxers before his mouth takes up its usual residence on my neck and he quickly peels off my boyshorts, pulling them down my legs and discarding them on the floor.    

He props himself up on his elbows and stars down at me like it's the first time he's ever seen me, making me feel slightly self conscious under his intense gaze.    

"I'm so completely fucking in love with you Madison."    

I can't help but giggle and roll my eyes at his choice of words. He may not be eloquent, but damnit... he's adorable when he says stuff like that.        

I'm kind of glad he isn't the type to make all these corny, long winded speeches. I like the silly, sometimes awkward and frustrating way he does things. He says exactly what he feels, even if it's not always worded properly. In a weird way, it makes him normal.    

He chuckles and shakes his head before entering me slowly, my hips rolling up to meet his immediately. He sets a slow, steady pace with his thrusts and each time he slams into me, I feel like he's about to break me in half.    

I don't know exactly what's going on right now, but being with Justin has never been this... intense, I guess is the right word. Usually it's fairly quick and our sole focus is getting each other off, but this... this is just, different. There's almost a desperation behind every move he makes.    

It's completely cliche and corny, but... I think he's making love to me, rather than just having sex with me. And yes, I'm a firm believer that there is a difference.    

"I love you Maddie." The words roll off his tongue again, and I simply nod.    

Suddenly, a huge realization washes over me.    

We're going to be ok.    

All of the nonsense going on around us will eventually pass, and as long as we're still together at the end of it... we're going to be perfectly fine.