Sunlight slide across the white sheets before settling uncomfortable over the occupant’s face.  He grabbed a pillow, blocking out the intrusive sunshine, but it was too late.  He was awake.

Justin stretched his arms up over his head, letting his body tense before relaxing back into the bed.  Rolling over, he opened his mouth to greet Adah but he was met with empty space instead.

“Shit.”  Justin ran his hands over his face, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.  He was afraid that this would happen.  He’d hoped that Adah would’ve stayed in bed with him so they could talk about last night and he could explain what had happened.  Now, he knew she was going to hide from him and he wasn’t sure when he’d be able to get her alone again.

She was going to be questioning things and he wanted to explain his side. 

He kicked off the sheets and rolled out of the bed, searching for his boxers.  The room had been picked up and his clothes were sitting in a neat pile on a chair.  Stepping into his boxers, Justin picked up the rest of the clothing and exited the guest room only to be met by his mother. 

“Good morning.” He greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.  Lynn gave her son a once over and grinned.

“Well that explains a lot.”  She pinched his cheek as he headed toward his bedroom.  “I made muffins this morning if you’re hungry.”

“Thanks, Ma.”

“And Adah’s about to take a jog, if you’re interested.  I was going to take Emma over to Gram’s anyway.”  She grinned again and disappeared down the stairs.

Justin chuckled, heading into his room to grab some clean clothing.  He found some running shorts and a t-shirt, figuring that this might be his only chance to get Adah alone.  He was fairly certain that she couldn’t out run him, either, so he had a good chance of getting her to listen.

Sounds of Emma’s laughter could be heard as he descended the stairs and he couldn’t help the smile that came to his face.  His baby girl always made things seem better.

“Hey you,”  He called as he spotted Emma bouncing on Paul’s lap.  She grinned and reached her arms toward him.

“Dada!”  The adults in the room stopped what they were doing and stared at the little girl.

“She just said ‘Dada!’” Justin rushed over and grabbed Emma from Paul’s lap.  “Say it again, Emmy, say dada.”

Big blue eyes stared up into his and Emma grabbed at Justin’s face with her hands, pinching his nose.  “Dada.”

“Ma, get the camera!”  The excitement on Justin’s face was palpable as he coached Emma into speaking again.  Lynn scrambled to find the camera so she could document this moment.  She remembered what it was like to hear Justin’s first words, but even this moment seemed to top that.  She could feel the happiness pouring off of her son and it warmed her heart to see him so content.  It didn’t hurt that she had a pretty good idea about what happened last night.

Adah had been in the kitchen when Lynn and Paul had come down this morning.  She was feeding Emma, and the young woman looked so completely flustered that Lynn was afraid something had happened between Adah and Justin.  She tried to get the other woman to open up, but every time she asked her questions Adah just blushed and changed subjects.

Seeing Justin emerge from Adah’s room dressed in only his boxers suddenly cleared everything up in Lynn’s mind and Adah’s behavior made much more sense. 

Now, though, Lynn could only watch as Justin and Emma interacted, both of them beaming.

“Adah, listen to this!” Justin exclaimed as Adah’s walked back into the kitchen.  She was a little hesitant, but once Emma started speaking again she got lost in the excitement just as much as everyone else.  “I think that this has to be the most incredible moment of my life, right next to the day that Emma was born.”  Justin grinned over at his mother.

“It’s certainly amazing.”  Lynn responded, putting the camera down.  “I’ve got to get over to Gram’s, though.  She’s going to worry if I’m not there soon.”

Justin handed his baby over to Lynn, giving both women a kiss on the cheek.  “Be careful with her, she’s precious.” 

“Of course, honey.”  Lynn grabbed the diaper bag and Paul, ushering him out the door.  “We’ll be back this afternoon.  You kids have fun!”  She winked at Justin and Adah before the door closed behind her.

Justin was unaware of Adah’s awkward shuffling because he was still glowing.  “I’m going to go for a run…so…”  She turned toward the door, hoping to get away without having to face him, but he caught up to her.

“I’ll come with you.  I know a good route.”  Before Adah could protest, Justin was walking out behind her and heading down the driveway toward the road.  “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?”

“Uh…yeah, it is.”

To say that she was uncomfortable would have been the understatement of the year.  She had no idea what she was supposed to think about last night, she was certain that everyone knew and she was completely embarrassed, and now Emma was saying “dada” as her first words.  It had been one hell of a morning.

Of course, she was hoping to clear her head with a run and now she was being followed by the one person she was hoping to avoid.

“I’m glad I got a chance to see you, I wanted to talk.”  Justin started jogging, a nice easy pace.  Adah felt her heart sink.  Here was when he confessed that he’d made a mistake, again, and that they really should never do that and blah, blah, blah.

Adah had no idea how she felt about all of it, but even if she thought it was a mistake, too, she didn’t want to feel rejected. 

“It’s okay, Justin, we don’t have to talk.” She started to jog a little faster, hoping he couldn’t see the embarrassment on her face.  She couldn’t believe she’d gotten into this situation again.

“Adah, wait up.”  Justin caught up to her easily, grabbing her by the arm to slow her down.  “We do have to talk.  Slow down please.”

Adah stopped running, pulling away from Justin.  “I know what you’re going to say, so you can save it.  All right?”

“Really?  You know what I’m going to say?”  He was starting to get frustrated.  “What am I going to say, then?”

“You’re going to tell me that last night was a mistake, and I get it, okay?  I understand that it was a really bad idea and I don’t need to hear you tell me.”

“You think last night was a mistake?”

Adah stopped her pacing to look at Justin, “Wasn’t it?”

“No. It wasn’t.”  Justin led Adah off the road as a car passed.  He started to walk, urging her along with him.  “I was going to tell you that I was sorry if last night was too much for you, and that I wasn’t going to pressure you into anything if you weren’t ready.”

Adah didn’t say anything. 

“Look, Adah…”  Justin ran his hands over his head.  This wasn’t how he wanted this conversation to go.  “I have no idea what’s going on in my head lately, but I know that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.  Being here with you and Emma has just made all of these feelings come to the surface and I couldn’t help myself last night.  I wanted to be with you again so I could remember it all.  I wanted to taste you and touch you and be completely aware that I was doing it all.”

“Justin…”

“I want to be a family with you, Adah.  I want you and me and Emma to be together and grow together.  I understand that this might be too much for you and I know that you’re worried about a lot of things, but we could work something out.  I just…I can’t be around you and not want to be with you.  This week has just made that even more evident.”

“Justin…I…”  Adah had no idea what to say to that confession.  She didn’t know what she was thinking, and while she was relieved that he didn’t tell her she was a mistake, she certainly wasn’t expecting him to blurt all of that out.

“I know it’s a lot and I know that it’s coming out of nowhere…” He trailed off.

“I’m dating Brennan.”  The words were out of her mouth before she could really process them.  “I mean…Oh shit.”

Justin’s face darkened.  “Right, Brennan.”

“Justin…I have no idea what to even think right now.”  She started pacing again.  “Last night was…it was nothing short of incredible.  But I woke up this morning with your arms around me and I found myself really, truly content.  And then I remembered the situation we’re in and…it scares the shit out of me.  What if you suddenly decide that this isn’t what you want anymore?  What if you woke up this morning and realized you’d made another mistake?  What if--”

“What if it actually goes well and we’re both happy?”  He interjected, cutting off her rant.  “I know you’re dating Brennan,” the name was bitter on his tongue, “and I’m not going to force you into anything.  But you can’t deny that last night was electric and it felt good.”

“Justin…”  Adah had no idea how to handle this situation.  “I…I don’t know what to do.”

“Be happy, Adah.  Just let yourself be happy.” He was putting everything out in the open now and he could feel his pulse racing as he watched her.

“I don’t know.”  She had tears in her eyes and Justin felt his heart sink.  “I don’t know what to do.”

“I won’t push you,” he licked his dry lips.  “Just…I guess you know where to find me when you figure it out.”  He started the walk back towards his mother’s house, feeling completely foolish.

“Justin…”  Adah’s voice stopped him, and he turned slowly.  “I’m not trying to do this to hurt you.  There’s just so much to think about.  I…this is really difficult for me.”  Her voice dropped and she looked down at her hands, twisting her fingers together.  “I’m so scared.”

Justin didn’t know what to say to that.  He understood her fears, but he was really hoping that she might be able to get past all of that.  The time that they’d been spending together only proved to him how incredible of a woman Adah really was and he was slowing starting to develop strong feelings for her.  He was ready to be a father to Emma and to take care of Adah, too.  The look on her face said she didn’t trust him to do that.

Now it was his turn to be embarrassed.

“I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have put all this on you.”  He turned again, headed back to the house.  Adah stayed behind him, saying nothing the whole way back to the house.

~*~

“If you came all this way to ask me to come back, you didn’t have to.  I was going to anyway.  Tennessee is way too boring.”  Rachel plopped down on the couch next to Justin who was staring at the wall across from them.  “Hello?  Earth to Justin.”  She waved a hand in front of his face, causing him to blink.

“Oh, Hey Rach.”  He glanced up and attempted to smile.

“What’s up, Jus?  What happened?”  She had seen this look on his face a few times and she had a feeling she knew what was going on.

“Adah…”

“I knew it!”  She sat up, ready to lecture him again about his choices in women but the look on his face stopped her.

“I don’t really know what your issue is with her, but it’s pissing me off.  If there’s anyone you should hate on, it’s me.  I’m the asshole that knocked her up, and now I’m the same asshole that’s messing with her again.  She’s done nothing wrong.”

“I’m sorry…”  She sat back, slightly embarrassed.  Rachel wasn’t entirely sure why she disliked Adah so much.  She hated that Justin was in this situation and she blamed Adah.  She had truly assumed that the girl was only out for his money, and when it came out that Justin really was Emma’s father, Rachel didn’t want to admit she’d been wrong, so she kept hating Adah.  It was completely logical in her mind.

“I slept with her.”

“I know.  We’ve got living proof.”

“Last night.  I slept with her last night.”

“Oh shit, Justin.  Did you use protection?”  He gave her another scathing look and Rachel was wishing she’d never come over to talk to him.

“Of course we did.  I just didn’t think it was going to be such an issue for her.”  He took a deep breath and let it out in one big sigh.  “I told her today that I wanted us to be a family.  She just about ran away from me.”

“Jus…” Rachel tried to stop him.

“I don’t understand what she’s so scared about.  I mean, it’s worked between us so far, what’s the big deal if we just alter the relationship a little?”

“Because you’re Justin Timberlake, and she’s just Adah.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”  Justin’s anger was returning and he remembered why he’d been so upset with his cousin to begin with.

“What happens when word gets out that you’re a daddy?  What happens when you’re lifestyle gets in the way of soccer games and ballet rehearsal?  What happens when Adah’s left handling the tabloids and media because you’re off shooting a movie or doing a tour?  How is she supposed to be anything but scared, Justin?”

He gave her a long look.  “Suddenly you’re on her side now?”

“No, I’m on yours, but you’re asking what she’s so scared about.”  Rachel took a deep breath.  “I know I haven’t been Adah’s biggest fan, but even you have to admit that you’re a little too much to handle at times.  She’s said from the beginning that she hasn’t wanted anything from you.  Getting into a relationship would be asking her to handle way more than she’s bargained for.  Even though she did sleep with you in the first place.”

“You’re not making me feel any better.”  He mumbled, slumping even further into the cushions.

“Give her some time.  She needs to let things sink in.”

“And I’m supposed to just sit back and wait?”  He didn’t like that idea at all.

“Well, no, if you’re really serious…” she couldn’t believe she was going to say this, “you show her what she’d be missing.  You treat her like a princess.”

Rachel saw the gears start to turn in Justin’s mind.

“Justin,” she called, “look at me.”  She waited for his attention.  “Adah’s not the material type, so you can just throw your money at her.  You need to show her what a family would really look like.  Got it?”

“Yeah, I do.”  The determined look on his face was enough to let Rachel know he’d at least heard some of what she’d said.  Just how much, she wasn’t sure.

“Oh god…what have I done?”  She fell into the spot Justin left as he jumped from the couch and ran upstairs.