"Oh God." Justin said as he turned and looked back in the direction he'd just come from, looking nervous. 

"Since you arrived at the red carpet." Tim clarified, assuring him. 

"Oh, I thought you meant in general." Justin said, breathing a sigh of relief.  "That could have been pretty bad." He joked, laughing. 

Tim laughed with him.  "No further than that, but it's taken you an hour to get here."

Justin sighed.  "Uh...it's a long walk, that carpet."  He turned again and looked behind him.  "It's got a fuchsia thing going on," he said, his focus jumping like it often did from thing to thing.  "It's not actually red." He continued, turning back to the camera.  "I don't know if it looks red on television, but it's sort of pink..."

"Justin Timberlake, color theorist." Tim proclaimed with a laugh, giving him a new title. 

"Yes."  Justin laughed as well.  "Amongst other things."

We'll just add that one to the list as well, sweetheart. Cassie thought with a chuckle as she continued to sit, watching Justin on the large flat panel screen in front of her.  Reaching for another tissue she blew her nose then took another sip of her wine.  As Tim continued interviewing Justin, Cassie leaned her head back against the headboard and pouted.  "I should be there with him." She bemoaned to the empty room as she tossed the tissue she had just used to the growing pile around her on the bed.  "Not stuck here, wanting to die." 

As the coverage of the red carpet, and all the stars arriving for the Oscars continued, Cassie looked down at herself.  She'd spent the last three weeks shopping for the perfect dress to wear on the red carpet.  The simple, black, floor-length, spaghetti-strapped, Vera Wang had been the most expensive dress she'd ever owned and worn and now, nobody was going to get a chance to see her in it.  Justin had assured her there would be another chance, but that wasn't the point. 

Tonight was supposed to have been the first night that they went somewhere--the Oscars!--as an official couple.  Part of what, in Cassie's opinion, had allowed them to survive the last year together, despite Justin's fame and career, was their diligence in keeping their relationship private.  She went with him to events, but she never walked the red carpet with him.   He did all the publicity and she stayed behind the scenes, which is where she wanted to be.  Like she'd told him on numerous occasions, the stage wasn't for her.  That was his domain and she was happy to let him have it.  There had been a few candid shots of them, taken while they were out and about around town, but Justin had been in the spotlight for most of his life.  He knew how to avoid the cameras when he wanted.  There was some speculation--had been since they had been spotted together in LAX for the first time last year when she'd left Tennessee to come to California with him--about who she was, but everyone had been good about respecting their wishes to keep everything private.  This was mostly because Justin let everyone know that not asking questions about his personal life was a contingent to him agreeing to any interview.  Since he was a part of one of the most talked about movies of the past year and everyone wanted to talk to him about it, his requirement was readily agreed to. 

All of that, however, was supposed to have changed tonight.   

Tonight she was supposed to have been on his arm, accompanying him as his date and girlfriend.  Tonight they were supposed to have finally broken their privacy pact and greeted the world as a couple.  Instead, she was gotten the flu--courtesy of her boss at the accounting firm downtown where she worked--and Justin had asked his mother, who happened to be in town, to go with him.  Lynn had looked great, but Cassie had been severely disappointed.  She had known that their appearance together in front of the world was going to set off a media frenzy.  They had talked about it ad nauseum, and she had been prepping herself for the last couple weeks.   The Oscars had seemed like the perfect opportunity--like ripping off a band-aid and just getting it over with.  Everyone was going to be there and everyone could take their pictures and ask their questions at the same time. 

But here she sat. 

Alone. 

On the bed she shared with her best friend and one of the most famous men in the world.

In his house. 

Wearing the two thousand dollar dress he had bought her.

Drinking a bottle of wine and feeling like shit.

As the red carpet coverage ended and the award show began, Cassie refilled her glass and settled back against the pillows propped up behind her, trying to convince herself that Justin was right.  There would be a next time.  She should be glad.  Going public with their relationship was going to change everything.  The longer they could keep everyone else out of their lives, the better.  But she was still disappointed. 

~*~*~*~*~*~

Justin finished making his way through all the cameras, fans, and media outlets wanting to talk to him, finally making his way into the theatre.  He led his mom in and toward their assigned seats, wishing the whole way that is was Cassie on his arm instead.  He loved his mom, everybody knew that, but when given the choice, he would have much preferred to have been leading his gorgeous, green-eyed girlfriend through the mass of people surrounding him, instead of the woman who had given birth to him.  He knew Cassie had been disappointed in not being able to come tonight.  She had been nervous and unsure when he had first asked her if she wanted to come with him--to walk the red carpet with him--finally letting everyone know, once and for all, who she was and about their relationship.  Once she had found her dress, however, and the more he worked to assure her that everything would be okay, she had been excited and had been looking forward to the event.  Coming down with the flu yesterday had been a disappointment to both of them. 

It was hard, dodging everybody's questions and feeling like he was constantly hiding something all year when all he wanted to do was show her off; to show everyone how incredibly lucky he was to have Cassie love him, to want to be with him, to support him so completely in everything he did and vice versa.  He was so incredibly in love with her and just wanted everyone to know it.  They had agreed, when she'd gotten a job and moved out to California to be with him permanently, that keeping everything quiet was what they wanted to do.  It would have been easy to do an exclusive interview with one of the multiple media outlets that had contacted him after the first pictures of them together had come out, but Cassie wasn't used to the spotlight, like he was, and was uncomfortable with all the attention.  Justin had respected her feelings and had made it clear to everyone that his personal life was just that:  personal.  Because of who he was, everyone had abided by his wishes, making it very easy to keep everything private. Tonight that was supposed to have all changed.  Tonight he was supposed to have finally gotten the chance to show her off--to have her there publicly for support.     

He hadn't even gotten a chance to see her dress. 

She had been looking, the last couple weeks, for a dress suitable for the night's festivities with no luck.  He had finally sent her shopping a few days ago, with his mother and his credit card, and she had come back happy--proclaiming she had found the perfect dress.  He had asked to see it, but she had refused telling him she wanted it to be a surprise for tonight.  He silently cursed her boss, yet again, for deciding it was okay to come to work sick and passing his germs along to Cassie thus ruining all their plans.  He tried to convince himself, as he'd tried to convince Cassie earlier, that there would be another occasion for them to "come out," but it was still disappointing to have what you thought was going to happen, not happen. 

Finally getting to their seats, he and his mother sat down.  His phone vibrated in his pocket and he sifted in his seat, pulling it out. 

Hey, good looking.  You did great out there on the red carpet :)

He smiled as he read Cassie's text. 

"Is that Cassie?" His mom asked. 

"Yeah." He nodded as he typed back.  Wish you were here.  Next year, no excuses.  You WILL be here with me.

"How is she feeling?" His mom questioned.

"I don't know." He shrugged as he typed out another message.  Mom wants to know how you're feeling.  "She didn't say."

 "Poor thing." Lynn tsked.  "I feel so bad leaving her home all alone tonight when she's not feeling well."

"I know." Justin sighed.  "Believe me, if I wasn't presenting tonight I wouldn't be here.  I'd much rather be at home with her."

His mother smiled as his phone vibrated again and he opened Cassie's message.  Like I've been run over by a truck but this wine is helping.

He chuckled and sent a quick reply as the show started.  Don't have too much fun without me :)

~*~*~*~*~*~

About halfway through the show Cassie perked up as Justin was introduced.  She watched as he walked out onto the stage with Mila--her heart fluttering in her chest.  Damn he looked good.  There was nothing quite like Justin in a tux to get her heart and hormones racing.  She tried to ignore the fact that Mila was practically naked up there on stage next to him--her chest barely covered by the lavender lace of her dress--as she drank in the site of him.  She laughed as he jokingly admitted to being the elusive Banksy, and couldn't keep the smile from her face as he continued talking.  That smile, those eyes, his amazingly perfect comedic timing...she wished, yet again, that she was there sharing the night with him instead of in bed sick. 

She reached for her phone and sent him a quick text message, voicing the thoughts currently running through her head, then watched--a shot of panic racing through her as he pulled his phone from his pocket a second later. 

"No, no, no!" She said out loud.  "Don't..." but it was too late.  The message had been sent and she knew the exact moment when he read it.  Those in the audience may not have known, but she did.  Twenty-nine years of being best friends with someone, the last year of which spent in an intimate relationship with that person and you were able to read their facial expressions like nobody else could.  This could be bad...

~~~~~~~

Justin pulled out his phone as Mila continued on with their written dialogue and proclaimed that the stage they were on wasn't quite right for the category they were presenting.  The script they had been given called for him to pretend there was an app capable of changing the stage background.  He pretended to push a few buttons, and presented the new background to the audience, all the while opening the text message from Cassie that was waiting for him.  When had she...

"That's amazing." Mila exclaimed, drawing him back to the present. 

"I know." Justin nodded as he turned his attention back to his phone.  "Thank you."  His attention was quickly back on the words that were on his phone however, his brows quirking up as he read Cassie's message.  The fact that he was on stage, and on screen, in front of millions of people quit registering for a split second.

Damn you're hot. Her text read.  I want you.  Unwrap me and take me, I'm yours.

Damn it, Cass!  He cursed as he forced his attention off his phone and to the task at hand.  He willed his body not to give him away.  No matter how much he wanted to be home right now with the wonderful, amazing, sexy woman who was his whole life, he had a job to do.  What was she doing sending him suggestive texts when he was up on stage?  

"Oh, but you know what?" Mila asked, continuing  with their bit.  "You, uh, you missed a spot."

He looked up as he shoved his phone back into his pocket.  "Where?" He asked, looking at his co-presenter.

Mila looked at him, teasingly, like she was supposed to.  He narrowed his eyes slightly and stuffed his hands in his pockets as he turned back to the audience, like he was supposed to.  "Here are the nominees," he said, pretending to be offended as Mila laughed next to him.  "For best animated short film..."

 He was able to get through his segment, but only just barely.  As soon as he was off camera and backstage he pulled his phone out again and sent her a reply.

~~~~~~~

You're in trouble....

Yep.  Just as she'd suspected, Cassie thought as she read Justin's text.  She drained what was in her glass and quickly filled it up again, emptying the bottle she had set on the nightstand a few hours ago.  She shouldn't have sent that text.  Damn alcohol.  She thought, even as she took another healthy swallow.  She wasn't usually a big drinker, but tonight was about feeling sorry for herself.  Now she'd done it, however.  She couldn't tell if he was serious or not.  His text could go either way depending on how she interpreted it.  She hoped his words were a promise of things to come when he got home later, but she couldn't be entirely sure.  The wine was getting to her--making her feel fuzzy.  It was hard to think straight anymore and all she wanted to do was close her eyes...

~*~*~*~*~*~

1:30.

He  hadn't meant to stay so long at the after party he'd been invited too, he thought as he looked at his watch.  He hadn't meant to leave Cassie home alone for so long, but he had gotten to talking with people and had just lost track of time.  His mom followed him inside the house, gave him a kiss on the cheek then, with a yawn and a "good night," she headed down the hall to the guest room she was sleeping in.  With a yawn of his own, Justin turned off the lights, made sure the house was locked up, then headed upstairs to his own room--leaving his bow tie, shoes, and tuxedo jacket behind him on the stairs.  If Cassie were with him now she'd get after him for just dropping his clothes on the floor but he was too damn tired to care right now.  And she wasn't with him.  He hadn't seen her anywhere as he'd been locking up, making him assume she was in bed. 

Her text from earlier flashed in his memory and suddenly he wasn't tired anymore.  Hurrying his pace he took the last couple stairs in a single step and quickly made his way to the Master suite. 

He stopped, his hand pausing at his throat as he was undoing the top button of his white dress shirt.  Leaning against the doorframe he took in the sight of him, a soft smile lifting the corners of his mouth.  A slight pang of disappointment flared, but was quickly dispelled as a quiet snore escaped the woman currently passed out the bed. 

She was a mess.

A beautiful mess in an expensive dress, but a mess none the less. 

His eyes took in the scene.  Cassie was passed out, lying sprawled across the bed, in her Vera Wang, and what looked to be about two boxes worth of used tissues littering the bed spread around her.  A wine glass and an empty bottle of Bordeaux sat on the nightstand--her text from earlier suddenly making more sense.  She had obviously been drunk when she had sent it; otherwise she never would have sent him something so bold while he had been on camera. 

With a quiet chuckle and a shake of his head, Justin pushed off the doorframe.  Unbuttoning his shirt the rest of the way, he left it hanging open as he walked across the room and into the bathroom.   Grabbing the trashcan from under the sink, he returned to the bedroom.  Walking over to the bed he stood for a moment, looking down at Cassie and appreciating her.  Even passed out drunk and sick she still took his breath away.  She and his mother had been right.  The dress she had picked out would have been perfect for tonight.  She would have been a vision on the red carpet.  He felt bad, again, for how things had turned out and vowed, as he began picking up all the tissues surrounding her and throwing them away, that he would find something soon to take her too where she could wear her dress out in public. 

She stirred as he leaned over her to get the last tissue and he smiled down at her as her green eyes fluttered open.  "Hey." He said quietly. 

"Mmmm...what time is it?" She muttered, rubbing her eyes like a sleepy little kid. 

"Almost two." He said, setting the garbage can down by the side of the bed.  "How are you feeling?" He asked, unbuttoning the cuffs on his shirt.

"You see that?" She said, her words slightly slurred as she pointed at the empty wine bottle on the nightstand.

"Mm-hmm." He nodded.  "I saw that."

"I feel great." She replied, giving him a thumbs up and closed her eyes again-her Southern accent coming through a little thicker than usual. 

He chuckled.  "You, uh...you going to sleep in that all night?" He asked, referring to her dress.

"What?" She asked, squinting up at him.

"Your dress." He clarified for her.  "Are you planning on sleeping in it all night?"

"Oh." She looked down at herself.  "I forgot I was wearing it."

Biting back his laughter Justin instead held his hand out to her.  "Come on." He said.  "I'll help you get out of it."  After a moment she put her hand in his and he helped her to stand up.  "After all, you did tell me I could ‘unwrap' you when I got home."  He grinned as she groaned, putting a hand over her eyes. 

"I'm sorry about that." She apologized.  "I didn't...I wasn't thinking.  I..." She peeked at him through her fingers.  "I had a lot to drink tonight." She said as she turned and began walking toward the closet.  She only made it a step however before her knees buckled beneath her.

"Yeah, I can see that." Justin chuckled quietly in her ear as he caught her. 

"I just want to go back to bed." She said, turning back toward the object of her desire. 

"After we get you out of this dress." He promised, keeping an arm around her as he began to slowly lead her to the closet. 

"Please?" She whined, looking up at him. 

"You're not going to be very happy in the morning when you wake up and you've wrinkled this thing beyond recognition." He reminded her.  "You look amazing, and I want to be able to show you off in it here soon.  I don't want you ruining it by sleeping in it before I get a chance to do that."

"You like it?" She asked, sounding unsure.

"It's perfect." He smiled and she frowned.  "There will be other events, Cass." He said, guessing at her thoughts. 

"Yeah, but who's to say you're ever going to be going to the Oscars again like you were tonight?" She countered.  "I wish I could have been there with you and for you tonight."

"I know." He nodded.  "I wanted you there to, but..." he paused, debating on whether or not to tell her what he wanted to say.  "Where I really want you to be is with me at the Grammy's next year." He finally continued giving hint to the secret he had been keeping from everyone for the last little while, Cassie included.  She stopped as they reached the large walk-in closet they now shared and looked up at him, questions burning in her green eyes.     

"The...the Grammy's?" She asked as they continued to stand there looking at each other.

He nodded.  "The first single should be out early this Fall." He said.  Her jaw dropped.  "And if all goes well, they'll probably ask me to perform next year given that it's been so long and everyone keeps asking me about when I'm coming back to do more music." 

She let out a squeal of excitement as she wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "That's great!" She exclaimed as he chuckled, his arms coming to rest around her waist.  She pulled back and looked at him, her eyes sparkling with her excitement.  "I am so proud of you." She said, causing a huge smile to break out across his face.  Her enthusiastic response to his news was the last piece of the puzzle he needed to fall into place--letting him know it was time.    

"You're the first one, besides Jive obviously, that I've told." He confessed.

She hugged him again.  "I love you." She proclaimed, her words going straight to his heart.  He never got tired of hearing her say them and his arms tightened around her in response.  It had been a crazy year, and the next was going to prove to be even crazier, but having Cassie there holding his hand, cheering him on, and welcoming him home every night made it all worth it.

"I love you." He responded as she pulled back once more.  Their eyes met for a moment before she leaned forward, pressing her lips against his warmly.  He was quick to respond.  The kiss was long and slow and deep, and he wound one hand through her curls as he continued to make love to her with his mouth. 

And the winner is...

He heard the familiar words that had been repeated several times tonight, echo in his head as Cassie's lips and tongue tangled with his own.  No matter the outcome of this evening, or what happened over the course of this next year, he had already won.  She was the best thing that had and would ever happen to him.  Everything else was just icing on the cake.