Samantha watched the kids she'd been teaching over the last few months run around backstage.  There were so many last minute checks to be done.  She took a deep breath to focus on this moment.  They'd made it.  She'd made it.  She wanted to call Chris and share this moment with him, after all, he'd been her cheerleader ever since she quit her job.  His friendship had gotten her to where she was, even though they'd only really been in contact via text messaging. 

He sent her a message before she'd even gotten her gear out of the hotel.  All it said was, "u ok?"  She'd kept in touch with him, letting him know that she was fine.  She'd left him the occasional phone message when she knew he'd be on stage and unable to answer his phone, just to say that she was still alive.  He sent her the odd joke and let her know what was going on in the world of *NSYNC.  She didn't ask about Justin and he didn't offer any information.  He'd certainly known that Justin had been required to attend mandatory classes on top of having to write a letter of apology to each of the women who had filed complaints against him.  Justin had tried to explain to him where his head was at the time, but it was something that Chris just couldn't get his brain around. 

Samantha shook her head, sending a mental hug to Chris and trying to focus in on what was happening around her.  She called her crew together and gave them a last minute pep talk while the cast was having their own pep talk on the other side of the stage.  She was proud of "her" kids and she let them know it.  They'd gone from a group of under achievers facing expulsion from school to a backstage team.  They'd learned how to work together to create magic on stage while they stayed in the background.  She'd heard from many of their parents and teachers about changes at home and school.  When JC had mentioned her unhappiness, he hadn't known that she was drifting in her professional life.  Her work had a purpose now, besides just entertaining masses of girls and working for spoiled pop stars.  She was teaching these kids a skill and they were gaining work experience.  They were staying in school and considering college.  And on top of it all, it was a relief to have a more permanent address.

A check of her watch had her sending them out to their positions for opening night.   It was really a final dress rehearsal with a small audience of benefactors, people who had donated to the stage company after the local high schools found their arts funding cut.    A small group of employees taught the teens and mentored them through an afterschool program.  The plan was to have them learn different jobs for each production.  Samantha was in charge of the backstage crew and had enjoyed teaching her crew the basics of production. 

She and the other instructors held their breath as the curtain went up on cue and things got under way.  The production was a blur.  Sam was busy working with her team and before she knew it, the play was over and the cast and crew were taking their bows.

Backstage was pure chaos as Samantha tried to herd her team back into work mode to get the set prepared for the next night's show.  Parents, friends and family members crowded the area and were eventually ushered out to the lobby where a small reception was planned. 

Sam and a couple of her students were finishing up when another student poked her head backstage.  "Miss Sam?  There are some people here to see you."

Sam thanked her helpers and shooed them off to the celebration.  She glanced back to be sure everything was taken care of, brushed the dust off her hands and walked out to the theatre. 

Samantha was straightening her clothing as she walked out the door, so she didn't immediately notice her five visitors.  When she looked up, she froze in shock.  Chris didn't let her stay that way though.  He ran up to her and gave her a big hug. 

"Sam, it was amazing!  I'm so proud of you!"

Chris put her down and she found her voice.  "What are you doing here?  I was going to send you some tickets for next week!"

Chris smiled, "We're some of your corporate donors, silly girl!  Do you think we would let an opportunity to support the arts like this pass us by?"

Samantha hugged Chris again, and then made way for Joey and Lance.  Justin and JC hung back until the first three had gone ahead to the reception.

Justin presented Samantha with a bouquet while looking sheepishly at his feet.  "I know I'm the last person you wanted to see, Samantha, but I wanted to let you know that you did a great job and to thank you for letting us be involved.  And I wanted to say that I'm sorry."

Samantha lifted the flowers to smell them.  "Thank you, Justin.  I'm glad you came.  I had no idea that you guys were some of our sponsors."

"We were happy to be involved and to keep it quiet," he smiled.  "I know you have to go schmooze for a bit, but I was hoping maybe we could talk later, if that's all right."

She smiled, "Yes, Justin.  That would be fine."  She was willing to give Justin the benefit of the doubt and while they might never be the best of friends, she thought friendship with him just might be a possibility after all.

Justin disappeared and she was left with JC.  Her stomach flip-flopped, but she busied herself with her flowers and tried to pretend that she wasn't nervous.

"You never returned my calls," he said softly.

She nodded.  "I know.  I'm sorry."

He wasn't going to let it go quite that easily.  "Why not Sammie?"

She couldn't help but look up when he used his preferred nickname for her.  "I was scared," she whispered.  "I had convinced myself that there was no way that you liked me and then you went and kissed me and I realized that you had meant what you said when you told me I was pretty and I wasn't ready to believe it."

"You have to remember, JC, that I was going through a lot with my job and Justin and I wasn't in a good place as far as my self esteem went.  How could you like me when I hardly liked myself?"

He gently picked up her hand.  "You're pretty easy to like," he smiled.  "After all, how many guys can say that their girlfriend can pick them up and throw them across the room?"

She laughed and poked him with her elbow, "Have you always been such a brat?"

"Yeah," he giggled.  "You just never noticed before."

"I have to go and talk with my students and some of the other donors," she told him.

"I know, but before you do-"  he leaned over and kissed her.  "That's to help you remember that you are a special, pretty woman."

Sam blushed, "Thank you."  She kissed him back.  "Would you like to meet my students?"

"I'd love to.  Can I take you out for dinner after?"

She smiled, "Only if it's a date."