Prologue - How It All Began

It’s actually quite funny how fate can intervene so drastically in a person’s life. No? Don’t believe in fate? Well call it destiny, karma, coincidence, chance, whatever suits your fancy, but it’s there.

Something compels us to make the decisions we make, take the actions we take, and think the thoughts that cross our mind. As human beings, we take pride in our independence and ability to think and act for ourselves. We’re actually quite selfish if you think about it.

But never mind that. I was talking about fate. Now don’t argue with me (everybody is entitled to their own opinion after all) but there is something out there that accounts for everything that happens in our lives. Take my word for it, I’ve witnessed it firsthand.

Now, now, now, calm down. I know what you’re saying. Who does this inexperienced, twenty-something year old woman think she is? I won’t go and throw all my degrees in your face, but let’s just say that I deal with this kind of stuff on a daily basis.

Okay, now I’ve got your attention. I can see that little twinkle of intrigue in your eyes. And no, I don’t deal with psychos. I’m not that much of an outgoing person, though I’ll admit (as will others) that I do have my moments.

Let me introduce myself. My name is Genevieve Micelli. Quite a mouthful, I know. Let’s just say my parents were ones for original names. I have a younger brother named Brayden and an older sister named Meira, after all. Most people know me as Gen, Genny, or ‘that girl dating JC Chasez’.

Yup, that’s me, girlfriend to pop star extraordinaire JC Chasez, infamous for his song about sex and the time he licked the stage at Madison Square Garden. I’m sure you’d love to know how ordinary old me, a relationship therapist, snagged a guy as great as Josh. Sorry to say, but that’s another story entirely. A great story, if I may say so myself.

Here I go again, babbling on like you’ve got all the time in the world. I’m not here to talk about my love life, as wonderful as it may be. Now where was I? Ah yes, how I’ve witnessed fate firsthand. Well the story starts a few years back, before I had even met Piper Saunders or anybody close to her. It starts when the guys of Nsync were still together and were on the No Strings Attached tour.

I first met the guys through Justin. Yes, Justin as in Justin Timberlake, the heartthrob of the group. I know, crazy. I was working in the Memphis area at the time, and he had just come home for the Easter holiday, I believe it was. They were taking a break before getting ready for the NSA tour. So that was about four or five years ago, in 2000.

I had a friend (I’m not naming names seeing as though she and I had a falling out right after I started dating Josh) who was dating a guy by the name of Wade Robson. I know what you’re thinking, Wade Robson, the choreographer? Yup. Same guy. He choreographed many of the dances for the NSA tour, according to my friend.

So here I was, being dragged to some promotional party for some new dance studio of a friend of Wade’s. Confusing, I know. My friend insisted that I get out and see people; it had been altogether too long since my last boyfriend in her opinion. Of course, I felt like a third wheel the entire time. That was until I managed to bump into Justin.

He was there at Wade’s request (the two were still close at the time, it was before the whole Britney thing of course) and was as bored as I was. We hit it off right away. I guess we talked for hours according to my friend, who was extremely excited about the whole thing. Somehow, we got on the topic of my job as a relationship therapist (it’s sorta like a marriage counselor, but I don’t just stick to married couples), and he mentioned his friend JC was having problems.

Of course, I wasn’t really in the mood to move to another state just to help some spoiled pop brat with his relationship. I liked Justin and all, he reminded me a lot of my little brother, but there was no way I was going to drop everything and move to Florida, a state I didn’t even like to begin with. But as many know, Justin Timberlake can be a very persuasive person.

So a month later, I found myself in a new apartment in the heart of Orlando, their home base. I wasn’t exactly thrilled, but I kept myself motivated by the fact that it would only be temporary. If I only knew.

I met JC first, seeing as though he was the whole reason I was there to begin with. I wasn’t quite sure what to think about him at first. JC is a unique individual. He can be moody, thoughtful and insightful or he can be completely silly, joking around with Chris and acting like a little kid. If I could describe him in one word, it would have to be complex.

Of course, the news that JC was seeing a therapist traveled quickly through the group and I was soon bombarded with visits from Joey, Lance and Chris. If I must say, the most humorous visit was from Chris. He teased JC mercilessly, especially because of the fact that I was ‘a hot mama’ according to his expert eye. The guy is a laugh. I’m fully convinced that he’ll always be a kid at heart.

Gosh, look at that, I’m off topic again. It happens a lot with me. Anyway, the guys started their tour, and their manager thought it best if I tagged along, in case any of the other guys had a mental breakdown (even though I mentioned time and again that I was a relationship therapist). So here I was, getting paid to travel the country with five of the hottest musicians of the time, handing out advice left and right on everything from relationships to what to wear to a club.

That was when JC and I really clicked. He was never really into the clubbing scene if truth be told, and try as they might, none of the guys could ever convince me to accompany them to a late night party. The two of us ended up spending many a late nights watching The Simpson’s (I know, not very mature) and talking about anything and everything. It was like he was my other half.

That’s when our lovey dovey relationship really began, but I’m not going to go into details about it. I’m not one to spill my personal life to anybody who walks by. Besides, this story isn’t about the two of us. It’s really about Justin.

Of course, as everybody and their brother knows, Justin and Britney, the pop king and queen, broke up. She broke his heart, let me tell you, and if I ever saw that girl on the street, I don’t think I could control my actions. Justin really is like my little brother. I watch out for him whenever I can.

Justin never really was the same after that. Oh, he put on a brave face to the fans and the press, keeping the world in the dark about how much he really was hurting. But I knew it all. I’m not shy to admit that I was the first person he talked to. It’s what I do for a living, after all.

He seriously had even me fooled when he started dating actress Cameron Diaz. I was a little surprised at first, because she is so much older than him, but she made him happy. I’ve met her a few times, and she really is a sweet person, as much as people tried to play her off as a bitch. That was in 2003.

But they only dated for a year and broke up in early 2004, around April or May I think. Justin never really told me the reasoning for that, and I never tried to drag it out of him. I respect his privacy, and I knew he had his reasons.

So it was back to trying to get Justin to open up yet again. He was depressed, drank a lot, and became a stranger to me. It made me wonder what had happened to the carefree, happy man I had met at that party in 2000. The guy that seemed to attract people to him like a lamp does to a mosquito.

I did what I could, but there was only so much, as a therapist, that I was able to do. Only so many encouraging words and positive advice that he could take. That’s how I know fate stepped in. It sent Piper Saunders his way just when he needed her the most. This is where their story begins.