Chapter 16

December 31

The past 5 days, Meredith and Justin had spent together.  Either at her place or at his.  She had only spent Christmas Night with him and the night before.  But that was because she was helping him take down his Christmas tree and other decorations. 

It was 10 o'clock and Meredith was sleeping peacefully in the Guest bedroom.  Everyone knew that Meredith's favorite thing to do was sleep.  Justin knew the fact very well and was getting fed up with sitting on the couch watching TV, waiting for her to get up.  He knew he had a lot to do that day to get everything set up for the huge New Year's party given by Jive in a huge house owned by one of the CEOs of the company.  He needed to be out and about doing stuff by 11:30 and needed to get ready.  So, in order to actually see Meredith and tell her what she needed to do before that evening he needed to get her up.   He had tried 3 times before but didn't have the heart to wake her from her peaceful sleep. 

So he called his friends.

Justin dialed JC's number and informed him on the situation at hand.  After he hung up the phone, Justin smiled evilly to himself and went to his room to take a shower.

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Meredith squinted her eyes open.  She thought she heard someone enter her room.  But, when she looked around all she saw was comforter.  She giggled when she realized she was completely submerged under the covers.  She yawned and contemplated getting up.  But she was WAY too comfortable.

Suddenly she was consumed by the covers and being lifted and carried off.

"HEY!!! What is this?? Justin.  I swear I WILL kill you Timberfake.  Oh my Gosh.  What if I'm being kidnapped?  PUT ME DOWN!"  She screamed and wiggled around.   She felt the blood rush to her head and realized she was upside down.   She tried to rid herself of the covers but it was impossible.  She kept hearing muffled laughs.  Laughs she knew by heart.  But not Justin's laugh.

"JOEY FATONE!!!  I know your laugh!!!"  He chuckled and she listened some more.

"Chris??  I thought we were buddies!! I cannot believe you.  I hate both of you!"  She yelled and finally gave up. 

She heard a door open and running water.  Then she heard JC's voice.

"Hey, Justin. Is your pool heated?" 

"OH MY GOSH!  JOSHUA CHASEZ I SWEAR YOU ARE FREAKIN DEAD!  IF I GO IN THAT POOL YOU WILL NOT LEAVE THIS PLACE ALIVE!!!!"  She screamed to the person carrying her.  Her voice echoed through the large marble shower walls. Meredith then heard Justin's voice coming from the running water kinda muffled and echoing.

"The pool is PERFECTLY warm.  Honey, this is what you get for sleeping in!"  Justin laughed.

"I hate you all.  I really do."  She huffed and went limp.

"I thought you said you don't use the word hate.  I thought you said it was too strong of a word." Justin's laughing voice came muffled again from the water.

"EXACTLY!"  She profoundly said echoing off the walls.

The next thing she knew she was moving again.  A door closed and the sound of water dissipated.  She started bumping on JC's shoulder.  She was going down the steps.  After about a minute, another door was opened and Meredith could tell she was outside by the sound of birds and insects. 

"Meredith, we love you.  But we have to do this. Justin's orders."  Chris said.

She was thrown and suddenly was soaking wet and splashing around in a very cool pool. 

-Yeah, real heated Justin-

She submerged and gasped for air, finally removing herself from the comforter.  She swam to the steps of the pool to see 3 laughing faces.  She was EXTREMLY mad. 

Then Justin ran outside only in sweatpants that hung low at his waist.  His curls were lightly towel dried and his torso was a little damp.  Meredith tried not to smile but it came anyway.  She couldn't help but gawk at her boyfriend. 

-I must be THE luckiest girl alive.  LOOK at him.  Oh my goshhhhh.  Defiantly doable.  SHUT UP! -

He began laughing at the sight of her wet clothes sticking to her body.  That broke the spell Justin had over her.

She saw JC and Chris at the edge of the pool laughing hysterically, oblivious to her approaching body.  It didn't take much for her to push them in.  Once they were shocked and in the water she made her way to Joey.  She ringed out her hair and gave him an incredible sexy grin.  She stuck out her chest making him fully aware of her.  But he didn't realize she was backing him to the edge.  Before any of the other guys got out a, "Watch out Joe!"  she had pushed him in with her other kidnappers.  She crossed her arms over her stomach and smiled smugly at them.  She heard a distinctive laugh from a few feet away and turned to him.

Justin put his hands in front of him and stepped back as she moved to him. "No, Meredith! I just got out of the shower!"

"I know.  I just want to give you a good morning kiss."  She smiled sweetly and approached him.

He bent down staying away from her body and kissed her gently on the lips. She brought her arms around his neck and he backed away.

"I don't want to smell like chlorine, angel."  He said firmly.  She pouted something she RARELY did and he of course gave in. 

"But you DO look good in those clingy wet pjs." He gave her his infamous sexy half smile and stepped forward.

He wrapped his arms around her wet body and she moved her hands up from his chiseled chest to his shoulders and to the back of his neck.  She massaged his neck like she knew he loved and kissed him roughly.  She was trying to be a seductress, and was succeeding.  She wrapped her legs around his and Justin took this as a notion to be lifted.  He lifted her up and she straddled the front of his waist as he put his arms under her for support.  She kissed him as forcefully as she could.  He was oblivious to the screams of "GOOO JUSTIN!!!!"  and "YOU ARE GETTING NEAR THE EDGE!" Meredith did hear and pulled away bring his top lip with her and finally releasing it.

"Good morning Justin."  She said monotone and put all her weight on the direction of him.  He couldn't balance himself and fell backwards into the pool.  Meredith was already wet so she didn't care.  She swam fast out of the pool and grabbed a towel from the bathhouse.  As she wrapped herself in the towel, she sprinted back into the house and ran upstairs.  She immediately ran into Justin's shower.  The water was already warm so she discarded her clothes and got in.  She smiled at how she had gotten her boys back.  That will teach them.

After about five minutes of standing under the water she turned to look at all of Justin's products.  She didn't even know half of the shampoo and hair stuff he had. 

-Cant he have just like normal pert plus or something-

Just as she thought that, something was thrown at her.  She looked at it and saw it was a bikini.

"What?" She said looking at it then heard Justin's voice.

"Put it on.  WE have to take a shower TOGETHER!  JC is in the bath house shower.  Joey is in the Guest Bedroom one, and Chris is still playing in the pool like the 5-year-old he is.  I have to, M.  I gotta go pick up my clothes in an hour and tell you all the details about today. I don't have time to play around."

"Whatever...." She mumbled and put on the bathing suit.  "OK."

Justin peeked behind the marble wall that separated the shower with the rest of the bathroom.  He smiled and she glared at him.

"You know I should be the one glaring at YOU!"  He stepped further in the shower and immediately picked up a bottle of...something.

"I'm pissed off at you, J. I can't believe you let them do that.  I was fully awake by the time they picked me up off my bed."  She said annoyed.  She watched him as he started massaging his hair with some product.

-Why does he have to look so good? -

"Well, that was quite rude to throw me in the pool after I JUST showered."  He pushed her out of the way and got under the running water to wash out the stuff.

-Good, now I can't see her and be tempted. -

"What can I say? Payback is a bitch.  By the way.  What should I use?  I'm use to NORMAL shampoo."  She looked at him.  He wiped the water from his eyes and looked around his shower.  He picked up a bottle and handed it to her.  She looked at the bottle and was unable to even read it.  It was in French.

"What is this?  If this is hair dye I swear I will kill you Timberfake."  She said snobbishly.  He groaned and rolled his eyes.  He turned his back to her and finished taking his shower quickly.  She had put the French stuff reluctantly in her hair and rinsed it out.  When she opened her eyes she saw Justin, leaning against the marble wall, staring at her, adoringly.  She frowned and glared.

"What, is my hair blonde now, or something?" 

"No, no.  It's was shampoo.  I just am admiring my girlfriend all wet and sexy in the shower."  He smiled sexily and she groaned and turned around.

"Anyways, do you have any conditioner?  Normal conditioner."  She said looking at all the products.  Justin came up behind her and wrapped one arm around her, bringing her back to his body and resting his hand firmly on her exposed stomach. He reached with the other in front of her and picked up a bottle. 

"I'll do this for you."  He squeezed the substance in one hand in front of her body.  She leaned back against his bare chest and smiled.  Yeah, he could be a pain, like this morning.  But she loved him.  She would ALWAYS love him.  He brought the stuff to her hair and started massaging it into her scalp and throughout her hair.  She groaned as his long fingers and strong hands ran through her hair.

"I like the way this stuff smells."  He whispered in her ear.  He pushed her a little so she stood under the running water and he helped the water get to all the places as he lifted and tilted her head.  He smiled at her tightly closed eyes.  When he was done he pulled her back out of the water and wrapped her in a hug.

"I'm sorry about this morning.  But I'm glad I got to take a shower with you.  We should do this again sometime."  He snickered and kissed her wet cheek.

"I'm sorry I pushed you in, actually I'm not sorry.  It was a whole lot of fun kissing you.  And I'm glad you put on swim shorts before coming in here and actually giving me a bathing suit.  That was thoughtful.  Of course, I do see you pick out the skimpiest one I have."  She faked smiled and left the shower, patting his shoulder on her way.  She picked up a towel and started drying herself off.  Justin followed her actions and smiled grandly at her wrapped snugly in a white towel.

"A boy can dream cant he.  Why don't you ever wear the bikini, anyway?"

"Because I feel like a slut in it.  By the way, how did it get here?"  She said stepping out of the bathroom and entering his bedroom.  She looked around.  The big sleigh bed was so tempting.  She hadn't slept in it yet.  She had slept on his couches in the living room and game room and in the Guest bedroom bed, but never in his bed.  She shrugged off the thought when he spoke.

"I stole it from your house in case of emergency.  Like if you came over and we wanted to go swimming.  I know you would NEVER want to skinny dip so I just figured I would get one of your bathing suits for you."

"Oh, and of course being the kind, yet perverted Justin that you are, you picked the one that shows the most skin."  She smiled snugly and left his room to enter the guest bedroom and put on some more suitable clothes.

---------

Justin pressed in the code to the downstairs door of Meredith's apartment building.  The door unlocked and he stepped inside the building.  He walked up the steps and came to her door.  He smiled to himself before knocking.

-I wonder what she is wearing.  Oh I cannot WAIT to see her. -

Ms. Grenard interrupted his thoughts. "Hello, dear!"

"JUSTINNN!" Samantha ran up and hugged his leg.

"Hi.  How are you two doing?"  Justin said returning the little girls hug.

"Oh just fine.  We are going back to her parents house for a New Year's eve party."  Ms. Grenard spoke kindly.

"Yeahhh.  You look nice Justy.  Are you going to a party?  Is Mere going with you?"  Samantha asked wide-eyed.

"Yes, Sam.  I'm going to a party and Meredith is my date."  Justin made a funny face and she giggled.

"I think she really likes you.  She baby-sitted me one time and there were a lot of pictures of you and her in her house." She brought her hand to Justin's ear and cupped her mouth.  She whispered.  "There was one of you kissing her."  She erupted into giggles and Ms. Grenard grabbed her granddaughter's hand.

"Come on, dear.  Justin has things to do and we need to get you back."

"OK.  Bye Justy.  Happy New Year."  Samantha waved and followed her grandmother out of the apartment.  Justin smiled. 

-That girl is too cute. -

He knocked on the door and heard a muffled voice.

"It's unlocked, J."

He opened the door and stepped into her apartment.  He looked around but didn't see her.  Justin quietly walked to her bedroom and saw her in her bathroom applying a bit of mascara.  He leaned against the frame and stared at the girl he was in love with. 

She had on a tight black skirt that cut off above her knees and had random patches of leather and velvet on it.  Her top was a sexy black leather tube top and she had on a black shoulder shirt.  Her feet were clad with high rectangle heels with silver mirror beads on the black straps over the toe and ankle.  One strap curved over her foot and it sparkled in the light.    Her olive skin had something on it, glitter, it glowed and sparkled. A thick, yet simple onyx and silver necklace hung highly on her neck.  Her hair was very, very curly and brushed against her shoulders.  Her brown eyes shone through the smoky eyeshadow.  Her lips were glossed over in a natural but different purplish color.  Justin thought there was one word to describe her.

All out, SEXY.

"You look, DAMNNNNNN FINE!"  Justin said still against the doorframe. 

She turned around and her eyes went wide at his appearance.  He had on black shoes, tight black leather pants, a white silvery shirt and a long black leather jacket.  His hair was tamed and shorter than usual. And the curls had no gel in them so they were still soft.

She turned off the bathroom light and walked towards him.  She stopped when they were a foot apart.

"You look...I cant even describe it.  Just...umh...I lovvvee you."  She strained the word love and made a goofy face.  He giggled and gently placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Can I kiss you?"  He asked leaning down, staring into her eyes.

"You don't have to ask that Justin.  You ARE my boyfriend, remember?"  She smiled fully and he smiled back.

"Yeah, sometimes I think that it's just a dream, that I don't really have you."  He cocked his head to one side, bit his bottom lip and leaned closer.

"Just kiss me already."  Meredith stepped closer and their lips met.  Justin wrapped his arms around her and arched her back.  He leaned over her and deepened the kiss, but she pulled away.

"What?"  He asked still centimeters away from her lips.

"I don't want to have to re-do my lip stick and we need to go.  We are already late."  She leaned in for one more sweet kiss and stepped away from him.  Meredith held out her hand and he took it.  She walked into her living room and grabbed her purse and headed to the door.

"You know what? We match, perfectly, with the leather and all."  Justin said looking at himself and then her.

"Yeah, but we don't need the clothes for that."  She smiled sweetly and they walked out of her apartment.

"I saw Sam and Ms. Grenard before I knocked."  He said swinging her arm with his as their hands were locked together.

"Oh really?  What were those two party animals up to?"  She laughed quietly.

"Well, They were going to their own little party.  Sam told me she thought you had a crush on me.  She said she saw lots of pictures of us in your house and that she saw one of us kissing."  He whispered in a little kid's voice.

Meredith giggled and kissed his cheek.  "She's right! I do have a crush on you."  She smiled and he turned and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"You have lipstick on your cheek, sweetie."  She rubbed it off and he opened the car door for her.

"Thanks.  My lady..." He motioned grandly at his car and helped her into his Roadster. Once she was in, he shut the door and jogged past the front of his car and into the driver's seat.

"This is going to be a fun night."  She said looking out of the car.

Justin turned on to the highway. "Yeah, I wish we could put the top down, but I don't want your perfect curls to mess up.  I really, REALLY like your hair like that."

"MY perfect curls?   What about yours?"  She giggled and ruffled his hair.

"Heyyyyy.."  He swatted her away.

"You got a hair cut didn't you?"

"You noticed!"  He said surprised.

"Well, I take notice when the 'fro is under control.  Besides it's not really an afro any more.  It's a little short.  But I'll still call it an afro."  She smiled smugly as he groaned.

"I did not, and do not have an afro."

"Oh really?  Do NOT make me break out the photos from the end of the summer.  That thing was like 4 inches.  Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia."  She grinned and turned up the radio.

He gave her a look that said 'don't touch MY radio' and began singing along.

"Since when did you start listening to soft rock stations?"  Meredith giggled and it turned into a laughing frenzy as soon as she saw the look of disbelief on Justin's face.

"This is a good song right here!  Don't crack!"  He pointed to the radio as Sting's "Field's of Gold" filled the speakers.

She let the gentle music take over her senses and mind and she hadn't even realized they had parked, and Justin had got out and opened her door until he spoke.  "You gonna sit here, or come in with me?"

She smiled sheepishly and put her hand in his letting him pull her out of the car.  They were at a huge white mansion with limos and luxurious cars a lined on the curb and circle driveway of the house.

Justin and her walked up the driveway and towards the front door.  She squeezed his hand tighter.  This was her first big executive meeting and she was quite nervous.  Justin looked over at her and smiled, reassuring her confidence just a bit. 

The door swung open and Justin was immediately put into his charming meet and greet attitude.  "Why Justin, so good of you to make it."  Said an older looking man with a tux on.

"Why thank you Mr. Suzas, it was so kind of you to invite us."

"Sure, sure.  Who is this beautiful woman you have with you?"  The man motioned to Meredith who was halfway hiding behind Justin.

Justin pulled her out in front of him.  "Oh this is Meredith Willis.  She's Nsync's personal assistant.  She's also my girlfriend."  Justin winked at her.  "Meredith this is Mr. Suzas."  Meredith timidly shook hands with the older man.  "He is the Vice President of Jive records."

Meredith's brown eyes immediately widen. 

"We are going to go on in and mingle a bit.  Bye Mr. Suzas."  Justin charmingly said.

"All right, you two have fun.  Good meeting you Miss Willis."  He called after them.

Before she got a chance to say anything else Justin had pulled her through the foyer.  "Wow, this is a NICE house."  Meredith breathed in awe of the crystal chandeliers and exquisite paintings.

"Yeah, ohh I see JC." Meredith allowed Justin to pull her through a crowded living room towards a corner where JC, Joey and a girl she had never seen were standing.

"Hey guys, whoa M, you look FINE!"  JC said in shock, as he looked her up and down.

Meredith blushed and hugged JC.  "So do you."

He motioned to a short, plain, yet elegant looking girl beside him.  "Meredith this is Rachel, my date."

Meredith smiled and greeted the girl.  She was kinda shy and very quiet, but seemed very nice.  Joey swung his glass of champagne through the air.  "MEREY!! Looking TOO Good."  He hugged her side, pulling her away from Justin, who shot him a look.  "If Justin gives you any problems you come STRIAGHT to me!  I'll handle it."

Justin pulled Meredith back to him.  "In that outfit, she'll be giving me problems.  And Joe, its not even 10 yet, lay off the alcohol for a while, bud."  Justin chuckled as Joey waved him off as a flock of girls passed by, and he of course followed them.

Meredith giggled at his antics and wrapped her arm around her boyfriend and snuggled to him close, as they began mingle and party into the New Year.

--------------------------

Meredith and Justin were on the dance floor grinding away, like normal.  They had been there for about an hour just dancing and having fun.  Then Justin got a tap on his shoulder.

"Yes?"  Justin turned his head but kept his smiling eyes on the girl in front of him, Meredith.

"Justin, I've been at this party all night and you haven't even spoken to me."  A country squeak came from behind him.  He turned fully around and smiled.

"Hey, Brit.  How's it going?"  He gave her a short hug and moved out of the way so he could introduce the two girls.

"Is this her?"  Britney asked looking at Justin but pointing to Meredith.  Meredith looked confused but just shrugged it off.  Justin simply nodded. 

"Oh my gosh.  Whenever I speak to Justin, all he does is talk about you, and how much he wants me to meet you.  I'm Britney Spears."  Britney stuck out her hand and Meredith took it.

-Duh, I know who you are.  Who doesn't? -

"I'm Meredith. It's great to finally meet you."  Meredith smiled almost surprised that her outfit actually covered her body.

-Shut up.  Be nice. -

"Same here.  Justin told me-" She got interrupted.

"HEY GUYS!!  Ten minutes until the REAL millennium."  Chris ran up and shouted to the 3 people.  "Oh hey Brit."

"Hi, Chris.  How are you?"  Britney asked.

"Great, great. Joey was looking for you earlier.  He wants to dance with you, I think."

"Oh gosh.  Well I better go see if I can find him.  Bye Guys.  Great meeting you Meredith."

"You too, Britney."  With that Britney walked away.

"So, I see you guys have been breaking it down as usual."  Chris commented as Justin pulled Meredith in front of him and wrapped his arms around her.

"Yeah, you know us."  Justin kissed her temple.

"Hey, J. I'm going to go request a song.  I'll be right back."  Meredith pulled away.

"What are you going to request?"  Justin shouted after her.

"It's a surprise."  She winked and turned to walk away.

A few minutes later she returned and smiled brightly at Chris and Justin who were in the middle of some conversation.

"Well?"  Justin asked.  She just smiled and started giggling.  Then the DJ's voice came over the speakers.

"WE have a special, last request before the ball drops.  It's to J from his Angel.  This goes back a few years, but it is a GREAT one to dance to."

Just then the sounds of an electric guitar came on and a beat with Blackstreet talking in the background filled the room.

"I LOVE THIS SONG!"  Justin opened his mouth excited.

"I know."  Meredith started walking to him and he gave her a sexy grin back as the rock remix to Blackstreet's "If you need a fix" blasted in the speakers.  She poked at his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck.  He slung one arm around her waist and rested the other on her hip.  He two started dancing extremely close to each other.  They were getting stares and whistles from whoever was around.  Meredith caught Britney pointing at her and yelling.

"She dancing better than ME.  And I do it for a living!"

Meredith just smiled and turned around so her back faced Justin.  Lance who was nearby yelled.

"OH NO!  He's going to unleash it!"  The *Nsync guys laughed while everyone else was clueless.  They all started chanting "Go BOOTY, Go Booty, go go, Go Booty."  Meredith rolled her eyes and started moving her waist and hips to the music as everyone stood in shock.  Except for those who had seen it before and were cheering at the couple in the middle of the dance floor.

"Sorry folks, we gotta stop the music to tell you all that we have 1 more minute until the year 2001" The DJ announced.

Cheers and yells came from all throughout the house.  Justin stopped dancing and turned Meredith around so that she was facing him. 

"Well, the last minute of 2000 is upon us."  He said grandly bending down close to her face.

"You are so cheesy." Meredith shook her head at his puppy dogface.  "Justin..."

He came as close as possible to her lips without touching them.  "Mmm huh?"

Meredith wrapped her arms around his neck and he arched her back with his hand.  She whispered against his mouth.  "Your not supposed to kiss me until 12:00."

He smiled and moved his mouth to her ear, kissing it softly. "11:59, 12:00.  Its all the same."

In the background the countdown was at 15.... then 10.  Justin kissed Meredith's lower neck at 10 making a trail of kisses up to her jawline as every number was said.

"5...." He whispered and kissed her cheek.

"4..." He kissed her nose.

"3..." He kissed her chin.

"2..." He kissed the side of her mouth.  And pulled away to look at her face.

"1...HAPPY NEW YEAR!"  Just as that was said, Justin pressed his mouth against hers in a very sensual kiss.  He pressed his body firmly against hers and explored her mouth with his tongue.  She could only mumbled against his mouth.

The music had started back up and everyone was oblivious to the two making out on the middle of the dance floor because they were busy celebrating the New Year.

Meredith and Justin had moved away from the dance floor and to a set of large steps that led to the upstairs.  Justin pulled away and took her hand, leading her up the stairs.  They passed a few couples, mostly who were drunk.  But they didn't care. 

Justin knocked on a door and cracked it open.  He saw it was empty and pulled Meredith inside.  He slammed the door shut behind them by pressing his body against hers and pinning her between the door and him.  He devoured her mouth.  He left no spot of it untouched by his own.  Meredith clawed at his back and pulled up on his shirt, untucking it from his pants.  He quickly picked her up to where her legs were wrapped around his torso.  She began to unbutton his shirt, fast. 

Justin moved over to the large bed in the room and laid her down on it, crawling on top of her and shrugging off his shirt in the process.  He kissed her forcefully then pulled back. She grabbed his wifebeater and pulled it over his head. He licked her lips with his tongue then pushed his tongue past her lips and back into her mouth.  She clawed his shoulders with her fingernails and broke the skin a few times as he thrusted his tongue back and forth into her mouth.  Justin groaned against her mouth when she did this. 

Meredith pushed her body up off the bed and he rolled over on his back bringing her with him.  She straddled his stomach; both of her knees were bent by his sides.  She never parted with his lips as she pulled off her shoulder shirt.  Her hands then moved to his hair.  She ran her fingers roughly through his curls and as she consumed his lips. Every now and then she would pull at his hair causing him to whimper.

Justin's hand rested on her back and found the zipper to leather top.  He slowly unzipped it as Meredith kissed her way down his neck and to his chest. The tube top fell into one long piece of leather just lying between Meredith and Justin.  His hands ran through her curly brown hair and massaged her head as she practically made out with his defined chest.  She sat up on his stomach and took the undone leather top from his bare chest and threw it over her shoulder. 

But then she stopped.

She slowly brought her hand down to her side and stared at Justin.  He stared right back at her.

He was lying still on the bed with just his pants on.  His shoes had been kicked off and his hands were now resting on her butt.  His lips were pinkish from the kissing and her lipstick, and slightly opened, breathing deeply.  His chest, which shone in the dim light from his own sweat and her saliva quickly, heaved up and down.  His once tamed and short curls stuck out in every direction.

She was no better.  She still had on her sparkly shoes.  All of both of her legs were exposed as her skirt was bunched up around her waist.  It had rode up and now stopped right above her belly button.  Her black underwear was showing underneath her.  Her top was only adorned with a black tube bra than hung low and heaved up and down with her breathing. It was in desperate need of being pulled up before too much was shown.  Her once curly hair had falling limp from his touch.  And her lipstick was no longer in existence but her lips were extremely red and swollen.  They were a lot poutier than usual and she was trying to catch her breath as best as she could.

Finally Justin spoke.

"Whoa..." He said in a low voice his eyes widening even more.  She just simply nodded.  He let out a long breath.  Justin closed his eyes and took his hands from her to run his fingers through his wild hair.  Meredith sat there on his stomach, still stunned.

"Come here..." Justin finally, said pulling her down on top of him.  Her cheek rested on his sticky chest and she closed her eyes.

"We were REAL close there, J."  She whispered against him.

"I know.  TOO close." 

"I told you I wouldn't be able to control myself."  She quietly giggled.

"No, I think it was those 2 1/2 glasses of Champaign I had earlier."

She rolled her eyes. "I think it is our attraction to one another."

Justin sighed, shook his head and pushed her off of his chest.  "No, Meredith. I'm supposed to be able to control myself.  This got way out of hand.  God, I'm so sorry.  I wish I could just respect your wishes and control my feelings and emotions.  But sometimes they overwhelm me and I don't know what to do. I'm so so so very sorry."  He looked at her for forgiveness and she looked away at the comforter.

"Justin...I'm NOT sorry.  And I'm NOT fighting with you.  I don't need an apology.  We stopped ourselves.  That shows that we can do this.  We CAN control ourselves.  If we weren't able to, you and me, well, we wouldn't be talking right now."  She snickered and leaned back down on his chest.  "You'd be rockin' my world right about now, baby."  She tried not to laugh but it came anyway.  Soon he was chuckling right along with her.

"Happy New Year Justin."  Meredith said moving her head and kissing him sweetly on the lips.  She pulled away and he sighed happily.

"Happy New Year, angel."  He pushed his head off the pillow and pressed his lips quickly to hers and sat up on the bed.  "We need to get dressed.  I don't want anyone to come up here and get any ideas, especially Joey."

Meredith laughed and pushed herself off the bed and pulled up on her bra.  She grabbed their clothes and threw his at him.  They quickly dressed and stood up facing each other.  He took both of her hands and brought them to his lips.  He kissed them and led her to the door.

"If anyone asks..." Justin spoke.

"...We were just TALKING."  Meredith finished laughing.

The couple walked downstairs hand in hand.  No one noticed them.  But soon JC approached them with Rachel in his arms.

"Hey you two.  Where did you run off?  And Meredith wasn't your hair curly?"  He slurred a bit, obviously he had been drinking like most of the people there.

"Oh well we were upstairs...talking." Meredith looked at Justin and he leaned down and kissed her.

"Oh yeah, sure.  You guys are ALWAYS "Talking"."  He made the quotation symbol with his hands and busted into giggles. 

"We are going to head home.  That OK?"  Justin looked at Meredith and she nodded.

"Well, have fun."  JC and Rachel walked away.

Meredith and Justin made their way out of the house, thanking the owner and stopping to say goodbye to Britney and Chris who they saw on their way.

Meredith leaned on Justin's shoulder as they walked to his car.  They got there and he opened the door for her.

"Let's put the top down.  My hair is already a mess, so it won't matter."

"Alrighty."  He shut her door and got in on his side.  Justin pushed a button and the top popped open and folded behind them.  Meredith stretched and put on her seatbelt as Justin pulled off the curb.  He turned on his radio and increased the volume.  Meredith slid down in her seat and closed her eyes as Justin's voice and Richard Marx's “Now and Forever” filled her ears