(8:00 on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, 2000)

Alexandria parked her car behind a rather nice Mercedes E-class and Chrysler van that were inside a garage. Her beat up truck looked out of place at the two story, nice brick home. Her truck looked out of place in the whole neighborhood. But she didn't care.

This was her workplace. But more importantly, THIS was her second home.

She went to the side door that was in the garage and checked to see if the door was unlocked. It was, so she just went right on in. She saw Paul at the kitchen table looking over some papers and there was a coffee mug beside him.

"Hey, Alex."

"Hi, Paul. How are things today?" She walked to the refrigerator and got her out a Snapple Orangeade.

That was one thing that she loved about that place. ALWAYS had Snapple Orangeade.

"They're all right. Lynn is in the den. I think she is on the phone with Justin still but you can go on in."

"OK. Where's Jon?"

"Play practice. He'll be back soon." With a soft smile she watched as the older man pushed his glasses further up on the bridge of his nose and went back to his paperwork.

Alexandria walked into the spacious den, smiling at Lynn who was relaxed in a chair laughing.

"Well, tell Chris I don't want him putting anything in my boy's toothpaste...I thought you said you guys were too old for practical jokes...yeah, obviously It's Chris! What am I thinkin?"

Alex smiled brightly. Lynn was always so happy whenever she talked to her son on the phone. She didn't get to see him as much as she would like with his career. But Alexandria had never seen someone more proud of their son than Lynn was.

And Jonathan.

Jonathan wanted to BE his older brother. Some days he would walk around and demand people to call him Justin, instead of Jon.

And that's why she hated Nsync so much. Whenever she was with Jon that's all she listened to. Non-stop. Alex would try to get him to change to something else. But no, never. Nsync was all you could listen to in his mind. She use to like Nsync, but you can only hear "It's Gonna Be Me" so many times before the whole "me/may" thing starts to get to you.

The Harless's were probably the people that she was thinking about when she almost got an ulcer contemplating the CD burner. She had heard Lynn talk about Napster and how her son and members of the group discouraged use of it.

But she had to admit; she had had so much fun making new CDs.

That was her problem, she worried too much about other people. She worried WAY too much.

Alexandria walked over to a small table that had pictures scattered randomly in nice frames while she took a gulp of her drink. She loved this family.

She wished she could be a part of this family. Ones with Lynn, Paul, Jon, and Justin were scattered around. She picked up one of Lynn and Paul on their wedding day. It was such a beautiful picture. But her favorite of all of them was the one they had of Jonathan and Justin.

Justin, looking like he did earlier in the year, had Jon on his back. They were both laughing and smiling beautiful smiles.

You could see the love for one another radiating through that photo.

Alex always had something in her mind that made her doubt Justin. She had never met the guy and talked to him for maybe two minutes on the phone, once. But she didn't think he was the best brother he could be.

He didn't get to see how much his brother missed him and loved him and wanted him to be there.

But she understood. Justin loved his job. A lot like she loved hers.

Still she wished the brothers got to spend more time together. The way Jon talked, they had so much fun together and he was the best creature on this earth. But that's how most younger brother's felt towards their older sibling.

She picked up a new picture that was there and smiled. It was one of her and Jon. She remembered that picture all too well.

~~~

"Hey LEXY!! Get in here, Justin is about to be on TV!!"

"I'm coming Jon, let me get our popcorn."

Alexandria walked into the living room to see Jon sitting Indian style on the floor mesmerized by the TV show.

She sat down by him and handed him a Capri Sun and set the bowl of popcorn in front of them. Without removing his eyes from the screen he picked up a handful of popcorn.

Then his smile stretched as far as the Mississippi River. "Looky, it's Justin." He pointed to the screen. Alex looked at the screen and saw Nsync on TV for the preshow of the 2000 VMA's.

"Hey mommy!" Jon screamed at the TV when he caught a glimpse of his mother.

"Look at your mom, all dressed up."

"She's beautiful, like you." Jon said struggling to get his straw in the Capri sun package.

"Oh, shut up."

"I'm serious. You are beautiful," he said in his childish voice.

"And so are you." She ruffled his hair.

"No, Grandma says I'm handsome!"

After a few moments, after Nsync had left the screen Jon spoke up. "Let's take pictures of ourselves. I'll dress up as Justin and you can dress up like Britney."

"Honey, I don't look ANYTHING like your brother's girlfriend."

"But you can wear one of those shirts that shows your bellybutton and then you will."

~~~

Alex remembered laughing at Jon's comment. The picture was of Jon with a white turtleneck on and sand colored pants from abercrombie kids. He had on purple sunglasses like Justin had worn to the VMA's. He looked like a little version of Justin. Alexandria, on the other hand, had put on a blonde wig that Jon had found in a closet, kept on her jeans, and a tank top that his mom used as a cleaning rag. They cut the shirt off to show her stomach and took photos of each other. They were posing for the camera. Alex was blowing a kiss at the camera and Jon had on a look that said, "Don't mess with me" with his arms crossed over his chest.

She had a copy sitting on her nightstand. That picture was taken after she had been baby-sitting Jon for about two weeks. They had clicked immediately.

"OK, so you are going to grandma's when?....OK, then you are coming home, right?....good...I know....Justin, are you going to be able to come see Jon in his play?...It'll mean so much to him."

Alexandria smiled at Lynn who rolled her eyes at her son over the phone and Alex giggled in response. She wondered what Lynn wanted from her. It was rare that Lynn would ask her to come over on a Sunday, especially when Jon wasn't home.

Alex walked over to the couch and sat down. She picked up a magazine on the table as she sat her drink on a coaster and looked over the cover. She held it up to Lynn with a raised eyebrow and Lynn mouthed "Jon". It was one of those magazines dedicated to Nsync that you found on the bottom shelf of the magazine aisle in the Grocery store. A teenybopper magazine.

She heard the garage door slam and heard a familiar and wonderful voice ring out in the house.

"GUESS WHAT DADDY? I got the part of Joseph in the Christmas play!!"

There was laughter and talking coming from the kitchen and before Alex knew it the sound of her name "Lexy" and pitter-patter of little feet were heard. Then a heavy object was placed in her lap. She looked at the child who had plopped down on her like she was a chair.

"Guess what?" He looked up at her brightly and said loudly. "Shh, Jon, I'm talking to Justin." His mother said.

"JUSTIN!?! I want to talk to him." Jon said with pleading eyes.

"Hold on a second, OK?"

"K." He turned his attention back to Alex. "So, Timmy broke his arm and he can't be in the play. So they asked ME to be Joseph!"

"Jon I'm so proud of you." She hugged him tightly. "I know, I don't have to be a sheep anymore!!"

They both laughed and Jon and Alex started talking about different things. Well, mostly Jon was talking.

"Yeah, Justin...you HAVE to be there now, he got the part of Joseph....yeah, he wants to talk to you...hold on...Jon, come talk to your brother." Lynn told him.

He hopped off Alex's lap and went to grab the cordless phone. "Hey...uh huh...I'm very excited that I got Joseph....YOU'RE GOING TO BE THERE!?! YESSSSS!!....When are you coming home?...Oh great...I want you to meet Lexy....my baby-sitter...well, she's more like a friend...ewww, no she's not my girlfriend....She's too old....she could be your girlfriend!!!....Well, why don't you go out with Britney and Lexy?.....What's a pimp?.....No, TELL ME!!!...JUUUUSSSTTTIINNNN....Fine then....no, I'm not mad....OK, then I'll talk to you later....Bye Bye BYEEEEEE...Yeah?....I love you too." As Jon handed the phone back to his mother Alex clutched her heart. If that wasn't the cutest thing then what was?

Jon and Alex talked while Lynn finished her conversation. When she cut off the phone, she sighed and looked at Jon. "Come here, honey. I'm so proud of you." The son and mother hugged and Jon crawled up on her lap and began playing with her curly hair.

"Why is Alex here? She never baby-sits on Sundays." Jon asked looking more enthused with her hair than his mother.

"Well, Justin gets Christmas break in a week and he said he is going to grandma's for a few days before he comes home. Well, I decided that me and Paul are going to go up there and surprise him."

His eyes lit up. "YEAH!! We get to see Justin early?"

"Sorry, buddy, me and daddy do. But you have to stay because you have school and play practice."

"But mommmmmy...I wanna see Justin, too." He pouted.

"Honey, if I could get you out of school I would, but I can't. And you have a major role in the play and are going to need to be there for practices."

"Who will I stay with?" Jon's pout continued as he laid his head on his mother's chest.

"Well, that's why Alexandria is here. I'm wondering if you wouldn't mind staying with him for 4 days. You can stay here and you know I'll pay for everything. If it's too much, I understand. I know you have school."

"It shouldn't be a problem. School for him starts at 9:30 right? And ends at 2:45?" Lynn nodded running a hand over her son's head as he yawned.

"Then that shouldn't be a problem."

"Yeah, it's just me and you, Lexy." Jon smiled brightly.

"Great. I'll call you later with details I'm still trying to work things out. I don't know why Justin wants to go by my momma's before coming home?"

"Well, if you need anything else just call. But, I need to go, I got finals coming up in a few weeks and I need to get some projects done."

"Thanks Alex. You are...you are just a life saver." Lynn smiled picking up her growing boy that was looking tired.

"Sure."

"Bye Lexy," Jon said. Lynn handed Jon over to Alexandria and she hugged the boy and kissed his cheek before setting him on the ground. "Bye Jonboy, go get some rest."

She turned and walked back through the kitchen, saying goodbye to Paul, throwing her empty Snapple bottle in the trash, and walking to her truck.

She was happy. Very happy. She would get to spend 4 days with her best friend. Just her and him. Having fun. And getting her mind off things.