Next morning, 8:30

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Justin crept in his old bedroom for the second time that morning. The first time had been about 30 minutes ago when he came in to get some clothes. Mike had just arrived at his house and Justin was going up stairs to place a note on his nightstand for Alexandria.

He sat the folded up piece of paper right beside her glasses so that she would be sure to see it. His blue eyes smiled at the scene before him.

Neither of them were under the covers. Alex was practically sitting up, with Jon leaning on her shoulder and her arm draped over him. A blanket was gently over their laps and a "Harry Potter" book was lying in Alex's lap face down. Her head was tilted to the side towards Jon and they were both sleeping quietly.

He leaned over and pressed a kiss to Alex's forehead and then to his brothers. Jon yawned and opened his eyes tiredly.

"Shh, buddy. It's time to get up." Justin whispered.

Jon's eyes opened more. "I'm hungry."

"Well, come on, don't wake Lexy up." Justin held out his arms and picked up Jon, trying not to stir the girl sleeping there too much. Jon hung on to Justin's torso as they walked out of the room.

"What are YOU doin up in the MORNING!!" Jon giggled and Justin gave him a teasing mean look.

"I've got stuff I gotta do. Mom's already got your breakfast ready for you to eat. And she sat out your clothes to go to school. Will you wake up Lexy for me when you get done with breakfast?"

Jon nodded and Justin sat him down and let him down once they reached the bottom of the steps. Jon spotted Mike and he squealed and ran over to the big black man, casually sitting on the couch, reading a magazine.

"MIIIKKKEE!!!" Jon crawled up and wrapped his arms around the big mans stomach.

"Hey, Little J. What's up my man?"

"Not much." He pulled away as Justin began to speak.

"Now Jon, I'm putting a lot of responsibility on you. Me and Mike have to go. Can you remember to wake up Lexia once you've eaten? She needs to take you to school this morning ok? Can you do this for me buddy?"

"Yeah, sure!" He said happily.

"Ok, we gotta go now. So go eat and then do what you are supposed to ok?"

"Ok. Bye Justin, bye Mike." Jon hugged Mike once more and jumped off the couch and ran over to hug Justin.

"Ok, Jon, bye." Justin giggled and opened the door as Jon ran off to the kitchen.

Mike shook his head. "He is so cute."

Justin smiled smugly and opened the front door. "Yeah, mom says we are just alike."

"Uh huh, suuuurrree." Mike rolled his eyes and stepped out into the warm morning Florida sunshine.

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Alexandria parked in the space outside of Nsync's management building. She sighed and cut off her car and relaxed back in her seat. It was 10:30 and the meeting didn't start till another 30 minutes. She picked up Justin's note that was lying on her passenger seat. She read it...again.

"What's up you sexy thang you? I went out this morning to run some errands. I might be a few minutes late to the meeting, but its ok. Danielle will sit with you so you won't be alone. Just save me a seat ok? (preferably beside you) I went and got your car for you this morning. The keys are on the kitchen table. Can you take Jon to school for mom? He needs to be there by 9:30. I think that's all that I need to tell you. Oh yeah, I got a surprise for you, but you will find out about that later. Have a good morning, Lexia.

I love you SOOOOOO much!!!!

Justin"

She had been quite surprised when she learned he had gone and gotten her car for her. She had done everything he asked, taken Jon to school. Her mind had been wondering where he had been all morning, and what this surprise was that he had in store for her. She looked down at the note one more time, staring at the words "I love you SOOOOO much."

He didn't realize that reading that had been her happiest moment she had had in the past 24 hours. She sighed and put the note in her purse and stepped out of her Jeep.

She entered through the front doors and immediately went to the front desk and asked the receptionist where she was supposed to go. The lady checked off her name and pointed her in the right direction.

Her legs carried her to the elevator where she got on and traveled to the 3rd floor. The elevators dinged and the doors opened.

She was hit in the stomach by something. It's wasn't hard, she bent to pick up the squishy foam swoosh football. She raised her eyebrow and stood up straight looking into the eyes of two guys.

"Ohh sorry Alex!" Lance chuckled giving her a sheepish grin. Chris smiled and threw his arms wide.

"ALEXANDRIA!! I haven't seen you in a while. What's up chica?" He engulfed her in a hug and she patted his back.

"Uhh Chris can we get off the elevator, the doors are closing." He pulled away and jumped back as the doors started to close. He pulled her out of the elevator.

"Sorry Lex, Lance here can't throw." Chris kept his arm around her shoulders and walked down the long hallway towards Lance.

"Whatever dude, you just can't catch."

"Don't test me, youngin."

Alex giggled at their antics. It was good just to forget about all her problems for a moment.

"Come on, Dani is like freakin'. She was talking all this morning about Alex this and Alex that. I think she likes you more than me."

"Oh, there's no doubt about that." Alexandria smiled sweetly at Chris. He glared at her and opened a set of double doors to display a large room with couches and chairs.

Joey, Danielle, a girl she had never seen before, some of the security, and a 40 year old lady was there all sitting around each other chatting.

"LEX!!" Dani piped up seeing her.

"Hey Girl!" Alex walked over to her and hugged her.

"Hey, how are you doin?" She asked cautiously.

"I'm...better. Yesterday wasn't fun." She assumed everyone knew by now.

Dani's eyes widen. "I bet, come on sit down." Alex sat down and watched as Chris and Lance plopped down in chairs.

"This is Joey's girlfriend, Michelle, and this is Melinda." Danielle pointed to the two women Alex didn't know. "Melinda is like the boy's momma. She does the website and all the fan relations and stuff. We call her "chicken"."

A few minutes past and everyone was just casually talking. JC had come in, bringing his girlfriend Bobbie whom Alex found very refreshing. She was small and shy but very sweet. She smiled at the way JC and her interacted and she wondered if that's how her and Justin were. Like, they just...fit.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Johnny strolled in, sat in a chair beside a table, put down some different papers and looked up to everyone in the room. "Let's get this started."

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It was 15 minutes into the meeting when the door bust open and Justin and Mike swaggered in. Johnny had gone over a few policies, thrown down the 2 tabloids that had covered the story. So far, no other press had. But the pictures they had gotten were...well they were pretty good. You couldn't be for sure who it was. But anyone that knew Justin had a convertible blue BMW could insinuate. And sure enough, like Justin had said, there was a picture of her waving to the camera, but it was a bit blurry.

There were also ones of them walking out of the restaurant and into his car; but they were kinda far away. And ones of them going into her apartment. That was all. The article was just the regular crap. How Justin was cheating on Britney and stuff. But the most surprising thing was that they had found out Alex's first name. She didn't know how or care to know how. But still it bothered her. At least they didn't know more than that.

Anyway, Justin strolled in with his hand swinging a McDonald's bag back and forth. "I keep forgetting that Micky Dees stops serving breakfast at 10:30. That sucks." He plopped down in between Alex and Dani.

"Hey babe." He smiled at Alex who gave him a "shut up and behave" look.

"So, did I miss much?"

"Not really." Johnny said. "Everyone I talked with Justin first thing this morning, so he's basically heard everything I have to say to you."

"Yeah, and I've talked with Brit." He fished out a hamburger and gave it to Alex to hold for him. He continued as he picked up his fries. "She and I have decided that we aren't going to say anything else about our relationships. We've planned to go to award shows together just to throw off people because I don't want the press going after Lexia and me and Britney are still friends. So it's cool."

Justin picked up an apple pie and handed it to Alex. "Want this? I got it free."

She giggled and shook her head. Joey clapped his hands once and held them in front of his face. Justin threw him the apple pie.

"So ANYWAYS, umm, it shouldn't be a big deal. The next big award thingy is the Grammies and she'll be in Sweden, and I've already asked my mom to go with me. So, there ain't no problem." He smiled sweetly and retrieved his hamburger, unwrapped it and took a big bite with everyone watching.

He swallowed and shrugged. "What? Can't a brotha eat?" He looked at Joey who bit into his pie and shrugged as well.

Alex sighed and smacked her hand against her forehead as the room erupted into laughter at Justin and Joey.

Johnny smiled and looked up and locked eyes with Alex. "Alex, I've called your landlord. He says they've got everything under control. But he still is seeing a few suspicious people around there, so, like I said before, do what you feel is right. But my suggestion is to stay with someone until the weekend is over."

"Ok, I guess I'll-"

"You movin' in with me." Justin said eating the last bite of his hamburger. He tossed the wrapper in the brown bag and picked up his fries that had been trapped in between his knees.

"Excuse me?"

"You are moving in with me. Surprise!"

"Oh I am? That IS a surprise." Alex cocked and eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. How dare he boss her around and decide stuff for her.

"Yeah, it'll be safer that way."

"Oh ok, sure, whatever you say Justin." She turned her head away her jaw tightening and stared off into nothing.

Johnny cleared his throat to break the tension building in the room, coming from Alex. "Uh, ok. Well I guess that's all I need to discuss with everyone. I need security and guys to stay for a while I gotta talk to you about some things. Everyone else is free to go." Johnny smiled and stood up.

All the girlfriends and Melinda stood up talking with the guys. But Alex picked up her purse, waved goodbye to Dani and the guys and started towards the doors.

"Lexia, baby. Wait." She stopped with her hand on the door and took in a calming breath.

He jogged up to her and opened the door for her. She stepped out and he followed her, walking slightly behind her towards the elevators.

"What's wrong? Are you mad at me?" Justin whined.

"No, not at ALL!" Her voice was thick with sarcasm. She pressed the down button. "I have to go to class Justin. I'll come back to your house-"

"Our house." He interrupted and smiled.

"YOUR house, when class is over. Bye." The doors opened and she stepped in. He grabbed her hand.

"Wait. Don't be mad. Please. I have my reasons and I'll explain later."

The doors began to close and she snatched her hand away. "Bye Justin."

"Ok, bye Lexia. I love you."

The doors shut and Alex rested her back against the wall of the elevator. She was mad that he had gone ahead and assumed that she would move in with him. But the sincere tone of his voice and the way he had said "Lexia...I love you" changed her attitude. She had been a ball of emotions the past 2 days. So much had happened and she hadn't had a long time to actually think about it and sort it out, like she liked to do with any problem she faced.

But right now, all she could think about were the way his eyes looked before those elevator doors shut.

No matter what he had done or said, she knew he loved her by the look in his eyes.

And that made her day a little bit brighter.