He thought and thought about what all he could say. Finally he just wrote it all out.

"Lexia,

I'm leaving. Not for good. Just for a week. I need to figure out this mess of my brain. I don't want anyone to know where I am, but...if you need me, if you still want me after all I've said you can call. The number is in the phone book. It's circled in red, and I would go and search for it for you, but I don't really have the time. I have to go. We need to have a long talk, but I can't do that just yet. I need to think things through. I hope you are ok. And I'm sorry if I hurt you. I seem to be doing that a lot lately. If anyone asks tell them I'm safe, I'm ok. I'm not anywhere where I'll be bothered. I just need to be alone. But please do call me. Maybe you can..."

Justin let his mind work through the pen, and he didn't realize his message was getting longer and longer and longer and he was basically pouring everything he had been worried about into it. His hand worked furiously as he wrote and finally he got to the end.

"...and even though you probably hate me for all the stupid stuff I've done; I still love you Lexia. I know it's hard for you to understand. I don't really understand it myself, but I need a break right now.

Love always and always,

Justin"

He looked over words once more and folded the paper in half and left it on the edge of the counter on the island. He looked around the kitchen, and picked up his duffel bag. He thought once more about what he was going to do, hoping it was the right decision. His blue eyes spotted a book lying on the kitchen table and picked it up, reading the cover. It was Alex's favorite book, "Stormy Weather". He figured he might need something to do with his time off, so his stuff the book in his bag and sighed.

Once more he looked around his house to see if he forgot anything. He instinctively reached for his cell phone on the recharger but stopped and remembered this week was supposed to be without interruptions. He turned away from his over used device and walked towards the garage door. He looked back one more time, checking to make sure his note was still there. He flicked off the lights and walked out of the door. When the door slammed shut a breeze floated through the house, picked up the note he had for her and it fluttered to the trash can right beside the island.

----------

Alex yelled thanks to Officer Loggins and sprinted to the front door and barged in. "JUSTIN! JUSTIN! BABY LISTEN! I'M SO SORRY! WHERE ARE YOU WE'VE got...to...talk." Alex's voice echoed back to her and she stopped and listened, waiting for him to answer. But he never did. She listened a little bit more before she called out again. "Justin?"

She walked to the kitchen to see if there was a note. There wasn't so she went to the garage to see if his car was there. She figured he was still out and about and figured she would just wait for him to come back so she could start groveling and begging at his feet.

She paced the kitchen for a few moments not knowing what else to do. What if she had really lost him? She didn't know what she would do. Where would she live? What would happen with her and Jon? What would happen to...her whole life? She had had someone she loved taken away from her before and she couldn't let that happen again.

She saw that the light was on the answering machine and pressed it. She listened to Jen's message with a slight giggle. If only Justin had swept her up for the day. She had spent the day searching for him, and then she got a flat tire, so she never went to class. She whimpered and closed her eyes, not knowing what else to do.

When she opened her eyes they locked on to a simple black device. His cell phone. That was very strange. He ALWAYS had his cell phone with him. She got that painful gut feeling again and made her way to the kitchen table and sat down.

Maybe he had just gone to the store. Maybe he had forgot he cell. All sort of things could have happened. So she just sat and waited.

She waited and waited for him to come home.

-------

Her bottom lip was become more red and chapped as time went on. She had been chewing on it for forever it seemed. She had the cordless phone in her hand. It was getting dark and she was about to panic.

She dialed Lynn's number. "Halllo?"

"Hey, wait..Jon?"

"LEXY!!!"

Alex sighed that one name made her fears subside just a smidgen. "Jon is your mom home, I need to talk to her."

"Yup, hold on one second. Hey, is Justin there??"

All her fears rushed back. "No, Jon he isn't here right now."

"Oh, well I'll get mommy, hold up." She rubbed her forehead with her free hand and waited for Lynn to come on the phone.

"Hey Lex, what's up babe?"

"ummm..." Alex sighed and just let it all out. "Have you seen Justin, or talked to him?"

"No, why?"

"We got in a fight. A big fight. And I don't know where he is."

"Have you call his cell?"

"I'm looking at his cell phone right now. He doesn't have it, his car isn't here, and the last time I saw him was this morning. And I just have this weird feeling."

"Call the guys, if you need their numbers they are in Justin's cell. Call everyone Johnny, mike, everyone, see if they have heard from him. If he has gone anywhere security will know. Ok, call me back Alex. It isn't like Justin just to run off, I'm sure he is all right."

"Ok. Thanks bye Lynn."

Alex clicked the phone off and picked up Justin's cell she went to his phone book directory on his cell and searched through the names, pausing when she got to the words "my girl" she highlighted the name to look at the number and smiled when she saw it was her cell's number. She scanned the names and dialed JC's.

After 2 rings he picked up. "Hey, this is Josh..."

"JC? It's Alexandria...have you seen Justin?"

And her hour of phone call after phone call began...

-----

"Hold on Chris I got another beep. I'll call ya later." Alex switched over on the phone. "Hello?"

"Ok, this is Mike. No body in security knows anything."

"Mike, what do I do? I mean no one has seen him or heard from him in almost 10 hours!! Is it right for me to be worried about this. I mean what if he is just out driving and here I am making everyone freak out. What if-"

"Alexandria, shhhhhhh. Just chill out. We will find where he went. He knows not to do this. So whatever he has going on, he better have a damn explanation."

"I guess you are right. There aren't many places he can go. He is Justin Timberlake." She tried to laugh at her own joke. But it failed.

"Listen Alex, try to get some sleep ok. I'll call you if anyone figures out anything. Are you sure he didn't leave a note or anything?"

"Nothing."

"That's not like him. Ok, Try and sleep ok?"

"I'll try. It won't work."

"It'll be ok Alexandria. I'll talk to ya tomorrow. bye bye."

"Bye mike." Alex sighed and let the phone slip out of her hands and fall on the bed beside her. She curled up to her pillow in Justin's bed. She hadn't said anything to anyone about this, but his pillow wasn't there. She remembered how he said he always traveled with his pillow, and now it was missing. She was thinking that just maybe, he had left for good.

But why didn't he tell anyone?

She reached over and turned off the light, putting the phone on the nightstand also. She shifted down into the covers and pulled them tightly against her body.

She tired to sleep. But everytime her eyes closed she remembered seeing his bitter face and his harsh words. She could feel the rain pouring down on her trembling body. He had left her.

And now she was all alone.

It was an all too familiar feeling that she had felt for years before she met Justin, and now here engulfed in his smell and his memory the feeling was new. IT was a loneliness she had never experienced before.

This loneliness was 10 times worse that the loneliness she felt before she had ever laid eyes on his handsome face.

Now she had the image of his face in her mind. His eyes darkening with passion and love for her, his eyebrows so defined and his lips moisten and parted.

She could remember all of their kisses, the way he kissed, and the way his lips felt on hers. She could feel his body lying behind her, holding her as they talked together quietly before drifting to sleep. She could feel his breath on her face getting more labored and uneven as he made love to her. She could hear his voice ringing in her ears at every time he whispered the words, "I love you" or said her name, "Lexia."

That was it.

She held on to her pillow and whimpered as all the fond memories they had shared crashed on her. What had she done to make him not want her? What had she done to make him want to leave her? What had she done to make him not love her anymore?

A distant sound of thunder interrupted the sound of rain on the roof of the house. It wasn't as heavy as it had been, but the storm was still there.

She so desperately wished that storm would go away, and that her man would come back to her.

She sighed and opened her eyes, peering at the clock that read almost 11. She thought about all those times in the mornings when she would ask him what time it was and he would mutter, "too early".

Right now it was too late. He needed to be home, with her, in her arms, letting her kiss him.

But he wasn't.

She had no idea where Justin Timberlake was.

No one did, except for the man himself.