Alex's hand timidly slid into Mrs. Belask. "It's great to finally meet you, Lexia. Is it ok if I call you that? Justin said it was his nickname for ya."

Alex just nodded and muttered an "Uh huh".

Minutes later, Ellen Belask was talking non-stop about Justin as a student and Justin in the olden days. Alexandria was just in shock about it all. It was slowly hitting her, that she still had him. He obviously didn't hate her. But most importantly, he was ok. He wasn't "missing".

But she had to wonder, how the hell did he think she was supposed to FIND him?

"Well, I'm so glad the rain let up. It looks like its going to be a pretty afternoon. It would be a nice day for a swim. Not too hot, not too cold. But just right."

Alex hadn't said a word yet. She didn't know WHAT to say. It was all too much to take in right now. Her man was safe, but she was confused more than ever.

The boat began to take off and Alex and Ellen looked over the side as they slowly pull away from the dock. "Man, he is going to be so happy to see you. When I told him you called...well he didn't say much, but I don't think I've seen that boy smile any bigger. And he's got a BIG smile."

Alex blushed a bit and looked down shyly. "So he's not like mad at me?"

"No, honey. Justin..." Ellen looked at her thoughtfully before continuing. "...He doesn't know how to handle things sometimes. He likes to take control of it himself, and when he doesn't know what he is doing he sometimes loses his cool. I think, well from what he told me, that he couldn't control his feelings for you. He got scared. He needed to get away from his life for a few days and figure out his priorities. Us regular, little people get the chance to do that. People like Justin, well, they have barely enough time to sleep, let alone think about their actions and emotions and other stuff. So, he went away. He's a weird kid. He's not normal. I mean, we all would like to think that he is, but the way he has spent his life has changed him. And...It's for the better, sometimes. And other times it's for the worst. Someone like him, you gotta let them have their space. Justin knows what's best for him. And he's the only one that does. Not his mother, not his bandmates, not even you can tell him what he should do. He's smart. He always figures out what he needs to do."

"He's not THAT smart." Alex exclaimed.

Ellen chuckled. "What do you mean by that!?"

"If he was smart he would have told SOMEBODY where he went."

"He said he left you a letter?"

"Do you know where? I never saw such a thing. I thought he had been kidnapped or left for Antarctica or something."

"Hmmm, that's strange. He said he knew you would get it. Weird..." Ellen said thoughtfully.

"I know. But I guess that doesn't matter now. Man, I can't wait to see him. It's been like 3 days but, still...This is so not healthy." Alex giggled.

"Its called being in love, honey. And it can be very healthy if you let it."

Alex grinned.

A few minutes later, the women were still chatting away about Justin when a loud speaker broke their conversation.

"This is Captain Belask, we will be docking in approximately 5 minutes. I hope you enjoyed you ride..."

"Oh...my...gosh. He is so full of it." Ellen sighed, annoyed.

"What?" Alex laughed.

"My husband, Larry. He thinks because he can steer this boat 3 miles off shore day in and day out that he is a captain of some huge ship. Just listen to him. It was a 15 minutes fairy ride, not a cruise on the Caribbean."

"Hehe, how long have you been married?"

"It'll be 23 years this June."

Alex smiled, content with the thought of being with someone that long. "Aww, that's nice."

"Yeah, it is." Ellen smiled.

-----------

10 minutes later...

"Come on, I'll take ya where he is staying. He's probably out swimming or walking on the beach or something. This has been the only nice day since he came. Well, yesterday evening wasn't too bad."

Alex followed the lady out of the little house that was the check in area to a row of about 5 golf carts. "I made Larry invest in these. I'm getting old, and I'm not about to walk around this whole island. I'm not crazy."

Alex sat down as Ellen took the wheel and drove them past several nice looking beach houses, among trees and pathways. Some houses had pools, some were beachfront, some were big, and some were very quaint. "This is a really neat place ya got here. Is it good business?"

"Yes, very. Especially in summer time. It's just spring so we are picking up. About 3/4s of our houses are occupied right now. People rent them for weekends or up to a whole season. When Larry invested in the island I was skeptical, but, it's been the best thing for two retires fogies like us."

Alex smiled and just a few seconds later Ellen stopped in front of a small sized beach house, palm trees surrounded it, and it was painted in a pretty, very light bluish color. "It's beach front. Justin demanded one." Ellen giggled. "Pool and Jacuzzi too. That boy is spoiled."

She walked up the few front steps and into the cool house. "Justin?"

No answer.

Ellen sighed. "He must be on the beach. Well, I kinda need to get back to the main house. I'll definitely be talking to ya later on. He's probably on the beach. Bye Alex. Great meeting you." Ellen gave Alex a small hug and turned to go out the door.

Alex stood there for a moment, taking in the house that was the home to the person she loved more than anything for the past few days. She walked towards the small kitchen and beach styled den with light colors and seashells and paintings of beaches on the wall. There was a deck outside, behind the living and to one side of the house was his bedroom. She sighed, setting her stuff down.

The bed wasn't made, of course in Justin fashion. His pillow was there among the pillows provided. Some of his clothes were scattered on the floor. His duffel bag was at the foot of the bed, opened, and clothes spilling out of it.

She peeked inside the bathroom that was connected to the bedroom and the rest of the house. It had two doorways. As soon as she pushed the door open more, she could smell the fresh smell...of Justin.

She sighed. This was what she needed. This was all she needed. Except for one thing. And that was Justin himself.

She walked back through the small house to the den and out towards the balcony. She pulled the sunglasses from the top of her head and shielded her eyes as she slid the door open and then shut as she stepped out. The deck led straight out on to the sandy beach.

She searched the area, looking for that familiar person that could flip her world around in seconds. She walked down the steps of the balcony, eyes scanning the beach, not seeing anyone or anything but sand and ocean.

Her tennis shoes hit the sand and she pulled them off with her socks before letting the hot white sand burn her feet. She skipped and jumped a little, trying to get use to the feeling.

She walked further out on the beach and away from the house. It was quiet a distance to the water from where she was. But she didn't see anyone swimming. She was getting butterflies in her stomach. She wanted to see him. She wanted him with her in that very moment.

Alex walked further and further down towards the shore. There was no one in sight. She looked down way down the beach and saw just an elderly man picking up shells on the shore. She looked the other way and saw a young couple, both with very blonde hair running on the beach beside each other, but going in the way opposite of her. Her feet were now off the soft sand untouched by the ocean and she met with the hard, packed sand.

She dug her toes in the sand, wishing that he would some how magically appear. Ellen said that she had told him she was coming, because she said he smiled. Alex wanted to see that smile for herself. So, he knew she was coming. So why wasn't he waiting for her? She was getting fed up with this game of hide n go seek he was playing.

He made her believe that he was missing, and now when she finds out where he went, he's not there.

She was fed up. With an exaggerated sigh and turned on her heels and with an unhappy expression walked back towards the house.

She looked through her sunglasses at the house beside Justin's. It was almost exactly like his, except his had a pool and Jacuzzi off to the side of it, that one didn't. She stopped and walked a bit faster, looking towards the pool and Jacuzzi.

But her hopes were let down. There wasn't anyone there.

She looked over her right shoulder just to make sure. He wasn't there.

She looked over her left shoulder just to make sure. He wasn't there.

She turned back, towards the house. She took two steps before stopping. She thought that maybe, just maybe she saw a figure but...she didn't want to get her hopes up so she kept walking.

And the more she walked, the more her heart nagged at her. Finally she had to make sure.

She turned around and stared in the direction her heart was telling her to look.

She gasped.

There he was.