After first hearing the sound of glass breaking behind her, and then Kayla's piercing scream of fright, it had only taken Cathy two seconds to drop her cellphone, unbuckle her seat belt, and climb into the back-seat with the screaming girl; using her body to shield anyone's view of Kayla. Please God, make them hurry up.

As if someone had been listening to her prayers, she heard--more than saw--a loud siren go off from the left of her, then a brief scuffle outside, before a familiar voice was heard saying. "Hey, come on. Let's go."

After risking a quick glance towards the sound of the voice, Cathy couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief as her slightly blurred vision landed on Randy, Justin's security guard, and three other men--who looked to be armed police officers. All of them were standing next to her now broken window; pushing camera crews out of the way. Thank God.

"Watch your step." Randy called out, after Cathy--without taking her body away from the small girl--unlocked Kayla from her car-seat and then took her jacket off--placing it over the little girl's head as a full body shield. "Look down, stay close, and walk fast."

As if in a trance, Cathy did exactly what Randy had told her to do. She looked down, so that none of the news reporters could get a good shot of her face. She stayed as close to Randy as she could--so close, that if her thoughts weren't on the safety of the little girl in her arms, she probably could've gotten a good whiff of the cologne that the older man had used that morning. And she walked fast--fast enough that within seconds, the four of them--another guard had been following closely behind them--soon found themselves inside the gates of Justin's house. Thankfully, safe at last.

"You two can just go inside. Wes and I will stay out here to make sure nobody tries to jump the gate."

After nodding slightly, Cathy continued to make her way towards the front door of the house; not finding it surprising at all when the wooden door in front of her, quickly swung open as soon as she stepped foot onto the younger man's porch.

"Thank God!"

After literally being pulled into the house by Justin, Cathy found herself suddenly at a loss for words as the younger man quickly took Kayla from her arms and began checking to see if--minus the tear stains--the little girl was unharmed.

He's a good dad. Cathy thought to herself as she wrapped her arms around her shaking body; slightly missing the comfort of Kayla's warm body so close to hers.

"Are you okay?"

Turning her attention away from Justin and Kayla, Cathy locked eyes with Joey, who--up until this point--had been silently watching the other two as well.

Do I look like I'm okay? Cathy sarcastically thought to herself. But even though she had just gone through a frightening ordeal and was at the moment praying for a hot shower and a warm bed where she could forget the days events in, she knew--if she'd still be spending the next couple of months with the older man--she'd have to be nice. So, instead of her biting remark, she simply replied to the question with:

"I've been better."

(Seven Thirty)

After spending almost three hours in the living room, watching the news while talking to Joey about the downfalls of being a celebrity and how the paparazzi could possibly ruin a person's life, Cathy excused herself for a second to go make a phone call.

I'm sure Robert's probably pulling his or Ryan's hair out by now.

Waiting until she had taken a seat at the kitchen table, Cathy pulled her cellphone, which Wes had brought in from her jeep a couple of minutes ago, out of her purse and quickly dialed the office number of her younger brother. Afterwards, once it started ringing, she couldn't help but begin praying to God that she would get his answering machine; if just to prolong the inevitable I told you so conversation she knew her and Robert were going to have.

No such luck.

"Thank God, you're alive! Do you know how worried I was?"

Not even bothering to ask how he knew it was her, Cathy let out a small sigh before saying, "I know. That's why I wanted to call you....to tell you that I was okay."

"I don't want to hear that your okay, Cat. All I want to hear is that you're going to forget about this touring foolishness and come home this instantly."

Without so much as a pause, Cathy replied, "You know I can't do that. I owe it to Justin and-"

"So, it's Justin now."

Knowing by the tone of his voice, her younger brother was getting angrier at the moment, caused Cathy to not even bother commenting on the subject. "Like I said, I owe it to Mr.Timberlake and Kayla to be on that tour bus in the morning. And I'm going to do that, Robert. Whether you like it or not."

After a few seconds of silence, Robert finally spoke up again. "Why do you think you owe them that? I mean, as far as I'm concerned, neither that child nor that man have done anything for you but almost get you killed."

"Don't you think you're exaggerating just a little?" Cathy replied, in slight annoyance. Causing Robert to reply back, in the same tone of voice: "No, Cathy, I don't think I'm exaggerating just a little. I watched the news. I saw what happened with my very own two eyes. And you cannot possibly say what happened this afternoon didn't scare the hell out of you because I know for damn sure it scared the hell out of me."

Letting the comment hang in the air for a second, Cathy said, "I know, it scared me too. But as much as it scared me being in that truck, with those camera guys trying to break in, it scared me more when the reporters tried to grab Kayla. And I don't know what else to say to make you understand that."

Another second of silence was heard on the other end before Robert--having fully grasped what his sister was saying--replied in a calmer voice: "What time are you coming home to pick up your clothes?"

Knowing that Robert's question was a hidden way of saying that even though he didn't think she should go in the morning, he would respect her decision--and not try to stop her anymore--caused Cathy to let the slight smile, that ached to spread across her face, do so. "I'm not sure. If the news reporters are still out there in an hour or so then I'll just see if I can spend the night here and go get my things in the morning. Is that all right with you?"

"I guess so." Robert answered back, after a second. "But I'm going to have to let you go now. I got to go open up downstairs and then I have to meet Ryan at DiVinos for dinner."

"Tell him I said Hi." Cathy replied, before telling Robert she'd hopefully see him in the morning and that--even though he could be quite stubborn sometimes--she still loved him.

"I love you, too."

With that being said, Cathy waited until the dial tone was heard on the other end before hanging up her cell phone and thinking to herself, It's amazing that, unlike some other people, no matter what I say or do, he's still behind me one hundred percent.

Silently watching as Cathy first hung up the phone, then sit at the table with a slight smile on her face, caused Justin to bite his lip slightly.

First, she doesn't even blink an eye when I ask her to baby-sit my kid. Then when my celebrity status practically gets her caught in the middle of a riot, she without thinking about it, guards Kayla with her own body. Now, I'm causing a rift between her and her brother and she's still smiling. Theirs so much about this woman that I don't know, but I defiantly want to find out.

"Justin?"

After snapping out of his thoughts, Justin blushed slightly as he noticed Cathy was staring at him with a confused expression on her face. "Sorry, I must've blanked out there for a second. Was that your brother?"

Looking down at her phone, Cathy slightly blushed as well, before nodding. "Yeah, he saw me on the news and wanted to congratulate me for being the first one out of the both of us to be mentioned on Access Hollywood. We're huge fans."

After smiling slightly at the sarcasm he heard in the older woman's voice, Justin took a seat across from her, at the table, and began what he came in the kitchen to do. "I just wanted to come in here and say thank you again for earlier. I mean, I know you told me before that I didn't need to thank you, and that you were just doing what you thought was right, but I, uh, really am thankful that you were there for Kay and me today. It really meant a lot to me."

After smiling slightly, Cathy responded that she was just glad she could help. "I'm sure you would've done the same thing for me if the tables had been turned."

While nodding slightly, as if to tell Cathy that she was indeed correct, Justin couldn't help but think to himself: She just can't take a thank you, can she?

After a brief pause of silence fell between the two, Justin looked down at his watch; noticing for the first time that it was already going on eight o'clock. And after thinking about it for a split second, he figured if he wanted to be awake and at the compound by at least six forty-five, he'd have to put Kayla--his alarm clock--to bed soon. "I'm going to go give Kayla a bath and then put her to bed, did you want me to turn down one of the guest rooms for you?"

From the way Cathy let out a slight sigh of relief while biting her lip, Justin knew the older woman had already been planning to stay, because of the media outside, but hadn't already said so because she didn't want to be rude.

"You don't have to fix up a room on my account. I can manage. But if it's not too much trouble, do you mind if I stay in the guest-room downstairs. Besides the couple of things I bought from the store earlier, all of my clothes are at my apartment and I don't want to wake you or Kayla up when I go get them in the morning."

After thinking about it for a second, Justin replied that Cathy could stay in any room she wanted to. Then after another second, he mentally added to himself that just in case another riot, like the one before, broke out, he'd have to call Lonnie, when he got upstairs, and tell him to follow Cathy in the morning.

Just to be safe.

May 28, 2002 (The Next day)

As the two of them silently worked together to fit all of Cathy's suitcases in the back of Justin's truck, Cathy couldn't help but thank God Justin wasn't a morning person; if only because of the simple fact that she hated talking to anyone before she had her morning cup of coffee.

"That's it?"

After nodding slightly, Cathy waited until Justin had closed the trunk of his jeep before following the younger man into his house. "You want me to get Kayla settled in her car-seat while you lock up in here?"

"Yeah, thanks. She's in the living room."

Having figured as much, Cathy didn't bother to wait until Justin started up the stairs--to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything--before heading towards the living room foyer; surprisingly enough finding Kayla in front of the TV screen, watching Yogi the bear. No Nsync this morning? Now, I really am in love with Lynn.

Waiting until after a commercial came on, Cathy cleared her throat as to make her presence known. "Hey sweetie, you ready to go?"

Adverting her attention from the television for just a second, Kayla pointed a finger towards the TV screen and mumbled, "Yo-gee."

After smiling slightly, Cathy picked up the remote control, which Joey had literally thrown on the couch, twenty minutes ago, before he ran out of the house--remembering the fact that he hadn't begun repacking yet. Just like a man.

"I know you're watching Yogi, sweetie. But we have to leave soon, we're going to be riding on a big bus today."

"Daddy, too?"

"Yeah, your daddy is coming, too." Cathy replied, before turning off the television and placing the remote control back on the couch. "But if we don't hurry up, your daddy might leave without us."

"No leave." Kayla said, while standing up; causing Cathy to smile once again before bending down to lift the small girl up into her arms.

"I thought you'd see it my way."

After getting Kayla settled into her car-seat while absentmindedly watching Justin as he finished locking up the house doors, Cathy was surprised to find herself slightly drifting off. I must be more tired than I thought.

Figuring she might as well rest her eyes a little, Cathy situated herself further back in her seat, before closing her eyes; not noticing when Justin hopped into the car, a couple seconds later, only to tell Kayla that "Miss. Cathy is sleeping, so we have to be quiet."

After--what she assumed--was only a couple of minutes, Cathy opened her eyes, only to discover Joey and another man, staring at her from outside Justin's truck. "Oh my God!"

Watching as the two men first started to chuckle before opening the back door to the truck, Cathy realized that she must've fallen asleep and that they now were at, what she assumed, was the compound. Now, I know I must've been more tired than I thought.

"Hey, sorry we scared you. Justin told us to watch Kayla for a second, while he went to talk to Johnny, but we didn't know you were still in here."

"It's okay." Cathy replied, as she watched Joey unhook Kayla from her car seat, before pulling the small girl into a football like pose.

"Fatone, if you even think about hitting a touchdown with my daughter, I'll kill you."

"Darn, your no fun."

Adverting her eyes from the now pouting man, Cathy watched as Justin swiftly made his way back across the parking lot; with whom she assumed was his boss, Mr. Wright, in tow.

"Miss. Jones, I presume?"

Figuring it'd be quite unprofessional to talk to the older man through the halfway wined down window of his protegee's truck, Cathy quickly opened the passenger door, before stepping out; finding herself oddly enough almost the same height as the man in front of her.

"That is correct, Mr. Wright, but please call me Cathy."

"As you wish."

After exchanging pleasantries with the older man, Cathy couldn't help but furrow her eyebrows a little as Johnny handed her a small freezer bag, with what looked like, ten laminated cards inside. What the hell?

Noticing her confusion, Johnny smiled slightly before explaining what the laminated cards were to be used for. "Those bad-boys are your all access passes. The red ones will get you into all of the venues backstage areas. The purple ones will get you into all of the clubs V.I.P areas. The blue ones will get you onto the guys, and your, hotel floor. And, last but not least, the green one is for, if your backstage at a venue, and you want to eat, but none of the guys are within jumping distance. You just take that baby and show it to Lonnie, and he'll take you to the nearest fast food place he can find."

After smiling slightly, Cathy furrowed her eyebrows in confusion before asking the older man, "Whose Lonnie?"

"He's your--" Johnny began, but before he could finish his answer, Justin quickly intervened. "He's one of the bodyguards."

Moving her eyes away from the older man, Cathy couldn't help but furrow her eyebrows, once again in confusion, as she noticed Justin hitting his boss with a don't you dare look.

Among other things, it looks like I'm going to have to keep my eye on this one, as well.

"Well, now that my job here is done, I must bid you all ado. I still have a few other people to curse out before I board my flight to Minneapolis tonight."

After slightly chuckling, Cathy quickly told the older man--before he left--that it had been a pleasure to finally meet him. And then afterwards, she turned her attention back towards the three men next to her; noticing for the first time both Joey and the other man--whom she guessed from Kayla's slight squeals--was Chris, both staring at Justin in slight amusement. I must've missed something.

As if not wanting Cathy to know what the other guys were smiling at, Justin quickly adverted his eyes towards his watch; afterwards asking, "So, where's Lance? Wasn't he supposed to be here five minutes ago?"

Before Joey or Chris could answer the question, Cathy--noticing a male and female approaching the group from the corner of her eye--asked, "Is that him?" And after moving his eyes in the direction where Cathy was pointing in, Justin nodded his head slightly before raising an eyebrow in questioning. "Becca, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be somewhere in New York by now?"

Turning her head slightly, Cathy watched as Lance, Justin's group mate, and Becca--who Cathy hadn't heard mentioned until now--slowly made their way towards where the group was standing.

"That had been the plan until Mr. Bass over here decided to stick his nose in where it didn't belong and get me first chair on your group's styling committee."

"And I'd do it again." Lance replied, not even a second later; interestingly enough getting a swap in the arm for all his troubles.

As if this was an every day occurrence, after rolling his eyes, Justin held up a hand to stop the feuding two before they got started. "Hold up, if your first chair, then Anna is...?"

Watching as the younger woman's facial expression quickly changed from a slight grimace to an annoyed smirk, caused Cathy to figure out that this Anna person defiantly wasn't on Becca's top favorite people list and that she probably didn't get second chair.

"You'll have to ask JC that one."

As if hearing his name being mentioned, not even two seconds later, another male had joined the group of seven; bringing in tow a very petite woman--one whom, upon seeing Kayla, quickly lighted up in surprise.

"Oh my God, is this the little girl I've heard so much about? She's so adorable."

And you are so fake.

After watching as the small woman, that she guessed was Anna, ask if she could hold Kayla, Cathy couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in wonder as she noticed everyone but Kayla and JC shooting Justin their own don't you dare looks.

Wow, this girl sure does make a lot of friends.

After a brief seconds pause, Justin reluctantly took Kayla from Joey's arms and held her out to Anna. "Um, yeah, you can hold her while the guys and I go load our bags. Come on, JC."

Noticing the slight frown that seemed to be forming across JC's face at the moment, caused Cathy to realize that the slightly older man was hoping for the group to welcome Anna with open arms.

Which they didn't.

And I don't think I want to know why.

(Fifteen minutes later)

"Was that the last one?"

After nodding slightly, Cathy watched as Leon, the driver of the bus she was riding on, shut the bottom compartment of their bus before silently making his way across the street--towards the front entrance of Dunkin donuts; without even a glance back to see if she was still standing there.

Another anti-morning person. These are my kind of people.

"My God, do you know how adorable you are?"

After adverting her eyes from the driver's--quickly fading away--form, Cathy turned her attention towards the high pitch squeal she'd just heard; interestingly enough, not finding herself at all surprised when she saw Anna a few feet in front of her messing with Kayla's curls. "Please God, tell me that she's not always like this."

"Don't worry, she's not. But if you really want to see the real side of her, just accidentally walk in on her gossiping about everyone behind their back. I can't even count how many times I have."

Turning her attention away from the display in front of her, Cathy couldn't help but smile as she saw the younger woman from before, smirking at the scene in front of them. "I'll make sure to keep that in mind. But uh anyway, I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Cathy, Kayla's part time baby-sitter and full time social worker."

"And I'm Rebecca, the guy's part time hair stylist and Lance's full time not so significant other."

After laughing slightly and shaking hands with the younger woman, Cathy looked past the brunette; towards where the guys were now standing--seeming to be lost in a small argument with one another. "I wonder what that's all about."

After following the older woman's line of vision, Rebecca couldn't help but smirk as she saw JC walk away from the four other men and get on the guy's bus, heatedly. "From the looks of things, JC just announced to the other guys that his new girlfriend just got promoted from head stylist to head back up dancer."

Whoa. While widening her eyebrows in disbelief, Cathy couldn't help but ask, "Can she do that?" Causing Rebecca to reply back with: "She can and she did. All it takes is a major in hair and a minor in bull shit to persuade good ole Mr. Johnny Wright to hire you."

Then I might as well ask him if I can open up for the guys. I can't sing a lick but I sure can B.S my way through the first chorus.

"Anyway..." Rebecca began; all the while snapping Cathy out of her thoughts. "I better go and smooth things out with JC. Knowing him, if I don't, we're going to have one very cranky pop star for the rest of the day."

"And we wouldn't want that, now would we?" Cathy sarcastically mumbled to herself, causing Rebecca to slightly laugh as she made her way towards the other bus; which JC had just entered a few second before.

After watching Rebecca, as she boarded the bus behind her, Cathy figured she might as well board hers now--and started to make her way towards the front of the vehicle. But interestingly enough, a few seconds before Cathy reached the door, she found herself having to stop as she heard her name being called from behind her. That's one way to let everyone know who you are.

After quickly turning around so the person would stop yelling, Cathy couldn't help but slightly smile as she saw Justin swiftly approaching her--thankfully with Kayla in hand. "Hey, you just caught me. I was just about to get on the bus."

"I figured as much." Justin sarcastically replied, as he quickly got rid of the two feet in front of him and Cathy. "But I just wanted to ask if you wanted to ride with us. It's sort of an old tradition on the tour, that on the first day--for at least an hour or two--Becca rides with us. And given the fact that your here, the guys and I figured we might as well extend the invitation to you as well, that is if you don't mind hanging out with us trouble makers for a few hours."

As if having to think about it for a second, Cathy bit her lip slightly in hesitation, before saying, "I guess so. But only for a few miles." Causing Justin to chuckle slightly, before turning around; making his way back towards his bus--with Cathy in tow.

Once on the guy's bus, Cathy found herself heading in the opposite direction of Justin as he made a move to head towards the back of the bus--with Kayla--and she made a move to sit next to Rebecca and Chris in the guy's kitchen booth area.

"So anyway, like I was saying...Lance decides that since Amber went away for the weekend, him and I should go out for the night. So, we get dressed up and head down to this new club, that he found near downtown Disney, and I swear to God, Joe, not even ten seconds after we step in the place, I spot two girls literally going at it on top of the bar."

"Whoa, little poo-fu dragged you to a place like that?"

"Yeah, and get this, he knew the bouncer."

After raising an eyebrow in confusion as Joey and Chris continued to talk about Chris's wild night out, Cathy adverted her attention towards Rebecca who was only halfway listening. "Should I even ask which club they went to?"

While shrugging her shoulders slightly, Rebecca replied, "I wouldn't, but if you really want to know..." Before elbowing Chris in the ribs and asking him which club the guys went to. Causing the older man to wince slightly before replying, "The Cactus Club."

A club which Cathy knew all too well of.

No wonder there were girls making out with one another. They went to a gay strip club.

"Was there, by any chance, any purple triangles or rainbow tags on the windows at this club?"

While watching as Chris first nodded slightly before raising an eyebrow in questioning, Cathy realized that whereas the older man had some idea of what the club was about, he really didn't understand her questioning. "You were at a gay strip club. When people open up bars or clubs for gays and lesbians, they put a rainbow sticker outside their window. And when they open up gay strip clubs, they put both rainbow tags and purple triangles outside of their windows. It's so the close minded know to stay away."

After a seconds pause, Cathy realized that not only did she have Chris's full attention but she also had Joey's and Rebecca's as well; which meant only one thing to her. Here comes the questions.

After a couple more seconds of silence, Chris finally addressed what Cathy already knew was going to be asked, "How'd you know that?"

"My younger brother is not only part manager at the club you went to, but he's also gay; which means theirs not much about the gay community that I don't know about."

"Oh."

After watching as a mixture of disbelief, interest, and relief passed through everyone's faces, Cathy couldn't help but wonder to herself:

What have I gotten myself into?