SIX DAYS LATER

"I can't believe it is time for us to go home already. It seems like we just got here." Sadie said, placing the last of her things in the suitcase that was sitting, open on her bed.

"I know. We had so much fun here, but we are only going to be gone for a little while right? I mean, a few days and then we are coming back." Sheryl said, looking at her sister hopefully.

"I have been thinking about what you said and what Justin has said, and I think that I am going to do it. You guys were right when you said that I couldn't let this get out of hand like I did last time. I haven't told Justin exactly how out of hand it got, but it hasn't come up. He really says great things about his doctor and how much he has helped him and I think he could do the same for me." Sheena said, sitting down next to her open suitcase and looking down at her hands as if she had never seen them before.

"I know that this is hard for you. I'm not going to say that I know what you are going through, because you made it quite clear last time that I don't know, but I will say that I am here for you. You know that right?" Sheryl asked, sitting next to her sister and wrapping her in a hug.

"Yea, I know you are. Now don't start making me cry. The guys are going to be here in a little bit to help us get out stuff and the kids stuff in the van and see us off. I can't believe how much time they have spent with the kids. Tommy really enjoyed spending time in the studio with them." Sheena said, then got a far away look in her eyes.

"What is it, Sadie?" Sheryl asked, noticing the look.

"How are we going to tell the kids. I mean, we are practically all that they have. What are they going to say? How are they going to take us leaving?" Sadie asked, her uneasiness with the situation evident in her eyes.

"I don't know how they are going to take it. I just hope that they understand. I know it will be hard for us. We practically live for them and now we have to relocate." Sheryl said, the full intensity of the situation weighing on her. "Have you told Justin and the others what you have decided? I know that they are going to be happy that you are going to be around to harass them." Sheryl said, trying to lighten their now dim moods.

Sadie laughed. "I haven't told them yet. I am afraid that they might shoot themselves or some other form of suicide." They both laughed, their sides hurting from the strain that it caused on their muscles. They were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come on in. It's open." Sadie called through the door, standing up to close her suitcase. She wasn't paying attention to the people that came through the door. That was one of her mistakes.

"Gottcha!" Joey yelled, grabbing Sadie around her waist and picking her up off of the ground. She shriek with surprise when he grabbed her. He began to spin her around in circles while everyone tried to dodge her flying legs.

"Joey! Put me down before I puke!" Sadie demanded, trying to close her eyes and get her insides to stop jumping.

"Hey, what do I care. You won't be puking on me." Joey said, continuing to spin her around.

"Joseph Anthony Fatone! If she pukes on me, you won't be making those cute little faces while you dance, because your jaw will be wired shut." Sheryl informed him and he immediately stopped spinning and sat Sadie down on the bed with a thump as she bounced off of the bed and onto the floor. She groaned and held her head to keep the room from spinning.

"Joey, if my head ever stops hurting and the blood goes back to all of the right regions, I am going to kick your ass." Sadie mumbled from the floor.

"I'm sorry, Sade, but I am just going to miss you so much. You know that you are the only one who understands me. I love you. Marry me." Joey said, getting down on his knees in front of her.

"Joey, no offense , but in order for me to marry you, I would have to be crazy or on drugs or both. Right now, I am close to one but not that far gone." Sadie said, sitting back up on the bed where she continued to hold her head.

"None taken. Just thought that I would ask." Joey said turning to Sheryl. "Sheryl, babe, I love you. Don't I get a hug?"

"I just witnessed your hugs Joey and believe me, I would kick your ass." Sheryl said, and the other men in the room tried to stifle their laughter. Joey ducked his head and pouted.

"You would think that they would want to get rid of us for a while. I mean, they can see us in a few days anyway, so what is their problem?" Sadie asked, picking up her suitcase and lugging it to the door.

"What? Was there a road trip planned for us that I didn't know about?" Lance asked, looking around at the other members of his group. They all looked as confused as he did.

"Don't worry, Poo fu, you are still the number one scoop. I guess we forgot to tell them, Sadie." Sheryl said, shaking her head at her sister.

"Oooopppps, my bad. I thought I mentioned it when they came in. Oh, right, I was caught up in the human tilter whorl." Sadie said, shrugging her shoulders and turning back to her bag.

"Give me that, Sadie, and what are you talking about?" Justin asked as the entire group made their way down the hall to the elevators.

"Oh nothing really. I just thought that since we loved you so much we would move down here for a month or so. You know, just to bug you for a while." Sadie said, nonchalantly pressing the button for the elevator. Justin stopped where he was and his jaw dropped open. He was nearly knocked over by Chris who had been running down the hall from Joey.

"What is it, man? You could catch flies with your mouth hanging open like that" Chris warned him.

"Are you serious?" Justin asked, coming out of his shock.

"Of course, I mean they could just fly right in there and then you could choke on them." Chris said, with all seriousness. Justin didn't even look at him, just put a hand over Chris's face and pushed him back.

"Yea, I'm serious. Well, as serious as I can be about it right now. We don't have anywhere to stay and stuff so, it could take about a week or so to get something worked out, but we will eventually be back down here." Sadie said, walking into the elevator with Justin and Lance and Sheryl, who had come up behind them. JC was too busy trying to keep Joey away from Chris, to even notice the elevator had arrived.

"SO you guys are coming back here, huh? That is wonderful. At least Chris, Joey and Justin will have someone else to bug besides me and JC." Lance said, receiving a punch in the arm from Justin.

"No, in all seriousness, we are coming back so that I can see your doctor Townsend. You talked so good about him that I figured I would go and see for myself. I talked to him on the phone yesterday and he told me to come in and make an appointment whenever I got down here and settled. Now we just have to find a place to rent for a few months while I go. Not to mention new jobs and stuff like that." Sadie told the two gentlemen as they rode down to the lobby where the bodyguards were waiting with the children.

"That is awesome. I know he can help you. You just have to talk to him. He was happy that you and the children came down here and we were able to spend time with you. He said that it helped me to overcome my fears a little and get me back into the routine. You know, being around fans and stuff. Even though the kids aren't really fans and you don't act like most of the fans that we were used to." Justin said, rambling on excitedly.

"Justin man calm down. They are going to be here for a while and you are going to get to talk to them a lot. You don't have to get it all out right now." Lance told him laughing at his younger friend.

"I'm sorry. I am just so excited. I mean, you guys are going to be here and we can hang out and I am really making an idiot out of myself aren't I?" Justin said, turning red and hanging his head as the elevator door opened.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with us. We won't tell anyone that you were making an idiot out of yourself." Sheryl said, laughing as she stepped out of the elevator car.

"I just can't help it. You guys are the first friends that I have had outside of the group in a really long time. You are the first people that I have felt comfortable around in a long time." Justin told them, walking with them out of the hotel.

"Thanks man, that makes the rest of us feel loved. Really, we can feel it." Chris said, coming up behind them from where he, JC, and Joey had taken another elevator down.

"You know what I mean man." Justin said, rolling his eyes.

"No not really. I don't even know what you are talking about." Chris confessed.

"Well then don't worry about it." Justin said, ruffling Chris's short hair.

"Don't make me mess with the 'fro man. You know that I will do it. And I know where you sleep." Chris threatened.

"I would hope so since I live with you, or didn't you notice that?" Justin said, loading Sadie's suitcase into the van that she was driving.

"How could I not? There are empty bottles of gel everywhere. That means only one thing. That Justin Timberlake has been doing his hair." Chris said, ducking away from Justin as he attempted to hit him.

"Well, guys, as much as we would love to continue this love fest, we really have to get going. They are expecting us back home." Sheryl said walking over to her own van. She stopped and hugged each of the guys and laughed at the faces of the kids that were smashed up against the window, waving good bye to their new friends. "See you guys in a week or so. We will call you and let you know." Sheryl said, climbing into the driver's seat.

"Let us know if you need help packing. We could make a day trip and help you out." JC offered. He turned and hugged Sadie before getting jumped on by Chris for offering them to do manual labor.

"Well, I guess this is it for now, guys. See you in a few days, I hope." Sadie said, hugging each of the guys before getting into her van. The children shouted their good byes as the vans pulled away, the five friends waving to them as they left.

"So, did you guys have fun this week?" Sadie asked the group of kids talking in the back of the van. A chorus of excited 'yes's rang out through the van as they made their way out onto the interstate.

"What about you, Tommy? Did you have fun?" Sadie asked, looking over at the small teenager who was looking out the window.

"Yea, it was cool I guess." Was his non-emotional reply v "What's the matter with you? You sound depressed or mad or something." Sadie said, switching lanes on the busy highway. She was met with silence for an answer. "Tommy?" Sadie said, trying to get his attention or an answer. He turned and stared at her with eyes that could melt the abominable snowman.

"I thought you loved, me? Us? I thought you wanted to take care of us and be there for us?" Tommy asked, his voice practically yelling. This got the attention of the rest of the van.

"Tommy, what are you talking about? OF course I love you. I love all of you. I don't understand where this is coming from." Sadie said, looking at him, confusion in her eyes.

"Don't play dumb with me. I am not a child you know. I heard you and Sheryl talking SHEENA." Tommy informed her, stressing her real name, making sure that she knew that he was no longer calling her by her pet name.

"Talking about what, Tom?" Sadie asked, still confused.

"You know what. About you two leaving us and moving to Orlando to be with those guys. You are leaving us because you care more about them than you do us." Tommy said, practically yelling at her now.

"Is that true, Sadie? DO you love them more than us?" the young Tina asked from the back seat.

"No that is not true. I love you more than anything. I hardly know those guys back there. They are just some new friends. I do not love them more than I love you guys. You guys are everything to me and to Sheryl." Sadie told them, her eyes tearing up and threatening to fall, despite her efforts to hold them back.

"Then you aren't leaving us?" little James asked from beside his small sister.

"I am leaving yes. But I have to and it is only for a month or so. I will be back. Sheryl and I will come back." Sadie promised them. "I just want you all to know that I love you more than anything and nothing, and I mean NOTHING can keep from coming back to you." Sadie assured them.

"You are a liar! You say that you love us and then you leave us. You don't care about us. If you did, you wouldn't leave." Tommy spat at her, his outburst stinging her like a hundred knives piercing her skin.

"Tommy, how could you say that. I know that you don't understand why, but I have to. I am sick and the help that I need is in Orlando. I have to go. It will only be for a little while. I promise." Sadie tried to convince him.

"You are just like them. They said that they cared about us and that they loved us and all of the crap, too. You are just like our parents. You don't care about us at all." Tommy yelled at her. Sadie couldn't control it anymore. She burst into tears, blurring her vision.

"Tommy don't say things like that. You shouldn't say things like that to her. You're making her cry." Samantha scolded him.

"Oh shut up, Sam. She is crying because it is true. I hate you SHEENA." He said stressing her name again.

Sadie couldn't take it anymore. Swerving through traffic and receiving honks and obscene remarks and gestures from other motorists. She pulled up to the shoulder of the highway and quickly exited the van, slamming the door behind her. She walked ahead of the van and sat on the guard rail, crying.

Sheryl and her young passengers were singing along with the radio when they saw Sadie's van, ahead of them, swerve through the traffic and pull over to the shoulder of the road. Sheryl quickly maneuvered her van over behind theirs.

"Stay in the van. Don't come out, do you understand?" she asked, getting nods from everyone. She quickly exited her vehicle and walked up to her sister's. She looked in the window and saw all of the children sitting there. The younger ones in the back were crying, all except for Samantha. She was shooting death looks at Tommy. Tommy sat with his back to the driver's side and looked out the window.

"Tommy, what happened? Why did you guys stop?" Sheryl asked him. He didn't say anything and didn't even turn to acknowledge her.

"He yelled at Sadie, and called her Sheena. He said that she didn't love us anymore and that you didn't love us anymore and that you were leaving us. Sadie said that she was sick. Is that true? Is that why you are going back to Orlando?" Sam asked, turning her gaze from Tommy to Sheryl.

"Yes we are going back to Orlando, and yes Sadie is sick. She is very sick. She is going to a doctor down there for a while. We do love you and we are going to come back.. Tommy why did you say those things to her?" Sheryl asked, still getting no response. "Fine, pout if you want to, but I want you to switch spots with Caitlin." Sheryl said, motioning for the eleven-year-old girl to come up from the back seat. When Tommy didn't move, Sheryl just about lost her temper. "Tommy, move. NOW!" She yelled at him. He jerked up and looked at her, tears in his eyes. He quickly looked away and moved to the back of the van. Caitlin sat down in the passenger's seat. "Now Tommy, I want you to keep your mouth shut the rest of the way home. We will talk when we get there. Do you understand me? I don't want to hear about you saying anything. Sadie does not need this from anyone right now. Especially not you." Sheryl told his sternly. She turned her gaze out of the windshield and saw Sadie sitting on the guardrail. Slowly, Sheryl took a deep breath and started over to her distraught sister.

"I knew that they wouldn't understand. I knew that they wouldn't." Sadie said through her tears. Sheryl's heart reached out to her. She pulled her sister into a hug. She wrapped her arms protectively around her and refused to let her go while she cried.

"It's ok. They just don't understand now, but we have to go. They will understand. I promise you they will. They don't hate you or me for leaving. Tommy is just upset. He will be fine." Sheryl tried to reassure her.

"He said he hated me, Sheryl. Tommy said that he hated me. I never meant to hurt them I didn't want this. I didn't�" Sadie's voice trailed off as the tears continued to flow.

"He doesn't hate you, Sadie. He just doesn't understand right now and he is upset. He will be fine when he has time to think about it. He just needs some time. You don't need to worry about it right now. You just need to worry about getting better. OK?" Sheryl asked, stepping back from her sister and helping her straighten herself up. "Now, get the mascara off of your cheek. I put Tommy in the back and Caitlin in his seat. I will talk to him when we get back to the center." Sheryl said, leading her back to the van. Sadie smiled at Caitlin when she got in and started the silent trip back to Gainesville, Florida.

"Justin, you are just a little off key there. Pick it up a notch and slow it down about a sixteenth of a beat." JC told him from the other side of the glass.

"OK JC. I guess I still need to work on this a little. I must be more out of practice than I thought." Justin said, rubbing his eyes and the bridge of his nose.

"Don't worry about it. At least you are back in the studio and recording new songs. We might not be able to perform soon, but we can at least put out a new album now." JC said, laughing. Justin grinned at him and went back to singing the song again.

The world is not different Through your rose colored glasses It is still the same Your fears still remain Why can't you see What you really mean to me

"How was that, JC?" Justin asked hopefully. He liked the feeling that was coming over him. The feeling that he used to have when JC would keep them in the booth for hours on end, trying to perfect something. The feeling of not being able to wait to get out. Although he wanted out of the booth, he liked the fact that he was able to feel like that again. He found himself almost wishing that JC would keep him there so that he could continue to feel that feeling. Almost.

"You can go, I guess. That was the best one. I will save the rest of the song for tomorrow. Have to have something to do tomorrow." JC said, standing from the chair that he was sitting in and stretching his tired muscles.

Justin jumped off of his stool and headed out of the booth. It was good to be back in the swing of things. Well for the most part. "It is great to be back." He told JC as they started down the hall toward the cafeteria where the other guys were already eating.

"Yea, we finally got you back in the studio and you are getting used to the occasional fan outburst. You didn't even flinch when that girl ran up asking for an autograph today after we left the hotel. I was so proud of you." JC said, ruffling Justin's curly hair.

"Thanks DAD, but watch the 'fro." Justin said, trying to get his hair back to its normal state.

"Yea, I wouldn't want to lose my hand in there, now would I. I wouldn't be able to do those flips in Tearin' My Heart. Not and hold the microphone too." JC said, laughing at Jusitn's mock pout.

"Anyway, now I just have to get used to traveling again, the enormous crowds and the screaming, not to mention the performing in front of a stadium of screaming girls. Hey, do you think the guys would go for a game of hackey or maybe even b-ball. We haven't done either one in a while." Justin asked, walking into the cafeteria.

"I don't know. We will find out after we eat. I am starving." JC said, heading to the counter to get his lunch. After Justin and JC got their food they walked over to the table where the rest of their group was sitting.

"So, you finally decided to join us. I thought we were going to have to drag you two away from the studio." Joey said, throwing a french fry at JC's head.

"Yea, well we unlike some people, care about what the cd will sound like." JC said, throwing the fry back at him.

"Hey, I care, I just can't sit there for hours on end. I have to do it in moderation." Joey defended himself. JC just rolled his eyes at him.

"Well, what else do we have to do today, Scoop?" Justin asked, Lance turning away from the argument that was forming between JC and Joey.

"Not much really. I guess we are done for the day, except to look over a few more songs that Johnny pulled out for us." Lance told him, looking through his planner to see if there was anything else that he had forgotten about. "Yep that is about�" he was cut off by the ringing of his cell phone. "Hold on a minute." He told Justin, picking up the ringing device.

"I do not make that face at the club." Justin heard Joey saying. He laughed when he saw what face they were talking about.

"Joey, yes you do." Justin told him.

"Who asked you. Afro puff?" Joey said, throwing a fry at him that was covered in catsup. It hit Justin on the nose and fell into his lap. He was about to respond when he heard a familiar name come out of Lance's mouth.

"Hey Sheryl. What's up? Are you guys back in Gainesville?" He asked, noticing that he had the attention of the entire group on him. "Well, that is good to hear. I can't believe this. For once I am the center of attention." Lance laughed at the looks on their faces when he said that, then received a balled up napkin in the face. "I swear they have no respect for me around here. Anyway Sheryl�stop laughing at me�.how was the trip. I am sure that it was uneventful, but I am bored with these guys so talk to me." Lance said, resting his elbows on the table in front of him. He listened intently to what she was saying. "What?!" he asked, loudly, once again gaining the attention of his group mates. They turned their questioning stares his way and waited for an explanation. He motioned for them to hold on.

"I can't believe he did that. I wouldn't have expected that from him. I mean, he cares about her more than anything. I just don't believe it. Is Sadie all right?" Lance asked, concern on his face. Justin's ears perked up at the mention of Sheryl's sister and his curiosity was now peaked.. "I just can't believe him. Is she going to be ok? Is there anything we can do?" Lance asked, the concern replaced by a sorrowful look. "Yea, we can do that. That shouldn't be a problem. We can start as soon as I get off the phone. We are done for the day here anyway. I will call you as soon as we find out anything. Ok, well I will talk to you later tonight and let you know what is up. Take care and tell Sadie that we miss her too. Ok, later." Lance said, then hung up the phone. He turned to look at his group mates, and saw them all staring at him expectantly. He had been unaware of the lack of conversation since his phone rang.

"What happened? Why do you look so worried?" Chris asked, placing his fork, which he had been holding for the entire conversation, back on his plate and sat back to listen.

"On the way to Gainesville, Tommy started yelling at Sadie. He said some pretty horrible things to her. Obviously he heard them talking about coming back here and got upset about it. He told her he hated her and that she didn't love them and didn't want to be with them. It really upset her and Sheryl says she has been crying ever since they got home. Sheryl told their boss what was up and they both agreed that they sooner they get back here the better. You know so that she doesn't get even more depressed about the whole situation." Lance explained, getting nods of agreements from the group. "So now, we have a project." He told them happily, loving projects. He rubbed his hands together excitedly.

"Well, what is our 'project'?" JC asked, pushing his tray aside and resting his elbows on the table.

"We have to find them an apartment by Wendsdeay. That means we have three days to get them something that they can afford. Their parents are sending the money and are going to pay for it while they are here. They need something, but not pricey." Lance told them.

"I can handle that. There is an apartment for rent in our building. If I have to I can talk the manager down on the rent." Chris told them.

"That would be perfect. We'll have to get them some furniture though. They can rent some stuff. We can find someplace with nice furniture for rent at a decent price." Justin said, getting excited.

"We are going to have to go up and help them pack to. I mean we don't have to but I want to." Lance told them.

"I think we can handle that. We can tell Lou to give us some time off at the end of the week and head up there. It shouldn't take too long. I know that Sadie has and SUV and Sheryl has a small compact car. We can take Lance's 4-runner and my jeep. That should give us enough room for everyone and their stuff. We should get moving. Lance, you and Chris go see about that apartment and Joey, Justin and I will go see about furniture." JC said, getting up from the table. Everyone else followed suit. "By the way, I am picking out the furniture. If I leave it to the two of you it will either be baby blue or leopard print." JC told Joey and Justin as they left the building. He received punches on both of his arms for his remarks.

"What is wrong with Baby blue? I like that color." Justin defended.

"And I like leopard printed stuff. It is sexy." Joey added.

"See that is why I am picking the furniture. You guys, you are decorating for females, not yourselves. Remember that." JC said, climbing into his Jeep.

"How could we forget. I mean, Damn, what fine females." Joey commented, receiving a smack on the back of his head from Justin who was sitting in the back seat.

"Can't you go for two minutes with out thinking about what a girl looks like?" Justin said rolling his eyes.

"You know that you think that they are fine." Joey said, turning around to look at his younger friend.

"Yea, I know that they are fine." Justin said, looking at his friend like he was crazy.

"What is the difference in me saying it and you saying it?" Joey asked, looking really confused.

"The difference, Joe, is that he doesn't look like a raving lunatic when he says it." JC said, laughing at the shocked look on Joey's face.

"That wasn't right, C. Just not right." Joey said, slumping in his seat to pout.

Chapter 4

Chapter 6