Justin wasn�t aware of all the commotion going on around him.
He wasn�t aware of the police running into the house and seizing all suspects.
He wasn�t aware of the fact that Lance, Chris and Joey had been standing out of the way at the top of the stairs watching as everything had happened.
He wasn�t even aware when Lance and Joey rushed to him to untie him while Chris made his way over to JC who was sitting in shock just a few feet away and untied him too.
He didn�t know when JC finally snapped out of his shock and made his way over to him and the others grabbing his hand, holding on tight whispering claming and assuring words to him along with the other guys who were holding his other hand or rubbing his ankles or legs just for the contact.
Or even when Joey easily picked up his slack form and took him out to the van waiting to take them to the safe house their manager Johnny was waiting for them at.
He was however aware of waking up, sitting straight up in his place with a scream caught in his throat and almost instantly being surrounded by four pairs a familiar arms, just hugging and holding him while they all cried with him.
And he can vaguely remember through his sobs looking at the tearstained faces of his band mates, friends and brothers asking almost hopefully �It wasn�t real was it? It was just another nightmare right?� then the collective intake of breath and JC shaking his head in response.
And then the arms were back and together they cried and thanked God that for the time being they were all safe once again.
*A Couple Months Later*
�In news today 38 year old Maxwell Silverman was found guilty today. Silverman was responsible for leading five other men to force themselves into the vacation home of the popular �pop� group N*SYNC and holding the five guys for a large, yet undisclosed amount of ransom just over two months ago. JC Chasez, Justin Timberlake, Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone and Lance Bass, collectively known as N*SYNC were present throughout the trial to give testimony against Silverman and his crew and were present there today for the reading of the verdict. While visibly relieved by the verdict the five offered no comments on the verdict or the case. Official word from the N*SYNC camp is that the boys need a little more time before they will give any comment on what they had gone through during their ordeal. Representatives also say that the boys will be taking approximately one more month off to recover from injuries sustained and get themselves ready to start the tour that was scheduled to open on Sunday. Fan�s don�t have to worry, cancelled tour dates will be rescheduled at the end of the tour so hold onto your tickets and keep checking the N*SYNC official website for details. The crew here at MTV joins me in sending our best wishes and get wells to JC, Justin, Lance, Chris and Joey and we look forward to seeing you guys on tour again soon. In other news��
Turning off the TV the five guys of N*SYNC sat around the living room of JC�s house in Orlando, still in the clothes they wore to court. Each reflecting on everything that they had been through during the last two months.
Physically Chris was the worse off after what happened. Thanks to the beating he received he had several bruised and cracked ribs. All the others had slight bruising and red marks from where they had been punched and hit.
Psychologically was another story. They all had gone into their own forms of shock after the incident that they were only now starting to come out of. But all were suffering from nightmares and periodic day dreams that had them reliving everything that happened as well as having their own minds add in the �what ifs.�
What if JC had pushed just that little bit too much?
What if Joey had been caught getting that phone and Lance with that knife?
What if Chris had been beaten into a coma and not just unconscious? Or worse to death?
What if that policeman missed and it was Justin that was hit and not the man holding him?�
All had a small stay in the hospital ranging from over night to a couple days to be treated for shock and the injuries sustained. But were released after promising the doctor they would be under supervision and would get lots of rest.
�Well I guess that is it�. It is finally finished.� Chris said breaking the silence first.
�Yup guess so� maybe we can finally get things back to normal.� Joey added on trying to make his voice sound cheerful and hopeful only half succeeding.
�You�re wrong it isn�t over.� Justin stated softly. During the last couple months Justin had only spoken when he had to, or to contradict someone. Even though he had been deemed the one with the least amount of physical injuries he was by far the worse off of the five.
�What do you mean J? They guy is in prison. We have a name, a face, and all the other information we could want on him and the other guys. None of them will be getting out for a long time to come�� Lance started but was quickly cut off�
�Bull! Don�t think I don�t know that you are all thinking the exact same thing as me! That we aren�t safe! That maybe just maybe it can all happen again!� Justin yelled back. �Don�t think that I don�t see you Lance look through the peep hole on a door before opening it and then leaving the chain on just to be sure. Don�t think I don�t see the way that Chris flinches every time someone goes to put a hand on his shoulder or touch him! Even one of us!�.�
�Justin�� JC softly interjected�
�No! I�m not going to stop because you all obviously need to hear this! Don�t think I don�t see Joey calling Kelly to make sure her and Brianna are still safe and ok. And don�t think that I don�t see the kind of music you�re writing JC or the kind of paintings you�re working on. And above all don�t think I don�t see one of you fall asleep somewhere and five minutes later jerk awake again with a scared look on your face. Or hear the screams after one of you wake up from another nightmare that you think managed to go unheard! Because I do! I�ve seen them all! Heard them all! So I know you all are thinking the same thing as I am!� Justin finished, now on the verge of hyperventilating.
�Justin�� JC started again in a soft voice. �We never said that we don�t have nightmares, that we weren�t effected by what happened. Sure we were. All of us were and we are all scared to death that it could happen again. But we can�t keep thinking that. Security is outside and around us at all times, and if it isn�t enough for you ask Johnny and he won�t hesitate to put more on duty. We are safe J. We all want everything to do with it to end, and now it can, because those men are in jail now and we are safe and it is over.�
Getting up shaking his head Justin started to walk away from Lance, Chris, Joey and JC leaving them with rather shocked looks on their faces as he called over his shoulder.
�We might be safe, but I for one will never feel safe. You all are wrong it isn�t over and never will be because the Nightmares Never End.�