A car horn brought him out of his daze. The chair from the kitchen table was pushed back and the man now standing picked up his jacket, keys and took his bowl of cereal to the sink, poured out the milk and soggy cereal left over and then strolled out of the kitchen, through the door, and to the car that was waiting for him.

Before he even got in the car he could hear the music blaring from his friends stereo. It wasn't the normal music that would be blared from a car, not rap or hard rock. No this was Sting. He couldn't put his finger on the name of the song, but it was slow not too slow, and not something that he would ever blare from HIS stereo.

"Sup man!"

Justin pulled himself up in JC's car. "Hey C."

The darker haired one turned down the volume and looked over his shoulder as he backed out of their driveway. "I just realized I forgot some shit from my house so I gotta go back and pick it up."

"No problem. Thanks for picking me up, I just really didn't feel like driving today."

"NEver thought I'd hear YOU say that."

If he could, Justin would have molded into the seat. He sunk further down, holding on to the seatbelt and staring out of the window. "Whatever..."

"How ya doing man? How's Mere? I haven't talked to her in forever. I miss her."

"we're fine."

JC kept both of his hands on the steering wheel but his eyes turned to Justin. His voice was monotone, his eyes had dark circles under them and he looked like he hadn't had a decent amount of sleep in so long. Josh knew, he probably hadn't "You don't sound like-"

"Jace would you just shut up and drive. I have a headache and right now I don't need to you be my daddy, thanks for trying though." Without turning his face from the window, Justin's voice cut through the air and stabbed JC right in the chest. Justin could be in bad moods, in fact it wasn't a rare occurrence, especially in the mornings. But lately those moods had increased and he was in a desperate need of a attitude check or someone wouldn't stay tight lipped about his rude and bitchy behavior.

Almost aqua eyes were rolled sharply and JC let out a annoyed sigh. "Fine whatever you want, son."

After a silent minute, JC cranked the music back up and that was the noise that occupied the car for the rest of the ride, well until they got to JC's small, but nice "bachelor pad."

Justin jumped slightly when Josh's door slammed, even though it followed him saying "I'll be right back."

Jumpy would be a good descriptive word to, well, describe him lately. Every unannounced, and sometimes announced, movement or sound made him...jump.

The shrill of a cell phone made him clutch his heart and breathe in panic. IT wasn't even a shrill, it was Janet Jackson's song "That's the way..." It sounded kinda funny in the digital beeping noises, but Justin didn't laugh. He just stared at the phone, letting it play and play. He was taken back to the many times he and his wife had made love to that song.

SHe had commented before how sexy the song was to her, and how every time she heard it she remembered him, singing, in that incredibly sexy voice of his how he would go deeper...and deeper...and...

Shaking his mind of the thoughts he picked up the phone not even thinking that it was JC's and not his own. With a beep the song ended.

"Hello?"

A female voice came over the phone, talking animatedly, happy, chipper, delightful, splendid, ANNOYING. "Hey babe! I have to work until 5:30 tonight. But I know you'll be in the studio. So can we postpone our little rendezvous until 6:15ish?"

Justin's eyebrows rose. Last time he knew JC wasn't having any, "Rendezvous?"

There was a pause. "You don't remember about us getting all- wait, who is this?"

He wanted to roll his eyes. "Justin. Who is this?"

The feminine voice made a noise like "hmph." "Oh...hey. Where's Jace?"

"In his house. Who's this?"

"Why are you on his phone?"

He sighed. This was really annoying and for some reason he was getting a migraine. "Because I'm in the car. It rang. I didn't think. I answered. Once again, who the hell is this."

The girl chuckled. "Wooo, hmm, moody are we?"

He grabbed the seat belt that was pressing against his chest and pulled it down in frustration, clenching it and straining his hand. "Listen bi-"

The girls voice turned from carefree to hard as a rock. "Justin you call me a bitch and I swear to god I will tattle to Mere about it. It's Chris, moron."

His hand uncurled around the seatbelt and it semi-slapped him in the chest. That explained a lot. IT was just Chris. "Oh, hey..."

"Yeah. Have JC call me back, will you?"

"Kay."

"Later Juju."

His eyes narrowed as he watched JC lock step out of his front door. "Don't call me that Christina."

"You about called me bitch."

HE scoffed and was about to start whining like the 5 year old he was acting. "Well you were-"

"buh bye." The phone clicked off and he grumbled the word, "bitch" Just as JC was approaching the car with some papers and what looks like a notebook.

"Chris called." Justin stated monotone when JC started driving towards the studio.

"really?!"

Justin couldn't help but notice the slight change in his voice. It was a little more giddy. A little more hopeful. A little more excited.

"Yes really. What's up with you and her?"

"Nothing." JC shrugged, but the smile on his face couldn't fade if he tried.

"Yeah right. You are having a "rendezvous" with her."

"Just hanging Justin. And if we were dating would it matter?"

Justin crossed his arms over his chest and looked at JC out of the corner of his eye. A minute or two later he asked, "You fuckin her yet?"

The stoplight was a good distance away from the car, but JC slammed on breaks anyway. "Excuse me!"

Justin checked the side mirror to make sure no one was behind them, then turn to his friend. "We are best buds. come on you can tell me. You fuck buddies yet?"

JC took in a shaky breath and eased towards the still red light. "You better watch it."

Justin shrugged and turned his head too watch a man walking his dog down the sidewalk. "She's hot. I'd fuck her."

JC put the car in park and looked straight ahead. "Get out."

The younger one looked towards Josh and rolled his eyes. "Don't be a pussy Jace."

"What is up with your language." The light turned green and the car jerked forward with speed.

"Why the hell are you being my damn dad!"

The noise of the road and the radio was incomparable to the two male voices that were now practically screaming at each other. "Why are you being a damn asshole!?

"Why-" Justin stopped yelled, sunk in his seat and mumbled. "... just shut the fuck up and drive."

A sarcastic, bitter laugh came deep within JC's throat. "You better be glad we are just a minute from the studio or I would definitely be leaving your ass behind."

"Oooo I'm soooo scared." Justin mocked.

With a silent count to ten, JC ignored Justin, tried to contain his tempter and remained silent until he had put the car in park and pulled his keys from the ignition.

JC put his hand on the door handle and looked at Justin with stern cold face. "Get out of your fucking bad attitude. I'm the producer today. If you bring your shit into the studio I swear I will kick you out."

For the 10th time that day, he rolled his eyes. "You cant-"

The car door opened, JC looked back inside, and growled, "Oh hell yes I can." Then slammed the door.

---

2 hours later....

She was on HER lunch break. HERS not theirs. But yet in her hour and half of a break she found herself grabbing fast-food for herself, instead of going home like she had planed.

With the fast food smell from at least 4 different places filling her car she made her way towards he destination. Kris had called. They had called Kris. And now she was playing waitress.

And ya know what she really didn't want to be playing waitress right now. She had other things to worry about and think about and stress about then getting THEM food. They could get their own damn food. Call of one of their little "Nsync" servants to do it for them. She wasn't their slave. She wasn't their little wife.

Well, she was the wife of one of them. And technically she did sorta-not-really work for them.

They had ruined her plans. She wanted to go home. Relax. Cook herself some soup or pasta...something. But it hadn't worked out that way. And that pissed her off.

As she turned into the parking lot she thought to herself how she would just bust in there, not caring if they were recording or not and let them have it. They needed to be bitched at every now and then, and hell she was in a bitchy mood so it was just a perfect little companionship.

But now, parked, staring at the brick building that held them, she couldn't move. Her breathing seemed to be shallower and it was hard for her to swallow.

The radio abruptly changed from an old u2 song to commercials and almost violently she punched the button to turn the device off. With a large inhale, and finally exhale she opened her car door and continued on with her journey.

She struggled to get the front door open with all the bags she was carrying and the two cardboard drink holders she was balancing. Marie was working up front and she tried giving the woman a smile to let her know she kinda needed help.

But all Marie did was take the phone she had in her hand away from her mouth and say, "Hey Meredith, Studio 3."

Meredith just rolled her eyes and grumbled the word "bitch' under her breath as she traveled down to Studio 3.

Now Marie wasn't really a bitch, but it was just fitting for her mood and the time.

She got to Studio 3 and groaned when she realized the door had a doorknob on it. There was no way she would get her hand free to actually turn the thing. She just sighed, leaned against the door and lightly banged her forehead against it.

A few seconds later the door cracked open and Joey's head popped into view. He smiled a cheesy smile at her, but she just narrowed her eyes.

The door swung open then and all the guys turned to stare at her.

"Well are you going to help me or not!?"

Joey chuckled and took the two drink holders from her and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "We were too stunned by your beauty."

"Ya know Joey if this music thing didn't work out you could have made it as a professional bull shitter." She walked in the room, set the bags on the counter right in front of JC who was sitting in a rolly chair behind the sound boards.

Joey had set the drinks on the small table in the corner of the room where Justin was sitting. Lance was on the couch looking through a magazine and Chris was just now coming out of the recording booth.

She exhaled a deep, annoyed and tired sigh and started naming off her bags of food. She tossed JC a clear plastic bag and he caught it perfectly. "Jace your subway, Lance here's your Arby's, Joey your taco bell, And Justin your quarter pounder and Chris' 2 happy meals."

Chris came out and cringed at Mere giving her an "I'm sorry" look. "Oh yeah mere I forgot, Ellen is coming by and taking me out to lunch."

MEreidth cocked an eyebrow at him. "What?"

"Yeah, got me a lunch date." He smiled and she could hear some of the other guys chuckling at the mention of his date.

A hand was placed on her hip. "Well then why the hell did you ask me to get your damn food." She didn't acknowledge Joey's playful "uhh ohhh"

Chris shrugged in his defense. "She just called and asked."

"I don't care, you should have told her that you had lunch coming."

With a shake of his head and a point to the other side of the room, Chris retorted. "But it was Ellen. And if Justin called-"

"Oh do not even start."

A far too familiar voice piped up from the corner of the room. "Did you ask to get this without cheese."

She turned her attention from Chris to Justin. "I always do."

"Well it has cheese on it."

She lifted her hands in the air and let them drop by her sides like they were dead weights. "What do you want me to do scrape it off for you. Better yet why don't I just grill you a whole new burger." He just stared at her, without emotion. "Why don't you just have Chris bring you back something since he's going frolicking with dear Eleanor."

"Thats not even her name." Chris whispered.

Meredith snapped at him. "Shut up."

Justin cleared his voice, "Meredith I'm at work I think-"

But she cut him off. "And I'm on MY damn lunch break. MINE Justin. So why don't you get off your fuckin high horse-"

Then she was cut off herself, by a loud ear-piercing whistle. Everyone turned to JC who was bringing his fingers from his lips. "Outside."

The Timberlakes said in unison, "Excuse me."

JC crossed his arms over his broad chest making the material of his shirt tighten against his torso. "Outside. I would like to eat my lunch in peace. Now I appreciate you going and getting us lunch Mere. It was very kind of you. But I'm not about to sit here and listen to you two bitch and complain over fast food. It's childish and frankly EXTREMELY annoying. Go out in the hall or outside but don't fight around me, Lance, Joey OR Chris."

"Fine..." Meredith growled and left quickly.

Justin pushed himself out of his chair and stormed off after her. "Fine."

The glass door was pushed open like it had no weight what so ever as he followed her outside. She was steaming, he could almost see it. Her hair whipped around her shoulders as she sped walked to the side of the building.

His arm shot out like a bullet and he caught her arm and twisted her around so she was facing him. "What the hell is your problem."

"MY PROBLEM!? I don't have a problem." she struggled to get away from his grasp but he just made his grip tighter.

"Whats up with your bitchy attitude then." His voice seemed to hiss, like a snake. A big, mean, evil, snake...with fangs.

For the first time that day she let her resolve waver. She stuttered. "I..I don't know. Maybe I'm just in a bad mood. It's not like you don't ever get in bad moods."

"Well I do NOT appreciate you busting in there and embarrassing me like that." He pointed to the building to get his point across.

She stepped back from him. He was now leaning over her. "EMBARASSING you?"

"Yes! Coming in here...yelling at Chris, at me, at EVERYONE. You don't run this place."

Her head shook, her eyes were narrowed and her voice just kept on raising. "And neither do you."

"Still, I work here... YOU don't."

"I'm your WIFE."

She was searching now. He knew it. He had made a point. Her behavior had been out of line and now she was just trying to pick something to cling to, to give herself the reason of the doubt. Justin made his voice low and he stared at her. "What the hell does that have to do with anything?

She turned her eyes away from him and looked down at the pavement they were standing on. They were standing in the shadow of the building and a breeze came over her making her shiver. "I..I don't know."

"Exactly you are making up excuses just so you can get away with shit. Well I can see past that Meredith."

Her eyes cut sharply to his. "Then what do you see?"

With a sigh he shook his head. His hand came up to hold her cheek and he stepped closer to her, making her look directly at him. "I see someone that is hurting like hell on the inside and is covering all that up with this "stay the hell away from me" bitchy attitude because that's exactly what you are afraid people are going to do, ESPECIALLY me, get too close and find out what's really going on."

Her arms went flying and she broke away from his touch. She was breathing hard and he knew he had hit a nerve in her. "AND WHAT IS GOING ON!?"

"US! Look at us! You are terrified of us right now."

"When did you become Einstein on all that is me!?"

He was actually hurt by her question. His jaw tightened and he glared at her. "when I married you."

She shook her head and stepped forward. "I..I..."

He put a hand up to stop her. "Save it."

"I was going to.."

"I know, you were going t o say you were sorry."

He wouldn't look at her, he couldn't. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her wipe her face. He cursed at himself. Once again he had managed to upset her. And once again, she was crying. "I should go."

He still couldn't look at her. "Yeah maybe you should." He felt her brush past him and walk away. But before she got to far he heard her speak up.

"Ya know it's not all my fault."

Justin turned on his heels and shook his head at her even though her back was facing him. "I didn't-"

HE watched her shoulders shrug and could see her head was titled down. "I mean, it mostly is, but I dunno."

"Meredith what are you talking about."

Her head shook and he watched her run her hands through her hair, one of her nervous habits. "Nothing. Just forget it. Tell the guys I'm sorry." She started walking away again but now he felt bad. HE didn't want her leaving him with a frown on her face, or crying, or upset.

He sped walked after her, grabbed her upper arms to stop her and then leaned down to pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Angel..." Her heard her sniff, not a good sign.

He rested his cheek on her hair and he thought her felt her shake. His brought his lips to her ear and whispered. "It..it's not your fault y you cant.."

She whipped around and for the first time that day he got to really see the tears in her eyes. "I cant what?"

But now he couldn't move. She wanted him to actually say it. She wanted him to admit to both of them that she couldn't have children. She wanted him to say that that was what was behind all this. He tried to find enough courage to say it, or something that would ease her mind, and his. But he didn't have any strength and he wasn't brave enough to admit it to himself, or her. His eyes searched hers and finally he didn't know what to do.

So he did what he knew best. His arms encircled her and he crashed his lips down upon hers.

He forgot it all in that moment. It just...disappeared when his lips touched hers.

She was fighting to regain her senses. But it had been a day or two since he had kissed her with this much emotion and passion. These were the types of kisses that lead else where, and in that moment she had forgotten where she was, what she was doing, and anything else about what was going on. Her hands crept up his shoulders and she found his neck and latched on as he claimed her mouth.

It was when pressure hit her back, rather hard when her sense were literally knocked back into her. Her eyes opened and she realized he had pinned her against the side of the building. She started to feel his hands move and wander. And soon his lips followed.

Normally she wouldn't mind this. She would just giggle and comment that they were in a public place. But she couldn't find her breath if she tried.

His lips were trailing down her neck and she tried not to think about where his hands were.

Hands and lips both stopped moving when she gasped his name. She felt heavy breath on against her neck and heard him whisper, "I'll be home no later than 6."

And then like that, she was left alone.

Whether her world had slowed down or he just had walked really fast she didn't know, but now he wasn't insight and she was left alone, pressed up against a cold brick wall.

It had happened many other times. Playful teasing was a staple in their relationship. And she would call him up and complain about how embarrassing that was and how he was in for it when he came home. He would joke back with an "I hope so."

She had a feeling though, he wasn't teasing her when he pinned her against the building just then.

And he sure as hell wasn't being playful. Back Forward