With a growl of frustration she smacked the guy sitting in a kitchen chair in the head. "Just hold still."

He grabbed his hair and glared at her. "This is the last time I ever come over here."

"Lance, you move one more time and I will add MORE gum to your nappy hair."

Lance stood up and looked at the girl that was sitting on the table with utensils in her hands; scissors and a toothpick. He didn't like the evil gleam in her eyes. "WHA!?

Using the scissors that were hooked to her fingers she pointed to the chair and gave him a motherly stare. "Just sit there, I almost got it all out."

Crossing his arms over his chest and sighing into the chair, he grumbled. "Why did I have to come over here? I knew you were up to something Merey. I KNEW it."

Meredith gasped and worked on getting the sticky gum out of his short blonde hair. "I didn't do anything. It's was mini Fatone!"

"Surrree."

"AND It was and your evil wife."

Lance's head whipped around and he smiled victoriously. "It WAS her!"

Mere just smirked and pushed his head back so he wasn't facing her and she could work on the gunk in his hair. "So when did Les become a Bass?"

"Huh?"

"I just called Leslie your wife and you acknowledged her as that."

"Well whatever." HE shrugged.

"Soooo Lancey when ya gonna ask. Come on..I see that smile. Go Lance go Lance." Meredith danced and poked him as he pushed her hands away trying not to blush.

"Are you ok?"

She nodded yes but said, "No. Are you?"

He sighed and pointed to his hair. "No I got a glob of gum in my hair."

"Bri did a number on ya. It's your fault for coming over here."

Lance winced when she pulled extra hard on his hair. "Listen, Justin just told me and Les to keep you company while he was gone. I didn't know you would be baby-sitting Brianna."

"Oh did he? So the hubby doesn't think the wifey can handle being alone."

Lance chuckled. "Mere you cant."

"Yeah I know."

After a few minutes of diligent work on her part and groans from her friend, Lance spoke up. "Chris was talking about you yesterday."

"Which Chris?"

"Christina."

She giggled. "Which Christina?"

"Christina with a C."

Meredith pulled a big portion of the glob out of his hair and he yelped. She just sighed, shaking her head. "See its them damn people. I can never figure out who is who. You got the three Chris; Christopher, Christina with a C and Kristina with a K but they are all called "Chris." Oh and you have Kelly, who's name starts with the "Ca" sound. Then you got the hoard of J's: Justin, Joey, JC, hell, Johnny can even be thrown in there. You and Leslie are holding down the L's. It's just me. Just the lonely old M. And Brianna, hey B get back here." She yelled seeing the young girl with a head full of dark wavy brown hair run past the kitchen.

Lance smiled when he saw Leslie following Brianna. She maturely stuck her tongue out at him and then disappeared. "Brianna has Britney."

"Britney? What? She's never around." Meredith said in a disbelieving voice.

"She is on occasion."

"Yeah like random WEG Christmas parties."

HE shrugged. "Still, just once again, our little G is the special one."

Meredith smiled and petted his shoulder softly. "God I haven't heard that name in a while."

Finally she pulled extra hard and got all but a little bit of the gooey gum out of his hair and held it in front of his face. "Ok that's disgusting."

"Wanna keep it?" She wiggled her eyebrows and he stood up looking at the gum with a few pieces of his hair stuck to it like it was the most gory thing possible.

"Why?"

She wrapped the gum in a papertowel and tossed it in the trashcan. "I don't know some people keep their kidney stones and stuff or whatever."

"They do?" He asked with a shocked face.

Meredith just stared at Lance and said his name in a disapproving tone not believeing he hadnt known that. "L-boogie."

"Hey Lance." Brianna skipped into the den. She was about 8 years old and about as mischievous as they came. But she was adorable and you couldn't help but smile at her.

"It's the evil one herself. Get away." Lance turned his head and made his fingers into a cross shape as if she was a vampire and he was trying to keep her away.

She bit her lip and her eyes fell to her tennis shoes. "I really didn't mean to."

Lance smiled and pulled her to his side, half hugging her. "It's ok, B. Just be more careful when you are chewing gum."

Leslie strolled in and smiled at her boyfriend and Brianna. She leaned against the counter and gave Bri a sad look. "Well, It's time for Miss Fatone to get back to her mom and dad."

Sucking the air between her teeth, Meredith's postured slumped and she turned up her nose. "Awww you're right, we didn't get to make our cookies girl. It's ok, I'm sure there will be another time."

"Hey you want me and Les to drive her back since its on the way." Lance offer.

"Yeah sure if you don't mind."

Meredith messed up Brianna's hair of waves and she just waved with a smile walking with Les out of the house. "Bye Mere."

"Call me about brunch on Saturday." Leslie called back.

"We'll see, I might not be alive."

"Yeah yeah, later."

Lance hugged her quickly and said goodbye. "Bye Merey."

"C ya lance." She walked after him and closed the door that led out to the garage. She sighed, walking through the kitchen. It seemed so empty then without a 8 year old girl running around and Leslie and Lance not keeping her company. It was dull, boring, and she started feeling really lonely.

She made her way to the couch in the den and laid down, curling up and deciding a nap would do her good. But no matter which was she turned she couldn't get comfortable. After a few minutes of thinking to her self about calling him she picked up the phone off the stand beside the couch and dialed the familiar numbers to Justin's cell phone. She knew he probably was working and wouldn't answer, but she could leave a message and at least hear his voice, even if it was recorded.

She waited as the phone rang and surprisingly someone picked up, cleared their throat and grumbled. "Yeah..."

She smiled and relaxed into the couch. "Now if this was mamma Lynn she would be scolding you for answering the phone like that."

"Baby..." He sighed. It wasn't a happy sigh. It wasn't a sad sigh. But she knew something was wrong.

"What is it?"

He sniffed his nose and mumbled. "I think I'm sick."

He did sound horrible. But even through his stuffy voice it made her giddy and made her smile. She curled into the back of the couch, smiling. "That's what you get for staying away from me."

"Y...yeah, I'm still in bed." He chuckled a little.

"Justin it's 2 in the afternoon. Are you at the hotel?"

"Yeah. I wanna come home." He sounded like a kid away at camp, calling home after one night there.

"Then come home."

"I..I think I am."

Her voice was hopeful. "Really?"

"Yeah, JC can finish this shit on his own. I'm tired, my head hurts, my throat hurts, I miss you and I'm just ugh..."

She didn't fight the urge to roll her eyes and could just imagine him laying in bed all the covers up to his chin, only his hand sticking out just enough to hold the phone to his ear, tissues all around and his eyes closed, his lips in a pout. "You are in the classic Timberlake grump syndrome."

"I don't think you understand how much I just want to be home. In bed. With you."

She now pictured him slightly smiling and that made her smile and she tried not to giggle and sound too much of a adoring school girl. "Nuh Uh, you are sick I don't want your germs."

"I think I have the flu."

"Is it even flu season?"

"I don't know I've never had the flu." He managed a slight laugh.

"Me either."

She didn't know what else to say, and didn't really care. She was rather content just closing her eyes and hearing him breathe on the other end. She smiled and relaxed more into the couch. But soon his quiet voice broke through the silence. It was a voice he only used when a lot was on his mind or when he was worried about something. "Angel, I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For leaving you these past few weeks. For being distant."

"Justin you haven't been-"

He interrupted her. "Yeah I have. I, I think we both know why."

Her eyes popped open and she wondered if it was because of the whole baby thing, or if she was way off and it was something else. "We do?"

"Listen, I'm going to call and get me a flight home tomorrow. Ok?"

"Ok." She decided not to let her mind worry about this more than it had. She hadn't told him yet that she was almost week and a half late on her period, and over the phone was the last place she wanted to let him know.

"I love you."

She smiled. He sounded like he was 3 years old with his stuffy nose. "I love you too."

"Ok, I'm going to turn off the phone now, close my eyes, pray my headaches go away and dream of us, together."

She smiled. "All right. Get better Justin. I don't want to have to play nurse when you get back."

His voice became a little louder and she could hear the smile in his tone. "That might be fun."

"Wha-"

He said loudly. "Bye angel."

"Wait!..ugh.." She cut the phone off when she heard his end click off and threw the phone towards the end of the couch.

She flipped over on the couch and got comfortable laying on her stomach. She held the pillow tight in her arms, imagining it was him and not just fabric and cotton stuffing. But a smile did come to her face. Tomorrow it would be him and not just a pillow.

With that thought on her mind she was able to drift to sleep.

----

"God I don't think I've ever been more full in my life."

"I swear that Bottomless Chip thing is going to be the end of me." Meredith gagged lightly and sipped on her drink smiling at the woman across from her who was rubbing her belly.

"Damn I can throw back some chips though."

"Me too girl."

Meredith had decided to take Chris out for dinner at Chili's that night since she wasn't doing anything and figured she would just be lonely at home thinking about Justin. She hadn't really spent too much time with the girl but whenever she did they had so much fun together. Meredith could see her and Christina become fast, good friends.

"So how you liking things up in the front desk area?

"I like it. It's a nice job. Pay's good too." She smiled.

"That's good. So are you dating anyone?"

"No. N..not really. I mean there is this one guy."

Meredith noticed how she became nervous, but she couldn't help it. Her inner curiosity got the best of her and she leaned over the table, wiggling her eyebrows and trying to coax the girl into telling her more. "Ohh, tell me. I haven't been able to gush like this in forever, well really ever since all my friends have always been taken."

"Well he...he's...I mean we haven't gone out or anything, but he's umm, like he'll stop by in the office and talk to me and sometimes he will call me accidentally trying to get to Johnny or someone and we will just ..talk." Chris was biting her lip and blushing terribly.

"Wait...calling Johnny?" Meredith sat back at the booth and narrowed her eyes in thought.

"Oh yeah, he umm, works with him sometimes."

"Do I know him?"

"Um, I think so." Chris said quickly.

Meredith's eyebrows raised and her face lit up. Moments later she was hanging over the table, practically screaming. "WHO IS IT!?!"

"Meredith, its...I don't wanna say anything because it could just be me reading into things and I don't wanna say anything and then it get back to him and he think I'm a loser. I haven't really had good luck with guys. And I really like him."

She looked up and just saw Meredith trying not to laugh at how far off she was sounding and looking. She hooked her brown hair behind her ears and then covered her hands with her face. "Oh my god, I sound pathetic."

"Girl! First all do you know if HE is single?!?"

"Yeah, he is."

Meredith thought for a moment. "mmmhmmm, well that rules out ...its not CHRIS is it?"

"Chris? You mean the guy that bothers me all the time."

She couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, HIM the bothersome one."

Christina looked horrified. "No, NO, god no."

"Here is your check. Hope you have a nice evening." The waitress laid their check on the table and left them.

"Thanks." Chris smiled.

"Soooo...who is it.."

The girl smiled at Meredith and completely diverted the attention off herself. "So, how's the hip thrusting sex machine of a husband you have?"

"WHAT?" Meredith asked with a chuckled.

"Oh hun, I can remember the "I want you back"/ "Space Cowboy"/ "Gone days...VERY clearly."

Meredith rolled her eyes. "He was a dork back then, well he still is.. But hey, don't you change the subject!"

Chris started sliding out of her seat and she just smiled and pointed to where the restrooms were, completely ignore Meredith's interrogation. "Gotta go to the bathroom. Why don't you get the car."

"Hey! No no. I'm following you. I gotta go too. WHO IS IT?" Meredith stomped after her like a stubborn child.

"I'm NOT TELLING!" Chris finally shouted pushing open the door that led to the bathroom.

"Come on, I'm not 10 years old I'm not going to go tell the whole playground."

"Mere, I just...you don't understand. I REALLLLY like this guy. Like...ugh, he makes me giddy and makes me smile and his eyes goddddd they just...mmmm.." Chris sighed dreamily and then opened the door to a stall and went in.

Meredith took her lead and went into the stall beside of her. "Ok, nice eyes. I'm narrowing down on this one."

"I like him so much."

"Girl you got it- SHIT!" Meredith shouted.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, just dandy." She sounded less than dandy.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I just...I got my period." She said disappointedly.

"You need something?"

"No no, I've been carrying around tampons for like 2 weeks."

"You are THAT late?"

"Yeah...kinda freaked me out."

The bathroom in Chris' stall flushed. "Then you should be happy right?"

"Yeah...thrilled." Meredith mumbled unenthusiastically. A minute later Meredith emerged from her stall and walked to the sink. Chris was leaning up against the wall and staring at her as she washed her hands. Finally she sighed and cleared her throat.

"What's going on?"

Meredith looked up from where she had been staring off into nothing and shook her head and put on a fake smile. "Nothing. Nothings going on." She turned to the papertowels and ripped some off to dry her hands.

When Chris turned around and opened the door Meredith's smiled faded. She couldn't do anything but stare at herself in the reflection of the mirror as she dried her hands.

"Hey, you coming?" Chris asked, holding the door open.

Meredith threw her papertowel away, fixed a few strands of hair, smiled and started walking to her friend. "Yeah." Back Forward