"Well here we are again." Kat sighed.

"Yea." JC replied.

Kat looked up at JC and said, "I had a great time tonight."

JC looked into her eyes and for the first time in the longest time he saw her eyes sparkle. "Good time is an understatement." He replied. Kat smiled and right there JC wanted to take her in his arms and never let her go, protect her from all the chaos going on in her life.

"What are you thinking about?" Kat asked.

JC stood there for a second, "How nothing in this world could make me want to leave you right now."

Kat brought her hand up to JC’s face and caressed it. Her touch sent tingles all over his body as she touched his so softly. JC closed his eyes as he whispered,

"I don’t know how you do it."

‘Do what?" Kat whispered as she took a step closer to him.

"Make me want to drop all my defenses and give in to you." JC said and opened his eyes only to look right into hers.

"JC." Kat whispered, but JC cut her off by kissing her lips softly. Kat wrapped her arms around him and seized the moment as she entwined her fingers into his hair on his neck and heard him left out a soft moan. He ran his fingers over her back while bringing her closer. When they pulled apart they looked at each other and JC said softly,

"Now what were you going to say?"

"Huh, say. I don’t remember." Kat said, at a lost for words and JC smiled. "What are you smiling at?"

"Can’t remember huh. You are speechless. I didn’t know that was possible." JC told her.

Kat sneered at him, "I wasn’t speechless. I just couldn’t remember what I was going to say."

"I left you speechless, admit it." JC laughed.

"No, I won’t." Kat retorted.

‘Why not?" JC asked.

"Because no one has ever left me speechless." Kat informed him.

"Until now." JC stepped closer.

"No, no." Kat looked at the ground, as he kept getting closer. He was right, he made her speechless, but she was almost afraid to admit it because that meant that he had a certain power over her that no one had ever had and she didn’t know how to handle it.

"Then what do I make you feel?" JC asked as he wrapped her his arms around her again.

"Huh." Kat snapped out of her trance and he sent shivers through her body when he let his fingers linger over her back.

"If I don’t make you speechless, what do I make you feel?" JC asked again.

Kat smiled at him, "Nothing." Which by the way was 200 times WRONG. She felt so safe in his arms and he made her want to jump for joy every time he touched her, yet she didn’t know how to handle the feelings that were unknown ground to her.

"Do you mean that when I do this," JC said as he ran his fingers over the bare part of her shoulders, "you don’t get shivers." He finished.

Kat closed her eyes as she thought shivers were the least she felt. "Nope." Kat softly replied as she tried to catch her breath.

JC had to smile at her reaction. "What about when I do this." He tried again as he ran his fingers along her neck and under her chin. "Do you feel tingles?"

Kat’s whole body was starting to give out on her as he touched her at one of most vulnerable spots. Her breath started to quicken as his fingers lingered. "What tingles?" She finally got out.

"Ok, let’s try one more. How about this." JC said as he replaced his fingers with his lips. He heard her gasp and her body go slightly limp, so he tightened his arms around her.

Kat was so defenseless against JC as she tried to find her breath again. He was the only thing holding her up so she dropped her purse and wrapped her arms around his neck.

JC pulled back slowly to see Kat’s purse on the ground and her eyes were still closed. He grinned, she gave him the answer he wanted just by her reactions. Kat finally opened her eyes to a grinning JC.

"Are you trying to get fresh on the first date Mr. Chasez?" she asked and saw his smile fell.

LIFE

"Don’t answer it." JC pleaded.

"What if it is an emergency?" Kat asked.

"No emergency can be as big as mine." JC replied.

"And what would yours be?" Kat asked.

"I’ve fallen and hard." JC answered.

"You’ve fallen?" Kat repeated.

"Yea, I’ve been falling for a while, but tonight I just hit and hit hard because you see, I’ve fallen for you." JC said.

Kat just stared in his eyes and it made her want to cry. No one had ever said anything like that to her before and here is the guy of her dreams telling her that on her doorstep. "Well I’m glad you said that, because I was starting to think I was the only one." She replied and she kissed him ever so gently. Her kiss lingered on his lips long after she had pulled back. Kat looked behind JC for a moment,

"It’s getting to be morning."

JC opened his eyes and looked at the sky. "It’s still dark." JC implied.

"Turn around." Kat told him "Ok, look at the ocean far, far away and then look right above it." She instructed.

JC did as she told him and he saw a hint of light above the water. "Is that what I think it is?" he asked.

"It is the sun." Kat said softly. She stood beside JC for a second and then looked up at him and thought of something and it made her smile fade. She turned around and walked over to pick up her purse.

"You ok?" JC asked as she walked away.

"When do you leave?" Kat asked with her back to him.

"Kat, let’s not think about that right now." He said as he put his hands on her shoulders.

Kat turned around and looked him in the eye, "Tell me please."

JC sighed and looked at the ground before he spoke, "Today…at 1:00."

Kat took a deep breath before she spoke again, "You better go then."

JC was taken back by what she had just said, "WHY!" he asked hurt.

"Because you will need your rest." Kat said not looking at him and JC caught the pain in her voice.

"I don’t want to leave though." He said as he took her hand in his. "I want to stay here with you. I can sleep come other time"

"You will need more time than that." Kat said softly.

"Why are you pushing me away all of a sudden?" JC asked softly.

"I’m just trying to make it easier on us." Kat yelled and let go of JC’s hand

"Make what easier?" JC asked.

"You leaving. Now tell me if I’m wrong, but it will be 10 times harder to say good-bye if you came inside and stay a couple of hours then if we just said good-bye here." Kat said and JC could see that she was trying to old back some tears.

He walked up to her and lifted her chin, "I’m not going to leave, not now." He said to her.

"Why do you want to make this so hard?" Kat asked.

"Because I will go through anything if it means that I get to see you just a little bit longer." JC replied as he combed his fingers through her hair. Kat turned around and walked towards her door and unlocked it. She looked back at JC to see hurt in his face. She turned the knob and opened the door. JC watched her step in and as he turned around he hear her say,

"Are you coming?"

JC whipped around and walked in. As the door clicked shut, JC grabbed Kat and spun her around. Kat started to laugh and JC set her down, but still had his arms wrapped around her.

"That’s what I wanted to hear." He said. He watched Kat smile and he said, "God your beautiful" as he brushed some hair away from her face. Kat took JC’s hand and entwined their fingers and she looked up at him and kissed him. They laid on the couch and Kat fell asleep in JC’s arms and he spent the rest of the night watching her sleep.

LIFE

"Have you seen JC?" Justin asked Joey as he came out of his room.

"I thought you knew where he was." Joey said.

"Nope and we have to leave in 2 hours." Justin replied.

"What’s all the commotion about?" Chris asked as he stepped out of his room stretching.

"We don’t know where JC is." Joey informed him.

"Is that all? Well try giving Kat a call, he’s probably there." Chris implied.

So Justin walked into his room and called Kat.

Kat was awaken by her phone. She groaned and got up and reached for the phone.

"Hello." She yawned.

"Hey sunshine!" a familiar voice rang.

"Hey Justin." Kat replied.

"Hey do you know where JC is by any chance?" Justin asked.

"JC, yea he…" Kat said and turned around to see the couch empty, "he" Kat said and her heart dropped, but then she heard the shower going, "he’s here." She finally got out.

"Oh he’s there huh. What did you two do last night?" Justin asked.

"Oh Justin I would tell you, but you aren’t aloud to hear R rated material, you are way too young." Kat joked.

"I’m sorry I even asked." Justin replied. "Just remind JC that we leave at one so he better hurry."

"Ok, I’ll remind him." Kat said.

"It was really nice seeing you again Kat. Take it easy ok."

"It was great seeing you too Jun. I will. Don’t break anything with those dance moves of yours, ok." Kat said.

"I’ll try not too. Bye." Justin said and hung up.

Kat hung up the phone and at that moment JC walked into the room.

"Good morning beautiful." He said as he hugged her tightly.

Kat engulfed herself in his scent. "Good morning to you."

"What are you doing up?" JC asked as he sat down on the couch.

"The phone rang." She answered and stood as she watched him put his shoes on. "He wanted me to remind you that you guys leave at one so to hurry."

JC stood up and hugged Kat again. "I am going to take as much time as I want." He said softly.

Kat wrapped her arms around him tightly and tried not to think about him leaving. "Would I be a bad person if I told you that I didn’t want you to go." She said fighting to keep her composure.

"JC tightened his grip and told her, "No because I don’t want to leave you either." He sighed and then continued, "Kat I want you to know that last night was the best night of my life and I will always remember it." Kat closed her eyes as he continued, "No matter where I am, how far apart we are, you will on my mind and in my heart at all times."

"JC" Kat whispered.

"Yes." He replied.

"Just promise me one thing." Kat said.

"Anything." JC replied.

"Promise me you’ll come back to me." She whispered.

"Kat, I am always going to come back to you. I promise you. Just don’t forget about me, ok." He said softly.

"That is totally and utterly impossible." She looked at him and she smiled as he kissed her nose. He then looked at the clock and sighed.

"I have to go." He whispered.

Kat pulled back looking at the ground, but JC pulled her right back and lifted her chin and kissed her. Kat didn’t want the kiss to ever end. She was in heaven and heaven was being taken from her. Kat fought so hard not to cry as she hugged him. "Bye JC."

JC looked her in the eyes and said, "It’s not a good-bye remember. It is a see ya later."

Kat smiled and whispered, "See ya later."

"I’ll see you in my dreams." JC said back and started for the door. Kat stood in the door way as he walked to his car and the minute he got there he turned around and ran right back to her and kissed her again. Kat quickly broke the kiss resentfully.

"You have to go now or you’ll never leave." Kat said.

LIFE

Kat walked back inside and remembered her phone was ringing last night, so she checked if the person left a message.

"One new message." The voice said.

"Kat, this is Joan. Whitney has been in a terrible car accident. A drunk driver hit her on her way home. We are here at Columbia Hospital in room 213. Hurry and get here as soon as you get this message."

Kat grabbed her purse and her keys and sped off to the hospital. When she got there she ran right into the room and she saw Joan, Whitney’s sister and her mom sitting there.

"Joan" Kat said.

"Kat, thank god you are here." Joan got up and gave Kat a hug.

"What happened?" Kat asked scared as she walked over to Whitney’s mom and gave her a hug.

"I am so glad you are here now." Mrs. Lee told her. Whitney’s mom had been like Kat’s second mom all through her childhood and even through college. Kat took a seat next to Whitney’s bed and took her hand.

"Will she be ok?" Kat asked starting to cry.

"The car hit on the driver’s side right into the door. All her robs on her left side are broken, her knees are crushed." Kat stopped listening to Joan after a while.

"When did it happen?" Kat interrupted.

"Yesterday around 3:45pm. We don’t know where she was coming from, but." Joan started.

"3:45pm you said?" Kat asked frantically.

"Yes, do you know where she was coming from?" Joan asked.

"She was coming from my house. Oh my god Whitney. I am so sorry. It’s all my fault." Kat cried and hugged Whitney’s unconscious body.

"It wasn’t your fault Katherine." Mrs. Lee told her and put her hand on her shoulder.

"Yes it is. I over slept so that made Whitney late getting home. If I wouldn’t have over slept then Whitney would have been home long before." Kat told them through her tears.

"Oh child. Don’t cry." Mrs. Lee said trying to comfort Kat.

Kat just looked at Whitney and squeezed her hand tightly, "I’m so sorry Whit." She kept whispering in her ear.

Back at the Hotel

Justin was trying to pry details out of JC

"Dude, I am not going to tell you what happened so leave it alone." JC said throwing some pants in a bag.

"We are going to be together for a very long time JC, I will get it out of you yet." Justin said as he headed for the door. On the way to the airport JC just kept looking out the window and thinking about Kat

"You thinking about her?" Lance asked snapping JC out of his trance.

"Yea," JC sighed.

"You miss her already?" Lance asked.

"I missed her the minute I got in my car." JC told him and went back to his window.

"I think we’ve lost him Captain." Chris said in a Star Trek voice. JC looked at his phone for the millionth time it seemed.

"Just call her already." Joey complained so JC went ahead and dialed the number. He let it ring until her answer machine picked up so JC hung up.

"She’s not there." JC said a little puzzled.
"She’s probably in a shower." Joey told him.

LIFE

For the next couple of days Kat never left the hospital. Joan had brought some clothes for her because she refused to leave.

"Kat, you can’t blame yourself for this. It wasn’t your fault." Joan begged Kat.

"Joan, she wasn’t leaving your house or anyone else’s. She was leaving mine and late also because of me." Kat told Joan again.

"You can’t keep beating yourself child. Please go home and rest." Mrs. Lee pleaded with Kat.

"We will call you the second anything happens, good or bad." She continued.

"No, I want to be here." Kat replied.

"You are no good to her like this Katherine." Mrs. Lee told Kat sternly. "Next thing we know we will be visiting you here. Now go home and get some rest." She finished.

Kat opened her mouth to say something but Mrs. Lee put up her hand and pointed towards the door, and Kat left.

She walked into her house and sighed as she fell on the couch. It felt so good to be home after 2 days. Kat jumped into a shower and then took a seat in the kitchen and had some hot chocolate. She glimpsed over at her answer machine and saw the light going crazy. Kat groaned as she pushed the button and heard 8 new messages. The first one was from Courtney wanting to know how her New Year’s went, the second one was her softball coach who said they would delay practice 2 days, the next 3 were from friends saying hi. The 7^th one was her work telling her they were having a meeting for the project she was working on in 2 days.

"Great. I get out of softball, but got called into work." Kat said out loud.

The 8^th one Kat heard JC’s voice,

"Hey Kat, it’s me JC. I just wanted to talk to you. Hope everything is going good for you. Things here are hectic, but we are surviving. I’ll try to give you a call later. Talk to you later.

Kat played that message over and over again. She wanted to call him and tell him everything, but she stopped calling them on the road unless she was positive they weren’t in the middle of something. Kat went to her calendar to change the dates and she looked at it, she started back at school next week, started back at work in 2 days, and started softball this weekend. Kat relaxed or tried her best to for the rest of the day. Finally she went to bed early so she could go back to the hospital the next morning. She was asleep by 8:30, but didn’t get the good nights rest she wanted. Around 11:00 her phone rang. She rolled over and answered it,

"Hello."

"Kat, this is Joan." She said.

"Is something wrong?" Kat asked jumping out of bed.

"Just get here." Joan told her and hung up.

She sped to the hospital and ran into Whitney’s room.

"What’s wrong?" Kat asked Joan as she ran into the room.

"She’s awake." Joan informed her.

‘Oh here she is." Kat heard Mrs. Lee tell Whitney.

"She’s been asking for you." She informed Kat.

Kat took a seat next to Whitney and grabbed her hand.

"Hey chic." Whitney said. Her voice was scratchy and hoarse.

"Hey girl." Kat smiled as a tear fell from her cheek.

"So…" Whitney led on.

"So, what?" Kat asked confused.

"So, did he want to kiss you?" Whitney exclaimed.

Kat smiled as tears started to flow. "We can talk about it later."

"No way. I want my money if I won, so tell me." Whitney urged.

"We’ll leave you guys alone." Mrs. Lee said and they left the two girls alone. Lat turned back to Whitney and had to laugh at her face,

"Yes, he did." Kat gave in.

"I told you! I knew he couldn’t resist you with how good you looked." Whitney said in accomplishment. "So I want to hear all about the night." She added

"O Whit can’t I tell you some other time, you need to rest." Kat pleaded.

"Girl, I have been sleeping for 3 straight days, now spill!" Whitney demanded.

Kat laughed and told Whitney everything about the night all the way to him leaving. Whitney couldn’t stop smiling throughout the whole story and when Kat finished she said,

"He’s the one."

"What do you mean?" Kat asked.

"Duh Kat! He’s your one, you’re meant to be!" Whitney exclaimed.

"How do you know that?" Kat asked.

"Oh come on, you even said it yourself, he makes you feel things you only dreamed about with Brad. Don’t let this one go girl." Whitney told her.

"I don’t know if I can keep watching him come and go and only seeing him 2 or 3 times every 6 months, if that." Kat told her.

"Kat, I have never seen you so happy like I just did and you were only talking about the guy.. I can’t even imagine how happy you are when he is around." Whitney said.

"Whit, I want to say I’m really sorry." Kat told her best friend, her sister.

"About what?" Whitney asked.

"I’m the reason you are here." Kat told her.

"OH DON’T EVEN! This is not your fault, Kat. Not at all." Whitney said getting really serious.

"But I made you late and.."

"No, I could’ve left at the right time, but it was my decision to make myself late. Now stop this or I’ll slap you!" Whitney said.

"I’m just so happy you are ok." Kat said.

"Come here." Whitney said as she reached out her arms and carefully hugged her.

"Is there anything I can get you?" Kat asked.

"Well I wouldn’t if you hooked me up with one of your *NSYNC friends." Whitney hinted.

"You got it. Next time they are in town we will double date." Kat responded.

"You promise?" Whitney asked.

"Cross my heart, hope to die" Kat told her.

LIFE

Kat ended up spending the rest of the night at the hospital and did something’s for Whitney during the day like sneaking in fast food and so on. Basically it was another day of not going home. Well Kat knew she started work the next day so she went home after making sure Whitney was ok and went straight to bed. The next morning Kat got dressed and headed to work. The meeting was going well until the chairman said they all had to go down to Florida to meet with the band.

"When do we leave and how long will we be gone?" Kat asked scared of the answer.

"We leave Sunday and we will stay a week. Any more questions? Ok, I will see you all tomorrow then." And the meeting was over.

"Mr. Brand. Can I talk to you?" Kat stopped him.

"Ok, come into my office." He said.

When they got to the office they had a seat and he asked,

"What is on your mind?"

"Well I start softball practice Saturday and we practice everyday until the season starts and I start back to school on Monday." Kat informed him.

"Ok, how about this. I’ll talk to the dean and see if he will let you do your work over the Internet while away, but you are going to have to talk to your coach." Mr. Brand said.

"Thank you. I will see you tomorrow." Kat replied and went home.

The next couple of days went by pretty quick but they were long. Kat worked all day and then went to visit Whitney. The doctor said she was improving and they could start physical therapy soon. Kat’s coach excused her for the week because it tied into her major.

Saturday Kat was packed and ready so she decided to go visit Whitney. On the way she picked up some McDonalds for her, but when Kat got there she was told Whitney was in therapy, so she left the food and wrote Whitney a note and left it next to the bag.

The plane ride to Florida was long, but Kat got to sit next to a guy named Kam and they clicked automatically. They talked most of the way there so it helped time go by. When they got to the hotel they checked in and Mr. Brand said dinner was served at 7:00 and wanted everyone there, but they could have the rest of the day to themselves. Kat decided to go to the pool because she missed the ocean already. She threw her bathing suit on, grabbed a towel and headed out. When she got there she saw Kam there so she walked over to him,

"Are you stalking me?"

He lifted up his sunglasses, "I was here first so I believe you would be the one stalking me."

Kat smiled and set up her stuff next to him and jumped in the pool. Kat spent the rest of the day at the pool and relaxing in her room.. She decided to get a head start on her schoolwork when her cell phone rang.

‘Hello."

"Well hello there Mrs. Big Time." Whitney complimented.

"Hey Whit. How are you?" Kat asked.

‘I’m in pain and lots of it." Whitney told her.

Kat dropped all her stuff, ‘Why? What’s wrong? Are you ok>"

All Whitney could do was laugh, "Don’t worry. It’s just from my therapy. It really sucks because I have to learn how to walk again."

"Oh Whit.’

"Don’t start Kat. I don’t want to hear it." Whitney told her.

They talked for a couple more minutes when Kat realized she had 10 minutes to get ready for dinner.

"Hey Whit, I hate to do this, but I have to go."

"That’s cool. Take care of your self little girl ok. Show those big gooros what you got ok." Whitney could always motivate Kat, especially in softball. Whit was the one Kat turned to when she messed up a play or strike out and Whit had her smiling and yelling again in seconds.

"Thanks Whit. Take care, and stop hitting on those doctors, ok. They are two times older than you are." Kat replied.

"You always have to be the good one. Bye Kat."

"Bye Whit."

Kat quickly got ready and she was almost done when there was a knock on her door.

"Coming." Kat yelled as she put on her other shoe. When she opened the door she saw Kam standing there.

"Why hello." Kat said.

"Wow, I mean hi." Kam replied.

"Can I help you?" Kat asked

"Huh, well no lady should walk to dinner without an escort." Kam replied.

"Just a second." Kat said and grabbed some more stuff and they were off.

"You look really nice tonight." Kam told her as they walked to dinner.

"Thank you." Kat replied as he opened the door to the dining hall.

They took their seats and MR. Brand talked about the next day and how everything would go. After dinner Kam walked Kat back to her room and when they got there he asked,

"Do you want to go a walk?"

"Um, well I should get some sleep for tomorrow." Kat replied.

"Ok, I will see you tomorrow morning then." He said and walked away.

LIFE

Kat was waiting for everyone in the lobby and once everyone was there they headed to the place where they would meet the band. After they checked in they walked up to the conference room and someone told Mr. Brand, "They are already in there."

They walked in and Kat’s jaw dropped, it was *NSYNC!

When JC saw her had to keep himself from jumping across the table and taking her into his arms.

"Hello gentlemen. My name is Kent Brand, this is Kam my assistant, Cathy, Patrick, Wayne, and Katherine." Mr. Brand introduced them.

"Hello Mr. Brand. I’m Lance."

"I’m Chris."

"I’m Joey.

"Justin."

"JC"

While everyone was getting situated Justin lipped, "What are you doing here?" to Kat, but before she could respond the meeting started. The meeting lasted about an hour and then Mr. Brand thanked the guys and they shook all their hands. When the guys got to Kat they all smiled at her.

"Thank you Ms. Katherine." Chris remarked and Kat just sneered at him.

When JC got to her Kat handed him a piece of paper that had her hotel and room #. It was so hard for Kat not to jump into his arms and kiss him. JC squeezed her hand tight and left. When the guys had left Mr. Brand asked,

"Do you know them by any chance Kat?"

Kat looked up and said, "Well yea, I met them when they were in town a about 6 months ago.

Mr. Brand smiled, "Good."

Kat just smiled back.

When they got back to the hotel a man from the front desk asked for Kat.

"That’s me." Kat answered.

"A young man called and left a message for you." He said and handed her a piece of paper.

"Thank you." Kat replied and opened the note:

Meet me at the *NSYNC compound tonight at 7:00. Here’s the address. See you then.

Kat realized there wasn’t name, but she figured it could be 1 of 5 guys.

"Got a hot date tonight?" Kam asked over her shoulder.

Kat folded back up the letter and said, "Wouldn’t you like to know."

"So I guess you won’t be joining us for dinner huh." Kam said.

"Nope. Do you think Mr. Brand will mind?" Kat asked.

"No, he won’t. I’ll tell him you are out visiting some old friends." Kam replied.

LIFE

Kat was so excited, but she had hours to blow so she decided to work on her schoolwork. Kat got stuck on a couple of questions in her status class so she called over to Kam’s room. When he picked up the phone Kat cried,

"I need help!"

"Ok, anything." Kam replied.

"Well I am working on my homework and I am stuck on some questions. I was wondering if you could me out." Kat asked.

"Shoot." Kam replied.

Kat read the questions to him and then she said, "I’m going to have to look at it. I will be over in a second." and hung up.

Before she knew it there was a knock on her door and she let Kam in.

They sat on her bed and he helped her out a lot.

"Duh, I knew that." Kat said stupidly.

"Don’t worry about it. It’s the same stuff that stumped me. I can’t believe I remembered how to do it." Kam told her.

"Well you graduated college just last year so I hope you would remember some of it." Kat told him.

"True." Kam replied.

Kat closed the window on her laptop to show a picture of her and Whitney as her background.

"Who is that?" Kam asked.

"That’s my best friend Whitney." Kat told him.

"She’s pretty." Kam replied.

"Yea she is. Unfortunately she isn’t looking too good lately." Kat said.

"Why?" Kam asked looking at Kat.

"She got in a car accident New Year’s Eve. She was hit by a drunk driver on her way home from my house." Kat informed him.

"Oh Kat, I’m sorry." Kam said. "Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked.

"Take back the couple hours before the accident so I wouldn’t have happened." Kat said as she stood up.

"I wish I could. Have you talked to anyone about it?" he asked.

‘No, Whitney was the only person I really confided in." Kat told him and then she thought of Justin and JC. I had wanted to so bad to call them and tell them everything, but she didn’t want to bother them or ruin anything.

"Well I am here." Kam said standing up and walking over to her. "and everyone says I am a great listener."

"No, I don’t want to inconvenience you, Kam." Kat said sitting on the couch.

"You are lots of things, but an inconvenience is not one of them." Kam replied sitting next to her.

"Thank you, but I will be ok." Kat said.

Kam sat there looking at her for a bit.

"What?" Kat asked.

"You blame yourself, don’t you?" Kam asked.

Kat sighed and looked at her hands. "I told you I didn’t want to talk about it."

"I’m sorry." Kam said putting his hands on his knees and stood up. "Well I better let you get ready for your hot date."

"Yea, I guess I should get ready." Kat stood up. "Thank you again for your help." she said giving him a hug.

"Anytime. Kat, it’s not your fault." he said and Kat let go and opened the door for him and he left.

LIFE

When she got to the compound she paid the driver and walked up to the door and rang the bell. She stood there for a couple of seconds, but heard nothing so she knocked and still nothing.

"Kat?" she heard a voice say.

She spun around to see Justin walking up the sidewalk.

"Hey Jun." Kat said and met him halfway and gave him a hug. "How are you?"

"I’ve been better." Justin replied. "What about you?"

"I’m breathing." Kat replied.

"Good to hear." Justin said.

"Is there anything I can Justin?" Kat asked feeling hopeless.

"No, there isn’t anything to do right now, but when I saw you today a ray of sun came back into my life." Justin said.

Kat smiled and gave him another hug. "Just let me know if there is anything I can do and I’ll do it."

"Thank you Kat." Justin said softly. "So I am guessing you got my message I left for you."

"You left it. I was wondering who it was." Kat told him.

"I hope I didn’t take you out of anything important." Justin said. "I just needed a friendly face to talk to."

"Nope. My night was open." Kat told him.

"Here let me show you around." Justin said leading her back the way he came. He showed her the Volleyball courts and other things outside and then they came to the dock.

"This is my favorite place to go when I just want to be alone." Justin said looking out onto the water. Kat sat down on the edge and patted next to her so Justin would sit down.

"This is tearing you apart isn’t it." Kat said to him.

"How can you tell?" he asked looking at his hands.

"It’s in your eyes. Tell me Justin." Kat said turning to him.

"It’s hard, Kat." he started. "I mean everything is a mess and we just want to do what we love. Why won’t they let us do that?" he continued.

Kat put her hand on Justin’s shoulder and said, "Because they/he is jealous of your guys and he wants to control you. He doesn’t know any other way of making money so he steals it from talented people like you guys."

Justin looked up at her and Kat could tell he was really hurting.

"Damn him for doing this to you guys." Kat kept going. "I’m so sorry your hurting so much Justin." Kat finished.

Justin’s expression softened, "How can you do that. Read me like a book?" he asked.

"Because I am way to familiar with that look." Kat replied.

"What do you think is going to happen to us?" Justin asked Kat.

"I think you guys will to keep doing what you do best and that is your music. He can’t take your passion away from you Justin." Kat told him.

"What if everything falls through?" Justin expressed.

"It won’t. I won’t let it, I promise." Kat told him.

Justin smiled and leaned in and gave her a hug.

"I’m going to do everything in my power." Kat told him.

"I’m so glad you are here, Kat. I don’t know what I would do if you weren’t." Justin told her.

"Just promise me your not going to give up." Kat told him.

"I promise. Your right, we’ve worked too hard to get here and I’m not going to give up." Justin assured her.

LIFE

"Do you dance?" Justin asked.

"I use to." Kat said still admiring the room.

"Use to?" Justin asked.

"I was captain of my high school dance team and I was going to major in it but I fell through." Kat told him.

"What happened?" Justin asked leaning up against the mirrors and watched Kat walk around the room.

"You try dancing for 4 hours in the morning, then going to softball practice for 2-3 hours and then go to work for the rest of the night, and then get home and try to do some homework. I barely had time to eat and I was losing so much weight and my health was I jeopardy. I went to the hospital one time and that’s when I decided I couldn’t take it, I had to drop something." Kat told him.

"Why dancing if you loved it so much?" Justin asked.

"Well softball was my ticket through college and I had to work to make all the payments outside of college so that left dancing." Kat told him. "I can still remember the old routines of some of the songs. I used to fall asleep running them through my head."

"Show me." Justin said walking over to her.

"No I couldn’t. I haven’t done them in like 3 years." Kat protested.

‘Ok then, how about we have a dance off between you and me." Justin suggested.

"A dance off. Between you and me. I don’t think so." Kat said.

"Why not?" Justin asked. "Scared."

"No, I just want to ruin your reputation, I mean getting beaten by a girl can really hurt a guy sometimes." Kat replied.

"Oh you think so huh. Let’s go." Justin said and walked over to the stereo and put on some music. "Show me what you got girl."

They danced off between each other for a bout 20 minutes when finally they called it a truce.

"How long did you say it has been since you have danced?" Justin asked.

"About 3 years I guess." Kat answered.

"Ok, all I have to say is that it doesn’t look like you have missed a single day. You are an amazing dancer. Have you ever thought of doing it full time?" Justin asked.

"Yea right, and I would do that for what 5 years if I am lucky." she replied.

"At least 10." Justin retorted.

"Then what. I’ll be 31 with what? What would I do for the rest of my life?" Kat asked.

"You really miss it don’t you?" Justin said.

"Why do you say that?" Kat asked.

"Because you aren’t trying to convince me dancing can’t be a career, you’re trying to convince yourself that." Justin told her.

Kat didn’t know what to say, maybe he was right. "No company would take me anyway. I can’t get on any tours cause I have such a screwed up schedule and plus I’m not that good!" Kat said.

"Kat! Like I said, it doesn’t look like you have been out of the habit at all. You are a natural, just go for it." Justin replied.

Kat looked at him. He was so sure for her and he was trying to give her hopes.

"No, I can’t." Kat said stepping back.

"Why Kat. At least let the rest of the guys watch you dance, maybe even Wade or Darren." Justin said trying to convince her.

"No Justin. Dancing is the only think left that is mine. That I’m not being judged about or being watched under a microscope." Kat stated.

"When are you watched under a microscope?" Justin asked out of curiosity.

"Softball. I make one little mistake or strike out once and my starting position is in jeopardy." Kat said sitting down on the couch.

"Well you don’t have to worry about that." Justin said sitting next to her.

"You haven’t seen my last 50 practices." Kat exclaimed.

"What’s bothering you so much that it’s jeopardizing your softball?" Justin asked.

Kat looked at him, " I thought I came over here to help you with your problems, not mine."

"Well we talked about my problems, now we have moved on to you. Now tell me about it." Justin told her.

Kat just stared at the ground and a picture of Whitney lying in the hospital kept running through her mind, "I don’t really feel like talking about it." she finally said.

"Come on, I spilled the beans, its your turn." Justin said.

"I just don’t want to talk about it so drop it!" Kat said getting mad and stood up.

"I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to push." Justin said standing up and gave her a hug.