JC walked up to the front door of the Timberlake residence, Valerie close in tow. He knocked firmly on the wood of the door. A tender looking woman with a warm smile opened the door, and greeted them.

"JC, how has you're day been, sweetheart? Oh, and this must be Valerie. Justin and Libby have told me so much about you. Come on in you two. No use standing outside all evening!" she said.

Valerie followed JC into the two-story home, and he introduced her to the woman. 'Val, this Lynn, Justin's Mom."

Valerie shook Lynn's hand, politely saying, "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Timberlake. Thank you so much for inviting me to dinner tonight."

"Please call me Lynn. I'm glad you could come, dear. Justin was right, you are a sweet girl," she turned to JC, "JC, take her into the den where everyone else is. Dinner will be ready in a half an hour."

"c'mon, Val," he grabbed her hand, leading her down a short hall to the den.

Inside the den Libby, Jacquelyn, Chris, Joey, and Justin all sat in various spots on the couch and 2 chairs. JC took his spot next to Jacquelyn on the couch. Justin motioned for Val to sit with him in the chair, so she obeyed. She walked over to him, and he pulled her onto this lap. She was surprised at his forwardness, but she felt comfortable in the shelter of his arms as she sat on his lap.

The den was a fairly large room, but not as large as the living room in the front of the house. There was a TV, stereo system, and a mini basketball hoop in the corner of the room. A foam orange ball sat next to the hoop, half the size of a real basketball. In the middle of the room was an oak coffee table, holding everyone's drinks, a bag of chips, and someone's laptop.

"So, Val, was today your last day in the studio?" Jacquelyn asked. Jacquelyn and Valerie had become close friends in the month Val had been staying in Orlando. She had become close to everyone in the room, they were like an extended family to her.

"Yeah, CD's all finished. Well, my part for it is atleast. Eric has to do the last minute touch ups and mixing to it before he sends it off to the record labels," Valerie answered.

"We should go out and celebrate then," Joey said.

"Joey, you just want to go out. You'd use anything as an excuse to go out and 'celebrate,'" Libby said.

"No, I think that's a good idea. Val's been in the studio for a whole month straight. She needs to get out with us again. She hasn't since the first day, remember?" Justin chimed in.

"Maybe Val doesn't want to go out with us, Justin. It should be her choice," Jacquelyn said.

"will y'all please stop talking about me like I'm not in the room? I'm sitting right here!" Valerie exclaimed.

Libby laughed, saying, "I think Val takes more after me than her own mamma!"

"That's scary. Soon it will be like there's two Libby's. I think I'll get out while I still can!" Justin joked.

Valerie pushed his shoulder playfully. "You say that like it's a bad thing," she said.

"That's 'cos it is, sweetie."

"Boy, I know you're not talking shit again. 'Cos if you are, I will break that cute little butt of your," Libby warned.

"Wait, I thought I had a cute butt?" Joey whined.

"Justin has a cute butt, but you have the cutest one, Joe."

"You are so wrong, JC has the cutest," Jacquelyn said.

"Not-uh, Chris totally has the cutest butt," Chris joked, joining in on the conversation. He had had headphones on previously, listening to a vinyl record.

Valerie laughed. "I have to disagree with you Chris, Justin so does." "I agree with, Val," Lynn said, appearing in the den's doorway. "My boy has the cutest little behind." She pinched his cheek, ruffling his hair with her free hand.

Justin pulled away from his mother, whining, "Mom!"

Libby laughed, just having to put her 2 cents in, "And when he was a baby, in those little white diapers and his huge afro! Lynn, you gotta dig those pictures back up. Val hasn't seen them yet!"

Justin rolled his eyes with a heavy sigh. "Am I the only sane one in this house?"

"Aw, poor lil' Justy is finally the center of attention, and he doesn't like it."

"OK, you guys, dinner's ready. And there will be no bickering at my dinner table tonight!" Lynn informed them with a hint of a joking tone.

"Aw, but Mom, you know me and Justin can't go one minute without bickering! It's not fair!"

"Don't think I won't put both of you in time-out!"

"Oh, not time-out! Anything but time-out!" Chris yelled out, causing everyone in the room to erupt into a fit of laughter.

Justin and Valerie had snuck out to the backyard once everyone had been done eating, and were sitting at the edge of Justin's in-ground pool. He held her tightly in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder as they sat in a comfortable silence.

Suddenly the silence was broken by the sound of Val's loud sobs. Justin held her tighter in his arms, asking, "Val, baby, what's wrong?"

She looked at him, her hazel eyes filled with trouble and pain. He could feel his heart breaking right there for her, he wanted in every way to comfort her but he seemed to be causing more pain for her with every effort he made.

"Justin, I don't know what to do anymore. I don't want to let you go, but what's going on between is wrong. I never met to have these feelings for you, but they just won't go away. I really want to be with you, but I can't," she cried.

"Shh, it'll be OK, baby," he whispered reassuringly to her, caressing her wet cheek with his warm hands, wiping the tears away.

"No, Justin, it's not going to be OK! I've never felt this way about anyone in my life, besides one person. I'm scared. Literally scared, because," she paused as more tears ran down her pale cheeks, glistening in the silver light of the moon. "Justin, I've fallen in love with you."

She turned her head away in shame, unable to look at him in fear he didn't feel the same. He reached out to her, turning her head to face him and look him in the eyes. His eyes were misty from tears as well, but he smiled tenderly at her, saying, "Val, you don't have to be scared. I love you, too."

"You do?"

He nodded. "Yes, and I would do anything for you, Val. I can't stand to see you hurt like this." He kissed her softly on her lips, and her heart was relieved of all its pain as his lips caressed hers.

How can I love you tonight?
When you know that I love somebody else
And I know that you're not mine
How can I love you tonight?
Oh baby, I know you're not mine

(The next night, at the local club)

Justin had dragged Valerie along with him and the guys to the club without telling her why he wanted her there. She wouldn't have rejected to his invitation, but she was curious as to why he wanted her along so badly.

"So, why did you bring me tonight?" she asked while they danced to a slow song. Her head had been resting on his shoulder, but she lifted it to look up into his baby blue eyes.

"Remember how our 5th member Jason skipped out on us right before you came?" he asked.

"Yeah..."

"Well, we got someone to replace him, and we're going to meet him up here tonight!"

"Oh, baby that's awesome!"

"It's even better with you here."

Val didn't have time to reply, because Libby came up to them just then. "Have you guys seen Joey? He disappeared earlier when I was talking to Jacquelyn and JC, and now I can't find him," she asked.

Valerie shook her head, offering, "I'll help you look for him, though. I'll check to see if he went out to the parking lot maybe."

"Thanks, Val."

She looked back up at Justin. "I'll be right back, OK baby?"

"OK, I love you."

"I love you, too," she said, kissing him briefly before walking off toward the front of the club. She wasn't paying attention to where she was going because her mind had been preoccupied with thoughts of Justin and the way he had said 'I love you,' when she ran into someone. She looked up to meet a pair of deep green eyes.

"Lance?"