"Where the hell is Ali?" Justin said with concern in his voice.

"Calm down. She'll be here soon enough." Katie tried to say without worry in her voice.

"Come on let's go back and see if she's still there. Maybe she found more old friends." Justin pleaded.

So the group started walking back to the entrance of the course. Lance and Katie were hand in hand and straggling behind, while Justin was hurrying to their location.

~*~*~ With Ali ~*~*~

"Please........stop......you're hurting me........" Ali choked out threw his hand. Instead of trying to talk Ali bit his hand hard. Her attacker let go of her and stepped back in pain.

"You little bitch! That's going to leave a mark!" The man came back after her but not fast enough to catch her. She ran on the same path her friends were coming up and ran into Justin. They both fell back. "You can't run from me," as soon as the man saw she had friends around her he ran extremely fast in the other way.

Justin had gotten up and started after him, but everyone called him back. "It's ok....he's gone......" Ali was out of breath and panting and crying all at the same time.

"Who the hell was that. What did he do to you?" Jc asked worriedly.

"I don't.....I don't know....but he...he was so strong.....I couldn't get away from him," Ali had sort of composed herself and was leaning against Chris.

"I'm sorry. He was too fast. Let's go to our hotel. We can talk there," Justin took Ali's hand and everyone quickly got home.

~*~*~ Brian and Mike's place ~*~*~

"Well, where is she?" Mike asked Brian impatiently.

"She bit me and took off. Then her friends came back and Justin started chasing me. I had to get out of there." Brian explained. "I don't want to do this any more Mike. She's happy why can't we leave her alone?" Brian begged.

"I don't care if she's happy. I'm not and I will be once I deal with her." Mike looked at the pictures he and Brian had been taking of her. "You'll see. She'll be staying with us this fall and not them." Mike said in a tone that scared Brian.

~*~*~ In Ali and Katie's room ~*~*~

"This shouldn't keep happening to her," Lance said softly to Katie.

"I know. She doesn't deserve anything besides happiness. It seems like all she does is cry and deal now-a-days." Katie stated out. "I mean she has to start thinking about college. Can you believe that?"

" I keep forgetting she has to go to college." Lance mumbled. "Wait, don't you have to go back to for your senior year?"

"No, I took enough advanced courses to credit me to the next year. I graduated this year." Katie explained to a worried Lance.

"That's good." Lance let out a sigh of relief.

"She has always wanted to go to NYU. Jack was going to go to some college nearby and they were going to share an apartment if either of them couldn't get on the campus. Maybe these plans are just to painful for her. Hasn't she ever mentioned wanting to be a lawyer to you guys?" Katie asked them.

"No never. A lawyer huh? She would make a good lawyer." Lance laughed.

"She's already excepted to NYU. She was like number 4 in her class or something around there." Katie and Lance were standing in the corner by the windows and didn't notice Ali come up behind them.

"Actually I was number 3, but who remembers that?" Ali said laughing. "And now why are we talking about moi? Well, I know why I might be such a great topic, but I would like to know."

"Just about college," Lance said quietly realizing he shouldn't of brought it up.

"Oh ok, come on we're all going to watch Ghost." Ali walked away with her eyes cast down to the floor. She took a spot on her bed and laid down with her head at the foot of the bed. Chris came over and sat on her butt.

"This is a comfy spot. I should sit here more often." Chris said laughing as he tickled Ali.

She yelped out in pure pain. "No.....Chris......owwwwww!!!!" Ali screamed.

"I'm sorry I was just," Chris was scared he had really hurt Ali.

"No, it wasn't you," Ali lifted up her shirt and showed everyone where she had bandaged up a cut her attacker he given her. "It's not that bad, but I wanted to clean it up."

"This is so unbelievable! How could this happen? Who the hell would do this?" Jc ranted on.

"I know who did this. It was Mike and that Brian guy." Justin said.

"Justin, I can't believe you. Just because you don't like my old friends doesn't mean it was them. Come on you guys let's start this movie and stop letting Joey eat all our popcorn," Ali threw a pillow at him and returned to her seat on the bed.

"Alright everyone. Movie time. Come on quiet you guys." Lance announced.

"Getting, all pushy there big shot." Joey mocked as he pranced around pretending to be Lance.

"I'll get even more pushy if you walk like that any more." Lance said back to him. Joey took a spot on the floor with Chris and the popcorn. Lance and Katie were cuddling on her bed, Jc was behind Ali on the bed and every once in a while he would tickle her feet. Justin didn't have anywhere to go so he sat directly in front of Ali on the floor. She proceeded to massage his shoulders.

"Does that feel good? Didn't before you tell me your shoulder hurt," Ali lied. She just wanted anything to be able t touch him.

"Yes, I did tell you that." Justin groaned as she massaged his muscles harder.

"Now no groaning there Mr. or the people down the hall are going to call the police because immoral things are going on in here." Jc said laughing and throwing pieces of popcorn at him.

"SHHHHHH! It's starting!!!" Joey complained. "Look at Demi Moore. Isn't she so beautiful." Joey gushed.

"Gee, I guess if I cut my hair like a boy's guys would be all over me," Katie quickly corrected with, " I mean all over Ali!" Katie looked up at Lance and landed a big kiss on his lips which pleased him so he held his comment to himself.

They watched the movie in peace, minus a few popcorn fights and laughter. At the very end where Patrick is saying his final good-bye to her Ali tried to muffle the extremely large sob that was building up inside her. Unfortunately she didn't do such a great job and she started to cry hard. "Sorry," Ali said between breaths.

"Oh my goodness. What's the matter?" Chris asked in a motherly tone.

"It's just the movie. It always does this to her." Katie explained.

"I'm just very much in love with the idea of this movie." Ali tried to explain.

"You love the fact that he husband died and came back as a ghost to save her from a murderer. And then have to talk through Whoopi Goldberg, and then not be able to stay with the woman you love more then life and death. You love that?" Chris asked totally bewildered by Ali's comment.

"No, not that stuff. Just the last part of what you said. To have someone love you that much. It's so romantic." Ali gushed.

"You always were a hopeless romantic, Ali. You cried in Bambi." Katie said laughing.

"Excuse me for feeling sorry for the dear." Ali threw her hands in the air feeling defeated.

"Hey, whoever didn't cry at Bambi was watching correctly cause that movie was sad yo!" Justin said in Ali's defense. " I guess Ali and I are the only ones with feelings." Justin sat next to Ali on the bed, she put her head on his shoulder.

"I cried," Joey and Chris said in unison. Then looked at each other and laughed. "Hey, Ali do you think tomorrow we could rent that because-" Joey would have continued but Justin waved him off. Ali had fallen asleep on his shoulder.

"I think this party night is over." Jc said as he got off the bed trying not to disturb Ali.

"Night," Joey and Chris said as they picked up little pieces of popcorn and then left the room.

"I gotta go too baby. I love you. Sweet dreams." Lance kissed Katie's forehead and then left.

"Come on Jc, you pull the covers back and the we can slip her under." Justin instructed. Jc did as he was told and then after she was under the covers he kissed her cheek. He did the same to Katie and left. "Goodnight my love," Justin whispered softly into her ear and kissed her lightly on her parted lips. He waved to Katie and left.

"What am I going to do with you Ali?" Katie muttered as she turned off the light.

The next week followed the same routine. They spent their days on the beach and the boardwalk and their nights running around town. They had been to each store so many times the people who worked at each one knew them personally. Every night was also movie night. Each night a different movie. They tried to vary the comedies, romances, thrillers, and horror movies around so Ali didn't cry every night. The complete bonus was that Ali hadn't seen Mike or Brian at all besides running into them in the hotel. The bad part was that they only had five more days until the boys had to leave. Going back to Orlando seemed a million years away 10 days ago, but now its seemed like tomorrow.

"Yoo hoo? Anyone in here?" Ali asked loudly as she pushed open Lance and Justin's room door. "I guess they're out by the pool with everyone else. Hmm what's that?" Ali asked no one. The closet door was open a little and brown box was sticking out. "Why would they-" Ali was moving closer to the closet when strong hands found a place around her waist.

"There you are you little vixen. Where have you been keeping yourself?" Mike's voice sent chills down her spine.

"I've been spending my time with my guests. I must go no Mike. Bye." Ali twisted out of his grasp and left the room.

Just as Mike was about to leave as well he noticed the same box and went to it. "Well I'll be damned. Jack's dead and this is for Ali. Wait until I tell her." Mike picked up the box and brought it to his room laughing to himself.

"There you are you guys. I was looking all over for you." Ali said as she saw her friends at the pool side. "Here, I brought more sun block like requested and I was going to tell you two to come down, but you're here aren't you." Ali said as she took a seat next to Lance.

"You should have asked me to come along." Lance said as he pouted in his chair sunning himself.

"Poor baby, Katie's out shopping and wouldn't let you come huh?" Ali said in a sweet tone. "Nothing to do with your time. No one to kiss," Ali kissed his cheek.

"Good, now maybe I won't keep having to watch it! Now we'll have some peace!" Chris looked content one his air tube in the warm water.

"Katie should be back soon. Come on let's dance." Ali turned on her bomb box and ‘Larger Then Life' came on. "What a conscience. Shall we change the station or keep it on?" Ali asked.

"Leave it on. It has a good beat." J. said. "Do we sound like this Ali?" J. asked her. He stood up from his seat on the pool's edge and grabbed Ali's hands to dance.

"No way. Don't ever think that." Ali reassured him.

"When is Katie coming back?" Lance whined loudly.

"Did I hear my name?" Katie's voice came from behind the group.

"KATIE!" Lance screamed in delight. He ran to her and kissed her long on her mouth.

"See what did I tell ya? As soon as they reunite the smooching starts all over again. Please spare us? I just ate." Chris complained.

"Yea I just ate too," Joey complained as well.

"Well I have a surprise for you guys," Katie and Lance moved out of the way.

There stood a shorter girl then Katie and Ali, but she had shoulder length curly hair. Green eyes and a good figure. Before she could tell everyone her name Ali ran to her and gave her a huge hug. "CHRISTINE," Ali had tears forming in her eyes.

"Hi Ali, how are you?" Christine said quietly.

"I'm fine. What about you? I haven't seen you in a while." Ali was smiling in an odd sort of way. Jc noticed this and shot her a ‘what's wrong' look. Ali shook her head slightly and waited for Christine's response.

"Well, you missed most of the end of school and then kept yourself tucked away from everyone. I am sorry to hear about Jack, but since you feel for that *nsync guy or whatever I haven't seen you." Christine said coldly. Who is that handsome hunk of a guy." Christine made her way over to Justin and winked at him.

"That would be the *nsync guy I fell for. Now we're friends, but that's Lance obviously Katie's boyfriend and that's Joey, Jc and Chris." Ali did the introductions and Justin moved away from Christine. "I see. Well the whole muttely *nsync crew is here huh? Oh well, it'll have to do. Which room is mine?" Christine asked. She grabbed her bag and went inside to the hotel.

"Who was that?" Joey asked.

"That would be Christine. Our old best friend." Katie told him.

"Is she your best friend anymore?" Lance asked quietly to Katie.

"Not really. She just called me out of the blue and said she was going to come for a visit. She hasn't been down here for a few years now. I don't now how she knew we were here, but I couldn't say no you can't come." Katie sighed sadly and walked over to Ali.

"This is just great isn't it?" Ali said falsely.

"Yea, great." Katie said in the same tone.

"Come on let's get her settled." Ali jogged off to the hotel.

"Lance I have to tell you something very important. Wait out here with me for a second while the others go in." Lance nodded and stood behind with her.

"What is it?" Lance asked her.

"I was really going to the airport to pick up Dee. Ya know as a surprise for Chris. Whenever she comes up in the conversation he smiles so wide I think he'll stretch off his face." Katie paused.

"When I got there she was there. With another guy. She explained that being with Chris was just too hard for her. She needed stability in her life and her new fiancee could give her that. I have to tell Chris. I just don't know how. He'll be crushed and I don't think I can bare to see that look on Chris's usually laughing face." Katie buried her head in Lance's shoulder.

"You just told him," Chris hadn't gotten up like the others and was sitting in his lounge chair through the conversation.

"Oh, Chris I'm so sorry." Katie let go of Lance and wrapped Chris in a big hug.

"No, it's ok. I knew this was going to happen. I just didn't feel right with her. I did have feelings for her, but not true feelings. This was inevitable. Thank you for being such a good friend, but I swear to you I'm ok. Just a slight bit of pain." Chris smiled his good old smile.

"Does this help?" Katie kissed his cheek.

"Yes, no more pain." Chris linked elbows with her and Katie did the same with Lance and they walked into the hotel.

They went up to their rooms and saw Christine, Ali, Jc, Justin, and Joey trying to figure out who gets to room with Christine. "Why don't Lance and Katie share a room and then I can share with Justin. Ali then you could go with Jc. That works out fine." Christine's voice rang threw the hallway.

"That's fine." Justin agreed.

"What?" His answer surprised both Jc and Ali.

They spent the next half an hour moving everyone around. When everyone was settled Ali decided to go for a walk and clear her head. Katie went along with her so they could talk.

"What is she doing here? I mean after the fight I thought we both made it clear we didn't want her around. After that whole thing with Adam. I didn't ever want to speak to her again. Then we became civil again and then Jack. She just has so many bad memories." Ali said softly. Katie remembered every detail of every event Ali had just named, for she had been the one Ali had called, after Jack, to tell her what had been happening.

"Why don't you and I do something tonight?" Katie suggested.

"No, you and Lance have something great planned and the other boys wanted to go downtown to pick up chicks. I'll stay home with Christine. Oh my gosh look what time it is. Almost five! You've got to go get ready." Ali pushed Katie around and made sure she headed back to the hotel. Ali then continued her walk.

~*~*~ With Christine ~*~*~

"Ok, I'll meet you in five minutes." Christine hung up the phone and went inside the bathroom.

Justin had overheard her conversation and decided to ask the hotel operator for the number she just called. "Ok thank you," Justin called the number.

"Hello?" Mike's voice was on the other line, "Hello?" Mike said again irritated. "Jerk!" And he slammed down the phone.

"What is she up too?" Justin thought out loud and slipped behind the door. Christine came out of the bathroom and walked out behind her. He followed close behind her, but he stopped when she reached Mike's apartment.

"Mike, open up." Christine said loudly.

"Hang on," Mike opened the door but she didn't go in.

"I don't want to stay long. What is it exactly you want me to do?" Christine asked quickly.

"I want you to preoccupy Mr. Timberlake and then at a key moment let Ali see you kissing him. That will drive her right to me. So I want you to go back to your room and keep Justin there. Then in an hour I'll make sure Ali walks in on you two. That's it. You'll get your money and then you can leave tonight." Mike said laughing an evil laugh.

"Alright baby." Christine said goodbye and made her way towards Justin's spot.

He ran back several feet and walked casually into her. "There you are doll. I was looking all over for you." Justin grabbed her hand.

"Well I am the hottest girl here. It's only natural," she crinkled her nose and held Justin's hand tightly.

"Come on let's go back to our for a while and get to know each other." Justin said innocently.

"Sure," she replied back and so they headed back to their room.

While those two were walking back to their room Ali was in her's trying to sort everything out. Joey and Chris decided to have a night on the town together. There was a new billiard parlor and Joey invited Chris along with him. Lance and Katie had their romantic evening planned and Justin was no where to be found. Actually neither was Christine for that matter. Jc walked in on Ali placing the floor. He had visited the kitchen to get a snack.

"Ali, you've got to relax. Why are you so tense?" Jc placed down his tea and bagel and stopped Ali's pacing.

"I don't know. Christine is not the person I expected to show up. I don't know how she knew we were gonna be here. I want her to leave!" Ali turned away from Jc's confused expression.

"Wait, wait, wait. When she came here you were happy and excited and now you want her to leave. What's going on?" Jc asked her.

"When I saw her I forgot about all the horrible things that she had done. I mean this is the first time I've heard from her since Jack." Ali went to her dresser and started to fold her shirts and put them in the drawers.

"Then, if you feel that strongly tomorrow we'll have her go home. Everyone will back you if you feel this strongly about her. Come here," Jc scooped her up and threw her onto the bed. "Now, get a damn smile back on your face and have some fun." Jc ordered.

"Wanna do something with me today?" Ali asked hopefully.

"Sorry, I can't I saw a store in town I wanted to go to alone today. Go find Justin. You two could rent a boat or something. Bye," Jc kissed her forehead and went out the door. He quickly came back in to grab his tea and bagel and left blushing at his little mistake.

"Great, what should I do now?" Ali muttered out loud to herself. "I'll go find the curly haired boy my heart desires." Ali thought out loud again and picked up her jacket and walked out of the room.

She walked down the hall the few feet Justin's door was and once she got there she fixed her long wavy hair into a messy bun and took a deep breath. Why am I so nervous. This is Justin. Just Justin. Yea right. The hell it's just Justin. I am living out the dream every girl in the world right now. Even though I know Justin for who he really is. Here goes nothing. Ali knocked three times on the door and waited for him to answer. When he didn't she knocked once more.

"Justin?" Ali called through the door. "Hello? Anyone home?" Ali pushed open the door and saw a piece of paper on his bed with something scribbled on it.

Ali picked up the paper and read what it said. After reading a few sentences she realized it was Christine's hand writing. The note read:

Dear All,
Justin and I were really bored and we decided to go for some fun. It's about maybe 6 o'clock, but don't expect us to be home until the wee hours of the morning. We're young and ready to have some fun. And don't bother to come look for us Ali. We're going to be at a place I know. Remember I came here too with you guys. Boy did Jack and I have some wild nights. Well bye ya'll. Bye bye bye Ali. And by the way. Justin sends his best to you babe. But he may not remember what you taste like by the time I'm done with him.
Love, Christine

Ali dropped the note and went out to the balcony. She didn't want to cry. Crying took too much out of her. She just wanted to scream. So she did. She screamed at the top of her lungs for a while. Untill her voice hurt so much she couldn't swallow. When she came inside she grabbed the note and stuck it in her back pocket and went down stairs.

As she was walking down the main entrance to get out of the hotel she saw Joey and Chris returning from their adventure to pick up some ladies. They came home by themselves and instead of drowning herself in sorrows with those two she ducked behind a plant and waited till they were in the elevator.

She came out from behind the plant, wiped the tears from her eyes, and went out the large glass doors. She inhaled the salt air and held it in for a few seconds. As she let it out she turned her head to see the back of a familiar head. Lance's spikes were shiny from the setting sun. As Ali went over to tap him on the shoulder and let out a large laugh and she saw Katie walking up with a smug look on her face. "Oh Lance, come on if we're going to make the show we have to leave now." Ali heard her say. "Ok, ok Katie let's go. We can have some fun in the theater." Lance laughed again. "You're terrible," Katie grabbed his hand and pulled him into the cab. "You love it," Lance got into the cab as well and off they went.

"Why can't I have that kind of love?" Ali asked. She went back inside. Ali fled to her room and slept. By the time she woke she had ten eyes on her.

"Ahh, sleeping beauty awakes." Chris said lightly.

"What are you all doing in here? How long was I asleep? Where are Justin and Christine?" Ali shot straight up and started fixing her self up.

"Well, it's 11 o'clock now. Katie and I got back a little while ago and the others have been here since you fell asleep. Justin and Christine aren't back yet. I don't have any idea where they are." Lance explained.

"I know where they are." Ali shifted onto her side and pulled the note out of her pocket. She watched the expression on Katie's face change into fury as she finished the note.

"Oh Ali, I'm so sorry. I'll kill that little tramp. Did you know she got into Harvard. She probably slept with the Dean to get in or something." Katie tried to make Ali feel better with the comment, but it only made things worse.

"I've got to get out of here." Ali got up suddenly and bolted for the door she ran right to the person that had orchestrated the entire thing. As she reached his door she pushed it open and ran into his arms.