After we got home, I laid in bed for while, just thinking, until I finally fell asleep. After falling into a reckless sleep, my eyes flew open again. Glancing at the clock nearby my bed, I realized it was only 3 AM. I tried to close my eyes and fall back asleep, but I was awake now. I had to many thoughts in my head while I sat there for fifteen minutes.

Slowly, I put my feet on the floor and stood up. With the cracks beneath my feet, I tip toed my way past Deanna's bed room and through the halls. I combed my hands through my hair as I made my way to the kitchen. A glass of water always helps me go to sleep, I thought, already reaching for the glass. I had to balance on my toes to reach the high cupboard.

I was falling back on to my feet when my elbow slammed into the door, making it smack into another cupboard. I grasped my mouth, hoping that the large knock of the woods didn't disturb anyone. I felt like laughing at how ridiculous I was acting but it was a place or even time for that.

As I was filling up the glass, I could hear the faint sound of a ball bouncing. I began to think that it was just my imagination, or even a dream. Who would be bouncing a ball at this hour? No one could have if she knew everyone correctly. You could hear the sound of the vibration of the ball bouncing off of the backboard. I placed the glass that i haven't drank out of yet on a nearby table. My heart started to pick up speed as I crept over to the window looking out on the back yard. When my eyes finally registered who it was, I opened the door lightly, careful not to let it slam to wake everybody up.

"What are you doing out here?" I whispered to Justin who was getting ready to shoot a basket ball. He whipped around surprised and held the ball under one arm. My body shivered from the cool breeze and the tree shaded area.

"I should be asking you the same question," He said, smiling through his words.

"I asked you first." I teased. He sighed and bent down to let the ball roll to a patch of grass. My eyes were adjusting to the darkness of the back yard, so I could finally see Justin completely. I waited for his response as he came up after watching the ball. "Couldn't sleep" was all the response I got.

Walking over to a patch of grass, we sat down together without a word. There were none that were needed to be spoken, nothing to be said. Only being in each other's presence was satisfactory for us. In less than nine hours we would be apart, for the first time. Rolling through my mind was how this ever happened. Being subscribed to ever magazine on and off the internet for *NSYNC fan clubs, collecting posters, I always thought of it as an obsession. Picturing a dream wedding with Justin was what most girls did. Then the next second I was with him, in his arms, running my fingers through the tight curls. It was all unbelievable, but it was real, and almost over.

We laid out our bodies while staring up at the stars. Justin had one hand on his head, holding himself up while he looked deep into my eyes. We talked then about what was going to happen as time went by and what was happening now.

Finally, we went back inside where fell asleep in each other's arms on the couch. The morning was coming too fast.

JC in the Basement

JC was pacing down in the basement as the departure time was coming closer and closer. He had his suit case packed and ready to leave with one of the pictures that they took the night before settled on top. Half the night he had spent writing and re-writing a letter to Deanna. White lined sheets covered throughout the grey colored carpet. That letter must have been written 50 times. Also, he had made a special surprise for Deanna with Justin's help before he had took off upstairs to do something. JC had thought this over so many times. He was going to leave the stuff in her room so he wouldn't have to say good-bye in person. It hurt too much. JC wanted to leave on a good-note (no pun intended) instead of a sad parting. Now all that was left was to get Justin up and go to the airport. It seemed so easy. So why were there tears slipping from his eyes? JC didn't know.

He climbed up the stairs with the suit case in hand and the letter and gift in the other. Dodging into Deanna's room, he was met with purple walls with picture frames hanging in every free spot. Ben Affleck posters were pasted along with glowing stars. He settled his suit case outside the door, and walked himself in quietly.

There she laid, sound asleep as ever. He wanted so bad just to nest himself next to her and wrap his arms around her for one last time. Her brown eyes were covered showing the long dark eyelashes while her hair spread around the feathered pillow. She lightly breathed with her hands placed next to her face, half opened with the blankets covering everything except for her feet.

JC knelt down next to the bed with the cracking of his knees, placing the the letter and gift on the night stand next to the bed. Looking in the dozen of picture frames that were crowed on the little area, he saw the pictures of Deanna and Emily together, and the one from graduation. Then there was a picture of the whole group outside on campus in North Carolina, and a picture of just the two of them when they went to go visit the beach one day. Breathing in deeply he could still smell the air of the salty air with the brisk scent of peaches off of Deanna's skin on that day.

He stared down at her with his skylit eyes, knowing that it was going to be long before he's going to see her, in person. Kissing her lightly on the forehead, he placed his hand on her cold cheek and slid it down to her chin.

" Farewell," he whispered, standing back up. Without taking his eyes off of her, he walked backwards out of the room and closed the door.

Emily POV

I felt someone shaking me as I opened my eyes. JC was hoovering over me, while I was still laying in Justin's arms. Justin was struggling to open his eyes as I sat up. I had a cramp in my neck from it sliding off of Justin's chest. My eyes focus as I looked at JC. His eyes were puffy, as if he had been crying.

"Did you wake her up yet?" I asked timidly, sensing it was a sensitive topic.

"No, and I'm not going to. I left her something in her room. I just can't say goodbye to her face to face." JC quivered as his eyes turned glassy. Justin got up and went to the kitchen. I assumed he was getting breakfast. I placed my hand on JC's shoulder, detecting his pain.

"It'll be ok." was all I could say before JC embraced me. I wrapped my arms around him realizing for the first time that he wouldn't be around anymore. He had helped me through everything with Justin, it was hard to let him leave. The first set of tears for the day were upon my face as we pulled apart. Justin then appeared carrying his duffle bag and already dressed. It was time to say goodbye.

"I'll be outside." JC excused himself knowing that we needed to be alone. Once he was outside, I started.

"Justin. Before you say anything, I want to tell you something." I started, not believing what I was going to say. He nodded his head and waited patiently. I took a deep breath and just let my heart speak.

"Iloveyou..." I said rushing through my words so they were barely understandable. Justin looked at me confused so I took another deep breath and said the words slower. " I..Love..You." There was a long pause and I watched Justin. I looked out the window, feeling hot tears start to slip down my cheeks as the pause lengthened. I felt a hand on my shoulder turn me around. Justin took his hand to my cheek and wiped the tears off. Then he lightly placed his lips to mine. We finally parted from our last kiss when he replied.

"Emily, I Love You too. Always have and always will." With that he stood up, took his bag, and walked outside to JC.

Deanna POV

I heard faint sobs coming from behind my closed door. The slightest sound could always wake me up and this was one of those time. My eyes fluttered open as I glanced at the clock next to me, pushing what i thought was a piece of paper out of the way and hearing a thump. When i was able to focus my eyes, I shot up when I realized it was 11:30 AM. JC's plane had already left. Why didn't he wake me up? My heart started racing as I started to get up. I was laying on my side so I put my hand in front of me to get up. I looked down to pick up what i had smacked over and saw a letter with my name on it and a cassette tape that was next to it. I picked them up awkwardly, wondering what their contents were. I sat up completely and slowly unfolded the letter. Right away, I recognized the handwriting. It was JC's.

By the time I finished the letter, tears were streaming down my face. It was like someone turned on a faucet. With trembling hands, I picked up the tape and walked over to my stereo sliding it in with shaking hands. Softly I pressed play and JC's soothing voice filled the room with Justin's voice making up the background vocals.