Part 31
Justin respected the fact that Talia wanted to wait. He wanted to wait himself. His hormones had just gotten the best of him for the moment. He felt like a pushy jerk though. “’Lia I’m so sorry.” Just for a better affect, he got down on his knees in front of her.
Talia first reaction was a giggle. “Get up you big lug.” Then she got a little more serious. “It was just as much my fault as it was yours. I let myself get carried away because I was so happy.”
He smiled sweetly and got back up on the couch beside her. They cuddled up and decided to watch a movie or two.
Jc sat in his apartment trying to think why Justin didn’t want to tell anyone the good news of regaining most of his memory. He decided to call Justin’s apartment and try to get some more information from him. After about 10 rings, he decided that Justin probably wasn’t at home. ‘Where could he be?’ Jc thought to himself. On a hunch, he found the piece of paper that he had Talia’s number written down on and dialed it.
Talia frowned when she heard the phone ring. She had gotten very comfortable laying on the couch relaxing with Justin.
“Hello?” She answered with the slightest bit of irritation in her voice.
“Is Justin there?” A male voice asked.
Talia handed the phone to Justin and was met with a surprised look. “It’s for you.” She decided to stop the movie they’d been watching until he got off the phone.
Justin took the phone from Talia. “Hello?”
“Hey Justin… it’s Jc.”
“Hey man, I don’t mean to sound rude, but why are you calling me here?” Justin asked.
Jc was a little taken aback by Justin’s demeanor. “Well I called your apartment and you weren’t there. I just wanted to make sure everything was cool with you.”
“Yah. I’m fine.” Justin replied. “I didn’t mean to be short with you, I just wasn’t expecting you to call over here looking for me.”
“Well I apologize. I was worried. I’ll see you at the studio tomorrow.” Jc said and hung up. After he did, he sat there staring at the phone. He was pretty sure by now that Justin had a thing for Talia and vice versa. He wondered if that was the reason Justin hadn’t wanted him to say anything about him having his memory back yet. He decided not to worry about it and just hope that Justin told the others soon.
Justin hung up the phone and turned to Talia. “I’m sorry about that. Jc has always been the worry wart of the group and he just wanted to make sure that I was okay.”
“It’s no big deal.” Talia replied. She wondered if Justin had told the others about getting his memory back. Then she repeated the question out loud. “Did you tell everyone else yet?”
“Well I told Jc because he was the one that took me home from the studio. But the other guys don’t know yet. I wanted to tell you first.”
Talia felt a twinge of happiness that he had told her the news before he’d told most of his friends. They got comfortable again and Talia restarted the movie.
A few hours later Talia woke up and was surprised to find herself still on the couch. The she felt Justin’s warm body next to hers and remembered why she was there. The TV had a fuzzy screen because the movie had stopped. She smiled when she remembered what had occurred earlier in the night. Easing of the couch, Talia went into the kitchen to get something to drink. She noticed it was nearly 3am and decided that she would just take Justin home first thing in the morning. She went and got some extra blankets out of her room. She covered Justin up and made a pallet for herself on the floor beside the couch. She wanted nothing more than to sleep in his arms, but she was afraid of what might happen if he woke up in the middle of the night. If he made advances, she might not be able to resist in a sleepy state of mind. She crawled under the blankets and drifted off to sleep.
The next morning when Justin woke up, he was covered up and Talia was gone. He looked around and discovered that she was laying on the floor just a few feet away. Smiling, he got up and found his way to the bathroom. He washed his face and debated on just calling cab without waking her, but decided against it. He didn’t want her to be upset with him.
“Talia…” He said softly next to her ear. He stifled a laugh when she moaned in her sleep and brushed at her ear like you a buzzing mosquito. “Talia…” He said again, a little louder this time.
“Hmmmm?” She mumbled.
“Wake up Sleeping Beauty.”
Talia rolled over and opened her eyes. She smiled when she saw Justin kneeling on the floor next to her. ‘What a sight to wake up to.’ She thought as she stretched.
“I’m going to take a cab back to my place so that I can change and get to the studio. I think I’m going to tell the rest of the guys today.” Justin told her.
“No. Don’t do that. I’ll take you.” She offered and got up. She went towards her bedroom. “I’ll be right out.” She promised.
A few minutes later, Talia came out dressed enough to take Justin home. She had her hair pulled up in a loose ponytail and some sweats on.
‘Damn she even looks great first thing in the morning.’ Justin thought as he followed her out the door and down to where her Jeep was parked outside.
“Are you nervous about telling the guys? And are you going to tell them about us?” Talia asked, trying not to sound too eager about the last part.
“No, I’m not nervous because I know they’ll be glad to hear that we can get back to work.” Justin replied. “And don’t get angry with me, but I’m not going to tell them about us yet. I’m going to give the memory thing time to set in and let us get back to our normal routines.” He looked over to try and judge her reaction.
“I understand. You don’t want to spring it on them right off the bat.” Talia assured him even though she did feel a slight twinge of disappointment.
It didn’t take them long to get to his apartment. Before he got out, Justin kissed Talia, avoiding her lips since he hadn’t brushed his teeth yet. She watched as he jogged into the building.
Justin raced up the stairs to his apartment. He didn’t take the elevator because he just felt so energetic and happy this morning. He showered quickly, then called Jc to come pick him up. He couldn’t wait to tell the guys that he had almost his full memory back.
Part 32
Talia floated into class. For the first time in nearly two weeks she was early and got a prime seat right in the front of the class. Her spirit has seemingly been rejuvenated. The bounce in her step didn't go unnoticed by her classmates.
"Okay what has you so happy?" Raquel asked. Raquel had been Talia's roommate at the dorm before Talia's parents splurged and got her the apartment. They had only lived together for a few weeks, but considered Raquel her only true support in Orlando. Well… until now. Now she had Justin.
"Nothing… nothing at all…" Talia sighed. She stared out the window blankly
until Raquel shook her arm.
"Spill Talia. It's a guy isn't it? You're dazed over a guy. Who is he and
what has he done to my focused Talia?"
"Wow you're good," Talia laughed. "His name is Justin and we just straightened out everything concerning well I guess I can say… US now. See we had a few road blocks but I like to hope they're behind us now."
"Well you're smiling… so it must be good. Since you're miss serious and everything," Raquel kidded. Their banter came to an abrupt halt as the professor entered the room.
Justin sat on the front stairs of his building, waiting for JC to arrive and bring him back to his past. It seemed odd that so much of his life was starting new, but that one thing… his job still seemed like old hat to him. He hoped he could fall right back into the feel of being in a studio and singing.
JC pulled up in his Jeep and watched Justin quizzically as he hopped into the car. He hadn't expected Justin to be waiting for him.
"Good morning," Justin said, his voice taking on a certain hint of happiness and eagerness.
"You must have slept well," JC observed. "What time did you get home from Talia's?" JC tried not to have his question seem as if it was meant to pry into Justin's life. If his tone had hinted on nosey Justin certainly didn't notice it.
"She drove me home a little bit after you called," Justin lied. He remembered the understanding he and Talia had. He wasn't about to even hint at anything or rise people's suspicions. "We just watched the end of the movie she had rented and then I came home."
"I'm sorry for calling you there," JC apologized honestly. "Things are just still all up in the air with you in my mind."
"Well start trying NOT to worry. Leave me knowing that if I'm not at the apartment 9 times out of 10 I will be at Talia's," Justin explained.
"You like her huh?" JC asked as he parked in the studio's private lot.
"Yeah… I mean she saved my life. What am I supposed to do? Hate her?" Justin smirked. He had taken the detour on that explanation but JC didn’t appear to mind.
Talia pulled an apple out of her bag as she stretched out on the grass on the great lawn of the campus. It was a 'normal' lunch for her. Before the accident this would be her normal afternoon. She'd sit alone on the lawn and eat a selected piece of fruit while the passionate and invigorating sounds of Bach played through her headphones. She would spend her hour break flipping through a mixture of textbooks and romance novels. Today seemed different for her. Not only in that the weather had adopted a cooler
feel and the amount of people around her had lessened greatly. All of them, she was sure had ran into buildings at the first sign of chill. Being from Massachusetts she was much more tolerable of the weather. Her thoughts of Justin also kept her warm with excitement. She pulled out her notebook and date book, preparing to make an entry that would hopefully change her life. 'Things to do for…' those words were followed up by five words that held so much potential and meaning for her. 'My FIRST NIGHT with Justin'.
Justin finished up his verse and looked through the glass. He hoped some one; any one would give him of hint if he were even close to his prime.
"That was… flawless…" the producer said, astounded. The words reverberated
through Justin's ears, causing him to flash a time-stopping smile. "Like you haven't missed a step. Come on out and we'll listen together."
Justin stepped out of the booth and was met with congratulatory pats on the back from his group mates.
After listening to the track Justin figured now was the perfect time to tell everyone about his memory being almost fully back to him. "Hey guys… can I talk to you for a second?" Justin asked. He looked directly at his group mates and nodded his head toward the door.
Once he had everyone's attention he smiled. "Now… JC already knows this and I apologize for telling him first. He was just… there. But I almost FULLY have my memory back."
Lance's mouth dropped open while Joey let out a loud yell. "That's great Justin!" Chris exclaimed.
"So fully means…" Joey prodded.
"ALMOST fully," Justin corrected, "there are a few gray areas but mostly everything is black and white."
"Amazing," Lance shook his head. He was still in a state of disbelief.
"Now here comes the difficult part," Justin said carefully. He was met with concerned stares. "Nothing bad. One, I want to tell my mother myself. So I'd appreciate if you'd keep it quiet until I give her a call. " They guys all nodded, that didn't seem to difficult for them to do. "Second, don't tell Liz."
"Justin…" Joey tried to bargain.
"Don't make me regret that I told you," Justin warned sternly. "It's just that all of the gray areas I have are with her. I don't want to jump into anything like that. Can you understand where I'm coming from?"
He was met with nods. "I guess we can do that," Chris shrugged.
"Good," Justin smiled.
Talia looked down at the paper full of notations and wondered if she was getting ahead of herself. Everything imaginable was listed from 'new outfit' to 'candles'. She needed a date and she needed to broach the idea to Justin without seeming novice and pathetic. It wasn't that she hadn't had sex before. It was just never with someone she had wished on a falling star for. It had to be special, because he was and she hoped their relationship would be too.
Justin dialed Talia's familiar number. He had implanted it in his memory, since he had used it so often. He wasn't shocked when her answering matching picked up. He was, in fact, glad that she didn't pick up. She was at class, where she should be. "Hey 'Lia. It's Justin. I was just calling to let you know that I told the guys about my memory being back. So I'm sure you'd be happy to hear that! I had them promise not to tell my mother, she should find out something this important directly from me. I don't know when I'll get to talk to her though. But anyway… I hope you call me back. My cell phone will be on
if you need me. I'll be in my apartment after 1 or 2 I'd imagine, but don't take my word for it. Hope to see you later. Bye."
Part 33
Talia made it through the rest of her classes just as easily. She couldn’t believe how much clearer her mind was now that her and Justin were ‘together.’ She felt that she didn’t have to worry about anything because things were right between them. Everything else seemed so trivial. Her wish had actually come true.
When she got back to her apartment, she checked her messages and smiled when she heard Justin’s voice coming through the speakers on the answering machine. He said that he MIGHT be home around 1 or 2. Talia looked at the clock and saw that it was almost 3, so she decided to call him. She felt a twinge of disappointment when the answering machine picked up, then cursed herself for being upset at something as simple as him not being home.
“Hey Justin. It’s Talia. I hope your day went well, with telling the guys and everything. Call me when you get home. Bye.”
Justin looked at the clock on the studio wall and sighed when he saw that it was after 3. He was getting tired and he wanted to get back to his apartment so that he could talk to Talia. But he’d been out of action for a while and felt that he owed this to the guys. They were behind on recording and also needed to get back to performing. He didn’t think he was quite ready for that aspect of things though.
Finally, about 6, they decided to call it a day. “So do you want to go out with us tonight?” Joey asked Justin.
“Nah. Not tonight. It’s been a long day and I’m tired. You guys understand don’t you?” Justin studied each of their faces.
“Of course we do.” Lance replied. “You know Joey, always ready for a party.”
Justin laughed. He did indeed remember that Joey was the party animal of the group. He got in the Cherokee with Jc. They had an easy conversation on the way to Justin’s apartment. When Jc dropped him off, Justin promised to call if he needed anything. He waved as Jc drove off, then smiled when he saw his Mercedes sitting in its normal spot. ‘The mechanics must have brought it back today.’ He thought as he walked over an examined it. All traces of the accident were gone. In fact, it looked like it had a fresh paint job.
Justin realized that he didn’t really remember the accident itself. Not the details of it. That whole night was pretty blurry. The only thing he could bring up in his mind was after he woke up in the hospital. He decided not to worry about that and went on upstairs. Opening the door to his apartment, he decided to call his mom first. He dialed her number without the assistance of the automated feature on his phone. When she answered, his voice was an immediate indication of the news he had to tell her. She was ecstatic that Justin remembered everything. He told her about how he didn’t totally remember what had happened between him and Liz the night of the accident.
“I think we had a really big fight and basically broke up.”
“Well honey, I hope you remember soon.” Lynn replied.
They talked for a few more minutes, then said goodnight. Justin decided to check the answering machine to see if Talia had called him back. She had. He dialed her number next and frowned when the machine picked up again.
“Hey ‘Lia. It’s me again. I just got home from the studio. I called my mom and told her the good news. She was happy of course.” He said into the phone, then lowered his voice a little. “I wish I was with you, wherever you are. I’m going to go to bed early, but you can call me when you get home.” He hung up and went upstairs to take a shower.
Talia walked back into the apartment. She’d went out for a run in the park. Her muscles were screaming because of her lack of working out lately. She promised herself not to neglect her dancing so much in the future. It was what got here in the first place and she didn’t want to lose that now. The answering machine was blinking, indicating that she had messages. She turned it on and went into the kitchen to grab something to drink. She heard Justin’s voice again and was a little upset that she had missed his call. But wasn’t that big of a deal with the understanding they had come to. Talia was sure that she would have to get used to not seeing him much. He said that he was going to bed and that she could call if she wanted, but she decided not to disturb him and to get some sleep herself.
*~* 2 days later *~*
Justin left the studio and got in his car. It had been another long day of recording and he really wanted to see Talia. He dialed her number on his cell phone and breathed a sigh of relief when she picked up. They’d been playing phone tag for the past 2 days.
“Hey ‘Lia! How are you?”
Talia smiled at the sound of his voice. He always had that effect on her. “Hey you. Hard day at work?” She kidded.
“Yep. What are you doing this evening?” Justin asked.
“Well, I have a date with the couch. Other than that, I don’t have anything planned.”
Justin grinned. “Would you like to have dinner with me?”
“I don’t know. That might disappoint the couch.” She replied and giggled at him growling. “I guess I can give the couch a rain check though.”
“Good. I’ll pick you up at 7.” Justin told her. He rushed home as fast as possible. Looking through the phone book he called a nice restaurant and made reservations for them at 8. He jumped in the shower and stood in front of his closet, trying to decide on what to wear.
Talia showered and wondered where Justin would take her for dinner. She didn’t know if he’d pick something classy or casual, so she decided on something that would fit both places. She pulled out a floor length flowered skirt, with a slit halfway up one side. Since it was a little chilly outside, she grabbed a white sweater that came down past her butt to go with it. She got dressed and studied the combination in the mirror. Satisfied with her clothing choice, she put on a little make up and left her auburn hair down. Checking the time, she noticed that she still had fifteen minutes to spare.
Justin was dressed and ready, but he didn’t want to show up too early. After pacing the floor and rearranging the pillows on the couch about 20 times, he decided that it was okay to leave. He drove as slow as possible on the way to Talia’s apartment, but was still 15 minutes early. He hoped that she was ready and decided to go on up. He even took the stairs up to her floor, but that didn’t take long either. Standing outside her door, he took a deep breath and rapped lightly on the wood with his knuckles.
Talia had been sitting at the kitchen table drumming her fingers on the surface when she heard a knock. Hoping it was Justin, she jumped out of her seat and calmly walked to the door and opened. When she saw him standing there in his khaki’s and sweater, she couldn’t suppress the smile that came to her lips. His face mirrored hers well.
“Are you ready?” Justin asked.
“Yep. Just let me grab my purse.” Talia replied. She got her purse off the couch and locked the door behind her. As they rode the elevator down to the ground floor, it dawned on her that he was picking her up. “I take it your car is finally fixed.”
“Yeah. The mechanics dropped it off a couple of days ago.” Justin replied.
Once they were in the car, Talia noticed how clean Justin kept the interior. They made the drive to the restaurant in relative silence, only making random comments about things that they had done in their 2 days apart. When they got to the restaurant, Talia was glad that she’d worn something that could pass for dressy. Justin had made a classy choice, and she still felt a little underdressed.
“This is nice.” She whispered in his ear while they were waiting for their table to be ready. Justin just smiled and squeezed her hand. They didn’t have to wait long for their table. Talia realized that Justin probably had some pull and influence because of who he was.
“Are you having a good time?” Justin asked about halfway through dinner.
Talia was a little shocked that he couldn’t tell by the grin that had been plastered on her face for the last hour. “Of course I am.” They were sitting next to each other and she leaned over and kissed him quickly. Justin obviously wanted to make it more than quick, but Talia was reluctant since they were in such a public place. Justin snickered a little, but didn’t want to embarrass her.
After dinner, they sat in the car for a few minutes waiting for it to warm up. “So what do you want to do now?” Justin asked while he was rubbing his hands together.
“I don’t care. We could just go back to your place.” Talia suggested. Justin agreed and put the car in drive.
He unlocked the door and stepped aside so that Talia could go in first. She waited just inside the door for him because it was dark inside the apartment. Justin shut the door behind them and then reached around Talia to switch on the light.
When Justin reached around her, he moved very close and she sighed at the scent of his cologne. Every bit of him assaulted her senses and it sent chills down her spine being so close to him.
Justin obviously noticed her discomfort and slid one arm around her slender waist, pulling her body to his. “Did you miss me?” He whispered huskily in her ear.
“Well, maybe a little.” Talia replied flippantly and walked further into the living room. She wasn’t trying to be a tease, merely to put a little distance between them because she didn’t want him to see how much he was affecting her.
Justin smiled at her back. He was getting to her and she knew it. Pretty soon he would break down her resolve totally. ‘Dammit Timberlake, quit being such a horn ball.’ He chastised himself and followed her to the couch. He felt a little guilty for making her so uncomfortable.
Talia sucked in her breath as Justin sat down next to her on the couch. ‘Maybe coming here with him wasn’t such a good idea.’ She thought to herself. She sat perfectly still while he flipped on the TV with the remote and settled back into the cushions. He slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her back next to him. Talia took another deep breath and tried to relax. Justin found Titanic playing on one of the movie channels and they got comfortable watching the movie. Talia had slipped off her shoes and tucked her feet up under her.
During the part when Rose and Jack were down in the cargo hold, Talia felt Justin’s eyes burning into the side of her face. She slowly turned her head to meet his gaze. Their eyes locked. She didn’t move or try to stop him as he leaned closer to her. Her breath caught in her throat with his faces inches away from hers. She closed her eyes as his lips touched hers.
Justin loved the feel of Talia’s lips against his. They were so soft and pliant. He slid his tongue into her mouth and explored every inch, turning his body into hers more as he did so.
Talia slid her arms around Justin’s neck, and reveled in the feel of his body pressing against hers. He was wreaking havoc on her mouth with his tongue. Her legs were still folded beneath her and she had to unfold them to get more comfortable. When she did, one leg ended up on each side of Justin’s body.
When he felt Talia’s legs around his waist, he nearly lost all control. He held her against him with one hand on the back of her head and put the other one on her bare leg. The feeling of her soft skin under his palm was enough to drive a tin man crazy and he thrust his tongue deeper into her mouth. When she moaned into his mouth, he couldn’t take it any longer and leaned forward, sending her backwards onto the couch. She was holding to his neck, so he used the hand that wasn’t on her leg to brace himself.
Talia had lost her reason the minute that Justin’s hand had touched her leg. Now the other hand was under her sweater, caressing her flat stomach. He moved further up, and she snapped back into reality. “Justin…”
“What?” He whispered, his breathing a little faster now.
“Stop. Please.”
Justin reluctantly sat back up on the couch. Talia sat up as well and put her face in her hands. “’Lia… I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that, I just couldn’t help myself.”
“No. It’s okay. I got carried away too.” She replied as she straightened her clothes. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
Talia took a deep breath and tried to keep herself from blushing. “I was wondering if we could plan an evening with just the two of us. Not like tonight wasn’t, but an even more romantic one..” She faltered a little, then continued. “I thought that you could come to my place and that I could cook for you. You know a candlelight dinner? And maybe some nice music, and candles…” The words were flowing a little easier now. “That way we wouldn’t end up on a couch, we could plan the whole thing out. I just wanted to make the whole thing really special.” Talia stopped and waited for his reaction. She could feel the heat rising on her face.
A grin had spread across Justin’s face while she was talking. He could tell that she was uncomfortable and a little embarrassed at what she was obviously planning for the evening in question. “Are you saying that you want to have sex with me?” He asked, trying to stifle a smirk.
“Oh! Justin Timberlake you are such a… a… a GUY!” Talia exclaimed and got up off the couch.
Still trying not to chuckle, Justin followed her across the room. “I’m sorry sweetie. You were just so cute trying to get that out.”
Talia couldn’t be mad at him when he was so adorable. She turned around to face him again. “I GUESS that I will forgive you THIS time.” She said and pulled him close again. “Now…where were we?”
Justin grinned lecherously and bent down. Before their lips touched, he whispered, “Right about here I think.” And captured her mouth in a tender kiss.
Part 34
Talia slowly opened her eyes and became acutely aware of Justin's arms, which were wrapped protectively around her body. Their legs were entangled together and she could feel his breath on her skin. She looked around the room, they must have found their way to his bedroom, but she couldn't recall how. She moved a little, and in turn Justin moved.
"Justin," Talia whispered. She shook his arm. "Wake up Justin it's nearly 11."
"In the morning?" Justin mumbled into the pillow. Talia squinted against the light from the sun and laughed.
"Yeah in the morning."
"SHIT!" Justin exclaimed as his eyes shot open, "I have to be in the studio by twelve!"
"Well you need to get up then," Talia giggled. Justin buried his face in her neck and held her tighter.
"I don't want to get up," he said quietly, "I like this."
"Yeah I do too. But I've already missed a class and if we both manage to get ourselves up you can drop me at my place on your way to the studio and I can make my 12:15 class."
"Ugh! Okay," Justin said as he rolled out of bed. His feet hit the floor and Talia watched him carefully as he stretched and rubbed his eyes. Justin glanced over his shoulder at her. "Aren't you getting up?"
"Well… I can rest a little longer because I have no clothes to change into," Talia smiled playfully. "So go and get ready. If you miss your time in the studio the guys will kill you and then they'll kill me."
"When you put it like that…" Justin smirked. Talia watched him get up and search the room for a change of clothes. The last thing either of them needed was Justin parading around in a towel while Talia was there. She was glad he realized that it would be too much for them to handle. "I'll be out in a few."
Talia stared up at the ceiling, now she could put her plan for THE night in motion. The wheels in her head were spinning at a pace, which she had become accustomed to since meeting Justin. She could envision her apartment in her mind, basking in the glow of candlelight. She wouldn't have to resist and she wouldn't have to feel uncomfortable. It would be right… like she had hoped. Her dream night with her dream guy. She heard the shower start up and felt herself blush at the thought she had. 'Good thing THE
night is coming soon. I can't handle much more of this.'
Justin pulled up in front if Talia's building and placed the car in park. She leaned over the console and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "Call me when you get home from the studio today," Talia said quietly. Justin nodded in agreement. "No… wait… don't. I need to get back to dancing. I'll do that tonight. That cool with you?"
"Yeah… fine," Justin nodded. He really had wanted to see as much of her as he could, but he understood there were some things she needed to do. Like dance. "When is this SPECIAL night planned?" Justin plastered a goofy smirk across his face. "Cause believe it or not, even though I'm 'such a guy!' I'd like to be prepared for it."
"Tomorrow?" Talia wondered out loud. The sooner, the better by her estimation.
"Doctors appointment," Justin recalled, "I wouldn’t want you to plan anything then have to doctor say something and it ruin our night."
"Okay," Talia nodded, "do you need company at the doctors office?"
"That would be nice," Justin smiled, "I'll call you tomorrow and give you all the details and stuff about it."
"Great," Talia nodded, "how about the day after tomorrow then?"
"Sounds great. What time?"
"I'll say around six-ish?"
"Perfect," Justin smiled. "I better get going before the guys work me twice as hard. Call you later?"
"I'll be expecting it," Talia smiled. She leaned over and kissed him again before regretfully sliding out of the car. She knew she could have stayed there with him a while longer, drawing out the conversation just so she could watch his lips move and hear his voice. But she didn't want him to get in any kind of trouble for being later then she was making him already. 'He's going to need a good excuse' Talia checked her watch as she
jogged into the building. 12:10.
"I am SO SORRY!" Justin apologized before he could be spoken to by anyone.
"I slept late and then I had trouble finding my keys. You know me… forgetting where I put things like that."
"Yeah yeah…" Lance nodded, "you're not really THAT late. Joey still isn't here." Justin nodded, they had bought his story and thanks to Joey there was no punishment to be had. Hiding his relationship with Talia wasn't nearly as difficult as he imagined it would be. Maybe it was because the guys were so happy to have him back they didn't care about lame stories and even lamer excuses.
Talia entered the mall and quickly made her way to her favorite store. Her goal was to find the most casually perfect outfit she could find. It had to fit the situation to the tee. She had the vision of her apartment in her head already and she needed the outfit she chose to match that.
"Excuse me ma'am. May I help you?" the saleswoman asked.
"Just looking…" Talia said with a quiet nod. She pulled a skirt off the rack and looked it over. It was pretty, and seemed to fit her vision of what she should look like. She slung the item over her arm and headed toward the dressing room.
-Later That Night-
Talia dumped the armful of bags onto her couch and sighed at the immense pile. "One outfit. Do you even really know what those words mean?" she asked herself. Once she found THE outfit she went on a search for matching accessories. Clips, earrings, shoes, and undergarments. At the end of the day she had exhausted her credit card and money stash. She mentally noted to call her father for 'financial assistance' later that week. Her
guilty feelings about her casual spending lasted until she pulled the actual outfit out of the bag. 'He's gonna love it' she smiled to herself, 'definitely going to love it.'
Justin yawned as he glanced down at his dormant answering machine. He had hoped that Talia called some time during the day. His mind was overflowed with thoughts of the previous night and how sweet it was that she wanted everything to be so special and so perfect for them. Good thing she was going for quality, because he would have been just as satisfied should she had let things escalate on the couch. It wasn't so much about having to wait, but having to wait for HER that ate at his brain. There was something
so much more about her, something magical and… dreamlike that he didn't mind any of the obstacles. Justin picked up the phone and pressed the first three numbers of Talia's
phone number, but hung up. She was going to practice tonight, he didn't want to disrupt that. He had affected her practice enough already. He'd get to see her the next day, which oddly enough was enough to sleep on.
-NEXT MORNING-
"You didn’t call," Talia said into the receiver. "You said you would…but you didn't."
"I know," Justin nodded, "I just thought that I'd give you time to practice. I didn't call for you."
Talia wanted to be upset so badly. She had waited hours for him to call like he said he would and when he didn't she couldn't escape the sick feeling in her stomach. "Since you put it that way," she smiled. She couldn't stay upset at him, no matter how hard she tried. He'd say something, or she'd imagine him making a silly face. She's feel his lips on
hers and the power of his arms around her waist, all of which made her fall for him a little more.
"Does this mean I have to go to the doctors appointment alone?" Justin pouted.
"No… I said I'd come so I'll be there. I don't recant promises," she teased.
"Ouch… now that hurt! I'll pick you up in an hour."
"Do ya mean it?" she kidded.
"I mean it."
Justin made his way through the familiar streets to Talia's apartment. He planned on hanging out there for a little while; his appointment wasn't for another hour. But when he arrived Talia was already outside fishing through her purse for something. She looked up from her bag and smiled. 'One second' she mouthed. Justin nodded.
"Okay," she said as she opened the door.
"What was the big search for?" Justin asked. Talia settled herself into the passengers' seat. She hadn't realized how much his car had made her uneasy before. This was the car he was driving the day his life changed. She felt bad at the gratefulness she felt for having met him. Even though it wouldn't have been her first guess of how she'd meet the guy of her dreams. She wondered how he felt about it.
"Justin can I ask you something?" Talia said quietly.
"You can ask me anything," Justin said sweetly. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, urging her to continue.
"Does it bother you to drive this car again?"
"At first it was a little weird…" Justin said honestly. "But I would have to drive eventually again. I couldn't live the rest of my life based on the generous rides of others. Plus now you have no excuse not to see me."
"Oh like I'd ever turn down that opportunity," Talia laughed. She covered her face with her hands after realizing what she had said.
"You're going to get embarrassed about that?" Justin chuckled, "miss I want to have a special night. Just us two. Dance around the subject of sex, but never actually say the word." Talia looked up at him and opened her mouth in protest, but Justin cut her off before a sound could escape. "I didn't just mean that in a BAD way. I personally thought it was just about the cutest thing I ever have heard. Especially since you were blushing so bad… kinda like you are now. You're really cute when you blush, you know that
right?" His comments only caused her to blush more. "I'll stop now. But not before I say this… I can't wait until tomorrow night."
"Me either," Talia shyly admitted.
"Do I get any hints? What are you cooking? What are you wearing? What should I wear?" Justin rattled off questions.
"No hints," Talia said, "And you… you wear what's comfortable."
"You're no fun," Justin pouted as he turned into the parking lot.
"Ahhh saved by the office," Talia smirked.
Justin and Talia sat in the waiting room together. Justin was playing around with Talia's hand, running his thumbs over the palm of her hand and running his fingers through hers. Talia just watched him gently move his hands over hers and could only imagine what their night would be like. It was only a day away; she could barely contain her xcitement.
"Timberlake."
"That's me," Justin sighed. He got up from his seat and rubbed his shoved his hands in his pockets. He walked toward where the nurse was standing, then glanced back to Talia. "You coming in with me?"
"I don't…"
"You can hold my hand," Justin smiled sweetly. Talia bit her lip as she walked across the room and followed Justin and the nurse to a private room. The nurse informed them that the doctor would be in shortly and to make themselves comfortable.
"I hate doctors offices," Talia said as she looked around the room. It was a dull mixture of gray and black.
"Well they're not my favorite places either. But it beats the hospital. ANYTHING beats the hospital. You know to lie in the bed and stare at the ceiling for hours and hours. Then the one time someone comes in they pity you… not fun."
Talia watched him as his face softened and he seemed to remove himself from the conversation. "Earth to Justin," Talia whistled. She reached out her hand and rubbed his arm. Justin spun his attention and looked at the contact her hand was making with his skin and smiled. "Today is going to be a good day," Talia said surely, "this doctor is going to say you're as good as new. How can he say anything different? You've remembered everything."
Justin looked down at his hands, he felt guilty as she said that. He hadn't remembered everything. "Thanks," Justin said quietly.
"So… how's my patient doing?"
Justin pulled up outside Talia's apartment. "Why are you looking so sullen?" Talia asked. She wasn't going to get out of the car when he was looking so distant. She was genuinely worried about him. "The doctor said good things Justin. He said you're as good as new… I could have told him that."
Justin looked at her and smiled brightly. "I'll see you tomorrow 'Lia."
"Justin…" Talia reached over and shut off the radio. "Look at me." He turned his eyes toward her warily. "Now listen… this is no kind of relationship unless you can tell me what is wrong here. Did the doctor say something I missed?"
"No no… I was just thinking about the studio today. They started talking about touring again," Justin said. He was only half-lying. It wasn't the sole reason he was upset, but it was definitely part of it. "They're planning one you know."
"Don’t worry about it," Talia smiled, "if that's what you're worried about… don't. I'm not." She leaned over the seat and gave him a kiss. It was meant to be quick and innocent but wound up being long and exhilarating.
Justin pulled away and rested his forehead against hers. "Tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow," Talia repeated delicately. She reached behind her and opened the car door. She kissed him again. "Six."
"Six," Justin nodded. He leaned in and kissed her again, this time sweetly. As he watched her disappear into the lobby he found himself unable to wait for the next day. Unable to hold out another second to feel her skin against his.
-The Next Day-
Justin knocked on the front door of his mothers' house. He had called her up last night and they had made plans to go shopping together. He wanted to pick up something special for Talia and his mother was the only one he trusted enough to vaguely explain his interactions and feelings for Talia. He felt she'd be the only one who could understand.
"Hey mom," Justin smiled as she swung open the door. He stepped in and hugged her tightly.
"I'm almost ready," Lynn said, "I had unexpected company. But she'll understand that some things are more important than others." Justin nodded as he followed his mother further into the house. His eyes narrowed as Liz stood up from the couch.
"Justin," she said curtly.
"Liz. What are you doing here?"
"Well I like to talk to your mother," Liz smiled sweetly, "she gives me information everyone else neglects to tell me. Like the fact that you have your memory back."
"I thought she knew," Lynn interrupted as she noticed the annoyance in Justin's face. "I assumed that you would have told her."
"Yeah… mom can you excuse us please," Justin said, "cause Liz and I need to talk." Lynn nodded affirmatively, "I'll be in the car."
Liz looked at Justin, wondering what they needed to discuss. Maybe he had figured her out; maybe her game was over. "Why didn't you tell me?" Liz asked as she shot him a doe-eyed glance.
"Don't play that with me," Justin said through clenched teeth.
"Play what?" Liz asked, she wasn't going to go down without a fight.
"We had a fight the night of the accident, you can't deny that. But then you come into the hospital room and you're all about being together. Hugging on me. Getting into bed with me, when you KNEW that we had fought."
"What did we fight about?" Liz asked carefully, "do you even remember?"
"Well… no," Justin admitted quietly.
"It was a small fight," Liz explained. It seemed as if one door had slammed in her face and another opened. It gave her a whole new angel to work. "You had been on tour for nearly four straight months. I had seen you six times. Of course there was a fight."
"I'm not about to have this fight now," Justin sighed, new thoughts were running through his head now. Maybe he was off? "I have to go out with my mom. She's outside and…"
"I understand," Liz nodded. She wanted to seem as innocent as possible, she wasn't about to further incite a fight that would in turn leave her painted in the corner.
Talia mulled over her recipe book, searching for a suitable dessert. It was in fact the only thing she could even come close to making. She decided that shortly before six she'd call the local Italian place and have them deliver. She'd heat the dishes and pass them as her own. She had seen it happen on television several times. But dessert had to be special.
She saw a recipe for a chocolate cake that looked easy enough for her to do. She
gathered up all of the ingredients and before she knew it started to cook. It was a good way to release her excitement about the evening. She could hardly contain herself. It was only hours away… hours until he was standing at her doorstep and only hours until she could let herself fall into him completely.
"What was that about?" Lynn asked. She was trying hard not to pry, but Justin's demeanor left her no choice. Since he had left the house with Liz he had huffed and puffed about everything. She could see his flushed cheeks and immediately knew something was wrong. Justin didn't answer her question. "I'm not going shopping with you if you're going to have a face on the whole time."
"Well…" Justin caved, "Liz and I had a fight before the accident. I think it was a big one, she just told me it wasn't."
"Oh…" Lynn wrinkled her brow in thought. "Why does it make a difference?"
Justin looked at his mother; she was genuinely trying to understand why he was having problems with such a gray area of his memory. "Talia."
"Bake forty-five minutes," Talia smiled as she nodded to herself. One thing down about a million things left to do. She searched through the bags for the next step. She found the bag from the candle shop and unpacked the two dozen candles she had splurged on. She planned on setting the long stemmed candle on the table to light their meal. The rest she set up in the bedroom. She had always wanted to make love by candlelight. Now was her chance. She stepped back and observed her work. They seemed strategically
placed and her new sheets were crisp. 'This is going so well' she smiled.
"So Talia. I knew you liked her," Lynn smirked, "call it mothers instinct. Call it… vision. It's obvious you have feelings for her."
"That is why we're shopping today. I need your help."
"With what exactly?" Lynn questioned.
"I need to find something simple, but perfect to give to Talia. Something that doesn't say too much, but just enough. I need a woman's help. Plus, I knew you are the only one I could trust with the fact that I'm going to see Talia tonight."
"Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, I'll help you but…"
"Talia is great."
"I'm not saying differently," Lynn said sternly, "it's just that…" She looked at her sons face. "That you obviously care for her a lot. I'll help you find something."
Only two hours until six. Two hours until Justin showed at her door, smiling the smile that she knew and loved so much. She decided to shower and get dressed. There was nothing else to be done around the house. Two more hours. 'I wished I would have said noon' Talia thought.
"No… Justin jewelry says WAY too much," Lynn laughed. "What about flowers?
A nice bouquet says I care but in a subtle way." Justin made a face and shook his head no.
"More than flowers."
"I don't know where else to go with you here," Lynn laughed.
"It just has to be special," Justin said wistfully, "really… special."
Talia looked herself over in the mirror. An hour and a half left. The countdown was on, and she could barely keep her eyes off the clock. She was sick with anticipation. Her imagination would constantly revert to thoughts of what was to happen that night. Those thoughts only made the time move slower.
"Justin I might have found the PERFECT gift for her," Lynn said excitably,
"get her bath stuff. Girls love bath things. This one has… let's see…lotion, candles, bubble bath and perfume."
"Oh yeah… that's a good idea mom," Justin nodded in agreement, "see that's why I brought you." He checked his watch; it had definitely taken them longer at the store then he had anticipated. He was glad they finally found something, he had to get to his apartment and change into something more comfortable. His nerves were beginning to get the best of him. He snapped out of his daze when his mother handed him the bag.
"Thanks," he said quietly as he checked the contents of the bag, "she'll love it. I have to be over her place in about an hour…"
"We're just gonna have to get you home then huh?" Lynn smiled.
"Thank you," Justin said genuinely as he gave his mother a kiss on the cheek. As he stood up straight someone caught his eye. A man. He looked so familiar, he knew that he knew him from somewhere.
- "How long has there been a HIM Liz?" he asked heatedly. He could feel the blood rush to his face as he clenched his fists tighter. It took all his strength not to leap at the guy standing before him. Liz had clutched her robe closer to her body and cried.
"It's so difficult when you're gone. I can't stop living. You can't expect me to stop my life," Liz had explained.
"No cause that would be asking too much of you," Justin said solemnly, "considering you're only my girlfriend."-
That was it, Justin realized. That guy standing there was Liz's lover. It was who Liz had cheated on him with. He now remembered all too clearly. The memories completed the circle.
"Justin…" Lynn tugged on his shirt, "what's wrong? Justin?"
Justin felt his head go blank and his knees go weak as he collapsed into a heap on the floor at his mothers' feet.
"OH MY GOD! SOMEONE! CALL FOR HELP!" Lynn cried as she fell to her knees
beside Justin and slapped his face in an attempt to awaken him, but to no avail.
Part 35
Lynn was nearly hysterical by the time the paramedics arrived. She watched with tears streaming down her face as they loaded him on a stretcher and wheeled him through the mall until they reached an exit. They got him loaded into the ambulance and Lynn climbed in the back to make the ride to the hospital with her son. Once they arrived at the emergency room, Lynn had to wait while the doctors and nurses worked on her son. He wasn’t in life threatening danger as far as she could tell, just unconscious.
Finally after about 30 minutes, a man in a white lab coat came through the swinging doors and walked over to the waiting area. She was the only one sitting there at the time, so he assumed who she was. “Mrs. Harless?” He asked just to make sure.
Lynn stood up when she heard the doctor say her name. “What’s wrong with my son doctor? And is he going to be okay?” She started to ask other questions, but the doctor held up his hand to stop her.
He motioned to the chairs and they sat down across from each other. “Right now we cannot determine the full extent of your son’s condition. We have contacted his doctor and should be able to tell more, once Dr. Wesley arrives and examines him. Second of all, the prognosis is good at this point. All he did was pass out. But, you said that he’d just regained his memory?”
“Yes. He had an accident a few weeks ago and had temporary amnesia.” Lynn replied, still trying to digest what had happened.
Talia was pacing around her apartment, unable to sit still. She glanced at the clock for what seemed like the hundredth time and saw that it was 15 minutes until six. Only fifteen more minutes, and she would see Justin again. They would have their night together, and hopefully things would only get better from there. She walked around the apartment one more time, making sure that everything was perfectly in place and ready for Justin’s arrival.
Lynn was still sitting in the chair. The ER doctor had went back in with Justin because Dr. Wesley had arrived and wanted to speak with him. She stared down at the floor and thought about the guys. Deciding she should probably call them, she pulled her cell phone out of her purse. She dialed Jc’s number, knowing that a lot of times, the other guys gathered there.
“Hello?” Jc answered.
Lynn could hear laughter in the background and figured that she was right on her assumption. “Jc. It’s Lynn.” She paused because she heard him shushing the other guys. When he was finished, she continued. “I wanted to let you know that I’m at the emergency room with Justin. He…”
Jc cut her off. “What? Is he okay?” He asked and noticed the concerned looks from Joey, Lance, and Chris.
“Well. I don’t know for sure yet. The doctor is with him now. He passed out while we were at the mall shopping.”
“We’ll be right there Lynn. Where are you?”
Lynn told him the name of the hospital they’d brought Justin and hung up. She didn’t want to worry them, but figured that Justin would appreciate them being here when he woke up.
Jc hung the phone up and turned to the other guys. “Get off your asses and lets go. Justin’s in the hospital again.” There were no questions or words of protest. The four of them rushed down to Jc’s Cherokee and sped towards the hospital.
Talia was getting impatient and even though she’d told herself not to look at the clock again, she couldn’t help it. She snuck a peak, but was sure that she was reading it wrong. The clock said 6:20pm. That couldn’t be right. Justin said that he would be there at 6. She was pretty sure that he was just as excited about the night as she was. She walked into the bedroom to check the clock there. It too said 6:20. Her eyes weren’t lying to her. Why hadn’t he called if he was going to be late? Forcing herself to stay calm, Talia went back into the living room and sat down on the couch. She picked up a book and tried to concentrate on the words.
As soon as Jc put the Cherokee in park, the guys were out and heading towards the emergency room doors. They found Lynn in the waiting area pacing the floor. “Have you heard anything else?” Chris asked.
Just as Lynn was about to answer, Dr. Wesley cleared his throat from behind them. “Are you all here for Justin?” He asked. He got five nods in response. “Okay. I will come right out and tell you what the deal is without a bunch of medical talk. Justin has suffered a relapse of sorts with his memory loss. Right now, I can only guess that it’s because he remembered something traumatic. Mrs. Harless, did Justin say or do anything before he passed out?” He asked looking to Lynn.
She thought for a moment, then said “Well, he got real quiet and seemed to be looking at something. I’m not sure what it was though.” She replied.
Dr. Wesley nodded. “That seems to confirm my guess then. I’m going to have to depend on all of you to determine exactly what stage Justin has relapsed to. There’s no way to know until he wakes up what he remembers and what he doesn’t.”
“Can I ask you something doctor?” Lynn queried. He focused his attention on her. “Why is it taking so long for him to wake up?”
The doctor smiled at Lynn. She was being much more calm than most mothers when their sons were in the hospital. She seemed like a level headed woman and he decided to answer her question to the best of his ability. “Well ma’am, it’s been proved in cases like your son’s, that after a traumatic memory experience, the mind takes a little time off. In others words, Justin is probably trying to sort through the jumbled memories in his mind. He should wake up any time. When he does, all of you are free to see him, two at a time. I will tell you, when he wakes up, he may remember some of, all of you, and possible none of you. It depends on how the memory he had has affected him.” Dr. Wesley waited to see if they had any more questions, then left.
Joey sat down in one of the chairs and everyone else followed suit. “We’ll stay here with you Lynn.” Jc offered and the others nodded their agreement.
Lynn looked at the four boys sitting around her and smiled. They were so close with Justin. She was sorry for them because they’d just gotten their friend back, and now they might have lost him again. “Do any of you have any idea what he might have remembered?” She asked.
There was a chorus of ‘no’s’ from the four guys. “The only thing that we know is that Justin didn’t have ALL of his memories back yet. He told us that there were a few gray areas where Liz was concerned.” Jc offered.
Lynn nodded and wondered if they knew about Talia. Then she remembered what Justin had told her at the mall.
*~*"I need to find something simple, but perfect to give to Talia. Something that doesn't say too much, but just enough. I need a woman's help. Plus, I knew you are the only one I could trust with the fact that I'm going to see Talia tonight.*~*
The guys didn’t know and she wasn’t going to be the one to tell them. Justin could do that himself. Recalling what Justin said made Lynn think of calling Talia to tell her. If they were planning dinner or something, she would be wondering why Justin hadn’t shown up yet. “Do you guys care if I call Talia?” Lynn asked them first, to make sure they were alright with the idea.
“Not at all Lynn. Do you have her number?” Jc replied. Lynn nodded and excused herself.
Talia’s attempt to read was failing miserably. It was now 15 minutes until seven, and still no sign of Justin or a phone call. She was beginning to get worried. Just then the phone rang, startling her. She grabbed it and answered. “Justin?” She asked hopefully.
Lynn felt bad for Talia, the poor girl sounded worried. “No Talia. It’s Justin’s mother, Lynn.”
Talia’s heart dropped and she knew instantly that something wasn’t right, but she was hoping that she was wrong and that Justin had his mom call for him. “Is Justin okay?”
“He’s fine.” Lynn replied. “But he’s at the hospital. He passed out at the mall while he and I were shopping. He hasn’t woken up yet, but the doctor said that he should soon.” She rattled off some of the facts to Talia, but decided not to mention the relapse part until Justin had woke up so that they could tell if he’d lost any of his memory.
Talia’s knees went weak and she sat down on the couch. “I’ll be right there.” She wrote down the directions that Lynn gave her and blew out all the candles before leaving the her apartment. She was worried about Justin, but she didn’t want to burn the place down. It didn’t take her long to get to the hospital, and when she arrived, she went straight to the emergency room. She saw Lynn, Joey, and Chris sitting in the waiting area and walked over to them. “Hi. Where are Jc and Lance?”
Lynn motioned for Talia to sit down beside her. “Justin just woke up and they went in to see him. His doctor said to go two at a time.”
Talia sat there trying to let what had happened sink in. She couldn’t believe that Justin was in the hospital again. She wanted so bad for the others to hurry and take their turns going in to see him so that she could get in there and see for herself that he was okay.
Jc and Lance came back into the waiting area with smiles on their faces. Lynn took that as a good sign, but she had already told the guys not to say anything about Justin’s condition or memory around Talia. That was the only thing that she had said, because she didn’t want them to know what was going on between her son and Talia, but she didn’t want to upset the poor girl either. Joey and Chris went next. They offered to let Lynn go first, but she declined. She was purposely positioning herself to go in with Talia. She waited patiently and watched Talia get more and more fidgety. Joey and Chris were back out in 15 minutes. They were not smiling, but had optimistic looks.
Lynn stood up. “Looks like its our turn Talia.”
Talia snapped out of the daze she’d been in a followed Lynn to the room that Justin was in. Before they went through the door, she stopped and took a deep breath.
Lynn apparently sensed her nervousness and paused as well. She turned around to face Talia. “I did this on purpose. The guys didn’t know that Justin and I were shopping for you and they don’t know about the evening you two had planned.”
Talia smiled meekly and followed Lynn into the room. A sense of relief washed over her when she saw Justin sitting up in the bed with a smile on his face. ‘At least he’s okay.’ She thought to herself. Then she wondered why he was still here since he was obviously not physically hurt. ‘They’re probably doing tests to make sure.’ She answered her own question.
Lynn walked over to Justin’s bedside. “How are you feeling son?”
Justin’s brow furrowed for a moment as if he were thinking hard. “Mom?”
Lynn felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. He remembered her. “Yes dear. Do you know where you are?”
“I’m in the hospital, I know that. What happened?” He asked.
Lynn didn’t answer immediately. She was curious as to why Justin hadn’t said something to Talia. “There’s someone else here to see you.” She urged him.
Justin smiled and looked to where Talia was standing. She had stopped just inside the door. What he saw was a very pretty auburn haired girl looking very nervous. She looked oddly familiar to him, but he wasn’t exactly sure why. “Hi. I’m Justin. And you are…?” He greeted her and waited for her to respond.
Talia couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. He didn’t know who she was. After all they’d been through, she was back at square one. Her heart sank to the floor and she couldn't speak.
parts 36-40
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