Chapter 14

Marc smiled as he saw her form coming down the hallway, Jusitn’s hand in hers. He could hear Justin’s ranting from where he stood, “Gabby.. GABRIELLE! GABRIELLE REYNOLDS! STOP PULLING ME AND ANSWER MY QUESTION!”

From where he stood, leaned against the doorway, Marc’s eyes glistened as he watched Gabby. Gabby- half of the dynamic duo of Macy and Gabby. Knowing full well who Gabby was, he felt priveledged to watch her spring back to life. Her beauty, both on the inside and the outside, lit up a room, and forced people to stare. Everyone at the center knew who she was in the public eye, but to them, she was simply their Gabby. She was the girl that would wheel little Tommy Peterman around in his wheelchair for hours till he was laughing so hard at her little jokes that he would be in tears. She was the girl who sat by Mona’s bedside and read novels to her. She was the girl that would take a comb from Cassandra and gently comb the young girl’s hair. She was the girl that would pick someone up if they were to stumble. She was theirs, all theirs. Her heart was that of pure gold, and Marc often found himself wondering if she even knew. If she knew how much her smiles meant to the young man with tears in his eyes, how much her kind words could lift spirits. She was an angel- an absolute angel.

From behind her, Justin rested his hands on her hips, a weak attempt to slow her down. “C’mon Gabbbbbbbbby! What’s going ON!?” Smiling, she swatted his hands away from her and took his hands into hers again.

“Young Justin... Let’s go...!”

Gabrielle grinned as she saw Marc. He returned her smile and stood straight. “Hey Markie. Didn’t anyone ever tell you that you’re supposed to stand up straight? Early years of bad posture like that could give you a humpback later in life.”

He lips gently grazed her cheek, “How are you, angel? It’s been awhile.” He looked at his watch, “Almost two hours.”

Smirking, Gabby smiled, “How are things going without me, Marc?”

Shrugging, he sighed dramatically, “Tommy kicked me when I said I’d take him for a spin. I think someone’s got a crush on you, Angel. Hey, who could blame the kid? All the men in here that are under 30 adore you.”

Gabby laughed, then patted his cheek, “Glad you adore me too then Marc.”

“Like this comes as a real shock, Angel?”

“Ahem..” Justin cleared his throat. “Angel?”

Marc extended his hand. “You must be Justin. I’ve heard a lot about you.” The two shared a knowing glance, and he continued, “Angel is Gabby’s nickname ‘round here.”

She frowned, “Come on Timberlake. You don’t need to hear Marc’s ranting. He lies.” She chuckled to herself, and began walking away.

An exasparated expression crossing his features, and his eyes narrowed at Marc. “What’s going on here?”

Chuckling softly, Marc replied, “Dude, let me just tell you.... You and a friend of yours, are in for the shock of your lifetime.” Before Justin could respond, Marc had slipped into a nearby room, leaving Justin speechless. It was about time that he found out exactly what was going on.

Gabby giggled softly. “I left him roaming the halls. He’ll run into JC eventually. But.. I think that it’s time that we go speak with them. Don’t you? Don’t you think it’s time we show them?”

Nodding her head slowly, Macy twirled a strand of hair around her finger, “It’s been a long time in the making for both of us, Gab. Been a long few months.”

In the months that had passed, Macy had visited her sister several times, before finally allowing the hospital to discontinue her life support. The funeral was planned by Gabby, and only Macy, Marc, Virginia, and Gabby attended. It was a trying time for Macy, finally letting go of everything that the accident had left in its wake. All the while, she was trying to help Gabby, and surpress her feelings for JC.

In the beginning, when Macy and JC had been reuninted, she imagined that there could be something between the two, something more adult than that which she had shared with him beforehand. Gradually, these feelings had passed, and Macy saw the light. Some great friends become wonderful lovers, someone had once told her, and she had decided otherwise. Some best friends make even better friends than they do anything else. JC was her best friend. He always had been, and he always would be. Nothing more could come between the two. Some days, JC was her only sanity, and Macy wasn’t about to give that up. “Let’s go tell your boyfriend and my JC that there are a few things that they need to know.”

Gripping her companion’s arm for strength, the young woman slowly tuned the corner, radiant beams of light shining down on the pair. It was all a blur. His jaw dropped, he jumped up and hugged her tightly to his chest. “Macy! Why didn’t you tell me?” His voice came out huskily, his five o clock shadow scaring against her cheek.

A tiny finger was brought up to her lips and she whispered, “Don’t say anything, Josh. Just sit. There’s something that you both need to hear.” He complied obediently, his eyes gaping as he glanced at his best friend, taking the seat nearest to him. The two men then focused their attention to Macy’s counterpart, Gabrielle. She withdrew a magazine from behind her back. It was the tattered copy of Seventeen Magazine which Macy had used to disclose her past. Her voice came out in a whisper, “When I said I wanted everything back, Justin.. I really did mean everything...” She opened to the page in the magazine that was folded in a rabbit ear. Coughing lightly she looked down at the article, her own image in a diferent time and place smiling up at her. Macy squeezed her arm gently as if transferring some of her strength to her friend. “I know who I was. I know.. I know who I am, Justin. I.. I don’t remember. But.. I know. I’ve known for several months now, I must admit. And.. I want it back. I want to hear the stories, Justin. I want to hear them from you. If you’re willing.”

Before she could continue, he rushed into her arms, willing the tears from his eyes, “I was scared, baby. I was scared if I told you, you’d run. I was scared if they found out about you, they’d rip you apart. I was scared I’d lose you, Gabby.” He sniffled as if he were a child. “I can’t lose you again.”

His arms tightened around her, his fingers toying with a silky strand of hair. Macy and JC sat back, watching contently, “We did good, didn’t we Pops?”

He laughed and looked over at Macy. “You know what the next step is, don’t you?”

Without glancing at him, Macy muttered softly, “Getting her to remember.”

THREE MONTHS LATER

The sun streaming in through the window in her vacant apartement was nearly blinding to Gabby and Justin as they sat on the floor in what once was the living room. “Are you sure I have enough money to move outta here, Justin? You know.. I really like it here.”

Running his fingers through his hair, he rolled over onto his stomach and looked over at her. “Just like you were before the..” He trailed off, “Just like you always were, Gab. Yes. You have enough money. Yes, it’s alright to live humbly, but you were living in a shoebox here.”

Her deep blue eyes looked back up to him, “I never thanked you, you know that, Timberland?”

As he brushed a stray wisp of hair away from her face, his voice came out huskily, “Thanked me for what, baby?” A smile appeared on her face at the term of affection. A gleam appeared in her blue eyes and she began singing softly,
“I never thought that I would lose my mind
That I could control this
Never thought that I'd be left behind
That I was stronger than you, baby
Girl if only I knew what I've done
You know, so why don't you tell me
And I, I would bring down the moon and the sun
To show how much I care
Don't wanna lose you now
Baby, I know we can win this
Don't wanna lose you now
No no, or ever again

I've got this feeling you're not gonna stay
It's burning within me
The fear of losing
Of slipping away
It just keeps getting closer, baby
Whatever reason to leave that I've had
My place was always beside you
And I wish that I didn't need you so bad
Your face just won't go away..”

She brushed a tear from her cheek, looking up to his own tear filled eyes. “Thank you, Justin Timberlake. Thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for.. just.. thank you for being you, Justin.”

The sun’s bright rays gleamed down on the promise ring that Justin had returned to her a few months ago. The glimmer from the ring caught Gabby’s attention, and she asked softly, “Tell me Justin? Tell me about when you gave me this?” Justin nodded, taking her hand in his and looking down at the ring. “You had just won your Grammy.. You were about to perform with Faith onstage. You started your career with her song.. that was the first song that I heard you sing... I’d been carrying it around for awhile.. and had what I wanted to say all ready for you...”

She frowned looking down at the ring. A cool breeze swept through the house as she gently traced her ring with her index finger. Her mind began spinning, a deluge of thoughts crossing her mind. Screaming. A young blonde haired man with a bottle of nail polish.. A green dress with emerald jewels. A man with a tight shirt on, a camera in hand.. Shaking hands with a blonde woman... Justin’s smiling eyes, and the ring. She sat for a minute and continued thinking, “I can’t pluck the stars out of the sky for you, but if I could, you know you’d have one already.” She gasped, and looked up at Justin.

“You.. you.. you said if you could.. could pluck the sttt- sttars out of the sky.. I’d.. I’d have one already. Di- Didn’t you?” She stuttered uncertaintly.

Silence filled the room as Justin’s mouth slowly dropped, his eyes wide. Seconds droned on as his face studied hers. She remembered. Gabrielle remembered the past. The silence passed in a fleeting moment, and Justin’s yell could likely have been heard from neighboring towns. He jumped to his feet, lifting her from the floor in one swift motion. Gabby’s long limbs dangled like those of a ragdolls when she was in his arms.

She had come from riches to rags, and riches once again. After overcoming her fears, Gabby had risen to fame. Millions around the world cherished her and had made her songs the anthems of their lives. After tough breakup, they blasted her songs, relating to the pain they felt. And, of course, when they fell in love, it was to her songs that they danced to at their weddings. The accident that was said to have left her with nothing, gave her an unknown sense of herself. She knew exactly who she was. Gabrielle Reynolds had made something of herself. Beforehand, she put on a smile to hide her valley of tears, now she simply smiled because she could. She had triumphed over lonlieness to find the greatest love of her life. Together, no force would tear them apart. They would walk hand in hand through the good times, and the bad- for eternity.