As Gabby slept, Justin stroked her hair gently taking in her appearance. The faint
blush in her cheeks was back. Sleeping with a small smile on her face, Gabrielle’s chest
heaved up and down softly in a rhythmic motion. Sighing loudly, Justin spoke to no one
in particular, “Why can’t she get better?? All I ask is for a memory.. just a memory to pop
back into her head.. I can’t go on like this much longer. I can’t go on without her.” A
silent tear streamed down Justin’s face, the moon light streaming in the window casting a
handsome glow on his face.
“I’ve got this feeling.. You’re not gonna stay.. it’s burning within me....” Justin’s
voice filled the silent room as he sang the familiar lines of the Backstreet Boys’ song that
was ever so slowly becoming his personal anthem. He couldn’t lose her now. He wasn’t
ready to, nor was he willing. No matter what it took, from that moment, as he sat,
fighting the urge to brush back a stray strand of her hair, Justin knew that he would give
up everything he owned, and everything inside of him to keep Gabby. His love for her
was not about to die.
In the week since Gabby had woken, Justin found himself coming more and more at
night. He found his solace in watching her sleep. She couldn’t question, couldn’t analyze
who he was, and why he was there, and why she knew nothing about her past. The
hospital staff did not question his after hours visiting, partly because Virginia had
forbidden any hassling of Gabby’s guests, and also because of who Justin was.
Stirring gently, Gabrielle’s eyes fluttered open. It was the first time that she had
woken since Justin had been coming at night. She jumped slightly at the sight of him.
Calling out gently as she peered at his form, which was gently silhouetted by the glow of
the moonlight. A heart monitor beeped ominously somewhere down the hall as Justin
smiled gently.
“Justin?” She asked softly, his name foreign to her lips.
As he nodded slowly, rising from the chair placed next to the hospital window, he
answered huskily, “Yeah. It’s me Gabby...”
“What time is it?” she asked, searching for a clock.
“It’s about two...” And I’m always here at this time. He couldn’t bring himself to
tell her.
Curiously, she asked, “What are you doing here this late? I haven’t seen you
since...” She trailed off, sinking into her pillow.
“I.. I- uh.. I.. umm... couldn’t sleep. So, I thought I’d come see you.” Justin
replied nervously. I couldn’t stay away.
When Justin left the hospital before the sun rose
in the mornings, he always returned to Gabrielle’s apartment. He hadn’t seen his
bandmates in days, nor had he remembered to eat for two of those days. His life was
resting souly on one person, and she didn’t even know it.
A long moment of silence passed before Gabby spoke, “Justin?”
“Hmm?”
Looking into his eyes, she asked, “I’m sorry.. I’ve really been... been thinking
about you a lot lately. And.. and.. it’s not fair to drag you along like this... You may not
know it, but I know that you’ve been here before. This isn’t the first night. I don’t
remember, Justin. I don’t remember who you are, or who I am. So... maybe we should..
if we were uh..” She paused again, searching for the right words, “I can’t string you along
like a little puppy on a leash, Justin. Live your life. Maybe.. maybe someday I’ll
remember...” A sinking feeling in her gut was unignorable as she thought silently ‘I’ll
remember, and you won’t care...’
Standing, Justin brushed a strand of hair away from her face, so he could take in
her image. “You may not remember it, but you have been my life for the past months
Gabby. You see.. I.. I can’t lose you. You mean everything to me.”
As she wrinkled her nose, she spoke, “But don’t you see, Justin? I don’t know
that... I don’t remember the good times. I don’t remember my childhood.. or my first
dance, my mother, my first kiss, or you.. All of it seems so important, and it’s killing me
inside not to.. not to know. To see the hurt in your eyes when you sit here night after
night, it’s just not fair. Not fair to either of us. So.. maybe.. maybe you shouldn’t come
anymore.”
Stepping back, defeated, Justin answered, “I’m not about to promise you that I’ll
never be back here Gabby. For all I know, I could be back tomorrow. But.. I’ll go
now...” As he began to walk out, he spun on his heels, “And.. even if you don’t know it,
Gabby, I love you.” With all my heart.
Another heartbreak was falling at the feet of the young Justin Timberlake. The
hard part for Justin to cope with was the fact that although it was entirely Gabby’s fault,
she didn’t know it. Gabby was far from a heartbreaker. She was the true love of one of
the most sought after men in the country. And one thing had to be said for Justin- He
wasn’t willing to give up on true love.
