This one wasn't so bad, seeing as how Lex knew one of the owners, and we avoided the line that wrapped damn near around the building. He ushered us in through the VIP door, and people were straining their necks to see just who the "VIP's" were that were getting in before they did.

"That's right biatch!" Paige called over her shoulder, "WE are V-I-fuckin-P's!!!" I grabbed her by the arm and yanked her through the door before someone came up and bitch-slapped her.

We found a small booth and piled into it to survey the scene. There were beautiful people everywhere, including some VERY beautiful men. The three of us looked at each other with huge grins.

"Well ladies..." Paige said with a smirk over the music, "Let the games begin!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Oh my god, she's here!" Lance said, using his hand to move JC aside so he could get a better look.

"Who's here?" JC asked, looking around confusedly.

"The girl I told you about, man!" Lance said, "The one from last night?"

"Ohhh!" JC said with a nod, still staring out at the dancefloor without bothering to look at the girl Lance was talking about, "The redhead?"

"Yeah..." Lance answered, taking one last look to make sure he was right, "I think I'm gonna go ask her to dance."

"Go for it, man!" JC said, giving his friend a pat on the back, "It's our last night in LA for awhile...have some fun!"

Lance made his way through the pulsating bodies, and found his way to our table.

"Liz?" He said, leaning forward on the table so he could be heard.

Paige, Lex and I all looked at Lance with shocked faces.

"Lance..." I said, not able to hide my surprise, "Wow...um...What are you doing here?"

"Last night in LA!" He called over the music, "You wanna dance?"

I looked to my friends for help, but their looks of shock had changed into pure amusement...they weren't going to be any help at all.

"Umm..." I drawled, "Sure...Lance...I'd love to dance with you!" I said, cringing slightly. This wasn't good...oh no, not good at all!

Paige GLADLY got up from the booth to allow me to slide out. I glared at her as she sat back down and she gave me a self-satisfied smirk.

Lance led me out to the dancefloor, and we started to move to the music. I was thankful at that moment that it was so loud out there...atleast he wasn't able to talk to me much.

I started to laugh hard when I saw JC approaching the table where Lex and Paige sat smirking at me like a pair of Cheshire Cats in heat.

"What's so funny, Liz?" Lance asked, leaning in close to my ear so I could hear him.

"Oh nothing..." I said, stifling another giggle, "Just my friends getting a taste of their own medicine."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Hey Paige!" JC said, sitting down next to her in the booth, "I didn't expect to see you here tonight!"

"JC!" She said, looking helplessly over at Lex, "I didn't expect to see you either!"

"Aren't you gonna introduce me to your friend?" He asked, extending a hand out to Lex, she shook it with a snicker.

"I'm Lex." She called over the music.

"Nice to meet you!" He called back.

"Hey C...you wanna go hang out in the..." Joey stumbled up to the table with a blonde on each arm, "Lex!"

Lex nearly shrank down under the table.

"Hey Joe..." She said meekly, burying her face behind her hand.

"You two know each other?" JC asked, "Wow...what a coincidence!"

"Yeah!" Paige said under her breath, "Quite the coincidence!"

Joey said something to the blondes and they scattered off, looking irritated.

"Why don't you ladies join us in the VIP room? It's quieter in there." Joey suggested, holding out a hand to Lex.

Lex and Paige exchanged glances of worry and followed after the guys anyway.

"I think the gig is up..." Lex whispered to Paige as they entered the VIP room.

"I think you're right...this is NOT going to be pretty either." Paige agreed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "You were gone when I got back yesterday morning!" Lance said into my ear, "I was hoping we'd get to spend some more time together."

"Yeah..." I said, scanning my mind quickly to come up with a lie, "I had some family business to attend to."

"I hope everything's alright!" Lance said, sincere concern on his face.

"Yeah, everything's fine!" I assured him, "Just some loose ends I needed to tie up..." I cringed at the innuendo I had made.

"Since it's my last night here and all...and I probably won't be back for another few months...Maybe we could hang out tonight?" He asked, looking hopeful.

I hated to shoot him down...god, he was beautiful...but I knew that I couldn't do that and feel right about it. Seeing him at this point was a big enough mistake as it was...

"I really don't think so, Lance..." I said, "I have some friends with me, and I can't leave them hangin' like I did last time...y'know?"

He nodded sympathetically.

"I understand, Liz." He said, "Maybe next time?"

"Maybe." I said, feeling really damned low at that moment.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Joey, JC, Paige and Lex all sat together at a table in the VIP room...an awkward silence hanging in the air. What on earth did they have to talk about? It's not like you can throw, "So...you fucked my friend yesterday?" Into a conversation...

Lex's heart sank into her stomach when she saw Steve Fatone come wandering into the room.

"Get under the table NOW!" Lex said to Paige in a harsh whisper.

"Why?" Paige whispered back.

"Fatone at 10 o' clock!" Lex hissed.

"Oh shit!" Paige cried out loud...she hadn't meant to cry it out loud...

"What's wrong?" JC asked, startled at her sudden outburst.

"I..." Paige said, scanning her brain, "I dropped a contact!"

With that she dove under the table, hiding her head under the table cloth.

"I'll help you look!" JC offered, getting on his hands and knees to help her search under the table.

Steve approached the table and said a few words to his brother, while JC and Paige searched the floor for the mythical contact. Paige watched out of the corner of her eye until Steve left the room again.

"Well!" She cried, coming up from under the table, "I guess it's not here!"

JC popped his head up from under the table as well.

"Can you see without it?" He asked, helping her back into her chair.

"What? Oh...yeah!" She said, waving it off as though it were nothing, which of course it really was...Paige didn't even WEAR contacts, "Just a little blurry is all...I'll be fine!"

"They're disposables anyway..." Lex added, giving Paige a wink.

"Oh...well, that's good...I guess..." JC said confusedly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Lance, do you mind if we stop dancing for a while?" I asked him, "I have to use the Ladies room..."

"Oh, sure Liz!" He said, ushering me off the dancefloor with his hand on the small of my back, "I'll just go get us a couple of drinks!"

I nodded my approval at him, and made my way toward the bathrooms.

Once in the safety of the washroom I leaned against the counter and took a deep breath. Oh, how this sucked! And what was worse, I could run into Justin at any time!

I wondered how Lex and Paige were faring, and wondered if they were as panicked as I was.

After splashing some cold water on my face, and doing a make-up check, I headed back out of the restroom.

I had to push my way through the line of girls waiting to get in to the bathroom, and ended up running smack into someone who was making their way down the hall.

"Oh, excuse me...I..." I said, looking up and finding myself looking into a pair of all-too familiar blue eyes.

Justin looked back at me with an expression that was a mix of confusion and horror. The beautiful blonde on his arm shifted her weight as though she were annoyed, and tugged on his arm.

"Sorry..." I said under my breath, moving aside so they could pass.

"It's no problem, Miss." He said, dropping his head slightly.

"See ya..." I muttered.

"Yeah...see ya..." He said, allowing his date to pull him down the hall toward the VIP room.

I collected myself by taking a deep breath and forced myself to stop watching them walk away. And with a sigh I went back out into the club to find Lance, or better yet...To find Lex and Paige and get the hell outta there as fast as we could.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Lex leaned in to Paige and whispered in her ear.

"I'm going to go find Liz and we're going to make up some lame-ass excuse to leave." Lex told her, "This is just too fucking weird!"

Paige nodded.

"Okay girl!" She said outloud, "Hurry back though!" She gave her a smile that was DRIPPING with meaning.

Lex excused herself from the table and told the guys that she was going to the restroom. The guys both nodded, and Lex set off out of the VIP room.

"Lex?" A familiar voice caught her by surprise, and once again her heart made the short trek from her chest into her stomach.

"Hi Chris..." She said, having half expected this.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"I'm uh...well, my friend owns the club...I just came to check it out!" She said, thankful that it wasn't a lie.

"Well that's cool!" He said, smiling broadly, "It's not a bad club!"

"Not bad at all..." She agreed.

"Well hey, Lex...I hate to cut this short...but I have to get going..." Chris said, looking sincerely sorry, "I have some stuff I have to do tonight before we leave in the morning."

"I understand, Chris." She said, giving him a smile.

He embraced her in a quick hug.

"It was really great meeting you this weekend!" He said, "Maybe we can meet up again when we come back!"

She nodded.

"That'd be great, Chris...I hope we can!"

"Bye for now, Lex!" He said, walking off toward one of the exits.

Lex sighed happily, knowing that that went off better than she could have possibly hoped for.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ She finally found me sitting in a booth with Lance.

"Hey, Liz?" Lex said, "I'm sorry to interrupt, girl...but Paige isn't feeling so great...I think we should probably take off..."

I looked at her greatfully, and then changed my demeanor when I looked back at Lance.

"Lance, I'm really sorry..." I started, "My friend has taken ill...we have to cut it short."

"Aww..." He said, giving me an almost pained look, "I'm sorry your friend is sick..."

"I'm sure she'll be alright." I told him.

I got up from the table, and Lance stood as well...giving me a huge goodbye hug.

"I hope I see you again someday." He said, "You're a really sweet girl."

I nodded, feeling sick to my stomach all of a sudden.

"Thanks Lance...I think you're pretty great too." I said.

With that, Lex led me off toward the VIP room so we could collect Paige.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Yeah girl...I feel terrible." I half-lied.

JC and Joey looked up at me with concerned looks on their handsome faces. I really wasn't lying...there was another handsome face just across the room that really was making me feel terrible. Justin sat at another table a few feet away with his date, he looked up at me from his drink, caught me looking back at him, and then looked away...pretending he hadn't noticed me.

"Well, hope you feel better..." JC offered, giving me a half smile.

I smiled back.

"Thank you." I said, "I should be okay once I get some rest."

Joey and JC gave Paige and Lex parting hugs, and the three of us started for the door. I stopped momentarily on my way out to look over my shoulder at Justin. Sure enough, he was watching me leave.

Justin gave me a weak smile, and mouthed the words "Bye Liz." with a slight wave of his hand.

I nodded my head in acknowledgement, and followed my friends out of the VIP lounge.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ JC, Lance, Chris, Joey, Justin & Steve left the club in a frenzy that night. But each of them were thinking about someone.

What none of them knew...is that amongst them...they were all thinking about the same three girls. Hell, it's probably better that way.

I never went to another *Nsync concert with Paige and Lex...It was just too strange to see them all up there with all those underage girls screaming their names. I had only spent one night with Justin and Lance combined...and I probably knew more about them than those teenaged fans ever hoped to...what I found myself wondering was, which of us was happier?

That night as the six of them left the club, and piled back onto their tour bus to hit the next stop on their tour...Justin pushed play on the CD player on the bus. The sounds of Destiny's Child's sweet harmonies filled the air, backed with an infectious beat...