Emmi lay in bed a few extra minutes this morning. Today was IT. THE DAY. The last day they would be together as a group. JC and Symone had returned two days previous, along with Nicole and Adrienne. Nic and Adrienne had clicked immediately, and it was almost as it they had been there the whole time, as well. Tomorrow was going to be a sad day, but everyone was determined to make today special.

"Emmi?" Lance poked his head in after knocking on the door and getting no response. Emmi sat up, blinking a few times at the light that he let in.

"What's up, Lance?"

"I was just wondering if we could talk for a few minutes. Before it gets all crazy, y'know?" Emmi smiled, and moved over, letting him sit on the bed next to her. He casually slipped an arm around her as he settled. "Look, I know I'm leaving tomorrow, and we...I just don't know. I really like you, Ems. But..."

"How did I know this was coming?" Emmi said, half jokingly.

"Because you're amazing. But, I've done the long-distance relationship thing before, just ask Krysti. It was hard, for both of us. We only wound up really hurting. I don't want to ruin this. I think we should just end it now, for the time being at least. Who knows what the future will bring."

Emmi thought this over. She cared a lot about Lance, but if this relationship was only going to turn into a means to tear them apart emotionally, then she was willing to save herself, and him, the heartache.

"I think you're right. We can't be there, always, for each other right now. But someday, we will. " Emmi leaned her head onto Lance's shoulder. "Friends?"

"You know it." Lance dropped a gentle kiss onto Emmi's cheek and stood. "Hey, hurry up, by the way. We're hungry. Come make us some food, woman." Emmi threw her pillow at him as he bolted from the room. As she swung her legs over the edge of the bed, she thought about the moments before. She and Lance were never official. It was fun. A summer fling. Yet, it was so much more.

Lance walked into the kitchen, Emmi trailing just behind. It saddened Emmi that this would be the last time she would see this all too familiar scene. Joey and Anna sat at the table holding a hushed conversation, while JC bounced a giggling Adrienne on his knee. Nicole was at the counter fixing a bowl of cereal for the little girl. Justin and Symone weren't anywhere in sight; they were most likely still asleep, knowing those two. Krysti was on the phone, and by the way she was smiling, it was obvious that Tom was on the other end. Past the kitchen, in the living room, Chris lay on the sofa cradling Terri's head in the crook of one of his arms while the other her rubbed her belly lovingly and talked to their babies. A normal morning at Grandma's Valley. But not for much longer.

"Hey guys!" Emmi called, trying to sound as cheerful as possible. "Have we decided what we are doing tonight?"

"Well, I had a really great idea. We could…" JC began, but a scream from the hallway cut him off.

"Dammit Justin, watch where you are going! You almost knocked me over!" The voice was undeniably Symone's.

"Geez sorry! I didn't know you had the only pass to use the hallway, your highness." Justin's pre-cereal attitude shone through.

"Oh give me a break Timberlake! You know my ankle isn't fully healed yet. Just watch yourself, gosh!" Symone slightly hobbled into the kitchen, still not putting too much pressure on her recovering ankle. Justin stalked in after her, intent on getting his breakfast and finishing the argument she had started with him. Symone rolled her eyes behind Justin's back as she waited for him to finish with the milk then gave him a sarcastic smile as he began to hand it to her.

"Thank you ever so much! How can I ever repay you, Justin?" she squealed, obviously trying to annoy him in his grumpy state.

Still holding the handle of the milk jug in his right hand, he flicked his wrist and sent the white liquid literally showering over her. Eyes widened all over the kitchen. Justin looked into Symone's shocked face, shrugged and sat down at the table with his cereal.

Symone was seething. She wiped the milk forcefully out of her eyes, along with angry tears. Her assailant sat hunched over the table slightly, shoveling cereal into his mouth at an intense rate. They had barely spoken since they agreed to stop being mortal enemies, and now they were back to fighting, complete with the food throwing antics that made their fights legendary. Anger pulsating through her, she drew her hand back and forcefully slapped the back of his curly head, causing him to spit a mouthful of Applejacks across the table.

"What the hell was that for?" he demanded, glaring at her.

Nicole walked quickly over to Josh, picked up Adrienne and scurried out of the room.

"You know damn well what it was for!" Symone replied, looking down at her black T-shirt that now had lines of white streaking it, and then back up at him, eyes furious. "That was for the fucking milk bath! Do I get a massage with that?"

"Hardy-har-har! You should just give up singing and go into comedy." Boring holes into her with his ice blue eyes, he went for the jugular. "Or better yet, just give up singing, and spare the rest of us."

Symone felt as if his words had reached out and smacked her hard across the face. He knew that music was the only thing she had ever been secure about, and that her voice was her most prized possession. They were so alike in that way. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she prayed that they would not fall. Taking a deep breath, she spoke in a low, controlled voice that almost frightened her. It sure as hell scared the daylights out of Justin. "I don't even know who you are. How could I have ever thought that I loved you? You are the most infuriating man I have ever known, and I will be glad when our paths never have to cross again. Get out of my mind, get out of my heart and get out of my sight. Run off will your prefect little blonde country girl and never think about me again."

Justin held his ground, looking into her eyes, but when he saw the utter resignation that shone above the anger and the hurt, he was forced to lower them. He knew that he had killed something with his thoughtless words, and even in his frustration with her at the moment, his subconscious was trying to come up with some way to get her back. But the words he spoke were still fueled by animosity. "Fine, maybe I will. Shai understands me in ways you could never hope to." And he walked out the door.

The group let out a collective gasp, as if the slamming of the screen against the wood frame confirmed that the scene had just taken place. They all stood, watching, almost horrified, as Symone dropped to her knees and let out an anguished wail.

Justin's feet carried him, though he was in such a fog, that he wasn't at all sure where he was going. His mind ran over and over the fight. He knew that it was mostly his fault. He had instigated the entire argument, and Symone was only acting in her own defense. But, his pride and hurt wouldn't let him turn back. His heart screamed at him to make right what he had turned so wrong, and still, he trudged on along the dusty path, not caring how the Carolina summer sun beat down upon him. When he finally stopped and looked up, he was in front of the general store. And he knew the perfect way to forget.

Shai stood with her back to the door, labeler in her hand, pricing canned food. She hummed a tune slightly off key, and danced infrequently to the beat in her head. The bells above the front entrance jingled, but she continued with her task. She was alarmed when a pair of strong arms slipped around her waist. She screamed and turned around, flailing her arms wildly.

"Woah, woah, Shai, stop it!" a familiar voice cried.

She opened her eyes and came face to face with Justin, who was shielding his head from the attack with his arms. Her just stared at him while her heart stopped racing and her breathing slowed. He was wearing what looked to be his pajamas; a worn wifebeater, and a pair of wrinkled tear away pants that half covered his bare feet. His curly hair stood practically straight up, and all of his exposed skin was taking on a bright pink hue.

"Did you walk here Justin?" Shai asked, concerned.

"Yeah," he replied. He winced when she put gentle pressure with her finger on his forearm. The spot turned completely white and seconds later regained its color.

"Boy, you are burnt to a crisp!" She pulled him over to the counter, grabbed the chair and told him to sit. Then she wandered into the back of the store and grabbed a bottle. Only as Shai approached could he see that she had a bottle of aloe. She knelt down beside him and squirted the aloe into her hands, and then carefully began to apply it to his sunburnt skin. When she had finished, she stood up. "All done. Now, do you care to tell me why you walked all the way here in your pj's?"

Justin shrugged. "I missed you, I guess."

Shai didn't miss the wistful tone in his voice, or the sadness in his eyes. "What happened with Symone, Justin?"

His head shot up. "What does she have anything to do with this? I missed you. I realized that I made a mistake and I want to try to work everything out. With YOU, not with HER." His tone was unconvincing, even to himself.

Shai sighed and pulled up a chair of her own. "Justin, I have had some time to do some thinking. I kinda always knew that your heart was somewhere else, and that you were just using me to forget Symone."

"I would never--"

"But, you did. Maybe not intentionally, but…" Shai grabbed one of Justin's hands, and held it between her two, still sticky from the aloe. "Justin, you lost your heart to that girl a long time before I came into the picture. You light up when you are around her, even if you think you are angry. You and Symone share this energy...it's like nothing I have ever seen before. She can do things for you that I can't. She takes care of you, and I can't."

"What do you mean you can't? You just did take care of me!" Justin protested.

Shai laughed. "Maybe I can take care of you physically, but that's about the extent of it. Justin, Symone knows you inside and out, and you know her. You barely know anything about me."

"That's not true."

"Prove it," Shai said. "What is my favorite color?"

Justin stared at her blankly.

"What is my favorite musical group?"

"Ummm, well…" After he paused, she continued.

"What is my greatest fear?"

Again, Justin didn't have an answer. He looked at her and then sheepishly at the floor.

Shai whispered, "Can you answer those questions for Symone?"

Without even thinking, he mumbled, "Navy blue, besides Nsync and Asylum Star, All Star United, and losing the ability to make music…" As the last word left his mouth, he went numb. He really did know her inside and out. And, he used that information to take her down in a petty argument. He felt like a monster, and he had to think of some way to fix what he had broken. He stood. "I'm sorry Shai, but I have to go."

"Realized how much you need her, huh?"

Justin nodded slowly. "Thank you."

"No problem. That's what friends are for, right?" He pulled her into a soft hug, careful not to disturb his tight, burnt skin.

"You are a wonderful friend, Sharina."

Shai smiled at his use of her full first name. "Let me call one of my friends to drive you back to the house." She called, and minutes later a guy in a black pickup pulled up to the store.

Justin hugged and thanked her again. As he walked to the door, she called out his name. He turned, "Yes?"

"Don't let true love get away." She grabbed the bottle of aloe off the counter and tossed it to him. He caught it easily. "Take that, you'll need it."

Justin smiled and walked out the door.