Melissa headed into her dressing room to be surrounded by hectic people. Everyone was hurriedly running around the stadium making last minute changes. No matter how crazy everything was getting Melissa kept her head on straight. She was silently practicing her songs in her head and going over her dance numbers just barely making the movements. Mikey noticed her sudden movements and joined her in the small room, "How's it going?"

"Pretty good. I was just running over the dances," she said stopping her movements when she noticed he approached.

"Yeah, I saw," he smiled. "Aren't your friends coming tonight?"

"Supposedly. James said he'd 'see what he could do,'" She wished her friends would come see her, she was getting home sick already. Mike gave her a tight hug, "I can't wait to meet them."

"Yeah, you'll love em. I know you will," she smiled. The two left the panic-stricken dressing room and decided to snoop around a little. Sound checks were in about 20 minutes so they had a little time to kill. As they ventured down the hallway Melissa spotted James, "Hey you!"

He turned around abruptly, "Just the girl I was looking for. Good news. The girls'll be here right after your sound check. I didn't want them to be here for it, so that you could totally surprise them at the show. We have tickets for the VIP seating and some front row-so they can take their pick."

Melissa swung her arms around him, "Oh, I am SO excited. My parents are coming too right? You called them?"

James face dropped as if he had forgotten something, when he got a reaction out of Melissa he spilled, "Of course I called them, you think I'd just forgot about your biggest fans? Now run and go get to your soundcheck."

"Mike," Justin said getting the attention of one of the bodyguards.

"What do you want," he answered, he knew he was up to something.

"I need you to do me a favor," he smiled.

"Do I have to?" he asked starting to walk away, "What is it?"

"Well, I need you to go to the store..."

"That went rather well don't you think?" Melissa said asking her dancers. All of them joined in a big hug. "This is going to be awesome Meliss. You're going to be amazing," Chris said letting go of the group hug.

"God, I hope so. Look how big this place is," Melissa said dreamily looking around the huge stadium. "I go from playing dinky radio shows to this."

"Don't worry about that-you'll be awesome, I promise," Trisha joined in as the group left the stage. They made their way out to the dinning hall. Dinner was being served promptly at five o'clock, and ended at six. If you weren't there-you didn't eat. The small group filed into line of catered foods and made themselves comfortable at a nearby table. Melissa was just about to indulge in her meal before it was picked up from underneath her.

"What do you think you're doing?" Melissa shouted accusingly.

"Does this look like healthy food to you?" James asked pointing down to the food. "You really don't understand the importance of a healthy diet. Here eat this."

He set a new plate down in front of her which was filled with nothing she took the first time. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and corn looked a lot better than plain pasta, broccoli and a cup of fruit. She growled and mumbled under her breath for a few minutes but was taking over by her hunger to really care any longer. This was going to take a lot of getting used to. The dancers were finishing up their meal with Dave asked jokingly, "Hey Melissa, Ya want some of my brown~ awwww... that's right you can't have any."

"Oh you're going to die- a slow and painful death," she smiled sarcastically. She tried to get her mind off the group and looked over at James, "Where are the girls almighty spawn of Satan?"

"They're in my dungeon. No, they should be here soon," Just as he finished his sentence the group heard a large amount of laughter and conversation coming from down the hall. Melissa smiled as she recognize the voices, she jumped up from her seat and ran to the door, as the four erupted in shrieks of happiness. "OH! I can't believe you guys made it!"

"Oh forget that, do you know who we just saw?" Josephine said pretending to fan herself. "I think I'm gonna have a heart attack."

"Aww, you saw JC huh? Was he shirtless?" Melissa asked jokingly and her mouth dropped when the girls all nodded their heads feverishly 'yes'.

"Oh that is so not fair!" Melissa shouted giving her friends a pleading look.

"Uhh Melissa, I think I would exchange one glance of him shirtless to be put on tour with him and his four friends any day," Vanessa interrupted her fit.

She thought about it for a second and didn't realize the forms approaching behind her, "Yeah. I guess you're right, but I still want to see him topless."

Melissa friends all tried to nonchalantly tap her, or hit her to shut her up, but she didn't catch on, "What? I'm only speaking the truth."

"And I know you're talking about me, right?" Justin asked putting his arm around her, and taking a large bite out of his apple. She flushed with embarrassment, 'I can't believe he heard me say that.'

"Actually, I wasn't," she gave a sarcastic smile, "How was your sound check?"

"Same ol, same ol. How about you," he questioned leading her over to a nearby table. Her friends followed slowly behind. "Oh no, he doesn't want her," Josephine commented sarcastically.

"Oh no, not at all," Symone added catching up with her friend.

A few hours later Melissa was decked out in full make-up and costume. She looked around at her dancers who looked absolutely amazing. "Oh, gosh. Girls you look gorgeous," she said grabbing Trisha's hand as well as Dave's in prayer.

"As do you my friend," the girls shot back. The group bowed their heads in silent prayer and when all were finished joined their hands in the middle of their small circle. "Lets do this," Melissa said quietly looking each one of her new friends straight in the eyes.

"This is gonna be good," she smiled devilishly.

The 5 dancers took their places on the pitch black stage. Melissa found her narrow passage way between them and waited for the first notes of the song to play. The hard beat of the song made goosebumps rise to her skin. She quickly made her way out in front of her dancers and started a nonstop routine. The song had quick moves and fast choreography making the crowd go wild. As the song slowed to and end Melissa started to take in the crowd. The size of the place was immeasurable. She looked over at the front row and noticed her friends cheering loudly and screaming her name. She smiled and waved, as the song ended she froze in the middle of the stage and let the blood curdling screams of the crowd take over her body. Her hand was extended above her head and was shaking slightly. The adrenaline rush was amazing, but she had to calm down and relax for the mellow song that was to come. She slowly let go of her stance and pulled up the mic to her mouth, "How's everybody feeling tonight?"

The crowds reaction was overwhelming. She had no idea that they would take so well to her. "What's up Fort Lauderdale?" she shouted into the mic. "I just want to take this time to thank all of you for your love and support. This is my home town, and it's about time I got to show you what I'm made of! I love you all, each and every one of you, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the show."

Her dancers quickly scattered off stage and brought her out a top hat and overcoat. A single spotlight highlighted her features as she broke out into a soulful version of 'At Last.' Every time she was asked to do a radio show they had asked her to do it, and she was amazed to say the least when the crowd started to sing along with her. She finished off the song with more energy and heart than she had ever put into it before and it felt like a huge weight was lifted from her shoulders. Her first single was the only song left to perform.

As her dancers reemerged from behind stage the opening notes to "Because of Love" started to play. The crowd went wild and Melissa felt so excited that they loved the song, "I just want to thank each and every one of you guys for making this song a hit."

She met in between her male dancers as the words began to flow right out of her mouth.

Ya got me saying shoop doo do
shoop shoop doo do
Oh ok

Because of love
I know you better
Because of love
We are together
Because of love
You have my heart
Because of love
We'll never part

When I first met you
I knew that my life would never
Be the same
And I knew that you felt it too
I'll never feel alone again boy
'Cause your love makes me feel so secure
You got me singin'

Because of love
I know Ya better
Because of love
We are together
Because of love
You have my heart
Because of Love we'll never part

Because of love
I know Ya better
Because of love
We are together
Because of love
You have my heart
Because of Love we'll never part

I don't care what people say
You're the one that brings me
So much joy
When I look at your smiling eyes
My heart wants to dance
There's only you on my mind and
I never want to leave your side
It feels right so let's stay together
I'll never feel alone again boy
'Cause your love makes me feel so secure
You got me singin'

Because of love
I know Ya better
Because of love
We are together
Because of love
You have my heart
Because of love we'll never part

It's 'cause of love we've shared
Great memories
The way you make me feel
(Weee oooh)
It's 'cause of love I feel so high
I don't need nobody else
Because of love
Because of love

Because of love
I know Ya better
Because of love
We are together
Because of love
You have my heart
Because of love we'll never part

Everyone was dancing and screaming as she started to leave stage, "Thank you! Good night Florida -- Get Ready for NSYNC!!!!!"

She had dreamt about this, about that crowd, for so long that it didn't feel like it was really happened. As she ran backstage she was so happy she could have cried, and she did. Tears fell over her eyes, she sunk to the floor. "What's the matter?" Justin bent down in front of her crouching form as he started to put in his ear piece.

"It was, it was so amazing," she was totally beside herself. His heart stopped with those words and he remembered what it was like when he got that thrill from the stage. He had forgotten all about why he was doing this in the first place, and those small simple words helped all of that come back to him. He picked himself up, pulling her along with him. When they were eye to eye he wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear, "You were breathtaking."

The heat of his breath up against her skin made goosebumps rise. He took in the expression on her face with a look of triumph as JC joined them "Girl, I don't know if we can go on after that; You showed us up!"

"Yeah, I highly doubt that," she smiled removing herself from Justin's grip and took off in the towards her dressing room.

"Aren't you gonna watch?" Justin said realizing the stage was in the opposite direction.

"Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world," she replied slipping into her dressing room.

"Neither would I," he sighed to himself, still concentrated on where she had just left his sight.