Chapter 1

"Stasbourg Aeroport, sil vous plait." Vannessa said hurriedly as she jumped into the taxi cab.

She hoped she hadn't left anything at Madame Marsaille's but it was to late to go back now. Looking out the window she realized what she was leaving behind. The crisp cool air of the French countryside had done her well but Vanessa knew it was time to go back to the states.

Vanessa could still remember the day she got her invetation to finish High School or Lycee as the French call it , in Mulhouse. She of course jumped at the chance. She knew she wanted to see the world and all she had to do was tell her parents. They were out at a party so she decided to wait up for them.

The hours started to pass quickly, she recalled, as her eyes began to well up with tears.She waited and waited but they never came home...

"NO!" She screamed in her head."Don't do this to yourself!"

Calmly she began thinking about all of her school freinds she was leaving behind. At first school was awkward, since she being an American, knew very little about behavior in France but slowly and surely, with a little help from her french freinds, she came to fit in.It was a good thing too, Her time in France was not meant to be anything more that finishing high school.

Now that she had graduated it was time for her to return to her homw country. She knew she longed for all those things she left behind but secretly Vanessa was dreading her return to the States. Not since her parent's death had she been back home, and now she felt as if it was not going to be home sweet home.

"Snap out of it silly girl!" she silently yelled at herself. " Thinking about it won't help now!"

She knew there was still an hour's trip to the airport so she pulled out her Discman and slipped in her favorite C.D. Shania Twain.

"Your still the one I kiss goodnight..." A squeaky voice sang from under a towel. "Oh,man. Lance you need to turn that stuff off You've been listening to it non-stop for the past month." Justin said stifling a yawn.

"Yeah Poo-fu I'm gonna start bleeding from the ears!" Chris said with an annoying smile and a glint in his eye.

"Sorry guys but you know it's my favorite C.D." said the blondie as he popped out from under the towel.

"Whoa, Lance your hair is in Fro-Mode! How do you think the ladies would react to that?" Joey said with a smile.

"Com' on you guys the plane leaves in an hour and we're still not on the road!Aren't you guys the least bit excited to be going back to the U.S.?" JC asked.

"Yes!" All the guys said in unison.

"Well then, let's not miss our plane!!!" JC said with a smile.

Lance grabbed a het to hide his fro, and picked up his suitcase. He was glad to be going home because there were so many things he missed but he was also a little but worried. What if thet don't like our music? What if we're not what's "in"? I hope that *N SYNC will be a success! We have worked so hard. Europe likes us but the real test is at home. As he walked out of his room to the elavator he noticed that Joey was waiting

"You look upset, are you worried about going home?" Joey asked with concern on his face.

"Yeah, kinda. How'd you know?" Lance asked.

"We all are."

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"Vanessa?"

"Hi grammy. Do you know where Mom and Dad are?"

"Vanessa I...They're....Vanessa your parents were killed by a drunk driver."

"NO!!!!!Grammy NO!!!!!" She screamed.

Suddenly Vanessa sat up with a jolt.She was enveloped in a cold sweat. She looked aroung trying to figure out where she wasand lose the horrible mental pictures. She spotted the plane out the window and realized she was on her way to the Airport.

The cab pulled up to the white zone and she paid the driver.As she strode into the airport she wondered if her trip back to the States was a smart thing to do. Yes, she decided as she ascendedan escalator to her boarding area, I have to do this.

She walked onto the plane and began to search for her seat. As she sat down she looked out the window. All she could think at that moment was heartache so for the second time that day she slipped into the music of Shania Twain.

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"Guys how come we are always late?" Justin questioned.

"Cuz you always take an hour to style your jheri-curls!!!!" Chris said in exasperation.

"No it's because we always stop for autographs." Lance simply stated.

"Hey hold that plane!" JC yelled at the attendant closing the boarding sleeve.

All the guys quickly ran past the attendant, threw their tickets into her arms and ran down the sleeve.They boarded the plane no problem. The problem was that they would all have to get separate seats.Immediately Lance made his way towards the front of the plane. He was releived when he saw an empty seat next to someone. He hurried over to the seat and turned to ask the occupant of the other seat if it was alright to sit there. His breath caught short, sitting in the seat was a beautiful creature. He looked at her shiny honey colered hair, her soft lips, and her beautiful blue eyes. He knew these features, and he knew this beautiful face.

Vanessa felt someone watching her. She slowly turned to the aisle and looked up. Vanessa felt a rush of dizziness.Those handsome green eyes, and that crooked smile, she knew them, very well....

"Vanessa?"

"Lance?"