"Wow," I said as the seven of us walked onto the outside pool deck. "It's been so long since we've seen each other!"

"I know," Kat said, brushing her shoulder length dirty blond/light brown hair out of her face. "Well, we know what you've been up to, Ms. Famous-Pop-Star." I smiled sheepishly and looked at the others.

"Nice disguise Terry," I said to the guard, who had decided to follow us, despite my request for him to actually have a little fun (God forbid!). He was wearing an Hawaiian print shirt and khaki shorts. He raised his sunglasses and smiled at me.

"Do they always hang around?" Angela asked. I shook my head.

"Not when I threaten them," I joked.

"And you do that quite often, don't you, Al?" Caitlin asked. I shrugged innocently. I heard a wolf whistle behind us. I looked at the guy on the lounge chair that was starring at us and rolled my eyes behind my sunglasses.

"Why, thank you!" Justin yelled to the guy, striking a 'manly' pose. "I have been working out." The guy stared at him, wide-eyed (poor guy!) while the rest of the girls and I cracked up. Terry just shook his head an smiled while Lance hit Justin on the back of the head. As we headed up the steps top the deck above that surrounded the pool area, I heard familiar laughter. I turned my head to see Kevin, Joanne, Nick, Rachel, Howie, Jamie, AJ, Maribeth, Brian, Chris, JC, and a few other bodyguards sitting in a circle of lounge chairs. Feeling like they rejected me, I looked away and started in the other direction. "Hey, you okay?" Justin asked. I heard a few of them turn around at the sound of Justin's voice, so I nodded and held back tears.

"No, you're not," Caitlin said. "Don't let them bother you. Everything will work itself out soon, trust me. Doesn't it always?" I nodded and smiled faintly.

"C'mon," Angela said, slinging an arm around my shoulder. "Let's go get a drink in the Viking Crown. It looks awesome up there!" She pointed to the top of the cruise ship, which was in a circle shape widthwise, but flat on the top. I nodded in agreeance and we walked to the glass doors. Once inside, The guys raced the girls up to the bar. They took the elevator as we ran up the stairs. We beat them, sat down, and stretched. As soon as the guys reached us, we looked up at them and yawned.

"What took you so long?" I asked, like we'd been there for hours.

"Traffic," Lance said, looking at his watch jokingly. "It's always such a hassle." We laughed and the three of them joined us at the table.

"Wow," Melissa said, looking around. "It's been so long since I've been in this place."

"Yeah," I agreed. "Hey, I wonder if Robbie's still here."

"Why don't we check later?" she suggested. I nodded and then the waiter came. We ordered our drinks and he left. Melissa looked at me and grinned.

"What?" I asked, suspiciously. She reached into her purse and pulled out a pack of cards. I fell on the floor in a laughing fit.

"Five card draw, wilds are aces and duces," she announced as she dealt the cards to the seven of us. We played a few rounds of poker until our drinks came. A few seconds before the elevator opened, I saw someone out of the corner of my eye. I turned to get a better look and . . . froze. I couldn't tear my eyes away. Standing near us, talking to a waiter, was Darren. Everyone's eyes followed my gaze.

"Oh, no . . ." Melissa and Kat whispered in unison.

"Not good," Justin said, moving next to me. Darren must have heard their voices because he looked over at our table. His gaze stopped on me and he just stared. Just then, the elevator doors opened and the rest of my friends stepped off it. When they saw me, they froze, scowls forming on their faces. When they saw I wasn't paying attention to them, they also followed my gaze.

"Oh sh*t," Joanne said as they all spotted Darren. Everyone who knew him (which was all of N'Sync and Galaxy, Caitlin, Angela, Melissa, and Kat) just looked at either me or him, wondering what was going to happen. Brian just looked back and forth between us.

"Who's that?" I heard AJ ask.

"Darren," Maribeth said. Brian thought it over, trying to think of where he'd heard that name before. When it dawned on him, he glared at the man. It took all of my strength to stand up and walk past everyone, towards the steps. As soon as I was far enough down where they couldn't see me, I bolted the rest of the way down and across the pool deck. I ran all the way to the cabin and let myself in. closing the door behind me, I sat up on the window-sill and stared out the window. I watched as the tiny wave runners went by, trying to catch the ships wakes as it practically flew past. I didn't cry, I didn't sigh, I didn't speak. I just stared. A few minutes later, I heard a key being put in the lock. I kept myself focused through the window, not daring to turn around and face my husband.

The door opened and closed quietly. A hand was placed on my leg, yet I didn't pay attention to it.

"Angel?" Brian asked, his voice deep with concern. I tore my gaze away from the window and looked down at his hand. "Alex, c'mon. Talk to me. Please."

"I don't deserve this," I choked out.

"Don't deserve what?" he asked.

"You, my life, everything," I said, not able to look him in the face.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, confused.

"I'm married to you and I love you, yet . . ." I sighed and looked back out the window, "I feel . . . scared, I guess, when I see him again. I loved him, but he hurt me, and yet . . . I don't know."

"Scared of what?" Brian asked, moving closer to me. I shrugged and sighed.

"I don't deserve you, Brian. I never have and I never will."

"Stop talking like that," he ordered. "You do deserve me. I'm the one that hurt you, remember?" I nodded slightly as a tear fell down my cheek. Brian pulled me down in to his lap, holding me close. "Look, all I know is that I love you and you love me. I know he hurt you, but you're here with me, remember?" I smiled slightly and looked up at him. His face was full of concern and love. "We'll get through this, alright? I told you when I first heard about him that I'd help you get through this. I'm not going to break that promise now."

"Thank you," I whispered.

"I love you, y'know," he said, kissing me lightly.

"I know," I said, kissing him back, "and I love you, too."

Chapter 39 The Final Chapter
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