This story finished. If you missed the first update I did but have read this story click here.(New Part as of 12/99) If you have read that update chick here.(New Part as of 1/00) I’ve added a chapter or two since I have first posted this. Hope you enjoy it!

She had been gone for an hour. Rain was coming down hard outside. So hard that it was hard to even see. Justin didn't know what to do. He just stood there letting the tears fall down his cheeks. For all he knew she was gone for good. Between the rain and his tears, Justin could see nothing outside of the window he was looking out of.

Lance stood in the doorway looking at Justin's figure in the window. It was totally still. Justin was like a statue. That was very unlike Justin. Lance sighed and went back into the kitchen where the other guys were sitting around the table in their cabin in North Carolina.

"He's still there," Lance announced quietly, sitting down at the table.

"At least he didn't go running to look for her," Joey mused. He was met by glares from Lance and JC.

"What a time to disappear. During a hurricane," Chris commented, looking at the boarded up window. All the other windows, except the one Justin was looking out, were boarded up. Justin had removed it in a fit of anger after she had left.

"What an idiot," JC muttered, putting his face in his hands. "All he had to do was say, 'I'm sorry, September,' and he could have saved themselves some trouble."

"Justin could never to that. One, it would be too easy. Two, he's too stubborn," Chris mumbled, still looking at the boarded up window. Their augment was still ringing in his ears.

"That's it Justin! Why didn't you just tell me! Why did I have to find out this way!" September had yelled.

"Why would I have to tell you!" Justin yelled back.

"My God Justin! I'm your girlfriend, aren't I? Or did you find yourself a new one and forget to tell me?!"

"You just don't know how it is! God Dammit!" Justin had screamed.

"God's last name it not Dammit!" September screamed back. "Have a nice life Mr. Timberlake!"

With that September had walked out the front door into the coming hurricane. When she had slammed the door it echoed through the house. When the guys had come in to see what had happened they found September gone and Justin in a fight a rage. He threw books off the table then went outside and ripped the boards off the window. He then had come in and just stood in font of the window. And he just stayed there.

Chris shook his head. There must be something they could do. Where would September go?

"We gotta do something, guys. You know maybe get the full story on why they were yelling. I've never heard September yell before. She's generally the calm one," Joey pointed out.

"Joey, don't pick now to scare me," JC said, removing his hands from his face.

"Huh?" Joey asked, confused.

"You actually made sense. Now which one is gonna go talk to Curly?" JC asked, looking at Chris, then Joey, and finally Lance. At the same time Chris looked from JC to Joey to Lance. Joey just looked straight at Lance.

"Okay, I'm going, I'm going," Lance said, seeing that he had been chosen. He rose from his chair and made his way back to the den where Justin was. Justin was still standing like a statue in front of the window. You could see things blowing around outside in every direction. Lance got nervous and decided the first thing he had to do was get Justin away from that window. Lance slowly approached him, afraid Justin would lash out at him. Once Lance could see Justin's face he saw that it was covered in tears.

"Jus," Lance started, "do you want to tell me what's wrong?"

"There's nothing wrong." Justin's voice sounded more confincing than he looked.

"Justin Randall Timberlake, don't you try to fool me. I heard, I now see, and I know there is something wrong. Now just tell me," Lance told him in a fatherly tone.

Justin continued to stare out the window. I was so stupid. If I had just said, 'I'm sorry, September,' instead of not saying anything she wouldn't have left. He looked at Lance. I should just tell him.

"Johnny told some press people that I had a date with Britney and we would get serious. He claims he was only joking, but the press people thought he was serious. He forgot to tell me he had said that and so when someone asked me, I laughed and announced I had no girlfriend. Then Britney said that meant we had a chance. I freaked and said I did have a girl. And then Air-head said I had to prove it. So I found some bimbo and said she was my girl. However that was before I meant September. Then I found her. Britney found out and said that I was cheating on that bimbo I haven't seen since. Johnny was able to keep it under until recently. I don't know how she found out. She did and calmly asked me what it was all about. Being the asshole I am I told her she couldn't possibly under stand. She lost it. I guess I told her that too much. And all I needed to say was that I was sorry and she would still be here. But no. I didn't. Now everything is screwed. All part of Britney's master plan."

The tears had stopped. Lance patted him on the back. "I never heard about this."

"That's because it happened before I came up here. Y'all were already up here with Sept. I wonder how she found out?"

"One word. Carson," Chris said walking into the room.

Justin finally turned around to see the rest of the guys walk in. Lance took this time to usher Justin over to the couch away from the window. Justin slowly sat down as did Lance.

"Carson?" Justin asked.

"Yeah. On Total Request Live he announced it to the world. September must have seen it. Or Sellstorm could have told her. She's real tight with her brother," Chris explained. "Carson loves gossip. He's a gossip hungry dork. Remember what happened to Brian."

"Yeah, Carson said they had heard he was having trouble with his heart," Justin muttered, getting madder with every word.

"Forget about Carson. We'll get him later, Curly. Just focus on how you'll get back September," Lance reasoned.

"I don't know how. All I had to say was that I was sorry. But, I can't now. There's a hurricane out there," Justin said, pointing out the window.

September pushed the heavy door open to the other cabin. Johnny had rented two cabins for the guys. They were only half a mile apart. They traded off in between the two. Generally, September and Justin would go there to be alone. Most nights they would switch off between the two.

September tossed her purse down on the couch. It was so cold in the house and September was all wet. She made her way upstairs to find some dry clothes. Without realizing it she had made her way into the room Justin and JC had used last. Justin always left something. All of September's clothes were at the other house. As September walked into the room she found what she was looking for. There was a North Carolina sweatshirt on the floor as was a pair of Adidas pant next to it. She walked over and took off her wet clothes and hung them in the closet. She walked over and picked up the sweatshirt and pants. She pulled the pants on and pulled the drawstring to make them fit. They were really big on her. She then pulled on the sweatshirt. It smelled of the cologne that Justin wore.

"Maybe I should go back," September wondered out loud to herself. She wrapped her arms around her. She wanted to be warm and safe in Justin's arms. She pulled the sweatshirt tighter around her and breathed in deeper.

She made her way back downstairs and into the kitchen. She then went and sat in a windowless hallway in between the kitchen and the family room. Unlike the other house the windows weren't boarded up. This allowed September to watch her first hurricane. Living her life in Wisconsin she had never really seen a true wrath of a hurricane.

"You know, if you had never met Justin you wouldn't have gotten stuck in this mess," September said, but didn't hear herself because of all the noise outside.

~Flashback~

September slammed her locker. She took a deep breath and turned around. She made her way down the hall and out the door. Once outside she saw five well dressed men standing on Jackson Hill. They looked lost. That was till the one guy with the dreadlocks spotted her. He began running down the hill to her.

"Septiembre! Septiembre!" he sung as he ran down the hill. The other four guys followed him. As he got closer, September realized who it was.

"C.K. what are you doing here?" she asked, looking around to make sure no one had seen them or her interacting. That would cause a major scream feast and she didn't think the guys wanted that.

"I'm looking for Sellstorm. Is he still here?" Chris asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Last time I talked to him he informed me that he was working here," Chris said, looking at the school as he jumped up and down.

"Just tell him yes, "moaned the dark haired one that was extremely good looking.

"Well, yes then. He'd be in the music department," September answered. "He told me you'd be coming. He didn't mention any friends though, C.K."

Chris threw his hands over his face. "Oh, dear, dear me. What am I to do. You'll have to watch after them. They shouldn't cause too much trouble, Little Septiembre," Chris said in an old woman's voice and ran off into the building.

"Well, I didn't expect to be babysitting four hot guys after school," September laughed.

~End of Flashback~

Justin curled up into a ball in the corner of the room. They guys had moved him into a sunken in room in the middle of the cabin. The other guys were gathered around the radio listening to the news. Justin listened to the hurricane outside and thought about the first time he had met September. It had been while they were on tour. They had stopped in Madison, Wisconsin. Chris had some friend living there named Sellstorm.

"We gotta go see Stormy! We just gotta! We've gotta day off! He's working at some high school. Pleezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Chris begged.

"If you find the name we will go," JC said, tired of Chris whining.

So they had gone. They had been standing on some hill when Justin had spotted her. She had beautiful auburn hair that came down to her shoulders and a beautiful face. She looked as beautiful as a fall day. Justin pointed to her as she came out of the building. Chris then began to jump up and down. He ran down the hill yelling, 'Septiembre!' Justin had never heard that name before. But they went down to met this gorgeous girl. Chris then left them with her. Justin was the first to speak after that.

"Well, with your luck you do," Justin said. "So, where the name Septiembre come from?"

"It's Spanish for September. That's my real name. My birthday is September thirtieth."

"Wow."

After that Justin hadn't seen her till one day he had gone over to Chris's and there she was sitting there on the couch. Ever since he had seen her last he had not stopped thinking about her. He found out she was moving to Orlando with Sellstorm. Shortly after this he asked her out and they became a couple. Justin was in love and now it hurt to think that she might be gone. For good.

New Part 12/99

"Justin? Are you okay?" Lance asked looking over at his friend.

"No, why would I be? September has ran out on me and I don’t even know where she had gone," Justin grumbled.

Chris shook his head and crawled into the kitchen. He could hear the hurricane raging outside. He just had to know what had happened to September. Justin would drive himself mad if he didn’t know what had happened to her. Chris looked around to make sure no one was looking and whipped out his cell phone. He quickly dialed Sellstorm. He told Sellstorm what had happened.

"Yeah, man, I heard. I don’t know where September could have gone. Wait, didn’t you say that Johnny had gotten you guys two cabins?" Sellstorm asked.

Chris hit himself in the head. "Thanks man, I forgot about that. Do you think she went there?"

"Most likely. I know she’s not dumb enough to go wondering around the woods during a hurricane. Are you guy all okay?" Sellstorm asked.

"Yeah, thanks. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that," Chris said and hung up his phone. He dialed the other house.

September sat up with a start. She had fallen asleep in the hallway. Justin’s pants were ringing. She figured that it might be Johnny trying to get a hold of Justin to make sure he was okay or something. She felt around for the phone. She couldn’t believe Justin would forget something like his phone.

"Hello? Justin’s phone here," September said.

"I found it! I found it! I wonder if I get to meet Justin Timberlake! Girls I found Justin’s phone!" Chris squealed.

September was quiet as this deranged person squealed. She was about to hang up the phone but she heard Chris tell her not to.

"Septiembre, he’s a wreck. I don’t know why he didn’t just tell you…"

"Chris, he never tells me anything. I just don’t understand. I would love to understand if he would just let me," September said, hanging up the phone. She turned it off. She put it back in the pocket she found it in and curled back up in the ball she had been in and cried herself back to sleep.

Chris hung up the phone. He knew that she had now turned it off. Lance came crawling into the kitchen.

"What was that all about?"

"I called Justin’s cell."

"But he left it at the other house or lost it," Lance said, confused.

"September is at the other house."

"She is!" Lance turned around and crawled back over to Justin. He realized he didn’t know why he was crawling. "Hey Justin! September is okay. She at the other house."

"How do you know?"

"Chris called your phone and she answered."

Justin listened intently to the radio. It said the hurricane had passed. This meant that they could head over to the other cabin and he could talk to September. JC noticed Justin seemed a bit more cheery that morning as they ate their breakfast. When they were all done they all headed over to the cabin. Justin was so excited. He had thought all night about what he was going to say to September. It was perfect. JC watched in amusement as Justin literally hopped and skipped all the way over to the other cabin. Chris splashed through all the puddles getting all muddy and wet.

"Come on, JC," Chris called. "Have some fun!"

Chris jumped in a big muddy puddle right behind JC. JC was covered from head to toe in the back with mud.

"That’s it. You are dead," JC said, Chris took off ahead of him. JC reached Chris and pushed him down to the ground. Justin stopped skipping and turned around.

"Guys, come on. Let’s stop goofing around. JC, I expect his out of Chris, but you?"

Justin turned back around and began skipping again.

"But, it’s not me! It was Chris!" JC yelled as he got up and started after Justin.

Chris stood up and went back to puddle jumping. He hadn’t done this in a very long time. And with the mud it was all the better. He had gotten Sellstorm to puddle jump once. That was a blast. As Chris splashed down in the last puddle in front of the house he heard a not so great cry from Justin. Justin came tareing out of the house and past Chris, knocking him back into his puddle. Chris picked himself up and went into the house through the kitchen door. He took off his muddy shoes and carefully made his way into the house. He found JC standing in shock in the family room. In the middle of the room was a note. From what Chris could see Justin had already gotten his hands on it.

"She left," JC said quietly. Chris could tell he was trying really hard to keep himself under control.

"Why?"

"She went home. She said it had to be over between her and Justin."

"Home to Sellstorm or to Madison?’ Chris asked.

JC began to move to the stairs. Chris followed him. He began to worry.

"Well, we’ll be able to get her for Justin if she went to Sellstorm’s., right?’ Chris asked, worried.

"She went to Madison, Chris. She got herself the first flight out of here. The note had the time of 7:30 on it. We missed her by an hour, Chris. An hour. And her flight left at 8:00," JC said walking into the room he and Justin used. Hanging in the closet was September’s still wet clothes and Justin’s cell phone. "She took his clothes with her."

"Um, no," Chris said, pointing to a pile of clothes on the floor. There was a note taped to it. Chris read it out loud. "Thank Justin for me. I found some of my own dirty non wet clothes in my room. Just keep that wet stuff."

"Chris, what the hell are we going to do?" JC asked.

"Go to the airport? Her flight may not have left yet. There was a hurricane," Chris pointed out.

JC shook his head. "Chris, at least you are still thinking clear."

~*~*~*~*~

Justin slammed the kitchen door shut. Joey and Lance looked up at him. He glared at them. He flung the door back open, went out, and slammed it again. He stormed over to one of the cars. He cleared all the debris off the car and then got in. He found in his pockets the keys and started it up. Lance and Joey came out of the house and watched helplessly as Justin ripped out of the drive and out of sight. Chris and JC came running out of the woods as a light rain began to fall.

"Where does he think he is going?’ JC asked, breathlessly.

"I don’t think he knows," Lance said.

Chris whipped out his cell phone and dialed Sellstorm. "Stormy? Did your sister tell you anything about going back to Madison?"

"Huh? No. Why? Could you hold on. I have another call, Chris," Sellstorm said. Chris waited till Sellstorm came back. "Chris. She’s on a plane to Madison right now. She’s in tears. Why? Did Justin do anything? She wouldn’t tell me. Or did she make some decision that she thinks is for the best but her heart doesn’t?"

"She wrote Curly a note saying that it was over."

"Christ," Sellstorm said. "How’s Justin taking it?’

"We don’t know. He’s gone."

"Gone? Where did he go?"

"After September."

*~*~*~*~*~*

September sat in the airport terminal. She really didn’t want to go home, but felt like she had no choice. Her flight was going to leave in a minute. She finally stood up and gave up her ticket.

"Madison? Did the hurricane scare you too much?" the ticket lady asked.

"You could say that," September mumbled.

She went past the way too friendly lady and found her seat.

Justin ran into the airport just as a plane to Madison took off. He ran up the lady who was standing near the gate.

"May I help you?"

"Did you just see a…."

"I cannot give out that kind of information."

"Shit," he began to leave. "Wait, September Stancey on that plane?"

"Um, yes I think so."

"Shit, shit, shit," Justin repeated over and over as he left the airport.

New Part 1/00

JC, Lance, Chris, Joey, and Sellstorm walked into the airport. Justin was sitting in a chair looking like hell. He had decided not to drive home. He knew he was way too mad to think clearly. He also couldn’t remember where he parked his car. Lance walked over to Justin and placed his hand on Justin’s should. Justin looked up at him. His eyes were clear, not all teary and red like Lance expected them to be.

"Did you find her?" Lance asked. Justin shook his head.

"Justin, she went home. You can go after her. Don’t let her get away, Justin," Sellstorm said. Justin didn’t do anything. "Justin, listen to me. You still have her heart. She following that stupid mind of hers again. When she called me, she was in tears still. Her heart doesn’t want to leave you. You gotta go after her. You’ll never forgive yourself."

Justin looked back at the ground. He knew Sellstorm was right. But…

"I have a plan!" Chris said too happily for Justin.

"What? Fly to Madison and drag her back down here?" JC sarcastically asked.

"Well, not exactly. We’ll go to Belleville and see Stormy’s grandma," Chris said.

"What does my grandma have to do with anything? And she lives in O’Fallon," Sellstorm said.

"Oh yeah, your uncle lives in Belleville. But, that’s not the point," Chris said.

"Then what’s the point, Chris?" JC asked.

"September will go down there."

"And how would you know this?" Lance asked.

"She knows that Justin will go after her. He knows where her parents live. That’s where he’ll go. Once she gets to Madison, she’ll drive down to Chicago, spend the night somewhere, then drive down to O’Fallon. She’ll think she’s hiding. But no, Sellstorm and I will be there. JC, Lance, Joey, and Justin will hide out at Uncle Bob’s till we’re ready."

"Chris, how did you come up with all this?" Sellstorm asked. "Because it really sounds like something September would do."

Chris smiled. "It’s brilliant, I know. Well, up and at them, Curly. We’re going to St. Louis."

Chris pulled Justin up and out of his chair.

"I thought you said we were going to O’Fallon?" Justin asked.

"Just trust me. St. Louis is the big city that’s somewhat near where we are going."

Justin stood looking out at the lake that was in the backyard of Uncle Bob’s house. They had been there only a day. Uncle Bob had been a little confused on why he’d have to house three guys, but he went along with it.

Meanwhile, Chris and Sellstorm waited for September at Grandma York’s. Later on the third day while Chris and Sellstorm were watching cartoons in the family room, the doorbell rang. Grandma York answered it. She knew not to tell September that her brother and Chris were there.

"Do you think that’s Sept?" Sellstorm asked.

Chris shrugged and got up off the couch. Sellstorm followed him down the short hallway to the front hall. They hung back in the shadows the old house supplied. Sure enough, when Grandma York opened the door, there was September. She looked like hell. Her hair was pretty stringy and she looked like she hadn’t slept in days. She looked worse then Justin. At least he had been sleeping. That’s all he pretty much did from what JC had told Chris and Sellstorm.

"September! What a surprise!" Grandma said, engulfing September in a hug. "What brings you all the way down here?"

"I needed a get away to someplace quiet. I love your house. So I came down here," September said.

"Well, let me take your bags."

Chris suddenly looked at Sellstorm.

"Did we clean up our rooms?" Chris whispered.

Sellstorm went running quietly down the hall and up the stairs to the kitchen. Chris followed. When he and Chris made it up them, they quietly made their way to the stairs that would led them up to the bedrooms. They could hear Grandma leading September to the kitchen. They froze and hid in the bathroom so September wouldn’t see them when she passed the stairs.

"Grandma, why is the TV on in the family room?" September asked.

"Oh, I had just turned it on when you rang."

Chris and Sellstorm breathed a sigh of relief. The quickly made their way down the hall to the rooms they were using. Chris made sure that none of his stuff could be see when September passed. Sellstorm came out of his room as Chris did. They made their way back down to the stairs. They went down the stairs. Grandma and September were still in the kitchen. Grandma waved them down when September had her back turned to the stairs. Chris and Sellstorm dashed down the front stairs and back to the dark hallway that led to the family room.

"Now what are we going to do?" Sellstorm asked.

"Go into the backyard here and act like we’re on a vacation."

Chris opened the door and walked out on to the patio. He then turned and faced Sellstorm.

"Stormy, let’s walk to the park. By time we get back it’ll be dinner time."

"Fine."

September toted her bags up to her room. Every time the family came down to Grandma York’s she always had the same room. It had been her mother’s room when she had lived here. It had pink walls and pictures that her mother had drawn and famed hanging on the wall. Her mother was a great drawer.

September fell onto the pink bed. She breathed in the sent of her grandma’s house. Soon she had fallen asleep. By the time she had woken up she heard voices. And they were not coming form the TV.

"What’s for dinner, Grandma?"

September crept down the stairs. What was Sellstorm doing here?

"Pork chops, Storm. Get your nose out of that. How old are you now?" Grandma asked, putting the top back on a pan.

"What are you doing here?" September asked, coming down the stairs.

"I came to see Grandma. It’s summer, I don’t have work. I’ve been here for a couple days, Sept."

"Oh," September said, entering the kitchen.

Sellstorm was not alone. In the chair closet to the little black and white TV was someone who looked a lot like Chris from behind. The figure was watching The Simpson’s.

"What’s he doing here?"

Chris tuned the chair around. "I missed your grandma’s cooking. And Sellstorm invited me."

"Oh. I thought it was going to be quiet in this house," September said, sitting down.

"Oh, I’ll keep Chris out of your hair, honey," Grandma said. "He can help me cook cookies for the potluck at church this Sunday."

"Cookies! Potluck! I haven’t been to one of those in ages!" Chris exclaimed.

"Don’t get so excited. They are not that fun," Sellstorm said, taking the lid off another pot.

"Sellstorm, you are acting like a five year old," Grandma said, taking the lid form Sellstorm.

"Sorry," Sellstorm said, taking a seat.

"We should all go to the potluck! It would be so fun!" Chris said, turning in circles in his chair.

"It’ll just be a bunch of old people," Sellstorm said.

"Old people are fun!"

"Is he always like this, still?" Grandma asked as she set down a plate of pork chops.

"Yeah, Chris hasn’t changed one bit," September said.

"Well, what do you all say? Why don’t we all go to the potluck and enjoy Grandma and my wonderful cookies!"

"Fine." September said.

"What about you Storm?" Grandma asked.

Chris winked at Sellstorm. "Sure."

After dinner, September went up to her room. After Chris and Sellstorm had finished helping Grandma with the dishes, he and Chris went down to the family room to watch TV.

"How come you are so keen on going to this potluck?" Sellstorm asked.

"Can’t you tell? A social gathering. Justin, JC, Lance, Joey, and your cousin Greg just happen to show up. I’ve been to that church before. It’s big. September and Justin can be alone to talk."

"In church?"

"You’re not Catholics. You’re Methodist."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I don’t know."

"Boys! The potluck is going to be held at O’Fallon High, not the Church. Talk quieter or September might hear you!" Grandma called.

"Okay!" Sellstorm yelled back.

Justin sat up in bed. The phone was ringing. He rolled over. The phone persisted.

"Is any one going to get that?!" Justin snapped.

No one answered. Justin rolled out of bed and grabbed up the phone.

"What?"

"Oh, sorry JC, did I wake you up?" Chris asked.

Justin didn’t bother to tell him he wasn’t JC. "Yeah."

"Sorry. I thought you would be eating dinner."

Justin looked at the clock. That’s why no one was home. Uncle Bob and Aunt Diana had taken everyone else out to eat. It was a York tradition in this house for everyone in the house to go out to eat with the two other sisters that were married. That’s where JC and the others were. Justin had been invited to go, but all he wanted to do was go to sleep. JC, of all people, had made him get out of bed that day.

"Only so much sleep can help you, Curly," JC had told him when he had dragged him out of bed. Cousin Greg had made him lift weights with him during the afternoon. This meant Justin had every right to not go to dinner.

"JC, are you there?"

"Yeah, what do you want?" Justin said, trying to sound like JC.

"Well, we’ve had a change in plan, but Justin may not like it."

Justin’s ears perked up. "What?"

"Well, Grandma York’s church is having a potluck. She’s going to call tomorrow and ask Bob or Diana if they would like to come, seeing Sunday night is generally the night they come over. So, instead they are going to go to the potluck. There, I’ll use my brilliant thinking to get September and Justin to talk and work everything out. Brilliant, huh?"

"Huh, huh. Why wouldn’t Justin like this?"

"I don’t know. But we never told him how we were going to get him and Sept together. He’s been in such a mood. How is he?"

"Um, sleeping a lot. I made him get out of bed today and Greg made him work out," Justin said bitterly.

"You sound bitter about this. What’s wrong with you?"

"I’m still asleep. Well, I think I’ll go get something to eat. Why don’t you call back later and talk to Lance. See what he thinks about the whole thing. Or me. I may not remember this, seeing I’m half asleep."

"Okay, Jacey. I’ll call tomorrow. Bye."

"Bye."

Justin hung up the phone and walked out on to the loft. He looked down the stairs to see the white little three pound attack dog at the bottom.

"Are you going to let me down, Missy?" Justin asked.

Missy growled, but let Justin down. He walked into the big kitchen and over to the pantry. He pulled out a bag of popcorn.

"No microwave stuff. Bob doesn’t believe in it," Justin mocked.

Greg had explained that Bob didn’t believe in microwave popcorn. Only popping it on the stove. Justin threw the bag into the pantry and closed it. He opened the freezer and pulled out a pizza. As he sat there eating it everyone came home.

"Justin! Good to see you up. Did you enjoy your evening, cutie?" Aunt Diana asked. She called everyone cutie.

"Yes. JC, Chris called. He said something about a potluck at Grandma York’s Church to be held at O’Fallon High."

"I’m I suppose to call him back."

"No. He’ll call you and you were asleep when he last called."

Justin got up from the table and went back to bed.

*~*~*~*~*

September slowly opened her eyes. The sun was pouring from under her door. She rolled out of bed. She could hear Chris down in the kitchen with her grandma. They were talking about something. She pulled on her robe and started down the hall. She noted that Sellstorm’s door was closed still, meaning he was still asleep. She walked into the bathroom.

"Wow, that’s the first good sleep I’ve had since…" she trailed off.

She stood looking at herself in the mirror. Last night she had washed her hair. It didn’t look so stringy. But she still looked sad.

"I need to get over Justin. I bet he’s back in Florida with that Britney by now," September told her reflection. However, she didn’t believe it.

Justin slowly rolled over in the water bed he was in. He could hear chattering of Bob, Diana, Lance, and Joey. JC was still asleep in the basement were he, Lance, and Joey were sleeping. Greg was still asleep in his room next door. No, he was taking a shower in the bathroom that connected their rooms upstairs. Justin rolled onto his back and opened his eyes. He hadn’t shut the shades, so he could see the upper lake and all the birches that were in the side yard if Bob’s house. The sun was shinning brightly. Justin shaded his eyes from it. He had no where to go till Greg got out of the bathroom. If he went to use the powder room, all the people up would see him going down the hall and make him come socialize. If he went in the basement he risked the chance of waking up JC. He knew JC would be up later to pull him out of bed and make him do something. Justin rolled out of bed and opened the closet. He pulled out a box of cereal and flipped on the TV. He crawled back into bed and began to eat.

"I bet September isn’t even thinking about me. She’s most likely having a grand old time with Chris. Probably flirting with him," Justin said, tossing his hand up in the air, causing cereal to fly. However, he didn’t believe a word of what he had just said.

Meanwhile, Greg had finished his shower and had gone downstairs.

"Is Justin up?" Aunt Diana asked.

"I think so. Someone had turned on the TV and was talking to themselves," Greg said, pulling the orange juice out of the fridge.

"Oh, when will JC get up so he can drag him out of bed?" Aunt Diana asked. JC had been the only one who been able to get him out of bed. "That boy had such a cute face. He should show it around here more often."

"Well, I’ve got to get to work before Pretty Boy gets up," Uncle Bob said.

"Where do you work? Can I come?" Joey asked.

"Joey!" Lance hissed.

"That’s okay. I won my own auto shop. York’s Auto Repair. You’re welcome to come. I don’t know what you’ll do," Uncle Bob said.

"I don’t care. It get boring around here waiting for Pretty Boy," Joey said, getting up and following Bob down the long hall and out the door.

Lance watched Bob’s car back out of the driveway and out of sight.

"Lance, cutie, would you like to come to work with me? I could use your help. I just got a load of shirts in today. I need them to be put on hangers or folded and put into other boxes."

"Sure. I bet Greg can find something for JC and Lance to do," Lance said.

Greg nodded. "You bet I can. I can run those two pretty boys ragged running after the baseballs I’ll hit for them."

"You play baseball?" Lance asked.

"Yep. I need some batting practice. Instead of paying for a batting cage, I’ll be able to go to the park and hit some."

"And catch some. You need to work on that too. Come on Lance," Aunt Diana said. Lance followed her out.

Just then JC emerged from the basement.

"Hey, Justin’s awake, but not coming down. I’ve got some plans for you two. Maybe it will get Justin’s mind off of his problems," Greg said.

"No good morning, JC?" JC asked, starting for the stairs.

"Good morning JC!" Greg called after him.

After nagging and pulling Justin out of bed and giving him some clothes to put on, JC got him down stairs. Greg greeted them with large glasses of orange juice and some eggs.

"You whipped together eggs in the time it took me to get Curly our of bed?" JC asked in shock sitting at the table.

"Yep. Eat up you two. You’ll need the energy for what you’ll be doing today."

Justin slowly looked up at Greg. "What will you be making me do today?"

"You’ll be helping me with my baseball."

*~*~*~*~*

September stepped out of the house. Grandma had done her job. Chris was very quiet. But, she decided to leave when he and Grandma were going to bake cookies. So she decided to go for a walk. She walked down Agnes Drive and across Smiley, and down 3^rd till she reached the park. She walked around between the two parks. She spotted three guys in the baseball diamond. One guy was hitting the balls while the two other guys were running after them. One was blonde and one was a brunette. And the guy hitting them looked like her cousin Greg, tall, sandy blonde hair with bleached streaks through it. She stopped. She quickly dashed behind a tree. She watched the curly blonde haired guy run up and pick up a ball. It was Justin. September flattened herself against the tree.

"What’s he doing here?" she asked herself.

She walked quickly in the direction of the playground to the north. She then changed her mind and walked over towards the pool. She watched all the kids swimming and jumping off the diving boards awhile before she got bored and went home to ask Chris what he and Sellstorm were exactly up to.

"Justin! What is taking you so long?!" Greg called.

Justin watched a girl who looked somewhat like September start to leave the playground that was a ways away. He turned back in the direction of Greg with the ball in hand. JC was almost to the ball that Greg had just hit. Justin broke into a run and returned the ball.

"Were does your grandma exactly live?" Justin asked.

"Over on Agnes Drive. It’s only a couple of streets over from here. That’s why I know about this park. Grandma use to take me over here when ever I would come over," Greg said, tossing up the ball Justin had handed him. "Hit that one far. Not go fetch Justin."

Justin ran after the ball as JC returned.

"It’s fun treating two big old pop stars like dogs. Don’t take it personally, JC."

"Oh, I won’t. People sometime tell Justin he looks like a puppy," JC laughed as Justin fought with a dog over the ball Greg had just hit.

"When he returns we can head over to Hardee’s and get something to eat. It’s just over there and across the street," Greg said.

*~*~*~*~*

September opened the front door of her grandma’s house. The smell of cookies greeted her. She made her way up the front stairs. She walked into the living room. The sun was pouring in the big long window that took up most of the west wall of the living room. Sellstorm was on the couch at the far end of the room. He was reading some book on ‘N Sync. He was laughing hysterically.

"C.K. this book is full of shit, oh excuse me, bologna," Sellstorm said, pulling a piece of bologna out of the book.

"I know. I always get a kick out of what they say," Chris called from the kitchen.

"He’s still in the kitchen? Isn’t grandma down for her nap?" September asked.

"Yeah. Grandma went down at three. However, Chris is still going in there. I think he’s found his calling. Oh, and Grandma had the wrong day for the potluck. It’s today. Not Sunday."

September nodded and walked into the dinning room then into the kitchen. Chris was standing over the table. He was holding down a bowl with one hand and desperately trying to stir the batter in it with the other hand that had the spoon in it. He had flour in his hair, on his face and spattered around his clothes. There was also flour everywhere in the kitchen.

"I don’t think you should give up singing, Chris," September said, looking around.

"Grandma and I got in a flour fight," Chris said.

"Grandma? Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I bring out the best in her. I’ll clean it up. Don’t worry."

"Wouldn’t that be easier with an electric mixer? We have one you know," September said.

"I know. I got to use it earlier. But when Grandma York went down for her nap, she said I had to stir by hand. Didn’t want any accidents."

"I understand fully. What is Justin doing here?"

"To get you back."

"What?!"

"You heard me. Sit."

September sat down. Chris went on stirring. He looked pretty pathetic stirring with a wooden spoon.

"This wasn’t his idea. He went to the airport to get you back, but just missed you. I had called Sellstorm so I knew you had left. We found Justin sitting in a terminal. He looked like he had lost all hope."

"He’d given up on me," September said.

"No, he couldn’t think straight. He was so mad at himself and sad he couldn’t think. He had forgotten where he had left his car. Plus he couldn’t think straight. So I did the thinking for him. Thus this plan was born. And since you know Justin is here ~"

"He’ll be at the potluck."

"He wants you back. And I think you want him back. Follow your heart, September Sarah Stancey. Don’t follow your mind."

September looked at Chris. He was being way too serious for her. She got up and went to her room. She sat down on the bed and watched the light dance on her ceiling. She did this often when she had nothing better to do when she was at Grandma’s. After the sun had moved and it didn’t look as cool, September got up and went over to the closet. She pulled out her mother’s old paper dolls. Her mother had two sets. This was because her friends would always fight over them. She sat down on the floor and pulled out the eight dolls. She put the fancy dresses on them and began to play.

" ‘What would you do, Janet? Would you take him back?’ "

September picked up another doll.

" ‘Let’s list the reason to take him back and not to take him back, Maria’ ‘Okay. Let’s see reason’s not to take him back: he tells me I don’t understand, he keeps stupid things from me, he gets mad easily, and he thinks I don’t understand him. Reasons to take him back…I love him.’ "

September looked at the dolls in her hands. She went on dressing and redressing them till she heard Sellstorm and Chris in the hall.

"Did you get every all clean, C.K.?" Sellstorm asked.

"Yeah. Now I need a shower before we go to that potluck," Chris said.

September could hear Chris go off down the hall. She put the paper dolls away. She opened her door. She could hear her grandma playing the piano that was in the living room. She started down the hall and down the stairs. She then started down the stairs to the family room. She walked over to the old TV that sat on the floor and flipped it on to channel 11. She sat down in the big old chair. She remembered sitting down here when she was little and watching Full House and Growing Pains with Leonardo DiCaripo.

"I miss Justin. God, even Leonardo reminds me of Justin."

"September are you ready to go? Chris will be out of the bathroom anytime," Grandma called down the stairs.

Justin followed JC and Greg into the gym at O’Fallon High. Greg soon found his grandma. Sellstorm, Chris, and September were with her.

"Hi, Grandma. Mom and Dad are sorry they couldn’t make it. Mom just got a shipment in and Dad just got called about some car that just broke down," Greg explained giving his grandma a hug.

"Where’s Lance and Joey?" Chris asked.

"Joey went to the auto shop with Uncle Bob," JC said.

"Lance went with Aunt Diana," Justin said.

"Well, I’m just happy you came, Greg. I haven’t seen you in a really long time. Come, sit down with me. Have you met Chris?"

Greg looked at Chris. "Sellstorm’s college friend?"

"That’s me!"

"I think so."

"Well, why don’t you come sit and talk with me."

"I’ll come with you! Come on JC," Chris said, pulling JC along with him.

"I think I’ll go attack the food. Maybe have some of Chris’s cookies," Sellstorm said, walking off.

"Perfect planning," September muttered.

Justin didn’t hear her. "Can I talk to you? Will you let me?"

September looked at Justin. He look so pathetic. Almost as pathetic as Chris mixing batter with a wooden spoon. She looked at him and caved in.

"Okay. Let’s go out into the hall," September said, walking towards the door. Justin followed her.

"September, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t just tell you about Britney and her little, um, plan. I’m sorry I blew up at you when you asked about it. I shouldn’t have done that. I know you want to help me. I shouldn’t have told you just wouldn’t understand. You do understand. I was an asshole. The way I acted was wrong and I don’t deserve you as my girlfriend, but I can’t live without you."

Justin said all of this looking at the ground. As he said the last line he looked up into her eyes. She had tears in them.

"Justin, I know you meant well with keeping that from me, but you try to blow me off," September said. "But…"

"But, what? You don’t want me back? That’s okay. I’ll find ~"

September put her finger over his mouth. "No, I can’t live without you either. These last days I’ve been so miserable. I know if I had shown up at my grandma’s door looking the way I did and Chris and Sellstorm hadn’t already told her what had happened she would have called the doctor. I haven’t slept well for days. But, Justin, you hurt me. Everytime you’d tell me I just didn’t understand the way you were feeling…well of course I didn’t understand. You wouldn’t let me. You need to tell me how you are feeling so I can understand."

"I will, September. I will. I just can’t seem to do anything right."

"Justin, don’t say that."

"Okay, but I’m sorry."

"I know you are. You’ve said that already. That’s all you needed to say in the first place."

September wrapped her arms around Justin. Justin rested his chin on her head.

"I love you," Justin said softly.

Justin threw his bags into September’s car. He and September were driving from Orlando to O’Fallon to visit her grandma. He picked up the other bags that September had put next to the car. He looked at their house.

"September are you coming?" Justin yelled.

The front door flew open. September came out carrying a six month old baby boy named Tim and following her was a three year old girl named Brenna.

"I had to get the children together, Justin," September said, handing Justin his son Tim.

"Okay, Mrs. Timberlake," Justin said, putting Tim into his car seat.

"I still like the way that sounds," September said, putting Brenna into her car seat.

"I always will," Justin said

"Mommy! How long will it be to Ganny's?" Brenna asked.

"Oh, a couple hours," September said. "Now make sure that Timmy’s okay."

"I will!"

September shut the door. Justin kissed her on the cheek.

"They’re cute kids," he said in her ear.

"That’s because they are yours. Plus, they learned to say sorry to each other."

"That’s the most important lesson I’ve learned in my whole life," Justin said, opening up the door for September.