"Yes, master," Winnie said as she saluted her younger sister. She laughed as Katie stuck out her tongue and returned the gesture. "Boy, I'm gonna miss ya, kid."

"Stop calling me kid, I'm almost 13." Katie cried. "Don't forget to put in a good word for me with Justin!"

Winnie tried to hold back her laughter. "You know it's going to be over five years before you can legally do anything with him." Plus, I have some ideas of my own concerning that fine boy. Oh, and look, he and I are legal now. Winnie knew to keep her thoughts to herself. No one got between Katie and "her man."

"Well, I'm glad my sister has such faith in my plans for the future," Katie stormed out of Winnie's room. Winnie heard Katie's door slam and heard her put her favorite CD on at a volume higher than Winnie thought possible.

Winnie sighed. Ever since she landed an internship with a public relations firm that assigned her to work with a group named *N SYNC her sister would not leave her alone. Katie liked *N SYNC. Correction. Katie is obsessed with *N SYNC and Justin Timberlake. Not that there is anything wrong with Justin. He is damn fine and his voice makes me... Stop it. You just turned twenty and you are thinking like a teeney-bopper. Winnie thought to herself as she closed her last bag.

"Oh, honey, I can't believe my baby's not going to be around this summer."

Winnie looked up to see her mother walk in the room with a box in her hands. "Mom, you promised that you wouldn't do this. What's in the box?"

"It's just some things to take with you on the trip." Her mom replied showing Winnie the contents of the box. "I know it's a long drive and I don't want you to only eat junk food. I won't be around so heaven knows what you'll be eating."

"Now, mom, I don't eat all that badly, do I?" The look on her mother's face answered her question. Winnie laughed and hugged her mom. "I love you mom."

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~

"Bye Winnie, don't forget to call when you get there."

"Don't worry I won't." She wrote Call Dad into the dust on her dashboard. "See that'll remind me."

Winnie pulled out of her driveway and waved to her family as they disappeared in her rearview mirror. She pulled onto Route 95 and popped in *N SYNC's debut album. She began to sing along at the top of her lungs when "Tearin' Up My Heart" started.

Hmmm. What did mom put in here?

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

"You know what? I have a strange feeling about this summer. Something big is gonna happen. Maybe I'll find the girl of my dreams," an attractive blue-eyed man thought aloud as his basketball swished throuh the hoop.

He turned around to skeptical looks on the faces of his four friends and groupmates.

Maybe

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

Winnie slowed down to look at the street sign. "Damn," she mumbled to herself, "where is Pine Street?"

It was the next morning. Winnie was unsuccessfuly trying to find the building where she would be meeting her co-workers. She was going to be late and the directions she was given weren't helping. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a pay phone. I'l just call and find out where I am. She pulled into a parking lot near some basketball courts and walked to the phone.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

Behind his friends he saw a girl get out of a Chevy Blazer. His eyes widened. She is the most striking creature I've ever seen. I think maybe just turned into definately.

With that thought his basketball missed its target by a mile.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

"Okay, so I turn around, go a block, make a left, make the next left and it's the second building on the right." Winnie repeated for confirmation. "Great, I'll be there in a few minutes."

Winnie hung up the phone and walked back to her truck. Out of the corner of her eye she saw five figures on a basketball court. What I wouldn't give to be outside all day playing basketball, or some other sport, like those guys seem to be doing.

The basketball also reminded her of Justin's love for the game. Winnie, she scolded herself, stop it...NOW.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

"You took me away from a game. A game I was winning, this has to be important. Either that or someone's gonna get killed." 18-year-old Justin Timberlake threatened his groupmates as they pulled him into the office. The look in his blue eyes told them he was not joking.

"Chill, Justin," his 27-year-old friend Chris said defensively, "The new P.R. intern is coming today and Stephanie thought it would be nice if we were here to meet her. Plus, what would you do without my dreads to hit the teeney-boppers and keep them away from you?"

Justin glared at Chris and went to sit next to JC. "Are you okay?" He asked, his voice full of concern. "Don't lie. I've known you long enough to know when you're lying," he reminded his friend.

"Yeah, I will be. I just need time to get over Sh-Sh-Sha...her." 22-year-old JC slowly got out. He had a sullen look on his face.

Justin nodded. The last P.R. intern, Shannon, had scarred the heart of his best friend. JC had been instantly attracted to her and the feelings appeared to be mutual. But they weren't Justin remembered. When they were together JC was happier than Justin had ever saw him. Considering how far back they went that meant a lot. But at the end of her internship Shannon broke his heart. She thanked him for the fun times and went back home, never to be heard from again.

JC fell in love with an intern. An intern is someone who is not supposed to stick around. I'm never going to let that happen to me. Justin thought to himself. NEVER!

The openning of the office door snapped him out of his thoughts.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

Suite 110. Here goes nothing. Winnie opened the door.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

Winnie was not prepared for what she saw. In front of her were three members of *N SYNC. She hoped she hid her surprise and realized that she hadn't said anything. She prayed that sound came out of her mouth when she spoke.

"Umm...I'm looking for Stephanie Crowley," she stumbled out nervously as she looked at the three men.

"Winnie," she turned around and saw Stephanie walking towards her with her arms open for a hug. "I'm so glad you finally made it. T'm sorry about the bad directions."

"Don't worry, I most likely copied them down wrong," Winnie replied as she hugged Stephanie.

"Hey, what about us? Do we get to hug her?" Chris cried from his spot on the desk.

"Umm, Chris, she doesn't know us, yet, and who would want to hug you? Like you said earlier, your dreads are lethal." Justin cracked. Justin looked up at the girl in front of him. How can he say something like that to her? Justin looked down and then back up at her. I know I couldn't.

"Well then, lets fix that," JC interupted. "Hello, I'm JC Chasez." JC extended his hand.

"I thought we were hugging? What? Afraid of being close to a female?" Winnie joked as she opened her arms to hug JC.

Chris was now standing next to JC. "Hey, I want a piece of the action! Hi, I'm Chris Kirkpatrick," He enveloped her into a bear hug. "And funny boy over there is Justin Timberlake, but from how often you've been looking at him, I have a feeling you already know that."

Both Winnie and Justin blushed. Justin stood up, mumbled "hi", hugged her and started to sit back down. He didn't make it because a rumbling in the hall grabbed the attention of everyone.

"Wait a sec, I know there are five of..."

"Now you're gonna get it. You got that paper all wet."

"Oh, sorry," Lance drawled sarcastically. "It's not like you don't have thousands of girls' numbers at home."

"Not this girl's."

Joey and Lance had tumbled into the office with wet clothes. Winnie raised her eyebrows when she saw the large water pistols in their hands. Before she knew what was happening Joey jumped behind her.

"Now Lansten, you wouldn't hit a girl, would you?"

"No, I wouldn't."

Joey thought he had found his Switzerland. He was wrong. Lance looked Winnie in the eye. She gave a slight nod to assure him she would co-operate. She mouthed "On three."

"One. Two. Three."

Winnie hit the couch beside her as Lance hit Joey smack in the middle of the Superman "S" on his shirt with a stream of water.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

Joey stood there stunned for a moment. He looked around the room at everyone laughing hysterically. His eyes rested on the girl giggling uncontrolibly on the couch. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Joey Fatone." He extended his hand as he introduced himself.

She held her hand out. "Winnie Brooks."

"Doesn't he get a hug like the rest of us?"

Winnie gave Chris a nasty look. He just continued to sit there smiling sweetly at her.

"Not all soaked he doesn't." She started to pull her hand back.

"You took part in my getting soaked. Don't think you're going to get away that easily." And with that the 22-year-old pulled her hand and brought her close for a tight hug. When he let go he looked at Winnie's wet shirt and smiled at his accomplishment.

Winnie turned to Lance. "That leaves you as Lance Bass."

"Guilty as charged," the twenty-year-old replied with a smile. Lance turned to Joey. "I bet she won't use the excuse that she won't hug me because I'm all wet."

"Gee, could that be because now I'm all wet." Winnie reached out and hugged Lance.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

"Good, now that the introductions are over can we please do something that resembles work?" Stephanie asked with a smirk on her face.

"Almost," Justin's voice came from behind Winnie, Lance and Joey.

Chris was standing next to Justin. "Hey guys."

Lance, Joey and Winnie turned around and saw Justin and Chris giving them playful smiles. "What?" the three said simultaneously.

"Oh nothing." Chris and Justin replied at the same time. Then they pulled the water guns from behind their backs and made sure that the other three stayed wet.

"Lance, this time we don't need to count to three." She ran after them with Lance and Joey close on her heels.

JC and Stephanie looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"I think she fits in perfectly."

"I couldn't agree more."

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

I can't believe I've been here two weeks already. Winnie thought to herself as she sat on a bench in the park with the basketball courts. She had been coming here at lunchtime for the past week and a half. Winnie sighed as she pulled out the sandwich she had made that morning. The guys had left for New York City the day before to do a couple of television shows. They're using one of my ideas. Well, Justin is. she thought to herself happily.

***** Flashback *****

"So what's your line this trip to New York?" Winnie asked Justin innocently.

"What do you mean 'my line'?"

"Well, unless you want to repeat 'Single and ready to mingle' you might want to change your answer to that inevitable question." she replied with a grin on her face.

"Do you have any suggestions?"

"I might. Let me think." Winnie grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and started to scribble her ideas down.

When a smile crept on her face Justin knew she was finally satisfied with what she wrote. "Okay, Einstein, what cheesey line did you make up for me to say?" Justin looked over her shoulder and read the line she was pointing to.

"I'm impressed. I bow to your greatness." He tried to keep a straight face after he said that last line.

"Finally, someone who appreciates my genius."

***** End Flashback *****

Winnie looked up at the sky and sighed.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

"I can't believe how early we have to get up for those morning shows." Joey whined as the five men filed into the hotel elevator.

"I know," JC stated as he pressed the buttin for the 35th floor "but that's the price of stardom. You all know that I would love to be sleeping instead of doing these early morning interviews. Just keep in mind, you have to make sacrifices in order to do the thing you love."

"Yes, dad." The others countered. They all smirked.

The elevator reached the 35th floor and they walked towards their suite. After they entered the suite Joey headed to his bed.

"I'm taking a nap. When's our next interview, Lance?

"Noon."

"Can someone wake me up at 11:30? Someone other than Chris please."

"Why can't I wake you up?"

"Because, Freud, remember the last time I asked you to wake me up. I don't want to go through that again."

Chris had to think for a minute. When he remembered he began to laugh. The look on Joey's tired face made him try to hold it in. Chris tried but soon he gave in and had to laugh. Joey waved his arms in the air and retreated to his room.

JC looked at Chris doubled over on the couch. "Chris, pray tell, what did you do?"

"Well, he said he really needed to sleep and told me to wake him up before we had to leave for the interview."

"Uh-huh."

"I did what he wanted me to. I woke him up before we left."

"And..." Lance was now listening with interest.

"And I think he meant he wanted to be woken up more than five minutes before we were going to leave. All he had time to do was brush his teeth. At least with that new hairstyle he's got going it didn't matter that he didn't have time to fix it."

Lance laughed and turned to go to the kitchenette. He saw Justin looking out the glass balcony doors deep in thought. He walked over to his friend. "Hey, you alright? You've been quiet today. Is there anything you need to talk about?"

"No man, I just need time to sit and think alone." Justin looked over at Lance hoping that the older man would understand and not be hurt by the 'alone' part.

Lance understood. "No prob. You know I'm here if you need me." Lance made his way to the fridge and took out a bottle of orange juice.

Justin watched Lance walk across the room. He sighed and walked onto the balcony.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

Justin rubbed his temples with his hand. Joey's got the right idea. He longed to sleep, but he couldn't. He was afraid if he did then his dream from the night before would come again. Why is this dream bothering me so much? Why am I fighting this? Why am I fighting my head? Or am I fighting my heart? Justin finally gave in and shut his eyes.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

"Hey man, we've got an interview to go to." He looked up to see a man with brown hair and eyes poke his head through the door.

"Okay, I'll be right there."

He didn't want to reopen his eyes. When they were closed he saw her. He smiled at the memory of the first time he saw her.

***** Flashback *****

Behind his friends he saw a girl get out of a Chevy Blazer. His eyes widened. She is the most striking creature I have ever seen. I think maybe just turned into definataly.

With that thought his basketball missed its target by a mile.

***** End Flashback *****

He sighed. Boy you've got it bad. Not only did you follow her home one day, you watch her eat in the park everyday.

He knew that she only walked into his life two weeks ago, but it felt like he had known her forever. Everywhere he went he searched for her in the crowd, knowing she wouldn't be there. Okay, you've got to stop thinking of her. He opened up his blue eyes and went to join his four groupmates who were waiting for him.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

Today's the day Justin uses my line. Winnie was so excited that she couldn't contain herself. After work she decided to roller blade in the park. It was a beautiful day outside. She was beginning to get used to the strength of the Florida sun. She had two hours before the guys would be on TV. Winnie changed into her skates and began circling the track around the park.

The guys are most likely looking out over a crowd of fans laughing at the sayings on signs written by girls way too young for them were holding. A lot of them will be for Justin.

Winnie felt something inside her cringe with that last thought. She had been becoming close to Justin over these past two weeks. Once as she got over the initial aweness of his superstardom she saw a Justin Timberlake that she never realized was there when she was just a fan. Now that she knew him she wasn't quite sure how she felt about him. He is a great guy. He's funny, sweet, goofy, talented, smart... oh I could go on and on. How do I feel about him though? Do I like him as a friend or could I be falling for... "Umph"

Winnie didn't get to finish her thought. She was so caught up in her thoughts she didn't realized she had stopped and another skater knocked into her. She looked up from her spot on the ground and saw a guy a few years older than her looking down at her with concern on his face.

"Sorry about that."

"No, no, it was my fault. I was so caught up in my thoughts I stopped in the middle of the track."

"But I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't see you stop.

They both laughed. The concerned look reappeared on his face. "Are you alright?" He pointed to her knee.

Winnie glanced down at her knee. "I will be, it's just a scrape." she reassured him. "If it doesn't kill you it'll make you stronger, right?"

"Right," the guy said giving her a smile that reached his eyes. He held his hand down to her. "Here, let me help you up."

She took his hand and let him lead her to the nearest bench. They sat there talking for awhile. She found out that he also worked in the area. Thay made arrangements to eat in the park the next day. Suddenly Winnie remembered she had a time limit and looked at her watch. "Oh my gosh, I gotta get going." She got up quickly forgetting that she still had her blades on amd fell back onto the bench.

Winnie looked up at the man sitting next to her. He was trying his best not to laugh. Winnie gave him a stern look, but a smile soon snuck its way onto her face. "Okay, I really am going to leave now." She stood up and remembered something. "By the way, I'm Winnie."

He hesitated before telling her his name. Almost as if he had to make it up.

He reached his hand out to shake hers. "Alex."

"Bye Alex. See you tomorrow." She turned around and started skating to her Blazer. She stopped when she heard Alex call her name.

"Oh Winnie?"

"Yeah?"

"Tomorrow don't wear your blades. I only have the heart to see you fall so many times." Alex smiled before he skated down the street.

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

"You guys ready? You're on in 45 seconds." A producer was running around making sure that everything was running smoothly. As soon as the producer entered she was gone.

"Don't you just love the friendly atmosphere here?" Joey looked in the mirror to check his hair one last time.

"Same ol' Joey, can't get enough of his own reflection."

Joey turned around and saw his aunt. "I thought you were working and going to come by the hotel later."

"Well, I got off early to see my famous nephew."

"I've got to get to the set. You'll be watching from the wings, right?" Joey hugged his aunt.

"Absolutely. Go break some hearts." She winked at him.

Joey laughed and turned to his friends. "So Justin, are you going to tell what Winnie gave you for the question and answer period?"

"Nope. I don't want you to steal my line." Justin stuck his tongue out at Joey and walked onto the set.

"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for. *N SYNC!"

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

Winnie watched as the guys walked onto the screen. I bet Katie is taping this. Man they're lookin' good. Her eyes were transfixed on Justin. What is going on with me? I used to fantasize about him and knowing that the dreams couldn't come true. Now it's possible and I don't know what to do. Winnie refocused her attention to the TV.

"So guys, I'll ask the question all the girls want answered....."

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

"...Do any of you have girlfriends?"

Involuntarily Joey, JC, Chris and Lance all looked at Justin wanting to hear his answer.

"You guys want the truth, right?"

"Right."

"Well, I'll tell you the truth no matter how much it pains us."

The four men on stage with Justin were feeling uncomfortable with the words their youngest member was saying. Justin, what are you doing? All four of them were praying. Don't do anything foolish.

"The truth is..."

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

Winnie couldn't help but laugh. The looks of relief that Chris, JC, Joey and Lance wore were priceless. Did they actually think that I'd have him tell the truth? Oh geez, I'd be sent packing in no time.

Her line worked like a charm. As the camera panned the audience she could tell they were eating it up. Her adrenaline was pumping. She put in her "Grease" soundtrack and began dancing around the apartment. Near the middle of the CD the phone rang. She turned the music off before answering the phone.

"Hi Justin."

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

"How'd you know it was me?"

"I have have ESP...N."

"Anyway, smart alec, what did you think?"

"I loved it. The looks on the other guys faces..." Winnie couldn't finish her sentence, she was laughing too hard.

"I wish I could've seen it, but they stuck me in the back, as always. That's one disadvantage to being so tall."

"Awww, poor baby."

"I'm a man. I can take it." Winnie was now laughing hysterically. Justin continued as if she wasn't. "How's everything back in sunny Orlando?"

"Good, but being here is beginning to be painful."

Concern filled Justin's body. What does she mean. Is she missing someone from home? She never mentioned anyone. His mind was racing. Why does this bother me so?

"What do you mean it's beginning to be painful? Is everything alright?"

He did not hear her laughter. Scenarios were appearing in his mind. Finally he snapped out of it. "Why are you laughing?"

"Sorry, just remembering what happened."

"What happened?" She heard the relief in his voice.

"Okay, after work I decided to blade in the park. As I was circling the track I got caught up in my thoughts and stopped skating at some point. Well, then this guy bumped into me and I fell to the ground. After we both apoligized he asked me if I was okay and pointed to my knee because it was bleeding."

"Bleeding? Are you okay?"

Hearing Justin yell 'bleeding' Lance, Chris and Joey looked up from their video game with questioning expressions.

"Oh, sorry guys." Justin left the back lounge and headed to the front of the bus.

"Who's he talking to?" Chris had paused the game and looked at the younger men.

"Winnie."

"From the intense look on his face the topic must be really important," Chris thought for a moment. "or maybe it's the person that is so important."

Joey shifted in his seat. "Chris, what are you thinking? Or, I'm afraid to say, planning?"

"C'mon you guys, don't tell me you can't see the chemistry between them. It's been there since they first laid eyes on each other. Sometimes I'm afraid that if I walk by them I might get electricuted."

Lance burst out laughing. "Now that's a scary thought."

"What?"

"Not only would your hair be sharp and hard it would be charged too? Ouch... painful." Joey sat on the couch laughing.

"Thanks for the insight Dr. Bass."

"No problem man."

"Now, back to our feature conversation." Chris changed his voice to sound like a TV announcer's.

Joey had regained his composure. "Which was?"

"Justin and Winnie."

"What about them?"

"They are majorly attracted to each other. They are looking more than friendship from one another."

"More than a friendship? What do you mean?" Joey knew his line of questions would agitate Chris. A smile threatened to appear on his lips as he could gleefully see his plan was working.

Chris was bout to yell at Joey when he noticed his expression. "Well, my star pupil Joseph, when two people want to have more than just a friendship they enter a stage called relationship. Now, our two specimens are interested in something called a committed relationship. In this type of relationship two people agree not to enter into another relationship with a different person within the duraton of their relationship. Are you getting all this?"

"I think. Let me try. But try to remember I'm just a simple Italian boy without much brains," he played along with Chris. "Here we go. Your two victims, Winnie and Justin, want to go out with each other and noone else. Is that what your saying a committed relationship involves?"

Chris faced Lance. "Watson, I think he's got it. He deserves a sticker for his correct answer."

"I agree, but we don't have any. Darn."

"Now, if only he could apply that concept to himself."

Joey pretended to look amused. "Funny, Chris, funny. How about you? What's going on between you and..."

"Let's get back to the game. I'm sure Lance wants a chance to play." Chris unpaused the game.

"Thought so."

~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

"Don't worry, it's just a scrape. Nothing big. So he helped me up and we went our separate ways." Winnie was laughing at the memories of her earlier accident. She left out a few important details. She did not tell Justin about the long conversation she had with Alex. She also did not mention the fact that she would be having lunch with him tomorrow.

"So this guy..."

"Alex."