"What a night," I said leaning back in the SUV that Brad had arranged for.

"It was a great show. Your mom seemed to enjoy herself."

I smiled over at him. "Yeah I think she did. I think she was a little overwhelmed by all the attention."

He looked over at me. "She hasn't been in the spotlight in awhile has she?"

I shake my head. "No, not since before Ashleigh was born."

"Whose decision was that?"

I look at him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean was it your mom's or your dad's?"

I shrug. "Oh, I don't know…I always assumed it was hers. She doesn't do anything she doesn't want to do. I think she just wanted to be with us as much as she could. And be with daddy too. I remember sometimes we wouldn't see him for like two weeks at a time. It was awful," I said softly.

"Was it because he was on tour?"

I nod. "Yeah. He was on tour and she was doing a movie. Then she'd be on tour and he'd be in the studio or something. I mean it didn't happen that often but I was so miserable when it did…so was mama."

"Did you ever stay with your dad?"

"Oh sure…lots of times. But I don't think I was ever away from mama for two weeks."

"What was your favorite part of the show?" he asks me.

I shake my head and laugh. "I can't pick one. There were too many. I heard I missed a funny part while I was in my dressing room. I'll have to catch this on TV when it comes on."

He laughs. "I didn't get to see it either."

"What about you?" I turned to ask him. He was a lot closer than I realized.

"I like that "Baby One More Time" remix."

I laughed. "Okay besides that?"

He smiled. "Well I'd have to say…" he paused and then shook his head. "No, there wasn't anything else. Oh, maybe that number at the end," he winked at me.

I blushed.

"Looks like we got here before the guest of honor," Brad said as we entered the club. He gently grabbed my arm and led me to the VIP area where the other guests were already starting to mill about.

"I didn't get to do this," Brianna said grabbing me and pulling me into a hug. "You were so…so…oh I don't know, so amazing. This is going to be huge for you."

My eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I think she means this will put you on the map. Everyone's going to know your name," Brad said into my ear.

I shuddered at how close he was.

"Hi, I'm Brianna," she says sticking her hand out in front of Brad's face.

He takes her hand and says, "I'm Brad. Nice to meet you."

"My pleasure," she smiles at him. "I saw you the other night after we saw Adriana's show but I didn't get a chance to meet you before you disappeared."

Brianna's gaze shifts and I turn my head to see who she's looking at. She smiles and waves at Marcus who just walked into the VIP area. He smiles and waves back and starts walking toward us.

I glare back at Brianna.

"You thirsty?" Brad asks, apparently not noticing the exchange.

"Yeah, I'll take a soda," I tell him.

Brianna doesn't answer him so he walks away in one direction as Marcus walks up from the other.

"Hi you two," he says leaning down to kiss both of our cheeks.

"Hi…did you enjoy the show?" Brianna asks.

"I sure did. Especially that one hot number," he winked at me.

I smiled. "Thanks."

All of a sudden people started to cheer and applaud and I looked over and saw mama and daddy walking into the area. Mama joked around and kept bowing, then when they wouldn't stop she stood up and held up her hands and started to laugh.

"Okay stop," she laughed.

"You're beautiful when you smile," Marcus whispered to me.

I glance up and look into his eyes. "Thank you. I'm just happy to see my mama so happy," I shrug.

"I can see the love you have for her in your eyes. It's beautiful."

I look back at my parents. Ashleigh's holding on to daddy's hand. She's starting to look tired. Brianna and I find a table to sit at and I catch Ashleigh's attention. I motion for her to come to me, so she does.

She walks up to me and I pat my lap so she sits down. As soon as she does she lays her head on my shoulder.

"You want something to drink?" I ask her.

She shakes her head no.

"Speaking of which, would you ladies like anything?" Marcus asks, standing over our table.

"I have something coming, but thanks."

He looks at Brianna. "I'll take a glass of mineral water," she says.

"I'll be back, then."

Within a few seconds Brad walked up from behind her.

"Here we go," he said setting three glasses down on the table.

"Thank you," I said.

He sits in the chair in between Brianna and I and takes a sip out of his glass.

"Here you go Ashleigh," he says sliding the extra glass of soda towards us.

"Thanks," she said sitting up and smiling.

"I thought you didn't want anything?"

She shrugs and takes a drink.

"How did you know she was here?" I ask.

"I was watching you and saw her sit down."

"Oh," I smiled at him.

We start talking about the show when Marcus comes back.

"Here you go Brianna," he says setting the drink down in front of her.

"Thank you kind sir," she says before taking a sip.

"Hi Brad," Marcus says holding out his hand.

"Marcus," he says in return and shakes his hand.

Marcus glances at me before he turns around and looks at the crowd.

"If you'll excuse me I see someone I need to talk to," he says before walking away.

Brianna looks over at me and I glance back down at the glass in my hands.

After another thirty minutes Aunt Kelly walks over to our table.

"It's time," she says sadly.

"Ohhh do you have to go?" I ask Brianna as she stands up.

She makes a pouty face and says, "Yeah, I wish I could tour around the world with you but I need to find my own life."

We both laugh.

I stand up, setting Ashleigh down on the floor and walk over to hug Brianna.

"I'm so glad I got to see you for a couple of days."

"My next long weekend off, I'll come find you," she says as she holds both of my hands.

"You better."

"Bye Brad, it was nice to meet you," she says waving at him.

"You too," he replies as Brianna leans down to hug Ashleigh.

"Bye cutie."

I give Aunt Kelly a hug before she leaves with Brianna.

"You guys are close…" Brad says as I sit back down. Even though there's now an empty chair Ashleigh sits back down on my lap.

"Yeah…we're the two oldest of the group, you know?"

"Of the *Nsync kids?"

"Yeah. We used to run around the halls of the venues," I laugh. "They had all kinds of scooters and bikes and stuff. Our mom's would go crazy."

He laughs. "I bet. That's a lot of ground to cover."

"We used to hide under the stage while our dad's were doing sound checks…ah the good old days."

"Was I there?" Ashleigh asked.

I pushed the hair away from her shoulder. "No, you weren't born yet."

"Grandma and Grandpa are leaving…Ashleigh you want to go back with them?" daddy asks.

She looks at me and then looks at daddy.

"Go on, you're tired," I say before giving her a kiss on her cheek.

"Okay. Bye Brad."

"Bye."

Daddy lifts her from my lap and starts to walk away.

I shake my head. "She's so spoiled."

"Where's Cody?" Brad asks.

I look around. "I don't know. I didn't even see him come in with mama and daddy."

"There he is," Brad says, pointing over to the corner.

I sit back a little in my chair. I'm in shock.

"Looks like Marcus has made a friend."

"I haven't seen Cody laugh like that in a long time," I say.

"What's his deal anyway?"

I look over at Brad.

"Cody?"

He nods.

"He's just going through some growing pains I think. I think he wants to be out pursuing his acting career and he's upset that mama and daddy are holding him back," I shrug. "They have certain things in mind for us as far as time limits go."

"That's why you're doing this now?"

"I guess. I started the recording when I was fifteen but daddy knew that it would be ready by the time I was sixteen. I heard them talking to Uncle Lance about it once." I chuckled. "He was pointing out that they were both eleven when they started in the business and they were trying to come up with excuses."

"They probably just wanted to hold on to their babies as long as they could."

I smile. "That's what Uncle Lance said. Anyway, they won't let Cody try anything professionally for a couple more years and he's pouting about it."

"You want to dance?" Brad asks as a new song begins to play.

"I'd love to," I say standing up and following him to the dance floor.

As we dance, I feel someone watching me. I smile at Marcus who's looking over my way. He smiles and waves and then returns to talking to Cody again. Brad dances around so that my back is to the VIP area. As soon as that song stops, a slow one comes on.

"Have you ever slow danced before?" he asks, holding out his hands.

I nod. "With my daddy."

We both laugh.

"Actually, I have a lot of guy friends back home and one of them took me to his prom last year so…"

"Good then," he says pulling me closer.

His hands touch my waist as mine find his shoulders. I let myself get lost in the song and I close my eyes. Next thing I know, I feel Brad's cheek against my forehead. I try not to gasp and just let myself get lost in the moment.

When the song ends he leans down…oh God, he's going to kiss me right here in front of my family…and he kisses the tip of my nose.

"Thanks for the dance," he says.

I look into his eyes. "Thank you. I had fun."

He takes my hand and we make our way back up to the VIP area. I see daddy watching me as we walk into the area. He's got a scowl on his face so I make the same face back at him and walk over to him.

"Be careful, your face my stay that way and I don't think mama would like to look at you like that the rest of your life."

Mama rubs his shoulder and then touches his forehead. "She's right…I see the lines forming already."

"I'm just watching out for my baby," he said before he leans down and kisses my forehead.

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, 'cuz I really need to be watched," I say as I turn around and walk back toward Brad.

"Was I that obvious?" Justin asks Britney.

She smiles and nods. "I think it's sexy though."

He gets a mischievous grin on his face. "What's sexy?"

"The way you get so overprotective of our children," she says running her hand up his chest.

"Really?" he asked, leaning into her ear.

She nods.

"Wait, I'm not overprotective," he said.

She laughs. "Yes you are…but it's cute. Have you been watching Cody tonight?"

He smiles and nods. "Who would have thought Marcus would unlock a door?"

Britney shakes her head.

"You look tired, you want to go?"

Britney rubs her stomach and says, "Yeah, I'm not feeling great either."

I watch mama walk over to Marcus and Cody and say something. Cody's sour look comes back to his face as soon as she's finished talking. Marcus stands up and gives mama a kiss on the cheek.

Daddy walks over to us. "We're going to go, your mama isn't feeling that well," he says leaning down.

"Okay," I say giving him a sad look. "She going to be okay?"

"Yeah, I think it's just been a long day. You should probably get going soon too. You have to leave pretty early in the morning."

I sigh. "Yeah I know."

"I was just going to say the same thing," Brad chimed in.

Daddy looked over at him. "Good. Should we take you home then?" he asks me.

I glance over at Brad. "No, Brad took me tonight so I'll go back with him."

Daddy kissed my cheek. "Okay. Good night then."

"Good night," Brad said.

It took mama and daddy awhile to leave since she had to say goodnight to everyone.

"You could have gone back with them," Brad says quietly.

I look over at him and shake my head. "No, you're my escort tonight so I expect you to finish the evening by taking me home. If that's okay."

He laughs. "Of course it is. Shall we then?"

"Sure, but it's going to take me a little bit to say goodbye to everyone. I don't know when I'll see them again."

"Okay," he said.

He followed right behind me as I said my good-bye's to family. I tried to find Marcus to say bye to but didn't see him. As Brad and I walked through the club to leave, I saw Marcus on the dance floor with a petite blonde.

The SUV pulls into the driveway of our house.

"Thanks again…I'm glad I got to spend time with you tonight," I said turning to Brad.

"Hold on, I'll walk you up to the door."

"You really don't…"

He was already making his way to my side of the car.

He opened the door and I took his hand.

We walked up the pathway to the door.

"What time is your bus leaving?" he asks.

"Seven, I think."

"Yeah, ours too."

I nod. I stand at the front door.

"Good night," I say as I lean in and kiss his cheek.

"Good night." He takes my hand and gives it a squeeze.

I open the door and watch him walk back to the car. He waves before he gets in.

As soon as I walk into the house I scream because daddy's standing right there.

"Hi," he said.

"Daddy, what are you doing?"

"I heard a car door so I decided to make sure you got in okay."

I roll my eyes and start to walk past him. "Daddy, it's a gated property, no one is going to mug me on the way. Where's mama?"

"She's in bed."

"Already?"

"I told you she didn't feel well."

"Can I go see her?"

"Sure, but she might be asleep."

I walk upstairs and open the door to her bedroom. She looks like she's sound asleep so I go back to my bedroom and shut the door. I lean back against it and shut my eyes.

"Mama, I really need to talk to you."