The walls were painted a stark white in contrast to the black that furnished the room. The only reprieve sat in the heart of the living room - a beautifully colored, ornate Persian rug. Never had something looked so out of place. The blues, the peach, the brick red- all on the verge of being swallowed up by the black couch, the white tiles, and an abyss of no personality.

She'd never get over its misplacement. Every time she set foot in this place, as often as she did, she was struck by the oddity of it. Warm, bright colors did not belong to such a soul and a room void of strength. She raised an eyebrow. "Who gave you that rug again?"

His eyes glanced quickly away from the drinks he was preparing behind the bar. "Katie. For my birthday." Proof. The shortest number of syllables possible while still answering her question.

She just nodded her head slightly in acknowledgement. She knew Katie... or rather... she knew of Katie. Whatever Riley said about her so infrequently. Riley didn't talk about much else with Luciana except Luciana. Or them. She supposed he had a life away. But she was in no danger of being taken over by it. Riley fought it back himself. Oh well... Katie, little Katie... Katie who wasn't important to her. Katie who didn't matter. Katie who posed no threat and that was entirely fine by Luciana.

"Oh, two olives, please Riley," Luciana said absentmindedly as she gazed around, bored. The apartment hadn't changed in years, the same black and white Japanese paintings on the otherwise bare wall, the same black vase holding Chinese paper flowers, and the still modern glass table. No, not much had changed since she'd first set eyes on it. Except for that rug...

"By the way, Luciana..." Riley said casually, "Congratulations."

Luciana's attention was had. "Congratulations indeed. Hurry up with those martinis so we can toast, Riley."

And what a night it had been... long, yet superbly fulfilling. Everything had happened just as she'd wanted it to, gone according to plans. It was how it was supposed to be. She loved when things went her way. Luciana was still bedecked in the silver-blue gown; the one everyone had said was no less than "stunning". She smiled. She gave herself credit. Why else would she wear anything if it was any less than gorgeous? And to a ball no less? Luciana was no slouch. Only the best of the best was ever good enough for her.

A strappy silver slipper dangled from her right foot. She had loosed them as soon as she'd sat down, but not taken them off fully. Her arms rested on an overstuffed black leather armchair - luxurious - her throne right now. In the background, footsteps on the tile started from the bar to the living room. She turned her eyes upward to the form - Riley, suited handsomely. The only part of him that seemed disorderly was the bowtie she'd undone in his private car with tinted windows, late, late tonight.

Yes, it was late. She'd said goodnight to Justin three hours ago, before a rush jet flight from Rio to New York. Justin thought she was going to her apartment in Toronto- well, she was- after staying here... but only for a bit. No worries- he wouldn't grow suspicious, after all, he hadn't even known that Riley was was on a jet going back to New York too, though his jet had taken off before hers. And Justin had thought the good-bye and safe trip she'd wished Riley was real.

But now Riley carried two martinis, one in in each hand, and walked towards Luciana. Silently he offered one glass to Luciana. Her lips snaked upward with her sapphire eyes as she reached as she reached upwards to take the drink from Riley, slowly making sure her hand touched his own lightly and the top of her cleavage was visible just slightly as she shifted forward towards him. She saw his eyes shift. "Thank you, Riley," she said graciously. "Toast?"

"Of course." His voice was just as silky as hers as he sat down in the chair opposite hers. The room was dim, casting shadows over the room, their faces and bodies. "To Luciana," Riley toasted, lifting his glass towards hers.

Luciana lifted her glass and drank.

"To us."

She glanced at him, her martini glass paused at her lips. She lowered. He hadn't said that in the last two weeks and she saw him almost every week at the least. But she complied with a relaxed smile.

"To us," she repeated in a voice whose tone could not be mistaken. He knew what she wanted though he'd have to wait a bit.

"To Luciana's victory," he said, raising the glass for the third time.

She acquiesed with the same smile and a nods towards him. But... "To them both," she corrected and raised the glass towards her lips.

Quickly, he did the same. "Both?" he asked as he swallowed and lowered the now almost empty glass from his lips to the coffe table.

She giggled, almost on a high tonight. "Oh, nothing. Let's just say I put the files to good use..."

She saw his eyes light up. "Justin's?" he asked rather enthusiastically.

She smirked. "Of course not. Emily's."

His eyes grew dark and at the same time he tried to maintain a casual look. It wasn't working. She raised an eyebrow just slightly.

He coughed as he saw her look. Suddenly he turned rather shy, cowering at her stare. "So, um what did you do?"

This pleased her. She smiled once again. "Oh, nothing to worry about. It was nothing they didn't have coming their way anyway." From her glass she took one last sip, plucking the two olives Riley had placed on a toothpick for her.

"Their? I thought you said just Emily."

Luciana didn't answer him as she licked an olive and slowly... pulled... it... off... with her teeth.

"But..."

She stared at him, her eyes a sultry dark. "But nothing. I eliminated any possibility of competition. Simple as that."

He shook his head, confused... lost. "But Luciana. You don't have any competition. At least not legitimately." He was hurrying his words along, reiterating what was already known. "What did..."

She laughed gaily, raised her head to expose the white skin of her neck as her head dipped back, lips berry red. How wicked. Suddenly but gracefully she shifted position leaning dramatically forward, her swelling cleavage now in his full view. Only the dress concealed the least of them. She pulled her head back down then and focused on him. She knew he was looking... his sentence had cut-off mid-word as he stared at her, frozen... interested.

"Riley, Riley," she admonished as she stared at him, slowly raising the remaining olive to her lips. It was moist already... her tongue slipped between her lips as she licked it. Then, teasingly, she put her teeth gently around it and twirled in her her mouth. Slowly... ever so slowly... she slid it off the toothpick with her teeth. Oh he was watching all right. And then the olive was off, in her mouth where she sucked it and ever so gently chewed and nibbled it. She swallowed. "Why so many questions tonight, Riley?" She sat back once again, very aware, his eyes followed her every movement and moved slightly forward too, toward her. "I look ravishing tonight, don't you agree?"

"Yes," he said, but his voice was thick, stuck a little in his throat.

She smiled. "So? Why are we just sitting here? I've finished my martini. You've finished yours."

"...Yes," he swallowed.

It was her cue. She stood up, goddess to him held in the highest. Her gown fell gracefully just past her ankles and just above the stilleto heels of her sandals. She turned, her bare back to him for the dress hung open at the back. She had a beautiful back. She took a few steps toward the bedroom. She stopped and turned her neck just slightly to stare him up... and... down.

"Coming?" she questioned in a kittenish voice.

She turned away. She need not wait for an answer. She could hear him behind her, already scrambling up from his seat, questions forgotten.

-§-

Crazy is as crazy does in a padded room crisscrossed with sunshine. "Crazy, crazy, crazy!" That was her new word for the day as she stood with her back to the garden, sunlight spilling through her auburn hair, lighting a flame of its color. "Oh, Lord." And she said that because things had suddenly complicated themselves in front of her eyes and a shadow passed through.

But it was only a minor setback, really and the sun was high in the sky, the lightbulb of Earth, over her head. Oh she could do much. Minor... minor minor minor.

She had to think of it that way. She was flexible... She was steaming, seething, her eyes such a dark green, so she wasn't sure if they were really her own. Oh, she'd make her pay. How dare she? Who did she think she was? No, obviously, she did not know who she was playing with. Or she would've thought again. Or she would've reconsidered. Emily was not someone to mess with! No! She was not... not not not not not.

Well, Emily would show her! Jan and her careless look on life... Emily'd change that... she'd change it all by the time she was through with everything. She'd return to Jan just what Jan had given her... a taste of her own medicine... and secrets come to life. Jan seemed like she wanted to know her... she'd taken the time to find such obscure details... Well, Emily would show her what she really was. Jan would know her well before this was over. Oy, would she regret that she'd ever wanted to know.

She'd decided. She'd do this in the best way possible. She'd make sure of that. Taking something that Jan prized... something viable... something she could handle... something... Her flaming red lips covered in Maybelline had curved upwards long ago when she'd recognized what her duty was, what the change should be. It was fit for her, the handsome thing on Jan's arm last night. She took a deep breath. She was prepared now for the change...

Minor it was. Just minor.

Oh, yes, her planning only needed a little tweaking.

Just one substitution needed. And just one switch. She had everything to make it work...

Jan, JC, Justin, Skye, Luciana.... Look out.

As far as Emily was concerned... she was the Big Bad Wolf... in the best disguise of all. She wore her red hood as a prize. She shrugged. She didn't believe in warnings.

-§-

"Ok, so it's all very simple. Very well-planned out. Very..." Justin closed his eyes and leaned back for a moment cradled on the semi-comfort of a padded seatback. "Oh, who am I kidding?" He had so much to do, to think... It was hurting his head. Concerts were better than this. They were a routine. But he had to call Skye. He had to call the baker. He had to call the florist. He had to call Luciana... Weren't there people to do this?

He shook his head.

No.

He couldn't.

Why, inside, did he feel he had to do this himself...

He had to stop. He really had to stop. He was running around wild... or at least he felt that way. Thank God for his friends. Had they not been there for him... And he appreciated them all the more. They were brothers that not even blood could define. They were there for each other, through thick and thin, through spats and peace, each boy with his own mind and one heart. They were there for him now, when the past few weeks had consisted of a whirlwind of events. He was glad he had someone he could count, whether it was to deal with this, or something far far worse.

And time was torn, punctuated by both units and the events themselves that Justin had a hard time sorting through. There were not enough hours in a day and the events seemed to overlap one another as he frantically rushed about. "Plan", decidedly, was a word used for the lucky and surely Justin's his mind was running too swiftly to think clearly at all. Well, almost.

He tried.

He really really did.

There were a thousand decisions to make: the cake, the flowers, the music, the room, DJ or not, the dress, the theme, the damned tablecloths. His head was spinning. And to think, there were people who did this all the time. But Justin would not let this be an impromtu affair, thrown together at wits end. Justin wanted to be sure. Justin wanted it to be right. Justin wanted it to be... special. Was that the right word?

Justin hoped... This was important to him, to see that Skye had the best time he could give her. Three years... three long years she had been away from her sister. November the fourteenth would mark the fourth anniversary of her birth that she'd spent without her sister... No matter how much of his childhood he'd missed, birthdays had always been reserved for him and whomever he chose to share it with. Always. He could not imagine thinking of celebrating even one birthday without his family. Yet Skye had been doing it for three years running and she'd do it again. Luciana was the only family she had, and once again she'd not be there.

Things were supposed to change for Skye, dammit. And Justin had promised himself that he'd help. Instead like the coward, he stood in the shadows and watched her life, like a segment of a movie stuck of perpetual repeat... over and over... everything the same as the time before.

Justin had almost failed her.

Almost.

And only almost.

Because Justin could not live with himself if he broke his silent promise to her. Justin could not live with himself as the shadow of a man who'd stood by and watched just a little more hope flee from a young girl. Justin could not live with himself when he knew he could do something more, something greater than himself, less selfish than he'd ever been. And he could not live with himself if he was not the one to care for her the way she deserved to be cared for. And Justin could not live with himself if he did not not adore her.

And o, did he adore her.

Like vanilla ice cream on warm peach cobbler, chocolate cake, the sound of his voice when he still laughed out loud and several pictures of him when he'd still smiled for just Justin, not a camera or a crowd, all who loved his face.

Justin sometimes hated his face.

That reminded him: no paparazzi at the party. It was to be a hush-hush event. Somethings were never meant to be public property. Certain lives weren't for sale.

Oh yeah. And maybe a chocolate cake.

For the party of course.

-§-

"Guess what?!" And he could not mistake the glee in her voice, the smile that was transported over the copper wires, across a distance of milllions of miles and one Atlantic Ocean.

"What?" His voice was made to be just as jolly, echoing her happy tone. He'd picked up the phone and dialed her number just a minute ago as the sun was to begin to set on a German horizon fraught with an odd mixture of skyscrapers and village-styled houses. Culture was odd to today's techo junkie.

"Lucy's back!"

A shadow passed over his eyes. He had to understand... A thousand miles wouldn't let her see. "Oh... that's wonderful, Skye." He tried hard to sound glad. Apparently she didn't notice though. It was better that way.

"It's better than wonderful. I'm so happy."

He nodded. "I can hear it in your voice." Yes, he most certainly could.

"Can you?" And there she was, he could hear her, revitalized, rejuvenated, renewed. Just yesterday she'd been empty, her voice farther away than the million miles between them. Joe had mourned then.

But now, here she was refreshed, alive, and he could hear the pure joy in her voice. Yet he could not have mourned for her more than he did at that moment. To hear her love for that particular person.... it worried him. Because he knew that particular person. Joey wished for once that he could be wrong for her sake. Maybe. Maybe not.

Maybe not.

He shook his head. He was sorry. He didn't believe he was wrong, but he understood... why she loved her so. For most of her life, Luciana was all she had had. She knew Luciana's "love" best. But she didn't know what real love was. Real care. Real need. Joey understood that. And he hoped she found out.

"These seem to be our daily talks now, huh, Joey?"

Finally, a neutral subject. This was good. He needed to get his mind off other things. So he raised his brow, a slight, bemused grin on his face. "You say it likes it's a bad thing..."

"Oh, no no no! It's not that at all! I'm glad you're my... friend."

He took a deep breath and his chest swelled with pride. "I am too Skye."

He meant it. She was so adorable and yet so... naive. Saying things like that as if she wasn't sure that anyone wanted to be her friend. Why did she doubt herself? He could not help but smile at the thought of her. In Skye he saw so much light... if that was the word he was looking for. She was pure and purity was her strength.

But Joey worried about her. For just as purity was her strength, in such a world where a sort of blasé disillusion reigned supreme, her purity was also her weakness. Her purity existed only in a fragile reality whose glass dome was threatened every day, hour, minute, and second. But he did not pretend to understand Skye. An innocence such as hers was a rarity, and not something to be tampered with, and certainly not by him. He would instead admire and adore the way she laughed, one uncorrupted soul in six billion, as though love were the only thing to live for and recognition was the lowest form of that.

He recognized in her...

... a spirit that bled to be needed...

He recognized in her...

...a spirit somewhat like his.

But who needed her?

"How is Justin doing?" Her slight voice interrupted his thoughts.

Speak of the devil... how funny she should ask. He chuckled. "You know Skye, sometimes I think you'd know better than I." They were still talking steadily to each other. Joey, on the other hand, took grunts as commands from General Justin when he could muster them.

"Oh, I..."

He shushed her. Not a word. "No, he's... well, running around like a chicken with his head cut off."

"Busy?" she inquired. It was a coincidence, at that very moment Joey spied Justin walking around looking very very lost. He had to give the kid pointers for endurance. He was worn out yet he was still going.

"You could say that... By the way, has he called you yet today?" He asked, never taking his eyes off the hunched figure till Justin disappeared from sight.

"No..."

"Well, he will then." The conviction in his voice was every bit true.

"Oh, he doesn't have to. I mean, you said he was busy..."

Joey found it hilarious. "Oh, sweetie, he's never too busy for you. You don't know that by now?"

"Uh, well..."

Oh that did merit a chuckle and no less a smile. "Ok. Now tell me more about the wonderful, beautiful Skye who loves butter cream ice cream, white lilies, and cranberry."

She gave a slight little laugh that rung like bells in his ear. "What more is there to tell?"

Tell me who you need.

And ask them if they need you.

Oh how he could be so noble.

-§-

"Skye!"

The shrill voice was all too familiar. She stood on cool tile, in a room adjacent to the kitchen and the foyer, black and white tiles checkered under her feet.

"Hold on Joey, ok?" She hardly stayed to listen. "Is Lucy awake yet Martha?" She'd covered the reciever with her hand.

Martha looked as together as she did everyday, cool and focused. "Of course not Miss Skye. She came in very late last night. I believe she is still sleeping."

"Oh, oh yes...." Of course Lucy would sleep in. But Skye couldn't wait for her to wake up. She knew Lucy would have lots to tell her about her travels, experiences and adventures. It almost made up for Skye's lack thereof. But she was so glad that Lucy had the opportunity to do what she did. Oh, Lucy deserved it... every bit. The locket around her neck seemed strangely lighter. The brick in her chest had vanished. Lucy was home...

Martha lifted her head. "Miss Skye, there is a call for you on line two. A Miss Emily Monroe. Shall I tell her to call back?"

She was caught. Emily? She smiled. Emily was calling her? "Oh no, Martha. I'll be right there in just a minute."

Skye wondered if this day could get any better. Joey had called this morning and told her he was glad to be her friend. Emily was holding on line two, another new friend Skye had made. And best of all Lucy had come home last night. Come home cause she missed Skye. Skye knew it. She just knew it. Lucy loved her. Lucy would hug her and tell her she was glad to be back because she'd missed her. Skye couldn't believe she'd ever doubted Lucy's love for even a moment. This day...

"Joey? Would you mind holding? I have Emily on the other line. I just want to say hi and have her call me back. I'll keep it short."

"Emily?" He sounded a bit confused.

"Yes, Emily. Short red hair, friend of Lucy's? Do you know her? She's a model too. She's very pretty."

"Oh... yea, I know her Skye. Um, Skye. Nevermind about keeping it short. I need to go anyway. I have soundcheck soon."

She never lost her smile in the early morning light. "Oh, well, talk to you later then?"

"Yeah... later."

"Good-bye Joey."

"Good-bye Skye."

His line went dead in her hands. Odd. He had seemed a little harried at the end. She dismissed it. It was nothing. Nothing could ruin this day. Nothing. She pushed line two, still smiling, feeling the warmth radiating in her heart, in her soul.

-§-

His chair adjusted as he relaxed in his seat, the wheels rolling back from the slight shift in weight. The click of the phone as he'd hung up still rang in his ears and his hand rested, still cradling the phone on its base. Emily... Emily'd called her. Hadn't he heard about Emily before? Hadn't Justin told him something about Emily visiting Skye? Justin didn't like the idea much and Joey, even worse. He knew Emily, in the sense that she hid nothing. Her movements, gestures and phrases said it all. They screamed to Joey. She, unlike others, was what she seemed. She wasn't fooling a soul with just a smile and candy apple cheeks. Without a cloak, she had nothing, and Emily was far too silly to think to grab one. But maybe, just maybe... her plain clothes would fool them all. Oh, Joey, wondered. Trouble was spelled in a dark, dark air. But who? But what?

-§-

She was waiting impatiently, tapping her foot on the smooth hardwood of her kitchen floor. She looked around. She'd made sure the real estate agent had found her a flat with a lot of light when hunting for an apartment. It had been perfect. Just what she'd wanted. The windows indeed were tall and the kitchen would have been flooded with light at this time of day. But Emily had closed all the blinds, drawn all the curtains. Now, her kitchen, and entire apartment, was left cold, shut off from the outside world, supremely dark. There were days that were just made to be like this and today was one of them. Today was a day to retreat to her own world. The high-rise apartment provided that, a kind of privacy she craved to think, to plan, to stay sane.

She could not stay forever though. Today, she had things that she wanted to do. She had chosen her connection to the outside world: a telephone. It would suit well.

"Emily?"

The soft voice jostled Emily to reality once more. Her face fixed its pleasant smile.

"Skye?"

"Hey! How are you doing?"

She frowned. "I'm fine."

"Wow! I can't believe you're awake. It's ten' o clock in the morning! Lucy isn't even awake yet." Her voice was hinging on its excitment.

"You're certainly cheerful this morning," Emily commented. Her hand lay flat on the kitchen table, near a standard yellow Post-It with several numbers listed on it. Here was her little black book.

"I guess I am. Lucy got home last night. So I guess I am a little upbeat." And suddenly, Emily could hear the sickening positivity in her voice. But she gave no indication. She wouldn't ruin a thing. She must stay calm. She would not get to her.

"Oh well... I left the party a little earlier than she did." She wanted to hurry things along. Luciana wasn't her favorite person to talk about. "Have you spoken to um..." She smiled. "...Justin today?" She had let it trail, emphasizing his name.

"No... I haven't." Emily could hear the hesitation in her voice. She could see this unfolding.

She smiled once more. "Oh, well, I saw him last night. He looked very handsome in his tux. I wish you could have seen it too. Spectacular sight. You would have simply died."

She was waiting for an answer...

"Uh... I'm sure he was very handsome."

"Oh, yes he was... Anyway, how is Justin?" She twirled the telephone cord around her finger.

"Well, I heard he's a bit busy... Didn't you see him last night?" Damned logical question.

"Oh, well, yes, but not for long. Just a passing hello." She was to be quick on her toes if she was to pass.

"Oh, I see. Well, Joey says he's a little busy. That's all."

"I see. Well, we all have our crazy times, don't we?"

Skye was slow to answer but she didn't fail. "Of course Emily."

"Anyway, I don't believe I asked you how you were yet. How rude of me. You must excuse me. How are you?" She was fishing, and in a pond nearly as big as she herself.

"Oh, I'm great. Waiting impatiently."

She frowned a scrunched her brow, perplexed. "Waiting for what?"

"For Lucy to get up of course."

Emily was about to blow, her face tinged with red as the blood rushed to her cheeks. Luciana again! Why was it always Luciana? Luciana who won. Luciana who was beautiful. Luciana who was perfect. Well perfection was meant to be ruined! Nothing was perfect! Nothing!

And wryly, Emily lifted a delicate eyebrow.

...Because Emily could swear that she'd never seen Skye so happy. Truly happy. She'd never thought about it till now... all the other smiles she'd seen, been given by Skye, were a facade. It wasn't hard to see through it, to see through her. Skye missed her sister. Oh she really hated to break apart such a beautiful relationship, but a girl did have duties, priorities within her life... and sisterly love wasn't one of them at the moment. So sad.

"Oh, of course." Emily smiled. "Justin wished you were there last night. It truly was spectacular. He was sure you would have loved it."

"I would have loved to see Lucy in her dress. Justin told me it was beautiful. Maybe she'll show it to me today."

Luciana... no. Justin... yes. She had to weave the conversation around. "Oh, maybe she will and maybe she'll tell you about how wonderfully Justin handled everything last night. My, that boy is photogenic. Makes a girl jealous, but he is handsome. Don't you agree Skye?"

"Oh, well, I never thought of it that way, but I guess yes... yes he is."

Woven. "Quite a nice catch if I do say so myself. But has he been a good friend to you? I know you two are very close, with Luciana gone so much and all. I think it's wonderful the way he looks after you."

"Oh, he's a very good friend Emily. I'm really glad to have him here with Lucy gone so often. He keeps me in touch with her. Tells me all these things she's doing. It's like I'm actually there with her."

Oh no, not again. Not her. They were definitely not talking about her. Emily needed to stay calm. She could see where this conversation was headed and she has to halt its progress now. Just Justin. Justin, Justin, Justin. "But you're not really there, are you? It's just Justin telling you about these wonderful things, isn't it?"

"But he makes it seem so real, I..."

No, Emily was not letting her. She'd heard enough. "Oh, he does have a gift... and a way with words. He's a godsend to you Skye. That's all I have to say."

"Yes..."

"But I have to go now Skye. Appointments to keep. You know how it is, the life of a top-billed model."

"Oh, of course..."

Emily wasn't waiting for her. She had things to do, people to see, sanity to keep. No Luciana. Even a sister of hers was too close a relation at the moment. Emily needed to leave... "Good honey, I'm glad you understand. I'll call you later! Bye!"

She hung up the phone in one whoosh and a drop. She leaned back against the counter. She was fuming. This wasn't good for her. Calm.

Calm.

Calm.

Calm.

She smiled suddenly, her eyes lighting up. And she savagely reached behind her, her fingers talons, her hands claws, and grasped the Post-It note in her fist, clenched so tightly that her knuckles were white and her nails cut into the paper, then dug into her palm. Important numbers. Important people. Three on her list, two left to go. Oh, she'd get to it in a hop, skip and a leap. Spit-spot. Just say when.

-§-

"When can I see you again... God! This song needs to get out of my head!"

He spun around and slapped his head with his hand in an attempt to somehow jostle his brain and coerce it into doing what he wanted, or in the very least displace the song in his head. Wasn't working... And then he realized what an idiot he looked like and how much his head hurt. The sad thing was the self-infliction of pain. He rubbed his stinging temple and straightened his posture, trying to walk it off.

"Hmm, hm, hm, hm..." Oh God and before he could think, he smacked his forehead. "That damned song! Jesus, I need to stop before I displace my head." It was driving him crazy. He needed to get it out. But for that to happen, she too needed to get out of his mind, and he surely did not want that. Oh no, on the contrary...

It was far too little and far too brief, his meeting with her last night. Oh, he'd loved every minute of it, but as he'd said before, it was over far too soon. Oh course, he didn't tell Jan that. It'd scare her, this 'cling'. Hell, it scared him, this formed dependency. She was a drug to him, and just as intoxicating. It wasn't normal, was it?

But then again, nothing about them was normal. Why should he expect this to be? He craved her company, her voice, her scent. Her arms around his waist, her body cradled in his own arms... that was the only thing he wanted right now. In her arms... it was the only place he wanted to be. But Jan was in Milan instead, most likely strutting down a runway. He'd had her beside him only for one night. He couldn't wait for the next one. Geez, he was as impatient as a child. He should be thinking about other things. Like the concert he had in a few hours.

"Yea, I should work on the..." But there was nothing for him to work. He knew it already. It was the same routine he'd done two days ago, and the day before, and the day before, and the day before. If he didn't know it like the back of his hand by now, there was something certifiably wrong with him. But he didn't know Jan like the back of his hand. Not like he'd thought...

Ring!

Could it be...? What a coincidence that would be. And he jumped up in a split second, hunched in one moment, scrambling for the phone in the next. He ran over to the foot of his bed. His bedsheets were ringing. What a mess and he frantically dove in, pulling the sheets in every which way. It was probably counter-productive, because in panic he made mistakes and overestimated, but it didn't matter now for the phone flew out of his bed and landed on the floor next to his dresser. He lunged to grab it.

"Hello?!" He was out of breath as he put it to his ear.

"Well, hello."

Wrong. And he almost frowned just because it wasn't who he'd wished for. "Hi..."

"Good morning. Or should I say good afternoon?"

He was confused. It was Jan... "Who is this?"

"Oh, don't tell you me you don't remember me! Shame on you, JC."

"Um..." Who could it be? JC didn't have a clue. "This is my private line. How did you get this number?"

"From Luciana, of course."

Luciana... ok. "You know Luciana?" He wasn't quite sure he understood.

"Wll, of course I do. Why would she give me your number if I didn't know her?"

He began to nod his head. "Oh, so you're a friend of hers."

"JC, I work with her."

"Oh, you do..." Jan worked with Luciana... She was the only person he could think of. But he thought he'd know Jan's voice when he heard it and this was not Jan's voice. Still... he could be wrong....

"JC, do you even know who this is?"

If it was Jan he was in deep shit. "Um, well..." He decided not to push it. "Can't say I do. I'm sorry, cause you seem to know me and all."

"It's Emily. Emily Monroe."

If you'd asked him who he thought the caller might be, Emily Monroe would be at the bottom of his list. Even 'random fan' was higher. He'd met Emily once or twice, both meetings unmemorable, explaining his inability to remember if was one meeting or really two. It was only last night when he'd recognized her as someone he was acquainted with... and how she'd been staring at him.

"Oh, Emily. This is... um, a surprise."

"What, I can't call a friend?"

His eyebrows drew together. "I'm your friend?"

"Of course, silly."

JC wished he could remember more of her. How strange of her to call him out of the blue. "Well, ok."

"Yes. So how are you?"

"Well, I'm... fine, Emily..."

"That's wonderful! I'm surprised you aren't tired, seeing as you and Justin had to fly all the way over to Ireland last night. I was worried about the jet lag."

He was still confused. "Oh well, don't worry. We're fine."

"Oh thank goodness. I know my own jet lag is horrible when I just fly from California to New York and Ireland from Rio is certainly farther than California to New York."

Of course... "Yes Emily, it certainly is."

"Glad you agree. Anyway, I have to go now, but I'll call you later ok?"

Later? Did that mean she'd call again? "Ugh, sure."

He heard her giggle one last time before the phone went dead in his hands. He clicked off the phone. He was at a loss for words. JC leaned back in his chair, hit by the realization. Emily Monroe had called him. What the hell...?

-§-

He pondered the voice he'd heard in the room next door. Really, these walls were made of paper. In the dead silence of his room he'd heard it as a faint musing... JC's voice... Emily's name... Joey kept that in mind. For some reason, he knew he should.

-§-

Chocolate cake... check.

Multi-colored ballons... check.

Candles... check.

Costumes... check.

Hotel staff... check.

Calls made... check.

Ballroom... check.

Jewelry... check.

Chris as DJ... Oh God, he must have been out of his mind.

Prince in tights... ugh... he didn't think so. But maybe...

Justin shook his head furiously. Bad thought! Bad bad bad! But he did want to keep in stead with the rest of the party... He swore if he had to wear tights, so would they. It might actually be fun to pretend...

He resigned. He accepted. If it made her smile... or burst out laughing... it was worth it. He'd be embarrassed... and bring them all down with him. He'd...

His shirt pocket let out a shriek, causing Justin to jump slightly on the carpet of the hall he had been walking down.

He quickly grabbed the annoying device and clicked it on. "Hello?" Justin stood still.

"Justin!"

The happy voice sounded familiar... "Hi, I'm not quite sure who this is, but I know your voice."

"Better than the last. It's Emily."

His jaw almost fell open. "Emily?"

"Yes, isn't that what I just said? It's so sweet of you to remember my voice."

He almost gagged at her voice. No one one deserves me being a meanie to them... That was his mantra right now. No one deserved the meanie treatment... not even... Emily. But he hoped she wouldn't push it.

"Yeah... Do you need something, Emily?"

"Me?! Oh no! So nice of you to ask though. No, I just got off the phone with Skye."

"Oh, ok..."

She made a sound akin to a sigh. "Poor Skye, she's so lonely there."

Justin wrinkled his forehead. "Isn't Luciana there?"

"Oh, yea... I mean... when Luciana isn't there. And that's most of the time. She'll be gone by tomorrow ya know. And Skye will be all alone again. It's so sad."

As much as he disliked Emily and the fake sorrow in her voice, her words, taken at surface value, rang true to him. He closed his eyes for a moment, his head beginning to hurt. He knew it would throb soon if he kept thinking like this. Too much, too much.

And her voice didn't stop. "But it's great that you're there for her. She talks about you a lot Justin. It's really nice what you're doing for her. In fact, I don't know what she'd do without you."

Justin wanted her to stop speaking. She was getting on his nerves. "Emily, why are you telling me all this?"

"Wha.. What? I'm just concerned for Skye. She's alone all the time. Aren't you concerned too?"

He took a deep breath. "Yes, of course I am, but why are you telling me things I already know?"

"Oh, so you agree with me?"

He was getting on edge. "Yes... but that's besides the point Emily. Why are you calling me?"

She wasted no time. "To tell you that I think you're doing a wonderful thing for Skye, that's all. Is it wrong of me to care?"

Now he felt bad for snapping at her. "No..."

"Well, alright. I talked to Skye this morning. She wishes she'd been at the ball and said she was sure you looked very handsome in your tux. I told her you did."

"...Well... thank you Emily..." His voice trailed off.

"...And that you wanted her there too."

"...Yes..."

"...I need to go now Justin. It was very nice chatting with you."

And it came abruptly.

"Oh, ok, bye..."

"Oh, yea, and Skye can't wait till you call her. She looks forward to those things so much..."

She did, did she?

"Bye Justin."

All that was left was a click.

And Justin didn't even know what to say anymore. He could curse about Emily. He could be nice. He could mutter about how fake she was. He could admit how true her words had been. But he didn't do anything of that. Instead, Justin did the only thing he could do. He just stood there, lone in the hall, phone limp in his hand... and practiced taking a moment for himself... something he hadn't done in a quite some time.

-§-

He had known there was a reason, and he heard. Three calls, one after the other. Emily. Skye, JC and now Justin. Oh, he'd heard that too, his door ajar and Justin in the hallway. Emily. What did it all mean? Chalk it up to coincidence?

Joey didn't like it.

Joey didn't feel right about this.

Emily.

He turned his head.

That was one hell of a coincidence.

-§-