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It was late afternoon on a rare day off. JC, Shae and Lance were sprawled across bed in Shae's hotel room, watching TV. Justin was sitting on the floor, absorbed in a paperback. Alex was on the other side of the connecting door, getting dressed in her own room. Hearing Shae burst out in laughter, Alex opened the door and walked in. "Wow! You look great. Where are you going dressed like that?" Shae asked, causing everyone's attention to turn towards Alex.
"I'm meeting a friend for dinner." Alex said flatly, revealing nothing more. She was wearing a pair of black stretch pant and a yellow v-neck t-shirt. The outfit hugged her in all the right places. Her long blond hair was wrapped into a tight braid that hung down her back, reaching past her waist.
Shae got off the bed and walked towards her. "What kind of friend exactly? Have you been withholding information? Someone doesn't get dressed like that to meet a friend."
"She's a former co-worker of mine who moved to Vegas when I lived in Toronto."
Justin turned back to his book when he learned her friend was of the female variety and tuned out the rest of the conversation.
"Do we get to meet her or are you meeting somewhere else?"
"She's picking me up in the lobby in twenty minutes but if you really want to meet her, I'll leave a message at the front desk for her to come up."
"Sure, whatever you want. I just thought we could meet her. We haven't met any of your other friends, Alex. Hasn't it occurred to you that we don't know much about your life before N'Sync?"
Alex grinned nervously, "Yes it has occurred to me. Has it occurred to you that maybe I was a secret agent and I can't tell you anything about my past life? Maybe I had to kill all my other friends because they knew too much about my true identity." She hoped that Shae hadn't picked up on her unease.
"That's Lex, always one for dramatics!" Shae waved her hand in the air.
Alex picked up the phone.
Almost exactly 15 minutes later there was a knock on the door. Alex jumped up to answer. Even before the door was open all the way, Shae heard a voice shriek "Lex!" She saw Alex's eyes bulge as her friend squeezed her in a big hug. "Oh my God. I haven't seen you for so long. I missed you so much!"
Alex re-appeared around the corner, towing a dark skinned brunette by the hand. "Guys, I'd like you to meet my friend, Cracy." Alex gestured towards the other woman. "Cracy, this is Shae, JC, Lance and that's Justin with the book."
Justin stood up to shake hands with the newcomer. "Nice to meet you." He grinned. Cracy turned to Alex. "Mmmm girl, which one belongs to you? I can see you've been taking my advice to heart."
Alex rolled her eyes. "Cracy, although you were a fabulously bad influence on me, No one in here is spoken for by me."
"Oh well in that case," Cracy trailed off, devouring Justin with her eyes.
Alex giggled again. "Cool down, old lady, this one's too young for you."
"I'm not discriminatory against age. And who are you calling old lady?"
"I know you aren't but trust me, he's too young. That's why we are leaving as soon as I get my purse." Alex returned to her room.
Justin was still blushing from getting the once over from Alex's friend. She grinned. "Hey, I didn't mean to embarrass you. I thrive on shock value. Alex is so easy to get flustered."
Justin let out a breath and relaxed, "That's for sure. So what kind of name is Cracy?"
"It's a combination of Tracy and crazy. Alex insists on the moniker. She thinks I'm crazy. Of course, I might have given her one or two reasons to come to that conclusion."
Alex snorted from the other room. "One or two? Have I got stories for you. One time -"
"Oh gosh look at the time." Cracy cut her off and put her arm around Alex's waist. She steered Alex towards the door. "Nice to meet you all." She called. Arm in arm, they stepped out of the room.
Lance stared at the door after them. "Wow, Alex really looks different when she relaxes like that. Did anyone notice but me?"
"Justin has." JC said, sitting on the bed.
"I have what?" Justin quizzed, dragging his attention away from his book.
"Noticed how 'yummy' Alex is." JC accused.
"Have not."
"Oh please." Shae smiled.

~*~

Cracy put the car into first gear and pulled out of the parking lot. "So how are you really?"
"I'm good Cracy. Really. I am." Alex looked at her friend. She had missed her. Cracy had been half way between a sister and a mother when they had lived in the same city. When Cracy's job got transferred she begged Alex to go with her but to no avail. Alex didn't know it but Cracy had spent many sleepless nights worrying about her young friend.
"I've really missed you Cracy." Alex touched her shoulder.
"So tell me, how is it that you've been travelling the country with five guys and are still sleeping alone in your bed?"
"Am I that predictable?" Cracy nodded in response.
"It's the younger one, Justin isn't it?" Cracy didn't need an answer. She saw the change in Lex's eyes when she spoke his name.
"He is kind of…yummy. Isn't he?"
"Very."
" You know as well as I do that the last thing I need right now is a man complicating my life. We both know what happened last time."
"Not all men are like that. Is there anything that I can do to get that through to you?"
Alex remained silent.
"Justin is not the same man. He's young, he's talented, obviously he has self-confidence. Do you see the differences here? He is a different person." Cracy continued.
"Crace, you talk as though you're trying to get us together."
"It's been long enough. The only thing that can heal you is another man - a good man. Justin may be it."
"He's too young, he's too talented and he can have any woman he wants. Why would he want me? I'm broken."
"Don't talk about yourself like that!" Cracy scolded. "
"Cracy, he doesn't want me. I don't want him. I don't want any man for that matter. Is there anything I can do to get that through to you? He's just a guy who I come in contact with because it is my job - my job Cracy. I don't think of him that way."
"You do so, you're just not admitting it yet.", the older woman replied.
"You are impossible." Alex threw up her hands in disgust. "I do not want to continue this conversation with you." She turned her head from Cracy and stared out the window.
Cracy smiled to herself. Alex did have feelings for Justin. If she didn't have feelings for him, she wouldn't be arguing about it. Cracy knew that was why Alex was so impatient with her. She had feelings for Justin and Cracy knew that it scared her to death.