~~**~~
Fredericka fiddled with the final paragraph of her news release, the one that needed to be ready for distribution to the media at 8 am the next day. Something wasn't right, it didn't flow, didn't portray what she wanted to say. "Dammit" she said aloud as she deleted the final paragraph. "Rough night, frustrated are we?" The tall blonde poked his head in his publicists' office. "Freddie you work way to late, honestly you need to go home and get some sleep"
Freddie tossed her long red hair over her shoulder and smiled "Nicky, honey someone has to work late to keep you all loved. Speaking of being loved aren't you and Willa supposed to be having a hot date tonight, I thought I caught snippets of her conversation with Leighanne today" Nick grinned "She is always late, always needing to fix her hair, do her makeup, stuff more kleenex in her bra" Nick covered his mouth "Shit I forgot who I was talking too, don't tell her, please"
"Her little secret is safe with me, now get out of here so I can work on keeping your ass popular" Freddie watched the boy walk out of her office and smiled, glancing at the framed pictures that covered her walls. She had been approached by JIVE right after graduation. She had graduated the top of her Communications Class and her youthfulness and enthusiasm was what JIVE was looking for. They needed someone to fill the position of Publicist for two of the top bands in the country, the world. Freddie loved her job, loved the perks, like the huge condo, the company jeep, the traveling and parties that came with it. Mostly she loved her co workers. The Backstreet Boys had been her babies, she got them just as they were cracking it big in America, she was filled with pride now that they were shattering records worldwide. At 25 she was younger than 2 of the boys but they respected her, respected her more then alot of people older then her. She was great at her job and treated the guys like brothers.
Her new assignment was *NSYNC, though popular in their own right, they had just recently reached superstar status with the release of their new album, an album that had smashed the Backstreet Boys record sales record. She had only recently started working with the boys of *NSYNC, and they were not entirely comfortable with her nor she with them. They were not as serious as the boys, though their commitment to their careers was astounding. She had quickly made some observations during the week she spent with them. Chris, the oldest was the youngest at heart but he was also a fierce businessman and a tireless worker. Joey was the flirt, the one who had kept her in stitches, JC was the serious one, the shy one though when he was with his bandmates he was hyper and outgoing, Lance was the sweet and considerate one, and then there was Justin, he was the youngest, he was also the moodiest one, the one prone to mood swings. He barely acknowledged her and when he did he made her feel as though she was impeding on his time. She knew she would have to find a way to crack him if she was to be successful at her job.
~~**~~
"JuJu, come boy, we are waiting" Chris screamed impatiently. They had planned to go clubbing and they were now waiting for Justin to emerge from his bedroom so they could leave.
"Call me that again Chris and I will kick your ritalin addicted ass" Justin screamed from upstairs. He looked around his room, now littered with discarded clothes and fell onto his bed. It was no use, he didn't feel like going out, what he wanted was to be left alone, left alone to wallow.
"Get your scrawny afro ass out of bed Curly" Chris barged into his room and tried to pull the younger man out of bed.
"Chris...dammit Chris I don't want to go out, you all go ahead, if I decide to go I will meet up with you all later"
"Curly I don't know what the hell is up with you lately but it is really worrying us" Chris looked at his young friend with worry "Is something wrong?"
"I am just beat Chris, tired and beat, now go terrorize some honies for me okay" Justin managed a tiny grin and waited until his friend left and he heard the front door close and the loud voices of his friends disappear into the night and then he stared up at the ceiling. He couldn't figure out what was wrong with him, he had woken up 3 weeks ago and hadn't been able to shake the funk since. He looked at his laptop and thought that maybe surfing the web for some fanfics would cheer him up.
~~**~~
Freddie was IMing her friend Lisa in Toronto when a familiar name flashed on the screen. She smiled and typed.
CurlyQ - Hi handsome, I wasn't expecting to see you on tonight
Curly - Too tired to go out, needed to veg, and u?
CurlyQ - Working late, taking a break. How come so tired?'
Curly - Big project at work, will be leaving soon for a couple of months to travel.
CurlyQ - Lucky you, I wish...think of me stuck in an office while you are travelling the world.
Curly - Trade with me...I don't want to go
CurlyQ - Are you insane? Not travel, why not
Curly - Tired of it, miss my friends, miss my bed, miss everything about home.
CurlyQ - I wish I had a chance to miss home. Same old routine for me. Hey sweets I have to run, have a great night, try to relax and take some "Curly time" *WG*
Curly - I will try, take care.
CurlyQ- Night
~~**~~
Freddie looked at the screen and smiled. Although she hated computers, one night while she was messing around she stumbled upon ICQ and had met this Curly on line. Their talks had been almost nightly for the past couple of weeks, sometimes lasting well into the mornings. She flicked off her internet connection and turned her attention back to her work.
~~**~~
Justin traced the screen name, wishing that his touch would put a face to the words that were typed. He had found her one night, one night while he was moping around the house, comtemplating what to eat and what to do. Her sense of humor and sarcasm always seemed to bring him out of whatever mood he was in. He often sent long IMs to her, telling her about his day, his problems, always leaving out the fact that he was one of the biggest stars in the world, one of the most sought after men. To her he was strictly Curly and to him she was Curly Q.
~~**~~
"I hate this, god I hate this" Freddie threw her alarm clock across the room, praying that it would shatter into a million pieces and never fill her head with that awful buzzing again. She had managed to make herself late by pounding the snooze button for the past 30 minutes. She had to take a shower, get dressed and get to the office with time left to put together the media kits with the newly finished release. *NSYNC was holding a news conference to announce their tour dates for their upcoming world tour and she had less than 2 hours before it started. "Drag your ass out of bed Pablosa" she muttered.
~~**~~
"Is it necessary for you to always wake up in the morning with a growl, just once I would like to be able to eat my bagel and cream cheese without having to look at that ugly puss" Joey teased Justin.
Justin flashed him a warning glare "Not today Joey, just don't go there today. SO what time are the leeches and slugs descending on us?"
"Leeches and slugs, hmmm guess that is better than the sluts and pricks references that you were using yesterday, more civilized, more culturally correct" Lance grinned, reaching for his orange juice. "Seriously though Justin, all kidding aside you had better cheer up, the media will eat you alive if they sense something is wrong"
"Nothing will put you in an even worse mood then to open the paper tomorrow and see the headline "*NSYNCER heartbroken over Britney" Joey teased.
"Come on little buddy, you need to turn that frown upside down" Chris playfully tugged at his friend's mouth trying to conform the scowl into a semblance of a smile.
~~*~~
"Good Morning Red" Howie walked past Freddie, stopping to kiss her cheek.
"Ready for the big conference?"
"Howie believe me when I tell you that I won't be sorry to see this all end, I am so tired and I need a vacation, having both groups out on tour will be a lot less stressful, at least I won't have to deal with you all at once"
"HEY!" Howie feigned hurt "Touche"
"So was there something you needed me for? I mean how come you are at my office?"
"Actually I was in talking to Tim and Marc, just stuff about Polly and her recording dates, how about you and I meet for lunch?" Howie smiled.
"I wish I could, I miss our weekly lunch dates, I just have too much to do.
Thanks for asking though" Freddie smiled " I have to run, give my love to Polly and to that big sex machine, you know John"
" I will be sure to quote you exactly on that, I am sure my brother's ego will love that" Howie winked and walked off.
~~**~~
Freddie walked briskly down the hall, her head and mind lost in the interview requests when she crashed into something, sending everything flying. "What the..oh Justin I am so sorry" Freddie started to collect her strewn paperwork, embarassed that she had made such a scene.
Justin rubbed his head " Damn you have a hard head". "Freddie I am actually glad I ran into you"
"What's up?"
"I don't want to do any interviews today, hell if you could get me out of the press conference I would love you forever."
Freddie studied the young man's face, his usually youthful and cheerful face, now strained, taking on the appearance of a weathered and worn man twice his age. "Justin you know I can't, you know that you are the one they are going to want to talk to." she said softly.
"Come on Freddie you did it for Carter"
Freddie's temper started to rise, she hated when the groups tried to make her choose, tried to get a rise out of her, made comparisons that weren't fair "Justin, Nick was sick, are you sick, because if you are sick I can get you out of the interviews but unless you are dying I can't get you out of the conference, Johnny would kill me"
Justin grabbed his stomach and fell to the floor moaning "Oh god Freddie, my stomach, I think my kidney is going to explode, oh my spleen, what the hell..oh my god my prostate"
Freddie burst into laughter as she watched the young man rolling on the floor, she bent down and took his hands and moved them lower "Honey if you are going to make this realistic you need to know where your prostate is" she winked and walked away, leaving Justin to grin for the first time in weeks.
~~**~~
Justin finished answering the question and looked up, out at the audience, and catching Freddi's eye, winked at her, letting her know, in his own way that he was thankful for her announcing that he would not be able to conduct interviews after the press conference. She smiled back and stepped up to the mic and announced to the media that the boys would only be answering two more questions.
~~**~~
"Freddi you are the best" Justin walked into her office and plopped down on her desk.
Freddi grinned and pushed his feet off of the pile of her work on her desk
"Hey curly, see that thing, the padded thing, with a dent for your adorable butt that drives girls insane and the four legs it rests on"
"Yeah"
"Use it" she grinned. "So Mr I want to dump the media, what do you have planned for this afternoon?"
"Sleep"
"Ah yes a growing pain in the ass like you needs all the rest he can get, I mean driving us all insane takes a lot out of you I would think"
Justin knew that she was joking, but something inside him snapped "WHATEVER, forget I even tried to be nice to you, jesus, Chris was right, you are a tight ass bitch" he walked out of the room, slamming the door so hard that a framed picture of her and Howie at Disney World fell off the wall and smashed to the floor.
Her eyes stung with tears at the little outburst, stinging more with the comment he had thrown at her. She reached for a tissue and blew her nose and tried to do her hatha breathing but nothing could make the hurt go away. He had caught her right where it smarted and she would not soon forget.
~~**~~
Justin brushed by JC angrily, shoving him into the wall "Where's the naked girls Justin, calm down" he teased, waiting for a remark from Justin but was worried when none came. He walked by Freddi's office and heard soft sniffling. "Red.....Red are you okay?" he tapped lightly on her door.
"Come on in JC" Freddi looked up from the wad of crumpled tissue on her desk. "My allergies are acting up"
"Allergies...hmm allergic to White Out maybe, hey maybe you are allergic to these staples" JC held up the stapler and made a face when she didn't crack a smile. He perched on her desk in front of her, his legs crossed near hers.
"Let me propose something, you can tell me if I am close or way off." JC smiled "I propose that you just had a run in with a very moody and temperamental kid with one hell of a whacked out white boy afro."
"Close" Freddi sniffled.
"Red" JC lifted her head and looked at her "Justin is having some serious mood swings, he is copping attitude with all of us, don't take it seriously. I know it is hard but he will apoligize when he realises what a shit he just was."
Freddi looked at the young man and smiled "My ex bitched that I was hell to live with when my PMS was at full force, maybe I should ship curly to his doorstep and let him see that men, I mean boys can be worse then me"
JC chuckled "There's the smile I like to see, the biting sarcasm I love. Let's go get a smoothie and relax" JC held out his arm and wiggled his eyebrows.
Freddi laughed and took his arm.
~~**~~
Curly - I don't mean to be but I just can't shake this funk I am in, I wake up and all I can think about is running back to my bed and covering my head with a pillow and falling into a deep sleep, where noone can bother me.
CURLYQ- Sweets I would be lying if I said i know what you are feeling, unfortunately I am cursed with the Mega smile and go go go syndrome, guess that is why it is 3 am and I am still up talking to you *WG*
CURLY- Well I thank you for staying up and talking to me, how is it that you can make me smile and laugh when my mom and best friends can't?"
CURLYQ- It's one of my gifts, not my best ones *W* but a gift nonetheless, my ex said that my tongue, well you don't need to know that one *W*
CURLY - ROTFL, god I love talking to you.
CURLYQ - Trust me when I tell you the feeling is mutual..Sweets I hate to do this, since lately it has been me running off early and cutting our convos short but I have a big meeting in 5 hours.
CURLY - *pouts and folds arms* will my puppy dog face convince you to stay on?
CURLYQ- Hon even if you flashed me your ass and licked my neck I couldn't stay on.
CURLY- Flashed my ass, licked your neck..hmmmm I am learning more about you everytime we talk, you wild woman. Have a good sleep
CURLYQ- Night handsome
CURLY - licks your neck, letting my breath tickle your skin * God I am evil* sweet dreams sweetness
*Connection terminated*
~~**~~
"I am what?" Freddi stared at her boss in shock.
"You are going out on tour with them, we need a full time image and media director and you are the one we want." Jonnhy and Tim explained.
"What about my other portfolios, BSB are launching the comic book adventures on the web, Howie has his big fundraiser"
"We can take care of that from here, you need to be on the road with *NSYNC"
"Shit" she mumbled, the last thing she wanted to do was to be on the road, in a cramped bus with 5 young men, for 3 months. She walked out of the meeting, clutching the tour itinerary in her hand, mumbling as she walked.
"Talking to yourself I see, what will no one else listen to you?"
"Just what I needed after the big announcement, good morning Justin" she replied curtly.
"I see you got the news. It won't be all bad Freddi."
"Are you telling me that you are leaving the tour, hey maybe you got an attitude adjustment, because you know that would be great news for me."
"I deserved that" Justin touched the woman's arm "I am sorry about the last few days, I haven't been myself. I think I am just worried about the tour and everything."
"Well as your newly appointed Image Director I suggest that you work on your people skills for this tour, because as well I am your Media and PR Tour Director and I don't want to be working overtime correcting and explaining why you have been rude to fans and the media."
"I promise, friends?" Justin lowered his eyes and jutted out his lips and chin, looking like a 5 year old boy begging for a new toy, instead of the 19 year old sex symbol that he indeed was.
"Oh my sweet jesus don't use that face out on tour, in public. God little girls will be wetting their cotton undies and fainting. Lord how would I explain that" Freddi smacked his arm and walked away laughing.
~~**~~
"I swear Brian, someone up there must have a bad ass sense of humor" Freddi and Brian Littrell were eating breakfast in the cafeteria of JIVE records.
"Red it will be fine, the guys will be a handful but you handle Nicky with no problem so I am sure you can handle them"
"But I never toured with you guys, I have never spent 24 hours a day in a small tour bus with you all. Oh God I can't do this"
Brian tried not to laugh as his friend wailed, acting as if she was being sentenced to death instead of heading out on a tour that would undoubtedly smash records and give her memories she would not soon forget. "Red you need to calm down, why don't you talk to Lance or JC, they are the level headed ones, they will talk you through it"
"Bri I am so scared, so nervous and so afraid of failure"
"I know you and believe me when I tell you that you will kick some serious ass out there"
"Stop the presses, oh my god the golden boy swore, do you kiss Leighanne with that mouth?" Freddi teased.
"I made you smile, I did my job" Brian looked at her with his trademark wide smile and then lowered his voice "and yes I kiss Leighanne with this mouth, I think she enjoys it more when I lick her ear but shhh that's between you, me and her, oh and Tyke who probably hears her moaning." Freddi and Brian cracked up and turned their attention to breakfast.
~~**~~
Freddi stopped to buzz her visitor in and resumed her panicked packing. She was leaving in less then 9 hours and she was no closer to being packed then when she had started 5 hours before. "Hi Howie, try to find a spot and settle in, sorry if I am not the gracious host but I am freaking out, you know where the kitchen is, sorry about the bare fridge and cupboards but I didn*t do groceries this week, figured I would eat what I had so that things didn't go bad. Oh my god where the hell are my mules?" Freddi was talking a mile a minute, jumping from topic to topic and not stopping to look up and greet her guest.
Howie and AJ watched her with amusement, throwing clothes around, jumping to the floor and checking under her bed, then running to her closet.
"Frederikka, Freddi, RED!! You need to slow down, jeez girl"
"Do you throw yourself into everything like this, I mean are you always this much of a hurricane?" AJ grinned "I mean if you are like this is the bedroom I have been hitting on the wrong girls, I should have been with you, an older woman, maybe you could have taught me a few things"
Freddi barely smiled as she rummaged around her dresser drawers. "Do I pack my flannels, do I pack sexy clothes, hell who am I kidding, I am touring with 5 horny guys, wouldn't want them to jump me in my sleep"
Howie and AJ burst into laughter watching her talk to herself "Freddi why don't you sit back and let us pack, we are the masters" Howie took Freddi's hand and sat her down on the clothes strewn chair and started to sort through her clothes.
"Jeans, heavy sweaters, closed shoes, work out clothes, bathing suit" AJ held up a one piece and a red tankini, opting to throw the 2 peice in the suitcase. "Dress clothes, HEY...you have been HOLDING out on us" AJ cracked a grin as he held up a slinky backless black dress "You are definitely bringing this on tour" Freddi watched her friends and laughed "You guys are my knights in shining armor, what would I do without you?"
"Well judging from the mess of this place, had we waited a couple of minutes we would have needed a search party to find you in this disaster area" Howie smiled and hugged his friend "You are going to be fine, we are only a phone call away."
~~**~~
"Who's idea was it to leave at 5 am?" Justin groaned as he stood in the parking lot of JIVE, waiting for the buses to be loaded.
"Jutty, come on little man, hang in a for a few and then you can crash your cranky ass on the bus and when you wake up we will be in whatever city we are performing in" Joey rubbed his friend's back in mock kindness. "Just don't take the bunk above me because I cannot go through a tour with you snoring on top of me"
~~**~~
"This is it, just remember you can call us anytime and if you need to get away just turn to your favourite things, running or raw cookie dough" Nick teased.
"Red you will be fine, my mom will take good care of Furface and she will water your plants" Howie hugged his friend. "I know you can do this" he whispered.
Brian and Kevin took their turns saying goodbye to their former press agent and friend and then she turned to AJ.
"Bone, thanks so much for helping me pack last night"
"You are welcome beautiful, now promise me something. I need you to solemnly swear to this" AJ held out his pinky.
"Ooooh the pinky swear, must be something serious" she teased.
"It is, the health and welfare of the planet as we know it depends on this."
AJ lowered his hat and peered out from underneath it "For god's sake if you ever get the chance, shave Pube Boy bald, that afro is whacked, it is scary really" he grinned.
Freddi laughed and hugged him tighter "I will, though his hair is no worse then your Disney concert butterfly clip hairdo fiasco."
"Hey I was original" AJ protested. "take care girl"
~~**~~
"Is he always that fast to fall asleep?" Freddi asked Lance in astonishment.
"That boy is a miracle, the 9th wonder of the world. His head hits a pillow and he is out. He can sleep anywhere"
"I wish" Freddi mumbled. Justin had walked onto the bus, mumbled something and curled up on the couch and was sound asleep before the bus had left the parking lot.
"So Freddi, did the Backstreet Boys give you any advice for surviving the road?" JC asked, immersed in the Arts section of the Orlando Sentinel.
"AJ told me to wedge myself between the wall and the bunk so that when we took a corner I wouldn't fall out of my bunk. Howie told me to use lots of frizz control lotion because the bus is dry and will make my hair look like a q-tip, and believe if there is one thing that man is an expert in it is hair care products. Nick told me stock the fridge myself because all that is in it is healthy food and god forbid the boy gets any nutrition, Kevin told me to bring lots of batteries" She was interrupted by Chris's hysterical laughter and she flipped him the finger "Lots of batteries for my cd player, you know to block out the snoring and the immature goings on of the people on the bus, hey Chris talking about things for our little friends, did you pack a pump and a repair kit, I would think that being away from Dani would be hard on you, and that means that your suck me, fuck me blow up doll will have a lot of abuse reaped on her" Freddi laughed as Lance and JC burst out laughing.
"You are close to them huh?" JC asked softly.
Freddi smiled as she thought about her friends "I love them all so much, I guess it is because they were the first people I was assigned to when I got the job. They are all so special." Freddi looked at the men who were listening to her intently "I am sure that once I really get to know you all that I will love you guys as much, well most of you anyway" she laughed as she glanced at Chris who was staring intently, his face almost touching the screen as he watched Jennifer Lopez shake her body on MTV.
"Well I know that I am glad you are on tour with us and I can't wait to share this with you" JC winked and reached for an apple.
~~**~~
Justin hit his head on the arm rest as the bus hit a large pothole. "For shit's sake" He rubbed his head and sat up, a big scowl on his face. "Have I mentioned how much I hate this bus?"
"Hmm I don't think so, why don't you tell me about it Curly" Freddi smiled as she caught sight of his outrageous curls. "IF you don't keep your promises on anything else this tour, promise me one thing" she asked.
"WHAT?" Justin grumbled, still rubbing his head.
"Promise me you will never go anywhere looking like that, good lord those curls and the picture of beauty you make right now is enough to scare the harness off a nightmare, scary enough to make my curls straight" she teased. Justin growled and walked towards the bunks at the back of the bus. He
needed a good sleep, he didn't want to risk saying something he would
regret, not this early into the tour anyway.
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