When Trace and Lila left the restaurant there were cameras going off around them. Of course they were curious who this mystery child that was with Justin’s best friend was. He didn’t think they would find out this fast and he knew that both Justin and Ayelet would flip when the photos were all over the internet before the show would even start. About that time, his phone started buzzing in his pocket and he slipped it out to see who might be calling. It was Justin so he quickly answered it.

“Hey J, what’s up?”

“Tell me you have my daughter.” He panted, seemingly worried.

“Oh yeah, she’s right here. We went to get ice cream so you wouldn’t have to pay her your entire net worth for all the bad words you were going to say.” He chuckled, looking down at Lila.

“Thank God.” He heard Justin cover the phone and tell Ayelet that Trace had Lila.

“Um, Ayelet says and I quote ‘Are you out of your fucking mind taking a 5 year old around New York like that?’ So?”

“Am I out of my mind? She’s the one who moved here with an infant.”

Justin’s laugh boomed through the phone and Trace knew he was off the hook. He explained that they would be there shortly and hung up the phone.

“So,” Justin smirked, turning to Ayelet. “They will be here in about 10 minutes. What do ya think about making good use of those 10 minutes?”

“Justin Timberlake!” She gasped. “We just spent an hour and a half fighting and you expect me to fuck you now?”

“Well I just thought after all of that fighting you might want to make up a little bit. And no, I don’t expect you to fuck me.” Justin mumbled to himself.

“You seriously disgust me. This is not how I pictured it at all.”

“How did you picture it?”

“I don’t know, but you trying to get in my pants wasn’t part of the equation.”

“Give it time, you’ll like the idea. You liked it once.”

“Yeah, when I was drunk, 5 years ago.” She scoffed, throwing a look at him over her shoulder.

“Low blow Ayelet.” He let out a sigh and scratched the top of his head again.

She watched him for a moment, wondering what was going through his mind. She felt so drawn to him but was trying hard to remain strong. She kept thinking of those times right after Lila was born when she was up at 4 in the morning with their daughter and he was coming in smelling like perfume. Or how he sent Trace to come to all of her appointments and ‘’fill him in on the important stuff’’ so he didn’t have to leave whatever he was doing. It was these things that kept her hardened to him. She didn’t think about how her daughter’s eyes lit up the moment she saw him or how they seemed to form a bond almost instantly.

Justin could feel her gaze from across the room, he wanted so badly for things to be resolved between them. He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t found them before. Maybe she was right, he thought, maybe she had done him a favor. While he didn’t want to think that being away from his daughter was a favor, perhaps it was. He pinched the bridge of his nose; this was the last thing he wanted to think about with this show coming up. He was playing a sold out show at Madison Square Garden and no matter how many times he played here he still got a little nervous before he went out. The fans in New York made sure to let you know if you were horrible and he was afraid to be even a little off of his game. He felt even worse once he realized that he was feeling so selfish again, letting his career play a more important role in his mind than his own child. He made a note to start thinking of Lila first, it was going to take some time, and he knew that.

“All right Ayelet, let’s figure this out.” He let out a heavy sigh and went closer to her.

“What am I supposed to be figuring out exactly?” Her tone was anything but friendly.

“I think we should figure out when I’ll be seeing our daughter.”

“Justin, you’re on tour. Are you suggesting I let her traipse around the country with you at 5 years old?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“Not gonna happen, think of a new plan.”

“Ok, what if every day I have off I come here?”

“Don’t make promises you don’t intend on keeping.” She raised an eyebrow at him.

“I’m not, but you have to be willing to be flexible with her schedule. I know flexible isn’t exactly your middle name.” He grinned at her, hoping to at least get some sort of reaction.

“Here’s what I offer you, your days off while you’re on tour. If you have more than two in a row then you don’t get to take her and do whatever you want with her for that whole time. She still has school, she still has dance. Any other appointments I make for her, she keeps. When you are finished with this tour we sit down again and discuss further arrangements. Take it or leave it.” She sent him a glare, daring him to challenge her.

“I don’t like that I have no say in it, but I’ll take it.”

“We will talk about your say once you prove that you might actually be around this time.”

“Look A, about before, 5 years ago I mean.” He began to mumble off.

“Justin, I can’t hear what you’re saying and I’m not sure if I want to hear it.”

“No Ayelet just let me say this.” He reached out and touched her shoulder, turning her to face him. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for hurting you and making you feel like you had to come here. I know you don’t believe me but it was the worst thing I ever did in my life and I know that.”

“Don’t tell me you’re sorry, show her you’re sorry. For missing out on a big chunk of her life.” Her eyes were starting to tear up and when she felt like they were going to spill over she turned away from him.

“I wouldn’t have missed that part of her life if you… forget it, no excuses, I will. I know my promises don’t mean anything to you but I’m going to make this up to both of you.” He wrapped his arms around her from behind her, holding her tightly and taking her in.

“You just worry about making it up to her and that is all I need.” She whispered softly, taking in the feeling of his arms around her.

About that time Trace opened the door, shocked that they were so close. He had figured they would still be fighting. Judging by the looks of both of them though it seemed it hadn’t been an easy conversation. Justin was still holding her, he thought, so they must’ve worked something out between them, must’ve decided to give it another go. This was the last time he tried to do something nice for either of them, but then he remembered Tiny and how she had laughed with him and been so happy with the ice cream all over her face and he thought maybe this one time it was worth it to let Justin get the girl.

“Mommy, you and Daddy can be friends again, because Daddy isn’t friends with the other lady anymore so now he can say he is sorry, right?”

“What are you talking about baby?” She looked confused and turned first to Justin then to Trace.

“Uncle Trace told me that you stopped being Daddy’s friend because he was friends with another lady and you got mad and left. Then Daddy got sad and stopped being everyone’s friend.”

“Oh really?” She looked over at Trace. “What are you telling my daughter?”

“I gave her the kids version of what happened; she wanted to know why you were fighting.”

“Yeah, and I think now you can kiss like the movies.”

“UGH KISS LIKE THE MOVIES!” Ayelet yelled, pretending to be disgusted.

“YES! Kiss Daddy like the movies.” She instructed, pointing to both of them as if her pointing could make them do anything she said.

“Wait, wait, you want me to kiss Mommy?” Justin gasped.

“You have to; it’s what grown-up friends do. Kiss her!”

“I have to kiss a boy?” Ayelet said, looking over at Justin and then back to Lila.

“No, just Daddy.”

“But Daddy is a boy.”

“Daddy is a grown-up. He’s not a boy.”

“Yeah, I’m a grown-up Ayelet.” He mocked, glancing to their daughter.

“So kiss now. Be friends and kiss.”

The both sighed like the very thought made them sick. Lila watched both of them as if she were actually watching a movie. They leaned closer to each other and finally their lips met. Their daughter clapped with joy, thinking that her parents would be friends now and everyone would be happy together.

Trace was the one to interrupt the moment, clapping his hands loudly and announcing that Justin was due in hair and makeup and wardrobe so the little party would have to end. Ayelet could sense an edge to his voice and knew that something like that must’ve been hard to witness after she practically threw herself at him and told him she loved him and not Justin 5 years ago. She gave him a small sympathetic smile and gathered her and Lila’s things before turning to Justin.

“Will we see you again before you head out?”

“Of course, I’m picking up little bit from school tomorrow and bringing her home, you’ll be there right?” He asked hopefully.

“Yes, I’ll be there. So tomorrow then huh?” She searched his eyes for some emotion.

“Yeah, tomorrow.” He pulled her in and kissed her softly. She didn’t return the kiss, but didn’t pull away from him immediately either.

“Two kisses!” Lila shouted, breaking them apart.

“Yeah, what you think about that?” Justin asked, leaning down to her level.

“That’s pretty good. Maybe tomorrow you can kiss her again.” She said excitedly.

He laughed and picked her up in a hug, squeezing her tight until she told him to let her go. She kissed his cheek and he kissed her forehead and told her he loved her. She went over to Trace and lifted her arms up for him to pick her up. When he did, she hugged him as tight as she’d hugged Justin and kissed his cheek too. He tickled her a little and then set her back on her feet.

“So we will see you ladies tomorrow then, later Ayelet.” Trace said, a little too breezily, before he walked out the door. “Timberlake, let’s roll.” He shouted back into the room.

“I have to go, bye girls.” He said, turning to wave at both of them. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Bye Daddy!” Lila said happily, waving her arm off in his direction until she couldn’t see him anymore.

Ayelet walked along the corridor momentarily before turning around and going in the direction where Justin and Trace has disappeared. Lila was confused but followed her mother anyway, and they quickly found the hair and makeup area where Justin was seated and Trace was standing there chatting to him about some things he had to do the next morning.

“Miss, you can’t be in here.” A gruff voice greeted her.

“That’s my Daddy.” Lila said, before pushing past the man and running to her father. “Daddy! We came back, we came back!” She squealed and jumped into his lap.

“Little bit, what are you doing here, where is your mom?” He looked worried.

“Being harassed by your security team, will you tell them I’m with the band or something?”

Justin let out a sigh of relief, afraid for a moment that the girl had chased him without her mom. By looking at the tiny girl in his lap, tugging on her curls absentmindedly, he knew she was completely capable of doing this and not being afraid at all. She stretched in his lap and curled her small frame into his, looking up to meet his eyes. His heart burst with love meeting those eyes, like meeting his own.

“Yeah, guys, this is my daughter” He said, pointing to Lila, “And this is my daughter’s mother.”

“J, when did you get a daughter?” Lonnie, the security guard, asked her.

“Um, bout 5 years ago.” He mumbled, looking down at Lila again.

“So they are good I guess.” He turned to Ayelet. “Sorry miss; you know how it is on tour.”

“Of course Lonnie, I’m just upset you don’t recognize me or Lila, you protected both of us back when she was only as big as a peanut.”

“No, it can’t be. Ayelet?” He gasped as she nodded. “Girl, get your little butt over here.”

He enveloped her in a big hug and squeezed her until she pulled away. He asked if he could meet Lila but the child wouldn’t leave the safety of her father’s arms. It was amazing how she so quickly attached herself to him, no fear of the unknown. Ayelet had been watching their interactions all day, amazed at the ease at which the two of them interacted. Justin had taken to being a father better than anyone could’ve imagined.

Trace had been standing in the corner, watching all of this with anger building inside him. He knew that he had told himself that Justin could have Ayelet but his gut felt differently. What did Justin know about being with Ayelet anyway? He had ruined it the first time, what would be different about this time?

“Justin, you have about 15 minutes before show time. You have the pre show prayer and stuff, plus you need to get fitted for your mike.” A voice called, a soft southern feminine voice and Ayelet knew she was fucked.

“Well girls, here’s your last chance, you going to see the show or you plan on hanging out around here?” Justin asked standing and shifting Lila to his hip, giving her a kiss on the forehead.

“Lila, you have school early in the morning. We should get going.” She said, hoping to avoid the inevitable.

“You can stay and then head to my place afterwards if you want.” Justin supplied, hoping she’d take him up on it; he wasn’t ready to let them go yet.

“Justin, we can’t. We have to go home and get a bath for Princess L.” She poked Lila in the belly and the girl giggled. “Lila, tell Daddy bye sweetie.”

“Mommy no, I want to stay with him.” She clutched Justin’s neck and hid in his shoulder.

“Justin, a little help please.”

“I’m with little bit on this one.” He shrugged and rubbed a hand over her back.

“Well I make the rules so Lila we are going.” She pulled Lila off Justin’s neck, to the protests of both father and daughter.

“You’re going to see your dad tomorrow when he picks you up from school, give him kisses bye.”

Lila sighed in defeat and hugged Justin and kissed him quickly. Justin whispered something in her ear and she nodded, then they shared matching winks before he released her and let her go to Ayelet. He rose to his full height and pulled Ayelet in for a hug, daring to steal another kiss from her, causing a giggle from their daughter.

“You’re kissing again!”

“Gross isn’t it?” Trace mumbled and Justin looked at him in question.

“Anyway, I guess I’ll see you girls later. Love you Lila.” Justin said, kneeling down to Lila again.

“Love you too Daddy.” She whispered back to him.

“Lay one on me kid.” He pointed to his cheek and she kissed it.

Ayelet waved to both Justin and Trace and took Lila by the hand, leading her out of the dressing room. She almost ran right into Lynn on her way in and Ayelet heard Lila cry out before she could stop her.

“Grandma Lynn! What are you doing here? Do you know my daddy too?”