Randy Timberlake stared at his son completely perplexed. He wasn’t disgusted by what his son had just revealed to him, but more in shock that Justin had actually put his little "girlfriend" in her place. Actually he was pretty proud of his son for "stepping up" and showing her that he was the man. The one thing that he didn’t like, however, was that Justin seemed to be a little remorseful for what he had done.

"Look Justin, you did the right thing. Anyway its too late to gripe over it now…its in the past." Randy Timberlake said pouring himself a generous glass of scotch. "Besides son, if you apologize now you’ll be apologizing for every decision you make as long as your with this girl."

Justin let his father’s words sink in. He knew that in his father’s mind everything that he was saying made perfect sense. Some of it even made sense to him, but at the same time Justin couldn’t shake the feeling that his father’s advice wasn’t necessarily the right course of action for him.

"Yeah I get what you’re saying dad but if what I did was right then how come she wont even see me? Huh? If its so right, then why do I feel like shit about it?" Justin asked taking a gulp of the scotch that his father placed in front of him. Randy Timberlake took a deep breath.

"She’s still talking to you right?"

Silence

"Right?"

"Yeah but-" before Justin could finish his father interrupted

"No buts Justin. I promise you that if you want to mold this girl into who YOU want her to be, a woman worthy of the last name Timberlake, you will listen to my advice."

Justin sat in silence sipping his scotch. He knew what he had to do. All of his life all he wanted was to make his father proud and now he had a way. Had a way to show his father that he himself was worthy of being a Timberlake…worthy of his father’s respect.

"So what do I do?" he asked looking into the now empty glass.

"You keep her in her place." Randy stated mater-of-factly, refilling his sons empty glass. "Sure shes having a little ‘moment’ right now but she will realize what’s good for her. And when that time comes that’s when you truly show her who is running things"

"How?"

"You’ll know when the time comes J. That I cant tell you." Randy contemplated what to say next before continuing on" I will tell you this though. Whatever it is that you say or do, do it with conviction. Sure you can make it up to her later, I mean we’re not monsters, but never ever be sorry for disciplining her. Trust me."
Justin was confused. Was his father contradicting himself? Why was all of this so hard for him to understand?

"But isn’t making it up to her sort of like saying sorry?" Justin asked with question in his eyes.

Letting out a slight chuckle Randy took another drink of the dark liquor before continuing on. "Okay son let me put it like this. Whenever you find yourself having to…chastise her. Do not take any pity on her for what your doing. Women need to be put in their place and sometimes they need us to show them where that place is, and at times it may take a certain amount of…malevolence on your part. Do you understand what I’m telling you Justin?"

"Yeah. Okay I get that part but before you said something about ‘making it up’ to her? How do I do that without jeopardizing what I’ve already done? Ya know."

Randy smiled at his son. He was rather enjoying their conversation and was quite happy that his son seemed to be heeding his advice already.

"Well son this is where it gets confusing, because as much as you need to show her who’s who in the relationship, you also need to love her endlessly. So here is what I would say, no matter what you do to show your love for her make sure that its in her head not to mistake your kindness for weakness, and that no matter how badly you have punished her that it was for her own good. After all you wouldn’t tell your dog ‘thank you’ for shitting on the rug, but your still gonna love it not matter what, right?"

"Right" Justin said loving the fact that for the first time in his whole life he and his father were actually connecting. "okay dad just one more question."

"I’m all ears…" Randy said tossing back the rest of his scotch and pouring himself another drink.

"How did mom become…you know, so well behaved." Justin knew that with the advise that his father had just given him surely he was speaking from experience. His mother was an excellent mother and wife as far as he could remember so whatever it was that his father had done to her must have worked. Right?

"Your mother was a lot like that girlfriend of yours. I was always having to put her in her place. She had a little too much spunk about her," and with a look that Justin had never seen before, almost a look of pure satisfaction his father stated simply "I put the fear of God in her." Saying nothing more on the subject Randy Timberlake refilled his glass and for the first time Justin could remember gave him the most loving smile he had ever received from his father. Setting his glass down on the small table next to him Randy gave his sons hand a reassuring pat "I’m glad we had this talk son."

Smiling wider than he ever had in his life all Justin could say was "Me too"

~*~

Reini and Channing had spent every day together since she got back from the Hamptons. It was just like old times again. They bummed around the house, rented movies, ate tons of take-out and really just got to know each other all over again. For an entire week it was Scrappy and Chan again and they both loved every minute of it.

Sitting on the plush red couch in the living room of their apartment Reini thought about Justin. She missed him. Sure they talked every day but she wanted to see him. She thought to herself a week was long enough, she had given herself sufficient time to get over their little spat and for him to regret what he had done. Surely a week was long enough Right? As Channing emerged from the kitchen with a bottle of tequila, limes salt and chips and salsa in his hands Reini tried to shake the thoughts of Justin from her head. She had done good all week not mentioning Justin once, and even managed to keep her small shiner from Channing.

"Alright Ray dawg whats it gonna be?" Channing asked holding up two dvds "Empire Records or Boogie Nights?"

Reini scanned the dvds with her eyes pretending to really be contemplating her decision

"Hmmm…Mark Wahlberg with a 12 inch penis or Renee Zelwegger pre Bridget Jones. Ahhh decisions decisions." she said tapping her index finger on her chin "As much as I’d love to see a 12 inch penis I’m gonna have to go with Empire."

"Good Call"

While Channing put the dvd in Reini went about pouring each of them a shot. As the opening credits appeared on the screen they toasted to their friendship and dug into their late night snack. By the time the movie was over they had about ¼ a bottle of tequila left and about half a bag of tortilla chips to much on.

Pouring herself another shot Reini sat up strait and lifted her glass in a drunken salute to Channing. "Man o man I love me some Ta-Kill-Ya." she said throwing back her umpteenth shot of the night.

Pulling what was left of the bottle away from his roommate Channing gave her a soft smile "Okay drunk girl noa that you’ve had more than your fair share of tequila maybe we should call it a night."

Letting out an intoxicated laugh Reini brushed her hand over the top of Channings head lazily. "Chan? Did you know that I never…EVER," she emphasized with a nod of the head "had sex with Justin. Never!" she announced helping herself to a handful of ships.

Channing was sure that the look on his face was somewhere between shocked and amused at her revelation. "Wow no Ray, didn’t know that." he stated sarcastically trying not to laugh.

"Hell I’ve never had sex with anyone before!" she laughed lightly but there was a hint of disappointment in her voice. Before Channing could even respond Reini began speaking again. "How come you never tried to fuck me?"

Taken slightly aback by her question Channing didn’t even know what to say. He had entertained the idea once or twice when they first met but being that she was a minor there was really no point in pursuing it, and after so long he just loved her too much to let their relationship go down that road. But the idea was still something that plagued him even today.

"I wanted you to, but now its too late. You should have taken the opportunity Chan. I would have, it makes me sad to think that I wont lose my virginity to you."

What the FUCK!!! Was she for real? How in the hell could she just say something like that, and so nonchalantly. What the hell kind of twilight zone had he just stepped into. Her he was standing in front of a girl that he had all but pined over for nearly four years and shes telling him this. Channing opened his mouth to respond and sighed when her heard the light rhythmic sound of her breathing. She was asleep.

Cradling her in his arms Channing carried Reini up the stairs to her bedroom to put her in bed. Once he reached the bed he gently placed her down on it and began to stand up strait again, when he felt the light pressure of feminine hands on his shoulders. Before he could wrap his head around what was happening his roommates mouth came crashing down onto his. Her lips were as soft and warm as he had imagined they would have been and her kiss was full of hunger, want, need and at the same time innocence. As the realization of what was happening began to hit him, he felt those soft full lips slowly pull away from his as she rested her forehead against his. Sliding her head down to rest in the crook of his neck he could feel her labored breathing as she softly whispered "Why Channing? I waited for just one sign…I was yours. You could have had me." Letting out a heavy sigh she slowly lowered herself back down to the mattress and pulled the covers over her shoulders.

Channing sat there in the silence of her room listening to her breathe while she slept. He knew what she had just done. She hadn’t invited him to sleep with her tonight but more or less she was saying goodbye. Without even saying the words. They knew each other all too well, and in that one kiss she had told him more than any words could have ever said. Quietly leaving her in the darkness of her room Channing walked back down to the living room and stared at the blank television, quietly declaring to himself that he would move on from any feelings that he had ever had for his roommate. In nearly four years not a thing and then this, tonight, to have it end before either of them knew it could begin…that’s what hurt. The only question that still hung in the balance of the silence of their apartment was where their friendship would go. However drunk he knew Reini was Channing also knew that she had just unofficially changed everything between them and she had done it on purpose. Nothing would ever be the same again.