As they headed back in to the living room, JC couldn't stop smiling. The sight of Reini naked on the bathroom floor praying for god to help her get through her ordeal with Justin was just too amusing.

"What?" Justin asked, heading over to the refrigerator to grab a bottle of water.

"I'm just still getting over the shock man. I would have never thought you had it in you." he said, rather proud of his best friend. "So, what caused this 'little quarrel', as you so mildly put it."

Opening the bottle of water, Justin took a sip and then began thumbing through the mail laying on the counter. Although he was proud of the fact that he followed through with it, it wasn't something he wanted to keep dredging up. He didn't want to do these things to Reini. He just didn't have a choice.

"To make a long story short, she got a little too friendly with a fuckin waiter when we were out at dinner last night. I just couldn't let it slide."

"So I see." JC laughed, as he adjusted his position in the chair. "I take it she put up a fight? I mean, from the looks of her she had to of."

"No. She didn't" Justin said rather calmly.

Peaking JC's interest even more, he gave him a questioning look. Did he really hand her what had to be the beating of a lifetime without her even trying to defend herself.

As JC's eyes widened over the comment, Justin began grinning from ear to ear. Clearly JC was impressed with him. He just hoped that the reaction would be the same from his father. Because, if truth be told. That's who mattered. That is who he did it for.

"She knew she had it coming. I mean, what would have been the outcome if she did fight back? Would it have turned out any better for her? No, it wouldn't have. She knew that."

After a few moments of silence, JC leaned back on his chair and stared at Justin.

"So. You up for a party tonight or do you two have plans?"

"Tonight?"

"Yeah. Nothing too big. Just a few friends, lots of liquor, some bitches.....the usual things." JC said laughing.

"No, I don't have any plans yet. I'm game for a party though."

Hearing the sound of footsteps coming from behind him, Justin sat his bottle of water down and turned around.

"Morning Ray." JC said, nodding his head at her before turning his gaze back to Justin.

"Hey JC." she replied, her voice soft and frail as she walked in to the kitchen.

Extending his hand to her, Justin waited for Reini to join him at the counter. Once she did, Justin wrapped his arm around her waist and placed a gentle kiss to her forehead. Sure. Last night he had to take a stand and show her that he meant business, but at the same time, he didn't want her to forget how much he truly loved her.

Offering him a half hearted smile, Reini tucked a small piece of hair behind her ear and looked out the window at the opposite end of the kitchen

"Hey, me and JC are going to head out for a little bit. I should be back in a few hours though. Once I get home I'll drive you back to the apartment and you can change for the party."

"What party?" she asked, looking back and forth between the two of them. "For what?"

"Just a little get together. I mean, since when did we need a reason to have a party?" he said, slapping JC five as he finished off his water.

"How about a 'fuck the world, let's get drunk' party?" JC chimed in, laughing

"Now that's my kind of party!" Justin said laughing. "We better restock the bar then. Can't get plastered without the proper tools."

"I'm ready to go man. Let's roll."

"Alright. Just give me a minute with Ray."

Once JC was out of the room, Justin turned Reini so that she was now facing him. Seeing the distant look in her eyes as she looked at him broke his heart. He didn't want anything to change between them, but he had a feeling that it had already happened.

"Look Ray, it doesn't have to be like this. You know that right?" he said, softly caressing her cheek.

Feeling the tears well up in her eyes, Reini looked down at the floor.

"Ray? Look at me."

Placing his index finger under her chin, he brought her gaze back up to his. After a few moments of awkward silence, Justin let out a heavy sigh and released his hold on her. This was harder than he ever expected.

"I'll be back in a little bit."

As Justin walked past her and out the front door, Reini broke down and let the tears fall that she had been holding back. Everything that had happened within the last twenty fours hours started to take it's toll. She needed to get out of there and figure out what she was going to do.

Letting out a heavy sign, Reini grabbed the phone from the counter and began to dial the number to her apartment. After a few rings, a very groggy Channing answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey. Sorry to wake you." she said softly, her voice slightly cracking as she choked back the tears.

"Ray? What's wrong?" Channing asked, concern quickly causing him to sit straight up in bed.

"Can you come get me?"

"Yeah. Where are you at?" he said, blinking a few times quickly to try and clear his vision.

"Justin's."

"Are you alright? What happened?"

"Nothing. Can you just come get me?"

Tossing the covers down to his feet, Channing slid out of bed and over to his dresser. He knew without a doubt that she had been crying and that worried him more than anything. Something upset her.

"I'll be there in like fifteen minutes. If you need me before then call my cell." he said, quickly slipping on a pair of cargo pants.

"Thanks Channing. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Don't worry about it. I'm on my way."

After ending the call, Reini headed back in to the bedroom to grab the rest of her things. She knew that she could always count on Channing to be there for her....no matter what.

Shaking his head with disgust, Channing threw a t-shirt and began looking for his keys. He told her that getting involved with Justin's pompous ass was a mistake. That his lifestyle wasn't something she needed to be a part of. Why didn't she listen to him.

"Keys....keys." Channing began chanting, as he shuffled through the stack of papers on the table. "Where the fuck are my keys!"

After frantically clearing off every surface in his room, Channing finally found his keys and sprinted towards the door. Once he made it down to the street, Channing quickly deactivated the security alarm on his Porsche and jumped in. Every second that went by felt like an eternity. All he wanted to do is get there and see for himself that she was alright. Until that happened, he wouldn't be able to relax.

"Come on. Fucking NY bullshit!" Channing growled as he impatiently waited for a break in traffic so he could pull out. After a few minutes of him nervously tapping his fingers off the steering wheel, Channing finally saw a space coming up and quickly pulled out.

"Finally!" he said, reaching down in to his pocket to grab his cell phone.

Flipping it open, Channing dialed the number to Reini's cell and place it to his ear. After a few rings, she answered it.

"Hello?"

"You alright?"

"Yeah. Where are you?" she asked, tossing her purse down beside her as she collapsed on to the sofa.

"I'm on my way. I just had some trouble with traffic and I wanted to make sure you're ok."

"Yeah....I will be once you get here."

"Just hang tight. I'll be there shortly."

"Alright."

Flipping her phone shut, Reini placed in back inside her purse and glanced up at the clock. Fifteen minutes had never seemed so long.

As Reini paced the floor of Justin's apartment, she began worrying what would happen if him and JC came back early or if they came back because they forget something.

"Oh Channing. Please hurry up." she said softly, glancing down at her watch.

Almost as soon as she said it, Reini heard the intercom buzz. Quickly sprinting over to it, Reini pushed the button.

"Hello?"

"It's me Ray."

Buzzing him in, Reini quickly grabber her purse and waited for him to get off of the elevator. A few moments later, the bell of the elevator dung and the gold embellished doors opened up.

Seeing a clearly upset Reini, Channing ran in to the apartment and wrapped his arms around her.

"Are you alright? What happened?"

"Me an Justin had an argument. I really don't want to get in to it right now though. Can you just please take me home?" she asked, looking at up him with the most innocent eyes he had ever seen.

"Yeah. Come on." he replied, taking her small hand in his as he headed back over to the elevator. "Funny, it's just what I expected from someone like him."

"Channing. Don't start on me about this right now. Please."

"I meant the apartment Ray." he replied, giving her a questioning look.

"Oh."

Looking back at the surroundings behind her, Reini knew where he was coming from. The place definitely spoke volumes when it came to it's expensive taste. Everything from the marble floors down to the crystal lighting screamed 'I'm filthy rich'. However, if you asked Channing, he would tell you it spoke volumes alright. Volumes of arrogance saying things like 'I'm better than you' and 'You'll never be like me'.

"Let's just get out of here." he said, pressing the small pearlescent button that called the elevator back up to the penthouse.

Once the door opened, Channing placed his hand on the small of her back and escorted her in. Giving her a comforting smile, Channing pressed the button down to the lobby and pulled her close. He hated seeing her upset like this. He just wish he knew more about what exactly upset her.

***************************************

"So it seems like things are still ok between you and Ray." JC said, glancing out the passenger side window of Justin's BMW.

"Yeah. I mean, sure there is a bit if awkwardness there, but in time that will go away. She knows I love her and would do anything for her."

"Well you mean anything within reason right? I mean, you sure as hell didn't let her get away with the waiter thing."

Laughing, Justin turned to face his best friend.

"You're really enjoying this aren't you?"

"What?" he asked innocently.

"You know damn well what." Justin said, pulling in to the parking lot of the local liquor store.

"Like I said before. I'm just surprised, that's all. I mean, maybe I could see you slapping her around a little or something. But full on beating the shit out of her? I NEVER saw it coming." JC laughed as he opened his door. "I bet she didn't see it coming either."

"Man, you're a lost cause. You know that?"

Continuing to laugh, the two of them headed inside and began to load up on everything from vodka to tequila. Clearly by the amount of bottles JC was lining up on the counter, his idea of a 'fuck the world and let's get drunk' party was serious. They had enough liquor to knock out the whole building.

"Will that be everything?" the clerk asked, packing up the last of the two bottles.

"Do you really think there is anything else we need?" Justin said, looking over everything they had purchased.

"No, I guess not."

After he handed her his platinum card, Justin began to find himself lost in thought over what Reini could be doing at that very moment. He hated the helpless look he saw in her eyes before he left and he was hoping that when he returned, that they would be back to the same innocent looking doe eyes he fell in love with. The eyes that could hold your gaze and melt your heart all at the same time.

"Yo, J! Get your card man." JC said, smacking his in the arm.

"Oh, sorry. Drifted off there for a minute" he laughed, grabbing the card back from the clerk and signing his name on the small piece of paper.

"Thank you Mr Timberlake." she said, glancing down at the signature before her. "Have a good day."

"You too."

Once they were outside, Justin hit the unlock button on his keyless remote and the truck popped open.

"Do you think this is all going to fit?"

"Yeah. I mean, we have the backseat dude." JC said, slightly laughing.

Shaking his head over the absurd comment he made, Justin let out a good laugh himself and began loading the trunk up.

"This one is coming up front with me." he said, grabbing one of the bottles of tequila from a small box. "I think I need to get a jump on this party tonight. Clearly I'm not quite with it yet."

Grabbing his own bottle, JC tapped his bottle against Justin's and shut the trunk.

"Fuck the world! Let's get drunk!"

"Man, you've lost your damn mind! You know that?" Justin said, walking around to the drivers side and getting in.

"Yes I do. But thanks for the heads up anyway." JC replied, opening his own door and getting inside.