"My brother is my best friend. My other half. I don't know who I'd be if he weren't in my life. I could always go for him for everything. When I first started and got to tour with he and his group, it was the most amazing time in my life. I got to do something I had yet to do with him: share a professional stage with him. The funny thing about the entire idea was that if no one knew who we were, they could just tell we were siblings by how well our voices match. Of course, my voice is obviously soprano and a girl, but when we sang together, our voices blended and you could barely tell where he started and I ended. A video started, it more recent of the two of them sitting in his living room, guitar in his lap, she keeping the beat as she hit her hands against her thighs, singing acoustically as he watched her, a smile on his face the entire time.

It was right before he coaxed her into going back into the music industry, at a birthday party for their mom as they sang together for her at her request. They sang a few of his group's songs, a few of her own, a few of their mother's favorites. It gave chills to many people's skin to hear the harmony between the two.

Ooh, lah dut dah, la dut dah
Ooh, lah dut dah, la dut dah
Ooh, lah dut dah, la dut dah
Ooh, lah dut dah, la dut dah
Ooh, lah dut dah, la dut dah
Ooh, lah dut dah, la dut dah
Oh, oh, yeah, yeah

She screen focused on her then, Brian's voice fading as she continued on with the song.

To be happy
You are all I need to make me happy
'Cause everytime you're near
All the tears inside the raindrops
All the sadness in my lifetime goes away

Brian took over into the second half of the verse, she continuing with the adlibs from the beginning below his voice, the siblings catching each other's face and grinning. She started cracking up as he continued, stopping stumming. "Nice face, Drine. I'm trying to be such a serious artist right now!"

"About as serious as your guitar skills, buddy -"

The video went back to Audrina, who had a bittersweet smile, the known subject suddenly in the air. "All the publicity I had, negative, positive, the inbetween, nothing seemed to matter because I had the support of one of the most important people in my life. JC and I had been together for four years when I got sick and lasted two more years after that. Sometimes people come into your life for a reason, and I know that his reason for coming into my life was to help me get through the hardest time in my life and be the one who held my hand and never let go, even when I felt like giving up. But suddenly, things seemed to take a turn and we both seemed to be suffocating each other. We split mutually and I was so happy when he said he wanted a hand at working with me on this album. He is one of the most, caring, talented men in the entire world and to have his name credited in something I did, it's amazing."

Suddenly, as she spoke, the familiar introduction of the song the two of them wrote together began to play over her voice, going to the two of them in his studio, he sitting at the sound board while she stood behind the glass wall, listening to him instruct her. She was nodding, listening intently, their eyes locked. And suddenly, the music faded, the only thing heard were the heartfelt, emotional voices behind the song, JC's voice taking the lower register as Audrina took the higher.

And I don't want you to be over this now
I can't stand the pain anymore
You were the best of the love
What was I thinking of?
I don't know

"Right. Sing it like that. Do the sound slide for the end of the 'thinking of' line. Put more of that power into it. Remember, it's a driven song -"

She nodded. "You're still following suite?"

"Yeah, we'll try and match notes with that. See how it sounds?"

"Okay. Take it back to the second verse, all right?"

"Got it." He gave her a sweet smile, moving controls. "Set it four beats before the beginning of the verse."

She nodded, putting the headphones on her ears as she closed her eyes, waiting for her cue to the music. Her hand played with her chin, oblivious to the moment MTV had caught as they took a shot of the back of her head, going over her shoulder and towards the windowed wall, the piercing blue eyes looking back at her giving every emotion he had ever given her before, but there was more to that look than anyone but he understood.

You and I
Can't understand reasons why
And you, yes, you
When did your heart find a new?
Guess I could have changed
Or should I have stayed the same

"Wait."

She cut, looking at him as he got up, walking into the room and standing in front of her. "Change the chorus after this. It's the climax of the song. Belt it. Sing it like you haven't sung it before."

"You have to sing it with me then."

He nodded, snapping his fingers and giving her a silent count as everything seemed to stop around them as they connected with their eyes, their voices, their emotion. It was another pivotal moment that MTV had caught on camera, one that would be talked about for a long time.

And I don't want you to be over this now
I can't stand the pain anymore
You were the best of love
What was I thinking of?

"He was my knight in shining armor for the longest time. There has never been a time that he wasn't there when I needed him, even when I didn't say it, he knew. He brings me comfort and stability, even now."

She licked her bottom lip slowly, turning her head and meeting his gaze, stomach knotting up as he looked at her the way the camera had caught him do so before. She closed her eyes, inhaling slowly to calm whatever thoughts she knew would run in her mind shortly, opening her eyes when Aundrea broke the silence.

"That song is beautiful."

She nodded, silent as Aundrea caught her gaze this time, a quizzical expression her face. "You okay?"

Suddenly, she was becoming emotional. "I'm okay. I just have to go to the bathroom." She pulled herself out from the covers, Aundrea lifting her head and looking at her in wonder. She couldn't get out of there quick enough as she scrambled past the master bathroom and out the door down the hall and down the stairs towards the bathroom near the living room, she closing and locking the door as she collapsed against the hard oak, a sob filled with exhaustion, irritation and sadness leaving her chest and mouth quickly, the tears soon following.

She buried her face into her hands, propping her elbows on her hands and gripping her toes to the cool tile so that her legs wouldn't slip. Clenching her hair and covering her face with her forearms, she cried with no reserve, unaware of the body standing merely feet away from the door, frozen in his spot.

"And five, six, and seven, eight -"

She did a small poplock, mouthing the words to the song choreographed for this particular dance, looking over at Shane as he smiled behind her through the mirror. "I don't like that look you're giving me, Shaners."

He grinned, still clapping out the beat as she danced, sweat dripping down her forehead and being caught with the headband she had lowered from her head to mid-forehead, "it's just good to see you back into the swing of things is all. It's like you haven't left, but we're all so happy to have you back."

She smiled, giving him a little pouted smile as she did a turn and dropped to a slide on one leg, kicking it up, and rolling her upper body in position. "It's good to be back."

"Have you seen the stage yet? I know Johnny was talking to you about it, but have you seen the set-up? It's amazing."

"Really?"

"Yeah," he smiled, grinning widely as she finished the dance, literally collapsing on her back end up against the wall and looking at him as she sipped her water. "The catwalk, the lights ... it's all going to be so amazing to see live."

"I can't wait," she grinned. "It's been such a long time coming."

"How are you feeling?"

"Amazing," she smiled, accepting his hand to help her up as she grinned, tossing the water bottle to the floor by her things. "The medication is working, my chest hasn't fluttered ... my heartrate is perfectly normal."

"Good. Don't want to have to kick your ass for not taking care of yourself."

She laughed. "Oh, not you, too. JC and Aundrea are both threatening bodily harm." She turning when she heard voices coming from down the hall, the door to the studio opening as Johnny Wright and Brian stood in the doorway, broad smiles on their faces. "Hey! What are you doing here?!" She walked quickly over to her brother, hugging him tightly as he hugged her so tightly that he had lifted her off the ground, her toes scraping the floor. "What's that for?"

"What? I can't hug the number one artist on Billboard's charts?"

She released her brother, eyes wide. "What?!"

"Number one selling album, Drina," Johnny smiled from his spot beside Brian, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Congratulations."

"Oh my God!" She lunged at Johnny, he hugging her tightly as she started to cry, laughing in spite of her tears. "That's so amazing!" She jumped at her brother again, jumping up and down in his hug as he laughed, barely able to hold her with how much she was moving. "I'm number one! I have to call Aundrea!" She ran off as the three men looked on, shaking their heads in disbelief.

"She's a firecracker," Shane laughed. "Johnny, you have to see how good she's been doing -"

"Oh, I believe it. She's trying to prove she's okay," he said, smiling, "she's a brave one, just like this one right here. Pushed through everything just to make everything look good."

"We're Littrell's, it's what we do," Brian smiled, crossing his arms and watching as his baby sister squealed and jumped up and down, sharing her excitement with one of her best friends. "She's gonna fight the entire time, too. Fight everything."

"Even the truth?"

Brian looked over at Shane, confused. "What do you mean?"

Shane said nothing except turn his head towards the other side of the studio where the exit door was, JC having just walked in with a coffee in one hand and his duffel bag hanging from the opposite shoulder, being attacked with a screaming Audrina. The bag had been dropped, drink secure in one hand as he hugged her, smile wide as he congratulated the screaming woman.

"That." Shane shook his head, running a hand over his face as he laughed. "For her being as observant as she is, she really misses everything, huh?"

"Preaching to the already knowing choir, man," Brian laughed, Johnny nudging him as they both looked back over, the two still in a hug. "Good God," he chuckled. "I'd tell them to just kiss and get it over with but she may kill me and my wife just got this shirt clean from when Baylee and I played in the mud." He grinned, waving them off. "I'm going back to the studio with the guys. Johnny, I'll catch you in a bit."

"Where'd Brian go?"

"Back into the studio," Johnny replied, throwing his thumb back to gesture in the direction he had gone, "the guys were laying down their vocals and he just wanted to come in and be the one to break the news to you. Felt it wouldn't be worth hearing it from anyone else."

"Good," she grinned. "That's how I would have wanted it." She looked back over at JC as he spoke to Shane, smiling to herself. "So how were the sales?"

"Almost Gold certified already," he said, she squealing. "Audrina, I don't know how you do it, but whatever it is, don't stop. You'll be platinum by next week if sales continue."

"I hope so."

"That isn't even for overseas yet," he chuckled. "It releases in three days over there. It's already a frenzy there. You're in very high demand in Germany and Japan."

"The world tour, who is going to be opening?"

"Split tour," he said, gesutring back to JC. "He's coming and we may have Danity Kane, too."

"They agreed?"

"Dawn isn't very happy about it," Johnny sighed. "Dawn isn't very happy about much these days with the group. She's mad that you and Aubrey wrote their first single and no one else got their name on it."

"Johnny, I didn't put a gun to their head," she said softly, shaking her head in disbelief, "I'm not going to be the reason for a beef between the girls and Diddy."

"It's a beef between Dawn and the girls, not you. She has nothing against you. She loves the song, she just doesn't think it should be their first single."

"It's on my album, too ..."

"With Aubrey and Aundrea on it. No one else."

"Because Aubrey and I wrote it! Aundrea had the little hook ..."

"Don't worry about it, Drine," he laughed, "it'll blow over. Dawn doesn't stay angry long. Her song will be heard."

"Her song? She had a song for the first single?"

"Ah, yeah," he bit his lip, "about that. Your song bumped hers."

"What?! Why?!"

"What's going on?" JC stepped up next to her, eyeing the two with interest. "Why does she look like her eyes are gonna bug out of her head and why do you look like you just told her that her best friend died?"

"My song bumped Dawn's for Danity Kane's first single," she said, looking at JC as he grinned happily. "It's not good! Dawn is pissed!"

"They just felt having a bigger name printed on that song would give it better airplay for the girls," he said softly, "the fact that it's on your album and their's, but is getting released on their's, is getting them more attention."

"Argh, I don't want to talk about this anymore," she mumbled, holding her hands up in defeat, "I'm getting a headache."

"Audrina, it's nothing you could have done," JC stated, sighing as she walked away. "Drine!"

"I'm going to my car," she mumbled, waving him off. "I'll be back."

"Audrina," Johnny called, she ignoring him as he turned to look at JC, he shrugging. "It was nothing she could have done to stop it. Both versions of this song were damn good. We've got all the singles lined up for Audrina's album, 'Damaged' was nowhere from the lists of songs that were set out for her. They've been struggling to find a good, strong first single for DK and then they hear Aundrea belting out the verse and they wanted it. Diddy wanted his fingers on it."

"Don't you think Diddy should have came to the other writer of the song first?"

"Probably."

"I'm gonna go talk to her."

"It's nothing she should be mad about."

JC looked at Johnny. "She hates when people put spite in with her name. That song was part of hers. That song knocked another single-worthy song out of the running because of her name. She doesn't want to be used for her name, Johnny."

"She's being used for her talent, JC. You know, just like Justin was for your song?"

He took a deep breath, shaking his head. "Justin is one of my closest friends, Johnny; I will never, ever put him down. But don't ever put him in the same category as me. We are nothing alike. Nothing." He turned on his heel, still fuming. "We may have come from the same group, but we are two very different people with two very different vocal styles. I would never sell him out." He pushed on the door, it slamming away from him and against the wall, falling shut quickly as he breezed out, spotting her sitting in her car. "Drine -"

"If I knew that this song would get those girls in hot water with each other, I wouldn't have given them it to use," she said, shaking her head while biting on her finger absentmindely, "I would have told Aundrea to use it for herself. Told Aubrey to use it for herself."

"Drina, if it bothered the two of them that Dawn was mad about it, don't you think you would have heard about it?"

"I don't know."

"They're friends too, you know," he said softly, kneeling down between the door and the car, "Aundrea and Aubrey wouldn't just do something to spite Dawn. But that's how the music industry is, Drina, you know that. They see the big fish, they take the bait. It's all about money, money, money."

"It never used to be like that."

"Not until they got the multi-million-dollar investors involved," he sighed. "Why do you think JIVE dropped me? Because I refused to succomb to what they wanted to make me. They wanted to make me another Justin Timberlake. I'm not Justin. I can't sell what he sells. The only thing I have to sell is my voice. That's the only thing I've ever wanted to put out there for them. It will always be like that."

"You sold your body quite a few times," she chuckled as he arched an eyebrow. "Oh, you know what I'm talking about." She cleared her throat, dropping her voice a few registers, "Cause when I'm all alone, I imagine lying face to face. Inhaling every breath you take ..."

"One song."

"Keep in mind, I'm a love machine -"

"I get it," he laughed. "My voice was still selling it, not my body."

"Right, so this," she got up, tossing her purse onto her passenger side and shutting the door, shaking her body to loosen it up as she cleared her throat, mimicking the first song she had sang, copying how he used to dance to the second verse, her finger walking down her body and gyrating her hips. "Walking with my fingers and I'm creeping down real slow, reaching for the places that no one could ever go ..."

"Ah, yeah," he reached up, grabbing her forearm to stop her from moving, "apparently, a woman can make that song so much hotter."

She laughed, shrugging innocently, "well, if you wouldn't write about masterbation, I'm sure you'd have a woman to act that song out with." She grabbed her keys, turning to walk away when his voice stopped her.

"I did have that woman, remember?"

She felt like she was going to implode. Stomach twisted, heart beating rapidly in her throat, the flutters nearly driving her mad in the pit of her belly. "Must of sucked if she's not that woman anymore," she said, trying to get him off the subject quickly. Thinking about it even made her question why she wanted to marry so badly. "She must of not known what she was doing."

"Apparently she did, because that entire song was about her."

She cleared her throat, turning to look at him as the devilish smile continued to play on his lips. "I don't see her around anymore ..."

"I see her right now," he said softly, her stomach continuing to flutter as the sexy little smile turned into more of an ego-driven smirk. Come to think of it, there were a few songs that she drove me to write."

"She must be some hell of a girl," she chuckled. He really was a losing battle.  "But with you having no way of getting her back ..." 

"Oh, I could think of 100 ways."

She blushed, watching the fabric of his shirt stretch tightly across this chest, arms flexing and pressing against the sides. "I need a drink."

"How about some Gatorade? Heard it's good after a long day of sweating."

"I hate you."

He chuckled. "And those stilettos? Too bad you weren't really 5'9" because that was the only number that rhymed."

"Yeah, with Levi's," she cracked, shaking her head and beginning to walk away, he laughing at her disappearing form. "Levi's. Nine. He's such a goober."

"Hey! You had no problem with acting that song out repeatedly after it was done!"

She froze, hearing his footsteps come up from behind her. "Listen to 'ya," he said softly, mouth by her ear as she shuddered, he had suddenly taken on a raspy tone that was boiling deep in her belly, she clenching her hand around her keys to control her emotions, "I'm tired of talkin' 'bout it." His hand found her free one, it clenched at her waist, his fingers grazing the bare skin just enough to draw goosebumps on the explosed flesh. She felt him move against her, felt the heat of his mouth closer, her eyes dropping closed. "I wanna slide up right upon 'ya, let's get our hands dirty ..."

"Audrina, you out here?"

She pushed away from him quickly, the burning in her belly still evident as she tried to shake the warmth against her ear, her skin, her hands away. "AJ?"

The shorter, tattooed man appeared with a wide grin on his face, sunglasses hiding his eyes from the warm April sun. "Congratulations, number one!" He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, her own arms snaking around the center of his back and clasping as he did a slight dance with her. "Number one again. How does it feel after four years?"

"Amazing," she said softly, thoughts fluttering away of what had just happened. "Simply amazing."

"There's no one else that deserves it as much as you do," he grinned, placing a kiss to her temple. "Come on, we're all celebrating in the studio."

"But how -"

"Nick went and got cake," he laughed. "Well, actually, he went and raided Johnny's fridge. Apparently, the cake was going to be yours anyway. He knew yesterday you were going to be in the top spot, but didn't know the numbers yet."

She breathed out a sigh, still in disbelief. "Cake. Cake sounds good."

"Cake with the most amazing people in the world, might I add," he grinned, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Jace, you coming man?"

"Yeah, I'll be in there in a sec," he replied, voice still low as he walked past them, "I'm going to go back to the compound and grab the rest of my things." He turned, catching Audrina's gaze, the butterflies releasing again. "Don't celebrate too much without me."

AJ chuckled as he steered Audrina in the opposite direction of JC, shaking his head, "we won't man. Just hurry up because we might not be able to hold out for too long!"

"Let the celebration begin!" AJ slammed the door open, cheers echoing throughout the room as she grinned, being pummeled by Nick as he enveloped her into one of his large bear hugs, she laughing hysterically as he lifted her up, spinning. "Dude, she's gonna throw up on you!"

"I'm all right," she laughed, Nick putting her down anyway as Howie came over, the gentle one of the four, hugging her tightly.

"Congratulations, Mami," he whispered, she hugging him tightly. "You did good. Real good."

"Thanks, Howie," she replied back, smiling as she placed a kiss to his cheek. "Thank you."

He winked, tugging on her hair that she had gone all Pippy Longstocking on, everyone gathering around Johnny as he popped the cork off of Crystal, she freezing when she heard a voice behind her once more and sliding past her towards the group, the words echoing in her head.

A million faces in the crowd; you will always shine 'em out. She never looked so beautiful from down here ...