"TJ, I have to talk to you," Candace says, cornering TJ backstage during a fifteen-minute break they had before they did the finale number with everyone.

"Sure Candace, what is it? It must be important because you have that concerned look on your face," TJ says, leading Candace away from the others to sit on some steps of a stairwell in the back corner.

"It is. TJ, I really don't know how to tell you this without having you get mad at me."

"Just say it Candace. You have never been one to beat around the bush. Don't start doing that now."

"Okay. Well, I don't think you should be marrying Emily," Candace rushes out, looking at TJ for his response.

TJ looks quickly away and then back at her. "How did I know that you were going to say that? Just because you two didn't like each other when we were younger is no reason to hold some grudge against her."

"This isn't a grudge. I just don't want her to hurt you."

"She won't hurt me. You really don't know her and have no room to talk, you know that?"

"TJ, why would I risk our friendship over some silly grudge? That makes absolutely no sense. You want to know why I am telling you this?"

"Because you don't want me to be happy. I see how it is Candace, only you can have happiness in love, huh? Well screw you."

Candace feels like she has just been shot in the heart but pushes on saying, "Maybe, but the fact is that Emily is not a one man type of girl. She hasn't been in the past and obviously she isn't now. When we were younger, she would hurt you in so many ways, not even just verbally either but physically! How could you even think about having children with her?"

"She's changed! Candace, just stop. I don't want to end up hating you."

"Well you just may hate me for what I have to say. Today, just a few hours ago, she approached Justin and started flirting and touching him. If that isn't being unfaithful or at least showing that quality, I don't know what is. You need to see this TJ. She has not changed."

"No, she has, and apparently so have you. I never want to talk to you about this topic ever again."

"Fine, have it your way. I can't believe you though TJ. I never that you would be this irrational."

"Look in the mirror before you say that to me Candace," TJ says, walking away and disappearing in the crowd of people working on technical stuff.

Candace just stares after him and almost screams when Britney takes a seat right below her. "Britney! God, you almost gave me a heart attack."

"Sorry Candace, but I couldn't help but overhear some of that. What is going on exactly?"

"I don't know if it is my place to say since obviously TJ doesn't believe me."

"Most likely I will though because I've seen this girl in action plenty of times, especially today with Justin. You may have just seen that one incident but the girl has been making ploys for him ever since then."

"Now that's really comforting," Candace replies dryly.

"Candace, don't let this girl psych you out. Obviously, she is totally wrong for TJ and Justin both, but there are things you can try to do to keep her in check. I'm not sure what but if I were you, I would want to do anything to try to ensure those two guys in my life were safe. I am already trying to think of what I can do about her and TJ."

"Britney, please try talking to him. I already did but as you already have seen, it didn't work. He needs someone else to tell him if he could possibly ever believe this. I'll try to work on something else to get his eyes to open to her. I can't believe he actually thinks Emily has changed since we were in junior high."

"What happened then?"

"Well it is a long story but they were an item back then. The reason why she hates me now is that when he started showing up with bruises sometimes and I questioned him, it led me to believe that she was being abusive, so I worked on him to break up with her. Most cases of abuse is usually the guy on the girl but Emily, she has a temper no one should ever wish their worst enemy on, let alone her jealous tendencies. I don't remember what happened at the end but it was pretty bad. Emily was even playing on poor TJ back them with some random guys. I can't believe she has tracked him down yet again. He never even mentioned her before this."

"No wonder you look so hurt. I'm going to go try to talk to TJ. Good luck and let me know if I can help in any way."

"Just please, take care of TJ for me."

"I promise. I'm going to go find him now," Britney says before turning around walking away from the stairs to search for TJ.

'I hope she has better luck than me,' Candace thinks, getting up to stretch out before more rehearsal.

"Sweetie, aren't you getting cold out here?" Justin asks Candace, stepping out onto the balcony where Candace is sitting by herself. "Candace?"

He walks down the balcony to where she is sitting on a lounge chair and sits at the edge of it. Justin realizes she has tears in her eyes and down the side of her face and tries to pull her to him. Candace pushes him away though and gets up to stand at the railing.

"Candace, what's wrong?" Justin asks, puzzled at her behavior.

"I think I've figured out a way to stop TJ from marrying Emily," Candace softly says.

"What? Why are you trying to end your best friend's happiness?"

"I'm trying to protect his happiness! You don't know what Emily is capable of Justin!"

"The girl may be too flirtatious but she can't be that harmful."

"I'm glad you think that. Justin, I want you to start flirting with her more. You already are but I want you to pursue her, date her, romance her."

"Are you crazy?" Justin asks, not believing his ears.

"No. She is totally into you. To Emily, you are a bigger target than TJ. She'll dump him and go for you, leaving him alone."

"You're asking me to make it look like we've broken up or that I'm cheating on you to date another girl. The guys will never believe this one!" Justin says with a strained laugh.

"They will because it will happen."

"Candace, I don't want to date her. I love you, not her. It will always remain that way. You can't ask this of me."

"I have."

"What if I refuse?"

"Then I will believe that you really don't love me and declare that we are over, which I'm sure the fans will love anyway."

"Either way then, I lose you."

"If you go my way, it is at least temporary, until I know TJ is safe. If you refuse your help, I will find someone else to aid me and forget you ever existed."

"So all I am to you is a tool to use? I thought you were different Candace."

"Justin, you know that I love you and nothing will change that. However, I can't just sit here helplessly as one of my best friends gets murdered emotionally by this girl."

"You have a funny way of showing your love Candace. I can't believe you are asking this of me!" Justin explodes, finally fed up with this nonsense. "Maybe I will go after Emily, maybe I won't. If I do end up with her though, I want you to know it has nothing to do with what you are asking of me but that I am sexually attracted to her. Good-bye Candace."

Justin turns around and walks into the common room of the suite and slams his bedroom door closed, making JC, Lance, and Chris jump from where they were sitting in the room. The three look at each other and shoot each other a puzzled look. Joey comes out of his room when he hears the door slam and sobbing going on from somewhere close to outside his window.

"Guys, what's going on? I hear crying going on outside," Joey says, looking at each of the three for some sort of answer.

Lance looks at JC with a concerned look, making JC decide on taking action. "Chris, go get Beth to talk to Candace since those two are really close and I don't think TJ and Candace are talking. Joey and I will go talk to Justin while Lance tries to talk to Candace. Is this agreeable?"

They all nod and set off to do as JC suggested.

Lance takes a deep breath and steps out onto the balcony. His heart stops as he sees Candace leaning over the railing, her body shaking. Quickly, he rushes over to her and places his hands on her waist, lifting her up and placing her on a lounge chair and sitting next to her. Candace instantly turns to him and starts crying on his shoulder, never stopping or pausing for breath it seems.

"Candace, what's wrong? Please stop crying," Lance pleads, trying to get some answers from her.

"Justin... Broke... Up with... Me," Candace manages to sob out.

"He what?!?"

Candace just nods her head and continues crying. Eventually, Beth comes in and tries comforting Candace with words while Lance held the sobbing girl.

'Why the hell have I let this happen? How could Justin be so irrational and end it all? It's just another acting thing for him,' Candace thinks to herself.

"Candace, Justin probably didn't mean it. You two really meant a great deal to one another. You can't just end so abruptly," Beth says just before she hears Justin's door open.

"Candace, can I speak with you?" JC asks as he spots Candace in Lance's comforting embrace.

"JC, I don't know if you can get much out of her right now," Beth interjects.

"It's important though Beth. Justin is in there raving like a lunatic. He's saying something like Candace told him to go after another girl, Emily. That can't be-"

"Oh God! Candace, you really didn't do that, did you? I thought that was just an idea!" Beth exclaims, looking at Candace who is still in Lance's arms.

Lance pulls away slightly to look at Candace and can tell that it is indeed the truth. "Why Candace?"

Candace takes a few minutes to calm herself down and finally says, "To save TJ. Justin has already been flirting back with Emily. If he does more and makes Emily believe she has a chance with him, she will leave TJ alone and unhurt."

Beth sees the puzzled look on JC's and Lance's faces so she explains the whole history since she feels that Candace can't coherently do so at the moment.

When Beth is done, JC looks at Candace and asks, "Are you sure this is the right thing though? Did it ever occur to you that you could possibly permanently lose Justin?"

"I didn't think so. All I knew was that I had to get TJ away from Emily before she hurt him even more. Britney can't convince him of her evil ways and neither can I. There has to be a much better way. I came up with asking Justin to play for her for a few weeks. I didn't mean forever or for it to be serious. TJ has been hurt by her too much emotionally and physically to be subjected to her ways over and over again for the rest of his life."

"So you were willing to lose what we see as the love of your life to save your best friend heartache, even if it caused you even greater heartache?"

"Yes. TJ is like my brother. I would do anything to save him pain, even taking it on myself. Which, I guess I have. Hopefully, Justin does decide to do it though, otherwise this will all be for nothing. I really do love Justin, more than life itself."

"If that is so though, how is it possible that you can just give him up so easily?" Lance questions.

"I can't, but I have no choice. I know he probably hates me right now but I cannot live with myself if I don't risk my own well-being to try to save TJ. I vowed to myself many years ago to do anything it took to keep him from being harmed by Emily and I mean to keep that vow. You all have to believe me though, if there was any other way, a way where I wouldn't have to use Justin, let alone lose him, I would do it but there isn't. God, I only wish that he knew how much I truly love him," Candace says before pulling away from Lance and staring out into the dark night.

"Okay, I'll do it," Justin's voice says, coming from where the sliding door is to the balcony. "I'll do it but only because I love you this much Candace."

All four look up, startled to hear him. Candace smiles and says, "Thank you Justin. I love you too."

"You sure as hell have a funny way of showing it though. Come here," Justin says, opening his arms up to Candace, to which she runs into. They embrace for a long period of time, unaware of when Lance, JC, and Beth leave.

"I'm sorry Justin. I really never wanted to ask this of you."

"Shh... Candace things will be okay. I will do it but this is the one and only time I will. Don't ever think of asking me for this again, okay?"

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you too. One last kiss before I have to act like I totally hate you and am repelled by your beauty?"

Candace gives a small smile and nods, reaching up to him until their lips meet and cause one last spark to sustain them through the next lonely weeks.

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