Britney walked into Justin's spacious kitchen to find him cooking over the stove. She smiled at the familiar sight. He always used to cook for her.

"You were right," she said, causing him to turn around and look at her, "they're hypnotized by your Xbox."

"Ah, what boy doesn't love video games?"

"What are you making?" She asked sitting in one of the bar stools by the kitchen counter across from him.

"Some pasta, chicken, and some veggies. How's that sound?"

"Delicious," she said, smiling at him.

"I can't believe how long its been since I've seen you. I mean, Sean's almost five. That's crazy."

"I know," she said looking down at her hands.

"Listen, I know that the last time we saw each other things didn't end well, but I really hope we can develop a healthy relationship, if that's alright with you."

"Yeah, I'd like that."

At that moment both boys came running into the room and started tugging at Justin's pant legs.

"Come play with us!" Jayden said cheerfully.

"I bet I can beat you!" Sean Preston chimed in.

"Boys, Justin's busy making you dinner," Britney said laughing at them.

"How about after dinner I play with you guys? Does that sound alright?"

"Okay!" The boys said in unison and running out of the room.

"They've warmed up to you so well," Britney said in amazement, "they usually aren't that comfortable around new people. You would think that they'd be fine since they're around new people almost everyday, but they're still really shy. Preston's gotten much better with people over the past year, but Jayden's still pretty timid. I'm so glad they like you," she said, relieved.

"Who wouldn't like me?" He said with a cheesy grin spreading across his face.

"You'll never change, will you J?" She said laughing.

"Hey, you called me J," he said, his voice growing soft, "you haven't called me that in years. I guess someone else is warming up to me pretty well too."

Britney smiled at him and shrugged. "It just feels so natural to be around you again, like it always has. Even with the circumstances."

"You'll always be the same person to me Britney," he said looking into her eyes. "You're still the girl I met all those years ago, and I love that about you. No matter what you've gone through in your life, your heart is still the same." She stared at him in amazement. Why did he always know just what to say to her to make her melt?

"Do you need help with anything?" She asked nervously, trying to break the intense emotional connection that was going on between them.

"Uh, yeah. You could set the table for me."

--

After dinner and after Justin had played video games and even taught the boys some things about basketball, him and Britney sat in the kitchen while the boys were fast asleep on the couches in the living room. Britney was eating some left over's from dinner while Justin was sipping on an ice cold beer.

"You really wore them out," she said with a laugh. "Its pretty hard to put them out like that."

"They exhausted me pretty good. They've got a lot of energy in them."

"They were extra hyper with you, though. You're so much more fun than they're used to."

"What do you mean?" He asked taking a sip of his beer.

"Kevin just doesn't really play with them. He just watches over them for the time that he has them, he doesn't really interact. Hell, those boys have more fun with their fifty year old nanny than with Kevin."

"You should bring them over here more often."

"You like them that much?" Britney said, teasing him.

"Of course. I just feel really natural with them. I don't really know how to put my finger on it. And plus, I'd like to see more of you as well," he said reaching over and softly grabbing her hand.

"You really think that's a good idea?" She asked hesitantly.

"I think it's a great idea. Why? You don't?"

"No, I do. I just…don't want things to end up like last time," she said looking down.

"I promise they won't," he said. "And just for the record," he said nervously, "I want to apologize for what I said to you that night. I was just really missing you that day, and the fact that you were married and had a kid was eating me up inside. I beat myself up every day for letting you go and not trying harder. And I still hate myself over it to this day."

"You can't blame yourself for the breakup Justin."

"Yes I can. I blamed you for cheating on me without ever really listening to what you had to say. I was just so blind with anger that I wasn't thinking correctly. And even years after it all I still believed it. But I want to say now…that after years of looking back and really evaluating everything…I know you didn't ever betray me. I was so stupid to think you would ever do that." He squeezed her hand to let her know that everything he said he meant.

"That means so much to me J," she said with tears in her eyes. "Thank you so much for apologizing. And I'm sorry too, for being so stubborn and trying to get revenge on you by dating every boy I saw and shoving it in your face. It wasn't mature of me. And I'm glad you finally realized that I never did that to you. I loved you more than anything in the world, and I would have never betrayed you like that, just as I trusted you not to do it to me."

Justin looked at her lovingly and stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. She knew the look he had in his eyes, and she knew they couldn't go there yet. "I think for now, we should keep this a friendship. But I want…no I need you in my life. And….well…I'd really like you in the boy's life too. That would mean a lot to me."

"Okay," he said nodding in agreement.

"I should be heading home," she said regretfully. "The boys should be in bed by now."

"Alright," he said softly, slowly releasing her hand from his own.

Britney walked up to Sean Preston's sleeping body and scooped him up in her arms and held him close to her chest, giving him the love and warmth that only a mother can. "Could you get Jayden for me?" She asked.

"Of course." She watched Justin delicately pick up Jayden and her heart swelled as she saw him rest his head on Justin's shoulder and snuggle close to him. It was definitely strange of him to do that. He would've known he was in the arms of a stranger in an instant and start to cry, but he did the exact opposite with Justin.

They walked outside and put the boys safely in the car before the stood in front of each other, not really sure what to do.

"I'd really like it if you gave me a call soon," Britney said shyly. "I'd like to see you again."

"I'd like that too," he said smiling down at her.

"And um…there's some stuff I think we um…need to talk about," she said shuffling her feet nervously.

"Like what? Is everything okay?" He asked with a worried expression on his face.

"Oh, yeah, everything's fine," she said waving her hand to dismiss his worries. "Just, you know…normal stuff." She awkwardly tried to sound as casual as possible.

"Okay, I'll give you a call," he said as he bent down and gave her a soft kiss on her forehead.