New Orleans, April, 1998:

"Are you sure about this?" Robin asked, leaning forward slightly and looking through the mirror at the girl behind her.

Britney shrugged. "If you're right, then who else is gonna do it?"

"Surely one of the boys--"

Britney shook her head. "Chris and Lance'll be too busy keeping an eye on Justin, Joey's as involved as he can be, and JC..." She trailed off, smiling. "JC loves that deck you gave him. I think it might have something to do with how you made him the Sun."

Robin smiled and turned to face Britney. "It seemed appropriate." Her face grew serious. "But you know what this means, don't you? You know what we're asking?"

Britney looked downwards, nodding. "You know..." she said, looking back up at Robin. "If something's going to happen to Justin -- anything -- I should be the one to find out." She paused. "I've known him forever, y'know? And he's..." She trailed off, her hand waving through the air. "This fiction suit will keep me safe, right?"

Robin frowned. "We think so. I'm not clear on most of the details -- this is more for Mister Six and his group, but it sounds fairly tough..." She paused. "But this..." She shrugged and looked back towards the mirror, reaching for her eyeliner.

Britney shrugged again. "Whatever happens, it'll all get better, y'know?" She paused, reaching for her purse and pulling out a tube of lipstick. "You know how old I'll be in 2012?"

Robin looked up from the mirror, her eyeliner pencil still in her hand. "Hmm?"

Britney walked towards her, putting one hand down on the table. "I'll be thirty..." She uncapped the lipstick. "Same age as Madonna released 'Like A Prayer'..." She slid the hot pink lipstick over her lips, then smacked them together. "Good time for a career shift, huh?"