Inside Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears bond after years of split

Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears' history is one of pop culture's most-watched stories. 

The former teen icons dated for nearly three years before their 2002 split. 

While Timberlake has settled into married life with Jessica Biel, Spears continues to face renewed turmoil, especially as Kevin Federline, 47, promotes his damaging tell-all You Thought You Knew, which digs into their turbulent three-year marriage.

A representative for Spears even slammed Federline's book, "Once again he and others are profiting off her and sadly it comes after child support has ended with Kevin. All she cares about are her kids."

Apart from that, a source told RadarOnline.com that despite years of distance, Spears and Timberlake still share an undeniable bond, and he is quietly concerned for her.

A source began that there remains “a sense of respect and affection” between the two.

“He's still got a soft spot and a lot of sympathy for her,” the insider shared.

The source explained that Timberlake has been taken aback by Federline's harsh claims and worries about the toll it is taking on Britney, adding that he feels protective of her well-being after everything they have endured.

They went on to conclude, “Seeing her suffer makes him sad.”

Spears previously revealed in her memoir The Woman in Me that she became pregnant with Timberlake's baby during their relationship and later had an abortion. 

“It was a surprise, but for me, it wasn’t a tragedy… I loved Justin so much,” she wrote, noting Timberlake “wasn’t happy about the pregnancy” and felt they were “way too young.”