When the meltdowns in the street were over, the helicopters had flown away, and the sirens had gone silent, Britney awoke to her own post-apocalyptic world and found that the cameras were still there, chasing her every move.

At first glance, it looked like Britney's new world was the same as the old one. But the changes where there. While the paparazzi continued to follow her, the police were sometimes there too, quick to keep them in line -- even handcuff them.

There's also a real bodyguard barking back the onslaught.

And something else changed for Britney. There was no more Sam at her side. In February, Britney's mother, Lynne, obtained a restraining order against Lutfi. In her affidavit she painted Lutfi as a menacing presence controlling her daughter and the medications she's under. Lynn Spears also claimed that Lutfi "is the one who receives Britney's checks," and that he had made Britney's "house phones unworkable."

A spokesperson for Sam Lutfi told Dateline that those "allegations and the declaration are untrue and have not been proven." Even if they are true, Joe Levy believes the blame here lies with the pop star herself.

Joe Levy: If you come to Britney with sound advice, and the promise of health and happiness, she will send you packing. She is on her own path. There are no lights on in the car. The highway is icy. And it is pitch black. Things do not look good.

Actually, things may not be that bleak -- at least not anymore. Britney has a new man in her corner, sort of. It's her dad, Jamie Spears.

As conservator over his daughter and her estate he -- not she -- now holds the keys to her car, her finances, her life. Never mind what her recent video for “Piece of Me,” says, if you want a piece of Britney now, you have to go through her dad to get it.

It's as if this mother and megastar had suddenly gone back in time, back to her days as a preteen Mouseketeer, when her parents could still tell her what to do.

Some Britney observers are skeptical. After all, they say, Britney's parents were the ones who set her on this path of hyper-celebrity in the first place. Others note the Spears have their hands full at the moment with their other daughter, Jamie Lynn. She just announced to the press that she had become pregnant at the sweet young age of 16. Still others wonder if anyone, let alone Britney's parents, can help her at this point.

Brandy: They haven't been around almost at all the past year. So it might also be difficult for them to come into this situation after an entire year of Britney having problems and say, "Let's clean up the mess."

And yet her parents can already point to a few major successes. With their help, Britney has been allowed to visit with her two young sons. She's even gone back to work somewhat. Last month, she made a much publicized comedic turn on the TV show “How I Met Your Mother."

Britney's appearance won that series its highest ratings ever, a sign that her star power still shines brightly. If Britney's parents can keep their daughter out of trouble and on the mend, Britney may have a shot at a glorious second coming.

A former representative of the star told Dateline a comeback was all but guaranteed for her if she gets well. Dan Kenney, who used to be her music director, agrees.

Dan Kenney: But she has to do it in a fashion that is -- she needs to surround herself, like on the first three tours, it was like a family. We loved going on the road. As you know, arduous and as much travel and tiring as it is, she had such good people around her.

But even if she doesn't return to the stage or her career, Britney will still be in the spotlight whether she likes it or not.

Brandy Navarre: Britney will always be one of the biggest figures in the media for the rest of history. I mean, this is [something] we haven't seen this before. It's unprecedented. So if when she's 70-years-old. she walks out onto her driveway to go get the morning paper, that shot will probably still sell. Because if Marilyn Monroe were doing the same thing today, we'd probably take a shot at it, and it will probably be interesting.

All of which presupposes, of course, that Britney will not end up like Marilyn Monroe -- that her family will succeed in putting her on some sort of straight and narrow.

And to that end, Dan Kenney has some friendly and very heartfelt advice for his former colleague.

Dan Kenny: I think the best thing that Britney Spears can do is buy, like, a ranch in, like, Utah, Colorado or something, and just get the hell out of Los Angeles.

At least one thing does seem certain. We will always make time for the story of Britney no matter where she takes us, no matter how it ends. We will always be ready for one more close-up.

Britney Spears's latest video, which premiered just last month, features her single "Break The Ice." But you won't actually see her performing because her animated alter ego -- a kind of "sexy, singing super-heroine" -- did all the heavy lifting.

(This show includes celebrity footage courtesy of www.celebtv.com)

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