JC was a little annoyed when he heard the phone ringing. He knew for sure that today was a day that he did not have to get up. Thus he hadn't planned on getting up. He had instead planned on sleeping in late, lounging around a little, and then ultimately being as lazy as possible.

But now he found that it was eight-fifteen, and yes, someone had dared to call him. At that time on a free day, he honestly did not care if it was his mother, or hell, even the Pope, calling him.

Fumbling for the phone, he finally found the receiver and picked it up. In the most menacing voice he could muster, he growled, "Do you have a death wish?"

"Frankly, no," came the nonchalant reply. "Good morning, sweetheart."

"Chris, what do you want?" JC muttered irritably, rubbing at his eyes and sitting up just slightly. "This better be an emergency."

"Enjoying your sleep?"

"As you should be."

"As we all should be," Chris agreed.

"Then why did you call?"

"Well," Chris began. "You know that darling boy Justin scheduled that meeting with Johnny and some associates for this morning…" His voice held strong sarcasm. "A so-called very important meeting."

JC reflected and remembered Justin mentioning something yesterday. He more remembered Justin's demeanor when he mentioned it, wringing his hands with a frown and a nervous look in his eyes. He said that Johnny wanted him to do something, and JC didn't ask anything more; Justin didn't seem to want to talk about it. And whatever it was, JC thought it would be better if Justin spoke up for himself and handled it without more intereference.

"Yeah," he answered Chris's question. "When was it? It's kind of early."

"Well, it was scheduled for eight o'clock," Chris answered. "And he was supposed to be there early."

"Yeah?"

"And Justin didn't show up..." Chris continued. "So Johnny undoubtedly got pissed, sitting in his office with these apparent high horse fuckers who didn't give a crap about anything if Justin wasn't going to be there on time. And they walked out, angry, and Johnny picked up the phone, called Justin, who wasn't home, and then called Lance."

"Lance?"

"Because Lance always has his stuff together, you know," Chris replied. "Anyway, of course Lance doesn't know. So Lance calls Joey to ask. Joey's got no clue. So he calls me. I don't know why the hell they didn't just call you to begin with."

"What am I supposed to do about it?" JC rubbed at his chin, feeling stubble and yawning. "You want me to chew him out?"

"I was actually thinking he was with you... He is your boyfriend after all."

"No. I haven't seen him since yesterday afternoon," JC answered. "You try his cell?"

"Yes. Of course. We've all tried his cell."

JC felt a slight tug of worry and frowned. "Nothing?"

"Nothing. I left a few voicemails, but since I mentioned that Joey, Lance, me, and possibly you, were going to give him the beating of his life for causing us to be woken up during our vacation... I wouldn't be surprised if I don't hear back."

"You think he's okay?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm sure. Probably just went out or is not answering his phone. Probably thinks it's a game. I just wanted to check all the bases and see if maybe he'd crashed over there or something."

"Nope..." JC began to slide his legs to the side of the bed to sit on the edge. "You've got me worried now, Chris... What if something happened? He wouldn't do that to Johnny..."

"I don't know," Chris said. "I wouldn't think about it, JC. I'm sure he's fine. It's early. We'll just call him in a couple hours, okay? Just one of the baby's stunts. Sorry for waking you up."

"Yeah." JC ended the call and frowned. He wasn't too upset about being awake anymore. He was far too distracted by the feeling of dread over Justin not being where he was supposed to be.

He called Justin's home and cell repeatedly for a few minutes but did not get an answer. Just the answering machine and voicemail. He didn't bother to leave a message. He was sure each of the guys had already done that.

He padded barefoot towards the bathroom and forced himself to take a shower to properly wake up.

********

It was a quarter to nine when he stumbled to his kitchen, still tired and worried. He grabbed a glass and the orange juice from the refrigerator. He drank it in just a couple cold gulps. He didn't feel like making coffee.

He was just walking out the front door of his house and down the path and driveway to grab the newspaper off the ground when he noticed something.

Justin's car was in his driveway.

He hesitated a minute, staring at the vehicle and knowing it was undoubtedly his boyfriend's. It certainly wasn't his own. After glancing in, he saw Justin was not inside, and so that meant he must be somewhere...

Not in his house... No one had been... Or at least he was pretty sure. Justin had a key but JC would have known if he was inside. Justin wasn't that quiet.

He went back inside to glance in a couple rooms just to make sure, but they were empty and silent. Gripping the paper in his hands, utter confusion and suspicion lining his face, he started out the back door to the lanai and the pool.

It didn't take him long to spot Justin. He was stretched out comfortably on a lounge chair, arms folded across his chest and head tilted to the side, mouth parted, looking asleep. It was hard to tell, however, considering Justin had sunglasses on. It was a little chilly out but Justin had a sweatshirt on as well. He actually looked quite comfortable. JC wondered if he'd spent the night out there…

Somehow knowing that he was there didn't make JC feel any better. In fact, the thought that he had been woken up by this phone call from Chris that no one knew where Justin was when in reality the guy was sitting in his own backyard made him a bit angry. He stalked over.

"Justin," he said forcefully.

There was no response. Justin didn't even move. So he was asleep.

JC leaned down and slid Justin's glasses off his face. He paused then, studying Justin's sleeping face. He looked far too sweet and angelic to be the same person who had just ditched an important meeting and snuck into his boyfriend's yard to hide from it all.

"Justin," JC persisted, shaking his shoulder.

Justin shifted then, turning his head to the other side, as if wanting to be left alone, but JC wasn't going to buy that. If he had to wake up, so did Justin. "Wake up." He took Justin's chin and turned his head back. Finally Justin opened his eyes, blinking tiredly.

"Hey," Justin greeted. He smiled a little and then his eyes shifted to the hands that held the sunglasses. He took them back and slid them onto his head, pushing them up to rest on his curls and off his eyes.

"Hey?" JC echoed.

Justin still smiled and reached for JC's hand. "Good morning."

"I'm not so sure how good it is." JC slipped his hand away from Justin's reach. He thought that was it? Hey? Good morning? Things were normal? JC hit him with the rolled up newspaper. "What are you thinking?"

"Don't hit," Justin objected, pulling at the paper out of JC's grip. He dropped it on the ground on the other side of him, frowning. "What do you mean, what am I thinking?"

"Why are you here?"

"I... I don't know..." Justin answered. "I love you. I...." He frowned, peering up at JC, who did look quite angry and Justin wasn't sure why. "Did I do something?"

JC blinked, not answering. He simply stared. Then he said, "Something to do this morning?"

"The meeting?" Justin shifted uncomfortably and reached for JC's hand again, but his boyfriend wouldn't let him take it. Justin sat back, frustrated. "C, I didn't want to go to that meeting. I'm so sick of those meetings and their ideas and stuff they want me to do. I didn't want to go..."

"But, honey, I think you're missing the point-- it wasn't just with Johnny this time."

"I didn't want to go..." Justin took a grip of JC's jeans and tugged. "I didn't feel like it. I wanted to come here instead..."

JC pulled Justin's hand off his leg. Justin got clingy when he was apologetic. He moved to sit on the edge of the lounge chair with a sigh. Justin took his hand then. "Justin..."

"I didn't wake you up..." Justin persisted, his thumb stroking JC's palm, as if soothing. "I purposely-- Okay, I lost the key you gave me, right? And so... I didn't knock. I didn't want to wake you up."

"Yet Chris woke me up when he called me asking where the hell you were. After Joey had woken him up asking the same thing. After Lance had called him. And Johnny had called him."

"Oh." Justin's lips formed the 'o' shape, and his thumb stopped moving. "I didn't know that. Was Johnny mad?"

"You think anyone likes getting up early in the morning for a meeting so that they can be stood up?"

"Is that a yes?"

"I don't know. I didn't talk to him. But I can just imagine."

"But..." Justin's voice broke suddenly and he sounded lost. "I couldn't go. I didn't know what to tell them. It wasn't my meeting. They set it up. I didn't want to go."

"Well, you didn't."

Justin's eyes met JC's, shining a deep blue. His brow was furrowed. "I didn't mean it like that. I should have... I didn't know what to do."

"Call. You don't just disappear."

"I didn't," Justin replied. "I'm right here."

"I planned to sleep in today. You know that. But you had to get your superstar attitude and decide to disappear."

"I'm not disappeared. I'll make you breakfast," Justin offered. "I'll make it up to you."

JC shrugged, acting disinterested.

Justin moved forward then and wrapped his arms around JC tightly. He was still warm from sleep. JC wanted to melt into him and go back to sleep himself. "Please, JC..." he pleaded. "I'll make a good breakfast. I'll be your slave today. You can sleep or do whatever you want..."

JC didn't look affected by the offer, but shrugged. "Sure."

"You like eggs. Want eggs?" Justin pressed his lips into JC's neck, his nose pushing into his cheek. "And juice. And toast. And cereal."

Cereal, JC scoffed to himself. Oh yes, don't forget yourself, Justin.

"Is that okay?" Justin continued.

"I don't have anything," JC answered. "My fridge is empty."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Justin looked disappointed for a moment, sitting back. "I'm sorry. I'll call Johnny. Well… If you think I should, that is. Because honestly I'd rather not."

"Well, for certain, Justin, do what you want."

Justin easily picked up on the sarcasm. "I didn't mean it like that. Not because I do what I want. Well, I… I'll make you breakfast if you--"

"I haven't got any food. I told you. I just… Honey, why didn't you just go home?"

"I hate that house," Justin answered with a grimace. "I figured the phone would be ringing off the hook. I'd rather stay here. I can, can't I?"

"I never said either way."

"Are you really going to hold this against me?" Justin sounded incredulous.

"I think I might go back to sleep."

"You have stuff, don't you? I know you have something in your refrigerator. You always do. You just… Why don't you want me to make you breakfast?"

"Because." JC looked at him. "I didn't want to forgive you that easy."

"Can I make you breakfast?" Justin leaned into him, kissing his cheek. "Please…? I love you… I'd come no where else but here… I came to you…"

JC never understood why he couldn't say no.

******

Justin could be a good cook when he wanted to be and as JC watched him cracking eggs from the kitchen table, he smiled, knowing Justin was going to try hard this time.

"Want me to put on the toast or anything?" JC offered.

"No," Justin replied. "You have to sit. You have to just sit and tell me what you want."

"Good plan." JC watched Justin pour some milk into the bowl and continue to mix. "You eat too okay? Make a lot."

Justin nodded and for a moment there was silence aside from the sound of the radio playing some song softly from the corner and the sound of the fork Justin was mixing with scraping the side of the bowl.

"JC?" he asked suddenly.

"Yeah?" JC played with a napkin at the table, yawning a little. "What?"

"Can we..." Justin paused and even stopped mixing. He turned away from the bowl and leaned against the counter. "I didn't want... I don't want anyone to..."

JC frowned at him. "To what?"

"I don't want anyone to know where I am today..." Justin pouted slightly for a moment as he thought about it. "I just wanted to disappear today... And.... I thought I could lay out there all day and..."

"You didn't think I'd notice your car in my driveway?"

Justin paused. "I didn't care if you knew... I just... You know, like every now and then, it's like..." Justin paused, looking exasperated. "I don't know. But, if... like... somebody calls."

"I haven't seen you?"

"You can say I called or something," Justin began. "So that, like, they don't worry. You know?"

"Who said anybody would worry about you?"

Justin smirked and turned back to the eggs.

"As long as you swear that you're not going to do this often," JC persisted. "You're too old to just hide out somewhere and pretend so that we don't know where you are."

"You know where I am," Justin mumbled.

"I didn't until I went out to get the paper..."

Justin was thoughtful as he started to pour the eggs into the greased frying pan on the stove. "Were you worried?"

"Of course I was worried."

"And mad."

"What do you expect? You were gone. You ditched a meeting. Five people, one your manager, were going to kick your ass."

"Fuck..."

JC gave him a reprimanding look. "Baby, if you'd--"

"I'm sick of it." Justin watched the eggs bubble a little in the pan as he looked for a spatula. "I hate it."

"Hate what?"

"My job."

"You can't live without it."

"Sometimes I do hate it." Justin prodded the eggs hard with the spatula he had located. He grabbed the handle of the frying pan and picked it up, turning and indicating it to JC. "This is your brain. On Pop. This is your brain on tour."

"You're going to burn yourself," was all JC could reply.

Justin muttered something and turned back to put the pan back on the stove. "I hate it, JC. How come... Ya'll were sleeping in today and I had to go in to talk to Johnny and these assholes? To talk about options? Ain't no options. They tell me what to do."

"Not today."

"Not today is right," Justin replied forcefully. "I showed them." He poked at the eggs hard again, distracted. "It's so... It's messed up. I don't understand any of it. I've never understood it. I don't understand anything. Because they don't want me to."

JC wondered blankly for a moment, watching Justin's shoulders stiffen and his angry movements and his words, wondering where it all came from. But that wasn't hard to figure it out. They all held it inside. They all bottled it up to smile during the interviews. And so, sure, they were allowed a release. And as long as Justin did it in his kitchen and not in public, JC didn't mind.

"I'm happy," Justin persisted. He watched the eggs. They didn't look right. Maybe there wasn't enough milk. "I just don't like certain parts of things."

"No one does."

"Some people do," Justin persisted. "Lance does. Lance wants what he's got, you know?... And I like Johnny, but-- I'm guessing he doesn't like me much right now-- and I just..." JC watched Justin's shoulders slump. "C?"

"Yeah, hon?"

"I ruined the eggs."

"That's okay..."

"No, it's not." Justin threw the spatula to the ground several feet away. "It's not. I promised you eggs."

"Justin, c'mere..." JC shifted his chair out from the table a little. "Turn off the stove."

"I think I put them on too high..." Justin turned the dial to off and moved the pan to another burner that wasn't hot. "Or the milk. I'm sorry."

"It's fine... Okay?"

"I want to go home now." Justin rubbed his eyes. "Just don't tell people where I am. I'm not going to answer the phone this weekend. I'm just… I'll unplug it."

"Justin. You said you're my slave. So you can't go home. Get over here."

"I don't want to be your slave anymore."

"Yes, you do. I'm the one keeping you secret. Come here."

Justin listened to the faint music coming from the radio as he walked over reluctantly. JC did have a point. And he didn't know what to say anymore. He kind of just wished he'd stayed in bed that morning. Or maybe if he just had gone to the meeting and avoided all the trouble he was going to face tomorrow.

JC patted his knee and Justin almost smiled. He sat down gently in his lap, shifting his weight so that he wasn't too heavy. He leaned back against JC's chest and let the man slip his arms around his waist, clasping his hands at his belly to hold him tightly.

"I don't care about the eggs," JC said again. He pressed his lips into the nape of Justin's neck. "I don't care if you want to hide." He moved his lips to kiss Justin's cheek. "I understand completely."

"I knew this was a good place to hide..." Justin murmured softly. He shifted and slid an arm around JC's neck. "That's why I love you best."

"And I have an idea..." JC continued, smiling.

"What?"

"Where were you last night...?"

"Home..."

"No..." JC smirked.

"Where was I?"

"We went to a Mexican restaurant."

"We did?"

"Mm hm... And you had food poisoning all today..."

Justin laughed. "JC..."

"And you were so sick… You couldn't even answer the phone…"

"Smart."

"Isn't that why you love me?"

"One of the reasons..."

JC rested his chin on Justin's shoulder. "Well, I just figured you do deserve a day off... We might as well take one together."

"I might need one the day after tomorrow too," Justin began. "Because aren't Chris, Joey, and Lance going to kill me tomorrow?"

"Well...." JC started. "Not if they buy the Mexican food poisoning story..."

"You said Chris already talked to you."

"Details, Smeatails."

"Thanks, C..."

"No problem."

"See…" Justin murmured again. "I knew this was a good place to take my day off."

*******