"Jenny," JC said suddenly, during an interview, after his pager had conveniently gone off. It was only his mother, but still.
"Yeah?" Jenny asked.
"Can I talk to you?" JC said. "It's urgent."
"Sure," Jenny said, following JC out of the room.
"Jenny, we can't do this much longer," JC said.
"JC..." Jenny trailed off. She stared at him for a moment, then simply said again, "JC."
"Jenny, listen to me," JC said. "You're an actress. You've got fans everywhere. Justin's an *N Syncer, he's gone fans everywhere. Someone is going to figure it out. We need to stop him."
"There's nothing we can do," Jenny shrugged. A dreamy smile came over her face. "Besides," She continued, staring at Justin's back over JC's shoulder. "He said he'd quit."
"How many times does he have to say that?" JC asked. "How many times will you believe him? How many times will I be the one holding you, protecting you, comforting you, and kissing your wounds?" JC was really stressed out, he didn't know how much longer he could take this.
"I have nothing else to do until I save you again," JC muttered bitterly.
"Why are you so mad about this, anyway?" Jenny asked, well aware of the fact that a photographer was watching them intently, waiting to snap a picture at the worst possible moment. "It's not like he's hitting you."
"But I have to protect you from it," JC shrugged. "That is why I'm mad."
"It's not hurting you, so it shouldn't matter," Jenny continued, turning around.
"Yes, it is," JC as she walked away. "I hurt because you hurt."
"Justin, stop!"
JC heard Jenny's voice and sighed. He knew it wouldn't last. One more scream and he was going over there.
"Justin, please!" Jenny screamed. "I swear I didn't mean to!"
JC literally ran to the next room. As usual, Justin had left the door unlocked, so JC ran straight in.
Jenny was huddled on the bed, Justin standing over her angrily.
Before JC could get a word in, Justin froze. He turned and stared at JC. JC stepped aside, his face stony, and Justin left yet again.
JC's heart broke at the sight of the freshly-healed Jenny laying on the bed, battered and bruised.
"Jenny? It's ok, honey, he's gone now. It's gonna be alright," JC lifted Jenny off the bed and held her for a moment, comforting her. "Let's get you all cleaned up. Again."
Jenny sniffled. "It was my fault," She said as JC set her down on the vanity.
"How?" JC asked, going back into the room and grabbing the medical kit they had for this exact reason.
"I made him mad," Jenny said, flinching as JC cleaned a cut on her thigh, just below the hem of her shorts, which were very short and JC had a hard time concentrating on only the cut parts of her legs.
"So?" JC asked. "He didn't have to beat you," JC looked up into Jenny's eyes.
"No..." Jenny trailed off.
"But he did. And now I'm in here fixing you up," JC said. "When are you going to get him help?"
"He can quit," Jenny said, ducking the green eyes JC loved so much.
"With help that you won't let me get him," JC said. Spying a bruise forming on her bare stomach, he bent and kissed it.
"Tummy's better," JC said. "But it shouldn't be hurting at all," He added, straightening up.
"But it is, it's too late, alright. Get me down and to bed," Jenny said.
JC lifted her off the vanity, but quickly set her down when he heard the door open and close.
Jenny walked out and saw Justin standing there. Apparently already regretting what he had done.
JC really had to go to the bathroom, so he shut and locked the door. When he emerged later on, his heart broke again at what he saw.
Jenny with her arms around Justin, who had his head on her shoulder and was crying. She was holding him and comforting him, assuring him of her love for him and rubbing his back gently as he cried.
Jenny froze when she saw JC, silenced. They looked into each other's eyes for a minute and JC simply walked away, shaking his head.
Jenny bit back tears as Justin straightened up, looked her in the eye, and promised her yet again that it would never ever happen again.
With each promise he made and broke, the new ones began to mean less and less to Jenny.
"Like you quit last time?" Jenny asked.
"No, I promise it's different this time," Justin said.
Jenny sighed. "Promises never last forever, Justin," She said as he fell asleep.
JC, who had returned and stood in the doorway, said quietly, "Some do. His don't."
"Whose do?" Jenny asked bitterly.
"Mine," JC said. "Because I don't make them if I can't keep them."
"Too bad you can't be Superman," Jenny said wistfully. "Then everything would be perfect again."
"Everything can be perfect," JC said. "If you let me get Justin help."
"No," Jenny said, shutting the door.
You tried, JC thought, trying to comfort himself. Everything will be fine, just wait. Somehow, though, deep inside his soul, he knew that might not be the truth.