"That's what you woke up in the middle of," JC nodded miserably.
There was a long silence and JC finally decided to break it.
"Do you?" JC asked.
"Do I what?" Jenny looked confused.
"Do you love me?" JC asked, almost dreading the answer.
"Yes," Jenny replied honestly. "I can't do this anymore. I can't take this."
"What can't you take?"
"Justin, having you right there and yet not having you," Jenny explained. "Everything."
"Jenny," JC said quietly.
"The thing is, we can't do this unless you really love me more than anything in the world, because this could break up the group," Jenny said.
"I don't know, Jenny, I just don't know," JC said.
"Do you know anything about what you want?" Jenny asked.
"Yes," JC said, standing over her. "I know I want to do this," JC bent down and kissed her.
"JC!" Jenny grinned at him. "Justin's right there."
"I don't care, I'm gonna be beaten anyway as it is," JC grinned crazily.
Jenny's face sobered. "Oh, God, JC, how can we survive this?" Jenny asked.
"Don't you worry, Baby Girl, you'll be fine. I promise you'll be fine," JC said.
"I know," Jenny murmured. Then she voiced JC's fears aloud. "But what about you?"
"What about me?" JC asked. "I'll do whatever it takes for you to be safe." He said as she slipped into unconsciousness again.
"JC," Justin appeared. "May I speak to you privately?"
"Yeah," JC bent and whispered into Jenny's ear. "Always remember that I love you. And if there's a way to get a message to you from heaven, I'll send it. Please don't forget me, my Babygirl, please don't. Lance will take care of you, ok?" JC leaned back, then decided if she only caught the end of his message, he didn't want that to be it, so he bent and whispered to her again. "Always remember that I will always love you and if I can get a message to you from heaven, my Princess, I will."
"Are you coming, JC?" Justin snapped.
"Yeah," JC bit his lip and pushed back his tears, then he peeked over his shoulder and saw that Justin wasn't looking, so he bent and kissed Jenny's lips softly.
"Ready," JC said, tearing himself away from his love.
"Good," Justin's eyes held an evil glint and he smelled suspiciously like alcohol.
Justin led JC outside and they began walking side by side, silently. JC was very aware of the fact that it was getting darker and darker outside and they were going away from the bright city lights.
Thirty long, silent minutes later, Justin exploded. "How could you? How could you take her from me like that?"
"She wasn't yours anymore, Justin!" JC said quietly, but firmly.
"When did she stop being mine?" Justin asked, his shoulders slumping.
"When you hit her the first time," JC was angry, shouting. "And every time you hit her again, she became a little less yours and a little more mine, because I wiped her tears away and I cleaned her cuts and I kissed her bruises, and you just left her for another girl!"
"Shut up!" Justin roared, coming back to life, lunging at JC.
"Don't tell me what to do!" JC screamed, rolling onto the ground with Justin.
"I'll tell you whatever I want to!" Justin screamed, swinging wildly at JC's lip. He connected, and JC relaxed a bit, making it easier for Justin to sit on him and pin him down.
Their eyes stared into each other's, and passersby could almost feel the hatred the two men had for each other at that moment in time.
"She is mine," Justin said in a quiet, controlled voice. "She always has been, always will be."
"Yours to beat?" JC said sarcastically. "I think not. If anything, she is mine. To love."
"Liar!" Justin roared, shaking JC. JC swung up and shocked Justin by connecting with Justin's jaw.
Justin began shaking JC, slamming his head into the cement, knocking him unconscious, but continuing anyway.
A lady on the street dialed 911 on her cell phone and quickly gave directions, terrified that JC was dying.
"She's mine, you can't take her!" Justin screamed. "Mine!" The angry screams were becoming choked sobs. "Mine? Right, JC? She's mine, isn't she? Oh God! Mine! God, please," Justin was pleading, staring up into the heavens. "God, please, let her be mine. Make me stop! Please, Lord..." Justin's voice dropped into a whisper. "Help me."