JC rushed to his front door as a banging persisted. He opened the door and quickly felt a weight fall into his arms.

”JC, it’s horrible.”

JC’s brain registered the voice of his best friend. “What’s wrong, Marylin?”

”Oh, JC, you would not believe what just happened,” she sobbed into his shoulder.

”What?” he asked her as he shut the door and led her to a couch in the living room.

”I- I- I just ran into fans and they threatened me because there is an article out there saying I’m trying to break you and Carrie up.”

JC ran a hand over his face and sighed. He was getting tired of this. “Anything else?”

”Oh, the same article claimed you left her house early one night and went straight to mine, then hinted you could have less than good intentions when you came over.”

”Of course I’ve gone from her house to yours and yours to hers,” JC began yelling. “She is my girlfriend and you are my best friend. Why can’t people seem to get it through their thick heads we are just friends and are content to stay that way? Why must I be hooking up with every girl I talk to? And oh my gosh I go to her house. I am the original sinner. Take me now.” JC raised his hands in the air. “I don’t belong on this earth.”

”JC.” Marylin jumped up and brought his arms down. “JC, what has gotten into you?”

JC took a few deep breaths and leaned into her embrace. “I’m sorry, Marylin. I really am. I’m just sick and tired of all these lies that I have to deny or straighten them out or anything. We just came off a tour and I guess I just need a break.” He sighed and fell back on the couch.

Marylin sat next to him and brought his feet on her lap. “I know. You guys have been recording all week and it’s been tough. No real recoup period.”

”Yeah.” He looked around his living room. “So do you want to watch a movie and fall asleep?”

”You mean spend the night here? What would the press and your fans say?”

”I personally don’t care.”

”No, I don’t think that’s what they would say, JC. Hopefully some of them, but definitely not all.”

”I know, but that’s what I say.” He moved his feet as she went to look through his movie collection.

~~~~~~

JC stared at Marylin asleep across the couch. They had both fallen asleep during the movie and it was now almost four in the morning, but he couldn’t go back to sleep. He woke up still angry about the night before, okay the years before. At first he tried to get some sleep but then a song popped into his head and by now he had the hook and some semblance of the first verse. JC sighed and slowly moved off the couch. He went to his bedroom to get ready for what he planned for that day.

~~~~~~

”JC?” Marylin asked as she walked around his house, looking for him. “Are you home?”

She noticed a note on the bathroom counter and picked it up.

M-

I went to the studio early. I got a song stuck in my head and you know how that goes. You are the best friend I’ve ever had. I do love you.

-J

Marylin threw the note away and got ready for a day at the studio. She was glad JC was helping her with her dream of being a producer. They had put some songs together as practice before and now he was letting her co-produce an *N SYNC song. When she was ready she left for the studio, meeting Lance outside.

”Hey, Marylin, how are you?”

”Nervous,” she replied, “JC and I have done some work with old *N SYNC tracks, but this one is going on an album.”

He placed an arm around her shoulders. “I understand. Is JC here do you know?”

She nodded. “He should be. We fell asleep watching a movie last night and he was gone when I woke up and left a note saying he was coming here. Something about not getting a song out of his head.”

”That sounds like JC.”

The two laughed as they entered the building. After getting coffee they entered the studio finding Justin turning in the swivel chair. Justin stopped and faced them, his face serious.

”Marylin, when was the last time you spoke with JC?”

”Hmm, last night before we fell asleep watching a movie. Why?”

”Can you explain this?” he asked and waved to a note sitting on the soundboard.

Marylin looked at the note and shrugged. “I don’t know. Where is he? It says to open it after all six of us are here so I’m guess we wait until all you guys are here.”

Justin and Lance shrugged before falling into easy conversation. As time went on Joey and Chris entered the room, both now knowing what JC had up his sleeve. After another half hour passed Joey groaned.

”Where is he? He was in this building some time today. This note and the song tracks prove it, but where the hell is he?”

”Hello?” a voice called from the door.

Marylin looked up and found JC’s girlfriend, Carrie standing there. The group welcomed her. Marylin looked around the group and counted the number of people in the room.

”Uh, guys, how many people are in this room?”

Chris quickly counted. “Six.”

”Right. And Carrie, didn’t you say JC called you here?”

”Yes,” the other woman quietly answered.

”I hate to say this but JC said to wait until all six are here. We are six.”

”But what about him?” Chris asked.

”I don’t know, but I have the feeling everyone who’s supposed to be here is here. I’m going to open the letter.”

”Do you suppose that’s wise without JC?”

Marylin nodded. She ignored all other protests as she opened the letter and read it to herself. She sighed and read it aloud. “Dear everyone. By now you should have guessed Carrie was the sixth member of the group, not me. Last night Marylin came crying to me and my back broke, the straw was gone. Guys, we all know we need a break. Last night was more than proof enough for me. I don’t even know what I feel anymore. I don’t know what’s real. I need to figure it out.

”Here is the song that came to me early this morning. I put the lyrics in Justin’s usual folder. The melody is all planned out, but it’s open to change, Marylin. I say that because I want you to produce the track. Here are my vocals for the whole thing so you can cut and paste. There are a few cuts of it on here. I’m sure you’ll do your best and it will be great.

”I know you’re all wondering where I am right now. I probably don’t even know. I’ll get in contact with you. I love you all. Joshua Scott Chasez.”

The group was quiet. No one knew what to say. Millions of questions ran around everyone’s brains, but no one could voice them.

”What the hell does that mean?” Carrie finally broke the silence.

”It means we listen to the track,” Justin said as he rolled to the soundboard. “By the way, Marylin, what does he mean about you coming crying to him and it breaking his back?”

”Well, I don’t know about the back part but last night some fans had attacked me after reading an article saying I was trying to ruin JC and Carrie’s relationship. I was becoming the ‘other woman’ and JC was getting tempted and…”

Justin put his hand up. “I got it. Now let’s listen to what’s on this track. I think it’ll give us a little more insight into what JC was thinking.

The group sat silently as Justin adjusted the tape and pressed play.

~~~~~~

~~~~~~

Six months later

”We all know what movie that’s from, don’t we, ladies and gentleman. That was the new single from *N SYNC. I guess since their last ballad was sung by one of their leads they decided this would be sung by their other one, JC Chasez. Surprisingly there are no plans for a new tour, disappointing many fans. No one in *N SYNC’s management are talking. An unnamed source told our station they have broken up.”

A hand reached over and shut the radio off and returned to the arm of the overstuffed chair. Its owner sighed and closed his eyes. A car door slamming outside made the body tense, but he relaxed as the only voice he wanted to hear came to his ears.

”JC?” Marylin asked as she walked to the door of the little cabin. “JC, are you here? I see your car.” When she got no answer she ran into the house. “JC, are you all right?”

He heard her. He just didn’t feel like moving at the moment.

”JC?”

This time the voice was closer. JC felt her stand above him.

”JC? Hun, why didn’t you answer my calls? JC?” Marylin shook his shoulder. “JC, are you all right? You seem to have a pulse. Come on and talk to me, Josh,” she finally demanded.

As if on cue his eyes opened.

”Hey, Marilyn.”

She sat on his lap so he couldn’t get away easily. “Why didn’t you answer me when I called your name?”

”I did.”

”Huh? I called your name a few times before you opened your eyes.”

He shook his head. “No, you only said it that last time.”

”I’m still not following you, JC.”

”There,” he cried angrily. “There you go again. When did you stop calling me Josh? You haven’t called me that in a long time.”

”It could have something to do with the fact that you’ve been missing for six months. You were getting to be like Elvis for us. We heard of JC sightings, but couldn’t confirm if you were alive and dead.”

”Those weren’t JC sightings.”

”Was it you?”

He shrugged. “Most likely.”

”Then wouldn’t that be a JC sighting?”

”Not entirely. Physically, yes, it was me, but it wasn’t JC. It was a Josh sighting. I was Josh those times. Someone I haven’t been able to be in a long time. You showed that to me the night before I left. You called me JC all of the time. I couldn’t remember the last time you had called me Josh, when you know that’s what I wanted to be called. That’s who I was when we met and that’s who I left to find. Josh. Just Josh. I needed to be him again.”

”Damn it, JC.” She cursed to herself when she felt his body tightened. “Sorry. But really. Damn it, Josh. Do you know how worried we’ve all been about you?”

”I know.” He sighed.

She turned to look him in the eyes. “Do you really? Do you really want me here right now?”

”Damn it, Marylin, do you think I’d come here if I didn’t think someone would find me? I hoped it would be you.”

”Well it was me. It wouldn’t have been anyone else.” She finally broke down. “They all are waiting for you to contact someone. You haven’t even spoken to you family J- Josh. Do you know how many times I have come to this cabin looking for you?”

”How many?” he asked softly.

”How many weekends were you gone?”

”You came here every weekend?”

”Yeah.”

JC pulled her head against his chest and let her cry. He was glad she couldn’t see his face and the redness of his eyes. “It’s going to be okay, baby.”

”Baby?’ She laughed and raised her head to look at him. “Since when have you called me baby? Except when you were joking around and calling me a baby, but this time it was different.”

”Yeah, it was. Marylin, I have a question.”

”Okay.” She bit her bottom lip.

”How is Carrie doing?”

Marylin shook her head. After all this time he was asking about his old girlfriend.

”Tell me. Please.”

”How do you think she’s doing, Josh? He boyfriend left her without an explanation as to why.”

”I left the song. Didn’t she understand?”

”The only thing she understood was her boyfriend was gone.”

”But you got the meaning of the song, right?”

She stood and faced the window. “Yeah, Josh, I did. So did the guys. That’s why you guys are on this hiatus. You’ve put everyone’s feelings into words. And what’s more, you put them into actions. They’re not happy that you just up and left, but at least they understand.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “I was just tired of it. All the lies and pretending. I lost myself in there. I lost the real me in the image that I had created for myself as JC of *N SYNC. Couldn’t you see that?”

”I guess. Everything happened so slowly with that. I guess I just fell into the flow, Josh.” She sighed and sat on the couch. She placed a hand on his knee. “I’m sorry, Josh. I really am.”

He placed his hand on hers. “I know you are, Marylin. That’s why I came back here. I knew you would find me. I decided it was time to get back with the important people in my life, my biological and extended families.” He squeezed her hand. “I knew you’d find me here. That's a reason why I have one of my cars. So you'd know it was me.”

”Well, you bought this cabin in the woods as a getaway place for us. I knew you’d pass by here at some point in trying to get away. I just wished you didn’t wait so long.”

”I’m sorry, but I’m here now.” JC took a deep breath and stood. “Do you think you could call everyone and get them here? I really need to talk to everyone and I don’t want them to know I’m here until they get here.”

”Including Carrie?”

”Should she be invited? I haven’t been around.”

”No,” Marylin shook her head, “no, Carrie shouldn’t be. She moved on, Josh.”

”I love that.” JC sat next to her on the couch. “I love being called Josh by someone special in my life.”

”I’m special in your life?”

JC picked up her cell phone and tossed it in the air a few times before handing it to her. “You’ve been my best friend my whole life. You’re very special in my life.”

”I love you too, Josh.” Marylin kissed his cheek before opening her phone and dialing a familiar number. “Justin? Hey, it’s me.”