Chapter 12
Jordan walked away from the conference room with a grin plastered on his face. He quickly walked into an empty room, and took out his cell phone.
"Hey, Mitch? Yea, it's Jordan. Did you hear about Ashley and Justin?..yea, yea....anyway. I was talking to the guys, and they wanted to know if that movie roll you had was still open? It is? Great...yea, they want to take it....yea, it's almost all set, they just need to fine tune a few things...and where are they shooting the movie?....California? Great...OK thanks....talk to you soon. Bye." Another evil smirk crossed his face as he made his way down the hall.
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Mr. Stevens sat down in his chair and sighed. It had started off as a stressful morning, but he would make it get better. Most people thought that he ahd the best job, he was in fact, the man that gave the world Britney, Backstreet and *NSYNC, among others. Yet he felt the weight of all that everyday. Decisions, decisions....that was his job.
Just then there was a knock at the door.
"Come in..."
He watched as a young man about 20 or so walked in. He looked familiar. "Can I help you young man?"
"Yes, actually you can. I'm Jordan Psykes. I'm here to make you a proposition. You see, I have a movie offer for the men of *NSYNC. Mitch Andrews is the director. He's worked with the guys on a few video shoots before. It'll take a few months, and it's going to be shot in California. I think the idea has been run by you before, and I thought since the guys had some time off, that it would be a great idea to get this done, so you can have it around the time of their next tour, and then sales for the tour should sky rocket."
Mr. Stevens thought it over. "Have the guys been approached about this?"
"Yes sir, and they're very taken with the idea. They are eager to get started." It was a bunch of bull, but he didn't need to say that.
"Well, then, It sounds like a great Idea. You need to finalize with the group and Johnny of course, but I'd like to get started right away....is that all?"
"Well...no sir. You see, I'm a good friend of Ashley's...you know Justin's girlfriend. As you know, she's pregnant."
"Yes, I heard that...what does that have to do with anything?" He eyed Jordan carefully.
"Well, you see, Ashley's in a fragile state, and I know that Justin is going to want her there, but I don't think she should be traveling like that. I think that you should have her stay here, and she can work with me on some editing and things like that. I know it wont go over big with Justin at first, but I'm just worried about her health, and well being. And I think since she's pregnant, she might be more of a distraction than usual, and it might slow down the filming process." Well said, he thought.
"Well...that's a very good observation, I'll talk it over with Johnny, and we'll see. Well, if that's all, I need to get some things done. Thank you and have a nice day."
Jordan shook his hand and walked out the door a very happy man. This was too easy.
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Ashley and Justin and the rest of *NSYNC sat around a table in the back of a small cafe. Conversation was light as everyone chatted and sat, relishing their rare free time.
"So, have any names yet?" JC asked, eating a french fry.
"Not really, we don't know what it is, but I have a few that I like." Ashley took a sip of her water and started in on her sandwich.
"If it's a boy, name it Chris." Chris piped up, his mouth full of food.
"Name it Joey, that's a strong Italian name."
"Joe, we're not Italian." Justin said, throwing a strange glance at his friend.
"Whatever, it was just a suggestion." He pretended to be hurt. " I won't give you advise anymore, see if I care."
"Oh, Shut up you baby. They're naming it Chris, I know they are...Right Ash?" His chocolate brown eyes sparkled as he eyes the girl across from him.
"Um...No. Sorry Chris, but I don't think I'm naming my baby after you, no offense." She laughed as he wrinkled his nose and huffed. Just then, Lance's cell phone rang.
"Hello?" His deep, bass voice sounded, and the rest of the people at the table quiet down. "Hey Johnny....yea, we're all here. Sure, OK...uh huh....mmm. Well, I'm not sure....when?....yea, yea...a few months....yea, California?....ok, sure, I'll ask. Bye."
Everyone watched as he slowly put away his phone, and started to eat again.
"That was Johnny. He said that Stevens is pushing for us to make that movie while we have time off. It's being shot in California, and it'll take a few months. He said it's up to us, but really it's not, because Stevens really wants it done. I'm all for it though. It's the story line that Mitch proposed to us. He found a lead girl, and he said it's all set, they just need our assent." He looked around the table, and waited while his band mates thought it over.
"I think it sounds like a good idea. I mean, I get so bored on my time off, it'll be great to have something to do, and it's not like we have a huge part. I'm in." Chris was the first to speak, Then Joey chimed in.
"I think it sounds fine. I trust Mitch, so I think it should be fun." He looked at JC who nodded in agreement.
"Count me in. This'll be good anyway, because it should come out near when we want our next album and tour, so the publicity will help."
Justin looked at Ashley, and spoke when she nodded. "I think it sounds good. I could use some time in California anyway, I love that place."
So it was settled, *NSYNC were about to become movie stars.
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"Justin, Johnny's on the phone, he needs to talk to you about California." Ashley yelled outside to Justin who was shooting hoops. He ran over to her and grabbed a quick kiss before answering the phone.
"Hey." He said between, breathing heavily from running.
"Hey Justin. I just wanted to ask you something. Stevens was approached by someone that said they thought it wouldn't be a good idea for Ashley to go to Cali. So it's up to you if she goes or not."
"What? Of course she's going. Who said she shouldn't go?" Justin's anger started to rise as he thought about someone trying to keep them apart.
"I don't know, he didn't say. Stevens didn't have a problem with her going, he just wan'ts to make sure she can, you know, health wise and all." He walked in the house, and grabbed a drink from the fridge.
"We're going to the doctors today, she's getting an ultrasound, and all that jazz. So we'll ask, but I'm sure it should be fine, I mean, she's only about a month and a half along." He walked over to Ashley and gave her a kiss before sitting down next to her.
"OK, that's all I wanted. Good luck today, and since I wont see you before you leave, have fun in California." Johnny said.
"Thanks man, I'll see you later." Justin hung up the phone and sighed. "Some jackass was trying to get Steves to make you stay here." He told Ashley as he watched her flip through a magazine.
"Really? Who?"
"I don't know, Stevens didn't say. But whoever it is, I wanna kick their ass. Oh well, you're going, no matter what." He smiled at her, and glanced at the clock. "I'm gonna go get in the shower. We're leaving in an hour." He gave her another kiss and jumped from his chair and ran up the stairs.
~*~
Ashley lay back on the table and grimaced as the cool gel was placed on her stomach. She could feel Justin's breath on her neck as he stood next to her, bent over so his face was right near hers.
"OK, now, this should take just a few seconds...." The doctor said as she moved a small monitor over Ashley's abdomen. A moment later, a black and white picture came up on the screen next to the table. "And there...is your baby." The doctor pointed to a small white spot on the screen.
"Wow...it's tiny!!" Justin exclaimed from behind Ashley.
"It's less than two months old babe...of course it's tiny." Ashley laughed as he blushed a bit.
"Ash....that's our baby...we created that..." His voice was filled with awe, and his eyes gleamed with wonderment.
"I love you." Ashley whispered into his ear, grabbing his hand. Justin squeezed her hand and smiled.
"I love you too..." He kissed her cheek and looked back at the monitor. "We made that life...wow..." His voice was filled with awe, and it touched her heart to know that this meant just as much to him, as it did to her.
~*~
Ashley tried to get comfortable, but it just wasn't happening. She shifted to the left, then right, then placed her head on Justin's shoulder, but it wasn't helping.
"Sit still!!" Justin grabbed her legs to keep her from moving.
"Sorry, I can't get comfortable." She moved again. Justin huffed.
"Ugh! Here..." He put the arm rest up, and a pillow on his lap, and gently forced Ashley down, so she would stay put. "Now sleep, or something...just stop moving!" He chuckled. Ashley sighed, and closed her eyes...much better.
Justin went back to reading his book when he knew Ashley was asleep. He was trying to finish the paragraph he was on, but someone looking over his shoulder stopped him. He turned and came face to face with the eldest member of the group.
"What?" He whined.
"What ya doing?" Chris said in an innocent voice.
"I'm reading...what do you want?" He said, putting his book down.
"Why?"
"Because I want to."
"Why?"
"Chris, you should like a 3 year old!"
"Why?" When he said that, Justin slammed the book shut and turned as much as he could without moving Ashley.
"What do you want?!!" His voice was a harsh whisper.
"Nothin" Chris sat back and put his headphones on. Justin made a screeching sound in his throat and smiled meekly as other passengers threw him strange looks. This was going to be a long flight.
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Justin shook Ashley gently to wake her. They were finally on solid ground, and he could get some air. After another hour of Chris acting 5, and coming this close to getting a black eye, he had finally managed to finish the page he was on when the plane took off. After trying to get farther, and getting interrupted, he gave up and blared music on his discman to drown out everything else. He did manage to get some sleep, and now he just wanted off, and to get to his room. And maybe some food.
"Are we there?" Ashley's eyes were heavy with sleep, and her hair was a mess.
"Yea, where here. Come on, about 20 more minutes, and we can really sleep." Justin grabbed her bag from the over head compartment, and they followed the others off the plane, and into the terminal.
Chapter 13
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