"It can't be..." Jordan mumbled to herself, trailing off as the tall man walked toward her, a hopeful smile on his tan face. Closing her eyes briefly, she reopened them, hoping the figure would just disappear. 'Not here...not with everyone else standing here...' her thoughts becoming jumbled in her head as her father stopped a few feet away from her. He stood there awkwardly, his hazel eyes searching Jordan's delicate features, not knowing what to say.
"Jordan?" he asked quietly.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice steady and controlled, struggling to hold back the flood of emotion.
At the sound of her voice, Justin glanced over at Jordan, curious as to who she was talking to. Following her gaze, his eyes finally rested on the tall, tan, dimpled man from the photo. Jordan looked back at Justin, a pained expression on her pretty face as she gazed at him, then her sister, and finally the rest of her friends. Trying desperately to read Rachel's thoughts, Jordan shook her head in frustration as she stared at her sister's confused expression. Turning back to her father, her eyes welled up with tears as thoughts of his letters ran through her mind.
"Jordan, I know you're probably angry, and most of all..hurt that I never had anything to do with you. Please try to find it in your heart to forgive me...I was young, foolish, stupid...all I can say is that I've changed."
Jordan stood there, her thin frame trembling as tears began spilling onto her cheeks. Staring at her father, who's own face had also become tearstained, her heart ached as she struggled to compose herself.
"Are you ok?" Justin whispered, coming up behind a sobbing Jordan, a concerned look in his eyes. Jordan shook her head no, tearing her gaze from her father and buried her face in Justin's chest as his arms enveloped her and pulled her close. "Do you want to go backstage and talk to him?" he asked quietly, looking up and catching the man's eye.
"No...I just want him to leave...this is too hard Justin. I can't do it. I thought I was ready, but I can't..I'm not. Please...I just can't right now." Jordan said, looking up at Justin, her eyes rimmed in red from crying.
"Ok.." Justin trailed off, not knowing what he should say to her father. The man stood there patiently, watching Justin, awaiting his own chance to envelope his daughter in a hug for the first time in 19 years. Justin looked at him apologetically before turning and leading Jordan backstage, leaving her father to stare after her.
Everyone stood silent, not sure of what to say...not sure of who the stranger was. Rachel watched her sister walk away with Justin before gazing back at the tall man. 'Who IS that?' she wondered, confused. 'Who could make her cry like that..'
Chris finally approached the man and pulling him gently away from the rest of the group, asked quietly.."Are you Luke?"
"Yes..and you are?" the man said slowly, trying to compose himself.
"Chris...Jordan's mentioned you to me..." he said, unsure of what to say.
"Will..will she be back out here?" Luke stammered, looking toward the backstage entrance where Justin and Jordan had disappeared.
"Probably not...she needs some time alone. Maybe you should leave...contact her later when there are less people around. Only Justin and I know about ya...you do realize that don't you? Her sister doesn't know that you even exist..." Chris tried to explain, gesturing toward Rachel, who was still staring in confusion at the man. "This is just a really bad time...I think you should leave.."
Luke nodded, and without a word, turned and walked out of the building, Rachel still staring at him as he left.
***
"I just can't believe he showed up here. I mean...imagine what Rachel is thinking right now. She doesn't know about him Justin..." Jordan rambled through her tears. "I never thought it would be this hard...ya know?
Justin pulled her close, resting his chin on the top of her head. "Yeah...I know." he said quietly, not sure of what he could say to make the situation any easier for her.
"I mean, I've imagined meeting him a thousand times. I thought this day would never come. I wanted to see him...to see if I looked like him...to see what he's like...for him to see what I'M like, what I've accomplished. I want him to be sad he missed out on so much, but at the same time to be proud of what I've become...does that make sense?" Jordan asked, pulling back to look into Justin's caring blue eyes.
"It makes perfect sense..." he whispered to her, brushing away the tears that fell from her large hazel eyes. She smiled slightly before leaning back up against him, worn out from all her emotion.
***
"Rach, what's wrong girl?" Leigh asked the blonde, who was sitting on the couch, silent. The four girls, along with Val, Beth, and Stephanie were in the back of Eternity's bus, on the way to the hotel. Jordan was the only one missing, after deciding to ride back on N Sync's bus with Justin.
"It's nothin.." Rachel trailed off, the strange man who had upset her sister at the soundcheck still dominating her thoughts.
Frowning slightly, Leigh shrugged. "Um..ok...if you say so." she said as she turned back to the others, who were talking animatedly.
***
"Oh yeah baby! Did you just see JC walk by?" Val asked Beth and Rachel as they stood in the hallway backstage. The show was getting ready to start and the girls were wandering around backstage.
"Um..yeah I did actually. It's the THIRD time he's walked by. I guess when you're standing right outside his dressing room, hoping to catch a glimpse of him in his tighty whities whenever the door opens..you tend to see him WALK by quite a bit." Beth said sarcastically.
"I was NOT trying to see him in his underwear!" Val protested. Both Rachel and Beth looked at her and rolled their eyes. "Ok, ok...so MAYBE I was. If Justin would have moved just ONE inch to the side I would have seen em too! Damn him." Val laughed.
"Well Val, you DO have All Access...why don't you just barge in and see if he needs assistance?" Rachel commented.
"Hmmm...don't tempt me." she winked, giggling.
"Well hey girls, I have to meet everyone in the lounge so we can pray before we go on. So...I'll talk with you later. Maybe you should leave JC alone..hint hint VAL...and go take your seats. It's gonna be kinda boring back here till later anyhow." Rachel shrugged and began walking down the hall toward the lounge to wait for the rest of the girls.
***
"Ugh! They are taking forEVER!" Rachel groaned as she began getting antsy, waiting by herself in the lounge. Sitting alone, her thoughts wandered to the stranger again. Deep in thought, she didn't notice Joey walk into the lounge behind her.
'She looks so cute!' Joey thought, smiling to himself. Without thinking, he walked up behind Rachel and tapped her gently on the shoulder...much like she had done to him at the club in Orlando.
Rachel jumped as she felt a tap on her shoulder, interrupting her thoughts. "What?" she asked, slightly annoyed as she turned around. Before she could say another word, Joey grabbed her face gently and kissed her softly, his lips warm against her own.
Rachel allowed him to kiss her, but only for a moment before pulling away. Joey gazed down at her, his eyes reflecting his happiness before a fist connected with his face right near the left cheekbone.