Gone

By: Foxy Lady

Josh walked into his house in Orlando hoping to surprise his girlfriend of just over a year, Samantha. He had found a free day in the tour schedule, and he had missed her so much, he decided to go home to see. Phone calls and instant messages were just not cutting it anymore.

He walked through the downstairs of the house, but saw no sign of Sam anywhere. Dropping his bag at the foot of the stairs, he took them two at a time. Searching the upstairs rooms, he still found no sign of Sam. Going into their bedroom, he sat on the edge of the bed, he took in his surroundings. Something wasn't right. The house was too quiet. A layer of dust sat on the bedside table. Sam wouldn't let the house get that way. something was wrong.

Josh stood up and walked over to the walk-in closet. Opening the door, he peeked inside. Gasping, he walked further inside. All of Sam's things were gone. All her clothes. all her shoes. One side of the closet sat empty. Sam was gone.

Leaving the closet, he walked over and sat down on the bed. Why? Where had she gone? It was then that he noticed that piece of paper laying on his pillow. Picking it up, he looked at it recognizing the handwriting of his love immediately.

Dear Josh,

I know I am taking the chicken way out of this. I should have told you this to you face to face and not in some letter, but you know I express myself much better with words on paper than saying them. Well, here we go. Sorry. Forgive the pun. I need to leave. I .. Damn I am even stumbling over my words on paper... I love you, I really do, but I never see you. I miss you like crazy night after night and I can't be there with you holding you close, hearing that cute little laugh of yours that I love so much. I know you love your music and that is your first priority. I understand that, baby, but I need something too, and I don't see myself finding it with you. At least not right now, so I left. I am going to go somewhere and be me again and not JC's girlfriend. Take care of you, Sam

Josh let the letter fall back down to the bed. He never saw this coming. Reaching over he picked up the phone and pressed one of the numbers on speed dial. He didn't even know who he had called really.

After a couple of rings, the other side of the line came to life. "Talk to me."

"She's gone."

"JC, that you?"

"Lance, Sam left."

"Oh, man. Wait one sec, C."

Josh could hear the phone be put down. When it was picked it up, it was Justin on the line. "C, you okay man?"

"Justin, she just left. She's gone. Everything of hers is gone."

"C, I'm sorry man."

"Yeah, me too." Josh laid back on the bed closing his eyes trying to prevent the tears from falling.

"You'll be okay for tonight, C."

"Yeah. My plane leaves first thing in the morning. It was just a one day trip"

"Okay. Well call back if you need anything or just to talk, C."

"I will, J. I'm going to go. Bye." Josh didn't wait for a response from his friend before hanging up the phone line. He sat back up looking around the room again. He couldn't belive she was gone. He never saw this coming. They had just spoken on the phone two days ago. Sighing he threw himself back down on the bed finally letting the tears flow.

Months passed from that day. Sam's leaving hit JC hard. To the public, he was still the happy *Nsyncer, but to those that knew him he was withdrawn and quiet pouring his heartbreak into sad ballads that no one even saw.

In Los Angeles, Sam was feeling the same way. She missed talking to JC. that day she had left had been the hardest of her life. One morning she woke up, packed up her stuff, and got in her car. Sam now realized her mistake. What had she been thinking? Yes, she never saw JC, but she knew he loved her and they would figure things out. Yes, things were crazy with his career, but they had their love, or at least they had it until she left him. DAMN IT!

Now here she was standing a hotel in Los Angeles opening to catch a tiny glimpse of him. He was in town for the concert tomorrow night. She knew he was here because she had seen his security earlier. She hoped they hadn't seen her. Shy is she being this way? She should just go up to one of them and ask them to let her up to see JC. No, she couldn't do that. It had been months since she had left him. He had found someone new. He had to by now.

Sighing, she took out her little notebook from her purse and sat down on one of the benches. Taking out her pen, she began to write.

Dear Josh,

You will never see this note. Here I am sitting outside your hotel wanting to see you. Wanting to hold you. Wanting to hear you speak, but here I sit looking up at the windows trying to figure out which one is yours. Wanting you to look down and see me, but knowing that isn't going to happen. I miss you like crazy, baby. I don't know why I left. I was stupid. I discovered that all too quickly when I would wait for the phone to ring. I know you have probably moved on, and I hope you are happy. I will be happy for you because all I have ever wanted is for you to be happy, Josh.

Sam

PS: I still love you.

Sam tore the sheet from her notebook planning to throw it in the trash, but instead she folded it up and began to put it in her purse when something caught her eye. Turning she saw someone standing by the hotel front door watching her. She let out a gasp when she recognized who it was. Josh. He was there watching her.

Standing up, she turned to run. This was too much. she couldn't see him. Unknown the paper fell to the ground at her feet.

"Sam! Wait!" Josh took off after her stopping only for a sec to pick up the piece of paper she had dropped.

He tried to catch up with her but lost her in the crowd on the street. Sighing, he looked down at the paper he held in his hand. Opening it, he quickly read her words. When he was done, he sighed. "I still love you, too."

He walked back to the hotel and went back up to his room. Knocking on the door of the room next to his he waited until it opened to thrust the piece of paper into the person's hand. "I saw Sam. She was sitting outside the hotel like some teeny bopper waiting to see a glimpse of us."

"Did you talk to her?" Justin read the note quickly.

Josh shook his head. "She ran off, J. I have no clue where she lives. This is LA, man. She could anywhere."

Justin walked over to the telephone. "Let's try something, C." Josh sat on the bed and watched his friend talk on the phone. When he excitedly motioned his hand for a something to write with, Josh handing him his notebook from his back pocket.

Smiling Justin hung up the phone. "That wasn't too hard, C. She was listed."

"No way, J."

"Yes way, C. Here is her address. Now go get her."

Josh got up and walked quickly to the door. Without even saying good-bye, he left.

Sam sat curled up on her couch crying. The television screen flashed with images but the sound was off. Why did she have to see him? It hurt to see him and not be with him. she heard him call after her and when he stopped trying to find her, she watched from a restaurant window as he turned to walk back to the hotel. She wanted to stop him. Wanted to run up and throw her arms around his neck and kiss him, but she didn't do either of those things. Instead she had come home to drown her sorrows.

A knock on her door interrupted her misery. Who could that be? She was so not in the mood for company. Deciding to ignore the door, she got up and was on her way to her bedroom when the knocking became more insistent. "Sam! Open Up!"

No, it couldn't be. Could it? She was hearing things. He wasn't here. she walked closer to the door and listened.

"Sam, baby, please open the door."

Leaning her head against the door, she sobbed, "Josh?"

"Sam, let me in."

Sam reached down and unlocked the door before turning around and walking back towards the couch. Sitting down, she watched the door as it opened and he walked inside. Without pause, he walked over to the couch and kneeled in front of her. Josh reached up and touched her cheek wiping away the tear streaks he saw there. "Sam, baby, I still love you too. I have no idea why you left. I don't care about that at all. All I know is that I miss you, and I need you in my life."

This caused Sam to break into tears once again. Josh moved to the couch and pulled her into his arms. "I'm so sorry, Josh. I don't know why I left. I just missed you all of the time."

"We will figure this out because I am not losing you again, Sam. You mean too much to me."

Sam raised her head. "I love you, Josh."

""I love you, too, Sam. Don't ever leave me again."

"I won't," she whispered as she touched her lips to his. The minute their lips touched she felt home. she had found what was gone from her life for the past few months, and she had found it in the arms of the man she loved.

The End

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