Fate
By: Mindy
©2000
JANUARY 1996
"Are you ready Nannette???" Josh asked
hurriedly, looking in the mirror one last time.
"I suppose so," she answered as she stepped
out of the closet of their apartment, "Look ok?"
Josh turned and looked at his girlfriend of five
years. They had been high school sweethearts, although his high school career
had been anything but typical. He had landed in the private school where they
met after the Mickey Mouse Club, his first professional job, had been
cancelled. Ironically, if the show had went on any longer, he may have never
met the girl that fit with him so perfectly in nearly every way. His
aspirations to be a professional singer often led to a crazy life, but she had
stuck by his side through thick and thin. And now that he had what appeared to
be the chance of a lifetime down in Orlando, she'd moved to be with him. Tonight, the night of the first public
appearance of the new group he was involved in at the House of Blues, could
very well be one of the most important nights of not only his, but their,
life. He stared at her for a moment and
got that feeling of butterflies in his stomach... it was moments like those
that made him sure he was where God wanted him to be.
"You look amazing," he answered honestly,
crossing the room to kiss her lightly.
"Thank you... and you're going to be amazing
tonight," she answered as she squeezed him tightly and then pulled him
toward the door, "I promise... this is just the first of many shows for
you and the guys...."
SEPTEMBER 1997
"We're gonna' miss our plane home!" Joey
yelled across the hotel room.
"No we aren't," Renee admonished him as she
continued to throw clothes into her bag. In reality, she wasn't too sure they
were going to make it, but even if they did miss the plane, she wouldn't have
changed a thing. The little bit of extra fun she and Joey had in every city
they went to made their relationship stay strong. It was their carriage ride
through downtown Berlin that was causing them to be in such a frenzy to pack. Joey rushed over to the bed to pick up a
stray jersey that had fallen there and had to smile as he watched his
girlfriend frantically throw socks, shoes, and every type of clothing garment
known to man into a huge duffel bag.
"What???" she asked, not even looking up,
but sensing he was studying her.
"You're just too cute... How did I get lucky
enough to run into you at our first show ever???" he replied.
"I don't know how you got so lucky..." she
answered with a grin, hopping onto the bed to give him a quick kiss, "But
neither of us are going to have any luck catching this plane if we don't
hurry!"
"Ok, Ok," he answered, kissing her once
more and then returning to his packing. Although his words had been said in
jest, he really did wonder how he had gotten so lucky nearly a year and a half
ago, when he and his newly formed band had played their first show ever at the
House Of Blues in Orlando. Not only had the performance went better than any of
their expectations, but their waitress after the show was a beautiful young
woman who caught his eye like no one else ever had. She smiled and blushed when
he had asked for her number... and now, almost two years later, that same smile
still made him melt. Her willingness to
travel with him while the band was on the road made the roller coaster of life
in the music industry bearable and he didn't know where he'd be if she hadn't
walked into his life that night.
"I'm ready!" she announced as she struggled
to pull the zipper of the bag closed.
"Same here," Joey told her, grabbing her
hand as they lugged their bags out of the room, ready to make a mad dash for
the plane.
DECEMBER 1998
"Wake up Ju... you've gotta' get ready for the
show," Clair prodded him gently.
"Have I been asleep for that long already?"
Justin asked her groggily, turning over in the hotel bed to look into the face
of his beautiful girlfriend.
"Two hours, babe...soundcheck is in 30
minutes," she answered, studying his face as he struggled to wake up.
"Five more minutes...just lay here with me for
five more minutes- then I'll get up," he promised.
Unable to resist, Clair slid under the blankets with
him and into his arms. Justin sighed as he felt Clair's body snuggle up next to
his. Suddenly, with her so close, his mind began to awaken and he pulled away
slightly to look at her face. Her deep brown eyes were closed and her long,
chestnut hair fell across the pillow in waves. His thoughts drifted back to the
day they had met.. heading home from Berlin, Germany, the guys were late thanks
to Joey and his girlfriend, who had simply "had" to take a carriage
ride one last time before they left. They had missed their plane and had to be
squeezed onto the next available flight to the states, which left about eight
hours later. With such late travel plans, they weren't able to choose their
seats and Justin was more than pleased when he saw his seatmate. A beautiful
young girl, Clair, was heading back home after spending a semester abroad. She
knew Justin immediately... after all, his group's fame in Europe was off the
charts by that time. His sweet nature took her by surprise though, and the two
of them talked nearly the entire flight home. When the plane touched down, the
two gave each other a long hug and Justin felt strangely empty inside as he watched
her walk away. A day later, as he was unpacking, he found a note from her
inside of his carry-on bag… a note that included her phone number. He called
that day, and the two had been inseperable ever since. And now that he and the
guys were on their first solo American tour, it only felt right that she be
with them on the road. He pulled her closer to him and kissed the top of her
forehead as she murmered, "Five minutes is up, Jus..." He sighed and
sat up on one elbow, looking at her.
She opened her eyes slowly and smiled at him.
"Ok, Ok... just one kiss?" he asked. She answered by putting her arms
around his neck and pulling him down to her for a long kiss.
"Now you have to go... soundcheck,
remember???" she reminded him.
He rolled out of the hotel bed and threw on a clean
shirt, not wanting to be late for their only rehearsal of the day.
"I'll see you in a little while," he said
quietly as he opened the door and let himself out, leaving Clair to sleep.
AUGUST 1999
"I cannot believe we've come this far..."
JC said, looking around the empty Rosemont Horizon Convention Center.
"Same here... I mean, two years ago, we were
lucky to land fair dates here in the states, and now we're selling out some of
the biggest arenas in the country- it's just amazing," Lance added as the
interviewer from the Chicago Sun-Times looked down at her paper for the next
question.
"What's the one thing you never leave home
without?" she inquired and Chris immediately began in on a short list of
"never leave home withouts."
From a side section of seats, Clair, Nannette, and
Renee stared at the men of *NSync. As hard as it was for the guys to comprehend
how far they'd come in a short time, it was equally as amazing to the three
women who had been there right along with them for virtually the entire
ride. Although none of them ever
imagined the fame that would come to the guys, the three girls had witnessed
firsthand how hard they had worked, how much they had sacrificed, and how much they
appreciated every single acheivement that came their way.
"So what are the plans for JC's birthday??"
Clair asked Nannette quietly as the interview went along up on the stage.
"Well, his whole family is flying in tonight...
and then we've got that charity softball game tomorrow. We were planning on
dinner with everyone before the show and then taking him out to a club
afterwards as a surprise. I guess Steve took care of renting out some awesome
place up in Milwaukee- we invited a ton of people. We're not sure who all is
coming, but hopefully it'll be a good time," Nannette filled them in.
"And what are you giving him?" Renee
inquired.
"Besides the obvious???" Nannette replied
immediately, an evil grin spreading across her face. The other two girls burst into laughter, drawing the attention of
not only the guys, but the interviewer also.
"Sorry! Sorry!" Nannette said loudly and
waved at them. JC grinned at her and winked making her heart doing a little
pitter patter dance like it always did.
"Seriously, I'm giving Josh a gold and diamond watch
and a matching ring. I mean, you guys know what I went through trying to decide
and you know how it is..it's not like they don't already have everything in the
world already," Nannette told them.
"I feel your pain... God knows we've both been
there too," Renee agreed.
"How long have you two been together now?"
Clair asked out of the blue.
"Well, we started dating in November of 90... so
almost nine years now," she counted, shaking her head.
"Damn... that's a long time," Clair thought
out loud.
"Yeah, it is… but you guys have been with Joe
and Jus for a long too... in some ways it feels like forever, but in other
ways, it's like we just met," Nannette explained.
"I suppose, but damn..." Renee marveled.
"You suppose what?" Chris asked, as the
guys interrupted their conversation.
Nannette gave her a pointed look and Renee quickly
improvised, "I suppose we've been sitting here forever!"
"I'm sorry baby... that lady was
relentless," Joey told her, plopping down into the seat beside her.
"No problem," she said with a little smile.
"Am I correct in assuming that we have no
soundcheck tonight since we were here last night too?" Clair asked.
"Yup yup..no soundcheck- which means we get to
have dinner together!" JC said, plopping his butt down into Nannette's
lap.
"UGH!" She groaned as everyone laughed.
"Josh, you have the boniest ass!" She told him with a grin, causing
everyone to laugh even harder.
"You weren't complaining last night," he
kidded with her, causing her face to turn a dark shade of crimson.
"I think it's time to go to dinner," Lance
said, still laughing.
"Sounds like a plan to me," Nannette
agreed, pushing her boyfriend from her lap playfully.
"I'll show you little missy," he said,
pulling her up and tossing her easily over his shoulder as he walked toward the
exit.
Everyone laughed as they followed them, Nannette
yelling and kicking as JC carried her out of the arena flopped over his
shoulder.
THE NEXT EVENING
"Awesome show baby doll!!!!" Nannette said
excitedly as JC ran into her arms. *Josh has always loved birthday shows* she
thought to herself as he hugged her tightly.
As they embraced, the rest of the "crew" gathered in the room.
"So are we about ready to go back to the
hotel?" Andre, one of their guards, asked innocently.
"I am," JC answered, releasing Nannette and
grabbing his bag from the couch. As he turned his back, Andre winked at
Nannette, letting her know the plan was still on.
"Same here," she added, taking Josh's hand
as the group walked quickly from the room to the waiting tour bus outside.
"For safety reasons, we're all gonna' take the
same bus tonight," Todd told them as the group reached their fleet of
busses.
"Cool," JC said, hopping in.
As everyone settled into a seat on the bus, Nannette
whispered to JC, "Happy Birthday Josh..I love you."
He turned to face her and whispered back, "Thank
you... I love YOU." She grinned as she kissed him square on the lips.
"Where are we going?" JC asked innocently
as the bus headed down a busy street in downtown Milwaukee.
"We had to switch hotels because security was
inadequate at the other," Todd said quickly.
"Good save," Joey whispered with a small
smile, loud enough for Nannette, who was sitting next to him, to hear.
Just as they arrived at the club, everyone began to
get very excited... suddenly, JC pulled a black blindfold out from under the
seat he was occupying and tied it across Nannette's eyes. It happened so quick
that she wasn't sure what exactly was going on.
"What the hell???" she said quickly, as she
felt a pair of strong arms pull her from the couch and lead her to the end of
the bus. She felt someone pick her up and walk down the steps with her as she
quickly felt the warm night air rush over her body. "What is going on
here?" she asked again. She could hear voices all around her, but couldn't
make out much of what was going on.
She sensed that she was back inside a building, but
was still thoroughly confused as to what exactly was taking place. **This is
supposed to be Josh's suprise party** she thought to herself, unable to
comprehend why SHE was the one blindfolded.
Just then, she felt the familiar feel of Josh's hand
in hers. He took both of her hands in his and led her forward. Suddenly, a
loud, booming voice exploded from speakers all around them. Nannette heard the
voice say, "And now, a very special dedication...this one is just for you
Nannette."
Out of the speakers came a familiar tune that brought
tears to her eyes. She felt Josh wrap his arms around her and pull her to him.
The blindfold still around her eyes, she relaxed and let her body rest against
his. It was in his arms that she felt more safe and secure than anywhere else
in the world. She sighed as he began to sing along in her ear.
"They read you
Cinderella
You hoped it would come
true.
That one day your Prince
Charming
Would come rescue you.
You like romantic movies
and you never will
forget
the way you felt when
Romeo kissed Juliet.
All this time that
you've been waiting.
You don't have to wait
no more....
I Can Love you like that.
I would make you my
world
move heaven and earth if
you were my girl.
I will give you my
heart.
Be All that you need,
show you you're
everything that's precious to me
If you give me a
chance...
I can love you like
that."
The music continued to
play as Josh pulled Nannette closer. Kissing her lips softly, he stared at the
woman in his arms and meant every word he said as he sang.
"I never make a
promise I don't intend to keep.
So when I say forever,
forever's what I mean.
I'm no Cassanova but I
swear this much is true.
I'll be holding nothing
back when it comes to you.
You dream of love that's
everlasting.
Well baby open up your
eyes..."
As he sang that line, JC
slowly removed the blindfold from Nannette's eyes. She couldn't believe it as
she looked all around the room. In every available space around the dance floor
of the huge club were their friends and family. Her parents, grandparents,
aunts, uncles, and cousins were there, along with everyone from Josh's family
and the families of the other guys. Friends from the music industry were there also; Johnny Wright and
Melinda, the guys from 98 Degrees, Britney Spears, and a whole array of others.
Nannette whispered, "What's going on here, Josh?" He simply put a
finger to her lips and continued to sing.
"I Can Love you
like that.
I would make you my
world
move heaven and earth if
you were my girl.
I will give you my
heart.
Be All that you need,
show you you're
everything that's precious to me
If you give me a
chance...
I can love you like
that..."
As the song ended, JC
pulled Nannette to him as the two exchanged a long kiss. The room fell completely silent as Josh
dropped to one knee. When Nannette realized what was happening, tears began to
fill her eyes and Josh looked into her eyes and began to speak.
"Nannette, when I met you in high school, I knew
that I had found something special. Even back then you touched my heart and
soul. I've always known that you were a gift from God sent here just for me. As
the years have gone by, the bond between us has only grown stronger. We've been
through so much and endured so many circumstances that would normally tear a
relationship apart. But we've never wavered and every day that goes by only
makes me even more sure that I have found my soulmate in you. I never want a
day to come when you're not by my side... we belong together," he said
sincerely as he pulled a black velvet box from the pocket of his jacket. Tears were streaming down Nannette's face as
she listened to the words the man she loved was saying.
"I love you more than words can ever say... I
want to be your prince charming- to make all your dreams come true. And it
would be the best birthday gift in the world and make me the happiest man alive
if you would say you'll be my wife and let me love you forever. I love you with
all my heart and soul Nannette- Will you marry me?" he finished as he
opened the black box to reveal the most beautiful ring she had ever laid eyes
on.
The tears of joy continued to fall down her cheeks
and time stood still for just a moment as she realized that all of her dreams
were coming true.
"Yes," she whispered, and then repeated
herself, much louder this time, the joy evident in her voice. JC slipped the two carat diamond onto her
finger as they locked gazes. The room erupted into cheers as he stood and
gathered his new fiance into his arms. "I Love you Joshua Scott
Chasez...Happy Birthday," she whispered to him as she held him tight.
"I love you too Nannette... I love you
too..." he assured her just before he kissed her. "God Must Have
Spent" began to play as everyone in the room continued to applaud the
happy couple. Everyone in the room knew
what Nannette didn't; that JC had been planning this for months, and what she
believed to be a surprise party for his birthday had all along been her
surprise of a lifetime. The friends and family partied into the night,
celebrating JC's 23rd birthday and the love he and Nannette shared.
DECEMBER 1999
"Does anyone know what those five are planning
for tonight?" Clair asked the small group of family and friends that were
gathered in the VIP area.
"No idea here, actually," Stacey, Lance's
sister responded.
"I don't really know either. I'm sure they've
got something up their sleeves, but with them, you never can tell,"
Nannette threw in.
"I just can't believe it's already New Year's
Eve- this year has flown by," Renee observed.
"But it's been an awesome year," Nannette
said dreamily, fingering the engagement ring on her left hand.
"You are so funny girl... you even think about JC
and you get all googly-eyed," Lynn, Justin's mom said, laughing at her.
"Guilty as charged, but what can I say? I love
him," Nannette conceeded as everyone laughed.
"Well, I couldn't think of a better daughter in
law," Karen told her as she took Nannette's hand and studied the ring her
son had bestowed upon his fiance.
"All together now... Awwwwwwwwwww..." Steve
Fatone said as everyone else joined in.
"I'm gonna' run backstage real quick...anyone
care to join me?" Nannette said, standing up from the couch.
"I'll come with," Renee said quickly as
Clair agreed also. The three trooped off toward the backstage door with
everyone watching from the VIP area.
"I can't believe our boys got so lucky,"
Phyllis, Joey's mom, said to no one in
particular as the three girls walked away.
"So, seriously, do you guys know what's going on
tonight?" Renee asked Clair and Nannette as they flashed their passes for
the backstage security.
"I really don't know much...I think Josh and I
are going to hit a couple parties at midnight and then head to bed early,"
Nannette told them.
"Ring in the new year the RIGHT way, huh?"
Clair kidded her.
"Oh, come on... I know you and Jus were ringing
the hell out of the new year last night!" Nannette shot back.
Renee busted out laughing and Clair looked at her and
threw back, "What are you laughing at R?? You and Joey get more action
then a hooker on half price night."
The trio were cracking up as they walked into the
"NSync toy room" where they found the guys playing an assortment of
video games.
"Hey there!" Joey exclaimed, walking away
from his pinball game to greet his girlfriend with a huge hug. Renee kissed him lightly on the cheek and
headed back to the game with him.
"Hi sweetie," Nannette said to JC as she
put both of her arms around his waist as he continued his rousing game of
foozball with Chris.
"Hello," he replied, scoring a goal and
then turning to kiss her quickly before returning to his game.
Justin was busy playing some playstation basketball
game and Clair joined him on the couch and watched as he dunked on Michael
Jordan.
"SCORE!" Justin yelled excitedly as Clair
laughed at him and the way he could act just like a little kid.
"We were just wondering what was in the plans
for tonight?" Renee inquired innocently.
"Hmmmmm.... sorry, can't tell ya'," Chris
replied without looking away from his foozball game.
"Oh come on guys, you can at least give us a
hint," Clair prodded, wanting to know what the night held in store for
them.
"Here's a hint- it'll be fun," Lance threw
in.
"Gee, thanks Lance!" Nannette said as she
rolled her eyes at him.
"Just trust me baby... you'll have a good
time," Joey assured Renee. The
girls gave up and after a few minutes more with the guys and a quick round of
hugs, headed back to the VIP area to catch the opening acts of the show.
LATER THAT EVENING
"Thank you very much Hawaii! We Love You!!! We
Are NNNNNNNSSSYYYYNCCCC!!!" Joey yelled as their final show of the
millenium came to an end. The guys
linked hands and took a final bow just before they bounded off the stage. Their
New Year's Eve show had totally rocked the house despite them all being dead
tired thanks to not being fully conditioned to touring. The guys immediately ran to their bus,
heading straight toward their hotel. It was 10:15 and they wanted to be ready
to hit the town by 11:00 or so. After all, this was New Years Eve 2000.
The family and friends of the guys had exited the
arena during their final number and piled into several huge cargo vans, all
headed back to the hotel so they too could get ready for the evening and meet
up with Joey, Lance, JC, Justin, and Chris. When they arrived back at the
hotel, everyone went their separate ways, promising to meet up later.
Renee walked slowly up the stairs to the room she was
sharing with Joey. **I can't believe we've come so far," she thought to
herself. Thinking back, it was amazing how she had went from a waitress to the
girlfriend of one of the world's most eligible bachelors. **I really am the luckiest woman alive.**
she thought as she opened the door to her room. She showered quickly, hoping to be out by the time Joey got back
so that he would have plenty of time to get ready. **It sure is taking them a long time to get back** she thought,
**I hope they're not having security problems..** Just as that thought crossed
her mind as she was rinsing her hair, the shower curtain came flying open,
causing her to scream out in surprise.
"JOEY!" she yelled, wiping the soap out of
her eyes. When she was finally able to see him, she realized he was standing
there wearing nothing but a towel.
"Want some company?" he asked playfully.
She smiled widely as she stepped aside and allowed
him to enter the shower with her. The warm water cascaded down on them as Joey
took her into his arms and embraced her tightly. Having already finished her shower, Renee took the liberty of
helping Joey with his. She washed his hair for him, and then began to wash his
body. When he leaned over and kissed
her deeply as she was washing his chest, it took all of the strength she could
muster to break away and say, "Mmmm..none of that...we don't want to spend
midnight in the shower, do we??" Joey groaned his consent and turned so
she could get his back. With both of
them all clean, Renee turned off the water and they stepped out of the shower
together, taking turns drying each other off.
They dressed and finished getting ready quickly, heading out of their
room just in time to make the festivities before midnight.
As they descened the stairs, they could hear the
party full of their band, family, friends, and crew raging in the ballroom of
the hotel.
"So that's what's going on tonight? One of
NSync's famous blow-outs," Renee said as she headed toward the door of the
private party.
Joey grabbed her arm softly, saying, "We'll join
them in a minute... I want to show you something." He looked at her and
smiled, enjoying the puzzled look on her face.
"But it's almost midnight," she protested,
looking at the clock on the wall in the lobby.
"Trust me, baby, it's ok," Joey persisted,
continuing to walk toward the door of the hotel. He led her out into the
moonlight. Their hotel sat directly on the beach and the waves glistened in the
moonlight. Joey looked over at his
girlfriend and studied her intently. Her brown hair shone in the soft moonlight
and the black dress she had chosen to wear for the evening fit her perfectly,
showing off her gorgeous figure. She sensed him looking at her and turned to
look at him. Her green eyes sparkled as she smiled and said, "What are you
thinking about Mr. Serious?"
He stopped right there on the beach and took her into
his arms.
"How much I love you," he responded
sincerely. "May I have this dance?"
Surprised, Renee just nodded and let Joey take her
into his arms. He began to sing the
song that had been "their" song since the moment they heard it.
"I could stay awake
just to hear you breathing
Watch you smile while
you are sleeping
While you’re far away
and dreaming
I could spend my life in
this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in
this moment forever
Every moment spent with
you is a moment I treasure..."
As he finished the first
verse, Joey stared into her eyes and smiled, continuing to sing as he held her
close.
"Don’t wanna close
my eyes
Don’t wanna fall asleep
‘Cause I’d miss you baby
And I don’t wanna miss a
thing
‘Cause even when I dream
of you
The sweetest dream would
never do
I’d still miss you baby
And I don’t wanna miss a
thing."
He paused for a minute,
ceasing to sing. The two of them continuing to move to the rhythm of their
hearts beating together.
"Do you know how
much I love you?" he asked her softly.
"How much do you
love me?" she replied with a hint of a smile.
"I love you all the
way to the moon and back," he responded and began to sing again.
"Laying close to
you
Feeling your heart
beating
And I’m wondering what
you’re dreaming
Wondering if it’s me
you’re seeing
Then I kiss your eyes
And thank God we’re
together
I just want to stay with
you in this moment forever
Forever and
ever..."
"Renee?" he
said, causing her to move her head from his chest and look into his eyes.
"Yes?"
"The moment I laid
eyes on you, you captured my heart. I can't remember a time when you weren't in
my life...everything before you has just faded into space, like a time I know
existed, but yet I wasn't complete. Every night that I go to sleep and wake up
with you by my side is like a gift from heaven that I treasure," he
continued. Speechless, Renee just looked into his eyes as he began to sing once
again.
"I don’t wanna miss
one smile
I don’t wanna miss one
kiss
I just wanna be with you
Right here with you just
like this
I just wanna hold you
close
Feel your heart so close
to mine
And just stay here in
this moment for all the rest of time
Baby, baby..."
"I hope you know
how very much I love you... there's nowhere in this world I'd rather be at any
given moment than in your arms. Even though the group and all of the success
mean a lot, I'd give it all up in a heartbeat if it meant I could be with you
forever. You are what makes me complete," he said as tears filled the eyes
of both of them.
"Don’t wanna close
my eyes
Don’t wanna fall asleep
‘Cause I’d miss you baby
And I don’t wanna miss a
thing
‘Cause even when I dream
of you
The sweetest dream would
never do
I’d still miss you baby
And I don’t wanna miss a
thing."
He finished the song and
leaned down for a soft, sweet kiss that contained so much longing and emotion
that both of them were carried away into a world where nothing else existed
except the two of them. When it finally
ended, Joey took Renee's hand and led her a little further down the beach.
There, written in the sand, were the words that had filled Renee's dreams.
"I Love You... Will
You Marry Me?"
Joey dropped to one knee
and took her hands into his own. "There's absolutely nothing in this world
that would make me richer, happier, or more successful than spending the rest
of my life with you... you are what makes me the man that I am. You are my
heart and my soul and without you, I'm nothing. Renee- will you marry me?"
She could hardly speak as she watched Joey pull a
beautiful platinum and diamond ring from the pocket of his black
sportscoat. She searched for the words
to tell him 'yes,' to let him know how incredibly happy she was... there didn't
seem to be words that would tell him all that she was feeling, though.
"Well???" he said softly, waiting for an
answer, although the love that passed between their eyes was more than enough.
"Yes...I would love nothing more than to be your
wife," she answered. He stood up slowly and placed the gorgeous ring on
her finger. They began to kiss just as a firework exploded overhead into a
beautiful spray of gold, green, and purple.
"It's midnight," she said.
"And I'm the luckiest man alive," he said
right back.
"Happy New Year..." she squeezed in between
kisses as they watched the wonderful display overhead.
"Happy New Year to you," he replied.
The two stayed there for the fireworks, watching the
beautiful colors reflect off of the ocean. When the fireworks finally ended,
Renee turned to look one more time at the words written in the sand. She
looked, then looked at the ring that fit so perfectly on her finger, and then
at the man of her dreams. He was staring at her with a smile and without a
word, they walked back to the party to share their news with their friends and
family. It was indeed a very incredible New Year.
SEPTEMBER 2000
"And the winner of the 2000 MTV Viewers Choice
award is..... NSYNC- Bye Bye Bye!" the presenter on the stage cried out as
everyone in their little section began to cheer. Joey kissed Renee while Justin
gave Clair a little smooch. JC hugged Nannette tightly and kissed her quickly
before heading out of their aisle. They
made their way to the stage and accepted the award.
Lance quickly thanked WEG, and JC once again thanked
JIVE for taking them in during their trouble last year. Justin stepped up to the mic and said,
"First of all, we want to thank our fans... we owe everything to you...
everything, and we mean that. And we
also want to thank Clair, Danielle, Nannette, Renee, and the rest of our
friends and family for all your support. We love you all... Thank you!"
The rest of the guys said their final "Thank you"s and they made
their way offstage. They re-appeared in their row just as Blink 182 began to
perform.
"That was so sweet," Clair whispered to
Justin as he took her hand. He just smiled at her and gave her fingers a little
squeeze. As the final performance came
to an end, everyone began to make plans for the evening.
"We have to do a couple of interviews before we
can hit the parties," Chris told the girls.
"Should we just wait here for you?"
Danielle, his girlfriend, asked him, looking around at the guys for an answer.
"Sure... we'll just send Andre down to get you
guys when we're done or something," Lance suggested and everyone
agreed. The guys trooped off to do
their post-show interviews and the girls settled back into their seats. Danielle excused herself to go to the
restroom, leaving only Nannette, Renee, and Clair sitting in their seats.
"I'm sooo glad we have a vacation after
tonight.. Lord..it feels like we've been running around forever," Nannette
sighed as she leaned back in the plush seat.
"I know what you mean. It's been an insane
summer," Clair agreed, thinking back on the No Strings Attached Tour and
everything else that had happened over the past several months.
"So what are you guys doing on your vacation
time?" Renee asked.
"I think Josh and I are gonna' head back to
Orlando to make wedding plans... we might fly to Cancun for a few days to
relax, but it depends on how much we get done," Nannette answered,
"What about you guys?"
"I think Justin and I are gonna' stick around
here for a couple of days- see some of the sights I've never gotten to see. Go
see a show tomorrow night.. and then go spend some time with our
families," Clair told them.
"And Joey and I are going to Las Vegas,"
Renee supplied.
"Dear lord... watch out Vegas," Danielle
said with a grin as she returned.
"Not gonna' elope out there on us, are
you?" Clair asked jokingly.
"Nope, he's not getting out of it that
easily," Renee said, laughing.
Just then, Andre returned to get the ladies. They
followed him to the limo where the guys were waiting to hit the many after
parties which promised to be a blast.
THE NEXT EVENING
"Aaaaaaahhhh... it's so nice to be alone,"
Justin said as he pulled Clair close to him in their carriage.
"I agree," she replied, stealing a little
kiss before laying her head on his shoulder. The two had just returned from
"Phantom of the Opera," which neither had ever seen. They were able
to meet the cast and talk with them for a little while before heading out for a
moonlit carriage ride through central park.
"It's so incredibly beautiful tonight," Clair
observed, looking up at the millions of stars which lit the night sky.
"Yes, it is..it's just perfect," Justin
agreed as the carriage continued along.
"But wait until you see the view from up there," he said and
pointed up toward one of the largest buildings still within sight.
"From where???" Clair inquired, confused.
"Up there," Justin repeated as the carriage
slowed to a stop.
He paid the driver quickly and stepped out, helping
Clair down the steps also.
"Up where, Justin??" she said once more, unable
to understand his meaning.
"You'll see," he promised, a sly smile
crossing his face. He led her to a
waiting taxi cab and whispered to the driver through the window. The driver
just nodded and took off, leaving Clair utterly confused. Knowing how stubborn Justin could be, she
gave up on prying any more information out of him and sat back in the seat,
watching the lights of the city go by.
A few minutes later, the taxi stopped and Justin hopped out the passenger
side door after paying the driver. He took Clair's hand and helped her out. She
looked up into the sky and realized they were standing in front of the Empire
State building.
"What are we doing here?? Aren't they closed or
something?" she asked.
"You'll see," he replied with a smile. Taking her hand, he led her to the door,
where a security guard was waiting.
"Evening, Mr. Timberlake, Miss.." the guard
said with a nod of his head.
"Evening," Justin said, smiling at the
guard.
"If you'll wait just a second while I lock this
door, I'll escort you up," the guard asked.
"Sure," Justin answered.
The guard quickly locked the doors behind them and
smiled as he led the couple down the hallway, motioning for them to
follow. Clair was silent as she
wondered what in the world Justin was up to.
Soon they arrived at a huge set of elevator doors.
"I'll send you to the top... the elevator will
stay up there with the doors open until you're ready to come down. Whenever
you're finished up there, just hop back in and press the big button with the
white star and you'll come right back here. I'll be waiting, but take your
time," he told them.
Justin thanked him and held Clair's hand as they
stepped into the elevator. They rode up in silence, the elevator making the
ascent very quickly. As the doors
opened, Justin said, "Are you ready for an incredible sight?" Clair smiled and nodded as they stepped from
the elevator.
The air was cool at the top Clair shivered as they
began to walk farther onto the observation deck. Justin quickly took off his jacket and placed it over her
shoulders.
"Thank you," she murmered. When they got to the edge, Clair gasped. The
sight below was breathtaking. The city was lit up with what seemed like
millions and millions of tiny lights. The water shimmered, the lights of the
city dancing along the ocean. Up that high, the stars looked as if you could
simply reach up and touch one.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Justin asked,
enjoying the look of rapture on Clair's face.
"It's indescribable," she agreed, overcome
by the beauty of the scene.
"You know what's even more beautiful?" he
asked softly.
"What?" she asked, turning a half turn so
that they were facing each other.
"You," he said simply, watching her face
melt into a soft smile.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"Care to dance?" he asked.
"But we don't have any music.."
"Oh, but we do," he replied, stepping into
the shadows and producing a small cd player out of nowhere.
"Justin...what??" she questioned.
"Shhhh... let's dance," he said, pushing
the play button and then pulling her into his arms.
"I Love you," he whispered as the first
strains of music came softly from the speakers.
"I wanna know
whoever told you I was
letting go
of the only joy that I
have ever known
girl, they're lying .
Just look around
and all of the people
that we used to know
have just given up, they
wanna let it go
but we're still
trying..."
"I love this
song," Clair said in surprise.
"I know,"
Justin replied, silencing her with a kiss.
As the song continued to play, Justin joined in.
"So you should know
this love we share was never made to die.
I'm glad we're on this
one way street just you and I,
just you and I.
I'm never gonna say
goodbye
cause I never wanna see
you cry.
I swore to you my love
would remain.
and I swear it all over
again, and I,
I'm never gonna treat
you bad
cause I never wanna see
you sad .
I swore to share your
joy and your pain
and I swear it all over
again
all over again."
As the song played on,
Justin's voice drowned out the cd that was playing lightly in the background.
Clair became lost in the beautiful melody that he was singing. The lights of
the city shining below them, Justin held her tightly to him as he continued to
sing.
"Some people say
that everything has got
its place in time
even the day must give
way to the night
but I'm not buying.
Cause in your eyes,
I see a love that burns
eternally
and if you see how
beautiful you are to me
you'll know I'm not
lying.
Sure there'll be times
we wanna’ say goodbye
but even if we try,
there are something's in
this life won't be denied
won't be denied..."
As he sang the last
parts of the beautiful song, he gently pulled away from her and stared into her
eyes.
"The more I know of
you, is the more I know I love you,
and the more that I'm
sure I want you forever and ever more.
And the more that you
love me, the more that I know
oh that I'm never gonna
let you go.
Gotta let you know that
I...
I'm never gonna say
goodbye
cause I never wanna see
you cry.
I swore to you my love
would remain
and I swear it all over
again, and ,
I'm never gonna treat
you bad
cause I never wanna see
you sad.
I swore to share your
joy and your pain
and I swear it all over
again.
All over again,
All over again,
and i swear it all over
again..."
The moment he finished
the last note, Justin leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. Her mind was
foggy with emotion...never before had she felt so completely loved. She felt in her heart that Justin wasn't
simply singing those words...she knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he meant
every word he had said.
"Clair?" he whispered as he pulled away.
"Mmm-hmmm?" she answered.
"I have a question for you..."
"Yes?"
"Well..first there's something you need to know.
I love you," he began.
"I know... I love you too," she replied.
"Do you really know how much I love you? Do you
know that every night when I go to sleep I thank God for bringing you into my
life? Do you know that every time I sing 'This I Promise You', I can't get your
picture out of my mind? Do you know that every love song I hear on the radio
reminds me of us? Do you know that I can't imagine a moment that I would ever
be happy if you weren't by my side? Do you know that everything good in my life
is twice as special because I get to share it with you? Do you know that I want
to spend eternity with you?"
Clair's eyes were brimming with tears as she watched
Justin slip to one knee and pull a satin ring box from his pocket.
"Do you know that I will cherish and honor you
for the rest of our lives... that I will put nothing else before you... that I
will spend my entire life trying to make you happy? Do you know that the one
thing I want more than anything else in this entire world is to call you my
wife?"
Shocked beyond belief, Clair stood stunned as she
watched Justin kneel before her. Her heart was racing a mile a minute. She
loved him more than life itself and couldn't believe that the moment she had
dreamed of was right here.
"Clair... will you marry me?" he finally
asked.
"Justin...I... I love you so much, YES!"
she answered through her tears.
A huge grin spread across his face as he stood up and
placed the stunning ring on her finger. The huge diamond sparkled by the light
of the moon and Justin kissed her fingertips.
They looked out over the city... at all of the people and activity below
them... and they knew, in their hearts, that they would stay that way forever-
together.
MAY 2008
"And I'd like to thank my very special guests
today, Chris Kirkpatrick, Lance Bass, Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez, and Joey
Fatone, cutie patooties and members of the pop phenomenon we all remember and
love, NSync... we wish you all the best of luck on your upcoming reunion tour
and you guys better stop by and see me again soon," Rosie O'Donnell said
as she wrapped up her show for the afternoon.
"Of course!" Joey said with a grin as he
leaned over to hug the talk show host.
The rest of the guys followed suit as the show came to an end. They quickly made their way out of the
studio and trekked the short distance to a small section of central park where
their families were waiting. The group
had remained close over the years... although they had all pursued solo
projects individually, NSync as a group was never actually disbanded, and now,
six years after their last tour as a group, they were coming together once
again to do a series of concert dates as a reunion tour.
Their private lives had all blossomed... all five of
the men were now married and their families were entertwined as one. JC smiled
as he walked into the park and saw the large group waiting on them to
arrive. Nannette, Clair, Renee,
Danielle, and Carrah were all sitting on a huge blanket when the guys
approached.
"DADDY!" yelled a little blond headed boy
and girl as they tackled Justin.
"Hey there," Justin said, scooping Emily
and Ethan into his arms in one big swoop.
"Lord they're getting big," Lance said,
smiling at the twins who were just getting ready to turn three.
"Yes, they are," Chris agreed, smiling at
his wife.. their first child was due the following month and they were very
anxiously awaiting his arrival.
"How's she doing?" Josh said, walking to
the blanket and looking down into the small carrier where their newborn
daughter lay sleeping.
"She's been wonderful," Nannette told him,
as JC helped her stand up.
"Let me see that baby doll," Joey said,
walking over to stand behind JC and Nannette.
JC kneeled down and carefully lifted Macey out of her
carrier. She squirmed slightly and then sighed contentedly in her daddy's arms.
"I want to hold her! I want to hold her!"
Jacob Anthony yelled out, pulling at Joey's shirt.
"Not yet, buddy, she's awful small," Joey
explained to his four year old son.
"But I holded sissy!" he protested.
"But sissy is a little older," Joey tried
to reason.
"FINE!" Jacob said and stomped across the
blanket and plopped down next to his two year old sister Kayla as everyone
smiled.
The children played as their parents spent the
afternoon talking and enjoying their down time together. Soon, they would all
be back out on the road together again... but it would be nothing like their
days of their "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" and "No Strings
Attached" tours.
"Ya' know.. it's amazing that we're all still
together... and happy," Justin observed, pulling Clair to him and kissing
her forehead as he watched the twins run around their blanket.
Everyone agreed as JC said, "It must have been
fate..."
The End
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