“Uh uh?” His eyes opened, but he didn’t move.
“I don’t want to talk about this JC. I just want to FEEL this.”
“OH THANK GOD!” He laughed, “I thought I was getting denied.”
“No way.” She smiled, “I thought we weren’t going to talk.”
“What would you rather do?” He licked his lips.
“If you can’t figure that out on your own, I’m out of here.” She pushed against his chest.
“Don’t you dare!” He grabbed the front of her shirt and pulled her against his chest, his lips met hers.
Lyn’s arms went back around his neck and his arms pulled her closer, their lips moved against each other. She couldn’t fight the smile coming to her lips, she leaned into the kiss and he responded by running his tongue along her bottom lip. When she lightly touched her tongue to his, he smiled.
He pulled back and placed his hands on either side of her face, caressing her cheekbones with his thumbs. They were both breathing heavily and he smiled, “Oh wow.”
“Yeah.” She massaged the back of his neck.
“Lyn, we need to talk about this.”
“Now?” She whined.
He laughed, “Well, we could...” He lightly kissed her again.
“OK.” She giggled.
“BUT, we are on the stage, in the middle of a stadium, and there are hundreds of people who could see us out here right now.” He kissed her again.
“You know...you have a perfectly good dressing room, with no one in it.” He laughed, grabbed her bag, shoved it at her, grabbed her crutches, handed them to her and then picked her up, running off stage.
He ran by Dre and Tony in the hall, Lyn laughed and waved at them as they passed. JC sprinted into his dressing room, slamming the door with his foot. She dropped all of her stuff on a chair as he carried her to the couch. Sitting down with her on his lap. Smoothing her hair back from her face he looked over every inch of her face. She smiled at him, “Are you going to make me talk about this?”
He smiled and nodded slowly, “Oh yeah. We have to talk about this Sweetpea. We just kissed, YOU and I just kissed.” She bit her bottom lip and smirked. “Are you ok with that?” His eyes were full of fear.
“JC, I think this is a very good time for me to be completely honest with you.”
His eyes closed, “Ok.”
“Until five minutes ago, I had no idea that I WANTED to kiss you. I had no idea that the instant your lips connected with mine, my world would flip upside down, but now that it happened, all I can think of is, what took us so long?”
His head flew up, “I don’t want us to be, weird now.”
“Neither do I, but right now, at this very second, all I want to do is have you hold me again and kiss me like that again.”
“Oh man.” He smiled as his lips came crashing down on hers. This kiss erupted faster than the first, years of wondering and waiting finally exploded. Lyn was clutching at his shoulders and trying to pull him closer. He was trying to control himself, but she was being so responsive he was having a very hard time. He was having a hard time thinking at all because the colors flashing in his head were very distracting.
Lyn couldn’t think if she wanted to. Her head was spinning out of control, her mind was flooded with images of them together. She realized that the second his lips met hers, everything made sense to her. She had never admitted to herself that she had feelings for JC, let alone THESE feelings. Her entire body was on fire and her brain was shorting out on her.
JC’s tongue slipped between her lips and she moaned, he reluctantly pulled his head back, her cheek found his shoulder and he fought to catch his breath, “OK. OK. We have to slow this down for a second here. I’m having a very hard time finding any restraint here.”
Her lips found his neck and she placed several little kissed along his neck and earlobe, “Who needs restraint?”
“You. Are. Evil.” He rubbed her back.
“I know.” She found his collarbone with her lips.
“We are in SO MUCH trouble.” He laughed.
“Ehh...who cares?”
“I have always loved the way you think!” He kissed her again.
Stasia held the door open so Lance could duck through it. Lis was perched on his shoulders, still working on her ice cream cone. It had been dripping on his head for the last ten minutes, but she’d been singing to him, and keeping Stasia in hysterics.
Chris came running up with his hand clamped over his mouth. Stasia laughed, “I’m guessing you have something to tell us.” He nodded. “I’m also guessing it is a grown up conversation?” He nodded vigorously. “OK.” She laughed as he began running around in circles.
Lance swept Lis off of his shoulders, “Hey little lady, you know what I would like?”
“What?” She nodded up at him.
He squatted down in front of her, “When you go home, I would love to have a picture to remember you by. Would you draw me a picture?”
“Yeah!” She smiled brightly.
“OK!” He took her hand, “Chris, do NOT remove you hand from your mouth until I get back.” Chris shook his head.
“Oh come on Chris, you know you want to.” Stasia teased. She tickled his sides, watching his eyes grow wider and wider, she laughed until tears streamed down her cheeks.
She was still taunting him when Lance returned, “Millie, are you being mean?” He kissed her shoulder as Chris nodded vigorously.
“I was just trying to help Chris keep his mouth shut.” She grinned at Lance.
“OK. Spill it Chris.”
“Go to your dressing room.” Chris said from under his hand.
They all walked into Lance’s dressing room. Chris looked both ways up and down the hall before closing his door. He leaned his back against the door, “You are NOT going to believe what I saw!” He had the biggest smile they had ever seen on his face.
“What did you see?” Stasia settled on Lance’s lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“I saw KISSING!” He bounced up and down.
“WHO?” Stasia’s face lit up.
“And Chris, we don’t count, and you and Dani don’t count.” Lance smirked.
“OH! Like you two kissing would be gossip.” He rolled his eyes.
“OK, and from what I heard yesterday, Dev and Ryan don’t count either.” Stasia beamed.
“DEV AND RYAN?” Chris’s jaw dropped, “No way!”
“Yes way! They kissed yesterday and from what I’ve seen and heard, they are pretty tight.”
“OK. I want those details, LATER!” He ran over and scooped Jake up from the chair he was sleeping on, he sat down and helped the dog settle on his lap.
“OK, so who did you see kissing?” Lance shook his head as Chris let Jake lick his entire face.
“Guess.”
“OH COME ON!” Stasia whined.
“You have to guess.”
Lance looked at her and rolled his eyes, “OK, you and I don’t count. Chris and Dani don’t count.”
She nodded, “Dev and Ryan are out. Joey BETTER NOT be kissing anyone since Angela is in Florida.”
Lance narrowed his eyes at Chris, “Is it someone on the crew, because that is going to make this last forever.”
Chris clamped his hand over his mouth again and shook his head.
“OK. That means either Justin and Morgan hooked up, or JC and Lyn.” Chris squeaked.
Lance and Stasia turned to face one another her mouth fell open and they both turned to face Chris who shrieked loudly. “They were on the stage and she was singing and they didn’t know I was there and they kissed and I saw it and THEY WERE KISSING!!!”
“Lyn and JC? You SURE they were kissing? You couldn’t have made a mistake?”
“NO WAY! They sucked face and THEN he picked her up and ran to his dressing room and they haven’t come out since!” Chris was talking so quickly that they were both having trouble following him.
“How long ago was that?” Lance’s eyes were enormous he turned to look at Stasia and gently place a finger under her jaw to close her still gaping mouth.
“Like an hour! And NO ONE WAS HERE FOR ME TO TELL!” He slumped in the chair.
“Oh wow.” Lance smiled, “Millie, is this it? Are they together or are they going to pretend that it doesn’t mean anything, like we did?”
“I don’t know.” She stared at Chris, “Now you have to think VERY CAREFULLY. Could you hear their conversation?”
“Uh uh. By the time I crawled across the ground to the bottom of the stage, he was running out the door laughing.”
“OK, you didn’t hear what they were saying. How did they look?”
“LIKE THEY WERE MAKING OUT!” He threw his hands in the air.
She rolled her eyes at him and shifted on Lance’s lap until she was facing Chris completely, “Obviously, but did they look happy? Or confused? Or traumatized?”
“Happy. There was definite happiness. There was laughing.”
“Were they both kissing or was one person doing more of the kissing?”
Chris leaned forward a little, displacing Jake. He rested his elbows on his knees. “Equal kissing. They were both grabbing and touching and stuff.”
Lance’s eyes got even wider, “GRABBING AND TOUCHING?”
“Not like mauling one another or anything, but yeah...HOLDING and stuff.”
Stasia settled back against Lance’s chest, “Harry, this is it. No screwing around and pretending it didn’t happen. They are together.” She smiled, arched her neck and kissed him.
Lance squeeze her tightly, “They could give us a run for our money.”
“In what way?” Her eyes locked on his.
“In the repulsively perfect couple category.” He kissed her again, her arms wrapping around his neck and her weight sifting to fit her to his chest better. His hand slid up her back, tangling in her hair.
“Um...guys? I’m still here?” Chris cleared his throat. “So, yeah, I’m gonna go. I’m taking poor Jake with me, his young eyes should not be forced to see this. Ok...going. I’ll, ah...see you later.” He scooped Jake up and ran from the room, “Let’s go buddy!”
JC lifted his face, dropping his forehead on Lyn’s shoulder. They were both breathing heavily, and clinging to one another. She lightly ran her fingers through his hair. He slowly lifted his head to look at her. She smiled up at him, he threw his head back and breathed heavily. He noticed they were laying on the floor and Lyn was completely pinned under all of his weight. He rolled off of her, propping his head on his hand, gazing down at her, “How’d we get on the floor?”
“I have no idea, and quite frankly, I don’t really care.”
“Me neither. I’m sorry I squashed you there.”
“You weren’t squashing me, I was perfectly comfortable.” She reached out and poked his chest.
“What was that for?” He smiled.
“I was just making sure it was really you, and that you’re really here. I kind of thought I might be dreaming.”
“We’re both having the same dream then.” He kissed her forehead.
“Let’s not wake up.”
“Sound’s good to me.” He snuggled closer to her side.
“Ok, we better get it over with now.”
“Get what over with?” His fingertips brushed her forehead.
“You were right earlier, we should talk about this. JC, this is us. I mean, I would sooner die than do something stupid to ruin our friendship, it’s too important.”
JC sat up, leaning his back against the couch, he helped her sit next to him, he ran his hand over his face and through his hair. “I really need us to be completely honest with one another.” His eyes found hers and held them, “I need to know if this is what you want? Do you want me? To be WITH me?”
Lyn saw the fear in his eyes, the eyes she knew better than her own. She saw the excitement and the terror. It was so easy to recognize those things, because she was feeling the same way. “I know all of this seems to have come out of nowhere, but JC, somewhere in my heart and even in my head, I’ve always wanted to be with you. I’ve always wanted to be the one you wanted. I have always wanted to be the one you look for in a crowded room. I want to be the person who gives you strength. I want to feel like I do at this moment for the rest of my life, and I never want to loose you.”
He cupped her cheeks, “I wanted to tell you. I wanted you to know it had changed for me. I wanted you to know that I WANTED YOU.” His voice was low. “Allyn, I want to be the person looking at you like this when we’re eighty. I want to be in a room full of people, and see you, and know that you are mine.” He swallowed the lump in his throat, “You could never loose me, because I would go to the ends of the earth to find you and bring you back. I will fight for you.”
There was a loud knock on the door and Dre’s voice filtered through, “JC! YOU’VE GOT TO GET IN WARDROBE! YOU’RE LATE!”
“Thanks Dre.”
“WHATEVER! HURRY UP!”
He looked at her, “I HAVE to go. I forgot I have a show to do.”
“I forgot where we are.” She grabbed his t-shirt and pulled his face close to her own, “Can you...rush it tonight?”
“Dear God!” He swallowed hard. “We don’t have to sing anything for all I care. I could be SICK!” His eyes lit up.
She giggled, “You can’t be sick, but you can hurry. The sooner you finish, the sooner we can...”
“I KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO! I want to be sick.” His mouth ran lightly along her neck.
Her eyes closed and she enjoyed the feeling of his breath against her skin, “OK. You can be sick.”
There was pounding on the door again, “JC! YOU ARE SO LATE! COME ON!” Justin was freaking out.
“Go away Justin.” He yelled before kissing her collarbone.
The door flew open, and Justin came storming in, “JC! WOULD YOU...OH. MY. GOD.” Justin turned beat red and started backing out of the room, “I AM SOOO SORRY! I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO SORRY! I’M GOING TO LEAVE NOW!”
Lyn smiled, “It’s ok Justin. He’s on his way right now.”
“I am he biggest idiot in the world. I am SO sorry!” He hung his head.
“You’re right, you an idiot.” JC reluctantly pushed himself up off of the floor and then helped Lyn to her feet. He steadied her as she reached for her crutches.
Justin ran out the door, when they walked out of his dressing room, whispering to one another, they were met by all of their friends sitting on the floor along the wall across from his door. Stasia rested her head on Lance’s shoulder. Lyn turned beat red, “Hi guys.”
Chris made a sweeping motion with his arm, “TOLD YOU!”
JC slipped his arm around Lyn’s shoulders, “Guys, can you please go easy on us here? We’re just...well, we just...”
Joey began laughing, “We know what you JUST!”
“NO!” JC glared at him.
Morgan was smiling, “Lyn, your chin is a little...pink.” JC leaned back and grinned sheepishly.
Lyn simply shrugged, “I guess he needs to shave.”
Stasia giggled, “Ever notice, when I’m here, it’s a clean shave?” She patted Lance’s clean shaven chin.
“Dani hates mine too, don’t you Babe?”
“Yep.”
Dev slowly shook her head from side to side, “I am in awe.”
“In awe of what number 4?” JC kicked her foot.
“In awe of the fact that this happened right under my nose, without me noticing.”
Lyn smirked and nodded her head in Ryan’s direction, “You’ve been a little...preoccupied.”
“Yes she has.” Ryan agreed, throwing his arm around Dev’s shoulders.
JC looked at the clock mounted on the wall, “I’d better go get ready.”
When he leaned down and lightly brushed her lips with his own, he was met with a chorus of “AWWWs” Rolling his eyes he looked at her, “Are you going to be ok out here with these vultures?”
“EXCUSE ME!” Chris stood up, “We resemble that comment!” Chris was met with groans, “What? It’s funny.”
Lance stood up and helped Stasia to her feet, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin on the top of her head, “It is SO not funny.”
JC was rushed through wardrobe and make-up, when he hopped into the chair to have his hair done, he looked at himself in the mirror and smiled, “Wow.”
“Wow what?” Johnny’s voice came from the open door.
“Wow. I need to talk to you after the show.” JC grinned.
“Do I want to know?”
“Not now you don’t.” He grimaced and a brush was raked through his hair.
“You aren’t normally a trouble maker JC...”
“I’m not making trouble, and I’m not talking about this now Johnny. I have to get ready. I’m running very late.”
“JC...” Johnny was interrupted when Chris ran by screaming.
“Later Johnny.” JC waved.
Waiting for Dre to escort her out into the VIP section, Lyn leaned against the wall. She hadn’t stopped smiling since JC had leaned in to kiss her. “Hey you.” Stasia’s voice shook her into reality again.
“Hey.” Lyn smiled even bigger.
“You seem to be in a pretty good mood. What’s that all about?” Stasia teased.
“Ehh..I’m not in THAT good of a mood.” She felt her cheeks flush again before turning to face her friend, “Am I supposed to be this happy?”
“Fireworks?”
“OH YEAH! That doesn’t even begin to describe it! I felt...I don’t know, but Stasia, I want to feel it again!”
Stasia laughed, “Believe me, I understand what your saying.” She leaned closer and whispered, “You are going to have to tell me about this in DETAIL!”
“I know!” They both giggled like little children.
Dre walked up with Dev. Lis was perched on Dre’s shoulders, holding onto his ears for stability. “HI!” She waved.
“Hi.” Stasia held out her arms and Lis clamored to get down from Dre’s shoulders. “Are you having fun cutie pie?”
“Uh huh!”
Lyn looked at her little sister, “Do you have your ear plugs?”
“Yeah.” Lis pulled them out of her pocket.
“OK, let’s put them in.” Dev bent and helped Lis get them in properly.
Lyn wasn’t sure when Ron had materialized, but he was standing next to Stasia as they all began to make their way to their seats. Lyn was noticing how close Stasia stayed to the huge man. She was always willing to sign an autograph, or to pose for a picture when people asked, but if she was approached by a screaming fan, she would shrink into Ron’s side. It made Lyn sad to see Stasia afraid of crowds, she wasn’t even remotely frightened by the fans. Lyn had seen her sit down and talk to fans for hours on an individual basis, but when there was a large group, she maintained a safe distance.
Dre walked next to Lyn, Dev carried Lis on her hip and Stasia walked next to Lyn with Ron on her far side. Lyn heard a female voice scream, “ANASTASIA!” At the sound of her full name being screamed, Stasia froze. Ron gently slipped his arm around her back and whispered something into her ear she nodded, smiled weakly and waved at the girls screaming her name, but took half a step closer to Ron.
When they were sitting on the couch in the VIP area, Lyn leaned over, “Are you OK?”
Stasia smiled, “Sure. I’m fine. Why do you ask?”
“I just thought you got a little shaken back there.”
“Shaken? No. I’m fine.” The smile on her face was far from believable.
The show started and Lyn watched JC closer than she ever had before. Normally, she spent more time watching the crowd than the stage, but tonight was different. Everything was different. Dev poked her in the side, “Would you look at this.” She pointed at Lis, who had fallen asleep in her arms.
“I’m telling you, she can sleep through anything.”
The show seemed to last forever, so when Dre tapped her on the shoulder, she breathed a sigh of relief, “I need to get you guys on the buses.”
“I’m right behind you.” He took Lis from Dev’s arms. Ron was immediately at Stasia’s side. He was the only member of security who never left the VIP area.
She was sitting in the lounge of JC and Justin’s bus waiting for they guys to show up with Mor so they could leave. She almost screamed when the bus started moving, “GUYS?”
“Sorry. No guys. Just me.” JC walked into the lounge with a towel around his neck and an enormous smile on his face.
“Where’s Justin?”
“Riding with Joe and Steve.”
“Where’s Dev?”
“Riding on your bus with Lis.”
“So what you’re telling me, is that I’m alone, on this bus, with you?”
“That’s what I’m telling you.”
“Have I ever told you how much I love our friends?”
“No. But I have to say for once, I agree.” He crossed the room to sit next to her on the couch.
“I feel like this is all happening to someone else. As if I’m watching it happen. I’m...I’m giddy!”
“I know the feeling Sweetpea.”
She beamed up at him, “What is that all about?”
“What is what all about?”
“Sweetpea?”
“Oh. I don’t know. I guess it’s my endearment for you.” He pulled her against his side, “Do you mind?”
“No. It’s just that you’ve been using it for a while.”
He nodded kissing her temple, “I guess I have.”
“Since Mississippi.”
“You remember that?”
“I may have been hung over, but I wasn’t THAT hung over. Something like that sticks in your head.”
“Why did it stick?”
She smiled, “Because I liked it. A lot.”
“You did?”
“Mmm hmm.”
“Why didn’t you let me know?”
“Why didn’t you kiss me sooner?”
“Ryan. You didn’t answer MY question.”
“I didn’t let you know, because I didn’t know it was something I should be letting you know about.” She shook her head, “That made no sense.”
“In a very odd way, it made perfect sense.” He kissed her temple again.
“Is this all happening WAY too fast? Are we insane? We ate breakfast this morning with my sisters like nothing was new, and now I’m sitting here thinking about how I want nothing more than to lick you!”
“This has taken eight years to...wait...you want to lick me?” He laughed.
“Are you kidding me? You my dear are very lickable.” She giggled, “I can’t believe I said that!”
“Neither can I. But I’m glad you did.” He couldn’t stop laughing.
“You going to tell the guys about that aren’t you?” She leaned back against his chest.
“As soon as possible! I haven’t heard any of them mention how lickable their girlfriends think they are.”
She sat bolt upright and stared at him with wide eyes. He looked at her worriedly, “What’s wrong?”
“Girlfriend?” She looked at his face and watched as a smile overtook his eyes.
“Do you prefer mate? Or lover? Or my old lady?”
“You think of me as your girlfriend?”
He turned to face her, “Lynie, is that ok?” his voice was concerned.
“Oh God yes.” She threw her arms around his neck and showered his cheek with kisses, “Will you say it again, please?”
He laughed and turned her on his lap to face away from him, he extended his hand and shook it in the air, “How do you do? My name is JC Chasez, and this is my girlfriend Lyn McLachlan.”
She laughed hard, throwing her head back, he nudged her with his elbow, “Lyn, Sweetpea. Don’t be rude.” She was trying to catch her breath.
“You are the best.” She rested her head back in the crook of his neck. “JC, I am so glad to be here. You make me so happy. You always have, but this is so different.”
“I know. Every one of my happiest memories, you were there. You have been such a major part of my life, you let me share all of your highs and lows. I want to share the rest of the highs and lows with you from now on, but now, I want to hold you,” He tightened his arms around her, “and I want to kiss you,” he kissed the top of her head, “and I want to be with you, and have you with me.”
She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, “Ok.”
He chuckled, “OK?” He kissed her again.
“We are going to have a lot of fun.”
“For as long as we live. I don’t ever want to let go of you.” His chin rested on top of her head.
“We are so sappy.” She giggled.
“Yes we are, but in the very best way.”
Lyn hopped out of the bathroom, she had given up using the crutches on the bus, because they were more of a pain than a help, she couldn’t maneuver in the narrow spaces as well with them. JC was standing in the lounge, wearing blue pajama bottoms and a wife beater. He turned to face her and grinned, “Do I have a say in how you dress?” He asked as he crossed the room.
“You always have.” She shrugged, “Why?”
“This outfit, I think you should wear it every day, for the rest of your life.”
She glanced down at her white tank and powder blue boxer shorts. “I could do that. But I’m not sure I’d be comfortable around the guys wear this. It’s a little revealing, I mean after all, Justin had a heart attack when he saw me in my bathing suit.”
“GOOD POINT! OK, I would like to revise my original comment, you should wear this every NIGHT for the rest of your life.”
“Every night?” She smiled happily.
“You did NOT just say that.”
“Yes I did.” She hopped across the floor to stand right in front of him, “Now that was graceful.” She laughed.
“You can hop around all you want.”
“You are terrible.”
“I can’t help it.” He bent and kissed her neck, “I’ve waited a very long time for this.”
She leaned back a little, “Um...JC...” She bit her bottom lip.
He looked at her very carefully he suddenly realized what she was thinking, “OH NO!” He cupped her face, “I didn’t mean I’ve been waiting a very long time for THAT, I meant for us to be together...I’ve waited a long time for that too, but...OK I better quit while I’m ahead.” His cheeks were very flushed.
“You’re adorable.” She hugged him and yawned.
“Sleepy?”
“Yeah. I’ve had...an eventful day.”
“Yes you have.” He picked her up and carried her to the bunks. He carefully placed her in his bunk. She slid all the way over to the wall and watched as he hopped up and laid next to her. He let his fingers tangle in her curls as he caressed her cheek and looked into her eyes, “I never thought we’d make it here.”
“To your bunk?” She grinned.
“Yes Lyn, that’s what I meant.”
She laid her palm on his chest, her voice was soft and a little shaky, “I always knew. I knew that I was supposed to be here, in your arms. I just didn’t know that I knew it.”
He pulled her head toward him, searching for her lips. When their lips touched she let the sensation over take her senses. Her body was tingling all over. His mouth was leaving a hot trail from her mouth down her neck to her collarbone. She moaned in her throat and he smiled against the hollow of her throat. Her nails were biting at his shoulders and he was thoroughly enjoying his exploration of the smooth skin he had been studying so closely.
He leaned back, “You smell amazing, like dessert.”
“Almond.” she breathed against his neck, and smiled when she felt goose bumps form on his skin after her fingertips lightly caressed his arms and his chest.
“I suddenly love almond.”His hand rested on her waist, hers found his shoulder. They laid there, gazing at one another for a long time, when he finally spoke his voice was full of raw emotion, “I’ve never told you how beautiful I think you are. I’ve never told you how your voice sends waves of pleasure through my entire body. I’ve never told you how your laughter makes me feel warm. I’ve never told you that I love the way you push back you curls when you’re frustrated. I never told you how I love the way you cry when you are so happy you can’t seem to handle it anymore.” he wiped the tears rolling down her cheeks with the pad of his thumb, “I’ve never told you I love the way you talk to me, like I’ve never changed. I’ve never told you I love the way twist your ring around on your finger when you’re nervous. I’ve never told you I love that you hate wearing your glasses and you scrunch your nose when you’re reading.” He kissed her lips softly, “And now, I love the way you kiss.”
Tears were rolling down her cheeks faster than he could wipe them away. She was sniffling and smiling, “I guess you forgot to tell me a lot of things.”
“I want to tell you everything now. I want you to tell me everything now. I want to know every microscopic detail of your life.”
She smiled, “You already know me better than I know myself, but I want you to know, I need you. I’ve always needed you. You are my strength. You are my rock. You are...my heart.”
He pulled her close, and settled her in the safety of his arms. Her head was tucked just under his chin, her palm laying over his heart. “Good night Sweetpea.”
“Good night JC.”
Climbing down off of the bus, with Lyn at his side JC sighed, “I have to go talk to Johnny.”
“About what?” She smiled up at him as he took her bag.
“Us. He’s going to have to control the press on this one.”
She looked down at the ground as they made their way through the doors into the lobby, “If it would make your life easier, we can...keep this quiet.”
“Is that what YOU want?” He looked her directly in the eye.
She smirked, “I, would like to climb up onto the roof and scream at the top of my lungs that I caught you.”
“There was no catching.”
She rolled her eyes, “My point is, whatever is best for you, is what we will do.”
“So I talk to Johnny, and we are open. We don’t have to display the details of our sex life on the internet or anything. But I’m not going to hide you. I won’t do it.”
“We’ll talk to Johnny. I guess I should have a conversation with Lance and Stasia too, I don’t know how they will thin this is going to affect Free Lance.”
“You know they don’t care, but it can’t hurt. We’ll talk to Johnny?”
“This involves both of us.”
“OK then, we’ll talk to him.”
Dre usher them onto an elevator and told Lyn Lis and Dev were already getting settled in her room. They were chatting casually when the doors slid open and they were greeted by Johnny, with his arms crossed over his chest. The look on his face was less than pleased. “Hi Johnny.” JC grinned sheepishly.
“I want to talk to you.”
“We were just going to come find you.” JC smiled.
Johnny threw his arms in the air, “In there NOW!” He pointed to an open door.
JC looked over at Dre and whispered, “If he starts throwing things, get Lyn out first.”
Dre laughed, “What makes you think I’d try to save your sorry butt first?”
“Good point.”
The three of them walked into the room Johnny had pointed at, when Dre closed the door Johnny growled, “JC, you are NEVER a problem! You NEVER do stupid things that we have to worry about! But when you screw up...you do a damn good job!”
JC took Lyn’s crutches as she sat on the couch, and then settled next to her, “Johnny, you cannot be this angry about Lyn and I getting together. We have all had this conversation, we are going to have private lives.”
“Do you have to have a private life on Inside Addition ?”
“What are you talking about?”
Johnny hit play on the VCR at the back of the room, and a clip of the, supposed news show began playing, “Today, IA received footage of JC Chasez from NSYNC and a mystery lady, sharing a romantic moment on stage in what they thought was an empty stadium.”
Lyn turned to face JC with wide eyes, he took her hand and squeezed it, “I’m sorry.”
They stared in disbelief as they watched themselves on the TV screen. Lyn shook her head slightly, covering her mouth with her hand. Johnny watched the two of them closely, rolling his eyes when he saw her reaction, “Why couldn’t you have covered your mouth YESTERDAY Lyn?”
She didn’t know what happened, but suddenly, JC was standing, “Don’t go there Johnny!”
“I wish you wouldn’t have gone there! JC how could you be so stupid? If you want to suck face with your little girlfriend, I could care less, but NEVER be so STUPID as to do it in front of someone with a video camera!”
“We obviously didn’t know there was anyone there with a camera. Johnny, you really need to calm down, I’ll do a comment to some magazine and it will be fine.”
“This has been one hell of a week! First the crap with the fire, then this mess, and YOU,” he pointed at Lyn, “were in the middle of BOTH fiascos!”
JC turned and looked at Lyn, the moment he saw tears well up in her eyes, he lost control, “Dre!” He didn’t need to say anymore, Dre leaned down and offered Lyn his hand, she put her hand in it and he handed her, her crutches. She started out the door with Dre, JC began to follow. The door was open when he leveled his glare at Johnny, “Don’t you EVER speak to her like that again! Who in the HELL do you think you are?”
If she could have, Lyn would have run to her room to cry, but she couldn’t. She was embarrassed, and hurt, and she couldn’t get out of the crowded hallway quick enough. All of the guys were standing around, trying to get their bags into their rooms. Morgan was on her phone with Justin’s mother. Dani was trying to herd Busta and Korea into her room. Stasia and Lance were standing with Lonnie and Ron, they had been laughing about something. Joey and Justin were trying to figure out which of two identical bags belonged to each of them. Everyone turned when they heard JC yell at Johnny. Stasia quickly pointed at the door to Lyn’s room, where Lis was playing with Jake, Lance nodded and pulled the door closed. Stasia and Dani both walked up to Lyn and guided her into Dani and Chris’s room. Lyn sat on the edge of the bed.
JC started to follow her into the room but Lance and Chris stopped him, “Let them talk to her. Why don’t you tell us what happened in there?” Lance searched JC’s face.
JC stormed into his room, with all of the guys behind him. “I can’t believe him!” JC threw his bag across the room, sending a lamp toppling to the floor.
Joey took a step forward, “What happened?”
“Some ASSHOLE videotaped Lyn and I kissing yesterday on the stage and then sold it to Inside Addition, and Johnny is blaming LYN! What the hell?”
“He was probably just frustrated.” Chris offered.
“So then why did he say, there have been two fiascos this week and she was in the middle of both of them? DAMN IT! My life is going to ruin hers!”
Lance sat down on the bed, “JC, she cares about you. She knows Johnny being a jerk isn’t your fault. Lyn knows that. You aren’t ruining her life JC. She WANTS to be with you.”
Joey shook his head, “I can’t believe that this is happening again. I mean, the pictures with Lance and Stasia, and now this.”
Chris shot him a look that clearly told him to shut up, “Yeah, but looking at that example...” he shot Joey another dirty look, “look how happy Lance and Stasia are now, and how strong their relationship is. I’ll go talk to Johnny and find out what’s up his butt if you want.”
“You know what? NO! He flipped out at Justin for trying to make Mor feel safe, and now this! I am not about to apologize for kissing Lyn! I WANTED to kiss her! And you know what else? If I want to drag her onto the stage and MAKE THE HELL OUT WITH HER....I WILL!”
Lance couldn’t help himself, he burst out laughing, which set off a chain reaction in all of the guys. Joey was wheezing, Chris snorted and Justin was laughing so hard he was just shaking. “WHAT?” JC was having a very hard time seeing the humor in his comment.
Lance gasped for air, “You’re going MAKE THE HELL OUT WITH HER?”
JC smirked, “YEAH!” He began laughing, “OK, I sort of lost it there for a second.”
“Oh, ya think?” Justin rolled his eyes.
“I may be a little defensive of her right now, but come on, Johnny was out of line, wasn’t he?”
Justin agreed, “Yeah, what’s been up with him lately. He knows nothing’s going on with Mor and I, but he flipped out. You know what he said when he apologized? He said he should have blown up, but I shouldn’t be holding her hand. And really, Joey’s right, it was worse when TRL had all those pictures and the tape of Lance and Stasia being all sappy.”
In the next room, Stasia wrapped her arms around Lyn’s shoulders, “What happened in there? Why are you so upset?”
“Johnny hates me. He said it’s my fault.”
“What is your fault?” Stasia was so confused.
“He said that in one week there have been two major problems, then he pointed at me, and said I’ve been in the middle of both of them.” She leaned on her friend’s shoulder and sobbed.
“EXCUSE ME?”
“Stasia, I’m ruining his life!”
Stasia looked up at Dani who shook her head in disbelief, “You know what sweetie? I’m going to go talk to Johnny.” Stasia stood up, and Dani took her place.
“Johnny must just be having a bad day.” Dani smoothed Lyn’s hair back as Stasia stormed out of the room.
Luckily, Lance glanced up as Stasia stormed by JC’s open door, “SHIT! I’ll be right back!” He jumped up and caught her around the waist, just as she was going to pound on Johnny’s door. “Millie! You need to calm down.”
“Oh no I DON’T! What I need is for you to put me down and let me talk to Johnny! He’s got her in tears! She thinks she’s ruining JC’s life!” She was flailing and trying to reach the door. Lance was much stronger, and she was much too small to reach the door with him holding her back. He carried her into JC’s room and and handed her to Justin.
“Feisty got a little out of control?”
“She was on her way to ‘talk’ to Johnny.” He looked at his girlfriend who was glaring at him, “JC, I think you should go talk to Lyn now.”
Stasia kicked Justin hard on the shin and he dropped her, “Ouch.”
She turned, looked at him and he didn’t say another word, “JC she’s upset. She thinks she ruining your life. I want to talk to Johnny!”
“You can’t talk to Johnny, not when you’re this upset.” Lance approached her cautiously.
“Harry...my suggestion would be that YOU don’t get within striking distance. I don’t want to leave marks on that pretty face.”
He took another few steps closer and Justin took several back. “Millie, Love, you know you wouldn’t hurt me.” A slow smile crept across his face. Joey and Chris both darted for the door, Justin was right behind them.
“JAMES LANCE BASS! DO NOT TEST ME RIGHT NOW!” Her eyes were flashing.
JC looked from Lance, to Stasia, “SO...I’m going to go talk to Lynie. Try not to break anything else, I’ve already bought one ugly lamp today.”
He slipped out the door, pulling it closed behind him. Lance took another step closer to Stasia, “You know very well that you need to blow off some steam before you walk in there and say something you will regret. Also, you and I have to be twice as careful when we are dealing with Johnny. Remember he is a partner in Free Lance.”
“Not an equal partner.” She answered.
“Millie...” He lowered his mouth to her neck.
“That is not fair.”
“You need to calm down.”
She closed her eyes, “You’re right. I hate it, but your right.” He laughed against her neck.
JC smiled at Dani, “Can I talk to Lyn?”
“Of course.” Dani hugged Lyn and left the room.
“I should go back to Florida.” Lyn sniffled.
“No you shouldn’t.” He sat next to her, cupping her face between his hands and forcing her to look him in the eye, “I’m not losing you now. I finally have you with me, I don’t want to give you up now. The guys and I will talk to Johnny again, and if you want, you don’t have to get near him again.”
“JC! I work for him now!”
“Sweetpea, you work for Free Lance, Johnny is just one of the partners. You know Lance, his family and Stasia love you. You’re good at what you’re doing. They can’t possibly complain about the work you’re doing. Don’t let Johnny being an ass discourage you.”
“I felt like such an idiot sitting there, watching that tape and listening to Johnny. I HATE feeling like that.” She leaned over against him, “I couldn’t even run out of the room! So far, this is NOT the best trip I’ve ever been on.”
He kissed the top of her head, “No? I happen to think that this has been one of the better tours. I don’t normally have you with me.”
“I love being with you, I just didn’t expect this at all. I’ve never really talked to Johnny, I’ve never gotten to know him, but I never expected this.”
“Neither did I, something is really bothering him this week. Seriously, he is never like this. Justin is still pretty pissed off about his reaction to the picture of Justin and Morgan. Now, I’m pretty pissed off about this. He has every right to scream at Justin and I, but you and Mor are off limits, he needs to learn that.” He smirked, “We plan on educating him.”
“Please don’t start trouble because of me. I don’t want to cause any more trouble than I already have!”
“Allyn, listen to me here! If this had happened to anyone else, we would all react exactly the same way. YOU haven’t caused any trouble. This isn’t a him or you situation, and if it was...” He had sure she was looking at him, “I would choose my past, and my future, I would choose YOU.”
She couldn’t hold back the smile, or the flood of tears, “Thank you.”
“Are you staying? Or do you want to go home?”
She sniffled and sighed and tried to stop crying, “I’m staying.”
He held her tightly and she whispered, “JC?”
“Yeah?” He kissed her temple again.
“I can’t stop crying.” They both laughed
“Well you don’t have to, you can cry until you’re all cried out.”
“OK.”
Justin held out his hand, Lyn looked down at it and smiled at him as she slipped her hand in it. He was sitting next to her, on her left, at the conference table in the meeting room at the hotel. The seat on her right was still empty. Stasia was directly across from her, with Lance’s arm draped across the back of her chair. Next to Lance, Dani was leaning back, talking to Stasia around Lance’s back. Chris was next to Dani and Joey next to Chris. On Justin’s left, Morgan was chewing on her knuckle.
The large hand around hers tightened a little, “How are you doing Lyn?” Justin’s eyes were bright and his smile was genuine.
“I’ll be much happier when this is over with. I can’t believe this is happening. I’ve been dating JC for less than twenty-four hours, and here we al sit, in th conference room getting ready to confront Johnny because of me.”
“Hey, you’re not the only one he went off at. We’re here because of ME and because of Morgan. I’m sorry Lyn, I love you, but I will not tolerate ANYONE talking to me about Morgan like that, especially in front of her.”
“You are a sweetheart.”
“Lyn, don’t say nice things to him. He believes them, and then I have to deal with his swelled head.” Morgan teased.
“I’m sorry Mor, but he is being a total sweetie right now. I’m sitting here, squeezing his fingers to the point where they turned white.” Lyn giggled.
“That’s nothing!” Morgan held up Justin’s other hand, “The hand I’ve got is turning blue.”
“See Morgan, I AM a sweetheart. I have no feeling in my fingers, on either hand.” Justin stuck his tongue out at her.
JC walked into the room and walked to the empty chair next to Lyn, kissing the top of her head on the way by. As he was sitting down, all of the eyes in the room turned to look at him expectantly, “Dre is going to bring Johnny in here in half an hour. Joe, Chris, Lance you guys know you don’t have to stay. This is really a conversation Justin and I need to have with Johnny, if you are uncomfortable, feel free to leave.”
Joey held up his hand, “Stop insulting us. You know that we are staying and you know that we are behind you. No one understands what it’s like to try to hold on to a tiny shread of a normal life better than the people sitting around this table right now.”
Lance nodded his head in agreement, “JC you could have let Stasia and I face MTV alone the day Carson interviewed us about the pictures, but you wouldn’t let that happen. You guys have always supported us, we would never dream of doing any less for you.”
Justin leaned forward, “I just want to understand what’s up with Johnny lately. I want to know why he would have a problem with Morgan or Lyn. I want to know if the problem is me, or JC.”
“You guys have a right to be angry. And we are here to give you our complete support. Don’t ever forget, anything you have to face, you have all of us behind you.” Chris smiled.
There door opened and Johnny walked in, looking around the table he rolled his eyes, “What the hell is this? An ambush?”
“We aren’t trying to ambush you Johnny. We just think that we all need to sit down and talk about what’s been going on in the last two weeks.” JC started.
Johnny sat down at the head of the table and slouched in his chair, “What about the last two weeks?”
Justin swallowed hard, “Johnny, you upset me, you upset Morgan, you upset JC and you’ve upset Lyn. That is normal for you and we’re wondering if any of us have done something to upset you.”
“What you have done or have not done is not something I am going to discuss wioth people from outside the group present.”
Lance leaned forward, “I think this is where there is some confusion John. The girls are not outsiders. As a matter of fact, they are about as inside as you can get. You have never had a problem with the people in our lives being around before, why would you have a problem with it now?”
Johnny leaned forward and glared at each of them, “You know what? I an sick and tired of dealing with the drama that surrounds you children. Chris and Dani breaking up and making up. Lance and Stasia hanging all over one another where ever they go. Stasia being stalked by HER OWN FATHER! Justin and his quote unquote best friend holding hands in public. Joey and his club hopping. And now I have to deal with JC and Lyn making out on stage. I’m sick of the soap opera that surrounds you! I have never, in all my years of management had to deal with so much extra crap! You all are a pain in my ass, and I sick of it!”
“Hold it right there!” Chris stood up, “We have made you a hell of a lot of money. Our private lives are just that, private. You have absolutely NO RIGHT to speak to us like that. And so help me, if you ever mention my relationship, Stasia’s trouble last year, Justin and Morgan’s friendship, Lance and Stasia being affectionate, JC and Lyn falling in love or Joey going out a lot, WHIC FOR THE RECORD doesn’t happen anymore...if you mention any of those things in ANYTHING but a supportive manner again, you will face the wrath of God!”
Now it was Johnny who stood up, leaning his fists on the table, “You’ve made me a lot of money? Screw you Chris! If it weren’t for me, you all wouldn’t be sitting here right now. Don’t try to screw with me. You want private lives, fine, do it on your own damn time.”
They all stared in awe as Johnny stormed out of the room slamming the door behind him. Justin turned to look at JC, “What the hell just happened?”
“I have no idea J.”
Lance said quietly, “This isn’t right. This isn’t Johnny.”
Joey shook his head, “It sure looked like him. I never thought I’d hear him like that. What do we do now?”
Dani stood up, placing her arms around Chris waist, “We give him some space and watch ourselves. It’s been a very rough week, it’s early in the tour, he has a lot of stress, let’s give him the benefit of the doubt. Afterall, this is Johnny we’re talking about.”
Everyone was quiet as they began leaving the room, Stasia stopped Lyn, “I want you to be very careful. I know this hurt you, and I understand why, but I really don’t think this has anything to do with you.”
“I wish I could believe that, but right now, it feels like one of my bosses hates me.”
“But the people you work directly for LOVE YOU and consider you one of their best friends. Keep the faith kiddo. We’re all here for you, and I happen to think JC is happier than I have ever seen him, that should be you focus right now. Enjoy being with him.”
They almost to Lyn’s room when Stasia stooped again, “I have to know. Fireworks?”
“Oh God! Like you wouldn’t believe. Honestly, when we finally kissed, there was no doubt in my mind.”
“YAY!” Stasia clapped, “I told you so!”
“Yes you did.” Lyn smiled as she opened her door, “Yes you did.”
~Chapter Twelve~
