“…that’s what I am.”

Abby stared up at him and clenched her fingers around the bedsheets. "You're kidding me, right?" she asked quietly. "I mean, I haven't even forgiven you yet, and you're proposing to me? What the hell?"

JC nodded. "I know, baby, I know. And I understand, but I also know that that look in your eyes is unmistakable. You love me, you know you do."

Her eyes closed for a moment. "Yes, I do. And I will continue to. I just...God, this is so hard."

His hand reached out to wrap around her own. "It doesn't have to be. I am so sorry for what I've done to you. I have been selfish, but all I ultimately wanted was to be with you. And now, I just want to make that forever."

She sighed and looked at him. "I know you are," she whispered.

"Know I am what?" he asked.

"Sorry. You've proven that you regret what's happened and what you've done. But it's not all been your fault." She licked her dry lips, an action that even as they were still teetering on the edge, drove JC nuts. "I wasn't the most understanding person, myself. I-I overreacted and said some things that I probably shouldn't have." She stared back into his eyes. "I'm sorry too."

This brought a small smile to his face. "Don't worry about it. Let's put it all behind us and move on. Now, how about this?" he asked, showing her the large ring he provided from his pocket.

Abby stared at it for a long while, mesmerized by the size and beauty. After a moment's entrancement, she looked directly into his worried, crystalline eyes. "No."

His head fell at this, and he ran his fingers through his hair as the tears collected in his eyes.

~*~

"What do you think is going on in there?" Joey asked, pacing the floor outside Abby's room.

"Make-up sex," Chris replied, studying the bedpan he and Justin had swiped from an old man down the hall.

"Man, she just had a kid! I doubt she's in any hurry to go through all of that again," Lance muttered from his position beside the man. "And would you put that away? That's disgusting."

"But you should have seen that dude's face!" Justin snickered. "He was pissed."

Chris nodded and added his own laughter, smacking high fives with the younger man before imitating the old man chasing the two giggling idiots down the hallway. “Yeah he was pissed…and the best part is…he can’t piss anymore!”

The group looked up as a nurse came toward them, pushing the wheeled bassinet Chance was sleeping in.

"Hey, little dude!" Justin said, jumping up to peer in at the baby.

Lance leaned down to grab Braeden, lifting him up so he could see into the bassinet. "Look at your little brother, Brady," he whispered in his low voice.

Braeden smiled tiredly, as he had just been woken up by the man, and reached out to touch the baby's cheek. "My baby," he whispered softly. "My baby."

Joey stepped up to the nurse. "Hey, um...do you think that you could just leave him out here with us? Abby and Jace have a few uh...issues they are trying to work out in there, and it'd probably be best if they weren't disturbed."

The nurse smiled. "I totally would, but I am also a messenger. I'm supposed to inform Miss Garner that she will be released tonight, and I think she'd like to hear that."

She smiled and pushed the baby into the room.

~*~

Abby clutched around JC's neck as he lifted her, carrying her the short distance from her wheelchair to their rented SUV. "Thanks," she said with a strained smile as he placed her in the front seat of the large vehicle.

He managed a smile of his own. "No problem." Shutting her door, he then reached out for Chance's car seat, placing it in the back where Justin, Joey and Braeden were already sitting. "Be nice," he warned to Braeden, smiling at the boy's face at the sight of his brother.

"I will...is my baby!" he replied, smiling back up to his 'daddy.'

He shut that door too and turned to face the final two people standing on the sidewalk. "Hey, um...just follow us, I guess. Abby's place isn't too far from here, actually."

Roy nodded and clutched his wife's hand. "Sure, son. We won't stay long, I promise. I know you kids still have stuff to work out."

JC nodded this time, fidgeting with his keys. "Yeah, we do." He turned his head at the sound of honking behind the SUV. Shaking his head to Lance and Chris in another vehicle, he smiled to his parents again. "See you guys there."

They nodded and made their way to the parking lot.

As another honk sounded, he flipped a finger to the two men in the convertible behind him before climbing into the driver's seat of the Envoy. He turned to look at the woman in the seat beside him. "You okay?" he asked quietly.

She nodded, staring straight ahead. "Yeah, let's just go."

"Okay," he replied, putting the vehicle into gear and pulling out onto the drive.

Where things were going from this point, no one could say.

~*~

JC smiled and tucked the young boy into bed. "You go to bed, okay? It's been a long night."

Braeden smiled with twinkling eyes. "Otay, Daddy. My baby okay?" he asked innocently.

The man nodded slightly. "He's perfect, just perfect. Night, kid." He leaned over the small body and placed a kiss to the boy's forehead before standing up to turn out the light.

"Nye, Daddy. Wuv yoo!" Braeden replied, yawning a big yawn for such a little boy.

JC's smile grew. "I love you too, big guy." Shutting the door behind him, he made his way down the hall to the living room where the four other members of *N Sync where lounging and Abby was fighting to stay awake.

"Where we sleeping, Dear Abby?" Joey asked, yawning as he scratched his stomach.

She shrugged and looked over as Justin cooed down at the half-asleep Chance. "I don't care...I'm too tired to deal with it right now."

JC took this as his invitation to take over and get things under control. "Um...guys, there's a guest room upstairs, third door on your right. I think there's a pull-out bed under the big one, so at least two of you can sleep in there. This couch pulls out too, so a couple of you could double up or something if you're not afraid of each other."

Joey stood up, grabbing his bag, and headed to the stairs. "I get dibs on the big bed," he mumbled, waving to the group before slowly trudging up the staircase.

Lance was quick to follow, grabbing his own belongings and dropping a kiss to Abby's forehead before he followed the man up the stairs. "Pull-out for me, then. Night y'all."

"Night."

JC eyed the other two men. "Looks like you guys are in here."

"What about you?" Chris asked, not opening his eyes from his position in the recliner.

The younger man shrugged his slim shoulders and glanced around. "I dunno...I'll find something." He looked at Abby as she looked back up at him. "Let's get this kid to bed, huh?" he asked with a small smile, reaching down to take Chance from Justin's arms. He then reached out a hand to help Abby to her feet and lead her toward the stairs as well.

They made their way into Abby's room, shutting the door behind themselves. JC immediately crossed the room to the bassinet that sat beside her bed and placed the nearly sleeping infant into it. He then leaned down and placed a kiss on his son's head, smiling at the thought that this was indeed his son.

He turned then, and looked at Abby, realizing that she had been staring at him from where she'd stopped inside the door. "Are you going to bed?" he asked, wringing his hands as he scrutinized her with his eyes.

She nodded slightly and slowly made her way to the dresser, pulling out a nightgown. "Yeah. You?"

JC nodded too. "Planning on it."

"Where are you going to sleep?" she asked quietly, kicking her shoes off and moving to sit down on the bed.

He shrugged and turned his head as she pulled her shirt over her head. He watched out of the corner of his eye as she undressed, feeling like a voyeur, as if he were seeing something he shouldn't.

"I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't watch me while pretending not to," she commented.

His face flushed and he looked away, only to find himself staring into a mirror, catching a glimpse just as she pulled the nightgown over her head. He continued to stare as she then pushed her sweatpants down her legs and tossed them aside. "Sorry," he mumbled, looking away again...for real this time. He closed his eyes in embarrassment and rubbed the arch of his nose. "I'm just gonna go find someplace to sleep and leave you alone." He jumped slightly as he felt her hands on his waist.

"There's nowhere else in the house to sleep," she murmured against the side of his neck.

JC turned to look down at her. "You're confusing me, Abby. I asked you to marry me, and you decline. We say we're going to try and work things out, but take it all slow...spend some time away from each other and try again...but now, you're-"

"Shhh..." She placed a finger to his lips. "I know. But I'm being logical here. There is nowhere else to sleep tonight and...it's not like this is unfamiliar territory."

A slow, easy smile crossed his lips. "Abby-"

She cocked her head to the side slightly. "Do you want to be with me, JC Chasez?" she asked quietly.

"You know I do," he whispered back. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she replied. "So come lay down, and we'll get some sleep." Her eyes beckoned him, and he had to smile at the thought of holding her in his arms tonight.

He reached down to take her hand into his own. "Okay." He followed her over to the bed, helping her settle down onto it, her actions still slow.

Taking his place beside her, JC pulled the blankets up over their bodies and wrapped his arms around her. "Are we okay, now?" he asked gently, placing a kiss to the back of her neck.

Abby rolled over in his arms, smiling up to the man in the moonlight. "Yeah...we are."

He smiled. "Good."

~*~

"So...what do you think's gonna happen?" Lance questioned quietly in the dark. "He proposed to her and she said no...so now what?"

Joey groaned from the higher bed. "I don't know...and at this hour, I don't care. Neither one of them deserves the other, but that's what makes them perfect for each other. I know that doesn't make sense, but that's how it is."

"Whatever, man."

"And the proposal isn't over just yet," the older man added. "I have a feeling that ring is gonna come out again very soon.

~*~

"Dude...give me the blanket," Justin mumbled, yanking forcefully on the blanket as Chris held tight to the other end.

"Justin! Man, I'm freezing! Share it at least!" Chris muttered back, tugging back on the blanket.

"But if it covers you, it doesn't cover all of me," Justin whined back.

"It's not my fault you're a tall freak," Chris retorted.

Justin groaned and stood up, making his way over to the closet JC had given them the blanket from. Grabbing another one, he flung it to the older man and plopped down on the bed again. "There...happy?"

They both grumbled and soon settled down enough to sleep.

~*~

"Daddy home...baby home...Mommy home...Jussin home...Joooey home...Laaance home...Kiss home..."

Braeden sang his own little song to himself in the dark, his little mind rushing over the events of the last few days. Everyone he had grown accustomed to was together again...and he was happy again for the first time since he and his mother left JC's life.

He was happy...

A thought entered his mind, and Braeden pushed his blankets off his body, sitting up in his bed. "Make stay."

~*~

Justin pushed himself out of the bed late the next morning, cursing under his breath as he looked over and saw Chris sleeping soundly with both blankets wrapped around his body. "Ass."

Standing up, he yawned and started to make his way down the hall to the bathroom when something caught his eye. He blinked a few times before realizing what he was seeing. Four dining room chairs were pushed up against the front door, with various small objects placed on top of them. Raising an eyebrow, he continued his trek down the hall, glancing into the kitchen.

Three of the barstools were pushed against the kitchen door with spoons and forks laying on top of them. Scratching his head, Justin made his way to the other exit of the house, the door out of the laundry room.

And as expected, another roadblock. A slight chuckle erupted from within him as he saw two laundry baskets filled with clothes were stacked against the door, a pile of clothes in front of them.

Sticking his head out into the hallway, he laughed out loud. "BRAEDEN!"

JC jumped out of bed at the sound of Justin's scream down the hallway. "What the hell is your problem, man? People are sleeping here."

Justin pointed to the mess in the laundry room, then pulled his friend down the hall to show the other two doors. "Check out what your kid did last night."

JC furrowed his brow, then started to chuckle slightly. "He does keep us on his toes, doesn't he?"

Justin patted the man on the shoulder. "Pardon me, my friend, but I must piss."

JC shook his head, then turned and made his way back down the hall to Abby's room, promising to worry about it later into the morning. Everyone was still asleep at the moment, and he didn't see any point in waking them up by cleaning up the mess right then.

Crawling back into the bed beside Abby, he wrapped his arms tightly around her body.

"What'd he do?" she asked, rolling over in his arms and snuggling into his chest.

JC brushed her hair out of her face and ran his fingers down her back. "Not much, just blocked every door in the house so no one could leave."

She cracked an eye open and looked at him. "He what?"

"You heard me."

"Yes I did...wonder what his little mind is conjuring up now." She groaned and started to push the blankets off. "I'll go-"

"No," JC ordered, pulling her back down into his arms and covering her again. "Don't worry about it until later. Everyone's sleeping and no one's leaving yet." He placed a kiss down on the top of her head. "Let's just go back to sleep and worry about it later."

Abby draped an arm across his chest and closed her eyes again. "Sounds like a plan to me."

~*~

JC moved the last chair and placed the pile of silverware on the counter. "Okay...that's the last of it. Is the front door cleared?" he asked as Justin came into the kitchen.

Justin wiped his hands together and smiled, crossing his arms across his chest. "Yep. That little punk really didn't want anyone leaving this house. Did you talk to him yet?"

JC shook his head. "No, but Abs was going to. I think she's in his room right now."

"He just wanted to keep me around," Justin added with a grin.

"Yeah right."

~*~

Abby smiled as Braeden carefully held his little brother as they sat on his bed. "He likes you Brae...be careful though, okay?"

"I know, Mommy," he replied, mesmerized by the little boy in his arms.

"Honey, can I ask you a question?" she asked, running her hand through her son's short hair.

Braeden looked up at his mother for a moment before giving his attention back to Chance. "Yes."

"Sweetheart, why did you move all of the chairs last night?" she asked. "You blocked all of the doors."

"I know," he replied, cockiness in his young voice.

"Why?"

Braeden looked up into his mother's eyes and shrugged. "Dunno."

Abby sighed and jumped slightly as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and smiled up at JC as he looked at her in question. "He won't tell me," she replied.

"Let me give it a swing," he suggested, sitting down on the other side of "their" son. "Hey buddy, look at me."

Braeden looked up at the man and smiled. "Hi, Daddy. See my baby?"

JC nodded. "Yeah, pal...I see him. Can I ask you a question?"

"Yes," he replied, looking back down at the baby again.

"Braeden, look at me, man," JC prompted gently until the boy turned his eyes to the man again. "Can you tell me why you moved all of that stuff in front of the doors last night?"

Braeden shrugged his shoulders again and stuck his bottom lip out. "Dunno."

JC reached out and pulled Chance from Braeden's arms. "Yes you do. Now tell me, please."

Braeden stared right back into JC's eyes and stood up on the bed, putting his fists on his hips. "B'cause I did'n want you to leaf me again!" he yelled into JC's face. "I love you, Daddy and you no love back! You just leaf again!"

JC's eyes grew wide at the boy's words and he handed his son to Abby. "Can you give us a minute?" he asked quietly as she tried to gauge his reaction to the child's reply.

She smiled slightly and stood up. "Sure. I'll be in the living room."

JC winked at her, then turned his attention back to the child before him, hearing her pull the door shut behind her as she left. He reached out and pulled the boy down into his lap, wrapping his arms tightly around him, holding him close to him.

"Buddy, is that what I've been doing to you?" he asked quietly, emotion choking his words.

"Yes," Braeden pouted.

"Brady," JC sighed. "Pal...Daddy can't be around all of the time, but I did leave you and Mommy because me and Mommy had a fight."

"I know," he replied, leaning his little chin on a fist.

"Why do you think I don't love you?" the man asked gently, wiping a tear from the boy's cheek.

"B'cause you leaf," Braeden whispered back. "If you love me...you wood'n leaf."

"Is that why you blocked the doors, then?" JC asked. "So I wouldn't leave again?"

"And Jussin."

"And Justin, huh? You didn't want Justin to leave either."

"Or Laaance or Jooey, or Kiss," Braeden added as a fresh batch of tears slid down his cheeks. "Love all...leaf me."

JC felt the tears forming in his own eyes and fought to keep them at bay. He reached down and gently turned the boy in his arms until he faced him. He stared hard into the child's eyes and clasped his hands within his larger ones. "Buddy...I love you, okay? I love you more than anything in this world. You and your mommy mean everything to me, and I plan on being around, okay? I have to leave sometimes because of certain things, whether it be my job or because your mommy and I aren't getting along. But I'm always going to be around."

"You and Mommy fight?"

JC smiled sadly. "We were...but I think we're okay now."

"Otay now?"

The man nodded slowly. "I think so, yeah. And I'm never, ever going to leave you again. I might go away for a little while, but I'll always come back."

Braeden sniffled slightly and wiped his nose with his pajama sleeve. "Promiss?"

JC smiled. "I promise, man."

Braeden smiled too and leaned forward to wrap his arms as far around JC as he could. "You not really my daddy, is you?" he asked against JC's chest.

JC pushed him away gently and frowned slightly as he looked down at him again. "What?"

"Dat other guy was my daddy, huh?" he asked, looking deep in thought.

JC was surprised that he was able to comprehend such a complex thing at such a young age. He was surprised that the child could even remember Ben's visit to the house. "Yeah, he was."

"So you not my daddy?" he asked innocently.

Shaking his head slightly, JC furrowed his brow. "No, I'm not, but that shouldn't matter. What am I to you?"

"My daddy," he replied.

"Then that's what I am."

"But you say he-"

"All that matters is that you want me to be there, and I will be. No matter what, I'll be your daddy if you want me to be." JC smiled down at the boy. "I love you, buddy...whether you want me to be your daddy or not."

Braeden smiled and hugged JC one more time. "Love too, Daddy."

JC held the boy close and let a couple tears slide down his cheeks. How did he deserve such a pure, innocent angel in his life? What had he done to be gifted with such perfection? This child brought out the best in him and he knew it, and from that point on, made a solemn vow to keep both he and his mother and brother in his life.

 

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