Picture Perfect Family

Abby walked back into the suite and tossed JC's cell phone on the bed beside him.

"How are the boys?" he asked, looking up from where he was lying, watching television.

She smiled and crawled over him to sit on his back. "They're being absolute angels, according to Justin." She ran her hands down his bare back with a grin. "Joey told me something interesting too."

JC closed his eyes as she began to massage his back. "Yeah? What was that?"

She giggled and worked her hands over a knot in his shoulder. "Well, you know how when you threw my garter, it stuck to the ceiling?"

He nodded and groaned slightly, closing his eyes.

Abby smiled. "Well sweetie, it turns out that it came down shortly after we left and fell on Wade's head while he was dancing with Sadie."

JC turned his head. "Who?"

"His date," she supplied, pinching his sides. "Anyway," she muttered. "So since Wade had the garter and Heather had the bouquet-"

"Wade better not have touched my sister's leg," JC mumbled.

Abby smirked and leaned down, kissing the skin between his shoulder blades. "Let me put it this way: remember how you took the garter off my leg?"

He nodded and reached back to rub her thigh. "Sure do."

"Well, he pretty much put it on Heather's leg in the same sick fashion."

JC's eyes opened quickly. "O-okay..."

Abby couldn't help but grin like an idiot as their gazes met in the mirror. "They've gone on four dates in the last two weeks."

JC's eyes widened and he rolled over until she was sitting on his stomach. "So you're telling me that Wade and my sister...are dating?"

She shrugged. "Well, Joe said it wasn't official or anything, but they've been hanging around each other a lot. Just thought it was kinda interesting. Maybe Wade will be the next addition to our happy little family."

He narrowed his eyes and put his hands on her thighs. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Abby leaned over and placed her lips to his in a long, lingering kiss. "Let's forget about it for right now, huh? I think we're supposed to be sharing our undivided attention with the other for the full two and a half weeks in this paradise."

JC laughed against her lips as she spread her body out over his own. "You wanna play that game, huh?" he whispered back with a chuckle. "Yeah, I'm game."

"Yes you are," she replied, running her hands through his hair. She pulled away long enough to look down at him and pose the question she'd held since their engagement. Gazing down into his eyes, she held a small smile on her face. "Sweetie...answer me one question...completely truthfully."

He nodded and ran his hands down her arms. "Okay."

"Tell me that you married me because you love me, and not becuase of Chance or Braeden. That's all I need to know at this point."

JC saw the worry in her eyes...the worry that she thought he was simply doing this to cover up his own butt. Shaking his head gently, he leaned up as best he could to touch her lips with his own. "Baby...I'm not going to tell you this again. I love you...that is why we each have a ring on our left hand. It isn't just because of those boys...although they are an added bonus, aren't they?"

Abby smiled at this. "I never doubted that for a second."

~*~

"Screwed."

"Dead."

"Dismembered."

"Cool it, you guys! I get the point already!" Justin yelled, running his fingers through his hair.

"Did we mention completely and totally, 100% SCREWED?" Joey asked with a laugh.

Justin looked down at the chocolate stain on his mother's white couch. "Um...what do we do about it?"

"We run," Chris replied, grabbing Lance's arm and turning toward the door. But Justin was too fast. Darting around the three, he made it to the front door before them and bolted it shut.

"Guys! C'mon! I'm not the one that gave him the Hershey's syrup because 'he's old enough to make his own sundae.' You freakin' IDIOT, CHRIS!" Justin sighed nervously as he glanced at the clock. "What...do...we...do?"

Lance shrugged and looked up as Braeden peeked around the corner...chocolate covering just about every inch of him. "Well...someone needs to clean up the kid."

Justin sighed. "I'll take care of him...since I was supposed to be the one watching him." He walked around the corner and grabbed the chocolatey boy. "C'mon little guy...bath time." Before disappearing up the stairs, he looked back at his three friends. "And someone...PLEASE...figure something out."

They all saluted him and looked down at the nine-month-old that laughed in his pumpkin seat.

Lance crossed his arms over his chest, Chris put his fists on his hips, and Joey crossed one arm over his chest while the other hand rested against his lips in deep thought. All three faced the pure white couch with the chocolate stain in contemplation.

~*~

Justin pulled the clean shirt over Braeden's head and made a face once it was in place. "See now...all clean. You were a mess man."

"Sowree Justin," Braeden replied, blushing in guilt.

The man rubbed the boy's hair and smiled, standing up. "Don't worry about it, dude. It'll be okay." He smiled down at him and reached out for his hand. "Now let's go see if the guys cleaned up yet."

They made their way down the stairs and were met with the sight of Lance and Chris lying on the floor, playing Playstation and Joey in the recliner with Chance in his arms. Justin's gaze then turned to the white couch and was relieved to see that the cushion was completely white again.

"What'd you guys do?" he asked, walking over to sit on it, pulling Braeden up beside him.

Chris glanced over at Lance and continued with the game. "Foolproof plan...works every time."

"What was it?"

Joey shook his head. "Don't ask about our secrets, man. Just be glad we saved your butt."

Justin nodded. "Yeah...it's cool. Whatever." He looked down as Braeden tugged on his shirt. "What, buddy?"

"Hungry," the boy replied. "Pizza?"

Justin smiled. "Right on."

~*~

A warm breeze blew over the beach as the lone couple strolled slowly through the sand. Their hands entwined together, the moonlight shone down on them, bathing them in beams. No one but the waves and stars witnessed as the man leaned down and brushed his lips against the woman's temple.

"I love you," he whispered, pulling her closer with a tug on her arm.

She smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder. "I love you too, baby."

They stopped and moved to sit in the sand as the waves came crashing over their feet. "Tomorrow," he sighed. "We're going home."

She nodded. "I miss the boys," she whispered back. "I really do."

He traced lines down her arm, pulling her closer to his side as he felt her shiver. "Me too, babe. Me too." He took a deep breath and looked out over the ocean.

"Something's bothering you," she said, turning her head to look at his silhouette against the moon. "What is it?"

JC turned his head to hers and leaned down to kiss her lips briefly. "Well...I've been thinking about something for a little bit."

"What?"

He smiled to her and took her hand into his own again. "It's about Braeden. And this is only if you agree. But...I was wondering if I could-well...if I could adopt him. As in...give him the Chasez name too...make him officially a part of my family."

The smile that crossed Abby's face at that moment was like nothing he had ever seen before. "I've been waiting for you to ask that. Yes, you can adopt him...nothing would make me happier."

JC grinned and pulled her to him again. "Thank you."

~*~

JC tossed his last pair of jeans into the suitcase and zipped it shut. Looking up toward the balcony door, he grinned. “Abs? Babe, we’re packed!” Receiving no reply, he stood up and made his way in that direction. Walking out onto the balcony, he wrapped his arms around her as she stared out over the view. “Did you hear me?” he asked, kissing her neck.

She nodded and moved her hands to cover his. “Yeah. I’m just kind of sad to leave all of this. It was an amazing honeymoon, Josh.”

He smiled. “It was, wasn’t it? We should take another trip like this sometime with the boys.” He tugged on her hand gently. “Time to go, babe.”

“I’m going to miss this place,” she whispered, smiling to him.

“Yeah. It’s going to be sad waking up and not having this view every morning,” he agreed, turning her as he tugged her hand again.

Abby looked at him as she followed him back into the room. “I think I’m going to like the view I’ll be waking up to now just as well…if not better.”

JC squeezed her hand and they disappeared back in the room.

~*~

Justin smiled as he tucked Braeden into the bed he now claimed in the guestroom. It had been a long afternoon with the guys and the little boy was very exhausted. Joey had left earlier when Kelly had called, asking him to watch their daughter for a while. Lance had Freelance business to take care of, and Chris had passed out in exhaustion on the couch in Justin’s entertainment room.

He was making his way toward the door as he heard Braeden’s soft voice. “Justin? When my mommy and daddy coming back?”

Justin smiled sadly. “Awww, buddy…do you miss them?” He made his way back across the room and sat back down on the bed again.

Braeden nodded. “Yes. I been here too long.”

Justin scoffed. “Thanks a lot, Brady-Man! That was so not cool.”

“I have fun here,” the boy assured. “Just miss Mommy and Daddy.”

Justin brushed the boy’s hair from his face and leaned down to kiss his forehead. “Well dude, they were taking a plane tonight to somewhere where they were going to spend the night, and then they’re flying home tomorrow. And we’ll be there to get them when they get off the plane tomorrow, okay?”

Braeden nodded. “Okay. Is okay.”

Justin smiled. “Good deal, little man. Now how about you take a nap. I think my mom’s cooking dinner now.”

“Okay.”

Justin ruffled the boy’s hair and quickly left the room. Crossing the hall, he stepped into the other guestroom to check on Chance.

“JUSTIN RANDALL TIMBERLAKE!”

He jumped as he heard his mother’s yell and quickly left the room and jogged down the stairs. Entering the living room, he found his mother where she had been cleaning. “What’s wrong, Mom?”

Lynn held up the bottle of Febreeze in her hand and pointed to the couch cushion beside her leg. “I was trying to get the pizza smell out of my couch and I flipped the cushion over to find THAT!”

Justin looked down and paled as he saw the huge chocolate stain on it. “M-Mom…that was the guys, I swear. They let Braeden make a sundae while I was putting Chance to bed and they told me they’d take care of it.”

Lynn rolled her eyes. “Well, they tried to anyway. They flipped the cushion over.”

Justin sighed. “Mom…I am so sorry.”

She shook her head with a smile. “Don’t worry about it. It’s something I’ve had to get used to in having kids in the house again. Messes. I thought I was through with that when you finally grew up. I can handle it again.”

Justin raised an eyebrow. “Mom! Are you saying that you’re old?”

Lynn’s eyes widened. “Justin! How dare you call me old!”

”Mom! I wasn’t-“

She laughed and reached out to hug him. “I’m kidding, sweetie. Now, can you finish up in here so I can go start dinner?” She started toward the living room door but paused and turned around to face him again. “Oh, and flip the cushion back over until I can find a way to get that out.”

He nodded and took the bottle from her hand. “Sure.”

~*~

JC smiled and looked down as Abby’s head fell down against his shoulder as she slept. She knew that they were stopping on their way home for a “layover,” but she didn’t know that he had actually planned it while they could have had an uninterrupted direct flight home. The whole honeymoon had been a surprise for her; his insistence for secrecy had won her over.

He chuckled to himself and leaned down slightly to brush his lips across her forehead. Then, leaning back into his seat again, he closed his eyes and prepared to get an hour or two of sleep. Soon they would be lying on a beach, watching a Hawaiian sunset.

~*~

Abby leaned closer into his embrace and smiled at the view before them. “I can’t believe you planned this just so I could see a sunset here.”

”Ah, ah, ah,” he scolded. “Don’t forget the sunrise. We’re staying the whole night…right here on the beach.”

She giggled and looked up at him. “I’m going to love being married to you. It’s pure magic already.”

JC held her closer and grinned, both of them looking out over the water as the sun slipped down into it. “What you’ve given me can’t even be described as magic…that would be degrading it. What we have between us is so much more than mere magic…it’s…it’s everything.”

She leaned even closer as they lay back on the blanket, staring together as the sun dipped down from the sky.

~*~

Justin stood up with Braeden on his hip and pointed toward the doors as they opened. “Look, Brady…the doors are opening. Keep your eyes peeled for your mom and dad.” He looked over his shoulder as Chance began to fuss in his mother’s arms. “You okay back there?” he asked.

Lynn nodded her head and bounced slightly, trying to calm the baby down. “I’ll be just fine if Chris would stop poking the poor kid.” She glared at Chris and moved to stand beside her son as Chance started to calm down.

Braeden began to wiggle in Justin’s arms. “Daddy! DADDY!” he screamed. Seconds later, he found his mother too. “MOMMY!”

Justin let the boy down out of his arms and watched with a smile as he scooted through the crowd directly to his parents. The smile grew as he watched JC lean down, drop his bags and lift the boy happily into his arms.

“Brady, buddy I am so happy to see you!” JC held the little boy close in his arms and kissed his forehead repeatedly. Hugging him tightly for a moment, he held the boy back so he could look over his face. “How was your stay with Justin and Lynn?”

Braeden giggled and jumped over into his mother’s arms. “Fun! We ate pizza every night when Momma Lynn was gone.” He laughed again as his mother kissed his cheek.

The couple and their son made their way across the busy terminal to the group standing there. JC shook his head as he looked at them. “Pizza every night? I knew it.”

Justin shrugged. “Did you actually want me to cook for your kid?”

Abby laughed and handed Braeden back to JC. “Good point.” A large smile crossed her face as she saw Chance in Lynn’s arms, a small smile crossing the boy’s face as he recognized his mother. “Oh, let me see my baby.” She reached out with a grin to Lynn and took the child from her arms. Holding him close, she cuddled the baby and winked at JC. “No matter how much fun we had on our honeymoon, nothing compares to holding my baby again.”

”Let’s go, shall we?” Mike suggested, eyeing the crowd that started to gather around the group. “You guys are being recognized.”

“Let’s go get our bags,” JC suggested, coughing quietly while moving Braeden to his other hip. He held his bags in the other hand and they slowly made their way through the airport to the baggage claim.

After several minutes and many autographs, the group was finally outside around the convoy of vehicles. JC and Abby hugged Lynn and the guys, thanking them for watching the boys, but bid them goodbye for the rest of the day, as they wanted to spend as much time as possible with them at home.

~*~

JC unlocked the door while juggling Braeden and his bags in his arms. “Be it ever-“

“Not so,” Abby supplied.

He chuckled. “Humble, there’s no place like home.” He pushed the door open and smiled to Abby. Realization suddenly hit him and he dropped his bags then set Braeden down on the porch. Approaching her, he winked. “I would advise putting the kid down,” he said with a smile.

Abby set Chance’s car seat down on the wooden porch and looked at JC curiously. Braeden scampered over to pester his baby brother. “What are you up to?” she asked, eyeing JC as he stepped closer.

Leaning down, he lifted her up into his arms and carried her effortlessly through the door and into the house, Abby giggling the whole way. “Carrying my bride across the threshold.”

“You’re crazy,” she said, bopping him on the head.

“Welcome to our home, Mrs. Chasez,” he said with a grin, setting her down on the floor and looking down into her eyes with a smile.

Abby leaned up to kiss him quickly and they both looked up to see Braeden standing in the doorway with his fists on his hips. “Daddy, what was you doing to Mommy?” he asked, stepping through the door and into the foyer.

JC grinned and squatted down until he was eye to eye with his five-year-old son. “Well, it’s a tradition when you get married; you gotta carry your wife through the door to your house.”

”Oh…” Braeden trailed off as he looked deep in thought but suddenly perked up with a smile as an idea came to him. “I carry Chancey!” He turned and promptly marched back outside to his brother’s side, attempting to un-strap the baby from the car seat.

JC jumped up quickly and ran out onto the porch in time to stop Braeden from lifting Chance out of it. “No, no, no, no, no, man. Don’t do that. Chance is still too little for you to carry him, okay?”

“I was just tryin’ to help…carry my brodder across the freshfold.” Braeden pouted and JC couldn’t help but laugh.

“That’s THRESHOLD, man…and I appreciate you trying to help. How about you grab Chance’s diaper bag and we’ll get him in now too, okay?” He ruffled his son’s hair and lifted the car seat up, carrying the baby in, then closed the door after Braeden slipped in after him.

Abby grinned as she watched Braeden scamper across the floor to the living room, sitting down on the couch as he had once been instructed, waiting to hold his baby brother. JC shook his head with a shrug to her and carried the nine-month-old over to the boy.

After placing the child in his brother’s arms, JC turned around and smiled again at his wife. “It’s good to be home, isn’t it?” he asked, wrapping his arms around her as they kept an eye on their children.

She nodded and leaned against his chest. “Yes it is…and this is finally actually my home.”

JC pulled away suddenly and erupted in a violent sneeze. “Excuse me,” he said, reaching for a tissue on the table by the door and wiping his nose.

Abby giggled. “Bless you.” She reached out and rubbed his back as he sniffed. “Are you okay?”

He shrugged. “I dunno. I might be getting sick. I woke up with a pretty bad headache this morning and my nose was kinda plugged.”

”How on earth could you get a cold while honeymooning in Aruba?” she asked with a laugh. “Only you, my dear.”

“I’ll be fine,” he replied, nodding with his head over to the couch.

Abby followed his gaze and sighed in awe as she saw Braeden’s head leaning against the armrest on the couch with his brother sleeping in his arms. Nudging him in the ribs, she whispered as loudly as she dared. “Get the camera.”

 

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