Facing the Fans

JC shifted his weight and jumped awake when he felt another weight on his chest. Opening his eyes slowly, he looked down at the woman leaning against his chest and couldn't stop the smile that came naturally to his lips.

For a week, he hadn't had the luxury of waking up with his wife in his arms. This was heaven to him...these few short moments in the morning when the world to them was still sleeping.

The sun shone through the windows, casting an angelic glow around her. Her dark hair was splayed across his chest, tickling his skin. He brushed some of it aside and stared over her features. Her face was so young, and any stranger that looked upon it would never believe that she was a mother of two and had been through all that she had. His gaze shifted to her eyes, knowing that hidden behind those lids were two of the most expressive, beautiful eyes that he had ever seen. He moved his inspection down the soft curve of her cute nose and chuckled softly as he realized his lips loved to kiss it, then he saw her lips that his lips loved to kiss even more...that his lips longed to kiss right now.

Groaning slightly as he realized the fact that he still hadn't been able to kiss her that week, his gaze traveled down the column of her neck to the thin straps of her tank top. Her skin was tanned and smooth and he longed to touch her, but didn't for fear of ruining this perfect moment. Little did he realize that similar thoughts had coursed through her own mind as she had done the same observation of his sleeping form months ago.

He took in the vision of her curvy body, smiling to himself as he realized this all belonged to him, more or less. He was amazed that she had gotten her figure back so quickly after having Chance, but then again, he really didn't know how that whole thing worked, having never been through this before. She looked the same as she had when they'd met, and that completely amazed him.

Her hand was flat against his bare chest and he smirked at her well-manicured nails. He watched as her hand moved as she slept, then turned his gaze back to her eyelids again, watching her eyes move rapidly beneath them. He wondered if she was dreaming...he hoped she was dreaming of him.

While he couldn't see them, he felt her smooth legs entangled with his own, the way they always ended up by the time the morning's rays woke them. It didn't seem to matter that they had a king sized bed; she always ended up practically lying on top of him, her legs wrapped around his own. He could feel her toes on the back of his heel, one on one side, one on the other...something else she always managed to do in her sleep.

He loved his wife's legs. She had what Wade called dancer's legs. They were firm and toned, tan and strong. And he loved the way they felt underneath his hands.

He closed his eyes to will away the thoughts that his close inspection of her brought to his mind. He knew that any thoughts or ideas that he could conjure would be impossible to act upon at this point. He looked down at her face again as he felt her breath quicken on his chest...and his eyes met hers.

"Morning," he whispered with a smile, brushing her hair behind her ear.

It was then as she was staring back into her eyes that he saw the dried tears on her cheeks. Reaching his hand up to cup her cheek, he frowned and coughed into his other. "What's wrong?"

Abby started to shake her head, but her husband's stern look ceased her actions. "Josh...you shouldn't have to worry about this now. You're sick and-"

JC covered her mouth with his hand. "I'm feeling better, okay? Something is really bothering you, and that's why I am here...I'm your husband, Abby...you're supposed to be able to share your problems with me...so spill it, woman."

Her eyes filled with tears and JC's heart broke at the sight. "Give me a second and I'll show you, okay?" She pushed the blankets back and quickly left the room.

JC narrowed his eyes and waited for her to come back. When she re-entered the room, his eyes met hers again and he saw the tears that had spilled from them. Opening his arms, he smiled as she cuddled close to his chest with his laptop in her arms. They hooked the phone line up to it and connected to the Internet.

Abby looked at him seriously for a moment before going to Yahoo. Touching his cheek affectionately, she tried to smile. "You're going to be upset, but I can't cushion this blow. This is why I was in tears last night and why I'm crying now." She smiled as he brushed the tears from her cheeks. "This is why I needed to be with you last night."

She proceeded to show him several of the websites she had found the night before and watched his jaw tighten. Closing the laptop, she looked at him. "I'm sorry," she whispered as she saw the anger in his eyes.

JC ran a hand down his face and fought the tears that resided in his own eyes. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her close and kissed the side of her neck. "I'll take care of this, okay? I will."

"I'm so sorry," she said again, crying quietly into his shoulder.

JC's heart broke at the sound of her sobs. This wasn't how a marriage was supposed to be. Rumors weren't supposed to be flying around the world about his wife's intentions. He mentally cursed those immature fans that would purposely try to tear her down. Those were the fans that he hated, because they didn't want his happiness if they didn't want Abby in his life.

Pushing her away gently, he stared into her eyes. "I love you, Abby. I know that you are here because of that fact. I love our boys, and I don't think for a second that you are pushing them into my life. I made this choice to be with you, and I will stick up for it."

She smiled slightly and wiped at her cheek with the back of her hand. "I never doubted that. I'm sorry that this has to happen, but I trust that you will take care of it. As for now...I'm going to go make you breakfast."

He watched her walk to the door. "I hope you didn't get sick last night...sleeping in here."

She smiled back to him. "I don't care if I did. I really needed to be here. You'll be better in time to take care of the boys if I do get your flu." She winked and left the room.

JC pushed his aching body up out of the bed and shivered. Grabbing the comforter off the bed, he wrapped it around his body and trudged off into the hallway. Making his way down to Braeden's room, he pushed the door open and stepped inside in time to see the boy climbing out of his bed.

"DADDY!" Braeden yelled, running across the floor to wrap his arms around his father's legs.

JC tangled his fingers in the boy's hair and smiled down at him. "Don't get too close, buddy...I don't want to get you sick."

Braeden looked up at him. "I miss you. Mommy is sad."

He smiled. "I miss you too, but I promise I'll be better really soon. Then Mommy won't be sad anymore. Go downstairs and eat breakfast, huh?" He ruffled the boy's hair and watched with a smile as he skipped out of the room.

Shaking his head, JC tightened the blanket around his shoulders and headed to Chance's room. Hearing the baby start to cry, he hurried in and gently lifted the infant into his arms, surrounding him with blankets. Trying not to breathe on him, he whispered and sang softly in an attempt to calm him down. "Shhh...don't cry, buddy. Please don't cry. Daddy's here."

"You really do feel better, don't you?"

He turned at Abby's voice and smiled as he held his son. "A little. He was crying, so I came down-"

She nodded. "I heard him." Holding her arms out to take the child, she winked.

JC's shoulders slumped as he watched her change his diaper. "I feel like I'm making you do everything. I can't go to rehearsals, I can't do anything around here, I sleep all day-"

"Honey," she interrupted, looking over her shoulder. "You...are...SICK. Go back to bed and stay there. You're never going to get better and get back to rehearsals unless you do what the doctor said."

Rolling his eyes, he rewrapped the comforter and turned to leave the room.

"Josh?"

He paused at her voice and turned back to face her. "Huh?"

She smiled as she lifted the now fresh-smelling baby back into her arms. "Thanks...for last night and this morning. I hope this gets better for us, because the last thing I want to be to you is a burden."

Crossing the room to place a gentle kiss into the palm of her hand for fear of kissing anywhere near her face, he looked into her eyes. "It will get better...you're not a burden, and...my support for you should always be expected. I love you."

Abby smiled. "I love you too."

He readjusted the comforter, coughed and left the room.

~*~

He held her hand tighter as they stepped out of the limo and began to walk to the red carpet. His name was being called from every direction, and they both could hear the fans screaming from the bleachers beyond.

She leaned closer to his side and smiled graciously to the other celebrities and important people there. A different kind of smile crossed her delicate features as her husband pulled her closer.

“I wish we could be like them,” Abby whispered, looking through the dark limousine window.

JC leaned forward to see the celebrity couple his wife was speaking of, and smiled slightly. “We will. They’ll get over it, and even if they don’t, it’s not going to stop us from being happy.” He reached for her hand as the limo pulled to a stop at the curb and he kissed her quickly as the door opened. Climbing out first, he reached his hand in to help her out.

The Grammy Awards: music’s greatest night. The evening where all the hard work, sweat and tears finally paid off. And Abby was here with JC and the guys. She smiled as he pulled her close to his side as the others climbed out of the car. “It’s all going to be okay,” he whispered into her hair. He tugged on her hand gently, pulling her after the rest of the guys.

The fans were screaming the guys’ names, and they could both hear various comments about the woman on his arm. JC didn’t care…he was here with the woman he loved and nothing was going to stop him from having a good time that evening. He felt her hand tighten on his own in worry, and he squeezed back in reassurance. He knew this had to be hard on her; it was the first appearance she had made with him at a big function such as this. Sure, she had been out and about with him, caught on tape walking into hotels and stores, but this was big…this was the Grammys.

JC could feel the knot in his stomach throbbing as they approached the group of media and cameras. He knew what he had to do once he got up there, and he was ready. He had to stand up for his family. He didn’t care if the fans turned away from him for what he was about to say; Abby’s comfort in their relationship was all that mattered at this point.

He reached forward and tapped Justin on the shoulder, nodding toward Extra’s reporter and camera. The younger man nodded and herded the group toward them.

“It’s *N Sync everyone! How are you guys tonight?” the reporter asked, her voice bubbly.

“We’re great,” Justin replied. “It’s all about the music tonight. We hope to have a great time. But if you’ll excuse us, JC has something really important he needs to discuss with you.”

The reporter and camera turned their attention to JC and the woman with him, the woman pushing the cameraman to get a close-up of the two of them together. JC stared back at them with hard eyes, his jaw clenching. Abby squeezed his hand, knowing what he wanted to say to them, but not knowing how he planned on delivering it.

After several moments of silence, the reporter lifted her microphone to her lips. “JC, how was your Christmas?”

JC’s eyes flashed…something…not even Abby was too sure of what it was. “Oh, my Christmas? Well, you see: I was rather sick upon returning from our honeymoon. I managed to get the flu and was stuck in bed for weeks, through Christmas: away from my family, away from my wife and my children. So to say the least, my Christmas was pretty horrible. But you people managed to add to that level of disgust for me.”

The woman wasn’t sure how to respond to his comment, so she moved on with her unplanned interview. “So that answers my question of whether or not you and this young woman are indeed married.”

JC’s eyes widened, his eyebrows rose, and his jaw clenched tightly. “Not that that uncertainty stopped you people from plastering it all over your airwaves before even knowing the facts!” he replied, trying to keep the anger out of his voice. He was mildly successful. “Forget the fact that my wife and I may have wanted to celebrate ourselves in privacy before breaking it to our fans in a more…shall we say, kindly way. I am fully aware that I am a public figure, but does that title also include the insistence that my private life must also be open to the public? I am a singer...I sing...that's what I do. I have a heart, and I can lose my heart...and I did. It's not like I'm the president of the United States running around behind the media's back. My personal life shouldn't matter to anyone, but that's entirely too much to ask for anymore because of shows like yours.”

He smirked as he saw the look of confusion on the woman’s face. “But then, that is all that you people on your stupid shows do, isn’t it? You delve into our private lives, insisting that the people of the world deserve to know. There are reasons we keep some things secrets. Some people can’t handle the news of sudden relationships, marriages, and babies…and we have ways of breaking the news to them. You people don’t help that at all. I was going to tell the world that I was married. I want everyone to know that I am happy and in love. But you didn't give me the chance to do that myself.”

Abby tugged on his arm. “Josh, I think you’ve said enough.”

JC shook his head and tightened his hand around hers. “All that you managed to do with your “breaking story” about our marriage was to start an epidemic throughout our worldwide fan base of hate sites and people cursing the day my wife was born. And I have something to say to them as well.” JC looked directly into the camera. “If you, as a fan of *N Sync’s, or a fan of myself, have a site up on the Internet with any negative word or gesture against my wife, our marriage, or our children, I ask you, as a fan, to please remove it immediately. If I continue to find these sites speaking ill words of my family, I will have them removed, and I will kindly ask you to not consider yourself a fan of ours any longer, because we do not want fans such as yourselves. We don’t want you at our concerts, we don’t want you buying our albums, and we don’t want you on our side. Because if you cannot accept this…” He held his left hand up and showed his wedding band. “…or this…” He then reached down and took Abby’s left hand within his own, holding her hand and his hand up so the camera had a shot of both of their rings. “…then you can’t accept me. And I don’t want you to.”

He entwined his fingers with his wife’s as he put their hands back at their sides, then released it, smiling slightly as he reached into his back pocket with his free hand. Flipping through various pictures, he opened it to show the two boys that meant the world to him. “And these two little boys…they are a part of me as well. They are my sons, Braeden and Chance. Accept them too, because they are not going anywhere, Abby is not going anywhere, and neither am I. Accept it, deal with it, live with it, get used to it, because nothing is going to change.” He raised an eyebrow, took Abby’s hand again and pulled her behind him toward the door, leaving both the reporter, the cameraman, and all that surrounded them in pure shock.

“I can’t believe you did that,” Abby whispered, leaning closer to him as they stepped through the doors to the huge auditorium they would spend the next few hours in. “Josh, what are your fans going to thi-?"

“Did you not hear a word I just said?” he asked, stopping in the middle of the aisle to stare into her eyes. “I don’t care,” he whispered. “The fans could turn their backs on me forever for all I care…all I need is you.”

He saw the tears gather in her eyes and drew her close into his arms. They rocked back and forth in the middle of the aisle for several moments as celebrities passed them on both sides. As the lights began to go down and the music began to start, JC pulled back and looked at her again. “I have to take care of you. I’m the head of this family and my job is to look out for you and the boys. When they insult you, they insult me. And I won’t stand for any of it.” Taking her hand within his again, he led her down to their seats beside the other guys.

~*~

Sure, they hadn’t won any awards, but the night had been profitable in JC’s opinion. He had spoken his mind to not only the show that had sold them out, but also to the fans that were getting out of hand with their obsession with him. Looking over at her as they rode back to the hotel, he smiled slightly. Looking at this woman that he had met three short years ago, he realized one very important thing. He loved her…and that was all that mattered.

Why did everyone hate that he had managed to find what he had been searching his whole life to find? Shaking his head, he pulled her dozing form closer to his side. He didn’t care. This was perfection, this was his destiny; if he didn’t have the music, then at least he had her.

He turned his head and looked at the faces of his friends, his brothers, his bandmates. They too had been shocked by his harsh words toward their fans. They too had wondered what would come of his spoken opinions. He smiled slightly to them and cleared his throat. “Guys, I just want to tell you that if anything happens because of this, then I’m sor-"

Justin held his hand up to silence his friend as his eyes strayed to Abby’s peaceful face. “If it had been one of us going through this, we would have wanted to do the same thing, although I don’t know if any of us would have had the balls to do it. Don’t worry about it, Jace. You did what you had to do, and we admire that.”

JC’s eyebrows furrowed. “You all feel that way? Are you sure?” he asked, looking from face to face.

They all nodded their heads and he looked down at her again. “Then I don’t regret it at all. I couldn’t stand the pain I saw in her eyes as she read what they said about her and our boys.” He brushed her hair out of her face and smiled as she leaned toward his touch. “This is…everything.”

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