...With You

Chapter 25


Madison followed Justin into the empty hotel room. The rest of the guys had gone out to party, also to give the two of them the chance they needed to talk to their parents.
“Are you going to talk to me?” Madison asked angrily.
Justin turned around and glared at Madison.
“I’m just wondering why we’re here and our parents aren’t” he yelled.
A few minutes before Madison had said goodnight to both sets of parents and went off to the room she was sharing with Justin and the guys.
“Justin, I’m just not ready” she explained.
“Madd, we’re never going to be ready!” he yelled.
“Ya know what Justin, don’t yell at me, alright!” she yelled back.
“Madd, we have to tell them….” His words drifted off.
She looked down to the floor. “I know Justin. You just have no clue how hard this is.” She said.
“Really? I don’t? I thought we were in this together?” he said angrily.
“Of course we are Justin, but lets face the fact that no matter what happens, my life is going to change regardless.” She said.
“And mine’s not? Madison what are you trying to say here?” he asked.
“Justin, I saw you up there tonight and realized that I can not compete with your career.” She answered.
“Why do you feel that you have to, Madd?” he asked, calmer now.
“I can’t help but think that it might be better for you without…” she started.
“Don’t finish that Madison” he said placing a finger over her lips. “Baby, there is never going to come a time that I would be better off without you.” He said softly. Their lips met softly in a slow, lingering kiss only interrupted by a knock on the door. Madison broke away from Justin’s embrace to answer the door.
“JC?!” she said, taking a step back.
Justin joined her at the door and saw JC standing there.
“What’s up man? Why’d you knock?” he asked.
“I forgot my key” JC smiled “Sorry guys.”
“That’s alright” Madison smiled back. “We were just leaving to talk to our parents.”
“We were?” Justin asked, surprised.
Madison turned around and faced him. “Well, if you’re ok with it?” she asked.
“Of course” Justin answered.
“Sounds fun” JC laughed over his shoulder as he walked back out to the elevator, this time his key in his hand.

**~*~*~*~**

Madison, Justin, Sara, Shaun, Lynn and Paul sat in the sitting area of the guys’ suite. They had been talking collectively for the past hour and Madison knew that if there was any right time to break the news, this was it
“Madison, you’re quiet tonight…” Lynn said, worried.
Madison smiled, but Justin spoke before she could answer.
“Madison’s had a lot on her mind lately” he said smiling, putting his hand on her knee.
“Madison? Anything wrong sweetie?” Sara asked, concerned for her daughter.
Madison looked from Justin to their parents. “No, nothing is wrong. But there has been something that has been on my mind this past week.” She smiled. “I found out last week that Justin and I are expecting a baby in June.” She rushed through the last sentence in fear that she’d chicken out. She looked and their parents who just sat there not saying a word. She glanced over at Justin in hope of a little help.
“Mom?” Justin broke the silence. “What are you thinking?”
“Honestly… Wow… That’s about it…” she answered.
“Mom? Dad?” Madison said quietly.
“I think Lynn said it best…. Wow” Sara said.
Justin saw the look on Madison’s face and knew that their reactions weren’t what she hoped.
“Madison and I have talked about this and we’re extremely excited. Although unplanned, we love each other and want this baby.” He put out onto the floor.
The four elders looked at their kids and knew that they were in for a wild ride. The fact that they were in love made things easier. Lynn was the first to smile.
“Well. Then I guess congratulations are in order.” She said.
“Yes they are” Sara said, standing up.
Lynn embraced Madison as Sara embraced Justin. The rest followed in their footsteps. Madison hugged her mother and started to cry. “Madison, sweetie, don’t cry.” Sara smiled.
“I’m just glad it’s out in the open” she said.
Lynn turned from Justin and faced Madison and asked no one in particular “Who knows?”
“The guys know” Justin interjected.
“And Carson and Tara” Madison finished.
“Well, I guess that’s all that really needs to” Sara smiled. “For now at least.”
Madison smiled over at Justin. She regretted fighting with him earlier, and over such a stupid insecurity that she should’ve suppressed. After what seemed like an eternity of talking and hugging, their parents left to get some sleep before they had to leave for the next city leaving Justin and Madison alone in the room. They sat on the couch wrapped in each others arms, which is how JC and the rest of the guys found them awhile later.

**~*~*~*~**

Sara Wilkes held her daughter close.
“Are you sure you won’t come home with us?” she asked.
“Yeah, I’m sure Mom. I’m wanna spend some time with Justin before I got back to work.” She smiled.
Sara stepped towards Justin and hugged him.
“You take care of my little girl, ok?” she smiled.
“Of course I will, Mrs. Wilkes” Justin smiled.
“Oh, what’s with this ‘Mrs.’ stuff? Call me Sara.” She said.
Madison and Justin waited until her parents were airborne before they left the airport.
“It was a good week” Justin smiled, kissing Madison on the cheek.
“Yeah, it was” Madison smiled “I don’t believe it’s Friday already.”
“I know. I’m glad you decided to stay the weekend.” He said, pulling her close.
“Me too” Madison smiled back at him before pushing her lips to his. Her face fell into what looked like disappointment. Justin noticed her change and had a feeling about what she was concerned about.
“Baby, we’re going to be ok. This… ‘us’… it’s what I want and everything will work. I promise.” Justin said.
“Justin, I love you, you know that. But don’t promise what you can’t control. This? Us? We’re great, but when the public gets wind of this, it’ll be blown to bits, and you know that.” She answered
“I know. But if we come out with it right away things that aren’t true won’t go around.” He suggested.
“You’d do that?” she asked.
“Madison, I’d do anything for our family. Anything.”

**~*~*~*~**

New York, One Month Later: November

“I feel so out of place guys” Tara smiled over to Carson.
“Oh Tara, would you stop. You know you’re welcome here anytime” Madison smiled at the two of them. “Besides your practically family now.”
Tara leaned over and kissed Carson on the cheek and Madison looked on smiling. She was so glad her best friend had found someone that could make him feel the way every person deserved to feel. She was the love of his life and now his fiancée.
“Dinner was great Madison” Carson smiled at her from the couch.
“Thank you.” Madison said, sitting down in the chair and flipping on the televison.

On TV News…

“In other entertainment news, pop sensations *Nsync were pulled from their hectic schedules for a press conference earlier today. ‘Shocking’ doesn’t begin to described this coverage….Take a look.”

“Well I’m feeling a bit of déjà vu.” Carson said, looking over at Madison.
“Yeah, me too. Luckily for me, I think Justin learned from JC’s mistake so it won’t have anything to do with me.” she said to the two of them.
They turned their attention back to the TV.


“Justin, you have been linked to several women in the past. Any special someone in your life right now?” asked a reporter.
Justin cleared his thought to spoke directly into the microphone. “Yes. Yes there is someone very special in my life… my girlfriend.” He answered.
Reporters shouted questions through the air wanting to know every detail they could. “Justin! Can you give us a name? Can you tell us anything about her? How long have you been together?” they yelled.
Justin chuckled a little at the eagerness to know anything and everything they could. “Yes, I am involved with a wonderful woman named Madison and I love her very much. Also, um… I’d like to get it out in the open….”
Justin paused for a brief second, looking at the rest of the group sitting at the long table. Justin looked from them and back to the press core, all waiting for him to finish what he was saying.
“….I’d like to say that Madison and I are expecting a child in early June.”
A loud gasp was heard through-out the room and then the questions kept rolling in.
“Justin – what does this mean for the group?” shouted one reporter.
“Nothing is different where the group is concerned. Madison and I are separate from the group but be sure that nothing is different with *Nsync on the business end.” Justin answered.
“JC – you were linked to a girl named Madison earlier this year, Carson Daly’s neighbor I believe. Is this the same girl?” a reporter questioned.
JC made an uncomfortable movement in his chair. The last time he lied about Madison in a press conference, he’d lost her. He chose his words carefully.
“Madison and I… Madison is a friend of all of ours.” He paused and looked at Justin, smiling. “Of course some of us are closer to her than others.”
The reporters nodded and scratched notes down on their pads. Finally, the last question warning was sounded.
“Justin – why now? Why did you decided to come out with this news?”
Justin thought for only a second for answering.
“I love Madison very much, and I don’t want to have to keep that a secret. Being with her and being there for our family are two things that I don’t want to hide…now or ever. How we met and when we got together don’t matter. It’s the fact the we’re in love, and that’s why we’re together.”

“Wow” Carson said, still in shock.
Madison just looked at the TV, still shocked by what she had just seen.
“I don’t believe he actually did that that” Madison said.
“Madd, this is a good thing ya know.” Carson walked over to her.
“Carson this is the best thing that could’ve happened!” she smiled.
Carson breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing Madison upset was not anything close to what he wanted.

**~*~*~*~**

“Well, there it is.” Justin said, flicking off the TV.
JC sat next to him. Even he was a little shocked by what had gone down earlier that day.
“You think you did the right thing?” JC asked.
“You don’t?” Justin asked back.
“I didn’t say that, Justin!” JC exclaimed.
“Yeah, well, you’ve hardly said anything since the press conference this morning. What’s your problem?” Justin asked.
JC’s eyes widened. “What my problem? Are you serious? You’re having a baby with my ex-girlfriend, and you’re asking me what my problem is?” he shouted.
“Ex-girlfriend JC. She’s your ex-girlfriend, remember? As far as the world knows you were just friends. That’s what you told them.” Justin said sternly.
“Yeah, that was my first mistake. Then I let her get away.” He answered.
“Ya know what JC? I’m so sick of hearing your ‘pity me’ speech. I know you loved her, but it’s over. You want someone to blame for that and I know you blame me, but it was you. You’re the one who didn’t tell the truth about the two of you and that doesn’t involve me at all. You were broken up for months before we started seeing each other – so it wasn’t me that broke the two of you up, you did that all on you own.” Justin yelled.
“Well thanks for clearing that up for me buddy. Cause, ya know, I wasn’t feeling like shit about it already!” JC yelled back.
“You act like I set out to hurt you! I didn’t plan to fall in love with her and I certainly didn’t plan on being a daddy, but it’s real. This is happening and no matter what you would like to believe, I can’t stop it. I know you don’t want to hear this but I love Madison. I have never loved anyone more than I love her. And I’m excited for this baby. True – we didn’t plan this, but that doesn’t make it a mistake. That does for Madison and I and this baby.” Justin said, angry at first but then calming down.
JC lowered his head.
“I know. And I know you didn’t set out to hurt me Justin, but you did. Two of the most important people in my life hurt me deeper than anyone else ever has.” He said.
“I don’t know what else to say, JC. We have to find some way to deal with this, because this is not going to go away. Madd and I are together, the public now knows -- I can’t keep walking on needles around you. You’re one of the most important people in my life, I hate to see you hurt. I hate to think that you’ll constantly be mad at me. But Madison and this baby are too important to me to give up.” Justin said softly.
“J -- I wouldn’t want you to give either of them up. It’s taken me awhile to realize, but I know that Madison is happy and that alone is gratification enough. But you had to understand that I’m always gonna love her, probably more than the other guys do.” JC said.
“I realize that, and it’s only natural for you to feel that way. I just wanna be sure that we, you and I, are ok. Because that’s another thing in my life that’s too important to let go.”
JC look shocked at first, but then realized that he knew this was true all along. They two men shook hands and hugged sealing their understanding.

**~*~*~*~**

Justin dialed Madison’s number and waited for her voice to come over the line.
“Hello?” she answered.
“Hey baby.” Justin smiled, over the phone.
“Hey yourself” Madison answered. “How are ya?”
“That was going to be my question…” he said.
“Well, I’m fine, thank you” she answered.
The two parents-to-be talked for hours. Their days seemed long without each other, but for now they’d have to settle with hours of good conversation.


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