****

Hearing the shrill ringing of the telephone, Lance groaned and opened one eye to look at the time. “Seven o’clock?” he muttered, obviously annoyed at being woken up so early on the day of the awards. He had planned to sleep in as late as he could, knowing from experience that the night would be a long one. Reaching over his still sleeping wife, he managed to grasp the phone and pull it off of the receiver, holding it up to his ear as he yawned sleepily into it. “Hello?”

“Lance?” Joey’s voice carried over the phone line, sounding very much awake in contrast to his friend’s.

“Do you know what time it is?”

Joey laughed. “Yeah, actually I do. It’s time for you to do me a favor…I’ve been doing some thinking and I need your help to pull it off.”

“My help?”

“Well you’d be sort of indirectly involved. I need you to make a call to one of your contacts for me about the show tonight…” he began.

“For what?” Lance interrupted.

“I’m getting to that if you’d stop asking so many questions.” the young man laughed slightly.

Lance lay back on his pillow, propping the phone up as he got comfortable. “Alright, go ahead, I’m listening.” he stated with a yawn as Joey began to tell him his plan.

After about ten minutes of explanation and some questions about details that Lance knew his contact would want to be informed of, the two men hung up the line. Setting the phone back on the receiver, Lance got up out of bed and padded barefoot over to the make-shift office he’d managed to set up on the table within the bedroom area of the suite. Turning on his cell phone, he flipped through the numbers within it’s memory before finally settling on Van Richardson, the head of MTV studios. Lance was a businessman, and he knew if you wanted things to get done then you went straight to the source of the power. He was confident as he listened to the line ring that the call to Van would ensure Joey’s idea being implemented at the awards without a hitch.

****

As the limousine weaved it’s way through the traffic surrounding the Radio City Music Hall, the conversation among the passengers was lively and animated. Everyone was anxiously awaiting N Sync’s reunion performance, as well as eager to see if JC would walk away with any solo awards. He was up for not only Best Male Video but also the Viewer’s Choice award, which was almost more exciting to win merely due to the fact that it was voted on purely by the fans. All of the guys seemed to be a tightly wound bundle of nervous energy, therefore making them a little more talkative then normal. Even Joey, who had been sad and withdrawn just the day before was laughing and talking with everyone else, despite the fact that Rachel was not accompanying him to the awards.

Justin sat on the long side seat within the vehicle, next to his very youthful looking wife. Zachary’s babysitter had came by early that day, giving Jordan extra time to get ready. She was clad in a black one shouldered tank, a wide red ribbon tied in a knot at the top of the strap, allowing the remaining ribbon to brush against her tan skin. The low jeans she wore displayed her still flat stomach as she took advantage of the brief time she would have to flaunt her figure before the baby would begin to show. Her dark hair tumbled out of a clip that caught the upper half of her hair behind her head loosely. Smiling at her husband, she laced her fingers with his as he spoke to the couple that sat on the smaller forward facing seat next to them.

“So you two are…together now?” he asked, his eyes fixed on April and JC as he motioned towards them.

“Yes.” April smiled, her blonde hair cascading in curls down the bare back that her trendy halter dress provided. She turned to JC and he grinned back at her, his eyes sparkling in the setting New York sunset that filtered in through the slightly open window next to them.

“So you’re not having a baby then?” he asked completely poker faced as he waited expectantly for their answer.

JC looked shocked momentarily before speaking, “How’s she supposed to know? It’s only been an hour…well…since…” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively as everyone laughed in response.

April giggled as she shook her head. “No, I’m not having a baby Justin.”

Justin beamed as he reached over and placed a strong hand on his wife’s exposed stomach. “Well I am!” he said proudly, then frowned slightly. “I mean…she is!” he corrected, causing everyone to laugh.

Mo snorted slightly as April spoke gently to the curly haired man. “That’s not exactly ground breaking news there J, we already knew.”

Justin looked to Jordan, who nodded guiltily. He removed his hand from her stomach and crossed his arms, “So I wasn’t the first to know? That’s just plain wrong.” he stated, laughter evident in his voice as he struggled to keep a straight face.

“Well, I tried to tell you.” Jordan pointed out.

“If it helps, it was news to me.” Joey offered.

“Me too.” Chris added. “Although I should have known, she’s been really bitchy lately…and whiny…” he teased, trailing off as Jordan shot him a threatening glance. “See! There she goes again!”

“I didn’t know until now either, congratulations man.” Lance interjected, clapping a strong hand down on his friend’s shoulder.

Everyone then looked to JC, who just shrugged and gestured towards April. “I've known since like last week.” he explained.

“Well, whatever…I’m gonna be a dad again, which makes me cooler than all of you.”

“Why? Because you’ll have another little mini me running around?” Chris asked. “You didn’t need to reproduce to have that, you could have just invited Trace to live at your house full time.” he quipped as the limo pulled up to the venue and the roar of the crowd outside was deafening, putting an abrupt end to the conversation in the vehicle as they prepared to face the press.

****

“Rachel! Rachel!”

“Over here!”

“Where’s Joey tonight?”

“Look this way, Rachel!”

The press line demanded for the blonde to give them her undivided attention as voices called to her from every direction. She could barely make out the instructions and questions they were shouting at her, due to the fact that they all spoke at once and it became a loud roar much like crashing waves after awhile. Finally she just gave up trying to listen and directed her attention to various sections every few minutes, trying to answer questions as she made them out. The most common one of the evening was people wanting to know where her beau of the past six years was that evening, and why they weren’t doing the red carpet press together.

She always smiled, though her heart ached at the mention of Joey, and said simply. “He’s arriving with the rest of N Sync tonight.”

Sometimes though, that answer wasn’t enough and they prodded at her for more information. If that occurred, she would just shoot her handlers a look and they would move her onward as she waved politely to the rabid reporters. Finally, after spending a good half hour to forty five minutes making her way to the entrance via the red carpet, Rachel entered the auditorium where she mingled briefly before taking her seat near the front of the stage. She finally found her seat marked “Rachel Bishop” in the second row, near the aisle. She had been placed between fellow VJ Carson Daly and her former Eternity group mate Ashlee, who was now a solo artist.

Taking her seat, she smiled politely and waved at a few other artists seated nearby before settling into her chair and waiting for the show to begin.

****

The show started five minutes late but the fans seated in the audience didn’t seem to mind much, clapping and whistling appreciatively at the opening number. Over the next couple hours, various performers, presenters, and nominees graced the extravagant stage setup, and as usual there were a few unexpected surprises. It was MTV after all, and they expect things to get a little crazier than they would at a more prestigious award show. Finally, several moon men and half a show later, Rachel noticed the men of N Sync leaving their seats to head backstage. As they disappeared on the right side, the blonde woman rose from her seat and made her way to the left, where she was quickly ushered backstage in preparation for the presentation she and the guys would be making momentarily.

Waiting patiently for her cue to approach the platform, Rachel stood in the wings, moving forward only as the host ended his comedic banter about the previous performer and began his introductions.

“Please welcome MTV VJ and former Eternity member Rachel Bishop, and the men that taught us the meaning of Dirty Pop…N Sync!” the host, lit up onstage by a glaring spotlight, introduced enthusiastically.

Rachel stepped out from the left side of the stage into the now brightly colored lighting. Walking with confidence and a mega watt smile gracing her golden features, she made her way to the glass podium. She reached the microphone at the same time as the five men who would be presenting the next segment with her.

Looking into the sea of familiar faces and the anonymity of the darkness towards the back of the vast Radio City Music Hall, her eyes searched for the glowing teleprompter. Spotting the black screen with the white text scrolling, she grinned and waited a moment for the music and the applause to die down before she began.

“In 1993, five men from Orlando joined together, united in their dreams and youthful ambitions.” she started. “After a lot of hard work, they traveled overseas in the hopes they could break into the growing Euro-pop market. Gaining admiration and a large following, these five men returned to the States, and with a bit of time, fueled the explosion of pop music once more.”

Justin leaned in to speak into the microphone as he continued reading the prompter. “The five men we speak of are Brian, Nick, Kevin, Howie, and AJ. You may know them as…the Backstreet Boys.” he then stepped back slightly as he gestured with his hand toward a large video screen behind them. Wild screams and applause erupted from the fan seating as clips of the BSB’s early days scattered across the screen.

JC moved forward as the last short clip faded from the screen. “The floodgates had been opened and the market was ripe with ambitious youth and raw talent. As the Backstreet Boys reveled in their newfound acceptance in the U.S., another group waited patiently in the wings.” he stated, causing a few whispered giggles to escape from the fans as Lance began.

“These five men followed a similar path, paying their dues in pop saturated Europe, and hoping for a similar fate back home.” he drawled. “The chance came in the form of a Disney special, and the five were immediately catapulted into heartthrob status.” he grinned, allowing Rachel back in front of the microphone.

“Justin, Chris, Joey, Lance, and JC…” she began, gesturing around as she spoke of the men beside her onstage. “…became the names teen girls swooned and screamed over. They were known more collectively as…N Sync.”

On the screen behind them, MTV’s early footage of N Sync on TRL and various video clips flickered across the screen.

As the footage ended and shouts from the fans diminished, Chris continued with the speech. “Thus a rivalry was born, and the pop world erupted…releasing several boy bands, girl groups, and pop divas…many under the age of 21. Youth controlled the airwaves, topping the charts, dominating advertising, and breaking record sales, proving to cynics that pop wasn’t just a passing trend.”

Finally, Joey moved forward and spoke, a wide grin gracing his features. “The Backstreet Boys, Britney, N Sync, Eternity, and Christina were all overnight sensations that people expected to fizzle out just as quickly as they appeared.” he paused, then continued. “The performers proved them wrong, surviving scandal, rumor, rivalry, and doubt. However, as we all are aware, nothing lasts forever. The parting of these pop icons was unexpected, and in some cases, heartbreaking for the fans.”

The video screen flashed MTV news clips of distraught BSB, N Sync, and Eternity fans after they each, in time, had announced their disbanding.

Rachel brushed back a strand of her long blonde hair as she spoke once more. “The music world is constantly evolving, as are the talented individuals who provide their voices for these hit songs.”

“However, the fact remains…” Lance began, allowing Chris back in towards the microphone.

“…that the music holds special memories for each of us, whether it be through lyric or melody.” Chris added.

“Music is the tie that binds together our past…” JC stated calmly.

“Our present…” Justin interjected with a grin.

“And our future.” Joey finished as the stage lights dimmed dramatically and the elaborate screen displayed an image once more.

The video dipped into the past as a montage of popular singles released by BSB, N Sync, Christina, Britney, and Eternity drifted across the enormous screen. Rachel, along with the guys of N Sync, turned to watch with the rest of the audience, her mind wandering through her own memories as they connected with the familiar songs.

After watching short clips from such songs as “I Want You Back”, “Quit Playin’ Games”, “Genie In A Bottle”, “Baby One More Time”, and Eternity’s own “Cold Shoulder”, Rachel shifted her weight impatiently. Remembering the run through rehearsal from earlier that day, she vaguely recalled that each group or performer had two songs in the montage. Flipping her long hair over her shoulder, she continued to stare up at the extravagant screen.

The audience sang along as the familiar tunes pumped through the speakers. After viewing “The Call”, “Dirty Pop”, “Oops I Did It Again”, and “Come On Over” clips, Rachel and N Sync made their way back towards the unoccupied podium. Eternity’s “Intensity” came to a close as Rachel stared expectantly into the pitch black audience. Her features showed her puzzled expression as the main stage lights remained dim and the strains of a slow ballad filtered through the air. Shooting Justin, who stood next to her, a confused glance, Rachel turned back to the screen only to see a dimly lit video streaming along as a third Backstreet Boys song began.

Even a lover makes a mistake sometimes
Like any other, fall out and lose his mind
And I’m sorry…for the things I did
For your teardrops, over words I said
Can you forgive me and open your heart once again…oh yeah

It’s true
I mean it
From the bottom of my heart
Yeah, it’s true
Without you I would fall apart

Focusing on the lyrics, Rachel listened as she continued to peer at the screen, utterly clueless to what was going on. Leaning over to Chris, she whispered quietly. “This wasn’t in the run through, do you know what’s going on?” she hissed, disappointed as Chris just merely shrugged a reply.

Turning back to the video, she shook her head, figuring it was some sort of technical difficulty. The crowd was whispering, also wondering what was going on as the song continued to play.

Whatever happened I know that I was wrong…oh yeah
Can you believe me, maybe your faith is gone…oh yes it is
But I love you, and I always will
So I wonder, if you want me still
Can you forgive me
And open your heart once again…oh yeah

It’s true
I mean it
From the bottom of my heart
Yeah, it’s true
Without you I would fall apart

I’d do anything to make it up to you
So please understand
And open your heart once again…

The chorus began filtering through the air once more as the footage onscreen changed and Rachel stared at it in disbelief. The stage she stood on had become bathed in a rosy light, and so had the video playing above her. Murmuring in confusion under her breath, she realized quickly that she was now being broadcast onscreen. She watched for only a moment, unsure of what was going on when she noticed Justin and the other three guys had left her side, leaving Joey bent on one knee beside her.

Raising a hand to her now open mouth, Rachel turned to Joey as the chorus swelled and then died down completely.

Joey smiled up at the blonde woman in front of him as she turned, her expression filled with shock. He spoke to her as he held a small velvet covered box in his outstretched hand. “Rachel. I love you and I don’t know what I would do without you in my life. Will you marry me?” he stated simply, hope evident in his masculine features and gentle eyes as he awaited her response.

Rachel’s baby blues shone as the tears that spilled down her cheeks sparkled like diamonds in the light. Not hesitating, she gave him her answer without a second thought.

****

It’s true
I mean it
From the bottom of my heart
Yeah…it’s true
Without you I would fall apart…

The music reached a crescendo and Rachel gazed lovingly into a pair of warm chocolate colored eyes. Her white gown flowed calmly around her legs as she danced, her bronzed arms resting casually around Joey’s neck.

Lifting a gentle hand to his face, Rachel grinned as the setting sun glinted off of the shimmering diamond adorning her left hand. Sighing contentedly, she shifted her gaze around the dance floor that was filled with her friends and family.

Her gaze landed first on Jordan and Justin, who swayed gently to the beat of the song, their bodies close. Rachel smiled as she watched them. Justin was speaking in hushed tones, causing her sister to toss her dark hair back in enticing laughter, the slight bulge beneath her pastel dress a growing reminder of their love.

Continuing on, she noticed April and JC dancing nearby, April’s head resting comfortably against the brunette’s tuxedo-clad shoulder. They both had their eyes closed in obvious contentment as they relished the moment.

Mo swept by with two men, Chris leading her around the dance floor and Zachary giggling wildly in her arms. The trio smiled and waved after a near collision with Lance and Meredith who had eased onto the dance floor, talking softly as they moved to the music.

Turning back to her husband Rachel leaned her head on his broad shoulder. Feeling his strong arms wrapping around her lovingly, she spoke. “I love you Joey Fatone.” she stated plainly, love shining in her bright blue eyes as she lifted her head to gaze into his sparkling brown ones.

Joey smiled and bent down slightly to place a warm kiss on Rachel’s mouth before pulling away to speak. “I love you…Rachel Fatone.” he returned blissfully.

And at those words, her heart leapt.

The End.

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