Better Than Love

By Mel

JC peered his eyes open as the sun crept through the windows, preventing him from returning to a peaceful slumber. He burrowed further under the thick comforter and even closer to the heat that radiated beside him. He smiled as he often did upon waking up and finding her sleeping peacefully beside him. His wife, his other half. Bringing his chin to rest on her shoulder, he tightened his hold around her waist and kissed the skin just below her ear, smiling as she shivered and leaned back into his touch.

"Morning baby." he called.

"Mmm. Already?"

He smiled, remembering the days it would be himself begging to sleep in or itching for a nap at the most random times through out the day.

He pulled back a little as she rolled over, now facing him. "You can sleep in if you want. I can handle things."

She smiled gratefully, bringing a hand up and cupping his face. "You don't have to Jace. You've got that phone interview later."

He turned in her grasp, kissing her palm softly. "I can push it back if you want to sleep in honey. Just say the words."

"Oh, look who's Mr. Tempting this morning."

He winked before coming down just above her lips. "Can I tempt you to stay in bed for other reasons?"

She giggled. "Perhaps."

He took his time, kissing up her neck, below her ear, watching her shiver before he stopped at her lips once again. "That doesn't sound too convincing, honey."

"The time. I'm just worried about what time it is. I don't want to start something we can't finish." She looked disappointed.

Glancing at the bedside clock, he turned back to his wife. "Judging by the last few nights, we've got a least forty-five minutes."

"Oh yeah? That's plenty of time, isn't it?"

JC grinned, his hands coming up under the t-shirt she slept in, caressing her skin. "Only if we start now."

Her hands followed suit, tracing the dips and curves of his back muscles before slowly inching up to feel the bare skin. "No complains here."

Groaning, he quickly removed her shirt before coming back down to her skin. "Less talking, more kissing."

She giggled, her hands coming to a halt, as he pulled away discouraged. "Katie, please."

Her face released all humor, looking nothing but serious. "I'm trying to."

"Then what's so funny?" He pleaded.

She looked up at him, suddenly feeling guilty. "I don't know. I just woke up in a good mood. I'm serious now though. Promise."

He dropped his head, disappointed as he rolled off of her. "You want to play. I get it."

"Joshua, no. That's not it. I don't know. I just-- come back here."

"It's fine, Kate. We don't have to make love."

She scoffed, not taking no for an answer and taking matters in to her own hands. Quickly rolling over, she maneuvered herself so that she was straddling his waist. "No. We're going to."

He looked up at her, surprised but equally amused. "Okay.. but--."

His words were stopped as she leaned down, taking his lips with her own as he arched up against her. His hands returned their position, caressing her skin as she quickly discarded his shirt. JC groaned into the kiss as her hands came down to his boxers, brushing over his sensitive flesh. She was going right for the kill.

"Katie, please baby."

"I'm trying to." She panted between sucking at the skin of his neck.

"If you just-- ugh, babe." He decided to speed up the process, rolling her on her back once again as he came over her again. "Let's get this show on the road." He grinned as he reached down to remove her panties.

He leaned down, moaning as skin met skin, and just took a second to savor the feeling. Green eyes met sky blue, as they just stared for a second, drinking in the moment.

"I love you." She whispered.

JC smiled back. "I love you too."

They took their time, getting back into the kiss, taking it slow, hands meeting skin, caressing, feeling, familiarizing. Just as Katie was about to kick off his boxers, a soft cry was heard from the baby monitor that stood on top of their dresser.

Their foreheads came together, their lips parting as sounds of disappointment came before laughter replaced it. "Go freaking figure."

Katie sat up, watching as JC had rolled on his back, hands covering his face. "I'm sorry, baby."

He looked up at her. "It's fine. I'll go get her and start breakfast. You go and shower."

Katie leaned down and kissed him quickly. "You're the best. And just think, if she's up this early, she'll take a long nap today." She said quickly before winking and leaving the bed.

***
Twenty minutes later, Katie emerged freshly showered and ready to start the day. She crept through the house, following the sounds of their fifteen month old daughters laughter. She walked into her bedroom, her heart instantly warming as she saw JC blow raspberries on the baby's stomach as she giggled loudly.

Katie walked up, standing beside JC as his arms instantly wrapped around her shoulders pulling her close, and smiling back at her bigger than ever. "Hey mama." There was that wink again. Katie mentally cursed herself as another shiver ran through her body. Later, she told herself. Later.

"Hey papi." She giggled.

JC shook his head laughing, as he went back to buttoning their daughters outfit. "You've gotta stop that. I'm not going to like it when my own daughter starts calling me Papi."

Katie giggled, holding her arms out as JC moved the baby into her mothers embrace. "She won't do that. You'll always be 'Da Dee' to her. Isn't that right, Claire bear?

The child smiled brightly, clapping her hands to some unknown excitement as her soft brown curls bounces along her head.

JC smiled, starting intently at his wife and child. It still boggled his mind that he had a family. "I started the coffee and theirs Cinnamon rolls in the oven."

Katie smiled up at him before kissing him in thanks. "You're amazing. What times you're interview?"

He looked at his watched. "About fifteen minutes. It's just going to be a waste of my time anyways. Who knows what kind of stupid questions they'll come up with this time."

Laughing, mother and daughter walked out of the child's bedroom and towards the kitchen as JC followed suit. "Be happy you're loved."

Shaking his head, JC pulled down a coffee mug and filled it while Katie sat their daughter in her highchair. "I'm loved enough here, thank you very much and plenty happy about it."

She accepted the mug gratefully, taking a seat at the kitchen table. "True story."

JC took a quick sip before placing a kiss on his wife's forehead. "I'll be back. Shouldn't take too long."

"Okay. We'll be here."

Smiling, he took the few steps over to the high chair, ruffling his daughters light brown curls before placing a kiss on her cheek. "Be good for Mommy, Claire bear. Daddy will be back."

The child smiled, batting her eye lashes as she often did just for her father and continued back to eating the cheerios that had been sat in front of her.

***

JC carried his sleeping daughter to her crib and laid her down carefully before covering her with her favorite blanket. It still boggled his mind that he was a father. Hell, it still boggled his mind that he was married and had been for the last four years and a half years. He had put that past behind him and moved on with life, keeping the memories but loving the present. He leaned down, cautiously placing a kiss on his daughters forehead before stepping away quietly.

Entering the living room, he smiled seeing his beautiful wife curled up on the couch, waiting for him. "She out?"

"Like a light." JC smiled.

"Like father like daughter."

"Ha ha. I don't sleep like that anymore."

Katie laughed, opening her arms for him to curl up against her. "You have your moments. What did you want to watch?"

"Doesn't matter to me, babe." He said as she flipped through the channels.

Katie stopped seeing her husbands face flash on the screen.

"JC Chasez says their will never be an 'Nsync reunion. Stay tuned for the exclusive interview."

JC scoffed. "Yeah, some phone interview, eh?"

Katie looked at her husband wide eyed. "That's all they asked you?"

Rolling his eyes, he nodded. "Yeah, pretty much. Same shit, different day."

"JC responds to a possible future 'Nsync album saying 'We already did that, and it was fun but we're done with it.' When asked if he still keeps in contact with the guys, his response was 'I keep in touch with all of them.' MTV would like to know what the other band mates have to say to this."

Katie looked up. "Seriously?"

JC just shook his head. "Seriously."

"You should have told them about Justin being here last week playing dress up with Claire."

Laughing, he held her tighter. "Trust me, if it didn't put you all out there, I totally would have. I've got the pictures of Justin to prove it."

Katie joined in his laughter, remember just how priceless it was to walk in on Justin with their daughter, dressed in a pink feather boa princess crown, holding a sparkly purse. "Bet that would give them something to talk about."

"I'll say." JC agreed.

Katie was hesitant for a second as silence took over. "Do you miss it?"

He pulled her close to him so she was practically on his lap. His hands came to her face softly, brushing her hair from her eyes. "No baby. I don't miss it. As much as I loved it, it was a part of my life that's said and done. I'm liking my 'now' just fine and my future even more."

She smiled up at him. "You sure? You used to love to make music."

"I make it. It's just more for the sake of making it than having my name tacked all over it. I do it because I love music, not to be recognized for it."

"And naming your almost album 'Kate' was just for the sake of making music?"

JC laughed. "Yeah, well whatever little way I could mention my inspiration without directly saying it was better than nothing."

Katie laughed. "I haven't heard you sing in a while. I kind of miss it."

Bringing his face close to hers, JC smiled softly. "I can sing for you anytime you like, baby. Just ask."

Katie laughed. "Is that what Claire does to get you to sing to her?"

Grinning, JC shook his head. "No. Claire brings it out of me naturally. Theres moments when I'm holding her, singing to her that it still hits me like a ton of bricks. I still cannot believe I'm a father. Almost a year and a half later and I'm still in awe. I think of where my life would be right now if I went ahead with my solo career and didn't do the dance show and movies and I'm so happy where I am right now. I have the most gorgeous wife, whom I love just as much as the day I met her, the most gorgeous daughter who's a spitting image of her mother. I couldn't ask for anything more. I'm settled now. More grounded."

Katie smiled brightly, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Wow. I think I just fell in love with you again."

Leaning forward, JC kissed her, letting his lips linger. "I think I fall in love with you every day I see you with our daughter."

"She's a part of us. I see so much of you in her."

He pulled back again so he could look at her directly. "Does it bother you Katie? That the world doesn't know about you two?"

Her hand reached for his, lacing their fingers together. "No it doesn't. As selfish as it may seem, you've giving us a life we could never have if the world knew. Because of this, Claire can go to school and won't need a body guard and I won't end up in a tabloid if I go out to buy tampons. I know you love us."

JC laughed. "Instead you just let the tabloids believe that I use tampons and send me out to get them for you."

"Ha, yes. I want the world to know you're a freak."

He stuck his tongue out at her playfully. "I'm glad you know I love you guys, though. More than life itself. I'm happy where my life is right now. Really happy." He said pulling her tighter.

"Good. That's where I want you to be." Turning in his lap, she sat up, bringing her legs to sit astride his. "Joshua?"

"What Katie?" he asked, leaning down, burring his face in her neck, breathing her in.

"Will you sing for me?"

He grinned, standing up and pulling her along with him. She finally discovered they were headed downstairs in the direction his home studio and took the seat he offered next to him as he sat down at the baby grand piano. "Okay, so I've been working on this for a little while now. And if what I told you earlier didn't convince you, I hope this does."

Katie sat patiently, waiting with eager ears as she watched JC's long fingers move effortlessly over the white keys before he began to sing, her skin instantly shivering like it always did.

"I woke up in this moment, to everything undone. I wasn't waiting for anything, but still hear you come. You're better than love, you're all that I need, when I close my eyes, you are all that I see, your under my skin, you run through my blood. You know your better than, you know you're better than love...."

He continued to sing, his voice never missing one beat, never falling out of pitch, as he continued to bring her to tears. Katie sat still, not able to move as he went on. Her hands remained in her lap, listening intently as he sang, using words that she could never fathom putting into a song. Finally, his voice dropped barely above a whisper as he sang the end of the song, his eyes burning deep into hers. "You know you're better than me, that's what I've learned, from all of the places and the pages I've turned. I'm trying to say, the words aren't enough. Oh, you know you're better than, you know your better than love."

His hands lingered on the keys for a moment before his fingertips were brushing Katie's cheeks, wiping away the tears she had no idea she had shed.

"Good tears?"

She blinked, once, twice, before her arms wrapped his neck, hugging his body tightly against hers. "I just fell in love with you again.Twice in one night."

JC winked. "Wow. All it took was a song?"

Pulling back, she leaned her forehead against his. "I feel a little selfish that I'm the only one that gets the hear this."

Shrugging, he ran his hands up in down her back, softly soothing her. "It's the way it's gotta be babe. I save the best for my best." He winked.

"So Kate's never coming out of the vault?"

"For now, no. Kate's staying right here with me, as my love slave."

She laughed, bringing herself up so she was now sitting on her knees, body meshed against his. "Oh, count me in!"

JC winked. "Don't we have some long overdue alone time to spend together?"

Katie grinned, hanging on to him as he stood, climbing the stairs. "I think so."

"Good." He said as he playfully swatted her butt.

"You know you can sing that song to me anytime you feel like."

JC laughed. "I'll keep that in mind, baby. I'm glad you liked it."

Katie scoffed. "Like is a pretty lame usage of words."

He shook his head, amused. "It was all their in your eyes. I know you loved it."

"I did. I more that loved it."

When they finally made it to the bedroom, JC brought her to her feet in front of the large king sized bed, pulling back the bedding. He turned, shortly there after and brought his wife against him, linking his hands at the small of her back.

"Better than love?"

She smiled, bringing her lips to his, kissing him with everything inside of her, making up for the words she couldn't say like he did in a song. "Way better."