Part Three, Chapter 19: Home Sweet Home?

A week had gone by since JC and Leah had officially declared their relationship, JC was back to work with the guys, and Leah was prepared to go back home to Kentucky, to check up on her family. Leah packed reluctantly. She kept thinking about how off things were going to be, going back home without Nana being there. That was usually the most exciting thing about going back home, was to see Nana, and now she wasn't there anymore.

Leah moved around her master bedroom, packing in a timely fashion. With the plasma screen that was attached to the wall across from her king sized bed turned off, as well as her record player, the room was eerily silent. As a matter of fact the whole house was eerily silent. Leah stopped dead in her tracks, in front of her bed to take a look around the large bedroom. The blush colored carpets, and the white walls with a film strip border at the top and bottom. When Leah first found this apartment five years ago, she was so excited to move into such a big place. At eighteen years old, she was so happy to finally get away from her family, and be an independent woman- out in New York on her own. Like she always dreamed. Little did she know then, the true meaning of loneliness.

Taking in her 1940's Old Hollywood style bedroom, Leah was seriously growing tired of her apartment. She needed a change of scenery. She was tired of being alone in this big apartment all by herself. That was her biggest issue; Loneliness. When Leah was at the eating disorder treament center in Colorado a few years back, one of the psychologist told her that her fear of being lonely was the root of her eating disorder. No, not what the tabloids said, or what magazines wanted her on their covers, but the issues that she had with her family, and her feeling alone. It's not like she liked not being close to her family, and she definitely didn't hate them. In fact it hurt her more than ever that she wasn't close to them. She wished she had a close knit relationship with her family like how Lucky did, or JC did. Sometimes she wished that she could just talk to Jill about everything that she was going through, but she knew that her sister wouldn't understand.

She always wanted to have a good relationship with Jill. She always wanted so badly to be friends with her. She wanted her sister's love and acceptance. She's been through so much in the past few years, and she just wanted to spill her guts out to Jill, but she couldn't. They were just too different. The only thing that had brought them closer together was Nana's death. Jill had actually been nice to her. Leah hoped that now that the funeral was over, Jill wouldn't go back to being her old self again. Hopefully the sisters could form a strong bond this time around.

Snapping Leah from her thoughts, she heard her cell phone ring. It was JC. "Hey baby!" Leah answered.

JC smiled, he love to hear the sound of his girlfriend's voice in the morning, he only wished that she was laying beside him, instead of being an ocean apart. "Hi honey." JC said.

"How's Spain?" Leah asked.

"Beautiful, the only thing that's missing is you." JC said. Leah could feel herself smiling an incredibly cheesy smile. The kind of smile that you smile when you're in love.

"Awww baby, I wish I could be there." Leah replied.

"So, I'm calling for a reason." JC said. "The Grammys are next month."

"Yeah." Leah said, they were both nominated.

"And I have a proposition."

"Okay, shoot." Leah said.

"Why don't we go together." JC proposed.

"As in..."

"As a couple." JC said, finishing her sentence.

"Like for real?" Leah asked.

"Yeah, is that okay?"

"Of course it's okay! It's more than okay!" Leah exclaimed. So far, the public didn't know that JC and Leah were a couple. JC and Leah decided that they needed a little more time together, before the media got involved. JC, like Leah, was a very private person. He protected everything that was close to him, and wanted to make sure that his relationship with Leah was rock solid. With the Grammys being a month away, he figured that was just enough time for them to get adjusted. Usually he kept his relationships extremely private, but with them both being public figures, that would be a challenge, and besides, he loved Leah so much that he just wanted to scream at the top of his lungs that Leah was his, and that he loved her and didn't give a damn about what anyone had to say about it! JC figured that the Grammys would be the perfect place to publicly declare their relationship status.

"But that's only if you're ready." JC said, stretching his legs out on the couch. Joey came by, and knocked them off, sitting next to JC on the couch. JC then flicked Joey in the head.

Leah comtemplated in her head. Going public with JC meant twice the paparazzi constantly chasing them, their face would probably be on evey tabloid, and most likely there would be rumors that either one of them was cheating on each other. To be quite honest, her privacy was a lot to sacrifice, especially with JC. She wanted to be able to walk down the street with him hand-in-hand, or be able to kiss him, or go out on a date with him, without a slew of gungry, sleazy, photographers with six inch lenses constantly chasing them, and shouting- not asking- but shouting personal questions at them. But at the same time, she didn't want to feel as if she constantly had to sneak around with him, like a high school girl, sneaking a boy past her parents, and into her room. She didn't want to be asked about her relationship status by Rosie O'Donnell or Carson Daly, and have to lie and say she didn't have a boyfriend, and feel guilty about it. This was the first time that she had been happy in a long time. She was in love dammit! And she wanted the whole world to know about it! And the last thing she wanted was for their relationship to be "outed" by the media. When people found out about it, she wanted it to come from them, not from OK! or Star magazine.

"Leah, I know exactly how you're feeling." JC said, filling the silence. "I know it's not the easiest thing in the world to give up your privacy. And every time I step out with you, I don't want there to be a paparazzo yelling vulgar things at us. But whether we like it or not, we're are two prominent people, and their is going to be a lot of outsiders in our business. But I want announce our relationship, before someone else gets a chance to."

Leah knew that he was right. There was no way out of it. Whether they announced their relationship or not, they were going to attract alot of media attention. For so long things had come inbetween JC and Leah, keeping them apart, and now that they were finally together again, she did not want anything to come inbetween them ever again. She loved and cherished JC more than anything in the world, and she would do anything to protect their relationship. "I know, I know..." Leah sighed. "You're right, and I agree. I just don't want anything to come inbetween us again."

"Anything as in what? The paparazzi. Well, I'd like to think that our bond was a little more stronger, then to let a bunch of outsiders, who don't know a thing about us, break us up." JC replied. Leah smiled, he was absolutely right. They were stronger than that.

"Of course it is. I'm just..."

"Scared?" JC said, finishing her sentence. "Don't be. I'm in this too you know. You think I'm not freaking out about this over here?" JC asked.

"I guess I just never thought about it like that. JC, you just seem so cool, calm and collected at all times." Leah said.

"Not always." JC replied. "Which is why we should talk about things, 'cause you know, that's what a couple does. Talk. You need to tell me these things, Leah."

"Yeah I know babe." Leah replied, taking one of her sweatshirts, folding it up, and placing it in her second suitcase. She knew that what JC said was right, she was just use to handling problems by herself, and not with someone who truly cared for her. She'd have to get used to having a good boyfriend in her life. In a moment of feeling fearless, Leah let the words slip out of her mouth, before she could even think about what she was about to say. "You know, what? Let's do this!"

"You sure?" JC asked.

"Yes."

"Are you positive?"

"I'm positive, Jace, I wanna do this. I don't wanna hide 'us' anymore. I want everyone to know about it!"

A huge smile spread across JC's face when he finally heard the answer that he had been searching for. "You really mean this?"

"Yes." Leah said smiling. She wanted to do this. She needed to this.

"So... it's you and me hand in hand, walking the red carpet?" JC asked.

"That's the plan." Leah replied, sitting on top of her suitcase, trying to make sure that every item was packed tightly inside, so that she could zip it up. "Ugggh." She grunted, bouncing up and down on her suitcase.

"Just pack a third one." JC said knowingly.

"But... How did you... How did you know?" Leah asked, panting.

"Because, I know you. You can never just pack one suit case. I'm sure you have at least ten things you don't need." JC replied. Leah jumped off her suitcase, and off the bed, and popped it open. Okay... so maybe he was right. Maybe she did have more shoes than she needed. But it was so hard to pick just one pair.

"Oh whatever, you just don't know what's it's like being a girl." Leah teased.

"Yeah, and I'm glad!" JC said. "Manolos, Louboutins, Jimmy Choos oh my!" JC teased in a high pitched tone. Leah couldn't help but to laugh. It was funny.

"Fine. Less shoes it is." Leah surrendered. She looked at the six pairs of shoes, she had in her suitcase. She didn't need to bring her new sparkly Ferragamo pumps, and she didn't need her 'Spice Girls' platforms either. She decided to take those, and the Giuseppi Zanotti's out. Leah then folded the flap back over the suitcase and it easily zipped up. "See you can even solve the smallest of my problems just like that! Even when we're an ocean apart."

"That's what I'm here for." JC replied. "So, have a safe flight, and call me as soon as you land."

"Alright babe, I love you my sexy ass boyfriend."

"Love you too, my fine ass girlfriend ." JC teased back smiling.

"Bye."

"Bye." JC rang off.

"You are so fucking cheesy!" Joey exlaimed.

"Shut up." JC said, picking up a white couch pillow, and throwing it at Joey. It him dead in the face.

"Oooh! My fine ass girlfriend." Joey said, mocking JC. "I can't wait to tell the guys this!" Joey said, shoving a fistful of M&Ms into his mouth.

"Great, because I can't wait to tell them all about the conversation that you had with Kelly last night." JC threatened.

"You wouldn't." Joey said, narrowing his eyes.

"Oh yes I would! I love you too my little love bunny!" JC said, mocking Joey. Joey then took the pillow from his lap, and flung it at JC, hitting him in the face.

"Dude you suck!" Joey said.

*************

z88;

"Two suitcases? Really? You're only staying a week!" Jill exclaimed standing outside of her Mercedes Benz with the trunk open.

"Oh please, Jillian, don't give that, 'Miss High Maintenance'." Leah replied playfully, picking up one suitcase and putting it into the trunk.

"Hey! I resent that comment." Jill replied, taking Leah's other suitcase, and putting it in the trunk. "Damn this is heavy!"

"It's true, you are high maintenance." Leah said. walking around the car, and getting in on the passenger side, and shutting the door.

"Am not!" Jill disagreed, getting into the drivers seat, and shutting the door. She put the key in the ignition, and started the car.

"Is too!" Leah said.

"Well, at least I don't have Louis Vuitton suitcases." Jill replied.

"Well at least I don't have Burberry suitcases." Leah said.

"Touche'." Jill replied, pulling the car out of the airport parking lot, and turning on the radio. The song Breathless by the Corrs came on.

"Oh my gosh, we're such dorks!" Leah exclaimed laughing. "Hey, whose cars are in the driveway?" Leah asked noticing two cars in the circular driveway. A candy apple red Lexus, and a silver BMW.

"You'll find out in a minute!" Jill said smiling, before turning the car off. the look on her face said, I know something that you don't. Leah wondered who it could be. Jill and Leah got out of the car, and to the trunk to get her luggage. Jill, who had the upper body strength of an infant, broke out into a sweat trying to lift one of her sister's suiitcases. "Damn girl, what all did you pack?" Jill panted.

"Oh Jill, stop being such a wimp! They're not that heavy!" Leah replied, picking up her other suitcase.

"Easy for you to say, you used to be cheerleader. You used to lift humans into the air for cyring out loud!" Jill said. Once she got the suitcase out of the trunk, she looked to house, which was only a few feet away, and back to the suitcase. Her gaze shifted to the house, and back to the suitcase. From the suitcase to house, and back again. If she had to carry this heavy ass suitcase all the way up to the front door, and then up the stairs to Leah's room, surely she would have an asthma attack- and she didn't even have asthma! "You know what? This is a man's job!"

"What do you mean? Don't be such a prima donna Jill! I carry twice as much when I'm on tour and-"

"BOYS!" Jill called up to Aiden's room window, which was open. "COME AND HELP!"

"Boys?" Leah asked. The last time she checked, she only had one brother. "Jill it's totally freezing out here, we could be in the house by now!"

"Oh hush." Jill said. "Everyone knows that a girl never carries her own luggage." Leah rolled her eyes.

"Like I said, high maintenance." Leah replied. "I swear I don't know how Tristan deals with you." Leah said, referring to her sister's fiance. In a matter of seconds Leah saw Aiden coming out of the door, behind him was one of his longtime friends, Charlie."Oh my gosh, hey Charlie! I had know idea you were hear!" Leah said hugging him.

"Hey babygirl!" He said, calling her by his special petname for her. He reached out and embraced her into a hug. He picked her up off her feet, and spun her around. "Well I guess you're not such a baby anymore huh?" He asked amazed at what he saw. She definitely was not a little girl anymore. She was stunning, and her body filled out nicely.

"Yeah I guess not! It's been what seven years?" Leah asked.

"Yeah, and you're still a shorty!" He teased. She stuck her tongue out at him, like she used to do, when she was much younger. Only now, it made his nether regions twitch a bit.

"So how's my favorite cousin?" Leah heard a familiar voice call. Looking over Charlie's shoulder, her eyes nearly popped out of her head, and her jaw dropped. Charlie nearly got knocked over, as Leah pushed passed him to get to the person.

"JERR!!!" Leah squealed, racing to get to Jeremy, one of her most favorite people in the whole entire world.

"I'm appalled!" Aiden gasped. "I thought I was your favorite cousin!" He joked.

"LeeLee!" He yelled, holding out his arms for her to run into. She ran as dast as she could and into his arms. He picked her up and she hooked her legs around his waist, like a little kid. The cousins hugged.

"Yo it's freezing out here!" Charlie said. "Can someone please break up Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey over here?" Charlie asked annoyed.

When he finally let her down, leah squealed again. "Oh my GOSH! What in the hell are you doing here?" Leah asked, completely surprised. Leah looked back at at Jill, who was smiling at her. That was the big surpise.

"Okay, so now that you guys are here. I can get warm again." Jill said. "You take this, and you take that." Jill instructed pointing to both Aiden and Charlie, and to the two suitcases. "You guys can just put them in Leah's old bedroom. Now if you'll excuse me, there's a latte in that house calling my name." Jill said, before flipping her long jet black hair over her shoulder, and storming off into large cobble stoned house.

"Yes Ma'am!" Aiden and Charlie called in unison. They grabbed the suitcases and headed inside. Leah and Jeremy followed suit. Leah was so excited to see her cousin Jeremy, who she hadn;t seen in about two years.

"I still can't believe it's you, here in the flesh!" Leah said excitedly, shutting the door behind her, and stepped into the foyer. The warmth hit her face, and she could smell the scent of baked chocolate chip cookies wafting through the air. It was so weird. It actually felt like home here!

"Well, I could say the same thing about you 'Miss Popstar', it takes almost an arm and a leg just to get you back to Louisville." Jeremy replied. Leah ducked her head, feeling a bit guilty.

"Well, I'm here now!" Leah replied, awkwardly. "So enough about me, how's life treating you? Oxford man!" Leah asked, giving him a playfully little push on the shoulder. Just as Jeremy was about to respond, Leah heard five familar voices.

"Yes." Jeremy mumbled. He was a twenty four year old man, and he had an Nsync ringtone!

"Well are you gonna get that?" Leah asked, watching her cousin, who was gwoing more and more embarassed as each second ticked by. Jeremy sighed, and pulled his phone out the pocket of his jeans, and checked the caller ID.

"This is my girlfriend, I'm gonna take this upstairs." Jeremy said.

"Aww Jerr, you have a girlfriend!" Leah gushed. She remembered the old days, when they were in middle school, and he couldn't get a girl to look his way. He's really come a long way! She was proud of the little stud!

Jeremy ignored her comment. "Anyway, when I get back, we have a lot of catching up to."

"Alright." Leah replied, as Jeremy disappeared up the steps. Leah followed the smell of fresh baked cookies into the kitchen, and was once again surprised by who she saw.

"I knew those were your cookies I smelled Aunt Celia!" Leah called to the woman was takiing the tray of baked goods out of the oven. Leah sat on the stool at the island across from Jill who was quitely sipping on her latte.

"Leah honey!" Leah's Aunt Celia exclaimed. "It's so good to see you! You have to give me hug!" Celia placed the tray of cookies on top of the stove, and walked over to her niece. Leah got up from her place on the stool, and wrapped her arms around her aunt. Celia- who was Leah's mother's youngest sister, and Jeremy's mother- embraced Leah in a tight hug. It was sooo good to see Aunt Celia again. And not to mention, she looked amazing! Anyone who didn't know her would swear that she was 25 instead of 43. The woman did not age!

"Oh my gosh Aunt Celia, it so good to see you again!" Leah gushed. A wave of emotions hit her, and she fought back tears of happiness. She had just gotten here and didn't want to get all sappy. The last time that she had seen her Aunt Celia was at the funeral, but it was such a surprise to see her now, because she thought that Celia had gone back to San Francisco afterwards.

"So how's New York been treating you baby?" Celia asked bringing the tray of cookies over to the island. She took a spatula, and began to place them on a plate, Jill reached for one, and Celia smacked her hand with the spatula.

"Ow!" Jill cried, rubbing her hand, which was now stinging. "What was that for?"

"Wait until they're finished cooling off." Celia said calmly. "So Leah, how's the Big Apple been treating you."

"Oh fine." Leah said. She unbuttoned her white peacoat, and took it off. Both Celia and Jill noticed Leah's noticeably thinner body frame. Leah walked out of the room, and back to the foyer, to hang her coat on the coat rack. While Leah was out of the room, Jill and Celia exchanged a look.

"How is it in San Fran?" Leah asked, walking back into the kitchen. She went over to the cabinet, and grabbed a mug. She poured some latte from the coffee maker in it. The perfect way to unwind was always coffee! "What's it like to own an art gallery?" Celia, who was the artistic one out of the three of her sisters was an artist, and she recently opened an art gallery in San Francisco with her husband, Rich.

"Well, it's definitely more business than I thought it would be. But Rich takes care of the business part, while I mostly take care of the creative side. It's hard work, but very rewarding." Celia said. A peaceful moment of silence washed over the women.

"Aunt Celia, may I please have a cookie now?" Jill asked, breaking the silence.

"Oh go ahead." Celia sighed.

"Thank you!" Jill snatched a cookie as quickly as possbile, and took a bite out of it. Aunt Celia's cookies were way better than anything the Pillsbury Doughboy could come up with. She always claimed to use a special ingredient, and she's never told anyone what it was. But whatever it was, no one could resist it! No one except Leah, she had learned to build up a strong resistance to her 'trigger foods'. Besides, she ate like a pig when she was with JC, and she couldn't afford anymore empty calories. She was almost positive that her huge thighs were bursting out of her jeans by now. She could pratically feel her ass grow wider inch by inch.

"You want one?" Celia asked Leah. Jill glanced across the island at her sister. Leah ducked her head to avoid eye contact. She knew that she shouldn't eat a cookie. She possibly couldn't. But turning down food in this family was considered rude. She didn't want to disrespect Aunt Celia.

Leah looked at Jill. Un-fucking-believable! Just when Leah thought that she could actually bond with her sister, she goes back to being the same of superficial Jill. First she calls her fat, and now she wants to comment that she's getting thin? What the hell was she trying to do? Leah didn't know whether to be hurt or angry. Suddenly, she felt like her fourteen year old self again, completely inferior to her older, smarter, much prettier and perfect sister. Maybe coming back to Louisville wasn't such a great idea after all. Leah looked back up to Aunt Celia and Jill who were patiently waiting for her explanation.

"Well, there's nothing that Wade Robson's choreography couldn't fix!" Leah said lightly. She couldn't believe that she had just came up with that lie like that. She hadn't seen Wade in months, since her choreographed her last tour. Leah looked back up to see that Celia and Jill didn't buy her excuse.

"Oh-kaaay." Celia said giving her niece a suspicious look. This time an awkward silence passed.

Leah silently begged anyone to come in and break up the tension in the room. When Leah heard her cell phone ring, she silently thank God. Leah reached into her purse, and grabbed her phone. She checked the caller ID and saw that it was JC. "Hey baby!" Leah answered.

"Baby?" Jill mouthed to Celia, and Celia shrugged and smiled.

"My flight was great... Yeah I just got here... Break a leg tonight baby! Love you to babe... Bye!" Leah said before hanging up. Hearing JC's voice had completely calmed Leah down, and changed her whole mood. He just had that effect on her.

"Baby? Who's 'baby'?" Jill asked.

"Yeah who's 'baby'?" Aunt Celia asked, putting her elbow on top of the island, and propped her chin in her hand.

"Baby is JC!" Leah announced smiling. Celia could see the change in her neice when she said his name. Her eyes lit up. Jill's jaw dropped.

"You're with him?!" Jill asked excitedly.

"Yeah, he's my boyfriend." Leah gushed.

"Well, it's about damn time!" Jill said.

"Watch your mouth young lady."

"Sorry, Aunt Celia." Jill replied. "So, when did all of this happen?"

"Um about a week ago." Lead answered. She went into the story about how he surprised her at home, and defended her in fornt of Tyson, and how they watched movies and spent the day together, and she told them about their magical fairytale-esque date.

"Oh honey he's a keeper!" Aunt Celia said.

Just then, they all heard the door knob jingle, and the door open. "We're back." Leah heard her mother call.

"We're? Who else is here?" Leah asked.

"You'll see!" Jill said with a smile. When Gabrielle walked in, she was pleased to not one but both of her daughters. And to top it off, they weren't down each other's throats for a change.

"Leah, honey when did you get here?" Gabrielle asked, placing her shopping bags on the island.

"About half an hour ago." She answered.

"Is that Leah's voice I hear?" Leah heard a familiar voice call.

"Aunt Lorraine, hi!" Leah said, as she saw her mother's younger sister walk in. Gabrielle, was the oldest girl, her brother Tony was the oldest, and Lorraine was the middle sister.

"Hi sweetie." Gracie said, giving her niece a hug. "It's so great to have you back." Just like Gabrielle and Celia, Gracie had inherited the 'young' gene. She looked all too young for her age, without the help of surgical enhancements. Looking around at all of her aunts, Leah realized just how much she looked like them. She as well as Aiden had all inherited Gabrielle, Lorraine, and Celia's green eyes, and button nose. Jill on the other hand took her after their father, Daniel. She had his light bronzed skin, wavy black hair, ski-sloped nose and dark brown eyes. She was a complete and total bombshell if you asked Leah's opinion.

"Well it's great to be back." Leah replied.

"Take those off NOW!" A voice screamed. Leah craned her neck to see who it was.

"But they look better on ME!" A second voice yelled back.

"Well, THEY BELONG TO ME!!!" The first voice yelled even louder.

"Lord Jesus, these girls are getting on my last nerve!" Lorraine sighed, squeezing a small ball to relieve her stress. "Gabrielle where do you keep your Asprin?" Lorraine asked her older sister.

"In the cabinet above the stove." Gabrielle said, pointing to the cabinets. Lorraine grabbed the bottle of Asprin from the cabinet, untwisted the cap, took two out, put the cap back on the bottle, set it on the counter, and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. She couldn't have opened the Evian bottle quicker to shove the pills down her throat chased it with the water. Lorraine let out a long sigh, and rested her head on the counter.

"Have they been at it like this all morning?" Jill asked.

"To the mall and back." Gabrielle answered. All of sudden there was a loud thud.

"MOM! She's attacking me HEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLP!!!!!" One of the girl's cried. All of the women dropped what they were doing and raced into the living room to see what was going on. It was almost comical. Lorraine's two daughters was on the ground. One ontop the other, literally trying to pull her sister's jeans off of her body.

"Gia get off of Zoe, and I mean it right now!" Leah demanded.

"No! I'm Gia! I'm the one that's getting attacked!" Gia cried.

"Right sorry! Zoe, get off of you sister now!" Leah firmly demanded. Zoe did as she was told, rolling off of her sister, and getting up. Gia was still face down on the ground, her pants pulled down to her knees.

"Oh my God! I can't believe you're here!" Zoe shrieked racing up to Leah and hugging her. "This is so cool!" Leah hugged her her younger cousin back.

"Wait who's here?" Gia asked, completely discombobulated. She rolled over on her back, facing the celing, and pulling her jeans up over her hips. When she finally got up, she realized who that person was. "Oh my gosh Leah! I can't believe it's you, here and in the flesh, and not on Access Hollywood!" Gia raced over to hug her older cousin, who was also her idol.

"Okay, so what are you guys doing fighting?" Leah asked, looking down at her twin cousins, Zoe and Gia. They were fourteen years old, and at that very rebellious age. It seemed like all they did was fight over boys, clothes, makeup and CDs.

"She stole my pants!" Zoe accused her twin.

"I thought they were mine!" Gia defended herself.

"Yeah since when do you own a pair of zebra printed jeans?" Zoe asked.

"Like I said you're just jealous because they look ten times better on me!" Gia replied.

"Yeah? Well you're just a Lizzie McGuire wannabe!" Zoe yelled back in frustration. "The crimped hair, purple streaks, the accessories! Everything!"

Gia walked over to Zoe so they were now face to face. "How dare you call me a Lizze McGuire wannabe? You're nothing but a two bit Scary Spice knock off! At least I don't walk around with two puffballs in my hair! Who's the real 'Wannabe' now?" Gia yelled, referencing to The Spice Girls number one hit single.

"Whoa, whoa what's going on down here?" Aiden asked descending the stairs, followed be Jeremy and Charlie.

"The twins are at it again." Jill replied.

"If this is PMS problems, then I'm staying out of this!" Jeremy said, raising his hands in surrender.

"SHUT UP!!!" The twins yelled angrily in unison.

"Girls, girls, girls, calm down and breathe for a minute. Whatever's going on, I'm sure can be fixed." Leah said. "Now sit." She ordered. They did as they were told.

"Incredible!" Lorraine said incredulousy, "she listens to them but not me!" The twins were willing to do anything that Leah told them to, but only because she was a popstar. It their eyes it was the coolest thing in the world. At fourteen the coolest thing in the world to a girl is always either one of two things; a popstar, or a boy. Leah was an influence on the girls, who were extremely impressionable. So why not use her powers for good? She would be a positive influence on the girl's and she would also be helping to bring Lorraine's stress level down by notches.

Now that the girl's had stopped scratching each other's eyeballs out, the room was quiet again, Celia went back to baking, and Jill went for more cookies. Gabrielle went to go put up her new clothes, andthe guys went back to playing video games. Leah sat down on the love seat that was positioned across from the couch.

"You know what? I am going to let you handle this Leah." Lorraine said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I am going to get an ice pack for my head, and I am going upstairs to lay down." And with that, Lorraine disappeared to the kitchen. "Girls," she called from the kitchen. "I'm telling you this now, if you don't listen to Leah, then you're on the first flight home back to Arizona and back to your father."

"Okay, with that being said, Zoe, why did you attack Gia?" Leah asked Zoe.

"So, did you really feel that it was necessary that you had to take it upon yourself to physically pull the pants off of your sister?" Leah asked. Zoe ducked her head.

"But they're my pants. And she didn't ask me if she could wear them" Zoe said, defending her reasoning.

"So why didn't you just ask her to take them off?" Leah asked. Zoe stayed silent. It hadn't occured to the fourteen year old that she could've just asked her sister for the pants, rather than attacking her.

"Now, Gia. Why did you take your sisters pants without asking her?" Leah asked. "When you take something without asking for permission, that's called stealing. You don't want to make stealing a habit, it'll make you an unproductive member of society."

"Relax, it's not like I'm a Al Capone or anything." Gia replied. "And besides she stole my boots, and I didn't say anything about that." Gia said, pointing to Zoe's feet. Leah glanced down at the gray Moccasins on Zoe's feet. Leah looked at Zoe, and raised an eyebrow.

"So what do you have to say for yourself Zoe?" Leah asked. Zoe didn't reply. "So, Zoe, you took Gia's boots, and Gia you took Zoe's jeans, is that right?" The twins shook their heads. "And I though that girls hated to wear the same thing. Especially twins." Leah said. "Okay, so how about this. I'll take you girls to the mall, and you can buy whatever you want on me. Zoe, I'll buy you a pair of gray Mocassins, and Gia, I'll buy you a pair of zebra print jeans. Deal?" The girls shook their heads excitedly. "Good. Gia, you go change into your own pants, and Zoe you go and change into your own shoes, and I'll me you guys in the foyer in ten? Okay?"

"Yeah, will see you in ten minutes!" The girls replied in unison getting up from their place on the couch. Gia's phone began to ring.

The hook to Christina's famous song was abruptly interrupted when Zoe raced over to the purple Nokia phone to answer it. "Zoe what are you doing? That's my phone!" Gia cried. She tried to snatch it from her sister, but was too late.

"Hello Braaandon!" Zoe greeted, putting an emphasis on the boy's name. Zoe's eyes widened in horror.

"Give that to me you little brat!" Gia whisper-yelled trying to catch Gia. Gia was now chasing Zoe around the couch.

"No, actually this is Zoe, Gia's busy picking the jam between her toes, but I'll have her call you back when she's all done! Bye!" Zoe said before pressing the red end button. Zoe gasped.

"You are Satan's spawn!" Gia yelled, her anger steadliy building.

"Well, you shouldn't have touched my pants, let alone look at them!" Zoe snapped before turning on her heels, and heading towards the stairs. Before Zoe could do so, Gia ran up to Zoe and jumped on her back, causing Zoe to fall to the ground.

"And you, shouldn't have attacked me!" Gia yelled, pulling Zoe's head back by her one of her Pocahontas-esque braided ponytails. Leah was shocked. If these girls didn't stop, they would kill each other for sure.

"GIRLS!" Leah yelled. "If you don't stop fighting, then I'm not taking you to the mall!" Leah warned. But the girls didn't stop. Okay this was not working. Before yelling again, Leah cleared her throat. "Okay so, who wants to speak to JC Chasez?" Leah asked, putting an emphasis on her boyfriend's name. Gia immediately stopped pulling Zoe's hair, and Zoe snapped her head up.

"Did you say JC Chasez? As in the JC Chasez?" Gia asked, getting off of her sister, and walking back into the living room towards Leah. Zoe, then got up and followed behind Gia one side of her had had a long braid over her shoulder, and the other side was freely flowing down her back.

"From Nsync?" The girls asked in unison. Leah had to used to the whole twin-tuition thing.

"Yeah! You can talk to JC, Justin, Lance, Joey, and Chris." Leah said, holding up her phone. The girl's eyes immediately lit up. Nsync was their favorite group of all time! They would do anything to meet them. "You see all I have to do is dial a number, and you guys can meet them!" The girls excitement was increasing by the second. "On one condition!"

"Whatever it is we'll do it! We'll do anything to meet Nsync!" Zoe shrieked. Gia nodded her head in agreement.

"All you have to do is behave yourselves and get along through this shopping trip, and when we call back, I'll let you meet the guys." Leah said.

"We'll be good, we promise!" Gia exclaimed.

"We will."Zoe cosigned.

"Alright, get upstairs, get changed, and meet me back here in ten minutes." Leah instructed. The girls immediately ran up the stairs and did as they were told.

Leah took a long and relaxing deep breath. Great, now her head was hurting. Those two were a hand full. Leah's always wanted to get married and have kids one day, but if this is what it was like to raise teenagers, then Leah didn't know is she could handle it! She literally felt like she was being tag teamed! This was insane! She remembered when they sweet little angels, and now they raging teenagers!

"I do not know how Aunt Lorraine does it!" Leah exclaimed, walking into the kitchen. "And they've been like this all morning?" Leah asked. Both Celia, and Jill nodded their heads. "Hey Jill, can I borrow your car? I told the girl's that I'd take them to the mall." Jill handed Leah her keys, and Leah made a mental note to rent a car for the week. "You wanna come?" Leah asked, inviting Jill along.

"Are you friggin' kidding me? You could not pay me to ride in a car, and spend a whole shopping trip with those two! Do you know what you've just gotten yourself into?" Jill asked.

"They're fourteen how bad could they possibly be?" As soon as Leah got the question out of her mout, they could hear very loud stomping across the ceiling.

"You're just jealous that Brandon told me that I looked like Raven-Symone'!" They could hear Zoe yell.

"Newsflash! We're twins stupid! If you look like Raven-Symone', then that means that I look like Raven-Symone' too! And besides he only told you that, because he thought that you were me!" Gia yelled backed.

"TWO WORDS GIRLS" Leah screamed loud enough for the twins to hear. "N, SYNC!" The fighting ceased. "Are they always at it like this?" Leah asked already exhausted.

"They used to be inseparable." Celia said.

"Well what changed?" Leah asked.

"They became teenagers." Celia replied.

"Oh my goodness." Leah said.

"Here, you're gonna need these." Jill said, she held out Leah's hand, and sprinkled two Asprin into them, and handed her a bottle of water. "So. You think you can hang with us for a whole entire week sis?" Jill asked. Leah gave Jill a tired look. "Welcome home! Home, sweet home darlin'!"

*************

It was Monday, and the guys were in London, England for promotion. They had scheduled appearances to be on TRL UK, CDUK, and Top of the Pops as well as radio interviews, and a performance. Since they had a day off JC decided to do a little shopping for the one he loved. Since he was a memeber of Nsync afterall, he had to escorted by a bodyguard. He also asked for Lance to come along to help him pick out something for Leah. He knew that Lance was the only out of the guys who wouldn't a.) constantly fart every second (Joey) b.) constantly talk about his nipples (Chris), or c.) check himself out in every memory he walk past, just to make sure that every curl on his head was there (JUSTIN). Besides JC, Lance was the most mature out of the group, and very business-like and professional.

"So, what do you think she'll think of this?" JC asked Lance holding up a silver heart shaped necklace with the Tiffany and Co. logo on it. Tiffany's was Leah's favorite jewlelry company, and since there was one a few blocks from the hotel that they were staying in, JC thought it would be the perfect opportunity to buy his girlfriend something nice. He thought he'd be jumping the gun if he bought her a promise ring. He didn't want her to think that he was trying to rush her into marriage or anything like that. So he thought that a necklace was appropriate.

"Honestly JC, I think she'll like anything you give her." Lance said. He'd been in this damned store for over an hour, and wanted out. Why did JC pick him to help pick out jewelry? He wasn't good at this! Whenever he wanted to give jewelry to someone he had a stylist pick it out for him.

"Yeah but that's the point. She'll like anything that I give her." JC replied.

"Oh-kaaay. So what's the problem?" Lance asked. He was bored out of his mind.

"The problem is, she'll like anything I give her, just because it's the fact that I gave it to her. So whether or not she actually likes it, she'll still tell me that she loves it. I don't want a pity 'Oh JC I love it!' and then she never wears it when I'm not around, no! I want her to genuinely love what I give her. I want her to think of me whenever she looks at it." JC explained. Honestly, Lance didn't know that it took all of that just to pick put a piece of jewelry. But since Lance knew how much Leah meant to JC, he would stick out this painful shopping trip. Lance had known JC and Leah for a long time now, and knew about their history together, and was happy that they had decided to finally be togther, but still, Lance hated to shop!

"Okay, well what screams Leah to you?" Lance asked. Actually that was a pretty good question. JC knew that he was right to bring Lance along. "Just look at different pieces, and which ever one catched your eye the most, go with that one. Don't try to read too much into each piece of jewelry just follow your gut instinct." Lance advised.

"Lance that's brillant!" JC replied. Lance didn't really think of it as brilliant, he was just saying anything so that JC could hurry up so that they could get the hell up out of there. Lance was starting to grow antsy. JC knew Lance had ADD, but still picked him anyway!

The woman behind the counter showed JC eight different necklaces before he found the perfect one. The moment he laid eyes on the necklace, he knew it would be perfect for Leah. The saleswoman showed JC a diamond sterling silver key heart pendant; a heart pendant that connected to a skeleton key. It was perfect!

"Hey Lance, look at this one!" JC said, showing off the necklace.

"I think it's great." Lance said flatly.

"But that's what you said about all of the other ones." JC pointed out.

"Because they're all great." Lance replied. To be honest jewelry was just like clothes to Lance. All you could do was wear it, he really didn't care what the difference was between white gold, and silver, or Gucci and Pucci. They were all the same to him. "JC. Do you like this piece?" Lance asked JC.

"Yes." JC replied.

"Well go with your gut dude." Lance replied. He was seriously dying a slow and painful death.

JC knew Lance was right, but he just wanted this to be the perfect gift for Leah. He wanted the necklace to be a symbolism of his love to her. He knew that she wasn't about all of the material things, but he still felt like she deserved the best. Taking a look at all of the necklaces laid out onto the glass counter JC decided that the key heart pendant one was the best choice. It jumped out to him. It really meant something.

JC paid for the necklace with his credit card, and he and Lance made their way out of the shop with Lonnie, one of their bodyguards. Finally, Lance thought to himself. He loved JC like a brother, but he hated shopping.

"Okay, so next we're gonna go see Big Ben." Lance said, as he, JC, and Lonnie who walked behing them started down the sidewalk.

"I don't wanna go see Big Ben Lance, we've already seen Big Ben." JC replied.

"Yeah, but you said that if I go jewelry shopping with your for Leah, then we could do anything that I wanted to do for the rest of the day." Lance said, reminding JC of his promise.

Shit, I did say that, didn't I? JC thought to himself. Damn him and his promises! But since JC wasn't one to fall through on promises he would have to endure sight seeing. Not that he didn't enjoy traveling and seeing sights, but what he wanted to do more than anything at that second was to just go back to their hotel room, and talk to Leah. He really missed her, and needed to hear her voice. He so desperately wished that she was right there with him right now.

"You know what? It's cool. Go back to the hotel and talk to Leah, and I'll go sight seeing." Lance said, reading JC's mind. JC's face automatically lit up.

"You sure?" JC asked, he didn't want to seem like a self absorbed asshole. Lance nodded. "You're cool with this?" JC asked Lance.

"Yeah I'm cool with it." Lance said. You know how people get homesick? Well, Lance knew that JC was definitely Leah-sick. He missed her, he wanted to be with her, and Lance got that. JC was in love, and he was happy for him. Lance hadn't seen JC this in love since... well since in forever. He knew that JC genuinely did love both Nikki and Bobbie, but not the in the smae way that he loved Leah. Leah was his soulmate, and everyone could feel it.

Lonnie and Lance dropped JC off at the hotel, and Lance went sight seeing. Tiffany's bag in hand, JC was relieved to see that their weren't any fans stalking the hotel lobby surprisingly. As JC rounded the corner, heading to the elevator, he felt someone crash into him. Whoever it was fell to the ground. "Oh God, I'm so sorry!" JC apologized bending down to help the girl up. The girl was now on her knees, and scrambling to grab her things; a black Chanel purse, a tape recorder, a pack of Wrigley's doublemint gum, a notebook, and a laptop computer case. "Here let me help you." JC said, helping the mystery girl gather her things up.

"No, it's okay I got it." Msyetery Girl mumbled. She hid her face behind her light brown hair.

"No I insist," JC replied politely. He grabbed her computer case.

"No really it's fine." She replied. Once she got her gum and tape recorder back in her purse, she stood.

With Mystery Girl's computer case in hand, JC stood as weel, and nearly dropped the case again at who he saw. "Bobbie." JC said speechless. There she stood, his ex-girlfriend, all five foot five inches of her.

The moment that JC ran into Bobbie, she immediately knew who he was. She had heard that Nsync was staying at the hotel, and she wanted to avoid her ex at all cost, so once she got word that JC had left the building with Lance, she decided to make her move. Obviously she calculated wrong. "Hi." Bobbie said, she was unable to look him in the eyes.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" JC asked, stumbling over his words. He was shocked to see Bobbie here.

"I'm here to do an article on S Club 7, I'm not stalking you I swear." Bobbie said, defending her reasoning for being in the same hotel as him. "I got promoted from advice columnist to an actual journalist." Bobbie elaborated about her job a J-14 magazine. Wait. Since when did she have to defend herself to her ex-boyfriend? She shouldn't have to explain herself to him. So what they were staying at the same hotel? It was a free country afterall, and she did have the right to be there too. Them staying in the same hotel was merely a coincidence.

"No, I didn't mean it like that." JC said, now he felt bad that she felt he need to explain herself to him. Man this was awkward. "So umm, here's your case." JC handed Bobbie over her laptop case.

As he was doing so, Bobbie noticed the Tiffany's bad in his hands. He had been shopping. For a girl. And although Bobbie didn't want to admit, she had a feeling that she knew which girl it was. "Thanks." Bobbie said, before grabbing her laptop case, and walking in the opposite direction.

Bobbie waited until she was all the way around the corner before she let the tears fall. No matter how hard she tried, she still was not over JC. Seeing him again, literally made her want die. Even though he hurt her, she couldn't live without him. JC was her first love, and she seriously thought that she would marry him, and have his babies. Ever since that day after New Years when they had broken up, she vowed to neevr fall for a man again. She thought that maybe, just maybe, if she had buried herself into her work deep enough, that maybe it would ease the pain, but it didn't. When she saw him again, all of the feelings that she had for him immediately came rushing back. And to know that she was no longer his girl, that Leah was, almost too much to handle. What really pushed her over the edge was knowing that Leah was that girl. She was JC's true soulmate. His heart belonged to Leah, and there was nothing that she could do to change that.

As the cold London air hit Bobbie's face, her tears stung her cheeks. Her emotional pain had converted to physical pain, and become to much to bear. Right where she was Bobbie crumpled to ground, her back against the the cold stone of the hotel bulding. She heaved and sobbed until she felt dizzy. She didn't know how to make this pain go away, but it slowly took over her, eating her alive. She had to deal with the fact that the love of her life belonged to someone else, and she would never get him back. No matter how hard she tried, or how hard she wished, hoped, and prayed, she would never be that girl. The girl that JC's heart belonged to. And that was just about enough to kill her.