"Dude you're such a wuss!" Chris exclaimed, throwing the basketball at JC.

"Chris, he's not a wuss," Lance chuckled, putting his hands on his hips.

"And how could you call me a wuss wearing a hat like that?!" JC fired back, throwing the ball back. He nodded at the doggy like winter hat where the ear flaps fell at the sides of Chris' head. "I get that we're getting closer to the winter season but we're in fucking Florida!"

"Don't hate on the hat," Chris scowled. "It protects my face from that fireball up there you people call the Sun!"

"You know there's such thing called sun-block Chris," Justin smirked.

"And there's such thing called ‘go play basketball at your own house' Justin," Chris shot back with a sweet smile.

They had so far spent the day, the five of them, at Chris' house waiting for what was supposed to be a meeting with Johnny. They had gotten there at 11:00am and by the time 12:30pm rolled around, the guys decided to kill the time with some basketball competitions when they saw that Johnny hadn't gotten there yet. JC, Chris and Joey against Lance and Justin. Now, after a half hour outside in 97i0; weather, the heat was becoming overbearing and the air conditioning inside the new house that Chris was still getting used to was taunting them through the glass.

Rolling his eyes, Joey took the ball out of Chris' hold and bounced it over to another part of the court. "Let's go inside," he patted his friend on the shoulder and nodded for the others to follow him. "It's too hot out here anyways,"

"But me and Lance didn't even get a rematch against the three of you!" Justin whined.

"Lance and I," JC corrected, sliding open the glass door to enter through to the kitchen.

"I didn't go to high school so same thing!"

"It's not like you guys were going to win anyways," JC stifled a laugh.

"Only ‘cause I had Poofoo on my team," the younger member mumbled, following JC into the kitchen and taking a seat at the island. "Oh, but, no offense Lance,"

"Hey, I said I didn't want to play!" Lance defended himself, pulling up the stool next to Justin.

"Enough with the rematch," Chris said, opening the fridge and taking out three bottles of water and handing Joey another two. "I'm not done bashing on JC,"

"You can't blame him for being scared Chris," Joey said, throwing a bottle of water to JC.

"Yea! I mean do you even remember what happened the last time I asked a girl something like that?!" JC questioned, leaning back against the counter. "I'd rather shoot myself in the foot than go through that again!"

"Okay, so, sure that proposal didn't end too well," Justin began. "But this time's different! This time the girl actually loves you!"

JC shrugged his shoulders. "She said it herself. She isn't ready for marriage right now."

"And you are?" Lance raised his eyebrows.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with her, I know that much..."

"That doesn't answer the question JC,"

"Jace, c'mon," Joey said. "We're not trying to talk you out of it or anything like that, but are you sure you're ready for a commitment as big as a marriage? I mean really? You're twenty three years old and we're just getting our start on showing the world what this group is made of. Are you sure you don't want to see what else there is out there before you go tying yourself down to one person like that?"

JC shook his head, opening the cap on the water bottle. "That's just the thing. I don't feel like I'd be tying myself down to her. Technically I would be but I just love her so much it doesn't feel that way."

"Like the way we feel when we have to go out on stage," Justin reasoned. "We love it so much we don't feel like we're working,"

"Exactly!" JC exclaimed, pointing a finger at Justin. "I know there're other girls out there, but I don't want any of them. Joey can have them for all I care. I don't even need to see anyone else because in my heart I know that Lizzie is the one for me. She's just, it for me. I don't even know how to describe it but it's like when I'm with her, I don't care for anything else. Everything is just complete and when I'm without her, all I'm thinking about is how much I just want to be with her. I'm convinced that there is no one else out there that can make me feel the way that she does and it's that very thought scaring the crap out of me!"

He lifted his head to see the four guys looking at him trying to hide their smiles. It wasn't often that JC would keep talking about his emotions, so they were glad to see him in the state that he was. That state being completely and utterly in love with a girl he couldn't stop rambling about.

"I knew it before but now I'm completely sure," Lance grinned. "JC's in love,"

JC blushed, looking down and distracting himself with the label on the bottle. "No shit,"

"Then grow a fucking pair and do something about it!" Chris yelled, laughter in his voice. "We're happy for you if this is what you want for yourself Jace, but seriously, get some balls and ask her already!"

JC looked at him incredulously. "Back to where this conversation started... Do you not remember what happened the last time I did something like that?"

"So what you're saying is that you're scared she'll turn you down and go for another guy?"

JC shrugged his shoulders and sighed. "Yea, I guess... I don't want to risk it again."

"JC, we know what happened the last time wasn't good but don't let what happened before keep you from doing something that you want now, or in the future." Joey told him.

"Liz loves you, and you love her JC," Justin nodded. "Don't let what happened with your proposal to Allison influence your feelings toward what you want with Liz. She deserves better than that."

JC nodded. "Any last pieces of advice?" he smiled, happy he had his friends on his side.

Chris grinned. "Name your first kid after me,"

"I want to be the best man!" Justin yelled.

"I'm planning the bachelor party!" Joey winked.

Lance just laughed, looking at JC's paled expression. "Can we get past the point where JC actually asks Liz to marry him please and past the point where she says yes before we start talking about kids and best man and bachelor parties?"

"Who's having a bachelor party?" a male voice asked from the doorway. Johnny walked in holding large envelopes in one hand and his cell phone in the other. "And I heard something about a man and kids?" The bald man looked at the group questioningly but his gaze focused on JC and suddenly a frown crept upon his face.

"Oh God, JC you didn't get another girl pregnant did you?" their manager whined. "'Cause if you did this time then-"

"It's nothing like that, jeez!" JC cried out, waving around his hands to silent the man. "Dude, we were just talking about random stuff."

"And why are you so late anyways, huh?" Justin asked.

"You told us to be here for 11:15 and now it's almost quarter to one." Lance put in.

Johnny sighed, walking over to the round breakfast table and put down the envelopes he'd been holding. "Well sorry, but I was off all morning trying to set dates for us to release your single and book dates for *NSYNC appearances for promotion and all that. We need to get the word out on this record."

"Well what'd you got?" Chris asked, the five guys now crowding around their manager who had taken a seat. "What's the plan?"

They watched as their manager dug around in one of the envelopes and pulled out two familiar looking pieces of paper stapled together. Each page had different colored boxes drawn in and labeled.

The guys groaned as Johnny held up the paper in front of them and grinned.

"Say hello to the next few months of your lives boys," Johnny grinned.

"Another schedule... Joy," Justin said sarcastically, taking the paper out of his manager's hold and letting his eyes travel over the labels as his band-mates peered over his shoulder.

"We're looking to release Bye Bye Bye in November or so and then you're getting December and some of January off except for a few Christmas shows you have to do and then we release No Strings Attached in February or March," Johnny explained. "Depending on how well the album does, then we start talking about touring. From now till we release the single I've set up talk shows, a few performances, uh, some promotional meet and greets, press conferences and of course..."

"Recordings and choreography," All five members said in a dull unison.

"You got it," Johnny nodded.

"When does all this commotion start?" JC asked, taking the paper from Justin and scanning it himself.

"You're back on the bus in a couple days and your first stop is Georgia for a meet and greet. There's only about six to eight states you'll be driving around about and then in a couple weeks, you come back to Orlando for us to start the rest of tracks. Then, after a week or so of that, Darren is going to teach you guys the choreography for Bye Bye Bye and then you're heading to New York for a talk show or two. Your first one being TRL where you'll just be asked the usual questions. When's the album coming out? How has the success and screaming girls changed you? Are you guys dating anyone? And you'll probably meet some fans too." He started digging around in a different envelope. "I have a list of everything in here," he mumbled to himself.

"I'm tired just looking at the schedule," Chris sighed.

"I would suggest you boys start packing for the next couple weeks," Johnny told them, still rummaging around the stacks of paper he held. "And if there're any family members or friends that you guys like to and usually take with you, I suggest you call them up. You're leaving on Thursday."

"Best I call up Steven," Joey said, pulling out his phone and searching through the contact list for his brother's name.

"It's only a couple weeks before we get back here so I don't think I'll bring my mom on this one," Justin said. "Man, we're ending off this year great! I mean, when the album comes out in 2000 that'll be a kickass way of starting off the new millennium."

"Hey, Chris and I are working for our birthdays," JC concluded, still looking at the paper. "Chris we're going to be in New York for yours. Although we're going to be learning steps for Bye Bye Bye that day in Darren's studio," he chuckled.

"Yea, ha ha," the older member laughed sarcastically. "It's still New York. But we're going to be in Vegas for a meet and greet for your birthday in two weeks."

"Vegas," Lance grinned.  

"We can make it a bachelor party and a birthday party in one," Joey joked.

JC rolled his eyes, brushing off the comment but Johnny's head shot up.

"Who's getting married?" he asked, looking at the boys.

"JC is," Lance informed him, shaking JC's shoulder.

"Seriously?" he asked, looking at JC. "Liz isn't pregnant is she?"

JC shook his head. "Ignore what they're telling you, it was just an idea I had. And no she isn't pregnant or anything like that. I love her and I was considering asking her but not any time soon."

"How come?" Johnny smiled. "Why the wait?"

"Have you seen this schedule?" JC held up the piece of paper. "Do I look like I can take on all this plus a marriage right now? I mean, if I had a regular nine to five job then yea I'd try getting up the nerve to do it but I think I'm going to wait and see how everything goes with the group first before I ask her."

"Have you at least talked to her about it?"

"He thinks she'll say no," Justin chuckled.

"Hey I thought we were here to talk about work!" JC muttered.

Johnny cleared his throat. "Yes we are," He looked up at JC. "But before that, I think that you should take her on this little touring session here Jace. I mean, not saying that I want you to get distracted or sidetracked or anything but I'm just saying it'll give you both a feel of how things would be if you did get married some day and she'd want to start touring with you. You know what's it's like to be apart, so why not give her a direct feel of your life on the road and see if she could handle it."

JC took a moment to ponder the suggestion. "That's actually not a bad idea,"

"L&E Planning, how can I help you?"

"Hey babe," he said into the receiver.

"Hey Josh," she smiled, her eyes instinctively travelling up the screensaver of him and her on her computer. "What's up? I thought you had a meeting today."

"Yea, it finished about a half hour ago. You weren't answering your phone. I was trying to call you when it did,"

"Oh yea, it died when I was leaving the house this morning and I didn't bother to charge it. Sorry babe," she apologized.

"Yea, that's okay. I just wanted to talk to you about some things," his voice was suddenly low.

"What kind of things?" she asked, concerned.

"Just stuff, don't worry."

"Good stuff or bad stuff?"

He laughed. "Baby, it's good stuff. Or at least I think it's good stuff. I'll just come by your house later and tell you. I'll let you get back to work,"

She sighed, looking down at the large day-planner she had laid out in front of her on her desk. She was circling the dates of weddings and parties she had booked to plan for the rest of the month. On separate pages next to her she had written down several phone numbers of different caterers and venue owners around the state along with bridal magazines some of her client requested she look through so that she had an idea of how they wanted their wedding themes to be like. She was beginning to get a headache just looking at it.

"Liz, you there?" JC asked when she didn't respond.

"Oh, yea," she mumbled. "Uh, what are you doing now?"

He shrugged. "Just at home. I'm in the studio downstairs playing with the equipment. Why?"

She giggled. "Want to go to lunch and talk?" she asked hopefully. "I need a break and my lunch hour is in a few minutes so..."

He smiled, getting up from the office chair he was sitting on. "I'm leaving now to pick you up,"

"Thanks hun," she said, grateful for a breather.

"See you in a few, alright?"

"Great," she nodded. Hanging up, she noticed Emma walk in from her break, a half eaten donut in her hand and the other half in her mouth.

"Why you din go foo looch?" her friend asked, her mouth still stuffed.

Liz just laughed, watching her struggle to swallow.

"Sorry, I meant to ask ‘Why didn't you for lunch'? Aren't you hungry?"

"I am," she sighed. "I'll get something with Josh in a little while when he picks me up."

"Well what'd we got to handle this week?" Emma asked, walking over and leaning over Liz's desk. She turned the day-planner toward her. "It's not much," she mumbled. "Two weddings for next month, three parties in a couple weeks... Not a lot."

"Yea, just a lot of calls and arranging and booking before the dates for those events finally come,"

"We can handle that no problem,"

Liz nodded. "I know, but I'm stressed! This job is tiring me out just thinking about it. It's like I need a vacation or something. Or new clients to challenge us or something. It's always the same people with the same family and the same friends that call us up. It's boring sometimes."

"What I think you need is a vacation or something because you rarely complain," Emma told her. "Do what I did when I was in your position a couple years ago when we first started and I got overwhelmed. Just take a break for a while, I don't mind."

"But then you'd have all this stuff going on...."

"I can handle it don't worry. And I got Denise and everyone else, I'd be fine." She smiled. "I am the co-owner of this place you know,"

Liz giggled. "I know that but..."

"Just think about it at least," Emma pleaded. "It might be good for you,"

Sighing, Liz rose from the chair and picking up her handbag from the side of the desk where it was next to the wall. "I'll think about it..."

* * *

"Hey there," JC grinned as she slid into the passenger seat and closed the door. He leaned over to give her a kiss and she smiled against his lips.

"Hi," she smiled, strapping on the seatbelt.  "Thanks for picking me up. I needed to get out of there,"

"How come?" JC asked, turning his head back and reversing.

"Work sucks," she mumbled.

"You've been saying that a lot lately," he chuckled. "You said that Saturday too,"

She shrugged. "It's just boring now and it's tiring me out. It's stressful and boring at the same time and..." She realized she was unconsciously venting away when he was the one that said he wanted to talk. "You know what, you said you had stuff to talk about so I should let you talk instead. Go ahead,"

He shook his head. "Finishing off the rant you started might be a good way to make you feel better so I'll go after. You go ahead,"

She sighed, leaning her head back against the seat. "Emma thinks I should take a vacation and leave for a while. Just for like a week or two ‘cause I think she's getting tired of me complaining about the stress and clients and stuff. I'm surprised she's tolerated me for this long." Liz turned her head to look at JC who was focused intently on the road before him with both hands on the wheel but she knew he was listening to every word. "Hell, I'm surprised you've tolerated me for this long."

He laughed, turning his head briefly to meet her gaze, before turning back to the road. "I'm not tired of you just yet," he chuckled, taking one hand off the wheel and taking one of hers that was in his lap. He squeezed gently. "But I do think you should take a break from work, even if it's just for a while. I think it'll be a good thing."

"Yea, but then I'd have nothing to do for that time..."

He let the silence hang in the air for a few seconds longer before speaking. "I actually know of something you can do,"

She looked at him quizzically when they had to stop at a red light.

Taking advantage of the moment, JC turned to face her. "I'm leaving in a couple days for a ‘tour' kind of thing where *NSYNC has a set of conferences, photo shoots, talk shows, meet and greets, that whole deal. Soo, seeing that you're in need of a break and I love you, why don't you come with me?"

She raised her eyebrows. "You'd want me to go with you? On the bus? To all those things?"

"Yes, yes, and yes," he smiled.

"Is this what you had to talk to me about?"

JC nodded. "Basically, yea. And it's already working out perfectly considering your situation."

"For how long though?" she asked.

"A couple weeks. No more than three because we have to back in Orlando for recording."

"You'd be spending your birthday on the road," she said sadly.

"I'd be in Vegas," he grinned. "And if you came I'd be with you,"

"I don't even have a gift for you yet," she groaned, burying her face in her hands momentarily.

He laughed. "You be my gift! Come with me and that'll be my present." He insisted. "I want you with me,"

She smiled. "You do?"

"Of course I do! You'd be seeing what I do when I'm on the road plus all the different places we'd get to go together and it'll just be you, me, Chris and Justin on the bus. Joey and Lance would be on the other. It'll be a great getaway from work baby. Come with me,"

She looked at him hesitantly. "Wouldn't I kind of be another piece of luggage to look after on the road? I would be like extra baggage,"

JC shook his head immediately. "Not at all... We take family and friends with us on tour all the time. We did it a lot in Europe and everyone had fun. Plus it's not like we're leaving the country or anything."

She thought about it for a moment.

"You know you want to come," he sang playfully.

She giggled, looking at him and then sighing. "Okay," she nodded. "Since you want me to and I need a break, I'll come along,"

"Yes!" He grinned, leaning over to kiss her and she placed her hand around the side of his neck. They probably forgot they were in a lane whose traffic light had just turned green because angry drivers behind JC started blasting their horns loudly which snapped them out of their bubble abruptly.

"Hey, c'mon!" One guy shouted, honking his horn. "Move it man! It's a green light!"

"Shit," JC mumbled, putting the car in drive and mashing the pedals.

"You're not the one who's going to be driving on the bus are you?" Liz asked with a giggle. "'Cause you seem to infuriate a lot of drivers,"

"Whatever," JC muttered. "It's your fault. You and your lips distracted me."

"Aww, hurry up and get us to a food place and I'll make up for it with a ten minute make-out session," she grinned.

JC smiled. "I dare you to a twenty minute session,"

She laughed. "Twenty five!" she challenged.

He smirked. "That the longest you've done then? Twenty five minutes of full on lip on lip action?"

"Hey, I think that's pretty good," She folded her arms across her chest. "What's the most you've done?"

"Thirty five or so?" he shrugged.

"Damn, my lips started to feel like rubber by the time I hit the half hour mark,"

He chuckled. "Impressive though. I haven't met any girl that went above twenty five and still didn't go for the sex part of it. Heck I didn't think I'd meet a girl who'd come so close to my time making out without having the sex part of it afterwards,"

"Looks like you've met your match Chasez," she winked.

He smiled at her. "Yea..." he said softly. "Looks like I have..."

Friday morning- 9:00am

"Morning sleepyhead," Liz grinned, looking at a disheveled haired and wrinkle clothed JC who was fresh out of their bunk on the bus. "Ready for breakfast?" she asked, flipping over a pancake on the pan that was set on the small stove.

"It smells good in here," JC commented, sliding into the booth opposite the stove where Justin and Chris sat chowing down on their pancakes.

"That's ‘cause Joey isn't on this bus," Chris joked, squirting more syrup into his plate.

Liz laughed, setting a plate of breakfast food in front of JC. "Breakfast is served,"

He smiled up at her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her down on his lap. She yelped softly and JC kissed her on the lips sweetly.

"Trying to eat here!" Justin said in the middle of swallowing a mouthful of food.

"Bleh, morning breath," she teased, pulling away. She kissed his bottom lip and stood up slowly so that she wouldn't lose her balance as the bus kept moving.

"Did you sleep well babe?" JC asked her, picking up his fork. "I know it was a kind off bumpy ride but you get used to it, don't worry."

She shook her head, sliding in next to Justin and sipping on a glass of orange juice. "No, I slept fine. I had your arm around me all night didn't I?" she smiled.

JC grinned, stuffing a forkful of pancake into his mouth.

"Blech," Chris gagged, and Justin nodded.

"Hey, be nice or you're not getting those scrambled eggs and bacon you asked for tomorrow morning," Liz warned, joking.

"Thank you Lizzie," the two guys said sweetly.

"Baby you didn't have to make us breakfast you know," JC told her. "We're usually fine with toast or cereal or stuff like that. You didn't have to get up early and do all this,"

"She even made for James and Lonnie up front," Chris informed him, speaking of their bus driver and their boydyguard.

"You did?"

She shrugged. "I wanted to do it. I don't mind doing it for people who appreciate it."

"She likes spoiling us JC," Justin said as though it was obvious. "Don't question it,"

Liz giggled and nodded, taking another sip of the juice in her hand. "Yea JC, don't question it," she found his foot using hers under the small table and playfully poked and kicked at him.

Smiling, he returned the favor while continuing to eat his breakfast.

Justin and Chris just looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

About ten minutes of morning conversation had gone on before Liz looked at the time on her watch and out the window where she just saw car after car disappear at the speed at which their bus was going.

"Alright well, while you guys finish up here I'll take advantage of the shower because we only have about an hour left of driving before we get to the hotel for your meet and greet,"

"Take your time," JC nodded.

"What should I wear?" she asked, standing up and looking at the three guys. "Just casual right?"

"We settle for jeans, a t shirt and a jacket," Chris told her. "Nothing special. Just normal clothes unless it's an event or concert."

"Okay," she said, dropping her glass in the sink and heading off down to where the bathroom was.

"Thanks for breakfast Lizzie," Justin grinned, patting his stomach.

"You're welcome," she called out before closing the door.

Drinking down the last bit of orange juice he had left in his cup, he lifted his head to find his two friends staring at him. "What?" he asked.

"How did you get her?" Justin questioned. "I mean I want a girl who'd put up with my friends and come on tour with me and make me breakfast and stuff! You're too lucky C,"

JC smiled, getting out of the booth and running a hand through his hair. "I know right,"

***

"Damn they're already fans out there and the meet ‘n greet doesn't even start for another two hours," Liz muttered, looking out the tinted windows of the bus and at the groups of teenage girls holding up NSYNC signs on the corners and they were still a couple blocks away from the hotel. "It's always this crazy?"

"Pretty much," JC said, looking out the same window so that their faces were side by side. "Don't worry, we won't run in to a whole lot of them just yet. James parks the bus at the back of the hotel where they're only a few fans and then they smuggle us into the hotel. Plain and easy."

"Then what?" she asked, turning her head to look at him.

"Then, we go up to our rooms and we all usually stay in one room until it's time for us to go down to where they'll hold everything. Until then, we usually just talk about what we're doing tomorrow, watch some TV, play hackey for fun, you and I could make out... Yea, that's about it."

She giggled, turning around in her seat so that she sat properly. He scooted over to sit closer to her and his lips were suddenly pressed against hers. She smiled against him, but had to pull away when she started giggling.

"What's so funny?" JC asked.

She shook her head. "Nothing, it's just that a second ago I saw at least seven teenage girls holding up ‘I heart JC' and ‘I love JC Chasez' signs and here I am kissing the man himself."

"I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing," he said slowly and unsure.

 "I like kissing you,"

"Yea me too but... Can you call me Josh instead? All those signs are for JC from that group *NSYNC and while that's completely awesome to me, I still want you to call me Josh. It reminds me that I'm still Josh above all this and that you're kissing Josh, the guy you love and not JC, the guy record labels love."

She smiled. "Okay," she nodded. "I understand that... But I just want the record to show that both Josh and JC are two incredible kissers."

He chuckled. "Allow me to defend myself?"

She grinned. "Please do,"

He smiled, sliding his tongue into her mouth and she happily allowed her hands to snake through his hair.

Pulling away for air, JC smirked.

"You're not too bad either babe," he complimented.

"Well I've gotten a lot of practice, that's for sure,"

"I'm that good huh," JC had a cocky grin on his face.

Liz however, kept an emotionless expression and shook her head. "Nah, Justin and Chris helped me out when you fell asleep last night. They're really talented with their mouths, and I don't just mean vocals."

JC paled. "What?!"

She watched him get as he got all worked up before she burst into a series of giggles. "Kidding Josh,"

He heaved a sigh of relief. "You're terrible!" he concluded, pulling her down onto the long couch and pinned her to the cushions before he started tickling her. "That wasn't funny!"

"I'm... Sorry!" she gasped between laughs as he kept doing it. He took the fact that she was ticklish and used it to his advantage. "Joshua!" she started kicking around when he didn't stop.

"Anyone seen grey jacket?" Justin called out.

"No!" JC answered, his fingers still roaming around furiously on Liz's body as she kept laughing.

"I can't breathe!" she panted, gathering enough strength to push him away. "Ugh!"

JC laughed as he watched how she tried to catch her breath and recover from her previous series hysterics.

"Are you sure nobody's seen the jacket? I mean it has the little blue zipper on the-"

"Maybe you just left it in one of the suitcases J," JC suggested as Justin walked in to the area where JC and Liz were.

Justin frowned, sitting down next to Liz who was still trying to catch her breath.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked, looking at her.

"Your friend here tried to kill me!"

JC rolled his eyes. "You asked for it." He turned to Justin. "Now you lost your jacket?"

 "I thought I packed it in one of the bags I keep under my bunk because that's where all my clothes are for tomorrow and it isn't in there."

"What's going on tomorrow?" Liz asked, confused. "I thought that you guys just had a conference and then we hit the road again,"

"No, we hit the road tomorrow night instead." Chris answered, walking in holding his mp3. "We've got an event to go to in the evening before we go to before we get back on the bus and on the road."

"Am I going to this event?"

"Of course you are!" JC said. "You're my date!"

"How can it be that JC's the only one with a date?" Chris whispered to Justin who just shrugged.

"Jace, I didn't bring any fancy clothes worthy enough to wear to an event," Liz groaned. "I thought I'd was just going to be the *NSYNC sidekick while you guys just did what you had to do. What do you expect me to wear? And why didn't you tell me?!"

"I'm sorry babe, that part slipped my mind." He sighed. "Uh, how about I take you shopping for an hour so we can get you a few things before the meet ‘n greet starts, huh?"

"Lonnie said you guys aren't allowed to leave the hotel once we get to it," she reminded him. "I'll just go get some stuff by myself,"

"You don't even know the area around here,"

She shrugged and looked out the window. "There's a shopping plaza right here and the hotel is a block away. I'll take a walk, buy some things and get back before they release you to the lions,"

Justin looked at her oddly.

"Your fans Jus," she giggled.

"Ah," he nodded.

"Will let me at least get Lonnie to go with you," JC insisted. "It's my fault you even have to go get stuff. I didn't tell you we had an event tomorrow."

"It's fine," she shook her head. "I'll just go as soon as the bus stops off at the hotel and you'll text me our room number. Okay?"

"Yea, okay..."

***

Almost ten minutes later

"Text me if you need any kind of help okay?" JC told her as Justin and Chris hurriedly stepped off the bus and practically got ready to run before any fan spotted them and followed them into the hotel. "I won't be able to leave but I'll send Lonnie or one of the other body guards to get you."

"I'll be fine. Be back in an hour, tops." She assured him.

"Buy something sexy," JC winked, kissing her on the lip.

She giggled. "Will do,"

*

"Who the hell buys a dress for $3200.00?" Liz asked herself, rolling her eyes at the ridiculous price on the plain, thin strap black dress that had ruffles at the bottom. She sighed, sifting her way through racks of dresses. Some plain, some gorgeous, some she didn't like the fabric and some that were just ridiculously priced. She had been browsing for almost twenty five minutes and the most she had gotten was a pair of long silver earrings. Now, she just needed the shoes and the dress to match.

"I'm really hating you right now Joshua Chasez," she mumbled while still looking through the rack.

"Can I help you ma'am?" a woman asked from behind her.

Liz turned around and noticed a tall, slender woman with her hair in a high ponytail and a smile plastered on her face looking at her. She looked oddly familiar. They'd never met, but she knew those eyes from somewhere... Or from someone...

"I'm sorry to ask but did you say the name Joshua Chasez?" the woman questioned.

Liz raised her eyebrows, slightly taken aback by the question. She wasn't sure if this was just another fan that wanted personal access to *NSYNC or to get to JC by using her.

"Uh, yea I did. I'm sorry but I'm just looking for a dress," she turned to continue looking at the dresses. She pulled out a long kind of gold shimmery dress, and held it out to so that she could study it.

"JC doesn't really like those colors by the way," the voice said again from behind her.

Liz frowned, turning around to face the woman. "How do you know JC?"

She shrugged. "Doesn't matter how I know him. What matters is that I know what he likes and that dress is not it."

Liz stared at her wondering how in the world she would know what JC liked and what he didn't.

"He's your boyfriend, I know." The woman smiled.

"I'm sorry but I don't know who you are or what connections you have to JC but-"

"Look," she held up her hand to stop Liz from speaking. She turned to her right and sifted through a rack silently before smiling and pulling out a short, strapless dark blue dress with sequins around the breast area. Liz had to admit, it was gorgeous. Though, it was really short. If she bent over to pick up a pen someone dropped they were sure to see straight up her ass. Not that she hadn't worn a lot of short dresses and miniskirts back home but those were for clubbing. This was an event where they'd be a lot of important music people or whatever. She wanted to look classy and appropriate at the same time.

"This is a dress guys like JC want their girls to wear," the woman said.

"Uh, that is nice but not really my style, sorry," Liz shifted uncomfortably.

She shrugged. "Suit yourself. But this is the kind of thing your boyfriend likes and knowing your boyfriend, he likes to get a little worked up before he chooses to rip the dress off you."

Liz wasn't sure how to react to that. "Look, I don't know who you are but just so you know, I am not having sex with JC! You don't even know who I am! And by the way, you just lost a sale!"

She stormed past the woman but the voice stopped her again.

"That's all he wants you know," she called after her. "Take it from a person with experience with JC Chasez. If you don't give him something to work with soon, and that something being letting him get access to between your legs, he's going to cut you off from him and find someone who'll give him what you're not going to. He's a man."

"You don't know JC and you have no business telling me what me and him should or should not be doing!"

"I know you're his girlfriend." She smirked. "From the way you're acting I can tell you're still holding out on him. I'm telling you sweetie, wear something sexy and give him something or he'll give you nothing." Think about all his other girlfriends that used to wear dresses like these," she continued. "They used to pleasure him you know. Are you doing that?"

 "You have no idea what you're fucking talking about," Liz muttered, pulling open the door with a force strong enough she thought that she was going to pull the handle off. "You don't even know me,"

"I know JC," the woman said. "And I may not know you a whole lot but I know JC. Give him what he wants or he's going to end things like that," she snapped her fingers. "Believe me,"