"This is bad," JC muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "This is so, very bad."

Liz just stood there, her hand still over her mouth. "This is really bad."

"Yea, you two said that already!" Emma snapped at them. "What the hell was that, huh? What the hell did you two do today!?"

"Look, Em," JC started, walking up closer to her. "Don't-"

"You guys got married and didn't tell me? I have to come home and turn on the TV to some celebrity gossip channel to find out that two of my best friends lied to me and went off and got married?"

"No, we didn't get married, we swear." Liz tried defending herself. "We were going to, yea, but the papara-"

"You were going to?!" Emma's eyes widened. "You were going to get married today? And you didn't tell me?" She turned back to JC a glared at him. "And you! You lied to me!"

"Hey, Em, it wasn't entirely his idea, alright?" Liz tried assuring her. "We both agreed to do it."

"And we didn't do it," JC pointed out calmly. "Nothing happened."

"But I bet if those damn paparazzi hadn't gotten all up in your grill you would have been Mr. and Mrs. Chasez by now, right?"

Liz and JC both looked at each other, not knowing how to respond.

"I can't believe neither of you even bothered to tell me that this was how it was going to go down."

"We're really sorry," Liz apologized softly. "We didn't mean for you to find out about it this way."

"Yea Em, we really didn't," JC added. "We were just doing it for us. We didn't expect anyone else to know about it until we told them and I can assure you that you were going to be one of the first people to find out."

"Yea, I was one of the first people. Me and let's say... The other 6 billion people on the Earth with cable and the internet!"

"We're sorry you found out like that," JC said. "We're sorry we hurt you like that. We just, didn't think it should have been that big a deal. We thought we were just doing it for us."

"Did you even take into consideration how doing this was going to make the people that care about you feel? Did you?"

"We didn't think that mattered," Liz murmured.

Emma turned to face directly at her friend. "You didn't think I mattered enough to you for you to at least talk to me about what you were doing? Or at least give me some sort of input? Liz, you and I are like sisters! We tell each other everything. We have spent the last almost ten years of our lives almost joined at the hip. You and I have been through, literally, the best and worst times of our lives together and you didn't think our friendship mattered enough to tell me that you wanted to get married? Did you even want me there? Didn't you think I would have been happy for you guys?"

"We weren't planning on telling anyone, far less inviting anyone..."

Emma shook her head, taking a step back away from the couple. "Lizzie... Since when did I become just like everyone else?"

"You're not just like ev-" JC started but Emma stopped him.

"Don't... Don't say that to me because if it were true, you would have at least told me. You wouldn't have lied to me and you sure as hell would have planned this whole thing in a way that your family and your friends would have been the first to know."

"You were going to be!" Liz insisted.

"But I wasn't, okay? That's the fucking point!"

"Em, Josh and I just-"

"Stop," Emma held up her hand, shaking her head. "You and Josh this, you and Josh that. It's just you and Josh, just like you just said you wanted it to be. You guys want to get married? Fine. I don't care anymore. Do what you want. Congratu-fucking-lations."

*~*~*~*~

The next day- LA

JC hadn't spoken to Johnny or any of the guys at any point in time during the night or that morning. In fact, he had purposely taken off his phone just to avoid the calls and texts they'd be sending his way. He knew they knew the events from the day before. He just wasn't ready to face the blowout he knew that was coming. It wasn't long before his luck ran out though.

"Sit down," Johnny commanded, the second JC silently entered the hotel room. "Now."

"Johnny, before you-"

"Just sit down JC."

Dropping his overnight bag on the tiled floor, JC sighed and went over to sit on the couch next to his manager.

"Uh, where're the other guys?"

"Practicing choreo at the dance studio."

JC frowned. "Well, you should have told me to go over there straight from the airport so that-"

Johnny cut him off once more. "I'll get you there soon enough. You and I need to talk."

"Can I just start off by saying I'm sorry?"

"Sorry for what exactly? Sorry that I was the one who had to had to take all those calls from people wanting to know why in the hell they were seeing JC Chasez eloping while *NSYNC is still on promotional touring or sorry that because of this craziness we had to cancel two appearances today?"

"I... I'm just... sorry."

"You said that already JC."

"Well, what else do you want me to say?"

"I want you to tell me why you didn't think through that whole plan before the tabloids got a hold of the situation! How can you just decide to leave for one day and then come back married, without telling anyone?"

"I'm not married Johnny."

"No?"

"No, I'm not. We didn't do it."

"But you were planning to?"

"No one was supposed to find out, alright? I didn't think anyone would find out before we got around to telling people. But nothing happened anyways."

"That's your problem right there JC. You didn't think people would find out. You lied to us. All of us. Regardless of whether or not it happened, do you know who you are?"

JC stared at him.

"You're JC Chasez of *NSYNC," Johnny told him. "*NSYNC, who has a new album dropping in just 14 days. You can't do things like that. It's irresponsible and completely inconsiderate to me, the guys, the people close to you and the people you work with. This is a crucial time right now, and you can't just get up and go and do whatever you feel like doing, when you feel like doing it. God Jace, you know better than to do things like that. Not only to yourself but to the group and to your family. Did you know your mom called me four times this morning in a panic looking for you? I can't even begin to tell you how much calls Justin, Lance, Chris and Joey were getting from people looking for you when they themselves didn't know what was going on!"

"It was a stupid idea, I get it now. I'll make up for it. I'll clear up everything."

"How?"

"What'd you want me to do?"

Johnny sighed, leaning back on the couch and rubbing his face with both his hands.

"You can start by turning your fucking phone back on," he muttered. "You can start returning some calls on your way over to the dance studio. I've got someone waiting downstairs for you. You guys have an interview and a performance to tape tomorrow."

JC nodded.

"Can I just ask you something, person to person? Not manager to popstar?"

"I guess..."

"JC, what even possessed you to want to get married so soon? How was that going to solve anything in your relationship?"

"I don't know, okay?" JC mumbled. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Is Liz still mad at you?"

"No... She's more upset than anything else.  Not exactly with me, but with how everyone is reacting to something we almost did. Back home, I guess the only one she'd confide anything in besides me would be Emma but she's pretty mad at both of us right now."

"Emma's the best friend right?"

"Yea... She found out the same way you did. The paparazzi..."

"She isn't talking to you guys, period? Or she's just upset?"

"Oh, she's pretty mad. I don't know how Liz and I are going to make up for this one. I should never have pressured her into thinking we should have been doing this so soon. I mean, Johnny, I honestly didn't expect things to end up being the way that they did."

"We are all pretty mad at you two..."

"Are the guys this mad at me too?"

"They're your friends and all, hell, they're like your brothers, but you're the one who's going to have to talk to them about all this. They love you JC, but with this one, I think you really hurt them. I mean, not only have you added unnecessary chaos to your guys' already chaotic job but you've put a huge dent in the trust and closeness in the brotherhood they thought you had with them."

"Don't be dramatic Johnny."

"Don't be stupid JC."

*~*~*~

"I don't know how you guys mastered that step so fast," Lance mumbled. "I always feel like I mess it up."

"It isn't that hard Lance," Justin rolled his eyes, putting his hands on his hips.

"You're forgetting the guy has two left feet J," Chris snickered.

"They're just picking on your Lance," Joey but in before Lance could say his comeback. "Chris, shut up or help him out."

"Let Justin do it," Lance said. "I at least want someone around my height so I don't have to keep looking down at short-stuff over there."

"Hey dude, at least I-"

"Chris, leave Lance alone," Justin sighed. "C'mon let's just-"

"I'll help you Lance."

The four bandmates turned around to the direction where the familiar voice came from.

JC rested his water bottle and hand towel near the door on the wooden floor and walked toward his friends.

The room went silent but JC tried not to pay attention to it. "Uh, what step do you need help with?"

There was a long silence of just them staring at each other before Joey cleared his throat and broke the silence.

"Actually C, Justin was going to help him out so don't worry about it."

"Yea Jace, it's cool," Lance nodded. "I just tripped a couple times. It's no big deal."

Justin and Chris remained silent, their eyes looking around at everything besides directly at JC.

"Well um, what song were you guys practicing?"

"It's Gonna Be Me," Joey replied.

JC nodded. "Well, shall we start up again? I've been wanting to work on a couple steps myself so maybe we could-"

"I'm taking a break," Justin muttered. He turned around, taking off his cap and walking over to where his water bottle was, next to a bean bag chair. "Chris, you coming?"

 "Take ten guys," he mumbled, turning around to join Justin. "I'm taking a break too. JC, we're working on the steps for the chorus."

JC frowned, folding his arms and looking at Joey and Lance.

"Take ten? I just got here."

"Yea, but we've been here all day JC," Lance reminded him. "And we need a break. A lot of stuff is on our minds. We haven't had the best luck concentrating today."

"I guess you're about to tell me that's my fault right?"

"How've you been JC?" Joey asked. "If Justin isn't going to talk to you and Chris wants to wait until later to ask about it then I'm going to swallow my God damn pride and talk to you myself. How've you been? What's going on with you?"

"You saw me yesterday when I left and now I'm back today ready to rehearse. There isn't much more that I'd like to talk about and there isn't much more that should be talked about. Right?"

"You tell us," Lance said with an accusing stare. "A lot can happen in one day. A lot of people can find out things and hear things and say things and do things in one day."

"Don't you think you owe us some sort of explanation for everything JC?" Joey asked. "We're not going to be immature and do all this ‘you're not talking to me - I'm not talking to you' type shit. We have things to get done and we need to get past this."

Lance nodded. "Just talk to us JC. Tell us what's going on. We're your friends and it kind of hurt that you didn't tell us what was going on with you in the first place. All we want is an explanation. An apology wouldn't hurt either."

"I'm sorry, okay? I don't know how many times I've said that for the past 24hrs and I don't know how many more times I'm going to have to say it but I mean it. I didn't mean for my best friends to find out what I was up to like that."

"We would have been happy for you, you know," Joey said.

JC rolled his eyes. "Yea, Justin and Chris are really happy with me right now, right?"

"That's only because they're hurt and they're annoyed. I mean, can you blame them?"

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later that night

"We messed up, didn't we?"

"You think?"

JC sighed, adjusting the pillows behind him on the couch. "How're things going at home for you though, you know, since I left?"

"Work was civil. I wasn't in the office a lot because I was kind of running around with some clients."

"How'd you even get to work?"

"Called a cab," Liz shrugged.

"You didn't leave with Emma?"

"She got up early this morning and left without me."

"She left you?!"

"It's okay, Josh. I don't exactly blame her for it. We haven't talked that much. She made eye contact with me a couple times but I don't know...  I tried talking and apologizing but she keeps her door closed and she leaves the room if I'm in it for more than fifteen seconds. I'm living alone, basically."

"I'm sorry baby," JC sighed. "Things haven't been any easier for me either."

"That bad, huh?"

"Johnny's mad at me, Justin hasn't spoken two words to me since I got back in this morning and Lance and Joey are civil but there isn't much to say to them or for them. It's the same with Chris. He hasn't really commented on anything. It's just awkward. At rehearsal today, I spent like, almost an hour by myself trying to get the steps down to a T while they just sat around conversing in a corner. Sure, I was late and all but for the first time, I felt... Excluded, I guess."

"It'll get better babe, hang in there. We hurt them. I guess we should just give them their space now like when we wanted our space."

"I'm sorry, by the way, for not listening to you. You were right. We should have just ignored the fact that we were engaged and should have just lived like nothing was changing and everyone would have been happy. We shouldn't - well, I shouldn't - have made you think we were doing the right thing. The right thing turned out to be the complete opposite of what I expected it to be."

"So we should lay off this for a while?"

"It's what you suggested in the first place and you're smart so yea. Let's just not think about any  wedding or any ceremony or anything like that. All that will fall in to place some day but I don't think it's today."

"I understand. That's what we should have been doing in the first place instead of rushing into things without anyone else knowing."

"Don't you dare take off your ring though," JC warned playfully.

"I wasn't planning on it."

"You'd love it out here Lizzie. I haven't gotten a chance to really see the city or anything but it's pretty great out here."

"I'll come out and join you soon. As soon as all this dies down, I'll see what I can do."

They chatted for a few more minutes before JC decided he should go get some sleep since *NSYNC had to get up early the next morning. Ending off the call with the usual ‘Goodnight' and ‘I love you', they hung up.

Getting off the couch, Liz stood up and turned to leave the living room. She stopped a few feet away from the door frame when she realized Emma was staring at her.

"Hey Em."

Emma just continued to look at her, her arms folded.

Liz forced a smile. "Are you going to watch a movie or something?"

No reply.

Liz frowned. "Alright, well... Good night."

Waiting until Liz walked past her to leave the room, Emma spoke.

"You loved Josh enough to want to marry him in the spur of a moment, but you didn't value our friendship enough to at least think of telling me what was going on."

Liz turned around slowly but Emma's back was still to her.

"You're talking to me now?"

"Didn't you think I would have wanted to know? Didn't you think I would have supported you and been happy for you?"

Liz didn't know how to respond.

After a few moments of silence passed and Liz still didn't answer the questions, Emma turned around to face her friend.

"I love you guys... You and I have been dreaming about the day one of us got married since we started the business. You're like the sister neither of us has. I think it's great that you've decided to spend the rest of your life with someone you love and who loves you back. Didn't you think I would have wanted to be a part of it?"

"I don't know what to say..."

"Then never mind." She turned away to walk into the living room but Liz took a couple steps forward and grabbed her arm.

"Wait, don't start up a conversation with me and then walk away!"

"Don't decide you're going to marry some guy and not tell your best friend!"

"But no one-"

"Okay, so, screw not telling me! Whatever... But the way I found out about what happened... It just... It made me feel like... Like... You didn't care about us enough to include me on it or warn me about it."

"I take the full blame for that Em but you can't be mad at me for it forever. I'm really sorry that's how things happened but you got to understand and believe me when I say that I do value our friendship and how much you mean to both me and Josh. When he brought up that we should do it yesterday, you were the first person that entered my mind. I just thought, ‘What is Emma going to say if she finds out that I'm doing this and she doesn't know about it?'And yea, I was going to do it but at the end of the day, I didn't and I'm sorry that you found out the way you did about something that was supposed to be private. You can blame Josh for that part by the way."

"I still haven't blasted Josh for lying to me..." she mumbled. "Or for coming here and just almost making you marry him."

"Just... I don't want you to be mad at us. I get why you would be but you got to understand it from my point of view as well. I love him and to us, doing this was the only option we had."

"I'm glad you love him Liz but... There're people that care about you out there. People who want to a part of that love and celebrate that love with the two of you. You have to understand that from our point of view too."

"I do," Liz nodded. "Or at least, I do now. And I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry and if I could go back in time to yesterday, I'd call you up and make you my maid of honor and tell you to meet us at that stupid court house and have you witness everything. Not including you on this doesn't mean I didn't appreciate you or love you any less than I do."

Emma folded her arms slowly across her chest and rocked back on her heels, her head down. "Well, now I know that... It didn't seem like it before though."

"I'm sorry."

Emma nodded, and the two stood there silently for a few seconds before Emma lifted her head. "You'd really have made me your maid of honor?"

"There is honestly no one else in this world that would fill that position as well as you would."

"Then I don't completely dislike you anymore."

Liz managed a small smile. "I don't blame you for being mad. I'm actually a little mad at myself."

"As you should be."

"Please don't hate me... Or Josh, for that matter."

"Hate's a strong word... So I won't use it. But, promise me something."

"Anything."

"When you and Josh do get married, one, let me know. And two, promise me you'll make me your maid of honor."

"I will and I promise."

"Then... Just get over here and let me hug my best friend."

Liz heaved a sigh of relief as she wrapped her arms tightly around Emma's neck and grinned when she felt her squeeze back.

"Sorry I got so mad about everything by the way," Emma said. "I'll Josh tomorrow and apologize too."

"You don't have to do that, he's fine."

"He is?"

*~*~*~*~*~

The next day- 6PM

"JC!" Johnny called out to him, entering the hotel room and walking straight past the guys in the living area. "Meet me in your room."

JC lifted his head and frowned. He sat on the couch that was next to the window and had spent the last ten minutes just looking outside. Chris had his music player on his lap and had his headphones in. Justin was silently sitting on another couch watching a golf game while Joey and Lance sat next to JC but Lance was on his laptop and Joey was just checking out what he was doing.

"What does he want to talk to me about now?" JC muttered but Lance and Joey heard him and just shrugged. Justin did too but he didn't bother to pay any attention to JC.

Sighing, JC got up and walked over to the room he was sharing with Joey. Johnny was already waiting for him, sitting on the chair next to the bed.

"Close the door," he commanded when JC appeared.

"What's going on?" JC asked, doing as he was told.

"Come here and sit down."

JC made no argument and just sat down on the bed to face Johnny.

"What's this about?"

"This is about you," Johnny said, pulling out a laptop and opening it.

JC rolled his eyes. "This should be good."

"I've been thinking about what you did. Me and some of the guys from the crew, that is... JC, I don't want what went down yesterday affect your focus, especially at this time."

"Look, Johnny, you don't even have to worry about Liz affecting my focus toward the group. I know where I stand with my job and my personal life and they are both in two separate worlds so if that's what you're worried about then we don't really have a problem here."

"You ran away to almost get married yesterday. You're mind is on your job but your heart is on your lady. Or is it the other way around?"

"It's both ways at different times. Johnny, I know how to balance the two. It's cool. I'm fine."

"What I need JC, is for your whole being to be committed to music. That isn't going to be smooth sailing if yesterday's events still have an effect on you."

"Can't we just keep yesterday's events as just that? Yesterday's events..."

"You are going to get married."

JC raised his eyebrows, not amused. "What?"

Johnny turned around the laptop to face JC. A calendar was shown on the screen.

"No Strings Attached drops here," the manager pointed to a red box marked two rows from where that day's date was.

"Two weeks away, I know."

"No, twelve days away. That's less than two weeks."

"What're you getting at Johnny?" JC asked slowly.

"Today Tuesday. Twelve days from now, it'll be a Sunday."

"Congratulations Johnny. You can count and you know the days of the week."

"Don't play smartass with me. I want you to think about something. Today is Tuesday. You have twelve days before the serious stuff starts. Use those twelve days to collect yourself and do what you were gonna do just a couple days ago. Marry Lizzie in those twelve days and kick off the new album with a bang! With a clear head and momentum to back you up."

"I can't marry her just like that."

Johnny snorted. "Dude, you were going to do it in a court house two days ago. What difference does it make if you do it now?"

"We decided to lay off it."

"JC, think about it. If you wait any longer, when are you going to find the time?"

"I don't know but I can wait. So can Liz. We're fine! And twelve days? You want me to marry her in twelve days?"

"Well, I was actually thinking five days and then spend the next four days on a honeymoon. That adds up to nine days. You spend the next two days back with *NSYNC for final promotion and then the next day, the album drops and we have the release party here in L.A. It's perfect! And all within the twelve day span."

"Is this all you called me in here to talk to me about?"

"JC, do it. Call Liz now and talk to her about it. We can make it happen. This time, without everyone hating you and only the people you want to know about it will know about it. It seems to be what's best for you two anyways."

"Johnny, since when are you-"

"I want you to be happy. We need you to be happy. You're not happy without her. I need you to be happy with your life because if something's wrong in your personal life, then it reflects through your work. People will see through and act and see through phoniness and you said that yourself. You need to give people something genuine to work with. Would Liz do it? Would she go through with it? I mean, you'd be out here but we'd be able to get her the best people to plan with given the circumstances."

"She'd probably like that..." JC murmured. "I don't know Johnny. I feel like I'm on some sort of roller coaster with all this. It's literally giving me a headache talking about everything."

"The timing is great, sort of. We can pull it off if you just say the word. I just need a yes or no answer now that I've shown you what I've got."

"I, personally, would love to do it."

"Would Lizzie go through with it?"

*~*

"You busy there?" JC asked, peeking his head into the room Justin, Chris and Lance shared together.

The younger blonde was on the bed, his head up against the headboard and his eyes focused on the phone in his hands. Chris and Lance were still outside with Joey.

Justin lifted his head to look at JC, who opened the door wider.

"Do you need something?"

JC shrugged. "Just wondered what you were doing in here."

"I'm chilling. So if you don't mind, I'd like to go back to doing what I was doing."

JC remained in place, not moving.

Justin stared at him, his stolid expression not changing. "What?"

"I wanted to talk to you."

"Now you want to talk?"

Nodding, JC took a few steps forward into the room and closed the door behind him. He went over to sit on the bed next to Justin's feet.

"What the fu-"

JC punched his leg before he could even finish what he was going to say.

"Ow!" Justin cried out, sitting up. "What the hell was that?"

"You were going to swear. Say ‘nookie'."

"I thought we were done with that swearing rule!"

"It's been a while so I decided it still applies to you, and well, Joey, for obvious reasons. You're still a teenager. Excessive swearing isn't cool. Now say ‘nookie' before I punch you again."

"I swear but I at least I don't lie," Justin muttered. "Nookie. There, I said it. Now can you please leave?"

"No," JC shook his head. "I came in here to talk and spend time with you."

"I don't feel like having a conversation with you."

"We already are so we may as well continue it."

"We don't have much to talk about."

"No, but I have a lot to apologize about. I know you're mad at me."

"Good to know you pay attention to me enough to tell when I'm mad."

"I've known you since you were like, ten. I know when you're mad. Especially when you're mad at me."

"Which is not very often and you know that."

"So this time I really got to you, didn't I?"

"I found out that you were getting married through some gossip reporter on TV? I've known you since I was ten. Don't you think I should have been one of the first people in your mind to call about something like that?"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I'm not... married, though. Just clearing that up."

"You're not?"

"Do you see a ring on my finger?" JC chuckled. "Do I have a wife sitting on my lap right now?"

"No but you may as well. That's the direction all your focus goes to anyways."

"That's not true Justin."

"Whatever you say JC. Just wait till you're actually married. You're going to be split between *NSYNC and your personal life."

"That's how my life is now J. It's not that different."

"If you're split between *NSYNC and your personal life, where do I come in?"

"What'd you mean where you come in? I'm with you all the-"

"Where does the JC-Justin time come in? When does out basketball playing time come in? Our song writing time... Our video gaming time... Our picking on Joey and Lance with Chris time... Where does all that fit in to in your life?"

"Is that how you feel? You feel like I've neglected you as a friend? Justin, don't be ridiculous. You shouldn't feel like that. You know I-"

"If I shouldn't feel that way, then stop giving me a damn reason to make me feel that way!"

"I just... I didn't mean to... To... How do I put this... I didn't mean to make you feel like I didn't care for you as anything more than a bandmate. We're best friends. We have been for almost a decade now. You of all people know what it's like to have to balance and sacrifice the things we love and enjoy to do other things we love and enjoy."

"I just didn't think our friendship would have been one of your sacrifices," Justin mumbled, looking back down at his phone.

"It isn't Just. You're like my brother. Dude, I'm closer to you than I am to my own brother!"

Justin just shook his head, not bothering to acknowledge JC's statement.

"You still don't forgive me, do you?"

Again, Justin didn't respond.

JC sighed, getting up from the bed.

"Well that's too bad because-" He took a piece of folded paper out of his pocket and threw in on Justin's chest. "You have stuff to do."

Justin frowned, taking the piece of paper and looking at it. "What's this?"

JC shrugged. "Just some things you have to get done by this Sunday. Get a tux, make sure rings are secured, write toasts, plan a bachelor party, make sure things run by as scheduled... You know, best man stuff."

Justin's head shot up. He looked at JC with wide eyes.

"What'd you just say?"

JC smiled. "Oh, and you have to escort Emma down the aisle after the ceremony but I'm sure you're cool with that. All that with the help of Johnny and the guys of course. You're still pretty young to take all that on by yourself."

"No! I mean, I can do it. Are you just playing me or are you dead serious C?"

"I'm dead serious and you better be too because all that needs to get done by this Sunday. So, you know, if you mess this up for me, I'm going to kill you."

Justin grinned. "You made me your best man? Over everyone else?"

"You said it yourself. I spent the last almost ten years with you. You've been with me through almost every milestone in my life so you were the obvious choice."

"We have until this Sunday? That's basically five freakin' days away!"

"So what?"

"Do you know how many things can go wrong in five days?"