"No, no, no, no," JC kept mumbling to himself as he sifted through the clothes on the hangers. "No, no, no, the fuck?"

Katrina lifted her head momentarily from her laptop and looked over to him. "What now?" she asked.

She instantly began to regret answering her door an hour ago and JC didn't seem to care in the least that she was beginning to get bothered. For the first time in a good few days, Katrina was granted with some peace and quiet that replaced the laughs and giggles and innocent voices that had filled her apartment lately.

The time to herself that she so often savoured but so rarely got was being invaded that day with JC rummaging around her room. His latest spot? Her closet.

 "I'm not sure what I should be more afraid of," he said uncertainly, holding up the pair of neon pink spandex with white zebra prints. "The fact that you might have worn this in public or just the fact that you own it."

"Those things were the shit in the 80s," Katrina said as she typed. She lifted her head once more and gave him a sly smile. "And let's not forget that you're the one who liked to wear coloured leather pants."

"Whatever," JC shook his head, stuffing the tights to the far back of the closet. He fumbled around for a few more seconds before something else caught his eye. "Hey," he grinned, delicately grasping the small pair of red, lacy lingerie in the palm of his hand. "What's this doing all the way in the back there?"

Katrina looked up at him and chuckled. She recognized the "I haven't worn those yet."

"I bought them for you in Paris almost a year ago and you still haven't worn them?"

"I wore the black ones," she reminded him knowingly.

JC looked at the racy set and then back at her. "Come try ‘em on."

Katrina rolled her eyes as she continued to type away, her attention leaving him. "No, Jace."

"Why not?" he whined.

"Because you already know what I look like with them and what I look like without them," she pointed out. "Now put back my clothes and get out of my closet."

JC pouted as he turned back to close the cupboard door. It was the first Saturday in a few weeks that he hadn't spent either in a recording studio or at The Grove or on a brunch date with whatever girl he had picked up the night before.

Of course, it was his own choosing to be there whether or not Katrina liked having him at her house, but he was enjoying the slight change from his promiscuous routine.

"You know," JC started, plopping down stomach first to join her on her bed. "I'm thinking of going back to Europe in the summer. You should so come with me this time."

"I don't fly, Chasez," Katrina responded simply.

"I know," JC remarked. "You've never even been out of California. Planes are nothing to be scared of, you know. You're more likely to die on your way to the airport."

"Come back and talk to me when you can go get a shot without me or anyone else having to chase your adult ass around the medical centre."

Ignoring her comment, JC nodded toward the laptop that faced them both. "What're you even doing anyways?" he asked. He popped a couple peanuts from the bowl she had on the bed into his mouth and raised his eyebrows expectantly at her.

Katrina had been doing the same thing since he had come over and she failed to meet his gaze when he asked the question.

"Writing," she murmured as she opened a new document. JC peered at the screen and read on as she typed. She didn't seem too bothered that he continued to eye what she was doing.

"How come you don't try selling this stuff, SmartieKat?" he asked.

Katrina shrugged. "Lots of people write stuff. It's about who knows who and who's willing to read a million shitty drafts. Plus, I already have a job."

He snorted. "You're just gonna work at the mall for the rest of your life?"

"Some of us weren't as lucky to be international superstars and make millions of dollars in our early twenties and then go through life without problems," she shot back.

"Hey, I got problems," JC told her, eating a handful more of peanuts. "Money just ain't one of ‘em."

Katrina ignored him for a few silent moments  as she tended to her work. She had only managed a few sentences before she felt heavy eyes and a smile intently staring at what she was doing.

"Would you quit that?" Katrina said loudly, closing the laptop with an exasperated sigh. "I can't write if you're gawking like that!"

"You were doing just fine," JC grinned. "I was getting into it."

"You know I hate it when people read my stuff," she mumbled, setting the laptop on the floor right next to the bed. She watched as JC stuffed another handful of peanuts into his mouth.

"I don't get the point of working on something if you're not gonna share it with other people," he said while chewing. "You're just like... wasting away."

"Gosh, thanks for the support, best friend."

"You know I love you," JC grinned. 

"The feeling is not mutual at the moment," Katrina murmured as she got off the bed and smoothed down her clothes. "I can't believe Cody and Cindy have been napping this long. They leave tomorrow night. I thought they'd at least want to do something fun today."

"Oh, let the kids sleep," JC encouraged. He sat up straight on the bed and wiggled his eyebrows. "Maybe you and I can kind of get some sleeping in too."

Katrina looked at him blankly, knowing full well that with her luck, the second he tried to get something going, one of the two kids would probably run into the room. She bent down to retrieve her laptop and shook her head. "No chance."

"Ugh," JC groaned, falling back onto the mattress. "Fine."

"You can come help me sort out laundry until they get up if you like," she offered, and JC looked at her with that, ‘You've got to be joking' look that he gave only to her.

"Don't say I didn't try to entertain ya," Katrina shrugged.

"Would it make me a bad person if I called up someone and hooked up with them for a couple hours and then come back here?"

"Yes."

"I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't feel too badly about it, though."

Katrina looked at him disapprovingly. "And I'm pretty sure that I'm gonna catch something from you one of these good days too."

***

Two hours of napping could only have led to one thing where a seven year old and a four year old were concerned- Limitless energy.

They almost reminded Katrina of the way JC would act when he got hyped up on too much sugar, even at his age, or whenever he was having an exceptionally good day and channelled his energy through being silly.

The two children were safely strapped into the backseat of JC's convertible, their faces brighter than Christmas lights as they cruised through the Los Angeles streets with the rooftop down. Katrina simply smiled and leaned back against the leather seat, her sunglasses protecting her from the sun's rays.

From the grin on JC's face as the wind blew through his hair, Katrina knew he surely didn't mind the company.

"Where are we taking them for lunch?" Katrina practically shouted, the sound of the wind from the speed of the car almost drowning her out.

"Is The Grove alright?" JC asked, just as loudly. He never took his eyes off the road.

Katrina didn't respond, which JC always knew was her silent way of agreeing. She turned around to face her niece and nephew as JC finally slowed to a red light.

Wide grins and bright eyes greeted her.

"I like this car," Cindy squealed. Some strands of her brown hair had escaped her pigtails on the ride.

"Fast, ain't it?" JC smiled proudly, looking at Cody. The younger boy agreed.

"Dad never drives that fast with the roof down!"

"That's gonna have to be another thing we're gonna have to keep between the four of us, okay?" Katrina laughed, nervously.  She looked to her right where JC was behind the wheel.  "Sean and Lindsay would kill me if they knew we were doing something like this."

"Relax, Kat, goodness," JC assured her. "It's a joyride. We're not even over the speed limit."

"Can we play basketball later?" Cody asked. The eagerness in his voice was evident.

"I'm sure I've seen some public courts around somewhere," Katrina said, almost to herself. "We can play two on two after we get something to eat, alright?"

"JC's on my team!" the seven year old immediately claimed, and JC chuckled.

"Awesome."

The light changed, and once again, the two children were mesmerized by the parts of West Hollywood they had only seen a handful of times before, if they even remembered. Captivated by their surroundings, Cody and Cindy paid no attention to the conversation JC and their aunt continued.

"Cindy and I are going to kick your ass, just so you know," Katrina whispered to JC playfully as he continued to drive.

He laughed whole heartedly as he turned a corner. "That's the hunger talking, honey."

"I was thinking of making them a big dinner tonight, since it's their last night with me," she told him. "Maybe watch another movie, build a ford in the living room, make s'mores over the stove... I bet they'd like it if you stayed over later."

"I wasn't intending to leave when I drop you guys off anyways, but thanks for the formal invitation."

Katrina nudged his leg and chuckled. "I never imagined you'd be this good around kids. Too bad you don't want any."

"Yea, well. Committing to something for a week is so much easier than committing yourself to something for the rest of your life."

"If you ever want a steady girlfriend, Jace, you're gonna have to change your attitude on commitment."

"Hey, I commit-"

"Music doesn't count," Katrina interrupted.

"Are you gonna help me do some stuff in my music book when we get back to Aunt Kat's, JC?" Cody butt in.

"'Course I am, man," JC agreed. "We're gonna do a ton of fun, music stuff tonight."

"We get to stay up late, Aunt Kat?" Cindy asked, her voice almost quiet and hopeful.

She knew that of all of them, her niece would probably be the first to hit the hay but Katrina smiled and nodded. Her loose, brown hair flew into her face as she turned around. "Yea, you can."

"Fun with JC tonight!" she said happily.

"And don't forget the music," JC reminded her, importantly.

***

"Does this happen a lot?" Cody whispered to his aunt. His fascinated green eyes remained fixated on JC who stood a few feet away.

Katrina smiled as she held on to the hands of her niece and nephew, both children unintentionally staring at the small scene before them where four women could be seen laughing and chatting and asking to snap pictures with JC who remained polite and agreed.

"He's sort of a celebrity to a lot of people," Katrina answered. "People like to get his autograph and take pictures with him when they recognize him."

"Does he like being famous?" Cody questioned. His sister simply continued to nibble on a large pretzel and stared at what JC was doing.

"I think he likes it a lot of the time," Katrina answered her nephew. She looked over to where she could obviously tell that JC was being as friendly as he could possibly be with the strangers who had done almost everything to be close to him besides actually grope him. "Other times, I think he likes it when people don't know who he is."

The younger boy looked on as JC was hailed out a few more times while signing on a notepad by people who passed near the scene. The Grove was a typical hangout spot for him, and a large majority of people who stuck around had already either met him or seen him before. There were always the tourists though...

"It's so cool how so much people know him," Cody murmured.

JC looked over to Katrina with an apologetic smile while attempting to carry on the conversation he was having with the red head and the two brunettes in front of him. He nodded casually over to her way and Katrina got the signal.

It was his signal of telling her that he was probably going to be stuck there for longer than usual.

"C'mon, guys," Katrina said, gently tugging on the small hands that held on to hers. "Let's take a walk until JC's done, huh?"

Cody was reluctant at first, but Katrina got them to turn around. Only a few seconds of completely aimless walking went by before Cindy looked up at her aunt.

Specks of sunlight practically danced in her eyes while glittering with excitement. She took one more glance at the crystal blue water fountain a few feet away from meeting her aunt's gaze.

"If you make a wish in the fountain, your wish comes true," she beamed.

"You want to make a wish, Cin?" Katrina smiled, opening her clutch to get a hold of a quarter. The pink and denim dressed girl nodded eagerly. "What about you, Codes?"

"Nah," he shook his head. "I don't believe that magic fountain stuff."

Katrina handed her niece the coin and stepped back as she scampered closer to the fountain.

She and Cody watched in almost silence as Cindy made her wish, but the moment was interrupted.

"You're Katrina, aren't you?"

She turned around, only to be surprisingly greeted by a familiar pair of eyes.

She grinned, her eyes instantly brightening. She lifted her sunglasses further up her face until they rested on the top of her head.

"Do you remember me?" he asked again, unsure of what to think of her reaction.

"I remember you," she blurted out quickly, and the man smiled. "Ethan," she smiled. "Animal doctor from the Aquarium."

"I'm glad you remember that much," he chuckled. "How are you?"

"Great," Katrina replied honestly. "I'm great."

Ethan nodded, his lime green t shirt tight gently making his hazel eyes pop. "It's so funny seeing you here, actually."

"Is today another one of your days off?"

"I have until Thursday off," he replied. "Vets do get vacation days too, just to be clear."

She giggled, finding it hard to break the eye contact. "I'm watching my niece and nephew today," she explained, putting an arm around the quiet seven year old's shoulder.  Cindy still stood a couple feet away in full view. "It's one of their last days here, so..."

"Nice to meet you," Ethan said, smiling at Cody. The child politely nodded.

Clearing his throat, the man stuffed both hands in the front pocket of his dark blue jeans. "I hope you don't find this question odd, but, do you still have that card I gave to you? Because I never got a call back after the voicemail I left for you the other day."

Katrina crinkled her eyebrows. "I have the card but I didn't get a voicemail."

"You sure?"

"Did you hear a voicemail on the phone, Codes?" Katrina asked, and he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Ethan, but there was probably something wrong with the connection that night. I have your card though. I've just been so busy with these kids since the Aquarium date that-"

"Well," he started, cutting her off. "Speaking of dates, I'd like to take you on one."

Katrina raised her eyebrows, pleasantly taken aback. "You would?"

"That's sort of why I tried to call," he admitted sheepishly.

"I'd love to," she grinned.

"Yea?"

"Definitely."

"Great," Ethan grinned, obviously a bit relieved. "I'm so glad I ran into you today. When you didn't call back, I just took it as a hint that you weren't interested or anything."

Cindy retreated over to her aunt's side but exchanged silent looks with her brother. Katrina, however, remained oblivious to the overly quiet children at her side as well as the shoppers walking past her. Her eyes were fixated on the ones that matched hers.

"It's sort of weird that I didn't get it," she said. "I feel a little surprised because you don't even really know me."

"We can change that Monday night at dinner," he flirted. "At seven thirty, maybe?"

Katrina nodded, excitement causing the hairs on the back of her neck to rise. "I like the sound of that."

Ethan smiled, their eye contact not breaking for a moment until he looked down to check his watch. "I'm supposed to go meet up with some friends of mine but I'll give you a call tonight, if you're home, alright?"

Katrina nodded. "And if it doesn't come through, I'll call you."

A hug goodbye was exchanged before Katrina finally seemed to float back down to her reality.

"I got a date, guys," she grinned, looking down at both kids. They wore uniform, blank expressions. "Not excited, huh?"

"I'm excited about basketball," Cody piped up. "But with JC."

"Speaking of JC," Katrina mumbled, scanning the sea of people around them. She saw a black hat she herself had bought for him and year ago and she nodded in his direction. "He's coming."

A few moments later, JC appeared in front of them, quick to apologize.

"Some fans are nice, some are excited, and then some are just so bat-shit crazy," he hissed. "Sorry I made you guys wait so long."

"Signed enough autographs?" Katrina teased.

"At least the ones who recognized me waited around and didn't bother us at lunch. You know how I hate it when people come up to me when I'm trying to eat."

"JC, I made a wish in tha fountain!" Cindy informed him happily.

"I'm sure your wish will come true, sweetie," he smiled.

"Are you ready to go, JC?" Cody asked. "You and Aunt Kat said we could find somewhere to play basketball."

"Yea, we're done here anyways," he nodded, and Katrina agreed. "Let's get out of here."

While they let the two youngsters lead the way in front of them, JC and Katrina lingered just a foot behind and JC caught his friend smiling from the corner of his eye.

"What's your problem?" he asked. "Did you see the world's fattest cat or something?"

Katrina laughed lightly, shaking her head. "Remember Ethan from the Aquarium?" she asked, and JC nodded his head. "I saw him here a minute ago."

"Di you say hi?"

"He came up to me," she replied. "And he asked me out."

"Really?" JC murmured. "Nice. Did you say yes?"

"'Course I did," Katrina smiled, her cheeks involuntarily turning a light shade of pink. "He said he'd call tonight. I might have to call him first though."

"Why's that?"

"The first time he called, he left a voicemail and it didn't go through. It was probably the connec-"

"Katrina," JC stopped her. "The night I took you guys out for dinner... I deleted the voicemail."