The soft knock at the door made her look up from the unpacking she was doing.  "Hey," Liz smiled when she found him leaning on the door frame.

"You doing okay?" JC asked as he walked in the room.

"Yes," she nodded, putting damp hoodie she just took off on top of the bed.  It started to rain on their way to his car at the airport so they got a little wet. "Hey, uhm ... thanks again for letting me stay here," her cheeks flashed a little bit of a crimson shade.

He rolled his eyes as he playfully pouted. "For the millionth time, I told you it's all good. What kind of a friend am I if I can't let one of my friends, who, mind you, have saved my ass so many times in the past, stay in my house when I have the room? Actually I have three extra rooms. And ... even if I didn't, I would still let you stay."

She couldn't help but smile. "Thanks."

"Anytime."

"And thanks for picking me up at the airport too."

"You're welcome."

"And for helping me with my luggage in the rain."

"Now that you're definitely not welcome, we have to come up with some sort of payment for that. They were mad heavy yo! Seriously. What?  Do you have the kitchen sink in one of these suitcases?"

This time Liz laughed. "No. But that's coming. As soon as I find a place of my own, my parents are shipping out the rest of my stuff."

She has officially moved to Los Angeles because of an opportunity that she couldn't pass up. Writing was her passion and so when a publishing company offered her a writer spot in a monthly magazine they publish, she immediately jumped and took the opportunity of a lifetime, even if it meant leaving the only home she knew all her life.

But JC was there, so moving wasn't as hard for her. Yes, she was scared shit with the new adventure life dropped on her lap, but knowing that he will be there was a comfort for her.

They have met twenty years ago, in school, when he was still doing the Mickey Mouse Club, introduced by her brother, Joey. So she has been there to witness everything ... *NSYNC's beginnings, Transcon, Germany, Tearing Up My Heart, screaming fans, lawsuit, WEG, Bye Bye Bye, Pop and... the end.

She was there.

Chris, Justin, Lance and JC became her brothers too.

But she was especially close to JC. Neither of them knew why but it just happened. They became best friends. Not even his move to the City of Angels after bowing out of the limelight ended their friendship. In fact, the sincerity of the bond they had made them held on to their friendship, despite the distance. Two decades and their friendship was still there - intact and strong.

"What the heck? Were you even listening to what I've been saying? No need of finding a place. You can stay here."

"And have you been listening to what I've been saying? No, I can't."

"Why?" JC frowned. "Give me one good reason why you can't."

"Because I can't live off you. I mean, yes,  you are one of my best friends and yes, you're probably a gazillionaire but I can't let you take advantage of you like that. That's just wrong."

"A gazillionaire huh?"

She giggled. "Yeah."

JC shook his head and grinned.  "You're confusing with Justin. I'm just a guy who work hard and save hard unlike some gal's older brother I know."

Liz shrugged. "Hey, at least he has K.I.T.T. to show for it."

They both laughed at her brother's need to hoard Superman, Star Wars, Thunder Cats and memorabilia and yes, even Knight Rider's infamous car.

"So since I don't have to support some memorabilia addiction, you staying here won't break me. So stay."

"No."

"What if we arrange some kind of rent or something?"

"Really? You would take rent money from me?"

"Yes."

"Liar." She accused because she knew him to well.

"Well, it doesn't necessarily mean you pay me in cash, we can make it payable in kind."

"Oh, yeah? Like how?" One of her eyebrow arched.

He shrugged, walking over to the bed so he can sit on its edge, his long legs stretched out, and his arms resting on the feather top bed for support. "Like home cook dinner or breakfast, yeah, chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast would be nice," he grinned like an idiot.

"And do your laundry perhaps?"

"Ohhhh... that would be nice too." He nodded, still smiling.

"Wrong! You don't need a roommate then. You need a wife."

JC almost choked, thank god he wasn't dinking anything. "Hey, don't say bad words."

Liz laughed, "What's wrong with what I said? Maybe that's what you need."

"A wife? I thought we were talking about the possibility of you being my roommate and now you're marrying me off?"

"Eventually, maybe. For now maybe just a nice ...good ... decent woman."

"Why?"

"Because you are not getting any younger and it's a better choice than having a grocery list of hos."

"Shut up about my age and what the hell are you talking about?"

"I hate to break this to you my friend but even though you keep saying that you've been downgraded to the D list a long time ago since your retirement from being a sparkly pop star for the tabloid and gossip sites to even care, they still do. They still talk about you, especially your choices for your hos of the week."

"You should really stop reading that stupid crap, you know."

"Yeah but what if they get a whiff of me staying here ... dude, I don't plan on being called the flavor of the ho month you are shacking up with."

He made a face at her dramatics. "Shut up, it's not gonna happen. So don't worry about it."

"Well let's say we kept this on the DL from the tabloid mongrels but what about the actual hos?"

"What? You've lost me!" He frowned.

"Check this out, what if while I'm staying here you sweet talk some ho to go home with you ..." 

"Can you please quit saying that."

"What? Hos?" She laughed.

"Yeah." He rolled his eyes. 

"Would skanks be more appropriate then?"

"Stop." This time he eyed her with a warning. 

"Okay! Sheesh ... where was I? Oh yeah! So you sweet dirty talk some CHICK you meet at a club..."

"I'm too old to be hanging out at clubs," he interrupted. 

It was her turn to roll her eyes. "It was just an example! Geez, a girl can't get a break around here. Plus weren't you the one complaining about being called old earlier? "

He just shook his head in amusement. 

"So yeah, you're at an I'm too old to be hanging out at clubs gathering and you meet this chick and you two decided you want to do the nasty and you took her home and while you try to get to your room to seal the deal, I'm here in my room hearing some muffled voices, thinking maybe there's a burglar in the house so I come out with a baseball bat or something to scare them off and BAM! It's not a burglar but you and the chick and so yeah ... not only have I ruined your chances for a freaky deaky that night but  C, come on, how the hell do you explain a girl with a bat in your house to the chick you wanted to freak?" She punctuated her narrative with a smile.

"Oh my god! You really are a writer aren't you? I mean, we just got home from the airport about an hour ago and you already wrote a novel about me." 

"It's a gift," she said with smug. "And do you want to know how your novel will end?"

"No. But I know you'd tell me anyways." 

"Of course." She winked. "It will end with me asking you to explain the grocery list of hos ... I mean skanks... I mean chicks."

The mischief in her voice and smile made him laugh despite of. "What? You suddenly shift from writer to shrink? Am I in therapy now?"

"Come on, I mean your last serious relationship was what? Four years ago." 

"So what? Seriously it's not your god damn business."

"Yes it is," she went ahead and sat next to him on the bed. "You're my friend and I care a lot about you, so yes ... care to explain this debacle?" 

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that, dude!  Two out of five of *NSYNC is married and the other two are engaged. Guess who's the odd man out?" 

"So?" He shrugged defiantly.

"So? Come on, Jace! Between the five of you, you were voted first to ever get married, with all that sappy crap you've got going on back then! I mean, My brother, Joey? Joey, your best friend, your I'm-single-and-ready-to-mingle, best friend is now married with two kids! How crazy is that? And Chris? Our I-can-only-afford-a-spring-fling friend, Chris, is engaged! That was unfathomable back then and he swore it will never ever happen yet, he is getting married next year! I mean shit! Even Lance is fucking engaged. And then we have you, still single and goddamit, Jace, being careless." 

"What's wrong with that?"

"What's wrong with being careless? Are you for real? Come on now, I know you're better than that. You're supposed to be the responsible one!  Weren't you Mr. Dream Boy who writes all those stupid love songs so you should be, of all people, doing what my brother and Chris are doing right now!" 

He sighed. "Just leave it alone, okay."

"What if I don't want to?" She challenged, giving him sideway glance. 

"Are you trying to piss me off so I'll stop asking you to just stay?"

"Yes that too but look," she paused to put a hand on his thigh. "We're just worried about you, okay?" 

"We?"

"Joe and Chris..." 

"I'd say they're just jealous," he smirked.

She smiled. "I don't know about that because have you seen Chris lately? He's a different man. He's letting his girl call him baby cakes it's scary!" 

JC laughed and shook his head. She was right about Chris though.

"Seriously though, they're just a little bit concerned." 

"So they sent you? Ahhhh! Wusses!"

"I believe they said they have faith in my tenacity." 

"Nosey bitch is the unsugar coated version of that."

"God! Now you're now a cynic too. You used to be all sap and mush, what happened to you?"

"I grew up. I grew older."

"Then start acting like one. Instead of going around whoring yourself. Go find yourself a nice, good, decent woman."

"And we're back to that?" JC sighed, carelessly dropping himself into the bed.

"Yes."

"I think I'm about to agree with Joe about the tenacity bit." He folded his arm behind his head.

"So just surrender and tell me," she shrugged as she lay next to him, their legs dangling from the edge of the bed.

He ran his hand through his hair and sigh. "Because contrary to popular belief. Finding a nice, good, decent woman is very difficult especially if you thought you already found it four years ago only to realize too late that you really haven't."

JC never really talked about that break-up. Not to her at least. But it was obvious that it broke him. She believes that now is the time to un-break him.

"Maybe you are looking at the wrong places for her.

"Trust me, I've looked and uhm ... still looking."

"Here. You looked here, in the city of lights, the city of stars. It's harder here because ninety-nine percent of everything here is superficial. Have you even considered looking somewhere else, like home for instance? You know what? What if we fly back home and ..."

"You just flew about an hour ago and now you want to fly back home?" He interrupted.

She playfully slapped his stomach with the back of her hand. "Shut up. I don't mean now you, idiot. I meant later," when she realized that he was about to say something, more than likely on the sarcastic side again, she arched a brow and added, "Later. Later. Like not right now."

He laughed. "So you think I can hook up with someone nice, good and decent back home? In Orlando?"

"Yeah, regular and decent unlike the made up starlets here. Most of our friends are doing okay, successful in their careers, I mean not successful like you fab five but they're all doing alright."

He scoffed. "I haven't been home in years ... I mean not long enough to ... I barely know people anymore."

"Well, I can help you get reacquainted and who knows, maybe I can hook you up with some of my friends... there's Jasmine Campbell ... you remember her from Universal? She's now a lawyer. And ohhh... Cindy Peters, her sister is one of your MMC kids, she's a teacher now so maybe she can set you straight."

"Does she have a ruler and would she spank me when I'm bad?"                                              

She sat up so she can playfully push him off the bed in disgust. "Oh my goodness! Get the hell out of my bed!"

"Ow! Hey stop!" He laughed, feigning pain. "And technically, I own this bed, so it's my bed."

"Whatevs! You can have it back once I get a place of my own! You are so hopeless!" She shook her head.

"What happened to Miss Tenacity?"

"You're making her cranky." She frowned.

"I told you to mind your own business. I mean, you're all talk, chica, but last I checked you are single too but you don't see me prying and conspiring to hook you up with a lawyer or a teacher."

"That's different." She sighed, dropping back in bed next to him.

"How in the hell is that different?" He arched an eyebrow even though he was still staring at the ceiling instead of facing her.

"Because, unlike you, JC? I don't have a different arm candy every other day and no I don't bring them home for a quick wham bam thank you ma'am. So there's nothing to be concerned about."

"You really have a way with words," he shook his head. "What I meant was Dean," he said cautiously mentioned her ex-boyfriend and when she didn't say anything he continued. "Care to explain that debacle," he said, using the exact words she used earlier.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and waited until she knew her heart settled and she had all the right words to explain her very own debacle.

"He didn't want me to leave."

"What?"

"He didn't want me to move here."

"Is he for real? Does he realize what a great opportunity you got your self here? How important that is for you?"

"Trust me he does ... but the whole long distance relationship kinda sucks too, you should know that. You guys are experts on that"

"Still, he should have ... I dunno ... that sounds kind of selfish, if you ask me."

"Aren't I being selfish too wanting to drop everything I have back home to follow a dream?"

"No. You need to do things for yourself too. Most of the time,  you need to be selfish to achieve that dream, to get what your heart really love. I did that, remember? I uprooted my whole family to come here for my dream. Then later on, when you finally see what you've made for yourself, you'd realize it was worth it ... that the results washes over your temporary selfishness and you forgive yourself. I mean look at me, as much as I was so guilty doing it to my family, but I made a good life for myself and them as well."

She sighed. "I know, that's why I am here." She paused and licked her lips. "I asked him to come with me, though."

"You asked him to live with you here? You asked him to move in with you?"

All she did was sigh and nodded, not wanting to rehash that memory and feeling when she was turned down by a man. It was rather humiliating that she wasn't even sure why she told him.

"Wow! That's huge, Liz." He was obviously surprised by that news.

"I know."

"But obviously I know what the answer to that is." He frowned, her disappointment didn't settle well with him.

"He said he couldn't do it. He didn't want to move. He can't do what your family did for you. And I was thinking well, maybe it's a test for us you know?" She said, as she pulled on her lower lip.

"So did he already fail or is the test still ongoing?"

"Maybe I'm the one who failed. I couldn't stay. I wanted to be here."

"Because you will be living your dream here."

"Yeah ..." she mumbled frowning at the fact that her heart was telling her another reason. Because you're here," her heart said which downright confused her. "So that's my essay on my current debacle," she sighed, wanting to put an end to the subject.

They were quiet for a while, both staring at the white ceiling, as they both tried to figure out why both their minds were whirling, why both their hearts fluttering.

"What about you?" She spoke first as she could no longer stand the silence. Maybe if she engages him again in some banter, whatever it is that's going on in her head and .... and okay, heart ... will go away.

"What about me?"

"What's your explanation for your debacle? You never really talked about it, at least not with me."

He shook his head.  "I'm not a writer like you. I don't whip out explanations in essay from."

"Hey, you write songs and lyrics so yes, you are a writer. Now go ahead and explain it. If you want, to make it easier for you, you can explain it in a song."

"A song? No."

"Why not? Come on, sang it!" She prodded mimicking one of his favorite slang expressions that she actually hates.

"I am not singing an essay."

"I didn't say you sing an ess... hey, wait a minute." She paused as an idea suddenly struck her. "Time out. I think I might be on to something here. What if that becomes your niche?"

"My niche? For what?"

"For finding the nice ... good ... decent woman for you. Maybe it's not the where and when but the how. Maybe it's the how. Maybe that's what's wrong."

"What the heck are you talking about now?" He turned to his side so now they were virtually eye to eye.

She found herself sighing the moment she met his eyes. The whole world knows how captivating his eyes were and friendship or not, she wasn't immune to it. Looking up at the ceiling she answered, "Your moves, your style, the kind of macking game you play, maybe that's the one that needs some tuning."

"My what?"

"Geez, C,  are you deaf or something? All you do is repeat what I say in a form of a question," she complained. "I mean so how do you ... you know? Get your mack on? Do you wait for them to recognize you? Or do you automatically whip out your I used to be a pop star card? Or do you just go all Neanderthal and thump your chest and say - let's go!"

He gave a delicious laugh. "You're weird, sweetie." He accused after he caught his breath.

"I'm weird?" She protested. "This coming from a grown man wearing Rainbow Brite socks?" She playfully nudged his ankle with her foot.

He laughed as he brought up one foot in the air to show off his brightly every-color-in-a-rainbow-and-then-some stripes sock. "What's wrong with it?"

 "It looked like the Crayola Factory barfed all over it."

 "They're fun," he defended putting his foot back down.

 "If you were nine maybe." She quipped. "Man, I would love to have a tour of your socks drawer," she rolled her eyes in mock.

 "You can take a tour of my socks drawer anytime, momma," he wagged his eyebrows playfully.

 "Well, shit. What kind of a lame ass cheesy come on is that?  No wonder you end up with hoes."

 "What?" He caught himself laughing again, and truth be known, he was enjoying it.

 "Well, pickup lines like that get you the hoes and skanks, not the nice, good, decent women.  You've got to change your ways, man."

 "I swear your character switch is impeccable. From writer to therapist and now Hitch."

 "Hitch?"

 "Will Smith movie, Hitch, the date doctor."

 "And I charge by the hour so let's hurry up and figure this out." She laughed.

 "There's nothing to figure out my nosey writer slash therapist slash Hitch friend."

 "Of course there is," she nudged him with her elbow. "Because I want you to be happy, because you deserve to be happy."

 "I'm happy," his words were lost in a sigh.

 "But you could be happy-er," she insisted. "So ... like I was saying earlier, you should try singing to them," she suggested. "That would be your niche."

"You mean just randomly walk up to some girl and start singing like I'm in an episode of Glee?"

She smiled. "Why not? Skanks doesn't have the patience for musicals so that will filter them out and leave the nice, good, decent ones. They usually stay and would swoon over your voice."

"Shut up, no one swoons over my voice."

"Wrong! People do. I don't know if you know this, luv, but you have one of the most beautiful voices in the industry." She cautiously turned to face him and sighed. "JC, when you sing ... you ... your voice IS music," she whispered bashfully, not knowing where the sudden tingling sensation that just passed her down from her toe up through her spine came from.

He smiled and the corner of his eyes showed off genuine happy lines. Happy lines that she have always loved, happy lines that are now hitting and tugging at her heart.  "Thanks."

With a sigh, she quickly looked away, confused at the sudden whirl in her heart. She licked her lips and gave herself a mental shake to dismiss it. "So, yeah ... you should sing like it's some Glee episode or something. I'm telling you its fool proof."

"Fool proof?"

"Yep. It's been proven. I've witness it."

"Oh yeah?" He rolled his eyes as he laughed lightly.

"During your hay days as a pop star, dude, the body count was unprecedented! Every girl just turned into puddle, I swear!"

"A puddle, huh?"

"Yep," she nodded emphatically, the bed sheets moving as her head moved.

"And it's fool proof."

"Uh-huh. It's spared no one."

"So did you puddled too?"

"Puddled?" One of her eyebrows arched.

"Yeah, you said I spared no one so were you one of my victims?"

"No!" She quickly said when she realized what he meant.

"I thought it was fool proof?"

"Yes, but not with me. I'm ... uhmm... I'm immune. Yeah. That's it. I'm immune." She stammered not knowing why he suddenly turned her stupid.

"You're immune?"

"Yes. And I also have an echo," she frowned. "But yeah, I'm immune because you're you and I'm me and I've known you since you've been singing M-I-C-K-E-Y-M-O-U-S-E. Plus, dude I've seen you in that atrocious Hail Caesar haircut, and that sorta shattered any kind of hope ... so yeah ... I'm immune."

JC broke out in a chunky guffaw, enjoying every bit of her insult. She, after all these years, has never ceased to amaze him. "Yeah? Are you sure that you are immune?" He challenged, rolling to his side, using his elbow as an anchor so he can rest his head on his hand and face her. He figured, eye for an eye.

"Am I sure? As sure as I know that your Hail Cesar haircut was scarier than the movie Conjuring."

JC laughed. "So you don't mind if I test your theory?"

"What?"

"Whatever!" He laughed. "But hey, seriously are you sure?"

With mischief in his eyes, he began singing. "I was alone, I took a ride, I didn't know what I would find there. Another road where maybe I could see another kind of mind there..."

Shit! Her brain screamed. He knew it was her favorite song. "Stop!"

Of course he didn't.  "Ooh, then I suddenly see you...ooh, did I tell you I need you? Every single day of my life..."

"JC! Seriously, stop!" She warned, sitting up, their nearness getting to her now, his voice was making the butterflies in her stomach twerk it like Miley Cyrus.

He winked and sang it! "You didn't run, you didn't lie, you knew I wanted just to hold you. Had you gone, you knew in time, we'd meet again for I had told you..."

"I'm warning you!" She threatened.

"What? Are you puddling now?"

"Puddling? That's not even a word," she frowned.

With a smirk, he sat up so he can lean into her and sing in her ears.  "Ooh, you were meant to be near me ... ooh, and I want you hear me ... say we'll be together every day..."

He deliberately sang each lyric slowly and Liz was glad she wasn't on her feet because she was a hundred percent that her knees went weak .... and she was one hundred and one percent puddled. "God!" She sighed, pretending to be annoyed as she reached over cover his mouth with her hand to silence him. "Jace ... stop!"

"Gahtumgohlauuh," he mumbled and laugh from behind her hand as he tried to pry her hand away.

"What?" She tried to look stern but couldn't help to let a smile escape when she saw how he was trying to squirm free from her.

"Got to get you into my life!" He sang, his eye beaming devilishly, she could swear tiny horns were sprouting out the top of his head.

"Stop. It."

"Why? Am I getting to you? Are you swooning now huh?" He teased, wagging his eyebrows and smiling at her flirtatiously.

"Shut up! No!" Liz insisted before she took a deep breath trying to settle herself, trying to figure out why he was acting that way in the first place. It was never like this before .... Never.

But now just one look in his eyes ... just hearing him sing ...

What was going on?

"What can I do, what can I be? When I'm with you I want to stay there..."

She was getting goose bumps as the song's words were pulling at her heart as it was singing what was in her heart because whether she denies it or not, one of the reasons why moving here was an easy decision was because of him. As of that moment she wasn't sure why just yet though.

"Oh my god, you're not going to stop are you?" She sneered more at herself than him.

"Nope. Not until you admit to puddle." He said smugly then sang again. "If I'm true I'll never leave and if I do I know the way there..."

In one swift movement, she was able to grab the pillow from the head of the bed and hit him over her head, covering his so she could silence him.

"What the ..." he managed to throw the pillow away from his face and with his long arms grab another pillow, hitting her square in the face.

"Ohhh ... you just did not do that!" She stood up and positioned herself for an attack.

With just one hand, his arm flew to hit her again, laughing as the pillow caught her head.

"That's it!" She declared and went on an attack.  They were laughing and screaming in between their scuffle until they found themselves on the floor, with her on top of him, pinning him.

They were face to face ... out of breath ...their smiling lips almost just inches away ...

He was caught by surprise at the sudden emotion that was rushing though his whole body that very moment. There was like a flash... or maybe an explosion when their eyes met, in that heap of laughter and sheets there was an overwhelming realization that hit him - she was beautiful.

His eyebrows furrowed as his brain tried to process what his heart was telling him. He had known her almost all his life and yes he knew she was pretty, but now ... it was almost as if he was seeing her in a different light for the first time ... her smile ... the sparkle in her eyes... the way her hair falls down her eyes ... the sound of her laughter ... her scent ... the way she felt in his arms....

He licked his lips and without even knowing it, he began singing what was in his heart, his essay and reason for his debacle.  "Ooh, then I suddenly see you ... ooh, did I tell you I need you... every single day of my life..."

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted when he felt soft lips crushing down on his, catching him by surprise. The kiss was at first tentative and cautious then suddenly ... slowly... became warm and just absolutely wonderful... beautiful.

She didn't know what came over her. As she found herself on top of him, their breath just almost an inch of space away, in the heap of laughter and sheets, only one thing came to her mind when she looked into his eyes, his beautiful, tangerine dreams and marmalade skies, blue eyes - kiss him. There was a need... she needed to kiss him ... to taste him.

And so throwing all caution to the wind, she closed her eyes and tasted him. And it was beautiful. And minty.

His lips tasted like mint.

She wanted that kiss. At the recesses of her mind yes, she's been wanting that kiss.

There was an a whirlwind of a tornado going on in her heart and in her gut that at first she couldn't understand why but when he cautiously kissed her back ... as he took her in his arms .... she realized what was going on... not just why she wanted that kiss but why she was there ... why she was willing to drop everything and move her life to where he was. She needed to be with him ... because he was her home.

"Shit." She heard him mumble as he tried to catch his breath and tried to let go of her. Her heart stopped, afraid of what was going to happen next. It was too late for her and if he regretted any of this, she knew it would break her heart.

"Hey," he said, slowly releasing her, pushing her gently so he can sit up and catch his breath. He closed his eyes for a while, trying to calm his heart and mind that were both racing to one million different directions. When that didn't work, he stood up to pace, trying to make sense of everything. He was thinking it was impossible because she was one of the guys .... just Liz but now ...

He stopped in front of her and with just one glimpse at her ... sitting so vulnerable on the floor, by the foot of the bed, probably as confused and scared as he was ... yet so beautiful ... was enough to break him.

He knew that there was no stopping him when he got  her up to her feet, pulling her close to him, his arms encircling her waist as if he didn't want her to escape, and kissed her again, this time with urgency... with such boldness and fierceness. It was as if there was a need to fill a void ... to make up for lost time. He was afraid that she would push him back this time but she didn't... she kissed him back, deepening the kiss and allowing his tongue to taste her ... lick and playfully nibble on her lower lip like it was candy, tilting his world in its axis.

But it was when she sighed and melted into his arms after that kiss, after he felt her heart beat thump against his chest that he finally realized what his heart knew from the start. Now he understood the reason behind the string of women ... the emotional unavailability ... she was right ... he has been looking and looking for the right person ... his other half ... everywhere else but home. She was already there ... right there in front of him...

"Liz ..." He whispered in her hair, enjoying the sweet scent of her shampoo.

"Hmnnn..." was all she could manage what with her dream like state.

"Remember what we were talking about earlier?" He asked to which she only replied with a shake of the head because truth be known, her mind is blank right about now. "Remember how I'm asking you to stay here with me? Not to get a place of your own anymore?" 

She bit her lower lip after she released him so she could look up to him. She nodded and blushed when she met his gaze.

"I think you should stay," he nervously said. 

"Okay," she said softly, although she knew how big that response meant.

"In ... uhhh ... in my life. I want you to be part of my life ... stay in my life," his stomach was tumbling as he say each word. 

She smiled. "I've been in your life, Jace."

He sighed and with just that thought calmed him. "I know. Thank you," He couldn't resist brushing his lips with hers, kissing her again, sending electricity down both their spines. 

"You're welcome," she was still smiling, tingling at the emotion that was enveloping her now.

He looked down at her in awe of what seemed to be new but has been there all their life ... forever. "But how about forever?" 

"Forever?"

"Yeah. Staying forever with me because I ... uhmmm... I love you." 

Her heart literally jumped with pure bliss as soon as she heard those words. "You do?" Her smile was from ear to ear now that she thinks she might look stupid now.

"Yeah," he nodded, enjoying the feeling of what he said meant. "I guess since forever. I just didn't know it was there. I guess I need for you to kiss the hell out of me for me to realize it." 

This time she was giddy. "I guess it's the same for me. I needed you to puddle me up to realize that  I love you too."

"You do? You love me?" It was just simply amazing. When she nodded yes, he knew he needed to ask his question again. "So will you stay in my life forever?" 

Forever.

She loved the sound and idea of that. 

"Every single day of my life?"

He laughed at their cheesiness and sap as he nodded. "And mine." 

"Yes. I'll take forever then."