Despite her fears, there were no rocks lobbed at Casey from the audience the night after TRL or any of the ones following. As usual, the only things thrown onstage were the occasional stuffed animal. Despite her fears, every audience seemed much like every other audience. Although she still held a bit of anxiety over the course of the next few nights of shows, by the time she went out onstage her adrenaline kicked in full force. The music started and when she opened her mouth and began moving nothing else mattered. The screams, cheers, and all of the usual beautiful chaos associated with a live show was the only thing.

The buses were en route to Delaware and the last show before the tour wrapped up in Orlando. It was post-performance and late when they’d boarded and JC had immediately climbed into Casey’s bunk with her, ignoring her protestations that the space really wasn’t big enough for the both of them. He insisted emphatically that it was the perfect size for cuddling and so far he wasn’t wrong. She yawned, and he pulled her a little closer to him.

"I’m pretty sure everyone's asleep," JC said suddenly against Casey’s ear.

She turned her head toward him and he wagged his eyebrows up and down suggestively. He smirked at the blatantly disapproving glare she gave him.

Her reply was flat as her head dropped back down to the pillow. "Yep, and I plan to join ‘em right now.”

“Come on, baby,” he whispered before very lightly grazing her earlobe between his teeth. “Don’t be like that.” He wasn’t too put off when she grunted and didn’t respond.

"I'm just saying...everyone’s asleep now. And we...are not."

"JC," she began in a threatening whisper, "I told you a long time ago that there will be no sex on any tour buses."

"Baby," he kept kissing her between words. "That was before we were on a bus together."

She giggled and slapped at his wandering fingers. "No, that was period. No bus sex. Especially when other people are on the bus, too."

His teeth nipped at her jaw. "Well, I guess you are pretty loud."

Casey snorted in surprise. "You’re not exactly quiet either, dude.”

He kissed her. "Baby, that's all your fault. But..." One hand crept beneath her T-shirt. "I can be quiet when I need to be."

"Mmm…”

JC grinned as he turned her face toward him; he knew she was considering it. She was kissing him back rather enthusiastically; her hands were in his hair tugging him closer. His hand brushed the underside of one breast and she sucked in a breath. He brought his hand down to the waistband of her pajama pants and suddenly she opened her eyes and grabbed his wrist.

“What’s gotten into you, Chasez?” she demanded with a feigned angry whisper.

JC smiled and whispered into her. “I’m trying to get into you and you’re not making it easy.”

She snort-laughed. "You’re such a dork." He winked at her and tried to pull his hand out of her grasp and she tightened her hold on him. “JC, stop!”

She was grinning in that way that he knew meant she was mostly putting up a fight because she felt like she should, just on general principle. Because they both knew that if he pushed the issue a little bit more she was most definitely going to give in.

"You know you want to," he sing songed in her ear, while also suggestively grinding his crotch up against her.

"No, I--" she stopped and they both were alert as the sound of rustling, followed by feet dropping to the floor startled them. There was brief shuffling and then their curtain was unceremoniously pulled back.

Chris stared at them with his eyes narrowed. "Look, I don't care one way or the other if you fuck or don’t. But for the love of all that is good, please stop talking about it and laughing about it. You're on my last fucking nerve." Without another word, he shut the curtain just as suddenly.

They listened to him climb back to his bunk before bursting out laughing as quietly as possible. Casey pinched JC lightly. “See what you did? He’s gonna be pissed tomorrow.”

He wrapped his arm back around her and yanked her closer. “I had to try, baby. It’s our last chance before the tour’s over.”

“I’m sure it won’t be our last time on a bus together.”

“I have a surprise for you,” he murmured against her ear.

“What is it?” She slid her fingers through his and yawned.

“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise anymore. After you get home and get to spend some time with your family, I need you to give me a week. Just for the two of us.”

Casey’s eyes closed and she nodded. “A week just for the two of us sounds like the best thing in the world.”

JC kissed her shoulder and a few minutes later they were both asleep.

***

A few days later they were in Florida and Casey was anxious for new reasons.

“What have you told them about me exactly?” She stared at JC intensely from where she lay on her stomach, chin propped in her hand, at the foot of the hotel bed.

He disappeared into the bathroom calling behind him, “Chill out, Case.”

“I can’t.” She knew she was whining but she felt justified. “What if they hate me?”

He snorted loudly and peeked his head out of the doorway. “They won’t. Relax.”

JC went back into the bathroom and Casey flopped onto her back, groaning loudly. “But what if they do? I’m sure they haven’t liked all your girlfriends.”

He came out of the bathroom again and leaned against the door jamb casually. “They won’t hate you,” he said calmly. He pushed off the door and shrugged. “And even if they do, they’re too polite to ever say it.” He howled with laughter, sidestepping as she chucked a pillow at him.

“Not funny, JC.” She sat up and scowled at him.

“Baby…” Still laughing he slid onto the bed next to her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. “My folks are cool; I promise. And more importantly, they’re happy when I’m happy and I’ve told them I’m really, really happy, OK? They’re not going to hate you.”

Casey continued to frown, but she let him push her back on the bed. “You know,” she began slowly, lightly running her fingers through his hair, “the last time I met my boyfriend’s parents I was in high school. This is a pretty big deal for me.”

He trailed several kisses across her jaw before raising his head to meet her eyes. “I don’t introduce every girl I date to my parents, Casey.”

She raised her eyebrows and regarded him quizzically. “So you’re saying I’m special then?”

The smile he gave her was playful and, in her completely unbiased opinion, supremely sexy. He nuzzled her neck right below her ear and inhaled deeply. “If you don’t know the answer to that question then I’ve been doing something wrong the past few months.”

His lips were back against her skin, alternating soft kisses and gentle sucking. “Mmm, you’re doing everything right right now,” she mumbled, tightening her grip on him. He moved over her, grinding ever so slightly against her, and she groaned and pushed at him. “Stop, JC, we can’t.”

He pulled back to look at her curiously. “Why not? We’ve got plenty of time before my folks get here.”

She shook her head emphatically and maneuvered away from him. “No. I can’t have sex with you right before I meet your parents.”

He turned over on his back and looked up at her in bewilderment. “Why not?”

“Because I’d feel guilty,” she said, frowning back at him as it were the most obvious thing in the world.

JC shook his head slightly. “I’m not even gonna ask.”

She stretched out on her side next to him, resting her hand on his chest. “Just two more shows after tonight, huh?”

He folded his arms behind his head. “Yep. And I’m more than ready for a break; how ‘bout you?”

“Truthfully?” Casey absently played with the buttons of his shirt. “I’m looking forward to spending some time at home, but…”

When she didn’t immediately continue JC took hold of her hand still fiddling with his shirt. “But...what?”

“But I can’t stop thinking about how much time time I wasted with you over the past six months. And I’m going to miss not seeing you everyday.” Meeting his parents wasn’t the only thing weighing heavily on her mind and she was dreading what she had to tell him next.

He smiled and brought her fingers to his lips, kissing each fingertip gently. “Well, you only have to worry about that for three months. Then there’s Europe and you’re stuck with me every day for a few more months.”

Casey took a deep breath, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. “JC, I’m not going to Europe.” She rubbed her thumb over his hand before looking up and meeting his eyes. The smile that had broken out on his face slowly slipped away and she felt ill.

“Why not?” he asked softly.

She swallowed several times against the dryness in her mouth. “I’ve been offered a co-headlining tour with Mya and...I’m going to take it.” She closed her eyes, inhaling again, and let the rest of her words flow out in a torrent. “I mean, obviously it won’t be as big as you guys, you know, but...it’ll be me. As the headliner. And we’re going to design the whole thing together from the ground up and I just...it feels really important to do this.”

“And there’s, um, something else.” She paused and glanced at him, trying to read his expression. She was encouraged by the fact that he hadn’t let go of her hand yet but he also hadn’t yet said a word. She cleared her throat. “I started talking to someone. Right after we left New York.”

His forehead wrinkled and looked at her in confusion. “You...what?”

Casey’s eyes widened as she realized he’d misunderstood her. “I mean a professional,” she explained quickly. “A therapist.” She smiled at his palpable relief, and she squeezed his hand. “Her name’s Nicolette and I’ve only talked to her on the phone so far, but she seems cool. Dara helped me find her. She specializes in--” She stopped suddenly, wrinkling her nose in distaste. “Helping people who’ve been in...bad relationships.”

She trembled as a shiver ran through her. Nicolette had immediately defined the relationship with Tony as abusive, but Casey couldn’t quite bring herself to think of it that way. “Anyway,” she said, her attention back on JC, “I’m going to meet with her when I get home.”

After a few seconds of absolute silence and stillness he began to nod slowly, working his bottom lip between his teeth. “I’m proud of you, baby,” he said finally.

A small, surprised laugh escaped her lips. “Of all of the things I expected you to feel about me right now, proud wasn’t one of them.”

He angled his body towards hers, keeping his hold on her hand against his chest. “I’m not thrilled about you not going to Europe but it makes sense. And why wouldn’t I be proud? You’re taking control of your career, and you’re making sure Tony doesn’t take up any more space in your life. You should be proud of you, too.”

Casey scooted closer to him and rested her forehead against his. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you,” she said softly. “After everything, I still don’t understand why you’re still here with me.”

Casey, you’re…” JC smoothed his palm across her cheek. “You underestimate how amazing you are.” His lips brushed hers lightly. “There is absolutely nowhere else in the world I’d want to be, no one else I want to be with. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”

She watched him, a serene smile on her face before speaking in a hushed tone. “Three months apart is gonna suck, though.”

“Yeah.” JC nodded in agreement. “Good thing I have that video we made to occupy me.”

Casey grabbed a pillow and started hitting him with it. He howled with laughter even as he tried to fight off her blows. After wrenching the pillow away from her he pinned her underneath him, bringing his face close to hers. “We’re gonna be fine, baby.”

She lifted up just enough to kiss him. “You promise?”

“I promise.” He kissed her again, his lips sliding deliberately over hers.

Casey wound her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck and moaned as his tongue found hers. With an effort she pushed him away and smirked. “I’m still not having sex with you before I meet your parents.”

JC’s jaw dropped and he rolled off of her and onto his back, laughing.