"So?"

"So what?" Rachel asked from her pool lounger. She was laid back, relaxing against the bright neon green floaty, allowing the water in the pool to take her where ever. She tried to stay at the deeper end letting the kids play at the shallower end. Right now only Kloey and Caleb were in the pool. Briahna and McKenzie were sitting on the two wooden swings that Lance had set up on the trellises that lined one side of the patio. They were giggling often and she could only imagine what they were talking about. Melissa lounged on her own floaty next to her. The men had gathered around a table, some sitting, some standing. Every so often she'd hear their raising voices and barks of laughter. She definitely did not want to know what they were talking about.

"Like you don't know what I'm talking about," Melissa rolled her eyes behind her sunglasses. The day was perfect. The sun was high in the sky, no clouds were in view. Just the beautiful blue sky. The temperatures were warm enough that a dip in the pool felt refreshing. It was a perfect April day.

"I'm relaxing Mel."

"Like you aren't lying there letting your sunglasses hide the fact that you're staring at JC."

"I am not," Rachel said, even as she blushed. She couldn't help it. Her eyes were just drawn to the man. She'd look her fill and close her eyes, but then she'd hear his laugh and she'd start staring again. "Shut up," she told Melissa, when she heard her start laughing.

"Is it gonna be like 1999 all over again?" Melissa asked when she stopped laughing. "You were fawning all over him, looking at him like he hung the moon."

"No it's not gonna be like that."

"Right," Melissa chuckled. "If I take those sunglasses off right now, you'll have that same ‘hung the moon' look in your eyes as you did then."

"Shut up Mel." It was the only thing Rachel could say because her friend was probably right.

"You should go over there and lay one on him. On the lips this time.  Seriously, Rach. I don't know what's stopping you."

"Lots of things," Rachel said honestly.

"Like what?" Melissa turned her head toward her friend. From the angle she was in, she could see her friend had her eyes closed behind her sunglasses. "Tell me what's stopping you from stopping this dance - for the love of God Rach - do not fall back in to that dance you two did. I won't be able to go through that again. I'm too tired for that shit."

"Thanks for being supportive."

"I am being supportive. This is me being supportive. Look at me all supportive." Melissa said. "You're my best friend Rachel. You have been for almost twenty years now. I know how much you loved JC. I can see how much you still love him. It hurts my heart that you guys never took a chance, you just let each other pass you by like ships in the night. I wish I had done something a long time ago to make your feelings for him known, so he would have made a move. Just think," she smiled at the thought. "We could be lounging here in Lance's pool like we are right now, except there would be a lot more kids running around."

Rachel couldn't stop the smile from gracing her face at Melissa's words. If it had been different back in 1999, if she had spoken up and told JC how she felt. She could be lounging in Lance's pool as JC's wife. Along with McKenzie, she could have had those three other kids she always imagined. A boy who would be tall and lanky, with a head full of brown curls and bright blue eyes just like his father. A little girl with JC's youthful energy and those same giggles that could make anyone who was around her smile and laugh too. She could picture a toddler in his arms, with his head on JC's shoulders sleeping after too much pool time and sun.

"Jesus, the look on your face," Melissa said watching the emotions cross Rachel's face. "Why do you deny yourself that? Everything that went through your mind right there, you can have that. It's all within your reach Rach. You just have to grab it. Get out and pull him to a quiet spot in Lance's house and tell him. No one will bother you, I will stand guard and not allow anyone to enter."

It was tempting, but in the end she stayed where she was. "There's just too many things..."

"What things?" Melissa said frustrated. "Tell me what's stopping you."

"I don't know if he likes me like that."

"Don't know..." Melissa broke off with a curse. "Are you kidding me with this right now?" She pushed her sunglasses up to the top of her head and stared at her friend. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, maybe," Rachel shrugged. "I don't know. I just... I just don't want to be rejected."

"Rach..."

"Listen Mel, you know me. You know my feelings for JC. You know how much I love him. You know how many of my dreams centered around him. I had my life completely planned out. Him. Our kids. What if I would have pulled him aside and told him how I felt and he didn't feel the same?" Rachel could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. She wanted to hate her friend for bringing the topic up in front of everyone where there was no place for her to hide. It wasn't Melissa's fault. She was the one who had invited JC to come. Inviting JC had opened her up to questions, to looks, to smirks, to eyebrow wiggles. She was able to ignore them for the most part but Melissa cornered her in the pool. Only way to get away from the questions would be to fall off the float. "Even after...even after Kenzi, he was still my dream. I could still dream that maybe one day, you know. Even now. Here we are again, after all these years. I'm still dreaming the same dream. What if I finally tell him and he doesn't feel the same way? I've dreamed this dream for so long... what if I finally know the answer and it's not the one I wanted?"

Melissa's heart hurt for her friend. She did know Rachel. She did know how long she had been dreaming the dream of being with JC. She hurt for the years her friend had spent alone because she'd rather keep dreaming of the possibility than knowing the answer. "Rach... I know. Believe me. I know what JC means to you. But you can't do this to yourself. Maybe the past years have been easier for you when you didn't have his number, when you didn't talk. It's different now. He's here. You're talking. You're hanging out. He's right here in front of you. It's just like it was in the beginning. I hate seeing you do this to yourself."

"Be so much easier if Lance had never joined NSYNC."

"Blasphemer!" Melissa yelled causing the guys to look over at them. She raised her arm and gave them a little wave before turning back to Rachel. "How could you wish that?"

"If he didn't join, then I wouldn't have met JC. I wouldn't be in the place I am today." Her life had been changed by the decision to ask Lance to join the group. It didn't seem like it at the time, but that set in to motion so many stepping stones.

"Then you wouldn't know me. We wouldn't have the career we have. Joey may not even have the life he has now. We could have broken up and never even gotten married. Plus, look at Lance." Melissa said nudging Rachel's arm. "Look at him. If he never joined the group, he wouldn't be where he is today. He would probably be stuck in Mississippi. Maybe married with kids hiding who he truly is. He definitely wouldn't have met Michael. How could you wish that on him?"

Rachel looked over to the table in time to see Lance look at Michael and give him a smile that caused her heart to clench. Melissa was right. Without NSYNC, Lance would have never met Michael and she didn't want to take that away. The love she saw between her brother and his fiancée... she had no words to describe it. She could still remember the first time Lance had mentioned Michael to her; remember the first time she met him. She knew instantly that Lance had found the one.

"Sometimes I don't even know how you're an artist."

"What?" Rachel turned to look at Melissa again, taken aback.

"You are an amazing artist. The way you capture what you're drawing or painting. You bring all these emotions alive on your canvas. I don't understand how you can do that and still look at JC and not see that that man is head over heels in love with you."

*~*~*~*

"Champion!" Rachel raised her arms high in the air after Melissa hit the water, falling off Joey's shoulders. It was the second time she hit the water. The first time she demanded the best two out of three. It hadn't taken very long before she was back in the water. "Lance and I perfected this game growing up."

"Fairly certain we were undefeated," Lance chuckled, tightening his hold on his sister's legs where he kept her from falling off his shoulders. "No one stood a chance."

"Can we play?" Briahna asked wadding up to her father with McKenzie.

"Maybe a little 2 on 1 to unseat the champs," Joey grinned and lowered himself in the water for his daughter to climb on to his shoulders. "Get over here C and help." He called to JC who was sitting on the edge of the pool, a drink in hand, his feet in the water, watching the fights.

JC put his drink down on the edge of the pool and slipped into the water. The cool water felt good. He walked to the group, a smile on his face. It had been comical watching Rachel and Melissa battle. "You ready?"

"Yes!" McKenzie grinned and waited for JC to kneel in the water so she could climb on his shoulders. She gripped her thighs tightly as JC stood, trying not to fall off. She had done this before with Briahna but they were always too busy laughing to really hold each other up.

"What are you guys doing?" Michael asked as he came outside. He'd been inside setting the TV up for Caleb and Kloey. They were sunned out and needed a breather and were currently watching The Lego Movie. He figured they would fall asleep well before the movie was even halfway.

"Chicken fighting," Lance called. "We already beat Mel. Only way they can beat us is two against one."

"This outta be good." Michael grabbed his phone from the table and set it up to record.

"Alright Mel, you tell us when to start."

"Everyone ready?" Mel asked looking first at Briahna and Joey, then to McKenzie and JC, and finally to Rachel and Lance. "You're going down." She told them with a laugh.

"Hey, fair and unbiased officiating please," Rachel told her friend.

"Well it is my husband, daughter, and goddaughter on one team."

"Against me! Your best friend! I think we need a new ref! Michael!"

"Oh I'm not getting involved in this," Michael laughed, giving a wave as he continued recording.

"Alright, everyone ready?" Melissa asked again. Seeing the nods, she continued. "On the count of three...one....two..."

"Knock Rachel off I'll give you a hundred bucks each!" Joey said as Melissa shouted three.

"Wait.... What?" Rachel wasn't ready. Joey's shout had distracted her. Briahna and McKenzie attacked her and she hit the water immediately. She come up sputtering to everyone laughing, including Lance.

"Undefeated my ass," Joey laughed as Briahna and McKenzie high fived. "You just got smoked!"

"That wasn't fair!" Rachel shouted, wiping the water from her face.

"We kicked your butt Mom!" McKenzie laughed, raising her arms in the air much like her mom had done earlier. "Champions!"

"I want a rematch," Rachel declared, causing everyone to laugh again.

"If I knock Rachel off again, is that another hundred bucks Dad?"

"Yeah Joey? Do we get another hundred?" McKenzie grinned. "I can take that to Mississippi."

"Can you try to at least defend yourself this time?" Lance ducked down to allow his sister to climb back on his shoulders. He found himself being pushed under water instead. It was his turn to come up sputtering. "What the hell was that for!"

"Can you try to at least defend yourself this time?" Rachel mocked him. "It's Joey's fault! Yelling out about a bet. I didn't even hear Mel yell three."

"That's it," Joey laughed, holding his hand up allowing Briahna to high five him. "We got them fighting now. We've cracked their relationship. They'll be even easier to beat this time."

"Don't see how it can get any easier," JC laughed giving Joey a high five. He heard McKenzie laugh on his shoulders.

"Maybe I need a new partner. Looks like maybe our partnership has run its course."

"One loss and you're dumping me?" Rachel was offended.

"Gotta go with a winner," he looked up at McKenzie. "What do you say Kenz?"

"Sorry Uncle Lance," McKenzie grinned down at her uncle. "Gotta go with a winner and Team KenC is undefeated."

JC laughed out loud at the look on Lance's face. His heart warned at McKenzie picking him over Lance. He reached his hand up over his head and grinned when McKenzie slapped it.

"What? We got team names now?" Joey said affronted. "Team KenC," he snorted in their direction. He sent them an eye roll, winking at McKenzie to let her know he was teasing. "Team Bass," he scoffed and pretending to spit at them. "We all know Team Fatone is where it's at."

"You guys are going down," Rachel said and motioned for Lance to get down so she could climb back up on his shoulders.

"Before Rachel hits the water again, look at me," Michael called. He waited for the teams to move and face him.

"Hey jerk! Careful or you'll find yourself hitting the water Turchin," Rachel glared at him.

"Just smile for the camera," Michael grinned snapping a photo.

"Are you guys ready?" Melissa asked as they moved in to positions.

"Let's do this." Rachel said, turning to look at the girls in front of her. "You're going down."

"In your dreams, Mom," McKenzie sassed as Melissa started counting.

"Oh Rachel's dreams are nice," Melissa grinned. "We should definitely talk about those."

"What?" Rachel gasped and stared at her best friend. "There will be no talking..."

"Three!" Melissa shouted and laughed as Rachel hit the water.

*~*~*~*

"I'll walk you out," Rachel said to JC purposefully ignoring Melissa's smile and thumbs up.

"Hey man, thanks for crashing the party," Lance grinned, as he took JC's hand and pulled him in to a short hug. He refrained from saying anything regarding his sister. The interesting development wasn't far from his mind the entire night. He'd been watching the interactions between JC and Rachel all night. His sister was definitely smitten with JC again. Still. He didn't know which.

"Bye JC!" McKenzie came up after her uncle released JC and gave him her own hug. "Thanks for coming."

"This was way better than getting stuck with a needle," he teased her, hugging her. He had gotten to know McKenzie a lot today. He had fallen in love with everything he learned. She was one of a kind.

"You're still gonna come to my recital right?" McKenzie asked, staring up with him, with a pleading look on her face. She used it on her mom a lot to get something. Her mom was getting immune to it, but it always worked on Lance.

"Definitely," JC smiled. One of things he was able to learn was just how well she played the piano. It had been his turn to get the round of drinks from the kitchen. When he went inside, he heard the piano and followed the music, forgetting all about the drinks. He had stood in the doorway listening to McKenzie play. She had messed up a few times, but she never gave up. She just went back a few measures and started over until she got the correct notes and continued on. She had been so embarrassed when he clapped when she was done. It had led to him sitting down next to her on the piano bench and playing a couple songs for her. He had been in the middle of teaching her a song when Lance had come in to find him and the drinks.

"Awesome," McKenzie beamed.

"Later guys," he gave a final wave and followed Rachel outside. Night had long since fallen. The day had been long, but it had been one of the best days he'd had in awhile. It was nice to sit around with friends and hang out. The day was full of laughter, jokes, and stories. The drinks flowed freely which probably attributed to a lot of the laughs, jokes, and stories. He hated that it was over. He hated that he was about to climb into his car alone and drive all the way back to his empty house.

"I'm glad you came," Rachel said softly as they walked down the couple steps outside Lance's front door. She smiled at him when he reached for the gate, opening it for her and allowing her to walk through. Once through the gate, she waited for him to pull it close and she walked with him down the remaining steps and onto the sidewalk. The night had chased away the California heat, leaving a chill. She had to raid her brother's closet for a hoodie to put over the sleeveless shirt she wore.

"Thanks for inviting me," JC bumped her shoulder with his and smiled at her when she looked at him. They came to a stop at the front of his vehicle. "Kenzi is great."

Rachel beamed at him. "She is, isn't she? Of course she's now two hundred bucks richer thanks to Joey. I'll never hear the end of it."

JC laughed. "I should probably get half of that since I was on her team."

"Traitor," Rachel teased. "But we sure showed them." After Rachel had hit the water the second time, the girls declared themselves champs and said it was the adults turn. She had still been complaining about how unfair it had been. Each time she had been distracted at the start of the matches, allowing Briahna and McKenzie to knock her off Lance's shoulders without a fight. When it came to the adult match, the girls had begged Michael to join. He finally gave in and joined the rest of the adults in the pool, while Briahna and McKenzie got out and grabbed their phones to take photos. Melissa had paired up with Joey, Michael with Lance, and she had been left with JC.

"Team Bassez all the way," JC held up his hand, allowing Rachel to give him a high five. When her hand slapped his, he held on to it. He held Rachel on his shoulders through numerous chicken fights in the water against both Michael and Melissa. It was something he would never forget. They had been victorious each time. Each win caused Rachel to gloat even more until the other teams had enough and ended up tackling them into the water. He had swallowed so much water during the ensuring struggle because he'd been laughing so much.

"Better than team KenC?" She teased him again.

"You're gonna make me choose?"

"Nah," Rachel laughed softly, letting him off the hook. "She's got a crush on you."

"Yeah?" JC asked, his facial features softening at Rachel's statement. He rubbed his thumb along the back of her hand.

"Oh yeah," She smiled up at him.

"That's good because I have the biggest crush on her mom." JC watched Rachel's eyes widen. Under the street light he could see a blush sweep across her face. "I always thought you were cute when you blushed. You used to do it so often when we were younger," he reached up with his free hand running his fingers down the side of her face before tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ear. He kept his hand on her face, cupping the side of her face. "It's even cuter now." Her face darkened at his words and she broke their gaze to look at the ground. He moved his fingers to her chin, tilting it up so he could meet her gaze once more. He leaned forward and saw her eyes drop to his lips before meeting his eyes again. With her hand tucked in his, his fingers on her chin, he pressed his lips to hers.