“So what do you want to do now?” Kristen asked. Most fans had left the courthouse and gone their separate ways.

“I don’t know. Go back to the hotel? I promised my parents I’d call them when we got here to let them know we’re okay, but I forgot before we left to come here.”

“Yeah, me too. But maybe we could get some dinner, first? I’m starving.” It had been a long day. They’d already eaten the lunches they’d brought with them.

“Do you want to go to the Hard Rock Café?” Jake teased. He knew that was J.C.’s favorite restaurant. “Maybe we’ll see your man there.”

“I wish. But sure, let’s go.”

After taking their orders, as Jake was handing the waitress back his menu, she said “It’s okay, J.C., I know you like collecting them. Keep it.”

“I’m not . . .I don’t want you to get in trouble with your boss.”

“It’s okay. I’ll pay for its replacement.”

“Um, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

After she left, Jake looked to Kristen. “Do I really look that much like J.C.? She was flirting so hard, I thought she was going to offer to pay for our meal.”

“I don’t see it, but that’s the 2nd time today someone thought you were him. They must see something we don’t.”

“Apparently, but like you said, I don’t want to take advantage. What can I do aside from wearing a sign above my head that says “I’m not J.C.?”

“You can start by not accepting gifts meant for him.”

“Okay, after this no more gifts.”

“You’re enjoying this a little too much.”

JC went back to their email account to look for the one he’d read earlier in the week from Jake. Finding it, he responded, hoping that receiving a reply would make Jake’s day as much as he did reading it.

As he was writing it, the dream he’d had re-entered his mind.  He was still apprehensive about looking for his birth family without telling his parents, brother, and sister so he went to see them at their hotel.

Once again, Karen Chasez could tell something was wrong as soon as she opened the door and saw the look on her son’s face.

“Josh? What’s wrong?”

JC stared at the ground, playing with his fingers. “I need to talk to you, dad, Heather, and Tyler. Are they here?”

“Yeah, we’re here, what’s up?” asked Tyler.

“I – don’t really know where to start.”

“Why don’t you start at the beginning?” said Heather.

“Son, whatever it is, can’t be that bad. You know you can tell us anything, right?”

Roy Chasez put his arms around his oldest child, who was in tears, his body shaking.

“Is it about the group? You’re not having trouble with Jive already are you?”

“No, it’s not that. Everything’s fine. It’s  . . .um. . . .I got an email from a fan that said he liked our music and us because we’re like brothers; family and it made me think of us, too. But it also . . I’ve been thinking of searching for my birth family. Is that ok with you?” He still couldn’t figure out how to explain the dream. This was the best he could do.

His parents and sister looked shell shocked; like they’d been punched in the gut. This is what he was afraid of. Tyler was the first one to speak.

“Let’s back up for a minute. Did you say you read an email from a MALE fan? *NSYNC has those?”

J.C. laughed. “Apparently. It surprised me, too.”

“What does he have to do with you wanting to look for your birth family?”

“He said he was adopted, an only child, and it got me thinking of you and the guys, but something’s missing.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. I guess I’m just curious.”

“Your father and I have some basic information, if you want to start there. I can find it for you.”

J.C. hated the look on his mom’s face. It was one of hurt and betrayal and yet she was still willing to help him. He went over and hugged her.

“I love you so much. You’re not going to be able to get rid of me that easily, even if you want to.”