Jenna woke up the next morning, grabbing her phone. She opened her texts, smiling at the last text thread. She hadn’t dreamed it, JC Chasez was texting her. Had texted, not like he will anymore, she thought to herself.  He saved your life, bought you pizza, but that’s it.  She scrolled through the text thread when her phone buzzed. 

Good morning 

Her eyes widened. This couldn’t be happening…

Good morning

You eat already?

No, just woke up.

Wanna grab a bite? Or wait until lunch?

She blinked. There was no way this was happening.

Ummm, sure.  Whatever is fine.

Can you be ready in an hour?

As in you’re at my door in an hour, or you’re leaving your place in an hour?

Which would be better?

The latter. Gives me time to get ready. 

Am I coming up to your door?

Meet me in the lobby?

Sounds good. See you soon.

Jenna scrolled back through the messages, needing to make sure it actually happened. Go shower, idiot! JC is picking you up to go eat!!

She wasn’t going to question the why of it all, knowing where that would lead. She definitely felt undeserving of such attention, but tried to remain realistic. He has a girlfriend, this is nothing romantic. 

She finished showering, wrapping a towel around her and looking in her closet. She settled on a black jumpsuit with a scoop neck and the pants ending just below the knee. She wanted to look nice without seeming like she was trying too hard to impress him. She pulled her hair back into a braid down the center of her back, knowing it would be warm again by afternoon. She spritzed a little lilac lavender body spray before slipping into a pair of black sandals and heading down to the lobby. 

She waited with baited breath, not wanting to keep him waiting and draw attention to the fact that he was even there.  Her phone buzzed in the pocket of her jumpsuit. 

Hey, I’m just getting up. Where are you?

Out for the day, I’ll be back later.

Home for dinner?

Yes, Mom…

Hey, just checking. Anything fun?

Grabbing something to eat with a friend.

Have fun. See you when I get home. 

Jenna was glad there were magazines and things in the lobby, sitting down in a chair as she waited for him.  She heard the door open several times, looking back at her magazine as each person wasn’t JC.  She pulled out her phone, scrolling through her social media.  She heard someone clearing their throat, looking up to have her eyes lock with his.

“You ready?” he asked with a soft smile.

“Yeah.  I didn't even hear you come in.  I literally checked every time the door opened so you wouldn’t be waiting for me.”

“I’m parked outside, there was a metered spot open.  Fed the meter, so someone will get a nice surprise when we leave.”

“I do love when that happens,” she smiled as she stood.

Her eyes widened as he pulled her into a hug.  “You feeling ok?  You look great, you’d never guess anything happened yesterday…”

“A good foundation covers a multitude of flaws,” she sighed.

He rolled his eyes.  “I doubt they’re flaws.”

“Hid my bruises on my face, so I’m not complaining.  Just glad I don’t have any other interviews this week so far, give everything time to heal.”

They walked to his Jeep, JC opening her door for her, Jenna smiling to herself.  She smiled wider as she listened to his eclectic taste in music as they drove through the city.  Some of it she expected, others she didn’t.  It wasn’t on very loud, just enough that it broke the silence, but could still have conversation over it.  The GPS on his phone led them through turns, Jenna curious where they were going.  

Eventually they got onto Santa Monica Blvd, JC turning off the GPS.  Jenna looked around, her eyes widening as JC turned a corner before parking in a small rear parking lot.  She tried to keep herself calm as she realized she was walking with JC into Rocco’s.  He opened a back door, Jenna walking into an empty restaurant, save for the sounds of the cooks prepping food for the day and joking as music played.

“I’m not complaining, but why are we here?  It’s a random weekday, they aren’t even open…”

“I wasn’t sure if you’d been here, but definitely not with someone like me.  That sounded weird, sorry.  I figured if you hadn’t been here, having your first time being here be with a friend of the owner…”

“I’ve always wanted to come, but never made it over.  I kicked myself the night of the Big Brother party where 3 of you were here, I could've gotten pictures with you, Chris, and Lance… School night though, so I couldn’t make it, or so I thought.  Turns out you guys were pretty much done with time for me to get a decent night’s sleep, but oh well.  I’m here now, and not awkwardly walking up to you asking for a picture.  You’re bringing me here, though I still don’t understand why.”

They sat in a u-shaped small leather booth, one of the staff bringing them water.  “Your usual, JC?” the guy winked, JC nodding with a smile.

“What do you want?” JC asked Jenna.

“Is it too early to get the pesto fettuccine?”

“I mean, It’s 10AM, but if that’s what you want…”

The young man looked at Jenna.  “You’re here with JC, we’ll make you whatever the fuck you want, darling.”

“Mushroom, spinach, and bell pepper omelet?” Jenna asked.

“Cheese?”

“Monterey Jack if you have it.”

“Any drink for you?  Remember, it’s 5:00 somewhere…” the young man winked.

“Ummm, pineapple juice and a splash of rum.  Really shouldn’t be drinking too much.  Not that I drink a LOT to begin with…  Oh god, now I’m rambling…”

“It’s cute, honey.”  he looked at JC.  “No Jen this morning?”

“She’s got work,” he shrugged.

The young man walked away, leaving the two of them alone as the staff continued to prep for the day.  

“You’ll have to show me ‘your’ table when you would come for the Sunday drag brunches.  I loved seeing you on the Rocco’s lives from time to time.”

“Yeah, this is more the bar area, away from any cameras, not that I expect any at 10AM in an empty restaurant…”

Jenna was quiet for a moment. “JC, why are you doing all this?  You saved MY life, not the other way around.  You don’t owe me spending time together, you don’t owe me anything…”

“I think we’re all wondering that,” a familiar voice asked.  Her eyes widened as she saw Lance walking toward her, trying not to freak out.  He sat next to her in the booth, a bloody mary in hand, one guy on each side of her now.  “I suggested he bring you here after he told us what happened yesterday, had to meet you.”

“Wait, I made the group chat?” she asked in surprise.

“Sure did,” Lance chuckled.  

“Justin and Lance were the more helpful two,” JC said, rolling his eyes.

“Had to make sure you weren’t a crazy fan,” Lance smiled.

“Pretty sure I am, but I think we all are, on some level.  Maybe not NOW, but I’m sure back in the day you had moments of ‘oh my god…’ when you met someone.”

“We still get that way.  C, you gonna answer her question, on why you’re spending time with her?  I’d like to know the answer.”  He sipped on his bloody mary as he waited for JC.

“I figured you needed someone, after what happened…”

“So you pity me.  Great…” Her face deflated, knowing her suspicions were correct.

“I wouldn’t say pity…  Out of… concern more than anything I guess.  Make sure you’re ok.”

“You did that yesterday at the hospital, and bought me pizza.  Honestly, just making the 911 call was enough.  You could have walked away, or checked with the doctor and left knowing I was ok, without seeing me.  Why give me your number, bring me to meet another member of *NSYNC?”

“I can call Justin if you want,” JC laughed.  Her face turned bright red.

“Don’t tell me we have a Justin girl…  JC, I hope you aren’t disappointed,” Lance joked.  “I was going to ask who your favorite is, at some point.  Thanks to C here for not making me have to put you in the spotlight like that…”

She looked at Lance, trying really hard not to look at JC.  “I describe myself as a Justin girl with heavy JC tendencies…”

Lance looked as JC turned red, a smile spreading across his face.  “Well, tell me about yourself.. Jenna, right?”

“Oh my god, you told them my name?” she gasped, looking at JC.

“Again, just Lance and Justin.”

“It’s funny. I live in LA but figured you two would be the last ones I would meet.”

“Now we’re the first?” Lance laughed. 

“No,” Jenna said. “I had VIP tickets for Man of The Woods, Justin grabbed my hand. Then I was in Vegas when Joey did the After Party thing last year, and I am flying out in October to see Chris host Pop2000 in Nor Cal. Figured I could tour San Francisco, see part of where you filmed This I Promise You…”

“So we’re still kinda last, except Chris.”

“This is definitely not how I thought this would happen, especially JC.  I figured at some point I’d make it down here for a Sunday brunch and JC would be here, or maybe an event you’re hosting here or at Heart.”

“I wanted to get to know you, Jenna, to answer your earlier question. If I can, help you find a job. I gotta ask, you were so far from where you live when this all happened, what were you doing that far down Wilshire? Like, almost to the west end of it…”

“Job interview.  You saw me in a hospital gown, but I had worn a pantsuit ensemble yesterday.  I feel like I’ve applied literally everywhere, so if I have to make that commute every day to get paid, then so be it.  It’s LA, there’s always traffic.”

“Was it a job you actually wanted?” JC inquired. 

“I’ll take any teaching job I can get, I need the money. I took a special education job one year.  It was hard, but they were desperate enough to take me.”

“You shouldn’t have to settle on a job you aren’t passionate about,” JC sighed, looking at Jenna. 

“A lot of people do it,” she replied. “I’m glad I can use my degree. I have a friend who majored in Youth Ministry because she’d had fun in high school, volunteering in college, then once she had to run a program, found out how hard it was and quit. Now she’s working at Starbucks.  So at least I enjoy what I do and use my degree.  Sometimes you gotta take jobs you don’t like to pay the bills.”

Lance looked silently at JC, JC avoiding his eye  contact.

“I thought maybe meeting you would be a story I tell on an *NSYNC fan podcast I listen to, but this, I can’t take advantage of that.”

“There’s seriously podcasts about us?” JC asked. 

“I knew there had been one, I was on it, sang their little intro…”

“It’s new, started in January. It’s called ‘Ready to Fall’.”

“Like the song from On the Line?  Don’t ask me how I remembered that…” Lance laughed. 

“Yeah. They were ready to fall in love with you guys back then, and ready to fall again with whatever is next.  Next month is their month long celebration of JC, for his birthday.”

“Yeah, definitely not listening…” JC sighed. “It’s flattering, but…”

“They had girls on that met you guys at the Big Brother thing, or met Justin at the golf thing he did in Tahoe.  This is a different kind of story with you guys.  One I’ll keep to myself, or tell very few people.  It’s too special to brag about like that.  I mean, it shows what a great guy you are, JC, but I want that to be a story I tell my grandchildren, not the whole world. You’d hate the attention, for one thing…”

“It’s like you know him,” Lance laughed. “I’m surprised no one at the hospital said anything and it’s not all over the news. ‘JC Chasez saves woman after seizure behind the wheel’, ‘woman has seizure while driving, JC Chasez makes live saving 911 call’…”

“Please stop saying my full name…” JC groaned, putting his hand over his face.

“JC Chasez is suspect in murder of Lance Bass…” Lance laughed, Jenna joining in. Eventually even JC cracked a smile. 

Their food came, Jenna impressed by their ability to make whatever she wanted. She knew it was because of the men she was sitting between, and that things like this wouldn’t last long.

“I’ll be right back,” JC said quietly, getting up from the table, walking down a hallway.

“So, what’s the verdict?” Jenna teased. “Am I a crazy fan?”

“No, you’re amazing. Maybe too amazing…”

“How so?”

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that he…”

“Don’t say it, Lance.  Don’t tell me he has feelings for me. My roommate has it in her head that he’s gonna dump his girlfriend for me as it is, not even knowing it’s JC.  I’m not his type, I’m not Jen.”

“You just have the easiness about you, seeing you together.  Like you aren’t bothered by this.”

“Whatever this is, isn’t going to last long. It’s gone on longer than it should. He called 911 and saved my life, it’s not like I did anything to deserve this. I still say it feels like pity.  It hasn’t even been a full 24 hours yet. At some point, he’ll be bored with this, and it’ll be a nice story I tell when I’m old.”

JC returned to the table, Jenna getting up to use the restroom. Lance looked at his friend. 

“You like her,” Lance smiled. 

“Lance, no.”

“You LIKE her…”

“Lance, stop!  Am I glad I did the right thing and didn’t leave her for someone else to find? Yes.  Am I enjoying being a hero? A little. But I have Jen, who made it very clear last night how much of a hero she thinks I am over this.”

“Hang on. You save Jenna’s life, and Jen banged you because of it?”

“Best sex I’ve had in a while, not that I’m complaining, but damn…”

“I’m looking for anyone or anything to save and see if Michael feels the same way,” Lance chuckled. “So you don’t think she’s attractive?”

“I have eyes, Lance, but I also have a girlfriend I love, and I respect our relationship enough to not jeopardize it.”

“Does Jen even know you’re here?  With her?”

“No,” JC sighed. 

“Be careful, C.  Someone’s gonna get hurt here, and none of you deserve that…”

Jenna returned to the table, JC moving over to let her sit.  They talked for a while about her; where she grew up, things she liked to do.  JC could tell she was getting uncomfortable talking about herself at length, but at the same time felt glad to know they were interested.

“Well, you guys should probably go before they open for lunch.  It was nice to meet you Jenna, don’t be a stranger.  Seriously, come in and I’ll make sure you’re taken care of.”  He grabbed his phone, taking a picture of Jenna.  “I’ll make sure this is posted in the back, maybe call ahead so they know you’re coming.  Nothing extreme, but you get a good server, good table, whatever.”

“You’re sounding like this one.  I didn't do anything deserving of any of this…”

“Maybe we feel it’s the least we can do for an appreciative fan?” Lance tried to rationalize.

“I’m still processing that I met you today, Lance…” Jenna replied.

“So taking you to a BBQ at Justin’s would be out of the question?” JC laughed.

“I think I might literally die,” Jenna answered.

“Guess I’d just have to save you again…”