Darcie groaned as she rolled over, “I think I’m sun burnt in places I didn’t think possible.”

She opened her eyes to look at Ami’s bed and screamed as curls filled her vision. “Morning precious.” Justin said, kissing the tip of her nose sweetly.

“Ugh!” Darcie cried, wiping off her nose, “I think you’re a little confused, Ami’s bed is that one!”

Justin snuggled up to her and nuzzled her under the jaw, “You were great last night, there were things you did with your tongue that I didn’t think was possible.”

“Did your mom bring her Christmas Cheer with her again this year?” Darcie asked, pushing him away. “I thought we agreed four years ago never to touch that shit again.”

Justin laughed and tugged at her arms, “Come see what Santa brought you.”

“No.” Darcie said, going limp and falling back to the bed, “I already know he brought me the wrong pop star.”

“Hey Darcie.”

Darcie pulled the blanket away from her head and stared at Joey who was standing at the foot of her bed, video camera in hand.

“Oh, mother fu…”

Justin’s hand clamped over mouth, “This video is going to be for everyone, try to keep it at least PG-13?”

Darcie rolled her eyes and allowed both Joey and Justin to haul her out of the bed. She protested loudly as Justin ushered her to the bathroom and all but began to brush her teeth for her. She shot him a glare and pulled a bandanna off the bathroom counter, tying it around her forehead and partially over her hair. She spiked up the back with one hand and spat the remaining toothpaste into the sink before allowing Justin to pull her out into the hallway.

“I think I’m perfectly capable of finding my own way down to Chris’s suite!” Darcie snapped, “It’s on the other end of the hall.”

“Get into the Christmas spirit grumpy pants.” Justin teased.

“You’re playing with fire Justin.” JC’s voice sounded from the door that just opened to their left.

“You’re awake!” Joey said happily, pointing the camera at him.

“Yes, and let me thank you so very much for send Chris and his sisters in to wake me up.” JC muttered, “How can I ever repay you.”

Darcie rolled her eyes and linked her arm through JC’s as Justin finally released her to bang on Lance’s door. “I would have taken them over Timbercreep.”

JC laughed and put his hand over Darcie’s, “I love how many names you come up with for that boy.”

“He makes it easy.” Darcie yelped as Justin shoved past her and JC, making them fall into each other, “Don’t mind us Justin!”

Joey laughed and walked into the room just ahead of them while Darcie continued to mutter curses under her breath. JC didn’t release her arm as he crossed the threshold of the doorway, turning only enough that he and Darcie were able to enter without breaking their hold on one another. 

“Stop!” Lynn Harless cried out as they began to move away from the door.

“What?” They asked in unison as they froze in place.

“It’s tradition.” She said, and Darcie quickly discovered where Justin had gotten his grin from.

Darcie and JC looked up and saw the mistletoe hanging from the doorway above them. JC rolled his eyes as Darcie’s cheeks began to redden.

“Come on you two!” Justin said, wrapping an arm around his mother’s shoulders as JC leaned down and kissed Darcie’s cheek. “Oh please, you call that a kiss?” 

“You’re lucky your mother is here fro boy.” Darcie growled.

“Yeah ‘cause you really scare me.”

Darcie shot him a glare before pulling JC’s lips down to hers. It wasn’t a passionate kiss, or even very long, but it was enough to set loose butterflies in her stomach.

“Happy now?” Darcie asked as she pulled away from JC.

“No, but I know he is.” Justin teased.

Darcie spotted Chris moving towards Ami as she moved to stand next to Justin. She caught Ami’s attention and motioned to Chris. Ami smirked and ducked out of the way just as Chris reached her. Justin blinked in surprise as the mistletoe that Chris had attached to a head band on his head, smacked him in the chin.

“Oh hell no.” Justin cried, shoving Chris away from him.

“Come on Justy, it’s tradition.” JC said smugly.

“It doesn’t fucking count when it’s at my chin.”

“Justin Randall Timberlake!” Lynn gasped, “Watch your mouth!”

Darcie smirked as Justin visibly grimaced at the use of his full name. “I’m not doing it!”

“You will or every embarrassing picture I have of you will be all over the internet and in every tabloid I can get to publish them.” Darcie threatened, “And no peck on the cheek either.”

“Why isn’t this bothering you?” He snapped at Chris.

“Because watching you squirm is highly entertaining.” Chris told him, “Believe me, I would much rather it be Ami laying one on me, hell even Lance, Joey or JC.”

“Why them and not me?” Justin demanded.

“You’re just not man enough for me Justin.” Chris shot back.

Justin growled and grabbed Chris’s shirt, practically pulling the shorter man off his feet. Darcie and Ami whistled when he pressed his lips against Chris’s, his face reminding Darcie of the time she had dared him to eat several handfuls of Sour Patch Kids at once.

Everyone in the room burst out laughing as the flash from Lynn’s camera went off. Justin pulled away rubbing his hand over the back of his mouth, scowling at his mother.

“That’s one for the baby book.” Lynn said, looking up at her son, “Don’t glare at me, I’m your mother, it’s my purpose to embarrass you.”

“Can we open presents now?” Justin asked through clenched teeth.

Lynn laughed and allowed her pouting son to pass her. Darcie rolled her eyes and followed him, jumping slightly as JC’s fingers wrapped around hers. Darcie glanced at Lynn who simply winked at her.

“Justin Randall Timberlake, you put that down right now!” Lynn shouted as Justin picked up the largest box.

“It has my name on it!” Justin pouted.

“I don’t care; you know the tradition, youngest ones first.” Lynn said, pointing to Chris’s younger sisters.

Darcie laughed as she sat down on the floor next to Chris, leaning back against JC as he sat behind her, his legs appearing on either side of her hips. Justin threw himself down on the floor beside them, leaning against Ami’s legs.

“This sucks, I always get to open my presents first.” Justin pouted.

Darcie looked up at Ami, who rolled her eyes. “You’ll have to wait even longer Justin, cause Darcie and I are next in line after the runts.”

Darcie laughed at the look on Justin’s face before turning her attention to Chris’s sisters. They were laughing and squealing as the opened and showed off their presents.

“What are you thinking?” JC asked softly in her ear.

“Just hoping that I get to have a lot more Christmas’s like this.”

Darcie’s eyes widened as she felt his lips press against her ear, “You will, I promise.”

~ * ~

Darcie slid the party hat she was wearing off her head. She usually loved New Years, but celebrating it with the guy’s families was starting to make her feel a little awkward. Granted most of them had retired for the night, wishing everyone a happy New Year before returning to their rooms. Lynn and the Chasez family were the only ones left with the guys and Darcie and Ami.

Darcie glanced around and spotted the doorway that lead out to the patio. She glanced at her watch and realized it was only a few minutes until midnight. She looked longingly at the door before turning her attention back to the dance floor where everyone else was.

Darcie quickly stood up and slipped outside, wanting a few minutes to herself before the clock struck midnight. She sighed as she walked to the railing of the patio, looking out over the ocean.

The sound of everyone cheering met her ears and Darcie glanced over her shoulder to see JC crossing the patio to her.

“How come you’re not inside?” JC asked as he stepped up beside her, “You missed the count down.”

“I just wanted a few minutes to myself before we started doing the resolutions.”

The first Christmas and New Year that Darcie had celebrated with the guys they had started a tradition of sharing a resolution with each other. Of course that always led to nagging when the resolution wasn’t being followed. 

“What’s your New Years Resolution going to be?” JC asked her.

Darcie shrugged, “I hadn’t really thought about it. There isn’t much I need to accomplish this year.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well I have a great job, I’m finally getting over everything that happened, and I practically live on my own since I’m always at one of your houses and not my own.” Darcie told him, “There are a few other things that I need to do, but I don’t want to push my luck.”

JC laughed and picked up her hand, “Your fingers are so tiny.”

“Well not all of us were graced with musician hands.” Darcie teased, “What’s your resolution going to be? 

“To be a good boyfriend.”

“Oh.” Darcie said softly, pulling her hand from his.

“Yeah but the problem is that I don’t think she’s interested.” He said softly.

Darcie rolled her eyes, “She’d be crazy not to. Who’s the luck girl, Bobbie?”

JC shook his head, "I was kind of hoping you'd want the position."
 
Darcie stared at him in shock, her eyes widening as what he said sunk in. "What?"
 
JC laughed, "I know it'll be weird since you're technically my employee, but me and the other guys figured that they could pick up the slack. Plus with the way that Ami and Justin are going they'll probably be dating so I can just take over hers and he can take over yours."
 
"You're babbling."
 
"I know it's pretty pathetic isn't it?"

Darcie smiled shyly, “I don’t know, I kinda like it when you babble.”

“Well you know what I’d kinda like?” JC asked, turning to her.

“What?”

“To give you a New Years kiss.” JC said.

Darcie giggled but turned to face him, sliding her arms around his neck, “You are such a cheese ball, I don’t know why they let you write songs.”

“Hey it’s tradition.” JC reasoned with her as he pulled her closer.

“Who am I to mess with tradition then?”

Darcie’s breath caught as his lips gently pressed against hers. They were surprisingly soft and tender, but they quickly increased their pressure against hers. JC pulled away for a minute and gently brushed his thumb over her cheek before turning his head to the side and kissing her at a new angle.

Darcie’s fingers seemed to have a mind of their own as they slid into his hair. She felt rather then heard the groan that escaped his throat as she began to pet the soft hairs on his neck. She gasped as his tongue tentatively stroked once over her lips and she parted them to grant his request.

“Guys, we’re doing the – uh, carry on, I’ll stall it.” Lance’s voice sounded, breaking the spell around them.

Darcie blushed and buried her face in JC’s chest as the door slid shut once more. “I’m sending him home with his mama in a wooden box.”

JC laughed and rubbed his hand up and down her spine, “We should probably be thankful it was Lance.”

“Why?”

“Think about it.” JC giggled, “Joey would be standing next to us making a lewd comment, Justin would be running to tell Ami and Chris, well let’s just say I’d be missing some vital body parts that I’m rather fond of.”

Darcie laughed and pushed back from him, “You’re right. Of course this means you have about thirty seconds to come up with a new resolution.”

“Why, don’t you want to tell anyone about us?”

“Not right now, tonight is the only night that we’ll have without the others nosing their way into our business.” Darcie said; playing with a ball of lint attached to his shirt, “When we get back home you’ll be recording and then preparing for both the promotional stuff and the tour. We won’t have too many chances to be alone together.”

“What are you saying Darcie?”

Darcie stepped back and waved her hands in front of her as a blush burst over her face, “Nothing like that you pervert.” She laughed, “Tonight will be just about us, no tour, no fans, no NSYNC, just you and me.”

“Still not following.” JC muttered.

Darcie rolled her eyes, “Why did I have to want the dense one. All I’m saying is tonight you and I get to hang out with each other and only we know why and what we’re doing.”

JC laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist, “What we’re doing huh?”

Darcie sighed and shook her head, “I don’t know why I expected the guy who wrote Digital Get Down to take that in a non-perverted way.”

JC kissed the top of her head, “You know you like it. Come on, we better go in before they send someone else out to get us.”

“Worried it might be Chris?” She teased.

“Well I don’t know about you, but I fully intend on acting out those perverted thoughts you just accused me of one day, and I would like to be functional.”

JC laughed and pulled Darcie along behind him as red flooded her face. “One day JC, your mouth is going to get you into trouble.”

“I know, and believe me, I look forward to it.”