"Oh, I've missed you!" Megan said, tightening her hold on Rachel.  "How are you?"

Rachel pulled back finally and looked Megan over.  "I'm fine." She smiled.  "You look incredible!" She stated.  Megan had always been beautiful, but now she glowed.  Marriage and her impending motherhood definitely agreed with her.  Her caramel colored hair was cut short, the ends flipped out in a flirty new style.  She was wearing a comfortable pair of khaki cargo pants and had a pair of brown Mary Jane flats on, while her maternity status was made obvious by a cute, short-sleeved pink baby doll style shirt.  "You've got to be the cutest pregnant lady I've ever seen." Rachel giggled.  "And when did you cut your hair?  It's adorable!" 

"Thanks."  Megan laughed.  "I cut it last week but I don't feel very adorable." She confided.  "I feel like a cow."

"Oh, knock it off." Rachel said, rolling her eyes.  "You're beautiful."

"And you're the sexiest cow I've ever seen." Jackson said coming up behind Megan and playfully swatting his wife's behind.

"Cut it out!" Megan laughed, stepping away from him. 

"Hi, Rachel." Jackson smiled as he adjusted the computer bag slung over his shoulder. 

"Hey, Jackson." Rachel replied, stepping up and giving him a hug.  "How was the flight?" She asked wedging herself between husband and wife and linking her arm through Megan's.

"We survived." Megan replied as they began making their way to the baggage claim.  Jackson good naturedly fell behind the girls, allowing them to catch up with each other.  "I'm just glad it's over." Megan sighed.  "We hit some turbulence flying over Vegas.  I thought we were going to die."

Rachel chuckled at Megan's dramatics.  Megan had always had a fear of flying and it seemed no matter how many times she flew somewhere the fear never went away.  "What did the doctor say?" Rachel asked excitedly, in reference to the appointment she knew Megan had had before they'd gotten on their flight.

Megan looked over her shoulder, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Jackson.  "Should we tell her?" She asked him.  Megan's tall, dark and handsome husband shrugged his shoulders as he smiled back at his wife.  Rachel couldn't help noticing the way he couldn't take his eyes away from Megan.  I want a guy to look at me like that. Rachel thought in reference to the unveiled love and pride shining in Jackson's dark blue eyes.  She made a mental note to tell Megan later just how lucky she was to have found a guy like Jackson Taylor who was so completely in love with her.

"It's up to you." He replied with a grin.

"What?" Rachel asked, looking back and forth between the two of them.  "Tell me what?"

"It's a boy!" Megan responded excitedly, a happy giggle escaping before she bit her bottom lip. 

"Really?" Rachel asked.  Megan nodded.  "Yea!" She hugged Megan again as they stepped onto the escalators that would take them down to the lower level.  "Congratulations!" 

Megan laughed as she hugged Rachel back.  "Thanks."  She released Rachel and placed a hand over her rounded belly.  "He's due February seventeenth."

"Ooh, a Valentine's Day baby." Rachel replied. 

"Ugh." Megan sighed.  "I just hope I'm not in the hospital on Valentine's Day." She said as they got to the bottom of the escalator and walked towards the baggage claim area.

"Why not?" Rachel asked.

"Come on." Megan rolled her eyes.  "How romantic would that be, being in labor on Valentine's Day?"

"Oh, I don't know." Rachel said, as they stopped among the crowd of other passengers in front of the designated carousel.  "I think it would be very romantic.  What better way," she asked "to celebrate your love for each other than to bring the product of that love into this world?"

Megan looked at her with one eyebrow raised in shock.  "When did you become the hopeless romantic?" She asked with an amused chuckle.

Rachel laughed and hugged Megan again.  "Have I mentioned how much I've missed you?"

"I've missed you too, Ray." Megan said returning her hug.  "But, you are the one who moved away, remember?  You wouldn't have to miss me if you'd stayed in Phoenix."

"I know." Rachel said, pulling back.  "But I'm where I'm supposed to be right now."

Megan looked at her knowingly.  "So, what's new on the JC front?"

"Shhh!" Rachel quickly shushed Megan, her eyes wide as she looked pointedly at Jackson.  The object of her focus chuckled as one brow quirked up.

"Please," he said, a grin spreading across his handsome face.  "Don't let me stop you."

"I think I see our bags, honey." Megan said taking Jackson's computer bag from him. 

"I don't see them." He said, folding his arms and looking down at his wife.

"Right there." Megan pointed behind him.  "I think that's my bag.  Look, there it goes.  Please?"  She looked up at him with a pout.

"Alright, alright." He chuckled.  "I can take a hint."

"Thank you." Megan called after him.  "You're the best.  I love you!"

"Yeah, yeah." He winked at Megan and grinned as he walked away.

"Do you know how lucky you are?" Rachel asked with a smile.  "Not a lot of guys would be willing to put up with you the way Jackson does."

"Yeah, I know." Megan replied with a smile as she linked her arm with Rachel and began walking towards a bank of empty chairs.  As the girls settled into their seats, Megan repeated her question.  "So what's really going on with you two?" She asked.  Rachel sighed.  "Has he kissed you yet?"

"No." Rachel laughed.  "I'm pretty sure you'd be the first person I'd call if or when that ever happens."

"When." Megan said.  "When.  You have to think positively."

"Alright," Rachel laughed.  "When he kisses me you'll be the first to know.  I promise"

"K, good." Megan grinned.  Rachel smiled and reached her hand into her purse, rummaging around for a second.  "What are you looking for?" Megan asked.

Rachel's grin widened as she pulled a key ring from her bag with a single silver key hanging from it.  "Wanna see his house?" She asked, a mischievous glint in her brown eyes, as she raised one eyebrow.

"Nu-uh!" Megan's jaw dropped.  She reached for the key and took it from Rachel, holding it almost reverently.  "You have a key to his house?!" She whispered.  "When did you..."

"Monday." Rachel leaned back casually in her chair.

"And you didn't tell me?!" Megan slapped Rachel's arm playfully.

"Ow!" Rachel rubbed her arm.  "I wanted to keep it a surprise."

"Can we really go?" Megan asked.  "Won't that be...weird?"

"Possibly..." Rachel said with a smirk.  "If he were home."

"How do you know he's not going to be home?" Megan asked in confusion.

Rachel pointed at Jackson as the guy began walking towards the girls a large black duffle bag slung over one shoulder and a smaller red bag in the opposite hand.  "Jackson's meeting with JC tomorrow isn't he?"

Megan giggled excitedly as she caught on.  "Yeah."

"And you know," Rachel sighed, "The electrician is supposed to be going over to work on the kitchen lighting and I really should go over and make sure he knows what he's doing."

"You're so bad." Megan laughed.  

"Yep." Rachel replied, joining in Megan's laughter.

"It's never a good thing when you two are laughing like that." Jackson said, dropping the bags at Megan's feet.  The girls stopped as they looked up at him.  However, as soon as they looked back at each other, their laughter returned and Jackson rolled his eyes.  "I'm going to go get the keys to the car." He said as he walked towards the rental car counter.

"Where are you guys staying?" Rachel asked, wiping the tears from her eyes. 

"The Hyatt." Megan said, placing a hand against her rounded middle.  "Where Jackson usually stays."

"You're still staying with me tonight, right?" Rachel asked.

"Of course." Megan smiled.  "And we've got all day tomorrow together." 

"Is Jackson going to be alright without you?" Rachel asked skeptically.

"He'll be fine." Megan replied.  "He won't even notice I'm not around."

"That's not true."  Both girls turned as Jackson suddenly appeared again.  "I always notice when you're not around."

"Aww!" Megan stood and wrapped her arms around Jackson's waist.  "You're sweet."  Rachel watched as Megan stood on her tip toes and kissed her husband quickly on the lips.  "I love you.  I'll see you tomorrow night." She said.

"Mmm." Jackson said, locking his arms around Megan's waist and leaning down to kiss her again.  "Rachel?" He asked, a few seconds later, still looking down at Megan. 

"Yeah?" Rachel answered.

"You'll take care of her for me?" He looked over Megan's shoulder at Rachel.

"Of course." Rachel smiled.

"We've got a date on Sunday," He said, releasing Megan and once more slinging the large black duffle bag over her shoulder.  "And she better be there."

"I promise to return her to you in exactly the same condition she's in now-Girl Scout honor." Rachel replied holding up three fingers.

"You were never in Girl Scouts!" Megan chuckled.  "And why do I suddenly feel like a child caught in the middle of a custody battle?"

"Don't worry, honey." Rachel said patronizingly, linking her arm through Megan's and patting her hand.  "Come on.  You'll see Daddy again in a couple days."

"Bye." Megan chuckled as Rachel released her arm.  She kissed Jackson once more before Rachel grabbed Megan's red bag and began walking away.  "How's your knee doing?" Megan asked as they stepped into an empty elevator that would take them to the parking garage.

"Better." Rachel replied.  "It hurt like hell most of the day Monday but after JC gave my that icepack it was--"

"JC gave you an icepack?!" Megan exclaimed, cutting her off.

"Did I not tell you that?" Rachel asked in surprise.

"No you did not." Megan put her hands on her hips.  "You better tell me now."

Rachel smiled.  "I went over to his house on Monday to pick out a new color for his bedroom-which by the way is going to be gorgeous, if I do say so myself.  I sat down on the couch and he excused himself for a couple minutes.  He went into the kitchen and came back out with an icepack.  He made me put my leg up on the coffee table and I sat there while we talked with ice on my knee.  What?" Rachel asked at Megan's smug and knowing expression.

"An icepack?" Megan asked.  "What kind of guy makes an icepack for the interior designer?"  Rachel was surprised to hear Megan voice the very same thought she'd had.  Sometimes, it was almost as if the girls were the same person just split into two bodies.

"You tell me." Rachel finally replied.

"I tell you what I think." Megan said as the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened.  "I think he's interested in you.  And I mean really interested in you."

Rachel snorted.  "Why in the world would J..." she looked around the almost deserted parking structure and lowered her voice conspiratorially, "JC...be interested in me?"

"Why not?" Megan asked right back.

"Uh...I don't know." Rachel waved her hand through the air.  "Maybe because he's a celebrity and I'm not?" She asked. 

"Please." Megan responded, rolling her eyes.  "Do you remember..." Megan asked as they approached Rachel's car. "The interview the guys did on Donny and Marie way back in the day?"

"Yeah." Rachel said.  "What's your point?" She asked, confused as to where exactly this conversation was going.

"Do you remember J..." Megan stopped when Rachel looked up at her pointedly.  Megan rolled her eyes.  "Nobody's here!" She exclaimed looking around.  "But whatever.  Do you remember Joshua's answer when Marie asked him who his perfect date would be?"

Rachel thought for a moment but came up blank.  "No.  Do you?" She chuckled.

"He said," Megan responded as the girls got into the Jetta, "he just wanted someone normal.  Remember how everyone in the audience ‘aahhed' and we both melted?  All the other guys were naming off actresses or super models they wanted to go out with and JC sat there saying he wanted someone who was smart and had a level head on their shoulders.  Someone who could help him keep his priorities straight and help him from getting sucked into the crazy world he was a part of."

"Megan." Rachel sighed as she started the car.  "That was what?  Eight years ago?" She asked looking at her best friend.  "What's your point?"

"My point is..." Megan said.  "What does that say about the guy?"

"That he knows how to work a crowd and how to give the perfect answer?" Rachel answered sarcastically. 

Megan narrowed her eyes at the slightly bitter tone of Rachel's voice.  "Come on, be serious." Megan said.

"I am." Rachel said a bit exasperated.  She leaned her head back against the seat and folded her arms across her chest.  "More than likely, they knew what the questions were going to be before they got out on stage.  They knew the audience was filled with girls.  You don't think he sat there thinking what the best answer would be to get all the girls in the audience to fall in love with him?"

"No I don't.  He doesn't strike me as that kind of guy." Megan said.  Rachel was quiet as she put the car in reverse and pulled out of her parking space. "What's wrong with you?" Megan asked, watching Rachel intently as she maneuvered the car through the parking garage.  As she sat there, watching her best friend, Megan began to wonder what exactly had transpired between Rachel and JC in the last month that Rachel hadn't told her.

"I'm just being realistic." Rachel answered as she rolled her window down and handed her parking ticket and money to the guy in the booth.

"Realistically stupid." Megan responded, raising one brow in disbelief. 

Rachel rolled her eyes.  "Look, he's a great guy, I'm not arguing that.  He's been nothing but sweet to me since I met him again but, as previously stated, why in the world would he be interested in me when he's got access to every actress and supermodel in the world and beautiful women throwing themselves at him wherever he goes?"

"Why are you fighting it?" Megan asked as they made their way towards the freeway.  "This is your dream come true, isn't it?  How many times have you said if he ever gave you the time of day you'd jump aboard and ride the train for however long the trip lasted?"

Rachel let out a one syllable laugh.  "Yeah well," she looked over at Megan, "What you think you'd do in a situation and what you actually end up doing are two completely different things."

"Don't let Brian ruin this." Megan said quietly.  Rachel stiffened slightly but her eyes remained fixed intently on the road.  Megan had hit the figurative nail on the head and Rachel was suddenly feeling a bit uncomfortable.  "There's the potential for something incredible to happen here." Megan continued.  "I saw the way he looked at you a year ago and you've told me what's happened between you two since you started working for him.  Stop fighting it.  Let him in and see what happens.  Don't let the past ruin your future."

"Have you been watching Dr. Phil again?" Rachel asked making Megan laugh.

"Sometimes he has some good things to say." Megan defended herself.

"Okay, then tell me...what happens when I let him in and he just ends up hurting me like every other guy has?"

"And what happens when he doesn't?" Megan answered, folding her arms across her chest.

"Gah!" Rachel sighed as she gripped the steering wheel tightly with both hands, then relaxed again.  "Who knew this would be such a difficult decision to make." Rachel said.  "Go after JC Chasez...don't go after JC Chasez." She looked up at Megan shaking her head with a laugh.  "I don't even know if he wants me to go after him so why am I even debating this issue with you?"

Megan smiled as she watched Rachel.  "You've got it bad." She commented.  Rachel blushed as she tried to keep a straight face.  However, she lost that battle as she looked up at Megan, a huge smile lighting her face.  "Is he everything we thought he'd be?" Megan asked.

"Yes." Rachel sighed dreamily.  "And that's the problem."  Both girls laughed.

"I've missed you, Ray." Megan said.

"I've missed you too." Rachel responded.   

~~~~~~

"You know what I don't understand?" Megan asked the next morning as the girls sat getting pedicures.

"What?" Rachel glanced up from the magazine she's been flipping through.  The girls had made it a tradition since Rachel had moved away that anytime either of them were in town they went and got pedicures together.

"From everything you've told me, Joshua seems like such a really nice, sweet guy."

"He is." Rachel smiled at Megan's use of JC's real name in an attempt to keep people from knowing who they were talking about.  She turned her eyes back to her magazine.

"Then why does he give off the opposite impression in his music?" Megan asked, leaning back and closing her eyes.

"What do you mean?" Rachel asked setting the magazine down in her lap.

"If you just listened to his songs you'd think he was a dirty, sex obsessed, freak."

Rachel laughed, thankful the women giving them their pedicures didn't appear to know very much English.

"It's true." Megan said, turning her head to look at Rachel.  "And you know it.  If you had no reference as to who he was and you just happened to pick up his solo album and listen to it...what would you think?"

"I'd think..." Rachel paused.  "I'd think he was weird." She confessed.  Megan laughed.  "I mean come on...the boy can't decide what style of music he wants to sing.  Pop, R&B, jazz, alternative...you name it, it's on that album.  The CD's aptly named.  If I didn't know better I'd think he was schizophrenic."

"What else?" Megan asked, looking at Rachel pointedly.

Rachel sighed and rolled her eyes.  "And I'd think he was a dirty, sex obsessed, freak."

Megan chuckled.  "Why do you think all his songs are dirty?" She asked

"They're not all dirty." Rachel defended.  "He's got a couple of really good songs on that album." 

Megan looked at her with one brow raised.  "Come on, Ray. Even the songs he wrote for the group were pretty scandalous."

Rachel watched as the little Vietnamese woman began applying the bright pink nail polish she'd chosen.  "I don't know." She said.  "Maybe it's like they say: Those who talk the most about it-or sing about it in Josh's case-aren't getting any."

"Hmmm." Megan hummed, going back to her own magazine.  "Maybe you should help him with that." She said, looking over at Rachel, an evil grin on her face.

Rachel laughed.  "Yeah, I'll get right on that.  I mean..." She grimaced and felt her cheeks warming as Megan snickered.  "I'll see what I can do."

"Let me know what happens." Megan replied with a straight face.

"You're such a brat." Rachel said rolling her magazine and reaching over to smack Megan with it.   

~~~~~~

"Alright, I think that covers it."

JC swiveled in his chair as Jackson closed the notebook in front of him.  "Everything looks good." JC said, closing his own notebook and moving to stand.  "Thanks." He said, reaching his hand across the conference table to Jackson when he stood as well.

"There's just one more thing." Jackson said as he took JC's proffered hand. 

JC moved to release Jackson's hand and was surprised when the other guy refused to let go, instead increasing the pressure of the hold he had on him.  He looked at Jackson in confusion.  "What--"

"If you hurt her." Jackson said calmly, leveling his eyes at him as he pulled JC closer.  "I will kill you."

JC swallowed at the intensity in the other guy's eyes, his own eyes wide.  Jackson stood a good four or five inches taller than he was and outweighed him by probably sixty pounds.  JC knew if it ever came down to it he was right-Jackson would kill him.  However, he was baffled as to what on what had brought on this sudden threat.  What was he talking about?  What had he done?  Who was he talking about?

"I don't...I don't know what you're talking about." He finally choked out, breathing a slight sigh of relief as Jackson finally released his hand.

"Do you remember a little favor you did for me about a year ago?"

JC nodded as understanding finally dawned, fear coursing through him.  Of course Jackson would know about the interactions he had had with Rachel during the past month.  He was married to her best friend, after all. 

"Rachel is an amazing girl" Jackson continued.  "And she deserves only the best.  She's been through a lot the last couple years." He said, clearly taking the stance an overprotective, older brother might.  "This better not be just some game you're playing, Chasez." Jackson leaned towards him and JC took an involuntary step backwards.  "If it is, you better end it.  Now.  Are we clear?"

"Crystal." JC replied as he cleared his throat. 

"Good." Jackson straightened and adjusted his tie.  "It was good seeing you again, JC." He smiled.  "Call me if you have any questions."

"Y-yeah." JC replied, sitting back down and watching as Jackson slung his computer bag over one shoulder. 

"I'll see you later." Jackson said as he turned and left the room.

JC blew out the breath he'd been holding and, placing his elbows on the table in front of him, rested his head in his hands.  Well, that was a first. He thought, scrubbing his hands over his face.  He'd never been verbally threatened before in regards to a girl he was interested in.  He felt tempted to get angry-how dare Jackson think he could threaten him!  But the more he thought about it, the more JC realized that Rachel was lucky to have someone like Jackson looking out for her.  There were many guys out there who would take advantage of that.  Hell, a year ago he had been one of those guys-wanting nothing more from her than a quick lay.  Luckily, she'd been able to keep her head on her shoulders and hadn't given into him, and fate had given him another chance at getting to know her-proving what Jackson had said.  Rachel was amazing and he knew it was too late for him to end what was happening between them. 

It had been a while since a woman had played with his emotions as much as Rachel did.  When she wasn't around he couldn't stop thinking about her.  When she was around he couldn't concentrate on anything other than her.  While it may have started out that way, this definitely wasn't a game anymore but could he convince Rachel of that?     

~~~~~~

"Hello?" Rachel called out as she stuck her head inside the front door of JC's house.  She listened for a moment, but was met with only silence.  "Okay, come on." She said, opening the door wider and ushering Megan inside, shutting the door quickly behind her.

"I feel kind of bad doing this." Megan said with a giggle.  "Are you sure it's okay for us to be here?"

"Sure, why not?" Rachel asked.  "He gave me a key."

"So you could let the painters in next week when he's gone!" Megan laughed.  "Not to sneak in your best friend while he's out meeting and going over financial statements with his broker who just so happens to be my husband!"

"When you put it like that," Rachel said with a deflated sigh, "It does sound kind of bad.  Alright, let's go." She said, turning.

"No!" Megan called out as Rachel placed her hand on the doorknob.  "Are you crazy?!" She placed her hands on Rachel's shoulders and shook her slightly.  "We're in JC's house, Rachel!  Ahh!!" 

Rachel laughed.  "Come on.  I'll show you around." She said walking towards the front room.  "But you've got to promise not to tell anyone what you see or I could get in big trouble." Rachel said, in reference to the Non-Disclosure policy she'd signed a few weeks ago. 

"I promise." Megan exclaimed as they walked into the room.  "Oh, it's beautiful!" Rachel smiled proudly.  "So, tell me what you did in here." Megan said, looking at her expectantly.

"Well, this used to be a wall." Rachel said indicating the now open archway connecting the room to the rest of the house.  "The walls were white, the couches were beige and everything was so closed in."

"I like the color you chose." Megan said indicating the dark sage that now covered the walls.

"We like it too." She replied.

"We?" Megan asked, lifting a brow.  Rachel's cheeks warmed and she tried to brush off the reference.

"JC picked it out." Rachel said.  "And I think it turned out nice."

"Uh-huh..." Megan replied watching her closely, a knowing smile starting to form.

"Um..." Rachel looked around.  "We...I." She looked at Megan.  "I had the couches recovered and," she looked around then grinned excitedly.  "And this." She walked over to the baby grand and ran her hand along the top of the instrument.  "This was the piece that drew everything together."

"It's beautiful." Megan replied.  "I can picture JC playing it."

"I've seen JC play it." Rachel sighed and Megan giggled.

"Lucky." Megan drawled.

"Okay, come on." Rachel said leading her out of the room.  "I gotta show you the rest of the house before he comes home and catches us."

"What's up here?" Megan asked as she followed Rachel upstairs.

Rachel lifted a brow as a mischievous grin spread across her face.  "His bedroom." She whispered conspiratorially. 

Megan laughed excitedly.  "I feel like I'm sixteen again." She confessed.  "Who ever thought one day I'd be sneaking into JC Chasez's bedroom?"

Rachel laughed.  "Now you understand how I feel every time I'm over here."  Megan giggled as Rachel opened the door and the girls peeked in.  "I haven't done anything in here yet, obviously." She explained.  "But the walls are getting painted a rich chocolate color, I'm rearranging the furniture a bit, and he ordered ‘The Bed.'" Rachel finished quietly as a mischievously grin appeared on her face.

"Ah, yes." Megan replied, her eyebrows rising.  "‘The Bed.'" She raised her fingers and did quotation marks in the air.  "Are you going to help him break it in?"

"Megan!" Rachel exclaimed in shock.

"What?" Megan asked, innocently.

"Does Jackson know you have such a dirty mind?" Rachel laughed. 

"So what else is up here?" Megan asked, changing the subject.

Rachel looked at her for a moment then motioned down the hall.  There's a bathroom and a couple other bedrooms."

"He's not having you redo those?" Megan asked.  Rachel shook her head as she crossed her arms.  "Why not?" Megan questioned.

"I don't know." Rachel shrugged.  "Come on." She said as she closed the door and turned back to the stairs.

"Alright," Megan said following Rachel.  "So, you've done the front room and you're going to be doing his bedroom.  What else are you doing?"

"Him...I mean" Rachel's cheeks reddened, "...the great room." Megan laughed out loud at Rachel's slip.  The girls reached the bottom of the stairs and began walking towards the back of the house.  "And I've changed the lighting in the kitchen.  I'm moving one of the walls in the great room," Rachel said.   "Right now he's got a small closet that's not being used.  It's just a bunch of dead space so I'm moving the wall back three feet."

~~~~~

JC pulled his Land Rover to a stop and punched in the code to the gate, his mind still on Jackson's threat.  "This better not be just some game you're playing." Jackson's voice echoed around him.  As he approached the house his eyes landed on a very familiar dark grey Volkswagen Jetta and he felt a shot of excitement surge through him.  He quickly ran through his mental files, wondering if he'd somehow forgotten an appointment with Rachel today.  Why was she here?  The electrician had come and gone first thing this morning, doing his work in the kitchen quickly, and the painters supposedly weren't coming until after he left next week. 

Pulling into the garage JC made his way into the house, keeping an eye out for Rachel, wondering where she was.  He heard her laugh and his heart began racing at the prospect of seeing her. 

~~~~~

"That's really going to widen the space." Megan commented.

"Yeah."  Rachel said, looking over her shoulder at Megan.  "And I found this great entertainment center that I-oof!"  Rachel let out a surprised gasp as she rounded the corner and ran into a warm, hard body.  His familiar cologne invaded her senses as her eyes quickly rose to meet his. "JC!" She exclaimed, her eyes wide.  Rachel stepped back so quickly she almost lost her footing.  JC's reached out and grabbed onto her upper arms, pulling her against him.  Rachel placed her hands on his chest reflexively, her eyes slowly meeting his.  As her heart began beating out of her chest the realization of just how close they were began to sink in and she felt a tingle shoot down her spine.    

"What are you doing here?" He asked, with a smile, watching her closely.

"I-I..." She stuttered, unable to think clearly as his incredible blue eyes held her captive.  She had never been a very good liar and with him looking at him the way he was, an amused sparkle in his eyes, she scrambled frantically for a viable reason as to why she was in his house.  "I...uh, well I..."

"Rachel was just showing me her work." Megan quickly stepped in to the conversation.  With the realization that they weren't alone, JC finally released her arms and took a step back.  Rachel immediately felt the loss of his body pressed again her however, she didn't have the time to dwell on that right now.  She had bigger things to worry about.  Like how she and Megan were going to get out of this mess she'd gotten them into. 

"I'm remodeling my house right now and I'm only in town for a few days." Megan continued.  "Rachel was just showing me what she'd done here and explaining what her plans were for the rest of the house."  Rachel sent a grateful look Megan's way as her friend continued covering for her. 

"And you are?" JC asked, his face expressionless, as he casually crossed his arms across his chest.

"This is my best friend, Megan." Rachel said, finally finding her voice again.  She watched as Megan and JC regarded each other intently while they shook hands briefly.  "I'm sorry." Rachel said.  "I know I probably should have called first but, like she said, she's really only here today and I didn't think it would be a problem."

"It's not a problem." He said looking at her again, his blue eyes sparkling, a hint of a smile on his lips.  "I was just surprised, that's all."

"I'm sorry," Megan interrupted.  "But...you look really familiar.  Have you been on T.V. or something...?" She trailed off as she placed her hand on her chin as if in deep thought.  Rachel felt like she was going to die.  She elbowed Megan and gave her a quick warning look-What are you doing?!-completely missing the almost panicked look in JC's blue eyes.  "Oh wait..." Megan snapped her fingers and smiled.  "You're one of the judges on that dance show on MTV, right?  Weren't you also in that group...uh," Megan snapped her fingers as she thought, "What was the name...N SYNC!"

"Yeah." JC answered with a nervous smile.

"Have we met before?" Megan asked and Rachel almost groaned out loud.  Shut up, Megan! She wanted to slap her hand over Megan's mouth.  What was she doing?  Why was she acting like this?  She knew who he was!  She had been as obsessed over him as Rachel had been growing up.

"I guess it's possible." JC replied, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans.  "I've met a lot of fans over the years."

"Hmmm." Megan replied, still looking at him strangely. "Do you think I could get Justin's autograph?" 

"Let's go!" Rachel said, turning and grabbing Megan by the hand.  "We have to go." She said, looking at JC over her shoulder.  "Again, I'm sorry."

"It's okay." He replied with a chuckle.  "Did you finish showing her what you wanted to?" 

"Yeah." Rachel lied.  "We really have to go." She said, opening the front door and practically pushing Megan through it.  "We've got a lot do to today and," she looked at her watch, "The day's really getting away from us."  She shut the door before JC could say anything and made her way quickly towards her car pulling Megan along behind her.  She unlocked the doors and both girls got into the car.  As soon as their doors were closed they looked at each other and burst into laughter. 

~~~~~ 

"Okay, no more sneaking into pop star's houses." Megan said through her laughter.  She reached up and wiped the tears from her eyes.  "I'm surprised he didn't call the cops on us and I thought you were going to faint when he came around the corner."

"I almost did." Rachel said as she started the car and drove towards the gate.  "I thought my heart was going to beat right out of my chest.  Or possible stop."

"Seriously," Megan laughed.  "The look on your face-on both of your faces-was priceless.  Oh, I wish I'd had a camera!"

"I feel like the biggest idiot." Rachel confessed, shaking her head, as their laughter quieted.  "Just when I think I'm making a good impression I go do something stupid like tripping over myself or have him catch me breaking into his house."

"We weren't breaking in." Megan corrected her.  "You have a key, remember?" Rachel looked over at Megan and they both began laughing again. 

Megan watched Rachel as she drove, the look she'd seen on JC's face clear in her mind.  He had known who she was.  She had seen the spark of recognition in his eyes before he'd hidden it.  And, she reasoned, If he knows who I am...he knows who Rachel is.  He was hiding it.  Why, she didn't know.  Maybe he just wanted a chance to get to know Rachel without their past encounter playing into the mix?  Whatever his reason, one thing was clear.  JC remembered Rachel and if the look he'd been giving her friend meant anything, Megan knew it wouldn't be long before Rachel realized that her dream of having JC Chasez fall in love with her was closer than she thought.               

~~~~~

JC turned away from the window in the front room as Rachel's car disappeared around the corner.  He blew out his breath as he ran his hands through his hair.  "This is ridiculous." He said out loud.  First Jackson, now Megan...with the way things were going Rachel would have it figured out as well by the end of the week.  JC walked over to the piano and sat down behind the keyboard.  He idly played a few chords before resting his arms up on the music stand and staring out the window, his head resting in one hand.

He had gotten so used to coming home to a quiet house the last couple years, that walking in and hearing Rachel's musical laugh filling the space had made him realize what he had been missing most in his life-a girl.  He missed having someone to come home to.  He missed having someone to hold at night.  He missed fighting over control of the remote and having to compromise on closet space and deciding which drawers were hers verses which ones were his.  He missed the laughter and the silliness that came along with being in a relationship, the ability to just be himself and not having to worry about what people thought of him because he knew all that mattered was what she thought.  He missed the quiet times as well-sitting out on the porch together watching the sunset, or just cuddling on the couch while they watched a movie.  Mostly, he missed feeling that bond with another human being; someone who knew who he was and loved and accepted him despite his flaws.  He wanted all of that again.  He wanted to feel close to someone again; to feel that connection and know he was the center of her universe.  As he thought back to the way it had felt holding Rachel so close, the way his heart had leapt when she placed her hands on his chest and fearing she'd be able to hear his heartbeat, JC realized there was only one girl he wanted to share that kind of connection with-and she'd just driven away.