I Thought She Knew by rubberducks
Summary: JC didn't know he was looking for the girl of his dreams until he found her on the floor of the department store, literally. He finds everything he is looking for, but her parents are more than he bargained for. Rachel and JC overcome every obstacle thrown their way--fame, money, distance-- but can they overcome the most difficult one? The differences of their faith.
Rating: PG-13
Categories: Long Stories
Characters: JC Chasez
Genres: Drama, Romance
Warnings: None
Challenges: None
Series: None
Published: 12/23/05
Updated: 12/23/05
I Thought She Knew by rubberducks
Chapter 1: Chapter 1
Author's Notes: JC jammed his hands into his pockets and decided to leave the store. He had already been tracked down by four fans in the fifteen minutes he had been at the store, and that was enough for him. He could get light bulbs any day. All JC wanted to do was go home, rest up, and then get ready for a night out on the town.
JC had been slipping lately; he was moving from woman to woman like it was nothing, and just behaving differently. He’d been going out more, staying out later, drinking more, and there was one time the others had worried that he had tried drugs. They had nothing to worry about. “I’m not that stupid, guys.” JC said. He hadn’t seen the skeptical looks they each gave each other.
A sound coming from the right forced JC to turn his head in that direction. Before JC could stop himself, he raced over to the woman”the very attractive woman”that had fallen to the ground.
“Are you ok?”
The woman’s eyes fluttered open; she looked embarrassed. JC just smiled and looked into her almond eyes. “I’m ok, thanks.” She put two shaky hands out in front of her to push herself up from the ground.
“Here, let me help you.” JC offered his hand and pulled the young woman to her feet. “I’m JC, by the way.” He said, not letting go of her hand.
“I’m Rachel. Thanks.” She smiled and then asked, “Can I have my hand back?”
“What? Oh yeah, sorry.” JC smiled sheepishly.
“That’s ok.”
“What happened?” JC asked.
Rachel sighed, blowing a strand of her brown curly hair away from her face. “Whenever I fast, I get really dizzy. They tell me I shouldn’t, but I just feel weird not doing it.”
“Fasting?”
Rachel laughed. “Sorry, I forget everyone’s not Jewish sometimes.” She picked up her bag and asked, “Walk and talk?” Once JC nodded, she continued. “It’s Yom Kippur, and you fast on Yom Kippur.”
“I know that. Why are you at the mall?”
“We have a break in services, and I needed to pick up some light bulbs if I wanted to be able to see at my house tonight.”
JC laughed. “I came here for those too.”
“Where’s your bag Mr.?”
“You try shopping with fans chasing after you!”
“I knew you looked familiar!” Rachel declared triumphantly as JC held the door open for her. “I knew it.”
JC smiled. Rachel was very cute, and pretty. And it was a bonus that she had a brain. “So, Rachel, would it be awkward to ask you to dinner tonight?”
Rachel smiled. “It would, because I’ll be breaking fast with the parents tonight.”
“Oh yeah, shit.” JC mumbled. How could he have forgotten? She just told him five minutes ago!
“I’m free tomorrow night.”
JC smiled. “Can I have your number?”
“Hey, what time should I swing by your place?” Joey asked while looking at his closet, trying to find something acceptable to wear.
“Actually, Joe,” JC began. “I’m not going out tonight.”
“What?” Joey was shocked. JC had been the one recently pushing to go out more. It was one of the reasons the guys had been worried about him; but Joey would rather go out with JC than let him roam around the city, ready to jump into bed with next woman he saw. He could keep an eye on JC.
“I met someone today.” JC smiled as he poured himself some soda and adjusted the waistband on his pants.
“Are you going out tonight?”
“No.”
“Then why aren’t you coming out with me?” Joey asked.
“Because, she’s…” JC paused, trying to put his thoughts into words. “She’s different. If she found out that I went out tonight and did what I normally do after having asked her out today, she’d go all ape shit on me.”
“Wow, C, you’re finally getting common sense!”
JC laughed. “I’m not that hopeless.” JC looked at the clock. “I’m gonna work on some stuff downstairs in the studio, but have fun with the kid tonight, ok?”
“I will, thanks C.”
“JC really didn’t go out with you last night?” Lance asked, shocked.
Justin nodded. “He didn’t.”
“He said something about having a date with some chick tonight, and that she’d go ape shit if he did go out.”
“I don’t get it.” Chris said, scratching his head.
“Why don’t you ask Jayce, since he just walked in?”
Four heads turned towards JC, who stared at them. “What’s going on guys?”
“Are you sick?” Chris got up and approached his friend. “I mean, you didn’t go out last night. You must be sick.”
“No, I’m fine!” JC laughed.
“Then what’s going on?”
“I met someone.” JC answered simply.
“Care to expand on that?” Joey asked.
“Yes, I met someone. I know that she won’t let me get away with the crap other girls do.”
“What?”
JC sighed. How did he know so much about Rachel when he had talked to her for five minutes in person, and a half an hour over the phone? “She’s different…she’s smart and pretty and has a life…she’s…to her, I’m just JC.”
“When did you meet her?” Lance asked.
“Yesterday afternoon.” JC shrugged and busied himself with setting up the recording machine for the song they would be working on, hoping the others would miss his answer.
“Yesterday?” Justin asked.
“Yeah.”
“That’s not a long time.” Chris said.
“How long did you know Kali before you knew she was special?” Chris said nothing. “Exactly. Guys, I’m not marrying her. I’m taking her out to dinner.”
“Mom, I’m not marrying him; he’s taking me out to dinner.” Rachel slumped against her chair. It was too early in the morning to be getting into her dating life with her mother.
“He’s not good for you.”
“Why mom? Because he’s not Jewish?”
“Yes.”
“Mother…” Rachel’s tone was warning. She sighed, knowing she shouldn’t have spent the night. But she had been too tired and full after breaking the fast the night before, and her childhood bed was too tempting.
“What? I can’t look out for my only daughter?”
“And Mike doesn’t need anyone to look out for him?” Rachel raised her eyebrows. She was referring to the multiple women, Jewish and non-Jew alike, her older brother ran around town with.
“You’re my only daughter, Rachel. I like looking out for you.”
“Oh no you don’t! You cannot guilt trip me out of this date!” Rachel stood up and headed towards her room. “I’m late for work.”
“Rachel!” Her mother, Evelyn, called. It was no use; Rachel was gone. Evelyn sighed and sat down at the table. Rachel may think that she was being over bearing, but when Rachel has a daughter of her own, she’ll understand. Especially with Rachel. She was the sweetest girl ever, but gave her heart too easily. She had been in love twice before: one with a nice, Jewish boy, which just didn’t work out, and the other…well, he wasn’t nice, and he wasn’t Jewish. And that boy broke her heart. Evelyn was determined to not let a boy do that to Rachel again. She had never had any problems with the Jewish boys, so Evelyn assumed it was because this boy wasn’t Jewish.
Evelyn got up and walked down the hall to knock on Rachel’s door. “Rach?”
“I’m changing mom.”
“I’ll talk from out here.”
You’re loud enough, Rachel thought. “Ok.”
“I’m sorry about before. It’s just…when Ted broke your heart…and, it’s every mother’s dream to have their daughter marry a nice, Jewish boy”preferably a doctor…”
The door opened suddenly. “Mom, I love you, but stop right there. I told you it doesn’t matter to me what he believes as long as we can raise the kids Jewish! And besides, it’s one date. I don’t see any diamond rings and wedding bells in the immediate future.”
Evelyn nodded. “Ok…just, be careful sweetie.”
“I will.”
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