°° I’ll Be There °°

JC paced around the hotel room, holding his blue cell phone in one hand, while in the other hand holding Christmas cards from fans telling him how much they love him. They loved the star JC, the one that they seen on TV shows, in concert, heard on the radio and in CD’s. They didn’t know who Josh Chasez was, they didn’t want to know who he was and he didn’t want them to know.

*NSYNC started when it was late 1995, he was only 19 years of age full of life and free to any girl who crossed his path. Any girl that wanted him could have him, for a price that is. *NSYNC got bigger and spending time with him would get harder and harder as each day passed by.

It was December 23rd 2005 the snow was raining for the heavens and the wind was howling while it blew the snow in circles. JC was now at the age of 29, *NSYNC was still going very strong even though all the members were older then 25.

Justin walked into the hotel room though the connecting doors. He was half dressed with a lazy smile on his face. Being 25 didn’t mean he needed to be with one girl all the time. People knew of him and Britney Spears, everyone knew about that relationship, they didn’t know Justin very well, he wasn’t a one-girl type of person.

“JC, what are you doing holding that cell phone, I’m sure as soon as the power gets back on from this storm she’ll be calling.” Justin said flopping down on the neatly made bed.

“Justin you don’t understand. I promised Adrea I’d be there, I told her I’d be home for Christmas. All flights out of Chicago are canceled, how the hell am I going to get to Los Angeles if I can’t fly out?” JC sighed with frustration as he sat down on the messed up bed across from Justin.

“I’m sure tomorrow the snow will slow down, the wind will stop blowing and the sky will clear. You’ll be home for Christmas so don’t worry.” Justin smiled laying back moving his hands up to his head and placing them behind resting his curly hair on his forearms.

“Justin, have you forgot we are in Chicago, I’m sure it’s not going to stop snowing for a few days you dumb ass!” JC sighed tossing his cell phone on to the bed.

“Have you tried her cell phone, the power might be out at the house you just never know if the cell phone is working!” Justin said sitting up and looking around the half-trashed hotel room.

Paper was all over the floor; the blanket for the other bed was halfway off and laying on the floor. Suitcases were sitting open on the floor, cloths hanging out every where. JC looked up at his younger friend with a smile on his face. He forgot about her having a cell phone. Grabbing his cell phone and punching in her numbers, his heart started to race waiting for it to connect.

His breathing became a little heavier and his hands started to shake. Why he was so nervous, only God could tell him. Adrea Baxston was a 28-year-old actress who had stared in many movies.

They had been dating for four years. She was the one that asked him out on their first date and then the second date. After the first date he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, he just hadn’t told her yet. Adrea once told him she wanted to wait until she was older to get married and have kids.

After the fourth ring he was about to give up. JC looked up and seen Justin still lying down on the bed. He was sound asleep lying flat on his stomach his back raising with every breath he took.

“Hello, Adrea speaking.” Adrea’s voice sounded like an Angel to JC, he almost couldn’t find any words to speak to her with.

“Baby?” JC asked in a low cracked voice. JC got up fast and walked into the bathroom, not wanting to awake his friend’s sleep.

“Josh?” Adrea asked you could hear her smile from a mile away.

“Who else would be calling our house at 3am in the morning calling you baby?” JC smiled sitting down on the edge of the tub.

“3am? You aren’t at LAX? Josh I thought you said you were going to be home this year for Christmas.” Adrea said sitting down on their black leather couch.

“I’m stuck in Chicago, All flights out of here are grounded. We are snowed in, I don’t want to be here Adrea. I want to be with you this year and only you. I don’t want to be with the guys again, I’m with them every year and I’ve been with them every year for 10 years. I think it’s enough and I want to be in LA, in OUR home spending the days with the one I love very much.” JC said going off on everything that was building up in side of him.

“Josh, Listen maybe we can see each other later. The 26this okay, it’s close to Christmas you don’t have to be here...” Adrea trailed off trying to hold back her tears that were trying so hard to fall free

“Addy, that isn’t the same it won’t be the same. I’ll be there I’ll make it somehow, don’t you say anything different. A promise is a promise!” JC said running his hands through his long hair.

“I love you baby.” Adrea said lying back on the couch and looking up at the mantel on the fireplace.

Photos after photos of the two were placed just right looking out at everyone who came to the house. Photos of Adrea and JC at an award show, at TV shows. Photos of them hanging out at home sitting out side or sitting in the front room.

JC’s smile could light a whole city, you could tell just by looking at the shinning eyes and bright smile that he was truly in love with the girl he couldn’t be with on Christmas.

“Adrea, you need to get some sleep, it’s going on 1am over there.” JC said looking at his watch.

“I don’t care what time it is, I don’t know if I can hang up the phone. I don’t know if I can take being cut off from you again.” Adrea said running her hand over her stomach.

“I’ll call you as soon as I get up tomorrow. I need to get some sleep; you need to get some sleep. I need sleep so I can think of a way to get to you.” JC said tears wanting to fall from his already wet eyes.

“Josh, please don’t hang up. You do it all the time I just want to hear your voice. Hear you sleep, watch you sleep be with you. Please Josh, don’t hang up the phone.” Adrea said now freely crying loud and clear.

“God, don’t do this I don’t want to hang up I want to see you, hear you more then anything. Adrea you need some rest, it’s late and the sooner you go to bed the sooner I’ll have time to get a way home to see you.” JC said trying to hide his tears.

“I’m being a bitch...” Adrea was cut off

“You aren’t being a bitch I don’t want to hang up myself... We both just need some rest. I haven’t seen you in 3 months and it’s killing me more then you know. Adrea, promise me you’ll get some sleep, I’ll get some sleep and I’ll find a way to get to you....” JC said running his hand over his face and through his hair.

“I’m not saying bye, if you want to hang up then hang upon me. I’m not saying bye any more.” Adrea said closing her eyes.

“I love you.” JC said moving his fingers and hanging up the phone.

JC sat in the bathroom, tears falling from his eyes. Justin was still out in his hotel room, God only knows if he was still sleeping or not. It took him an hour to say bye to Adrea, not really saying bye to her.

Pounding on the bathroom door woke JC from his thoughts of Adrea.

“Jace, did you die in there?” Justin yelled pounding his fist on the door harder.

JC stood up and open the door, he looked at his friend who was dressed showered and cleaned. Justin’s eyes were wide when he looked at JC. JC’s eyes were blood shot from crying his hair was a mess on top of his head and his cloths were messed up.

“I wish I was dead.” JC said walking past Justin and to his hotel bed, he lay down and closed his eyes.

“You look dead, did you sleep at all last night?” Justin asked sitting on the bed he had fell asleep on.

“No, I was talking to Adrea all night long.” JC said you could hear the pain in his voice from not being home with her.

“Man, you need to get in the shower and get dressed. Johnny is having us to a radio show since we are stuck here for a few days.” Justin said biting his bottom lip.

“I’m not doing anything, I’m going down to the airport and I’m going to see if I can get a flight home.” JC said sitting up and walking towards the bathroom.

“You and I both know we can’t get a flight out of here, they are all grounded until the snow let’s up. From the looks of it, the snow isn’t going to let up...” Justin was cut off by the bathroom door slamming then the shower turning on.

JC took a fast shower and walked out with a towel around his waist, he was surprised to see Justin still sitting on the hotel room bed. JC grabbed a pair of dark blue jeans and a heavy sweater out of his suitcase; he grabbed some boxers and walked into the bathroom to get dressed.

Justin stood up and walked to the bathroom door to talk to him.

“I don’t get to see my family this year. I don’t get to see Britney, Jonathan, Steven, Lisa, Paul, Randy, or Lynn. You are freaking out about not seeing one person when I haven’t seen my family for 10 years on Christmas. 10years JC that is longer then you’ve known Adrea. I’ve been dating Britney since we were12 years old. I’m 25 JC and I haven’t seen her on Christmas for 10 years. So just fucking grow up!” Justin said He wasn’t trying to hurt JC, he was trying to get him to snap out of being the way he was being.

JC opened the bathroom door dressed and clean.

“I haven’t seen her in 3months, going on 4 months, you get to see your loved ones when ever you want.” JC said tears in his eyes as he sat down and pulled some socks on his feet. He reached down to grab his shoes but Justin stopped him and pulled him into a tight hug

“Maybe going to the radio station will being us luck. Maybe the snow will stop after we are done.” Justin shrugged his shoulders pulling out of the hug he was sharing with his best friend.

“I have no luck these days.” JC said pulling on his dark shell top Adidas shoes.

Standing up he pulled on his heavy jacket and started to pack his cloths, the cloths he threw around the room the night before. To him just a few hours ago, with no sleep he wasn’t in the mood to do anything radio. All JC wanted was to be on a flight to the west, to LAX to see Adrea.

“What you talking about JC? I’m luck it’s self, now let’s go before the rest of the guys skin us a live.” Justin laughed at the thoughts of 34-year-old father Chris running after him with a butter knife.

Justin grabbed JC’s arm and pulled him out of the hotel room. Guys were already out of their rooms and dressed for the nasty weather they were about to go out into. They all had loved ones they were supposed to see this Christmas, and JC acting the way he was just wasn’t right in anyone’s minds.

It took them 45 minutes to get to the radio station, which was only 10 minutes away. Snow was blowing harder then before the wind was also blowing at a much higher rate. Hot Coca was waiting for them as they entered the very warm station; DJ’s were dressed in sweaters and boots. Hats were on all of them as they did their day job on Christmas Eve.

They were taken to booth number 7, the early morning booth. Joey and Chris were the ones to talk to most about why they were still there. Fans didn’t know *NSYNC was still in town and when turning on the radio they found out and started to call the station.

“Do you mind if we take a few phone calls from some fans?” DJ Nicky asked looking at the five guys sitting across from him.

“Not at all, we love to talk to the fans.” Justin smiled kicking the booth in front of him.

They were taking calls from very young girls, after all the years the guy’s thought they had grew out of the young girls and into the older type.

“Hey DJ Nicky, My name is Amanda and I got a question for each of the guys.” Amanda smiled happy to get to talk to the *NSYNC guys.

“Well Mandy, go right on and ask away.” DJ Nicky smiled

“What were you each going to do for Christmas, before this snow storm kept you grounded?” Amanda asked

Each guy answered the question by stating they were going to spend time with their mothers and fathers. JC didn’t answer the question his thoughts drifted off to Adrea sitting home in L.A waiting for him to be home before 12am.

“JC? What were you going to do?” Amanda asked snapping JC out of his thoughts. He shook his head and cleared his throat.

“I’m still wanting to get home. I haven’t seen my girl friend in almost 4 months and I promised I’d be home for Christmas. From the looks of all the snow and the airport closing, I have no choice but to break that promise.” JC said closing his eyes, he had said too much. He ran his hand through his messy hair and sighed.

In his mind telling the whole Chicago State about his life like that just messed up the day even more. It was his fault he promised this. He didn’t mean to tell the whole world what was wrong with him. His day had been fucked up even more, if that could even happen.

JC opened his eyes when he heard Justin repeating his name over and over again. He was standing up pulling on his coat and hat. Had he fallen asleep, he must have running of no sleep could make you do such a thing.

“What?” JC asked a little annoyed.

“We got a flight home, Amanda’s father is a pilot. She called her father up after you answered her question and he is willing to fly us as Far West as he can get us.” Justin smiled grabbing JC’s arm and pulling him out of the booth.

They were rushed to their hotel to grab their stuff and then into a van were they were taken to a small airport. All their stuff was put onto a small plane and they were rushed onto it. Everything was going fast for JC, he was going home and he was going home now. It was only 5am in California Adrea would be waking up in a few hours and he’d be there to see her bright green eyes and beautiful smile.

God how JC missed everything about Adrea, he kept a mental picture of her in his head.

They had been watching movies it was their first week in their house together, she moved in and they were watching some cheesy movies. Adrea was worn out from the moving and had fallen asleep. To JC she looked a like an angel, her golden brown hair laid about her face, neck and chest. Her eyes were softly closed and her chest rose and fell with every breath she took.

JC looked around at each of the guys. Lance and Joey were talking to the pilot; Chris was on his cell phone talking to his wife and 5-year-old daughter. Justin was looking out a window, his knee bouncing up and down as he chewed on his finger. They were just crossing the Illinois State line.

JC slowly drifted off to the sleep he was in need of, a smile on his face as the plane flew towards California. JC’s eyes darted open when he heard Joey talking to the pilot.

“So why we landing in Colorado?” Joey asked putting his belt on.

“We need to get some gas, flying against the wind took a lot of the gas I had, and if we are to make it even into Nevada I’d need to get more gas.” The pilot John said

JC sat up and looked out the window, they were landing in a small airport some where in Colorado. He soon came to find out the name of the town and airport he was in, Lamar, Lamar municipal airport.

They each got off the plane and waited inside the small airport, JC’s head was pounding, he thought for sure the little plane could last until CA. Now he was finding out they were to stop in Nevada and get more gas for the flight to LAX. It was going to take 2 hours for the plane to get fuel and to take off again.

Justin walked up to him and handed him a blue cell phone, his cell phone.

“Where did you get this?” JC asked pulling it out of Justin’s hand.

“I found it on the ground about 100 feet that away. You are very welcome old man.” Justin said sitting down, sipping on some hot coffee. It was going on noon; they had been on the plane for hours as it was going against the wind and snow.

“Thanks, I think I should call Adrea up and tell her that I’m on my way.” JC said looking at the cell phone.

He didn’t know if he wanted to call and tell her that he’d be there. From the looks of it, the plane wasn’t leaving until 2pm and in such a small plane it was going to take a lot longer to get to Nevada to refuel again 2 hours in Nevada and about 4 hours on the plane to Nevada. He wasn’t going to make it home on time.

He slowly took his cell phone and placed it in his coat pocket. It was on, if Adrea wanted to call him. She has the chance to talk to him, he just couldn’t bring him self to tell her he might be home then not make it.

“I can’t believe, with your slip of the mouth we are headed to Los Angeles. I get to see Britney, Mom and Dad, the boys… everyone this year.” Justin smiled as he leaned his head back and drank more of his hot coffee.

JC moved his head and looked at his friend he then closed his eyes. Tears were about to fall from them; his thoughts asleep and awake were of Adrea. Seeing her smiling face, hearing her laugh watching her eyes light up at the stupid joke or story he tells. Feeling her lips on his and her touch, he couldn’t take his mind off of her.

His eyes were burning when he was shook awake by Justin; the guys were already on the plane they were just waiting on him to get on. He looked at his watch; he had been asleep for 3 hours. It took much longer to refuel the plane then they thought would.

The whole way to Nevada all JC did was look out the window and down upon the land below them. Everyone was with their loved ones, having a blast singing songs, opening gifts drinking eggnog and having a fun time with one another. Sure he was with his best friend and band mates, he has been with them on this time of year for 10 years now. He was sick of being with guys on this day, he was with his family few years ago, after he got older it was up to him if he wanted to be there with them. This year was for Adrea; he wanted to be with her on Christmas more then anything in the world.

The Plane landed in Carson City; they all sat around watching the news on the TV as the plane refueled for the last time. It was going on 8pm, it was going to take about 3 hours for the plane to be ready for take off, and from the looks of the news no one was going to fly out for more then 3 hours. Thunder and lightening storms were hitting Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington really hard. Wind gusts were up to 75 miles an hour in some places and the rain was pouring down harder then anyone had seen in years.

Enough was enough; JC was going to make it home no matter what he did. He got up from his hard blue seat and walked, almost in a run to the front of the airport. His eyes scanning everywhere, they landed on what he was looking for and ran as fast as he could to the counter. If he couldn’t fly to see her, why not take a bus to Los Angeles?

“When does the next bus leave for Los Angeles?” JC asked the lady behind the counter.

“The next bus to LA leaves at 12am, would you like a ticket?” The middle-aged woman asked looking at her computer screen in front of her eyes.

“Where does the next bus go, that is going into California?” JC asked chewing on his bottom lip, his heart was racing.

“The next bus leaves in 5 minutes and it is going to San Bernardino, would you like a ticket?” The lady asked typing up something on the computer.

“Yes, I would like to get one.” JC said opening his wallet and pulling out money.

“Okay, sir that will be $45.23 and here is your ticket” The lady said taking $45.25 from JC, he didn’t wait for his change.

JC ran to grab one of his bags and to tell Justin to take the rest of his stuff home for him. He was taking a bus, sure it was going to get into San Bernardino at 2am, that was better then waiting in Carson City Nevada all night long.

The bus pulled into every town and city, picking up people and taking them into a different town or city. At each stop it would take 20 minutes sometimes only 10 minutes. At each stop, JC’s heart would start to race and he’d start to chew on his lip again. It was nearing 4am and he was a good half-hour from San Bernardino, which was a good half-hour from his house that is if people weren’t already out and about driving places. Justin had called many times through out the night; they were stuck in Carson City until the next day. The storms were getting worse and worse as the hours went by as if they didn’t want them on that plane.

JC’s thoughts went to Adrea, her sound asleep up stairs in their bedroom all alone, like she has been for the past 4 months. Tears were burning at his eyes, wanting to fall free, only JC didn’t want to cry. Crying wasn’t going to get him home faster and crying was only going to make him feel worse.

The bus pulled into the San Bernardino gray hound bus station at 4:20am. JC got off grabbing his bag and rushed into the station trying to get on the next city bus that was going towards his place. They and missed the buses by five minutes and their was going to be a half hour lay over. He was going to have to sit around and wait half an hour for a bus to take him home; the ride home was going to be a good half-hour to hour.

JC was running from booth to booth trying to find a bus that was going any where near his place, none were there and none would be there until 4:50am. He sat down in a chair resting his head on the back; he couldn’t hold back his tears any longer. The tears fell freely from his burning red eyes. His life at that moment sucked so much; all he wanted for Christmas was to be home with Adrea.

Sitting in front of the fireplace, the Christmas tree lights glowing brightly at them as they sat in each other’s arms just holding each other.

The bus was twenty minutes late pulling in at 5:10am. It was going to take off at 5:20am, giving JC more heartache and pain. He sat down in the front seat of the bus holding on to his bag tightly for dear life. He knew Adrea woke up early, she was always up every day around 6am. She was so used to getting up and going to her dead end job, working six days a week from six to nine that she couldn’t sleep in after that.

The driver got on the bus and took the tickets of each person; it slowly took off towards Los Angeles. JC sat up and rested his arms on the bar in front of him, his eyes were red and wet from his tears, and his heart racing as the bus sped down the high way getting closer and closer to the exit he hasn’t seen in 4 months. After the bus pulled off the high way, it would stop every ten blocks to let people off and to pick people up, this making it take longer for JC’s stop.

He told the driver where his stop was, only to find out the driver was a huge fan and would try and get him home before Adrea woke up. That was too late, little did JC know Adrea didn’t go to bed that night.

Adrea had stayed up all night long, waiting for him to walk through the front door. She sat in front of the fireplace holding on to a picture of him she had taken. He was in his boxers three years ago, he had been playing football out side with Justin and the other guys and got all muddy. She had been crying after the clock struck 12 tears wouldn’t stop flowing out of her eyes. She tried to call him many times, most of the time the cell was turned off and other times it was busy.

The bus pulled up to a bus stop a block from his house. Grabbing his bag he gave the driver a hug and wished him a happy Christmas as he ran off the bus. It was raining cats and dogs as JC ran down the sidewalk, only stopping at the streets to look both ways. The day was getting brighter with every step he took. It was going on 6:20am, the day wasn’t as bright as it would be if it were June, however, it was still getting brighter out.

JC stopped walking and looked up, he couldn’t move his feet were stuck to the ground. His house had white Christmas lights on it, they were shinning brightly at him through the window you could see the Christmas tree, every which color on it shinning brightly in the house and out the window. The rain was beating down on the ground splashing back up at him, beating down on the ruff of the house, and on the windows.

Taking a deep breath JC started to walk through the yard and to the sidewalk leading up to the front door. He pulled out his keys and fumbled around for his house key, a key he hasn’t used in ages. He pushed open the door and looked inside the warm house, the first thing he seen was Adrea. Adrea’s back was to him; she was sitting in front of the fireplace leaning forward holding something in her arms. The moment the front door shut she turned around.

JC’s heart would have broke into millions of pieces at the look of her. Her eyes were blood shot from crying she looked like she didn’t get any sleep at all. His eyes were blood shot from crying and he hadn’t got much sleep.

“Josh.” Was all Adrea said before she ran to the couch and almost jumped over it into his wet arms.

“I’m home baby, I’m home.” JC said pressing his wet lips against Adrea’s dried ones.

Adrea’s arms went around his neck and kissed him harder on the lips before she spoke to him.

“Home for Christmas.” Adrea said holding on to him tightly.

JC moved his lips back to Adrea and lower her so her feet were touching the ground. He fumbled in his pocket for something; his eyes lit up when he found it. Taking Adrea’s left hand JC slowly got down on one knee and looked up into her eyes. All Adrea could do was smile and half giggle looking down at the love of her life.

“Adrea… I had a long ass speech that I was going to use, now I’m just gonna say it.” JC said as he cleared his throat, “Will you marry me?” JC asked bring out the ring.

“Oh My GOD! JC I would love to get married to you.” Adrea cried as JC slipped the ring on to her ring finger and kissed her lightly on the lips

“Merry Christmas.” JC smiled as Adrea got down on her knees and took him into a hug.

“This is my gift to you.” Adrea whispered into his ear taking his hand and moving it to her stomach.

“I’m going to be a daddy.” JC smiled taking Adrea into a tight hug kissing her deeply

“Merry Christmas.” Adrea whispered