*Disclaimer - I do not own any of the members of ‘N Sync (nor would I ever really want to) they belong to their respective owners. I do, however, own all fictional characters such as Mike, Devon, Ashley, Rachel and Katie. Don’t steal my stuff. Thank you.

The loft was filled with laughter and talking when Mike stepped off the elevator with a tired sigh. It had been a long day filled with some of the most aggravating people she had ever met. Ashley and Joe were cuddled together with a blanket on the couch; Lance and Rachel were sitting in one of the overstuffed chairs; Justin and Katie were sprawled out on the floor; Chris and Devon were sitting at the bar; and JC was sitting in the only chair left in the room. Mike glanced warily about the room, wondering why everyone was in the loft all at the same time. The television blared a music station in the back ground, which was why everyone was being so loud. Mike pulled a few sheets of paper from her bag before dropping it onto the floor with an evil smile. Everyone glanced at her warily as she stood in the middle of the room.

“What’cha got there?” Justin inquired, raising an eyebrow.

“What I have here is something that caused me to do a double take when I first read it.” Mike explained glancing at everyone. “You see, a friend of mine came across this website, Little Ness ‘N Sync Galaxy I believe the site was called and she found something that I might find humorous, being that I know y’all.”

“Oh Lord, here we go.” Chris mumbled with a shake of his head as Mike cleared her throat, holding the sheets of paper before her. Joe muted the television and she shot him a thankful smile before she started to read.

“Question number one, do you guys get embarrassed watching rude scenes on TV with your parents? Justin answered with ‘with things like that you just have to laugh.’ Good boy, Justin.” Mike laughed softly with a shake of her head. “Lance answered with ‘I squirm until its over! I saw There’s Something About Mary with my parents and it was weird.’ I sympathize Lance. JC answered with ‘I just pretend I’m not watching it and close my eyes. But if it’s a really rude scene....’ Um, Josh darling, if it were a really rude scene, you mom would slap you upside the head for bringing it home to watch. And Joe, you answered with ‘Me and my dad are there rooting them on’ Its a frightening thought that you watch rude things with your dad.”

JC’s face turned pink as the other laughed at what Mike was reading. They remembered this interview all too well and it was now coming back to haunt them. Mike continued, giving her boyfriend a wink.

“Second question, Do you watch rude channels in hotels? Now, when I saw this question, I have to admit that I was also curious being that you guys are always shutting the TV off when I come into the room. Anyway, Justin, you answered with ‘Well, you have to pay for that stuff!’ I’m not really sure I like that answer, but okay. Chris, you answered with ‘But you can watch it for five seconds before they catch you, not that I know that!’ Then pray tell Chris, how did you know that? And JC, you answered with ‘We don’t watch it as you have to pay, but if it was on regular TV it’d be a different story.’ Oh really? I’m so glad I know that now.”

“Remind me to kill her friend.” JC muttered with a shake of his head as he pulled Mike into his lap.

“Hey JC!” Devon called from across the room.

“What?” JC yelled back with a raised eyebrow.

“Kill Mike’s friend.” Devon laughed the reminder.

“Thanks Dev, I would’ve forgotten if you hadn’t reminded me.” JC shook his head with an amused smile.

“Question number three,” Mike started up again.

“There’s more?” Justin demanded with a laugh.

“If you had to liken your snogging style with that of an animal, which would it be? Devon, watch out cause Chris answered with a ‘lizard’. Ash, Joe said a ‘panther’ to which Chris retorted with an ‘orangutan’. Rachel, darlin’ hold onto your hat cause Lance said a ‘boa constrictor’ and I quote ‘long, big and exotic’, which my sweet innocent JC replied with ‘no Lance, that’s something else.’ I think my jaw hit the floor by then. Anyway, moving on. Katie, Justin says he’s a dog ‘cause he likes to use his tongue.’ Lets all just hope that he doesn’t have the breath to go with it. And I have to watch out cause JC says he’d be a fish. And I quote ‘very open and wet’.” Mike finally finished, turning a bit pink in the cheeks herself.

“Justin, I didn’t know you kissed like a dog.” Katie giggled, teasing her boyfriend of seven months.

“You should know. You kiss him all the time.” Devon snorted as she walked over to where everyone was sitting.

“Yeah? What about you and lizard boy over there.” Katie giggled with a shake of her head as the phone rang. Mike groaned, reaching over JC to grab it.

“Hello?”

“I have this beautiful view of the ocean and I was thinking about you.”

“Hi Kevin.”

“How are you?”

“Good. Tired, but good. How about you?”

“Like I said, I was thinking about you.”

“I can’t talk right now.”

“Why not?”

“I just can’t.”

“When can I call you then?”

“Later.”

“When later?”

“Just later.”

“All right.”

“Bye Kevin.” Mike sighed and hung up the phone, not daring to meet JC’s eyes. She climbed to her feet and headed to the kitchen to get something to drink. She opened the fridge and gazed inside for a moment before grabbing a can of soda. JC stepped into the room with a raised eyebrow.

“What’s going on?” he inquired softly as she hoisted herself up onto the counter.

“Nothing.” she stated softly with a shake of her head.

“You’re lying.” he pressed as he walked over to her, placing his hands on her thighs. She closed her eyes with a sigh.

“Do you ever feel like our relationship is getting stale?” she gazed up at him, her eyes soft and inquiring.

“How do you mean?”

“We’ve been together for so long, are you getting bored with me? With the relationship?” Mike set the can of soda aside.

“I’ve never gotten bored with you. Why would you think that?” JC shook his head emphatically.

“Just the way we are together. There’s none of that fire left. There’s none of the constant wanting to be with one another. We can survive without seeing each other. And I’m not so sure that’s a good thing.” she explained and JC nodded with realization.

“Honey, just because we’re used to each other doesn’t mean that we’re getting bored with one another. It just means that we know each other better than most. That we know the other has other things going on in their lives.” JC shrugged, trying his best to express his thoughts.

“You don’t even get jealous anymore.” Mike pointed out in a whisper. “Almost. Something almost happened, Josh. I stopped it at the last minute, but something almost happened. And I don’t like that. I don’t like feeling that way when I’m with him and not you, because I love you. With all my heart, I love you. But there’s something wrong here. Something’s missing and I’m not sure of what it is.”

JC gazed at her for a second, not knowing what to say to ease her worries. “What do you think we should do about it?”

“I don’t know.” she shook her head. “I just don’t know. But we better get back out there before everyone starts to wonder what happened to us.”

JC nodded stepping away from her, his brow furrowed in concern as he watched her walk from the room. He followed her a moment later, a fake smile plastered on his face.

“So, what are we doing tonight?” Joe inquired, glancing from one person to the other.

“I have to work.” Katie groaned, resting her head on Justin’s shoulders.

“I have a paper I have to write.” Ashley commented with a sigh.

“I have to spend some time with my parents.” Justin mumbled with a shake of his head.

“I have to take Busta to the vet.” Chris volunteered.

“Well, that leaves JC, Lance, Joe, Devon, Mike and me.” Rachel laughed. giving her boyfriend a playful shove.

“We could go catch a movie or something.” Lance suggested with a smile, shoving his girlfriend back. Rachel grabbed a pillow and smacked him in the face with it.

“Thanks honey.” Lance grinned at her before turning to the others.

“Movie sounds good to me.” Joe nodded with a shrug.

“Okay, what about everyone else?” Lance gazed at the remaining four.

“No thanks, PooFoo, I’ve got some work to do.” JC stated suddenly, climbing to his feet.

“JC, we have the week off. Or have you forgotten?” Lance admonished playfully.

“I haven’t forgotten Lance. I just have some things to do.” JC sighed testily.

“Excuse the hell outta me.” Lance mumbled as JC walked towards the elevator that would take him outside. Mike watched him go with a look of dismay on her face.

“Well, Mike. Its all up to you now. You wanna go catch a movie?” Lance turned to the only person who hadn’t given an answer yet.

“Yeah, sure.” she nooded in a muted voice, her heart contracting painfully. Justin and Katie climbed to their feet.

“I’m gonna drop Katie at work before I head home. See you all later.” Justin stated as he helped Katie into her light weight jacket.

“Have fun guys.” Ashley grinned at them as she moved towards the office where the two computers were set up.

“I’ll see you later, baby.” Chris pressed a kiss on Devon’s lips before he left with the others, leaving the six movie goers in the living room.

“What are we going to see?” Lance raised an eyebrow.

“Nothing about love.” Mike mumbled with a shake of her head.

Lance and Rachel walked around the mall, hand in hand, talking about the movie they had just seen. It was one of the more romantic ones that were out and although it had a good plot, it really wasn’t that great of a movie. They strolled around, for the most part, window shopping.

“How’ve you been feeling lately?” Rachel inquired suddenly, glancing over at him. Lance, who wore a hot low over his brow to hide his indentity, shrugged.

“I’m over whatever I had, for the most part anyway. Nothing for you to be concerned about.” he squeezed her hand gently.

“I’m always concerned about you.” Rachel countered with a rueful shake of her head.

“I know.” he smiled down at her as they stopped in front of a jewelry store’s display window. Lance smiled when Rachel’s eyes landed on something she liked. It was a silver necklace with the comedy and drama masks as a charm. With Rachel being a theater major at the college, it was perfect for her.

“Hey Rachel!” someone called out, drawing her attention away from the display. A classmate of hers walked over to the couple with a smile.

“You ready for the production on Of Mice and Men?” the young woman inquired.

“I sure hope so. Lisa, this is my other half Lance. Lance, this is a friend of mine Lisa.” Rachel smiled, introducing the two.

“Nice to meet you.” Lance smiled graciously.

“Same here.” Lisa grinned nervously with a laugh.

“I’ll be right back, sweeite. You two talk.” Lance mumbled suddenly.

“Okay.” Rachel nodded, turning back to Lisa. Lance disappeared into the jewelry store and walked up to the clerk and had a short conversation with the woman, who nodded and smiled at him, completely impressed. Soon the pair were heading back home to get some sleep.

JC and Chris sat in their hotel room, passing the night away with a game of Rummy. Chris shuffled the cards then dealt each of them seven cards. JC groaned when he got a look at the hand he had been given. He glared over at Chris, who gave him a winning smile, before placing his cards in order.

“So, what’s going on with you and Mike?” Chris inquired, raising an eyebrow.

“So much for being casual.” JC snorted with a shake of his head as he discarded the two of spades.

“Well?” Chris demanded, picking up a card then making a face.

“I don’t know. She thinks our relationship is getting stale. Like there’s something missing.” JC shrugged noncommittally.

“And what do you think?” Chris discarded the nine of diamonds.

“Don’t try to psychoanalyze the situation, Chris.” JC warned with a shake of his head as he climbed to his feet. “I’m gonna go get a soda, you want one?”

“No thanks.” Chris shook his head, setting his cards down on the table. JC sighed tiredly as he opened the door and stepped into the hall. He walked down to the end of the hallway where the soda machine was located and stopped dead in his tracks. His girlfriend was talking to Kevin Richardson in front of the elevator. For a moment, all he felt was rage and betrayal, then he felt some sort of understanding. As if sensing him, Mike looked up and saw him watching them. She said something to Kevin then walked over to him.

“I suppose the saying ‘it’s not what it looks like’ is overplayed.” Mike stopped in front of him, stuffing her hands nervously in the pockets of her jacket.

“Yeah.” JC nodded.

“It wasn’t. We just had...” she was saying when he cut her off.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“What?” she raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

“It doesn’t matter.” he repeated with a shrug.

“And what does that mean?” she inquired, terrified of what the answer might be.

“It means that he may get you for an hour or two, but you come home to me at night.” he wrapped an arm around her neck, bringing her into a hug.

“You’re not jealous?” she mumbled, resting her head against his chest.

“What do you think?” he countered with a soft laugh.

“No?” she gazed up at him.

“Wrong. I was, but I trust you.” he told her softly. “I want to see what we can do about taking the staleness out of us.”

“Me too.” she agreed with a nod.

“These past two weeks without spending a lot of time with you around has been a killer.” he sighed.

“I know.” she smiled as they headed towards his room. Chris glanced up when they entered the room and smiled.

“Mike, I have a bet for you.....,” Chris yelped cheerfully.

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