*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 (hopefully themselves or a couple of angels named Jasper and Quinn *snicker*). I do, however, own all fictional characters (angelic or otherwise). All material is original unless otherwise specified and belongs to me. Plagiarism is against the law. Don't do it, or suffer the consequences. Thank you.

Justin yawned, slapping at the annoying buzz of his alarm clock sitting on the pillow beside his head. He hadn't been feeling well, so he decided to take a nap while they made their way to the next city. The last city they were scheduled to perform in before their week hiatus from touring. His fingers finally managed to hit the snooze button and he continued to drift. He didn't feel any better than he did before he fell asleep. If anything, he felt worse. He groaned, pulling the blanket over his head, shivering slightly. He shifted, shivering once again, then sighed when sleep wasn't immediately forthcoming once again. With sluggish movements, he pushed the curtain of his bunk back and stumbled onto the floor, groaning as he held his head in his hands.

"Not feeling any better?" Lance inquired, arching an eyebrow. Justin shook his head silently, then grimaced with the movement. Justin wandered into the rear lounge, toppling over onto a free couch. Chris and Joe were watching The Deer Hunter for the twentieth time that week. He rolled his eyes, hugging one of the small pillows.

"Guys, maybe we should make a pit stop to a doctor or something. Justin still isn't feeling too well." Lance informed the room. Chris glanced over at Justin, sighing. The young man was flushed, his eyes glazed over.

"I'm fine." Justin croaked, groaning when he heard his voice for the first time since before his nap.

"You're fine and if I believe that, you have some ocean front property to sell me in Arizona." Joe snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Come to think of it…," Justin grinned weakly, shivering. Chris reached over to the chair, grabbing the extra blanket and tossed it over to the younger man. Justin smiled his thanks, wrapping himself up in the blanket, trying to keep warm.

"This isn't going to be good." Lance mumbled, shaking his head.

JC sighed, gazing down at his cellular phone, trying to build up the courage to call Rebecca and ask her how the doctor's appointment went and if she was, in fact, pregnant. He closed his eyes tightly, taking a deep breath. The longer he put it off, the harder it was going to be to make the call. Without giving himself time to think better about it, he quickly dialed her number and hit send.

"Hello?"

"Rebecca."

"Jace? I'm so glad you called."

"I told you I would."

"It's been hectic here, running all over the place getting things taken care of."

"Yeah? And what did the doctor say?"

"Funny you should ask that. He just called with the results not more than ten minutes ago."

"And what are the results?"

"The test came back positive."

"Positive for what? I want to hear you say it."

"Positive for pregnancy. We're going to have a baby, Jace."

"Good Lord."

"You don't sound very happy about this."

"Happy? No, I don't suppose I would."

"You hate me."

"I don't hate you."

"Then why are you acting like this?"

"Because I'm upset, Rebecca. We were careless, and now everything has to suffer because of it."

"Nothing has to suffer, JC. You don't have to quit your career to help me with the baby. I can raise it just fine on my own."

"The hell you will. That child belongs partially to me, and I'll make damn sure that I'll be a part of it's life."

"Then pay child support, visit on the holidays."

"I can't believe what you're saying."

"What? You love music, JC. You love your career. You would wind up hating both of us if you quit now."

"I never said I was going to quit, Rebecca."

"Oh."

"You sound disappointed hearing that."

"No, I'm not disappointed, just curious."

"I'm sure."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It wasn't supposed to mean anything, Rebecca."

"Alright, so, what are we going to do?"

"We're going to do what's right. Get married."

"You can't be serious."

"As serious as a heart attack."

"Why are you pushing this?"

"I'm not pushing anything, Rebecca. We got pregnant. We are going to do right by this child."

"I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Whatever. Look, this wedding will be small. It will be soon, and you can count on that."

"Alright."

"Good." JC gritted his teeth and hung up the phone, sighing softly to himself. He tossed the phone onto the table beside him and rested his head in his hands. He could be, quite possibly, making the biggest mistake of his life. But he didn't know what else there was to do. He couldn't just pretend this wasn't happening. He didn't know what Rebecca would do if he did, though it almost sounded as if she wanted him to walk away. He just couldn't risk all the bad publicity, as awful as the thought sounded, it wasn't fair to the others in the group. The thought of calling his mother entered his mind and he shook his head, deciding to wait until that night to call her. His thoughts were jumbled enough as it was without adding the thousands of questions his mother would no doubt be asking.

"Jace, you okay?" Lance inquired, standing in the doorway of the tour bus's front lounge.

"Yeah. Fine." JC sighed, nodding slowly.

"Alright." Lance shrugged, pulling open the small refrigerator door. He grabbed something to drink before heading to the back lounge to finish watching the movie the rest of the group had started forty-five minutes earlier.

Jasper sighed, rubbing her forehead with gentle fingertips as she processed the information she had gathered over the last few hours. To try and convince someone, a human, to take a chance on the possibility of true love would be hard. The heart was a fragile part of the human life. It was protected, revered, cherished, coveted, adored and often broken - yet the human race continued to mildly fear love even if it was the closest to heaven a mere mortal could possibly get. Jasper shook her head, closing her eyes. Love always happened to be a difficult subject, no matter who was dealing with it at the time.

"The heart of an angel is just as fragile, if not hugely scarred." Quinn commented, appearing beside her friend.

"I know." Jasper nodded, sighing softly, closing her eyes. "My heart aches more for all of them than it ever did for myself. Though, losing my husband is a close second."

"Stay the course, Jasper. Remember your faith." Quinn reached for the other angel's hand, squeezing her fingers affectionately.

"What did you find out about Rebecca?" Jasper took a deep breath, determined to return to the task at hand.

"Not much, unfortunately, though I can tell the woman's hiding something." Quinn shrugged a shoulder, taking a seat in the hallway of the hotel their charges were staying in.

"Hiding something?" Jasper arched an eyebrow, taking a seat beside her friend and partner.

"Yeah. I believe there's another man involved." Quinn sighed the answer.

"So it could be a lottery on who the father is." Jasper groaned, rubbing her temples with her fingertips.

"It's a possibility." Quinn nodded, resting her head back against the wall.

"Man." Jasper sighed heavily.

"You know, the funny thing is - I never sensed a child when I was with her." Quinn worried her lower lip between her teeth, brow furrowed in a slight frown.

"Which means?" Jasper prompted, confusion washing over her features.

"Which could mean one of three things. The baby was just conceived; the baby inside her is not alive; or she's not really pregnant." Quinn listed off tiredly, hoping for her charges' sake that it was none of the three.

"Good heavens. Could things possibly get any worse? How do we find out for sure?" Jasper questioned softly.

"We just have to wait it out like all the others. I doubt Michael would tell us anything." Quinn gestured helplessly with a hand.

"Tarnation." Jasper muttered, raking her fingers through her hair.

"How about you? What were you able to find out?" Quinn reversed the line of questioning, glancing over at her friend.

"I found out everything is an unholy mess." Jasper mumbled, rolling her eyes. "I sensed turmoil, longing and loneliness. Dani was alone the entire time, so I don't know much."

"What do you suppose is causing the turmoil?" Quinn questioned, glancing up when a doorway down the hall opened gently.

"This is only an educated guess here, but I think it may have something to do with Chris. Only love can cause so much havoc in someone's life." Jasper sighed, closing her eyes tightly.

"Do you think she's in love with him?" Quinn arched an eyebrow.

"Highly probable." Jasper nodded, rubbing a hand over her face.

"Wonderful." Quinn muttered, tossing her hands into the air. "How in the world are we going to help two people fall in love, one person not regret what he never had the chance to do, one person not to marry someone he doesn't love and whatever the last two need."

"I don't know, Quinn. I wish I had some of the answers here, but I don't." Jasper gave her friend a knowing smile. Being an angel was sometimes frustrating enough to deal with without adding the pressure of an assignment. Most angels who did the field work like the two of them went into seclusion for eons afterwards. The dead envied the living because they had so many chances. In this case, the two angels envied the living because they all had a second chance at love. Jasper and Quinn sighed, shaking their heads slowly.

JC gazed at the phone, mentally reviewing everything he was going to say. No one would like his decision, he was sure of that like he was sure of nothing else. He raked a hand through his hair, eyeing the phone warily. He would have to do this sooner or later, though he had hoped for later rather than sooner. He swallowed tightly, blinking hard. He sighed, reaching for the phone and dialed quickly.

"Hello?"

"Hey mom. What's going on?"

"Hi sweetheart, how's the tour?"

"Exhausting. How's everything at home?"

"Good. Your father's been working too hard, but that's nothing new. Tyler's been okay and so has your sister. Everything's good here."

"I'm glad. I should be home for a couple of days next week."

"Honey, that's wonderful. We're always happy to have you home."

"You wouldn't believe how much I miss you guys."

"Josh, is something wrong? You don't sound well."

"No, mom. I'm fine. But, there is something I need to tell you."

"What's that, sweetheart?"

"Rebecca and I are going to get married."

"Wha-what?"

"Rebecca and I are getting married."

"Why?"

"We've reached the next stage of our relationship. It's the only logical place to go from where we are right now."

"Logical? Josh, love is never logical."

"Sometimes it is, mom."

"Joshua-,"

"She's pregnant, mom."

"What?"

"She's pregnant. It was a mistake. I'm just trying to do the right thing here."

"You're sure you're the father?"

"She hasn't been with anyone else."

"You know that with certainty?"

"Yeah."

"…………"

"I know you're disappointed, mom."

"Not disappointed. Just slightly shocked."

"I'm sorry, mom."

"Just be sure, Josh."

"Be sure of what?"

"Be sure of everything. Make sure you're absolutely certain the baby is yours. Make sure this is what you really want to do. Make sure she'll be faithful if you decide to go through with this."

"I will, mom."

"You don't love her."

"Mom, please don't start this again."

"I just don't want you to make the biggest mistake of your life. You've worked so hard to get where you are. I would hate to see anything get in the way of your dreams."

"Don't worry, mom. I won't do anything to further jeopardize my career."

"You know I don't care what you do, as long as you're happy. I just can't help thinking you could do so much better than Rebecca."

"I know. Listen, I have to go, mom. I'll call you again in a couple of days."

"All right. I love you sweetheart. Take care of yourself."

"I love you, too, mom. Bye." JC sighed, hanging up the phone. The disappointment he had heard in his mother's voice dogged him. He covered his face with his hands, closing his eyes tightly. He had to do the right thing. If he didn't, he wouldn't be able to live with himself. He climbed to his feet and wandered over to the mini refrigerator and pulled the door open to gaze inside. Without thinking, he pulled a couple of nips from the mini bar and returned to the bed. He twisted the cap off the tiny bottle and lifted it to his lips, but couldn't bring himself to drink it. He groaned loudly, reaching for the hotel phone.

"Room service."

"Good evening. I'd like some chocolate milk brought to room…..,"

Joe yawned, scratching his chest as she stretched, feeling more than ready to get some sleep. It had been a long day. He shook his head, glancing over at the glowing alarm clock sitting on the bedside table. He winced, rubbing the back of his neck with a hand. It was just barely past midnight. He hadn't hit his bed earlier than two in the morning since the tour started. He flopped down on his bed, tossing an arm over his eyes as he sighed out a long breath. An involuntary half smile crooked the corner of his lips upward when his mind drifted to Melody and her son. She was beautiful, not Hollywood beautiful, but her spirit was absolutely radiant. The vague thought of asking her out to dinner fluttered through his mind, then he thought better of it. Melody happened to be a very independent woman and he didn't want her to feel as if her independence was being threatened. He rolled his eyes, mentally chiding himself for thinking such a thing.

"It's only dinner. It's not like you're asking her to marry you." he mumbled to himself through a yawn.

"Just remember, you're only crazy when you start answering yourself. Even if it is in your sleep." Lance, his roommate for the night, commented, highly amused as he tossed his jacket onto a nearby chair.

"Not sleeping. Debating with myself." Joe grunted noncommittally.

"Have you confused yourself again?" Lance chuckled, flopping down on his own bed.

"Shup." Joe lifted his arm long enough to toss a glower at his friend before replacing his arm over his eyes.

"What are you debating about?" Lance sobered, turning off the lamp, casting the room into darkness.

"The pros and cons of asking Melody to join me for dinner." Joe sighed, making himself comfortable as he hugged the pillow supporting his cheek.

"This could be serious." Lance mumbled, momentarily stunned.

"So, tell me what you think the pros and cons are." Joe sighed tiredly.

"What do you mean?" Lance arched an eyebrow, folding his arms behind his head as he gazed blearily up at the ceiling.

"Give me reasons why I should or should not ask this girl out." Joe muttered impatiently.

"Why?" Lance groaned, closing his eyes.

"Just humor me." Joe snapped irritably.

"Fine. Let's see," Lance sighed in resignation, knowing full well he wouldn't be sleeping anytime soon. "On the plus side, she could be a wonderful person. She could be very supportive. She could be the one. I can't think of any others."

"That's three pros. And onto the con list?" Joe prompted, sighing softly.

"Management may give you grief because she's a single mother and it would be bad for your image. If things become serious, a percentage of our fans will resent her for dating you - but that would happen no matter whom you happen to be dating. There's the possibility of the press ripping her to shreds. Not to mention, Randy's safety could be at risk. The constant loneliness for her. Randy would have a hard time understanding why you're only around for a few days here and there." Lance mumbled through another yawn. Joe remained silent for a moment.

"So the cons outweigh the pros. Why am I not surprised? She's too good of a woman for me anyway." Joe mused thoughtfully. "What would you do if you were me?"

"Honestly? I'd give it up. Why try to start something if the pain outweighs the pleasure. It wouldn't be fair to her. Or her son." Lance pointed out gently.

"Maybe you're right." Joe sighed, closing his eyes.

"Maybe." Lance agreed. "Whatever you decide to do, just be careful. I don't want to see anyone get hurt."

"Thanks, man." Joe tossed a sad grin to his friend before closing his eyes.

Chris glanced over at his roommate for the night, Justin, as he flopped down on his bed. The youngest member of the group had been rather quiet and reserved for the past couple of days and it was beginning to worry him. Chris leaned back against the headboard arms folded across his chest, eyes closed while the younger man immersed himself in a rather large book.

"You want to talk about it?" Chris inquired idly, eyes remaining closed.

"Talk about what?" Justin glanced up from the book he was reading, startled.

"What's been bothering you so much you haven't been talking." Chris cracked open an eyelid to gaze at his friend.

"There's nothing bothering me." Justin shook his head.

"Right. And I'm the most popular guy in the group." Chris snorted loudly, rolling his eyes. Justin opened his mouth to say something, then thought better of it with a shake of his head.

"I guess everyone is suffering from Elephant in the Room Syndrome in some form." Chris sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.

"What?" Justin made a face.

"Elephant in the Room Syndrome. Everyone knows it's there but refuses to talk about it." Chris shrugged a shoulder.

"Chris, there's nothing wrong. Honest." Justin sighed, closing the book around his finger so he wouldn't lose his place.

"Whatever you say, Curly." Chris agreed with a sigh.

"I'm just trying to work some things through my mind is all." Justin shrugged, raking a hand through his hair.

"And it never occurred to you there was a possibility any one of us could help?" Chris finally opened his eyes, cocking an eyebrow.

"Everyone has their own problems. I don't want to burden anyone with mine." Justin mumbled, gazing down at the cover of the book.

"That's what friends are for, J." Chris turned to face the younger man, crossing his legs in front of him, propping himself up with his hands.

"Lately, I've been wondering if this is all worth it." Justin set the book aside and folded his arms across his chest.

"Care to elaborate?"

"Is all the fame and notoriety worth everything I've had to give up to get here. I mean, I've never had a real date let alone a girlfriend, yet thousands of girls scream for me and practically throw themselves at me. I don't know how a normal nineteen-year-old acts. All I know is living out of a suitcase and traveling from city to city. I constantly doubt if its actually me people want to hang out with because I'm a decent person, or if everyone is just humoring me because I'm Justin Timberlake from 'N Sync. I know who I am when I'm out in public with the cameras in my face. But I don't know who I am when the cameras disappear. And it scares me to think that's all there is to me." Justin tried his best to explain what was going on in his mind without confusing himself or his friend.

"You're more than a pretty face smiling for the cameras, Justin. Trust me. You're an intelligent, funny, absolutely normal guy." Chris sighed, momentarily stunned. He knew Justin was feeling out of sorts, he just didn't realize it was going to be this serious. It sounded like the young man was in a serious doubting faze.

"I don't really want to talk about this anymore." Justin mumbled, sliding down under the covers, turning his back toward his friend. Chris's brow furrowed slightly with worry.

"Night, Justin." Chris mumbled, sighing heavily. There was really nothing he could do to help. For the most part, he had had a normal child and young adulthood, so he had no idea where Justin was coming from, though he could probably imagine. He shook his head, raking a hand through his hair as he climbed to his feet with a groan. Once he grabbed his cellular phone, he made his way into the bathroom, shutting himself inside as he dialed.

"Hello?"

"I'm sorry I woke you."

"Its alright. What's going on? You don't sound like you're doing well."

"I don't know. Things have just been hectic here and I'm ready for a break."

"Something tells me that's not all that's bothering you."

"I'm just worried about my friends, Dani. At the rate some of them are going, I don't know how much longer the group can hold on."

"Isn't that a little drastic?"

"Not really. Justin's starting to regret not growing up the normal way; and JC has closed himself off from everyone, including the fans. Its disconcerting."

"Have you tried talking to them?"

"Justin talked a bit, but JC won't say a word. Keeps telling me and everyone else to back off."

"I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"At this point, I don't think so. But, thanks for the offer."

"Is there anything you want to talk about?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you just told me about problems other people are having. What about yours? What's going on with you?"

"There's nothing really going on. The last show of the tour was tonight."

"I know. I'm sorry I couldn't be there. Something came up at the last minute and I had to stay."

"You don't need to explain yourself to me."

"I know I don't need to. And I wasn't explaining myself, merely telling you what happened."

"Yeah."

"You're not okay. What's going on? Talk to me."

"I have to go, Dani."

"Chris--,"

"I can't talk right now. I have to get to a meeting."

"Christopher--,"

"I'll call you later." Chris mumbled, pressing the end button. He had never lied to her before, but for some reason he knew she was going to tell him something he didn't want to hear. The feeling settled in the pit of his stomach, forming a block of ice. He shook his head, closing his eyes tightly. Someday, he would have to tell her how he felt about her. But, someday wasn't here yet and he wasn't about to jeopardize anything he could have with her.

"Who is going to follow who where?" Jasper inquired, arms folded across her chest as the two angels followed the group through the airport to their flights. Each member was going to a different part of the country for vacation. It was what they all wanted, and the decision had been made easily enough. To please his mother, Lance was going to Utah to check out the girl she wanted him to see; Justin was going back to Orlando to spend some time with his mother before going to Tennessee to visit some friends; Joe was going directly to New York; Chris was going to Pennsylvania; and JC was going home.

"Well, since you have such an affinity with JC, why don't you go with him. I'll stick by the kid, see what he does. The others can wait for a couple of days." Quinn shrugged a shoulder, worrying her lower lip between her teeth.

"You're sure Michael won't be upset that we're splitting up for a few days?" Jasper arched an eyebrow, glancing over at her friend.

"If we're doing what we were sent here to do, I don't see how he could get upset." Quinn muttered, glancing around the airport. Literally hundreds of people milled about, waiting for connecting flights or their luggage. Some people waited for their loved ones to step off the planes, some were crying and saying goodbye.

"Alright. Then, I guess I'll see you in a few days." Jasper forced a smile, dread filling her stomach as she snapped her fingers and disappeared. Quinn rolled her eyes, snapping her own fingers.

"See you guys in a week." Joe waved as he headed off in the direction of his departing gate, a bodyguard following him.

"You think he'll party too much?" Chris inquired, watching Joe leave.

"Come on. This is Joe we're talking about." Lance rolled his eyes, slinging his book bag over his shoulder. "And this is my cue. Have a good vacation." Lance called over his shoulder as he wandered away in search of his own gate.

"This is me. I'll meet up with you guys in a few days." JC tossed a wave over his shoulder, wandering over to the ticket agent. Chris glanced over at Justin.

"Take care of yourself, kid." Chris grinned at his younger friend, wandering away.

"And so the ending begins." Justin mumbled to himself with a shake of his head. It didn't come as a surprise that they all wanted time away from one another. Living with the same people day after day for months at a time could start to pounce on every nerve involved. But, he could also remember a time when they all took vacations together with their families. The last time, they had all gone to Greece for the week. The time before, Hawaii. He shook his head again, slipping on a pair of sunglasses.

"Well, Jason, you ready to go?" Justin glanced over his shoulder. The oversized bodyguard nodded once, arms folded across his chest.

"Right." Justin sighed, making his way through the throng of people toward his own gate.

JC gazed sightlessly out the car window as the taxi cab made it's way through the busy streets, the driver making use of his horn on more than one occasion. Lonnie, a member of the group's security team and floor show, had drawn JC's name in the lottery, so the huge bear of a man was traveling with the young singer. JC sighed gratefully when the cab pulled onto a very familiar street, one he had spent half his life on. He could remember as clear as day the tree he had climbed to the top of when he was eight simply because he was "double-dog-dared" to. The corner he had taken too fast on his bike and wound up getting ten stitches in his knee when he was eleven. A slow smile turned the corners of his lips upward. Some of the best memories had been born in this town, in his parents' house. And coming back to that time in his life when things we so much simpler was a feeling he had waited for. When the cab driver pulled to a stop, he reached into his back pocket for his wallet and paid the fair before climbing out of the car and pulling his bags from the trunk.

"Have a good weekend, Lonnie." JC gave the man a tired smile before he turned and strolled up the walkway to the front door. In his mind's eye, he could see a younger version of himself and his younger brother running around the house playing whatever childhood game they had made up to entertain themselves with. He shook his head, pushing the door open and stepped inside, dropping his bags to the floor.

"Anyone home?" he called loudly, wandering down the hallway to glance into the living room.

"I hear something ugly." a familiar voice called back from the dining room. JC groaned a laugh, rolling his eyes.

"If I'm ugly, what's that make you?" JC inquired with a raised eyebrow, arms folded across his chest.

"The brother of something ugly." Tyler retorted as his older brother dropped down into a chair across the table from him.

"Where's mom and dad?" JC questioned, leaning back in his chair.

"Dad's at work and mom went to the supermarket. She knows how you eat." Tyler snorted, reaching for a deck of playing cards.

"Hey, I'm a growing boy." JC held up his hands. Tyler grunted noncommittally, stilling the twitching of his lips as he shuffled the cards.

"Shut up." JC muttered with a good-natured smile, reaching for the cards Tyler dealt to him. Tyler just grinned.

"So, tell me what's been going on around here." JC arched an eyebrow as he gazed down at the cards he held, wincing when he saw the monstrosity.

"Mom and dad are thinking about renewing their wedding vows." Tyler shrugged, placing a card on this discard pile.

"Really?"

"Yeah. They'd like to do it on their next anniversary - if you can schedule some free time about then." Tyler nodded.

"I'll see what I can do." JC sighed, making a mental note of the day and what his parents wanted to do.

"What about Heather?" JC prompted.

"She's dating some guy. He passed inspection, but, I'm sure you'll want to deliver some of your own idle threats. Though, she swears if any of us embarrass him, she'll have our heads." Tyler chuckled, rolling his eyes.

"Is that so? When is she bringing him over to meet me?" JC grinned, drawing a card from the pile.

"Tomorrow night. He's coming over for dinner." Tyler shrugged a shoulder, spreading out a triplet of fours on the table before discarding.

"And what about you, little brother?"

"Nothing new with me. Same old, same old." Tyler made a face.

"Applied to any colleges?" JC arched an eyebrow.

"You're as bad as mom and dad." Tyler groaned, making a face.

"We all just want what's best for you." JC reminded his younger sibling gently.

"I know. But, I have to live my own life, you know? I'll get to college. Eventually." Tyler shrugged, watching as his brother set down all four aces before discarding. JC gazed at his brother, sighing softly before nodding.

"Whatever you say, Ty." JC mumbled. The pair glanced up when the doorbell rang.

"You expecting someone?" JC glanced over at his brother, who shook his head. JC groaned, pushing himself to his feet. He wandered over to the front door and pulled it open. A young woman, no older than twenty-one stood on the front porch, shivering slightly.

"Can I help you?" JC inquired, frowning slightly.

"Phone." she blurted the word out, glancing over her shoulder. "Do you have a phone I can use? My car broke down and I need to call a tow."

"Yeah, come on in." JC held the door open for her, closing it firmly behind her then wandered back into the dining room.

"Phone's in the kitchen, right there." JC pointed. The young woman nodded, smiling her thanks as she reached for the phone. She dialed quickly.

"Jasper, calling me from earth isn't a good idea."

"I know, Michael, but, I don't think I can do this."

"Do what?"

"Any of this. I can't lie to him."

"You aren't lying to him. But, he has to believe you're human in order for you to form some sort of friendship with him."

"A friendship based all on lies."

"Do you remember what you were like when you were human?"

"Yes."

"Be that person once again. And please, for the love of God, don't call heaven again."

"Alright, but, if I have to do this, you should give me a celestial stop watch. Just in case things start to progress a little too far."

"Done. Good luck, Jasper."

"Thanks." Jasper muttered, hanging up the phone. She steeled her nerves, turning to face the two young men with a wary smile.

"Everything okay?" JC inquired.

"Yeah, fine. They're coming to pick it up. They also said it was going to take a couple of days to fix." Jasper groaned inwardly at the blatant lie she had to tell.

"You don't sound like you come from around here." Tyler commented, setting the cards he held on the table.

"I'm not. South Carolina is where I call home, but, I guess you can say I've been traveling around for the past few years. Seeing the world and all that." Jasper shrugged, flushing slightly.

"Have we met somewhere before?" JC folded his arms across his chest.

"I don't think so. I would have remembered a face like yours." Jasper shook her head, heart tripling in speed. JC remained silent for a moment, then shook his head, raking a hand through his hair.

"Do you have a place to stay?" Tyler inquired suddenly, startling her.

"Not really. But, I'm sure there's a hotel or something near here." Jasper shrugged a shoulder. "Thanks for the use of your phone." she smiled at the two young men before turning to let herself out of the house.

"Wait. You can stay here until your car's fixed." Tyler stopped her with the words, wondering vaguely why he was so quick to offer his parents' house. JC's brows furrowed together as he tossed a silencing look at his younger brother. She was a complete stranger and Tyler was asking her to stay with him.

"Oh, come on, Jace. Where's your Christmas spirit?" Tyler demanded teasingly.

"It's barely two weeks after thanksgiving." JC reminded his younger brother. Tyler rolled his eyes, folding his arms across his chest.

"No, no. It's alright. A hotel will be just fine." Jasper shook her head.

Justin scratched his chest, yawning hugely as he stumbled down the stairs after the most peaceful night's sleep he'd had in a long time. His younger brother and mother were out for the day, letting him relax as much as he wanted for as long as he wanted without interruption. Sometimes he was grateful for such an understanding mother. He idly thought of going into the kitchen to pour himself a bowl of cereal, then gazed at the television longingly, then back to the kitchen doorway. It had been forever since he had watched cartoons. He sighed, shaking his head ruefully as he wandered into the kitchen, reaching into the cupboard for a bowl and the box of Captain Crunch. The phone began ringing just as he started to pour the cereal into the bowl, and he tossed the object a sleepy glare, letting it ring. He pulled open the refrigerator door, reaching for the milk and poured in onto the cereal. Once he had put the milk away and grabbed a clean spoon from the dishwasher, he made his way back into the living room. And the phone kept ringing.

"Give it up. I'm not gonna answer." he informed the phone, reaching for the remote control to the television. He pressed the power button, settling on the Cartoon Network before he grabbed the spoon once again, dipping all of the cereal into the milk before lifting a spoonful to his mouth. The phone kept ringing.

"Piss off. I'm not picking up the phone." he tossed another mild glare in the direction of the phone as Dexter's Laboratory flickered on the screen. He shoveled another spoonful into his mouth, concentrating on the small child with a thick German accent run around the screen, plotting to take over the scientific world. The phone kept ringing.

"For the love of God. Give it up!" he snapped, becoming irritable with whoever was being persistent in calling this early in the morning on his first day off in months. The phone finally stopped ringing. He sighed in relief, finishing his bowl of cereal before settling back against the cushions with a contented groan. Life couldn't get much better than this. Being home, having a bowl of cereal while watching the Cartoon Network, not having anywhere to go, anyone to impress or anything to do. The morning was shipping up to be absolutely perfect. The phone started ringing again.

"You've got to be kidding me." Justin groaned, slapping a hand to his forehead, rolling his eyes heavenward. He debated his options. He could turn the ringer off and ignore the phone for the rest of the day, he could turn on the answering machine and screen the calls, or he could just answer the phone. All of them required movement, which wasn't what he wanted at the moment. He groaned again. Without giving it another thought, he reached for the phone.

"Hello?"

"'Bout time you answered the phone."

"Yeah."

"What's the matter, J? Not happy to hear from your old friend?"

"Chris, we just saw each other yesterday."

"I know, but I'm going through baby blue withdrawals."

"Whatever."

"No, listen, I need some advice."

"And you called me to get it?"

"The others weren't answering their phone."

"Thanks. I feel high up on the priority list."

"Aw, come on, Curly. You know I love ya."

"Whatever."

"Are you going to give me some advice or not?"

"Well, if you'd shut the hell up and tell my what you want advice about."

"Fine. It's Dani. What should I do about her?"

"What'dya mean?"

"What should I do about her?"

"You're not helping any."

"I could say the same for you."

"You haven't told me the problem yet."

"There is no problem. I just don't know what I should do about her."

"I don't know what you should do about her. How do you feel about her?"

"She's my best friend. How do you think I feel about her?"

"Well, some best friends fall in love with one another. Just look at Dawson's Creek."

"Some best friends fall in love with one another and wind up losing everything including each other. Just look at Dawson's Creek."

"Did you call just to argue with everything I say?"

"No, but it's so much fun."

"I'm so glad you find amusement in my confusion."

"I find humor in everything."

"Whatever."

"Alright. You're not in a good mood, so I'm hanging up now. Besides, you're not doing me a whole lot of good right now."

"I feel so loved."

"I try."

"Say goodbye, Chris."

"Goodbye, Chris."

"Smart ass."

"I know. Hasta."

Justin winced when the phone clicked loudly in his ear, signaling the end of the conversation. He shook his head, replacing the phone back on the receiver before turning his attention back to the television. Dexter's Laboratory had ended during his conversation with Chris, and now, there was another cartoon on. One he didn't readily recognize, but it had action and the animation was good, so he stayed on the channel, too tired to go surfing once again. Justin snorted, shaking his head. Watching cartoons at the age of nineteen.

"It requires no thinking, and that's what I need right now." Justin made excuses to himself, stretching.

Chris sighed, glaring at the phone. He'd called Justin because he needed to look at things from another prospective, but his friend hadn't been much help. He folded his arms across his chest, tapping his foot impatiently. He had been home nearly a full twenty-four hours, and Dani still hadn't made an appearance at his apartment. It was beginning to make him wonder if things were okay between the two of them. He mentally went through the lists of pros and cons for calling her, then groaned loudly, rubbing a hand over his face. He was acting like a schoolboy with his first crush. He reached for the phone and dialed.

"Hello?"

"So, I've been in town twenty-four hours in three minutes, and you haven't come over yet."

"I've had a lot to do."

"So much that you couldn't tear yourself away for a couple of hours?"

"I can't drop everything just because you're in town. Life doesn't work that way."

"I know it doesn't, but we also haven't seen each other in months. I figured you would have made the time."

"Any other time, I would have. Things had just become really hectic around here. I don't have as much free time as I used to, or as I'd like to."

"Are you mad at me for some reason?"

"No, not really. Why?"

"Every time we talk, you seem more distant than the time before. Now, it's like pulling teeth to get together with you, when you used to put off pretty much everything to see me."

"Things change, Chris. It's a part of life."

"I just didn't think they'd change when it came to you and me. We're best friends, but it doesn't seem you want to be anymore."

"Have we gone back to grade school?"

"Don't, Dani. You are one of the ten most important people in my life and it hurts, alright? I can't help that. And if you think me making sure everything is okay between is childish, then so be it. I'm childish. But, then, you've always thought of me as an overgrown little boy, so I shouldn't be surprised."

"That was out of line."

"Was it? What about what you're doing?"

"Don't point fingers at me, Chris. I'm not the one who took a gig that required vast amounts of traveling."

"Yeah." Chris sighed, hanging up the phone. His eyes burned, and he rubbed them, climbing to his feet. He made his way back to his bedroom and flopped down on the bed. He and Dani always had disagreements before, but she had never blamed anything on his career before. He hugged the pillow resting beneath his chin and closed his eyes. He had a sinking feeling that nothing between he and Dani would ever be the same. He sighed when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"You hung up on me."

"You made me feel like an asshole because I do what I love."

"It's the truth, Chris. If didn't want us to change, you shouldn't have taken the gig. You should have become a psychologist instead."

"You know what, Dani? I'm not really liking you at the moment, so I'm going to hang up. When you've cooled down, we'll talk. But I don't think it's really fair to blame everything on me. If you remember correctly, you're the one who told me to take this chance while I still had it. You're the one who pushed me in this direction, asking me when I would ever get another opportunity like this one. And now that I've taken it, you're becoming all high and mighty, telling me if I didn't want change, I shouldn't have followed your orders. I'm tired of trying to please you when you can't be pleased. I'm just your friend. I'm not your boyfriend, your lover, or your husband. And as you so willingly admitted without words, friends, especially ones who travel, are expendable. So, forgive me if I'm not overly willing to talk to you at the moment."

"Chris, I didn't mean it that way."

"I know. Goodbye, Danielle." Chris mumbled, hanging up the phone. His little tirade sunk to the pit of his stomach and rested there like a ball of led. It was obvious that his friendship with the woman had reached a new era. The easy days of laughter and talking all night were gone, and the days of silence and occasional arguments had arrived. He felt like he was going through a divorce of sorts. The phone rang again, and he groaned, burying his face in the pillow. Minutes later, the answering machine picked up.

"You've reached me. Obviously I'm not home. I never am. Leave your name, number and what you want, and I'll get back to you and everyone else."

"Pick up the phone, Chris. You can't just ignore me. Fine. You used my full name, which tells me you're more hurt than you are angry. And I didn't mean to hurt you. There's just a lot going on in my life right now, and I'm shutting everyone out. Including my own mother. So, please, don't let what I said hurt you. I'm snapping at everyone. Call me, alright?"

"Not likely." Chris snorted, rolling his eyes.

"I love you, Chris. I do. And I'd hate to lose you over something this trivial."

"Whatever." Chris mumbled.

"So, please call me. Okay? I'll talk to you later. Bye."

Chris turned over onto his back and gazed up at the ceiling, arms folded behind his head, concentrating on breathing. There weren't many people he truly called friends and meant it. When you lived in show business, everyone's a friend, but not the type of friend you could call in the middle of the night because you were homesick. Dani had been a true friend to him and what she had said had cut him to the bone, though they were just words. But, sometimes words could hurt more than anything else. He blinked. He took a deep breath. He sighed.

Joe glanced around in dismay. He hadn't meant to fly back to see her, but he couldn't help himself. He had a day or two yet before his family was expecting him, and he didn't really feel like hanging out with his friends from the old neighborhood. All that had popped into his mind was seeing Melody and her son, confusing as it was. He shook his head, raking a hand through his hair. Idly, he wondered what her reception of him would be like. Randy would be excited. The two had bonded somewhat in their little escapades of trouble-making. A slow smile tipped his mouth as he wandered over to the rental car. Randy was one hell of a kid: smart, funny, rambunctious, and adorable. If he was honest with himself, he would admit part of the reason why he liked Melody so much was because of the way she treated her son. That and she was a wonderful person, all around. He shook his head, sliding the key into the ignition and turned his wrist. The engine purred to life, then he pulled out of the parking lot.

Melody sat in her car for a moment, breathing deeply as she tried to steady her nerves, fingers wrapped so tightly around the steering wheel of her car that her knuckles had turned white. Seething, white-hot fury coursed through her veins and she doubted anything would be able to stop her from her mission. She had to deliver a little revenge. She pushed open the car door, climbing out onto the pavement before reaching into the backseat to grab the trusty bat she had put there when she was a teenager to ward off any attackers, then she headed in the direction of a rather large office building across the street. Her fingers flexed around the wooden bat. Without letting herself think any more on the subject, she boarded the elevator and waited patiently for the elevator to reach the right floor. Finally, the doors slid open and she stepped out into the lobby. She strode quickly through the offices, paying no attention to the people who fell silent in the small cubicles she passed.

"Excuse me, miss?" a young woman tried to stop her before she reached the offices. Melody arched a delicate eyebrow at the woman, eyes holding the very fires of hell and the fury of a mother.

"You - uh - can't go back there." the receptionist fell back a step.

"Watch me." Melody gritted her teeth, voice deceptively soft. The receptionist opened her mouth but couldn't dislodge any words before the irate woman brushed passed her and strode purposefully toward the rear of the building. She had been to his office often enough to remember where it was located in the building. As she made her way across the floor, she gathered the subdued interest of the people working in even more small, airtight cubicles.

"Ms. Johnson, I'm sorry, but, Andrew's in a meeting with a client at the moment." his secretary gave her a bright smile, eyeing the baseball bat with curiosity.

"He'll see me." Melody stated firmly, her voice holding no brook for argument.

"Melody, please be reasonable." the secretary pleaded softly, hoping to disinterest the other workers.

"Reasonable? Lady, I'll show you reasonable." Melody muttered savagely as she lifted the baseball bat. She swung the bat with all the strength she could muster and the window in his office door spiderwebbed then shattered, glass spilling to the floor like water.

"What the hell is going on here? Melody?" Andrew demanded incredulously, jumping up from his chair. A young woman glanced up, startled, from her position in a chair.

"Hello, Andrew." Melody smiled tightly as she stepped into the office, her hand still clutching the baseball bat.

"What in the world are you doing?" he demanded loudly.

"It's call revenge. Pay back. A mother protecting her child." Melody answered, her voice chilling even her own blood.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Andrew shook his head, stuttering briefly.

"Don't play dumb with me, Andrew. I saw the bruises." her voice shook.

"I never laid a hand on Randy." he shook his head.

"Liar!" she yelled, swinging the bat once again, the computer sitting on his desk erupting into a thousand shards of electronic parts.

"Shit, Melody. Stop!" Andrew yelped, jumping back from his desk.

"Stop? Why should I stop? You hurt my baby." Melody demanded, eyes turning to hard, glowing pieces of ice.

"I didn't touch him!" he yelled, finally becoming angry himself.

"You better listen to me, Andrew, and listen to me well because I'm only going to say this once. If you ever come near my son again, your computer won't be the only thing that's been shattered by my bat." Melody murmured in a deceptively soft voice.

"Are you threatening me?" Andrew scoffed.

"Promising you. Have we reached an agreement?"

"Whatever you say, Melody." Andrew growled, a muscle in his jaw ticking angrily. Melody leveled him with an uncompromising gaze before she turned and strode from the office. The entire floor remained silent until she reached the elevators, then everyone burst into a buzz of conversation. Once the elevator doors closed behind her, she sagged against the wall, gasping breaths through the ever-increasing tightness in her chest. Her son had told her this had been going on for quite some time and she hadn't seen it. She had dismissed the small bruises Randy had acquired as the normal wear and tear of a rambunctious little boy. She hadn't realized he was suffering abuse from the hands of her boyfriend. Melody stumbled from the elevator, breathing quickly as she made her way through the lobby toward her parked car. She had failed as a mother. She hadn't protected her child from harm. She was a person she had openly despised. She didn't deserve her son's adoration, love or respect. Now that her rage was spent, depression and sorrow filled her. Guilt mercilessly dogged her, causing a gut wrenching pain to spear into her heart, twisting slowly. Mechanically, she drove home, praying her son would someday forgive her. Never in her life had she felt a pain so intense, so all consuming as the pain she was flooded with when she realized Andrew had used his fists with Randy. She climbed out of the car on shaky legs and walked the short distance to the front door of her apartment. Her jaw went slack when she saw Joe standing next to the door, shoulder resting on the doorjamb, arms folded across his chest. Her lower lip trembled, a raw, aching sound escaping her numb lips.

"Melody?" worry laced his voice as he took a step toward her. Her vision blurred as she sank to the floor, her back resting heavily against the wall.

"Melody, what's wrong?" Joe demanded, kneeling in front of her.

"How could I have not seen it?" she demanded hoarsely, tears slipping, unchecked, down her cheeks.

"Not seen what?" Joe prompted, taking both her hands in his own.

"He's my son. I should have seen it. Should have protected him." she shook her head.

"Melody, what happened?" Joe demanded once again, fear trickling down his spine.

"All those bruises. I just dismissed them. I thought he had gotten them from playing too rough like he always does." she couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes.

"Did someone hit Randy?" Joe questioned. Melody opened her mouth, but no words emerged. Joe made a soft sound, hauling the young mother into his arms, her tears soaking the shoulder of his shirt. She lifted her hand, fingers wrapping around a handful of his shirt.

"Mommy?" a voice questioned plaintively. Melody stiffened, pulling away from Joe to face her son.

"Yes, baby?"

"Why are you cryin'?" Randy made a face.

"Because mommy didn't know Andrew was hurting you. And I should have known." Melody decided the truth would be the best route to go.

"Not your fault, mommy. I'm good at hidin' things." Randy shrugged nonchalantly.

"You should have to hide things from me." Melody's face crumpled.

"Mommy, don't cry. I'm okay. See?" Randy grinned hugely at her, which only brought more tears to her eyes. Small, pudgy hands cupped her cheeks, a small forehead resting against her own.

"Don't cry mommy. Please?" Randy inquired hopefully.

"I'm sorry I didn't stop it sooner, baby." she whispered.

"It's okay, mommy." Randy wrapped his arms tightly around his mother's neck, hugging her with all of his strength. Melody choked on a sob, wrapping her own arms tightly around him as she settled back against the wall once again. Randy rested his cheek against the steady, if erratic, beat of her heart, eyes closing. Melody took a deep breath, resting her head back against the wall, glancing over at Joe, who had distanced himself from the family slightly. She held out a hand to him and he awkwardly took her hand, settling down onto the ground beside her.

"Is everything okay?" Joe finally inquired after a few moments of silence. Melody sniffled softly, nodding as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. Never in her life had she lost control like she had, but her child had never been threatened before. Joe lifted his hand, brushing away an errant lock of hair from her face.

"You want to tell me what happened?" Joe arched an eyebrow, eyes and face serious for the first time in months.

"There's this guy I was dating off and on for the past few years. He really liked Randy, and loved me, I guess. This morning, he picked Randy up for a day out of the house so I could get some work done on the script. When my son came back, I started up a bath because we all know how much he can get into, and he got into something and was covered head to toe. When I pulled off his shirt, I saw all these bruises all over his back. It didn't click until he looked at me with these eyes. I can't even describe what they looked like. When Randy confirmed that he was being hit, I got so angry I asked the next-door neighbor to watch him then went to Andrew's office. Ended up attacking his office with a baseball bat, shattering the window in his office door and destroying his computer." Melody sighed, gesturing helplessly with a trembling hand.

"I'm sorry, Melody." Joe sighed, draping his arm along her shoulders, giving her a one armed hug.

Lance sighed, raking a hand through his hair. This was definitely not how he wanted to spend his small vacation, on the tail of some chick who happened to sing very well yet didn't want to use her talent to become famous. He rolled his eyes, snorting softly. His mother would want him to do this. The cab slowed and he glanced around, taking in the small hotel. The driver pulled to a stop in front of the front door and leaned over to press the button for the trunk. The trunk popped open as Lance reached into his back pocket for his wallet, pulling out the right amount of cash and hanging it to the driver. He climbed out of the cab and grabbed his duffel, an amused smile twitching the corners of his lips as he watched the cabbie drive away.

"Welcome to Utah, Lance." He muttered to himself, wandering into the hotel. He checked himself in under an alias and made his way up to his room. Hopefully, this would only take one night and he could get back to Orlando without any real hitches to take a well-deserved sleep. For two days. He tossed the duffel bag onto the floor near the table and flopped down on the bed, groaning loudly when his cellular phone rang. He reached into his pocket and pulled the object out.

"Hello?"

"James, where are you?"

"In Utah. Like you told me to be. Why?"

"Good. Just making sure. Listen, from what I hear, she's playing tonight at a little coffee shop in town."

"That helps, mom. In this day and age, there are thousands of coffee shops in small towns like these."

"Don't sass your mother, James."

"Sorry, mom. I was just really looking forward to not having anything to do. This kind of put a cramp in that plan."

"I know, but, you're the one who wants Free Lance Entertainment to succeed."

"But I didn't want Free Lance Entertainment to actually have to force people to let us represent them. I mean, if she doesn't want this, why should I have to talk her into doing this? It doesn't make sense."

"Maybe she just needs a little prodding."

"A little? From what you've been telling me, she needs more than a little prodding."

"Okay, a lot of prodding. She's good, James. Better than most out there."

"Alright, mom. I'm here. You don't need to sell this to me anymore."

"Call me when you get to the show, okay?"

"Yeah. I'll talk to you later, mom." Lance sighed, hanging up the phone. He flopped back on the bed and gazed up at the ceiling, arms folded behind his head.

"You know, it's really sad when the only woman who calls you is your mother." He mumbled to himself through a yawn.

JC rested a shoulder against the doorframe of the living room, gazing into the room with mild curiosity. Tyler had surprised him when he had nearly demanded she stay with them instead of a hotel for the night, or until her car was fixed. He shook his head slowly, lips twisting in a rueful grin. It was either the truth, or this was his brother's last ditch attempt to stop him from marrying Rebecca. He pulled his fingers through his hair then folded his arms across his chest. She sat on the couch, reading by the light of a single lamp, the huge book resting in her lap as her head bent forward slightly. He could imagine the concentration she was using, he could almost sense it radiating from her.

"It isn't nice to lurk in doorways."

© 2000 hells_fiction@hotmail.com