*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 Rachel, Ashley and Mike. Plagiarism is against the law, for those who don't already know.

Rachel groaned, not wanting to wake up from the glorious dream she was having. She and Lance were strolling down the beach, hand in hand, in silence as the waves crashed over their feet. The sky was filled with reds, oranges and purples with the setting sun. Lance turned toward her, a serious look in his eyes as he brought her hand to his lips and kissed each fingertip. He gently pulled her closer to him. Her eyes drifted shut as Lance's face leaned closer and he - licked her check?

Rachel's eyes popped open and saw Peloquin standing next to her bed, front paws propped up on the mattress.

"Oh, for heaven's sake." she sputtered sitting up. "I was having the perfect dream and you, with your doggy breath and doggy drool, had to ruin it!"

She scratched Peloquin's ear affectionately for a few minutes before she climbed out of bed. She sucked in a breath when her bare feet hit the ice cold wooden floor and jumped back under the covers.

"Abort mission! There's a mutiny in the ranks!" she cried out softly to herself as the delicious aroma of breakfast wafted up the stairs and into her room.

"Coffee.....I smell coffee. And....and....eggs! Wait....bacon too....and....waffles?" she exclaimed sniffing the air as her stomach grumbled loudly at it's empty state.

"I hear you, I hear you. Yeesh." Rachel sighed glaring down at her stomach then she turned to the dog, still panting beside her bed. "They're not fighting fair. They all know food will eventually bring me down."

The dog just gave her a quizzical look, head hanging to the side, a huge doggy grin on his face. Rachel laughed as she threw the covers back once again.

"Okay. We'll see who wins. Me or the cold floor. Shall we see if I can reach my socks before my toes freeze and break off?" she questioned Peloquin who barked softly in agreement. Rachel shot out of bed and ran for the table, where she had left her clothes the night before. She quickly put on her socks, the continued to get dressed. She then headed downstairs to where everyone had congregated for the morning meal. JC and Chris were laughing because Justin was gesturing wildly with his hands, retelling a story from one of his classes with a private tutor. Lance glanced up when she walked into the room and graced her with a smile.

"Morning." he called out softly.

"Morning." Rachel returned with a smile.

"Hey Rach, how'd you sleep last night?" JC inquired through his laughter.

"Like a rock, until that dog licked me to wake me up this morning. Interrupted a good dream and everything." she sighed with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Mike will appreciate that. Usually he does that to her." JC grinned as Rachel filled her plate with food, then sat at the table with everyone else. She noticed that Mike was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's my savior?" she inquired raising an eyebrow.

"Still sleeping, I hope." JC replied taking a bite from a piece of bacon.

"Your hopes are for naught, hon. I'm awake and in your presence." Mike sighed from the doorway. "Where's the mutt? I have to feed him."

"Well, I can only dream that maybe, someday, you'll actually get the sleep you need in a night." JC sighed as he watch Mike walk into the kitchen to pour dog food into a bowl on the floor then grab something for herself to eat.

"Sleep? Who needs sleep?" Rachel questioned loudly, tossing a hand into the air, as if to say 'bah'.

"No kidding. As Bon Jovi sang, I'll sleep when I'm dead." Mike grinned as she took the seat next to JC at the table.

"Which will be soon if you don't start taking care of yourself." JC snorted with a shake of his head.

"Me? What about you, dear heart? Look at what you stuff into your body on a daily basis. Food with so much salt and grease that I'm surprised your arteries haven't declared a national strike." Mike countered glancing down at the plate in front of him.

"Touche, little bird." JC laughed, holding his hands up as if to ward off an attack. Mike smiled with a nod, obviously proud of herself.

" I just want to know who fought dirty this morning with making breakfast." Rachel shrugged as she munched on a piece of bacon.

"That would be me." Lance yawned, finally becoming tired.

"Well, that's a nice change. A man in the kitchen for once. My dad would be horrified." Rachel grinned. Soon everyone finished their breakfasts and headed into the livingroom to lounge and do their own things. Rachel took out her sketch book and started a sketch of JC reading a book with Mike in his arms reading with him. She worked quickly and feverishly. Pictures like these came few and far between, and she didn't want to miss this one. When she was done with that specific sketch, she decided to finish the one she had started of the fireplace.

Lance stood behind her, watching her work for a few moments, admiration shining in his eyes. She was very talented at what she did, and he knew that she was talented in everything she did. He shook his head and walked over to where Justin and Chris sat, playing a video game on the television. He watched the television mindlessly, not realizing that Rachel was now watching him as he had watched her.

He is so....stop it Rach. Just stop. Road weary travelers always find liking in the room, especially when they're trapped in the same house. She sighed shaking her head as she turned back to her sketch pad. She was working on one of Justin and Chris playing the video game they always played. Suddenly the phone rang loudly in the silent room causing everyone to jump a mile out of their chair.

"Ohmigod! The phone works!" Rachel bounded up from her chair as Lance reached over and picked the phone up.

"Hello?"

"Lance?"

"Yeah, Ashley?"

"The one and only, what the hell happened up there? I've been trying to call for two days now."

"Storm. Knocked all the power and phone lines out for a while."

"Oh, all right. I was kinda worried there for a minute. Listen, can I talk to Joe?"

"Yeah, hold on a second." Lance smiled then turned to Joe with a come hither stare.

"Oh lover boy, guess who's on the phone." Lance called, his eyes dancing with humor. Joe jumped to his feet and practically ran to the phone Lance was holding out to him. Joe grabbed the phone and walked away from everyone.

Rachel walked to the kitchen hoping that a tow truck could dig her car out and fix it by tomorrow, since Christmas was the day after. Lance sighed silently as he stood in the doorway to the kitchen.

"So, I guess you'll want to call a gas station or something." he stated the obvious.

"Yeah. I'd like to get home for the actual day. Now it's up to the mechanic." Rachel nodded with a smile, clearly excited that this little sojourn was finally coming to an end.

"I wouldn't worry about it. Even if he can't fix it right away, we could always drive you." Lance shrugged oddly sad to see her go.

"That's almost three hours away. I couldn't ask you guys to do that." she shook her head.

"Don't worry about it." Lance laughed softly as he headed back to the living room. He climbed up the stairs and walked into his bedroom, shutting the door quietly behind him. He flopped down on the bed, mind spinning. He knew he would never see her again, unless he did something. Something drastic. Something that would make her remember him. He shook his head, eyes closed.

"Hey, man, you okay?" JC inquired from the now open doorway.

"Yeah. Just a bit confused." Lance smiled sadly with a nod.

"All right, confused about what?" JC walked into the room, taking a seat on the foot of the bed.

"Hypothetically, if Mike didn't really know you existed, how would you get her to remember you?" Lance questioned, leaning back against the headboard.

"I see now. I don't know. Probably give her my phone number and ask her to call me when she got home. Just so I knew she was all right and had gotten home safely. It shows you care and that you're concerned with her safety. Possible pluses and minuses." JC shrugged with a knowing grin.

"Wouldn't that be a bit forward, too pushy almost?" Lance made a face.

"Not at all. You figure, her car broke down once. It could happen again." JC shrugged as Mike entered the room.

"Lemme guess, girl problems?" she inquired as she flopped down on the bed between the two guys.

"How'd you know?" Lance replied sarcastically.

"Ooh, touchy subject. Sorry." Mike sighed, regret evident on her face.

"Don't be. I'm the one who should be sorry. I've just been on edge lately." Lance sighed with a shake of his head.

"What are you going to do about it?" she questioned raising an eyebrow.

"JC told me to give her my number and ask her to call me when she gets home, so I know she made it all right." Lance shrugged.

"A good idea. Very classy." Mike nodded her approval.

"You think so?" Lance replied hopefully.

"Definitely. Any girl would feel special if asked to do something like that. And you never know. One phone call could lead to two..or three.. and so on." Mike shrugged with a laugh.

"Thanks Mike. I think I'll do that." Lance smiled as he jumped to his feet.

"Now hold on a minute. I'm the one who came up with the idea. Why'd she get all the credit?" JC demanded as Lance rushed out of the room.

"Because, dear heart, women are ultimately the best at match making. Plus, we know more about each other than you guys do." Mike laughed giving his cheek a soft caress.

"I think you're wrong." JC shook his head.

"Okay then, what's my favorite color?" she inquired with a soft smile.

"Purple and green."

"What was the last movie I saw?"

"Um, Disturbing Behavior."

"No, it was The Negotiator. What do I like to do late at night?"

"Read."

"Wrong again. I like to talk to you." Mike shook her head.

"What is all this leading up to?" JC inquired with a sigh.

"Rachel's favorite color is blue, the last movie she saw was Withering Heights and she loves to sketch late at night. And she also has a slight thing for Lance." Mike explained softly.

"How do you know?" he questioned with a laugh.

"I asked her about the first three things, and a woman just knows when another woman is flustered around a guy. It's some sort of internal detection system." she shrugged.

"It goes the same way for guys." JC nodded.

"Yeah?" Mike laughed.

"Yeah. What's my favorite color?"

"Blue."

"What's the last movie I saw?"

"Full Metal Jacket."

"Damn, what do I like to do late at night?"

"Talk to me and sleep." Mike laughed.

"How do you know all this stuff about me?" JC demanded a mock look of terror on his face.

"Why honey, I read all the teen magazines! That and I pay attention when you say things." she laughed giving him a soft kiss before climbing to her feet.

"Where do you think you're going after a confession like that?" JC demanded teasingly as he grabbed her hand.

"Downstairs to spy on the two in question. Where else would I go?" Mike laughed, smiling down at him.

"How about on a walk with me?" he inquired climbing to his feet.

"Out in the snow?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, why not? It could be romantic. After all, we'd have to warm each other up." he waggled his eyebrows at her.

"You are insufferable!" she yelped as she took off down the hall with JC in close pursuit.

Rachel stood next to the phone talking to a mechanic and twiddling her thumbs in utter boredom. Lance stood off to the side, trying to let his mind wander further than the girl he had just met a couple of short days ago.

Mike and JC tore into the room, laughing.

"Lance, you gotta help me! He's nuts! Loony tunes! Off his rocker! However you want to describe it." Mike laughed loudly as she hid behind Lance.

"Now JC, you know what the doctor said about taking your medication on time. He wouldn't be pleased that you ignored his pleas and disobeyed him anyway." Lance sighed holding his hands up to ward off an attack.

"You know," JC stopped stalking his girlfriend. "I knew I forgot something."

Rachel looked on with amusement. "You know JC, you should go take your meds now. By the time you get back, Mike will probably be more willing to do whatever it is that she doesn't want to do."

Mike threw her head back and laughed loudly as Lance stepped away from her. JC took this opportunity to tackle his girlfriend and start beating her with pillows from the couch.

"Lance, you big dumbass! You moved so he could strike!" she laughed from the floor, trying to get JC back for the grief he was causing. After a minute or so, Rachel hung up the phone then grabbed a pillow of her own. She carefully crept up behind JC and whacked him in the head with the pillow she was holding.

"What the hell was that for?" JC demanded looking back at her.

"We women have to stick together." Rachel smiled triumphantly, until Lance hit her with a pillow of his own.

"What the....?" Rachel cried out and turned only to see Lance laughing softly, shaking his head.

"You think that's funny, you inbred albino jackass?" she demanded, her lips twitching with humor.

"Albino? Take it back!" Lance cried out throwing the pillow at her.

"Not on your life!" Rachel screeched, dodging the airborne pillow. Justin grabbed her from behind and handed her over to Lance.

"She's all yours man. I'm gonna go help JC." Justin laughed as he watched Mike pummel him with a pillow in each hand.

"Ooh, cool. Guys against girls." Joe smiled as he and Chris walked into the room.

"Then what's Lance doing beating up on Rach?" Chris demanded taking a pillow in his own hands. He walked up behind Lance and pelted him in the head with the pillow in question. Soon, a no holds bared pillow fight broke out between everyone in the house, which lasted about a half an hour before everyone toppled to the floor, breathless and laughing.

"Well, as much fun as that was, I should get going. The mechanic is going to pick up my car in a few minutes and I have to meet him at the garage." Rachel sighed glancing down at her watch.

"I'll drive you into town." Lance smiled. Rachel nodded then headed upstairs to pack up her things and get her bag. Once she was safely in her bedroom, she pulled out her sketch book and tore out a drawing. She quickly scribbled a note onto the page and signed her name at the bottom. She then set it in a place she knew it would be found after she left and headed back downstairs. Lance waited by the front door, jacket on but open.

"Thanks for the hospitality." she smiled to everyone.

"Anytime. If you're ever in Orlando, look me up. We can go out and forget about these boys for a while." Mike laughed writing down her phone number on a piece of paper before handing the paper over to her.

"I'll do that. Thanks. You all take care." Rachel laughed as she and Lance headed out the door.

"You think he'll get the courage up to do it?" JC inquired draping an arm along Mike's shoulders.

"For his sake, I hope so." she nodded with a small smile.

"Wait, what are we missing?" Chris inquired raising an eyebrow.

"If Lance will actually do what he said he was going to do." JC shrugged as everyone walked into the living room.

"Which would be? I hate cryptic answers." Chris sighed shaking his head.

"Give Rachel his phone number so they can talk after this." Mike replied taking a seat on the couch.

"Wow, now there's something you don't hear everyday. Lance has a crush." Joe laughed from his spot on the floor.

"Don't tease him too badly guys, or he'll forget about it. I think he's really nervous about this one." Mike sighed shaking her head.

"Why would he be nervous? He can sneak up on a girl's blind side faster than Joe can smile at a girl." Chris retorted tossing a hand into the air.

"Yeah, but this one is different. It's almost as if he's scared he might do something wrong. He really likes her, guys, a lot." Mike explained with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I never thought Lance would finally fall for someone. We were beginning to loose all hope." Justin laughed softly, shaking his head.

"Well, just don't rag on him too hard. Hey, when are we getting home?" Mike inquired with a sigh.

"Tomorrow. It'll take too long to leave tonight." JC answered with a similar sigh.

The car was silent as Lance drove into town, twenty miles away. Both were lost in thought, not knowing what to say or how to fill the silence. Lance sighed, resting one hand near the heater to keep warm.

"I just wanted to say thanks for everything." Rachel stated suddenly.

"It was no problem." Lance smiled over at her.

Man, I hate these strained silences, Lance groaned silently to himself.

Why are strained silences so weird to experience, let alone deal with? Rachel questioned herself silently.

"I'm gonna give you my phone number so you can call me when you get home. Make sure you made it all right." Lance almost mumbled.

"Okay." Rachel nodded, not knowing what else to say. Soon they reached the gas station and there was Rachel's car being prepared to go up on the blocks for repairs. Rachel climbed out of the car while Lance wrote down his cellular phone number on a piece of paper. He then climbed out of the car and walked over to her. He handed her the slip of paper with a sad grin.

"Lance, listen, you don't have to hang around here. I'll be okay." Rachel told him gently, not wanting to keep him any longer than he needed to be there.

"Are you sure? I don't mind staying." Lance raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'm sure." she nodded.

"All right. Have a safe trip home." Lance mumbled, softly touching her cheek.

"I will." Rachel replied smiling up at him. Lance nodded, then walked back over to the car. He glanced back over at her for a moment, then climbed inside and drove away.

Admit it girl, you have got the biggest crush you've had since you were in high school. Rachel shook her head as she walked into the lobby of the mechanic's area. Which is totally insane because a) he's famous; b) he's outta your league; and c) you just met the guy. She sat down on a chair. But isn't that what love at first sight is like? Feeling like you've known someone for life when you've just only met them? Rachel groaned loudly, covering her face with a hand. You have to stop this. Right now........but you can't.

Lance's phone rang around midnight that night, and his heart leapt into his throat as he reached for the object resting on the bedside table. He knew it wasn't his parents, he had called them earlier and explained what had happened.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's just me. Did I wake you?"

"No, I've been up most of the night." Waiting for you to call.

"Oh, well, I made it home all right."

"Was you r family happy to see you?"

"Yeah. It was hysterical. I told my sister all about what happened and I think she had a heart attack. She is so in love with Justin and JC. It's not even funny anymore. She keeps asking me these weird questions like, what do they look like when they first wake up?"

"Sounds like a trip. Little kids are awesome. Kids in general are awesome."

"Though I don't share your enthusiasm, I do like kids. But my sister is way out there."

"All sisters are. Mine is too."

"I didn't know that you have a sister."

"Yeah, she's older. Stacy. She drives me absolutely insane sometimes, but I love her."

"Same here. My dad about flipped out when I told him I was in a house in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of guys."

"Oh Lord, he's not gonna hunt us down and kill us, is he?"

"No. I talked him out of it at the last minute."

"Good, I wouldn't want to take out my gun and knife collection."

"Now that scares me."

"Ack, don't worry about it. All antique stuff."

"Okay, that scares me even more. Listen, I'll let you get some sleep. Maybe I'll call you again sometime."

"I'd like it if you did."

"Okay, then, I will."

"Good."

"Good night Lance."

"Good night, Rachel. Have a good Christmas."

"You too, bye."

"Bye."

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