"Justin, can't you answer the telephone without the foul language?" Karen Chasez asked in a tone that Justin just knew meant she was frowning.  

Justin sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm sorry Mrs. Chasez. I hit my foot on a table when I was coming to answer the phone." He apologized.  

"Well just be more careful next time. I hope you aren't saying that house is a mess. Josh doesn't need to be picking up after you or falling over your messes." Karen chastised, as she usually did whenever speaking to Justin.  

"No! The house is spotless. I wouldn't let JC clean in his condition." Justin said, hoping that for once she'd accept what Justin had to say without skepticism.   

Karen made a sound that would have been considered a snort if she weren't a lady. "I'm hoping for once that you are using the brain the lord gave you and are trying to do something good by talking my son out of keeping this child. Josh cannot deal with something like this and it's just pushing him and Joey further apart."  

Justin twisted the hem of his shirt between his fingers. "I think JC should keep the baby so if that means I'm not using my brain I guess you're right, ma'am. As for JC and Joey I can't believe you condone the way Joey treats your son. You obviously don't know much about the way their relationship was or I'd think you'd be out for Joey's head on a platter." He said, wondering for the millionth time what he ever did to make JC's mother dislike him so much.  

"I will not get into something with you that is simply none of your business. Is my son there?" Karen asked icily.  

Justin sighed sadly before telling her that JC was napping and that he'd go wake him.  

~*~

Justin sat gently on the edge of the bed next to JC. He caressed JC's cheek with the back of his hand and kissed the end of his nose.  

JC smiled and stretched opening his eyes slowly. "Hey there." He whispered, capturing the hand on his face with his own.  

"Your mom is on the phone." Justin said, bending to kiss the hand that held his.  

JC reached up with his free hand and stroked the frown line on Justin's forehead. "What did she say to you now? Don't tell me nothing either. You always look so sad when she calls or comes over." JC murmured, running his hand down the side of Justin's face and up the back of his neck to sift softly through his hair.   

"It's not important. Just talk to her ok." Justin said, reaching over to get the phone from the side table for JC.  

JC wrapped a hand around Justin's wrist to stop him from leaving the bed. "Stay here. I don't have anything to say to her that you can't hear. And we're not finished with this conversation either. If you sneak away I'll just hunt you down." He teased, sliding his hand off of Justin's wrist to entwine their fingers.  

Justin stuck his tongue out at JC before stretching out on the bed beside him.   

JC chuckled while turning on the phone. "Hello mom." He greeted his eyes never leaving Justin's as he waited for his mother to answer.  

"What took that hooligan so long to get you?" Karen asked, not even bothering to say hello to her son.  

"Mom, can you not start that please?" JC implored, raising Justin's hand to his lips when He frowned.  

"Joshua, you haven't been yourself since you moved in with that boy and now you expect me to just sit back and watch him influence you even more. I will not have it. He is nothing but trouble. He's the reason that you decided you were gay and started dating Joey and now you're losing Joey because of him. I will not stand by and watch him ruin your life. If you cannot be man enough to stand up for yourself then I will have to do it for you." Karen reprimanded.  

JC scooted closer to Justin and took his hand placing it on his stomach. "Mother, if you want to have anything to do with this baby once she's born you need to stop blaming Justin for every little thing. Justin didn't make Joey cheat on me. Joey did that on his own. So if Joey and I broke up it has nothing what so ever to do with Justin." He said, pressing Justin's hand flat when he attempted to move it away.  

"See Joshua, this is exactly what I'm talking about. You never would have spoken to me like this before. You don't have to act like this for people to like you. Justin Timberlake is not the center of the universe. You have friends and family who love you just the way that you are. You don't need to have a baby and break up with Joey just to get Justin's approval. You don't need that kind of love." Karen reprimanded; her tone becoming shriller the longer she went on.  

"Justin may not be the center of the universe in general but right now he is the center of my universe. I know I don't have to do all of those things for Justin to be my friend. Justin accepts me no matter what, which is more than I can say about my family at the moment. And I am keeping this baby whether you like it or not so you might as well get off of your get rid of the baby crusade. I will not get back with Joey just because you want me to either. You accuse Justin of wanting to run my life and that's exactly what you're trying to do." JC retorted, afraid to open his eyes after Justin's hand stopped stroking and went lax on his stomach.  

"I suppose that boy is sitting right there and that's why you're being so argumentative. I'm so ashamed of your behavior as of late, Joshua. That ruffian has corrupted you and now you think it's safe to raise a baby in a house with him." Karen said, her argument becoming more desperate as she realized that JC wasn't going to listen to her.  

JC sighed sadly. "Yes it's safe to raise a baby in a house with him. Justin would never do anything to put his own baby in danger. And yes mother this baby is Justin's. I suggest you don't call here again unless you have something nicer to say about the man I love and the father of your grandchild." JC growled and slammed down the telephone.  

JC finally turned his head enough to see Justin's face. He felt a knot form in his throat when he saw that Justin's face was white and his eyes were filled with something that resembled fear.  

"Justin." JC whispered, reaching to touch Justin's face.  

"Please don't. I need to think. Just give me a little while. I won't leave. I just need to be alone for a little bit." Justin pleaded, brushing his hand over JC's cheek before leaving the room.


TBC