So this was the end.

It wasn't a definite surprise. Everyone knew they couldnt last forever. And with all the ‘Justin going solo' hoopla, it just sped up their departure.

Chris stood in the doorway, a large duffel bag hanging off his shoulder, a sad smile on his lips. He had thanked everyone over their last lunch as a group for giving him the run of a lifetime.

Joey sat on the couch's arm rest, smiling. He had hugged everyone twice already. He cried when he hugged Lance.

Lance stood also, leaning against the wall, his eyes cast downward. He had been silent the whole time.

Justin was sitting on the floor, his legs crossed and his feet tucked under them pretzel like. He bit at his fingernails. He looked strangely distant.

JC sat by the window, looking out pensively. His hand trembled and his breathing was shallow. He didn't want to look at his friends anymore. See his brothers packing up to leave him. Them. Their team. It was too real.

"Love you guys. We'll be in touch." Chris reached for the door knob. Lance put a hand on his shoulders and smiled for him.

Chris furrowed his brow and pursed his lips, the all too quick rush of tears shining in the light. His lips trembled and he put a hand on top of Lance's. He was gone in an instant and Justin whimpered.

Lance sighed loudly and picked up his rolling suit case and cleared his throat. "You know where to reach me..." he stopped and looked around the room. "God, I owe you guys everything. Everything. I-" he stopped abruptly and shook his head. He patted Joey's shoulder and then reached down to give the grown man a hug. He was gone even sooner.

Joey watched his friends. Justin looked lost and JC didnt look like anything at all. He wondered if he should stay, be the last one out to make sure they all got where they needed to be.

Justin looked up suddenly and the Italian was stricken by the warmth in those eyes. "Back to New York?" he asked softly, and JC's head turned to look at the exchange.

Joey smiled, his eyes hidden. "Yeah, my parents wanna go there for a while. Then it's off to Virginia." he laughed when he saw Justin chuckle. "Kelly loves it there for some reason." he stood up, great and tall. He looked at JC, then to Justin noticing the blonde's eyes were on JC too. "You gonna be alright?" he asked and Justin smiled sadly at the back of JC's head. His eyes slowly slid to Joey.

"Yeah. You... you go now." he said and then stood up, gathering Joey in for a tight hug. The brunette patted Justin on the back and kissed his cheek.

"I- I love you guys. Take care." he said and Justin looked down when the older man's voice cracked.

Joey was gone way too fast and Justin looked scared all over again.

JC looked out the window and closed his eyes, his breath slowing. He hated being a celebrity right then.

"Are you going to walk me to the door?"

The small whisper made JC frown and he turned around in his seat, looking at Justin with heart broken baby blues.

Justin looked back, his bag in hand. "Come walk me, JC." he said sternly.

The older man obliged and took a deep breath.

JC reached Justin in seconds and they stood there, staring. Memorizing every single detail their brains could so on those lonely nights, when they have nothing to do and all they feel is the sting of being alone they could close their eyes and remember each other. Their eyes closed simultaneously.

Time passed the two slowly.

JC opened his eyes to see Justin's still closed, but a tear drop had leaked from the corner. JC's hand instinctively reached up, his thumb wiping the tear away silently. Justin's eyes opened at the touch and his chin trembled. JC urged his own tears away.

"JC, you promised." Justin whispered emotionally.

JC shook his head. "I said we could live forever-"

"If we had each other." Justin let a few more tears fall and then took a deep sigh, wiping his cheek with the back of his shirt. Justin looked up and JC looked back. His eyes searched his soul. "I love you."

JC nodded. "I know."

"I fucking love you so much." he whispered and JC leaned forward, their foreheads resting againt each others.

"Promise me." Justin stayed silent. "Justin promise me... Promise me you wont let us die." JC closed his eyes, letting his tears slip down his cheeks. Justin nodded against him.

They pulled back and Justin eyed him. Slowly they closed the small gap between them. Their lips met softly, just a mere brush of the lips. Their mouths worked naturally against each others. JC whimpered and couldnt help it when the tears slid to the floor. His arms reached out for Justin, and he squeezed. "Say you love me." he said, wiping his tears into Justin's shoulder.

Justin clung to the man in front of him and nodded. "I love you. I love you so much."

Silence enveloped the two.

"Justin?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

Justin squeezed his eyes shut and buried his face into JC's neck. "God, don't leave me JC."

"I won't."

Big and hopeful eyes looked up. "You fucking promise?"

JC gave him a smile. "I fucking promise."

The silence around them seemed loud.

"JC?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you too."

Justin left in the next instant, right after the couple shared their last kiss as Nsync.

JC went over to the window and sighed, the tears getting caught in the lump stuck in his throat. The evening looked happy, sunny, vibrant. JC smiled at it, cursing the bittersweet pain curling in his chest.

With his bag in hand and tears in his eyes, JC closed the door behind him.

-Fin-

Read the sequel: Right Now