*****Several hours later*****
"Finally, we're here," Chris jumps up and grabs a couple bags of stuff. "You know we should have bought a few suitcases to put all these clothes in."
"Yeah, no kidding," Joey replies. "Now we gotta get all this stuff up to the room. This is gonna be fun."
JC comes up behind Joey and wraps his arms around him, "It's just for one night. Then it's back in the bus and home baby."
Joey steps away from JC's embrace, "Thank God," and walks away.
They all grab some bags and head inside. They deposit all the clothes in JC's room and then head for their own rooms, leaving JC to himself.
"Chris was right. We should have bought something to hall these in, or bought less stuff."
"Talking to yourself already?" Justin asks from the doorway.
"JC jumps at the voice, "No, just thinking out loud."
"So, where's Joey?"
"His room, I imagine." JC states.
Justin sees the hurt in JC's eyes. "You wanna talk?"
"Not really in the mood J. Think I'm just gonna sleep for a bit."
"Well, glad to see not everything has changed." Justin walks over and pulls JC into his arms, "I'm here if you want to talk."
"Thanks J." JC hugs back then pulls away. "You better go call Brit before she calls the S.W.A.T. team out to make sure we made it safely."
Justin walks to the door, "Very funny Jayce."
"Rose."
"Huh?"
"Rose, it's Rose now, not Jayce. Better get used to it."
"That's gonna be hard." Justin walks out the door.
"Now what do I do?"
"You could go shopping." A deep voice from the connecting coor suggests.
"Yeah," Chris chimes in. "We got a couple hours before we have to be anywhere. We could take you somewhere."
"No, you know Lonnie's not gonna let you guys go anywhere."
"Maybe later then?" Chris asks.
"Yeah, after the interview." Lance adds.
"So what'd Johnny come up with?" JC asks.
"We're just gonna say you aren't feeling well. Got the flu. He also said to tell you, you could stay at the compound if you don't want to be alone in your own house."
"That's cool, but I think I'm gonna need sometime to deal with this. It's kinda strange to look in the mirror and see a girl looking back at me."
"I can only imagine," Lance states. He walks over and hugs JC>
Chris wraps his arms around the two of them. "We'll come get you when we're done and we'll do something fun. Ok?"
"Ok," JC smiles.
***Later that day***
Chris pounds on the door, "JC open the door."
silence
"Here let me try," Justin pushes his way to the door and knocks, "Rose? Could you open the door please?"
The door opens to reveal a very excited Rose, "Bout time. I was starting to think none of you would catch on."
"To what?" Lance asks.
"That he wants to be called Rose from now on." Justin states.
"Why?" Chris questions.
"So when we are in public you guys don't slip up and call me the wrong name." JC replies.
"So," Lance starts. "You weren't gonna open the door until one of us called you Rose?"
"Exactly." JC stated proudly.
"Well, what if J hadn't figured it out?"
"Nah, one of you would have remembered sooner or later or Lonnie would have been the first face I would have seen."
"True," Justin agrees. "But don't do that again. You had us all worried."
"Yeah, yeah. How'd the interview go?"
"It was wierd," Chris stated.
"Yeah, Lance agrees. "It was worse than the video where Wade stood in for Joey."
"We missed you," Justin stats while looking at the floor.
"Where's Joey?" JC questions.
They all look at each other.
Finally Lance states, "He went to his room. Didn't say a word when we asked if he wanted to go with to take you out either."
"Oh," JC sighs. "I'm not so sure I want to go anyway. Can we do it some other time guys?"
"Um...sure...I guess so," Chris states, a bit disappointed.
"Anytime man, just give us a call." Lance and Chris leave the room.
"You ok?" Justin asks.
"Yeah, I guess." JC replies.
"No you're not. You're about to start crying."
"Yeah, well you try going from being a guy to a ... a... a girl and see how balanced you're emotions are."
"No thanks, but I'm here for you if you need me."
"Thanks, J."
Justin leaves the room.
JC picks up the phone and dials Joey's room.
"Hello?"
"Hey baby."
"Jayce?" Joey grumbles.
"Yeah, it's me. Can I come over?"
"Um....No, I don't think that would be a good idea."
"Oh," JC sighs. "You gonna come over in a bit?"
"No, I'm going out with Lance and Chris tonight."
"Oh, ok." JC chokes back a tear.
"Look Jayce, I gotta go."
"Ok, love you."
Joey hangs up without responding.
JC lay down on the bed and started crying. Justin and Lance both watch on quietly from the connecting doorway.
They shut the door.
"What the hell is Joey trying to do to him?" Justin growls.
"I don't know," Lance states. "But I intend to find out tonight. You know how talkative he is when he gets drunk."
"Good thinking," Justin smiles. "I think I'll try to cheer Rose up a bit."
"That'd be nice. He, I mean she, has enough going on without Joey pulling this shit."