The Next Morning

I woke up, rolled over and came eye to eye with the most amazing blue eyes I've ever seen in my life.

"Morning." JC smiles.

"Mmm," I smile. "Morning. How long you been awake?"

"Not too long." His eyes wander over my shoulders and chest. "You said these all have a special meaning for you, right?" He asks while running a finger along one of my tattoos.

"Yes. Why?"

"Just curious."

"About?"

"Well. Why do you have a Rolex logo here?" He traces the outline of my tattoo.

"I lost a bet for that one." I smile.

He raises his eyebrows, "Thought you said they had meaning?"

"I didn't say it was a good meaning. Just meaning."

I reach down and move his hand from near my waistline. "You don't wanna start something you aren't ready to finish baby." I state when he frowns and brings his eyes up to mine.

He smiles, "Who says I'm not willing to finish it?" He runs his fingers over another tattoo. "What's this one mean, it's beautiful."

"That's in memory of my grandmother." I state with a slight sadness in my voice, which JC immediately picked up on.

"You loved her a great deal?"

"Very much so. I still miss her. She was a great lady."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stir up sad memories."

I take his hand and bring it to my lips, "It's ok. I don't mind talking about her. She had a long, happy life. It's just sometimes I really miss her. You know what I mean?"

JC lays back against the pillow with a sad, distant look on his face, "Yeah. I know exactly what you mean."

I roll up on my elbow and study his face, watch as several different emotions fly across his features. "What is it Josh?" He lays there, "Josh? JOSH. What's wrong?"

"Uh?" He shakes his head, as if to clear it. "What? Oh, nothing."

"Don't even try to tell me that nothing is wrong. I'm not stupid." I frown, "I can tell something is bothering you. Please, baby, just tell me."

"It's just...Well." He takes a deep breath. "You sure you want to hear this? It's not a happy story."

"I'm sure. It obviously is bothering you."

"Well, it has to do with my last boyfriend." He gets another distant look on his face but continues to talk, "His name was Mark. Mark Hoppus." I gasp. "I take it you know who he was?" I nod. "Well. We dated for quite a while actually. Until Operations found out that we'd hooked up. By then we, Nsync, had exploded. He couldn't come after me so he went after Mark and his friends."

"Why'd he after 'go' after either one of you?"

"It's Section policy. No agent can date another agent on their team."

"So Mark was on your team?"

"No." Another frown crosses his face and one small tear sneaks it's way out his eye and down his cheek.

"No? Then why?"

"He was my team leader. After they killed him, or had him killed, they made me take his place as team lead."

"What? How could they do that?"

"You know how they operate. They'll do anything to ensure that the missions are done the way they want them done. No one can buck the system, even if you try, they'll kill you or someone you love. It's not worth it."

I reach over, run a hand down his face, "So why do they want us together?"

"I've no idea, but like I said before, I plan on taking advantage of it for as long as it lasts."

"Hmmm, I like that idea." I lift myself up and place a gentle kiss on his lips. "I have a question for you though."

"Hmm?" JC lazily opens his eyes and meets mine. "What's that?"

"Actually, I have a couple questions." I state as I lean back onto my elbow. "How long were you and Mark..."

"Six months."

"And you never..."

"Never. I don't know why, it was just never the right time. We always seemed to get interrupted or something happened to keep us from doing anything other more than stealing a kiss in the hall or where ever."

"Did you love him?"

"Yes. I seriously thought he was the one person I would spend my life with. I was a mess when I found out he'd been killed."

"How long has it been since..."

"It's been over a year now. I like to think I'm over it but he'll always have a place in my heart." He meets my eyes, "I have to tell you though that being here with you. Makes me think that maybe it wasn't true love that I had with him. If we'd ever actually managed to hook up, it probably would have been over shortly there after."

"Why do you say that?" I furrow my brows.

"Because. When I look into your eyes...They touch me deep in my soul. I can't explain the way it makes me feel when you look at me. When he looked at me, I just got the urge to jump him and do very nasty things to his body."

"So you don't get those urges with me?" I pout.

"Oh, I get those urges too, but you...you do something to me that I've never experienced. I can't explain it and don't think I really want to."

"Hmmm. I think I understand. You do the same to me. With one look you can melt me into a puddle or make me feel ten feet tall. You're eyes tell me so much."

He turns his head and looks me in the eye, "And what are they saying right now?"

"That you want me to kiss you til you can't breath anymore." I raise an eyebrow and then lower my lips to his. "Can I ask you one more question?" I ask as I pull back, panting.

His dazed eyes land on my face again, "Hmm?"

"Will you make love to me?"