Disclaimer: This is fiction. Nothing more than the product of my warped, twisted mind. :-) The characters in this story are not gay, that I know of. I don't know N Sync, nor do I expect to ever know them. Though I would trade my grandma's famous pumpkin pie recipe for JC. :-P
Acknowledgements: Jeffy: For his friendship and always being there to listen to me bitch.
Dru: For above listed reasons. Thank you for being my friend. :-)
Schuyler: For being a wonderful person, a fabulous writer, and a great pal. :-)
DLS: For being the kick-ass writer that you are and inspiring me. As per your request, I will no longer refer to you as God of Nifty, simply as Overlord. :-)
ScottyT: For also being a kick-ass writer, a sarcastic jerk, and overall just being adorable. :-)
The people of the chat room, I thank you for your friendship and advice.
Recommendations: King and Country, by Schuyler
Retreat, by Schuyler
Brian and Me, by DLS
Search and Rescue, by Matt Hunter
Mirrors, by ScottyT. (Hot damn! A JC story!)
Lance in Shining Armor, also by ScottyT
Beneath It All, again, by ScottyT
A Love Like This, by Stacia
Any Path, by Dara Lynn
No Painless Way, also by Dara Lynn
The Interludes series, again, by Dara Lynn
And many others, too numerous to count or name. Rest assured, there are plenty of great ones out there. :-)
"I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat." --Will Rogers
The Love Letter Part Four
From: 81JTSongMan@hotmail.com To: CScottJ76@hotmail.com Subject: Missing you. Time: 14:33 EST 24 Dec 00
We have to be the absolute cheesiest couple on the face of the earth. We can't be away from each other for even an hour before we break out the e-mails. Even if it is cheesy, I don't care. I miss you, and I wanted to tell you so. I wonder, though, why you insisted on staying behind. I'm thinking you're planning something that I don't know about. :-) Oh well, I guess I'll find out sooner or later. :-) I'm gonna head on home. Mom and Paul send their love, and they promise they'll be here tonight. I'll see you in about 15, baby.
I love you.
Yours, now, and until the end of time and beyond, Justin
JC walked into the office and felt a sudden urge to check his mail. He was pleasantly surprised to see a message waiting for him. He smiled and tapped out a reply.
From: CScottJ76@hotmail.com To: 81JTSongMan@hotmail.com Subject: I love you Time: 14:43 EST 24 Dec 00
I know you're coming home in a little bit, but I just wanted to tell you I love you, even if I can say it in person before you'll have time to receive this message.
/ \ / \
| || |
\ Josh /
\ loves /
\ Just /
\ /
\ /
\ /
\ /
/
OK, so that was a pathetic excuse for a heart. What am I, a computer programmer? :-) The sentiment is the same.
I love you.
Josh.
"OK, you got the vegetable tray?" Chris asked.
"Yeah, I got it. What else do we need?" Lance asked in response.
"Who's supplying the donuts?" Joey piped up.
Lance rolled his eyes at Joey. "Don't worry, Joe, JC and Just are taking care of the donuts."
"And would you stop hogging the cart? I want to push it!" Chris demanded.
"No! Lance said I could push it!"
"I want to push it, dammit!"
"No!"
"Yes!"
"No!"
"Shut up the both of yous!" Lance snapped lowly. "I'll push it. Next time we go shopping, Chris can push."
"See what you started. Now neither of us gets to push," Joey grumped.
"What I started? You were the one whining about not being able to push!" Chris replied.
"Well, if you'd just let me push it anyway--"
"What did I say, you two?"
Chris and Joey looked at each other and replied in unison, "We'll behave."
Lance smiled. "That's better. It's a good thing not many people are in here, or else I'd be really embarrassed."
"Yeah, why is that? It's deserted. I've only seen 10 other people since we got here." Joey noted.
Chris looked around him. "Probably because this is Christmas Eve, and it's only twenty minutes until they close."
"Twenty minutes?" Joey asked.
"They close at 6 on Christmas Eve, Joe." Lance rolled his eyes again. "Didn't you see that when we came in?"
"No, I wasn't paying attention."
"Story of your life," Chris grinned.
"So when are your folks getting here, Josh?"
"They said they'd be here by 7. What about your folks?"
"Around 7, they said. Lance, Joe, and Chris are going to be here early, since they're bringing most of the food," Justin replied as the phone in the kitchen rang. JC picked it up. "Hello?"
"Hi Joshua, it's Randall."
"Oh, hi! What's up?"
"Small problem. Steven's come down with a bit of a fever."
"Oh, no, that's not good. Are you still going to be able to come?"
"I tried to talk Lisa into coming, but she wants to stay home with Steven. I told her I'd stay with her, but she insisted that I go since she and Steven can't be here, that one of us should be there to see you guys."
"I'm happy to hear it. And I hope Stevey feels better. We'll come and see Stevey while you're still in town, that's for sure."
"Great. I just wanted to let you know that there'd be two less of us tonight. Lisa's disappointed that she'll miss you pop the big question though," Randall laughed.
JC smiled. "We'll tape it and send you guys a copy."
"That's actually not a bad idea. But, I've got to get ready to go, and check on Steven. I'll be knocking on your door around 7:30."
"OK, Randall, we'll be here."
"Bye, Joshua."
"Bye."
"Josh, who was that?" Justin called from the living room.
"It was your dad. Lisa and Stevey can't be here tonight."
"Oh, why not?"
"Stevey's come down with a fever, and Lisa wants to stay with him tonight."
"That's too bad. I hope we can see them before they have to leave."
"We will. What time are the guys supposed to be here?"
Justin checked his watch. "Quarter to six now, and they said they'd be here around quarter to seven. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, no reason." JC smiled. He sat down in his favorite chair and beckoned Justin to join him.
Justin smiled and sat down in JC's lap. "Hey."
"Hey. I just wanted some alone time with you before everybody gets here."
"You can have alone time with me any time you want. I like it when we're alone together."
"I do, too. Sometimes," JC grinned mischievously, as he stroked Justin's leg, "it leads to some interesting things."
"Ooh. Someone's horny," Justin smiled.
"Nah. Someone just loves you with all his heart and soul and wants to show you that," JC said, then kissed Justin's forehead.
"How did I ever get so lucky to have you in my life?"
"I dunno. But I know I'm the luckiest guy on the face of the earth, cause I have you."
Justin smiled and kissed the top of JC's head. "Way to channel Lou Gehrig, Josh."
"I always did like 'Pride of the Yankees'," JC replied, wrapping both arms around Justin. "My favorite baseball movie, after 'Field of Dreams'."
Justin, by way of reply, nuzzled JC's cheek. The two lovers sat in the chair, their arms wrapped around each other, contented, and waited for their guests to arrive.
The dinner guests finished their meals and entered the living room. Finding comfortable places to sit, they waited for JC to reveal the secret that everyone but Justin knew.
JC spoke up. "You know, this is great. Having all the family here for the holiday, and helping me and Justin celebrate our anniversary, I'm really glad you all could make it."
"I asked you all here, not only to celebrate Christmas and our anniversary, but something else as well." The guests smiled, nodding their heads. JC noticed that Tyler had an exceptionally large grin on his face. He silently beseeched his younger brother to keep his fat trap shut. Turning to Justin, he took Justin's hand into his own. "Justin, we've been together for nearly eight years, in one form of friendship or another. Those eight years have been the happiest of my life, with you and these other three guys later on, and, in spite of all the difficulties and crises that we've gone through, I would not have gone through those years with any other four people."
Justin smiled and squeezed JC's hand. JC looked at his appreciative bandmates and continued. "As great a reward as NSYNC has been for me, the greatest reward has been having you in my life, Justin. The happiest part of my day is anytime I'm with you, and anytime I'm without you, I'm miserable. The basic truth of the matter is that I'm lost without you. If I can't hold my Justy bear in my arms, a part of me is missing. So, I'm going to make sure that I'm never without you."
JC pulled a small box from his pocket, and Justin stared in surprise. His eyes got wider when he saw what occupied the box. "I know it's not extravagant or studded with diamonds or anything like that, but I just wanted it to show you how much I love you." Going down on one knee, JC spoke the words he'd been dying to for so long.
"Justin Randall Timberlake, will you marry me?"
Justin stared into the eyes of the man he loved. He saw nothing but pure love and affection written in his eyes, and he had no doubts.
"Yes, Josh. Yes, I will!"
JC was overwhelmed with happiness. He took Justin in his arms and embraced him. "Thank you," JC whispered.
"For what, baby?"
"For loving me this much."
Justin smiled. He looked over at his ecstatic parents and grinned. His lover pulled away and looked straight into Justin's eyes. "I love you, my baby Justin." He leaned and kissed Justin deeply, resulting in high temperatures from the two lovers, appreciative "Awws" from their parents, and cries of "Get a room!" from their friends. JC threw a pillow at the main source, not breaking the kiss, and hit Chris' forehead directly on contact.
JC laid in their bed waiting for Justin to finish his shower. He kept rewinding through the day's events, and smiled to himself when he heard those five beautiful words come out of his angel's mouth. The man whom he would spend the rest of his life with. That was what he wanted more than anything in the world, and now, he had it. He was so lost in his own reverie that he didn't notice Justin had finished his shower and was watching him from the doorway, with a smile on his face. "Joshy?"
JC's head snapped up and saw his angel standing there. "Hi, baby. What are you standing over there for?" he pouted. "Come over here and keep me warm."
"Aww, is somebody chilly?" Justin asked, in a baby voice.
"Yes. I need my Justy bear to keep me warm." JC smiled, replying in the same baby voice.
"You're so cute, Joshy. And dorky." Justin said, as he opened the blankets and slipped into bed.
"True, but you love me anyway."
"I do. More than anything."
"I know. You made me so happy tonight. Did I happen to mention that?"
"Oh, a few dozen times," Justin smiled. "But I'm glad. You've made me very happy too, Josh. Pretty soon, I'll be your husband."
JC sighed and pulled Justin in closer to him. He kissed the top of Justin's head and thought about how lucky he was. "I can't wait for that day. We don't have to do it too soon, I just wanted to make you a promise that I'll be yours forever."
"Josh?"
"Yeah?"
"I want to promise you forever too, but I don't have a ring to give you."
"It's OK. I know, and that's all that matters."
Justin smiled. "Thanks. Josh?"
"Yes, angel?"
"Can we just stay like this? I just want you to hold me tonight."
JC smiled. "Sure, baby. Tonight and every night." Justin snuggled in closer and JC turned off the lights. "I love you."
"I love you too, Josh."
They soon fell asleep, content in the knowledge that, while one part of their lives had closed, another, more glorious one was just starting.
THE END
Well, my friends, this is the end of the line for our heroes. But don't you worry! There's plenty of great slash out there for you to feast on! I won't remain inactive for long, either. My writing pal Schuyler and I are working on something that I can reasonably guarantee that you've never seen before. :-) But I'm not giving any hints. :-)
"I never knew how to worship until I knew how to love."
-Henry Ward Beecher
"Sometimes the only way you can feel good about yourself is by making someone else look bad. And I'm tired of making other people feel good about themselves!"
-Homer Simpson
"Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself."
-Mark Twain
"If you can't convince them, confuse them."
-Harry S. Truman