Hey ya'll, it's me again. . . . I wrote The Day Before Tommorow, which is now sorta dormant, sorry 'bout the prob folks. I hope you like this story, another Justin and JC, I know ya'll are sick of them, but just give this lame attempt a chance.
~Rich~
PLEASE e-mail me feedback as I'm having a severe case of writers block.
gking03@yahoo.com
LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This is a complete work of fiction, and means nothing about the sexual orientation of anyone in NSYNC or the Backstreet Boys.
At The Beginning With You (1)
FLASHBACK:
JC turned from the window and let the drapes fall back into place, the room going back to its droomy look, shadows moving in and out of the corners. Falling back onto his bed, he stared at the ceiling. In the bed next to him, Justin stirred slightly, turning over and breathing heavily. "JC?" came a small, frightened whimper. JC immediately jumped off the bed and ran to Justin's side. "JC?" Justin called again, this time louder.
"Yea, I'm right here," JC said sitting down on the side of the bed.
"Sorry, I thought you might've left," Justin said pushing back the covers on the bed and stretching.
"Miss home?" JC asked simply.
Justin nodded and yawned, swinging his legs over the bed, shivering at the sudden coolness of the air-conditioned hotel room. "I didn't think it would happen, but I actually miss home, my family and everything, mostly Jonathon," Justin said grinning, then let on tear slide down his face. "I'm glad I'm finally doing what I love, but why did I have to leave my home behind?"
JC smiled at the simple sentiments of the younger boy. "That's just the way life goes Justin, I knew this group would come together sometime, ever since MMC, but not without a rough beginning."
"Josh, I know this is really silly, but would you sing to me?" Justin asked, his face flushing a little.
JC raised his eyebrows at the unusual request. "Sure Just, whaddya want me to sing?"
Justin thought for a moment. "At The Beginning With You from Anastasia, I used to listen to that before going to sleep at night."
JC started humming the intro, and Justin fell back on the bed, his hand slipping from JC's shoulder to his hand, their fingers entwining.
JC looked down at Justin as he sang, and watched as his eyes closed, the lashes fluttering slightly. Finishing the last verse, he tucked the covers around Justin's chin, and placed a kiss on his nose. After turning away from the bed, JC missed the smile that had formed on Justin's face.
Chapter 1: FLASHES IN TIME
Justin wiped his brow with a corner of his wifebeater, and bounced the ball back to JC forcefully. "Gimme all ya got," he said bending his knees and squinting his eyes in concentration. JC dribbled the ball a couple times, then poised himself, and went for the basket. Justin immediately blocked him, putting his hands up so JC couldn't get a clear shot. JC moved to the right, then to the left, as Justin followed right behind him on every move. JC jumped and shot with one hand, and Justin jumped up and smacked the ball clean out of the air with his hand. Coming down from his stupendous save, Justin's knee hit the court and he slid a couple feet on the pavement. JC immediately bent down next to Justin and helped him up. "You okay buddy?"
Justin winced in pain. "Um, yea, I'm fine," he said, forcing the words out, but blood was already streaming down his leg and pooling bright red on his sock.
"Wait here, I'll be back in a sec," JC said and ran back into the house, slamming the glass door quickly.
Justin relaxed on the court, the heat and humidity seeming to press into him and suffocate him. Breathing hard, he staunched the flow of blood with his hand, listening to the insects drone on their rhythmic melody as the Florida Sun beat down on him.
JC jogged back up to the court, a bottle of alcohol, a gauze pad, and bandages in his hand. "I'll get ya all fixed up," he said dipping the pads in the alcohol. Justin tenderly removed his hand from the abraded skin, and JC cleaned it as gently as possible. Justin screwed up his face from the stinging, and clutched JC's arm so hard he left white marks. JC pressed the pad into the wound and bandaged it up. Justin tentatively rose, then grabbed JC's shoulders for support. "Thanks Josh," he said grimacing. "Can you make more lemonade or somethin? The guys'll be over soon."
JC nodded and helped Justin into the house and over to the couch. JC went into the kitchen and finished squeezing the lemons he had started earlier. Mixing the juice with water and sugar, he mixed them together in a pitcher and put it in the refrigerator. Walking back through the den to the living room, he sat down in a chair opposite Justin. "Feeling better?"
Justin nodded. "Thanks for everything Josh, nobody else'd take care of me like you do."
"Sure, anytime," JC said peeling off his sweat-soaked tee-shirt. "We'd better get cleaned up before the guys get here," he said pointing to the large wet spots on Justin's wifebeater and blood soaked sock.
Justin nodded and limped over to the stairwell. JC threw his arm around Justin's shoulder and helped him up the stairs.
Taking off his shirt and shorts, Justin changed into a pair of yellow warm-up pants and a baby blue tank top, and limped down the stairs by himself. "Need help Just?" JC yelled from the guest room.
"No, thanks though," Justin yelled back as he hopped the last stair and sat down next to the door waiting for JC to finish.
JC stripped his shirt and pants off, throwing on a clean wifebeater, and just wearing his boxers, leapt the stairs two at a time, almost smashing Justin through the window. "Damn, now I know why Chris calls you Tigger," Justin said smiling as JC bounced off to the kitchen humming the Winnie the Pooh TV show theme song. Rolling his eyes, Justin walked into the kitchen and found JC perched on a stool trying unsuccesfully to crack a Walnut.
"I can't decide if you're physco or just incredibly stupid," Justin said rubbing his chin as if in deep thought. He jumped as there was a loud crack, and shell fragments exploded all over the kitchen, shooting bits of brown dust into Justin's platinum blond hair. "JC!" Justin yelled and threw himself at his friend. JC toppled off of the stool and they crashed to the floor, and JC grabbed Justin in a headlock. "Truce?" JC asked as Justin giggled madly. "Alright t-truce, OW!"
JC immediately stopped pummeling Justin. "Did I hurt you?" he asked with concern in his eyes.
Justin shrugged. "No, just, my knee feels a little sore."
JC swept up the remains of the walnut and shell from the floor and grinned. "Well, maybe I should find something else for us to eat."
Justin sat on the beach, the wind sweeping through his golden locks, the sunset throwing dancing red and peach colored sparkles through the waves, and the sky dyed a blood red with seemingly endless purple fingers stretching from the west eastward.
Feeling the sand stinging his bare chest, Justin closed his eyes and stood at the tideline, and let the foam from the sea spray him and the incoming tide lap at his feet. Reaching down, he scooped up a handful of sand and threw it out into the ocean, watching it sink, leaving small dimples on the surface. Sighing, he turned and walked slowly down the beach and back to the house.
Justin washed his feet off with the hose and opened the sliding glass doors and slipped into the house. "Damn," Justin said shivering as he dripped on the tile floor of the daylight basement. JC appeared holding a towel and threw it at Justin. "Have a good time?"
Justin nodded as he watched JC. Wearing only a pair of silk boxers and some flip flops, JC flipped through some song lyrics, peering over the top of his glasses, humming quietly to himself.
That's the guy I want to marry," Justin thought as he shook his head free of saltwater.
Justin moved fluidly through the dance moves for Digital Getdown. Throwing his hands up and wrenching his body into even more inhuman positions, he kept perfect time with the music, his smooth voice cutting the air of the recording studio and bouncing back to him with a pleasing effect. Giving one last suggestive pelvic thrust to the camera, he ended the song.
"I had something like that in mind," he said as the guys stared at him. "Can ya'll handle that? Some of those moves were a little hard."
JC stared with unharnessed admiration at Justin's flexible body. "Um, yea, I think we can manage, right guys?"
Chris, Joey, and Lance nodded knowingly. "We'll just do some crap in the background while you do your thing Justin, that was amazing," Lance said grinning.
"Alright, from the top, kay?" Justin asked.
The guys got up from their position in the seats and lined up on stage. "Grapevine left, right, then I want you and Joey to move back," Justin gestured. "JC, you stand opposite me, and I'll just have a quick word with the cameraman about angles on us. Lance, I want to get some of your backflips in here too."
Justin had a quick conversation with the recorders and cameramen, and the moved back to his place in line. Wearing a very thin silk outfit, Justin felt cool and collected as he started the beginning of the song, giving the breathy voice over into his microphone. JC watched Justin moving for the camera as he spoke, and a shiver went down his spine. The music picked up and he started singing. JC moved opposite Justin as planned and narrowed his eyes in concentration as he went through his rehearsed moves. Justin moved even more smoothly than when he was rehearsing by himself, all the nervous jitters he had while on stage by himself, left. The song ended and Justin smiled. "GREAT!"
JC slapped Justin on the back. "I kinda liked that myself too Just."
Justin peeled off his black silk tank top and mopped his brow with a towel. "I love this stuff, dancing and everything," he commented watching the playback of one of his harder moves. "It seems so confusing, but everything ends up coming together."
JC shrugged. "You have perfect fitness Justin, you're toned to the ninth degree and you've got a sixpack from hell, it's a little harder for us guys who aren't the epitomy of perfection."
"Hmm. . . epitomy. . . don't use words you don't understand hun," Justin said pinching JC's cheeks. "I'm going back to the hotel, you wanna come, or meet me later?"
"Wha, hm? Oh, yea, I'm coming now," JC said blushing red as he took his eyes off Justin's bare chest and abs.
Justin grinned. "Alright, call a cab while I get a clean shirt and pants on."
Justin banged around the hotel room shoving his immense wardrobe into the drawers and closets of his suite. A knock on the door startled Justin and he dropped a heavy suitcase on his foot. "Shit FUCK!, ow, damn-it, COMING!"
Justin opened the door revealing JC. "You alright Justin?"
Justin nodded letting JC come in and closed the door behind him. "Yea, I'm fine, you just startled me and I dropped one of the suitcases I was unpacking on my pinky toe," he said ruefully rubbing his foot.
"Ya want me to kiss it and make it feel better?" JC asked jokingly.
"No thanks JC, anyway, you don't want to kiss my feet, they're stinky-poo now," Justin said joking as he peeled off his sweaty socks.
JC sat on the couch and looked out the window at New York City. "I love this place, there are so many new people to meet and places to go, life seems to run on a different track."
Justin pulled some baggy jeans on and a white silk shirt. Putting on his black docs, he checked his hair in the mirror. "Come on Joshy, let's take a walk, I want to see central park."
Justin grabbed his sunglasses and the two of them made their way down to the lobby and out the door.
Justin walked through the park making small conversation with JC, watching the way the leaves made swishing sounds as he shuffled his feet. Letting the cool autumn breeze calm him, he listened to the far off sounds of sirens and horns, and watched the couples sitting on the benches. JC watched Justin's eyes take in the sights, contemplating his high cheekbones, flawless skin and golden blond locks.
"Justin, have you ever thought about having a girlfriend?" JC asked, speaking a little faster then he intended.
Justin shrugged kicking the ground. Turning around to face JC, he let the leaves swirl around him in the breeze, his curls whipping around his forehead and ears. "I guess Britney would count as one, but I never really loved her. I'm waiting for the right person to come along."
Turning his attention back to the brilliant orange, brown, and yellow hues of the trees, he breathed the cool, crisp air in deeply. "Have you?"
It was now JC's turn to shrug. "Know the song "Everything you Want" by Vertical Horizon?
Justin nodded.
"Well, I guess that's the way I feel about the person I love. I guess they've got so many people out there that would go perfectly with them, but I'm the one who really fits, and they could never really care for me either," JC said sadly and awkwardly fixed his eyes on the ground.
"Is it Christina?" Justin asked curiously. "I'm positive she likes you." Justin sat down on a bench and JC sat next to him.
"Nope, it's not Christina. . . Justin, let's just leave that alone for now, kay?" JC said.
Justin smiled. "What's your buisness is yours and yours only. I respect you completely Josh, tell me when you're ready."
JC took his cellphone out of his pocket as he felt it vibrate. Clicking it to the off position, he relaxed back into the leather seat of the limo and watched the streetlights flash by overhead through the large sunroof. Justin lay stretched out on the seat opposite, asleep. Moving over to sit by him, JC put his jacket on his lap and gently lay Justin's head on the jacket. Brushing some of the golden curls from Justin's forhead, JC watched intently as Justin's long eyelashes fluttered as he dreamed.
Justin awoke suddenly and found himself staring deep into JC's bright sapphire blue eyes. "Josh?" Justin said weakly as he tried to sit up.
JC pushed Justin's head back down on his lap. "It's alright, we've only got a half an hour more. Just go back to sleep."
Justin curled up and put his arm around JC's waist, instinctively cuddling up for warmth and protection. JC dozed lightly against the tinted window, the air conditioning vent blowing strands of his hair into his eyes. Justin reached up and pointed the vent away from JC and brushed hair out of JC's eyes, as JC had done for him.
JC looked down and was caught in Justin's stare, their eyes locking on each other and refusing to turn away. "JC, the person you said you liked, is it someone in the group?"
JC nodded, still not completely awake. Justin sat up so he was face to face with JC. "Is it. . . is it me?"
JC nodded once again, and turned his head away from Justin and looked back out at the New York City streets. The Brooklyn Bridge loomed up ahead, and JC watched as Manhatten unfolded, the skyscrapers jumping up as if reaching to the heavens.
"I love you, Joshua," Justin said moving his hand to the back of JC's head and turned JC to face him. Touching his lips to JC's, Justin ran his hand along the short, fine hairs on the back of JC's neck and their breath mingled between them.
Breaking apart, JC and Justin watched the beautiful water rippling in the moonlight as the limo raced across the bridge toward their hotel.
JC stood on the balcony, glancing out over the darkened city, watching the small pools of light the streetlights cast on the sidewalk, and the lone shopper rushing to their cars. He heard the glass doors open and shut behind him, and felt Justin's hand on his shoulder. "Want company, or shall I just go to bed?"
JC turned slowly. "I wouldn't deny you Justin."
Justin sat down slowly. "JC, I want to talk to you about what happened."
JC turned from his vantage point on the railing and raised his eyebrows. "Alright, I'm all ears."
"JC, stop this, you're acting strange," Justin said angrily standing up. "Just because this happened doesn't mean you have to think of me differently or ignore me."
JC turned to Justin, not speaking a word. "I love you Justin Timberlake," he said, his voice faltering a little.
Justin opened the plated glass doors, turning, his baby blue eyes turning to a stormy gray-green, his voice coming out flat and monotonous. "I love you too Joshua Chasez."
. . . One hour later, JC came inside and sat down on the corner of Justin's bed. Humming the tune from "At The Beginning With You", he tucked the covers up to Justin's chin and kissed him on the nose as he had done months ago.
Two Months Later. . . . .
It's not that I can't live without you, It's just that I don't even want to try
Justin stared out the snow-encrusted hotel room window, his brush he was holding clattering to the windowsill, Backstreet Boys "Millenium" playing softly on his CD player.
Every night I dream about you, Ever since the day you said goodbye
Justin looked down at the ground far below and let a tear fall, feeling it run down his cheek and across his jawline, pooling uncomfortably in the collar of his sweater.
Nothin' that I wouldn't do, Baby if I only knew. . . .
Bending down to his nightstand, he took out of a picture of JC and himself standing on a dock in Orlando. Placing his fingers at the top, he prepared to rip it down the middle.
The words to say, the road to take, To find a way back to your heart
Stopping, he pushed open the window, the cold winter air rushing in and taking his breath away. Leaning out the window, he held the picture as far as he could out into the night, and let it go. Justin watched as the picture was whipped by the winds, soaring out over the buildings and out of sight. Collapsing on the ledge, he instantly fell asleep, snowflakes collecting around him.
What can I do, to get to you And find a way back to your heart
JC gently pushed open the door to Justin's room, catching his breath suddenly at the blast of freezing air. Rushing into the room, JC looked about, almost not believing what he saw.
Every flat surface in the room was dusted with frost, the carpet stiff with snow at least two inches thick. Glancing up, he saw the large bay windows of the suite thrown wide open, a chilling wind whipping through the room as the frosted curtains flapped against the sill. JC drew in a quick breath, and then let it out quickly, watching as his breath showed like automobile exhaust in the freezing air. Running over to the windows, his eyes widened as he saw Justin.
Justin lay, his blonde hair lightly dusted with snowflakes, his head lying in a small drift. His skin shown brightly pale white, contrasting sharply with the blood-red of his lips. His arm was thrown above his head and the other at his side.
"JUSTIN!" JC yelled bending down at Justin's side. JC tore of his jacket and covered Justin. Lifting him effortlessly to the bed, he pulled back the covers and slid him underneath, laying his head on the pillows. "Justin, come on baby, come on," JC said distraught. Receiving no answer, JC patted Justin's cheek lightly.
Justin's eyelashes flickered, and he opened his eyelids revealing his bright blue eyes. "JC, you came," he said weakly raising his head.
"Justin, you're sick, let me help," JC said leaning down and feeling Justin's forhead.
Justin reached up and touched JC's chin, gently bringing their lips together in a kiss. JC felt the warmth of Justin's mouth on his as his lips parted admitting Justin's tounge. JC kneeled without breaking the kiss and placed his hand behind Justin's head. A cold wind howled through the wind, knocking snow off the curtains, which flew around JC and Justin in a flurry. JC opened his eyes as did Justin, and Justin smiled.
JC paced back and forth outside the doors to Justin's room, mumbling to himself, still holding the crinkled piece of paper saying the room number and visiting hours. JC jumped when the door opened and a nurse emerged. "Mr. Chasez?"
JC nodded.
"Mr. Timberlake has been asking for you, go ahead and go on in."
JC pushed the doors open and walked into the room. JC seated himself next to Justin's bed, listening to the blip of the machinery and eyeing the IV needles in Justin's hand. "How're ya feelin' babe?"
Justin grinned. "Actually, a lot better than I was doing a few minutes ago. Doc said I'd only have to be on crutches for a week, just to keep pressure off my lungs from the pneumonia."
JC took Justin's non-needled hand in his. "I've been thinking about you ever since you've gotten here," JC said smiling warmly.
Justin laughed softly. "I'd be lying if I said you hadn't crossed my mind."
JC got up and walked to the window watching the snow fall softly on the hospital, some flakes drifting lazily down to land on the outside sill, then swept away by the wind. "I love winter," JC said pressing his palms and nose agaist the window leaving foggy prints.
"I love you," Justin said watching JC out of the corner of his eye.
JC came back to the bed, bent over, and kissed Justin softly on his forehead. "As do I."
Justin limped over to the sink, the flourescent light over the counter flickering dimly in the bathroom. Propping his crutches against the wall, he fumbled with the zipper to his toiletry kit. Finally wrestling his brush out, he attempted to tame his wild curls, but had little to no success. "JC, help," Justin called back out into the bedroom.
A few seconds later, JC shuffled into the bathroom clad in his striped boxers, his normally perfect dark brown hair draped into his eyes.
"I need help on my hair," Justin said softly handing JC the brush.
JC held Justin's head steady and brushed the knots and tangles out of Justin's silky hair slowly and gently. JC moved his hand down to Justin's bare shoulder and caressed his skin softly as he finished smoothing Justin's hair. Putting the brush back down on the sink, JC turned Justin to face him.
Justin could feel JC's body heat radiating like rays against his chest, and he moved closer so they were touching. Justin shivered from the seemingly electrical charge passing through them. Justin and JC's lips met softly in a kiss, reserved for only those who are willing to give up their life and soul for another.
Alright everyone, tell me if that was alright or not. I'll take comments, good or bad in stride, and I guarentee I'll probably respond to everyone. Thanx for reading and stay cool!