Alissa walked into the building casually on Monday morning, slightly nervous about settling into her new job. She went straight to the office that she had been told about during the interview and grinned when she saw a tiny little nameplate with her name on it, on the door. The office really wasn't much, but Alissa was proud because it was hers. She set her purse down on the desk and looked curiously at the package sitting in the middle of the desktop.

There was a plain white envelope with her name scrawled across the top taped to the package. She picked it up, opening it and slid out the handwritten note.

Welcome Alissa. Hope your first day goes well. Sorry I couldn't be there to welcome you in person. Hope you like the gift. Chris.

Alissa re-read the note and then started opening the package. She couldn't help but smile and then laugh as she pulled each item out of the box. First there were several photos of *NSync, then more keychains, some buttons, and pens, even stickers, and a T-shirt. Finally, Alissa pulled out the last item: a large full color poster. When she finished with the box, she sat back in her chair and succumbed to the giggles that she'd been holding back.

Danielle poked her head in the doorway a few minutes later. "Hi Alissa. Glad to see you're settling in." She looked at the collection of stuff spread across Alissa's desk. "What's all this?" Alissa let out another burst of giggles.

"This, I believe, would be Chris' brilliant idea of a welcoming gift. I think. He saw my Backstreet Boys keychain last week at my interview, and so, now ....."

"That explains why he was looking for all this stuff. You're his new conversion case. He's not going to give up you know." Alissa nodded. She had figured that. But she wasn't going to give up her loyalty that easy either. "He's not really as insane as he seems." Danielle had started to look at the different items spread over the desk.

"He doesn't seem exactly insane. He's just. . . um . . . " Alissa couldn't come up with the exact word that she wanted to use to describe him.

"Don't try to sugarcoat it. I might date him, but I'm not delusional. The man is far from normal." Alissa giggled again.

"As long as you're realistic. So you're dating? AND you work for him?" Danielle made a face.

"I know, I know. Bad combination. But he's not around most of the time anyway, so it's a near perfect relationship." She glanced down at the forgotten papers in her hand. "Well, I do have some work to do. I'll talk to you later." Alissa smiled as Danielle started to leave the room.

"Sure."

Several weeks passed and Alissa had settled into her new job. *NSync was touring in support of their latest album, so she'd only seen Chris once since she'd started. But it was rare that she was allowed to forget his presence. She received small *NSync gifts on a regular basis. Each one she carefully looked at and then packed up and sent on to Carrie who was reveling in her friend's new job. The two girls were still trying to schedule Carrie's visit, but until they could, she was happy with all the new presents.

Alissa was running out of her office, just after lunch one day, when she turned the corner, straight into a rather buff chest. It was, of course, fully clothed, but at such close range, Alissa could tell that whoever owned it took very good care of it. She took a couple of quick steps backwards and looked up quickly when she heard the voice.

"Uh, hello."

"Hi, sorry about that."

"No problem." They were both about to speak, when they were interrupted.

"Great. Alissa, you met JC. Man, this is Alissa." Chris walked up behind JC and clapped him on the back. JC grinned at Alissa.

"You're the Backstreet fan. I should have known." Alissa really wished people would stop calling her that, like it was some kind of disease.

"Now that you've met her, maybe you can help me change her mind. It's just not right having a Backstreet fan working for me." Chris shook his head, grinning the whole time, and although Alissa knew he was joking, it still bugged her.

"You got me driving with an *NSync keychain, isn't that good enough?"

"No way, girlfriend." He glanced in her office, "Where'd all the other stuff go?" Alissa sighed, and the hoped that he wouldn't notice the BSB calendar she had hanging beside her desk.

"All the stuff is safely in the hands of someone who appreciates it much more than I ever will." Alissa grinned smugly, until Chris noticed the calendar.

"Hey! What is this?" Alissa heard JC chuckle and saw Chris glare at him. She tried to act innocent.

"What?" Chris shook the calendar at her. " Oh, that. You mean that's not you guys? What was I thinking? I guess it's just a bunch of incredibly good looking guys, who also happen to sing. Ever heard of them?" She batted her eyelashes, still playing innocent.

"You are annoying. Do you know that?" Alissa's grin crept back onto her face.

"Yup. I know. And I thoroughly enjoy annoying you. Just as much as the five of you being all over tv annoys me."

"Oo, don't be nasty now." JC spoke finally. "You could just turn off the television, you know." Alissa turned to JC and nodded.

"True. But it's kind of like that car accident that you just can't turn away from, y'know?" She knew from the smirk on JC's face that he took what she was saying the way she intended it - in fun. Chris she still wasn't always sure about. He had, however, put her calendar back on the wall, and was standing beside JC.

"Alright, enough. JC, we got places to be. Alissa . . ." He didn't finish his thought as he walked away. JC smiled.

"Nice to meet you." Alissa couldn't help but smile back. JC actually was as nice as Carrie thought.

"You too."

Alissa had trouble keeping herself from instantly calling Carrie when she stepped back into her office. She hastily finished up some of her work, and made sure she was all caught up before giving herself permission to pick up the phone.

"Care, you will not believe.... well, actually, you probably will."

"What? What already?" Alissa giggled. She liked being able to taunt Carrie with the information that she had now.

"I met JC today. And he's so sweet. You were right about him."

"I told you! Gawd, what I wouldn't give to be in your place. Sounds like you're warming up to the *NSync boys though," Carrie teased.

"OH NO! They're still not as cool as my boys. But I can overlook some things, seeing as one of them gave me a job."

"You're warming up to them. I swear. Next thing, you'll be agreeing that Justin is cute."

"Ew!" Alissa squealed. "He is SO not cute! That nasty pube hair, and ... just ew. Nick is SO much hotter."

"Oh my gawd. Who are you kidding? He's so ... BIG!" Alissa sighed her best dreamy sigh.

"That, my dear, is exactly the point. He's big. And in more ways than just the most obvious."

Carrie groaned. "Oh, that is WAY too much information. I SO do not need that mental picture." Alissa giggled, happy to have stopped her friend if only for a moment. She glanced up suddenly and realized there was a figure standing in the doorway.

"Ohmigawd, Carrie. I have to go. I'll call you later." She didn't wait for Carrie to answer before hanging up the receiver.

"That was an interesting conversation." Alissa had a hard time looking JC in the eye, not knowing how much he had heard.

"Um, ya. That was my friend who's actually a fan of yours. We always kinda argue over who's better." He put up his hand to ward off her explanations.

"It's none of my business. It's probably better if I don't know. I just came up to invite you to join us for dinner tonight." Alissa must have looked puzzled because he continued. "You might not be a direct member of the *NSync family, but we'd kinda like to welcome you."

"Who exactly is �us'?" Alissa wasn't sure if she really wanted to know the answer.

"Chris, me, Lance, Joey and Justin. And whoever the other guys bring along with them. No big deal. Just dinner." Alissa nodded.

"Alright. I guess it can't be that bad. At the very least I'll have a good story to tell Carrie." JC smiled again, and Alissa noted that his smile was infectious.

"Good, so see you later." He walked to the door, then turned. "You can call your friend back now. She might want to hear some more wonderful things about Nick." Alissa took a deep breath and then rolled her eyes as he walked away.

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