AN:  Okay, its finished.  I'm afraid.  Its finished.  PLEASE email me some feedback- I 
really, REALLY want to hear some reaction for the end of this.  Thank you all SO much, 
especially Sam and Ady and Valerie for always sending me feedback.  Ya'll rock.  Seriously.

I broke it into two chapters because its all about impact.  Enjoy.  

inspiredthoughts@hotmail.com    



**************************** Blindsided: Chapter Seventeen ************************


That night was the best in Laura's life.  She would always think of bathrooms as special 
places, and could never forget the feel of Jayce's arms around her as he sung their song in 
her ear, bodies swaying with gentle unified motion.  He didn't take his hands off her the 
rest of the evening, from a small touch at the small of her back, to fingers absently 
brushing her knuckles.  

He whispered fierce declarations of love in her ear in between conversation.  She tried 
not to cry through her joy and held him back.  Almost everyone who spoke with JC said he 
glowed.  

It was late by the time they escaped to their limousine but all of her weariness was 
replaced with the exciting and terrifying knowledge that Joshua Chasez was as in love with 
her as she was with him.  That she wouldn't be broken by that love.  He stared at her, a 
softly crooked smile full on his lips as he traced the line of her jaw and the curve of 
her cheek, wandering up to count her eyelashes.  He leaned in and kissed her breathless.  

Kissed her to life again.  

They broke apart, breathing heavily, and he rested his forehead against hers.  "I love 
you Laura Danon."  

"I hope you never get tired of saying that."  

"Why?"  

She buried her face shyly against his neck.  "Because I want to hear it at least five 
times a day."  

Josh laughed and threaded his hands tenderly through her hair as he kissed her hairline.  
"I don't think that will be a problem."  

"I love you too," Laura said softly, her own declaration edged with vulnerability that 
made him hate everyone and everything that had ignored the unique beauty of her soul.  
That had made her doubt herself.  

"I know sweetheart; I finally know.  We're going to my house to talk, is that all right?"  

She laughed.  "Of course it is."  

*********************************************************************************

Laura was more somber by the time they arrived at JC's fashionably rich house.  It was 
actually smaller than most of the other guys.  Only Chris's was close to the same size.  
She loved it.  It felt homey despite how little it had actually been lived in.

They were barely through the door when she blurted out the thought that had plagued her 
most the evening.  "I'm going to have to quit."  

Josh looked back at her, his hand still warmly clasping hers, and frowned, blue eyes dark.  
"Why do you say that?" he asked seriously as he lead them to the living room so that they 
could sit on his overstuffed sofa.  

She picked nervously at her nails since he had released his hands and shrugged.  "It just 
wouldn't be right, professionally, I love my job Jayce but loving you is more important.  
Johnny made very clear that there are some boundaries that I can't cross.  This is the 
only one I think that he'd fire me over.  Why do you think he hired me?"

Josh looked baffled.  "Why do YOU think he hired you?" he asked gently.  

She didn't look at him as she answered, "Because he knew that none of you could never 
have... feelings for me that way.  I wouldn't be a complication, or a problem."  

"You want to know why I think he hired you?" JC demanded.  "He hired you because you're 
competent, bright, incredibly dedicated, loyal, fierce and efficient.  The fact that you 
weren't a star seeker with fake breasts and bleached hair spoke well for you perhaps, but 
that wasn't why he hired you.  That's why he felt so confident in hiring you.  Johnny is 
*NSYNC family.  He doesn't like to bring in strangers he doesn't trust."  

"I broke that trust Josh."  

He stroked her cheek and marveled that he could.  "No sweetie, you didn't.  I know how 
much you love working for us, all of us, from Justin to Chris, all the crewmembers.  I've 
watched you bloom since you've joined us and I wouldn't want anything to jeopardize that, 
even loving you.  I called him last week, or he called me, and I told him my intentions.  
I made clear that what we felt is very real and very solid and not about to go away.  I 
asked his permission to openly court you without affecting your standing in this *NSYNC 
family.  And as long as you're doing your job half as well as you've done it these last 
months, you're going to be a part of this family, no matter what status our relationship 
is."  

"Really?" Laura asked, torn between disbelief and desperate relief.  

"Don't you want to stay this job?"  

She laughed breathless and hugged him, "Of course I do Jayce.  You don't know what its like, 
to work somewhere where I'm more than a tool.  Even before we were friends, I was always a 
person to you all, from the first day when Chris introduced himself to me instead of 
ignoring my existence.  It takes effort to notice me.  I'm easy to overlook."  

He laughed, a rumbling echo of her own, and held her tighter.  "No Laura love, you're not.  
Trust me, you're blinding in your brilliance."

And the wonderful thing was that she believed him.