AN: Last chapter, yay! Check out the Author's Notes at the bottom of the main page if you feel so inclined. Its just some random 'Blindsided' thoughts. ;) inspiredthoughts@hotmail.com **************************** Blindsided: Chapter Eighteen ************************* "Come to dinner this Friday, I have something very important to tell you all. Be there, okay?" * beep * Joey scratched his head and shrugged. Jayce was always the easiest of them all to please. He would have at least asked that they bring their own drinks. He never had enough food in his house for big group dinners. ********************************************************************************** "Come to dinner this Friday, I have something very important to tell you all. Be there, okay?" * beep * Lance rolled his eyes. "Nice advanced notice C." He ambled over and checked his Palm Pilot even though he knew he had left almost his entire week clear for post tour de-stressing. It wouldn't kill him to see the guys for a few hours though, especially since it was JC who asked. He didn't ask for a lot, not from them, it was the least Lance could do. ********************************************************************************** "Come to dinner this Friday, I have something very important to tell you all. Be there, okay?" * beep * Justin raised his brows and rolled his eyes. "About damn time Josh." ********************************************************************************** "Come to dinner this Friday, I have something very important to tell you all. Be there, okay?" * beep * Chris stared at his answering machine with a frown that slowly dawned into a smile. It'd be nice to get to talk to JC again. ********************************************************************************** JC opened the door to two very curious band mates and two clearly impatient ones. They said their hellos and he ushered them all into the kitchen, preferring that to the more formal atmosphere of his still sparse dining room. They sat and stared at him. He smiled serenely back. "All right Jayce, I'll bite, " Lance said as he leaned forward and out clasped hands on the table, "what's this all about? What's your big news?" JC's smile grew larger. "I got my solo deal." Chris was bouncing in his chair as Justin rolled his eyes. "No shit Sherlock, we already knew that." Josh shrugged. "Well, you already knew I loved Laura and everyone of you has been waiting on pins and needles for a real declaration." Chris sucked in an expectant breath as they waiting in bated silence. "Oh geeze, yes, we said our 'I love yous', right Laura?" She stepped out of the living room with a shy grace that left him without words. He gathered her to his side without saying anything, basking in her warmth and the smell of peaches and apricots, which clung to her soft skin determinedly. She nodded and kissed his brow, pleased that she was so much taller when he was sitting. Lance and Joey sat back in shock as Chris whooped loudly and vaulted the table to tackle Laura in a happy, bone-crushing hug. "No more crying!" he demanded sternly as he planted platonic kisses on her cheeks before pinching them. She laughed and squirmed as she tried to get away from him. "What are you talking about?" she demanded through stolen breath. "You cried on me because you thought that your precious Josh would never love you. Now he loves you and you aren't allowed to cry on me anymore. Unless you really need to. Then, I might make an exception." Laura looked up into his beaming face and read the truth in his fierce dark gaze, the truth of his friendship for her. "Oh Chris, no more tears." She hugged him awkwardly from her spot beneath him on the floor. "Good," he murmured and let her up sheepishly. Laura looked at Justin. He was watching her, a soft smile curling his full lips, his sapphire eyes warm with relief and a tinge of regret that she didn't want to consider. Its implications meant too much. He took her hand and drew her in a tight hug. "I'm happy for you Laura; I truly am. JC is a wonderful man." She smiled up at him and touched his chin gently. "You're a wonderful man too and Jess is very lucky to have you." He nodded. "I'm blessed to have her because she makes me nearly as happy as you make Josh." Chris looked at JC. He looked back. Chris extended his hand. "Hello, I'm Chris Kirkpatrick, it's very nice to make your acquaintance." Joey and Lance snickered and Chris glared. They were ruining his moment of reconciliation. Jayce knew how to play right though. He took Chris's hand and shook it firmly. "My name is Joshua Chasez, but call me JC. It's very nice to meet you too." They stayed serious for another moment before laughing and hugging each other. "I've missed you man." Chris pounded his brother's back. "Man, never be that stupid again. Its tough as hell not talking to you and Joey enjoyed it way too much." "No worries Chris, with Laura at my side I'm a certifiable genius." His eyes drifted over to Justin and the woman of his heart. "If you kiss her again I'm smacking you Timberlake, I don't care how supportive you think you're being." Justin flushed bright red as Joey and Lance howled. Chris slung a companionable arm around JC's shoulders. "Let me guess, this was your way of trumping Justin's solo record news since Johnny spoiled your solo's surprise?" Jayce shrugged. "Maybe just a bit." "Are you guys going to go public?" Lance asked. JC and Laura shared an intimate look that left smug smiles on both of their faces. "You see, the nice thing about that," JC drawled, "is that we already WENT public. On TRL no less." He pointed a finger at Justin, "Beat that Timberlake." Justin rolled his eyes as Chris bowed before Josh. "When I grow up and get a girlfriend I am so dating her before she knows it. You are master. All bow before the mightiness of JC." Laura smacked Chris fondly. "No more sugar for you, number one. Number two, shut up." He managed to look mildly offended. "Why?!" Chris demanded. Her smile lit up and in that moment she really was the most beautiful woman in the world. "Because I want to kiss my fiancée." Four jaws dropped as she reached up on tiptoe to kiss her new fiancée on stunned lips. "I haven't proposed- yet... I was going to wait until our one month anniversary," JC stammered when she broke it. Laura tweaked his nose, "Beat that Chasez." Justin hooted as Lance gave Joey a high five. Chris solemnly turned and bowed until his forehead nearly touched the floor. "I retract my earlier statement. You, Laura Danon, are the master." "Will you idiots shut up?" JC demanded as he reached into his jeans. "Why?!" Chris demanded, though a pleased smile was curling at the corners of his lips. JC sighed. "Because I want to propose to my girlfriend." His four band mates abruptly sat down and watched as he gently pulled out a gray velvet box and knelt on one knee. "I was keeping it with me because I liked having it near," he explained to the woman he loved with a smile as he opened the box to reveal a gleaming ring. His smile faded as he stared up at her solemn face. The face he dreamt and wrote about. The face that he wanted to breathe for. That he already lived for. Josh took one hand, their fingers intertwining until their hands were one. He took a deep breath and sang softly, voice hoarse with all the words he could have said but didn't need to. Their song said them all. "You give me reason, You give me truth, You give me everything, Say yes and make my dream come true, Let me love you... Will you marry me Laura Danon?" She stared down at her, lovely eyes wide and bright with unshed tears. She reached down and wiped away the tears that were falling from his eyes before breathlessly answering, "Yes." JC rose in one fluid motion and wrapped her in his arms as his lips sought hers. They could hear the rest of *NSYNC applauding wildly in the distance but this moment belonged to them. He carefully took the ring out of the box and slipped it on Laura's shaking finger where it fit, perfectly of course, bright and untarnished and a very tangible symbol of their commitment to each other. Of their love. "I love you, am awed and amazed by you. I'm blindsided by you." Laura laughed and threw her arms around his neck. "I'm blindsided by you too." "Well as long as it's mutual..." "Shut up Chris!" five people shouted affectionately. Chris rocked back on his heels and did, a content smile spreading across his lips as he watched Laura and JC kiss. Justin placed his hand on Chris's shoulder. Joey put his hand on Lance's shoulder. Lance hit him. "Are you sure you still want to work for us?" Josh whispered as they broke their kiss. Laura smiled and shook her head, bemused. "Most definitely."