AN:  I'm liking JC right now.  No particular reason why.  

Digital Getdown amuses me.  I've rediscovered the hilarity of it.  

Feedback motivates me.  You want me to get off my lazy bum and write, tell me.  

Enjoy!



***************************** Blindsided: Chapter Two **************************



Laura watched in absolute shock as JC, Joshua Chasez, quiet, smiling, absent minded, but 
most of all peaceful, Jayce, dove for his youngest band mate when he found out where her 
split lip had come from.  Laura wasn’t sure who was more surprised, her or Lance and 
Joey.  

So much for easy lunch orders. 

It took her a moment to get over her absolute surprise before dropping her pad and paper 
and diving into the fray.  Laura had three older brothers.  She wasn’t a stranger to 
brawls so it only took one hard shove to send Justin tumbling behind all five feet, two 
inches of her sturdy frame.

She grabbed JC’s hands and he stopped instantly as he stared at her with wild eyes.  “You 
okay?” Laura asked softly, gently.  C was breathing heavily, his slender chest rising with 
his rapid breaths and his fists were still clenched even as she held them.  Her thumbs 
absently made soothing circles over the ridge of his knuckles.  

“You don’t hit women,” JC said as he glared over her shoulder at the shame faced Justin.  

Laura shook her head and sighed.  “Jayce, honey, he didn’t mean to.  Don’t tell me he’s 
never knocked you around accidentally when he’s dead asleep cause I know better.  Justin’s 
not the most coherent person in the morning.”

No one mentioned his nightmares though they were a well known fact in the inner circle.  
Living in the spotlight in such a volatile profession didn’t do much for one’s stress 
levels.  They all lived to perform, to write and sing and dance, especially Justin, but 
it took its toll.  Justin had nightmares, sometimes violent, Joey hummed show tunes 
whenever he felt like landing a punch, Chris took antidepressants, and Lance tried to 
pretend that he didn’t stay up some nights crying.  

JC took a deep breath and slowly expelled it, blue eyes still glaring at Justin, but his 
fists relaxed minutely.  

“You gonna behave?  He already apologized, a multitude of times.  Promise.”  

There was a long moment of silence before he nodded decisively, firmly.  Laura smiled and 
released his hands but before she could step away he reached up with gentle fingers to 
brush the sore lip.  

She swallowed heavily as JC’s blue eyes darkened.  Laura watched with detached observance 
as his jaw tightened minutely in response to her slight flinch.  “It still hurts.”  It 
wasn’t a question.  

“It’ll be better in a day or two max, honestly JC.  If he did any lasting damage I’d be 
the first in line to kick his oh so talented butt.  Okay?”  

He nodded slowly and with one last almost caress with his long fingers, dropped his hand 
and stepped away.  Laura Danon watched him for a heartbeat before turning to Justin who 
was watching her with woeful eyes and a split lip to match.  

She laughed despite herself.  “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.  Johnny is going to flip 
out.  You have a photo shoot in a few days too.  Thank god for stage make up.”  Laura 
held her hand out in silent offering and Justin took it, still subdued but not as upset 
as she lead him back to the kitchen and the ice.  

“What about lunch?” Joey shouted in the aftermath.  

Lance punched him.        

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

Getting ready for tours was always a nightmare.  It was Laura’s first though, so she was a 
little stressed out.  Not only was she trying to pack and get her apartment taken care of 
for the four month extended trip, she was running around like a chicken with her head cut 
off trying to get the guys ready too.  

After all, it was her job.  

Not that the boys were having any easier of a time.  This was their second album after 
their year long historic hiatus when Lance tried to go to space, Joey sang on Broadway, 
and Justin went solo.  Their first had done well enough but this one, Forever, was 
showing signs of eventually matting No Strings Attached with success, though the record 
sales were slightly slower.

Laura was deliriously happy for them but they were swamped with promos and interviews and 
photo shoots and last minute rehearsals.  She worried desperately about Chris.  His knees
were not getting better with age but the dancing was a lot less intensive than it was 
years ago.  It was more about the music and less about the special effects.

On a lot of levels she knew that made all five of them happier.  Except for maybe Justin 
and JC.  Both of them liked to shake their hips way more than any normal man should.

She was working twenty hour days though most nights.  Chris would be livid if he knew but 
she wasn’t about to tell any of them how little sleep she was really getting.  It wasn’t 
like they were getting any more.  If she could do anything to make their lives easier, 
she would.  It was her job for one, but more important than that, they were her friends.  

Laura wasn’t one to have a lot of friends.  She took care of those she did have.  

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

Laura tried not to yawn as she stretched unobtrusively in the corner of the meeting room.  
It was running hours late as Johnny and the boys went over last minute details.  She 
hadn’t slept for two straight days, except for when she fell asleep at her desk, and it 
was taking a toll on her.  

She had spreadsheets drawn up on her laptop and her “to do” lists in her lap.  Laura was 
feverently glad she was an able multi-tasker or she would not be doing well at all right 
now.  As it was, she was still fighting to get all her work done.

She rested her chin on a hand that was propped up on the conference desk.  Laura yawned 
again and sighed as Johnny droned on and on in the background and, against her 
considerable will, let her gray eyes drift shut.  

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

Laura woke to a hand gently shaking her should.  She fought consciousness for a moment 
before snapping awake abruptly, suddenly remembering where she had been when she fell 
asleep.  The conference room was empty, or almost empty, save for JC who looked nearly as 
tired as she did but very amused.  

Laura groaned.  “Oh god, how long was I out for?”  

JC chuckled and glanced at his watch.  “Its after three in the morning.  Long enough.”  

She felt herself blushing.  “I can’t believe I fell asleep.  Why didn’t anyone wake me?”  

He raised one perfectly dark brow and absently brushed some shaggy curls away from his 
twinkling blue eyes.  “Maybe because it looked like you needed it and Chris swore roundly 
he’d kill anyone who woke you up before we had to.”  

She sighed and rolled her eyes.  “He worries too much about me.”  

Dark brows raised higher.  “I don’t think you worry enough about yourself and Chris is 
simply filling in for your own common sense.”  

Laura snorted.  “Is that right Mr. Chasez?  Isn’t that a bit of the pot calling the 
kettle black?” she demanded.  

Surprised at her teasing, he laughed, unashamed.  “I’m lucky I have people willing to 
look after me.  I’m perfectly aware of the fact that sometimes I need it.  Come on, let’s 
get out of here.”  

Laura started to protest when JC neatly packed up her laptop and papers, stuffing both 
under long muscular arms, but decided against it and fell in step with him instead.  She 
was pleasantly surprised to find him matching stride with her.  Most people didn’t bother 
to shorten their steps when they walked with her.  She was often used to jogging to keep 
up with a much taller general population.  

They let themselves out of the building and into the brightly lit parking lot, with JC 
locking the doors behind them.  Laura found herself yawning again as they walked in 
companionable silence to their cars, parked side by side conveniently enough, but she was 
still surprised at JC’s offer.

“Wanna go get a cup of coffee from that all night diner down the street?”  

Laura turned in the darkness and stared at the man walking leisurely at her naturally 
slow pace.  She couldn’t see his face well, even with the streetlamps, just the profile 
of his jaw and the slope of his nose.  

And she was tired, exhausted actually, at the end of her rope.  Her bed sounded 
absolutely wonderful but for some reason, a cup of coffee across from JC sounded even 
better.  

It had been a long time she had done something with someone as friends.  Laura Danon 
wasn’t used to being seen as human instead of an emotionless employee.  It was part of 
what she cherished most about *NSYNC.  They might not completely understand her, but 
they saw her, and that was more than most the world ever managed.

So she smiled through her yawn and answered, soft voice even quieter.  “I’d like that.”