AN: And some JC bonding because, well, I'm feeling the Jayce love right now. I promise to maybe pick stuff up a bit next chapter, not that there's a whole lot of places for this fic to go. Its fun, and written blind, and fairly laid back. If you want suspense check out "Framed". Feedback is ever appreciated though my dear readers. inspiredthoughts@hotmail.com PS: Whoever nominated this story for Pretty Lies: Awards, ya'll are really, *really* cool. I'm feeling the love, honest. =) ******************* Nightmare of a Lifetime: Chapter Nineteen ****************** It was the end of Nicole Perry's ninth week on *NSYNC's tour, and the eighth episode for Tour of a Lifetime: *NSYNC, had aired the previous night with some rather boring footage highlighting Perry's escape into the bathroom for her late night chat with Kell, her and Lance sneaking off, and a small incident involving a misunderstanding between Joey and a Pekinese. The Pekinese won the misunderstanding. There was never a dull day when Nicole was surrounded by idiots- loveable idiots, but idiots nonetheless. Department heads at MTV were disappointed and made no bones about telling Nicole that. They suggested some sex, skin, and drugs for inclusion in the next episode. She told them to kiss her tattooed ass and hung up the conference call she had taken backstage before a concert amid Malcom's snorts of laughter. He knew exactly how to handle her. That had not been it. Perry was mostly waiting with some amount of glee for Lance to get to take his shirt off and show off the now amazing ink that no one knew about but them. The teenies were going to swoon, after their jaws picked up off the ground from shock. She had also decided to grow some metaphorical balls and call Robert the Gentleman and screw one night stand tradition so she was in a rather good mood when Dan, Bill, her, and their stow-away, Chris Kirkpatrick, went off to the local hospital to get Perry a new, improved, much smaller cast. She was in an even better mood after Chris convinced her to consume large amounts of sugar. ******************************************************************************* Nicole bounded into JC's hotel room without knocking. He would have locked it if he really wanted privacy. Bill trailed her with a sigh and his camera, though a small smile tugged at his lips. "Look at my new cast!" she called out, wound up from the ride back from the hospital with Chris, Bill, and Dan as her escorts, though Chris had had to beg Dan before he could tag along. JC looked up, startled, then bemused, as Nicole launched herself onto the king sized bed he was sprawled across, headphones on, Depeche Mode blaring. She shoved her still healing arm under his amused nose for inspection. "Look, better cast, I can actually wiggle all my fingers now!" The tips of her fingers tickled his lips to demonstrate and JC chuckled. The cast was much better, more mobile since it only covered her wrist and half her arm instead of most of her hand up to her elbow. "I still don't see how you and Robert managed to have such a fine time in your previous clunker." "Bite me pansy ass," Perry snapped, good-natured, as she ruffled his too long spikes. "Whatcha listening to?" she asked as she clambered up his chest and yanked his flexible headphones far enough apart to slip her own head in so that they each had an ear covered. JC's grin spread as she hummed gently for a moment or two, head bobbing slightly. "I love this CD!" "You are so wound..." he grumbled as he tried to roll away from her. "What on earth did Chris do to you? He gets you hyper but I've never seen you so..." "So?" Nicole asked as she pinched his chest, hard. He yelped as Bill snorted with ill concealed laughter. "So childishly bratty. You usually lean towards pissed off and catty instead." She shrugged and pinched him again as he slapped ineffectually at her. "If you must know he fed me pixie sticks, many, many pixie sticks but shhh..." she sat up and put a finger to her lips in mock warning, "you can't tell Poofu. I'm not supposed to have them anymore." "And why is that pray tell?" Nicole had the grace to look slightly guilty. "Remember that day two weeks ago when Lance wouldn't talk to me and made me move to Joey's bus? Chris force fed me pixie sticks before that bus ride..." "And by force fed you mean gave you the bag and a pat on your bleached head..." "Blow me pretty boy," she growled and slapped his cheeks with a cheeky grin. "I don't process glucose well." "Humm..." JC pretended to think as he rubbed his chin absently, "...there's only one cure for a madwoman who's dangerously peppy." "And what is that pray tell?" Perry mocked as she bounced on his chest. Joshua Chasez beamed and turned off his CD player, taking the headphones off his head. "Its pampering time. We're going to do mud masks and pedicures and I swear if you laugh I'll make sure you never improperly digest a pixie stick as long as you live." Nicole stared at him with wide, dark, lovely eyes as she shook with silent laughter. "Are you sure you aren't gay?" she squeaked finally, a small giggle escaping that made her seem younger than the fierce, tattooed VJ who was so in control of herself and every situation she was thrust into. "Blow me Perry," JC snapped as he leaned up to pinch her cheeks, hard. "Indulge me." She howled with laughter as she rolled off the bed and waited for Jayce to follow suite. Good natured, she let him take her hand and lead her towards his room's bathroom. Of the five of them Joey and Chris refused to be as vain as their fellows about their appearance, thus refusing JC's home facials and spa treatments, even on tour. Justin refused to get let anyone but a professional touch him and Lance's skin was naturally smooth and blemish free. If JC wanted a mud mask buddy Nicole would humor him. She just wasn't quite sure what bonds of friendship drove her to let him. ******************************************************************************* Bill and Nicole retreated to their room after Perry was finished being cleansed and exfoliated. The camera man watched with some deal of amusement as Nicole grumbled about her newly manicured and pedicured nails, courtesy of JC, which were a lovely shade of lavender. "Lavender!" she moaned dramatically as Bill chuckled, "What the hell possessed him to paint them lavender of all god awful pastel shades?" The chuckle turned into a snicker. "What possessed you to let JC Chasez paint your nails in the first place Perry?" She sulked as she dug through her handy tote bag for her cell phone and a certain slip of paper one handed. "He was so damn happy about it. I swear the fool got into the wrong business. He could have lead a lot less stressful lifestyle simply by becoming a beautician." "You like him too. Maybe not as much as Lance but you like him," Bill stated boldly. She huffed and it was all pretend, if only to herself. "He's a freak," was the quick reply but it was said fondly, even to Nicole. She sighed. "Of all the tours to get stuck on I'm on the Pansy Ass Express. I'm gonna get my ass kicked when I get home cause I've gotten all mushy and soft around the edges..." "You can still draw blood Perry." She flashed him a killer smile and winked. "Bill, you sure know how to charm a gal," Nicole drawled. "Now what are the chances of you letting me make a private phone call?" Bill grinned and sat on the bed, settling himself into a more comfortable position as he fiddled with his camera, his grin widening exponentially as he replied. "Are you calling Robert the Gentleman? Your ONE night stand?" He loved that Nicole Perry blushed suddenly. It was priceless. "Maybe." He winked back at her as he made sure his camera was most definitely recording this monumental occasion. "Snowball, hell, welcome to your chances. Now start dialing because this is going to be good." She shot him a dark look but with a soft smile she couldn't quite contain, complied. She could always edit this conversation out later, if she remembered.