"Obviously." She sighed and looked up, wincing. "JC. Of all the people I wanted to brighten up my day, it had to be your smiling, sunny disposition." He glared at her. "Excuse me?" She shook her head, and burst out laughing. "Seriously. I find extreme humor in this situation." He shook his head, thoroughly confused. "I must have cracked something in there. Look, it doesn't matter. Watch where you're� Chloe. Chloe?" He groaned, as he saw she'd passed out. "I swear." He sighed and gathered up her papers, shut her phone, and picked her up, carrying her to her room.
"Geeze, JC. You decided to kill her?!" Chris shook his head, clucking his tongue. "Bad boy. Murder isn't taken lightly in the U.S, bucko." JC snarled at his friend. "We ran into each other, and I must've hit her harder than I thought. So shut up." Lance nodded. "Where are you bringing her?" JC sighed. "To the lounge. She needs to lie down." The guys nodded, and watched as JC carried her down the hall. Smiling brightly, the two headed down to the stage.
JC gently placed Chloe down on the couch, and set her work on the table nearby. He sighed, and sat down next to her, gently touching her cheek. "Why, Chloe. How could you do something like that? To me?" He sighed, and shook his head, pushing away a stand of her dark hair. He wanted to believe her. Really he did. But he couldn't. She took what he entrusted to her and displayed it to the world. Standing, he left the room, in search of the others.
Cynda smiled evilly, as she saw JC leave the lounge, and she went in to see Chloe asleep on the couch. She smiled innocently, grabbed the other girl's cell phone and snatched its batteries. She chuckled, as she locked the door from the outside. "Sorry, Chloe. Tonight's my night."
Chloe groaned, as she awoke from her peaceful slumber. She remembered being on the phone, not paying the least bit of attention to where she was going, and then remembered slamming into JC's harder than steel chin, and then that was all. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, head still hurting from their previous encounter. She sighed, as she threw off the blanket covering her, and walked to the door. She yawned again, before trying to open it. She pulled harder, and realized it must be stuck. Yelling in anger, she realized it had been locked. She glanced down at the clock, which read 7:15. She sighed, brokenly. The concert had already started. She wouldn't be out of here for at least another couple of hours. Eyeing her phone, she grabbed it, punching numbers wildly. JC had to have locked her in there. She frowned, as she realized her phone wasn't working. Flipping it over, she saw the batteries had been removed. He obviously didn't want her out and about. Flinging the phone across the room in anger, she watched as it broke and she sank down onto the floor, upset.
"Hey. Has anyone seen Chloe?" Melanie asked, worried. "I haven't seen her in hours." JC cleared his throat. "Actually, we kinda ran each other down and she passed out� I set her down on the couch in the lounge." Cynda smiled. "And I saw her just a short time after that. She said something about a headache and going back to rest on the bus, before we left tonight for Chicago."
Melanie nodded. "Ok." Justin shook his head. "Way to put the girl out of commission, Jace." He sighed. "Look, we weren't watching where we were going. She's fine, alright?" They nodded. "We got a show to do."
Chloe frowned, as she looked at her watch. "It was 11:00� surely someone would notice she was missing, wouldn't they?"
She banged on the door a few more times, and realized it was useless. Sporadically throughout the night, she had taken her frustration out on it, but no one seemed to notice. Chloe sighed, and got ready for what she hoped wasn't a long night.
"We're all ready to go, then?" The others nodded. "Let's go! Time to hit Chicago!!!" Cynda grinned. "Yeah!" She smiled to herself, knowing Chloe would be left behind for sure.
"JC. JC! Dude, are you with us?" JC shook his head. "Sorry man� I was thinking about Chloe." Chris raised his eyebrows. "Really, now?" JC frowned. "I feel kinda bad. I did run her down, make her pass out� I haven't even checked on her to make sure she's ok� where are we, anyhow?" Lance yawned. "We just hit the border." JC nodded, and went to the front of the bus. "Hey man, gotta stop." Rick nodded. "Sure thing, JC."
JC got off the bus, and went over to the girls and hopped on. Cynda grinned, excitedly. "JC! Hi!" He nodded. "Hello." She looked at him, confused, as he passed her. "Where are you going?" He frowned. "To see Chloe. Where is she?" Cynda's smile turned into that of worry. "Oh! Ah, she's asleep! Don't wake her!" JC laughed. "I won't. I just wanna make sure she's ok, that's all." Cynda felt herself start to panic. If JC found out Chloe wasn't on the bus� "She's fine, silly. Besides, don't you hate her guts?' He sighed. "Look, Cynda, we ran into each other, earlier. I just wanna make sure she's fine, ok?" Cynda bit her lip, as JC pushed back the curtain to Chloe's bunk. He frowned, as he pushed away the blankets. "Where is she?" Cynda gasped. "I� she was sleeping! Last I checked!! She's� gone?! Oh no, where could she be?!!!" Cynda sighed to herself, realizing she had to really act to get herself outta this one.
JC frowned, and tried to ignore the twinge of worry inside. He skimmed the back room, and frowned as he saw Melanie asleep. He took off running, jumping off the bus, to the others. "Have you guys seen Chloe?" They all shook their heads. "Wasn't she asleep?" JC nodded. "That's what I thought� but she's not there."
"RICK! Bring me to the nearest airport, do you hear me?!" Rick nodded. "Got it." JC sighed, flipping open his phone. "Pick up� dammit, PICK UP!" He sighed, as he clicked his phone shut. "She's not answering."
Justin swore under his breath. "This is NOT happening." Lance frowned. "But it is. Try calling the crew back at the arena. See if she's still there." JC nodded, dialing up. He sighed, breathlessly. "They said she was locked in the lounge� I told them to send her to the airport. I'll meet her at Indianapolis. You guys go on ahead."
They nodded, knowing that when JC set his mind to something, he'd go through with it. There was no changing something as stubborn as that.
10 hours later, JC sat head bowed at the airport, waiting on her plane to come in. He looked up to see her walking briskly, and he stood. She stared at him, before looking away and heading off in another direction. "Chloe!" She shook her head. "Leave me alone. You locked me in there! To keep me from being in your way! And then you have the audacity to come and get me?!" He shook his head, wildly. "Chloe, I didn't lock you in there. Yes, I put you there, but I, in no way locked it." She laughed, bitterly. "Sure JC. Just like you didn't the jack the batteries out of my phone so I couldn't get a hold of anyone." He shook his head. "Chloe, I swear, I didn't do it." She shook her head, wiping the escaping tears from her eyes. As much as he hated this woman, he in no way, wanted anything like this to happen. "Chloe�" She shook her head. "Don't. Don't talk to me. Just bring me back to the others." He nodded, silently, not even trying to prove his case.
Chicago, IL April 7th, 2001
**Note, before reading this scene, you may want to go and find Josh Groban and Charlotte Church's version of The Prayer� in fact, I highly recommend it. If you haven't heard it, you can't witness how beautiful this song is, and why I used it as their love theme**
Melanie glanced at her watch. There was only a few hours before the guys hit the stage, and she was worried. She was worried about Chloe. She hadn't been the same since her lock in. Melanie knew JC would never even dream up an idea such as that, no matter how upset he was with her. Melanie sighed. This place was humongous. Having various hidden rooms and mini-amphitheatres it was easy to get lost, and Melanie worried about her friend, who'd gone in search of some peace and quiet.
Chloe sniffled, brushing away the stray tears that had made their way down her face, as she walked absently down the hall, searching. She was lost. She didn't want to admit it, but she was scared. Scared of being lost forever. Of never finding release.. true happiness. She wasn't sure what had made her so upset� All she knew was she needed to go. Run. Fast. Covering her mouth, to stifle a sob, she turned a corner into an auditorium. She gasped in shock, as she wandered slowly out onto the stage.
A lone piano sat in the middle of the stage, and she slowly made her way over to it and sat down. Stroking the keys with her fingers, she closed her eyes. It had been quite some time, since she'd played. She opened her eyes, and shook her head. The last time, she played, she remembered she was upset. The piano calmed her, soothed her. Closing her eyes once again, she decided to let it all out� All her hurt, frustrations, and emotion. Pouring it into the keys, she found herself singing along to the familiar tune�
I pray you'll be our eyes
And watch us where we go
And help us to be wise
In times when we don't know
A figure walked down the hall, head aching from all the strains of his career, from his life. He wasn't sure where he was headed. His feet were doing the moving� he was simply a slave to them, following them where they went. He wasn't sure how he ended up all the way on the complete opposite end of the arena, but as soon as he heard a faint, but distinct voice in the distance, he knew he couldn't stop now. Upon, approaching the auditorium, he stood outside, eyes closed, listening to the most beautiful music he'd ever heard�
Let this be our prayer
As we go our way
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your grace
To a place where we'll be safe
He was mesmerized by the beautiful voice� As if on cue, he began to sing along to what he now viewed as the most beautiful song and piece ever written.
La luce che to dai
The young woman, didn't seem fazed by the additional voice. If anything, she welcomed it, and continued playing and singing along. He sang beautiful Italian, she could tell.
I pray we'll find your light
Nel cuore restero
And hold it in our hearts
A ricordarchi che
When stars go out each night
L'eterna stella sei
Ohhh�
Nella mia preghiera
Let this be our prayer
Quanta fede c'e
When shadows fill our day
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your grace
The most beautiful part of the entire song was their voices combining as one, to create a sound that sounded like pure heaven on earth, as if the angels were singing it themselves�
Give us faith so we'll be safe.
Sognamo un mondo senza piu violenza
Un mondo di giustizia e di speranza
Ognuno dia la mano al su vicino
Simbolo di pace e di fraternita
La forza che ci dai
We ask that life be kind
E'il desiderio che
And watch us from above
Ognuno trovi amore
We hope each soul will find
Intorno e dentro a se
Another soul to love
She stroked the keys so magnificently, that he could feel his breath being literally taken from him. It had been quite some time since he'd sung this song� Now, however, it felt like he'd sung it every beloved day. He loved the way their voices entwined together� they made beautiful music together� Never in his life would he ever forget this very moment� The moment that had rocked him to the core and reached deep down into his soul, warming it. She continued playing, and got ready once again for their voices to join together�
Let this be our prayer
Let this be our prayer�
Just like every child
Just like every child
Needs to find a place
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe
E la fade che
Hai acceso in noi
Sento che ci salvera�
She stopped playing as the song ended, and bowed her head, trying to calm her racing heart. Never before in her life had she felt this way� She felt� complete.
He was in shock. As well as awe. He never expected any of this. All he wanted was some time to himself. Eyes still closed, he shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. However, it was useless. The thoughts he tried to deny himself of, he couldn't� He was intoxicated by her. Enchanted. After all this time� he felt again. He felt that needing feeling deep down in his very being� instead of feeling awkward or scared� it felt perfect.
He was in love again.
And JC Chasez was in love with her.
Fifteen