"Good evening Mr. Chasez."

"Hey Roland, how's it going?"

The doorman smiled as he held open the door for the younger man. "Can't complain sir. I'm here."

It was his standard nightly response, and JC couldn't help smiling back at him.

"How's your wife Roland. Is she feeling better?"

He had been telling JC two, or was it three nights ago, that his wife had a touch of the flu.

"She's feeling much better sir. Thanks for asking."

"No problem. I'm glad she's doing better." Roland held the door open wider so that JC could pass through. "Say, I haven't seen that pretty lady of yours around lately. How's she doing?"

"Good, she's ahh…busy with school right now. But she's good."

"Glad to hear that. You tell her I said hello next time you talk to her."

"I will Roland, thanks."

"Have a good night now, sir."

"You too, thanks."

Roland watched the young man walk through the lobby to the elevators. Young people these days, he shook his head, there was a time when having anyone know your girl stayed over at your place would have been cause for embarrassment, not anymore.

Though he had to admit, he liked these two. At least they could bother themselves to stop and exchange a word, not like some of the tenants of this building. But that was a story for another day…he looked back into the lobby, surprised to see JC still standing there.

He sure hoped everything was okay with him and his girl. Turning he spotted a man loitering not three feet away and went to chase him off, forgetting for the moment about JC and his lady.

JC hadn't forgotten. He was so engrossed in thoughts of her that he completely missed the elevator when it rang at the lobby.

She'd been on his mind all day, throughout a long session at the studio, a dinner with another producer that had been endless, then another three hours in the studio, he'd thought of little else.

Ashley, his beautiful, smart, sweet, young…he sighed, incredibly young, girlfriend.

Sometimes he wondered if he were crazy. She was nineteen years old, a college sophomore for God's sake, what the hell was he doing messing around with someone like her?

Some would take one look at her and think they knew. She was one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen, and he'd seen his share.

She had this air about her too, an innocence that was in direct contrast to her looks. Honey blonde hair that curled almost to her waist, sea green eyes, skin that glowed, and a body that wouldn't quit.

She was every man's dream. High, full breasts, that he had to remind Joey on a regular basis not to stare at, a slim waist, gently curved hips, and legs that went on forever.

It was all he could do not to groan when her image sprang into his mind. It had been way too long since he'd seen her, and it was killing him.

It didn't help that no matter how many times he'd tried to reach her today he'd been unsuccessful. Quickly he glanced at his watch, it was eleven here, which meant it was two in the morning in Orlando. It didn't look like his luck in reaching her was going to change any time soon.

Oh, he knew he could call, that she wouldn't be mad if he woke her, but something was holding him back. That something was fear.

He was deathly afraid he'd call, and that she wouldn't be there.

They'd had a fight, a big one, the night before he'd left for this trip.

It wasn't that they hadn't fought before, they had, but this time it'd been different. Though they'd talked almost daily since then, somehow it hadn't been the same. The tone of their conversations had been different.

She was every dream he'd ever had all rolled into one incredible package.

He was petrified he was losing her.

The six months, to the day, that they'd been together, had been the best six months of his life.

From the moment he had walked into his house, six months ago, to find her sitting on his couch, it had been….right.

She'd been there with his brother Tyler. They attended the same school, had become fast friends, though JC hadn't known that at the time. At the time, he had thought Tyler liked her.

He could still remember his shock at walking in his front door and seeing her sitting there, remember how her laughter had bubbled over at the dumfounded look he knew he'd been wearing.

It was embarrassing now to think about how he had stood there, staring, until she had stood, holding out her hand. "Hi, I'm Ashley. A friend of Tyler's."

He had stumbled over his own introduction until Tyler had come barreling into the room.

JC had waited up for his brother that night, something he rarely did, especially when he'd just come off of a grueling tour.

He'd waited, and he'd not so subtly pumped his brother for information on his friend.

"Why don't you just ask her out, Josh?" Tyler had asked, his eyes twinkling.

"Oh…I. She's too young for me. And she was here Ty, with you." There had been a question in his statement that Tyler hadn't missed.

"Bro, she wasn't with me. We're friends. Nothing more."

"How can you not want to be more?"

Tyler had shrugged, "I don't know. It just didn't hit either of us ya know." He'd slapped his brother on the back. "Dude call her. I don't think you'll be disappointed in her response."

Tyler had gone to bed; JC had stood at the kitchen counter staring at the piece of paper Tyler had placed there. Picking it up he had traced the seven numbers with his finger then tucked it into his pocket.

The next morning he'd called, they'd been together ever since.

The elevator dinged, and shifting his backpack to the opposite shoulder JC made his way on to it.

It hadn't taken long for her to become someone he couldn't live without.

Open, sweet, and so full of life. Ashley had taken a man who, at times, was entirely too sober-minded and shown him how to have fun.

Whenever he started taking himself or his work to seriously, she called him on it. She teased him about his clothing choices, then took him shopping to "help" him out.

Dipping his head, he chuckled remembering. They'd argued the whole time. Everything he'd picked she'd hated, and vice versa.

He'd never had so much fun. That was Ashley, fun.

Maybe he was working too hard or something, Why would he be so worried about this otherwise?

So they had a fight, so what? Couples fought all the time.

Things had just been…perfect, until then. He laughed remembering Chris's reaction when he'd said the same thing to him.

When he'd mentioned his worries about things being too perfect, Chris had looked at him as if he'd grown two heads.

"Dude are you talking about the same Ashley and JC that we all know and love. The Ashley and JC that drive each other crazy on a regular basis?"

JC had laughed at that. Chris was right, they did drive each other crazy. She, with her totally laid back attitude. He, with his perfectionism.

She had this habit of never remembering to turn on her cell phone. And when she finally did remember, she never checked her messages. That drove him crazy.

His constant reminders that they needed to be here at this time on this day made her growl at him. He smiled thinking about it.

Chris had been right, their relationship was far from perfect, but they loved each other totally.

There had never been a time when he'd had a function that she hadn't been there for him. The shit she put up with at school when it had come out that they were dating had been unbelievable. Was still, unbelievable.

None of it had made her walk away; none of it had made her doubt what they were doing.

If anyone had doubts, it was he.

Lately he couldn't stop himself from thinking that she deserved more. More than the limited time he could give her.

More than chasing halfway across the country to spend a few hours here and there with him. More than tabloid reporters following her everywhere. More, she just deserved more.

If he were a man of any character at all, he thought wearily as he leaned against the elevator wall, he'd let her go.

Therein lay the reason behind their fight. He'd said exactly that to her the last night they'd been together.

He'd been scheduled to fly to L.A. the next morning and she'd been spending the night with him. They'd made love. Passionately.

It was another thing about their relationship that thrilled him. The depth of passion in their lovemaking.

At first, he'd been afraid to touch her at all. She was young, and he'd known, innocent. He'd been afraid of scaring her with his, "baser needs", as Lance had called them. Then one night, one very memorable night, she'd looked at him with those big green eyes, and had rocked his world.

"JC?" They'd been snuggled on his couch, watching a movie.

"Yeah, Ash?"

"Do you love me?" They'd exchanged those three words by this point, four months into their relationship.

That question had gained her his complete attention.

"You know I do baby." His fingers had sifted through her silky hair, and his heart had stuttered when she'd refused to look at him. "Ash what's the matter?"

Tears had swum in her eyes when she had finally looked at him. Her next question had ripped through him, despite its softness. "Then why don't you ever touch me? Aren't you attracted to me, physically, at all?"

He'd almost laughed at that, looking down at the amazing creature lying in his arms. "Ashley I am incredibly attracted to you. Baby you know that."

"Then why? What's wrong?" She'd taken a deep breath before she voiced her next question, "Is there someone else?"

"NO!" He'd sat up, dragging her with him. "There is no one else. Ashley," He had forced her eyes to meet his, "I love you. There is no one else baby. I promise."

It had never occurred to him that she had thought anything of their lack of physical intimacy. "Come here," he'd picked her up, cradling her on his lap. "Ashley I want you so much it's driving me crazy." He placed her hand over his pounding heart. "Do you feel that?"

"Yes." Her hand had rubbed, gently, over his heart.

"Everytime I'm near you. Hell," his laugh had been short; "everytime I think of you it does that."

"It does?" Her eyes had been as wide as saucers.

"Yes it does."

"Then why?"

"Why haven't we made love?"

She'd nodded. He'd sighed.

"I was afraid I'd…" This was hard, "I didn't want to scare you."

She'd actually laughed at him. "JC why would you scare me? Are you going to turn into a lunatic if you see me naked or something?"

The possibility had occurred to him. "No," he did not, however, tell her that. "Ashley you've never..." he'd been at a loss over what to say.

Her kiss had been whisper soft, her words had sent a shiver through him. "You could show me. I want you to." Eyes smoky with desire had met his. "I want to know what it feels like, but only with you. Please JC, please show me."

He shifted uncomfortably, then blushed when he realized they had reached his floor, the elevator doors were wide open, and his elderly neighbor, Mrs. Williams was standing there, staring at him.

"Are you planning on coming out of there any time soon Joshua?"

She always called him by his full name.

"Yes ma'am. Sorry I was thinking and…"

"It's okay dear," she patted his cheek when he walked by her, "I was young once too." Her eyes twinkled at him when she looked pointedly at his mid section.

JC wished, when he realized exactly what his tight jeans weren't hiding, that a hole would open up in the floor and swallow him.

He stammered out some sort of apology, then practically ran to his door. Her delighted laughter followed him.

God, he was never going to be able to look at her again.

Shifting uncomfortably, he eased a hand into his front pocket in search of his keys. Then he had to chuckle, wondering exactly how long she'd been standing there staring at…him, before he'd noticed.

Easing the keys out of his pocket, he unlocked the door, shut the alarm off, reset it then made his way into the living room.

He and Ashley had picked the apartment out together. The group spent enough time in Los Angeles that he'd justified the expense. He'd been tired of staying at hotels, had wanted a base for when he was here for N Sync business, or one of the other producing projects he had going.

Ashley had fallen in love with the large kitchen, and breakfast nook whose window overlooked the city. It had two bedrooms, a small office and a huge, what he called a living room, but what Ash had informed him was a "Great Room."

Whatever it was, together they had picked out furnishings, accessories, wallpaper, etc...for it, for the whole place. It had been fun, making a "home" for the two of them.

She came with him whenever she could, which was no where near as often as he wished, but often enough that she had left her mark.

Her makeup was in the bathroom, along with the lotion she used, and some of her clothes were in his huge walk-in closet.

Those things only served to make him miss her more.

There was an empty spot in him that only she could fill. What the hell would he do if he'd blown it, and she was no longer there to fill it?

The thought was so repulsive he refused to even consider it. Lying prone on the couch he looked once more at his watch, 11:15.

Two weeks ago, he'd have picked up the phone without hesitation, since the fight…well, he wasn't as sure.

He hadn't thought before speaking, not about what he was really trying to say, or how what he did say sounded to her.

At least he hadn't until she had pushed him away, then sprung from the bed.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean JC?" He'd never seen her quite that angry.

"It…I…I just think sometimes that you deserve more than I can give you. And all I meant was that if I were less selfish I'd let you go so that you could have that."

"Is that what you spend your time thinking about," She'd begun pulling on her clothes, "ways that you can let me go?"

"No. Ashley," he'd gone to her, tried to take her hands, but she'd pushed him away. "I don't want you to go anywhere baby. That's not what I meant."

"Then what the hell did you mean JC? What the hell does, "You're so beautiful and if I were a man of character I'd let you go", mean exactly?"

"Nothing, it was just…" he couldn't understand why she was so angry. "Baby," this time he managed to grab her hands, "I only want what's best for you, and for you to be happy. Sometimes, I guess I wonder if I'm enough to do that."

Cold green eyes stared at him, "Why is it that I thought you were different? That I had finally found someone who could see past what I looked like to the person I am."

"Ash, I do see past that. What does that have to do with my not feeling…" he shrugged, "enough."

"Why do you feel like you're not enough JC? Why?"

"Because you're young, and beautiful…"

"There you go." She'd grabbed her purse heading for the door.

"Ashley come on. I didn't mean."

"I think we both know what you meant JC. Call me from California if you want." She'd been halfway out the door when she'd thrown over her shoulder. "Unless of course you've decided that's not what's best for me."

The front door had slammed behind her.

He'd spent the better part of that night, and most of the plane ride here trying to figure out exactly what he'd said that had been so bad.

Chris had helped him figure it out, "Dummy," JC had given him "the look" at that, Chris had merely shrugged, "Hey if the shoe fits."

Then he'd sobered, "Seriously C…what was the first thing you thought when you saw Ashley."

"I don't think I thought anything. All it took was one look at her to wipe every thought out of my head."

"Exactly!"

"What? Exactly what?"

"The first thing you saw was what she looked like. Hell, the first thing I noticed was what she looked like. When a woman looks like she does that's all anyone sees. I would say she's probably gotten used to that, and to the fact that some men never see past it."

JC agreed…he knew first hand that was true. "Okay, but that still doesn't explain why she got so pissed off."

"Exactly what did you say to her C?"

JC had thought back then. They'd been lying in bed, his body resting gently on hers, and he'd been playing with her hair. "I said, "You are so beautiful, and if I had any character at all…" His voice trailed off. "Oh God."

"Praying would probably be good at this point," Chris had replied.

"Shit. I am such a fucking moron."

"No arguments here." JC's hot look had slammed Chris' mouth shut. Then he squeezed JC's arm. "I'm thinking she was pissed because one, you were," Chris coughed, "doing whatever it was you were doing, and you brought up her looks, then added insult to injury by telling her because of them you should let her go."

"But that's not what I meant. And I wasn't planning on letting her go. I was just…"

"Being your normal, insecure self, looking for reassurance and going about it in totally the wrong way?"

"Shit." Was JC's only comment.

"Hmm. Indeed." Chris had eased his seat back, "You were supposed to be the one person who saw past what she looked like. And," he held up a finger when JC would have interrupted, "when you mentioned that she was beautiful first, I guarantee she thought you were being exactly like everyone else."

Chris had been right. He'd called as soon as he'd hit the airport, trying to apologize. She'd told him it was all right, that she understood, but things hadn't been the same since.

Today was their six-month anniversary. All he wanted in the world was to be with her. Instead, he was over two thousand miles away, alone, lonely, and scared.

He'd sent her flowers; left her more messages than he cared to think about, and she'd never called.

It made his stomach hurt to think that maybe she'd decided he was right. She did deserve more.

Groaning, he forced himself to move off of the couch. He needed to get some sleep. In the morning, he'd call her. If he still couldn't reach her, then he'd finish up what he had to do here, and he'd take the red eye back.

Another day was not going to go by without him knowing where he stood, one way or the other.

The bedroom was at the end of a long hall, and his favorite room. He and Ashley had taken forever to find just the right furniture before finally settling on an antique four poster bed with matching chest and armoire.

She'd decorated the bed with a gauzy canopy, and the room in peaceful blues and greens. Somehow, she'd managed to bring both of their tastes together, though he had complained, to no avail, about the pile of pillows she'd insisted on heaping on the bed.

There had been a time, several months back, when they'd come here together. He'd had work then too, but they'd managed to steal some time for themselves. They'd spent one memorable day, and night, lying amongst those pillows talking, playing, and loving.

He wanted her there now, waiting for him to come home.

Next time, he promised himself. The very next time he came here, she would be with him. Even if it meant that he had to kidnap her for it to happen.

The blinds had been left open on windows that, literally, took up one wall of the room.

The room was bathed in moonlight; otherwise, he would have never seen her, curled against those pillows, peacefully sleeping.

She looked like a fairy princess with her long hair spilling over the sheets.

The breath he hadn't been aware he'd been holding, left his body in one long whoosh. Before he was aware he'd moved, he was kneeling beside her on the bed.

"Ashley," He said her name softly, careful not to scare her, then waited for her to wake, twining her hair around his fingers.

It took a moment for her soft green eyes to open, another for them to focus.

Easing his length down onto the mattress, he lay so that they were face to face. Neither said a word; they were content, for the moment, to let their eyes do the talking.

I missed you. I'm sorry. I was so stupid. I love you.

Together they moved, their lips meeting in a gentle kiss.

"I can't believe you're here." He spoke finally, after several minutes.

"You sounded so lonely yesterday when I talked to you. So, I conned my professor into letting me take my exam a day early, by telling him I had a family emergency, and then I called Melinda, who by some miracle managed to get me a flight out here."

"I thought you were mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you?"

JC knew this was one of those questions that women asked, not because they had never been mad and couldn't imagine what you were talking about, but because they wanted to know if you knew what you were in trouble for.

"Because I said something incredibly stupid and it hurt you."

The warm hug he received told him that this at least, he'd gotten right.

"I wasn't really mad."

"Ash…everytime I talked to you this week, you were distant."

"That's because I had exams JC." Mostly. "Everytime you called I was studying. You know what I'm like when I'm in the middle of exam week."

She was right, he did. "So you weren't mad?"

"JC would you say that I know you fairly well?"

"Yes. I think you do."

"If that's true, then wouldn't it also be true that I'd know the reason behind what you said that night?"

"I don't know. I'm not sure I know the reason behind what I said."

"Then let me tell you. You have this habit of taking situations that are worrying you and coming up with all of these worst case scenarios for them."

"I do not."

"Yes," she kissed his pouting bottom lip, "you do. I think you do it because, if any of those things ever do happen you'll be prepared for them. It's part of your…uhm, obsessive personality."

"Gee thanks. I thought you were supposed to love me."

"I do love you, but I also know you JC. You worry that all of this is too good to be true, and so it can't possibly last. You worry that I'm only nineteen, and what if three years down the road I meet someone closer to my own age, what will happen then? You worry that you can't be there all the time. That single men surround me who can be there, and maybe it would be better for me to hook up with one of them. Am I getting any of this right?" She asked, though she knew she was right about all of it.

"It's just that you're so..."

"JC if you mention the word beautiful I won't be responsible for what I do."

Jesus, he'd been about to do it again. "I'm sorry." How else could he put it. "But you are young Ashley, and damn it, you are beautiful. You could have any man you wanted. Someone closer to your age who could be there for you always, instead of someone five years older who is always asking you to drop everything to be with him."

"JC let me ask you something?"

"Okay."

"When I'm thirty and you're thirty-five will the five years between us matter?"

It made him feel silly when she put their age difference into those numbers, "No."

"Then why does it matter now? Are you worried about what other people think?"

Was he? That was something he'd never really thought about.

It didn't seem to bother anyone he knew. His parents had easily accepted her as being a part, a big part of his life. Her parents had done the same with him. None of the guys had ever mentioned her age, not once.

He was the one who; he'd use her word, obsessed over it. But, not because of what others thought.

"No. I can honestly say that I don't worry about what anyone else thinks of our age difference."

"Then what is it?"

"It's what you said earlier, all of it. I'm so scared that one day you're going to look at someone, then look at me, and I'm going to come up short."

"That's just bullshit Joshua."

The only time she ever called him by his "real" name was when she was completely pissed.

"Do you really see me as that shallow? That all I worry about is what I look like and that maybe there's someone out there cuter than you are who'll make me look better? And if you do, then what the hell are you so worried about? If I were that type of person you'd be better off if I did find someone else."

He'd done it again; somehow, he'd put his foot in it without even knowing how.

"I don't think you're shallow Ash, you know that."

"Then why is it now, all of a sudden, everytime we talk you bring up my looks?" Her breath hitched on the last word, her eyes filled with tears.

"Baby what is it? What's going on? Because I always tell you that I think you're beautiful. It's never bothered you before." Why, he wondered, hadn't he picked up on that until now? It was totally unlike her to be this bothered by him mentioning that she was beautiful.

Ashley knew he was waiting for her to respond, but she wasn't sure she could. Things hadn't been easy for her since their relationship had become public. There were web sites that were dedicated, strictly, to hating her. People said all sorts of nasty things, including some people that she went to school with. He knew a great deal of what went on, but she didn't always tell him everything.

Recently there had been a group of girls on campus who had set out to make her life a living hell. She'd yet to tell him about them. He was going to be mad at what they were doing; he was also going to be livid that she had kept it from him.

"Ash," he prompted when she had been silent for too long. "What's going on?"

"There are these girls…" she nervously licked her lips, "at school who..."

It was never a good sign when she wouldn't look him in the eye. "Who what?"

"Who have started a…let's call it an Anti-Ashley Society."

"Oh shit. How bad is it?"

"It's," she tried to smile, "it's pretty bad."

"Ashley," she hated it when he used that serious tone, "tell me. I want to know all of it. Now."

"It started out with small stuff. You know, they'd whisper when I'd walk by, then all start giggling. I just ignored them. Then they moved on to taunting me, loudly, so that everyone could hear them. You know stuff like, "Well, well, if it isn't Miss High & Mighty Ashley Garret. Doesn't she just think she's so cool, dating a "pop star"?" The smile she offered him was sad, "I figured if I ignored them they'd go away, ya know?"

Gently he tucked her hair behind her ear, "But they didn't go away?"

"No, they didn't go away." She sat up drawing her knees close to her chest. "They started shoving pictures under my door. Some of you with other girls," when he went to protest she smiled, "I know you haven't been with anyone else JC. But they were still annoying. Some of them were of us, and they would cut out my face and stick someone else's there. Then they'd write something on it about how easily I could be replaced."

"There isn't a woman in the world who could ever replace you Ashley."

"I know," she lowered her eyes, "well I think I do anyway."

"Ashley…how could you…"

Talking fast, she cut him off, "It's just that they were doing all of that…all the time. Then one of them got this thing and they kept aging my picture and leaving me notes taunting me, asking how long I thought you'd stick around once my looks were gone, and then you…you." She started to cry.

"And then I talked about how beautiful you were, and made it sound like if you weren't I might be able to let you go." Fuck, he was a moron.

"I know I overreacted. But that day, they had been really bad, and it seemed like everytime I turned around one of them was there. You were leaving, that was bothering me, then I came to see you, and you said what you did, and I...well, I just lost it."

"Baby come here." She went gladly, into the safety of his arms. "I'm sorry."

"Me too."

"I hope like hell that I haven't been so stupid that you don't know how completely in love with you I am. You do know that right?"

Her arms wrapped, tightly, around his neck, "Yes I know that."

"Good. Now that we have that out of the way," He leaned back so he could see her face. "Why the hell haven't you told me about this before now?"

She'd known he was going to yell, just not quite that loudly.

"You have enough to worry about JC. I'm not a little kid, I can take care of myself."

"Yes you can, but you don't have to. Would it kill you to lean on me a little?"

"I do lean on you, but I can't go running to you everytime a fan or someone upsets me."

"Ashley, this is a little more than a fan upsetting you. These girls…how many of them are there, by the way?"

"Ten," she mumbled it, hoping he wouldn't catch the number.

"TEN!" The look he gave her spoke volumes. "Do they all live in your dorm?" He'd wanted her to move into his house, but she wouldn't do it. She'd also nixed the idea he'd had to set her up in her own apartment. He was beginning to think he should have pushed harder.

"Yes. And at least one of them is in most of my classes."

"Son of a bitch." When his eyes closed, she knew she was in trouble. He did that when he was, over the top, angry. "You're moving out of that fucking dorm as soon as we go back to Orlando. Don’t even think about telling me no either Ashley. It's done."

"Okay," her meek acceptance clued him in to just how bad it must be. Ashley was fiercely independent.

"Did anything else happen Ash? You're telling me everything right?"

Her hair swung back and forth when she shook her head.

"What else?" he asked, through clenched teeth, then growled her name when she didn't immediately answer. "Ashley."

"I…they," she swallowed against the huge lump that had lodged in her throat. "The other night some of them came into the bathroom when I was," She squeezed her eyes shut, "when I was showering."

"What did they do?"

"There were three of them, so I turned the shower off and tried to leave, but they wouldn't let me. I had forgotten my razor in the shower…one of them got it," a single tear ran down her cheek when she looked at him, "she ahh…she kept running it up and down my cheek with the wrong side against my face. They were all laughing," she swiped the tears off her face impatiently, "and she asked me how long I thought you'd stick around if she accidentally cut me with it."

He was off the bed in a shot.

"JC, where are you going?" He didn't answer her, so she hurried after him, catching him halfway down the hall. "JC," she grabbed his arm, "please stop."

He whirled around on her so quickly she took an involuntary step back.

"How could you not tell me that? They were threatening you, and you did nothing about it." He was vibrating with anger.

"They didn't hurt me. Someone else came in and I got out of there."

Icy blue eyes looked at her in disbelief. "What would have happened if they hadn't Ashley? Have you thought of that?" Not waiting for an answer, he turned on his heel, continuing his journey into the living room.

She knew that the major portion of his anger wasn't directed at her, but some of it was. He was right, she should have told him as soon as it had happened. It was too late to do anything about that now, she thought, then frowned when she heard his voice coming from the living room.

"Mike…yeah man I know it's three in the morning…I'm sorry. Dude, you know I wouldn't have called if it wasn't an emergency." She watched him pace to the window; "Yes Dre is here with me…yes I'm fine. Mike…MIKE!" He waited until Mike was quiet, "This isn't about me, it's about Ashley. She's been getting some threats from this group at her school. I want you to get her stuff out of there tomorrow." He was quiet for several minutes. "I don't care how you do it, just do it." Silence again, then he looked at her. "Have it brought to my house. Yes my house." He smiled then, "Yes Ashley knows. No Johnny doesn't know, you let me worry about that. Listen when you've accomplished that, I'd like you to personally see about finding her a bodyguard." He made a face at the phone; "No I don't want one of you to do it. She needs someone a little less conspicuous than you guys." He laughed, "Come on man, you know I love you," he began shaking his head, "yes Ashley loves you too, but she's going to be at school Mike, she needs someone who's going to…how can I put this," he grinned at whatever the other man said, "Exactly." She could hear Mike's voice rumbling through the line when JC moved near her. "Thanks Mike. I'll feel better knowing you're on it. Sorry for waking you. Okay…yeah," he looked at her again. "I'll tell her. No, no need to worry. I won't let her out of my site, trust me. Okay…see you then. Bye."

He hung up, then just stood there staring at her. "You can complain all you want, but I'm not changing my mind on this." She wanted to protest, badly, but knew he was in no mood to listen. When she said nothing he nodded, "Good. When we get back you're going to the Dean, and you're reporting them."

"No I'm not."

"Yes Ashley," he came to stand directly in front of her, "you are."

"Argh! You are so…so," she was at a loss for words.

"In love with you, and if anything ever happened to you I don't know how I'd survive."

Her head dropped onto his chest, "JC," she breathed his name, "I know you're worried, but I'll be okay. They're not going to do anything stupid."

"You don't know that."

It was true, she didn't, but she also didn't want a bodyguard.

"Baby please," their eyes met, "do this for me. Please."

How could she say no to him?

"Okay. But I'm not living with you JC."

It was a miracle that hadn't been the first thing out of her mouth. "Okay, don't live with me. You can have your own room."

"Joshua, I'm not…" His lips cut off whatever else she'd been about to say.

"I've missed you baby." Their breathing was ragged when he stopped.

"You are so not getting around me that way." She scolded, then ruined it by snuggling against him and saying, "I missed you too."

"Ashley," he was kissing her neck in the way that she loved.

"Mmm," tilting her head to give him better access she groaned when he increased the pressure.

"Move in with me?"

She wasn't stupid; she knew exactly what he was up to. "No."

"Baby," his teeth nipped her earlobe before he sucked it into his mouth. "I need you with me, please."

There was no way she was going to give in. Oh God, she shivered when his long fingers began to massage that spot on the back of her neck the spot he knew drove her crazy.

"Please," his hot breath whispered over her ear, "I need you Ashley. Please stay with me."

"Jaaaaceeeee," she whined. "You're not being fair."

"I know." He framed her face with his hands, "I know I'm not being fair. But I don't want to be without you anymore. I know that I drive you crazy with all my obsessing, and insecurities. I know that sometimes I'm not the easiest man to love. Love me anyway," he skimmed his lips over hers so softly, "stay with me anyway." This time he deepened the kiss, his tongue delving in to play with hers. He rested his forehead against hers when the kiss ended. "Live with me Ash. Let's start building that life we've talked about."

Love for him filled her, sweet and warm. How could she possibly say no?