"Aerosmith!" Mike yelled into the microphone as the rock band Aerosmith took the stage. Steven Tyler, the lead singer, walked over to Mike and draped his arm along her shoulders with an evil grin.
"When I heard what this girl was planning, I couldn't say no, cause I'm a sucker for a good practical joke. I talked with the rest of the band, and they agreed to do this for her." he said then turned to Justin. "Justin, this one's for you." Steven said giving the young man a kiss on the cheek and a wink.
Steven started and Justin blushed, laughing as he covered his face with his hands, and Steven walked to the front of the stage.
Mike walked over to where Justin was sitting with a smile. "You won, I can't top this!" he laughed shaking his head.
Pink is the love you discover
Pink as the bing on your cherry
Steven walked back over to Justin, knelt down and draped his arm along the young man's shoulders while Mike, Joe, Lance, Chris and JC all stood on stage laughing hysterically at the sight of Justin being mortified and humiliated all in the name of good fun.
Pink, it's the color of passion
'Cause today, it just goes with the fashion
Pink it was love at first sight
Steven rubbed Justin's pink hair with a grin which made everyone laugh all that much harder.
Pink gets me high as a kite
Joe walked over and handed Justin a huge pink kite.
No matter what we do tonight
You could be my flamingo
Mike walked over to Justin, holding something behind her back and presented him with a huge pink lawn flamingo.
Pink like a deco umbrella
It's kink - but you don't ever tell her
Pink it was love at first sight
Pink when I turn out the light
Pink gets me high as a kite
And I think everything is going to be all right
No matter what we do tonight
Steven wrapped his arms around Justin from behind with a purely evil grin and a wink to the audience. "Hey Justin, your face is as pink as your hair!" Mike cried out laughing.
I wanna wrap you in rubber
Chris walked over to Justin and Steven and threw a bucket filled with condoms wrapped in pink at them, which only made Justin's face to redder.
JC walked over to Justin and handed him a pink sheet set with a huge grin on his face.
Lance stumbled over to his friend, laughing, and handed him a huge blowup pink crayon.
Pink when I turn out the light
Pink it's red but not quite
And I think everything is going to be all right
No matter what we do tonight!"
The audience erupted into frenzied cheering as the song ended and Steven kissed Justin on the cheek one more time before he and the rest of Aerosmith left the stage.
"I want to thank everyone for being a part of this practical joke, and always remember that I am the shrek queen!" Mike laughed into the microphone before she and 'N Sync walked off the stage.
"That was classic. You were always able to come up with the most original stuff like that." Justin smiled sadly, turning to face the bed once again. He walked over to the bed and reached out to take her hand, but thought better of it and stuffed his hands into his pockets.
"Don't leave me Mike." he whispered suddenly then quickly left the room.
JC wandered down the hall, not quite knowing what to do with himself. He wanted to see Mike, but he was leery about seeing her lying in a hospital bed. Mrs. Costeo had left for Boston earlier that morning because she had to get back to Mike's younger brothers, but Mr. Costeo had stayed behind and was now at the hotel not too far from the hospital.
JC stopped in the doorway of Mike's room and peered inside. He stood there just watching her. He stepped into the room and walked over to the bed, his eyes filled with sorrow, then sat down on the chair next to her bed and rested his head on her stomach, closing his eyes.
JC looked down at his watch as he let himself into the fan club office through the backdoor. 1:42 a.m. and Mike was still here. He and the rest of the guys had just gotten off a flight that brought them back home for a week's worth of vacation time. He quietly made his way down the silent hallway and stopped in the doorway of her office. She had fallen asleep in front of her laptop computer, probably while typing one of her many papers for one of her many classes. He leaned against the doorframe with a smile. She looked like a little girl when she slept, but only those who knew her well, knew that she was a hellion while she was awake.
JC walked over to the desk and leaned over her, tracing the outline of her ear with his fingertip to wake her up. She sat up so suddenly she almost clocked him right in the chin with the top of her head.
"Morning little one." he laughed softly.
"JC? What are you doing here?" she demanded jumping to her feet.
"Vacation time. All of us are back." JC shrugged leaning back against the desk. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and pulled her over to him.
"I've missed you." he whispered, his lips brushing against her ear.
"I've missed you, too." she smiled, closing her eyes as she leaned back against him for a moment. "Let's go to for a walk." she suggested as she leaned over to grab her jacket from the back of the chair.
"All right, where to, little bird?" he questioned letting her go.
"Beach." she answered with finality. JC followed her out into the parking lot. They both climbed into his car and after a moment, JC took off for the beach. As soon as he parked the car near the sand, Mike jumped out and waited for him, holding her shoes in one hand. JC stood there for a minute gazing at her and she blushed turning away from him self consciously. JC took her hand and gently pulled her over to him with a smile and a serious expression in his eyes.
"What's wrong?" Mike questioned worriedly.
"Nothing, just don't walk away from me." he whispered, the sentence taking on two meanings. Mike stroked his jaw line tenderly with her fingertips as she looked up at him, love shining in her eyes.
"Don't worry, you're stuck with me now, Josh." she told him with an impish smile.
"That's the only thing I wanted to hear." he smiled as they walked down to the shore, hand in hand.
The one person who had refused to cry, finally decided it was time. JC rested his elbows on the mattress, covering his face with his hands as hot tears stung his eyes. He couldn't explain it, but ever since he had found out about the accident, he had a strange foreboding feeling surround his heart. He hated feeling this helpless, not being able to help the woman who had snuck under his skin and stolen his heart right out from under him. She had snuck through all his defenses and gotten to him.
JC's shoulders shook slightly with the tears he finally cried. A gentle hand touched his hair and his heart nearly jumped from his chest. He lowered his hands and saw Mike smiling weakly at him. He breathed a sigh of relief as he took her hand and brought it to his lips. She slowly, painfully sat up and wrapped her arms around him, her heart breaking at the look of utter relief and love she had seen in his eyes. JC shifted so he was sitting on the bed and pulled her onto his lap, holding her as if he'd never let her go again. Silently, the two sat in the hospital room, just reveling in the fact that Mike was alive and well and that JC was there for her through her worst time yet.
Thank you for letting her stay with me, JC's heart whispered as he stroked Mike's hair in a soothing manner. She suddenly pulled away from him and looked up into his eyes. She reached up and brushed the tears from his cheeks with a sad smile.
"I'm sorry." she whispered, her voice cracking.
"No," he whispered back. "You have nothing to be sorry for." He pulled her back into his arms, closing his eyes against more tears that had sprung to his eyes. She was all right, and that was all that mattered to him.
Justin sat in the makeshift waiting room, head in his hands and so tired he thought he could sleep walk all the way back to the hotel and sleep for about a week. He yawned hugely and leaned back in his chair. He never knew waiting for news could be this emotionally and physically draining.
"Hey, you should probably go get some rest." a familiar voice stated from a few feet away. Justin looked up to see Carli smiling softly at him.
"Nah, I'm fine." Justin shook his head, returning her smile. "Have a seat."
Carli walked over to the empty chair next to his and sat down tiredly, rubbing the back of her neck with her hand.
"How long have you been here?" Justin inquired curiously.
"All night. My nephew was having nightmares, so I stayed." she shrugged with a slight grimace. Justin turned in his seat so he was facing the young girl and rested her hands on her shoulders, slowly kneading the knots and kinks out of her muscles. Carli sighed in total bliss as he muscles relaxed under his gentle coaxing and administrations.
"You're good at this." she commented with a half smile. Justin nodded, remaining silent, lost in thought. I wish we could have met under different circumstances. He sighed shaking his head as he continued to rub her shoulders and back. She has the most beautiful hair. Justin groaned silently and dropped his hands. Carli looked over at him, concern evident in her eyes.
"You okay, Justin?" she inquired, turning to face him.
"Yeah, fine. I'm gonna go for a walk. See ya later." he said suddenly jumping to his feet. Carli made a face as she watched him walk down the hall, head down and shoulders hunched.
Justin could believe that he was thinking such things, especially when three of his friends were lying in hospital beds. He raked a hand through his bright blond curls with aggravation. This was beginning to be too much. He could handle being on the road, being away from his family, giving their fans everything for 23 hours a day, but this helplessness was a first and he didn't know how to deal with it. He didn't understand how JC, Chris and Joe could act so calmly when their girlfriends were seriously hurt from a car wreak. If it had been his girlfriend, he'd be going crazy right about now, demanding to know what was going on. Justin leaned back against the wall near the payphones and rested his hands on the back of his neck, head bowed, almost as if he were in prayer. Not only did he feel helpless, he felt guilty. The guilt was almost more than he could bare.
"Come on, Mike. Please come to the show. I never get to see you anymore and I miss you." Justin sighed from his seat on the couch.
"Justin, I'm really not feeling well." Mike replied sitting down next to her young friend. Justin nodded, not meeting her eyes. She looked at him a moment longer then smiled. "Okay, I'll be there. I promise." she stated rubbing his hair affectionately. He gave her his winning smile as he jumped to his feet.
"Thanks, Mike."
Mike nodded with a smile as Justin rushed from the room.
The tension is his shoulders intensified with each passing second. A pair of small, soft hands rested on his shoulders and pulled him into a gently soothing embrace. Justin rested his forehead on Carli's shoulder and let her do her best at comforting him. He closed his eyes, h is mind railing at him, yelling that this was all his fault. That he never should have pressured Mike into going. None of this would have happened if he hadn't, but he wanted her there. She was his friend, and a close one at that.
Carli's steady hands stroked down his back and she could feel the tension radiating from him. Her heart went out to this young man who seemed to be torturing himself with his thoughts and emotions. How one person could hold in so much grief and fear without lashing out, she didn't know. Carli closed her eyes, wishing there was something more she could do for him. Justin's arms slowly wrapped around her, instinctively pulling her closer to him, somehow needing her warmth, her strength.
Her heart skipped a beat and her breath caught in her throat when she felt his lips brush against the skin of her neck in a soft kiss. He then kissed her jaw line, her cheekbone, then finally, her lips. Justin's hands came up to cup her face as he kissed her fully. This is wrong! His mind railed, but it didn't matter to him at that moment. Right now, though he couldn't explain it, he needed her more than he'd needed anything before.
No, this is wrong. I shouldn't be letting him do this. Her mind screamed. But you have to admit that this feels right somehow. Her heart countered. She knew this was crazy, she had only known him for a total of a day and a half, yet she felt like she had known him her whole life.
Just as suddenly as the kiss started, it ended leaving both participants breathless. Carli gazed up at him with shocked eyes.
"I'm sorry." he ground out through clenched teeth.
"No, it's okay." she shook her head. Justin sighed and glanced around, mentally kicking himself for what he had done.
"I need to go. I'll catch you later." he stated distractedly, then walked away from her.
Lance slowly walked down the hallway to his hotel room, Rachel in tow. He was more tired than he had even been in his life, or at least ever remembered being. He was thankful that Rachel had been unharmed, but he couldn't help but worry about his friends and how they were coping.
"Hey," Rachel stated softly as she stopped walking. "Are you okay?"
Lance turned to her with a sad smile. "Yeah, just extremely exhausted. Don't worry about me, sugar, I'm fine."
"You positive?" she pressed, still worried.
"Only fools are positive." Lance sighed rubbing his face with his hands.
"You sure?" Rachel grinned impishly.
"I'm pos - erm, sure." Lance chuckled catching himself just in time.
"Go get some sleep." Rachel stated softly, giving him a gentle push toward his door.
"I'm going, I'm going." Lance sighed, dropping a kiss on her upturned lips. She smiled and pulled him into a hug.
"Lance, you are the single most wonderful thing in my life." she sighed as he held her tightly.
"Thank you ma'am. The same goes for you.. now, you go get some sleep to, huh?" Lance smiled walking her to the door of her hotel room. She placed a kiss on his lips then disappeared into the room. She sighed as she fell on her bed, and immediately passed out.
Lance walked to his room and sat down on the bed, too wired to actually fall asleep anytime soon. He lounged back and flipped on the television, hoping that some mindless entertainment would help make him sleepy. Old reruns of shows he used to watch as a kid flickered on the screen, which made a phantom of a smile cross his face. He folded h is arms behind his head and let his mind relax and think of nothing important. Before he knew it, he was asleep.
Chris woke up with a start, not remembering where he was or what he was doing. He glanced down at Devon and everything rushed back like a train. He sighed and shook his head tiredly. It had been a long couple of days. He reached down and kissed Devon's cheek then slowly climbed to his feet, doing his best not to wake her. Chris walked out into the hallway and ran into an equally exhausted JC, who had just stepped out of Mike's room.
"How's Dev doing?" his friend inquired, rubbing the back oh his neck with his hand.
"She's sleeping at the moment, but she's doing all right. Very sore." Chris sighed as they walked over to a couple of chairs. "How's Mike?"
"Well, as far as I can tell, she's just fine. We didn't really talk all that much." JC shrugged, looking as if the weight of the world had been lifted off his broad shoulders.
"Listen.. I need your advice about something." Chris sighed resting his head in his hands, elbows on his knees.
"Okay, what's going on?" JC inquired glancing over at the older man.
"I'm thinking about doing something that will inevitably change my whole life and I don't know if I should do it." he sighed.
"Care to elaborate?" JC questioned. Chris got to his feet, pacing the small area.
"I love Devon, everyone knows that. I think I want to ask her to marry me." he finally stated, looking as nervous as a kid on his first date.
"Wow, okay." JC sat back in his chair, momentarily stunned. Chris sat back down, tired of pacing because it took up too much energy.
"If I do ask her, am I making a mistake? Am I too young?" he inquired tossing his hands up into the air.
"I think that it's entirely up to you. I've learned that you have to follow your heart. If you want to marry her, and you love her enough to be able to spend the rest o f your life with her, then you should ask. If you're having any kind of doubts, wait a while and see what happens." JC shrugged, giving his friend a sympathetic look.
"It's just with her being in the hospital, it put a lot of things in perspective. Like I don't want to find out what life would be like without her. I found I love her more than I thought I did, and that in and o f itself is scary for me. I've never loved like this before." Chris shook his head, trying to straighten things out in his mind.
"Then you have to do what you think is best for yourself. If that's marrying Devon, then by all means, ask her. We'll all be here for you, you know that." JC gave him a confident smile. Chris nodded climbing to his feet once again.
"Thanks, man. I'm gonna go see if she's awake yet." Chris stated then headed back in the direction he had come from. Devon's room was silent, though she was awake and looking out the window a few feet from her bed. He stood in the doorway, watching her for a moment, before he walked in and made his presence known to her. She turned and smiled at him.
"Hi you." she sighed happily.
"Hey you." Chris rejoined as he sat on the edge of her bed. Devon looked over at him, the concern evident in her eyes.
"What's going on?" she inquired.
"A lot, that's why I need to talk to you." he sighed, glancing out the window. Devon's heart stopped, then started beating painfully in her chest. He's going to break up with me. Lord, I don't think I can handle this. Not now, not ever.
"Okay, so, talk." she whispered, afraid of what might come out of h is mouth.
"I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, and I've made a lot of decisions." Chris started. Devon nodded, closing her eyes. "You being here helped me make those decisions. You see, I've found that I love you, probably more than I ought to and I don't really want to find out what life would be like without you. Lord knows I got a taste of it, and I didn't like it much."
Devon remained silent, her eyes intent on her boyfriend's face. She had no idea what he was trying to tell her, but she kept reminding herself to remain calm and to be patient. Devon never had been very strong in those traits.
"When I saw you lying in this bed, a part of me nearly died because there was a chance I could lose you. Devon, I was so damn scared of losing you." his voice cracked as tears burned his eyes. Devon's heart shattered as she reached for his hand. He clutched her hand as if it were a lifeline of sorts. She knew something was running through his mind, though she was still unable to figure out what it was. Lord, Chris, just tell me.
"Marry me, Dev." Chris whispered, finally looking up at her to meet her gaze. Her heart jumped into her throat as her eyes widened with shock.
"What?"
"Marry me." he repeated. "It doesn't have to be right away, in fact, I'd kinda enjoy a long engagement, but the point is, I want to spend the rest of my life with you." Chris rushed on. Devon looked at him in shock, her mind reeling from the impact of his words. My God, he wants to marry me. He wants me to marry him. She was still having a hard time believing what Chris had just asked her. She closed her eyes briefly, then opened them to see Chris watching her intently.
Okay Dev, judgement day has come just a bit early. Pro's of marrying Chris? He loves me. I love him. He's charming, caring, wonderful, humorous, strong, intelligent, family orientated. Con's of marrying Chris? Always on tour, female fans ripping my eyes out, no privacy. Looks like the pro's out weigh the con's here. One more question girl, do you love him enough to spend the rest of your life with him?
"Yes." Devon whispered with a smile. "I'll marry you."
Chris looked over at her, startled by her response, then smiled hugely and pulled her into his arms. She was going to marry him. He heaved a silent sigh of relief as he reached into his pocket to pull out a small black velvet box. Chris had been given this ring when he had turned twenty from his mother, who had gotten it from her mother, who had gotten it from her mother. It had been in the family for generations, and now it was going to Devon. He handed her the small box, and watched with a grin as she opened it. Devon gasped and nearly dropped the small box in her hand.
"My God, Chris. This is way too beautiful." she shook her head.
"My mother gave it to me. It belonged to her grandmother. When she gave it to me, she told me to give it to the one who could make me happy. You're the one." Chris shrugged as he took the ring out of the box. It was a silver band with small diamonds around the whole thing. He took her left hand and slipped it on her ring finger.
"I love you, Chris."
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