Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2000 15:55:19 -0800 (PST)
From: Robin <nsajscgirl@yahoo.com>
Subject: Chapter 2, Prisoner of Love, Boybands, Celebrity, Gay

Disclaimer: This is a piece of fiction, which means that it isn't real.  I
don't know *N Sync or their sexual preferences.  If you are underage or
homosexual content scares you, don't read this.

Hi, ya'll.  Thank you to those who responded to the first chapters of
Prisoner of Love.  If you read through the first chapter then you've
probably read this chapter already, but I've got to post it anyway.  If
you've alreay read this part though...Chapter 3 is posted on my website
now.  http://www.angelfire.com/boybands/nsajscgirl I've only written the
first four chapters and I haven't gotten the fourth chapter proofed yet, so
it may take a little while for me to post it and continue with the story.
Thanks goes out to Cele again! *plug*check out her story "Life Of My Own"
in the Hosted Stories section of my website, it's incredible!*end plug*

Email me and let me know what you think!  Nsajscgirl@yahoo.com
****************
Prisoner of Love
Chapter 3

(One month later...)

	The courtroom was silent, all eyes trained on the slim figure of
James Porter, the prosecuting attorney in the case of Florida vs. Chasez.
Porter was surprisingly young and charismatic.  `He's got a very dynamic
stage personality,' JC thought to himself and felt a ripple of despair run
through his body.  Porter was dressed in a perfectly pressed suit, pacing
tirelessly back and forth in front of the jury.  His arms flailed about as
he delivered each fact before snatching off his wire-rim glasses and
pointing them at jury members.  JC noticed with no small amount of
bitterness how words seemed flow from the young attorney's lips with little
effort. The judge leaned forward in her plush leather chair, her elbows
resting on the stand comfortably.  Her focus was solely intent on the
information Porter was feeding her and the jury. Although the crowd at JC's
back was silent, he could feel their presence and their eyes watching him
closely, judging him.  JC turned his head slightly to watch the faces of
his peers, the group judging him, and he felt his heart contract at the
expression on their upturned countenances.  They watched Porter with rapt
attention, their eyes following his every movement, full of curiosity.
JC's attention was pulled away from the jury and he found himself unable to
tear his eyes away from Porter, the man intent on putting him in jail for
life.
	"Ladies and gentlemen, you've seen all the evidence; evidence which
contains facts and testimonials that point a direct finger at the man
sitting right there, Mr. Chasez," Porter said as he jabbed a finger at JC.
"The night before Meredith Stone's murder, Joshua Scott Chasez went back to
his hotel suite, his friends and co-workers in tow.  Instead of finding
what he was looking for, Mr. Chasez and company discovered something very
unexpected.  They found Ms. Stone in the embrace of another man.  When it
became obvious that Ms. Stone and the young man were lovers, Mr. Chasez
flew into a rage.  Heated words and blows were exchanged.  More
importantly, threats were exchanged.  There were several witnesses to these
threats, witnesses that shared their testimony with you.  Meredith had
threatened JC with her knowledge.  She declared that if he ever touched her
again, she would go to the press with certain facts she knew about JC and
his fellow band mates.  We now know exactly what secret Ms. Stone had
threatened to reveal...namely the sexuality of one of Mr. Chasez's band
mates.  The members of *N Sync had decided that keeping Mr. Bass's sexual
orientation a secret was a wise choice considering their line of work.
Only close members of the groups retinue knew about Mr. Bass."  JC clenched
his jaw tightly and closed his eyes as Porter spoke freely about Lance.  He
had broken his promise to Lance.  When Lance had first come to him,
confused and unsure about the feelings that were consuming him, needing to
confess his thoughts to someone, JC had promised his young friend that he
would never tell anyone that Lance was gay.  Lance eventually came out to
the others in the group and all were supportive, but as Porter said, they
had all agreed to keep Lance's secret because they were afraid of their
fans' reactions.  He had failed his friend and he had done so with flying
colors.  Not only did everyone on the planet now know about Lance, they
believed that Lance was the reason JC murdered his ex-girlfriend.  JC knew
that Lance was sitting behind him, slightly off to the left and he could
just imagine the pained statement on his friend's pale face.  Even though
JC hadn't been the one to tell the jury what Meredith threatened to expose,
he still felt entirely responsible.  Michael had been the first witness on
the stand and the person to tell the courtroom Lance's secret and JC hated
their former assistant more and more with every breath he took.  JC pulled
his thoughts away from Lance and focused once again on Porter as the man
continued.  "Once Ms. Stone warned him about hurting her person, Mr. Chasez
very coldly and very deliberately threatened Ms. Stone's life.  I believe
his very words were, `I would kill you before I let you do something like
that.'"
	JC turned stoic blue eyes to face the jury and was not surprised to
find that they had all turned their gazes on him, watching him closely.  It
felt like everyone was watching him.  Even now, he could feel the eyes of
his best friends boring into the back of his skull.  If he thought life as
"JC Pop-Star" was unbearable in its scrutiny, life as "JC
Pop-Star-turned-Murderer" was twenty times worse.  JC still wasn't sure
that this was actually happening.  He kept telling himself, `It's just a
bad nightmare that is going to end the second I wake up.'  But that thought
turned into a desperate plea with each moment that passed.  He was most
certainly awake and this was most certainly happening to him.  JC shook
himself mentally once he heard Porter call his name again and he tuned into
what the lawyer was saying.
	"Mr. Chasez then followed Meredith into his trailer, where they
argued once again.  There were signs of a struggle, an overturned lamp,
papers scattered over the floor, drawers half opened.  In the heat of the
argument, a gun was pulled out of one of those open drawers.  A gun that
was licensed to Mr. Chasez.  Mr. Chasez shot Meredith in cold blood,
knowing that she held information that he didn't want exposed to the
public.  Not only did Mr. Chasez kill Meredith Stone, he also killed the
unborn child she was carrying in her womb.  He claims to have had no prior
knowledge of the baby she was carrying in her belly; we all know that may
or may not be the truth.  It could have provided him with another reason to
kill his girlfriend.  What `boy-band' member would want an illegitimate
child running around?  I doubt Mr. Chasez is remorseful about killing the
child...after all, he did get rid of the problem Meredith presented,"
Porter finished snidely, turning disgusted eyes on JC.  The jury's
expressions mimicked Porter's and they all watched JC closely.
	JC clenched his jaw in anger and struggled to keep himself from
jumping to his feet and tackling the lawyer.  He couldn't stand the fact
that he was unable to defend himself.  Porter was calling him a baby killer
and by all accounts, he was right.  All the evidence led a direct path to
JC.  His lawyers, some of the finest in the country, could do nothing but
sit back and twiddle their thumbs because they couldn't refute the facts of
the case.  JC's heart ached with sadness at the thought that the baby could
have been his, a child of his own.  Of course, the child could have easily
been Michael's.
	"The testimony that our witnesses provided tells you what happened
next.  During the filming of one of the few scenes that Mr. Chasez wasn't
needed, a shot rang out.  Mr. Isham, the first person in the trailer, told
you what he saw: Mr. Chasez, standing above a very dead Meredith Stone, gun
in hand.  Even his band members agreed with Mr. Isham's testimony.  There
is no way that you could believe that Mr. Chasez is innocent.  He murdered
Meredith Stone in cold blood because she was a threat to his career.  Look
at that man!" Porter demanded harshly, pointing at JC.  The jury obliged
and JC helplessly returned their stares.  The expressions on their
collective faces told JC everything that he needed to know...they thought
he was a cold-blooded killer.  "That man is a murderer," Porter continued.
"You can only bring back a verdict of guilty if justice is going to be done
today!"  Porter paused, the silence weighing heavily on everyone in the
courtroom.  The lawyer slowly walked back to his desk before speaking
softly as he took his seat, "The prosecution rests, your honor."
	"Thank you, Mr. Porter," the judge nodded her head at the Porter.
"Ladies and gentlemen, you have heard the testimony from both sides and
their closing arguments.  I urge you to wisely use the time you have
tonight and think over everything you have heard," the imposing judge
advised, before picking up her gavel and banging it loudly on her desk.
"You're dismissed for the day.  We will reconvene tomorrow morning at ten
o'clock for the final verdict in this case."
	JC studiously ignored the people surrounding him and the jury as he
stood.  Almost immediately, rough hands pulled his arms behind his back and
he felt the cold bite of steel handcuffs as they were wrapped around his
wrists.  JC felt his lawyer's hand on his back.  He grimaced bitterly; it
was an empty gesture and there was no comfort in the small human touch.  It
was all incredibly surreal...the whispers of the crowd at his back, being
led into a narrow hallway, forceful hands pushing him into his cell.  JC's
lawyers had asked for a reasonable bail, but the judge had refused, setting
the price at a million dollars.  He had no doubt that his friends would
have posted it, but he had asked them not to.  There was no point in it.
At least they kept him in his own cell, away from the rough criminals that
he had seen at the police department that day...the day that Meredith was
murdered.

***

	Several hours later, after JC had counted the number of tiles on
the ceiling twelve times, a loud buzz pulled him out of his
thoughts...thoughts that revolved around murder and lies.  An intimidating
police officer walked to the bars and slid the door open.
	"You've got visitors."  JC stood silently and brushed past the cop.
Familiar with the routine, he halted nearby and waited patiently for the
officer to turn and lead the way.  JC knew whom his visitors were.the guys
had made it a point to visit him each day, bringing a spot of brightness in
the gray world he lived in now.  They still hadn't asked him the one
question he knew that each of them wanted the answer to.  He could
understand, though, if he were in their shoes, he wouldn't really want to
know the answer either if there was the slightest bit out doubt.  Instead,
they had just assumed what the answer to the question was.  They refused to
believe that he guilty.
	The cop, or "Walker" as his nametag read, pushed open the door to
the visiting room and folded his arms over his massive chest.  "Fifteen
minutes," he growled.  JC nodded and entered the open room.  A bare table
surrounded by four metal chairs sat in the middle of the small room.  Three
of the four chairs were occupied.
	"Where's Lance?" JC asked immediately, noticing his best friend's
absence right away.  No one replied.  Justin stared down at the gray table,
his fingers tapping out a regular rhythm on the linoleum surface.  Joey
found the opposite wall fascinating and Chris's eyes bounced all over the
room, never stopping or landing on JC.  "I said, where's Lance?" JC
repeated, his voice turning to steel, his gaze held pointedly on Justin.
	"He...um...he didn't want to come today, Josh," Justin said
hesitantly.  JC's eyes immediately filled with tears.  He shrugged his
shoulders helplessly before falling into the last chair.  He didn't care
anymore.  He had apparently lost his best friend and nothing really
mattered anymore. JC didn't give a flying fuck that he was crying in front
of the others.  How could Lance believe that he was guilty?  Or maybe Lance
was angry with him because everyone now knew that Lance was gay?  JC had
apologized a million times to Lance for that because he felt that it was
his fault that information came to light.  None of this would have ever
happened if he had not trusted Meredith or Michael.  It was entirely his
fault.  "Oh, God, Josh!" Justin exclaimed as he moved to wrap an arm around
JC's shaking shoulders.  "Please, don't cry!  Lance...we'll talk to him,
JC.  I promise...I'll get him to come and see you, okay?  Please, just
don't cry," Justin pleaded with JC.  He knew without a doubt that JC was
innocent.  He had never questioned his firm belief.  Justin simply knew in
his heart that JC couldn't do something like that.  Joey and Chris looked
on painfully as JC tried to gather his emotions and hold them under
control.  Joey sniffled and wiped his face roughly with his left hand,
trying to hide the few tears that managed to leak out of his eyes.
	"Have you talked with your lawyer?" Chris asked, hoping to pull
JC's thoughts away from Lance.  They had all been pissed when Lance refused
to go with them to visit JC.  He could tell from the look in Lance's eyes
that the younger man was a mass of conflicting thoughts and feelings.  JC
was his best friend and in Chris's opinion that meant that Lance should
have been JC's shoulder to lean on.  Instead of supporting JC, Lance had
pulled away.  Lance had listened to the testimony and had been swayed.
Chris was still having a difficult time looking at Lance without anger
burning inside of his heart.
	JC blinked watery eyes at Chris stupidly. He shook his head
negatively once Chris's question registered in his mind.  "What lawyers?"
JC asked bitterly.  "They don't know what to do, they have nothing to go
on.  They probably think I did it anyway."  Joey shook his head furiously.
He stood up quickly and started pacing along the wall opposite the door.
	"There has to be *something*!  Dammit!  How can there not be one
shred of evidence that proves you're innocent?!" Joey asked heatedly,
fighting against the hopelessness he felt welling up inside of himself.
His friends watched him pace with sad eyes.  Justin frowned before turning
his attention back to JC.  He studied his friend closely.  There were dark
circles underneath JC's crystal blue eyes and perpetual frown lines marred
JC's smooth skin.  During the month since the murder, JC had lost too much
weight.  His frame was frail; Justin could see JC's backbone stretching
against his orange jail suit.  Justin's heart twisted in his chest as he
watched JC.  He still couldn't believe this was happening to them; it
seemed like some horrible nightmare and he knew that it was twenty times
worse for JC.
	"They've gone over everything with a fine-tooth comb, Joey.
There's not a single hole in the prosecution's case.  I've tried to think
of something...anything.  I've replayed that day over and over again in my
mind and I...I don't see anything.  Hell, if I weren't me, I'd believe I
was guilty too!" JC stated his voice emotionless and empty.  He turned to
face Justin, his eyes earnest and pleading.  "I'd...um...I'd ask Lance
this, but he's not...not here, so could you please talk to my lawyer
tomorrow?  He's got some papers and stuff that I want...need you to hold
onto, okay?"  Justin frowned at the request.
	"What kind of papers, Josh?"  JC avoided the younger man's gaze as
he answered.
	"Financial papers...when I'm convicted, I want you to have control
of my financial assets."  JC paused before allowing a small grin to grace
his lips.  "Just don't go spending all my money on flashy bling-bling,
okay?"  he requested with a forced laugh.  He stopped laughing the moment
he saw Justin's eyes water.
	"Not when, JC...if...if you get convicted, okay?" Justin insisted
softly.  JC almost broke down again at Justin's youthful optimism, but
managed to control himself.  Slowly he nodded his head in agreement, but in
his mind, he was shaking his head furiously, `NO, not if!'  Justin smiled
once at him before jumping slightly when Walker banged on the door loudly.
	"Time's up!" Walker announced as he opened the door widely.
Everyone stood and no one could prevent the flow of tears.  JC faced Chris
first, opening his arms wide.  Chris stepped into JC's open arms, crying
softly.  They hugged tightly, neither one wanting to let go.  Chris had
been JC's mentor, despite his child-like personality, and JC just wished
that he could tell Chris how much he had meant to him.
	"I love you, Josh.  Don't ever forget that," Chris demanded,
pulling out of the hug to face JC.  Chris had a bad feeling about the next
day and he didn't want anything to go unsaid between himself and the
younger man.  JC nodded, tears shining brightly in his wide, azure eyes.
"We'll see you soon, okay?"  JC nodded once more before turning to Justin,
who threw himself into the older man.  JC could feel Justin's shoulders
shaking and he hugged his young friend close to his body.  He swallowed
roughly before pushing Justin away.  `This is too damn hard!' JC thought to
himself as he watched Justin intently.  Justin wiped at his eyes furiously,
fighting an inner battle within his mind; he decided he would be strong for
JC and he straightened his shoulders.  JC watched Justin pull himself
together and he felt his heart swell with pride and awe for the young man
in front of him.
	"I'll see you tomorrow, okay Josh?" Justin asked, straightening
himself.  JC nodded and offered Justin a slight smile.  "I love you,"
Justin said softly before moving away to stand next to Chris.  JC turned to
find Joey standing in the far corner of the room, hands covering his face.
Even from across the room, JC could see the sobs wracking Joey's body.  He
walked to Joey quietly, pausing for a moment before touching Joey's
shoulder gently.  He was caught by surprise when Joey practically jumped
him, throwing his long arms around JC's body.  Joey buried his face in the
crook of JC's neck and JC could feel the wet warmth of Joey's tears.  JC
couldn't hold back the sob that wracked through his own body as he squeezed
Joey tightly.
	"I said, time's up!" Walker called again; this time anger tinged
his voice.  JC reluctantly pulled away from Joey.  He avoided the younger
man's gaze, looking at the police officer instead.  JC nodded slowly before
squeezing Joey's shoulder once more and walking to the door.
	"JC!" Joey said, desperation in his normally smooth voice.  JC
turned to face his friends, looking at each of them before settling his
gaze on Joey.  "Love you, man," Joey said softly, his warm brown eyes
glowing from tears.  JC fought not to break down again and smiled once he
was sure he could manage the simple gesture.  Once he trusted his voice not
to crack he nodded and spoke.
	"I love you guys too.  See y'all tomorrow."  With that, he
disappeared out of the metal door, which slammed shut behind the policeman.

****

	(The next day...)
	The courtroom was completely silent.no one moved, no one whispered
as everyone watched the jury file into their small box, filling the seats
slowly and JC wanted to scream.  His nerves were shot; the slightest sound
caused his heart to beat faster.  Somehow, he managed to keep his outward
appearance calm, but on the inside, his stomach twisted nervously.  He
watched the jury members' faces, hoping to find some sign of hope.  Nearly
all of the nondescript faces were kept carefully blank, showing no clue as
to what their verdict had been.  One young woman however watched him with
something akin to sympathy and JC's heart clenched.  He didn't know whether
or not that was a good sign.  Once they were all seated, the judge turned
to face the group.
	"Have you reached a verdict?" she questioned, her voice heavy and
meaningful.  One of the jurors stood and nodded.
	"Yes, your honor."
	"Will the defendant please stand?"  JC obliged; his legs felt
rubbery and he wasn't sure that he would be able to stand throughout the
whole thing.  He clasped his hands behind his back, squeezing them tightly.
JC heard the juror's next words, but they sounded far away, like they were
coming from the end of a tunnel.
	"We, the jury, find the defendant, Joshua Scott Chasez, guilty of
murder in the first degree."  At the word guilty, JC's head dropped and he
squeezed his eyes shut tightly.  A sob threatened to overcome him, but he
worked desperately to crush it.  JC breathed deeply once and let it out
before raising his eyes to stare at the judge.  The next couple of minutes
passed by in a blur, JC just heard pieces of what the judge said.
	"Punishment...Lifetime sentence in the Florida State
Penitentiary...prisoner is to remain in custody..."  Once the judge was
finished with her spiel, JC's lawyer turned to him, grabbing his arm.
	"Appeal...don't worry...I'll get you out."
	Words floated through JC's head and he knew that if he didn't get
out of there, he'd lose his breakfast.  He turned, searching blindly for
the nearby policeman.  JC had almost forgotten about the crowd behind him
until he heard the whispers rising.  He desperately wanted to turn around
and find his friends, but before he could, cold handcuffs were slapped
around his slim wrists once more and he was pushed towards that narrow
corridor.  They left the commotion of the courtroom behind, only the white
walls and harsh lights accompanying them.

*****

There it is, email me and let me know what you think!  PLEASE!
nsajscgirl@yahoo.com