Date: Fri, 28 Apr 2000 22:03:19 EDT From: SLK2308888@aol.com Subject: ~This I Promise You~ Chapter 3 General Announcements~ Hey again! Thanks for all the great email from everybody. It's been great to see what you guys think. Thanks to Diana for intellectually stimulating conversation, and for Kyle who's been forced, upon his will, to read my quasi-pseudo intellectual papers! Legal Disclaimer applies. This story is entirely fictional. It doesn't mean to imply anything about the real live and sexuality of any members of NSync or any other characters that might pop up. If you aren't of legal age, you shouldn't be reading this. So STOP! Go on before I tell your mommy! HEY, I saw you sneak a peak now go on. Please send comments, questions or ideas to SLK2308888@aol.com with the subject heading of ~This I Promise You~. Till next time It's Gravy Baby! = )~ Any flames will be forced to listen to Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go on" on a continuous track while stuck in an elevator with Gary Coleman. Ya! That's pretty bad! = )~ This I Promise You By Rick Chapter 3: Et tu Brute? Justin nervously ran his hand across his curly locks and breathed deeply before knocking on JC's door. "JC, can I come in?" Justin asked softly. Justin could hear the deep breaths coming in from the room; it was remarkable to him how JC could sleep through anything. "Josh, come on wake up you lazy bastard!" Justin stated with a smile. He slowly turned the doorknob and made his presence known to the room. Justin looked around appreciatively; many good memories were made inside these four walls. Like at the beginnings of NSync, a dream come true for the both of them; Justin too excited to sleep, came to JC's room and had the most riveting, fascinating conversation of his life with the man who would eventually become his best friend. There would be countless other late night talks covering everything from crushes and heartaches, friends and fears. There were also those all-night video parties, where Justin would hide and cower behind JC during the extremely graphic horror scenes. Joey or Chris would always start up with sarcastic comments at Justin's expense, but JC was always there to protect him and make them stop when they went too far. Now that Justin thought back to it, hadn't this been so obvious? His almost God-like worship of JC, wanting to walk, talk, and act like JC, but more importantly the pitter-patter of his heart when JC would be there for him. Oh that sweet feeling of feeling important and being wanted, it was if Justin could never get could never get enough of it from JC. Pushed aside as just an intense fondness for his friend, nothing was mentioned, nothing was ever considered. A best friend was just what Justin had always wanted. Now with JC by his side, they would become the inseparable duo. Spoiled by words of praise and constant interaction with each other, it was obvious that Justin would horde over JC's time. When JC wasn't there Justin would become distracted and moody. Not really known why by anyone, including himself, certainly jealousy was not examined. Justin would pout like a little child, when JC would try and understand his emotional roller coasters. So at the advice of Justin's mother, a decision was made for JC to move out of the house. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~ "Justin try and understand honey," Lynn tried to console her distraught son. "It's not like we won't see each other any more J," JC stated confidently. Justin looked utterly betrayed by the words coming out of his mother and his friend. What had he done to make JC leave? It was all his fault once again he knew it. Pushing JC too far away had made JC mad at him. JC had done nothing but been a great friend to him, a better friend then he deserved. "Don't go," Justin whimpered softly, his throat too dry to speak. "Justin you can come by any time you want man, it'll be cool for the both of us!" JC tried to assure him. "You're my best friend Josh, don't you love me anymore?" Justin tried to push the emotional appeal. "You know we'll always be best buds Just. Nothing can ever change that!" JC argued. "What do you want me to do Josh. I won't bug you anymore, I'll . . . I'll leave you alone, I . . . I won't ask you to go to the mall or play hoops with me. Just tell me what to do to make you stay," Justin argued a losing battle. "That's not what I want Justin. I just want you to be happy, that's all I want. But we have to face the facts here, we know we can't always be together forever. Pretty soon, you'll be too popular to even remember that goof ball of a friend," JC stated. "You're not a goof ball Josh," Justin sobbed. "I know . . . I was talking about Joey," JC said with a brilliant smile that always made Justin smile. The corners of Justin's mouth migrated upwards but quickly plummeted to that erasable and utterly disheartening frown. "Cheer up Curly," JC stated, carefully wiping a few tears from his best friend's face. "Things will look up, don't you worry," JC assured cupping Justin's face in his strong hands. JC stayed for a couple minutes to look into his friend's eyes. They seemed dull and lackluster, causing his heart to drop to his stomach. "It'll be good for the both of us," he reiterated to Justin (or for himself?). "Take care of you!" JC stated dropping his hands from Justin's face and promptly did an about-turn. "Don't cry!" JC willed himself. "He needs to be with other people and not just yourself. He'll see in the end that you're doing this for him," JC thought to himself. "Don't think about him, don't think about him," JC begged his heart and soul. "You know you need him just as much as he needs you!" his conscience echoed through the recesses of his heart. He slowly walked out of Justin's room and began to get his stuff from his empty bedroom. Before he could take one step further he could feel Justin pouncing upon his leg with a loud "THUMP!" "PLEASE JOSH, PLEASE!" Justin pleaded. "Let go Just, give it some time, you'll . . . you'll see that you don't need me," JC said, walking with determination. "You promised! You promised that we'd stay together forever Joshua Chasez!" Justin insisted. "That was a long time ago Justin, we've grown up," JC tried to persuade him, stopped by the revelation of his once long forgotten promise. "So you were just fucking lying to me?" Justin asked, feeling utterly betrayed. "I may just be a kid but now I know the truth! You did all this for the stupid fucking band," Justin said with anger. "You know that's not true, we'd still be friends even if NSync wouldn't have worked out," JC disagreed. "Just fucking get out of my house if you want to so badly," Justin stated defensively, making himself invincible to the hurt he was feeling. "Don't come over, call me, or talk to me while you're at it," Justin added. "You really want that?" JC asked with a gulp. "Why do you care?" Justin threw back in his face. JC kneeled down so that they were face to face. "Because . . . because you're my best friend Justin. Sometimes you mean more to me then my own parents do and I just want to make you happy. So . . . if that's what you want then I won't bother you anymore," JC whispered, his words cutting through Justin like a hot knife through butter. "If you really want to make me happy Josh you'll stay," Justin whispered back. "Then . . . I'll stay," JC decided on the spot. "You will?" Justin asked excitedly. "I give you my word Justin," JC said. With that, Justin leapt into JC's arms and hugged him like he never wanted to let go. "Oh boys!" Lynn stated from the doorway. She came up and kissed JC and Justin on the head. "I've never seen two friends love each other so much like you two do," she stated (or foreshadowed?). "Now Justin, help Joshua unpack his stuff and come downstairs for lunch in about an hour." So their first and only major battle had been fought and for whatever consequences, JC was here to stay with Justin once more. Their routine became the same, but Justin made a real effort to give JC his own time with others and really became appreciative of whatever they did together. ~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Justin was awoken from his reverie when JC's stereo turned on, programmed to wake any mortal from the deepest of sleep with the volume set to eardrum splitting. "Good Morning! Here's a special request from one of our listeners to his special someone. It sounds like this guy won't stop trying until he gets what he wants, so here is Aaliyah's "Try Again" coming from the phat soundtrack "Romeo Must Die" "What would you do, to get to me? What would you say, to have your way? Would you give up, or try again? If I hesitate to let you win Now would you be yourself, or play a role? Tell all the boys, or keep it low? If I say no, would you turn away? Or play me off or would you stay? And if at first you don't succeed Then dust ya self off and try again Dust ya self off and try again, try again Cause if at first you don't succeed You can dust it off and try again Dust ya self off and try again, try again I went to you, you went to me But I can't let it go, so easily Not till I see what this could be Be eternity or just a week And your chemistry is off the chain It's perfect now, but will it change? This ain't a yes, this ain't a no Just do ya thang, this is how it goes And if at first you don't succeed Then dust ya self off and try again Dust ya self off and try again, try again Cause if at first you don't succeed You can dust it off and try again Dust ya self off and try again, try again See you don't wanna throw it all away I might be shy on the first date What about the next date, huh, huh, huh, huh Said you don't wanna throw it all away I might be buggin on the first date What about the next date, huh, huh, huh, huh And if at first you don't succeed Then dust ya self off and try again Dust ya self off and try again, try again Cause if at first you don't succeed You can dust it off and try again Dust ya self off and try again, try again And if at first you don't succeed Then dust ya self off and try again Dust ya self off and try again, try again Cause if at first you don't succeed You can dust it off and try again Dust ya self off and try again, try again" "Try Again . . ." JC murmured in his sleep. "Try Again . . ." Justin whispered with agreement. To Be Continued???? Well I hope you enjoyed. I certainly enjoy writing it! Write to me at SLK2308888@aol.com with the subject heading of ~This I Promise You~. Take Care Oh and read my other story ~The One~. (Sorry for the shameless plug but I am just shady! lol)