He really shouldn’t have been so surprised. He’d always thought it might be a possibility. More than that. A probability. But thinking it, and knowing it, were two different things. JC read the words again, his stomach clenching. “I’ve only slept with one man, and that was two years into our relationship. Little did I know that Justin would sell me out.” Two years into their relationship. JC did the math quickly, realizing she was talking about two years into their staged relationship, and one year into their real relationship. That would have made it sometime in late 2001. 2001. JC laughed silently. The year even the Queen would have to describe as an Annius Horriblius for him and Justin. They broke up in January, when JC couldn’t take the idea of Justin and Britney together anymore, even if it were fake. Little did he realize it had turned real. They’d never discussed it, always keeping it off-topic, so glad they were to finally be together again that neither wanted to upset the other by bringing it up. “JC?” Justin called, coming into the room. JC quickly hid the copy of W. “Hey, baby,” he said, pushing a pillow over the magazine. “I thought you’d be at your place for longer.” Justin was off tour for the week, enjoying some downtime in LA. “No, they wanted to play pool, and I just wanted to watch TV.” JC rose and walked up to Justin, kissing him lightly. “I’m going to bed, okay?” He slipped quietly up the stairs. Justin watched him walk away, a puzzled frown on his face. He sat in the chair JC had just vacated, digging under the pillow and withdrawing the magazine he’d seen JC stuff there. He sighed as he quickly scanned the article. When Justin finally came to bed, JC was still awake, but when Justin reached for him, JC feigned sleep. He did, however, allow Justin to pull him close and hold him all night. *** Four days later, JC was in NYC, waiting for his room service order. Hearing the bell ring, he opened the door, expecting to find the waiter and his club sandwich. He did not expect to find Britney. She gave him a huge smile and moved airily into the room. “Oh, I love this hotel!” she exclaimed. “One thing I miss about having a place in New York is not staying here.” JC was about to close the door when his food arrived. He watched as the waiter pushed the table inside, his eyes widening at the sight of Britney Spears sitting on the couch. JC tipped him well and sent him on his way before finally asking Britney, “What are you doing here?” Britney rose from the couch, lifting the silver plate covers and snagging a French fry. “I’m here, because I got an incredibly rude phone call from an incredibly pissed-off Justin Timberlake telling me in no uncertain terms to apologize to you for my W article.” JC collapsed on the couch, head in his hands. “Jesus, what did he say to you?” She joined JC, sitting next to him and pulling his hands away. “That you were upset to find out that Justin and I had slept together, especially in a magazine interview.” She cocked her head. “Did you really not know?” JC sighed. “I didn’t want to know. There’s a difference.” Britney nodded. “I understand. I never meant to hurt you, JC. I did mean to hurt Justin, but never you.” “Why did you want to hurt Justin?” Britney blinked in surprise. “Did you not SEE the ‘Cry Me a River’ video?” “Oh, that,” JC said with a chuckle. “Yeah, that.” Her voice grew serious. “I loved him, JC. I really did. Oh, I knew you guys had been together, but I really and truly thought we’d make it.” She laughed bitterly. “Little did I know there were always three of us in the relationship.” She gave him a skeptical look at his blank expression. “Oh, come on! You’re a smart man, JC, you must have known he always loved you, loved you more than me! Even when we made love…” JC flinched. “…I knew he was thinking of you. Knew it in my heart, but refused to admit it to myself.” They were silent a moment. “Is that why you cheated?” JC asked. Britney sighed. “I know it was wrong, and I know it hurt, but I needed someone. Someone who wanted me for me, not for me as ‘Britney,’” she added, making little quotes in the air. “Yeah, I understand.” JC watched as Britney left the couch, attacking his food again. “Hey, why don’t you and I go out tonight?" she asked as JC joined her at the table. "That’ll really cause tongues to wag!” JC laughed. “Sounds like a plan, sweetie,” he said, though something was bothering him. “Brit?” “What?” “Wade?” JC asked, incredulously. “I mean, Wade? Ew, much?” She tapped his nose with a fry. “I never slept with Wade.” JC mulled that information over. “You never…but if not Wade…what other guy friend of Justin’s is there?” he mused. A sly smile touched the girl’s lips. “Whoever said it was a guy?” *** Justin smiled broadly as he spied JC in the bus. “When did you get here?” he asked over the rumble of the engine. JC walked wobbly toward Justin. “Tonight,” he said, kissing Justin soundly. “Just wanted to be with you before we headed to Miami and all the Challenge madness.” Justin shifted, tumbling them both onto the bus’ couch, groaning as their already hard erections came into contact. “Not that I’m complaining, but…” Justin looked at JC expectantly. JC lifted a hand, smoothing it over Justin’s cheek. “Thanks for sending Britney to me,” he said. “It helped. A lot.” Justin kissed JC’s hand. “I’m sorry, Jayce,” he murmured. “I never talked about it because, really, it didn’t mean anything to me. And I think the fact that it didn’t mean anything to me bothered me more than the actual sex.” JC nodded. “But the actual sex bothered me,” he admitted. “I know,” Justin said, kissing his lover deeply. “But it’s over, we’re together, and all’s right with the world, yes?” JC lifted his hips and spread his legs. “Yes, indeed.”