Moving On

By: Jeannie

"you complete me.."

The line got her every time she watched Jerry Maguire. Oh well she thought turning off the tv set. That only happens in movies. Time to do the dishes and get ready for bed. Just as she got up the phone rang.

"Hello?" she asked softly.

"Kate? It's me Justin."

The voice echoed in her mind. The last time they had spoken she banished him from her life. Hearing his voice was enough to make her eyes well with tears.

"What do you want Justin? It's late and I have to work in the morning."

" I just wanted to hear your voice. I know you hate me now and I really fucked up things between us but please just hear me out for a minute." Justin asked pleadingly.

"Okay, you have one minute."

"Kate, I hate that I hurt you like I did. I was an idiot. That girl wasn't worth losing you over. Is there anything I can do to convince you to give me another chance?"

"Justin, it would never work again between us. How can I trust you again? I gave you more chances than I should have. Somehow we both have to move on with our lives."

"How am I supposed to move on with out you? You've been like my best friend to me. I need you." Justin said trying to hold back tears.

"Justin, we need some time apart. I need time on my own. Maybe someday we can be friends again but right now I just can't handle any kind of relationship with you. No amount of apologies or begging is going to fix the damage that has been done. I just need to find out what I want and who I am. I've been with you for so long and focused my whole world on you and managed to lose myself somewhere along the way.I know it sounds cheesy but I have to find Kate and find out what she wants."

"Well when you find her and what she wants could you let me know because I miss my best friend."

"I'll have her get back to you, J." Kate replied sniffling.

"I guess there's nothing left to say huh? Goodbye Kate."

"Goodbye Justin."

Kate put down the reciever and began to think back to when she and Justin were very much in love. They'd gone to Hawaii together and spent one of the most romantic weeks of her life together. How could something so right go so wrong? An old photograph of she and Justin still sat on her bedside table and she stared at it and remembered how the relationship unraveled.

August 2003 - New Orleans, LA

Kate's plane had arrived as scheduled and Justin and the guys were at a photo shoot she had come to surprise him. When she arrived at the warehouse where th shoot was taking place Dre greeted her.

"Hey Miss Kate! What brings you here?"

"Well I'm here to see J, of course. Where is he?"

"Um well he's being photographed at the moment but I'll let him know you're here."

Over the time Kate had been with Justin she had learned when his buddies were covering for him and it was obvious they were stalling for him. Over across the room she noticed a head peeking out at her. It was JC one of Justin's best friends and her confidante when it came to her and J.

"Hey sweetie!" JC said smiling and holding his arms open to hug her.

"Hi, C. What's going on around here? Where's J?'

"Um Kate. I ..."

JC wanted to tell her so badly that Justin had his other girl in there with him. To just tell her the truth before Justin hurt her any further. Kate had always been special to JC. In fact, he had fallen for her from the minute he laid eyes on her. Unfortunately she was already in love with one of his best friends so she was off limits. That morning he had gotten into an argument with Justin about his infidelities.

"You have a good woman J. Why are you doing this? Kate deserves better and you know it."

"Look, C, I love her but she's always working and I get lonely."

"Oh so being lonely gives you the right to act like a jerk? I get lonely too but you don't see me running around with some little ho. You need to stop it now before you ruin everything between you and Kate."

"It won't ruin anything because she won't know. And you aren't going to tell her right? Because it would only hurt her."

"I'm tired of keeping your dirty little secrets J. End it today or I will tell her everything."

"Some kind of friend you are. You don't even have my back when I need you."

"Not when you fuck up this badly I don't! How can I keep lying to her like this? She asks me what's going on with you and I pretend to be clueless. I just can't keep pretending J."

"Fine tell her. But I'll deny it."

Exasperated JC walked out slamming the door.

Now here he was standing in front of Kate preparing to tell her the awful truth.

"Kate, let's go get a cup of coffee?"

"But I want to see J."

"I'll explain sweetie just come with me, okay?"

The whole way to the coffee shop JC was completely silent. he had to collect his thoughts and find some way to tell Kate what was happening .

When they were finally sitting down JC began to slowly and gently tell Kate what had been going on.

"Kate the reason Dre wouldn't let you in to see J is because he was protecting you."

"Protecting me from what?'

"From J's stupidity." JC mumbled.

"What?" Kate asked totally confused.

"J has been seeing someone else Kate and she was in there. Dre didn't want you to see her and J together."

Kate was stunned. Just two days ago J told her he loved her and couldn't wait to see her again. Everything he said was a lie. it couldn't be. It just couldn't. It was all she could do to keep from breaking down. At that moment her whole world shattered.

"Kate, baby, if you need a shoulder to cry on I'm here." JC looked at her lovingly.

"C, how long did you know? How long were you lying to me?"

"I've known for a while but I was so afraid of hurting you. I begged J to stop seeing her and tell you the truth but he just wouldn't. You deserve so much better than this. I'm so sorry."

"Tell Justin that I took a flight back to LA. I'm packing my things and going back to Florida. I'll leave him the keys."

As she got up from the table JC placed his arm around her.

"Kate, I just wanted to tell you one thing before you go, I love you."

Still on the verge of tears Kate left the coffee shop and headed for her hotel room to pack her things and book herself on the next flight to LA. And she never looked back.

She never looked back that was until he called that night and she looked at the photo of them together. While tears trickled down her face she picked up the photo and put it in a box filled with all the things that were left behind from the love she and Justin shared.

Placing the box on the floor she whispered, "Goodbye Justin. It's time for me to move on" .

Still crying she walked to box down to the dumpster and stood there for a second. This is it Kate, she thought, time to close that chapter of your life. Time to start over again. With that she threw the box in the dumpster.

As she walked upstairs she felt a sense of relief. Like she was starting on a whole new journey. It was the first time in her life she felt like she could handle things on her own. that she could make it on her own. life was different than it had ever been. She no longer believed in fairy tales but she still believed in love. Despite the pain she knew love could exist. It could exist as long as she didn't allow it to change who she was. As long as she was willing to give it another chance.

One Year Later

It was a hot summer day in Orange County Florida and Kate was working at a local day camp for disabled children. When she finally arrived home that evening she was exhausted and just wanted to put he feet up and maybe take a hot bath. Just as she sat down on the couch there was a knock at the door.

The door creaked open and behind it was a familiar face. A face she could never forget.

"Hello, Kate."

In the year and a half that had passed he still looked the same. The same unmistakable blue eyes, the same tall thin muscular frame, the same wild curly hair, the same sweet smile.

"JC? What brings you here?"

"Can I come in?"

Kate ushered him in wondering what brought him to her doorstep after all this time.

"So JC how are you?"

"I'm okay. I just wanted to see you."

"Why do you want to see me?" Kate questioned

"Remember the last thing I said to you that day Kate?"

"You said you loved me but I always knew that JC."

"No you don't understand Kate. I was in love with you. I always have been and I still am."

"What?" Kate stammered

" I love you Kate. I didn't come back until now because I wanted to give you time to get over Justin. And I had to deal with what happened to my friendship with Justin. I told him how I feel about you Kate. I told him right after you left. Kate can we just start over? Can we just get to know each other better and see where that takes us? All I've thought about all this time was you. Without you I feel like part of me is missing Kate. Please say you'll give us a chance?"

Looking into his eyes she knew he meant every word. How could she look at him and say no? It might not work out but how would she know what could be if she didn't at least take a chance?

"JC, I don't know what to say. Why don't we just sit and talk for a while and take it from there? okay?"

Sitting on Kate's sofa they talked for hours. JC wrapped his arms around her and brushed her hair from her face. Leaning in he smiled and kissed her softly on the lips. Their lips parted slightly and Kate deepened the kiss.

"Goodnight, Kate."

"Goodnight JC."

Christmas - 2005

The tree was lit, stockings hung, mistletoe carefully placed. Everything was perfect. Kate smiled and looked around at the home she had shared with her boyfriend JC for the past six months.

"Hey baby!" Jc snuck up behind her and kissed her on the neck.

"Hi there." she said smiling sweetly.

" I have a surprise for you Kate. Come over here a minute."

JC walked her towards the sofa and motioned for her to sit down. Grabbing a pillow he kneeled before her.

"Kate, I love you with all of my heart. You mean more to me than you will ever know. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?"

Crying tears of joy Kate wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Yes, JC, yes I would love more than anything to be your wife."

He pulled a beautiful diamond ring from a black velvet box and placed it on her finger. Then sweeping her up into his arms he kissed her. It wasn't long before they found themselves in a romantic embrace on the floor. The fireplace and some well placed candles lit up the room. Their eyes met and they began to slowly undress each other.

"Kate you are so beautiful. I love you so much." JC said trailing his hands down her body caressing every inch of her.

"I love you too JC."

Kate began to kiss JC on his chest and work her way down. As she touched his hardness he began to moan. Meanwhile JC's fingers had reached Kate's wetness. He placed two of his fingers inside of her center and began to pump them gently. Kate moaned.

"JC, I need you inside me. Please."

JC took that as his cue and entered her slowly at first then worked up to a mind blowing rhythm and Kate matched every stroke.

"Ohh JC, Ohh yes, Don't stop. You feel so good."

"Kate, mmm oh god."

They both moaned loudly as they reached their climax and collapsed into each other's arms.

February 14, 2006 -

JC and Kate had just taken their vows. The church was filled with people. They both noticed someone they knew well in the crowd. As he approached Kate she took a deep breath and held JC's hand tightly.

"Hello Justin." she said sweetly.

"Hi did you ever find Kate?" Justin asked.

"Yes I did. I found Kate Cameron-Chasez. Wife, teacher, and soon to be mother. I know who I am and what I want I already have." she replied beaming.

"It sounds like you did. So is there room for an old friend and his guest at the wedding reception of the century?" Justin chuckled.

Justin motioned to a young woman across the room.

"This is Meg. Meg this is Kate and JC."

"I've heard so much about you." Meg said reaching out to shake their hands.

"Meg is my fiance Kate."

"Congratulations Justin." Kate replied.

"Congratulations to you too"

The reception was beautiful and Justin and Meg came and chatted with the newlywed couple for a while.

When they left to go to the airport for their honeymoon, Kate couldn't help but smile at the thought of the decision she made a long time ago. Time to move on Kate. Time to move on. The best thing she ever did was move on.

"JC?"

"Yes, Kate?"

"You're the best thing that ever happened to me. Don't ever let me forget that."

"I won't baby, I won't."

The End

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