THE MUSIC NEVER ENDS

CHAPTER 13

"Joey, grab me a soda while you're in there." JC yelled out from the car as he started to pull off down the street to make a u-turn.

Joey walked into the small convenience store and straight into the back where the refrigerated section was. After he got the soda's, he stopped in the isle where the chips were. He could hear a woman laughing and talking up front with the clerk. Her voice sounded familiar, but Joey didn't take much notice of it over his hunger pains.

"Ha Ha! Well afterwards, I don't know if I will be coming in as often as I am now, Mr. Alfonso. I'll need to go on a diet to get rid of my gut."

"Oh, pish posh. You are beautiful either way."

Joey slowly made his way to the front of the store. As he was walking up behind the woman he stopped and turned around to look at a stack of ho ho's that were on sale. The woman finished up her purchase and proceeded out the store just as Joey turned back around to face the counter. The older, short, balding clerk told him he would be right back, before bolting out the door yelling, "Laura! You forgot your change!"

In his curiosity Joey followed to see who the woman was. He squinted his eyes slightly as the tinted back window of the black Lincoln came sliding down. He walked over slowly and leaned down a bit to get a closer look at the woman who was reaching her hand out the window. "Laura?"

"Hey Joey." Laura immediately rolled the window up slightly. He smiled and got closer to the car as Laura rolled the window down just a bit to lean her head out and give him a peck on the cheek.

"How have you been?" he asked.

"I've been okay. Yourself?" The two talked very briefly. In the midst of their ten second conversation Laura interrupted Joey and said, "I hate to have to do this, but I’m running late, Joe. I should have been at the studio 15 minutes ago."

"Oh okay, sweetie. I'll catch up with you later."

"Give the baby a kiss for me." she called out as the car started down the road. JC pulled up just as they pulled off. "Where's my soda man?"

Joey was starring down the road towards the black Lincoln as it disappeared around the corner. He looked over at JC and placed up his index finger, signaling that he would be right back. Joey finished up his purchase and got in the car, handing JC his soda. Joey looked down the road again. JC looked in the direction he was staring and then back at his friend, "What are you looking at?"

"Laura..."

JC almost got whiplash when he turned his head around to look for her, "Where!?"

"She was just here a second ago. I was in there getting our stuff and the dude that works there went bolting out the door calling out her name to give her change."

"He knew her by name?"

Joey was still trying to make sense of it all himself, "Yeah. But she said she was on her way to the studio so maybe it's right down the road from here. I guess she must go in there a lot."

"Or maybe he just met her and she told him her name." JC suggested.

"I don't think so. When I was in the store they were talking as if they had known each other a while, cause she said she needed to stop going in there."

"Oh..." JC was very curious about the encounter, but didn't want Joey to know. "How is she?"

"She seems like she is doing really well."

"Did she know I was just up the street?"

"I didn't get a chance to tell her. She was in a big rush to leave."

"Did she say what studio it was?"

"Nope." Joey could tell that JC was dying to get more information.

He smiled to himself and relished in seeing his friend squirm. He was a bit disappointed when JC stop his inquiries and changed topics during the drive to the car show. The entire time they were there, Joey noticed that JC was unusually quiet and keeping to himself most of the night. On the way home, Joey decided he couldn't stand the silence any longer. "What's on your mind, JC?"

"Nothing. Just tired, I guess." He replied as he came out of his daydream.

"Are you sure all this silence doesn't have anything to do with me seeing Laura earlier?"

"No. I hadn't given it a second thought."

Joey rolled his eyes and sucked in his teeth, "Yeah...Right. All I have to do is say her name and I automatically have your attention. Rachel isn't here. You don't have to put up a front with me. I know you still care about her."

"I'm not putting up a front. I still care about her, and it would be nice to know how she’s doing, but that is as far as it goes."

Joey shrugged his shoulders and looked out the window as JC continued to drive them back to the hotel. As they were driving up the third level of the parking lot to find an empty spot, Joey found himself going back to the subject of Laura. "You really can sit there and say that you don't love her anymore?"

JC was quiet as he pulled into a spot and turned off the car. "How can you continue to love someone after they continuously lied to you for a year about only God knows what. I can't even fathom it after she hurt me the way she did."

"Lied?"

"She lied about knowing that Rachel was cheating on me with Jerry, she lied about not knowing who the baby's real father was, and she lied about a shitload of other things."

"Did she admit all this to you?"

"No. Rachel told me."

Joey let his head fall back as he looked up at the roof of the car. "You gotta be fuckin' kidding me. And you can seriously look me in the eyes and say you believe Rachel over Laura?"

Joey shook his head and looked towards his friend in disbelief, "In all the time that I have known Laura, I have never know her to blatantly lie...especially about something like that...She doesn't have a spiteful bone in her body, JC."

"Do you know how long I went without knowing my son, Joey? A whole year...You know why? Because Laura felt it was her duty to keep that from me. What type of human being would do that to someone else? If that isn't spiteful then I don't know what is, Joe."

JC got out of the car and walked to the back to get some things out of the trunk. Joey followed behind him. "You've never kept a secret for a friend?"

"That's not the type of secret that any person should keep. She was dealing with my life here." JC said loudly in his frustration.

"You remember that time that I went away for the weekend with Gina when the mother of my child was sitting at home waiting for me? Remember who kept that secret for me? You remember when your boy David got Nick's girl, Robin pregnant? Do you remember who drove her home from getting the problem taken care of? Do you remember at all who stood in Nick's face and told him that you bumped into her at a restaurant and saw that she wasn't feeling well and decided to bring her home?"

JC looked down as Joey was refreshing his memory. "I don't see how your situation is any distinct from those, JC. But I guess it's different when the roles are reversed and it's you that the secrets are being held from."

"I shouldn't have helped either of you."

"And she shouldn't have helped Rachel, but she did. You can't forgive her?"

"I can't trust her."

Joey balled his fists up and started punching at the empty space around him to keep from hitting his friend. "I told them that I would keep my mouth shut, but fuck this."

"Who is 'them'?"

"The guys! JC, you can't be this fucking dense! Have you lost your goddamn mind? I'm trying to be as understanding to your situation as I can be, but listening to you say some of the shit that you are saying is making me literally sick to my stomach, man!"

Joey went to speak and stopped himself. He mumbled under his breath and let out a deep sigh trying to calm down. JC looked around the parking lot to see if anyone was watching them.

"You sit on your soap box preaching about how Laura did this to you and how Laura did that to you, but never have I once heard you rant about any of this blame falling into Rachel's lap...Because let's face it, JC...Rachel is the one who lied, cheated on you and fucked Jerry behind your back, got pregnant, and didn't know who the daddy was. She most likely went to her best friend at the time and said 'I have something I need to tell you, but you have to promise you won't say anything to anyone about it...especially JC'." Joey started hitting his hand against the car to get his point across as he kept repeating, "Laura kept a promise. She kept her word to her best friend."

"I was supposed to be her best friend."

"And you were. I'm not applauding her for what she did. I'm simply trying to say that she is a woman of her word. In her own way, Laura must have felt that by telling you, it would not help the situation. You were really fucked up after everything that happened. The lawsuit, the cheating, the broken engagement, the tour. It was alot to deal with. You were at your wits end. I think if she would have told you that, it would have sent you over the edge, JC."

Joey placed his hand on JC’s shoulder but it was quickly shoved away. "Rachel has fucked you up big time, bro. Who can't you really trust? Why are you placing all this blame on Laura? Why are you back with a woman who had sex with another man, kept your son away from you for an entire year, and sabotaged your friendship with Laura? And don't give me that ‘I don't want to be a part-time father' bullshit. You’re scared."

A car pulled up beside them and Joey decided it was time to go and made his way over to the elevators. JC grabbed his bags and followed behind him. "What exactly am I scared of, Dr. Joe?"

"You are terrified of how happy you were with Laura. We could all see it. We didn't know the extent of your relationship at first, but it was obvious that she was the reason you had a smile on your face day in and day out. That flaming burst of inspiration when we were working. That extra passion in your voice when you sang...It's gone now. She loved you. Up until the very end, she loved the shit out of you, and you straight up dogged her. You took all your anger with Rachel out on the one person who stood by you..." Joey paused momentarily as they got into the empty elevator. "In the end you weren't that solid rock for her that she was for you..."

JC glared at Joey for using his own words from his acceptance speech against him. "I didn't take out all my anger on Laura."

"The hell you didn't. You still are. But I can see why...People only fight this way with the ones they love." Joey got off the elevator and started walking down the hall towards their rooms.

JC rolled his eyes and went to speak but Joey interrupted him as they reached his door. "Just take your head out of your ass long enough to see what is going on right in front of you, JC...You're my brother, and I love you. But Rachel has got you messed up."

"How so?"

Joey placed his hand on his friends shoulder and looked into his eyes and smiled, "You never used to be this much of a dumbass."

JC punched him in the arm and Joey braced himself while laughing. JC walked down a little further across the hall to his room. Joey called out to him. "In all seriousness...I apologize if I said anything disrespectful earlier. I just needed to get that off my chest. But no matter what you do, you know I'll always be here."

"I know, Joey. I love you too." JC snickered before going into his room."

CHAPTER 14

"How was the show?" Rachel asked as she continued to leaf through her magazine.

"It was cool. I saw a few things that I want to get. Joey had a field day though. He was like a big kid in a toy store." JC said as he leaned down onto the bed and kissed Rachel lightly on the lips.

"See any people you knew there?"

"No, but we saw Laura before we got there-"

"What? Where?"

JC was puzzled by her reaction. "Well I didn't see her. Joey did."

"Oh. So you didn't see her?" Rachel was relieved.

"No. I just told you I didn’t see her." JC was growing very curious at her reaction.

Rachel decided to change the subject, "Jerry called."

"Oh yeah? What did he have to say?" JC asked.

Rachel could sense the attitude in his tone. "I don't know. I didn't speak to him. He had left a message downstairs. It's over on the coffee table in the other room."

JC realized he was being short with Rachel and tried to change his mannerism by playfully grabbing her ankles and lightly biting his way up to her knee. He then took off his shoes and jeans and walked into the other room to get the small envelope from the table. He grabbed his cell phone and started to dial.

"Hello?"

"Hey. It's JC. I got your message. It said to call no matter what the time. What's up?"

"I need to talk to you about something extremely important. You remember that day you brought in those release forms I needed you to sign?"

"Yeah. Why? Did I miss one?"

"No. After you left I found some sheet music mixed in with it. I had a guy play it for me and the song & arrangements are incredible."

JC couldn't figure out what he was talking about. "What song?"

"It says 'How Do You Keep The Music Playing'"

"Oh no, Jerry. That shouldn't have been in there. It was something personal that I was working on."

"Well at the top it says submission for Michael Stewart. It also has both you and Laura's names on it."

"Yeah, but we decided to scrap the song."

"Well I sent it upstairs to the exec's and they love it."

"You did what? That song was not supposed to be submitted, Jerry. It's not even finished."

"I know. That’s why I’m calling. They want you to finish the song."

JC knew Laura didn't want that song to be used on the album. "Please, Jerry. That song was not a submission. It was trashed and I decided to work on it behind Laura's back. She didn't want it on the album. I am trying to follow her wishes."

"Then you shouldn't have left it in my office. I just assumed that you wanted it added."

"You are so full of shit. You knew I left it there by accident. You know, I had almost forgot why I didn't like you, Jerry. But it’s all coming back to me now."

"It's business, JC. And since you are in this business you should know better than to leave music lying around my office. I'm giving you a big opportunity here. They want you to finish this song."

"And if I don't?"

"They will get someone else to finish it. But your reputation and your name are going to be all over this puppy. I would think that you would want to make sure that this is given extra special care."

"You have to give me a day to think about this." JC muttered.

"Fair enough. But...."

"But what?" JC asked rubbing his head trying to prevent the headache that was sure to ensue after their conversation.

"That's not the only reason I needed to speak with you."

"What are you leaving out?"

"They want you to perform the song."

"Oh come on now, Jerry! With what singer?"

Jerry was silent. JC couldn't tell if he had gotten disconnected or not. "Hello? Jerry?"

"Laura...They want you to perform the duet with Laura."

"Give me a hit off that crack you're smokin’, Jerry. There is no way in hell."

"Why not?"

"For one, she doesn't want the song released. And you already know the second reason."

"I'm sure if I sit down and talk to her, she’ll come around. When I called her earlier, she hung up on me. I need someone to help me persuade her to do it."

JC decided to use the conversation to his advantage. "Well, Joey bumped into her earlier today."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. I didn't get a chance to see her, but Joey said she was on her way to the studio."

"You guys must have been over by Dam Recording Studio then. She lives right near there."

"She lives here!?" JC fell back onto the couch trying to gather his thoughts.

Jerry got quiet. "You didn't know that? I thought you guys talked to her today?"

"Yeah, but I never said she told us she lived in the area. I just assumed she flew into town to work."

Jerry cursed to himself lowly, "She asked that I specifically keep that information to myself."

"Well now that you have, maybe I can get her to do the duet. Just gimme her number and I will see what I can do."

"No way. That will definitely screw up any of my chances of getting her to do this. I just can't, JC. I promised her."

"I won't tell her it was you who gave it to me."

"She'll find out. I can't jeopardize it."

"Fine then." JC said in defeat.

He was satisfied with knowing that she was in the same city. The two men briefly spoke for a few more minutes about how Nikky was doing before finally hanging up. JC sat on the couch and starred out the patio window towards the skyline. All he could hear was Joey's words playing back over and over again in his mind.

"Aren't you coming to bed?" Rachel asked as she stood in the doorway wearing only his t-shirt.

"I'll be there in a second. I just need to make one more call to Joey about something."

"Okay." Rachel said before going back to bed. JC grabbed his phone and called his friend.

When he got in bed Rachel rolled over to face him and lightly kissed him on the lips. She talked about her day briefly and started to rub JC's chest slowly working her way down. He stopped her just shy of his boxers and said, "I'm really tired tonight, baby."

"This is the third time you have done this to me, JC." Rachel whined.

"Well I'm sorry that my sexual appetite isn't as strong as yours. I'm sorry that I am too tired to give you something to help you fall asleep. I work my ass off almost everyday." JC fluffed up his pillow and turned his body to face the window.

Rachel was about to protest but instead sat back and thought quietly to herself.

CHAPTER 15

"Now explain to me again why we are back here."

"I want to ask the man inside about Laura." JC said as he parked along the curb and started to take off his seatbelt.

"Why?"

"I need to see her."

"Why?" Joey asked like a 5 year old.

"Because I just do." JC said as he got out of the car and walked inside the convenience store. The older man was sitting behind the counter reading a newspaper when JC walked up.

"How can I help you?"

"Well, I'm hoping you can. My friend came in yesterday and bought a few things from your store..."

"No refunds."

JC smiled, laughing lightly to himself. "No, I'm not looking for a refund. I am looking for someone who came into your store yesterday." JC gave the man a description of Laura and then said, "My friend says you ran after her and called her by her name...Laura. Does she come in here often?"

"Are you a cop?"

"No. We're old friends. I was trying to catch up with her and see how she was doing."

"How do I know you aren't a cop?"

He tried bribing the man with money, but it was useless. JC stood there trying to think of how he could prove to the man that he was a friend. He smiled and reached back into his pocket and got his wallet. He dug down into a compartment and pulled out a small photo. It was an old picture of Rachel, JC and Laura. It was folded on the one side so that only JC and Laura were showing. JC had been carrying it around in his wallet. He handed it to the man and pointed out Laura next to him.

Two teenaged girls walked into the store and were chatting together in the candy isle. JC and the man were still going back and forth over whether or not he was really a friend of some crazy stalker. The two girls took double takes at JC and started whispering to each other.

"My name is JC Chasez. I am a musician. Sound familiar at all? That's the two of us out at a record label barbeque." he pointed out.

The man had him move to the side so he could care of the two girls. As he was ringing them up, they asked JC for his autograph. When they were slowly leaving the store the older man said, "How do I know you didn't pay those girls to come in here and ask you for your autograph? You could be anybody."

One of the girls ran up an isle and came back to the counter with a box of fruit snacks. She turned the box over and pointed out JC among 4 other guys on the cover. The older man looked at him and then back down at the box 5 times before he caved. "You swear that you are friends?"

"I swear, sir. I'm only trying to say hello to her. That's all. I was just curious if you knew where she lived or if she comes in here a lot so that I could possibly be here the next time."

The old man looked out the window and could see Joey outside speaking to the same two girls who had just been in the store. "You see that big building over there?"

JC looked out past his best friend across the street. "Yes. The one with the man standing by the door?"

"Yes....She lives over there." he nodded.

JC's eyes lit up. "Thank you so much sir. What do I owe you?" JC asked as he took out his wallet to at least buy something in the store.

The man went over to the clear cabinet on the side and grabbed two Danishes and placed them in a bag and handed them to JC. He pushed JC's hand away signaling him not to give him anything.

"She gets one everyday. She hasn't come in yet today. You can take this over to her for me." The old man said.

JC thanked the man again and went to leave the store.

"Hey."

JC turned around.

"You must be a very special friend to go through all this trouble to find her. I just hope I'm right."

JC slightly smiled and walked out the door. He rushed to the edge of the sidewalk and looked both ways before crossing the busy city street. Joey wrapped up his conversation quickly and ran after JC. "Where are you going?"

"She lives in there." JC pointed out before rushing off towards the front door. Joey grabbed his arm and turned him around, "What are you about to do?"

"I'm about to go and see her." he replied matter-of-factly.

"Why the urgency, JC?"

"I don't know. Something is just pulling me in this direction. I just need to see her."

"What are you going to get out of this? Its not going to change anything. Why are you going to start some more shit with her? She left Florida, she has a new life here, she isn't chasing you down...Why don't you just leave her alone?"

"Because I can't. Either you are going to be here for me or not." JC started to walk up the steps.

Joey stopped in his tracks and said, "Then I'm not. I'm not going to help you with this one, JC. You're on your own."

JC threw up his hands and said, "Fine."

As JC walked into the building the first thing he saw was a very large marble desk sitting close to the elevators. He took a deep breath before walking over the counter. There was a very well dressed man standing behind the counter talking on the telephone. He whispered that he would be with him in a moment. JC couldn't help but wonder what the man's sexual preference was by the very feminine tone in his voice. Once the man hung up he asked, "Can I help you, sir?"

"I hope so. My name is-"

"I know who you are, Mr. Chasez. I'm a big fan." he smiled.

"Well thanks...I'm actually here looking to surprise a friend of mine. Ms. Laura Charles. Could you tell me what apartment she lives in?"

"Sorry I can't give out that kind of information, Sir."

"No way you can bend the rules a little?" JC asked.

There was no emotion in the clerks face when he bluntly stated, "No."

JC knew that this man wasn't going to budge, but he was going to try anyway. He started offering money, gifts, autographs, clothes, concert tickets, as well as free plane trips...Nothing seemed to be working. Just as JC was about to give up hope and go home Joey walked up to the counter and introduced himself to the clerk. The clerks eyes immediately lit up as Joey continued to make small talk with him. JC walked over towards the front door and waiting for Joey to join him in his defeat. Two minutes later Joey walks over to him and whispers, "Ninth floor. Apartment 9102...You owe me big time."

JC put both his hands on the sides of Joey's face before planting a large kiss on his cheek and thanking him. The clerk at the desk smiled seductively at the two of them as he adjusted his tie. Joey looked towards his friend for help but JC was already on his way to the elevator.

Once on the ninth floor, JC couldn't pull himself out of the elevator. He felt as though his feet were nailed down to the floor. He started breathing deeply, giving himself a pep talk. As he walked down the hall, he rehearsed what he was going to say when she opened the door.

The gold plated numbers on the door were shining back at JC. He lifted his hand up to knock and stopped himself. "What the hell am I doing here?"

DING DONG

Laura grabbed a box and headed towards the living room. "I'm coming!" she yelled out.

She grabbed an invoice and placed it in the box and walked towards the door in hopes that it was the FedEx driver picking up a package she needed sent off. She left the chain on the door just to be sure. Standing behind the door as she slowly pulled it open just a tad the smile completely disappeared from her face as she asked, "What do you want, JC?"

CHAPTER 16-18