Kim had no clue where she was going so she just let the car guide her.  It wasn’t long before she reached the small town.  She had been there before with Mandy, it was just a tiny town.  But it dawned on Kim that they did have a hotel.  If JC had made it out of the forest, he would have likely headed there, Kim reasoned and found herself heading there as well.  She knew if he saw her she would be busted, wasn’t this kind of like stalking?  But for some reason Kim no longer cared the guilt was killed her as it was.

The hotel wasn’t fancy, if JC had been there it’s not like any one would have noticed him, it wasn’t like a celebrity would visit there willingly.  When she walked in Kim noticed right away the lack of personnel.  The front desk was vacant and she approached it slowly.  As she got closer she could see the teenaged clerk in the back room with their ear buds jammed in their ear, rocking out to something.

What Kim did next surprised even her.  She made her way around the desk and moved the mouse to wake up the computer.  Using her computer knowledge Kim was able to bring the guest list.  Big shocker, JC name wasn’t on there, but he could have checked in under another name and paid cash.  She search through the few entries that were there, finding only person that had checked in alone.  The clerk was still oblivious so Kim to the liberty of making herself a room key before heading to the second floor.

She was either about to scare the hell out of some random person or really piss off JC.   Kim paused at the door before placing the key into the reader, secretly hoping that is wouldn’t turn green, but it flash green and she hears it unlock.  She opened the door slowly surprised to see that he hadn’t secured it better, then again this probably wasn’t a high crime area.  The bathroom door was shut and the shower was running so Kim ventured further into the room.  The lack of luggage led her to believe that she did in fact have the right room.  There was a shopping bag and new cloth lay on the bed. 

Kim waited to see if he would come out soon; her heart was in her throat.  She thought about running but that’s when the water shut off.  As she thought about it more she froze in fear unable to move.  Before she could compose herself, the bathroom door opened and JC stepped out, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist.  Shocked to see her he almost lost his towel.  Kim was quick to throw her hands over her eyes in case he didn’t catch it in time. 

When she was sure it was safe to look she put her hands down by her side, JC just stared at her for a minute.  He felt like he was dreaming, how on earth did she find him and how did she get into his room.  Kim was staring back at him, the water from the shower still clinging to his body and dripping from his wet hair.  The two of them said nothing but neither of them took their eyes off the other.  Kim finally blushed, this was kind of embarrassing.  He was better looking than even she had imagined.  His toned upper arms and wash board abs.  This suddenly felt like a mistake why would a guy, that looked like that, ever want her?

JC noted the way she was looking at him; it was like she had never seen him before.  He thought maybe it was because he was nearly nude but there seemed to be more to it.  He finally got up the nerve to talk; the awkward silence was getting to him.  JC cleared his throat as if to direct her attention back to his face.

“What are you doing here and how did you even get in here?” JC asked trying to sound a little angry.  On the inside he was just happy to see her.  Kim just held up the key card and kind of smiled.  She was after all very proud of herself for thinking of it.  It was the little victories that mattered most to her.

“I had to find you.” Kim said softly.  JC felt his heart thaw a little as she spoke; she was being so sweet and shy for some one that had just broken into his hotel room.  “I shouldn’t have sprung all that crap on you when I did.  I am sorry.  I just needed to tell you how I felt and that I was really nervous.  I think the others are upset with me, I mean they haven’t come right out and said it but I can feel it.  I screwed up; I am guessing that you have talked to the police.”

JC looked away for the first time and softly said no under his breath, he hadn’t gone to the cops, he hadn’t made up his mind about it yet, but if he did he knew at least Chris would kill him for sure, maybe a few others.  And the girls weren’t that dangerous. 

“Why not, I thought that I what you wanted all along to get away and get us arrested.” Kim asked.

“It was, but things change I guess.  I don’t know what I want any more, accept…” JC trailed off at the end and stepped closer to Kim.  Her breath caught in her throat.  He secretly wanted to know just how serious this crush of hers was, so he played into it a little, getting close enough to her to make her uncomfortable and nervous then he reached down and got his clothes off of the bed.  “I would like to get dressed now if that is okay with you?” He asked, still close to her, his blue eyes pricing into her.  Kim didn’t want to admit it but his current attire was a little distracting for her.  She finally managed a nod.  JC headed back for the bathroom but paused before entering.  “You’re not going to taze are you?” He asked.

Kim just shook her head; come to think of it she couldn’t remember if she had even grabbed a weapon before leaving the house, she had just wanted to get away.  JC smiled at her again, she was like a star stuck fan now and it was cute as hell.

“You will still be here when I come back out, right?” He asked, pointing into the bathroom.   It’s not that he was shy but Kim didn’t look like she could handle the full show just yet.

“Of course.” Kim squeaked.  JC didn’t know if she really meant it, he half expected her to be gone by the time he came back out.  By much to surprise she was seated on the bed nervously looking around when he emerged from the bathroom again, this time fully clothed.  He took a seat next to her on the bed and gently placed his hand on her knee.  He felt bad for storming out on her like he had.

“JC, we need to talk about this.” Kim sighed.

“Define, this?”  JC asked.   He was just toying with her at this point.  He knew what she wanted to talk about. 

 “This, you know the video, the kidnapping, us?” Kim explained. 

“What about us, I am sorry I freaked out on you yesterday.  I didn’t realize that there was a ‘us’ until you brought it up yesterday.  I mean you barely know me.” JC said.  He knew women all over the world fantasized about him, but it wasn’t love.  That was just them being crazy fans.

“I know enough to know that I like you.  You’re a great guy and very good looking to boot.  Your life is so stressful, but you keep at it any way.  That says a lot about you.” Kim explained.  He had never thought about it that way.  He could have just tried to get away as soon as they had taken him but once he realized that they were just girls, he did try to work with them.  “I suck when it comes to dealing with guys and I am sure I said something yesterday to make you run, but I am not like Brandi and Katy.”

“And thank god for that.” JC huffed.  If she were like them then he wouldn’t like her near as much as he did.  It was her innocence that was just so darn cute.  He ran his finger in circles on his pant leg.  “The thing is, I kind of like you too.”  JC said softly.  Kim wasn’t sure she had heard that right.  He looked up at him and she looked confused.  There was no way that could be true.  “But this is all very weird for me.  It’s not like a normal situation and I just didn’t know how to handle it.” JC added.

“I understand.  I didn’t go into this expecting anything.  That is kind of why I was a bitch to you.  I didn’t want to feel the way that I did, because this couldn’t possibly end well.  You know expect the worst and pray for the best.” Kim explained.  Kim took JC’s hand and held it in hers for a minute; she just wanted to feel his touch.  He didn’t’ try to stop her.  JC wouldn’t have let her touch him before, something had changed between them.  “We have to think of something, I don’t want my friends to be mad at me, because in the end they are all I have.” Kim begged.

There were tears in her eyes and it broke JC’s heart, but he didn’t know what to do for her.  What was done could never be undone.  He whipped away a few stray tears from her cheek with his thumb and then rested his hand against the side of her face; he waited to see if any more tears would escape.  Before he knew what he was doing he pulled her in for a kiss.  It was a sweet kiss and just as innocent as she was.  He pulled away from her to find her eyes still closed, she had to think that she was dreaming.

“We’ll think of something.  This is just as much my fault as it is yours and I don’t want the guys to be mad at me either.  We have been through so much together, we’re like brothers.” JC explained.  Kim finally opened her eyes and blinked a few time.  JC could have told her that she was a princess at this point and she would have believed him.

“I need to head back soon; the others will be worried about me.  But I won’t make you go with me.” Kim sighed turning away from him; she couldn’t take his rejection that she knew was coming.  JC smiled, he had heard that before from Katy.  But it wasn’t clear if Kim knew what had really happened last night but he wasn’t going to tell her that was between her and Katy as far as he was concerned.  The silence seemed to go on forever.  Kim finally got up and headed for the door.

“Wait.  I want to go back with you.  I really do but I just need a little time to myself.  I need to clear my head.  See if you can stall your friends before they do anything rash.” JC begged.  That is when Kim noticed out of the corner of her eye, laying on the counter by the kitchenette, was a small compass.  Kim shook the thought from her head.

“I will try but I can’t stall them forever.  If you aren’t back by sun down, then don’t bother going back to the house.” Kim warned.  JC watched Kim pick up the compass; he had hoped she wouldn’t see it.  She might think he was a jerk or that Katy was a fraud. 

“Why what happens at sun down?” JC asked.

“Nothing that will concern you if you aren’t there, we just have to proceed as if you went to the cops.  We’ll have to run away.” Kim explained.  It made sense to JC; they had to assume the worst from him, he had given them no real reason to trust him.  Kim was still looking the compass over, she knew what it was and where it had come from, but she wasn’t sure how JC come into procession of it.  Had he stolen it from her or had she given it to him?  But she didn’t want to ask him, she had taken up enough of his time.  “Can I have this?” She asked.

“Of course, you can have whatever you want.” JC offered, still waiting for her to ask him where he had gotten it, but she just stuck it in her pocket.  Kim laughed; she most certainly couldn’t have whatever she wanted because she wanted him.  But it’s like they say if you love something you have to let it go.  Whoever said that clearly had never fallen in love with JC Chasez.   Kim paused at the door.

“Good luck, JC.” She said softly.

“With what?” He asked.

“With your thinking.  I hope you find whatever it is that you are looking for, I really do.” Kim explained and then blew him a kiss as she slipped out the door.  JC sat there for a minute wonder why she hadn’t brought the compass up and still reeling from the kiss.  As short as it was it still said so much about the kind of woman Kim was.  He fell back onto the bed and drifted off to sleep, it had been a long night after all.