The next day, after paying way too much to get a cab to JC's place, Caroline arrived to find her car exactly where she'd left it, and the garage door open.  It wasn't too weird; maybe the lawn guys were there.  All of JC's cars were inside, but that wasn't strange, either, because she'd made arrangements for the car service to pick him up that morning herself. 

She let herself inside and paused in the kitchen to put on coffee before heading to the office.  The message light on her phone was flashing, so she pulled out her notepad and jumped right back into work.  A couple hours passed without incident, and Caroline found her work much less stressful, even relaxing, compared to the last couple of days at the hospital.

She was addressing the monthly checks to all of JC's home maintenance related employees when the distant sound of music surprised her.

Caroline looked up from her desk, realizing for the first time that the door that led down to the studio was open.  She stood and crossed the hallway to poke her head down the staircase.  The studio door was ajar, so she made her way downstairs, wondering if she should be frightened.

She pushed the door open slowly, only to find JC sitting inside, his back to her.  He was leaning over the counter next to the soundboard, writing something furiously as music played in the background.

"What are you doing here?" Caroline asked, and JC jumped out of his seat, clearly startled.

"Jesus Christ!" he shouted.  "You scared the hell out of me!"

Caroline crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the doorframe.  "I've been here since 9.  Didn't you hear me come in?"

"No."  JC sunk back down into his chair, clutching his chest.  "How good was your mother's cardiac surgeon, because I may have just had a heart attack."

"Stop being dramatic," Caroline said, taking a few more steps into the room.  "Now tell me why you aren't in New York."

JC sighed.  "I didn't feel like going."  Caroline blinked, staring at him in silence for a few minutes.  "What?"

"So you're telling me that I made all those travel arrangements for nothing?" she demanded.  "Because you decided just...not to go?"

"Okay, I'm an asshole, you win."  JC turned back to the soundboard to lower the volume of the playback.  "Can we just skip all the yelling?"

Caroline frowned.  It was unlike JC to want to avoid bantering with her...usually, he seemed to relish in it.  "Are you okay?"

JC didn't answer right away, so Caroline pulled up the other leather chair next to the soundboard and sat down.  "Did you at least call Kevin?"

"Yeah.  He thinks I'm sick."  JC glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.  "And before you accuse me of lying, I might be.  My throat itches."

"Did you call the airline and cancel?" she asked.  "Because they had a private jet all ready for you."

"I called them last night," JC replied.  "I paid a huge cancellation fee, too."

Caroline knew all about the late cancellation fee - she'd been the one to spend the time making the arrangements, after all.  "So...you didn't go because you might be sick?  Or you didn't go for some other reason?"

JC tapped his pen on the countertop as he stared straight ahead.  "I didn't go because...I didn't think you should be alone."

At first, Caroline thought she'd heard him wrong, and she opened her mouth to question.  But when she saw how embarrassed he looked, she stopped.  "Oh."

JC shrugged.  "I know, it's dumb.  And it's none of my business.  I just thought...well, Brandon's out of town, and it's a tough time.  I wanted to be here if you needed anything."

Caroline was speechless; she was so overwhelmed and shocked by his admission.  He was only her boss, why should he put his career on hold because of her?  Why should he care?  Deep down, something in Caroline clicked, and she admitted silently what she'd been trying to hold back for the past three weeks - JC had somehow become much more than just her boss.  Somewhere along the way, they'd become friends, and now...now what?

"Well."  Caroline stared at her hands in her lap, nervously twisting the ring she wore on her right hand.

"I know, I know."  JC held up his hand as if to stop her from continuing.  "'It wasn't necessary'.  I know that."

"I wasn't...that's not what I was going to say," Caroline replied, her voice sounding small and distant.  "I just...thanks.  Thank you."

JC nodded slightly, and the two of them sat in silence for a few minutes.  Caroline didn't know what to think, so she tried not to think anything. 

"What are you working on?" she asked finally, motioning towards the notebook.  JC closed it instantly.

"Just...some stuff."

"For who?"

"Myself," he replied, shrugging when she raised her eyebrows.  "Just because my album got trashed doesn't mean I'm going to stop writing."

Suddenly, Caroline got a surprising urge to hear one of JC's songs.  "You should play me something."

JC frowned at her.  "Why, so you can make fun of me?"

"I'm not going to make fun of you," Caroline said.  "Really.  I...just realized I've never heard you sing anything."

"Never?" JC echoed, and Caroline shook her head.  "You've never even heard an NSYNC song?"

"If I have, none of them are coming to mind right now," Caroline admitted, laughing a little bit when JC's eyes widened to cartoonish proportions.  "I've told you, I'm really not a big radio listener."

"You probably won't like it," JC forewarned, but he was reaching for the computer as he spoke.  Caroline smiled. 

"No, probably not.  But humor me."

"Why don't you just go upstairs, hit YouTube and quit wasting my time?"  Caroline ignored his harsh words, shifting in the chair to cross her legs and rest her chin on her hand as he searched for a song.

"Play me something new," she suggested.  "I don't want to hear something everyone else has already heard."

JC cleared his throat loudly, like her request was a difficult one, but double-clicked on something anyway. 

"This was supposed to be on the new album."  He turned the volume up on the playback and apparently decided to let the song speak for itself, leaning back in his chair. 

The song started simply enough, with just a few piano chords, before JC's voice broke in.  Though Caroline had never heard him sing, she knew instantly it was him.  The cut of the song was still fairly rough, nowhere near being at the finished point for an album, but that added to its raw charm, going hand in hand with the soulful lyrics.  As Caroline listened, she was surprised to find that she actually liked the song.  Sure, it was filled with sugary-sweet pop beats and familiar cadences, but the powerful lyrics and JC's actually incredible voice seemed to outshine both of those things.

When it was over, JC hit a button and stared at her expectantly.  "Okay, go ahead."

"What?"

"Go ahead and tell me how much it sucked, and how much cooler I would be if I sounded like the Rolling Stones."

Caroline smirked.  "Okay, one.  It didn't suck.  Two, the Stones were never my favorite, I was more into The Who."

JC turned back to the computer, but not before Caroline noticed the smile that spread across his face.

"So you liked it?"

"Actually."  Caroline shrugged.  "Yeah, I did."

JC shot her a glare.  "Come on."

"No, I really did."  She paused, leaning her chin in her hand again.  "I mean, it's definitely not my style, but I know well-written music when I hear it.  Plus, you've got a great voice.  You're talented."

JC turned back to the monitor again.  "Thanks," he mumbled.  Caroline doubted anyone had ever seen him get embarrassed as many times as she had today - he was a fairly confident guy, generally speaking.

Deciding not to drag out the moment and humiliate him further, Caroline stood up.  "I guess I'd better get back to work."

"I can't believe you actually came here to work today," JC said, still staring at the computer, though it didn't look like he was doing anything.  "You could have just blown it off and I would have never known."

"Well, I guess it's a good thing I didn't, then.  Plus, I'd rather be here than at the hospital.  It's a little crazy right now," she admitted, heading for the door.  She paused to glance back at him and saw that JC had turned and was watching her.  "What?"

He blinked but didn't look away, and didn't blush.  "Nothing.  That's a nice dress.  Red's a good color on you."

Caroline did blush, but she held her head high and hoped that he couldn't see it in the dim lighting of the studio.  "Thanks."

She returned to the office and did her best to focus on work.  JC left her alone, for once, and stayed down in the studio for the most part.  In fact, she almost forgot he was there, and didn't see him again until she was getting ready to leave around 4:30.

"Are you going to the hospital?"

His voice startled her, and she jerked in her chair, glancing away from her computer monitor as it shut down.  "Jeez."

JC stood in the doorway, one shoulder against the frame, his hands in his pockets.  He looked calmer than usual, and...less confident somehow.  That instantly made Caroline feel nervous, and she reached for her purse carefully. 

"No, I was just going to head home.  I worked out kind of a schedule with my brothers, so that not all of us have to be there at the same time," she explained.  "I'll go back tomorrow morning."

She realized that she'd banked on JC being gone in order to skip work, and tried quickly to cover her mistake.  "Um, if that's okay, of course."

JC just shrugged.  "I don't care."

"Okay.  Thanks."  Caroline stood up, still wary about JC watching her as she pushed in her chair and made sure everything was neat on her desk.  "What are you up to?"

JC sighed heavily and turned so that his back was against the doorjamb and he was staring down at his sneakers.  "I don't know."

He was effectively blocking her way out, so Caroline leaned her hip against the side of her desk as she waited.

"I don't have anything planned for the next few days," he pointed out, "because I'm supposed to be in New York.  So I'm kinda free.  For once."  He shrugged again.  "I guess I don't know what to do with myself."

This made sense, JC tended to keep pretty busy, what with ABDC filming and recording sessions, not to mention his publicity calendar.  It was rare he had even a spare 24 hours to get some rest.  Caroline wasn't sure how he managed, but he was a pretty active guy, and apparently the packed schedule had grown on him, maybe a little too much. 

"You should do something fun," she suggested.  "Maybe call a friend and go to a movie or something.  Be normal."

JC glanced at her.  "Yeah?"

"Sure.  Why not?"  She tapped her chin, trying to think of any good reviews she'd heard.  "Oh, how about that one The Duel?  I heard it was really good."

JC fiddled with his watch.  "Maybe."  He paused, and it was a slightly awkward moment.  Caroline wasn't sure how she didn't see it coming when he asked, "Would you, uh...want to go?"

Caroline froze, trying not to let her face convey how shocked she was.  "Oh.  Um..."

JC waved his hand.  "It's cool, don't worry about it.  I just figured...you're probably tired, anyway."

"Um, well.  Um," Caroline stammered, adjusting the strap of her purse.  JC looked so forlorn, so...unsure of himself.  She wasn't sure how to handle it.  "I'm not...too tired.  I could...sure, that could be fun."

"You don't have to," he replied, his voice only slightly dry.  "It won't affect your payroll."

Caroline forced herself to roll her eyes and act normal even though her palms were sweating.  "Good to know.  But, really...yeah.  Let's go."

JC wasn't sold.  "Don't feel like you have to," he continued.  "I just asked you as a friend.  I won't cry if you say no."

As a friend echoed in Caroline's mind as she replied.  "I know.  We can go...as friends."

His gaze scrutinizing, JC cocked his head at her.  "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."  Finally feeling somewhat composed again, Caroline pushed away from the desk and glanced at her watch.  "I need to go home and feed my cat.  Maybe a 7:00 showing?"

"I can look it up," JC said instantly, pulling his phone out of his back pocket.  He pulled up show times in an instant.  "7:15 at the Downtown Independent?"

The theater JC suggested wasn't far from her apartment, a little indie movie house that she'd been to quite a few times with friends and Brandon.  The small thought of her boyfriend made Caroline swallow hard.  He would not be happy about this, that much was true.  But it was too late...she'd already said yes, right?  Somewhere inside, Caroline knew it was too late for many reasons.  She was already in too deep.

"Yeah, sounds great.  That's only a few blocks from my place, so I can meet you there."

"Okay."  JC put his phone away.  "Well, uh.  See you in a couple hours, then."

"Sure.  Definitely."  Caroline smiled nervously and tucked her hair behind her ear as she left the office.  What the hell had she gotten herself into?

After picking at her dinner and wondering if she should change clothes or not (she didn't want to appear like she thought it was a date, after all, and he had said he liked her dress), Caroline made the short walk down to the theater.  The sun had already set, and the sidewalk outside of the cool, art deco sort of building was relatively busy.  The night was young, and the theater was a popular destination for hipsters and movie snobs. 

Caroline stood near the ticket booth and wrapped her coat more tightly around herself as a chilly breeze passed by.  She scanned the area for JC but didn't see him, and allowed herself to think about how sad it would be if he stood her up. 

"Hey."

JC appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, and Caroline realized why she hadn't noticed him right away.  He was wearing mostly all black, except for his gray newsboy cap, which he paired with glasses.  It was like his airport disguise, just classed up a bit.

"Oh, hi.  I didn't even see you," she admitted, and JC smiled.

"That's kind of the idea."  He glanced around.  "Not that I'm a hot commodity around these parts."

"Tell me you didn't drive the Audi," she pleaded.  JC shook his head.  "The Mercedes?"

He shook his head again.  "I took the bus."  He waited just long enough for her mouth to drop open before laughing.  "Joking.  I have the Jeep."

"That's good."  Caroline relaxed slightly - not only would the indie crowd look down their noses at him, driving anything that wasn't a Prius, but this wasn't the best neighborhood.  Nothing was going to ruin JC's night faster than someone breaking into, or stealing, one of his expensive cars. 

"Ready?"  JC motioned towards the ticket booth, and Caroline followed him over.  She had her wallet out when he asked for two tickets and paid for them both.  Caroline wasn't sure if she should argue or not, but...it seemed it was too late, anyway. 

The theater lobby was just as busy as the sidewalk, and JC motioned towards the concession area. 

"You hungry?"

Caroline shook her head.  "I ate at home."

JC frowned and patted his stomach.  "I'm starving."

"Go ahead," she said, waving him towards the counter.  "I'll go stake out some seats."

As it turned out, the small showing room was already considerably full, but Caroline managed to secure a couple of spots near the back of the theater.  She shrugged her coat off and draped it over the empty chair next to her to save it for JC, and tapped her foot on the ground as she waited.

"Caroline?  Hey!"

She glanced up to see a woman with pretty red hair coming down the aisle towards her.  "Julia, wow!  Hi!"  Caroline stood up to embrace her old college friend.  "It's been...forever."

"I know, right?"  Julia tucked her bright hair behind her ear and shrugged sheepishly.  "God, can you believe graduation was so long ago?  I feel so old."

Caroline laughed.  "Definitely.  What are you up to these days?"

"Oh, all sorts of stuff," Julia replied, waving her hand around as if to simulate how busy she'd been.  "Doing odd jobs here and there to pay the bills, mostly.  But I've got some pieces showing in West Hollywood next month."

"That's awesome, Jules," Caroline said.  "Congratulations."

"Thanks."  Julia squeezed Caroline's arm.  "What about you?  I thought for sure you'd be all over the Forbes 400 by now!"

"No, not quite.  I just finished up my MBA last year."

"Wow, already?"  Julia clasped her hands together excitedly.  "Caroline, that's impressive!  I bet you've got a great job."

Caroline chewed on her bottom lip, realizing for the first time that admitting her job was a bit embarrassing given her qualifications.  "Actually, it's been...tough.  I was out of work for about seven months."

Julia clucked her tongue and frowned.  "Oh, no.  I'm sorry, honey."

"Yeah, well."  Caroline shrugged off her friend's concern.  "I actually started a position in January, and it's definitely not permanent, but it's something to get me by and hopefully lead to a good recommendation someday."

"Good!"  Julia's expression shifted back into excitement.  "Well, what are you doing, then?"

"I'm, ah."   Caroline glanced over her shoulder quickly to see if JC had returned.  "I'm actually a personal assistant." 

Julia cocked her head slightly, but her smile didn't fade.  Caroline could see the quick flash of confusion in her eyes, even in the dim theater.  "Oh.  Cool!"  She paused and leaned close, eyes wide.  "For like...a celebrity?"

"Um, sorta."  Caroline ached to change the subject, peering around Julia's shoulder.  "Are you, um, here with somebody?"

"Oh, yeah!"  Julia turned around and motioned at a guy with a beard sitting across the aisle.  Caroline didn't recognize him, but he looked much the same as every guy Julia had ever dated all through college - very hip looking and relatively un-showered.  "That's Chase."  She turned back to Caroline with a half-shrug.  "It's kind of new, the jury's still out.  And of course you're still with Brandon, right?"

Caroline nodded slowly.  "Yeah, we're still together."

Julia held her hands over her heart and "aw-ed".  "That's so great.  You guys were the perfect couple.  What's he up to?"

Caroline filled Julia in on what was new with Brandon's band, explaining that he was out of town playing a few shows.  She realized her mistake when Julia glanced pointedly at the empty seat Caroline had been sitting in. 

"Are you here alone?" she asked, not giving Caroline a chance to answer.  "Come sit with us!  Don't worry, it's not even really a date."  She'd already begun tugging Caroline down the aisle, but JC chose that moment to appear, his arms overflowing with various food items, including a large tub of popcorn, red licorice, a corn dog, and two beers.

"I got you a beer," he announced, setting the bottle down in Caroline's cup holder awkwardly as he tried to juggle the rest of his food.  Julia's grip slackened as she stared, and Caroline stood up straight. 

"Um, Julia, this is JC," she said carefully, motioning towards him.  JC carefully set down everything he was holding before extending his hand to Julia.

"Hi," he greeted.  "Nice to meet you."

"Hi," Julia replied slowly, accepting his handshake even as she glanced at Caroline, eyebrows raised. 

"Julia's a friend from college," Caroline explained, and JC nodded, putting his hands in his pockets.  "She's actually a really talented artist."

"Oh."  Julia rolled her eyes but smiled, and Caroline pressed on, with hopes that she wouldn't have to explain who JC was.  Maybe Julia could just jump to her own conclusions - hell, with as fashionable as JC looked, she could probably just assume he was a gay friend.

"Are you still doing photorealism?" Caroline asked Julia, who nodded.  "She's really phenomenal."

"I'll have to check you out sometime," JC said.  "What's your last name?"

"Baker," Julia replied, clearly charmed by JC's interest.  "You guys should come to my showing next month.  It's at Gallery 825, off La Cienega." 

"I know exactly where that is," JC replied, smiling his best schmoozer smile at Julia.  "I'd love to go."

"Great!"  The lights dimmed as the previews began to roll, and Julia glanced back at her date once more.  "I guess I'd better get to my seat.  It was great meeting you, JC."

"And you."  JC shook her hand again.

"Call me sometime," Julia urged Caroline.  "We need to get together and catch up a little more."

Caroline doubted she would, but nodded and smiled anyway.  "Okay, sure.  Good to see you."

Julia waved before heading back across the aisle, and Caroline sat down, still tense from the encounter.  JC plopped the popcorn tub in her lap and she glanced at him.

"Hold it while I eat my corndog," he said, ripping open a mustard packet.  Caroline sighed.

"What did you do, buy out the whole concession?"

JC shushed her as the previews began to roll.

Even though Julia and her date were just twenty feet away during the movie, the film itself managed to distract Caroline enough from the awkwardness she felt within.  By the time it was over, JC had finished off every last bit of the food he'd bought.  She looked over at him when the credits began to roll.

"You cried," she accused, and JC glared at her, wiping at his face self-consciously.

"I did not.  You did."

"Yes," Caroline admitted.  "The end was sad."

JC scoffed a little bit as he finished off the last of his beer.  "I liked it."

"Me, too."  Caroline picked up her purse.  "You're welcome for recommending it."

Caroline helped JC pick up all of his trash and followed him back out into the lobby with the crowd.  Thankfully, there were enough people around that they didn't run into Julia again.  Once they were outside, Caroline tucked her coat closer around her as a brisk wind whipped her hair around.  JC put his hands in his pockets, and she turned towards him, expecting to say goodbye and make her way home.

"Do you like yogurt?" he asked suddenly.  "Frozen yogurt, I mean."  He turned to motion down the street towards a small shop with a fluorescent sign in the window.

"Dairy," Caroline reminded, pushing a stray tendril of hair out of her eyes.  She didn't miss the way JC's face seemed to fall. 

"Oh."

"Um.  Maybe they have a sorbet or something?" she said, knowing that she shouldn't have.  But the way JC's eyes lit up again made her bad decision almost worth it.

As it turned out, the trendy yogurt shop had several dairy-free options, including one mint-chip variety sweetened with carob.  Caroline was impressed to find that it was actually good and wondered why she'd never tried the place before.

She purposefully made it to the register before JC did, with his large cup piled high with various sprinkles, nuts, hot fudge, and cherries.

"You know the yogurt is supposed to be a healthy option, right?" she asked, and JC shook his head.

"Why do they have all these toppings, then?"  He didn't argue when Caroline paid for her own yogurt, and made the teenage girl behind the counter blush when he handed over his own card and winked.

"Thanks, honey," he said, and Caroline picked up a spoon as she watched the girl's reaction thoughtfully.  Of course, JC was probably more than twice her age, and she most likely had no idea who he was.  It seemed his enigmatic charm somehow spanned many generations, regardless of celebrity.

JC pulled out a chair for Caroline at the small metal table outside the shop.  She glanced at her watch as she sat down.

"Do you need to go?" JC asked, sitting across from her.  Caroline shook her head as she took a bite of yogurt. 

"No.  Do you?"

"Nope.  My schedule is embarrassingly bare, remember?"  He scooped an enormous bite of his own yogurt concoction into his mouth.

"Good?" Caroline asked, and he shrugged.

"Ice cream's better."

"Wouldn't know," she replied, and JC smirked. 

"Don't think I've forgotten about my mission, by the way."

Caroline tried her best at playing coy.  "I'm not following."

"You're going to eat some animal byproducts, and soon," he said confidently.  "I can be very persuasive when I want to be."

Caroline would have laughed, but there was an underlying seriousness in his tone that sent shivers down her spine.  It was bordering on suggestive, but JC didn't follow up with any pointed looks or winks to make it overwhelmingly so.  He just left his statement to hang there in the quiet as they ate yogurt and watched cars drive by, as if it were a promise for the future.

Caroline suddenly realized that she was very afraid that it was.  And that had nothing to do with eating meat.

"Actually, it's getting late," she said suddenly, glancing at her watch again, though she didn't actually register the time.  Her yogurt was only half-finished, and JC noticed.

"You didn't finish," he pointed out, and Caroline shrugged, standing up. 

"I can eat it while I walk," she said, and his eyebrows raised.

"Walk?"

"That's how I got here," she pointed out.  JC stood up as well.

"Well, it's not how you're getting home."  He finished off the last of his yogurt, tossing the cup in a nearby trashcan.  Caroline crossed her arms over her chest indignantly.

"Why not?"

"Oh, yeah, like I'm going to let you walk home by yourself in downtown LA at night."  He motioned towards her feet with a snort.  "Not that your shoes don't look totally acceptable for running from a murderer or anything."

"They're flats," Caroline argued.  "And it's only like three blocks to my apartment.  I walk around downtown LA all the time."

Of course, she didn't make a big habit of doing it by herself or after dark, but she didn't feel the need to mention that to JC.  He was already heading down the street towards where he'd parked. 

"I have pepper spray," she called after him, annoyed to find that she was following.  JC ignored her, and Caroline shoved another bite of yogurt into her mouth with a frustrated sigh.

JC didn't open the car door for her, but he did make a face when she got inside, still holding her yogurt cup.  Caroline noticed and made sure to exploit his discomfort.

"Oh, did you not want me to eat in here?"  She scooped out a hefty spoonful of yogurt and held it teasingly over the leather seat as she guided it to her mouth.  JC clenched his jaw but didn't say anything. 

"Seatbelt," he reminded as he pulled out of his parking spot, and Caroline obeyed with an eye-roll.

Once at her apartment, Caroline had the strangest urge to invite JC inside.  Thankfully, she caught it in time and smothered the suggestion quickly.

"Thanks for the ride," she said, unbuckling her seatbelt.  "And the movie."

"Thanks for coming."  JC kept his hands on the wheel and the motor running, his gaze straight ahead. 

"I guess I'll see you Monday."  Caroline opened her door and glanced back at JC once before getting out of the car.

She took the stairs up to her apartment, feeling somehow lonelier than ever before.