EPILOGUE

*10 months later*

"JC?" Rachel called as she went downstairs. The fringe on her costume tickled her bare thighs. The roarin' twenties costume she had purchased for her birthday last year was finally being put to use. A year later, but it was still being used. Fringe came down the front of the drop waist dress on either shoulder to create a v when each side met at her belly button. Between the fringe V was a black lace design. Black lace also went down the champagne over lay on her sides down to her hips where it met the black fringe around her waist. On her arms were black gloves that went just past her elbows. Her right wrist had a bracelet with a double row of baroque pearls. Her left wrist held a silver cuff bracelet. A silver necklace hung around her neck and dropped below her breasts. Her legs were covered with black thigh high hose. Black stiletto heels were on her feet. Her hair was curled. A black head band was around her forehead and a feather stood up from the back. Red lipstick and a smoky eye completed the look.

"JC?" They needed to leave or they would be late.  She heard the piano music. The sound muffled with the door to JC's studio closed. Her steps slowed as she listened to the melody. The tune was foreign to her. It wasn't that unusual. JC had been working more and more with music since his accident. She figured he'd been bitten by a bug. A lot of people paraded through their house and he was constantly going to a studio with an artist.

Slowly pushing the door open, she stood in the doorway. JC was seated at the piano, his hands moving confidently and masterfully over the keys. He wore a black pinstripe suit pants with a white button up long sleeve shirt. Black suspenders clasped the front of his suit pants and ran up over his shoulders. A black tie was around his neck. On his feet were black and white dress shoes. The matching pinstripe suit jacket was laying over the arm of the couch. A black fedora sat on top.

When he had been getting dressed, she told him she was thankful for his outfit. He had pockets to hold her things. Rachel knew before the night was over, his pants pocket would have her phone, the tube of lip stick she was bringing in case she needed to reapply, as well as her ID. Probably her gloves as well. Definitely the cigarette holder. She had no doubt she'd get tired of carrying that around after twenty minutes.

Leaning against the door, Rachel listened to the tune JC was playing. It was beautiful in an almost haunting way. She wondered if there were words to the piece yet. Sometimes JC wrote lyrics first then put the music down. Other times he had the music and had to come up with the words. Sometimes it all happened at once. It depended on the creative juices he had flowing.

The piece came to an end and JC let the music fade. Rachel entered the room, a smile on her face. "That sounded great!"

JC looked over his shoulder and did a double take. "Wow!" He exclaimed seeing her in her costume. He had left the bedroom while Rachel had still been getting ready, knowing it was going to take her awhile. To kill the time, he went into his studio. "You look amazing!" He swung around on the bench, the music forgotten as he held out his hand. When Rachel took it, he pulled her between his legs. "I think we're gonna have this theme next year."

Rachel laughed as she fingered the suspender straps on his shoulders. "Lance gets to pick the theme next year."

"Pity."

"I could always wear it again for a more... private party... if you know what I mean."

"I like the sound of that," JC grinned up at her. He ran his fingers up and down her legs. Up and down the hose, high enough to hit bare skin beneath the fringe. His grin broadened when she shivered. "We could get the party started early."

Rachel shifted closer to him. Her arms rested on his shoulders and crossed behind him. Her bracelets clanked together. His hands moved to her waist. Only the champagne overlay separated him from touching bare skin. Beneath his touch, her skin warmed. Leaning down she dropped a kiss on his lips.

"You call that a kiss?" JC teased as his eyes opened. Her lips barely touched his and were gone before he even knew they were there. Her eyes sparkled. Those teasing lips parted into a smile. He reached up with one arm and cupped the back of her neck. She offered no resistance as she bent at the waist and kissed him.

"Better?" Rachel asked when the kiss ended. Her breathing was a little heavy and her cheeks were a little rosier that had nothing to do with makeup.

"Much," JC grinned. He ran his hands over her hips, his fingers playing with the fringe. "What are you wearing under this?"

Rachel cocked an eyebrow. "That is no question to ask a lady."

JC chuckled and stood. There were no lingering effects from the shooting. The twinges of pain he felt in the few months after had disappeared. He was finally back to normal. It had been almost a full year since the shooting. Tomorrow would mark the anniversary. It was one anniversary he preferred not to celebrate.

The year had been kind of crazy. Unbeknown to him and the rest of the members of the group, Sony had dropped a greatest hits album a couple months after he'd been shot and a couple weeks before his birthday. It had thirty four songs full of their singles, and album tracks, and some that had never made the cut for an album. The album went top ten. Twelve years after releasing any new music and it went top ten. It was crazy to think about. Humbling.

During that summer, Smokey Robinson's new album, Smokey and Friends, had been released and became a top fifteen album. Prior to the shooting, he had recorded the song My Girl with Smokey, Aloe Blacc, and Miguel. In October of that year, he had graced morning television again performing the song live with Smokey and Aloe. It had been a lot of fun doing a small press tour for the album he had been a part of.

Then it was the two week trip to Europe for him and Rachel. Those two weeks had been everything he had expected them to be and more. The itinerary had been jammed packed when he planned the trip, but once they had gotten to some of the locations, they hadn't been able to move on as quickly. Instead they chose to stay in some locations longer to take in the sights. A grin crossed his lips as he remembered one of the reasons had been their inability to leave a quaint little cottage in Sweden. The view had been breathtaking, but they spent more time making love on the floor in front of the fire place. At times the trip felt like a honeymoon.

Another smile formed as he thought about the birthday present he had gotten Rachel this year. After experiencing the Scandinavian trip, he thought it would be hard to top such a present. It hadn't. What had been hard was waiting. The ring had been hidden since Christmas. More often than not he wondered why he was waiting until her birthday to ask. He had wanted to ask the moment he'd gotten the ring. But he held off though. In his mind he knew waiting for her birthday was the right thing to do. It had been hard. When it was safe he'd look at the ring every day. Pull it out of his hiding place and open the velvet box to stare at the diamond ring, imagining it on Rachel's finger.

Too many bad memories surrounded Rachel's birthday. It hadn't been his fault, but it was his fault. She spent her birthday last year sitting in his hospital room not knowing if he was going to live or die.  He didn't want her to associate her birthday with that darkness anymore. Proposing would bring back the happiness that surrounded the day. Planning today hadn't been easy on his part. There had been a lot of lying and skirting the truth. One thing he knew, his parents had to be there as well as Rachel's. Jim had balked at the thought of going to California again having been in the state for Lance's wedding in December. Until JC explained.

‘I'm not sure why you need me to be there for this party JC.'

Jim's voice was gruff and JC rubbed a hand over his face. He looked around the parking lot he sat in. He'd been at the studio and heading home when he decided to make the phone calls. There had been no way he could have the conversations at home with Rachel around.

‘I'm not one for dressing up. This party sounds like something you young kids would have a better time at.'

JC knew it would take some convincing to get Jim to California again. But he needed Rachel's father to be there. Needed her father there: her parents, Stacy, Ford, her niece and nephews. While the party was geared more toward Rachel's and Lance's friends, he wanted her family there when he proposed. ‘You don't have to dress up. Neither does Diane.'

‘Why do you want me there so bad?'

JC paused for a second. ‘I plan on asking Rachel to marry me.'

The phone call had gone much easier from there. Jim had agreed immediately. When JC asked for his blessing, Jim never hesitated. ‘It's about time, Son.' To get his family there, including his brother and sister as well as Stacy, he weaved a tale about trying to make up for the soiled party for last year and how Rachel felt her birthday was tainted. How he wanted to have all their friends and family there to help celebrate and make up for last year. It had been easier than expected. Everyone jumped at the chance. He hadn't been sure with Stacy because of her children's school schedule, but she had waved off his concerns. Rachel had no idea anyone was in town. He and Lance had put them up in a hotel.

"What are you smiling about?"

JC turned his attention back to Rachel. "A bunch of different things." He aborted the move he made to pick up his jacket and fedora. Instead he took her hand and led her to sit down on the couch next to him.

"Everything okay?"

"Everything is great," JC smiled at her and kissed her. "I just wanted to talk to you about something."

"Anything."

"I've been thinking a lot lately...more than likely over thinking..."

"About what?"

"Returning to music."

Rachel's eyes widened and she stared at JC. She searched his face, looking for something she couldn't define. She opened her mouth to respond but nothing came out. He had stunned her.

"After everything that happened, I realized how much I really wanted to get back into the studio. I've been shoving it aside for awhile now, telling myself I didn't really want to and I would have enough time. But I almost lost that chance..."

"Wow JC." Rachel couldn't believe it. "Just so we're on the same page. You mean get back in the studio for you to record and not work with others?"

JC nodded. "I still want to write and produce for other artists. I don't want to stop that. I like doing that. But I want to do it for myself as well. I miss it. Guess I really didn't know how much until working with Smokey and John Popper."

"This is... so awesome!" Rachel squealed in excitement. "You're serious?"

JC grinned and nodded his head. "I'm serious."

"Oh JC, this is great!" She hugged him tightly around the neck. "Was the song you were just playing one of the new ones?"

"Yeah. It's one I've been working on with Matt."

It had taken a long time for them to open their door back up to Matt. It wasn't until February when they had bumped in to him at Elton John AIDS Foundation's Oscar Viewing Party. It had been awkward at first and they hadn't spoke more than ten minutes. It had taken both JC and Rachel a couple of days after the party to have a conversation about Matt. Rachel had been the first to forgive him. She was guilty of not doing what was right - running instead of confronting JC. Matt had been guilty of not coming to them in the first place, but he had been desperate to save his marriage. In the end it hadn't worked anyway. Renee had filed for divorce. JC and Matt had bonded together through music. Their friendship wasn't back to where it was before, she wasn't sure if it would ever be, but they were forging a new one.

"Seriously. This is great." Rachel hugged him again and kissed his lips. "I'm so happy for you."

"Really?" JC pulled back to look at her

"Of course! How can you not believe that?" She looked at him. "You know I will support you in anything you want to do. I have supported you in everything. Come on," she cupped his cheeks with both hands. "I am in your corner 100%"

"Kind of scared," he said honestly. He rubbed the back of his neck in a nervous gesture. "Not sure how it will be accepted. If it will be just like before..."

"Oh JC, you're gonna be blown away by the support you receive. You know how often I have to field questions about you releasing new music? Trust me. You will be accepted."

JC smiled and hugged her. "It might get a little crazy around here."

"Good. It's been pretty dull around here the last couple of months."

*~*

"Feels like practice for your wedding," Jim said as he twirled his daughter on the dance floor. His words or his movements caused her to laugh.

"I don't think so," Rachel told her father as they moved around the dance floor. She hadn't danced with her father since Lance's wedding. Before that, Stacy's. Growing up she had danced with Jim plenty of times at family weddings, church functions, and father daughter dances. As a little girl she had loved getting dressed up in a dress that would be good for twirling. It had to twirl around her legs just right. Her mother had curled her golden blonde hair into ringlets. She felt like the belle of the ball walking into a dance on her daddy's arm. "JC's not the marrying type." She should know. She has been with him through many girlfriends who tried to get a ring.

"What are you talking about girl?" Jim nearly paused on the dance floor when he heard his daughter's words. "Are you having troubles? Did he do something?"

"What? No!" Rachel's smile was wide and bright. "JC and I are good, Daddy. Great! I just... I've been here when someone else wanted to marry him. He wasn't too thrilled with the marriage prospect."

Jim stared at his daughter. "Did you ever think it was because it wasn't who he wanted to marry?

Rachel shrugged and broke their gaze. Looking around the room he eyes sought JC but she couldn't find him in the throng of people. She couldn't believe the amount of people who had showed up. To say she had been surprised to see her parents wouldn't have been enough. She had been downright shocked to see not only them, but Stacy, Ford, Leighton, Keagan, Kellen. Then she saw JC's parents and Tyler and Sarah and Heather and Drew and she cried. "I don't know. I just know that I'm ok with his decision. I love him and I know he loves me."

‘Oh Baby Girl,' Jim thought. He couldn't wait to see her reaction. He had tucked a handkerchief in the breast pocket of his suit jacket for that very moment. His wife was going to need it. If he were honest with himself, he would need it too.

After the song ended she kissed Jim's cheek and gave him a hug. "Love you Daddy."

"Love you too." Jim's voice was gruff. "Happy birthday Baby."

"Work it girl!" Melissa shouted as Rachel made her way toward her. She twirled the black feather boa she had wrapped around her back and resting in her elbows on each arm.

Rachel did her best runway walk causing Melissa to catcall. She wished she had her cigarette holder to complete the look but as she predicted it ended up in the pocket of JC's pants. It was a pain to carry around.

"Hold up, back it up," Joey came up to them. He wore a white suit with a grey button up suit and yellowish-gold tie a la Leonardo DiCaprio in The Great Gatsby. His fedora had long since disappeared as had most men's. "I wasn't ready. Do it again...wait... hold up... Where's the cigarette holder? You're killing me."

"In JC's pocket."

"That's probably not all that's in JC's pocket." Joey grinned.

"I saw her reaching in his pocket earlier," Melissa laughed.

"Playing a little pocket pool, eh?" Joey wiggled his eyebrows at Rachel.

Rachel felt her cheeks heat which caused Joey and Melissa to laugh even more. On more than one occasion she was sorry for requesting a piece of strawberry pie that resulted in Lance dragging Joey to the bakery. Melissa and Joey hit it off in such a manner that resulted in them needed supervision or warning signs, usually both.

"What are you gonna do when she moves to Florida? I'm almost sad to see this Frick and Frack show break up."

"You haven't heard the news?" Melissa asked, the smile on her face big and wide. Her eyes sparkled with happiness.

"Uh... What news?"

"Chris is moving here!" The excitement made Melissa bounce on her feet.

"What? No!" Rachel gasped.

"If you hadn't been too busy sticking your hand in JC's pants..."

"Who's sticking their hand in JC's pants?" Chris walked up to them. He still wore his hat. He had a cigar he used as a prop but Rachel didn't see it and assumed it was either sitting down on a table somewhere or in a pocket on his black suit.

"Rachel is."

"Well she is the lady of the night." Chris caressed his fingers over Melissa's shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her. "She can stick her hand in anyone's pocket."

"Lance too." Joey grinned.

"I don't know why such riff raff was invited."

"Because you love us," Melissa grinned. She leaned into Chris and looked up at him meeting his gaze. Her heart stumbled when he winked at her. When she had first met Joey and Chris, she fell for them both. Or so she had thought. At the beginning there had been no strings. She enjoyed the company of each man. Then she had taken the chance and kissed Joey. While it had been enjoyable, there had been nothing there. No spark. No fire. Their friendship flourished after that. They had become the best of friends. Rachel said they had their own brand of crazy. She was probably right.

Then she kissed Chris and damn near burnt her apartment building down with the fire that ignited between them. Chris spent a lot of time in California with her. With her bakery, it was hard for her to leave. Long distance started to wear on her and she made the decision to close and move to Florida. It has been an agonizing decision, but she loved Chris. She could make the residents of the greater Orlando area break their New Year's resolutions just as easily as she made Hollywood. Then Chris arrived earlier in the week for the party and told her to clear a dresser drawer because he was moving in. She had dumped an entire drawer on the floor right then.

"Not sure why," Rachel grumbled good-naturedly. "This is great news! So glad you're staying!" She hugged both Melissa and Chris at the same time.

"Give it a month or two and you'll be wishing otherwise," Joey laughed, happy for his friends.

"I put up with your antics," Rachel threaded her arm through Joey's, her hands grasping his bicep. "What's one more? This means you'll get to try to set up Joey now with your customers."

"Yeah!" Melissa grinned.

"Oh no," Joey shook his head. "No."

"I already got one in mind."

Rachel laughed at the look on Joey's face. "Poor Joey."

"Joey is a lot of things but poor isn't one of them," JC said as he walked up to the group. He placed a hand on Rachel's back and grinned when she slipped her arm from Joey's and threaded his arm instead. "What's with the poor Joey?"

"Mel's gonna set him up with a customer at the bakery."

"Oh," JC chuckled. "Poor Joey." The music changed and he asked Rachel to dance before pulling her away from their friends and back into the dance floor.

"Where'd you disappear to?" Rachel asked as she settled into his arms.

"No where," JC answered, his hands on her hips keeping her close to him.

"Is that a cigarette holder in your pocket or are you happy to see me?" Rachel said coyly as her hips brushed up against his.

JC laughed and wrapped his arms around her back pulling her more fully against him. "You know damn well that cigarette holder has nothing on me."

Rachel smiled into their kiss. "This has been a great party. You and Lisa outdid yourselves this year. My parents are here. I don't even know how you managed to get my dad back to California."

"It wasn't too hard," JC grinned. He'd been feeling the looks from Rachel's father all night. It was nerve-racking. Jim was the only person who knew he was going to propose. More than once throughout the evening he thought about pulling Rachel into a secluded spot and popping the question instead of in front of everyone.

"I did happen to notice something," Rachel said as they moved slowly together. She blocked out everything around her except for JC and the feeling of being in his arms.

"What's that?" JC asked, his breath catching. ‘Did she know what he was going to do? Could she feel the ring in his pocket?' He had taken it out of the velvet box and slipped the loose ring into his pocket. He checked multiple times throughout the night making sure it was still there.

"You have yet to give me a birthday present."

JC laughed. "Your birthday isn't until Monday."

"You're gonna make me wait until Monday?" Rachel said with a huff. When the grin on his face widened, she narrowed her eyes. "You don't have my gift do you?"

"What?" JC laughed. "Of course I do. I'm not the one who is late giving gifts."

"That's just with Lance." And she was late once again with his gift. The music changed again, playing another slow song. Rachel thought it was weird to have back to back slow songs but it meant she could stay in JC's arms so she wasn't complaining. She snuggled closer. Her head rested against his. She had an arm around his shoulders. Her other arm was bent between them; her hand clasped with his resting on his chest. He had a hand on the small of her back holding her to him. Not that she would think about moving away.

The song playing was foreign to her. She didn't recognize the piano melody. JC had been the one to nail down a DJ for the party. He knew the songs to tell the DJ to put into rotation for her. He also knew more obscure songs. His taste in music went far and wide. It wasn't odd for her not to recognize a song. Anything she listened to outside of the songs on the charts had been introduced to her by JC. She froze when a voice came in over the piano. She'd recognize it anywhere.

JC.

The DJ was playing a song by JC. One that she'd never heard before. ‘I realized how much I really wanted to get back into the studio.'

"Just listen," JC whispered in her ear as he continued swaying.

By the time Rachel was truly able to listen, she missed the first verse.

Cause all of me

Loves all of you

Love your curves and all your edges

All your perfect imperfections

Give your all to me

I'll give my all to you

You're my end and my beginning

Even when I lose I'm winning

‘Cause I give you all of me

And you give me all of you

Tears filled her eyes as she listened to the words of the chorus. Her finger tips curled and pressed into his back. She blinked rapidly trying to keep the tears at bay. Then JC started singing the words softly in her ear.

The song faded away. JC shifted and Rachel stared as he got down on one knee right in the middle of the dance floor. The battle was lost. Tears fell from her eyes. She covered her mouth with a hand. Her eyes closed as her head fell forward.

"Will you marry me?" JC asked, his own eyes wet with tears. Anticipation filled him. He could feel it over the guests. Heard the gasps as he knelt.

"Yes," Rachel nodded, crying. "Yes!" She pulled him up and into her arms where she kissed him soundly. She hugged him tightly as she cried.

Holding her with one arm, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring. He drew back slightly and slid the ring on Rachel's finger with her watching. When Rachel looked up he cupped her face and kissed her. "I love you."

Rachel's laughter was filled with tears. "I love you." She wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him back into a hug. "How am I supposed to top this gift for your birthday?"

JC laughed and tightened his hold. He wasn't sure how she could top this, but he knew somehow, someway she would.

And she did. By telling him on his birthday they were expecting a baby.