"You didn't tell me your parents were rich," JC said softly as I drove in our rental car through the gated community of my childhood. "These houses are bigger than mine and Justin's put together!"

"You didn't ask," I stated, glancing over at him as he smiled, "and it's nine million. Not both of your houses."

"Okay, my house in L.A. and half of the one in Orlando," he said, correcting himself. "What do your parents do again?"

"Dad's a retired President of a bank, and mom ran her own retail store for a while."

"Oh," he said softly, eyes still taking in all the houses. Even with his own fame, he was still blown away by many things. Just one of the many things that made him who he was. He sat in silence as I turned onto our road, seeing my house just yards away.

"Here it is," I said as I put the car in park, opening the door as he followed suit, eyes staring up at the house and taking it in. "You ready to get this over with? Jace?" I turned to look at him, his sunglasses resting on top of his head, eyes still looking up and down, side to side at my house. "JC?"

"Huh? Oh," he pinkened a bit at his failure to hear me the first time, caught in his mesmerizing gaze once more. "Sorry." He stepped up to my outstretched hand, lacing his fingers within the empty spaces of my own, we both taking a deep breath at what seemed to be the same time, my finger pressing hard against the door bell. It echoed throughout the house, the barks of Beau, our golden retriever met my ears, bringing a smile to my face. "No turning back now," he said softly, squeezing my hand, "this is it."

"Hey, this was your idea," I said, giving him a small smile as he shrugged, nodding slightly. "You've gotta stay."

"I wasn't planning on leaving, I was just saying it to you."

"Oh, okay," I laughed, rolling my eyes as we both stepped back slightly, the door opening as my mother met us with a wide smile. "Hey, mom."

"Hi, baby," she smiled, leaning in and giving me a tight hug. As she pulled away, she eyed JC, remembering him from the pictures I had sent her, she extending her hand and shaking his. "You must be the infamous JC."

"I don't know about infamous, but I am JC," he smiled. "It's nice to meet you."

"You too," she said, glancing back and forth at both of us. "I'm Richelle. My husband is in the back. Come on in."

I stepped in, turning to look at JC as he looked around, still in awe. "Come on, tourist," I laughed, he looking at me with a smile as I tugged him in, closing the door behind him. "You'll like my dad," I said, leaning into him and whispering in his ear, "a lot better than my mom, trust me."

"Why's that?"

"You'll see," I stated, pulling away and leading him out of the foyer and through the many rooms until we were in the den, my father's favorite room. "Hi, daddy," I smiled, releasing JC's hand as I kissed him on the cheek as he sat, watching some game show. "Daddy, I want you to meet JC." He looked away from the game long enough to give me a warm smile, eyes slowly drifting over to JC who was standing uncomfortably in the doorway. "Jace," I laughed, walking over to him and grasping his hand again, "come on in. He doesn't bite."

"No, that's Richelle," my dad grinned, we both laughing as JC chuckled slightly. "I'm Ronald."

"Nice to meet you, sir," JC said politely, they both shaking hands and mentally sizing the other up. Oh, I was so glad I wasn't a man. "You have a beautiful home."

"Thank you," my dad said sincerely. "I like it myself."

"And you've got a beautiful family."

"Thank you," my dad said again, nodding as he got up. "There's no need to suck up to me, son. You're with my daughter. Just treat her good is all I expect."

"I do sir," JC nodded, his grip lessening on me as he eased up a bit. "I care a lot about her."

"Good." My dad smiled. "We're going to the family picnic at Isabelle's house. Are you two joining us?"

"I didn't know there was a picnic," I said, looking at him oddly. "Mom said on the phone this morning that she'd have dinner for us, but nothing about a picnic ..."

"Your mother forgets easily, remember?"

I laughed, shaking my head. "Yeah. I guess we could go ..." I looked over at JC, he nodding. "When are we leaving?"

"Around two?"

"Do I have time for a nap?" I asked, looking around the room for the clock. All I remembered was getting into the rental car and driving the hour and a half drive to my home. I did not have any sense in time.

"Of course," my dad nodded. "You don't have to leave with us, Lilypie, you can always wait a bit and take JC around for a tour."

"I could," I said, shrugging. I felt JC laugh silently beside me, his body jumpy a bit - I'm sure it was at my nickname from childhood. "I'm gonna go upstairs and nap. JC, you want to take a nap?"

He looked at me, then at my father. "I think I'll sit and talk to your dad for a bit, and then go talk to your mom. I'll be up in a bit."

"Okay," I said, eyeing him weirdly. He actually wanted to be alone with my parents? Did he not know what he was getting himself into? "I'll be in the third door on the right."

"Sounds good," he nodded, leaning forward and kissing my cheek. "Have a nice nap."

Oh, I won't. Especially after my mind imagines what they could possibly talk about. "I'll see you in a bit, daddy," I said softly, leaning forward and kissing his cheek. "Don't question him too much."

"Oh, you know I will."

"I do," I smiled, turning on my heel as JC gripped my hand once more letting me go, reassuring me he'd be fine in just that touch. I gave my mom a quick kiss on the cheek, telling her I was going to nap a bit after the flight, still slightly tired from the medication and trekked up the stairs slowly, wanting nothing more than to collapse onto my old bed, the mattress softer than cotton. It was the best thing to feel after a long day.

And it did not disappoint. After I rummaged through some of my old things (our bags were still in the car), I found a pair of cotton shorts and an old tank top, peeling off my clothes and into them, turning so that my back was to the bed and fell into it. The smile that formed on my face was one of contentment and appreciation for the one thing I did not have for a long time.

I curled underneath the covers, they smelling of lavender and vanilla (mom must have washed them, knowing we were coming) and closed my eyes. What could JC and my parents possibly have to say to each other? My mother was anti-social, my father only liked talking game shows and JC would much rather sit and have an intellectual conversation about whether or not music was headed down a one way road.

At the thought of JC, my skin began to tingle where his mouth had been earlier. Almost immediately, my hand went to my neck, it feeling as if his mouth was still there - warm and sensual in ways I had not known that one body part could be. But then again, he had proved that the mouth could be just like that with every kiss he had dropped to my mouth, forehead and cheeks (sometimes temple, depending on our sitting/standing situation). I knew he should have been more easy to read, but the truth was, he wasn't. He was a complicated man with mixed emotions on nearly everything and sometimes, his true feelings would hide behind a mask that he felt the need to protect himself with. For all I knew, he could hate this arrangement and want me out, or he could just be like me and accept it for now.

Though I wasn't keen on accepting it, knowing the consequences that would occur later, I did it. For many reasons that I, myself didn't know. All I knew, was that when I was with him, no matter what we were doing, he made me feel beautiful, wanted. He made me feel as if my sisters were nothing compared to me, my life was better than I accepted it to be. He made it seem like he was the only man that should matter and that cared more about me than I did myself - and though I put myself down time and time again, I did respect myself. I did not sleep around, I took care of myself, found a job with people I loved ... he topped that. He topped everything in my life. And I was married to him.

It was still a crazy thing to think about.

Especially when I had all the other thoughts about him running parallel to that.

I cleared my mind, letting sleep slowly cloud over, eyes dropping as I settled on a picture on my nightstand, it propped up against the lamp. It was of JC and I back in 2004, right after a show and at a late dinner. We had sat next to each other, leaning in so that the picture could be close. He looked tired and accomplished, the grin on his face reaching clear to his eyes as I looked just as tired and nothing like I did now. My face showed so much more sadness than I recalled ever feeling, so much anger. I was pretty sure, that even though I didn't recognize those looks until now, I'd still be that way if it wasn't for him and what he brought to me.

"Have you honeymooned?"

"No, not yet."

"Hmph," she said, shaking her head. "You're here 'til when?"

"This coming Saturday," I noted, thinking, "so, five days from now. He arranged all these things in New York to be pushed back since we had a week break before going overseas. They weren't too happy with him but he wanted this done first."

"He's a good man."

I looked over at him, a smile on my face. "Yeah, he is."

"Hey, divas!"

Isabelle and I both turned to see Delaney and Lucy enter the backyard. Wearing their own variation of jean skirts and tank tops, they demanded attention everywhere they went ... even family picnics. Charlotte, who had been sitting with my dad and Jeremy, caught my gaze and rolled her eyes, bringing forth yet another smile. "I'll be right back," Isabelle said softly. "I'm going to talk to Robert."

"Okay," I nodded, looking on as Charlotte got up and walked to where I was, standing in front of me. "Hey," I grinned, getting up and giving her a proper hello. "I'm sorry about L.A - things between JC and I were ..."

"Very unknown," she laughed. "I can't believe you never told me you two were ... dating!" She shook her head in disbelief. "What I thought was just a misunderstanding was a lovers quarrel! No wonder you stomped off. I always knew you two loved each other. I just didn't understand why you beat around the bush for so long."

"I don't ... I don't know," I said, her words like a whirlwind. She saw something I didn't? Something he didn't? This was a first. Well, at least for his half. "I am sorry for leaving you high and dry that night."

"It's okay," she smiled. "We stuck around and I got to meet all those chicks from The Hills and I met Jessica Alba, too!"

"I bet Jeremy was happy."

"Ecstatic," she laughed. "So are the rumors true?"

"What rumors?"

Without a word, she grabbed my hand and lifted, eyes widening. "They are! Have mom and dad found out yet?"

"No."

"I love you more already," she grinned. "You were always the one who couldn't keep a secret."

"Don't remind me," I laughed, she sitting down as I still stood, turning to see JC heading towards us, Tanner holding his hand while he balanced Tyler with his arm, Tyler's arms around JC's neck. "You've gained two new friends, I see," I smiled as he nodded, Tanner releasing JC's hand and running towards his mother, she calling to him as she held out a plate of food. Tyler was still content being held by him. "Hey, buddy," I smiled, reaching my hand up as he grinned, nearly diving out of JC's arms and into mine. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too, Aunt LiLi!"

I grinned, smothering him in kisses as JC looked on, greeting Charlotte who stood to give him a hug. "Why don't you go see what mommy has for dinner for you, okay?"

"Kay!" With that, he was out of my arms and taking off towards where Tanner stood, at the legs of his mother.

"So, when were you going to tell everybody you were married, huh?"

JC looked at me, confused. "How did she -"

"Charlotte reads magazines like it's her life," I said as Charlotte nodded. "She probably saw it on the numerous trash ones."

"They're not trash, they're good entertainment," she said, looking at us with a hurt look. "Were you going to hide it until you couldn't anymore?"

"Actually, that's why we're here this week," JC said. "Wanted to sit everyone down and tell them rather than let them hear it from loud mouthed reporters or something -"

"So when were you going to tell us you got married?!"

JC and I froze, it suddenly quieting around us as Delaney's words echoed underneath the deck roof. "Or, loud mouthed sisters," I said, Charlotte chuckling as she ran a hand up and down my arm in a supportive manner. "Now," I said, turning to look at her as she stood only feet away, her hand on her hip. God, she was such a bitch. Surprisingly, Lucy was nothing like her. Thus, why they were fraternal.

At least, that was my own belief.

"Everybody," I said softly, my mom and dad still staring at us with food mid-way to their mouths, "JC and I got married a few weeks ago. In Vegas. Now, before you get mad and -"

"Congratulations, baby!"

I stopped, looking at my mom as she got up quickly, running at us both and wrapping her arms around both of our necks and squeezing tightly. "I can't believe you held it from us for so long! I wondered when you'd get married!"

JC laughed from beside me as my father shook his hand, catching my gaze from atop my dad's balding head. He looked slightly relieved; it was a change from his family's reactions. "See?" I mouthed to him, "my family isn't normal."

He grinned, shaking his head and bringing his attention back down to Tyler and Tanner who were hollering for his attention as he continued making conversation with my entire family, they firing questions at him back and forth with the exception of Charlotte and Isabelle, who were standing next to me, gripping my hands. It was then that I realized that these two were the only reason I survived this family.

"Robert and I want you to take the boat."

I turned to look at Isabelle, confused. "What?"

"For you and JC. A few hours away on the boat, just the two of you without the worry of people taking pictures. A small hourly honeymoon of sorts."

"Are you serious?" I looked at her, baffled. Robert had never wanted anyone to take the houseboat and now suddenly, he was okay with it? "We don't need to take it -"

"No, go," she smiled, "go before the sun sets. It's beautiful from out on Lake Erie."

"Isabelle -"

"Lily, just go," Charlotte interjected. "You know it's a losing battle with Izzy."

Sighing deeply, I nodded. I did know. Probably a little too well. "All right, fine," I said, feeling JC's arms wrap around me from behind. "I guess we can take it out."

"Take it Thursday. Robert wants to lend it to a friend of his for fishing tomorrow."

"Take what?"

"Our boat," Isabelle said, looking at him with a smile. "We figured since the two of you haven't had any real time alone with everyone following you and on your ass all the time that you'd like some privacy ... even if it's just for a few hours."

"I think that's a great idea," he said, tickling my sides as I fought against squirming, biting my lip to surpress the laughter. "It'd be nice to have some alone time with my wife."

I shook my head, listening as they spoke back and forth about the boat I had been on numerous times. There was something in his voice that made me question his tone. Was it a good questioning or a bad one? That, I wasn't sure. I just knew by the way he touched me and the way he spoke it was different - going further would make it even more difficult for me to decipher his emotions and be able to read him. Was this such a good idea? Was going out on that boat with him a good idea?

Probably not.