Kate lazily rose from her chair the next morning when there was a knock at the door.

"Why am I not surprised you're here again?"  She opened the door for JC.

"I don't know.  But I do know that I should have my own key."

"Why the hell would I make you your own key?"  She flopped down on her bed.

JC naturally jumped in next to her.  "Kate...Come on."

"Josh, I love you and everything..."

"But..."  He sat up, curious as to why his best friend was holding off on giving him a key.

"But, there's Kendra and..."

"And you haven't told her that your best friend is part of *N SYNC?  You know, I thought it was kinda strange that there were no pictures of me on the wall."

Kate placed a hand on his chest.  "It's nothing personal, Josh.  I honestly thought that I would never speak to you again.  I didn't see a point in introducing her to that part of my life."

"To the part of your life that's practically your family?"

She could tell that he was beginning to get heated with this subject, but she wasn't ready to let her guard down.  "You left me.  How many ways can I spell it out for you?  I thought you were gone for good.  This part of my life, the part of my life where you are, is crazy.  I grew up next to you with your crazy fans.  I know how it is."

"But-" 

"Josh, tell me how I was supposed to go about introducing Kendra to someone who wasn't there?"  JC sat in bed staring intently at the wall in front of him.  "We can't keep having this fight."  Kate said, just above a whisper.

JC finally turned his attention her way.  "I'm just angry at myself.  I wish I could turn back the hands of time."

"But you can't."

"I know."

Kate gently stroked the side of his face.  "Just make the most of the time we have right now.  I need you, Josh."

JC kissed her face lovingly.  "I need you too."

Kate burst into JC's room.  She was in a bit of a panic, but tried to hide it.  JC looked up from the position where he laid on his bed.  He casually peeked at the sixteen-year-old girl from the top of the magazine he was buried in.

She stood at the door for a minute, watching him draw his attention back to the magazine.  "Don't you want to know what's wrong?"

"Knowing you, whether I want to know or not, you're going to tell me."

Kate brushed off his comment.  She sat down on the bed, ripping the magazine away from him.  "I need your help, Josh."  JC simply stared at her, knowing that she was bond to continue talking.  "I need you to cover for me."

"Oh no.  I'm not doing that anymore, Kate."

"Why not?"

"Why don't you get Heather to cover for you?  Or even Tyler."  He said, referring to his younger brother and sister.  "Or better yet, you have a few brothers of your own and a sister too."

Kate stood up, placing her hands on her hips stubbornly.  JC knew there was no way out of this situation now.  She was determined and when Kate was determined, things always were done when and how she wanted them.  "Joshua.  You are my best friend.  Heather would end up opening her big mouth and Tyler can hardly do anything right.  Please, Josh.  I will be forever in your gratitude.

JC rolled his eyes up to the ceiling.  "What do you want?"

Kate screamed in excitement and threw him in a giant hug.  "I love you!"

"I love you too, Kate."  He mumbled back.

Kate broke down the foolproof plan.  JC was to call her parents and tell them that they would be going out to the movies and dinner for the night.  After that, Kate would stay the night, since JC was only in town for one more day.  However, in reality, Kate would be spending the night at her boyfriend's parentless house.

"Kate."  JC held on to her arm just as she was about to get out of the car.  "Be careful."

"Josh, I can take care of myself.  I'm not stupid."  JC eyed her.  "I'm not."

JC reached his arms out to hug her before she jetted off into the quite house.  Although he was worried that something bad would happen, he knew that Kate had to make her own mistakes.  There was no point in trying to stop her; that would just entice her to do it anyway.

After watching two of the newest movies in theater, JC made his way home.  Although it was a bit earlier than expected, he prayed that everyone would be in their rooms by now.

"Josh?  You're back early.  Where's Kate?"  JC quickly spun around from the refrigerator at the sound of Heather's voice.

He grabbed a cold beer while trying to think of a good cover-up.  "She is...upstairs."

Heather began to go upstairs to see Kate, but something inside her stopped her before she did.  "She's not upstairs.  I would have heard her.  That girl is so loud.  Where is she?  I thought you two were going out tonight."

"Yeah, we did..."

"Joshua, are you covering up for her?  She's at a boy's house isn't she?"  Heather hissed.

"Shhhh.  She'll be fine, okay?"

Heather shook her head.  "Aren't you the least bit worried about her?"

JC finally sat down at the kitchen table.  "Of course.  I always worry about her though.  She's Kate."

"That's all you can say?  ‘She's Kate'?"  Heather took a seat next to him.  Ever since they were children, she had always tried to figure out JC and Kate's relationship, but always failed.  Heather preferred to spend her time with Kate's older sister, Madison, since the two girls were in the same class.  She always wondered why Kate and Tyler never hung out much since they were the same age, but ended up chalking it up to the option that Tyler was shy around girls and Kate was very forward with guys.

JC ran a hand down his face.  "I trust her, Heather.  Weren't you that crazy when you were her age?"

"Not at all.  I would never spend the night at a boy's house."

"Yeah, that's because you're a prude."  JC escaped out of the room before Heather had a chance to respond to his nasty comment.

A loud thud sounded through the room.  JC's eyes flew open as he searched around the dark space.  Even if he wanted to, he couldn't see anything.  Another crash caused him to sit up in bed.

"Who's there?"  He called out to the noise.

A sniffle could be heard near the window and then a sad, quivering voice.  "I'm sorry."

JC ventured out of bed and walked towards the now recognizable voice.  "Kate?  What's wrong?"

Her damp body collapsed into his arms at the feel of his touch.  "I-I..."

"It's okay.  Don't speak."  He lifted her up with ease and placed her in his bed.  He pulled out a t-shirt and a pair of shorts from his bag.  "Here you go."

She took the clothes and changed beneath the covers.  She dropped her pink cotton dress on the floor and drew the covers over her shoulders.

JC stood at the open window.  A million and one thoughts were racing through his mind.  At this point, he was only blaming himself for the distort girl lying in his bed.  He couldn't help but think how right Heather was about this situation.  He should've protected her, but he failed and he wasn't about to let himself forget that.

"Come to bed, Josh."

He turned around toward her pleading cry.  The outline of her body said that she was propped up with her eyes glued on him.  JC gave in and crawled into the other side of the bed. 

He pulled her close to him.  He could feel her body shaking, trying to warm up.  Within seconds of holding her, Kate stopped shaking.  She was relaxed now.

"I need you."  Kate whispered to him.

 JC squeezed her tighter.  "I need you too, Kate."