The next morning Tyler walked into his brother’s bedroom, having yet to see JC come downstairs. He knew his brother had a habit of sleeping in if he didn’t have any thing planned for the day, but for whatever reason he was feeling concerned and decided to check on him.

Tyler noticed the half used bottle of wine on the nightstand, as well as the broken picture frame on the floor, as he stood in the room. He sighed deeply wondering what the deal was with the two items. He knew the wine had been a full bottle last night and he knew JC had had that picture on his nightstand since the day it had been displayed. Something wasn’t right and he could that as well, just by the way his brother had his head buried under his pillow and was still asleep in disheveled clothing.

Tyler stepped over to JC and he put his hand out, gentle placing it onto JC’s arm and shaking it. When he got no response, Tyler shook his arm harder. Still getting no response, Tyler then yanked on JC’s arm and called out his name.

“Josh! Wake up!”

JC moaned and then slowly pulled his head up from under his pillow. “Mm..what?”

Tyler frowned. “You were sleeping pretty deep, bro. Plus it’s almost noon.”

JC slowly sat up in his bed and then realized he still had on clothing from the previous day. Then he looked around his room and it came back to him what had happened last night.

“Sorry. I just needed the sleep. I had a lot on my mind.” JC said groggily, clearing his throat.

“Yeah? Well, did you drink that wine and throw that picture?” Tyler asked pointing to the two objects.

“Oh..yeah. Yeah, I did.” JC ran his hand through his messed up hair and he sighed.

“Well do you mind explaining what that was about?”

JC didn’t want to particularly share, but he knew he couldn’t back down. “Well..you see..I read your note about you taking Jacelyn for ice cream last night and it just really got to me. With her calling you daddy and you getting to watch her do the simple things, I just realized how crappy my life has been going.”

Tyler couldn’t help but smile a little, happy to see that JC was maybe finally figuring things out. He wanted his brother to start being the wonderful father he’d been and get rid of the man who had become a neglectful one.

“Oh..now I get it, Josh. You got mad at yourself and threw the photo and drank the wine. Classic, just classic.”

JC slid out of his bed and stepped over to the broken picture frame. He knelt down and started picking up the pieces of glass. “Yeah, so that’s the story. What are you doing today, Ty?”

Tyler watched JC clean up the mess and he grinned. “Well I am going to go run some errands, but you my dear brother are going to spend the day with your daughter.”

JC looked up at him. “I am?”

“Yes, you need this. You both need it.”

“Where’s Jacelyn?”

“She’s downstairs in her playpen.”

JC stood up and he tossed the remnants of the picture frame into his trash can and then walked past his brother. “Just watch her until I get out of the shower, okay?”

Tyler sighed, but then nodded, watching JC step into the bathroom. “Okay!”

When JC finished his shower and walked out of his bathroom, he went straight to his closet and tossed some clothes on. He picked out a pair of jeans and a simple t-shirt, knowing he didn’t need to be fancy around the house. He then walked barefoot down the stairs to his living room. Tyler was sitting on the couch and Jacelyn was still at play in her playpen.

“Oh look who’s so fresh and so clean now.” Tyler joked.

JC rolled his eyes.

“Well, I think I am going to be leaving now, since you’ve emerged. So enjoy your day with Jacelyn.” Tyler stood up from the couch.

“I’ll try, bro.” JC said with a half smile.

“Good.” Tyler dug his car keys from his pocket. “Oh..and if it makes you feel better. She didn’t call me daddy this morning.”

JC gave his brother another weak smile. “Yeah..it does a little. Thanks, Ty.”

Tyler smiled and then he walked over to the front door and exited the house, leaving JC alone with Jacelyn.

JC walked over to the playpen and he looked down at his daughter with a big smile and put his arms out. “Hey, Jacers! You want daddy to pick you up?”

The little blue-eyed girl stood up and she squealed. “Daddy!” Her little arms then went up, wanting him to pick her up indeed.

He reached down for her and then brought her into his arms. “It‘s nice of you to remember who I am today”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and held tightly. “I thirssy”

“You’re thirsty?” He gasped, in mock surprise.

She nodded her little head with a smile curved on her lips. He smiled at her. “Let’s get you some juice, honey.”

JC stepped into the kitchen with his baby girl and opened up the refrigerator. He found a gallon of grape Juicy Juice that was half full sitting on the top shelf beside other various beverages. He lifted the juice of the fridge and set it down on the counter. Then he continued to balance Jacelyn in his arm as he grabbed her a sippy cup. Then one handed, he filled her cup half way with some of the sweet juice that Jacelyn loved.

“Here you go, baby.” He handed her the cup of juice and then watched her swallow some of it down.

“Brrrp.“ She burped a little after she finished drinking. JC looked at her with amusement on his face.

“Did you just burp?”

She giggled and shook her head.

“Yes you did! You little piggy.”

“ I no piggy, daddy.” She continued to giggle.

He chuckled along with her. “Okay, maybe you aren’t.”

He then walked out of the kitchen with her and settled down onto the couch in the living room. She snuggled up into him and he put both of his arms around her tightly. Her little head rested on his chest and his chin was just above her little head.

“What does Jacelyn want to do today?” He asked softly, finding it weird, yet refreshing to finally have his baby girl back in his arms in this way. He couldn’t recall the last time they had this much free time together.

“ Book.” She whispered.

“What was that?”

“Book.”

“You want me to read you a story?”

“Yesss.”

He grinned at her reply. “Why don’t you go get daddy a book?”

She pulled back from him slightly and nodded. Then she hopped off his lap and headed over to some toys and books that were in the corner of the room near her playpen. She took a moment to dig one out of the pile and then returned to JC.

He situated her back up onto his lap and took the book from her. “Let’s see what we have here…The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss.”

He opened the book and turned to the first page. He read the first sentence to her and then closed it. “I think I can tell a better story than Dr. Seuss. Want daddy to tell you one off the top of his head?”

Jacelyn pouted at first when he closed the book, but then quickly smiled at his suggestion. “Tell story, daddy.”

He smiled and set the book on the coffee table and then cuddled Jacelyn into his body better. “Okay…here goes…”

She looked up at him, her eyes taking in his features, almost as if she wanted to memorize his face. Memorize the face that she didn’t see as often as she should.

“There once was a little girl. Her name was Jacelyn. She was the prettiest little girl that ever lived. She lived with her daddy and uncle in a huge house that overlooked a huge city….”

Jacelyn interrupted, a huge grin on her face. “Me Jacelyn.”

He nodded with a slight chuckle. “Yes, that’s right.”

“Tell more.”

“Well one day Jacelyn wanted to visit the city, but daddy wouldn’t let her. The city was dangerous for little girls and especially because the paparazzi would snap photographs. Yet, Jacelyn was a fierce little girl and she ran away from home. She made it all the way down to the heart of LA by herself. She had super powers or something..”

Jacelyn giggled. “I got magic, daddy!” She then flexed her little arms, as if she was showing of her “super powers”.

JC laughed at her and nodded. “Yup, you’ve been eating some spinach like Popeye.”

The phone rang then and JC stopped his storytelling to answer. He reached behind him and picked the phone up.

“Hello?” He answered.

A feminine voice spoke on the other line. “Hey, JC! It’s good to see you’re home. I was hoping I could maybe come on over.”

He sighed. “Oh hey, Cara. I’m actually home with my daughter right now. I’m watching her all by myself.”

She laughed. “Oh, you’re a real daddy now, JC.”

“Yeah, well, I’m trying.”

“That’s good. Well..I was hoping we could have a rendezvous today. I’m horny as hell and you’re one very talented bastard in the bedroom.”

He chuckled. “How would you know? We’ve never slept together.”

“Oh, but you forget how things go around. Plus I can’t imagine you being anything less but amazing after listening to Schizophrenic.”

JC chuckled one again. Cara had worked at Jive up until about the same time JC had left the record label. The two had gotten to become friendly with each other and had bonded over lunches talking about how shitty Jive had become.

“Well, thanks. Umm..I don’t know though if I can pencil you in today.”

“Oh come on, JC. I know how a manwhore works. He needs to get laid every so often or he’ll go nuts.”

“I’m not a manwhore.” He said, hoping his daughter was clueless to the term.

Cara laughed. “Okay, fine. You’re a nice playboy.”

“Oh yes..much better.” He rolled his eyes.

“So just put your daughter to sleep and let me come and give daddy a good time.”

He sighed. “I just don’t….oh what the hell, fine. Give me a couple more hours with her and then you can come over.”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll see you later, sexy.” Cara said seductively and then hung up.

JC put the phone back on the receiver and he looked down at Jacelyn. “Well..daddy forgot where he was even going with the story. Why don’t we watch some cartoons instead?”

Jacelyn cheered. “Yes! Yes!”

He grinned, happy that it didn’t take much to please her. He then lifted them up off the couch and went over to the collection of DVDs they had. He pulled a Care Bears DVD out of the shelf and held it out for her to see.

“This a good one?” He asked, knowing every little girl had to be in love with Funshine bear.

She nodded her head, content with the selection. So, JC then moved to the entertainment center and he put the disc into the DVD player, as well as turned the TV on and cued it to play.

“Okay, I’ll get you a snack to eat while you watch this, baby.” He said, settling her down to the floor. Jacelyn took a seat on her knees, eyes gluing to the screen.

He disappeared into the kitchen for a moment, grabbing a box of Teddy Grahams from the cabinet. The one thing JC really did know about his daughter is she had an intense appreciation for the little teddy-shaped graham crackers. The chocolate ones were her favorite and he was happy to find that they had some of those still.

He retreated back to where Jacelyn was sitting in the living room. He then handed her the box of Teddy Grahams, she taking it willing without a fuss. Her little hand immediately went in for the kill and she gobbled down some teddies as she watched the Care Bears have an adventure on the screen.

JC stepped over to the couch then, letting himself lay down on it, keeping an eye on her as she watched her cartoon. He smiled every time she laughed at something. Her laughter was like music to his ears and hearing it made his heart swell. It was amazing to him that something so precious had been created by love that had once been so passionate and fairytale-like, only to crumble.

A couple hours later, with Teddy Grahams eaten, Care Bears cartoons watched, and a little Jacelyn now sleepy once again, JC slipped off of the couch after noticing his daughter yawn.

He reached for her and scooped her up into his arm, picking her up off the floor. “Come on, let’s go to nap land.”

“No…no.” She protested.

“Yes. Time for sleepies, Jacers.” He headed up the staircase, ready to settle her into her crib.

Once JC stepped into her room, he grabbed her blanket and fixed it in her crib and then dropped in a new pacifier as well. He then lay Jacelyn into the crib and wound up her mobile, for it to play music for her.

“I no sleep.” She cried.

“Yes, sleep.” He said adamantly and dropped a kiss to her forehead as he leaned over her.

She yawned again and then her protesting ceased.

“See..told you, sugar.” He grinned and moved her teddy bear to her side and then turned the light off, leaving Jacelyn to fall asleep in the peacefulness of her room.

JC headed back downstairs and he cleaned up the living room. He put the book and the DVD away, as well as the Teddy Grahams. He also picked up some of her stray toys, placing them in her playpen. He sighed once he was done.

“She’s special, Josh. You need to hang out with her more.” He told himself, knowing that Jacelyn really was the one thing in his life he shouldn’t be taking for granted.

He then glanced over at a picture frame on one of the table in the room. It was him holding her for the very first time. She had just been born and JC had just gotten the color back in his cheeks, having almost wanted to pass out. She was wrapped up in a pink blanket and her small head had a little hat covering it. Her eyes that were now crystal blue, were barely open and she just lay perfectly still in his arms. It was in that moment that he’d first held her and touched her, that he knew his life would no longer be the same.

He picked up the picture and he stared at it for awhile, realizing that the man in the picture and the man holding the picture had become two different people. Life had certainly changed in a short time.

He set the photo back down with a melancholy smile and then jumped as he heard a loud pounding at his door. He looked up and could tell someone was waiting for him to open it. He walked over to the door and he unlocked, pulling it open to find Cara.

“Hey, JC. I hope now is a good time.” She grinned, flirtatiously.

“Yeah, I just put Jacelyn down for her nap. She should be out for awhile.” He explained. “My brother probably won’t get back for awhile either.”

“Awesome. Well let’s go get this fun started shall we? Take me to whichever room you like.”

JC almost wanted to just tell her no, that he didn’t want to partake in another quick and unattached session of sex, yet it had been a few days for him. It was hard for him to turn down a woman ready and willing to satisfy his sexual needs.

“Why don’t we go downstairs to my studio? I think it’ll be good just in case you get too loud.” He smirked.

“You’’ll be the one crying out my name, Chasez.” She smirked back.

“Yeah..uh huh..you keep telling yourself that, mami. I am the pussy master. I will rock your world, not the other way around.” He said saucily and then tugged on Cara’s hand, leading her down to his studio.

After a couple rounds of sex in JC’s studio, the satiated pair of sex fiends lay on the floor, having fallen asleep. They had totally worn each other out. Cara screamed his name and vice versa, luckily without Jacelyn being woken up or any other interruptions.

It wasn’t until JC let out a soft moan a couple few hours later and started shifting a little on top of her, that Cara herself started to wake up as well.

“Mmm..amazing.” She murmured, her eyes fluttering open. “You’re amazing..”

He opened his eyes wide and looked down into her eyes. “I aim to please.” He grinned, then he turned to look to see what the time was, having a wall clock in the room.

“Oh fuck!” He yelled. “It’s late. I bet Jacelyn is up and Tyler is home or on his way.”

Carly looked at him confused. “You mean I have to go?”

“That’s exactly what I mean.” He said sternly. “Now get your clothes back on, take some pop tarts from my pantry, and then dash back to your car, cab, or how ever the hell you got here.”

He then rolled off of her and Cara scoffed. “You are a manwhore. Who the hell gives women pop tarts after sex and then sends them on their way like a used bitch?”

“I do! And you know why?! ‘Cause I am fucking JC Chasez and I can do the hell I please!” He huffed. “Plus I have a daughter who’d been alone for god knows how much time awake and a brother who’ll chew my ass!”

“Yeah, okay, whatever. You’re a manwhore and that’s how it’ll always be. You’re an amazing fuck, a hot body, and all that good shit, but you got to clean up your act.” She said and then flipped him off, before grabbing her clothes and running upstairs.

A moment later JC heard the door slam shut and just sighed deeply. He didn’t know how his life had come to this. How had he gone from happy and in love to stuck with custody of a child and women walking in and out of his life like a revolving door?

JC pulled his underwear and jeans back on and jogged up the stairs. Then he jogged up the next flight of stairs to Jacelyn’s room. He sighed, relieved that she was just laying their content, sucking on her pacifier. He watched her and ran his hand over her cheek, grateful that she was still fine after lack of supervision. He was also grateful that Tyler hadn’t appeared yet. JC could now pretend like everything had gone smoothly without his brother’s help and that he never had sex while his daughter napped.