Fingers intertwined, the priest nodded, gently reprimanding the couple for their brief joining of hands before time. They secretly smiled at each other before resuming their individual stances apart from each other and smiling at the priest to continue as they folded their hands neatly in front of them. This was not the conventional wedding, but this was not the conventional couple. Knowing each of them was knowing that they strove to be uncommon, and, boy, did they have flair. But the wedding was more conventional than one would have thought, the bride dressed in white, the groom stealing shy, affectionate glances at his wife to be.

The wedding, however, would be an affair to remember. There was not only a wedding day, there was a wedding week. You see, the bride and groom had handed out cruise tickets as wedding invitations. Festivities would begin a week from the date of their wedding, though the actual ceremony would not take place until they were a day from port. It was a wedding unique in itself.

The priest resumed the ceremony, the small black leather bound bible his guide, though he knew the words by heart. Weddings were his specialty, though this was one surpassed all that he had seen before and he had seen a lot. The wedding itself wasn't the biggest he had seen, close friends and family, but it was most certainly the grandest. They had spared no expense. Yes, this would be a wedding that he, and many other people, would never forget. "Dearly beloved..."

-*-*-*-

A frenzy of hands and roses flew into the air as the silk nestled around them flowed like ribbons underwater and poetry in motion. Her hands tensed and clenched. Who would catch it? It was flying straight to the middle where the bride herself had aimed. The bouquet was a torch, a torch passed down through the ages a tradition. Whoever caught it was destined to be the next bride to be and a new love story would come to pass, or so they said. Of course, they only said it, emphasis on said. They had never proved it true. Still, tradition was tradition, fun was fun.

The tangle of hands in the center lunged for what seemed an impossible distance. But the bouquet was falling short and the crowd ran forward to make up the distance. The next few seconds were even slower than the first. 'Slow motion' would not do it justice. The hands were like claws now, the talons of a hawk. This mad rush... desperation churned within.

A small figure rushed forward, the bouquet still flying through the air. The bouquet- she had never believed in fairy tales or old wives tales. Life though had been somewhat a fairy tale to her, though nothing came without work. So she wanted to start a new chapter, a new story, just try and see, then maybe, just maybe. The crowd screeched as one, hyenas or birds of prey. The various white and pastel taffetas, satins, and silks all rustled together as one in this storm. It was coming!

Just then, the small figure ducked and took as step and a leap to one side to avoid trampling and being trampled by anyone else. The crowd had fallen, a hasty mess in the middle of the floor of the banquet hall. Left behind, the bouquet still flew, closer and closer to the small, petite figure. Just stretch a little farther, a little farther, a little more. Her body seemed to exert itself and though her body was agile, it stretched beyond its normal limitations just for seconds. But seconds were enough to secure her prize. The bouquet slipped into her grasp, the silk finally hitting something other than air, and her fingers closed around it. At last!

For a moment she was too stunned to even speak, just look at the bouquet with a certain awe. She couldn't believe she held it in her hands. What did the tradition say? But five seconds too long she stayed standing still, five seconds that someone else took advantage of. No sooner than she held the bouquet within her hands it was snatched away.

"It's mine now, I got it!"

-*-*-*-

"It's mine now, I got it!" Halle's eyes were disbelieving. The blond raised her arm and held the bouquet in the air as it was some prize. All the while, Halle's mind was racing with thoughts. She did not just steal that bouquet from me! She couldn't believe that it had just been snatched out of her hands like that. She had caught fair and square.

But apparently she was not the only one that thought so. A vision of white came storming toward the blonde. It was Kel, the blushing bride, though Halle doubted the red she saw was from blushing.

Kel went right up to the blonde and snatched the bouquet away with such force that even the blonde was stunned and the room quieted down. People stopped and stared. "Hey!" exclaimed the perky blonde as the bouquet was snatched away.

But Kel didn't even look her way. She walked straight to Halle and shoved the bouquet into her hands. "Halle caught it first! You snatched it out of her hands!" Kel accused looking straight at the blonde.

"I most certainly did not!" the blonde retorted.

"You did! I saw it with my own eyes!"

Halle was embarrassed. This was causing a scene. "Kel, Kel, Kel," she calmed. "It's alright..."

"It's not alright when you caught it!"

"Kel, it's only a bouquet, doesn't mean that much..."

Kel was taken aback. "It was my bouquet, Halle, and my best friend caught it. Now I want her to keep it," she said, referring to Halle in the third person.

Halle laughed a laugh she didn't feel. "It's ok, really Kel. I don't need it that badly..."

"Hal!" Kel said, supporting herself. "She's practically married! She's engaged! She just needs to set a wedding date!" Kel turned to the blonde. "As I recall, this toss was for singles." Halle blushed furiously. "If engaged still means single then marriage is a hoax! And since this is my wedding, it is obviously not, so you are disqualified, LouAnn. End of story."

By this time all parties involved were now in extremes. Kel looked with extreme contempt at LouAnn. LouAnn looked extremely offended and vengeful at Kel in return. And Halle... she was just embarrassed for Kel, that she had made this big of a deal on her wedding day about a bouquet and a tradition Halle didn't believe in anyway. If Kel had ever been unreasonable, it was now. Yet there was a gleam in her eyes as she angrily stared at LouAnn. It was very apparent to Halle that Kel didn't like LouAnn very much. She wondered why.

The same was true of LouAnn, though Halle guessed that at this point she was more embarrassed for herself and a little angry too at the scene. LouAnn's eyes narrowed at Kel's figure, elegantly draped in a satin white wedding gown. LouAnn stood out. She was the only one that had worn blue to a lilac-themed wedding, stated clearly on the invitation. Accordingly, most of the women had chosen something purple, lavender or white. Halle herself was decked in sheer black over solid lavender in a gown of Kel's choosing. She was the maid of honor after all. But LouAnn had chosen blue of all things. It brought out her eyes which were at the moment filled with rage, fists clenched tightly to her sides.

LouAnn, it seemed, was the best man's fiance. If Halle recalled correctly, his name was Byron. He seemed a genial fellow, easy to smile, easy to laugh with a slight drawl that made Halle wonder where he was from. Halle had caught a glimpse or two of LouAnn- on his arm. Byron was nice; LouAnn was... Barbie. The very first thing Halle had thought was dainty. Well, she didn't look so dainty now.

Halle was about to do something, but Byron walked over quickly, using swift gait and grasped LouAnn by the shoulders. Alex came not a moment later for his bride and did the same to Kel, dragging them to different sides of the room, perhaps using time and space to cool them down, or perhaps using it permanently to just keep them from each others throats.

Halle then felt hands grasp her own arms. But instead of pulling her away, they wrapped around her and pulled her closer. Her smile was small, but full of joy. "You're late, stranger," she said with laughter in her voice. "You were supposed to hold me back."

He laughed at her. "Oh, I could tell you were about to go after them, especially the one that stole the bouquet from you. You looked about ready to claw someone's eyes out with those manicured nails of yours."

Halle laughed at JC's sarcasm. "May I remind you that Kel made me get them manicured. I never imagined that an everyday luxury many people have done could be so inhibiting! I can't type anymore!"

JC laid his face close to Halle's and she could feel his breath on her cheek. This feeling she got when she was near him... she couldn't describe it and didn't want to try because no words could ever do it justice. All she knew was that it was... amazing. She hoped it never stopped, and so far, she'd been lucky. He leaned in and placed kissed on her cheek near her mouth and Halle brought her arms up to hold his as she turned to return his kiss with her own, full on the mouth.

Her sweet breath lingered on his as the kiss ended. He tightened his arms around her in a protective embrace and buried his face in her neck as her hand raised to touch the back of his bowed head, running her slim fingers through his dark hair. They were free. There was no other way to describe it. There was no holding back, not anymore. Too much time had been lost that they could never regain. They could only love now as they should have long ago. Halle was surprised at her own reckless abandon. Loving JC... She'd never been prepared, but then how does one prepare for something like that? JC's love consumed her... and she let it.

"Mommy! You and Blue are on camera!"

Halle and JC looked forward quickly. There stood Kel, camcorder in hand, taping the entire thing. But whereas three months ago, Halle and JC would have been shocked and would have immediately shied away, they did not now. Instead Halle blushed and smiled as JC made a daring move, dipping Halle back dramatically and kissing her with abandon as Halle tightened her arms around him to keep from falling though his arms were secure around her. It was like JC said. He'd catch her when she fell... and hold her so she wouldn't.

They came up just in time to see Josh in his little black tux bounding towards them. JC's arms was around Halle's waist and vice versa, but as if it were merely habit, they both held their free arms out for Josh. Josh's face was splashed with happiness and his giggles warmed Halle's heart and no doubt JC's as well. "I wanna be on cameraaaaa!" shouted Josh as he made his way towards them. Halle looked at JC briefly implying that it must have been his influence but all he did was smile and shrug.

They both caught Josh a minute later and JC swung him into the crevice of his free arm. Immediately, Josh hammed it up, smiling widely for the camera. "Big boy," JC commented. "So you want to be on camera, huh?"

Josh nodded vigorously. "Just like you, Blue!"

Halle shot JC an I-told-you-so look. He just shrugged. Josh was turning out to be more like JC than JC had ever figured he'd be. He loved the camera now and at every chance he got he jumped in front of it. He'd then pretend to be JC, singing all the songs and dancing up a storm. It was flattering. And it was also frightening. JC knew firsthand how hard the business was. Of course he'd be supportive if Josh ever decided to pursue it, though he didn't know if Halle would want that for her son. He couldn't speak either way though for she put up with his career and was very supportive of it. In the three months that they had really been together, they had seen each other a total of twenty-three days.

Things were like that, people too, always saying this and that, even though they knew it wasn't so. It was never enough. There'd be a break after this album they said. Not so, though, for they seemed to have forgotten the album promotion. And after the album promotion, break they said again. But that was not to be. There were tours to be planned, signings to be scheduled. 'N Sync never rested. There was no such things as 'rest' in this business. Their time was carefully measured and filled before they opened their eyes to a new day. Nothing, no opportunity, ever passed them by. Instead, it struggled to keep up in this fast-paced world.

But despite the endless events, JC had managed to break away. Halle was happy, but also worried. She endlessly worried it seemed, it was part of Halle. For Halle and Josh, JC gave up things like sleep. She wondered if they were taking a toll on his health. JC, however, assured her that he would not be doing this if he didn't want to and admonished she stop worrying. JC appreciated the worry, but in turn disliked it because it worried him that she was worried too much. It wasn't good for her own health. It was a vicious cycle.

But now they relaxed on a week long cruise and JC was glad for Kel and Alex's flamboyance. The couple had invited all of 'N Sync aboard for the wedding and, of course, who could refuse that offer? 'N Sync needed a break. JC needed a break. JC needed the time with Halle. It was as if... he was starting over with Halle. Had it been so long? She acted new to this, like she'd never been in a relationship before. Maybe she had just never known love before. JC liked to think like that.

Halle herself felt strange. In the pit of her stomach was this wanting she had never known... only JC could appease it. It was so new to her, she had never... expected to feel this way about anybody, save Josh whom she would do anything for. Well, she guessed there were two now.

Of course, guilt had plagued her mind for a long time. Maybe it still did, but JC had had it out with her. He sensed things like that. A month ago he'd told her she have to stop feeling guilty because he just couldn't handle it anymore. She raised her eyebrows at that one, not understanding what he was saying. He clarified himself. "Halle, I just can't handle not knowing whether we're together because you want us to be, or whether we're just where we are because you feel guilty. I don't want us to be if it's only out of guilt that you stay with me. I want you, and I want you to want me." She couldn't forget those words and she had had no idea she was making him feel that way. Halle made mistakes. He accepted that and he wanted her as she was, mistakes and all. If anything, that day had made her love him even more.

She came back to reality. Kel had run off, she saw, and JC now had the camcorder in his hands, taping Josh and watching the screen as Josh made his 'moves'. Justin, Lance and Chris, who had seemed to appear out of no where, were dancing along with Josh, following his moves with surprising accuracy. She wrinkled her forehead. Where was Joey. None too soon she spotted him by the buffet table, chatting to two girls who apparently knew who he was. She had to smile at that. Clink, clink! As silver clinked on crystal, it grabbed Halle's attention. Alex stood behind the very first table, Kel on his arm looking happier than words could say. "Dinner is served!"

-*-*-*-

Clink, clink! Once more, silver hit crystal and this time, Halle looked up. Dinner had begun twenty-five minutes ago, courses galore. Halle looked up from her dinner plate across the table to where the noise had originated. She was seated at the very fist table, sharing the same table with Alex and Kel, now Mr. and Mrs. Adaylean. But it was neither the bride nor groom that had interrupted, it was instead Byron, the best man, seated next to Alex, that had tapped on his glass. The entire room was watching him as he pushed back his chair and stood up.

He glanced around the room, a happy smile on his face. "Sorry to interrupt all of you, but I'd like to say something. As cliche as it may sound, I'd like to congratulate my best friend, Alexander for finding 'the one' and marrying her! I've known him for almost eight years and after all these years, I'm finally able to say, 'Geez, man, you finally beat me at something!'" The whole room erupted in laughter and Byron himself broke out in a grin that might have blinded even the sun.

He glanced down beside him with a look of pride. "This is my fiance, LouAnn Winters. Don't worry, Alex, I'll even the score soon." Byron cut a sideways smile at Alex before turning back and facing the room. "In a month, LouAnn do me the honor of giving my her hand in marriage and I'd like to invite you all to our wedding." Applause broke out in the room and though Byron blushed, LouAnn gave her biggest, brightest smile. She seemed to be pleased by the attention.

The applause died down and Byron seemed about to sit down, but he quickly jumped back up. "One more thing, before I forget, I think I should apologize for the scene today during the bouquet tossing. Ms. Lin over on the other side of the new Mrs. Adaylean is the real winner, right Lou?"

LouAnn smirked and got up. "It was wrong of me to even participate. I don't need a bouquet to tell me that I'll be the next woman to get married. I know I will be! So, Ms. Lin, by all means, it's yours. Good luck." LouAnn had the brightest smile on her face.

It was right then that Halle decided she didn't like LouAnn in the least. Kel's dislike of her was no longer a mystery to Halle. She was as see through as J-ello and much more false. And immediately, Halle was sorry for Byron. She glanced over at him. LouAnn had sat back down and dinner had resumed. Like a puppy, Byron stared at her as if she were some goddess. His leash was an invisible, but there, and kept on close watch at all times. Halle wondered what had blinded him so.

Halle had to admit LouAnn was striking, maybe even beautiful. But that was all she was. Many would argue that Halle had no right to be saying such things of LouAnn because, frankly, she didn't know her that well, but from the looks of it, Halle didn't want to or care to. Call it intuition, call it sixth sense, but Halle could see that beneath LouAnn's lovely exterior lay a selfish viper. She didn't know Byron that well either, but in her estimation he deserved much better than LouAnn. Byron seemed so... genuine. LouAnn seemed so... fake. The enchantress seemed to have pulled a veil over Byron's eyes, but she didn't fool Halle.

However, Halle hadn't time to waste much thought on LouAnn for not five minutes later, another glass clinked. Halle looked up again, half-expecting it to be Byron once again having forgotten to say something, but it was not. Alex stood instead. He smiled at the sea of faces. "I'd like to announce the opening of the dance floor." On cue, music filled the room as the band began to play. Halle watched as various couples began to rise and take their partners arms. The floor was soon becoming a blur of taffeta, silk and satin.

Someone tapped Halle's shoulder and she spun around. There stood JC, hand extended, smile upon his face. It was as if she were seeing him for the first time, mesmerized by his blue stare. Why was it always like that? His eyes, his ears, his boyish face looked upon her with new eyes. JC, JC was one thing she never tired of, never stopped needing. She had never supposed love would be like this. And when JC took her hand in his, her heart fluttered, as it did every time.

"May I have this dance?"

Halle nodded shyly and placed her hand in his. He didn't have to ask. He could have all the dances.

-*-*-*-

His chin rested on her head, his eyes closed. It was heaven on Earth. He hadn't thought it possible. But it was. It was here with Halle. These moments... for the longest time he'd wished for them, Halle, here, in his arms. And finally it was true. It seemed too good to be true, but it was. His hands held Halle's waist as they swayed together to the soft tinkling of the music. But it barely reached them. They danced to their own rhythm, the rhythm of their hearts and the sound of love.

He sighed into her hair and picked up his head. "Halle?"

She looked up.

"Halle, at the risk of sounding cheesy, I'd like to say that these... these have be some of the best months of my life."

She chuckled lightly and pulled his closer, resting her head on the small of his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. "Don't worry, you didn't sound cheesy. They've been some of the best of mine too. Of course, you've only seen me twenty-three times in the last three months."

His voice was incredulous. "You were counting? I thought it was only me."

She smiled and smothered a laugh in his chest. "Don't look at my calendar." She was thinking back on the little red 'X's she made all around her calendar. By now the last three months were filled with 'X's. For everyday she didn't see him, she placed an 'X' on the square. It was starting to get monotonous. But she couldn't forget the days she had...

He arrive in the evening, usually with only a few hours notice. She'd take a cab to the airport to wait for him and take Josh with her. By the time he appeared, he usually looked like he'd been to hell and back. All this rushing around couldn't be good for anybody, much less him. She hated his lifestyle and wished to God that she didn't interfere like that. It was a constant headache having to juggle a schedule as JC did. But he did it anyway, and he did it for her. In seconds a smile would appear on his face when he saw them waving to him at the gate. The power of his smile- she never underestimated it. It erased all her doubt, if only for one moment.

He put his hand on her head, gently stroking her hair to smooth it, as if it was already. "You know I live for these days, Halle."

The very words frightened her. "What did you say?" she asked quickly, acting as though she had not heard him.

"I said I live for..."

Quickly she put a finger up to his lips. "Shh. Don't say that."

He was confused. "Say what?"

"That you live... for this. Live for you, not for me, or us."

"Why, Halle?"

"Because..." She looked down in deep thought. She couldn't think of even one thing to say to justify her fear. "I just... I just don't want the responsibility. I don't want to be responsible for your sadness, or your happiness. It's just... I don't know if I can handle that."

JC just looked at her for a minute and in an instance, she regretted her words. "You're too late, Halle," he said quietly, bowing his head. No angry words, not now. Instead, sorrow.

"Too late for what?" she asked on bated breath.

"You're already responsible. I'm sorry you feel that way."

She wanted to tell him that she didn't mean it. She was scared, yes, but she was willing to risk it for him. JC, of all people, was worth it. "JC, I didn't mean it like..."

But she was cut off be by the screeching of a microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen. may I have your attention please?" It was Chris, standing up on stage while the rest of the guys lounged nearby, mikes in hand. "We seem to have lost one of our members. JC Chasez, paging JC Chasez."

JC looked up at Halle and then towards the stage where Chris was pretending to peer out into the large crowd for JC's head. "Looks like they're calling me," he whispered to Halle. "We'll finish this later, I promise," he said quickly, as he walked off.

Chris in the meantime was still doing his comedy act. "Well, it seems JC is not here. We have heard that he may be in the bathroom taking a..." Perfect timing. Chris was attacked by JC who snatched the microphone away from him before he could say anything else.

"I'm right here, Chris."

Chris laughed as the rest of the guys took their cue and made their way up to stage as JC did. Lance held an extra microphone out to JC, his blond hair illuminated under the spotlights. As JC took it Lance turned to the crowd. "If you all don't know, we're 'N Sync. We have a dedication here tonight from our friend to his one and only for life. For you, Mrs. Adaylean, 'This I Promise You.'"

When the visions around you,

Are secrets and lies.

I'll be your strength, I'll give you hope,

And I will take you in my arms,

This I promise you.

I loved you forever,

I give you my word,

Just close your eyes, each loving day,

Over and over I fall,

And I will take you in my arms,

Just close your eyes, each loving day,

The song was beyond beautiful. Alex had taken Kel and waltzed her across the floor as everyone looked on. Well, not everyone. Halle was not watching them. Instead her eyes were fixed upstage on JC as he sang. She loved it when he sang... such emotion touched his face as if the words really were his own. And when he was finished, she had not a dry eye. He was amazing. She didn't deserve him ...such luck. She didn't understand herself, or why she had said all she had. She wished their dance hadn't been interrupted. It would be on her head till they spoke again about it. He had to know that she didn't mean it, none of it.

Halle hung her head, familiar guilt running over again. What prompted her to say such things? Why was she so honest? She loved him, she knew that but this was... just so new to her. Loving people... it was not an everyday occurrence.

It went still for a moment and Halle thought they had finished. Maybe now they could finish their talk. But Justin's voice interrupted her thoughts. His voice boomed through the speakers. "Folks, we have just one more dedication to make to a very special lady." He paused for drama. "To Halle from Joshua Chasez. This is 'Somewhere, Someday.'"

Justin began to sing:

When clouds above you, start to pour,

As JC sang that verse, he stepped down from stage. He'd spotted Halle long before standing in the corner of the now dim room, head down. He walked toward her with measured pace, down from the stage and across the hardwood floor, still singing to her. She was paralyzed from head to toe in awe. He was serenading her in front of a crowd of 200 and all she could think about was their discussion earlier and how wrong she'd been. Seems she was wrong a lot. As before, ever the gentleman, he held out his hand to her.

It struck a note of tenderness. "Halle," he asked with a voice hoarse with emotion. "May I have this dance?"

Halle saw his outstretched hand, a peace offering. He didn't want to fight anymore and he didn't want to argue.

"No," she answered.

In a split second, he reacted, his eyes now becoming forlorn. "What?" he asked. The music in the background seemed to have died down

"No. I said no. You may not have this dance."

He swallowed thickly. "What are you trying to say?" he asked, his voice in dilemma, an astonished whisper. His vision lost the crowd and saw only her.

She looked at his hand once more. As if her decision was never clear. His peace she'd accept. "No, you may not have this dance." Her voice too became thick with emotion. "You may have me."