(Based on the song "Always Be My Home" by Rachael Lampa)
"JC!?" Lexie exclaimed as she and Erica walked through the door. It was the first time that they had seen JC in person. October had started seeing JC before she attended school at NYU and since then October had been going to Orlando to see him.
"It's me in the flesh!" he replied, turning towards them.
"Its great to finally meet you!" Erica exclaimed, giving him a hug.
"Yeah, its about time that we all become friends instead of strangers!" he laughed.
"So, what are you doing here?" Lexie asked while closing the door.
"I am proving my love to Opie. I couldn't be without her, so, here I am!" he said, putting an arm around October.
"Aww, that is so sweet!" Lexie replied.
"Aren't you supposed to be on tour?" Erica jumped in.
"Yeah, but I bailed out. I'm sure they have the FBI out looking for me under kidnapping!" he laughed.
"You should let them know where you are!" October finally spoke up.
"I guess I will later." he said back to her.
"I'm sure they will have the cops coming to the door soon anyway to see if you are here!" October exclaimed.
"Well, then lets make the best of it until they do!" JC smirked as he picked October off the ground and carried her into her bedroom.
"Ya know, Erica, I just realized, Opie never bothered to hook us up with any of the guys since she has known us!" Lexie said while walking to the kitchen.
"I wonder if they are single." Erica thought out loud.
"I am sure one of them has to be at least!" Lexie replied.
"Well we both can't share one!" Erica exclaimed.
"Why not?" Lexie exaggerated.
"Uggh! You are so bad!" Erica replied and they both laughed.
"Oh man! My cell is ringing!" JC yelled in disgust. He and October lay beside each other under the covers skin to skin.
"Uggh! Don't ruin the moment!" October joked with him.
"Sorry. I have to answer it." he said, getting up and getting the phone out of his jeans. October got up too and put on a robe and left the bedroom.
"Hello?" JC answered the phone.
"Where the hell are you!?" Justin yelled over the phone in his most irritated voice.
"Yo, calm down man. I'm with Opie!" he replied.
"You're what? You're not even in the same damn continent and we have a show to do in five hours!" Justin exclaimed.
"How long did it take for you to figure that out?" JC exaggerated.
"I can't believe you man! We have been looking for you everywhere! We even have police searching for you!" he yelled, becoming more irritated.
"Figures! It's probably all over the news and in papers by now." he added.
"Well...yeah...but thats not the point! You need to get back here a.s.a.p. We have a tour to finish, ya know!" he demanded.
"I can't do that. I won't. I need to be with Opie!" he exclaimed.
"No, what you need is to be on a plane back here to peform with us! This is more important right now!" he replied.
"Nothing is more important than Opie. Not the tour, not the group, nothing!" he protested.
"You know, you are really off your rocker this time, JC! What is she doing to you? he asked.
"She isnt doing anything to me. I almost lost the one thing I love the most and I'm not giving that up!" he yelled, pacing the room.
"Then you are saying the group doesn't matter, that we don't matter to you?" he asked, the tone in his voice grew calmer.
"I never said that, it's just that I want a break. I want to be with her right now." he replied.
"You need to come back, JC. The concert for tonight and tomorrow has been cancelled so you have tonight and that's it." he demanded. "I'm sorry if I sound bossy but that is what they are telling me."
"It's kewl. I'll be out first thing tomorrow. I'll see you then." he finished. There was a sadness to his voice. Justin could hear it, but there was no other choices.
"Ok. Later." Justin replied.
"Later." he ended and disconnected.
Just then he turned around and noticed October standing in the door. He could see the tears in her eyes and knew that she heard the whole conversation.
"I knew this was going to happen!" October yelled as she sat down on her bed.
"I'm sorry but they didn't give me any choices!" he said, standing in front of her.
"Didn't I tell you what came first? It's not me and never will be!" she replied as she got up off the bed and looked out her window.
"You do come first, Opie! As soon as this tour is over I'm coming straight back to you!" he exclaimed as he stood behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders.
"What? Until you go do another tour? It will be the same thing over and over again!" she turned to face him. "I can't believe that I actually believed what you told me. I should have known better than to think you could have stayed with me!" she broke down in tears.
"Opie! Listen to me!" he lifted her head up under her chin with his hand. "I'm sorry that I got carried away and said things that I didn't realize I could do right now, BUT, I will, and I promise you, I will be with you and have to never go back!" he finished.
"Forever is too long to promise me, JC! Like I said, you don't have the time for me right now. I should have listened to my heart the first time and I wouldn't be stuck in this position again!" she exclaimed, putting her head down and walking away.
"Don't you love me, Opie?" JC said hoarsely. Tears were in his eyes.
"What kind of question is that? Of course I do!" she replied, turning around from the other side of the room.
"Then why don't you trust anything I say? Why don't you trust our love?" he mumbled.
"I never said that. I'm...I'm just afraid." she cried softly.
JC walked up to her and she buried her tears into his bare rippling chest. "Just give me the rest of the month to finish this tour and you will be with me always. Will you promise to hang on til then?" he looked down and lifted her head up with his hands. She hung on to him tightly. His body heat seared through her body.
"JC..." she mumbled.
"Promise me." he repeated.
"I promise." she replied and they walked back to the bed. The night was short and the morning came quickly.
"I hate doing this!" October sobbed through tears. A limo had arrived to pick JC up and two bodyguards were waiting outside to escort him to the airport.
"It will be okay. Remember you promised. Just hang on for me, please?" he persisted.
"I will, I promise." she replied.
"Okay. I have to go. I will call you when I get back." he added quickly.
"Okay. I love you!" she grabbed his hands and looked into this eyes.
"I love you too, Opie!" he said back and kissed her deeply. He backed away and he walked out the door. She watched him get into the limo and drive away.
Lexie and Erica stood behind her and tried to console her but she just went to her room and layed on her bed. A few moments passed and she turned on the radio. One of her favorite songs came on and she closed her eyes and tears streamed down both sides. JC was in the limo listening at the same time as the words echoed through their hearts.
The song ended and October turned the radio off and soon fell asleep. The days went fast and the month fell away. She couldn't wait to be with him once again.