*NSYNC Fan Fiction
Obsessions
By AshleyChapter 1
(December 1, 2002)"Oh my goodness, I'm tired." Ashley said to herself, as she walked into the elaborate hotel suite and dropped her bags on the floor.
She looked around the room with mild interest, she was finally getting used to the fancy rooms JIVE reserved for her to stay in, that, or she was too tired to care anymore.
She pulled a blanket off the bed and wrapped it around herself, then pulled open the sliding glass doors, and walked out onto the balcony. She sat down on the floor of the balcony with her legs dangling through the bars. Out of habit she toyed with the video tape necklace with one hand, as she looked out at the city of New Orleans, the sun setting beyond the buildings. Her eyes felt heavy as she curled her body inside the blanket from the bed, and closed her eyes.
Maitlyn came into Ashley's room, where she was staying with the girl. She was still adjusting to being Ashley's tutor/chaperon/friend when no one else was there. Apparently failing in the chaperon department as she searched the empty hotel room for Ashley.
Shivering at the cool breeze from the open sliding door, she looked out on the balcony to find Ashley stretched out on the floor of the balcony fast asleep. Maitlyn shook her head, glad that Ashley was finally getting some sleep.
Ashley had flown in to New Orleans so she could be here for Britney's Surprise Birthday party the next day. The fact that all of Nsync was going to be there also helped Ashley make that decision.(Not that she would miss Britney's party for the world!) And one-fifth of the above mentioned Nsync, one green-eyed pop star in particular would also be there.
But Maitlyn was worried about the young girl, because she was hardly sleeping, but she insisted that she was fine. Ever since Ashley had left the Nsync tour in the end of September, she had been in almost non-stop tour rehearsals for her own tour, not to mention the few months that she and Lance had been split up, she had hardly eaten or slept. The rehearsals were starting to become more demanding as her tour date got closer and closer.
Adding to that stress, Ashley had been asked to preform at the American Music Awards in the beginning January, along with being nominated for 2 of the awards at the AMA's, and nominated for a Grammy in February. Maitlyn hopped that she didn't get too burnt out before she was even 17. Ashley was only 16, younger than most of the people she associated with everyday, and younger than Britney and the guys, but she didn't want to be treated like she was younger. She wanted to be treated like everyone else. Maitlyn was worried that she wasn't ready for that quite yet.
(The next day at an autograph signing for Ashley)
Lance tried to look over the heads of the people in line front of him.
"We could just go up there." He suggested to JC, who had decided to come with him.
JC looked at him from beneath the brim of the base-ball hat he was wearing.
"We could," he agreed slowly. "But this is all about surprise!!!" He said with the excitement of a six year old.
"JC, your scaring me." Lance told his friend as he shook his head.
JC just laughed. "No, you scared me when you thought of this. Remember, sneaking away from security was YOUR idea. I just wanted to see Maitlyn, who happened to be here with Ashley."
"Well the waiting in line, or SURPRISE as you put it, was your idea. We could be up there now, so if we get caught, you're as much to blame as me."
The two of them slowly made there way through the line towards the table where Ashley was sitting, signing autographs for her fans.
Ashley looked up at the little girl now at the table, she smiled sweetly at her, as the girl who looked about 5, shyly handed her one of Ashley's CD's to sign.
"What's your name sweetheart?" Ashley asked her.
"Skylee." The girl said quietly, holding tight to her mothers hand.
"Skylee? That is a cute name. How old are you?" Ashley asked, as she was writing on the CD cover.
The little girl just held up her hand, with all five fingers up.
"Your Five! I have a little niece that is your age."
Ashley quickly signed her name on the cover and handed it back to Skylee.
"There you go."
"Can I get her picture with you?" The girl's mother asked.
Not answering immediately, Ashley looked over her shoulder towards the three bodyguards that were stationed behind her. They all nodded.
"Sure." Ashley smiled back at the little girl. "Do you want to come over here?" She asked Skylee, and held out her arms to the little girl.
The girls mother lifted her over the table, and Ashley held her on her lap and smiled as the mother quickly snapped a picture.
Once Skylee and her mother had gone, one of the giant bodyguards motioned to Maitlyn, who leaned closer to the man.
"Maitlyn, she has to leave soon. We are going to have to make people leave. Probably after this next group."
Maitlyn nodded, and as she did, looked up to see how many more people were left in the line. Ashley had already been there for an hour more than it had been scheduled for, and soon they were going to have to tell whoever was left that Ashley had to leave. Maitlyn sighed when she saw that they were only about half way through the line. Next was a group of about ten or eleven teenagers; all about Ashley age. After them was a couple of men, who looked almost familiar.
She glanced at the men, then looked away, but her head snapped back and her eyes widened when she saw the one in the baseball hat was looking directly at her. Maitlyn just shook her head with a smile when he smiled at her; she knew that no-one else had a smile like JC.
JC elbowed Lance, "Looks like we've been caught."
Lance looked towards Maitlyn.
"If she tells Ashley we are here, she is dead."
Lance glared at Maitlyn, then put a finger to his lips, signaling her to be quite. Maitlyn just stuck her tongue out at Lance; then smiled back at JC. She turned back to the big bodyguard.
"Go ahead and stop it after these teenagers."
Lance wondered if Maitlyn would tell the bodyguards, but his attention was more focused on Ashley. He made a face when he saw her talking to one of the guys that had been in the group in front of them. Ashley laughed and nodded at something he said, as she signed the poster of herself that the guy had brought. The last of the teenagers stepped away, and JC and Lance were about to step up to the table when the bodyguards stepped in front of them to announce that Ashley had to leave.
Ashley was relieved when they stepped up, and she put her things in her bag.
"Tired?" Maitlyn asked, one eye still on JC and Lance, trying to see what they would do.
"Yes." Ashley sighed. "My hand hurts. I think I'm going to have to learn to write left handed."
Maitlyn laughed at her comment, but both of their attention was drawn to Lance and JC.
"Sounds like someone isn't too happy." Ashley commented, taking a drink of her water bottle as she watched the confrontation between the two men and the bodyguards.
"No, I bet they aren't." Maitlyn laughed as JC glared at her.
"But we have to see her!" They heard the men telling the bodyguards.
Ashley glanced at them, almost everyone had left the line but them. Very persistent fans, she thought. Kind of scary though, especially since both looked to be in disguise, or something like that. They both had hats on, one with sunglasses on, the other just had his hat pulled low to shadow his face. Maitlyn was just laughing, and Ashley couldn't figure out why.
When it appeared that the two were not going to go away until they saw her, Ashley dropped her bag on the floor and came up behind the bodyguards.
"If you want to see me, I will give you my autograph, but then you...." She stopped, when Lance slid down his sunglasses and she saw his green eyes staring back at her.
Lance and JC both joined with Maitlyn in laughing.
"You guys are so mean!" Ashley yelled as her fists hit the both of them; though not too forcefully; she didn't really want to hurt them.
"Do we still get your autograph?" JC asked innocently, as he hugged her and Maitlyn, keeping his arms around Maitlyn; but releasing her to Lance. Ashley just glared at him.
"You better watch out JC." Maitlyn giggled. "That's her 'Britney Glare' And she only gives that if she is REALLY mad at you."
"We just wanted to surprise you." JC told Ashley innocently.
"Joshua Scott Chasez, you just better be glad you have Maitlyn to protect you." Ashley told him, but she couldn't do anything with Lance's arms holding her's down anyway.
"Ashley you wouldn't hurt anyone, let alone me." JC smiled at her.
"If you really want to see if that's true, just keep talking JC." Ashley smiled evilly at him.
"Okay, that's enough of that you two." Lance pulled Ashley away from JC. "We came to rescue you from your adoring, but crazy fans."
"Who? You?" Ashley asked him innocently.
Lance just shook his head; sometimes Ashley amazed him with the things she said that were so unlike the Ashley he remembered meeting two and a half years ago.
"Well let's not just stand here all day! We have a surprise party to plan!" Ashley told them, and Lance, JC, and Maitlyn followed her out to the van they were riding in to Britney's house.
The van dropped them off in the drive, and then left. They didn't want Britney to get home earlier then planned and find it there. Inside the huge 'Spears' mansion, they met a very frustrated Justin Timberlake, wearing a bright pink apron and yelling at Chris and Joey.
Maitlyn put a hand over her mouth to suppress the laugh she knew was going to come out when she saw Justin; mixing bowl in one hand, and a wooden spoon in the other as he chased Chris, who had apparently stolen something that was needed in the cake he was making. JC and Lance were not as nice as Maitlyn, and just started laughing out loud at the sight.
Justin stopped and glared at them, shaking the wooden spoon in their direction.
"Don't just stand there laughing! We have a house to decorate-"
"And clean." Maitlyn interrupted, and Justin turned to glare at her.
"And Britney could drive up any minute!!!"
Ashley stepped towards Justin, ducking the swinging spoon as she pulled it out of his hand. She untied the pink apron and pulled it off.
"Not something you need to wear Justin. And Justin, we planned this, Britney will not be here anytime soon," she assured him."She is going to visit her dad down at the old house before she comes here. Lynn will be here after she drops Britney off there, and Britney's flight doesn't come in for another hour."
"An hour!!!"
Justin freaked out again, muttering about the cake he would never finish (And Ashley believed him on that one!), and how no one respected anything he told them, and they were never going to get everything done before Britney got back.
"Onece again, I will take charge, while the wonder boy over there goes crazy! May I mention that I also had to plan this all?" Ashley asked as the others were still laughing at Justin. "Okay then. Maitlyn, I'm putting you in charge of Lance, JC, Chris and Joey, Y'all are going to clean and put up the decorations; which are in Justin's car, assuming he picked them up from my motel."
"Yes I did!" Justin yelled from where he was now in the kitchen.
"And I will go help him in there before he ruins the entire thing!" Ashley pointed to the kitchen where Justin was muttering something or other.
In the kitchen, Ashley found a huge mess. Dirty dishes were piled in the sink, flour and other cake ingredients were spread on the floor, Justin himself was also covered in flour as he dumped his newest attempt at the cake into the garbage can.
"Justin Timberlake what did you do!!!" She sighed.
Justin looked over at her with a pathetic face, dropping into a kitchen chair as he looked around at the mess.
"I just want this to be perfect for Britney. She's been acting so strange these past few weeks."
Ashley brushed some flour out of his curly hair.
"We all want this to be perfect for Britney, some more than others, that's true, but we all really do want to make this fun for her. And it won't be fun if you're being a grump. Britney has had a hard couple of weeks, with Lynn and Jamie getting divorced and all. She loves them both, you know. She's had it hard these past couple of weeks, I hope this will cheer her up."
Justin put his head into his hands.
"It's not the divorce...She won't talk to me...I don't know...Maybe it does have something to do with the divorce...She hasn't talked to me since she found out about it...She refuses to talk to me."
Ashley, who had been searching the cupboards for things to make a new cake, stopped at his comment. She walked over to the table and sat in the chair across from Justin, she pulled his hands away form his face and looked him in the eye.
"Why not?" She asked him.
Justin shrugged sadly, "I don't know. She just won't. Will you talk to her?"
Ashley sighed, "I can try to talk to her tonight after the party if you want me to."
"You will?"
She saw that excitement in his eyes and she couldn't say 'no' if she wanted to.
"Yeah, I'll talk to her. Now what kind of cake were you making Justin?" She asked changing the subject quickly.
"Oh this one right here."
Justin pointed to one in a recipe book. Ashley glanced at the recipe in the book. She snapped the book closed.
"Justin, I don't think my mama would even try to make that cake. It's kind of ....complicated."
"But I want a big cake!"
"Justin, you don't cook much, do you?" At his look she continued, "Neither do I, but your gonna have to learn to do things the easy way when possible."
"Okay, so what's the easy way to make a fancy cake?"
"This is how you do it!" Ashley pulled a cake mix out from under the cupboard.
"A cake mix? You just can't use a cake mix Ashley! This is Britney's birthday!"
"I get cake mix on my birthday, you get it on yours, Britney can have it on hers, that's all I'm gonna say."
"I had cake mix on my birthday?"
"What did you think you were special or something?" She teased, "Remember, you loved your cake last year, so deal with it. And while your dealing with that, deal with the dishes too, I ain't gonna do them."
"Ya ain't gonna do them, huh?" Justin laughed at her. "I think you've been in old Louisiana too long, that or Maitlyn is failing you in English."
"Just do the Dishes Justin, or I'm not gonna help you make this cake."
"Doing dishes." Justin jumped out of his chair.
After about five minutes of searching the kitchen, Ashley had everything she needed for Britney's cake. She mixed up three of the cake mixes she had found.
"Why three?" Justin asked, as he watched when he had finished the dishes.
"I'm gonna make a three layer cake. I made one for Britney's 18th birthday." She said proudly.
"For Britney's 18th birthday? You didn't even know her then."
"I know." Ashley smiled.
"Then why did you make one?" Justin asked.
"I had a Britney party for her. Amber and Lauren both came."
"Oh, I'm sure they enjoyed that." Justin laughed at the thought of Ashley's two friends who were anything but Britney Fans.
"Oh, they did more then me. I made the frosting for the cake and told them to frost it. They got in a frosting fight, and got it all over my mom's kitchen. Then, when they were done, Lauren told Amber to smell the cake, and when Amber leaned down to, Lauren shoved her head in the cake."
"Oh no! What did you do?" Justin asked, knowing how much that cake for Britney would have meant to Ashley.
She shrugged, "I felt really bad for awhile, I mean, it was Britney's cake. But then, Amber and Lauren were just being themselves, so I couldn't be mad at them for long." She made a face, "Even if it did ruin my Britney Party."
Justin hovered over her as she finished up the batter for the cake.
"So how do you make a layer cake?" He asked with curiosity.
"It's not too hard, will you go get the three pans that are in one of the decoration boxes, I brought them from home when I was there last week."
Justin jogged out into the living room, and found most of the decorations already up.
"Wow you guys, this looks really good." He told the others who were decorating.
"Look! He can speak civilly!" Maitlyn said sarcastically, looking over at Justin.
"I'm sorry I was acting like a..." He paused thinking of the right word.
"Oh don't worry, we know what word your thinking of and we agree with ya there buddy." Joey told him with a laugh.
Justin ignored Joey, and turned to Maitlyn.
"Did you see those cake pan thingys that Ashley brought?"
"Yeah, they are in that box right there." Maitlyn pointed.
"Oh, is Ashley making the cake!!!" Chris asked excitedly, and he ran into the kitchen before they tried to stop him.
"Chris get out of here NOW!!!" Ashley yelled at him. "Or I'll hit you with this spoon harder than Justin ever would!"
Chris came wandering back into the living room.
"I just wanted to taste it! Man!!!" He saw the others watching him, "Hey Maitlyn, Ashley wants to talk to you."
"Okay, I'm going. Justin, I'll take those pans, you finish supervising this." She motioned to the partly decorated living room.
"Done Spicy!" Justin told her, then started yelling commands to everyone else.
"What did you need?" Maitlyn asked Ashley as she entered the kitchen, handing Ashley the pans for the cake.
"Thanks." She said as she took the pans, "Will you do me a huge favour? Please!?"
Maitlyn eyed her suspiciously, "Do I get to hear what it is? Or is this one of those things that I'm going to have to do anyway?"
"Well," Ashley started the guilt trip, "I could go to the store myself, but the bodyguards might not be TOO happy about that, so..."
"Okay, Okay." Maitlyn stopped her, "What do you want at the store?"
"Thank you Maitlyn! You're the best!"
"I know, I know. Now tell me what I'm doing."
"I need you to find me some Nsync fruit snacks."
"Nsync Fruit Snacks?" Maitlyn looked at her like she was crazy.
"Uh huh," Ashley nodded excitedly, "They have them at Wal Mart or K Mart, you just have to ask about them and the people should know where to find them."
Maitlyn still questioned the existence of the Fruit Snacks, "What exactly are these Fruit Snacks for?"
"They are for Britney's cake. Get two of the big boxes cause I'm only going to put Justin ones on her cake."
"I have no clue what your talking about." Maitlyn told her.
"Just do it, I promise you will understand when you get them. And hurry Maitlyn!!"
"Alright, I'm going. Anything else? Britney Spears Fruit Snacks or something?"
"Don't be silly Maitlyn! Britney Spears Fruit Snacks? Are you crazy, there is no such thing."
She rolled her eyes at Maitlyn like she was crazy for suggesting such a thing.
"I'm just going to go get those now, I'll be back soon, and keep them all in line."
Maitlyn pointed to the living room.
"Don't worry, I will." Ashley giggled.
Once Maitlyn left, and Justin was keeping Chris busy putting up decorations, Ashley could finish the cake quickly. She had them in the oven within minutes and then went to help with the decorations.
When Maitlyn got back to the house, she found Ashley and Justin in the kitchen, just finishing frosting the three layer cake in baby blue frosting.
"What do you want done with these?" Maitlyn asked pulling out the two boxes of Nsync fruit snacks.
"You found them? Didn't I tell you they had them?" Ashley told her. "You open the boxes, Justin go get something to put them in."
Justin hurried to do as he was told.
"What are they?" Justin asked as he looked at the little packages suspiciously.
"Nsync Fruit Snacks! You guys don't get out much do you?" Ashley asked.
"Do you even have to ask that?" Justin asked handing Maitlyn a dish.
"No, I guess not." Ashley agreed, "Okay, you two open all the packages, and find the hearts that say 'Justin' on them."
Maitlyn and Justin both looked at her like she was crazy, but they decided they didn't have time to waste. Maitlyn opened one of the little packages and pulled out a heart that said 'JC' on it.
"Look it's JC! These are amazing!" She said as she examined the little red heart.
Ashley smiled, "Taste them." Maitlyn put the 'JC' Heart into her mouth.
"These are strange, but they are really good!" Maitlyn laughed, as the red sour stuff from the hearts got all over her.
"Oh, I wanna taste one!" Justin said, and he picked one out of the package. "Look, I got Lance."
"No you don't!" Ashley grabbed the heart from him, and handed him another one. "You can have Joey, but Lance is mine."
"Well, aren't we picky." Justin made a face at Ashley.
"I saved you by making this cake for you Justin, I would be nice to me."
"And what if I'm not?" Justin grinned slyly, "Are you going to shove my face in the cake?"
"I just might." Ashley told him as she stuck her tongue out at him.
She placed the 'Justin' hearts that they found around the edges of the baby blue cake.
The back door opened and Lynne Spears came into the now decorated house.
"Wow you guys did a great job! Britney is going to be so surprised!"
"So she doesn't suspect anything?" JC asked, coming into the kitchen with everyone else. "What is this?" He asked, pointing to the fruit snacks.
"They are good." Maitlyn told him. "Here" She handed him one of them.
"I don't want Joey!" JC told her.
"Deal with it, it's either Joey or Chris, the rest are claimed by people here right now." Maitlyn told him as she popped another 'JC' heart into her mouth.
"Who got me?" JC asked.
"Maitlyn." Justin and Ashley both said together.
"That's just fine with me." JC shrugged as he also put the 'Joey' one in his mouth.
"They just started up the driveway." He informed everyone in the kitchen.
"Already!" Justin started to stress out again.
"Settle Justin." Ashley instructed him with her hands on his arms to keep him from doing anything, "Everything is ready. Jamie Lynn is going to have her come in the front door. Did Joey turn off the front lights?" She asked Lance.
"Yeah, everything is ready."
"Everyone in the living room." Lynne directed them, and they hid in the dark to wait for Britney.
The front door opened, and they heard the two sisters talking.
"Jamie Lynn, why do we have to go in the front, none of the lights are on."
"Well, turn them on then!" Jamie Lynn told her in a matter-of-fact voice.
"Why don't YOU turn them on?"
"Because YOU'RE closer."
"Fine, the lights are turning on then."
Britney flipped the light switch and jumped back against the wall when everyone yelled 'Surprise!'
"What are you guys doing here!?!?!?!"
"It's your birthday! We have to be here!" Justin told her, and gave her a hug and a kiss, and Ashley noticed that Britney slid away from him quickly, and tried to avoid him through most of the party.
Justin tried his best to get her to talk to him, but Britney would just hurry away, or ignore him, and Ashley could tell that it was hurting Justin.
The whole party went over well, and everyone had a ton of fun, especially Britney. Or so it seemed.
