"Oh… lordy I can't do this." El says sitting in the limo as they near the club. "I can't sing"
"El come on you'll be fine. You're an amazing singer everyone will love you." Andie reassures her.
"But look at all these people just waiting to get into the club, and imagine all the people who are already inside the club I can't sing in front of that many people! Hell I don't even know if I can walk in front off all those people. And look at all the paparazzi! I'm gonna trip and fall on my face!" She points too all the people waiting to get inside. They arrive at the front of the line, ready to exit the limousine. JC and Andie go first. (The rest of the guys were in the limo in front of them.)
"El you'll be fine just smile." Justin kisses her quickly and steps out. He stands by the door and puts his hand out for El to take. She takes a deep breath.
"Here we go." She whispers. She takes Justin's hand and steps out gracefully, her smile dazzling. Camera flashes go off everywhere. Her and Justin walk hand in hand to the entrance of the club.
"You were great Baby Girl." He whispers to her.
"Thanks, I can't believe you have to do that pretty much everywhere you go, its so nerve wracking."
"You get used to it." He laughs. They walk through the coatroom into the main area. They are hit with a spotlight almost instantly.
"Ladies and Gentle man," a voice announces over the sound system. "Justin Timberlake and Eleanor Chasez." The whole room erupts in cheers and clapping. El smiles excitedly. Her and Justin walk to their booth with the rest of their crowd and sit down.
"Ellie you look gorgeous!" Lynn exclaims holding on to JJ sitting on her lap. Sophie is next to her on Paul's lap. They were allowed in for the song (it was a no smoking building) then Lynn and Paul would take them to their home and they would stay there with their Gramma and Grampa Harless.
"Thank you!" she smiles. "So how are my babies?" she says smiling down at Sophie and JJ.
"Very excited, they screamed all the way here." Paul smiles. Justin laughs.
"Ya they get loud when they're happy." He smiles.
"El you look…wow." Joe says
"Drop dead gorgeous." Chris says
"Very sexy." Lance smiles. All three stare. El laughs
"Oh thank you." She ignores the staring.
"So when do you sing?" Lynn asks
"To soon." El laughs nervously.
"Oh don't worry about it hon, you've always been a beautiful singer you'll do great."
"Oh thank you so much Lynn. You have no idea how much that means to me."
"Don't worry about it ."
"El, what time do you go on?" Andie asks.
"Umm, what time is it?"
"Quarter to eight."
"Fifteen minutes." She says nervously.
"When are you going to go back, Baby Girl?" Justin asks
"Bout five minutes I guess. We rehearsed today already, I just have to go and get all set up and stuff, nothin to big."
"Oh, okay then." Justin says with a slight smile. Sophie screams a little, smiles, and claps her hands together excitedly.
"Well what was that about, huh cutie pie?" El asks in a baby voice. Sophie screams again, and stretches her arms towards El. "Do you want to see your mommy?" Sophie giggles. "Can I have JJ too please?" El asks Paul, as Lynn hands Sophie over.
"Of course." Paul hands JJ to Justin, who hands him to El.
"Oh, I need to hug my babies before I go and sing now don't I? Yes I do!" she kisses both their noses. Sophie giggles and JJ babbles.
"Well I need to kiss my Baby before she leaves too." Justin leans over and kisses El.
"Oh thank you. Wish me luck everyone!" She kisses the babies once more before handing them to Justin and JC.
"Break a leg!" everyone calls to her as she walks to the backstage entrance.
"Okay Justin, what'd you do?" Andie asks once El is out of earshot.
"What'd you mean?" he smirks.
"I saw that smile, what do you have planned?"
"You know how you told me about El and Richard Marx?" Everyone listens curiously. "Well I asked him about it, and he remembers her. He said she had one of the best voices he had ever heard. So when I told him about tonight, and the song she was singing, he actually offered to play piano for her."
"Serious! That's amazing! She's gonna freak out!" Andie says excitedly.
"Okay but hold on a minute. When did El meet Richard Marx?" Lance asks.
"When we recorded This I Promise You. She wanted to meet him, so I took her to the studio one weekend. She asked me to leave so I don't know what happened, but they were in there for hours." JC answers.
"Well they were writing music to a song she had written. I don't know what it sounds like. Her, Richard, and the pianist from rehearsal are the only ones who have ever heard or seen it that I know of."
"I didn't know Ellie writes." Karen says
"Well she doesn't really, I don't think anyways. She's only ever mentioned one song." Says Andie.
"Well that doesn't say there aren't more. She had never mentioned this one till now, maybe there are others." Says Lance.
"Oh I know what you're thinking Buddy. And no Ellie is not going to sign with Free-Lance." Says JC.
"Of course not she's going to sign with Just-In Time!" Justin laughs. "But seriously though, I doubt She'd want to get into that."
"Probably not." Lance agrees. The lights in the club begin to dim, and the voices in the club begin to die down until only a light, curious murmur can be heard over the soft jazz music from the band on stage. A minute later the curtain falls, and the jazz music stops. There is a moment of complete silence throughout the club. A few strains from a piano engulf the crowd then stop and moments later a low sultry smooth voice mesmerizes the crowd
"Shadows are fallin' all around me.
Another vision of you," The curtains are pulled back and a spotlight is shone from behind a lone figure on stage. You can see nothing but white light and a silhouette that occasionally sparkles. "Is all I see.
Oh Miss Misery, you sure do love my Company." The spot light changes positions so you can see El In centre stage. Another spot light switches onto the pianist, Richard Marx. The piano begins up again.
"Since he moved on, I ain't been the same.
I carry the weight and it's drivin me insane.
Guess it was all destiny, for him to cause me misery." El makes her way to the grand piano.
"Oh misery, Oh Misery." A saxophone begins to play As El is helped up onto her seat on the piano by two men in white tux's.
"Tell me why you let my heart, make a fool out of me.
Guess it's just all destiny for love to cause me misery." People in the audience begin to stand up and make their way to the dance floor.
"And Oh I travelled this road before.
Where the passion it causes pain.
And each time I saw him walk out the door
I swore I'd never take him back again.
But ain't it true, he takes and he takes.
And my heart it breaks and it breaks.
One more heartache for me and lonely nights in misery.
Misery. Oh misery.
Tell me why, why, why, why does this love make a fool out of me" El steps down off the piano and starts to walk back to centre stage.
"Seems its just my destiny to live my life in misery." She reaches centre stage and pauses.
"Guess it's just my destiny," El hits a high note and holds it
"For love to cause me misery." El holds the last note then fades it away. The music finishes and the entire club is silent for a moment. Then the crowd erupts into a large mass of cheering, screaming, whistling, and clapping. El bows.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Richard Marx." She giggles, and the crowd cheers more.
"Baby Girl you were amazing! I had no idea you could write like that, never mind sing like that!" Justin hugs El tightly.
"You were great Ellie!" JC agrees.
"Girl, you are up there with Aretha Franklin and Stevie Nicks!" Andie hugs El too.
"Sweetheart that was amazing." Karen congratulates her daughter.
"And you look absolutely stunning out there." Lynn smiles.
"Goo!" Sophie screams. JJ hits her, and they both scream.
"Oh my babies, your so silly." El leans down and makes funny faces at them, they giggle. Sophie yawns.
"Well its getting pretty late these two need their sleep." Lynn stands up with Sophie, Paul follows. "You were lovely up there hon" Lynn hugs El "And don't you worry about these two, we'll drop them off at home in the morning."
"Thanks mom." Justin hugs his mom and gives her a kiss on the cheek. He turns to El and smiles. "Follow me Baby Girl, I got somethin' for ya." He whispers in her ear. She giggles and nods her head.
"Buh bye babies mommy and daddy love you." She kisses both their foreheads, and says bye to Lynn and Paul, then follows Justin across the club.
"Mmm… Baby Girl you are incredible." Justin says quietly after passionately kissing El.
"Why thank you. Hey Baby where are we?" El giggles
"This is our secret room." He smiles mischievously.
"We have a secret room? What are we twelve?" she smirks.
"Oh c'mon where's your sense of adventure? This place is so cool." He gestures around the room. El admires it. It's fully furnished including a fireplace, a bed and a bathroom. She finally notices the candles that are lit all about the room.
"Well it is quite romantic, I can't deny that." She whispers. She can faintly hear the strains of music coming from the dance floor.
"Yes, well I try." He kisses her again. She giggles.
"Well what has gotten into you tonight darlin'?"
"Well it's your big night thought I'd make it special."
"Well your presence is enough to do that." She smiles
"I know but I thought I'd just give it an extra kick." He laughs kissing her again. El smiles and smacks his arm playfully.
"Well aren't we the humble one?"
"Hey you said it yourself, no point in denying it." El giggles as he kisses her once more, then she screams as he picks her up.
"What are you doing!" she giggles.
"Taking you away with me forever!" He walks over to the bed and carefully sets her down. He lays down facing her, and wraps his arms around her waist drawing her as close to him as she can get. "El I love you so much and I…" he falters.
"Baby are you okay? Your hearts goin a mile a minute, and you're sweating?" El pulls herself up onto her elbow, and brushes non existent hair from Justin's forehead. "Is something wrong? Are you sick? Are you trying to…" El trials off not wanting to think about what she just thought of.
"It's okay Baby Girl Nothing's wrong, I'm just well… nervous." He pulls himself up on his elbow too.
"About what?"
"Well, I had this really big decision to make. So I thought about it and I know what I want to do and I know it's right, but I don't know if it's the right time."
"Well what did you have to decide maybe I could help you."
"Baby Girl I love you and I always will. You're my children's mother. You're my other half and I know that without you I'm nothing. I'd give up the fame the fans the money the cars all of it for you. Eleanor Mackenzie Chasez, You're my Baby Girl and I want you to marry me." Justin fumbles around in his coat pocket for a minute then pulls out a tiny black velvet box. He opens it very slowly to reveal a large round diamond offset by two smaller rubies on each side, in a platinum setting. El's speechless as she stares from the ring to Justin. He picks it up and holds it so she can read the inscription on the inside. 4ever yours ~JT. "So Baby Girl what do you say? You already have my babies, all I need now is you." He looks hopefully into her eyes, which are glazing over with unshed tears.
"Oh Justin…Yes" she cries softly wrapping her arms around his neck pulling him down to her in a kiss.
"Oh god… that word never sounded so beautiful." Justin whispers into her lips.
"El come on you'll be fine. You're an amazing singer everyone will love you." Andie reassures her.
"But look at all these people just waiting to get into the club, and imagine all the people who are already inside the club I can't sing in front of that many people! Hell I don't even know if I can walk in front off all those people. And look at all the paparazzi! I'm gonna trip and fall on my face!" She points too all the people waiting to get inside. They arrive at the front of the line, ready to exit the limousine. JC and Andie go first. (The rest of the guys were in the limo in front of them.)
"El you'll be fine just smile." Justin kisses her quickly and steps out. He stands by the door and puts his hand out for El to take. She takes a deep breath.
"Here we go." She whispers. She takes Justin's hand and steps out gracefully, her smile dazzling. Camera flashes go off everywhere. Her and Justin walk hand in hand to the entrance of the club.
"You were great Baby Girl." He whispers to her.
"Thanks, I can't believe you have to do that pretty much everywhere you go, its so nerve wracking."
"You get used to it." He laughs. They walk through the coatroom into the main area. They are hit with a spotlight almost instantly.
"Ladies and Gentle man," a voice announces over the sound system. "Justin Timberlake and Eleanor Chasez." The whole room erupts in cheers and clapping. El smiles excitedly. Her and Justin walk to their booth with the rest of their crowd and sit down.
"Ellie you look gorgeous!" Lynn exclaims holding on to JJ sitting on her lap. Sophie is next to her on Paul's lap. They were allowed in for the song (it was a no smoking building) then Lynn and Paul would take them to their home and they would stay there with their Gramma and Grampa Harless.
"Thank you!" she smiles. "So how are my babies?" she says smiling down at Sophie and JJ.
"Very excited, they screamed all the way here." Paul smiles. Justin laughs.
"Ya they get loud when they're happy." He smiles.
"El you look…wow." Joe says
"Drop dead gorgeous." Chris says
"Very sexy." Lance smiles. All three stare. El laughs
"Oh thank you." She ignores the staring.
"So when do you sing?" Lynn asks
"To soon." El laughs nervously.
"Oh don't worry about it hon, you've always been a beautiful singer you'll do great."
"Oh thank you so much Lynn. You have no idea how much that means to me."
"Don't worry about it ."
"El, what time do you go on?" Andie asks.
"Umm, what time is it?"
"Quarter to eight."
"Fifteen minutes." She says nervously.
"When are you going to go back, Baby Girl?" Justin asks
"Bout five minutes I guess. We rehearsed today already, I just have to go and get all set up and stuff, nothin to big."
"Oh, okay then." Justin says with a slight smile. Sophie screams a little, smiles, and claps her hands together excitedly.
"Well what was that about, huh cutie pie?" El asks in a baby voice. Sophie screams again, and stretches her arms towards El. "Do you want to see your mommy?" Sophie giggles. "Can I have JJ too please?" El asks Paul, as Lynn hands Sophie over.
"Of course." Paul hands JJ to Justin, who hands him to El.
"Oh, I need to hug my babies before I go and sing now don't I? Yes I do!" she kisses both their noses. Sophie giggles and JJ babbles.
"Well I need to kiss my Baby before she leaves too." Justin leans over and kisses El.
"Oh thank you. Wish me luck everyone!" She kisses the babies once more before handing them to Justin and JC.
"Break a leg!" everyone calls to her as she walks to the backstage entrance.
"Okay Justin, what'd you do?" Andie asks once El is out of earshot.
"What'd you mean?" he smirks.
"I saw that smile, what do you have planned?"
"You know how you told me about El and Richard Marx?" Everyone listens curiously. "Well I asked him about it, and he remembers her. He said she had one of the best voices he had ever heard. So when I told him about tonight, and the song she was singing, he actually offered to play piano for her."
"Serious! That's amazing! She's gonna freak out!" Andie says excitedly.
"Okay but hold on a minute. When did El meet Richard Marx?" Lance asks.
"When we recorded This I Promise You. She wanted to meet him, so I took her to the studio one weekend. She asked me to leave so I don't know what happened, but they were in there for hours." JC answers.
"Well they were writing music to a song she had written. I don't know what it sounds like. Her, Richard, and the pianist from rehearsal are the only ones who have ever heard or seen it that I know of."
"I didn't know Ellie writes." Karen says
"Well she doesn't really, I don't think anyways. She's only ever mentioned one song." Says Andie.
"Well that doesn't say there aren't more. She had never mentioned this one till now, maybe there are others." Says Lance.
"Oh I know what you're thinking Buddy. And no Ellie is not going to sign with Free-Lance." Says JC.
"Of course not she's going to sign with Just-In Time!" Justin laughs. "But seriously though, I doubt She'd want to get into that."
"Probably not." Lance agrees. The lights in the club begin to dim, and the voices in the club begin to die down until only a light, curious murmur can be heard over the soft jazz music from the band on stage. A minute later the curtain falls, and the jazz music stops. There is a moment of complete silence throughout the club. A few strains from a piano engulf the crowd then stop and moments later a low sultry smooth voice mesmerizes the crowd
"Shadows are fallin' all around me.
Another vision of you," The curtains are pulled back and a spotlight is shone from behind a lone figure on stage. You can see nothing but white light and a silhouette that occasionally sparkles. "Is all I see.
Oh Miss Misery, you sure do love my Company." The spot light changes positions so you can see El In centre stage. Another spot light switches onto the pianist, Richard Marx. The piano begins up again.
"Since he moved on, I ain't been the same.
I carry the weight and it's drivin me insane.
Guess it was all destiny, for him to cause me misery." El makes her way to the grand piano.
"Oh misery, Oh Misery." A saxophone begins to play As El is helped up onto her seat on the piano by two men in white tux's.
"Tell me why you let my heart, make a fool out of me.
Guess it's just all destiny for love to cause me misery." People in the audience begin to stand up and make their way to the dance floor.
"And Oh I travelled this road before.
Where the passion it causes pain.
And each time I saw him walk out the door
I swore I'd never take him back again.
But ain't it true, he takes and he takes.
And my heart it breaks and it breaks.
One more heartache for me and lonely nights in misery.
Misery. Oh misery.
Tell me why, why, why, why does this love make a fool out of me" El steps down off the piano and starts to walk back to centre stage.
"Seems its just my destiny to live my life in misery." She reaches centre stage and pauses.
"Guess it's just my destiny," El hits a high note and holds it
"For love to cause me misery." El holds the last note then fades it away. The music finishes and the entire club is silent for a moment. Then the crowd erupts into a large mass of cheering, screaming, whistling, and clapping. El bows.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Richard Marx." She giggles, and the crowd cheers more.
"Baby Girl you were amazing! I had no idea you could write like that, never mind sing like that!" Justin hugs El tightly.
"You were great Ellie!" JC agrees.
"Girl, you are up there with Aretha Franklin and Stevie Nicks!" Andie hugs El too.
"Sweetheart that was amazing." Karen congratulates her daughter.
"And you look absolutely stunning out there." Lynn smiles.
"Goo!" Sophie screams. JJ hits her, and they both scream.
"Oh my babies, your so silly." El leans down and makes funny faces at them, they giggle. Sophie yawns.
"Well its getting pretty late these two need their sleep." Lynn stands up with Sophie, Paul follows. "You were lovely up there hon" Lynn hugs El "And don't you worry about these two, we'll drop them off at home in the morning."
"Thanks mom." Justin hugs his mom and gives her a kiss on the cheek. He turns to El and smiles. "Follow me Baby Girl, I got somethin' for ya." He whispers in her ear. She giggles and nods her head.
"Buh bye babies mommy and daddy love you." She kisses both their foreheads, and says bye to Lynn and Paul, then follows Justin across the club.
"Mmm… Baby Girl you are incredible." Justin says quietly after passionately kissing El.
"Why thank you. Hey Baby where are we?" El giggles
"This is our secret room." He smiles mischievously.
"We have a secret room? What are we twelve?" she smirks.
"Oh c'mon where's your sense of adventure? This place is so cool." He gestures around the room. El admires it. It's fully furnished including a fireplace, a bed and a bathroom. She finally notices the candles that are lit all about the room.
"Well it is quite romantic, I can't deny that." She whispers. She can faintly hear the strains of music coming from the dance floor.
"Yes, well I try." He kisses her again. She giggles.
"Well what has gotten into you tonight darlin'?"
"Well it's your big night thought I'd make it special."
"Well your presence is enough to do that." She smiles
"I know but I thought I'd just give it an extra kick." He laughs kissing her again. El smiles and smacks his arm playfully.
"Well aren't we the humble one?"
"Hey you said it yourself, no point in denying it." El giggles as he kisses her once more, then she screams as he picks her up.
"What are you doing!" she giggles.
"Taking you away with me forever!" He walks over to the bed and carefully sets her down. He lays down facing her, and wraps his arms around her waist drawing her as close to him as she can get. "El I love you so much and I…" he falters.
"Baby are you okay? Your hearts goin a mile a minute, and you're sweating?" El pulls herself up onto her elbow, and brushes non existent hair from Justin's forehead. "Is something wrong? Are you sick? Are you trying to…" El trials off not wanting to think about what she just thought of.
"It's okay Baby Girl Nothing's wrong, I'm just well… nervous." He pulls himself up on his elbow too.
"About what?"
"Well, I had this really big decision to make. So I thought about it and I know what I want to do and I know it's right, but I don't know if it's the right time."
"Well what did you have to decide maybe I could help you."
"Baby Girl I love you and I always will. You're my children's mother. You're my other half and I know that without you I'm nothing. I'd give up the fame the fans the money the cars all of it for you. Eleanor Mackenzie Chasez, You're my Baby Girl and I want you to marry me." Justin fumbles around in his coat pocket for a minute then pulls out a tiny black velvet box. He opens it very slowly to reveal a large round diamond offset by two smaller rubies on each side, in a platinum setting. El's speechless as she stares from the ring to Justin. He picks it up and holds it so she can read the inscription on the inside. 4ever yours ~JT. "So Baby Girl what do you say? You already have my babies, all I need now is you." He looks hopefully into her eyes, which are glazing over with unshed tears.
"Oh Justin…Yes" she cries softly wrapping her arms around his neck pulling him down to her in a kiss.
"Oh god… that word never sounded so beautiful." Justin whispers into her lips.