Yet another one out sooner than expected. Insomnia can be good! :) As always, much gratitude to David and Dennis, my kick-ass archivers, and all my readers/buddies, including Red, Kyriel2, Petra, Aph, Casey (Edward Scissorhands :)), Jrok, Wen, Jim, MOYERSDY, RJ (Happy late birthday!), The managerman, Vocal and Angel1313. You guys rock!!
DISCLAIMER: Own nothing, imply nothing, just a writer. Kinda. :)
PLUGS: "A Tale of Two Boybands", "A Love Like This", "Chances Are", "Devotion", "Little White Lies", "Nsync: Lance n JC", "Calming Waters", "Going Swimming", "Next Window Please", "Decisons", "Porcelain", "Playing for Keeps", "By My Side", "Finding A Belief", "A Little Bit of Love" and many more.
Ready for it? Here we go...
~NO PAINLESS WAY~ by DaraLynn Chapter 12
"It is never too late to be what you might have been."
- George Eliot
(the next morning)
J.C. came down the stairs just as Lance opened the front door, letting in a welcome cool breeze.
"Scoop? Where ya goin'?"
"To that tree you and Justin have. That's around where he was taken, so maybe I'll pick up something there."
J.C. nodded, admonishing himself for not thinking of that earlier. "Good idea. You want me to go with you?"
Lance smiled apologetically. "Thanks, but actually, the fewer people there with me the better. Then I'm less likely to get interference from their feelings, ya know?"
"I understand. But you're not going alone."
"Of course he's not." Randy appeared, standing behind his young charge.
"You should probably take one of the cops too, Scoop."
Lance shook his head. "I told you, the less people the better. The cops are busy anyway. Josh, this area is secured. It's not dangerous."
J.C. nodded reluctantly. "Okay. Just don't be long, okay?"
"Fifteen minutes, tops. See ya soon."
"Okay. I'm gonna talk to Lynn and the guys."
Lance smiled encouragingly as he left, knowing well what J.C. planned to tell them.
J.C. found Lynn, Joey and Chris and brought them to the kitchen. They sat at the table, looking questioningly at 'Nsync's father figure. J.C. tapped his fingers nervously on the wooden surface, trying to work up the courage to speak.
Lynn broke the silence. "Joshua? What is it?"
J.C. sighed awkwardly. //C'mon, just blurt it out. Then it'll be over and you can deal with their reactions.//
"I want us all to be on the same level here. Lynn, you know I'm gay. Joey, Chris, you know I'm in love with Justin. What none of you know is that the night we got here Justin told me he loves me too. We agreed to start a relationship. If he still wants to when he gets back, we're going to be together. I hope you can all accept that."
Tears streamed out from Lynn's eyes. J.C. half-expected her to scream at him, but instead she grasped his hand and smiled.
"Joshua, I've guessed for some time now how you and Justin feel about eachother. When we get my baby back, you both have my approval and blessing."
J.C. sobbed with relief. "Really? Thank you, Lynn, thank you so much..."
"Thank you! I've been hoping for this for so long. Justin belongs with you. Mothers know these things."
Joey spoke hesitantly. "So...Justin's gay?"
"Gay or bi. All I know is, he wants me, and I want him."
"Wow. Way to go, man! Congratulations!"
J.C. wiped his eyes. "Thanks, Joe. You're okay with it?"
"Hey, I'm bi. Not a problem with me. This ain't gonna go over well with the million girls who wanna have Justin's baby, but I'm fine with it. Saves me the trouble of having to test the worthiness of everyone he dates. I know you're worthy, Josh."
"You're the best, Joe. Chris?"
chris was wearing the biggest, cheesiest grin J.C. had ever seen. "I won't fight for best man. I already reserved the Maid of Honor position. And dammit, I'm gonna wear white, even if you don't."
The walls seemed to brighten with the sound of laughter; the house had not forgotten it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Randy, it would really help me if you didn't stand so close. You're kinda distracting me."
"Look, Blondie. I watch 'X-Files'. I'm open-minded. Though I'm a bit disappointed you're not gonna slip me lottery numbers I'm cool with these powers of yours. But you're gonna have to get used to exercising them with me next to you."
Lance took his hands off the tree and faced his bodyguard.
"I know. But this is important and-"
The sharp green eyes spotted something a couple yards away down the deserted street. Lance's face brightened.
Randy squinted. "What? What is it?"
Lance looked sweetly at the large man. "Randy, can you do me a favor?"
"Does it involve being more than two feet away from you?"
"There's a cat stuck in that tree down there. Can you get it down?"
"No."
"Randy, this area is secured. You'll be a few houses away for about three minutes. Please?"
"I'm not taking any chances. And don't you dare give me that look."
Lance pouted childishly, and his eyes dropped.
Randy sighed in defeat. "Do not move from that spot."
He turned and walked swiftly toward his task, softly muttering, "Bet Aerosmith doesn't this to their security..."
Lance grinned with satisfaction. Placing both hands on the rough bark of the tree, he closed his eyes and focused. His concentration was soon interrupted when something cold pressed against his back, and a hand grabbed his arm.
"What you're feeling behind you is the barrel of a gun," said a low voice. "I don't want to have to use it on you. You will not fight me or make a sound. You will come with me. Do you understand?"
Lance nodded shakily, and the hand gripping him tore him away from the tree and spun him around. Lance thought that his assailant looked like some sort of government agent with his dark suit and black sunglasses, but he was shocked by the feeling he sensed from the attacker.
"You don't want to do this," he murmured.
"Damn fuckin' right he doesn't!"
Korman pulled Lance in front of him, one arm clasped tightly across the boy's chest, the gun pointed at his head.
The approaching bodyguard came to a dead stop several feet away, glaring furiously at the man.
"Let the kid go. NOW."
Korman abruptly squeezed his hostage hard, and Lance cried out in sudden pain and mounting fear. Randy's fists and teeth clenched with rage.
"You are in no position to be making demands, sir."
"You don't wanna make me mad, pal."
"No, you do not want to make me mad!"
Korman slowly began to back up, moving toward his car, which he'd wisely parked in the empty house's driveway where it wouldn't be noticed.
"If you value the boy's life you will not move."
Lance trembled, but spoke calmly. "You don't want to do this."
"We can't always choose to do what we like, child. A good thing to remember. But for what it's worth, I am sorry."
Randy watched this exchange helplessly, fearing for his young charge.
"No, I mean you really don't wanna do this. I can feel it. Just stop this now. It's not too late to change."
"Be quiet."
"You won't shoot me. You were ordered to take me alive."
"I'll shoot your bodyguard. Anyway, how do you know-"
"I know you took Justin. I know you've been beating yourself up since you did it, and that you regret so much you can think of nothing else."
Korman stopped, still holding Lance. "How do you know all that?"
"I sense things. I feel how much you don't want to be doing this. You wouldn't, but you're scared that your boss will hurt your family if you back out. I can see your daughter - she's adorable."
Randy frowned confusedly. //Lance, what are you doing?//
Korman was silent for a moment. "I don't see her very often."
"But you love her. Will you really be able to face her after what you've done? Will you be able to face yourself?"
Korman's grip loosened just slightly.
"Your wife and daughter love you. I know you're doing this to protect them, but if you don't stop this will never end. They'll never be safe, and you'll never be free. How many lives will you end up destroying?"
//How many lives...How many lives...How many lives...//
The gun started to slip.
"If you let me go, and agree to turn yourself in and help us get Justin back, I swear, the police will protect your family, whatever happens to you."
The weapon slipped further. Lance felt a few warm tears drop on his shoulder.
"You aren't a bad person in your heart. It's not too late for salvation, I promise. That emptiness you feel inside...it doesn't have to last forever."
The gun hit the grass with a dull thud. Randy, who'd been watching intently, saw his chance. He sprinted across the lawn and yanked Lance away, immediately pushing the teen behind him. Grabbing the attacker's jacket, he growled menacingly.
"Randy, no. He won't struggle. He's been fighting with himself for a long time now, and he doesn't want to do that anymore."
Lance looked at korman. "If the police agree to protect your family, will you tell us where you took Justin?"
The man removed his glasses, revealing haunted brown eyes.
"Yes. Please believe me, I didn't want to do it."
"I do believe you. Help us get him back and maybe we can get you a lighter sentence."
They began to walk back, Randy gripping Korman's limp arm. The man spoke with honest sorrow.
"I don't want a lighter sentence. I want you to know that I'm not proud of what I've done, to you or your friend. What I want is to undo the damage I've caused. I can't, and I don't expect lenience or forgiveness. I just hope that the boy hasn't been broken by all this." ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lance ran into the kitchen, where J.C. immediately grabbed him in a relieved hug. J.C. held Lance's arms and looked at him sternly.
"Where have you been?! It's been over twenty minutes! I was about to tell the cops and go searching for you! Lance, God, you never do this stuff! All I could think was that someone might've hurt you!"
Lance's voice was small and timid. "They didn't. But you are."
J.C. only then realized how tightly he was holding his friend's arms. He let go, horrified.
"Oh, God, Lance, I'm sorry." His eyes filled. "I just can't...I can't lose anyone else..."
"Josh, it's okay. I even have a good excuse for being late. Randy and I caught the guy who took Justin."
"WHAT?!" The sound of four shouts made Lance wince.
"Where is he?" Chris growled.
"Detective Larsen and Detective Murray took him to the police station. Randy's with them."
Lynn grabbed her car keys. She and the three 'Nsyncers headed for the door. Lance blocked them.
"No. Detective Larsen told me to keep everyone here until he calls. Sit down and I'll tell you what I know."
Lance related how he and Randy had gotten ahold of Korman, and convinced him to surrender.
J.C. wasn't blinking. "Is Justin okay? Why was he kidnapped?"
"Korman - that's the kidnapper's name - says he's certain Justin's alive. Beyond that he doesn't know for sure. The reason was..." Lance closed his eyes as tears hit his cheeks.
Chris gasped. "No. Not that, please not that..." he whispered.
"He said...fuck..." Lance buried his face in his hands after that last word, the first swear word he'd ever said out loud.
J.C. pulled the hands away. "Lance?"
"He said his boss...wanted Justin for...for sexual purposes, mainly."
J.C. turned to stone where he kneeled on the tiled floor.
"No. No. Please, God, no..."
Chris held Lynn tightly as she wailed in his arms, her worst nightmare come true. "No! Not my baby! God, Justin..."
Joey put his hand over his mouth and raced out, muttering what might have been an apology.
Lance put his arms around J.C. and they sobbed against eachother.
Paul Harless, Randall and Lisa Timberlake, the bodyguards, the Backstreet Boys and the 'Nsync family, as well as the boys' families, were informed shortly after. All reacted the same way - with horror, anger, and enough tears to flood the unhappy world.
The Backstreet Boys were in the middle of a rehearsal when they found out. Nick ran to the bathroom, Brian close behind him. Two choreographers, eight security guarda and ten dancers watched in shock as the three remaining Backstreet Boys sank to the floor and wept for innocence lost.
~to be continued~ Questions, comments (no flames) to DaraLynn_writings@hotmail.com, please