DISCLAIMER: I do not know any of these people, neither do I know their sexual orientations. This story is NOT REAL. If you're too young to be reading this, please go away. And, as I am a "chick", don't expect much- if any- sex. I've managed to get this far without any, and I don't there's going to be any at all, so don't get mad at me, K? Feedback is good (reader_colleen@hotmail.com). Thanks go out to Joey (love ya, girl!), Becca, Cele, Yuli, Gabriella, Jayne, Cor, and RED (I finally remembered to thank you!) and all the rest of the members of the *NSync slash e-group. You guys are the greatest!!
While I'm at it, let me say "GO READ THESE STORIES!!!": "I Need You Tonight", "Sucks To Be You", and "Starcrossed" by Joey, "Superman Can't Fly" by Dayse (YAY!), "Remembering Petticoat Lane" by Becca (that story made me cry!), "Playing For Keeps" by Kimmer, "Busta" by Yuli, "Not Meant to Be/Beyond What Is" by Kyle, "Dirty Little Secrets" by Myka, "Justin's Journal" by Jamie, "*NSync Lance & JC" by Kevin (Great story!), and all the stories by DivaKitT. Those are my current favorite stories, although there are too many wonderful stories to mention in a single disclaimer!
I have a webpage for this story now, as well as for my other stories (including a joint fan fiction written by myself and Joey)! It can be found at http://www10.ewebcity.com/colleensfic/index.html. Please check it out, as the chapters are posted a couple of days ahead of when I send them to David. Now, after all that babbling, onto the good stuf! Enjoy! grin
Chapter 11: Don't Hold OnTo The Past
"Tell us what?" Nick repeated from the doorway. JC and Justin exchanged slightly worried looks.
"What did you hear?" Justin asked.
"Justin asking how you guys were going to tell us something. Tell us what?"
"It's not important, Nick," JC said.
"It has to be if you guys sounded so worried," Brian reasoned.
"Don't worry about it, Brian. Justin and I were just talking about something that can wait for a while."
"Whatever," Nick said.
"How are you feeling, JC? How did the appointment go?" Brian asked.
"I'm feeling better, Bri. Thanks for asking. The appointment went good. Lance was kinda sneaky in that he decided we needed a joint session with the therapist, but we're cool now."
"That's great!"
"I know. It's so nice to be getting back to normal."
"When are you getting out of here?" Kevin asked.
"Tomorrow morning if all goes well."
"Cool," Howie said. "You get the games we left yesterday?"
"Yes, thank you!"
"No problem. Have you gotten any use out of them?"
"I will now. Care to play?"
"Sure," Kevin said. "I'm in."
"Likewise," came from Howie, AJ and Nick.
"Why not?" Brian muttered, taking a seat on the opposite side of JC from Justin. AJ and Howie sat at the foot while Kevin sat next to Justin. Howie reached over and got Monopoly, setting up the board quickly.
"I'm banker!" Kevin called, grabbing the money from Howie and doling it out. JC and Brian teamed up, AJ and Howie, Nick and Justin, leaving Kevin on his own.
"Who goes first?" Howie asked.
"Me!" JC yelled. "I'm the sick person here!"
"You're sick all right," Justin teased. JC punched him.
"Watch it, J. I may be bedridden right now, but just you wait! I'll kick your ass so hard you won't be able to sit down for a year!"
"Bring it on, old man!" Justin retorted, dancing out of the way of JC's next punch. Soon, the seven of them were involved in a fast and furious game of Monopoly. After an hour, Brian and JC were facing off against Nick and Justin. They had managed to bankrupt Howie and AJ first, with Kevin following not long after. Another half hour went by before Nick threw their game piece at JC.
"We give!" he cried, collapsing dramatically on top of Justin. Brian leaped over JC to jump on top of Nick, which drew AJ and Howie into the pile. Kevin let out a yell and landed on top of everything.
"FUCK, KEVIN!" Justin yelled. "That hurt!"
"Sorry," he blushed, slowly getting up. He yanked on AJ's pants to pull the younger man off the pile, which caused AJ to grab Howie's ponytail.
"ALEXANDER JAMES, IF YOU DON'T LET GO OF MY HAIR RIGHT THIS INTSTANT..."
"Sorry, D," AJ said, backing away from his friend. Howie turned to him with a murderous look in his eyes. AJ quickly ran out of the room, narrowly missing a passing nurse. Howie took off after him, still threatening AJ with bodily harm if he caught up to him. Nick got up and shook his head.
"Those two are worse than me and Bri!"
"Nobody is as bad as you and Brian," Kevin shot back. Nick launched himself at Kevin, but Kevin caught him in mid-air.
"How'd you do that?" Justin gasped as Nick wrapped his legs around Kevin's waist for support.
"Practise!" Kevin laughed. Nick started tickling the older man, causing Kevin to fall over. On the way down, Nick grabbed Brian's wrist until there was a three Boy pile on the floor of JC's hospital room. Justin curled up next to JC on the and watched the show with a smile. Resting his head on JC's shoulder, he laughed softly.
"This is even better than Joey and Chris," he whispered in JC's ear. JC nodded.
"I'm betting on Nick."
"Kevin," was Justin's vote. AJ and Howie returned just then, both looking slightly rumpled. Howie's hair was out of it's normal ponytail and AJ's sunglasses were missing. They entered the room quietly, not even blinking at the tangle of arms and limbs on the floor. They merely stood beside JC's bed and watched. JC and Justin lay on the bed, arms around each other until the pile started to untangle itself. Brian glanced over at the bed and felt his heart twist. Are JC and Justin together? he asked himself. No, they can't be... can they? I mean, they have known each other forever! Brian fought to keep his expression neutral as he watched Nick pounce on Justin and JC.
"Come on," Nick yelled. "I need to go somewhere!"
"Don't look at me," Justin laughed. "I'm staying."
"J, go. Kevin can stay here with me."
"I can?" Kevin asked, a blank look on his face. JC threw a Monopoly piece at him.
"Yeah, you! I know Kristin's not here, so you can't use her as an excuse."
"How'd you know that?"
"I'm God. I see all, I hear all, I know all. Bow down before me, peon." By the time he was finished, he was laughing so hard he was crying.
"In your dreams!" Kevin retorted.
"I can stay," AJ offered and Howie seconded. JC shook his head and Justin saw him fight to keep a friendly expression on his face. What the?
"It's OK, AJ. I think I can put up with Kev for a while."
"Wanna go shopping?" Justin immediately threw in. JC groaned.
"Justin, you just went yesterday!"
"So?" Justin and AJ chorused. Everyone laughed.
"Aje, I think you just found someone who likes to shop as much as you do!" Brian said while laughing. AJ grinned.
"Good! Now, Justin, what say you we go melt our credit cards?"
"You're on!" Justin yelled, jumping off the bed. He and AJ linked arms and took off. Brian shook his head.
"Poor Justin," he said. JC raised an eyebrow.
"Poor Justin?" he repeated. "Poor AJ! I gave up shopping with J a long, long time ago."
"In a galaxy far, far away?" Brian quipped. Kevin, Howie and Nick looked at Brian like he had grown another head, but JC burst out laughing.
"And Lance says I'M bad? I wish he could see you now!"
"Bri, wanna go shoot some hoops?" Nick asked. Brian nodded, so they were the next to leave. Howie left soon after that, leaving JC and Kevin alone.
"Wanna play cards or something?" Kevin asked.
"Sure. Crazy Eights?"
"Countdown or normal?"
"Normal."
"Gotcha," Kevin said, pulling out a pack of cards and dealing. They played for a while before JC looked over at Kevin, his expression grave. It's now or never, JC thought.
"Kev, can I talk to you about something really serious?"
"Sure, JC."
"Kev... is anyone in your group gay?"
"What?"
"Just bear with me," JC pleaded. Confused, Kevin nodded.
"I don't think so. Why?"
"Do you know where they are at night?"
"JC, where is this going?"
"Kevin, please."
"No, not always."
"Do you know where they all were last week when Lance was raped?" Kevin's eyes widened.
"Are you accusing..."
"Kevin!"
"I was with Kristin, Nick was with the others.... other than that, I don't know. JC, you think one of my bandmembers raped Lance?" JC shook his head.
"I don't think so, Kev. I know so."
"What? How?"
"The person who raped Lance last week has done it before."
"..."
"Lance said that every time your group and mine are together, he gets raped."
"JC, I don't know what to say..."
"It's OK, Kevin. We know who it isn't."
"How do you know that?"
"Process of elimination, just like you did. Lance hasn't told us directly, but I know who it is."
"How do you know, JC? And who is it?"
"I know because Lance isn't the only one. As for who, I'm not going to say."
"JC, you're being raped, too? Fuck, what's gotten into them? WHY won't you say, JC?"
"Lance and I agreed, Kev. We're scared, to be perfectly honest. He's told us both that he would kill us if we ever told. The thing is, I know he doesn't utter idle threats. We told the rest of *NSync earlier, and now you know. If word that we've been talking got out..."
"God, JC," was all Kevin could manage. "Who isn't it?"
"For obvious reasons, you. And Nicky."
"Leaving Brian, AJ, or Howie... I can't see Brian doing something like that! Even though he is very religious- as am I- he's not bothered by gay people."
"Woah- how'd you know that?"
"My gaydar is pretty good, JC."
"Oh."
"Anyways, Brian wouldn't do this... it's not in his nature. Please tell me it's not my cousin!" Kevin pleaded. JC looked away. "God, no!"
"Kevin, don't push it," JC said softly. "I'm not saying yes and I'm not saying no. I don't want you interrogating them when you get back to the hotel, which is why."
"Is this why Joey's been so weird around us?"
"Yeah. Lance told him not long before he was raped."
"God, how could I have been so blind?" Kevin cursed himself. JC put a hand on the older man's arm.
"Kev, don't beat yourself up. Joey, Justin and Chris were clueless, too. Hell, Lance and I were clueless as to the fact that we were both being raped!"
"What made you decide to come clean now?" JC's face went white at the words "come clean". "JC? What's wrong?"
"Sorry, Kev... let's just say Lance and I are working on rebuilding our friendship."
"What happened?"
"Kevin, don't ask! It's not something that's easy for me to talk about."
"I'm sorry, Josh," Kevin said, pulling JC into a hug. JC returned the hug, feeling safe. Kevin soon climbed up beside JC and continued to hold him until JC fell asleep. Kevin gently removed himself from under JC before tucking the younger man in and quietly leaving the room. He turned around once the door was closed to find Chris standing in front of him.
"Shit!" Kevin yelled. "Chris, you scared me!"
"Sorry," Chris said. "He told you, did he?"
"Not all of it," Kevin responded, instinctively knowing what Chris was talking about.
"It's not easy. Lance said it took a lot to get him to open up to the therapist earlier. She kept having to prompt him to answer the questions he was asked."
"Being raped will do that, I guess," Kevin sighed. "What are you doing here, anyway?"
"Danielle wasn't home, so I decided to come back here."
"Oh. What happened between JC and Lance?"
"Kevin, it's not my place to say."
"I'd like to know, just for my own piece of mind." Chris was silent. "OK, I get the picture. So, how do we find out who's raping Lance and JC?"
"I don't know, Kev," Chris sighed. "Joey's on the rampage right now. If he sees anyone from your group, he's likely to kill them. Lance had gotten him in the gym to work off some of that anger last I saw them, but who knows how long that lasted? And Justin's going to kill, as well. Even Nick. I've never seen Curly so mad! I don't want to be around him right now."
"Because someone hurt his JC? And it's a little late to keep your band and mine apart. Justin and AJ went shopping. AJ said something about melting his credit card," Kevin laughed. Chris smiled, too before turning the conversation back to Justin and JC.
"Yeah, Justin's really pissed that someone would dare to hurt his JC, especially like that. He cares about Lance, yeah, but it's the fact that it happened to JC, too, that's got him so mad. Joey asked Justin not long ago if he liked JC as more than a friend and J said no, but I'm seriously starting to doubt that. 'The lady doth protest too much, methinks'" Kevin laughed at Chris calling Justin a "lady".
"Too true... Justin's known JC since he was what, 12? It's almost natural that he would develop feelings."
"What makes you say that?"
"Sometimes I wonder about Brian and Nicky. I mean, Brian and Nick are the inseperable duo sometimes. If you see them together enough, it definately gives you thoughts about what's going on."
"Glad to see we're not the only group with glued-at-the-hip bandmembers," Chris laughed. Kevin punched him lightly before turning serious again.
"So what do we do?" Kevin asked. Chris shrugged.
"Wait for Lance and JC, I guess."
"But who's to say that while we're waiting, it doesn't happen again?"
"You have any better ideas?" Chris shot at Kevin.
"I can talk to Nick, see if he's noticed anything. And Brian, too."
"Brian's a suspect right now."
"Chris, I don't think my cousin would do something like that."
"If he hates gay people because of his religion..."
"He's religious, yes, but I can't see him doing anything this radical about it. I mean, to rape someone- especially a man- is a sin to him. Why would he commit a sin to punish a sin? And I'm the same religion, so shouldn't I feel the same way? I know Brian doesn't care if someone's gay. Neither do I."
"What you're saying makes sense, I guess, but I still say leave him in the dark. The less people that know about this, the better."
"Agreed," Kevin said.
"Why don't you go back to the hotel?" Chris suggested. "I'll stay here with JC."
"Want me to send Justin later on?"
"He'll come if you send him or not."
"True! See you later, Chris. And thank you."
"For what?"
"For helping me. I'll ask Nick to start us off on our mini-investigation, and we can talk about the rest later."
"Gotcha. Bye, Kev."
"See you later, Chris." With that, Kevin left, leaving Chris alone outside JC's room. Silently he went in and sat by JC's bedside, watching his friend sleep.
"We'll get through this, Josh," Chris said softly. "No matter what happens, you know me and Justin will stand beside you. I think Lance is coming around, and hopefully he'll bring Joey with him. I just can't believe you're both being raped... how can anyone hurt another human being like that? But we're here for you, Josh, whenever you need us. Never doubt that. We love you, Joshua Scott Chasez, some of us a little more than others, I think." Here, Chris paused to smile. "If you need us, just call and we'll come running. Wherever we are, we'll come. You hear me, Josh?" Chris sighed slightly and rested his chin on his hand and continued his silent vigil.