Hey Everyone, How are you all? Sorry this chapter took so bloody long but I've had heaps of stuff to do. I have heaps of people to thank so I'm gonna keep it to a minimum, I love all of you and if I don't put you down here, it's not intentional I'm just a bit slow, I can only store so much info in my tiny little mind! First up my boss, my friend and my editor, Aaron and his lovely fiance Melanie, you are both too ace for words, sorry I hit you with a bottle of Pepsi, but you deserved it, he he (read his story, Curly and Josh, even if it isn't about Lance, it's sweet and nice) Miss Mykeshia, my love you are way too cool, but if you keep sending me those Lance pics I'll never get anything done, he he. Luis, you're taste in music is surpassed only by your ability to make me smile! Miss Dawn, you are ace! Jack, Ian, Toots, Christine, Freakapotamus, Memo, Rob, Siege, Ian, Dr Pepper, Ariana, Moosic and everyone else who wrote to me, I try to answer all emails ASAP, but lately that's been a bit hard.

Disclaimer: If you believe anything I write, then more fool you! I'm a freak and not to be trusted!

# # #

Lance was confused. He had spent all morning rehearsing an explanation to feed to Justin, so that when he asked him why he wanted to come to stay in Orlando, he could give him a good excuse. He had picked up the phone and dialled the first half of Justin's number, before his logical and cynical side kicked in and he placed the phone back in the receiver.

"Why would Justin and JC want me hanging around with them? They have to spend time with me on tour, they probably want to just hang together on their vacation, be away from me until the tour starts again." The voice in his head convinced him.

Then the thought of seeing JC again had become a powerful motivator and he had allowed his second dialling attempt to go through.

"Hey Justin" he had said, expecting Justin's response to be less than enthusiastic, He was prepared to apologise for interrupting his vacation and to tell the younger boy that he had Freelance business in Orlando, and would need a place to stay if it wasn't too inconvenient. But Justin had surprised him.

"Hey Lansten" Justin had greeted him enthusiastically, like a long lost friend rather than a business acquaintance. "We were beginning to think you didn't want to talk to us."

Lance was thrown. "Why would you think that?"

"'Cause you went straight back to Mississippi as soon as the tour ended, as usual, and you showed no interest in coming to see us, as usual, and you're gonna be missing when the rest of us get together to hang out, as usual." Justin said dramatically, then laughed.

Now Lance's resolve was shaken. He certainly hadn't expected the rest of the group to want to see him, let alone be happy about it. To agree now would be as if he was doing them a favour. He had forgotten all the lies he had made up for Justin's sake, there would obviously be no need for them. He would get to see JC again and it would sound like it was Justin's idea. "Well I was actually at a loose end and I was thinking of flying out there tomorrow." Lance had replied "But I wanted to make sure it would be cool to stay with you guys."

"'Course it would." Justin stated matter of factly. "Like you gotta ask!"

"Maybe they do like me." Lance thought to himself. He had finalised the flight arrangements with Justin before hanging up. The phone conversation had lasted not 5 minutes, but in just those few minutes Lance's mood had improved from "near suicidal" to "bouncing off the walls" faster than any drug could have managed. He had sat in stunned silence for a minute, but then picked up the phone to book a seat on the flight that he and Justin had arranged.

The operator answered, took his request then placed his call on hold while she checked seating availability. In that time Lance had changed his mind, he didn't want to wait 24 hours to see JC.

"Mr Bass we have a number of first class seats available on that flight." The woman told him happily when she returned.

"Ah, actually there's been a change of plan." He informed the way-too-happy operator. "Something has come up and I need to be there immediately, what's the next available seat?" He lied.

He happy woman had booked him on a flight 2 hours later that day, which left him an hour to pack and sort out business affairs, as it was a 45-minute drive to the airport and he needed to arrive in time to check in. Even though he hated to rush ordinarily, Lance still managed to stay ridiculously happy, he even caught himself humming and laughed out loud at the crazy behaviour his feelings for JC had caused. On his way to the airport he had arranged for a rental car to be waiting when he arrived in Orlando. Although he probably could have caught a cab he wanted to be near JC as soon as possible, and being mobbed by screaming teenagers at a taxi rank didn't rate highly on his "to-do" list.

He couldn't sit still the entire plane trip. At first he thought if he slept the flight would go quicker, but his mind was racing and his legs couldn't keep from bouncing. He laid the seat back and stuck the headphones on, listening to whatever was on, but that escape from reality was short-lived. He didn't want to escape, he was going to see JC and he wanted to be there immediately. Finally the wait was over, the "fasten seat belts" light flashed on and the plane descended into Florida. Lance disembarked quickly, collected his baggage and picked up his car, he was out of the airport in record time and hadn't been recognised once.

It was now dark and as he manoeuvred the long, sleek BMW through the black suburban streets (he may have been in a hurry, but he still had the presence of mind to choose tastefully) he sang, preferring to entertain himself rather than battle with the complex sound-system.

"I had to escape The city was sticky and cruel Maybe I should have called you first But I was dying to get to you I was dreaming when I drove The long straight road ahead

Could taste your sweet kisses Your arms open wide This fever for you is just burning me up inside

I drove all night to get to you Is that alright? I drove all night Crept in your room Woke you from your sleep To make love to you."

Lance giggled to himself, an annoying habit he had picked up since falling for JC. He would have loved to creep into JC's room, wake him up and make love to him. But the lack of a key to Justin's house and a complete absence of any form of consent from JC may have proven a challenge. A smile was plastered across his lips just the same.

Although he was a safe driver he sat well above the speed limit and arrived in Justin's driveway just after 10 PM. The lights were all off and everyone appeared to be asleep. He thought about checking into a motel for the night because he didn't feel he was close enough to Justin to raise him from a dead sleep to let him in. Then he thought back to the phone call that afternoon and decided to try his luck. He rang Justin's mobile and he answered on the third ring.

"Hey Justin, sorry to wake you."

"You didn't wake me man, I've been at the gym, I just got out of the shower."

"Oh good, 'cause I'm in your driveway."

"That's too bad, the bathroom is at the side of the house, you pervert!"

Lance laughed at Justin.

"Let me get decent and I'll be there." Justin laughed before hanging up.

"Nice wheels Lansten." Justin stated as he walked onto the driveway in shorts and an open shirt.

"It's a rental." Lance stated as he placed his bags on the ground and shut the trunk.

Justin opened the drivers door and climbed in. "So how come you came down tonight instead of tomorrow?" he asked, while checking out the car.

"Nothing doing in Mississippi, so I thought I'd come early, that's OK right?"

"Of course it is, man." Justin replied as he climbed out of the car, grabbed one of Lances bags and threw an arm around his shoulder, leading him into the house.

"Hungry?" Justin asked as he set Lances bags in the guest bedroom and walked toward the kitchen.

Lance thought about the last time he ate, and not counting the crap they'd served on the plane. Breakfast was the last meal he remembered eating.

"Yeah, actually I am." He replied.

"Good, so am I"

"What a surprise!"

"Hey, I'm a growing boy."

"So where's Josh?" Lance asked as he made himself comfortable at the kitchen table.

"Josh?"

"Yeah, you know him right? About yay tall, big hair, sings in a band."

"Josh?" Justin repeated, smiling.

Realising his slip, Lance blushed. "JC, you knew who I meant!"

"Uh-ha" Justin nodded patronisingly. "Well 'JOSH' is asleep." He laughed "I wanted him to come to the gym with me, to burn off some of the excess energy he's had all afternoon, but he wouldn't be in it, he said he worked-out enough when we went Roller- blading."

Lance was glad Justin hadn't questioned him any further about the slip he'd made, and he vowed to himself to be more careful in the future. "Do you still do that?" Lance asked casually.

"What's that? Roller-blading? Not for ages, but JC decided he wanted to." Justin replied, picking up two bowls of pasta he had just re-heated and walking to the fridge. He balanced the bowls in one hand and opened the fridge with the other, taking out a bottle of wine as he did so.

"It's OK, I'll get it, you just sit there!" Justin laughed sarcastically to Lance, who had reclined in the chair, lost in his own thoughts.

"I'm a guest." Lance replied "you're supposed to wait on me, you know, play the good host and all!"

"Yeah right, Albino-boy, glasses are in the cabinet by the stove." Justin laughed.

After they had eaten their meal and finished off the bottle of wine, Justin gave Lance the grand tour of the house.

"I can't believe you've never been here before." Justin said incredulously. "I've been to your place in Hicksville and you've never bothered to come visit me!"

"Just never had time I suppose." Lance returned "some of us have a second business to run, we've gotta make ends meet somehow, we can't all live off youth, beauty and the endorsements from shoe companies."

"I had no idea there was such a thing as a poor NSYNC member." Justin laughed "anyway I earned my money, do you have any idea how hard I had to work to sell those fake wedding pics to the teeny mags?"

"Speaking of marriage, where is the good lady wife?" Lance continued with an obvious slur in his speech, laughing at the thought of the rumours about Justin and Britney marrying in secret in Hawaii.

"She's in Europe on tour." Justin replied "I think we've had too much wine Mr Bass."

"I think you could be right!"

Justin showed Lance the rest of the house and then finally to the guest bedroom where he would be staying. He turned to leave the room then stepped back, smiling at the older boy "Not even I can get away with calling him Josh." Justin prattled drunkenly "His Mum and his sister are the only ones allowed to call him that." Justin left Lance alone and headed off to his room. Lance was happy that he and Justin were getting along well, it was a lot more than he had expected. He was even more glad when he walked into the bathroom and realised that it joined the next bedroom. The bedroom where Justin had said JC was sleeping. He had shared a hotel with JC so many times, but this was different. This wasn't a tour and they weren't being forced to share. Granted JC didn't even know Lance was there, but that minor detail didn't bother him. Just knowing that JC was so close would make sleeping easy.

# #

Lance awoke the next morning with a fright. The bed had been so comfortable, and JC's presence so soothing, that he had slept as soon as his head hit the pillow. But now it was light and his bed was shaking violently. He opened his eyes and the light streaming through the open curtains blinded him.

'I thought I closed them' he remembered, confused.

"Time to get up Lansten" The voice was familiar, but in his current situation, foreign. It sounded like Chris.

He opened his eyes again, and as he adjusted to the bright light he saw Chris, Joey and Justin jumping on his bed.

"Come on James." Joey laughed, causing Lance to scowl at him for using that name. Joey noticed the reaction and smiled deviously.

"Yeah, they say I'm the sleepy one!" Justin taunted "it's 11:30 and we wanna go out."

11:30? He hadn't slept that late in....well forever. "So why don't you go?" Lance asked, confused.

"Because you're coming too, you're part of this group remember?" Chris joked.

"Yeah, and besides, you've got the keys to that sleek machine in the driveway" Justin added.

"So you only want me for my car? I feel so used!" Lance laughed.

"Hell ya!" Joey imitated Lances accent, which he had failed to conceal in his early morning haze.

"Well get out so I can have a shower. Go wake JC up or something." He said in mock irritation.

"They already did!" Lance looked for the source of the voice and found JC leaning against the doorframe in a wife-beater and boxers, his wild mane all mangy from sleep. "They force-fed me pop-tarts, you were lucky to get off so lightly." JC laughed.

"We have more pop-tarts if you want some." Joey stated innocently.

Lance looked at them, barely containing a smirk. "OUT!" he said, pointing toward the door, trying to sound serious but failing.

# #

As he showered Lance thought about the guys. He realised how much they actually valued him as a member of the group. He couldn't believe he had been self-absorbed enough to think otherwise. His thoughts turned to JC and his scruffy morning look and he began to sing.

"You're the one who makes me come running You're the sun who makes me shine When you're around I'm always laughing I wanna make you mine

I close my eyes And see you before me Think I would die If you were to ignore me A fool could see Just how much I adore you I get down on my knees I'd do anything for you

I don't want anybody else When I think about you I touch myself."

Lances JC-induced giggle returned as he sang the chorus. Although he had come to terms with the feelings for JC he had in his head and heart, it was still strange for him to hear them vocalised, even in a song. He turned off the water, dried and dressed and headed to the kitchen to have breakfast with the guys.

# #

OK, end chapter 3. Hopefully chapter 4 will be out next week. I know I've been a bit too lax with my updates and I promise better in the future. Any feedback, good or bad, is appreciated. Aaron and Mel, like I told you last night, Ben was always going to win big brother, Blair never stood a chance and Sarah Marie was irritating! HA! Tay-Bear!