Chapter SevenLance stared at the steering wheel of the beat-up old Jeep he was driving, trying to take calming breaths. This was the worst fucking thing that could fucking happen to him. This piece of shit car had to stall in the middle of a damn forest, in the middle of a damn thunderstorm.
Lance tried to start the car again, listened to the whir of the engine, and hit the steering wheel when it didn’t start.
Then he climbed out of the car, regretting the decision not to bring an umbrella. "It’s not going to rain," Lance muttered under his breath. "Ha, not rain my ass. Last time I ever listen to the locals." The owner of the inn he was staying at had assured him it wouldn’t rain, the clouds didn’t look right for rain. "I should really have trusted myself on this."
He followed the road, which was actually just a dirt road, not wanting to get lost in the dark forest. He wasn’t superstitious, or so he told himself, but he thought it wouldn’t be smart to wander in that forest and risk getting lost. And besides, he had more of a chance of finding some form of shelter on the road. Not in the dark forest.
~~~
An hour later, Lance was soaked to the skin and freezing. He would have jumped at any shelter offered to him, even if it was offered by some suspicious looking stranger. All he wanted was to get warm and dry. And some water and food would be nice.
He saw the gates first and started running. Gates has to mean something, right? He’d take anything, even a broken down shack inhabited by some nocturnal animal.
He pushed the gates open, and, surprisingly, they opened on silent hinges. He didn’t know if that freaked him out more than their squeaking would have. He didn’t really care. Dracula could live in the chateau just up the road for all he cared. It had a roof and walls. Shelter, at last!
He ran up the road and up the stairs to the front doors and pounded on them, praying someone was there. Or that they’d open up beneath his fists.
~~~
Justin shivered under his blankets as another storm raged around the house. A sudden pounding made him bolt upright and scream.
He grabbed a candlestick from the bedside table and walked out of his room. No one was going to steal anything from him or try to kill him, or even gawk at the freak.
Justin slowly made his way down the hall and down the stairs, hoping whoever it was hadn’t gotten in.
~~~
The door opened beneath his fists, like he hoped, and Lance stepped inside. He glanced around the foyer, and noticed all of the human touches. There were a few lamps here and there, a few books on a table, a vase, although it was empty. Someone either lived there or someone came over quite often to clean the place.
A sound made him look up and he saw a figure come running towards him, his hands raised above his head, screaming.
Overwhelmed, Lance ducked and screamed.
The figure froze. "Lance?"
Lance looked up.
~~~
"Joey," JC said suddenly, "what was the bet between you and Chris?"
"We were betting on when you would come out. I said you wouldn’t come out until NSYNC was over."
"We hadn’t actually announced we were over yet, though."
"But to all of us, we were over."
"How did you and Chris know I was gay?"
Joey glanced at him and then looked back to the road. He said one thing. "Lance."
~~~
Justin? Could he have found Justin? "Justin?" Lance said, walking closer to the figure that was now hidden in the shadows. "Justin, is that you?"
"Lance," Justin whispered, moving back with every step Lance took forward. "Lance, what are you doing here?"
"My car broke down and this was the first place I saw." He took another step towards Justin.
"What- what are you doing in France?" He took another step back.
"Stop trying to get away from me, Justin. I was looking for you."
"Why, so you could mock the freak?" Lance could picture Justin’s lips curling up in disgust.
"No, Justin. I wanted to find you so we- so I could make sure you’re okay. So I knew that you were still alive. Not because I wanted to mock you. I would never do that."
"Yeah, sure, whatever," Justin said. He scuttled up the stairs, until he was halfway up them. "I don’t care what you wanted. I’m fine. I’m still alive. You can leave now."
"Justin, you can’t get rid of me that easily."