So yeah, it was said that there were gonna be 2 chaps posted b4 the new year, but hey, there wasn’t any feedback, and things got busy! SO, to make up for it, 2 chaps will be posted close in proximity, provided we get feedback. Feedback=more chaps posted! [email protected]

Last Time . . .

“LJ?” Josh said talking to the little boy, “Can you tell Xaina that we need to talk to her?”

“Why are you calling me LJ?” he asked.

“It’s short for Little Justin!”

“Oh, ok! I like it!”

“Ok, well, can you tell Xaina now?” Josh said laughing.

“Ok!” He said as he sat back in the library chair and closed his eyes.

He closed his eyelids and they began to shudder and Chris couldn’t help but go over to him.

This Time . . .

“Do not worry Chris! He is in no pain.” Xaina said rising from the boy’s body.

“I’m sorry, but it’s just gonna take some getting used to! He’s just so young!”

“But strong spirited.”

“Yes, believe me I know!”

“He will be a great fighter one day!”

“I wish I could be proud of that!”

“You will be, eventually.”

“Ok, so about the families.” Lance said bringing the focus back to the main issue. “From 1971, that was when Chris was born, until 1994, that was about when we got together, who were the families and where were they located?”

After an hour of combing through the years, they found out that at one point or another throughout the 23 years, there was a family located within a ten-mile radius from each of their locations. It was the fates way of protecting the Chosen Ones, whether the families knew it or not.

“There is no way we can be certain to which time period the vampires are going to be traveling to, but we have narrowed it down for each of you. Lance, we have only narrowed it down to anytime before you were sent to try out for the group. Justin, and Josh, it was anytime before you were in the Mickey Mouse Club. Joey, it was anytime before you moved to Orlando. Chris, it was anytime before you went to college. Beryl is the only one we are certain about, that is because there is only one time where they could successfully strike at you. That is from the night of your family’s death to the night of the funeral. That might seem easy, but it is the hardest of them all, because for that short time, there were no families around. There is also a chance that because one of you is going back, that your present day selves then will feel your presence. That is the most risky thing and to the person who goes back to that time, you must act quickly and get out of there as soon as you can.”

“Then I’ll go back to then.” Josh said.

“No, you can’t! You are the greatest risk to feel your own presence. Since you are the most powerful, your present day self would definitely feel your presence and might even try and look for you.”

“Then I could go back and remain transformed as something else.” Beryl said.

“No, you can’t either. You would be psychically linked with yourself and could do great damage. Because you’ve had ESP since your birth, you could wind up killing yourself if you are even remotely in contact with yourself. That is why it is going to be risky to send you back to any time after 1981.”

“Well, if any of them go back before 1981, then that’s where I’ll go, or should I say, when I’ll go.”

“Could I go back to Beryl’s time?” Lance asked.

“No, you and JC have a psychic connection and he’d try and find you!”

“We all have a psychic connection!” Josh said.

“Yes, but some more than others!”

“The best bet is for Chris to go back.”

“Why me?”

“Because your psychic connection with JC is the weakest, that is why you two were able to stay away from each other for so long.”

“But wouldn’t he feel himself and try to teleport to it?” Joey asked.

“No, because my range wasn’t that far back then!” Chris said.

“Correct. So, Chris is going back to Beryl, now for the rest of you. We have to decide whose past you’re going to.” Xaina said.

“Ok, I have a question first.” Josh said.

“Yes?”

“Were we still psychically linked before we all met?”

“Slightly, but you weren’t in touch with it.”

“Would going back to the past make us get in touch with it earlier?”

“No.”

“So it wouldn’t matter whose past we went to?”

“Well, as far as that reason, no, but there are other things to take into consideration which will decide who is going when and where.”

“Like?”

“Like your point of intersection.”

“What’s that?”

“The time and place where your paths crossed for the first time. For example, JC could not go back to Justin’s past or Joey’s because he met Joey as soon as he got to Orlando, and he’d meet Justin soon enough on the Mickey Mouse Club, so Joey and Justin couldn’t go back to JC’s past either. Any of you could go back to Lance’s past depending on what time period it is. If it’s too close to the time when you started the group, Beryl would have to go. If that be the case, then Joey would have to go back to Justin’s past, JC would go to Chris’, Lance would go to JC’s, and Justin would go to Joey’s. Since you all look different now then you did when you first met, your past selves won’t fully recognize your present selves. However, if they see you, your souls will recognize one another causing a sense of deja voux within your past selves, but won’t be anything serious. They might try and come up to you, but you cannot interfere with them. If they try and contact you, you must leave immediately. The most contact you can have is saving them. That is the only interference you can cause. Since it wasn’t meant to happen, in a sense, it doesn’t matter how you stop it.”

“This is confusing!” Joey said.

“But do you get it?” Josh asked.

“Yeah, but I got a headache!”

“So do I!” Justin said.

“However . . .” Xaina began. “For everyone’s sake, they won’t be striking too close to when you met, because as I said, it’d be too risky. So, these are the assignments. Chris will be going back to Beryl’s past, Beryl will be going back to Josh’s past and Josh will be going back to Chris’ past. Joey will be going back to Lance’s past, Lance will be going back to Justin’s past, and Justin will be going back to Joey’s past.”

“Wait, I thought you said that I couldn’t go back to Joey’s past?” Justin asked.

“No, I said that you and Joey couldn’t go back to JC’s past.”

“Oh . . .”

“So do we know when they’re going to strike?” Lance asked, “I mean, present time in which they plan on going back in time, so we can figure out when in present time we try and intercept them in the past to save our future . . . Whoa . . . I got a headache now too!” Lance said laughing, putting his hands on his temples and leaning his head on the table.

“He’s so cute!” Josh thought. “So we should inform the Dream Masters about this then.” Josh said.

“That would be a good idea!” Chris said.

“Should we tell them or do you want to Xaina?” Justin asked.

“Do you think they would be able to handle seeing me?” She replied.

“I think you should, since there’s a lot of stuff they don’t know that you could explain better than we could.” Lance said lifting his head back up.

“So, let’s go get them!” Joey said.

They all started to walk out of the room except for Chris who wasn’t going to leave LJ’s side.

As they were walking Josh stopped all of them.

“No, I’ll get them. I need to say some stuff to them first.” Josh said walking out past them.

“Call if you need back up.” Joey said as he walked back into the room

            Josh walked down the long halls of the manor to the Dream Masters wing. It was too quiet, and quite eerie. As he came around the corner he saw them standing there. He noticed that Dom was leaning up against the wall and appeared to be a little dazed. The others stood there talking.

“If the Doc is a bad guy, then how come he went after Leo first?” Shawn said looking over to Leo who had just yawned.

“Yeah I would think he would’ve gone after . . . Dom. I mean it was his father and all. Don’t ya think suga?” Buffy said looking to Vanessa.

“I don’t know.” Vanessa said.

“Well, I think we need to get the Slayers and get the hell out of here. Somewhere safer.” Sonia said looking obviously scared.

Josh stepped closer to them and said,

“It would be smart to do, but we can’t leave.” The Dream Masters all turned and looked at him. Their eyes confused and scattered, wandering around, avoiding eye contact with Josh. “I need you guys to come downstairs with me. There is someone who wants to talk to you.” Josh said as he stepped to the side and let them walk down the stairs.

8am the next morning

            Justin sat next to Jonathan’s bed and watched him as he slept. The room was large, and Justin sat in the chair, his arms holding up his head, and his elbows on his legs, he watched thinking about when he left, how small his little brother was. For years Justin had wondered if he would ever see him again, and now there he was, sleeping beside him. With the same golden brown curls, and ocean blue eyes that he had. Both of them shared resemblance of their father, and sometimes even acted like him.

            The morning sun started to creep through the windows in Jon’s room, and the light lit his face like it was made of gold. Justin smiled and thought about what might be going through his head at the time. Maybe thoughts of home, or maybe he was dreaming about some far off place that only his mind could imagine. Then sorrow struck Justin in a single blow. Jonathan was now involved in the whole mess of things. Now he knew everything, and now he had to deal with it. He knew everything. Justin wished he didn’t, he wished that he could have told him why he left. It would have made things much easier on him, it would have made a lot of things easier. He could’ve talked about something until he brought up the subject. They could have talked about Justin’s Mom, and their Dad. They could’ve set lots of things up. But yet the time would still come when Justin would have to explain why he left, and why he didn’t even talk. Then in a quick and smooth click the alarm clock went off, and Justin quickly turned off the alarm, hoping that it wouldn’t wake him. But Justin’s hopes were soon destroyed as he saw the boy stretch and open his eyes. As soon as he did, the stone ceiling of the room caught him off guard. He sat up and looked around the room until his eyes met with Justin’s. They sat silent for several seconds before Jon said,

“I’m not dreaming am I? Your really here right?” His voice filled with sadness, as if he knew that he was dreaming.

“No, you’re not dreaming.” Justin said as he looked away from his brother and down at his hands, then back at his brother.

Suddenly, in a quick leap Jon’s arms flew around Justin, and he put his head on Justin’s shoulder. Justin quickly put his arms around him, and hugged him tightly.

“I kept dreaming that . . . that I would wake up, and there would be something on my dresser, like you used to do when you came home from tour and I was asleep. But you’re actually here!” Jonathan said hugging his brother tighter. Justin didn’t respond, he just savored the hug, and the sound of his brother’s voice. A single tear fell from Jonathan and he pulled back and looked Justin dead in the eyes and said,

“So, I guess we have a lot to talk about don’t we?” Justin just nodded his head and looked over to the window. “So, um, I was just wondering how long it would take you to tell me why you left. Cause I want to know, but . . . I can wait. Then there’s the fact of this . . . Wizard thing you got going on. Not to mention that accent of yours! What is it? German?” Jonathan said forcing a smile.

“Look, Johnny . . . I don’t want to do this. I never did. I left because of things you couldn’t possible understand. And I don’t plan on telling you anytime soon. So, I’ve booked you a transport back to Memphis. God knows what Dad is going through right now. He’s probably called my mom by now asking if she knows anything!” His little brother sat there looking at him, hurt and saddened by the words coming from his big brother’s mouth. Justin got up and walked towards the door, then turned and looked and Jon. “I don’t want you to think that I’m not happy to see you. I just don’t want you here. Not now.“

Jonathan stood from his bed and said,

“I’m not going anywhere. And Dad and Lynn BOTH know where I am! In fact I have half a mind to call them right now and tell em you’re still alive. But I’m not.”

“Oh, you’re going home. Cause I don’t want to have to worry about you. If it were different then you would stay here. As weird as it would be, I would like to have you around to pick on again.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

Justin smiled at his brother’s stubbornness and walked out of the room. When the door closed Jonathan looked around the room and walked over to the phone and quickly dialed a number, it rang and a groggy voice answered.

“You’d better have a damn good reason for calling me this early!” the voice said.

“Joey, Justin wants to send me home.” Jonathan said into the phone, smiling the whole time

“Mmmhmm.” Was all Joey said.

“Well, can you tell him that I don’t have to go?”

“Nope. Good bye Johnny.” Joey said as his cell phone beeped, indicating that was the end of the call.

            Johnny put down the phone, threw on a hat and ran out of his room down to the training area. When he got into the room he saw Chris jumping across the floor, then flipping and kicking.

“Chris!” Johnny said yelling.

Chris stopped and looked over at him.

“Hey Johnny!” Chris said as he ran and gave him a hug. “Missed yah. What’s up?”

“Well, Justin is trying to send me home and seeing that I just saw him again and I . . .” But before he could finish Chris cut him off.

“Sorry. Can’t help yah. Try Joey he could never say no to you.” Chris said walking back in to the middle of the room.

“Already tried. He said no.”

“Well, try Josh. He never ever ever says no to you.” But before Chris could turn around he heard Johnny’s feet running down the hall.

“NO RUNNING IN THE HOUSE!” Chris yelled at Johnny.

“THIS ISN’T A HOUSE!” Johnny yelled back.

“GOOD POINT . . . CARRY ON!”

            He ran into the kitchen to see Lance reading a papertron and before Johnny could utter a word, and without even looking up, Lance said,

“No! Try Josh.”

“Damn it!”

“Hey watch your mouth! And Take your hat off!” Lance yelled as he smiled and went back to reading the electronic tablet.

            Jonathan went running up to the den and saw Josh sitting at the computer with something that looked like a computer lay out of a complex, but Johnny didn’t care. He smiled and walked over to Josh and just like Lance did Josh said.

“No.”

“Oh Come on Josh! This is so not fair!” Johnny said angrily. “I mean I just got here! I love it here!”

“So do I, as big as it is, it kind of has a homey feel to it doesn’t it?” Josh said mocking Johnny.

“Please?” Johnny said trying to give Josh the sad little boy look that Justin had down pat years ago, and had managed to pass off to his brother.

“I’m not looking.” Josh said typing on the computer.

“Please.” Johnny said again.

This time Josh’s eyes began to drift to Johnny, and as soon as he saw the look on Johnny’s face he got up, walked out of the room and yelled,

“Justin!”

Johnny smiled and said,

“I love you Josh.”

Josh peeked his head back in and said,

“Only for my money!”

“A boy has to have his standards.”

Josh laughed and then heard Justin yell from upstairs.

“He is going home!”

“Curly don’t make me come up there and kick your ass!” Josh yelled then ran up the stairs into the main hall.

TBC . . .

Again, feedback=chaps posted quicker! [email protected]