Author: Elizabeth
Category: JC/Lance, Joey/Justin but totally later in the story.
Summary: This is AU but they become a band later. Lance�s home caught on fire when he was 12 and his family died. He packed up what little he had left and ran away before social services could get him. On the streets, he meets 10 year old Justin, then 20 year old Chris, 14 year old Joey and 15 year old JC. Soon, these five guys depend on each other and later discover love and a bond that will last forever.
AN: For the person who askedJ Yes, Lance and Justin are Preteens. Justin is 10 and Lance is 12. Joey and JC are teens and Chris is an adult. And it�ll be slash when Lance is 19 and Justin is 17 because they�ll be wondering about their sexuality.
~*~
Joey stared at the phone and sighed. �Should I call them?�
�Do you want to?� JC said as they drove towards Nebraska.
Joey shrugged. �Good thing we got a few weeks off. Long drive.�
�We could have hopped a train but Johnny said no.� Lance said.
Joey looked at him and chuckled. Lance smiled. Mission: Not impossible.
Justin looked over from the passenger�s seat to study Joey. He didn�t know what Joey must be thinking right now. Chris was on the right and was staring out the window. Justin turned back around as JC drove past the �WELCOME TO NEBRASKA� sign.
�Where do you live Joe?� JC asked.
�Um�Lincoln. Oh and by the way, you and Lance? Lay low.�
Lance and JC nodded. JC kept on driving then turned down a street. Joey watched. �This house down on the corner, C.�
�All right.� JC put on his right blinker and turned into the driveway. There were two cars there.
�Do you want us to come with you?� Chris asked.
Joey thought about it. �If you want.� Joey opened the door and got out. JC looked at Lance. Lance unbuckled his seat belt and got out. JC followed him. Justin and Chris were last.
Joey walked up to the porch and looked at his band mates. They stayed away but near enough.
Joey breathed deeply and let it out. He put his hand up and knocked on the door. He waited a few seconds before knocking again. The door open and a young man stood there. He regarded Joey then his eyes widened.
�Joey?�
�Steve?�
�Oh my God, it�s you.�
�I�m sorry, Steve, I�m sorry.� Steven pulled Joey into a hug.
�Don�t apologize, don�t ever apologize! Mom! Dad! Janine, he�s here! Joey�s here!�
They pulled away and Joey wiped his eyes. He looked up to see his parents.
�Mom. Dad. I�m home.�
�Oh Joey.� Phyllis pulled him into a hug. �Oh, I missed you so much!�
�I missed you too. I�m sorry, I�m so sorry.�
�No, I�m sorry.�
Joey felt his dad wrap his arms around them and hugged him. �Daddy, I�m sorry. I couldn�t handle it. I couldn�t.�
�Sh, come on. Let�s go inside and talk. Bring your friends.�
Joey nodded and ushered the other guys to come. They looked at each other before going inside. JC went up to see the family pictures. He smiled at one baby picture.
�Joey, is that you?�
Joey turned and smiled. �Yeah.�
�I don�t even know if my parents have my baby pictures.�
Joey rubbed his shoulder before going over to his mom.
�What are you making?�
�Pasta. Your favorite.�
Joey smiled. �Mom. Why did you and dad fight all the time?�
Phyllis looked at Joe. He sighed and walked over.
�Joey, your mother and I were having trust issues. No, no, we weren�t�we weren�t cheating on each other. We just started to grow apart.�
�But it was no reason to blame it on your kids.�
�No, sweetie, it wasn�t. We were just so caught up that we didn�t notice how much we hurt you guys.�
Joey sighed. �Not until I ran away.�
�No.�
Joey hugged his mom again.
~*~*~*
Joey walked out onto the back porch with a coke in his hands. He walked over next to his brother and watched as JC and Lance shared quick kisses before walking away from each other. Justin and Chris were sitting by the pool, talking quietly.
�I woke up that day. I got dressed for school, ate breakfast, brushed my teeth. I was up before everyone else. Then Janine woke up. I found it funny because you woke up before her. So I decided to wake you up myself. I went upstairs and your bed was made. There was a note. I read it and at first I didn�t believe it. I checked your closet. Most of your stuff was gone. I got mom and dad up. Dad checked his wallet and said money was missing.�
Joey sighed. �I�m going to pay him back.�
�I know.�
Joey breathed deeply.
�We called the police and they searched everywhere for you. We couldn�t find a trace. For seven years, we held on to hope that you would come back. Then, I was walking home and I passed a music store. So I went inside and the first thing I saw was the NSYNC album. At first it didn�t hit me. Then I looked again, and there you were. That familiar smile. I didn�t want to believe it was you. I took the CD, bought it, and took it home. I showed it to mom, not saying it was you, and she said �There�s my baby. There�s my baby boy.� We showed dad and he realized who the other four were. Justin was the orphan. Lance was the one who lost his family. JC was abused and Chris just left.�
�I�m sorry I caused you guys so much pain.�
�No, Joey, you didn�t. I just wish we could have done something better.�
�It wasn�t you, Steve. It was the way mom and dad was acting. I was being selfish.�
Steve smiled and looked at his brother. Joey bit his lip and watched Lance and JC dance around.
�How were your birthdays?�
Joey laughed. �Um�dark. Sunny at times. Exciting. Not very many presents.�
�Don�t worry, bro, we�ll fix that.�
Joey smiled. �I�ll drink to that.� They clinked their cans together then hugged.
~*~*~*~
�Hello?� Lance grabbed the phone, while looking at schedule arrangements.
A pause. �Um�is Chris there?�
�Yeah, hold on.� Lance got up and went upstairs. He knocked on the door.
�Come in!� Chris called.
Lance walked in. �Phone.� He handed it to him.
�Thanks. Hello?�
�Chris?�
�Yes.�
�This is your mom.�
Chris looked up at Lance. Lance craned his neck.
Chris struggled for words. �Hi mom. How are you?�
Lance motioned that he was going to go. Chris nodded and Lance shut the door. Lance sighed, praying this would go well.
�I�m fine sweetheart. Are you all right?�
�Yeah, I�m fine mom. Don�t worry about me, worry about yourself.�
�Honey, I�ve spent seven years searching for you, I have a right to worry.�
Chris winced. �I�m sorry. I�ll pay you back for all the money I took out.�
�No, darling, no, you don�t need to. I couldn�t ask you to do that, especially when it was for the boys. How are they?�
�They�re fine. That was Lance who answered.�
�His voice got deep. I saw an old home movie of him on television and he had a high voice.�
Chris smiled. �He did, yeah. It got deep when we were in Florida. He was thirteen.�
He could hear her smile. �Well um�you have one more sister.�
�Really? Mom, that�s great.�
She smiled. �Her name�s Taylor. She�s heard so much about you. She misses you.�
Chris sniffled. �I miss her too. I um�I actually saw you once and you were pregnant.�
�Oh baby. I love you.�
�I love you too, mama. I�m sorry, I am so sorry.�
�No, sweetheart, you don�t need to apologize.�
Chris smiled. �How�s Molly?�
�She�s fine. She misses you.�
�I tried to help both of you, I swear.�
�I know.�
�Mom, what about the other two. Did you get them back?�
�No, honey. Not yet. I don�t know where they are.�
Chris sat back. �I want to see you again, mom. I want to see my little sister.�
�You will, baby, you will.�
�Are you still living in the old house?�
�Yes, yes, I am. I�ve made a better life for Taylor and myself. I just wish you could have been there. Oh honey, you were never a burden. I wish you knew that.�
�It may take a while to convince me.� Chris choked out.
�Chris, don�t cry. Please, don�t cry.�
�I�m trying not to.�
�How about this weekend? Taylor wants barbecue so we�re going out. Bring the rest of the guys.�
�I think they�d like that. Don�t be alarmed if Lance doesn�t eat a lot, he�s still used to trying to save food.�
�The poor boy. So I�ll see this weekend?�
�Where I belong.�
�I love you.�
�I love you too. Bye mom.�
�Bye baby.�
Chris hung up and wiped his eyes, sniffling. There was a knock and JC peaked in.
�Chris?�
Chris looked at him and smiled. �Hey. Come in.�
JC opened the door and Chris saw that he was holding Lance�s hand and they both walked in with Justin and Joey following.
�Lance told us. Are you all right?� Justin sat down next to his friend.
�Yeah, I think so. I have a new little sister. She�s about five. My mom wants to go to a barbecue this weekend.�
�We can do that.� Lance said with a smile. �Well I guess this proves we�re back.�
�Yeah. But really, who thought this would how we made our comeback into the real world?�
Everyone laughed at Justin.