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.
~*~
JC kicked his legs along the cool waters of the pool and sighed softly. Justin was inside on the phone with the Department for Social Services, discussing Chris�s final missing sister. Lance and Chris were taking Taylor to a movie while Joey was upstairs in his room, napping.
JC was watching all these reunions with love and a heavy heart. While everyone else was happy, he knew Lance was feeling like no one else was around for him, except JC. As for JC, he had a brother and a sister, whom had been taken to social services. If he figured right, Heather was twenty-one and Tyler was eighteen. So they were old enough to find each other, or if they were together, they could try and contact him. It made JC upset. They must have learned about him being a star. But he knew how one of them felt. When Heather sent the pictures, she sent a note saying �I love you Josh. Thank you for giving me the courage to finally end this abuse. I�m fine. Tyler and I were separated three years ago, I have no idea where he is. Don�t give up hope. We�ll be together again. Heather.� JC cherished the note.
JC thought about the last time he saw his brother and sister. Their father had come home drunk once again and their mom was passed out on the couch, no dinner on the table. JC was doing all he could to make it while Tyler and Heather tried to wake their mom up. Their father walked into the door and the first thing he saw was Heather and Tyler trying to get their mom up. He shoved them against the wall and slapped Tyler twice, then kicked Heather in the side. In the kitchen, JC was getting the mashed potatoes and hamburger patty on the kitchen table and was getting his dad some beer when his dad came in and slapped him across the face.
�You�re mother better have taught you how to make potatoes, or you�ll be getting the whipping of your life tonight.�
JC just stood there. Heather came in and his father went to grab her. JC stood in front of her and got another slap for that. JC made Heather leave and calmed his dad down. When his father went to eat, he pulled Tyler and Heather over to him and they went upstairs. In JC�s room, he packed his clothes.
�What are you doing?� Heather asked.
�I�m running away.�
�But why? Daddy didn�t mean it.� Tyler said.
�You�re going to say that until he kills one of us, aren�t you?�
Tyler whimpered. �Daddy said you�re a fag.�
JC looked at Tyler and sighed. �Don�t say that word, Ty. It�s mean and hurtful. I�m going to run away. When I can, I am going to come back for you.�
�Don�t make promises you can�t keep, Josh.�
JC licked his lips. �I�ll try not to.�
He hugged her tightly then bent down to hug Tyler.
�Here. Take this.�
Tyler gasped. �But JC! It�s your lion pendent.�
�I should be able to get a new one. When we meet again, we can switch, ok?�
Tyler nodded and started to cry.
�Don�t cry. Don�t let dad see you cry.� He hugged his brother. �I love you. I love you more than anything.�
�I love you too.�
JC hugged Heather. �Love you.�
�Love you.� She said bravely.
JC picked up his bag and sighed. �Wish me luck, little sis. Don�t let dad beat you too bad.�
�I won�t.� She wrapped an arm around Tyler.
JC looked at them one last time before jumping out the window. They ran to the window and saw him stand up. He turned to them, waved, and then ran as quickly as he could.
Now, JC was twenty-two. It had been so long since that day. According to the article, Tyler had been severely beaten the day before Heather called the police. When the police got to the house, Tyler had bruises everywhere and Heather had a broken rib and bruises on her arms and fingernail marks on her legs. Their parents were arrested for abuse and neglect. Heather told them the last injuries Josh had was a slightly healed bruised ankle, a harsh cut on his arm and a bruise on his cheek. Tyler had said the F word so yes, everyone knew JC was gay, even when NSYNC was still becoming famous. No one looked down on him and sometimes at a meet and greet, a fan would come up and hug him, saying she was a victim of abuse and only got out after her brother had been killed. It broke JC�s heart.
JC looked at the slight scar on his arm. It wasn�t visible and had been healed. JC put his hand on the water and made it ripple. He looked up, remembering that in her note, Heather had said she was in California and to find her when he could. He decided to get Lance and take a road trip.
~*~*~*
�So, will you come with me? To find her?�
Lance smiled. �I�d do anything for you. But JC, you know we�re so busy.�
�We�ll make time. They have to let me. I haven�t seen my sister since I ran away. Come with me, please.�
Lance smiled. �Okay.�
JC smiled and kissed him. �Thank you.�
Lance blushed. �Anything for you?�
JC smiled. �So Scoop, when�s our next break?�
�In three weeks. We finished the tour and now we have about a month off.�
�Hmm that seems like a fair deal.�
Lance giggled. �I just hope those three can survive without us.�
JC raised an eyebrow. �Oh, they can. We spent a two weeks without Justin.�
�Oh shut up and kiss me.�
�Do you have to ask?�
JC crawled on top of him and Lance growled gently as JC�s soft lips landed on his.
For the next three weeks, JC and Lance got ready for their road trip, while Joey, Chris and Justin figured out how they would spend their month. Chris was going to spend time with his family while Joey and Justin went to have a big weekend in two areas. For two weeks, they�d be at Joey�s home and for the last few weeks, they�d be with Justin�s new family. This would be the first time they were mostly away from each other.
Pretty soon, JC and Lance had packed up their things, chosen a route and now stood in front of JC�s truck, saying good bye to their friends.
�Have fun. Call me, you have the number.� Justin hugged JC. �You�ll find them, C. I know you will.�
�Thanks Justin.� JC smiled and hugged the other two.
�Hey, keep him safe.� Chris said nodding at Lance.
�Always.� JC smiled and got in the car with Lance.
�Bye guys.� Lance waved.
�Bye!� They watched the guys drive off and looked at each other.
�Well, I better get going. Remember, don�t run off on each other and eat good�oh wait, you never do.�
Justin chuckled and hugged Chris. �Have fun. I�m still looking.�
�I know. Tell him.� Chris whispered and pulled away to hug Joey. Justin just stared at him. How did he know?
�Bye Chris, have fun.�
�You too, Joe. Don�t go sleeping in alleyways and scaring anyone.�
Joey snickered. �I won�t.�
Justin smiled. Pretty soon, Chris was off and Joey and Justin were left.
They looked at each other and smiled.
�Guess we better get to the airport.�
�Yep.�
Joey smiled and clapped Justin on the back. �Come on.� They walked towards the car.
~*~*~*
Lance opened his eyes and sat up. �Where are we?�
�Just heading into Tennessee.�
Lance smiled. �How long have you been driving?�
�Sixteen hours.�
�What? Jayce, pull over.�
�What? Lance?�
�I said pull over.�
JC sighed and did what he was told. Lance got out of the car and went around to his side. He pulled JC out, kissed him, and shoved him into the passenger�s seat then got in the driver�s spot himself. He smiled. �Now, go to sleep.�
JC smiled and did just that. About four hours into the drive, Lance heard strange noises coming from JC. He glanced at him then turned back to the road, carefully going over how to drive in his head. He heard the noises getting louder and looked at JC again. He put his hand out to wake him when he suddenly jerked awake.
�No! Daddy!� He panted heavily and Lance pulled over to the side of the road.
�Sh, it�s okay Jace, it was just a nightmare. It�s all right.� Lance stroked his arm.
JC looked at him. �I haven�t had nightmares since I was younger. It was so real.�
�Do you want to talk about it?�
JC looked into his eyes. They were warm and comforting. �The first time I remember him hitting me. I was five. I came home from school and he was watching TV so I got up and went to sit next to him. He shoved me away. When I kept coming back, he finally slapped me. I just kept coming back until I had bruises all over my face. They made me tell people I crashed into a wall.�
�Jace, I am so sorry. I hate that this happened to you.�
�I know. Me too.�
Lance hugged him. They sat there for a few moments.
�We better get going.�
�You�re okay though, right?�
�Mm, yeah I am.�
Lance smiled and started driving again while JC tried to sleep without nightmares.
Eight hours later, Lance was still driving and smiling the whole time. JC opened his eyes and smiled.
�You�re enjoying this aren�t you?�
�Can you tell? I love this freedom.�
�You�ve been free since you were twelve.�
�Yeah. But this is so much better!�
JC chuckled. �Whatever you say, babe.�
Lance rolled his eyes. �You are so sleeping in the alleyway tonight.�
�Oh darn it.� JC said sarcastically.
Lance laughed.
~*~*~*
Joey walked into the backyard and grinned. �And this Justin, would be my escape route.�
�How did you escape? There are windows everywhere!�
�Well, I waited till my parents were asleep. Then I crawled out the window, landed down on my butt, ran as quietly as I could to this fence, dug a hole and crawled out underneath it.�
�No wonder you stank when I met you.� Justin fanned his nose.
�Oh, come here and say that!� Joey tackled him they had a wrestling match then Joey pinned Justin and tickled him. Justin howled.
�Say Uncle!�
�NEVER!� Justin laughed until it hurt.
�Say it!�
Justin shook his head and squealed. �Okay! Uncle! Uncle!�
�I knew you�d see it my way.� Joey got off him.
Justin grinned and stood up. �Okay, come on.� They went inside the house.
~*~*~*
Chris sat down on the porch swing and swung slowly back and forth. Kate walked out and smiled. She sat down next to him.
�Hey. How are you doing?�
�Fine, little sister.� He wrapped an arm around her and kissed her head. She smiled.
�I thought I�d never feel you hold me again.�
�Me neither. I never stopped thinking about you guys. I never wanted to.�
Kate looked at him. �Why did they take us? We always asked but no one said why.�
�Well, social services felt that you and your sister were being neglected. I was starting college and Molly visiting her father for a month. Without doing investigating, they just took you. Mom, your sister, and I fought for three months to get you back. But by that time, you were gone. So we stayed with mom and then I lost everything. By the time my dad called to say he�d let me stay with him, I had left.�
Kate sighed. �Think Justin will find Emily?�
�If there�s anything that guy can�t do is let his friends be hurt. I doubt he�ll give up.�
Kate smiled. �Good.� She hugged him tightly.