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.
~*~
�Lance, let�s start with you.�
�All right. I was born on May 4, 1979 in Laurel, Mississippi to James and Diane Bass. I had an older sister named Stacy. She was three years old when I was born.�
�What was your family life like before the events of May 16th, 1991?�
�Really great. My sister and I would goof around and we�d put on shows for our parents. Every summer, we would go to this one beach that I took JC to a few months ago. Anyway, my dad and I loved to go fishing and we�d go while my mom and Stacy went shopping or to the spa.�
�Flash forward to 1991. What happened that day before the fire?�
Lance sighed. Justin rubbed his shoulder. �Well, my sister and I went to Sunday school that day and when we came home, my dad was there because he would usually get off work early to see us or to get us an after school snack. When I got there, he was making our snacks and he had his fishing hat on. I asked him why he was wearing it and he said that my mom said it�d be all right if he took me fishing that weekend and that was his way of surprising me. Anyway, my mom came home and we all sat down and had dinner. Then I took a shower, my last one in a real shower for eight years, and got ready for bed. I said good night to Stacy and called her �My little crazy nut� because we were nuts. We got along so well and she was a nut. I said good night to my dad and promised him I would pack up tomorrow. Then my mom took me upstairs and said good night to me and gave me a kiss, right here.� He gently poked his cheek and his nose. �Then she left. That was the last time I saw them alive.� He choked a bit.
�What did you hear when you woke up?�
�I heard my sister screaming for my dad. Then I heard my mom yell ��Oh my God, no, oh God save us� and then my dad said �I got to get Lance.� According to police, they found his body right outside my door. My sister and my mother were huddled together.�
�What made you realize you needed to leave and why?�
�I had a friend who was in foster homes and she wasn�t looked after right, like Justin�s orphanage. I didn�t want to go through that so I grabbed my bag and just left.�
�When did you and Justin meet?�
�The next morning, around the afternoon.�
�All right. Justin?�
�Well, I was born on January 31st, 1981. I grew up in Mr. and Mrs. Johnson�s orphanage in Clinton Mississippi. It was run by an elderly couple and owned by their son and daughter. I lived there for the first ten years of my life and during that time, I had made several attempts to run away.�
�Why couldn�t you leave?�
�I would usually get caught, or I would get cold, scared, and hungry, so I would go back.�
�You got teased a lot right?�
�Yes. I was told numerous times that I was left in a shoebox and that my parents didn�t care about me. A lot of nasty things that I found out weren�t true when I was about�I�d say 19.�
�That day, May 17th, the day Lance found you, what were you doing?�
�Well, I had ran away the night before and I was standing behind some old buildings when Lance came along.�
�What did you two do together?�
�We cut each other�s hair and we fed each other, changed each other�s hair.� Lance gently pulled Justin�s hair and Justin laughed, pulling Lance�s hair.
�How long was it before you met Chris?�
�Oh, wow. A week, maybe. Very early on.�
Justin nodded. �I was really hungry and Lance went to get me some chips. But, he was taking forever and I saw someone eating a sandwich so I walked up to him and asked for a piece. He gave me some and I haven�t been out of his sight since.�
Lance chuckled. �I came back and I trusted Chris immediately.�
�Now, Chris was 19 when this meeting took place. You were both 10 and 12. He did know this was considered kidnapping for taking you boys?�
�Yes, he knew that and he was very willing to take that risk. I asked him a few nights ago and he said that he felt sympathetic and he wanted to help us. And besides, we went willingly. Joey and JC knew that when we met them and we knew that. We had no problems.�
�How did Chris treat you two?�
�Like brothers. He treated us like we were his baby brothers. He was very careful with the things he said to me and he soothed Justin every time a police officer came into view.�
�Now boys, every cop in Mississippi, Tennessee, New York, and all the other places you�ve been are kicking themselves for never noticing you five boys. What was your secret?�
Justin laughed. �Dyed hair and lots of clothes.�
�Also, we worked out so we didn�t look as baby-ish as before.�
�Okay, when and how did you three meet Joey?�
�Okay, probably a week and we were in Maryland and we wanted to look around so we went up to this cabin and when we got inside, we decided to look around and I didn�t notice Joey sleeping in the corner so I tripped over his feet.�
Lance smiled. �We were so surprised so Chris woke him up and we got along great.�
�Now Joey�s reasons were that his parents were arguing?�
�Yes. His parents were arguing and they weren�t paying attention to him and his siblings. It wasn�t until two days after he left that his sister made them realize what was wrong. It took forever for them to fully recover from that. When Joey came home, I think that a huge weight was lifted from their home.� Justin said truthfully, heart full of love for the man he loved.
�Now, you guys got to New York and stayed there for a while?�
�Yes we did and that�s where Lance met JC.�
�I was going to see which alleyway we could sleep in and I was surprised to see a boy there, close to my age, shivering and looking as if someone had tossed him around. When I went up to him, he was very, very scared. He couldn�t even trust us enough for a while.�
�What did JC leave behind?�
�An abusive father, a neglectful mother, and a brother and sister who really needed him.�
�Why didn�t JC just call 911?�
�It wasn�t easy for him. He told me when he was five, he was going to sit beside his father and got slapped a million times before he finally got the hint. That was the first time he had gotten hit and then, apparently, at school, JC had heard something about child abuse and finally realized something was wrong so he left that night and he traveled by bus from Maryland to Washington D.C. and hopped the subway to New York.�
�How long was it before his sister called 911 herself?�
�One month later, after her father, in a drunken rage, beat up her brother.�
�Okay. You spent seven years on the run. How did it come to be that you got discovered?�
�Joey was had stomach ulcers that we didn�t know about and one day he collapsed and was screaming in pain. Well, none of us were really good at knowing how sick the other person is so we just thought Joey was getting stomach aches and it lasted one month. If we had waited another month, he would have died.� Justin said, trying not to cry at the memory.
�We were walking down the street and he suddenly fell to the ground, just screaming in pain and I had never seen someone in so much pain. We sang to him and he tried to sing back through the pain but it hurt him so much that even the slightest touch bothered him.�
�Our current manager, Johnny, finally came up to us and he realized something was wrong, so he got Joey in his car, and took us to the hospital. Chris and Johnny basically risked their butts by pretending to be family to get him into surgery.�
�Did they get in trouble with the hospital?�
�Nearly. Nearly, but Joey�s parents and the Hospital board held a meeting and agreed it was a life or death situation in which the parents couldn�t be involved so they didn�t get in trouble.�
�What was the hardest thing about coming from sleeping in alleyways and taking money from Chris�s mother to riding in a limo, winning awards, wearing fancy clothing?�
�Well as you can see, Justin just has on a white shirt and jeans and I have on my Wranglers and a red shirt. This is the least of how we dressed as kids.�
�We didn�t grow that much, we basically would eat very little and then we would go back to where we were staying and maybe every three months, Chris would be able to go to a store and buy us some clothing. The clothing we were wearing when Johnny found us had been ripped up jeans and dirty white t-shirts that had seen so many things. He didn�t realize who we were until later.�
�We�ve adjusted by taking it one step at a time and as you can tell, JC is the first one to go �Hey, you know what? I�ve been through hell, I�m doing what I want� so he�s wearing what he wants and doing what he knows how to do. We love him and we�ve loved him the moment we met him.�
�In our Pop video, I�m wearing this huge necklace and one day, I sat next to Chris and was like �is this real? I mean, was this how you imagined it when we were younger?� He couldn�t put it into words how he felt but I know he felt good inside.�
�Justin, you did a very big thing for Chris, did you not?�
�Yes, I did. I searched for his two missing sisters.�
�You were successful right?�
�Yes, I was. Katie and Emily are home with their sisters and are happier then ever.�
�You boys have grown up pretty fast. Justin, what was it like finally meeting your mom?�
Justin breathed out. �It was�weird. I mean, I saw her picture because Britney had gone to the orphanage and got it for me and it was filled with photos of my mom and me before she finally let me go a few weeks after having me. One day, she called me up and after I hung up, I cried for twenty minutes. Chris took me to meet her and the moment she hugged me, I felt right. It felt right to have this woman hold me.�
�Did you feel any anger towards her?�
�At first, yes. But as I grew older, I realized why she gave me up and we�ve talked about it and we�ve gotten past it. Now, I talk to her everyday and I just love spending time with her.�
�Lance, it�s been eleven years.�
Lance nodded. �Yes it has.�
�When you think of your family, what do you feel?�
Lance gulped. �Sadness�anger�confusion and hurt. I�m hurt that they left me but I know that God wanted them to be with Him and I have learned to accept that. The guys help me through everyday and I couldn�t take it without them. If I didn�t have them, I don�t know what I would do.�
Justin smiled. �I know that Lance�s parents would be proud of him. Lance has accomplished so much in his life.�
Lance smiled and blushed. �Thanks bro.�
They hugged each other tightly.
�Love you.�
�Love you. Thanks for finding me.�
Lance smiled as they pulled away.
~*~*~*~*
Two weeks later, Lance had his head in JC�s lap and was reading the magazine with the interview. On the cover of the magazine, Justin and Lance were standing side by side next to a sunset and were smiling widely. In a small square was a photo of Lance and Justin when they were ten and twelve. They were sitting on a bench, ripped shorts on their legs, but with small smiles on their faces as they linked arms.
The photographer had taken a picture of Lance and Justin�s hug and the guys teased them about it.
�If Justin wasn�t totally in love with Joey, I�d think he want Lance!� JC chuckled.
Justin threw a pillow at him. �Shut up, Chasez!�
JC cackled.
Lance giggled. �Joshua, you know I love you. Get down here.�
JC beamed as Lance kissed him deeply. Chris sighed dramatically.
�Look at the lovebirds!�
Joey smirked. �So cute.�
~*~*~*~*
�Hello?�
�Hey, Josh, it�s Tyler.�
�Hey bro. What�s up?� JC smiled up at Lance.
�I um�I got a letter, from our mom.�
JC frowned. He looked at Lance then away. He sat up quickly. �Did you open it?�
�Not yet. I called Heather and you first. I didn�t want to open it yet.�
�I�whoa, Tyler.�
�Yeah. Whoa.�
JC gulped. �Is Heather there?�
�Yeah, she�s sitting here.�
�I�ll be right there.�
�Okay.�
JC hung up and looked at Lance. �Our mother sent us a letter. I need to go over to Tyler�s.�
�I�ll come with you.�
JC smiled. �Thanks.�
They got up and ran to the car. Lance drove to Tyler�s house and they got out and went to the porch where Tyler and Heather were sitting.
�Hey.�
�Hey.�
�Hi.�
Heather hugged Lance. �Do you want anything to drink?�
�No, I�m fine. Thanks.�
JC gulped. �So�the letter?�
Tyler held it up. �You�re the oldest.�
JC sighed and took it. He looked at Lance. �I need you.�
�I�m here.� Lance pulled him close.
JC gulped and slowly opened the letter. He pulled it out and opened it up.
�What does it say?� Heather asked.
�Dear Josh, Heather and Tyler,
I am sure you all must hate me and I don�t blame you. I�ve been getting help for the last 10 years but I know it won�t help the years of torment your father and I have put you through. I have admitted it in front of a crowd of people but I haven�t admitted it to my own children. I am an alcoholic.
I was never able to run the family right and because of that, your lives were full of heartache. I got drunk every night and the next morning, you guys would have bruises on your faces. That last night Josh was home, your father convinced me to pretend we never had him around. It was painful so I drowned out my worries in alcohol.
I wasn�t home that final night that you and Tyler were taken away, Heather. I came back, nearly passed out drunk, to see my son being loaded into an ambulance and my daughter inside an open police car. I figured out my problem there. I was letting your father and alcohol control me. I know it can never happen but if you can find it in your hearts to forgive me, I would make up all the years I lost.� JC took a deep breath. �There�s more. God, I can�t read anymore.� He turned his face into Lance�s neck.
�Lance, you read it.� Tyler said.
�Okay.� He took the paper from his lover�s fingers and cleared his throat.
�Josh, when you were five years old, that was the first time the abuse happened. When I put ice on your chubby cheeks, I grabbed a bottle of Whiskey and downed it, trying to pretend it didn�t happen. I don�t have a good reason for what I did. I just wish I had the words to say I was sorry. When you ran away, I tried to pretend it didn�t happen. But it did and soon after, I missed my baby boy. When I first saw you on television in your video Tearin� Up My Heart, you looked so happy and carefree. I saw the pictures of you on the run and it made me regret. A lot. If you never forgive me, I will understand.�
JC cried softly and Lance held him close.
�Heather, my brave little girl. You were the responsible one when Josh ran away and I am so sorry I made you feel so neglected. I should have realized then what I was doing to you but I kept pretending it wasn�t going on and I am sorry for that. I just hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. Maybe if I had been able to get help, none of this would have happened.�
Heather sighed. �It would have.� Tyler held her close.
Lance cleared his throat and looked at Tyler. He gulped.
�Tyler, my youngest. I hope you know that I love you with all of my heart and I never meant for you to be hurt. I know it doesn�t seem like much but it was hard for me to watch you go in that ambulance and never see you or your sister again. Again, I am sorry.
I know that I can�t make you forgive me but I have learned my lesson. I didn�t know how to be a mom and I should have been able to care for you. Just know that I love you. Please visit me. You don�t have to forgive me but I want to see you.
I love you. Mom.�
Lance folded the letter and rubbed JC�s back as he cried helplessly. Heather buried her face in her arms and Tyler stared into the distance.