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.
~*~
The door opened and Karen walked in. She closed the door and looked up, gasping. Standing in front of her were her three children. One person she recognized from TV footages sat on the couch, watching the oldest boy carefully.
�Heather. Tyler. Josh.�
�Hello mother.� Tyler said.
�Oh�you guys have grown so much.�
Heather shook her head. �Is that all you have to say?�
�No. I have plenty to say.�
JC gulped. �I�m sorry I ran away. I had to. My life was at stake.�
�I know that. I�m so sorry. I never wanted this to happen to you. Any of you.�
�Well it did.� Heather said.
�Why mom? Why did you let him treat us like a sack of garbage?� Tyler asked.
Karen sighed. �Even through therapy I have had trouble figuring it out. I guess he was just controlling my mind.�
�You could have left. You could have left him and never turned back. That first time he hit me you could have left him. God mom I was five years old! It�s weird you know. I was thinking of what my friends were doing around that time. Chris�he was ten and he was helping his mom take care of his three sisters. Joey was four�he was learning to actually say full words. Lance was�two�yeah he was two and had a great family and Justin was eleven months old and in an orphanage. I was five and getting beat up. I want an answer. Why didn�t you just leave?�
Lance�s jaw dropped. He sat there just listening and not saying a word.
Heather and Tyler looked at JC then back at their mom.
�When I met your father, he wasn�t as controlling as he was after we were married. But soon he was making me do everything from going out to get him beers to staying inside to be a mom. I was so under his control that I didn�t even notice what he was doing was destroying everything I ever wanted in a family. I�m so sorry. I just wish you could forgive me.�
JC looked down and over at Lance. Lance looked at him with love in his eyes. JC turned back to Karen. �I want to start over. I don�t know if I can forgive you but I miss you. I hated saying that but I miss you.�
�So do I. Everyday I would be so bitter and angry but�for some reason I still love you, mom. Even after the shit we had to deal with.� Heather said, trying not to cry.
Tyler sighed. �You�re making this hard for me. I was scared of a lot of people growing up. I�m afraid to trust you again, mom. I have to see that you�re better to forgive you.�
Karen nodded. �Take all the time you need.�
JC sighed. �I want you to meet someone. He�s been a part of my life since this started.�
Karen smiled.
JC reached a hand for Lance and Lance stood up.
�Mom, this is Lance. He found me in New York�when I thought I had no one. Mom, we�re together. We�re getting married.�
�I�m so happy for you. You deserve someone to treat you right and to love you.�
�I love your son with all my heart.�
�I can see that�just by looking at you both. I don�t think I�ve ever seen Josh smile since Tyler was born.�
JC smiled and held Lance�s hand tightly.
Later, they all sat down for dinner.
�Have you had any contact with him?� Heather asked as she buttered her roll and then handed the basket to Lance so he could get something to eat.
�Not in five years. I never wanted to speak to him again.�
�Good.� Tyler said.
Karen smiled slightly.
�Oh shoot! Lance, weren�t we supposed to call Justin when we got in?�
�Oh great.� Lance sighed. �Would if be all right if we used your phone?�
�Not at all.�
Lance smiled and got up. He dialed.
�Hello?�
�Hey Chris it�s Lance.�
�Hey man! How�s everything?�
�Fine. We�re at JC�s mothers right now. I was supposed to call Justin earlier but forgot.�
�No problem. I�ll tell him you called. How�s JC doing?�
�He�s good, actually.�
�Good. I gotta go get Joey and Justin. They apparently didn�t hear me say dinner was ready.�
Lance giggled and hung up.
�What�s so funny?� JC asked.
�Oh�nothing.� Lance sat down and continued to eat. JC raised an eyebrow but kept eating.
�I�ll get it out of you.�
�We�ll be able to tease Justin and Joey.�
�Oh yes!�
Tyler chuckled.
Heather made a face.
Karen shook her head. �I don�t want to know do I?�
�Just be glad you don�t live with us.� JC shook his head and ate.
The next day, JC drove Lance down to his old house. �That�s it.�
�Beautiful.�
�Yeah. See that window right up there? That was my room and that is also where I escaped.�
�Oh Josh�you were so brave.�
JC sighed. �I�m more brave with you.�
Lance smiled softly and held his hand tightly.
They drove down for a while then got back to the house. They sat in the car for a while just listening to the radio.
�Want to know something funny? And seriously corny.�
Lance laughed. �Sure.�
�When I ran away�the first night I was really alone�I dreamt about you. I mean I didn�t know it was you.�
�Really? What was it about?�
�Well�I was lying in bed and a knock came at the door. A blond beautiful boy walked in and he walked over to me. He held me close and we didn�t say anything. It was like�I was being protected. I woke up only to go to sleep hoping to see that beautiful boy again. And then�you showed up. I didn�t want to believe this young boy was the person I had been dreaming about. But that night that you kissed me�I knew you were him.�
Lance smiled through tears and stroked a hand through JC�s hair. He pulled JC close and they kissed softly and passionately. JC stroked Lance�s soft cheek. Their tongues brushed together and Lance jumped as he felt something vibrate.
�Oops, my phone.� He grabbed it. �Hello?�
�Lance, get your lips off my brother and get in here before someone sees you!�
Lance giggled. �Like I care Heather.� He hung up the phone and threw it in the backseat. He pulled JC to him and kissed him passionately, ignoring his ringing phone.
When they got back in the house, Heather glared playfully at them but smiled.
Karen walked in and smiled. �You�re back.�
�Yeah we just�were talking.� Lance nodded.
�I was a teenager once, Lance.� She nodded and walked into the kitchen.
JC looked after her. �Mom?�
Lance chuckled. �She�s a surprising woman.�
�Yeah. I guess she did change.�
Lance smiled. �She did. I do believe people can change, you know?�
JC looked at him.
�We�re not homeless anymore. None of us sleep in alleys anymore. We changed.�
JC smiled slightly. They felt a flash and turned. Tyler smirked.
�I am going to kill you!� JC chuckled as he ran after his brother. Lance smiled and watched.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A week later, Heather and Tyler got their bags in the car after saying good bye to their mom.
JC stood on the porch, waiting for Lance. Karen wanted to give him something. Lance finally walked out with Karen following.
�Hey.�
�Hi. Look.� Lance held a photo album.
�What�s in there?�
�Photos of us growing up.�
JC looked at him then took it. He opened the book and saw the baby photos and any photo of JC without a bruise. Next to those were pictures of Lance.
�How did you get these?�
�Magazines.� Karen said.
JC looked at her. �Thanks mom.�
Karen nodded.
�Well um�I�m going to get in the car. It was nice to meet you, Karen.�
�You too. Take care of him for me.�
�I will.� He took the album and went down to the car.
JC watched before turning to his mom. �Are you totally better?�
Karen looked into his eyes. �Truthfully�I am. I never thought I was. Then one day, I saw your video and I saw you�I couldn�t breathe for a moment. It was like seeing a ghost. I wanted to make sure it was you. Then the photos came out and I saw that first picture of you�right after they found you. And I realized how messed up we were. You guys never deserved to be abused.�
�Your right�we didn�t.�
�I will do anything I can to make you believe me.�
�Just be a mother.�
Karen nodded. �I want to be.�
JC sighed and hugged her. �I love you mom.�
�I love you too.�
JC sighed and pulled away. �I gotta go.�
She nodded. �Okay. Bye.�
�Bye.�
JC went to the car and got in. Lance wrapped an arm around him and held him close.