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.
~*~
They all sat together underneath a tree in the park. Chris was explaining music to Justin and Lance and Joey were talking happily.
�So, music has been around for a long time? Then why did nobody ever talk about it in the orphanage?�
�I don�t know, Justin. But maybe when you are older, we can all find out.�
�But they�ll get me!� Justin said with a sigh.
�Not unless you�re an adult. When you are an adult, you make your own decisions. They can�t touch you. Not until your 18 will you be able to find out.�
�Eight years?� Justin counted.
Chris smiled. �Afraid so. Guys, I was wondering, when are your birthdays?�
�January 28th.�
�May 4th.�
�January 31st.�
�Mine is October 17th. Okay, so Lance, you just turned 12, right?� He nodded. �Okay. Joey, how old are you?�
�I�m fourteen.�
�Really? Okay. So I need to be careful with all of you. Joey, if anyone asks, we�re brothers.�
Joey nodded. �What do we say about our parents?�
Chris sighed. �I didn�t think of that. Okay, if anyone does ask, we�ll say that we are going to visit our aunt and uncle in New York. But we cannot give anymore information other than that, all right?�
They nodded.
�But what if the recognize us?�
�We just deny it. We can�t let them find out who we are.�
Justin nodded. �But�what if they do find out and�take us back?�
�Then I am going to have to leave you guys.�
�No. Chris, no!� Justin jumped into his arms. �I don�t want you to leave!�
�I know, Justin, I know.�
�Don�t leave us, Chris. We�ll find a way.� Lance said, his bottom lip trembling.
Chris smiled apologetically. �I�ll try not to.�
Lance nodded and Joey clapped Chris on the shoulder. Chris sighed and held Justin tightly.
~*~
�Okay, since we�ll all be together for a while!� Chris said smiling.
Justin giggled and popped a piece of steak into his mouth and chewed the best he could. Lance shook his head while Joey smirked.
�We have to get to know each other. Age?�
�You know our ages!� Justin giggled.
�Oh, right!� Chris smacked his head and pretended to fall unconscious.
Justin laughed. �Chris is funny!�
Joey laughed and Chris sat up. �I am funny! I am Chris, Comedian Extraordinaire. I can make the worst situation wonderful!�
Lance rolled his eyes. �How can you make this funny?� He waved a hand around the alleyway they were staying in.
�Well�maybe, if we lift up these blankets, we can make a tent.�
�A what?�
�Oh that�s right, you were in an orphanage.� Justin gave Chris the best mean look he could. It just made him look adorable. Chris ignored him. �Joey, get your butt up and help me!�
�Okay.� He got up and while Lance and Justin just sat there, they put up the tent. Justin giggled.
�They did have TVs! I remember watching a camping show!�
�Well, tiny Timberlake, do you know what we do at camp?�
�Make food that we don�t have?�
�Justin, you don�t think I left my house without the right preservatives?� Joey asked as he produced marshmallows, crackers and chocolate.
�Joey!� Lance laughed. �Smores! I love smores!�
�Awesome. Justin, you�ll love this.� They made a small fire outside the blankets and roasted marshmallows while Justin waited patiently. �Justin, now remember this, the best way to roast a marshmallow is on an outside fire. Remember that young one.�
Justin giggled and nodded excitedly. Lance waited impatiently for the yummy treat. Chris and Joey roasted 15 marshmallows and the boys helped make the smores. They ate happily and Justin smiled.
�More!�
�More!� Lance giggled.
Joey and Chris shook their heads and handed the boys their third helping.
�Hey, when was the last time they brushed their teeth?� Joey asked.
Chris looked at both boys. They just stared at him.
~*~
�We are living off of you and stolen money from my mom, who probably realizes I am withdrawing her money and putting more in from her job. What did you get?� Chris asked, holding Justin, who was really tired but wanted to be a good boy and brush his teeth. Lance was picking out the bits of food from his teeth.
�Toothbrushes, bottles of water and cups. I stole two hundred bucks from my dad, who cares?� Joey snorted.
Justin moaned. �Can I brush my teeth now?�
Joey smiled. �Yes you can, come on.�
They went back to Lance and they all brushed their teeth before putting the things inside Lance�s backpack, which held food, blankets and few clothes. The rest were in Chris�s duffel bag.
�Where are we?�
�A town away before heading into New York.� Joey said.
Chris nodded.
Justin yawned loudly and crawled into Joey�s lap. �Sing me a song. I like music.�
Joey smiled. �Sure, buddy boy. Let me see.� He thought about some songs. �Oh, this was my sister�s favorite. It�s from a Canadian singer, who will be a huge star later on.�
Justin smiled. �Sing it please.
Joey nodded and rocked him while Lance watched from where he was laying down. Chris sat to the side.
Justin looked up at Joey, waiting to hear his song.
So much to believe in - We were lost in time
Everything I needed I feel into your eyes
Always thought of keepin - Your heart next to mine
But now that seems so far away
Don't know how love could leave without a trace
Where do silent hearts go?
Where does my heart beat now
Where is the sound
That only echoes through the night
Where does my heart beat now
I can't live without
Without feeling it inside
Where do all the lonely hearts go
Candle in the water - Drifting helplessly
Hiding from the thunder - Come and rescue me
Driven by hunger - Of the endless dream
I'm searching for the hand that I can hold
I'm reaching for the arms that let me know
Where do silent hearts go?
I know that out there somewhere
He waits for me
Someone who's searching just like me
Then one touch overcomes the silence
Love still survives
Two hearts needing one another
Give me wings to fly
I hear my heartbeat now
I hear the sound
Hear it echo through the night
I feel my heart beat now
Now that I've found
The feeling lives inside
I've got someone to give my heart to
Feel it getting stronger and stronger and stronger
Hearts are made to last
Till the end of time
When Joey finished, he opened his eyes, which had been closed, and saw that Lance had fallen asleep. Chris was smiling and he looked down. Justin was sleeping peacefully, his head buried in Joey�s arm. Joey smiled. He looked at Chris for help. Chris laughed softly and helped Joey put Justin next to Lance and under a blanket. Then they got into their own respective sleeping places.
~*~
The next morning, Lance woke up and sat up. He saw that the others were still sleeping. He walked out and went over to the back wall. He pulled down his pants and peed. He pulled his pants back up and wiped his hands on the wall. He went back to the makeshift tent and got inside to sit down. He pulled out a graham cracker and ate his breakfast. He heard a small groan and looked down at Justin. Justin opened his eyes and smiled.
�Morning.�
�Morning. Look at the sleepy heads.�
Justin giggled. �Their funny!�
Lance smiled. �I wonder if we�ll make it to New York today. I�m going to get a newspaper, okay?�
Justin nodded and watched him disappear. After a few minutes, he came back with a paper in his small arms. He walked into the tent and sat down to read the paper.
�Hey! Joey�s in the paper! Joey! Joey!� Lance yelled.
Joey woke up. �What is it?�
�Your in the paper.�
�What?� Joey moved next to Lance and took the paper. �Fourteen-year-old Joseph Fatone, Jr. was discovered missing by his brother, Steve, whom said he found a note on his brother�s bed saying �I�ve run away. Good-bye. I�ll contact you later. Oh and mom, dad? QUIT FIGHTING!� It is not clear where Joseph is right now but we know there is no case of foul play. This is one of many run aways. On May fourth, Justin Timberlake, 10, ran away from the orphanage home in Clinton, Mississippi. There has been no word on where he could be now. He has been said to be in the company of twelve-year-old James Bass, who goes by Lance, and ran away, after his parents and older sister died in a fire just last Sunday. There have been reported sightings but no leads on these three boys. Just days ago, it was reported by a mother that her twenty-year-old son Chris Kirkpatrick left her home and never returned. She has a feeling it was because he lost everything. �He had dreams of being an entertainer and worked hard. Then, one day, he had to give all of that up.� She hopes he is still alive.� Joey stopped reading. �Man. We�re all in the paper now.�
Justin whimpered. �They�ll find us now!�
�Sh, no they won�t. We�ll just keep running. Man, I can�t have brown hair anymore.� He sighed. �I�ll be right back. If Chris wakes up, tell him I�ll be back in an hour.�
�Okay.� Lance said and after Joey left, Justin cuddled up to him, afraid.
An hour later, Chris had been awake and was busy soothing Justin while Lance looked for Joey.
�There he is!� He called.
Chris looked up. Justin stood up.
Lance gasped. �Whoa!�
�Wow.� Chris�s jaw dropped.
Justin�s eyes widened. �Cool!�
They looked at him then back at Joey.
�Your hair�it�s red.� Lance said.
�Disguise.�
�Not even we came up with good disguises!� Lance cried.
�Gee, thanks, Bass.� Chris said jokingly and looked at Joey. �Well, it suits you buddy boy. Red. What possessed you to use red?�
Joey shrugged. �Better than green.�
Justin laughed. �Green hair? I want green hair!�
�No, you don�t. I tried it once, fashion disaster waiting to happen.� Chris said, not noticing Justin�s confusion.
Lance laughed. �Well, at least you look a little different.�
Joey smiled. �Yeah.� He looked into Justin�s confused eyes. �What are you looking at kid?�
Justin grinned, showing off his pearly teeth.
They soon got all their stuff together and began their long walk to the state line of New York.