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.
~*~
Five Months Later�
Lance smiled as he got the cake. He made sure there were exactly fifteen candles and that the cake was JC�s favorite. They had been living off the streets of New York for five months now. Lance let his hair grow out a bit and Justin had gotten another hair cut. The guys had changed their names a bit but they still called each other by their real names in private.
Lance walked out the door and went down to the alley. He made sure no one was paying any attention to him and walked in. He smiled at Justin.
�Hey. I got it! Does JC know?�
�He has no idea. He just thinks you went to get hair dye.�
�Justin.�
�Joey said it!� He defended himself.
Lance rolled his eyes and the two boys got the cake together. Joey walked over.
�Step away from the matches and no one gets hurt.�
Lance and Justin jumped back while Joey lit the candles. They went over to where Chris had covered JC�s eyes.
�Okay, can I open my eyes now?� JC asked with a sigh.
�Nope.� Lance giggled.
�Hey, get over here.� Lance jumped back before JC could tickle him.
Joey smiled and walked over with the cake in his hands. He got down on his knees.
�Okay.�
�One.�
�Two.�
�Three.�
Chris took away his hands and JC gasped seeing the cake.
�Happy birthday to you.
Happy Birthday to you
Happy birthday dear JC.
Happy birthday to you.� They all sang.
JC smiled widely. �Thank you so much.
�Make a wish and blow out the candles!� Justin squealed.
JC laughed and closed his eyes. �I wish I could entertain people when I am older.� He opened his eyes and blew.
They all clapped for him and JC couldn�t stop smiling. It had been hard getting him to smile the past five months. He had nightmares and the only times he could smile were when Justin made a joke, Lance acted silly or when Joey wouldn�t stop tickling him. Chris did his best �Funny Man Extraordinaire� impressions for JC as he had done earlier for Justin, Lance, and Joey.
They all ate the cake on the paper plates Joey had bought. They used what little money they had well and it seemed to work. The older boys had to keep Justin and Lance from getting really sick at times.
Lance sighed, sitting against the wall. He was sad. He missed his parents so much. Even though he was happy for JC, a part of him wanted to hug his parents and let them know he loved them. Inadvertently, Lance started crying.
JC looked at him and set his plate down. �Lance, what�s wrong?� He walked over to the young boy and wrapped an arm around him. Lance leaned into him and cried.
�I miss my parents. Why did they have to die, JC? Why did they have to leave me?�
JC didn�t say anything. He held Lance close as he looked at Joey, Chris and Justin.
Justin shrugged and Joey shook his head. Chris just watched as JC comforted Lance.
�Lance, every time something bad happened to me, my brother and sister, and me, would all hide up in the attic and we would tell each other that things happen for a reason even if they hurt us in different ways.�
�But what reason would God have to take my mama away?� Lance looked up at him with tearful green eyes.
JC sighed. �I don�t know. But we�ve all been on the run for five months. I think your mom knows what lies ahead for us. I think she�s leading us towards it. I mean, the police have passed the alleys we�ve been in for these past months and usually Justin was in plain sight. We haven�t been found and there is a reason. Just try and think of the good times, because for me, these are the good times. I have great friends who actually care about me.�
Joey smiled. Justin walked over to them. Chris looked around then back at them.
�Lance, remember when you found me?�
Lance looked at Justin and nodded. �Yeah.�
�Well, I was thinking of going back to that orphanage. I had run away before but I came back. This last time, I haven�t. It�s because of you.�
Lance smiled slightly. �Thanks Justin. That makes me feel better.�
�I hope so. I don�t like seeing you cry.�
�Well, I don�t like seeing you cry either.�
Justin smiled and hugged him, along with JC. JC looked up at the other two. Joey smiled and joined in, with Chris following.
~*~
�I love this song!� JC said happily rocking out to the music.
Joey grinned. �You�re an embarrassment to human nature, JC.�
JC looked over at Joey and shook his head. �Remember, we can�t buy anything. We�re saving money.�
�Yeah, yeah, I know.� He dragged JC to the next aisle and they looked around. �Hey, here�s something Chris would kill us for getting.�
JC looked and then turned away, blushing. �Joey! Put that away, we�re children!�
�Yes, we are, who haven�t been able to jerk off.�
JC blushed. �It was only one time.�
�Yeah and I had to explain to Justin the birds and the bees! You could have at least helped!�
�I was getting Lance to go back to sleep.� JC defended.
Joey shook his head. �He would have been asleep fine if you hadn�t started laughing.�
JC turned back to him, shook his head then looked down at the book. �Gay porn? How old are you again?�
�I�m just taking a look. I don�t know how guys have�whoa!� Joey and JC stared at the picture, crooking their heads to the side.
�Is that uncomfortable looking?�
�Their older and probably more experienced.�
They turned to another page and JC blushed. �Oh God, look at that-�
�Sh!� Joey giggled. �Um, maybe we should put this away.�
�No I want to see more!�
�Who the heck are you?�
JC laughed. Joey turned to another page and stopped. �Um�oh.� Joey and JC looked at each other.
They coughed.
�I think we�ve seen enough.� Joey said closing the book and putting it away.
JC nodded. �Yeah. And I don�t think I�ll be going back anytime soon.�
Joey looked down and smirked. �Like what you saw.�
�Yeah, yeah.� He shut his eyes. �Okay, dad in bikini. Ew!�
Joey made a face. �Gross. Well, it worked.�
�Shut up and let�s go back to Chris.� They ran out of the record store, laughing the whole time. JC stopped suddenly sending Joey flying into him.
�Oomph! Joe, there�s a police officer looking into the alley.�
�Oh no, Lance is in there.� They hid behind a newspaper stand. �What do we do?�
�Wait, why is Lance there alone?�
�He�s praying!� Joey squealed.
�Sh! Praying, why? It�s all he ever does!�
�I don�t know. Just let me know if you have a plan?�
�And what will you be doing?�
�Working on Plan B.�
�Thanks, Joey, this coming from a guy who ran away because his parents fought! What was your plan B?�
�Suicide.�
JC shot Joey a look and looked over. �Oh no, he�s gone.�
�Oh no, what if he went into the alley?�
�Then, Lance is in more need of a miracle. Come on.�
They snuck against the wall and walked against it. JC peaked his head over and sighed. The man was there and underneath a few blankets was Lance, staring at them with huge eyes. JC mouthed to him.
�Stay there.�
Lance nodded and covered his head. JC and Joey went back to the newspaper stand.
�Well, so far he�s safe. Where�re Justin and Chris?� Joey asked.
�We�ll ask Lance in a minute.�
�A minute? You expect to wait a minute while some police officer could lift the blankets and see the missing kid that ran away five months ago?� Joey yelled.
JC flinched. �Don�t yell at me, Joey!�
Joey sighed. �I�m sorry, JC. I didn�t mean to.�
JC nodded. �I know.�
They looked at each other in understanding and looked back. Soon, the police officer walked out and went away. JC and Joey sighed heavily before running into the alley and going to Lance. They threw off the blankets and Lance stared at them with wide eyes.
�Where�re Chris and Justin?�
�They went to buy a camera.�
�Really? Do they by any chance know they could be caught like you?�
�I�m sorry.�
�It�s okay, come on.� JC lifted him up and they went to their sleeping place.
Justin and Chris came back ten minutes later and JC told them what happened. Chris just sighed and Lance smiled sheepishly.
�Well, at least your safe.� Chris ruffled his hair and looked at Joey and JC. �And where were you two when this happened?�
JC and Joey looked at each other and grinned. They looked at Chris.
�No place.�
�Really?� Chris lifted up the camera and snapped a picture.
Joey laughed while JC tried not to blush. It didn�t exactly work.
Two Months Later�
Justin sat on the sidewalk across from where Chris was making a withdrawal. Justin sighed and looked around. Chris always made a withdrawal a few towns away, instead of where they usually were. Justin thought it was a little risky and so did the others. Lance, JC and Joey were going to the Statue of Liberty since Lance wanted to go and he HAD changed a bit. Justin looked up as Chris walked over.
�Hey kid, guess what?�
�What?�
�Not only did my mom put a lot of money in the bank, she apparently doesn�t withdraw it herself. Only I do.�
�Isn�t that risky? I mean, your picture is still in the paper.�
�Yeah, it is, but I am risking my butt watching you guys. Come on, let�s go.�
Justin stood up and held Chris�s hand as they began walking back to the city.
�Chris, what is the date?�
�October 14th.�
�Your birthday is coming up!�
�Yeah, it is bud.�
�So, really, you�re 19?�
�Yep. I�ll be 20.�
�My birthday is in three months!�
�Yes it is. You�ll be 11.� And on the streets. Chris sighed.
�Police men.� Justin said suddenly.
�Put your hood up.� Justin did what he was told and they both looked down as they passed. The men looked at the guys but ignored them after a while.
When Justin and Chris were out of eyesight, they sighed and Justin put down his hood.
�That was close.�
�Yeah.� Justin looked up at Chris. �I want to make music when I am older.�
Chris stopped and looked at Justin. Justin looked up at him with big eyes.
�Yeah, so do I, Justin. So do I.�
�Why didn�t you?�
Justin sighed. �You know how Lance ran away from social services?�
�Yeah.�
�Well, social services came to my mom�s house one day, I was 16. They said that there was an apparent case of neglect, which there wasn�t, towards my two sisters. We tried to get them back, but they didn�t care. I don�t know where they are now. During that time, I had always tried to become a singer. Then when that happened, I stayed home to care for my mom. I didn�t try anymore.�
Justin nodded. Knowing this would make him think for the next few years to come.
�I�m sorry, Chris.�
He looked at Justin and smiled. �Me too, Justin, me too.�