Rating: PG
Feedback: Yes. [email protected]
Disclaimer: Don�t own them!
Summary: The guys are all brothers and alone. Chris is 18, JC is 9, Joey is 8, Lance is 6 and Justin is 4.
~*~
Chris was taking a small nap when Justin�s crying woke him.
�Joey�undo your brother�s belt and hand him to me.�
Joey did just that and Chris held his upset brother.
�What�s wrong, buddy?�
�I don�t want to loose Lance like mommy.�
Chris kissed his forehead. �You won�t buddy, you won�t.�
When they got off the plane, Chris asked for a cart. He put all of their bags on the cart and put Justin on his shoulders. JC held onto the cart and Joey walked on the other side of the cart. They walked outside and hailed a cab. He told the guy the name of the hotel, glad that he spoke English and they went. They got the bags out and Chris set Justin down so he could walk. They went inside and checked in and went to their room. JC would share a bed with Justin and Joey shared with Chris.
�Where does he live?�
�He lives an hour away from here. But I do know he�s going to be here this weekend. I�ll try to get to him.�
�Chris?� Joey asked, deep confusion in his eyes.
�Yeah� Chris looked over at him from keeping an eye on Justin bathing.
�Why is his daddy here?�
�Well, on his file, it said that he was part of an organization that helped people who weren�t able to get a lot of food. He came here to help.�
�When?�
�Right after he met mom.�
Joey nodded and went back to playing with JC.
~*~
Back home, Lance was lying on his side reading a picture book. He looked up at the man he didn�t know well but had seen on and off when Chris needed money. The man looked up from his book.
�Do you need something, Lance?�
�You�re not my real daddy, are you?�
Alan was quiet. �No. I am not.�
Lance sighed and closed his book. �Do you know who he is?�
�All I know is he lives far away and Chris is going to find him to save your life.�
�I�m not really his brother, am I?�
Alan sighed. �You are still his brother, Lance. Not by the same father but yes, you are his brother.�
�Why did you leave my mommy?�
�I don�t know.� He said after some silence.
�The answer Chris got the other day made him cry on me. He thought I was asleep but I wasn�t.� Lance grabbed his book and rolled away from Alan.
~*~
Chris rubbed Justin�s back as he held the boy in his arms while he slept. JC stood next to him and Joey was on the other side. JC�s wavy hair was in his face and he kept on pulling it away. Chris looked at him and decided he needed a hair cut.
They heard clapping and Chris looked up as James Bass walked up to the podium. He couldn�t speak. He looked exactly like Lance.
�Hey. Chris, he looks��
�Yeah, JC, he does.� Chris kept his hold on Justin when he whimpered and shushed him quietly. Justin rubbed his eyes, looked around and buried his face back into Chris�s neck to sleep.
While James spoke, Joey and JC listened intently while Chris went over in his mind how to approach the man. What was he supposed to say? �Hey great speech. Oh by the way, you had an affair with my mother and a baby came out of it and we need you to give him bone marrow six years later.� That would go over SO well! Justin opened his eyes and sat up in Chris�s arms and rubbed his eyes as he watched the man speak.
�Lance�s daddy?�
�Yeah. How did you know, buddy?�
�I remember the picture.�
Chris hugged Justin and let him watch. He noticed JC�s skinny legs start to get sunburned so he handed the boy sun tan lotion.
Joey couldn�t help but feel confusion, anger and relief. This man was his baby brother�s father. But he wasn�t around. Why did his mom lie?
�Chris?�
�Yeah, Joe?�
�Why did mommy do that to daddy?�
Chris licked his lips. �I don�t know, bud. I don�t know.�
�But it got us Lance.� JC said quietly. �I love Lance, he�s my brother.�
Chris didn�t know what to say to that. He had been angry with his mother and father. But JC was glad. Joey was confused and Justin didn�t know. Chris just watched as James spoke to a few people.
Chris suddenly realized people were leaving. He shook his head and took Joey�s hand. �JC, hold Justin�s hand.�
JC reached up and took Justin�s tiny hand. They started to walk towards James when another crowd appeared around the man. Chris stopped and Justin whimpered.
�What�s the matter?�
�I�m hungry.�
Chris sighed. �Okay. Come on, guys, we�ll have to do this another time.� They walked to the market and picked out some food for lunch. They sat down at a table and ate. Chris looked around and looked up as he heard the voice again. He stopped chewing his food. Everything seemed to stop. He saw James with a woman and holding a little girl.
�Chris, who�s that with him?� JC asked.
�I think�it�s his wife.�
A boy walked over to them yelling �daddy! Daddy!� and James smiled at him. The boy looked about Lance�s age.
�Oh God.� Chris turned away and ate. JC continued to watch till the man glanced over. He quickly looked away and gave his food to Justin.
�He has a family. Like mom, he has a family.� Joey said softly.
Chris ignored him, continued to watch James and the woman.
~*~
That night, Chris lay in his bed thinking about the events of that day. Joey whimpered in his sleep and Chris put an arm around him. Joey curled up around his brother. Chris rubbed his head and looked over at the other bed, where Justin and JC slept peacefully. JC kept an arm around Justin as he slept. Chris looked at the nightstand where a picture of Lance sat. He gently fingered every inch of his brother�s face and a tear dropped down his eye. He sighed heavily and tried to get back to sleep.
The next morning, Chris opened his eyes to bright sunlight. He groaned and sat up to see Joey and JC sitting on the floor, helping Justin get dressed. He had to smile. JC looked up and gave him a toothy grin.
�How did we do Chris?�
Justin giggled.
Chris laughed. �You did good, you two.� He got out of bed and helped the boys do Justin�s curly hair. After they all were dressed, they walked downstairs and out of the hotel. Chris hailed a cab and they went to town. They walked through he streets and everywhere were dancers and food being passed around. Joey was mesmerized by the food and JC watched the dancers with excitement. Justin looked everywhere Chris looked.
They stopped at one place and Justin pointed. �Look!�
Chris, Joey and JC turned and saw James at a table with books surrounding him. He was an author.
�Who in the world is this guy?� Chris muttered to himself.
JC caught it and giggled. �Chris is funny!�
�I�ll show you funny, come on.� He pushed Joey and JC in front of him and they walked to the table. All Chris could think about were Lance�s piercing green eyes and Justin accidentally saying something he shouldn�t. Chris picked up a book that was at a cart next to the table and bought it. He got in line with his brothers and a couple of women gushed at how cute Justin, JC and Joey were.
�They are so cute!�
�Are they yours?�
Chris smiled. �They�re my brothers and thank you.�
The women smiled and Chris moved up the line. Finally he was next and he had to keep from screaming at the guy. He sighed softly and placed the book down. JC was holding his lips shut and Joey was looking down.
�Hello sir.�
�Hello.�
�Whom do I make this out to?�
�Um�Chris, Joey, Justin, JC�and Lance.� Chris gulped. He could see Lance in the guy and he desperately wanted to call the hospital but that would cost a FORTUNE! Chris hoped he didn�t start crying.
�Lance�s daddy!� Justin said suddenly.
JC shot his head up and Joey�s eyes widened. Chris looked at Justin in shock.
�That him?� Justin asked Chris innocently.
Chris groaned.
TBC��