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 groaned.
�May I ask what he meant?� Jim asked staring at Chris.
�Oh um�he�s only little. You must remind him of someone. I do apologize.� He got the book and ushered Joey and JC away. He looked at Justin and Justin pouted.
�I sorry.� He said starting to cry.
�Oh no, Justin, it�s all right. It�s all right. I�m not mad at you, you didn�t know not to say anything.� Chris patted his back as they walked back to the hotel.
~*~
Joey looked up at Chris on the phone with his dad. He could see Chris was not happy but he was trying to hide it in front of them.
�So he�s all right? You�ve been watching him? Okay, good. Yeah, I�ll call again next week. Tell Lance we love him.� He hung up and sighed.
Justin stood up and crawled into Chris�s lap. Chris wrapped his arms around Justin and held him tightly.
~*~
Chris walked into the small restaurant and could see that it was a busy place. He picked Justin up and held JC�s hand while Joey grabbed onto his shirt. They walked to a table and sat down, Justin in Chris�s lap.
Joey tapped his fingers and turned his head. �Chris, look! His wife.�
Chris turned his head and could see the woman standing at the counter with the little girl from earlier. �Yeah.�
�Go talk to her, we�ll watch Justin.� JC said.
�Okay. Justin, sit with JC.� He put Justin in JC�s lap and JC wrapped his arms around his little brother. Chris sighed and walked over to the woman.
�Excuse me? Miss?�
She turned and smiled. �Yes?�
�Um�I�m Chris and I don�t know if you know this but my mother knew your husband.�
�Really?�
�Yes. Um�her name was Beverly. She met him in the summer of 1996 and-�
�Oh, so she was your mother.�
�Yes, but miss�she had a baby.�
�Really? And I suppose she wants a father for her child? Well you can tell her he has a family and he doesn�t need anymore kids.�
�My mother is dead, ma�am and-�
�Well I am sorry but like I said, we don�t need any of your help. Just tell your brother or sister or whatever they can wait.� With that, she picked up the girl and walked away.
Justin, who had been able to hear, started to cry. Chris turned around. �Oh Justin.� He walked over and picked Justin up.
�She�s going to let him die!� Justin squealed while Chris walked back and forth, trying to sooth him while Joey and JC just sat there, confused.
�He�s not going to die, I can promise you that, buddy. We won�t let anything happen to Lance.� Chris stroked Justin�s curls.
~*~
Two months later.
Chris walked along the dirt road, sighing softly to himself. Joey, JC, and Justin were at the hotel with a couple of the teenagers who wanted to watch them. Chris was taking a walk, thinking about the past two months. They had always tried to get close to Jim but when they tried, he would be shoved away. Chris felt angry that this woman wouldn�t let him explain what was going on. Chris sat down on a bench and pulled out a picture of Lance when he was finishing up a painting. He had just touched JC�s face and Lance was spreading his fingers for the camera while JC sat in the background with a �EWW� look on his face. Chris felt a tear go down his eye. He promised Lance and his brothers he wouldn�t let him die. He couldn�t break that promise no matter what some woman said. Chris sighed and headed back to the hotel. One of the girls was out there and she looked frantic.
�Nahima, what�s wrong?�
�Chris, your father called.�
Chris could sense she was worried. �Is everything all right? Lance?�
�He said�Lance only has a week.�
�Oh God.� Chris sighed. �I need you to do something for me, can you?�
�Anything.�
Chris sighed and explained what he needed.
An hour later, Joey and Chris woke Justin and JC up. Justin let Chris pick him up and JC rubbed his eyes as he followed his brothers up to the house. Chris knocked on the door five times before the woman answered. Chris�s face was set.
�I need to speak with Jim Bass please.� Chris said.
She started to shut the door when JC put his hand roughly on it. �Please? My brother is dying, let us see him!�
Chris shut his eyes and willed the tears away. The woman looked over the boys and finally opened the door. �He�s in his study. Are you kids hungry? We�re just starting lunch.�
The boys nodded and they all walked in. Chris put Justin down. �I am sorry. For everything.�
�What�s wrong with your brother?�
�Bone marrow transplant. He has a week.�
She nodded. �Go on. I�ll feed your brothers.�
Chris went to the study and knocked. He heard a come in and walked in.
�Mr. Bass?�
He looked up. �You�re the young man who dropped by with his brothers.�
�Yes.�
�Sit down.�
Chris reluctantly sat down. He took out the picture of his mom and Jim and held it up. �That�s my mother. She passed away a few months ago.�
Jim took the picture and looked at Chris. �Why did you come here?�
�You have another son. My brother, Lance.� He took out the painting picture and gave it to him. �I came here two months ago to ask for your blood.�
Jim looked up, startled.
�Lance is dying. He needs a bone marrow transplant. You�re his father. I couldn�t get to you. Please, you�re the only one who can help him now. Justin�my baby brother, he loves Lance so much. They get along so well and if I don�t help him, Justin may never forgive me.�
Jim stood up and walked over to the window. �I am sorry what your mother and me did has brought you so much pain.�
�I didn�t find out until a week before I came here. When my father tested negative as we all did. Mr. Bass, you help children all over the world. Please, help my child. My brother. He has a long life ahead of him. I can�t loose his smile, his hugs, his laugh.�
Jim looked at Chris and saw tears in his eyes. �I�ll call the next flight.�
Chris sighed in relief. �Thank you.�
�Would it be all right if I saw Lance?�
�Sure. If you want to.�
Jim nodded and got the phone. Chris walked out of the study and went to his brothers. �Lance is going to be well soon.�
�He�ll help?� JC said, a smile gracing his cheeks.
Chris smiled. �Yeah, Lance is going to be saved.� Chris hugged his brothers close to him.
~*~
Chris walked into the hospital room and the sight made him want to cry. Lance was hooked up to all sorts of monitors and his face was so pale. Chris walked over to the bed and took Lance�s hand. Jim stood at the door.
Lance opened his eyes and a smile graced his pale face. �Chris. You came back.�
�I did, little one. And I found someone who will help you.�
�Really?�
�Really.�
Lance turned his head weakly and saw Jim. �Are you my daddy?�
Jim nodded. �I suppose I am.�
Chris sighed. �I didn�t want JC, Justin and Joey to see you�.not yet. Do you want to see them?�
�I don�t want to scare them.�
Chris smiled and kissed Lance�s forehead. �You�re going to be all right, buddy, you�re going to be just fine.�
Lance smiled. �Mommy came to me in a dream.�
�Really? What did she say?�
Lance didn�t have time to say when the doctor walked in. �Mr. Bass? We need to do the transfusion right away. Chris?�
Chris nodded. �Tell me later, buddy.� He kissed Lance�s nose and Lance smiled. �Love you.�
�I love you too, Chris.�
Chris smiled and watched as they wheeled Lance out.
TBC�