Author: Elizabeth
Rating: PG-13 for mild swearing
Category: Bassez, light TimberTone
Disclaimer: Don�t own them, don�t know them
Summary: A gun shot wound leaves JC in a coma for a full year. During that year, everyone keeps telling Lance he�ll be okay but he is afraid that their words aren�t enough.
~*~*~*~*
Lance leaned against the cold mirror that blocked him from the room where his love lay. Behind him, he could hear the murmuring of them telling him it was okay. Lance shut his eyes as a single tear dropped down his soft pale cheek. It had been a year and there had been no change. A year since that horrible moment and Lance could still remember how the music stopped and how JC fell to the ground with fear in his eyes.
A year earlier.
They were in the middle of one of their songs, Lance couldn�t remember which one it was. He and JC had been on one part of the stage, Joey and Chris on the other, with Justin in the middle. They were doing the screaming contest and it had been on Joey and Chris�s part. Out of nowhere, a loud bang was heard and then Justin stopped speaking as JC let out a small gasp of pain.
Lance turned to look at JC and gasped. His eyes were open wide and he was holding his stomach. Then another gun shot and JC slumped forward before going to the ground.
Justin and Chris stood frozen and Joey immediately ran over. Lance screamed for someone to call 911 as he rushed to help Joey stop the bleeding. Justin finally moved and ran backstage and people could hear him swearing and crying. Chris started saying a prayer in his microphone while Lance begged JC to stay with him and Joey didn�t say anything. JC had been shot both in the stomach and inches from his spine.
At the hospital, the doctor said that if the bullet had hit his spine, he would have been paralyzed for life. But he was in a coma and it wasn�t certain if he�d live or not. They wanted to pull the plug but Lance and JC�s parents wouldn�t have it.
That had been the worst day of Lance�s life. Since then he heard mutterings and people saying it would be okay. Tomorrow came and it was never okay.
Present.
Lance turned slightly hearing music coming from Justin�s head phones, as he had his head in Joey�s lap and their fingers were linked together.
It's always been up to you
It's turning around it up to me
I'm gonna do what i have to do
just don't.
give me a little time
Leave me a lone a little while
Maybe it's not to late
Not today
Lance turned back around and went inside the hospital room. He walked over to the bed where the person he needed most lay, deep inside some dream. Lance took his hand and held it gently.
�Hey baby. What are you dreaming about? Are you dreaming of me waiting for you? Because you know I am.� He leaned over and kissed JC�s forehead and gently stroked his hair back. �I love you. It�s my turn to be strong for you.�
Lance remembered how when he had been sick, JC was the first one he saw when he woke up. They had been going out for two months but Lance could tell JC couldn�t live without him and was scared. And when he had been scared, JC held him up and was strong for both of them. Now Lance needed to be strong for the both of them.
The door opened and Joey walked in. He stood beside Lance and looked at JC�s face.
�You know he�s going to be okay.�
Lance smiled wryly. They had been telling him that for an entire year. Couldn�t they see that he was getting tired of hearing those same words over and over again?
�Yeah, I know. I�ve known for a whole damn year but I wait for that tomorrow to come when he will open his eyes and say �I�m okay, take me home� but that hasn�t happened yet. And when will it Joey? When? And will it happen? Will the sun shine in my heart ever again?�
Joey was taken aback. Lance had never snapped at them like that and he had no idea his emotions ran that deep.
Joey nodded. �Okay, we won�t bother you anymore. But just know this, Lance. He�s our friend too and we are all worried. This is our way of keeping our hopes up. Tomorrow is another day. It�s full of surprises.�
Lance looked up at him, anger in his eyes, his jaw set but he didn�t say anything.
Joey was about to say something but decided against it. He left the room quietly and walked over to Chris and Justin.
�What did he say, babe?� Justin asked.
Joey sighed. �Basically to back off and stop telling him it�d be okay. He�s afraid it won�t be.�
�Not today at least.� Chris said softly.
Justin sighed and Joey hugged him.
~*~*~*~*~*
The next day, Justin ran through the day after the shooting carefully. Lance was in the hospital room with JC while Joey, Chris and himself stayed outside to talk to the police. One of the officers said the accused thought JC was gay and wanted �to do away with people like him� so he wouldn�t �convert the other guys.� And he asked if JC was in fact gay. Justin, Joey, and Chris just stood there dumbly before nodded slowly.
Then Justin said these words.
�I�m a fag also does that mean he wants to kill me too?�
The police were surprised when he said that they didn�t say anything else. They left soon after and when Justin realized what he said, he broke down with Joey holding him. They had basically outed their best friend without Lance knowing. When Lance found out, he was surprised and angry. But he was angrier for the hate crime than he was about JC being outed. They�d leave that anger for when JC woke up. So the police put out the information and Justin went out to tell them what had been said. It was ignored about him making that comment. After he realized what he said, he begged the police to disregard it and they complied.
But to this day, Justin could still remember what happened and it ate him away with the knowledge JC would soon wake up and things would be different. Joey wrapped an arm around Justin as once again they watched Lance look through the door of that clear as white room and look at his love laying on that hospital bed, possibly dying.
Chris walked over from getting coffee but he wasn�t sure what to say. He wanted to ask everyone how they were but he knew that answer. He knew it every single time he looked into their eyes. Chris handed the coffees to Justin and Joey and walked over to Lance.
�You want some coffee?�
Lance shut his eyes and sighed. �No, thanks anyway, Chris.�
Chris nodded proud of himself for trying. He walked over to the other two and sat down.
They looked at Lance.
�It�ll be okay.� Justin said softly.
Lance turned to look at him sharply. Justin looked away. Lance sighed.
�I want to believe you. I really do.�
�Don�t loose hope, Lance.� Joey said softly. �You can�t loose hope.�
Lance bit his lip and nodded. He gently pushed the door open and walked in. He went over to the bed and held JC�s hand.
�I�m loosing it, baby. I don�t want to but I am. Oh God, baby, don�t let me loose hope. I love you. I need you. I can�t hold on anymore.� He stroked JC�s hair and cried softly. He slowly got on the bed and lay down. He wrapped an arm around JC�s waist and held him close. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
When he woke up, Lance felt someone gently running their hand up and down his arm. He groaned a bit and then realized the body laying next to him was moving. He turned sharply and saw bright blue eyes staring up at him with love. Lance gasped and sat on his elbow. He slowly reached up and ran his hand along JC�s cheek.
�Josh?�
JC smiled. �You have no clue how much it felt to feel you in my arms when I woke up.�
Lance laughed and tears fell down his cheeks. �I love you so much. I was hoping this day would come but lately�I�ve been loosing hope.�
JC gently shushed him. �Baby, you know I always come back to you. I love you too.�
Lance nodded. �We�ve been so worried.�
�I�m okay. I�m ready to go home and to be with the man I love.�
Lance sniffled and hugged JC close. �Man I love you so much! I can�t say it enough.�
�You don�t have to. Just knowing you waited made me wake up.�
Lance smiled and kissed the lips that hadn�t been able to kiss back. JC kissed him back and their tears mingled.
�Lance?�
�Hmm?�
�I want you to remember something, baby. Tomorrow always brings hope.�
Lance nodded. �I know that now. I know.�
JC smiled and hugged Lance tightly. �Don�t forget baby.�
Lance closed his eyes and kissed JC�s neck. �Never again.�