AN: A huge thank you to everyone who read chapter one. You guys rock! Hay, you know what's fun? Taking a picture of AJ and selecting the negative or invert color function in a graphics program... He looks scary... hehe Standard disclaimers apply. ********************** Crossing Enemy Lines: Chapter Two ********************* Laina took a sip of her beer and made a face. Alcohol wasn't really her thing, not since Joey had managed to get her fall down drunk at Lance New Year's party a few years back, before she was, well, legal. Puking something up for hours kinda eliminated your enjoyment for further consumption. Not that she needed to like alcohol. It was healthy to have a slight distaste to things that were bad for you to begin with. Lessened temptation that way. Now if only Chris was ugly or mean or something other than... than well CHRIS. It'd make not crushing on him a hell of a lot easier. "Oh my god I would give ANYTHING to get to that concert!" Laina tried to bring herself up to date on the conversation that had continued without her when she succumbed to her musings. "What concert?" Alex rolled his eyes as the other three girls glared. "Those stupid Backstreet Boys. They're having a concert in Orlando and Vanessa, Melissa and Janie are DYING to go." Laina giggled as Lars and Bruce roared with half drunken amusement. "You're just jealous Alex, cause they have talent and looks and you have neither!" Alex growled playfully and reached across the table to tickle Melissa. She shrieked loud enough to be heard over the pounding club music. "Be careful or you'll be sleeping alone tonight." Melissa recovered enough to bat his hands away. "Is that a promise?" she asked with an impudent grin. Alex muttered darkly under his breath as the rest of them howled with laughter. As their giggles died down Laina spoke up thoughtfully. "If you guys really, really want to go I can probably score tickets." Three suddenly interested female eyes locked on her. Vanessa was the first to speak. "What do you mean?" Laina shrugged. "I can most likely get us some tickets. The four of us... unless the guys want to join in..." she trailed off long enough for them to shake their heads in feverent denial. Laina grinned. "It'd be no biggie." Janie clutched her arm in a death grip as Vanessa and Melissa stared. "Are you freaking kidding me?" Laina chuckled. "Nah... I have some connections. If you guys really, really want to go I'll arrange something." She didn't particularly care one way or another but she was trying to reestablish some of the friendships she had let fall by the wayside so she didn't have to feel so damn lonely all the time. If it made them that happy it wouldn't bother her to sit through an hour concert. Vanessa, Melissa, and Janie made quick eye contact before giving her a unanimous answer. "We're in." Alex groaned along with Bruce and Lars. "I don't know what's worse... listening to them whine because they aren't going, or having to listen to them after they go." Janie pinched Bruce. "Quite your bitching." "Ow! Janie!" Laina shook her head and settled deeper into her seat. She had missed this... missed being normal and a part of a group. A real part, even if she was still, to some degree, the odd woman out. ************************************************************************************ "Oh my god!" Vanessa shrieked as they found their seats front and center, fourth row. The excited woman turned to Laina who was watching in mild amusement as her three friends hyperventilated. "Do you have mob ties? How on earth did you manage this? For free?! On such short notice?" She laughed. "I told you... I have damn good connections." Damn good connections named JC Chasez. She had to go clean his damn house the next morning but that was trivial. She could eat candy as she found it. Besides JC she trusted. JC wouldn't go tell Justin that she went to a Backstreet Boys concert. JC wouldn't even tease her about it, much. Laina let herself get caught up in the opening acts. It was a benefit concert so it lacked some of the special effects and glitter that accompanied a tour but it was great none the less. She laughed and bounced and grooved, cutting loose, being young. It had been a long time since she could watch a concert simply from a fan point of view. She had seen so many of *NSYNC's that she knew as much about the business as someone who worked in it- the ins the outs, the dos and don'ts. She acted teeny. She screamed when the boys took stage. She waved wildly with the girls and laughed hysterically when AJ winked at them. She avoided Nick's face the entire concert. Laina wasn't a glutton for embarrassment. It was a blast overall though. And too soon over. They waited patiently as people started to file out. Laina was talking a mile a minute with Melissa when someone tapped her shoulder. She turned and blanched. "Miss?" Laina stared at the bodyguard silently and reminded herself to breathe. "Yes sir?" The big man grinned as the other three fell deafly silent. "I was sent to invite you, and your lovely friends, to an after party." Vanessa squealed as Laina shut her eyes. Shit! "After party?" she asked weakly. "Yes miss." Laina shook her head and opened her eyes slowly. "I... I don't think that would be a good idea. Thank you though..." The bodyguard's eyebrows shot up in surprise as Janie grabbed Laina in a death grip. "What the hell are you doing Laina Marie? You don't say no to the freaking Backstreet Boys! Its just a party..." Laina tried to free her arm but Janie wasn't letting go. "Janie... Stop it. Its just some stupid party. Its no big deal..." Janie looked at her with big blue eyes. "Please Laina. PLEASE!" Melissa and Vanessa matched the puppy dog look and Laina reluctantly caved. "I hate you all." ************************************************************************************** "You're going to a Backstreet after party?" "Going, going there." JC snickered over the phone and Laina cursed him. "Dammit Jayce this is not freaking funny!" "Trace is going to kill you, if Justin doesn't first." Laina blanched. "Don't you dare tell them. I'm serious C." "Well shit Laina what do you expect me to do, lie? Tickets were one thing but come on... You know what happens at after parties." She screwed her eyes shut and took deep calming breaths. "Not helping Jayce. SERIOUSLY not helping. Look my friends wanted to go and I didn't have the heart to tell them no. I poked my head in and there are NOT a lot of women in there. I'm not some freaking groupie JC. Not unless its Chris and he's covered with chocolate..." "Okay, okay. Too much information, really sweetie. Are your friends groupies?" Laina gnawed on a finger as she thought about it seriously for a moment. "No," she whispered miserably. "That's why I can't leave. They're gonna do something stupid and I don't want them to get hurt." "Laina, they're adults. They can make their own decisions." "Like you guys let me make mine?" she demanded. There was silence on the other end before JC took a deep calming breath himself. "All right fine, be that way. Be careful Laina. I'm serious here. I'm putting my ass on the line here cause if Trace or Justin or LANCE, yes remember him, find out I let you go to a Backstreet Boys after party alone they will skin me alive. CALL me when you get home, however late. You have your car right?" Laina was content to gnaw on her finger. "Laina?" "I have Justin's credit card number for a cab." JC sighed. "Do I want to know?" Laina sat up. "He gave it to me!" she exclaimed, defending herself. "He talked me into going to pick up Aunt Lynn's birthday gift. I just kinda memorized it." "All right baby girl. I'm gonna go. Call me when you get home. Call... just call me if you need ANYTHING and I'll be there as fast as I can, okay?" "Okay Jayce. Thank you," she said in a small voice. He sighed again. "You're welcome sweetie." Laina closed her cell phone and shook her head. Stupid, stupid, stupid... This was SO freaking stupid. Of all the stupid things she had done this topped the cake. They were in the twenty one and older part of a posh downtown club she had been into a few times with Lance, VIP section of course, and she was camped out in a utility hallway like some kind of *NSYNC spy. Or hostage. Happy thoughts... happy thoughts. Laina sighed and pocketed the small phone and with another deep breath she gathered enough courage to stroll out where the lights were low and the music pulsing. Perfect sexing environment. She strolled over to the private bar that was set up, carefully avoiding grabbing hands as her eyes darted around cautiously. The Backstreet Boys were relaxed on couches and chairs in the VIP section set aside for them and their guests. There were a lot of men in suites and expensive 'casual' clothing that she assumed to be record people or people involved with the benefit aspects of the concert. The roadies and engineers and 'grunt' workers of the show had taken over a couple tables right by the bar and were already getting rowdy. Select fans pranced around in skin tight clothing and smoozed with their idols as waitresses passed out alcohol to those who didn't want to make the effort to go to the bar. Laina's three start struck friends were stuck in the middle of all that. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. It was going to be a LONG night. "You don't look happy to be here..." She jumped about a hundred feet and whirled. Whirled and looked up into amused green eyes. "Oh..." Laina stammered. "Mr. Richardson..." She watched in fascination as the skin around those amazing green eyes crinkled as Kevin laughed, his deep voice carrying throughout the room. "Its been a long time since a fan's called me Mr. Richardson." "Well Kevin just seems kinda informal, especially with all the suites running around here tonight..." A genuine smile warmed his green eyes even more and Laina felt the smile that was twitching at the corners of her mouth fade. God she missed Lance. "Yeah... normally its not so... stuffy but it was a benefit concert so we have more corporate baggage than usual." Corporate baggage was good. Corporate baggage might help to ensue that her friends didn't get knocked up by a boy band member before she could drag them out of here. "So who are you here with?" Laina blinked and stared. "Umm... some of my friends..." Kevin laughed again and shook his head so that his dark hair fell forward and partially covered the stunning effect of his eyes. Was there a reason no one had never told her that Kevin Richardson was like one of the most masculinely handsome men she had EVER seen? His wife was one VERY lucky woman. "No... I mean which one of the guys invited you." Laina blinked again as he cocked his head and studied her. "I'm guessing Howie. You sorta seem like his type... if Howie HAS a type." She blushed. "I... I have no clue who I'm "with". Some bodyguard came up and asked us to come after the show. My friends wanted to so here we are..." Kevin raised dark brows. "Well then I guess I had better introduce you to everyone so that someone can claim you." He grinned boyishly, reached down, grabbed her arm, and started to drag her across the room. Oh bad. VERY bad! Bad, bad, bad... She stared determinedly at the floor when they stopped in front of a table that overlooked the rest of the club. This was SO not happening to her. "Hay Kevin... Kristen's gonna be mad if you bring a new toy home without asking first." There was raucous laughter and Laina knew her face was burning. "Ah cut it out Aje. This lovely lady was all by herself and I thought it was only proper to bring her over and introduce her. Maybe she'll make a new friend." "Hello Laina." Laina cringed inside. Oh worse than bad. She swallowed, plastered a strained smile on her face, and looked up into Nick's interested blue eyes. "Hello Nick." "Or an old one," Brian called out with a wicked grin. Kevin looked at his little brother, then the woman at his side. "You know Nick?" She very carefully untangled her arm from his hand and nodded slightly. "We've met before. I'm sorry to say it wasn't an entirely joyful experience." AJ hooted as Nick rocked back in his seat, eyes never leaving her face. "I thought it was you but I wasn't sure. I mean its weird enough you went to my brother's concert but to come to mine too? Certainly not! Not Trace Ayala's little sister! Not Lance Bass's dear, dear friend!" Nick smirked. Oh yeah, this was going real well. "Nick, what are you talking about?" Nick picked an imaginary piece of lint off his silk shirt and answered Howie. "I'm talking about our shy little guest. Laina Marie Ayala. Her older brother is best friends with Justin Timberlake and rumors have her as Lance Bass's best friend and sometimes romantic interest. Or maybe that's JC, or Joey, or Chris even? Maybe all five?" Okay, THAT was pushing it too far. Laina stood to her full height and glared down at the smug young man, fire in her eyes. "What did you do? Look me up on the freaking internet? Are you that bored? Do you really have THAT little to do with your precious time? "I don't have to stand here and take crap from Nick Carter. So what if I went to a freaking Backstreet Boys concert? My friends wanted to go so I went. I HAD fun. I came to this after party so they could have fun, not so I could stand here and have some spoiled little brat make second guesses about my life and my friends and my relationships. "Ohh BIG NEWS... A *NSYNC fan went to an Aaron Carter concert and then, gasp, a charitable Backstreet concert. Call the National Inquirer cause I'm really important on the scale of things. I don't know what stick you have up your ass but you and it can go to hell." In the second of shocked silence that followed Laina turned on her heel and strode away, or started to. She hadn't gone ten feet before there was a roar of laughter and a tug on her arm. "What?!" she snapped as she whirled around. AJ held his hands up in a mock peace offering at the anger still in her eyes and grinned. "Easy little lady. I, well we, just wanted to congratulate you. Nick hasn't been taken down like that in a damn long time. That was FINELY handled!" He winked at her and Laina was startled into a tired laugh. AJ bowed with a flourish. "We would also like to request you to join us as our honored guest for the evening since you've already provided entertainment. We promise Nicky won't bite, though I can't promise about me." AJ growled softly and Laina was reminded vaguely of Chris as she shook her head in amusement. Against her will she let herself be dragged back to the table and officially met the Backstreet Boys. It was an interesting experience. Especially when AJ asked if she wanted to follow them to the hotel. Hell no. She had fun though, even with Nick sulking. She liked all the guys. They were funny and open and after her fit with their golden boy they were very careful to skirt her relationship with their arch rivals. She knew the girls had a good time too, though all three of them were too smashed to remember much when they sobered up. Laina got them all a cab to share with the help of Justin's credit card info around dawn. Everyone got home safe and JC chewed her out for an hour when she finally called him. He let her sleep for a day before he made her come clean his house. She found his new Playboy hiding spot. JC yelled, Laina teased. It all worked out in the end and they both agreed not to mention anything to Trace or Justin OR Lance. ************************************************************************************** "Come on Chris, move over. You have like the entire couch!" Laina glared as Chris smiled widely and stretched out even more, shoving his feet against her midriff. "Kick much higher mister and you'll be losing your feet..." Laina watched as his foot inched up her body. "I'm serious Christopher..." They were laying on her ridiculously large and overstuffed couch, watching a marathon of Sandra Bullock movies. Laina thought she was a good actress. Chris thought she was hot. Laina's head was at one end, Chris's was at the other. Only he kept inching further down the couch and closer and closer to areas that were forbidden. He always had to push the envelope. "Christopher Alan if your dirty socks to much as touch a breast I will castrate you myself." Chris winced and curled himself into a fetal ball. He rocked and wailed for a minute before peeking out behind a curtain of shaggy brown hair that hadn't been cut in FAR too long. "Don't say the "c" word Laina," he whined. "Its scary." Laina snorted. "Baby." Chris growled and sat up. He puffed his chest out and grinned wickedly at her. "Nauh Laina. I'm ALL man." Oh boy. Oh man. Suddenly the large couch was entirely too small. Laina stood abruptly and shrieked as Chris grabbed for her. "Chris, what the hell are you doing! Christopher!" He ignored her and started tickling, of course. It had been a depressing day when Trace had leaked the fact that Laina was incredibly ticklish. The boys had been taking advantage of that fact ever since. Trace was so getting his ass kicked when he got home. "Chris!" Laina panted as she tried to catch her breath. His hands were everywhere, on her feet, her sides, under her arms. They ended up on the floor before long and Laina didn't even notice. She was too busy laughing. "Chris PLEASE!" He paused for a minute and Laina suddenly realized that he was entirely on top of her and that as dressed as a tank top and pajama pants were she still felt naked. Especially when she saw the darkness in his beautiful brown eyes. She was still breathing heavy but she was becoming more aware of the little things, like how small she was against him, and how warm, how incredibly warm he made her feel. Almost by themselves, his hands reached up and gently brushed away the stray strands of hair that had fallen out of her pony tail. They trailed lower to trace the fullness of her cheeks and lips. Laina had a million questions running through her head but she wasn't about to ask them, not NOW. She wasn't about to do anything that might break the spell they were under. This was what she wanted, what she had ALWAYS wanted. Since as long as she had had hormones, since *NSYNC had formed, she had held a special place in her heart for Chris. Laina's breath caught farther when Chris's hands stilled and he slowly leaned down. Her eyes fluttered shut on their own and her heart stopped when Chris's warm lips brushed hers in the lightest of kisses. He pulled back slightly and she whimpered in protest. Laina felt him smile and she returned it as his lips met hers again, more surely this time. God he was incredible. And then the freaking door bell rang. Chris was off of her in a shot and Laina moaned in frustration. "I'll get it," she managed to say as she rolled over and staggered off to the foyer, cursing like a sailor. Dammit, dammit, dammit! Laina ripped the door open and cursed again as the pizza boy jumped. She crammed a twenty in his hand that had been laying on the entry table and wrenched the pizza box out of his grasp angrily. Of all the freaking times for Pizza Hut to be on freaking time! She slammed the door and started towards the kitchen. The phone rang and she absently listened as Chris dutifully answered it. The next words out of his mouth stopped her. "AJ? AJ who?" Shit! The pizza dropped to the floor with a thud as Laina shot towards the living room. She dove for a surprised Chris and snatched the phone out of his startled hand. "AJ?" she demanded. "Laina? Who the hell is answering your phone?" Shit! "AJ I gotta go. I'll call you later." "Laina..." "AJ I really need to go!" She knew he'd be pissed but she hung up anyway. Chris was watching her with a frown on his face. "AJ who?" he asked. Laina stared at him with wide hazel eyes. He threw his hands up in the air. "You know what. I don't even care. I... I can't do this Laina. I have to go." And before she could form a coherent thought of protest he had snatched his keys off the counter, side stepped their abandoned dinner, and had walked out the door. Laina stared after him, tears in her eyes, and felt like screaming in frustration. She REALLY missed Lance.