AN: No reviews? None at all for chapter two? I'm kinda feeling unloved here guys... Is anybody reading this? Helloooooo?! All right. I'm gonna go now. Feedback is cherished. Standard disclaimers apply. ************************** Crossing Enemy Lines: Chapter Three *************************** AJ readjusted his sun glasses as he stared at the front door with a frown. Fingers absentmindedly strokes the lines of his goatee as he thought. He knocked again and waited impatiently. He was worried, worried freaking sick about Laina. He had tried to call her back for HOURS the night before and she had never picked up. He had finally gone to sleep for a few restless hours before waking up and starting his phone marathon again. This wasn't like her. She wasn't answering her cell or pager or house phone so he had finally come over. Her car was in the drive way and her lights were on but she wasn't opening the damn door and he had been knocking and ringing the door bell for fifteen straight minutes. AJ tried the handle and sighed. It was locked but he could tell it wasn't dead bolted. He weighed his options for a few more minutes before shrugging and doing what he had been considering for awhile. He busted the door in. "Laina? Laina, dammit answer me!" He walked into the house and felt his heart stop when there was a weak voice from the living room. "AJ?" He cursed and bolted in to find the lights dimmed and the very source of his maddening worry curled up on the couch, a gigantic blanket engulfing her small form and a bottle in one hand. He strode to her side and ripped the sun glasses off so he could see her better. "Laina baby, what the hell is going on?" He knelt and cradled her face in his hands, noting her blood shot eyes, the circles beneath them, and mound of tissues next to her on the couch. He snatched the bottle from her hand and raised incredulous eyes to her confused ones. "Vodka? Dammit Laina why the hell are you drinking Vodka?" She blinked and looked at the bottle clutched in his hand like she had never seen it before. "I... I don't know." He followed her troubled gaze to a mini bar he had never seen open in the month that he had known her and took a deep breath at the sight of empty bottles and cans. "AJ... I don't feel so good." She started to cry as AJ scooped her up and rocked her. "Come on baby girl. You're going to be good and sick." He carried her to the bathroom and held her hair back as she was indeed violently sick into the toilet bowl. He didn't say anything, only rubbed her back and whispered comforting nonsense in a voice that broke far too often. God, had his friends gone through this kind of crap with him? During a dry spell he rose. "Honey, I'm gonna go get you some asprin and a change of clothes, okay?" She nodded slightly and clung to the toilet as he left. He came back ten minutes later to find her standing unsteadily at the sink, trying to splash cold water on her face. AJ grabbed a washcloth and cleaned her face before handing her the pills and a glass of water. "Take these," he instructed, voice gruff. She obeyed obediently and didn't protest as shoved her towards the shower. She stood silently as he turned on the water and turned to her. "Can you get undressed by yourself?" She thought for a moment before nodding again, a barely imperceptible move of her head. He took her at her word and left. She came out into the bedroom fifteen minutes later, wrapped in a large towel and looking lost and more vulnerable than he had ever seen her. AJ turned his back as she slowly pulled on the pajamas he had found for her. "I'm done," she said softly. He whirled and closed the distance between them in a heartbeat. She shook in his arms and clung to him like a child. "Dammit Laina," he whispered as he rocked her gently. "Don't you EVER scare me like that again, okay?" "I... I'm sorry..." she said and started to sob. AJ cursed again. "Laina baby I have to call someone. What's JC's number?" Her response was violent as she wrenched away from him and promptly fell to her knees, dizzy with the sudden movement. He was at her side in an instant. "Laina baby..." "Not JC," she wheezed between her tears as curled into a ball on the floor. "Okay, okay," he agreed, frightened by her reaction. "Who? Just tell me who baby girl..." She wept louder as the endearment left his mouth. "Come on Laina help me out here." She stopped crying long enough to whisper a response. "I... I don't want anyone to see me like this AJ. I... I don't want them to be ashamed of me." "Oh honey..." His heart went out to her as he hugged her again. "Honey no one could EVER be ashamed of you." She shook her head negatively at his response and he wondered mentally at that. He searched his brain desperately for an answer. "All right. How about Joey? You told me he was the only one who ever got you drunk so he's already seen you like this right?" She was silent. "Laina darling, I'm going to start speed dialing at random if you don't help me out some." "Joey's number four," was her hesitant reply. "Good girl," he murmured as he picked her up again and tucked her into bed. She immediately curled into a ball and continued to cry as AJ reached for her bedside phone. Joey's phone rang seven times before a groggy voice picked up. "Laina?" "No... This is a friend. Laina needs, she needs someone right now though." There was a moment of dead silence. "Is she all right?" came the breathless demand. AJ smiled tenderly at the woman curled up at his side and shook his head as he his hands trailed through her wet hair. "She's very hung over and very in need of someone who has known her longer than me." "I'll be there in fifteen minutes." There was a click and a dial tone. AJ put the phone up and stretched out next to the crying girl. "He'll be here in a few minutes." Laina sighed and clung to him. ************************************************************************************* Joey drove faster than he had ever dreamed of to arrive at Trace and Laina's house in fifteen minutes. The drive usually took twice as long. His heart was in his throat and he knew he looked like a mad man as he parked and bounded up the walk way in boxers, a wife beater, and sneakers. Laina didn't get hung over. Laina didn't drink, not since that time he had managed to get her totally smashed at Lance's New Year party. And under all the worry was a shit load of guilt because he knew he hadn't been around much. And normally that was okay. But normally Trace and Justin and Lance WERE around. He hadn't liked the feeling of having a strange man call from Laina's phone. She was like his little sister and he hadn't liked the feeling at all. He liked the feeling in his stomach even less when he noticed the door was busted. "Hello?" he called as he carefully stepped into a house that held so many memories. He was slightly relieved to find all the lights on. His relief vanished when he stepped into the living room and stumbled over empty bottles. "Laina?" "She's sleeping..." Joey whirled and felt his jaw drop as he saw red. "What the hell is going on? What the hell are you doing here? How, how do you even know her?!" He took a step forward and was surprised to find his fists already balled. He wasn't one to go for violence first but finding AJ McLean in Laina's house while she was alone was another first all in its own. AJ held his hands up in a show of peace but didn't back down any. His eyes were honest and calm as they met Joey's incensed ones. "I'm happily engaged and sober. I came over when she wouldn't answer the phone or her pager or cell because I was worried. I busted the door open when I found her car but she wouldn't answer the door. She was very drunk and very unhappy. I sobered her up and want to help but I haven't known her long enough to do that. "She needed someone to take care of her emotionally and I called the first person she told me to. I know you have issues with me being here but Laina needs you more right now and she needs you calm. Now can you handle that or do I need to drag JC's number out of her as well?" Joey sucked in a deep breath and swallowed his rage. He fought for a moment before his could uncurl his fists and speak coherently. "All right. If I find out later that you harmed a hair on her head in any way shape or form me and five other men are going to give you the beating of your life. "Until I know different I'll take your word at face value but it would probably be best if you left. I... this is too weird for me." AJ nodded and stepped forward cautiously. "I can deal with that. Please tell her to call me when she feels better. I'll have my cell. And, tell her I won't tell Kevin or Brian or Howie." Joey's eyes bulged. "She knows ALL of you?!" He chuckled. "Yeah Fatone. And we all care about her too." And with that he walked out of the house. ************************************************************************************** "So, when were you planning on telling us that you're best buddies with the Backstreet Boys?" Laina looked up and laughed weekly as Joey stepped into the bedroom and carefully sat by her on the bed. "When I got so damn drunk AJ made me call one of you..." "Not funny Laina Marie," he scolded gently as his thumb traced the dark circles under her eyes. "Wanna tell me why you chased a six pack of imported beer with a bottle of Tequila?" She grimaced. "Vodka. At least I think it was Vodka... Why the hell does Trace drink again?" Joey shook his head. "Don't change the subject. We're talking about you, not Trace." Laina sighed and Joey leaned down to hug her. "Baby girl, you can tell me anything, you know that right? It'll stay between us, I promise. I know JC's afraid of Trace and JuJu but I can kick their scrawny asses any day." He made a squacking sound and Laina giggled before returning the hug with a fierceness that surprised the older man. "Baby girl?" "I just... Its like everything hit me at once, you know?" Joey pulled back and studied the young woman as her fingers absently played with her frayed blanket. "What's everything?" Laina sighed. "I... Its selfish Joey. I'm so damn selfish..." She started crying and he kissed her brow on impulse. "Baby girl, if its making you hurt this bad it doesn't matter if its selfish. It only matters that you feel better. Now tell me." "I... I've just been so lost Joe. Its... I'm an adult. I have my own life. I have my own hopes and dreams but I've just missed Lance so damn much. Its, its never been this bad before. Even when you guys go on tour I still see him on holidays and breaks. He, he's my best friend Joey and I miss having him here for me. The phone just isn't the same. "And then Trace and Justin. I... I know they need boy time. I understand that but its just, hell Joey we grew up together, the three freaking Musketeers. I even went to Justin's ninth birthday. It was a sleep over and I was the only girl there but he didn't care. I was his friend and I was going. And it just frustrates me so much. I always live my life by what Trace and Justin tell me to do or not do. "Its always me thinking 'oh Trace and Justin are gonna kill me for this' or someone else telling me that. And then they just uproot and god damn leave me all alone for months! Trace, Trace hasn't called me for over a week." Laina started to cry harder. "And then... Jesus Joey you better swear that you'll keep a level head about this..." He made her meet his serious eyes. "One question before I make any promises... Have any of your new Backstreet friends laid on hand on you?" Laina's eyes grew huge and she chuckled dryly. "No, they've all been perfect gentlemen..." She winced at the thought of Nick. "Okay Carter has a shitty attitude but you don't need to go all protector on me." Joey nodded and relaxed, relived. "Okay then, I promise. I won't go postal." Laina took a deep breath before continuing softly. "I, I was doing okay though, you know? I've been hanging out with some friends from college who I didn't think I'd get to see this summer. We're not exactly close or anything but sometimes its enough just to chill. They... I don't let people close anymore Joey. I can't. Its too awkward. "I mean before, when I was younger and you guys were less popular it was different. No one knew who the hell Trace Ayala was and I could mention Justin or Lance in the same sentence without some fan making a connection and jumping me. "Anyway I... this is the first time I've ever touched alcohol like this since that time you got me wasted. But Chris showed up on my porch last night with a stack of Sandra Bullock movies looking so damn pathetic. And I just said screw it. Screw Trace and Justin and Lance and you and JC. "I was so damn sick of you guys butting into my life and then not being there for me." Joey's eyes closed with silent pain. "So I let him in and we hung out like we used to before you all forbid me from spending time with him. And we started goofing around and before I realized what happened we were kissing." Laina looked up and met his shocked stare. "And I liked it and I would do it again and I was damn well pissed when the door bell rang for the pizza. I was even more pissed when Chris ran out like some sort of shamed virgin. "I was sitting on the couch feeling sorry for myself and crying and looked at the bar and started thinking about how pissed Trace would be if I drank all his booze and thought, 'shit, why not'. I turned my ringer off, my pager, and my cell and started drinking and don't remember much else until AJ broke down my freaking door and found me half way through the damn Vodka." Joey sighed and hugged the woman he loved like a sister. "Oh god Laina... None of us even realized." "I know," she whispered into his neck as her hands clutched fists full of tank top. "And that's part of why it hurt so bad." That last painful confession broke down the last bit of restraint that Joey had. He and Laina sat together and cried for hours and she regained one of her old and dearest friends and allies that day. It felt good to be included once again. Felt good to be loved.