AN: First a BIG thank you to all the wonderful people who left me feedback. You are all worshipped devotely from now on. Now, on with the chapter... Its a brief Lance/Laina interlude cause Lance is cool. Like Lance... Standard Disclaimers once more apply... Not that I'd mine ownership but yeah... *********************** Crossing Enemy Lines: Chapter Seven ********************* "Lanceeeee... I think I'm in love!" Lance spluttered at the announcement and Laina giggled from an ocean away. "You're WHAT?!" "In love. LOVE. L-O-V-E. Happy. Delirious. Ya know, all that sugary crap you guys are always singing about. THAT." She snickered as he fumbled for words. "WHAT?" "Oh come on Lansten. Its about damn time I got some action. If I was a man this would have happened long ago. You guys have more chicks hanging around you but noooo... all the hot guys I meet through my friends are either gay or twelve." "You're really not kidding are you?" "Nope!" She laughed as he swore creatively. "Wanna know who he is?" "I KNOW him?" came the incredulous response. "Its not Justin is it? Or Chris? If Chris laid a hand on you I'll pummel him!" Laina rolled her eyes. "Down Lansten. I have enough pit bulls in my life right now. And big EWW on the whole Justin thing. I'm pissed at Chris right now but I'll explain later. But yes, you do know him, on a professional level. Wanna try to guess who it is?" "Laina Marie Ayala..." "Geeze Lance, lay off the full name. Aren't you gonna play along at all?" "LAINA!" "Oh breathe space boy." She paused and took a deep breath as she thought about the implications of this revelation before finally continuing. "Howard Dorough." "What?" came the very unmanly squeak. "Howard Dorough? HOWIE? Howie Backstreet Boy Howie? Latin Lover Howie? Sweet D?!" Laina broke into another fit of giggles. "You should hear yourself sweetie... 'Latin Lover Howie'..." "Be serious Laina. How the hell did you meet Howie?" She sighed theatrically, thoroughly enjoying her best friend's anguish. "Weeeelllll... This is all really your fault..." "Oh do tell!" "Shut up Lansten. Okay... If it hadn't been for those pictures you sent me, which almost made me cry by the way... You looked so cute in your little astronaut outfit... But if it hadn't been for that I wouldn't have met Nick..." When she was finished with her 'how we met' story there was a long moment of silence on the other end of the phone before Lance responded. "You know this is all gonna backfire on you, don't you?" Laina snorted. "That advice is about a week too late Lansten. None of us have talked in days but I'm calling a PDM tomorrow. We gotta work things out." "A Pre Destruction Meeting?! Things have gotten that bad?!" Laina studied her nails for a long moment before replying softly. "Trace and Justin got home early from Virginia, just in time to see AJ drop me off. And they had no idea I knew him. Justin accused me of being a Backstreet Whore and I slapped him hard enough to leave a hand print behind. I've also managed to get myself into a relationship with Howie between then and now so yeah, things suck." "And you were planning on telling me this all WHEN?" "I'm telling you now and don't yell. Joey's been taking care of me and I didn't want to tell you until I was ready to do something about it because I KNOW how you are Lance. I know it's killing you that you can't be here, home. I know you're living your dream but I know you'd abandon it in a minute if I or any of the guys ask you to. "But I'm not asking. You're there and you belong there and I can handle all this." "Laina..." "Lance don't you DARE! You are staying in Russia and you're going into space and you're NOT going to mope and worry about us all. I will make everything right, I PROMISE. "Now promise me that you're going to get your cute little butt in a Russian uniform and be a good space man in training." "Laina..." he tried to object miserably. "Swear Lance, I'm serious." There was a frustrated moan. "Fine," he grumbled, beautifully deep voice disgruntled. "But only if you promise me you actually CALL and tell me how the PDM went, and that you don't get freaky with Howie." "LANSTEN!" "I'm not your brother or Justin Laina but I want to shake Howie's hand and look into his eyes before I hear the l-word come out of your pretty lips one more time." She perked up. "You think I have pretty lips?" Lance sighed but answered dutifully. "You have lips that grown men fantasize about. Now do I have your promise?" Stupid Lance never got sidetracked. "Yes Lansten. I promise. No getting frictional with Howie until you do the whole best friend approval thing." "Frictional?!" The word was yet another squeak. Laina laughed. "Yeah... Hay I don't use freak in a sexual way as a verb in the lyrics of MY songs..." "You don't write lyrics..." Laina resumed studying her nails. "This is very true. Okay Lance, I'm gonna go meet my doom and call the five idiots. I'll call you and give you a full run down of everything that happens, swear. If any of the guys call you, ignore them cause you love me more and Lance, don't get mad but..." She took a deep breath and quickly rushed through the last, "me and Chris made out but I've decided he's a weasel and that Howie's hair is much prettier. So I still like Chris but I like Howie more. Love you, bye." She hung up. And unplugged her phone. Mad Lance was scary.