*****
"Where was Shari?" Justin asked. He furrowed his brow at the TV screen and pounded a few buttons.
Chris shrugged. "He didn't know," he replied, rolling his eyes. "Idiot. If you're gonna get your ass arrested, make sure your little bitch-woman is around to bust you out of jail, ya know? Watch out, Joey."
Joey laughed. "Sure," he said. He jerked his controller. "Think JC's awake yet?" He wrinkled his nose when he got blown up. "Bastard," he muttered to Justin. He got up.
Chris slipped into the empty seat and took the offered controller happily. "Probably not," he said.
"Bastard? Who you callin' a bastard?" Justin asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'm the KING."
Joey rolled his eyes. "You and your head. When you think he's gonna get up? He seemed pretty deep into it..."
"At least he's sleeping," Justin said. "BOOM! Take that, old man..."
"How old does he sound?" Joey asked Chris.
"I am the most mature," Justin said snootily. "Wow, Chris, when did you get so damn bad?"
Chris ignored him. "Man, what was this about Lance, before? You said he went where? Justin, stop being a prick."
"He went--"
"I'm not a prick, Shorty! What is it with you insulting me?"
"Don't blow me up and I won't! Joey?"
"He said he went to hell and--"
"What the hell am I supposed to do? Let you sit there and kill me? Sorry Joe," Justin said, jerking out of the way.
Joey rolled his eyes. "Right. He went down there but somehow got away...apparently. But he came back and now he disappeared again." He shrugged. "That's all I know."
Chris sighed, then his eyes widened. He quickly reached forward and reset the game. "Whoops, my bad. So sorry, Justin..."
"CHRIS! YOU ASS!" Justin jumped up. "I was winning, Christopher," he said.
"And I was losing, Justin Randall," Chris shot back. "And my hand slipped. So..." he shrugged. "Maybe next time, Mouseketeer."
Justin made a face, then without warning, tackled Chris over the couch. Both fell on the floor and started shoving each other. "Mousketeer...you only wish you were, Soprano Man!"
"It makes me unique! You wish you could get this high, Curly Fry," Chris said, messing with Justin's hair.
Joey shook his head and wondered how many nicknames they'd come up with for each other this time around.
*****
"James..."
Lance looked up from where he was sitting on a cloud next to JC. They had their hands locked and were pressed together, just looking out over the world. His eyes widened. "Not yet," he said, shaking his head.
"Yes yet," Nikolas said with a smile.
Lance frowned and looked at his free wrist. He held it up. "Not by my watch!" he said triumphantly. JC remained silent, a thoughtful look on his face.
"You're not wearing a watch," Nikolas pointed out. "Yes I am! Can't you see it? You can see it, right Josh?"
"Hmm? Of course." Lance looked at him oddly, but continued in his plea. "Come on, it's right there! We still have a few hours."
"Sorry James."
Lance sighed, knowing he wouldn't win. "Fine then."
"Really?" Nikolas asked, surprised. "Already?"
"Sure," Lance shrugged. "At least he knows I'm here now. Come on, Josh, let's get away from the old one over there."
"Respect!"
"Always!" Lance shot back. He pulled JC to his feet and the two walked away.
Nikolas shook his head.
***
"Um, guys?" Joey rolled his eyes and finally gave up the battle with his laughter.
Chris was behind the couch, Justin was in front. Every time Justin would go one way, Chris moved the other. This was the scene JC and Lance found themselves watching for a few minutes. "You want a piece of this? I'm right here, bitch," Chris said, bouncing up and down and jerking erratically.
"They can't see us, can they?" JC asked, looking over at Lance. Lance shook his head, a smile on his face.
"You wanna come out from behind the couch?" Justin asked. "Or hide?"
Chris moved to the left and Justin followed to the right. Chris was now in front of the couch, Justin behind. "Hide? Who's behind it now? Think you can handle this? Come and get it, cream puff," Chris said, fists raised like a boxer. He continued bouncing up and down.
Justin frowned and launched himself over the couch and onto Chris. "Ow, man, let go of my hair! You little punk--"
Lance laughed and tugged on JC's hand. "Come on," he said. JC shook his head at the still wrestling pair and followed silently. Lance walked by Joey and kicked him in the butt on the way by. JC gasped seeing Lance's leg go through Joey's body and both Joey and Lance shuddered.
"Thanks a lot, Lance," Joey hissed, shuddering again. "I would get stuck with the annoying angel." He shook his head and started trying to get between Justin and Chris.
Lance giggled. "What was the shudder for?" JC asked. "Well...when I hit him suddenly like that, he gets cold. And me going through him...kind of invades my personal bubble, ya know what I mean?"
JC nodded. "And he knew it was you?"
"Yeah, I visit him a lot...he think's he's gonna get me back one of these days..." Lance said, shaking his head. "He only wishes." They were at JC's room now, and Lance put a hand on the doorknob. "Now this might be kind of a shock...your body is...there, so..."
"It's what?"
"Well...your spirit left it...somehow...but you're like, dreaming I guess. Here's hoping that this a dream you remember."
JC frowned and Lance opened the door. "Wow," he said, eyes widening. He turned to Lance. "Now what?"
"Just...Lay down on your body, I suppose. I'm kinda new at that stuff." He let go of JC's hand and hugged him, wrapping his arms around his neck. "Til we meet again," he said.
"Yeah," JC replied, pulling back a little, then leaning down and pressing his lips against Lance's for a long, slow kiss. Lance's eyes fluttered shut and he moaned a little before they pulled away.
"Bye, Josh," Lance said quietly. "See you sometime...I'll be around. If Joey's ever talking to himself, or his lights flicker...or maybe when his pants rip onstage..." He smiled mischievously.
"Lance!"
"What?"
JC shook his head. "Bye, Lance," he said softly. He wouldn't cry this time. He'd get the other guys to remember, he had to. He couldn't just wait a few decades to die before getting to see Lance again. The other guys would remember, for sure. Smiling a little about what he thought was a secret, he slipped out of Lance's grip and walked back to the bed. "See you soon," he said, whispering the next words so softly Lance didn't hear. "I promise."