*****
"So that same Emily that said you raped her...she's helping us now?" Chris asked slowly.
Lance nodded. "Yeah. Her...her father...uh, did it, and then made her blame me for it--"
"You believed her?"
"Look, it was Southern Mississippi. Fathers hit their children all the time. It happens. It happened to me, Stacey, everyone. That's just the way things were. So yeah, I believed her," Lance said, staring out the window.
"Sorry," Chris said quietly. "It just seems far-fetched. We're not like you, we don't know how life was in the 19th century. We don't know what it's like beyond this life. All we know is what you've told us."
I'm sorry too," Lance sighed. "Sometimes I forget that you guys don't--" he stopped. "Forget it. Just...I've forgiven Emily. She's on our side. Just call her Shari in front of everyone but us five." Chris smiled mischievously. "Oh, I don't know about that..."
*****
"So who is this young man?" JC's mother asked.
Lance stood behind JC with a small smile on his face. JC's parents had flown to Florida to try and help with the lawsuit. "This is Lance, a friend of the guys," JC said.
He and Lance had decided not to say "boyfriend" only because of the way his parents had reacted when he had first told them about being gay. They reasoned that if the world remembered Lance, then his parents would remember everything too. Things with the lawsuit were bad enough without his parent's issues getting in the way. If they felt the need to talk about his and Lance's relationship, then they would, but for now they decided to keep it quiet.
"Are you that boy we saw on TV? The one they say is everywhere?" Karen asked curiously.
Lance smiled. "Yes, ma'am, I am. It's very nice to meet you. I'm Lance Bass."
"Karen Chasez. Nice to meet you too. What are you doing with the other guys?"
Lance regarded her for a second before opening his mouth to speak. "Well, ma'am, I--"
"He's a friend," JC interjected. "He's helping us out during the suit. Now...Lance, can I talk to you about something?"
Lance smiled with a raised eyebrow. "Sure," he said, feeling himself being pulled away.
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Chasez!" he said.
JC was about to say something, but they were interrupted by a commotion by the door. He sighed and looked at the door.
"Hey, it's Barbie!" Chris was yelling. "When Barbie is here, Ken must be near! Ooh, I rhymed!"
Lance covered his face. "Chri-isssss!"
Emily shook her head. "Ken's not here," she said, walking inside as Chris held the door open. "Is Lance here? I need to tell him something."
"Sure, Barbie!" Chris said, winking at her. "Over there."
Emily sighed and saw Lance standing next to JC, a hand covering his eyes. She looked back at Chris. "I've always wanted to blow that doll's head off."