With only a half hour left till the start of the show, the crowd was going crazy. Whip was completely in a zone now. She had her headset on and the racks were in place. All she had to do was wait for them to come back for the changes.
~*~
"Are you sure you want to do this," Justin sat in the overstuffed chair across from Lance in the dressing room.
"How many time do I have to tell you," Lance said, "I've got to do this. I've got to make her understand how I feel about her."
"Yeah, but this is a huge way to do it," Justin leaned forward in the chair and looked directly at Lance, "I mean, what're you gonna do if she doesn't react the way you're hoping?"
"I guess I'll have to deal with that when the time comes."
Justin was quiet for awhile and Lance sat back, thinking about what he was going to do. Justin was right about one thing. He was terrified. He felt sick inside knowing what he was going to do might backfire. He had to try though. If he didn't, he'd regret it. Thinking back, he recalled all the time they'd spent together since that first night in the hotel lounge. Just in these past few days, he missed her smile, her laugh, and the way her fingers felt against his face. He'd gone about things the wrong way, he knew that. Now was the time to make up for that. He only hoped that she'd hear what he was trying to say to her. They were all relaxing before the show as they always did and Lance tried, but the knot of tension in his stomach just wouldn't let up. His hands were already clammy and his mouth dry. He was pulled back from his thoughts when Anthony stuck his head in the door and told them it was time. The other four jumped up, already pumped for the show, but Lance got up slowly, taking his time. He just had to get through the show and then afterward everything would be fine. At least, he hoped it would.
They performed their usual rituals and when they joined hands to pray, Lance sent up a silent prayer that Whip would hear the meaning in his words tonight. When he walked through the doors leading to the backstage area, a calm came over Lance and the knot in his stomach released completely. He was in his element now and completely focused. They got to their places on the lifters and were raised to the stage, lights flashing and the crowd going wild.
~*~
Whip bobbed her head along with the beat. She was always amazed at the talent that those five men possessed. She loved hearing them and watching them perform and tonight wasn't any different. Taking the first set of clothes off the hangers, she had them ready when they came jogging back, already covered in a thin sheen of sweat. First, they grabbed towels from the assistants and hurriedly wiped their faces and necks. Whip couldn't help but stare at Lance as the towel moved over his skin. Whip didn't know how to feel about him lately. Ever since that letter he'd wrote, her feelings were completely mixed up. Lance pulled his shirt up over his head to reveal a black wifebeater and Whip's stomach tightened as her eyes trailed over his muscular frame.
"You gonna give me those or do I have to go back out naked," Whip jumped at Chris's voice and turned to find him grinning at her. She blushed because she knew she'd been caught staring at Lance. Silently, she handed Chris his clothes and helped him quickly change.
"Ya know," Chris leaned close to her as if he was sharing a very important secret, "he's nuts about you and you might wanna think about why you're so mad at him. You might find that the reasons aren't that clear anymore."
Before Whip could reply, Chris took off with the others. Whip just stood there, taken aback by his words. Dammit, Lance was the one who'd been in the wrong here. Why did Chris make it seem like she was the one who was overreacting? Still confused, Whip tossed his clothes from the first set into the hamper at the bottom of the rack. Lance hadn't even glanced her way. She knew that he had to be focused for the performance, but she thought, after that letter that he'd at least look at her. Her mind was warring with itself and Whip was getting a little tired of the battle. It was exhausting and she needed to be away from it. All she had to do was make it through this show and then she could go somewhere and be alone to think for awhile. Until then, she'd just have to put it out of her mind and focus on her job.
It seemed to go on forever, but finally the concert was over. Whip could still hear the audience screaming for more, but they were done. Whip trailed behind slowly, wanting to give everyone a chance to leave. Then maybe she could think while she finished up. Walking down the hall, she noticed that they'd been messier than usual. Articles of clothing were strewn all along the way and she sighed as she picked them up. Whip pushed the clothing rack back to the dressing room. Crystal, along with another assistant had already returned the others and Whip did her nightly check to make sure everything was where it should be. Pulling the door shut behind her, she began to walk down the hallway toward the exit. She couldn't wait to get back to her room and run a hot bath. She needed to relax.
"Whiiiiip......Whip, wait up!!!" Whip turned to see Shay running toward her. Shay was Joey's girlfriend and although they hadn't talked a whole lot, Whip really liked her. Shay kept Joey in line and she was just a really likable person. Whip stopped and waited for her to catch up.
"Whip, you've gotta come with me now," Shay gasped for breath and her eyes were wide with what looked like concern, "It's Lance.......he.....he's.....shit, you just gotta come with me!"
Shay's voice was trembling and a sick feeling hit Whip in the gut. Oh God, something had happened to Lance. They took off running and Whip was consumed with the thoughts rushing through her head. Please let him be okay, she thought. Shay led her back to where the stage was still set up and onto the actual stage. Everyone had gone home, making it look so lifeless. Where just a couple hours ago, there was boisterous activity, now there was nothing, but darkness and quiet. Whip couldn't imagine what Lance would be doing here. She asked Shay, but Shay just looked at her with her wide eyes and glanced back over her shoulder. Whip turned back toward the front of the stage and for just a second, wondered what it would be like to be the one out there on that stage. To have thousands of fans screaming your name.
"Whitney...." A low voice echoed through the arena and Whip spun around, looking for where it came from. Shay had disappeared and that made Whip even more suspicious.
"Whitney, I want to apologize to you. I know I already did, but I have to say it again. I'm sorry and I hope that you'll be able to forgive me."
A spotlight came on, surrounding Whip in it's eerie glow. She turned and turned, but couldn't, for the life of her, figure out where that voice was coming from. She knew it was Lance, but dammit, where was he?
"You asked why those words were so important to me and I want to show you, in my own way. " With that, colored lights swung back and forth across the stage, illuminating it and Whip was stunned. Rising from the floor, was Lance. His eyes connected with hers and she could see them, the flashing lights making them glitter as if they were on fire. When he was halfway up, she noticed that four more heads appeared, two to each side of him. What the hell were they doing?
Softly, and then louder, music started to play. It was slow and hypnotic and nothing like Whip had ever heard before. She glanced up to find that the band members were there. Since it was dark, she hadn't noticed them in the shadows. Turning back to Lance, she saw that he was now walking toward her, slowly. He had a microphone in his hand and he raised it to his lips.
Is this wrong or is this real
Should I deny the way I feel
Every time I get close to you
Feels like I'm doin' somethin'
I'm not supposed to
Whip was hypnotized by the gentleness of Lance's voice. The words he sang to her, were the ones that she'd penned herself. Tears filled her eyes as he was joined by the others in the chorus.
Can I want your love
Would it be ok
I wonder what you would say
If I kissed your lips
Would it shock your heart
Or do you want to go that far
Can I want your love
Lance stopped in front of Whip and gently touched her cheek with his fingertips. His eyes bored into hers and she was completely lost in their depths. A tear slid down her cheek and his thumb wiped it away. Lance smiled softly at her and began to sing again.
Do I dare cross this line
'Cause girl, my desire might make you mine
This temptation is such a rush
How much of you am I worthy of
Can I want your love
Would it be ok
I wonder what you would say
If I kissed your lips
Would it shock your heart
Or do you want to go that far
Can I want your love
Every time I get close to you
Feels like I'm doin' something
I'm not supposed to
Can I want your love
Would it be ok
I wonder what you would say
If I kissed your lips
Would it shock your heart
Or do you want to go that far
Can I want your love
Can I want your love
Can I want your love
*song courtesy of Trace Adkins*
As the last note of the song died away, Whip just stared into Lance's eyes. She couldn't believe what he'd done to prove how much he cared about her. She felt him take her hand and watched as he brought it slowly up to his lips, pressing them down on the back of it. That soft, gentle touch was all it took and with a choked sob, Whip threw herself into his arms, clinging to Lance as if they'd been apart for years. Lance buried his face in her neck and whispered reassuringly in her ear. They never noticed the smiles they got from the guys or that they made their way off the stage, leaving Lance and Whip alone.