Joey was half asleep on the divan when JC came out of the elevator and plunked down next to him. JC was the sleeper of the group, but once he was awake, he was awake. And bouncy. He always woke up to two cups of black coffee. So when he nudged Joey with his shoulder, saying softly, �hi, hi. Hey, Joe. Hiii,� Joey opened his eyes and sat up straighter. He figured it was just his luck; JC was going to attach himself to him on the one day that Joey was feeling the after effects of his partying. He was trying to cut down.

�What�s goin� on Jayce?� Joey mumbled, but instantly regretted it when Justin was walking by and burst into a verse of �What�s Goin� On.� The boy had obviously already had his daily intake of cereal. Why was it that on the one day Joey wanted to enjoy his hangover in peace, everyone had to be insane?

�Well, I was just talking to Lance yesterday.� Why did he feel like hitting JC? �We had a nice little conversation about taking vacations.� Did JC ever make a point? Without being hurried along?

�Jayce, can you just get to it? I�m just a little too sick for pointless gibberish right now.� Joey had tried to be nice, he really had. But with JC you had to be straightforward, or he didn�t pick up on it. A lot of things went over his head. Sometimes Joey thought that JC just had an act going on, like he was faking his flakiness most of the time, and he really knew what was going on. Sometimes though, like today, he was positive that JC only lived inside his head.

�We�ve got 5 days off coming up, and we�re all gunna go somewhere different.� Joe looked up over the rim of his darkened glasses. �Without each other. Just to like, get away. So make your plans or whatever.�

Joey, now curious as to JC�s motives, took off his sunglasses and ignored the screaming from behind his eyes. �And where are you going?�

�Where�s who going?� Chris had officially joined the conversation.

�I dunno, where are you going?� Joey looked at Chris.

�Huh?� Chris looked confused. He looked at JC who was shaking his head.

�No no no. I haven�t told Chris yet, Joey.� JC had been waiting until after Joey, but he supposed now that Chris was here, he might as well just tell him. Not that he was afraid Chris wouldn�t agree to go � hell, Chris didn�t have a choice, everyone else was.

�I�m always the last to know everything!� Chris wailed, and jumped on Joey�s back, who was now standing. If they were gunna force the hangover out of him, he might as well help.

�We�re going on vacations.� Joey was always pretty simple. Chris slid off his back, fascinated with the idea. He really was like a big 12 year old. Except he wasn�t that big.

�Oh yeah? Where to?�

�Wherever you want, Chris.� Since JC was kind of a space-case, and Chris was usually mentally too young to tolerate it, Joey spoke.

�I have to go by myself? What if something happens to Timberlake? Who will protect him?�

�Um, Chris? You were just about to kick his ass for Lance the other day.� JC and Joey looked at each other. Chris� short-term memory strikes again.

�Oh yeah.� Chris squinted over at Justin, who stood by the reception desk talking on his cell phone. �Let that mother fucker take care of himself.� He jumped on Joey�s back again. �Giddy up!�