Cars whipped by on the freeway, but the NSYNC bus that held Lance and Joey pulled to a stop next to the other one. The two guys, puzzled [they had been racing down the road, and now all of a sudden, things stopped] clambered off their bus to find out what was going on.

�I can�t take it anymore!� Chris shouted, coming off his own bus. The others were right behind him. �Justin, either stop being such a pussy, or get off our bus!�

�Chris, what the fuck�� Joey, as always, was trying to get to the bottom of things.

�No, I mean it. He rides with you.� Chris was pointing at Lance and Joey�s bus.

�Chris, what happened?� Lance asked.

�No, get away from me.� He got back on his bus. He could vaguely hear the guys arguing outside; he heard Joey yell for Justin to tell him what the fuck is going on? and then he heard JC soothe Joey and Chris, and then Lance was getting on the bus, and Chris was curling into a little ball in his bunk, with the curtain hastily shut. His intention had been to block out all noise, light and movement, but the only thing separating him from the world was the curtain and it was pulled back slowly as Lance peered in at the older man.

�Chris, you have to tell me what happened.� Lance was talking softly, and Chris couldn�t hear the guys outside anymore, which meant they were probably all on the other bus, leaving Lance to figure out what was wrong. He was right; the bus started to move and there was no other movement besides him and Lance.

Chris didn�t roll over to look at Lance when he spoke. He wiped hastily [trying to be discreet] at his reddening eyes and said, �He just pisses me off.� Chris heard Lance�s knees pop as he knelt next to the bunk.

�He pisses us all off. But why this time?� Lance was still speaking softly, and now he had a reassuring hand on Chris� arm. �Come on, man. Look at me. I want to help.�

Chris rolled over and hoped that it was too dark for Lance to see the tears on his cheeks and in his eyes. �He was talking on the phone��

�To Britney.� Lance guessed. He was right, and when Chris raised an eyebrow in question, Lance said, �That�s the only person he ever talks to anymore.�

�Right, so they�re blabbering on and on about some crap, and I was just sitting there, trying to type out an email to my sisters. And I was typing his side of the conversation, because it was pretty damn funny.� Chris leaned up so he was lying on his stomach, looking down at Lance. �You know how they talk to each other. All mushy and crap. Well, I was adding my own comments at the same time.� Lance nodded, he could see where this was going.

�You were adding her side of the conversation, weren�t you?�

�Yeah, but he wasn�t supposed to see it. It was a personal email, Lance. I know you understand that.�

�Chris didn�t you think that he might not find it funny? You know he always thinks we�re making fun of him.� Lance was trying not to take sides. All he needed was for Chris to be pissed off at him too.

�He wasn�t even supposed to see it though. And it was really fucking funny. The stuff I was writing was great.� Chris laughed in the memory of what he had tried to send to his sisters. �So here I am, mostly minding my own business, and he comes over, and he�s like, �what�re you doing?� and started to read it over my shoulder.� Lance nodded. He could definitely understand what had happened now. �So I told him to go away and I quickly sent the email. But he told Britney he had to go and started bitching at me for making fun of them. I told him I wasn�t making fun; I was just making my own life more interesting. And then he said that I don�t have to tell my sisters everything, and I told him that I�d tell them whatever the hell I wanted.� Chris� voice broke and Lance�s hand came up to rest on his arm again.

�It�s alright, just tell me.�

�So then he said that just because I can�t keep a good woman around doesn�t mean I get to fuck it up for him. And so I shoved him and told him to fuck off. And then I made the bus stop. And stuff.� Chris was sniffling now. Lance had only ever seen him like this a few times before. Once in Germany, he�d let his guard down and admitted to Lance that he was homesick, but that if Lance told anyone he missed his mom he�d kick his ass out of the group before he could even say Mississippi. And then again when he and Dani broke up.

�Chris, you have to learn not to bug him.�

�Don�t fucking patronize me, Lance.�

�I�m not, I just mean that some things are better left untouched. I know that what you were doing was funny, and that Justin is a nosy bastard sometimes, but you�re just gunna have to forgive him this time.�

�Not only is he nosy, but he�s a mother fucker too.�

�And really like Britney,� Lance added, laughing, which made Chris laugh too. �In fact, he�s probably on the phone with her, complaining right now.�

Chris laughed harder. �Probably.� He sobered up and was silent.

�You should probably apologize.� Lance said after a moment.

�He�s the one who��

�Chris, you�re bigger than him, and older than him, and I know you�re more mature than him. I think you should apologize.� Lance watched Chris get out of his bunk.

�Man, I can�t wait for this vacation,� he said as he helped Lance up off the floor.

�Me too, man. Me too.�

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