Brian stirred, and his hearing came to him, quite unfortunately for him, for he awoke. His eyes still closed, he arched his back, and his eyes snapped open. Then he remembered. He remembered it all. They were still in the bathroom, and the door was still closed. Jessica turned somehow, and lay against the wall and let Brian’s head rest in her lap, her hand rested comfortably on his cheek. He covered her hand with his and smiled as he closed his eyes. In ways he didn’t know, she had covered the floor and him with a few towels in the bathroom. She was a wonder she was.
“Mm Bri?” she mumbled.
“Right here sweetheart,” Brian whispered, his hand tightening around hers. He found his face to feel “stuck”, because of his dried tears.
“Are you ok?” she asked without opening her tired eyes.
“I’m all right…I’m sorry for sleepin on ya,” he apologized.
“It’s ok…”
“I’m glad we’re staying for the day- we’re here for a charity concert tonight.”
Jessica’s eyes flew open. “Today…is today Wednesday?”
“Um yeah, it is.”
She thumped her head back on the wall. “Lance is supposed to be here today.”
“Oh.”
“He’ll be here after lunch- is it ok if he stops by?” she asked meekly. “I mean, if you mind, I could tell him to meet me up somewhere else-”
“It’s ok,” he said softly. He took his hand down and played with the corner of the towel.
“Are you sure? It’s ok if we could meet at the park or something,” she offered. She didn’t want him to feel like Lance was intruding in his home.
“Nah…it’s all right… you’re like family, he’s your boyfriend, I’m sure it’s ok,” Brian assured her. “It’s ok…”
“Ok…thanks Bri,” Jessica said gratefully. “Um…so are we gonna wake up or are we gonna stay in the bathroom. It’s your choice.”
He smiled. But truth be told, he didn’t want to leave. Yet he knew he had to. “Let’s eat,” he said reluctantly.
“Ok, c’mon. I’ll even make you something,” she offered.
“I appreciate it, but you don’t have to treat me special…besides, I think I’d be even more nauseas if I had your cooking,” he joked, letting her know it was ok.
She smiled and played with his hair. “I’m not a bad cook! I mean, Lance eats it, look how he turned out.”
Brian cocked an unseen eyebrow. “Dude, half of what he eats is like pizza.”
“Is not!” she argued.
“Believe what you want, but I know that he eats more fast food than anything else.”
“Whatever Bri.”
Brian closed his eyes, now remembering what he had planned to do today. He had planned to sleep all day until the concert.
“You tired B?” Jessica asked knowingly, touching his cheek again. She rolled her shoulders, and winced as she found her shoulders and back aching from sleeping positions.
“Yeah a little,” he murmured.
She smiled. “Ok.”
“Um…J?”
“Yeah B?”
“You know I’d love to sleep on your impromptu bed but…”
“I get the hint Rok. C’mon lets get you into a proper bed.”
“I’m up for that!” he sighed, slowly peeling himself off the floor and helping Jessica up. He noticed her grimace and her hand going to her shoulder.
Brian glanced at the mess on the floor.
“Just leave it,” Jessica said, “I’ll take care of it later.”
He smiled gratefully at her, “You’re great you know that?”
“I know, I try. C’mon.”
He slowly shuffled toward his room, with the incessant tugging of Jessica’s hand. At last he made it to the bed and fell down on it, eyes closed.
“Get up Rok…I gotta tuck you in.”
He smiled. “I’m not a little kid.”
“So?”
He pawed and crawled his way up the bed and climbed under the covers. “Ok.”
Jessica laughed and tucked him in, giving him a kiss on the forehead. She turned around and was ready to leave.
“Jess?”
“Huh?” she asked, turning back around.
Brian looked unsure, but looked at her in such a way that she could see the little kid in him still. “Stay with me?”
“Ohh sure B…anything you need me for,” she said, giving him a hug. “Look, I’ll make some breakfast, and I’ll be right back.” She looked him in the eye as she rested her forehead on his.
“Promise?”
“Have I ever broken a promise to you Bri?”
He smiled. “No.”
She smiled back. “I’m not about to start now.” She kissed his forehead again before leaving the room and shutting the door quietly behind her.
“Gotta love that girl,” Brian mumbled before drifting off again.
-;- -;- -;-
“Do you know what’s wrong with him?” Jackie asked as Jessica entered the kitchen.
She sighed, one hand on her hip and the other on her forehead. “I do, but I feel obligated to keep it to myself until he says it’s ok.”
His mom smiled briefly in understanding. “I don’t think Brian could have a better friend.”
“I second that,” Brian’s dad chimed in.
Jessica blushed. “It’s nothing…I just wanna be there for him ya know?”
“We know.”
-;- -;- -;-
“Where is she? She knows I’m coming today I hope,” Lance muttered on the plane.
“Stop the hell worrying!” JC groaned, the unfortunate soul that got placed next to the incessant babble of Lance Bass.
“I can’t help it. I haven’t heard from her in a while. It makes me think things…”
“Gosh she’s a big girl you know that right?” Chris called over.
Lance rolled his eyes. “What if she was kidnapped or something?”
“Dude, you’re thinking weird thoughts. Like anything like that would ever happen,” Justin told his supposed crazy friend.
“And I thought *I* was the crazy one,” Chris murmured.
Joey snickered behind his magazine.
“We’ll be there soon, ok? Just hang tight,” JC semi-comforted (in actuality it was to shut him up, but he didn’t realize the difference, right?).
The blonde sighed and stared out the window for a while before shutting it. “I wonder if she’s gonna be at the airport like she said she’d be.”
“LANCE!” they groaned.
Joey passed down the magazine and JC did the honors.
“OW!” Lance yelped, grabbing the back of his head. “Dude, that’s a mega issue!”
The guys only laughed and hid the evidence.
-;- -;- -;-
Jessica sighed as she lay on the bed next to Brian, who had fallen asleep again after eating, insisting on her presence. He slept facing the ceiling, his hand on his stomach. His soft snoring was just like Lance’s, barely noticeable, only if you listened closely. She played with his hair and listened to the silence, enjoying the feeling of tranquility, no worries about the Scream man.
She sighed again as she glanced at the time. “Sorry Bri…I gotta go to the airport, I’ll be back ok? We’ll hang out later,” she whispered, knowing full well he couldn’t hear her. “Love you,” she said before kissing the corner of his mouth and hopping off the bed. “Ugh…maybe while I’m at it, I’ll get a masseuse.”
As she walked to the door, Brian watched her, tears glinting in his eyes. She shut the door, and he closed his eyes again, pulling the sheets tighter to him. “I love you too…”
-;- -;- -;-
“Where’s Lance Mommy?” Lance asked impatiently. “I want someone to play with.”
“They haven’t gotten off the plane yet sweetie,” Jessica smiled. She played with the hem of her red LOVE shirt she bought last second. “Just wait a few more minutes.”
“Aww…”
Just then, the doors opened and people started to pour out. Jessica stood up and found the familiar faces.
“Where is he Mommy?” Lance asked, jumping up and down, trying to see over the heads of the much taller people ahead of him.
“Looking sweetie,” she said mindlessly, grabbing his hand tight as she weaved through the crowd.
“Nice to see a pretty face,” a deep voice greeted her.
Jessica smiled and hugged him with one arm. “Hey you.”
Lance smiled and kissed her cheek.
“Lance!”
Lance looked down to see Little Lance smiling at him. “Hey…how have you been without me huh?”
“I wanna play!”
He laughed and lifted the toddler onto his shoulder. “Alright c’mon.”
“Yay!”
“I’d be careful if I were you,” JC muttered into her ear. “I kinda hit him in the head with a mega issue of People.”
Jessica let out an unexpected laugh and people looked over. She blushed and kept walking. “What’d you do that for?” she asked JC.
“Come on! The guy was driving us NUTS worrying about you…you didn’t call for a while he said.”
“Oh…” she said, instantly feeling guilty. “There’s a reason for that…”
“And what’s that?”
“Some stuff was going on…and I had to take care of a lot of stuff,” she said slowly, making sure not to leak out anything.
“Stuff? What’s “stuff”?” JC asked, catching her slowness and nervous expression.
“It’s nothing you guys should be worrying about…just a few situations have to be taken care of…”
“Ok…so you’re alright, right?” JC asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry about it,” she said, breezing past him and catching up to Lance.
“What’s with her?” Justin asked.
“I dunno…I have a bad feeling…”
“Like about what?” he asked.
“She said “stuff” was goin on…” JC said, using his fingers to make quotations around stuff.
“What exactly is “stuff”?” Justin mimicked JC’s action.
“That’s what I’m worried about,” he sighed. “But no use in worrying- I wanna hit the sack.”
“At 2 in the afternoon?” Justin laughed.
“Hey, I’m tired, aiight?” JC defended.
“You’re just getting old.”
-;- -;- -;-
“Are you sure?” Lance asked, eyeing the house uncomfortably. “I’d feel bad about it…”
“COME ON Lance…I even asked him if it was ok,” Jessica assured him.
“Alright…”
“I just hope Chris doesn’t teach Lance anything bad…”
“Knowing him, yes he will.”
“Great. Oh great,” Jessica rolled her eyes.
“By the time you pick him up, he’ll know how to rig paint to drop on you when you open a door.”
Jessica stopped and grabbed her cell phone. “What’s his number?”
Lance laughed. “Jess it’s ok, really. He’s not THAT crazy. Last thing we need is another Chris running around…”
“I’d feel bad for myself,” she groaned, walking up the stairs. “C’mon- my room’s over here.”
He followed uncertainly and walked inside, sitting down on the small couch. “I thought you had an apartment.”
“Um it’s uh being…” she scrambled to search for an answer, “it’s being fumigated.”
“Oh…ok,” Lance said slowly, not believing it for a second.
“Yeah…so…how’s the tour going?” Jessica asked, sliding next to him.
“Eh…could be better. I missed you.”
She started to smile slowly. “I missed you too.”
Lance smiled and leaned closer to her, “Prove it.”
-;- -;- -;-
“Um Chris are you sure Jess is gonna let you get away with doing that?” JC asked.
“I’m sure it’s alright,” Chris waved off. “C’mon Lance, pick one. Blue, green, purple?”
“Look at it this way. At least he’s not telling him to choose a Playboy magazine,” Joey shrugged.
“JOEY!” Justin laughed. “Should’ve known, count on you for those kinda things…”
“Chris I don’t think you should do that, I mean, Jess is gonna KILL you,” JC said, kneeling down to Lance. “Lance you don’t want that, do you?”
The 3 year-old just nodded, huge smile on his face. “PLEASE?? You’ll be my favoritest!” he begged as he put on his puppy dog face.
JC couldn’t take it. “Aw hell, buy it. Pick out a game, I’ll get it for you.”
“Who’s the spoiler now?” Justin whispered loudly to Joey.
“Hey, I’m not the one who bought him Nike tennis shoes,” JC glared.
“Hey, he can USE those,” Justin defended.
“Right,” Joey scoffed.
“Hey, I didn’t buy him that industrial sized chocolate bar,” Justin shot back, crossing his arms.
Joey looked wounded. “Well, SORRY! He WANTED it.”
“He threw half of it away Joey,” JC laughed.
“So? He still appreciated it,” Joey defended.
“JC! Uncle JC!” Lance cried, jumping up and down, trying to catch his attention.
“What is it Lil B?”
They had nicknamed him “Lil B” for Little Bass.
“Can I get this?” the toddler smiled, holding out a specific game.
JC laughed. “Pokemon. Should’ve known. Ok c’mon.”
Justin and Joey laughed as Chris bought the glacier blue GameBoy Advanced for Lance and JC purchased the Pokemon Crystal game.
“She is so gonna kill us,” Justin laughed.
-;- -;- -;-
The soft ringing of his cell phone shattered the peace that had clung to the air, and Brian groaned as he awoke to pick it up.
“’Lo?”
“B? That’s you right?” a familiar voice asked.
“Yeah Nick, it’s me,” Brian assured his best friend, yawning afterwards.
“Dude where ARE you?” Nick asked. “J and Kev thought that you were in trouble…D said to wait for you, that you’d show up, and we have. So where are you?”
“I’m at my house smart one,” he laughed. “I was sleeping until you woke me up.”
“Well sorr-ry for being worried,” Nick defended. “So…why’d you crash there instead of here?”
“I had a problem I had to solve…” Brian said slowly.
“Problem?”
“Yeah, don’t worry about it. Me and Jess talked it over and it’s alright now…”
“Oh so you tell her but not me?” Nick asked jokingly.
“Hey c’mon. Knowing you, you’d freak out.”
“Uh oh…what’s the problem?” Nick demanded, his curiosity suddenly sparked.
“Nothin…you don’t have to worry about it,” Brian repeated.
“Uh huh…hey, I heard NSync’s gonna be at the concert we’re doin tonight.”
“Well that explains why Lance is over…”
“Lance?”
“Jess’ boyfriend Lance. She asked this morning if it was ok if he stopped by…”
“Aaah…cool. Feelin left out Rok?”
“Actually, you don’t feel left out when you’re ASLEEP,” Brian laughed.
Nick snickered. “Shut up man…so, you up for some ball?”
“Gimme another hour of some shuteye, and I’ll be out, good as new,” he said, closing his eyes.
“Sure, why not. I might as well take a nap- maybe then I can get away from these lunatics I call my brothers.”
Brian chuckled. “Alright, well see ya Kaos.”
“Lata Rok.”
He clicked off on his cell and set it away, making sure to turn it off. He closed his eyes, and tried to sleep. He heard giggling and talking, and knew it was Lance and Jessica. He rolled his eyes and tried to block out their voices. Didn’t work.
Brian groaned and threw off the comforter and sat up on the edge of the bed, his eyes still full of sleep. He stretched a little bit, and walked over to his door. He opened it and could hear their voices, loud and clear.
“Jeez how long have they been here?” he asked himself.
The door opened, and instinctively, he hid behind his door. It was Lance.
“I’ll be out just a second- Johnny called about something “important”, so I gotta get back to him…”
“Alright…don’t be gone too long ya hear?” Jessica laughed.
Lance smiled and kissed her. “Never.”
Brian closed his eyes and swallowed. ‘Leave…leave…’
Once Lance was safely out of sight, Brian opened Jessica’s door and walked in silently. She was lying on her bed, back up to the ceiling, resting her head on the pillow.
All at once he remembered her backache, and walked to the opposite side of where she was staring. He set his hands on her back, and she lifted her head.
“Lance?”
“Shh,” Brian shushed her.
Slowly, she let her head fall back onto the soft hunter green pillow.
Unhurriedly, Brian pressed against her back and started to make circular movements, working out some of the knots in her muscles.
“Mmm,” she moaned softly, her back feeling better already as she closed her eyes. “Where the hell did you learn that?”
“Shh…” was all he said.
He continued to massage her back, and moved to her aching shoulders.
“Ohhh…god that feels good…”
Brian smirked to himself and rubbed gently at the joint connecting the shoulder and the arms. He smiled when she sighed.
“Good god…”
Going once more down her back, he finished. “Consider that a thank you,” Brian said softly, unveiling his anonymity.
Immediately she tensed and scrambled to sit up, alarm written on her face. “B-Brian…I didn’t know you were there…” she stuttered.
He smiled, “Eh I figured as much. I was just gonna get ready to play a lil ball with Nick, thought I’d check up on you.” He winked and started for the door.
“Bri?”
“Hmm?”
“I SO owe you one for that,” she laughed.
He laughed and saluted her and left the room. As he was descending the stairs, he passed Lance on the phone. He waved and Brian waved back politely.
“Mornin Mom,” Brian laughed, sitting down at the table with a Fuji apple.
Jackie cocked an eyebrow. “MORNIN? You mean afternoon.”
“Of course, I’m not THAT delusional Mom,” Brian smiled.
She snickered. “Well what are you up to?”
“Eating, then hangin with Nick for a while. Playin some ball.”
“Aah…what about Jessica? Still with that Lance fellow?”
“He’s out in the living room…taking a call from his pager. Said it was important,” he said, taking a bite from the red apple.
“I see…so…this one a keeper?” she smiled, doing the dishes.
Brian scoffed before he realized it. “Well I wouldn’t know, ask her.”
“Come on, you can at least tell SOMETHING, right? You’ve done that with all her other boyfriends.”
“That was easy Mom! One was a tattooed punk, one was a mindless zombie, and the other one was someone obsessed with sports.”
“You’re overreacting Brian. The tattooed man was very kind, the mindless “zombie” was very intelligent, and the athlete was fun to have around. I think you’re just picking on their faults dear,” Jackie said knowingly.
“So?”
“That’s not a good thing to do. If she judged YOU on your faults, she’d be runnin back to Minnesota.”
Brian looked shocked. “I have faults?”
Jackie laughed. “And you know it.”
“I refuse to believe that completely false fact,” Brian said jokingly, seeing the amused expression on his mother’s face.
“Pshaw,” Jackie brushed off. “You snore, you bite your nails, judge people ahem ahem,” she winked, making Brian laugh.
“Oh come on Mom, I’m only looking out for her, you know that.”
“Sometimes I’m not too sure…”
“What?” Brian asked.
“I think you’re just saying that cuz you hated all her boyfriends.”
Brian chuckled uncertainly. “Yeah…that’s it…mm gotta get goin- Nick said an hour, I’ve gotta be there. I’ll be back…later to get my stuff. Remember mom, concert tonight?”
“How about I bring your stuff with me?” she suggested.
“Works for me,” Brian shrugged. “Tell Jess that she’s welcome to come- I got her and Lil Lance a ticket.”
“Will do.”
“Love you mom,” he said, giving her a kiss on the cheek before heading off to join Nick in a game of basketball.
-;- -;- -;-
“Dude, Rok you’re EARLY?” Nick laughed jogging up to his friend, already dribbling and shooting baskets.
“Shove it Carter,” Brian laughed, chucking a ball at the tall blonde.
Nick caught it and shot a 3-pointer expertly.
“Lucky shot,” Brian said, chalking it up to that.
“Naw man, that was all talent baby!” Nick laughed.
“EGO TRIP!” Brian shouted, running to get a ball. Once he grabbed a decent ball, he ran back and grinned evilly at his friend. “Time to play some ball.”
-;- -;- -;-
“Jess are you sure you’re ok? You’ve been kinda uptight…”
“No I’m fine,” she said, waving her hand. She sighed. “Just worried about Lance and how they’re treating him…”
“Jess he’s fine-”
“MOMMY!!”
“And whadaya know?” Lance laughed, standing up and grabbing her hand. “C’mon- I see he’s still alive.”
“Ha, ha, ha,” she said dryly. “Let’s see shall we?”
“MOMMY!” Little Lance shouted, running across the living room to the stairs, holding up an object in his hand. “Look what Uncle Chris got me!”
“Oh no,” she moaned, running the rest of the way. “Don’t tell me…CHRIS!”
“Uh oh…” he muttered, hiding behind Justin’s tall frame. “Hide me!” he squeaked.
Justin laughed, “I don’t think so old man.” With that he stepped aside to let Jessica bowl the short man over.
“AGH! Hey guys?! Some help??” Chris pleaded.
“Mommy, why are you hurting Chris?”
“No reason honey, just saying hello,” she said, glaring at the older man before crawling off and brushing herself off as if nothing happened.
“Boy did she show you,” Justin laughed.
“Mommy, Uncle Chris got the GameBoy, Uncle JC got me the game-”
“What?” Jessica glared daggers into the blushing blue-eyed brunette.
“I had to! He was too cute to resist!”
“As if that’s an excuse,” she scoffed.
“It is to me,” JC said, crossing his arms.
“And, and,” Little Lance continued excitedly, “Uncle Joey got me the hugest chocolate bar in the world-”
“CHOCOLATE?”
Joey stepped swiftly out of her sprint range and stayed there.
“And! Mommy! Uncle Justin got me shoes!” He pointed to the Nike sport shoes on his tiny feet.
“JUSTIN! I’m gonna kill you all!” she moaned.
“Why Mommy? They’re the bestest uncles I got!”
“I thought you liked Uncle AJ best,” Jessica said, cocking an eyebrow at the sheepish toddler.
“Well…I like him too!”
She laughed and ruffled his hair. “You just like presents, don’t you?”
“So?”
The guys laughed.
“And speaking of presents, I forgot to give him mine…”
“LANCE! NO!”
“Uncle Lance got me one too? Yay!”
“Oh brother. Thanks a lot you guys,” she said, glaring at the group of guys before her.
Lance handed Little Lance a small box.
“Oh no…please don’t tell me…”
“MOMMY LOOK!”
“Oh god Bass you are dead.”
“I couldn’t resist!”
“Dude you got him something GOLD?” Justin asked. “With DIAMONDS? And here I am thinking you like to SAVE money…”
“Shut up,” Lance laughed.
“God Lance I’d kill you if it weren’t for Mom and this little troublemaker right now,” Jessica said seriously as she looked at the necklace.
In gold it said Brian, set on a diamond B. Thank goodness it was small.
Jessica stared at her son and pursed her lips in thought. “Um JC? Chris? Do you still happen to have those receipts?”
-;- -;- -;-
“Guys c’mon- it’s 5, the concert starts in 2 hours,” Lance said, glancing at his watch.
“Awww…” the guys chorused.
“You guys have a concert…the charity one?”
“Yeah- how’d you know?” Justin asked.
“Bri’s doing the same one!” Jessica exclaimed. “This is great! I can see you all.”
“Bri…Brian?” JC asked.
“Um this IS his house…”
“Ha ha.”
“So we goin or not?” Joey asked.
“Do you have to go?” Little Lance asked, pouting.
“Aw…can we keep him?” Chris joked, lifting the toddler onto his knee.
“Uh no, Lance c’mere,” Jessica said, holding out her arms.
“Can I go with Chris Mom?”
“I feel rejected,” she said, laughing.
“Jess sweetie, glad I caught you,” Jackie said, her arms full of bags of groceries. “Could you help me out here?”
“Sure mom,” she smiled, taking a bag.
“Let me take that,” Lance said, taking two of the bags, leaving her with only one.
“Whew thank you, Lance,” Jackie smiled. “I was swamped a bit there.”
“Lance is sucking up…” Chris whispered loudly.
“Oh shut up Christopher,” Lance rolled his eyes.
“I better wake up Bri before he’s too late,” Jessica said, setting the bag of snacks on the counter.
“No need,” Jackie said, setting her purse down. “He’s already left.”
“What?”
“He left to play basketball with Nick.”
“Oh.”
“So you’re still here?” Jackie asked the rest of them, opening the refrigerator to put in the head of lettuce.
“Yup. We’re about to head to the concert,” JC said politely.
“Oh! The concert. Jess sweetie, Brian told me to tell you that he got tickets for you and Lance- front row I’m guessing. You know how he is,” she laughed.
“Oh Bri…what will I do with him?” Jessica laughed.
“He got you tickets?” Lance asked, feeling a pang of jealousy. He had tried to get her tickets, but they said they were sold out.
“He always does…I think they’ve come to expect it,” Jackie said.
Jessica smiled sheepishly at him. “I dunno, but since I’m goin with you guys anyway, I might as well you know?”
Lance nodded slowly. “Ok…well c’mon, we’re gonna be late.”
“For what? They don’t unload the food for like half an hour,” Chris said, looking at his watch.
The guys laughed and headed for the door.
“Oh! Jess!”
“Yeah mom?”
“Bri asked me to bring his stuff, can you take it along since you seem to be going now?”
“Sure,” Jessica said, running up the stairs.
“C’mon lil guy,” Lance said, crouching. “Let’s go piggyback.”
“Yeah!” Little Lance smiled, jumping onto Lance, nearly making him fall on his face.
He caught his balance and stood up, holding the boy tightly, making sure he didn’t fall.
Jessica saw from upstairs. “Lance…don’t drop him,” Jessica said cautiously. “I don’t want him to get a concussion or anything.”
“Oh ye of little faith…”
They piled into the waiting limo and started off for the stadium.
-;- -;- -;-
“Yo Rok, c’mon. Time to go,” Nick panted. They had been playing basketball for an hour now.
“Already? Alright…do you know if Jess is comin?”
“Naw…I thought you were taking care of that Rok,” Nick said, drying his face with a towel.
“Eh…I told my mom to drop my stuff off when she comes at the concert, I was wonderin if she was comin with.”
“Aaah…ok. Well, if we don’t get MOVING, Kev is gonna beat the shit outta us,” Nick laughed, throwing his duffel over his shoulder. “C’mon.”
“Coming oh great one,” Brian joked, rolling his eyes.
“Anyways, since NSync is gonna be there, I bet you she’ll be there too.”
“Oh really.”
“Yup. Thanks to “the boyfriend”. C’mon- I’m driving.”
“Uh…I think I’ll take a cab…” Brian joked seriously, stopping.
Nick laughed and rolled his eyes, grabbing Brian by the arm. “Come ON already.”
Brian laughed with him and raced him to the car.
-;- -;- -;-
“What did I TELL you Chris? They already unloaded the food,” Joey smiled, stuffing a finger sandwich into his mouth.
“How rude Joey,” Jessica said, grabbing a can of pop from the table, putting the bag on the ground.
“And that’s not?” Lance laughed, grabbing one for the toddler still on his shoulder.
“Mommy can you open this?” he asked, holding out the Coke.
“Um sweetie I think you’d be better off drinking a Sprite…”
“Oh come on Jess!” JC laughed. “You can loosen up a LITTLE can’t you? Seriously.”
“Yeah Mom, seriously,” he mimicked.
The guys laughed and Jessica sighed, giving in. “Fine.”
“Jess? That you?”
She stopped and turned around after handing the pop over to Lance. “Hey J! Sup?”
They hugged for a quick moment before breaking apart. “Hey…is Bri or Nick with you? I haven’t seen them for hours…”
“They’re playin some b-ball I heard,” she shrugged. “I haven’t seen him for hours…”
AJ’s eyes widened behind his usual shades. “You, Jessica Stang, aren’t spending every waking moment with your best friend in the whole wide world while he’s on break?? What has gotten into you?”
“That would be them,” Jessica said, pointing to the group of 6 behind her.
“Aaah…the boyfriend thing, right?”
She nodded.
“Hi Uncle AJ!!” Little Lance shouted, waving to the tattooed man.
“Hey lil guy,” AJ smiled back. “How’s bout a hug?” he asked, spreading his arms.
Little Lance jumped down from Lance’s back and ran to the 22 year-old, throwing his arms around his neck.
“Yeah there we go,” he laughed, standing up, carrying Lance with him. “Hey can we hang with the lil dude while you guys mingle?”
Jessica laughed. “We’re not mingling J.”
“Who said?” Joey joked.
They laughed and AJ grinned.
“Well, I’ll let Lance go with you on ONE- er, not TWO conditions,” Jessica said seriously.
“Sure, what?”
“Make sure he doesn’t get hurt,” she said, counting off on a finger. “And NO GIFTS. Oh, and here’s Bri’s bag.” She handed him the slightly heavy bag.
He looked confused at the second one, but the NSync guys laughed.
Despite his confusion, he nodded his head slowly, “Okies…”
“Dokies, smokies, artichokies, I KNOW AJ,” Jessica laughed. “If you’d like to join us, that’d be fine.”
“I would, but Kev is gonna beat us all down on our asses if we don’t get over there in t-minus,” he glanced at his watch, “30 seconds. It’s almost 5:30…boy I’m gonna feel bad for Bri and Nick…” he muttered as he walked down the corridor to the stage.
She snickered and turned around. “What?”
They were completely silent.
“What??” she asked, completely confused.
“You’re good friends with him too?” Justin asked.
“Okies, dokies, smokies, artichokies?” the rest of them chorused.
She laughed, “Um yeah…I’m friends with all of them. That okies thing was all HIS idea, ok? Proves how sad we are…”
“Haha.”
“Yeah. Ok now what were we talking about?”
-;- -;- -;-
“Kevin, stop pacing you’ll wear out the floor,” Nick’s voice echoed in the empty venue.
Their head snapped up to see Brian and Nick walking in with duffel bags.
“Uncle Brian! Uncle Nick!” Lance shouted, running up to two men.
“Hey little guy!” Brian smiled, catching Lance and lifting him up. “Ooh have you been eating a lot or have you just gained weight?”
“I ate a chocolate bar THIS big!” Lance cried, spreading his arms as wide as he could.
“Whoa…I didn’t even know they made them that big.”
“Oh trust me, they do,” Howie laughed.
“Where were you guys?” Kevin asked. “I said for all of us to be here at 5…now it’s…5:45.”
“We were stuck in traffic is that ok grand master?” Nick asked, rolling his eyes. He could be such a father sometimes.
“Just don’t let it happen again.”
“Yes sir,” they mumbled.
“Hey is your mom here?” Brian asked the boy in his arms.
“Yup! She’s with Dad and Uncle JC, Uncle Chris-”
“With Dad?” the guys echoed.
“Yeah- want me to show?” he asked, squirming to get on the ground.
Once he was on the ground he grabbed Brian’s hand and pulled him across the floor, Brian shrugging and following him.
“They were right here,” Lance said, pointing to the food table. “But they’re gone!”
“Excuse me,” Brian asked a passerby. “Have you seen NSync anywhere?”
“I think I saw them in the back somewhere…in the third green room,” the worker recalled.
“Thanks,” Brian smiled. “C’mon buddy, let’s find the green room.”
“Where’s it?”
“Let’s find it, c’mon.”
They walked down the corridors, receiving weird looks from people watching. He gave them the truthful answer: he’s my nephew.
“Uncle Brian what’s a nephew?”
“Well, I’m your uncle, and I call you my nephew.”
“So I’m a nephew?”
“Yup.”
“Ok. Have we found Dad yet?”
“No…aha here it is!” Brian smiled triumphantly as he opened the door.
Sure enough, the 5 men from NSync were sitting in the chairs, talking avidly to each other, and to Jessica.
“Daddy!”
Lance looked up when he heard the familiar voice, heart pounding when he heard him say “daddy”. In seconds Lance was on his lap.
“Whoa. I have never seen anyone move that fast,” Chris said, blinking as he stared at the spot where Lance had been.
“I didn’t figure the dinosaurs moved that fast when you were young huh?” Justin said solemnly.
Everyone burst into laughter Chris leapt onto the younger man, wrestling it out.
“Whoa,” Brian laughed, walking around the fight and sitting down on another side of the room.
“Hey Bri- J’s been lookin for you,” Jessica said.
“Yeah I know. And apparently so has Kevin- if it weren’t for the little guy, he would have killed us right then and there.”
“Yeesh,” Jessica cringed. “Oh! I gave J your stuff.”
“Thanks, I’ll get it from him later…lets hope he didn’t take any of my stuff.”
“Why are they fighting?” Little Lance asked, tugging on Lance’s shirt.
“They’re just playing, don’t worry.”
“But I don’t play with my friends like that. Uncle Chris! Stop it!”
“In a minute Lance, I gotta teach this boy a lesson!” Chris called back, flipping Justin onto his stomach and pulling his arms back behind him and resting his foot on his back.
“AAH…LET ME GO!”
“Learn your lesson?”
Nothing.
“Did you learn your lesson?” Chris asked again, pulling his arms back.
“OW YES.”
Chris dropped his arms and Little Lance ran over to Justin.
“Are you ok Justin?” he asked.
“Ugh yeah I’m fine. Grandpa Chris just wanted to make sure he was still good enough to fight me.”
“WHOA BOY,” JC said, him and Joey catching Chris before he launched onto Justin again. “Peace. No more ok?”
“What did I do?” Justin asked innocently.
“You’re being yourself,” Jessica laughed.
“Can I help it if he can’t take me?”
“Justin. Shut. Up,” JC said sternly, glaring at him.
“Ok, ok I’ll lay off the pop…”
“You don’t need to be any more hyper,” Lance shook his head.
“NSYNC! Last minute rehearsal!” someone called.
“That’s us,” Lance said, getting up off the couch. “Let’s go before he kills someone.”
“I wasn’t gonna kill him,” Chris said, yanking his arms out of JC and Joey’s grips. “I was just gonna teach him what I learned when I was young.”
“And I’m not in the mood to deal with you two,” JC said, stretching his arms. “I only got 2 hours of sleep, and if you press that button ONE more time…”
“Oooh I’m scared,” Justin and Chris said simultaneously.v JC glared as they left the room.
The last thing she heard before the door closed was, “You DO know I took karate before this group, right?”