Joey's POV

I watched Jayce walk out the front door with a bag over his shoulder, "What the hell is going on?"

Chris sets the grocery bag on the counter, "What do you mean?"

"Jayce just walked out the front door with his duffle. You think one of us should go check and see what's going on up there?"

"It's quiet for now. Let's leave them alone. We can get all these groceries put away then we can go check on them. Jayce probably just went to the studio or something, He hasn't been there since we got back." Chris puts a hand on my shoulder, "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."

"I hope not."

We had just finished putting the last of the grocieries away when we heard the first crash.

I looked at Chris, he looked at me, "This can't be good."

"Did that come from Josh and Lance's room, or Justin's?"

"I don't know." I hear a door open, then another one open and yet another door slam shut. I couldn't quite make out what Lance was yelling but there was no mistaking that it was Lance. Then I heard Justin pleading with Lance. The door opened then slammed shut again. When I look up the stairs I see Nick Carter standing in the hallway looking like someone had just slapped his best friend. His face went from curiousity to anger at whatever Lance had said to Justin. He waited until Lance had gone back in his room then entered Justin's room again.

"Hey Chris?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"Did you know Carter's still here?"

"Yeah. Sorta figured that since he hadn't left when Justin screamed at him earlier. He's braver than he looks." Chris smiles at me.

"Yeah, but I wonder if he realizes what exactly he's gotten himself into with them." I gesture towards the stairs. "I don't know how Jayce deals with those two."

"What do you mean, Joey?"

"Well...It's obvious that Justin is after Lance, but Lance and Jayce are so busy worrying about how upset and sick Justin is that they don't see how he's using that to drive them apart."

"Justin wouldn't do something like that."

"I know he wouldn't do it on deliberately. I don't even think he realizes it's happening. I wish there was something we could do about it, but I don't think there is."

"What the hell are they doing?" Chris asks, looking over my shoulder.

"Huh? Who?" I spin around to see the door quietly close.

"Nick Carter just walked out the front door with a bag over his shoulder and Justin in his arms."

"What the...." I start up the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Chris grabs my arm.

"I'm gonna go find out what the hell is going on around here." I yell.

"Man, you can't go up and start anything. Calm down before you go up."

I take a deep breath, "Right...I'll be back in a minute." I go up to Lance's room, "Lance? You in here?" I look around at the disaster, "What's going on Poofu?" I approach the bed, sit down next to Lance and shake his shoulder, "Lance...wake up."

"Hmmm...Joe?"

"Yeah man it's me."

Lance sits up and practically crawls into my lap, "He left Joe...he's gone."

"Who? Jayce?"

"Yeah...He's gone Joe...I can't live without him...I can't..."

"Lance?" Chris asks from the door, "Can you tell us what happened?"

"Justin...He...He...and Jayce said I should...that I needed to figure out if I really loved him...then he left..."

"What did Justin do?" I asked quietly.

"He asked for one night with me."

"Jesus..." Chris growled, "I'm gonna..."

"Chris." I stated, "Not now. We'll deal with him later. We gotta find Jayce first. Lance...You stay here and don't do anything...well...just stay on the bed and don't do anything stupid or crazy ok? We'll find Jayce and bring him home."

Lance looks up at me with hope in his eyes, "You promise?"

"I promise Poofu. I'm Superman remember?"

Lance gives a weak smile then curls back into a ball on the bed.

"I'll go after Nick and Justin," Chris states. "You hit the studios, I'm willing to bet that's where Jayce is hiding out."

***An hour later***

I walk into the studio and check with the receptionist who states that JC was, in fact, there. I can hear Jayce yelling before I even get down to the room.

"How dare he...God, I can't believe he had the nerve...I'm such an idiot, just leave....didn't even try to fight..."

I open the door and walk in, "Jayce! We need to talk."

He jumps and then deflates into the couch on the other side of the room, "Joey...I've lost him."

I walk over, sit down and put an arm around his shoulders, "No...Jayce...you haven't. Although...If I don't get you home to him soon you will."

JC snaps his head up, "What? He's not with Justin?"

"No. After you left Lance went in to Justin's room and went off. Next thing Chris and I know, Justin and Carter are following you out the door and Lance is in your room, which by the way looks like a war zone now, alone and crying. He told us what happened. What Justin pulled. Chris went after Justin and Nick and I came after you."

"Justin left with Nick?"

I smile, "Yeah. Carter even carried Justin's scrawny ass down the stairs and out the door. I think that boy really, really likes him."

"He does. He loves Justin as much as I love Lance, has for a long time. He was just too scarred to say anything."

"So...you wanna go home and see your man?" I ruffle JC's hair.

"Yeah, I guess it might be a good idea." JC stands and wipes his eyes, "Let's go."

***With Chris (Chris' POV)

I knock on Nick's front door, "Why the hell did I volunteer to come here? Be my luck the whole Backstreet clan will be here or the Carter brood. Man, I should have made Joey come after them and gone after Jayce."

Nick opens the door, "What do you want?"

"I came to talk to you and Justin."

"Why?"

"Can I come in? I don't think we need the neighbors, press, or lurking fans to over hear this conversation."

Nick steps back barely enough to allow me into his house, "Ok, talk."

"Look. I don't know what the hell he told you happened and I don't know the specifics but..."

"I know enough! Lance was yelling at Justin for no reason. I don't know what the hell happened between him and JC but I'm not gonna just stand around and let you people hurt him any more."

"Hurt him?! Do you know why JC left? Did you hear any of the conversation between Lance and Justin before JC left?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Um...No...but whatever it was couldn't have been reason enough for what Lance said, or how he said it."

"Justin asked Lance for one night." I state then turn to see Justin laying on the couch, "You...How could you ask such a thing? After everything those two have done for you?"

Justin just looks away with tears streaming down his face, "I thought maybe it would help me get over him or make him realize he really did want to be with me."

"Well...You didn't get either one. All you succeeded in doing is ruining the most amazing relationship I've ever been blessed to witness. I hope you're fucking happy." I yelled.

"Hey." Nick started, stepping in front of me. "Back off or I'll make you leave."

"I'd gladly leave his ass here, if it were up to me, but it's not. I've promised to bring the two of you back to the house. It's time for a group meeting." I look square at Justin, "You pull that shit again and I'll personally kick your ass. Now get your scrawny ass up and quit making everyone do shit for you." Nick puts a hand on my shoulder. I turn and glare at him, "What? He got you whipped too? He can walk if he wants, he's not as weak as he's been making out to be."

"How the hell do you know what he can and can't do?"

"I've seen him." I state as Justin slowly gets up off the couch. I walk over, "That's better. Carter, you coming?"