Date: Sun, 24 Sep 2000 23:59:19 EDT
From: Dale E Wright <bwicub@hotmail.com>
Subject: "The Lottery Winner" Chapter 12

Hi everyone...

Wow...people are actually reading my stuff.  Thanks for the positive
responses. -- I'm even a nominee for a slashfiction award!  Vote for me
please!!!! (http://jump.to/nsync_stories or
http://www.geocities.com/sasha02.geo/award.html) I'm nominated in the `Best
Joey story' and `Best Slash Fiction'.


As always, Gabriella and Mike and Charlie are my main cheerleaders.  I'm a
bit nervous--so if people could please e-mail me at bwicub@hotmail.com--I'd
really appreciate it. I love e-mail!!!  (before anyone else asks...I
boo-booed in the last chapter and had the people going to two separate
restaurants, that's what I get for finishing the chapter late at night!
Sorry.

DISCLAIMER: This is a fictional story that came right out of my own mind. I
have no knowledge if any member of N Sync are gay or whatever. That being
said, please enjoy the story and remember-- write me!!! (Especially write
me if you're a member of the group! GRIN)


--The Lottery Winner Ch 12--


The hours that followed us piling into the cab, were such fun!  We went to
a couple of clothiers, and I was having fun trying on all the clothes.
Chris and Justin were having WAY too much fun picking at my clothes I'd
chosen.  Chris even said one outfit made my butt stick out!  After lobbing
my cell phone at his head (he caught it, don't worry!) I went back and
chose another outfit.

We finished up at the final store we'd stopped at (a Structure), and had
headed back out to the cabstand.

"Damn Dale, I can't believe you spent this much money on clothes!"  I
looked at his stylish clothes, and couldn't resist.

"Um, hi pot.  I'm kettle.  So glad to meet you!"  He looked at me strangely
for a second, then caught the reference and started giggling.

"God Dale, you're warped.  We should probably be getting back.  If we're
late for soundcheck we'll get royally ripped by management."

"Hey Chris, there's a Baskin-Robbins!  Let's get some ice cream."  Justin
headed across the parking lot towards the ice cream, when we heard a shout.
Chris and I turned and looked behind us.

"Oh shit."

What we saw was a crowd of about twenty to thirty girls, and they were
pointing at Justin.  I ran up to a cab and threw the door open.  Tossing
the bags in, I threw Chris in and hopped in behind him.  We directed the
driver over to where Justin was still walking, and Chris jumped out and
grabbed him.

"Hey!"  Chris threw him into the cab and got back in quickly.  The cab sped
away as the herd of girls got to where Justin was.  Justin glared at Chris.
"What the fuck was that for?"

Chris didn't even say a word, just pointed behind us.  Justin turned around
and his face fell as he saw the throng of girls.

"Oh lord.  How come I didn't hear them?  Usually I'm better about that."
He looked almost like he was going to cry.  I had to say something to cheer
him up.

"Hey Just, sometimes we all have our off days.  At least we got you before
they could attack."  I wiggled an eyebrow at him.  "Bet you would have been
heartbroken over that."  He giggled, and then blushed a couple shades of
red.  "Are they always like that?  It was almost like something off of the
Discovery Channel."

Chris started laughing, "Yeah, we're used to it fortunately.  Or would that
be an unfortunately?"  We lapsed into a companionable silence on the way
back to the hotel.  We directed the cab to the back of the hotel, and ran
in before we could be seen by anyone.  As we headed up in the elevator, we
started making plans for the evening.  "Okay Dale, we usually have dinner
backstage.  We either get a quick bite before or after the `Meet and
Greet'.  Do you and your moms want to join us?  We don't bite.
  Well, some of us don't."  He looked at me and arched his eyebrow.  Now
I'm the one blushing.

"Chris, I don't want to get in the way of what you guys are doing.  I'll
probably just hang out with mom and Deb so I'm not a bother.  You guys have
a routine and I don't want to be in the way.  Hell, I shouldn't even be
here I should be back home in Baltimore!"  Justin suddenly hit the STOP
button, and the elevator careened to a halt.

"Hold it right there!"

Justin walked up to me and grabbed the top of my shirt.  Pulling me close,
he got right up in my face and started talking.

"You need to quit talking like that.  We've all seen how Joey is when
you're around, and we know what he's like when you're not.  Concentrate on
the positive!  Do you love him?"  I was shocked by the question from him.

"You know I do Justin."

"Then for God's sake don't worry about other people!  You and Joey should
concentrate on the two of you.  None of us object to you being here."
Chris cleared his throat, and Justin paled a little.  "Okay, one of us is
having some issues, but he's going to have to remove his head from his ass
and realize that it's for the best this way."  Justin then pulled me
tightly into a hug.  "It's okay to be concerned.  All we can do is go day
to day and hope that all works out in the end.  Never forget that when you
get one of us you get us all.  You're part of the family now.  Which
reminds me, we talked about it last night...we want to meet your moms."  He
broke the hug and smiled at me.

"Um, okay guys.  How hard would it be to get 3 people cleared for
backstage?"  Justin smiled at my question.

"Well, as luck would have it we have some pull with the band.  Should be no
problem.  Chris, do you want to make the call or shall I?"  Chris demurred
to Justin, but told him that they could just do it the easy way and tell
Lance once they got upstairs.

"Oops, that's right."  Justin reached over and pulled the `stop' button
out.
  The elevator resumed it's course up to our floor.  I headed down to my
room I'm sharing with Joey, eager to put my bags down and spend some time
with my man before he turned into the icon of millions.  I keyed in, and
had to smile at what I found.  Joey and Lance were lying on the couch, fast
asleep.  They were leaning against each other, and looked so cute!  Justin
and Chris came behind me, and both started "ooh'ing" and "aah'ing" at the
site.  I went and put my bags down on the bed, and went back to the couch.
I gently kissed Joey on the cheek.  He stirred and looked at me blearily.

"Baby, how was shopping?  He put his hand on my cheek and kissed me.  Lance
stirred and opened his eyes.

"Damn, sorry.  I must have fallen asleep.  God, what a boring movie!  Hey
guys, what's up?"  He yelped as Justin plopped down next to him, and Chris
sat down on the other side.

"Scoop...how hard would it be to get Dale and his moms backstage tonight?"
Lance thought about it for a second, then reached for the phone.  Minutes
later, we were all added to the guest list for backstage.  Lance even got
me tickets down in the front row!

Lance looked at his watch, then called out a time check.  "Okay guys, we
have an hour before we have to leave for soundcheck.  From the looks of it
Joey and Dale want to spend some time alone, so I vote we go to our own
rooms for the next hour then I'll come around and get everyone for the
check.  Sound good?  They all agreed and the guys left.  Within seconds, it
was just Joey and I.

"Hey you."

"Hey."

He snuggled up to me, and nuzzled the nape of my neck, and began kissing
his way up to my lips.  He lightly kissed my lips then pulled back and
winked at me.  I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer.
"God Joey, I could be in your arms forever."  Kissing him again, I gently
pushed my tongue into his mouth, he moaned and sucked lightly on it.

"Oh, almost forgot."  I broke away from him and went over to my packages.
I came back with a medium box.  He smiled and clapped his hands together.

"For me?  Oh Dale, you shouldn't have."

"I wanted to.  I saw it and knew I just had to get it for you.  Go on babe,
open it."  He grinned and tore the ribbon off the box.  Opening it, he let
out his breath that he'd been holding.

Inside the box, lying on a bed of roses, was a photo strip of me taken in
one of those little photo booths in the mall.  The first photo was of just
me smiling at the camera, while the next two were photos of me with Chris
and Justin.  The last photo was just of me, holding up a sign.  "Dale loves
Joey"

He put the box aside, and took my hand.  He pulled me up, and hugged me
tight.  "Dale, do you want to lie down with me before I go? Please?"

"Of course baby, whatever you want."

We just lay on the bed, snuggling.  We must have nodded off, because the
next thing I knew someone was shaking me awake.  It was Lance.  Joey was
lying in front of me, with my arm over his chest.

"Dale, I have to take your man for a bit.  Sorry."

"It's okay James, just don't lose him anywhere.  He's a keeper I think."
Joey was fighting getting up, but Lance won out.

"Dale, get some more sleep.  We'll send a limo for you and your moms at
5:30, okay?"

I was nodding off, and mumbled my assent.  Joey wrapped his arms around me
and kissed me lightly.  "I'll see you in a few hours sugar."  I heard him
talking on the phone, but was already spiraling down to sleep.

A few hours later I was woken up by a phone call.  "Hey Dale, it's mom.
Joey said that we're meeting the guys for dinner and then get to play
backstage.  You were sleeping?  Well come on it's time to get vertical!
We'll be up to your room in 15 minutes, enough time to get ready?"

I got in the shower and put on an outfit that I thought was a nice one.  I
was wearing black Tommy jeans and red and white shirt.  Mom and Deb showed
up a few minutes later, and we headed downstairs.  The limo was right there
where the guys said it'd be.  We had a grand time on the ride over to the
concert arena.  Mom and Deb peppered me with questions about Joey.  They
genuinely liked him, which I found to be so great!

We were stopped at the gate, but when the guard checked the list, he
blanched and we were ushered in quickly.  We got met by some Production
Assistant and given our backstage passes.  It was a little after 6, so the
Meet and Greet should just be ending.  Kathy (the PA) led us over to a room
out of the way from the organized chaos going on in preparation for the
concert.  We heard some squeals, so I figured we were heading the right
way.

"Okay Mister Wright, they're right over there."  We headed in the direction
that she pointed, and walked into the room as the M&G was ending.  The guys
were smiling at the group of fans, and signing autographs and taking
pictures.  Joey saw us, and pointed and said something to Chris.  Then,
Chris bellowed (good old Chris.)

"DALE, my man!!!"  He bounded over and gave me a hug.  I noticed that
several girls were glaring at me.  I just smiled and waved at them.  "So,
which of you is Chris and which is Deb?"  The other guys had started
heading over to us after Production Assistants led out the fans.  I made
the obligatory introductions, and within minutes mom and Deb had the guys
in stitches.  I felt someone nudge me in the back, I turned around and saw
my man.  He smiled and winked at me.  I mouthed "I love you" to him.

"Okay guys, the big question is do we want to eat a big dinner now or wait
until after the concert.  Are you guys hungry Dale?"

Before I could answer, someone came running in.  There was a problem.