Date: Tue, 8 May 2001 08:04:08 EDT
From: PHOENIXPUMA@aol.com
Subject: These Reminders of You 2

These Reminders of You
Chapter: 2
By: Jon


This is a new story for me... and a new subject. I must be asking for
torture... but whose, yours or mine? LOL... i have to laugh... I can barely
update the 2 i have, i am a greedy SOB aren't I? This is a story between
Lance. and the other part is only known to me, mwahahahaha. Sorry, but
that's my secret right now. If you are under 18, and get caught reading
this. its official I told you not to. If your in a state, country, village,
etc where this stuff is illegal. sorry your there, glad I'm not. If there
is some reason you shouldn't be here. then you shouldn't have read this
anyhow. you did. your going to continue anyhow, so mail me bout it K?  Also
I in no way claim to know ANYTHING about the people mentions (OK I know one
of them. Troy, but whatever is said here is most likely true to him, and
well. he deserves what he gets cause of it). Please send mail to
PhoenixPuma@aol.com, or zelgadyss@hotmail.com

Part 2: I feel like such a newbie at all this. seeing a story up with only
one chapter. oh well. looking forward to the feedback, oh well. just wanna
say thanks for reading.  thanks for writing me, And thanks for sitting
through this with me. You'll see all of what happened between me and
Troy. and after all that if you guys like the story. I will continue
it. There should be another chapter after this to tie up things. and I will
go from there. (PS the ONLY part of this that didn't happen with us (me and
Troy) we never dated.)

	After breakfast, JC asked Lance what was on all their minds. "Hey
Lance, what's on the notepad, were all dying to know." Lance just looked
up, being raised from his stupor. "Huh. oh the pad. Just a little writing I
did to try and get him out of my mind."  Of coarse by him, they all knew he
meant Troy. None could fathom none could imagine, just what this man meant
to him. JC nodded, Still looking at Lance. "Your still dying to see aren't
you?" Lance asked. and they all nodded back. Lance could see this was going
to be a long day. "Can you wait. a little while." He let the tear fall,
remembering what he wrote. "I'll let you see. and soon, tonight, I
promise. I just need to be ready to let this out." They all looked on in
wonder. and JC had a thoughtful look on his face.  Before any of them
realized what was happening, JC's angelic voice filled the room. The
melody, and the feeling in his voice, mirrored only in greatness by the
words he was singing.

"Baby mine. don't you cry.
Baby mine. dry your eyes.
Rest your head.
Close to my heart.
Never to part.
Baby of mine."

	JC took Lance in his arms, laying his head on his chest. as he
continued, he stroked his fingers gently through Lance's hair,
lovingly. Like a father holding his pained daughter, hurt from her first
love.

"Little one, when you play.
Pay no heed what they say.
Let you eyes, sparkle and shine.
Never a tear. baby of mine.

If they knew. all about you.
They'd end up. loving you too.
All those same. people who scold you.
What they'd give, just for the right to hold you.

From your head, down to your toes.
Your not much, goodness knows.
But your soul, precious to me.
Sweet as can be.
Baby of mine."

	Even if he were in his best mood, and in his happiest moment, he
would have cried.  The voice that sang those words. the pureness it
held. The genuine care he put and the depth of feeling in each word
held. Lance would have been in tears no matter what. His arms went around
JC, hugging him close. it was just what he needed. "Josh. I don't know what
to say. how to say. that was. amazing. I've never. you've never sang so
beautifully in your life." JC looked down at Lance. and smiled allowing a
few tears of his own to fall. "I never had the inspiration I needed to
bring it out of me." And brought Lance tighter to him in their embrace. As
Lance slowly looked around the room, he saw what JC was seeing, 3 sets of
eyes staring at them, as they were in their own little world.

	From the first note JC sang, till the last hug they shared. All the
eyes had a few tears streaming down them, and they all looked on, with
cheesy smiles. Joey's eyes held something more tho. something in deep
thought was holding Joey at that moment. `The belong together' was all Joey
could think while he heard JC sing.
	They all gathered into the hug, making one enormous ball of Boy
Band. What the tabloids would surely pay to have a picture of this. "Ya
know, I can think of a few people who would give an arm, a leg, and their
right testicle for a picture of this" Chris said. He was cuffed in the back
of the head 4 times. once by each. "HEY HEY what did I do!!!"  Chris
whined. in his joking whiny tone. He had a smile on his face that showed
what he really thought. It was times like this they remembered who they
were. 5 Normal guys, with abnormal jobs, the best of friends who travel
together 9 months of the year. It wasn't too long before the hug broke up
in a laughing fit from Chris and his usual hyper self. "So what are we
going to do today?" Justin piped in. He was getting a bit hyper from the
sugar in his cereal. not to mention the case of cabin fever he'd been
having. "Well if you wanna go out, you make the suggestion where Just" Came
from Joey. tho he knew what was going to be suggested. "Mall" was answered
by them all. Justin just blushed "yup, that was it." He started looking
around the room "So whose in?" Chris jumped up to go.  as did Joey. JC
reluctantly agreed as well. Justin looked to Lance "How bout you Scoop, you
in?" Lance just shook his he no, and went back to lay down on his bed. "you
guys have fun. I didn't sleep well last night. and truth be told I'm not
much in the mood to go out."
	They all looked at him, sympathy written in their eyes. "Maybe I
will stay after all."  JC commented. "Yeah, maybe a day in altogether. It
will be fun, get some movies, some munchies, and stay in." Joey
added. Lance opened his eyes and looked at them. "No, go out. Have fun. I
don't want to hold you all back, you need to get out. Just because I am in
a foul mood, and sleepy doesn't mean you all need to suffer here with
me. Go out, get some fresh air, drain Chris and Justin of their extra
energy. Have fun." That being said Lance laid back down. He waited till his
door closed to let the tears fall that he was holding. He needed to be
strong, at least in front of them. He didn't want them to see him as
frail. Only when you are perceived as frail, will people treat you that
way. But as soon as the tears fell, a hand was there, gently wiping them
away. Lance felt a weight join him on the bed, wiping away his tears, as
the fell. Slowly Lance turned over, not knowing anyone had stayed. He saw
Joey's eyes looking back at him. He didn't know why, but he saw
something. deep inside Joey's eyes. Like the world hid a secret there, a
secret only he knew, and that only people privileged enough to look into
his eyes would ever catch a glimpse of. Lance was thinking, who ever Joey
ended up with in life, would be a very lucky soul. Not a word was spoken
between them, Nothing needed to be said. The silence there spoke volumes
for each.
	"What are you doing here Joey?" Joey just looked back at
Lance. "I'm not going to leave you alone, not like this. I couldn't do
that. I may not have a voice like an angel, or a song to show you, but I
can do the one thing I know how to do. that's be here. Its all I've ever
known how to do. I was never the poet, I was never the real romantic. but
you can bet, when someone I care for is in trouble, they need only look
aside of them, and there I will be." Joey showed a smile to Lance, and
wrapped him up in his arms. "Now you get some sleep Lance, and when you
wake up, I'll be here." It wasn't too long, before the warmth of Joey's
body, and his rhythmic breathing sent lance off to a slumber. Not too long
afterwards, Joey too fell asleep with Lance in his arms. Not a thing could
be heard in the room, save the two of them breathing.

************************************************************************

	All too soon the other guys came back to Lance's room. They had put
their bags away in their respective rooms before heading there. When JC
opened the door, he expected Lance to still be asleep. He was a bit
surprised Joey was sleeping with him, but he smiled at the sight. `those
two look so good together' JC thought. As everyone walked in, they all
`Awwwww'd" at the sight. The noise started to wake both Lance and Joey up
out of their sleep. Both looked rested, and somehow renewed. They both
sleepily looked up at the guys. "Hey did you have fun?" the sleepy Lance
inquired. There was a resounding yes through the guys, and a timid shy
affirmative came from Joey. along with a deep crimson red blush crawling up
his cheeks. Joey looked over to Lance. "Sleep well?" Lance just nodded and
smiled, as it was his turn to turn the deep crimson red. He was so red even
his ears were deep red. "AWWW look at that, our little albino finally gets
some color. and its a deep red!" Chris started laughing, and the others
joined in, save Joey and Lance. Two pillows smacked Chris in the face. One
hit him square in the nose, one square in his mouth. He looked at the bed
shocked. and with straight faces Joey looked to Lance "OK I owe you 10, you
hit his mouth." Lance looked to him "With a mouth that big how did you miss
Joey?" and Joey smiled when he responded "His big ass nose got in the way."
Chris looked. speechless. Stunned might be a better word. When he finally
got his wits about him he threw the pillows back, but they were easily
caught.  All the guys started to pick on Chris's big mouth and nose teasing
him mercilessly. None of them had ever put him out like that before. It was
a good way to blow away an hour.  "So what did you guys rent tonight?" Joey
asked, knowing he asked them to get munchies and a movie. "Well we thought
horror. classic horror." JC piped in. Joey shook his head while
laughing. "No HEEE thought horror. The rest of us out voted him and we went
with comedy." Justin piped in. Chris shook his head "No, JUSTIN wanted
comedy.  BUT since I was there we went with drama." Joey raised an
eyebrow. "How did you win that argument Chris?" "Cause I am older, and
ya'll have to respect your elders!" Joey just looked at him "You guys
forgot your blockbuster cards didn't you?" The looked down and
nodded. "Well what was the movie?" Joey was impatient. "She's All That."
Chris smiled looking all triumphant.
	As the movie wore on, the soda's started to wear out. The food was
running low, and Joey and Lance decided to go out for food. They wanted to
get some fresh air. In the car, they ran through a Burger King drive
through. ordered enough food to feed 3 small armies, and then hit the local
food store. Donning their caps and sun glasses, they quickly shopped for
soda's and little food things. On the way back, Lance looked over at Joey.
"You remember what you said earlier Joey. about not being romantic and
stuff."  "indeed" was his answer. Lance continued "You were wrong. You are
very romantic.  you have your own way of showing it. JC may know music, and
his voice may rival an Angel some days. but sometimes, all the words in the
world, the best voice, even the sweetest rose, can be over
looked. Especially for an action, so sweet, so romantic, and so heart felt,
that no words can express them. You'll never understand how much you being
there today meant, and what you said about being there when I needed
you. I'd trade all the songs in the world for that. There is nothing
greater you could offer someone. Plus I've heard you sing. and when you
pour your heart out in a song, your voice could easily rival JC's." Joey
smiled. He was astounded by the words. He knew Lance met them.  Lance
couldn't stop thinking about Joey, or Troy. They were both so heavily
implanted on his mind and heart. Thankfully the car ride was over and they
were headed back up to the room.
	As they got back, Chris jumped Joey for the food, nearly spilling
the drinks everywhere. "How nice to see you again too Chris." Chris just
grunted. "Less talk, more food" and crammed his mouth full. Everyone raised
their brows. "Your acting like you haven't eaten in weeks Chris." He just
whined at them "I missed lunch, I was too busy shopping." They smiled. Joey
and Lance went back onto the bed. Lance picked up his notepad, and re-read
what he had written just the night before. Remembering the feelings he had
when he was writing it. Joey could see a funny scrolling at the top. The
title, sitting there, in a sort of calligraphy. In fact the whole thing
seemed to be penned that way. The loops seemed to turn into on an
another. "OK guys, I promised you, I would show you all what I had
written. Well here it is." He passed the notebook to Joey, and let the few
tears fall, knowing the pain was far from done. and Joey read aloud.

"These Reminders of You

In a dream, you seem to care.
With eyes so pure, and skin so fair.
Your face calls out to my heart at night,
And your heart calls out to my soul.
No matter what the cause, I'd always go.
The days with you were utter bliss,
The nights I looked on, and its you I wanted to kiss.
But secretly I had to hide.
Keep the feelings I had inside.
Knowing you deserved better than a kid amiss.

I ran to be by your side with the snap of a finger.
You could have asked me to lay down my life,
The decision was made, before the question asked,
For there was nothing I could deny you.
Nor was there anything I would ever want too.
I have these reminders of you, as life goes on.
I keep these dreams of you in my heart.
Each time you smiled, my eyes lit up.
Each time I was with you, again I fell in love.
Nothing anyone could say or do, could have made me hate you.

Even after all you've done.
The heart you broke, time and again.
Still in the night I call out your name.
Still at night I look for your face.
These dreams are all I have left, of the love I have for you.
If I could have known what was to come.
I wish I could say I wouldn't have been there.
But deep in my heart, I know I would have gone, and would again.
I know that all you need do is call my name, and I would be there.
Moving the heavens and the earth if that's what you needed to be happy.

These reminders I have of you are everywhere I go.
In the tree's and on the wind. Water reflects your face to me.
When I look in my heart, it cries out your name in pain and wonder.
How could you leave me alone like that, to face the cold world alone.
Never could someone love you more than this, never could anyone be told.
You took the heart, you had broken,
Held it in your hands.
Taking apart the pieces then, and made me forever damned.
Time passes, as I look upon the past.
Still I see your eyes taunting me, the pain still it lasts.

Love and pain have traveled as one.
Neither seems the stronger.
For with the love, has come the pain.
Which leaves me here to wonder.
Was it worth the turmoil. was it worth the cost.
One word my answer, one word is yes, 1000 times over.
Still I love you, still I care.
You ignore me, and are unaware.
What actions you did take, left me in a heap,
One day I will recover. but These Reminders of You I keep."


	The guys all looked at Lance, Joey passed the notebook through to
the rest of the guys, his arms were immediately around Lance. "I've never
known a love so strong Scoop. and it's his loss. He lost the sweetest man
that ever lived. No one could have loved him more. and you know what, he
doesn't deserve that love. You deserve so much better than him. And one day
you will find that man." Lance nodded and spoke softly. "I hope so Joe. I
really do."


And there is chapter 2. chapter 3 will have the juicy details of what
happened between me and Troy..err Lance and Troy. Till next time, see you
all later. please send feedback, and lemme know if I should continue this
after the next chapter. I kinda like the story, but its course was
small. so if you wanna see it continued lemme know. Thanks.  Jon.