Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2000 03:46:01 EDT
From: Dara Lynn <daralynn_writings@hotmail.com>
Subject: Boy bands/ No Painless Way, chapter 3

Here it is, people, chapter 3!  Thanks go to David and Nifty, and to all my
readers and supporters including Aph, Casey, John (Sylvester), Jayne,
Dennis, Aimee and Sophie.
DISCLAIMER:  I don't know or own 'Nsync or BSB...this is just fiction.

Plugs:

"A Tale of Two Boybands" - Everyone write to Aphrodite and tell her what we
all know - that Justin and J.C. belong together!  This story is amazing,
check it out!!

"Nsync: Lance n JC" - Ever read something and think "Damn, I wish I'd
written that" 'cause it's so good?  If not, give this a try; it's sweet,
dramatic and funny.

"Playing For Keeps" - One of the most tense, powerful things I've ever read.
  This story can *not* be updated fast enough for me.

"A Love Like This" - Possibly the most beautiful thing I've ever read...this
is pure poetry.

"Any Path" - The prequel to this story; if you haven't read it yet you
should.  This story will make more sense if you do.



~NO PAINLESS WAY~
Chapter Three

"Does great goodness draw evil upon itself?"
                 - "Exorcist II: The Heretic"


(the next morning)


     Lynn Harless greeted her son with a warm hug as he entered the kitchen.
  "Enjoying vacation so far, hon?"
     Justin grinned widely as he fixed his cereal.  "It's weird.  Like, it's
only nine, and this is late for me.  And I'm not used to not having Lonnie
around 24/7."
     The woman laughed.  "You miss him?"
     "No way!"  Justin lied.  "Missing your bodyguard is so...geeky.
Besides, between Lonnie, J.C. and you, I'm amazed I have enough space to
breathe."
     Lynn waved a finger at him.  "Listne here, young man," she said
lightly, "mothers are *supposed* to be protective.  Lonnie's job is to guard
you, and besides, he adores you.  And Joshua...well..."
     She looked out the window, to where Lance and J.C. were shooting hoops.
  "Josh simply wouldn't know what to do without you.  I'm so glad you two
found eachother."
     Justin stirred his Capn' Crunch uneasily.  //Does she know?//
     "Is Josh out there, Mom?"
     "Yes, he's playing basketball with Lance.  He was very adamant that we
not wake you.  Did you sleep okay last night?"
     //I fell in love last night.//
     "Yeah, it's nice to be back in my own bed...Josh is playin' against
*Lance*?  Oh, *that's* not a kill game or nothin'."  Justin grinned.
"Where're Chris and Joey?"
     Lynn looked guilty.  "Um, Joey said something about showing Chris the
Mickey Mouse Club tapes he hasn't seen."
     "MOM!"
     "Oh, Justin, don't be silly.  You were wonderful then too."
     Justin rolled his eyes.  "You think *everything* I do is great."
     Her smile was soft and sweet as she wiped the counter.  "That, my dear,
is the short definition of 'mother'."
     From the living room, they could hear Chris's delighted laughter.
"Yeah, Curly!  Work them mouse ears!"
     Justin groaned before returning his attention to his cereal.  "We
didn't *wear* mouse ears, what is so hard to understand about that?"
     Lynn chuckled.  "Which reminds me...Britney's been asking about you."
     The boy scowled.  "Why can't she get it through her head that I'm not
interested?"
     He and Britney Spears had been friends during the Mouseketeer days,
until she had made it clear to him that friendship wasn't enough for her.
Now Justin tried to avoid seeing her; Britney's insistence that they should
be together bordered on obsession.  He had hinted, and then flat-out told
her that he didn't have feelings for her, but she wouldn't stop pushing.
     //Good thing I'm gay.  Now at least I have an excuse.//
     Gay.  Justin was gay.  The thought came and was accepted so easily, so
calmly.  He started to giggle.
     //I'm gay.  I wanna be with Josh and he wants to be with me.  All that
time I was praying for something I already had.//
     Lynn looked at her son sharply.  "Are you all right, dear?"
     Justin swallowed the last of his cereal and flashed her an honest
smile.  "You know what, Mom?  I think I am."
     He kissed her, and skipped out to the basketball court, intending to
join Lance's team and help even the odds.  Lynn watched him go, a mother's
proud smile on her face.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(later that morning)

     J.C. poked his head into the living room, where Chris and Joey were
still watching MMC episodes.  He winced slightly at the sight of his younger
self, threatening to twist a younger Justin's body into a coat hanger.
     //That was a weird-ass line.//  He smiled.  //Whatever dirty thought I
may have been thinking at the time, I sure as heck never thought he'd want
me like I want him.//
     "Guys?"
     "Ha ha ha!"  Chris pointed, ignoring him.  "Check out Britney!  Guess
she didn't always look like a Barbie doll."
     "Guys!  Where's Justin?"
     Joey turned around.  "He went for a walk - said he wanted to see his
old hood, ya know?"
     "He's out alone?!"
     Chris finally detatched his eyes from the TV.  "Chill, Josh.  He said
he'd only be a few minutes, and he just left like two minutes ago.  Besides,
there aren't a lot of people around here, and to the ones who are, he's just
Justin.  I don't think we have to worry about a mob."
     "He still shouldn't be out alone.  I wish I hadn't fallen asleep..."
     Joey giggled, thinking of the 'I sleep, therefore I am' sweathsirt he'd
given J.C. for his birthday.
     "Ya can't help it, Big Daddy.  I think ya got narcolepsy or somethin'."
     Chris rolled his eyes.  "Josh, if he's not back in five minutes we'll
break out the torches, 'kay?  Just be sure you take the blame when he throws
a hissy-fit about being treated like a baby."
     J.C. nodded uneasily, and reached into his pocket for his ringing cell
phone.  "Hello?"
     "Hey, Josh.  It's Brian."
     J.C. answered as he went outside and stood next to the pool.  "Hey Bri.
  How's it going?"
     "You okay, man?  You sound a little distracted.  Get lucky last night
or something?"
     J.C.'s jaw dropped at his normally-reserved friend's comment.  "No!
What the...you've been hanging around A.J. too much!"
     "Yeah, he has that effect on people.  So, what's eatin' you?"
     J.C. shook his head.  "I'm not sure."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

     Justin smiled fondly as he walked, letting memory rush over him.  It
was so wonderfully strange to be walking undisguised and alone, with only
his thoughts for company.  Probing his mind for direction, he turned onto
another street.  Looking ahead, Justin's eyes fell on what he was looking
for.
     Mrs. Umney had lived in the neat green house looming before him until
her death four years earlier.  She had been a sweet old lady, like a
grandmother to Justin, and his fondest childhood memories included drinking
lemonade on her porch.  Mrs. Umney had been one of the first people to
encourage Justin to pursue his dream of being a singer, and he had never
forgotten that, or her.
     But it was the large oak tree in her front yard that drew Justin's
attention.  His and J.C.'s tree.  Slowly, almost hesitantly, the boy reached
out and touched the rough bark.  As his fingers travelled over it, he sighed
softly as they felt the faint words, etched years ago: Justin and Josh, Best
Friends Forever.  Justin closed his eyes as he recalled the afternoon Josh
had carved this, the days they had spent climbing this tree and talking
under it, listening to the wind in the branches.
     //What was it Stephen King said in that vampire book he wrote...that
time is like a river?  I feel as though I've fallen in...//
     "Been away long?"
     Justin's eyes flew open, and looked in surprise at the man standing a
few feet away.  The stranger smiled apologetically.  In a T-shirt and jeans,
with his brown eyes clearly visible, Justin didn't recognize him.
     "Um...pardon me?"
     "I asked if you've been away long.  Forgive me if I'm being intrusive -
it just seemed to me that this tree holds a lot of memories for you."
     The boy's smile was so open and friendly that the stranger trembled
unnoticeably.  "I've been away for months, but I haven't come *here* for
almost two years.  Me and my best friend, this was kinda our tree."
     "Ah.  You two still close?"
     "Yeah, very."
     The stranger nodded approvingly.  "That's good.  People lose eachother
far too often.  Oh, how rude of me...my name is Timothy Korman."
     The boy shook his hand.  "Justin Timberlake.  It's a pleasure to meet
you, sir."
     //Dammit, he's polite too?//
     The man's face grew thoughtful.  "Tim, please.  Justin Timberlake, did
you say?  That's odd.  I'd swear my daughter has mentioned your name."
     Justin blushed a little.  "Is she a fan of the group 'Nsync?"
     "A most devoted one.  I think I even have their cd in my car - she
listens to it constantly.  Why?"
     "I'm in the group," Justin said.
     Tim seemed embarassed.  "Oh my...that explains why you look so
familiar."  He chuckled.  "My daughter will *never* believe I actually met
you!"
     "Well, if you do have the cd with you I could autograph it for her."
     "Oh, would you?  I hate to ask..."
     Justin grinned brightly; he was feeling very comfortable with Tim.
"It's cool.  I like doing stuff for fans."
     He followed Tim to where the man's car was parked, a short walk down
the street, and watched as he looked around the front seat.
     "Hmm...there it is.  Ouch!"
     Justin frowned with concern.  "Are you okay?"
     "My hand is stuck between the seats...I can't get it loose..."
     Justin ran up to the car.  "Maybe I can he-"
     Quick as lightning, Korman grabbed Justin with his unrestrained arms
and whirled him around.  Bfofre the boy could scream, a thick cloth was
pressed tightly against his mouth and nose, and an odd, chemical smell began
to fill his nostrils.  Justin's struggles, futile within the muscular arms,
began to grow weaker.  With his last bit of strength he tore the 'WWJD?'
bracelet from his wrist and let it fall.
     Korman, being preoccupied, did not notice this.  After a few critical
moments, the boy fell unconscious into his arms.  Wasting no time, Korman
placed Justin in the backseat of his car.  From a bag underneath the seat he
took rope, with which he bound the boy's hands and ankles, and a damp
washcloth.  He stuffed it carefully into the boy's mouth...just in case.
The substance used, a compound similar to chloroform, he had been told,
should keep the kid asleep for a few hours.
     His captive secure, and hidden under a blanket, Korman began to drive.
At the first stop sign, he glanced back uneasily.
     //I'm sorry, child.  For this, and for the fate I take you to.//
------------------------------------------------------------------------

     J.C. shook his head.  "I'm not sure."
     "Hmm.  Well, I'd better tell you the reason I called.  Nick begged me.
He, um, he wants to know if Justin's okay."
     J.C. felt his stomach slowly becoming a giant knot.  "He's out taking a
walk...why?"
     Brian sounded confused himself.  "This may sound silly, but Nick had a
terrible nightmare last night, the first in almost two weeks.  The only
thing he can remember is that something bad happened to Justin...something
about hands.  Nick wouldn't leave me alone until I called you - he's really
freaked out.
     "J.C.?  Josh?!"
     Somehow J.C. found his voice.  "Can I call you back, Bri?  I want to go
find Justin."
     "Sure.  I hope everything's-"
     J.C. switched off the phone, and broke into a run.  As he dashed
through the living room, his startled bandmates blinked in surprise and
followed him.  Once outside, J.C. turned and spoke to them, his voice harsh
and panicked.
     "Did Just say where he was going?"
     "Um-"
     "THINK!"
     Chris was too surprised by his friend's behavior to be offended.  "He
said something about a tree you and he-"
     J.C. was gone before Chris could finish the sentence, sprinting as
though it was a monster chasing him rather than his bewildered friends.  He
stopped before the old oak tree, which he'd remembered immediately, and
scanned the area sharply, not seeming to hear the inquiries of his
bandmates.
     His heart dropped swiftly into his Nikes as his eyes, observing the
ground, fell on an object he would have recognized anywhere.  He half ran,
half stumbled over and picked it up - a torn, baby blue 'WWJD?' bracelet.
J.C. turned and held it up, wordlessly, to his nearly-frantic friends.
     Lance's normally-pale skin went ghost white.  Joey murmured "Oh,
shit..."  Chris let out a low moan.  They all knew what it was.  Justin wore
that bracelet every moment he could.  He wasn't always allowed to during
concerts - management made noises about 'offending the non-Christian fans' -
but otherwise, it was never off his wrist.
     And it had not been abandoned, or accidentally slipped off.  The thing
was ripped almost in half.
     "What do we do?"  Joey's voice was barely above a whisper.
     J.C.'s eyes were clouded, and he looked as though he were about to be
sick.
     "We call the police."


~to be continued~
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