Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 21:15:19 EDT
From: MeJDM@hotmail.com
Subject: gay/celebrity/boy-bands/Ghostly Hours 1

Well everybody, I've got a new story.  I will still be writing Becoming
Whole, but this story just popped in my head and started writing itself.  I
basically have it all outlined from beginning to end, but I just need to
write it.  This is going to not be a happy story, I'll warn you now.  But
this will hopefully be a great thriller.  Please send all feedback to
MeJDM@hotmail.com

***This is a story of fiction.  I do not know any of the people mentioned
in this story, nor of their sexuality.

                           *-*-*-*-*-*-*
                              PROLOGUE
                           *-*-*-*-*-*-*

     Justin laid his hand on his friend's head.  He wiped some sweat off
the now pale of skin of his band mate.  Chris' eyes seem to empty, as if
his soul had gone long before.  Although no one wanted to believe it, it
was happening.  Chris was dying.  The doctors had tested him for hours and
hours.  They couldn't find anything wrong with him.  But yet, he was dying.
His body seemed to grow colder with every passing minute.  Little twitches
from his eyes showed he was still alive, but that was all he could do.  He
couldn't even speak.  Dried tears clung to Justin's face from his crying
that was silenced.  He couldn't anymore.  His mind seemed to shut off, as
he knew not what they would do without him.  Chris would be gone before
dusk and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
     The guys came in and left over the hours, not able to bear witness to
the event for too long a period.  Joey visited the least often, but he
never cried.  Everyone knew he was being strong for everyone.  Justin,
however, tried but couldn't take it.  He wouldn't leave Chris' side, but
had to cry until he couldn't.  He knew he would some more after it
occurred.  But that could wait.  It could wait forever if it was up to him.
He gripped Chris' hand to try and comfort him.  Chris' family wasn't able
to come to England.  No plane was able to land anywhere around England
because of the snowstorm.  The snow fell so hard and so fast in such a
short amount of time.
     Hours past until finally Chris' eyes lost their last sign of life.
Justin's voice got caught up in his throat as he whispered a goodbye.
Tears flowed freely once again as the machines beeped.  Doctors and nurses
came in and whisked Justin away.  Justin walked over to his band mates.  JC
stood up and hugged Justin, allowing him to cry softly on his shoulders.
     "He's gone."  Justin's words were barely audible.  JC tightened his
grip.  Justin broke down and could barely stand.  He was picked up in JC's
arms and Justin buried his head in the older boy's neck.  The boys stayed
their long after the doctor came out to break the news to them.  Joey
finally released some tears as he held Lance.

                         *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
                            CHAPTER ONE
                           Tortured Soul
                         *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

<A few days after Chris' death>

     "And as we give our last respects to this young soul, we know that god
has given him a place in heaven.  Ashes to ashes, dust to dust."  Justin
heard the minister but paid little attention.  He eyes were on the wood
coffin that held his late friend.  Tears stung his eyes still as he
remembered staying by his friend's side until the end.  Unable to stare any
longer he looked around.  This was made a private ceremony.  Fans had sent
their cards and prayers, but a small service was held.  Chris' family
bawled their eyes out.  Along with were his band mates.  For yet another
time, Justin turned his head and buried it in JC's shoulder.  JC just
wrapped his arms around Justin and let him cry.

     Two days after the funeral, nothing was normal.  Everyone moped around
in Justin's house, no one wishing to be alone.  So many nights JC and
Justin curled up together, holding on to each other for dear life, afraid
to let go.  Joey and Lance were not as close and slept in their own rooms,
but their tears echoed through the house.  Justin's mom tried to comfort
everyone, especially her son, but only JC seemed to calm him.  She knew the
bond they shared was beyond friendship, as every mom knows their son, but
she knew neither had expressed it.  She gladly welcomed JC and hoped he
would help her son through the tragedy.

     "Do you want to go outside?  You have to see the world sometime."  JC
caressed Justin's golden locks.  The youth trembled at the thought of
leaving JC's arms, of being outside.
     "No."  Justin coughed up with his hoarse voice.
     "Can you eat something?  Please."  JC tenderness mixed with his worry
at Justin's health.
     Justin looked into the pleading friend.  "Okay."
     "Okay.  Come on."  JC never let go of Justin as they slowly walked out
of the room.  The house seemed so empty now.  The sounds of Joey and Lance
playing video games downstairs seemed to be echoing everywhere.  They
passed the doors of the guestrooms where Lance and Joey were staying.
After making their way into the kitchen, Mrs. Timberlake smiled at her son.
      "Hey Justin.  You hungry?"  She held out a plate of blueberry
muffins.  Justin released himself from JC's hold and took a muffin,
nibbling it.  JC pulled out a chair and Justin plopped down, still
nibbling.  JC looked down at Justin and sighed.  'I wish I could tell you.
But now wouldn't be right.  I would never take advantage of you.'  Justin
innocence seemed lost in a sea of madness, as his mind was being taken with
it.
     After eating half of the muffin, Justin put it down.  "I'm going to
take a shower."  He sighed and stood up.  Quickly giving JC a hug, he went
up stairs and into his room, alone.  At first he looked around his room and
remembered the pillow fight they had in here not 3 weeks ago.  When Chris
was alive and healthy.  He shook his head and grabbed some clothes.  His
mind seemed to offer him no comfort as he headed to the bathroom.  'I have
to move on'.
     He turned on the shower and changed the temperature to his liking.
Stripping down, he stepped in and let the water do its magic.  But his mind
never shut off as more memories of Chris invaded his mind, not allowing
anything else in.  His eyes held in the tears, not letting them fall once
more.  Time slipped past him as he lost track of where it went.  He shut
off the water and grabbed a towel.  He dried himself off and looked in the
mirror to see his face.  Once it was so child like and now seemed to have
grown up so fast.  Twisting the knob, the faucet ran and he splashed some
water on his face.  He shut of the water and tried to take a deep breath.
He looked back up and screamed a silent cry at Chris' reflection.
    He turned around to see if Chris' was really there.  But only air was
in that place.  Shaking his eyes, he quickly got dressed and headed back
downstairs, 'I am losing my mind. Oh god I'm really losing it.'  He took a
deep breath and entered the kitchen.  No one was there.  Puzzled, he looked
in the living room.  The video game was left on but Joey and Lance were
gone.  'Where did they go?'  Justin started walking towards the front door.
     "Justin..." A chill ran down Justin's spine.  He turned but no one was
in the room.
     "Justin..." Justin spun around again.  He shook his head as his
breathing quickened.
     "Justin...."
     "Leave me alone!"  Justin fell to the ground, lowered his head and
began to cry.  'It is just my imagination.  Go away.  Go away.'  Suddenly a
hand lifted his head, Chris.
     "Justin."  Justin's eyes widened as he tried to scream as his body
immediately fell back.  He tried to crawl away but Chris seemed to keep
getting closer...

     "Wake up Justin!  Justin!"  Justin was being held by JC.  He struggled
against JC's grip screaming.
     "Keep away!  GO!  You're NOT real!"  Justin was practically fighting
now.  JC began to shake Justin.
     "Justin, it was a dream.  Justin!"  Justin turned his head and
realized where he was.  He wrapped his arms around JC.
     "Why won't he go away?"  Justin released a few tears.
     "It just takes time, Justin."  JC rocked Justin back to sleep.  Soon
the sound of Justin's breath evened out.

     JC cradled Justin in his arms as he carried him to his room.  A few
curls had fallen on Justin pale face.  'God, are we losing him too? I can't
lose you.'  He pushed the curls back into place before he opened the door.
He gently placed Justin on the bed and exhaled.  He didn't even know he was
holding it.  As he stood up, an arm grabbed his.
     "Stay with me, please?"  Justin's eyes were barely open and his voice
was hoarse.
     "Sure."  JC smiled and crawled into bed with Justin.  He wrapped his
arms around the young man.  Justin pushed back into JC, feeling safe
somehow.  He knew why.  He had always known why.  'Someday, JC.  Someday
you'll know.'

TBC

So what do you all think?  Send all comments to MeJDM@hotmail.com