Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2001 16:20:14 -0800 (PST) From: Robin <nsajscgirl@yahoo.com> Subject: Ch 8, Prisoner of Love, Boybands, Celebrity, Gay Disclaimer: I do not know *N Sync or anything about their sexual preferences. This is a piece of fiction, which means it's not real and it probably won't ever happen. This story contains male/male relationships. If you are underage or you disagree with male/male relationships, please leave. Hey all! Sorry this one has taken me awhile. As usual, it's up on my site too if you want to read it all pretty there. I wanna say thanks to Cele for reading that entire plot summary and for not telling me that I'm way out of my league. :) Wanna say a special thank you to Chris because he's just cool like that. :) Don't know if you read stuff off Nifty, but I just wanted to thank you publicly and I did kick ass on my midterms! Woohoo! Go me! Thanks to everyone else who's been sending feedback, y'all are awesome. :) K, I think I've rambled enough. ***** Prisoner of Love Chapter 8 "Please, Lance. Don't make me do this," JC pleaded with him softly. Lance slowly turned around to face him. JC sat on the ground, one of his hands cupping his left eye, the other hand wrapped around the handle of his gun. His one visible eye was wide and full of anger, fear, and pain, but most of all hopelessness. It watered slightly and Lance thought that JC would actually start crying. His hair stuck out in wild disarray and the stubble on his face provided a stark contrast to the utter paleness of his skin. Lance's feet started moving forward and didn't stop until he was standing in front of JC; the gun wavered slightly as it was moved to point up at him. Lance knelt down on his knees before JC; his eyes never lost contact with JC's. The gun was now pointed at his forehead. "Do it. Do it, Josh," Lance said softly before closing his unreadable, green eyes. JC stared at him disbelief. /`What the hell is he doing? What the hell am *I* doing?!'/ JC thought to himself and the gun jerked slightly so that it pressed into Lance's forehead briefly. Lance flinched, but didn't move after that. He simply waited. "I...what...what are you doing, Lance?" JC asked, his voice full of some emotion Lance couldn't identify. "I want to leave, JC. I told you I wanted to leave. If this is the only way I can leave, then do it. Shoot me. You keep threatening me with that gun. Shoot me," Lance said, his eyes still closed. He kept his voice even and calm despite the fact that his heart was racing a thousand miles a minute and he really just wanted to be in the car on his way home. Lance honestly didn't know what he was thinking, just that he had to force JC's hand. He didn't know if this was a good idea or not. Lance steeled himself and decided that he would find out quickly enough. Silence stretched between the two men on the ground until JC suddenly broke it. "I...I can't...I'd never hurt...*Jesus fucking Christ*, Lance." Lance opened his eyes to find JC staring at the ground, both hands in his lap. Lance could see the shadow of a dark bruise forming high on JC's cheekbone. JC was crying, the tears literally streaming down his face. The gun was lying in the sand beside JC, untouched. A sob caught in JC's throat, and he covered his face completely with both hands and gave into the despair that was overwhelming him. His shoulders shook with the force of his cries. Lance watched in amazement as JC lurched to his feet, sand clinging to his bare skin and boxer shorts. He stared up at the distraught man who was watching him intently, tears still flowing freely from his dark eyes. "I'm so sorry...I just...God, Lance...I never wanted..." JC trailed off, unwilling to completely embarrass himself further. /`Lance obviously just doesn't care about me at all,'/ JC thought hopelessly. If he wanted to leave that badly, JC wouldn't stop him. "Just go...okay? *Go*." With those words, JC turned and stumbled back towards the house. The pain he felt from the loose ground against his bare feet was nothing compared to the pain in his heart, which seemed to be bleeding freely. Nothing mattered anymore. Lance hated him *so* much that he was willing to die to get away from him; that told JC all he needed to know. It didn't even matter to him whether or not he found the real killer. Lance would turn him in once he reached the closest town and the police would arrive to arrest him. He would be given a longer sentence, but JC didn't care; he was empty. The steps seemed like a massive obstacle and JC barely made it up them without falling flat on his face. He disappeared inside the house and Lance was left out in the driveway, on his knees, staring at the open door. Lance didn't have a clue what just happened. JC's reaction confused the hell out of him. Lance slowly reached down to pick up the gun, its weight heavy in his palm. He didn't know a lot about guns; he'd never even held one in his hands before. Lance was careful not to put his finger near the trigger as he studied it. He was hesitant to mess with the gun, but he was curious. He thumbed the small knob on the side of the gun until it pushed inwards slightly. The clip popped out of the bottom and Lance slowly pulled it completely out of the handle. For some reason, he wasn't as surprised as he thought he'd be at the fact that the clip was complete empty. It fit in easily with the conflicting facts and thoughts that Lance had been encountering since the very beginning of this fiasco. He'd hardened his heart towards JC at the very beginning of the trial. He'd seen JC standing over Meredith, the "smoking gun" in JC's hand with his own two eyes. Lance had wanted nothing more than to believe that JC didn't own a gun, that he didn't threaten Meredith's life the night before and that he was innocent, but he couldn't because those were the facts of the case. JC had been sentenced to prison for killing his girlfriend and their child and Lance couldn't ignore that, at least that's what he told himself before...before JC had escaped prison to prove his innocence. JC had risked his potential freedom to talk to *him*, to prove to *him* that he hadn't kill Meredith. The gun and clip fell from Lance's nerveless fingers as he rose to his feet. He could have simply walked away at any point during the past day and Lance knew that JC wouldn't have hurt him, if only for the fact that the gun wasn't even loaded. His knees ached from kneeling on the ground, but he ignored the discomfort as he walked back to the cabin. Lance took the steps two at a time and ran through the open door. He came to abrupt stop when he caught sight of JC sitting slumped over the piano. His shoulders were shaking from the force of the sobs wracking his body and his cries were echoing loudly throughout the entire living room. Lance's heart hurt just from the sound of JC's distress. "JC..." Lance said softly. When JC didn't acknowledge him, Lance stepped down the two short steps into the living room and walked slowly towards the distraught man. "JC?" Lance asked again, a bit louder than the last time. He watched as JC froze, his lean body tensing as he heard Lance near him. "Why are you still here?" JC asked, as he turned in his seat to face Lance. His eyes held a hint of disbelief in them. Lance shrugged and JC looked back down at the ivory keys of the piano. "I don't...JC..." "I told you to go, Lance. You wanted to leave so bad...you wanted to get away from me so bad that you told me to *shoot* you! Get the fuck out of here," JC wanted that last sentence to come out sounding forceful, but his voice cracked on `out' and he barely managed to bite back a sob. Lance frowned at JC's back, unsure of what he should do, what he should say to let JC know that his heart was thawing. "JC, I..." "I didn't do it, Lance. I just spent the last year in prison because people believed I actually killed Meredith...killed our *baby*. I would never, ever hurt a baby, Lance." JC's voice was soft as he continued to talk. Lance merely stood still and listened as he watched JC's back. "Even if I'd been so incredibly pissed at Meredith because she was fucking around behind my back...I would never kill a child that I helped to create. Hell, I don't even know if it was our baby. She never told me about it. She never got the chance to tell me she was pregnant. I was walking around the set that day because I didn't have to be in the next shot. I had to clear my head...it was turning out to be such a shitty day, ya know? Everyone was walking around me like they were afraid I'd bite their heads off and even when you were trying to be nice to me, I blew you off. I was nearing my trailer when I heard Meredith scream. It was an awful sound...more like a shriek, then the gun shot. I started running, but I was too late. I didn't even see anyone leave the trailer. I just jumped inside and there she was, lying on the ground, face down. Her blood was already seeping from beneath her and the gun was lying near her head. I just remember feeling nothing when I saw her. Nothing, Lance. Just numb inside. I wasn't thinking when I knelt down beside her. I don't even know why I picked up the gun...I could've beat myself up a million times while I was lying in cell number fifty-eight. Why the fuck did I pick up that gun?!" JC asked himself in exasperation. He threw his hands up in the air and slammed them back down on top of the piano. Lance was fighting the urge to go to him...to soothe him. Just as he was about to step closer JC spoke again. "I wanted to prove to everyone that I didn't do it, but for some reason I wanted to prove it to you the most. I honestly don't know why, Lance. There was just...you...*fuck*!" JC paused there, trying desperately to find the words that would explain himself to Lance. The younger man watched as JC tilted his head back and closed his eyes in frustration. JC took a deep breath and began again. "Out of everyone, Lance, I thought you'd understand...that you'd stand beside me and support me. Do you know that you were all I thought of in jail? I had pictures of the guys stuck on the wall beside my bunk and you were all I thought of. You and your fucking green eyes. I realized there, staring up at the ceiling, just how much you meant to me...just how much I needed you in my life. Do you know what I regretted most about the whole thing? The whole murder and trial? The one thing I regretted was that I betrayed your trust...that everyone found out you're gay because of me. How fucked up is that? I didn't regret Meredith's death as much as I regretted outing you. I really thought that was the reason you turned your back on me, because you were mad at me. Justin told me that your father and mother disowned you and it was all my fault. I felt so fucking guilty while I was lying in my bunk, counting the cracks in the ceiling. I'm so sorry that your parents disowned you, Lance. So sorry." Silence filled the room and Lance opened his mouth to speak, not entirely sure what he wanted to say when he was interrupted by JC yet again. "Did you believe the prosecution? Did you believe the evidence they used against me? Did you really turn your back on me because you thought I did it?" With each question JC's voice rose in anger. He whirled around to face Lance, whose stricken expression gave JC no little amount of satisfaction. His blue eyes were dark with anger and his cheeks were molted red and white and tear stained. The flesh surrounding his left eye were Lance had elbowed him was puffy. "I...I don't know...I just..." Lance stammered as he was faced with JC's anger. "You just what, Lance? Why didn't you believe in me? In your best friend? Why?!" JC demanded, his eyes filling will tears once again. Lance closed his eyes to JC's anger and took a deep breath, steeling himself to tell JC the truth. The truth about why he turned his back on his best friend. ***** Same morning, downtown Orlando, Justin's office... "We haven't decided on a girl yet, but we're looking for the best one. As soon as we choose one, I'll let you know so we can get your approval. Anyway, like I was saying..." Justin tuned Wayne out once more. He was in the middle of a meeting with Wayne Isham and his assistant director, Doug Exbury, and it was the last place Justin wanted to be. As he paced behind his glass desk, he studied the floor beneath him. He'd called Chris that morning and the older man had promised that he would meet him at the office. It was nearing lunch and there was no sign of Chris. It was driving Justin crazy. He hadn't paid one ounce of attention to Wayne during the past half-hour and evidently the seasoned director noticed. "...Justin? Justin?! Earth to Justin!" "Sorry," Justin blurted out, startled. He looked up to find Wayne and Doug staring at him in confusion. Justin sighed heavily before falling into his seat. He slumped down and picked up a paper clip that was on his desk. He began to fiddle with the small piece of metal before looking back up at the two men across from him. "Justin, I know you're distracted because of the whole Lance/JC thing, but..." "Wayne, I'm putting off the video shoot," Justin interrupted, determination crossing his face. "What?" Wayne asked in surprise. "I've decided to put it off indefinitely." Justin caught the unreadable glance Wayne exchanged with his assistant director. "I can't concentrate on anything and I'm thinking about just taking some time off. I'm really sorry if this inconveniences you, I just..." A sharp knock at the door interrupted Justin. The door opened and Chris's head poked through the opening. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to intrude..." "Chris!" Justin exclaimed in relief and jumped up from his seat. "Come in, come in." Wayne and Doug exchanged another look before standing to greet Chris. "Hello, Wayne. Doug," Chris said as he shook their hands. They both murmured a greeting, and it was obvious to Chris that they were unhappy about something. "Why don't I call you later and we can talk about this in more detail, okay?" Justin nodded and shook hands with Wayne and Doug. "Talk to you later." Chris watched quietly as Wayne and Doug left the room. Neither Chris nor Justin noticed that the door was left slightly open. "What was that all about?" "I just called a halt to my career." Chris looked at him in surprise. "You know JC..." "Goddammit, Chris! Yes, of course, I know that JC wouldn't want me to do that! But I'm worried sick! I can't stand this...not knowing if he's okay! What if the police have figured out where he is? What if something's happened to him? To Lance?" Justin asked as he threw his hands in the air. "How am I suppose to work when I can't stop thinking about how they are doing?" "Justin, first of all, you need to calm down. Yelling at me certainly isn't going to help," Chris said as he sat down in the closest available chair. Justin sighed loudly and walked back around his desk to sit in his chair. "You're right. I'm sorry. Did you find someone to go to the cabin?" "Well, I was thinking that it had to be someone that we trust implicitly, but it can't be any of us. I think the police are keeping a close eye on all three of us. I talked to Joey this morning and he said that he noticed a car across the street from his apartment this morning. He said there was a guy just sitting in the car." "Really?" Chris nodded. "I haven't noticed anyone following me or anything. `Course I really haven't been paying much attention." Justin hesitated before asking his next question. "Did Joey ask you about..." "No," Chris said dismissively. "Didn't even come into the conversation. He just asked me how you were doing. Start paying attention to people around you, though, Just. The last thing we want to happen is the police figuring out where they are because of some stupid move we made. Anyway...I was thinking about who we should send to the cabin. Do you have an employee that you'd trust with anything?" "Yeah, my assistant, Marie," Justin answered without hesitation. She started working for Justin just before Meredith's murder and he trusted her implicitly. "Do you think she'd go check on JC and Lance?" Chris asked. Justin hesitated. "I guess...I don't really want to involve her in this." "I know, but I want to send someone we can trust and I don't have anyone like that." "What about Dani?" Justin questioned before he thought about it. "What, like you'd send Britney?" Chris retorted angrily. "I wouldn't send Dani into a situation like that!" "But you're willing to send my assistant?!" Justin exclaimed. They were both quiet for a minute before Chris spoke. "Dani would tell me I'm an idiot for not forcing you to go to the police when you first came to me, Justin," he said quietly. "Britney would tell me that I'm an idiot, too," Justin replied unhappily. "Okay, fine," he said after a slight pause, "I'll page Marie, she should be around somewhere." Neither man spoke as they waited for Justin's assistant and they jumped when they heard voices on the other side of the door. "Hello, Mr. Exbury...can I help you with something?" Marie asked pleasantly. "No, thank you. I promised a friend I would wait for them here after I met with Mr. Timberlake," replied Exbury is his clipped accent. "Oh, alright. Please excuse me," she said just before she knocked on the door. "Come in, Marie," Justin called out. "Please close the door behind you." He waited until Marie had closed the door and walked towards the desk before asking her to have a seat. She smiled at Chris before sitting down. "Marie, I have a favor to ask you. I'm going to go ahead and warn you, it may put you in a lot of danger, but..." Justin explained the `mission' to his assistant and she listened with a growing sense of disbelief. "You know where they are and you haven't told the police yet?" she asked incredulously. A pained expression crossed Justin face, and he glanced at Chris quickly before looking back at Marie. "It's not that simple, Marie. I promised JC that I wouldn't tell anyone where he was going. He's my best friend and I know he can prove his innocence. He just needs the chance." She was silent for a moment, looking back and forth between Chris and Justin. "You just want me to check on them, make sure they're okay?" Justin nodded. "This is like some weird movie. I'd be considered an accomplice, wouldn't I?" "Yeah, I guess you would. You can say no, Marie. I wouldn't hold it against you. There's just no one else I'd trust to do this and I would feel so much better knowing if they are okay." "Can I have a little time to think about this? I mean..." "Yes," Chris interrupted her, speaking for the first time since she entered the room. "We're asking a lot of you and I understand you need to think about it. Just promise us that you won't talk to anyone else about what we've talked about," he requested. "I promise. And all I've got to say is that you both better kiss the ground I walk on if I decide to do this for you," she said with a small grin. Justin laughed at that. "Girl, I'd buy you anything in the world if you did this for us!" he exclaimed. "How `bout a date with Joey instead?" she teased. Justin and Chris looked at each other, startled. "I'm just kidding!" "Well, if you want..." Justin started. "I was just kidding! Jeez! Anyway...just give me a few hours to think about it. I'll give you an answer before three o'clock, okay?" "Okay," Justin said as he walked her to the door. "Thank you, Marie. Even if you decide you don't want to do this, thank you." She left the room, mumbling something about charming young men and the devil. ***** "I'll do it. Just give me the directions and I'll do it," Marie said once she entered Justin's office and sat down. Justin let out a huge sigh and smiled brilliantly at her. "God, Marie. I thought for sure you were going to say no." "Maybe I'm an idiot and I'll regret this for the rest of my life. On the other hand, everything could work out fine and I'll be glad that I decided to help. Besides, I love a good mystery." Justin quickly scribbled down the directions and handed them to her. "There was also the fact that I was pretty sure that you would fire me if I said no." Justin started to protest as he walked her to the door. "No, I'd never..." "Yeah, yeah, yeah," she interrupted with a wave of her hand. "Whatever. I figured I'd better be safe than sorry." Justin smiled at heras she turned to leave. "Oh, Marie?" Justin called once she was halfway down the hall. "Yeah?" she asked as she turned around. "I'll give Joey a call," he said before closing his door. He heard her muffled shriek of disbelief through the door and smiled. ***** It was nearing five o'clock and Marie added a few final entries into her Palm Pilot for the day. She'd had a couple of hours to think about her decision and she was starting to get nervous. She turned off her computer and grabbed her purse. Before leaving her desk, she unlocked the bottom drawer and pulled out a slip of paper with Justin's scrawled writing on it. She slipped it into her purse and left the building. As she walked across the parking lot, her car beeped loudly when she unlocked the doors from the remote on her key chain. She was completely unaware of the pair of watchful eyes that followed her intently. The man watched as she slid into her car and pulled out of the parking lot. He put his car in gear and followed her out of Orlando.