Crossed Paths

Chapter 11

There's No Place Like Home

LEGAL DISCLAIMERS:

If you are under 18 or not of legal age in your country, please don't read on. If  you couldn't accept themes in the likes of homosexuality, please don't read on. This is a story concerning gay males having intimate relationships and is considered FOR ADULTS ONLY due to its sexual theme and contents. BUT if you really like this stuff, please don't tell others. 

Everything in this story is purely FICTIONAL. Or it's not true!!! Even if this story involved the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC, all that happens here is fictional... again, it's not true. I don't know anything about their sexuality, if they're gay (but I do have my speculations) or not but I wrote this out of freedom of speech and my love for these guys. I don't own or know the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC personally. AGAIN, it's NOT TRUE!!! but don't we all hope that it's true... hehehehe...

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Hey guys and gals!

I'm back! And I have a chapter with me here... it's the awaited Chapter 11 of the Crossed Paths series. I apologize for the delay of this chapter and for the drama as well. It's just difficult balancing my personal life with the writing. A little bit of sorting out and I'm back strong as ever. :-) 

A big, big, big thank you to those who emailed me extending their support with my writing here. Thank you for keeping up with the series and I hope that you enjoy this one and the others that are coming. 

Another bunch of apologies for the typographical and grammatical errors found. I finally realized that I hate prepositions... I'm having a hard time using them!

I have a new story here under wraps and I'm enjoying writing this one. Crossed Paths will still continue but this one is certainly a story straight from the heart because it won't be a Brian/Justin story but a Brian and a fictitious character. Well, this character will definitely have a part of me. Watch for it!   

NOTE: This is a BRIAN/JUSTIN story not a JUSTIN/JC one or others having a 'relationship' with BRIAN or JUSTIN but there will be instances. The point is the story circles on BRIAN/JUSTIN relationship, but there is room for other pairings. 

I suggest these stories 'coz they really made a big impact in my writing:

  Brian and Justin

     The One

    Jamie's Romance

  Nick and Brian

     Model Romance

    Josh and Just

    Studio in the Country

    Sixth Backstreet Boy

    Because I Love You

    Forever

    Get Another Boyfriend

    Brian and Me

    My New Life

    Kevin and Justin

  Living (found in www.mattewtime.com)

    .... there are more but these are my favorites!

Please send comments, suggestions, or just to say hi to me. All are encouraged and very, very much appreciated. And by the way, Boyband Awards are still accepting nominations, please nominate your favorite authors and story there. Authors really appreciate those!

EMAIL ME!!! pseud0nym@edsamail.com.ph

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION RULES!!!

After the storm...

Three days have passed since the incident after the Grammy's. The panic rose in both camps when they rushed the blood-soaked Justin Timberlake in the hospital nearby. Questions about his life rose just seeing the blood flowing out from his chest due to Justin's attempt of ending his life. The panic has lessen but the worry was evident especially with Brian who was holding Justin for dear life in that three days straight.

Brian looked at the sleeping figure of Justin. There were no more curls that he could play with, but his new look made Justin sexier in Brian's eyes and probably in others. Even when Justin was sleeping, Brian could afford to just sit there on a chair and watch his little angel sleep. A tear escaped his eye and streaked his cheek when the thought of losing Justin entered his mind.

It was just because of a scam, his love's life could have been ended. The other boys shared the news to Brian that brought his anger and hate towards Leighanne a thousand fold. Still, his humanity overcame Brian and didn't file any charges against Leighanne for bringing falsified papers. Brian was just itching for the divorce papers so that he could get rid of the bitch once and for all.

"Brian, you should eat." Kevin said causing Brian to avert his sight from Justin to the newcomer in the room. Brian looked back to Justin knowing that it was just Kevin who entered the room. Worry filled Kevin's voice seeing Brian deteriorating when he forgot to take care of himself just to be with Justin's side.

"You know that I won't leave him til he wakes." Brian said. Brian gazed back at Justin's face while still stroking Justin's hand.

"You're gonna get sick with what you're doing." Kevin warned Brian, but it was no use. Kevin knew that. Brian was just too stubborn. "How about I compromise, I bring you food here?" Kevin said with a little of a beg for Brian to agree. Brian just nodded 'yes' and Kevin left his cousin to get his food.

"How's he?" Nick asked the retreating figure of Kevin from Justin's room.

"He agreed to eat." Kevin said. Nick's eyes began to sparkle from news. "But I have to bring him the food." Kevin sighed. Kevin walked passed Nick not wanting to deal with him anymore with the fatigue catching up with him.

"Kevin, you also need rest. I'll get Brian's food and you sit there on the couch and catch up with your sleep. I know you haven't have the best sleep in these three days." Nick offered Kevin. Kevin smiled at the offer and slumped down to the couch. After a while, he was fast asleep.

Nick walked towards the cafeteria to get his best friend something to eat. He was worried for his two friends but he didn't make it appear much. There must be someone to be in 'equilibrium' for all and he thought it was he. Even if Nick aches seeing Brian forgetting about himself, he didn't let it show. Even if it pains him seeing his beloved Justin lying in a hospital bed trying to fight for his life, he didn't let it show. Even if it hurts him seeing his best friend Brian holding Justin for dear life, he didn't let it show. The show must go on.

Nick entered the cafeteria. A 'smile' traced his face upon seeing his two peers eating solemnly. Nick approached the two to not cause any suspicion with his true feelings with the situation.

"Hey!" Nick said with a little enthusiasm. The two guys looked at Nick and smiled at him.

"How's everything there?" AJ asked as he placed a fry in his mouth.

"Same old. Brian is still in Justin's room holding his hand. Kevin finally made Brian eat but food must approach him. I let Kevin rest for a while, he hasn't slept that well since the first day." Nick explained. "How 'bout you? How are you holding up?" Nick asked.

"I'm actually fine now. Joey here is helping me with it." AJ reached for Joey's hand and gave it a squeeze. The two smiled lovingly seeing that they were on the same page... in love.

"That's good to know. Congratulations." Nick said happily. "How are the others doing?" Nick asked.

"Lynn is catching up with her sleep. Lance is fighting with management to let us all wait til Justin's better. Chris was caught with FumanSkeeto work that he couldn't escape. JC is somewhere sulking about Justin's situation." Joey stated nonchalantly.

"Hate to end this but I have to bring food to our prince who doesn't want to leave his sleeping beauty. Bye and congratulations again." Nick said as he left the couple to buy food for his best friend.

JC has been driving around town for hours. He didn't want to stay in the hotel because it brought too much memories about Justin's attempt... and his part in that attempt. Tears cascaded from his eyes. JC was to blame if Justin would die. Even if Justin attempted to take his life, he was part of the mastermind that drove him to that act. JC saw the phone by his side and pressed a few numbers that were familiar to him but he hoped that he could forget it once and for all.

"Hello" The person from the line answered.

"I'm pulling out of this scam." JC said on the phone. The car stopped when the traffic light turned red. 

"Why? You don't want to get your Justin?" the menacing voice questioned JC trying to win him over once again.

"Fuck you! I want Justin ALIVE! And this was not part of the deal. We didn't talk about death when we started this and look where we are." JC said with anger in his voice.

"JC, I don't give a flying fuck with your little boy toy there. I do hope that he dies in that hospital so all my miseries would be over!" the other party shot back to JC.

"I'm not gonna be a pawn of yours, Leighanne. My mind has made up. You're alone in this war now." JC said as he hanged up the phone and the traffic light turned green. JC decided that he has to go to the hospital to see how Justin was feeling.

Leighanne press the end button of her cellular phone. She was angry, very angry with JC. Angry with Justin. Angry with the rest of the Backstreet Boys and NSYNC. Leighanne paced thinking of how she can act her revenge and how she could get Brian for good.

A devious smile appeared on the blonde's face. "You could have won the battle but not the war." She took her purse and walked to her car and started her journey to enact her plans.

Justin's eyes fluttered open as his consciousness returns to him. Ouch, that's gotta hurt. Opening your eyes after a long sleep is really something that could make you squirm in pain. Justin is alive. As in there's life in Justin's body... is he? Justin's squinted his eyes as the bright light met his eyes. The smell of the hospital room filled his nose. The monotonous beep of the machines that kept him alive invaded his ears. The comfy bed he's lying is there. And there's a hand holding his... yes, Justin's truly alive.

"Where am I?" Justin asked to no one in particular. The one holding him woke up from his slumber upon hearing the angelic voice of Justin. His eyes widened when he saw that Justin has awaken. Tears trickled down his cheeks knowing that Justin's okay and out of danger.

"Justin, honey? Thank God you're awake!" Brian exclaimed giving Justin an embrace filled with care.

"Brian, why am I here? The last thing I remember was..." Justin trailed off as memories of Grammy's night returned to his mind clearer. He remembered Leighanne's pregnancy. He remembered their break-up. He remembered Nick trying to ease him. He remembered the knife the plunged in his chest. "Go to your WIFE, Brian." Justin said emphasizing with the word 'wife'.

"No, Justin. I'll be with you now and forever. Nick proved that Leighanne was telling a lie about the pregnancy." Brian informed Justin. Justin's eyes watered hearing those wonderful words, 'I'll be with you now and forever'. Justin looked back at what he has done. He almost ended his life that would cause others especially Brian with grief.

"God! I could have died." Justin cried harder.

"Just, you're alive and you're with me now. That's part of the past and this is the present with you alive... with me." Brian inched closer and kissed Justin. Justin has missed those soft lips. Lips that gave him the strength to live another day.

"I'm so sorry, Brian. I didn't mean to do it." Justin cried out as he held Brian's hands. Brian's began to water feeling the sincerity in his voice. "The idea of losing you was just too unbearable for me." Justin wailed as he embraced Brian.

"Don't be. I would have done it if I knew that I won't be with you." Brian admitted. Brian returned the embrace with the same warmth and love. "Let's just forget about what happened and concentrate on the now and the future, okay?" Brian asked as he wiped away the tears that flowed from his eyes.

"Now that Sleeping Beauty has awakened, do you want to eat now?" A voice interrupted Justin and Brian's moment. The couple looked back seeing Nick standing by the door with a tray of food on his hand.

"You weren't eating?" Justin asked Brian. Brian just let his head hang low and shrugged. "Sweetie, you should have eaten and now, you WILL eat." Justin chastised Brian. Nick placed the tray on the counter for Brian.

"I'll just tell the doctor that you're awaken." Nick said as he walked out of the room. "By the way, thank God you're okay now." Nick said with a smile and he closed the door.

"Nick's so sweet, isn't he?" Justin asked absentmindedly. Brian just frowned with the remark knowing that there was a hidden meaning with Nick's actions. Brian immediately dismissed the thought to give his full attention to Justin.

"I missed you so much!" Brian said as he gave Justin another kiss.

"Eat now, make out later." Justin said as he pointed to the tray of food on the countertop. Brian just pouted and took the tray to start eating. Justin just smiled at Brian.

"Guys! Justin woke up." Nick said as he closed the door of Justin's room. Smiles traced the faces of those who awaited the good news for three days.

"Thank God! I want a good bed." Lance said as he stood from the couch he was sleeping on. "And management is chewing me up with the delay." Lance smiled at the thought that management is finally off his back.

"C'mon! Let's see our patient." Joey said excitedly.

"No you don't! Let the couple have their time. All they need now is peace and quiet and a moment between themselves." Nick said. Three eyebrows from the Backstreet Boys raised due to the actions of Nick but the NSYNCers didn't get that. Joey just slumped back and pouted while AJ stroke his cheek that made Joey smile warm. With that, the other Backstreet Boys and NSYNCers looked at them with eyebrows raising.

"What? Did we do something wrong?" AJ asked defensively.

"Alex, you haven't told them yet about... you know." Nick said as he gazed at the intertwined hands.

"Ooh! Joey and I are going out!" AJ said happily and raised their intertwined hands. Joey just blushed with AJ's forwardness and smiled.

"Did I just see Joey blush?" Lance asked out loud with a surprise look. All laughed at that except Joey who blushed once more.

After a few days for Justin's recuperation in the hospital, the doctor allowed to return to Orlando and his home. Justin was happy because the hospital was really can't be considered as a home for anyone. There's just no warmth that a home can give and the privacy in which Brian and Justin would indulge.

The flight home was uneventful especially that the press was still unaware of Justin's attempt or it would really create a storm that could dread anyone. With the plane's touch on Orlando, Justin smiled happily. He was home again... with Brian beside him holding his hand. Prolly because of love that they share but one thing's certain, Brian was nervous as hell with flying.

"Sweetie, we have landed." Justin whispered to Brian who seemed to be hyperventilating with the landing. Brian looked at Justin and smiled at him uncomfortably. "You can stop killing my hand now." Justin joked. Brian immediately let go of Justin's hand and blushed at his silliness with 'flight dread'.

"C'mon so we can leave this freaky plane." Brian hurried unbuckling his seatbelt and stood up. But the flight attendant apprehended him because it appeared that they weren't supposed to be standing yet for safety measures. Brian just slumped down to his seat with a pout pasted on his face.

"Guys, Justin will be here momentarily and we do want to surprise him, right?" Britney asked meekly. "So tone that freaking radio down! It can be heard til Alaska!" Britney shouted that created an abrupt silence among the partying crowd. "Thank you." She ended with a smile.

"With that shout, I think she could be heard in China." Joey whispered to AJ that made AJ laugh. All eyes were on him with confused looks. "It's an inside joke." Joey saved AJ. AJ smiled warmly at Joey with his attempt.

All were interrupted when they heard a car stopped in front of Justin's house. "Okay, shut those lights and hide!" Britney shouted as she ran to her hiding place behind the couch. Lance closed the lights and went by the stairs to hide as well. 

The knob turned and the door flung open. "SURPRISE!" All shouted but quickly diminished upon seeing a surprised Paul Harliss entering the house.

"I thought it's Justin." Nick groaned with exasperation. All their highs slumped down to lows knowing that it wasn't Justin who entered the house.

"Surprise Justin? Please? I heard someone shouting 'shut those lights and hide' from outside. Who was that by the way?" Paul said removing his jacket. All eyes went to Britney that made her very uncomfortable and embarrassed.

She was saved when another car parked in front of the Harliss' home. Britney didn't shout anything and just ducked in her hiding place. Lance shut off the lights and went by the stairs. All were waiting for the door to open.

"What's going on here?" Justin asked as he opened the door of his house. "Why is it so dark in here?" Justin asked Brian who just shrugged not wanting to spoil his friends' plan of the surprise. Justin flicked the switch of the light.

"SURPRISE!" All yelled that surprised Justin. Justin smiled at all of his friends finding the joy of having these number of friends behind his back.

"Oh my God! I'm... I dunno what to say? Thank you." Justin stuttered. All of his friends went to him and gave him a friendly embrace with whispers of encouragement and advices but the best was prolly with his mom. "Hang on to him. He's a catch!" She whispered to him that made Justin burst into tears. His family has accepted him.

Leighanne looked at the piece of paper where an address was written. She compared it to the one written by this white apartment. It was the same address. She walked towards one of these dirty doors and when she found the number she was looking for, she stopped to knock.

"Wait a minute!" someone said behind the door. The door opened slightly and a man in his mid 20s peered through the opening. "Um, how can I help you?" He asked shyly.

"Are you Mr. Welsh?" Leighanne asked as she removed the eyeglasses that covered her eyes.

"What do you want with him?" He asked.

"I'm Leighanne Littrell and I wanna ask him something." She said with a smile on her face.

"Littrell? What do you want?" His meek and shy voice turned to a hostile one when he heard the familiar family name.

"I guess we are on the same page here if we both want something from Brian Littrell." She smiled a venomous smile. A smile that could destroy the wonderful events that were happening in a little house in Orlando, Florida.

That's the end of Chapter 11. Watch for the next chapters as new plots unfold in my series. Again, thank you for supporting the series and I hope that you would continue supporting my story and others in the archive as well.

Nominate in the Boyband Awards. 

EMAIL ME!!! pseud0nym@edsamail.com.ph