Date: Wed, 25 Oct 2000 17:29:32 -0400
From: Kathrine <storykath@operamail.com>
Subject: Eternally Yours, part five

Legal disclaimer: this is fiction. I'm not implying anything about the members
of NSync in real life. If this is illegal for you, then don't read.

Author's note: again thanks for the feedback! Keep it coming, 'kay? ;-)
Adress is the same as always, storykath@operamail.com
Love and looneytunes from Kat.

- Chapter five -

Joey smiled as he looked at his lover again. "You spilled some, baby," he
teased. "I did?" JC answered, wiping his mouth. "Not there," Joey said,
leaning in and licked the drop of blood of JC's chin. "Mmm," he breathed
against JC's skin, "my two favourite tastes in the world." "So I'm not alone
on top of your list anymore?" JC asked, doing the puppy dog look he knew Joey
never could resist. "You're on top of all my lists, honey," Joey told him,
finding JC's lips. "And when we get home you can be on top of me if you want."
"I think we need to go home right now," JC said at those words. Pressing
against Joey, he kissed him again. "Let's go find our two lost lambs and head
home."

"Justin will be late," Joey said surely, "not more than a few minutes, but
he'll be late. He has to prove to himself and me that I can't tell him what to
do." "You know he is scared to death over loosing us," JC told him. "I know he
is," Joey answered, gently rubbing his fingers along JC's neck. "But he has to
learn to control himsef, otherwise we will have to let him go. Hey, where is
Lance?" He looked down at the man on the ground, "he has to feed, I'm not sure
he is ready to hunt on his own yet."

Turning a little in Joey's arm, JC looked at the corner Lance last had been
standing by. "I'll go look, he can't be far away." Joey was looking at the man
sprawled on the ground again. "If we doesn't find him soon, we are going to
have to get another one for him." "Another hunt?" JC smiled, his eyes
sparkling. "You know how horny hunting makes me, sugar!" "Don't run too far
away," Joey said as JC went to look for Lance, "I'm gonna stay here and wait
for Justin."

The alley was dark and narrow. Moving further away from the street, JC
absentmindly noticed the sounds and lights becoming fainter. Lance was nowhere
to be seen, he had probably gone back to the street. Even though he seemed
strong and collected, JC knew Lance was dealing with a lot of internal issues
which probably made him the most vulnerable out of them all.

Since he was apparentely all alone inside the alley, JC decided to go back.
Then he heard a quiet sound. "Lance?" he immedeately asked. No one answered.
Carefully JC looked around, all his senses on full alert. This was a good
place to hunt, but also a dangerous one since that was common knowlegde
amongst their enemies too. A movement almost hidden by the shadows gave JC
enough warning to quickly throw himself out of reach for the figure attacking
him.

He was back on his feet almost before he hit the ground. "I see you haven't
forgotten, fallen one," a voice that rang awfully familar in JC's ears said.
"Believe me, I've tried, slayer," JC answered. A man stepped out into the
light. "The least I can do is give you a fair fight before I dust you," the
darkhaired man said with a smile. "How's life been treating you, JC? Oh, I
forgot! You're dead." The smile grew wider and there was a shimmer in the dark
eyes that made JC nervous. He knew this man, and he also knew that he was
good. His eyes was drawn to the sharp wooden stake in his opponent's right
hand.

"You are here to kill me, Chris?" JC asked softly, watching the man in front
of him. Assuming a relaxed position he kept his eyes locked on the slayer,
ready to move if he did. "Yes," the answer came. "The only good vamp is a..."
"Dead one," a voice reached them, from right behind Chris.. "And if you move
an inch, that's what you're going to be." "Oh, I forgot that too!" Chris said.
"The everloving boyfriend!" "That's right, shorty," Joey answered him. "JC,
get back." Chris saw JC quickly move by them. Sighing he prepared himself for
a fight. It never came. As soon as JC was out of reach, Joey backed away. "I'm
not going to fight you," he said, eyes almost black in the poorly lit alley.
"But if you ever go near JC again, I'll kill you." Turning around, Chris
looked at him, Joey could see the confusion in his eyes.

The taller man left, leaving Chris standing alone in the alley, wondering what
the hell had just happened. Vampires weren't supposed to do that. They weren't
supposed to be in love with each other, they weren't supposed to be that
protective, They were supposed to be blood-thirsty, evil and easy to figure
out. Oh well, he'd have to kill them another day then. Moving back into the
shadows, Chris went to search for some others, not so confusing, victims.

Whn Joey caught up with JC, he easily saw that the meeting had raised some bad
memories for his lover. Without saying anything he just wrapped his arms
around JC, hugging him tightly. "He still calls me "fallen one"," JC said,
letting himself be comforted by the warm hug. "They don't forget that easily,"
Joey stated. "Yeah," JC answered. "But we were friends at one point, then we
drifted apart. Then Chris left town and I got to stay here. I wonder why he is
back..." "I think you know that, honey," Joey said, gently stroking JC's back.
"Because of us," JC whispered his reponse, "because of me."

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

"This isn't the way back, Justin," Lance said. "Where are we going?" He didn't
feel comfortable at all in the other's presence. "We're going back," Justin
reassured him, "but it hasn't been a half hour yet! If I can't go out alone
anymore, I'm going to make the most out of tonight." "Why can't you go out
alone anymore?" Lance asked, trying to keep up with Justin. Even if he didn't
want to be with Justin, he didn't want to be alone either. "Joey's punishing
me," Justin answered. "Because of what I did to you. He grounded me!" he
sulked. "God, you're such a baby!" The words were out before Lance could stop
them. "What?" Justin stopped and turned around. "I'm what?" "This is as good a
time as any to stand up to Justin," Lance thought, "or else I'm going to be
terrified of him forever.

You're whining because you got punished? Justin, I don't think there exists
anything in this world bad enough for you right now! What I'd like to see is
you tied down out in an open field, helpless, waiting for the sun to rise to
fry your stupid ass!" Of all the things Justin would respond with, Lance had
absolutely not expected what he did. He laughed. "Good!" he said, still
chuckling, "you're coming around, blondie. I may be a baby, but I hate getting
stuck in that house. Hunting with Joey or even worse, with JC, is no fun."
Lance watched him. "You don't regret it at all, do you?" he asked quietly.
"You don't regret doing this to me at all." "Not really, no," Justin answered.
"Damn, how did that half hour go by so fast? Now I'll be late!"

A couple of minutes later they were back with JC and Joey. "Sorry for being
late," Justin mumbled. "It's ok," Joey answered, not looking at him. He was
holding JC close to him, and JC had a sad look on his face. "What's going on?"
Justin asked. "An old friend of mine showed up," JC explained. Justin's blue
eyes grew big. "You mean...?" "Yes," JC said, "they still haven't forgotten."
"How could they?" Justin said with a smirk, "you were their most priced
posession! That was, until Joey showed up..." "That's enough, Justin," Joey
cut in. "Lance, you need to feed before we go home." "Ahm," Lance started,
"I..." "He already has," Justin said, still smirking. "He took one on his
own," he looked at Lance with what resembled respect in his eyes, "even I
didn't do that."

"Is that true, Lance?" Joey asked. "It's true," Lance answered. "This guy came
up to me...I...it just happened. He thought I was working the streets or
something, and I..." "We'll talk about that when we get home," Joey said. "You
were supposed to stay with us, Lance." "Can we go home now?" JC asked, still
leaning into Joey. "Of course, darling," Joey answered. They started walking
towards the car. Once there, Justin held the door open for JC. "After you," he
said, his voice heavy with sarcasm, "fallen one..." A look of anger passed
over JC's face before he got in the car, deliberately not looking Justin's
way. "Get in the car, Justin," Joey's voice sounded casual, but had a
threathening edge. And Lance wondered why Justin seemed so intent on hurting
everybody.

Everybody was silent on the way home. Joey was driving, JC in the frontseat
next to him. He was looking out the window, far away in his own thoughts.
Justin was leaning into his own seat, yawning a little. It would soon be
morning. Lance was looking out of the window on his side. What had happened
after he had run off? Why did Justin call JC the "fallen one"? He guessed it
all would be revealed at their little "family-talk" when they got back home.

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

"The sun will soon be up," JC said as they got out of the car. Joey looked up
too. "We're late," he stated. "Inside, everyone." Justin hurried up to the
door, followed by Lance. It never seized to amaze Lance that after all the
tough talk, Justin always did what Joey told him to. And Joey always seemed to
be able forgive Justin no matter what terrible things he did. "Oh my God, I am
jealous!" Lance thought and stopped. He felt like a little kid again,
competing with Justin over the older, cooler kid's attention. Over a favourite
older brother's attetion. Lance shook his head. He didn't even know what he
meant himself even. "Come on, Lance," a voice said behind him and pushed him
gently towards the door. It was JC, the hurt still visuable in his eyes even
though his voice was almost cheery. "The sun is almost up." Once that would
have been a sign to go out, now it had become a reminder to go hide.

Once inside Joey hooked Justin before he could run on down to his own room and
motioned them all to the livingroom. He waited for them all to take their
seats before he continued. "First of all, we have to get Lance settled in a
room of his own. Even if you probably will spend some more nights with JC and
me, eventually you are going to want some space of your own. And...something
happened tonight. And it raises some issues for us to clear up right away."
His brown eyes found JC's blue ones. JC got to his feet. "Let's just say that
a piece of my past came back to re-visit."

As his words were followed by a little pause, Lance looked around. Justin
half-laid on the couch, hugging a pillow. At that moment it was hard even for
Lance to recognize the malice in him, half asleep he looked young and
innocent. Joey was of course by JC's side, silently offering love and comfort
which JC accepted un-questioningly. A lot of questions plagued Lance. When had
they met? How had they met? Were they both...vampires at that time? Or did the
one turn the other? Most of all Lance needed to know that he could have that
same kind of love one day. The concept of being immortal was a two-faced gift.
Never ever fear death again...and always have to fear loneliness.

"This concerns all of you, that is why I am telling you this," JC's voice
brought Lance out of his mind's spinnings. "He will be coming after us all,
but I suspect Chris has a special grudge towards me." "Chris?" Lance had to
ask. JC had a habit of speaking in riddles, sneaking around the subject like a
stalking cat before finally approaching it. "Someone I used to know," JC
cleared things up if only by a little. "At one point we were friends, then
something happened. Now he is my enemy." Lance couldn't think of anything more
intelligent to ask then: "Why?"

"Chris is a slayer," JC said, his words sounding dark and omnious in the
silent room. "One who has devoted his life to killing our kind, it is a
birthright. The slayer has to break all bonds with family and close ones and
spend their lifes in solitude fighting vampires. A watcher takes care of all
non-significant issues so the slayer can focus on his or her's mission. But
sometimes a slayer strays from his destiny, and thus become one of the
fallen."

Noe JC could see in Lance's bright green eyes that the other had put all the
pieces in their right places, and made the obvious conclusion. "Justin called
you "fallen one"," he said. "Yes," JC said. In all it's simplicity his next
words was still a mace of new questions. "I was a slayer."