Date: Tue, 25 Dec 2001 17:30:23 +0000 (GMT Standard Time)
From: David Grimstone <grimstone@btinternet.com>
Subject: Sins & Saviors

Sins and Saviors by DCG

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Author's Notes...
###############

Hi there...I've finally succumbed and agreed to write a little story to
entertain you all...I've been an avid reader of the Nifty Archives for some
time and have to commend every author out there for fab stories...

I want to suggest reading:

Jamie's Romance, cause it's the best and you know it!

Not meant to be...this one has a top notch ending...(I'm not going to say
anything else)

Route 66...One of personal favs...A short story with attitude!

Life with Justin...Cause I have a thing for the shorthaired freakazoid!

Also, try reading Curly and Josh...keep up the good work kiddo!

Then there's JC's Hitchhiker which hooked me from the first sentence...
Great piece of work!!

Finally cast your eyes over the original and best `Brian and Justin' which
I am catching up on at the minute as I am with all the stories on Nifty and
throughout the web. I'm up to the start of the third installment of this
one so no-one spoil it by telling me what happens next!!

There are bound to be other's but I can hear people getting a bit miffed by
me babbling on a bit too much, so here we go with...

Oh by the way...In the first, very long (by my standards) chapter, I want
to get everybody introduced, I also want to include all members of the band
equally (apart from a couple of favs who`ll get a tad bit more)

And please email me with suggestions as to where you would like the story
to go...I only have 2 chapters done and ready to post so after that, it's
up to you people!

Also...I plan on submitting chapters as often as poss., probably every week
cause I know how frustrating it is when you have to wait ages for the next
chapter of your fav story, although I have to commend Nifty for the
fantastical jobular done on bringing us our daily fix of the best slash
fiction and the like in the world today (There's my 2 peneth!)

P.S. - I am out and about at the moment on some Interstate somewhere with
my uncle on holiday so bear with me in my responses...

But all I have to say is that New England in the winter is a sight to
behold, much better that dreary old Sheffield or Meadow-hell in the snowy
UK!!

Sit back and enjoy!

###############
Disclaimer
###############

Got you...I bet you thought that was the start of the story coming, ah, you
poor things...I won't keep you long!

I think if you are here reading this story you know the drill...Under 18?
Don't like M/M and stuff, or are you just a narrow-minded person... If you
fit the bill then bugger off! But if you, like me, are different, then
please feel free to continue and read some stuff that claims some things
the five people that form `NSync, but it isn't factual...(I would usually
say that `this doesn't imply anything about Mr.....' but I'm gonna keep you
waiting on who will be the beau of Jon...)...That's why they call it
fiction baby!!

################################

Enjoy and get in touch with feedback, it will be much appreciated!
grimstone@btinternet.com

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Sins and Saviors

Chapter 1: `One little star in a sea of light'

The rain was quite heavy, almost torrential you could say. Large puddles
forming everywhere. In Atlanta it always seemed to rain when darkness
fell. That's what it seemed like to Jonathan anyway. He put his umbrella up
as he walked from underneath the overhang that bordered the entrance to the
city hospital.

Getting in his ordinary car, he started the engine and made his way
home. He stopped by the local grocery store to pick up something to eat. He
decided he wasn't too hungry and settled on a packaged sandwich. `Great
choice dimwit!' thought Jonathan, knowing that he would labeled a loner the
moment he slapped it down on the counter.

`Look at me with that face again woman and I'll open my mouth!' thought
Jonathan as he looked at the woman dealing with his sandwich. She was in
her early forties, and slightly dumpy. Jon thought of a funny remark, but
stopped when she spoke.

"That'll be three dollars ninety five!"

`Her voice is even worse than I thought' squirmed Jon, handing over the
money. He had somehow got an instant dislike to this woman. You know the
times, when you meet someone, and for no reason whatever, you dislike
them. This was just like that. Jon had an instant dislike for her. But it
may also have had something to do with the fact that she probably guessed
he was either a loser or gay...

Jon made the rest of his way home is silence. He usually put on the local
radio station for some background sound. But no. Jon was thinking.

`Am I really that easy to read?' ran through his mind.

`Could she guess?' Jon asked himself

`Oh Shut up!' and he shook his head, almost home.

Jon's house was never meant to impress anyone. Whose is? It was a simple
two-bed apartment on the outskirts of the city limits. It was an ok
neighborhood. It was the kind of place where the only time you heard of
something bad happening was when it was happening in some other part of the
city.

Leaning out of his bedroom window, Jon looked out into the night sky. The
rain had stopped a while ago while he was staring down the checkout
operative. Now the sky was clear of clouds and stars filled the sky.

"Now that's a sight!" Said Jon to himself and the rest of the world as he
took a bite of his egg mayo sandwich.

"Damn!" Shouted Jon as he spat the small bite of bread and egg out of his
mouth and down to the sidewalk below.

Jon looked as if someone had just broken wind in his face, or shoved his
head down a recently used urinal. The look of disgust was evident. Picking
up the sandwich wrapper he looked at the use by date.

"The third of October, for crying out loud, it's the fucking twenty
fourth." Cursed Jon as he threw the wrapper back inside shortly followed by
the rest of his sandwich.

"Trust me to get the rotten one (looking skywards) Thanks a bunch!" waving
his clenched fist in the air...But seeing someone on the other side of the
road looking at him with a rather puzzled look on his face forced Jon to
get himself together and go inside.

"Long Day!" Uttered Jon with a fake smile on his face to the passer by as
he leaned back inside and closed the large window shut.

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

"It's late guys, I'm gonna head out!" Said JC as he stood up and left the
table, not waiting for the rest to respond. He had a disillusioned look on
his face. He looked distant, and hadn't talked much while they were sat
eating their pizza. Although JC was never the talker he always had at-least
something to say, even if it was work related, which always got a sigh of
disapproval from the rest.

"That was weird!" Chimed in Chris, as he was finishing off the last piece
of Pepperoni.

"Do you think I should go and see what's up?" Asked Justin, not sure
whether or not his best friend needed a shoulder of support.

The rest of the guys shrugged their response, knowing that JC had been in
this mood for some time and it was telling on all of them, Justin
especially. Lance then leant over and whispered in Justin's ear... "I think
you should!"

With this Justin stood up and left the table in a hurry.

"You didn't have to whisper you know!" Said Chris, mocking hurt

"It made him feel a little easier; he's not used to this big brother
thing!" Responded Lance, his voice growing quiet as he finished.

Joey then finished taking a drink of soda before handing the remainder to
Lance "Here, drink!" Ordered Joey

Lance knew not to argue with Joey when he gave a direct order. Joey was
always the first to suggest something fun and outrageous to do but he also
had a very serious side, one that Lance knew to listen to.

Lance began drinking when Chris started...

"What do you think is eating at JC then guys?" In a rhetorical fashion. He
asked the question out aloud so that he could put out a few suggestions
himself. "I think he wants to quit!"

With this Lance nearly swallowed the entire drinks container itself before
nearly choking himself on the soda he was drinking. Joey just looked to his
side and gave Chris a questioning look. "How did you figure that one out
them Sherlock?" Asked Joey

Chris shrugged his shoulders "I don't know; I just get the impression
sometimes that he doesn't like being around us. I don't mean he never has,
I mean just recently he's been really distant, and I just thought it was
cause he'd had enough of it."

Putting the carton down Lance now had chance to respond... "I think he
would have told us if he wanted to leave. JC's not the kind of person to
leave something like that out!"

With this Lance stood up, retrieved his coat and left with a definite look
if disgust on his face

"Where do you think you're going then?" Asked Joey as Lance went to leave

"I think two people looking for JC is better than one!" Exclaimed Lance to
the others without even looking behind himself, with this he opened the
glass door and left.

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

Outside Justin expected to find JC walking slowly away, but he didn't

`Where the hell did you go?' questioned Justin under his breath as he
looked both ways to decide which way to go off in pursuit.

Upon deciding the way to go he set off at pace, looking down every
alleyway, checking every face he passed along the way, but no JC in sight,
and the rain had now restarted and it was heavy.

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

`Don't tell me it's starting to rain again' ran through Jonathan's mind as
he glanced through the open window he had sat at an hour ago and looked up
at the star filled sky. At this point it was covered in clouds and everyone
in the street below were putting up their umbrellas expecting the worse.

Suddenly the phone began to ring, shattering the silence that had suddenly
enveloped the room. Startled from his daydream Jon went and answered the
call...

"Yello, Jonathan here, how may I be of service!" Said Jon in a sarcastic
tone of voice, causing him to smile to himself as the caller answered

"Jon it's Cath, glad to see you've got home ok, fancy coming out for a
drink with me. We can't have us both stuck at home on our own now can we!"
Asked Cath, laughing out aloud at their predicament.

"Have you seen the weather outside or do you want me to drown on the way!"
Quizzed Jon picking up his coat as he was speaking

"It's only around the corner from you, and I know you've just picked up
your coat, so is that a yes?" Stated Cath

"Around the corner! You must be joking, you know I've got to go all the way
across town to the usual place, and yes I do have my coat in my hands, so I
suppose it's a yes!" Responded Jon, who put his coat on while still trying
to keep the receiver to his ear, an awkward task.

"You can put the phone down before you put your coat on Jon!" Pointed out
Cath, as she could hear Jon struggling with himself and muttering to
himself at the same time. "Anyway, why are you in such a hurry?"

"Cause I'm outta gas and I thought I'd walk, I've got a thing called an
umbrella you know!"

"Don't you get sarcastic on me young man, anyway, I'll see you there in an
hour, some people still have to get ready you know!" Laughed Cath

"Just have a dry towel ready when I get there so I can dry off."

"Deal, see ya later lover!"

"You wish!"

"Bye"

And the call was ended, with Jon just managing to put his coat on before he
put the receiver down. Looking out of the window he saw a break in the
clouds and a let up on the ferocity of the rain. `Thank-you!'

Jon walked out of the front door, locked it and put his umbrella up while
at the same time walking slowly down the steps to the sidewalk below. Jon
then walked off into the distance, with nothing much on his mind except
having a few drinks and enjoying the company of Cath, his best friend and
confidant.

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

JC didn't know what forced him to stand up and leave the restaurant quite
like how he did, not even saying goodbye, or even to say where he was
going. It was the way JC was feeling right now, he thought the rest might
have discovered his insecurities by now, especially Justin, but no. Nobody
had said anything to JC for the three or so weeks he was silent and distant
to the group. This hurt JC a little. On one hand he didn't want anyone to
know what he was thinking, but on the other he did, so he could talk about
it to someone else rather than himself. He needed an outlet.

`So walking the streets alone is gonna help then is it stupid?' JC
questioned himself, knowing an answer wasn't forthcoming but he asked the
question anyway.

JC was drenched by now. He had been walking for a good half an hour without
really looking where he was going, and not knowing Atlanta too well, he
knew he was a bit more than lost.

Stopping in his tracks he looked around, back where he came from, and where
he was going. With a shrug of his shoulders he continued walking, head
slung low, looking at the floor...

Suddenly a shoulder appeared out of nowhere and nearly knocked JC off his
feet.

"Shit, sorry about that!" Exclaimed the man

"Don't worry about it." Said JC, as he didn't even look at the man
properly, he glanced and then continued onwards down the un-named street
bordered by dimly lit street lamps, and with puddles forming everywhere.

The man stood there watching JC walk on before he turned and continued on
his way, pulling his umbrella back over his head to shield from the rain.

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

Lance arrived back at the hotel, expecting to see JC scribbling away as he
usually did. JC found it easier to write his emotions down on paper. Lance
had already given up on trying to get JC to talk about things a long time
ago. He and Justin had tried for a straight six months once, to try and get
JC to talk about his feelings, but JC was a kept man. He was an individual
in all the meanings of the word.

But as Lance entered the main living room area there was no one. Lance
turned the main light on and looked around for any sign that he had been
back, but nothing. The place was tidy and clean, just as he had left
it. Even though Lance was ultra tidy, he wanted something out of place,
some clue as to where and what JC was doing.

A crack of thunder came from outside and startled Lance as the lights in
the room flickered slightly. Lance then put the stereo on for some company
in the empty and cold hotel suite. `How you remind me' came on by
Nickelback, a song Lance had taken quite a likening to.

Just then Lance realized that JC had his mobile with him. Although he knew
that the bad weather was going to make it impossible to contact he thought
`What the hell!' and picked up the hotel phone and dialed the number.

"Come on, ring!" Shouted Lance as he waited to see whether there was a
connection or not, there wasn't.

Lance started to pace the room. Hands on hips, thinking. "Come on James,
where would he go?" Questioned Lance to himself.

"How the hell would I know, I know this city about as well as JC does,
hardly at all!" Stated Lance, still talking to himself, to which, moments
later he realized... "Now your talking to yourself. Look calm yourself
down, he's bound to come walking back any minute!" Uttered Lance as he sat
down on the edge of the bed, taking one last look out of the window at the
bad weather before lying back on the bed and closing his eyes. Less than a
minute later those eyes were closed by sleep.

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

"I didn't realize that it was gonna cost that much!" Moaned Chris from
under the edge of his jacket lapels.

"You're a millionaire now man, it was only short change!" Joked Joey,
poking Chris in his side.

Chris and Joey had remained where they were for a few more minutes
finishing off their drinks before thinking about leaving the restaurant
into the rain.

"You bring anything for the weather?" Asked Chris

Joey just held out his arms as if to say `Stupid Question!' Both Chris and
Joey were wearing nothing to protect them except sweaters and thin
jeans. No protection against the weather.

"I wonder where Scoop went!"

"Back to the hotel probably!" Answered Joey

"Why?"

"Cause that's where JC usually goes when he has something on his mind!"
Pointed out Joey as he looked out of the window at what faced them. "And I
guess that's where we should go...After you!" Gestured Joey to Chris who
didn't seem too impressed, but they both counted to three in childlike
fashion and bolted out of the door and into the rain and thunder and
lightening.

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

As Jon continued his walk down the road he noticed a figure in the
distance, a lone figure. The reason he noticed him was that the rain was
getting heavier and the lightening continued to crack, but this man wasn't
even wearing a coat, you can forget about an umbrella. It took Jon back for
a moment.  `Another one?` He paused to watch the man walk ever closer,
wondering what possessed someone to come out into the weather like he
had. He could catch Pneumonia or worse.

The man in the distance paused, and looked down at his watch, shaking his
arm slightly to get the water off the face of the watch so he could see the
time.

"Shit!" Was all Jon could hear in the distance. As Jon was what Cath
called, a `Hopeless Samaritan' he was compelled to find out what troubled
the man. Jon started to walk towards the man in the distance. The man's
features became even more apparent as he neared, something that didn't
escape Jon... `It's can't be!' thought Jon as he was about to stop the man,
for if nothing else, to offer him his umbrella...

"Excuse me, are......" was all that Jon could mutter before suddenly he was
on his back, jaw aching from a vicious left hook.

Jon looked up into the air, holding his aching chin, rain falling in his
eyes, to see a person standing above him. The person he never thought it
was when the thought ran through his mind a moment earlier. Jon was about
to ask what he did to deserve a bruised jaw, which by the way was becoming
very painful.

Gesturing at Jon the man spoke "Why don't you watch where you`re going, I
don't have time for this (looking at his watch again)"

Then he was gone from view, that was until Jon sat up to see him walking
backwards slowly towards the edge of the sidewalk, looking everywhere
around himself except the way he was going.

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

`I have a bad feeling!' thought JC as he stopped and looked behind him. A
shudder went up his spine as he dismissed the thought and carried on, rain
dripping from his brow onto his already drenched and ruined clothes.

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

Jon heard a noise in the distance. The noise was faint but audible. Jon
looked left to see the source of the noise, but couldn't see anything,
parked cars were in the way. Looking back he saw the man, stopping on the
edge of the road in-between two parked cars.  Looking up, the man spoke to
Jon...

"Look, I'm sorry about that man, I didn't mean to..."

The man was cut off by a car speeding past at incredible speed, just
missing both the man and the parked cars, and causing the man to nearly
fall over with the rush of wind. "Shit!" Was all he could say as he
stumbled into the road...

A feeling of utter relief washed over Jon. Even though he was dealt a
vicious shot by this man, he didn't want any harm to come to him.

But there was something else, something else not quite right here, another
noise, in the distance, not too far away...

...And As if it were a moment of divine intuition and Jonathan knew the
source of the noise was from another approaching car. Jonathan rose to his
feet in a flash. He ran over to where the man was. Thoughts ran through his
mind, he didn't know what he was going to do when he got there, but he was
going to do something, something that would change his life forever.

"GET OUT OF THE ROAD!" Screamed Jonathan as he flung himself at the
man. Once up on his feet he saw the car approaching. The driver had no idea
what was going to happen as he had a cell-phone firmly attached to his
ear. Jonathan didn't think he was going to make it. The man looked up and
saw Jonathan approach quickly. Jonathan stumbled slightly as his feet hit
the curb edge, but he managed to keep his balance enough to carry on...

He looked to his left again, the car was close enough to read the license
plate now...it continued on at an unrelenting pace...

The man began to realize what was going on, and began to look left to the
car...but Jonathan had just reached him grabbing him around the waist and
turning him from the approaching vehicle, all the time looking directly at
the car approaching. The driver put down the phone seeing the helpless two
stood just a few yards in front and instinctively slammed his feet onto the
brakes sending steam and smoke through the undercarriage of the car.

But it was too late, for as Jonathan was about to release his grip on the
man, the car was there...

Jonathan didn't hear or feel a single thing from that moment, as if his
life had been put in stasis.

"Aarrreggghheh!" Screamed Justin as the arms that held him were ripped from
he sides, as a massive pain screeched through his back and sending him
falling to the floor.

There was silence as the car disappeared into the distance, stopping once
for the driver to look back and observe what had just happened. Not wanting
to get in trouble for what may just happened, the driver leant back into
the car and set off apace.

The rain kept falling. Justin lay on the floor, pain racking his body,
emotions flooding his eyes. ' What had just happened?' ran through his mind
as he continued to lay, face flat against the concrete, and rain drenching
his face. He didn't dare move for fear of more pain flooding his mind.

Jonathan had been thrown across the hood of one of the parked cars and was
laid on the sidewalk. Consciousness flooded his body as his eyes opened
wide and a gush of air was sucked into his lungs bringing life back to the
limp body.  He laid there for a moment. `What the fuck!' went through
Jonathan's mind as he tried to clear the hazy thoughts from his mind. The
true feelings of pain had not reached through yet.  Suddenly Jonathan had a
moment of realization. `Justin!' he exclaimed to himself. He had, at that
moment, no idea of the injuries he had sustained.  Jon tried to raise
himself, but through blinking the rain from his eyes he could see the
damage to his body, a broken leg, a broken arm, and a tired feeling
within. `Stay awake' Jon shouted in his mind, knowing the unconscious was
fast approaching, and for once, coming to terms with his part in this.

Mustering all of his willpower Jon crawled towards Justin's whimpering
form. Justin was still laid in the same spot as before, moaning in pain.

Jon closed his eyes for a second, and then opened them wide..."You ok?" was
all Jon could bring himself to say, through the situation and the lack of
energy in his body

Justin eyeballed Jonathan. The glazed look of fear gripped Jonathan as he
looked deep into Justin. A lump formed in his throat as he prepared to help
Justin with his injuries...

Suddenly, the light and measured breathing of Justin's Jon had been hearing
changed. A tear formed in Justin's eyes, and the breathing began to
increase. `He's going into shock!' exclaimed Jon, knowing he would have to
act quickly to help him.

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

JC turned the corner and continued walking. He had finally got his bearing
as to where he was. `A few more minutes and I'm back to the hotel' In the
distance he caught the sight of a set of legs stuck out from within the
road and sitting on the edge of the pavement. He dismissed them straight
away as nothing, and definitely not something he was going to bother
himself with.

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

"Come on, keep in there!" stuttered Jon as he went through the motions of
trying to keep Justin in the land of the conscious. Jon looked over his
shoulder, with pain, to see his shattered cell phone behind him, he cursed
it silently.  Suddenly a sharp pain echoed through Jonathan stomach as he
leant down. "FUCK!" Jon shouted as he doubled over in pain. He knew he
would have to do something before he himself succumbed to the pain and
shock.

Justin's eyes opened wide, and starkly, piercing those of Jonathan's. It
was a good sign, a sign that he was still here, that the pain he was
suffering was not shocking his system to the point of collapse.

"Look at me Justin, Look at me, that's it, focus on me..." Jon was cut off
by Justin's eyes fluttering and then all he could see were the whites of
his eyes as he began to slip into unconsciousness.

"JUSTIN!" shouted Jonathan as he knew his attempt was in vain. The sudden
release of energy causing himself a great deal of pain.

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

`What the!' thought JC as he heard the name of his best friend. He didn't
think anymore as he ran as fast as he could to the legs he could see down
the road. It didn't take long for him to get there. But when he got there
he saw what he never wanted to see ever. The shattered form of his best
friend laid in the road.

Then he saw Jonathan

"Who the fuck are you?" screamed JC in a rage as he pulled out his cell
phone and dialed the emergency services.

Jonathan didn't have the energy to speak. His outburst that had brought JC
to their side had nearly sent Jon over the edge. He had just realized that
during the entire ordeal he had been putting weight onto his broken limbs
and they were numb. He was feeling numb. `Speak!' ran over and over in his
mind as he fought to raise his head to this man.  `Thank god he has a
phone, ring an ambulance, please ring an ambulance!' pleaded Jon
internally...

"I asked you a fucking question, what have you done to my best friend?"
hollered JC, who by now was in a rage

Jon couldn't move, he couldn't speak, he had difficulty thinking straight,
he didn't even know if this was real anymore. All he knew was that Justin
was going to be safe, and that now he knew what Natalie felt. But before he
could close his eyes and succumb to the pain, he felt the mans hand grab
his broken arm, the pain shocking Jon back to reality. He saw the look of
rage in JC's eyes but could do nothing about it. He just remembered hearing
the sound of a siren in the distance, a numb feeling in his back as he was
shoved against the hood of the car and the look of blackness as he finally
slipped into unconsciousness.

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

There we go folks...Chapter 1 of hopefully many more, depending on whether
anyone wants it to... Fingers crossed the next chapter will be out within
the next three or four days after I check it over...By the way, if anyone
is willing to be a guinea pig and cast their eyes over the chapters as they
come out to check to see if they are ok, they please feel free to get back
to me...

Also, I hope I haven't stepped on anyone's toes in what I have written in
this chapter, or what I will hopefully write in coming chapters. The
inspiration for all this, and me finally posting it, comes from reading all
those fantastic stories out there that deserve all the recognition and
more.

Also, I don't intend this story to have a dark side (pardon the use), it's
just that this incident, however bad it may seem will hopefully set things
up for a much brighter future...persevere, that's all I ask!!

As always, feedback feeds my cravings...so much please to
grimstone@btinternet.com